LV'S Mighty Oatmeal Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients for the pancake batter:

½ cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal (not instant)
¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese or Ricotta cheese
4 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:
Process all ingredients in a blender or beat until smooth. Spray a non stick skillet with cooking spray. Pour batter into skillet and cook over medium heat until both sides are slightly brown. Top with a low sugar syrup or peanut butter and your choice of fruit.


***For an additional nutrition boost, Add 2 T. ground flaxseeds to get omega 3 fatty acids


Yield: About 2 medium size pancakes
Nutrition Facts for 2 Pancakes:  288 calories, 4 g of total fat, 1 g of sat. fat, 422 mg potassium, 450 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 28.6 g protein

Spring Clean Your Nutrition Habits

Spring clean your fridge and pantry! This is your chance to cut down on some of those high-calorie and high-fat foods and replace them with healthier items. Stocking your pantry with healthy ingredients is key to better eating. Having healthy ingredients on hand will inspire and compel you to make better decisions! I c...an clean your pantry to jumpstart your Weight Loss Goals! Call/email me for more info!

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Healthy St. Patty's Day Tips#links

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Healthy St. Patty's Day Tips#links

Healthy St. Patty's Day Tips

You can fix up a traditional St. Patty’s Day meal while maintaining a healthful eating plan. Here are tasty tips for preparing a healthy Irish feast:

•For corned beef, purchase the leanest brisket possible and trim off any extra fat before cooking. Also rinse with water to remove the brine.
•Prepare home made mashed potatoes with low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt and milk in place of butter. Season to taste with garlic and onion powders and fresh ground pepper.
•Steam vegetables using frozen steam in the bag varieties or steam fresh in season veggies to preserve as many vitamins and nutrients as possible while maintaining the flavor.
•Serve corned beef on whole-wheat bread or sandwich thins with reduced-fat Swiss cheese. Mix low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise with horseradish for a tasty condiment.
Also watch the additional calories from green beer and have a glass of water in between each drink to help prevent dehydration. Calories from alcohol are metabolized as fats so be sure to exercise portion control!

If you just can’t part with traditional, higher-calorie ingredients, eat a lighter meal earlier in the day, eat smaller portions and make sure to include physical activity to burn some calories!

Happy St. Patty's Day and Healthy Eating!

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Bridal Bootcamp

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Bridal Bootcamp

Bridal Bootcamp

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Power Up With A Healthy Breakfast!

LV's Nutrition and Fitness Blog: Power Up With A Healthy Breakfast!

Power Up With A Healthy Breakfast!

Breakfast gives you energy to start the day. A healthy breakfast is important for everyone. Get the morning nutrition you need with these quick breakfast ideas.

• Make instant oatmeal with milk instead of water. Mix in raisins or dried cranberries. Top with chopped walnuts.
• Layer low-fat yogurt with your favorite crunchy cereal and sliced fruit or berries.
• Mix up a breakfast smoothie made with low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana.
• Top a bowl of whole-grain cereal with blueberries, sliced peaches or any favorite fruit. Pour on low-fat or fat-free milk.
• Top a toaster waffle with low-fat yogurt and fruit.
• Stuff a whole-wheat pita with a sliced, hard-cooked egg and low-fat shredded cheese.
• Spread a flour tortilla with peanut butter. Add a whole banana and roll it up.
• Spread almond butter on a whole-grain toasted bagel. Top with apple slices.
• Add lean ham and low-fat Swiss cheese to a toasted whole-grain English muffin.

Who is the Nutrition Expert? A Registered Dietitian

If you need to remodel your kitchen, you call a licensed contractor. When your car has trouble, you take it to a mechanic. So why would you cut corners when it comes to your health by taking food and nutrition advice from a friend, Web site, or other non-expert?

“I have met people who wouldn’t dream of changing the oil in their car by themselves but will follow advice from a total stranger in a forwarded e-mail when it comes to losing weight,” says registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association Spokesperson Sari Greaves.


When seeking expert guidance on food and nutrition, “Look for the RD credential. While some registered dietitians call themselves nutritionists, not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. There is a very big and very important difference between the two.” While some states have licensure laws that define how a “nutritionist” can legally practice, in other states, virtually anyone can call him-or-herself a “nutritionist” with little or no education or training.

American Dietetic Association’s Top Ten Reasons Why Consulting with a Registered Dietitian Can Benefit You
You have diabetes, cardiovascular problems or high blood pressure. An RD serves as an integral part of your health-care team by helping you safely change your eating plan without compromising taste or nutrition.
You are thinking of having or have had gastric bypass surgery.
Since your stomach can only manage small servings, it’s a challenge to get the right amount of nutrients in your body. An RD will work with you and your physician to develop an eating plan for your new needs.
Y ou have digestive problems. A registered dietitian will work with your physician to help fine-tune your diet so you are not aggravating your condition with fried foods, too much caffeine or carbonation.
You’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant. A registered dietitian can help make sure you get nutrients like folate, especially during the first three months of pregnancy, lowering your newborn’s risk for neural tube or spinal cord defects.
You need guidance and confidence for breastfeeding your baby.
A registered dietitian can help make sure you’re getting enough iron, vitamin D, fluoride and B vitamins for you and your little one.
Your teenager has issues with food and eating healthfully. A registered dietitian can assist with eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia and overweight issues.
You need to gain or lose weight. A registered dietitian can suggest additional calorie sources for healthy weight gain or a restricted-calorie eating plan plus regular physical activity for weight loss while still eating all your favorite foods.
You’re caring for an aging parent. A registered dietitian can help with food or drug interaction, proper hydration, special diets for hypertension and changing taste buds as you age.
You want to eat smarter. A registered dietitian can help you sort through misinformation; learn how to read labels at the supermarket; discover that healthy cooking is inexpensive, learn how to eat out without ruining your eating plan and how to resist workplace temptations.
You want to improve your performance in sports. A registered dietitian can help you set goals to achieve results — whether you’re running a marathon, skiing or jogging with your dog.
To locate a registered di

Nutrition for a Hole In One

"Nutrition For A Hole In One"
by Lara Veazey, MA, RD/LD,CPT and owner of Healthy Lifestyles of OKC
Golf Nutrition: Are You Fatiguing On The Course?
Do you ever wonder why you lose concentration and energy the last few holes? Do you think you need to just go hit more balls? How about some new clubs?
I am amazed at the lack of food or “fuel” golfers utilize during the round. If you don’t replenish your energy stores you are destined for a loss of energy and strokes.
Fueling Your Golf Game:
Planning is key to fueling up for a successful day on the golf course. Bring a couple of healthy ready to eat snacks and make sure to have plenty of water on hand. Your body needs readily available energy every 2-3 hours. For example: Bring 2 pieces of fruit, a nutrition bar and a bottle of water to the course every time you play.
Make nutrition a habit!
Your water consumption should be very consistent throughout the round. If it’s a 20 oz. bottle of water, you should be filling it up every 4-5 holes at a minimum.
The first few times you do this you may need to visit the course restroom a few times but stick with it. Your body will adjust and the restroom visits will be less frequent. Dehydration occurs much sooner than you think.
Make a mental note of what time you ate your last meal before you got to the course. If you’re like most people I’ll bet 3-4 hours have already gone by at hole number 2.
What’s that mean?
Time for a snack possibly. What if you’re not hungry? Take a quick mental note and access your hunger and thirst level first. A quick snack consisting of lean protein and complex carbohydrates with fiber will provide you with energy and prevent mental fatigue late in your golf game.
Check your watch about every 2 hours to assess your hunger and thirst level. If you get hunger or thirst pangs, eat that last piece of fruit, half of a sandwich, energy bar, etc at the 16th hole. This will keep your blood sugar levels constant and enable you to stay focused those last couple of holes. You’ll have much MORE energy throughout the “whole” round and not waste any shots that will balloon your score.
Golf nutrition is KEY!
***If you would like set up an appointment with a Registered Dietitian to create a personalized nutrition plan to improve your overall health, fitness, and golf game, please contact Lara Veazey, MA,RD/LD, NSCA-CPT at Healthy Lifestyles of OKC.

HLOKC Bikini Body Nutrition and Fitness Bootcamp -March 1st!

**SUMMER is just around the corner ladies...perfect time to get healthy, toned, and gain confidence in that itsy bitsy polka dot bikini!
CALL 918-623-7888 or email me today at lara@healthylifestylesofokc.com and reserve your spot for the HLOKC's first Nutrition and Fitness Bikini Body Bootcamp! FIRST SESSION STARTS MARCH 1ST!
Package will include:
**A CUSTOMIZED nutrition plan for YOU(not a diet handout), a 1 hour nutrition session with a REGISTERED DIETITIAN, 4 days per week Bootcamp style workouts consisting of high intensity cardio, strength training, and core exercises, weekly email motivational tips, healthy meal planning tips, my PERSONAL grocery store product list, and nutrition and fitness advice to last you a lifetime. If you are ready to get in serious shape, have fun, feel good, and look fantastic, then HLOKC Women Only Bootcamp is right for you. Call or email for schedules and pricing.
***BONUS LADIES-For every friend you refer, $25 off your Bikini Body Nutrition and Fitness Bootcamp package! Call today to reserve your spot for MARCH 1ST!

Lara Munding Veazey's Weight Loss Tips-Article featured in Tulsa World Newspaper

1. “Stop dieting because DIET means restriction. For sustained weight loss, you must make lifelong behavior changes. Listen to your body’s hunger cues and provide your body with healthy options. Instead of trying to just eat diet foods and low-calorie items, focus on eating healthy nutrie...ntrich food to fuel your body for energy and try to shoot for a protein and fruit or vegetable with fiber every meal.
”2. “Accountability is key for weight loss. Start tracking your calories by keeping a food diary and exercise journal.”
3. “Planning is key. Plan out your meals and snacks at the beginning of each week and make a grocery list with your meal plan. Always eat breakfast every morning and eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day to keep your blood sugar in control and to prevent out-of-control hunger and snacking.”
4. “Adding an exercise plan along with eating healthy is very important for weight loss. Exercise should be performed on most if not all days of the week. Include cardiovascular, strength training, and stretching in your exercise plan. Exercise goal should be a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity of any cardiovascular activity most days of the week at 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Also, get off the couch and get active and increase your nonexercise activity such as cleaning the house, walking the dog, taking the stairs, playing outside with your kids, etc. It all counts.”
5. “Portion control is crucial. Measure out portions frequently and use smaller plates. When dining out, split meals with a friend or ask to have half of your meal bagged up. Also be sure to ask for dressing and other high calorie condiments on the side to save on calories.”Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=17&articleid=20090319_4_D3_Nutrit565433&archive=yesSee MoreTulsa World: Losing is contagious
www.tulsaworld.com
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