Nutrition Fitness Life

I’m back from the great state of Texas; my visit with family was long overdo and enjoyable.

One of my goals during the vacation was to maintain an exercise schedule, and honestly that was a challenge! I focused more on isometric/strength training exercises in the privacy of the guest bedroom (with the door closed, mind you).

Also, this born and bred Northern girl had the gumption to go for a walk outside in the afternoon… in the sun… in HOUSTON! The crazy thing was I walked for over a half hour, but that was mainly because I couldn’t remember exactly how to get back to the house - echem! SO! Needless to say, I returned, red-faced, sweaty, and in need of lots of water. What’s crazy is I really enjoyed my walk! (Too much heat affecting the brain, I suppose.)

I did have the opportunity to visit a 24-Hour Fitness Center, which was great! I was able to get in with a guest pass from my mother-in-law (see, they’re not all bad!) I had an excellent cardio workout and weight training session, and I loved it! That felt pretty darn good!

Now it’s true that when families get together, “interesting” things are bound to be said. And here are a few that I overheard and would like to share with you…

My husband to one of the family:

“I don’t eat mayonnaise. I’ve enjoyed my life without it, so I don’t feel I need to start eating it now.”

When I overheard this, I paused a moment. What he said stuck with me because I thought of it in terms of sugar. I want to get to the point where I can truly say, “I don’t need sugar to enjoy life! I don’t need to eat it!”

Two friends of my sister-in-law during her high school graduation party. The two teenagers, a guy and girl, were rummaging through the kitchen in search of a snack. The guy decided on a bowl of strawberries. Upon learning of his choice, the girl stated,

“Strawberries?! That’s not real food!”

I was sorely tempted to ask her, “What IS real food, then? A greasy cheeseburger and chips?” (but I remained polite and kept my mouth shut.)

Two guys - again from the graduation party:

Guy 1: “You hear about the tomatoes and salmonella?”

Guy 2: “Dude, what’s salmonella?”

I laughed out loud at this, but I was in a different room, so no egos were damaged during the outburst.

And the one that got the best laugh out of all the family members was from my 6-year old nephew explaining why Aunt Susan didn’t want to go outside and have a water gun fight:

“She’s afraid of water. Cause if she gets wet she’ll melt.”

The response was an explosion of laughter and a certain aunt who was regretting telling a precocious boy those very words earlier in the day.

Be careful what you say to children because they WILL repeat it!

I recently received a copy of The Healthy Carb Diabetes Cookbook to review for you. As the title states, this is a cookbook designed for diabetics. The just under 200 recipes meet nutritional guidelines of the American Diabetes Association.

The cookbook emphasizes healthy carbohydrates - whole grains, fruits, and vegetables - stating that they are permitted with those who have diabetes and should be enjoyed.

The recipes are divided up into meal times: breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, and dessert. These labels are printed on the sides of their corresponding pages to easily find each section. Every recipe comes with a nutritional analysis and a cooking tip.

The authors of this cookbook have experience in both teaching and cooking:

Chef Jennifer Bucko, MCFE - She is the Associate Dean and Chef Instructor for Robert Morris College Institute of Culinary Arts and was the Excutive Chef of the MarketPlace Food Store in Chicago.

Lara Rondinelli, RD, LDN, CDE - She is the Diabetes Center Coordinator at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and an instructor at Rush University. She has also served on the board of the Chicago Dietetic Assocation.

My opinion

The recipes are simple, easy to follow, and create healthy and tasty dishes. I feel this cookbook is for anyone wishing to find healthier recipes, not just diabetics. You can cook dishes like Chicken Pesto Panini, Asian Beef Kabobs with Brown Rice, Jambalaya, Mediterranean Tortellini Salad, Banana Pudding, and Berry Sorbet.

This cookbook is in black and white, including the handful of pictures. Now, I like lots of colored photographs of food in cookbooks, so I would have preferred more color in this particular cookbook.

The biggest downside to this cookbook is that it uses Splenda as a sweetener, and I now avoid Splenda since I believe it causes more harm to the body than good. I’d actually rather use regular sugar over Splenda, but that’s not the healthiest option for diabetics. Other alternatives to the Splenda include sweeteners like mashed up bananas, applesauce, cinnamon, alcohol-free vanilla extract, or even organic honey. Each of these sweeteners would bring a different taste to the recipe, so I would need to experiment with amounts.

The final word

I did enjoy many of the recipes. I found them to be relatively healthy and easy to create. I’m even saving some of the recipes for future use (and tweaking).

If you’d like a copy of this cookbook, let me know in the comments section by Monday, June 23rd. I’ll use a random number generator to pick the winner.

Want to try a sample recipe from The Healthy Carb Diabetes Cookbook? Check out this simple and tasty stir-fry:

Chicken Almond Stir-Fry

Serves 6

• Cooking spray
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup sugar snap peas
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 2 4-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 tsp lite soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp sliced almonds
• 2 cups cooked brown rice

1. Add cooking spray and canola oil to a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, sugar snap peas, and carrots, and stir-fry for 4 minutes.

2. Add chicken, soy sauce, garlic powder, and pepper to skillet and stir-fry for 6 more minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add almonds and sauté 1 minute,

3. Serve stir-fry over rice.

Thank you to all the wonderful Dads out there for all you do! I wish you a relaxing and enjoyable Father’s Day!

Photo credit: theophine

If you’ve just arrived, or you’d like a review, check out my posts about sugar addiction and the solution to sugar addiction. I’m following the 7 steps outlined in Potatoes, Not Prozac.

I feel it’s time for me to officially start the next step in breaking the sugar addiction, and according to the plan for sugar addiction outlined in Potatoes, Not Prozac, Step 3 involves:

1. eating three meals a day
2. at regular intervals
3. with sufficient protein.

Eat Three Meals a Day

Why just three meals and not little meals throughout the day?

For sugar addicts, stopping a meal can be difficult. Having three meals a day trains the body to start and, more importantly, end a meal.

It’s easy to turn those little meals into an entire day of constant grazing and snacking. That’s not necessarily because the sugar sensitive individual is undisciplined. No, brain chemistry may be more to blame in this instance. A true sugar addict is thought to have the short end of the stick when it comes to brain chemicals such as serotonin and beta endorphin levels. These neurotransmitters help you have better impulse control and the ability to turn down sweets, among other things. Sugar sensitive individuals may have low levels of these chemicals.

Having three meals a day also teaches impulse control, which can be difficult for a sugar addict, especially in regards to sweets.

You can still eat sweets on Step 3; just move them to an official mealtime. In fact, moving sweets to meals decreases sugar’s effect. Having sugar after eating protein, rather than eating the sweet by itself, will diminish that crazy sugar high and subsequent nasty crash.

Exceptions to the three meals a day rule are those who are very active and those who are pregnant or nursing. These individuals will need what is called a “planned snack” of protein and a complex carbohydrate. The snack is planned for a certain time of day with foods chosen ahead of time. A planned snack involves being mindful of the foods you choose and eat instead of spontaneously grabbing junk food without thinking. Learning to start, stop, and pay attention can still play a role with planned snacks.

Eat at Regular Intervals

Why? To keep blood glucose levels steady, reduce cravings, and keep you from feeling irritable, shaky, and lethargic. Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons suggests aiming for about 5-6 hours between meals, but not longer than 6 hours (except between dinner and breakfast the next day). Going without eating for more than 6 hours can lead to a big drop in blood glucose levels, and that’s something we want to avoid!

Eating at regular intervals also requires you to pay attention to your body and the foods you put in it, both of which are important in healing from a sugar addiction.

Eat Sufficient Protein at Every Meal

Protein is essential in helping the sugar addict’s brain and body heal. Protein also keeps blood glucose levels steady. And it aides in the production of serotonin, one of those chemicals that is usually low in sugar sensitive persons. Serotonin is what contributes to feeling calm, in control, and able to say no to sweets.

Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons recommends a daily protein intake for the sugar addict to be between 0.4 and 0.6 grams per pound of body weight, depending on the individual, health conditions, and the extent of healing that is needed.

Generally speaking…

.

It Takes Time

Step 3 is stated to be one of the hardest steps in Dr. DesMaison’s program. It’s hard because each part of this step is sometimes the very opposite of what the sugar addict prefers! Therefore, it’s also important to take your time while on this step and not expect perfection right from the start. Good advice for me!

Step 3 has a lot of behavioral healing woven into it… Don’t be fooled into thinking that this part is so easy you don’t have to work on it. If you are sugar sensitive, Step 3 is the key to getting your body chemistry in balance. Give yourself as much time as you need to master it (Potatoes, Not Prozac, pp. 137,138).

The good news is that mastering Step 3 will provide noticeable, positive changes. The sugar fog will begin to lift, and the need and desire for sugar will slowly grow weaker. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe, just maybe it really is possible to be free of the sugar monster forever!

Photo credit: WordRidden

I was supposed to follow up my last post with a description of my next step for curbing the sugar addiction. However, I can’t pass up not telling you about my thrill-seeking experience.

Yesterday, I did something I can cross off the proverbial list, something I never thought I’d actually do. I went skydiving!

All I can say is WOW! Crazy, scary, thrilling, amazing kind of wow!

Honestly I was scared, and I even had second thoughts I as read through page after page of release and consent forms that noted in bold, capital letters: SKYDIVING CAN RESULT IN DEATH! My husband and his brother laughed, but I said, “This is serious stuff! I feel like I’m signing my life away!” It also didn’t help that they were singing “Bodies” by Drowning Pool. ‘Boys!’

I thought to myself, “And why am I doing this?” But then another part of me countered that thought with, “Face your fears! Do something crazy and fun! Expand your limits!” That crazy/fun side of me won.

We all jumped in tandem, which means each of us were attached to an experienced skydiver, who had the parachute. However, my biggest fear was not necessarily the falling, but that the parachute would fail to open! My instructor was really cool, though and calmed my fears. He helped me get in the harness properly and double checked everything, letting me know safety was paramount for him.

I wore a blue suit that reminded me of the Fantastic Four characters. After secured tightly in our gear and practicing the proper jump moves, we ambled out to the propeller plane and sat cramped, in a line, one in front of the other. I was reminded of the movie, Band of Brothers, as they sat in the plane heading off towards Normandy on D-Day. Only in this instance, we weren’t being shot at!

At 14,000 feet the plane door opened and one by one we jumped off of a perfectly good and working airplane. I was towards the end of the line and slowly scooted along the narrow bench closer and closer to the opened door, watching those before me make their jumps.

The scariest part for me was seeing my husband tumble away from the plane as my instructor and I positioned ourselves for our jump. “Oh my gosh!” I exclaimed. “I’m scared!” But before I had time to analyze the situation, my instructor, to whom I was attached, was shouting, “Ready! Set!…” And out we jumped.

I screamed, but I couldn’t hear my voice because a blast of cool air hit my face and roared in my ears. I arched my back like we practiced on the solid ground and opened my eyes. We were falling through a cloud. I saw the earth below.

Surprisingly, the free fall didn’t feel like a roller coaster, where your stomach is slow to catch up with the rest of your body. No, the free fall really did feel like flying. It was loud, the air was cool, and my ears popped a little, but once you get over the fear factor, it’s actually a really amazing experience.

After a minute of falling to the earth at 120 mph, we were at the right altitude to pull the parachute lever. And it opened without a hitch - Praise God!

This was my favorite part of the whole adventure - gliding to the ground via a parachute. Suddenly the roaring wind was replaced by silence. I laughed and could hear my laughter. My instructor showed me how to steer the parachute as we glided over farm land, ponds and even a road. The view was amazing! Think of looking out the window of an airplane, only you’re not in the airplane!

All too soon it was over, and we landed perfectly on our feet. My instructor and I hugged. “Awesome job!” Then, after getting detached and out of the harness, I went in search of my husband who was beaming. He gave me a hug and kiss. “You did it!” he exclaimed.

Yes, I did do it, and even had the matted, windblown hair to prove it.

I’m on a personal quest of sorts. Three months ago I made the realization that I am a sugar addict and decided to commit to breaking my addiction.

Following Dr. Kathleen DesMaison’s plan for sugar addiction, I started off including protein and a complex carb at breakfast. After creating my new breakfast habit, I moved on to step two, the food journal. I’ve been working on journaling what I eat and how I feel for about a month.

I used to think I didn’t need a food journal, that I had it all figured out in my head. I thought I knew what I ate and how I felt and what I needed to do. Not true! The food journal can be very eye-opening. I’ve learned things about myself that I otherwise would have ignored.

Some things I noticed from reviewing my food journal:

• I eat at the same times just about everyday.
• I snack or chew the same berry flavored gum in the afternoons if I’m at work.
• The most common feeling I record for the mornings: tired
• The most common feelings overall: happy, antsy, tired, not hungry
• Yeah, I see that I often eat when I’m not really hungry
• But I write “shaky” if I don’t eat for more than 6 hours
• Eating sugar is associated with feelings of nervousness, elation, and then of feeling really really tired and irritable
• I eat way more chocolate than I thought!
• The more sweets I eat, the more I crave them.
• Recently, my diet has gradually shifted to include more protein at lunch and dinner, as well as veggies.
• With this change, I notice snacking in the afternoons has decreased.

This shift towards healthier foods makes me want to move on to the next step in beating my sugar addiction. Step 3 is eating regularly throughout the day, including adequate protein at each meal. I’m naturally drifting in this direction already, so I feel it’s time to make it official! I’ll explain more about step 3 in my next post…

Photo credit: ppreacher

I’m in the middle of preparing for a trip to The Lone Star State. The husband and I are to visit family. I admit the organizer in me enjoys the list making - what to pack, water the plants, take out garbage, lock door, etc. etc. etc and so forth. I also do a major house cleaning before any extended leave from home. I love coming home to a clean house; it feels refreshing.

Very nice, but not the kind of plane I want to fly in to Texas!

Usually I let exercise slide when I’m on vacation, but since I’m participating in the WOMAN Challenge, I feel my conscious and competitive nature urging me to fit in exercise during the family visit. I am determined to get my certificate at the end of this fitness challenge!

No, not this one.

Perhaps I can fit in 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there if there’s no opportunity to workout in one, long session. Maybe a walk in the evenings when the heat reduces from a blazing hot to just hot. I’ll scout out my options once I arrive.

Um, no.

So, on my packing list sitting next to the computer here, I’ve included workout clothes and shoes. Besides the essentials, (clothes, shoes, toiletries) I’ve listed a book I’ve been waiting to start, notebook to jot down ideas should the moment strike, music to study and practice (well, ideally I should practice), and my iPod. I had planned on only taking one carry-on to avoid the nuisance of baggage checking and hoping my luggage makes arrives at its proper destination, but my packing list seems to be growing by the minute.

Maybe if I stick things in my husband’s bag… He wouldn’t notice, right?

Well, guess this doesn’t look so bad after all.

Take care! And hopefully “see” you soon from Texas!

Photo credits: dusifabian, tlloyd, miras, macleod

Many folks I know are suffering from allergies right now. You know the culprits: itchy, stuffy, scratchy, teary, wheezy, sneezes, and phlegm - a parade of annoying allergy symptoms that similiar to the names given to certain crotchety, little, old men who befriend innocent damsels in distress.

Thankfully, my body doesn’t react to the pollen that is floating around in the air. My claim to fame is cats. I break out in terrible sneezes, itchy eyes/nose, and a scratchy throat if I pet a cat or breathe in the same room with cat for an extended period of time. So it makes sense that any cat (and I seem to run into quite a few since many of my acquaintances are owned by one.) enjoys rubbing it’s body around my ankles.

So for me, it’s not so much of what’s floating around outside that makes me want to take out my eyeballs and scratch them; it’s what’s in the home- a place that is supposed to be a safe haven from the evils of the world - that causes my allergies.

Not only can pets cause year-round allergy fun, but other, and sometimes unknown, allergens inside your home can potentially trigger your immune system to go into overdrive.

Bedsheets and Pillows

Here’s a lovely thought: Mold spores, pollen, and especially our friends, the dust mites love to camp out in the bed sheets. They can cause allergy flare ups in those sensitive, which leads to a poor night’s rest. If you’re feeling sleep deprived and are unsure of the reason, you may want to rule out potential allergies. The best solution: clean your sheets! And this goes for everyone, not just the allergy-prone, including a certain college friend who washed her bedsheets about once a month! (Say it with me: “Ewww.”)

• Wash sheets, blankets, and pillow cases at least once a week in water that is > 130 ° F
• Don’t buy goose-down pillows or duvets
• Wash your pillow every 6 months
• Use dust mite-proof covers
• Check your detergent! Avoid brands with perfumes and dyes. And skip the dryer sheets. Vinegar works very well as a fabric softener when added during the rinse cycle.

Allergies from the bathroom

Mold is the primary allergen in the bathroom as it thrives in warm, moist environments. I believe I am guilty of promoting new mold species on my shower curtain when I was a wee bit… wee-er and too lazy to clean the darn thing! I have since learned my lesson: I don’t use shower curtains. (see first point below)

• Clean shower curtains, or replace with shower door instead
• Clean sinks, tubs, toilets, and counter tops on a regular basis
• Fix leaky sinks
• Seal cracks where water can seep

Reducing allergens in kitchen

Kitchens can be a breeding ground for budding gourmet chefs, as well as icky bacteria, molds, and… cockroaches! Even the food can be potential allergens if someone in your family is sensitive to it. To reduce the ick factor and allergens:

• Wash dishes daily
• Place garbage in can with insect-proof lid
• Empty trash frequently
• Put recyclables in the garage. Rinse out cans/bottles before dropping in bin
• Disinfect sponges by putting them in the microwave for one minute (careful; they’ll be hot)
• Throw out ratty, old sponges
• Store food, including pet food, in air-tight containers
• Clean kitchen, eating area, and pantry floors on a regular basis
• Clean pantry and cupboard shelves
• Someone in the house have a food allergy? Store that troublesome food far from all other foods; better yet, don’t even buy it at all!

Allergies and carpets

Even though they offer padding, which is great for active little ones, carpets can harbor all sorts of nasties, from dust mites, to dirt, to pollen.

• If you can, get rid of the carpet and go for hardwood or linoleum. (pretty, but expensive)
• If this is not an option, vacuum at least once a week, and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
• Vacuuming can stir up dust, so keep those with bad allergies out of the room for while.
• Wear a mask if you’re the allergy sufferer who’s pushing the vacuum.

The decor makes me sneeze

Be careful of having too many intricate knickknacks because they will accumulate dust, and in hard to reach places too. Use furnishings that are easy to clean.

Allergies in the air

• Replace air filters regularly. Keep humidity no higher than 50%.
• If allergic to pollen, keep the windows closed during prime, pollen months.
• Stay inside on high pollen count days (usually warm, dry, and windy).
• Shower immediately after coming in from the outside.
• Clean window frames and sills

Mom, can we keep him?

If you’ve got a strong allergy to animals, your best bet is to not own a pet, but sometimes that’s simply nonnegotiable. Thankfully, I am a dog-person, so I’m not heartbroken that I can’t have a cat!

• If you do have a pet, don’t let your pet on the bed.
• Don’t even let your pet in the bedroom!
• Keep the pet outside most of the time, if you can, or in only a specific area of the house.
• Consider allergy shots

Managing allergies and even preventing them is possible with a little detective work, and it often starts right at home. If you or someone in your family is prone to allergies, see what you can do right in the home to prevent them because, fewer allergy symptoms = a much happier and productive life!

OK, is it me, or is anyone else feeling itchy right now from reading through this post?

I took my first Zumba class the other day.

What is Zumba, you ask? My definition of Zumba is that it is a mixture of Latin moves, hip-hop, and a touch of belly dancing. For a more formal definition, check out the Wikipedia site.

The Zumba exercises were more low-impact, yet high-energy, and they didn’t affect my bad knee, which was very important to me! There were a lot of side-to-side movements and lots of hip shaking. The music had a Latin and club feel and pumped out infectious beats that made me want to keep moving, even after the hour was over!

Now, I can’t say that I got the hip shaking down to an art, but this exercise class was fun… and a great workout! You don’t need a dance background for Zumba; there were a mixture of levels in this class. However, I think it always helps having a little bit of coordination! Even the not-so-coordinated folks had a great time, even if that was from laughing at themselves trying to wiggle their hips. I admit I was part of the laughing-at-themselves group from time to time, but I think my years of dance instruction from years past helped give some appearance of Latin smoothness (or at least in my mind)!

The studio claims a Zumba class can burn up to 500-700 calories. I don’t know how many calories I burned, and honestly I don’t really care. I went to this class to try something new, and I had a blast. I’ve been itching to dance again - in a formal class environment as opposed to at home with the blinds shut - and Zumba provided that fix. I’d like to go back for more classes.

Here’s a video giving you a sample of one of the Zumba dances. (If you’re reading this in a feedreader or email, you may need to click through to view it.)

A friend of mine shared her frustration of having a picky eater in the house and asked for suggestions on how to introduce healthier foods. “He doesn’t like vegetables, rarely touches fruits, and would eat peanut butter all day if up to him.” The “he” she was referring to is not her son; it’s her husband.

Hmm, it’s one thing to be dealing with a little child in regards to picky eating, but it’s another when trying to work on an adult, especially if they’re set in their ways.

Below are some tips on how to get your picky eater to eat healthy. They involve the advice of my husband and male coworkers, so the male voice must count for something in this situation!

I will use words referring to men, but these ideas can be applied to the woman in your life too.

Ask for his help

Men like to fix things! (well, so says my husband) So ask your man for his advice. Without placing any blame, let him know your concerns and that they are important to you. Ask for his suggestions in resolving the problem, and focus on how he will benefit in ways that appeal to him.

Find out what he likes

If you know what he likes, you can work with it.  Ask your guy what foods he likes and what he would be willing to try. My friend’s husband loves his peanut butter, so she’ll work with this. She can buy the natural peanut butter instead of the partially hydrogenated, sugar-filled varieties. She can introduce other nuts into the house (No, not the crazy neighbors across the street), such as almonds and walnuts. She can even make a heart healthy trail mix as a portable snack.

Keep healthier snacks easily accessible

You know the old saying, “If you can’t see, you won’t eat it?” (I’m not really sure if that is an old saying, so if not, I just made it one!) Well, keep healthier food choices within easy reach, and put the nasty chocolate, peanut butter, tempting, gooey chunk bars waayy in the back of the pantry… where only you know the location.

Take baby steps

Gradual changes work better most of the time rather than doing a complete diet makeover on your husband. Gradually increase the healthier foods while slowly removing the unhealthy ones from his diet. If you do it just right, he may not even notice!

Be the example

Your husband (or wife) is going to have a hard time following a healthier diet if you’re not doing so. What’s the point of telling your husband he needs to eat healthier if you won’t? You gotta walk the talk. (I like this saying too.)

Healthier Snack Ideas

Here are some specific ideas for introducing healthier snacks.

Vegetables

• Keep sweeter tasting vegetables, such as carrots, corn, fresh cherry tomatoes, and red peppers on hand with a favorite dip.
• Steam, sautè, or grill vegetables if your picky eater doesn’t like them raw. Top with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Seriously, who can resist food on the grill?!
• Spread natural, peanut butter on celery, carrots, cooked asparagus, broccoli, eggplant, or green peppers. Your peanut butter-loving picky eater might really like it!
• Include baked sweet potatoes or butternut squash at dinnertime, and keep leftovers on hand for snacks. Add pumpkin pie spice and heart healthy butter spread for a sweet taste or pepper and olive oil for more savory.

Fruits

• Bananas are great snacks, especially for picky eaters that have a preference for sweet foods. Eat them plain. Freeze them and turn them into “Popsicles.” Spread peanut butter on them. Grill them. Add them to a fruit smoothie. Wear them on your head with other fruits and dance the samba. Bananas are a very versatile food.
• Freeze grapes (I like red grapes) for great snacks you can pop in your mouth like candy.
• Fresh pineapple is sooo good! Cut off the hard, spiky exterior to reveal sweet gold. Cut in chunks and keep in the fridge where it’s very easy to see and grab.
• Make a fruit salad to keep in the fridge within eyesight. Use fruit that is fresh and in-season if you can. Sweeter fruits, like strawberries and melons are great choices. Top with a fruit yogurt if this helps your picky eater.
• Fruit smoothies with added protein powder
• Cut up apples and spread with peanut butter.

Grains

• Buy or make 100% whole grain breads to keep in the house. Please don’t buy that nasty, packaged white bread stuff! (Shudder)
• Here’s a sneaky trick that works with kids and may work on the adult picky eater - add healthy foods to dishes they like. Puree vegetables or chop them finely to disguise them in breads. Carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, and other squashes work very well.
• Oatmeal makes for a great snack… well, as long as a ton of butter and sugar is not added to it! Better add-ins include cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, chopped apples, berries, raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, flax seeds, milk, cottage cheese, protein powder, and more…. just maybe not all at the same time!
• Pancakes? Yes, please! I love pancakes, and I now use a healthier pancake recipe when I need my fix. I love these, and so does my husband. I add berries to the batter, and that makes them even better. You don’t even need syrup.
• Wild rice and brown rice with added spices and vegetables make for great snacks. I made this Tex-Mex rice casserole for dinner a few days ago that turned out very well. It would turn into a great snack, heated with whole grain chips.
• Rye crackers spread with Laughing Cow cheese (I do this on occasion; it’s goood!)
• Brown rice cakes - top them with… (you guessed it) peanut butter!

Proteins

• Hard boiled eggs
• String cheese, Laughing Cow cheese, Babybel cheese
• Yogurt - try to stay away from the sugar-filled varieties
• Mixed nuts
• Natural nut spreads
• Tuna - put in a pita pocket with some sharp cheddar, a tomato, and freshly ground pepper
• Sliced turkey
• Turkey jerky
• Leftover chicken - wrap in a whole grain tortilla with low-fat cheese, heat, and top with salsa
• Shrimp
• Tofu - cooked, grilled, cold, blended in a smoothie - you can do a ton with tofu and add whatever kind of flavor you want

One Final Word

It’s great to want to improve your health as well as the health of your spouse, but ultimately that desire for change has to be made within the individual. Your husband (or wife) must be open to improving his health; forcing the issue isn’t going to accomplish anything… except more tension.  According to my male “advisors,” sometimes you just gotta “leave him alone.” He may not be ready for change; that can take time.  So just love your spouse for who he/she is and keep working on improving your health. One day your picky eater may “see the light.”

Your ideas

I know there are lots more great ideas, and I’d love to learn from you! How do you get a picky eater to choose healthier foods? What other ideas do you have for healthy snacks?

To my frustrated friend, I wish you the best!