Junk Foods May Lead to Depression

                With the recent death of Robin Williams, depression has hit the forefront of the news.  There are lots of articles hitting the internet about depression and suicide. 

                A recent study in Spain showed that people who had higher intakes of junk foods (including hamburgers and pizza) and processed pastries had a higher risk of developing depression.  If you are prone to getting the blues, make sure that you are eating enough protein, omega-3 fatty acids (from fatty fish, flaxseed, walnuts) and B vitamins.

                I am not trying to minimize the problem of depression, and I am not implying that a better diet will cure depression.  However, it is no secret that people are feeling very isolated and depression seems to be more prevalent.  If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, please reach out and find some professional help!

Works Cited

Sanchez_Villegas, A., Toledo, E., de Irala, J., Ruiz-Canela, M., Pla-Vifal, J., & Martinez-Gonzalez, M. A. (2012). Fast-food and commercial baked goods consumption and the risk of depression. Public Health Nutrition , 15 (3), 424-432.

The Best Meal Plan Is…

                The one that works for you!  When I say “works,” I am referring to a long-term success, not just short-term.  Anything can “work” for as long as you are willing to work it.  What happens when you get tired of following your plan?  Last week my husband and I started a meal plan that had 5 small meals per day.  On the fourth day I was already exhausted.  We actually only ate all 5 meals on 1 or 2 days.  Most days we ran out of day before we were able to fit in a fifth meal.  One day I was too tired to cook meal #5, and my husband was at work, so I recycled a breakfast meal that required minimal preparation.

                Your plan for success might require some trial and error.  Find a plan that works for you.  Include smoothies and healthy bars into your meal plan to ease your meal prep schedule.  The only plan that will work is one that you can sustain for a life time!

                If you are still struggling with meal planning, there are tons of resources available on the internet, like here, here, here, or here (there are many more - just go meal plan surfing!).  Remember to keep things easy on yourself – small steps toward healthy changes.  Get into the habit of planning your meals first, and then you can gradually incorporate healthier choices!

Rapid Weight Loss

                You wake up one day, look in the mirror and no longer recognize the person you see.  You decide that you need to lose weight – a lot of it and fast!  The problem with that is that we do not gain weight overnight, so we cannot expect to lose it overnight.  (If you did gain 10 pounds overnight, call your doctor and schedule an appointment as soon as you can.)

                There are a lot of weight loss methods that promote rapid weight loss – and several can work for the short run.  These diet plans do not, however, prepare you for the side effects that can occur with rapid weight loss.  Typically you could have headache, irritability, dizziness or confusion.  You may also experience menstrual irregularities or hair loss as nutrient deficiencies occur.  Rapid weight loss also places people at increased risk for gall stones.

                In the long run, fad diets often lead to weight gain, because the particular restrictions are difficult to maintain for any length of time.  Be sure to follow a sensible plan that leads to lifestyle changes – not fad diets.

Meal Planning for Lunch

As previously mentioned, when I meal plan I tend to only plan one meal per day.  Breakfast is pretty easy (cereal, peanut butter and toast, etc.).  I tend to overlook lunch, because I usually only eat one meal per day with my husband.  Now that our daughter is getting older, I actually have to start thinking about what to feed her.  Today, I opened my refrigerator, and it basically contained milk and condiments.  I looked in the pantry, and eventually settled on a can of soup (it is only 90 degrees today).

So, maybe it is time to start thinking about lunch...  Fortunately, Facebook was on my side today - probably because school has just started for most of the country.

The first amazing thing that I ran across was a helpful little tip for prepping a week's worth of lunch on one day.  How much easier would life be if I could just pop food out of the refrigerator or pantry, ready to go?

If you need some ideas to break up the monotony of sandwiches every day for lunch, check out these 30 suggestions for lunch!

If that is not enough, check out what Pintrest has to offer.

Celebrate!

Sometimes when we embark on a journey to better health, we go overboard.  Often it makes people judgmental.  Have you ever met that person who looks down on you for not buying organic, or not making it to the gym?  Who cares if you have company visiting, and your car just died, your kid is sick and wants attention?  Don't you realize what you are doing to your health?  To your family??!!  OK, maybe I am the only one who has ever met that person...

It is not my job to judge others.  I was raised in a rather judgmental environment, and I continued that mentality for much of my life.  However, through bad choices of my own, I developed empathy for those who struggle (and we all struggle with something).  I have also learned that it is not my place to judge:

"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you."

Social health includes having healthy relationships with others.  When we judge others, we are not promoting positive social health.

Sometimes, social health may involve letting go of the "black and white" thinking that often goes along with beliefs regarding physical health.  Today is my husband's birthday.  We chose to celebrate him today, and I helped my little one make the cake that she decided that he wanted.  (What Daddy doesn't want a pink and purple cake?)

An entire container of sprinkles may have been used in the making of this cake...

Meal Planning 101

Meal planning is an art that I think has been lost over the past generation.  I have counseled many people who feel overwhelmed at the idea of meal planning.  People do not know where to begin, so they do not even start.  If you do not currently meal plan, ease into the habit by making small changes.  Do not think that you have to create perfect meals.  Over time, you can tweak your plan to meet your needs.

Start with one meal.  If dinner is your main meal of the day, plan out that meal.  Choose main dishes that you want to make and eat for several days.  Add on reasonable side dishes, and you have a meal plan!  Be sure to post it somewhere that you will see it, and follow it.  I post mine on the refrigerator, and when my husband asks me what is for dinner, I ask him what the refrigerator says.  This way I do not have to come up with something every day when my husband asks!

To make your grocery list, write down the ingredients that you need to make the foods on your plan.  Be sure to add breakfast foods (cereal, milk, etc.) and lunch foods (sandwiches, healthy variety soups, fruit, veggies) to your list.  As you become more confident in your meal plan, you can add another meal (i.e., lunch) to your plan for the week.

I have been a little busy lately and have gotten out of the habit of meal planning on a regular basis.  I am trying to get back into the habit, and I am on the hunt for some new menu items.  I have run across someone else's blog that has some make ahead meals (very important to me, since 1 night per week I work unto 9:30 and 3 nights per week I work until after 6 at my full time job) and 30-minute meals.

Want to know what is on my meal plan?  Please note, these meals were not necessarily chosen for low calorie or health-promoting meals.  I just wanted something new, and hopefully something relatively easy!  I am easing back into meal planning, too!

• Super Bean Burritos
•  Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
• Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
• Sweet & Spicy BBQ Pot Roast
• Butter & Garlic Shrimp Penne
• Sesame Noodles with Peanut Sauce
• Chipotle Chicken Tacos
• Carne Asada

A Ton of Food?

A recent article reports that the average American eats almost a ton of food each year, and an average of 2700 Calories per day.  The article also states that a “suggested healthy average” intake is 2000 Calories.  Current food labeling regulations compare nutrient content to a 2000 Calorie per day diet; however, not everyone needs 2000 Calories per day.  You can find a calorie calculator online that estimates calorie needs, but it is only an estimate based on population data and age, gender, height and weight.  

There are a couple of ways that you can more accurately assess calorie needs.  First is to have energy expenditure measured through a process called indirect calorimetry.  You breathe into a machine, and it calculates energy expenditure based on oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide output.  Another way is to accurately record everything that you eat for several days.  Assuming accurate reporting and maintenance of weight, the amount that you are eating is the amount that your body needs to maintain its current weight.

Want to know how much you are consuming?  Contact me for an evaluation of your intake, including total calories and a breakdown of individual nutrient intakes.  I can even provide some individualized recommendations.