Five Seasonal Foods To Enjoy During Spring

April 16, 2018April 14, 2018

When it comes to healthy eating, seasonal foods have so many benefits to offer. Eating seasonally not only offers great taste and nutritional value, it usually offers a lower price per pound and the opportunity to support local farmers. That’s what I call a win-win. 🙂

To help you get started, below is a list of five in-season foods and ideas on how to incorporate them into your weekly diet. Oh, and by the way, I included a picture of strawberries above because they are in season in the Spring and early summer. Bonus!

Peas

Peas are a wonderful plant-based source of protein. A 100-calorie serving has more protein than a hard-boiled egg or a tablespoon of peanut butter. They are a great source of vitamin C and vitamin K. Try adding peas to pastas, rice dishes, casseroles, salads, or eating them steamed with a pat of butter. On cooler nights, ease the chill by pureeing peas and making a soup.

Asparagus

This springtime gem is a good source of vitamin K and folate. It’s also very versatile. Asparagus can be roasted, grilled, boiled or even sautéed. It adds great flavor to a breakfast quiche, can be used in a lunchtime Nicoise salad, makes a great side next to a grilled piece of salmon or steak, and works well in pastas.

Leafy Greens

One of the first signs of spring is the opening of leafy greens like spinach, kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, arugula, romaine and other lettuces. Regardless of which leafy green you choose, all greens are a healthy addition to a balanced diet. Most leafy greens taste the sweetest after a frost. You can minimize the bitter flavor of greens by adding an acid like lemon juice or vinegar. Leafy greens are loaded with vitamins-especially A, C, and K—as well as minerals like calcium, folic acid and iron. While one of the most popular ways to eat greens is in a salad, I encourage you to do a quick search for recipes that include leafy greens in the main dish.

Radishes

Radishes make a great crunchy snack. They are most popular raw due to the mild pepper flavor they offer, however they are also good pickled and roasted. Try adding them to salads, tacos, and Asian dishes. Radishes are a great source of fiber and vitamin C.

artichokes

Artichokes are one of my favorite foods. They are abundant in my home state of California. Artichokes are delicious steamed and make a great side with grilled meats. You can pull off the leaves and dip the meaty portion into mayonnaise or simply bite into them plain. I recommend adding a bit of olive oil to the water prior to steaming them. Artichoke hearts are delicious marinated and can be added to pastas, salads, and casseroles.

Artichokes have been shown to improve various digestive health disorders and may be able to lower blood cholesterol levels, as well as protect the liver from damage. They are a wonderful source of Niacin, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, Folate and Manganese.

This Spring, I encourage you to explore local farmer’s markets, roadside stands, and grocery stores for an abundance of good eats this time of year.

Here’s to heathy and delicious meals in every season!

Shared with love,

Jennifer

A Simple Guide To A Balanced Diet

August 21, 2017August 19, 2017

Be Good To Yourself This Holiday Season - Jennifer Ledford - Certified Personal Trainer and Healthy Lifestyle Coach - Balanced Diet

Eating a balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health and can help you feel and look your best.

While doing some research for this topic, I was able to read many “definitions” of what constitutes a balanced diet. Of all the information I reviewed, the definition I believe describes a balanced diet the best is published by dictionary.com. Their definition of a balanced diet is “a diet that contains the proper proportions of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water necessary to maintain good health.” It’s simple, scientific, and to the point.

It’s important to note that nowhere in the definition does it say the best diet to make you skinny. The focus is on health.

When it comes to connecting food and your health, diversity is important. Each nutrient contributes to the overall function of your body and if one nutrient is missing, it doesn’t function as well as it could.

It’s easy to get into a routine eating the same foods often. Things like busy schedules and taste preferences can be a factor. However, minimal food variation and/or elimination diets can cause you to miss out on some important nutrients that your body needs to help you age gracefully and combat disease.

Thankfully, in the United States and many other countries around the world, we all have access to clean water so staying hydrated is one of the simplest parts of maintaining a balanced diet.

How do you know when you’re getting enough water?

The best way to tell if you are hydrated is the color of your urine. Clear to pale yellow is ideal. Yellow to dark yellow means you need water and if it looks like tea or beer ,you are dehydrated! Supplements can also cause urine to be dark yellow so keep that in consideration.

Avoid allowing yourself to get “thirsty.” If you are getting a thirst signal, then the body is already too low on water!

Diet is very personal and we all have different energy requirements which is why it’s important to experiment and figure out what works best for you. For example, some people need to consume more carbohydrates than others. However, science proves that we need them to function at our best throughout the day.

At first, creating a balanced diet can seem a bit daunting if you are unsure which foods fall under the different categories. Many foods supply multiple sources of nutrients so a diverse diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables is usually your best bet. I’ve put together some samples of carbohydrate, protein, and fat sources below to help you get started.

Examples of carbohydrates: Fruit, root vegetables such as potatoes, beets, and carrots, whole-grain products such as brown rice, whole-grain pasta, beans, whole wheat bread, whole oats, buckwheat, millet, whole rye, whole-grain barley and whole-grain corn, and quinoa (it’s technically a seed) are all carbohydrates. These foods are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that are beneficial to your health.

Examples of protein sources: Meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, dairy, nuts and seeds, beans and peas and other plants like quinoa, avocado, hemp, and soy are all protein sources. I personally recommend avoiding soy; however, I’m listing it because it is considered a “complete” protein source. If you like to eat it, I recommend sticking to the organic soy and limiting your consumption. Bragg aminos are a great substitute for traditional soy sauce.

Examples of fat sources: Oils like olive, walnut, avocado, grape seed, peanut, and coconut are all good sources of fat. Avocados, nuts and seeds, meat, fatty fish, dairy, nut butters, olives, and dark chocolate are all considered fat sources as well. Oils I personally avoid are any oil that is partially hydrogenated, canola, and palm oil.

Balanced Diet Research

Current research continues to prove that a whole food driven balanced diet (eating food in as close to its natural state as possible) is one of the best ways to fuel your body mentally and physically. In fact, recent studies have shown that a whole food driven diet can actually boost your metabolism compared to a diet made up of processed foods which can cause your metabolism to slow down dramatically.

I personally believe it’s a good idea to eat as many whole foods as possible and to limit refined and heavily processed food in our diets. Eating whole foods can help contribute to better energy. With that being said, it’s also important to enjoy your food and not get too rigid about everything we eat. Overly religious behavior around food can lead to dieting which can lead to stress and heartache which does not support mental health in a positive way.

Part of being healthy is to find balance in your life and allow yourself to enjoy the foods and drinks you like. Life is too short to be on a diet!

Shared with love,
Jennifer

Disclaimer: The information in the above article is based on general nutritional guidelines and is not intended nor should be considered a substitute for any advice provided by a medical professional.

Boost Your Metabolism Eating Whole Foods

May 15, 2017May 13, 2017

Eating Whole Foods - Blueberries - Jennifer Ledford - Certified Personal Trainer

When I first entered the fitness industry over twenty eight years ago, we used to believe that a “calorie was a calorie” and that as long as you were burning more than you consumed, you would lose weight. You should have seen some of my lunches back then. After eating a box of Cheez Its and some salami I’d hit the gym and teach two back-to-back aerobics classes. At least I was getting my carbs and protein. 🙂

I still eat salami (quite often actually) and I will occasionally eat Cheez Its. However, over the years, I’ve learned that not all calories are created equal. Based on solid science, I now focus on a health-driven approach that includes eating whole foods as much as possible and recommend that my clients take this approach to meal planning as well.

Current research continues to prove that a whole food driven diet (eating food in as close to its natural state as possible) is one of the best ways to fuel your body mentally and physically. In fact, recent studies have shown that a whole food driven diet can actually boost your metabolism compared to a diet made up of processed foods which can cause your metabolism to slow down dramatically. Just one more reason to avoid heavily processed low calorie diet food. Thank goodness!

Please understand, I’m not suggesting that you should never eat anything processed. One of the biggest flaws in the diet industry today is that they usually have too many rules and restrictions. I want you to always feel free to live your life the way that you want to live it.

However, eating “whole foods” as much as possible can help you feel better and look better without ever having to diet in the first place.

Here are five simple tips to help you add more whole foods to your daily meals

Cook as much as you can. One of the top reasons I encourage meal planning and cooking your own food is that you have more control over the ingredients. You can modify recipes to suit dietary needs and have 100% control over what goes into your body. Magazines like Cooking Light are a great place to find healthy recipes that won’t skimp on taste or ingredients.

Buy fresh. Shop around the perimeter of the store for as much of your food as possible. The perimeter is where most of the fresh food is stored.

Not all processed food is unhealthy. Food that is deliberately changed before it is made available for us to eat is considered processed. It’s usually packaged in boxes or bags and contains more than one item on the ingredient list.

Some processed foods are actually healthy for you and can be great time savers. Foods like precooked whole grains, greek yogurt, nut butters, frozen fruits and veggies, organic soups, and canned beans are all great examples of healthy processed foods.

Take a quick look at the ingredient list before purchasing processed food. Ask yourself if it’s something you could make at home or if it can only be made in a lab. If you see things like high-fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated fats (transfats), the food has undergone a chemical process. I recommend avoiding these chemicals in your food as much as possible.

Load up on fruits and vegetables. Choose recipes like stir fry’s that include a lot of vegetables. Try adding a side salad with your dinner or lunch or including a piece of fruit with your snack. If you like to keep it simple, fill up half of your plate with fruits and veggies and then add your protein and carbohydrate.

Know where your food comes from. Ask your market where the food you are buying came from. Look for meat that is grass-fed and raised without antibiotics or hormones. Produce that travels a few hours to get to your plate is less likely to have artificial preservatives than the fruits and veggies traveling 1500 miles or more from other countries. Buy produce that’s in season and shop weekly. If spoilage is a concern, buy frozen organic fruits and vegetables. They will last longer and can be more budget friendly. I like to buy a combination of fresh and frozen every week and then focus on using the foods that have a shorter shelf life first. Freeze meat and defrost it as needed.

Eating whole foods is really nothing new. It’s simply the way of life my great-grandmother would have understood living on their farm. Food that comes directly from the farm to the table is usually about as whole as you can get.

I think my grandmother would have approved 🙂

Here’s to your health!