Plate Model
Now that we have our ingredients and philosophy down, let's consider what our plate should look like. I like Harvard’s visual of a healthy plate to remind us to load up on our veggies, eat lean proteins, and get our fair share of healthy carbs in the form of whole grains and fruits. Dairy is not necessary to consume, and water should always be the primary drink throughout the day. And of course, always staying active at FTR or outside!
When you go to fill your plate, make sure half automatically is fruits and veggies. Then, add a healthy grain and lean protein. And, always accompany with at least a glass of water!
Now that we have our ingredients and philosophy down, let's consider what our plate should look like. I like Harvard’s visual of a healthy plate to remind us to load up on our veggies, eat lean proteins, and get our fair share of healthy carbs in the form of whole grains and fruits. Dairy is not necessary to consume, and water should always be the primary drink throughout the day. And of course, always staying active at FTR or outside!
When you go to fill your plate, make sure half automatically is fruits and veggies. Then, add a healthy grain and lean protein. And, always accompany with at least a glass of water!
Aim for 30mins-1 hour of moderate exercise a day (150 minutes per week), most days (5) of the week to maintain weight, being sure strength training and weight lifting is included at least 2 times per week. Ninety minutes of medium to high intensity exercise is recommended most days of the week to lose weight. Take a walk before or after dinner, see how a bike commute would look to work, and be sure to get on over to FTR work outs!
Everyone has their own workout schedules that work well for them. The above recommendations are from the Center for Disease Control. To see more information, click here.
Everyone has different schedules and preferences for how many meals they eat and how often they eat them.
To simplify, aim to eat 3 meals a day, with snacks in between. Breakfast is a crucial start to your day (more on this later) and remember that skipping meals will never work in your favor. There is a common myth that skipping a meal will save calories, but ultimately it changes how your body digests and stores your food and ends up not only slowing your metabolism, but promoting fat stores within the body, especially around the abdomen.
Snacking (try to stay around or below 150 calories) has also been associated with a decreased risk of being overweight or obese. Check out this registered dietitian's tips on snacking. And, check out these energizing snacks.
Also, our lovely FTR dietitian, Allana, provided samples of these yummy energy bites at FTR!
No-Bake Energy Bites Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Yield: 1 dozen Ingredients • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter • 1/3 cup honey • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 cup old-fashioned oats (raw) • 2/3 cup shredded coconut • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed • 6 Tbsp chocolate chips (mini) Directions • In a mixing bowl, stir together peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract. Add remaining ingredients and stir until evenly coated. Transfer mixture to refrigerator and chill until set (about 30 minutes). • Remove from refrigerator and shape into 1-inch balls. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.
Recipe Source: Adapted from Cooking Classy
She also handed out these tips on smart snacking from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics!
Also, our lovely FTR dietitian, Allana, provided samples of these yummy energy bites at FTR!
No-Bake Energy Bites Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Yield: 1 dozen Ingredients • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter • 1/3 cup honey • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 cup old-fashioned oats (raw) • 2/3 cup shredded coconut • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed • 6 Tbsp chocolate chips (mini) Directions • In a mixing bowl, stir together peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract. Add remaining ingredients and stir until evenly coated. Transfer mixture to refrigerator and chill until set (about 30 minutes). • Remove from refrigerator and shape into 1-inch balls. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.
Recipe Source: Adapted from Cooking Classy
She also handed out these tips on smart snacking from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics!
Portions
Equally as important as what you eat, and when you eat, is how much you eat. While we want to be especially conscious of how much high-calorie, high-fat food we eat, it is possible to eat too much of a “healthy” food.
So lets take a peek at portions. Portion control simply means eating an appropriate amount for you. Your portions may not be the same as your significant others, your children’s, or your friends, but it is important to be aware of how much you are eating. A portion is different than the recommended serving, found on the nutrition label (more later on label reading). Educate yourself about what is a serving and then see how many servings you’d like to be your portion.
To have a reference, I like to use common household items to estimate the amount of something I am eating. Check out these common items to help you gauge your portions:
Allana's energy bites sure looks tasty!
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