On the Run: fitness made simple

My first Brussels sprout! It tasted like a mini cabbage. I loved it!! 

Benefits of Brussels Sprouts

• Vitamins and minerals: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folate, potassium, calcium
• 3-5 g of fiber per cup 
• 50 calories per cup! 
• May protect against cancer with phytochemical, indole

Too lazy to make a parfait? Make a yogurt bowl! 

• greek yogurt
• cinnamon
• bananas
• strawberries
• almonds
• whole grain toast drizzled with honey 

 High Fiber, High Protein, LOW CARB bread!

This is the only bread I’ll eat and I buy it from Whole Foods. It is very filling and satisfies both fiber and protein components of a balanced meal.

http://julianbakery.com/low-carb-bread/smart-carb-no-1/

 Serving Size 1 slice, 

• Calories 109 Calories
• Total Fat1g,  7%Dietary   
• Total Carbohydrate 13g, Fiber 12g 48%, Net Carb 1g 
• Protein 12g

Ingredients: Fresh Ground Whole Grain *Wheat, Sprouts of *Kamut, *Spelt, *Rye, Lentils, Sesame Seeds, *Millet, *Quinoa, *Amaranth, Ground Flaxseed, *Wheat Bran, Oat Bran, Eggs, Undenatured Whey Protein Isolate (90%), Chicory Root (Inulin Fiber), Wheat Gluten, Yeast & Sea Salt.

*Organically Grown

The nutrition facts look great, but I still need to learn more about the ingredients list. For example, the fiber comes from inulin and the protein from undenatured whey protein isolate and I don’t know much about those. I will update once I do more research. 

I’ve changed to a vegetarian diet, but I still had left-over salmon in the freezer and did not want this animal’s life to go to complete waste. Therefore, I made an easy, balanced lunch!

Baked Salmon: Coat aluminum foil with a thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle lemon pepper seasoning on salmon. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until flesh flakes easily. 

Portioning: Buy 1 lb (16 oz) of salmon and divide into 4. Each 4 oz is about 200 calories and 24 g of protein. 

To make life simpler for me, I’ve decided to eat the same things at each meal all week, and switch it up the next Monday! I will be posting week meal plans soon! 

Lunch: Steamed vegetable medley,tomatoes, seasoning, garbanzo beans, pumpkin seeds, Julian Bakery Smart Carb bread, green tea

Nothing fancy, but still tasty and balanced. This simple meal is packed with fiber, protein, an vitamins and with a bit of healthy fats too! 

Baby Bananas: I’ve been eating one or two after dinner as a small, yet sweet dessert! Whole bananas can be too large and pack a lot of sugar. They are also good for slicing into yogurt parfaits. I always try and cut half a large banana and save the other half…but always end up eating the whole thing. I don’t know about you, but I hate leaving anything half opened/used. Therefore, these bite-sized bananas are saving me some calories =) 

What’s in season: Summer Fruits!

Apples – summer into fall
Avocados
Blackberries
Blueberries
Cantaloupes
Figs – mid to late summer
Grapes – end of summer into fall
Mangoes – late spring into summer
Melons
Nectarines
Peaches
Plums
Raspberries
Watermelon

Just ate a small grapefruit as an appetizer before dinner! It helps fill me up so I’m not tempted to overeat at night.

“A 2006 study found that beginning every meal with half a grapefruit can help shed unwanted pounds. In a 12-week study, participants who had half grapefruit starters at every meal, lost on average 3.6 pounds compared to others who were not eating the large citrus fruit and only lost on average one pound. Researchers think that plant compounds help to lower insulin levels and the smaller the amount of insulin in the blood after a meal, the more efficiently the body uses food for energy rather than storing it as fat.”

http://www.fitsugar.com/Eating-Half-Grapefruit-Before-Every-Meal-May-Increase-Weight-Loss-967847 

This week, I’m volunteering at a summer camp for kids with Diabetes Type I. These kids, age 5-12, are my new role models for being healthy and responsible. They are all trying to be in tune with their bodies and know so much about nutrition. Their parents pack their lunches labeled with the number of carbs so the kids and nurses know how much insulin to administer. These kids are so impressive…even the five year-olds know how to carefully test their blood glucose, discard the needle, and report their levels and carbs. I am learning so much from being a camp counselor at the Diabetes Camp and am touched by their creativity and courage everyday! This has impacted the way I understand medicine (especially internal medicine and endocrinology) and longterm care for patients.

With a vegetarian diet, it’s easy to get in a “carb trap” and eat mostly grains, wheat, flour, and even processed snack foods. At least, that’s where I’ve been for the last 2 weeks. I’m going to start filling up on vegetables again!

Greek lunch:

-orzo salad and Greek yogurt.

I didn’t know orzo was pasta or else I would not have bought it. I thought it was a grain.

Quinoa + Lentil 

Spinach 

Mushroom 

1) Cook Quinoa and green lentils in rice cooker similar to how you cook rice

2) Spray pan with olive oil and add chopped garlic

3) add mushrooms

4) add balsamic vinegar to the mushrooms, cook for a couple minutes 

5) add spinach and cook until wilted and bright green 

Great mix of Protein, Fiber, Complex Carbs Vitamins, and Minerals

Salmon Quesadilla -la tortilla factory low carb/high fiber tortilla (2, 50 cals each) -1/4 cup shredded cheese -2 tablespoon chunky salsa -green beans as a side -3 oz canned wild caught salmon

Directions: mix salmon, salsa and cheese in a bowl. Spoon into tortillas. Fold in half. Spray pan with olive oil. Cook quesadillas for 3 minutes on each side and press down to flatten with spatula.

Good blend of protein, fiber, and calcium. Also, never forget your veggies!

Fried Banana

Directions: spray pan with olive oil. Slice banana and cook in pan. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar/stevia/splenda, drizzle with lemon juice, sprinkle with chia seeds. Cook until bananas are golden brown. Serve with plain or vanilla yogurt.

This is great for a filling, healthy, low fat dessert. It is very satisfying!

Butternut squash Green beans Carrots Quinoa