Making and Accomplishing Your Health & Fitness Goals

With a new year right around the corner, it is about that time where most people start setting goals for the following year to be a better and healthier one than previous. If you have tried to set New Year’s resolutions in the past and haven’t succeeded in reaching your goals, you’re not alone! According to Business Insider, 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February and only about 8% actually finish their goals for the end of the year. We want to help you stay motivated and excited about succeeding with your resolutions, so we came up with tips on how to set goals and accomplish them for a better year!

How to Set Goals the Right Way

1. Make a few small goals rather than one large resolution.

You are more likely to attain your ultimate goal if you break it down into smaller, mini-goals. A bonus to this tip, is that once you finish one of your “mini-goals”, you will feel happy and motivated to continue with your other goals, rather than feeling defeated.

2. Make the goals you set, realistic, specific and measurable.

It is easier to accomplish your goals if you start with a realistic goal for yourself and then work your way up to larger goals. It is also important to set specific and measurable goals, so you can track progress. For an example, if you have a goal to lose weight, track your weight loss and plan your goals according to weight loss. If your goal is to work out more or become stronger, plan your goals according to the amount of days you want to make it to the gym in a week or the amount of reps you want to set for a weight for your goal.

3. Set a timeline for yourself.

Figure out when you would like to be at certain progresses of your goal and try to attain them by a specific date.

How to Accomplish and Stay with Your Goals

1. Be accountable; make goals with a friend.

The more people you tell about your goals, the better! Share with your friends, family and coworkers what your goals are and how you plan to accomplish them because studies have shown having this support from people around you will help you hold yourself more accountable. Setting a goal with a friend and sharing in the journey is another way to hold yourself accountable as well as holding someone else accountable to accomplish the goals you set.

2. Have a positive mindset.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you have a setback or aren’t progressing as quickly as you think you should with your goal. Try to stay as positive and excited throughout your journey as you did when you first planned your goal. The first few months of trying to accomplish your new goals takes adjustment in your lifestyle, so try not to lose positivity if things are difficult in the beginning.

3. Find resources to help you achieve your goals.

What resources are going to set you on the right path and help you succeed? Food/water intake logs, nutrition education, fitness logs, workout apps and a personal trainer are some resources to help you with your health and fitness goals.

4.  Monitor your progress and celebrate progress.

Keep a log or book to reflect on your goal and your progress. Any progress is good progress. Even if you aren’t progressing as quickly as you’d like, celebrate the little progress as you go. It will help you stay positive and motivated to continue striving for your goal!

5. Lastly, have fun!

Try to have fun with your goals and accomplish them doing fun activities. Enjoy the journey you are on!

For more help reaching your 2018 goals, be sure to reach out to your West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians!

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitian Team 

Healthy and Happy Holidays

As the holidays approach, staying active and eating healthy can be a challenge. Follow these ideas and tips from your West Lakes Dietitians to enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season!

Healthy Holiday Party Tips
Plan ahead. Maintaining a regular eating schedule and not skipping meals will prevent overeating during the holiday season. If you are planning to attend a holiday gathering, try eating a healthy snack before to avoid overeating! Here are some of our favorite high-protein snacks to keep you full: 

For other snack ideas check out our blog on Smart Snacking.

Practice portion control. Most people tend to eat bigger portions when it comes to their favorite holiday meals. The easiest way to practice portion control is to use a smaller plate (8-10 inches) so it looks full and you won’t feel like you are depriving yourself. A healthy plate has food from all of the different food groups. Here is what a dietitian-approved plate looks like!

Slow down. Before going for seconds, take the time to sit and savor your holiday meal. It takes about 20 minutes after food enters our mouths before the brain starts to perceive we’ve eaten and are getting full. Listen to your body and stop eating when you’re full!

Make smart dessert decisions. The best way to save calories this holiday season is by controlling dessert intake. Skipping dessert would save you the most calories but that’s not really realistic. Let’s face it, there is more than likely going to be more than one dessert option available at your holiday gatherings, possibly four or more. If you would choose to have one of each, you’re probably looking at a minimum of 1,000 extra calories to your holiday meal; minimum! Take a look at the dessert table and identify which dessert you just can’t life without; pick one! If you can’t just pick one, try a half of serving of two of them. You can also try these dietitian-approved desserts that are lower in calories and fat than your traditional holiday desserts. 

Stay active. The holiday season can be stressful for some. Instead of relieving stress by indulging in holiday treats, try being more physically active! Physical activity helps boost energy levels so you can be more productive during the holidays. It also helps the body relax, releases emotional tension, promotes better sleep and creates feelings of psychological well-being. Here are some great gift ideas to promote being active this holiday season!

Healthy(er) Baking

Holiday baking is a must this time of year, however, many of those holiday favorites are full of added sugars and trans fats, so they should be consumed in moderation. Luckily, there are many substitutions that can be made in baked goods to cut down on the calorie, sugar and fat content while still tasting delicious. Here is a healthy substitution chart to use for this year’s holiday baking!

Instead of this…	Use this!
Butter, margarine, shortening	Unsweetened apple sauce or prune puree
Cream	Fat-free half and half or evaporated skim milk
Full fat cream cheese	Fat-free cream cheese, low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth or Greek yogurt
Eggs	Two egg whites or ¼ c. egg substitute per 1 whole egg
All-purpose flour	Whole-wheat flour for half of called for flour
Evaporated milk	Evaporated skim milk
Whole milk	Reduced-fat or fat-free milk
Sugar	Use half the sugar called for and add vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon to add sweetness; use an artificial, no or low calorie sweetener; or mashed ripened banana
Syrup	Pureed fruit such as applesauce or low-calorie, sugar-free syrup
Sour cream	Low-fat Greek yogurt
Baking chocolate (1 oz.)	3 T. unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 T. polyunsaturated oil

Pumpkin Bread

All you need:

2 mashed ripe bananas

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

¼ c. coconut (melt) or vegetable oil

1 egg + 2 egg whites

½ c. whole wheat flour

½ c. all-purpose flour

1 c. oat flour or 1 c. old fashioned oats, blended

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Optional

¼ c. chocolate chips

¼ c. walnuts or pecans

Can substitute ½ cup protein powder for ½ a cup of the oat flour

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all wet ingredients together (mashed banana, pumpkin, oil, eggs and egg whites, and vanilla extract) in a large bowl.

3. Mix all dry ingredients together (all flours, baking powder, cinnamon) in a separate bowl.

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients together into the wet ingredients, stirring thoroughly.

5. Spray bread loaf pan with non-stick spray.

6. Pour batter into loaf pan.

7. Bake about 45 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Quick Baked Pears (serves 4) 

All you need:

2 large Bosc pears

2 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup low-fat granola

¼ cup apple juice

½ cup vanilla halo top

All you do:

1. Peal pears, cut in half lengthwise. Use a melon baller to remove core and seeds, creating a hollow.

2. Place pear halves, with cut sides up, in a glass pie plate, Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over pears.

3. Combine cranberries and granola; mound into hollows of the pear halves. Pour the apple juice in and around pear halves. Cover dish loosely with wax paper.

4. Cook in microwave on HIGH 6-8 minutes or until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife. Let stand in the dish 5 minutes. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the pears to serving plates.

5. Drizzle juices from pie plate over pears and serve with halo top ice cream.

Flourless Chocolate Chip Chickpea Blondies (makes 16 blondies) 

All you need:

1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained

½ cup all natural almond butter or peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

2 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

1/3 cup + 2 T dark chocolate chips

1 egg

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 8x8 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a food processor, add all ingredients except chocolate chips and process until batter is smooth.

3. Fold in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips.

4. Spread batter evenly in pan then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top.

5. Bake for 20-25 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

Happy Holidays from your West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians!

The Season of Giving…Food!

The Holidays are in full swing which means shopping for gifts, preparing for guests and time spent with family and friends. In this blog, we want to make gift giving a little easier for you and help give you ideas for a healthy holiday for you and those around you. In addition, since it is the “season of giving”, we included a piece about choosing foods that food shelters are looking for if you are wanting to donate this season.  Read below for more information!

Make Food Gifts for Family and Friends

If you’re looking for a healthy, easy or homemade gift, we have you covered with ideas! Grab a gift basket or jar, tissue paper and holiday ribbon and you can put together a festive, homemade gift to give to your friends and family this season.

Healthy Holiday Gift Baskets

• Fruit and vegetables basket
• Healthy "movie night" basket
• Protein/granola bars, Boom Chicka Pop popcorn, Dove dark chocolate
• No-Salt seasonings basket
• Lawry's Salt Free 17 seasoning, Mrs. Dash (all different flavors and all salt-free), Chef Paul no sodium seasonings
• Baking basket
• Sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, lavender), cookie cutters, sugar free cookie mix
• Cookbook or subscription to a healthy cooking magazine
• Examples of healthy cooking magazines: Eating Well, Cooking Light
• Examples of healthy cookbooks: Clean Eating Made Simple, The Everything Healthy Meals In Minutes Cookbook, The Healthy Mind Cookbook
• Workout videos or DVDs
• Beachbody: The Master's Hammer and Chisel, Insanity: The Ultimate Cardio Workout, Best Barre Workout, yoga DVDs, etc.

Food/Drink Mixes in a Jar

Gather dry ingredients and layer in a jar and wrap with ribbon. Click on the link for recipes.

• Painted Desert Chili Mix in a Jar: https://www.recipegoldmine.com/foodgiftsoup/painted-desert-chili-mix.html
• Chewy Brownie Mix in a Jar: https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32265/chewy-brownie-mix-in-a-jar/
• Oatmeal Cookie Mix in a Jar: https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32262/oatmeal-chip-cookie-mix-in-a-jar/
• Granola Mix in a Jar:  https://keeperofthehome.org/healthy-homemade-granola-gifts-in-a-jar/
• Peppermint Hot Cocoa: http://happyhourprojects.com/peppermint-cocoa/

Donate Food

Non-perishable items are always a good thing to donate to your local food shelter or church if they do a food collection, as they have a long shelf-life and can be cheaper and available in mass quantity. Check with your local food pantry to see what they are most in need of or consider the ideas below! 

• Canned/Jarred Foot
• Tuna
• Vegetables
• Fresh and dried fruit
• Spaghetti sauces
• Peanut butter
• Individual Servings
• Apple sauce
• Fruit cups
• Pudding cups
• Cereal boxes
• Food bars
• Granola bars
• Protein/Power bars
• Cereal bars
• Pastas
• Noodle boxes
• Mac and cheese
• Crackers
• Cheese or peanut butter sandwich crackers
• Saltines
• Goldfish

*Adapted from www.livestrong.com.

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians Team

December Dietitian Pick of the Month: Pears

Apples have been the craze for the past few months in apple picking, apple pies and apple cider, but now is a good time to turn our attention to another fruit that is packed with flavor and health benefits. The December Dietitian Pick of the Month is pears, a delicious, juicy and nutritious fruit full of fiber and flavonoids. Similarly to apples, there are a variety of pears and, while they are all nutritious, they each have a little variation in nutrients and flavor. For an example, red pears contain an additional compound called anthocyanin, which promotes heart health and anti-aging. In addition, you can use a pear just like you would an apple: bake into desserts, make a sauce, roast them, and use them to top toast, oatmeal or yogurt. They are also particularly good with strong cheeses and drizzled with honey. For more information on the health benefits of pears and a recipe, take a look below.

5 Reasons to Try Pears

1. Pair pears with blue cheese, parmesan or aged white cheddar for a quick snack.

2. Pears are a good source of dietary fiber with 5.5g and only 100 calories for a medium-sized pair.

3. Overripe pears are best used in cooked recipes such as poached pears or grilled pears over pork chops.

4. Pears are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C that can be beneficial for the immune system.

5. Pears are a wonderful source of potassium, which means that they can have a significant impact on heart health.

Holiday Pear Salad with Glazed Pecans

Serves 6

All you need:

1 egg white, beaten

2 tbsp Hy-Vee select maple syrup

2 tsp dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 ½ cups organic pecan halves

2 small ripe pears, sliced

6 cups mixed baby greens

1/2 to 2/3 cup light raspberry vinaigrette or red wine vinaigrette dressing

Fresh raspberries, optional

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. For glazed pecans, combine egg white, maple syrup, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Stir in pecans, tossing to coat. Spread pecans on aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned, stirring once. Remove from oven. Stir pecans to release from foil; set aside.

2. In large salad bowl toss sliced pears and greens together. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with glazed pecans. Top with fresh raspberries, if desired.

Nutrition per Serving: 280 calories, 21g fat, 290mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 4g protein

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians Team