Balance Magazine January Highlights: Part One

Another issue of Hy-Vee Balance magazine came out the beginning of January and will be available at your West Lakes Hy-Vee for a couple more weeks. We have the highlights for you right here, but consider picking up a free copy next time you are out and about shopping for groceries. This month features a woman known as “America’s toughest personal trainer” — businesswoman, author and television professional from The Biggest Loser — Jillian Michaels. Besides detailing Jillian’s active lifestyle, this article in Balance highlights Jillian’s motivational guidance as a personal trainer, her goals in life and, of course, a few workout examples that you can try yourself. Although Jillian is a great highlight of the magazine, there are various articles on health and wellness, nutrition, working out, recipes, healthy mindsets and much more! Because there is so much great content in this month’s edition, we have split the highlights for the blog in two: This is Part 1 and next week we are releasing Part 2 on the blog. Continue reading below for more highlights in Part 1!

Importance of Nutrition

Part 1 is going to focus primarily on the importance of nutrition. There are various articles on the internet these days that highlight diets such as the Paleo diet, ketogenic diet, Mediterranean and many others that promise fast weight loss. Before attempting certain diets, you should always check with a primary health care provider or registered dietitian because some of those popular diets can affect the body in a negative way, such as the case with “fad diets.”  “Fad diets” are considered short-term, quick fixes that are typically restrictive and not supported by scientific evidence. Rather than focusing on these diets that can be considered a “fad,” focus on feeding your body with healthy nutrients instead. Nutrients such as vegetables, fruits, proteins, whole grains and healthy fats will provide your body with the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Taking in healthy nutrients will overall make your diet more well-rounded, help you eat to fuel your body and become healthier in response — rather than dropping fat instantly due to a restrictive fad diet that can negatively affect your health. Overall, a healthy diet should correlate into a healthy lifestyle.

As Jillian Michaels says in Balance magazine, “A healthy lifestyle is about having more happy days than sad days. It’s about being more fulfilled than being stressed. It’s about having meaning in the things you do” (P. 30).

Energy Boost Nutrition Tips

Energy Alternatives to Coffee (P. 11)

Want to find healthier alternatives to coffee that will keep you energized and feeling good? This article features 5 different products that will give you energy.

1. Water- plays a major role in your energy, since dehydration can lead to fatigue.

2. Almonds- contain protein and magnesium, so a handful of this healthy fat for a snack will keep you going during the afternoon.

3. Chia seeds- these small seeds contain B vitamins, fiber and protein, all of which help your body maintain energy. Add these seeds to yogurt, a salad, smoothie, oatmeal and much more to boost your meal/snack with more nutrients and energy!

4. Dairy milk- contains vitamin D, which affects energy and muscles. You often lack this vitamin in the winter when you’re less likely to be outdoors, so dairy milk is a good energy source.

5. Fish- has omega-3 fatty acids which can provide your body with a boost in energy and help you focus.

In addition to these 5 items, Hy-Vee has energy bites, which are snack bites (containing chia seeds) that provide energy and are great paired with a fruit. Look for a variety of flavors at your West Lakes Hy-Vee in the HealthMarket, at the front of the store, by the dietitian’s office, and at other locations in the store!

Healthy and Happy Life

Happiness: Control the Clock (P. 49)

A healthy diet is not the only factor you need for a healthy lifestyle. Balancing your mental health, personal time, productivity and more will contribute to your overall health also. This article contains tips to balance work and personal time to help you live a healthier life, plus it includes 5 healthy resolutions, such as quitting smoking and sleeping more to increase productivity.

Begin Program at Hy-Vee (P. 107)

Another tool to help you live a healthier lifestyle besides working on balance and productivity can be Hy-Vee’s Begin healthy lifestyle and weight management program. This can be either a group class or one-on-one class with a registered dietitian who will help you navigate making smart everyday health decisions. This program lasts 10 weeks; you start with an hour-long session to measure your weight, blood pressure, body mass index, cholesterol and glucose levels, and to discuss your goals. Then you will have shorter classes or sessions that cover portion control, exercise and smart food shopping.

For more information on this program, see your West-Lakes dietitians Amanda or Melissa today!

Healthy Recipes

Caramelized Grapefruit Parfaits (P. 22)

Total Time: 25 minutes | Serves 4

All you need:

1/3 cup Hy-Vee sweetened coconut flakes

2 large grapefruits, peeled and cut crosswise into ½-in.-thick slices

½ cup packaged Hy-Vee dark brown sugar, divided

2 cups Hy-Vee Greek plain strained nonfat yogurt

2 Tbsp. Hy-Vee HealthMarket chia seeds

1 Tbsp. Hy-Vee honey plus additional for drizzling, if desired

1 Tbsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger, optional

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Spread coconut flakes on a rimmed baking pan. Bake 5 minutes or until toasted, stirring once.

2. Place half of the grapefruit slices in a large skillet. Sprinkle with ¼ cup brown sugar. Cook over medium heat 4 minutes or until browned, turning once. Remove grapefruit from skillet and cool. Repeat with remaining grapefruit slices.

3. Combine yogurt, chia seeds and honey in a small bowl. Place some of the grapefruit slices in the bottoms of four 8-oz. glasses. Top each with ¼ cup yogurt mixture. Repeat with remaining grapefruit and yogurt mixture. Serve with toasted coconut and, if desired, ginger. Drizzle with additional honey, if desired.

Totally Takeout (P. 15)

Total Time: 25 minutes plus marinating time | Serves 4

All you need:

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak

2 Tbsp. chili garlic sauce

1 Tbsp. Hy-Vee light soy sauce

1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic

1½ tsp. grated fresh ginger

1½ tsp. packaged Hy-Vee dark brown sugar

Hy-Vee nonstick cooking spray

3 green onions, trimmed

½ to ¾ cup Hy-Vee reduced-sodium beef broth

1½ tsp. Hy-Vee cornstarch

1 Tbsp. water

2 tsp. sesame oil

2 cups Hy-Vee instant brown rice, optional

Roasted white sesame seeds for garnish

All you do:

1. Trim fat from steak. Thinly slice steak across the grain into bite-size strips. Whisk together chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Add streak strips; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over high heat. Add green onions and cook 1 minute or until tops begin to wilt. Remove to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-in. pieces; set aside.

3. Drain steak strips; reserve marinade. Cook half of the steak strips in the grill pan over medium-high heat 1 minute per side or until grill marks form. Remove steak strips from pan and repeat with remaining strips. Set steak strips aside and keep warm.

4. Place reserved marinade and enough beef broth to make 1 cup in saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced to 2/3 cup. Combine cornstarch and water; stir into reduced mixture until thickened and bubbly. Stir in sesame oil.

5. Serve steak strips and green onions with sauce over rice, if desired. Garnish with sesame seeds. 

Stay tuned for part 2 highlights next week!

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitian Team