National Nutrition Month + Free Printable + Give-a-ways!

Happy National Nutrition Month!

"Savor the Flavor of Eating Right"

A statement from The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

The theme for 2016 is "Savor the Flavor of Eating Right," which encourages everyone to take time to enjoy food traditions and appreciate the pleasures, great flavors and social experiences food can add to our lives. How, when, why and where we eat are just as important as what we eat. Develop a mindful eating pattern that includes nutritious and flavorful foods — that's the best way to savor the flavor of eating right!

All this month I will be hosting give-a-ways from the following sponsors: Regular Girl, Chobani and two book give-a-ways, The Mindfulness Coloring Book, Volume 2 and How to Free Your Child From Overeating!

I want to personal challenge everyone to think about how you can incorporate these suggestions into your household. Not sure? I got you covered. Take the month of March to set goals with your friends and family to get social and enjoy the many ways to savor the flavor. Download the calendar and goals printout below to participate.

This calendar was made to color!

PDF Calendar File

Suggestions for Goals and Goal Stickers! These fit in the calendar squares nicely!

Goal Stickers PDF File

Goal Stickers Studio 3

Stickers for the kids

Fruit Stickers PDF File

How to Sustain Motivation after a Conference - Part 1

Hello Friends! I recently attended the annual food and nutrition conference in Nashville, Tn. If you are trying to build a brand online check out this session review called Claim the Spotlight! Beyond Traditional Media: Videos, Podcasts, & Self-Publishing! 

The point of a conference is to gain continuing education to develop or sharpen skills, network, and inspire. My mindset during the conference: I will conquer!! I make tons of notes and have idea after idea and I tell myself, "this year will be the year that I actually implement my goals!" Then I come home to endless cat meows, mountains of laundry, and a neglected husband.

So how do we keep this inspiration fueled post conference?

After addressing the cats and the husband ;) I sat down to map out a plan. Oh, the mountains of laundry aren't hurting anyone! Here is my plan on how to sustain motivation after a conference.

1. Organize notes, lecture handouts, and business cards. 

I use Microsoft's One Drive and One Note to organize documents and pictures.

Resources for file organization: One Drive | Evernote | DropBox | One Note

2. Make notes beside the cards. For instance, if someone offered to mentor you or help you with a certain project. 

This is a notebook I use everyday. So now I will have daily visual reminders to keep my mind on my goals. I love this notebook. It is by designers Erin Condren. Click the button below for referral. 

(*this is s referral link*)

3. Send a follow-up email. 

You can simply express appreciation in meeting them.

Here is one that I am sending out.

Hello Chere, 

I have been a big fan of your Abundance Mondays! I too love to inspire and motivate other RDs and entrepreneurs. It was great to connect with you at the NEDPG media/speaker meeting. Thank you for your advice on the National Speaker Association membership. I look forward to connecting in the future.

Always Smiling, 

Cindy Huggins, MS, RDN, LD
website: www.CindyHuggins.com
blog: Newlywed Nutrition
podcast: 30 Second Bytes with Dietitian Cindy
      

Don't be afraid to ask for a meeting or offer your services if you think they will be beneficial. DON'T ask for a meeting or phone call if you have nothing to discuss.

Here are some templates that can help. 

TEMPLATE 1
TEMPLATE 2

Friday I'll post Part 2: Creating a clear vision to see a return on investment! I'm creating some new documents to help! Here is an example. Click to download.

Thanks for reading! Did you go to FNCE?? 

Let's connect. Comment below with any tips!

Shedding for the Wedding

photo source: getty images

Congratulations -- you are getting married! Now, it is time to get serious about shedding those unwanted pounds. On top of all of the planning it is hard to focus on your diet. A few simple tweaks and you will be on your way to being a slimmer, healthier bride! 

1. Forget the fad diets that restrict certain food, make you drink nasty shakes and deprive you of your favorite foods. We must eat in order to lose weight. Sounds ironic, I know. Our bodies need nutrients from food in order to burn the calories. If you deny your body that energy it slows down your metabolism causing a halt in weight lose. A healthy weight loss is 1-2 lbs. per week. Keep in mind that a pound of fat is equal to ~3500 calories. Therefore, by cutting 500 calories a day through meal and exercise modification, you will shed a pound a week. 
2. Don't put yourself in a calorie deficit! Talk about a bridzilla?! Maybe this is why brides are always crazy, because they are hungry! I know your first instinct when trying to lose weight is to cut, but try focusing on adding nutrient-rich foods. Many formulas exist to estimate calorie needs and some can get overwhelming. I found this wonderful calculator that takes everything into consideration except weight goals! If you desire to lose weight remember, subtract 100-500 calories, depending on your goal.
3. Eat a protein rich breakfast! Consistent research has shown that people who eat breakfast tend to weigh less. Protein takes longer to digest in the body keeping you satisfied until your next meal. Prepare a delicious protein rich omelet with four egg whites, spinach and a sprinkle of reduced-fat feta cheese or a high protein cereal with almond milk. 
4. Eat fresh produce and focus on fiber! Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are packed with fiber. The average American gets around 12 grams per day, while the current recommendations suggest we need 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day. Start reading the nutrition fact labels to make sure your cereals, breads and pastas contain greater then 5 grams of fiber per serving. Warning: if you do not have a diet rich in fiber you need to make sure you are consuming ample amounts of water. 
5. Limit dairy products to help reduce bloating. Certain individuals may experience sensitivity to dairy products because they cannot digest lactose or milk sugar.
6. Avoid excessive sodium (salt). Sodium holds on to fluid in the body increasing bloating and "water weight." Majority of the salt in out diet comes from processed foods the main one being breads.
   Main food items to limit:
1. Prepackaged meals (lean cuisine, smart ones, family dinners, etc.)
2. Deli meats.
3. Salty snacks.
4. Sodas. Even limit your diet sodas!
5. Breads. Do not completely cut out breads. You can get wonderful whole grains with breads, just limit the portion and buy reduced sodium.
7. Keep a food journal. Starting as soon as you begin planning. Write down what you eat, how much you eat, and how you feel both physically and mentally. You may be able to identify foods certain foods that cause gastrointestinal upset (bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea). 
8. Set small, achievable goals. See Motivation Monday for more detail on goals! 

The weeks leading up to my wedding I continuously carried around a water bottle to keep myself hydrated and energized. I cannot stress enough the importance of hydration. Not only does it help reduce bloating and increase energy but it helps keep your skin glowing. I set small goals for myself along the way. My number one priority was I wanted to feel slim and sexy, and yes healthy!!

Click here for a printable goal sheet. 

To personalize a diet plan just for you find a registered dietitian in your area at eatright.org

Got 30 Seconds? I bet you do! Listen to my new Podcast, 30 Second Bytes with Dietitian Cindy, for quick tips and tricks on food and nutrition.

www.CindyHuggins.com