Meal Mentor

Do you mindlessly snack when cooking?

This email came in from a meal plan user:

"I was wondering if you have any tips on how to decrease mindless eating when cooking or doing meal prep? I find I am always snacking or tasting what I am cooking. It is healthy food, but extra calories. Also snacking as I am putting food away."

As any chef will tell ya: It's important to taste when you're cooking, but tasting and snacking aren't the same.

I used to be horrible about eating and snacking when I was cooking. It wasn't uncommon for me to eat and snack so much while preparing a meal that by the time the meal was on the table, I was mostly full. I curbed my habit two ways: First, I started keeping a food journal. I made myself write down every taste. Every extra grape I tossed into my mouth. This made me painfully aware of what I was doing. We improve what we measure and when you have to write it down, you become more aware and do it less.

Second, I only grab the amount of an ingredient I need, immediately putting all the excess away. Gone are the days where I pull out the entire box of raisins and leave it on the counter while cooking (where my hand finds it's way in). I get out my raisins (or whatever ingredient I'm using), measure what I need before cooking, then put the raisins away. About the only thing I'll leave out is celery. If I must munch, well then I can munch on some celery ;) Not keeping all the ingredients out has really helped.

Over time, I've slowly gotten out of the habit of eating while cooking. I also stopped having a second spoonful or two after dinner, when putting my leftovers away, thanks to this practice.

Same goes for not snacking when measuring out my snacks. One of the ways I helped break that habit was by measuring out my snacks first thing in the morning when I got up. I just couldn't pop a baby carrot into my mouth before I had my oatmeal and brushed my teeth :)

Lastly, one of my clients chews gum while she cooks. I bet that would work too!

Cooking only one day a week with the meal plans also puts you at a less risk of eating-while-cooking temptation!

Get the latest meal plan now.

Healthy Thanksgiving Treats & Party Ideas

Start Thanksgiving off right with a gobbler pancake! Use the Pumpkin Pancake recipe from Happy Herbivore Light & Lean!

With a presentation like this, everyone will be gobbling up veggies! (Source)

A fruit turkey mixing fruits and vegetables! (Source)

A smaller fruit turkey is just a delicious - and healthy! (Source)

A veggie turkey with a little hummus (Source)

Another yummy fruit tray with strawberries, grapes, bananas and pears!

And another platter using a variety of veggies!

Skipping Meals — How bad is it? (Or is it okay?)

Recently, someone asked me how important is it to eat breakfast, pointing to a study that said those who ate breakfast weighed less and that eating breakfast within 30 minutes was critical for weight loss.

Before I continue, let me preface that I do think it's important to eat, and eat well, which is why we lay out a breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule on our meal plans. That said, I'm not sure I buy into the notion that specific times are better (or worse) for everyone unanimously.

I've worked with enough clients over the years to have clear examples of people who eat after 7 p.m., or 9 p.m., or that skip breakfast or lunch, etc. and yet they still lost weight or maintained a healthy weight.

Here's the real problem with skipping meals (i.e., breakfast): Most people who skip a meal are so hungry by the time the next meal comes that they'll eat anything in sight, often picking the food that will come to them the quickest rather than picking whatever is healthiest. Skipping meals also makes it more likely that you will overeat.

For example, every time I've missed a meal and found myself starving, I ordered way too much food, ate the food feverishly with abandon to quell the hunger pains, and then felt uncomfortably stuffed afterward. Happens every time.

Same with midnight or late-night snacking. It's usually not the time you're eating that's the problem — it's what. Most people aren't getting up for celery sticks, they're getting up for cookies and ice cream. That's the problem, not the time of day.

Over the years I've found every body seems to have its own food time preferences. For example, I can't eat first thing in the morning if I plan to exercise. I have to exercise on an empty stomach (or several hours after I've eaten) or I'll want to puke. My husband, meanwhile, has to eat as soon as he rolls out of bed, especially if he plans to exercise.

Remember, 98% of the time it's about the food you're choosing and whether you are setting yourself up for success or failure by skipping a meal or snacking.

Having a plan in place (and prepared healthy food) helps you make better choices and avoid these traps.

Get the current meal plan now.

The Meal Plans Got an UPGRADE

Earlier this week we released our new (and improved!) meal plans!

Not only have we streamlined the meal plans (creating shorter shopping lists) we have an awesome new (much requested!) feature!

STEP-BY-STEP SUNDAY PREP SHEET!

This guide will show you how to prep all your meals for the week in a few hours. Cooking and eating healthy has never been so easy!

Cooking and eating healthy has never been so easy!

Get the new & improved meal plans

Our users are LOVING the new style so far! We're getting a lot of positive feedback (woot!)

I love the meal plans and I got the new one today. The step-by-step make ahead cheat sheet is wonderful!! After looking over the recipes for next week I want to start NOW!! Thank you Lindsay! - Colleen

LOVE LOVE LOVE the prep sheet!!!!! - Susan E.

The cheat sheet is WONDERFUL! Thank you so much, love your meal plans!!!!- Kelly K.

I LOVE the changes! Now that I am back in college full-time (after 23 years!!), I need all the help I can get with prepping ahead and streamlining everything else in my life. Maybe you could help me come up with a housecleaning plan, too?? :-) - Kelle W.

I loooove the new Sunday Prep Sheet on the weekly meal plan. Thank you so much! I hope to see you continue this!!!! - JessicaTIU ‏@Stellar424

Thank you so much for adding the step-by-step preparation order last week; that was very helpful! - Pamela N.

This is a FABULOUS FABULOUS FABULOUS idea....thank you -Suzanne I.

and if you haven't seen our meal plans in a while, we also had a major overhaul and update back in June.

Get the meal plan. See the upgrades for yourself.

Throw Away Your Scale! 10 Common Mistakes You Make Weighing Yourself

I have a love-hate relationship with scales. On the one hand I recognize a scale can be a helpful tool, but on the other I think there are far better ways to track our progress and health.

For example, a body composition test (which determines what percentage of your body is muscle vs fat) and how clothes fit are a better indicator for weight-loss and tracking changes.

In my post, What Weighs More? A Pound of Fat or a Pound of Muscle, I talked about my client Julie who always weighed 145 pounds but looked drastically different when she was 20% fat at 145, and 35% fat at 145. (One of the many reasons why I encourage clients not to use numbers on a scale as a goal).

The other issue I have with scales is how detrimental they can be emotionally and for no good reason. A number on the scale is no true indicator of health and it doesn't given you other, important information about your health and weight-loss.

For example, many of my clients see a gain on the scale and they feel defeated and hopeless. They think they've gained weight -- gained fat, when they're gaining muscle.

Another problem I have? How addictive scales are.

If you're getting on the scale every day or worse, multiple times per day -- stop.

You shouldn't weigh yourself on a daily basis since there is a natural ebb and flow with the body. Daily fluctuations in weight are due to hydration -- water. (Remember: the body is mostly water).

Most people have a 1 to 2 pound fluctuation day-to-day. Women can have an even bigger fluctuation certain times of the month. Even within a few hours of waking our weight increases as we eat and drink.

You also can't expect to see true gains or true losses within a 24hour period. Most often any difference in 24, or even 48 hours, is a difference in water retention.

When I was a personal trainer, I always insisted my clients only weigh themselves once a week, at the same time/day every week, and after they have eliminated. That was (and still is) the best way to see true gains and losses. (Though I would prefer it if my clients didn't weight themselves at all).

If you want to weigh yourself to track your progress (losing fat, or gaining muscle) make sure you do it correctly:

How to Weigh Yourself Correctly

1. Always use the same scale. (Calibrate it regularly)

2. Weigh yourself once a week and at the same time.

3. Weigh yourself naked or in your underwear.

4. Weigh first thing in the morning after elimination and before you consume liquid.

5. Stand straight up with your weight evenly distributed on the scale.

6. Ensure the scale is resting on a firm, flat surface.

7. Stand still and don't look down until you have a reading.

8. Do not weigh yourself after exercise.

9. Use your home scale, not a public scale (risk of inaccuracy due to overuse).

10. Ladies: Do not weigh yourself if you are menstruating.

Additional Reading

Do You Make These 10 Common Mistakes Before Weighing Yourself?

How to Weigh Yourself Accurately

Want to lose weight? Diet matters most! Get Started with our Meal Plans

5 "everyday" superfoods

In my post, "Superfoods" - A Scam? I talked about how *all* plant foods are superstars but only a few get recognized as heroes thanks to big marketing.

Here are 5 "everyday" superfoods. Gogi berries need not apply ;)

Kale Why it's super: One cup of chopped kale delivers 5 times your daily vitamin k requirements and nearly 3 times your daily vitamin A needs. All that with only 33 calories.

Kiwis Why they're super: A single kiwi fruit-with just 50 calories-supplies 85% of your daily vitamin C requirements.

Sweet Potatoes Why they're super: One large tuber contains 9 times the daily recommended vitamin A. High levels of potassium, fiber, and other vitamins make them heart-healthy.

Edamame Why they're super: An excellent source of protein, edamame (the Japanese name for young soybeans) also is rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants.

Blueberries Why they're super: Loaded with antioxidants, blueberries are also rich in vitamin C and K.

(*Adapted from from Better Homes & Gardens Mar. 2013)

Eat more "Super" Foods! The meal plans are loaded up! Get the latest meal plan now.