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Tag Archives: Weight management

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High-Protein Dairy Dip with Roasted Peppers

High-Protein Dairy Dip with Roasted Peppers

Author Shani - Lemon Tree Nutrition
Protein, being one of the 3 macros, not only helps us build tissue, maintain good health and support a good immune system but can also assist with weight management by keeping us fuller for longer. This high-protein dip is super satisfying and can help with cravings and munchies.
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Prep Time 10 minutes

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 container cottage cheese 500 grams
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 2-3 pieces jarred roasted red peppers drained
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Chopped chives for garnish optional

Instructions
 

  • In a blender, place the cottage cheese and onion powder and blend until smooth.
  • With a paper towel, pat dry the drained peppers to remove excess moisture. Add the peppers to the blender and blend again until smooth.
  • Taste and add salt & pepper to taste.
  • Place in a serving dish and garnish with chopped chives or keep refrigerated in an air-tight container. The dip will keep good at roughly the same time as the stated expiry date on the cottage cheese container.

Notes

Cottage cheese comes in a variety of fat % content. This recipe works well with any type of cottage cheese.
Dip your veggie sticks and enjoy as a satisfying snack or you can spread it over toast, bagel or crackers as a substitute for cream cheese.
For a thicker dip, prior to blending place the cottage cheese in a cheesecloth for a couple of hours to drain excess liquid.
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How to prevent winter weight gain

Long cold nights and the holiday season can be an ideal formula for potential weight gain. In this 7-part series, I provide you with some simple, realistic and doable ways to enjoy your favourite foods while preventing potential weight gain.
Subscribe to my channel to get more valuable information.

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5 pointers before starting a fat-loss program

The formula for weight loss – energy in versus energy out – may be simple but, for most of us, is not easy. What I have learned over the years of working with a wide variety of clients is that the reasons for overeating are many and can be different from one person to another. Some reasons may stem from physiological, emotional, and/or mental struggles, which means that when we want to lose fat, everything should be taken into consideration and not just the mathematical formula.

Dig in for your real reason

Ask yourself why you want to lose weight and be as honest about it as possible. Throughout the years of my practice, I have heard a variety of reasons, some of which are: To be able to receive compliments that will make me feel a certain way; for health reasons; to fit into certain clothing as I used to; to satisfy someone else’s wish about my weight and many other reasons. Please dig deep and find out your personal reason and ensure it is a good reason which will keep you motivated throughout the process.

Prioritize your health

In order to lose weight, you will need to provide your body with less energy than it is used to. That can cause some fightback from your body while it adjusts to the new, lower energy input. Therefore, before starting a weight loss regime, ask yourself whether you are physically healthy. Check with your doctor and get his blessing. You see, when we are not healthy, our magical body does a lot to deal with the illness and uses many resources to improve on that issue. Adding another big task such as weight loss is not always beneficial. Yes, there are certain illnesses that weight loss could help with, but in such cases, the process has to be done in a very specific way.

Put the scale away

In a normal fat loss program, fluctuations in weight and the way we eat are common. One day you can stick to the program religiously and the other you are invited to a party where you indulge and stray from the program. Our body is not built to have the same weight 24/7/365. Some days we retain water, some days we are menstruating and some days we moved a bit more. The number on the scale can drive us crazy and, most importantly, it does not tell us much about the composition of the weight we have lost or gained. So consider putting the scale aside. Good feedback for your weight loss would be the way your clothes fit you as you progress with the program.

Consider working with a professional

Before starting a fat loss program, there may be some questions you want to ask yourself. Some examples are: Which weight loss diet should I go with? What is the best and most suitable for me? Is the diet I am going on sustainable, healthy and safe? Remember that trendy diets are just that – trends. Most of them do not work and if they do, more often than not, they are not sustainable and/or safe. Your new diet should be personalized and fit you based on a large range of factors that are unique to you.

Let them be

So your auntie, co-worker, mother and friend all have something to say about your choice of diet? That is their problem, not yours. Do your research for the best and safest solution for you, put your head down and do what you need to do to get to your goal without allowing anyone to discourage or confuse you. As we are exposed to so much information about nutrition, so much of it can be unsafe, and mostly – not considering you. Many diets are general and may or may not work for you and be safe for you. You are unique and so is your fat loss path. If you can, work with a professional and stick to your plan.

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Should we consume superfoods?

The term superfood is quite magical for those of us wanting to improve our health. Think of exotic berries or ancient seeds that can provide us with nutritional benefits like no other food. But should we dig deep into our wallets and invest in such foods? Let’s explore:

What does the term superfood mean?

When the term superfood is used, it usually refers to a certain food item being exceptionally dense in nutrients. That means such food would have a relatively larger number of nutrients per gram, might be linked to certain disease prevention, or may provide certain advantages beyond its nutritional ability. However, it is important to understand that the term superfood is not regulated nor scientifically based but is more of a marketing term.

What are some examples of superfoods?

The American Heart Association references these so-called superfoods as legumes, dark leafy greens, certain berries, some nuts & seeds, salmon, green tea, avocado, garlic etc. However, the AHA also clearly points out that only consuming superfoods will not make us healthy.

Which superfoods are the best?

One of the most recent hypes was about blueberries. There is no doubt that blueberries are truly fabulous being high in antioxidants, can inhibit the growth of cancerous human colon cells, and can help in protecting the body from free radicals. But what if you don’t like blueberries? Would that mean you would be missing out on these benefits and cannot get them by eating other fruits or vegetables? What about apples, bell peppers and carrots? These have not been categorized as superfoods yet, so should we put less emphasis on eating them? Do they not provide great health benefits? Most plant foods provide a wonderful package of valuable nutrients that contribute to our health in different ways. Focusing on consuming a variety of whole foods is an important part of healthy eating.

What about the research done on superfoods?

Research done on a certain type of berry or seed will provide more knowledge about that specific food. However, it does not mean that other food items which were not researched are not beneficial to us. The known phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” probably increased the sales of apples, but does that mean that oranges wouldn’t help do the same? What about pears, spinach and cucumbers?

Should I invest in superfoods?

As marketers want to increase sales, they take an already-perceived-as-healthy food item and sell it for a higher price by marketing its unique qualities that could contribute to our health more than other foods. It is important for people seeking to improve their health to understand that we need to manage the different components of a healthy lifestyle in order to achieve such a goal.
At the end of the day, whether to buy superfoods or not is a personal choice. My concern is that this fancy term can advertise the wrong notion that healthy eating is pricey and out of reach to the majority.

My hope with writing this is twofold: To create awareness of fancy marketing words that may cause unnecessary confusion, overwhelm and a big hole in our pocket, as well as to reiterate that a healthy lifestyle is accessible and can be done by most. If we really want to improve our health, we should probably focus more on eating enough fruits and vegetables daily, consuming a variety of wholesome foods, keeping active enough, sleeping well, staying well hydrated, enjoying a nourishing social life and surrounding ourselves with love.

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Is breakfast that important?

Have you heard these before:
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”
“Having breakfast will keep you properly fueled all day long”
“Eating breakfast can help with weight loss”
There are probably many more sayings, expressions and slogans we heard throughout our lives.
So let’s see what we should really know about breakfast.

What is breakfast?

As implied, having breakfast normally breaks our fast. As most of us sleep during the night, and will not eat during that time, our body would normally be in a fasted state during these hours. Therefore, the first food we consume after that fasting period will break the fast.

Is there an ideal time to break a fast?

Well, yes and no. Some people will benefit from eating soon after waking up, some would do better waiting a bit and some would max this process to their advantage by fasting for a few hours before their first bite.
The test of time, the effect on our energy levels, hormones, our overall health and many more factors, all come into play when it comes to one’s ideal breakfast time.

What about Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent Fasting or IF basically means allowing ourselves a smaller window to consume foods during the day. Within a 24-hour period of time, a common window is 6-8 hours for food consumption, while the rest of the time would be for abstaining from eating. Does IF provide any health benefits? Some. To certain people. Is it something everyone should do? Nope. Is IF helpful with weight loss? If the caloric intake is smaller than the caloric expenditure, then yes, but in that sense, that would make IF no different than any other weight loss regime. Overall the best answer to these questions (and most nutrition questions) would be: It depends.

Will I be tired if I skip breakfast?

Another hard push on breakfast is the concern with energy levels throughout the day. We are concerned that by not having breakfast early enough, we may not be fueled properly to successfully go with our day. As we are all different, some people do not feel hungry in the mornings and imposing breakfast on their body may create certain discomfort. Others may feel more inclined to have a large, satisfying breakfast following which they do not feel hungry for long enough.

My key messages are:

  • Breakfast is the first meal that breaks the fast after a night’s sleep. It does not necessarily have a specific time attached to it. One can enjoy breakfast at 7 am and the other can equally benefit from it at 10 am or later. It changes from one person to another depending on a variety of factors and goals.
  • Having breakfast or not does not necessarily translate to weight management. For weight loss, we need to consume fewer calories than we expend, which can be reached in a variety of ways.
  • Our choice of eating schedule should match our goals, lifestyle choices, preferences, health, hormones and many other factors. As we are all different, there is no one plan that fits all.
  • Breakfast contents and sizes vary throughout the world from one culture to another and from one person to another. A proper breakfast would be a nourishing, healthy, satisfying one that will fit the individual, their lifestyle and goals. The timing of such a breakfast would be a personal choice as well, provided the individual is in an overall healthy state.
  • The quality of our breakfast and overall daily choices of foods are not less important than the timing. We should put an emphasis on the quality and quantity of foods we choose to eat, in addition to the timing.
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7 important things to know about protein intake

How much protein do we really need? How do we get enough of it? Should we follow a high-protein diet?
Protein is found in every cell of our body and has many functions. It is involved in many chemical reactions and is an important macronutrient for putting some meat on our bones, making blood, skin, hair, enzymes and more.
To keep our body in a healthy state, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) per day for an adult is 0.8 grams of protein for each kilogram of body weight. However, depending on our sex, age, lifestyle, frequency and intensity of physical activity, goals and other factors, an individual may need more than that. Let’s look at some important points to consider:

1. Too much of a good thing

Although protein is an important macronutrient, the expression “the more, the better” does not apply to its daily intake. A healthy diet should consist of all 3 macronutrients which are properly balanced and designed to the individual and their personal goal.

2. Remember your personal goal

Different people may have different goals when it comes to weight management, health and fitness. If someone is a bodybuilder, while your lifestyle is sedentary, the amount of protein requirements will be substantially different for the two of you. Your protein intake should be matching your goals, life choices, biology and other factors. Remember we are not all the same.

3. Consider the source of protein

Protein can come from animal and plant foods. When choosing your protein, remember it comes in a package that normally includes other macronutrients or other characteristics. For example, animal protein such as beef, chicken, fish, dairy and eggs, will also include some fats. While fats are an important macronutrient, some animal protein provide high amounts of saturated fats aside from protein. Saturated fats should be consumed in moderation.
On the other hand, protein from plant sources may have a reduced bioavailability. Being aware of that and incorporating cooked veggies and grains into our food intake can help increase bioavailability.

4. Adjust the total food intake

When our goal is to maintain or lose bodyweight, whenever we increase the intake of a certain macronutrient, we should make adjustments so we do not consume more food than we require. Meaning, if you have not changed anything in your diet except increase your protein intake, you may experience some weight gain due to overconsmption of calories. Swapping foods can be a good solution in this case. For example, instead of snacking on a couple fruits, swap with a few carrot sticks and hummus dip, while maintaining a similar caloric amount.

5. Get to know your protein powder

Some people may choose to incorporate protein powder into their food intake. While such powders are a great way to supplement our diet with protein and a great solution when you are in a hurry or on the go, we should learn what is really in our powder. Such powders may come from different sources (dairy, eggs, plant-based) and can often contain other ingredients such as vitamins and minerals, thickeners, added sugars or other sweeteners, as well as artificial flavouring. When choosing a protein powder, make sure to read the nutrition and ingredient labels first and see if you are okay with the final product.

6. High-protein diets

A very high-protein diet normally encourages an extremely low carb intake which may translate into overall minimal consumption of fruits and vegetables. While high-protein diets may offer certain benefits to certain people for a limited time period and under clinical supervision, studies have shown over and over again that daily consumption of enough fruits and vegetables contributes to our health in many ways and can be helpful and even preventative for many diseases.

7. Protein for vegetarians and vegans

Getting enough protein from non-animal sources is possible. Although a bit more planning may be required, achieving the protein intake requirements only through plant protein can be done. While vegetarians who eat dairy, eggs or fish can meet their protein intake requirements quite easily, vegans need to plan a bit more but can still get enough protein regularly. A common concern in some vegetarian diets or a vegan lifestyle is unintentionally creating a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals. If you plan to become a vegetarian or vegan, a professional nutritional guidance or in-depth planning should be done to avoid such deficiencies.

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What if I don’t like to exercise?

“I don’t like to exercise”. “I don’t have time to exercise”. “I can’t afford to go to the gym”. “I will never attend a gym class”. “I’m not comfortable with other people seeing me exercise”.
Maybe you resonate with one or more of these statements. You are not alone. Exercise, for many of us, can be attached to certain emotions that can detain us from doing physical activity although we all know it is one of the components of a healthy lifestyle. But when we are reluctant about it, some choose to completely stay away from exercise to avoid any challenges, discomfort, or even disappointments.

Physical activity can also bring up a certain image in our minds that makes it feel even less attainable. This lean, energetic, healthy-looking person with a zest for life, works out 5 days a week and always watches what they eat. That can be intimidating and might even make us feel more discouraged.
I get it.

But what if I told you there is an underrated way to keep active, without any special equipment, designated clothes, membership to any facility or a long commute?
What if I promised you no special skills are required?
What if I assured you anyone can do that anywhere, and anytime?
And, it can be as beneficial as many other forms of exercise!
Sounds good?
Keep reading.

One of the best, most underrated exercises which provide us with a wide variety of benefits and requires very little is walking.
All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes. That’s it.
You can have full control over how far you will walk, how long, how strenuous it would be, when, where, with a company or by yourself.

Still need a bit of a push? Here are some helpful points to keep in mind:

Energizing

A short walk outside in fresh air has been shown to increase energy levels and help with exhaustion. It might be the fresh air, the change of scenery, the increase in endorphins that help us feel happier or all of these together.

Social time

Need to catch up with a friend? You could go for a walk together. That could also help with accountability and encouragement.

Music to your ears

No time to listen to music, favourite podcast or audiobook? Go for a walk with your headphones and catch up on these on your walk.

Wintertime

Too cold in the winter or the pathways are icy? Try walking at the mall. No fresh air, but you still get the movement. You can do that on your way home from work.

Walk the dog

Having a dog can help us commit to going for a walk daily. Don’t have a dog? Imagine you have one to help you commit in the same way.

Emotional health

Studies show that walking in the fresh air can contribute to our emotional health.

Repetition is key

Going for walks daily can help your body get used to the new habit and crave it. After a while, you may notice that you need your walks and can’t wait to get out there.

Lower chance of injury

If you take the necessary precautions (ice, snow, rain, heat, traffic etc.), walking can be one of the safest forms of exercise.

Walk for sleep

Going for a walk can help with falling asleep faster and staying asleep. Make sure there is enough downtime between your walk and bedtime to allow the body to reduce endorphins and relax.

Enjoy your walk!

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10 Ways to Manage Waist Size After 40!

10 Ways to Manage Waist Size After 40!

For some reason our 40’s and 50’s end up showing around our belly. Here is how to take better care of this stubborn area.
Get your copy to learn about 10 ways you can manage your waistline.


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    Holiday Season Without the Extra Pounds

    Celebrate the Holidays
    Without the Extra Pounds

    Food is a part of most celebrations. Gathering loved ones, sharing some delicious food and indulging together. But it may come with a price. Here are some ways to enjoy the holidays without the extra pounds.


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