Mondays with Maegan

Mondays with Maegan offers simple tips and tricks to help you make small changes with big impacts on a healthier lifestyle.

November 1:

HEALTHY HABITS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

– Don’t Skip meals. This leads to overeating and binging.

– Bring a lighter version of a dish. November 15 we will highlight tips for easy recipe swaps. – Make small splurges: Allow yourself to have small bites of everything 1 spoonful to start.

– Think color: Make ½ of your plate vegetables🍄 + fruit 🍎 – Be mindlful of alcohol, these are empty calories. Opt for lighter calorie mixers: water, tea, seltzer

– Visit with people at tables or in social areas. Try to stay away from socializing by food.

– Don’t overstuff yourself.

– Have snack trays out with fruit, low-fat cheese, yogurt and nuts

– Don’t feel guilty, a new day is a fresh start! Do not allow everyday with family to be overindulgent!

November 15:

Healthy Holiday Swaps
Before plunging ahead with a recipe, look it over and think about what you can change to turn it into a healthy recipe. Make notes of any alterations so that you can refer to them the next time you prepare the recipe.

CHANGE COOKING AND PREP TECHNIQUES

Healthy cooking techniques can capture the flavor and nutrients of your food without adding excessive amounts of fat, oil or salt. Try these preparation techniques for healthy recipes.

Cooking method. Healthy cooking techniques include braising, broiling, grilling, poaching, sauteing and steaming.
Basting liquid. If the directions say to baste the meat or vegetables in oil or drippings, use a small amount of wine, fruit juice, vegetable juice or fat-free vegetable broth instead.
Nonstick cookware. Using nonstick pans or spraying pans with nonstick spray will further reduce the amount of fat and calories added to your meals.

DOWNSIZE PORTION SIZE

No matter how much you reduce, switch or omit ingredients, some dishes may still be high in sugar, fat or salt. You can still enjoy them — in small amounts.

Check portion sizes: Many portions today are so large you may not realize what a true portion or serving is.
Train yourself by using smaller plates, spoons and cups. And learn to use common visual cues to understand servings — one serving of whole-grain cooked pasta is about the same size as a hockey puck, for instance.
Plan ahead when eating out: It’s easy to go overboard when eating out.
Take precautions such as splitting a dish with a dining companion, skipping the breadbasket, or asking for a doggie bag and packing up half your meal.

For more information, please visit: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-5543

November 29:

START YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS NOW
A lot of people also approach New Year’s resolutions with an all-or-nothing attitude. They go straight from zero to 100 with no warm-up or consultation with reality. Use the remaining weeks of the year as a trial period. Map it out on your calendar—start with something you can achieve. Start with 1-2 days a week and ease into it. Try for 30 minutes of exercise per week. By Christmas aim to hit 3 days a week. Map out 3 days a week and prepare for a back-up day: BECAUSE LIFE HAPPENS! Need help? Call me at 810-216-1809. I can help you get started.