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We are finally wrapping up that time of year, I call it the winter funk. The days seem shorter, the cold air feels brutal, and the sun rarely makes an appearance. Motivation is most likely lacking in all aspects of life: work, relationships, fitness, health, nutrition….but why? Research suggests that the lack of Vitamin D in the winter months may be the culprit.
Vitamin D deficiency can cause bone and joint problems because sufficient levels are crucial for calcium absorption in your intestines. Without adequate vitamin D, your body cannot absorb calcium, and therefore your bones and joints will suffer. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to immune dysfunction, depression, and insomnia... sounds like the winter funk to me. What foods provide vitamin D? *Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel are among the best sources. *Beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks provide small amounts. *Mushrooms provide some vitamin D. In some mushrooms that are newly available in stores, the vitamin D content is being boosted by exposing these mushrooms to ultraviolet light. *Almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with 400 IU of vitamin D per quart. But foods made from milk, like cheese and ice cream, are usually not fortified. *Vitamin D is added to many breakfast cereals and to some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine, and soy beverages; check the labels. Nutrition Tip of the Week: Want to lose weight? Figure out why you have no energy? Determine the best foods to fuel your workout?
The answer is simple…..WRITE IT DOWN. Let's say that again- Write it THE HECK down! Researchers suggest that the most effective way to reach your nutritional goals is by keeping a food journal. By recording everything you eat and drink, from your full breakfast buffet to that one sip of Gatorade, you gain a better understanding of what can trigger unhealthy patterns, lack of energy or motivation, and food intolerances. Food journaling also forces you to be honest with yourself, so you take responsibility for your diet, and determine where changes need to be made. When food journaling, consider the following: Be honest – record everything you eat AND drink! Be accurate – measure or approximate portions, read labels Be complete – include details such as how the food was prepared, and the addition of any toppings or condiments Be consistent – always carry your food diary with you or use a diet-tracking app on your smart phone (My Fitness Pal is great example!) Record everything you eat for 3 consecutive days, then take a look back and consider the choices you made. What patterns do you see? Where could changes me made? What substitutions could you use? What could you eliminate? What could you add? Chose one change to make then set a goal for the following 3 days. It’s an easy step to take in creating a healthy lifestyle. No, not like the Skittles commercial, I mean a rainbow of fruits and vegetables . Try to eat one from each color group a day for optimum energy! Green- indicates antioxidants and may help promote healthy vision and reduce cancer risks.
Orange and deep Yellow - contain nutrients that promote healthy vision and immunity.
Purple and Blue -may have antioxidant and anti-aging benefits and may help with memory
Red -may help maintain a healthy heart, vision, immunity and may reduce cancer risks.
White, Tan, Brown-with nutrients that may promote heart health and muscle maintenance.
 Emily here, I am a HUGE salty snack whore. Finding things to substitute my weakness is hard. But this fits in my "if it's 5 ingredients or less, I'll give it a whirl" I will be adding a bit of spice and sprinkle parm on mine... But that's just me :-) Here is Caitlin's quick and easy snack recipe of the week. She rocks! Salty, crunchy snack foods are a weakness for most people. Instead of eating chips or popcorn or crackers, which quickly add up in unwanted pounds, make a batch of these delicious, crunchy kale chips. Kale chips are high in fiber and make a delicious crunchy snack.  Servings: 5 Ingredients: 1 bunch kale, washed, thoroughly dried, and torn, stems discarded 1 Tablespoon olive oil dash of salt and pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl mix the kale pieces with all of the ingredients. Spread evenly on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes, watching closely that they do not burn. Remove from oven when crispy. Nutritional Analysis: 51 calories, 3g fat, 68mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 2g protein  You may have seen my version of energy bites on my instagram @echic. I call my version Amazeballs! Now I'd like to properly thank Caitlin for the recipe. I had fun adding my own twists to them and received tons of compliments, even by the Hubs. The Basics: Oats Peanut Butter Shredded Coconut(Unsweetened) Honey Vanilla Go Crazy, Mix and Match: Chia Seeds Dried Fruit Dark Chocolate pieces Shredded Coconut(Sweetened) Use 1/2 the amt. Cinnamon Protein Powder(I added 1.5 scoops) Energy Bite Recipe
Makes approximately 2 dozen depending on size *1/2 C nut butter (almond butter, peanut butter, sunflower seed butter or any other nut or seed butter. Anything will work here) *1/3 C honey *1 C old fashioned rolled oats(you can toast for a nuttier flavor at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes) *1 C shredded unsweetened coconut *1/3 tsp vanilla *pinch of sea salt if using a natural nut butter with no added salt *1/2 C other add-ins(any kind of whole or roughly chopped nuts or seeds, dried fruit, good quality chocolate chips, etc) In a large bowl add the nut butter, honey or other sweetener, vanilla and salt if needed. Then combine with any additional add-ins and mix well. Once it’s all combined place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge, scoop out some dough and roll into a ball. If yours are too sticky you can consider adding more dry ingredients into them or rolling them in something like ground nuts, coconut, etc so they aren’t as sticky. Place them in an airtight container either in the fridge or freezer for quick and easy snacks. Check out the amount of sugar in our favorite beverages:  A diet high in added sugars can lead to many nutrition related complications such as Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Obesity. The white stuff is hidden everywhere and the easiest day to cut it out is to limit sugary beverages. Just 1 teaspoon, or 1sugar packet, equals 4 grams of sugar which is about 16 calories. It may not seem too detrimental, but most beverages (other than water, of course!) have at least 5 teaspoons of the white stuff, costing you 80 additional empty calories. Those sugar calories have the potential to convert and store as fat in the body and serve no positive purpose for you. If water isn't your thing, try adding some natural flavor by freezing fruit in ice cube trays and adding to your water bottle each day! Caitlin Pettit, RD LDN "The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind & the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life"- B.K.S. Iyengar  Drink up!
Water is essential for nutrient utilization, metabolism regulation, helps keep your energy up and contributes to glowing, beautiful skin! But just how much do you really need? A quick way to figure your water needs is simple: divide your body weight in half to get the number of ounces you should consume a day, then divide that number by 8 to figure out how many cups that is. For example, a 160 pound person needs 80 ounces (160 / 2 = 80), or 10 cups (80 / 8 = 10)! It'sthat easy, here's to hydration! Caitlin Pettit, RD LDN "The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind & the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life"- B.K.S. Iyengar I am ECSTATIC to announce and welcome an amazing lady! We are adding FOOD to the mix. We have been holding some intense meetings of the minds and have teamed up to offer our clients the ULTIMATE packages to help balance daily life, working out and eating right. You can become the more confident, strong YOU! Caitlin offers her knowledge in our NEW Bridal Body Blast Packages!
Meet Caitlin Pettit: a Registered Dietitian and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist and holds degrees in both Exercise Science and Nutrition and Dietetics from West Chester University. Caitlin is also currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Nutrition Education. As a former collegiate athlete and fitness enthusiast, Caitlin truly believes in the power that whole, real foods have on the body and loves to share her passion with others through nutritional counseling, cooking, and educating. She currently works as a nutrition educator for the School District of Philadelphia as well as a clinical dietitian for a local hospital system. Caitlin offers a fresh, relatable overall approach to understanding nutrition and strongly emphasizes the importance of considering an individual’s needs and goals.
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Emily Witzel
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February 2016
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