Eating on the go does not have to derail your health and weight loss efforts.  Being prepared and having a strategic plan will allow you to travel and to eat out at almost any restaurant and still stay on track. 


I’m on vacation in Florida as I write this. My family and I began our drive down here from Ontario just over a week ago, staying in a few different hotels on the way down to break up the drive, landed in Disney Springs for two days, and ended up at our current resort here in Orlando last Saturday.

We’ll stay here for a week and then hop on a ship and sail over the Caribbean ocean with seven days with an all-you-can eat mentality.


Why am I sharing all of this with you?


Because, when you do your best to eat healthy whatever given situation you’re in at the time, and your given situation is going to be varied and changing over the next 20 days….you have to do some planning!


Eating on the go can be tough when you want to eat healthy. You can’t always be perfect...that’s a given, but it’s extra tough when you’re on the go for an extended period of time.


I packed a LOT of healthy snacks for our drive here, as well as to have down by the pool or when we’re out and about.


Take my day at Disney’s Magic Kingdom for example - I brought plenty of healthy snacks along in our backpack to help us through long lineups, and so that we wouldn’t be stuck eating junk ALL day long. I knew we were going to be eating out for lunch and dinner, so I wanted to ensure we had ‘something’ nutritious during the day.

My choices for lunch were: hot dog, pork ribs or a gigantic turkey leg. Hmmm...given those choices, I went for the turkey leg with a side of coleslaw minus the creamy dressing. That turkey leg was half the size of my 10 yr old (slight exaggeration only) and had a lot more flavouring and colouring than I’m used to.

For dinner, I was able to find a feta-greek salad with chicken and asked for the dressing on the side. Not too bad, despite the iceberg lettuce. I did what I could.


Today I’m beginning my day with a protein smoothie with fruits and veggies in it, and will start over.

Now, the pool is calling my name and it’s time to head out for the day. Before I do, I want to share some tips with you for eating on the go….

TIP 1 - Plan ahead:  GPS some healthy pit stops along your route. A grocery store is a great place to pick up fruit and cut veggies to munch on. If dining out, most restaurants have their menus online and some even have the nutritional info posted (chains mostly).  Go online, search for the nutrition information of the restaurant you want to go to, and plan out your choices.


Tip 2 - Pack snacks. There's no need to stop for food. Keep a few healthy snacks in the car for long rides or bad traffic. A trail mix of seeds, nuts and dried fruit is an easy, non-perishable option. Granola bars with protein and less than 6 grams of sugar also work.


TIP 3 - Drink please! Keep a filled water bottle in the car too. We often think we're hungry when we are just thirsty. If at a restaurant, try ordering a warm drink first thing such as hot water with some fresh lemon slices.  You’ll be surprised how this warm calming drink can fill you up and soothe the craving/hunger beast.  Herbal tea is also a great option while coffee tends to throw off blood sugar levels and may lead to cravings and bad decisions later on.


TIP 4 - Be an assertive orderer:  Don’t be afraid to modify the menu.  Trust me, in this age of “nutritionism”, waiters are used to it. My son and I are both gluten-free and dairy-free, so asking questions about the menu is a given for us. You’d be surprised at how many restaurants are exceptionally accommodating. Ask questions and know the terminology.  Grilled, steamed, broiled, boiled and baked are fine but beware of terms such as creamy, smothered, lightly breaded, deep fried.   Ask for sauces on the side and leave out the fries/rice/pasta/potatoes that usually come with the main and ask for extra veggies instead (most restaurants are happy to do this).       
                                  
TIP 5 - Start with soup or salad:  both can be filling and satisfying.  Order the dressing on the side and dip your fork lightly in the dressing before every forkful.  Stay with non-creamy soups.  Ask the server if dairy is added.  That will let you know if they add cream or cheese (you can even tell your server that you are lactose intolerant to make sure they don’t add cream or cheese)  When choosing your salad, remember the darker the leaves, the more nutrients they contain.


TIP 6 - Appetizers as the main course: Try ordering from the appetizer menu if you don’t find anything you want on the main menu such as grilled calamari, Caprese salad, or shrimp cocktail.  Ordering from the appetizer menu ensures smaller portions and is less expensive.


TIP 7 - Liquor Control:  Alcohol can stimulate hunger so never drink on an empty stomach (really throws off blood sugar) and try to follow the 1:1 rule; follow a glass of wine with a full glass of water.  Even try to cut the wine with ½ club soda or Perrier in a wine Spritzer or mix vodka with soda water. Red wine actually contains some health benefits, like antioxidants, but remember that after 1 or 2 glasses, the harm outweighs the benefits.


TIP 8 -  Portion Control/Leftovers for the next day:  Most restaurants provide huge portions-take a look at the size of the plate or bowl!  Eyeball your serving size (palm of your hand) and divide your portion accordingly.  Make a mental note to have the rest packed-up for home, or better yet, ask the waiter for a to-go container and box it up right away.  Bonus: Less for you to cook the next day.


TIP 9 – Eat protein before a long trip. Protein helps to stabilize blood sugar which, in turn curbs hunger. Eat a meal with protein before embarking on a long journey.


TIP 10 – Keep to regular meal intervals. Eat a meal every 4-5 hours regardless of time zone changes. If the journey doesn't allow for a real meal, be prepared with a substantial snack like seeds, nuts, dried fruit or cheese.

Until next time,
May Anne

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Did you know that February is heart month? It makes sense that the heart is the health focus this month, since February is also the month of love.

The number one way look after your heart is with a healthy lifestyle.

Here are some great tips for a healthy heart:

• Focus on adding fruits and vegetables to meals and snacks.
• Eat the rainbow! Include a variety of nutrient-packed foods.
• Replace white, refined grains with whole grains.
• Change the proportions of your plate so that protein sources such as meat and fish are not the main attractions. Instead, add colourful veggies to about half your plate.
• Reduce unhealthy fats (and cut out ALL trans fats!) and include heart-healthy fats to your meals: avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, sardines, salmon ground flax-seeds, chia seeds, avocado oil.
• Manage diabetes- Again, this can be easily done with a healthy lifestyle and diet.
• Regular, moderate physical activity is great for your heart health, and know what’s really great? It’s never too late to start and reap the rewards. The more you can move around (and the less you can sit) is important. Be sure to break up your sitting time, and get up and move around often.
• Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce the risk of heart disease and many other health problems.
• Look after your mental health

We know that there can be a greater risk of heart disease for people who have depression, are socially isolated or do not have good social support. Having a good social life with family and friends can help.

Since this is heart month as well as the month of love, why not give ‘yourself’ some love (I know, it’s not always as easy as it sounds, but give it time. With practice, you will begin to LOVE it.)

Take a time out for yourself. Whether it’s a quiet walk in the woods or a walk around the block by yourself, a candlelight bubble bath, reading a book with a blanket….whatever works for you. Just be sure to do it.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll have a reeeallly strong tendency to push this task aside and get everything else checked off your to-do list first, but the reality is, the to-do list will ALWAYS be there.

You are important, and you need self-care too.

I want to share with you an amazing dessert recipe that is not only delicious, but healthy as well. It’s a winner in my household. Simply click the link below:

​CHOCOLATE POTS DE CREME

Until next time,
May Anne

P.S. If you want to take your self-care to the next level, simply send me an email HERE to set up a Complimentary 15 minute Discovery call with me. We’ll chat and see if we’ll be a good fit!

This time of year can be harder for some people than others, and it’s usually because of something called Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D.

It’s generally worse in that period of time between the end of Christmas and New Years  and the beginning of spring.

If you struggle with winter depression, this time of year is not filled with joy and fun winter activities.  Instead, you probably feel like hiding under the covers until spring arrives in a few months.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Everyone has the blues now and then.  But SAD is a depressive state that occurs seasonally, year after year, usually in the fall and winter.  If you suffer from SAD, you may feel perfectly normal during the spring and summer months, but starting around October or November, symptoms begin showing up.

Because this type of depression come and goes with the seasons, you may wonder if it is all in your head.  It isn’t.  This is a real condition and can have a devastating impact on your life.

Researchers still don’t know the exact cause of SAD, but there are some factors that seem to be involved, and they involve the decreased amount of sunlight that fall and winter bring.

• Melatonin:  Melatonin is a hormone that impacts mood and sleep.  As the seasons change, your melatonin levels can fluctuate and may cause feelings of depression.
• Serotonin:  When the amount of sunlight drops, so can your serotonin levels.  Since this chemical helps you have feelings of well-being and happiness, not having enough of it can cause your mood to drop.
• Internal clock:  Some scientists think that decreased sunlight disrupts your normal rhythms of wakefulness and sleepiness.  The result is sad and depressed feelings.
  
  

What are the Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

SAD will often manifest itself as feelings of sadness or depression.  You may feel as though you cannot get enough sleep—struggling to get out of the bed in the morning, feeling drowsy during the day and going to bed earlier than you usually do.

Your energy and concentration may also run low, and this can affect your productivity at work and at home.  Of course, not having the energy to ‘get things done,’ only leads to frustration and more feelings of depression.  You may also notice weight gain.  Typically, SAD sufferers will crave foods high in carbohydrates and can gain between 9 and 30 pounds each year.

Finally, your social life may suffer.  If you are depressed, you just won’t enjoy being around others as much as you used to.  This can turn into social withdrawal which makes your feelings of depression and sadness even worse.

Now for the Good News – Ways to Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

If you think that you may be one of the millions of people who are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder, you will be happy to know that you have many treatment options available.  Try experimenting with different treatments until you find one or a combination that works for you:

1. Light therapy:  Up to 85% of winter depression sufferers are helped by simply sitting under a therapy light.  The bright light stabilizes the out-of-balance chemicals in your body, helping you to feel less depressed and more like yourself.  The best lights are those between 2,500 and 10,000 lux.
2. Vitamin D3:  Vitamin D is frequently referred to as “The Sunshine Vitamin” because your body produces it when exposed to sunlight.  In fact, just 20-30 minutes of sunlight will produce 10,000 – 50,000 IUs of Vitamin D.  Why is this important?  Vitamin D is actually a hormone that has important roles in supporting a healthy heart, cellular replication, immune system, mood & mental health, muscles, blood sugar levels, and more!
3. Exercise:  Exercise is a powerful player in the fight against SAD.  When you exercise, your body releases “feel good” chemicals called endorphins.  These chemicals cause you to feel happy, confident and bring about a feeling of well-being.  The elated feelings that endorphins bring are comparable to the feelings that morphine and heroin create.  To release endorphins, you will need to sustain your workout for about 30 minutes.

You are not alone if you are beginning to feel depressed with the shortened days that we are experiencing.

​Experiment with some of the treatment options and especially start exercising.  Before you know it, the days will begin lengthening out again!

If you haven’t been taking Vitamin D throughout the winter months, I highly suggest purchasing a good quality brand and start taking it, to improve your mood and mental health.

Don’t forget, you have access to practitioner-grade supplements with specialty pricing through my account at Fullscript.

​Simply click HERE for access.

Until next time,

​May Anne