We all need it! And I’d bet my gold tooth that you’ve been told at least once in your life “drink 8 glasses of water a day to stay healthy”. Am I right? The old 8×8 rule (drink eight, 8 oz glasses of water per day) isn’t backed by solid research but it’s a popular phrase for a few reasons….1. it’s easy to remember and 2. there is some truth to it. We may not all need exactly 64 oz of plain water each day to maintain adequate hydration, but it is definitely wise to make water your drink of choice. Thankfully, most people are able to meet their daily fluid needs with very little effort….let thirst be your guide!

Why should I drink water?

Our bodies are estimated to be about 60-70% water and that water is needed in just about every area of our bodies (blood, muscles, joints, organs, etc.)

Water does lots of amazing things like…

• helps to regulate body temperature
• flushes toxins from the body
• lubricates joints
• helps to prevent constipation
• improves heart health and skin
• helps to control appetite and weight (1)
• improves sleep and energy levels (2)
• reduces the likelihood of dental cavities or tooth decay (3)
• helps to manage chronic health conditions (i.e. diabetes mellitus) (4)

So how much water should I drink?

The amount of fluid (not just water) we need each day depends on a few things like age, gender, level of activity, overall health, climate/elevation, and the amount of water consumed from food and other beverages. In general, 80% of the water we consume comes from plain water and other beverages (juice, coffee, soda, tea, etc.). The remaining 20% comes from food. While there is no single formula for fluid needs that fits everyone (i.e. the 8×8 rule) the chart below can serve as a rough estimate for fluid needs based on age and gender.

Check out the chart below to see how much fluid you need:

Is it possible to drink too much water?

Yes. Rare, but true. It is possible to drink too much water, believe it or not. When you drink excessive amounts of water, you can develop hyponatrmia (an electrolyte imbalance in which the level of sodium in your blood is abnormally low and can result in mild to serious health problems).

In general, if you drink enough fluid so that you’re not thirsty and your urine is colorless or light yellow, you’re probably getting enough fluid. If you’re concerned at all about your fluid intake or have other health concerns, I would recommend checking with your doctor.

6 ways to get more water…

1. Add sliced fruit to ice water (limes, lemons, oranges, raspberries, etc.).
2. Make a “spa water” – add slices of cucumber and a basil leaf to ice water.
3. Make a fresh fruit seltzer (add fresh fruit or 2 oz 100% fruit juice to seltzer water or plain water).
4. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere you go (in a purse, in a backpack, in the car, to work, school, etc.).
5. Have a cup of herbal tea without the added sweeteners (try: green tea, peppermint, chamomile, lemon, etc.).
6. Have a glass of water (plain or flavored) with meals and snacks.

I’m thristy….time for a drink.

This week I give you 20 tasty treats (each 150 calories or less). As a general rule, I don’t spend much time counting calories or grams of fat, but I thought it would be fun to see what kind of treats you can get for 150 calories. It’s more than you might think!

20 Treats: 150 Calories or Less

1. Hot cocoa (8oz) with 2 tablespoons of mini marshmallows

2. York Peppermint Patty (1.4 oz)

3. Mini cupcake with frosting (1)

4. Fresh fruit salad (2 cups)

5. Popsicles (3-4)

6. Low-fat frozen yogurt (1/2 cup)

7. Caramel/toffee popcorn (2/3 cup)

8. Chocolate banana smoothie with shredded coconut (6 oz)

9. Fresh strawberries (1 cup) dipped in melted chocolate chips (1 oz)

10. Apple (1 medium) with peanut butter (1 tablespoon)

11. Brownie (2″ square)

12. Chocolate pudding (4 oz) with whipped cream (1 tablespoon)

13. Fig Newtons (2 cookies)

14. Graham cracker (1 sheet) with Nutella (1 tablespoon)

15. Mounds (dark chocolate/coconut bar) 2 mini snack size

16. Dunkin Donuts Munchkins (2)

17. Twizzlers (4 pieces)

18. Yogurt covered raisins (1/4 cup)

19. Chocolate Peanut M&Ms (1 oz)

20. Jell-O (1 cup, regular)

Wisdom to chew on: “You don’t need to count calories if you make every calorie count.” -Registered Dietitian, Corinne Goff

10 Fun Things To Do With Kids During Winter

1. Ice skating

I love winter sports and not just because I was a figure skater for many years. Snowboarding, skiing (downhill or x-country), hockey, snow-shoeing, etc. are excellent winter sports, but unfortunately, these sports can be expensive and require a lot of special equipment. Thankfully ice skating can be both fun and cheap. Many local rinks offer a free skate during the winter and the only thing you need to purchase is a skate rental (unless you have your own). Check in your area for local ice rinks.

2. Indoor swimming

What is the first thing most kids (and adults) want to do when they go to a hotel? That’s right! Check out the pool and go for a swim! Swimming indoors when there is snow on the ground for some reason is even more fun than swimming during other seasons. Check out a local YMCA for open swim times or look for a cheap rate on a hotel and spend the night on a mini-vacation.

3. Build something

Blocks, Legos, Lincoln Logs, it doesn’t really matter….kids love to build things! My brother and I used to stay busy for hours, days, weeks, building with Legos. The year we got the Lego pirate ship was probably one of the best years of my life.

4. Play a game

You know what they say, you’re never too young to learn to play poker (or Go-fish, Old Maid, Speed, Kings in the Corner, etc.) Side note – my brother and I almost got attacked by an angry mob of senior citizens at a retirement home in south Florida when we won $12 on a game of bingo. True story.

5. Cook something delicious

You don’t need a special reason to cook a meal for someone you love….but if you want such a reason, winter will do. Winter is a great time to share a delicious meal with family and friends!

6. Clean something

While cleaning may seem the opposite of fun for most children, I happen to know some children who can spend copious amounts of time cleaning, organizing, sorting, etc. I understand these children well because I was one of them. Frightening as that may seem, winter can be a great time to ask your kids to clean out their closet or under their beds.

7. Create a scrapbook/photobook

A few years ago I found boxes of old photos from the early 1900′s-1950′s in my grandparents’ basement. I have been meaning to sort through them and either frame them or create some sort of scrapbook with them. What better time to do this than on a snowy winter day? Another fun thing you can do with your kids is to research your family tree. Check out ancestry.com

8. Play with stuffed animals

Well, I have already revealed to you that I was obsessively clean as a child so why not also inform you that I had well over a dozen stuffed animals (each with it’s own name). I had so much fun playing with my stuffed animals and it was exponentially more fun when my mom or dad (or brother) would play stuffed animals with me! Kids love when you make believe with them.

9. Do an art project

Kids enjoy art projects whether it’s painting, drawing, coloring, knitting, etc. Check around the house for random objects that you could use for your art project. Another side note – when I was 6 years old I tried to make a sock puppet. I saw Mr. Rogers make one on his show. As I was cutting the eye holes for the sock puppet, I sliced off a huge chunk of skin on my knuckle. My dad then proceeded to made me a splint out of a popsicle stick. Moral of the story – always provide adult supervision when using sharp objects. Also, never attempt to make a sock puppet. Who wants a puppet made from an old sock, anyway?

10. Bake a special treat for family and friends

I’m not a huge fan of the kids + sugar combination, but every now and then you need a special treat. “Give your system a good jolt” as my friend Sue would say.

What do you like to do during the winter?

Below are a few quick guidelines on making healthy beverage choices.

Look for drinks with 10 calories or less per serving (except for milk…milk is OK). I recommend staying hydrated with mostly water and milk.

Choose

• Water and lots of it (enough to stay hydrated)
• Seltzer water
• Naturally sweetened fruit flavored sparkling water (Whole Foods, Polar, Poland Springs)
• Herbal teas (peppermint is a favorite)
• Crystal Light Pure (sweetened with Stevia)
• Vitamin Water Zero (sweetened with Stevia)
• Milk/milk substitute (rice milk, soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk) drink with calcium!

As a general rule, I make an effort to go very easy on the drinks listed below. Drinks with 10 calories or more per serving can quickly turn into a liquid deathtrap of sugar and wasted calories.

Limit/Avoid

• Regular soda
• Juice/juice drinks
• Flavored milks
• Milkshakes and large smoothies (not homemade)
• Coffee drinks
• Iced teas/lemonades
• Sports/Energy drinks
• Most drinks with artificial sweeteners

Here are a few beverage FAQs

What about milk? Can’t I get my calcium from foods like broccoli?

• Milk (either cow’s milk or from vegan source) is an excellent source of calcium and we all need calcium. Yes, it is true that you can get calcium from foods like broccoli, BUT you would need to eat an obscene amount of broccoli to meet your calcium needs from food alone. For example, women between 19-50 years old need 1,000 mg of calcium in a day and 1/2 cup of raw broccoli contains 21 mg. A serving 8oz of cow’s milk or soy milk contains 300mg. The math speaks for itself. Even if you are not a fan of cow’s milk, there are so many tasty calcium rich alternatives to try! Here are a few to consider: Silk, Dream, Blue Diamond.

Is it OK for my kids to have drinks with artificial sweeteners?

• This is really up to you. The research suggests that artificial sweeteners are safe. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of consuming large quantities of unnecessary man-made chemicals in my foods and beverages.  I will occasionally have a diet soda but that’s about it. I would not serve these drinks to my children if that helps.

How much juice should I give to my kids?

• Infants under 6 months of age should not be given juice
• Infants between 6 and 12 months can drink up to 4 to 6 ounces of juice a day in a cup (not a bottle)
• Children aged 1 to 6 years should have only 4 to 6 ounces of juice a day
• Everyone else….skip the juice and eat the whole fruit!

Reference: American Academy of Pediatrics

Step #1 – Choose a fruit.

Oh I love fruit! So delicious, so portable, so good for you. Start by putting a serving of fruit in your lunchbag. Fruit is a great choice for a quick morning or afternoon snack. Some of my favorites include strawberries, cantaloupe, oranges, apples, and bananas (just kidding about the bananas). I like the idea of liking bananas, but I don’t really like bananas.

Step #2 – Choose a veggie.

If you are not already in the habit of bringing vegetable(s) with your lunch let me encourage you to start bringing some. Having a serving or two of vegetables with your lunch really helps to fill you up and takes the pressure off having to squeeze in 2-3 servings in the evening. Some of my favorites include: cucumbers, carrots, snow peas and ranch dip, cherry tomatoes, and sliced red, orange, and yellow peppers.

Step #3 – Choose an entree.

…preferably one with protein and whole grains. In general, protein (meat, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, etc.) and whole grains (whole wheat bread, brown rice, quinoa, etc.) will keep you feeling full much longer than refined carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, pasta, etc.). Below are some of my lunch favorites: hummus and pita, veggie & bean soup with whole wheat bread, ham, turkey and cheese roll-ups, 1/2 egg salad sandwich on whole wheat bread with sliced avocado, and leftovers from last night’s dinner.

Step #4 – Choose a snack (optional).

This part is really optional. If you have already had enough to eat you may not need an extra snack. Personally, I like to throw in a little something extra to have as a late afternoon snack. In general, I try to keep this extra snack between 100-150 calories. Some of my favorite snacks include chocolate pudding cups, vanilla Greek yogurt, popcorn, pretzels, and cookies!

What’s in your lunch bag?

Today I showcase the blood orange. Kevin and I recently went to lunch with our friends Nate and Colin. At lunch, Colin ordered a blood orange soda (#5) which I had never tried.  I ordered one for myself and got hooked. I don’t drink a lot of soda but I may be willing to make an exception here. It’s difficult to find outside specialty stores in our area but it’s so fresh and delicious and worth every calorie.

Since our lunch a few weeks ago I have been fascinated with all things blood orange…and since we are in citrus season I thought it would be good to share some links for delicious, healthy, and inspiring recipes using blood oranges. Take a look.

All things blood orange…

#1 Blood Orange Creamsicles by The Family Kitchen

#2 Spinach Feta Blood Orange Salad by Joy The Baker

#3 Blood Orange Sorbet by David Lebovitz

#4 Wheatberry Salad with Mint, Roast Asparagus, and Blood Oranges by My Life Runs On Food

#5 San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa

Thanks Kevin for designing the cute logo! I owe you big.

Enjoy the weekend!

I’ve been known to get downright mean when I don’t eat a snack. I know how important it is to eat snacks throughout the day, but I also know how difficult it can be to make a healthy choice when you don’t plan ahead and the only edible thing in sight is contained within a vending machine. For this reason, I created this quick and healthy snack guide. I would like to encourage you make time for at least 1 healthy snack each day. Snacks take the edge off, keep blood sugars stable, prevent overeating at meals, etc., etc., etc. Make your snack high in fiber and include some protein. This will keep you feeling full longer.

Here are some ideas…

#1 Cored sliced apples with peanut butter, oats, nuts, and chocolate chips

#2 Tofu spinach dip with raw veggies

#3 Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit spread and unsalted pretzels

#4 Tortilla chips and chunky salsa

#5 Raw veggies and ranch dip

#6 Chocolate pudding (Kozy Shack is my fav) and a banana (for dipping)

#7 Unsalted peanuts and raisins

#8 Graham crackers with light cream cheese and sliced red grapes

#9 Ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins)

#10 Half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread

#11 Small salad with light dressing

#12 Half of a tuna melt on whole wheat English muffin with cheddar cheese

#13 Homemade trail mix with Puffins cereal, nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate chips

#14 Small bowl of bran flakes with 1% milk and blackberries

#15 One cup of Greek yogurt with sliced mango and a sprinkle of Grape Nuts

#16 Smoothie – mango with mango Greek yogurt and a splash of orange juice

#17 Two hard boiled eggs with Kashi crackers (salt and pepper and some hot sauce)

#18 Cheesestick and 1 cup of red grapes

#19 (Leftovers) Small veggie quesadilla with black beans, sweet potato, scallions, cheese, and (scrambled eggs – optional)

#20 Pineapple cilantro popsicles

My personal favorites….

#5 Raw veggies and ranch dressing

#13 Homemade trail mix with high fiber cereal, dried fruit, peanuts, pecans, and dark chocolate chips!

#1 Cored and sliced apples with peanut butter, chopped pecans, oats, and chocolate chips

#16 Fruit smoothie with frozen mango, mango Greek yogurt, and a dash of orange juice

#9 Ants on a log…still so good

#1 Carrot & Fresh Fruit Smoothie – the bunny elixir

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup watermelon
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 cup frozen mango
• 1 cup carrot juice

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix on medium/high speed until smooth
2. Add extra carrot juice if you prefer the smoothie to be less thick
3. Makes 3-4 (~8 oz servings)

#2 Veggies and Dip

A classic appetizer or snack – raw veggies and dip

For veggies try pea pods, sliced radishes, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, sliced red, yellow, and orange peppers, broccoli, asparagus, celery, etc.

For dip try light ranch, roasted red pepper hummus, edamame hummus, honey mustard, low fat onion dip with Greek yogurt, etc.

#3 Scallop Tacos

This is one of my very favorite meals of all time! Scallops are so delicious in a taco, but if you aren’t fond of scallops try….shrimp, red snapper, tilapia, lobster, ground turkey, ground chicken, tofu, or grilled veggies and beans. Click here for the recipe.

#4 Portabella Mushroom Sandwich

Grilled portabella mushrooms are a nice alternative to meat because they have a really “meaty” texture without the saturated fat. Click here for the recipe.

#5 Edamame Hummus

This dip is great with crackers or veggies or as a spread on a sandwich or wrap. Several times per month the company that I work for provides us with lunch. I look forward to this day because I usually choose this sandwich with green stuff in the middle. Sounds weird, but it was one of the best sandwiches that I have ever eaten. After a few months of eating something that I could not identify, I started to get freaked out until I found a recipe for edamame hummus and realized what that green stuff was that I had been scarfing down each week.

Ingredients

• 1 cup edamame cooked and shelled
• 2 tbsp tahini paste (sesame seed paste)
• 2-3 Tablespoons of water (more if necessary)
• 1 T lemon zest and the juice from 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine the edamame, tahini, water, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil until smooth.
2. If the mixture is too thick, add more water, one tablespoon at a time until the consistency is smooth.
3. Place the mixture in a bowl and serve with vegetables, whole grain crackers, or toasted pita bread/chips.

Recipe adapted from SkinnyTaste.com

#6 Nicoise Salad

Delicious, filling, simple to make, inexpensive, and good for you – my favorite kind of recipe. Click here for the recipe.

#7 Simple Chicken Chili

I love this one! This chicken chili is leaner than a traditional chili made with ground beef. The fresh raw toppings add a ton of flavor…and fiber too! Click here for the recipe.

#8 Hummus

I really enjoy hummus, but I’d love try some new recipes…so if you have one, please share! This is the recipe that I have been using to make my own hummus. Click here for the recipe.

#9 Pineapple Coconut Cilantro Popsicles

These pops are super refreshing and equally easy and inexpensive to make….and also much healthier than regular pops…no artificial sweeteners, colors, or added sugar. Click here for the recipe.

#10 Nime Chow (Raw Spring Rolls)

If you have never eaten nime chow before, I suggest ordering it at a local Thai, Vietnamese, or Cambodian restaurant or make it at home! If you’re in RI, then I suggest Jacky’s Galaxie in Johnston, RI. Nime chow (raw spring rolls) are a healthier alternative to traditional spring rolls that are fried. Click here for the recipe.

#11 Tomato Basil Salad

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes – rinsed and sliced in half
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/4 red onion – thinly sliced
• 5-6 fresh basil leaves (chiffonade)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and serve as a side salad or alternative to salad with lettuce

#12 Yellow Pepper Guacamole

An alternative to a classic recipe. Sneak in an extra serving of veggies! Click here for the recipe.

#13 Wheat Berry and Edamame Salad

This is a simple and healthy recipe to bring to a cookout as a side dish. Click here for the recipe. The recipe below has been adapted from a recipe by Pompeian Olive Oil featured in Food Network’s April 2010 issue

#14 Strawberry Peach Crisp

Last…but certainly not least, strawberry peach crisp! Honestly, for me I think it’s a tie between this one and scallop tacos. On a good day I’d have one or the other. On a great I’d have both. Click here for the recipe.

What’s on your summer menu?

1. Raspberry orange pomegranate smoothie
2. Poppy seed bagel with lox and fixins
3. Kashi Heart to Heart cereal with fresh raspberries and 1% milk
4. Whole wheat banana chocolate chip muffin
5. Peanut butter yogurt dip
6. Quinoa porridge
7. The Green Monsta – spinach, apple, and avocado smoothie
8. Egg sandwich with baby spinach
9. Whole wheat waffles with peanut butter and sliced bananas
10. Whole wheat French toast kabobs with fresh fruit
11. Peanut butter and jelly on an English muffin
12. Old fashioned oats with kiwi, banana, mango, and grapes
13. Multigrain Cheerios with milk and a banana
14. Greek yogurt with fresh berries and a sprinkle of Grape Nuts
15. 1/2 bagel with reduced fat cream cheese, 1 fried egg, sauteed red and green peppers
16. Breakfast Bruschetta
17. Pomegranate Parfait with Greek yogurt, Kashi Go Lean, pomegranate seeds
18. Trail mix with pecans, dried cherries, dried golden raisins, almonds, cashews, dark chocolate chips, Puffins cereal
19. Ezekiel bread toasted with cashew nut butter and sliced persimmon
20. 1/2 red grapefruit, 1 slice of Ezekiel bread toasted and 2 hard boiled eggs

What do you eat for breakfast?

Katie kindly agreed to create this post on how to enjoy the holiday season without packing on the pounds (which is pretty easy to do if your family parties are anything like mine). Later this week, Katie will post a recipe on her blog that I created using Thanksgiving leftovers. Check out her blog to get the recipe!

Thank you, Katie!

Holiday Eating Survival Guide: by Katie Mulligan, MS, RD, LDN

You’ve been working all year to trim yourself and maybe even some family members! And now there’s other kinds of “trimming” going on – you’ve got the tree, the turkey, the house, the mantle – everything but the calories!

The holidays bring joy and wonder, fun and excitement, parties and….pounds? Many people worry about the toll the holidays can take on their waistline. If your family has been trying to make some healthy changes to shed some unwanted pounds or just to feel better, you might be looking at the coming weeks with dread.

I know what the holidays can do to a healthy diet. Parties in every school classroom, and every office conference room, the party at the music teachers house, another at Boy Scouts, still another at indoor soccer and one at mom’s group. Then there’s the family party, the in-law party, and the neighborhood party. All of these festivities, while fun, are just more and more opportunities to ruin your healthy eating routine, threatening to undo all the hard work you’ve done. So, what’s a person to do? Well, what NOT to do is treat the holiday season like a 5 week long freebie and just give up on healthy eating, telling yourself that you’ll start again in the new year. The key to making it through the holidays is to PLAN like you’ve never planned before. Yes, right when you have NO TIME, you need to make time to PLAN to stay healthy during the holidays. Use these H-O-L-I-D-A-Y-S tips to keep you and your family trim this season.

H – Healthy options.

If you bring the healthy option then you’ll know there’s at least one thing that won’t ruin your diet.

O – Overeating is never in season.

We should all be cutting back – on dollars spent and calories consumed. There’s lots of delicious food, I know, savor, enjoy then move on – it’s just food.

L – Lighten up your favorite dish.

So, you’re known for your green bean casserole or your mean mint chocolate brownies. This year make a lighter version of your favorite holiday recipe by cutting sugar and fat.

I – Intuitive eating.

Intuitive eating means eat what you want, when you’re hungry, and stopping when you’re full. A very wise rule to follow during and after the holidays.

D – Drink lightly.

Cocktails can add as much as 500 calories or more to your already calorie-laden evening. Sip lightly on diet drinks, or sparkling wine.

A – Always leave some food on your plate.

The holiday season isn’t about overindulgence, it’s about spending time with friends and family, giving thanks and giving back – some food!

Y – MCA!

Keeping up a regular exercise routine is essential to getting through the holiday season. Not only does it help relieve the stress of the holidays, but it keeps you fitting in your New Year’s Eve outfit too!

S – Savor and be satisfied.

Learn to really savor your food, when you take your time to savor each and every morsel you