As I’m writing this it is pouring outside and all I want to do is drink my coffee, curl up on the couch with Henry and binge watch Wentworth on TV. (Amazing women’s prison show I found on Netflix – similar to Orange is The New Black.) BUT – it’s really not a choice, since it is a Monday and I have a sh*t load of work to do! So here’s my point – yes, I do have one – that on most days the stars are not going to be completely in line with what we need to do, but we do it anyone.
The same could be said for our health. We might not always want to take better care of ourselves, but we should. The temptations around us to be lazy and eat like crap can be over powering. But you need to dive deep inside yourself, find your motivation and muscle up all the willpower you can to do what needs to be done. I know it isn’t always going to be easy (that’s an understatement for sure) and sometimes you most definitely will falter, but at the end of the day it’s up to YOU!
So for now, I will start my day with a healthy breakfast and stay as far away from the TV as possible. Sigh.
In this weeks’ The Keri Report:
- Keri’s Kitchen: Protein Packed Oatmeal
- Why Following a Gluten-Free Diet is Difficult Long-Term
- 7 Sneaky Calorie-Cutting Tips R.D.s Love
Keri’s Kitchen: Protein Packed Oatmeal
I have a confession – I am a diehard oatmeal lover, practically eat it 365 days a year even when it is VERY hot outside. The only thing that has changed over the many years that I have been eating it is what I add to it. Personally, the more protein and healthy fat I’ve added, the more satisfied I am until lunch.
My newest addition is fairlife* ultra-filtered milk. When I first heard about this product over 18 months ago, my initial reaction to the NY Post was, “Milk is already a great package of nutrients; I’m not quite sure why it needs to be changed.” But immediately after that interview, I learned a lot more about it and became quite the fan. (A girl can change her mind, right?) Nothing is changed in the milk that negatively affects the nutrition; but rather the nutrition is actually enhanced through a very cool and unique filtration process. The final product has more protein, more calcium, and for those of you who are lactose intolerant, it is lactose free!
So here’s my recipe:
Ingredients –
½ cup dry oats (I like the quick cooking, but not instant)
1 cup nonfat fairlife milk
1 TBSP natural crunchy peanut butter (I admit probably more of a heaping TBSP)
1 TBSP chia seeds
Add oats and milk together and microwave on high for 2 minutes (longer if you like it thicker). Top with peanut butter and chia seed then stir together. Really is quite quick and easy for a busy morning.
BTW – I add a half of banana to hubby’s before I microwave it. He loves sweetness in cereal – I do not. Other half goes in a baggie and is perfectly good till tomorrow.
Nutrition info with banana:
Calories 450
Fat 15g
Sat fat 2.25
Protein 21g
Fiber 11g
*Disclosure – I have recently partnered with fairlife and have been paid for this post. Opinions are my own.
Why Following a Gluten-Free Diet is Difficult Long-Term
If I hear one more person tell me they are eliminating gluten from their diet I am going to scream! Mind you, these are people who do not have celiac disease or even a gluten sensitivity. They are people who are simply misinformed and think that going gluten-free is another healthy dieting tactic. “A gluten free cookie is still a cookie” …thanks to Shape Magazine for this interview.
7 Sneaky Calorie-Cutting Tips R.D.s LOVE
The best calorie-cutting tips are the ones that don’t make you feel deprived. I shared with Self Magazine one of my favs — chopping your salad before adding the dressing. Other registered dietitians shared their favs which I agree with, except not 100% about #3. Sometimes there is a place for juice — for example, I have it every morning. My calorie-cutting tip here would be to mix with seltzer – not to eliminate it from my diet.