Simple Diet Swaps Women Can Make

What are some simple changes women can make (without altering their entire lifestyle) in diet and habits that will make big changes? We aren’t all RD and marathon runners you know 😉

Yes – the good news is that we are all capable of a few simple changes to improve our health no matter what our background is! Planning ahead and altering your environment to work for you, rather than against you is by far THE most important thing that women can do. No matter how good your intentions may be to eat well, if you don’t have the necessary ingredients or healthy foods on hand, this will be very difficult.

Here’s 3 simple tips to start implementing ASAP:

Get organized right after grocery shopping. Don’t put those veggies in the crisper where you’ll forget about them. Wash and chop, or even portion out some of them out into little baggies right away. Make healthy foods convenient, accessible and have them at eye level.
Pack a back-up snack. We all get busy and sometimes our day can escape us and we end up HANGRY. This can lead to poor choices or overeating. Portable snacks I use: almonds, trail-mix, Quest, Simply or Lara Bars. Eat something every 3-5 hours.
Love Chocolate? My friends know me as the dessert-loving dietitian. The trick to treats, is to have them frequently, but in moderation. Buy dark chocolate regularly, but limit yourself to a few large squares a day

Supplements can get so confusing and expensive – along with a variety of food items, what supplements do you suggest to women 20-35ish? Any vitamins/minerals we are usually low on?

Living in Vancouver, I recommend that everyone should take Vitamin D daily, even in the summer. There are only a handful of foods that contain vitamin D (salmon & milk) and most of us wear sunscreen to prevent skin cancer and wrinkles. Other than that, there is not much evidence for taking multivitamins. Other considerations would be:

Calcium: Dairy is a controversial topic these days and many women have cut it out of their diets. This makes obtaining sufficient calcium a challenge unless you’re eating loads of dark greens, beans, tofu or calcium fortified foods.
Iron: Vegans/vegetarians and endurance athletes. Get your bloodwork tested before taking any iron supplements
Folic Acid: If you are planning to become pregnant, start taking this before you conceive in order to prevent birth defects (spina bifida).

You’re passionate about trying new, healthy recipes. What’s your of-the-moment favourite snack you like to have on hand?

Salted. Caramel. Energy Bites….need a say more?!

These are a great alternative to packaged snacks. Store them in the fridge or freezer for up to 3 months, but I’m sure they won’t last that long. There are SO MANY amazing recipes on pinterest!

We know hectic schedules are a big contributor to our bad choices. How do you plan ahead? What snacks do you suggest? Any tips and tricks?

As I mentioned initially, planning ahead is the most important thing we can do to improve our nutrition. Naturally, I’m always thinking about food (it’s my job after all!), but this does NOT mean that you need to be constantly thinking about your every food-move. We’ve all seen the Instagram-pics or crazy Pintrest people that meal plan for an entire week of food all at once. As inspiring as this is, I don’t think it’s realistic for everyone.

Here’s my solution: Cook once, but eat 2-3x from that meal.

Making chicken for dinner? Why not make enough for lunch and dinner the next day. You can re-purpose this into a salad, taco or soup.

Chopping veggies for a salad? Why not chop the whole pepper or broccoli and save half of it for a stir-fry the next day or use it for a snack with hummus or guacamole.

SNACK ATTACK! As a general rule, focus on protein and fibre-rich foods as this combo will keep you fuller longer. Some of my favourite snacks are: plain greek yogurt with fresh or frozen berries, pistachios with sliced oranges, snap peas and baby carrots with hummus, peanut butter (or PB2 powdered peanut butter) with banana and dark chocolate. There’s also 3-ingredient chocolate turtles made with medjool dates, pecans and drizzled dark chocolate  Boom-Chicka-Pop (or similar brand) popcorn is also a calorie friendly salty-snack.

On the less-social weeknights it’s just my boyfriend and I, but I find he’s often not satisfied with a protein-packed salad or veggie puree soup. How do you navigate this with your husband? Any suggestions for not putting on the boyfriend weight?

I guess I’m lucky that my husband will eat and appreciate everything I make. That said, I certainly realize that not every guy is like this and boys can feel deprived without their favourite comfort foods. My best piece of advice is to practice portion control. Whether it’s pizza, mac & cheese or burgers, you can indulge too, but be sure to keep the portions reasonable (try eating slower!) and complement the meal with some lower-calorie foods such as salad, soup or cooked veggies. Keep the portions of these calorie dense foods to no more than 50% of your plate. The remaining 50% should come from plants. Consider grilling zucchini and asparagus on the BBQ while you wait for your pizza to arrive. Order the thin-crust and make your carbs whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, oats, sprouted grain breads) where possible. Use the small soft corn tortillas instead of the hard shell type tacos. If you

What’s a great summer potluck recipe you have to share? A great accompaniment? Or a salad? Something you’d bring to a barbeque.

I love to take advantage of seasonal food where possible. Potlucks are fun and social events, but bring something healthy to ensure you stay balanced. Try this Watermelon Feta Mint Salad, perfect for a BBQ or potluck. The salty-sweet combination will definitely be a big hit.