Sick of the Same Old Tired Side Dishes? Want to Add More Whole Grains?

One of the biggest hurdles in changing your eating habits is getting creative with grains. Most people are stuck in a rut with rice and pasta and fear the thought of cooking other grains that are foreign such as millet, barley, or even bulgur wheat. The truth is that these grains cook just as easily as rice and are even more flavorful.

Near East has some of my favorite mixes for quick whole grain side dishes that cook as easily as rice. You can find these products in nearly all popular grocery stores and they come in all kinds of flavors. I particularly like the one pictured in this post. The Roasted Pecan and Garlic whole grain blends rice, bulgar wheat, and other grains for a truly wonderful flavor and high in fiber! For those watching your sodium just put in about a 1/3 less of the flavor packet.

Do you have creative ways of incorporating whole grains in your diet? Post a comment and share!

Body Image- One Size Does Not Fit All

I recently ran across these startling statistics from the "Mind on Media" website:

1. Eighty percent of 10-year-old American girls diet. The number one magic wish for young girls age 11-17 is to be thinner.

2. Between elementary and high school, the percentage of girls in the U.S. who are "happy with the way I am" drops from 60% to 29%. (All the above statistics from The Body Image Project at www.justthink.org)


Since my business is part of the weight loss industry I think it's important to get the message out that one-size does not fit all and the important reason for losing weight is to improve health, energy and spirit. It shouldn't become what validates you as a person. We all come in different shapes and sizes and it is important to be happy in the body that we have. Anyone who is familiar with my work knows I am not an advocate of weight loss diets and it saddens me that girls at such a young age are starting on the diet roller coaster and feeling badly about their image.

Yes, losing weight can help to improve your self-esteem but anyone who's lost weight knows you have to start with a healthy self worth. Your image will never equal who you are as a person. So, it's a good time to ask, why do you want to lose weight? Feel free to comment back! It is great to hear why others want to lose weight other than the image part of the equation.

Here are some helpful websites:
http://www.tbio.org/
http://iambeautiful.com/resources.htm

Help! New Year's Resolutions Are Here!

So you got ramped up and made your New Year's Resolution to get healthy and fit. Now that it is January 18th how are you doing? Don't feel bad if you haven't jumped in as much as you'd planned. This is typical for most people setting goals for the New Year, including me! If you want to get serious about your health and weight loss goals Real Living Nutrition has teamed up with wellness and fitness coaches to help you reach your New Year's Goals. How? We are having a contest. All you have to do is enter your name and you may win one of 11 prizes including free training and weight loss programs run by professionals. Not only do you get a chance to win these amazing prizes but you also get free gifts just for signing up. We do want to help you to reach your goals. It always helps to have a support system when embarking on a new health journey. Good Luck! There are only 7 days left to sign up. Click here to get your name in the drawing to win some great prizes! - www.reallivingnutrition.com