NIFS Healthy Living Blog

The New England Journal of Medicine published a study of adults showing that the average holiday weight gain was .37 kilograms, or just under a pound, and more than half the people in the study stayed within a kilogram, or just over two pounds, of their other weigh-ins. Now that the holidays are over, you can lose that weight and stay healthy during the long colder months. Here are five healthy habits to get started with.

1. Do make a plan to manage your stress level.

A good place to start is finding ways to ease stress and anxiety when they occur, or even before. That may mean doing yoga or meditation, taking a hot bath or shower, listening to music, or even just calling a friend to catch up.  Just 10 minutes of stress relief can help you feel more relaxed and make it less likely that you will turn to food. If you’re having trouble finding time to unwind, mark a daily 10-minute stress break on your calendar and tag it with an alert—then treat it like you would an important appointment and don’t miss it.

2. Don’t skip meals to “save up” for a big dinner.

Some people skip meals to “save up” calories for a big dinner or party, but this approach may backfire and lead to overeating later. Instead, limit your intake to an eight-hour window of time each day. This has been shown to be an effective weight-maintenance strategy. You can even try having a lighter breakfast and lunch at your usual times, making sure they incorporate a lot of vegetables and proteins with minimal carbs. For example, you might have a cup of Greek yogurt for breakfast, a green salad with grilled chicken and light dressing for lunch, and then let yourself enjoy the evening feast.

3. Do eat your foods in a specific order.

It helps to have a plate of salad or vegetables before anything else. These low-calorie and high-fiber foods will help you fill up before you dive into the higher-calorie options. Next, have some type of lean protein. If you are going to have carbs (such as potatoes, chips, rice, pasta, bread, or a sweet dessert), save them for the end of your meal. By then, you’ll be less hungry and the protein you’ve eaten will slow your digestion a bit, so you’ll feel full for longer afterward.

4. Don’t forget that beverages count.

An easy way to cut calories is to avoid drinks like regular soda, juice, coffee drinks with added sugar, and alcoholic beverages. Also, try to aim for six to eight glasses of water per day. If you do decide to drink alcohol, choose spirits mixed with something without added sugar, such as seltzer or diet tonic water, rather than beer, wine, or mixed drinks. Or stick to a drink that has only about 100 calories per serving. Do keep in mind that alcohol can lower inhibitions and make you more likely to indulge, so limit yourself to one or two drinks, and have a glass of water after each one.

5. Do give in to your cravings (somewhat).

Controlling diet and weight is a balancing act. Completely cutting out dessert and sweets is simply unrealistic. This can lead to binging or eating more than you’d like to. If you are really craving your favorite sweet, let yourself have some. Remind yourself that this won’t be your last dessert ever and try to put the fork down after one slice—or a few bites, if you’re satisfied by that.

Check back soon for the next 5 ideas (part 2) for how to stay healthy during these colder months.

This blog was written by David Behrmann, NIFS Health Fitness Instructor. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Let’s be real. We aren’t always motivated to work out, and sometimes it’s hard to find that motivation. It’s even harder to find motivation when you don’t even enjoy exercise. It’s important to learn why getting active is so important, and it all starts with changing your mindset about it.

So Why Exercise in the First Place?

There are hundreds of good reasons why it’s important to stay active, but here are a few reasons that you might not know of.

• Exercise charges you up. Thirty minutes or more of vigorous exercise releases endorphins to the brain, giving you energy and an intense natural high. This can help you have more energy for your everyday activities and keeps you going.
  
• Exercise can help your positivity. Studies show that exercise is a great way to help manage depression. It not only releases endorphins, but it also helps clear your mind of stress, confusion, and worry
• Exercise can help with your social life. Exercising with others who are going to the gym for Group Fitness classes can be a great way to meet new people and help each other stay motivated.
• Exercise helps you sleep. Working the body and clearing the brain ensures a good night’s sleep. It can help regulate problematic sleeping patterns.

Switch Your Mindset

The biggest key to staying motivated with exercise is trying to switch your mindset. If you really dislike the idea of exercise, you need to switch the way that you’re thinking, or you’ll never get up and get active. Start to think of exercise as “being active” or “feeling healthy.” A great way to start is to increase the overall amount of movement and activity in your day. For example, you can start by walking 10,000 steps per day. You also don’t have to work out in a gym. Of course, gyms are useful and have a lot of equipment, but some days you can go outdoors or ride a bike. You can also try yoga or dancing as another method to stay active. At NIFS, we offer a variety of different Group Fitness classes to fit your needs and wants, so you are never bored or tied down to one form of exercise.

Small Steps

Sometimes you just have to take small steps to keep motivated. For instance, laying out your workout clothes or packing your gym bag the night before can remove several barriers in the number of decisions you need to make the next day. Or you can even have your gym bag in your car ready for the next day! You can also give yourself achievement awards, such as your favorite drink or new workout shoes. Use it as your motivation to get your workout done so that you can reward yourself with something you enjoy. Maybe you can even try a lunchtime workout. This will allow you to mix it up with some outside lunchtime training, and it can be an awesome way to experience natural light in your workout. Consider taking a brisk walk around the block or doing a quick HIIT workout before you go back to work.

Find What Works for You

The key is to really find what works for you. What might work for someone else might not be the right fit for you. Your health is your journey, and sometimes you must personalize it to make it worth it. Continue to try new things until you make your workout routine a habit. Remember that it’s okay to take rest days. But always get back up and fight the next day.

This blog was written by Emily Lesich, NIFS Health Fitness Specialist. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

With the phrase “freshman 15” commonly tossed around, many students enter college with a fear or perception that they will gain weight. However, a meta-analysis of the available research showed that, while close to two thirds (60.9%) of first-year college students did gain weight, the average amount gained was only around 7.5 pounds. Of those who reported weight gain, only 10% gained 15 or more poundBased on these findings, not everyone experiences the “freshman 15”; however, it is evident that the majority of first-year college students do gain some weight. Increased stress levels, fewer hours of sleep, excess alcohol intake, and reduced physical activity are just some of the factors that may contribute to weight gain in college.

To prevent weight gain and maximize your overall health this semester, try some of the following suggestions:

Stick to a schedule.

College can wreak havoc on your preferred living, sleeping, and eating routines. It is important to establish a schedule and stick to it. Healthy habits to adopt include the following:

• Eating at least three well-rounded meals each day (and minimize late-night snacking).
• Going to bed and waking up around the same time each day.
• Drinking plenty of water (a general recommendation is at least 2–3 liters [64–96oz] each day).
• Getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.

Plan ahead and stock up on healthy staples.

A little preparation ahead of time will keep you from grabbing unhealthy snacks.

• Keep healthy snacks and staples in your dorm room or apartment. Some examples include the following: Microwavable brown rice, oatmeal, and popcorn; yogurt, apples, bananas, peanut butter, hummus, cheese sticks, granola, bagels, nuts, whole-grain crackers, cereal, and protein bars.
• Limit foods commonly consumed in college that are high in sodium and calories, such as ramen noodles, heavily buttered popcorn, and pizza.
• Keep a knife and cutting board on hand to slice fresh fruits and vegetables.

Limit high-sugar, high-calorie beverages.

Reduce intake of soda, energy drinks, sweetened coffees and teas, and alcohol. If you do choose to consume these beverages, be sure to drink in moderation and to factor them into your total caloric intake.

Don’t overdo it at the dining hall.

With limitless options, including plenty of not-so-healthy ones, making smart and healthy decisions at the dining hall can be complicated. To start, aim to pair a high-quality, lean protein source (chicken, fish, turkey, beans, yogurt, eggs, etc.) with a fruit or vegetable at each meal. Other tips include the following:

• Make use of the salad bar, if available, but be sure to limit high-caloric toppings such as nuts, seeds, cheeses, and dressings.
• Allow yourself some “treat foods,” but don’t make this a daily habit.
• Eliminate distractions while eating. Focus on the food you are eating, rather than your phone, laptop, or schoolwork.

Stay active.

Adults over 18 years of age should aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, and muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days each week. In order to meet these recommendations, make use of your school’s recreation center or gym, walk to class when possible, or participate in intramural sports. (Here are some more tips for staying fit in college.)

This blog was written by Lindsey Recker, MS, RD, NIFS Registered Dietitian. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Let’s be real: a health journey is not always linear and not always easy. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and mucky. What do you do? Where do you start? What if you backslid and need to get back on track? There is so much to health, right? If you try to fix it all at once, you might become overwhelmed and at a greater risk of failure.

Small Actions That Will Have a Big Impact on Your Health

Start with the things that seem small but make the most impact on your health.In this blog I identify five areas that will give you the biggest results for your efforts. Spoiler alert: none require silly supplements, tummy wraps, or popular diets such as Keto or Paleo.

Get 7–8 hours of sleep each night.

Sleep is our body's cheat code for restoration, rebuilding, and recovery from all of the sources of stress. You can eat all the nutritious foods in the world and exercise for hours, but if you are not sleeping, hormone imbalance starts working against you and halts your physical goals.

Fun Fact: A study at UC San Francisco found that those who sleep less than 5 hours are 4.5 times more likely to develop the common cold compared to those who sleep 7 hours. So hit the hay and keep infection at bay! Your body will thank you later.

Manage stress and mental health.

We all have stress. It’s important to manage the stress instead of using negative coping mechanisms, such as overeating, sleeping all day, isolating ourselves, and falling into the “I can’t change this” trap.

YOU CAN CHANGE THIS. You can get through this, and you can manage the stress in your life. Coping has its place in the health cycle, but ultimately, we want to shift into the “stress management” part of the cycle sooner rather than later. Coping is when we put up with the stress, live with it, and accept that it’s just the way it is (nothing can “lessen” the stress). Managing stress is when we try to lessen the stress by adjusting our thoughts and actions; we find a way to make it better. Examples include music, therapy, exercise, time management, making lists, saying “no,” nature, yoga, meditation, stepping away from toxic relationships, and doing a hobby.

Start dialing in on your nutrition.

What we eat fuels our physical, mental, emotional, and social health. Because of this, nutrition can get a bit complicated sometimes. So, start with small but significant changes and build from there. My suggestion is to start by practicing the 80/20 rule and having a consistent meal pattern.

So what does 80/20 mean? We all know it’s important to eat nutritious, whole foods. But what about those foods we love that aren't necessarily the best for our physical health but are good for our mental and social health (such as sweets, chips, pizza, eating out with friends, holiday food, etc.)? It’s unrealistic to cut these foods and events out of our lives—let’s be real, we have all tried this and failed. It's time to find a balance, one that will still keep you on track for hitting your health and fitness goals.

Here are the #dEATS: 80% of your food intake should be from nutritious, whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, legumes, whole grains, and high-quality dairy (if you’re not lactose intolerant). The other 20% of intake (calorie intake) should be from the foods you love and can't live without, but maybe aren't the greatest for your physical health. Use this 20% when going out with friends once a week, enjoying a sweet treat every other day, or grabbing a small bag of chips to compliment your chicken sandwich.

If you have a calorie goal, track these calories and make them part of your regimen to meet your daily caloric goal. If you do not have a calorie goal, practice portion control. Regardless, be sure to have a consistent meal pattern (3 meals and 2 snacks daily). Remember, there is more to health than just our physical bodies. The two other realms of health are mental and social. Food plays a big role in all three realms that make up health. Therefore, you must have a food plan that meets the needs of all three.

Increase your daily steps or non-exercise activity.

Get up and moving. I know it’s hard to do this, especially for those with desk jobs. But take a 10–15-minute break to walk in place, stretch, and do some deskercise. If you can get out and take a walk with some coworkers during the day or your family at night, do that! This gets your body moving and your metabolism going. You may be surprised at what some extra movement does for your mental and physical health.

Exercise 150–300 minutes per week.

Aside from trying to move throughout your day, plan to exercise 150–300 minutes each week. This exercise should be moderate to high-intensity. Be sure to consult a personal trainer if you are unsure what is best for you. Find something you enjoy and start there.

Incorporate Changes to Your Routine and Then Build on It

These are some starting points. Pick a few and get started. Do not overcomplicate this. No, you do not need a fad diet. No, you do not need a ton of supplements. No, you do not need to overcomplicate the timing of meals or workouts. These BIG FIVE are some of the most important things you can do to improve your health. What you need is to find a routine with all five of these points and build consistency over time. Once these become a part of your everyday life, you can dig deeper into other things, such as supplements, meal timing, and specific exercise movements.

As always, NIFS professionals are here to help! Reach out if you need help implementing any of these big 5 health improvements.

This blog was written by Sabrina Goshen, NIFS Registered Dietitian. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Like a New Year’s resolution, motivation to exercise has gradually faded. During the pandemic, it may have seemed a lot easier to exercise when you had only two choices, stay at home all day or get out and get moving. But now, many have lost their motivation to exercise again.

Five Quick Motivation Fixes

Here are some quick fixes to help get back on track with ways to improve your fitness motivation in the New Year.

Plan your exercise for when it’s easiest to do and then treat your workouts like appointments.

This might mean exercising as soon as you get up in the morning, like me, or mid-afternoon or after a day of work at home. Whenever you start your workout for the day, before temptations and obstacles begin, be organized and have a routine. Do not miss your workout session; going in with the mindset that you have to accomplish it is an excellent way to increase adherence and motivation.

Make it easy to exercise.

Do not make it a challenge to plan exercise ahead of time. For example, I lay out and pack up my workout gear in the evening as to be ready for when I go off in the morning. Do as many things as you can beforehand so that, when the time comes, starting your workout is easy. Break the process of exercising into chunks and then maximize your workout time:

• Step 1, requiring a little bit of effort: Get changed into workout gear.
• Step 2: Step out the door and on your way to your planned workout.

Before you know it, it’s harder to not exercise than to exercise.

Reduce your time.

Workouts shouldn’t take hours on end. No one has the time or motivation to be stuck working that long. Instead, change up your workouts with supersets. A superset is two or more exercises stacked together with little or no rest between them to create a more efficient workout. It’s your best friend during workouts because it helps you get more done in less time.

Ideal for building strength, pair two or more exercises that work opposing muscle groups, like Chest Press and Bent-over Rows.

While working the same muscle groups, for example Squats and Glute-Bridges, compound sets work on muscle endurance and are great for improving muscle definition.

Lastly, if you are working two different muscle groups like lower- and upper-body, this is considered a circuit. It’s great for burning fat. An example would be a push-up and squat, row and lunge, or RDL and Triceps Pushdowns.

Get excited to go shopping!

A huge motivation is to buy a new piece of workout gear. Get yourself excited to get back into exercise by buying something you’ve been eyeing. Workout gear could be anything, as long as it gets you excited to use it: a new watch with a GPS tracker, new workout clothes and running shoes, or even a new jump rope or dumbbells for your home gym.

Do what you enjoy.

If you find yourself wanting to jump rope or take a fitness class instead of doing burpees and bench press, it’s better to do what you want to do. Keeping it simple requires a lot less mental effort and requires minimal motivation. Repeat exercises that felt good and don’t try to force yourself to do something you think you should do.

A New Start in the New Year

It may sound cliché to say it, but make the new year an opportunity to develop a healthier lifestyle. If you don’t know the exercise lingo I used or you are a novice at working out, talk with a personal trainer or fitness professional who can help you put together workouts that are time efficient and effective routines that you’ll enjoy. By making some of the easy changes I have suggested, you can make enormous improvements in your motivation as we head into the New Year.

This blog was written by Michael Blume, MS, SCCC; Athletic Performance Coach. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

These past few weeks have been trying times for not only our families and friends, but also for the athletes we engage with on a daily basis throughout the year. In our position we must stay in a lead-by-example mentality. If we let ourselves go during this time, our athletes will notice and do the exact same thing. This is definitely a time of uncertainty and there are a lot of unknowns. Controlling what we can control on a daily basis is what will help not just us personally, but also those around us, to get through and come out of this on top.

Start by Continuing to Practice Good Morning Habits

It’s easy during this time to sleep in and relax the majority of the day. That’s why it’s essential to keep as close to a normal schedule as you can. There is nothing wrong with sleeping in sometimes, but don’t make a habit of sleeping into the afternoon hours. Keeping a schedule will make it easier to get back into the swing of things once the world starts moving in its true functioning fashion again. Try to continue to start your morning with a well-balanced breakfast. Incorporate meditation or read a book or article. If you are used to working out in the morning, continue to keep that same routine. Read more about these and other healthy habits here.

Lean on Your Coach for Ideas for Working Out

Always remember that NIFS is a phone call, text, or email away to give you ideas for different daily workouts or activities. It’s still our jobs to help you get a quality workout. Not everyone is equipped with a full gym; and if you are, take full advantage. But at this time you might need to be creative, and if you need ideas (such as using objects from around your home as weights), reach out and get the help you need.

Technology is a great tool. Zoom and FaceTiming or videoing your workouts will give you something fun and exciting to do throughout the day.

Nutrition, Nutrition, Nutrition

You can’t out-train a bad diet! If you get off track nutritionally, you’re going to have an extremely hard road trying to get it back once we are able to meet as a group. Don’t let something as simple as nutrition mess up what you work for throughout the year. Keep it a top priority. This is a great time to do research and read more about nutrition and better ways to go about it. Reach out to the Teams Nutritionist to find new recipes and food ideas. 

Learn a New Skill and Have Fun with Your Teammates

Don’t let this time go by without learning something new. Read more books and learn new hobbies. Most important of all, continue learning. There are great podcasts to listen to and daily roundtable discussions to tune into. Keep exercising fun! Invite your teammates to do a Workout of the Day over Zoom or Skype to keep it fresh and fun. It will also hold you and your teams accountable during this pandemic. Daily or weekly challenges are great for continuing team-building.

Embrace the time. Control what you can control. Don’t let this pandemic move you to the back of the bus once we are clear to get back to work.

This blog was written by Jason Quarles, IUPUI Athletic Performance Coach. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Personal trainers are people, too (well, at least when no one is looking!). In reality, there are a lot of new bridges we, as a society, are crossing every single day. As a trainer, my goal is to put all my effort into making sure that my clients are being healthy with fitness and wellness as a priority. With the lockdown upon us, finding new ways to get this job done is a challenge, but so is making sure that you are finding time for yourself.

As I stated in part 1, we are looking to “fill our cup” every day so that we can be the best version of ourselves that we can be. This in turn helps ensure that we can fulfill our daily agendas. We already touched on two aspects of self-care, home setup and sleep. Here I conclude our discussion with positive self-gratitude practices and meditation (and breathing).

Practice Self-Gratitude

It may take some time to get used to a self-gratitude–oriented mindset. The focus is on you! In our “normal” lives, we have careers that put us in positions where we must not only focus on work tasks, but also on putting your personal priorities on the back burner to serve others. The same can be said about people who take care of loved ones and raise children. Taking time for yourself is easier said than done, but at the end of the day, are you finding ways to refill your cup?

Lorea Martinez, PhD, a Social Emotional Learning practitioner, states, “Gratitude helps us cope better with stress, recover more quickly from illness, and enjoy more robust physical health, including lower blood pressure and better immune function. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful, the readiness to show appreciation and return kindness to others.” She gives these helpful tips on ways you can find the benefits of self-gratitude.

1. Identify three things that you value about yourself.
2. Acknowledge three things that went well each day.
3. Take a moment to appreciate these things.
4. Repeat!

Try Meditation

Another great way to cope is through meditation. For a beginner, meditation can be as simple as practicing calm, deep-breathing techniques. Your meditation can be many things, but it should definitely not be troublesome or a burden. Finding quiet and peace for even a few minutes per day is a great way to not only fill your cup, but also introduce a healthful practice into your day. NIFS blogger Amanda Licatatiso wrote about the benefits of mediation and some great practice tips. Check out her blog to see how adding a few minutes of meditation a day can impact your self-care plan.

Soon we will all start working toward going back to more normal routines, but until then, please make sure you are taking time for yourself. Remember, we need to take care of ourselves, so that we can take care of others (and our jobs). We are eager to see you again and help you reach your fitness goals. Until next time, muscleheads rejoice and evolve.

This blog was written by Thomas Livengood, NIFS Health Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

There are no definitive right answers on how we are supposed to individually succeed during a pandemic. We all cope, struggle, and win the day in our own ways. We can all feel a little lost and confused at times, and that’s completely normal as we cross bridges into territory we have never experienced in our lives.

This idea makes you wonder, “am I doing this right” and “what should I be doing?” It’s not easy to answer because we are challenged in new ways daily. Sometimes it’s as simple as being motivated to wake up in the morning at your normal time, and other times it’s making sure that all your work is getting completed. Each person has their own daily cup, and filling this cup with what makes the most sense with both work and personal life fulfillment is what should be expected of all of us. This is a form of “putting yourself first.”

In this two-part blog, I cover several topics and ideas that will help you in making better, more healthful decisions.

Keep to a Routine and Manage Your Setup

During this extended home lockdown, we tend to find ourselves with a lot of time on our hands. Work-from-home is being done from makeshift offices, and sometimes we are cutting corners here and there. One area where we can focus our energy for the good is our daily routines. Your daily routine of getting up for the day, eating meals, and exercise should mimic your normal daily routines; however, having your living space and workspace together can be a challenge. Find ways to allow your house to multitask with you. Have a place where you do your work, but also places where you can escape to rest, recover, and breathe.

Lawrence Biscontini, a world-renowned award-winning fitness professional, uses the following acronym to describe how you can promote self-care at your residence.

• H—Your Hearth: This is where you find rest and recovery and refill your energy. Your bedroom sanctuary, free from all distraction and full of purposeful R and R.
• O—Your Outside: How you connect with others and communicate.
• M—Your Mission Control: Your home office and workstation, a place dedicated to getting your work completed. Your workspace is professional.
• E—Eat: Refueling the body with nutritious food, free of social and outside distraction.

Get Better Sleep

The next topic, which is well documented and researched, is sleep habits and how to get better, healthier rest. In past NIFS blog posts by Cara Hartman, Hannah Peters, and several others, we see that sleep is extremely important and seemingly simple to master. However, with all the distractions that can come from lockdown (not to mention our insatiable love for technology), we find it tougher and tougher to get exactly what we need every day. Check out Cara’s blog on sleep habits, explaining what gets you to that bedtime in no time.

Keep Your Cup Full

Focusing on yourself is important. Your daily cup needs to be full enough so that you can do your job, help others, and enjoy life. In part 2 of this blog, I continue and conclude this discussion. Remember, take it one day at a time, taking care of yourself as a priority. Finally, when it comes time to meet again, NIFS and NIFS staff will be ready (we hope you are too!). Take care, and muscleheads rejoice and evolve.

This blog was written by Thomas Livengood, NIFS Health Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Meal planning is not a new idea, but many people feel overwhelmed at the concept. Creating a nutritious, yet minimally perishable menu can be a daunting task. It is important to meet nutrient needs but ensure the foods are either shelf-stable, can be frozen, and/or last longer periods in the fridge.

Here's some tips on how to break down the process to create a 4 week meal plan for you and your family.

Steps for Planning Your 4 Week Meal Plan

Step 1: Determine the caloric needs of the people in your household. To determine caloric needs, see the Dietary Guidelines. That will be important when you start planning the meals, because this will drive the portion sizes and ensure you are buying enough to meet the needs of all members.

Step 2: Consider budget. Knowing your budget will guide your decisions.

Step 3: Consider your storage space. Storage space is important to consider, because one with a lack of freezer space wouldn’t want to plan a ton of meals with frozen goods and opt for more low-sodium canned vegetables and canned fruits in water. On the contrary, one with a deep freezer can capitalize on some of the convenience, healthy frozen meals along with the frozen fruit and vegetable options.

Step 4: Start by planning breakfasts for 4-6 weeks. Consider having 2-3 breakfast options and rotate those options daily throughout the 4-6 weeks. Ideas include protein pancakes made from shelf-stable mixes or NIFS recipe below, oats topped with nut butter and frozen or canned fruit, or omelet with frozen or canned veggies (eggs can keep in the fridge for 4-6 weeks).

Step 5: Do the same thing for lunch and dinner. This is a good time to check out canned meats or freeze fresh meats and seafood (depending on storage space). Bread and cheeses can also be frozen and used for later times. Shelf stable foods include brown rice, chickpea pasta (has extra protein), sauces, whole grain pizza crusts, beans, legumes, canned vegetables (get low-sodium and rinse prior to use), canned fruits in water, tuna, canned chicken, jelly and nut butters.

Step 6: Plan 4-6 snack options, and buy enough for family members to have 1-2 snacks daily for the 4-6 weeks. Check out protein bars, granola bars, nuts, and fruits (canned, frozen, and dried)

Step 7: Reflect. Do all your days include each food group? Are there enough whole grains, vegetables, fruits, protein, and dairy or dairy-alternatives planned into each day? If not, go back and find a place to add the lacking nutrients. Having all food groups helps to reach vitamin, mineral, and fiber needs.

Step 8: Reach out to your Registered Dietitian if you need help!

RECIPE FOR THE WEEK: Protein Pancakes

Enjoy these protein-packed pancakes. They are easy to prepare, made with no refined grains and use ingredients that have a long shelf- and fridge-life.

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats
• 1 banana (ripened)
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup egg whites
• 4 tsp baking powder
• Pinch salt
• Cinnamon to taste
• 1 scoop protein powder
• 2 tbsp flax meal

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients until no clumps exist
2. Heat skillet or griddle on medium-high heat.
3. Pour ¼ cup mix on skillet per pancake. Once the edges start to look dry and bubble, flip the pancake to cook for another minute.
4. Serve warm with toppings of choice.

Pro tips: *Instead of syrup, try pan-searing frozen berries over medium-high heat and pour them over the pancakes!

*Once your bananas ripen, freeze them to use them for future recipes.

If you want more convenience, check out Kodiak pancake mix, Krusteaz pancake mix, or Kroger brand protein pancake mix. All have whole grains and packed with protein!

This blog was written by Sabrina Goshen, Registered Dietitian. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.