Diet Archives - The Fit Mother Project - Weight Loss For Busy Moms 40+

Stop Starting Over: The Secret to Consistent Fitness for Women Over 40

Steve Roy — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:46:11 +0000

Have you ever been on a roll with your workouts or healthy eating, only to slip up — and suddenly feel like the whole week is ruined?
Maybe you missed one gym session, grabbed fast food on the go, or stayed up too late and skipped your morning walk.

And then that voice in your head whispers:
“You blew it. You’ll start again Monday.”

Sound familiar?

That’s all-or-nothing thinking — and it’s one of the biggest mindset traps that keeps women stuck in cycles of progress and setback.

The truth is, the path to lifelong health isn’t a straight line. It’s built on imperfect, messy, human consistency — not perfection.

Promise: In this article you'll learn why the all-or-nothing mentality is holding you back on your fitness journey and the 5 simple mindset shifts that will get you back on track.

The Trap of Perfectionism

All-or-nothing thinking is a form of perfectionism that disguises itself as discipline.
It tells you that if you can’t do something 100%, it’s not worth doing at all.

You’ve probably heard versions of it before:

“If I can’t do my full workout, I might as well skip it.”
“I already ate something unhealthy today — might as well go all in.”
“If I can’t follow this plan perfectly, I’ll just start fresh later.”

But this mindset doesn’t build discipline — it builds guilt and inconsistency.

When you constantly start and stop, your body and brain never get the stability they need to truly adapt and improve. And worse, you begin to lose trust in yourself.

Why It Hits Harder After 40

In your 20s, life was simpler. Maybe you had fewer responsibilities, more energy, and more time to “start over.” But after 40, everything changes — hormonally, physically, and emotionally.

Hormones shift, which can affect energy, sleep, metabolism, and motivation.
Recovery slows, meaning intense “go hard or go home” programs can lead to burnout or injury.
Responsibilities grow, with careers, families, and caregiving often taking priority.

So when women try to apply the same rigid fitness mindset that worked (or seemed to) years ago, it backfires.
Perfection is no longer sustainable — but consistency absolutely is.

The solution isn’t to lower your standards.

It’s to change the framework of success.

The Science of Progress, Not Perfection

Behavioral psychology shows that consistency, not intensity, drives long-term habit formation.
In fact, research from University College London found that habits take an average of 66 days to form — and missing an occasional day doesn’t derail progress at all.

It’s the repetition of showing up — even at 70% effort — that creates neural pathways of discipline and identity.

That’s why, inside the Fit Mother Program, we focus on anchoring daily wins: consistent meals, short workouts, hydration, and mindset habits that build momentum instead of relying on willpower.

When you think about it, success in fitness is a lot like raising kids, managing a career, or running a household.
You don’t have to be perfect — you just have to keep showing up, learning, and improving.

The Antidote: All-or-Something Thinking

Instead of all-or-nothing, embrace All-or-Something Thinking.

This mindset shift allows you to see every day as a fresh opportunity to make a small positive choice — even when life doesn’t go as planned.

Couldn’t do your full 45-minute workout?
→ Do 15 minutes of walking or stretching instead.

Didn’t meal prep this week?
→ Choose a balanced plate at your next meal — some protein, veggies, and healthy fats.

Didn’t sleep well last night?
→ Skip the intense workout and focus on hydration, breathing, and an early bedtime.

Every small choice matters. Because your body doesn’t respond to perfection — it responds to patterns.

Your New Rule: Never Miss Twice

Here’s one of the simplest and most powerful tools we teach in our Fit Mother Program:

Never miss twice.

If you skip a workout or fall off track, the key is to course-correct quickly — not spiral into guilt.

Missed your Monday session? No problem. Get back to it Tuesday.

The second you act again, you reclaim momentum — and that’s what builds resilience, confidence, and long-term results.

This simple rule rewires your brain from punishment to progress. Instead of “I failed,” your inner dialogue becomes “I’m learning to recover faster.” That’s true growth.

Building Emotional Resilience Along the Way

Let’s be honest — fitness after 40 isn’t just physical. It’s deeply emotional.

Many women carry decades of guilt, comparison, and body-image pain. We’ve internalized the message that our worth is tied to discipline or appearance.

So when we “mess up,” it feels personal — like a reflection of failure or weakness.

But when you see fitness as an act of self-respect instead of self-punishment, the entire game changes.

→ Exercise becomes nourishment, not atonement.
→ Healthy eating becomes energy, not restriction.
→ Consistency becomes compassion, not control.

And that’s the mindset that heals — physically and emotionally.

How to Start Breaking Free Today

Here are 5 simple mindset shifts you can start practicing immediately:

Redefine success: Focus on progress, not perfection. Your new metric is consistency.
Shrink the win: When life gets busy, do something small — a walk, 10 push-ups, 2 minutes of gratitude.
Detach guilt: One off day doesn’t erase your progress. It’s data, not failure.
Plan for imperfection: Expect obstacles and pre-plan “backup” routines (like a 10-minute home workout).
Reflect nightly: Ask, “What did I do well today?” instead of “What did I mess up?”

When you live by these principles, you don’t fall off track — you just adjust the track.

The Takeaway

Breaking free from all-or-nothing thinking is about more than fitness — it’s about learning to trust yourself again.
It’s about realizing that small, steady actions are not signs of weakness; they’re the foundation of mastery.

So if you’ve been caught in the cycle of perfection and burnout, this is your invitation to do it differently.
To show up imperfectly, consistently, and with love.

Because the women who thrive after 40 aren’t the ones who never slip up — they’re the ones who never stop returning to themselves.

Ready to Build Consistency That Lasts?

The Fit Mother Foundations Program was designed specifically for women 40+ who are tired of starting over.

In just 6 weeks, you’ll learn how to:

Build a simple, sustainable fitness routine that fits your schedule
Eat in a way that supports your hormones and energy
Develop the mindset to stay consistent — even when life gets busy

Join the next Fit Mother Foundations group today

Because it’s not about doing everything perfectly.
It’s about doing the right things, consistently — and finally becoming the woman who never quits on herself.

If you’re a busy mom who wants to finally lose weight, get healthy, and actually keep the pounds off for good, this is the simple program you’ll love sticking to…

Fit Mother Project is the answer you’ve been looking for. Inside the program, you’ll receive:

Our Fit Mother 30X Program (FM30X) is the answer you’ve been looking for. Inside FM30X, you’ll receive:

Join our 6-Week Doctor Designed Health Program.
You'll Gain Foundational Health for the Rest of Life.

The FOUNDATIONS Program is created by Dr. Anthony Balduzzi for Women 40+ who want Lifelong Health.

In just 6-Weeks following FOUNDATIONS, you'll experience:

Rapid decrease in body fat
Dramatically improved energy levels
Greater mental sharpness & clarity
Muscle gains & better cardiovascular fitness
Decreased inflammation & pain
Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

FOUNDATIONS has transformed 60,000 lives! Are you ready to experience true lasting health & results?

If you're tired of “fad diets” & “quick fixes” and you're ready for REAL TRANSFORMATION, then FOUNDATIONS is your answer (learn more) »

Steve Roy

Trainer, Fit Mother Project

Steve is a single father to two amazing daughters, has been involved in the fitness industry for more than 28 years, and joined the Fit Father/Fit Mother Project team in 2023.

Growing up as the prototypical “98-pound weakling”, my goal from an early age was to get bigger and stronger.

This process ignited my passion for health and fitness and I got my first personal training certification in 1997 and started working for a local gym. I spent the next 10 years traveling the country, working in gyms, health clubs, resorts, and hotels trying to be the best trainer and coach I could be and learning from some great mentors.

It's been an amazing journey and at 54 years old, I feel better than I did 20 years ago and it all comes down to making fitness a priority. This is a principle I live by and teach every single day.

*Please know that weight loss results and health changes/improvements vary individually; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched information on building muscle, nutrition, and sustainable fitness habits.

The post Stop Starting Over: The Secret to Consistent Fitness for Women Over 40 appeared first on The Fit Mother Project - Weight Loss For Busy Moms 40+.

Easy Resolutions: 40 Achievable Goals For the New Year!

Erin Coleman — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 12:00:32 +0000

Have you made your new year's resolutions? Or have you already broken the ones you've made? Either way, make this year easier by settings some easy resolutions!

That doesn't mean resolving to eat more ice cream, it means setting goals you know you can keep!

Setting achievable goals is the best way to feel a sense of accomplishment and stay on track with your health and fitness goals.

By setting easy resolutions and tracking the little things, you can really make a difference in meeting your overall goals.

No resolution is too small! Start little to ensure you maintain each goal all year long!

The easy resolutions that are right for you depend on your lifestyle, health, and overall wellness.

Take into account your schedule, food and exercise preferences, and mental ability to stay on track and meet targets.

Don't set expectations that are dramatically different from your usual lifestyle and choose goals you feel excited about!

Here's how to set easy resolutions that will lead to positive changes.

Learn the key behind the motivation to work out and how to sustain your diet and exercise plans.

15 Easy Resolutions for the New Year

When deciding which targets to set this year, use the following easy resolutions as a guide!

1. Work Out at Least 4 Days a Week

You don't have to exercise every single day. An easy new year's resolution is to exercise at least four days of each week.

Keep track of the days you complete a planned exercise, such as jogging, cycling, stair climbing, using an elliptical machine, or lifting weights.

Use an exercise journal so you don't forget which days you've exercised!

2. Exercise at Least 20 Minutes Most Days

Exercising for at least 20 minutes most days of the week is an easy resolution that many parents find ways to fit into busy schedules.

If you have the time, work out more than 20 minutes per day.

However, if your schedule doesn't allow for longer workouts, 20 minutes is often plenty of time to achieve health, fitness, and body weight goals.

3. Walk Every Day, Especially After Meals

On non-workout days, or even on days you complete a planned exercise, schedule in time to take walks — even if it's just 10 minutes here and there or walking your dog every day.

Doing so keeps your body moving, can give you a boost of energy, and keeps your metabolism going strong.

If weight loss is your goal, studies show that walking briskly for 30 minutes soon after mealtime enhances weight loss.

If you have a desk job, take periodic walking or stair-climbing breaks every opportunity you get to reduce the number of hours daily you spend sitting down.

4. Eat 3 Servings of Vegetables Daily

Many people don't consume the amounts of vegetables needed to meet daily vitamin, mineral, and fiber needs.

Consuming a wide array of vegetables on a daily basis helps you manage a healthy weight, keep cholesterol levels in check, and reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.

Aim to fill half of each plate of food with vegetables during meals.

Even during breakfast, add vegetables to your plate, drink vegetable juice, or add veggie powder to protein shakes.

Sneak vegetables into omelets or scrambled eggs whenever possible.

If you're unable to eat veggies for breakfast, add an extra vegetable portion to lunch, dinner, or between-meal snacks to ensure you consume at least 3 vegetable servings daily.

Join our 6-Week Program...
You'll Gain Health for Life!

In just 6-weeks on our FOUNDATIONS Program, you'll transform your health and body, for the rest of your life!

Lose Fat & Reach Your Ideal Weight
Build Muscle & Strength
Make healthy Eating Easy
Improve your mindset & Discipline
Effective Workouts for Women 40+
Daily Accountability & Coaching

5. Drink 12 Cups of Fluids

To maintain exceptional health, women should aim for at least 12 cups of fluids, particularly water, each day.

Other healthy drinks that count toward daily fluid goals include milk, plant milk, plain kefir, 100% fruit juice, coffee, tea, and vegetable juice.

If your new year's resolution is weight loss, drink about 2 cups of water before meals to help you feel full with fewer calories.

Keep track of your fluid intake throughout the day by drinking out of water bottles that hold known amounts.

As a frame of reference, one cup of fluid equals 8 fluid ounces.

6. Lose 1-2 Pounds per Week

If your new year's resolution is weight loss, make your weight-loss goal attainable and a number you can maintain for a lifetime.

Losing 1-2 pounds per week is a safe rate of weight loss that boosts your chance of keeping lost weight off long-term.

In comparison, losing weight rapidly puts you at risk of weight regain.

Step on the scale each day to ensure you meet daily and weekly weight goals.

Let the Fit Mother Project 30X (FM30X) weight loss program guide you!

7. Do at Least 2 House Chores Daily

If you don't keep up with house chores on a daily basis, they can quickly build up over time and become overwhelming.

Easy resolutions often involve house chores or organizational strategies that help you keep your home in order.

Chores are also calorie burners, which can make healthy weight management easier.

Consider doing at least two chores each day, such as doing the dishes, folding laundry, grocery shopping, doing yard work, washing your windows, washing your car, vacuuming, dusting, or cleaning the floors.

Cooking counts too and is an excellent way to keep your body moving!

Add chores to your resolution list based on your household needs.

8. Weigh Yourself Every Day

Weighing yourself daily is an easy resolution that's simple to complete this new year.

Studies show that daily weigh-ins are highly effective for weight loss and adopting healthy habits.

They also reduce your risk of unplanned weight gain.

Step on the scale at the same time each day to get the most accurate results!

Find out how to track your weight loss in the most effective ways!

9. Eat Protein Foods During Every Meal

Knowing which nutritious foods are rich in protein helps you achieve the easy resolution of consuming protein at each meal. Why is this a good idea?

Consuming protein frequently throughout the day helps you maintain lean muscle mass, minimize body fat, and achieve healthy body weight.

It enhances your metabolism, boosts satiety, and keeps your hair, skin, and nails healthy.

Pick some of the following healthy foods to ensure you consume plenty of protein at each meal: chicken, turkey, duck, very lean red meat, eggs, fish, and seafood, as well as nuts, seeds, legumes, tofu, or seitan.

Milk, plant milk, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, plain kefir, and reduced-fat cheese are also excellent protein-rich options.

Low-sugar protein shakes and bars count too!

10. Eat Fiber-Rich Foods at Each Meal

Like protein-rich foods, foods high in fiber offer a variety of wellness benefits.

Examples include healthy weight management and a low risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

An easy resolution is to consume high-fiber foods during breakfast, lunch, dinner, and when eating snacks if possible!

Pick fruits, vegetables, whole grains (quinoa, wild rice, brown rice, whole-grain pasta, whole-grain bread, oatmeal, etc.), avocados, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

Examples of legumes include lentils, peas, black beans, pinto beans, and other dried beans.

11. Schedule Time for Relaxation

Relaxation doesn't come easy, especially for many busy parents.

But scheduling time to relax is one of the best things you can do for your body to keep stress levels low and reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and other chronic diseases.

An easy resolution to keep this year is to set aside at least 15 minutes of relaxation time every day.

During this time, you might choose a cat nap, reading, getting caught up with current events, meditation, getting a massage, or doing yoga.

Get your body into a relaxing position, take deep breaths, don't think about stressful thoughts, and allow yourself to unwind.

12. Sleep at Least 7 Hours Each Night

Studies show that sleeping soundly for at least 7 hours each night reduces the risk of adverse health outcomes, such as obesity, weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, depression, and all-cause deaths.

An easy resolution is to sleep at least 7 hours every night or most nights of each week.

Keep a sleep journal to ensure you get the amount of rest needed to maintain exceptional health and wellness.

To maximize sleep quality, sleep in a cool dark room, set a regular bedtime, and avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed.

Try this simple technique to fall asleep and relax your mind before bed!

13. Take Vitamins

Make it a new year's resolution this season to take a multivitamin or other vitamin supplement as directed by your doctor every day.

Doing so can improve your overall health, boost energy levels, and lower your risk of nutritional deficiencies and chronic diseases.

Ask your doctor about taking additional dietary supplements, such as joint health or heart support supplements, omega-3 supplements, probiotics, protein supplements, or other supplements that meet your individualized needs.

14. Take Care of Your Skin

Taking good care of your skin enhances its appearance and reduces the risk of dry skin, aging skin, acne, and other common skin issues.

Things you can do to improve the health of your skin include cleaning it often, keeping it moisturized, using sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun, and consuming the vitamins and minerals needed to give your skin a healthy glow.

Wash your face at least twice daily using water and a facial cleanser.

15. Work Out Your Abs Daily

While it's usually best to avoid working the same muscle groups day after day, abdominal muscles are an exception.

You can do ab exercises every day of the week, or most days of the week if you prefer.

Change up your ab routine often to reap the most benefit from regular ab workouts.

Do combinations of plank jacks, side planks, other oblique exercises, shoulder-touch planks, mountain climbers, sit-ups, crunches, leg raises, and other favorite ab exercises to keep your midsection slim and toned.

Join our 6-Week Program...
You'll Gain Health for Life!

In just 6-weeks on our FOUNDATIONS Program, you'll transform your health and body, for the rest of your life!

Lose Fat & Reach Your Ideal Weight
Build Muscle & Strength
Make healthy Eating Easy
Improve your mindset & Discipline
Effective Workouts for Women 40+
Daily Accountability & Coaching

25 Additional Easy Resolutions for the New Year

In addition to the 15 easy resolutions above, consider trying setting some of the following this New Year's season!

If you're a smoker, stop smoking
Drink alcohol no more than one time per week
Find an active hobby
Be on time for all events
Spend more time with family and friends
Keep a gratitude journal
Go on weekly date nights with your spouse
Make a budget and stick to it
Take time to yourself every day
Keep a daily planner
Stop eating fast food
Dine out no more than 1-2 times per week
Set career or income goals
Set a regular bedtime and stick to it
Do yoga at least once per week
Sit down less often (at least 1 hour less)
Limit screen time/look at your phone less often
Limit social media activity
Read one book per month
Start gardening
Eat more organic foods
Lift weights at least twice weekly
Volunteer at least once a month
Stop drinking soda and diet soda
Cook at home more often

Don't overwhelm yourself with new year's resolutions this season.

Start by choosing just a few that best fit your lifestyle and preferences.

You can always add more targets after effectively achieving your initial goals!

Join our 6-Week Program...
You'll Gain Health for Life!

In just 6-weeks on our FOUNDATIONS Program, you'll transform your health and body, for the rest of your life!

Lose Fat & Reach Your Ideal Weight
Build Muscle & Strength
Make healthy Eating Easy
Improve your mindset & Discipline
Effective Workouts for Women 40+
Daily Accountability & Coaching

Get Started with Easy Resolutions

Take plenty of time to consider the feasibility of easy resolutions this new year, and which are best for you and your family.

Make a list of your top ten ideas and narrow them down if needed.

Strive to attain at least 2-3 easy goals for an entire year and add to your resolution list if needed based on your motivation level and success rate.

Trust the Fit Mother Project to help you achieve health and fitness goals this New Year!

Upon joining this highly effective healthy living program for busy moms over 40, you have access to:

Online health coaching from medical experts
Social support from other fit moms
Custom meal plans and menus
Fat-burning workouts
Weekly newsletters
Nutritious recipes
Much more!

In addition to setting feasible, easy resolutions this new year, try a free FMP meal plan and workout to continue on the road toward better health for you and your family!

Erin Coleman

B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. Writer, Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.

Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she’s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.

If you’re a busy mom who wants to finally lose weight, get healthy, and actually keep the pounds off for good, this is the simple program you’ll love sticking to…

Fit Mother Project is the answer you’ve been looking for. Inside the program, you’ll receive:

Our Fit Mother 30X Program (FM30X) is the answer you’ve been looking for. Inside FM30X, you’ll receive:

Join our 6-Week Doctor Designed Health Program.
You'll Gain Foundational Health for the Rest of Life.

The FOUNDATIONS Program is created by Dr. Anthony Balduzzi for Women 40+ who want Lifelong Health.

In just 6-Weeks following FOUNDATIONS, you'll experience:

Rapid decrease in body fat
Dramatically improved energy levels
Greater mental sharpness & clarity
Muscle gains & better cardiovascular fitness
Decreased inflammation & pain
Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

FOUNDATIONS has transformed 60,000 lives! Are you ready to experience true lasting health & results?

If you're tired of “fad diets” & “quick fixes” and you're ready for REAL TRANSFORMATION, then FOUNDATIONS is your answer (learn more) »

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on easy resolutions.

The post Easy Resolutions: 40 Achievable Goals For the New Year! appeared first on The Fit Mother Project - Weight Loss For Busy Moms 40+.

Are Olives Healthy? The Answer Plus 10 Olive Recipes!

Erin Coleman — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 01:00:10 +0000

Are olives healthy? How healthy are they? Are some better than others? Should you add olives to a heart-healthy meal plan?

First things first, are olives healthy? Yes, they are!

While olives differ slightly in fat grams, calories, and sodium content (as well as the way they taste), all olives are similar nutritionally.

The choice of which olives to eat (black, green, Greek, etc.) depends on your taste preferences.

However, if you must reduce sodium based on a doctor's recommendations for your health, choose olives with lower amounts of sodium (look for “reduced-sodium” on nutrition labels).

Here's how to add olives to a variety of main courses, soups, salads, and dips to increase your heart-healthy fat intake!

Find out what the 10 BEST sources of healthy fats are and add them to your diet today!

Nutrition Facts for Olives

The nutrition facts breakdown for different types of olives are as follows:

Black Olives (1 ounce)

Calories: 30
Protein: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Fat: 3 grams

Green Olives (1 ounce)

Calories: 41 calories
Protein: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 1 gram
Fiber: 1 gram
Fat: 4 grams

Greek Olives (1 ounce)

Calories: 30 calories
Protein: 0 grams
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Fat: 3 grams

Olives are an excellent source of heart-healthy fats, which when eaten in place of animal fats, can reduce your risk of high cholesterol and heart disease.

Olives are rich in vitamin E and antioxidants and contain some calcium, iron, and vitamin A.

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Are Olives Healthy?

As with many foods and drinks, possible benefits and drawbacks may exist when choosing olives.

Pros

The main benefits of adding olives to healthy meal plans include:

Flavor

Olives are loaded with flavor and can enhance the taste of just about any entrée or side dish.

You can add olives to chili, soups, salads, omelets, hummus, wraps, casseroles, and more!

Heart-Healthy Fats

Olives are loaded with nutritious, monounsaturated fats that are beneficial for a healthy heart – especially when eaten in place of saturated fat from animal sources.

Heart-healthy plant fats in olives can help reduce the risk of high cholesterol and heart disease.

Satiety

Olives can help fill you up without extra calories, due to the fiber and fat content of olives.

A 1-ounce serving of olives often contains just 30-40 calories but is satiating nonetheless.

Fiber

The fiber content of olives is beneficial for several reasons.

Fiber helps fill you up without extra calories, which aids in healthy weight management.

Fiber is known to help reduce high cholesterol and heart disease risks.

Cons

Are olives healthy? Yes, they are! But there a possible drawbacks to consider, including:

Higher Sodium

Olives are a source of sodium, which when eaten in excess can increase your risk of high blood pressure or heart problems.

A 1-ounce serving of green olives contains about 440 milligrams of sodium, while the same portion of black or Greek olives provides about 250 milligrams of sodium.

The American Heart Association recommends most adults limit their daily sodium intake to 1,500-2,300 milligrams per day to maintain exceptional heart health.

Choose reduced-sodium olives if you're concerned about your sodium intake.

Lower Protein Content

While olives are packed with heart-healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, they are lower in protein.

If you're looking for a food that's packed with good fats AND protein to maximize satiety, you might choose nuts, seeds, or nut butter. You can also check out certain protein bars and shakes.

You could also pair olives with cheese, meat, fish, poultry, or eggs!

Fiber

While olives are a source of fiber, they aren't as high in fiber as many other whole foods.

A 1-ounce serving of olives contains just 1 gram of fiber.

General fiber recommendations for women are 21-25 grams daily, while men should aim for 30-38 grams of fiber each day to maximize health and wellness.

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Ways to Add Olives to Meal Plans

There are many ways to add olives to healthy meal plans for you and your family.

You can eat olives on their own as a snack between meals, or add them to:

Soups
Salads
Chili
Rice dishes
Pasta dishes
Hummus
Tacos
Burritos
Wraps
Omelets

You can add olives to just about any main meal or side dish, as they blend in perfectly with a variety of recipes!

Recipes Containing Olives

Some of the following nutritious recipes contain olives as ingredients!

Marinated Green Beans, Olives, Feta, and Tomatoes

This flavorful recipe is simple to make, tastes delicious, and is loaded with nutrients!

Ingredients

2 pounds of trimmed green beans
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup of kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
8 ounces of crumbled feta cheese
1 bunch of fresh oregano sprigs

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Place green beans in the water and cook them until slightly tender (about 8-10 minutes).
Drain the beans and place them in ice water. Drain the beans again and place them in a shallow serving dish.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic in oil for about 30 seconds. Remove the skillet from heat.
Stir in the olives, tomatoes, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Pour the mixture over the green beans and toss together until the beans get evenly coated.
Sprinkle feta cheese over the top of the bean mixture and garnish it with oregano sprigs.
Chill the mixture for at least 3 hours.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 10

Olive Salsa

Replace traditional salsa with this satiating, nutrient-dense olive salsa recipe instead!

Ingredients

1 1/2 (5-ounce) jars of green olives
1 (6-ounce) can of pitted black olives
1 (4-ounce) can of chopped green chiles
1 large white onion, cut into chunks
2 tomatoes, cored
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
Hot pepper sauce to taste

Instructions

Drain the green olives, black olives, and green chiles in a colander.
Chop the onion in a food processor, pulsing several times.
Add the olives, chiles, tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and hot sauce to the food processor.
Pulse several more times to mix and process until chunky (about 20-30 seconds).
Serve the olive salsa with grilled meats, veggie or turkey burgers, whole-grain crackers, or sliced veggies, and enjoy!

Servings: 25

Skillet Chicken with Olives

Add olives to this delicious chicken entrée recipe to enhance its nutrition and flavor!

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon of crushed dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 cup of pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped
1/4 cup of white wine or chicken broth
1 tablespoon of drained capers (optional)

Instructions

Sprinkle the chicken with rosemary, pepper, and salt.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Brown the chicken on both sides.
Add olives, wine, and capers.
Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 2-3 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 170° Fahrenheit.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 4

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Feta Olive Spread

Dip whole-grain crackers or fresh vegetables in this savory, nutrient-dense, feta olive spread recipe!

Ingredients

6-ounce package of crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic
2 ounces of softened sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon of chopped black olives, drained

Instructions

Place feta cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and oregano in a food processor.
Using the “pulse” setting, blend the mixture until smooth.
Transfer it to a medium bowl and mix in the olives using a spoon.
Refrigerate the mixture until you're ready to serve it. Enjoy!

Servings: 12

Turkey Mushroom Feta Olive Burgers

Consider a healthy, mouth-watering turkey burger and olive recipe for friends and family the next time you grill out!

Ingredients

1 pound of lean ground turkey
2 cups of ground mushrooms
4 tablespoons of sliced sun-dried tomatoes
4 tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese
4 tablespoons of chopped black olives
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
4 toasted whole-grain rolls or lettuce wraps
Lettuce
Sliced green onions

Instructions

Sauté the mushrooms in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Combine sautéed mushrooms with turkey, tomatoes, cheese, and olives. Form the mixture into 4 patties.
Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook the patties over medium heat until they're golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also grill the patties.
Serve the olive burgers on toasted buns with lettuce and onion, or on lettuce wraps for a lower-carb option.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 4

Greek Omelets with Olives

Try this satiating Greek omelet recipe for breakfast or any time of the day! Your entire family will love it.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of olive oil
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of diced cucumbers
1/4 cup of diced red onion
2 tablespoons of sliced sundried tomatoes
4-5 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat.
Add eggs and cook for one minute or until the edges are set.
Lift the edges carefully so the liquid flows underneath.
When the eggs are cooked, add the remaining ingredients and fold the omelet in half.
Heat it through, serve, and enjoy!

Servings: 1

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Salmon with Green Olives and Capers

You can't go wrong when choosing a flavorful salmon recipe with green olives and capers as a heart-healthy main dish for your family!

Ingredients

3 1/2 pounds of salmon with the bones removed
1/3 cup of olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/3 cup of chopped fresh parsley
12 pitted green olives, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons of finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons of drained capers, plus 2 teaspoons of the brine
2 teaspoons of lemon zest
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
On a baking sheet lined with foil, arrange fish with the skin-side down.
Season the salmon with salt and pepper and drizzle it with olive oil.
Roast the fish in the oven until just opaque (about 15 minutes).
Mix together 1/3 cup of oil, parsley, olives, shallots, capers and brine, lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic in a bowl and season with pepper if you'd like.
Serve the olive mixture with cooked salmon and enjoy!

Servings: 4

Italian Olive Salad

Consider a delicious Italian olive salad recipe as a favorite side dish for any occasion!

Ingredients

1 (10-ounce) jar of olives
1 (16-ounce) can of pitted kalamata olives
1 (8 1/2-ounce) jar of marinated artichoke hearts
1 (3-ounce) bottle of capers
1/2 bunch of celery, chopped
1/2 cup of Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1/2 cup of olive oil

Instructions

Drain the olives, capers, and artichokes and coarsely chop them.
Place them in a bowl and add parsley, celery, garlic, oregano, and olive oil.
Stir the olive mixture and place it in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 8-10

Hearty Chili with Olives

When the weather gets chilly, warm up with this toasty chili recipe containing olives and grass-fed beef!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 pound of organic, grass-fed, lean ground beef (or very lean ground turkey)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans of diced tomatoes
8-ounce can of tomato sauce or tomato soup
1 cup of sliced black olives
15-ounce can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Cheddar cheese (optional for a garnish)
Sliced green onions (optional for a garnish)
Full-fat Greek yogurt (optional for a garnish)

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
When the oil gets hot, add the onion and cook until tender.
Add ground beef and cook until browned.
Add bell peppers, garlic, and spices. Stir well.
Cook the mixture for about 10 minutes or until the bell peppers are tender.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce or tomato soup, olives, and pinto beans. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Simmer it over medium heat, cover, and cook for an additional 10 minutes (stirring occasionally).
Serve the chili with garnishes of your choice and enjoy!

Servings: 6

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Olive and Artichoke Hummus

This satiating olive artichoke hummus recipe works well with sliced veggies, whole-grain crackers, whole-grain pita bread, wraps, and sandwiches!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of canned chickpeas
1 tablespoon of liquid from the chickpeas
3 artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup of pitted kalamata olives, drained
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons of tahini
Pinch of salt
Drizzle of olive oil (optional)
A handful of freshly chopped chives (optional)
A sprinkle of feta cheese (optional)

Instructions

In a food processor or blender, blend the chickpeas, chickpea liquid, artichoke hearts, olives, garlic, lemon juice, and tahini until smooth. Add salt if needed.
Place the hummus in a serving dish.
Drizzle it with olive oil, chopped chives, and feta cheese if you'd like.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 8

Erin Coleman

B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. Writer, Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.

Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she’s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.

If you’re a busy mom who wants to finally lose weight, get healthy, and actually keep the pounds off for good, this is the simple program you’ll love sticking to…

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Our Fit Mother 30X Program (FM30X) is the answer you’ve been looking for. Inside FM30X, you’ll receive:

Join our 6-Week Doctor Designed Health Program.
You'll Gain Foundational Health for the Rest of Life.

The FOUNDATIONS Program is created by Dr. Anthony Balduzzi for Women 40+ who want Lifelong Health.

In just 6-Weeks following FOUNDATIONS, you'll experience:

Rapid decrease in body fat
Dramatically improved energy levels
Greater mental sharpness & clarity
Muscle gains & better cardiovascular fitness
Decreased inflammation & pain
Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

FOUNDATIONS has transformed 60,000 lives! Are you ready to experience true lasting health & results?

If you're tired of “fad diets” & “quick fixes” and you're ready for REAL TRANSFORMATION, then FOUNDATIONS is your answer (learn more) »

The post Are Olives Healthy? The Answer Plus 10 Olive Recipes! appeared first on The Fit Mother Project - Weight Loss For Busy Moms 40+.

Is Frozen Fruit Healthy? Here’s What You Need to Know!

Erin Coleman — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 01:00:21 +0000

Is frozen fruit healthy? There are several things to watch out for when buying frozen fruit for you and your family.

While you probably know that fruit offers many nutritional benefits, learning the facts about frozen fruit, if you should eat it, and how much to consume is a must!

The main thing to be on the lookout for is the expiration date listed on frozen fruit packaging and the ingredient list.

The list lets you know if there's any added sugar, preservatives, or other additives in your favorite frozen fruit.

Whether or not you eat frozen fruit, or serve it to your spouse and kids, is entirely up to you!

There are pros and cons associated with frozen fruit, but mainly pros.

Leave the skin on fruit before you freeze it so it retains much of its fiber, vitamin, and mineral content.

Here's what else you need to know so you can truly answer the question, ‘Is frozen fruit healthy?'

Learn more about the positives and negatives of fruit and separate the myths from the facts!

Is Frozen Fruit Healthy?

The nutritional breakdown of frozen fruit varies depending on the type of fruit you choose, but frozen (and fresh) fruit often provides the following in each portion:

Calories: 45 -135
Protein: 0-1 grams
Carbohydrates: 15-27 grams
Fiber: 2-8 grams
Fat: 0 grams

The actual amount of calories and macronutrients found in frozen fruit depends on the type of fruit you choose, the portion size, and whether or not the frozen fruit you're eating contains added sugar.

Some of the many vitamins and minerals found in fresh, frozen, and dried fruit include:

Folate
Other B vitamins
Vitamin C
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Manganese
Magnesium
Potassium

Fresh and frozen fruits are also a good source of antioxidants and fiber, which help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, other chronic diseases, and their risk factors.

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Fruits You Can Freeze and Ways to Freeze Them

You can freeze just about any favorite fruit, such as:

Apples
Bananas
Pears
Peaches
Plums
Pineapples
Oranges
Lemons
Limes
Rhubarb
Melons
Cherries
Apricots
Grapes
Kiwi fruit
Mangos

To freeze fruit properly, wash and slice the fruit. Place fruit that browns when sliced, such as apples and pears, in lemon juice prior to freezing to prevent browning.

Place sliced fruit on parchment paper on a baking sheet in your freezer for about 1-2 hours.

Take the fruit out of the freezer and place it in a Ziplock bag or airtight container. Put the fruit back in your freezer and store it until you're ready to enjoy it!

Eat fruit frozen or thaw it in a refrigerator for about six hours before serving it. Enjoy the fruit with your friends or family!

Is fruit good for weight loss? Learn about the best fruits for dieting!

Pros and Cons of Frozen Fruit

You and your loved ones can reap many benefits by adding frozen fruit to your meal plan.

Examples of pros and cons associated with frozen fruit include:

Pros

One of the main benefits of choosing frozen fruit is that you can store it longer than fresh fruit.

Frozen fruit contains many of the same nutrients found in fresh fruit, as vitamins and minerals stay put during the freezing process.

Many types of fruit are OK to eat up to 12 months after being frozen, which helps reduce food waste due to fresh fruit going bad before you and your family have a chance to eat it.

Frozen fruit offers you a quick boost of energy from natural sugar, which is a much better alternative than consuming added sugars in sweet treats and sugary drinks.

Cons

Frozen fruit is healthy, especially when you freeze it yourself at home after preparing it properly.

However, some types of commercially prepared frozen fruit contain added sugar.

Check the ingredient list on nutrition facts labels to ensure the frozen fruit you choose contains only fruit, or fruit and all-natural ingredients, without added sugar or artificial ingredients.

Another possible drawback you could encounter with frozen fruit is that when you thaw it the fruit's texture, color, or flavor might be slightly different than the original fresh fruit.

Fresh fruit, frozen fruit, and dried fruit all offer a variety of essential nutrients like natural sugar, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

However, fruits aren't the best source of dietary protein or heart-healthy fats.

Frozen fruit and fresh fruit generally contain the highest amounts of micronutrients, as some nutrients can get lost during the fruit-drying process — especially with sun-dried fruits.

The good news is that you can pair fruit with foods rich in protein or fat, such as nuts, seeds, nut butter, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or a protein shake to boost satiety and the overall nutrient profile of your snack!

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How Much Frozen Fruit Should I Eat?

There are no specific rules when it comes to eating frozen fruit, but the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend many women consume about 2 servings of fruit daily, depending on their daily calorie requirements.

One serving from the fruit group equals 1 cup of fresh fruit, 1 cup of frozen fruit, 1 cup of 100% fruit juice, or 1/2 cup of dried fruit.

Therefore, aim for about 2 cups of fresh or frozen fruit per day or 1 cup of dried fruit daily.

There are several ways you can incorporate frozen fruit into a meal plan to reap the many nutritional benefits fruit offers.

Examples include:

Frozen Fruit Smoothies

Frozen fruit smoothies are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other essential nutrients and they're refreshing!

Simply blend together your favorite frozen fruit with water, milk, 100% juice, or plant milk in a blender until smooth.

You might choose berries, melons, bananas, pears, peaches, pineapples, or any other favorite frozen fruit.

Protein Shakes With Frozen fruit

Adding frozen fruit to protein-rich shakes means you can enjoy refreshing meal replacements, pre- or post-workout nourishment, or between-meal snacks without needing ice cubes!

Simply blend together milk or plant milk, protein powder, your favorite frozen fruit, and nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.) if you'd like.

You might add oatmeal to the mixture to help you feel full longer.

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Frozen Fruit Kabobs

Frozen fruit kabobs make an excellent healthy snack option for your kids, your spouse, and yourself!

You might serve frozen fruit kabobs instead of sweet treats for dessert.

Simply wash and cut up your favorite fruit into bite-sized pieces, string the fruit on skewers, and freeze them in an airtight container.

Enjoy the kabobs when you're hungry and dip them in Greek yogurt or nut butter if you'd like!

Frozen Fruit Popsicles

You can make frozen fruit popsicles in a variety of different ways.

Blend fresh fruit together in a blender with water, plant milk, or 100% fruit juice.

Place the mixture in popsicle molds with popsicle sticks or in ice cube trays.

Allow the mixture to freeze for about six or hours or until solid.

Frozen Fruit Greek Yogurt Parfaits

If you love the taste of Greek yogurt, consider making frozen fruit yogurt parfaits for breakfast, as a between-meal snack, or before or after workouts.

Simply add frozen berries or any other favorite frozen fruit to Greek yogurt.

You might top the mixture with granola (with no added sugar), nuts, seeds, or other nutritious toppings of your choice!

Dark Chocolate-Covered Frozen Fruit

Rather than serving traditional sweet treats for dessert for friends and family, consider making dark chocolate-covered frozen fruit bites instead!

Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which can reduce your risk of heart problems and other chronic diseases.

To make this recipe, simply melt dark chocolate in a microwave until it forms a liquid.

Stir the chocolate and dip sliced bananas, cherries, or another favorite fruit of your choice into the chocolate until well-coated.

Place chocolate-covered fruit in your freezer on parchment paper for up to 4-6 hours or until solid.

Frozen Fruit with French Toast or Pancakes

If you love the taste of French Toast or pancakes with fruit, consider adding frozen fruit to your favorite breakfast entrée!

You can first thaw the fruit, mash it, or heat it up if you'd like to get in your daily dose of fruit without the added sugar.

Your family will love eating fruit this way!

You can also add fruit to healthy homemade muffins.

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Frozen Fruit Water

Rather than drinking ice water to quench your thirst (though water is an excellent healthy drink option), add frozen fruit to water instead to chill it and give it an extra boost of flavor!

Add frozen berries, apple slices, peaches, melons, or any favorite frozen fruit to filtered water to enhance its palatability.

Fruit Salad

You can thaw frozen fruit in your refrigerator prior to preparing a fruit salad recipe.

Simply add mixed frozen fruit to a bowl, soak fruits that brown (apples, pears, etc.) in lemon juice or orange juice, add nutmeg and ground ginger if you'd like, and serve homemade fruit salad recipes to your loved ones.

Cereal With Frozen Fruit

Is frozen fruit good for you? You can add frozen fruit directly to oatmeal to give it a boost of flavor plus minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and extra fiber!

Thaw frozen fruit prior to adding it to your favorite cereal if you'd like.

Or, blend frozen fruit with oatmeal and plant milk (plus protein powder if you'd like) to make a protein-oatmeal smoothie.

Frozen Fruit Snow Cones

Your kids will love a healthier version of snow cones just as much as traditional snow cones!

Simply blend the frozen fruit of your choice together with crushed ice in a blender, serve, and enjoy this nutritious snack!

Fruit Smoothie Bowls

To make refreshing fruit smoothie bowls, simply blend together ice and your favorite frozen fruit.

Place the smoothie mixture in a bowl and top it with the favorite toppings of your choice (sliced berries, bananas, chia seeds, shredded coconut, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc.).

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Pork and Berry Salsa

This pork and berry salsa recipe is loaded with flavor, nutrients, and color!

Ingredients

Salsa

1 1/4 cups of fresh or frozen blackberries, thawed and drained
1 1/4 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries, thawed and drained
1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed
1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup of lime juice
3 tablespoons of minced fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon of salt

Pork

2 pork tenderloins, cut into 3/4-inch slices
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
1/2 cup of white wine or chicken stock
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of chicken stock

Instructions

Place the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and toss lightly to combine.
Reserve 1 cup of the berry mixture for your sauce.
Gently stir onion, lime juice, cilantro, and salt into the remaining mixture and let it stand for about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.
Add half of the pork and cook it until a meat thermometer reads 145° Fahrenheit (about 2-4 minutes per side).
Remove pork from the pan and repeat the steps with the remaining pork and oil.
Add wine, shallots, and the reserved berry mixture to your pan and stir well.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the liquid gets reduced to 1 tablespoon (about 4-6 minutes).
Stir in chicken stock and cook the mixture until the shallots get tender (about 5 minutes longer), stirring occasionally.
Return the pork to the pan, heat it through, serve with berry salsa, and enjoy!

Servings: 6

Erin Coleman

B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. Writer, Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.

Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she’s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.

If you’re a busy mom who wants to finally lose weight, get healthy, and actually keep the pounds off for good, this is the simple program you’ll love sticking to…

Fit Mother Project is the answer you’ve been looking for. Inside the program, you’ll receive:

Our Fit Mother 30X Program (FM30X) is the answer you’ve been looking for. Inside FM30X, you’ll receive:

Join our 6-Week Doctor Designed Health Program.
You'll Gain Foundational Health for the Rest of Life.

The FOUNDATIONS Program is created by Dr. Anthony Balduzzi for Women 40+ who want Lifelong Health.

In just 6-Weeks following FOUNDATIONS, you'll experience:

Rapid decrease in body fat
Dramatically improved energy levels
Greater mental sharpness & clarity
Muscle gains & better cardiovascular fitness
Decreased inflammation & pain
Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

FOUNDATIONS has transformed 60,000 lives! Are you ready to experience true lasting health & results?

If you're tired of “fad diets” & “quick fixes” and you're ready for REAL TRANSFORMATION, then FOUNDATIONS is your answer (learn more) »

The post Is Frozen Fruit Healthy? Here’s What You Need to Know! appeared first on The Fit Mother Project - Weight Loss For Busy Moms 40+.

Is Fruit Juice Bad for You? The Pros and Cons of Drinking Juice

Erin Coleman — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 01:00:30 +0000

Is fruit juice bad for you? The answer depends on the type of juice you choose and how much of it you drink.

Knowing which fruit juices are nutritious and which to avoid can help you maintain exceptional health!

As with most foods and beverages, nearly everything is OK if you consume it in moderation and fruit juice is no exception.

Limit juice 1-2 cups per day if possible and always choose 100% fruit juice over sugar-sweetened alternatives.

Here's everything you need to know about fruit juice!

What about just plain fruit, is THAT healthy? This video answers that and more!

Fruit Juice Nutrition Facts

Fruit juice contains natural sugar, water, vitamins, and minerals, so it often gives you a quick boost of energy.

Nutritional facts for a 1-cup portion of 100% juice is as follows:

Calories: 90-110 grams
Protein: 0-2 grams
Carbohydrates: 21-28 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Fat: 0 grams

Juices often contain vitamin C. Some are fortified with or naturally rich in calcium, potassium, B vitamins, or magnesium.

When looking at the nutrition label of your favorite fruit juices, there are several important things to keep in mind.

Check the ingredient list to make sure the juice you choose is free from added sugar.

The number of grams of total sugar might be 20-28 grams per serving, but the grams of added sugar should be zero.

Look for juice labels that say “100% juice,” and steer clear of low-calorie juice blends containing artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, or other artificial ingredients.

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Pros and Cons of Fruit Juice

When asking the question “is fruit juice bad for you,” the answer may surprise you.

As with many foods and drinks, pros and cons exist for fruit juice.

Pros

There are numerous benefits you can reap by adding fruit juice to your daily meal plan.

Juice offers a quick boost of energy from natural sugars, which are carbohydrates that are much healthier for you than added sugar.

Natural sugar breaks down in your body quickly, which comes in handy when you need a quick pick-me-up at work or before and after workouts.

Many juices are a good source of minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin C.

However, check the nutrition facts label to be sure.

Antioxidants found in many fruits and their juices can reduce cell damage and your risk of cancer and other diseases.

Lastly, consuming fresh fruit or fruit blended with water instead of sweet treats can fill you up without the extra calories.

Doing so is beneficial for weight loss, long-term healthy weight management, body detoxification, increased energy, and a low risk of chronic diseases.

Cons

Though juice provides you with calories from natural sugar, it lacks other essential nutrients like fiber, protein, and heart-healthy fats.

Eating real fruit is often a better option than drinking fruit juice because of the higher fiber content of whole fruits.

Getting plenty of fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds can dramatically reduce your risk of high cholesterol and heart disease, as well as the risk of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

While juice offers you quick energy, it usually doesn't keep you full for very long.

Drinking too much juice, especially in place of water, can increase your and your children's risk of obesity.

This is especially true if you're not as active as you'd like to be.

Lastly, drinking a lot of juice daily may increase your and your kids' risk of tooth decay, especially if you don't brush your teeth after drinking juice or eating meals.

Is fruit good for weight loss? Learn about the best fruits for dieting!

How Much Juice Should I Drink?

While there's no specific recommendation when it comes to how much juice you should drink, you can always follow the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Based on these guidelines, 1 cup of 100% fruit juice counts as one serving from the fruit group.

Many women need about 2 servings of fruit daily.

Your unique needs might be less than or greater than this, depending on your daily calorie requirements.

For example, women who consume 1,200-1,400 calories daily for weight loss might need just 1- 1.5 servings of fruit (or 100% fruit juice) each day.

Choose whole fruit with the skin on, or fresh fruit blended into smoothies, over fruit juice when you can to keep your fiber intake as high as possible.

Here are some of the best fruits to eat!

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Should I Give Juice to My Kids?

If you're wondering “is fruit juice bad for you,” you're probably also curious about whether or not you should give juice to kids.

The answer is: it depends on the type of juice you choose, the amount, and your child's age.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends NOT giving juice to kids younger than age 1.

Fruit juice doesn't appear to offer nutritional benefits for this age group.

However, the AAP says it's OK for kids older than age 1 to drink small amounts of fruit juice, though water and whole fruits are usually the best options.

A few tips to consider based on AAP guidance include:

Limit juice to 4-6 ounces (1/2 cup – 3/4 cup) per day for kids ages 1-6
Don't let your child sip on juice all throughout the day
Limit juice intake to 8 ounces (1 cup) for kids ages 7-18
Mix 100% fruit juice with water to reduce its sugar and calorie content
Offer whole fruits in place of juices when possible

Avoid offering juice drink blends containing added sugar or artificial ingredients to children.

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Alternatives to Fruit Juice

If you love the taste of juice, there are several alternatives to consider in place of regular juice — especially juice containing added sugar.

Examples of better options include:

Water with ice
Water flavored with fruit chunks
Water flavored with mint or cucumber
Water mixed with fruit juice and ice
Milk
Unsweetened plant milk
Unsweetened protein shakes
Vegetable juice
Whole fruits (apples, bananas, oranges, kiwi fruit, grapes, berries, melons, etc.)
Homemade fruit smoothies (blended whole fruit with water and ice)

By blending fresh fruit in a blender with water and ice, you can retain much of the fiber and micronutrient content of whole fruits.

Many vegetable juices are lower in sugar and calories than fruit juices.

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Refreshing Juice, Smoothie, and Popsicle Recipes!

There are a variety of ways to incorporate fruit or 100% fruit juice into daily meal plans for you and your family. Consider the following nutritious recipes containing fresh fruits or juices as ingredients!

Homemade Juice Recipes

Make sure you have your juicer ready before you begin preparing these delicious, homemade juice recipes!

Strawberry Grape Orange Juice

This refreshing homemade strawberry juice recipe is loaded with antioxidants and flavor!

Ingredients

1 cup of strawberries
1 cup of red grapes
1 orange

Instructions

Peel the orange.
Juice the oranges, grapes, and strawberries together in your juicer.
Serve and enjoy!

Berry Juice

If you love berries, you'll enjoy the sweet taste of this delicious homemade berry juice recipe!

Ingredients

2 cups of blueberries
2 cups of strawberries
1-2 cups of raspberries
1 apple

Instructions

Core the apple
Juice the apple and berries in your juicer.
Serve and enjoy!

Kiwi Pear Juice

Try this unique, homemade kiwi pear juice recipe that's loaded with flavor and micronutrients!

Ingredients

3 pears
2 kiwis
1 apple

Instructions

Peel the kiwi fruits.
Core the pear and apple.
Juice the fruits in your juicer.
Serve and enjoy!

Watermelon Apple Juice

Have your juicer ready to prepare this sweet-tasting, watermelon apple juice recipe containing just 2 ingredients!

Ingredients

3 slices of watermelon
2 apples

Instructions

Core the apples.
Cut off the rind from the watermelon.
Juice together the ingredients.
Serve and enjoy!

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Blended Fruit Smoothie Recipes

You'll need a blender to make the nutritious smoothie recipes below containing whole fruits as ingredients.

Blended Watermelon Juice

This simple watermelon juice recipe will be a big hit with friends and family.

It's refreshing and energizing, and free from added sugar!

Ingredients

1 small watermelon
1 small lime, juiced

Instructions

Slice the watermelon in half.
Scoop chunks (without seeds) from the watermelon into a blender and discard the rind.
Blend the watermelon until it's pulverized (about one minute).
Squeeze the juice of the lime into your blender.
Blend the mixture for a few seconds.
Pour the watermelon juice directly into glasses containing ice.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 4

Blueberry Protein Smoothies

This blueberry smoothie recipe contains protein in addition to natural sugars, and it's loaded with flavor!

Ingredients

1 cup of Greek yogurt
1/2 cup of frozen or fresh blueberries
Ice (optional)
Blueberries or blackberries for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend the mixture until smooth.
Garnish it with berries if you'd like.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 1-2

Orange Julius Smoothies

This Orange Julius smoothie recipe is packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and flavor.

Your entire family will love it!

Ingredients

1 large frozen banana
3/4 cup of orange juice
1/4 cup of milk or plant milk
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Orange slices for a garnish (optional)

Ingredients

Place all of the ingredients in a blender.
Blend the mixture until smooth.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 1

Peanut Butter Banana Protein Smoothies

This fruit and protein smoothie recipe is loaded with flavor and essential nutrients — even protein!

Everyone in your family, including your kids, will love it!

Ingredients

3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1 large banana, frozen and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Ice (optional)
1/2 scoop of vanilla or chocolate protein powder
1 tablespoon of flax seeds or chia seeds (optional)

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients in a blender.
Blend the mixture until it's smooth.
Pour into glasses, serve, and enjoy!

Servings: 1-2

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Homemade Fruit Popsicle Recipes

Add fresh fruit or juice to refreshing homemade popsicle recipes that don't contain any added sugar!

You'll need popsicle molds or ice cube trays to prepare the recipes below.

Apple Pie Popsicles

You don't have to feel guilty about eating or serving nutritious apple pie popsicles to your family!

They are mouth-watering, delicious, and nutritious!

Ingredients

2 apples
2 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup of kefir or coconut milk
1/2 cup of water
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
Dash of cloves
Dash of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and puree them.
Pour the mixture into popsicle molds, add popsicle sticks, and freeze until solid.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 8

Watermelon Popsicles

You can't go wrong when choosing healthy watermelon popsicles that look just like sliced watermelon!

Ingredients

3 cups of fresh watermelon, cubed
3/4 cup of coconut yogurt
6 kiwis, peeled

Instructions

Wash, slice, and cube the watermelon.
Blend it in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Transfer the watermelon to popsicle molds and freeze them for one hour.
Remove the popsicles from the freezer and place popsicle sticks in the molds.
Put the popsicles back in the freezer until the mixture is completely solid.
Add 1 tablespoon, or more if needed, of coconut yogurt to each mold and let the popsicles freeze a bit longer.
Blend kiwi fruit in a blender or food processor and top each popsicle layer with the kiwi.
Freeze the popsicles again, serve, and enjoy!

Servings: 10

Fr0zen Orange Cubes

This two-ingredient, frozen orange cubes recipe is a refreshing treat packed with antioxidants and flavor, yet free from added sugar!

Ingredients

1 – 1 1/2 cups of 100% orange-pineapple juice
2 large strawberries, diced
Ice cube tray

Instructions

Dice the strawberries and place them in each ice cube tray hole.
Fill with the trays with orange juice.
Freeze them for about 3 hours or until solid.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 8

Protein Banana Popsicles

If you're in search of a popsicle recipe that's packed with protein in addition to natural sugars and micronutrients, consider a satiating protein banana popsicle recipe!

Ingredients

1 banana
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of peanut butter
1 cup of plant milk
2 scoops of chocolate protein powder

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend the mixture until smooth.
Pour it into molds, add popsicle sticks, and let the popsicles freeze until completely solid.
Remove the popsicles from your freezer
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 10

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Erin Coleman

B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. Writer, Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.

Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she’s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.

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Dramatically improved energy levels
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Decreased inflammation & pain
Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

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Tracking Weight Loss: Celebrating Non-Scale Victories (NSVs)!

Holly Smith, M.D. — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 01:00:12 +0000

If you want to reach your health and fitness goals, then tracking weight loss is a must. But that doesn't just mean looking at the numbers on the scale!

It’s easy to say that you want to lose weight, but making a true commitment means staying accountable to your goals and monitoring your achievements along the path to fitness.

If you want to lose weight, you need to weigh yourself daily.

This may go against everything you have heard, since your weight will fluctuate even if you are making progress.

The goal here is not to become obsessed with the finite number on the scale, but instead to track your weight loss trends and look at non-scale victories (NSVs).

You don’t lose weight every day. Gain a few, lose a few. The net trend is a downward trajectory. Check-in every day at the same time to get feedback to response and trends over time

As with any goal, what you monitor is what actually improves. This goes for weight loss as well.

However, tracking your weight loss goes beyond just the number on the scale!

Once you get closer to your goal weight, your weight loss will slow. This is where you can look for other cues that go beyond the scale.

You can still monitor your weight daily to ensure that your weight isn’t creeping back up and that you are maintaining your goal weight.

But again, you don’t need to get tied up in the numbers once you reach your goal. This is where you can find new ways to track daily progress.

Here's the truth about tracking weight loss and how to embrace non-scale victories!

You don’t have to starve yourself to reach and maintain a healthy weight! It’s time to start rethinking dieting. Here’s how!

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Non-Scale Victories (NSVs)

Tracking weight loss on the scale is helpful for obvious reasons.

But there are a number of non-scale victories that will keep you motivated and accountable to your fit lifestyle.

Performance

Performance victories are excellent ways to give you feedback about your health gains.

These will be based on your specific fitness goals.

For example, you can keep track of how much weight you are lifting in your workouts.

You should see that you are lifting heavier weights or able to do more reps during your strength training sessions as your fitness progresses.

If you love doing high-intensity interval training, track your heart rate after each workout.

As your aerobic endurance improves, your resting heart rate will start to decrease.

You will also notice that you can go longer in your workouts before reaching your max heart rate.

Runners can track their times for specific race distances.

Seeing improvements in your pace is another non-scale victory that demonstrates your fitness gains.

Body Composition

A healthy physique goes beyond just your weight.

Your lean body mass and fat mass are important markers of how fit you actually are.

This can be tracked by monitoring your body fat percentage.

Research has found that higher levels of body fat also have a stronger association with cardiovascular disease risk and mortality when compared to BMI.

A study from European Heart Journal found that even individuals with a normal weight (as reported by BMI) still had a high prevalence of cardiometabolic abnormalities, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular risk factors if they had high amounts of body fat.

This shows that maintaining a healthy body fat percentage is just as important, if not more so, than simply a healthy body weight.

There are a number of ways to measure body fat percentage.

Many gyms have special bioelectric impedance scales that can give an estimate of your body fat percentage. These can also be bought for home use as well.

If you want to get really accurate, you can have a DEXA scan done. This is important for women anyway since it measures bone mineral density.

But in addition to that, DEXA scans give you a percentage for your whole body composition, including your body fat and lean muscle mass.

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How Your Clothes Fit

Another easy way to see how your health is improving other than just the number on the scale is by how your clothes fit.

While the scale may start to plateau as you reach your goal weight, you may notice that you are dropping pants sizes.

This is a crucial part of monitoring weight loss since abdominal fat is closely tied to cardiovascular disease.

In fact, waist to hip ratio is an indicator of obesity.

Studies have found that this ratio is a better marker for obesity than BMI alone.

Subjective Well-Being

As women lose weight and get into better shape, they also notice that they just feel better overall.

This subjective sense of well-being is a huge non-scale victory.

You may have more energy playing with your kids, or are able to do activities with them that had you feeling out of breath in the past.

Not only is this great for you, but also for your family as well.

Weight loss also leads to enhanced self-esteem.

Exercise leads to better health outcomes, including enhanced quality of life and improved mental health.

Plus having a fit and toned body helps improve your sense of well-being by feeling strong and healthy.

When women take charge of their fitness this helps improve self-esteem and enhances motivation to continue towards their fitness goals.

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Health Metrics

Losing weight will also lead to improved blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and better blood sugar control.

Not only will these numbers improve, but as you lose weight you may even be able to come off of certain medications if you can manage these chronic conditions with a healthy lifestyle.

And that’s a huge non-scale victory when it comes to weight loss.

Observations from Others

While we can’t base our happiness on what other people think of us, outside observations about weight loss can be a big motivational boost.

When other people notice your improved physique, it helps reinforce that you are on the right track.

And they likely will notice more than just a drop in pounds.

Your improved self-esteem and sense of well-being will be obvious as well.

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Tracking Weight Loss: From the Scale and Beyond

If you want to lose weight, you have to weigh yourself.

It sounds simple, but it can be hard sometimes when you get off track and your weight starts to creep up.

However, these are the most important moments because it gives you a chance to assess what you did and why you may be seeing a weight gain.

On the other hand, as you get closer to or actually reach your weight loss goal, you won’t see a huge change in the number on the scale.

This is where keeping track of non-scale victories will help you continue to maintain your healthy lifestyle.

You may even want to keep a journal of these achievements to keep you motivated.

Writing down your non-scale victories is just as much of a way to track your weight loss journey as the number on the scale.

As you track your weight loss, the key is not to turn the scale into the enemy or become frustrated.

You should always be thinking of the big picture and a trend of weight loss over a longer period of time.

In the end, this is not about being on a “diet” or a quick weight loss fad.

This should be a fun and sustainable healthy lifestyle that will keep you fit and active not just for yourself, but for your children and family for years to come.

Holly Smith, M.D.

B.S. Dietetics, NASM-PES Certified Trainer

Writer, Fit Mother Project

Holly is an osteopathic physician, runner, triathlete, and fitness and nutrition enthusiast.

She is board certified in nephrology and internal medicine, has a bachelors degree in dietetics and is a certified personal trainer with NASM-PES certification.

Holly has completed four full ironmans, twelve marathons, countless half ironmans, olympic distance triathlons, half marathons and numerous other road races.

Holly joined the Fit Father Project in May 2019 as a regular writer, contributing articles on health, wellness, exercise, and nutrition.

She has also recently qualified for the 2020 World Championships for Ironman 70.3, in New Zealand!

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Muscle gains & better cardiovascular fitness
Decreased inflammation & pain
Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

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If you're tired of “fad diets” & “quick fixes” and you're ready for REAL TRANSFORMATION, then FOUNDATIONS is your answer (learn more) »

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Kale Recipes: How To Cook It AND Make It Taste Good!

Erin Coleman — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 01:00:32 +0000

Kale is loaded with nutrients, but it can be a hard sell to the picky eaters in your house … unless you have some delicious kale recipes on hand!

If you're in search of nutritious kale recipes that taste delicious, choose the recipes below that are loaded with nutrient-dense ingredients and can maximize your health!

Your friends and family will love these flavorful, mouth-watering kale recipes!

The key is choosing nutritious kale recipes that match you and your family's lifestyle and taste preferences to reap a variety of health benefits!

And as always, avoid kale recipes containing high-fat meats, processed meats, fried foods, sugary condiments, or other sources of added sugar.

Learn to love kale today with these amazing kale recipes!

Want more greens? Check out these delicious weight loss salads!

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Health Benefits of Kale

Kale offers numerous health and wellness benefits because of its exceptional nutritional content.

Each 1-cup portion of chopped kale offers the following:

Calories: 34
Carbohydrates: 7 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Protein: 2 grams
Fat: 0 grams

Kale is also an excellent source of calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.

Kale offers a variety of health and wellness.

It aids in healthy weight management and can lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and your risk of cancer, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.

Kale can give you a boost of energy and help meet your body's daily nutritional needs, lowering your risk of nutritional deficiencies.

There are many ways you can cook kale or add it to some of your favorite recipes!

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The 7 Best Ways to Cook Kale

You can eat kale raw, add it to salads or smoothies, or cook it!

Some of the healthiest ways to cook kale include:

Crisp It

Preheat your oven to 300 Fahrenheit.
Trim and discard the stem ends of the kale leaves.
Discard any large ribs from the center of the kale leaves.
Rinse the kale leaves with cool water and pat them dry.
Cut larger kale leaves into smaller pieces.
Place kale in a large bowl and drizzle it with olive oil.
Toss kale pieces until they're evenly coated with the oil.
Arrange kale leaves on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Sprinkle the kale with salt.
Bake it for 20 minutes (you may have to cook it in batches).
Remove kale from the oven and let it cool.
Serve and enjoy!

Blanch It

Boil a large pot of salted water.
Place kale in the water.
After a minute or two, remove kale from the boiling water and place it in an ice-water bath.
Drain the kale, serve, and enjoy!

Steam It

Add 1-2 inches of water to a pot that fits a steamer basket.
Set the steamer basket inside the pot so it sits 3 inches above the bottom of the pan.
Bring the water to a boil and add kale.
Cover the pot and cook the kale over high heat until it reaches the desired doneness (about 10 minutes).
Transfer the kale to an ice bath and drain it.
Serve and enjoy!

Microwave It

Clean and shred kale and place it in a microwave-safe bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon of water to the bowl.
Cover the bowl with a paper towel and place it in the microwave.
Cook the kale for about 2 minutes.
Pour the kale into a strainer to remove excess water.
Serve and enjoy!

Braise It

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add salt, pepper, or other seasonings of your choice.
Add the kale and reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook the kale, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until it begins to wilt.
Cover the pot and cook until the kale is tender to your liking (a few more minutes).
Serve and enjoy!

Roast It

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place kale in a large bowl of water and wash it.
Drain the kale and use a salad spinner to dry it.
Place dried kale in a bowl and toss it with olive oil, salt, and pepper if desired.
Divide the kale among sheet pans and roast it for about 15 minutes or until crisp.
Serve and enjoy!

Sauté It

To sauté kale, rinse the kale and pat it dry.
Remove the thick parts of the kale stems.
Coarsely chop it into bite-sized chunks.
Heat garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add kale and vegetable stock and heat the mixture on high (covered) for about 5 minutes.
Remove the cover and cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until the liquid evaporates.
Season the kale with salt and pepper if you'd like.
Serve and enjoy!

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10 Nutritious Kale Recipes

Consider some of the following mouth-watering kale recipes for your next family dinner, party, or big event!

Shredded Pork and Kale Stew

This shredded pork and kale stew recipe is bursting with flavor and loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients!

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
2 cups of fresh kale, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 boneless lean pork roast (2 1/2-3 1/2 pounds)
14-ounce can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
3 14-ounce cans of chicken broth

Instructions

Place sweet potatoes, kale, onion, and garlic in a slow cooker.
Place the roast over the vegetables and add beans and seasonings.
Pour broth over the top of the mixture.
Cook the mixture, covered, on low heat until the meat gets tender (about 8-10 hours).
Remove the meat and cool it slightly.
Skim fat from the juices.
Shred the pork with two forks and return it to the slow cooker.
Heat the mixture, serve, and enjoy!

Servings: 9

Apple Kale Salad

If you're in the mood for a festive, refreshing, nutritious salad that's energizing and packed with nutrients, you'll love this apple kale salad recipe!

Ingredients

10 cups of sliced kale
1 medium apple, sliced
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup of salted pumpkin seeds

Instructions

Place kale in a large bowl.
Massage kale with your hands until the leaves become soft and darkened (about 2-3 minutes).
Sir in the apples.
Whisk together oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well blended.
Drizzle the mixture over the salad and toss to coat.
Sprinkle the salad with cheese and pumpkin seeds.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 8

Tai Asparagus, Kale, and Garlic Mushrooms

This asparagus, kale, and garlic mushroom recipe makes the perfect flavorful side dish for just about any occasion!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of coconut oil
10 ounces of fresh mushrooms, quartered (about 4 cups)
1 pound of fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into pieces
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
2 cups of fresh kale, chopped
2 teaspoons of soy sauce (use low-sodium soy sauce if needed)
1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned (about 4-6 minutes).
Add asparagus, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Cook the mixture and stir until tender and crisp (about 2-4 minutes).
Add the kale, cook, and stir until wilted (about 2-4 minutes).
Remove the mixture from the heat.
Stir in soy sauce and vinegar.
Top with sesame seeds if desired, serve, and enjoy!

Servings: 4

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Kale and Vegetable Frittatas

Serve this kale and vegetable frittata recipe for breakfast or any time of the day!

It's loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons of water
7 large eggs
3 tablespoons of milk
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
6 uncured turkey bacon strips, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup of red onion, chopped
2 cups of fresh kale, chopped

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place sweet potatoes and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave them, covered, on high heat until just tender (about 5-6 minutes), and drain.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally.
In olive oil, sauté green peppers, onions, and kale over medium heat until tender (about 4-5 minutes).
Reduce heat to low. Stir in the egg mixture and add potatoes and bacon.
Cook the mixture until the eggs are partially set (about 1-2 minutes).
Transfer the mixture to an oven and bake it until the eggs set (about 5-7 minutes).
Cut the frittata into wedges, serve, and enjoy!

Servings: 4

Meatball and Kale Couscous Soup

Consider this nutritious, savory, flavorful, and easy-to-prepare meatball and kale couscous soup recipe!

Ingredients

1 pound of very lean ground beef or ground turkey
2 teaspoons of dried basil
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons of canola oil
1 bunch of collard greens, chopped (about 8 cups)
1 bunch of kale, chopped (about 8 cups)
2 cartons (32 ounces each) of vegetable stock
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
9-ounce package of pearl couscous

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine beef or turkey, basil, oregano, and salt.
Shape the mixture into bite-sized balls.
In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, brown the meatballs, drain them, remove the meatballs, and set them aside.
In the same skillet, brown the onion in canola oil.
Add greens and kale and cook for about 6-7 minutes longer, or until wilted.
Combine the greens mixture, meatballs, stock, vinegar, pepper flakes, and pepper.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Return the mixture to a boil and stir in the couscous.
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer (stirring once) until the couscous gets tender (about 10-15 minutes).
Serve the soup hot and enjoy!

Servings: 10

Kale Blueberry Protein Smoothie

If you're in the mood for a flavorful, nutrient-dense protein shake, consider a kale blueberry protein smoothie recipe to impress friends and family!

Ingredients

1 cup of frozen blueberries
1 cup of baby kale
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
1 banana
1 scoop of protein powder
2 tablespoons of old fashioned oats
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
Ice

Instructions

Combine the blueberries, kale, yogurt, banana, protein powder, oats, chia seeds, and 1/2 cup of ice in a blender and blend the mixture until smooth.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Servings: 2

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Kale Chips

Replace traditional potato chips with this simple, healthier kale chips recipe!

Ingredients

1 bunch of kale, washed
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1-3 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning
Sea salt to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove tough stems from the kale and tear the leaves into large pieces.
Place them in a bowl and toss with olive oil and seasonings.
Arrange the leaves in a single layer on greased baking sheets.
Bake the kale, uncovered, for 10 minutes and rotate the pans.
Continue baking until the kale is crisp and just brown (about 15 minutes longer).
Let the kale chips stand for at least 5 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 4

Kale Winter Crunch Salad

Serve this tasty, flavorful, crunchy winter salad recipe during the cold winter months or any time of the year!

Ingredients

1/4 cup of raw sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon plus 1/3 cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 small shallot
1/2 large lemon
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1 large bunch of kale (about 3/4 pound)
6 ounces of Brussels sprouts
2 ounces of Parmesan cheese
1 apple, thinly sliced

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Toss 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds and 1 teaspoon of oil on a baking sheet. Season the seeds with salt and pepper.
Roast the seeds until darkened and fragrant (about 7–10 minutes) and let them cool.
Finely chop the shallot in half and transfer it to a bowl.
Using a fork, juice a lemon half over the bowl. You should have about 2 tablespoons of juice.
Finely grate 1 garlic clove into the bowl.
Whisk in 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard and season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Wash and dry 1 bunch of kale and pat the leaves dry. Strip the leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Thinly slice the leaves and transfer them to a large bowl.
Trim Brussels sprouts and pull off the dry outer leaves. Cut them in half lengthwise and arrange the halves cut side down on a board. Very thinly slice them and add Brussels sprouts slices to the bowl with the kale.
Grate 2 ounces of Parmesan using a box grater.
Add apple slices to the bowl with the kale.
Whisk 1/3 cup of oil into the bowl with the lemon mixture.
Drizzle the dressing over the kale mixture and season it with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
Add cheese and sunflower seeds and toss lightly.
Serve and enjoy!

Servings: 4

Chickpea Pancakes with Kale

Skip traditional pancakes for this healthier chickpea pancakes and kale recipe!

Ingredients

1/2 cup of chickpea flour
6 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, divided
15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon of curry powder or chile powder
1 small bunch of kale, stemmed, with the leaves torn
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1/4 cup of tahini
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Whisk chickpea flour, 1 tablespoon of oil, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl.
Let the batter sit for at least 10 minutes.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 garlic cloves in a skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until the garlic is lightly browned (about 3 minutes).
Add the chickpeas and increase the heat to medium-high.
Cook, tossing occasionally, until the chickpeas are lightly browned (6–8 minutes).
Add seasonings to the chickpeas.
Add kale and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until the kale wilts (about 2 minutes).
Transfer it to a medium bowl, add fennel, and toss to combine.
Finely grate the remaining garlic clove into a small bowl.
Whisk in tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of oil, and 2 tablespoons of water until thick and smooth. Season with salt.
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add half of the reserved batter to the center of the skillet and tilt the skillet so it spreads out into a thin pancake shape.
Cook, undisturbed, until well browned and crisp underneath (2–3 minutes).
Flip over and cook just until lightly browned on the second side (about 1 minute).
Repeat with the remaining oil and batter.
Top each pancake with chickpea salad, drizzle it with tahini sauce, serve, and enjoy!

Servings: 2

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Mushrooms with Blended White Beans and Kale

This mushrooms with white beans and kale recipe is loaded with flavor and nutrients, and is very unique!

Ingredients

6 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
4 ounces of maitake mushrooms, broken into pieces
4 ounces of shiitake mushrooms, cut into slices
Kosher salt
14.5-ounce can of cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons of lime juice, plus wedges for serving
2 garlic cloves, divided
4 scallions, cut into pieces
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves torn
1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds
1 cup of cilantro leaves

Instructions

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until brown and crispy (8–10 minutes).
Season with salt and transfer to a plate.
Purée beans, lime juice, 3 tablespoons of oil, 1 garlic clove, and 3 tablespoons of water in a blender until smooth (add more water if needed). Season with salt.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add scallions and remaining garlic and cook, tossing, until slightly brown (about 1 minute).
Add the kale and cook, tossing often, until it becomes wilted and crisp-tender (3-5 minutes). Season with salt and transfer the mixture to a plate with the mushrooms.
Divide the bean purée between 2 bowls.
Top with the greens, feta, mushrooms, sesame seeds, and cilantro.
Serve with lime wedges if you'd like and enjoy!

Servings: 2

Erin Coleman

B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. Writer, Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.

Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she’s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.

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Dramatically improved energy levels
Greater mental sharpness & clarity
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Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

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Benefits of Weight Loss: It’s More Than a Number On a Scale!

Holly Smith, M.D. — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 01:00:29 +0000

The benefits of weight loss go far beyond just looking great in front of the mirror or achieving a certain weight on the scale.

Weight loss improves so many aspects of your life, from decreasing chronic health problems to improving mental health and enhancing self-esteem.

While having a number as a weight loss goal can be a good starting point, there are so many more non-scale victories (NSVs) that you can celebrate along the way.

Strength gains, improved health markers like blood pressure and cholesterol, decreased body fat percentage, and an enhanced sex life are just a few NSVs most people don't think of.

So instead of just watching the scale, set new health goals along the way in your weight loss journey, because the scale may not always be picking up these huge fitness victories.

Keep reading to learn more about the many benefits of weight loss that are so much more than what the scale tells you!

Find out how the connection between exercise and hormones could be the key to your overall health.

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Benefits of Weight Loss

Perhaps the biggest benefits of weight loss are overall health improvements.

Research has shown that even moderate weight loss can decrease your risk for chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension.

Being overweight or obese is strongly associated with high blood pressure.

Weight gain, especially when associated with increased abdominal fat, plays a big role in hypertension.

In fact, overweight or obesity accounts for up to 65% to 75% of the risk for high blood pressure.

Numerous studies have identified the benefits of weight loss on decreasing blood pressure.

For example, one meta-analysis of 25 randomized, controlled studies found that a weight reduction of 5 kg, or a little over 10 pounds, helped to decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

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Improve Body Composition

Losing weight isn’t all about just shedding fat.

It’s also about building muscle and creating a fit, strong body.

Exercise and resistance training will not just help you lose weight but will give your body muscular definition.

Increasing muscle mass will give you a lean, fit physique, and strength training will help you maintain muscle mass while you are trying to lose weight in other areas.

It’s no secret that you burn some serious calories during a tough workout session.

But in addition to that, regular exercise will increase your lean muscle mass.

This in turn increases your resting metabolic rate and further aids in weight loss.

This means that by losing fat and gaining muscle you will burn more calories, even at rest, and maintain your weight loss goals.

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Sleep and Fitness

Sleep affects our bodies and our minds in so many ways.

It plays a role in our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Exercise and weight loss can help improve your sleep patterns and have you feeling more rested each morning.

In addition, weight loss and improved sleep can form a positive feedback loop that enhances more weight loss.

For example, if you are trying to lose weight, adequate sleep is essential to reach these goals.

Sleep deprivation can alter hormone levels that impact hunger and metabolism and increase abdominal fat.

This in turn can have a negative effect on your weight loss goals.

However, losing weight and normalizing your sleep patterns can keep your hormone levels in check.

Plus, if you don’t get enough sleep this can slow fat loss even if you are following a good nutrition and fitness plan.

So even if you are doing everything right with your diet and workout plans, you can sabotage this with poor sleep habits.

Find out why sleep is important and how getting enough quality sleep can help you lose weight.

Weight Loss and Mental Health

A lot of people turn to exercise for stress relief, and for good reason!

Losing weight will not only improve your physical fitness but also your mental and emotional health.

Being able to manage your stress levels allows you to not only be healthier overall but to live a high quality of life as well.

Exercise is an amazing outlet that allows you to strengthen both your body and mind at the same time.

A review of several health studies shows that exercise leads to better health outcomes, including enhanced quality of life, better functional capacity, and better mood states.

This is true for both aerobic and resistance exercise, which has also been found to improve anxiety.

Physical activity is truly one of the best treatments out there when it comes to decreasing stress and empowering the mind.

The endorphins released during exercise improve anxiety and can even help with pain relief.

The benefits of exercise not only include improved physical fitness, but also mental and emotional health.

Find out how to make your mind happy by training your mental health!

Strengthen Your Body and Self-Esteem

One of the ways that weight loss can improve mental health is by boosting self-esteem.

I think that we can all admit that having a toned, strong body helps improve our self-esteem. And I’m not talking about being “skinny.”

This is all about being strong and healthy.

When women take charge of their fitness this helps improve self-esteem and enhances motivation to continue towards their fitness goals.

So not only will working on that summer beach body have you looking great, but you will also be feeling great too!

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Improved Libido

Another benefit of weight loss that women often forget is improved sexual health.

Fitness encompasses all aspects of wellness. This includes physical strength, endurance, mental health, and libido.

Sexual health is an aspect of women's health that all too often goes overlooked.

Women with obesity tend to have lower levels of libido-enhancing hormones like testosterone.

This in turn leads to a lower sex drive.

However, exercise can help increase lean muscle mass and boost testosterone levels.

On top of this, weight loss can improve libido and satisfaction with sexual life in obese women.

Just another reason why physical fitness is so important in overall health.

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Better Skin

You often hear about someone having a “healthy glow.”

While being healthy is definitely more than skin deep, that doesn’t mean your skin doesn’t get an extra boost from weight loss.

Being overweight can cause a number of skin issues, from stretch marks, dry skin, hyperpigmentation, and even an increased risk of skin infections.

These skin problems are typically associated with increased sweating and friction.

In addition, obesity may also be associated with poor wound healing, malignant melanoma, and an increased risk of inflammatory skin problems such as psoriasis.

Just another NSV that comes with weight loss!

Holly Smith, M.D.

B.S. Dietetics, NASM-PES Certified Trainer

Writer, Fit Mother Project

Holly is an osteopathic physician, runner, triathlete, and fitness and nutrition enthusiast.

She is board certified in nephrology and internal medicine, has a bachelors degree in dietetics and is a certified personal trainer with NASM-PES certification.

Holly has completed four full ironmans, twelve marathons, countless half ironmans, olympic distance triathlons, half marathons and numerous other road races.

Holly joined the Fit Father Project in May 2019 as a regular writer, contributing articles on health, wellness, exercise, and nutrition.

She has also recently qualified for the 2020 World Championships for Ironman 70.3, in New Zealand!

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You'll Gain Foundational Health for the Rest of Life.

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In just 6-Weeks following FOUNDATIONS, you'll experience:

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Dramatically improved energy levels
Greater mental sharpness & clarity
Muscle gains & better cardiovascular fitness
Decreased inflammation & pain
Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

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If you're tired of “fad diets” & “quick fixes” and you're ready for REAL TRANSFORMATION, then FOUNDATIONS is your answer (learn more) »

The post Benefits of Weight Loss: It’s More Than a Number On a Scale! appeared first on The Fit Mother Project - Weight Loss For Busy Moms 40+.

Tapioca Fiber: What Is It and Is It Good for You?

Erin Coleman — Sat, 18 Sep 2021 01:00:09 +0000

We often hear about the many benefits of fiber. And, because it has the word “fiber” in it, you probably assume that tapioca fiber is good for you. But is it?

More importantly, what exactly is tapioca fiber?

Tapioca is a type of starch extracted from cassava, which is a root vegetable.

The starch form of tapioca is rich in carbs and found in many breads, baked goods, and desserts.

It's gluten- and grain-free but doesn't contain much fiber.

Prebiotic tapioca fiber is sold as a dietary supplement, and it may offer health benefits.

Keep reading to learn more about the possible benefits or drawbacks of tapioca fiber and other tapioca-containing products.

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How Much Fiber Should I Eat?

Many people don't meet their body's daily fiber needs because of poor dietary habits.

Fiber recommendations for men and women are as follows:

Women: 21-25 grams per day
Men: 30-38 grams per day

The exact amount of fiber you should consume daily depends on your gender and age.

While you can meet daily fiber needs by eating a variety of healthy plant-based foods, fiber supplementation is beneficial (if your doctor gives you the OK), especially if you have high cholesterol or you're trying to lose weight.

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Is Tapioca Good for You?

The starch form of tapioca offers few essential nutrients other than carbohydrates, and that includes fiber.

It's an alternative to gluten-containing grains if you're following a gluten-free meal plan.

However, tapioca fiber supplements containing non-digestible tapioca, are a better source of dietary fiber.

Nutrition facts for common tapioca products include:

Tapioca Flour (1/4 cup)

Calories: 110
Carbohydrates: 27 grams
Protein: 0 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Sugars: 0 grams

Tapioca Pearls (1 tablespoon)

Calories: 30
Carbohydrates: 7 grams
Protein: 0 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Sugars: 0 grams

Prebiotic Tapioca Fiber Syrup (1 tablespoon)

Calories: 10
Carbohydrates: 6 grams
Protein: 0 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
Sugars: 0 grams

Tapioca fiber supplements offer a variety of health and wellness benefits, especially if your current fiber intake is low, but it's important to check in with your doctor before taking dietary supplements.

This is especially true if you take any medications.

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What Are Other Names for Tapioca Fiber?

Additional terms you might see on the ingredient list of foods or supplements containing tapioca fiber include:

Soluble tapioca fiber
Soluble corn fiber
Soluble vegetable fiber
Soluble fiber from tapioca
Soluble fiber from corn
Non-GMO tapioca fiber
Resistant dextrin
Digestion resistant dextrin
Digestion resistant maltodextrin
Prebiotic corn fiber
Prebiotic soluble fiber
Non-GMO corn fiber

You might see these ingredients on various different prepackaged food products.

Examples include protein bars, energy bars, and some baked goods.

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Is Tapioca Fiber Safe and Healthy?

Tapioca starch is generally recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

However, prebiotic fiber supplements aren't as tightly regulated by the FDA.

It's important to choose supplements that have been third-party tested for quality and purity.

What Are the Benefits of Tapioca Fiber?

Prebiotic tapioca fiber appears to offer a variety of health and wellness benefits, including:

Enhanced Good Gut Bacteria

Supporting good gut bacteria health is possible with the help of prebiotic fiber.

This type of plant-based fiber stimulates healthy gut bacteria growth, which improves your overall health and maximizes disease prevention.

Immune System Support

Studies show that probiotics (good gut bacteria) help strengthen your body's immune system.

Since prebiotic tapioca fiber supplements support healthy gut bacteria growth and maintenance, consuming prebiotic fiber can lower your chance of getting ill or developing a chronic disease.

Improved Bowel Health

Prebiotics and probiotics in your digestive tract support intestinal health, including bowel (large intestine) health.

Prebiotic fiber can improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, diarrhea, and other GI problems, but check in with your doctor if you struggle with ongoing gastrointestinal issues.

Healthy Weight Management

Fiber is beneficial for healthy weight management for a variety of reasons.

Fiber supplements fill you up without the calories, as your body doesn't fully digest or absorb fiber but it still takes up space in your stomach.

Studies show that fiber helps reduce your overall calorie intake and enhances weight and fat loss.

Cholesterol Management

High cholesterol is common, but it dramatically increases your risk of heart disease.

Fiber is known to help lower high cholesterol, and tapioca fiber is no different — especially because it's a soluble fiber.

Ingesting 5-10 more grams of soluble fiber daily can decrease your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is your bad, blood cholesterol.

This in turn reduces your risk of a heart attack, stroke, and heart disease.

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Blood Sugar Control

Ingesting tapioca fiber helps improve blood sugar control, which is beneficial if you're at risk of developing diabetes or you've already been diagnosed with diabetes.

Resistant starch like tapioca fiber may lower blood sugar after meals, improve insulin and glucose metabolism, and boost satiety.

The fact that tapioca fiber enhances weight loss is another huge benefit of this type of fiber on blood sugar control.

Improvements in Brain Health

Believe it or not, prebiotics (including prebiotic tapioca fiber) offer improvements in brain health.

Studies show that prebiotics can improve memory, learning, mood, and overall cognition while reducing dementia and possibly offering therapeutic effects on people with autism.

Keto-Friendly

Prebiotic-rich tapioca fiber is sugar- and net carb-free, so you can include it in your diet if you follow a ketogenic meal plan or you're simply trying to watch your sugar and carbohydrate intake.

Ketogenic diets are often linked with weight loss.

Gluten-Free

If you have an intolerance to gluten and need to avoid it, tapioca flour, tapioca pearls, and tapioca fiber are safe for you to consume, as long as these products haven't been processed in a facility with gluten-containing ingredients.

Look for products that state they are “gluten-free” on the food label.

Vegan-Friendly

Because tapioca fiber is plant-based, it's a vegan-friendly addition to your meal plan.

This type of fiber can significantly increase the amount of fiber in your diet, which in turn lowers the risk of a heart attack, stroke, and chronic diseases.

While eating a diet rich in plant foods is the best way to meet daily fiber requirements, tapioca fiber helps maximize your intake.

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Are There Drawbacks of Tapioca Fiber?

While you can reap numerous health benefits from consuming tapioca fiber and it's safe to consume when processed properly, some potential drawbacks may exist.

Examples include:

Risk of Improper Processing

If you consume improperly processed cassava root products, you may be at risk of poisoning from toxic compounds.

The good news is that commercially-produced tapioca is almost always safe, including tapioca fiber supplements tested for quality and purity by third-party companies.

Cassava Allergies

While rare, allergies to cassava products like tapioca fiber may cause allergic reactions in some people — especially those who are allergic to latex.

If you have a latex allergy, use caution when consuming cassava root or consult with your doctor.

Side Effects from Too Much Fiber

Consuming too much of a good thing can be problematic, and this holds true for fiber supplements.

Consuming excess fiber can lead to gas, bloating, cramping, or constipation.

Drinking more water with fiber supplements and all throughout the day may reduce these and other side effects.

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Should I Eat Tapioca Fiber?

The decision to eat (or not to eat) tapioca fiber is entirely up to you.

Tapioca flour and pearls are carb-rich but low in fiber, protein, and other nutrients.

Due to its high fiber content, prebiotic tapioca fiber offers a variety of health benefits that include lower cholesterol, healthy weight management, improved gut health, and a low risk of chronic diseases.

But it's important to consult with your doctor before taking new dietary supplements, especially if you have a medical condition.

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How Can I Add Tapioca Fiber to Meal Plans?

There are several ways you can add tapioca fiber to your diet, especially prebiotic tapioca fiber syrup.

For example, you can add fiber-rich tapioca syrup to:

Homemade protein bars
Protein shakes
Almond milk
Other plant milks
Coffee
Tea
Oatmeal
Whole-grain cereals
Greek yogurt

You can even eat a spoonful of tapioca fiber syrup instead of adding it to foods or drinks if you'd like!

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Other Sources of Soluble Fiber

You don't have to choose tapioca fiber to meet all of your body's soluble fiber needs.

Other foods rich in soluble fiber include:

Oatmeal
Oat bran cereal
Dried beans
Apples
Pears
Brussels sprouts

Additional food sources of fiber include:

All fruits
All vegetables
Peas, lentils, and other legumes
Nuts
Seeds
All whole grains

In addition to tapioca fiber supplements, psyllium and other fiber-rich supplements are available, but check in with your doctor before trying them.

Increasing your current fiber intake by just 5-10 grams daily can do wonders for your health.

Choose a variety of non-starchy vegetables (spinach, other leafy greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers, etc.) and fill half of your plate with them.

Fill the other half of each plate of food with protein foods (chicken, turkey, very lean beef, eggs, fish, seafood, tofu, etc.), and fiber-rich starches like corn, peas, dried beans, lentils, other legumes, sweet potatoes, or whole grains.

Add 1-2 servings of fruit to your daily meal plan too!

Examples of high-fiber foods and their corresponding fiber content include:

1 tablespoon of tapioca fiber: 6 grams
1 cup of whole-grain cereal: 3-25 grams
1 cup of other whole grains: 2-6 grams
1 cup of fruit: 1-8 grams
1 cup of vegetables (non-legumes): 2-5 grams
1 cup of legumes: 9-16 grams
1 ounce of nuts or seeds: 3-10 grams

In addition to choosing tapioca fiber or other fiber-rich options, consume three servings of dairy foods or plant equivalents (milk, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, plain kefir, soy milk, other plant milks, low-sugar protein shakes, etc.).

Also, refined grains, such as white bread, regular pasta, and white rice, contain much less fiber than whole grains so avoid refined grains when possible.

The same holds true for most baked goods.

Instead, choose whole-grain bread, whole-grain pasta, brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, oatmeal, or other nutritious whole grains.

Erin Coleman

B.S. Nutritional Science, R.D., L.D. Writer, Fit Mother Project

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 15 years of freelance writing experience.

She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed her dietetic internship at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Prior to beginning her career in medical content writing, Erin worked as Health Educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Internal Medicine.

Her published work appears on hundreds of health and fitness websites, and she’s currently working on publishing her first book! Erin is a wife, and a Mom to two beautiful children.

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In just 6-Weeks following FOUNDATIONS, you'll experience:

Rapid decrease in body fat
Dramatically improved energy levels
Greater mental sharpness & clarity
Muscle gains & better cardiovascular fitness
Decreased inflammation & pain
Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

FOUNDATIONS has transformed 60,000 lives! Are you ready to experience true lasting health & results?

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Nutrient Timing: What to Eat Before and After a Workout

Holly Smith, M.D. — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 01:00:03 +0000

We all know how important our nutrition is to living a fit and healthy lifestyle. But it's not just the types of foods that matter, but also your nutrient timing.

The food you eat every day is made up of macronutrients and micronutrients.

Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals in foods that supplement your body to support your overall health.

Macronutrients are the components of food that supply your body with energy to get you through the day. These are carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Each of these macronutrients plays a specific role in your health and fitness.

Carbohydrates and protein are essential for exercise, and this makes their timing around your workout critical.

Here's what you need to know about nutrient timing and how to incorporate it before and after your workouts, and throughout your busy day.

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Protein Intake

If you want to build strength and gain muscle, you need to consume an adequate amount of protein.

Protein is the building block for muscle growth and maintenance.

Therefore increasing protein intake is key to rebuilding muscle after a tough workout.

Protein is a macronutrient that not only builds muscle but also spares muscle mass.

This becomes even more important if you are trying to lose weight.

One study found that individuals on low-calorie diets that consumed a higher proportion of protein gained more lean muscle mass and lost more fat.

This was even when performing strength training and high-intensity interval training six days a week.

You need to include lean protein sources in your diet throughout the day, and also time protein intake before and after your endurance and resistance workouts.

How much protein do we need per day? Calculate your daily protein intake!

Post Workout Nutrient Timing

Protein Post-Exercise

The period of time immediately after exercise is typically considered the most crucial part of nutrient timing.

Consuming protein post-exercise helps rebuild damaged muscle fibers and restore glycogen to exhausted tissues.

Plus, it improves body composition and exercise performance.

This critical time for protein intake immediately after exercise is sometimes referred to as the “anabolic window.”

But why is this window important?

Increase Muscle Protein Synthesis and Decrease Muscle Breakdown

One of the most talked-about benefits of post-workout nutrient timing is that it enhances muscle protein synthesis.

Resistance training on its own has been shown to lead to an increase in protein synthesis following exercise.

However, this is also counterbalanced by continued muscle breakdown due to the workout itself.

Studies show that muscle protein breakdown is only slightly elevated immediately post-exercise and then rapidly rises.

In fact, protein breakdown can last for up to 24 hours after a workout.

In order to maximize muscle protein synthesis, you should consume high-quality protein, typically with carbohydrates.

This has been shown to improve muscle synthesis more than just consuming carbohydrates on their own.

Researchers have also found that consuming protein as soon as possible after exercise is more beneficial for muscle growth than delaying consumption.

For example, in one study, participants consumed supplements containing 10 grams of protein, 8 grams of carbohydrate, and 3 grams of fat.

This was either done immediately after or three hours after exercise.

Protein synthesis of the legs and whole body was increased threefold when the supplement was ingested immediately after exercise.

However, when intake was delayed protein synthesis only increased 12%.

The amount of protein intake after exercise will vary, but generally, 0.4–0.5 grams per kilogram of lean body mass post-exercise is a good guideline to follow.

This is consistent with evidence demonstrating a maximal anabolic effect of around 20–40 grams of protein.

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Carbohydrates

Contrary to some popular fad diets, carbs are not the enemy.

Carbohydrates are the key macronutrient for endurance exercise, and play a crucial role in muscle building as well.

Glycogen, which is your body’s stored form of carbohydrates, is essential for peak endurance and strength training.

Studies show a more rapid replacement of depleted glycogen stores when carbohydrates are consumed immediately post-exercise.

On the other hand, when consumption is delayed by just 2 hours this can slow the rate of muscle glycogen resynthesis by as much as 50%.

In addition, there is evidence that combining protein and carbohydrates after a workout further increases glycogen resynthesis.

This is all the more reason to grab that post-workout nutrition!

Carb Up for Endurance and Strength

Carbohydrates aren’t just essential for endurance exercise either.

This nutrient is essential for muscle growth and resistance training performance as well.

Studies have shown that weight training exercise combined with carbohydrate consumption results in significantly greater gains in both type I and type II muscle fibers when compared to weight training alone.

So after a high-intensity strength training workout, you should consume both protein and carbohydrates.

This will maximize your muscle growth potential.

Consuming protein and carbs post-exercise is even more important if you are performing a fasted workout.

This is common if you work out first thing in the morning.

After an overnight fast, you definitely need immediate nutrient intake after a workout in the form of protein and carbohydrates.

This will promote muscle protein synthesis and reduce muscle breakdown.

Those are good carbs, but what are the worst carbs to eat?

Pre-Exercise Intake

A lot of women already know how important it is to eat after a workout.

The trickier part of nutrient timing is figuring out when to eat before exercise.

You need to adequately fuel your activities so that you can perform at your highest potential.

If you go too long between eating and a workout you could fade halfway through.

However, you also want to avoid GI distress, such as stomach cramps or nausea, during an intense workout.

Another factor to consider is that the food you eat prior to your workout will also influence how quickly you need to consume nutrients after you finish.

If you eat close enough to when you start your activity, you don’t necessarily need to eat right after exercise as these nutrients will still be around to be absorbed and utilized for muscle and glycogen restoration and repair.

If you want to maximize strength gains prior to a resistance workout, you should try to consume a pre-exercise meal within 1-2 hours of your activity.

Depending on its size and composition, this meal can function as both a pre- and an immediate post-exercise meal, since the absorption can persist well into the recovery period.

However, if you workout 3–4 hours after your last meal, you should consume at least 20 grams of protein (or around 0.4-0.5 grams per kilogram lean body mass) as soon as possible after exercise to expedite muscular recovery and growth.

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Nutrient Timing for Performance and Recovery

What you consume before and after a workout can play a major role in how well you can perform and recover from exercise.

Plus, your pre- and post-workout nutrition will also determine how well your body and muscles respond to your training once you are finished.

If you aren’t properly fueled for your activities, you can’t give a full effort.

This will lead to submaximal workouts and stalled fitness gains.

And if you don’t provide your body with nutrients after a tough gym session, your muscles can’t recover properly to repair and rebuild.

In the end, this means less muscle mass, and a lower resting metabolic rate.

So to get the most benefit from your hard efforts in the gym, you should aim to have a pre-workout snack ideally about 2 to 3 hours before your workout.

Since you need energy, this should be a carbohydrate-rich snack of about 200 to 300 calories that also contains around 15-25 grams of protein.

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Nutrient Timing Around Your Workouts

After a workout, you want to time your nutrient intake so that your muscles have the fuel they need for recovery.

You definitely don’t want to waste all the hard work you just did!

While the “anabolic window” isn’t set in stone, your best bet is to try to get a protein and carbohydrate-rich snack or meal in as soon as you can after an intense workout.

However, if you have to delay eating, this isn’t a deal-breaker either.

A meta-analysis in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Medicine showed that the time period where muscles will have their biggest response to nutrient intakes can actually last from four to six hours.

To avoid GI issues while working out avoid foods that are high in fiber.

You may also want to skip processed foods that contain ingredients such as sugar alcohols as these can cause gas and bloat.

It may take some trial and error to determine what nutrition works best for you prior to exercise.

Generally, simple carbs that can be digested more quickly, like a banana or white toast with peanut butter are good options.

You can experiment with your workouts to figure out what works best.

Some good choices include a protein shake, peanut butter and an apple, or yogurt and nuts.

Some people even love chocolate milk since it has an ideal ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fat to refuel after a tough workout.

By timing your nutrient intake to coincide with exercise you can perform at your highest capacity and make the most out of each and every workout!

Holly Smith, M.D.

B.S. Dietetics, NASM-PES Certified Trainer

Writer, Fit Mother Project

Holly is an osteopathic physician, runner, triathlete, and fitness and nutrition enthusiast.

She is board certified in nephrology and internal medicine, has a bachelors degree in dietetics and is a certified personal trainer with NASM-PES certification.

Holly has completed four full ironmans, twelve marathons, countless half ironmans, olympic distance triathlons, half marathons and numerous other road races.

Holly joined the Fit Father Project in May 2019 as a regular writer, contributing articles on health, wellness, exercise, and nutrition.

She has also recently qualified for the 2020 World Championships for Ironman 70.3, in New Zealand!

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In just 6-Weeks following FOUNDATIONS, you'll experience:

Rapid decrease in body fat
Dramatically improved energy levels
Greater mental sharpness & clarity
Muscle gains & better cardiovascular fitness
Decreased inflammation & pain
Renewed motivation & greater focus on health.

FOUNDATIONS has transformed 60,000 lives! Are you ready to experience true lasting health & results?

If you're tired of “fad diets” & “quick fixes” and you're ready for REAL TRANSFORMATION, then FOUNDATIONS is your answer (learn more) »

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Diet Archives - The Fit Mother Project - Weight Loss For Busy Moms 40+

Stop Starting Over: The Secret to Consistent Fitness for Women Over 40

The Trap of Perfectionism

Why It Hits Harder After 40

The Science of Progress, Not Perfection

The Antidote: All-or-Something Thinking

Your New Rule: Never Miss Twice

Building Emotional Resilience Along the Way

How to Start Breaking Free Today

The Takeaway

Ready to Build Consistency That Lasts?

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Easy Resolutions: 40 Achievable Goals For the New Year!

15 Easy Resolutions for the New Year

1. Work Out at Least 4 Days a Week

2. Exercise at Least 20 Minutes Most Days

3. Walk Every Day, Especially After Meals

4. Eat 3 Servings of Vegetables Daily

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5. Drink 12 Cups of Fluids

6. Lose 1-2 Pounds per Week

7. Do at Least 2 House Chores Daily

8. Weigh Yourself Every Day

9. Eat Protein Foods During Every Meal

10. Eat Fiber-Rich Foods at Each Meal

11. Schedule Time for Relaxation

12. Sleep at Least 7 Hours Each Night

13. Take Vitamins

14. Take Care of Your Skin

15. Work Out Your Abs Daily

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25 Additional Easy Resolutions for the New Year

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Get Started with Easy Resolutions

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Are Olives Healthy? The Answer Plus 10 Olive Recipes!

Nutrition Facts for Olives

Black Olives (1 ounce)

Green Olives (1 ounce)

Greek Olives (1 ounce)

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Are Olives Healthy?

Pros

Cons

Fiber

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Ways to Add Olives to Meal Plans

Recipes Containing Olives

Marinated Green Beans, Olives, Feta, and Tomatoes

Olive Salsa

Skillet Chicken with Olives

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Feta Olive Spread

Turkey Mushroom Feta Olive Burgers

Greek Omelets with Olives

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Salmon with Green Olives and Capers

Italian Olive Salad

Hearty Chili with Olives

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Olive and Artichoke Hummus

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Is Frozen Fruit Healthy? Here’s What You Need to Know!

Is Frozen Fruit Healthy?

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Fruits You Can Freeze and Ways to Freeze Them

Pros and Cons of Frozen Fruit

Pros

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Join our 6-Week Doctor Designed Health Program.
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Join our 6-Week Program...
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Join our 6-Week Program...
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Join our 6-Week Program...
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Join our 6-Week Doctor Designed Health Program.
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Join our 6-Week Program...
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Join our 6-Week Program...
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Join our 6-Week Doctor Designed Health Program.
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Join our 6-Week Program...
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Join our 6-Week Doctor Designed Health Program.
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Join our 6-Week Program...
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