Meredith Butulis

Tag: weight loss

  • Top 10 Spring Nutrition Upgrades

    Top 10 Spring Nutrition Upgrades

    Spring has sprung! There are 2 major nutrition questions I receive every spring:

    1. What diet is best to tone up or lose weight?
    2. My calves are cramping up. What exercises fix this?

    Great news, these are both answered with nutrition, and that nutrition involves drinking water and more green veggies.

    Why?

    Green veggies contain fiber and vitamin K (along with others). They pack a lot of hunger-satiation without a lot of calories. With people generally being more active in spring, they also sweat more, hence losing valuable electrolytes. Green veggies and water can help the body replenish to decrease muscle cramping.

    Great news! Spring brings the rise of green veggies being in season to match your spring training.  Here are the top in-season spring veggies to seek out & few recipe ideas:

    • Broccoli: Broccoli is wonderful raw with a bit of hummus. Looking for more creativity? Try these top 9 easy recipes from AllRecipes.
    • Pea pods: Pea pods are also a wonderful grab n’ go snack. Looking for a healthy stir fry? Try this pea pod and carrot stir fry from Eating Well.
    • Asparagus: Roasted or grilled are my favorites. Oven-roasting at 400 for 10 minutes provides a quick and easy side dish.
    • Brussels sprouts: While I enjoy them oven-roasted by themselves, many people seek more flavor. Try this shallot and balsamic glaze recipe from Skinny Taste.
    • Kohlrabi: Wondering what to do with this one? Oven-roasting or steaming are my go-to no-fuss favorites. It’s like cauliflower, though, you can turn it into many things! Learn more about this mysterious veggie and how to prep it at The Kitchn.
    • The potpourri of green leafy things: Kale, spinach, chard, and more. I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of salads, so the leafy greens go into my protein shakes. You’ll never know they are hiding there! Amp up your mix n’ match nutrient-packed shake repertoire with this amazing infographic from Precision Nutrition.
    • Lettuces: Romaine and butter lettuce are my top choices. They do lend themselves to the base of any salad, but they are also a great bread substitute to make healthy wraps! If you seek inspiration beyond the basic, try this Food Network recipe.

    Which greens will you try next, and what are your favorite ways to enjoy them? Feel free to share thoughts and even your own favorite recipes! Let’s Go Green for spring!

     

  • 3 Essential Habits to Get Fit This Spring

    3 Essential Habits to Get Fit This Spring

    Seeking a more toned spring physique?

    Why is it that winter just brings on this fluffy feeling? Then we feel the need to jump into fitness when the swimsuit season arrives.

    Good news: you aren’t alone in asking this question. I hear this question from teammates, family members, patients, friends . . . at least every day. I even ask the question myself!

    More good news: if spending an hour in the gym every day isn’t your thing, there are a few daily essential habits that can really accelerate your Spring into Fitness physique changes! Even if you enjoy the gym, these foundations can help you too!

     

    Walking – Start by aiming for 10,000 steps/day. On average, each step burns .044 kcal. Many times we walk less in the winter because it’s cold outside. For example, in the winter, I often walk 6,000 steps/day. In the spring, I often walk 10,000 steps/day. That is a 5,280 kcal difference/month. The baseline walking difference accounts for 1.5 lbs/month. Even better, walking is often aerobic; it burns fat. We can see that aiming for more steps/day can accelerate how well your muscle tone can be seen.

     

    Sleep – Aim for at least 8 hours/night. I often hear weight loss clients mention “hormonal imbalances,” which may or may not be a major component of individual physique goals. However, sleep is the time for the body to restore and hormones to reset. If you have trouble getting to sleep, set a wind-down routine, such as brain dumping in a journal for 5 minutes, and performing a quick 5-minute yoga sequence.

    You can find many sequences by scrolling the video archives on my Facebook and Instagram pages. There are also several do-anywhere step-by-step workouts in my Mobility | Stability Equation E-books on Amazon.

     

    Hydration – Hydration not only promotes processing the body’s fuel well, but also promotes pliability of the muscles and fascia. If you’re interested in strength training, running, or sports, adding water can be an injury prevention bonus. Generally, start with at least half your body weight in ounces, and then adjust to individual needs and activities. Example: If you weigh 200 lbs, aim for 100 oz of water as your daily starting point. That is the equivalent of 6-7 re-fills of a standard 16 oz water bottle.

     

    Let’s get back to our foundations of fitness with steps, sleep, and hydration this spring! Have thoughts and questions? Please share a comment and I’ll respond.