What’s your habit changing style?

In her latest book, Better than Before, happiness guru Gretchen Rubin offers advice on how we can form new habits that will make us healthier and happier. It’s an engaging book, equal parts research and personal observation, with lots of practical strategies.

But to be honest, you’ve probably heard most of this advice before: keep a log of the behavior you’re trying to change, remove obstacles, pre-commit, find support, create accountability, and so on.

For me, the most useful insight in Rubin’s book is that habit change is not a one-size-fits-all prescription. The strategies that work for me may not work for you. Continue reading “What’s your habit changing style?” >

What big research studies can’t tell you

This morning, I got the loveliest note from Lisa, who wrote:  “I’m enjoying a new-found freedom since beginning to listen to your podcasts! Learning to listen to my body instead of so much nutrition news-of-the-day has changed my life. Thank you!!”

And it’s true: It IS really important to pay attention to what is and isn’t working for you, rather than blindly following some dietary dogma. At the same time, I think we can learn a lot from (good) research. Continue reading “What big research studies can’t tell you” >

The 30 Day Easy Way Nutrition Upgrade

Monica Reinagel MS, LDN (2)What would it take to change your eating habits for the better (and for good)?

Maybe less than you think!

In this one-hour class, you’ll learn a simple approach that will help you gently reshape your eating habits and upgrade your nutrition, starting exactly where you are right now.

No judgment. No breast-beating. No forbidden foods.

Cost: $20

Includes:

  • Immediate access to the 45-minute introductory video. (Watch at your convenience, as many times as you like.)
  • Downloadable handouts and other program materials.
  • Access to a private forum for ongoing connection and support.

What this Isn’t

This is not a detox program (although you will probably eat cleaner)

This is not a weight loss program (although you may lose weight)

You won’t have to log everything you eat (unless you want to).

This isn’t an all-or-nothing challenge that you white-knuckle it through for 30 days in exchange for bragging rights (I went 30 days without sugar!) or a split of the pot (I lost 5% of my body weight in 4 weeks!). If that’s what you’re looking for, you might want to check out the Whole Life Challenge or Diet Bet.

I don’t have anything against those sorts of games. But, we both know you can do just about anything for 30 days. And then what? As motivating as these games are in the short-term, they rarely lead to sustainable change. And that’s what I’m all about.

RegisterNow

 

What This Is

The 30-Day Easy Way Nutrition Upgrade is a simple–but powerful–program that runs quietly in the background, subtly reshaping your habits.  You’ll learn the whole system in the webinar but here are the broad strokes:

Every day for 30 days, you’ll answer 10 yes-or-no questions about what you ate that day and get instant feedback on how your choices are adding up and how you can easily upgrade your nutrition.  It takes about two minutes a day and can be effortlessly incorporated in to any daily routine.

And because it’s so simple (and kinda fun), most people simply keep on going when the 30 days is over, and continue to reap the benefits of their improved eating habits.

Here’s what some recent participants said:

“This is the opposite of a diet. It’s more like playing a game—and I end up eating better.”

“Two weeks in and I am loving the upgrade! Thanks, Monica, for the guilt-free, pain-free plan.”

“I can’t tell you how much this program has done for me! Best $20 I have spent in a long time!”

“I’m only on Day 5 but I am loving this tool. I love how simple it is and the daily feedback keeps me motivated.”

“I’m loving the program! Feeling great and so psyched  to be making sustainable changes rather than embarking on yet another intense, radical, short-term overhaul that ends up fizzling out.”

Will You Join Us?

RegisterNow

I could keep going on about why I’m so excited about this. But I really don’t think I can say any better than this recent participant:

“Good nutrition isn’t about perfection; it’s about finding a balance between healthy habits and things you might eat simply for pleasure. Setting unrealistic goals or pushing yourself too hard will backfire sooner or later.”

What she said!

If any of that resonates with you, this program is for you. (In fact, it’s my most popular and successful program.)

Cost: $20

Includes:

  • Immediate access to the 45-minute introductory video. (Watch at your convenience, as many times as you like.)
  • Downloadable handouts and other program materials.
  • Access to a private forum for ongoing connection and support.

RegisterNow

What’s the science behind an anti-inflammatory diet?

Martha writes: “How does anyone really know what causes inflammation and what fights it, in the way of foods?”

Science of Anti-Inflammatory DietsA lot of people (myself included) are touting the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet these days.  Then again, people tout all kinds of diets–and some of them are complete hooey. So Martha’s question is completely justified: What do we really know about how food affects inflammation?

The evidence on diet and inflammation

In fact, there is quite a bit of data to go on, starting with a lot of observational evidence. In these types of studies, we don’t try to change what people eat; we simply gather data on what they are eating and other aspects of their health and look for patterns. And we can see consistent relationships between various nutrients and foods and the blood markers that indicate systemic inflammation.  Continue reading “What’s the science behind an anti-inflammatory diet?” >

Cast iron pans can increase your iron intake

Shrimp Stir Fry

Q. I enjoy using cast-iron cookware and I have heard that it can increase the iron content of some foods during cooking.  Is this a safe source of iron and are there any foods that I shouldn’t be cooking in cast-iron?

A. It’s true! Acidic foods like tomatoes can react with the metal in a cast-iron skillet and actually absorb some of the iron molecules. This is a safe and effective way to increase your iron intake.

So, how much of a difference does this make in the iron content of foods? Potentially, a lot. Continue reading “Cast iron pans can increase your iron intake” >

My SNAP Challenge

After Gwyneth Paltrow’s spectacular fail last week, I decided to try a virtual SNAP challenge of my own. Could I buy enough groceries to eat nutritiously for a week on $29?

Paltrow’s grocery haul was perfectly respectable in terms of nutrition. The problem was that it didn’t contain nearly enough calories to sustain an adult for a week.

I’m not saying that the following rations would win any gourmet awards. But it would supply 2,000 calories per day and meet 100% of almost all of your dietary requirements…for just over $4/day.  (Prices were sourced from my local grocery store, using their online shopping tool.) Continue reading “My SNAP Challenge” >