Blog – Page 28 of 64 – Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes

Always Eating? Part 1: Nutrition

June 1, 2020July 13, 2021 by Carol Collins MS, RDN, LDN

I have been a registered dietitian for 30 years and keep up to date on recently published literature so rest assured, my suggestions are evidence-based! Let’s evaluate a common situation that individuals encounter.

“I can’t stop eating….I’m always eating.“

To really unpack this, we have to look at the interplay between nutrition, self-care and coping with emotions. In the interest of brevity, I will start with nutrition. Cliff hanger, my next two blogs will look at self-care and coping with emotions, respectively.

First, keep your body nourished. This may seem counterintuitive if you are trying to lose weight but being too hungry causes you to always have “food on the brain”, which preloads you to cope with emotions using food. The Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less and Eat Smart, Move, Prevent Diabetes programs suggest that you plan for and bring snacks with you so that you avoid becoming overly hungry because being overly hungry often results in overeating.

Nutrition Self-Check:

Are you eating three well-balanced meals containing a whole grain, protein, and fruit or vegetable?

Do all of your meals contain some form of whole grain? If so, you may reduce your craving for chips or cookies in the afternoon or evening.

Are your meals so small that they are really snacks? If so, you may end up being hungry every two hours or so and end up snacking all day.

When you eat, how full are you? If you eat until you are satisfied or comfortably full, the meal will most likely sustain you for four hours or so. If you finish eating and still feel hungry, it’s no surprise that you’ll feel like eating again soon!

Try this:

Curate a list of foods that satisfy you. Snacks containing fiber, protein and healthy fats are recommended to provide satiety. Compare how satisfied you feel after eating the following:

An apple vs. an apple and peanut butter

A handful of raisins vs. a handful of almonds

A smoothie vs. a turkey sandwich

You may also enjoy:

How to Snack Smart While Working from Home

How to Practice Mindful Eating While Working from Home

Why You Should Still Meal Prep When Working From Home

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Pantry Staple Essentials

May 29, 2020July 13, 2021 by Casey Collins

“A pantry is like a quiver of arrows, at your back and at the ready.”
Abra Berens in her cookbook, Ruffage

Pantry staples are more important than ever. For the past several months, I have only been going to the grocery store once a week, which has made me more mindful when planning my weekly shopping trip. Actually, our Meal Planning 101: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide blog has been especially helpful during this time.

I like to put some of my pantry staples in clear containers on an open shelf in my kitchen, that way I can see how much of each item I have on hand (see picture above). Pro tip: cut out the cooking instructions from the original packaging and place it in the container in case you forget. Seeing what you have on hand and keeping them within reach helps you use your pantry items regularly. Also, a well-stocked pantry can be the difference between eating at home or getting take-out, which is a great way to save time and money.

Since I am only grocery shopping weekly, I do not make any secondary trips if I realize I have forgotten an item. Instead, I have embraced recipe improvisation. For example, recently a recipe called for a serrano pepper and I didn’t have any on hand so I just improvised with crushed red pepper flakes. This could be done with cheeses, maybe a recipe calls for feta but you only have parmesan or goat cheese on hand. The recipe won’t be the same but it will be similar enough. I have learned a lot about cooking and how to improvise from cookbooks like Ruffage and Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat (which is also an amazing Netflix mini-series).

Here are some suggestions to get you started building a strong pantry. You can use a premade pantry list as a reference but we recommend tailoring premade lists to your preferences, otherwise, you will end up buying items you may never use. You can always add more items as you begin to cook more.

Dry or Canned Foods

Whole-grain pasta
Brown rice
Canned tuna or salmon
Canned vegetables

Freezer Foods

Chicken
Ground beef
Whole-grain bread
Fruit
Vegetables

Refrigerator Foods

Milk
Egg
Cheese
Fresh produce (fruit & vegetables)

Condiments & Spices

Vinegar
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
3 or 4 spices

Let’s hear from the Admin Team:

I asked members of the administration team what pantry staples have been in their heavy rotation these past few months. We focused primarily on shelf-stable items.

Casey photo — **Casey**,
*Communications Specialist*

Black beans (canned)
Tomato sauce
Lentils
Chicken or vegetable stock
Vinegar or limes/lemons

Surabhi photo — **Surabhi**,
*Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes*
*Program Manager*

Black beans (dry or canned)
Whole wheat spaghetti/pasta
Crushed tomatoes and/or tomato sauce
Lentils (several options)
Brown rice
Chickpeas

Kelly photo — **Kelly**,
*Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes Coordinator*

Black beans
Chick peas for making hummus
Chicken or vegetable stock for making soup
Brown rice
Quinoa

Corinne photo — **Corinne**,
*Diabetes Prevention Program Coordinator*

Eggs (not sure if this counts as it’s more of a fridge thing but definitely had on heavy rotation for COVID)
Onions & shallots
Quinoa
Olive oil
Lemons/lemon juice

You may also enjoy:

Quick Weeknight Dinner Recipe: Kale and White Bean Pasta

What to Make With Canned Beans

A Med-Inspired Vegetarian Wrap

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“Overall–I learned balance.”

May 28, 2020July 13, 2021 by Casey Collins

Below is a testimonial from current Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant, Nicole:

“I can’t believe this is almost over, but it has been huge for me. I can’t say that enough. I got excited when we got the new magazines, with every class and every prize.

Over the past several years I have lost and gained through “quick fixes” to the point where I was not only at my heaviest, but I was at the point where I felt there was no point in trying to lose weight. This program was what I needed. I needed the gentle weekly accountability, the small subtle changes and while the weight didn’t pour off like in the past, I was learning to be ok with that. I learned that small daily changes lead to big life changes. I also learned to be more gentle with my progress and not see any one slip as a game-changer. Overall-I learned balance. So, thank you. This group has meant so much to me that I am continuing to find ways to keep this going and to make sure I have that accountability.”

-Nicole, a current Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant

You may also enjoy:

“I feel better and exercise more!”

“I feel the best that I have in years!”

“Since meeting my personal goal of losing 10 pounds, I feel good.”

Don’t miss another great blog: Subscribe Now

A Med-Inspired Vegetarian Wrap

May 21, 2020July 13, 2021 by Sydney Wills

May is International Mediterranean Diet Month (or #MedMonth) which highlights the Mediterranean-style eating pattern. The Mediterranean Diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and lean meats. It’s not only backed by research, but it is also delicious and satisfying which makes it a popular eating pattern for many. There are several Med-inspired recipes on our website as well as our sister website MEDinsteadofmeds.com, but if you want to “dip your toes” in the pool of the Mediterranean diet, the recipe below is a great place to start.

The reason this recipe fits into the Med-style of eating is that it is loaded with vegetables (cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, onion), the tortilla is whole wheat, and contains a good source of protein (chickpeas). Finish it off with some spices and oil/vinegar and you have yourself a Med meal! I have been using this recipe a lot for my lunches since it is so quick and easy to put together.

Ingredients:

1 15 oz-can chickpeas
¼ cup English cucumber
¼ cup Feta cheese (crumbled)
½ ripe tomato
¼ cup red pepper
¼ cup red onion
2 Whole-wheat tortillas
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat.
Drain and rinse chickpeas and add to skillet.
Add salt, pepper, paprika, basil, oregano, and balsamic vinegar and mix well
Allow to cook for 5-10 minutes until heated
Meanwhile, heat a whole wheat tortilla in the microwave for about 30 seconds and chop the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and pepper.
Assemble wrap by placing the desired amount of chickpeas into the wrap.
Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese
Top with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and red peppers and roll into the wrap.

Serves 2

Nutrition Info: Calories 385 kcals; Fat 11.3g; Carbohydrates 26.6g; Protein 6.2g

You may also enjoy:

Meal Prep Mediterranean Lunch Salad

Quick Weeknight Dinner Recipe: Kale and White Bean Pasta

Meal Prep Mediterranean Chicken

Celebrate Memorial Day the Med Way

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“I feel better and exercise more!”

May 19, 2020July 13, 2021 by Casey Collins

Below is a testimonial from current Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant, Mary:

I am an 81-year-old female and I have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Even though I tried to eat healthy my A1c numbers never improved. I was referred to the Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes program by my primary physician, and started the class at NC State University in October 2019.

I reached my personal goal of losing 10 pounds at the end of Part 1. In fact, I lost 11 lbs and I am continuing to maintain that weight. I feel better and exercise more regularly. My A1c number has even moved down by 0.3 points. I look forward to losing at least 10 more pounds by the end of Phase 2 in September of 2020. Our instructor, Heather, is a great motivator!

–Mary, a current Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant

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“I’ve lost over 40 pounds and feel 100% better”

“I now have hope of a healthy body and healthy life!”

“I feel the best that I have in years!”

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Quick Weeknight Dinner Recipe: Kale and White Bean Pasta

April 29, 2020July 13, 2021 by Surabhi Aggarwal, RD, LDN

At a recent Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes Cooking School, we demonstrated a simple pasta dish made with vegetables and beans. It is shared below with a few modifications based upon what was available in my refrigerator the night I made this for dinner. I would have also liked to add carrots to this dish but I did not have any at the time. You can substitute the vegetables in this recipe with any others you prefer or have on hand. The main thing to remember is to add a lot of vegetables so each serving has much more vegetables as compared to pasta.

The dish is super simple and tastes delicious. You can save a lot of time if you have the vegetables chopped and ready to go ahead of time. Also, I happened to have 100% chickpea pasta which is what I used for this recipe but this can certainly be substituted by any 100% whole grain pasta.

Healthy Kale and White Bean Pasta

Serves 5

Ingredients:

100% chickpea pasta, ½ of 10 oz. box
Olive oil, ¼ cup
Garlic, ½ tsp (minced)
Pine nuts, ¼ cup
Chopped kale, 1 lb bag (10 cups)
Baby mushrooms, 1 box (8 ounces)
Red pepper, 1 (diced)
White cannellini beans, 1 can (drained and rinsed)
Salt to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Keep aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and pine nuts and sauté until light brown.
Add kale, mushrooms, red peppers and sauté for a few minutes until cooked to desired softness.

Add white beans and mix well.

Add cooked pasta and salt. Mix well.

Serve with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and red crushed pepper as desired. Fresh parmesan cheese is an optimal option for best taste.

Nutrition Information per Serving (excludes sprinkle of shredded cheese)*:

Calories – 395
Fat – 16 grams
Protein – 18 grams
Carbohydrates – 45 grams

* Calculated using MyFitnessPal recipe analyzer, www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator

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How You Can Eat MORE to Eat LESS

Quick Weeknight Dinner – Mexican Quesadillas

Spicy Okra Stir-fry

Indian Cabbage Stir-fry

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Five Tips to Eat Smart When Working from Home

April 23, 2020April 24, 2020 by Surabhi Aggarwal, RD, LDN

COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented times that have left many of us working from home for several weeks in a row. These unpredictable times have added anxiety and stress for many people and eating smart to stay healthy gets challenging in such situations.

I have personally been struggling with staying on top of my healthy eating goals since I began working from home. I am sharing five tips that have helped me stay on track to eat mindfully and I hope that some of these may help others!

5 Tips to Eat Smart

Track
- Tracking what you eat and drink throughout the day is a great strategy to become aware of your calorie intake. It is even more important during times when you are home for prolonged periods of time and have easy access to food. You can use a simple pen and paper method to track throughout the day or an online tool such as MyFitnessPal, LoseIt, SparkPeople, etc.
Set a meal schedule
- Setting a routine for your meals and snacks helps you to avoid unnecessary snacking throughout the day.
Keep healthy snacks on hand
- In these current times, keeping healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetables in stock may seem to be challenging with limited trips to the grocery. Right now, it is easy to be tempted to pick up non-perishable snacks that are not always healthy. Choose fruits and vegetables with a longer shelf life such as apples, oranges, carrots, etc. and eat these after some of the more perishable produce items such as berries. Also, canned fruits (without syrup) and frozen fruits are also an equally good choice.
Assess your hunger level
- Make sure that you are eating when you are hungry and not when you are bored.
Set up your work area wisely
- Set up your work station at home in an area that is away from the kitchen and pantry. This will help with the “out of sight, out of mind” strategy. Work in an area that makes you get up and make an informed choice before you grab something to eat. Depending upon your personal situation and space in your house this may or may not be feasible.

Have you been diagnosed with prediabetes or concerned that you are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes? We are here to support you now. See our upcoming class offerings for our online CDC-recognized diabetes prevention program now!

You may also enjoy:

Shopping for Fruits and Vegetables During a Pandemic

How to Snack Smart While Working from Home

Why You Should Still Meal Prep When Working From Home

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What to Make With Canned Beans

April 21, 2020July 13, 2021 by Madi Johnson

As we are all practicing social distancing and stocking our pantries with nonperishables to avoid COVID-19, you might be wondering what to do with all those cans of beans you stocked up on. Pandemic or not, beans are great pantry staple and can be used in a variety of meals. I always have a variety of beans on hand for busy weeknights – kidney, black, garbanzo, navy, pinto – you name it. Dried beans are great too of course, they just take a little extra time to soak before using, whereas canned beans are ready to go. Just make sure you drain and rinse first.

Beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein, they are inexpensive, they have a long shelf-life, and they help decrease our overall meat consumption. Worried this increase in bean consumption will lead to an increase in flatulence? Don’t worry, here are five ways to avoid gas with beans.

Crack open a can and try one of these delicious bean recipes:

Quick Chickpea Curry

Warm Indian spices make this quick and healthy dish taste complex and indulgent.

Build Your Own Burrito Bowl

Beans and (brown) rice are the base for any great burrito bowl – and then add anything and everything you have on hand.

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

Throw it all in the InstantPot for this easy one-pot meal.

Healthy and Easy Meal Prep: Greek Bowls

Make a batch on Sunday for lunches throughout the week (it also makes a great quick dinner!).

Quick Weeknight Dinner – Mexican Quesadillas

This is a throw-any-vegetables-in type of dish we love.

Healthy and Creamy White Bean, Lemon, and Kale Soup

The perfect creamy soup for cool nights (and makes great leftovers).

Air Fryer Spiced Chickpeas

Beans for a snack! These crunchy chickpeas make the perfect healthy snack.

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

A simple and versatile meal – the possibilities for stuffed sweet potatoes are endless.

Lemon Artichoke and Quinoa Salad

A refrigerator salad (i.e. doesn’t get limp or soggy) that works great as a side dish or as a light entrée.

Instant Pot Vegetable Pulao (Indian Pilaf)

Another easy Instant Pot meal – authentic Indian food coming right up!

Three Bean Salad

This easy, light, and flavorful salad is perfect for lunch or as a side dish.

Microwave Black Bean and Cheese Quesadilla

This quick lunch works well for the office or for working from home.

Black Bean, Corn, and Tomato Summer Salsa

Fresh, tangy, and oh-so-good!

Do you have any favorite bean recipes to add to this list? Share in the comments below!

You may also enjoy:

Top 10 Vegetarian Sources of Protein

Step to Eating the Med Way

Steps to Eating the Med Way: Change Your Protein

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“I finally realized I needed to do something about my health”

April 16, 2020April 27, 2020 by Madi Johnson

Below is a testimonial from current Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant, Helen:

“I recently finished Phase 1 of the program. My smart goal for Phase 1 was to get below the prediabetes A1C number before my 2020 physical. Last year I was 5.8 and last week I was at 5.6. Not a huge difference but significant enough.

Taking this class has educated me on many levels. After my husband’s death, I ate my way through grief. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with prediabetes that I finally realized I needed to do something about my health. I don’t like grocery shopping and for years have bought what I felt like, not what I should. I have learned that looking at the nutrition labels on food is essential. I now do meal planning and compare nutrition labels.

My instructor is wonderful. She is very encouraging, engaging and knowledgeable. The class materials are thorough and easy to understand. The incentive items are of high quality and appreciated too. Thank you for offering this course.”

-Helen, a current Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant

You may also enjoy:

”I have no doubt that I can continue to keep a focus on good health given the knowledge I gained.”

“I now have hope of a healthy body and healthy life!”

“I feel the best that I have in years!”

Don’t miss another great blog: Subscribe Now

How to Snack Smart While Working from Home

April 14, 2020April 16, 2020 by Catherine Hill, RD, LDN

We have all been there… we find ourselves back at the fridge picking through whatever might look tasty. Not because we are particularly hungry, but because it is available. Trust me, I understand. My work from home ‘desk’ happens to be the kitchen table, meaning I am just a few steps from the fridge, pantry, and endless food options. Good news – there are a few simple tips and tricks to help all of us stay on track with healthy eating through this unique time!

1. Hunger scale

This trick will help you to stay mindful when you find yourself grabbing for your next snack. Ideally, try to stay within the 4 to 6 range. If you do find yourself in the lower numbers, filling up on traditional snack food may not cut it. Try eating something with more staying power – see below for examples.

2. Eat on a schedule

This can be really effective for some people. Try to space small meals/snacks every ~3-4 hours. This means you do not go too long between eating and risk becoming too hungry. This can also help you stay within the 4 to 6 range on the hunger scale.

3. Mindful measurements

Many of us take our meals and snacks to work and thus understand about how much we are consuming. Try to recreate that routine at home. Instead of reaching into the bag or box of something, determine the portion you need and remove it from the container.

4. Time to stop snacking

We have all been there – we feel that we can’t stop the snacking! It may sound odd, but cleansing the palette with a strong, refreshing flavor can really help. Go brush your teeth, drink peppermint tea, or chew mint gum. I can promise you, that BBQ flavored chip is not going to taste good once you brush your teeth.

5. Combine food groups

Many people do well when combining food groups for snacks. This allows you to have multiple flavors, textures, and colors on your plate (all very important). Different foods break down in the stomach at different rates. For example, most carbohydrates break down and leave the stomach fairly quickly – this is great for when you need a bit of quick energy, say before exercise. Conversely, most fats break down and leave the stomach more slowly. By combining multiple food groups, you can have the best of both worlds. Try to start with your vegetables – they will offer very few calories with tons of nutrients! Then add ~2 other items to round out your snack.
Here are some ideas:

A screenshot of a cell phone

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Here is my snack plate from the other day:

A plate of food

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I started with tomatoes and cucumbers as my vegetables (for low calorie bulk), then added whole-grain crackers for crunch, and finally some smoked salmon for a high protein addition.

6. Snack plates for meals!

If you love the idea of munching on a quite a few items for a meal, then making a snack plate is the way to go. It’s the adult version of a Lunchable! Since working from home these have been fun to make, while also helping me get through random items left over in our fridge and pantry. What fun snack plates can you make?
A few examples of my recent snack plates: