Wellness

@ Moraine Valley

Kelly Devine Rickert

Why I Became a RD!

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Happy National Dietitian Day! I thought I would share with you why I decided to go into the field of nutrition.

Kelly at the national nutrition conference in Georgia pre-covid

Most people have no clue what they are going to major in or what they want to be when they grow up. I was one of the lucky ones who knew at the young age of 16 what I wanted to be.. a sports dietitian! How on earth did I even know what that was you’re thinking? That’s because I had to see one!

Back in high school (Go Providence Catholic!), I was a cross country, track runner and basketball player (my first love). As a freshman in high school, I starting “dieting”, reading magazines, cutting back of calories and most definitely on fats. I assumed, if food had fat in it, I would ” get fat”. As my low fat diet progressed, I went down 2 sizes in pants, but I was tired and cold all of the time, my energy levels were quite poor which lead to some endocrinology issues.

When I was 16 my mom had me go to the doctor she worked for, a pediatric endocrinologist, where they ran blood work and some tests to figure out what was going on. This lead to MRI’s, Dexa Scans, you name it. While I didn’t know it at the time, they were actually looking for tumors, as they suspected I had cancer. Thankfully, all tests came back great except my blood work (still) and body fat percent. It was determined that because my diet was so low in fat, it was causing all my blood work and hormones to be off. Not only was my body fat too low to get my period but it was also causing other abnormalities as well.

I was referred to a Registered Dietitian at University of Chicago whom I met with that next week. She educated me on the importance of fat and gave me examples of where I could add in healthy fats in my diet. (I’ll never forget the suggestions so here were some of hers: Brummel and Brown butter and peanut butter on my morning bagel (previous to that it was eaten dry), peanut butter and crackers after school before basketball, butter on my potato or vegetables at dinner, etc). (Huge shout out and thanks to whoever that RD was who gave me those suggestions! She knew exactly how to handle a young, uneducated girl afraid to add in too many calories and fats into her diet. You rocked.)

My energy levels rose, I gained a few pounds (I assume by the way I looked from Sophomore year basketball to Sophomore year track), my energy levels were great. Performance wise the effect was even better. I was able to PR in both the mile and 2 mile run that track season and I ended up winning MVP of Varsity track that year as a sophomore. Just because I added in some fat in my diet. Blew my mind! I decided then and there that I was going to learn everything I could about nutrition and that someday, I would become a Registered Dietitian. (I went a step further, and declared I wanted to be a Sports Dietitian. Which was why, when I passed my board certification in 2010, it made me the happiest person in the universe! I can now proudly call myself a Board Certified Sports Dietitian.)

Not everyone is inspired at such a young age to choose what they do with their life. But I believe things happen for a reason and that this profession is what I was called to do. My food philosophy may change as time goes on and as new research is released, but my passion for nutrition and wellness will never change!

To quote Marc Anthony, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

~Kelly

Moraine Valley Wellness Coordinator

8 Tips to a Healthy Lifestyle!

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March marks the start on National Nutrition Month!  Here are 8 tips on how to dedicate you, and your family, to a healthier lifestyle.

National Nutrition Month 2021 Blogger Badge

1. Eat Breakfast. There’s no better way to start your morning than with a healthy breakfast. Include lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Try oatmeal cooked with low-fat milk, sliced almonds and berries, or top a toaster waffle with low-fat yogurt and fruit. Find more quick breakfast ideas at www.eatright.org/nutritiontipsheets.

2. Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.  Fruits and veggies add color, flavor and texture plus vitamins, minerals and fiber to your plate. Make 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables your daily goal. Don’t let cost stop you from enjoying produce.  Frozen and canned are great alternatives. See “20 Ways to Enjoy More Fruits and Vegetables” at http://www.eatright.org/nutritiontipsheets.

3. Be Active!  Regular physical activity lowers blood pressure and helps your body control stress and weight. Start by doing what exercise you can for at least 10 minutes at a time. Children and teens should get 60 or more minutes of physical activity per day, and adults should get two hours and 30 minutes per week. You don’t have to hit the gym—take a walk after dinner or play a game of catch or basketball.

4. Drink More Water.  Drink water instead of sugary drinks and let thirst be your guide. A healthy body can balance water needs throughout the day. Drink plenty of water if you are active, live or work in hot conditions, or are an older adult.

5. Dine Out without Ditching Your Goals.  You can dine at a restaurant and stick to your healthy eating plan!  The key is to plan ahead, ask questions and choose foods carefully. Think about nutritious items you can add to your plate—fruits, veggies, lean meat, poultry or fish—and look for grilled, baked, broiled or steamed items.

6. Enact Family Meal Time.  Research shows that family meals promote healthier eating. Plan to eat as a family at least a few times each week in 2021. Set a regular mealtime. Turn off the TV, phones and other electronic devices to encourage mealtime talk. Get kids involved in meal planning and cooking and use this time to teach them about good nutrition.

7. Fix Healthy Snacks.  Healthy snacks can sustain your energy levels between meals. Whenever possible, make your snacks combination snacks. Choose from two or more of the MyPlate food groups: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy, lean protein or nuts. Try low-fat yogurt with fruit, or a small portion of nuts with an apple or banana.

8. Explore New Foods and Flavors.  Add more nutrition and eating pleasure by expanding your range of food choices. When shopping, make a point of selecting a fruit, vegetable or whole grain that’s new to you or your family. Try different versions of familiar foods like blue potatoes, red leaf lettuce or basmati rice.

For more free info and tip sheets for National Nutrition Month, visit http://www.nationalnutritionmonth.org/nnm/

Kelly Devine Rickert, Moraine Valley Wellness Coordinator

Heart Healthy Tips!

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RD Approved Heart Health Tips!

With the holiday season behind us (and hopefully soon this winter weather!), it is time to refocus your goals and get back on track with healthier eating and more activity. What better time to start than National Heart Month?

Did you know that heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans? Check out this 10 tips below to lower your risk!

1) Get moving! Incorporate more physical activity every day, outside of scheduled workouts. Walk when possible, take the stairs, and park further away from the entrance. Wearing a pedometer such as a Fitbit can also increase your day to day activity.

2) Maintain a healthy weight.  Research shows the higher your BMI, the more at risk you are for heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems.

3) Ditch the salt shaker!  Trimming your sodium intake to 1500 mg or less a day can help keep your blood pressure levels within normal range. (Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg systolic AND less than 80 mm Hg diastolic or <120/80)

4) Increase the Omega 3’s.  Aim for at least 2 servings a week of an oily fish such as salmon or a heart healthy nut such as almonds or walnuts.

5) Aim for 5 (to 9) a day!  Fruits and vegetables pack quite the punch!  The more produce you eat, the higher your intake will be of heart healthy soluble fiber and antioxidants  Your fruits and veggies help fill you up, as well as helping to ward off that hunger.

6) Quit smoking!  Smoking can damage your entire circulatory system, and increases your risk for coronary heart disease among other problems.  Enlist the help of your physician and contact your local hospital for Quit Smoking programs.

7) Maintain healthy cholesterol/blood sugar levels. Many people don’t realize how much of a role your cholesterol levels and blood sugars play in your heart health.  The Heart Association considers diabetes one of the six major controllable risk factors for cardiovascular disease.  Aim to reduce or keep your fasting blood sugar under 100 mg/dL.

8) Fiber is your friend!  Did you know that a diet high in fiber can actually reduce your blood cholesterol levels?  For men aim for 30 grams/day, and for women 25 grams/day. Oatmeal, produce, nuts, whole grain cereals, breads and pastas are a great source of fiber.

9) Watch the Fats!  We can’t talk about a heart healthy diet without discussing fats, the good vs. the bad.  Kelly suggests you aim for most of your fat intake to come from heart healthy sources such as nuts, seeds, vegetable based oils like canola or olive, and avocados.  Decrease the saturated and trans fats when you can, found in many processed foods such as fast foods, packaged snack foods, and fatty, darker meats such as pork, beef, sausage and bacon.

10) Keep a log. Keep a log of your foods can help you determine what lifestyle choices you need to focus on. By writing down everything you eat and drink you become more aware of what foods you are consuming. You can also try a electronic app such as Lose It! Or MyFitness Pal.

Kelly Devine Rickert MS RD CSSD LDN
MVCC Wellness Coordinator

Slim Down Your Super Bowl Menu

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Turkey Chili Recipe - NYT Cooking

Did you know the Super Bowl is America’s 2nd biggest food holiday??  (After Thanksgiving)! Below are some tips to slim down your apps and menu for the big game!

Watching the game at home?
– Use leaner meats such as lean ground beef or turkey versus higher fat ones like 80% ground beef, sausage and pepperoni
– Munch on pretzels, baked chips or Sunchips vs higher fat snacks and chips
– Use nonfat Greek yogurt or fat free sour cream in recipes for your favorite chip dip or use some garlic hummus instead of mayo, cream cheese or full fat cheese in dips.
– Choose veggie pizza instead of meat pizza to save on calories
– Bake your wings instead of buying breaded/fried ones
– Munch on some veggies with hummus or lower calorie dip to keep you from snacking on higher calorie foods the whole game

Turkey Chili
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound ground turkey or lean sirloin)
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water
1 (28 ounce) can canned crushed tomatoes
1 (16 ounce) can canned kidney beans – drained, rinsed, and mashed (or black beans work great too)
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder (more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Place turkey in the pot, and cook until evenly brown. Stir in onion, and cook until tender.
2.Pour water into the pot. Mix in tomatoes, kidney beans, and garlic. Season chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

Greek Yogurt Vegetable Dip

• 18-ounce container 2% Greek yogurt- Plain flavor
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper

What To Do
1. Mix and store in fridge. Serve with chopped veggies.
2. Sprinkle some green onions on top to add some pop!

~Kelly Devine Rickert
Registered Dietitian

Avoid These Diet Pitfalls in 2021!

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Looking to meet your 2021 goals?  Want to jump start that weight loss?  Here are some diet pitfalls I often see and how to avoid them.

Diet Pitfall #1: Skipping Meals
Skipping meals only leads to being more hungry later in the day which leads to overeating and loss of control in the evenings.  Start your day with breakfast, then try and eat something every 3-5 hours to maintain steady blood sugars.  Skipping meals or fasting does NOT equate to long term weight loss.

Diet Pitfall #2: Eating diet, sugar free or fat free foods all day
Real food will fill you up and satisfy you. Eating 4 sugar free Jellos will not.  Eat real, wholesome foods. Fruits, veggies, nuts, eggs, whole grains, protein, etc.  You will feel better, look better, have more energy and less cravings.

Diet Pitfall #3: Not exercising
You can lose weight by diet alone but it is very rare when someone can maintain long term weight loss without some exercise involved.  Get moving!!!  30 minutes a day for long term results.  You will have more energy, fit into your clothes better, and lose more inches with exercise AND diet vs. diet alone.

Diet Pitfall #4: Not drinking enough water/drinking diet pop or coffee all day.
Water is the BEST way to hydrate yourself. Add a slice of lemon, cucumber or sliced berries to flavor your water naturally.  Increasing the water will hydrate you better, give you longer lasting energy levels AND help you burn more calories when you work out.

Diet Pitfall #5: Jumping on the Fad Diet Bandwagon
If you want to make lifelong changes to your health and body, you need to start eating in a way that is realistic and able to be incorporated in your day to day routine.
Instead of starting the next fad diet, take a step back. What changes can you make that would get you that one step closer to losing 5 pounds?
Can you bring your lunch to work daily and 1-2 healthy snacks? Can you start walking on lunch breaks? Can you drink water instead of pop? can you start eating breakfast at home? Cutting portions at dinner?

~Kelly Devine Rickert, Registered Dietitian

Moraine Valley Wellness 8 Week Nutrition Program

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Join our 8 week weight loss/nutrition program to jump-start your health and wellness goals in 2021!

Details:

  • Program starts on Wednesday February 3rd and will conclude Wednesday March 24th.
  • Weekly PowerPoint lessons, handouts, a meal plan provided
  • All classes will be on Webex at 11am every Wednesday. Classes will be recorded (up until the Q and A portion).
  • Participants will self weigh
  • Goal of the program is to lose 1-2 pounds per week and to focus on lifestyle changes.

Cost and Registration: FREE for MVCC benefit eligible employees

To register: https://forms.gle/bFw6Cb4NVxv2WF256

Any questions email me at devinerickertk@morainevalley.edu