Now that I’m a little older, I’ve learned how to have fun without packing on extra weight and feeling as though I need another vacation.

Here’s how to stay fit without sacrificing the fun on your next vacation.

See? Staying on track while away from your everyday routine doesn’t have to be difficult. So relax, already!  Real life will be waiting for you when you get back.

Valerie Cogswell

Lead Nutrition Coach and Head Chef

Venice Nutrition

How much sugar is recommended, and how much do most Americans usually get?

The bigger question is how much carbohydrates do Americans consume?  And the answer is too many.  You see, all carbohydrates (even healthy ones like fruit, oatmeal, brown rice, vegetables, etc…) are broken down by our digestive system into glucose (sugar).   Since excess carbohydrate intake is largely to blame for our society’s increase in obesity, the real question is how many carbohydrates should you consume per meal to prevent the negative results of excess sugar intake?

The answer is blood sugar stabilization.  Let’s begin by explaining blood sugar’s role in your body.  You see, glucose (or sugar) in your bloodstream is responsible for fueling your nervous system and creates the bulk of your body’s energy source:  ATP, the same energy required for every movement you make.

By stabilizing blood sugar levels with the right nutrition, you create balance (homeostasis) within your body.  Your body then releases what it doesn’t need like stored body fat, toxins and excess sodium and protects your lean muscle mass to ignite your metabolism.

Here’s how it works. Whenever you over-eat or indulge in a carbohydrate-heavy meal, your blood sugar spikes (above 120 mg/ dl) and your body stores fat.      Just the opposite happens whenever you skip a meal, eliminating the carbohydrates and calories that your body needs to thrive or work out on an empty stomach.  Blood sugar levels drop too low (below 80 mg / dl) and your body is forced to burn lean muscle mass for fuel in place of body fat.  This loss of lean muscle slows your metabolism and makes it nearly impossible to reach your goals.

The fact is that though many people eat “healthy,” they fail to eat “correctly” and inadvertently spike and crash their blood sugar levels all day long!

Stabilizing your blood sugar (keeping levels between 80 and 120 mg/ dl throughout the day) will naturally help you look and feel your best.  You’ll optimize your workouts by giving your body the fuel it needs.   You’ll burn body fat, protect and increase lean muscle mass, eliminate sugar (carbohydrate) cravings, boost your energy and continually break through stubborn plateaus.   In short, stabilizing your blood sugar will help you to achieve your goals permanently!

The 3 Factors to Stabilize Your Blood Sugar:

1. Meal Intervals – Your body is a “refuel as it goes” machine and needs to be fed consistently!  Eat one hour within waking (before exercise) to kick start your metabolism and then every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day until bedtime. Your last meal should fall within one hour of going to bed to help prepare your body for fasting.  Frequent meals will keep blood sugar levels steady and help to prevent you from overeating and spiking blood sugar or skipping a meal and causing blood sugar to drop too low.
2. Nutrient Ratios - Each meal should have a balance of complete protein (animal or soy protein), with a small amount of healthy fat and a small amount of carbohydrates to keep blood sugar levels stable.  It is critical to get the correct nutrients (protein, carbohydrate and fat) in every meal. 
3. Meal Size - Your body can only process a certain amount of food at once and eating smaller meals every few hours will keep blood sugar levels steady. Each meal should be roughly the same size (same amount of calories). 

What are the health risks of too much sugar or the equivalent?

Anytime your blood sugar spikes above 120 mg/dl, your pancreas over releases the hormone insulin.  When this happens your body shifts into fat storing mode.  So the more blood sugar spikes you have, the more fat you store.  This can lead to an onslaught of health challenges including obesity, heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes.   

Let’s discuss Type 2 Diabetes.  Type 2 Diabetes has a genetic component to it, but the main trigger of the onset of this medical challenge is years of over consuming carbohydrates and spiking blood sugar levels.  Eventually the cells that respond to insulin (your hormone that lowers your blood sugar) become insulin resistance and this causes your blood sugar to stay elevated, leading to Type 2 Diabetes. 

The solution is to start stabilizing your blood sugar now and you can most likely prevent the disease and if you already have Type 2 Diabetes, start following the 3 principles above to get your blood sugar levels back in balance.

Mark Macdonald- Creator of the Venice Nutrition System, MonaVie Nutrition and Fitness Expert and Author of NY Times Bestseller, Body Confidence

Before setting any goals for 2013, ask yourself:

Am I being realistic?   One of the most common mistakes we’ve all been guilty of is creating an unrealistic goal that simply won’t work with our lifestyle.  For example, do you consistently work 70 hours a week and take care of a family?   Perhaps, the goal of cardio for one hour a day, six days a week just won’t work for you and setting a goal that unrealistic will only lead to failure.  

Take a moment to truly evaluate your goals, lifestyle, job, and family obligations.  Look at your calendar and schedule in a realistic exercise routine that you can adhere to, such as cardio 4 to 5 days per week for 45 minutes.  And remember to get creative with your solutions.  Perhaps getting dressed and driving to the gym every one of those days will cut into your actual work out time.  Instead, invest in a fun workout tape for home or take a brisk power walk in your neighborhood.  Like any goal in life, you want to make sure that it is realistic, do-able, and works with (not against) your current lifestyle. 

Of course, it’s important to aim high and stretch outside of your comfort zone to achieve anything important in life….. and it’s just as important to know yourself!   For example, if you know that chocolate is your absolute weakness, avoid making the mistake of setting a “no chocolate ever again” policy.  Better yet, allow yourself to have your favorite indulgence once or twice a week.  Being honest with yourself and what’s important to you keeps you happy and leads to a “balanced” lifestyle…..and that eventually leads to achieving your goals permanently!

Know the difference between Short Term and Long Term Goals (and make sure to set both). 

“I’m going to lose 50 pounds!”  Sound familiar?  Sound daunting?  That’s because it is!  In fact, if this is the type of goal you have set for yourself in the past without success then you know just how daunting and unattainable a goal like that can seem.  This is an example of a Long Term Goal and without Short Term Goals to make it happen, Long Term Goals can seem next to impossible.   So what’s the solution?  Create realistic and small Short Term Goals along with your ultimate Long Term Goals.  Both are critical to your success.  

Short Term Goals are daily, attainable goals that you should set for yourself on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.  Because they are relatively small and realistic changes, these goals are easy to achieve.  This sense of achievement leads to daily healthy habits and a huge source of motivation (“Yes! I did it!”).  Best of all?  Continually achieving your Short Term Goals leads you to finally reach your Long Term Goals (such as reaching your ideal weight or gaining the endurance and stamina to run a marathon for example).   Need some ideas on how to set your own Short and Long Term Goals? Here’s a great example:

Let’s say Jim, a member of Venice Nutrition, is already stabilizing his blood sugar by eating balanced meals and working out regularly.  His Long Term goal is to lose 45 pounds and reduce his blood pressure with the intention of getting off of his blood pressure medication permanently.  Here’s some examples of Short Term Goals he could set for himself in order to achieve his Long Term Goals.

Short Term Goals for week 1 & 2:

Drink 10 glasses of water every day by bringing a large refillable water bottle to work.

Avoid adding table salt to meals, particularly at dinner time.

Read the Quality of Food Chart in the Handbook and adjust my shopping list so I can start replacing 2 of my lower quality carbohydrates per day with higher quality carbohydrate choices. 

Add interval training into my weekly exercise routine 1 time per week to start

Short Term Goals for week 3 & 4:

Reduce alcohol to 2 drinks per week.  I will do this by having 2 drinks on Saturday night while out to eat and avoiding alcohol with dinner throughout the week.

Replace one protein bar per day with a higher quality meal (such as turkey, fruit and nuts) that I can pack with me the night before work

Increase interval training to 2 x per week

Each week, Jim can continue to set realistic, attainable goals for himself.  And remember Jim’s Long Term Goals that seemed so hard to reach?  Now that he’s created daily, healthy habits by achieving his Short Term Goals, it’s only a matter of time before Jim loses the 45 pounds and reduces his blood pressure!  

Always remember to write down your goals on paper (along with the “how to” achieve them where necessary; notice how some of Jim’s goals include how he’ll achieve them as well).  Keep your goals on hand as a daily reminder and for when those moments of weakness occasionally creep in.  It’s also very important to re-evaluate your goals and create new goals weekly or bi-weekly to achieve.

If you find that you are having challenges creating or sticking to realistic goals for yourself, consider working with a personal Certified Venice Nutrition Coaches in one of our centers or through our Phone Coaching programs from the convenience of your own home! Your personal Certified Nutrition Coach will help you to create and stick to your goals, and provide the support, motivation and tools you need for success.   To learn more about working with your own personal Certified Nutrition Coach, click here.

Set yourself up for success.  Perhaps you set the Short Term Goal of including more high quality carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, brown rice and sweet potatoes into your daily life instead of bread and pasta.  Now’s the time to create a game plan to make it happen.  An example would be to make a batch of brown rice or a salad in bulk for the week so you can easily “grab and go” come meal time. 

Is your goal to have a cheat meal only once or twice a week instead of on a regular basis?  Well, take a walk through your kitchen and hide the junk food so there’s less temptation.  Want to reduce your alcohol intake but get sick of regular water?  Stock up on flavored seltzer water or lemon slices to jazz up plain H2O to have on hand instead.  It’s all about creating solutions!   Remember, if you take the time and prepare a bit, it will be a lot easier to actually achieve the goals you set for yourself. 

And a few final pointers to reach your goals:

Enlist a “buddy” or share your goals with friends and family.  You’re more likely to succeed with the support of the people who are around you the most.

Catch yourself doing something right.   Acknowledge your successes every time you achieve a Short Term Goal, no matter how small.  Did you drink all 8 glasses of water today?   Have you added an extra 10 minutes of cardio on to your daily routine? Excellent!  Making a big deal out of even the smallest successes makes you feel good (great actually!) and sets a positive tone to motivate you to keep going.

Start journaling again, if only for a few weeks.  Though not every one of our clients and members journal, we have found that our most successful ones do!  Journaling keeps you focused and informed.  For instance, if you notice you’re always craving carbs around 4 pm, take a peek at your journal.  You may find that the reason you are crashing is because you’re going too long between meals or eating low quality food.  This knowledge is powerful because now you can create a solution.

Be patient.  It takes about 3 months before new habits start to stick so stay the course.

Most importantly, you have to believe.  Any goal is possible if you set your mind to it and believe that you can achieve it.  

Every year I am amazed and thrilled by the success stories I have witnessed with thousands of members and my own personal nutrition clients.  I invite you to use the above guide as your “blue print” to success in 2013.  Set realistic and attainable goals.  Stay the course.  Believe in yourself.  The rest will fall into place. 

Valerie Cogswell

Lead Nutrition Coach and Head Chef

Venice Nutrition

Between the holiday parties, braving the overcrowded malls and preparing decadent meals, it can be hard to find the time to take care of YOU. The following “To-Do List” is packed full of sneaky (and effortless) ways to make yourself a priority this season.  Start today and say goodbye to holiday weight gain and fatigue for good!

While Shopping or Running Errands:

- Opt for low calorie coffee sweetened with Stevia, cinnamon and low fat milk in place of Starbuck’s holiday coffee drinks and save hundreds of calories

- Always pack a balanced, portable snack like a protein bar to avoid a stop at the food court

- Dress comfortably and wear sneakers to turn your shopping day into a cardio workout

- Consolidate your gift shopping into one or two days and use the extra time to get in a workout

- When holiday food shopping, buy only what you need and don’t forget your VN Grocery List (pull it up on our mobile site or print it ahead of time) to help you stay on track

- Give the gift of good health. Consider asking for or purchasing healthier gifts this year like a gym membership, massage gift certificate, our Body Confidence book or a membership to Venice Nutrition Online.

While at Home:

- When cleaning, focus on engaging and tightening your abdominals for a quick core workout

- Designate one day a week to prepare high quality food in bulk like chicken, brown rice or a salad for quick grab and go meals all week long.

The holidays are busy enough. Make sure to take the time for YOU this season…your waist line will thank you.

Happy Holidays!

The Venice Nutrition Team

If there is any day of the year that I get a craving for candy, Halloween is it! And while one piece certainly won’t derail your results, bingeing all day on Halloween treats will. Just a few pieces of candy can leave you tired, cranky, bloated and craving more sugar. Worst, the effects of an all-out binge fest can last for a few days. So here are a few tips to stay on track tonight and for the next few days until the Halloween treats are gone.

1. Remind yourself of your goals. I recommend that you read your goals out loud and post them in a place where you can see them (even if it’s on the inside of the front door while you hand out candy!). When your goals are literally staring you in the face, they are a lot harder to ignore. You’ll also think twice before mindlessly reaching into the candy bag.

2. Keep up with your meals. Whenever you skip a meal or eat a meal that is not balanced in protein, carbohydrates and fat, it’s only a matter of time before blood sugar drops and cravings kick in. Add a bowl full of accessible candy to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for disaster! Keep the physical cravings in check by eating frequent balanced meals to stabilize your blood sugar.

3. Hide it! One of my favorite tricks to avoid over-eating high fat and high sugar treats is to hide them. It's the old, "out of sight, out of mind" trick... and it works! I prefer the basement but at the very least store extra candy up high (not at eye level) and preferably in a cabinet where the shiny colorful packaging can't tempt you. Whatever you do, don’t keep a bowl for “guests” (yeah, right!) out on the kitchen counter. I’ve learned the hard way that the “guest” bowl of candy always seems to end up on my thighs!

4. If you want a piece of candy, choose your favorite and have it with a balanced meal (go light on the carbohydrates in the meal to make up for the extra sugar in the candy). Better yet, skip the candy altogether and plan a real "off meal" like Saturday night dinner reservations at your favorite restaurant. Sometimes a measly piece of candy just isn't worth the spike and dip in blood sugar but your favorite meal always is!

I can remember as a kid my parents always had to “test” the candy to make sure some stranger hadn’t “poisoned” it. If this sounds familiar, it may be time to re-think your Halloween strategy and implement the tips above!

I'm curious....do you have any tips to avoid the dreaded Halloween hangover? Please share!

Happy Halloween!

My best,

Valerie Cogswell
Lead Nutrition Coach and Head Chef

Well, it’s time to kiss summer good bye and say hello to fall. So hello fallen leaves, hello sweaters, and oh yeah…hello traffic (haven’t missed you one bit). Okay, so I miss the summer. I miss beach days, long lazy nights with friends and that laid back vibe that is slipping through my fingers faster than sand.

Despite school busses clogging the roads and the need for warmer clothes (I’ll take a strappy tank over an itchy sweater any day), this season does have its benefits. Fall is the perfect time for all of us to re-group after a long and lazy summer, re-focus our goals and re-vamp our schedule to actually make these goals happen.

Here’s how to get back on track after a season’s worth of BBQ’s and calorie busting fun. Because this season should be all about making the commitment to yourself!

Tip 1- Re-evaluate your personal goals. And by this I mean, what is your WHY? Now if you’re a VN Member, you know what the WHY is. If you’re not or you’ve forgotten, your WHY is your deepest reason for trying to lose weight, get fit and healthy..whatever your goal may be. Your WHY is NOT “I just want to lose weight”. It’s got to be something meaningful and long-standing to get you through the hard times. A great example would be, “I want to look and feel my absolute best to be an example for my kids” or “I want to live the highest quality life and be as healthy as I can”.

After you’ve figured out your WHY, it’s time to create realistic short and long term goals. Goals provide direction. Without them, you will be like me when I attempt to drive without my trusty GPS …utterly lost and confused. It’s really easy to say, “I’m going to lose weight”. The problem is it’s not very effective. Get specific with your goals.

For example, a great short term goal would be, “I will pack my gym back each night to take with me in the morning.” Or, “I will get to the gym after work 4 days per week for 45 minutes.” These specific short term goals are attainable and become daily habits, which then help you to achieve your long term goals.

Speaking of long term goals, a great example would be to fit into a size 4 in 3 months or to lose 20 lbs. of body fat by December 1^st. Notice though how it’s the short term goals that you set for yourself first that will help you to achieve the long term goals. Long term goals can feel over whelming and unattainable to most of us and there for become unreachable unless we set those realistic short term goals first.

Tip 2- Set up a new routine based on your new fall schedule. The key to success is being prepared. It’s easy to skip the gym when your gym bag isn’t packed or you haven’t gotten everything done at night that you were supposed to in order to get up early for your morning run. We all have the ability to work with our schedules and adjust them to meet our goals to the best of our abilities. Here are some easy tips to work into your schedule each week:

1. Pick 1 or 2 nights per week to prepare basic, healthy food in advance such as chicken breast, one healthy starchy carbohydrate like sweet potatoes or instant brown rice. I also recommend whipping up a big colorful salad for the week. If you have high quality staples on hand you WILL eat them and never run out of options.

2. Stock your work drawer, car, briefcase or purse and home with balanced protein bars so you can always keep your blood sugar stable.

3. Figure out where your pitfalls are and plan accordingly. For instance, if you know you are too busy in the morning to prepare breakfast, have a bar or smoothie ready or maybe some Greek yogurt and fruit prepared from the night before and ready to go in the morning.

4. Plan your workouts into your weekly schedule. My work outs are as much a part of my day as brushing my teeth and this is for two reasons. First, I’ve made a commitment to myself to work out (it’s a priority to me) and second, I love the way I feel after during and after exercise. Make the commitment to exercise regularly and factor it into your schedule like you would any other non-negotiable (you wouldn’t skip brushing your teeth, right?)

5. Keep your supplements in a handy location like on your kitchen counter or anywhere you will see them and remember to take them. You know the saying, “Out of sight, out of mind”? Well, the opposite works too; keep your supplements in plain sight and you’ll be more likely to take them

Tip 3 - get back to journaling (even if it’s just for a short period of time).Your online journal will not only keep you accountable to yourself, it will also keep you focused and inspired. Seeing a week’s worth of healthy meals and exercise recorded is a fantastic source of motivation and visual reinforcement of a job well done. Also, a journal helps you to discover where you may be falling short or struggling, which then helps you to adjust accordingly.

Tip 4- Make it fun. Each week make it a goal to try one new fruit and one new vegetable at the grocery store. Is your broccoli blah? Try sautéed bok choy! Sick of apples? How about a pomegranate? Next, aim to try one new recipe from our recipe collection (see your Recipe Tab inside your software) each week to keep your meals fresh and exciting. When’s the last time you had something exciting for lunch like our Spicy Turkey Club Sandwich or Turkey and Cheese Melt? Remember, boredom is the kiss of death when it comes to eating healthy. It’s up to you to make it fun!

Got some Fall tips of your own? Share with us here or on our Facebook Fan Page

Happy Fall my friends!

My best,

Valerie Cogswell

Lead Nutrition Coach & Head Chef

Venice Nutrition

If you are anything like me, you’ve been waiting all year for the summer! The sun is shining on your morning walk.   The balmy nights are perfectly relaxing.  And there’s nothing better than joining your best friends and family for delicious food and a cold drink at a summer cookout.   So why is this blog titled “Surviving” Summer BBQ’s?  What’s not to love?   

Well, for many people who have made the effort to eat right, a BBQ can cause anxiety.   You may worry that you’ll fall off the “health wagon” and lose the habits that you’ve worked so hard on all year long.  After all, BBQ’s involve loads of not- so- healthy food, tons of alcohol, and friends and family who may not live the lifestyle that you and I do.   Not to worry!  Below are some tried and true tips, as well as a few smart recipe ideas to help you enjoy your next BBQ without compromising your healthy lifestyle. 

1.   Remember, balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle.  There will be times in life when you may overindulge; an extra glass of your favorite wine, a heaping scoop of ice cream or maybe even a pile of fall –off- the bone ribs at a cookout.   Taking part in the occasional treat is normal, in fact it’s great!  Because if you can live a healthy lifestyle while still allowing yourself the occasional treat, you’ve truly mastered balance and that leads to permanent change! The lesson to be learned here?  A little indulgence is good for you and keeps you from craving or feeling deprived.  Just make sure to get right back on track with a balanced meal at the next opportunity to get your metabolism moving in the right direction again.

2.  Plan for the event.  If you know that you have a summer cookout planned for this Saturday, aim to be extra consistent with your nutrition and fitness routine all week long.  Acknowledge the fact that you may overindulge at this Saturday’s BBQ, and actually plan the “off” meal into your week.  Use this “system” of acknowledging the “off” meal and planning it to help you to make extra effort all week to eat clean, balanced meals every few hours.  Let the fact that you’ll be indulging on Saturday spur you to kick butt at the gym and make the most of every workout all week long.  The process here is both physical and mental.  By working extra hard all week to make room for this Saturday’s fiesta, you’ll physically be in prime fat burning mode by the time the party rolls around.  Mentally, you’ll be able to let go of any guilt you may normally have (see Tip #1 above as a reminder about the importance of balance).  After all, you’ve worked hard all week and you’ve planned to relax and indulge a bit with your friends and family.  It’s a win, win situation!

3.  Believe it or not, it’s a bad idea to deprive yourself all day Saturday to save “room” and “calories” for the big event.  If you walk into a BBQ with every type of food imaginable at your fingertips and you haven’t eaten all day, you are heading for disaster!  Always eat balanced meals one hour within waking and every 3 hours before a cookout.  This way your mind is in control of your food choices, not your empty stomach!  It’s a smart idea to also eat one hour before the event.  Try snacking on a protein bar before the party to help keep blood sugar stable and allow you to make conscious food choices when you arrive.

4.  It doesn’t hurt to bring along some healthy and delicious choices, or at least know how to identify them at a cookout.   Do your best to build a balanced plate with some protein and carbohydrates and keep in mind that most dishes offered at a BBQ will have more than enough fat (way more actually!).   Whether you are hosting the event or attending, the following list makes for delectable (and healthy) party food that everyone will enjoy.

-Try Marinated or BBQ grilled chicken breasts, shrimp, pork tenderloin, salmon steaks or filet mignon (the leanest red meat) on the grill.  Meat, poultry or seafood and vegetable kabobs are also healthy and a fun change of pace.

-Instead of regular hamburgers, try using 97% lean ground beef.   Serve with all the regular toppings and whole wheat buns.

-Chop a mixture of your favorite vegetables in large chunks (corn, tomato, zucchini, red onion, bell peppers) or try whole asparagus with the bottom of the stalk cut off.  Toss in a bowl with quality extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.  Grill until slightly charred to really bring out the flavors.

-Instead of plain old pasta salad with a few veggies tossed in for good measure, go in the opposite direction.  Use your favorite pasta salad recipe only make a few adjustments.  Triple the vegetable content (and vary it up- grape tomatoes, fresh bell pepper, onion, cucumber, banana peppers, etc.) and use the pasta as the filler, not the main event.  Use a reduced fat version of your favorite dressing such as low fat Italian dressing in place of regular.  If using a mayo based dressing, try cutting the amount of mayo in half and replacing the rest with plain, low fat yogurt- it will add a little tang and a lot of flavor.   Lastly fresh herbs like parsley or basil really make a dish stand out from the crowd.

-Try whipping up a low fat dip like hummus or mango salsa (combine chopped mango, red onion, a small amount of minced garlic and jalapeno with a splash of lime juice and good olive oil.  Toss with fresh cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper).  Serve with home -made baked whole wheat pita chips.  (Hint- Mango salsa also works beautifully on grilled meat, poultry and seafood.)

-Fresh fruit platters are always well received and a perfectly sweet way to complete a meal.    Try serving a variety of fruit with a home-made dip of Plain Yogurt, vanilla extract, honey and lemon zest or try our Pina Colada Dip found in your Recipe Collection inside your software!

5.  Speaking of, check out some of these BBQ friendly recipes found inside your software in the Recipe Collection:

Creamy Shrimp Salad, Boca Burgers, Shrimp and Pasta Salad, Restaurant Worthy Steak on the

Grill, BBQ Shrimp Kabobs, Grilled Fish w/ Tomato and Herbs, Pina Colada Dip w/ Fruit,

Strawberry Lemon Frozen Yogurt (try turning these into frozen pops for easy serving!), Greek

Brown Rice Salad, Cheesy Zucchini (an odd choice for a BBQ but it’s really good, promise!),

Grilled Asparagus

6.   Stay hydrated with plenty of water to beat bloat, fatigue and headaches.   If you’re the host, try serving homemade lemonade with ice water, freshly squeezed lemon and lemon slices sweetened with Stevia or Truvia.

7.  Get creative with your alcohol. I like Skinny Girl Margarita in a glass with a ton of flavored seltzer water which adds fizz and extra fluid to make the drink last. Light beer or wine is also a good choice. The rule of thumb with alcohol is, use the drink to replace the starchy carb in the meal.  So basically you would have your protein and fat with some light carbohydrates like grilled veggies or salad plus a drink or two.  If you must splurge on both carbs and alcohol, go for a lighter drink like the ones described above and keep it to a 2 drink maximum if possible.

8. Do something active!  At my house we play “bags” (also known as Cornhole to all of you in the South) or go swimming with my nephews.  The point is, if you keep mingling and keep moving, your less likely to hover at the dessert table and this means less mindless munching!

9. And my last tip?  I find that after a day cookout, I’m exhausted by 5 or 6 pm, which is frustrating because clearly it’s much too late for a nap and I’m pretty sure I can’t get away with going to sleep at that time!  So I take a power walk outside after the cookout.  It helps me to burn off some of the treats from the cookout but most importantly, it rejuvenates me enough to stay awake until bedtime.

Remember, the summer is all about having fun, enjoying the weather and family and friends and relaxing!  The great thing is, you can absolutely do all of that while sticking to your goals with the tips above.  Cheers to an amazing summer!

My best,

Valerie Cogswell

Lead Nutrition Coach and Head Chef

Venice Nutrition

If you’re stabilizing your blood sugar, you know how important it is to have high quality protein prepared in bulk for the week. I like to make our “Everyday Chicken” (find it in your Recipe Tab).  It’s fast, super easy and gives you tender, roasted chicken that you can toss in any of your favorite dishes for a boost of protein.

To keep my meals fresh, I’ve been using the Everyday Chicken in a variety of fun dishes. Here are a few quick single serving combinations I’ve come up with recently that take only minutes to make if you’ve got chicken already prepared.

1.  In a pan coated with fat free cooking spray, combine chopped cooked chicken, a handful or two of spinach and any other chopped veggies you have on hand. Cook until vegetables are slightly tender.  Stir in your favorite tomato or marinara sauce and seasonings like fresh basil or oregano. Top with parmesan cheese.

2.  Saute chopped cooked chicken with shredded carrots, snow peas, mushrooms or any other veggie you have on hand with some fat free cooking spray.  Add freshly minced garlic and a splash of low sodium soy sauce and sauté until garlic is soft (not browned).  Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and top with fresh cilantro.

3.  Okay, admittedly this combo is not the highest quality (hello sodium) but it sure is good! And it’s got the balance of protein, carbs and fat to stabilize your blood sugar.  If you’ve ever had buffalo chicken dip, you’ll like this one. Just refer back to this one sparingly so you don’t bloat from all the sodium!  Chop or shred cooked chicken very small. Put the chicken in a small bowl, add a dash or two of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and microwave for about 30 seconds.  Stir in a scoop of low fat cream cheese, a pinch of garlic powder and another dash or two of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.  Microwave again for 20 seconds or until heated throughout.  Stir again and serve with carrot and celery sticks.  Add some fresh fruit on the side if you need extra carbohydrates.

Chicken doesn’t have to be boring- the key is having tender, cooked chicken on hand for the week so  you can quickly create a variety of dishes on the fly!  Make sure to use your “Add Meal” feature in your Venice Nutrition Online software to create the dishes described above according to your nutritional parameters.   For more information on how to create balanced meals according to your nutritional parameters, check out the How to Create Your Own Meals video in your Help Support Tab.

Enjoy!

Valerie Cogswell

Head Chef and Lead Nutrition Coach of Venice Nutrition

A few days ago, a friend of mine (who swears she’s allergic to her kitchen) called me in a panic.  Her in-laws were coming to dinner and she had promised to impress with a gourmet meal.  The trouble was, the only “gourmet meal” my friend knows how to cook is instant brown rice and ground turkey (hey, she’s a health nut!).  Needless to say, her lack of culinary skills had her sweating.  And that’s why she called me.

As Head Chef for Venice Nutrition, and a Certified Nutrition Coach for many years, my goal has always been to teach our members how to create food that helps to stabilize blood sugar, tastes absolutely delicious, and most of all…….is simple enough that anyone can make!  I have had so many wonderful clients over the years that stick to the same boring food over and over (hello, baked chicken!) because they claim they “just can’t cook”.  What I have come to find is anyone can cook a great meal….the key is learning the basics and stepping outside of your culinary comfort zone to try something new.

So , how did I get started?  Yes, I did go to culinary school but I’m truly convinced that though I learned some wonderful skills there, I have learned just as much on my own!  The confidence I possess today as a cook is not from my formal education, but from the experiments and culinary endeavors (and disasters!) that took place in my very own kitchen.  Below are some tips that have helped me to become a confident cook and create meals that I’m proud of. 

Start by practicing with a basic recipe that can help to teach you proper seasoning, different cooking techniques and flavor profiles.   A great example would be to find a recipe for a soup or chili that appeals to you.  Soup and chili are very easy to make, and you can experiment without worrying about drying the dish out or overcooking it.  You can slowly add seasoning and “taste-test” it as you go to make sure it’s to your liking.  You’ll also gain a great understanding about different flavor combinations of herbs and spices that work well together.  The other bonus about soups and chilis is they are usually on the lighter side and if they are not, they can be with a little tweaking (swap ground beef for lean ground beef, lower the oil to saute the vegetables, etc.)

Once you have successfully made one chili or soup, it will help to give you the confidence to make some adjustments.  Perhaps in place of a roasted butternut squash soup, you decide to use sweet potatoes instead.  Maybe you add a little diced apple to the pot to add a subtle sweet note.  Or maybe you toss in a few pinches of cayenne pepper to add some heat.   Maybe in the next chili you create, you skip the ground beef and black beans and try ground chicken and white beans instead.   Noticing a pattern yet?  By successfully managing a basic soup or chili recipe, you’ll have the confidence to switch it up and make it your own, or try a new soup or chili recipe altogether. 

Other simple, basic recipes that I would recommend you try to master?  Roast chicken stuffed with lemon, garlic cloves, onion and fresh herbs like thyme is sure to impress and will feed an entire family.  Salads are simply chop, toss and serve and the options are endless.  Vegetables drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper and roasted or grilled go with everything.  A baked or grilled fish like salmon with lemon, fresh herbs (dill, parsley, etc.) and olive oil is a great starter recipe for all seafood.   Find a recipe for that particular dish and then use those culinary techniques to explore and master new recipes.

If you are a Venice Nutrition member, I invite you to check out our database or recipes in the Recipe Tab.  I promise that even the most intricate looking recipe has been broken down into easy, basic steps and the end result will be simple but delicious.  I'm not into fussy food and when I design recipes for our members and clients, I like to keep it simple.

I like to find culinary inspiration in many sources.   After all, we can all learn something from somebody. When I go to a restaurant and enjoy a creative or delicious dish that stands out, I’ll try to remember what was in it and re-create it at home.  For example, I once had a butter lettuce, pistachio, cheddar and sliced apple salad with vinaigrette at an upscale restaurant in Boston.  I was able to re-create this dish at home and give it a healthy spin by reducing the amount of cheese in the recipe and preparing a low-fat vinaigrette.  I served it with grilled fish on the side and enjoyed my simple but restaurant-worthy meal without the big check and tip! 

I’m also a huge fan of the Food Network.  If you’ve never watched this channel before and have any interest in cooking, I highly recommend that you tune in.  It’s fun and designed to teach home cooks how to well…..become cooks!   The Food Network has truly changed the way people view the culinary world, myself included.  Because there are so many types of culinary professionals teaching their point of view and techniques they’ve developed and perfected over the years, these shows appeal to so many home cooks.  It’s an unintimidating and inspirational way to learn to love to cook.  I have learned so much and helped to perfect my own culinary skills and point of view from watching the Food Network.  When I see a recipe I love, I’ll brainstorm on ways to lighten it up and many times figure out how to simplify it as well.  I’ll then test the dish in my kitchen at home and put a creative spin on the recipe to make it my own.

Other ways to find inspiration?  When you are done reading this blog, stand up and head to your kitchen.  Open up your kitchen cabinet.  I can guarantee you have a few cookbooks on hand that have collected dust over the years.  Peruse the pages and keep an open mind.  What recipe catches your eye?  What picture makes your mouth water?  That’s the recipe you should create next!  Book mark that page, copy down the ingredients to your grocery shopping list and get cooking! 

Do you have a friend or family member who always manages to wow his or her dinner guests?  You know who I’m talking about.   The friend who makes the stickiest, fall –off- the bone BBQ chicken on the grill or the aunt whose famous pasta and meatballs are to die for.   Ask them to teach you one or two of their favorite recipes in your kitchen. Offer to purchase all of the ingredients and invite them to stay for dinner.  People that love to cook also love to show off their culinary skills and would more than likely be happy to help.  Observe, take notes and ask a lot of questions.  Pretty soon it will be your dish everyone is raving about.

Cooking is a skill that can be learned, perfected and mastered.  The key is putting yourself out there and trying something new.  The old saying, “practice makes perfect” may be a cliché but it’s true, especially when it comes to being confident in the kitchen.  Try something new and before you know it, you will be a confident cook who is not afraid to wow your own dinner guests.  Eat well!  And don't forget to be adventurous..you may just surprise yourself!

We all know that starting a new nutrition or health plan isn't easy.  It takes time, education, support and some mental planning. There are road blocks that can trip anyone up and derail even the most dedicated person from reaching their goals.  Here Mark Macdonald, creator of Venice Nutrition and author of NY Times Bestseller, Body Confidence, reveals how to move past any obstacles when embarking on a healthier lifestyle. 

What are some of the concerns people have when beginning a nutrition plan?

Time is by far the biggest concern.  We are all looking for more time, and the difficult part about taking on a solid nutrition plan is that it takes time.  Think about anything you do in life that fulfills you;  building a business, being in a relationship, raising children, etc…the list is endless.  My point is that everything you want to be great at takes time and your health is no different.   Most people start a nutrition plan without any idea of how they are going to work it into their world and this is a big reason why so many people fail. 

You must carve out time in your life, make room for your health and treat it like all the other core parts of your life.   Making your health a priority is not the easiest thing, but what you get from it is everything….

What are some mistakes people often make when starting a nutrition plan?

The biggest mistake is setting unrealistic goals.   It goes back to the feeling of being at your “tipping point”, you emotionally cannot take it anymore and need to get the weight off.  The challenge with this mindset is that your current lifestyle is why you put the weight on in the first place.  So you set a goal based on emotion and forget to look at the effort it will take to achieve that goal.  As you begin the plan, you progress but not fast enough in your mind, then you become de-motivated and choose to abandon the plan. 

This can easily be avoided by simply setting goals based on the effort you can initially put into your health.  Each week you can re-address your effort and results and then make the necessary adjustments to either increase your effort or change your goals.  The reality is that with the right plan all health goals can be achieved, the only unknown is the time frame in which you will achieve your goals.   Everything in life is an ever evolving process and your health is no different.  There are many variables that determine the pace of your results.  Staying present with your goals and evaluating them on a weekly basis keeps your emotions in check and sets you up to win.

by Mark Macdonald, creator of the Venice Nutrition system and author of NY Times Bestseller, Body Confidence