Q:  Is it important to take a daily multivitamin?

A:  I view a multivitamin as a good insurance plan.  It should not replace your daily intake of fruits and veggies, but it’s a great way to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.

Q:  What made you decide to become a dietitian?  I read about your struggle with food… is that why?  What’s your educational background?

A:  Ironically, my struggle with food and weight insecurities didn’t start until I was in college studying to become a dietitian.  I decided to go into nutrition because of my strong family history of cancer and diabetes.  I was diagnosed with cancer at the very young age of 9.  After a year of chemotherapy treatment, I am very happy to be in remission for 24 years now.  Growing up, I wanted to do everything I could to make sure the cancer never came back.  That’s where my love of nutrition came in.  I learned on my own that proper diet and exercise was and still is the best preventative medicine out there!  I still carry that passion today and am grateful that I get to share my knowledge each day.  As far as my educational background goes, I have a bachelor’s degree in Food & Nutrition Science from Texas A&M – Kingsville and a masters degree in Clinical Nutrition from Texas Women’s University.  I completed my dietetic internship in Houston, Texas.

Q:  I struggle with a large appetite and feeling hungry most of the day. I eat whole grains, healthy fats, adequate protein, and drink 8+ cups of water/day. I try to eat slowly with minimal distractions so I can focus on my food. I have a desk job, but typically exercise 30 minutes to one hour every day after work. Do you have any tips or suggestions so I don’t feel hungry all the time?

 A:  It’s really hard to answer this question without know what your meals consist of, or knowing what your current weight is.  The first thing that comes to mind is how much food you are eating at each meal.  Are your meals large enough?  Also, there is a difference between “appetite” and “hunger”.  It’s very important to distinguish the difference between the two. Hunger refers to a physical discomfort caused by the lack of food. One common sign is a rumbling stomach. This rumbling can be accompanied by a feeling of lightheadedness and weakness. Hunger only occurs after an extended period of time since eating. Appetite is more like a desire for food, or a craving that may be prompted by the sight or smell of food. Passing a bakery and getting the smell of freshly baked bread, or seeing the dessert-trolley in a restaurant, are typical examples. In this case, we are not really hungry, but mistake the urge or craving as hunger.  My best advice is to try to spread out your meals and decipher if it’s true hunger, or a craving that’s making you want more food.  If you need more help, just send me an email .

 Q:  I am interested in lowering my cholesterol since it is high but my HDL is very good, says my OB-GYN nurse practitioner. I also need to lose a very more lbs.  Any advice?

 A:  Congrats on having a high HDL!  That’s great!  From my experience, clients who start to lose weight will see a decrease in their total cholesterol.  In terms of eating to lose weight and lower your cholesterol, it all about making the right food choices coupled with portion control.  A diet rich in whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean protein, and healthy fats is key.  A great resource for this is my blog post on “How to Control Portions.”  This should be a good place to get started.  Minimizing your intake of refined sugar is extremely important as well.  This includes candies, cakes, cookies, donuts, etc…

 Q:  Hello there! I was just introduced to your website, and I think it’s fantastic! I take long and intense dance classes several days a week, and as a result I often wake up the next morning with incredibly sore muscles, even though I am really good about stretching,  I do have a food-related question involving sore muscles and exercise… I was told that certain foods such as bananas help relieve sore muscles when eaten before and after exercising…what are your thoughts on this, is it true?  If so, what other foods may help? Are there specific items I can include in my diet to help my body perform at its best for long workouts?

 A:  Bananas are a potassium rich food.  Symptoms of deficiency of potassium in the diet include diarrhea, vomiting, weak muscles, breathing abnormality, hypokalemia, and more.  Those who have a potassium deficiency may often have muscle cramping (like a Charlie horse).  As far as sore muscles… this can be caused by a couple of things.  You may be pushing your body differently with each dance class.  When you use new muscles, you will most likely feel sore.  One thing that can attribute to sore muscles is dehydration.  You want to make sure you keep yourself well hydrated before, during, and after your dance classes.  As far as nutrition goes, fueling properly for long workouts is extremely important!  If you don’t fuel properly, you will feel week.  Getting proper amounts of carbohydrates, protein, and fat is vital.  Potassium rich foods include the bright colors fruits and veggies, as well as dark green veggies.  Some examples are:  Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Brazil Nuts, Brown Rice, Cantaloupe, Figs, Honeydew, Kiwi, Legumes, Lima beans, Milk, Oranges, Orange Juice, Peaches, Potatoes, Prunes, Rasins, Roasted Peanuts with skin, Spinach, Squash, Vegetable Juices, Wheat Bread, White Rice, Winter Squash, Yogurt

 Q:  Hi, I have been reading your blog for a while now and really appreciate the great information. I have a question I hope you can help me with. I recently gained back the 40 lbs I lost (and kept off for 5 yrs) plus another 10. My workouts are stellar but I know I am eating too much and not always the right foods. I want to lose the weight again but am lacking the motivation to get started. I already feel defeated because it’s so overwhelming. I know the thing that will get me motivated will be results, but I have such little patience! What can I do to get some quick results that will keep me pushing towards me goal?

 A:  I wish I could give you an answer for some quick results… but when it comes to healthy weight loss, there is really no such thing.  The first thing that needs to be done is to recognize why you gained back the 40+ pounds.  Once you recognize and address that reason, it will make it easier for you to move forward.  It can be very overwhelming when it comes to losing weight, but instead of looking at total number of pounds you want to lose, break it down into small goals.  Permanent weight loss involves patience.  Lack of patience is one of the main reasons we tend to gravitate towards quick fix programs.  Do something each day that will push you towards the right direction.  If you haven’t been exercising, set a small exercise goal each day.  Set a goal to eat breakfast each day, or to not mindlessly snack between meals.  More importantly, tell yourself you are going to take it one day at a time, one meal at a time.  Little by little, the weight will come off.  If you have anymore questions, I’m happy to help!

Got a question for Weekly Bite?  Submit your question on this blog post and I’ll put in the next Q&A.

Q:  What are your thoughts on artificial sweeteners?  Are they okay to consume when trying to lose weight?

A:  The jury is still out on artificial sweeteners.  The fact of the matter is they do save calories when trying to lose weight.  Switching from regular soda to diet will save calories.  Same thing goes for using artificial sweeteners like Splenda or Equal in place of regular sugar.  Here’s the catch… some studies are showing that products containing artificial sweeteners actually increase the cravings for sweets.  In my experience, when my clients cut back on the diet soft drinks they consume, they lose more weight.  My recommendation is to keep it to no more than one serving of artificial sweetener per day.  A serving would be one 12oz can of diet soda, or one packet of sweetener.  Eventually, it would be great to limit it to just a couple servings per week.

Q:  What do you think of the book “Intuitive Eating”?  Have you read Bethenny Frankel’s book “Naturally Skinny”?  What’s your opinion on it?

A:  I love the book “Intuitive Eating”.  I learned a lot from it and from the authors.  I love the concept of intuitive eating, but feel that it has to be catered to each person.  Identifying your hunger and developing a healthy relationship with food is the main priority.  Once that base is established, it’s much easier to look at calories and nutrition from a “healthy lifestyle” perspective.  The goal is to eat healthy, but feel good about it, and not feel like you’re depriving yourself.  I have looked at the book “Naturally Thin”.  I like Bethenny’s writing style.  What she is doing is telling her story and how she came out of the “diet mentality”.  She is a natural food’s chef… and that’s the extent of her training.  A good way to view this book is to look at the tools she used to develop a healthy relationship with food, and how she manages that on a day-to-day basis.  The reader can see if those tools work for them.  The food diary she listed is based on her body and her needs.  It’s important to keep that in mind.  Take the info in the book and tailor it for you.

Q:  I read in one of your blog posts that you’re pregnant!  Congratulations!  How did you deal with body image, weight gain part of it?  I’m so worried about that for when I get pregnant.

A:  I think every woman worries about this to an extent.  I had worked a lot on body image issues in the past, so I felt pretty good about where I was at prior to becoming pregnant.  I did have a hard time seeing my body change, but I learned to get over it.  This time in my life is not about me… it’s about my body building a healthy baby.  I had to tell myself that my body was going to do what it wants to do… I know longer had control of it.  I know it will all be worth it in the end.

Q:  What tips do you have for college students?  I’m about 15 pounds overweight and often snack during late night study sessions.

A:  It’s all about managing your schedule in college.  You’re body will typically ask for food every 4-5 hours, depending on what you previously ate.  Keep an eye on the portion sizes.   As far as snacking goes, mindless snacking will put on excess weight, especially if it’s done consistently and becomes a habit.  Keep healthy snacks close by, so when hunger strikes, there’s less temptation by the vending machine.  Take a look at your class and study schedule and try to structure your meals a little.  Getting your body into some type of routine can help.  Lastly, stay active.  Try to squeeze some exercise you enjoy on a daily basis.  This not only keeps our weight healthy, but relieves daily stress as well!

Got a question for Weekly Bite?  Submit your question on this blog post and I’ll put in the next Q&A.