Dr. Melissa McCreery is back with more of her verbal Valium this week, talking us all off the ledge of overwhelm and overeating.  If you’ve been there or know someone who has, this post could be a life-changer. Thank you Dr. McCreery for the wonderful work you do to keep us all happy and healthy!  Read on!  (And be sure to visit Dr. McCreery’s fabulous website TooMuchOnHerPlate.com)

Emotional Eating: How to Avoid the Busy Women’s Overeating Trap

by Dr. Melissa McCreery

Did you know that one of the major causes of overeating and weight gain is something that diets don’t even address? Many women—especially busy women with a lot on their minds, overeat because they are emotional eaters—they use food as a way to respond to (or avoid) certain emotions or feelings. Diets or food plans don’t address this problem. That’s one of the reason so many smart capable women get stuck in patterns of yo-yo weight loss and dieting.

Are you…

• eating when you aren’t really hungry?
• struggling with stress or “nervous” eating?
• circling the kitchen because you can’t find “the thing” that will satisfy you?
• eating when you are bored, tired, frustrated, or procrastinating doing something else?
• hungry all the time–no matter what or how much you eat?

If so, it’s worth considering whether emotional eating is getting in the way of your healthy eating and weight loss goals.

Apply these strategies to break free of the emotional overeating cycle and start walking a different path. Read the rest of this entry »

In the meantime, check out the latest wisdom from Dr. Melissa on great habits that lead to good health:

Squeezing in Stress Relief: How to Take Control of Stress Before it Takes Control of You, Your Life, or Your Eating

By Dr. Melissa McCreery

We all know the stress of too much on our plates–too much to do, too much to think about, too many things and people and responsibilities to take care of. Whether you choose to have a lot on your plate or whether you feel like there is no other option, stress and overwhelm may be a reality–and they take a toll.

Stress and overwhelm prevent us from being and feeling and behaving as our best version of ourselves.  Stress not only feels crummy; many of us react to stress and overwhelm by cutting back and dropping some of the self-care and comfort strategies that benefit us the most and allow us to really shine.

Stress and overload can also lead us to habits such as stress eating, comfort eating, drinking and smoking too much, and sleeping and exercising too little.  And the stress that creates can lead to more of the same—a vicious cycle.

Want to do something different?

Here are 4 tips for taking control of stress that you can implement today: Read the rest of this entry »

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Dr. Melissa McCreery of TooMuchOnHerPlate.com is back with more slimming secrets!  And while the findings below are very exciting, they’re meant to put you to sleep.  Check out this dreamy way to keep the weight off:

Could squeezing in more sleep help you lose weight?

Women who are short on time and juggling many responsibilities often scrimp on sleep. You know it’s not the best way to go, but sometimes it just seems like the easiest solution.

Here’s something you need to know: going without sleep is likely to sabotage you BIG TIME. You probably know that lack of sleep affects your mood and your concentration, but did you know that sleep deprivation alters your body chemistry and sets you up for weight gain? Missing out on sleep can actually cause you to BE hungrier and skimping on sleep appears to cause weight gain whether or not you eat more! It’s not just in your head. Short-term sleep deprivation leads to lower levels of leptin, a hormone that tells us when we are full, and increase levels of the hormone ghrelin, which promotes appetite. Have you had the experience after a night of little sleep where you feel like you can eat everything in sight and never feel full? That’s the low leptin, high ghrelin effect. Read the rest of this entry »

When we discovered an expert on emotional eating (we all do it) who specializes in helping “smart busy women” (hey, those are our peeps!) we knew we had to get her to guest blog for SqueezeItIn.com and share her absolute best tips for squeezing in good nutrition.

Luckily for us, she agreed!  Here’s the first of four top notch posts that will change the way you look at food and the way you look in the mirror forever!  Thanks Melissa!

Squeezing in EASY Weight Loss

by Dr. Melissa McCreery

What if you could lose 18 pounds this year by making one small change?

Our eating (and overeating) is influenced by many cues that are unrelated to how much food we really need to feel satisfied. Packaging and other related factors have a big effect on how much we actually eat. Did you know that fifty percent of the snack food bought in bulk (such as from your local warehouse club) is eaten within six days of purchase?  We tend to finish what we have in front of us (regardless of the size of the portion). Are those huge bags of chips still looking like such a good deal?

Here’s another tip that can have a huge impact on your “bottom line.” Read the rest of this entry »

Wondering how you can squeeze more produce into your diet? This week registered dietician Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D. and author of Expect the Best, Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy is showing us how:

Pack in the Produce. Fruits and vegetables are filled with fiber and water to help you feel fuller for longer. Resolving to eat at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables combined will likely crowd out the higher-calorie foods you’ve been noshing on for the past few months, and it will help you take in more vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.  Here’s how to squeeze in the fruits and vegetables you need: Read the rest of this entry »

How powerful are your snacks?

This month registered dietician Elizabeth M. Ward is showing us how to spring clean our diets and “squeeze in” good nutrition. Picking protein powered snacks is a great place to start!

More great tips from Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D. and author of Expect the Best, Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy:

Snack Smart. Stop nibbling on highly-refined snacks like granola bars, chips, and crackers; women need protein with every snack to reduce hunger and protect muscle tissue and other lean tissue, especially on a weight-loss eating plan.  Try these protein-packed options: Read the rest of this entry »

Where does the time go?  It’s hard to believe it’s almost time for spring cleaning…again.

In the spirit of the great spring clean up we’ve asked registered dietician Elizabeth M. Ward to help us clear the culinary cobwebs and polish up our healthy habits when it comes to “squeezing in” nutrition.  Here is the first of three posts on spring cleaning your diet:

From Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D. and author of Expect the Best, Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, & After Pregnancy:

Springtime inspires healthier eating habits, but it’s not always easy to trade in favorite comfort foods for lighter choices that will help you shed winter weight and increase your energy levels. No worries: even small changes go a long way to good nutrition.  You’re already squeezing in exercise, so use the same principles to eat better. Here are some bright ideas for making nutrient-rich food choices more often, with a minimum of fuss.

Go for the Whole Grain. Whole grains are richer in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients (plant compounds that protect against cell damage) than their highly-refined counterparts.  You need at least three servings of whole grains each day, and so do your kids. Skip the cornflakes for breakfast and white bread at lunch and reach for these healthier options: Read the rest of this entry »

Thank you DailySpark for reviewing the SqueezeItIn Workout DVD!

“Even if you don’t have time to get to the gym, you DO have time to squeeze exercise into your busy days and this DVD will show you how!”

- Coach Nicole, SparkPeople fitness expert

The sister team of Jen & Jaclyn, founders of BeFitNPretty.com, are back this week with yet another delicious way to fall in love with good nutrition.  Chocolate anyone?

Good news dark chocolate lovers! This decadently rich and velvety treat may do as much for your heart as it does for your taste buds (well almost as much). Dark chocolate (sorry milk chocolate lovers) is packed with flavonoids, a compound with strong antioxidant properties. Research has shown that the flavonoids found in dark chocolate can have some very heart healthy benefits, including helping to reduce high blood pressure and levels of LDL or “bad cholesterol”.

Now for the not so good news. You don’t need a ton of dark chocolate to reap these health benefits and dark chocolate is still high in calories and fat. So keep your nibbling to no more than 1-2 ounces per day and remember that the darker the chocolate, the better. For the maximum health benefit, choose chocolate with at least a 65% cocoa content, it will contain more of those fabulous flavonoids. Sounds good to us!

Please note: The information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for the advice or treatment given by your doctor or dietitian. Please consult with a registered dietitian or your doctor if you have any questions about the information in this post.