Summer Tips

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a very restful and relaxing weekend. I know I certainly did, and I was so glad to have a weekend in Austin, as low-key as it might have been. I was able to cross quite a bit off of my to-do list, enjoy some beautiful weather, and even relax with a long-overdue massage. Life is good, am I right?

 

A morning walk at Town Lake

An afternoon swim at Gregory

Anyway, I want to start off this Monday with a little healthy living encouragement. Brooke, with the Texas-based Salata chain, reached out to me about sharing a few tips to help you get back on the healthy eating track. According to the University of Scranton, only 64% of resolutions are maintained after the first month of each year. Have no fear, because Salata, with its made-to-order salad bar stocked full of fresh vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, and proteins, provides plenty of customizable options for any dieting goal. In addition to its wide array of delicious options, Salata has joined forces with Houston Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and has created eight simple tips that will help you get ready for summer in no time at all:

1.   Most fresh veggies have just 25 calories or less per serving, so pile them on. Salata never charges for extra veggies and a salad bursting with flavors is sure to satisfy well past lunch, limiting mid-day snacking.

2.   Diets often fail because we feel restricted. Add variety by choosing vibrant fruits and vegetables rich in color. Carrots, red onions, tomatoes, grapes, cranberries, mandarin oranges, and strawberries are all great choices to liven up your salad or wrap.

3.   Stay hydrated. Skip the sugar-loaded sodas and refresh yourself with a cold glass of unsweet tea or water. Spruce it up with a twist of lemon.

4.   Protein helps keep hunger at bay between meals, facilitating weight loss, but the trick is to choose lean protein. Salata’s savory flavored chicken, shrimp, or salmon options add flavor without the fat.

5.   Vegetarians have lots of choices too with protein-rich options such as beans, tofu, pumpkin seeds, egg, or nuts.

6.   Keep fuller longer by adding more fiber. Whole-wheat wraps or spinach salads are both excellent sources of fiber. Add black beans, nuts, and lots of vegetables for an even bigger boost.

7.   Dress your salad up lightly by tossing it fat-free dressing instead. Salata’s sun-dried tomato and mango dressings are both fat free, and all Salata’s dressing are freshly made in-house without added preservatives.

8.   Select heart healthy fats like olives, nuts, avocado, and salmon for health-protective benefits during the summer.

Salata just opened its first Austin location last month, with many more in the works, and there are locations all over the Houston area, which is one of the many reasons I am looking forward to moving back to Houston at the end of the summer. 

Enjoy your Monday! It’s a rainy one here in Austin, so here’s to hoping work stays pretty light so that I can take advantage of the rainy weather, and get a start on the three new books I just purchased last night!