Wellness For The Win – making the healthy choice the easy choice

WFTW Travels: Chicago Recap

Most of you already know that Ethan and I went to Chicago last weekend to celebrate my birthday and enjoy our first little getaway since our honeymoon! We had an absolute blast and I thought it would be fun to share some details about everything we did on our trip. I’m partly doing this for selfish reasons so I can refer back to it in several years and be all nostalgic about our first year of marriage and pre-baby travels and all that sappy stuff. Either way, we are both getting something out of the deal. ; )

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I’m going to break this down into categories to make it easy to navigate if you’re only interested in certain aspects, such as our favorite spots to eat, things to do, etc. If nothing else, hopefully you enjoy looking through some of our pictures!! 🙂

Let’s get started!

Places to Eat

Public House

We got their famous Cake Shake while we were there, which was probably the best food-related decision of the entire trip. It was SO freaking good, and worth every penny. I wouldn’t be opposed to having one every single day next time I go to Chicago. (You might think I’m kidding…) Not to mention, both of our meals were amazing. Ethan got a BBQ pulled pork flatbread and I got some incredible fish tacos, and they had tons of other delicious items on the menu. Most importantly, the service was great too. Highly recommend this place!

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Big Star

This is a super cute Mexican restaurant that we heard had amazing tacos & margs, and it definitely lived up to the hype! If you live in KC, it has a total Taco Republic vibe to it. Huge patio with cool lights and just a really fun atmosphere. Also, their guac is life and I basically filled up on that, which is why I didn’t eat like 10 tacos there. I actually got their tofu tacos, which were pretty good, BUT Ethan’s pescado taco looked like the greatest thing ever (and according to him, it was). Also, highly recommend getting a pitcher of margs. It’s worth it.

Happy Camper

Y’all know I love my pizza. They didn’t have deep dish here, but it was still AMAZING. They had tons of options too. I of course got a veggie pizza with whole wheat crust and it was extremely delicious. Ethan created his own and got pepperoni and Italian sausage. He was basically boycotting veggies on this trip since he eats so many at home with me. 😉 But seriously, another super cute and fun atmosphere. We loved it!

Kanela Cafe

This brunch spot came highly recommended by a couple friends of mine, and I can definitely see why! Ethan and I started off with a huge cinnamon roll, which was un-freaking-real, and then I got their avocado toast with seven pounds of breakfast potatoes, as you can see. Ethan got their baked French toast, and it was absolutely to die for. It was a super cute spot too, and the one we went to was really close to Navy Pier, so we walked over there to explore right after! It was so nice to get some long walks in after all of these huge meals! Haha. I want to go back to this place and try so many other things on the menu!

Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe

I asked for brunch recommendations on my IG stories, and several people suggested this spot! We tried to go to Summer House Santa Monica first, but it was totally booked up, so we ended up here and we were not mad about it! It’s not the cutest inside; kinda just looks like an IHOP or something (lol) but the food was SO GOOD that it made up for it. I was drooling over all the amazing pancakes at the tables around us, which is what they are known for! They had alllll different flavors and they aren’t kidding around with those stacks. I swear they were 10 pancakes high. Ethan got strawberries & cream crepes which were so delish, but very rich. I went a little healthier and got a veggie omelet, whole grain toast with wildberry jam, and hash browns to split with E. The portions were HUGE and I couldn’t even finish half of it! But it was very affordable, and super close to Millenium Park, so we walked through there and saw the Bean afterwards!!

Helpful tip: my friend gave me a heads up that Wildberry Cafe is on the No Wait app, so you can put your name in ahead of time and avoid a long wait! This was clutch and we got right in.

Things To Do (Free or Cheap)

Ride Bikes Along Navy Pier

We spontaneously decided to rent some bikes when we were making our way from the Bean over to Navy Pier and realized we still had a long way to go on our feet. The bikes were a cheap and really fun option! It was only $3 each to rent them for 30 minutes, and we were able to ride them along some beautiful trails right by the water, over a bridge and up to Navy Pier. If we go back to Chicago I would definitely like to rent bikes again, and do it for even longer and explore more places this way! It’s a much quicker way to get from point A to point B, and gives you that city life feeling. They have bike racks placed all over the city, so it’s really easy to do wherever you want!

The Bean / Millenium Park 

If you don’t get a picture in front of the Bean, did you even go to Chicago? ; ) But really, it was fun finally seeing it in the flesh since I’ve seen hundreds of pictures of it before! The whole park is really pretty, and bonus — it’s free! So I definitely recommend walking around this area and taking in the sights.

Walk Along the River Walk  

Again, free! The river is so gorgeous, and there is a lot to see! Amazing buildings, cool restaurants, and of course, lots of great people watching. I just love being by the water!

Is he cute, or is he cute?

Walk Along Navy Pier

We walked all the way up and down Navy Pier, which was so beautiful. The vastness of the lake blew me away — it seriously looks like the ocean! And when you turn around, you have an amazing view of the city skyline. I also wanted to ride the Ferris wheel but we didn’t get to it (slash didn’t want to pay for it; I’m not even sure how much it costs but I’m assuming too much). But this area was really cool and beautiful.

Things to Do – More Expensive, but Worth It

Shedd Aquarium

This was a great indoor option to do when it was kinda cold and rainy outside. There was SO much to see, including small & huge fish, beluga whales, sharks, string rays, sea turtles, penguins, sea lions and so much more!!! The only downside was that it was super crowded with approximately 500 screaming kids. I think we happened to be there on the same day as a field trip or something, but it is probably always packed and that’s just unavoidable. We had a good time regardless, but just had to work around the crowds!

Architecture Boat Tour

I had a ton of people recommend this to me, and we were actually planning to do it all along, as Ethan had done it before and enjoyed it. It was a really cool way to see more of the city, and also learn about a lot of the history behind it! I found it very interesting and entertaining, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for some of the amazing architecture there (and honestly just architecture in general). It was 75 minutes long, and cost around $90 for the two of us, and I would say it was definitely worth it! There is also a bar on the boat if that helps…

The Second City

This was a 2-hour long comedy show that we went to see on the night of my birthday and it was probably my favorite thing we did on the entire trip. It was absolutely hilarious and Ethan was literally crying laughing for the whole two hours. It consisted of a group of six people doing a variety of skits; some of it was scripted and some was improv, but it was seriously hilarious. I would highly, highly recommend it!!! I’ve heard there are other comedy shows to see in Chicago that might be cheaper and equally funny, but I’m only familiar with Second City at this point, and have nothing but great things to say about it. It was worth the money for sure.

Willis Tower (formerly known as Sears Tower)

Most people know that this is the tallest building in Chicago and have seen countless pictures of people standing on the clear glass sky deck that is a casual 1500 feet or so over the ground. You have an amazing view of the entire city and the lake from up there, but… be prepared to wait to see it. In case you didn’t know, it does cost money to go up there ($24 per adult) and then we had to wait in line for about 30 minutes to even get to the sky deck. Once you reach the sky deck, they give you approximately 60 seconds to take it all in and take any pictures you might want. The waiting sucked, but the view was pretty breathtaking and we will have the awesome pictures from the sky deck forever, so I would personally say it was worth it. But some of you might feel differently and want to skip the chaos. To each their own. 🙂

Favorite Drink Spots

Cindy’s Rooftop 

This was actually our very first stop when we got to the city. Several people recommended it and we had seen some awesome pics of it on IG, so it seemed like an obvious choice. It does have an absolutely amazing view of Millennium Park and the lake, but it was extremely overpriced (in my super cheap opinion). I don’t like to spend more like $6 on a drink if I can help it, and my drink was $16 freaking bucks! Granted there were probably a few slightly cheaper options, but they were all expensive. Also, we got a “cheese platter” as an appetizer and we were both starving. We received a plate with literally two pieces of cheese. TWO!!! And some crackers and jam that were really delicious, but it was also $16. Definitely not enough food to be worth that price. It’s a cool spot to go to for the view and the vibes, but I’d say just plan to go for a beer (not food) and leave after one if you’re a penny pincher like me. : )

O’Brien’s by the River Walk 

We stumbled upon this place while we were walking around one day, and rode past it on our boat tour, so we finally decided to give it a shot on our last day! They had super yummy appetizers and drinks (which were affordable), and they happened to have live music when we were there! It’s right by the river walk so it’s a beautiful view, right across from Trump Tower! These pretzel bites were life, and the avocado hummus was bomb too! (Not pictured: delicious, warm pita.)

The Vig

I don’t have any pictures from this place, but it was a cool bar we went to after Second City to grab a few drinks! It was dark and packed (but in a fun way), and they had live music too! It’s also a good location because there are lots of other fun spots around if you’re in the mood to bar hop.

Benchmark

We actually stopped in Benchmark twice while we were there; it’s close to the Vig, among other cool spots! We just went for drinks both times, but their food looked great too! They also have a huge roof that opens in the summer and is probably super fun. Unfortunately it was too chilly when we were there, hence the sweater and flannel!

Pippin’s Tavern

One afternoon I was totally starving (aka hangry) because we hadn’t eaten since brunch, but we didn’t want to eat too much too close to dinner. So we were on the hunt for a place to grab a few apps to hold me over so I didn’t turn into a mean person (no one wants to be around me when I’m hungry and without food). We stumbled upon this bar and loved it! It’s a total hole in the wall, which was a nice change of pace. It was super small, and they had cheap beers and food. Right up our alley! We grabbed a few beers, some mozzarella sticks and chips & salsa here.

Bangers & Lace

We walked here after eating at Big Star (it was probably a 10-15 minute walk) and I have to be honest; I was disappointed. It’s a cute bar, but our service was terrible, and I hated my drink, which I guess is my own fault for trying to be adventurous haha. We had fun anyway, but I probably wouldn’t go back!

Anthem

When we peaced out of Bangers & Lace (above), we walked over to Anthem, which was way more our style. It was a fun sports bar and they had a great looking menu! Of course I was hungry… again, so I got a little veggie burger slider and it was delish! Great service here, too. I’d like to go back there and eat a meal!

Where We Stayed

Ethan is the absolute king of planning trips and comparing ALL options as far as where to stay, cost of flights/transportation, you name it. He’s on it. Thank goodness, because I am not a trip planner whatsoever.

Anyway, hotels in Chicago ain’t cheap, people. We decided to do an Airbnb that was just a little outside the “action” and it was extremely affordable. We could easily walk to the train, take an Uber or walk anywhere pretty quickly from our apartment. It was a super small studio apartment, but it was perfect for our purposes because we were barely in the room other than when we were sleeping! We saved a ton of money this way, so I’d definitely recommend looking into Airbnb if you’re planning a trip to Chicago (or really anywhere).  The only sad picture I got of the room is below. Sorry that I didn’t make the bed.

Best Methods of Transportation

$3 for 30 min bikes

I already mentioned this above, but riding bikes there was seriously so fun, especially by Navy Pier! I would definitely like to do this as a way to get to more destinations next time we are there! It was a really nice break from walking; my feet started hurting!

$20 for 3 day train ticket

I think this was a pretty great deal and we used the train several times throughout the trip. Ethan was really good at navigating and knowing where to get on and off of the trains, but if it weren’t for him I would not have felt comfortable or confident doing it. It’s definitely different than living in the ‘burbs! But it was cool to experience and if you’re there for a whole weekend, I think the 3-day pass pays for itself.

Uber/Lyft

Of course, Uber is always an option too. We did end up using Uber a couple different times when it wasn’t convenient to walk or there wasn’t a train route where we needed to go. It was also pretty cheap and quick to get to most places, but of course, not as cheap as walking or using the train.

So. Much. Walking!

Obviously I love being active, but even I underestimated exactly how much walking we would be doing on this trip. I ended up with around 7 miles and 16-17,000 steps on my Apple Watch by the end of each day! I really enjoyed walking and seeing all the sights, but I just did not pack accordingly. See section below on what to wear. ; )

What to Wear

I have to admit; I did NOT come prepared at all, which is sad considering I’m the queen of over-packing. I am definitely not used to the city life, and I didn’t realize how much cooler the temps would be compared to KC! They are not kidding around with the name “The Windy City”. And who would expect it to be 60 degrees in May vs. the 90s we’ve been having at home? Needless to say, we had to make a couple spontaneous shopping trips to get more appropriate attire, but hey — I got a cute new cardigan, sweater and adorable pair of pink tennis shoes out of the deal, so it wasn’t all bad. Ethan might feel differently about that.

With that being said, these are the main pieces of clothing/attire that I would recommend bringing on your next trip to Chicago:

#1: COMFY. SHOES. I knew we would be walking, but I severely underestimated just how much, and ended up buying comfy (and somewhat stylish) tennis shoes to wear from Marshall’s for $29. If I go back to Chicago, I will honestly not even bother packing any sandals (and definitely not heels), but just comfortable tennis shoes of some sort. I brought my Converse shoes and wore them a few times, but even they started to hurt after several hours of walking. If you get anything from this post, I hope you understand the importance of packing good walking shoes, and also don’t expect for your whole outfit to look cute. It just doesn’t even matter anymore.

Like I said, it was cold. Cold for May anyway. The unseasonably warm weather in KC really threw me off, and I was expecting summer-like temps. So again, please hear this — bring LAYERS. Plenty of jackets, cardigans, sweaters, maybe even a light coat. I’m sure it gets somewhat chilly at night throughout most of the year with the wind, so it never hurts to be overly prepared! I literally packed all sleeveless tops, and wore Ethan’s flannel shirts 80% of the time.

Additional Food Recommendations

Here is a list of brunch recommendations that I compiled from a bunch of my followers! I have only tried the ones I listed above, but I’m sure these are all great too!

  • Kanela Cafe
  • 3 Dots and a Dash
  • Summer House Santa Monica
  • The Beatrix (River North or West Loop)
  • Three Arts Club of Chicago
  • Wild Berry Cafe
  • Yolk
  • Hampton Social
  • M Henry
  • Lula Cafe
  • Zella’s (buffet/bottomless mimosas)
  • Seven Lions
  • Hub 51
  • Orange Restaurant
  • Little Goat
  • Beatnik
  • Bad Hunter
  • The Kitchen (on the river)
  • The Madison

Lastly, I want to address the fact that I fully enjoyed all that Chicago had to offer, without stressing about every calorie or anything of that nature on this trip. It was amazing. I had so much fun with Ethan and tried a ton of delicious food, desserts and drinks, because I know that a few days of indulging won’t undo the healthy lifestyle that I live 80% of the time when I’m not on vacation. Life and food are meant to be enjoyed, so if you go on a fun trip, don’t be afraid to splurge a little yourself! Some of my meals were healthier than others on this trip, but the memories we made are so much more important than calories consumed. I will cherish the memories from this trip forever and ever.

I am already back to my normal routine and my body is definitely thanking me for it! I can only go so long eating that way, because I truly don’t feel my best when I’m eating fried food, alongside beers and vodka sodas for days on end. I’m still feeling a little “puffy” and bloated post-vacation, but I’m definitely not restricting myself to make up for everything I ate. I’m just focusing on drinking plenty of water (since I didn’t do near enough of that in Chicago), getting back to my workouts at Health House, and eating lots of fruits & veggies! I hope that helps give you some perspective on your own choices when you are / are not on vacation.

Thank you all for following along during our trip to Chi Town via my Instagram stories & for reading my trip recap!! I hope it was helpful if any of you are heading to Chicago soon too! 🙂

Talk to you soon!

Shanna

#WellnessForTheWin #WFTWtravels #ChicagoRecap

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How I Got a Brighter Smile with Smile Brilliant

When it comes to dental health, I have been pretty lucky. I am one of the few people I know who never had to have braces, and I have only had one filling in my life. I’m good about brushing my teeth several times a day, and I’ve gotten a little better about flossing more frequently as I’ve gotten older. Overall, I have always been pretty satisfied with my smile, but of course, I have always wished my teeth were just a little bit whiter. It’s one of the first things people notice about you, so naturally everyone wants to feel confident about their smile.

Before Smile Brilliant:

Disclosure: I was gifted the Smile Brilliant kit in exchange for social promotion; however, all opinions are my own and this post includes my honest review of the products.

Somehow I managed to get through my first 25 years of life without coffee, but I just started drinking it a few months ago, and I’m hooked! Now it’s even more important for me to fight any staining that coffee can cause, along with other foods in our diet. Luckily, I hate red wine, so I’m good on that end. ; )

With that being said, I was super excited when Smile Brilliant reached out to me about trying their products. I have tried Crest White Strips in the past, but I wasn’t a huge fan of them. They didn’t stay on my teeth very well and I never stuck with using them since I didn’t see great results. I have always wanted to upgrade and get some whitening trays made specifically for my teeth from the dentist, but didn’t want to spend the money.

Smile Brilliant’s products are basically identical to what you would get from the dentist, but much more affordable. They even have kits specifically for people with sensitive teeth, like me. In addition, they offer different levels of kits based on how stained your teeth are and how many treatments you might need to achieve optimal results.

The Process

When I received my first box from Smile Brilliant, it included everything that I would need to make my “impressions”, or molds of my top and bottom teeth that they would then use to create my custom trays. You have to combine “base” and “catalyst” (it basically looks and feels like Play-Doh) and smash it into the trays before you bite down and hold it in your mouth for a few minutes to make an accurate impression of your teeth. I will warn you; this part is not comfortable, and there will be drool. Lots of it. It’s just part of the process, but it’s worth it! It only takes a few minutes, and it has to be done, so suck it up and get it over with! Shout out to my husband for combining the “Play-Doh” for me and also bringing me countless paper towels to wipe up my drool during this process. (Also, thank you for loving me despite watching me drool… a lot.)

Once you are done making the impressions, you stick them in an envelope that they have pre-stamped and addressed for you, and send them right back to Smile Brilliant. It takes about a week or so to get your custom whitening trays back in the mail, then you are ready to whiten!

My Experience

I will admit — it hasn’t been a totally smooth ride for me. I have very sensitive teeth, so I haven’t been able to whiten super consistently, because my teeth and gums need a break after each treatment, but this is normal! I found it to be super helpful to buy some Sensodyne toothpaste to use after treatments and the next few days when I was experiencing any sensitivity.

They recommend whitening at night before bed so you won’t be introducing any new foods or beverages that could cause staining in the hours after you’ve whitened. However, the pores on your teeth are still open in the 24-48 hours after whitening, so they recommend avoiding foods like coffee, red wine, etc. during that time. Avoiding coffee was a struggle some days, but I would just drink it through a straw if I was really desperate!

What worked best for me was whitening right after dinner and before bed for about 60-90 minutes, while Ethan and I watched our nightly episode (or two) of Netflix. We have recently been obsessing over Blacklist, but now we are impatiently waiting for the latest season to get on Netflix, and watching New Girl in the meantime.

My favorite things about Smile Brilliant:

  • The densensitizing gel. This definitely helped reduce the amount of sensitivity I was having; I would have struggled without it!
  • The customer service. Ashley was so great about checking in with me throughout my whitening process, and providing helpful tips whenever I was experiencing more sensitivity than usual (for example, putting Vasoline on your gums to reduce sensitivity; who knew!) It was so nice to be able to reach out to her whenever I needed anything.
  • Super user-friendly. All of the instructions for making the impressions and the actual whitening process were very straightforward and easy to follow. I didn’t have any problems figuring out what I needed to do, but if I did, I knew I could turn to Ashley (or anyone in customer support) to help me.

Here are a few photos of my results! I am so happy with them! I truly didn’t realize how much staining I had until I saw my “after” photos. Shout out to Smile Brilliant for giving me a bright smile again!

Before & After Smile Brilliant:

If you are interested in trying Smile Brilliant, head to my Instagram post from today, May 14th, 2018 and enter the giveaway I’m hosting right now. Like the photo, follow me, tag some friends, and most importantly, fill out a super quick form using this link. You could win a $149 Smile Brilliant credit, which is enough for nine whitening treatments! My giveaway is open for 1 whole week (ending May 21, 2018) and open to USA, UK, Australia and Canadian residents! If you don’t like those odds, you can go ahead and purchase some for yourself using my discount code “forthewin15” for 15% off. Look for the photo below on my IG feed!

Click here if you want to check out all of their products!

If you have any questions or comments about the products or my experience, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Thanks so much for reading! 🙂

Shanna

#WellnessForTheWin #SmileBrilliant #Ad #Partner

 

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Five-Ingredient Guacamole

Is the day after Cinco de Mayo too late to be posting a guacamole recipe? I mean, guacamole is delicious at all times, right? After almost three years of blogging you’d think I’d be getting better at the whole planning ahead for holidays thing. But, no such luck. It’s crazy how you get through one season of life and you think things will slow down for a while, but then new things pop up and life continues to be one big, busy blur. Don’t get me wrong; I like being busy and I’ve been having so much fun with all the events and activities we’ve had going on lately. Just don’t expect me to get any better at planning ahead in regards to blog posts and recipes. Maybe year four will be my year. 😉

I absolutely love this 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer! It’s only $10 and I use it ALL the time. You can cut the avocado open, remove the pit and slice it up with one handy tool. Better yet, it’s not super sharp like a normal knife, so even your kiddos can use it if they are helping you out in the kitchen. Click here to get your own!

This weekend I made a fresh batch of guac for the first time in who knows how long. Probably since I originally posted this recipe. In case you didn’t know, it’s been on my Side Dishes & Dips page for over a year (but this version has been tweaked a bit). I’m still slowly creating individual posts for each recipe on my site so there is a clickable link and you don’t have to scroll through 15 recipes to find the one you need. Again, maybe by year four this process will finally be complete. Fingers crossed.

Pictured below is my absolute favorite kitchen tool, the Vidalia Chop Wizard. You can chop up a whole onion in just a few minutes with NO tears, and it is perfectly diced! I don’t know about you guys, but I just love a uniformly cut onion. Total food nerd over here. Anyway, I use this thing at least twice a week and love it so much. It’s only $19 and worth every penny. Click here to snag your own.

The recipe I made on Friday night was extremely simple and required minimal time and effort, which I know we all love. I just combined some super ripe avocados, half a can of diced tomatoes, chopped red onions I already had in the fridge, a splash of lime juice, some pepper, and BAM. It was done in 5 minutes and it was delicious.

The recipe I’m sharing below has a little bit more to it, but I honestly think the simple version is just as tasty. However, I do love me some garlic & a little bit of spice in pretty much everything I eat, so I’m a big fan of this version too. As with all of my recipes, feel free to adjust according to your personal taste! If you don’t like spicy, omit the cayenne pepper; if you don’t like cilantro, just leave it out, etc.!

I rarely add salt to recipes, and tried to leave it out of this one since you’ll most likely be enjoying it with salty tortilla chips, but Ethan (my husband and built in taste-tester) thought it needed salt, so I did add a pinch. As always, it’s your call how much you add! Either way, I loved eating the guac with these blue corn tortilla chips from Trader Joe’s!

Now you don’t have to spend extra on guac at Chipotle, or even go there at all! Just whip up my At-Home Chipotle Burrito Bowl along with this Five-Ingredient Guac and you are ALL SET!

Also, how stinking cute is this guac-themed bowl & spoon set?! I got this from one of my girlfriends as a bridal shower gift and I absolutely love it! It’s only $19.99 and perfect for summer parties — click here to get one as a gift for a friend or for yourself! : )

Five Ingredient Guacamole

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

A quick and easy recipe for fresh, homemade guacamole, so you no longer have to spend extra at Chipotle!

Ingredients

  • 4 ripe avocados, scooped from peel
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
  • 1/3 cup canned diced tomatoes (can also use a fresh Roma tomato, but canned is SO easy)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional; add more if you like spicy)
  • Salt & fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Partially mash avocados with a fork in a large bowl, squeeze lime juice over the top and continue to mash to reach desired consistency.
  2. Add chopped red onions to avocado mixture along with diced tomato, garlic, cilantro, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
  3. Serve fresh guacamole immediately with tortilla chips, veggies (like carrots or bell pepper strips) or on top of Mexican dishes, like my At-Home Chipotle Burrito Bowl or Healthy Southwest Chicken Enchilada Bake.

Margarita on the side not required, but highly recommended.

I hope you all had an amazing Cinco de Mayo! Cheers! : )
Shanna
#WellnessForTheWin #MoreGuacPlease #Guacamole

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At-Home Chipotle Burrito Bowl

This At-Home Chipotle Burrito Bowl is one of the first recipes that I published on my blog almost three years ago now. I cannot believe it has been that long! Ever since I posted my Healthy Southwest Chicken Enchilada Bake, this recipe kinda fell to the back burner — literally. I whipped it up again last night and now I’m a little sad that I haven’t been making it way more often the past few years! I forgot just how delish and easy it is. Ethan even boldly stated that he likes this better than the enchilada bake (which he has always loved), so this might be our new go-to Mexican recipe for a while. We go through phases. Anyone else?

I made a few changes and additions to the recipe this time around, as I always do with my super old recipes. I think I’m just really bad at actually following recipes; I’m constantly trying to think up ways that I could enhance things and make them just a liiiittle bit tastier. This time that meant adding in a whole onion and canned tomatoes. You can never have too many veggies if you ask me!

As the name states, this recipe has everything that you would find in a burrito bowl from Chipotle, but probably a LOT less sodium and saturated fat. I swapped out sour cream for plain Greek yogurt, used low sodium (or no-salt-added) black beans, and I season the chicken with spices like garlic powder, chili powder, and pepper — no salt!

This recipe also makes 6-8 servings, and probably costs less than just one single burrito bowl from Chipotle. So not only are we well-fed for dinner one night, but we also have lunches for the next two days. These are ALL of the things I look for in a recipe! Simple, healthy, delicious AND work lunch leftovers. Yaaaaasssss.

Are you intrigued yet?

At-Home Chipotle Burrito Bowl

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

A healthier & cheaper version of Chipotle that you can make at home, and enjoy for days!

Credit: wellnessforthewin.com

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 cups cooked brown rice* (~3/4 – 1 cup uncooked)
  • 3/4 cup frozen corn
  • 1- 15 oz can no-salt-added black beans, drained & rinsed well
  • 1- 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained & rinsed
  • 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup chunky salsa
  • 1 cup low-fat shredded Mexican cheese + more for topping if desired
  • Cilantro for garnish
  • Optional toppings: avocado, chopped red onion, salsa

*Most recently I used this whole grain medley and it turned out amazing!

Directions

  1. First, cook chicken and brown rice. (I seasoned my chicken with garlic powder, chili powder and black pepper and cooked in a skillet over medium-high heat.)
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  3. Pour all ingredients into a large bowl except cilantro. Stir until well combined.
  4. Transfer to a 9×13 baking dish and top with extra cheese if desired.
  5. Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through.
  6. Top with cilantro for garnish. Serve immediately, or store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

I love to eat mine with crushed tortilla chips and more hot salsa! I would also highly recommend adding avocado or guacamole. You can never go wrong with that on top of Mexican dishes! I’m just impatiently waiting for mine to ripen so I can eat the leftovers with some avocado on top. ; )

I want to see some of you whipping this recipe up in place of tacos for Taco Tuesday this week! As always, tag me @wellnessforthewin and hashtag #wellnessforthewin so I can see your creations! 🙂

Have an amazing week!

XO,

Shanna

#wellnessforthewin #chipotleburritobowl

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A Peek Inside My Fridge

I recently created a video for my friends over at Life Equals called “What’s In My Fridge” where I shared a few of my absolute, must-have 24/7 staples that I always keep on hand. The video was only one minute long, so I obviously couldn’t cover everything in that short time. If you’d like to check out the video, click here! 

Disclosure: I am an ambassador for Life Equals & I do earn a small commission each time someone uses my discount code to purchase their supplements. My code is “wellnessforthewin”, which gets you 50% off subscriptions + free shipping, and sometimes you’ll even get a freebie with your order! For example, for the rest of April 2018, they’re throwing in a free 6-pack of Balance shots, which I absolutely love! Thank you in advance for using my code — small contributions help me continue to do what I love and share great content with you all! Please let me know if you have any questions about any of their products. I’ve been very happy with the women’s multivitamin, probiotics, omega-3s, and of course, the Balance shots.

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Later I posted the photo below of my fridge on my Instagram feed which allowed me to highlight a few more of the goods, but I couldn’t go into detail on each item and how I use it or why it’s a staple in our house. I created a poll to see if it would be helpful to do a full blog post about the contents of my fridge, and I got an overwhelming “yes”, so here we are!

Believe it or not, not every single item in my fridge/pantry/freezer is highly nutritious. I’m human too! But this is real life, and I like to show you guys the good, the bad and the ugly. I’m mostly highlighting my favorite healthy items that I can’t live without in this post, but I’ll also be sure to point out a few less healthy items that are always chillin’ in our fridge (literally).

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Now I’m going to break it down into categories & talk about how I use some of the items listed above. As always, if you have questions about anything, never hesitate to reach out and ask!

You could use this post to create a grocery list for the next time you go to the store if you need help stocking up on more of the good stuff, and less of the not-so-good stuff.

Let’s get started.

Veggies:

  • Spinach/spring mix: I love to use fresh greens to make salads for work lunches, or to add to wraps/sandwiches, and of course, flatbreads!
  • Variety of colorful vegetables: I listed some of my favorites that I almost always have, but it definitely varies depending on our meal plan for that week. When it comes to purchasing veggies, I recommend getting a variety of colors so you benefit from all the different nutrients they have to offer! I typically roast all of the veggies I get by doing the following: toss in extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil), fresh cracked pepper and garlic powder, and roast at 400 F for 30-35 minutes, tossing halfway through. For sweet potatoes, I season with EVOO & cinnamon, and cook them the same as the others. Never disappoints!
  • Minced Garlic: keeping a jar of this saves SO much time — I throw garlic in tons of recipes because the pre-minced garlic makes it super easy.

Fruits:

  • As I mentioned, we typically keep mostly frozen or dried fruit on hand, because we just don’t go through a ton of fresh fruit in our house. I love using frozen fruit (mango chunks, strawberries, blueberries, etc.) for smoothies, but they are also easy to throw in things like banana muffins, or on top of French toast after thawing.
  • Avocados & bananas, if opened

Grains:

  • Ethan loves to use whole grain tortillas for tacos & wraps; I typically use corn tortillas
  • We always have whole grain Flatouts for Meatless Monday flatbreads!
  • I love making a big batch of quinoa some weeks because it keeps much better than brown rice (in my opinion; usually doesn’t dry out) and it’s easy to throw in a variety of dishes!

Proteins:

  • Lately, hard-boiled eggs have been my go-to for breakfast at work. It’s easy to grab and go and they last all week long. I also love to cook up scrambled or fried eggs for weekend breakfasts at home.
  • The meats that we typically stick with are chicken breasts, lean ground chicken or ground turkey. We also do a variety of fish (shrimp, tilapia & salmon) but we always buy those frozen, usually from Costco.
  • Hummus + baby carrots is a great work snack. I also love dipping my roasted veggies in hummus!
  • Almond butter is life & I eat it multiple times a day. So. Yummy. 

Dairy:

  • Plain Greek yogurt is definitely a staple in our house. I throw it in smoothies, lasagna, enchiladas, and more! It’s a great, lean source of protein, and healthier alternative to sour cream & mayo in many recipes.
  • Light string cheese is a daily work snack for both Ethan and I.
  • I keep a variety of other shredded cheeses such as Mexican cheese, mozzarella, and feta cheese crumbles.
  • We are also on a big whipped cream cheese kick currently. It’s amazing on Dave’s Killer Bread with jelly (we usually use Smucker’s low sugar grape jelly).

Treats:

  • I love keeping a big bar of 70% dark chocolate in the fridge to eat for an evening snack. Just a little square of it is enough to satisfy my sweet tooth most of the time! I love the kind that I get from Aldi. I also keep some other sweets in the freezer, like Halo Top ice cream, or Jonny Pops!
  • Sometimes we have No Bake Energy Bites, or another baked good, like Banana Bread or Flourless Banana Nut Blender Muffins, depending on what I’ve made for our breakfast that week!

Beverages:

  • I often use unsweetened almond milk for baking & in smoothies.
  • I am a fairly new coffee drinker, so I love these Starbucks Skinny Vanilla Lattes, although I know they aren’t necessarily the healthiest option. I’m trying to get used to coffee with just milk! 😉
  • I love the unsweetened blonde roast with vanilla Premier Protein shakes as my creamer. Great post-morning workout option!
  • La Croix sparkling water is something fun to drink instead of plain water, which can get old sometimes! I really like the mango & passionfruit flavors.

Miscellaneous/Condiments:

  • I recently started using Coconut Aminos instead of soy sauce because they are significantly lower in sodium and taste almost identical! It’s especially great in my Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice. 
  • Rao’s Homemade Roasted Garlic marinara sauce is so much better than any other sauce I’ve tried. I highly recommend giving it a try — you can start with my Crockpot Lasagna with Chicken & Veggies!
  • Aldi has a great selection of organic salsas; I really love their fire-roasted flavor!
  • I typically just use balsamic vinegar & olive oil for salad dressing, but sometimes I enjoy using Wishbone Balsamic Vinaigrette too. Ethan loves ranch, so I will buy Bolthouse Farms dressings for him because they are Greek yogurt-based and typically a little healthier than other options.
  • Ketchup: I know it’s not healthy, but I love ketchup, and so does Ethan, so #realtalk, we always have it.
  • Life Equals Balance Shots! These little shots provide 1/2 your day’s servings of fruits & vegetables, which is perfect for days when life gets in the way and your diet may not be 100% on point. It happens to the best of us. Most of all, they taste delicious! I especially love them cold. Use my code “wellnessforthewin” to save 50% on supplement subscriptions (which you can cancel at any time), get free shipping & a free 6-pack of Balance shots + free Focus & Energy supplements for the rest of this month! (April 2018)

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I hope that helps give you all some ideas of things you can start keeping stocked in your fridge! I’d love to know — what are some of your refrigerator staples? Would it be helpful to do another post on some things I always keep in my freezer and/or pantry? Let me know by commenting below or messaging me on Instagram! 🙂

Have a great week!

Shanna Hutcheson, RD LD

#WhatsInYourFridge #WellnessForTheWin

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Healthy Crockpot Chicken Tacos Two Ways

Taco Tuesday is the best, isn’t it? Especially crockpot chicken Taco Tuesday. There is honestly nothing better than walking in the door after a long day of work and getting hit in the face with the delicious smell of tacos. Not to mention your dinner is already made for you. Double win.

This recipe was previously titled “4-Ingredient Crockpot Chicken Tacos” on my Lunch & Dinner Entrees recipe page and consisted of:

  1. Chicken breasts
  2. Low-sodium chicken broth
  3. 1 packet of dry ranch seasoning
  4. 1 packet of taco seasoning

While this is still great and super easy to make, I prefer to make my own seasonings whenever possible. First of all, it’s much cheaper than buying the pre-made, packaged kinds, and you can usually save a ton of sodium as well!

Here’s a photo of my homemade spice mixes combined. So many pretty colors and delicious flavors!

I headed to good ol’ reliable Pinterest to find some recipes for homemade ranch and taco seasoning, and landed on these versions from Real Simple Good. This link includes a total of 10 recipes for easy homemade spice blends. I used the ranch and taco seasoning recipes and followed them pretty closely. I omitted a few spices simply because I didn’t have them in the fancy spice rack that we got off of our wedding registry, and it turned out just great anyway! Head to the link to see the original recipes, and if you have all the spices that it calls for, feel free to use them all!

If you’re feeling lazy and just want to use pre-made ranch & taco seasoning packets, then skip on down to the full recipe, but if you’re like me and want to go the cheaper & healthier route, here are the seasoning recipes! They took me about three minutes total to throw together, so I would recommend doing this! 🙂

Homemade Taco Seasoning:

FYI: I kept this one exactly the same as Real Simple Good!

  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 ground pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 1/4 tsp oregano

Homemade Ranch Seasoning:

I cut this recipe in half (as it is meant to season 2-3 lbs of meat), omitted the spices I didn’t have, and added nutritional yeast. Here is my version below. Head to the link above for the original. 

  • 1/2 Tbsp parsley
  • 1/2 Tbsp dill weed
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Keep reading for the full recipe of my latest version of Crockpot Chicken Tacos!

Healthy Crockpot Chicken Tacos

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot easier, healthier, and tastier.

Credit: Wellness For The Win

Ingredients

  • 1-1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed or frozen
  • 1 serving of homemade ranch seasoning (recipe above)
  • 1 serving of homemade taco seasoning (recipe above)
  • 1 cup of unsalted or low sodium chicken broth
  • 1- 14.5 oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/2 cup diced onions, fresh or frozen

Additional toppings (optional):

  • 1 can no-salt-added black beans
  • 1 cup chopped bell peppers (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn
  • Avocado slices, plain Greek yogurt, salsa, fresh greens, Mexican shredded cheese

Directions

  1. Add spice mixes to the crockpot, then add diced tomatoes, onions and chicken broth, and stir until combined.
  2. Add chicken breasts to crockpot, stir and spoon some of the spice/veggie mixture on top of the chicken.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.
  4. Shred chicken with these shredding claws (Amazon affiliate link), stir again, and let sit for another 15-20 minutes.
  5. Cook additional veggies (beans, peppers and corn) in a medium-sized skillet and season with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and pepper for a few minutes.
  6. Serve chicken and veggies hot, with toppings as desired.

I like to top whole grain corn tortillas with fresh greens, the Mexican veggie mixture, crockpot chicken, a little bit of shredded cheese, spicy salsa and avocado. Voila!

Option #2: Totally Stuffed Chicken Tostadas

Another option is to turn these into my Totally Stuffed Chicken Tostadas! You will follow the same process, but instead, serve on top of a warm, crispy tostada shell. I LOVE doing this, and it is worth the extra few minutes. Tostadas are my go-to meal when my family goes out to eat at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Jalapenos (which happens literally anytime someone in the family has a birthday, anniversary, or other random occasion to celebrate). Last time I made these at home, Ethan said it was one of my “top 10 best recipes”. He makes statements like this a lot… but, I’ll take it. That’s your cue that you need to make this too, ASAP!

All you have to do is:

  1. Cook tostada shells in the oven (or toaster oven) for 1-2 minutes at 350 degrees. Watch closely so you don’t burn them — it can happen quickly! You just want to get them nice and warm, and a little crispy.
  2. Top with crockpot chicken, Mexican veggies and additional toppings as desired. Devour immediately! : )

How to Utilize The Leftover Chicken

One of my favorite things about crockpot meals is that it always makes enough food that Ethan and I will both have work lunches covered for the next few days. Check out the photo below to see how I re-purposed this meal for lunch.

I cooked a sweet potato in the microwave for 3-4 minutes in the evening, packed it alongside the leftover chicken and veggies, and then it was all ready to reheat for lunch the next day! Another alternative would be to serve the chicken and vegetables with cooked quinoa, or fresh greens and a few chips to make a “taco salad”. Work lunches don’t have to be boring, people! This is a healthier option than going out to lunch, and probably much cheaper too.

What are your go-to crockpot meals turned work lunches? Another one of my favorites is my Healthy Crockpot Lasagna with Chicken and Veggies! It’s delicious fresh out of the crockpot, as well as the next day, and the next day!

Let me know if you try this one out! I promise you won’t be disappointed. As always, tag me on Instagram @wellnessforthewin and hashtag #wellnessforthewin so I can see your beautiful and delicious creations!! : )

Have a great rest of the week!

Shanna

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How My Childhood Shaped My Outlook on Health

I grew up in an active family whose lives somewhat revolved around sports. My dad was a sportscaster for 35+ years, my brother played soccer & baseball competitively year-round, and I played multiple sports myself, soccer being my main sport until middle school when I became a cheerleader. Most importantly, my mom was the best, most supportive soccer mom around. We were constantly going to and from games, practices, tournaments; you name it. Sometimes that meant that we drove through McDonald’s for dinner or ate quick and not-so-healthy meals at home, like Totino’s pizza or mac & cheese, but it didn’t cause us to gain weight back then. We were kids, we were growing, and we were constantly moving and burning calories. What we ate didn’t make a huge difference at the time. Not to mention, my brother and I were a couple of the pickiest kids around. I would hardly look at most vegetables, and I vividly remember crying at the dinner table while my parents tried to force feed me green beans. Who would’ve guessed that I’d eventually become a dietitian who practically lives on veggies!?
 
I will admit; I have never really struggled with my weight, but that is not to say that I haven’t had my fair share of body image issues. I’m still a girl who went through puberty and watched her body change and struggled with those changes. I don’t think you have to be overweight to feel uncomfortable in your skin, and it’s not fair to say that people who are “thin” or “fit” don’t have a right to feel insecure sometimes. We are all human.  
 
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For the most part, however, I grew up with a lot of self-confidence, and I give my parents all the credit for that. My mom has always been amazing at encouraging me and letting me know that I’m beautiful, strong, smart — no matter what. I never questioned my worth or my appearance over the years, because she did such a great job of lifting me up and inserting those positive thoughts into my mind, especially when I said not-so-nice things about my body or appearance.
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I truly can’t imagine what it will be like to raise children in today’s world. Ethan and I have only been married for almost seven months now, and we don’t have intentions of having kids anytime soon, but the thought of it scares me sometimes because of the pressures of today. I definitely want them eventually (preferably one boy and one girl 😉 ), but we want to enjoy each other and travel and be selfish for a few more years at least. 
 
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I know I’m still only 25-years-young, but times have changed SO much since I was a kid. Sure, we had PlayStation and TV shows we enjoyed, but more than anything, we spent our time outside playing sports or hide-and-go-seek with the neighbor kids. We didn’t have the pressures of social media telling us we needed to look a certain way, wear these clothes, or eat these foods to be “thin” and beautiful and accepted. I was completely unaware of calories or “bad” foods when I was young, and for that I am so thankful. Even though my mom dieted on and off while I was a kid, it was never something that I noticed or caught onto myself. She never called herself fat in front of me (because she’s most definitely not), or said any negative body-related comments that would then cause me to feel self-conscious about my shape. In case you were wondering, my mom and I are basically identical, both looks and personality-wise. 
 
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As I look back and reflect on my childhood, I was carefree. I ate what I wanted, and I stopped when I was full. I exercised and moved often because it was fun, and a normal part of my family’s life. I had a lot of friends and I enjoyed spending time with them. People didn’t compare themselves to each other so much back then; we just loved each other for who we were, regardless of our status or possessions.
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Once I became a teenager and my body started changing, I did have those typical feelings of self-doubt and insecurity. I remember when we would go on trips for my brother’s soccer tournaments, I would often feel “nauseous” whenever we went out to eat in big groups, and that would mean that I ate very little, if anything. I have always had a weak stomach, but looking back I wonder if this was actually because I felt uncomfortable or anxious eating in front of other people. It’s been too long to know, but I have a feeling that was the case.
 
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It has been a long journey to reach the point I am at now in my relationship with food and myself. I don’t want to repeat myself too much, so if you’re new to WFTW, click here to read my article about Why I Stopped Counting Calories. I am still on this new-ish journey of eating more intuitively and honoring the way my body looks and feels, and it is so refreshing. Don’t get me wrong; I still have days where I don’t love what I see in the mirror, or I feel “guilty” for eating something — even though I shouldn’t — but for the most part, I exercise daily because I love it, I eat what makes me feel good, but I also allow myself plenty of rest days and ice cream dates with my husband, because that’s an important part of life too. 
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I think being with Ethan over the past 5 years has really helped me chill out with my eating habits, and give myself a lot more grace with the way my body looks. Like a lot of guys, he eats what he wants, when he wants, and feels no guilt. That has finally rubbed off on me, and has helped me achieve that perfect balance I have always wanted. Obviously I still eat healthy the majority of the time, but I love experiencing new foods with him, whether they are healthy or not, because it makes our relationship even more fun. Food is social. It’s not always about whether it’s good vs. bad for you. We have to allow ourselves some wiggle room to fully enjoy everything the world has to offer.  
 
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I recognize that the journey to food freedom and self-acceptance looks incredibly different from one person to the next. Sometimes it takes failing a diet a few times before you decide that you owe yourself more. It’s kinda like telling a good friend that her boyfriend sucks. As an RD, it’s hard to tell people, “You shouldn’t follow that new fad diet, and this is why”. People usually want to figure those things out themselves, and that’s okay. Intuitive eating and simply following a “healthy, balanced diet”, cooking at home more often, drinking more water, moving more every day — these things may not seem as sexy or cool as the Keto diet or intermittent fasting, but if you stick to them, I can almost guarantee you will see the results you are looking for, and you’ll feel a lot less tied down due to food rules & restrictions. 
 
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You’re probably thinking I’ve done a lot of rambling at this point, but I promise I’m going somewhere with all of this. I recently teamed up with my friend Amy of Beautifully Broken Journey to write a blog post about how to raise healthy kids in today’s world. 
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Amy has struggled with poor body image for most of her life, suffered from binge eating disorder for years, and started going to Weight Watchers when she was just a young girl who hated her body. Years of yo-yo dieting had ruined her relationship with food and with herself, but she has finally achieved a healthy outlook on food and life, and follows more of an intuitive eating pattern while still representing Weight Watchers. She now has two young boys, and is extremely passionate about instilling healthy habits in them and helping other parents do the same with their children, so the next generation doesn’t have to go through the vicious cycle of dieting and disordered eating like she did. 
 
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Weight Watchers recently announced that they are offering free memberships to teens as of this year, and a lot of people, especially Registered Dietitians and intuitive eating advocates, were extremely upset about this, and I can definitely understand why. Adolescents and teens’ bodies are still growing and going through a lot of changes, and it is unfair to make them feel that they need to start dieting and/or tracking their food intake during that time, as we know this can lead to disordered eating behaviors and long-term body image issues. However, after speaking in-depth with Amy on this, I understand that WW has a much healthier system in place than they used to, and they are using more of an “intuitive eating” approach and simply encouraging people to eat more healthy, whole foods. In addition, the group meetings can be extremely beneficial for people who truly need that accountability piece in order to stick to their goals. 
 
With that being said, there is a fine line between focusing on health, and becoming obsessed with numbers, macros, calories, SmartPoints, or whatever it may be. Based on our many conversations, I would say Amy is doing it right. She tries to eat healthy most of the time and move her body in ways that she enjoys, but she’s also not afraid to let loose and bake cookies with her sons and fully enjoy a few for herself, too. It’s so important to show children that food is just that. Food. It can be a fun and enjoyable part of our lives, but it doesn’t have to control our lives. 
 
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While I do not exactly endorse teens starting this program, I am most definitely not going to judge or speak negatively about anyone who does choose to follow Weight Watchers. That won’t make things any better, and I’m fairly certain the program is not going anywhere anytime soon. Instead, let’s try to meet people where they’re at, and help them in any way that we can. 
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Like I said, everyone’s journey looks different, and we have to respect the path they choose in order to achieve better health. If someone is finally vowing to pay more attention to their health after years of ignoring it and put better foods in their body, I am all for it. However, I would highly recommend that anyone who needs help with their health journey visit with a Registered Dietitian for guidance, no matter what program you choose to do. These days, most of us (dietitians) will encourage you not to diet or track calories, but instead, to adopt healthy lifestyle habits that you can maintain for years to come. Let’s try to shift the focus to health and quality of life, rather than the numbers on the scale. It has taken me many years to reach the healthy mindset I have today, so please be patient with yourself, and know that you don’t have to do it alone. There are so many RDs who would be more than happy to help you, one baby step at a time. Head here to find one near you. 
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Small changes eventually lead to big results. 
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I am incredibly thankful that I grew up in a household that allowed me to see the value in being active, and that taught me to love myself, no matter what. Both of those things were so much more important than making sure I was eating vegetables at every meal as a kid. I had a healthy relationship with food, and I appreciated my body for allowing me to play soccer and do other things I loved. The rest eventually falls into place. Like I said, I basically live on vegetables now, so if your kiddo is resisting these foods, be patient, and try, try again. There is hope for all of us. ; ) 
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Please head to Amy’s blog to read the article we worked on together, “Healthy Habits For Healthy Kids“. Amy talks about her personal struggle with dieting and body image, and she sought out my help on how to instill healthy habits in her own children. I answered her questions on how to raise healthy kids today, despite all the diet culture and social media pressure out there, based on everything I have learned and read over the years as a Dietitian. I hope it is helpful for those of you with kids, or those who are thinking about having kids in the future!
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Here’s a sneak peek of the Q&A section that I contributed to: 

Q. WHAT ARE SOME HEALTHY HABITS THAT ENCOURAGE KIDS TOWARDS HEALTHY LIVING IN A NATURAL & AUTHENTIC WAY?

My responses:

  • Encourage your kids to be active every day, as this can help with both their physical and mental health, and they will be more likely to continue this habit into adulthood. Try to take advantage of good weather as a family.
  • Limit use of electronics so they are spending less time viewing pictures or messages that may create stress or negative body image, and more time with family and/or friends who make them feel good about themselves.
  • Eating as a family has been shown to improve nutrition and healthy eating behaviors. Make family dinners a priority whenever you can.
  • Eat the rainbow! Try to encourage them to include a variety of colorful foods (fruits & veggies) throughout their day.
  • Get them in the habit of having a water bottle with them, so they are more likely to choose water over other sugary beverages.
  • Encourage your kids to do things that truly make THEM feel happy and fulfilled (i.e.: encourage your son to play baseball if he really loves it, not just because Mom or Dad want him to and he feels pressured and is actually stressed out by it) 
  • Promote body kindness as much as possible. If you hear your daughter or son say something negative about their bodies, address it – do NOT ignore it. Tell them that they are beautiful and strong just the way they are, and that their weight does not define their worth. Have conversations around this as much as you need to.
  • Encourage them to be social and hang out with friends who have similar values and make your kids feel good while they are together. Socializing rather than being isolated is important in adolescence for mental health.

Your health is about so much more than what you eat, how much you weigh, or the size of your jeans. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who support your goals and let you know that you are enough, just as you are, and those same people will help you better yourself in positive, not harmful, ways. 

I would love to hear your feedback around this topic! How has your upbringing impacted the way you view health or your body image today? Please drop a comment below, DM me on Instagram or email me wellnessforthewin@gmail.com if you ever have questions or comments. 
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Thank you so much for reading,
 
Shanna 

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JonnyPops: Your New Favorite Sweet Treat!

Happy Sunday everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day or just relaxing like we did! I am so excited to give you ALL the deets about a company I’ve partnered up with called JonnyPops! Things are finally starting to warm up outside, so it’s the perfect time of year to seek out a delicious, cold treat that you can feel good about including in your diet on a regular basis. ; )

Disclosure: I was compensated monetarily by JonnyPops for this partnership, however, all opinions are my own. I will never post about products that I don’t truly love and/or believe in! 

I want to preface by addressing the fact that this might seem like an odd thing for me to be posting about. I’m a Dietitian, a healthy food blogger, and this is essentially an ice cream company. But it is so much more than that, and if you have been following me for a while (or even a short time), hopefully you have learned that I fully believe in treating myself, and ice cream happens to be one of my favorite ways to do that.

My late Grandma “Cookie” (yes, everyone knew her as Cookie), ate ice cream sundaes for dinner on Sunday nights for most of her adult life. I grew up in a house with a mom who ate ice cream out of the carton with a fork for a little something sweet to top off her dinner. We found joy in playing “tic-tac-toe” on brand new cartons of ice cream. I always got to be O’s because that meant I got to take bites while we played. 😉 I don’t just love ice cream because it’s delicious, but it is a somewhat nostalgic treat for me.

Now let’s dive into the details behind JonnyPops and why they have quickly become one of my favorite treats.

The Ingredients

First, let’s start with the basics. What is in these magical pops, you ask? Well, that’s my favorite part!

They pride themselves on the fact that these pops are made with simple ingredients and nothing artificial. They include real fruit – in fact, it’s the first ingredient in their fruit pops – and real cream, and they are all 200 calories or less. If for some reason you have to avoid gluten in your diet, you’re in luck! All of their pops are gluten-free as well.

Head to their website for the nutritional facts if you’d like to see for yourself!

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Strawberries & Cream is one of my favorite flavors. It is so refreshing, and you can totally tell that it’s made with real fruit. It truly does taste like a strawberry smoothie-on-a-stick! And it’s made with only 5 ingredients.

Where Can I Find Them?

Great news! JonnyPops can be found in most local grocery stores as of March 2018, so you shouldn’t have any problems finding some near you.

In case you want to run there immediately after this post (as you should), head to the store locator on their website first to see where you can grab some for yourself. Fellow Kansas City peeps — it looks like they are available at most Target and Walmart stores in the area!

If there happens to be a grocery store near you that does not carry the Pops, you can submit this Product Request Form from their site and beg your local store to start carrying them! They will have no choice but to say yes after you give them all the details you’ve learned in this post. ; )

Vanilla Mint Chocolate. I usually am not a fan of mint chocolate ice cream. This JonnyPop is definitely the exception. It is delicious! PS: this is obviously not my mint plant. That little guy needs some time to grow! : )

The JonnyPops Flavor Line-Up, Including Their NEW Delights Flavors!

JonnyPops first line of flavors includes all fruit. I have tried the Strawberries & Cream and Mango & Cream, and they are both AMAZING! I am dying to try the Banana Cinnamon next!

Fruit Pops Lineup:
  • Strawberries & Cream
  • Mango & Cream
  • Pineapple Coconut & Cream
  • Strawberry Banana & Cream
  • Raspberries Blueberries & Cream
  • Banana Cinnamon & Cream

JonnyPops just released a whole new line of flavors for spring, known as the “Delights” lineup! A couple of them are covered in a hard, dark chocolate shell and they are to. die. for. A few of the others include dark chocolate as one of their main ingredients, so they are incredibly delicious too! Give me a frozen treat that includes dark chocolate and I am one happy girl.

New “Delights” Flavors:
  • Dark Chocolate & Cream
  • Vanilla Mint Chocolate & Cream
  • Root Beer Float & Cream
  • Cold Press Coffee Chocolate & Cream
  • Cherry Chocolate & Cream
Cherry Chocolate & Cream is my personal favorite so far! I love the hard chocolate shell.

5 Fun Facts About JonnyPops:

  1. It’s so true. They are SO smooth and creamy, thanks to real heavy cream. Y-U-M.
  2. I love anything with a short ingredients list, especially when they are ingredients you can feel good about.

Why I Don’t Avoid Sugar

As a healthy food blogger, I get some form of this question on Instagram all the time: “How do you avoid eating sugar?” My answer: “I don’t.” Completely restricting yourself from eating the things you enjoy most is not the way to lose weight or be happier with your body. It typically causes you to either a) binge on those things when you do finally “give in”, or b) have a really unhealthy mentality towards food and yourself.

What I have found that works for me is a mostly healthy lifestyle that includes tons of fruits and veggies (and other healthy foods), lots of exercise, but also a healthy dose of treating myself. These JonnyPops are a perfect example of a treat I would have on any day of the week. In fact, they have already become a normal weeknight treat for me to eat while Ethan and I wrap up our day with some Netflix.

I have a huge sweet tooth, and I love to eat something sweet after dinner/before bed. I know I’m not alone in that! These individual Pops totally satisfy my sweet tooth, and there is built in portion control (rather than trying to resist eating an entire container of ice cream at once). Most importantly, they are made with simple, real ingredients that you don’t have to feel guilty about eating. (PS: you should never feel guilty about what you eat. Eating “unhealthy” food doesn’t make you a bad person. It makes you human! That’s why the whole balance factor is so important.)

Why I Truly Love JonnyPops, and Why You Will Too

Lastly, what I love about this company is the mission behind it. The people are truly passionate about what they are doing, and it was actually founded by four college students back in 2011. One of the original creators was named Jonathon, and he passed away from a struggle with addiction, so not only did they name the company after him, but they also donate a portion of their proceeds to non-profit organizations that support addiction recovery. How incredible is that?

In addition, every stick is printed with a good deed on it, because “[they] believe that sharing kindness helps [them] achieve their mission of making the world a better place, one pop at a time“. Are you guys convinced that this company deserves your support yet? I know I’m sold!

I am hosting a giveaway TOMORROW (Monday 3/19) for TONS of JonnyPops coupons so you can get your hands on some of these delicious treats too — for free! Be sure to head to my JonnyPops post on Instagram (@wellnessforthewin) tomorrow for all of the details and to get entered in the giveaway! 🙂 While you’re at it, go follow @jonnypops on Instagram so you can support them and stay up-to-date on everything they are doing!

I really hope you love them as much as I do! Stay tuned for a lot more fun with JonnyPops + Wellness For The Win in the months to come!

Have an awesome week!

Xoxo,

Shanna

#WellnessForTheWin #JonnyPops #Sponsored

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Healthy Crockpot Lasagna with Chicken & Veggies

Happy Sunday everyone! Since today is my day to plan and prepare for the week ahead, I thought I’d share a perfect Sunday recipe with you all.

Whenever I am working on my weekly meal plans, I always try to ask Ethan if there is anything he really wants to eat that week. His usual response is, “I trust you”, and while I totally appreciate his trust in me, sometimes I’m really looking for some inspiration!

Last Sunday, I told him I wanted to cook something in the crockpot and we were brainstorming a few different options. I made SkinnyTaste‘s turkey, white bean & pumpkin chili the previous week, so chili was off the table. Every time Ethan actually does offer up an opinion regarding our meals for the week, he requests lasagna in some form. It never fails.

 

I love to make crockpot meals on Sundays because a) that is the day I typically do my grocery shopping and meal prepping for the week, so it’s nice to have something in the crockpot cooking itself while I’m keeping myself busy with other stuff, and b) it makes a ton of food for just the two of us, which means leftovers to eat for work lunches for the next few days.

 

Once Ethan requested lasagna, I hopped on Pinterest and searched “healthy crockpot lasagna”. Of course, there were five billion hits, but I landed on this version from Pinch of Yum. I’ve made several of her recipes before and have never been disappointed, so I figured this one would be no different!

Her version is vegetarian, but as all you wives out there probably know, men typically want some meat (at least mine does). I added lean ground chicken to ours, but feel free to keep it veggie if that’s your style! I already had a few other meatless meals planned for that week, so I figured I’d add some meat here so Ethan didn’t go too crazy. 😉 I also made a few other minor adjustments to the recipe, but if you want to check out the original, click here.

This meal was extremely easy to make, Ethan loved it and it tasted just as delicious reheated the next couple of days. I also feel good about everything that’s in it. Whole grains, lots of greens, and lean, healthy sources of protein! Delizioso!

If you mess up the order of the layers, don’t fret. It’s honestly just a big ol’ mess at the end anyway, and you’re bound to get a little bit of everything once you scoop it out. Also, as you can see from my pictures, it’s not the prettiest meal, but it’s what’s on the inside that really counts, right?

Crockpot Lasagna with Chicken & Veggies

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Time: 3 hrs 15 mins
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Description: An easy and delicious lasagna recipe that is packed with healthy ingredients. The best part: the crockpot does most of the work for you!

Credit: Wellness For The Win

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground chicken (or turkey, if you prefer)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1- 24 oz jar of Rao’s Homemade Roasted Garlic tomato sauce (or sauce of choice)
  • 9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
  • 1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
  • 3-4 cups of fresh greens (I used a fresh spinach/arugula mix; POY used kale)
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Optional toppings: shredded Parmesan cheese, chopped red onion, Italian seasoning, additional sauce for serving

Directions

  1. First, cook the lean ground chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once chicken is browned and cooked through, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
  2. Next, cook the chopped yellow onion and garlic in the same pan, for about 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, transfer to the same bowl as the ground chicken, and stir to combine.
  3. Spray the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Spread ~1/2 cup tomato sauce on the bottom so the noodles don’t stick.
  4. Break 3 noodles so that they fit and mostly cover the bottom of the crockpot, as pictured above. Then layer in this order:
    • 1/2 cup of ricotta + 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt (I combined these in a measuring cup before spreading over noodles)
    • 1/3 of your turkey and onion mixture
    • 1 cup of fresh greens
    • ~2/3 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
    • 1/2 cup of sauce
  5. Repeat layers two more times for a total of three complete layers. End with a layer of noodles on top, covered with a thin layer of sauce and a little bit more shredded cheese. Top with chopped red onions, if desired, before turning crockpot on to cook.
  6. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours. (She recommended turning the crockpot off and letting the lasagna sit for an hour to allow the moisture to get soaked up. We didn’t do this — way too hungry for that — and it turned out just fine! We also used a pasta claw to scoop it out of the crockpot, but you could also cut it with a knife.)
  7. Serve with a little bit of Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

Voila! So easy and yummy!

As always, if you try out this recipe, tag me on Instagram @wellnessforthewin and use the hashtag #wellnessforthewin so I can see your creations! 🙂

Have a great week everyone!

Shanna Hutcheson, RD LD

#WellnessForTheWin #CrockpotMealsFTW

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My Journey to Becoming a Dietitian

Since National Nutrition Month is right around the corner (hint: March), it seemed like the perfect time to talk a little bit about dietitians, AKA the experts in nutrition! I wrote this guest article for Andy the RD‘s blog almost a year ago, and for some reason, I never shared it here on Wellness For The Win! I added a lot of information to this version, so if you read the original, keep reading for even more details.

As the title mentions, this post is about my journey to becoming a Registered Dietitian. I talk about why I chose this profession, what it means to me, the steps it took to become an RD, what I’m doing now and a little bit about my personal health journey through it all. I also discuss my decision to start my blog and how my experience with that has been over the past couple of years.

I decided to share this because I get a lot of inquiries from women (and men!) who are passionate about nutrition and health, and are trying to decide if they want to pursue Dietetics as a career.

Let’s get started!

A Little Bit of Background:

I have had this passion for health for a long time now, but it only seems to intensify as the years go by.

My interest in food and nutrition began all the way back in high school. I was a fit, active cheerleader and probably could’ve eaten whatever I wanted without gaining weight; however, I started really paying attention to what I put in my mouth during those years. In hindsight, probably a little too much. I didn’t necessarily restrict myself back then or engage in any binge/purge behaviors, but it was around that time that I started tracking my food intake in the MyFitnessPal app. Little did I know, this was a habit that I would continue for the next seven years or so. I stopped counting calories a little over a year ago now, and it has been extremely freeing — possibly one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. (Read my blog post to learn more about Why I Stopped Counting Calories in the first place, and Why I Still Don’t Count Calories.)

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I’m on the right, if you were wondering. #glorydays #throwback

Fast forward to college and I was a little overwhelmed by the fact that I needed to figure out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, as most freshmen in college are. I went to Kansas State University, which is where my dad went back in the day, so I was pretty much brainwashed from birth that I would attend KSU as well. ; ) Luckily, I loved everything about small-town Manhattan, KS, and they also happened to have several majors that suited me perfectly.

I started out my college career with a dual-degree; Nutrition and Kinesiology. It seemed like the perfect fit for me. I obviously had this growing interest in food and nutrition, and I really loved exercise, too. I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do with all of that yet, but I felt confident that I was on the right path. It wasn’t long before I heard about Dietetics, and all of the different job opportunities that are out there for dietitians. Once I learned just how much you can do with the letters “RD” behind your name, I knew that’s what I was meant to do. I soon switched Kinesiology to a minor (although I still loved exercise, I didn’t feel that I was meant to be a personal trainer, physical therapist, etc.), changed my major to Nutrition and Health, and added a second major, Dietetics.

I have to admit, school was pretty tough with that workload, especially because I put a lot of pressure on myself to get A’s in every class, and I was also very involved in my sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and wanted to have a social life. (Go figure.) Dietetics, Nutrition and all other health-related majors are typically very science-heavy, and require a lot of studying and dedication on your part. If you are considering going into any of those things, mentally prepare yourself for that. You will have to get through some boring and super hard classes (i.e. microbiology) before you get to the stuff that really interests you.

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I have to brag for a second and say that I only got one B throughout my whole college career (damn you, Biology) and graduated Summa Cum Laude (twice), only because it helps me lead into my next point. And yes, in case you’re wondering, I was — and still am, and always will be — an overachiever. Most dietitians are. It comes with the territory, I guess.

This type A, perfectionist personality of mine has been both a blessing and a curse throughout my life. Obviously, it helped me perform extremely well in school, which is something that I am very proud of; however, it also caused me a lot of unnecessary stress in an attempt to be perfect all the time, which ultimately resulted in over-analyzing my food intake, disliking my body, freaking out if I missed one day at the gym, and has even caused some GI issues that the doctor ultimately diagnosed as “IBS”, most likely triggered by stress, and who knows what else. (I have yet to try an elimination or FODMAP diet, because sometimes, ignorance is bliss. I am aware that this is a bad example, but I’m just being honest.) I still have my good and bad days with my “IBS”, unfortunately, although it has improved significantly over the last year or so. Wedding planning last year was oddly therapeutic for me and I’ve been so happy with married life that I guess I haven’t been as stressed. I’m not sure the reason, but I’ll take it!

Despite all of the difficult things I’ve been through on this health journey of mine (obsessive behaviors, poor body image, GI distress, skin issues), I can honestly say that I have a very healthy relationship with food and myself today. We all have our ups and downs and our own way of getting there, but now that I am an RD, I love helping people discover what they can do to not only improve their health, but also boost their self-confidence and quality of life. Being a dietitian has given me the opportunity to teach others how eating healthy food and exercising can truly improve their overall well-being, and that they don’t have to give up everything they love in order to achieve good health.

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As I have grown both personally and professionally, I also recognize the importance of engaging in stress-relieving, self-care activities, which can look different from person to person. For me, that might mean getting a facial or a manicure, baking a loaf of banana bread, going to the dog park with my husband and our pup, or simply giving myself a lazy day to binge-watch Netflix, and for others, it could mean something completely different. Either way, it’s so important to find strategies to control and relieve stress, because it can have a hugely negative impact on our health otherwise (as I mentioned with my GI problems).

Choosing Dietetics as a profession was one of the best decisions I ever made. Starting my Instagram account and blog are next in line.

The Education & Internship Process:

For those of you who are seriously considering going into Dietetics, I would recommend reading this part so you know what it entails. Since I had a double major and a minor in college, it took me five years total to complete both undergraduate degrees, and the entire fifth year consisted of my Dietetic internship. However, I still completed the internship at the same time as everyone else in my class, so you can most likely expect five years total regardless, unless you earned a lot of college credit in high school. The program I did at K-State did not include a Masters degree, but programs at some other universities do, and in the future, it will be a requirement for everyone.

In case you don’t know, Dietetic internships traditionally consist of three different rotations: clinical, management and community, for a total of 1200 hours of supervised practice. These days I know there are some internships that are a little less traditional and may also include shadowing someone in private practice, integrative medicine, or other areas of the Dietetics field. But back in my day, it was just the first three. It also depends which program you choose and the university you’re completing it through.

I chose the Coordinated Program (CP) path through Kansas State University. That meant that I had a lot of support from the faculty at KSU during the internship placement process, and I got to stay fairly close to home for all of my rotations. Alternately, there is the Didactic Program, in which the student has to find their own preceptors and internship rotations, and they are typically farther away (for example, on the coast somewhere). Some people want to go away from home, so they prefer the Didactic path. I am more of a homebody and liked being close to my family, friends and boyfriend (now husband) during that year.

The summer before my fifth year, I completed my community rotation at a Hy-Vee grocery store in Olathe, KS (near my home) for a total of 6-8 weeks. During the fall semester, I did my management rotation at one of the student dining facilities at K-State. In case you’re wondering, yes, it involved wearing a hairnet and working in a kitchen with a variety of management-type responsibilities. Second semester I completed my clinical rotation at a large hospital in Kansas City, so I got to live at home during the end of my final year.

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Throughout the internship on the CP path, you are also taking a few classes, so not only are you working basically full-time (without getting paid), but you are also still completing assignments, taking exams, etc. I will be totally honest; it is an extremely busy and stressful year, but like I said, I had a lot of support from my classmates, advisors and teachers at K-State since I did the Coordinated Program, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It is such a valuable time because you get real work experience in a variety of settings and really get a feel for what you like, as well as what you don’t like as much.

You learn and grow so much during that year, and that is why being a Registered Dietitian is much different than a nutritionist, or health coach, or any other “health expert” you may see on the internet. Dietitians go through extensive education and nutrition training, and we are also required to complete 75 hours of continuing education every five years, so we are constantly learning and staying up-to-date on the latest evidence-based nutrition research.

After you complete the internship and earn your Dietetics degree, you are eligible to sit for the national RD exam. I spent about 4-5 weeks studying for this, and used Jean Inman to do so. Thankfully, I passed the exam on my first attempt, but do not take this process lightly. It is very challenging, and I treated studying as a full-time job during that month!

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I took my RD exam on June 26th, 2015 — good thing I passed, since I came home to balloons, flowers and this RD4L cookie cake! 😉

With all of that being said, if you have any health-related issues you need to have addressed, I would highly recommend visiting with a Registered Dietitian who has been highly trained to counsel patients and clients for a variety of health concerns. Ideally, you should do this while also consulting your physician, and everyone can work together to form an individualized care plan that works for you.

Career Opportunities:

I started my career working part-time as an inpatient clinical dietitian in a hospital, as well as a part-time wellness coordinator for the employees of a school district. These were two completely opposite ends of the spectrum in the dietetics world; treatment vs. prevention. Both are extremely important, and in both environments, there is so much room for education. I tried to motivate my school district clients to adopt healthy habits so they would never make it to that hospital bed. On the other hand, in the hospital I had the opportunity to educate newly diagnosed diabetic patients on carbohydrate counting, or teach 50-year-olds who just had a heart attack how to make heart-healthy choices, or administer nutrition support for patients who were intubated, or didn’t have a properly functioning GI tract at the time, etc.

Later this week, I will be starting a new full-time job doing Corporate Wellness for a large corporation in the Kansas City area, and I’m extremely excited to continue working with well individuals who want to seek out my help. Working in a clinical setting has been an amazing learning experience — and for those of you going into this field, I highly recommend starting clinical — but wellness is where my passion really lies, if you couldn’t already tell from my blog. I believe there is so much power in prevention. I want to educate people on how to be well now so they can live a happier and healthier life well into the future, avoid developing any chronic diseases, and most importantly, set a positive example for the next generation.

As you can see, there are a wide variety of career opportunities for dietitians, so if you are passionate about food & nutrition, there is likely a perfect place for you. You can work in clinical settings, grocery stores, government agencies, school districts, corporations, fitness facilities and so much more. There are also a lot of opportunities for RDs in media and journalism these days. Someday I would love to either write a book or contribute recipes and/or health-related articles to magazines.

The best thing about this profession is seeing people get excited about living a healthier life and taking better care of themselves. When I see that light bulb go off, and they realize, “Wow, I can do this”, or I get an email from a client who can’t wait to report back to me that they have: worked out four times that week, started eating a healthy breakfast every morning, started drinking more water, increased their fruit/veggie intake, etc. — those are the moments that make it all worth it. Like most professions, there are always going to be frustrating and difficult times. Some people simply don’t want to change or listen to what you have to say, and that’s okay. It takes patience, persistence and great counseling skills to help people make positive lifestyle changes. Everyone goes at a difference pace, but once they get there and they are so thankful for your guidance and support through it all, it’s an amazing feeling.

On Having a Health & Wellness Blog:

I started Wellness For The Win soon after I completed my Dietetic internship, and right before I started studying for the RD exam. (Ironically, it was the day before I had a colonoscopy/EGD for the GI issues I discussed earlier.) I truly didn’t have any idea what I was doing when I started my blog. I just knew that I wanted to create a space where I could motivate and inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle by eating well, exercising often and simply taking better care of their bodies. It is amazing to look back at the past few years and see how much I have learned and grown during that time.

I am still not an expert on food photography, Instagram or blogging in general, and I don’t spend endless hours of my life trying to be. I am obviously very passionate about my blog, but it’s not my entire life. I have a family, a husband, a dog and many other things that I care about too! I just have a lot of fun sharing my life with you all, and I continue to learn as I go. Don’t overthink it; just have fun with it.

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If you are wanting to start a blog or Instagram account too, I would recommend that you do the same! Follow accounts in your niche (as well as accounts that you enjoy and that make you feel good) and learn from them, but always stay true to who you are and do not compare yourself to others. As a blogger, those are my biggest pieces of advice. I think a lot of people feel pressured to post or say certain things due to what others are doing, but don’t let that get to you. If you are primarily a food blogger, but want to share something fashion or beauty-related, go for it! And vice versa. There are no rules. We are all allowed to care about a variety of things. My life consists of a lot more than just what I eat, believe it or not. You do you, girlfriends. 

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Here’s an example of a very old picture from my blog.
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Here’s a recent picture from my blog of my Black Bean Brownies; I like to think my photography skills have improved juuuust a little over the past few years.

It is fun and exciting to get more and more followers, but that’s truly not what it’s all about for me. It’s the messages that I get from complete strangers either down the street or across the country letting me know that I have inspired them in some way. Whether they are recovering from an eating disorder and let me know that I motivate them to fuel their bodies with healthy food every day; or someone who has never liked to cook for themselves takes the time to let me know that I encouraged them to start; or someone who “fell off the wagon” with their workouts long ago started exercising again because of my account. Little moments like that are honestly the most important thing to me. Knowing that I am making an impact on the health of others, no matter how big or small, is the most rewarding part of it all.

I want to show my followers that people like us (RDs, “healthy food bloggers”, and people who appear to eat fruits and veggies 99% of the time) like to let loose and eat pizza and cake and drink margaritas, too. In the end, it’s all about balance and enjoying your life. It’s about treating our bodies well most of the time, but also knowing when it’s appropriate to give yourself a break and eat an overflowing cup of ice cream with all the toppings (and I mean all.) As someone who has been on the other end of the spectrum, I recognize that it takes time to get to that place of balance, self-acceptance and eating more intuitively.

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I just want to show people that eating healthy can be fun, delicious, satisfying and most importantly, simple. Yes, it requires a little bit of effort on your part, but trust me, it is so worth it. You can’t put a price on feeling good on the inside and the outside.

I feel so lucky to have a career that I am so passionate about and to have the opportunity to help others get excited about their own health as well. I plan to continue to share my love for nutrition and health with anyone who will listen, and hope to inspire many more along the way. If there is anyone in your life who you think could benefit from following me, please feel free to share my information with them. : )

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Thank you so much for reading, and as always, feel free to reach out with any questions or comments you may have if you are also interested in becoming a dietitian or starting your own blog!

Until next time,

Shanna Hutcheson, RD LD

#wellnessforthewin

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