Erin Sheehan, RDN

I got my peaches down in Georgia 🍑

Celebrating National Peach Month with this peach, prosciutto, and burrata cheese plate 🤤 👇

Ingredients:
• 2-3 juicy Georgia peaches
• burrata cheese
• prosciutto (I used Applegate)

How to (so easy it doesn’t even need directions):
1. Layer peaches, pieces of burrata cheese, and prosciutto on plate or serving tray
2. Drizzle with olive oil and crack some pepper on top. Fresh basil optional 🌿

There ya have it! Perfect snack plate for the weekend!!

Healthy eating isn't just for weight loss. Enjoying a healthy salad or a side of asparagus does NOT mean you are on a diet. It means you are nourishing your body with REAL food and reaping these amazing benefits.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I may talk about weight loss a lot because I'm so passionate about teaching people that they can look and feel amazing without succumbing to a scammy diet. The truth is though, our bodies benefit from real food and a healthy lifestyle in ways that go way beyond physical appearance. Weight loss should never be a sole focus.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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My main goal is to help simplify the science of nutrition so you can nourish yourself in the healthiest ways possible without spending 💸💸 on fad diets. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So whether you're trying to lose weight or you aren't, I'm a big believer that there is always room for improvement when it comes to our health. Comment below with your health and wellness goals! 👇

If your sole motivation for making the switch to a healthier lifestyle is weight loss, you aren't setting yourself up for success.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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First, I want to say that there is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight IF you do it healthily and IF you are doing it for the right reasons. I want to be clear that I am not pro-diet culture but I am very pro what will make clients happy and healthy long term. Maybe that includes weight loss and maybe it's disease prevention - both topics I am super passionate about.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If weight loss is a part of your health journey, I think it's important to understand what a slow process it can be and just how many factors affect weight beyond just food and exercise. I'm talking stress, hormones, gut health, muscle mass, menstrual cycle, etc. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Relying on the scale to measure progress is a quick way to lose motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle because it takes TIME. And that can be frustrating. What if you were motivated by improvements in mood, energy, sleep, skin, immunity, and even your annual blood work results? These factors are where we start to get somewhere with our health. They are LONGEVITY. Weight loss is just a side effect. Stop making it the star of the show 🙅‍♀️⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What is your motivation? 👇

Now that we all know how to read a nutrition label (see yesterday's post 😉)...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Let's talk about added sugar. It's in everything! Even in some marketed "healthy" foods like nut butters, tomato sauce, whole wheat bread, and organic candy. If you're consuming it from multiple sources everyday, it can really add up quickly. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So let's say your day goes something like this...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Breakfast:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Coffee and 2 tbsp Coffee Mate French Vanilla - 10g sugar⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Instant Oats Maple & Brown Sugar - 12 g sugar ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Lunch: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Turkey Sammie on Pepperidge Farm wheat bread - 8 g sugar⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Snack: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Strawberry flavored yogurt - 12 g sugar ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Dinner:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Spaghetti with Prego Pasta Sauce - 10 g sugar⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This rough estimate of added sugar intake totals to 52g for the day and it doesn't include the doughnuts your co-worker brought to the office, the soda you grabbed from the vending machine, the salad dressing you had on the side, or candy you chose for dessert. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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While this was just an example that would look different for everyone, you can see how easy it is to consume anywhere from 50+ grams of sugar PER DAY without realizing it!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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A little sugar here and there isn't a big deal, but consuming excessive amounts of added sugar often may contribute to weight gain, fatigue, signs of aging, anxiety or depression, and increased risk for chronic disease.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Next time you're at the store, take a look at the nutrition label on some of your everyday foods. You might be surprised at how much added sugar you're consuming!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Is anything on this list shocking to you?!

Understanding nutrition labels takes practice and knowing what to look for. Consider this a good starting point to becoming an expert!

Note that the serving size isn’t a nutrition rule for how much of a certain food to eat. It’s really just the average amount of a food that people consume in one sitting based on food consumption surveys. Compare your portion to the serving size to see where you stand nutritionally speaking.

Did you know that manufacturers have a 20% margin of error when labeling calories on their products? Meaning packaged foods can have up to 20% more or less calories than listed. Also, calories do not even indicate the healthfulness of a particular food!

Finally, while the label is important, don’t neglect the ingredients list! Our health doesn’t just lie in the numbers.

If I were to update this, I'd also add avocado oil mayo (a super deal at Costco) and Rao's marinara sauce!

I prefer using avocado oil mayonnaise because traditional mayo is loaded with ingredients like soybean and canola oils, which are inflammatory to the body and in almost every processed food out there. Avocado oil is loaded with monounsaturated, heart healthy fats and antioxidants. My favorite way to use avocado mayo is to make dipping sauces and salad dressings!! All the yummy goodness without the icky ingredients.

I love Rao's marinara sauce because it doesn't contain sugar (like many tomato sauces) and tastes amazing!

Do you have any fave Costco finds?

Dietitian-Approved Grocery Items You Should Be Buying at Costco Costco is a great place to find organic and healthy foods for your family on a budget.

Portion control made easy! This was dinner tonight following the plate method 👇

Half plate non-starchy veggies (greens), 1/4 plate starchy veggies (beans and mashed potatoes), 1/4 plate protein.

This method is perfect for weight management, blood sugar control, and just healthy eating in general. Don’t make it harder than it has to be!

Key for anti-aging and disease prevention! My favorite sources of antioxidants are berries and dark chocolate 🍫

Antioxidants: What You Need to Know About the Powerful Nutrients What are antioxidants, really? And are they as important as food manufacturers, nutritionists, and scientists make them out to be?

Turkey isn't just for Thanksgiving and sub sandwiches!

Ground turkey is a great way to add variety to your diet when it comes to lean protein. I personally love a good turkey burger and the recipes in this post sound amazing! They make great meal prep too.

Also, it doesn't get any better than dinner in under 30 minutes!

17 Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes That Are Ready in 30 Minutes or Less From burgers to meatballs, ground turkey is a great substitute in so many different dishes—it's not only leaner than red meat, but it's also the perfect alternative for when you're tired of eating chicken. These 17 healthy ground turkey recipes will make your weeknight dinners a breeze.

Okay but seriously, it may be time for phone reminders if you're a chronic meal skipper.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Skipping meals is problematic for a number of reasons. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Let's start with the most obvious. You know how a car needs gas in order to run? Well your body needs food (aka fuel) to function properly. So what can you expect to happen if you aren't eating enough daily? Cue the 3pm slump, brain fog, and hangry outbursts. Oh - and you'll probably be ready to eat your arm by dinner time.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Now onto a more complex reason - METABOLISM. When you aren't giving your body the fuel it needs, it has to adapt to running on empty. So whether you're a chronic meal skipper or a yo-yo dieter, if you've been restricting calories for too long your body has adapted to burning at that restricted level. This is where we start to see stubborn weight that just won't budge.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The good news is that we can wake that metabolism up if it's gotten sluggish 😴. Here are things you can do TODAY to stop this cycle of under-eating:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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1. Eat regular meals every 3-4 hours, even if you need reminders to help you do so. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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2. Eat balanced meals and prioritize protein. Protein is essential in maintaining our muscle mass, which keeps our metabolism 🔥⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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3. Check out my post from yesterday for meal time inspo!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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This is yet another reason why HOW we eat is just as, if not more, important than WHAT we eat. I have a post on this topic too 😊

The Plate Method is a powerful tool you can use to build a healthy, balanced plate anywhere, whether it’s cooking dinner at home or dining out. Here are the benefits 👇

1. It’s sustainable for the long-term! This is not a diet and it isn’t restrictive. You have endless possibilities and freedom with this method.

2. It focuses on a variety of whole foods, which is key to preventing chronic disease, boosting our immune system, and maintaining gut health.

3. The right combo of protein, healthy fat, and fiber from the veggies and complex carbs stabilizes our hunger hormones so we feel calm and satisfied throughout the day. AKA, we’re preventing hangry outbursts and uncontrolled cravings caused by blood sugar imbalances.

4. Portion control without counting macros. Let your mind rest! This method fuels your body naturally in portions that are responsible for a balanced diet.

Simple enough, right? Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Is there anything cauliflower can't do?!

Mashed potatoes, rice, pizza, soup, tacos...the possibilities are endless when it comes to incorporating this nutrient dense, fiber-filled veggie into your diet. Can't decide which recipe to try next!

15 New Cauliflower Recipes You Need to Try Try one of our new recipes that feature cauliflower. Whether you roast it, whip it into a mash or make it into oatmeal (yes, oatmeal), cauliflower is packed with vitamins C, K, B6 and potassium. Plus, the cruciferous vegetable has been associated with lowering risk of heart disease and cancer. So th...

In honor of National Tequila Day, I'm just going to leave these little refreshing watermelon margaritas here for your weekend inspiration!

How are you spending your Saturday?!

Watermelon Margarita - Love and Lemons This refreshing watermelon margarita recipe is naturally sweet and delicious. With just 5 ingredients, it's the perfect easy summer cocktail!

Late night eaters, this is for you! ⏰

You know that rumor floating around that says we’ll gain weight if we eat past 7pm? Generally speaking, this isn’t true.

While there is some evidence to suggest we aren’t as efficient at burning calories later into the night, we need to dig a little deeper to determine the effect this has on our health! It all comes back to HOW we are eating. Give this a read 👇

Eating Late at Night: Foods That Help You Sleep Is eating late at night a bad thing? It depends. Keri Glassman, MS, RD talks about foods that help you sleep and when it's ok to eat them late at night.

What you eat on the weekend matters! Healthy habits are not a 9:00 - 5:00 job. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So often clients treat the weekend as a free-for-all, thinking that they'll make up for it on Monday by getting “back on track”. In the long run, this puts our bodies and minds in a tug-of-war type of situation.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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We'll build on how this affects metabolism later. For now 👇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Choose 1-2 healthy non-negotiables for the weekend ahead and stick to them. This way you can enjoy yourself without stressing about having to "start over" on Monday. Here are some ideas:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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1. Hydrate! Drink plenty of water. This will never NOT be important. If your weekend involves alcohol, alternate some glasses of water in between. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2. Prioritize protein, healthy fat, fiber at meals to control blood sugar and keep cravings at bay. And eat your meals no matter what. Saving calories for pizza or alcohol is not a thing!!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3. Get your veggies in where you can. This could be celery sticks with chicken wings, bell peppers on pizza, cucumbers with guac. You're not taking foods away, just sprinkling in some vitamins and FIBER! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
4. Choose which meals you'll be eating out and make the rest healthy at home.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Let's stop tipping the balance on the weekends ⚖️. It's stressful for our bodies. Consistency trumps perfection if perfection leads to bingeing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What are you up to this weekend?!

Double tap if you've ever searched for the answer to this one way or another. Are you ready? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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✨ CONSISTENCY ✨⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It may not be glamorous, but that's the answer. And it’s true even if your goal isn’t weight loss. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Unfortunately, consistency isn’t something we can buy in the form of a powder, pill, or meal plan - which is exactly how the diet industry has been so profitable, but we can talk about that another time. We don’t get consistency from “eating clean” Monday - Thursday and then dedicating our weekends to free-for-all behavior. And we certainly don’t get it from yo-yo-ing between Keto, Whole30, and intermittent fasting. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Consistency is simply what we do on a day-to-day basis. It is sustainable. If your diet is something you won't stick to, then it isn't sustainable. You know what CAN be sustainable? Drinking water, prioritizing fruits and vegetables, cooking at home most nights, packing lunch from home most days, daily movement. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If your work schedule or home life makes showing up for yourself consistently difficult, time to do some brainstorming!

When we prioritize only WHAT we eat, we see short-term results. It’s called dieting. Which might provide you with a handy little blueprint of what foods to eat but doesn’t actually prepare you for real life - holidays, vacations, celebrations with friends, date nights, work stress, emotional trauma. All of these occasions make up a pretty significant part of our lives. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Start asking yourself HOW you eat. Are you eating fast food breakfast in the car on the way to work because you were rushed out the door? Are you mindlessly eating while scrolling instagram on your lunch break? Are you picking up takeout tonight because you don't have time to cook and you don't have a back up plan?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Often we are distracted, rushed, or unprepared when it comes to eating. We can't keep blaming food and "willpower" when it comes to our health and wellness.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Our habits directly impact our nutrition. Can you relate to any of these?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Your juicer isn’t just for juicing greens! Break that bad boy out and dust it off...time to make some almond milk!! Here’s what to do 👇

•soak nuts 6-8 hours or overnight. This softens them and makes for a creamy milk
•drain + rinse
•add nuts back to bowl and add filtered water. Equal parts nuts + water will result in a thicker, creamier consistency. Nuts are pricey though, so play around with this ratio if you want to be more economical
•add nuts and water to juicer
•enjoy!

You can buy raw nuts in bulk at Sam’s or Costco for a great price. You can also add in vanilla extract for flavor and soaked dates to sweeten 😋

Almond pulp can be frozen and saved to make almond flour. Will share a tutorial on that soon!

We’ve been craving all of the refreshing 🥗 in this summer heat. Our biggest tip when it comes to salads is to choose your dressing wisely! Most store bought salad dressings are loaded with hidden sugars and inflammatory ingredients, which can quickly hinder your wellness goals. Head over to the blog to find out why we make our salad dressings at home and score some of our favorite recipes, like our quick homemade Italian vinaigrette we used for this salad 👇

1 head of 🥬 , chopped and washed in our salad spinner (link in our shop page)
1/2 English cucumber 🥒
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes 🍅
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
1/2 quartered artichoke hearts
Crumbled feta 🧀
Crumbled 🥓
Rose (optional)🥂 😉

With the changing seasons comes a bounty of seasonal produce! We’ve talked about the benefits of eating with the seasons before on our blog, and we realize that this may be the farthest thing from your minds in the midst of all this chaos. For some of you, your kitchen may be a space to unwind and escape from the myriad of emotions surrounding us right now. Which is why we’ve included tips on which spring produce items to stock up on, how to store them, and how to cook them using pantry staples so you can make the most of your grocery haul. Check it out!

https://www.rebelwellnessblog.com/post/making-the-most-of-spring-produce-during-quarantine

Making the Most of Spring Produce During Quarantine Given the current state of events, we are all trying to avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store. In an effort to keep things positive around here, we want to acknowledge that the first day of Spring was a few days ago and longer, warmer, brighter days are ahead of us! With the changing seasons....

Erin Sheehan Nutrition + Wellness updated their business hours.

It’s that time of year! Holiday celebrations can make it feel like your health and wellness goals have gone out the window, but don’t fret. If you find it hard to incorporate plenty of nutrient dense foods this holiday season, give green juice a try. This isn’t a staple in our everyday diets because, let’s be real, it can be expensive. Plus, we love the fiber that comes from eating whole vegetables and you don’t get that benefit in a juice. However, juices offer a large burst of nutrients, energy, and hydration in such a small volume of liquid. Think vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that are loaded with anti-inflammatory properties and can aid in the body’s natural detoxification processes. Because they don’t contain fiber, we usually opt not to add fruit to our juices to prevent a blood sugar surge. Tune in tomorrow for our full guide to surviving the holidays and don’t forget to check out our holiday gift guide for last minute shopping ideas!

🎄 Holiday Gift Guide is Live 🎄 Head over to www.rebelwellnessblog.com/shop to see our favorite picks for the kitchen, fitness, self care, clean beauty, and more! We have kitchen staples for you to add to your own list and gifts under $10 for your besties! Check it out and let us know what you think 🌟

Let’s talk about kale... 🥬 This superfood went from unnoticed garnish to kitchen staple over the last few years, but some people still aren’t sold. Too rough and bitter for you? Don’t cancel kale just yet!

The key is to massage kale before eating it raw. Getting handsy with your greens may sound strange, but trust! Massaging raw kale softens the leaves, making them easier to eat, AND releases natural sugars within the leaves to make them taste less bitter.

This leafy green has a lot to offer in the nutrition department. It contains loads of vitamins C, K, and beta-carotene, which our bodies convert to Vitamin A. It also contains minerals, such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and is full of antioxidants. In case you still aren’t sold, we have just the trick to making kale soft and delicious.

Here’s how:
1. Wash kale. Remove the tough, fibrous stems, and cut or tear kale into smaller bits.
2. Add kale to a large bowl with a pinch of salt and a splash of lemon or vinegar (the acidity helps break down the leaves)
3. Gently massage kale until it just begins to wilt. It’ll turn a deeper green and should be slightly crisp - not mushy!

Should you be drinking smoothies for breakfast? If you find yourself munching throughout the day with an almost insatiable appetite, it’s time to evaluate your breakfast situation.

There are a number of things you can eat for a balanced first meal and we encourage you to switch it up and find what works for you. Smoothies are a favorite for breakfast because they’re an opportunity to pack loads of nutrition into your mornings and increase vegetable intake. Head over to the blog for our guide to building the perfect smoothie to curb your hunger and balance your blood sugar!

The perfect start to a Thanksgiving meal with friends and family... a glass of wine and a stocked cheese board 🍷 We love and for our meats because their products are humanely produced, are low in sugar and sodium compared to competitors, and are free of preservatives. Crackers? Try or 🥖 These brands use quality ingredients and pack the perfect crunch. Swipe for how we build a cheese board 🧀
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Digging in at Friendsgiving is inevitable, but it doesn't have to leave you riddled with guilt afterwards. 🥐 Our number one tip for getting through the marathon that is holiday cooking? Using quality ingredients. We've rounded up some of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes you can make from scratch to get you through Friendsgiving season without all the funky junk while still wowing your friends…ON THE BLOG!
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We hit the freezer aisles of Trader Joe’s to find out what healthy and convenient items are hanging out there. Head over to the blog to read our full review and learn a few ways you can prepare these freezer staples!
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Whether you’re new to cooking or consider yourself an expert, having a stocked kitchen is key to creating healthy meals. Swipe left for our pantry guide and head over to the blog to learn more about staples we always have on hand in the kitchen!