What you put into your body can directly affect everything from stress and energy levels to weight to cardiovascular health — even your mood! In general, eating consistently throughout the day is going to make you feel better all around — and even aid in weight loss! Small meals every 2 to four hours help stabilize blood sugar levels and provide more sustained energy. Don't we all need that?!

On-The-Go snacks are essential for busy women (I know I need them!) who need to stay fueled through the day without too much effort. A good on-the-go snack will have approximately 120 to 160 calories, provide some fiber and/or some protein and/or healthy fat. Think about giving your body just enough fuel to keep your metabolism burning without overdoing calories and at the same time making sure those calories are as nutrient dense as possible! No room for wasted calories in our busy bods!

The right nutrient dense snacks, eaten at the right times during the day, will...

• Rev your metabolism
• Boost your energy level
• Stabilize your blood sugar
• Lead you to make healthier food choices
• Prevent overeating at your next meal
• Help to prevent heart disease, diabetes, and constipation
• Protect against aging
• Improve your skin
• Enable you to reach and maintain a healthy weight
•  Improve your mood and make you happy

Be prepared with:

1. an apple and a reduced fat string cheese
2. homemade trail mix (make ahead and pre-bag): 2 dried apricots and 18 pistachios
3. non fat plain yogurt with sprinkled cinnamon and 1 Tablespoon wheat germ OR 1/4 cup high fiber cereal (you can keep yogurt out of fridge for a couple of hours)
4. 1 cup edamame (pre-cook and bag)
5. 2 oz. turkey or salmon jerky (sounds funky but it is a great non-perishable way to sneak in protein between meals)

You may think that skipping a meal will help you to overcome your metabolism blues. However, you are most likely aiding your slow metabolism rather than giving it the boost it needs. Think of your body as a fire that needs wood to keep it burning. Your body acts in the same way and needs fuel (energy from food) to keep it going. You will be pleasantly surprised when you begin to EAT throughout the day (beginning with breakfast within an hour and half of rising!) that your body is burning faster, you'll begin to lose weight AND you won't feel nearly as hungry again! One of my fave breakfasts is 6 oz non-fat plain yogurt topped with a small handful of pistachios, and 1 cup of blueberries. Proper food timing, eating consistently through the day is crucial to a fast metabolism. Small meals evenly spaced through the day will keep that fire burning! On the exercise front, interval training will help boost your metabolism as well as burn calories and increasing muscle mass will do the same. Muscle is more metabolically active and burns more — even while you sleep. I recommend intervals added onto to your cardio workouts 2 to 3 times per week (even 10 minutes will do the trick!) and some form of weight training 2 to 3 times per week.

"Quick and Easy" can be healthy and delicious too! Your first step in making fast, easy and healthy meals? PLAN! Planning doesn't have to be time consuming either. If you plan your meals in advance for the week (even just dinner is very helpful) then head to the grocery store, you will save time, money and calories! Also, keep your must have staples in the house (frozen organic vegetables, frozen shrimp, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, a variety of nuts and seeds such as pistachios, olive oil, vinegar, low sodium soy sauce, whole wheat pasta and eggs).

Plan a little time for when you get back from the grocery store to prep. I promise this will end up saving you time during the week! A little investment now (20 minutes or so) will save you hours (and cals!) through the week. Wash and cut your fresh vegetables, portion out hummus, clean the meat and portion, hard boil eggs and do any other prep work that can be done in advance.

Be creative and experiment with different seasonings. Herbs and spices not only add tremendous flavor but also have many health benefits! You can start with the same old chicken breast and put a different spin on the meal by simply using dried basil, oregano, garlic powder and canned tomatoes or marinate the chicken with yogurt mixed with a litte Dijon mustard. Serve both chicken dishes with your favorite fresh or frozen vegetables simply steamed or roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper.
 

When the numbers on the scale start wandering in the wrong direction it's important to take the time to figure out why and how the extra pounds came back. It's important to acknowledge whether or not the weight gain was emotionally driven or convenience driven. Are you going through something particularly challenging? Or are you just too tired at the end of the day to make good choices? No matter what's at the root of the weight gain, it's easy enough to turn things around.

Whether you're emotionally ready to take on weight loss or not, queuing your culinary environment, stocking it with foods that will move you through the emotional or physical bottleneck that caused you to stray in the first place, is the healthiest way to achieve maximum efficiency and optimal results.

We eat what we have access to. Human nature is to follow the path of least resistance. Fast foods and many of the processed foods a lot of us keep in the house; ice cream, cookies, candy, chips, frozen meals, cakes and other high calorie foods are often times some of the first things we grab when we've reached the Help I'm Starving! state or when we allow emotions to get the best of us.

Stocking your pantry strategically short-circuits any ability to make impulsive and emotionally charged food choices. When you "have to have" a treat, you'll have to go outside your home to get it. Creating this distance puts your rational mind back in the driver's seat and paves the way for a lifetime of weight loss success.

Stock your kitchen like Dr. Oz is coming to inspect the place, and you've instantaneously created an environment where the only food choices you can make are intellectually driven.

Empty calorie foods are out. Nutritionally loaded foods are in. You will survive this learning curve. And you will be better for it. To my knowledge no one has ever passed out or perished from Mallomar starvation.

If your freezer and fridge and pantry and all your cupboards are in need of a good overhaul, tackle things one section of the kitchen at a time. When you're choosing where to start, choose the area of the kitchen that will have the greatest impact on your ability to lose the weight you want.

For instance, if all you eat is ice cream and frozen dinners, clean out your freezer first and stock it full of healthier choices. You don't have to give up frozen meals if that's your lifestyle. Focus on swapping out the meals that were causing the weight gain with lower calorie frozen dinners. And challenge yourself to cook one meal from scratch this week. If that goes easy enough, challenge yourself to work in two from-scratch meals next week and so on.

The Top Five Fulfilling Foods that Won't Pack on the Pounds

1. Whole Grains and foods made with 100% whole grains.

Why? Because whole grain foods sustain energy levels longer than highly processed foods which can cause insulin levels to spike and drop.

Tip: Just because a product looks whole wheat doesn't mean that it's healthy. Caramel coloring is often used to "tan" breads and pasta noodles because consumers often perceive that brown equals healthy. Read the labels and look for 100% Whole Grain and 100% Whole Grain Flour at the top of the ingredient lists. Look at the calorie counts per serving. Compare protein, carbohydrate, sodium and fiber counts in your "usual" brand versus the whole grain product you're considering.

2. Nuts.

Why? Because they're easy to grab when you're "starving", they're protein rich making them a perfect snack for in-between meals and after supper. And they contain good fats. Nuts, like pistachios, may actually lower your risk of heart disease (learn more). Dried cranberries, dried blueberries and pistachios make an outrageously delicious trail mix.

3. Fruit.

Fresh fruit snacks beat processed food snacks any day. Many fruit snacks come individually wrapped courtesy of Mother Nature. Grapes and specialty citrus are in season right now. Keep a couple of Clementines in your purse, gym bag, car or office drawer. They're super easy to peel and they're not messy. Grapefruit, tangerines, Cara Cara and California Navel Oranges are all super delicious too. Mangos (which can be peeled just like a banana) are another portable fruit. Try out whatever fruit is in season. Pair fruit with a small serving of protein for a snack that will sustain you for hours. Salty Toasted Pistachios and a handful of fresh cherries is a great afternoon pick you up!

4. Vegetables.

They're super low in calories and they're easy to grab too. Stretch higher calorie meals by "cutting" extra vegetables into the mix. For instance, if you're making pasta with bacon, garlic, zucchini and parmesan, cut the quantity of pasta called for in half and add twice the amount of zucchini. Serving sizes will still look and feel the same and might even be bulkier. This little trick will cut out between 100 and 200 calories a serving!

When you're making "plain" spaghetti, up the good calories by throwing a bunch of vegetables into the sauce. Anything covered in spaghetti sauce tastes good! Keep snacking vegetables such as carrots and celery, tiny tomatoes and blanched green beans at eye level in your refrigerator so you grab them first.

Frozen vegetables are just as good as fresh and can be cooked and on the table in three minutes. Place any quantity of frozen veggies in a microwave safe dish. Add a couple of tablespoons of water. Cook on high until done, about 1-2 minutes. Season vegetables with pepper, fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Alternatively, season with pepper and freshly grated Reggiano parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with toasted pistachios.

5. Low Fat Dairy.

Many studies show that dairy can help with weight loss and other studies show there's no proof. But everyone agrees that one or two servings of low fat dairy per day consumed instead of higher calorie alternative foods is a good thing. By stocking your fridge with good quality low fat dairy products, you're leaving yourself no room in your diet for unhealthier snacks. Go for skim or 1% milk, low fat cottage cheese, non-fat yogurt, and pungent snacking cheeses such as aged parmesan, goat cheese, imported Swiss cheese or even brie. Be sure to eat no more than half an ounce to an ounce of cheese. Pair cheeses with a simple piece of fruit or some toasted nuts. Try a slice of brie and a handful of grapes, a slice of parmesan and a couple of Medjool Dates or a slice of Gruyere Swiss cheese with a handful of pistachios. Cut the cheese very thinly and you can stretch your portion to look like more.

Picky breakfast eaters usually love milkshakes. Blend frozen strawberries with low fat milk or soy milk. Add only as much liquid as is necessary to blend the fruit. By keeping the shake "thick", they'll be less likely to pick up on the fact that you didn't use ice cream. If your child will go for extra fruit — half a frozen banana, frozen blueberries and frozen mango chunks are all great additions.

Sneak healthy foods into comfort foods. For instance, add steamed corn off the cob to macaroni and cheese. Rinse and drain jarred roasted red peppers and blend or puree. Then add to spaghetti sauce or chili. When you're making mashed potatoes, add parsnip chunks to the pot with the potatoes. Boil them together and mash. Season potatoes with skim milk buttermilk instead of half and half or cream.

When you're in the kitchen making chicken nuggets add finely ground pistachio nuts to the breading. Coat zucchini sticks with the same breading and cook them the same way you prepare the chicken.
 

Mom's Quick Chicken Soup — Add frozen vegetables and leftover diced or pulled chicken to excellent quality, low sodium chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Divide into serving bowls. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley leaves and the juice of a fresh lemon (about one wedge per serving) OR season soup with fresh cilantro leaves and the juice of a fresh lime (one or two wedges per serving).

Penne pasta with Zucchini, Bacon and Parmesan topped with Toasted Pistachios — cook pasta according to package instructions. Lay two slices of good quality bacon on top of each other. Cut crosswise into half inch slices. Add to 10-inch sauté pan that's been heated to medium high. Cook until caramel-y golden brown (shy of crispy).

Add frozen or salad bar zucchini slices to pan. Add one tablespoon butter. Add one cup water pasta is cooking in. Drain pasta noodles and place back in their pot. Pour zucchini and bacon over noodles. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide into serving dishes. Sprinkle with freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese and toasted pistachios. Serve.

Pasta Marinara Verdura — Whole Grain Pasta tossed with frozen veggies and tomato sauce. Cook noodles according to package. Pour pasta sauce into pot. Add frozen vegetables to sauce and heat as directed. Drain noodles. Season with salt. Add to pot with sauce, toss to combine. Serve.

Oven Roasted Salmon and Green Beans with Pistachios — Preheat oven to 450. Cover cookie sheet with foil. Place individual slices of salmon (skin side down) onto one half of cookie sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven for 6 minutes. Remove to stove-top or rack.

Place green beans that have been tossed with olive oil onto other half of cookie sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Place back in oven for another 7–9 minutes, turning the beans once. Salmon is cooked when it's fork tender and the pink is no longer translucent. Divide salmon and beans onto serving plates. Sprinkle beans with toasted pistachio nuts. Serve.
 

We all know the key to sticking to our health and weight loss goals is planning ahead but we all get caught off guard every now and then. Thankfully, there are many readily available items in the grocery store that with a few easy steps can become nutritionally sound snacks or mini meals. The most important rule about snacks is to limit the consumption of empty calorie foods; i.e. foods that have little or no nutritional value, especially when it comes to serving your children.

1. Pistachio Trail Mix. To prepare; toss together any quantity of potassium rich, heart healthy, pistachios, dried cranberries, dried blueberries and dried cherries. Divide trail mix equally into freezer safe zipper bags. Store in freezer but keep at least one or two bags out at a time. Store them where you'll need them; in your car if you're car-pooling a lot and in your purse or briefcase.
2. Medjool Dates & Walnuts. Medjool Dates, available in most produce markets, gourmet grocery stores and warehouse stores such as Sams Club and Costco, make a delicious snack. For a protein rich, sweet and delicious snack, serve one or two dates with five or six walnuts.
3. Baby Carrots & Dip. Carrots are high in Vitamin C and Beta carotene. They're portable, available and palatable to kids. The Ranch dressing makes them more enticing than ever. If you portion out the dressing, you get to control the calories and fat. Look for tiny, reusable containers with tight fitting lids in the plastic wrap aisle of any grocery store.
4. Oatmeal to Go. Whole grains sustain! Oatmeal isn't just for breakfast anymore. Top a bowl of oatmeal with your child's favorite fruit, serve it in a coffee mug or a recycled paper cup you've earth-consciously saved from a trip to your favorite coffee store. Oatmeal-to-go is the perfect solution when they're "starving" and you're caught off guard.
5. Cup-o-Soup. When you're trying to come up with healthy snacks, think main course fare. Soups, stews and chili make wonderful snacks especially when they're loaded with heart healthy beans and lean cuts of chicken or beef. Canned can be as healthy as homemade — look for low sodium and low calorie.
6. Pizza Baked Potato. Instead of loading a baked potato with high fat sour cream, top it with lycopene rich tomato sauce and a sprinkling of skim milk mozzarella cheese.
7. Breakfast burritos. They're great anytime of day. Spread low fat refried beans onto a soft taco, microwave on high for 30 seconds. Quick scramble some egg whites, pour over refried beans. Top with very small amount of grated cheese and salsa fresca, Tip: Look for low calorie tortillas — the calorie counts vary greatly.
8. Baked Sweet Potato with Cilantro and Lime. Truly for the adventurous eater in the bunch. Baked (or microwave) sweet potato topped with zero fat greek yogurt, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. It's a flavor sensation they'll fall in love with and ask for over and over.
9. Waffle PB&J. Every child loves peanut butter and jelly! Top a toasted whole wheat waffle (available in most freezer sections) with peanut butter and jelly. Tip: make extra pancakes and waffles on the weekend and freeze them. You'll save money, and most importantly; when you're in charge of the ingredient list, you're in charge of the calorie counts, the overall nutrition and your family's health. Swap out half the white flour for whole wheat pastry. Swap out whole eggs for egg whites (for every egg you'll need two egg whites). Cut out the sugar and use wholesome maple syrup instead. You'll need to cut back the liquid in the recipe by a quarter cup when subbing maple syrup for sugar.
10. Vanilla Yogurt Sundae. Top low sugar, low calorie vanilla yogurt with a drizzle of maple syrup and chopped vitamin B rich, cholesterol free, scrumptious, toasted pistachios.

• Always include some healthy fat and/or lean protein, both found in pistachios, with meals and snacks to make them more satiating
• Keep good track of everything you are eating and be sure to monitor your portions...just an extra 100 calories a day can lead to a 10 pound weight gain in 1 year!
• Just as important as watching your diet, make sure to exercise regularly in order to maintain or build lean muscle mass which can help prevent a decrease in your metabolism

Lifestyle tips:

• Always keep a survival kit in your car, purse, and/or desk at work full of healthy snacks, like pistachios, so you are never left stranded without something to snack on
• Aim to not let more than 4 hours go by between meals and snacks...otherwise you will go into the next meal starving and will likely over eat
• Pre-portion snacks out so that you don't overdo it and end up eating a meal out of your snack (ie. put crackers in a mini zip lock bag or 49 pistachios in a small tin)
• Order groceries online or go to the store at least 1x week to stock up on essentials so you never have to resort to eating unhealthy meals out when you don't have time to go shopping

Smart Snack Choices:

• Nut packs
• Individual nut butter pack and an apple or banana
• High fiber granola bar
• Yogurt and a fruit
• Mini bag of air-popped popcorn
• String cheese
• Trail mix
• Low-fat cheese on whole wheat crackers
• Peanut butter and sliced banana on 1/2 whole wheat pita

• Wash your hands regularly!
• Aim for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day to boost your antioxidant intake and include other foods that have antioxidants, like pistachios
• Eat yogurt and other cultured milk products that have probiotics — beneficial bacterial with immune-boosting benefits.
• Get the daily requirement of essential vitamins and minerals by eating a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from all food groups.
• Aim for 8 hours of sleep a night

• Don't eat off of your kid's plate! All those little bites really add up and can have a big impact on your weight.
• Utilize the plate rule at all your meals (1/4 of your plate should be lean protein including lean cuts of meat, nuts like pistachios and beans, 1/4 starch and 1/2 vegetables).
• Pack snacks for you too — not just your kids. Eating between meals will prevent you from going into meals starving and over eating. Make healthy snacks, like trail mix with pistachios and dried fruit.
• Play with your kids! Run around outside with them — you will all benefit from the activity and will be spending quality time together

• Pistachios and other nuts and seeds
• Omega 3 rich foods: Fatty fish, flaxseeds, walnuts, tofu, soy nuts, canola and olive oils
• Foods rich in soluble fiber: oats, barley, lentils, split peas, beans, fruits and vegetables
• Soy foods: Substituting soy protein for animal protein in your diet may help lower cholesterol
• Fruits and vegetables — antioxidant powerhouses
• Garlic — a compound in fresh garlic called allicin has been found in some studies to lower blood cholesterol.
• Foods enriched with plant sterols — may be useful for people who have trouble lowering their blood cholesterol — around 2g plant sterols daily (found in 1 tablespoon of sterol-enriched margarine) may help.

• Young women should definitely care about heart disease because it is the single leading cause of death for American women (nearly twice as many women die of cardiovascular diseases as from all forms of cancer) and many of the risk factors for heart disease can start in one's 20s and 30s and are controllable.
• These risk factors include: smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inactivity, being overweight, and having poorly controlled blood sugar levels.
• By controlling for these factors, young women can greatly lower their risk of heart disease.

The type of good fat is monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Pistachios contain 13g of fat per ounce, with 7 coming from monounsaturated fat and 4g from polyunsaturated fat. Only 1.5g is saturated. Pistachios do not contain significant amounts of omega-3s, but do contain omega-6s.

Yes, in fact, FDA has approved claims for foods that may reduce your risk of heart disease. These include oats, barley, soy, nuts such as pistachios, foods containing whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. Foods that contain soluble fiber are another choice — check the label for foods with more than .5 g of soluble fiber.

• Keep grab-'n-go snacks on hand: apples, bananas and nuts such as pistachios.
• Keep small containers with pistachios in your car, computer case or suitcase for a quick, nutritious snack.
• Stay hydrated. Drink 8 ounces of water 1/2 hour before eating a meal. Also, drink water throughout the day.
• Walk and use the stairs as much as possible.
• Make sure you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep night.
•  Schedule regular exercise sessions on your calendar.

My favorite filling foods are those that contain protein and fiber:

• Try starting your day with oatmeal topped with fruit and toasted pistachios.
• Keep fruit on the kitchen counter: apples, pears and bananas.
• *on baked pita chips and hummus.
• Enjoy a couple of vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, squash and spinach, with lunch and dinner.
• Include more whole grain foods in your diet: breads, rice and cereals.