One of my favorite holiday traditions is making fabulous treats and snacks for friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Entire days are spent baking in the kitchen, and the best part (after sampling the treats first hand) is hearing how great everything tastes. Little do they know that with just a few simple tweaks, those cookies and candies can be dramatically lower in fat and calories. Here are a few easy ways to tweak your recipes for healthy eating.

Reduce

Many recipes call for an amount of sugar or fat well above the amount needed for taste and texture. Try reducing these ingredients by one-third or one-half when making your recipe. Also, by using nonstick pans and cooking spray, you can reduce the oil or butter on baking sheets and pans.

Substitute

There are healthier alternatives to use without compromising taste. Give the following substitutions a try.

• Eggs: For every egg, use two egg whites or 1⁄4 cup egg substitute. Egg Beaters and other substitutes can be found in the dairy/egg section of the grocery store. You can also make your own version of egg substitute: 6 egg whites, 1⁄4 cup nonfat dry milk, 1 tsp. oil, and 6 drops of yellow food coloring. Refrigerate for up to one week.
• Whipped cream: Make your own! Beat together 1⁄4 cup ice water and 1⁄4 cup nonfat milk powder until thick. Add 1⁄4 tsp. vanilla, 2 tsp. lemon juice, and 1⁄4 cup sugar. Another option is vanilla nonfat yogurt.
• Baking chocolate: Use 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder for every ounce of baking chocolate.
• Applesauce: Rather than using all of the oil, margarine, or butter in baked goods, substitute a portion with applesauce. For example, instead of 1⁄4 cup oil, use 2 Tbsp. of oil and 2 Tbsp. of applesauce. The applesauce provides moisture, but you still have the benefits of the fat in the oil and save 230 calories and 28 grams of fat.
• Prunes: For your best baked chocolate recipes, try baby food prunes as a fat replacement. They retain moisture and add to the color. Substitute the same amount as in the recipe, or try replacing with a portion of the prunes.

For some ideas of healthier cocktails to go with your baked treats at holiday parties, see this post.

Whatever you decide to bake or eat this holiday season, just remember moderation. Enjoy one or two cookies, not the whole batch! Happy holidays and happy baking!

Learn more about Nutrition and Wellness services at NIFS.

This blog was written by Angie Scheetz, RD. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

5 Thanksgiving Day Hacks [Infographic]

This blog was written by Tony Maloney, Health Fitness Specialist and Fitness Center Manager. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

It is that time of year again…the holidays are coming up fast! Life gets extra chaotic for many of us this time of year, and good fitness and nutrition habits are at a high risk of slipping.

The good news is that NIFS is here to help you keep from slipping too far down this slippery slope during the holiday season! We are happy to offer two different programs that are FREE to all NIFS members during the months of November and December year after year.

Maintain Not Gain

Give yourself a little bit of extra accountability by signing up for Maintain Not Gain. This program incentivizes members to maintain their weight throughout the holiday season. With group workouts every two weeks, weekly emails packed with nutrition and fitness tips to keep you engaged, and prizes for those who maintain or lose weight during the duration of the program. There is something that everyone can benefit from by signing up for this free program. Don’t miss out on this experience and mark weigh-in week on your calendar for November 1 to 7.

The Rowing Challenge

All in good fun, the rowing challenge never disappoints for a good competition year after year! It is pretty simple: pick a team and ROW! The team that rows the most meters per person and the team with the highest total meters rowed earns bragging rights as team winners. Joining a team is an excellent way to ensure you are getting in some extra bouts of cardio and caloric burn during the busiest time of the holiday season, which means you are earning yourself some leeway to have a little more room to indulge. Your team will be depending on you to row towards the win!

Look to sign up for a team November 10 to 23.

Free Fitness Assessment

Along with both of these programs, this is a great time of year to take advantage of your free fitness assessment and exercise plan from our team of Health Fitness Specialists. If you are looking for a new routine or just need a little more guidance we're here to help you.

Don’t let the holiday season get the best of you this year. Your fitness and nutrition habits do not have to completely derail. Let NIFS help you find the right balance between fitness, food and fun this year!

This blog was written by Stephanie Kaiser, NIFS Fitness Center Manager. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Tired of running, stair climbing, and cycling? If you are looking for a cardio workout that promises plenty of calorie burning, upper- and lower-body conditioning, all while being low impact, look no further than getting in some indoor rowing exercise.

This exercise is not necessarily new (its origins date back nearly 2,000 years to ancient Greece) and not exclusive to outdoor rowing enthusiasts. For the average individual, rowing provides an excellent warm-up source, while the seasoned CrossFitter may use the rower as a cardio component in an elaborate superset. Regardless of your fitness level, the erg rowing machine is designed to give a low-impact, smooth exercise movement that provides training for outdoor rowers as well as an uncomplicated total-body exercise for the average Joe or Jane.

Steps for Learning Indoor Rowing

Indoor rowing technique can easily be taught in four convenient steps:

1. The Catch: The starting point; legs are bent at the knees, arms are straight, and the back is flat.
2. The Drive: The legs are extending and the handle is pulled toward the chest.
3. The Finish: Legs are extended and the handle is at the chest.
4. The Recovery: The sliding motion in which the body moves back to “the catch” position and performs another rep.

Like most exercise patterns, rowing requires practice and sometimes coaching to fully and safely get the most out of the movement.

For more detail, check out these instructional videos from the manufacturer of our rowing machines, Concept2.

NIFS staff is here to help and encourage you all the way! Please contact a NIFS Health Fitness Specialist with help on improving your rowing technique or incorporating the rowing machine into your current exercise program.

To get started or develope a new workout routine, contact us for a free fitness assessment!

Evolve and rejoice,

This blog was written by Thomas Livengood, Health Fitness Specialist. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers click here.

As the Wellness Coordinator at NIFS, I get to meet a lot of great clients and help them attain their nutritional goals. I have noticed some common questions that arise during the nutrition coaching sessions. Hopefully, if you have been wondering the same things, these answers will give you some more insight!

How Do I Gain Muscle and Lose Fat?

The best way to lose fat is to either increase the amount of calories you burn or decrease the number of calories you consume. As you are doing this, you also need to make sure you are doing two or three days of strength training to build muscle. To decrease calories, it is important to keep track of what you are eating and see where you can decrease. This might be decreasing the amount of coffee creamer you put in your cup of joe or swapping the potato chips at lunch for some raw veggies.

Increasing your protein intake won’t automatically increase your muscle mass. If you are strength training two or three times per week, a simple calculation to know your protein needs is to divide your body weight in half and multiply by 1.5.

How Can I Lose Weight?

The first advice I always give to anyone wanting to lose weight is to start keeping track of your food. Studies have shown you eat 40 percent less when you write it down! This can be done with apps available for your phone, using a website, or just jotting it down with a pen and a piece of paper. It will allow you to see when and why you eat and also hold you accountable for what you are eating.

The other thing that can be helpful with weight loss is to look at what you are drinking. Are you consuming empty calories from flavored coffee drinks, soda, juice drinks, or alcohol? Most people tend to eat the same amount of food no matter how many calories they consume from their beverages. So, try to stick to water, low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, and 100 percent juices for the majority of your liquids.

How Many Calories Do I Need per Day?

Every person is a different height and weight, and has varying levels of activity, so there isn’t one calorie number that works for all individuals to follow. Instead, use this simple calculator, which takes these factors into account to determine the proper amount you should be consuming. Not only does it give an overall number, but what is more important, it tells you how to get that number. Recommended servings of grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat and beans, and fat are given, along with some “extra” calories for those every-once-in-a-while food choices!

If you are interested in having your questions answered during a personal nutrition consultation, please contact on-site Nutritionist Lindsey Recker at lrecker@nifs.org or 317-274-3432, ext 239. Learn more about Nutrition and Wellness services at NIFS.

This blog was written by Angie Sheetz, NIFS Registered Dietitian. Read more about the NIFS bloggers.

There are a lot of hot new food fads right now, including coconut oil, kale, quinoa, and chia seeds. It seems like I have been seeing these foods everywhere, and while I do love them, I have been obsessing over another food fad for a while. Greek yogurt is one of those amazing foods that can be used in so many ways and is extremely good for you.

Why You Should Eat More Greek Yogurt

Here are the reasons why Greek yogurt can help with your healthy eating goals:

• It is an excellent source of calcium, potassium, zinc, protein, and vitamins B6 and B12.
• It contains probiotic cultures, which can help with gut regularity.
• It's lower in lactose for those who have trouble digesting other dairy products.
• Greek yogurt contains twice the amount of protein as normal yogurt, which can help keep you full longer and makes an impact on your weight management.
• It has half the amount of sodium regular yogurt has, which is a plus for those watching blood pressure.
• It can be enjoyed as a sweet or savory treat!

Recipes

Here are some recipes that can help you incorporate this super food into your meals and snacks.

Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

If you want to start your day with a protein-packed punch and also get to work on time, here is a quick and healthy breakfast smoothie incorporating Greek yogurt that can help you start the day off right!

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Bored with your normal lunch routine? Try this tasty buffalo chicken salad that has tons of flavor without all of the fat of traditional chicken salads.

Tzatziki Sauce

Stumped as to what to fix for dinner? This delicious topping for chicken, fish, or lamb is a quick and easy solution!

Creamy Peanut Butter Dip

Need to have that sweet ending after dinner? Try this alternative as a healthy treat! It's also a great midday snack.

I hope you try this tasty treat! Watch out for some varieties on the market that can be extremely high in sugar, calories, and fat. Look for a nonfat version to keep your saturated fat grams lower, and consider buying plain and flavor it yourself with fruit and flavored extracts to decrease the added sugar. The possibilities are endless!

Learn more about Nutrition and Wellness services at NIFS.

This blog was written by Angie Sheetz, NIFS Registered Dietitian. Read more about the NIFS bloggers.