Food Swaps Archives - Pursue Wellness

A Health Coach’s Guide To Smart Snacking

October 15, 2024/in Cancer Patients, Diet, Food Swaps, Healthy Eating/by Kelly Lutman

Snacking often gets a bad rap, but when done right, it can be a powerful tool to keep your energy levels steady, curb cravings, and even support your overall health goals. The key is to choose foods that nourish your body rather than satisfy a momentary craving. To help you do that, here is a guide to smart snacking.

Contrary to what you may think, snacking isn’t just about filling the gap between meals. It’s about providing your body with the nutrients it needs to maintain energy, support cognitive function, and keep your metabolism running smoothly. When you snack wisely, you can avoid the blood sugar spikes and crashes that lead to fatigue, irritability, and overeating later in the day.

From Junk Food to Healthy Eating: My Journey

April 18, 2023/in Food Swaps, Healthy Eating, Healthy habits/by Kelly Lutman

Are you struggling to eat better and avoid junk foods? I know I was. My journey from a junk food upbringing was a long and bumpy journey. My friends made fun of me for always being sick. I often wonder whether I wouldn’t have had as many health problems if I were raised to eat better. Here’s how I went from junk food to healthy eating.

Tame Your Sweet Tooth For Consistent Energy

June 1, 2021/in Diet, Food Swaps, Healthy Eating, Sweets, Uncategorized/by Kelly Lutman

Do you find yourself drawn to sweets when you see them? If you have a sweet tooth, you know how difficult it is to resist. Sugar is a very addictive substance, and eliminating it is not easy. Yet I’m happy to say that it is possible to tame your sweet tooth by employing some strategies.

Remove the Temptation

Stop buying those sweet treats to stock your pantry – or your desk. If it’s not easily accessible, you are less likely to eat it. Discover nature’s natural sweets with fruit that provide nutrients along with the sweet taste – eat the fruit rather than drinking juice to reduce the effect of sugar on your body. Berries are low in sugar and are full of beneficial antioxidants. Cinnamon is a fantastic spice that makes your food taste sweeter without added sugar. It even helps regulate blood sugar levels. Read more

It's not unusual to need a small snack between meals. Discover an equation you can use to make sure you choose snacks that sustain you.

Choose Snacks That Sustain You Between Meals

May 4, 2021/in Digestion, Food Swaps, Healthy Eating, Plant-based Foods/by Kelly Lutman

Do you snack in between meals? It’s not unusual to need a small snack between your three larger meals to keep you sustained throughout the day. This helps your blood sugar stay balanced, which also helps with mood and energy. But take a stroll down the snack aisle at your local grocery store, and you’ll find a lot of packaged foods that aren’t beneficial to your health. How do you choose snacks that sustain you between meals?

There’s an equation you can use to make sure you are snacking in a way benefits you the most. After all, you’re less likely to overeat or crash during the day when your body has a steady stream of nutrients to fuel it. Here are some essential snacking tips to help keep you sustained throughout the day. Read more

Eating Nutrient-Dense Food?

May 12, 2020/in Diet, Food Swaps, Healthy Eating, Nutrients, Plant-based Foods/by Kelly Lutman

How has your life changed in the last weeks since we have been pressed to shelter at home? Have board games or puzzles provided a renewed source of entertainment? Are you cooking more meals yourself and eating nutrient-dense food?

During COVID-19 and beyond, eating a healthful diet is more important than ever. When you anticipate a battle, you want to be sure your army is up for the fight. That would be your immune system. Michael Pollan has said that cooking and preparing our food is more than half the battle when it comes to eating well. Read more

When you want to improve the way you are eating, home-cooked meals are the best approach. How do you fit cooking into your busy schedule? Meal prep hacks!

Meal Prep Hacks For Your Busy Schedule

October 8, 2019/in Diet, Food Swaps, Healthy Eating/by Kelly Lutman

When you want to improve the way you are eating, home-cooked meals are the best context for success. Yet you may think that your busy schedule leaves you with no hope for making your own meals, even if such an approach would save you money. The answer? Meal prep hacks.

I completely understand. I hope to show you some hacks that could work for your unique schedule and lifestyle. Read more

Magnesium Is A Nutritional Powerhouse

September 24, 2019/in Diet, Food Swaps, Healthy Eating, Nutrients/by Kelly Lutman

Do you remember much of the periodic table of elements from Chemistry class? Though I never learned the elements in high school, I’m gaining more respect for them these days. Especially #12 – magnesium. Magnesium is a nutritional powerhouse.

If you’ve played on a sports team, I’m sure you’ve experienced the normal dynamics of a couple leading players and many supporting ones. Magnesium is a supporting player that many of us are lacking.
Read more

Meatless Monday or Change One Meal A Day?

September 10, 2019/in Diet, Digestion, Food Swaps, Healthy Eating/by Kelly Lutman

I’m sure you have heard of the “meatless Monday” movement. The idea is to have one day a week when you focus on eating plant-based meals and take a break from animal proteins. Another approach is to change one meal a day to plant-based foods. For many, this has been an interesting exercise that encourages them to think outside our cultural norm.

You know that I encourage including protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates in your meals for a balanced nutritional benefit. You may be wondering how to do this when planning a meatless meal. It’s not hard at all. Read more

Are You Disrupting Your Metabolism?

August 27, 2019/in Diet, Food Swaps, Healthy Eating, Nutrients/by Kelly Lutman

If your metabolism is running at a healthy level, it burns off your calories and keeps you feeling energized. Exercise and plenty of sleep help your metabolism function optimally, but are you disrupting your metabolism with certain foods you eat?

These foods could be reducing the metabolic fire you count on to keep things running optimally. Read more

Avoid Blood Sugar Crashes

September 25, 2018/in Food Swaps, Healthy Eating, Healthy habits, Sweets/by Kelly Lutman

Have you had those moments where you waited too long to eat, and then struggled through a blood sugar crash where that hangry mood takes over. You felt lightheaded, shaky, and generally unwell. Not only will keeping your blood sugar stabilized throughout the day avoid this rough situation, it is a great way to have sustained energy, feel vibrant, and keep your body functioning optimally. Read more