Last week we had a nutrition presentation for staff here at TOPS Headquarters. A lot of great information was shared and employees had the opportunity to think about nutrition in a different way. One of the topics touched on was organic foods. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, organic agriculture uses methods that preserve the environment and avoid…
Like many football fans here in Wisconsin, I was very disappointed to see that our favorite team would not be making it to this year’s big game to be held in Arizona on Sunday, February 1. Even more depressing was thinking about how many calories were in the over-sized soft pretzel I had just eaten (with friends, in my defense)…
We all get the same 24 hours in a day. Yet it seems many of us pride ourselves on cramming as much as we possibly can into these 24 hours, often at the expense of sleep. When we factor in working, maintaining a family life, keeping in touch with friends, running errands, and pursuing our hobbies, interests and favorite activities,…
Balanced nutrition is important all year long, but should take center stage in the winter months when germs, colds, and flus abound. According to Registered Dietitian and nutrition expert for TOPS, Dena McDowell, the following 6 foods can help you stay healthy this winter. Fish: Choosing fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel, sardines and salmon will help increase your intake…
While at my workout class the other day, one of the exercises was to use a rowing machine for as long as it took to burn 50 calories. After rowing and huffing and puffing for what seemed like forever (OK, it was only about 4-5 minutes, but still) I thought to myself, “It takes this much effort to burn 50…
Do the words “healthy eating” bum you out or bring to mind visions of foods you’re not even sure if your dog would eat? Healthy eating can seem so boring and “blah,” but it can actually be a great excuse to try new things and keep your journey to weight loss and wellness fun. Healthy eating and fun? Hear me…
Okay, so you’ve probably never said this, but you probably have had a craving for ice cream. I found the aforementioned ingredients while scanning a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. This got me thinking: Just how many of these types of ingredients do we eat in a typical day…and should we be concerned? My ingredients list scanning…
I recently flew to Las Vegas to escape the chill of Wisconsin for a bit. Before I left, I announced to my workplace TOPS chapter that my goal was to not gain any weight while on vacation. Our weekly meetings include a weigh-in and I wanted to make sure that I could face the scale with confidence when I returned.…
Do you feel stressed? Does this question seem as annoying as stress itself? If you answered “yes” to one (or both) of these questions, take a minute out of your busy day to read on. April is Stress Awareness Month and the perfect time to address this seemingly ever-present issue. Chronic stress does a body bad, but you may not…