If you’re watching calories, you may think that you have to go without some of your favorite foods. But, rather than feel deprived, I prefer to look at this as an opportunity to add, or experiment with, other foods like vegetables. One way to cut calories and carbohydrates is to swap regular rice for cauliflower “rice.” All you have to…
March is National Nutrition Month® and is a great time to take a look at your meal plan. Maybe your New Year’s resolution to eat healthier didn’t quite pan out as you hoped, or maybe you’re ready to spring clean your diet. If you’ve done even a little research you’ve likely found a plethora of nutrition advice available online, in…
Change of shoes for the gym – check. Extra layer of gym clothes – check. Ice scraper for car – check. Extra driving time to account for slippery road conditions – check. Motivation to actually go to the gym – check (sort of). Who knew working out in the winter could be so much…well, work? Here in Wisconsin, winter can…
The other night, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to make my workout class the following evening, I had the ambitious idea to set my alarm for 4:30 AM to get up and ride my stationary bike for an hour before work. This will be great, I thought. I’ll get my exercise out of the way first thing in the…
Starting a new weight-loss plan is no small endeavor. It can be easy for questions like, “How many calories should I be eating?” “How often should I exercise?” “How do I stay motivated?” and “What if I fall off track?” to overwhelm us before we even take the first step. That’s why setting a SMART goal is a great tool…
I always enjoy curling up on the couch with my dog and watching year-in-review specials. They serve as a captivating reminder of the past year’s highlights, lowlights, and breakthroughs. They can be a heartfelt tribute to the people or things we said goodbye to. And it’s always entertaining to see what was trending in the past year (selfie sticks, anyone?),…
We’re often reminded to stop and appreciate the little things in life. Whether it’s a beautiful sunny day, a co-worker surprising you with coffee, or an unexpected compliment from a loved one, it’s these little things that get us through the day and give us something to smile about. It’s important to keep the little things in mind on our…
Here at TOPS, we’ve made a veggie skeleton, we’ve made “candy corn” by layering yellow and orange peppers with cauliflower on toothpicks, and now we’re at it again. We bring you, the Halloween vegetable tray! If you’re planning on heading to, or hosting, Halloween festivities this year make your veggie tray anything but ordinary in just a few simple steps:…
Pumpkin lattes, pumpkin-spiced ice cream, pumpkin cream cheese, pumpkin frosting, pumpkin candy…if you’ve been in a grocery store lately you’ve probably seen one of these treats. We are officially in the season of pumpkin-spiced everything. According to Registered Dietitian and nutrition expert for TOPS, Dena McDowell, these foods have one thing in common…and it has nothing to do with actual…