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Try Veggie Noodles for Healthier Pastas and Salads

August 6, 2018 by LifeBalance

Love pasta, but trying to eat lean or limit your sugar and carbs? Need more veggies in your life? Then it just might be time for you to try making veggie noodles! Veggie noodles (or Voodles, as we’ve heard them called) are a great way to increase the nutritional content of your pasta dishes, while reducing calories and glycemic load. You can use them with your favorite pasta sauces and salad dressings, and if you want to try new flavors, a quick Google search will reveal all kinds of creative and tasty recipes that call for veggie noodles.

All you’ll need to make voodles is a veggie spiralizer. (We’ve tried this Oxo’s Good Grips spiralizer and it works wonderfully, but there are all kinds of options out there, some of which are covered in the infographics below.)

Check out these infographics to get the 411 on veggie noodles. Then try your hand at a few of the recipes included below! And here’s a special shout-out to Fix.com, who created these infographics for Food & Wine Magazine and kindly let us share them with our readers.

 

 

 

Recipes to Try

Need ideas? Here are some veggie noodle recipes to get you started! Bon appetit!

Lightened Up Chicken Alfredo with Zucchini Noodles – Parsnips & Pastries

Shrimp Scampi Zoodles for Two – Skinnytaste

Sweet Potato Carbonara with Spinach & Mushrooms – Eating Well

Southwestern Sweet Potato Noodles – Food Network

Baked Lemon Salmon with Broccoli Noodles – Inspiralized

Spiralized Lemon Garlic Broccoli with Bacon – Food Republic

Asian Cucumber Noodle Salad – Two Peas & Their Pod

Cucumber Noodles with Peanut Sauce – Two Peas & Their Pod

Parsnip Spaghetti Al Amatriciana – Inspiralized

Broccoli and Sausage Parsnip Pasta – Skinnytaste

Turnip Pesto Pasta with Artichoke Hearts – The Roasted Root

BBQ Pork Turnip Noodle “Ramen” – Inspiralized

Honey Garlic Chicken Carrot Noodle Bowls – No Spoon Necessary

Stir-Fried Carrot Noodles with Chicken – The Woks of Life

Beet Noodle & Goat Cheese Salad – My Life Cookbook

Beet Noodles with Parsley Pesto & Parmesan – Martha Stewart

 

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to replace medical advice. If you have questions or concerns about your dietary needs, we encourage you to contact a nutrition professional.

 

 

 

APA: Making Your New Year’s Resolution Stick

January 4, 2018 by LifeBalance Leave a Comment

This article was originally featured on the American Psychological Association’s (APA) website, and we liked it so much that we’re reposting it here (with permission). We hope it helps you as you work to make your New Year’s resolutions a reality!

Lose weight? Check. Start exercising? Check. Stop smoking? Check.

It can be daunting when your list of New Year’s Resolutions is as long as your holiday shopping list. In addition to the post-holiday slump, not being able to keep your resolutions by February, March or even late January may increase your anxiety. When your holiday decorations are packed up and stored away, the frustration of an unused gym membership or other reminders of failed resolutions can make the later winter months feel hopeless.

However, it is important to remember that the New Year isn’t meant to serve as a catalyst for sweeping character changes. It is a time for people to reflect on their past year’s behavior and promise to make positive lifestyle changes. “Setting small, attainable goals throughout the year, instead of a singular, overwhelming goal on January 1 can help you reach whatever it is you strive for,” says psychologist Lynn Bufka, PhD. “Remember, it is not the extent of the change that matters, but rather the act of recognizing that lifestyle change is important and working toward it, one step at a time.”

By making your resolutions realistic, there is a greater chance that you will keep them throughout the year, incorporating healthy behavior into your everyday life. APA offers these tips when thinking about a News Year’s resolution:

Start small

Make resolutions that you think you can keep. If, for example, your aim is to exercise more frequently, schedule three or four days a week at the gym instead of seven. If you would like to eat healthier, try replacing dessert with something else you enjoy, like fruit or yogurt, instead of seeing your diet as a form of punishment.

Change one behavior at a time

Unhealthy behaviors develop over the course of time. Thus, replacing unhealthy behaviors with healthy ones requires time. Don’t get overwhelmed and think that you have to reassess everything in your life. Instead, work toward changing one thing at a time.

Talk about it

Share your experiences with family and friends. Consider joining a support group to reach your goals, such as a workout class at your gym or a group of coworkers quitting smoking. Having someone to share your struggles and successes with makes your journey to a healthier lifestyle that much easier and less intimidating.

Don’t beat yourself up

Perfection is unattainable. Remember that minor missteps when reaching your goals are completely normal and OK. Don’t give up completely because you ate a brownie and broke your diet, or skipped the gym for a week because you were busy. Everyone has ups and downs; resolve to recover from your mistakes and get back on track.

Ask for support

Accepting help from those who care about you and will listen strengthens your resilience and ability to manage stress caused by your resolution. If you feel overwhelmed or unable to meet your goals on your own, consider seeking professional help. Psychologists are uniquely trained to understand the connection between the mind and body. They can offer strategies as to how to adjust your goals so that they are attainable, as well as help you change unhealthy behaviors and address emotional issues.

Thanks to the APA for providing this article! You can view the original post on their website here.

Disclaimer: Starting a new fitness or weight management routine can be challenging, and it can be difficult to know what kind of routine is realistic, and safe. We encourage all readers to keep safety and health in mind when striving for weight loss goals. If you aren’t sure how to get started or what tactics are best, we encourage you to consult with a medical or fitness professional.

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