By Kati Mora, MS, RD from AroundThePlate.org

Let’s face it. Some rules are just meant to be broken and with less than 80 percent of people actually achieving their New Year’s resolutions anyway, maybe its not such a bad idea to break a few of them this year. Instead of completely giving up on your resolution though, consider the reasons why your resolution was set to fail. If you can identify the reason, chances are you will be much more successful the second time around.

Although goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely, they should also be fun and challenging. If they fail to be the latter it is often much harder to stick with, no matter how well-defined or memorable. So this year consider ditching your previously set resolution and unresolve to do something. It sounds counterintuitive, but if you take a look at these four resolutions to break, you will see that sometimes breaking ties with your staple resolution can help you achieve your ultimate healthy goal.

Working out at the gym. Who says that a gym membership is the only way to get ripped this year? Instead, consider working out in the great outdoors. Not only will you save a little money, but you’ll reap the benefits of being one with nature. In fact, multiple studies have shown that exposure to natural light improves mood, concentration, and may even help you heal faster. Winter activities like skiing, snowboarding, tubing, sledding, and cross-country skiing are just a few ways to get moving outdoors during the colder months. Snowball fights and snow fort building will also work up a sweat with a lot of fun along the way.
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By Kati Mora, MS, RD

In a perfect world, eating every meal at the table would be ideal. Yet in today’s busy world, that isn’t always possible. And unfortunately, breakfast is one meal that often gets left in our daily schedule’s dust.

If you have a busy morning getting yourself, your kids, and maybe even your spouse up and out of the house, don’t let breakfast pass you by! It really is the most important meal of the day and can help you feel more energized and perform your best at your day job. So instead of missing breakfast completely, choose one of these four meal ideas that will not only quench your hunger, but travel with you as you get up and go!

Four Healthy On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas

Power Up Smoothie. Smoothies are a great way to get a lot of nutrients fast! Pick out your favorite fruits, veggies, and protein sources, hit blend, and voila! You’ve got a healthy, on-the-go breakfast you can carry with you in a cup.

Need some smoothie inspiration? Check out these four phenomenal recipes from AroundthePlate.org. My favorite is the Vanilla Melon smoothie. Just mix together honeydew melon, an apple, avocado, lemon juice, vanilla extract, almonds and ice cubes for a delightful morning treat.
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By Kati Mora, MS, RD for Around the Plate

Melons might just be one of the most overlooked fruits of the season. And although other summer treats like berries and peaches are great, melons shouldn’t be forgotten.

Of course, watermelon is often a summertime staple, but what about the other members of the melon family like honeydew and cantaloupe, just to name a few? Melons are great fruit options worth enjoying during some of the warmest months of the year, and not just because of their high water content! Melons are virtual nutrient powerhouses. Let’s take a closer look at two of my personal favorites: cantaloupe and honeydew.

Cantaloupe Melon

Although the cantaloupe isn’t quite as orange as a carrot, it’s still a great source of vitamin A. In fact, some studies even claim that cantaloupes can have as much as 3,138 micrograms of the carotenoid beta-carotene for every 100 grams of fresh weight. That’s 30 times more than vitamin A’s poster child, the carrot.
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By Kati Mora, MS, RD

Summer is the perfect time to explore fresh produce. Whether you are purchasing it at a local farmers market, your favorite grocery store, or receiving it as part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), you don’t want to miss all of the fabulous flavors, aromas, and textures that summer brings through its in-season produce.

Yet some fruits may garnish more of your attention than others, and it can be easy to forget just how many fruits there are to choose from. Nevertheless, it is important to keep an open mind and an open eye out for a variety of fruits to adorn your table with. Why? Because each type of fruit has its own unique nutritional benefits to offer.

For example, let’s talk about stone fruits – or drupes as they are sometimes called. Not sure what a stone fruit is? The best way to remember or identify a stone fruit is to recall if it has a pit or not. Apricots, prunes, cherries, nectarines and peaches would all belong in this category because each of them have a pit or a stone surrounded by a fleshy outside.
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Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and it can really set the tone for the meals that follow. With all my meals I try really hard to incorporate all five food groups so that my meal is well-rounded, which keeps me feeling full and provides me with the greatest amount of nutrients. Scrambled eggs are a great starting point – add in a few veggies, a cup of yogurt with fresh fruit on the side and you’ve not only got a well-balanced meal, but one that’s easy to whip together for you and your family.
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