You know you are getting the most out of your workout when...

You are working up a sweat. No, not every "workout" needs to include an intense sweat, and certain activities it may seem like you're not sweating (swimming or a run on a cold day), but a good sweat is a great sign that you are pushing yourself.

Your muscles are burning!! This is a sign that you are breaking down muscle tissue that will be repaired bigger and stronger!

You sleep like a baby....this is a great sign that you pushed your body and now you are getting great rest and repair sleep.

When buying ingredients at the grocery store the thought of what products are actually in season doesn't cross most people's minds. But, eating seasonally is SOOO important for your health!!

Your body is programmed to eat what is growing around you based on the weather.

Choosing local farmers (try the farmers market!), shopping the seasonal produce (usually it's found in bulk and at great prices!), and basing your menus on what is in season (which is exactly how we build our menus!) is a crucial step in living a healthy life. :)

If you want delicious meals that have the best seasonal ingredients delivered right to your door sign up for Basically It Meals here!

Celery is an AMAZING food with so many health benefits. Here are some ways I look to incorporate celery into my diet:

Celery juice mixed with aloe Vera juice. I had some seriously dry skin at the start of this season. I used this combo to help me rehydrate and acclimate to the weather change!

Make your own homemade celery juice! This is one of my favorite ways to get my daily nutrients.  All you need is organic celery and a juicer! I find it way more cost-efficient than hitting the juice shop. Sometimes I like to add extras like lemon and ginger. Ginger is especially great for cold and flu season

Who else loves wine!! If you didn’t know, I host a weekly Facebook live called, Wine About It at @BasicallyItMeals where I take questions and cover a topic you are interested in!

The advice you get gives you a clear next step and teaches you how to easily implement healthy changes in your life. Did I mention there’s wine? Ya, we get to drink wine together, too! I’m live every Thursday at 5:30 pm Central so I hope to see you there!

Check out last week's episode here!

Italian tip: get your veggies in interesting ways! On top of pizza, or in a sauce; it makes no difference!

Veggies can enhance the flavor of everything, not to mention the nutrition value. Get a rainbow of colors each day, this ensures your plant foods can work synergistically with one another!

I teach you exactly how to do this in No-Diet Diet Club which is launching in 2020!! Click here to get on the waitlist

If you aren’t keeping it clean at lunch, you are probably feeling pretty sleepy by 2 pm. Perhaps the only thing you are looking forward to is your next meal, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 4 ways to keep it clean at lunch and thus keep your energy up the rest of the day!

1. Pack it with you!! One of the easiest ways to ensure you don’t fall to temptation at lunchtime is to pack your lunch ahead of time. If you don’t have time or don’t know how let Basically It Meals do the work and delivery for you, or join No-Diet Diet Club here and learn how

2. Skip the beverages. Do not fall victim to lunchtime special drinks (soda, diet soda, sweet tea, fancy coffee drink or milkshake). All that sugar is going to leave you feeling blahhhhhh

3. Large portions will also leave you feeling BLAHH. When you overeat, your body has to do a lot of work to process it all and this often results in lethargy. Order the lunch-sized portion, OR go with Basically It Meals...

An actual photo of the biggest heads of garlic I have ever seen!

Italian food rule #1: quality of quantity. If it is not up to par, it is not eaten. You look at the tomatoes there set to ripen; some are so red they are almost worthy of Rudolph’s nose, but the Italian will tell you “no, not ready!”. The food attitude is a little bit of the highest quality product possible because there is no point in a lot of merda (-->Italian curse word).

This is exactly the properties upon which our meal service is based!! Quality balanced meals. Proportioned for your convenience. Local, seasonal, flavored to perfection. That is how you should be eating at every meal!!

If you are in St Louis, give us a try by visiting Basicallyitmeals.com!

There are 3 healthy habits everyone should take with them on vacation; even winter vacation!! 

1. Share all your meals! You want to taste everything and eat very little. This is so easy to do on vacation; goodbye bottomless pasta bowls, hello two bites of pasta, a few other items and done.

2. Slow down. American food culture tells us to order the largest portion possible, eat as fast as possible, and get on to the next thing. However, other cultures regard the meal as an opportunity to nourish the body, get a break from the bustle, and connect socially. Meals are often slow and extended, with many small portions. No one leaves stuffed, or feeling heavy or lethargic; in fact, it is often the break they needed to get through the day! So eat slowly, and enjoy the opportunity to nourish your body and connect with loved ones!

3. Throw food away. This is a tough one for many, including me sometimes! However, eating all the food in front of you when you are already past full does not...

Ask The Nutritionist is the newest addition to this page! Outside of my weekly show Wine About It (Facebook live on Thursdays at 5:30pmCST @Basically It Meals), I love answering your questions! Post them in the comments here or on Instagam I will answer them in this weekly post!

The first question is from Sherry; “why is it important to add flax seeds to your diet?”

Flax seeds may seem like one of those foods that you don’t want to buy because you don’t know how you will ever include it in your diet. BUT as far as health benefits go, it is one of my favorite seeds and I try to include flax every day. Flax seeds contain #omega3 fatty acids which are great for brain health as well as skin and nails. Studies have also shown them to reduce the risk of stroke and cancer. I always used to have nails that broke and peeled, but when I started adding flax to my diet, they changed to the most sturdy nails that would literally be as long as my arm if I didn’t cut...

When I first go my degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, I decided I wanted to change the world. I didn't really know how that would unfold at the time, but after working as an educator and SEEING day in and day out how difficult it is for us to get a healthy meal on the table, I knew I wanted to help people with just that. I began teaching and educating people how to cook simply at home, and eventually, I started doing it for them....

The work that I do and the way I get to help people is such an honor. I am so grateful for my clients, my incredible team, and all the people I have met along the way.

I recently made it my goal to bring healthy home cooking back into the American home. Whether that is through my healthy meal delivery service, the No-Diet Diet Club, a new course I am gearing up to launch ( #2020 !), or with my new show Wellness Confidential . I am so excited to bring this mission into the world and see what happens!