Chocolate Extravaganza... Count me in!

Did you know tomorrow (May 2^nd) mark’s 6^th College’s 10^th annual Chocolate Festival?! The event began in 2004 and has delighted students and staff ever since.  Three enormous chocolate fountains arriving from the local Chocolate Monkey Company will fill 6^th College’s quad with an array of cookies, cakes and fresh fruits to enjoy & dip into the chocolate goodness!

Why is your RD promoting chocolate? If you haven’t heard, chocolate boasts a variety of health benefits.  In particular, dark chocolate has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease due to its naturally occurring flavanol content. Bottom line, there is some truth to the saying “a piece of dark chocolate a day may keep the doctor at bay!”

Why else should you check out 6^th College tomorrow? Well, besides indulging in a deliciously “healthy” chocolatey treat, you will be able to increase your physical activity by participating in games with your peers! Out on the Res Hall Quad there will be inflatables, game booths, and this year they are incorporating a “Pie Your Professor” element.  Students have the opportunity to donate cans to pie their professor. 

Not a fan of chocolate? Don't worry! Foodworx and 6th Market are right next door to provide you with a selection of delicious eats to satisfy your craving.

Be sure to post your pictures from tomorrows event on the TasteBud Facebook page and leave a comment here of your favorite chocolate indulgence. Remember, balance and moderation are key to healthy living in college, so enjoy a dollop of chocolate guilt-free!  

UNPLUGGED @ OVT

Thurgood Marshall College is hosting an open mic night starting at 8:30PM at OceanView Terrace. Grab your friends and head over to enjoy your fellow UC San Diego peers debuting their musical talents!

OVT will also stay open late so you can satisfy your late-nite hunger strikes. Just a few tips from your RD: if you haven’t had dinner, I recommend the grilled chicken sandwich or black bean burger off the grill. Both are excellent sources of lean protein that will keep you feeling fuller longer.

If your sweet tooth is a-yearning, then try the specialty pies served just for tonight’s event. OVT has a wide selection sure to meet your fancy…apple, cherry, peach, mixed berry & blueberry! Hey…berries’ have antioxidants…right J!

Be sure to post your pictures from tonight’s event on the TasteBud Facebook page and leave a comment here as to your indulgence for the night. Remember, balance and moderation are key to healthy living in college, so enjoy a slice worry-free!

 

Turkey Time: Minus 24 hour Countdown!

Happy early Thanksgiving UC San Diego! The holiday season is a time to celebrate and relax with those closest to you. I promise I won’t spend this post lecturing on healthy holiday swaps to make tomorrow, but I will leave you with a little food for thought.

According to Women’s Health, the average Thanksgiving meal racks in at 4,500 calories. (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/eating-thanksgiving/story?id=21021483) That’s the equivalent of eating 8 Big Mac’s or 26 Taco Bell Tacos! Rather than gorge on just one meal, make your calories count.  Focus on eating a wide variety of foods that hit all the food groups to leave you feeling pleasantly satisfied, not stuffed. Choose foods that you enjoy, but do so in moderation. Remember the My Plate rules and try to build your plate with this template in mind.

http://www.nourishinteractive.com/

For those of you sticking around campus, I suggest you head on over to Café Ventanas tomorrow and celebrate the holiday spirit! The festivities begin at 11am with the traditional turkey feast starting at 1pm! If you’re a procrastinator, don’t worry; you can still get tickets at the door.

 

Have a wonderful healthy and happy Thanksgiving! Catch ya’ on Monday J

Interested in learning more about a particular topic? Feel free to email me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu or follow HDH on twitter & check Facebook for upcoming events featuring the Taste Buds!

Mind over Matter: How strong is your willpower?

Happy Monday UC San Diego! I realized over the weekend that we have yet to discuss the one thing that goes hand-in-hand with moderation: willpower.

Willpower means having the ability to exercise control over a strong desire. Take for example the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. It’s no surprise that my Turkey Day temptations are caused by the bountiful basket of bread at the end of the buffet line (come on, what Italian doesn’t enjoy a nice warm roll?!). Although I know I am pleasantly satisfied after having one, I always seem to experience an intense desire to go back and grab another. This is where willpower comes in.

First, I certainly know that my mother has purchased enough for the delicious leftovers we will have the next day.  Then, I allow myself to recognize that I can enjoy another serving at a later time; this helps me to reconnect with my feelings of being satisfied.

Not sure if this is something you can do? You will never know unless you try. This suggestion comes from our friend Zach over at Muir College: “If you feel your pants squeezin’, moderate this holiday season!” His holiday motto may just be the trick you need to avoid those second helpings! If suddenly you feel that your sweat pants are calling your name, this is your cue to step away from the table and grab your sister, aunt, or dog and head out for a nice walk.

Remember, it’s okay to indulge, but moderation is the key. When you let go of your willpower and allow moderation to turn into TURKEY DOMINATION, your holiday health is torn off its track. This doesn’t mean you can’t get back on the right path tomorrow; however, research shows kicking off the holiday with a downhill spiral only makes it that much harder to get back on your healthy road.

Start practicing moderation now by popping into the Village Market and preordering your Thanksgiving Meal Kit or Grocery Bag. It’s a great deal for those sticking around San Diego this week to allow you to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with your campus family. The Thanksgiving Meal kit is only $56 for a meal that feeds 4 (or more depending on how you practice that moderation!). That’s $4 less than Whole Foods, and you get a WHOLE lot more for your money! (The Whole Foods Turkey Kit has only a turkey breast, mashed potatoes & gravy, cranberry sauce, and green beans for $59.99.)

 

Suggested Posts to View

http://kimthedietitian.wordpress.com/2013/11/25/willpower-tips-for-finding-more-of-it/

http://www.reporterherald.com/lifestyles/neighbors/ci_24574273/choose-healthy-indulgences-holidays

Interested in learning more about a particular topic? Feel free to email me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu or follow HDH on twitter & check Facebook for upcoming events featuring the Taste Buds!

Healthy Holiday Motto Contest

Can you believe it? We have 27 days left until fall quarter officially comes to an end. That’s just a little less than 4 weeks to buckle down and get your holiday health in focus.

To kick off the countdown, today I will reveal the winner of our healthy holiday motto contest. A BIG thank you to all of you who participated with their great suggestions!  Because I am a firm believer in everything in moderation, I had a hard time deciding on the BEST choice. Rather than choose just one motto, I thought why not choose a theme and have a new motto posted each week?! Thus, the “Mod Squad” team was born.

For each of the remaining weeks, I will post a motto from our “Mod Squad” writers that focus on keeping your health and wellness at the forefront this holiday season.  I will also give suggestions on ways to indulge in holiday treats while beating the stress of finals without wrecking your diet.

So, to get us started please give it up for Ms. Baldeep from Warren.  Her motto is, “At last, the holidays are here!  Don't worry about weight this year; just eat in moderation, and you'll have nothing to fear."

What a great motto to get us rolling! A majority of us wait anxiously to indulge in foods that only come around during the holiday season. Rather than go in with an “all or nothing” approach, take Baldeep’s advice into consideration and remember the value of practicing proper control.

Here are a few examples of proper portion equivalents to keep in mind when you’re taking a look down the holiday table in the weeks to come:

·         Iphone = 3 oz meat

·         Tennis ball = 1 cup of cooked pasta, rice, vegetables or ice cream

·         Light bulb = ½ cup of mashed potatoes, stuffing or grain based side

·         Poker chip = 1 TBSP butter, dressing, or oil

·         Computer mouse = 1 small baked potato

·         Dental floss container = 1 oz chocolate

·         Sunglass Case = 1 slice of pie

Want to try out your portion control abilities? Check out our dining units this Thursday from 11-4PMto enjoy a delicious holiday feast with all the traditional fixins’!

 

Interested in learning more about a particular topic? Feel free to email me at tastebuds@ucsd.edu or follow HDH on twitter & check Facebook for upcoming events featuring the Taste Buds!