5 ways to improve your nutrition

Laura Horne, Nutrition Coach at MAGNA, shared 5 things you can do to improve your nutrition.

1. Make a super shake. Many people have a hard time getting the appropriate amounts of protein, fruits and vegetables in their diet. Making a super shake can help you reach the daily recommendations of each nutrient. (Recipes below)

2. Drink more water.

Many people confuse hunger for thirst. If you are dehydrated, you feel shaky, lethargic, crabby and have low energy. These moods and feelings lead to overeating. You should be drinking approximately half your body weight in ounces in water every day, and this does not include the water you drink during exercise.

3. Use your hand as a guide instead of counting calories.

As a general rule, women should use 1 of their palms for a serving of protein, a fist for a serving of vegetables or fruit, a cupped hand for carbohydrates such as quinoa and a thumb for healthy fats such as walnuts. Men use two palms, two fists, two cupped hands, and two thumbs.

4. Prepare yourself ahead of time for dining in restaurants.

Look at the menu ahead of time and pick a few healthy options. Is there protein? Are there vegetables? Also, no matter what you order, split it into thirds. Either ask for a to-go bag right away or move it to another plate. Restaurants double, triple, or even quadruple the portion sizes!

5. You don't have to eat "breakfast" for breakfast.

Many people get stuck in a rut when eating the same things for breakfast, lunch and dinner which can lead to less than ideal food choices. There is no rule that you have to eat eggs or oatmeal for breakfast. Feel like eggs for dinner? Go for it. Feel like a chicken wrap for breakfast? That is just fine. Swapping your meal order keeps things fresh.

Chocolate Banana Super Shake

1 scoop of chocolate flavored protein powder. Protein helps the body build and repair tissues. It is an important building block for bones, muscles, skin, cartilage and blood. It can also help keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Two large handfuls of organic spinach. Dark leafy greens like spinach are important for skin and hair, bone health, and provide iron, vitamins and minerals. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6. The benefits of consuming spinach include improving blood glucose control in diabetics, lowering the risk of diseases, lowering blood pressure, improving bone health, lowering the risk of developing asthma and more.

1/2 banana. Bananas are known for their high potassium content which helps make this a great post-exercise recovery food. Foods high in potassium can help nerve and muscle function (and can also help prevent those dreaded muscle craps).

Almond milk or coconut milk (just to help the blending process and add a few extra nutrients). These dairy free alternatives are a great choice for people with lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance impacts about 25% of the US population, which means they have difficulty digesting the sugar in cow's milk.

1/2 to 1 tbsp of sunflower seed butter, peanut butter or almond butter. (I add in the healthy fats when I am making the shake as a meal. When used as a post workout recovery drink, I skip this ) These healthy fats are full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. A recent study found that insulin-resistant adults who ate a diet high in monounsaturated fat had less belly fat than people who ate more carbohydrates or saturated fat.

One handful of ice (use less of you want your shake more drinkable, use more if you want to eat it with a spoon)

Berry Good Vanilla Shake

1 scoop of vanilla flavored protein powder Protein helps the body build and repair tissues. It is an important building block for bones, muscles, skin, cartilage and blood. It can also help keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Two large handfuls of organic spinach Dark leafy greens like spinach are important for skin and hair, bone health, and provide iron, vitamins and minerals. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6. The benefits of consuming spinach include improving blood glucose control in diabetics, lowering the risk of diseases, lowering blood pressure, improving bone health, lowering the risk of developing asthma and more.

2/3 to 1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries. Berries are high in antioxidants, which essentially act like little bodyguards protecting cells from damage. This prevents premature aging and disease.

1-2 tbsp of flax seeds. Flax seeds contain omega 3 essential fatty acids, the "good" fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s. They also contain lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods. Flaxseed also contains fiber-- both the soluble and insoluble types.

One handful of ice (use less of you want your shake more drinkable, use more if you want to eat it with a spoon)