By: Chelsea Davidson

There is nothing I love more than being outside on a beautiful summer day with family, friends, and delicious food. To sit back and relax in the sunshine and be nourished by the colorful crops of the summer is my idea of a perfect day. And one of the best parts of summer is that we can take our cooking outside- to the grill!

Grilling is a fun way to cook, adds tons of flavor to your favorite foods, and can be quite healthy if you know how to do it just right. Below is how to do just that.

Choose low fat meats and colorful fruits and vegetables
Some of my favorites for the grill are chicken breasts, lean cuts of steak, homemade turkey burgers, shrimp, pork loin, fish, pineapples, cinnamon sprinkled pears, honey glazed bananas, oranges, tomatoes, zucchini, asparagus, onions, peppers, corn on the cob, potato wedges (I could go on forever!!)

Use marinades with an olive oil or lemon/lime juice base, adding your favorite spices to taste
Oils and acidic juices have been shown to reduce the amount of carcinogen buildup on your food. Yes, that black grill stuff is a carcinogen (a cancer causing agent), but as long as there is not an excess amount on your food you will be just fine. Be sure to trim extra fat off your meats and marinade them before grilling. Using smaller cuts of meat cooked at lower temperatures and placing perforated tin foil between the flame and your food also reduces carcinogens.

Put your meal on a skewer
Skewers are an easy way to keep food organized and are fun to make and eat. Plus, no dishes afterwards!

Prepare and grill foods with family and friends
Making meals a group effort allows each person to feel included and enjoy their food even more when it’s done

Check out one of my favorite recipes here. Add a leafy green, vegetable loaded salad with a light vinaigrette as a side.

By: Chelsea Davidson

Heartland Home Foods is an organic, all-natural food delivery system serving the mid-Atlantic region of Maryland, DC, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.  They have delicious grain-fed beef, pork, free-range poultry, seafood, grade A vegetables, and a variety of prepared items. Each food item is delivered in a vacuum sealed, portion controlled package making it perfect for anyone who is looking to come home from a busy day and grab something out of the freezer and throw it on the stovetop; the big difference here is that these foods are all-natural, organic, and the proper portion.

Heartland Home Foods was gracious enough to provide RBA with some amazing samples. The frozen foods came in this package that kept everything cold and fresh.

They gave us one chicken breast, one filet mignon, two tilapia filets, one pound of ground turkey, and green beans. Here are just a few of the items they sent us.

I was the lucky one who got to take the foods home and try them out, and let me tell you I am glad I got to do so! I decided to cook the steak, chicken and green beans for a friend and myself. The frozen foods were super easy to thaw. All I had to do is place them in warm water for 20 minutes. Then I threw them in a pan with a few spices and olive oil.

And voila! I had a delicious meal of all-natural grilled chicken, steak, and green beans to share with a friend. The meats were tender and juicy and the vegetables were crisp; you could tell that all the food for Heartland Home Foods was selected with the best care and quality. The part I like most is how easy this meal was to prepare and cook after a long day of classes and homework.

For more information on Heartland Home Foods, visit their website here.

By: Dana Magee

Successful client and powerlifter Tim Reese competing in the squat event!

The clients at Rebecca Bitzer & Associates continue to amaze me every day.  Their progress with their health and how it affects their activities, jobs, and families is really something to be admired.  The following is an interview with Tim Reese, a powerlifter that has seen great success this year with the help of Shelley Alspaugh.  A lot can be learned about the sport of powerlifting and how much nutrition plays a role in performance!

Tim got involved with powerlifting after first trying out the bodybuilding scene.  “The diet for this was ridiculous, my wife was only partially joking when she told me she would divorce me if I did another show”, Tim says. He then made the switch to powerlifting.  Powerlifting consists of squat, bench press, and deadlift and the highest total wins.  After taking a few years off due to life, work, and a shoulder injury, Tim found out he had high cholesterol and blood pressure. It was time for him to get healthier and get back into training.

What role has Shelley and RBA played in his training?  Tim first came to RBA after being referred by his endocrinologist.  He was paired with Shelley and “she has been awesome to work with”, he says. With her help he has made changes to his diet by reducing fried foods and adding in more fruits and vegetables.  Tim’s real success has been with the way he views food, as he states, “the biggest change hasn’t been in my diet per say,  it’s mostly been about my relationship with food.”  Shelley has helped him realize that when it comes to food it doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing”.  “We’ve all heard it before that moderation is the key, but I didn’t truly believe it until I started working with Shelley.  Now I know that if I want to eat something “bad” I can.  If I have a bad day with food choices then it’s ok.  As long as my overall eating is healthy then a few bad meals here or there won’t break me.” This is often a tough lesson for many of us to learn because we are bombarded everyday with labels of “good” and “bad” foods.  It is important to know that there is not one perfect diet and every food can fit into a healthy diet.

I asked Tim to tell us a little bit about training for powerlifting competitions.  “Social media has been a huge help for me,” Tim says about how he trains, he is able to upload videos onto his Facebook where his friends will offer suggestions. Tim spends about 2-3 days a week training 1-1.5 hours of lifting and about 30 minutes of cardio.  Each day he trains for a different event. His advice for future powerlifters and anyone for that matter, “The biggest thing is consistency.  Having a plan is also key.”

What is the diet regimen like for competition days of powerlifting? First there is weighing in the night before, and then it’s off to a restaurant for carbs, protein and hydration.  The day of the meet Tim eats a small breakfast and sips on water or unsweetened iced tea throughout the day.  It is important not to drink that much water before your turn as not to risk throwing upon the judges (it happens!) “If I don’t eat 30-60 minutes before then I don’t have as much energy and don’t feel as strong during training” he says. During the competition Tim likes to eat  PB&J sandwiches, “it provides a quick form of fuel, but doesn’t leave me wanting to throw up from exertion,” he says.

This April Tim competed in a powerlifting event called Powerpalooza. The classes of categories are arranged by age, weight, type of gear, amateur and professional.  Once the lift is complete the three judges make a decision by turning on either a white light (good lift) or a red light (bad lift).  At least two white lights are needed for the lift to be good. In this meet Tim achieved his personal best by increasing his lifts by 55 lbs for a grand total of 1255 lbs for all three events!

Here is Tim’s advice for those that want to get involved in powerlifting- Go for it!  The internet is filled with information about the sport.  I think www.elitefts.com has a lot of excellent information, especially for beginners.  Learn as much as you can.  Remember that everyone starts somewhere.  At some point you’ll need to find someone who can help teach/coach you in technique to maximize the weight you can lift.  I have been helped immensely by people who are icons in the sport and who have ultimately become friends.

This last one is for the ladies.  Don’t be afraid to lift heavy weight.  I promise you won’t get too “bulky” or masculine.  I have a good friend who squats and deadlifts over 200 pounds.  She weighs around 125 lbs.

At the meet no one cares what you lift, just that you’re there competing.  They cheer you on like you’re the most important person in the world.  When you’re done, you’ve lifted more weight than you’ve ever lifted and you hear the crowd cheering and clapping; you listen for the announcer’s call.  There’s no better feeling than hearing “The lift is good.”

Thank you Tim for sharing your story with us good luck to you in your future competitions!

By Sara Emden

Teaching a child proper nutrition at a young age, is something that will stick with them for the rest of their life. Kids can be picky eaters, however, which makes it sometimes hard and frustrating for parents.

Enter, Kait Fortunato, our Registered Dietitian who specializes in family and pediatric nutrition! Kait knows that the best way to teach kids and keep them interested is to make the lesson fun and entertaining.

I had the pleasure of helping Kait out during her “Taste the Rainbow” presentation at Annapolis Pediatrics. She created a lesson that taught the children different colors of foods and why it is important to eat all the colors of the rainbow. This was a hands-on activity that both the kids and their parents thoroughly enjoyed! The room was packed to the brim with parents and children of all ages.

She started off by asking the kids if they could state the different colors of the rainbow and why it is important to eat different fruits and vegetables. She brought in five types of fruits and vegetables that matched each color of the rainbow. These fruits and veggies included green beans, sweet potatoes, grapes, red peppers and cauliflower. These were passed out to all the kids so they could “taste their rainbow”.

For each fruit and veggie, she told the kids why it is important to eat that particular color:

-Green helps promote healthy eyes and vision

-Orange and yellow help to keep you from getting sick

-Purple and blue help with your memory and learning

-Red helps to maintain a healthy heart

-White, tan and brown foods helps to prevent disease

After the lesson, the kids had to share with everyone what they learned by reciting why we should eat each color. She also asked what their favorite fruit or vegetable was. The kid’s hands were being raised so quickly in the air,that we could not keep up with them! It seemed like they really learned a lot from the lesson and loved sharing about their favorite fruits and vegetables.

At the end of the lesson, she gave out a sheet of different kid friendly, but healthy recipes for families to try, in addition to a sheet that reiterated the lesson and listed all kinds of fruits and vegetables to eat for each color.

After the presentation ended, parents were asked to fill out a survey about the presentation:

-One parent said “My kids loved it and said they would return”.

-Another one was asked what they liked most about the class, and a parent said “Exposure for kids to different fruits/veggies and seeing other kids eating them”.

-Nearly all of the respondents said their children tried something new at the class!

-And one of the kids said her favorite part of the presentation was “learning what color fruits and vegetables help different parts of the body”.

I was very impressed with how well the kids responded to the lesson  It takes a great teacher for a lesson to really stick with kids for the rest of their life. Kait is definitely that great teacher!

Kait will be seeing clients at Annapolis Pediatrics Thursdays starting this month! Call our office for more information or send Kait an email, kait@rbitzer.com.

By: Amy Bortnick

My favorite aspects of working at RBA is the environment. Every time I go into work I am surrounded by strong motivational professionals that devote themselves to helping others. The dietitians at my job continue to teach me through example that in order to truly help others you must first be helping yourself.

Shelley Alspaugh is a devoted registered dietitian who spends the majority of her day helping others improve the quality of their lives through nutrition. One of the most inspiring things about Shelley is that she truly believes in the healthy balanced lifestyle she encourages to her clients.

One morning Shelley came in to work lit up with a new energy and excitement. She confessed she just completed her first session of boot camp…yes boot camp! The fitness guru in me had to find out more. I set up an interview to learn all about Shelley’s motivation for boot camp!

Shelley joined Mirror Image Fitness for a four week commitment run by two fitness twins that left the corporate world to pursue their passion in fitness and help others reach their fitness goals. Shelley says the twins are excellent coaches that provide the perfect balance of challenge without adding intimidating pressure to working out…not mention they play great music that makes the non-morning person in Shelley come alive with laughter!

When I asked her what her motivation for joining boot camp was she said her GOAL was to recommit to exercise and not just for the four weeks of boot camp but for life. Not only does Shelley wake up at 5 something in the morning to go to boot camp two days a week but she also has taken up yoga on the weekends and is training for both a 5 k and mini triathlon. She will be competing in the triathlon with her father and a client who have made engaging in physical activity less intimidating, social and more fun.

Shelley is pushing herself to get out of her comfort zone and seek new, fun, and challenging ways to reconnect with physical activity. In my interview with Shelley she said physical activity had been her missing puzzle piece. She had been walking and jogging for years but was having a hard time recommitting. She stressed that the key to regular physical activity is finding something that works for you, that you enjoy and overall gives you a sense of peace and accomplishment.

Shelley’s new commitment to fitness is not always simple the number one challenge she is facing now is finding the time for sleep. Waking up at 5:00 am means Shelley needs to be in bed by 9:00pm to get the 8 hours she needs in a night. With a busy work and life schedule, fitting in physical activity can be tough but again it all comes back to her commitment to taking excellent care of herself.

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The take home message: If your not having fun with your physical activity or its not fitting into your lifestyle then don’t give up, look for something that works for you. Shelley is grateful for each day to accept herself and improve. She stated that she is always learning from her clients, fellow RDs and students.

Thank you Shelley for being an inspiration and embodying the lifestyle of self care you inspire in others.

Written by Elizabeth Haaser

At the end of last month, RBA hosted our first annual Open House event. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, we welcomed patients, professionals, family, and curious potential-clients into the office. At this unique get-together, our six dietitians and seven students each got a chance to shine and show-off our special interests. From giveaways and taste testing to Spectracell and Take Shape for Life representatives, our event was a lot of fun!

I had the pleasure of greeting each person as they came in, and immediately let them know about our raffle, which took place in the big yellow room. Some of the things that were won included food samples, healthy cookbooks, metabolism tests, glucose meters, and discounts on nutrition products. People earned tickets by speaking with any one of our staff members, and we were really easy to spot: one of our students, Dana, ordered us all yellow polos and buttons that indicated our specialty- you might see me at the office wearing either of these!

Perfect Pita (the white-bean salad was a clear favorite) and Pop Chips graciously gave us plenty of food, and Rebecca’s childhood friend, Mr. Ron, snapped pictures throughout the event.

I think one of our favorite parts was having all of us there at once. As Dana pointed out, we are rarely all in the office together. Also, it was a cool balance of seeing familiar faces, and new ones, including University of Maryland Dietetic students and a few local Registered Dietitians. We are each so passionate about nutrition and the community, so we all had a blast!

Special thanks to:

Tracey (Spectracell)

Christine (TSFL)

Mr. Ron (Photography)

Perfect Pita

Pop Chips

And of course, all who attended! Thanks for stopping by and sharing the afternoon with us!

BY: Amy Bortnick

One question I often get asked as a nutrition student and a marathon runner is: “What  foods do you eat while you run?”and the truth is, with two marathons and three half marathons behind me, I still have not perfected the art of eating on the run.

With that said, I am always looking for new fuel sources to incorporate into my training regime. So it should be no surprise that I took full advantage of my admission to the 2012 Scan Symposium to meet different exhibitors and try the latest sports nutrition products.

It was at SCAN that I first learned of Sharkies, gummy bear tasting energy sports chews that deliver electrolytes and glucose for a quick energy source! The best part about Sharkies is that they are USDA certified organic meaning they contain no dyes or flavors like most engineered sports products. They also have no fat which can be beneficial to athletes because fat can  slow you down if you consume too much before a workout.  I took home a couple Shakies Portable Snack Packs (super convenient) from the symposium and found them to be a great pre-work out fuel source that  was easy to tolerate early in the morning!

Another great thing about Sharkies is they sponsor the Tough Mudder competitions, a hardcore 10- 12 mile obstacle course that raises money for the the Wounded Warrior Project. The best part: I was lucky enough to win a drawing for a free entry into a Tough Mudder competition! I will definitely be using Sharkies all summer to help me train for the event!