Light and Healthy Summer Recipes for Cancer Survivors

healthy foods

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy light and healthy recipes that both nourish and refresh the body. Additionally, the benefits are as bountiful as the recipe options. A nutritious diet plays a vital role in supporting overall health and well-being, especially for cancer survivors. Light and healthy meals can also help manage weight, which is crucial as excessive weight gain can increase the risk of cancer recurrence. During the summer heat, lighter meals can be easier to digest, preventing discomfort and promoting better hydration, which is vital for overall health and recovery. 

By embracing light and healthy eating habits, cancer survivors can nourish their bodies and embrace the joy of delicious, seasonal flavors while supporting their ongoing journey toward wellness. In the spirit of summer’s vibrant energy, we have curated a collection of recipes designed for cancer survivors to enjoy all season long. 

Light and Healthy Summer Recipes

These recipes are not only bursting with flavor, but they also prioritize ingredients known for their cancer-fighting properties, providing you with a nutritional plan that promotes healing, rejuvenation, and overall well-being. 

Crustless Garden Vegetable Quiche

Summer offers a bounty of fresh vegetables. Why not enjoy them all at once? This recipe from Savory Lotus serves as a great base but can be tweaked to include your favorite summertime veggies or herbs. 

Ingredients 

  • 2 tbsp ghee or avocado oil 
  • 2 small zucchinis, sliced thin into rounds 
  • 1/2 small onion, chopped 
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced 
  • 3 cups baby spinach 
  • 1 1/4 cup small tomatoes, sliced thin 
  • 1 Tbsp fresh basil, minced + extra for garnish 
  • 8 eggs 
  • 1/4 cup dairy-free milk 
  • 1/2 tsp salt 
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Liberally grease a pie pan or quiche pan. 
  2. In a large skillet, melt one tablespoon of fat of choice over medium-high heat. Arrange zucchini rounds in a single layer in the bottom of the skillet and cook until starting to brown. Flip zucchini rounds and cook on the other side. Remove from heat. 
  3. Lower heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon of fat, and cook onions until translucent and beginning to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add baby spinach and cook until just wilted. Remove from heat. 
  4. Spread the onion/spinach mixture evenly onto greased pan. Layer cooked zucchini rounds and tomato slices on top, reserving a handful of each for the top. Sprinkle on minced basil. 
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, dairy-free milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the top of the vegetables in a quiche pan. Give a little shake to settle. Top with remaining zucchini and tomato slices. 
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the center is set. Cool slightly before slicing into wedges. Garnish with fresh basil.

Chicken Avocado Caprese Salad

Gather up fresh lettuce and herbs for this quick and easy salad. Whether you’re looking for a quick salad to make at lunch or a filling dinner option, this Cafe Delites recipe offers the perfect solution.

Ingredients 

Marinade/Dressing: 

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 
  • 2 tbsp olive oil 
  • 2 tsp brown sugar 
  • 1 tsp minced garlic 
  • 1 tsp dried basil 
  • 1 tsp salt 

Salad: 

  • 4 chicken thigh fillets, skin removed 
  • 5 cups romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried 
  • 1 avocado, sliced 
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced 
  • 1/2 cup mini mozzarella cheese 
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Whisk marinade ingredients together to combine. Place chicken in a shallow dish. Pour about 4 tbsp of the marinade mixture over the chicken and stir around to evenly coat. Reserve the rest of the marinade to use as dressing. 
  2. Heat about 1 tsp of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Grill or sear chicken until golden, crispy, and cooked through. Once the chicken is cooked, set aside and allow to rest. 
  3. Slice chicken into strips and prepare the salad by mixing salad ingredients together. Top with basil strips and chicken strips. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

Two-Ingredient Fudge Bars

What better way to beat the heat than with a classic fudge bar? This Chocolate Covered Katie recipe offers health-conscious ingredients so the whole family can enjoy this treat… guilt-free. 

Ingredients 

  • 8 oz chocolate chips (or sugar-free chocolate chips) 
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter or allergy-friendly sub (sun butter, coconut butter, almond butter, etc.) 
  • Optional chopped walnuts, shredded coconut, chia seeds, etc.

Directions 

  1. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment or wax paper, and set aside. If nut butter is not stir-able, gently warm it until soft. Melt the chocolate chips (Google how to melt chocolate if unsure, as it’s easy to burn). Stir together all ingredients until smooth. 
  2. Pour into the pan and spread out evenly. Freeze for 10 minutes or until firm enough to slice. 
  3. The bars can stay out at room temperature if you’re serving them, especially if it’s not too warm outside or in your home. Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.

Survivor Fitness: Support for Cancer Survivors

At Survivor Fitness, we understand the unique journey that cancer survivors face. We believe that nourishing your body with wholesome ingredients is an essential part of your wellness routine. Our nutrition partners have put together dozens of nutrition and fitness resources for cancer survivors, including a collection of our favorite recipes.  

Learn more about our program and how we will walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. Connect with us today to learn more!

8 Quick, Healthy Meals for When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

person cutting vegetables preparing healthy meals

Even before a cancer diagnosis, there may have been days when you didn’t feel like cooking. Most of the time, fatigue and emotional exhaustion can make it difficult to prepare a meal. You might even experience changes in taste or smell that affect your desire to cook. And yet, you recognize that healthy eating is an important factor in supporting your recovery.  

At Survivor Fitness, we recognize all of the physical, emotional, and mental challenges that cancer survivors face each day. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to regain your strength and wellness. In this blog, we’ve highlighted a few quick and healthy meals you can turn to on those days you don’t want to cook. We’ve included a variety of options depending on what you’re in the mood for. 

1. 4-Ingredient Chicken and Rice Casserole

Whether you are running low on ingredients or looking for an easy recipe to add to your meal prep routine, this chicken rice casserole makes for a crowd-pleasing dinner that comes together in five minutes of prep time.

2. Vegetarian Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

This vegetarian-friendly option combines a sweet potato with avocado and black beans to transform it into a complete and nutritious meal! All in under 15 minutes of prep which is a win for any weeknight! 

3. Rotisserie Chicken Tacos

Breaking down a rotisserie chicken is a great way to save time and money throughout the week. Adding a few spices can help you create delicious tacos in under ten minutes. All you have to do is add whatever toppings you have on hand: cheese, lettuce, avocado, or salsa.   

4. Rosemary Salmon and Veggies

Fish can be an important part of any healthy diet. The good news is that you don’t need tons of time or fancy ingredients to cook a delicious meal. After adding a simple marinade to your salmon, all you need to do is throw it in the oven with some of your favorite vegetables.

5. Mini Zucchini Pizzas

Have days where you want to ditch the meal you had prepared and order a pizza instead?  This simple snack recipe is a fantastic alternative to satisfy your pizza cravings in a more healthy way.

6. Greek Salad with Edamame

Edamame is rich in fiber and protein, which makes it a great addition to salads if you don’t have time to cook meat. Adding it to a traditional Greek salad provides a quick and easy meal filled with heart-healthy ingredients. 

7. Lemony Greek Chicken Soup

Finding a fast and simple recipe can be difficult when you’re in the mood for soup. This recipe only takes 20 minutes to come together and is the definition of comfort food. 

8. Magic Green Sauce

Looking for something on the lighter side? This recipe can help you whip up a delicious dip with ingredients you likely have in your kitchen. All you have to do is add raw veggies or crackers to dip and you’re ready to go. You can also use this sauce as a quick marinade for chicken or dressing for salad.  

Additional Resources for Eating Healthy

If you’re looking for more healthy recipes to incorporate into your diet, here are a few additional resources to check out:

If you’re a cancer survivor who wants to incorporate healthy eating into your recovery routine, Survivor Fitness can connect you with a certified nutritionist to help you regain your health and wellness. Reach out to our team to learn more about how to become a Survivor Fitness participant.

7 Tips to Meal Prep Weekly

food-in-meal-prep-containers

Eating healthy is vital for anyone who wants to regain and maintain strength and stamina, but figuring out a new nutrition plan can be challenging. Cancer treatment often creates a “new normal” for patients as they experience greater fatigue, weakness, and fluctuations in their weight. In most cases, the nutrition plan for patients after treatment looks different from the one they were encouraged to keep during treatment. Developing a habit of planning ahead with a weekly meal prep routine has been one of the most helpful and effective strategies for Survivor Fitness participants. Meal prep is an easy way to embrace mindful eating habits. It can also help you find healthy solutions to eat when you’re exhausted or not feeling up to cooking.  

1. Start small and keep your meals simple.

Developing a routine of weekly meal planning can seem overwhelming, especially if you’ve never done it before. It’s important to give yourself grace and take small achievable steps in the same way you do with other areas of life.

You can begin by planning out just a few meals or snacks for the week ahead. It’s also helpful to start with simple meals that are easy to prepare and cook. This can help you find a rhythm that works for you.

2. Include a good balance of protein, vegetables, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. 

One of the most beneficial aspects of meal prep is that it allows you to see what you’re eating and maintain a healthy and balanced diet throughout the week. As you look at your plan, make sure you have a healthy balance of proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. 

As a cancer survivor, it’s essential to choose the right nutrition plan based on your unique circumstances. That’s why we believe in helping our Survivor Fitness participants connect with a nutrition specialist if they need support. If you can’t connect with a nutrition specialist, there are many resources online for post-treatment meal plans. 

3. Incorporate healthy snacks into your plan. 

Snacks are an area that’s easy to overlook when planning and preparing meals for the week. But finding simple, easy, and healthy recipes allows you to snack on foods that will fuel your recovery.

Here are a few of our favorite healthy snack recipes to incorporate into your weekly meal prep. 

4. Keep your pantry stocked with healthy staples. 

Even the best meal preppers run into days where they forget an ingredient. A quick meal made from the items in your pantry is perfectly fine, especially on the days you don’t feel up to making anything else. It’s beneficial to stock your kitchen with nutritious foods so that you can still find healthy options if you want to add an item to a meal or cook something entirely different that day. 

5. Experiment with how and when you prepare meals in advance. 

Cooking or preparing meals in advance is often a key component of successful meal prep. However, forcing yourself into a rigid structure can leave you discouraged. 

Each person’s approach to meal prep is unique. It’s important to find what works for you based on your dietary needs, family circumstances, physical capabilities, and season of life. Finding a sustainable weekly meal prep routine that makes your life easier is the goal. It doesn’t matter how you get there. 

6. Find creative ways to get the family on board. 

Meal prep can be difficult when you’re responsible for feeding other people, especially families with children. Enlisting your family in the planning process is one way to avoid these challenges. You can get their input on the menu for the week or even invite them to help you prepare meals. Having a theme for certain days of the week is another way to discover new recipes and generate excitement throughout the week. 

7. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.   

It’s important for anyone (especially cancer survivors) to listen to what their body needs and ask for help when they need it. This might look like asking family and friends to help you prep meals during the weekend. Instead of going past your limits on high-energy days, remember that it’s ok to take breaks. Asking for help is an important part of developing a sustainable meal prep plan for you and your family.

Planning and preparing your meals can be a great habit to help you maintain a healthy diet and eliminate the frustrations of figuring out what you’re going to eat every day. But it’s important to remember that progress is the goal, not perfection. If you’re a cancer survivor looking for more nutritional guidance and support, Survivor Fitness is ready to help! Visit our website or contact our team to learn more about how to become a Survivor Fitness participant today.

7 Tips to Embrace Mindful Eating

embrace-mindful-eating

For most of us, the busyness of life and daily responsibilities often make food preparation and mealtimes feel rushed. But being intentional about what we eat and how we eat is vital for staying healthy and maintaining wellness. This is where the concept of mindful eating comes in. In short, mindful eating is the opposite of unhealthy “mindless” eating. Instead, it’s about maintaining an awareness of the food you choose to eat. It can also extend to the process of buying, preparing, and serving food as well as consuming it. Embracing mindful eating can help you improve your diet, manage food cravings, and embrace a healthier lifestyle. Here are seven tips to start eating mindfully.

1. Honor Your Health with Gentle Nutrition Planning

Emerging evidence from MDAnderson shows that maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle after a cancer diagnosis can reduce the risk of recurrence, as well as prevent other chronic diseases. The key here is to develop an approachable and sustainable nutrition plan. Rather than an aggressive weight loss plan, cancer survivors should honor their health by creating a plan that supports an overarching healthy lifestyle. This can be done through something as simple as choosing healthy snacks rather than foods with high saturated fat content. 

2. Listen to What Your Body Needs

Do you ever find yourself mindlessly finishing your dinner or eating an unhealthy snack in the middle of the day, even when you’re not hungry? We all do. Mindful eating means listening to your body’s needs. It also means paying attention to your body’s hunger cues and understanding if you are still hungry or if you’re full. 

3. Make Simple Switches to Improve Your Diet 

Embracing a mindful eating approach doesn’t mean you have to completely give up the types of food and snacks you love. Instead, it’s an invitation to make simple switches to improve your diet and add a more wholesome nutritional approach to your eating habits. 

4. Stick to Your Commitment by Stocking Your Kitchen with Nutritious Foods

Proper meal planning is key to mindful eating. It takes intentionality to ensure you’re purchasing and serving foods that can help you cultivate a healthy lifestyle. This means stocking your kitchen with nutritious foods. Planning your meal and snack options ahead of time is another way to eliminate some of the stress that often leads to choosing unhealthy or quick options.  

5. Open Up Your Awareness 

Taking time to enjoy your food and eat slowly often improves your digestion and gives you awareness of how you feel when you’re full. It can also be a meditative experience. Take time to notice the place settings, lighting conditions, and temperature. Do you notice steam rising up or water glistening on vegetables? As you begin eating, pay close attention to the smells, textures, and flavors you experience with each bite. Mindful eating can be a way of reclaiming eating and digestion after chemotherapy or radiation suppressed your appetite or dictated your food choices. 

6. Limit Distractions While Eating

Focusing on what’s going on around you can distract you from the process of eating and take away from the mindfulness experience. If possible, try to limit distractions and avoid multitasking while eating. When you sit down to eat, become aware of those around you who are eating with you. In between bites, take the meal as an opportunity to check in with your loved ones. Be fully present as you ask and answer questions. 

7. Notice When You’re Tempted to Eat, but Aren’t Hungry

One of the most common ways we mindlessly eat is when we go on autopilot with snacking and emotional eating. Rather than eating when our bodies are hungry, we eat to fill an emotional void. This makes sense because food is inherently nourishing and comforting! Being kind to ourselves and recognizing this pattern can help embrace mindful eating.   

Mindful eating isn’t about being perfect, always eating the right things, or never allowing yourself to eat in a hurry again. Rather, it’s about committing to a lifestyle in which we’re more intentional about our eating habits. It’s about progress, not perfection. If you’re a cancer survivor looking for more nutritional guidance and support, Survivor Fitness is ready to connect you to the right nutritionist to help you embrace a healthier approach to your diet. 

Try These 11 Sources of Non-Meat Protein

Eliminating processed meat from your diet can be a wise choice, as meat has been linked to higher incidences of pancreatic, prostate, stomach, and colorectal cancers. Discovering new sources of non-meat protein is essential for health and for variety. 

While skipping meat can help lessen cholesterol, saturated fat, and sodium of meat, you also risk nutritional deficiencies, including low levels of calcium, vitamin D, iron, and total protein intake. To ensure that you maintain your required nutrients to stay healthy, here are 11 different protein options for you to try today!

Beans

In addition to providing high levels of protein, beans are also an excellent source of iron. Iron produces hemoglobin which enables red blood cells to carry oxygenated blood throughout your body and prevents anemia.

Greek yogurt 

Greek yogurt is a smart and simple switch in your everyday cooking routine that can also serve as a source of potassium, calcium, carbohydrates, and healthy fat. It’s also a tasty treat when you’re searching for high-protein vegetarian snack foods!

Cheese

Cheese can be a topping for just about any meal, and it adds essential extra calcium to your diet as well. See how much protein you can rack up from the following:

  • Parmesan: 28 g per cup
  • Cheddar: 24 g per cup
  • Cottage cheese: 23 g per cup

Eggs

Don’t forget about breakfast! Prepare eggs any way you want for a guaranteed source of zinc, phosphorus acids, and good (HDL) cholesterol! Bonus: egg yolks are also a supplemental vitamin D source.

Chia seeds

Add chia seeds to your next smoothie. In addition to protein, they also offer significant levels of omega-3 fatty acids, another element that vegetarians can lack when leaving meat behind.

Oats

Oats are filled with nutritional benefits and can be easily added to your diet. If you’re looking for more fiber to add to your daily routine, opt for a bowl of oatmeal or sprinkle oats on top of your morning yogurt, afternoon smoothie, or after-dinner shake. 

Nuts

Protein, fiber, calcium, and antioxidants…nuts have got it all! Take them as an on-the-go snack or add them as a topping to salads, cereal, or even ice cream! See the protein amounts per recommended serving size (¼ cup) below:

Lentils

Lentils are high in fiber and complex carbs while remaining low in fat and calories. A cup provides 24 grams of protein and 273 milligrams of potassium, which helps keep your heart rate regulated!

Tofu

Crafted from soybeans, tofu contains all nine amino acids, which help bodies repair muscle and skin. While tofu doesn’t have much taste by itself, it helps add texture and absorbs its surrounding flavors. 

Hemp seeds

Hemp seeds are another topping you can add to just about anything for extra protein, zinc, omega-3s, and omega-6 fatty acids.

Quinoa 

This plant-based protein has 8 grams of protein per cup. It will also assist with keeping up your iron levels, too!

Whether you are looking for additional alternatives to your current menu or you want to start your meatless journey on the right foot, be sure to listen to your body as you experiment with the nutrition that works best for you. 

If you’re a cancer survivor who is looking for nutritional guidance, Survivor Fitness can connect you with a certified nutritionist to help you regain your health and wellness. 

4 Tips on Stocking Your Kitchen with Nutritious Foods

Sure, the idea of easy healthy snacks and having a nutritious pantry sounds good, but where do you begin making daily life changes like this? Improving your eating may not be as hard as you think it is, especially when you learn simple food swaps and consistently practice intuitive eating.

To help with stocking your kitchen with nutritious foods, we’ve provided some inspiration to get you started!

1. Keep Healthy Staples Organized and Stocked

Before you can accurately stock your home with nutrient-rich foods, you need to start by cleaning out what you don’t need. Get rid of the junk that you know adds nothing nutritious to your meals or snacks—out of sight, out of mind! From there, try utilizing containers to group certain food groups, on-the-go snacks, dry-storage sides, nuts and dried fruits, etc., or homemade microwavable meals. Try to have a designated space for certain kinds of foods so you always know where they’re located. Take a cue from retailers: make your healthiest food the easiest to grab, and the most attractively organized. The humble fruit bowl works for a reason: it places apples, oranges, and bananas out in the open to encourage healthy snacking.

Interested in more categorized organization? Try refining your go-to lists into kitchen categories and ensure you always have your staples stocked.

For instance:

  • Pantry
    • Whole grain pasta
    • Old-fashioned oats
    • Organic flours
    • Quinoa
  • Freezer
    • Frozen vegetables and fruits
    • Low-fat or low-sugar ice cream (to satisfy the sweet tooth!)
    • Whole wheat bread, or bagels
    • Fish
  • Refrigerator
    • Coconut or almond milk
    • Eggs
    • Sliced deli meat
    • Unsalted butter
  • Baking Shelf
    • Organic sugar
    • Coconut flour
    • Unsweetened cocoa powder
    • Maple syrup

2. Learn The Basics

Starting is the hardest part of any change or project! That’s why we want to give you a few core initial items to add to your upcoming grocery list, categorized by food type. Once you find what you like, keep a running list of these ingredients so you’ll recognize when you’re running low.

  • Dry Goods
    • Whole wheat pasta
    • Brown rice
    • Rolled oats
  • Nuts, legumes, and seeds
    • Pecans, walnuts, almonds, or your favorite nut
    • Peanut butter
    • Chia, flax, or your seed of choice
  • Fruits and Vegetables
    • Fresh fruits (strawberries, bananas, grapes, raspberries.)
    • Long-lasting vegetables (onions, potatoes, butternut squash, carrots)
    • Green leafy vegetables (kale, spinach)
    • Cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower)
  • Proteins
    • Eggs
    • Chicken or lean beef
    • Fish
    • Greek yogurt
    • Cottage cheese
  • Canned Goods
    • Your favorite broth
    • Tomatoes
    • Beans, pulses, and legumes
    • Tuna

3. Plan Your Days Ahead

One of the most critical steps to altering your kitchen practices is to plan your days and weeks ahead of time. Start by designing your three main meals: healthy breakfasts, lunches, and dinner. Once you’ve got that down, plan a few go-to healthy snacks that are easy to grab. Another action that will help you is to prepare these meals early, if possible. Pick a day of the week to designate your “food prep” day and lean into it!

To help you get started, here are some ideas:

  • Lunch Ideas
    • Boiled eggs, peanut butter, and apples
    • Chicken salad lettuce wraps
    • Greek salad

4. Keep Your Groceries Colorful

Taste the rainbow—seriously! Adding colorful, healthy foods to your diet offers numerous nutrients that are beneficial to your physical health. In fact, according to a study by the International Journal of Epidemiology, eating habits that include more fruit and veggie intakes reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, each color has different benefits:

  • Reds—protect against colon cancer and heart and lung disease
  • Yellows and Oranges—can help prevent heart disease
  • Greens—rich in cancer-blocking chemicals
  • Blue and Purples—can block the formation of blood clots
  • Whites and Browns—have anti-tumor effects

If you’re a cancer survivor looking for more nutritional guidance and support, Survivor Fitness is ready to connect you to the right nutritionist to help you regain control of your life.

12 of Our Favorite Healthy Breakfasts

If you’re looking to improve your morning routine, planning out your daily breakfasts is a great place to start. Eating healthier can seem like a chore, but it may not be as hard as you think.

We’ve categorized twelve of our favorite healthy breakfasts into four focused categories:

Oats + Smoothies

1. Strawberry Almond Smoothie

Smoothies are quick and can be filling and delectable. This particular recipe has almonds, strawberries, greek yogurt, and Vitamin C—all you have to do is put them into a blender!

2. Banana Bread Overnight Oats

Speaking of healthy breakfasts, we loved this recipe so much we made it a feature! These oats have the yummy taste of banana bread without all of the work! With bananas, nuts, and flaxseed, you cannot go wrong with this option.

3. Vanilla Cold Brew Coffee Overnight Oats

This one goes out to the coffee lovers! This is the perfect blend of caffeine and oats and only takes five minutes to prep. Oats are naturally gluten-free and are great for reducing blood sugar levels. One serving has 16g of sugar, which is half the calories of many coffee shop favorites! Plus, you’re gaining the element of filling grains.

Protein-Packed

4. Breakfast BLT Salad

Have you ever thought about having a salad for breakfast? Bring this idea into your morning routine! Under 300 calories, this serving gives you almost 18g of protein and only takes 15 minutes to prepare.

5. Avocado Toast with Egg

This recipe is a wonderful way to pack more nutrients into your morning. This article gives you three ways to incorporate eggs, avocado, and whole-grain toast into a delicious and healthy approach in under ten minutes!

6. High-Protein Greek Yogurt Parfait

People add protein powder in their shakes, but what about in their parfaits? This one brings in almost 40 grams of protein! Decorating the greek yogurt with blueberries, raspberries, and almonds is a beautiful breakfast to start your day!

Sweet Beginnings

7. Easy Apple Muffins

Schedule a morning to wake up a little earlier to bake apple muffins (or make the night before!) The muffins take about an hour from start to finish, but for only four grams of fat per serving, it may be worth the earlier alarm. These muffins are very easy to customize, so feel free to add your own filling or topping. Save even more calories by switching the sour cream to greek yogurt!

8. Chocolate Zucchini Bread

When you think of sweets, you don’t normally think of vegetables. This recipe incorporates zucchini, coconut oil, cocoa powder, and a few more ingredients to create an unexpectedly 5-star breakfast bread.

9. Fluffy Greek Yogurt Pancakes

By switching out a few ingredients, you can have pancakes that won’t make you feel guilty. Adding whole-wheat flour, greek yogurt, and unsweetened almond milk makes them protein-packed, making you feel fuller for longer! Want them even sweeter? Add a few dark chocolate chips to the mix to make them next-level!

Bowls + Wraps

10. Spinach and Feta Breakfast Wrap

If you like greek salad, you’ll appreciate these Greek-inspired breakfast wraps! These are also easy to freeze, making planning your meals ahead even easier. With 27 grams of protein from eggs and feta cheese, you’ll feel fueled for your day!

11. Tofu Scramble

Have you hopped on the tofu train? This tofu-based bowl may be the perfect opportunity to try it. A nice combination of cumin, dijon mustard, and garlic will have your morning full of flavor. The creator suggests adding avocado, salsa, and any other vegetables.

12. Mediterranean Egg Wrap

This burrito is another quick option for getting in some protein and vegetables first thing! It takes ten minutes total, and you can eat it on the go!

Are You a Cancer Survivor Who Needs Nutritional Guidance?

It’s crucial to listen to what your body needs, especially after cancer. Healthy breakfasts are a great place to start! Survivor Fitness walks alongside you with nutritionists and personal trainers to help you regain your health and wellness. We’ll meet you where you are, and you’ll get to where you want to live your life fully again. Connect with us today to find out more!

Moving at Your Own Pace: 3 Ways to Measure Progress (Without a Scale)

moving-at-your-own-pace

Everyone’s journey after cancer treatment moves at a different pace. It can be easy to compare your progress with others, but it’s important to remember that physically noticeable results are not the only way to track your progression. Although exercising is primarily recognized for improving your physical health, it can positively impact your overall wellness, including your mental health. Below are three ways to measure progress without a scale. 

Measure Your Heart Rate and Blood Pressure

While visible effects may not come automatically, other important internal factors can be measured. Consistently compare your heart rate (before, during, and after exercise) and blood pressure to keep track of accurate advancement—doing this can also help you keep track of your overall health, helping you to identify other lifestyle changes that you may need to focus on. Your resting heart rate could be associated with other health concerns, like cholesterol, stress, and breathing levels.

Logging your blood pressure assists you in tracking your likelihood of heart disease or stroke. Based on your results, you can take preventative measures to help avoid hypertension or hypotension, which will ultimately improve your overall long-term health and well-being. While blood pressure monitors with cuffs usually give the most accurate readings, Healthline suggests apps to help keep you on track if you don’t have the equipment on-hand at home. Though these aren’t externally evident outcomes, improving these numbers can be an incredible and beneficial assessment of success. 

Write and Log in a Wellness Journal

Find a journal you like and record your workouts and thoughts at least once a day. Key categories can include your routines or a mood chart—a type of journaling where you log your emotions, like feeling irritated, motivated, angry, or relaxed. By doing this, you have an organized place for your dedication and consistency, reminding you that every step you take is significant. 

Other categories can include:

  • Time/distance
  • Eating habits
  • Physical measurements (waist, hips, thighs, or biceps)
  • Flexibility advancement 
  • Hours of sleep

Set Personal Goals

Don’t get down on yourself if you’re not losing or gaining weight at the rate of someone else. One method to feel more confident about your progress is to set your own goals and focus primarily on those. If you’re having trouble with results that involve the scale or appearance, create alternate objectives that don’t rely on physical outcomes. 

Ideas for alternate goals driven by a timeline:

  • Create and implement a routine
  • Reach X number of curls 
  • Exercise X number of days during the week
  • Run X number of miles
  • Touch your toes
  • Walk X distance in X time
  • Take a kickboxing class
  • Squat X pounds 
  • Accomplish X reps 

An exercise that has worked for someone else may not have the same effect on you. Don’t feel behind or embarrassed if you need to modify an existing exercise. (You can even work this in as a new goal!)

Remember, your remission is not a competition. Your body has been through tremendous adjustment, and you are here; you are a survivor, and that in itself is amazing.

Looking for more wellness guidance through your post-treatment?

If you need more guidance on staying motivated and reaching your goals, we are here and happy to help. Survivor Fitness works with cancer survivors to help them regain their health and wellness through one-on-one personal training and nutritional support. We walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. Connect with us today to learn more!

10 of Our Favorite Healthy Snacks

edamame-in-bowl
  • Healthy snacks don’t have to be boring or tasteless. With creative twists on nutritious foods and planning to have these snacks on hand when you’re hungry, you’ll be reaching for nutrient-rich foods in no time. Here are a few fun ways to feed your cravings without reaching for foods high in sugar and calories. 
1. Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Sandwich

The classic pb&j can be a tad high in added sugar, thanks to jams and jellies. Instead, try this: whole wheat bread, a sliced banana, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. This sandwich has all the flavor with less sugar and more vital nutrients. 

2. Avocado Tuna Salad

Tuna is a great low-fat, high-protein snack. Still, when we make traditional tuna salad, mayonnaise or miracle whip adds a great deal of calories without adding any nutritional value. Instead of mayo, reach for a ripe avocado and smash it before mixing it into your tuna. You’ll get the creamy texture without mayo. Try adding a boiled egg for extra protein! 

3. Make-Your-Own Trail Mix

Make a trail mix that’s all your own! Try adding whole-grain cereal, dried fruits, unsalted nuts, and bits of granola. Get creative with your mix and put it into easy grab-and-go containers that you can pick up when you’re heading out the door.

4. Hard-Boiled Eggs

For a snack packed with protein, try boiled eggs! They are a great snack on their own or as an addition to tuna salad, toast, or sandwiches.

5. Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Craving fries? Instead of stopping through a drive-through, try slicing a sweet potato at home and baking your fries yourself. If you have an air fryer, that is a great option as well. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on your fries and sprinkle your favorite seasonings on them for the perfect afternoon snack. 

6. Hummus and Veggies

The chickpeas used to make hummus are packed with nutrients, making hummus a great snack to satisfy your cravings. Try pairing it with your favorite sliced veggies or lightly salted pita chips. 

7. Greek Yogurt Parfait

For a high-protein treat, try making a Greek yogurt parfait with any combination of granola, nuts, and fruit. Mix and match yogurt flavors and toppings until you find your perfect snack.

8. Cottage Cheese and Fruit

Cottage cheese is a versatile snack that can be paired with fruit, toast, nuts, honey, and many other additions. Try different combinations to find your favorite!

9. Edamame 

Edamame is rich in fiber and flavor, making it a great snack or appetizer. Add a little sea salt or other spices and flavorings to make it your own.

10. Popcorn

Your favorite movie snack can be light and healthy—with a twist, that is. Instead of reaching for rich, buttery popcorn, try plain popcorn and add your own seasoning. Here are a few ideas: cinnamon and sugar, taco seasoning and lime zest, or a drizzle of olive oil with sea salt. The sky’s the limit!  

Are You a Cancer Survivor?

Survivor Fitness works with cancer survivors to help them regain their health and wellness through one-on-one personal training and nutritional support. We walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. Connect with us today to learn more!

For more healthy recipes, download the National Cancer Institutes Down Home Healthy Cooking guide. 

Intuitive Eating: How to Listen to What Your Body Needs

woman-cutting-food-on-plate

Have you heard about the practice of intuitive eating? In discussions of mindfulness, you might have heard the term thrown around. But, what does intuitive eating actually mean? And how can you implement it into your daily routines? In this article, we explore the concept of intuitive eating and discover ways that it could change your perspective on food choices.

What is Intuitive Eating? 

Originating in the 1990s, with much earlier roots, intuitive eating is the concept of tuning in to your body to listen to its needs without overly restricting yourself or shaming yourself for what you eat. Unfortunately, as today’s diet culture can sometimes praise restriction or define foods as “healthy,” “unhealthy,” or even “off-limits,” we tend to believe that we can’t trust our body’s natural cues and that we should instead eat only foods that we deem healthy or that are recommended by a trendy diet. 

Intuitive eating, on the other hand, follows the idea that your body knows what it needs and can help you make choices that, over time, create a balanced diet with a positive mindset surrounding food. By listening to your hunger cues—eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you feel full—you can get back to listening to your body. 

Does It Mean that You Always Indulge Whenever You Want? 

Intuitive eating can be misinterpreted as eating whatever, whenever, just because. However, it’s quite the opposite. Instead of picking up whatever food is nearest, eating out of boredom, or eating to fill an emotional gap, those who eat intuitively take the time to be mindful of how their body feels and what will make them satisfied. Though the concept of eating when you’re hungry feels simple, we often snack mindlessly or even follow a strict diet, feeling restricted by what we can and can’t have. Intuitive eating allows us to tune into our hunger cues and feed our body when it needs fuel. 

How to Implement Intuitive Eating Principles Into Your Daily Routine

1. Tune Into Your Body’s Cues

When you begin to notice the feeling of hunger, take that as your sign to find a nourishing snack or meal. If you wait too long, your body may begin to feel panicked, and, as a response, you may overeat. Listen closely to your hunger cues to help you identify your body’s natural cadence. Likewise, listening to your body’s cues also means that you look for early signs of feeling full. As many of us feel obligated to eat everything on our plates, it can sometimes take practice to stop ourselves and check in to see if we’re beginning to feel satisfied.

2. Change Your Dieting Perspective

Diet culture tends to categorize foods as good/healthy and bad/unhealthy. In turn, this makes us feel guilty when we eat something that falls into the “bad” category. Instead of policing everything you eat, which can often cause us to feel burned out or abandon our diets, it’s helpful to frame the idea of dieting and health differently. Your worth is not based on how healthy you’re eating and how many “unhealthy” foods you reject. Everything comes with a balance. 

Note: A diet plan created by a registered dietician is a wonderful way to improve your health. When we reference challenging diet culture, we are referring to trendy fad diets and the preconceived notion that you should feel guilty for eating certain foods.

3. Reflect on Your Body’s Strength

A significant part of intuitive eating is being grateful for your body and using food to nourish and strengthen it. Your body has carried you through so much over the years. When you find yourself feeling shame or resentment toward your body, try to remember everything you love about it, too.

4. Make Peace with Your Food

As we mentioned, the idea that you are good or bad based on what you eat is not a great way to develop a healthy relationship with your food. In addition, the idea that we can never waste food and must eat everything on our plates, or that we must overindulge when we’re with friends or family, must be challenged. Our relationship with food is learned—through our upbringing and other life experiences—so it’s crucial to check in with your body and get back to the basics. 

Are You a Cancer Survivor?

Survivor Fitness works with cancer survivors to help them regain their health and wellness through one-on-one personal training and nutritional support. We walk alongside you to progress your post-treatment recovery, empowering you to take control of your healing journey. Connect with us today to learn more!