Tag Archives: alison lewis

Stand Up Paddling is the Latest Fitness Craze with Serious Benefits

Stand up paddling (SUP) or “Yoloing” is the perfect combination of traditional canoeing, surfing and kayaking, but even better. Stand up paddling offers an incredible core workout with a cadence much like swimming or cycling. Yolo Boards, founded by Tom Losee and Jeff Archer in 2006 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, is the custom paddleboard of choice. “Yolo” stands for “You Only Live Once”, and when you first try stand up paddling in a lake, ocean, or bay, this name makes perfect sense.

People of any age, from 5 to 85, can do this. While traditional surfboards are 20 inches in width, stand up paddleboards are 32 inches wide. You can learn by starting on your knees and go from there. What is truly great is that it is something the entire family can do together.

Here are 3 new fitness trends in Stand Up Paddling:

1. Stand Up Fitness and Paddle Fit founder Brody Welte, says, “SUP” is one of the greatest forms of exercise that exists. It focuses on upper and lower body and core strength. It is as challenging as running, swimming and biking from a cardio perspective. It has virtually zero impact, is gentle on the body, and improves your balance as well.” SUP is an exercise like no other. Getting out on the water gives you a true serenity, challenge and good time.

2. Stand Up Paddle Yoga is becoming a top yoga trend as well. When I asked Stand Up Paddle Yoga Instructor Gillian Gibree why she thinks this is becoming so popular, she told me, “Stand Up Paddle Yoga takes the workout out of the studio and into nature. Doing a true sun salutation on a floating mat on the water is so refreshing and meditative. Yoga and SUP are two amazing practices that are great for the body, mind, and spirit!”

3. Racing in Stand Up Paddle is becoming a sport as well. You can find the latest information for races around the United States on at SupEvent.com and iTunes.

For more information, you can also see Brody’s innovative Paddle Fit digital guide launched last year, which gives step-by-step digital instruction on getting fit while stand up paddling. He has also launched an entire Paddle Fit certificationof classes, held in different areas of the country. For your next vacation, see if your resort offers SUP like Sandestin and 30A in NW Florida.

Alison Lewis is a nationally known Cookbook Author, Magazine and Internet Food, Travel, Fitness and Health Journalist, Speaker, Travel and Food Photographer and Owner of Ingredients, Inc., a Media Consulting company in Birmingham, Alabama who is on Facebook and Twitter.

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Health Buzz

The Food Life Project Offers Hands-On Diet and Health Coaching

In a sea of diet fads and magic weightloss pills, The Food Life Project is a breath of fresh air. It’s a practical, hands-on program all about real people, real food, and real nutrition – no pills, scams or fads about it.

Alison Lewis is the woman behind the project and she’s plenty well qualified for it, too. Among other accomplishments, she’s a culinary nutritionist, cookbook author, blogger, mom of three, and president of her own food media consulting company called Ingredients, Inc.

Alison created the Food Life Project as an extension of her company to educate people in a more personal way about how to utilize food, nutrition and fitness to bring value to their everyday lives. She was inspired to start the project during her time spent at speaking events for corporations, business groups and fitness studios. People would come up to her afterwards asking for more information and help with shopping, cooking, and eating healthy, and she felt there was such a great need in this area that the idea practically bore itself.

The Food Life Project is a culinary coaching business that encompasses grocery store tours, kitchen and pantry cleanses, private cooking classes, individual health/wellness coaching, and small group webinar series coaching. Depending on which service you sign you up for, you’ll receive coaching from Alison via phone, skype, webinar, and even in person.

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Posted on March 21, 2024 by Dana

Super Foods of 2024 Include Adzuki Beans, Black Garlic, and Hemp Seed

By Alison Lewis

I am so excited to write this article about a few of the top super foods for 2024. If you’re asking yourself, “What exactly are Super Foods?”, let me explain. Super foods are those with high nutrients and antioxidants with proven health benefits. When I asked Carolyn O’ Neil, dietitian and co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous, about her take on health trends this year, she said, “The worlds of nutrition and cuisine continue to collide in 2024. And that’s a good thing for diners who want great tasting, healthy food choices including more interesting vegetable side dishes and use of flavorful spices instead of relying on salt and fat.”

Even this morning on Today Show nutritionist Joy Bauer was sharing her picks for this year’s super foods, which matched many of our choices. Joy’s list included seeds, and we mention hemp and chia, and she also included pumpkin seeds. She named Brussels sprouts as the “food of the year,” and said mini desserts and protein powders will also be quite popular.

Below are some of our picks for the top 10 super foods of 2024.

Also Read:

10 Sensational Spring Super Foods

No Bake Cookie Chia Bar Recipe

The Best Diet Tips You’ve Never Heard

Posted on January 9, 2024 by Health Buzz

Guiltless Holiday Food Gifts for Everyone on Your List

By Alison Lewis for Ingredients, Inc.

It’s always rewarding to prepare and receive homemade food gifts during the holidays. Well, guess what? Not all of them have to be heavy, high-fat desserts, sugary candy, or gifts that you feel bad about afterwards. I thought I would share a list of some of my favorite homemade food gifts, including quick bread, cookies, granola and more.

If you don’t have time to bake, I’ve also included a great list of healthy food gifts you can purchase online such as chocolate, jam, peanut butter, rubs and fresh fruit. Enjoy these options for a healthier holiday season.

Healthy Homemade Food Gift Ideas

Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Flaxseed from Ingredients, Inc. – Made with Greek yogurt, canned pumpkin and simple baking ingredients, this recipe makes several small loaves just in time for the holidays.

Berry Good For You Cookies from Canola Info – This combination of oats, cherries, coconut, mini chocolate chips and almonds creates a wonderful cookie with only 100 calories and 4.5 grams of fat.

Chunky Nut Granola from Ingredients, Inc. – A very popular granola recipe filled with flaxseed, oats and easy-to-find healthy, all-natural ingredients. Fill a mason jar and top with a decorate ribbon and an ornament for a beautifully presented homemade gift. (more…)

Posted on December 5, 2023 by Health Buzz

Chipotle-Spiced Pork Recipe Inspires a Creative Halloween Dinner Menu

By Alison Lewis with IngredientsInc.net

Since the kids start talking about which Halloween costume they are going to wear three months ahead of time, it seems like there would be plenty of time to come up with a creative Halloween dinner menu. It’s so fun to have friends over or host a neighborhood get-together on Halloween night. It’s something you and the kids will remember, and it starts the night off on the right foot.

Halloween doesn’t have to be one of those holidays where you get off track with all of the sweets and candy. Look to fall produce such as pumpkin, butternut squash, cranberries and fresh vegetables for wonderful healthy, fresh recipes. Start with this simple Chipotle-Spiced Pork recipe. It’s easy, fast (only 10 minutes), low fat and high in protein. It makes a great entrée for Halloween night with its spicy orange color.

Chipotle-Spiced Pork

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced pork loin chops
1 1/2 teaspoons ground chipotle pepper seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

1. Season pork evenly with chipotle seasoning, lemon pepper and salt. Sauté pork in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat 2 to 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. (more…)

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Health Buzz

Cheers to Fall: Healthy Recipes for Festive Fall Cocktails

By Alison Lewis

Is there such thing as a healthy cocktail? I believe cocktails don’t have to be unhealthy, and with the right combination of ingredients, you can actually enjoy a slimming cocktail that is bursting with flavor. With the excitement of fall holiday parties, tailgating parties and Halloween parties upon us, these creative ideas and recipes are great examples on how to create “healthier” fall cocktails.

I recently created a survey on Facebook asking, “What are your favorite fall ingredients?” My social media friends’ answers included what you would imagine: cinnamon, cranberry, pumpkin, pomegranate, nutmeg, allspice, apple pie spice and ginger. Now, how fun to try them in some festive fall cocktails! These favorite fall ingredients can actually kick up the flavor of fall cocktails without adding fat and calories.

Fall Cocktail Pairings

Here are some great pairing combinations using fall flavors:

Wine, limes, lemons, apples, oranges
Champagne and fresh grapefruit juice
Bourbon and apple cider
Champagne and fresh fruit purees
Vodka and low-sodium vegetable or tomato juice
Brandy, honey and water
Brandy, cider and cinnamon
Rum, fruit juice and fresh fruit
Vodka and light cranberry juice, apple, or pomegranate juice, light orange juice or fresh grapefruit juice (can you say Appletinis?)
Brandy, Wine, cloves, allspice and ginger
Apple cider and ginger (more…)

Posted on September 16, 2023 by Health Buzz

Top 10 Foods for the Mediterranean Grocery List

Alison Lewis is a nationally known Cookbook Author, Recipe Developer, Television and Social Media Food Spokesperson, Nutritionist, Food Educator, and Owner of Ingredients, Inc., a Food Consulting company in Birmingham, Alabama. She is known for creating healthy, family-friendly recipes that are easy to prepare and sharing information about healthy living on her blog, ingredientsinc.net.

As a nutritionist, I have been a fan of the Mediterranean Diet for years. I try to incorporate the key components of the diet such as exercise, limiting red meat, eating more fish, consuming more plant based foods and enjoying meals with family and friends. I became even more of a believer recently when I traveled to Italy for seven days, didn’t exercise, ate a ton, and actually lost weight.

Craig Rich, a board certified internal medicine doctor says, “I recommend the Mediterranean diet to the majority of my patients because it’s lower in saturated fat and has been said to reduce risks of cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer’s. New research also suggests that this diet can even help keep your brain healthy. What I honestly like about the diet, is that most people can really stick to it without a lot of effort.”