You may have heard that you should avoid sugar because it’s full of empty calories, meaning that you’re eating calories that don’t have any nutritional value. Although that’s true, the problem with sugar isn’t just that it’s not particularly healthful, it’s also that it’s an anti-nutrient, meaning that when you eat it, your body is left MORE depleted after digesting it than it was before eating it. That’s because it takes a lot of energy to digest our food, and our bodies need vitamins, nutrients and minerals to break down the food we eat.

This yummy dish is quick to make, packed full of protein and antioxidants, and is a crowd pleaser. It’s also really easy to swap out the ingredients if you can’t find or don’t like bok choy – you could use any kind of cabbage or just double the amount of broccoli.

When I work with my private clients, I’ve noticed that there are a lot of questions about how to read food labels. Many people focus on the “Nutrition Facts” section, checking the serving size, number of calories, and how much fat is included in the food. Although this information can be helpful, it’s not the best way to make sure that what you’re eating is healthy.

It’s mid-May, which means that it’s officially asparagus season. I have to admit, once these little spears start hitting the grocery store (and growing in my own home garden!) I have a tendency to eat them day after day after day. And the amazing thing is that even though I eat lots of asparagus in the spring, I never get sick of it. That’s because it’s such a versatile veggie – great in soups, on the grill, sautéed, or even sliced raw. Asparagus is packed with nutrients, including Vitamins A, C, E, and K, folate, and lots of fiber. It’s also high in antioxidants and is known for it’s cancer-fighting properties, so feel free to eat asparagus day after day.

We all know we’re supposed to be drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Most of us also know that water is important because it improves cell function, helps detoxify our system, and even prevents fluid retention. But did you know that water makes up more than half of your body weight? It’s true – our bodies are about 60% water, and every single system we rely needs water to function properly. No wonder being properly hydrated is so essential to our health.

I’ve been getting some questions about how the Eat Without Apology 21-Day Challenge is different from the 5-Day Detox. And frankly, the questions are good ones! I thought I’d pass along a few key points about how these programs differ before the early bird offer expires tonight.

Here’s why you might want to join the Eat Without Apology 21-Day Clean Eating Challenge even if you’ve already done a 5-Day Detox (or two!)

I’ve always been pretty healthy. My parents moved our family to the US from Europe when I has five, and let me tell you – their idea of healthy eating was waaay different from that of my classmates. I’m really grateful for having had parents (and my mom in particular) who were really committed to serving whole foods and healthy meals when I was growing up. But that doesn’t mean that there haven’t been times in my life where I ran into roadblocks. In this week’s post, I’m sharing the mistakes that I made when getting healthy and what I did to help push me past these stumbling blocks.

Mistake #1: I thought dropping 10 lbs was going to change my life.