The biggest question any vegetarian or vegan will get when meeting new people, or letting your family know about your dietary choices, is “How do you get your protein?” Contrary to popular belief, vegetarian and even vegan diets usually contain more than adequate amounts of protein. By making sure you are including protein rich foods daily, one can ensure that protein needs are being met.

Vegetarian and vegan diets do not consist of only spinach and seeds. There is a whole bounty of foods to choose from! Nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans form the basis of vegan diets, and vegetarians also eat dairy and eggs. These foods are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals, to protect you from cancer and heart disease. Instead of looking at this as an EXclusion diet, think of it rather as an INclusion diet.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that healthy Americans get around .8g of protein for every kilogram of body weight. For a woman who weighs 150 lbs that is 60g of protein. A common misconception is that meat is the only source of protein. Quite the contrary-in fact only fruits and oils have no protein. Beans, nuts, and grains are great sources of protein in a vegetarian diet. As you can see in the examples below, with a little careful planning it isn’t difficult to meet these needs.

• 2 eggs – 12g protein

• 10 almonds – 2.5g protein

• 14 walnut halves – 4g protein

• 8 oz milk – 8g protein

• 6 oz Fage greek yogurt – 16g protein

• ½ cup cooked beans – approximately 8g protein

• ½ cup cubed tofu – 12g protein

• 1 cup cooked lentils – 18g protein

• 1 cup cooked pasta – approximately 6g protein (some varieties of pasta contain even more protein)

• 1 cup quinoa – 9g protein

• ½ cup shelled edamame – 8g protein

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter – 8g protein

• 1 NuGo Dark Peanut Butter Cup Bar – 10g protein

Next time someone asks “How do you get your protein,” you will now have nutritional knowledge in your arsenal to fire back a rapid reply! Use it in great health.

About the Author:

Elizabeth Jarrard is a registered dietitian based in Boston, MA. With a B.S in Nutritional Sciences from Boston University she hopes to heal her clients’ relationships with food and their bodies. You can find her running, sweating in hot yoga, cooking in the kitchen, or exploring new restaurants. Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @ElizabethEats or read her two blogs: Guiltless and Don’t (White) Sugar Coat It.

It’s February. Are you still staying true to your New Year’s Resolution to start exercising and lose weight? Or have you fallen off the fitness wagon?

We’ve all seen the crowds that flock to the gym in January to only see everything return back to normal by mid February. Perhaps you were part of that crowd, flushed with enthusiasm and proclaiming, “This is the year I get healthy and fit!” Then real life kicked in with an illness or a late night at work that caused you to miss a workout. You said, “I’ll make it up tomorrow.” Tomorrow came, a new challenge arose and once again a workout was missed. Then it was food day at work. A cupcake or two and you said, “Oh well, I’ve blown it. I might as well have the ice cream too.”

That’s how the spiral back to couch potato begins. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Yes, things didn’t go as planned for a week or two. That doesn’t mean you have to wait until next January to start again. You can start today to rediscover your motivation and enthusiasm with a few simple steps.

1. Commit to one small habit. The reason most people don’t keep New Year’s Resolutions is they try to take on too many things at once. To restart your efforts just pick one small habit that you feel confident you can conquer. Resolve to get 5 minutes of exercise a day, increase your water intake daily to half your body weight in ounces, or eat 2 servings of vegetables per day.

2. Write down your goals. Putting your goals in writing can make them more real. Write down that one small habit you are committing to and place it where you can see it everyday.

3. Find a workout partner. A buddy can help keep a long run interesting and hold you accountable when you’re tempted to hit the snooze button. A friend with a greater level of fitness than you can also help you train harder than you might on your own. Or find another beginner and choose a goal together, like running your first 5K.

4. Keep it fun. Exercise doesn’t have to be confined to the walls of gym. You’re also more likely to stick with it if you enjoy it. Try ballroom dance or martial arts. If you’re really up for a fun challenge, find a roller derby or dodge ball team in your area.

5. Have a plan B. Life is going to get in the way. There will be mornings you oversleep or forget your healthy brown bag lunch. Have fitness DVDs handy to replace the gym session you missed. Keep a snack drawer at work filled with protein bars, raw almonds, dry roasted edamame, fruit and other healthy snacks to create an easy and healthy lunch or snack.

Committing to health and fitness doesn’t have to be ruled by the date on the calendar. You can take the first step on your journey to health and fitness any day of the year.

About the Author:

Pamela Hernandez is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, an ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach, and the owner of Thrive Personal Fitness in Springfield, MO. For additional tips and tricks to help you get healthy and fit in the real world, check out her blog, like her facebook page, and follow her on Twitter @ThriveFit.

We received so many great poems, stories, songs, and photos showing your love for NuGo protein bars that it was hard to pick the winners. While we didn’t receive any videos, we did receive one amazing drawing from Christoff Gutheil, an artist, that wins the prize of four boxes of NuGo bars!

“I hearts me some NuGo!!” Christoff Gutheil

The winner of two boxes of NuGo bars is Jessica Levine, who made this fantastic illustrated poem:

The End…Now go get a NuGo bar!

Here is one of the many poems we liked. This one was written by Stefanie Schmidt.

I LOVE NUGO

NUGO bars are such a delight,

Tasty nutrition in every bite.

They keep me happy and really glad,

Finally chocolate that isn’t bad.

Natural goodness in every bar,

My favorite snack in the world by far.

Each bar is good and keeps me slim,

Maintains my weight when I’m not at the gym.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter are some of my faves,

Finally a nutrition bar that gets all the raves.

A great tasting snack that is good for you too,

I love NUGO through and through!

Thanks to everyone who entered our contest and delighted us with NuGo love! Winners should email their shipping address and which flavors of NuGo bars they would like. Happy Valentine’s Day!