Mesquite Dietitian/Nutritionist Karla Whitley RDN, LDN, CEDRD

07/03/2026

Fun with Food on the 4th of July

Do you have plans to meet your nutrition-related goals this 4th of July?

I hope so!

Thinking through the food landscape for the upcoming holiday weekend is a great way to begin. Things often change on the holidays. Different meal timing, different foods prepared or served and different meal companions, to list a few.
How will that influence you and your choices? Planning now can help you be successful. Waiting until you are at the moment of decision making is more difficult. Set your intentions early in your mind and imagine how you can support yourself in meeting your goals.

Here’s a simple example~

I’m keeping in mind that very few Americans eat enough fruits and vegetables daily to optimize their health. Only one out of ten! Major health organizations suggest a minimum of 5 servings per day (2 fruit servings and 3 vegetable servings).

If my plan is to include more fruits and vegetables in my diet, it will be more likely to happen if I decide to make it happen, purchase the food/ingredients and prepare in advance when possible. If I find an inspiring recipe and an appealing picture first, then my odds are even better.

Make food fun. Fun to plan, fun to prepare and fun to look at!

The are many wonderful online sites that do the work for you, at least in terms of providing ideas. Did you know that often a fruit or a vegetable may have their own website. Type the name of the food and add a “.org”. You may not find everything on the site fits with your goals but it’s still a great start for inspiration.

Here are two places to go for ideas~
watermelon.org
fruitsandveggies.org

Also, please remember~

Stay adequately hydrated throughout each day. Water is usually the best choice.
Follow food safety guidelines, especially important when transporting food and eating outdoors.
Build a balanced plate with choices that provide for adequate lean protein, complex carbohydrates and heart healthy fat.

(KW Nutrition has nothing to disclose regarding the websites mentioned. Photo credit: watermelon.org and Have A Plant, article: KW Nutrition)

05/23/2026

This Memorial Weekend ~

Remembering and honoring those who gave their all for our country. Thank you to our soldiers and their families.

Wishing you all a safe and wonderful holiday weekend!

KW Nutrition

02/13/2026

February is National Heart Month and additionally, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.

Here are some thoughts from the American Heart Association-

Your sweetheart may have the key to your heart, but a proper diet and regular physical activity can be the key to a healthy heart. There’s no better gift than helping each other maintain lifelong healthy habits to prevent heart disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 health threats.

The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week to prevent heart disease and stroke.

Here are 14 ways to make this February 14 a sweet and healthy Valentine’s Day.

1. Quality time is one of the most meaningful gifts. Bundle up and take an active mid-winter outing, such as sledding, ice skating or skiing. (or any other suitable activity-kw)

2. Build a cozy fire. That’s right, chopping and collecting wood counts as exercise.

3. Try a new physical activity together like indoor rock climbing or indoor golf lessons.

4. Make reservations at your favorite healthy restaurant. Sample a variety of heart-healthy menu items and share a dessert to help control calories.

5. Create a gourmet dinner at home with healthy seasonal foods like sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, apples, pears, carrots and winter squash. Try baking, roasting or steaming, and use lean meats and whole grains.

6. Add the spice of life, but not the sodium. Pledge to reduce sodium in your meals to help prevent high blood pressure and stroke.

7. Roast chestnuts on an open fire. Roasted, unsalted nuts of all varieties are great as appetizers and gifts. You can also add nuts to many dishes, such as green beans with dry roasted almonds.

8. Toast to heart health with non-alcoholic drinks. Enjoy non-alcoholic versions of your favorite cocktails or use less alcohol by mixing with sparkling water or sugar-free juices.

9. Hit the dance floor. What’s more romantic than taking your sweetheart out for a spin on the dance floor? Even if it’s just around the living room, dancing is a great aerobic activity.

10. Walk and talk. Set up regular morning or evening walks together to get in your 30 minutes of exercise while connecting with each other.

11. Meditate and de-stress together. Keeping stress out of a marriage isn’t easy, but building in time to meditate together can help keep you focused on the important things in life.

12. Roll out your yoga mat side-by-side. Get a beginner’s yoga video or try taking a yoga class together.

13. Snuggle up for a nap. Stay healthy through the winter season by getting enough sleep, about eight hours a night, because sleep helps to ward off illness, maintain weight and keep your heart healthy.

14. Work out together. Don’t hit the gym alone. Couples can support and motivate each other, and keep each other committed to achieving fitness goals.

Also from the AHA-
HEALTHY FOR GOOD is a revolutionary movement to inspire you to create lasting change in your health and your life, one small step at a time. The approach is simple. Eat smart. Add color. Move more. Be well.

(article credit: AHA, ; KW Nutrition has no affiliation)

01/02/2026

Any time is a great time to commit to health-supportive changes. This time of year, is a classic time to start. But now or down the road, here is information that may be helpful. The article below is from Noyau Wellness Center in Dallas, Texas. There’s nothing to disclose regarding my business and NWC, I just really like the information and believe in a similar approach regarding nutrition-related behavior changes. All credit given to the wonderful therapists at Noyau Wellness Center.

Here is the article~

SMALL HABITS BIG CHANGE

Practical Steps for Making Real Change in the New Year

"There’s a reason big life changes rarely stick. They ask too much, too fast, from a nervous system that is already tired. Motivation burns hot and fast, then disappears the moment life gets busy. And life always gets busy.
Real change does not come from dramatic overhauls. It comes from quiet consistency. From decisions so small they barely register, repeated often enough that they start to feel automatic.
If you want to become a different version of yourself, the fastest way, there is not a massive plan. It is micro habits.
Micro habits are behaviors so small they feel almost pointless.
That is exactly why they work.

Why Micro Habits Actually Change You
Your brain is not wired to resist small things. It does not argue with two minutes. It does not panic over one sentence, once breath, one glass of water. Micro habits bypass the part of you that overthinks, procrastinates, or waits for the “right time.”

They also do something more important. The build identity.
You do not become grounded by meditating for an hour. You become grounded by pausing for one breath before reacting.
You do not become healthy by a perfect week. You become healthy by once choice you repeat.

Small actions done consistently send a powerful message to your brain: this is who I am now.

START WITH WHO YOU WANT TO BE, Not What You Want to Do

Instead of asking, “What habit should I start?” ask, “Who am I becoming?” Then choose the smallest action that proves that identify.

If you want to be someone who takes care of their mental health, the habit might be opening your journal and writing one sentence.

If you want to be someone who moves their body, it might be putting on your sneakers and standing up.

If you want to be someone who feels more present, it might be one intentional breath before checking your phone.

If it feels almost too easy, you are doing it right.

THE RULE THAT MAKES MICRO HABITS STICK
The habit has to be so small that you cannot justify skipping it.

Not “work out for 30 minutes.”
“Do one stretch.”

Not “clean the house.”
“Put one thing away.”

Not “practice gratitude.”
“Name one thing that did not suck today.”

Momentum comes after consistency, not before it.

WHY THIS MATTERS MORE THAN YOU THINK
Micro habits rebuild trust with yourself. Every tiny follow-through is a quiet promise kept. Over time, those promises stack up. Confidence grows. Shame shrinks. Change feels less like effort and more like identity.

You do not wake up one day as a completely different person. You become that person one small decision at a time. And that version of you? It is built in the boring moments, not the big ones.

If you are feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with yourself for not “doing enough,” try doing less. Start smaller than you think you should. Let consistency do the heavy lifting.
We see this work every day in therapy. Sustainable chang is gentle, not aggressive.
And it starts with something so small it feels like nothing."

(Article credit: NOYAU Wellness Center, Dallas, TX; Photo credit: Nadine Primeau)

12/31/2025

12/24/2025

Wishing you a safe, healthy and joyous Holiday Season!

KW Nutrition will be closed from December 24th-28th.

11/27/2025

From KW Nutrition~

Wishing you each a Safe, Healthy, and Happy Thanksgiving!

I am grateful for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people in my job. For my clients/patients-
I’m honored to be on the journey with you as you work to make changes in your nutrition-related behaviors and thoughts. It’s a privledge and joy for me. Thank you!

KW Nutrition will be closed on Thanksgiving.

11/25/2025

HOLIDAY EATING

For those who are working on nutrition-related goals, this is a particularly challenging time of year. It's the time when most people are busy with all the things that make the holidays special. It’s also the time of year when, for many, nutrition-related goals seem all but forgotten until the New Year comes around. Here are some things to think about to help you meet your nutrition-related goals this holiday season.

1. Consider your history. Review your past holidays and identify the nutrition-related behaviors you’d most like to improve on. Think through a new way to deal with these identified areas. Having a strategy goes a long way and pre-planning is key! Meaningful goal setting is powerful. Evaluate as you go, yearly, weekly and daily. Be kind to yourself and find the things you are pleased with.

2. Simple tips can help. Remind yourself of familiar tips, write down a few that hit home and that you have found useful in the past or you'd like to experiment with now or in the future. You may wish to handle the day or the specific meal of the holiday differently than you would handle other days. Replace "cheat day" or ""cheat meal" with a "different day/meal". Done with thought.

3. Plan for structured meals, even on those special day. When you arrive at a meal overly-hungry you are much more likely to lose focus. Remember to include adequate protein at each meal.

4. Monitor your alcohol. Set a limit in advance if this is an area you are working on.

5. Focus more on the things you “can do” rather than what you “shouldn’t do”. Work to find ways to include plenty of healthy fruits and especially nutrient- rich vegetable servings each day. Choose to bring a healthy dish to events.

6. Practice mindfulness with meals. Learning how to maximize satisfaction when eating and listening to your body regarding hunger and fullness makes sense even during the holidays.

7. Drink plenty of water to help stay hydrated.

8. Plan to include daily movement/exercise even if all you can work in is a brief 10-15 minutes. You’ll feel better and have an opportunity to relax and de-stress.

9. Focus on the “fest” and not the “feast”. Let the day and holidays in general be about the “message” and enjoying family and friends.

Finally, remember that “perfect” isn’t needed. Doing your best and staying focused on your goals is usually enough to help you do better than if you just decide to “give up” till after the holidays. By taking some time in advance to think through the holiday period, odds are great that you will be more successful than you would have been otherwise, with meeting your nutrition goals.

(article: KW Nutrition)

11/11/2025

On this Veteran’s Day~

Honoring all men and women who have served in uniform for our country. Thank you for your service.

KW Nutrition is offering a free nutrition consultation (1.5-2 hours) to the first veteran who calls, texts or emails for an appointment.
Please note that the session will be virtual.

More info is available at~
KWnutrition.net or DietiainInABox.com

10/31/2025

Wishing you all a HAPPY, HEALTHY and SAFE HALLOWEEN !!

Here are some ideas inspired by the “Fruits & Veggies More Matters” website. Remember that feeding kids a nutritious meal prior to trick or treating is generally a helpful strategy to encourage self-limiting of sweet treats throughout the evening.

GOULISHLY INVITING HALLOWEEN DINNERS

CHILI
Quick and easy to make, chili can be made earlier in the day and left to simmer on the stove or even easier, in a crock pot. Make it with beans of choice (black, kidney, pinto, etc), onions, bell peppers and canned tomatoes. Add diced sweet potatoes, if desired. Adding chopped avocados and/or radish slices just before serving adds more color and nutritional value. It’s easy to adjust your own favorite recipe to maximize use of vegetables.

MAC ‘N CHEESE
Consider using a whole-grain pasta and add in vegetable of choice: cooked broccoli, squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, tomatoes and even spinach.

PIZZADILLAS
Create a combination of pizza and quesadillas. Add in fruits and vegetables using some of the flavors of pizza. Pineapple and bell peppers along with mushrooms and other vegetables of choice,
work well with cheese and whole grain tortillas spread with a pizza/tomato sauce.

GRILLED CHEESE
Try a variety of cheeses and add fruit and vegetables. Roasted broccoli, tomato and basil, spinach and mushroom are just a few of the option s to consider. Choose whole grain bread to add more fiber.

SLOPPY JOES
Add some raisins and chopped peppers, onion and mushrooms or shredded carrots. Use a whole grain bun for more fiber.

All dinners above are easy and the recipe need not be exact. Adjust for taste and use your own ideas. Hopefully, they inspire you to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.

(photo credit-eatright.org)