Giving + Getting…That Elusive “J” Word [Giveaway]

Written by on in Book Reviews, Giveaways, Tidbits and Treats

I’m glad you all enjoyed my review of TRU! It certainly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Speaking of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences…

I GOT HIRED!!

I am so elated to report that I have officially accepted a full-time position at the company I have been interning for this summer. Today has been absolutely surreal. I wasn’t expecting it to happen, but am obviously incredibly glad it did and so excited to be starting a new future with this firm.

It may seem odd, but I really just want to thank all of you for making this possible. You may not realize it, but having this blog has provided me with a huge outlet to express myself and grow in this new “social media” space. The experience I have gotten just by writing posts and meeting and getting to know all of you has been absolutely invaluable. I have grown as a person, as a writer, as a communicator – and I hope you know how much I appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you for all you have given me!

I’m going to keep this post short because I have a bit of celebrating to do in the form of pineapple sparkling wine from Maui 🙂 In lieu of what I was going to talk about today, I want to instead offer up an exciting giveaway! I hope you enjoy!

GIVEAWAY: The Eating Well Diet Cook Book

Recently, I was asked to do a review of the Eating Well Diet Cook Book. The book is an extension of a diet created by researchers at the University of Vermont called Vtrim. (You may remember Jenna’s post on it from earlier this summer!) Essentially, the Vtrim philosophy is to make a lifestyle change for the better of your diet. As they put it on their site, it’s “a systematic shaping of everyday common behaviors that you will be able to break old habits and learn new ones. Drinking grapefruit juice until you scream is a behavior change, of course, but not the kind that you will sustain for very long.”

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I really liked the layout of this book. The recipes are complex yet easy to understand and include nutritional information for each, which I always appreciate because sometimes it can be hard to determine whether or not something that sounds delicious is actually all that good for you from a nutritional standpoint. The book also has a lot of tips for those looking to lose weight, offering a lot of encouragment by adding spaces for goal-setting, journal entries and planning. That said, it’s a great tool for anyone, regardless of what you’re looking to accomplish with your eating habits. There is a delectable vegetarian section, too, with a “Coconut-Crusted Tofu” recipe that sounds simply mouthwatering 🙂

The great people who represent Vtrim would like to offer up a copy of the Eating Well Cook Book to one lucky reader! I’m going to keep this contest easy – you have until Sunday at 11:59 pm to enter!

Here are the ways to win:

  • Leave a comment on this post with one of your top tips for “eating well”
  • Post the following on Twitter (and come back and leave a comment telling me that you did so): RT @EatingBender I eat well. I live well. I love food.

I will definitely have a video post up soon – I have a lot to say! Plus I have a fun interview and some delicious recipes to post, too! Have a happy Friday!

J-O-B,

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153 Comments

  2. Jenn, I am so excited for you. I know how much you wanted this full-time position and I have a feeling that you are going to be a wonderful asset to the company! Best of luck in “new” job!!

  3. Congratulations on getting the job! I love the Eating Well cookbooks! I bought one when I was first starting to lose weight and the recipes have worked wonders for me. I even made meatballs from one of the recipes last night.

    My top tip for eating well- Don’t put anything off limits. Enjoy everything you love in moderation. Depriving yourself of your favorite things is the worst thing you can do!

  4. My top tip for eating well…..hmmmm
    I would say at every meal try to incorporate 1 veggie and/or 1 fruit. Its so easy to incorporate both, but getting either or is just as awesome. If you like raw veggies, the obvious choice is to just cut them up and have them as a side, but if grilling them tickles your fancy i would do that too! I eat carrots with just about every meal and an apple or a peach as well. You can never go wrong with whatever combo you decide one, plus they are just so good for you, and before you know it, your gonna be incorporating more and more as your taste buds tell you so!!!! 🙂

    http://saladdiva.wordpress.com

  5. Thanks for the review of the book – it makes it sound a lot more appealing than when I just read the title 🙂

    For me a good “eating well” tip is to not compare your meals and hunger to anyone else. It doesn’t work and just makes you feel worse!

  6. that’s great about your job.
    my tips:
    eat whole foods.
    the next meal you eat, eat something of a food group you missed out on.
    eat more veg! reach for a carrot first!

  7. congrats on the job!!!!!! you deserve it!!!

    my “eating well” tip is to eat in moderation everything and anything 🙂

  8. Oh my goodness! Congratulations!! I remember you expressing some concern about getting the position when we met up, but I knew you’d impress your bosses to the max:)
    My number one tip for eating well is…Eat by color!

  10. Jenn — Congrats! You rock! I have a feeling that it was your awesome Hungry Girl interview that helped land this position! 😀 It made it clear and obvious that you’ve got a bright future in PR and journalism!

    My top tip for eating well: Try, evaluate and enjoy.
    We’ve got to try and evaluate which foods our specific bodies work well with. And, hey, we’ve got to enjoy them too!

    xoxo

  11. Oh wow, congrats on your new job! That’s excellent news, especially in this tough economic environment 🙂

    Hmm…my top tip, although it’s been said many times, many ways, it’s definitely about balance. Don’t deny yourself something if you really want it!

  12. Wooo hoo! Congrats on the job. It’s like your a real grown up now. 🙂 My tip for eating well is “everything in moderation.” Making foods off limits is just going to make you crazy. A little sweet or potato chip never hurts every once in a while.

  13. Congrats on the new job! That’s awesome. 🙂 As for the contest, my top tip for eating well is to eat “close to the vine.” Eat things that are fresh and from the earth as often as possible. That being said, don’t deprive yourself, either. I love lattes and croissants and will NEVER give those up.

  14. congrats on the job 🙂 Thats so exciting!!!!! My top tip for eating well is to make sure to get all your recommended servings of each of the food groups and everything in moderation!

  15. Congratulations on the job! My top tip for eating well is to have everything in moderation, so if I want the chocolate, well then I’m going to have the chocolate, but just 1 or 2 squares, and I’m good. 🙂

  17. CONGRATS!!!

    My tip for eating well: If you’re really craving something or feeling hungry, give yourself five minutes. Sometimes I find that I’m not really hungry, I just happened to be passing the kitchen and the food was right there. If you still feel hungry after five minutes, just remember, “Everything in moderation.”

  19. CONGRATS lover!! Wow Jenn that is so amazing and I can imagine this is just the icing on the cake of a freaking fantastic year- i mean, meeting up with ME (HA!), engagement, graduation, new apt, JOB!!! AHHHH i’m so happy for u 😀

    My top tip= make food fun! I must get to tweeting…

  20. Oh, fabulous! Congratulations! I am in the fray of job hunting right now, and I can only imagine how excited you must be right now.

    My top tip is to cook your own food! It’s fresh and tasty, and you can put in all of your favorite ingredients, and you know exactly what is in everything.

  21. Congratulations on the job!

    My tip for eating well is to try lots of new foods – you’ll never know what new ‘healthy’ food you’ll love!

  22. AHHHH congratulations, Jenn! I’m so, so excited for you. What great news and great timing!

    My top tip for eating well: eat whole foods and cook it for yourself as much as possible. Try to move a little, too!

  23. CONGRATS!! that is great!

    as far as eating well goes, since i cook for myself and myself alone, cook in bulk and freeze extras for quick & healthy meals 🙂

  24. Congrats on the job!!

    My tip is to invest in cool kitchen gadgets so you will be more inclined to cook more often. Home-cooked meals are always more healthy than eating out.

  26. Congrats on the job 🙂 RT on twitter and my tip for eating well, is prep! When you get home from the market, wash all veggies and cut them into smaller pieces so you can grab and go!

    Thanks Jenn for all you do 🙂

  27. Congrats on your new job – you deserve it!

    My best tip is to have a mix of protein, carbs and fat in every meal. The protein keeps you satisfied, the carbs keep you going and the fat keeps you happy!

  28. my eating well tip would be: focus on eating as much of all the wonderful whole, natural, healthy foods as you can. the more of those that you eat, the less room there will be in your diet for junky stuff.

    congrats on the new job! sounds fantastic.

  30. Congratulations!!

    My greatest tip for eating well is to keep your body fueled. This may mean planning ahead, preparing your lunch the night before or stopping at the grocery store before you leave town on that trip. If you’re prepared you won’t have to eat unhealthy grab and go food and you won’t have to go hungry either. Another tip is to educate yourself about what is in the things you eat. Example: Check out the ingredients on those 100 cal packs, yikes!

  31. my tip would be: eat a lot of whole foods, skip on processed food, and don’t deny yourself comfort food. the main thing is to be happy and satisfied. 🙂

  33. congratulations on getting hired!!!! so exciting for you! 🙂

    tips? eat veggies/fruits every day!

  34. Jenn – reading your blog since almost your first post I know how hard you worked in college and it is wonderful that your hard work paid off! Congrats!

    All the comments above cover the tips I would have!

  37. Congrats on the new-ish job!! 😀 That’s awesome news!

    My top tip for “eating well” is to never leave the house empty handed! I always have snacks in my purse in case I get caught somewhere starving and don’t have to resort to take-out joints.

  38. congrats on your job!
    my strategy for eating well is to plan in advance: I always pack a lunch the night before, and have healthy snacks available so I don’t have to resort to fast food or feel tempted when a co-worker brings in cupcakes (although occasional cupcakes are definitely okay!).

  39. Congratulations (again!)!!! I’m so excited for you! We have to go out and celebrate soon.

    As for an eating well tip? I don’t waste calories/time on food that doesn’t meet up to my standards. If it’s not good, I just don’t bother 🙂

  41. Again- SOOOOO happy for you 🙂 That is awesome. Hope you two had fun celebrating last night. I want this book! I try to eat a veggie and fruit with every meal

  42. First of all, huge congrats!
    Second of all, my tip is simply to do what you know you should do. It may not always be the easiest choice, but you feel so much better–in body and mind–knowing you’re doing the right things for what’s right for you!

  45. CONGRATS on the job offer!

    My tip for eating well is to “honor your hunger & respect your fullness.”

  46. CONGRATS on the job!!! That is so exciting 🙂 They are lucky to have you.

    Top tip for eating well:
    Eat fresh whenever possible.

    I’ve heard so much about this book! Eating Well is one of my favorite magazines and I use their recipes a lot.

  48. Congratulations!! How exciting 🙂

    My favorite tip for eating well is to listen to your body. It will tell you everything you need to know!

  50. YAHHH JENNN!! How Exciting!!

    My favorite tip for eating well is Planning Ahead!!

  51. CONGRATS ON THE NEW JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    My tip for eating well is keeping lots of fresh produce in the house at all times!

  52. First of all congrats on the job! That is defiantly a reason to celebrate:) Eating well to me means trying to eat the freshest fruits in vegetables by season. I always try to make sure I get 5 servings even if it has to come from a fruit juice. Smoothies are a great way for me to get at least 2 servings in a day!

  53. Congratulations on the job. How exciting for you!
    My tip is to eat breakfast. I know too many people that skip breakfast thinking they will save calories but they end up eating more food later. And eat more real food!

  54. First, congrats on the new job! That’s so awesome and I’m glad blogging helped you out! 🙂

    Second, my tip is to make sure you’re in balance. Listen to cravings but be sure to remember that moderation is key. You have to balance it all out!

  59. Good for you! Congratulations, that’s so awesome. Now I hope I get the job I’m going after, I can be happy right along with you! My fingers are crossed.

  60. Oh my goodness!!! Ahhh!!! Congrats my dear!!! That’s so exciting, I know how much you wanted this job. I thought you wouldn’t find out until October?!?!? They must really love you 😉 Hope you get to celebrate this weekend! 🙂

  61. Congrats on the job offer Jenn, you totally deserve it!! My tip is eat real food and food that makes you FEEL GOOD!

  64. Congrats on the job! I too am in a temporary job hoping to be made permanent, so I know how you must feel! 🙂

    My best tip for eating well is to find a few meals that are super easy to prepare and the ingredients for which you can keep on hand for ages. Exhaustion and stress will get you every time, but if you have a standby meal you know you can put together in a few minutes, without a lot of fuss or a trip to the grocery store, it makes it that much easier to resist calling up your friendly neighbourhood pizza providers.

  65. congrats on your new job that sounds amazing (and so does that sparkling coconut wine from Maui!!)

    my eating well tip is to always try and include one fruit or veggie with every meal. thanks for the great giveaway 🙂

  69. Congrats on the job!

    When I have dinner, I put on my plate whatever I want. Then I cut it in half. Usually, I’m still full at the end, but not stuffed, as would often happen before…

  70. CONGRATULATIONS Jenn!! You’ve worked hard, and deserve the position!! 🙂

    My top tip would be to add spinach to your smoothies for an extra nutritional punch!

  71. CONGRATULATIONS! I know that this was a really hard time to get a job, so you’re one of the lucky (and deserving!) few!

    My top tip: Read food blogs! You and my other favorite healthy food bloggers give me tons of easy and clever ideas, and inspire me to eat healthy.

  73. miss bender this news is HUGE! a million congrats to you, honey pie!

    one of my top tips for eating well? healthy fats *cough* pb *cough*.. energy, protein, and mayjuh yum factor.

  75. some eating well tips? Never go to a restaurant hungry AND always get the workout in, in the morning…its easier to stay on track 🙂

    xoxo
    Lo

  77. My tip for eating well is to incorporate TONS of whole fruits & veggies into your diet every day, no exceptions!

  78. I’m new to your blog, but congratulations on your new job!

    My best tip is to really listen to your body. Learn to eat when you’re hungry, not bored/sad/stressed/etc. I’m still working on it, but it has helped a lot so far!

  80. CONGRATS ON THE JOB!!! That’s great news!!

    Coconut encrusted tofu!? Yes, please 🙂 One of my tips to “eat well”: have veggies precut so when you’re hungry they’re ready to go!

  82. Congrats on the job–one of the greatest feelings in the world! My top tip is portion control–never eat straight out of the bag!!

  83. YAY! Congrats on the job…best feeling ever (next to getting engaged maybe ;))

    i would love to win this book, it looks great! one of my top tips for eating well is to shop well…if you don’t have junk food in your house, it’s much harder to eat it!

  85. Jenn! Congrats! I just graduated too and I know what a nervous struggle it is to find a job…so go you! My favorite tip to eating well is buying local and organic foods–they’ve got more nutrition packed in ’em!

  86. Congrats Jenn!! You are such a sweet, inspiring person, I feel lucky to have found you in the blogworld and get to know you! You’re going to do wonderfully 🙂

    My “eating well” tip is to always have a good balance of food groups in my meals…I’ve found that having the right amoung of carbs, veggies, protein, fats, and fruit at each meal of the day keeps me full and feeling great!

  87. Wow! Congrats!!

    Hmmm… my top tip is to eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies. They all have different and amazing benefits, so eat as many as you can!

  88. Congrats!

    My top tip for healthy eating is education – learn about much as you can about nutrition and about reading labels.

  90. Congrats on your job!

    My tip for healthy living is make sure you are drinking enough water. Sometimes when I think I’m hungry I’m really just dehydrated.

  91. Congrats!!

    And my best tip for eating well is the same as many others: make your food yourself as much as possible. There’s nothing wrong with going out sometimes, but you’re so much more likely to use less oil/fat/etc and to make smaller portions, especially if you’re cooking just a single serving for yourself 😉

  92. Eating well tip? Plan your meals !

    CONGRATS JENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNIFER!
    I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

    CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES, COMON!

  93. Eat adequate portions of healthy foods at meal times – you’ll be less likely to be “snacky” all day!

  94. Huge huge HUGE congrats on the job Jenn! That is SO exciting and you should be darn proud of yourself!

    Eating well tip? Load veggies and fruits into everything! I try to pack them in to every meal, snack and dessert as much as I can.

  96. Congrats on the job–that’s fantastic! My top tip for eating well is to enjoy as much fresh, seasonal produce as possible!

  97. plan out some meals and always have a well stocked kitchen, that way you can whip “something” up easily! also, don’t skimp on (healthy_) fats, that’s what keeps you satiated, your hair shiny, your neurons traveling, among many other things!

  99. Thanks so much for the opportunity! I think prepping food for the week on Sundays make it so much easier and faster to eat well during the week.

  100. My top tip for healthy eating is never go hours on end without eating and always listen to your body’s hunger signals 🙂
    <3 jess

  101. Congrats on the job. When having a meal or snack, take a seat and really enjoy and savor and taste every bite. Don’t eat standing or rushing around,I enioy my meal more and feel satisfied when I sit and take my time eating.

  102. AHHHHH!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS, SWEETPEA!!! Jenn, you absolutely, 100% deserve this incredible job! OMG I’m bursting with excitement for you right now. Seriously, what a year you’ve had! I’m not even sure what your job is, but I am so excited. It’s journalism-related, right? Better be! Or something just as fabulous 😉

    My eating well tip: Eat what you love. It’s so satisfying and enjoyable that way! I think absolutely every single thing we eat should be downright delicious.

    K, I hope you’re celebrating like mad! xoxo!

  106. Way to Go on the job!!!! My “eating well” tip— I like to keep 2 “snack bowls” that I’m allowed to pick out of. 1. is healthy snacks (ex. raw almonds, other raw nuts, dried apricots, and non-salted pretzels) 2. is “indulge” snacks (ex. 100 cal. snacks, left over organic cookies, dark chocolate, gram crackers…. be smart still with this one).

    This way you’re not getting your healthy “keep you fueled” snacks throughout the day with that indulgent treat you may have at the end of a day or as a dessert sort of thing.. or when you just need that “pick-me-up.”

  107. Unfortunately I don’t have Twitter.. well, I may have an account but have never used it! ha! happy posting!

  109. do what is right for your OWN body is one rule I live by! I tweeted about the giveaway too!

  110. Congrats on the job!!!

    I would say…do everything in moderation, especially eating. Too much good stuff is never good!

  111. Hopefully my comment will show up on twitter, but just in case:

    Would love to win the Eating Well Cookbook. Went to school in Burlington VT at UVM and love the Eating Well Mag which was published out of Charlotte VT. One of my favorite healthy eating tips is to invest in good quality flavored balsamic vinegars to use alone as salad dressings or marinades. Was just up in Bar Harbor this past weekend and got some unbelievable vanilla balsamic, strawberry balsamic and a peach white balsamic vinegar!

    Love your blog!
    Thanks,
    Jonna

  112. Yay for getting hired! That deserves a major congrats! 😀 My tip for eating well: make it easy for yourself! Plan ahead–have healthy meal ideas or meal plans, always have fresh produce in the house, and have several quick healthy “go-to” meals when you’re tired and don’t want to do a lot of cooking. Make it so you have a healthy option instead of just reaching for that fast-food, or unhealthy meal.

  114. Some of my top tips for eating well are:
    1. Be prepared — I bring shelf stable fruits and veggies with me everywhere. Then if a meal is lacking in color, I can add my own.
    2. Simple is better — The more things that you pack onto a sandwich or salad, the more calories it provides. I try to take the time to evaluate whether I will be able to taste each component, and whether it will enhance the dish. Often, I find that sandwiches are quite tasty without cheese, and salads usually don’t need any dressing. (the calories saved can then be devoted to things like ice cream later on 🙂 )

  117. My top tip for eating well is to be your own best friend and to really listen to what you body is telling you. I believe that if you listen to your body and get to know it then you will find happiness and satisfaction when you treat it well.

  119. Congratulations and we will have to meet up for a meal in chicago sometime… also, my tip for eating healthy is to eat everything in moderation. Do not restrict sweets from your diets because you will never be successful in your weigh loss goals!! 🙂

  120. Best of luck in your new job! That is super duper exciting!!

    My best advice would be to not feel guilty. Do not feel guilty because you ate a cookie, piece of birthday cake, white bread, etc. Tomorrow is a new day. Rid yourself of the guilt! 😉

  123. Congrats on the job!! My fav tip for eating healthy, is just stay tuned to your intuitive “senses”, and don’t deprive, but don’t go overboard–balance!

  124. Glad you guys had fun at Tru – totally jealous though! 😀

    I love Eating Well recipes – I get their magazine and would love the book. So just go ahead and pick me, okay?! 😀

  125. Why did I think I had already entered this? Guess not!

    My biggest tip for “eating well” is to listen to your cravings. If you have a serious hankering (hahah!! midwest word? where did that come from!) for a Salted Nut Roll, you should just eat the dang Salted Nut Roll! (Do you remember these? They’re from Pearsons – Minnesota grown!) Otherwise, you’re going to just eat a bunch of other stuff trying to satisfy that craving, never squash it, and then end up eating what you really wanted in the first place ON TOP of everything else you just ate! Doh!!

    P.S. I think you should come visit Minneapolis. Soon!

  126. One of the top things that have helped me in my quest for a healthy diet is reading blogs like yours, Kath Eats Real Food, etc. I get so many great ideas from you guys and I’m also constantly inspired knowing that you not only live this way but also take the time to blog about it for the rest of us. I really appreciate your dedication!
    Thanks,
    jocelyne

  127. HUUUUUUGE congrats on your new job!!!!

    Eating well tip: I try to always have a plan of meals for the day and a few days ahead. It keeps me from being stuck in a “super-hungry but don’t know what to eat” position!

  129. First, congrats!

    Second, that’s the kind of cookbook that my mom needs, so I want to win it for her. My tip for healthy eating is to eat fruits and/or vegetables with every meal.

  130. My healthy eating tip is one word – substitution.

    I made brownies the other day and subbed zucchini for the eggs & milk, maple flakes for the sugar, and whole wheat flour for white. My family gobbled them up and were none the wiser. Plus the zucchini made them so moist they were 100X better than the original recipe.

    I also try to have at least one raw component with every meal.

  132. Drink your water!!! Lacking in the hydration dept. can make us feel hungry, when really we are in need of some H2O love.

  133. well everyone is different so definitely listen to what YOUR body is saying to YOU! and also, drinks plenty of water!

  134. Thanks x 1,000,000 everyone! As always, you manage to make one piece of news even bigger and better with all of your kind and thoughtful words of encouragement 🙂 Love this community!!

  136. Congratulations! My favorite tip for eating well is eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper… 😛

  138. My top tip is to ‘Think before you eat’. Everyone knows what’s good for you and what’s not. It’s just a matter of making the decision – do you want to binge on everything or do you want to control yourself

  139. Awww, too bad I didn’t read this earlier, I’m an hour or so too late. Boo-urns! Looks like it would be a really great cookbook.

    I’ll give you my tip for eating well anyways: Eat foods you like, and eat to feel good.

  143. Yay!!! I’m SO happy for you Jenn!! if anyone deserves the job, it’s gotta be YOU! Celebratory meet up?!?! hahah

    Sorry for the lack of commenting recently! I just moved to a new apartment last weekend and the move + no internet = no blogging!! I am definitely catching up though…(at work! :P) heheheh

    Now for the giveaway entry…I think my best eating well tip, is to stir-fry with a 1/4 cup of water mixed with chicken powder instead of oil or butter! (It’s cheaper than buying chicken or vegetable stock!) It seasons whatever you’re cooking and gives it a ton of flavor. 🙂

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