Long live eDiets. Here's a post we can all learn from...I know from experience that it's easier said than done...
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If someone told you that you could lose weight without having to make any major changes to your diet or lifestyle, I bet you'd say, "Oh sure... and Florida won't get any more hurricanes for the next decade."
Most people know if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But not in this case -- you can lose weight by making some simple switches. By making small changes, you can reap big rewards in terms of your health and fitness.
Take my 10-Week Challenge and incorporate one of these tips into your daily lifestyle weekly. By the end of the 10 weeks, I can guarantee you'll be amazed at the improvement in your weight and how you feel.
1. Bigger Is NOT Better: Even health foods can add up to excess calories. Learn how much food is right for you, and make healthy choices when eating out. Portion size is very important. For example: A three-ounce portion of meat, chicken or fish looks like a deck of cards; a cup of cottage cheese or yogurt looks like a tennis ball; an ounce of cheese looks like a pair of dice; a tablespoon of fat looks like the tip of your thumb.
2. Eat when you're hungry: Some people eat because the clock tells them it's meal time, even though they're not hungry. Instead of eating by the clock, pay attention to your body. Eating smaller meals more frequently helps your metabolism function more efficiently.
3. Stop eating when you're full: Are you a member of the clean plate club? That's a recipe for weight gain. Eating shouldn't be a contest to see how quickly you can finish on your plate.
Try eating more slowly, chewing your food... really tasting it. Serve yourself smaller portions, and see if you're not satisfied with less.
4. Think "whole" instead of "white": White flour and refined breads and cereals are not as satisfying or healthy as whole grain. Fiber fills you up and helps lower your risk for heart disease and diabetes. By simply choosing whole-grain over white flour, you'll improve your nutrition and your health.
5. Lower your sugar intake: High-sugar foods are ubiquitous -- cereals are coated with it, soda is full of sugar, and juices are fructose in water... highly caloric without the beneficial fiber of whole fruit. Read the labels of cereals and soft
drinks, and remember that one teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams, and contains 16 calories... and no nutrition. A can of soda contains about 160 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugar.
Substitute healthy whole grain cereals (without added sugar) for sugar-coated cereals.
6. Modify your favorite recipes: Frying adds fat to food, which adds calories. Some favorite fried foods can be baked instead. Chicken and French fries are two favorite fried foods that are better in the oven than the stove. Try baked "fried
chicken" -- dip chicken breasts into low-fat buttermilk, then into seasoned crushed cornflakes, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until done.
Slice baking potatoes into strips or rounds, lay on a baking pan sprayed with cooking oil, season with salt, paprika and pepper, if desired, and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, turning once and seasoning again.
7. Get more "bang for your buck" by choosing high-fiber foods: Foods that are concentrated in nutrition are also higher in calories. When you're trying to lose weight, choose foods that provide fewer calories for more volume. The majority of fruits and vegetables are largely water, but are also powerhouses of good nutrition, containing many of the vitamins and minerals that help strengthen your immunity. A bonus... they're low in calories! Limit foods that are concentrated in nutrition, like nuts, seeds, cheese and fats.
8. Take a daily walk: The American Diabetes Association says the best predictor of permanent weight loss is activity. Your body is like an engine; it needs good fuel to run well, but if you leave it in the garage, it will rust. Even if you're
exercising five days weekly, take a walk on the two days that you're not. I guarantee it... a daily walk is the best and easiest way to achieve your weight goals. Make your walk aerobic, that is, make it brisk for best results.
9. Out of sight, out of mind: Seriously, folks! Get rid of the junk food in your house... it's too tempting, especially if you're trying to lose weight. If you're used to snacking on chips and dips, you need to prepare to succeed with some new
and tasty snacks. Sugar-free fudgesicles, ice milk and frozen fruit bars are good choices instead of full-fat ice cream. If you're wedded to chips and dips, instead try baby carrots and cut-up veggies with salsa. Make a tasty but healthy dip by
mixing a cup of half nonfat yogurt/half low-fat sour cream and onion soup mix. Or, try this delicious and easy hummus dip recipe.
10. Make a commitment to your healthy lifestyle. Take it one day at a time. You can do it... I know you can! Baby steps add up to a lifetime of health. Eat healthy, stay active and enjoy the benefits of increased immunity, lower risk for disease,
less pressure on your joints and tendons, better sleep -- and even better sex!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
The 10 Unhealthiest Holiday Foods
I found this post on msn and really didn't want to be one of those to bring you down before the holiday, but here are the 10 unhealthiest Holiday foods, and a twist on how to make them a little more reasonable.
The average Thanksgiving meal tallies up to about 3,000 calories and 229 g of fat. That's a whopping 1,000 to 1,400 more calories—and more than 3½ times the amount of fat—than what most people need in a day. And while one day of all-out gluttony may not inflate your waistline (or blood pressure, or cholesterol levels), since when did the holiday season last a mere 24 hours? Here, we've rounded up the worst holiday foods for your health and supplied slimmed-down substitutes that will leave you and your company feeling just as satisfied.
1. Mashed potatoes and gravy
One cup of creamy, homemade mashed potatoes prepared with whole milk and butter and served with 1/4 cup of gravy contains nearly 270 calories and more than 10 g of fat, half of which is the artery-clogging saturated variety (or nearly one-quarter of what's recommended daily). But don't toss these potassium-packed tubers just yet.
Lighten them up: Swap whole milk for skim and trade butter for chopped garlic or shallots and fresh herbs such as rosemary or sage. For a new twist on this old favorite, try making a 50/50 mix of smashed spuds and pureed cauliflower, celery root, or turnips. You'll cut down on calories and added fat, add extra vitamins and minerals, and no one will notice the difference.
2. Cornbread stuffing
Helping yourself to a ½ cup serving of cornbread stuffing adds 180 calories, almost 10 g of fat, more than 450 mg of sodium, and practically no fiber. This is assuming you measure out your portion—and of course, it doesn't account for second helpings. Sometimes this cold-weather comfort food is made with sausage, tacking on an extra 130 calories, 11 g of fat, and 300 mg of sodium.
You don't have to surrender the stuffing, but omit the meat and, rather than buying the boxed or bagged varieties, which are high sodium, make your own. Use whole-grain bread, which increases the amount of filling fiber and cuts down on added salt. And because many recipes call for broth, pick up the low-sodium version (instead of the regular), which has 500 mg less salt per 8-ounce serving.
3. Candied sweet potatoes
It's no wonder this Thanksgiving staple references sweet treats in its name: The baked casserole of gooey goodness is loaded with confections like brown sugar and marshmallows, which meld with butter to make a syrup that tastes strikingly similar to candy. One serving of these potatoes can deliver 420 calories, 13 g of fat, and more saturated fat than the amount found in a glazed doughnut (and they're fried!).
To enjoy this naturally sweet beta-carotene- and potassium-rich veggie with less saturated fat and added sugar, mix cubed sweet potatoes in a bowl with olive oil—a heart-healthy fat rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, and add nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, minced garlic, and pure maple syrup. Layer the mixture on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until brown.
4. White dinner roll with butter
Who doesn't love this tempting twosome? But when butter and white flour are ingredients in nearly every holiday dish (pie, stuffing, gravy, cookies, cake), you may want to think twice about bombarding the breadbasket. One small white roll (2 inches square and 2 inches high) with a pat of butter has 120 calories, close to 6 g of fat (half of which is saturated), no fiber, and minimal vitamins and minerals, making this duo a nutritional dud.
If the thought of eating extra empty calories doesn't deter you, chew on this: If not accounted for, indulging in two small rolls with butter twice a week would result in a 1/2 pound weight gain over the course of a month.
5. Turkey with skin
Practice this poultry policy: Trim the skin prior to digging in because that's where nearly half the bird's fat is located. If you're looking for the leanest cut possible, opt for skinless, light meat. A 3-ounce serving (about the size of a deck of cards) has 133 calories, less than 3 g of fat, and 60 mg of cholesterol, while an identical size portion of dark meat sans skin has 30 more calories, twice as much fat, and 15 more mg of cholesterol. But dark-meat devotees, take heed: Given the smaller size of wings, drumsticks, and thighs, the meat is more difficult to cut off the bone than the more substantial turkey breast, which may explain why these pieces are often eaten right off the bone, skin and all.
6. Pigs in a Blanket
It's easy to overindulge on this classic finger food. One seemingly harmless bite-size hotdog wrapped in buttery dough leads to another, and before you know it, you've eaten at least two servings. Just three bite-size pieces, or the equivalent of one serving, have 230 calories, 14 g of fat (nearly a third of which is the artery-clogging saturated type), over 800 mg of sodium, and 20 mg of cholesterol. That's more saturated fat and twice the amount of sodium than what's in a large order of McDonald's french fries.
If you plan on passing these porkers at your next party, prepare a leaner variety with reduced-fat Crescent roll dough and turkey hot dogs sliced into thirds—doing so will lower the sodium and saturated fat content considerably.
7. Mini quiches
Among the first ingredients on the list for these teeny treats are high-fat foods like half-and-half, eggs and cheese. If you keep skimming you'll come across partially hydrogenated soybean oil and possibly butter in the crust. So it's no surprise that four bite-size quiches, the equivalent of one serving, have between 210 and 240 calories and 12 to 15 g of fat (half of which are saturated), and 300-plus grams of sodium.
Since the idea of custom baking your own healthy version is probably just as enticing as the post-party clean up, try this slimmer, faster substitute: Whip up frittatas in a 12-inch pan using 8 to 10 scrambled egg whites, low-fat cheese, and loads of chopped veggies such as tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, onions and mushrooms, and you'll omit nearly all the fat and sodium and cut down drastically on calories.
8. Spinach dip with crackers
Topping five Ritz crackers with 2 tablespoons of this popular pre-made creamy dip—a mixture of sour cream, egg yolks, oil, and MSG—adds 210 calories, 17 g of fat, 4 g of saturated fat, 20 mg of cholesterol, and almost 400 mg of sodium. And this is usually just one of many appetizers. To keep portions under control, put one small spoonful on a plate rather than directly onto crackers, and munch on fresh veggies like celery, carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers. Their fiber and fluid content fills you up with far less calories, sodium and fat.
If the party's at your place, make a healthier version of this dip from scratch: Combine diced onions and garlic, water chestnuts, and carrots with thawed and drained chopped spinach and nonfat Greek yogurt; season with your favorite herbs and spices.
9. Eggnog
Ingredients like whole milk, cream, raw eggs, sugar and bourbon give this wintertime treat its characteristic heavy texture and calorie load. So when the weather outside is frightful, sipping a glass of sweet-spicy eggnog by the fire may not be that delightful. One cup of this thick cocktail—its consistency (and nutritional profile) can likened to a milkshake—has nearly 350 calories, 20 g of fat, and more than half a day's worth of saturated fat. Consider it a liquid cheeseburger.
To stave off the winter chill and several hundred extra calories, try adding a dash of pumpkin pie spice and a splash of vanilla extract to a mug of steamed fat-free milk. It's less than 100 calories—and nearly 10 g of protein make this steamy beverage surprisingly satisfying
10. Pie with ice cream
No one will stop you from taking one slice of each—I'll have pumpkin and pecan, please—but consider the price you're paying in pounds first: Pecan pie served à la mode adds an extra 675 calories, 30 g of fat, and almost 8 g of saturated fat, while a slice of pumpkin with the same serving of ice cream is 460 calories, 20 g of fat, and 7 g of saturated fat. Together that's 1,135 calories—or a third of a pound—and half a day's worth of fat.
If you can't forego both flavors, hold off on the ice cream for a savings of 140 calories and 7 g of fat and ask for half a piece of each. Better yet: take the ice cream and skip the pie.
The average Thanksgiving meal tallies up to about 3,000 calories and 229 g of fat. That's a whopping 1,000 to 1,400 more calories—and more than 3½ times the amount of fat—than what most people need in a day. And while one day of all-out gluttony may not inflate your waistline (or blood pressure, or cholesterol levels), since when did the holiday season last a mere 24 hours? Here, we've rounded up the worst holiday foods for your health and supplied slimmed-down substitutes that will leave you and your company feeling just as satisfied.
1. Mashed potatoes and gravy
One cup of creamy, homemade mashed potatoes prepared with whole milk and butter and served with 1/4 cup of gravy contains nearly 270 calories and more than 10 g of fat, half of which is the artery-clogging saturated variety (or nearly one-quarter of what's recommended daily). But don't toss these potassium-packed tubers just yet.
Lighten them up: Swap whole milk for skim and trade butter for chopped garlic or shallots and fresh herbs such as rosemary or sage. For a new twist on this old favorite, try making a 50/50 mix of smashed spuds and pureed cauliflower, celery root, or turnips. You'll cut down on calories and added fat, add extra vitamins and minerals, and no one will notice the difference.
2. Cornbread stuffing
Helping yourself to a ½ cup serving of cornbread stuffing adds 180 calories, almost 10 g of fat, more than 450 mg of sodium, and practically no fiber. This is assuming you measure out your portion—and of course, it doesn't account for second helpings. Sometimes this cold-weather comfort food is made with sausage, tacking on an extra 130 calories, 11 g of fat, and 300 mg of sodium.
You don't have to surrender the stuffing, but omit the meat and, rather than buying the boxed or bagged varieties, which are high sodium, make your own. Use whole-grain bread, which increases the amount of filling fiber and cuts down on added salt. And because many recipes call for broth, pick up the low-sodium version (instead of the regular), which has 500 mg less salt per 8-ounce serving.
3. Candied sweet potatoes
It's no wonder this Thanksgiving staple references sweet treats in its name: The baked casserole of gooey goodness is loaded with confections like brown sugar and marshmallows, which meld with butter to make a syrup that tastes strikingly similar to candy. One serving of these potatoes can deliver 420 calories, 13 g of fat, and more saturated fat than the amount found in a glazed doughnut (and they're fried!).
To enjoy this naturally sweet beta-carotene- and potassium-rich veggie with less saturated fat and added sugar, mix cubed sweet potatoes in a bowl with olive oil—a heart-healthy fat rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, and add nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, minced garlic, and pure maple syrup. Layer the mixture on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until brown.
4. White dinner roll with butter
Who doesn't love this tempting twosome? But when butter and white flour are ingredients in nearly every holiday dish (pie, stuffing, gravy, cookies, cake), you may want to think twice about bombarding the breadbasket. One small white roll (2 inches square and 2 inches high) with a pat of butter has 120 calories, close to 6 g of fat (half of which is saturated), no fiber, and minimal vitamins and minerals, making this duo a nutritional dud.
If the thought of eating extra empty calories doesn't deter you, chew on this: If not accounted for, indulging in two small rolls with butter twice a week would result in a 1/2 pound weight gain over the course of a month.
5. Turkey with skin
Practice this poultry policy: Trim the skin prior to digging in because that's where nearly half the bird's fat is located. If you're looking for the leanest cut possible, opt for skinless, light meat. A 3-ounce serving (about the size of a deck of cards) has 133 calories, less than 3 g of fat, and 60 mg of cholesterol, while an identical size portion of dark meat sans skin has 30 more calories, twice as much fat, and 15 more mg of cholesterol. But dark-meat devotees, take heed: Given the smaller size of wings, drumsticks, and thighs, the meat is more difficult to cut off the bone than the more substantial turkey breast, which may explain why these pieces are often eaten right off the bone, skin and all.
6. Pigs in a Blanket
It's easy to overindulge on this classic finger food. One seemingly harmless bite-size hotdog wrapped in buttery dough leads to another, and before you know it, you've eaten at least two servings. Just three bite-size pieces, or the equivalent of one serving, have 230 calories, 14 g of fat (nearly a third of which is the artery-clogging saturated type), over 800 mg of sodium, and 20 mg of cholesterol. That's more saturated fat and twice the amount of sodium than what's in a large order of McDonald's french fries.
If you plan on passing these porkers at your next party, prepare a leaner variety with reduced-fat Crescent roll dough and turkey hot dogs sliced into thirds—doing so will lower the sodium and saturated fat content considerably.
7. Mini quiches
Among the first ingredients on the list for these teeny treats are high-fat foods like half-and-half, eggs and cheese. If you keep skimming you'll come across partially hydrogenated soybean oil and possibly butter in the crust. So it's no surprise that four bite-size quiches, the equivalent of one serving, have between 210 and 240 calories and 12 to 15 g of fat (half of which are saturated), and 300-plus grams of sodium.
Since the idea of custom baking your own healthy version is probably just as enticing as the post-party clean up, try this slimmer, faster substitute: Whip up frittatas in a 12-inch pan using 8 to 10 scrambled egg whites, low-fat cheese, and loads of chopped veggies such as tomatoes, asparagus, spinach, onions and mushrooms, and you'll omit nearly all the fat and sodium and cut down drastically on calories.
8. Spinach dip with crackers
Topping five Ritz crackers with 2 tablespoons of this popular pre-made creamy dip—a mixture of sour cream, egg yolks, oil, and MSG—adds 210 calories, 17 g of fat, 4 g of saturated fat, 20 mg of cholesterol, and almost 400 mg of sodium. And this is usually just one of many appetizers. To keep portions under control, put one small spoonful on a plate rather than directly onto crackers, and munch on fresh veggies like celery, carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers. Their fiber and fluid content fills you up with far less calories, sodium and fat.
If the party's at your place, make a healthier version of this dip from scratch: Combine diced onions and garlic, water chestnuts, and carrots with thawed and drained chopped spinach and nonfat Greek yogurt; season with your favorite herbs and spices.
9. Eggnog
Ingredients like whole milk, cream, raw eggs, sugar and bourbon give this wintertime treat its characteristic heavy texture and calorie load. So when the weather outside is frightful, sipping a glass of sweet-spicy eggnog by the fire may not be that delightful. One cup of this thick cocktail—its consistency (and nutritional profile) can likened to a milkshake—has nearly 350 calories, 20 g of fat, and more than half a day's worth of saturated fat. Consider it a liquid cheeseburger.
To stave off the winter chill and several hundred extra calories, try adding a dash of pumpkin pie spice and a splash of vanilla extract to a mug of steamed fat-free milk. It's less than 100 calories—and nearly 10 g of protein make this steamy beverage surprisingly satisfying
10. Pie with ice cream
No one will stop you from taking one slice of each—I'll have pumpkin and pecan, please—but consider the price you're paying in pounds first: Pecan pie served à la mode adds an extra 675 calories, 30 g of fat, and almost 8 g of saturated fat, while a slice of pumpkin with the same serving of ice cream is 460 calories, 20 g of fat, and 7 g of saturated fat. Together that's 1,135 calories—or a third of a pound—and half a day's worth of fat.
If you can't forego both flavors, hold off on the ice cream for a savings of 140 calories and 7 g of fat and ask for half a piece of each. Better yet: take the ice cream and skip the pie.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Tweak of the Week: Eat Soup, Lose Weight
Another tweak if the week from e-diets. I wanted to post something for the Holidays but it's too depressing. Well, here it is this Tweak of the Week:
Is there anything better than a hot cup of soup on a cold day or a steaming bowl of chicken noodle when you're feeling sick? The weather is perfect for this week's weight-loss tweak.
When I was growing up, the soup and sandwich combo was a winter staple at our house. It was relatively easy, cheap and delicious. Back then, however, I had no idea how great soup was for keeping excess weight off.
A recent study from Pennsylvania State University reported that eating healthy soups can "fill you up," leading to a decrease in appetite and an increase in weight loss. According to the study, the water in soup leads to greater levels of satiety and, when served before a meal, results in a decrease of more than 20 percent in calories consumed at that meal.
A healthy soup can fill you up and slim you down, but you have to be careful about what types of soup you choose. If you choose a canned soup, opt for a low-sodium, broth-based version and stay away from chowders or “cream of” anything -- these soups can be loaded with fat and calories.
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is the standard -- in my opinion -- and can easily be made healthier with these simple suggestions:
Check labels carefully. Many prepared soups can be loaded with sodium. Some solid bets include Campbell's Healthy Request Tomato, which has just 90 calories, 2 grams of fat and 460 milligrams of sodium; Healthy Choice Tomato Garden with 110 calories, 2 grams of fat and 420 milligrams of sodium; and Walnut Acres Savory Tomato with 120 calories, 2 grams of fat and 580 milligrams of sodium.
If you like the taste of a cream-based tomato soup but want to avoid the extra calories and fat, take this tip from Nicole Bengtson, RD, LD/N, “Make your tomato soup with skim or 1% milk instead of water. You’ll be getting an extra dose of calcium while still cutting the calories and fat you’d get from a true cream-based tomato soup.”
In addition to being delicious, tomato soup is a great source of lycopene. This red pigment found in tomatoes may help reduce certain cancer risks, lower cholesterol, protect vision and maintain mental sharpness, and it's found mostly in processed tomato products like, you guessed it, canned tomato soup!
Here's a quick, healthy "grilled cheese" that's sure to please and can be ready in about 15 minutes:
Ingredients:
4 slices light sourdough bread
4 slices fat-free American cheese singles
1 large beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 thick slices
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray both sides of the bread slices with butter-flavor nonstick cooking spray. Layer 2 cheese slices on each of 4 slices of bread, top with tomato slice and second slice of bread. Arrange sandwiches on a baking sheet and then bake until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown, about 8 minutes on each side.
Makes 2 servings. Nutritional values per serving: 153 calories, 1g fat, 28g carbohydrates, 13g protein, 5g fiber, 765mg sodium
There you have it, a quick classic made healthy -- perfect for lunch or a cold winter night. Now that's mmm…mmm good for you!
Is there anything better than a hot cup of soup on a cold day or a steaming bowl of chicken noodle when you're feeling sick? The weather is perfect for this week's weight-loss tweak.
When I was growing up, the soup and sandwich combo was a winter staple at our house. It was relatively easy, cheap and delicious. Back then, however, I had no idea how great soup was for keeping excess weight off.
A recent study from Pennsylvania State University reported that eating healthy soups can "fill you up," leading to a decrease in appetite and an increase in weight loss. According to the study, the water in soup leads to greater levels of satiety and, when served before a meal, results in a decrease of more than 20 percent in calories consumed at that meal.
A healthy soup can fill you up and slim you down, but you have to be careful about what types of soup you choose. If you choose a canned soup, opt for a low-sodium, broth-based version and stay away from chowders or “cream of” anything -- these soups can be loaded with fat and calories.
Grilled cheese and tomato soup is the standard -- in my opinion -- and can easily be made healthier with these simple suggestions:
Check labels carefully. Many prepared soups can be loaded with sodium. Some solid bets include Campbell's Healthy Request Tomato, which has just 90 calories, 2 grams of fat and 460 milligrams of sodium; Healthy Choice Tomato Garden with 110 calories, 2 grams of fat and 420 milligrams of sodium; and Walnut Acres Savory Tomato with 120 calories, 2 grams of fat and 580 milligrams of sodium.
If you like the taste of a cream-based tomato soup but want to avoid the extra calories and fat, take this tip from Nicole Bengtson, RD, LD/N, “Make your tomato soup with skim or 1% milk instead of water. You’ll be getting an extra dose of calcium while still cutting the calories and fat you’d get from a true cream-based tomato soup.”
In addition to being delicious, tomato soup is a great source of lycopene. This red pigment found in tomatoes may help reduce certain cancer risks, lower cholesterol, protect vision and maintain mental sharpness, and it's found mostly in processed tomato products like, you guessed it, canned tomato soup!
Here's a quick, healthy "grilled cheese" that's sure to please and can be ready in about 15 minutes:
Ingredients:
4 slices light sourdough bread
4 slices fat-free American cheese singles
1 large beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 thick slices
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray both sides of the bread slices with butter-flavor nonstick cooking spray. Layer 2 cheese slices on each of 4 slices of bread, top with tomato slice and second slice of bread. Arrange sandwiches on a baking sheet and then bake until cheese is melted and bread is golden brown, about 8 minutes on each side.
Makes 2 servings. Nutritional values per serving: 153 calories, 1g fat, 28g carbohydrates, 13g protein, 5g fiber, 765mg sodium
There you have it, a quick classic made healthy -- perfect for lunch or a cold winter night. Now that's mmm…mmm good for you!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Work-out your way to happiness
I always knew that exercise can change your mood and that working out can take you out of depression, I didn't know that working out can make you feel happy, but here's what eDiets says :)
7 Ways Exercise Leads to Happiness
There are periods of time in all our lives when we feel despondent, lethargic, depressed and hopeless. These feeling states can last from a few minutes to many years. The length of time feeling down depends on what loss, trauma or hurt you
maybe suffering from. Examples of personal traumas are: One of your parents may have died when you were a child. You may be suffering from a breakup with a partner you still are very much in love with. You may have been a victim of a violent crime or you may be recovering from substance abuse.
The amount of time feeling in dismay is contingent on what coping and recovery skills you learned. Many of us don’t know how to face, experience, work through and let go of emotional pain. Many of us are afraid to face it because we are fearful
that this path will lead to infinite agony. Some of us are ashamed to admit that we have problems that have become unsolvable.
There is a way to resolve these problems and this method of resolving emotional pain is not something the big pharmaceutical companies want you to know. They prefer that you went to your physician and signed on for a prescription of the latest anti-depressant or anti-anxiety.
The way to not only heal emotional pain, but to achieve true happiness is through physical exercise. Now medication can be effective, but exercise has been proven to be at least if not more effective for folks who are depressed without the side
effects of sexual dysfunction, difficulty sleeping and suicidal thinking.
Psychotherapy can also be helpful in exploring the reasons why you are not living a fulfilling life. A skilled therapist will ask you questions that can lead to new insights. A good therapist can also help guide you through the pain and teach you how to love yourself.
Perhaps before you try the psychotherapist or medication routes, you can delve into exercise. If you have never exercised before or haven’t for a long time, obtain your
physician’s clearance to work out.
Here are seven ways you can increase your sense of happiness through exercise:
1. Exercise will bring you into a totally new world and can forever positively transform your life.
2. Exercise will tone your body. Therefore you will begin to feel better about the way you look.
3. The brain chemistry changes while you are working out; leading to feeling calm.
4. You will feel a sense of accomplishment after each time you exercise leading to improved self-esteem.
5. Exercise can be a healthy means of distracting yourself from your emotional pain. Exercise can also be a means to face your emotional pain because the increased confidence will allow you to deal with internal traumas in a bold, self-assured manner.
6. Exercise by itself is known to improve depression and anxiety.
7. Exercise has been proven to make you smarter. Therefore you will develop the skills you need to let go of your emotional pain and discover genuine happiness.
7 Ways Exercise Leads to Happiness
There are periods of time in all our lives when we feel despondent, lethargic, depressed and hopeless. These feeling states can last from a few minutes to many years. The length of time feeling down depends on what loss, trauma or hurt you
maybe suffering from. Examples of personal traumas are: One of your parents may have died when you were a child. You may be suffering from a breakup with a partner you still are very much in love with. You may have been a victim of a violent crime or you may be recovering from substance abuse.
The amount of time feeling in dismay is contingent on what coping and recovery skills you learned. Many of us don’t know how to face, experience, work through and let go of emotional pain. Many of us are afraid to face it because we are fearful
that this path will lead to infinite agony. Some of us are ashamed to admit that we have problems that have become unsolvable.
There is a way to resolve these problems and this method of resolving emotional pain is not something the big pharmaceutical companies want you to know. They prefer that you went to your physician and signed on for a prescription of the latest anti-depressant or anti-anxiety.
The way to not only heal emotional pain, but to achieve true happiness is through physical exercise. Now medication can be effective, but exercise has been proven to be at least if not more effective for folks who are depressed without the side
effects of sexual dysfunction, difficulty sleeping and suicidal thinking.
Psychotherapy can also be helpful in exploring the reasons why you are not living a fulfilling life. A skilled therapist will ask you questions that can lead to new insights. A good therapist can also help guide you through the pain and teach you how to love yourself.
Perhaps before you try the psychotherapist or medication routes, you can delve into exercise. If you have never exercised before or haven’t for a long time, obtain your
physician’s clearance to work out.
Here are seven ways you can increase your sense of happiness through exercise:
1. Exercise will bring you into a totally new world and can forever positively transform your life.
2. Exercise will tone your body. Therefore you will begin to feel better about the way you look.
3. The brain chemistry changes while you are working out; leading to feeling calm.
4. You will feel a sense of accomplishment after each time you exercise leading to improved self-esteem.
5. Exercise can be a healthy means of distracting yourself from your emotional pain. Exercise can also be a means to face your emotional pain because the increased confidence will allow you to deal with internal traumas in a bold, self-assured manner.
6. Exercise by itself is known to improve depression and anxiety.
7. Exercise has been proven to make you smarter. Therefore you will develop the skills you need to let go of your emotional pain and discover genuine happiness.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Selfish or cautios?
This post is completely off topic, but recently I had an encounter that made me lose sleep.
Last week, after waiting for 15 minutes in the bus station I decided to walk home, happy that the week-end was there and trying to beat the cold when a girl, crying asked:
"Can you help me?" and I stopped. "I'll try!" thinking that she might need directions or something. And then she starts crying saying she has a baby at home and has no baby food, and that she has no job and only 8 grades education. As soon as I saw what she meant, I said: "I'm sorry I don't have my wallet with me", to which she replied: "I understand!" And she resumed crying.
Of course I was lying...I did have my wallet with me, but in there was only a $20 bill. And in that second, I didn't want to give it away. But about 2 minutes later I felt so bad that I stopped and had one of those internal fights like you see in the movies...seriously considering to go back and give her my $20. But for some reason, in my head came this little Mexican lady that sells coffee at the entrance of the hospital and she's there every day, with her oxygen tank. Or the guy in shipping who told me that works 2 shifts back to back just because he's not getting retirement. Or the old dog walker lady I saw one day with 3 little dogs on a freezing drizzle doing her job. The more I thought, the more I didn't feel that my decision was bad. They are there, probably not with a higher education either, but they found jobs and make the best out of their situation.
Well, moving from a small town, where we knew the 3 homeless people with their sad stories, and they didn't beg. We knew the lady with a death wish that was riding her bike in wrong direction, and the bearded guy who collected cans in the shopping cart. But they never asked for anything. Actually my boyfriend wanted to fix his bike but they were just shadows not wanting to inconvenience in any way. Well, Chicago is not like that, they're in your face asking, sometimes for strange amounts (one guy needed the other day 27 cents). And they're everywhere, I learned the "don't look them in their eyes" walk, hopping not to be asked.
And so many times I feel bad, sometimes I give them 1 dollar or how much change I have, but that is a very selective process (once we've seen this girl sitting at a corner of a street with a cat in her lap...I'm not sure if the girl or the cat impressed us the most but I gave her $2).
So, was I mean? selfish for not helping the lady the other night?
Every day I thank God and my lucky stars for the comfortable life I have, and I know there are many sad stories out there that I can't help in any way, but for this one I felt bad.
Last week, after waiting for 15 minutes in the bus station I decided to walk home, happy that the week-end was there and trying to beat the cold when a girl, crying asked:
"Can you help me?" and I stopped. "I'll try!" thinking that she might need directions or something. And then she starts crying saying she has a baby at home and has no baby food, and that she has no job and only 8 grades education. As soon as I saw what she meant, I said: "I'm sorry I don't have my wallet with me", to which she replied: "I understand!" And she resumed crying.
Of course I was lying...I did have my wallet with me, but in there was only a $20 bill. And in that second, I didn't want to give it away. But about 2 minutes later I felt so bad that I stopped and had one of those internal fights like you see in the movies...seriously considering to go back and give her my $20. But for some reason, in my head came this little Mexican lady that sells coffee at the entrance of the hospital and she's there every day, with her oxygen tank. Or the guy in shipping who told me that works 2 shifts back to back just because he's not getting retirement. Or the old dog walker lady I saw one day with 3 little dogs on a freezing drizzle doing her job. The more I thought, the more I didn't feel that my decision was bad. They are there, probably not with a higher education either, but they found jobs and make the best out of their situation.
Well, moving from a small town, where we knew the 3 homeless people with their sad stories, and they didn't beg. We knew the lady with a death wish that was riding her bike in wrong direction, and the bearded guy who collected cans in the shopping cart. But they never asked for anything. Actually my boyfriend wanted to fix his bike but they were just shadows not wanting to inconvenience in any way. Well, Chicago is not like that, they're in your face asking, sometimes for strange amounts (one guy needed the other day 27 cents). And they're everywhere, I learned the "don't look them in their eyes" walk, hopping not to be asked.
And so many times I feel bad, sometimes I give them 1 dollar or how much change I have, but that is a very selective process (once we've seen this girl sitting at a corner of a street with a cat in her lap...I'm not sure if the girl or the cat impressed us the most but I gave her $2).
So, was I mean? selfish for not helping the lady the other night?
Every day I thank God and my lucky stars for the comfortable life I have, and I know there are many sad stories out there that I can't help in any way, but for this one I felt bad.
Monday, November 10, 2008
7 Super-Easy, Satisfying Snacks
(from slimbodycoach.com)
Have you tried eating smaller meals, five times a day? I KNOW it’s an important step towards healthy weight loss, because it keeps your blood sugar levels more stable, and fights off unhealthy food cravings in a big way.
But maybe one of your five mini-meals isn’t really as healthful or satisfying as you’d like it to be.
This is a common problem, so today I’d like to suggest seven easy-to-make, speedy, and super-satisfying “snacks” that will fight off cravings and keep your tummy happy until your last mini-meal of the day. It’s easy to plan mini-meals when you have lots of healthy choices in your repertoire!
1. 1 cup pineapple chunks + 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese. This is one of my favorites that I return to again and again, because the whey protein contained in this super combo will keep you satisfied for a long time.
2. Dip slices of one medium apple in 1 Tbsp natural almond or peanut butter. The apple is a color carb, while the nut butter provides protein and healthy fats.
3. Eggs are awesome! Boil eggs in advance and keep them in the fridge. For a protein-powered mini-meal, mash 2 boiled egg whites with a spoonful of hummus and eat on a whole-grain tortilla.
4. Make yogurt more interesting! Combine 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt with 1/3 cup strawberries and 1 scoop Vanilla Cake Batter flavor Slim Body Shake powder.
5. Make your own trail mix: Mix 1 cup roasted almonds with 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup raisins, and 1 cup of your favorite multi-grain cereal (like multi-grain Cheerios). Makes 8 servings... put it in baggies for later!
6. Eat some edamame: Edamame are pre-shelled soybeans you can find in your freezer section. They’re full of protein and fiber, and tasty, too. To prepare, take 1/2 cup of frozen edamame and run under steaming water for a fast thaw. Season with a dash of salt and pepper, or even a squeeze of lemon.
7. Top a bagel: Spread 1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese on half of a toasted whole-grain bagel. Finish with an apple slice and dash of cinnamon. If you’re in the mood for something salty, use a tomato slice and a sprinkle of dried basil instead.
I hope you enjoy these super-satisfying mini-meal choices. Remember, just because you don’t have a lot of time, it doesn’t mean you have to skimp on nutrition!
Have you tried eating smaller meals, five times a day? I KNOW it’s an important step towards healthy weight loss, because it keeps your blood sugar levels more stable, and fights off unhealthy food cravings in a big way.
But maybe one of your five mini-meals isn’t really as healthful or satisfying as you’d like it to be.
This is a common problem, so today I’d like to suggest seven easy-to-make, speedy, and super-satisfying “snacks” that will fight off cravings and keep your tummy happy until your last mini-meal of the day. It’s easy to plan mini-meals when you have lots of healthy choices in your repertoire!
1. 1 cup pineapple chunks + 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese. This is one of my favorites that I return to again and again, because the whey protein contained in this super combo will keep you satisfied for a long time.
2. Dip slices of one medium apple in 1 Tbsp natural almond or peanut butter. The apple is a color carb, while the nut butter provides protein and healthy fats.
3. Eggs are awesome! Boil eggs in advance and keep them in the fridge. For a protein-powered mini-meal, mash 2 boiled egg whites with a spoonful of hummus and eat on a whole-grain tortilla.
4. Make yogurt more interesting! Combine 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt with 1/3 cup strawberries and 1 scoop Vanilla Cake Batter flavor Slim Body Shake powder.
5. Make your own trail mix: Mix 1 cup roasted almonds with 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup raisins, and 1 cup of your favorite multi-grain cereal (like multi-grain Cheerios). Makes 8 servings... put it in baggies for later!
6. Eat some edamame: Edamame are pre-shelled soybeans you can find in your freezer section. They’re full of protein and fiber, and tasty, too. To prepare, take 1/2 cup of frozen edamame and run under steaming water for a fast thaw. Season with a dash of salt and pepper, or even a squeeze of lemon.
7. Top a bagel: Spread 1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese on half of a toasted whole-grain bagel. Finish with an apple slice and dash of cinnamon. If you’re in the mood for something salty, use a tomato slice and a sprinkle of dried basil instead.
I hope you enjoy these super-satisfying mini-meal choices. Remember, just because you don’t have a lot of time, it doesn’t mean you have to skimp on nutrition!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
14 Foods That'll Change Your Life
Another amazing post from eDiets:
We try to eat healthier in order to improve our health... and because we want to look like a million bucks! But lost in all this diet chatter is that certain foods have a real impact on your daily well-being. In fact, their benefits can be so
powerful that they help you even if you're doing other things you shouldn't (such as smoking).
Now, don't take that as an invitation to be lazy about your health. It's just an illustration of how powerful some foods can be. The well-known mantra "You are what you eat" has lost its bite a little because it's been so overused. But in reality, it couldn't be more true. Every time you put something in your mouth, you're making a decision that affects your body for the rest of your life.
Scary? Maybe. But it might just be the shock you need to get your health on track.
Don't despair: It's superfoods to the rescue! Authors Steven Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews have written SuperFoods Rx to help you learn how to live longer and happier. In the book, they put forth the statistic that estimates 300,000 to 800,000
preventable deaths per year in the United States are related to nutrition. You don't have to be one of them. Here's their list of the "Elite 14 Foods":
Beans
Beans, beans, they're good for your heart. The more you eat, the more you'll... LIVE! It's not just talk. Beans are good for the heart... and a bunch of other things, too. There's evidence that they prevent cancer, level your blood sugar and
give you a sense of being full, which keeps you from overeating.
Blueberries
These little gems have been neglected for many years in favor of other more "popular" fruit. But now that we know more about antioxidants and how they reverse degenerative diseases, this flavonoid-rich food will have you aging gracefully.
Broccoli
Mom told you to eat your broccoli. And this time, her advice was right. It's also super effective in fighting cancer.
Oats
In 1997, the FDA started to allow the labeling of oatmeal, oat bran and oat flour products as being connected to a reduced risk for coronary heart disease. Among its other benefits is the ability to help control your blood sugar levels.
Oranges
They may not be very exciting or exotic, but this old standby sure lives up to its reputation as a healthy favorite. Yet, even with its supposed popularity, Americans still are lacking in vitamin C. Because it is rapidly excreted from your body,
constant replenishment is a must.
There's nothing wrong with a glass of OJ. But eating the orange is even better because its pulp has 10 times the vitamin C dosage found in the juice.
Pumpkin
It's not just for the holidays anymore. High in fiber and low in calories, pumpkin has some of the highest levels of carotenoids, which function as antioxidants and help beat the effects of aging.
Salmon
Fish of all kinds are fantastic. And you should try to get some two to four times a week. After going through a long period of fat phobia, we've now come to realize that not all fats are created equal. Some are not only good for you, but they are also an essential ingredient in a healthy diet.
Salmon is one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can protect against a multitude of diseases.
Soy
The new kid on the block, relatively speaking, soy has long been a secret of the Far East. It's the total package, rich with vitamins, minerals, plant-based omega-3s and
disease-fighting phytonutrients. Is tofu just not for you?
Well, there are many other ways to incorporate soy into your diet.
* Soy milk is a rich and creamy alternative to dairy.
* Try a soy protein shake.
* Eat soy nuts as snacks.
* Some breakfast cereals contain soy-enriched ingredients.
Spinach
We learned as children that this leafy green wonder gave Popeye his "mus-cools." But it carries much more than iron. Just a few of the many added benefits include beta carotene, vitamins B, C and E, calcium and magnesium.
Tea (green or black)
It's relaxing, has no calories and comes with health benefits. Tea is an anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory superfood that has been linked to heart health, cancer and stroke prevention, and lowered blood pressure. All of this in a cheap, no-calorietreat -- you can't beat that!
Tomatoes
If you don't have a major aversion to them, tomatoes are yet another superfood. Even though tomato season is short, you can get some of the same veggie benefits from ketchup and tomato sauce. Aside from all the vitamins, tomatoes are disease
fighters. Like some of the other superfoods, they help fight cancer and heart ailments.
Turkey
Stick to the skinless breast and you have a winner of a meal. One of the best low-fat protein sources you can eat. Need we say more?
Walnuts
Although nuts can be high in calories, don't let that discourage you from one of the most nutritious snacks around. Walnuts head the list because they are one of the few rich sources of plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids. Besides the fiber and protein, the plant sterols contained in walnuts help with cholesterol levels.
Yogurt
This is a great snack for work. It has calcium and other nutrients. But what makes yogurt a superfood is the presence of prebiotics and probiotics -- living organisms that promote gastrointestinal health. Oh, and yogurt tastes good, too!
We try to eat healthier in order to improve our health... and because we want to look like a million bucks! But lost in all this diet chatter is that certain foods have a real impact on your daily well-being. In fact, their benefits can be so
powerful that they help you even if you're doing other things you shouldn't (such as smoking).
Now, don't take that as an invitation to be lazy about your health. It's just an illustration of how powerful some foods can be. The well-known mantra "You are what you eat" has lost its bite a little because it's been so overused. But in reality, it couldn't be more true. Every time you put something in your mouth, you're making a decision that affects your body for the rest of your life.
Scary? Maybe. But it might just be the shock you need to get your health on track.
Don't despair: It's superfoods to the rescue! Authors Steven Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews have written SuperFoods Rx to help you learn how to live longer and happier. In the book, they put forth the statistic that estimates 300,000 to 800,000
preventable deaths per year in the United States are related to nutrition. You don't have to be one of them. Here's their list of the "Elite 14 Foods":
Beans
Beans, beans, they're good for your heart. The more you eat, the more you'll... LIVE! It's not just talk. Beans are good for the heart... and a bunch of other things, too. There's evidence that they prevent cancer, level your blood sugar and
give you a sense of being full, which keeps you from overeating.
Blueberries
These little gems have been neglected for many years in favor of other more "popular" fruit. But now that we know more about antioxidants and how they reverse degenerative diseases, this flavonoid-rich food will have you aging gracefully.
Broccoli
Mom told you to eat your broccoli. And this time, her advice was right. It's also super effective in fighting cancer.
Oats
In 1997, the FDA started to allow the labeling of oatmeal, oat bran and oat flour products as being connected to a reduced risk for coronary heart disease. Among its other benefits is the ability to help control your blood sugar levels.
Oranges
They may not be very exciting or exotic, but this old standby sure lives up to its reputation as a healthy favorite. Yet, even with its supposed popularity, Americans still are lacking in vitamin C. Because it is rapidly excreted from your body,
constant replenishment is a must.
There's nothing wrong with a glass of OJ. But eating the orange is even better because its pulp has 10 times the vitamin C dosage found in the juice.
Pumpkin
It's not just for the holidays anymore. High in fiber and low in calories, pumpkin has some of the highest levels of carotenoids, which function as antioxidants and help beat the effects of aging.
Salmon
Fish of all kinds are fantastic. And you should try to get some two to four times a week. After going through a long period of fat phobia, we've now come to realize that not all fats are created equal. Some are not only good for you, but they are also an essential ingredient in a healthy diet.
Salmon is one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can protect against a multitude of diseases.
Soy
The new kid on the block, relatively speaking, soy has long been a secret of the Far East. It's the total package, rich with vitamins, minerals, plant-based omega-3s and
disease-fighting phytonutrients. Is tofu just not for you?
Well, there are many other ways to incorporate soy into your diet.
* Soy milk is a rich and creamy alternative to dairy.
* Try a soy protein shake.
* Eat soy nuts as snacks.
* Some breakfast cereals contain soy-enriched ingredients.
Spinach
We learned as children that this leafy green wonder gave Popeye his "mus-cools." But it carries much more than iron. Just a few of the many added benefits include beta carotene, vitamins B, C and E, calcium and magnesium.
Tea (green or black)
It's relaxing, has no calories and comes with health benefits. Tea is an anti-allergy, anti-inflammatory superfood that has been linked to heart health, cancer and stroke prevention, and lowered blood pressure. All of this in a cheap, no-calorietreat -- you can't beat that!
Tomatoes
If you don't have a major aversion to them, tomatoes are yet another superfood. Even though tomato season is short, you can get some of the same veggie benefits from ketchup and tomato sauce. Aside from all the vitamins, tomatoes are disease
fighters. Like some of the other superfoods, they help fight cancer and heart ailments.
Turkey
Stick to the skinless breast and you have a winner of a meal. One of the best low-fat protein sources you can eat. Need we say more?
Walnuts
Although nuts can be high in calories, don't let that discourage you from one of the most nutritious snacks around. Walnuts head the list because they are one of the few rich sources of plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids. Besides the fiber and protein, the plant sterols contained in walnuts help with cholesterol levels.
Yogurt
This is a great snack for work. It has calcium and other nutrients. But what makes yogurt a superfood is the presence of prebiotics and probiotics -- living organisms that promote gastrointestinal health. Oh, and yogurt tastes good, too!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Tweak of the Week: Lower Coffee Calories
Since I started this blog, I loved the Tweak of the week from eDiets. This week's post got me worried at first but as all the others, it makes perfect sense.
Seemingly small indulgences can really add up. Coffee, for example, can add extra calories to your day before your brain is even awake enough to realize what's happening. Because the tweak of the week is all about making tiny changes, let's
learn to start the day right by cutting unwanted calories from our morning indulgence.
Now, I need coffee every morning, so simply switching to something else is not an option. Plus, studies have shown that drinking coffee can lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, colon cancer and heart disease. That's good news for
something I do daily, anyway.
So let me reiterate: Every morning, I need coffee. Without it, I can't function before 10 a.m. Recently, at our favorite corporate neighborhood coffee shop, a friend of mine ordered a cookie-candy-caramel-sugar-whipped-mocha-choco-latte. It was
dessert in a cup -- for breakfast.
This morning monstrosity weighed in at 400 calories, plus whipped topping, according to the company's Web site. I had a regular coffee. Three sugars, one cream ... roughly 100 calories.
Upon further investigation, we found that both of us were brewing up potential weight gain with our morning caffeine kick. So how can you enjoy your cup o' joe and avoid unwanted calories?
Black and Brew
Taking your coffee black is the best way to get the caffeine without the calories. A cup of coffee contains 5-15 calories per cup -- next to nothing. If you can get used to your coffee sans sugar and cream, you can drink it regularly without any guilt.
If you take your coffee with sugar, however, add 16 calories per teaspoon; small sugar packets are about one teaspoon of sugar. Try using sugar substitutes if you want to save even more calories. The fat in your morning mug comes not from the
sugar, but from the cream.
One tablespoon of nondairy creamer has a mere 20 calories and 1 gram of fat. And since it doesn't require refrigeration, you can keep it on hand just about anywhere. Switching to fat-free milk is another easy option to lighten up your java. You'll
save 8 grams of fat per cup and get even more calcium.
To make the change even less noticeable, follow the advice of registered dietitian Nicole Bengtson, LD/N: "If you’re used to using regular milk or half and half in your coffee drinks, switch to 2 percent milk for a few weeks before changing to
fat-free milk or nondairy creamer. It'll be such a gradual change that you won’t even miss the extra calories and fat."
Desserts don't belong at the breakfast table, so skip the chocolate, caramel, cookie crumbles and whipped cream with your coffee. A tablespoon of whipped cream will tack on an additional 50 calories and 6 grams of fat to your drink.
Sweet syrups like hazelnut, French vanilla and Irish cream can tack on 80 calories to an already high-calorie morning pick-me-up. If sugar-free flavored syrups aren’t available, don’t worry. You can still jazz up your coffee by sprinkling in some cinnamon. The mild sweetness of this spice complements the rich coffee flavor and makes ordinary coffee taste gourmet. Now that's a great way to start your day!
Seemingly small indulgences can really add up. Coffee, for example, can add extra calories to your day before your brain is even awake enough to realize what's happening. Because the tweak of the week is all about making tiny changes, let's
learn to start the day right by cutting unwanted calories from our morning indulgence.
Now, I need coffee every morning, so simply switching to something else is not an option. Plus, studies have shown that drinking coffee can lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, colon cancer and heart disease. That's good news for
something I do daily, anyway.
So let me reiterate: Every morning, I need coffee. Without it, I can't function before 10 a.m. Recently, at our favorite corporate neighborhood coffee shop, a friend of mine ordered a cookie-candy-caramel-sugar-whipped-mocha-choco-latte. It was
dessert in a cup -- for breakfast.
This morning monstrosity weighed in at 400 calories, plus whipped topping, according to the company's Web site. I had a regular coffee. Three sugars, one cream ... roughly 100 calories.
Upon further investigation, we found that both of us were brewing up potential weight gain with our morning caffeine kick. So how can you enjoy your cup o' joe and avoid unwanted calories?
Black and Brew
Taking your coffee black is the best way to get the caffeine without the calories. A cup of coffee contains 5-15 calories per cup -- next to nothing. If you can get used to your coffee sans sugar and cream, you can drink it regularly without any guilt.
If you take your coffee with sugar, however, add 16 calories per teaspoon; small sugar packets are about one teaspoon of sugar. Try using sugar substitutes if you want to save even more calories. The fat in your morning mug comes not from the
sugar, but from the cream.
One tablespoon of nondairy creamer has a mere 20 calories and 1 gram of fat. And since it doesn't require refrigeration, you can keep it on hand just about anywhere. Switching to fat-free milk is another easy option to lighten up your java. You'll
save 8 grams of fat per cup and get even more calcium.
To make the change even less noticeable, follow the advice of registered dietitian Nicole Bengtson, LD/N: "If you’re used to using regular milk or half and half in your coffee drinks, switch to 2 percent milk for a few weeks before changing to
fat-free milk or nondairy creamer. It'll be such a gradual change that you won’t even miss the extra calories and fat."
Desserts don't belong at the breakfast table, so skip the chocolate, caramel, cookie crumbles and whipped cream with your coffee. A tablespoon of whipped cream will tack on an additional 50 calories and 6 grams of fat to your drink.
Sweet syrups like hazelnut, French vanilla and Irish cream can tack on 80 calories to an already high-calorie morning pick-me-up. If sugar-free flavored syrups aren’t available, don’t worry. You can still jazz up your coffee by sprinkling in some cinnamon. The mild sweetness of this spice complements the rich coffee flavor and makes ordinary coffee taste gourmet. Now that's a great way to start your day!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tweak of the Week: Soothe Your Sweet Tooth
Just in time for Halloween and Christmas, eDiets gives the advise on sweets. I have to admit, that sometimes I crave sweets so badly that I eat strawberry preserve, but hey, dark chocolate, that's my favorite. So here's eDiets. com "Tweak of the week":
Copious amounts of candy can destroy an otherwise healthy diet. This time of year in particular, you can find sweet treats just about anywhere. The more you obsess about not indulging, the more you will want that sugar fix.
If you're like me, your sweet tooth kicks in after a good meal -- which is still an upgrade from a few years ago when it was an after-dinner cigarette. The key to quieting those cravings without packing on unwanted pounds is making the right choice to quell your cravings -- and doing so in moderation.
"If you are looking to tame that sweet tooth, you can opt for a piece of dark chocolate or even dark chocolate-covered raisins or nuts. Fruit would be ideal, but sometimes it just takes a little something to satisfy that craving -- just remember portion control. During the holidays, even a few slices of a caramel apples or a piece of the 'fun size' candy can go a long way," says eDiets Director of Nutrition Services Pam Ofstein.
Pam recommends taking a few pieces of the individually wrapped candies and putting them in a bag to divvy up when you need a sugar fix. This should help to give you an option for a small treat, so you're not at the mercy of the vending machine and
its full-size candy bars -- most of which pack well over 200 calories and several grams of fat. Of course, this plan only works if you can stop at one piece.
"If you are like me and love chocolate, opt for a piece (1 oz) of dark chocolate, which is full of antioxidants, or low-fat candies like tootsie rolls and peppermint patties will soothe your sweet tooth," suggests Pam.
Stick to the dark chocolate when grabbing a sweet treat, it has less fat than milk chocolate, as well as heart-healthy antioxidants. Plus, dark chocolate is good for your skin!
Copious amounts of candy can destroy an otherwise healthy diet. This time of year in particular, you can find sweet treats just about anywhere. The more you obsess about not indulging, the more you will want that sugar fix.
If you're like me, your sweet tooth kicks in after a good meal -- which is still an upgrade from a few years ago when it was an after-dinner cigarette. The key to quieting those cravings without packing on unwanted pounds is making the right choice to quell your cravings -- and doing so in moderation.
"If you are looking to tame that sweet tooth, you can opt for a piece of dark chocolate or even dark chocolate-covered raisins or nuts. Fruit would be ideal, but sometimes it just takes a little something to satisfy that craving -- just remember portion control. During the holidays, even a few slices of a caramel apples or a piece of the 'fun size' candy can go a long way," says eDiets Director of Nutrition Services Pam Ofstein.
Pam recommends taking a few pieces of the individually wrapped candies and putting them in a bag to divvy up when you need a sugar fix. This should help to give you an option for a small treat, so you're not at the mercy of the vending machine and
its full-size candy bars -- most of which pack well over 200 calories and several grams of fat. Of course, this plan only works if you can stop at one piece.
"If you are like me and love chocolate, opt for a piece (1 oz) of dark chocolate, which is full of antioxidants, or low-fat candies like tootsie rolls and peppermint patties will soothe your sweet tooth," suggests Pam.
Stick to the dark chocolate when grabbing a sweet treat, it has less fat than milk chocolate, as well as heart-healthy antioxidants. Plus, dark chocolate is good for your skin!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Tweak of the Week: Not all Carbs are Bad
Fron eDiets:
Face it: Carbohydrates are confusing. There are simple carbs, complex carbs, good carbs, bad carbs, refined, unrefined, plus, something called net carbs -- whatever that means.
With the popularity of low-carb diets like Glycemic Impact and Atkins Nutritional Approach, people are hearing half-baked facts about carbs and only getting more confused. Luckily, eDiets Director of Nutrition Services Pam Ofstein slices
through the uncertainty about carbohydrates to give you the freshest information available.
"What most of us are referring to as 'good carbs' are those including vegetables and whole fruits, whole grains and beans (unrefined carbohydrates). These foods include a substantial amount of fiber and can help to level blood sugar levels," Pam
explains. "There are many carbohydrate foods (refined) that aren't as nutritious as we would like them to be and contain less fiber or the important vitamins and minerals we should be including daily."
For example, if you start your day with a high-fiber bran cereal, as opposed to a sugary cereal with little-to-no-fiber, it will provide you with many health benefits, as well as the providing satiety to keep you feeling full longer.
The most obvious benefit of fiber has been promoted through any number of commercials on restroom regularity, but there are so many other benefits to this crucial weight-loss component.
"The health benefits of fiber include lowering cholesterol, helping maintain insulin levels and decreasing certain risks of cancer (i.e. colon/breast)," explains Pam. "Fiber also slows down stomach emptying to allow for better digestion and helps keep you full longer -- providing satiety."
So beyond its many health benefits, fiber can keep your cravings under control and prevent overeating, which will aid in your weight-loss goals. But how much fiber do you need daily?
"Most of us don't get enough," warns Pam. "The average person takes in only about 15 grams of fiber per day. Try to up that amount to a minimum of 25 grams per day -- aim for 30 grams or more."
The breakdown on carbohydrates: You need more carbs from unrefined foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables and less from processed foods. Whole foods have the "good carbs" loaded with health benefits and fiber, which can be your secret weight-loss weapon in the war on fat. Skipping the white bread and going for the whole grain is a good place to start.
Face it: Carbohydrates are confusing. There are simple carbs, complex carbs, good carbs, bad carbs, refined, unrefined, plus, something called net carbs -- whatever that means.
With the popularity of low-carb diets like Glycemic Impact and Atkins Nutritional Approach, people are hearing half-baked facts about carbs and only getting more confused. Luckily, eDiets Director of Nutrition Services Pam Ofstein slices
through the uncertainty about carbohydrates to give you the freshest information available.
"What most of us are referring to as 'good carbs' are those including vegetables and whole fruits, whole grains and beans (unrefined carbohydrates). These foods include a substantial amount of fiber and can help to level blood sugar levels," Pam
explains. "There are many carbohydrate foods (refined) that aren't as nutritious as we would like them to be and contain less fiber or the important vitamins and minerals we should be including daily."
For example, if you start your day with a high-fiber bran cereal, as opposed to a sugary cereal with little-to-no-fiber, it will provide you with many health benefits, as well as the providing satiety to keep you feeling full longer.
The most obvious benefit of fiber has been promoted through any number of commercials on restroom regularity, but there are so many other benefits to this crucial weight-loss component.
"The health benefits of fiber include lowering cholesterol, helping maintain insulin levels and decreasing certain risks of cancer (i.e. colon/breast)," explains Pam. "Fiber also slows down stomach emptying to allow for better digestion and helps keep you full longer -- providing satiety."
So beyond its many health benefits, fiber can keep your cravings under control and prevent overeating, which will aid in your weight-loss goals. But how much fiber do you need daily?
"Most of us don't get enough," warns Pam. "The average person takes in only about 15 grams of fiber per day. Try to up that amount to a minimum of 25 grams per day -- aim for 30 grams or more."
The breakdown on carbohydrates: You need more carbs from unrefined foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables and less from processed foods. Whole foods have the "good carbs" loaded with health benefits and fiber, which can be your secret weight-loss weapon in the war on fat. Skipping the white bread and going for the whole grain is a good place to start.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Top 5 'Bad' Foods we crave -- and Healthy Foods Substitutes
From eDiets:
Oops, I did it again... If you sing that song whenever you eat a certain food, consider it a "trigger" food. Translation: Don't derail your diet goals by eating foods you have a history of overeating.
Easier said than done? Here are the three steps to managing those not-so-healthy foods:
1. Recognize your triggers. For me, it's always been ice cream. I would buy a carton of fudge vanilla swirl, for example, planning to limit myself to just a half cup for dessert. I'd dig into the creamy mixture, have "just a taste" -- and all my plans went into the trash. Along with the empty half-gallon carton of ice cream. Inevitably, I felt sick the next day and mad at myself for giving in. I'd try setting up rules ("I'll only eat ice cream on weekends," or "I'll only eat vanilla ice cream -- that's safe and boring"), but those rules were a game of deception that resulted only in weight gained.
2. Accept which ones are "danger zone" foods. If you are unable to limit yourself to a single serving, it's a "red light" food for you.
3. After you recognize your trigger foods, discover safe healthy foods substitutes. And for help with this critical third step, check out my list below!
Trigger Food #1: Ice Cream
Is ice cream one of your trigger foods? Then keep those half-gallon containers out of your house. Instead, consider one of these healthy foods options:
-- Stop eating ice cream. Period. Instead, call around to local frozen yogurt shops until you find one that serves sugar-free, low-calorie frozen yogurt. Check to make sure that it's really low-calorie (for example, one of the yogurt cafes in my hometown has frozen yogurt that is 10 calories per ounce). Rather than take it home, order a small serving at the cafe, and enjoy it there. -- Buy pre-portioned, sugar-free frozen treats, such as sugar-free Fudgsicles. Just 40 calories each, with calcium, protein and no sugar, these individually-wrapped chocolate fudge frozen treats are one of my favorite healthy foods for after-dinner desserts.
Trigger Food #2: Baked Potatoes
I used to consider myself virtuous for ordering a baked potato instead of French fries at a restaurant. Of course, I always opted for the variety stuffed with melted cheese and butter and topped with sour cream. And I couldn't understand why I didn't lose weight. Answer: Those enormous potatoes served in restaurants actually are the equivalent of two to four servings. Add in those high-calorie, high-fat extras like cheese, butter and sour cream, and you're looking at a so-called side course that can have more calories and fat than you've budgeted for your entire dinner!
Healthy foods substitutes:
-- Steamed vegetables. Skip the butter and cheese topping and sprinkle on some herbs. -- A baked potato or yam that you share with a friend -- and substitute plain yogurt for that fattening topping.
Trigger Food #3: Pizza
"I'm just going to have one piece," you promise yourself. Then the delivery person arrives at your front door. You open up the box and that fragrance wafts through the room. One piece leads to another... and then of course there's the garlic bread on the side. Before you know it, your diet is out the door along with the empty pizza box container.
Healthy foods substitute:
-- A whole-grain English muffin half. Top with fat-free or low-fat mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce mixed with herbs, and put under the broiler until the cheese melts. You've got the flavor of pizza without the calories and fat!
Trigger Food #4: Pie
Yes, I know, apple pie is as traditional as baseball. And it counts as a fruit serving, right? Hah! When you mix sugar and butter with those apples, then make that crust with lard and more sugar, and top the whole conglomeration off with whipped cream or extra-rich vanilla ice cream, you're creating a recipe for diet trouble.
Healthy foods substitutes:
-- One-half cup of unsweetened applesauce mixed with a half-cup of sugar-free vanilla yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. -- A plain baked apple sprinkled with cinnamon and a packet of sugar-free sweetener, such as Splenda or Equal.
Trigger Food #5: Cheese
One ounce of cheese is only about the size of a domino -- and can pack as much as 130 calories. Consider just how much cheese you can tuck away for a snack. Add on the calories in the accompanying crackers. And you've just consumed more calories in your supposedly innocent snack than you might have allotted for a half-day of food on your diet!
Healthy foods substitute:
-- Individually pre-packaged "light" or fat-free cheese, such as individually wrapped low-fat string cheese.
Oops, I did it again... If you sing that song whenever you eat a certain food, consider it a "trigger" food. Translation: Don't derail your diet goals by eating foods you have a history of overeating.
Easier said than done? Here are the three steps to managing those not-so-healthy foods:
1. Recognize your triggers. For me, it's always been ice cream. I would buy a carton of fudge vanilla swirl, for example, planning to limit myself to just a half cup for dessert. I'd dig into the creamy mixture, have "just a taste" -- and all my plans went into the trash. Along with the empty half-gallon carton of ice cream. Inevitably, I felt sick the next day and mad at myself for giving in. I'd try setting up rules ("I'll only eat ice cream on weekends," or "I'll only eat vanilla ice cream -- that's safe and boring"), but those rules were a game of deception that resulted only in weight gained.
2. Accept which ones are "danger zone" foods. If you are unable to limit yourself to a single serving, it's a "red light" food for you.
3. After you recognize your trigger foods, discover safe healthy foods substitutes. And for help with this critical third step, check out my list below!
Trigger Food #1: Ice Cream
Is ice cream one of your trigger foods? Then keep those half-gallon containers out of your house. Instead, consider one of these healthy foods options:
-- Stop eating ice cream. Period. Instead, call around to local frozen yogurt shops until you find one that serves sugar-free, low-calorie frozen yogurt. Check to make sure that it's really low-calorie (for example, one of the yogurt cafes in my hometown has frozen yogurt that is 10 calories per ounce). Rather than take it home, order a small serving at the cafe, and enjoy it there. -- Buy pre-portioned, sugar-free frozen treats, such as sugar-free Fudgsicles. Just 40 calories each, with calcium, protein and no sugar, these individually-wrapped chocolate fudge frozen treats are one of my favorite healthy foods for after-dinner desserts.
Trigger Food #2: Baked Potatoes
I used to consider myself virtuous for ordering a baked potato instead of French fries at a restaurant. Of course, I always opted for the variety stuffed with melted cheese and butter and topped with sour cream. And I couldn't understand why I didn't lose weight. Answer: Those enormous potatoes served in restaurants actually are the equivalent of two to four servings. Add in those high-calorie, high-fat extras like cheese, butter and sour cream, and you're looking at a so-called side course that can have more calories and fat than you've budgeted for your entire dinner!
Healthy foods substitutes:
-- Steamed vegetables. Skip the butter and cheese topping and sprinkle on some herbs. -- A baked potato or yam that you share with a friend -- and substitute plain yogurt for that fattening topping.
Trigger Food #3: Pizza
"I'm just going to have one piece," you promise yourself. Then the delivery person arrives at your front door. You open up the box and that fragrance wafts through the room. One piece leads to another... and then of course there's the garlic bread on the side. Before you know it, your diet is out the door along with the empty pizza box container.
Healthy foods substitute:
-- A whole-grain English muffin half. Top with fat-free or low-fat mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce mixed with herbs, and put under the broiler until the cheese melts. You've got the flavor of pizza without the calories and fat!
Trigger Food #4: Pie
Yes, I know, apple pie is as traditional as baseball. And it counts as a fruit serving, right? Hah! When you mix sugar and butter with those apples, then make that crust with lard and more sugar, and top the whole conglomeration off with whipped cream or extra-rich vanilla ice cream, you're creating a recipe for diet trouble.
Healthy foods substitutes:
-- One-half cup of unsweetened applesauce mixed with a half-cup of sugar-free vanilla yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. -- A plain baked apple sprinkled with cinnamon and a packet of sugar-free sweetener, such as Splenda or Equal.
Trigger Food #5: Cheese
One ounce of cheese is only about the size of a domino -- and can pack as much as 130 calories. Consider just how much cheese you can tuck away for a snack. Add on the calories in the accompanying crackers. And you've just consumed more calories in your supposedly innocent snack than you might have allotted for a half-day of food on your diet!
Healthy foods substitute:
-- Individually pre-packaged "light" or fat-free cheese, such as individually wrapped low-fat string cheese.
Friday, October 3, 2008
75 Tips for Managing Stress
Stress is change and change is inevitable. Hence, it is unrealistic to attempt to avoid all stress. Learning to manage stress is the only way to create a fun and healthy lifestyle. Here are some tips for a satisfying life in the midst of our
unending chaos:
1. Begin living now.
2. Live in the present.
3. Stop asking to be rescued.
4. Stop waiting "until..."
5. Journal your thoughts and feelings.
6. Keep track of your accomplishments.
7. Set realistic and attainable goals.
8. Accept constructive criticism from others.
9. Choose your friends wisely.
10. Be honest about how you feel.
11. Ask for what you need and want.
12. Make friends with people who like themselves.
13. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
14. Emphasize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.
15. Let other people run their lives.
16. Give permission to yourself to be afraid of failure and
success.
17. Develop your personal talents and skills.
18. Learn to accept what you cannot change.
19. Get proper nutrition.
20. Get sufficient rest.
21. Exercise regularly.
22. Stop talking about your miseries.
23. Talk about your strengths and assets.
24. Think positively.
25. Read about human growth.
26. Learn to meditate.
27. Learn from children.
28. Take time to smell the roses.
29. Stop blaming others for your misfortunes.
30. Take responsibility for your thoughts, feelings and
behaviors.
31. Dress in a way that feels good for you.
32. Encourage others to be the best they can be.
33. Stop assuming that others cannot get along without you.
34. Stop feeling good only when doing for others.
35. Be playful.
36. Share responsibilities.
37. Ask for strokes.
38. Listen to people.
39. Compromise on occasion.
40. Take a risk.
41. Stop being a door mat.
42. Make decisions for personal growth.
43. Have fun.
44. Sing.
45. Dance.
46. Face life with dignity.
47. Treat others how you desire to be treated.
48. Do something exciting.
49. Vary your routine.
50. Stop letting others push you around.
51. Do something you'd really like to do for YOU.
52. Get a medical and dental checkup.
53. Be alert.
54. Organize your work.
55. Focus on one task at a time.
56. Spend time alone.
57. Read a good book.
58. Curl up on the couch and watch a great movie.
59. Redecorate your home.
60. Make your living environment comfortable.
61. Resolve your problem today.
62. Set boundaries.
63. Live with gratitude.
64. Let go of what is lost.
65. Turn on your answering machine.
66. Listen to the sound of your own voice.
67. Encourage others to take responsibility for themselves.
68. Encourage gentleness in yourself and others.
69. Enjoy your sexuality.
70. Face painful situations head-on.
71. Enjoy being paid well for a job well done.
72. Repeat actions that result in exhilaration.
73. Get into loose-fitting clothes at home.
74. Love yourself completely.
75. Remember that you are an adult.
unending chaos:
1. Begin living now.
2. Live in the present.
3. Stop asking to be rescued.
4. Stop waiting "until..."
5. Journal your thoughts and feelings.
6. Keep track of your accomplishments.
7. Set realistic and attainable goals.
8. Accept constructive criticism from others.
9. Choose your friends wisely.
10. Be honest about how you feel.
11. Ask for what you need and want.
12. Make friends with people who like themselves.
13. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
14. Emphasize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.
15. Let other people run their lives.
16. Give permission to yourself to be afraid of failure and
success.
17. Develop your personal talents and skills.
18. Learn to accept what you cannot change.
19. Get proper nutrition.
20. Get sufficient rest.
21. Exercise regularly.
22. Stop talking about your miseries.
23. Talk about your strengths and assets.
24. Think positively.
25. Read about human growth.
26. Learn to meditate.
27. Learn from children.
28. Take time to smell the roses.
29. Stop blaming others for your misfortunes.
30. Take responsibility for your thoughts, feelings and
behaviors.
31. Dress in a way that feels good for you.
32. Encourage others to be the best they can be.
33. Stop assuming that others cannot get along without you.
34. Stop feeling good only when doing for others.
35. Be playful.
36. Share responsibilities.
37. Ask for strokes.
38. Listen to people.
39. Compromise on occasion.
40. Take a risk.
41. Stop being a door mat.
42. Make decisions for personal growth.
43. Have fun.
44. Sing.
45. Dance.
46. Face life with dignity.
47. Treat others how you desire to be treated.
48. Do something exciting.
49. Vary your routine.
50. Stop letting others push you around.
51. Do something you'd really like to do for YOU.
52. Get a medical and dental checkup.
53. Be alert.
54. Organize your work.
55. Focus on one task at a time.
56. Spend time alone.
57. Read a good book.
58. Curl up on the couch and watch a great movie.
59. Redecorate your home.
60. Make your living environment comfortable.
61. Resolve your problem today.
62. Set boundaries.
63. Live with gratitude.
64. Let go of what is lost.
65. Turn on your answering machine.
66. Listen to the sound of your own voice.
67. Encourage others to take responsibility for themselves.
68. Encourage gentleness in yourself and others.
69. Enjoy your sexuality.
70. Face painful situations head-on.
71. Enjoy being paid well for a job well done.
72. Repeat actions that result in exhilaration.
73. Get into loose-fitting clothes at home.
74. Love yourself completely.
75. Remember that you are an adult.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Tweak of the Week: Snack Yourself Skinny
I know is not been a week but here's the next installment for "Tweak of the Week"
"Let's face it: We get hungry between meals. When we're hungry we get grumpy, irritable or just plain mean. So we grab a quick food fix to satiate our appetite and elevate our mood.
This can be where most people stray from their otherwise healthy eating routine. Even if you're diligent in eating breakfast, packing your lunch and cooking your own dinner, you may overlook your afternoon nibbling and find the only thing available is vending machine junk food -- packed with unwanted fat and calories.
You can avoid a snacking misstep by planning ahead. Choose a few things that you can mix and match to have on hand when the munchies strike and snack yourself skinny.
"The key to proper snacking is a nice balance of protein, fiber and good fats to keep blood sugar levels stable and your hunger satisfied," explains eDiets Nutrition Specialist Renee Brunetti, LD/N. She recommends buying a few snack staples that can be mixed and matched for healthy snacks that won't get boring.
Here's a list of snacks to stock for whenever hunger strikes:
Low-fat cheese pairs perfectly with whole grain crackers for a crunchy treat or with fruit for "a great combination of calcium and protein from the cheese and vitamins and fiber from the fruit," recommends Renee.
Nuts are a good mix of protein, fiber and "good" plant fats that can be kept anywhere (your office, for instance) for instant snacking. Most studies suggest that snacking on nuts is good for your cholesterol, as well as general heart health
as long as you don't overdo it. A small handful is the ideal snack size.
Fruit is always a good choice -- packed with various vitamins and fiber. Fruit, in addition to cheese, can be paired with yogurt, peanut butter, or Granola and cereal bars for a nicely balanced snack.
Peanut butter is great with celery sticks, whole grain crackers or bread and can be easily stored.
Granola and cereal bars are great when you're on-the-go. You can pack one in your purse and snack when or wherever you can grab a spare second. Here's Renee's rule for bars:
"You always want the first ingredient listed to be whole grains and for each serving to contain four grams of fiber or more. This will generally ensure that the snack is not too high in sugar and will help keep you satisfied longer."
So stock your desk drawer, the fridge at work, your purse, pocket, glove box or lunchbox with these simple snack ideas that will keep you satisfied and skinny. Happy snacking!
"Let's face it: We get hungry between meals. When we're hungry we get grumpy, irritable or just plain mean. So we grab a quick food fix to satiate our appetite and elevate our mood.
This can be where most people stray from their otherwise healthy eating routine. Even if you're diligent in eating breakfast, packing your lunch and cooking your own dinner, you may overlook your afternoon nibbling and find the only thing available is vending machine junk food -- packed with unwanted fat and calories.
You can avoid a snacking misstep by planning ahead. Choose a few things that you can mix and match to have on hand when the munchies strike and snack yourself skinny.
"The key to proper snacking is a nice balance of protein, fiber and good fats to keep blood sugar levels stable and your hunger satisfied," explains eDiets Nutrition Specialist Renee Brunetti, LD/N. She recommends buying a few snack staples that can be mixed and matched for healthy snacks that won't get boring.
Here's a list of snacks to stock for whenever hunger strikes:
Low-fat cheese pairs perfectly with whole grain crackers for a crunchy treat or with fruit for "a great combination of calcium and protein from the cheese and vitamins and fiber from the fruit," recommends Renee.
Nuts are a good mix of protein, fiber and "good" plant fats that can be kept anywhere (your office, for instance) for instant snacking. Most studies suggest that snacking on nuts is good for your cholesterol, as well as general heart health
as long as you don't overdo it. A small handful is the ideal snack size.
Fruit is always a good choice -- packed with various vitamins and fiber. Fruit, in addition to cheese, can be paired with yogurt, peanut butter, or Granola and cereal bars for a nicely balanced snack.
Peanut butter is great with celery sticks, whole grain crackers or bread and can be easily stored.
Granola and cereal bars are great when you're on-the-go. You can pack one in your purse and snack when or wherever you can grab a spare second. Here's Renee's rule for bars:
"You always want the first ingredient listed to be whole grains and for each serving to contain four grams of fiber or more. This will generally ensure that the snack is not too high in sugar and will help keep you satisfied longer."
So stock your desk drawer, the fridge at work, your purse, pocket, glove box or lunchbox with these simple snack ideas that will keep you satisfied and skinny. Happy snacking!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Tweak of the Week: Healthy Sandwich Switches
I am receiving the newsletters from eDiets and the other day I received the second installment of "Tweak of the Week". These tips are great so I am going to post them here...just for me :)
"Whether you call it a sandwich, sub, sammie, hoagie, hero or grinder, the combination of meats, cheeses and pretty much anything else you can squeeze between two pieces of bread is a quick and easy way to grab a bite to eat.
No matter how you slice it, Americans love sandwiches. A recent Texas A&M study found that the average U.S. citizen eats roughly 200 sandwiches per year. With this utensil-free food being a lunchtime tradition, it's important to make the right choices when stacking your sandwich.
"Get rid of the processed white bread and start with a whole-grain bread, bun or wrap," said eDiets Director of Nutrition Pamela Ofstein. "By adding whole grains, you get more nutrients than with plain white bread. Whole grains add extra vitamins and minerals your body needs in addition to fiber -- which is not only good for your heart, but also promotes satiety, leading to a decreased caloric intake."
Pam also recommends using 2 to 3 ounces of lean, low-sodium deli meats like turkey, chicken, roast beef or even left over grilled chicken you made for dinner the previous night. Add vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers and bean sprouts for an added health and flavor kick, and top it off with a slice of low-fat cheese to finish off your splendid sandwich.
Use low-calorie condiments like mustard, ketchup or low-fat salad dressing to avoid packing unnecessary fat and calories on your sandwich. Hold the mayo when it comes to condiments. One tablespoon of regular mayonnaise adds about 100 calories
and 10 grams of fat to your sandwich, which will catch up with you. If you're like most Americans, that could add up to an extra 6 pounds worth of calories over a year!
If you must use mayo, switch to the light stuff and get about half the fat and calories, but mustard is the best bet for your sandwich -- weighing in with 10 to 20 calories per tablespoon. Simply switching condiments would save you 5 pounds worth of calories annually. Now you can stack your sandwich without packing on the pounds!"
"Whether you call it a sandwich, sub, sammie, hoagie, hero or grinder, the combination of meats, cheeses and pretty much anything else you can squeeze between two pieces of bread is a quick and easy way to grab a bite to eat.
No matter how you slice it, Americans love sandwiches. A recent Texas A&M study found that the average U.S. citizen eats roughly 200 sandwiches per year. With this utensil-free food being a lunchtime tradition, it's important to make the right choices when stacking your sandwich.
"Get rid of the processed white bread and start with a whole-grain bread, bun or wrap," said eDiets Director of Nutrition Pamela Ofstein. "By adding whole grains, you get more nutrients than with plain white bread. Whole grains add extra vitamins and minerals your body needs in addition to fiber -- which is not only good for your heart, but also promotes satiety, leading to a decreased caloric intake."
Pam also recommends using 2 to 3 ounces of lean, low-sodium deli meats like turkey, chicken, roast beef or even left over grilled chicken you made for dinner the previous night. Add vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers and bean sprouts for an added health and flavor kick, and top it off with a slice of low-fat cheese to finish off your splendid sandwich.
Use low-calorie condiments like mustard, ketchup or low-fat salad dressing to avoid packing unnecessary fat and calories on your sandwich. Hold the mayo when it comes to condiments. One tablespoon of regular mayonnaise adds about 100 calories
and 10 grams of fat to your sandwich, which will catch up with you. If you're like most Americans, that could add up to an extra 6 pounds worth of calories over a year!
If you must use mayo, switch to the light stuff and get about half the fat and calories, but mustard is the best bet for your sandwich -- weighing in with 10 to 20 calories per tablespoon. Simply switching condiments would save you 5 pounds worth of calories annually. Now you can stack your sandwich without packing on the pounds!"
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Breakfast one small step...
So, I have been reading everywhere and re-posting a couple of those eDiets tricks, the first thing when trying to lose weight is to have breakfast.
Now, I was thinking I'm not hungry when I wake up and I would go until lunch time with only coffee, but I would get extremely hungry at night. I figured, since I heard this from so many, it must be some truth to it so for the past 2 weeks I
made myself have breakfast. Nothing fancy, peanut butter and jelly sandwich or ham and cucumber sandwich (on whole wheat) and a glass of diet green tea. And yes, it was a chore. But the outcome was very rewarding. Well, first I gain the energy necessary to walk the mile and a half to work, and to walk like I mean it. My dinners don't look like the world is going to end next day anymore :) And even though I don't know if
it's true, it seems that I lost some weight (one of the co-workers asked me if I've been hitting the gym...which I haven't...since I really really hate Curves, but about that, another time)
I'm planning to keep on eating breakfast and we'll see where this leads.
Now, I was thinking I'm not hungry when I wake up and I would go until lunch time with only coffee, but I would get extremely hungry at night. I figured, since I heard this from so many, it must be some truth to it so for the past 2 weeks I
made myself have breakfast. Nothing fancy, peanut butter and jelly sandwich or ham and cucumber sandwich (on whole wheat) and a glass of diet green tea. And yes, it was a chore. But the outcome was very rewarding. Well, first I gain the energy necessary to walk the mile and a half to work, and to walk like I mean it. My dinners don't look like the world is going to end next day anymore :) And even though I don't know if
it's true, it seems that I lost some weight (one of the co-workers asked me if I've been hitting the gym...which I haven't...since I really really hate Curves, but about that, another time)
I'm planning to keep on eating breakfast and we'll see where this leads.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Small twick for great results. Breakfast is mandatory :)
I had already posted this before, but since was recently posted on eDiets.com I figured I should do it again. Fits completely with what I am trying to do: change my lifestyle for the better and not start another diet I would give up in couple days.
"People don't become overweight from one bad habit.
In fact, it's a confluence of factors that led to the obesity epidemic in this country. You cannot change your body by just "doing everything right starting tomorrow." It doesn't work that way.
The experts say the best way to lose weight and keep it off is to set small, realistic goals. "Tackle one unhealthy habit at a time and once you have successfully met that goal set another one," recommends eDiets Manager of Nutrition Support Tracey Ryan, MS, RD.
So, in the first step on your journey to become the person you want to be, we're going to start where every day starts: breakfast.
Face it, studies have shown that your mother was right about this -- children who eat breakfast do better in school. And breakfast is just as beneficial for adults as well. In fact, people who ate breakfast were less likely to develop heart disease or diabetes, according to a 2003 study.
"Breakfast is crucial for fueling your body, providing energy, maintaining metabolism and even improving concentration," explains eDiets Director of Nutrition Pamela Ofstein. "If you skip breakfast, you may find yourself lacking energy, hungrier and more apt to overeat later in the day."
It's obvious that everyone should eat breakfast, but so many still skip it for a whole host of reasons -- from time to taste and everything in between. The key is simply to eat something.
"Eating a balanced breakfast is the goal -- protein, carbohydrate and fat sources," Ofstein says. "But if time is a constraint or you need something convenient, you don’t always have to go with the typical breakfast -- grab a piece of fruit, yogurt and some nuts or wrap a slice of turkey and cheese in a tortilla."
Check out these five breakfast ideas, if you need inspiration for healthy breakfast foods, or simply make up your own power breakfast. There are so many ways to start your day, but skipping your morning meal is not one of them -- always eat breakfast.
If you don't have time to cook breakfast, maybe you should just get it delivered. eDiets offers fresh breakfast delivered right to your door. It's definitely worth checking out."
"People don't become overweight from one bad habit.
In fact, it's a confluence of factors that led to the obesity epidemic in this country. You cannot change your body by just "doing everything right starting tomorrow." It doesn't work that way.
The experts say the best way to lose weight and keep it off is to set small, realistic goals. "Tackle one unhealthy habit at a time and once you have successfully met that goal set another one," recommends eDiets Manager of Nutrition Support Tracey Ryan, MS, RD.
So, in the first step on your journey to become the person you want to be, we're going to start where every day starts: breakfast.
Face it, studies have shown that your mother was right about this -- children who eat breakfast do better in school. And breakfast is just as beneficial for adults as well. In fact, people who ate breakfast were less likely to develop heart disease or diabetes, according to a 2003 study.
"Breakfast is crucial for fueling your body, providing energy, maintaining metabolism and even improving concentration," explains eDiets Director of Nutrition Pamela Ofstein. "If you skip breakfast, you may find yourself lacking energy, hungrier and more apt to overeat later in the day."
It's obvious that everyone should eat breakfast, but so many still skip it for a whole host of reasons -- from time to taste and everything in between. The key is simply to eat something.
"Eating a balanced breakfast is the goal -- protein, carbohydrate and fat sources," Ofstein says. "But if time is a constraint or you need something convenient, you don’t always have to go with the typical breakfast -- grab a piece of fruit, yogurt and some nuts or wrap a slice of turkey and cheese in a tortilla."
Check out these five breakfast ideas, if you need inspiration for healthy breakfast foods, or simply make up your own power breakfast. There are so many ways to start your day, but skipping your morning meal is not one of them -- always eat breakfast.
If you don't have time to cook breakfast, maybe you should just get it delivered. eDiets offers fresh breakfast delivered right to your door. It's definitely worth checking out."
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Stressed, unhappy and overweight!
So let's go back to my previous post, when I just scratched another issue: stress related weight gain. Maybe is coincidence, but I received this message the same day I posted my concern:
"Stress is often to blame for weight gain. And it’s not the resulting emotional eating that’s the problem. When you feel stressed, you actually trigger your fight-or-flight response.
Your body then releases a number of stress hormones, notably cortisol. These hormones are designed to help you better handle your stressor by speeding up your heart rate, dilating your blood vessels and shunting blood away from your digestive track so it can go where you need it: your muscles. Your liver also makes fuel in the form of sugar (from stored glycogen), so you have enough energy to “fight” or “flee” the stressor.
However, today’s stressors aren’t dinosaurs or club-wielding cavemen – they’re more intangible, such as meeting work deadlines and paying speeding tickets. Your body doesn’t use the sugar your liver produces because you didn’t actually fight or flee. But your liver doesn’t know that and continues to trigger your brain to make you feel hungry. The extra calories you end up eating – all in response to that stress–get stored in fat cells. If you trigger your fight-or-flight response chronically, your body will try to store up as much fat as possible, and you’ll gain unnecessary weight."
Ok, so now what? How do we avoid stress related weight gain, without taking pills? Can we get the stress under control in this age when being stressed is a lifestyle?
UPDATE! I figured I should put this here since is related. Forbes magazine picked Chicago as being America's most stressed (or stressful) city. When I saw this on TV I wanted to scream: I KNEW IT!!!!
"Stress is often to blame for weight gain. And it’s not the resulting emotional eating that’s the problem. When you feel stressed, you actually trigger your fight-or-flight response.
Your body then releases a number of stress hormones, notably cortisol. These hormones are designed to help you better handle your stressor by speeding up your heart rate, dilating your blood vessels and shunting blood away from your digestive track so it can go where you need it: your muscles. Your liver also makes fuel in the form of sugar (from stored glycogen), so you have enough energy to “fight” or “flee” the stressor.
However, today’s stressors aren’t dinosaurs or club-wielding cavemen – they’re more intangible, such as meeting work deadlines and paying speeding tickets. Your body doesn’t use the sugar your liver produces because you didn’t actually fight or flee. But your liver doesn’t know that and continues to trigger your brain to make you feel hungry. The extra calories you end up eating – all in response to that stress–get stored in fat cells. If you trigger your fight-or-flight response chronically, your body will try to store up as much fat as possible, and you’ll gain unnecessary weight."
Ok, so now what? How do we avoid stress related weight gain, without taking pills? Can we get the stress under control in this age when being stressed is a lifestyle?
UPDATE! I figured I should put this here since is related. Forbes magazine picked Chicago as being America's most stressed (or stressful) city. When I saw this on TV I wanted to scream: I KNEW IT!!!!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Could stress cause weight gain? Noooooooo, you think?
"Do you have fat around the waist? Are you always tired and stressed?"
Sounds familiar? That's how one of the infomercials selling a diet pill starts. And the lady talking, trying to put a very understanding face, continues: "it's not your fault." And then she offer the solution wrapped up in a little, shiny and expensive diet pill. Why should you fork your hard worked money toward such a product? Well, following her logic, because it works. See, other products cost less because they don't work. I know, it blew my mind too!
So there's another thing to worry about. Stress can cause weight gain by increase in the stress hormone cortisol.
Isn't this ironic? Stress makes us get fat, and the fatter we get the more stressed we get. It's a vicious circle. And if you read one of my previous posts, you'll see that we live in very stressful times.
But is the diet pill the answer to our problem? How about taking care of the cause of the stress?
Sounds familiar? That's how one of the infomercials selling a diet pill starts. And the lady talking, trying to put a very understanding face, continues: "it's not your fault." And then she offer the solution wrapped up in a little, shiny and expensive diet pill. Why should you fork your hard worked money toward such a product? Well, following her logic, because it works. See, other products cost less because they don't work. I know, it blew my mind too!
So there's another thing to worry about. Stress can cause weight gain by increase in the stress hormone cortisol.
Isn't this ironic? Stress makes us get fat, and the fatter we get the more stressed we get. It's a vicious circle. And if you read one of my previous posts, you'll see that we live in very stressful times.
But is the diet pill the answer to our problem? How about taking care of the cause of the stress?
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Want fabulous abs? Yeah, me too!
I always wanted fabulous abs and never had them. I found couple exercises that even I can do and they are very effective. I've started doing them last night and today something that I've never thought I had under the load of flab, my abs were burning.
The first one the "ab twist":
Step 1: Lie on your back with your arms outstretched, palms facing down.
Step 2: Raise your knees up to a 90-degree angle. Drop your knees down to one side.
Step 3: Breathe slowly as you rotate your knees to the other side through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 4: Hold and squeeze for 2 seconds at the maximum tension point, about one inch from the ground.
Step 5: Then rotate to the other side through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 6: Repeat 3 times without resting.
"Russian twist"
Step 1: Sit on the floor or on a mat with your knees bent and feet together. Keep your chin up and abs tight as you lean back slightly, engaging your abs.
Step 2: Turn your body to one side and extend your arms out away from your chest with your palms pressed together.
Step 3: Breathe slowly and rhythmically as you rotate your torso as far as possible to the other side through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 4: Hold and squeeze at the maximum tension point for 2 seconds. Rotate back to the other side through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 5: Repeat three times without resting.
To great looking abs!
The first one the "ab twist":
Step 1: Lie on your back with your arms outstretched, palms facing down.
Step 2: Raise your knees up to a 90-degree angle. Drop your knees down to one side.
Step 3: Breathe slowly as you rotate your knees to the other side through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 4: Hold and squeeze for 2 seconds at the maximum tension point, about one inch from the ground.
Step 5: Then rotate to the other side through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 6: Repeat 3 times without resting.
"Russian twist"
Step 1: Sit on the floor or on a mat with your knees bent and feet together. Keep your chin up and abs tight as you lean back slightly, engaging your abs.
Step 2: Turn your body to one side and extend your arms out away from your chest with your palms pressed together.
Step 3: Breathe slowly and rhythmically as you rotate your torso as far as possible to the other side through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 4: Hold and squeeze at the maximum tension point for 2 seconds. Rotate back to the other side through a count of 10 seconds.
Step 5: Repeat three times without resting.
To great looking abs!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
Or so that's what they say. But having breakfast is easier in theory than practice.
For the past 2 weeks, every night when I go to sleep I promise myself that tomorrow will be a new day. Tomorrow I'm going to get up 30 minutes earlier and make myself a nice breakfast. And every morning I snooze through those extra 30 minutes thinking "I'll do it tomorrow"
But I know I'm not alone. I was reading in an article on eDiets that nearly 4 in 10 Americans skips breakfast. "Breakfast is crucial for fueling your body, providing energy, maintaining metabolism and even improving concentration," explains eDiets Director of Nutrition Pamela Ofstein. "If you skip breakfast, you may find yourself lacking energy, hungrier and more apt to overeat later in the day."
"Eating a balanced breakfast is the goal -- protein, carbohydrate and fat sources," Pam says. "But if time is a constraint or you need something convenient, you don’t always have to go with the typical breakfast – grab a piece of fruit, yogurt and some nuts or wrap a slice of turkey and cheese in a tortilla."
Since we all are time crunched in the early hours, there are ways to start the day without skipping the most important meal, breakfast. While eating anything is better than nothing, there are couple recommendations that will give you what you need to power through your day.
Cereal, but replace the sugary magic marshmallow happy-O's for slightly more mature grownup fair. Whole grain cereals are the healthiest; full of fiber and teamed with skim milk you get a great dose of protein. Add your favorite fruit for more nutrients and a touch of sweetness.
When in real rush, a granola bar, a banana and low-fat string cheese. There isn't anything much quicker than that.
Even the college breakfast staple cold pizza is better than nothing. (While this wasn't eDiet's favorite recommendation, in a pinch, this will work. Just don't make pizza for breakfast a habit.)
So let's all start tomorrow with a good and energizing breakfast. Scanning my pantry I noticed I have couple boxes of Fiber One cereal...pretty good, huh?
For the past 2 weeks, every night when I go to sleep I promise myself that tomorrow will be a new day. Tomorrow I'm going to get up 30 minutes earlier and make myself a nice breakfast. And every morning I snooze through those extra 30 minutes thinking "I'll do it tomorrow"
But I know I'm not alone. I was reading in an article on eDiets that nearly 4 in 10 Americans skips breakfast. "Breakfast is crucial for fueling your body, providing energy, maintaining metabolism and even improving concentration," explains eDiets Director of Nutrition Pamela Ofstein. "If you skip breakfast, you may find yourself lacking energy, hungrier and more apt to overeat later in the day."
"Eating a balanced breakfast is the goal -- protein, carbohydrate and fat sources," Pam says. "But if time is a constraint or you need something convenient, you don’t always have to go with the typical breakfast – grab a piece of fruit, yogurt and some nuts or wrap a slice of turkey and cheese in a tortilla."
Since we all are time crunched in the early hours, there are ways to start the day without skipping the most important meal, breakfast. While eating anything is better than nothing, there are couple recommendations that will give you what you need to power through your day.
Cereal, but replace the sugary magic marshmallow happy-O's for slightly more mature grownup fair. Whole grain cereals are the healthiest; full of fiber and teamed with skim milk you get a great dose of protein. Add your favorite fruit for more nutrients and a touch of sweetness.
When in real rush, a granola bar, a banana and low-fat string cheese. There isn't anything much quicker than that.
Even the college breakfast staple cold pizza is better than nothing. (While this wasn't eDiet's favorite recommendation, in a pinch, this will work. Just don't make pizza for breakfast a habit.)
So let's all start tomorrow with a good and energizing breakfast. Scanning my pantry I noticed I have couple boxes of Fiber One cereal...pretty good, huh?
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Being thin with all costs?
In the same category as the previous posting, I have noticed a Hollywood trend. If it's not an eating disorder, the people we are looking up too as models of beauty are using very non conventional methods to staying thin. And besides all types of drugs (legal or not) smoking is one of the main things actresses are doing to stay thin.
While bulimia and anorexia have terrible effects on the body in very short time, just because it takes a long time to see the bad effects of smoking it doesn't mean there are none. I have to admit, I used to smoke back in undergrad since it seems that there nothing else better to do. But it wasn't as bad as when I started Grad School in the US. Of course, when you see the young Hollywood skinny and walking around with a cigarette in their hand, is going to make a strong impression in a young girl's mind.
Is it worth ruining your health just to be skinny?
At that time I would had preferred to go smoke a cigarette with my roommate than go to dinner. Plus coming from an European country where everyone smokes it didn't come up as a very bad thing I was doing to my body. So, that year I lost about 20 pounds and I can say I was addicted. But, after meeting my boyfriend who's a health and exercise freak I gave up smoking and with that came these extra 40 pounds I am carrying around. But I don't blame my weight gain only on giving up smoking, there were lots of other reasons my weight piled up.
But I surpassed the phase of trying to be skinny with any price. And to be honest, the commercials on TV about the bad effects of smoking kinda scared me. And for everyone who's reading this blog, smoking is not always working. I do know overweight people that smoke like chimneys.
So I am trying to be thinner, but not at the cost of my lungs, my skin and my appearance.
I know it's hard to give up smoking, but I did it and I am working towards a better, healthier me. All you have to do, like with any addiction is to replace it with another healthier addiction. I learned now :)
So let's try to be thin and healthy!
While bulimia and anorexia have terrible effects on the body in very short time, just because it takes a long time to see the bad effects of smoking it doesn't mean there are none. I have to admit, I used to smoke back in undergrad since it seems that there nothing else better to do. But it wasn't as bad as when I started Grad School in the US. Of course, when you see the young Hollywood skinny and walking around with a cigarette in their hand, is going to make a strong impression in a young girl's mind.
Is it worth ruining your health just to be skinny?
At that time I would had preferred to go smoke a cigarette with my roommate than go to dinner. Plus coming from an European country where everyone smokes it didn't come up as a very bad thing I was doing to my body. So, that year I lost about 20 pounds and I can say I was addicted. But, after meeting my boyfriend who's a health and exercise freak I gave up smoking and with that came these extra 40 pounds I am carrying around. But I don't blame my weight gain only on giving up smoking, there were lots of other reasons my weight piled up.
But I surpassed the phase of trying to be skinny with any price. And to be honest, the commercials on TV about the bad effects of smoking kinda scared me. And for everyone who's reading this blog, smoking is not always working. I do know overweight people that smoke like chimneys.
So I am trying to be thinner, but not at the cost of my lungs, my skin and my appearance.
I know it's hard to give up smoking, but I did it and I am working towards a better, healthier me. All you have to do, like with any addiction is to replace it with another healthier addiction. I learned now :)
So let's try to be thin and healthy!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
To eat or not to eat...
I was watching a show on E today called "Celebrity Crises/Mental Illness" and on 3 and 4 in Hollywood crises or mental illnesses were anorexia and bulimia, both dealing with body image issues and high profile actresses suffering from these mental diseases. Now I know I've been looking at this way too superficial and in my head I was thinking that maybe an eating disorder would be the answer to my fat problems. But I am too fond of food to be anorexic and no matter how much I try I cannot induce vomiting for the life of me. Which now sounds better.
I didn't know it was so bad. I did a short research and found out that there were lots of actresses and models suffering of one of these diseases, and when models are dying to maintain an emaciated figure I am convinced now that the slow road is probably the best. No fad diets, not starving even though the results are fast and amazing, and let's not forget, short lived.
So healthy lifestyle, here I come.
I didn't know it was so bad. I did a short research and found out that there were lots of actresses and models suffering of one of these diseases, and when models are dying to maintain an emaciated figure I am convinced now that the slow road is probably the best. No fad diets, not starving even though the results are fast and amazing, and let's not forget, short lived.
So healthy lifestyle, here I come.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Late night hunger...how to deal with it without midnight snacking?
Ok, so I've been really good, planning my days meals, especially my evening meals. Now, I have a small problem, at around 11 pm I get so hungry, that sometimes there is no way to not snack on something. When I am very good and I have fruits around, I would grab some watermelon, small carrots or an apple.
I searched online and some people advise to just drink water when late night hunger tries you...well, I don't know how that works for somebody else, but I had some really bad nights because of that. Not only I felt the hunger still being there, but I would wake up every couple hours to use the restroom and wake up more tired than I went to sleep.
Somebody was saying that you should do couple sit ups or any type of exercise that would get your thoughts away from food and being hungry. While doing any type of exercise makes you feel good, for me made me forget about being hungry for...hmmm...about 10 minutes.
I just need something that works since I am aware that snacking late might be the main problem why I cannot lose the pounds accumulated in the past 6 years.
I searched online and some people advise to just drink water when late night hunger tries you...well, I don't know how that works for somebody else, but I had some really bad nights because of that. Not only I felt the hunger still being there, but I would wake up every couple hours to use the restroom and wake up more tired than I went to sleep.
Somebody was saying that you should do couple sit ups or any type of exercise that would get your thoughts away from food and being hungry. While doing any type of exercise makes you feel good, for me made me forget about being hungry for...hmmm...about 10 minutes.
I just need something that works since I am aware that snacking late might be the main problem why I cannot lose the pounds accumulated in the past 6 years.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
7 foods you should never eat if you want to be healthy! (my take on it)
So while I have no problem avoiding Chicken Nuggets, Sugary Cereals, some of the Processed Meats, I have to admit, I would eat a doughnut once in a very long while, but definetely I would not deliberately go and buy doughnuts.
One thing I am guilty of, is the cheeseburger and fries occasionally and no matter how bad I know it is, I still can't let my boyfriend eat the whole thing by himself.
And, Oscar Mayer's Lunchables? I had no idea it was that bad, especially since they are marketed to attract kids. How would you explain your kid that they are not good for them?
But the thing that surprised me the most was the soups section. I had been eating as dinner one of those Progresso low sodium soups, and the fact that the whole can was around 220 to 250 calories gave me hope. I guess you never know.
One thing I am guilty of, is the cheeseburger and fries occasionally and no matter how bad I know it is, I still can't let my boyfriend eat the whole thing by himself.
And, Oscar Mayer's Lunchables? I had no idea it was that bad, especially since they are marketed to attract kids. How would you explain your kid that they are not good for them?
But the thing that surprised me the most was the soups section. I had been eating as dinner one of those Progresso low sodium soups, and the fact that the whole can was around 220 to 250 calories gave me hope. I guess you never know.
Monday, August 11, 2008
7 foods you should never eat if you want to be healthy!
I found this post on the eDiets site and since couple of those forbidden foods took me by surprise, I figured I should share it with every one. Please let me know your thoughts!
There will always be those fattening foods that are easy to make, easy to get, and easy to crave. You think "OK, I know this is bad but it can't be that bad!" Think again. Here are the top seven foods you should never ever feed your family or yourself!
1. Doughnuts It's hard to resist the smell of a Krispy Kreme doughnut, which is why I never step foot in the store. Doughnuts are fried chock-full of sugar and white flour and loads of trans fat.
According to the Krispy Kreme Web site, an average 3.5-ounce sugar doughnut weighs in with about 400 calories and contains few other nutrients besides fat. These sugary treats may satisfy your craving but it won't satisfy your hunger as most of the calories come from fat.
"Eating a lot of refined sugar contributes to blood sugar 'swings' or extreme fluctuations," Nutritionist Susan Burke said.
2. Cheeseburger with fries The age-old classic may be delicious but think twice before sinking your teeth into that Whopper. The saturated fat found in cheese burgers has been linked to heart attacks, strokes and some types of cancer.
"In fact, fast-food portions are gargantuan, almost double the calories per meal compared to 20 years ago," Susan says. "Twenty years ago the average fast-food cheeseburger had about 300 calories. Today's BK Whopper with Cheese has 720. To burn the excess 420 calories, you'd have to run for 40 minutes. For example, in 1985 a medium French fry had 240 calories, 2.4 ounces. Today's "medium" is 6.9 ounces and 610 calories.
"This fast-food meal of cheeseburger and fries has way too many calories and fat grams, not to mention grams of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol and sodium."
Let's break down this meal. First, take the white-flour bun (refined carbohydrates), then add some processed cheese (saturated fat and trans fat, plus lots of additives and preservatives) and then top off with fried red meat (cholesterol and saturated fats). And let's not forget about the condiments such as the always fattening mayonnaise.
Not sounding so appetizing anymore, huh? Oh, and let's not forget about the infamous side dish. You cheeseburger will most likely come with a side of French fries, which is sadly the most popular vegetable dish in the U.S. Don't kid yourself, French fries are not vegetables, they are extremely high in fat and contain a tiny amount of nutrients.
3. Fried Chicken and Chicken Nuggets. Foods cooked in highly heated oils (most notably partially hydrogenated oil) have been known to cause cancer, weight gain and other serious health risks if ingested regularly. A 10-piece chicken McNugget from McDonald's has 420 calories, 24 grams of fat and 1120 milligrams of sodium. One Extra Crispy Chicken Breast from KFC has around 420 calories and eight grams of saturated fat. So unless you want to super size yourself, it's best to make a clean break with fried foods.
4. Oscar Mayer's Lunchables. Sure they are convenient and easy , but boy are they unhealthy! These kid-marketed lunches are loaded with saturated fat and sodium. They usually contain highly processed meats and cheeses, white flour crackers and sugary treats. Lunchables get two-thirds of their calories from fat and sugar. And they provide lopsided nutrition since they contain no fruits or vegetables.
"They insidiously promote obesity by making kids think that lunch normally comes in a cellophane-wrapped box," Susan says. "Parents are promoting their children's obesity by buying these items. They're expensive, too. Pack a sandwich and save dollars and health."
5. Sugary Cereal Not all cereals are created equally. And while your kids might beg for the latest cookie or marshmallow chocolate surprise cereals, it is a safe bet they are about as healthy as a dessert. Keywords to look out for are puffed, dyed and sweetened.
Most kids' cereals are so highly processed they no longer look like the grains they were originally made from. A healthy alternative is oatmeal. Although, if you are buying pre-packaged oatmeal make sure to check the label and see how much sugar it contains, you might be surprised.
"A little sugar isn't a problem but when the first ingredient on the box is sugar, then watch out," she said. "There is no fruit in Froot Loops. But the unsweetened original Cheerios or Rice Krispies are fine, and you can sweeten them naturally with blueberries and strawberries."
6. Processed Meats. What falls under the category of processed meats? Hot dogs, sausage, jerky, bacon, certain lunch meats and meats used in canned soup products. Almost all processed meats have sodium nitrite added as a preservative.
A recent study conducted at the University of Hawaii found that sodium nitrite can act as "a precursor to highly carcinogenic nitrosamines -- potent cancer-causing chemicals that accelerate the formation and growth of cancer cells throughout the body." So eliminate these meats from your diet before they eliminate you!
7. Canned soup. Sometimes regarded as a healthy food, soups can be very deceiving. You must stay on your guard because many canned soups have high levels of trans fats, sodium and artificial preservatives such as MSG. Just one serving (which is roughly one cup) can have almost 1,000 milligrams of salt. Also, steer clear of soups that are cream-based, they can be high in calories and fat.
Susan says it is important to "read labels from back to front. Ignore the health claims, and instead focus on the ingredients and serving size. Watch out for hydrogenated fat (trans fat) and sodium. If you're buying bread to go with you soup, the first ingredient should be whole grain -- either whole wheat, rye or other grain. If it just says 'wheat bread,' that doesn't mean whole wheat."
There will always be those fattening foods that are easy to make, easy to get, and easy to crave. You think "OK, I know this is bad but it can't be that bad!" Think again. Here are the top seven foods you should never ever feed your family or yourself!
1. Doughnuts It's hard to resist the smell of a Krispy Kreme doughnut, which is why I never step foot in the store. Doughnuts are fried chock-full of sugar and white flour and loads of trans fat.
According to the Krispy Kreme Web site, an average 3.5-ounce sugar doughnut weighs in with about 400 calories and contains few other nutrients besides fat. These sugary treats may satisfy your craving but it won't satisfy your hunger as most of the calories come from fat.
"Eating a lot of refined sugar contributes to blood sugar 'swings' or extreme fluctuations," Nutritionist Susan Burke said.
2. Cheeseburger with fries The age-old classic may be delicious but think twice before sinking your teeth into that Whopper. The saturated fat found in cheese burgers has been linked to heart attacks, strokes and some types of cancer.
"In fact, fast-food portions are gargantuan, almost double the calories per meal compared to 20 years ago," Susan says. "Twenty years ago the average fast-food cheeseburger had about 300 calories. Today's BK Whopper with Cheese has 720. To burn the excess 420 calories, you'd have to run for 40 minutes. For example, in 1985 a medium French fry had 240 calories, 2.4 ounces. Today's "medium" is 6.9 ounces and 610 calories.
"This fast-food meal of cheeseburger and fries has way too many calories and fat grams, not to mention grams of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol and sodium."
Let's break down this meal. First, take the white-flour bun (refined carbohydrates), then add some processed cheese (saturated fat and trans fat, plus lots of additives and preservatives) and then top off with fried red meat (cholesterol and saturated fats). And let's not forget about the condiments such as the always fattening mayonnaise.
Not sounding so appetizing anymore, huh? Oh, and let's not forget about the infamous side dish. You cheeseburger will most likely come with a side of French fries, which is sadly the most popular vegetable dish in the U.S. Don't kid yourself, French fries are not vegetables, they are extremely high in fat and contain a tiny amount of nutrients.
3. Fried Chicken and Chicken Nuggets. Foods cooked in highly heated oils (most notably partially hydrogenated oil) have been known to cause cancer, weight gain and other serious health risks if ingested regularly. A 10-piece chicken McNugget from McDonald's has 420 calories, 24 grams of fat and 1120 milligrams of sodium. One Extra Crispy Chicken Breast from KFC has around 420 calories and eight grams of saturated fat. So unless you want to super size yourself, it's best to make a clean break with fried foods.
4. Oscar Mayer's Lunchables. Sure they are convenient and easy , but boy are they unhealthy! These kid-marketed lunches are loaded with saturated fat and sodium. They usually contain highly processed meats and cheeses, white flour crackers and sugary treats. Lunchables get two-thirds of their calories from fat and sugar. And they provide lopsided nutrition since they contain no fruits or vegetables.
"They insidiously promote obesity by making kids think that lunch normally comes in a cellophane-wrapped box," Susan says. "Parents are promoting their children's obesity by buying these items. They're expensive, too. Pack a sandwich and save dollars and health."
5. Sugary Cereal Not all cereals are created equally. And while your kids might beg for the latest cookie or marshmallow chocolate surprise cereals, it is a safe bet they are about as healthy as a dessert. Keywords to look out for are puffed, dyed and sweetened.
Most kids' cereals are so highly processed they no longer look like the grains they were originally made from. A healthy alternative is oatmeal. Although, if you are buying pre-packaged oatmeal make sure to check the label and see how much sugar it contains, you might be surprised.
"A little sugar isn't a problem but when the first ingredient on the box is sugar, then watch out," she said. "There is no fruit in Froot Loops. But the unsweetened original Cheerios or Rice Krispies are fine, and you can sweeten them naturally with blueberries and strawberries."
6. Processed Meats. What falls under the category of processed meats? Hot dogs, sausage, jerky, bacon, certain lunch meats and meats used in canned soup products. Almost all processed meats have sodium nitrite added as a preservative.
A recent study conducted at the University of Hawaii found that sodium nitrite can act as "a precursor to highly carcinogenic nitrosamines -- potent cancer-causing chemicals that accelerate the formation and growth of cancer cells throughout the body." So eliminate these meats from your diet before they eliminate you!
7. Canned soup. Sometimes regarded as a healthy food, soups can be very deceiving. You must stay on your guard because many canned soups have high levels of trans fats, sodium and artificial preservatives such as MSG. Just one serving (which is roughly one cup) can have almost 1,000 milligrams of salt. Also, steer clear of soups that are cream-based, they can be high in calories and fat.
Susan says it is important to "read labels from back to front. Ignore the health claims, and instead focus on the ingredients and serving size. Watch out for hydrogenated fat (trans fat) and sodium. If you're buying bread to go with you soup, the first ingredient should be whole grain -- either whole wheat, rye or other grain. If it just says 'wheat bread,' that doesn't mean whole wheat."
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Drink yourself thin! To our health!
This is an advice for everyone who wants to change their life around, start living healthy and, why not, lose some weight in the process, including me. And that is: drink lots of water. I don't know how much you should drink, just carry a waterbottle wherever you are going. Most of the times people "feel" hungry, is mostly water that they are deprived of, and not food. So make this healthy habit of carrying a waterbottle wherever you go. So many times we are tempted by the vending machines, but what those vending machines are selling are empty, useless calories. If you are addicted (and if you are drinking more than one can of soft drink a day, you are addicted) try replacing it with diet soda, and cut back in time, but the best would be to replace soda with water, green tea or any healthier drink you can think of, without drinking empty calories.
Concluding today's post: drink lots of water, try giving up soft drinks, cappucinos, frapucinos, iced coffees are loaded with fat calories, so limit your intake.
So let's take all a sip of healthy liquid of life: To our Health!
Concluding today's post: drink lots of water, try giving up soft drinks, cappucinos, frapucinos, iced coffees are loaded with fat calories, so limit your intake.
So let's take all a sip of healthy liquid of life: To our Health!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Think Thin!
I found this post on another site and I figured I should share it.
10 Ways to Think Yourself Thinner
By Cecilia H. Lee
There are no substitutes for eating healthy and regular exercise, but experts say that your frame of mind and your attitude can make a huge difference to your weight loss success. Of course, we're not suggesting hypnosis or any of that silly voodoo. We're talking about cutting out the "mental fat"—the negative thoughts and emotional baggage we carry around that keep us from being able to shed the physical fat.
It's easy for us to make excuses for not getting healthier. Whether it be emotional problems, work-related stresses, or family pressures, something will always get in the way of eating better and making time to exercise.
Just as losing weight and getting healthier won't happen overnight, improving your thought process will take time as well. Be patient with yourself and work at it a little bit at a time. Below we've outlined 10 methods you can use to help
you think better, smarter, healthier, and thinner!
1. Visualize yourself thin. Imagine how you'll look 6 to 12 months down the line. If you have old pictures of your thinner self, dig them out and put them up in a prominent place (like the refrigerator or on a bulletin board in your office). Remember how you felt back then. What habits did you have then that allowed you to be healthier? See if you can incorporate your better habits from the past back into your lifestyle now. Remember to see yourself in a positive light.
Having a positive attitude and being happy with yourself will be helpful in achieving your health goals.
2. Make a list. List specific reasons why you want to lose weight. Perhaps you want to be more attractive to a certain someone, maybe you want to be able to fit into your old clothes again, or maybe you'd just like to have more energy.
Whatever your personal reasons, great or small, write them all down on an index card. Look at your list every morning and carry it around in your wallet or purse. On the back of the card, write down motivating phrases to give yourself
encouragement.
Think about activities you wish you could do that you can't do because of your weight. If you can, cut out a picture of that activity from a magazine and hang it near your desk (or somewhere else that's visible), so that you'll have something to look forward to.
3. Identify self-sabotaging thoughts. Pay attention to your negative thoughts. We all have them. They may be something like "This is too difficult," "I'll never be able to lose this much weight," or "I'm too tired." You can't stop them from entering your head but you can learn to respond to them constructively.
Don't be overly critical of yourself—focusing on your negative aspects while minimizing your positive ones. Just because you feel or believe something doesn't actually make it true. Of course, there are no wrong or bad emotions, but identifying why something makes you feel bad can help prevent those situations in the future. If you get in the habit of identifying your self-sabotaging thoughts, you can nip them in the bud before they blow up into an ugly depression.
4. Distract yourself from cravings. Create a list of things you can do to distract yourself from tempting food. Perhaps you can read a book, flip through a magazine, or play a video game. Or better yet, go for a walk or pop in an exercise DVD. The next time a craving comes up, do one or two things on your list.
You may have to do more, but eventually the craving will pass. Cravings will pass 100 percent of the time.
5. Create small goals for yourself. Write down a list of tiny things you can do to improve your lifestyle. We all know that it's difficult to make huge changes to our lifestyles. So try accomplishing smaller goals. Try doing some
of the activities listed below.
* Take a 30-minute walk in the afternoon.
* Eat one more serving of fruits or vegetables today.
* Forgo that soda or glass of wine and just have a
tall glass of ice water.
* Order a side salad instead of those french fries.
6. Replace old habits with new ones. It's easier to replace an old habit with a new habit than it is to break an old one altogether. For instance, if you have a sandwich every day for lunch, choose low-fat turkey on wheat and skip the mayonnaise.
Have plain or sparkling water instead of a regular sugared or diet soda. If you like to have an afternoon snack, grab an apple or a handful of your favorite nuts instead of a candy bar. There are so many ways you can replace even entrenched bad habits with healthier good ones. Be creative and have fun with it.
7. Keep a journal. Get a little notebook and keep a log of your weight. This way you can determine what is and isn't working and track the progress you make. Also, write down what you eat. Keeping track of the foods you eat will
help show patterns. You may not have realized that you eat ice cream right out of the freezer every night after dinner, but your journal will keep you honest. Just knowing that you're going to write down what you've been eating may keep you from
reaching for that extra serving of mashed potatoes.
8. Plan for the future. Every night before you go to bed, plan for the next day. Whether it be scheduling exercise in your calendar or prepacking healthy snacks (like fresh fruit, cut veggies, or low-fat popcorn), get ready for tomorrow.
This also applies to grocery shopping. Make a list before you go grocery shopping that includes fresh fruits and vegetables you like. Replace calorie-heavy, fatty foods like chips and cookies with baked crackers or dried fruit.
Armed with a plan and tools to help you maintain that plan, you'll have an easier time meeting your goals.
9. Be nice to yourself. When you've been good, do something nice for yourself. Reward yourself with something you enjoy (but not with food rewards, of course!). Perhaps you can enjoy a trip to a movie theatre, buy yourself a new book,
or go for a foot massage.
For instance, if you walked up the stairs to work this morning, treat yourself to a bit of Internet surfing or an online game before tackling your job. If you've lost 5 pounds, reward yourself with a new haircut. Whatever you do, give yourself rewards proportional to the goals you accomplish.
10. Surround yourself with support. We all need emotional support, especially when times get tough. Find friends and family to help you. You may even be able to find a diet buddy or join a support group. Many studies show that having a healthy social
network is better for your overall health. Dieters who have friends and family pulling for them achieve better success than those who try to go it alone.
So pick up the phone, call a friend, and flex those mental muscles. Many happy thoughts to you!
10 Ways to Think Yourself Thinner
By Cecilia H. Lee
There are no substitutes for eating healthy and regular exercise, but experts say that your frame of mind and your attitude can make a huge difference to your weight loss success. Of course, we're not suggesting hypnosis or any of that silly voodoo. We're talking about cutting out the "mental fat"—the negative thoughts and emotional baggage we carry around that keep us from being able to shed the physical fat.
It's easy for us to make excuses for not getting healthier. Whether it be emotional problems, work-related stresses, or family pressures, something will always get in the way of eating better and making time to exercise.
Just as losing weight and getting healthier won't happen overnight, improving your thought process will take time as well. Be patient with yourself and work at it a little bit at a time. Below we've outlined 10 methods you can use to help
you think better, smarter, healthier, and thinner!
1. Visualize yourself thin. Imagine how you'll look 6 to 12 months down the line. If you have old pictures of your thinner self, dig them out and put them up in a prominent place (like the refrigerator or on a bulletin board in your office). Remember how you felt back then. What habits did you have then that allowed you to be healthier? See if you can incorporate your better habits from the past back into your lifestyle now. Remember to see yourself in a positive light.
Having a positive attitude and being happy with yourself will be helpful in achieving your health goals.
2. Make a list. List specific reasons why you want to lose weight. Perhaps you want to be more attractive to a certain someone, maybe you want to be able to fit into your old clothes again, or maybe you'd just like to have more energy.
Whatever your personal reasons, great or small, write them all down on an index card. Look at your list every morning and carry it around in your wallet or purse. On the back of the card, write down motivating phrases to give yourself
encouragement.
Think about activities you wish you could do that you can't do because of your weight. If you can, cut out a picture of that activity from a magazine and hang it near your desk (or somewhere else that's visible), so that you'll have something to look forward to.
3. Identify self-sabotaging thoughts. Pay attention to your negative thoughts. We all have them. They may be something like "This is too difficult," "I'll never be able to lose this much weight," or "I'm too tired." You can't stop them from entering your head but you can learn to respond to them constructively.
Don't be overly critical of yourself—focusing on your negative aspects while minimizing your positive ones. Just because you feel or believe something doesn't actually make it true. Of course, there are no wrong or bad emotions, but identifying why something makes you feel bad can help prevent those situations in the future. If you get in the habit of identifying your self-sabotaging thoughts, you can nip them in the bud before they blow up into an ugly depression.
4. Distract yourself from cravings. Create a list of things you can do to distract yourself from tempting food. Perhaps you can read a book, flip through a magazine, or play a video game. Or better yet, go for a walk or pop in an exercise DVD. The next time a craving comes up, do one or two things on your list.
You may have to do more, but eventually the craving will pass. Cravings will pass 100 percent of the time.
5. Create small goals for yourself. Write down a list of tiny things you can do to improve your lifestyle. We all know that it's difficult to make huge changes to our lifestyles. So try accomplishing smaller goals. Try doing some
of the activities listed below.
* Take a 30-minute walk in the afternoon.
* Eat one more serving of fruits or vegetables today.
* Forgo that soda or glass of wine and just have a
tall glass of ice water.
* Order a side salad instead of those french fries.
6. Replace old habits with new ones. It's easier to replace an old habit with a new habit than it is to break an old one altogether. For instance, if you have a sandwich every day for lunch, choose low-fat turkey on wheat and skip the mayonnaise.
Have plain or sparkling water instead of a regular sugared or diet soda. If you like to have an afternoon snack, grab an apple or a handful of your favorite nuts instead of a candy bar. There are so many ways you can replace even entrenched bad habits with healthier good ones. Be creative and have fun with it.
7. Keep a journal. Get a little notebook and keep a log of your weight. This way you can determine what is and isn't working and track the progress you make. Also, write down what you eat. Keeping track of the foods you eat will
help show patterns. You may not have realized that you eat ice cream right out of the freezer every night after dinner, but your journal will keep you honest. Just knowing that you're going to write down what you've been eating may keep you from
reaching for that extra serving of mashed potatoes.
8. Plan for the future. Every night before you go to bed, plan for the next day. Whether it be scheduling exercise in your calendar or prepacking healthy snacks (like fresh fruit, cut veggies, or low-fat popcorn), get ready for tomorrow.
This also applies to grocery shopping. Make a list before you go grocery shopping that includes fresh fruits and vegetables you like. Replace calorie-heavy, fatty foods like chips and cookies with baked crackers or dried fruit.
Armed with a plan and tools to help you maintain that plan, you'll have an easier time meeting your goals.
9. Be nice to yourself. When you've been good, do something nice for yourself. Reward yourself with something you enjoy (but not with food rewards, of course!). Perhaps you can enjoy a trip to a movie theatre, buy yourself a new book,
or go for a foot massage.
For instance, if you walked up the stairs to work this morning, treat yourself to a bit of Internet surfing or an online game before tackling your job. If you've lost 5 pounds, reward yourself with a new haircut. Whatever you do, give yourself rewards proportional to the goals you accomplish.
10. Surround yourself with support. We all need emotional support, especially when times get tough. Find friends and family to help you. You may even be able to find a diet buddy or join a support group. Many studies show that having a healthy social
network is better for your overall health. Dieters who have friends and family pulling for them achieve better success than those who try to go it alone.
So pick up the phone, call a friend, and flex those mental muscles. Many happy thoughts to you!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Counting calories or keeping a food diary? (part deux)
I promised I will look over my past week food diary...I guess I postponed it as much as I could, so here it is:
Wednesday: Breakfast: coffee, lowfat yogurt with a Fiber One bar
Lunch: Turkey and Swiss on whole wheat bread
Snack: one peach
Dinner: Pita baked chips with hummus, sandwich with ham and cheese and a low sugar chocolate Jello cup (60 calories) ,
Thursday: Breakfast: coffee (always with sweetener) with a cereal bar (one of the 90 calories with 2 g of fiber)
Lunch: a huge salad with grilled chicken and a table spoon of ranch dressing
Snack: another cereal bar...only 90 calories
Dinner: 7 pita chips (this time I counted...and they are huge!) with hummus, and I got hungry again in half hour and I ate half of a spinach and feta lowcarb (crustless)quiche
Friday: Breakfast: same coffee, oatmeal muffin and a peach
Lunch: stir fry with ground beef (drained fat)
Snack: a cup of gazpacho soup
Dinner: a sandwich with cheese and ham and the last 5 pita chips with hummus
Ok, that's enough...I am already embarassed by the huge quantities I am eating, especially at night. I knew from before that this is my main problem...my dinner is the largest meal of the day and it shouldn't be. I know the reason. I have to plan my food when I'm at work, either I buy lunch or I bring it from home, but so far I never planned for dinner.
This week I started planning the meals for the entire day and I have been very good.
So here is the second step towards a healthy long life. Plan ahead! If you're scheduling entire's day meals and prepare everything in advance, there are fewer chances that you'll pig out or eat something on the impulse of the moment. Like I said this is not a diet, but more like a lifestyle.
Wednesday: Breakfast: coffee, lowfat yogurt with a Fiber One bar
Lunch: Turkey and Swiss on whole wheat bread
Snack: one peach
Dinner: Pita baked chips with hummus, sandwich with ham and cheese and a low sugar chocolate Jello cup (60 calories) ,
Thursday: Breakfast: coffee (always with sweetener) with a cereal bar (one of the 90 calories with 2 g of fiber)
Lunch: a huge salad with grilled chicken and a table spoon of ranch dressing
Snack: another cereal bar...only 90 calories
Dinner: 7 pita chips (this time I counted...and they are huge!) with hummus, and I got hungry again in half hour and I ate half of a spinach and feta lowcarb (crustless)quiche
Friday: Breakfast: same coffee, oatmeal muffin and a peach
Lunch: stir fry with ground beef (drained fat)
Snack: a cup of gazpacho soup
Dinner: a sandwich with cheese and ham and the last 5 pita chips with hummus
Ok, that's enough...I am already embarassed by the huge quantities I am eating, especially at night. I knew from before that this is my main problem...my dinner is the largest meal of the day and it shouldn't be. I know the reason. I have to plan my food when I'm at work, either I buy lunch or I bring it from home, but so far I never planned for dinner.
This week I started planning the meals for the entire day and I have been very good.
So here is the second step towards a healthy long life. Plan ahead! If you're scheduling entire's day meals and prepare everything in advance, there are fewer chances that you'll pig out or eat something on the impulse of the moment. Like I said this is not a diet, but more like a lifestyle.
We are living in a tired world
I have recently wondered if there is any happy soul left on this world. And I don't mean the permanently "happy" people or the totally religious, completely disconnected from reality people. I still don't know the answer to this question, but what I've figured out is that the world is tired... is in dire need of a vacation.
Walking to work this morning I watched the faces of the students and hospital employees. No smiles, no happy chatting, and it wasn't too early too believe that people were still asleep. But I got clued in when I heard a conversation between the security guard and the lady at the coffee stand, when the lady selling coffee was looking exhausted and the guard told her that she really needs a vacation. And I thought I was the only one... I just realized that it doesn't matter what you do, everyone is overworked and tired. What have we done to this society? Does this have a purpose and a finality? What do we work so hard for? Definetely not for hapiness.
Walking to work this morning I watched the faces of the students and hospital employees. No smiles, no happy chatting, and it wasn't too early too believe that people were still asleep. But I got clued in when I heard a conversation between the security guard and the lady at the coffee stand, when the lady selling coffee was looking exhausted and the guard told her that she really needs a vacation. And I thought I was the only one... I just realized that it doesn't matter what you do, everyone is overworked and tired. What have we done to this society? Does this have a purpose and a finality? What do we work so hard for? Definetely not for hapiness.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Back to reality
I have just came back from visiting my old house and my old friends, and even though I didn't do anything special, it felt so good being "home". Transitioning from student life to grown up is hard and maybe I am hanging on the memories but it was a big chunk of my life and they are precious parts of me. Just wanted to say thank you to all my friends. I am who I am because of you.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Counting calories or keeping a food diary?
First step in getting healthy and happy with your body is to locate the problem. This is not dieting, is seting yourself up for a life of well-being. So let's start with the beginning. I saw this in an weightloss article and I figured I should share it with everyone, especially since it makes sens for me:
"Now, the best kept secret, the key to success: keep a food diary. You probably didn't expect this, but the true way to a healthy you, especially if you are overweight and you want to lose weight, without starving yourself, without counting calories, WITHOUT DIETING, is keeping a food diary. In the first day of new found health (and I mean today) do this exercize: before going to sleep take a piece a paper and try writing down everything you ate today. If you can, calculate (roughly) the calories your day added to your body. You will be surprised. Not in a good way.Tomorrow when you'll pick that piece of candy that helps your 4 pm sugar craving, you'll remember the diary... In couple days you'll just forget about it because those hundreds of calories have absolutely no place in your daily dairy.You will see, in time you will be aware of what you eat, what effect that food has on you and making the healthy choice will be so easy.So start you food diary today and get that healthy lifestyle you always wanted."
"Now, the best kept secret, the key to success: keep a food diary. You probably didn't expect this, but the true way to a healthy you, especially if you are overweight and you want to lose weight, without starving yourself, without counting calories, WITHOUT DIETING, is keeping a food diary. In the first day of new found health (and I mean today) do this exercize: before going to sleep take a piece a paper and try writing down everything you ate today. If you can, calculate (roughly) the calories your day added to your body. You will be surprised. Not in a good way.Tomorrow when you'll pick that piece of candy that helps your 4 pm sugar craving, you'll remember the diary... In couple days you'll just forget about it because those hundreds of calories have absolutely no place in your daily dairy.You will see, in time you will be aware of what you eat, what effect that food has on you and making the healthy choice will be so easy.So start you food diary today and get that healthy lifestyle you always wanted."
Monday, July 28, 2008
If you are like me, and you need to lose a couple of pounds, you probably looked up every possible way to lose weight, you tried every diet and workout. You found so many diets and no way to sort through all of them. You ended up trying a bunch of them with short-time results and from here the yo-yo dieting.Do you still believe in the miracle pill? I don't anymore. Let's be honest, the best reaction when you find a diet that says that you won't have to change your eating habits and the pounds will just melt away just by taking a pill, is to run and never look back.To every real weightloss program there are two sides: dieting-or better let's call it: changing your eating habits, and working out-which can be high intensity including cardio and weight lifting, or just maintenance like stretching and breathing execisesLet me tell you what is the biggest secret of losing weight:consistency.
People expect fast results and they don't really want to change their habits. This is a completely wrong approach. I have tried all the "easy" pills and patches with absolutely no result.I ended up more dissapointed than before. So don't set yourself up for failure. Pick a diet that seems reasonable and an exercise program that you can do for a longer time and go with it. It may look difficult at times, but hey, what wouldn't we do to lose that weight we carry around?!The best advice I ever received was to set up small goals. It's irrational to say, I want to lose 100 pounds by the end of the month. How about I want to lose 3-5 pounds by the end of the month. I know, it's not much, but that's how you make the commitment of living healthy, and the 5 pounds you lost this month, will add up to the 5 pounds you lose every month to make a healthy you! As a "professional dieter" I ran into lots of myths. What you'll find in this page is an easy way to live that healthy lifestyle that will help everyone )me included) to shed pounds without using the word diet. The answear for our daily struggle is a healthy lifestyle and I will show you step-by-step how to become healthy without dieting. We don't have to give up our favorite foods, we won't have to starve. We will have to locate the problem and fix it. All you have to do is to have a healthy approach and a positive attitude.In the end this is going to be the most complete guide to nutrition, weightloss and healthy living.
People expect fast results and they don't really want to change their habits. This is a completely wrong approach. I have tried all the "easy" pills and patches with absolutely no result.I ended up more dissapointed than before. So don't set yourself up for failure. Pick a diet that seems reasonable and an exercise program that you can do for a longer time and go with it. It may look difficult at times, but hey, what wouldn't we do to lose that weight we carry around?!The best advice I ever received was to set up small goals. It's irrational to say, I want to lose 100 pounds by the end of the month. How about I want to lose 3-5 pounds by the end of the month. I know, it's not much, but that's how you make the commitment of living healthy, and the 5 pounds you lost this month, will add up to the 5 pounds you lose every month to make a healthy you! As a "professional dieter" I ran into lots of myths. What you'll find in this page is an easy way to live that healthy lifestyle that will help everyone )me included) to shed pounds without using the word diet. The answear for our daily struggle is a healthy lifestyle and I will show you step-by-step how to become healthy without dieting. We don't have to give up our favorite foods, we won't have to starve. We will have to locate the problem and fix it. All you have to do is to have a healthy approach and a positive attitude.In the end this is going to be the most complete guide to nutrition, weightloss and healthy living.
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