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Monday, December 19, 2011

Article: Supermarket Drinks to Avoid

Maybe you will think twice before you buy any of these drinks at the grocery store. These drinks are filled with sugar that is just unnecessary.

 It is important to look at the sugar content of your beverages and the amount of calories per serving.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Fruit of the Matter

You know when you go through the cereal aisle at the supermarket and you decide you want to be healthy and get a cereal that has fruit in it versus the sugar cereal you are secretly craving? We all feel that we are doing ourselves a service by getting something with fruit in it, but what the consumer has to be aware of is what that fruit is actually made of.

The photo on the box looks like delicious berries that can be found in the cereal, but those berries just may be globs of flour, sugar and additives.

If there is fruit listed in cereal but it is the fifth or later in the ingredients list then the benefits of the "fruit" are negligible.

If you are trying to keep yourself healthy and would like a cereal that is filling and nutritious stick to simple cereals like shredded wheat or fiber one and add your own fruit. That way you know you are getting the benefits of the fruit you put into your cereal, plus you will feel satiated from its fiber.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

It's the most wonderful time of the year

The holiday season is a happy time, but it can also play a toll on the way you eat. Family gatherings bring lots of food and desserts to the forefront and it is important to know when to stop indulging. 

It is this time of year where you can learn self-control and teach yourself to hold back on everything that is put in front of you. I personally believe the holiday season is a great time to help transition into the new year and bring about a new way food is looked at. 

At meal times look at what is being offered and decide what you want to eat and what you would be eating just because it is there. Remember, do not go overboard on the things you do want to eat. During this season, it is all about portion control and curbing your urge to overeat.  

Just remember, there are always left-overs so whatever you don't eat at one meal you can always eat at another! 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

A Little Zest in your Life

A great way to give some extra flavor to food without adding extra fat and salt is by using the grated rind of limes, oranges or other citrus fruit. The zest of these fruits bring out a great flavor in foods such as rice dishes, meat dishes, sauces and salads.

Citrus fruit zest has an intense flavor with very little bitterness. The bitterness is found in the white pith of the fruit so it is important to zest only the outermost layer of the peel.

Also, remember before you zest to scrub the fruit with a sponge and warm soapy water. The peel should be clean before you zest to avoid and microbes that are on the outer peel.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Simple Ways to Cut Your Calorie Intake Tip #7

My last tip of this series consists of chewing sugar-free gum. Sugar-free gum is an inexpensive snack and it is a great way to curb your appetite and help you stay away from those unwanted calories. The sensation of chewing tricks your body into thinking that it is eating, thereby reducing your cravings for higher caloric snacks.

Chewing sugar-free gum has other benefits including: 
1. Relieving stress
2. Attentiveness/Alertness
3. Improve oral health 
4. Sugar-free gum does not raise blood sugar 

So remember, when you want to reach for a sugar filled snack, opt for a piece of gum instead. 

Monday, October 31, 2011

Simple Ways to Cut Your Calorie Intake Tip #6

This next tip will not only save you calories but will also save you money. Instead of going out to the movies and spending 13 dollars on a movie ticket and then about 10 dollars on popcorn and a drink, you can make your own movie night at home that will be much cozier and healthier.  
Movie theater popcorn can pack 400-1200 calories. To some people that is a days worth of calories, not to mention a lot of sodium! Along with the popcorn, you can add another 300 calories for a sugary soft drink to wash it all down. That is quite a lot of calories just for one outing to the movies. 
Instead I suggest going to the grocery store and picking up a box of the 100-calorie popcorn packs to make in the comfort of your own home. If one pack isn't enough you don't have to feel bad about having a second!  If you want a drink with that stick to water or possibly a flavored seltzer if you want something different. 
At the end of it all, you can save yourself up to 25 dollars and 1000 calories! 


Sunday, October 30, 2011

Simple Ways to Cut Your Calorie Intake Tip #5

This next tip I have been doing for years and is extremely healthy, nutritious and delicious. Concocting your own smoothie at home can save more than 300 calories than those found in restaurant versions. Many restaurant smoothies have juices and extra sugar found in them that attribute to those extra calories. By making your own smoothie you have control of what is put into it and how much is yielded. 

My personal way of making a smoothie consists of:
1 8 oz. dannon vanilla yogurt
4 frozen strawberries
1 small-medium banana


This recipe usually yields about a 12 oz. cup 

The reason I use the word concoct is because you have the freedom of switching up the fruits to whatever you like, but just remember that there is sugar found in fruits so don't go overboard with them! I also make sure to freeze one of the fruits I use to help thicken the smoothie. It is used as a double duty job so I don't have to use ice, which in most cases will water down the smoothie and I personally like my smoothies thicker. In the end, making your own smoothie at home allows you to have fun with what you want in it and the type of consistency that is formed. You make yourself a yummy treat and save on all those unwanted calories!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Simple Ways to Cut Your Calorie Intake Tip #4

Those dairy nights can be a killer on your waistline, from the carb loaded pasta to to the creamy filled sauces. A cup of pasta with Alfredo sauce can run you 500 calories. Instead I suggest a cup of squash spaghetti with some marinara sauce. It's something a bit different but still tasty and it's about 100 calories for the whole meal.

Here are the instructions on how to make spaghetti squash:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2087338_cook-spaghetti-squash.html

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Simple Ways to Cut Your Calorie Intake Tip #3

Tip #3:

If you are a fan of power drinks, then I suggest going for the lighter versions. It can save you up to 250 calories, which can go towards something edible. I have provided you with the calorie content for each of the major brands to see how the regular version stacks up to its counterpart.

Powerade- 50 calories for every 8 fl. oz.
Powerade Zero- 0 calories/8 fl. oz

Gatorade- 50 calories/8 fl. oz.
G2- 20/8 fl. oz.

Vitamin Water- 50 calories/8 fl. oz.
Vitamin Water Zero- 0 calories/8 fl. oz.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Simple Ways to Cut Your Calorie Intake Tip #2

Tip #2 for ways to help shave off calories from your day is not only simple but tasty too!
During the day it's normal to want to pick at some sort of snack so you can curb your appetite in between meals. What better snack then trail mix and what better way to be more aware of what's in your trail mix than to make it yourself.

Store bought trail mix packs are loaded with way too much sugary dried fruit and candy. I miss those days when they were packed with raisins and peanuts. Today a 1/2 cup of the store bought trail mix packs can run you up to 350 calories! To help cut that number in half try making your own trail mix with 1/2 cup of fiber one cereal, 15 peanuts and 15 raisins. Voila you now have a nutritious snack for the day that you won't feel guilty eating!



Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Simple Ways to Cut Your Calorie Intake Tip #1

Over the next couple of days I will be providing you all with some quick and easy ways to help cut your calories for the day. There are so many ways to still enjoy life's little pleasures but in a healthier way.

Tip #1

Added air in food gives you volume without the  added calories. These types of food allow you to eat less but feel like you are eating more. These include your foods that are either puffed, popped or whipped. So here are some replacements for your food choices to save you those calories.

1. Puffed wheat cereal in place of a sugar cereal
2. Yoplait's Whips! in place of its original yogurt blend
3. Popchips in place of rippled potato chips
4. Buttering your bread with whipped butter in place of the stick butter


Monday, October 17, 2011

Stay Seated

Many times when you are standing around you usually start noshing at food and don't stop until you notice that you just went through a full bag of chips. When you have a guest over you sometimes stand by the counter and just start grabbing at food when you weren't even hungry. These actions constitute as mindless eating or grazing. It is very hard for your body to know when you are fully hungry if you keep putting things in your mouth that are in front of you.

I find it very important that you give yourself meal times to eat throughout the day and make sure you sit for those meals and designate a time and place to eat. When you schedule yourself time to sit and eat you will find yourself snacking less, thereby decreasing those unnecessary calories.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Beating the Blues

I would say from experience that the first thing anyone does when they are down is reach for sweets. Anything that can make them feel better in the moment s what they are searching for, whether it be a tub of Ben and Jerry's or a chocolate bar. I would tell you that it is alright to feel down but the best way to feel empowered is not reaching for the things that will only make you feel worse in the long run.

Instead, I say reach for a fruit or vegetable that you can pick at as if you were picking at a sweet. I like grapes or baby carrots because you can take a nice bunch and just pick at them while you are sitting and contemplating in whatever is bringing you down. Food is used for comfort but its the right foods you choose that will make the difference.

At the end of the day keep your chin up and stick to healthy eating!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

The Truth About Probiotics

Probiotics are healthy bacteria that are found in our gut. Probiotics are beneficial for overall digestion and keeping our bodies healthy. Take a look at various sources of probiotics and how they can benefit your body!

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/probiotics-10/slideshow-probiotics?ecd=wnl_day_100411

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Drink before you eat

Many times when someone feels hungry, they are actually thirsty. Before a meal I suggest having a full glass of water. That will fill you up and satiate both your thirst and hunger. By doing so, it will hopefully make you eat less when you actually sit down for that meal.

It's a good tip if you are trying to cut calories and still want that feeling of fullness!

So remember when you just want to run to food, grab a glass of water instead!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Just Cut It Out!

One of the best pieces of advice I got growing up was to cut out all soft drinks (soda) from my diet and to this day I have stuck to it! I will now pass on this advice to all of you to help make a significant change to your diet and lifestyle!


Here are my reasons for why you should cut out soft drinks from your diet, and you can thank me later. 


Regular soda (non-diet) contains way too much sugar that there is constant weight gain in an individual. Sugar is basically empty calories and can contribute to weight gain and diabetes, so that alone should stop anyone from drinking regular soda.


The hard part is try to convince anyone to stop drinking diet soda! I know that diet soda has that sweet taste without the calories but diet soda is still bad for you and here are some reasons why: 


1.  One 12 oz. can of diet soda contains approximately 30-50 mg of sodium. An individual is recommended to have 1500 mg of sodium a day. Someone who drinks diet soda in excess has the risk of consuming far too much sodium. Too much sodium in the diet can lead to heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. 


2. Diet soda contains caffeine. In small amounts caffeine is safe, but caffeine does have side effects including addiction, anxiety and insomnia. 


3. Both regular and diet soda contain phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid and calcium have a balancing act in the body. When you consume too much phosphoric acid it pulls out calcium from your bones to help balance the amount of phosphoric acid in the body. The phosphoric acid leaches calcium from your bones, which can effect bone health. 


I can't force anyone to stop drinking soft drinks, but I can say that it is the simplest change in diet and lifestyle that can make a difference. Not only to someone's diet but their mood and quality of life. 

Monday, August 15, 2011

Your Lucky Number

The amount of calories that are found in one pound of body weight is equal to 3,500 calories.

Through diet and exercise anyone can easily lose a pound a week.

Here are the calculations to understand this concept:

There are 7 days in the week.
If you can cut 500 calories a day,
500 x 7 = 3500 calories,
= 1 pound loss

I understand this idea is easier said than done however there are many ways that someone can cut 500 calories out of their day. Some options are cutting your portions in half, drinking water, eating fewer carbohydrates, and eating more fruits and vegetables.

Exercise is a huge component in cutting those calories down too. Even if you have a bad day eating, you can make it up through exercise!

Feel free to comment on ideas and share with others on ways you can cut 500 calories out of your day!

Friday, August 12, 2011

Understanding your metabolism

Aside from weekly postings I will be posting interesting articles pertaining to various subjects on food and diet.
Below is a link to understanding your metabolism and how diet plays a role in your overall rate of metabolism. 
Enjoy and if there are any questions feel free to ask and I will answer! 

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Knowing your ideal body weight

Before deciding to change anything about ones self I think it is important to figure out what a person's ideal body weight should be. It is a very simple formula that anyone can do if you know your height. It's as simple as that!


For Men: 106 lbs for first 5 feet + 6 lbs for each inch over 5 feet (medium frame)
                Small frame (- 10%), Large frame (+ 10%)

For Women: 100 lbs for first 5 feet + 5 lbs for each inch over 5 feet (medium frame)
                     Small frame (- 10%), Large frame (+ 10%)

Let me give you examples: 
A woman who is 5'3 and has a small frame can have an ideal body weight range anywhere from 103 lbs. to 115 lbs. 


A man who is 5'10 and has a larger frame can have an ideal body weight range anywhere from 166 lbs. to 182 lbs. 

Once someone understands a normal weight range for themselves they can then get an idea of what their goal should be in terms of weight loss. 

It is important to remember that being a healthy weight is much more important than trying to be underweight!  


Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Is this you?


Many people have this perception that they need to look a certain way to get places in life. While there is some truth to that, I believe it is how they get to that place that is most important.
A typical person looking to lose weight will walk into a dietitian’s office and say “write me out exactly what I have to eat and I will follow it so I can lose the weight I want.” That plan may work for some, but a lot of times it will usually backfire on the client if they stray off the “eaten path.” Diet is not just about what we eat but it is about the choices we make for ourselves. Being able to acknowledge and pinpoint certain behaviors an individual has with their eating habits, whether it is emotional or physical, is the first point that needs to be addressed before starting any diet. Lifestyle changes need to be made to successfully reach any goal weight.
I am writing this blog for all those out there that not only need proper food choices, but also how to live your life normally without having to restrict yourself, living a full life. This blog is not about concentrating a bunch of nutrition principles and throwing it all at you at once. This blog is about taking small modest steps getting to a place where an individual feels comfortable with their eating habits.
Hopefully what I have to say will help readers develop new behaviors and lifestyle changes.