First of all, I’d just like to comment that I love the fact that they entitled this particular newsletter “Drop the Pop”, since I was born in Minnesota. Everyone makes fun of us for calling it that, but I’m hearing it more and more these days. In a Spongebob episode, Squidward even called it pop. For all you non-Northerners, that means Soda. For all you Southerners, that means Coke. :)
Anyways, back to the point. I love these articles, and I love sharing them. This one is all about those addictive carbonated beverages. It’s definitely a subject that I’m familiar with. My dad is pretty addicted to Mountain Dew. He’s tried several different diets before, but nothing has worked because he won’t ditch the pop/soda/coke. I myself used to also drink at least one can a day, but when I first went on a diet, I quit cold turkey, drank nothing but water, and never looked back.
I think it’s pretty common knowledge now-a-days that pop/soda/coke isn’t good for you, and definitely is something you need to ditch if you’re trying to lose weight, but for those who struggle, this article should give you a different outlook.
Top 10 Reasons to Give Up Soda
By Steve Edwards
If you’re looking for a scapegoat in the obesity epidemic, look no further than soda. It’s the single greatest caloric source in the world, accounting for somewhere between 11 and 19 percent of all the calories consumed worldwide. It’s cheap, addictive, and readily available, which generally means that it will take some willpower to avoid. But don’t despair, as we are here to help. We present: our top 10 reasons to give up soda. Drumroll please …
1.Soda may cause cancer. According to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, consuming two or more soft drinks per week increased the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by nearly twofold compared to individuals who did not consume soft drinks. As reported, the study “followed 60,524 men and women in the Singapore Chinese Health Study for 14 years. During that time, there were 140 pancreatic cancer cases. Those who consumed two or more soft drinks per week (averaging five per week) had an 87 percent increased risk compared with individuals who did not.”
Then why, you’re probably asking yourself, is this number ten on our list and why is soda even still on the shelf? Not that I’d challenge the ability of such large corporate power to hide such a thing but, in this case, the study slit its own throat. As one of the researchers noted, “soft drink consumption in Singapore was associated with several other adverse health behaviors such as smoking and red meat intake, which we can’t accurately control for,” meaning that we have no way of knowing, for sure, if soda was the culprit. Still, it doesn’t hurt to know that when you drink soda it lumps you into a fairly unhealthy user group.1
2.It’s not just about calories. Calories grab headlines, but recent science is showing that diet soda users are still in the crosshairs. A 2005 study by the University of Texas Health Science Center showed that there’s a 41 percent increased risk of being obese—and a 65 percent increased risk of becoming overweight during the next 7 or 8 years—for every can of diet soda a person consumes in a day. Admittedly, this one should be higher on the list, but I wanted to make sure the article-skimming crowd knew the score up front: that diet sodas are very much a part of the problem.
3.It’s the water … and a lot more. Okay, so that was a beer slogan, but soda is also made up mainly of water, and when you’re slinging as much of it as they are, and you need to sling it cheap, sometimes you can’t help but run into problems with your supply chain. In India, Coca-Cola® has found itself in hot water, and not the kind they thought they were purchasing rights to. Two of their factories have been closed, but one continues to run amok. According to a report in The Ecologist, “They accuse the company of over-extracting groundwater, lowering the water tables and leaving farmers and the local community unable to dig deep enough to get to vital water supplies.”
“Since the bottling plant was opened in 2000, water levels in the area have dropped six metres, and when a severe drought hit the region earlier this year the crops failed and livelihoods were destroyed.”2
4.BPA: not just for water bottles anymore. Nalgene® and other water bottle companies took the heat when the dangers of bisphenol A (BPA) were made public a couple years back. While these companies went to great lengths to save their businesses, the soda companies somehow flew under the radar and continue to use it in their products. A recent Canadian study has found that BPA exists “in the vast majority” of the soft drinks tested. Most of these were under the national limits set for toxicity, but some were not. And remember how much soda the average person consumes, meaning odds are most soda consumers are at some risk.
“Out of 72 drinks tested, 69 were found to contain BPA at levels below what Health Canada says is the safe upper limit. However, studies in peer-reviewed science journals have indicated that even at very low doses, BPA can increase breast and ovarian cancer cell growth and the growth of some prostate cancer cells in animals.”3
5.Can convenience. As in the 1950s colloquial: can it. Speaking of the 1950s, those were the happy days when most of our soda was consumed at soda fountains, obesity was a term hardly anyone had heard of, and the most feared epidemic was one of atomically mutated insects taking over the world. Now instead of hoofing it down to the corner confectionery for one soda, we fill out trucks with pallets of shrink-wrapped cans or bottles and quaff the stuff by the six-pack. Not to mention how out of balance this ensures our diets will become, it wreaks havoc on the world around us. The bottled-water industry (which is mostly owned by the soda industry) famously uses 17 million barrels of oil a year, and the aluminum industry uses as much electricity as the entire continent of Africa. Not only that, aluminum mining accounts for a ton of toxic chemicals that is left behind for every ton of the metal produced.4
6.The Frankenfood factor. Whether you consume diet or regular soda, you’re getting all of the genetically modified food you need and more, via high fructose corn syrup or aspartame. Both of these are under plenty of scientific as well as anecdotal scrutiny. Findings aren’t pretty but, so far, this multibillion-dollar industry has kept these sweeteners on the shelves while alternative sweeteners meeting cost requirements are explored. Since it’s almost impossible to read health headlines without finding one of these ingredients in some type of controversy, I’ll just use one example:
“The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nutrition and food safety advocacy group, called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to review the claims, which stem from research conducted by the European Ramazzini Foundation in Italy.
The foundation reported that rats who consumed aspartame in exceedingly large quantities were more likely to develop cancer. CSPI executive director Michael Jacobson considers this an important finding that should not be overlooked.” 5
I know, there I go again with the cancer. But some people need to be shocked in order to take action. For me, seeing the Diet Coke® and Mentos® experiment was all I needed to swear off the stuff.
7.Foreign news cares how much soda we sell in our schools. How bad is your country’s problem when the whole world is watching its daily actions? “Nearly one in three children and teenagers in the U.S. are overweight or obese and health experts say sugary drinks are part of the problem.” Yep, bad. The world is well aware of the problems soda is causing and is looking to us to lead. And we certainly are trying. Are you with the program?
“Under the voluntary guidelines, in place since 2006, full-calorie soft drinks were removed from school canteens and vending machines. Lighter drinks, including low-fat milk, diet sodas, juices, flavoured waters and teas, were promoted in their place.”6
And, while great and all, it appears that no one got the memo about diet sodas.
8.Diet? Um, that’s just like your opinion, man. When it comes to soda, treat the word “diet” as a slogan. A study at Boston University’s School of Medicine linked diet soda with increased risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. To be more specific, the study “found adults who drink one or more sodas a day had about a 50 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome,” which is a cluster of risk factors such as excessive fat around the waist, low levels of “good” cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other symptoms that lead to heart disease and/or diabetes. And, for those of you only concerned about how you look in the mirror, “Those who drank one or more soft drinks a day had a 31 percent greater risk of becoming obese.”
9.Soda outkills terrorists. A study out of the University of California, San Francisco, shows that soda has killed at least 6,000 Americans in the last decade.
From ABC News: “The new analysis, presented Friday at the American Heart Association’s 50th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, offers a picture of just how horrifying the damage done by excess consumption of sugary drinks can be.
Using a computer model and data from the Framingham Heart Study, the Nurses Health Study and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers estimated that the escalating consumption between 1990 and 2000 of soda and sugar-sweetened beverages, which they abbreviated as ‘SSBs,’ led to 75,000 new cases of diabetes and 14,000 new cases of coronary heart disease.
What’s more, the burden of the diseases translated into a $300 million to $550 million increase in health care costs between 2000 and 2010.”7
10.It’s the “real thing” … not exactly. Should having the number one caloric source in the world come from something that’s entirely manmade be a metaphor for a dying world? It doesn’t have to be this way. After all, there’s nothing in soda that we need. In fact, there’s nothing in soda that even comes from the earth except caffeine, and that’s optional. It’s a mixture of altered water (injected with carbon dioxide gas), artificial flavors (yes, “natural flavor” is artificial), artificial color, and phosphoric acid, along with its sole caloric source that is a by-product of genetically modified corn production and offers virtually no nutritional value. It’s about as real as The Thing.
1.Sources:
2.1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-02/aafc-sdc020310.php
3.2 http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/373906/cocacola_just_part_of_indias_water_freeforall.html
4.3 http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/03/05/popcans.html
5.4 http://www.pacinst.org/topics/water_and_sustainability/bottled_water/bottled_water_and_energy.html, http://www.earth-policy.org/index.php?/books/eco/eech6_ss3
6.5 http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/story?id=3317079&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312
7.6 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8557195.stm
8.7 http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/study-sugary-drinks-lead-early-grave/story?id=10019518
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Soy Is Not The Enemy
So there is an article that I saw the other day, which seems to be floating around the internet. It talks about the downfalls of processed soy. Many people seem to be misinterpreting the article, so I want to set the record straight.
The article does not say to never drink soy milk.
What it does do is give you a list of items to check the ingredients list for. IE, “hydrolyzed soy protein,” “soy lecithin,” and “soy protein isolates”.
I've never really been a fan of milk of any kind. You won't find me just drinking it out of a glass (unlike my sister-in-law, who drinks several glasses a day), but I do like it on cereal (not the sugar-loaded, high fructose corn syrup kind of course), in coffee, and in my daily, all-natural, full-nutrient meal replacement shake.
We happen to have Silk brand soy milk in our fridge right now, which is natural, and does not contain processed soy. I'm also pretty sure that you can find organic soy milk (if not at the regular grocery store) at places like Whole Foods.
I do agree with the article recommending almond milk instead of soy, but my reasoning is because almond milk has 30 to 40 less calories per cup, and we all know that almonds have lots of nutritional value.
Our world does contain a lot of processed foods and ingredients these days. But the point is to educate yourself on how to pick out the ones that aren't processed, not just avoid that food all together. That would be like never eating cereal, just because many varities contain high fructose corn syrup. In fact, if you cut out all foods that have varities which contain hfcs, there wouldn't be much left for you to eat.
My advice is the same as always. Check the labels before you buy/eat it. It's that simple.
The article does not say to never drink soy milk.
What it does do is give you a list of items to check the ingredients list for. IE, “hydrolyzed soy protein,” “soy lecithin,” and “soy protein isolates”.
I've never really been a fan of milk of any kind. You won't find me just drinking it out of a glass (unlike my sister-in-law, who drinks several glasses a day), but I do like it on cereal (not the sugar-loaded, high fructose corn syrup kind of course), in coffee, and in my daily, all-natural, full-nutrient meal replacement shake.
We happen to have Silk brand soy milk in our fridge right now, which is natural, and does not contain processed soy. I'm also pretty sure that you can find organic soy milk (if not at the regular grocery store) at places like Whole Foods.
I do agree with the article recommending almond milk instead of soy, but my reasoning is because almond milk has 30 to 40 less calories per cup, and we all know that almonds have lots of nutritional value.
Our world does contain a lot of processed foods and ingredients these days. But the point is to educate yourself on how to pick out the ones that aren't processed, not just avoid that food all together. That would be like never eating cereal, just because many varities contain high fructose corn syrup. In fact, if you cut out all foods that have varities which contain hfcs, there wouldn't be much left for you to eat.
My advice is the same as always. Check the labels before you buy/eat it. It's that simple.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Put The Scale Away
I've seen several people talk about weigh-ins in the past few days, so I want to address a common problem: weighing yourself too much.
Relying too much on your scale is one of the most common discouragers when you're trying to lose weight. Your scale is not always an accurate representation of your progress. Your weight will fluctuate from day to day (especially for women). Also, if you're working out well, more than likely, you're gaining some muscle (especially if you do as my last post suggests). And muscle weighs more than fat.
My personal recommendation is to not weigh yourself more than once a month. Instead, let your clothes do the talking. And remember, losing weight takes time and patience. You have to be dedicated, but YOU CAN DO IT.
Relying too much on your scale is one of the most common discouragers when you're trying to lose weight. Your scale is not always an accurate representation of your progress. Your weight will fluctuate from day to day (especially for women). Also, if you're working out well, more than likely, you're gaining some muscle (especially if you do as my last post suggests). And muscle weighs more than fat.
My personal recommendation is to not weigh yourself more than once a month. Instead, let your clothes do the talking. And remember, losing weight takes time and patience. You have to be dedicated, but YOU CAN DO IT.
Burn Baby Burn
The other day, I posted an awesome article containing eight foods to boost your metabolism, and today I want to give you a metabolism-boosting tip from the other side.
Build muscle.
Now I know that a lot of people (women mostly) don’t want to be buff; I’m included in that. But having some nice lean muscles will help you burn even more calories all day long, even while you sleep.
So make sure you add some strength training with your cardio into your exercise regime. And if you don’t already have some weight sets, don’t think you need to splurge and buy some. Your own body weight is your best form of resistance. Push ups, crunches, lunges, and squats can be your worst enemy and best friend at the same time, and there are many variations of each that will add variation and extra difficulty. So feel the burn and burn those calories.
Build muscle.
Now I know that a lot of people (women mostly) don’t want to be buff; I’m included in that. But having some nice lean muscles will help you burn even more calories all day long, even while you sleep.
So make sure you add some strength training with your cardio into your exercise regime. And if you don’t already have some weight sets, don’t think you need to splurge and buy some. Your own body weight is your best form of resistance. Push ups, crunches, lunges, and squats can be your worst enemy and best friend at the same time, and there are many variations of each that will add variation and extra difficulty. So feel the burn and burn those calories.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Summer Can Still Be Fun!
Happy Fourth of July everyone!
Since this is a day full of parties, picnics, and barbeques, I thought it would be the perfect time to share another fantastic article. This one is all about how to enjoy the summer fun without loading your body with fat and calories.
7 Substitutes for Picnic Diet Killers
By Joe Wilkes
It's almost summertime, which brings the incongruous collision of picnic season and swimsuit season. The weather's perfect for hiking, camping, barbecuing, and days at the beach—lots of opportunities for outdoor exercise, but just as many opportunities to pig out at pool parties, luaus, outdoor festivals, and county fairs. Here are some foods to try avoiding during the dog days of summer and some ideas for substitutions for picnic favorites.
1.Fried chicken. It's not the K or the C in KFC® that's the problem. It's the F for fried. And if you have any hope of staying slim this summer, it's time to tell the Colonel you're kicking the bucket. One extra-crispy breast will run you 460 calories and 28 grams of fat, 8 of them saturated. That's almost three times the calories of a grilled, skinless breast and almost ten times as much fat. So clearly, you're better off cooking the chicken yourself. But if you're grabbing something on the run, you might want to visit the rotisserie case at your local supermarket. Try picking a chicken that's not slathered in sugary barbecue sauce. And if you throw away the skin, you'll save yourself from eating most of the fat and calories.
2.Sandwiches. A picnic without sandwiches is like a picnic without ants. It just wouldn't be the same. But of course, the sandwich is only as good as the sum of its ingredients. If you're using white bread, you're just eating empty carbohydrates. Make sure you buy whole-grain bread, and that it has the word "whole" in the ingredient list. Wheat bread is essentially the same as white bread, only with a little molasses added for brown coloring. It's nutritionally the same, if not worse. Whole wheat bread, on the other hand, contains the fiber and the vitamins you're looking for. For lunch meat, try avoiding processed meats like bologna and salami. They're packed with extra fat and sodium. And when buying unprocessed meats like turkey or roast beef, make sure they really are unprocessed. The makers of some brands of turkey grind up the skin and dark meat and then press it into lunch meat form, so you're really getting as much fat and sodium as you'd get from bologna. Watch out for flavored turkey as well. Most of the time the secret ingredient is salt. If you want to be really healthy, buy a whole turkey breast from your poultry section and roast it yourself, so you can control how much salt is added.
3.Brats and burgers. It's always great to fire up the grill and start cooking up a mess of meat. And the good news is that grilling is one of the healthiest ways to cook food. It adds tons of flavor and doesn't add fat. Of course, the best thing to grill would be skinless chicken, fish, or vegetables. But if you're craving a juicy burger or brat and a portobello burger just won't do, there are still some decisions you can make to keep it on the lean side. For burgers, consider a leaner option than beef, such as ground turkey or buffalo. But as always, check the label. Some grinds of turkey have as much fat as a fatty grind of beef. Ground turkey breast is usually much leaner than ground turkey. If you're going to make beef burgers, try to find a grind that is under 5 percent fat. Ground sirloin is usually pretty close. If you can't find a grind that's low enough in fat, ask your butcher to grind a lean piece of chuck roast or top sirloin for you. In addition to being leaner, this will also reduce your chances of picking up foodborne illnesses like E. coli, since only one cow is involved in producing a steak, as opposed to potentially hundreds in ground beef. In fact, if you're someone who likes to eat your burger rare, having the butcher grind a piece of meat for you is a must do. Bratwurst is another delicious summer fave, but watch the fat and sodium content in those as well. The chicken, turkey, and even veggie versions of sausage sound like they'd be lighter, but they're often just as fatty as the pork versions.
4.Potato or macaroni salad. Mayonnaise is the culprit in these dishes. At 50 calories a tablespoon with 5 grams of fat, these side dishes can turn deadly for your diet in a hurry. But you can mitigate the damage somewhat. Instead of mayonnaise, consider using nonfat yogurt, food-processed nonfat cottage cheese, or nonfat ricotta cheese instead. You'll get fewer calories, less fat, and lessen the risk of salmonella poisoning by going eggless. One way to make potato salad healthier is to leave the skins on the potatoes, as they have the fiber and most of the vitamins in the spud. For macaroni salad, use a whole-grain pasta to get extra fiber. Better yet, make a pasta salad with heart-healthy olive oil, vinegar, and lots of veggies.
5.Baked beans. Beans, beans, the musical fruit . . . well, you know the rest. Full of fiber and low in fat, beans are a great side dish that will keep you full. What you want to watch out for is the sugar that is added to most baked beans—sometimes as much as 3 teaspoons in a cup. Try plain pinto beans, or my favorite, beans canned with jalapeños. Replace high-calorie sweet with low-calorie fire, and you won't even miss the sugar. Three-bean salad is another flavorful way to consume your legumes without a lot of added fat or sugar.
6.Trail mix. Summer's a great time for checking out nature, and it's always great to bring along a healthy snack. But check the trail mix ingredients. Some, especially those containing granola, can be loaded with super-unhealthy hydrogenated oils and fat. There are trail mixes on the market that have more fat than a large order of fries, so it's definitely a buyer-beware situation. Also check out how much sugar is in the trail mix or granola bars you're taking backpacking. Some bars aren't much healthier than a Snickers®. If ingredients in your trail mix include chocolate chips and marshmallows, you may not have made the healthiest choice. Try making your own trail mix with healthy unsweetened oats, nuts, and dried fruit. Or take along a couple of P90X® Peak Performance Protein Bars.
7.Ice cream. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. And we'll really be screaming when we try to stuff ourselves into our swimsuits after eating everyone's favorite fatty, frosty indulgence. It's hard to resist a cool ice cream cone on a hot summer day, and the tinkling of the ice cream truck bell can still send me bolting into the street. But that scoop of vanilla can have up to 400 calories and 25 grams of fat, 15 of them saturated. If you're culinarily gifted, you might consider making your own sorbet. If not, check out some of the ones available on the market. Sorbets are usually low fat or nonfat, although they can still have tons of sugar. Try to find some that are mostly fruit. Speaking of fruit, for a healthy frozen treat, how about sticking some fruit in the freezer? Most fruits, especially berries, grapes, and bananas, freeze quite well. They'll last longer and popping a few frozen grapes in your mouth can cool you off on a hot day; and you'll still get all the vitamins, fiber, and health benefits that a Creamsicle™ just can't provide.
Since this is a day full of parties, picnics, and barbeques, I thought it would be the perfect time to share another fantastic article. This one is all about how to enjoy the summer fun without loading your body with fat and calories.
7 Substitutes for Picnic Diet Killers
By Joe Wilkes
It's almost summertime, which brings the incongruous collision of picnic season and swimsuit season. The weather's perfect for hiking, camping, barbecuing, and days at the beach—lots of opportunities for outdoor exercise, but just as many opportunities to pig out at pool parties, luaus, outdoor festivals, and county fairs. Here are some foods to try avoiding during the dog days of summer and some ideas for substitutions for picnic favorites.
1.Fried chicken. It's not the K or the C in KFC® that's the problem. It's the F for fried. And if you have any hope of staying slim this summer, it's time to tell the Colonel you're kicking the bucket. One extra-crispy breast will run you 460 calories and 28 grams of fat, 8 of them saturated. That's almost three times the calories of a grilled, skinless breast and almost ten times as much fat. So clearly, you're better off cooking the chicken yourself. But if you're grabbing something on the run, you might want to visit the rotisserie case at your local supermarket. Try picking a chicken that's not slathered in sugary barbecue sauce. And if you throw away the skin, you'll save yourself from eating most of the fat and calories.
2.Sandwiches. A picnic without sandwiches is like a picnic without ants. It just wouldn't be the same. But of course, the sandwich is only as good as the sum of its ingredients. If you're using white bread, you're just eating empty carbohydrates. Make sure you buy whole-grain bread, and that it has the word "whole" in the ingredient list. Wheat bread is essentially the same as white bread, only with a little molasses added for brown coloring. It's nutritionally the same, if not worse. Whole wheat bread, on the other hand, contains the fiber and the vitamins you're looking for. For lunch meat, try avoiding processed meats like bologna and salami. They're packed with extra fat and sodium. And when buying unprocessed meats like turkey or roast beef, make sure they really are unprocessed. The makers of some brands of turkey grind up the skin and dark meat and then press it into lunch meat form, so you're really getting as much fat and sodium as you'd get from bologna. Watch out for flavored turkey as well. Most of the time the secret ingredient is salt. If you want to be really healthy, buy a whole turkey breast from your poultry section and roast it yourself, so you can control how much salt is added.
3.Brats and burgers. It's always great to fire up the grill and start cooking up a mess of meat. And the good news is that grilling is one of the healthiest ways to cook food. It adds tons of flavor and doesn't add fat. Of course, the best thing to grill would be skinless chicken, fish, or vegetables. But if you're craving a juicy burger or brat and a portobello burger just won't do, there are still some decisions you can make to keep it on the lean side. For burgers, consider a leaner option than beef, such as ground turkey or buffalo. But as always, check the label. Some grinds of turkey have as much fat as a fatty grind of beef. Ground turkey breast is usually much leaner than ground turkey. If you're going to make beef burgers, try to find a grind that is under 5 percent fat. Ground sirloin is usually pretty close. If you can't find a grind that's low enough in fat, ask your butcher to grind a lean piece of chuck roast or top sirloin for you. In addition to being leaner, this will also reduce your chances of picking up foodborne illnesses like E. coli, since only one cow is involved in producing a steak, as opposed to potentially hundreds in ground beef. In fact, if you're someone who likes to eat your burger rare, having the butcher grind a piece of meat for you is a must do. Bratwurst is another delicious summer fave, but watch the fat and sodium content in those as well. The chicken, turkey, and even veggie versions of sausage sound like they'd be lighter, but they're often just as fatty as the pork versions.
4.Potato or macaroni salad. Mayonnaise is the culprit in these dishes. At 50 calories a tablespoon with 5 grams of fat, these side dishes can turn deadly for your diet in a hurry. But you can mitigate the damage somewhat. Instead of mayonnaise, consider using nonfat yogurt, food-processed nonfat cottage cheese, or nonfat ricotta cheese instead. You'll get fewer calories, less fat, and lessen the risk of salmonella poisoning by going eggless. One way to make potato salad healthier is to leave the skins on the potatoes, as they have the fiber and most of the vitamins in the spud. For macaroni salad, use a whole-grain pasta to get extra fiber. Better yet, make a pasta salad with heart-healthy olive oil, vinegar, and lots of veggies.
5.Baked beans. Beans, beans, the musical fruit . . . well, you know the rest. Full of fiber and low in fat, beans are a great side dish that will keep you full. What you want to watch out for is the sugar that is added to most baked beans—sometimes as much as 3 teaspoons in a cup. Try plain pinto beans, or my favorite, beans canned with jalapeños. Replace high-calorie sweet with low-calorie fire, and you won't even miss the sugar. Three-bean salad is another flavorful way to consume your legumes without a lot of added fat or sugar.
6.Trail mix. Summer's a great time for checking out nature, and it's always great to bring along a healthy snack. But check the trail mix ingredients. Some, especially those containing granola, can be loaded with super-unhealthy hydrogenated oils and fat. There are trail mixes on the market that have more fat than a large order of fries, so it's definitely a buyer-beware situation. Also check out how much sugar is in the trail mix or granola bars you're taking backpacking. Some bars aren't much healthier than a Snickers®. If ingredients in your trail mix include chocolate chips and marshmallows, you may not have made the healthiest choice. Try making your own trail mix with healthy unsweetened oats, nuts, and dried fruit. Or take along a couple of P90X® Peak Performance Protein Bars.
7.Ice cream. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. And we'll really be screaming when we try to stuff ourselves into our swimsuits after eating everyone's favorite fatty, frosty indulgence. It's hard to resist a cool ice cream cone on a hot summer day, and the tinkling of the ice cream truck bell can still send me bolting into the street. But that scoop of vanilla can have up to 400 calories and 25 grams of fat, 15 of them saturated. If you're culinarily gifted, you might consider making your own sorbet. If not, check out some of the ones available on the market. Sorbets are usually low fat or nonfat, although they can still have tons of sugar. Try to find some that are mostly fruit. Speaking of fruit, for a healthy frozen treat, how about sticking some fruit in the freezer? Most fruits, especially berries, grapes, and bananas, freeze quite well. They'll last longer and popping a few frozen grapes in your mouth can cool you off on a hot day; and you'll still get all the vitamins, fiber, and health benefits that a Creamsicle™ just can't provide.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
My Story.
I’ve had a few people ask about my own personal weight loss story, so I’d thought I’d share.
I started gaining weight during childhood. Whenever I would come home from school, my mom would bring me a small bowl of chips or popcorn as a snack. But then when she wasn’t looking, I’d go back for more. Snacking on junk food and drinking atleast one soda a day became routine. By the age of 13, I was really overweight. It was at that age that I decided I wanted to be skinny and popular like other girls were. So I went on a diet and started working out. I did 20 minutes on a stationary bike along side some sit ups, and I ate a diet of almost strictly salad. The problem was, I didn’t like (and still don’t like) lettuce. I’d drown it in dressing to try to improve the flavor, which wouldn’t work, so I’d end up only eating a very small amount. That worked. I lost most of the weight in just a few months, but because I didn’t do it the healthy way, I didn’t learn anything about keeping the weight off or staying healthy. During the next five years, I struggled with my weight. I never became anywhere near the size I was before, but I did gain some of the weight back. It wasn’t until college that I started to figure things out.
I always thought I had a really slow metabolism; mostly because my brother could eat anything he wanted and never gain a pound. But then I figured it out. College meant being an adult and buying my own food. And the junk I’d been eating, was too expensive to buy. It was also too expensive to eat all day long. Because I was no longer feeding my body more fat and calories than it could handle, I actually started losing weight without even excersising! Within a couple months of just eating better, I lost a whole pant size.
I then met my future husband, who taught me more about fitness and nutrition and introduced me to Beachbody. He inspires me to be the best that I can be.
Becoming a fitness coach has changed my life. It not only helps hold me accountable for my own health and fitness, but it is also such a blessing to be able to help others better their health, become more active, and change their lives.
I started gaining weight during childhood. Whenever I would come home from school, my mom would bring me a small bowl of chips or popcorn as a snack. But then when she wasn’t looking, I’d go back for more. Snacking on junk food and drinking atleast one soda a day became routine. By the age of 13, I was really overweight. It was at that age that I decided I wanted to be skinny and popular like other girls were. So I went on a diet and started working out. I did 20 minutes on a stationary bike along side some sit ups, and I ate a diet of almost strictly salad. The problem was, I didn’t like (and still don’t like) lettuce. I’d drown it in dressing to try to improve the flavor, which wouldn’t work, so I’d end up only eating a very small amount. That worked. I lost most of the weight in just a few months, but because I didn’t do it the healthy way, I didn’t learn anything about keeping the weight off or staying healthy. During the next five years, I struggled with my weight. I never became anywhere near the size I was before, but I did gain some of the weight back. It wasn’t until college that I started to figure things out.
I always thought I had a really slow metabolism; mostly because my brother could eat anything he wanted and never gain a pound. But then I figured it out. College meant being an adult and buying my own food. And the junk I’d been eating, was too expensive to buy. It was also too expensive to eat all day long. Because I was no longer feeding my body more fat and calories than it could handle, I actually started losing weight without even excersising! Within a couple months of just eating better, I lost a whole pant size.
I then met my future husband, who taught me more about fitness and nutrition and introduced me to Beachbody. He inspires me to be the best that I can be.
Becoming a fitness coach has changed my life. It not only helps hold me accountable for my own health and fitness, but it is also such a blessing to be able to help others better their health, become more active, and change their lives.
Let's get moving.
I run across a lot of people who seem to think that the way to exercise if you want to lose weight is to push yourself to exhaustion, or until you almost hurt yourself. Not true. Only do what you can. The most important thing is that you start moving, even if it’s something as simple as walking in place.
I want to share this video with you, and I’d like for you to pass it on to people that you know. (http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/stacymoorhouse?bctid=32494669001). This video is designed to do exactly what I just mentioned: get you moving. It is especially useful for individuals who are very overweight or at a very low fitness level. Watch it. Use it. Pass it on.
Let’s change some lives, shall we?
I want to share this video with you, and I’d like for you to pass it on to people that you know. (http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/stacymoorhouse?bctid=32494669001). This video is designed to do exactly what I just mentioned: get you moving. It is especially useful for individuals who are very overweight or at a very low fitness level. Watch it. Use it. Pass it on.
Let’s change some lives, shall we?
Did You Know?
You really are what you eat.
Your body’s make up:
-10% what you do
-10% genetics
-80% what you eat
So no matter how much you exercise, if you don’t eat properly, you won’t see the results you’re looking for.
My recommendations:
Count your calories
Start a food journal. Write down what you eat and how many calories you consumed. Remember: Weight loss = Calories consumed < Calories burned
Go Natural
Buy natural/organic foods whenever possible. Avoid artificial sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and hydrogenated oils.
Do this, and you will see results. Combine it with exercise, and you have one unbeatable combo!
Your body’s make up:
-10% what you do
-10% genetics
-80% what you eat
So no matter how much you exercise, if you don’t eat properly, you won’t see the results you’re looking for.
My recommendations:
Count your calories
Start a food journal. Write down what you eat and how many calories you consumed. Remember: Weight loss = Calories consumed < Calories burned
Go Natural
Buy natural/organic foods whenever possible. Avoid artificial sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and hydrogenated oils.
Do this, and you will see results. Combine it with exercise, and you have one unbeatable combo!
8 Foods to Boost Your Metabolism
Such AWESOME information!
From TBB Newsletter #176
8 Foods to Boost Your Metabolism
By Joe Wilkes
If you spend any time perusing the fashion mags and tabloid rags in the supermarket checkout line, you'll see a wide array of articles claiming to have discovered the latest "miracle food" that will burn off the pounds while you sit on your butt and eat. Well, sadly, the news isn't quite that good. Without regular exercise, a decent night's sleep, and a thought-out meal plan, your metabolic rate is going to be dragging. However, there are some things you can eat that will move the needle favorably into the fat-burning zone. And most of these foods are delicious and nutritious anyway, so why not? Here are eight of the best ones.
1.Fish. Most of us have read about the benefits of fish oil, which is full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Found in many common oily fish like mackerel, trout, sardines, herring, tuna, and salmon, it can also be taken in capsules (at least 300 milligrams/day) by those who are averse to seafood. Fish consumption has been found to boost your calorie burn by as much as 400 calories a day. Fish is also full of great, low-fat, muscle-building protein (which requires your body to burn more calories to digest).
2.Dark green leafy vegetables. These include arugula, chard, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, and spinach. They are full of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and lots of fiber. While the vitamins are great antioxidants and very healthy for you, the fiber is where the rubber really meets the road as far as metabolism goes. Your body expends a lot more calories digesting fiber and protein than it does simply digesting carbohydrates. This is called the thermic effect—the amount of calories required to digest the food can sometimes be almost as much as the number of calories in the food itself. Dark leafies also contain many B vitamins, which are necessary to produce the enzymes for metabolism. Most other vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories and can boost your burn, but the cream of the crop, nutritionally speaking, are the dark green leafy vegetables. So listen to Popeye, and eat your spinach!
3.Tomatoes. Tomatoes have gotten a lot of good press lately, as they contain high levels of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been proven to have several anti-carcinogenic properties. And like the dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes are also a good source of fiber. But tomatoes can also work overtime to flush fat, as they also contain citric, malic, and oxalic acids, which support your body's kidney functions, which helps your body eliminate more waste and fat from your system.
4.Blueberries and other whole fruits. Whole fruits contain lots of fiber, and many contain so much, they can be said to have "negative calories," meaning your body burns more calories digesting the food than it stores. One cup of blueberries only has about 80 calories, but 4 grams of fiber. Your body will expend much of those 80 calories digesting the 4 grams of fiber. Blueberries also contain lots of antioxidants, and are believed to lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. And they taste great! Try adding them to a high-fiber unsweetened cereal or oatmeal in the morning to get your metabolism up and running at the start of your day.
5.Whole grains. Well, if you've read this far, you've probably gotten that fiber is key to keeping the metabolic fires burning. Whole grains are one of the best sources of dietary fiber. This is where careful label reading comes in. Lots of items purporting to contain whole grains may only contain enough to make the claim truthful, and may in fact be full of insulin-spiking carbohydrates or sugars, which will take your metabolism in the wrong direction. Check the ingredient list of your breads and cereals carefully and make sure the preponderance of the ingredients is whole grain.
6.Chilies, curries, and other spices. Ever eaten a particularly spicy meal and felt your heart race a bit faster and your forehead start to perspire? The capsaicin found in many hot peppers and other spices can fire up your metabolism while it fires up your mouth. In fact, some studies have shown a 50 percent increase in metabolism for 3 hours after eating capsaicin. So it helps to keep a bottle of hot sauce on hand at mealtimes. You can use spices to add flavor to recipes instead of salty or fatty ingredients, which will also help kick your metabolism into a higher gear.
7.Green tea. Researchers have found that green tea consumption can increase calorie burning by up to four percent. It is believed to accomplish this by increasing metabolic rates as well as fat oxidation. Studies have also shown that green tea can reduce sugar cravings and can inhibit enzymes that slow digestion, thus raising metabolic rates. Its thermogenetic properties were convincing enough that Beachbody® includes it in its ActiVit® Metabolism Formula Multivitamins. Besides the metabolic properties, green tea is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols, making it one of the most healthful beverage choices around.
8.Ice water. Almost every nutritionist will recommend drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, but did you know that if you drink ice water versus room-temperature water, your body will burn an extra 9 calories per glass? Drinking room-temperature water can burn about 16 calories per glass—that's 25 calories per glass for ice water. So, eight glasses of cool water a day can be responsible for burning 200 calories! Plus, water is necessary for all of your bodily processes, including the ones that control your metabolism. If you're underhydrated, your body will underperform. Water also flushes out fat deposits and toxins, which can hamper your energy.
And remember, a good night's sleep and smaller, evenly spaced meals can be your best metabolic friends. And the best thing to really get your metabolism going is exercise. You can burn almost 700 calories in one 45-minute Turbo Jam® workout alone. Also, stress has been found to produce cortisol, a metabolism-inhibiting steroid, so try and relax—have a blueberry. Or a fish!
From TBB Newsletter #176
8 Foods to Boost Your Metabolism
By Joe Wilkes
If you spend any time perusing the fashion mags and tabloid rags in the supermarket checkout line, you'll see a wide array of articles claiming to have discovered the latest "miracle food" that will burn off the pounds while you sit on your butt and eat. Well, sadly, the news isn't quite that good. Without regular exercise, a decent night's sleep, and a thought-out meal plan, your metabolic rate is going to be dragging. However, there are some things you can eat that will move the needle favorably into the fat-burning zone. And most of these foods are delicious and nutritious anyway, so why not? Here are eight of the best ones.
1.Fish. Most of us have read about the benefits of fish oil, which is full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Found in many common oily fish like mackerel, trout, sardines, herring, tuna, and salmon, it can also be taken in capsules (at least 300 milligrams/day) by those who are averse to seafood. Fish consumption has been found to boost your calorie burn by as much as 400 calories a day. Fish is also full of great, low-fat, muscle-building protein (which requires your body to burn more calories to digest).
2.Dark green leafy vegetables. These include arugula, chard, chicory, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, and spinach. They are full of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and lots of fiber. While the vitamins are great antioxidants and very healthy for you, the fiber is where the rubber really meets the road as far as metabolism goes. Your body expends a lot more calories digesting fiber and protein than it does simply digesting carbohydrates. This is called the thermic effect—the amount of calories required to digest the food can sometimes be almost as much as the number of calories in the food itself. Dark leafies also contain many B vitamins, which are necessary to produce the enzymes for metabolism. Most other vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories and can boost your burn, but the cream of the crop, nutritionally speaking, are the dark green leafy vegetables. So listen to Popeye, and eat your spinach!
3.Tomatoes. Tomatoes have gotten a lot of good press lately, as they contain high levels of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been proven to have several anti-carcinogenic properties. And like the dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes are also a good source of fiber. But tomatoes can also work overtime to flush fat, as they also contain citric, malic, and oxalic acids, which support your body's kidney functions, which helps your body eliminate more waste and fat from your system.
4.Blueberries and other whole fruits. Whole fruits contain lots of fiber, and many contain so much, they can be said to have "negative calories," meaning your body burns more calories digesting the food than it stores. One cup of blueberries only has about 80 calories, but 4 grams of fiber. Your body will expend much of those 80 calories digesting the 4 grams of fiber. Blueberries also contain lots of antioxidants, and are believed to lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. And they taste great! Try adding them to a high-fiber unsweetened cereal or oatmeal in the morning to get your metabolism up and running at the start of your day.
5.Whole grains. Well, if you've read this far, you've probably gotten that fiber is key to keeping the metabolic fires burning. Whole grains are one of the best sources of dietary fiber. This is where careful label reading comes in. Lots of items purporting to contain whole grains may only contain enough to make the claim truthful, and may in fact be full of insulin-spiking carbohydrates or sugars, which will take your metabolism in the wrong direction. Check the ingredient list of your breads and cereals carefully and make sure the preponderance of the ingredients is whole grain.
6.Chilies, curries, and other spices. Ever eaten a particularly spicy meal and felt your heart race a bit faster and your forehead start to perspire? The capsaicin found in many hot peppers and other spices can fire up your metabolism while it fires up your mouth. In fact, some studies have shown a 50 percent increase in metabolism for 3 hours after eating capsaicin. So it helps to keep a bottle of hot sauce on hand at mealtimes. You can use spices to add flavor to recipes instead of salty or fatty ingredients, which will also help kick your metabolism into a higher gear.
7.Green tea. Researchers have found that green tea consumption can increase calorie burning by up to four percent. It is believed to accomplish this by increasing metabolic rates as well as fat oxidation. Studies have also shown that green tea can reduce sugar cravings and can inhibit enzymes that slow digestion, thus raising metabolic rates. Its thermogenetic properties were convincing enough that Beachbody® includes it in its ActiVit® Metabolism Formula Multivitamins. Besides the metabolic properties, green tea is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols, making it one of the most healthful beverage choices around.
8.Ice water. Almost every nutritionist will recommend drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day, but did you know that if you drink ice water versus room-temperature water, your body will burn an extra 9 calories per glass? Drinking room-temperature water can burn about 16 calories per glass—that's 25 calories per glass for ice water. So, eight glasses of cool water a day can be responsible for burning 200 calories! Plus, water is necessary for all of your bodily processes, including the ones that control your metabolism. If you're underhydrated, your body will underperform. Water also flushes out fat deposits and toxins, which can hamper your energy.
And remember, a good night's sleep and smaller, evenly spaced meals can be your best metabolic friends. And the best thing to really get your metabolism going is exercise. You can burn almost 700 calories in one 45-minute Turbo Jam® workout alone. Also, stress has been found to produce cortisol, a metabolism-inhibiting steroid, so try and relax—have a blueberry. Or a fish!
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