How to Ruin a Healthy Breakfast
By Shereen Jegtvig, About.com Guide
Updated April 28, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
You've heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And that's probably true -- after a long night's sleep, your body (and brain) needs fuel to get you through the morning. The foods you choose for breakfast can provide you with the energy you need and lots of vitamins and minerals to help keep you healthy.
Not all foods are good for you and choosing the wrong foods can turn a healthy breakfast into a high-calorie, nutrient-poor breakfast quickly. Here are some common ways that people ruin a healthy breakfast.
Making Breakfast Too Sugary
Next time you go to the grocery store, take a look at all of the pre-sweetened cereals. Basically, these sugary cereals are just boxed of candy with a few vitamins and minerals added in. The sugar problem isn't just in boxes of cereal -- many people associate breakfast with sweet pastries and things you pop into the toaster. Sugary, high glycemic breakfasts have been associated with poorer mental performance. And in one study, women who ate high glycemic breakfasts burned less fat than women who ate low glycemic breakfasts. Stay away from extra sugar:
* Choose unsweetened, whole-grain breakfast cereals. Just add a little sprinkle of sugar on top, but no more than a teaspoon.
* Instead of a pastry, pop a slice of whole-grain bread into the toaster and then top it with a 100% fruit spread. You still get the sweet flavor, but a lot less sugar.
* Have a bowl of hot oatmeal with fresh berries and chopped walnuts. Not sweet enough? Add just a dab of real maple syrup or a teaspoon of brown sugar.
Not Enough Protein
Isn't it interesting how we associate certain foods with breakfast? Sugary cereals, pancakes and waffles smothered in syrup appeal to many people. These foods are high in sugar and starches, but low in protein. Protein keeps you feeling full longer so you won't feel so hungry in the middle in the morning. Make sure you get some good quality protein:
* Have a piece of 100% whole-grain toast with peanut butter or almond butter and a glass of milk.
* Eat an egg or two. Eggs help you feel full, and they are a great source of lutein that helps keep your eyes healthy.
* Use protein powder in a fruit smoothie.
Eating Lots of Saturated Fat and Processed Meats
Bacon, sausage and ham are common meats you may eat at breakfast time. Bacon and sausage are high in unhealthy saturated fat, which increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, and all three are high in sodium. Processed meats also contain nitrites, which have been linked to colon cancer. Stay away from processed, high-fat meats:
* Eggs are an great source of protein. Choose omega eggs, which contain omega-3 fatty acids. Have a poached egg served over 100% whole-grain toast.
* Lower fat meats like chicken or turkey can be eaten at breakfast. You can buy turkey sausage and turkey ham, but they may still contain nitrites and large amounts of sodium.
* Try salmon or tuna with a light mayonnaise on 100% whole-grain toast. Each is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Avoiding Whole Grains
Most of those sugary breakfast cereals and pastries are also low in fiber. Whole grains provide fiber, which can keep your cholesterol levels and keeps your digestive system healthy. Choose whole grains and high-fiber foods:
* Eat 100% whole-grain, unsweetened hot or cold breakfast cereals.
* Use 100% whole-grain bread instead of white bread for your toast.
* Make low fat oat bran muffins.
Not Eating Any Fruit or Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are usually low in calories and rich in nutrients and phytochemicals. Experts recommend that we eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables every day (no, that bowl of fruit-flavored cereal doesn't count):
* Make an omelet with mushrooms, peppers and onions.
* Slice a grapefruit or orange in half and serve with a slice of 100% whole-grain toast with peanut butter.
* Add berries, raisins, or bananas to your whole grain cereal.
Skipping Breakfast Altogether
Maybe you're in a rush or you think skipping breakfast is a good way to cut calories. But it really isn't. People who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight, probably because they eat too much later in the day. You can have a quick but healthy breakfast:
* Keep ready-to-eat foods handy like hardboiled eggs, nuts, and fresh fruit.
* Make a fruit smoothie for breakfast.
* Make your own breakfast cereal bars with healthy whole-grain cereals.
MY THOUGHTS
but i love jam and jelly on my toasts!!! and hotdogs can be a real treat.
losing weight can really take the joy out of our meals right? it's not that easy. coz its asking us to change our lifestyles. but then again, no one's forcing us. the whole wheat pancakes and waffle mix are great. and there are lots of lite syrups and fruit jams. i found fish sausages and burgers that are quite good. we don't really need to give up the pleasures. we just need to digress a little. two key words - alternative and moderation.
Sources:
Knekt P, Jarvinen R, Dich J, Hakulinen T. "Risk of colorectal and other gastro-intestinal cancers after exposure to nitrate, nitrite and N-nitroso compounds: a follow-up study." Int J Cancer. 1999 Mar 15;80(6):852-6.
Lichtenstein AH, Kennedy E, Barrier P, Danford D, Ernst ND, Grundy SM, Leveille GA, Van Horn L, Williams CL. "Dietary fat consumption and health." Booth SL.Nutr Rev. 1998 May;56(5 Pt 2):S3-19; discussion S19-28.
Stevenson EJ, Williams C, Mash LE, Phillips B, Nute ML. "Influence of high-carbohydrate mixed meals with different glycemic indexes on substrate utilization during subsequent exercise in women." Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Aug;84(2):354-60.
Ciok J, Dolna A. "Carbohydrates and mental performance--the role of glycemic index of food products." Pol Merkuriusz Lek. 2006 Mar;20(117):367-70.
Vander Wal JS, Marth JM, Khosla P, Jen KL, Dhurandhar NV. "Short-term effect of eggs on satiety in overweight and obese subjects." J Am Coll Nutr. 2005 Dec;24(6):510-5.
Blom WA, Lluch A, Stafleu A, Vinoy S, Holst JJ, Schaafsma G, Hendriks HF. "Effect of a high-protein breakfast on the postprandial ghrelin response." Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Feb;83(2):211-20.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Not Just About Weight Loss
It’s Not Just About Weight Loss
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published June 29, 2010
Choosing the right foods isn’t just about losing weight. Following a healthy diet will also help you eat more nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, which are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. We often forget that what we put into our mouths is meant to nourish and fuel our bodies. But this is an important lesson to remember and practice daily.
The next time you select something to eat, don’t just consider the calories and fat; think about what it’s going to do for your body. Will it energize you or give you a sugar high that ends in an energy crisis? Is it rich in nutrients or loaded with artery-clogging saturated fats? Asking yourself what your food can do for you will help you make the right choices for your health, which in turn will benefit your waistline.
Your coach,
Jorge Cruise
MY THOUGHTS
last night' late news included a man whose dialysis stopped after he became a vegan. a vegan,i found it, is the highest form of being a vegetarian. which means that even dairy products cannot be taken. he lost 60 lbs!!!. i will probably lose my mind!!!
---------
For information on Jorge's fitness program and to get a free copy of his Belly Fat Cure Report, visit jorgecruise.com.
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published June 29, 2010
Choosing the right foods isn’t just about losing weight. Following a healthy diet will also help you eat more nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, which are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. We often forget that what we put into our mouths is meant to nourish and fuel our bodies. But this is an important lesson to remember and practice daily.
The next time you select something to eat, don’t just consider the calories and fat; think about what it’s going to do for your body. Will it energize you or give you a sugar high that ends in an energy crisis? Is it rich in nutrients or loaded with artery-clogging saturated fats? Asking yourself what your food can do for you will help you make the right choices for your health, which in turn will benefit your waistline.
Your coach,
Jorge Cruise
MY THOUGHTS
last night' late news included a man whose dialysis stopped after he became a vegan. a vegan,i found it, is the highest form of being a vegetarian. which means that even dairy products cannot be taken. he lost 60 lbs!!!. i will probably lose my mind!!!
---------
For information on Jorge's fitness program and to get a free copy of his Belly Fat Cure Report, visit jorgecruise.com.
How to Become a Veggie Lover
How to Become a Veggie Lover
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published January 17, 2011
Spinach. Brussels sprouts. Carrots. Oh my! If you’re not a fan of vegetables, you probably haven’t cooked them correctly. If you’ve ever eaten over-cooked, mushy, tasteless veggies, it’s no wonder you push aside your peas. Not only are overcooked veggies bland and unappealing, they’re also devoid of a lot of the nutrients and antioxidants that fresh vegetables offer. Learning how to properly prepare veggies can solve this crisis – and it is a crisis because vegetables are chockfull of the good stuff your body needs. So, I challenge you to give vegetables another chance.
The best methods for cooking vegetables are grilling, steaming, blanching, or sautéing them in a little bit of olive oil. Vegetables only need to be cooked until they are just tender and still al dente (like pasta) inside. Once they become soft, they lose their taste and texture. If you still need a little extra pizzazz, punch up the flavor by adding lemon or lime juice, garlic, herbs or seasonings, none of which will add calories to your meal.
Your coach,
Jorge Cruise
For information on Jorge's fitness program and to get a free copy of his Belly Fat Cure Report, visit jorgecruise.com.
MY THOUGHTS
i love veggies. it's preparing them that i find cumbersome. you peel, you slice. you core. just thinking about it makes me tired. if you have the time, why not? but if you spend 10-14 hours at work, another 2-3 hours driving to and from home, how can you squeeze in veggie cooking. of course, salad is the easiest way. try having salad for a week and you'll definitely crave for something else. worse if you're always on the road. veggies are hard to come by.
JORGE’S DAILY FIT TIP
By Jorge Cruise, Chief Diet and Fitness Expert
Published January 17, 2011
Spinach. Brussels sprouts. Carrots. Oh my! If you’re not a fan of vegetables, you probably haven’t cooked them correctly. If you’ve ever eaten over-cooked, mushy, tasteless veggies, it’s no wonder you push aside your peas. Not only are overcooked veggies bland and unappealing, they’re also devoid of a lot of the nutrients and antioxidants that fresh vegetables offer. Learning how to properly prepare veggies can solve this crisis – and it is a crisis because vegetables are chockfull of the good stuff your body needs. So, I challenge you to give vegetables another chance.
The best methods for cooking vegetables are grilling, steaming, blanching, or sautéing them in a little bit of olive oil. Vegetables only need to be cooked until they are just tender and still al dente (like pasta) inside. Once they become soft, they lose their taste and texture. If you still need a little extra pizzazz, punch up the flavor by adding lemon or lime juice, garlic, herbs or seasonings, none of which will add calories to your meal.
Your coach,
Jorge Cruise
For information on Jorge's fitness program and to get a free copy of his Belly Fat Cure Report, visit jorgecruise.com.
MY THOUGHTS
i love veggies. it's preparing them that i find cumbersome. you peel, you slice. you core. just thinking about it makes me tired. if you have the time, why not? but if you spend 10-14 hours at work, another 2-3 hours driving to and from home, how can you squeeze in veggie cooking. of course, salad is the easiest way. try having salad for a week and you'll definitely crave for something else. worse if you're always on the road. veggies are hard to come by.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Rev up your Metabolism
7 Secrets to Revving Up Your Metabolism
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Special to Lifescript
Published December 09, 2010
Your body may not be burning calories quickly because of poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Fortunately, you can boost your metabolism. Use these 7 tips to rev up your inner engine. Plus, test your calorie IQ with our quiz...
If your body’s engine is running at full-speed, there’s little you can do to boost your fat-burning potential – you’re already performing at peak. But if your tank is teetering on half-empty, there's room for improvement. Use these 7 tips to rev up your metabolism.
Ladies, start your engines!
Secret #1: Get to bed early
The number of zzz’s you catch can have a big effect on your waistline. Research shows that sleep deprivation can send your hunger and appetite hormones out of whack.
A four-year joint study by the University of Wisconsin and Stanford University found that adults who regularly slept for only five hours a night increased their levels of hunger-inducing ghrelin by 14.9% and lowered their levels of appetite-suppressing leptin by 15.5%.
This means double trouble for your fat cells: You end up eating more than you need, leaving you with extra pounds to show for it.
How much sleep do you need to avoid this? Some people swear by a few hours, but experts recommend 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
Read 7 Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep.
Secret #2: Get up earlier
Does your morning ritual consist only of showering, brushing your teeth and getting dressed? Then you’re neglecting two important activities that could boost your metabolism.
The first: Eat breakfast – and coffee doesn’t count. Skipping that bowl of oatmeal might sound harmless, but you’re missing the first opportunity of the day to jumpstart your metabolism.
Think of it in literal terms: Breakfast is “breaking” the overnight “fast” your body was in to conserve calories. Eating – especially a balanced breakfast every day – stimulates your metabolism.
Check out these 7 healthy breakfast ideas.
Secondly, you should exercise. Sure, you might struggle to throw off those cozy sheets – who doesn’t? – but it’s a battle worth winning. Why? It boosts your metabolism.
You’ll burn more calories throughout the day simply doing the same stuff you always do.
Even a 20-minute walk or jog will make a difference. So skip that second cup o’ joe and strap on your walking shoes instead.
Here are 5 morning exercises to start your day.
Secret #3: Move more
Sounds impossible, but you can - and should - work out every day. Cardiovascular exercise (running, swimming, aerobics, walking) stimulates your metabolism, helps you burn calories and can even temporarily suppress your appetite post-workout.
But don’t let cardio get all the metabolic-boosting glory. Weight training is important too, because it tones your muscles and boosts lean tissue mass, which burns more calories per pound than fat. The more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn daily.
Also, don’t be afraid to exercise more than once a day. Breaking up a 60-minute workout into two 30-minute (or three 20-minute) sessions is not only convenient, but also it may help you burn more fat, according to recent research.
Hate exercise? Here are 12 workout tips.
Secret #4: Eat all day
Forget about three large square meals a day. Graze on healthy snacks or nosh on smaller meals instead.
Eating 5-6 small meals throughout the day keeps a steady stream of energy available to your body. This boosts your metabolism and your brain power.
Keep healthy snacks (fruits, veggies, nuts, yogurt) with you throughout the day. Just be sure your main meals are smaller to accommodate all this snacking, or you’ll load up on extra calories you don’t need.
And don't skip meals. Dieters often try to get that extra weight-loss edge by cutting entire meals instead of just cutting calories throughout the day. But this is counterproductive: Skipping meals forces your metabolism to slow down and conserve calories to compensate for the lack of food.
So when you finally do eat, your body remembers that it went for a long time without food and will store more calories to prepare for the next time you'll starve it. Stay off this roller-coaster by eating at regular intervals throughout the entire day.
Enjoy these 7 quick and tasty snack ideas.
Secret #5: Raise a glass
The number on the scale may look good when you haven’t had enough water, but you’re risking major weight gain by not drinking enough.
Dehydration can trick your brain into thinking you’re hungry, so instead of reaching for a cold one – water, that is – you reach for whatever snack is nearby.
A simple exercise in math may illustrate the importance of hydration:
8 ounces of water = 0 calories
1 candy bar from the office vending machine = 270 calories
Swapping that candy bar for a glass of water, then waiting 20 minutes to see if you were really hungry in the first place = priceless.
Some experts say that your body burns extra calories as it works to raise the temperature of icy water to your internal body temperature, although others disagree.
Still, water is refreshing and hydrating - and you’ll burn calories on your walk over to the fridge or fountain.
Secret #6: Eat spicy foods
Turning up the heat on your meals may do more than just add fun flavor. “Hot” foods, such as jalapeños, chili peppers and spices (like curry and cayenne), may increase body temperature.
Body temperature and metabolism are related: As you burn energy, heat is released. By increasing your internal body temperature, spicy foods may temporarily raise your metabolism and stimulate the use of stored fat as energy.
Experts agree that eating spicy foods can increase feelings of satiety. And the sooner you’re satisfied at a meal, the faster you’ll stop eating. You can easily save yourself 100 calories at a meal by taking fewer bites, so pile on the hot sauce.
Secret #7: Count on calcium
Research shows that calcium, an essential mineral, can boost your basal metabolic rate, which boosts weight loss. In a National Dairy Council-funded study, researchers found that a high-calcium, low-calorie diet boosted fat loss by 42%, compared to only 8% for just a low-calorie diet.
Studies also show that dairy lovers are less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome, whose symptoms include high blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides, poor blood sugar control and increased abdominal obesity – all factors that increase risk of diabetes and heart disease.
If you don’t eat enough calcium-rich dairy foods – such as yogurt, skim milk and low-fat cheeses – start adding them to your diet or take a daily calcium supplement.
Try these 7 calcium-rich recipes.
How Calorie-Conscious are You?
Although calorie-counting seems like a tedious task, having a basic knowledge of which foods will send you into a diet trap isn't. How calorie-conscious are you? Find out with this quiz.
Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on latest news. Share it with your friends (it’s free to sign up!), and bookmark it so you don’t miss a single juicy post!
MY THOUGHTS
i hate waking up early. i love staying up late at night.most days, i hardly have time for exercise.i've been spending too much time on the computer. and ilove snacking. need i say more?
By Jennifer Gruenemay, ACE-Certified, Special to Lifescript
Published December 09, 2010
Your body may not be burning calories quickly because of poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Fortunately, you can boost your metabolism. Use these 7 tips to rev up your inner engine. Plus, test your calorie IQ with our quiz...
If your body’s engine is running at full-speed, there’s little you can do to boost your fat-burning potential – you’re already performing at peak. But if your tank is teetering on half-empty, there's room for improvement. Use these 7 tips to rev up your metabolism.
Ladies, start your engines!
Secret #1: Get to bed early
The number of zzz’s you catch can have a big effect on your waistline. Research shows that sleep deprivation can send your hunger and appetite hormones out of whack.
A four-year joint study by the University of Wisconsin and Stanford University found that adults who regularly slept for only five hours a night increased their levels of hunger-inducing ghrelin by 14.9% and lowered their levels of appetite-suppressing leptin by 15.5%.
This means double trouble for your fat cells: You end up eating more than you need, leaving you with extra pounds to show for it.
How much sleep do you need to avoid this? Some people swear by a few hours, but experts recommend 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
Read 7 Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep.
Secret #2: Get up earlier
Does your morning ritual consist only of showering, brushing your teeth and getting dressed? Then you’re neglecting two important activities that could boost your metabolism.
The first: Eat breakfast – and coffee doesn’t count. Skipping that bowl of oatmeal might sound harmless, but you’re missing the first opportunity of the day to jumpstart your metabolism.
Think of it in literal terms: Breakfast is “breaking” the overnight “fast” your body was in to conserve calories. Eating – especially a balanced breakfast every day – stimulates your metabolism.
Check out these 7 healthy breakfast ideas.
Secondly, you should exercise. Sure, you might struggle to throw off those cozy sheets – who doesn’t? – but it’s a battle worth winning. Why? It boosts your metabolism.
You’ll burn more calories throughout the day simply doing the same stuff you always do.
Even a 20-minute walk or jog will make a difference. So skip that second cup o’ joe and strap on your walking shoes instead.
Here are 5 morning exercises to start your day.
Secret #3: Move more
Sounds impossible, but you can - and should - work out every day. Cardiovascular exercise (running, swimming, aerobics, walking) stimulates your metabolism, helps you burn calories and can even temporarily suppress your appetite post-workout.
But don’t let cardio get all the metabolic-boosting glory. Weight training is important too, because it tones your muscles and boosts lean tissue mass, which burns more calories per pound than fat. The more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn daily.
Also, don’t be afraid to exercise more than once a day. Breaking up a 60-minute workout into two 30-minute (or three 20-minute) sessions is not only convenient, but also it may help you burn more fat, according to recent research.
Hate exercise? Here are 12 workout tips.
Secret #4: Eat all day
Forget about three large square meals a day. Graze on healthy snacks or nosh on smaller meals instead.
Eating 5-6 small meals throughout the day keeps a steady stream of energy available to your body. This boosts your metabolism and your brain power.
Keep healthy snacks (fruits, veggies, nuts, yogurt) with you throughout the day. Just be sure your main meals are smaller to accommodate all this snacking, or you’ll load up on extra calories you don’t need.
And don't skip meals. Dieters often try to get that extra weight-loss edge by cutting entire meals instead of just cutting calories throughout the day. But this is counterproductive: Skipping meals forces your metabolism to slow down and conserve calories to compensate for the lack of food.
So when you finally do eat, your body remembers that it went for a long time without food and will store more calories to prepare for the next time you'll starve it. Stay off this roller-coaster by eating at regular intervals throughout the entire day.
Enjoy these 7 quick and tasty snack ideas.
Secret #5: Raise a glass
The number on the scale may look good when you haven’t had enough water, but you’re risking major weight gain by not drinking enough.
Dehydration can trick your brain into thinking you’re hungry, so instead of reaching for a cold one – water, that is – you reach for whatever snack is nearby.
A simple exercise in math may illustrate the importance of hydration:
8 ounces of water = 0 calories
1 candy bar from the office vending machine = 270 calories
Swapping that candy bar for a glass of water, then waiting 20 minutes to see if you were really hungry in the first place = priceless.
Some experts say that your body burns extra calories as it works to raise the temperature of icy water to your internal body temperature, although others disagree.
Still, water is refreshing and hydrating - and you’ll burn calories on your walk over to the fridge or fountain.
Secret #6: Eat spicy foods
Turning up the heat on your meals may do more than just add fun flavor. “Hot” foods, such as jalapeños, chili peppers and spices (like curry and cayenne), may increase body temperature.
Body temperature and metabolism are related: As you burn energy, heat is released. By increasing your internal body temperature, spicy foods may temporarily raise your metabolism and stimulate the use of stored fat as energy.
Experts agree that eating spicy foods can increase feelings of satiety. And the sooner you’re satisfied at a meal, the faster you’ll stop eating. You can easily save yourself 100 calories at a meal by taking fewer bites, so pile on the hot sauce.
Secret #7: Count on calcium
Research shows that calcium, an essential mineral, can boost your basal metabolic rate, which boosts weight loss. In a National Dairy Council-funded study, researchers found that a high-calcium, low-calorie diet boosted fat loss by 42%, compared to only 8% for just a low-calorie diet.
Studies also show that dairy lovers are less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome, whose symptoms include high blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides, poor blood sugar control and increased abdominal obesity – all factors that increase risk of diabetes and heart disease.
If you don’t eat enough calcium-rich dairy foods – such as yogurt, skim milk and low-fat cheeses – start adding them to your diet or take a daily calcium supplement.
Try these 7 calcium-rich recipes.
How Calorie-Conscious are You?
Although calorie-counting seems like a tedious task, having a basic knowledge of which foods will send you into a diet trap isn't. How calorie-conscious are you? Find out with this quiz.
Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on latest news. Share it with your friends (it’s free to sign up!), and bookmark it so you don’t miss a single juicy post!
MY THOUGHTS
i hate waking up early. i love staying up late at night.most days, i hardly have time for exercise.i've been spending too much time on the computer. and ilove snacking. need i say more?
Reasons You're Not Losing Weight
10 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight
By Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., Lifescript Nutrition Expert
Published August 26, 2010
You’re cutting down on fat, controlling carbs and exercising religiously. So why aren’t you losing weight? Here are 10 things that will derail your quest for a slimmer body. Plus, how calorie-conscious are you? Rate yourself…
You’re no slacker when it comes to your health: You exercise, watch what you eat, use portion control, and can resist Ben & Jerry’s without a problem.
Yet the scale needle still won’t budge.
Why are so many dieters destined to regain lost weight or never lose anything at all? Here are 10 reasons your body isn’t behaving:
Physical Factors
1. You don’t have enough muscle.
The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Fat and muscle tissues consume calories all day long whether you’re running, reading or sleeping. No matter what you’re doing, muscle rips through more calories than fat.
That's why men burn calories a lot faster than women; they have more muscle.
What to do: Lift weights. You don’t have to get huge, but building and maintaining muscle week after week, year after year makes a difference in the long run.
Registered dietitian and certified personal trainer Marci Anderson has her clients alternate between strength exercises and heart rate-raising cardio in each session.
“That way, their strength training includes the calorie-burning effect of cardio.”
2. Genetics: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
If both parents are obese, you are much more likely to be obese, says Jill Comess, M.S., R.D., food science and nutrition program director at Norfolk State University in Virginia.
“Researchers estimate that your genes account for at least 50% - and as much as 90% - of your stored body fat,” she says.
What to do: You’re not doomed. Your weight-loss challenge is just 10%-50% greater.
“Losing even just a few pounds makes you healthier and less likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer,” Comess says. “So you don’t have to be super-slim to improve your health.”
If an overweight woman loses even 5%-10% of her total body weight, she has a greater chance of reducing or getting off her high blood pressure or other meds, she adds.
3. You’re getting older.
A sluggish metabolism is a common aging problem. And we encourage it by sitting in traffic, long hours at the office and in front of computers.
All this inactivity means we gradually lose muscle and increase body fat, resulting in a metabolic slump. But it’s not unbeatable.
What to do: First, lift weights. But don’t underestimate the power of just moving. You faithfully walk the treadmill for an hour each day or go to yoga class, but what are you doing the other 23 hours?
It’s a no-brainer: Folding laundry, walking to a co-worker’s desk and cooking dinner burn more calories than just watching TV, emailing your co-worker or driving to the pizza joint.
Thin people fidget and move (called non-exercise activity) more than obese people, research shows. In fact, such antsy behavior might burn as much as 350 more calories per day – the equivalent of two doughnuts.
4. Your body can’t keep up.
To survive in the days before supermarkets, your body evolved some complex starvation-coping strategies.
Now that food isn’t scarce, these processes can work against us, explains Jim Anderson, M.D., Professor Emeritus, Medicine and Clinical Nutrition at the University of Kentucky.
“The intestines make about two dozen hormones – some that stimulate eating and others that decrease the need to eat,” he says.
The sophisticated hormonal response can’t cope with our sedentary lifestyle and all those tempting Twinkies, potato chips and frozen dinners we gobble, he says. So it’s harder to maintain ideal body weight.
What to do: You can’t fight evolution, so you have to focus extra-hard on those things you can. Be active every day and fill up on low-calorie foods, such as broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, green beans and other non-starchy vegetables.
5. Your medicine cabinet is to blame.
A host of drugs that treat diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, inflammatory disease and more affect weight regulation. Some will make you hungrier and others stimulate your body to store fat. And if a drug affects the brain, there’s a good chance it affects weight, Anderson says.
What to do: Ask your health care provider if an alternate drug or a lower dose could work, but don’t change your medications without discussing it first.
Self-Sabotage
Are you your own worst diet enemy? It’s easy to let everyday life get in the way of making smart food choices. The drive-thru instead of a home-cooked meal is an obvious mistake. But you could be sabotaging yourself in some not-so-apparent ways too.
6. You underestimate portions and calories.
Even dietitians underestimate calories – and by huge amounts! One study found that women and overweight people miscalculate more than others.
Other studies suggest that the greatest underestimating occurs when the meals are the largest, and that it doesn’t have anything to do with how fat someone is.
What to do: Follow the portion guidelines at mypyramid.gov for several days. Use measuring spoons, measuring cups and a food scale to guide you. Then plug in your food choices on that site or another reputable one to calculate your calorie intake. And read every food label for serving size and calories.
Need more help? Visit eatright.org to find a registered dietitian in your area.
7. You eat mindlessly or when distracted.
Do you eat dinner in front of the TV? Do you stop eating when you’re full or when the show is over? All too often, such distraction leads to more and more mouthfuls of pasta or potatoes.
If you’re munching from a bag of chips or a box of crackers, you can’t keep track of how much you’ve eaten.
And plenty of dieters report they didn’t even realize they had snacked from the candy bowl or nibbled from a child’s plate until it was too late.
What to do: Make it a house rule to eat from a dish. Always. No bags, cartons or fistfuls. Put it in a dish, sit down and savor the taste as you eat – without distraction. That means that if you’re going to grab the crust of your daughter’s grilled cheese sandwich, you have to put it on a plate first.
8. You deprive yourself.
Your list of can’t-have foods is so long, it rivals the nation’s tally of foreclosed homes. In fact, you’ve been so strict with yourself, you can’t remember the last time you ate a doughnut, candy bar or slice of pizza.
Then - like so many times before - you give in, scarf down something taboo, and now you’re mad at yourself.
So what the heck, you think: You’ll just eat everything on your forbidden list to get it out of your system. You’ll start your diet over again tomorrow – or next week.
Problem is, you can’t get it out of your system. It just doesn’t work that way.
What to do: No more setting yourself up for feeling deprived. In fact, no more dieting.
Take the focus away from that list of bad foods and emphasize those that are good for you. If 90% of the time you eat a wholesome diet of ample fruits and vegetables, some whole grains, lean meats or other sources of protein, then the other 10% doesn’t really matter.
So enjoy that glazed doughnut – but just one. If you want another, it will still be there tomorrow. After all, doughnuts or candy bars or pizza or whatever won’t drop off the face of the earth.
9. You’re usually good, but…
You always watch your portions. You start every morning with a healthful breakfast and eat only baked chicken, not fried.
Always that is, unless you’re on vacation or dining out. Or celebrating a birthday. Or sharing an anniversary. Or honoring your son’s first home run.
Consistency is key to dropping pounds. Researchers involved with the National Weight Control Registry found that those who eat similarly day after day are more likely to maintain weight loss than others.
One splurge meal in a restaurant can easily undo all the small calorie-saving tricks you employed the whole week before. Derail yourself every week and you’ll never get anywhere.
What to do: Again, stop dieting and start making small changes you can live with.
Find ways to celebrate that don’t involve high-calorie eating (like a manicure) or take half of that restaurant meal home to celebrate again tomorrow.
10. You overestimate your calorie burn.
Gym machines are notorious for overestimating the calories burned by exercisers, and dieters can easily out-eat their workouts. Your 30-minute power walk might burn 200 calories, but that won’t make up for your after-exercise power smoothie.
What to do: Exercise is an important tool in controlling your weight and maintaining good health, but stop rewarding your good work with food.
If you’re tempted to follow a sweat session with a smoothie or muffin, consider these numbers first:
Food/Calories Activity/Time to Burn Calories
Medium nonfat latte and blueberry muffin
(605 calories) Walking 3.0 mph (20-minute mile), 2 hours, 14 minutes
Walking 4.0 mph (15-minute mile), 1 hour, 29 minutes
Large bagel with cream cheese
(430 calories) Jogging 5.2 mph (11.5-minute mile), 35 minutes
Aerobic dancing, low impact, 63 minutes
22-ounce strawberry smoothie with artificial sweetener
(250 calories) Weight training, light, 61 minutes
Circuit training (includes aerobic activity), 23 minutes
Fast food sausage and egg biscuit
(500 calories) Gardening, 92 minutes
House cleaning, heavy, 2 hours, 2 minutes
* based on average 180-pound person
How Calorie-Conscious Are You?
Calorie-counting can be tedious, but knowing which foods will send you into a diet trap is easy. Find out how savvy you are with this quiz.
Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on latest news. Share it with your friends (it’s free to sign up!), and bookmark it so you don’t miss a single juicy post!
MY THOUGHTS
why? why do i have to come across this article? everything written here is not a lie. but then,it's good to be reminded. and reminded and reminded. you know what stung? # 10. this means that for every grande cafe mocha from Starbucks' i will need to walk for more than 2 hours? and that's just the coffee!!!
By Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., Lifescript Nutrition Expert
Published August 26, 2010
You’re cutting down on fat, controlling carbs and exercising religiously. So why aren’t you losing weight? Here are 10 things that will derail your quest for a slimmer body. Plus, how calorie-conscious are you? Rate yourself…
You’re no slacker when it comes to your health: You exercise, watch what you eat, use portion control, and can resist Ben & Jerry’s without a problem.
Yet the scale needle still won’t budge.
Why are so many dieters destined to regain lost weight or never lose anything at all? Here are 10 reasons your body isn’t behaving:
Physical Factors
1. You don’t have enough muscle.
The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Fat and muscle tissues consume calories all day long whether you’re running, reading or sleeping. No matter what you’re doing, muscle rips through more calories than fat.
That's why men burn calories a lot faster than women; they have more muscle.
What to do: Lift weights. You don’t have to get huge, but building and maintaining muscle week after week, year after year makes a difference in the long run.
Registered dietitian and certified personal trainer Marci Anderson has her clients alternate between strength exercises and heart rate-raising cardio in each session.
“That way, their strength training includes the calorie-burning effect of cardio.”
2. Genetics: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
If both parents are obese, you are much more likely to be obese, says Jill Comess, M.S., R.D., food science and nutrition program director at Norfolk State University in Virginia.
“Researchers estimate that your genes account for at least 50% - and as much as 90% - of your stored body fat,” she says.
What to do: You’re not doomed. Your weight-loss challenge is just 10%-50% greater.
“Losing even just a few pounds makes you healthier and less likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer,” Comess says. “So you don’t have to be super-slim to improve your health.”
If an overweight woman loses even 5%-10% of her total body weight, she has a greater chance of reducing or getting off her high blood pressure or other meds, she adds.
3. You’re getting older.
A sluggish metabolism is a common aging problem. And we encourage it by sitting in traffic, long hours at the office and in front of computers.
All this inactivity means we gradually lose muscle and increase body fat, resulting in a metabolic slump. But it’s not unbeatable.
What to do: First, lift weights. But don’t underestimate the power of just moving. You faithfully walk the treadmill for an hour each day or go to yoga class, but what are you doing the other 23 hours?
It’s a no-brainer: Folding laundry, walking to a co-worker’s desk and cooking dinner burn more calories than just watching TV, emailing your co-worker or driving to the pizza joint.
Thin people fidget and move (called non-exercise activity) more than obese people, research shows. In fact, such antsy behavior might burn as much as 350 more calories per day – the equivalent of two doughnuts.
4. Your body can’t keep up.
To survive in the days before supermarkets, your body evolved some complex starvation-coping strategies.
Now that food isn’t scarce, these processes can work against us, explains Jim Anderson, M.D., Professor Emeritus, Medicine and Clinical Nutrition at the University of Kentucky.
“The intestines make about two dozen hormones – some that stimulate eating and others that decrease the need to eat,” he says.
The sophisticated hormonal response can’t cope with our sedentary lifestyle and all those tempting Twinkies, potato chips and frozen dinners we gobble, he says. So it’s harder to maintain ideal body weight.
What to do: You can’t fight evolution, so you have to focus extra-hard on those things you can. Be active every day and fill up on low-calorie foods, such as broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, green beans and other non-starchy vegetables.
5. Your medicine cabinet is to blame.
A host of drugs that treat diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, inflammatory disease and more affect weight regulation. Some will make you hungrier and others stimulate your body to store fat. And if a drug affects the brain, there’s a good chance it affects weight, Anderson says.
What to do: Ask your health care provider if an alternate drug or a lower dose could work, but don’t change your medications without discussing it first.
Self-Sabotage
Are you your own worst diet enemy? It’s easy to let everyday life get in the way of making smart food choices. The drive-thru instead of a home-cooked meal is an obvious mistake. But you could be sabotaging yourself in some not-so-apparent ways too.
6. You underestimate portions and calories.
Even dietitians underestimate calories – and by huge amounts! One study found that women and overweight people miscalculate more than others.
Other studies suggest that the greatest underestimating occurs when the meals are the largest, and that it doesn’t have anything to do with how fat someone is.
What to do: Follow the portion guidelines at mypyramid.gov for several days. Use measuring spoons, measuring cups and a food scale to guide you. Then plug in your food choices on that site or another reputable one to calculate your calorie intake. And read every food label for serving size and calories.
Need more help? Visit eatright.org to find a registered dietitian in your area.
7. You eat mindlessly or when distracted.
Do you eat dinner in front of the TV? Do you stop eating when you’re full or when the show is over? All too often, such distraction leads to more and more mouthfuls of pasta or potatoes.
If you’re munching from a bag of chips or a box of crackers, you can’t keep track of how much you’ve eaten.
And plenty of dieters report they didn’t even realize they had snacked from the candy bowl or nibbled from a child’s plate until it was too late.
What to do: Make it a house rule to eat from a dish. Always. No bags, cartons or fistfuls. Put it in a dish, sit down and savor the taste as you eat – without distraction. That means that if you’re going to grab the crust of your daughter’s grilled cheese sandwich, you have to put it on a plate first.
8. You deprive yourself.
Your list of can’t-have foods is so long, it rivals the nation’s tally of foreclosed homes. In fact, you’ve been so strict with yourself, you can’t remember the last time you ate a doughnut, candy bar or slice of pizza.
Then - like so many times before - you give in, scarf down something taboo, and now you’re mad at yourself.
So what the heck, you think: You’ll just eat everything on your forbidden list to get it out of your system. You’ll start your diet over again tomorrow – or next week.
Problem is, you can’t get it out of your system. It just doesn’t work that way.
What to do: No more setting yourself up for feeling deprived. In fact, no more dieting.
Take the focus away from that list of bad foods and emphasize those that are good for you. If 90% of the time you eat a wholesome diet of ample fruits and vegetables, some whole grains, lean meats or other sources of protein, then the other 10% doesn’t really matter.
So enjoy that glazed doughnut – but just one. If you want another, it will still be there tomorrow. After all, doughnuts or candy bars or pizza or whatever won’t drop off the face of the earth.
9. You’re usually good, but…
You always watch your portions. You start every morning with a healthful breakfast and eat only baked chicken, not fried.
Always that is, unless you’re on vacation or dining out. Or celebrating a birthday. Or sharing an anniversary. Or honoring your son’s first home run.
Consistency is key to dropping pounds. Researchers involved with the National Weight Control Registry found that those who eat similarly day after day are more likely to maintain weight loss than others.
One splurge meal in a restaurant can easily undo all the small calorie-saving tricks you employed the whole week before. Derail yourself every week and you’ll never get anywhere.
What to do: Again, stop dieting and start making small changes you can live with.
Find ways to celebrate that don’t involve high-calorie eating (like a manicure) or take half of that restaurant meal home to celebrate again tomorrow.
10. You overestimate your calorie burn.
Gym machines are notorious for overestimating the calories burned by exercisers, and dieters can easily out-eat their workouts. Your 30-minute power walk might burn 200 calories, but that won’t make up for your after-exercise power smoothie.
What to do: Exercise is an important tool in controlling your weight and maintaining good health, but stop rewarding your good work with food.
If you’re tempted to follow a sweat session with a smoothie or muffin, consider these numbers first:
Food/Calories Activity/Time to Burn Calories
Medium nonfat latte and blueberry muffin
(605 calories) Walking 3.0 mph (20-minute mile), 2 hours, 14 minutes
Walking 4.0 mph (15-minute mile), 1 hour, 29 minutes
Large bagel with cream cheese
(430 calories) Jogging 5.2 mph (11.5-minute mile), 35 minutes
Aerobic dancing, low impact, 63 minutes
22-ounce strawberry smoothie with artificial sweetener
(250 calories) Weight training, light, 61 minutes
Circuit training (includes aerobic activity), 23 minutes
Fast food sausage and egg biscuit
(500 calories) Gardening, 92 minutes
House cleaning, heavy, 2 hours, 2 minutes
* based on average 180-pound person
How Calorie-Conscious Are You?
Calorie-counting can be tedious, but knowing which foods will send you into a diet trap is easy. Find out how savvy you are with this quiz.
Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on latest news. Share it with your friends (it’s free to sign up!), and bookmark it so you don’t miss a single juicy post!
MY THOUGHTS
why? why do i have to come across this article? everything written here is not a lie. but then,it's good to be reminded. and reminded and reminded. you know what stung? # 10. this means that for every grande cafe mocha from Starbucks' i will need to walk for more than 2 hours? and that's just the coffee!!!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Weird Weight-Loss Tips That Work
Weird Weight-Loss Tips That Work
By The Lifescript Editorial Staff
Published September 30, 2010
Can’t stick to your diet? Here are 10 tips to keep you on the path to slim. They may seem nutty, but they’ve been road-tested. Plus, how calorie savvy are you? Find out with our quiz…
Tip # 1: Try the Toothpaste Diet
You don’t have to suck down tubes of toothpaste, but that minty fresh taste can help you stick to your diet.
If portion control is your dieting downfall and you can’t resist your favorite goodies, brush your teeth with mint-flavored toothpaste.
It’ll tell your brain the meal’s over. If you’re tempted to take another bite, you’ll quickly find out that most food doesn't taste good with a mouth full of cool mint flavor. Plus, the slick feeling of clean teeth is enough to keep most people from wanting to chow down more.
Your dentist will thank you, too, because brushing your teeth after meals is good dental hygiene.
If you don't have a toothbrush and toothpaste on hand every time you eat, or if you feel a snack attack coming on, chew sugarless mint gum instead.
Tip #2: Get Grossed Out
Can’t put your fork down, even when you’re full? Get grossed out! Make the food left on your plate look unappetizing. Some the following tricks may seem silly, but they’ve worked for lots of successful losers:
1. Put silverware handles into the food on your plate. You won’t want to pick up grimy utensils to take another bite.
2. Wad up your used napkin, and toss it on top of the food.
3. Buy a fake 5-pound glob of fat, and put it on the top shelf of the refrigerator or cupboard. You’ll take one look at it, glance at your thighs and think: “I definitely don’t want that cheesecake now.”
4. Put a picture of yourself at your heaviest on the refrigerator as a reminder of why you’re watching calories.
Tip #3: Purge to Avoid the Binge
This is one time purging is good for you. If you really want to stick to a diet, clear your cupboards, fridge, freezer and pantry of foods too tempting to ignore.
Once you’ve purged your home of naughty nibbles, stock up on healthy items you can turn to when the urge to munch hits.
Buy fresh fruit and vegetables each week, and fill your pantry every month with dried fruit, nuts, no-sugar-added applesauce, turkey jerky and other healthy snacks.
Having the right foods on hand and the wrong ones out of reach is the perfect formula for long-term dieting success.
Tip # 4: Eat Cake
If you love to bake, you probably have a hard time saying no to the goodies you make.
But you don’t have give up baking; just do it smarter. Most recipes can be made healthier with low-cal substitutes. For example, use egg whites instead of whole eggs or whole-wheat flour instead of bleached.
Another tasty way to slim down recipes for muffins, cakes, cupcakes and cookies is to substitute equal parts applesauce for the oil or butter.
For every tablespoon of applesauce, you’ll save almost 100 calories and 14 grams of fat. You won’t even taste the difference. Just make sure to use a smooth no-sugar-added applesauce to reduce calories and avoid mysterious chunks in your cupcakes.
Tip #5: Squeeze into Skinny Jeans
What’s the first thing you do when your clothes feel too tight? You put on a big baggy sweatshirt and pants. They’re comfortable... actually, a little too comfy.
Next time you gain a few pounds, squeeze into your skinny clothes instead. Wearing too-tight clothes to dinner will remind you which foods to eat and how much. Try these clothing tips:
* Instead of unbuttoning your pants at the end of a large meal, buckle your belt one notch tighter before you start eating. It may stop you from overindulging.
* Squeeze into your favorite skinny jeans, and let your tummy bulge over the top when you’re lounging at home and tempted to snack through a Saturday night movie.
* If you’re uncomfortable wearing tight clothing in public, cover up with a loose jacket. That way you alone will know why you’re eating a salad instead of a cheeseburger.
Tip #6: Tell a Joke for Better Abs
Knock, knock. Even if the punch line isn’t funny, laugh anyway. It’s great for your heart and abs. Laughing contracts abdominal muscles, builds them up and shapes your six-pack.
Researchers also say happy people make healthier diet and lifestyle choices and avoid bad habits like smoking.
Laughter also prolongs your life. It increases blood circulation by more than 20% and prevents hardening of the arteries, say University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers. They recommend a minimum of 15 minutes of laughter daily.
So go ahead and ask your friends or co-workers if they’ve heard the one about the lawyer and the pit bull.
Tip #7: Fidget Yourself Thin
Ever wonder why some people don’t gain weight, even though they never watch what they eat? It may because they can’t sit still. Fidgeting increases daily calorie expenditure and prevents weight gain.
Sound too good to be true?
Not according to Mayo Clinic researchers. They placed motion-sensing devices in the underwear of 10 normal-weight and 10 obese adults to monitor their daily movements and to see if the amount of calories fidgety people burn each day account for their ability to stay slim.
The results? The obese group spent an average of two more hours sitting still than the normal-weight people, who burned an extra 350 calories per person per day.
So what are you waiting for? If you’re sitting still, get moving and fidget yourself thin!
Tip #8: Buy New Dishware
Are you a chronic overeater? Then buy new dishware. Downsize your plate, and you’ll downsize your waist.
As our waistlines have grown in the last 20 years, so have plate sizes. Dinner plates once were about 10 inches across; now they’re 12 inches or more. So what? Those two inches increase your portions.
If you eyeball portions, they seem a lot smaller on a larger plate because your perception is distorted. If you served pasta on a 12-inch plate, you’d serve a lot more than on a 10-inch plate.
What looks like a hearty amount of pasta on a small plate will look measly on a larger one.
So take your tape measure shopping, and buy smaller-sized plates.
If you’re not ready to ditch your dishes, serve meals on salad or bread plates or in a small bowl, especially when you’re eating treats like ice cream.
Tip #9: The Couch Potato Workout
TV can easily get in the way of your weight-loss goals. You didn’t go for a run Monday night because "Dancing With the Stars" was on? You missed out on a hike with your friends because you watched the big game instead?
If watching TV is an addiction, exercise some self-discipline and cut down. How much is too much? A healthy adult watches no more than 1-2 hours of TV a day.
For shows you just can’t miss, make TV time work for you. Use TV downtime to your advantage. Complete 10 push-ups and 20 sit-ups during every commercial break, or try jump roping.
With five, 5-minute breaks during a one-hour TV show, you can get a 25-minute workout in without driving to the gym. Watch two hours and you’ll have almost an hour of exercise!
Tip #10: Drink Cheap
Water’s one of the healthiest drinks, but here’s another reason you should have more of it: It’s free!
Have you ever been shocked at the restaurant bill? It’s not the food that’s sinking your budget. It’s the iced tea, soda or alcoholic drinks. You can easily trim at least $5 off your check by choosing water.
You’ll save on liquid calories too. A 12-ounce soda has around 150 calories; alcoholic drinks run 170 calories for a glass of wine to more than 300 calories for some mixed drinks. Water? Zero.
If you don’t like plain water, add some zest. Squeeze lemon or lime wedges into it for a refreshing twist.
You can also experiment with other flavors; try adding peppermint extract or fresh mint leaves to cool water, or drink hot water with honey and lemon.
How Calorie-Conscious Are You?
Calorie-counting can be tedious, but gaining a basic knowledge of which foods will send you into a diet trap is easy. Find out how savvy you are with this calorie quiz.
Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on latest news. Share it with your friends (it’s free to sign up!), and bookmark it so you don’t miss a single juicy post!
MY THOUGHTS
that's what i did last weekend. i attacked my kitchen cabinets and purged out food that i binge on. and i'm forcing myself not to have that trip to the grocery store. not yet. i think i have to though. to get myself that super mint tooth paste. one other weird trick (weird for shopaholics) is to NOT buy clothes when you've put on weight. because you'll get comfy in your loose clothing and forget that you need to fit once again into your sexy clothes. btw, the new smaller dishware did not work for me. if you want it to work, put away the cooking pot.
By The Lifescript Editorial Staff
Published September 30, 2010
Can’t stick to your diet? Here are 10 tips to keep you on the path to slim. They may seem nutty, but they’ve been road-tested. Plus, how calorie savvy are you? Find out with our quiz…
Tip # 1: Try the Toothpaste Diet
You don’t have to suck down tubes of toothpaste, but that minty fresh taste can help you stick to your diet.
If portion control is your dieting downfall and you can’t resist your favorite goodies, brush your teeth with mint-flavored toothpaste.
It’ll tell your brain the meal’s over. If you’re tempted to take another bite, you’ll quickly find out that most food doesn't taste good with a mouth full of cool mint flavor. Plus, the slick feeling of clean teeth is enough to keep most people from wanting to chow down more.
Your dentist will thank you, too, because brushing your teeth after meals is good dental hygiene.
If you don't have a toothbrush and toothpaste on hand every time you eat, or if you feel a snack attack coming on, chew sugarless mint gum instead.
Tip #2: Get Grossed Out
Can’t put your fork down, even when you’re full? Get grossed out! Make the food left on your plate look unappetizing. Some the following tricks may seem silly, but they’ve worked for lots of successful losers:
1. Put silverware handles into the food on your plate. You won’t want to pick up grimy utensils to take another bite.
2. Wad up your used napkin, and toss it on top of the food.
3. Buy a fake 5-pound glob of fat, and put it on the top shelf of the refrigerator or cupboard. You’ll take one look at it, glance at your thighs and think: “I definitely don’t want that cheesecake now.”
4. Put a picture of yourself at your heaviest on the refrigerator as a reminder of why you’re watching calories.
Tip #3: Purge to Avoid the Binge
This is one time purging is good for you. If you really want to stick to a diet, clear your cupboards, fridge, freezer and pantry of foods too tempting to ignore.
Once you’ve purged your home of naughty nibbles, stock up on healthy items you can turn to when the urge to munch hits.
Buy fresh fruit and vegetables each week, and fill your pantry every month with dried fruit, nuts, no-sugar-added applesauce, turkey jerky and other healthy snacks.
Having the right foods on hand and the wrong ones out of reach is the perfect formula for long-term dieting success.
Tip # 4: Eat Cake
If you love to bake, you probably have a hard time saying no to the goodies you make.
But you don’t have give up baking; just do it smarter. Most recipes can be made healthier with low-cal substitutes. For example, use egg whites instead of whole eggs or whole-wheat flour instead of bleached.
Another tasty way to slim down recipes for muffins, cakes, cupcakes and cookies is to substitute equal parts applesauce for the oil or butter.
For every tablespoon of applesauce, you’ll save almost 100 calories and 14 grams of fat. You won’t even taste the difference. Just make sure to use a smooth no-sugar-added applesauce to reduce calories and avoid mysterious chunks in your cupcakes.
Tip #5: Squeeze into Skinny Jeans
What’s the first thing you do when your clothes feel too tight? You put on a big baggy sweatshirt and pants. They’re comfortable... actually, a little too comfy.
Next time you gain a few pounds, squeeze into your skinny clothes instead. Wearing too-tight clothes to dinner will remind you which foods to eat and how much. Try these clothing tips:
* Instead of unbuttoning your pants at the end of a large meal, buckle your belt one notch tighter before you start eating. It may stop you from overindulging.
* Squeeze into your favorite skinny jeans, and let your tummy bulge over the top when you’re lounging at home and tempted to snack through a Saturday night movie.
* If you’re uncomfortable wearing tight clothing in public, cover up with a loose jacket. That way you alone will know why you’re eating a salad instead of a cheeseburger.
Tip #6: Tell a Joke for Better Abs
Knock, knock. Even if the punch line isn’t funny, laugh anyway. It’s great for your heart and abs. Laughing contracts abdominal muscles, builds them up and shapes your six-pack.
Researchers also say happy people make healthier diet and lifestyle choices and avoid bad habits like smoking.
Laughter also prolongs your life. It increases blood circulation by more than 20% and prevents hardening of the arteries, say University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers. They recommend a minimum of 15 minutes of laughter daily.
So go ahead and ask your friends or co-workers if they’ve heard the one about the lawyer and the pit bull.
Tip #7: Fidget Yourself Thin
Ever wonder why some people don’t gain weight, even though they never watch what they eat? It may because they can’t sit still. Fidgeting increases daily calorie expenditure and prevents weight gain.
Sound too good to be true?
Not according to Mayo Clinic researchers. They placed motion-sensing devices in the underwear of 10 normal-weight and 10 obese adults to monitor their daily movements and to see if the amount of calories fidgety people burn each day account for their ability to stay slim.
The results? The obese group spent an average of two more hours sitting still than the normal-weight people, who burned an extra 350 calories per person per day.
So what are you waiting for? If you’re sitting still, get moving and fidget yourself thin!
Tip #8: Buy New Dishware
Are you a chronic overeater? Then buy new dishware. Downsize your plate, and you’ll downsize your waist.
As our waistlines have grown in the last 20 years, so have plate sizes. Dinner plates once were about 10 inches across; now they’re 12 inches or more. So what? Those two inches increase your portions.
If you eyeball portions, they seem a lot smaller on a larger plate because your perception is distorted. If you served pasta on a 12-inch plate, you’d serve a lot more than on a 10-inch plate.
What looks like a hearty amount of pasta on a small plate will look measly on a larger one.
So take your tape measure shopping, and buy smaller-sized plates.
If you’re not ready to ditch your dishes, serve meals on salad or bread plates or in a small bowl, especially when you’re eating treats like ice cream.
Tip #9: The Couch Potato Workout
TV can easily get in the way of your weight-loss goals. You didn’t go for a run Monday night because "Dancing With the Stars" was on? You missed out on a hike with your friends because you watched the big game instead?
If watching TV is an addiction, exercise some self-discipline and cut down. How much is too much? A healthy adult watches no more than 1-2 hours of TV a day.
For shows you just can’t miss, make TV time work for you. Use TV downtime to your advantage. Complete 10 push-ups and 20 sit-ups during every commercial break, or try jump roping.
With five, 5-minute breaks during a one-hour TV show, you can get a 25-minute workout in without driving to the gym. Watch two hours and you’ll have almost an hour of exercise!
Tip #10: Drink Cheap
Water’s one of the healthiest drinks, but here’s another reason you should have more of it: It’s free!
Have you ever been shocked at the restaurant bill? It’s not the food that’s sinking your budget. It’s the iced tea, soda or alcoholic drinks. You can easily trim at least $5 off your check by choosing water.
You’ll save on liquid calories too. A 12-ounce soda has around 150 calories; alcoholic drinks run 170 calories for a glass of wine to more than 300 calories for some mixed drinks. Water? Zero.
If you don’t like plain water, add some zest. Squeeze lemon or lime wedges into it for a refreshing twist.
You can also experiment with other flavors; try adding peppermint extract or fresh mint leaves to cool water, or drink hot water with honey and lemon.
How Calorie-Conscious Are You?
Calorie-counting can be tedious, but gaining a basic knowledge of which foods will send you into a diet trap is easy. Find out how savvy you are with this calorie quiz.
Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on latest news. Share it with your friends (it’s free to sign up!), and bookmark it so you don’t miss a single juicy post!
MY THOUGHTS
that's what i did last weekend. i attacked my kitchen cabinets and purged out food that i binge on. and i'm forcing myself not to have that trip to the grocery store. not yet. i think i have to though. to get myself that super mint tooth paste. one other weird trick (weird for shopaholics) is to NOT buy clothes when you've put on weight. because you'll get comfy in your loose clothing and forget that you need to fit once again into your sexy clothes. btw, the new smaller dishware did not work for me. if you want it to work, put away the cooking pot.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Kitchen Essentials for Weight Loss
Kitchen Essentials for Weight Loss
By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Guide
Updated January 10, 2010
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
If you're just starting out with weight loss, you'll need to make sure your home is set up for diet success. Make sure you have the kitchen essentials for weight loss:
* microwave
* full set of microwave dishes
* blender
* quality chopping knives
* medium cutting board
* basket steamer or microwave steamer (e.g. microwave rice cooker)
* microwave steaming bags
* non-stick broiler pan
* non-stick skillet
* countertop grill
* electric chopper
* storage containers
* measuring spoons
* measuring cups
* large measuring cup with handle
* food scale
As you can see by this list, cooking healthy doesn't really require anything fancy or expensive. You probably already have a microwave and will find your microwave indispensable as you cook for weight loss. From making brown rice in a rice steamer to steaming veggies or even chicken or fish in the special steaming zipper bags that are now on the market, you will find that many meals can be prepared without any additional equipment or utensils.
A blender and an electric food chopper can be handy for making your own fresh salsa, smoothies, low-fat yogurt shakes, and more. (For example, I especially like to use my chopper to chop several hard-boiled eggs at a time so I can add some protein to salads when they serve as my entire meal.)
A broiler pan will allow you to broil chicken breasts, and a non-stick skillet will allow you to cook while using less fat than a regular skillet. A countertop grill is a practical, easy way to grill indoors, which comes in handy in winter or if you're living somewhere that doesn't allow outdoor grills.
Lastly, measuring tools will allow you to keep your portions in check, and a good set of knives and a medium-sized cutting board will make chopping up plenty of fresh veggies for snacks, salads, and recipes, less of a chore.
MY THOUGHTS
i will vouch for microwave. i can survive without a stove. but a microwave is a necessity for me. it's not only perfect for people who wants to lose weight. it's perfect for people who hasn't got much time. just make sure you have those steamer type container so food will not harden or rubberize. i also found this egg boiler where you can microwave eggs without having them splatter allover the microwave.
By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Guide
Updated January 10, 2010
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
If you're just starting out with weight loss, you'll need to make sure your home is set up for diet success. Make sure you have the kitchen essentials for weight loss:
* microwave
* full set of microwave dishes
* blender
* quality chopping knives
* medium cutting board
* basket steamer or microwave steamer (e.g. microwave rice cooker)
* microwave steaming bags
* non-stick broiler pan
* non-stick skillet
* countertop grill
* electric chopper
* storage containers
* measuring spoons
* measuring cups
* large measuring cup with handle
* food scale
As you can see by this list, cooking healthy doesn't really require anything fancy or expensive. You probably already have a microwave and will find your microwave indispensable as you cook for weight loss. From making brown rice in a rice steamer to steaming veggies or even chicken or fish in the special steaming zipper bags that are now on the market, you will find that many meals can be prepared without any additional equipment or utensils.
A blender and an electric food chopper can be handy for making your own fresh salsa, smoothies, low-fat yogurt shakes, and more. (For example, I especially like to use my chopper to chop several hard-boiled eggs at a time so I can add some protein to salads when they serve as my entire meal.)
A broiler pan will allow you to broil chicken breasts, and a non-stick skillet will allow you to cook while using less fat than a regular skillet. A countertop grill is a practical, easy way to grill indoors, which comes in handy in winter or if you're living somewhere that doesn't allow outdoor grills.
Lastly, measuring tools will allow you to keep your portions in check, and a good set of knives and a medium-sized cutting board will make chopping up plenty of fresh veggies for snacks, salads, and recipes, less of a chore.
MY THOUGHTS
i will vouch for microwave. i can survive without a stove. but a microwave is a necessity for me. it's not only perfect for people who wants to lose weight. it's perfect for people who hasn't got much time. just make sure you have those steamer type container so food will not harden or rubberize. i also found this egg boiler where you can microwave eggs without having them splatter allover the microwave.
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