If you're trying to lose weight, you may be confused by conflicting information about how diet and exercise affect dropping pounds. To lose weight and keep it off, you need to create a healthy lifestyle and healthy habits. Put these six habits of successful dieters into practice and watch the pounds begin to melt away.
A quick and easy breakfast, cereal can be an excellent source of protein and fiber. It can also be loaded with sugar, making your bowl not as healthy as you thought. I'm not talking about Frosted Flakes or Lucky Charms either — seemingly healthy cereals have sugar, cane juice, or the like as one of the first few ingredients. Check the label on your box and if it's high in sugar, choose one of the low-sugar options below. If these don't seem flavorful enough, jazz up your bowl with some naturally sweet fresh fruit.
| Cereal | Serving Size | Calories | Sugar (g) | Fiber (g) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbara's Bakery Brown Rice Crisps | 1 cup | 120 | 1 | less than 1 | 2 |
| Barbara's Bakery Corn Flakes | 1 cup | 110 | 3 | less than 1 | 2 |
| Barbara's Bakery Hole 'n Oats: Fruit Juice Sweetened | 1 cup | 120 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Barbara's Bakery Puffins Original | 3/4 cup | 90 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| Barbara's Bakery Shredded Wheat | 2 biscuits | 140 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| Cascadian Farm Multi Grain Squares | 3/4 cup | 110 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Cascadian Farm Purely O's | 1 cup | 110 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| General Mills Cheerios | 1 cup | 100 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Keep reading for more cereals that are low in sugar.
Easter is almost here, and for some of us, that means a big brunch followed by a helping of candy — who can resist Cadbury Creme Eggs and marshmallow Peeps? While there's nothing wrong with enjoying a few Easter treats, weighing your basket down with chocolate, caramel eggs, and jelly beans can be the gateway to mindlessly snacking on candy for the rest of the week. Whether you're making a basket for a friend or the little one in your life, keep reading for some healthy ideas to sneak in among the candy.
Throwing some leafy greens into your smoothie is a great way to trick your taste buds into getting added fiber and calcium — it purees so well with the sweeter ingredients that you can't even taste it. I usually add whatever I have in the fridge — like baby spinach leaves or chopped kale — but does one offer bigger nutrition bang for your buck? Check out the chart below to see how these two veggies compare.
As you can see, they both offer the same amount of fiber and protein, but for fewer calories, spinach offers more folate, which is necessary for pregnant or nursing moms. Spinach is also higher in iron, which your body needs to carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. It offers more magnesium — a mineral that if you're deficient in can lead to headaches, muscle cramps, and chronic fatigue. You'll also appreciate the higher levels of manganese needed to keep your blood sugar levels and thyroid functions normal. And who couldn't use a little extra potassium? This valuable mineral helps with bone growth and may reduce high blood pressure.
| 28 grams Spinach (1 loosely packed cup) (%RDI) |
28 grams Kale (1 loosely packed cup) (%RDI) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 6 | 14 |
| Total fat (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Sodium (mg) | 22 (1%) | 12 (1%) |
| Carbs (g) | 1 | 3 |
| Fiber (g) | 1 | 1 |
| Sugars (g) | 0 | 0 |
| Protein (g) | 1 | 1 |
| Calcium (g) | 27.7 (3%) | 37.8 (4%) |
| Folate (mcg) | 54.3 (14%) | 8.1 (2%) |
| Iron (mg) | .8 (4%) | .5 (3 %) |
| Magnesium (mg) | 22.1 (6%) | 9.5 (2%) |
| Manganese (mg) | .3 (13%) | .2 (11%) |
| Potassium (g) | 156 (4%) | 125 (4%) |
| Vitamin A (g) | 2,625 (53%) | 4,305 (86%) |
| Vitamin B6 (mg) | .1 (3%) | .1 (3%) |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 7.9 (13%) | 33.6 (56%) |
| Vitamin K (mcg) | 135 (169%) | 229 (286%) |
Keep reading to find out why you might want to choose kale.
Carne y queso are definitely not vegan-approved, but it seems as if they're in every dish at most Mexican restaurants. But that doesn't mean vegans have to skip out on South of the border hot spots — check out our cheat sheet for ordering vegan when the mood for Mexican strikes. Remember that it's always a good idea to let your server know that you're vegan ahead of time, in case there are menu items containing hidden animal ingredients.
Appetizers:
Salads:
Entrées:
Source: Flickr user Tavallai
