FitSugar

Weekend Reading: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

FitSugar — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 02:00:00 PDT

The 100 mile diet is not fiction for author Barbara Kingsolver, as she and her family decided to live off the land and buy only locally grown food for an entire year. Lucky for us, she recorded those 365 days in her latest book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

Blending the art of the memoir with journalistic investigation, Kingsolver chronicles her family's move away from the industrial-food pipeline to southern Appalachia. As incredibly proficient gardeners, the family of four also "puts up food for the winter" by canning their own tomatoes and pickling their own veggies. After giving up meat due to overly industrialized production of meat, the family discovers the pleasures of "conscientious carnivory," as well as the surprises of animal husbandry. The book reminds me at times of The Little House on the Prairie, but with a decidedly political bent.

Kingsolver's writing is thoroughly enjoyable to read. Since I love her novels, it feels like a treat to read her prose on any subject matter. Not only is this book entertaining, it also provides helpful tips for shopping both seasonally and locally. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle makes a convincing argument for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet.

Buy it online for $18.86 (30% off the cover price) from Cody's Book Store.

Why Choose Local Produce?

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 02:30:00 PDT

Summer is here and one of my favorite things to do is go to the farmers market. I love to support local farms, and I feel good knowing where my produce came from.

What are the benefits of buying local produce?

By supporting local farms, you're helping to keep them in business, which supports your community. In return, this helps to protect precious farmland from becoming developed.
You're helping to cut down on the use of fossil fuels and the amount of pollution emitted by trucks - if you buy organic apples from Chile those apples are making a very long trip on the way to your mouth. Wait until fall and buy them from a local grower and this summer eat berries and stone fruits (peaches, plums, apricots, etc.) that are in season.
The best part is that when you buy local, you are receiving the freshest possible produce, picked just hours before getting to you.

So buying local is good for the consumer, for the farmer, and for the earth. Hey, this reminds me of the 100 mile diet. You want to shoot for eating foods that are produced or harvested within 100 miles of where you live. Summertime is a great time to adopt this "diet" since the sunny warm weather brings so many gardens and farms to life.

So the next time you go shopping for your fruits and veggies, look for signs that say "locally grown."

Source

Buy Local Produce at Your Local Farmers' Market

FitSugar — Wed, 09 May 2007 11:45:00 PDT

If you are interested in talking to the farmers that grow your food, you have to shop at your local farmers' market. It is the best way to learn how your food is grown and always cool to meet the folks that grow it. Farmers often share great tricks for storing their (and soon to be your) produce, sometimes they offer up great cooking techniques or favorite food combos.

If there is agriculture within 50 miles of your town, the chances are high there is a farmers' market nearby. I just found this super thorough listing of markets, organized by state and city, that was put together by the USDA. So if you are concerned about the carbon footprint created by the food you eat and are following the 100 Mile Diet you should really shop your local market. Chances are high that the prices there are lower than at your local grocery store. Plus you know the produce has just been picked so it will be super fresh and super nutritious.

What's the Deal with The 100-Mile Diet?

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 10:55:00 PST

Another day, another diet. Or so it seems, but I actually like the idea of this new so-called diet.

The 100-Mile Diet is a meal plan that encourages you to eat only foods grown, raised or crafted within a 100-mile radius of your home. In a nut shell, even though it is called a diet, the goal is not losing weight, but I can imagine you'll end up eating way healthier because most of us will be missing a lot of highly processed foods (unless the Lay's Potato Chip factory is in your neighborhood). The mission of the diet: Local eating equals global change for a lifestyle that promotes sustainable agriculture where you live, while cutting down on the amount of energy and resources it takes to get food to the table.

I gotta say, this diet is great in theory, but it can get pretty tough and expensive. For example if you live in the Ocean State, I am pretty sure that Rhode Island's cattle market is not so booming, but boy you'll be loving life if you're into lobsters. Or what about the abundance of veggies (or lack of) during the winter in North Dakota? I know it may sound a little crazy but think about it...before highways, airports and the internet, it was a normal way of life. (Though the inequality of women was normal too and I'm not sure I want to go back there, but ah, I digress.)

Interested? Check out the 100 mile diet site to learn more and find what 100 miles means for you.

Fit's Tip: Things to think about -- Vermont maple syrup, Maine lobsters, Iowa corn, Idaho potatoes, California raisins, Wisconsin cheese...Try doing one meal first, then consider the diet.

4 Surprising Things You Don't Know about Calories

Prevention — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:12:55 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Only 12 percent of Americans can estimate the calories they eat in a day! Find out why we're so clueless and get easy ways to stop calorie confusion.
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

You know what calories are, and you probably know that if you eat too many, you’ll gain weight. But do you know how many are in your favorite deli sandwich? Or how many calories you should really eat each day? Most Americans don’t. Only 12% can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day someone their age, height, weight, and physical activity, according to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. So what is it about calories that keeps us baffled? Here are 8 reasons you’re confused about calories and the simple steps that will help you do the math.

8 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Disease

1. Portions Sizes Are Out of Control
You’ve all heard about the rapidly expanding serving sizes of restaurant and fast food portions, but just how bad are they? Portions sizes in restaurants may contain double or triple the calories of home-cooked meals, and studies show eating out is associated with a higher BMI. Unfortunately, those portions affect our waistlines. When there’s more food on the plate, people eat more-up to 30% more, according to an analysis of several studies.

Stop the confusion: Use this cheat sheet of portion sizes. We know it’s hard to look at your plate as decks of cards, tennis balls, and all the other, so start by measuring out your food servings at home and take a good look at what a half-cup of pasta looks like. Until the serving sizes are engrained in your brain, when dining out, aim to eat half of your meal, saving the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Comfort Food That’s Actually Good for You

2. Serving Sizes Are Deceiving
"There really aren’t standard serving sizes for packaged foods, which makes them confusing," explains Elisa Zied, RD, author Nutrition at Your Fingertips. She gives the example of cereal. A standard serving size of breakfast cereal is approximately 50 g, but depending on the cereal, that could mean a cup and a half of flakes or half a cup of heartier granola. Depending on the type of cereal you’re eating, just eyeing how much you put in the bowl, like most people do, can lead to inaccurate calorie counts.

Not only that, but larger-than-life snack foods may seem like single servings even though they often contain two to three servings per packet. Buy a 16-ounce bottled Coca-Cola, and the nutrition label reads 100 calories . . . for one of the two servings in the bottle. Drink the whole thing, as many people do, and you’re really getting 200 calories. Eat the whole bag of Austin Zoo Animal Crackers, commonly found in office vending machines, and you’re getting 230 calories, nearly two servings, instead of just one.

Keep reading to learn even more about calories!

Calories and the Weight Loss Formula

Leta Shy — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:39:58 PST

Whether we're burning calories by sweating it out at the gym or resisting the call of the cupcakes, calories definitely affect our waistlines. Understanding the fundamentals of calories is about more than just reaching for the low-cal option. If you're watching your weight or looking to lose some, here's what you need to know about calories to keep you going.

What's a Calorie?
A calorie is just a form of energy. We burn calories all the time, whether merely breathing and sleeping or running a seven-minute mile. Metabolism is the rate at which our bodies use up this energy; the amount of calories we burn by simply existing is called our BMR, or basal metabolic rate (calculate your BMR here). Your BMR, age, and activity level are used to determine how many calories you should be eating in order to maintain your weight.

If you want to lose weight, however, the formula is simple: burn more calories than you eat. But that doesn't mean it's easy. It can be hard, and all-consuming, to keep track of every single calorie you eat or burn. Whether you're a calorie counter or someone who barely glances at labels, read on for tips on how to track calories to help you lose weight.

Prevent Weight Gain (and Eat What You Want!) During the Holidays

Leta Shy — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:44:28 PDT

When we asked if you focused on diet or exercise to maintain or lose weight, more than half of you said that both eating right and exercising regularly were essential for weight loss. Now, new studies confirm that even if you favor an unhealthy diet, regular exercise can minimize weight gain that usually comes from eating a fatty, high-calorie diet.

By tracking over 100,000 runners and 40,000 walkers, researchers found that those who ate more unhealthy diets - filled with more meat and fats than fruits - were still able to maintain weight or prevent significant weight gain because of their regular exercise routines. While most of these participants still gained a few pounds, it was much less than what was expected given their less-healthy eating habits.

What does this mean for you? Find out why regular exercise is so important for preventing weight gain, especially during the holidays, after the break.

Getting Back on Budget: How to Escape a Downward Spiral

LearnVest — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:15:02 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

I recently fell off my budget-or, rather, got pushed off by a large, unexpected expense at the dentist’s office.

I negotiated a payment plan so I wouldn’t have to pay more than $1,000 all in one go, but that night, as I was walking home, I became really irritated about the payments I’d have to make for the next few months.

Then, I saw-and was lured into-one of my favorite New York City institutions, the Strand bookstore, whose memorable tagline is “18 Miles of Books.”

That’s 18 miles of used books. Used books are cheap, right? Cheap.

That’s what I told myself as I proceeded to walk out with $75 worth of new reading material.

As I walked home, I thought, “I’m so far down the hole already anyway, what’s another $75?”

It turns out that this is a common way of thinking-about budgets, diets (“I already gorged on that cake last night, so what’s a little cookie?”), exercise (I already missed two workouts, who cares if I miss a third?) and more. But a few easy tricks-and our easy-to-use, goal-setting calculator below-can lift anyone out of a damaging downward spiral. If you want to jump right in to calculating how you can undo any damage you’ve done, scroll down.

First, let’s figure out why so many of us fall prey to downward spirals in the first place.

Why We Dig Ourselves Deeper in a Hole

Carmen Wong Ulrich, personal finance expert and author of “The Real Cost of Living,” says that once people fall off their budgets, they feel helpless. “You’re beyond the point of seeing yourself getting out. The pit is so big, it’s exhausting to look at, and that exhaustion wears down your ability to make a good decision.”

It’s a sad fact: Once one financial defeat saps our energy and willpower, we tend to make yet another bad decision, which makes us feel even worse, engendering yet another budget-busting decision, and so on. (A lot of it comes down to the psychology of sunk costs.)

So, how do you reverse course?

Read on to find out.

Celebrity Trainer Harley Pasternak Dishes About Food

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:50:18 PDT

Harley Pasternak says that if you follow his 5 Factor diet, you will see results. First, eat five times a day: two meals and three snacks. Next, everything you eat should have five components: lean protein, low glycemic carbs, healthy fats, fiber, and a sugar-free beverage. And to keep it real, there's a cheat day once a week.

The in-demand trainer recently came out with a new book - the 5 Factor World Diet - that draws on lessons learned from constant travel. Harley selected 10 countries with the lowest obesity rates and highest life expectancies and studied what they eat, how they eat, and how they burn it off. Although busy bopping between clients, Harley took some time out of his day to talk all things food: what you should be eating, why fresh food isn't always better, and yes, even he has a cheat food.

To see the interview,

FitSugar: Your latest book, The 5 Factor World Diet, is based on the insights you’ve gained while traveling. What are some healthy eating tips you’ve picked up from other countries?
Harley Pasternak: I saw a lot of fish - not beef - in the healthiest countries, and whole grains, vegetable, and whole soy - especially in Okinawa where everyone is 100 years old. In Sweden, sandwiches are made with one piece of bread, not two - it’s always always an open-faced sandwich. Physical activity is very much tied to meals too. In Italy they have something called a "pasa giatta," and when the meal ends they all get up and go for a walk together. And in other parts of the world they go grocery shopping every day, so you’re basically burning off half the meal to pick up ingredients, and when you’re preparing your food, you have more control over what you put into it.

FS: What advice do you have for people who can’t walk to pick up fresh food because the nearest market is 30 miles away?
HP: I’m a big fan of frozen food and canned food. I know that’s not what we’re used to hearing but frozen and canned food can be as healthy, if not healthier than fresh counterpart options. Fresh produce is not the end-all be-all - when I make smoothies I almost always use frozen fruits, and when I make soups I often use frozen vegetables. You can use canned beans and frozen vegetables for dips as well. Also, don’t be afraid of canned fish, canned salmon, canned tuna, and frozen seafood like shrimp cocktail. It’s another great way to get seafood into your diet, if you can't get fresh.

FS: What are some of your favorite meals from the 5 Factor World Diet?
HP: Gosh, there are so many. As I wrote the World Diet book, I was looking abroad for some good fiber recipes and fell in love with Japanese food like soba noodles. I also love the idea of ceviche. Going to Spain and learning to make ceviche was great. It's absolutely foolproof, even for someone who has no idea how to cook.

FS: What about snacks - especially when you’re on the go?
HP: Snacks - as should a meal - [should] have a lowfat protein and a fibrous carbohydrate. I tell my clients to grab some plain nonfat Greek yogurt and some frozen berries and mix that together. Soy snacks are great too: edamame, Soy Joy bars, and soy milk are all great. I often make a dip out of nonfat Greek yogurt and natural peanut butter for protein and calcium. It’s 1:2 ratio of peanut butter to yogurt and it’s delicious with apples or pears.

FS: Now that you’ve brought up fruit, one of our readers wants to know why there are no grapes or bananas on the 5-Factor Diet?
HP: No one is going to live a shorter life if they have bananas or grapes, however there are much, much healthier fruits. I try and tell my clients to choose those fruits over others. I tell my clients to stick to fruits that either have edible skin, edible seeds, or citrus - bananas do not have edible skin, nor do they have edible seeds really, nor is it citrus. Most of the fiber and nutrients that are in a fruit are in a fruit’s skin. A banana is just the densest piece of fruit that you can put in your body, and since it doesn’t have much fiber, it won’t keep you full. It’s kind of a shame to have a fruit with no fiber.

Grapes are an exception to the rule because they have a special sugar in them called dextrose, which is the highest glycemic sugar that you can possibly put in your body. They actually make grape pills for diabetics so that they don’t become low.

FS: Are there any foods that you think people should avoid, even on their cheat days?
HP: Absolutely no, not at all. Life is short and you have to enjoy it, and you should indulge when it’s time to indulge. At some point, I think everyone should eat everything at least once.

FS: And what’s your cheat food?
HP: My cheat food? That’s easy, it’s chocolate chip cookies. I’m the biggest chocolate chip cookie freak in the world.

FS: And do you give yourself some cookies every week?
HP: At least every week.

To get a taste of Harley's diet, try his recipe for five-spice halibut. It's tasty and easy to make.

Get the Bod: Jessica Biel's Workout

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:30:00 PDT

When I think of fit celebs, Jessica Biel definitely comes to mind. Her toned tush and defined arms are the reason she's won the title of Fitsugar's Fittest Female Celeb two years in a row. If you want to know how she maintains such a strong and feminine physique, her personal trainer Jason Walsh told People magazine about her workouts. Here's what he said:

Stretch: Jessica warms up with walking lunges. Jason says, "This stretches the larger leg and glute muscles.”
Cardio: She hits the track and jogs for half a mile, then does two 200-meter, 150-meter, and 100-meter sprints. This type of cardio interval training "leans her out," Jason says.
Core: “Hanging leg raises don’t build a six-pack, but they flatten,” says Walsh. “Jessica hates them, but she powers through!”

To find out what else Jason Walsh had to say

Plyometrics: “These hurt,” says Walsh of stair jumping. “Even athletes hate them. After Jessica did these the first time, she would’ve punched me if she had the energy.”
Weight Training: Jason says, “We tend to use lighter weights and do more reps. We keep moving, so it becomes a cardio workout, too.”
Waist: Get ready for Seated Russian Twists. Jessica does them holding a five-pound medicine ball. Twist to each side 15 times, and do a total of three sets.
Shoulders and biceps: Stand with knees slightly bent. Hold 10-pound dumbbells in each hand. Do a bicep curl and then rotate your hands so your palms face outward, and do a Twisting Dumbbell Press. Then reverse the move until you're back to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

As for her diet, Jessica eats complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal and whole wheat toast with one tablespoon of almond butter in the morning. For dinner she enjoys fish, veggies, and basmati rice. She snacks on fruits like bananas, apples, and strawberries. She doesn't deny herself the foods she craves, and likes to treat herself at the end of the day with something sweet like a piece of dark chocolate.

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