FitSugar

The State of Eating Veggies in the US

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:35:55 -0700

When it comes to eating enough veggies and fruits, Americans are failing miserably. The CDC estimates that only 14 percent of adults and fewer than 10 percent of teenagers in the US eat three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit on a daily basis.

And you know, five servings of fruit and veggies is the minimum suggestion. Many health advocates believe we should be eating nine servings of produce daily. The percentages above represent the national average; in some states only nine percent of the adults eat enough produce. The CDC published this first state-by-state report to help us all understand how far off the mark we are when it comes to nutrition.

Here's the CDC list, ranking states from lowest to highest percentage of folks meeting the recommended servings of fruit and veggies.

1. Mississippi: 8.8%

2. Oklahoma and South Carolina: 9.3%

3. Alabama: 9.8%

4. South Dakota: 10.1%

5. West Virginia: 10.3%

Didn't see your state in the bottom five? Then keep on reading.

How Many Servings of Fruits and Veggies Do You Eat Daily?

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0700

On the heels of the good news that cancer deaths are down comes America's grade on health - a C-minus. It may be a passing grade, but just barely.

Although we all know eating well and exercising regularly are key to good health, as a nation we are seriously slacking. One surprising statistic was that smoking rates had barely budged in 18 years. I find this shocking because quitting smoking is the best thing a person can do for their health. Fitness-wise, as a nation we are exercising less and eating worse. Only 26 percent of the participants from the rather large pool used for the poll ate five or more servings of fruit and veggies daily. I found that number rather disheartening.

I am curious about you all and if you are in the minority, part of the 26 percent, who eat an average five servings of fruits and veggies daily.

Source

To Refrigerate or Not: That is The Question

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Maybe you're on a quest to get your five fruits and vegetables in a day, but the darn things go bad before you even get a chance to enjoy them. What gives?

According to VegetarianTimes.com, some fruits emit ethylene, an odorless, colorless gas that speeds ripening and can lead to the premature decay of nearby ethylene-sensitive vegetables. So the first trick to keeping produce fresh is to separate produce that emits ethylene from produce that's sensitive to it and know which to refrigerate and which not to refrigerate.

REFRIGERATE these gas releasers
Apples
Apricots
Cantaloupe
Figs
Honeydew

What shouldn't you refrigerate and what shouldn't be kept in contact with others? Then read more

DON'T REFRIGERATE these gas releasers
Avocados
Bananas, unripe
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Tomatoes

KEEP THESE AWAY from all gas releasers
Bananas, ripe
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Lettuce and other leafy greens
Parsley
Peas
Peppers
Squash
Sweet potatoes
Watermelon

Source

How Many Times Do You Eat Fruit & Veggies in a Day?

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Recent reports are showing that while most of us know the benefits of eating enough fruits and vegetables in a day, we aren't actually eating them. In fact only 32.6 percent of adults are eating fruit two or more times per day, and only 27.2 percent are eating vegetables three or more times a day. The recommended amount is currently at least five (fruits or veggies, or both) a day.

So I am curious about you guys -- How many times do you eat fruits & veggies in a day?

Free Pilates Class: Pilates Day is May 5th, 2007

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Last week I told you that Hilary Duff loves Pilates, so maybe you were thinking that you would like to try it too. Well here's your chance - May 5th is Pilates Day. Yippee!

In celebration studios around the country are participating by offering free and reduced rate Pilates mat and equipment classes on May 5th, 2007. If you've never experienced the 100's or table top legs, now is your chance to do it for FREE. How cool is that? For more information and to find a participating studio near you, check out PilatesDay.com.

You're going to need something to wear so check out Joe's Pila-T-Shop for cute Pilates inspired gear.

5 Ways to Kick-Start a Healthy Day

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:50:07 -0700

Start your day off on the right foot by making the most of your morning. Here are five healthy habits you can easily fit in between the alarm clock ringing and walking into the office. These simple actions can help set you up for a great day.

View Slideshow ›

Don't Blow Your Healthy Habits at the Movies This Weekend

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:53 -0800

It's a big movie weekend, for sure. With New Moon finally out, I've already committed myself to spend an afternoon at the theater - the only complication is that I'm not so fond of the movie-theater fare. It's an admittedly challenging place to stick to healthy food choices, since there usually aren't any to begin with. Just in case you don't believe me, recent research is revealing just how unhealthy movie popcorn can be - and it's probably a lot worse than you think.

An article from WebMd highlights the Center for Science in the Public Interest's findings on the state of popcorn, which claims movie theater popcorn is just about as bad for you as "a pound of baby back ribs and a scoop of Haagen-Dazs ice cream or maybe two Big Macs" - and that's before you even add the butter. For the study, researchers sent samples of popcorn and toppings from three different movie theater chains and compared their findings to the chains' own nutritional information. What they found is likely to make you rethink how you view your movie treat.

The study's results show that the calorie count of movie theater popcorn ranges from just about 400 to 1,200 calories, and contains an alarming serving of saturated fat that's equivalent to three days worth of your daily recommended portion, and anywhere from 200 (in the smallest 6-cup size serving) to 1,500 milligrams of sodium. Additionally, the study revealed that both AMC and Regal theaters pop their popcorn in coconut oil, which has a saturated fat content of a whopping 90 percent. Cinemark theaters, which pops their popcorn in canola oil, earns the rep as the healthiest chain, with a significantly lower saturated fat content - ranging from 2 grams in the 420-calorie small size to 5 grams in the 910-calorie large popcorn bucket. But, keep in mind that popcorn is usually just a part of the order - add a soda or your choice of candy, and your order is easily nearing 1,700 calories.

To learn about healthier options at the movies read more.

To avoid a serious caloric overload on your movie outing, the solutions are simple. Opt to share a small, unbuttered popcorn, and request that it be popped without salt (according to the article, these chains will happily oblige), or knosh on something healthy before you head out. If you can, bring a small bag of almonds or a piece of fruit along. Be smart about your choices, and don't let one afternoon at the movies spoil your healthy habits. It's totally fine to indulge every now and then, but a 1,200-calorie serving of popcorn that packs more saturated fat than you need in three days is hardly a treat for your bod or health.

Food Review: Cascadian Farm Fiber Right Bars

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:00:02 -0800

Women need between 25 and 30 grams of fiber a day, and sometimes meals alone won't bring you to your daily quota. I'm always looking for quick snacks that are high in fiber, and when I came across these new Cascadian Farm Fiber Right Bars ($4) at the store, they looked like a tasty way to help me reach my goal.

To find out how these Almond Butter Crunchy Granola Bars taste and see how many calories are in one serving continue reading

What Time Do You Like to Train?

Fit Community — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:47:21 -0800

Jennsteria wants to know what time of day you choose to train, and posted this poll to our RunningSugar community group:

I used to be a hardcore 5am up and at 'em runner. It was most convenient for my work schedule at the time and when my training runs got longer, I was able to fit them in during the day and still lead a normal life. Nowadays I've been favoring the end of day runs along the beach to catch the sunset (also the time change/weather have played a part in this). I've been trying to get back to my early morning training . . . it's a work in progress. Do you label yourself a morning or late night runner? Or are you all over the map like I am right now?

Have any questions or stories about running that you want to share? Join our Running community group and join the conversation! If you're not a runner, be sure to take a look at our other community groups - there's something for everyone.

Grade Your Hikes

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800

I love hiking in the Fall because of the beautiful scenery and perfect weather - the crisp air never leaves me too hot or too cold. On the weekends I often go on all-day or multi-day hikes in Yosemite valley or the Lake Tahoe region. Some of my friends equate hiking with a leisurely stroll through the woods, but anyone who hikes regularly knows this isn't always the case. Whether it's steep, rocky, or exposed terrain, a hiking trail can be quite difficult.

One way I prepare for an all-day hike is by researching the difficulty of the trail I'm walking. I'll use guidebooks and the Internet as resources, as well as the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). The YDS is a three-part classification system that rates the difficulty of walks, hikes, and rock climbs based on categories of terrain, length, and level of danger. Not all routes are graded in each category - generally speaking, rock climbs are the only routes that use all three grading systems of the YDS.

To learn how hikes are classified, read more.

Classifying a route's terrain is what's most applicable to hiking trails, especially longer, more intense hikes such as the John Muir trail or Half Dome hike. Here's a general breakdown of the different terrain class types found in the YDS:

Class 1: Walking on a relatively flat trail with little chance of injury. Many backpackers compare a class 1 route to walking on a sidewalk.
Class 2: A simple trail that might have a slight incline. You may have to use your hands to balance while scrambling up rocks.
Class 3: You'll definitely need to use your hands and feet to find balance along parts of the trail while scrambling up rocks. There may be exposed terrain during the hike, though a fall should not prove fatal.
Class 4: This hike will involve climbing up steep terrain, and even though the route will have some natural protection, a fall could prove fatal.
Class 5+: Reserved for rock and aid climbing. Protection and gear recommended for these climbs as a fall will prove fatal.

Keep in mind that the YDS is a somewhat subjective grading system and there can definitely be some overlap and debate over a class assignment. I continue to use it as a guide because I can search for harder or easier trails depending on my mood that day. I'm also finding that more and more backpackers are using the YDS lingo when describing a trail to one another.

You can also keep a journal with details of your favorite trails and try rating them for yourself. If you do assign a class rating to a trail, the class assignment should reflect the hardest part of the hike. (For example, if you went on a hike that was mainly class 1 but had a few elements of a class 3 route, classify the hike as a class 3 route.)

Tell me, what class of hikes do you usually stick to?