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Do You "Bank" Calories?

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:00:21 PDT

Health.com recently offered some strategies to prevent the weekend from derailing your healthy eating habits. One idea was to "bank calories," which means you cut back on calories the day before you know you're going to be eating a lot, as a way of evening things out. The authors of How to Eat Like a Hot Chick are big fans of calorie banking. Do you ever do this?

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Sugar Shout Out: Master Trendy Topknots

Meghan Rooney — Wed, 09 May 2012 23:55:18 PDT

3 Ways Going Vegan Helps You Lose Weight, 3 Ways It Makes You Gain

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:24:16 PDT

Celebs like Alicia Silverstone, Alanis Morissette, and Olivia Wilde all benefit from a vegan diet - now add actress Mischa Barton to the list. The 26-year-old actress showed off her slim and healthy figure on the set of Oasis singer Noel Gallagher's new music video. Mischa told Us Weekly, "I've been running like three miles a day," and added she also loves juice cleanses and vegan food.

Vegan diets are becoming more associated with weight loss these days, and while omitting animal-derived products like meat, dairy, and eggs can help achieve weight loss, going vegan doesn't instantly drop pounds from the scale. Check out how ditching animal products from your diet can help you lose weight, but how it can also cause you to gain.

How a Vegan Diet Encourages Weight Loss

Hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, sausages, barbecue chicken, ribs - meat tends to be high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and waist-expanding calories. In comparison, meat-free alternatives like tofu, veggie burgers, tempeh, and seitan are much lower in calories, but still high in protein, making them diet-friendly foods.
Butter, whole milk, and cheese are also high on the caloric scale, and if you're ditching them, that means skipping out on a slice at the pizzeria down the street and saying no to a cone at the local ice cream parlor. Of course there are still plenty of vegan alternatives to dairy products, but as long as you're not overindulging in them, you'll most likely still lose weight.
Going vegan encourages eating a primarily plant-based diet, which includes tons of veggies like kale, carrots, broccoli, and spinach. They're low in calories and high in fiber, so they make you feel full without busting the calorie bank. And since your hunger is satiated, you'll end up consuming less calories throughout the day.

Keep reading to find out how a vegan diet can lead to weight gain.

More Than Macaroons: Grain-Free Passover Desserts

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 04:19:26 PDT

Eliminating grains during Passover can be difficult, especially when it comes to sweet treats. Believe it or not, you can still enjoy cakes and cookies on this holiday, and they don't have to break the calorie bank either. Keep reading to find out about some delicious, yet good-for-you desserts you can whip up for Passover.

*Note: Some of these recipes are made with vanilla extract. For those following a strict kosher diet, use vanilla made with grain-free alcohol or omit the ingredient altogether.

Source: Flickr User liladobbs and Flickr User thepinkpeppercorn

Do You Eat Whatever You Want Over the Weekends?

Michele Foley — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:04:40 PST

Normally I only see my workout buddies during the week. We meet at the gym, and they're always in uber-fitness and healthy-diet mode. After months of only hanging on the treadmill, we got together a few times this weekend. Since I was so used to hearing them discuss diets and workout regimens, I was shocked to see these gals eating and drinking anything - and everything - they wanted.

They explained that during the week, their diets are strict, regimented, and controlled. Once the weekend rolls around, it's all out the window: indulgent brunches, Bloody Mary happy hours, and a Saturday spent bar hopping are all the norm. They told me that they "bank" calories during the week to use on the weekend. While I definitely give myself a little break on weekends, I am still pretty mindful of what I eat. Especially since two days filled with booze, fried foods, and refined carbs is enough to leave me feeling hungover into the work week.

Valentine's Dessert: Frozen Raspberry Creamy, Dreamy Pie

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:17:26 PST

Whether you're celebrating Valentine's Day with a special someone, friends, or family, or you're going solo, this holiday just isn't the same without delving into a sweet, creamy, dreamy treat. I know you don't want to burst out of your new Valentine's Day outfit, so here's a frozen dessert that's full of fresh flavor and a luscious texture that screams decadence, but won't break the calorie bank.

Continue reading to learn how to make this frozen raspberry pie.

5 Reasons to Love Mushrooms

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:02:18 PST

Even though we're still in Winter mode, you deserve to do your body good with hearty recipes that won't break the calorie bank. It's time to give those buttons and shiitakes another chance. Learn more about the nutritional properties of mushrooms and try out these five savory, rich mushroom recipes that are sure to make you change your mind about them for good.

5 Unbelievably Bad Fast-Food Breakfasts

Prevention — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:06:39 PST

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

By Molly Raisch, Prevention

Mom always said, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” And she was right. Morning meals are essential to revving your metabolism and kick-starting your calorie burn, but indulging in a fat- and calorie-laden breakfast from your favorite fast-food chain could easily send you into sugar shock and pack on the pounds. Research shows that people who ate a big morning meal consumed an extra 400 calories per day, setting themselves up for muffin tops and pancake bottoms. Here are six breakfast drive-through disasters and their Prevention-approved healthier, make-at-home options.

Fifty Simple Strategies to Lose 10 Pounds

Starbucks® Zucchini-Walnut Muffin
Muffins are calorie sinkholes - they pack in the calories but somehow still leave your stomach grumbling. This muffin from Starbucks® seems healthy enough, boasting both zucchini and walnuts, but don’t be fooled by its veggie-based name. This morning baked good has close to 500 calories and 28 grams of fat.

Try Instead: Zucchini-Raisin Muffin
These scrumptious zucchini muffins are half the calories and nearly a third of the fat as their coffeehouse counterparts. Tricks of the trade: Load up your bread batter with tons of zucchini shreds and add raisins for a touch of natural sweetness.

Ten Breakfasts For Glowing Skin

McDonald’s Big Breakfast® With Hotcakes
When your breakfast comes off a fast-food menu and has the word “big” in it, your waistline is headed in the same direction. This hearty breakfast has scrambled eggs, sausage, a buttermilk biscuit, hash browns, and two hotcakes piled onto a plate, making it no surprise that one order accounts for over half your day’s calories and over 55 grams of fat. The worst part? This lumberjack breakfast is sky-high in sodium: 2,150 milligrams.

Try Instead: Pancakes With Berries and Cinnamon
Satisfy your hotcake cravings with these light and fluffy low-cal flapjacks. The secret to cutting fat and calories without losing any buttery flavor: bake them in the oven. Top with berries and cinnamon, and you’ve got a mouthwatering, guilt-free pancake breakfast the whole family will love.

Keep reading for more healthy breakfast swaps after the break.

15 High-Iron Foods Under 100 Calories

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:07:05 PST

Too tired to hit the gym? You may not be getting enough iron in your diet. Healthy adult women need 18 milligrams a day (if you're prego, up that amount to 27 mg). If your diet doesn't offer the appropriate amount, fatigue will impair your ability to do physical work (like exercise). Iron also helps carry oxygen from our lungs to the rest of our body, helps muscles store and use oxygen, and is even found in the enzymes needed to digest food. An iron deficiency may also make you feel cold, as well as exhausted, and weaken your immune system, making you more likely to get sick.

Avoid iron issues by making sure you get enough from your diet. Here are 15 high sources of iron that won't break the calorie bank.

15. Half a hamburger patty: 1.1 mg iron, 89 calories
14. 3 ounces turkey: 1.2 mg, 87 calories
13. 1/3 cup kidney beans: 1.3 mg, 75 calories
12. 1/3 cup edamame: 1.5 mg, 85 calories
11. 1/3 cup white beans: 1.7 mg, 85 calories

Continue reading to see 10 more low-calorie foods with even higher levels of iron.

Create a Go-To Snack Center in Your Fridge

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:16:10 PST

When in a rush or feeling snacky, you want to grab a nutritious snack that won't break the caloric bank. You might have good-for-you options scattered about your kitchen, tucked away in different cabinets and drawers, but a central location of healthy snacks will make the whole process much easier - especially if you're feeling a dip in your blood sugar.

To make your snacking decision a breeze, create a snack center in your fridge. Prepare appropriate serving sizes in baggies or containers, place them in a plastic bin, and the next time you need a morning or afternoon snack, just grab one. Having portable snacks at your fingertips means that if you need to run out the door, you have a handy snack to take.

If you need some ideas for healthy snacks to include in your snack center, keep reading.