FitSugar

Holiday Diet Tip: Don't Skip Breakfast Before a Big Dinner

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:00:54 -0800

Christmas is almost here, and many of you are gearing up for gifts, time with the fam, and that enormous Christmas dinner. It may seem like a great idea to forgo breakfast to save room for your decadent evening meal, but it's not a good strategy for a few reasons. Not only will you feel exhausted and too crabby to socialize, but avoiding breakfast will also slow down your metabolism. To compensate for the calories you didn't consume, your body will conserve them, so you'll actually end up burning fewer calories. If you skip your first meal, you'll be starving by the time dinner rolls around, so you could end up devouring way more calories than you otherwise would.

Research also shows that eating breakfast reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure. So do your body good by enjoying a hearty meal first thing in the morning. Choose foods that are high in protein, low in saturated fat, and full of fiber. Yogurt, high fiber cereal, oatmeal, and vegetable omelets are great choices.

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Did You Eat Breakfast This Morning?

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:48:04 -0800

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Without it your metabolism slows down, which is bad for weight loss and maintaining weight, and your level of concentration wanes. Even if you're not concerned about weight, it has been found that athletes who skip breakfast don't train as effectively. This week on FitSugar we are all about food journaling (here's our printable food journal), and this simple poll is to help get you in the habit of thinking about your meals. So tell me . . .

Dealing With Digestion After the Feast

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:50:40 -0800

Feeling a bit stuffed? It is a common problem on Thanksgiving and can lead to discomfort. Here are a few ways to aid your digestion and detox after your big meal.

After the meal:

Drink herbal tea: ginger tea, chamomile, and peppermint all improve digestion. Warm beverages promote digestion in general, so if you don't have these on hand, any kind of herbal tea will help.
Chewable papaya enzyme can help promote digestion as well.
Don't lie down for two to three hours after eating to avoid indigestion and acid reflux.

Learn how to help your digestive system tomorrow when you read more.

The next morning:

Eat oatmeal for breakfast. It is high in insoluble fiber, which helps get things moving, if you know what I mean.
Drink plenty of water to help the body digest and eliminate waste. Insoluble fiber needs water to help it do its magic.

The rest of the day:

Eat foods high in insoluble fiber at every meal, like carrot sticks with your turkey sandwich (made with whole wheat bread, of course).
Get moving. Exercise stimulates the intestines, and this will get things moving as well. A little sweating helps the body process and burn the extra calories you consumed. Plus a good workout helps eliminate any guilt you might be feeling about having second helpings of almost every dish.
Skip the alcohol for the day after, especially if you imbibed heavily on Thanksgiving. It will give your liver a break while it works to help break down all the fat from your prior day's meal.

10 Eating Tips For Avoiding the Freshman 15

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:50:12 -0700

The dorm dining hall can be dangerous - like a giant, all-you-can-eat buffet available all day, every day. It's no wonder most of us gain some weight when going off to college, though the infamous "freshman 15" is really more like 10 pounds.

Whether you're eating in a dining hall or cooking for yourself in your first apartment, a few simple strategies can help you avoid that first-year college weight gain. Here are my tips for eating healthy at the university level.

Don't skip meals, especially breakfast. Starting with a filling breakfast helps steady your metabolism throughout the day. Here are five ideas for quick but healthy starts.
Drink lots of water. At the dining hall, during lectures, throughout cram sessions, whenever! Skip the soda and carry a water bottle that you can refill throughout the day to prevent constipation and bloating.
Include at least three food groups in every meal. When choosing from the endless dining hall bounty, make an effort to get plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, lean protein, and calcium - not just pizza and chicken fingers.

For the rest of my top 10 healthy eating tips, read more.

Control your portions. Just because you can fill your plate every time doesn't mean you should. Familiarize yourself with what proper portions look like and stick to them.
Treat yourself once a day. From sundae bars to fresh baked cookies, desserts abound at the dining hall. Go ahead and indulge, but limit yourself to one treat a day. If you have a cookie after lunch, skip the ice cream after dinner.
Avoid a fourth meal. In my dorm-room days, there were always late-night pizzas being delivered or roommates making mac and cheese at midnight. It's OK to fortify yourself with the occasional snack while studying, but make sure it's actually a snack, not the equivalent of a second dinner or dessert.
Stock healthy snacks. For those late-night study sessions when you do get hungry, keep your dorm room full of healthy snacks, like nuts, pretzels, fruit, popcorn, and nutrition bars.
Pick your liquor carefully. Freshman aren't supposed to drink! But chances are, you will anyway. Remember: alcoholic beverages are full of empty calories, and sugary cocktails are the worst for both calories and hangovers.
Shop smart. If you live in an apartment, learn to shop for one person by choosing healthy foods that won't go bad before you can finish them: frozen vegetables and fruit, yogurt, low-fat string cheese, and healthy frozen meals are all great options.
Exercise! OK, this isn't really a healthy eating tip, but it's an essential part of keeping the pounds off in college. Walk or bike to class, frequent the school gym, or join an intramural team and get moving!

What are your tips for incoming freshmen looking to avoid the traditional weight gain?

Another Reason to Eat Breakfast: It Helps You Lose Weight

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:30:00 -0700

Trying to lose weight? Then eat a hearty breakfast.

New research has found that over several months, obese women who ate half their daily calories first thing fared better with long term weight loss than those eating a much smaller amount. They also found that having a small breakfast could actually boost food cravings. How so? Well, the belief is that when we don't eat enough at breakfast we're more likely to get hungry and snack on foods that are high in fat and sugar throughout the day.

I believe I am living proof of this theory. If I don't have a breakfast, or if I have a particularly small breakfast, I find myself to be starving by 10 a.m. While it is difficult at times, I try to make breakfast my biggest meal of the day.

What about you? Do you snack more, or go overboard at lunch, if you skip breakfast?

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Start Off Healthy

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 02:00:00 -0800

Not only is breakfast the most important meal of the day, your morning time can set you up for the entire day. Since a healthy breakfast translates into stable blood sugar levels, which increases brain function, it is best to not skip your first meal of the day. Here are a few pointers on how to make your breakfast work for you.

Add some fruit to your breakfast! Grapefruit is in season so it is super tasty right now and less expensive than usual. Smoothies are a great option too. Your favorite fruit might not be in season, but you can always buy frozen berries or peaches to throw into your blender for a smoothie. I like to add wheat germ and fish oil to mine (really you cannot taste the fish oil).
You might be more addicted to The Today Show than your morning cup of joe, but let me remind you that eating if front of the TV can lead to mindless eating, which generally means eating more. Morning time is not exempt from this dilemma. Turn off the tube and focus on your food.

To see some healthy morning food swaps just read more

These simple changes make a huge difference in calorie and fat intake, so pay attention if you are trying to lose or maintain your current weight.
- Choose non-fat milk instead of whole milk, and skip the half and half in your coffee while you are at it too. Use low fat or non fat milk in your java. Try warming the milk and making yourself an au lait!
- Always go with whole wheat or whole grain breads and pastries. I love whole wheat toaster waffles (I am torn between Kashi Go Lean and Van's) with yogurt and fruit!
- Don't smother that whole wheat toast with butter, which is loaded with saturated fat. Spray it with olive oil cooking spray or go straight for your sugar-free all-fruit jam.
- Eat some Canadian bacon. It is tasty and much leaner that regular bacon, plus it is an easy source of protein.
- Don't like eggs? Try some broiled salmon in the morning since protein keeps you full.

Hope these tips help you have a Grrrrreeeeaat Day! (Did I mention to steer clear of sugary cereals?)

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Do You Ever Skip Meals?

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:30:00 -0700

When I was in college I would skip a meal (mainly breakfast) here and there to keep the pounds down. Now, I know that this was not an effective tactic as I was just putting my body into starvation mode, leading me to eat more at other times during the day. I never skip meals anymore, but I know a lot of folks still believe in this method in order to lose a few. What about you? Do you ever skip a meal because you don't want the calories?

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Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 04:00:00 -0800

Did you skip your breakfast? Well don't. You need the meal to set the energy tone for your day. Eating first thing in the morning helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, which regulate appetite and energy. So without breakfast, people crash mid-morning and generally reach for quick energy food like sweets or drink an extra cup of coffee. In turn, these food make you crash. So by lunch you're crabby. Eating breakfast can help you keep a positive attitude throughout the day.

Plus, skipping breakfast is NOT a good dieting technique. For the reasons listed above and studies have shown the people who eat breakfast have an easier time maintaining their weight. It all seems to go back to the idea of lifestyle changes and creating healthy habits.

The study also found that whole grain cereal had the most healthful affect on participants.

Fit's Tip: Start the day with steel cut Irish Oatmeal. It'll keep you full. Try this short cut I use: The night before bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add one cup of oats, add some cinnamon, cover and turn off the heat. The next morning turn the heat on keeping the lid on for a few minutes. Take the lid off and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. YUM.

Put a Check on Emotional Eating

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 02:30:00 -0800

The holidays are often stressful. Plus, sweet treats and rich foods come with the holiday season. This combination can really challenge the emotional eater, who reaches for food in emotionally charged times of need. The Mayo Clinic has created a list of tips for gaining control of your eating habits and here are highlights.

Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you're feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.

There are a few more tips so just read more

Don't keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue, postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings don't influence your decisions at the store.
Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie food, such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
Eat a balanced diet. If you're not getting enough calories to meet your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional eating. Try to eat at fairly regular times and don't skip breakfast. Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasize whole grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products and lean protein sources. When you fill up on the basics, you're more likely to feel fuller, longer.
Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it's fit and well rested.

Fit's Tip: Most importantly, if you happen to give into temptation, don't beat yourself up about your slip. Try to learn from your mistakes and figure out a plan to deal with similar situations in the future.

burn calories more efficiently? Boosting your metabolism is fairly easy and can be as simple as eating regularly, not sipping some super caffeinated energy drink.

Here are some ideas on how to boost your metabolism:

Eat breakfast. Eating in the morning will help to jump-start your metabolism for the rest of the day. Plus studies show that eating breakfast will help to increase your resting metabolic rate by 10 percent. I'm not talking about coffee and a danish here. Make sure it's full of fiber, protein, and whole grains.

Don't skip meals or deny yourself food when you're hungry. Food fuels our bodies, and not giving your body the fuel it needs will slow down your metabolism, so you burn less calories.
Make sure you're getting your fill of B vitamins (B6, B12, folate, thiamin and niacin). These are important when it comes to metabolizing carbs, fats, and proteins. Not getting enough will slow down your metabolism, not to mention make you feel tired, depressed, and increase your risk for chronic disease.
Get your fill of magnesium since it's also important for energy metabolism. Eat dark green veggies, halibut, almonds, cashews, peanuts and peanut butter, soybeans (tempeh or edamame), whole grain breads and cereals, oatmeal, and beans.

What else can speed up your metabolism? To find out read more

When you're hungry for a mid morning or afternoon snack, choose foods that will fill you up and give you energy. Go for foods that contain healthy carbs (not refined flours), protein, and fiber. Hummus and veggies, yogurt with granola, peanut butter on a banana, and apples and cheese are great options. That way you won't feel overly hungry and end up overeating later because of it.
Since muscle burns more calories than fat, strength train to build up your muscles. Every pound of muscle you have burns 35 calories a day. One pound of fat burns only two. So the more muscles you have, the more calories your body will need to burn to keep you going.
Learn to love interval training. Alternate between short bursts of fast, intense physical activity and slower, lower intensity activity. That means if you like to run on a track, you can sprint the straight parts and jog or walk the curves. Or you can work hard riding your bike up a big hill, and then cruise down the slope. Interval training is not only good for your heart and lungs, but it will help you burn more calories than a regular even paced workout, and increase your metabolic rate.

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