FitSugar

Healthy Eating Tip: Ditch the Communal Snacking

FitSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:00:00 PDT

There's something about football season that brings big groups together. I love watching games with a group of friends, but it can do a number on my hard work at eating healthy. One thing I have realized is that it's difficult to keep track of how much I've eaten if I'm eating out of the same bowl, or bag, as my football buddies. While it's tempting to just keep taking from the communal snack bowls because everyone else is chowing down, that often leads to mindless eating and a whole lot of calories. Instead, place a reasonable portion on your own plate and limit yourself to that. This way you'll still be able to enjoy all the goodies and the game, but you won't be overeating the snacks.

Source

Friends Don't Let Friends Eat Too Much...

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 03:30:00 PDT

...well actually, they do.

Have you ever noticed that when you're eating with a large group of people, you tend to eat more than you would if it were just you or you and your husband? Turns out you're not alone (or crazy), it's completely normal.

Check out these statistics:

On average, if you dine with one other person you will eat about 35 percent more than if you were alone. (Spouses don't have this effect because couples tend to get into a regular eating pattern and consume about the same amount.)

If you eat with a party of seven or more, you will gobble up 96 percent more, or nearly twice as much. Sound like Thanksgiving? And if you get a table for four, you will end up right in the middle, eating about 75 percent more calories than if you dined alone.

Crazy, right? Perhaps this is why some families are all overweight and others aren't. Not ready to give up your group gatherings just yet? There are ways to beat the statistics so

Here are some great tips from MSNBC on controlling what we eat:

Try to be the last person to start eating.
Pace yourself with the slowest eater at the table.
Avoid the “just one more helping” request (and temptation) by always leaving some food on your plate, as if you are still eating.
Preregulate consumption by deciding how much to eat prior to the meal instead of during the meal.

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Shawn Johnson Talks Weight Loss and Learning to Love Her Body

espnW — Fri, 25 May 2012 03:05:26 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from espnW here on FitSugar!

By Shawn Johnson

Shawn Johnson is blogging for espnW throughout her training for the Olympics in London this summer. Follow hers other Olympic hopefuls' journeys on espnW.com.

Four years ago, I was standing on an Olympic podium, wearing a gold medal, and still thinking to myself how I could have been better. It had nothing to do with my performance - it was all how I looked. Back then, I always felt like I could have been a few pounds lighter. But the irony is, when I look back at the pictures, I look unhealthy and too thin. It's easy to get into a trap as an elite athlete, because you're made to feel that you're never perfect, that you can always be better. That's how you improve in your sport, but it's also tough because you aren't satisfied with yourself ever - it's second nature not to be. I'd always think, "Just get a little stronger, a little lighter," until it was completely ingrained in my mind.

Shawn Johnson takes us inside training camp

It's easy for people to blame gymnastics for this mentality, but I feel like the sport has improved a lot. The horror stories we heard from generations ago (think Joan Ryan's infamous book Little Girls in Pretty Boxes), you don't hear at all anymore. But I do believe it can improve further and that good nutrition could be a key to all of this, if it were only taught at a young age. Many gymnasts go into the elite level at 13 or so, and a 13-year-old isn't going to go to the library to read some book on nutrition! She needs to be given the right information on how to eat well. Otherwise, it's not until she's out of the sport that she realizes the damage she's done to her body by not eating enough over the past 20 years.

Shawn Johnson in the driver's seat

I see all the success we have as a country where the gymnasts aren't 100 percent healthy, and I imagine how amazing we could be if we were doing it in the healthiest way possible. I don't think it's a failure on anybody's part; the education just isn't there right now, and it's just not thought about in our sport. My parents have told me since I was little, "You're given your body for a reason. It's OK to be different. Being unique is a good thing." But I always struggled to believe it. I'm stocky, muscular and short, and I wanted to be thin and flexible so bad! My mom would say, "You're not made that way, and you're not going to become that, so you have to learn to accept and love the body you're in." Well, some people are born with that appreciation, and some people have to work really hard to get there. Put me in that second camp.

Read on for more on what Shawn Johnson has to say about body confidence and how she feels in her gymnastics leotard.

5 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Paying For College

LearnVest — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:15:23 PDT

Paying for college is such a complex issue. LearnVest helps simplify it by answering some key questions in regard to paying tuition.

If you believe everything you read, then you might think you need to be a Rockefeller to have kids.

That, of course, isn't the case.

Yes, kids are expensive, and thinking about paying for a college education can be scary and frustrating . . . but that's where we come in.

As with everything else in life, figuring out what to do about your kid's college savings is all about the planning, says Stephany Kirkpatrick, CFP, LearnVest's director of financial planning. Depending on where you are in life right now and how old your kids are, you may have questions about how to set up a 529 plan (which is an education savings plan designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs), what to look for, and when to start saving.

If you're pregnant or have a newborn and are starting to think about this, then good for you! The earlier you get started socking away cash for their college, the easier it will be. You'll learn a lot in this article, but you should also check out our Baby on Board Bootcamp, which will tell you everything you need to know - financially - to be ready for a baby. It includes 529 advice, as well as financial tips on everything from putting together a will and picking out a life insurance policy to buying nursery basics.
If your kid is slightly older and you’ve done your research but haven’t yet started saving in a 529 plan, then first read the four mistakes to avoid when choosing a 529 plan, and then check out the different college savings plans available to you.
If this is the first you’re thinking about it, no matter your kid's ageI, then don't worry about it. You have to start somewhere!

Read on for more.

Sex and Hare Krishna: Mad Men's Mother Lakshmi Didn't Follow the Rules

Annie Scudder — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:03:03 PDT

This week on Mad Men, we get a visit from Paul Kinsey, who has gone from progressive, pipe-smoking copy editor to confused Hare Krishna devotee. The Hare Krishna movement was founded in NYC in 1966, the year that's coming to a close on this season, and attracted beatniks like Allen Ginsberg and Beatle George Harrison, one of its most famous followers. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or the Hare Krishna Movement, as it is officially known, is based on Hindu traditions and got the attention of the city's hippies when it started. Ironically, it did not back free love.

On the episode, Paul Kinsey's Hare Krishna love interest, Mother Lakshmi, decides to seduce Paul's friend and former co-worker, Harry Crane. Showing up at the office, she lets Harry believe that sleeping together is not against the rules of the religion. You can't blame Harry for believing her, since the Hare Krishna meeting he attended had a strong counter-culture vibe. But in fact, "no illicit sex" is one of the four regulative principles of Hare Krishna consciousness.

Sexual contact is only OK between married couples for the purpose of reproduction, and sex is considered the most powerful connection to the material world, a bond Hare Krishnas want to break. The other three rules include: no eating meat, fish, or eggs, no gambling, and no use of intoxicants. Devoted Hare Krishnas would have disapproved of Roger Sterling's acid drop. But, of course, not everyone followed the rules in the '60s and high-profile members like Allen Ginsberg disagreed with the prohibitions.

Vegetarianism and yoga were part of what made Hare Krishna exotic back in the 1960s, while its negative attitudes toward premarital sex were conventional then. Today, things have switched around. Its rule against sex for pleasure seems extreme, thanks to the sexual revolution, while vegetarianism and yoga have gone mainstream.

Healthy Dose Link Time: Miranda Lambert Shares What She Really Thinks of Skinny Actresses

Michele Foley — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:51:17 PDT

Miranda Lambert wants women to rock their curves - Self
Prepare to be inspired by this 93-year-old yoga teacher - Shape
1 in 4 Americans eats fast food every day, and more sad food stats - Hungry Runner
Another argument for going gluten-free, and it's not weight loss - Mind Body Green
The countdown to Summer is on; your 30-day shape-up plan - HuffPost Living
Skip the chemicals and make your own all-natural insect repellent - Blisstree
Belly blues? Use Ayurveda yoga to calm your tummy troubles - Yoga Journal
5 vegetarian-friendly gifts for your foodie dad on Father's Day - Vegetarian Times

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "Christmas Waltz"

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:38:08 PDT

This week's Mad Men brings back a character we haven't seen in a while, Paul Kinsey, and gives us a look at a relationship between two characters - Joan and Don - who we don't often see interact (but wow, when they do, is it entertaining). Financial problems also start to make Lane Pryce sweat in a subplot that's obviously leading to something far more serious.

The Paul story line kind of feels like a filler-y diversion, but I still liked seeing the old character and getting to see a side of Harry Crane, who's been relegated to being made fun of by Don lately. There are big moments this week I want to discuss, though, so to get to it, just read more.

Pucker Up to a Lemon Buttermilk Bundt Cake

Sara Yoo — Mon, 21 May 2012 06:15:30 PDT

After eating my way through the cupcake craze, I'm ready to put my muffin tins away and dust off the cake pans that have been sitting at the back of my cupboards.

Don't get me wrong: I love a tiny handheld treat. But there's something very satisfying slicing into - and serving - a full-sized cake.

This time of year, I want something that goes well with a cup of tea or a scoop of fresh berries, something that makes me feel like a real hostess when friends drop in. So when I came across a recipe for a glazed lemon buttermilk cake, I knew I had found the perfect match.

The cake is moist and tangy, thanks to the addition of vegetable oil and buttermilk, but it's the lemon glaze that gives it a real lemony kick. It's great as a dessert, but I enjoy it most as a midafternoon excuse to put off doing laundry for just a little bit longer! For the recipe, just keep reading.

Say Goodbye to the Bloat With These Healthy Asparagus Recipes

Michele Foley — Mon, 21 May 2012 02:19:20 PDT

If you're getting in shape for a big event like a wedding, or want to look your best for bikini season, what you eat makes all the difference. Besides helping with weight loss, the right foods can also minimize bloating. Here's where asparagus comes in: this Spring veggie encourages colon health and also stimulates the growth of probiotics in the body. From breakfast to dinner, help give your digestive system a little support with these healthy asparagus recipes.

Spring Veggie Frittata
Start your morning off with a asparagus-filled frittata. What's great is that you can make this recipe on a Sunday and portion it out to enjoy over the course of the week. Omit the cheese to keep the recipe flat-belly-friendly.

Marinated Mushroom and Asparagus Salad
Vegan and gluten-free, this salad puts you in asparagus heaven. Earthy enough to stand up on its own, it's also great when paired with tofu, fish, or chicken.

See what's for dinner after the break!

Lil Links: It's the End of an Era for The Wiggles

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:32:40 PDT

Oh, no! The Wiggles are retiring! - BabyCenter Blog
Did this expectant mama deserve to be tasered three times? - The Stir
Reese Witherspoon is keeping her serve in line during her pregnancy - Celebrity Baby Scoop
10 prenatal eating tips for a healthier baby - FitPregnancy
Suri Cruise loves her Little Giraffe stuffed animal - Celebrity Baby Blog
Just how gross is it when your tot drops his pacifier on the floor? - Parenting
Are your kids ready for the Olympics this Summer? - Yahoo! Shine
7 easy nursery decor ideas - Circle of Moms
Truly affordable, design-worthy nursery furniture - LearnVest
What are the most common birthdays of the year? This cool infographic will tell you! - HuffPost Parents
5 family-friendly backyard games - Momtastic