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

read more 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.

Source

5 Ways to Make Moving a Habit

Leta Shy — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:52:25 PST

We all should take time to relax, but sometimes we don't realize just exactly how sedentary our lives can be. Even if you devote an hour to exercise most days, if you're not moving a lot the rest of the time, you can be doing more harm than good. So start making moving a habit with these five tips.

Keep track: One of the best ways to encourage yourself to move is to get a fitness monitor that tracks your steps. You don't have to invest a lot - while more sophisticated trackers (like these five fitness monitors) track your steps as well as your exercise (some can also distinguish between walking on flat ground and when you're going up steps), you can buy a basic pedometer for just a few dollars.
Try a one-minute move: Whether you're folding laundry or watching TV, multitask by building muscle while you work. Take a one-minute break to dance around or do squats, lunges, or planks, and you'll raise your heartbeat as well as your energy levels.

Read on for three more ways to making moving a habit.

NurturMe's Caroline Freedman: An Easy Way to Get Lil Ones to Eat Their Fruits and Veggies!

Kate Stahl — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:02:14 PST

As a soon-to-be first-time mom, a pregnant Caroline Freedman was obsessed with all things baby (sound familiar?), including what she would eventually feed her new lil one once she advanced past breast milk and bottles. "I was shocked at how little innovation there had been since I was a baby. It was still Gerber jarred foods," says Austin, TX-based Freedman, now mom to a 3-year-old and a 4-month-old. "Considering how parents are eating a lot differently now, it seemed so out of sync."

Freedman, along with her business partner Lauren McCullough (a former culinary arts teacher) decided to do something about the discrepancy. The result: NurturMe, the first certified organic, all-natural, gluten-free baby food made from quick-dried fruits and veggies. If a dehydrated baby food isn't inventive enough - each pouch is light as a feather and makes about 2.5 ounces of baby food when mixed with water, breast milk, or formula - NurturMe has yet another selling point: it's also an easy way to sneak fruits and veggies into older tots' meals. Keep reading for more from our interview with Freedman.

Earn More Money By Changing Up Your Office Space

LearnVest — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:15:07 PST

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

Most of us spend about 40 hours per week at work - in other words, the majority of our waking hours.

And nearly all of those hours are spent sitting at our desks. It’s a definite problem - and not just because we’re missing happy hour or quality couch time at home.

There’s no shortage of discouraging research pointing out the evils of a sedentary lifestyle and claiming that sitting will actually shorten our lives.

But, conversely, making a few tweaks to the way you sit - and the space you sit in - all day has been proven to make you a happier, healthier worker, busy earning your killer salary.

And, scientists say, the happier you are, the more you tend to earn.

In an effort to make the time spent at our desks as productive (and as profitable) as possible, we’ve combed the research for the easiest, most effective tips to soothe your mind and body when trapped in a cubicle . . . or corner office.

Just follow these four steps.

1. Make It Comfy

When we say “comfy,” we mean “ergonomic.” It’s an unfriendly word for a friendly concept: basically it means “intended to provide optimum comfort and to avoid stress or injury.” Friendly, right? Besides, an awkward workspace can lead to major health issues, including disorders in your joints or tendons, so a little tweaking of your cubicle can go a long way for your well-being. Line up your body correctly by following these two principles:

Your feet should be flat on the floor and your elbows should be even with your desk. This can be achieved either through adjustable chairs or - if chairs are a hot commodity at your office - a combination of step stools and pillows.

Read on for more tips.

Adventures in Ingredients: Indian Bitter Melon

Camilla Salem — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:10:57 PST

To me, Berkeley Bowl is a sacred place worthy of a weekly pilgrimage. Perhaps the ultimate food-lover's grocery store, this massive Berkeley, CA, food emporium carries a huge selection of goods from around the world, and at great prices. I consider it a must stop for friends visiting the Bay Area, so why not share my adventures?

The most remarkable part of the store is probably the produce, which is clearly labeled to identify where each item comes from. The international and bulk sections offer never-ending inspiration, the meats and seafoods offer countless options and price points, and I always find myself mesmerized by fruits and vegetables from around the world that I've never seen before.

Case in point: Indian bitter melon. I grabbed five or six of these a week ago in an effort to learn about new exotic foods. Knowing nothing at all, I selected these purely based on the fact that they seemed sort of reptilian and would be fun to photograph. As the days went on (and as the bitter melon sat in the crisper drawer of my refrigerator), I became more hesitant, not sure what I was thinking.

Finally, I braved up, opened my computer, and did a little research. As it turns out, Indian bitter melon, or karela, is a commonly cooked vegetable in Indian cuisine. It's described all over the Internet as an "acquired taste," and apparently soaking it in salt water helps to remove some of the bitterness. I found recipes for stuffing and sautéing with various spices. The health benefits of this strange vegetable are plentiful, particularly in managing diabetes, and typically, I can convince myself to like anything if it's good for me.

To find out what I did with these and what I thought of them, keep reading.

5 Surprising Health Benefits of Being a Sports Fan

Prevention — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:19:15 PST

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

By Cristina Goyanes, Prevention

It’s no wonder your friends aren’t available to hang out on Sundays in the Fall and Winter - according to a 2005 Gallup Poll, 64 percent of Americans claim to be professional football fans, and as of 2010, women make up 44 percent of the NFL fan base.

Being a sports fan doesn’t mean you’re expected to know all the players and stats of your hometown teams and destined for a beer gut - it’s about coming together in the name of good times as part of a community.

“Bonding over sports - the highs and lows of the game - strengthens ties, helps us feel supported, and makes it easier for you to open up about personal things,” says Renee Clauselle, PsyD, who runs a private psychology practice in Long Island, NY.

Seventeen Unexpected Side Effects of Exercise

Rooting for the same team creates an immediate sense of family, says Daniel Wann, PhD, a Murray State University professor who has been studying the psychology of sports fans for over 20 years. “If you identify with a local team, you build an instant connection to others around you,” he says.

Beyond the bonding aspects, watching sports can motivate you to pump up your own workouts - and even burn a few extra calories when you jump, cheer, and clap during the highlights of the game. Find out more ways being a sports fan is a winning situation for your health.

Keep reading to learn how being a sports fan benefits your health.

"How Do I Tell My Depressed Co-Worker to Leave Me Alone?"

Tres Community — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:05:00 PST

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I work at a hospital and I met a cook at the cafeteria where I go to every day, inside the hospital, about two years ago. So, since I see him everyday and ask him to fix me a sandwich or whatever, we became friends. We talked every day a little bit about soccer or things like that, nothing too deep. About two months ago, I ended up adding him on Facebook, and he gave me his number to call him anytime I needed something to eat and didn't have time to wait or something like that (that's what he said). So, he started to go further, texting me occasionally, offering me chocolates or homemade sweets. Slowly, everybody at work started noticing that he had a crush on me, when I just thought he was being kind. I never liked him, he is so not my type.

One day he started asking me how long I'd been single. So, I asked what caused him to think that, because I'm in a relationship. (It's been six years, on and off, very complicated but that's a whole other story). He thought I was single because I had nothing about my boyfriend on Facebook (the last time we broke up was last May and I switched my relationship status and haven't changed it back to "in a relationship").

I started to suspect that he thought I was into him, when all I had previously thought we had a totally innocent friendship. Soon after this revelation, he told me that whenever I went to the cafeteria, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Of course, I was like WTF? He knew I had been in a serious relationship, and yet he thought I liked him and was trying to pursue me!

From then on, I kept my distance, keeping the conversations to a hello/goodbye only. Of course, he noticed and asked me what was up. I told him I didn't want him to misinterpret things; that I have a boyfriend who I love, and I have no plans to cheat on him. He said OK and apologized. The next day, I go to the cafeteria and I find he's not there. Same story the next day. He texts me and tells me that I'm not going to see him for a while, since everything that happened made him get depressed and that he was going through a crisis. He took a medical leave for two weeks, during which he texted and called me incessantly. I never answered his texts or calls.

When I finally saw him back at work, he ignored me. Soon after, though, he texted me saying that "he missed our friendship." I never answered him. I've really had it with this guy; I used to like our chats, but I certainly don't anymore. I want to tell him to stop texting me completely, but I don't know how to do it without him suffering from a "crisis." He is constantly telling me how bad he feels, and how he doesn't want to come to work anymore, and I just don't know what to do.

How can I tell him to leave me alone?

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice, and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.

Foodie Friday Link Time: Super Eats For Super Bowl Sunday

Susi May — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:51:48 PST

A serving of wings equals 40 minutes of jumping jacks! Ouch! - Fab Fit Fun
Easy, quick, and healthy: 10 tasty dips for game day - Real Simple
Winners and losers: learn the best beer for your waistline - Shape
Score! Dig this low-calorie onion dip - Prevention
20 game day diet-friendly appetizers, FTW - Self
Give your wings a health upgrade and decrease your calories - Fit Bottomed Girls
Nutritious and delicious Super Bowl party food; it's a win-win - Daily Spark
More ways to make your buffalo wings better for you - Blisstree
Be sure to pick the top dog for your game day eats - Health

Feel-Full Quick Tricks

Health — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:49:40 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Health.com

It's not just what you eat that can make you more satisfied - it's how you eat, too. Try these tips to feel fuller longer.

H2O some more
Drink two eight-ounce glasses (16 ounces total) of water before each meal. It will fill up your stomach and trim up to 60 calories per meal.

Health.com: Which Foods Burn the Most Fat?

Flavor of the day
Use vinegar (or vinaigrette) and cinnamon for flavor whenever possible. These two ingredients can help regulate blood sugars after meals and help you feel full longer after eating, according to a study from the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, in Zurich, Switzerland.

Keep reading for quick feel-full tricks.