FitSugar

How Candace Cameron Got in Shape

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:30:00 -0800

As a kid, I was such a huge fan of the show Full House. I loved the oldest daughter, D.J. Tanner, played by Candace Cameron, because of her cool clothes and awesome '80s hair. I was surprised to hear she had insecurities about her weight. In an interview with US Weekly she recalls, "I felt chubby. I didn't fit into a lot of my wardrobe. I know it showed on TV." Candace also said, "There were never comments for me to lose weight, even when I was a few pounds heavier than everyone else on TV." Her older brother, Kirk Cameron starred in Growing Pains, and his costar, Tracey Gold suffered from an eating disorder. Candace's parents didn't want her to feel that kind of pressure, so they didn't encourage her to lose weight.

To find out how she slimmed down read more.

In the photo on the left of her and Joey Lawrence in 1994, at her heaviest Candace weighed 132 pounds (which isn't a lot at all for someone who's 5'2"). Things changed though when she married NHL player Valerie Bure in 1996. After having three children, she decided to lose weight. Without a personal trainer or surgery, she dropped down to 110 pounds by exercising and eating less. Candace counts calories, eats tons of veggies and proteins, and lays off bread, pasta, and rice in the evenings. She enjoys wine and dessert, but not every day. In the Summer, she exercises on the beach with her hubby, running 40 minutes five days a week. In the Winter, she works out four days a week, mixing it up between Pilates and kickboxing group classes, playing tennis, bike riding, and rollerblading. It's great to see a celebrity taking care of herself by eating right and staying active.

I came upon this video clip from an old episode of Full House where D.J. is upset about her weight, overexercises, and faints at the gym. It's great that these sort of issues were addressed, even though the ending is pretty unrealistic. Issues with weight don't just go away because your Daddy tells them to.

Source

Can You Walk to Your Local Grocery Store?

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:47:38 -0800

The first lady recently launched the Let's Move campaign to put an end to childhood obesity, and among other things, she's moving in on food deserts. The term "food deserts" describes areas, both urban and rural, where there is no access to a supermarket, which means no fresh produce. These areas are "nutritional wastelands" where processed and packaged foods rule. The White House estimates that about 23.5 million Americans live in food deserts.

A well-balanced diet requires at least five servings of fruit and veggies daily, and with no grocery store produce aisle nearby, meeting that healthy mark can be a serious challenge. I live in an area full of wonderful markets and must say I take it for granted that I can walk to the grocery store to pick up lettuce, apples, broccoli, or green beans whenever I need to. What about you?

Smarter Eats: Give Yourself a Meat Budget

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:00:33 -0800

Whatever your reason, eating no less meat is a good thing. Beef recalls, environmental woes, and ethical concerns are enough to turn even the most Neanderthal-esque carnivore into a sprout-lovin' vegan. But for those of us that can't resist the lure of a juicy burger, luscious pork belly, or the satisfying saltiness of bacon, it's becoming harder to reconcile what we want with what's best.

As much as I want to believe that going grass fed is the solution to my problem, I know it isn't. The fact is that most of the meat in the world is factory farmed. I do my best to be a responsible eater but sometimes I hit up the local taco truck, try out a new restaurant, or go over to my BFF's house for the best ribs ever. And even though the meat I buy at home is from small farms and grass fed, I guarantee you that 75 percent of the meals I get out are made with factory-farmed meat. Yours probably are too.

To see what I'm doing to be a better meat eater, read more.

Barring becoming a vegetarian, one of the best ways to handle the whole being-a-responsible-meat-eater thing is to give yourself a weekly meat budget. Years ago I read an incredibly eye-opening piece by cookbook author Mark Bittman about the dramatic effects that cutting down on our meat consumption can have.

"If Americans were to reduce meat consumption by 20 percent it would be as if we all switched from a standard sedan - a Camry, say - to the ultra-efficient Prius."

That kind of environmental impact is a huge deal. Beyond the environment, cutting back on meat is good for your health too. I was reminded of the above article when a friend told me that he gives himself a meat budget, a strict one. He eats meat once a week, saying that it's "quality over quantity." Btitman's suggestion is to reduce our meat consumption to under a pound a week, essentially becoming flexitarians.

Even though I don't eat a lot of meat to begin with, I'm taking on this challenge of having a meat budget and I encourage you to do the same. Unlike my friend, I think I'll sprinkle my meat portion over the course of an entire week, rather than give myself one big meal to relish. I'll throw some small pieces of pancetta into a pasta or veggie dish, turn my meat serving into more of a side dish, and go full-blown vegetarian for some meals. I'm also going to try my best to always eat meat that comes from small farms. Given that I am eating way less of it, I should be able to afford the best of the best. How about you - are you up for the challenge?

How to Live to Be 100

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:00:27 -0800

Since most of us want to live a long, fulfilling, disease-free life, we'd love to know how to make that happen. Does it have to do with a diet full of organic broccoli and not a lot of ice cream? Is regular exercise the trick? Daily meditation to relieve stress? Vitamins? Is it our genes? I'm sure you're thinking it's probably a combination of all these, but there's more to it than that. Before discussing what will help us live a long, healthy life, let's first go over some myths about what people commonly think about longevity.

"If I try really hard, I can live to be 100." False. About one in 5,000 Americans will live to be 100, so your chances are low when it comes to hitting triple digits. Evolutionarily speaking, we're only designed to live until our children have children, and sadly enough, by 80, we've already served our procreation purposes.
"Treatments exist that can slow, reverse, or stop aging." False. Unfortunately, cell damage can't be prevented.

Even though there's no fountain of youth to help us all become centenarians, there are some habits to help us live the fullest life possible. Author Dan Buettner, National Geographic researchers, and The National Institute on Aging studied five places known as "Blue Zones," whose populations live considerably longer lives - from Sardinia to Okinawa. In these five areas, the researchers found four commonalities. Learn them when you read more.

These people don't "work out." In the Blue Zones, people's lives are set up in such a way that they're naturally encouraged to do physical activity. Friends' houses, stores, and jobs are within walking distance, and they do yard work and have their own gardens.
They have the right outlook on life, and take time to slow down to reduce stress. They also focus on their sense of purpose, and continue doing something important every day of their lives (retirement isn't in their vocabulary).
The secret to longevity has nothing to do with the notion of dieting, and has everything to do with eating wisely with a focus on plant-based foods. These groups have strategies to avoid overeating, and yes, these cultures drink wine.
There are strong social bonds in the Blue Zones and family comes first; caring for children and aging relatives is deemed a priority. They tend to be part of a faith-based community. They surround themselves with healthy people.

Well, this seems doable. Eat well, move your body every day, take time to slow down, and make it a priority to spend time with family and friends. Here's looking for a healthy 100th birthday!

Words to Calm You

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:32 -0800

The holiday season, though full of joy, can be rather stressful too. With two young girls in my house, there's managing expectations and responding to questions about the logistics of Santa's schedule. While I usually share motivational quotes to get you moving, I thought I would share this calming directive I heard from an yoga instructor at Equinox class today.

"Use your breath as a link to calm your mind and get into your body."

If you're running around trying to check off all the to-dos left on your list, try a little deep breathing. If you're looking for motivation to exercise, check out my words that move you.

Does the Holiday Season Stress You Out or Make You Happy?

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:47:57 -0800

I am hosting Thanksgiving this year, and while I am truly excited to have a house full of family and friends I am already a little stressed. The things causing me grief are minor (do I have enough wine glasses and bedding, etc.) but they are starting to stack up. I could really work myself up into a tizzy if I allow my lack of preparation for Christmas to enter into my mental mix. Combine the facts that stress weakens the immune system and it is cold and flu season, I am working hard to manage my holiday stress. So tell me . . .

Smarter Eats: Use Smaller Plates and Grab It to Go

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:30:34 -0700

I grew up in a house where I was told to clean my plate. Not always a bad thing but it stuck with me for many years, even after serving sizes kept growing. I'm also a fast eater, something I've been working on, but I sometimes overeat before realizing I am full. A few things I've done to help kick my habits are using smaller plates and always taking food to go.

After inheriting some dishware from my grandmother I noticed that the dinner plates used during her era are much smaller than the ones we use today. I now use these dishes at home, which has reduced my portion size - yet I'm just as satisfied after every meal. Scientists confirmed that the brain takes visual cues when it comes to eating. If we see it, we somehow believe that we have to eat it and will end up feeling unsatiated even if we're physically full.

Portion sizes are out of control in restaurants. To remedy this I usually have half of my meal packed up to enjoy as lunch the next day. I don't go out of my way to starve myself, but it's always pretty obvious when you're given too much food at one sitting. If it's a restaurant I frequent a lot and know that the portion is going to be big, I ask my server ahead of time to make me a doggie bag before the plate even gets to my table.

Glee's Amber Riley Weighs In on the Hollywood Skinny

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:30:24 -0700

If you watch Glee, then you probably know Amber Riley as Mercedes - the gal that brought the house down on last week's episode singing Jill Scott's "Hate on Me." Like the feisty character she portrays, Amber told Life and Style magazine that as a full-figured actress, it's important to be happy with yourself. She says,

“You’re not your dress size, you’re not your shoe size, you’re not your pants size. If I’m going to wear a name tag, it’s going to say ‘Amber Riley,’ not ‘Fat Girl’!”

The self-admitted shoeaholic, Amber likes formfitting clothes rather than "plus-size clothes that look like tents." She has a shape and she wants to show it. This young actress rocks a size 16, looks up to Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson, and is brimming with confidence. In Hollywood, a land where it is rare for women to be satisfied with their looks, body, and weight, I find her positive body image refreshing. How about you?

If you're a big fan of the show, be sure to enter Buzz's Glee giveaway for a chance to hang out with one of the cast members!

Are You Strong on Muscle Knowledge?

FitSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:00:06 -0700

Your body is full of them - in fact you house more than 650 of them - but how well do you know your muscles? Take this short quiz to see if your muscle facts are your strong suit.

Take the quiz

Food Review: Bear Naked Cereals

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Bear Naked Fit Granola is a staple in my house, along with other cereals, since I like to mix cereals to reap the nutritional benefits of them all. So when I heard this company was making two new varieties of cereal - Banana Nut and Cranberry Raisin- I had to try them.

To find out what I thought and see how much fiber each serving contains read more.

Both flavors have satisfyingly thick flakes made from wheat and rice that taste hearty with a hint of sweetness. You see those little oat clusters? They add a nice crunchy texture that compliments the soft dried fruit. The Banana Nut cereal contains tons of sweetened banana chips, dried apples, and walnuts. The Cranberry Raisin cereal is full of raisins, sunflower seeds, cranberries, pepitas, and also has dried apples.

I can't really say which is my favorite, since they're both so full of bold flavor and texture. I was surprised that they both have eight grams or less of sugar per serving because the flakes taste so very sweet. I love how this cereal is high in fiber and protein, but low in calories and sodium. It's set to hit stores in mid to late June, so definitely look for it. Each 12.5 ounce bag costs $4.49. Since the ingredients are 100 percent natural, and the taste is 100 percent delicious, it's definitely worth it.