FitSugar

No-Carb Diets Could Crash Your Brain's Memory

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:30:00 PST

As far as fad diets go, the low-carbohydrate train has enjoyed a prolonged ride when compared to its more trendy counterparts. Some dieters shun carbs because their bodies respond by shedding pounds, but new research shows they could also be sacrificing some very important brain power.

The brain converts carbohydrates to glucose for proper functionality, and severely restricting carb intake can limit our ability to remember. Nineteen women were put on either a very low-carb diet or the low-calorie diet recommended by the American Dietetic Association, and after just one week the low-carb dieters performed worse on memory-based tasks than the women following the ADA diet.

While low-carb participants consumed almost no carbohydrates during the first week, limited carbs were introduced during the second week and their memories showed improvement with the revised diet. The study's co-author Holly A. Taylor, PhD commented on the bottom line, saying, "Although this study only tracked dieting participants for three weeks, the data suggest that diets can affect more than just weight."

Have you noticed that some diets affect your brain's ability to function properly?

Source

It's Not a Diet! Lose Weight With Lifestyle Changes Instead

Leta Shy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:39:18 PST

Whenever you resolve to eat healthier or fewer calories, it can be easy to fall into the diet trap - thinking that you just have to power through for a few weeks eating only lettuce in order to meet your weight goals. But instead of dreading the idea of healthy eating, think of your new goals as a lifestyle change, not a diet, with these tips.

Get creative in the kitchen: When you've resigned yourself to eating the same healthy thing over and over again, you can get bored with your meals pretty easily. If you're apprehensive about trying a new healthy food or you just don't know where to start when it comes to making a healthy meal plan, check out our delicious healthy recipes index for endless ideas.

Don't use ultimatums: Crash dieting sets you up for failure; a better solution is to think of your new eating initiatives as something sustainable. That means that while you may have to cut back on your daily doughnut habit, you shouldn't deprive yourself of your favorite unhealthy foods forever. Have a cheat day or have treat or two, mindfully, so you'll be more apt to stick to your new eating plan.

More tips for staying away from the "diet" mentality after the break.

Fat-Proof Your Life

Health — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:06:06 PST

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

By Maridel Reyes

It's true that there are certain times in your life when extra poundage seems to appear out of nowhere . . . and settle on you. In fact, experts have honed in on the exact moments when you're most vulnerable to weight gain.

"Life transitions, having a baby, and going through menopause cause many women to pile on pounds," says Susan Albers, PsyD, author of But I Deserve This Chocolate!: The 50 Most Common Diet-Derailing Excuses and How to Outwit Them. "But with planning and prep, you can stay thin."

We asked top experts for their strategies to help you ward off weight creep - and even shed pounds - at these tricky stages. Solutions ahead.

Getting married

Heavier ever after? It can be the flip side of wedded bliss: "Six out of 10 of my clients come back heavier after the honeymoon," says celebrity fitness and wellness guru David Kirsch.

Health.com: 25 Diet-Busting Foods You Should Never Eat

Young newlyweds pack on an extra six to nine pounds in the five years after getting hitched compared to singletons, according to research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And most of that gain happens in the first year of marriage.

"Couples start to mirror each other's eating habits," explains Albers. "You might be matching him calorie for calorie without realizing it."

Learn how to keep the pounds down postmarriage and in the mommy years, after the break.

Weight Loss Rules You're Allowed to Break

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:58:49 PST

If you love to eat, losing weight can seem so structured, you immediately get frustrated and grab the first decadent food you can find. Even though there are some very specific guidelines that can help you reach your goal faster, there's no one-size-fits-all weight-loss plan for everyone. Here are five rules you can bend and still drop pounds from the scale.

No Cheesecake, Wine, or French Fries
While dessert, alcohol, and fried foods tend to be high in calories, just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean you have to live without the foods you adore. Actually, denying yourself the bites you crave can backfire, causing you to feel deprived, resulting in bingeing. You can't eat these foods all the time, but it's perfectly healthy to enjoy a few spoonfuls of ice cream or a small glass of chardonnay every once in a while. Just limit your portion sizes and only indulge about once a week.

Salad, Every Day
Salads aren't for everyone, and the dissatisfied feeling you get afterward could cause you to head to the nearest pizza joint. Plus salad toppings can really add up. When a bowl of greens is covered in candied walnuts, cheese, dried cranberries, avocado, and creamy dressing, a seemingly healthy salad can run higher in calories than a burger. If you're not into a bowl of raw veggies, choose other low-calorie meals that incorporate veggies such as sandwiches, broth-based soups, grilled veggies, and whole-grain salads. You have to enjoy the foods you're eating in order to stick with a healthy meal plan.

Keep reading to find out three more diet rules you can break and still lose weight.

Naomi Campbell Feels Carbs Are a Treat

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:07:03 PST

With the birth of the Atkins diet, carbs immediately got a bad reputation. It seems like everyone I know has gone on a carb-free diet at least once in their lives to lose weight, and even Naomi Campbell is no stranger to forgoing carbs. In the March issue of Harper's Bazaar, the 41-year-old model admits that she's blessed with a high metabolism, but she also exercises and watches her diet. Naomi works hard to maintain her famous model figure and says, "For me, carbs are a treat now."

I can see ditching refined carbs - foods made with white flour, like bagels, cookies, cakes, and pasta - since they have very little nutritional value. But whole grain bread and cereals, whole wheat pasta, and whole grains like quinoa and barley are super nutritious. These complex carbs contain protein to sustain energy levels and filling fiber to curb hunger, both of which can help you lose weight. However, there is definitely some validity to cutting carbs and losing weight. A recent study showed that cutting carbs twice a week was more effective than eating a low-calorie diet, so I can see why some women may choose to limit their carb intake in the name of weight loss. How do you feel about carbs?

Source: Karim Sadli for Harper’s Bazaar

Sarah Jessica Parker Loves The Hamptons Diet, But What Is It?

Michele Foley — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 03:06:40 PDT

Founded by the former medical director of the Atkins Center, Fred Pescatore, MD, The Hamptons Diet is what you'd get if the Mediterranean Diet, South Beach Diet, and Atkins Diet crossed paths. It's also got major celebrity draw: Sarah Jessica Parker, Renée Zellweger, and Kim Cattrall follow The Hamptons Diet, and Kate Hudson went on it to help lose her baby weight.

That's good and all, but what is it exactly? Keep reading to find out!

Three Simple Ways to Cut Carbs

Leta Shy — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 02:24:20 PST

The cookies and cakes of the season may have you feeling like you're on carb overload. And since a lower-carb diet can help you shed a few pounds, you may be thinking that going on a Dukan diet may be your best bet when the New Year rolls around. But you don't have to eliminate carbs altogether. Here are a few ways to cut carbs the healthy way.

Practice the twice a week rule: If you can't imagine a life without bread, you don't have to give it all up. A new study found that just limiting carbs for two days a week is beneficial if you want to lose weight. Women on the study who cut carbs twice a week but ate regularly the rest of the time lost four more pounds than women on a Mediterranean-style diet. Good news if you don't want to feel like you're on a "diet" all the time!

Read on for more simple ways to cut carbs.

4 Lazy Moves That Boost Your Health

Prevention — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:05:16 PST

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

You don’t have to go on a deprivation diet or spend hours exercising to ward off disease and be your healthiest self! Instead, try these supersimple tips
By the editors of Prevention

Staying healthy can feel like so much, well, work (think: logging hours at the gym and whipping up nutritious meals from scratch). However, there are plenty of small moves that you can make in your everyday life that will have big health benefits. We’ve rounded up 15 practically zero-effort ways to fight disease, whittle your waist, lower stress, and more. Bonus: many of these good-for-you moves feel good, too. So say sayonara to the old adage “no pain, no gain” and try these tips today.

Lazy Move No. 1: Protect Your Ticker by Snoozing
Need a good excuse to grab your comfiest set of pajamas and hit the sack? Skimping on shut-eye may do more than make you cranky or unproductive - it also boosts your risk of a heart attack. According to one Norwegian study, people who reported that they did not wake up feeling refreshed in the morning had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack, those who had trouble staying asleep almost every night in the last month had a 30 percent higher risk, and those who had trouble falling asleep almost every night in the last month had odds that jumped to 45 percent.

Twenty Ways to Sleep Better Every Night

Some researchers speculate that insomnia might trigger your body to release more of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked with high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Plus when you’re exhausted, you may be more likely to make unhealthy choices that up your heart disease risk, such as skipping your workout or reaching for fatty or sugary snacks for a quick energy fix.

Keep reading for three more lazy ways to improve your health.

4 Ways to Prep a Healthy Dinner Quickly

Leta Shy — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:10:51 PST

Just one bad decision - like quieting your rumbling stomach with greasy takeout - can undo a day of healthy eating. If you've been sabotaging your diet because of unhealthy dinner decisions, use these tips to cook a healthy meal without sacrificing time.

Double the amount: Week already looking full? Make extra servings the next time you cook so you can have healthy leftovers for the rest of the week. If you're worried about overeating, separate the leftovers into single-serving containers.

Prep your veggies: Spend time at the beginning of the week washing, cleaning, and cutting veggies, so you always have salad ingredients or something to snack on. Having veggies cut will also encourage you to use them more in your cooking since you know you have them at the ready.

Keep unhealthy food out of the kitchen: When I'm hungry, I reach for the first snack I can find, which usually isn't nutritious and often comes in a bag. If you're the same, stocking the fridge with healthy snacks can help, but not if you're tempted by all the junk food in your pantry. Keep unhealthy foods out of the house or divide your snacks into smaller portions to avoid ravenously going through an entire bag of chips before you even make dinner.

Eat a balanced lunch and snack: A lunch full of fiber and protein from fresh veggies, fruits, and lean meats will keep you full throughout the afternoon much more than a carb bomb or a too-restrictive meal. Following lunch with a healthy snack can lessen the temptation to order takeout once you get home since you'll be feeling full and satisfied. Check out our healthy snack ideas to get started.

Easy Ways to Cut Back on Sugar

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:56:42 PST

Carbs and fats tend to take the blame for weight gain, but excessive sugar intake can be part of the problem, too. If you're looking to improve your diet or shrink your waistline, try tracking your sugar consumption. Is it something you crave regularly? Part of every meal? Assess where sugar stands in your diet and make the following swaps to minimize your intake.

Go Greek: Standard yogurts - especially the fruit-flavored variety - tend to be high in sugar. Pick plain Greek yogurt instead to amp up your protein consumption and avoid excess sugars. Compare the nutritional content of different Greek yogurt brands and add fresh fruit if you prefer a sweeter taste.
Nix the cans: Thanks to thick, sweet syrups, canned fruits contain a higher level of sugar than fresh or frozen versions. Avoid canned fruits whenever possible, but if that's your only choice, be sure to drain the can and rinse the fruit to remove as much sugar as possible.
Be picky about grains: Whole-grain cereals and granola can be high in added sugars. Make sure to read the nutritional information and also look into sugar-free cereal options, or try to make your own fruit and nut bars when you need a carb fix. Just looking for something to add crunch to your meal? Try raw, unsalted nuts or homemade trail mix.

Keep reading for more ways to reduce your sugar intake.