FitSugar

Speak Up: Healthy Foods You Force Yourself to Eat

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:00:00 PST

You probably have a list of foods you try to avoid because you know they're not good for you (or your waistline). Wouldn't our lives would be much easier if the foods that were healthy for us were the decadent and savory foods we craved? Imagine lusting for steamed broccoli instead of a slice of chocolate cream pie! Unfortunately, it doesn't work out that way. So tell me, which foods do you hate, but force yourself to eat because you know they're nutritious?

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Do You Avoid Eating Late at Night to Prevent Weight Gain?

Leta Shy — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:18:46 PDT

On one hand, knowing how to eat right can be simple - eat when you're hungry, and stick to nutritious foods that fill you up and keep you satisfied. But another component of playing the weight loss game is when you eat, and that's when things can get complicated.

While studies have proven that eating late at night doesn't automatically lead to your body storing more fat, a new study in mice has found a link between when you eat and weight gain. Researchers looked at two groups of mice, both of which were fed the same amount of a high-fat diet, and found that the mice who were only allowed to eat during an eight-hour period during the day ended up gaining less weight than the mice that were allowed to eat the same amount of food any time during the day and night.

Researchers believe that the difference in weight gain is due to the fact that the body's organs operate at peak efficiency at different times, so everything from your liver to your muscles may be burning more calories and working harder depending on the time of day or night. Frequent eating throughout the day and night, they say, may throw off your body's metabolic cycles, so you may be more successful with weight loss if you stop eating at a certain point during your day (even if you are eating the same amount of food).

This newest study is just one more piece of information in the late-night eating debate, but the theory hasn't been tested on humans yet. And it's important to note that this study doesn't prove the myth that you shouldn't eat past a certain time to avoid your food turning into fat - the study is just saying that restricting when you eat to a certain time period may help regulate your metabolic cycles. In any case, what's your take on the issue: do you avoid eating late at night to prevent gaining weight?

3 Ways to Say Goodbye to Belly Fat

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 14 May 2012 01:53:32 PDT

A nutritious diet and regular exercise have helped you reach your weight loss goal, but you're still trying to get rid of that little extra pooch around your midsection. Here are three things you can do every week to help you achieve a trimmer belly.

When eating: Take an honest look at your diet and your bathroom schedule. Your belly might not be caused by fat, but by air trapped in your digestive system. If you're not getting enough fiber (you need 25 to 30 grams a day), constipation can cause bloating. Here are some common reasons women don't get enough fiber and how to overcome them. On the other hand, overdoing it on fiber or eating too many gas-producing foods like broccoli, apples, or beans can also make your belly stick out. There are also foods you can eat, like blueberries, that are proven to diminish belly fat, so be sure to include these five fat-blasting foods in your diet.
When doing cardio: Studies show that including interval training in your cardio sessions is proven to diminish belly fat. If you find that you normally stick to a consistent pace when running, biking, or swimming, mix it up by adding 10- to 60-second fast-paced or sprinting intervals.
When strength training: Basic crunches can help tone your abs, but they only target certain abdominal muscles. Incorporate full-body exercises like side planks as well as balancing moves on a ball or on one leg to target all the muscles in your core.

Mural Meals: Be Inspired by Beautiful Bento Boxes

Angelica Marden — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:38:57 PDT

Get ready to step up your sandwich skills with bento box lunches. These picturesque meal settings are a snazzy way to dress up leftovers, effective (and plastic bag free) way to pack lunch, and a smart way to encourage your children to eat healthier meals by making nutritious foods look more appealing (Jessica Seinfeld would be so proud). If you are as busy as most moms, you probably don't have time to bento everyday, but invest in $4 worth of bento tools and you'll be ready to add a small mural meal touch to your child's lunch on special days. Browse through these decadent boxes for inspiration.

Don't Throw That Food Out! How Leftovers Keep You Healthy

Michele Foley — Thu, 03 May 2012 03:05:33 PDT

Living alone, I've perfected the art of cooking for one - that is, until recently. Thinking of new ways to save on money and time while also sticking to a healthy diet, I now always prep more food than I need for one meal. Keep reading to find out why you should always put a little extra in the pot when cooking.

You'll eat more healthy home-cooked meals: When coming home late, cooking is the last thing on most people's minds. But too many nights of takeout taught me I needed a new game plan. Making a few extra helpings of dinner when I do cook means that regardless of how hectic a night is, I still come home to a nutritious meal I prepped from scratch. It also means I get a nutritious lunch the next day since I don't have to buy takeout while at work. If cooking is still new to you, try our tips for making healthy meals at home.

You'll have more time to work out: If I have a laundry list of things to do during the week like grocery shop or cook, the first things to suffer is my exercise time, which seems to be a common thread amongst all my friends. I've now gotten into a Sunday habit of making a big one-pot meal or roasting a chicken that I can eat throughout the week. With less time spent cooking, grocery shopping, and cleaning up during the workweek, I've freed up more time for evening gym sessions. Here are some recipes for healthy one-pot meals that taste better the next day, and five recipes to make from leftover roasted chicken.

Are you a fan of leftovers? If not, check out these tips for cooking fast, healthy meals on the daily.

What You're Eating For Breakfast

Camilla Salem — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:04:36 PDT

Breakfast sure seems to be a popular subject, especially on Instagram. We were thrilled by how many of you shared your delicious and (mostly) nutritious breakfasts with us for our last photo challenge. We selected five that made us crave breakfast foods all day long! Click through to get hungry.

Make Your Eating Habits More Sustainable

Camilla Salem — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:19:17 PDT

Earth Day is today, and it always serves as a good reminder to rethink our eating habits and cooking practices. There are so many small changes that we all can make in our everyday lives that, over time, significantly impact the world that we live in. While we may not be able to implement all of these changes all of the time, it is important to consider how our actions affect the bigger picture. Find out how you can make a difference when you keep reading.

7 Websites That Inspire Cooking With Kids

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:25:12 PDT

Cooking with your kids can teach them all kinds of lessons, from timing and measuring skills to cutting and cooking techniques, and it gives them a greater appreciation for the food that is served at the table. As an added bonus, kids are usually more willing to try new and healthier foods if they are part of the cooking process. These seven websites inspire kids of all ages to cook with mom or dad, so check them out, try a recipe together, and let us know which site is your family's favorite resource.

Fit For a Feast is designed to teach kids how prepare delicious, kid-friendly recipes with safety and precaution. The website offers instructional food videos with colorful graphics, nutritional info for kids, knife safety tips, and advice on how to prep and store food.
Cooking With My Kid is a photo-filled site with nutritious snack and meal ideas that you can prepare together as a family. Simple and totally enjoyable, this guide offers step-by-step instructions for recipes like giant chocolate-covered raisins and sweet potato and lentil stew.
Hey Kids, Let's Cook includes instructional videos for multicultural, kid-friendly cuisine, especially good if you are unsure about how to get your kids involved in the kitchen. The host Kathy clearly demonstrates engaging, fun techniques for her kid cooking assistants, like using a melon baller to create beautiful shapes in a fruit salad. The video section also includes mini table-etiquette tips, taught by one of the kid cooks.

Click here for more kid recipe sites.

Taste the Rainbow

Camilla Salem — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:00:49 PDT

In honor of Eco Month, we want to take this week to appreciate all of the colorful, nutritious, flavorful produce that we get to enjoy. Last week, we scoured the shelves of our local Whole Foods Market for the most colorful ingredients, from bright red bell peppers to deep purple cabbage. We're going to be taking a look at all of the colors of the produce rainbow and chatting about our favorite ways to enjoy them. Keep checking all week long for lots of colorful culinary inspiration.

A New Way to Deal With Your "Picky Eaters"

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 07:57:03 PDT

Picky, picky, picky! Any parent that's ever dealt with a picky eater knows how frustrating it can be. It's a constant battle to force the kids to finish the broccoli on the plate or even eat a few bites of the meal mama preciously prepared. Marta De Wulf, a nutritionist, mother, and cofounder of a nutrition iPad app for parents and kids called Smash Your Food ($3), offers up these tried-and-true tips to help parents learn more about their children's food preferences so the food wars can end once and for all.

Stop the name-calling: Avoid labeling or calling your child as a "picky eater." It only gives your child permission to push food away. Instead teach them discernment or discuss why they choose a particular food over another, which is a healthy behavior.
Start a conversation: Children are very sensorial and they often judge what they see first. Introduce new foods (or foods your child has previously rejected) and have a conversation about it. Start by saying to your child, "I don't mind if you like this or not, what I want to know is what do you see? Describe it to me? Do you like or dislike the color? Smell? Texture?"

Keep reading to see more about Marta's tasting method.