FitSugar

The Counter: Healthier Burgers You Custom Build

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:45:00 -0700

I am not in the habit of eating at fast-food joints regularly, but when traveling sometimes I just can't avoid them. Next time I'm on the road, I will be looking to feed my family at The Counter. New on the fast food scene, The Counter is going to revolutionize the way we eat burgers. With over 312,120 possible burger combinations, this restaurant allows you to customize your meal anyway you like.

Using a clipboard menu, you build the burger exactly how you want starting with the protein: certified humane beef, turkey burger, veggie burger, or grilled chicken. There are 10 cheese options, and you also get to choose five toppings from a long list including carrot strings, dried cranberries, hardboiled eggs, avocado, and sun-dried tomatoes. Further customize your burger by selecting a sauce and bread. I love that there are healthy choices in each category so you're not just stuck with beef high in saturated fat, iceberg lettuce, and a white flour bun.

To see a sample of their menu read more.

Pretty inventive, huh? With all these choices it's possible to create a uniquely delicious burger that's also healthy. Locations are cropping up all over the US so I'd definitely choose The Counter over Mickey Dee's any day. Have you eaten at The Counter? If yes, tell me what you thought in the comments section below.

Chef Workout: Counter Shoulder Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:00:00 -0700

I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and like to use those few minutes waiting for water to boil and veggies to steam by doing this stretch. It targets the shoulders, lats (sides of your upper back), hamstrings, and your lower back. It's a good one and is a great break while cooking dinner.

To learn the details of this stretch read more.

Stand in front of your counter with your feet hip distance apart. Place your hands on the counter so they are shoulder width distance apart.
Walk your feet backward until your hips are above your ankles and your spine is lengthened. Allow your head to fall comfortably between your shoulders so there's no tension in your neck. Try not to round through your lower back.
Hold like this for 30 seconds, pressing your pelvis away from your hands to increase the stretch.

For a variation on this kitchen stretch try this.

A Must Have: The CalorieKing Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 11:45:00 -0700

I have seen a lot of calorie counter books. Usually they give you a good idea of what could be in foods you are eating, but they are never too accurate or familiar with all brands.

The CalorieKing Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter ($8.00, 2007 Edition) is fab! I love it and it is becoming my calorie bible. This small book has 11,000 food listings, including those from 200 fast food restaurants and contains international foods, carnival foods and fair foods. Ever wonder how many calories are in a churro? I did and now I know that one 8 inch churro packs a whopping 325 calories. Yikes!

It's fun to look through because you'll catch yourself flipping through pages and be amazed at the high calories in foods that you may (or may not) eat on a regular basis. Once you get this book you'll rely on it for everything. I keep mine in my bag so I have it readily available when I am out and about. Buy it directly from CalorieKing.com.

For a sneak peek at some of the pages, read more

View 15 Photos ›

Push-Up Counter: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 03:30:00 -0800

Hopefully you're all taking the Push-Up Challenge and working on doing as many as you can. Since you're so busy concentrating on correct form, it's hard to keep track of all the push-ups you're doing. Now you don't have to with this Push-Up Counter ($15). Just position your chin over the red button, and every time you lower down, you bop your chin on the button and it adds one to the readout you can see on the LCD screen. Hilariously enough, in case you were wondering, it can count up to 999 consecutive push-ups. Oh too bad, because I'm already doing like 2,000 push-ups in a row, so I guess I won't be needing this complicated device. All joking aside, tell me is it cool or not?

Pocket Calorie Counter

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 14:45:00 -0800

Do you ever wish that all foods, even restaurant foods, came with a nutritional label? I'm not sure that is going to happen any time soon, but until then you may want to invest in an electronic calculator.

CalorieSmart ($69) is an electronic (and portable) calorie calculator that provides you with the nutritional information of over 35,000 food items, including items from over 250 restaurants and 500 brands. CalorieSmart is much more than a digital calorie calculator -- It can be used to track your daily diet and exercise. You can also transfer your food and exercise diary to your Windows PC and create reports and charts. Use it in conjunction with our SugarStats' Calorie Evaluator to see how many calories you need to maintain your current lifestyle. Buy it here.

Fit's Tip: You should make sure you are adding up everything you're taking in -- So be sure to calculate in all sauces and condiments.

How Many Days Ago Did I Put That in There?

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:15:00 -0700

If your indication of when food has gone bad is a fuzzy, green (and smelly) blanket over it, then you may want to consider getting one of these...

The DaysAgo Digital Day Counter ($10.00 for two) is a digital day counter that attaches to a variety of surfaces with a magnetic or suction backing and counts up to 99 days. It's a simple gadget that is re-usable, versatile and helps you save money while saving you from playing the guessing game as to how old those leftovers are. You can use it on practically any kind of food container. No more wondering if you're going to get sick from that leftover fish from two days ago? Or if that milk smells funny for a reason other than your paranoia?

Buy it online from HowManyDaysAgo.com and check out the this food guide from the US Food and Drug Administration on how long you can safely store common foods.

What's the Deal With: Plan B

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 04:00:00 -0800

Things don't always go as planned. Maybe you forgot to take your pill or the condom broke while you were having sex. Now you have a second chance.

If you take emergency contraception (EC), also called the morning-after pill or Plan B, within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse, it can prevent pregnancy (it's 89% effective).

This is not the same as RU-486, the abortion pill. EC is used to prevent pregnancy. It's basically a high dosage of hormones, the same that are found in regular birth control pills. EC stops ovulation, so your egg won't be released. It can also prevent fertilization or a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus. It will not work if you are already pregnant, and will not affect your un-born baby if you already are.

The earlier EC is taken, the more effective it is. The FDA has approved the over-the-counter (OTC) sales of EC. Pretty soon, you might see it on the shelves right next to condoms. Or behind the counter, like cigarettes (or Claritin), and you'll have to show your ID. I'd call your pharmacy first to find out if they offer OTC.

Fit's Tip: It's safe, but should only be used for emergency situations. It shouldn't take the place of your consistent and effective method of birth control - EC does not prevent HIV or other STIs.

Get in Gear: Cal-Carb Clicker

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Now I thought I've seen every gadget on the market to help you lose weight, but here's another one. It's called the Cal-Carb Clicker. Catchy name, huh?

What does it do? For $19.95 it will keep track of your daily:

Carbs
Calories
Carbs & calories together
Points
Blocks
Fat grams
Water intake
Whatever it is you're counting

Wow, can it do my laundry and make dinner too? To find out, read more

Is there a catch? Of course. You're the one who sets the number on the top at the beginning of the day for the number of calories you're allowed. Then as you eat, you "click-in." When the top number reaches zero, you're done for the day. I know why it works - with clicking all day long, who has time to eat?

The Cal-Carb Counter comes with complete instructions (thank god) and a Cal/Carb Food Index. So now you can break down your meals and figure out just how guilty you should be feeling about that brownie fudge sundae you just ate.

While it is true that keeping track of your caloric intake is a great way to take responsibility if you're trying to watch your weight, I don't really think it's necessary to keep track with this product. That's what good old paper and a pencil are for. What do you think?

Walking is Grrrrrrrreat!

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 02:15:00 -0800

It's a great idea for anyone of any age to start making sure they are moving enough in a single day. A good way to do that is to track the actual steps you take in a day with a pedometer. The current recommended amounts are: 10,000 steps for active adults, 6-12 year old girls need 12,000 steps and 6-12 year old boys need 15,000 steps.

Kellogg's Frosted Flakes has gotten on board to this idea and is now encouraging kids to start being more mentally active in their own health, by getting them to be more physically active in their own lives. A free (my favorite word) step counter featuring Tony the Tiger inside specially-marked packages of Frosted Flakes cereal allows kids to track their daily steps. Your child can attach it to a belt or waistband and count every single step they take. Like most free pedometers, it may not be 100% accurate, but it is a fun way to get kids to think about health issues early on.

Don't have kids? Use it for yourself! Not into having Tony the Tiger on your fitness gadgets? Then maybe it's time to splurge on your own adult pedometer (that really works).

Common Painkillers Linked to High Blood Pressure

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:00:03 -0800

It's been recently reported that if you are frequently popping over-the-counter pain meds, you should know that they can raise your blood pressure, which in turn can lead to heart disease.

Although men were the subject of this recent study, it confirms earlier research conducted on the effects of OTC pain medication on women's blood pressure.

The medications studied are staples in your medicine cabinet like aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Researchers found, when reviewing data from both studies, that men and women who took these drugs for 6-7 days in a week were 1/3 more likely to develop high blood pressure.

The study showed that men who took acetaminophen were 34% more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure. Men who took aspirin were 26% more likely to have high blood pressure than non-users. Those who used ibuprofen increased their risk by 38%.

These drugs can affect the ability of blood vessels to expand and may also cause sodium retention, which are 2 factors that can both raise blood pressure.

Fit's Tips: If you've been advised by your doctor to take 1 aspirin a day, you should stick with it. If you're popping 8 ibuprofen pills a day to combat lower back pain, you should reconsider your strategy. See if you can fix the problem rather than just masking the pain.