FitSugar

Wii and Weight Loss - It's Official

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 02:00:00 -0800

Well, the research is in. Kids who regularly play Wii games burn up a significantly larger amount of calories than kids who play other game consoles, or spend their time passively watching TV.

Not really surprising news for anyone who has ever played Wii Sports. After a night of Wii bowling, the next day my arm was really sore and I knew that I had worked it!!!

Professor Tim Cable headed the study at Liverpool John Moores University, where they measured the impact of playing Wii versus playing a traditional non-motion-controlled console on 5 girls and 7 boys, between the ages of 13 and 15 years.

15 minutes of gaming using a traditional controller increased the subject’s energy expenditure above resting values by an average of 60%. With a Wii controller this was increased to a whopping 156%.

Heart rates also increased to 130 beats per minute while playing Wii, compared with 85 beats per minute with a traditional console.

Most kids who are serious gamers, average about 12.2 hours of playing video games a week. At 150 calories an hour, in a week they'll burn 1,830 using the Wii, which works out to be 40% more than your average video game.

Wow that's great news, but too bad it's next to impossible to get your hands on a Wii right now.

Amy's Kitchen: Country Cheddar Bowl

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:30:00 -0700

This Country Cheddar Bowl is my new favorite frozen entrée from Amy's Kitchen. It's in her line of Bowls (just like the Stuffed Pasta Shells), and this one is called Country Cheddar.

I would say it is a mature version of mac and cheese. The delicious cheesy sauce envelops the spiral noodles and healthy veggies – broccoli florets, carrots, red peppers, and potatoes. For added protein pieces of perfectly textured baked tofu have been added to the "bowl." The cheddar bowl meal is deliciously flavored, and the best part is that all the ingredients are organic.

The picture on the box looks great, but does it really look like that when you cook it? To find out read more

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	400
Total Fat	19g
Saturated Fat	6g
Cholesterol	20mg
Sodium	690mg
Carbs	41g
Fiber	4g
Sugar	3g
Protein	15g

On the looks front, the bowl looks close enough to the image on the box. I really liked the cheesy taste and all the veggies were cooked perfectly, and not at all mushy. This meal has only 400 calories and it was super filling. Plus I love that it has 14g of protein and 4g of fiber (although I thought it would have more than that). The sodium is a tad high, but not too bad considering you can have around 2,300mg a day.

I'm sure some of you will think it has a lot of fat, but look at the saturated fat. It only has 6g, and since the recommended amount per day is around 20g, it doesn't sound so bad. For a quick, delicious, organic, and healthy meal, I'd definitely give this Country Cheddar Bowl a try.

Are You Going to Watch the Super Bowl?

FitSugar — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Football is not one of my favorite sports to watch - mostly because I'd rather play football than watch it on TV. My husband is way into it though, so we'll definitely be watching the Super Bowl. Since he invited some buddies over, it's an excuse to try out some new healthy recipes. How about you?

P.L.O.W. - Get Pumped For the Super Bowl

FitSugar — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0800

It's Super Bowl weekend, and although this isn't a holiday, you'll probably end up eating like it is. So work off those nachos, chicken wings, and slices of pizza with this 40-minute cardio playlist. It's filled with old-school '90s songs and hits from today that are sure to pull you out of your food coma.

To hear it, click the gray triangle after you read more.

Total Time: 40:41

Source

Healthy Super Bowl Snacks

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 -0800

Superbowl is this Sunday, and many of you will be throwing or attending parties. Normally this involves four or more hours of nonstop snacking, so here are some healthy foods you can nosh on without compromising your health goals. Make them for you own party, or bring them along to share with your friends.

Make your own hummus with chick peas, garlic, tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice. Serve with veggie sticks or toasted whole wheat pita bread. It's high in protein and flavor.
Use your microwave to make fat-free, air-popped popcorn. Place two tablespoons of kernels in the bottom of a small brown lunch bag. Fold the top three times and place the bag in the microwave on its side. Microwave for two to two and a half minutes, or until the popping slows down. Season with salt or nutritional yeast.
Make creamy zucchini boats. They're great finger food, easy to make, and healthier than potato chips and dip.
Be different and saute some polenta stacks. I like to add mozzarella cheese and tomatoes to mine, but get creative and use other healthy ingredients.
Eating chili on Super Bowl Sunday was a tradition in my house, but the beef offers more saturated fat and calories than I need. So make a healthier version with beans and veggies. Check out my recipe for Vegetarian Black Bean Chili.

Food Review: Amy's Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies Bowl

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

In a pinch, I'm a big fan of frozen meals from Amy's Kitchen, and I particularly like the "bowls." I always keep a few in my freezer just in case I don't have time to make lunch. While the Country Cheddar Bowl is my favorite, I also like the Stuffed Pasta Shells. While perusing the frozen aisle at the grocery store, I noticed a new bowl and had to give it a try.

To find out what I thought of this Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies Bowl then read more.

I'm quite a fan of this new bowl. Even though it doesn't look very appetizing, it tasted delicious - herby and savory, like it was homemade. It had lots of veggies, mostly mushrooms and they had great consistency; not mushy at all. The black-eyed peas and brown rice made this bowl hearty and filling for only having 290 calories. The sauce was smooth and flavorful with a hint of ginger and cilantro. The wheat-free tamari gave it a delicious salty flavor, with only 580 mg per serving. This meal is also dairy and gluten free, so if you have food sensitivities, this is a tasty option. If you're a fan of bean and veggie dishes, I'd give this a try.

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	290
Total Fat	11 g
Saturated Fat	1.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	580 mg
Carbs	38 g
Fiber	8 g
Sugar	5 g
Protein	11 g

Super Bowl Takeout: How to Order and Keep Your Resolutions

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:00:00 -0800

Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend, and I know it's supposed to be all about the game, but really, it's become all about the food. Chicken wings, pizza, seven-layer dip, chips, chili, sausages, and beer. Lots of beer. It's a cruel test for those who have started a health kick on Jan 1. It's great if you can make your own healthy snacks, but if the crowd you're with is all about ordering food, here are some tips to allow you to enjoy the party, while sticking to your resolutions.

When ordering pizza, go for thin crust, preferably one made of whole wheat. Skip the extra cheese and go for tons of veggies. If you must have meat on your pizza, go for ham instead of pepperoni or sausage since it contains less calories. Or you can always add your own turkey or chicken sausage once the pizza arrives.
If ordering wings, ask for extra carrot and celery sticks and tell them to forget the ranch or blue cheese dressing.

There are more helpful tips so read more.

If you like to order Chinese food, choose meals that contain chicken rather than beef or pork, since poultry contains less saturated fat. If they have seafood options, that's a good choice, just make sure not to order anything that's soaked in batter and deep fried. Forget the fried egg rolls, too, and go for dumplings instead (they're steamed). Order sides of extra steamed broccoli and snow peas so you can add them to your meal. Or when you order your entree, ask for added veggies. Soup may also be a good choice, especially if the broth is made with miso. Limit your sodium intake by skipping out on the added soy and hoisin sauces.

Just keep in mind that it's OK to enjoy your favorite foods, you just don't want to go overboard. If you snack over the entire four- to six-hour time span, you'll end up consuming a lot of extra calories. So grab a plate and enjoy your food at one time so you can keep track of your portion sizes.

Source

Game Plan: Super Bowl Party Survival Skills

FitSugar — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 03:30:00 -0800

Watching the Super Bowl doesn't have to be about loading up with calories. It seems game day has almost as many food rituals as Thanksgiving (move over baseball - football is as American as apple pie).

Here are some alarming stats on
snacks and the Super Bowl:

11.2 million pounds of potato chips are sold for game time snacking
8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips make it to parties across the nation
30 million pounds of food will be consumed during the 4 quarters of the game
4 million pounds of fat is eaten while grown men in padded suits pummel each other in attempts to win a ring.

Just because the letters "XL" follow the words Super Bowl this year doesn't mean you need to eat XL portions. Don't succumb to the mindless nibbling in front of the TV. Make your self a plate of snacks, with more veggies (carrots and celery are popular crudites items on most snack buffets) than chips. When you have finished the plate, stop snacking.

Since the games doesn't start until 6 pm EST, we all have time to get out and get moving before the game. Take a walk, a bike ride or hit the gym prior to partying it up to cheer vigorously (that is another way to burn some calories) for your team!!!!

Don't forget to drink plenty of water, it has zero calories, a lot less than beer, and you want to stay as hydrated as the player.

Super Bowl Diet Killer: Pizza

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 10:45:00 -0800

The Super Bowl is quickly approaching and if you're like me, you're not concerned about who is going to win, but more concerned about what you are going to eat without gaining a zillion pounds.

The one food that goes hand in hand with the Super Bowl is pizza. Most people won't consider a Super Bowl party to be legitimate without pizza so instead of taking the pizza out of the party, let's think of ways to take the unhealthiness out of the pizza.

Toppings: Avoid the "meat lovers" pie, but if you can't then, choose ham over pepperoni or sausage. You'll reduce your calories dramatically by going with ham. Want to go a step further? Make your own and use turkey pepperoni or turkey sausage. If you get just plain cheese or vegetable, the sodium level is going to be a lot less than if your pizza is loaded with meat.

Ordering Out: Ask the restaurant to go light on the cheese, so you'll still get cheese but not mounds. Some restaurants will even go light on the oil, you just have to ask. Getting thin crust will drop the calories as well. And, don't be sucked into deals, just because the cheese stuffed crust is free, doesn't mean it's a good idea.

Sizes: For obvious reasons, don't eat the biggest slice on the plate (or box). We often judge how much pizza we eat by slice, so having two small slices is a lot different from 2 huge slices.

Make Your Own: Try making the crust out of whole wheat flour and use part skim mozzarella cheese on top. Load it with more veggies and less cheese to decrease calories. Check out YumSugar.com for a yummy mushroom garlic pizza recipe but to make it healthier, I would use part skim mozzarella cheese.

Super Bowl Halftime: Get Moving

FitSugar — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 05:00:00 -0800

For most Americans Super Bowl Sunday could be one of the most lazy and unhealthy days of the year.

From snacking on chips and pizza to drinking loads of sugary cola and beer, it's hard to remember there is still a war on obesity going on. If you're going to be watching the game this year, you may want to think about adding in your own halftime routine at halftime.

There are a few simple things you can do to burn off a few more calories such as:

Jog in place for intervals of one minute. Live in an apartment building where noise travels further than Miami? March in place for intervals of two minutes.
Dance! The halftime show usually has some great entertainment and with Prince headlining this year's show, you know you'll be able to dance.
Do some push-ups. In the spirit of competition, challenge whoever is watching the game with you to a push-up contest. Loser cleans up.
Not interested in the halftime show? Take it outside to toss around the football. If you're with a group, plan your own mini-super bowl.