FitSugar

Tips from Diets in Review

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 10:00:00 -0700

I'm always looking for dieting tips and while I think we all have the same theory behind our tips it is great to get a different perspective every once in a while. Here are some great tips from DietsinReview.com. Some tips you may already know, but here are some ideas for ways to keep healthy eating in check:

Eat a diet full of color: Fruits and vegetables are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are very low in calories. They help keep you satisfied longer, and are a great snack and can be eaten with every meal.
Eat regular meals: Eating meals throughout the day will help keep your metabolism stable as well as burn-ing calories all day long. When we don’t eat for an extended amount of time it actually inhibits calorie burning. Take mom’s advice to heart and be sure to have breakfast in the morning! Make sure and eat your 3 meals a day, but also sneak in some healthy snacks to keep your body going!
Give your stomach time to catch up: Many of us grew up being told not to snack before dinner as we would ruin our appetite. In actuality, having snacks can help prevent you from overeating. It takes our bodies 10-15 minutes to realize we’ve had enough to eat. Because of this delay, it is very easy to eat more than what our bodies actually need, leaving us feeling overstuffed. When eating at home watch your portions. When eating out at restaurants share your entrees as they typically serve larger portions. Go ahead, spoil your dinner with some snacks.
Eat whole fresh foods: In order for foods to last on our shelves in the grocery store they are filled with preservatives, which in turn deplete the nutrients and vitamins originally found in those foods. When possible, purchase fresh foods and avoid pre-packaged and convenient fast food, as these types of food are typically higher in calories, fat, and sodium.
Get moving: Our bodies were not meant to sit behind a desk all day long. We need daily exercise to benefit our overall health and especially to strengthen all our muscles including our heart. Exercise can also help you sleep better and improve your mood, so whether a high impact workout at the gym or a stroll through the neighborhood, hit the pavement and give yourself the optimal reward.

There are more tips so read more

Treat yourself: We all have those few foods that we know aren’t good for us yet we have a hard time avoiding them. When we try to restrict these foods from our diet, we tend to overindulge at some point. Allow yourself a treat from time to time, but remember to keep it within moderation. Try having a few bites of cake as opposed to the whole slice at a special occasion.
Be a detective with food labels: When reading the list of ingredients on packaged foods, if you do not recognize the ingredient or cannot pronounce it, perhaps this isn’t something you want to be putting in your body. If you see a product with a laundry list of ingredients, put the item right back on the shelf. Also, make sure when reading labels to review whether calories and fat listed are per serving and not the entire container.
Eat your whole grains: Whole grains are unrefined products that have maintained their nutrients and fiber content, unlike white products that are left with no nutritional value. An additional benefit to eating 100% whole grains, such as breads and pastas, is they help maintain blood sugar levels with less spiking and crashing throughout the day. Whole grains also keep you satisfied longer.
Eat the “right” fat: Fat has gotten a reputation for being bad for us and in many cases this is true unless we are speaking about healthy fats that our body actually needs. Overeating wrong fats (saturated fats) can lead to those unwanted pounds as well as increase your risk of heart disease. Stick to healthy fat sources that are unsaturated such as olive oil instead of butter or margarine, which contain saturated fat. You can use these for sauteing, baking, lubricating bakeware, and more - just be creative!
Beware of liquid calories: Extra calories can add up quickly, for example a 12 ounce can of regular soda can contain 10 teaspoons of sugar! These types of calories will not fill you up but they will most certainly add weight. Beware of the beverages you drink throughout the day, some of the perceived health drinks have several teaspoons of sugar per serving, which many of us tend to overlook tricky naming conventions thought up by slick marketing departments.

Thanks to Diets in Review for sending along these great tips!

I am not the only one thinking about these things. Dear has got some more tips for you in her How to Lounge: Approaching a diet post.

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Great New Site: Diets in Review

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 03:00:00 -0700

There are so many diets out there that it's hard to keep track of them all. Wouldn't it be nice if there were one place where you could go online to get reviews of all the latest diets?

DietsinReview.com is a cool new site where you can find reviews of nearly 100 diets and weight loss plans, including weight loss supplements like the ever-so-controversial OTC pill alli. The site is easy to use so you can quickly find diets in four categories and compare and contrast them with informative reviews of each plan. I really like that there is a section to leave your own comments and/or reviews on the specific diet.

Food Review: Zevia Soda

FitSugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:30:00 -0700

The FDA might consider stevia an "unapproved food additive," but you can find it sweetening the zero calorie diet soda Zevia ($5.99 for a six pack).

Zevia's tag line is "Nature's answer to diet soda." Wait, I thought water was nature's answer to soda? Anyway, I must admit up front that I am not really a big fan of diet soda, but I like the idea of this underdog of a sweetener making its way into the big time with its own line of diet soda. Zevia comes in four flavors: Orange, Cola, Lemon Lime and Ginger Root Beer. Since I don't really drink diet soda, I shared my samples with friends and family who do. They all gave the soda mixed reviews – some thumbs up and some thumbs down – but the case was gone in two days. This is a sure sign that people were drinking it and going back for seconds.

To see what I thought of Zevia, just read more.

To me, the sodas taste like all diet sodas with weird sweetness and an aftertaste that somehow tastes artificial even though stevia is "natural." My favorite flavor by far is the Ginger Root Beer. It is a pleasant mix of flavors and tastes of Ginger Ale and Root Beer; my husband thought it was better than any other diet root beer. The drinks are carbonated, but not too bubbly, and they are calorie free.

If you are interested in expanding your diet soda options you should definitely try some. You can order Zevia online directly here or find a store near you with this store locator.

If you have tried Zevia, let me know if you liked it in the comments section below.

With Teen Obesity, Inactivity Is Only Part of the Problem

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:32:46 -0800

I panic every time I see another "exercise doesn't work!" story - until I read between the lines and learn once again that exercise is a good thing. On the heels of its conversation-starting cover story on the exercise "myth," Time is tackling a new study of teen obesity that claims inactivity is only partly to blame for heavier kids.

Obesity rates in teenagers have triple between 1976 and 2004, with lack of exercise the suspected culprit. But a new report published in Obesity Reviews says that physical activity levels among teens have actually stayed fairly steady. So does that mean that exercise doesn't matter? Hardly, so read more.

Unfortunately, this latest study only looked at activity levels, not eating habits, and the participants were self-reporting on their own habits, which can lead to unreliable data. These figures merely suggest that the increase in teen obesity can't be explained away by teens' lack of exercise, according to Dr. Youfa Wang, the lead author of the study. Here's more:

So does this mean that exercise isn't important in controlling weight? As tempting as that conclusion might be, Wang and other health experts say that's not exactly what the new data show. . . . While exercise may not contribute directly to weight loss, it is critical for maintaining a healthy weight, since it helps calibrate the balance between energy taken in and energy burned off. "The data is too gross, and too general, to assume that [exercise doesn't count]," warns Dr. Janet Walberg Rankin, a professor in the department of human nutrition, foods, and exercise at Virginia Tech. "We need to have a dual approach to weight involving both activity and diet. I would hate for people to take away from this study that activity has nothing to do with weight."

Phew! Thanks, doc. I also hope that's not what people take away from this study. In fact, to me, it says the opposite. If teen obesity is going up because teens have increased their calorie intake without increasing their activity levels, then that seems to say pretty clearly that exercise does make a difference. Do you agree?

Must-Read: The End of Overeating

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:10:33 -0700

He took on big tobacco as the head of the FDA, then once out of the government Dr. David Kessler decided to take on America's growing obesity problem, focusing on the issue of overeating. His motivation was personal this time, having dieted on and off for years watching his scale yo-yo up and down.

In his new book The End of Overeating, Kessler explains why foods that takes you to your bliss point are not only preying on human biology, but these foods have also been engineered by the food industry to whet your appetite. Kessler lays out his arguments like a scientist, backing up almost every point. It is easy to get bogged down by these reports, but from them you learn how and why we crave sugar, fat, and salt. The author makes a point to reemphasize that eating more calories than you burn creates weight gain and that we wasted a couple of decades finger-pointing at specific macronutrients. Kessler also details the inner workings of the food scientist and research used to engineer food to ensure it not only tastes good, but will make you want to keep tasting until well beyond satiety. All in all, the book details why many Americans are obsessed and even addicted to food. To see what Kessler has to say about the actual process of ending overeating continue reading.

Weekend Reading: Ten Years Thinner

FitSugar — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 02:00:00 -0800

If you search hard enough, you can find a diet/exercise book that tells you what you want to hear. I have found this to be true for both gardening and child rearing, and now I know it to be true in the quest for a healthier, fitter, thinner body.

The contrast between Ten Years Thinner ($26) and The Thrive Diet is a case in point. Ten Years Thinner, written by Christine Lydon, M.D., argues that lean animal protein and strength training are the key components to looking and feeling your best. On the other hand, The Thrive Diet asserts that vegan, and even raw food, along with endurance training is where you will find your wealth of health. I have only read these books, and haven't followed either plan, but the contrast is fascinating to me. Both books lay out their plans convincingly, and discuss how their diets combat the negative impact of inflammation while increasing your energy levels. It just boils down to finding a plan you think you can follow for the long haul.

Want to hear the details about Ten Years Thinner? Then read more.

The diet plan in Ten Years Thinner starts with eliminating certain foods and gradually adding them back into your diet over the course of six weeks. The first two weeks you avoid legumes, soy based food, dairy, grains and high glycemic index foods like potatoes, fruit juice and alcohol. Each subsequent week you reintroduce these forbidden foods, so in the end no food groups are completely off limits. Although you are encouraged to eat as little grains as possible as well as alcohol.

Workout wise the focus is strength training in daily 20 minute sessions, for four consecutive days followed by a rest day. The workouts are designed to get your heart rate up and create a post workout metabolism calorie burn too. The cool thing is that the exercise plan requires no gym time; you can do the workouts in the comfort of your own home with hand weights, a mat, a step stool and a pillow. The book includes a handful of recipes and workouts to follow. The tone of the book is, of course, up beat and friendly even though Lydon does mention that she went to Yale for medical school a few too many times in the introduction. The information is detailed and easy to follow. If you do decide to follow this plan you can find online support here in the form of active forums.

If you are curious and want to check out the book for yourself it is available at Amazon for $17.16, $8 off the cover price.

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DVD Review: Weight Loss - Cardio Kick

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:00:51 -0700

Although I'm not a huge fan of DVDs that have the words "weight loss" on the cover, I did love the Weight Loss - Cardio Sculpt video I reviewed a while back.

Here's another video from that series called Weight Loss - Cardio Kick ($15). This DVD follows the same format of a few minutes of cardio, and a few minutes of strength training with weights, so it goes by really fast. The cardio portion includes high-energy kickboxing and martial arts-influenced cardio moves like punching, kicking, and pretend jumping rope to burn calories. The sculpting section leads you through combo moves such as bicep curls with squats, and lunges with deadlifts. There are a few workout options you can choose from. Do the total 51-minute workout including warmup, two cardio/sculpting workouts, and the cooldown, or if you don't have as much time, do the 31-minute workout including warmup, one cardio/sculpting workout, and cooldown.

For more of my opinion on this DVD keep reading.

Weekend Reading: Thrive Diet

FitSugar — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 04:00:00 -0800

When I flirted with being a vegetarian in college, my parents told me tales of a collegiate basketball player from their co-ed days. The athlete decided to eat a plant-based diet and subsequently was injured all the time. My parents seemed to think that meat was a form of injury prevention. They would be amazed by the whole food, plant based, vegan, almost raw diet that professional Iron Man athlete Brendan Brazier ~~cooked~~ dreamed up and promotes in his book The Thrive Diet ($16.32).

The first third of the book lays out a very convincing argument for a plant based diet. It decreases stress, decreases over all body acidity (which is cause for inflammation), and provides more nutrients per calorie. His food philosophy is to eat plenty of small meals a day, drink nutritious smoothies daily (some recipes contain kale), eat raw greens daily, and to partake of an afternoon snack. Brazier also believes we should all be eating a raw energy bar daily concocted out of ingredients like dried dates, quinoa, and ground flax seeds. All that sounds healthy, but for me to follow this diet I would have to completely change how I eat and approach food. Brazier definitely sees food as fuel to power his extreme workout schedule. Food for me is also about taste, texture and pleasure. Not to mention food provides a social forum for family and friends.

To see how to start the diet, just read more

Brazier is clear that you need to take on the Thrive Diet one step at a time. It is not about perfection but about progress. Since change can create stress, you need to ease into the Thrive Diet by adding nutrient dense foods and weaning yourself off of coffee and refined carbs.

If you are vegan, especially if you are into endurance sports (he has recipes for raw vegan sports gels!), and looking for some super healthy recipes, this is the book for you. It contains a lot of recipes for meals, snacks and sports drinks. If you are looking to thrive, buy the book at Amazon. I bet Brazier would prefer that you walk or bike to your local bookstore to pick up your copy.

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A Week in Review: FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 04:00:00 -0700

In case you missed it, here's what we've been talking about...

Anthony Bourdain and Rachael Ray are in a spat over donuts. Whose side are you on?

Be sure to check this great jumping through with blocks yoga video that should help strengthen your core and improve your technique.

John Mayer makes his body a wonderland by running stairs, now you can too.

Mayer is not the only one getting fit, Sarah Jessica Parker spills her get slim secrets.

What's the connection between women's hips and breast cancer?

While we're on the topic of breast cancer, check out my inspiring and moving interview with a gal who battled breast cancer with cupcakes (of all things).

Celebs love Starbucks, but who's making healthy choices and who's not?

Love miso? Test your smarts with this quiz about miso.

Need a new diet tip? Eat at least one fruit and one veggie with every meal.

I'm curious, how often do you eat fish?

Speaking of dieting, here are 100 calorie snack ideas.

Back to basics everyone - learn how to properly blow your nose.

Here is a great elliptical interval exercise program - try it out!

Speak your mind about why you don't like exercising. Now check out ideas to turn that hate into love when it comes to exercising.

Speaking of exercise, check out the most active (and inactive) states in America.

A Week In Review: FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 04:00:00 -0700

In case you missed it, here's what we've been talking about...

I'm curious, have you ever broken a bone? Also, what is your biggest weight loss motivation? Also, where do you eat dinner. Finally, which food indulgence tempts you most?

Wear your sunglasses in the morning until the night, for your health, of course.

Workout at night? Here are some late night workout ideas.

Breasts are all over the news this week. So here is a great sports bra for us well endowed folks.

Running your first race? Check out my tips on how to make the most of it.

Here are a few funny things your gym may not be telling you.

Here are a few suggestions on how to store food properly.

My favorite show is back! Check out my Biggest Loser recap.

Feeling like you need to go strapless? Here's a great strapless heart monitor.

Brooke Shields graces the cover of Fitness Magazine and has some interesting health ideas to share, so check out the interview here.

While restaurants in NYC are not going to be required to post calorie counts, those in California are.

An easy diet tip: Skip the predinner cocktail.

Are these new Crocs cooler than the originals? What about these running sandals?

And after a long hard week: You did really great this week!!!