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Breakfast Ideas to Keep You Full Until Lunch

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 05:50:08 PST

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. Eating a morning meal not only helps you think more clearly, but studies show that regular breakfasts can help you maintain a healthy weight. I've rounded up a handful of ideas for morning meals, combining whole grains and protein, which will keep your energy levels up and your hunger at bay.

Source: Thinkstock

6 Dieting Rules You'll Love to Follow

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 01:14:17 PDT

Don't eat this, stay away from that - following a diet can seem like a total killjoy. If you're feeling depressed about how restrictive your diet is, here are some proven weight-loss rules you'll welcome with open arms.

Dig into a big breakfast: Skipping breakfast to save calories? That's a big mistake because eating breakfast actually jump-starts your metabolism. Your first meal of the day should include protein to reduce sugar cravings, and fiber to satiate your hunger. A veggie omelet, fruit smoothie with spinach, oatmeal with fruit and nuts, or Greek yogurt with fresh fruit are excellent choices.
Say yes to carbs: Before you get all excited, I'm not talking about bagels, regular pasta, and pretzels. Simple carbs made from enriched white flour offer little nutritional value and more calories than you need. Stick to complex carbs like quinoa, brown rice, and oats, as well as foods made from whole grain flour such as pasta and crackers - the least processed and as close to nature as possible. (Of course, you still need to be mindful of portion sizes.) Complex carbs are not only full of fiber that keep hunger at bay, they also contain valuable vitamins and minerals your body needs such as vitamins B6 and E and iron.

Keep reading for four more weight-loss rules you'll love following.

5 Eating Tips For a Guilt-Free Easter

Anna Monette Roberts — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 04:06:08 PDT

Easter is a day of celebration and indulgence in wine, red meats, and sugary sweets. While it's easy to go overboard in the Easter feast, it's all about balance. Yes, you are allowed your Cadbury Eggs, but use these tips to keep you from completely falling off your diet plan.

Start with the real breakfast of champions: You may not be able to control what's served at the brunch table, but you certainly can control what you eat when you wake up. Make a giant green smoothie or green juice, so you load up on nutrients and filling fiber.
Drink plenty of water: Place thin cucumber and lemon slices in your water glass for a liver-detoxing and digestion-aiding beverage.
Fill up on greens: Before you dive into the cheese plate or Easter basket full of candy, munch on a plate full of veggie sticks or salad. The fiber will fill you up, so you are less inclined to overindulge in the bad stuff.
Remember your serving sizes: Serve half of the plate with veggies, a quarter with grains, and a quarter with protein. If you prefer stricter measurements, forget the cups and teaspoons, and use your hand as a measuring cup. Two fingers equals one serving of cheese. An open palm equals one serving of meat. A closed fist is one serving of fruit or vegetables. A cupped hand is one serving of grains.
Enjoy bread and candy last: After you've filled up on veggies and protein, then enjoy the bread and butter, Peeps, jellybeans, or chocolate-covered caramels. While it's tempting to inhale five or six candies in one sitting, slow down and thoroughly savor each bite.

The Truth About 5 Confusing Foods

Prevention — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 04:26:43 PDT

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

Even the most nutrition-savvy women can get lost in the headlines. Here's what you really need to know.

By Sharon Liao, Prevention

You heard that eggs can be high in cholesterol, so you dutifully switched to whole grains for breakfast. Next, you swapped out red meat for fish - only to later learn that fish can contain dangerous levels of mercury . . . and eggs may not harm your heart after all. "With all of the different reports and headlines, it’s no wonder that many people get confused," says Angela Ginn, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of Real Talk Real Food in Baltimore, MD. To help you make sense of these and other health head-scratchers, we consulted our experts and sifted through the research. Here, the new bottom line on a few "health" foods.

1. Potatoes
This starchy veggie has a bad rap among dieters, but that’s because people tend to consume it in the form of greasy french fries, chips, and buttery mashed potatoes, says Melissa Joy Dobbins, RD, of NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, IL. "When prepared the right way, potatoes are a nutritious food," she says. One medium potato, for instance, delivers five grams of fiber and nearly 20 percent of your daily quota for heart-healthy potassium.

Bottom line: Skip the fried versions and opt for baked or boiled potatoes. For an even healthier option, choose vitamin A-rich sweet potatoes or purple potatoes, which can help lower blood pressure.

Ten Healthy Ways to Splurge

2. Cheese
Hold the cheese? There’s no need if you eat it in moderation. A one-ounce serving delivers 20 percent of all the bone-building calcium that you need in a day, as well as plenty of protein and phosphorus. "The problem is that many people eat much more than one serving in one sitting," explains Sharon Richter, RD, a dietitian in New York City. And at 100 to 125 calories per ounce, that can add up.

Learn how to keep cheese, eggs, and beer in your diet after the break.

15 Ways to Annoy Your Boss

SavvySugar — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:11:08 PST

Whether you're hoping to get ahead at work or just trying to build healthy relationships, it's important to understand how your boss works - what she appreciates, what she respects, and what she can't stand. Create a strong connection with your manager and avoid irritating her by steering clear of these 15 ways to annoy your boss:

Arrive late, coffee in hand. If you waltz into the office 20 minutes late, clutching a Starbucks cup, chances are it's not going to be well-received. If you're running short on time, skip the coffee shop and head to the office coffeemaker instead.
Dress inappropriately. Your boss doesn't want to feel like your parent, so she won't be thrilled if she has to regularly address your workwear. Keep things professional and remember to err on the conservative side.
Regularly bring up your accomplishments. Patting your own back is fine every once in a while, but high-fiving yourself for every little victory is sure to frustrate both your co-workers and your boss. Save the boasting for your year-end review and always note your successes with a purpose - as in, say, while negotiating salary.
Say you'll "try" instead of you "will." When you're asked to finish something, that means you're expected to finish it. Form your responses carefully, as even small tweaks can have a huge effect. Instead of saying, "I'll try to get to that," nod and assure your boss by saying, "No problem, I will get to that as soon as I've finished this."
Ask personal questions. Your boss will offer personal information as she sees fit, so refrain from asking anything too intimate. Small talk is fine, of course, but remember to maintain professional boundaries during conversation.
Tattle on other employees. Most information finds its way through the grapevine, so chances are your boss will find out about any significant scandals from someone else. Nobody likes the office tattler - and telling your boss someone else's secrets would say more about your character than theirs, anyway.
Reply to all her tweets. You may be Facebook friends, but that doesn't mean you need to "like" every status or comment on every one of her pictures. Keep the interactions minimal so that you don't aggravate her with hourly notifications that say you've commented on five more of her Instagram photos.

Keep reading for more ways to annoy your boss.

How to Add More Veggies to Your Lunch

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:02:26 PST

Adding more vegetables to your lunch routine will give you great midday nourishment and an extra punch of energy to carry you through the afternoon slump. We've already shared some surprising ways to sneak vegetables into your breakfast, so here are three more tips to amp up your daily veggie intake:

Upgrade your sandwich. You may not consider some of your favorite vegetables sandwich-friendly, but test your taste buds and experiment. Think about tossing cooked beets, a layer of hummus, sprouts, or artichoke hearts between the bread. Wary about mixing textures? Add some simple crunch with sliced onions.

Keep reading for more vegetable lunch ideas.

5 Ways You Unintentionally Stress Yourself Out (and How to Relax)

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:27:05 PST

Every time you experience stress, pressure is put on the adrenal glands, which then pump adrenaline into your bloodstream. The thing is, constant stress can lead to problems like chronic fatigue, weight gain, weakened immunity, and a shorter lifespan. The good thing is that the majority of life's daily stresses can be reduced with proper awareness, practice, and discipline. See what little things you are doing every day that unintentionally stress your body out, and find out how you can relax in these moments.

Running late to work: If you hit the snooze button every day, chances are you are scrambling to make up lost time. Hurrying through breakfast or skipping out on it altogether wreaks havoc on your digestive system and blood sugar levels. Rushing to get out the door can leave you frazzled, messy, and forgetful, especially when it comes to the important things like keys, your wallet, or umbrella.

How to relax: The night before, put out everything you need for the following day; keep the most important items near the front door. If you are consistently 15 minutes late every morning, set your alarm back the same amount of time. Make sure to sit down for breakfast, allowing yourself 30 minutes to eat. Try these recipes for make-ahead breakfasts.

Stressful thinking: Sometimes our thoughts make the world a more stressful place than it is. What is actually a manageable list of tasks can seem unconquerable to the mind. When the noggin starts churning, it's hard to step back and look at the full picture.

How to relax: If you find yourself caught in a stressful thought, pay attention to your facial expressions and breathing. Relax your face, close your eyes, and take a long full inhale. Bring yourself back to reality and the present moment and create a plan, mapping out your steps and timeline for completion.

Find out other three stresses and how to avoid them.

4 Don'ts For Your Next Breakfast

Leta Shy — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:16:35 PST

When it comes to meals, breakfast is the champ. Instead of grabbing a muffin at the coffee shop to fuel your day, give the mealtime the attention it deserves. Here are four don'ts for the most important meal of the day.

Don't skip it: Eating breakfast helps jump-start your metabolism after it slows down during your sleep. Not only that, but eating breakfast is an important tool in maintaining weight loss. So don't wait until lunch to nosh; eat a filling, healthy meal early in the day to keep your energy up, brain on, and weight loss goals in check.

Don't delay: The best time to eat breakfast is within an hour of waking up, so don't delay! Unless, of course, you are working out first, in which case you should make sure you fuel up with a pre-workout snack before you go (read our tips for choosing a pre-workout snack here). Afterward, be sure to eat a protein- and carbohydrate-filled breakfast 30 minutes to two hours after a workout in order to fuel your body the right way.

Read on for more breakfast don'ts.

How to Make a Healthier Stack of Flapjacks

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:26:52 PDT

Whether you whip up pancakes during the week or save them for a big family brunch on the weekend, a stack of pancakes covered in maple syrup and melted butter isn't exactly the most nutritious breakfast you can sink your fork into. Usually made with white flour and sugar, traditional pancakes don't offer much in the way of nutrients. If you're a fan of flapjacks, here's how you can make them healthier while also adding bold and unique flavors.

Make homemade batter: Traditional pancake mixes like Bisquick are made with enriched white flour and partially hydrogenated soybean oil; they may be easy, but they're not exactly good for you. It only takes five minutes to mix up your own pancake recipe, and using whole wheat flour makes for added nutrition. Try this recipe for whole wheat cinnamon pancakes.
Mash in baked sweet potato: To replace some of the fat and sugar in your recipe, use mashed baked sweet potato. For a recipe that makes 12 pancakes and calls for one and a third cups of buttermilk and one tablespoon of brown sugar, I use about half a cup of mashed sweet potato and half a cup of buttermilk, and omit the sugar altogether. It not only gave my stack a warm, golden hue, but the texture was also more moist and they tasted a tad sweeter.

Keep on reading to hear other ways to make your pancakes healthier.

Why a Little Hunger Can Be Healthy

Shape — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:03:43 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

With my clients, and in general, I like to focus on the positive, such as what to eat rather than what not to eat and what to do rather than what not to do. But after spending time with my clients, they often tell me, I didn't know what I was doing wrong before; now I get it. I'm always happy to hear that, because it means they're not just following my advice, they're understanding the logic behind my recommendations. That's key because when you're in the dark, you'll just unknowingly perpetuate the patterns that work against you. That said, one of the most common missteps I see that keeps people from getting results is being afraid to get hungry.

Intense hunger, when you can't concentrate, you're irritable, and you want to shove the first thing you see into your mouth, doesn't feel good. But mild to moderate hunger is normal, and it's something you should be experiencing about four times a day. It's a signal that your metabolism is in gear, that you've used up or burned off the previous meal and that it's time to refuel for the hours ahead.

Learn how to create the best eating schedule for yourself after the break!