FitSugar

More Foods That Fight Fat

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:30:36 PST

Since fighting fat with food is a popular topic, we thought it only appropriate to share with you five more edibles to help keep your waistline in check. Some of these foods block fat absorption, and others ward off cravings. But best of all, they're all packed with nutrients that are just plain good for you.

5 Things: Cherries

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:00:55 PDT

I've noticed that days are slowly becoming shorter, but instead of mourning the passing of another Summer, I am eating all the wonderful fruits the season has to offer.

On the top of my list today are cherries, and here are five reasons you should pick some up today.

Bing and Ranier cherries are truly nature's candy. Sweet and delicious, these two types of cherries are perfect for snacking and can satisfy a sweet tooth without racking up a huge caloric gain. One cup contains only 87 calories.
One cup of cherries also provide three grams of fiber.

There are three more reasons to love cherries, so keep reading.

5 Things About Fat

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:30:00 PDT

Much like carbs, fat has been seriously maligned of late. Slowly, fat is regaining a if not a healthy reputation, a reputation as a necessary nutrient. Here are 5 things about fat for you to chew on. that you should know. Listed in no particular order, here goes:

A gram of fat contains 9 calories. In contrast, carbs and protein only have 4 calories per gram. In other words, you can eat twice as many carbs or protein for the same amount of calories. However, monounsaturated fats, considered healthy fats, help you feel full. Avocados, almonds, and olive oil are three great sources for monounsaturated fat.
Fat is a macronutrient and the recommended daily intake (RDI) for fat for adults is 20 to 35 percent of total daily calories. That's about 44 to 77 grams of fat a day if you eat the classic diet of 2,000 calories a day.
It is recommended that saturated fats (animal fat, butter, coconut and palm oils) should make up less than 10 percent of your total calories per day. For a person eating 2000 calories a day, this would be 20 grams of saturated fat or less per day. For reference one ounce of cheddar cheese, about the size of two 9-volt batteries, contains six grams of saturated fat.

For two more facts about fat,

A pound of body fat burns 2 calories per day whereas a pound of muscle can burn up to 35 calories per day. Body fat is less dense than muscle, so body fat takes up more space. A pound of fat is roughly 3,500 calories. If you want to lose a pound of fat in a week, you need to create a caloric deficit of 3,500, which you can do by diet and exercise.
Fats, primarily omega-3 fatty acids are important for the health of you body on the outside and inside. These fats help your skin stay hydrated and youthful for looking. Omega-3s help your heart avoid irregular heart beats and fight high blood pressure. You can find these fatty acids in flax seeds and salmon.

Source

5 Things: Marinate for Your Health

FitSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 03:00:00 PDT

BBQ season is upon us and while grilling is an easy and low fat way to cook food (compared to sautéing in oil or butter). Here are five things I thought you might want to know about the whys and hows of marinating.

Marinating meat, fish and poultry significantly decreases the amount of carcinogenic HCAs (heterocyclic amines) produced when the meat is cooked at high temperatures, like in grilling. Marinades can reduces the HCAs by as much as 99 percent.
Marinades may slow the growth of harmful bacteria, like listeria.
Marinating meat with naturally acidic ingredients, like vinegar or citrus juices, tenderizes the meat, breaking down the proteins making the meat easier to digest. Plus it helps lock in the moisture so the meat won't dry out and toughen up.
To keep the calorie count down, only use one-half cup of marinade to every pound of meat. This will be enough to coat the meat, but cuts down on excess.
Never marinate meat at room temperature. Although marinade can slow the growth of harmful bacteria, it cannot stop them completely, so marinate your meat in the fridge.

Have fun grilling!

Source

5 Things to Look Forward to While Working Out

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 09:30:00 PDT

Oftentimes we look to the less than positive things about working out, which can drag us down. So today, take a moment to reflect on all the things you have to look forward to while working out and losing the extra pounds.

Feeling great mentally and physically.
Comparing new photographs to old photographs.
Stepping on the scale.
Comments such as, "Did you lose weight? You look great!"
Shopping, shopping and more shopping!

Have something to add? Then share with us in the comments section below!

5 Things Every Healthy Eater Should Do

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 02:30:00 PDT

So you call yourself a healthy eater, eh? If so, you may want to be sure to do these five things to ensure your healthy eating status:

Eat breakfast, always.
Drink plenty of fluids/water.
Get your five a day.
Limit salt. Better yet, avoid it.
Avoid late night snacking

Have anything else you'd like to add to the list? Then add your ideas in the comments section below.

5 Unhealthy Reasons to Lose Weight

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 02:00:00 PDT

Losing weight is a personal thing. The decision to start a program to lose a few pounds is one that must be taken seriously as well as be tackled with commitment and sincerity. I've heard some really bad reasons for wanting to lose a few pounds, but here are my top five unhealthy reasons:

Because celebrities do it.
Because you want to get back together with your ex-boyfriend.
Because you've got a big event, two whole days away.
Because that new diet pill makes it seem so easy.
Because someone other than a medical professional (friend, parent, teacher, coach etc.) said you should.

And you? What is the worst reason you have decided to lose weight? Share it in the comments section below.

Source

Running 101: The Active Warmup

FitSugar — Thu, 24 May 2012 11:03:09 PDT

Stretching before a run has always been a little iffy in our playbook. It's hard to lengthen muscle fibers before they're warm and trying to do so can lead to injury. But warming up is still a good thing, so try an active warm-up.

A dynamic warm-up raises your heart rate a bit while priming your joints for action. We created this video of five moves to do before you hit the ground running. Check it out! And be sure to enter to win running shoes for a year from Asics to help jump-start your January.

5 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Paying For College

LearnVest — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:15:23 PDT

Paying for college is such a complex issue. LearnVest helps simplify it by answering some key questions in regard to paying tuition.

If you believe everything you read, then you might think you need to be a Rockefeller to have kids.

That, of course, isn't the case.

Yes, kids are expensive, and thinking about paying for a college education can be scary and frustrating . . . but that's where we come in.

As with everything else in life, figuring out what to do about your kid's college savings is all about the planning, says Stephany Kirkpatrick, CFP, LearnVest's director of financial planning. Depending on where you are in life right now and how old your kids are, you may have questions about how to set up a 529 plan (which is an education savings plan designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs), what to look for, and when to start saving.

If you're pregnant or have a newborn and are starting to think about this, then good for you! The earlier you get started socking away cash for their college, the easier it will be. You'll learn a lot in this article, but you should also check out our Baby on Board Bootcamp, which will tell you everything you need to know - financially - to be ready for a baby. It includes 529 advice, as well as financial tips on everything from putting together a will and picking out a life insurance policy to buying nursery basics.
If your kid is slightly older and you’ve done your research but haven’t yet started saving in a 529 plan, then first read the four mistakes to avoid when choosing a 529 plan, and then check out the different college savings plans available to you.
If this is the first you’re thinking about it, no matter your kid's ageI, then don't worry about it. You have to start somewhere!

Read on for more.

"I Snooped and Found Something . . . Now What?"

Tres Community — Tue, 22 May 2012 03:05:00 PDT

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments!

I'll try my best to make this short. I really appreciate any and all advice here, I am so stumped on what to do.

My boyfriend and I have been together for about three months now. I'm 24 he is 28. We met at work, and were not really friends before we started dating. So basically I have some trust issues because I don't really know much about his dating life before we got together, other than the fact that he was kind of a player.

We have an interesting relationship. Most of the time we are great, have a good time together. He told me he loved me first, probably about two months in. That was a big deal for him because he had only said it to one girl before, and they dated for five years.

A couple weeks ago we had a bad string of fights about all sorts of things, but the past couple weeks have been great with no problems.

I'm not really sure how much of this back story is relevant, but there it is anyway lol.

So back to my trust issues.... I snooped in his phone last night because I just had a bad feeling. I know it's totally wrong and an invasion of privacy, but I couldn't help it. Anyways, I found something. A text conversation between him and another girl from last Saturday late night / Sunday afternoon.

This conversation happened when he was away at a bachelor party all weekend on a boat with a bunch of guys. I was under the impression that he didn't have cell phone service out there, so seeing that he was talking to anyone was kind of a shock, because I didn't hear from him until Monday, only one little text on Saturday.

He initiated the convo, asking for her to send him a video. She responded that her boyfriend probably wouldn't like the type of video he was trying to get her to send. He then asked her for a picture of her boobs the next afternoon. Thankfully she didn't send one. The whole convo was only around 10 texts, and in it he also made a comment implying that he didn't have a girlfriend.

I don't want to be conceited, but I'm an attractive girl. This girl he was talking to is really not that pretty and also pretty white trash.

Also I'm not a prude, we have a great sex life and see each other all the time, so it's not like he's missing anything in that department. I had actually sent him a naked picture two days before this, so why would he go asking another girl for the same thing?

I'm so confused. I really don't know what to do in this situation, so please if anyone has been there, let me know how you handled it. I really want to trust him deep down, and don't think he's actually cheating on me, but this is definitely not ok behavior. What do I do?

Thanks for any help!

Have a dilemma of your own? Post it anonymously to Group Therapy for advice and check out what else is happening in the TrèsSugar Community.