FitSugar

Diet Tip: Don't Overdo It With Low-Fat

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Often we see the term "low-fat" or "nonfat" on a product, and it triggers something in our brains to think that we can eat more of the item because, after all, it's low-fat. Just keep in mind that it's very possible to end up eating more calories by eating a lot of the low-fat food rather than just eating a small amount of the full-fat food. This happened to me when Snackwells came out. Remember those? They were the first mass-marketed low-fat cookie on the market, and I was gobbling them up, literally.

I'm not saying you should stop eating low-fat, but remember that a bag of cookies labeled as low-fat does not give you the green light to eat the whole bag. Personally, I'd rather have one really good full-fat cookie and be done with it.

Have you ever overindulged on something because it was low-fat or nonfat?

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Low Fat French Fry Alert

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:15:00 -0800

I know many of you have a weakness for french fries, and they are often your favorite cheat food. Well, folks in the food industry are looking out for you and have developed My Fries, which I will gladly share of course.

These revamped french fries contain 25 percent less fat than regular fries, which is good if you are trying to watch your waist line. They are coated with something called i3 advantage – a french-fry coating technology. Who knew that there were french-fry coating technologies? The coating impedes the fry from absorbing cooking fat, so the potato doesn't act like a sponge for oil and sop up all that fat. These fries are targeted for the fit-conscious consumer - do you feel targeted. Here's the nutritional info if you are interested. Looks like Pete Wentz and Kendra Wilkinson are enjoying ~~their~~ My Fries. Hopefully we will all be able try them soon at health-conscious, fast-food restaurants everywhere!

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Healthy Dose Link Time!!!!!!

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 11:00:09 -0700

About: Low Fat Cooking has the low down on eating shrimp as part of your low fat diet.

The Weighting Game poses the question Alli: Friend or Foe?

fitPod's new music mix is 40 minutes of "pulsing bodyworking beats" designed to get your body moving. Did I mention this play list is FREE?

iFit&Healthy has some tips on dealing with the plateaus of weight loss.

The Skinny Website weighs in on the question of whether Fergie was photoshopped for the cover of "Self."

Back in Skinny Jeans has started "fit" blogging. Check in and see how she is doing as she drops pounds and inches.

Fitness Fixation has made a personal dare - check it out and see if it is a challenge for you too.

About: Yoga introduces you to the Reverse Warrior. It is an elegant and satisfying pose.

HealthBolt has an easy tip for avoiding acne break outs.

That's Fit shares a folk remedy for digestion troubles and surprisingly it involves vinegar.

Complete Running Network explains the relationship between Sir Isaac Newton and your running style.

Lift News warns you about counterfeit Colgate toothpaste.

YumSugar brings you dessert without guilt: Banana Mousse.

Understanding Ice Cream: Light, Low Fat, Reduced Fat

FitSugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 02:00:00 -0700

You might be asking yourself what is confusing about ice cream? It is delish, cold, creamy and loaded with fat. Well not always since ice cream manufacturers have become hip to the fact that consumers are watching their waistlines and fat intake. So you might see ice cream labeled "light" or "low fat," but buyer beware those terms do, in fact, mean different things.

Here is a little primer for understanding the different ice cream options out there:

Ice cream contains at least 10% milk fat. Many premium ice creams (like Ben & Jerry's) contain around 13 - 17% milk fat.
"Reduced Fat" ice cream must contain 25% less fat than regular ice cream made by the same company.
"Light" ice cream has at least 50% less total fat than regular ice cream made by that company.
"Low-fat" ice cream can have a maximum of 3 grams of fat per 1/2 cup.

So buy wisely and remember just because it is "low-fat" doesn't mean you should eat more. You can also try just having a few bites of ice cream in a bowl and savor the full flavor (and fat) of the real thing. You know I am going to say it - never eat directly from the container cause you will have no idea how much you have really eaten and quite possibly over eat.

Low Fat Banana Bread with Chocolate, Cherries and Walnuts

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 03:30:00 -0700

I had two very large, very rotten bananas sitting on my kitchen counter. When life gives you rotten bananas you make banana bread (or smoothies, but I was in a baking mood).

I wanted to try to make a low fat version and I found this non-fat version, but since I added chocolate and it also contains nuts the entire package has some fat in it. Since the recipe is vegan it contains no butter and no eggs, it is definitely low in cholesterol.

The bread is tasty, but a little dense and a little dry. I want to toast it and smear it with butter, but that defeats the purpose doesn't it. It is great for breakfast or a snack, but I wouldn't take this banana bread to a party or give it as a gift. To occasions like those I prefer to bring something a bit more decadent.

To check out the recipe, just read more

Low Fat Banana Bread with Dried Cherries, Chocolate, and Walnuts
adapted from Fat Free Vegan

3 over-ripe bananas
2 tbsp. lemon juice
4 ounces unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup tart dried cherries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas and add the lemon juice, apple sauce, and sugar. Stir well to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, and stir just until the mixture is well-combined.
Spread the mixture evenly in the pan and bake until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 - 50 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

Note from Fat Free Vegan: Fat-free quickbreads like this really benefit from being allowed to cool completely, which is why they often taste better the next day. The crust, which is chewier than breads with oil, will gather moisture and softness over time. Ignore the tempting aroma; pleasure delayed will be pleasure multiplied.

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Low Fat Doesn't Mean Low Cal

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 02:30:00 -0800

Recent studies suggest that we all eat more when we are eating food labeled low fat. Yikes!

When fat is taken out of a food it is usually replaced with sugar, and sugar is not low in calories (or carbs for that matter). Generally the foods labeled as low fat are only 11% lower in fat when compared with their regular fat counterparts. Yet most folks think "low fat" means the foods are 40% lower in fat content. Because of this misconception, people tend to eat over 28% more calories when eating low fat foods.

Fit's Tip: Basically your best bet is to eat just a little bit of whatever you're really craving since the full fat version is tastier and ultimately better for your waist since chances are you will not over indulge.

Healthy Recipe Idea: Low-Fat Ranch Dressing

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

In college I put ranch dressing on everything; I was also 20 pounds heavier. I have since curbed my ranch addiction but from time to time I still crave it so I was excited to try this recipe for Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch. It wasn't quite the same, but it did the trick while being way less in calories - regular ranch dressing has about 145 calories per serving, but this recipe only has 30 calories per serving.

To see the recipe read more.

Low-Fat Buttermilk Ranch
from Good Housekeeping

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed with press
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients and mix dressing in a small bowl with a whisk or fork. Or combine ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to blend. If not using right away, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per serving*)
Calories 30
Total Fat 2g
Saturated Fat --
Cholesterol 4mg
Sodium 150mg
Total Carbohydrate 2g

*Nutritional information is based on a 2-tablespoon serving.

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If you try it out, let me know what you think!

Mediterranean Diet and Low-Carb Diet Neck and Neck

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0700

When it comes to dieting, we all want to know what is most effective. A new study performed in Israel found that a low-carb Atkins like diet and the Mediterranean diet outperformed the low-fat diet. The study lasted two years, considerably longer than previous studies, and the weight loss period was limited to 6 months with a maintenance period of 18 months – I think the maintenance period is truly where a diet's success can be measured.

To see what the different dieters ate, just read more.

Here's a breakdown of what randomly assigned 322 moderately obese participants ate:

Low-Fat: Based on the American Heart Association guidelines, women ate 1,500 calories a day and men ate 1,800. Only 30 percent of daily calories came from fat, and dietary cholesterol was restricted to 300 mg – an egg has about 210 mg. Meals were built around low-fat grains, veggies, beans and fruit.
Low-Carb: Based on the Atkins plan, calories were not restricted but the daily intake of carbs was limited to 20 grams of carbs a day, for the first two months, but increased to 120 grams for the remainder of the study – a half cup of cooked white rice contains about 30 grams of carbs. Participants were to obtain fat and protein mostly from vegetarian sources and avoid trans fat.
Mediterranean: Based on Harvard Medical School's Walter Millet's dietary suggestions, women ate 1,500 calories a day and men ate 1,800 calories. Only 35 percent of the calories were to come from fat, mostly in the form of olive oil and nuts. The meals were high in veggies, but low in red meat. Beef and lamb were replaced with fish and chicken.

The results were pretty interesting. On average, those following the low-carb diet lost 10.3 pounds and the average weight loss for the Mediterranean diet was 10 pounds even. The low-fat diet average weight loss was 6.5 pounds. Interestingly enough, the women following the Mediterranean diet lost 13 pounds compared to the women on the low-fat diet who only lost one pound. All the diets show other health benefits as well, with an increase in healthy cholesterol in the low-carb diet and a decrease in blood sugar levels in the Mediterranean diet.

The bottom line is that all the diets offer benefits and there is not a one size fits all approach to dieting. If counting calories doesn't work for you a low-carb option might be best for you, but if limiting carbs is beyond measure for you then go Mediterranean. The trick is to pick a diet, or should I say lifestyle, that you can follow for the long term.

Have you followed any of these diets? Tell us how it worked for you in the comment section below.

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Snack Attack: Nutty Craisin Cottage Cheese

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

If you're looking for a snack that'll fill you up, give you energy, and also satisfy your need for something creamy, crunchy, or sweet, then have I got the snack for you. It's made with only three ingredients, so it's super simple to whip up, and has become my new favorite afternoon snack.

To learn how this snack is made and find out how many calories and grams of protein it contains keep reading

Tasti D-Lite: Delightful

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 08:30:00 -0800

If you've ever lived in New York you're probably familiar with this sign:

But did you know that Tasti D-Lite maintains that it is:

Creamy Delicious - Consumers interested in maintaining good health and controlling their weight are still not willing to sacrifice great taste. Unlike other lower calorie and low fat frozen desserts that leave an unpleasant aftertaste, Tasti D·Lite is smooth and creamy like premium ice cream, without the drawbacks of higher calorie frozen desserts.
All Natural - Tasti D·Lite has a clean, fresh taste that is unrivaled. They do not use any artificial ingredients. The soft-serve product is sweetened with a very small amount of natural sugar. Tasti D·Lite does NOT use Nutrasweet, Simplesse, Saccharin, Sorbitol or any other artificial ingredients, such as polydextrose, mono and diglycerides or polysorbate 80.
Lower Calorie - all flavors fall into one of three calorie ranges: 38% fall between 11 and 13 calories per fluid ounce, 45% fall between 13 and 15 calories per fluid ounce, and 17% fall between 15 and 17 calories per fluid ounce; the product is 1/5 the calories of regular hard ice cream and 1/4 the calories of regular soft-serve ice cream.
Low Fat- the majority of flavors contain less than 1 gram of fat per serving; none contain more than 3 grams of fat per serving.

There's more, so read more

Low Cholesterol - the majority of flavors contain less than 3 milligrams of cholesterol per serving; none contain more than 5 milligrams of cholesterol per serving.
Low Sugar - the majority of flavors contain less than 8 grams of sugar per serving; none contain more than 11 grams of sugar per serving.
Low Carbohydrates - the majority of flavors contain less than 11 grams of carbohydrates per serving; none contain more than 14 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
Low Sodium - the majority of flavors contain less than 50 milligrams of sodium per serving; none contain more than 70 milligrams of sodium per serving.
Low Fiber - All flavors contain less than half a gram of fiber per serving.
Lactose Reduced - Tasti D·Lite is a dairy product that includes the natural enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose, so that "Milk Intolerants" can enjoy. All flavors contain at least 25% less lactose than the leading soft-serve ice cream.
100 Flavors -Tasti D·Lite offers more than 100 flavors.
Kosher - Tasti D·Lite is Kosher certified.

Even though it sounds absolutely flavorless, this stuff is so good! If you are in New York, you must try it out for yourself -- It's worth it. To find locations, visit the Tasti D-Lite site.