FitSugar

DrSugar Answers: I Over Indulged - What Now?

DrSugar — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 09:30:53 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear DrSugar,
Last weekend I went to a party hosted by foodies, and oh boy was the food good. And oh boy did I overeat. I have been dieting for 6 months now and am so close to my goal weight, so the pigging out freaked me out. I was wondering what the body does when you seriously over eat and what I can do in this situation to right my wrongs? Do the excess calories turn into fat immediately? Should I skip my next meal? Will exercising a lot the following day help?
- Freaking on Food

This is a great question, since the holiday season is going to be kicking off soon with Thanksgiving, which is right around the corner! But, there is nothing new about overindulging at a party, a friend’s birthday dinner, or a holiday meal. We’ve all done it and in all likelihood, most of us will do it again at some point in the future. Before I get started on answering your question, I'd like to make one comment. What’s done is done. There is no use in beating yourself up or feeling guilty about overindulging. Although they are normal feelings to have after overindulging, realize you overdid it and recognize that you are human and move on! To learn more about what you should do after you overindulge in food, keep reading!

Speak Up: What Foods Cause You to Overeat?

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 13:05:10 PST

Certain foods just keep me reaching for more, particularly salty snacks. Refusing to buy the food that makes portion control impossible for you is one way to go, but totally depriving yourself of the things you love is usually asking for trouble. Measure one serving of whatever it is that causes you to overeat and put the larger package away for the next time you have a craving. You might always want more, but savoring the single serving will satisfy without the guilt. Now that you have learned a great technique for dealing with your trigger foods, tell me below what foods cause you to overeat?

Source

Healthy Eating Tip: Stop While You're Ahead

FitSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:30:56 PDT

Do you tend to eat fast and until you are absolutely stuffed? If so, you might want to rethink your eating habits. A new study has found that people who eat quickly and until they're full are three times more likely to be overweight than those who don't.

Try to slow it down during your meals and snacks. Slowing down your eating process will give your brain the chance to realize that your stomach is filling up before you've already eaten the whole kitchen sink. Besides, it's not fun feeling absolutely stuffed, so you may even be saving yourself a bit of discomfort as well.

Source

Diet Tip: Ease Up on the Crime TV

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 03:00:00 PDT

Find yourself with an empty bag of chips after a night of must-see TV? You're not alone. MSNBC recently reported on a new study that found that consumers who have been recently reminded of their own mortality on TV actually eat more and spend more.

Does this mean we should all ditch The Closer, Criminal Minds, and CSI altogether? Not necessarily. Just use this rather interesting finding as a reminder that watching television often leads to overeating, which can be troublesome since most of us eat in front of the TV. Try and dine away from the tube most nights of the week, especially if it's murder mystery night on Dateline.

Source

Fat People Don't Go to Heaven? Since When?

FitSugar — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 07:12:36 PST

The lengths that people will go to, just to lose weight, never cease to amaze me, but this method may take the cake.

Recently I have been hearing a lot about the Remnant Fellowship Church in Franklin, Tennessee. This church preaches about God and weight loss in the Weigh Down Diet program. Amazingly enough, Weigh Down is the most successful Christian weight loss program in the country, which has many people flocking to Gwen Shamblin (pictured), the leader of Remnant, like fixated moths to a bright light.

The basics of the Remnant Fellowship are this: overeating is a sin. Her book The Weigh Down Diet, which has sold over a million copies worldwide stresses the benefits of eating tiny bites and objects to exercising to offset your caloric intake. The scare tactics and shame methods keep followers in line by telling them overeating will result in hell.

The best part. Remnant does not allow theological debate, and free will is basically out the door. Shamblin directs those with questions to her 800 number.

My take on this whole thing: The best way to lose weight from the Weigh Down Diet is by running (very, very fast) in the opposite direction of the Remnant Fellowship. This diet is cult-like and unhealthy, not only for the body but for the mind as well. I am all for a support group when trying to get fit, but not a support group that tells you it's either weight loss or hell. Shamblin is making millions while her followers are contemplating suicide, that's just not right.

It's Not a Diet! Lose Weight With Lifestyle Changes Instead

Leta Shy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:39:18 PST

Whenever you resolve to eat healthier or fewer calories, it can be easy to fall into the diet trap - thinking that you just have to power through for a few weeks eating only lettuce in order to meet your weight goals. But instead of dreading the idea of healthy eating, think of your new goals as a lifestyle change, not a diet, with these tips.

Get creative in the kitchen: When you've resigned yourself to eating the same healthy thing over and over again, you can get bored with your meals pretty easily. If you're apprehensive about trying a new healthy food or you just don't know where to start when it comes to making a healthy meal plan, check out our delicious healthy recipes index for endless ideas.

Don't use ultimatums: Crash dieting sets you up for failure; a better solution is to think of your new eating initiatives as something sustainable. That means that while you may have to cut back on your daily doughnut habit, you shouldn't deprive yourself of your favorite unhealthy foods forever. Have a cheat day or have treat or two, mindfully, so you'll be more apt to stick to your new eating plan.

More tips for staying away from the "diet" mentality after the break.

Do You Track What You Eat in a Food Journal?

Leta Shy — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:53:01 PST

No matter how much you exercise, if you're looking to lose weight, changing your diet should also be a priority. And watching what you eat has become so much easier with the availability of iPhone apps, websites, and fitness monitors that can track exactly how many calories you're consuming every day.

Most food trackers have vast databases that make inputting every single thing you eat relatively simple: just search for the specific brand or type of food and add how much you've had (there are several good sites to choose from; FitSugar editor Michele recommends My Fitness Pal). But while being aware of what exactly you're eating is an important aspect in any weight loss plan, food trackers may not be for everyone. It can be hard for some to remember to log every single thing they eat, or it can even turn all-consuming if tracking your food leads you to obsess over every calorie.

What's your take on food journals - do you track your food?

Fat-Proof Your Life

Health — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:06:06 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Maridel Reyes

It's true that there are certain times in your life when extra poundage seems to appear out of nowhere . . . and settle on you. In fact, experts have honed in on the exact moments when you're most vulnerable to weight gain.

"Life transitions, having a baby, and going through menopause cause many women to pile on pounds," says Susan Albers, PsyD, author of But I Deserve This Chocolate!: The 50 Most Common Diet-Derailing Excuses and How to Outwit Them. "But with planning and prep, you can stay thin."

We asked top experts for their strategies to help you ward off weight creep - and even shed pounds - at these tricky stages. Solutions ahead.

Getting married

Heavier ever after? It can be the flip side of wedded bliss: "Six out of 10 of my clients come back heavier after the honeymoon," says celebrity fitness and wellness guru David Kirsch.

Health.com: 25 Diet-Busting Foods You Should Never Eat

Young newlyweds pack on an extra six to nine pounds in the five years after getting hitched compared to singletons, according to research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And most of that gain happens in the first year of marriage.

"Couples start to mirror each other's eating habits," explains Albers. "You might be matching him calorie for calorie without realizing it."

Learn how to keep the pounds down postmarriage and in the mommy years, after the break.

Add Nutritional Goodness the Easy Way: 8 Recipes Made With Flax

Michele Foley — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:07:42 PST

There are many reasons to eat flaxseed: they're full of omega-3s and fiber and help promote healthy digestion, to name a few. Besides sprinkling flaxseed over a salad or cereal, it's also really easy to incorporate them into recipes. The best part is, flaxseeds don't really change how a recipe tastes, so no one will guess they just got a megadose of nutrition.

3 Ways Snacks Can Help You Lose Weight

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:09:19 PST

You might think snack time is just for preschoolers, but everyone can benefit from eating a few bites between meals. Aside from filling nutritional holes in your diet, snacking can also help you on your road to weight loss. If the numbers on the scale are on your mind, here are three ways snacking can help you lose weight.

Snacks Keep Blood Sugar Levels Steady
If you've ever gone too long between meals and have gotten a headache, the shakes, and a loss of concentration, then you've felt firsthand what it's like to have low blood sugar. Snacking between meals keeps blood sugar levels steady, which can help prevent you from grabbing the first (unhealthy) thing you can get your hands on and overindulging.

Fiber Fills You Up
Choosing snacks that are full of water and belly-filling fiber will help keep you full longer, so you actually eat less in the long run. Fruits, veggies, and whole-grain breads are great options, and if you need more ideas, here are 10 high-fiber snacks under 150 calories.

No More Overeating
You eat lunch around noon and dinner isn't until 6 p.m. or later. No wonder you hit the dinner table feeling so ravenous that you stuff yourself silly. Now if you enjoyed a pear with some almonds around 3 p.m., you'd avoid that famished feeling and have the patience to prepare a healthy, sensibly sized meal. It works the other way, too. If you're eating a meal and you know you'll be enjoying a snack in two hours or so, you won't feel the need to overeat at mealtime.