FitSugar

Healthy Habit: Indulge Your Sweet Tooth Daily

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:30:00 -0800

For many of us, the new year marked our recommitment to healthy eating. Nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, feels indulging in a "sweet nothing" daily is a healthy habit. If that sounds like an adoptable habit to you, stay tuned for upcoming nutrition tips from Alexa and be sure to enter our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway for a chance to win a personalized nutrition plan created by Alexa, along with many other amazing goodies.

Here's what Alexa has to say about satisfying your sweet tooth:
"Sweet nothings" are your everyday zero to 150 calorie dessert "do." I have found that women who allow themselves a sweet indulgence every day do not have the cravings that lead to binge eating and don't feel deprived.

For some ideas of sweet snacks that are OK to enjoy every day, on top of your three meals and two snacks read more:

A skim cappuccino sprinkled with cinnamon and a small biscotti
Hot chocolate: try the 25-35 calorie packets mixed with hot water
One ounce dark chocolate or a mini-sized peppermint patty
Dressed up fruit: frozen grapes, a baked apple sprinkled with cinnamon, or a fresh peach diced into ½ cup of nonfat vanilla yogurt

Make sure to partake in the sweet life every day, and without sacrificing your figure or your health!

For more tips, check out all of Alexa’s Healthy Habits or pick up her book, The Daily Fix.

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After Dinner Sweet Treats Under 200 Calories

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0700

You know I have a major sweet tooth. I always need a bite of something sweet after dinner and it looks like you all feel the same. So here are some guilt-free options to satisfy your cravings. They're all under 200 calories.

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Five Food-Craving Killers

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Sometimes I get fixated on a food craving, and it's all I can think about. But a few hours later, my fixation feels silly. Most times, you can avoid giving into cravings by using simple strategies or healthy substitutes. Check out my slideshow for five ideas for killing food cravings.
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How Often Do You Eat Sugary Sweets?

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

I definitely have a sweet tooth and crave cookies, cakes smeared with frosting, and anything else you'd find at a bakery. I satiate my cravings by having a piece of dark chocolate each day. I'm also a big fan of sharing a little dessert if I'm out to eat. Of course now that's it's warmer out, I love to take my girls out for ice cream or frozen yogurt on the weekends. So what about you?

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Food Court Survival: Part III

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:30:00 -0800

The mall is almost unavoidable during the holidays and something about all that running around and waiting in lines that makes me hungry. What's worse? Not only am I hungry but I also know there is a place where food is so easily accessible. A place that reminds me of the fast-food holy land: The Food Court. Don't worry, we can get through this.

One idea is to skip dessert shops, like Mrs. Fields, Cinnabon, and Nestles, altogether. They are just too tempting, especially when you are craving something sweet. If you absolutely need something sweet then head to a candy store and get some dark chocolate with a high cocoa content. Even better? Bring some from home in your purse. If I still can't convince you to stay away from Dairy Queen, then go with the vanilla soft serve (small). It has about 140 calories and 4.5 grams of fat - not too bad.

Diet Tip: Enjoy Your Treats Away from Home

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Allowing yourself to eat an occasional sweet treat is an important part of dieting/life style change, since denying yourself these indulgences can lead to diet backlash! Instead of keeping those tempting treats at home where you can too easily partake, make getting whatever you're craving an adventure.

Yep, it is much safer to enjoy your treats away from home. Walk to your nearest bakery for one (yes, only one) cookie. Ride you bike to the ice cream parlor for a single (yes, only one) scoop of your favorite flavor. Rollerblade to the local cafe for a slice of cake. Notice that the mode of transportation burns calories in all these scenarios!

Make sure to keep plenty of fresh fruit on hand just in case you can't get out of the house (sleeping children, perhaps?) when you want (or need) your special treat.

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Sweet or Salty? Which Would You Rather Give Up?

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Source and Source

Cravings can be so powerful, especially when I'm about to get my period. Sometimes I want an ooey gooey brownie sundae with chocolate fudge. Other times I want an entire bag of something salty and crunchy to munch on. There have even been times when I crave both at the same time! Good thing chocolate-covered pretzels were invented.

If I had to choose between the two, I don't think I could give up sweet treats. They're just so decadent, scrumptious and satisfying.

What about you? I want to know...

Health Roadblock: PMS

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 10:30:00 -0800

Lots of times we can be doing just great on a health kick and then WHAM, it's that time of the month and all you can think about is chocolate.

What's a health conscious girl to do when she is seriously PMS'ing? Try feeding your sweet tooth, but not with an entire fun bag size of Snickers, with something that tricks your body into thinking it's still being bad. Go for a banana filled with peanut butter or chocolate syrup. For me, chocolate dipped strawberries always do the trick. This way you're still getting the sweets but without all of the calories and fat that come from candy bars and cake. Plus, you're getting the added nutritional value from the fruit.

Fit's Tip: For an even better version, dip the fruit in dark chocolate that is at least 60% cocoa.

Sweet, Natural Sugar!

FitSugar — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 03:30:00 -0800

We all love sugar. I mean what's not love about sugar? While there is no alternative for Sugar's online community - smirk - there are some real natural alternatives to your ordinary processed (and stripped of any available nutrients) table sugar.

Stevia is far more sweeter than sugar and it comes from an herb -- Just don't call it an artificial sweetener, for now it can only go by dietary supplement.
Maple Syrup is just made from boiling sap and it has some trace minerals as well as some calcium and iron.
Natural Sugar is great because naturally milled sugars go through a single process that leaves some of the trace nutrients from the cane.
Honey is probably the most well known substitute for sugar -- Use it in place of sugar for its natural anti-inflammatory effect. Honey is also a natural antiseptic.
Date Sugar is simply ground dried dates so it still contains small amounts of several vitamins and minerals found in the dates.

Fit's Tip: Some people also use Molasses and Brown Rice Syrup as sugar alternatives but due to their distinct tastes I don't ever opt for them, but if you're indifferent you may want to give one or both a try.

What are you Craving?

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:30:00 -0800

Do you crave sweets like chocolate and candy? Or maybe you want something salty to snack on like pretzels or nuts. No No No. You're in the mood for a big, juicy, mouth watering steak.
Whatever you're craving, Dr. Oz says, "The gut and the brain are the two most closely related organs. So it makes perfect sense that the foods we eat change the way our brains function."

Your snack of choice could clue you into what you're needing and wanting emotionally.

Meat could mean you're angry
Sweets might be a sign of depression
Ice cream might mean you're anxious
Salty snacks could mean you're stressed
Pasta might signal loneliness or sexual frustration
All of the above might mean you're just a little bit jealous