FitSugar -- Healthy, happy you.

Diet Tip: Mix Your Cereals

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0700

I'm a fan of cereal for breakfast because it's quick, inexpensive, and a great way to add whole grains to my diet. The combination of the good carbs and fiber from the cereal, plus the calcium and protein from the milk make it a healthy breakfast choice. If you look at the nutritional info of cereals, they're all so different. Some are high in fiber but low on flavor. Some are high in protein but high in calories. So I like to mix my cereals to reap the benefits of them all.

Don't just eyeball your cereal parfait because you'll most likely end up with a 500-calorie bowl of breakfast. I take a measuring cup and mix three to five different cereals in it. Choose from cereals that contain at least three grams of fiber and three grams of protein per serving. Each cereal should be around 100 to 200 calories per serving and contain no more than 15 grams of sugar. You'll end up with a custom-made cereal that has a variety of textures and tastes, and it will also be full of fiber and protein.

Speak Up: What Do You Eat For Breakfast?

FitSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0700

From Starbucks's Perfect Oatmeal to an easy way to prepare oatmeal at your desk, we have been talking about breakfast a lot recently. But I know oatmeal is not all you eat for breakfast; in fact, I'm sure some of you don't even like oatmeal. So speak up and tell us what you eat for breakfast. It doesn't even have to be healthy (but bravo if it is). I'd love to get a few new ideas, and I'm sure everyone else would too. Oh, and if you don't eat breakfast, share that too.

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Healthy Breakfast Idea: Oatmeal at Your Desk

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0700

While the debate is still on about whether or not the Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal is worth the $3, user AnnW66 offered this great tip for making it right at your desk.

"If you were just going to work, here's my tip: I keep a box of five-minute oats (or even better, Silver Palate oats) in my drawer. Add 1/3 cup to a bowl or mug and add about 2/3 cup hot water. Let sit five to 10 minutes while checking emails. Add a little more water or milk and microwave two to three minutes at 60 percent. Done. Add raisins, cinnamon, and nuts if desired (I keep them at work as well)."

Great idea — I love that it's just as easy as the instant stuff but with way less sugar. I think I may be buying some oats this weekend to keep in my desk next week. Thanks for the tip!

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Breakfast Ideas to Keep You Full Until Lunch

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 03:30:00 -0700

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. Not only does it help you think, but studies show that eating breakfast can help you maintain a healthy weight. Eating a hearty breakfast will keep your energy levels up and your hunger at bay. Here are some quick ideas that combine filling whole grains with protein.

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Which Would You Choose: Breakfast Edition

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0700

I'm sure all of you now know that breakfast is such an important meal. Eating first thing in the morning helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, which regulate appetite and energy. Also, studies show that people who eat breakfast also have an easier time maintaining their weight. So all you breakfast lovers, take this quiz to make sure you're getting the most out of this meal.

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Healthy Breakfast: Mini Veggie Frittata

FitSugar — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 03:30:00 -0700

I wholeheartedly believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I love an egg or two in the morning, but am often pressed for time. These mini frittatas save the day, literally. When my day begins with protein, I seem to be much happier. This recipe is super simple and the end product is tasty.

To see the recipe, just

Tips for Picking a Healthy Cereal

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:30:00 -0700

The cereal aisle at any grocery store is usually pretty intimidating. There are literally hundreds of choices and many of them have health claims right on the front of the box, but do you know how to pick a healthy cereal? Fitness magazine consulted Jackie Newgent, R.D., a culinary nutritionist in New York, to find out what to look for when picking out the right cereal. Here are highlights:

Three or more grams of total fiber per serving.
One or more grams of soluble fiber, which may help lower cholesterol and keeps blood sugar stable. (Whole-oat cereals are especially good sources.)
Fewer than two grams of saturated fat and no trans fats, both of which contribute to heart disease risk.
Fewer than 10 grams of sugar, unless it has dried fruit, which contain natural sugars.

Does your favorite cereal meet these requirements?

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Healthy Eating Tip: Add Fruit to Your Cereal

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:00:00 -0700

I've been working really hard to get in my five-a-day and one of the easiest ways for me is with breakfast. Usually, I like to have a big bowl of cereal in the mornings and lately I've been buying tasty blueberries and raspberries and tossing them into my cereal. They're both in season and cheaper than usual. I know that a lot of people may already do this strictly for taste, but it's also a fabulous way to sneak in another serving (or two) of fruit into your day.

Do you have any sneaky ways to get in a few more servings of fruits and vegetables into your day?

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Another Reason You Should Be Eating Breakfast

FitSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:30:00 -0700

If you've been skipping breakfast, despite all the health benefits it offers, here's yet another reason that you may want to get up ten minutes earlier to enjoy breakfast each morning.

New research has found that eating breakfast reduces your risk for heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure. Compared with having your first morsel of food later in the day, eating something in the morning creates smaller rises in blood sugar and insulin after all the meals you eat for the rest of that day. This does not mean you should start the day with a high-fat or high sugar meal — you should really focus on a breakfast that is heavy in whole grains, fruits, and healthy protein sources. For a list of breakfast ideas that fit into the requirements just

Do You Eat Breakfast Every Day?

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:00:00 -0700

A recent study illustrated what every mother has told her children over the ages: Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. More accurately put, eating breakfast helps with weight maintenance even in the volatile population of teenagers. The study followed more than 2,000 teens for over five years, and the teens who consistently ate breakfast were proportionately five pounds lighter. I think breakfast is the most important meal for a variety of reasons and maintenance of weight is surely one of them. Now what I would like to know is . . .Source

Do You Eat Breakfast Every Day?

Yes! I eat breakfast everyday.

No, I just don't have time.

No, I am trying to cut calories so I skip the meal.

No and I will tell you why in the comments section below.

What's Your Morning Beverage of Choice?

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 03:30:00 -0700

With all these studies on the health benefits of coffee, juices (especially antioxidant juices), and tea (especially green tea), we have some healthy choices in the morning. Me, I typically stick to my morning cup of green tea . . . though I do enjoy the occasional cup of coffee. What about you?Source

Top Healthy Fast Food Breakfast Choices

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:00:00 -0700

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, but should you skip it if there is nothing but fast food joints on the horizon? Not so much. The good news is that Yahoo Food has done the dirty work for us and come up with the best fast food breakfast items at some of the most notorious fast food joints. You may be pleasantly surprised, so here are highlights on a few healthy fast food breakfast ideas:

McDonald's:

Fruit n' Yogurt Parfait with Granola: 160 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated), 5mg cholesterol, 85mg sodium, 1g fiber, 4g protein
Snack Size Fruit and Walnut Salad: 210 calories, 8g fat (1.5g saturated), 5mg cholesterol, 60mg sodium, 2g fiber, 4g protein

Starbucks:

Spinach, Roasted Tomato, Feta, and Egg Wrap: (It's a little high in fat but compensates with lots of fiber and protein.) 240 calories, 10g fat (3.5g saturated), 140mg cholesterol, 730mg sodium, 7g fiber, 13g protein
A Skinny Latte and a package of SB's dried fruit and nut mix: Latte (12-oz. "tall"): 90 calories, 0g fat (0g saturated), 5mg cholesterol, 125mg sodium, 0g fiber, 0g protein, Fruit/nut packet: 150 calories, 9g fat (1g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 100mg sodium, 2g fiber, 4g protein

There are more including choices from Jamba Juice and Dunkin' Donuts so

Food Review: VitaTops MultiBran and AppleBerryBran

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 02:00:00 -0700

Though some people think of muffins, especially bran muffins, as healthy, they can be as caloric as cupcakes. But if you have a weakness for muffins, the baked goods from Vitalicious might be a good way to satisfy your cravings. The company makes sweet treats — including muffins, muffin "tops," and brownies — that are packed with vitamins and high in fiber but low in calories and fat.

I recently sampled two flavors of its VitaTops muffin tops, which are about the size of cookies but have the taste and texture of muffins. I tried both the MultiBran and AppleBerry Bran; for my thoughts and to see how they add up nutritionally,

Fact or Fiction: Not Eating Breakfast Before Exercise

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:30:00 -0700

I think it is safe to say that we all want the most out of our morning workouts. For many of us that means firing up our metabolism and burning fat, which are two benefits of getting the heart rate up. Is it beneficial to run on an empty stomach? Does it burn more fat and fire up the metabolism to skip breakfast? Take this one question quiz to see if this is a piece of fiction or a fitness fact.

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Healthy Eating Tip: Sit Down and Eat Breakfast

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:30:00 -0700

I always eat breakfast. The thing is that I eat it while doing about a million other things and then when all is said and done I don't really feel like I've eaten breakfast at all. Recently I've been trying to actually give myself five minutes each morning to sit down and eat — I do this at lunch and dinner, why not breakfast too? This way I can take a step back and focus on my upcoming day and enjoy my meal. An added bonus is that once I get into the office I feel satisfied and don't need to scavenge on whatever morning treat is waiting in the kitchen here at Sugar HQ.

This is way easier said than done, by the way, but if you find yourself starving by the time you get to work even though you already ate then you may want to give it a try.

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Breakfast Calorie Quiz

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 03:30:00 -0800

Being that breakfast is the most important meal of the day I thought it would be fun to test your breakfast smarts, FitSugar style. That means it's all about knowing your calories, so take this fun quiz.

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Back on Track: Start Cooking Your Steel Cut Oatmeal Tonight

FitSugar — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 05:00:00 -0800

Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day. It fires up your metabolism and sets the tone for your day. A nice warm bowl of steel cut oats is a great way to fuel up in the morning, but the 30 minute plus cooking time is a little daunting for any morning, especially Monday. However, I have a great work around to this time consuming problem. It does require a little bit of pre-planning, but I am sure you have it in you to think ahead to tomorrow's breakfast.

Before you head to bed:

Boil water in a heavy saucepan – four cups for four servings of oatmeal and two cups for two.
Remove water from heat when the water is a full boil. Add oats – 1 cup oats for four servings and 1/2 cup for two.
Cover and forget about your pot of oats until morning. Sweet dreams.
Upon waking, with the lid on bring oatmeal to a boil (at this point I usually add a fair bit of cinnamon).
Once your oatmeal is boiling, remove the lid and stir occasionally for five to eight minutes, or until oatmeal is the desired thickness.

Try it tonight to start your week off right!

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Bagel For Breakfast: What Should You Put on Top?

FitSugar — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Who doesn't love a soft and chewy bagel on the weekend? I don't care that they're full of carbs, since our bodies need them for energy. Plus I try to go for whole grain bagels anyway, so they're healthier than ones made with white flour. I also try to choose healthy spreads like low fat cream cheese and peanut butter, but sometimes I can't help but go for sugary jams and butter. Let's see how these bagel toppings compare.

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Healthy Breakfast Idea: 5-Factor French Toast

FitSugar — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:30:00 -0800

Harley Pasternak, who is credited for getting Jessica Simpson super toned with his 5-Factor Diet, has given In Touch this yummy recipe for 5-Factor French toast that uses Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread. While I like the taste (and the nutritional packed goodness) of Ezekiel Bread, it's often too hard for me so this is a great way to use it as it will get less hard when you soak the bread. For the recipe just

You Asked: Donuts or Nothing?

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 08:45:00 -0800

You're asking and I'm answering...

Dear FitSugar, I know you've been talking a lot about how we should eat breakfast to get our metabolism going, but what if my only options are unhealthy donuts? Is it better to eat the donut or skip it altogether? The reason I am asking is because my office orders donuts every Friday morning for our meeting.
-Dunkin' Denise

Leave it to my super fabulous and smart readers to find a loop hole in my breakfast eating plan. Typically, as you know, I would say to eat breakfast no matter what. However, donuts offer a lot in terms of calories and saturated fat, and a little (if any) in terms of nutrition so it may be best to skip it. I know it sucks to be the only person not chowing down on donuts, but try to eat something healthy before the meeting or hold off until after the meeting. Plus, eating one or two (or three) donuts could leave you crashing in about an hour or so.

For next week, ask whoever does the ordering to order some fruit or yogurt too, so you can eat with everyone else — chances are you are not the only one looking for something healthy.

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Do You Eat Breakfast?

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:30:00 -0800

An interesting study by the International Food Information Council has found that 87 percent of people surveyed believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, however, only 49 percent actually eat it regularly. This got me to thinking about you guys since I am always talking about how important breakfast is, especially when it comes to weight loss so I know you know about its importance. However, do you actually eat breakfast daily?Source

Do You Eat Breakfast?

Everyday

Sometimes

Never

Breakfast Cereal Breakdown Extraordinaire

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:00:00 -0700

I have no fear of sounding like a broken record when it comes to promoting breakfast as the most important meal of the day. It is a fact I feel comfortable reiterating over and over again. With breakfast on my mind, I need to share an extremely thorough online breakdown of the most popular breakfast cereals in America (apologies to all you international readers) brought to you by A Calorie Counter.

If you have ever wanted to sit down and compare all the cereals you see in the grocery aisle, but just haven't been able to make the time to do it, fear not because A Calorie Counter has done it for you. He has created a breakdown of more than 50 of the best selling cereals. The best part of this chart is that you can sort it by category. So if you are looking for the cereal with the most protein or the most fiber, your answer is just a double click away. This breakdown is truly helpful!

See how your breakfast cereal compares at Breakfast Cereal Breakdown Extraordinaire!

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A Few Eating Habits to Avoid

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 02:00:00 -0700

I'm always telling you good habits to pick up when it comes to your health, but some people need to be told habits they should avoid. Breakfast is crucial, but you're not doing yourself any favors if your daily breakfast is loaded with saturated fat. So in an effort to cover all grounds, here are some eating habits you should avoid:

A Bad Breakfast: You know you're not supposed to skip breakfast, but did you know that what you eat in the morning sets the tone for your meals throughout the day? Breakfast--full of calcium, fiber and carbohydrates--is likely to be your healthiest meal.
Eating Without Thinking: Taking a little bit of time to think about what you've eaten over a day or week can make a big difference in your diet. It can also help you realize how much you're splurging and identify any patterns to your unhealthy snacking or other bad habits.
Weekend Splurges: You've maintained a balanced diet all week. The weekend is the time to reward yourself, right? Not so fast. New research is showing that some people consume an extra 300 calories a day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, causing a weight gain of a few pounds a year. The biggest source of those extra calories is breakfast, since people often trade in their usual bowl of cereal for eggs, bacon and pancakes.
Letting The TV Tell You What To Eat: Researchers say advertising both between and embedded within shows may be encouraging children's desire for less healthy foods, as opposed to fruits and vegetables. Imagine what it's doing to your diet.
Three-A-Days: Some studies have shown that regularly eating smaller, more frequent meals than the standard three a day may prevent overeating and keep your metabolism steady.

Source

You Asked: Eating and Early Morning Workouts

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Dear Fitsugar,
I have been working out and trying to be healthier for about 5 months now.
I'm a college student so I workout Monday - Thursday in the evening and I
eat dinner about an hour before. This semester though, I am taking a
Fitness walking class at 7:00 am!!! I was wondering, should I eat breakfast
before or after I take that class.
-College Walker

What a great way to start the day. After not eating for 8 hours while sleeping, you will need to refuel your body before working out. But you will probably not have enough time to prepare or even digest a full meal. Since carbs are easier to digest than protein or fat, you should stick to carbs. Plus carbs are easily converted into fuel for your muscles. If your plan is to get up and go, try eating a banana, a piece of whole wheat toast or a small cup of nonfat yogurt. You might need to experiment with the right food or combinations of foods that work best for you as a pre-workout snack. Follow your workout with a well balanced meal that includes all the macro nutrients - fat, protein and carbs.

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Skipping Meals Won't Help You Lose Weight

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:30:00 -0700

If you want to lose weight, it's simple math — to lose one pound a week, you must burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities. That's about 500 calories a day that you need to either cut out or burn with exercise. Let me say this out loud: Skipping meals doesn't count.

If you skip let's say Breakfast, or decrease your calories significantly (to less than 1000 calories a day), you're not helping your body lose weight. You're actually decreasing the rate of your metabolism. You go into "starvation mode" where the body tries to compensate for the low calories. Your metabolic rate can actually decrease as much as 10-15%, and your body will hold onto the fat and burn lean muscle instead.

Skipping a meal also makes you really hungry, so when you do go to eat your next meal, you'll probably end up overeating, which also won't help you lose weight. Try to reduce your daily caloric intake by 250 calories and burn the other 250 calories by working out. Try passing on that extra slice of pizza at lunchtime, and take a walk.

Fit's Tips: Don't let yourself go hungry. Eat throughout the day, making sure to eat 3 meals a day, and include small, healthy snacks in between.

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Lite'n it Up Group Feature: Baked Eggs in Tomato

FitSugar — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Sick and tired of the old scrambled eggs routine? I sure am. User NdHerbert has been posting some really tasty recipes to the Lite'n it Up, Healthy Recipe Group and I am really loving this easy and healthy breakfast idea.

"I have been eating a lot of scrambled eggs (1 whole, 1 white) lately for breakfast, with sliced tomatoes. Since going Vegetarian, eggs are a prime source of protein for me.

This morning I did something a little different. I cut the top of a tomato off and scraped out the insides. I put some salt and pepper in the tomato and cracked an egg inside. I put a little salt and pepper on top with a few pieces of goat cheese. I baked for about 15 minutes in a 425 degree oven and it was done!

Baked eggs taste different than scrambled or pan fried, plus the presentation is so pretty. The tomatoes turn so red, the egg is white, and with a little sprig of parsley you have a pretty, easy, and healthy breakfast."

Yum -- I can't wait to try this! Be sure to share your fabulous healthy recipe ideas in the group and if you're looking for ideas, there are a ton of great recipes in there already.

Source

5 Reasons Hunger Hits

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Although you are dieting and planning your meals, hunger can strike and have you snacking on cheesy puffs throughout the afternoon. While those puffs might be tasty, they provide no real nutritional value, are loaded with calories and will most likely stain your fingers orange.

In order to avoid those hunger pangs that can drive you to the cheesy puffs, Nubella has compiled a list of why you can be left feeling so famished.

You eat the right foods at the wrong times. Eating at different times every day can make it difficult to tune in to your body’s hunger signals. It can also throw your metabolism out of whack.
You don’t eat the right breakfast. The right breakfast foods will affect significantly how satisfied you feel the rest of the day. For example, a breakfast bar may seem like a good choice, but its mega-dose of simple sugars will have you rummaging through the ‘fridge well before lunchtime.
Your diet has no flavor. If grilled chicken and steamed veggies are your mealtime staples, you’ll get bored eventually – and this is when dangerous binges can occur. Get creative in the kitchen with spices galore, quick and guiltless ways to really add great flavor. Texture is also key. Aim for combinations of creamy, crunchy, and chewy – to keep your taste buds on their toes. Just keep in mind that “creamy,” “crunchy” and “chewy” also can mean additional calories that your waistline doesn’t need.
You stockpile your calories. Do you eat so sparingly during the day that you’re famished by the time dinner rolls around? When you skip meals, it’s harder to think straight, so you’re less concerned about the implications of what you do eat.
You drink your meals. With the increasing lattes for breakfast and smoothies for lunch, many of us are drinking our calories away, but these beverages can leave you feeling dissatisfied. Chewing causes the release of hormones that signal fullness, and solid food is also digested more slowly than liquids.

Source

5 Reasons to Eat Breakfast

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Here are 5 reasons why:

People who eat breakfast consume more vitamins and minerals over the course of a day, and they eat less fat and cholesterol as well. The reason for this remains unclear, but one study claims that the frequency of daily eating is associated with consuming more favorable nutrients and fewer less favorable nutrients, such as dietary cholesterol.
Breakfast eaters have better concentration and are more productive throughout the morning. Researchers believe this is due to replenishing glucose, the brain's main energy source.
Want to see other reasons? Then I suggest you

read more

Kashi Go Lean: Blueberry Waffles

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day - it helps fire up your metabolism! There are so many healthy and quick options to choose from, you really have no excuse not to eat a little somethin'-somethin' in the morning.

I love toaster waffles and while hanging out in the frozen food section recently (it was HOT outside), I discovered Kashi GOLEAN Waffles with Blueberries. I have been eating Van's Waffles for years, I thought I would push my personal boundaries and try a new waffle.

The Kashi waffle is loaded with goodness and low in the calorie department. My major problem is the waffles, no matter how long I toasted them, never became crispy. The texture is just lacking and a little sponge like. I found the Kashi waffle wasn't as sweet as the Van's, which is fine with me. Curiously enough, the Kashi waffles contain a bit more sugar and a lot more protein! Two waffles with some plain yogurt and sliced banana kept me full from breakfast until lunch - no morning snack needed.

Here's a nutritional comparison:

Brand	Serving Size	Calories	Fat (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)	Sugar (g)
Kashi Go Lean Blueberry	2 waffles - 84 g	170	3	6	8	4
Van's Organic Blueberry	2 waffles - 80 g	240	10	4	5	2

Try some for yourself - here is the Kashi store locator so you can find a grocery that sells them near you.

5 Things Every Healthy Eater Should Do

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 02:30:00 -0700

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.

Healthy and Quick: Van's Waffles for Breakfast

FitSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, no lie. And it is the most important meal of the day too. It jump starts your metabolism and eating breakfast regularly is one habit of healthy people (there are 6 others, but this one is easy). Now on those rushed mornings when the toaster is your only option, don't stick any old toaster pastry in there. Go with Van's waffles.

Van's waffles are a hit at my house even my little girls love them. We buy only the ones with the whole grain stamp on the box, since not all Van's varieties are created equal when it comes to fiber and it is the fiber that keeps you full. I go for the Flax variety since it contains 6 grams of fiber as well as 1600 mg of omega-3s. Eating 2 of these waffles in the morning is a great non-fishy way to get more of that good fat in your diet. The MultiGrain waffle is also popular at my house. While it only has 5 grams of fiber per serving, it has 4 grams sugar (1 less than the flax) and only 190 calories, that is 70 calories less than the flax variety. When shopping for the Van's waffles read the labels since some of them are not as healthy as my faves.

I top them with Fage non-fat yogurt and fresh fruit. There is no need to add syrup since the waffles are sweet on their own.

If you'd like to try some, just enter your zip code on Van's home page and they will find the store closest to you that sells them. Look for them at Trader Joe's, since they have the best price.

Whole Grains + Breakfast = Heart Health

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 02:30:00 -0700

According to my recent "What do you eat for breakfast?" poll, most of you eat grains for breakfast. Which is great, and if you are not already eating whole grains, you might want to start.

A recent study found that folks who eat whole grains for breakfast seven times a week significantly decrease their risk for developing heart disease. By 28 percent as a matter of fact. If you take a day off from the whole grains, to have some eggs perhaps, you will reduce your chance by 22 percent - which is still high and variety is the spice of life. Eating whole grains for breakfast only once a week decreases your chances by 14 percent.

The study was conducted over 25 years with 10,000 doctors participating as subjects. While physicians are known to eat better and exercise more than the average person, it is interesting to see that a small tweak in diet can create a measurable difference in heart health. When shopping don't forget to look for products with the Whole Grain Stamp to ensure you're eating the entire grain.

So sit down to a nice bowl of steel cut oats, since breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. If you don't eat breakfast you should really see if you could find a way to get some food into your system, you will feel better for it - I swear.

Dunkin' Donuts Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:06:22 -0700

Okay, okay, we all know that Dunkin' Donuts is not the healthiest place in the world. Besides donuts, they do offer other choices. Let's take a peek and see how they measure up.

Food	Calories	Fat in grams	Cholesterol	Sodium in milligrams	Carbs in grams	Protein in grams
Plain bagel	320	2.5	0	650	62	12
Everything bagel	370	6	0	650	67	14
Multigrain bagel	380	6	0	650	68	14
Cinnamon Raisin bagel	330	3	0	430	65	10
2 oz Plain Cream Cheese	190	17	55	190	4	4
2 oz Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese	170	15	45	340	4	2
2 oz Lite Cream Cheese	120	9	30	280	5	4
Banana Walnut Muffin	540	25	65	520	69	10
Honey Bran Raisin Muffin	480	15	60	480	79	8
Cranberry Orange Muffin	440	17	65	480	66	8
Blueberry Muffin	470	17	60	500	73	8
Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffin	400	5	60	490	78	8

Well that wasn't so bad. Wait until we get to the breakfast sandwiches. You may go into cardiac arrest just reading this. Want to see? Then

Are You Putting Yourself at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes?

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 09:30:00 -0700

When it comes to type 2 diabetes a lot of us take the it won't happen to me thought process but you may be putting yourself more at risk than you think.

Fitness Magazine has come up with a useful list of the top 9 risk factors for type 2 diabetes; some may shock you:

Watching two hours or more of TV daily. Raises your risk: 14 percent.
The fix: Limit TV time to 10 hours a week, and exercise. In the same Harvard study, this reduced diabetes risk by 43 percent.
Drinking one soda a day. Raises your risk: 83 percent.
The fix: Switch to water, diet soda or, even better, unsweetened tea, which research shows may actually protect against the disease.

There are seven more so

Bark for Breakfast: Some Healthy Cereals Have NO Taste

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:30:00 -0800

Some people love to start their day with a hearty bowl of cereal. The milk, soy milk, or rice milk adds extra vitamins and protein. Cereals nowadays are made with heart-healthy whole grains, complete with the fiber and carbs you need.

However, healthy cereals are not all equal. Arrowhead Mills makes many healthy breakfast options, and they're great if you prefer a plain cereal with not much taste. Nature O's may look fun and are made with organic oats, rice, and wheat germ, but believe me when I say that they taste like bark.

What is good about Nature O's is that they are made with no added sugar, so if you're watching that, this cereal might be a great option for you. The only thing is, if you don't like the taste, you won't eat it.

Those Weird Dried Berries in Cereal, Good for You?

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 02:00:00 -0800

If you buy cereals with the berries already in the box, you may be wondering if they are as healthy as their fresh counterparts.

As long as the berries are freeze-dried then they will still retain the nutrients from when they were fresh. Freeze-dried fruits retain almost as much of the antioxidant phytochemicals (found in fresh fruits). The freeze-dried fruits may not have as much vitamin C as their fresh counterparts.

Freeze-dried fruits are a great alternative to fresh fruits since you can keep freeze-dried fruits longer and they are much more cost effective. However, if you think that you are getting enough fruit for the day in your cereal, think again. It's a good start but you may want to also incorporate fruit into your other meals throughout the day. Also watch out for sugar in cereals with freeze-dried fruit, due to the tart bitterness of the freeze-dried fruit there may be more sugar added to the cereal to help with the taste.

Fit's Tip: A serving of dried fruit is one-quarter cup and a serving of diced, cooked, or frozen fruit is one-half cup.

Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 04:00:00 -0800

Did you skip your breakfast? Well don't. You need the meal to set the energy tone for your day. Eating first thing in the morning helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, which regulate appetite and energy. So without breakfast, people crash mid-morning and generally reach for quick energy food like sweets or drink an extra cup of coffee. In turn, these food make you crash. So by lunch you're crabby. Eating breakfast can help you keep a positive attitude throughout the day.

Plus, skipping breakfast is NOT a good dieting technique. For the reasons listed above and studies have shown the people who eat breakfast have an easier time maintaining their weight. It all seems to go back to the idea of lifestyle changes and creating healthy habits.

The study also found that whole grain cereal had the most healthful affect on participants.

Fit's Tip: Start the day with steel cut Irish Oatmeal. It'll keep you full. Try this short cut I use: The night before bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add one cup of oats, add some cinnamon, cover and turn off the heat. The next morning turn the heat on keeping the lid on for a few minutes. Take the lid off and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes. YUM.