FitSugar

Diet Tip: Timely Breakfast

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:30:00 -0700

By now I hope you all know that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. However, your early morning meal is like a good joke: timing is everything. It is important to eat breakfast early. Delaying your first meal of the day can begin the slow down process of your metabolism. You need to eat to stoke the fires or your metabolism.

If you tend to skip breakfast or wait until later in the morning to eat it, try setting your alarm 10 minutes earlier. Buy some healthy toaster waffles you can eat on the run. Hard boil some eggs the night before!

Ten extra morning minutes will give you enough time to make toast with almond butter and eat it. Or at least make and eat a bowl of Kashi cereal!

Source

Checklist For Your Early Morning Run

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:47:46 -0700

Even though the daylight has shifted one hour, many of you may still be in the habit of running in the morning before work. If you're having a hard time motivating because it's a bit darker, here are some things you can do to prep for that run the night before.

Eat a dinner that contains whole grains. These carbs will break down much slower than say white rice, pizza, or sugary dessert. This type of hearty dinner will give you the get-up-and go you need in the morning to feel energized for your run.
Get your outfit ready and everything you need for your run, so you're not racing around in the morning for 20 minutes trying to find the lost mate to your favorite wicking socks. Set out your running clothes, sneakers, sunglasses, tissues, iPod case, and headphones, charge your iPod, and finalize plans with your running buddy.
Get the ingredients for your breakfast ready as well, making sure it's low in fiber (to avoid digestive issues), and a good combination of protein and easily digested carbs. Nut butter on toast, granola with yogurt, and eggs are great choices.
Get to bed early enough so that you can get a solid night's sleep, at least seven or eight hours. Make sure your alarm clock is set.

Tell me, do you prefer running in the morning even if it's dark outside?

Behind the Bar: How to Make an Irish Car Bomb

yumtv — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:18:49 -0700

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, YumTV correspondent Rachel goes behind the bar to find out from the Irish experts at Finn McCool's how to make the popular Irish Car Bomb. Try the "breakfast of Irish warriors" the next time you want to get whisked away by Irish whiskey.

Healthy Dessert: Baked Pears With Maple Greek Yogurt and Granola

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:59 -0700

Spring is coming soon, but for many of us, we still have some cold nights ahead of us. This time of year I always try to make my favorite cold weather foods like soups, breads, and warm treats before Spring officially blows in. Here's one my family loves that's easy to make, tastes oh-so decadent, but is a great source of fiber and protein. Make it to enjoy for breakfast or an after-dinner dessert.

Check out this simple recipe when you read more.

Baked Pears with Maple Greek Yogurt and Granola
Modified from recipe found in Snack Attack Group

Ingredients

2 firm pears (Bartlett or Anjou)
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
16 ounce container plain Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup granola
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cut the pears in half lengthwise, and remove cores with a spoon. Place in an 8x8-inch baking pan, cut-sides down.
Pour apple juice and water over pears, and drizzle with honey. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake about 35 minutes or until tender.
When pears are done, pour the leftover baking liquid into a small saucepan and reduce over medium heat until about 1/4 cup of syrup remains; set aside to cool.
Open the container of Greek yogurt and stir in the maple syrup. Divide yogurt into four bowls. Place a half of the warm pear in each bowl, cut side up. Top with granola and walnuts, and drizzle with syrup you set aside.

Makes four servings.

Print recipe with images | without images

I also like serving this dish for brunch. If you have a tasty and healthy recipe to share, post it in the Healthy Recipe Group. I am always looking for new ones to try.

Sienna Keeps Herself Busy Before Jude Does SNL

PopSugar — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:00:00 -0800

Sienna Miller left her NYC hotel solo on Friday. She and Jude Law are together in the city after a short stint in London, as he gears up to host Saturday Night Live this evening. He's on the show to promote Repo Men ahead of its release on March 19. Sienna found a time to chill with her parents while Jude was off rehearsing, though he was free enough to enjoy breakfast for two earlier this week.

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Molly Ringwald Goes Green to Lose Weight

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:00:06 -0800

I've come to accept that I will always get a little choked up during the Oscars. This year it happened during the touching tribute to John Hughes - director of one of my all-time favorites, The Breakfast Club. It was especially great to see actress Molly Ringwald take the stage to honor her mentor. Like me, most of you thought Molly looked stunning in her purple Todd Thomas gown. Looking at her on stage, it was hard to believe that she gave birth to twins just eight months ago! The actress shared with People magazine that the key to slimming down for her was to keep everything in moderation.

To find out how Molly lost the weight, read more.

Molly also may be getting into the St. Patrick's Day spirit early, admitting that her day isn't complete without some green.

"I try to make sure that I eat something green. I think that's just a really good rule of thumb. I love all different kinds of vegetables, but the green ones are generally the best for you and the best for your diet."

While I think it's best to get a rainbow of colors on your plate, Molly is on to something - leafy green veggies are packed with vitamin A, folate, and potassium. Molly waited until her twins were 6 weeks old before she started to lose the weight, and made a decision to take things slow.

"Just dieting basically, and it wasn't even like a really strict diet. It was more just a sensible diet, cutting down on sweets and upping the vegetables and protein, less starch, and I just worked out a lot, I'd say about three or four times a week."

Cheryl Burke Keeps It Healthy Even on the Go

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:00:28 -0800

With the new lineup of Dancing With the Stars announced and training under way, cast member Cheryl Burke is once again on the go. Because the two-time DWTS champion splits her time between the show and managing three dance studios, she is no stranger to travel. Cheryl, 25, recently told Shape that keeping up with healthy eating habits "can be especially grueling" when she's away from home. Here are some of Cheryl's tips for staying healthy when away from home.

Pack snacks. Keeping healthy snacks on hand is a great way to avoid having to eat out all of the time. "I'll munch on Triscuits and peanut butter or cut-up vegetables. And I always have a South Beach Living protein bar, fruit, or almonds in my bag."
Eat in the morning. Cheryl's learned to never underestimate the power of breakfast. "I used to skip breakfast. But now I know it gets your metabolism going and prevents you from overeating later. My go-to meal is an egg white omelet with lowfat cheese and whole wheat toast."

See more of Cheryl's tips when you read more.

Order it your way. "I ask for restaurant dishes to be made with olive oil rather than butter or for them to hold the cheese. If they can't accommodate me, I find something else on the menu."
Go food shopping. If traveling for an extended period, Cheryl says to get grocery shopping. "If you have a fridge in your hotel room, stock up on a few healthy staples from a local supermarket or Whole Foods. When I'm on the tour bus, I'll make a grocery list that includes salad, nonfat vanilla yogurt, lowfat granola, and organic microwavable soups."
Go with the grain. Skip refined carbs and always go whole grain, says Cheryl. "I feel better about any food choice when it's served with fiber-rich pasta or bread."

Check out the rest of Cheryl's tips in the March issue of Shape, currently out on newsstands.

Paula Deen Bets on Buffets; Deen Brothers Launch Male Mag

YumSugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00:30 -0800

If all goes well, 2010 could be a blockbuster year for the Deen family. Southern cooking queen Paula Deen is planning a second eatery; meanwhile, sons Bobby and Jamie Deen are tapping into uncharted territory with a male-friendly food magazine.

Paula Deen, who rose to fame with her Savannah, GA, restaurant The Lady & Sons, hopes to repeat success with a new spot at Harrah's Cherokee Casino and Hotel in Asheville, NC. The 400-seat eatery, Paula Deen's Kitchen, will serve buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner beginning in Fall 2010. Adjacent to the restaurant will be a retail shop selling Paula-branded cookware, cookbooks, spices, and food.

Says the matriarch: "I couldn't think of a better mix - southern food and casinos. It has all the ingredients for a good time." Her sons, Jamie and Bobby Deen, are banking on dudes who love food. They've teamed up with Hoffman Media (the publisher of their mother's magazine, Cooking With Paula Deen), to print a quarterly magazine, Deen Bros Good Cooking, with easy recipes that'll appeal as much to men as women.

I'm not sure how I feel about either expansion effort. Could you see yourself eating a Paula Deen casino buffet restaurant - or making dinner out of a Deen brothers magazine?

Power Strip Concept Puts a Limit to Your Electricity Use

GeekSugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:00:51 -0800

We've talked a lot about vampire power - gadgets and appliances that are turned "off" but suck down electricity just because they're plugged in - and there's one electrical outlet that helps combat wattage use while you're out for the day. But what if you have several gadgets you want to control? Here's an idea - make a power strip with timers in the sockets so you can keep track of how long you actually use an appliance, and save money at the same time. The Wind Up Socket does just that - lets you count down the minutes (like a kitchen egg timer) until your electrical socket switches off.

Hear more about the Wind Up Socket when you read more.

Let's say you need to charge up your phone overnight, but you know it only takes an hour of charge to get you through the day. Don't leave it plugged in and wasting juice - schedule your socket timer to shut off in an hour, and not only get a full charge, but save a whole lot of money over the course of the year for banishing power vampires. This would work great for computer chargers, TVs, and kitchen appliances that don't need to be left active after you've heated up your breakfast. Right now the Wind Up Socket is in the concept phase, but I would totally buy one if it was on the shelves today!

Nice and New: Mason Jar Lights

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:00:00 -0800

Oh how I love me some mason jars. Among preserving jams, pickling tomatoes, shedding garden light, and showcasing healthy blossoms, the time-tested glass container has one more job to add to its already impressive résumé.

The crafty folks at Pigeon Toe Ceramics have a different take on the old classic. Familiar with their ceramic ways, the artists cast a large mason jar in porcelain and turned it into this Mason Jar Pendant Light ($108). Allowing the light to escape easily, they left the bottom open and kept it unglazed for a clean, raw look. Lucky for my wallet, I don't have a place for the light fixture in my kitchen but I'd love to see these jammin' jars hanging over a funky breakfast bar, perhaps with a vintage Coca-Cola sign hanging in the background.