Nutrition For Life

A recent study had 42 women eating lunch that consisted of a first course salad and a pasta entrée. The salads they ate varied in both the calorie content and the portion size, but all contained lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, and Parmesan cheese. The amount and type of cheese and salad dressing was varied to alter calorie amount. Here’s what researchers found:

* Women who started lunch with a “low calorie” salad consumed 7% fewer calories during their meal.
* Women who ate the small or large portion of “high calorie” salad increased the total calorie intake of their meals increased by 8% and 17%, respectively.
* The most effective approach for controlling calories was eating a large portion of “low calorie” salad before the main entrée. This approach increased fullness while decreasing the total calorie intake of the meal by 12%. Read more…

It’s been another one of those days: places to go, deadlines to meet, meals to cook. You find yourself daydreaming about crisp, salty potato chips. Pretty soon it’s an insistent, must-have-it-now craving, and before you know it, your hand is deep in the bag.

Rather than berate your lack of willpower, once in a while, indulge yourself. In a 2007 Tufts University study of healthy women, 91 percent reported having food cravings (which the researchers define as an intense desire to eat a specific food). In other words, cravings are common, and the key to successful weight management, experts say, is learning to address cravings rather than always deny them.

“You first have to accept that having cravings is normal, but you don’t have to give in to every one,” says Tufts study coauthor Susan Roberts, PhD. “The people in our research who manage their weight the best are not those who crave foods less often but those who give in some of the time.”

Trigger happy

Brian Wansink, PhD, director of Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, has made a career of studying people’s behavior relating to food. He says cravings fall into two basic categories: snacks (with potato chips, ice cream, cookies, and chocolate leading the list) and meal foods (pizza, pasta, burgers, casseroles, and the like). Which comfort food you choose can be affected by age and gender.

“Women tend to crave sweet stuff, men salty stuff,” Roberts says. “And premenstrual women’s cravings are more likely to be insistent.” What triggers a food longing? Hormonal fluctuations are thought to be the cause in premenstrual women, though no one knows for sure, says Roberts. Other theories include a physical need for calories and emotional cues.

“If you haven’t eaten for hours and you’re really hungry, that is a physical craving, and you should eat,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Read more…

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it 937 times: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why? You just spend eight hours with no food or water. You’re dehydrated, your blood sugar is low and you have little energy. And now it’s time to hurry the kids off to school before the eight-hour workday. More so than any other point in the day, you need nourishment. Right now.

Besides, eating breakfast actually helps you lose weight. Those who skip the meal tend to snack before lunch and throughout the day, usually on unhealthy, high-calorie foods. Breakfast eaters typically cruise until lunch, while beaming with energy.

So what are some unhealthy breakfast ideas? Scratch that – healthy and quick ideas? Here are some of our favorites:

* Prepare a casserole the night before. Pop it in the microwave when you wake up and it will be ready to go when you are.
* Incorporate complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat toast and bagels. Spread peanut butter and raisins on top of either for added flavor.
* Bake bran muffins early in the week, then grab one or two each morning. Or check out a local bakery for healthy varieties.
* Make waffles Sunday morning and freeze the leftovers. You can pop ‘em in the toaster for a homemade breakfast. Also, grocery stores sell frozen whole grain selections.
* Have you ever tried a tortilla for breakfast? Wrap up cold turkey and cheese, grab an apple and you’re on your way.
* Don’t forget cold cereal. We’re not talking about those covered with sugar, but the healthy variety. Items such as Wheaties and Cheerios are always good choices.
* Whole-egg or egg white omelets with fresh or frozen veggies (carrots, broccoli, celery, peppers, onions and even black beans make great additions).
* Make a shake or a smoothie. Blend fruit and yogurt and then drink it in the car. A side option is a small bag of finger foods, such as a mixture of granola and grapes.

No doubt about it, hunger is unpleasant. In fact, it can be downright embarrassing when your tummy grumbles for your attention at the most inopportune times. When you’re watching your calorie intake to lose or manage your weight, there will be days when you might experience ongoing hunger, even when you’re eating at the top of your calorie range. It can be so distracting and debilitating that you’re ready to throw in the towel. If deprivation is what eating healthy is all about, then forget it!

Not so fast. Don’t give up on your new way of eating until you add what could be the missing ingredient back into your eating and weight loss program. What’s the elusive “secret” to feeling fuller, longer? Satiety.

Satiety (sa-TIE-e-tee) is that wonderfully pleasant feeling of fullness you get as you eat, when you’re no longer hungry, but aren’t overly stuffed or uncomfortable. You are just satisfied beyond desire. The more satisfied you feel after a meal, the less you’ll eat later. So how do you increase satiety without eating MORE?

Eat More Low Density Foods
Calorie density refers to the number of calories per gram of food. Foods that are HIGH in calorie density contain a high number of calories per gram; foods that are LOW in calorie density contain a low number of calories per gram. Calorie density is the key to feel full without overeating.

When you eat too many calorie dense foods, you’ll end up consuming a lot of calories to fill your belly. If you focus on low calorie density foods, you can fill up on fewer calories because low density foods contain a lot more water, which adds weight and volume to the food, but no calories. Read more…

Why do we eat? We all know why we should be eating: to supply our bodies with plenty of energy to get through the day; to get nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals which help us to stay healthy and free of disease; and to get useful carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—all of which contribute to running our bodies properly and maintaining good health.

But sometimes we can all be guilty of eating for other reasons. We love food! And that’s great! Eating should be pleasurable, not just nutritious. Food is everywhere: books are devoted to cooking and recipes, we find ourselves daydreaming and even talking about the newest restaurant or our favorite foods.

Many times we eat to celebrate—holidays, job promotions, graduations, weddings…we’ll find just about any achievement (”I raked the yard!”, “We sold our house!”, “My favorite team won!”) to be celebration-worthy, and we’ll eat to commemorate it.

Other times, we let our emotions take over. When we’re stressed out, sad, angry, or lonely, we oftentimes turn to food to comfort us. Even starting (and staying on) a new diet can be stressful, especially when emotions creep in.

In our food-obsessed culture with out-of-control portions always lurking within our grasps, how can we not overeat? It’s hard to break habits and go against the lessons we have always been taught, like cleaning our plates, not being wasteful, or getting the best deal—which usually means ordering up and getting a lot more food for the money. Read more…

If you’re a man who’s trying to lose weight and get fit, you’ve probably noticed that most of the books, magazines, and programs on these subjects aren’t really aimed at you. Most are for women. And the others seem to have bodybuilders and competitive athletes in mind—not regular guys who simply want to get in shape.

But your needs are different than those of women, and the fitness strategies you should follow aren’t the same as those of a bodybuilder. This article is for YOU. It will tackle three of the most common questions regular guys have about weight loss:

1. How fast is too fast to lose weight?
2. How should I eat or exercise when I’m trying to build some muscle and also lose some fat?
3. Should I eat more than 1,200 calories to avoid “starvation mode” problems?

I’m losing weight faster than my wife. Is this normal, and how fast is too fast?

It’s true that many men can and usually do lose weight faster than women, but this isn’t entirely good news. For one thing, if you share your life with a woman who is also trying to lose weight, you might need a few lessons in domestic diplomacy when she gets frustrated at your seemingly easy and fast results. For another, one of the main reasons that you do lose weight more easily turns out to be a double-edged sword.

The fat that’s easiest to lose is the fat stored in the upper body, particularly within the abdominal area—the infamous male beer belly. Men tend to store more fat in this area and less fat in the hips and thighs, while women tend to do the opposite. The “intra-abdominal” or “visceral” fat that makes up that beer belly (it’s stored underneath the abdominal muscles) is more metabolically active, which means that it’s the fat your body burns first. Read more…

Calories can be cruel. Sweat through a 30-minute workout and you can torch 200. Take three gulps of a foamy frappuccino and you’re right back where you started. But slashing those suckers can be as effortless as piling them on. Just look below to find out 78 ways you can cut 100 or more calories at a pop. From picking the right slice at Pizza Hut to skipping the whip on your latté, they’ll add up so fast, you won’t miss a thing—until poof! Your love handles are gone.

Cut 100 calories … at breakfast

* Ditch the Pop-Tart for a slice of high-fiber toast with strawberry jam.
* Gotta have carbs? Split a bagel with a co-worker.
* Drink your two cups of joe black. Or order a single espresso instead of your usual latté.
* Swap OJ for the real deal—one fresh orange.
* Trade a side of regular sausage for turkey.
* Top your waffles with Reddi-wip instead of syrup (or use sugar-free).
* Skip the whip on any Caribou Coffee 16-ounce drink.
* Eat your granola from a 4-ounce mug, not an 8-ounce bowl.
* Lose the Yoplait Thick & Creamy and have a Yoplait Fiber 1.
* Order pancakes, but hold the butter.
* Scramble together four egg whites instead of two whole eggs.
* Substitute nonfat cream cheese for regular on your bagel.

Cut 100 calories … during dessert Read more…

Identifying Weight Loss Scams

The next time you watch an infomercial, read an advertisement, or spot a new supplement reporting miraculous weight loss results, I wouldn’t blame you for cocking a wary eyebrow. When evaluating claims for weight loss products, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends a healthy portion of skepticism; most don’t come close to fulfilling their claims. And in the rare cases where a product might result in some temporary weight loss, it is almost never a permanent solution and is usually unsafe.

Before you spend money on products that promise fast and easy results, weigh the claims carefully. You might even consider contacting the FTC directly for more information or if you have concerns.

These 12 tips will help you critique and evaluate weight loss claims and spot a scam before it’s too late:

1. “It’s so easy to lose weight without dieting or exercising!” Face it—permanent weight loss takes work, effort and time. Pass on any products that promise miraculous results without the effort. Buy one and the only things you’ll lose are money and confidence.

2. “Eat whatever you want and still lose weight!” Losing weight requires sensible food choices, not overloading on high-fat, high calorie foods. Read more…

Ever been angry or upset one minute and then on your couch eating the next, unable to remember why you started eating or how long you had spent munching? If so, then you have entered the world of emotional eating. It’s something than can happen to anyone, and one of the most common dieting obstacles out there.

Emotional eating at its best passes after a few minutes. At its worst, it can take over your life and cause you to eat uncontrollably for extended periods of time. And according to nutritional experts, 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. So don’t worry, if you suffer from emotional eating, you are not alone.

People often eat to relieve stress or to get something off their minds. The kicker is that stress, and the insulin jump that goes with it, may actually cause you to crave high sugar, high carbohydrate foods – foods that go straight to your waistline and cause you even more stress.

Rather than munching, it’s better to develop new skills for dealing with boredom, self-esteem issues and stress. Try to pinpoint the major reasons for your stress or unpleasant emotions, and see how you can turn the tide. Here are a few suggestions to combat your emotions:

* Get your trigger foods out of the house, get your crutch foods out of arms’ reach
* Go for a walk or jog. Physical activity relieves stress.
* Do deep breathing and relaxation exercises
* Keep a reminder of your goal handy
* Talk to a friend
* Visit and post on the support message boards
* Surround yourself with positive reinforcers, like pictures and people
* Keep a journal that includes your best personal accomplishments
* Track your eating patterns, including when and why you pick up food.

If you still seem to come back to food when your emotions get the best of you, you can at least be prepared. Eating large amounts of snacks is not a good thing. But if you eat low calorie foods, it’s not so bad. So stock the fridge with healthy alternatives–foods that have good nutritious value and are smaller in size. Here are a few food suggestions to keep within arms’ reach:

* Apple or orange slices
* Carrot sticks
* Banana
* Broccoli
* Whole wheat toast
* Bran muffin
* Fruit smoothie
* Applesauce

1. What is the most common misconception about calories?


I would say it’s the belief that calories from different foods are worth more or less. It’s true that fats are higher density in calories than protein or carbohydrates. But in the end, all that matters is whether your body needs those calories or not. If your body has met all of its immediate energy and energy store needs, those extra calories will be turned to fat whether they came from a tomato or a Tootsie Roll. You could eat no junk food at all, but if you wolfed down 3,000 calories worth of fruits and vegetables, you’d still gain weight. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to calorie totals, both of what you eat and what you burn. If those numbers are in line, you should be fine. Of course, it’s still essential to get calories from a balanced diet so you get all the nutrients you need.



2. Suppose someone has cut calories, but still hits a plateau. Is it possible that she may need to eat more calories to lose weight?


It’s possible. If you’re not eating enough, your body sort of panics and goes into what’s known as starvation mode, slowing down your metabolism and fat-burning processes. If it’s being starved of calories, it has to hold onto all of the energy stores and calories that it can. Think of your body as a furnace. If there’s not enough fuel, the fire just simmers for a long time without really burning hot. If you’re not eating enough calories to match your activity level, your body just simmers and no real progress is being made. The danger is that people react to this type of plateau by eating even less, which of course just makes the problem worse and harder to recover from. It’s a horrible cycle that can lead to real problems.



3. How many calories do people need to eat?


That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Read more…