Archive for the ‘Nutrition’ Category

Super Bowl Snacks – The Easy Way

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Are you having friends over for the big game on Sunday? You'll probably want to serve them some snacks, right? Did you think that they only way to enjoy healthy snacks was to magically turn into a chef? - Not the case.

These days there are a lot more healthier options in the freezer section. We've chosen some classic Super Bowl Sunday snacks you can pull out of the freezer with minimal effort so you spend less time in the kitchen and more time yelling and clapping at the TV with your friends. We have 4 great options here are suitable for a vegetarian and satisfying still for the meat eaters!

smart wings buffalo Super Bowl Snacks   The Easy Way

Super Bowl Sunday Snack #1: Wings

Lightlife Buffalo Smart Wings These delicious 'wings' are actually vegetarian friendly! Made from faux meat with just 110 calories and 3g of fat for a serving of 4 wings. They come in buffalo and honey BBQ flavors.

MorningStar Farms Buffalo Wings Veggie Wings Another faux wing, vegetarian option. They tastes great for just 200 calories and 8g of fat in a serving of 5 wings.

Sneak some vegetables into your snacks by adding some celery sticks and carrots with a dip made of fat-free sour cream with a bit of ranch dressing

Super Bowl Sunday Snack #2: Pizza

amys organic pizza snack Super Bowl Snacks   The Easy Way

Amy's Spinach Pizza Snacks Amy's great for frozen organic options. These pizzas are made with organic flour, tomatoes and spinach. One serving equals 5-6 pieces and carries 190-210 calories and 7g of fat.

Lean Cuisine 4 Cheese Pizza Cut these single serving pizzas into wedges and share. Slice it into 6 wedges. Each wedge will have about 60 calories and .5g fat. There's also a pepperoni french bread style.

Enjoying the game doesn't have to mean completely falling off the healthy eating wagon. Let these easy healthier options make game day great! And... if you choose to kick back a few beers on Sunday, be sure to check out our lower calorie beer options. Or if you like to play in the kitchen, check out these great Super Bowl snack recipes.

10 Quick & Easy Breakfast Ideas

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

Need some fast and easy ideas for breakfast?

  1. Cereal with fresh fruit. Check the nutrition label first - aim for at least 3 grams of fiber and no more than 5 grams of sugar per serving. Then, pour one serving size.
  2. superfruit parfait e1327781554923 10 Quick & Easy Breakfast Ideas

  3. Oatmeal with fresh fruit. You can also use oat bran
  4. Whole grain carbs with yogurt. A slice of whole grain toast or English muffin with a yogurt on the side. Add some protein by mixing your jam with low-fat cottage cheese, nut butter or Laughing Cow cheese wedges.
  5. Greek yogurt with fruit. Berries work best to add flavor to your yogurt. Sprinkle some flax seed mill for added healthy fats.
  6. Read the rest of this entry

You Should Never Eat This For Breakfast

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

breakfast smoothie1 You Should Never Eat This For Breakfast

Did you set a goal to change the way you eat this year? Choosing healthier foods to eat is a step in the right direction. However, most people will likely give up their burger and fries for dinner and opt for a salad before they even take the most basic of steps to healthy nutrition.

Eat your breakfast

For years, nutritionists and fitness professionals have been telling you breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yet... this seemingly simple bit of advice continues to get ignored. Breakfast is a good time to enjoy some whole grains - but before you load up on cheerios, there's more to a healthy breakfast than that.

Never eat low-fat foods for breakfast

One breakfast label to steer clear of is "low-fat foods." What they don't tell you is that to make foods 'low-fat', they use more additives and sugars to maintain a similar taste to their "full-fat" counterparts. There's a reason people like fatty foods - they taste good! Removing the fat usually takes away from the appealing taste of the food, thus manufacturers add in more sugar to compensate.

That sugar can add up quickly, causing you to gain weight or make it harder to lose weight. Instead of going "low-fat," try foods like fruits and vegetables that are naturally low in fat.

Oatmeal is the new Wheaties

Read the rest of this entry

8 Holiday Foods That Are Good For You

Saturday, December 24th, 2011

Holiday time is here and that means gatherings with family, great friends and lots of events with food. There are two types of dieters around this time of year: the ones who throw caution to the wind, eat all they want and resume working out and eating right on January 1st and the ones who cling to a strict diet and turn down everything from cranberry sauce to pumpkin pie. Of course, there is a way to balance healthy eating and enjoying oneself during the holiday season. Below are a few extraordinary foods that taste great and are good for you. Just remember; everything can be great in moderation!

Enjoy these traditional holiday foods that are good for your health

1. Turkey

Unless it's deep fried, covered in brown sugar, molasses and honey, then turkey is a powerful punch of protein. Just one serving of turkey can supply about half of the recommended daily serving of folic acid. Also, it's good source of vitamin B, potassium and zinc. The healthy thing about these nutrients is each of them have been found to keep blood cholesterol low, provide protection against certain types of cancer and heart disease, and energize the immune system. Stick to white meat and you'll keep the calories low. Considering turkey is in abundance this time of year, don't be afraid to eat up!

Read the rest of this entry

Superfoods for a Sexy Stomach

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

If you've ever wondered what foods will help you have great, sexy flat abs, then keep reading. There are definitely some foods that will fight bloating and keep your metabolism healthy. In no particular order, here are the foods that will help you fight belly fat.

almonds Superfoods for a Sexy Stomach

Almonds: Of all the nuts you could eat, almonds definitely pack the most punch. They contain protein and fiber, as well as mention vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant. Also, almonds are a hearty source of magnesium, a mineral we all need in order to produce energy, build muscle tissue, and regulate blood sugar. Try keeping almonds handy as a healthy alternative snack during the long work day.

 

 

Read the rest of this entry

Addicted to Sugar?

Monday, December 5th, 2011

How to stop your sugar cravings in just 4 weeks

sugar Addicted to Sugar?

If you love all things sugar, you might be tempted to confess, "Hi, my name is ________ and I'm addicted to sugar." Our culture is obsessed with sugar and it's no wonder many of us feel addicted to it. You can find sugar in everything from soda and snacks to seemingly healthy items like yogurt and oatmeal. In fact, the average American consumes close to 132 pounds of sugar a year! But, before you throw your hands up and reach for the white stuff, learn what you can do to limit your sugar intake and get your diet under control.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that a woman consumes just 7% (or 100 calories) of her daily calories from sugars. When one can of soda contains 8-10 teaspoons of sugar, it's easy to see why a person's consumption can get out of hand. But, as mentioned above obvious sweet treats aren't the only high sugar content culprits. Other foods, such as fruit and oatmeal can contain sugar as well.

All of this matters for a variety of reasons. More people have diabetes than ever before and that's, in part, due to an unhealthy diet full of sugar. People with diets high in sugar are at risk for Type II Diabetes, high triglyceride levels, higher levels of bad cholesterol and lower levels of good cholesterol. Sugar has been linked to other common health conditions such as migraines, depression, and osteoporosis.

Read the rest of this entry

8 Holiday Weight Loss Tips

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

How to eat what you want and still lose weight over the holidays

holiday weight loss 8 Holiday Weight Loss Tips

Get into the spirit of the holidays without giving up on your fitness goals. You don't have to completely forgo all the tasty treats that come around once a year. In fact, studies show that the stricter the diet, the more likely a person is to fall of the wagon and give in to all sorts of food tempation. So indulge...in moderation. Here's how!

1. Do NOT skip breakfast, lunch and snacks to load up on Thanksgiving dinner. The theory that you should skip out on other meals in order to indulge in all the holiday treats is not only foolish, but potentially harmful to your overall weight loss goal. Starvation as a means to control your weight only leads your body to go into starvation mode and hold on to the calories you do consume. And, when your body stores calories for later it can, and if done long enough, will show in your waistline.

Instead, enjoy breakfast, a light lunch and a snack before your meal. Make the most of your meals by adding a healthy balance of protein, fruits and veggies. And remember, it's Thanksgiving and there will surely be leftovers to enjoy if you don't get to sample your favorites on the big day.

Read the rest of this entry

10 Reasons You Over Eat… And How To Stop

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

Sure, it's easy to say don't eat when you're not hungry, but let's be honest, we've all dipped into the cookie jar, basket of chips or grazed at a buffet table at times when out stomachs are saying stop. So, what is it that makes you eat when you know you don't really need it.

bored eating 10 Reasons You Over Eat... And How To Stop

10 reasons why you eat when you're not hungry

Pay close attention to the reasons that sound familiar to you and make a plan to stop the behavior before it starts.

  1. Boredom - It's a Friday night and you're in the house. You would rather be doing anything other than watching television on a Friday evening. As you flip through the channels you decide to catch up on reality TV or the latest murder mystery. You find yourself wanting a snack to go with your television watching experience. Are you really hungry? Probably not. What's more likely is that you're bored and eating gives you a feeling of "doing" something other than being bored. If you notice that you reach for food when you're bored, plan more activities to keep you occupied. If you happen to be home at times when you'd rather be out, don't beat yourself up about it. Take advantage of that time to read a good book, catch up on cleaning or even gain a few extra winks of sleep.
  2. When there's one... Ever notice how easy it is to eat when you see others doing the same? Next time you are at a party or other function where food is readily available, take note of how your eating habits may change in that environment. If you realize that you eat more when other eat, make a plan. Making sure you're full before going to an event with food, taking healthy snacks with you and other tools will help you eat less around others. If you're truly hungry, then eat. If not, make a plan to avoid the food table and mingle a bit more so take your mind off of food.

10 Ways To Avoid Halloween Weight Gain

Monday, October 24th, 2011

jack 10 Ways To Avoid Halloween Weight Gain

If you think Halloween is just for kids... think again. From costumes to candy, adults are definitely fond of Halloween festivities. Candy can be found in abundance around Halloween. In fact, I like to think of Halloween as the "unofficial" kick-off to the holiday season. It's not long after Halloween that we'll have to call on our willpower to resist the temptations of Thanksgiving and Christmas treats. Setting the tone early, around Halloween time, to practice reigning in your cravings is the key to making your holiday season fun and as guilt-free as possible.

Here are 10 tips to help you resist the urge to give in to a Halloween candy binge:

Read the rest of this entry

5 Easy Ways To Add Fiber To Your Diet

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Fiber is a key nutrient in digestive health.

fiber 5 Easy Ways To Add Fiber To Your Diet

It's also a nutrient that people should incorporate into their diet more often. Unfortunately, many people don't know how to increase their fiber intake. The good news is that adding more fiber to your diet is fairly easy and can come from a variety of sources.

Why is fiber so important?

Fiber acts as a broom for the intestines. Fiber cannot be digested. So, when you eat fiber, it acts as a cleanser for your stomach by moving all the unnecessary waste through your digestive system. Lack of fiber can cause minor digestion issues such as constipation and weight gain or more serious issues like irritable bowel syndrome and even colon cancer.

Here are 5 tasty ways to increase your fiber.

Read the rest of this entry