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How to stop your sugar cravings in just 4 weeks

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.

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

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.

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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.

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.
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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:

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Fiber is a key nutrient in digestive health.

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.

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Choosing a protein powder will depend upon your nutrition and workout plan and the results you are intending to accomplish.

Getting enough protein in your diet is very important as protein contributes to fat loss, boosting your immune system, increasing bone density and improving your health overall. For most women, simply choosing a whey protein powder will be sufficient for your needs – but let's take a closer look at your options.

What's Your Goal? Weight Loss or Weight Gain

For this article, we are going to assume you would like to lose weight. Having a protein shake after your workout is great for replenishing and repairing your body to build long, lean muscles which will burn more fat off your body. For a post-workout shake, you want one that is basically protein only, without a lot of carbs. It will be about 90-130 calories, usually 20-25 grams of protein and less than 3 grams of carbohydrates.

However, you may want to substitute a meal with a protein shake – in this case, you would want to nourish yourself with more than just protein but a full meal replacement shake. You can buy protein powders that are meal replacement shakes, generally 200-250 calories (and often full of unnatural ingredients) or you can make your own by adding fruit, yogurt, peanut butter, greens and a wide variety of other whole foods. That brings me to my next point.

Shaker or Blender

Will you be drinking your protein shakes on the go? Nothing but a scoop of powder, add water and shake? Or, do you plan to be at home, in the presence of your super blender? On the go, for convenience and a really good way to mix the powder, pick up a blender bottle. They’re about $10 and completely worth avoiding the taste of un-mixed dry protein powder. Read the rest of this entry

The easy way to cook whole grains

Are you avoiding white grains to lose weight and be a healthier you? Cutting out white bread, white rice, and refined grains in favor of whole grains is the way to go! “But how?” you might ask. We will tell you!

Good news – whole grains are actually quite easy to prepare!

If you can boil water, you can prepare whole grains! All you have to do is cook them on the stove in boiling water. If you want to increase the flavor, you might try adding bouillon or chicken broth to the water.

5 ways to cook whole grains Read the rest of this entry

Plain yogurt smoothies are so 2010.

That's not entirely true. However, in 2011, we've enhanced the yogurt smoothies using Greek yogurt instead of plain to add more taste and nutrients like protein and calcium.

Greek yogurt has many benefits that outweigh plain yogurt.

• Low fat varieties will save you calories
• It provides more nutritional benefits than plain yogurt.
• More protein, calcium and other nutrients for your smoothie
• It's gluten free and safe for those in restricted diets (like diabetics)
• Greek yogurt offers more taste and texture to your usual yogurt smoothie blend. Greek yogurt has a texture and that is thicker and creamier than plain yogurt. A little bit goes a long way in a smoothie. Read the rest of this entry

Don't you love wrapping up your favorite foods in and biting into a sandwich at lunch?

Just because you're eating well and lowering your carbohydrate intake doesn't mean you can't still enjoy tasty wraps. They these two amazing lettuce wraps for easy, delicious, healthy lunches.

Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps

Servings: 4
Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup instant brown rice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, mint and/or chives
1 large carrot, shredded Read the rest of this entry

Using correct portion sizes will help you successfully lose weight.

To avoid having to pull out you measuring cups with each meal, learn to recognize what proper portions are by associating them with objects you are already familiar with. These life size visual aids (click on the photos above to enlarge) will help you recognize good portion sizes and enhance your fat loss efforts.