I have an interesting personal story about the processed foods we eat, and all of the extra sugar lurking in them! Yesterday, while celebrating my father in law's 70th birthday party, we all gathered for dessert. There were these delicious cupcakes (not mini size but smaller than the average standard cupcake size) that were from Wal Mart. Now, I very seldom eat cupcakes (but I LOVE them!) so I was stunned after I ate just one of them (vanilla frosting with creme in middle - didn't know that till i ate it!) and then out of just sheer curiosity, I looked at the nutritional information. WOW WAS I OFF! This small cupcake, that took me maybe 3 bites to eat, was a whopping 340 calories, 19 grams of fat, and ready for this....41 GRAMS OF SUGAR in it! Now, what am I trying to say here? It wasn't me being bad and eating the cupcake....it was that if i wasnt being smart, I could EASILY eat at least 3 of those cupcakes without thinking about it, without blinking an eye! So, lets just say I ate 3 of them.....I just ingested over 1000 calories from maybe 8 bites total, 57 grams of fat (easily a a day or two worth in just cupcakes), and here goes the blood sugar/insulin spike 123 GRAMS OF SUGAR!!! I thought that little cupcake was around 200 calories and maybe 20 grams of sugar tops....boy was I fooled!! And can you imagine if I ate the ice cream that went with it? Get my point? It isn't about NEVER having it....it is about being AWARE of what exactly we are putting into our bodies. Point, we GROSSLY UNDERESTIMATE the calories we eat, and we OVERESTIMATE the calories we burned during out workouts...myself included! Come on, all of us have at some point after working out saying to ourselves and/or friends, "I did 45 minutes on the elliptical, I can have that pizza, beer, fries, etc" and we just undid ourselves, as that 45 minutes just barely made a DENT in the 3 glasses of wine, 3 slices of pizza and a slice of pie that we just inhaled with our friends that evening! Yes, I have done that....we ALL have done that! My point, is, if you are going to play, you are going to have to pay....being aware is the first step towards healthy moderation eating and weight management for a lifetime!
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Everyone knows that sugar is bad for you....that it can be a major contributing factor to developing diabetes as the typical American diet ingests on average 60 pounds of sugar a year per person! How is this possible? Sugar is in almost EVERYTHING you eat that is processed......Here is a heads up. Go in your fridge, check your salad dressings (see any corn syrup solids or high fructose corn syrup in there?) check your condiments, check your bread...YES your bread! Even the "whole grain" ones...do you happen to see sugar or any of its "fancy sneaky names in there?" What about artificial sugars? Check all your cookies, cakes, frozen foods, yogurt (especially fruit flavored yogurt) ! Check all your processed snacks, crackers, canned soups, etc. See what you find....and we wonder nearly 75% of Americans are overweight/obese and have a epidemic of type 2 diabetes in this country....yes, genetics do play a huge role, (will have that as a personal story later), but it is LIFESTYLE CHOICES - what you eat, how much (or not) you exercise, and how you manage your body weight that are the primary components in weight gain & diabetes. If you are wondering why you are not losing weight, and you are still eating mostly processed foods that you think are healthy, stay tuned!
Round 1 : Greek yogurt vs regular yogurt
Greek yogurt is made by straining the whey out of regular yogurt, resulting in a thicker and creamier product with more protein. However, when you remove the whey, you also remove much of the calcium, so regular yogurt contains more of this essential mineral. Greek and regular yogurt are nutritious foods, so choose your favorite (pick plain yogurt to reduce the added sugars, and add your own fruit or drizzle of honey for desired sweetness) Round 2 : Eggs vs. Egg Whites The high cholesterol count in egg yolks has caused many eaters to shy away from eating whole eggs, but the yolks also contain a host of beneficial nutrients, including iron, phosphorus, zinc, folate, vitamin A and vitamin D. People without a history of heart disease, diabetes or high cholesterol should comfortably choose eggs and eat an average of seven whole eggs per week (or one per day) or make a scramble from a mix of eggs and egg whites. Round 3 : Soy milk vs. Almond milk vs.Dairy milk vs Rice milk Each type of milk has unique qualities, so make your choice based on your primary reason for drinking milk, your taste preference and if you have any allergies. Rice milk is the least allergenic and may be a good choice for those with a nut or lactose allergy. However, it is also very low in protein, and the nutrients it does contain are mostly added in, such as calcium and vitamin D. Soy milk contains almost as much protein as cow's milk but with few calories and no cholesterol. However, it should be avoided by those with a soy allergy or thyroid disease. Almond milk is a good natural source of vitamin A, E and D, and it is lactose-free. However, it is not a good source of protein and doesn't contain calcium, unless it is fortified. Dairy (cow's) milk is a good natural source of protein, fat, calcium and vitamin D. It does contain lactose, but lactose free brands are available. If you are like me....you can't live without french fries every now and then! Don't waste your time or calories on fast food fries typically cooked in trans fats and coated in starches and LOADED in fat! Instead, opt for the super simple version of home fries for fresher taste and ultimate crispiness! Leave the skin on the potatoes for a nutritional boost. Here is a healthy makeover to those baaadddd fries you love!
Simply Crispy Oven Baked Fries - makes 6 servings Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and mist foil with non stick spray. Place sliced potatoes in colander and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Set potatoes aside to allow liquid to seep out. Rinse potatoes and dry well with paper towels. In a large resealable bag, place potato sticks, oil, garlic powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Seal bag and toss to coat. Spread potatoes in a single layer on backing sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, flip potatoes over and bake another 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown and crisp. Nutrient facts per serving (about 1 cup): calories 228 total fat 7 grams saturated fat 1 gram carbs 38 grams dietary fiber 5 grams sugar 2 grams sodium 478 mg protein 4 grams If preventing/reducing middle-aged spread and belly fat is a priority to you, strength training is key! I always tell my clients,"Your muscle dictates your metabolism" (how efficiently your body burns fat). Each decade after 30, muscle declines by 3% to 8% & because it has a higher metabolic rate than fat, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, not only during exercise, but also at rest. Think of a thermostat on the wall cranked to 85 degrees! Strength workouts such as circuit training mixed with body weight training (my specialty) will burn over 25% more calories than cardiovascular exercise alone and may keep your resting metabolic rate elevated by 100 calories a day for up to 72 hours afterwards. Muscle builds up quickly (lean, toned muscle!) and it can also help control blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. The more toned muscle you have, the leaner you are, the easier it is to manage and maintain your weight loss, and you can eat more and not gain extra weight! Now that is a reason alone to start a strength training program!
There are a few simple things that you can do this spring to shave off at least 100+ calories a day to help you toward your goal of looking your best this summer! Let's make it BURN!!
1. take a leisurely 20 minute bike ride. If you are limited to the stationary bike in your basement or gym, make at a half hour with the resistance set to light pedaling. 2. Scrub your floors vigorously for 20 minutes. 3. Take a 12 minute slow jog at about 5 mph. 4. If you work on a high floor of a skyscraper, walking down the stairs for 30 minutes burns 100 calories. If you are on a lower floor, running up the stairs for just 6 minutes will do the trick. 5. Walk your dog for 30 minutes (DONT CHEAT:IF HE STOPS, YOUR CLOCK STOPS! ) 6. Do a light workout with weights for 30 minutes. You can get the same effect from just 11 minutes of circuit training with minimal rest. (think supersets...upper body, lower body, core, repeat) 7. If all you can do is some mild stretching, you can still work off 100 calories by bending and stretching your body for about 35 minutes! Now get out there and make it burn!!!!! Getting in shape for summer doesn't have to be about deprivation. After all, Oprah Winfrey says she eats bread every day and still lost 26 pounds. It's all about moderation! First, cut calories moderately. You should only reduce your calorie intake about 20% below your baseline for bodyweight maintenance. That means an active woman who consumes 2,000 calories a day and stays at a consistent weight should consume no fewer than 1,600 calories a day to lose weight. Especially if she works out! She may need to eat more (think fuel for your muscles) if she is logging in workouts 5 to 6 days a week. Second, heighten your awareness of how much you're putting in your mouth and be mindful of portion control. It is easy as using your hand. For instance, a clenched fist is about equal to a cup. You should aim for two clenched fists' worth of veggies (at minimum) every day. The front of a clenched fist (the knuckle side) equals about 1/2 cup - that's a portion of pasta. The end of your index finger from the first joint to the tip equals about 1 ounce of cheese. The measurements across your palm are about the same as a 3-ounce portion of meat, fish or poultry. Next week...we will go over a few simple things you can do to shave off about 200 calories every day to help you toward your goal of looking and feeling your best for the summer! Keep moving & stay positive!
If you drink soda, and want to lose weight, you HAVE to cut it out. Cut out soda, sweet tea or sugary sports drinks in favor of water or seltzer. Besides the calorie savings (at least 160 calories per can) of switching to water, you will help boost your metabolism (how fast you burn through calories all day). Science has shown that drinking just 2 eight ounce glasses of water can raise your metabolic rate by 30% for up to an hour! And remember, diet soda does NOT count here. It may not have the sugar and calories, but the artificial sweeteners and toxic chemicals in it will give you an increase in appetite by stimulating the rise of the hormone grhelin (the hunger hormone!) As we age, this hormone tends to increase and we end up emotionally eating, eating when stressed, always feeling hungry...etc. Diet soda increases this hormone so basically...if you want to lose weight, get healthier, and reduce hunger...suck it up buttercup! And ditch the diet/regular soda!!! Happy drinking!!!
Looking for some proven ways to lose weight & keep it off? Here are the top 5 ways (and most common habits among people who lose and successfully maintain their weight).
1. Eat breakfast. An impressive 96% of slim people do NOT skip the morning meal. 2. Exercise 5 times or more a week - (like taking a shower, you just do it) 3. Weigh yourself once a week to nip small weight gain fluctuations in the bud before you get to the double digits! Its much easier to lose 5 pounds than try to lose 30! 4. Don't eat mindlessly (or emotionally) 5. Use at least one " nonrestrictive" weight control strategy. (cook more at home, avoid processed foods and choose to eat clean, organic, high quality foods. Melanie's tip of the week: The 3 C's of life: Choices, Chances, Changes. You MUST make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change. |
Melanie Roofe
I'm a lovin life girl... a bit of a daredevil at times... I love my family and friends and my great clients! I learn a lot a long the way and I'd love to share what I learn with you. :-) Archives
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