Focused On Fitness with Andy Provost

2011-12-03T14:16:00.000-08:00

Your 10-Point Plan for Holiday Diet Success

By Steve Edwards

Good ol' "holiday cheer" doesn't always leave you feeling cheerful, especially when you can't fit into your little black dress or fancy-occasion suit for your upcoming holiday parties, and especially for New Year's Eve. Here's a simple 10-step plan to help you enjoy all your holiday events while you begin planning how to make your coming New Year something to celebrate. Let's start with the big picture, then count down toward a healthy New Year.

Visualize. This first step won't take long. In fact, do it right now, before reading step 9. Close your eyes for a moment and visualize yourself in a place you want to be sometime next year. This is a fantasy, so make it a good one. Imagine looking and feeling a way you've always dreamed of. Now hold on to that vision.
Target an event for next year. Think of something to focus on as a day for looking and/or feeling and/or performing your best. It can be anything from a class reunion to a triathlon to a trip to Cancun. Your goal is to find something to look forward to that will motivate you to improve between now and then.
Plan a training program. Begin by finding a monthly calendar and figure out how much time you have until your event. Next, make a loose training program. You don't have to decide exactly what to do right now. Maybe start with progress you'd like to make each month leading to the event. Then pick an exercise program (or series of programs) that'll help you achieve your goals over that time. Be realistic. It might be difficult for you to focus on exercise and diet during the holidays, so you might want to schedule yourself a bit of flexibility for now. At this point, your aim is to plant a seed in your mind to keep you focused on a bigger goal as you go through the holidays. This little extra bit of motivation will help you keep your holidays from becoming one long binge.
It's better to give than to receive. It's time to get busy. You've planted an image of success in your mind and on paper. Now you've got to get practical. Just how are you supposed to stick with an exercise program when temptation looms around every corner? Start by becoming proactive about this holiday season. Become a giver. Instead of letting the festivities come to you, where you'll have little control over them, plan them yourself. Organize your Thanksgiving dinner, help out with the company Christmas party, or plan your friends' New Year's get-together. If you're the organizer, you have a lot more control over the relative healthiness of the event. You must be reasonable, of course. You won't get the gig again if you turn Thanksgiving dinner into a tofu-and-broccoli Zen-fest, but being in charge allows you to make healthy options available. Plus you'll be busy, which'll leave you less time for indulging.
Learn to cook. The easiest way to eat healthily is to cook food yourself, because that way you know exactly what's in it. There's a wealth of information out there about healthy cooking. Once you start, you might find that it's easier than you ever imagined to cook decadently tasty yet healthy meals.
Plan to snack. Let's face it, over the next month your workplace is going to be filled with temptation. Willpower alone might not be enough. Since the easiest way to avoid these things is to be full, plan to snack throughout your day. Head to the market and fill your cart with healthy snacking options like fruit and raw veggies. Okay, this probably sounds boring, but these foods are loaded with fiber and have very few calories, so they'll fill you up without filling you out. A large apple has about the same number of calories as a tiny square of chocolate. By munching on fruits and veggies all day, you'll keep your stomach full, which will help make you far less likely to dig into the Christmas cookies. And if or when you do choose to indulge a bit, it'll be far, far easier not to overdo it.
Drink water all day long. Another way to ensure that your stomach feels full when workplace temptations present themselves is to drink one glass of water every hour during your workday. This won't just help you resist treats—it'll also keep you hydrated, which will help reduce the effects of that aprés-work holiday "cheer," alcohol.
Rise and shine! Begin each day with a few minutes devoted to yourself. Lie in bed, breathe, visualize, and contemplate your goals. By focusing each morning on something you really want, you'll get out of bed with a better outlook on the day. Then you'll be more apt to make positive choices throughout your day.
How to eat your holiday meals.
You're almost certainly going to overeat, but here are a few rules you can follow to stack the odds in favor of your figure:
- Drink a large glass of water 30 minutes prior to the meal.
- Begin with a salad. Go light on the dressing, and eat as much as you can. You probably see a pattern but, again, water and fiber are going to fill space in your stomach and make it much harder to overeat.
- Don't be shy. These meals were meant to be social and the more you talk and listen, the less you'll eat. Have you ever had a meal where you've been so involved in a conversation that you've forgotten to eat? Try making this your goal.
What to do if you blow it.
Because at some point, we all do. And you know what? It just doesn't matter. If we were perfect, life would be boring, right? Anyway, one day isn't going to hurt you. What you need to avoid is one day turning into two, then three, and so on. So on those days when you've backslid, try this nighttime ritual that'll have those little gaps in your willpower filled in before you wake up:
- Have a cup of herbal tea or drink a glass of water before bed. Herbal tea is great. It's both hydrating and calming. If you've been drinking alcohol and fear a hangover, take vitamins and drink some electrolytes. Don't worry about calories at this point. Offsetting the effects of alcohol is more important. The most common effects of a hangover result from dehydration and lack of sleep. You need nutrients and water to fight these off.
- Stretch. A few minutes of slow and easy stretching will relax you and help you begin the process of recovering from the day's activities. A scant 2 minutes is a million times better than no minutes.
- Relax and reflect. Lie in bed, focus on relaxed breathing, and take a minute to reflect on yourself and your future—then let it go. Don't think too much. You don't want to get excited, because you might lose your ability to sleep. You just want to center your thoughts and get them away from any negative associations with having "blown it." Tomorrow, as Scarlett O'Hara famously said, is another day.

2011-11-29T18:11:00.000-08:00

8 Lower-Calorie Holiday Cocktails

By Stephanie S. Saunders

Who doesn't like a good cocktail during the holidays? Sure, spending 3 days straight with your extended family might have something to do with it, but beside that, nearly everyone likes to let loose at this time of year. And there are plenty of occasions to do so. From the office holiday party to the lighting of the menorah to the various eve and morning festivities, there's no shortage of celebrations that can involve libations.

Unfortunately, most holiday cocktails tend to give the double gift of too much fat and too many calories. One cup of eggnog has 343 calories and 19 grams of fat! It's a meal in a cup, with a ton of added fat and sugar. Then there are the hot chocolates, mulled ciders, and traditional grogs that chase away the winter chill but help you hang on to the pounds. And don't forget about all the themed mixed drinks that make parties a bit more fun while making your waistline a bit more full. So how do you enjoy the fun of the holiday season without having to hide behind bulky sweaters till July? Here are 8 fun drink ideas that are lower in fat, calories, and sugar than their original versions.

Pumpkin Pie Martini.
Yeah, I know. It's as good as it sounds. There are several pumpkin liqueurs on the market, which are convenient, but add a ton of calories. By using the actual squash, you get the flavor without the calories—and, believe it or not, a little fiber in your drink.
- 6 oz. vanilla-flavored vodka
- 6 oz. canned unsweetened pumpkin
- 4 oz. fat-free condensed milk
- 4 oz. unsweetened almond milk (or fat-free milk)
- 4 Tbsp. pumpkin pie seasoning
- Ice cubes
- 6 crushed reduced-fat vanilla wafers
Place vodka and pumpkin in a bowl, and stir until pumpkin has dissolved. Stir in condensed milk and almond milk. Add seasoning and stir well. Dip rims of glasses in crushed vanilla wafers. Pour liquid over ice into glass and enjoy. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
105	1 g	2 g	6 g	< 1 g	< 1 g

Grog.
Its rich history dates back 400 years, when it used to be rationed out to sailors at sea. The big babies wouldn't drink their scurvy-preventing dose of lemon juice straight, so the powers that be dressed it up with a little rum. Since the additional ingredients only serve to make it that much tastier, it stands to reason that being "three sheets to the wind" was fairly common.
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 whole lemon peel
- 1 whole orange peel
- 4 Tbsp. sugar
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 10 oz. water
- 4 oz. golden rum
Place lemon juice, lemon peel, orange peel, sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 15 minutes, remove from heat, and slowly stir in rum. Pour though a fine strainer into mugs; place one of the cinnamon sticks in each mug as a garnish. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
118	< 1 g	< 1 g	14 g	< 1 g	< 1 g

Gingerbread Toddy.
In cold weather, a hot drink can warm you up faster than a Snuggie^® and an electric blanket. This hot toddy will make you feel warm while it makes you think you're eating gingerbread cookies. Yummy.
- 1 oz. brandy
- 1 oz. gingerbread liqueur
- Juice from 1 lemon wedge
- 8 oz. hot water
- 1 cinnamon stick
Pour first four ingredients into a preheated mug in the order listed. Garnish with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer. Makes 1 serving.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
155	< 1 g	< 1 g	11 g	< 1 g	< 1 g

Holiday Hot Chocolate.
You can obviously buy no-sugar-added hot chocolate in packages and do this the easy way. But you're no slacker. You can make homemade hot chocolate instead, which makes your house smell amazing and impresses your friends and family.
- 4 cups evaporated fat-free milk
- 1 cup fat-free milk
- 1/2 cup baking chocolate
- 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar (or use 1/3 cup agave)
- 6 oz. Frangelico^® liqueur
- 6 miniature candy canes
Combine evaporated milk, fat-free milk, chocolate, vanilla, and sugar in medium saucepan and heat on stove over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in Frangelico. Pour into mugs and garnish each with a small candy cane. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
340	16 g	2 g	45 g	6 g	3 g

Peppermint Martini.
This is perhaps the simplest and tastiest low-calorie cocktail out there. Just three ingredients and a bit of candy cane. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
- 9 oz. vanilla vodka
- 9 oz. peppermint schnapps
- 3 oz. fat-free condensed milk
- Ice
- 6 miniature candy canes
Place all liquids in a martini shaker with ice. Shake and pour into glasses. Garnish each with a candy cane. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving; not counting the candy canes):
Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
232	1 g	< 1 g	13 g	< 1 g	< 1 g

Mulled Apple Cider.
Nothing makes a house smell more like Christmas than some mulled apple cider—except maybe those overpriced candles constantly being advertised on TV. And this cider tastes better, so take that, Glade^®!
- 8 cups apple cider
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 whole cloves
- 1 navel orange, peeled and sliced crosswise
- 1 2-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger, cut into 6 slices
- 4 oz. light brandy
In a large saucepan, combine cider, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange, and ginger and simmer mixture for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add brandy to pan. Stir, then strain mixture through a fine strainer into a heatproof pitcher. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
202	< 1 g	< 1 g	37 g	< 1 g	< 1 g

Blitzen's Bliss.
Given that Blitzen is the final reindeer in the lineup, he probably gets knocked around a fair bit by the sleigh over the course of Santa's travels on Christmas Eve. But once they're done circumnavigating the globe, Blitzen comes home and has a few of these, and it's all good. Not only does he feel better, but since they have just 130 calories apiece, he doesn't feel all bloated for his Christmas dinner the next day.
- 2 cups pomegranate juice
- Juice of 2 limes
- 8 oz. vodka
- 1 tsp. peppermint extract
- 12 ice cubes
- 4 Tbsp. chopped mint leaves
- 6 miniature candy canes
Place first four ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake and pour into individual glasses. Sprinkle each with mint and garnish with candy cane. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving; not counting the candy canes):
Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
130	< 1 g	< 1 g	11 g	< 1 g	< 1 g

Sangria for Santa.
Santa really appreciates the cookies and milk. But after hundreds of years, he's over it. Want to be on the "nice" list next year? Get a little naughty. Leave some sangria by the fireplace for Santa.
- 10 green grapes, halved
- 4 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 peach, pitted and sliced
- 1 bottle white or red wine
- 1-1/2 cups white grape juice
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 2 sprigs fresh mint
Place fruit and wine in a large glass pitcher. Add juice and brandy and stir gently. Add mint and stir gently once more. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve straight or over ice. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
183	1 g	1 g	14 g	< 1 g	< 1 g

So you'd like to have a "cup of cheer" this holiday season, at least now you can enjoy it without having to wear your baggy Santa outfit for the entire month of January. Happy holidays!

8 Tips for Avoiding the Holiday Pounds

2011-11-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

8 Tips for Avoiding the Holiday Pounds

By Stephanie S. Saunders

It's that time of year. The leaves turn majestic hues of red and gold. The air becomes fresh and crisp. We can finally put an extra blanket on the bed and cuddle up with a cup of hot tea. Yes, it's fall. We just spent 8 months killing ourselves to get into that bathing suit, but now we've replaced it with a worn pair of jeans and a much more relaxed attitude towards food. After all, it's the holiday season, and no one'll notice a few extra pounds under layers of clothes. A little extra weight just gives us a New Year's resolution to focus on, right?

Wrong. According to a study by researchers at Sweden's Linköping University, those 4 weeks of celebrating can actually lead to long-term weight gain.

Essentially, the researchers took a group of healthy young people, increased their caloric intake by 70 percent, and lowered their exercise levels. They also had a control group whose diets weren't altered. At 4 weeks, the participants in the test group had gained an average of 14 pounds. After 6 months, and no longer on an increased-calorie diet, only a third of these participants had returned to their original weight. After 1 year, the test group members were each still an average of 3.3 pounds heavier. After 2 and a half years, the "gluttonous" group continued to gain, while the control group still maintained a stable weight.

Now, most of us don't increase our calories that drastically for 30 days straight. Sure, there's Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving leftovers, Hanukkah, the work Christmas party, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day, not to mention the extra sweets, cocktails, and (ahem) fruitcake. But according to the New England Journal of Medicine, the actual average weight gain over the holidays is only 1 pound. (They obviously didn't poll my family or friends.) So what's the big deal? The problem is, a year later, the vast majority of people have not removed that pound. Continue this pattern over 30 or 40 holiday seasons and the problem becomes—quite literally—huge.

So how are we supposed to get through the holidays without gaining weight? Here are eight effective ways to get yourself ready to beat the holiday bulge.

Buy clothes that fit right now. This first tip might be a bit pricy, but it's a great motivational aid in staving off weight gain. A new addition to your wardrobe in a size that shows off your summer body can be all you need to prevent those extra pounds from creeping on. Imagine that beautiful holiday dress or great pair of pants, then imagine being unable to zip them up thanks to sugar cookies. Yeah, no one wants that. So before you begin the festivities, go buy yourself something perfect to wear to your parties and hang it someplace visible, so it serves as a constant reminder. Perhaps on that treadmill that might be starting to collect a little dust in the corner, or on your refrigerator door . . . that way, if it doesn't fit quite the same way the next time you try to slip into it, you know it's time to get back to work.
Write it down. We try to write down everything we eat, right? We spend countless hours each month staring at a food diary, adding up our calories, and seeing if we got the correct balance of macronutrients. And then the holidays happen, and our little book ends up in the bottom drawer. It's almost like we're hoping that if we didn't write it down, it didn't happen. Unfortunately, the scale doesn't fit in that bottom drawer. The truth is, if we would write down the not-so-perfect meals and treats, we could find a way to compensate for them, at least a bit. For example, you have a peppermint brownie in the break room at work, which you know is carbohydrates and fat. Eat one less portion of carbohydrate and one less portion of fat for your dinner. It's not ideal, but it'll help. Or perhaps you couldn't resist Mom's homemade scones for breakfast. You could plan on an extra 20 or 30 minutes of your workout tonight. The point is, if we write it down, and do the math, we can lessen the damage. It isn't a good long-term plan, but to help compensate for a few slip-ups, it can help.
Keep exercising. Most fitness trainers will tell you the slowest point of their year is between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Sure, their clients schedule workouts with the best of intentions, but then they cancel them for parties and gift shopping. It's hard to remain balanced when you have a million things to do and gifts to buy. Yet the greatest gift you can give yourself is to stay focused on your fitness goals and get your workout in. Shopping getting in the way? Do it online and save some time. Parties getting in the way? Just show up later. Who cares if everyone else is a couple of cocktails ahead of you? You'll be healthier, and you won't have to worry about the embarrassing YouTube^® videos in the morning. Just stay consistent, even if it's inconvenient. You'll be much less likely to look like Santa (both belly-wise and red-nose-wise) at the end of the month.
Eat before parties. Most holiday parties don't focus on low-fat, low-calorie refreshments, so unless you're organizing the event, the best damage control is to show up with a full tummy. Make sure you eat your meals and snacks throughout the day, and try to eat a healthy meal before attending any party. If you're going straight from work, prepare a healthy and filling snack to eat on the way. You'll be a lot less likely to swim in mayonnaise dips and pigs in blankets if you're full.
Get junk out of the house. The majority of people don't get into their car at midnight, drive to the store, buy the ingredients for cookies, bake them, and then stay up to eat them. But if those homemade cookies that Linda in accounting made for you are already on your kitchen counter, you better believe you'll find a way to justify it. Frankly, at 12:30 AM, after a rotten day, for most of us there's nothing like a few cookies to drown our sorrows. The secret is to get the garbage out of the house. Send it to work with your significant other, donate it to a bake sale, re-gift it to your 100-pound friend with the perfect metabolism, or just dump it in the trash. Linda will never know. If you have holiday dinner leftovers, box them up for your guests individually and send them home with them. If your family still sends you that Pepperidge Farm^® cookie assortment, invite a bunch of people over for a pre-party party and serve 'em up before the drinks. Try not to be wasteful, but get the less-than-healthy temptations out of your reach.
Offer to prepare healthy fare. This suggestion won't be well received by those of us who'd rather spend Thanksgiving sitting around watching football than toiling in the kitchen, but if you do the cooking, you have the control. Your family could have a tasty and satisfying meal without ingesting thousands of calories and fat grams. The way the turkey is prepared, the type of stuffing, how vegetables are made, whether the cranberries are real, and countless other things can make or break the healthiness of a meal. There are tons of cookbooks out there that can help you out. Yes, it does require a bit of work. But you can do anything if you set your mind to it!
Choose wisely and proportionally. Something occurs during a holiday meal. It's like a Las Vegas buffet—we feel like we have to eat some of everything. We feel almost like those foods will never exist again, and this is our last meal on the planet. This year, why not try to eat only your favorites, as in two or three items, and keep the portions to the size of your palm? If you're still hungry, try to fill up on veggies (preferably ones that aren't drowned in butter or cream-of-mushroom soup). If you want dessert, lean toward a small slice of pumpkin pie (220 calories) as opposed to pecan (a heftier 543), leaving out the hydrogenated nondairy whipped topping if possible. If you're going to have an alcoholic beverage, go with a flute of champagne (100 calories) as opposed to that rum-laced eggnog (with more than four times more calories, at 420). Just a few wise choices will save you a ton of calories, and probably a significant amount of heartburn as well.
Don't beat yourself up. Quite possibly the worst thing you can do is beat yourself up over a bit of holiday indulgence. Yes, it does stink to backslide after working your tail off. But sometimes it doesn't stink as much as dealing with your mother when you turn down her brisket and potato pancakes. Sometimes, we don't have time to go to work, buy a Christmas tree, decorate it with our kids, make dinner, oversee homework, tuck kids in bed, and spend an hour doing a workout of choice. We can only do our very best. Mentally beating yourself up will only make you feel worse, which never helped anyone get back to their fitness program. So if you happen to gain that 1 extra pound this holiday season, be part of the rare group who actually follows through with their New Year's resolution and manages to shed it again. A week of hard work and a slight calorie deficit should do the trick. Resolutions don't come easier than that!

A wise person once said, "The toughest part of a diet isn't watching what you eat. It's watching what other people eat." That really is the crux of the problem with dining out in public. When you're surrounded by people who are consuming the equivalent of their body weight in fat grams, it's really tough to stick to that chicken breast and steamed veggies. But if you have a game plan, you're more likely to walk out with both a satisfied tummy and a satisfied mind. So spend a few minutes on researching, on eating, and on exercising beforehand, and be strong when you get there. The effort will be worth it, and you might even be an inspiration to your dining partner. What greater reward is there than that? Oh, yeah—a six-pack.

Top 10 Inspirational Fitness Films

2011-11-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Inspirational Fitness Films

By Steve Edward

One of the reasons we go to the movies is their ability to transport us to another time or place. They're like an amusement park ride with costumes. Beyond pure escapism, they also have the power to motivate. Since films compress time, we get to see the effects of great acts without having to do them ourselves. But movies also have the power to transcend their medium and become part of our real world. For better or for worse, they've become one of the strongest educational and motivational tools we have.

Enter the sports film. Since the day we first saw Rocky Balboa running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Hollywood has been trying to upstage him. Prior to the release of Rocky in 1976, a sports-related movie was expected to be socially relevant. After the Rock went 15 rounds with the champ, then to the Oscars, it became apparent that this was no longer the case. A sports film no longer needed to be "serious." If it made you leave the theater wanting to cheer, it was a job well done and money in the bank.

This article, though, is about fitness, not sports. So let's focus on films that'll make you want to be fit. The Natural is a great sports film, but it's unlikely that any trips you make to the batting cages after seeing it are going to change your waistline significantly. These films should make you want to burn calories, sculpt your body, and chug raw eggs for breakfast. (Well, two out of three ain't bad.)

So without further ado—drumroll, please—here are our top fitness movies of all time.

Without Limits (1998). The story of American running legend Steve Prefontaine is great on many levels, with plenty of social relevance, but it's also tough to watch without feeling like "going out for an easy 10." A biography, and hence not a definitive sports film, but you can't help feeling Pre's passion to run, and even more, to push his body to the brink of its limits.
Best training moment you might miss: The scene where he tries on some prototype shoes, goes for a run, and doesn't come back for hours.
Quote: "Is there anything worse than coming in second?"
Other films in genre: There are many films about running or runners. Here are some you may have missed:The Jericho Mile (1979), On the Edge (1985), and Personal Best (1982).
Hoosiers (1986). This story of a small-town basketball team that overachieves (not wanting to give too much away) is often considered the best sports movie of all time. While it's not a definitive training film, it's hard to watch it and not feel like doing something. It does have the "anything is possible" message going for it. Plus it's true.
Best training moment you might miss: Jimmy Chitwood shooting around at sunset, even though he's vowed not to play.
Quote: "I'll make it."
Other films in genre: There are a ton of good hoop films. Don't miss Heart of the Game (2005), Coach Carter(2005), One on One (1977), and Soul in the Hole (1998).
Blue Crush (2002). Though marketed as "hot chicks in bikinis" fluff, this is a hardcore sports film. It's formulaic, in a Top Gun–sorta way, but the main character is driven, conflicted, and well played by Kate Bosworth. It also gives a decent account of what it's like trying to follow the dream of living as a surfer in Hawaii.
Best training moment you might miss: Don't walk in late. The opening scene is worth the price of admission alone.
Quote: "Train Hard. Go Big." Not actually said, but written on the protagonist's mirror in lipstick.
Other films in genre: An embarrassing genre from the Hollywood perspective (Gidget, Ride the Wild Surf, Point Break). Big Wednesday (1978) is a lone gem, and it's not really about surfing. Instead, rent the documentaries Riding Giants (2004) and Endless Summer (1966).
Goal! (2005). A young Mexican kid living illegally in L.A. gets a chance to try out with a Premier League soccer club. Simple plot, with obvious tension-building elements, moving towards huge obstacles to overcome while surmounting incalculable odds—now this is a sports movie! It also happens to be well acted, well shot, and the characters are not necessarily stereotypical. An easy film to watch that will assure you that your life could be harder and that you should make the most of it. (Two sequels were made—Goal! II and Goal! III—but unfortunately they get progressively less inspiring.)
Best training moment you might miss: Like I said, it's an obvious film, but there's a scene where he's practicing on the beach that evokes his passion for soccer, which makes a nice contrast to all the more overt face-down-in-the-muck sort of stuff
Quote: "I don't know where home is." "Yeah, ya do. It's green an' it's got a goalpost at each end."
Other films in genre: Though soccer is the most popular sport in the world, we don't have much to choose from. Notables include Bend It Like Beckham (2002), A Shot at Glory (2000), and Victory (1981).
Enter the Dragon (1973). Before Hollywood figured out sports films, it figured out that people would watch movies if the stars were fit. The guy they learned it from was Bruce Lee. This low-budget film out of Hong Kong pretty much changed American film and created a brand-new genre, the martial arts film. Actually, when you think about how commonplace martial arts are now, it pretty much changed the world. Anyway, Bruce Lee only made a few films, and this is by far the best. If it doesn't make you desire greater fitness, nothing will.
Best training moment you might miss: It's impossible to miss any training moments in this film.
Quote: "Don't think. Feel. It is like a finger pointing away to the moon. Do not concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory."
Other films in genre: Oh, about a million. Most of them are unwatchable but virtually all feature a lot of training. Pick your favorite beefcake. Here are three you probably haven't seen: Drunken Master II (1994), Iron Monkey (1993), and Billy Jack (1971). Unfortunately, there's never been a female counterpart to Bruce Lee in the U.S., but Cynthia Rothrock was a big star in Hong Kong for years. Check with Netflix^® and pick the films with the best ratings.
Pumping Iron (1977). This documentary did two things: It made bodybuilding a mainstream activity, and it made Arnold Schwarzenegger a star. It's both interesting and motivating to see these guys, who were basically fitness test pilots, devoting their lives to what at the time was an esoteric pursuit with little chance of fame or reward.
Best training moment you might miss: When Arnold walks onto the stage, looking serious, and slowly breaks into a grin. This is a guy at the top of his game.
Quote: "Remember, if you are training hard, he may be training twice as hard. You just gotta keep coming back stronger."
Other films in genre: Pumping Iron II: The Women (1985). Not a real popular genre, though I guess you could add any sword-and-sorcery movie to this list. At least these guys found a way to make money after all that time in the gym.
Breaking Away (1979). A film about how a group of working-class kids' lives change when one of them wins a bike and starts to win races. A great film that's not really about training, but has many outstanding training scenes. Paul Dooley, as Dave's father, steals the show. Not to be missed, training or no training.
Best training moment you might miss: Riding the rollers in a car wash while eating an apple. Don't try this at home!
Quote: "I know eye-tie food when I hear it! It's all them 'eenie' foods . . . zucchini . . . and linguini . . . and fettuccine. I want some American food, dammit! I want French fries!"
Other films in genre: American Flyers (1985). Other than that, we're still waiting for the movie about Major Taylor. Maybe rent some old Tour de France videos or, if you're completely jonesing for some velo action, tryQuicksilver (1986) or Rad (1987).
Chariots of Fire (1981). Film about some British runners; it won the Oscar for Best Picture. A great film in many ways, but it will inspire even the most sedentary of us to run "like the wind."
Best training moment you might miss: Not training, but motivation for training, is when Abrams is sitting in the stands after losing and visualizing the race he's just lost.
Quote: "When I run, I feel God's pleasure."
Other films in genre: See Without Limits (1998).
Rocky (1976). Yeah, sure, we all make fun of the Rock now. But it's important to remember that back before those Roman numerals, Mr. T, and Ivan Drago came along (and before the climactic scene of one movie was a bar fight), Rocky was the quintessential American hero. A few years back, it spawned The Contender, anAmerican Idol-like reality show that tried to create a real-life Rocky. Well, I knew Rocky Balboa. And that show was no Rocky. Adriaaaaaan!
Best training moment you might miss: Rocky running up the stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. (Just kidding.)
Quote: "He doesn't know it's a damn show! He thinks it's a damn fight!"
Other films in genre: There are a lot of great boxing movies, all of which feature a lot of training. However, most of them aren't great endorsements of the sport. Three great boxing films that won't make you want to step into a ring with Apollo Creed anytime soon are Raging Bull (1980), The Harder They Fall (1956), Fat City (1972), and The Fighter (2010).
Vision Quest (1985). A quirky film about a wrestler trying to cut weight so he can challenge a guy nobody else can beat. It had too many offbeat characters to become a mainstream hit, but no other movie conveys motivation like Vision Quest. If you think losing weight is hard, watching Louden Swain not eat and run around Spokane in a rubber suit in between trying to fight off opponents, nosebleeds, and raging teenage hormones is just the "my life doesn't seem so bad" accountability you're looking for. You're on a vision quest, man!
Best training moment you might miss: I doubt you'll miss it, but when Louden warms up for his big match, then busts through the doors to the cheering audience, it makes me want to train until I pass out. In fact, I think I'll go watch it right now.
Quote: "It's not about the 6 minutes. It's what happens in those 6 minutes."

20 Secrets of Very Fit People

2011-10-31T11:42:00.001-07:00

20 Secrets of Very Fit People

By Chalene Johnson

Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often. Water should always be your drink of choice. To kick things up every once in a while, try adding lemon, lime, cucumber, or a few berries to liven up the flavor without adding significant calories.
Look at exercise as a pleasure and a privilege, not a burden or chore. Think positively about the changes regular exercise will produce. Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited about your next workout!
Eat well-balanced meals and remember that excess calories, even if they're from food that's fat free and high in protein, will turn to excess weight. No matter what the latest fad diet says, extra calories equal extra weight!
Limit caffeine and exposure to even secondhand smoke.
Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise.
Keep a daily log of what you're actually eating. This includes every time you grab a handful of chips here or eat the crust of your kid's sandwich there, and ALL of your snacking.
Enjoy an occasional (once a week) "unhealthy" treat, but never an unhealthy week or unhealthy vacation.
Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friends to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who want to feel better and have more energy. Have a neighbor who's sitting on the porch every morning when you walk by? Ask him or her to join you on your walk!
Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising, or using things that keep you motivated and inspired, like new shoes or great music.
Subscribe to fitness magazines to keep focused on health as an overall way of life.
Invest in the right tools—good shoes, a portable MP3 player or iPod^®, fitness equipment, a new series of tapes, etc.
Make it your goal to do some form of exercise 6 or 7 days a week. If some days you exercise once in the morning and once in the evening, even better! If you're eating right, exercise will fuel your energy level!
Don't compare your body to others'. Instead, work to be your personal best.
If your diet is unbalanced, take daily vitamin and mineral supplements for total health.
Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity.
Create an exercise schedule the day before instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to "find" the time. If our last three Presidents of the United States can make time to work out every day, you can make time too!
Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness. Measure success by the way your clothes fit, not some number on a scale.
Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely. Remember that no matter how hard you're working out, if you're consuming too many calories, you'll never see the muscles that lie beneath layers of fatty tissue.
Get adequate amounts of sleep, but remember that people who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
Limit alcohol intake to special occasions

10 Fit Foods for Fall

2011-10-18T04:05:00.000-07:00

10 Fit Foods for Fall

By Joe Wilkes

We all know the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. They contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients to help keep our bodies running in peak condition. Study after study shows that people who consume the most fruits and veggies are less at risk for a host of illnesses, including heart disease and cancer. Because of this, farmers' markets have cropped up all over, and supermarkets have expanded their produce sections to accommodate increased demand. In some places, fast-food restaurants have given way to community garden plots. The garden on the White House's South Lawn has proved to be a great success in its third season.

The best fruits and vegetables to eat are ones that are in season and grown locally. Crops are more bountiful during their natural harvest times, and your pocketbook benefits from the surplus. Plus if you buy locally, you won't incur the economic cost of food being transported to your store from far-off places, and the planet won't incur the environmental cost of fossil fuels being burned to ship that food. But even if money were no object and global warming weren't an issue, the best reason to eat locally and seasonally is taste: The sooner you eat a fruit or vegetable after it's picked, the fresher it'll be, and the more pleasing it'll be to your palate.

The following 10 foods are reaching their seasonal peaks, and they're available locally in most regions of the United States.

Apples. An apple a day can keep the doctor away in more ways than one. Studies have shown that the nutrients found in apples can help lower cholesterol, manage diabetes, and prevent several diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, and asthma. Make sure you don't peel the apple though, because the peel contains quercetin, an antioxidant shown in a Finnish study to help reduce the risk of heart disease and inhibit tumor growth. Additionally, apple skin contains insoluble fiber, and the fruit's flesh contains pectin, a soluble fiber. While apples are great on their own, they're also yummy and crunchy when added to salads, and sweet and tasty when baked in desserts.
Corn. Generally, our society eats way too much corn. It's in almost every food we eat, especially in its most nefarious form—high fructose corn syrup. It's easily America's number-one crop. But fall is the time when we get the harvest of the tastiest sweet corn. Besides being delicious, in its unprocessed state it's actually quite healthy. A food study at Cornell University showed that ferulic acid, an antioxidant produced when sweet corn is cooked, can also be helpful in fighting heart disease and cancer. Plus corn is a good source of vitamins B1, B5, and C; folate; and fiber. Besides eating it on the cob, try corn in salads or as a colorful, crunchy addition to salsa.
Cucumbers. Some people never see cucumbers until they've been pickled, sliced, and added to two all-beef patties and a sesame seed bun. However, in their fresh, unpickled state, cucumbers are very low in calories (just 4 calories per ounce), are a natural diuretic, and are thought to help in the prevention of pancreatic, liver, and kidney diseases. Cucumbers also contain potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Their skin contains silica, which helps strengthen the body's connective tissue. And cucumbers aren't just for eating; the juice makes a great skin lotion. Those spa ladies with cucumber slices on their eyes aren't doing it for nothing. Cucumber juice reduces swelling, and not just for under-eye bags—also for burns and skin disorders.

One tasty way to enjoy cucumbers is my Russian grandmother's simple recipe of thinly sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced onion, low-fat yogurt, and chopped dill. (She actually used sour cream, too, but we won't go there.)
Eggplant. Eggplant contains lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and also high levels of antioxidants, including nasunin, which has been shown to help protect cells from free radical damage. Eggplant also contains terpenes, which are believed to help lower cholesterol. Eggplant is a very versatile ingredient in all kinds of cooking, including Italian, Indian, and Chinese dishes. It can be baked, stewed, or sautéed, among other cooking methods. One thing to watch out for is that the flesh of the eggplant is highly absorptive, so if you fry it in oil, it'll soak it all up. One helpful technique is to lightly salt sliced eggplant, let it sit for a half hour, and rinse the salt off before cooking it. This will cause the cell structure of the eggplant to contract, making it a little less spongy. My mom's been dealing with a bumper crop of eggplant from her backyard garden and has been putting eggplant in everything. A recent success was replacing the pasta in her favorite lasagna recipe with thinly sliced eggplant. It absorbed the tomato sauce instead of the oil and made the dish richer and creamier.
Grapes. There's been much written about the benefits of wine, but you don't have to get loaded to get the benefits of grapes. In their unfermented state, they're a great source of vitamins A, B6, and C; folate; potassium; calcium; magnesium; zinc; and fiber. Like apples, they contain the antioxidant quercitin. They also contain resveratrol, which has been shown to help prevent blood clots and protect arteries from free radical damage. Generally speaking, the darker the grape, the higher the antioxidant levels. Grapes are great snacks that are low in calories. They're great when added to salads, or you can freeze them for a frosty treat.
Okra. This may be the most intimidating ingredient on this list. Many people are put off by okra's bristly outside and somewhat slimy inside, but it has a lot of health benefits that should make you take a second look. It's full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. And it has great gastrointestinal benefits. Its high mucilage content, which thickens stews and gumbos, also helps absorb cholesterol, toxins, and bile, and has a gentle laxative effect. Its seeds contain amino acids and protein. Plus it's believed to be good for the skin and hair. (It's been said that Cleopatra ate okra as part of her beauty regimen.) Okra is great in soups and stews, or lightly sautéed as a side dish.
Pears. This is my favorite fall food. The biggest, juiciest pears start showing up in farmers' markets right about now. Besides being a great source of stains on my shirts, they have high levels of vitamins C and K, copper, and fiber. They contain even more of the soluble fiber pectin than apples, which can play an important part in digestive health and in lowering cholesterol. Pears have also been shown to reduce kidney inflammation and colitis. Asian pears, which are crunchy, like apples, are also in season now and contain the health benefits of both fruits. Pears are great plain, broiled, or poached. Plus Asian pears can be shredded as a healthy addition to a slaw.
Peppers. Whether you like them spicy or sweet, now is prime pepper-picking time. Fiber-rich peppers have high levels of vitamins A, C, and K; red peppers have the most. Red peppers, like tomatoes, are also good sources of lycopene, which studies show may be linked to cancer prevention. Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which has been shown to help prevent ulcers and lower cholesterol. Plus hot peppers can help ramp up your metabolism. I can't think of many dishes that couldn't be improved with a little peppery zip. Soups, stir-fries, salads . . . I even had some chocolate cayenne ice cream that was pretty good.
Raspberries. Raspberries are some of the healthiest—but priciest—berries out there. So now, when they're in season, is the most economical time to enjoy them. Raspberries contain several flavonoids called anthocyanins, believed to have antimicrobial properties, which can help prevent fungal and yeast infections and aid with irritable bowel syndrome. A Netherlands study showed that raspberries contain 10 times as many antioxidants as tomatoes. Like apples and pears, they also contain high levels of pectin. While they're great as snacks and desserts, think about trying them in salads too.
Tomatoes. The big new star of the tomato nutritional profile is lycopene. This carotenoid has increasingly been shown to be a powerful antioxidant that may play a big role in preventing cancer and heart disease. They're also great sources of vitamin C. And for those of you who don't care for raw tomatoes (as George Carlin said, they look like they're in the larval stage), tomatoes lose very little of their nutritional value when cooked. So they can be enjoyed stewed, in sauce, and even as ketchup (although we recommend a ketchup free of high fructose corn syrup and low in sodium). This is a prime time to seek out tomatoes at the farmers' market. Especially exotic are the heirloom varieties that come in yellows, greens, purples, browns, and reds. They can make a beautiful multicolored and antioxidant-rich salad.

If you can't get to the farmers' market, just can't stand eating fruits and vegetables, or don't have the time to get your recommended number of servings each day, fear not. Try out a protien/carb shake from your local Nutrition Ctr. Usually a 50/50 blend or 70/30 carb to protein ratio will suffice for a meal. Shoot for 400-500 calories for a meal replacement or 200-300 for a snack.

9 Foods Not to Give Your Kids

2011-10-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

9 Foods Not to Give Your Kids

By Joe Wilkes

If you've followed the news on childhood obesity lately, you know the state of affairs is pretty grim. Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the past two decades, and most signs point to the next generation being the first whose life expectancy will be shorter than their parents'. Much of the blame for this trend has deservedly been laid at the feet of the producers and marketers of unhealthy food aimed at our youngest consumers, whose parents face an uphill battle: trying to pit fresh, healthy foods devoid of mascots or sidekicks against superheroes and cartoon animals in a struggle to tempt their children's palates and stomachs.

Since most kids have hummingbird metabolisms that adults can only envy, it's often easy to give them a free pass and let them eat whatever they want. But eventually those metabolisms slow down and the pounds settle in. Also, as physical activity decreases and processed food intake increases annually, kids aren't burning calories the way their parents might have when they were their age. And even if the kids aren't getting fat, they are establishing eating habits they'll take into adulthood. As parents, you can help foster a love for healthy eating and exercise that will last your kids a lifetime—hopefully a long one!

Eating can so often be a classic power struggle where kids try to finally locate their mom and dad's last nerve. (I can remember family dinners with my brother and parents that could teach Hezbollah a thing or two about standoffs.) There are a number of strategies you can use to mitigate this type of deadlock. One is to let your kids help with the selection and preparation of the food. If they picked out the veggies at the farmers' market and helped cook them, they might be less inclined to feed them to the family pet. Another is to frame eating vegetables and healthy food as being its own reward. Otherwise, by offering dessert as a reward for finishing vegetables, you create a system where unhealthy food is a treat and healthy food sucks. With these thoughts in mind, let's take a look at some of the unhealthiest foods being marketed to your kids today, and some healthier alternatives you can offer to replace each of them.

Note: The following recommendations are for school-aged children. Infants and toddlers have different specific nutritional needs not addressed in this article.

Chicken nuggets/tenders. These popular kids' menu items are little nuggets of compressed fat, sodium, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and some form of chicken. Depending on the restaurant, chicken might not even be the first ingredient. Oftentimes, the nuggets or tenders are made of ground pieces of chicken meat and skin, pressed into a shape, flavored with HFCS and salt, and batter-fried in hydrogenated oil (the bad, trans-fatty stuff). Then, as if that weren't unhealthy enough, you dunk it in a HFCS- or mayonnaise-based sauce. With all the fat, salt, and sugar, it's easy to understand why they're tasty, but the nutritive value weighed against the huge amount of calories and fat consumed is incredibly lacking. Even healthier-sounding menu items can be deceiving, like McDonald's^® Premium Breast Strips (5 pieces), which pack 640 calories and 38 grams of fat—and that's before you factor in the dipping sauce. (By comparison, a Big Mac^®with sauce has 540 calories and 29 grams of fat.)
Instead: If you're cooking at home, grill a chicken breast and cut it into dipping-size pieces either with a knife or, for extra fun, cookie cutters. Make a healthy dipping sauce from HFCS-free ketchup, marinara sauce, mustard, or yogurt. Let your kids help make the shapes or mix up the sauce. Try and go without breading, but if you must, try dipping the chicken breast in a beaten egg, and then rolling it in cornflake crumbs before you bake it. It'll be crunchy and delicious, but not as fatty.
Sugary cereal. I can remember as a child, after going to friends' houses for overnights and being treated to breakfast cereals with marshmallows that turned the milk fluorescent pink or blue, feeling horribly deprived when faced with the less colorful and sugary options served up in my home kitchen. But now I can appreciate my mom and her unpopular brans and granolas. True, they didn't have any cartoon characters on the box or any toy surprises, but they also didn't have the cups of sugar, grams of fat, and hundreds of empty calories that these Saturday-morning staples are loaded with.
Instead: Read the labels and try to find cereal that's low in sugar and high in fiber and whole grains. Remember, "wheat" is not the same as "whole wheat." Also, avoid cereals (including some granolas) that have hydrogenated oils, artificial colors, or chemical preservatives. Add raisins, sliced bananas, berries, or other seasonal fruit to the cereal for extra flavor and nutrition. Again, letting your child help design a healthy bowl of cereal from choices you provide will get you a little more buy-in at the breakfast table.
Lunch meat and hot dogs. Kids love hot dogs, bologna, and other processed meats, but these are all full of potentially carcinogenic nitrates and nitrites, sodium, saturated fat, and artificial colors and fillers. A study in Los Angeles found that kids who ate 12 hot dogs a month had 9 times the risk of developing leukemia.¹ And more health risks are being discovered all the time. Leaf through any research about kids' nutrition, and you're bound to read about the bane of the cafeteria—Oscar Mayer's Lunchables^®. These and similar prepackaged lunches are loaded with processed meats and crackers made with hydrogenated oils. These innocent-looking meals can boast fat counts of up to 38 grams. That's as much fat as a Burger King^® Whopper^®and more than half the recommended daily allowance of fat for an adult.
Instead: Get unprocessed meats, like lean turkey breast, chicken, tuna, or roast beef. Use whole wheat bread for sandwiches; or if your kid's dying for Lunchables, fill a small plastic container with whole-grain, low-fat crackers, lean, unprocessed meat, and low-fat cheese. This can be another great time to get out the cookie cutters to make healthy sandwiches more fun. For hot dogs, read labels carefully. Turkey dogs are usually a good bet, but some are pumped up with a fair amount of chemicals and extra fat to disguise their fowl origins. Look for low levels of fat, low sodium, and a list of ingredients you recognize. There are some tasty veggie dogs on the market, although a good deal of trial and error may be involved for the choosy child.
Juice and juice-flavored drinks. Juice—what could be wrong with juice? While 100 percent juice is a good source of vitamin C, it doesn't have the fiber of whole fruit, and provides calories mostly from sugar and carbohydrates. Too much juice can lead to obesity and tooth decay, among other problems. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests 4 to 6 ounces of juice per day for kids under 6, and 8 to 12 ounces for older kids. Juice drinks that aren't 100 percent juice are usually laced with artificial colors and that old standby, high fructose corn syrup, and should be avoided. Your best bet is to make your own juice from fresh, seasonal fruit. You won't have to worry about all the additives, and it's another way you can involve your kids in the cooking process. Let them design their own juice "cocktail."
Instead: Water is still the best thirst quencher. Explain the importance of good hydration to your kids, and try to set a good example yourself by carrying around a healthy reusable hard plastic or stainless steel water bottle. Get your kids used to carrying a small bottle of water in their backpack or attached to their bike. If they're very water averse, try water with a splash of fruit juice in it. But just a splash. The idea is to get your kids used to not having things be overly sweet, overly salty, or overly fatty. Another great beverage is milk. Growing kids need plenty of milk (or fortified nondairy milks, like soy or almond)—which is filled with nutrients, calcium, and (in the case of dairy and soy) protein—but they don't need too much fat, so choosing low-fat or nonfat options will help ensure that they get their milk without actually beginning to resemble a cow.
French fries. High in calories, high in fat, and high in sodium—and unsurprisingly the most popular "vegetable" among kids. Fries offer virtually none of the nutrients found in broccoli, carrots, spinach, or other veggies not cooked up in a deep fryer, and the fat they're fried in is often trans fat, the unhealthiest kind for the heart. To top it all off, studies are beginning to show cancer-causing properties from acrylamide, a toxic substance that is created when starchy foods like potatoes are heated to extreme temperatures. In some tests, the amount of acrylamide in French fries was 300 to 600 times higher than the amount the EPA allows in a glass of water.²
Instead: Vegetables like baby carrots, celery sticks, and other crudités are great options, but if potatoes must be had, there are some options that don't involve melting a brick of fat. A scooped-out potato skin with low-fat chili and a little cheese can provide lots of fiber and vitamins, with even higher amounts if the chili has beans. You can also try making baked fries, using slices of potato with a light brushing of olive oil. Or the classic baked potato could be a hit, with plain yogurt or cottage cheese instead of sour cream and butter.
Potato chips, Cheetos^®, Doritos^®, etc. These are full of fat, oftentimes saturated, and way more sodium than any child or adult should eat. Some chips also have the acrylamide problem discussed in #5, French fries, above. Also, watch out for innocent-seeming baked and low-fat chips that contain olestra or other fake fats and chemicals that could present health issues for kids.
Instead: Kids gotta snack, and in fact, since their stomachs are smaller, they aren't usually able to go as long between meals as adults. Cut-up vegetables are the best thing if your kids want to get their crunch on, but air-popped popcorn and some baked chips are okay, too. You can control how much salt goes on the popcorn, or involve your child in experimenting with other toppings like red pepper, Parmesan cheese, or dried herbs. Try making your own trail mix with your kids. They might be more excited to eat their own personal blend, and that way you can avoid certain store-bought trail mixes, which sometimes contain ingredients like chocolate chips and marshmallows that aren't exactly on the healthy snack trail.
Fruit leather. Many of these gelatinous snacks like roll-ups or fruit bites contain just a trace amount of fruit, but lots of sugar or HFCS and bright artificial colors. Don't be misled by all the products that include the word "fruit" on their box. Real fruit is in the produce section, not the candy aisle.
Instead: If your child doesn't show interest in fruit in its natural state, there are some ways you can make it more interesting without losing its nutritional value. For a healthy frozen treat, try filling ice-cube or frozen-pop trays with fruit juice, or freezing grapes. Or buy unflavored gelatin and mix it with fruit juice and/or pieces of fruit to make gelatin treats without the added sugar and color (let it solidify in big flat casserole dishes or roasting pans—another good time for the cookie cutters!) Try serving some raisins, dried apricots, apples, peaches, or other dried fruits that might give you that chewy, leathery texture without the sugar.
Doughnuts. These little deep-fried gobs of joy are favorites for kids and adults alike, but they are full of fat and trans-fatty acids, and of course, sugar. Toaster pastries, muffins, and cinnamon buns aren't much better. The worst thing about doughnuts and these other pastries, aside from their nutritional content, is that they're often presented to children as acceptable breakfast choices. These delicious deadlies need to be categorized properly—as desserts, to be eaten very sparingly. And you can't have dessert for breakfast.
Instead: Honestly, a slice of whole wheat toast spread with sugar-free fruit spread or peanut butter isn't going to get as many fans as a chocolate-filled Krispy Kreme^® doughnut, but at some point, you have to stand firm. Be the cop who doesn't like doughnuts. Doughnuts—not for breakfast. Period.
Pizza. In moderation, pizza can be a fairly decent choice. If you order the right toppings, you can get in most of your food groups. The problem comes with processed meats like pepperoni and sausage, which add fat and nitrates/nitrites (see #3, Lunch meat and hot dogs, above); and the overabundance of cheese, which will also provide more calories and fat than a child needs.
Instead: Try making your own pizza with your kids. Use premade whole wheat crusts, or whole wheat tortillas, English muffins, or bread as a base. Then brush on HFCS-free sauce, and set up a workstation with healthy ingredients like diced chicken breast, sliced turkey dogs, and vegetables that each child can use to build his or her own pizza. Then sprinkle on a little cheese, bake, and serve. If your child gets used to eating pizza like this, delivery pizzas may seem unbearably greasy after awhile.

Someday your children will come to realize that caped men in tights and sponges who live under the sea might not have their best interests at heart when it comes to food. Until then, however, why not involve them in the process of selecting and preparing healthier alternatives? Some of these cleverly disguised wholesome foods might become their favorites. Who knows, they may even tempt some of the overgrown children among us!

10 Fit Foods for Fall

2011-10-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

10 Fit Foods for Fall

By Joe Wilkes

The following 10 foods are reaching their seasonal peaks, and they're available locally in most regions of the United States.

Apples. An apple a day can keep the doctor away in more ways than one. Studies have shown that the nutrients found in apples can help lower cholesterol, manage diabetes, and prevent several diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, and asthma. Make sure you don't peel the apple though, because the peel contains quercetin, an antioxidant shown in a Finnish study to help reduce the risk of heart disease and inhibit tumor growth. Additionally, apple skin contains insoluble fiber, and the fruit's flesh contains pectin, a soluble fiber. While apples are great on their own, they're also yummy and crunchy when added to salads, and sweet and tasty when baked in desserts.
Corn. Generally, our society eats way too much corn. It's in almost every food we eat, especially in its most nefarious form—high fructose corn syrup. It's easily America's number-one crop. But fall is the time when we get the harvest of the tastiest sweet corn. Besides being delicious, in its unprocessed state it's actually quite healthy. A food study at Cornell University showed that ferulic acid, an antioxidant produced when sweet corn is cooked, can also be helpful in fighting heart disease and cancer. Plus corn is a good source of vitamins B1, B5, and C; folate; and fiber. Besides eating it on the cob, try corn in salads or as a colorful, crunchy addition to salsa.
Cucumbers. Some people never see cucumbers until they've been pickled, sliced, and added to two all-beef patties and a sesame seed bun. However, in their fresh, unpickled state, cucumbers are very low in calories (just 4 calories per ounce), are a natural diuretic, and are thought to help in the prevention of pancreatic, liver, and kidney diseases. Cucumbers also contain potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. Their skin contains silica, which helps strengthen the body's connective tissue. And cucumbers aren't just for eating; the juice makes a great skin lotion. Those spa ladies with cucumber slices on their eyes aren't doing it for nothing. Cucumber juice reduces swelling, and not just for under-eye bags—also for burns and skin disorders.

One tasty way to enjoy cucumbers is my Russian grandmother's simple recipe of thinly sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced onion, low-fat yogurt, and chopped dill. (She actually used sour cream, too, but we won't go there.)
Eggplant. Eggplant contains lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and also high levels of antioxidants, including nasunin, which has been shown to help protect cells from free radical damage. Eggplant also contains terpenes, which are believed to help lower cholesterol. Eggplant is a very versatile ingredient in all kinds of cooking, including Italian, Indian, and Chinese dishes. It can be baked, stewed, or sautéed, among other cooking methods. One thing to watch out for is that the flesh of the eggplant is highly absorptive, so if you fry it in oil, it'll soak it all up. One helpful technique is to lightly salt sliced eggplant, let it sit for a half hour, and rinse the salt off before cooking it. This will cause the cell structure of the eggplant to contract, making it a little less spongy. My mom's been dealing with a bumper crop of eggplant from her backyard garden and has been putting eggplant in everything. A recent success was replacing the pasta in her favorite lasagna recipe with thinly sliced eggplant. It absorbed the tomato sauce instead of the oil and made the dish richer and creamier.
Grapes. There's been much written about the benefits of wine, but you don't have to get loaded to get the benefits of grapes. In their unfermented state, they're a great source of vitamins A, B6, and C; folate; potassium; calcium; magnesium; zinc; and fiber. Like apples, they contain the antioxidant quercitin. They also contain resveratrol, which has been shown to help prevent blood clots and protect arteries from free radical damage. Generally speaking, the darker the grape, the higher the antioxidant levels. Grapes are great snacks that are low in calories. They're great when added to salads, or you can freeze them for a frosty treat.
Okra. This may be the most intimidating ingredient on this list. Many people are put off by okra's bristly outside and somewhat slimy inside, but it has a lot of health benefits that should make you take a second look. It's full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. And it has great gastrointestinal benefits. Its high mucilage content, which thickens stews and gumbos, also helps absorb cholesterol, toxins, and bile, and has a gentle laxative effect. Its seeds contain amino acids and protein. Plus it's believed to be good for the skin and hair. (It's been said that Cleopatra ate okra as part of her beauty regimen.) Okra is great in soups and stews, or lightly sautéed as a side dish.
Pears. This is my favorite fall food. The biggest, juiciest pears start showing up in farmers' markets right about now. Besides being a great source of stains on my shirts, they have high levels of vitamins C and K, copper, and fiber. They contain even more of the soluble fiber pectin than apples, which can play an important part in digestive health and in lowering cholesterol. Pears have also been shown to reduce kidney inflammation and colitis. Asian pears, which are crunchy, like apples, are also in season now and contain the health benefits of both fruits. Pears are great plain, broiled, or poached. Plus Asian pears can be shredded as a healthy addition to a slaw.
Peppers. Whether you like them spicy or sweet, now is prime pepper-picking time. Fiber-rich peppers have high levels of vitamins A, C, and K; red peppers have the most. Red peppers, like tomatoes, are also good sources of lycopene, which studies show may be linked to cancer prevention. Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which has been shown to help prevent ulcers and lower cholesterol. Plus hot peppers can help ramp up your metabolism. I can't think of many dishes that couldn't be improved with a little peppery zip. Soups, stir-fries, salads . . . I even had some chocolate cayenne ice cream that was pretty good.
Raspberries. Raspberries are some of the healthiest—but priciest—berries out there. So now, when they're in season, is the most economical time to enjoy them. Raspberries contain several flavonoids called anthocyanins, believed to have antimicrobial properties, which can help prevent fungal and yeast infections and aid with irritable bowel syndrome. A Netherlands study showed that raspberries contain 10 times as many antioxidants as tomatoes. Like apples and pears, they also contain high levels of pectin. While they're great as snacks and desserts, think about trying them in salads too.
Tomatoes. The big new star of the tomato nutritional profile is lycopene. This carotenoid has increasingly been shown to be a powerful antioxidant that may play a big role in preventing cancer and heart disease. They're also great sources of vitamin C. And for those of you who don't care for raw tomatoes (as George Carlin said, they look like they're in the larval stage), tomatoes lose very little of their nutritional value when cooked. So they can be enjoyed stewed, in sauce, and even as ketchup (although we recommend a ketchup free of high fructose corn syrup and low in sodium). This is a prime time to seek out tomatoes at the farmers' market. Especially exotic are the heirloom varieties that come in yellows, greens, purples, browns, and reds. They can make a beautiful multicolored and antioxidant-rich salad.

www.FocusedOnFitness.com

Focused On Fitness with Andy Provost: 9 Foods Not to Give Your Kids

2011-09-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

Focused On Fitness with Andy Provost: 9 Foods Not to Give Your Kids: 9 Foods Not to Give Your Kids By Joe Wilkes If you've followed the news on childhood obesity lately, you know the state of affairs is p...

Say Goodbye to the Food Pyramid!

2011-07-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

Say Goodbye to the Food Pyramid!

By Denis Faye

In their continued quest to be a relevant source of information regarding the American diet, the USDA retired their food pyramid earlier this month, replacing it with MyPlate, the new, improved—not to mention circular—representation of how they think the general public should eat. The recommendations really didn't change from the 2010 food pyramid revamp, but it's progress nonetheless, I suppose. It may have taken them 19 years, but the government has finally figured out that average Americans tend to eat on round plates, as opposed to triangular ones.

The new graphic features a plate filled with equal portions of veggies and grains, smaller but still substantial portions of fruits and proteins, and a small(ish) serving of dairy. While these portion sizes haven't changed, MyPlate is an improvement on the old recommendations based primarily on the plain, clear language featured front and center on the main page of the Web site, right below the graphic:

Balancing Calories

Enjoy your food, but eat less.
Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables
Make at least half your grains whole grains.
Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Foods to Reduce

Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals—and choose the foods with lower numbers.
Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

If you walk down to your local mega-box store and have a look at all the folks pulling elastic-waisted pants off the plus-size racks, you'll see visual evidence that Americans just don't know how to eat. So good for the USDA for using simple, basic language to point out universal truths.

In defense of the USDA

If you spend much time in the food blogosphere, you know that the USDA's latest educational effort has many detractors. Complaints are probably best summed up by the blog Fooducate:

"With all due respect, the USDA should not be the government body dishing out (pun intended) nutrition advice . . . It's not a good idea to have the same organization that promotes agricultural and food production and sales be the one telling us what's healthy to eat."

While this is a valid point, I think we should save the conspiracy theories for Elvis, JFK, and the UFOs. Big Agra might have played a role in making MyPlate closer to McPlate, but I think a far more oppressive special interest group at play here is the American people in general. For example, let's look at the USDA's continued insistence that we need up to 8 servings of grains a day. In truth, while grains are a perfectly acceptable source of carbs, fiber, and other nutrients for 90 percent of the population, they pale nutritionally when compared to vegetables. However, if the government came out and told consumers they'd be better off with more salads and fewer sandwiches, Americans just wouldn't have it. We love our bread, so my guess is that the USDA keeps the grain numbers up in order to keep us from ignoring the recommendations completely. A telling sign of this is the bright red italic, large-font message plastered all over the MyPlate Web site: "Key Consumer Message: Make at least half your grains whole grains."

Half? Really? I haven't had a refined grain in about 2 weeks. There's no need for refined grain in a healthy diet—and I don't think the USDA put this plea in there to appease Big Agra, which profits from grain sales whether consumers eat the bran and husk or not. This "Key Consumer Message" has the distinct ring of a negotiation you have with a 6-year-old when you're trying to get him to eat his broccoli. It was put in there to appease those Americans who refuse to accept that Pop-Tarts^® aren't a complete nutritional source.

Another complaint a lot of people have is the continued importance placed on dairy in the recommendations. I'm prone to agree, but in defense of the USDA, the site does plainly feature the section, "For those who choose not to consume milk products."

Where they screwed up

Warm fuzzies aside, I do think the USDA could have done a few things differently. As I mentioned earlier, their treatment of grains was a little off. Also, their handling of protein leaves a lot to be desired. It assumes that consumers eat meat. While there is an informative section on the vegetarian diet, I'd rather see a more integrated approach to plant-based nutrition. For people who regularly eat meat and just want a few nonmeat protein options, MyPlate offhandedly recommends beans and nuts, and that's about it. In a way, this is decent advice, because combining these two foods with all the grain you're supposed to eat will give you all the amino acids you need to have complete proteins, but a more effective path would have been to create a whole separate nut-and-bean portion equal to the grain portion. With the guaranteed complete proteins this approach would introduce into the user's diet, he or she could reduce the meat protein portion to a healthier level.

Another notable absence from MyPlate is education on healthy fats vs. unhealthy fats, save a vague message stating, "Oils are NOT a food group, but they provide essential nutrients. Therefore, oils are included in USDA food patterns." Given the vast amount of research that indicates the health benefits of good fats, not to mention the fact that some fatty acids are ESSENTIAL to human health, the USDA might want to think about giving fat its own food group. Under this umbrella, they could stress the importance of foods like olive oil, avocados, and, most of all, super-nutritious nuts and seeds.

Some of you might note that I've just suggested adding two additional food groups to MyPlate, thus further complicating an already complex topic to educate people on. I concede that I understand why the USDA sugar-coats (literally!) their nutritional advice, with a little refined flour here and a little ham there, but that doesn't mean they need to dumb down their message. As long as information is presented clearly to them, humans are capable of understanding remarkably complex issues, be they delivered via circle or triangle.

Case in point? The University of Michigan's Healing Foods Pyramid (http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/index.htm), which offers the nut/bean and fat portion changes I suggested, plus several others, in a concise, understandable way. It breaks down food choices into weekly and daily needs; stresses the importance of hydration; and even includes space for "accompaniments," a euphemism for "junk food."

The USDA could learn a thing or two from these college kids. They should certainly spend a little time on the Healing Foods Pyramid before coming out with their next round of nutritional suggestions. I applaud the USDA for trying to do the right thing by the American public, but maybe it's time to step up the game a little and assume we can handle a little tough nutritional love. Next time, let's spend a little less time worrying about the shape of the plate and a little more time figuring out what should go on it.

Go Healthy. Go Asian!

2011-06-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

The key to eating real Chinese food is don't ask what it is.
Catherine Roberts

Go Healthy. Go Asian!

By Cecilia H. Lee

Asia is a huge continent. Lucky for all of us, this means a plethora of ingredients with a wide variety of delicious tastes. The distinctive seasonings, herbs, and spices used in everything from Chinese stir-frys to Vietnamese spring rolls means not having to rely on high fat and high sodium for flavor.

Asian diets are considered among the healthiest in the world. That's why people who live on the Asian continent have lower rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other health problems than their American counterparts.

The main component of a typical Asian meal is usually rice or noodles—with plenty of soy, fish, beans, nuts, and seeds as protein sources. Meat, poultry, and eggs are used more sparingly; they're generally not the focus of the meal, which is rounded out by a generous amount of fruits and vegetables.

Whether sweet, sour, spicy, or savory, bring the flavors of Asia into your kitchen for a palate-pleasing meal.

Herbs and Spices

Curry-lovers will appreciate that turmeric (the beautiful yellow spice that gives many curry dishes their color and flavor) isn't just delicious—it also purportedly has healing properties. Turmeric is said to be good for your digestion, your heart, and perhaps even your brain. Many of the other spices used in Asian cooking—like cumin, cloves, cinnamon, and cardamom—are also claimed to have health benefits. Ginger and garlic are wonderful antioxidants. So feel free to add generous amounts of these seasonings to your dishes.

Salads

It's simple to add Asian flavors to your salads. Sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds go a long way toward adding a bit of nuttiness to your dressings. Round things out with some rice wine vinegar and some low-sodium soy sauce and toss with your favorite lettuce mix, snow peas, water chestnuts, chunks of papaya and mango, some grilledchicken—whatever suits your fancy. There are endless flavor combinations to give your salads a taste of the Orient.

Stir-Frys

You may be thinking about those grease-laden fried dishes found at Chinese fast-food restaurants. Instead, what I'm talking about are crisp, colorful vegetables flash-cooked in a nonstick wok or frying pan. The nonstick surface requires very little oil, making this a great way to cook your seasonal vegetables and lean meats. First, preheat your wok over high heat, then add some ginger, garlic, and onions or shallots. Next, cook your meat or seafood. Then toss in vegetables like carrots, eggplant, or zucchini, followed by faster-cooking vegetables like spinach, leeks, mushrooms, or cabbage. To finish, toss everything with a bit of soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, sesame oil, or whatever flavoring you want to add.

Soy and Tofu

Soy is a major source of protein in the healthy, low-fat Asian diet. Foods like tofu, tempeh, or edamame (whole soy beans) contain isoflavones, which have been shown in some studies to help stop regular cells from mutating into cancer cells. Foods that contain soy may also help lower cholesterol and are a great source of iron. More and more soy products are being introduced into the market, but just eating plain tofu (which takes on the flavors of any sauce it's cooked in) or tossing a handful of edamame into your stir-frys can be a great way to start putting more soy into your life.

Noodles

The beauty of Asian noodles is that there are so many varieties available. There are wheat-based noodles like udon, which are wonderful in soup on a cold day. Soba noodles, made of buckwheat, are rich in protein and can be eaten hot or cold, in soup or even on top of a salad. And glass or rice noodles, though high in starch, can be the basis of a low-fat meal. Just stay away from fried noodles, ramen, and those instant noodle packs and cups, which are high in sodium and fat and loaded with MSG (monosodium glutamate).

Teas

It's not just the foods most Asians eat that make for good health; even the beverages they drink on a daily basis—often tons of green or black tea—can be healthy too. Teas can help lower cholesterol and act as a mild diuretic, which helps flush the body of toxins and free radicals that can cause heart disease. Green tea is also said by some to have cancer-fighting properties, as well as helping you maintain good breath to boot. Plus, like black tea, it's an antioxidant. So drink up!

Desserts

Although you may not think "dessert" when you think of Asian food, there are so many great ways to add a delicious finale to your meal. Grill some pineapple rings or spears, or slice some mangoes and serve them with a bit of sticky rice covered in coconut milk. If you have an ice cream maker or even just a freezer, simple sorbets of ginger or lychee are easy to whip up. Any of these choices, or some simple poached pears with a small scoop of green tea ice cream, can provide a flavorful finish to your healthy Asian dinner.

Delicious and Healthy Mexican Food

2011-06-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back?
Stephen Wright

Delicious and Healthy Mexican Food

By Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee

Overstuffed burritos, deep-fried chimichangas, and greasy enchiladas smothered in cheese are prominently featured on the menus of most Mexican restaurants in the United States. In reality, however, genuine Mexican cuisine is very different. Colorful vegetables, flavorful salsas, grilled seafood, whole grains, and a variety of beans make up the backbone of the authentic Mexican diet.

Here are some ways to incorporate the bountiful variety of flavors of Mexican cuisine into your diet, in a way that's designed to help you lose weight and maintain good nutrition.

Avoid fat and fried foods. Some common Mexican dishes like refried beans are traditionally made with lard. Eating your pinto beans whole (instead of mashed and refried) and simmering them in water or broth (instead of lard), or replacing the lard with minimal amounts of olive oil, can make a huge difference. It may be hard to resist the basket of fried tortilla chips that appears (and keep magically refilling) on your Mexican restaurant table. However, you can ask for baked tortilla chips or whole-corn tortillas to dip into your salsa instead.

It's also really easy to make your own baked tortilla chips at home. Just cut up corn tortillas into triangular wedges. Lay them out on a baking sheet and spray with a bit of olive oil cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven until crispy for just 12 to 15 minutes, flipping once so both sides crisp evenly.

Choose whole grains. Either corn or whole wheat flour tortillas can be the foundation for a delicious Mexican fiesta. They have less fat, fewer calories, and more fiber than their white-flour cousins. Choosing 6-inch tortillas over 10-inch ones can also help you with portion control.

Embrace rice and beans. There's a reason why rice and beans are the other staples of Mexican diets. Black, pinto, and kidney beans are high in protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. As previously mentioned, whole beans simmered in water or broth instead of refried are also naturally low in calories.

To cook Mexican rice at home with little or no fat, sauté some chopped onions, garlic, and a bit of jalapeño (if you want that extra heat) in a pan with just a bit of olive oil. Add uncooked rice and sauté a bit longer. Add some low-fat chicken or vegetable broth and chopped fresh tomatoes and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through and fluffy, about 20 minutes. Voilá! Delicious and nutritious rice that's convenient and easy to make. Use brown rice instead of white for whole-grain goodness.

Go with fish—and make it grilled. Along the coastal towns and fishing villages of Mexico and Baja, people eat healthy seafood fresh from the sea. We can embrace that sunny, relaxed lifestyle by eating tacos filled with tasty fish that's grilled (not fried), enjoying ceviche prepared with plenty of lemon or lime juice, or baking a tilapia fillet topped with spices.

Get spicy. Speaking of spices, Mexican cuisine has yet another bonus: It's full of some truly delightful spices and other flavorings, which can help you avoid adding extra salt to your diet. Although your typical Mexican restaurant meal may be loaded with sodium, you don't have to eat that way for a flavorful south-of-the-border-inspired meal. The staples of Mexican cooking include chili powder, oregano, cumin, cilantro, and chili peppers. And remember that hot peppers are a super metabolism booster. Even if you have a delicate palate, you can turn down the heat while still getting the benefits of these peppers by removing the seeds and veins, where most of the heat lives. Lime juice, another staple in addingauthentíco flavors, is another great way of enhancing flavor without upping the sodium content.

Sample a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables. Mexico is blessed with some of the most delicious fruits and vegetables in the world. Tropical fruits like papayas and guavas, as well as a variety of peppers and squashes, grow abundantly in the hot, sunny climate.

A typical Mexican street-cart food is often just a bunch of fruits (like mangos, pineapples, papayas, watermelon, or honeydew) and vegetables (including cucumbers and jicama) that have been sliced and seasoned with lime juice and chili powder. You can easily prepare this dish yourself for a delicious and nutritious afternoon snack, at home, at work, or for a road trip.

Don't forget salsas and salads. Let's not forget the soul of Mexican cuisine—salsa! There's a seemingly endless variety of salsas that can be made from tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, onions, peppers, limes, and more. The more colorful the salsa, the more nutritious it'll be. The good news is that freshly made salsa is good for you, so you can pile as much as you want on your tortillas, grilled fish, or salad.

And an easy way to make a nice Mexican salad is to get a bowl of mixed greens and toss in some corn, cooked black beans, and a few chopped avocados (but don't overdo it, since avocados, while nutritious, are high in calories), then top everything with a generous serving of your favorite salsa. If you like, add some slices of grilled chicken or a few grilled shrimp. There you have it—lunch!

9 Ways to Eat Healthily (and Cheaply)

2011-05-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.

Groucho Marx

9 Ways to Eat Healthily (and Cheaply)

By Joe Wilkes

By now, most of us know what we should be eating—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and fish, among other foods. But anyone heading off to the supermarket with a shopping list of the best recommendations for a healthy diet is in for a bit of sticker shock. Over a 2-year period, a recent University of Washington study tracked the costs of "nutrient-dense" foods (foods high in vitamins and minerals and low in calories) and "energy-dense" foods (foods high in calories and low in vitamins and minerals—aka junk).* The nutrient-dense foods rose in cost by almost 20 percent while the cost of junk food declined. The study found that getting your average day's worth of 2,000 calories from the junk side cost $3.52, while getting your 2,000 calories' worth from nutrient-dense cuisine would cost $36.32. Since the average American spends about $7.00 a day on food, you can see where the rise in obesity might come from.

Other studies have shown similar findings. While the percentage of Americans' incomes spent on food has decreased dramatically over the last few years, the obesity rate has risen even more dramatically, as has the incidence of type 2 diabetes, an obesity-related disease. And the obesity rate has grown the most in the most impoverished sectors of society, further emphasizing the connection between the rising costs of nutrient-dense foods, the declining cost of junk food, and the rise in obesity rates. If you've checked out what a nice piece of Chilean sea bass with a side of asparagus costs compared to the latest offering from your local fast food joint's dollar menu, it's easy to be tempted by the dark side—especially if your budget is shrinking more than your waistline.

It is possible, however, to eat healthily and still have some money left over. Even on the tightest budget, you can do a little legwork and research to make the most nutritious choices for you and your family. And even if you're fortunate enough to have the cash to eat whatever you want, whenever you want, as my grandfather would say, "There's no point putting your paycheck through your stomach." (And he lived to be almost 100 . . . but that was before the advent of dollar menus.) Here are nine tips for getting the most nutritional bang for your buck.

'Tis the season. Eating seasonally is the best way to get the most delicious fresh fruits and vegetables. When harvest time comes around for your favorite fruit or veggie, the market is usually glutted, and following the time-honored supply-and-demand curve, the prices of those fruits and veggies plummet. And not only is it cheap to eat fruits and veggies that are in season, it's the best time to get the most flavor for your money. Most fresh fruits and veggies sold in the off-season are either shipped from faraway lands or produced in greenhouse factories and don't have nearly the rich flavors produced by Mother Nature. It's a good time to stock up, eat what you can, and freeze or can the rest for a rainy day. If you're fortunate enough to live in a community with a decent farmers' market, it pays to get to know the men and women who are selling the produce. They can let you know when the best time to buy the best stuff is and give you a preview of what's coming up harvest-wise so you can plan your menu accordingly.
The big freeze. Speaking of freezing and canning, these are great ways to save money and still have your nutritional needs met. Not only are frozen and canned foods way cheaper than fresh foods, in many cases, they're more nutritious. Fruits and vegetables are usually preserved within hours of harvest, when they have their maximum vitamins and minerals. Fresh fruits and vegetables can take days, or even weeks, to make the journey from the field to your table. Add to that any time spent lingering on supermarket shelves and in your fridge's crisper drawer, and suddenly fresh doesn't seem so fresh anymore. And in many recipes, frozen or canned might even be better than fresh. A pint of fresh off-season blueberries can cost more than $5.00 while a one-pound bag of frozen blueberries can cost less than $3.00. And the frozen berries will be a lot better in your morning smoothie. Any chef will tell you about the virtues of canned tomatoes over fresh ones when making your favorite pasta sauce. The only thing to be wary of is the sodium and sugar content in many canned goods, or frozen veggies that come with high-calorie sauces or other not-so-healthy ingredients in not-so-healthy amounts.
Shop around. Smokey Robinson was right: It does pay to shop around. Check out the supermarket circulars that keep getting stuffed into your mailbox. Every week, your supermarket advertises "loss leaders," including fruits, veggies, lean meats, and fish. Their hope is to lure you into the store with these bargains that they don't make so much money on and tempt you to buy extra high-profit stuff while you're there. But if you stick to your list, you can fill your cart with the loss leaders and save a ton of money. Plus they'll usually be items that are in season, because these are cheaper for the store to buy. Also, signing up for your supermarket's club or rewards cards can help save you money. It's better to monitor sales and promotions rather than clipping coupons, because coupons generally apply to processed, less healthy foods, although you can sometimes find good coupons for canned and frozen produce (like the tomatoes and berries we just talked about).
Get to know your grocer. And your butcher, your produce manager, etc. Find out on which day produce is delivered to the store, so you get maximum freshness for your dollar. Ask the store's butcher how soon before the printed expiration date they place meat, poultry, and fish on the "buy it fast!" discount shelf. These items are still fresh enough to consume, and if you cook or freeze them as soon as you buy them, it's no different from having bought full-priced cuts and leaving them in your refrigerator for a couple of days. Only your pocketbook knows the difference!

Another tip? Many butchers will custom-grind for you at no additional charge. If a package of factory-ground turkey breast costs $6.00 a pound and a whole turkey breast costs $2.00 a pound, why not buy the whole breast and ask your butcher to grind it for you? You'll save a lot of money, and you'll actually know what went into the turkey burger you're eating.
Think outside the big box. Instead of always going to the big-box supermarket chains, check and see whether there are any farmers' markets and/or food co-ops in your area. The food will be fresher, cheaper, and hopefully not as coated with pesticides, waxes, or other unsavory elements. It's a good way to save money while supporting your local community's resources. Here you can get organic produce for the same price or cheaper than traditionally grown produce. It's also worth it to check out how your state defines "organic." Organic food is great, but if you're trying to save money, traditionally grown food isn't any less nutritious than organic; it may just need a little more scrubbing.
Start your own farm. If you have a yard, start your own vegetable and/or herb garden. With a little online research, you can find out what grows well and easily in your neck of the woods. And if you're an apartment dweller like me, you can get a lot out of a container garden. I have big pots on my balcony that keep me in tomatoes, peppers, and fresh herbs all summer long. And if you don't have a balcony, you can grow small pots of herbs in your kitchen—decorative, tasty, and economical!
Plan ahead. Take some time on Sunday to plan out your menu for the week for all your meals and snacks. Find out what's in season and on sale in your area. If you can only make one shopping trip for the week, front-load your menu with fresh ingredients and stock up on canned and frozen items for the latter half of the week. One of the areas where my budget always falls apart is not having either some kind of plan or the ingredients I'll need to make dinner; I end up grabbing takeout or having food delivered—either of which can tend to be unhealthy and expensive. Just by planning ahead and not wasting money on spur-of-the-moment restaurant meals, you might find you have a lot more money to spend at the grocery store, which means you won't have to cut as many corners for the mealsyou prepare.
Tap into tap water . . . not your wallet. Instead of spending big money on bottled water, try switching to tap water, which is subject to a lot more regulations than bottled water and isn't shipped in from Fiji or Norway, making it good both for your health and for helping to reduce your carbon footprint. And it's practically free! Plus it's a lot better for your waistline and your wallet than multiple trips to the soda machine. If you're concerned about impurities or don't like the taste of your local tap water, consider getting a simple, relatively inexpensive filtration system—one that either attaches to the tap itself or is located in a separate pitcher. Ounce for ounce, it'll still be cheaper than bottled, and just as good for you.
Take your vitamins. Here's the easiest, most economical way to help ensure that you meet your basic nutritional needs: Take a good multivitamin and fish oil supplement. They'll help you get many if not all of the same nutrients you'd get from whole-food sources (often without spending nearly as much money)—and fish oil supplements are especially good for those who don't care for fish.

2011-05-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
Groucho Marx

Summer Reading: 3 Book Reviews

By Denis Faye

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you're thiiiiiis close to reaching your summer fitness goals. That means you're almost ready to hit the beach, pool, or front lawn in that sexy new bathing suit and let the world see what you're made of.

Four Fish: The Future of The Last Wild Food by Paul Greenberg. Penguin Press, $25.95

If you want a fun, snarky, educational first-person read, pick up Four Fish. Greenberg's extremely well-researched book tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the current state of seafood through a series of anecdotes regarding the world's four major fisheries: salmon, sea bass, cod, and tuna.

While there's no shortage of history and scientific explanation within, what really makes the book great is Greenberg's interaction with his subjects, whether he's smoking 400 pounds of salmon with a somewhat cranky 75-year-old Yupik Native American, or he's challenging Mark Kurlansky to a cod-tasting contest. (Foodie literary geeks know Kurlansky as the writer of the fascinating tome Cod, which launched the whole history-seen-through-a-single-foodstuff genre.)

Greenberg's writing is engaging and leaves the reader with plenty of ways to take action and help assure that the world's oceans remain safe, clean, and inhabitable for our finned, Friday-night-filleted friends. It should be required reading for anyone who eats seafood.

Food Justice by Robert Gottlieb and Anupama Joshi. The MIT Press, $27.95

Thanks to the organics movement, most of us have a handle on the importance of the quality of the food we put in our bodies. But that's a tiny part of the equation. Where did those grapes you're eating come from? How did they affect the people who harvested them? And what about the millions of people in the U.S. alone who don't have easy access to grapes or any other healthy food?

Combine these considerations with the aforementioned organics movement. Then throw in the locavore movement—folks who champion eating only locally grown foods—and the concern over the the widespread consumption of fast food. Now you're beginning to understand Food Justice, a movement seeking "to transform where, what, and how food is grown, produced, transported, accessed, and eaten."

While the notion of accountability in the food chain from seed to plate is new, each of the various links in the chain have been around for quite some time, from Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers championing the rights of grape pickers in the 1960s, to activism regarding the ethical treatment of farm animals, to recent attention drawn to "food deserts" in Los Angeles—where huge, low-income sections of the city are devoid of grocery stores. This book attempts to link these and many more issues together. Odds are, at least one or two of these topics will affect you directly. Only by knowing the whole truth can you create real positive change.

That said, if you're new to the various food movements, this might not be the book to start with. It's dense and can be a bit academic at times. (Given that it was published by MIT, this makes more than a little sense.) If you haven't read The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan or Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, you may want to start there. But if you feel like you're ready for the next step, definitely check out Food Justice.

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl. Beacon Press, $13.00

Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's account of how he found the strength to survive the WWII Nazi death camps was first published in 1959, but it's still timely. "As long as people continue to struggle physically, emotionally, and mentally, the lessons in this incredible book are still important," explains "It'll give anyone perspective on how to improve their lives."

Man's Search for Meaning is divided into two parts. Part one details Frankl's time in four different camps, including Auschwitz. Even if you're familiar with the Holocaust, this highly personal account gives an intense perspective on the horrors in a way few have captured. The author's ability to see the humanity in his captors and pull lessons from the atrocities makes it hard not to pause every page or two and contemplate your own life.

The second part of the book is an explanation of Frankl's theory, logotherapy, which holds that our primary drive is the search for meaning in our lives. Essentially, the idea is that finding meaning in your life and its various aspects will go a long way toward helping you solve your problems.

Even if you don't feel you need perspective on an existential level, there are smaller lessons to be gained. For example, odds are you've had to deal with the pain of a fitness-related injury at some point. When this happens, it's easy to feel like a victim, beaten for no reason. But ask yourself, why does it hurt? Well, there are a few reasons. First, it's a way of protecting what needs to heal. Second, it's your body trying to teach you its limits. Once you're aware of your pain's purpose, it's not quite as bad. As Nietzsche puts it, "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how."

The continual existential cycle of striving to overcome life's conflicts whenever they arise as presented in Man's Search for Meaning can help provide a great roadmap for anyone's life.

9 Appetite-Suppressing Foods

2011-04-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut.
Channing Pollock

9 Appetite-Suppressing Foods

By Whitney Provost

If you're like most people, conquering your appetite is one of the biggest challenges you face in your fitness and weight loss journey. As soon as the word "diet" crosses your lips, you may find yourself craving all the junk you know you're not supposed to eat. The secret is eating the right foods to help calm the cravings for the wrong ones. Adding these 9 easy-to-find, tasty foods to your meal plan can help you rein in your appetite before it gets out of control!

Oatmeal. This hot cereal is high in fiber and low on the glycemic index, which means it fills you up and takes a long time to digest. Research has shown that diets high in slow-burning carbohydrates like oatmeal suppress the hunger hormone grehlin more effectively than diets high in fat do. In fact, when you eat oatmeal for breakfast, you may find that your appetite is lower at lunchtime. Steel-cut or rolled oats digest more slowly than the "instant" variety do, so it's worth taking a few extra minutes in the morning to prepare your breakfast the old-fashioned way.
Apples. Not only are apples nutritious, but what sets them apart from other fruits is pectin, a soluble fiber that helps regulate blood sugar, keeps you full, and sustains your energy. One medium apple with skin contains 4 grams of fiber, which is more than you'd get in an average slice of whole wheat bread. Add an apple and some cinnamon to your morning oatmeal for an appetite-suppressing breakfast.
Pine nuts. These edible pine-tree seeds contain more protein than any other nut or seed, and their oil stimulates two appetite-suppressing hormones (cholecystokinin [CCK] and glucagon-like peptide-1) that tell your brain you're not hungry. Blend pine nuts with basil, garlic, and a little olive oil to make pesto, or sprinkle them on your salad or oatmeal for a delicious, nutty crunch.
Salad. The fiber in typical salad vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, spinach, celery, cucumbers, broccoli, and peppers is very filling and helps slow the release of glucose into your bloodstream. Studies have shown that when people start a meal with a small salad, they eat significantly fewer calories in the meal itself. Just watch out for the high-fat dressings (or worse, fat-free dressings that are high in sugar). Try having the dressing on the side and dipping your fork into it for easy portion control, or simply add a dash of balsamic vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice for a tasty, super-low-calorie option. Bonus tip: Try to eat a vegetable at every meal to keep your appetite at bay all day long.
Olive oil and other unsaturated fats. Researchers at the University of California at Irvine found that unsaturated fat causes the intestines to release a compound (oleoylethanolamide) that has been shown to reduce appetite and stimulate weight loss. Some great unsaturated fat choices include avocados, olives and olive oil, almonds, salmon, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, and sesame seeds. These foods are high in calories, so enjoy them in moderation while regulating your appetite.
Flaxseeds. Flax is one of the best plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The seeds are also very high in protein and fiber, making them excellent for appetite control. Sprinkle ground flaxseeds over oatmeal, salads, or yogurt, or add them to smoothies to help stabilize your blood sugar and turn off the hunger hormones.
Beans. The fiber in beans increases CCK, a digestive hormone that's a natural appetite suppressant. A research study at the University of California at Davis found that men who ate a high-fiber meal containing beans had CCK levels that were two times higher than when they ate a low-fiber meal. Beans also keep your blood sugar steady, which helps stave off hunger.
Whey protein. New studies suggest that whey protein stimulates the hormones that increase the feeling of being full. In one study, researchers at the University of Surrey in England found that people who consumed whey protein felt fuller and more satisfied with less food. Whey also stabilizes blood sugar, and that can help control food urges.
Spicy foods. Capsaicin, the ingredient that gives peppers their heat, can also help control your raging appetite. A recent study published in Clinical Nutrition suggests that capsaicin-rich foods may help you consume fewer calories, plus they help support weight loss by suppressing your appetite and making you feel fuller. You can add hot pepper sauce to tomato juice, stir-fry some Anaheim or Serrano peppers with other vegetables, or cook up some jalapeño or poblano peppers in your omelet. Other spicy ingredients may have similar effects, so try adding spices like hot mustard and curry to your salads and meats.

The Best Fats to Get Lea

2011-03-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

I don't mind that I'm fat. You still get the same money.
Marlon Brando

The Best Fats to Get Lean

By Whitney Provost

You might think that to lose weight, you need to cut the fat out of your meals. After all, fat is higher in calories than protein and carbs, and low-fat diets have been popular since the Senate Nutrition Committee first recommended them in the late 1970s. But research shows that a moderate-fat diet (with about 35 percent of calories consumed coming from fat) will help you drop pounds permanently, feel full longer, and avoid bingeing. The trick is to eat the right kind of fat to increase satisfaction and boost weight loss. Here's why it's important to eat fat—and we offer five of the best fat sources to add to your diet.

How eating fat will help you lose fat.

In 2008, researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel found that people who followed low-fat diets lost less weight than people who followed low-carb or moderate-fat diets. The low-fat group lost an average of 6.5 pounds over 2 years, but the low-carb and moderate-fat groups lost about 10 pounds. Women did especially well on the moderate-fat diet, losing an average of 13 pounds during the study.

Fat is an important element in weight loss for several reasons:

Fat helps your body control blood sugar and insulin spikes after eating carbohydrates. Better sugar metabolism means less fat storage.
Fat slows down digestion and aids nutrient absorption. You'll stay fuller longer and get more health benefits from the food you eat.
Essential fatty acids (like omega-3s) may boost your metabolic rate and increase fat burning.
Fat tastes good. It also provides a "mouthfeel" that is satisfying, which can help you be happy with less food.

Eating more fat may also help you stick to your diet longer. In a study conducted by Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, participants got either 20 percent of their calories from fat or 35 percent of their calories from fat. After 6 months, both groups had lost weight. But after 18 months, only 20 percent of the people in the low-fat group were still following the diet, compared with 54 percent of the people in the moderate-fat group. Likewise, the subjects in the moderate-fat group had maintained their weight loss, while the low-fat group participants had gained most of the weight back.

If you reach for a box of low-fat or fat-free crackers or cookies because you want to lose weight, you may actually be sabotaging your diet. Manufacturers frequently replace fat with sugar in packaged food items to make them taste better. You think you're making a good decision by eating fat-free products, but the excess sugar and refined flour can lead to fatigue, cravings, mood swings, and weight gain caused by the overproduction of insulin—the fat-storage hormone. As a snack, a sliced apple with some peanut butter or a salad with oil and vinegar dressing would be a better weight loss choice. The complex carbs and healthy fats will maintain your blood sugar levels, boost your energy, and keep you satisfied longer.

What kind of fat should you eat?

To get lean, you need to eat the right kind of fat. Avoid saturated and trans fats (which are found in red meat, full-fat dairy products, and many packaged foods), and instead choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Here are some of the best sources of fat to help you reach your weight goal.

Fish. Fish like salmon, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, and sardines contains beneficial amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Most experts agree that eating two servings of fatty fish per week is safe for people who are worried about mercury or other toxins. (Pregnant women should consult with their doctors about consuming fish.) If you don't like fish, try a quality Omega-3 supplement that will give you the benefits without the fishy taste.
Olive oil. Heart-healthy oils like olive, canola, and peanut oil are excellent sources of fat for dieters. They have also been shown to lower bad cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Use them sparingly when sautéing, or drizzle them over your favorite salad or vegetables with a little vinegar and some herbs to maximize the absorption of nutrients. Moderation is important: You really only need about a teaspoon of oil to get all its benefits. Using more will add significant calories.
Avocados. Eat a spinach and carrot salad with a little avocado, and you'll not only get a dose of good fat, but you'll also absorb more phytonutrients like lutein and beta-carotene. Scientists at Ohio State University in Columbus found that more antioxidants were absorbed when people ate a salad containing avocados than when they ate a salad without this tasty fruit. One-quarter of an avocado will add flavor while only adding about 75 calories.
Nuts. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, and peanuts are powerhouses of good nutrition—full of antioxidants, minerals, and monounsaturated fat. The Nurses Health Study, where more than 86,000 nurses were followed for 14 years, found that those who ate nuts regularly (about an ounce per day) tended to weigh less than those who didn't. The protein, fat, and fiber make nuts more filling, which helps dieters stay on track. Plus, there's a psychological bonus to eating nuts: Because they're rich and satisfying, you probably won't feel like you're on a diet.
Flaxseeds. Packing the triple wallop of fat, protein, and fiber, flaxseeds are a delicious and healthful addition to any diet. You can grind them up and add them to oatmeal, yogurt, salads, or vegetables, or pretty much anywhere you want a nutty crunch. They're a plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, making them a good choice for vegetarians or the aforementioned non-fish-loving folks. Ground flaxseeds also have 3 grams of fiber per tablespoon, which helps slow digestion and keep your blood sugar stable.

Making room for fat.

Certain fats might be considered necessary for health, but that's not a cue to overindulge. At 9 calories per gram, fat is a more concentrated energy source than either protein or carbohydrates (each has 4 calories per gram). You need to be mindful of your overall caloric intake if you want to eat more fat and lose weight. But when you feel full and satisfied after eating the right kinds of fat, you'll probably find it a bit easier to manage your calories.

Big Breakfasts for Big Results

2011-03-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

I went to a café that advertised breakfast anytime, so I ordered French toast during the Renaissance.
Stephen Wright

Big Breakfasts for Big Results

By Joe Wilkes

Breakfast. It seems like forever since Mom told us breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but one study shows it's actually true—she wasn't just nagging us. Breakfast is a key component of weight management: A study presented at the 90th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society showed that participants who consumed large breakfasts high in protein and carbohydrates followed by a low-carb, low calorie diet for the rest of the day lost almost five times as much weight as the participants who followed a low-carb, high-protein diet throughout the day. So what's the big deal about breakfast? And what is a big breakfast anyway? It doesn't seem like the lumberjack special at the local diner would do much to get the pounds off, so what should we be eating?

The study supported the idea that when we wake up in the morning, our bodies want food. You've burned through all the fuel from the previous day, and now your body's ready to burn anything—even muscle—to get a jump-start on the day. And if you skip breakfast, muscle is indeed what your body will burn. Later in the day, your brain is still in starvation mode from breakfast (or lack thereof), so your body will store all the calories you eat as adipose tissue, or fat, to save up for the next day when you try to starve it again. This study also found that levels of serotonin, the chemical responsible for controlling cravings, were much higher in the morning, which is why breakfast is the meal so many of us are willing to skip. But if our bodies are left unfed, our serotonin levels drop, and our bodies' craving for sweets begin to rise throughout the day.

But before you hit McDonald's^® for their 800-calorie Big Breakfast^®, or worse, their 1,150-calorie Deluxe Breakfast, or swing by Denny's^® for a 740-calorie Grand Slam^® or 950-calorie All-American Slam^® with hash browns, keep in mind, these weren't the breakfasts the study participants consumed. The big-breakfast group had a 610-calorie breakfast as part of a 1,240-calorie day. Breakfasts included milk, lean meat, cheese, whole grains, a serving of healthy fat, and one ounce of chocolate or candy to defray the craving for sweets. The other group's participants consumed 1,085 calories per day as part of a high-protein, low-carb diet; only 290 of their daily calories were consumed at breakfast. Both groups were on their respective diets for eight months. The high-protein group lost an average of nine pounds, but the big-breakfast group lost an average of 40 pounds. And, perhaps not surprisingly, the big-breakfast group complained less about cravings and hunger.

The big-breakfast group's breakfast consisted of 58 grams of carbs, 47 grams of protein, and 22 grams of fat. Study reviewers attribute some of the success of the big-breakfast group to the fact that the protein and healthy fats eaten kept the participants full and reduced cravings. They also said that nutritional requirements were well met and that there weren't empty calories consumed, because the breakfasts included lots of whole grains, fruits, lean proteins, and healthy unsaturated fats. So bad news for the lumberjack-special devotees—a big plate of greasy hash browns, bacon, and biscuits with gravy isn't going to get the job done, unless the job we're discussing is clogging your arteries.

Here are some healthy big breakfasts, similar to the ones consumed by the study's participants.

Chicken and the Egg

2 large eggs, scrambled
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled
1 grapefruit

589 calories, 52 grams carbohydrates, 48 grams protein, 19 grams fat, 5.5 grams saturated fat, 12 grams fiber.

Oats 'n' Berries Breakfast

1 packet plain instant oatmeal, prepared, with 1 scoop of Whey Protein
1 cup fresh blueberries
3 oz. roasted turkey breast
1 large hard-boiled egg
1 oz. dark chocolate

631 calories, 62 grams carbohydrates, 47 grams protein, 21 grams fat, 8 grams saturated fat, 10 grams fiber.

Two Egg Sandwiches

2 whole wheat English muffins, toasted
2 large poached eggs
2 slices low-fat Swiss cheese
2 slices Canadian bacon, grilled

597 calories, 57 grams carbohydrates, 45 grams protein, 13 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 8 grams fiber.

Vegetarian Breakfast

1 cup cottage cheese (2% milk fat)
1 cup sliced peaches, canned in juice, not syrup
1 slice whole wheat toast
1/2 avocado
2 vegetarian sausage links, cooked

621 calories, 62.5 grams carbohydrates, 47 grams protein, 26.5 grams fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat, 16.5 grams fiber.

Pescetarian Breakfast

1 6-oz. can light tuna, canned in water, drained
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (preferably olive oil- or canola oil-based)
2 slices whole wheat toast
1 oz. dark chocolate

592 calories, 45 grams carbohydrates, 51 grams protein, 22 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 10 grams fiber.

6 Simple Rules for Eating Sugar

2011-03-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

I ordered a soda—caffeine free, low sodium, no artificial flavors. They brought me a glass of water.
Robert Murray

6 Simple Rules for Eating Sugar

By Denis

Few topics boggle the minds of dieters and fitness enthusiasts the way sugar does. Is this simple carbohydrate the key to unlocking elite sports performance? Or is it the chains that drag our country deeper and deeper into the obesity epidemic? Annoyingly, the answer is "both." But before you throw your hands up in frustration and grab yourself a Twinkie^®, let's take a minute to talk about sugar. It's not as complex as it seems. In fact, with just a few guidelines, it's incredibly easy to use these simple carbohydrates for good instead of evil.

Rule #1: Just say "know."

Here's a grossly over-simplified look at how sugar, also known as simple carbohydrates, works. Just as with all carbs, you eat sugar and it's absorbed by your blood, where, if you have the right amount of insulin in your system, that insulin converts the sugar to energy. However, if you introduce too much sugar into your system, the insulin stores it as body fat. A little stored body fat is fine; the body likes some emergency fuel. However, if your blood sugar spikes too often and the insulin has to work too hard converting fat, this can lead to a variety of health issues, including type 2 diabetes and heart problems.

As we'll discuss later, when your body obtains sugar from natural sources, like fruits and veggies, the process tends to be checked by fiber, which slows absorption. However, when you eat foods with added sugar, this can overwhelm the usual checks and balances, causing problems like those nasty blood sugar spikes. To make matters worse, consuming too much added sugar can cause a host of other problems, including tooth decay, increased triglycerides (or stored fat), and malnutrition (from overconsumption of foods filled with empty calories and deficient in nutrients).

If you wanted one overarching rule to work from, you might choose to avoid added sugars entirely. You'll get all the energy you need from foods with naturally occurring sugar. That said, there are times when refined sugar is OK or even beneficial. If you're able to build yourself a lifestyle completely free of added sugar, nice work. But for the rest of us, the trick is moderation.

Rule #2: Less is more.

One teaspoon of table sugar has 15 calories. Honestly, if you have a couple of cups of tea or coffee in the morning and you dump the proverbial spoonful of sugar in each, that's 30 calories. If the rest of your diet is tight and you're active, it won't matter. If you're trying to lose weight and are eating at a severe deficit, you'll probably want to skip those few spoonfuls of sugar, because table sugar is nutritionally void and you want every calorie to count nutritionally. Other than that, though, life's short—enjoy your java.

Rule #3: Sugar is sugar is sugar . . .

Agave nectar, honey, beet sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, dextrose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), whatever. At the end of the day, they're all simple carbs, unregulated by fiber with minimal micronutrient value. Sure, you might prefer one over the other. I like honey because I'm a bit of a whole foods person and it does have a tiny bit of nutritional value, but I still know that if I eat too much, it'll make me fat.

Rule #4: . . . and it's hiding behind every corner.

And you thought Invasion of the Body Snatchers was creepy . . . Avoiding the obvious sweetened foods, like soda, cake, cookies and pies, is only half the battle. Manufacturers add HFCS (as well as other sugars) to a mind-boggling amount of foods because it adds flavor. If it's in a bottle, box, or can, read the ingredients. You'll find sweeteners in everything from ketchup to peanut butter to bread to salad dressing. With a little effort, you can usually find versions of the same food with no added sugars or HFCS that are more nutritious and taste just as good.

Rule #5: No, the sugar in fruit isn't bad for you.

When the low-carb "revolution" hit in the early aughts, fruit was demonized for its sugar content. This is, in a word, ridiculous. Yes, fruit is loaded with sugar, but it's also usually loaded with fiber, which slows sugar absorption, making it an ideal way to get your simple carbs without straining your little insulin buddies. Fruit is also loaded with easy-to-absorb vitamins and minerals. Most fruit is also filled with water, yet another benefit.

Even relatively low-fiber fruits like bananas offer far too many benefits to be denied. Bananas, in particular, are rich in electrolytes, which are crucial to sports performance. As I always say, I defy you to introduce me to an overweight person whose biggest indulgence is fruit.

Rule #6: Occasionally, a hit of straight sugar is a good thing.

You're sitting around watching television. You haven't done much today. Your glycogen stores are up, and because you've eaten normally, your blood sugar level is balanced.

If you just blasted a killer workout. You've blown through your blood sugar and your glycogen, leaving you shaky and tired. Getting some sugar in there now to help you recharge fast wouldn't be such a bad idea. Furthermore, since it'll rush in so fast, it's a great opportunity to add some protein and micronutrients to that sugar blast, because they'll rush into where they're needed just as quickly.

If you genuinely gave the workout your all and you're truly wiped out, you won't even come close to storing that sugar as fat.

So there you go. Not so tough, huh? With a little forethought and self-control, keeping an eye on your carbs can be, ahem, a piece of cake.

10 Vegetarian Sources of Protein

2011-03-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

10 Vegetarian Sources of Protein

By Joe Wilkes

Anyone who's read the latest studies about high-protein diets knows that we need to get a substantial amount of protein in our diets—about a third of a gram for every pound of body weight. Meat provides one of our best and most readily available sources of protein, but there are a lot of good reasons to think about cutting back or cutting out our consumption of animal products to satisfy our protein needs.

Aside from the obvious animal-rights issues, there are several economic and environmental considerations to consider. The USDA estimates that it takes roughly 16 pounds of grain to make one pound of beef. When you consider that one-third of the world's population is classified by the World Health Organization as starving, it's easy to see where some of that grain could be put to better use. Beef production also impacts the ecosystem, from the clear-cutting of rainforests for grazing to water pollution to methane emissions, which contribute to greenhouse gases. And the cost of meat to your personal health is also significant. Although packed with protein, many meat choices contain high levels of saturated fats, the overconsumption of which can lead to heart disease and cancer.

At any rate, this article isn't intended to be a polemic about the benefits of vegetarian living. Picking up a book like Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation or Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, not to mention any of the vast Internet resources available on the subject, might convince you to replace meat with an alternative protein source a couple of meals a week.

One challenge in going vegetarian is finding enough "high-quality" protein. High-quality protein is defined as protein that contains all eight of the essential amino acids: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Most meat sources have all of the amino acids in one place. Plant sources usually have some of the acids, but not all in one place. So the key is combining foods to get a full complement of amino acids. Here are some of the top ways to get your proteins sans meat. (Vegans, skip to #3, and keep in mind that #7 uses egg whites as a binder). We'll omit soy for the time being—it has its own set of conundrums and contradictions.

Eggs. Egg protein is commonly referred to as a "perfect protein," because it contains all eight essential amino acids. There's a reason Rocky drank eggs during training; they contribute greatly to muscle recovery. One egg contains 6 grams of protein, with only 80 calories and 5 grams of fat. It also contains more than 200 milligrams of dietary cholesterol, which is high, but dietary cholesterol isn't the same thing as blood cholesterol. In fact, some eggs are now produced with high levels of omega-3s (achieved by adding fatty-acid-rich seeds to the hens' diets), which can actually aid in the lowering of blood cholesterol levels.
Dairy. One cup of 2 percent milk contains 8 grams of protein, only 5 grams of fat (3 of which are saturated), and about 120 calories. Switch to skim milk and you get just as much protein, no fat, and 30 percent fewer calories. An ounce of Swiss cheese also has 8 grams of protein, 8 grams of fat (with 5 grams saturated) and a little over 100 calories. Nonfat yogurt may be your best dairy option: 8 ounces has 14 grams of protein and only 137 calories. Or try cottage cheese, which boasts 28 grams of protein in one cup. Many dairy products still have the same saturated-fat issues as meat, and not all people can tolerate dairy well; a not-inconsiderable percentage of the population is either lactose-intolerant or allergic to dairy.
Legumes. You probably already know some of the great health benefits of legumes. Not only are they high in fiber, they're high in protein, too. A cup of chickpeas has about 17 grams of protein, while a cup of lentils has about 16 and a tablespoon of peanut butter has about 4. Some people blame beans for intestinal distress. It actually isn't the fiber in the beans that causes gas, but a sugar that requires an enzyme (which humans lack) to help digest it. When soaking beans, add a pinch of baking soda to the water. It'll help leach this sugar out of the beans, making you less gassy after eating them. Also, to avoid the sugar, don't cook the beans in the water you soaked them in. Another cautionary measure is that if you weren't much of a bean eater before, introduce them into your diet slowly to give your system time to get used to them.
Grains. Usually we think of grains as carbs, but when we're talking grains, they actually have a fair amount of protein. A cup of barley, for example, contains almost 20 grams of protein. A cup of buckwheat flour contains 15 grams of protein. A cup of couscous (dry) contains 22 grams of protein. A cup of oats for oatmeal provides you with 13 grams of protein. If you always choose whole-grain varieties of your favorite grains, you'll get most of your recommended daily allowance (RDA)* of fiber as well. But carb-watchers should beware; whole grains are the "carbiest" of the protein sources available.
Nuts and seeds. The mighty almond, which also has the most fiber per ounce of any of the common nuts, also has the most protein—6 grams per ounce. Almonds do have 16 grams of fat per ounce, but only one gram is the unhealthy saturated kind. Pumpkin seeds, or pepitas, have 7 grams of protein per ounce (about 140 seeds) with 13 grams of fat (2 grams saturated). Other seeds, like sunflower and flax, are also good sources of protein, with about 5 grams per ounce.
Seitan. Seitan is a meat substitute made from processed wheat gluten. Popular for centuries in Asia, it has gained in popularity in America in the past few decades, but is still largely only available in health food markets. It's not very flavorful, which makes it an ideal ingredient for replacing meat in any dish—it will assume the flavor of the sauce or spices you use. Many Asian dishes use it as mock pork, chicken, or beef. Just 3 ounces of seitan contain 20 grams of protein, almost twice as much as steak, and only 130 calories and 2 grams of fat. Try it in a stir-fry—you might fool your family!
Quorn^®. Quorn is the most well-known brand name of a fungus-based protein source that has only been available commercially since 1985. Quorn is processed into different forms and flavors, like hot dogs, burgers, and faux chicken nuggets. Three ounces of Quorn, depending on how it's prepared, can have 10 to 16 grams of protein, with low fat and calorie contents. As with seitan and other meat substitutes, you should keep an eye on the sodium content; salt is usually the go-to ingredient when attempting to disguise a meat substitute's origins. Also, there have been some reports of people having allergic reactions to Quorn, so it may be worth checking with your doctor to see if you're sensitive to it.
Nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast can be used as an additive in a variety of recipes. It's very popular in Europe and Australia, and is gaining popularity in America. It has a slightly cheesy flavor and can be added to shakes, soups, and sauces, or used as a substitute for Parmesan cheese or as a popcorn or garlic-bread topping. It's especially rich in B vitamins. A two-tablespoon serving has 8 grams of protein (and is a complete protein, containing all amino acids), only one gram of unsaturated fat, and 50 calories.
Spirulina. Also known as blue-green algae, this has been a food source for centuries in Africa and South America. It has a lot of vitamins and minerals and is a complete protein. One ounce of dried spirulina contains 16 grams of protein, only 2 grams of fat, and 81 calories. Algae aren't the most appetizing foodstuffs, and much of spirulina is consumed in pill form or mixed into super-green drinks. But it can also be used powdered or fresh in dips, salads, and sauces. Take a look at Internet message boards and Web sites, where enthusiasts post lots of recipe ideas.
Amaranth and quinoa. These are often referred to as "pseudograins." Both are actually seeds but are similar to grains in texture and flavor. Both are complete proteins, containing all eight essential amino acids, and have high levels of fiber and minerals. Amaranth can be used as flour, puffed into breakfast cereal, or cooked into soups and stir-frys. One ounce has 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat, and 105 calories. Quinoa can also be used for breakfast cereal, and, when boiled, makes an excellent substitute for rice or couscous. One cup of cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and 222 calories.

Another way of getting extra nonmeat protein in your diet is with protein shakes. Typically available in Chocolate and Vanilla and Berry flavors. Most shakes can pack between 17 and 40 grams of protein per serving. This is great to either put in place of a meal or eat as a controlled calorie snack.

10 Reasons to Eat Organically—and Locally

2011-02-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.
A. Whitney Brown

10 Reasons to Eat Organically—and Locally

By Steve Edwards

"Think globally, act locally" isn't just for bumper stickers anymore. This grassroots politics–type slogan has become an important way of thinking about where your next meal should come from. But the implications here are far more than political. Buying local—as well as organic—foods allows you to protect your family by feeding them in the safest way possible. Here are 10 reasons to add "visit the local farmers' market" to the top of your to-do list each week.

Local foods are safer. Or at least you can find out if they are. Organic food standards are high, but there are still companies out there attempting to cloud the rules. When you buy locally, it's easier to check out what you're buying, and you won't have to hire Magnum, P.I., to do it. The great thing about local media is that they love to cover this stuff. If for any reason a local farm is mixed up in nefarious activities, there's a good chance your paper has a reporter dreaming of a gig at The New York Times who'll be on the job for you. Even if this isn't the case, you can be inquisitive at the farmers' markets—you'll be surprised how quickly you can get up to date on the local scoop. Farmers who adhere to a strict code of ethics love to talk about others who do, and those who don't.
Organic foods are safer. Organic certification standards are the public's assurance that their food and products have been grown and handled according to sustainable procedures, without toxic, synthetic, irradiated, or genetically modified elements, including chemical fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, and other additives. At least that's what the law says. But even though many companies still cheat the system, most of them play by the rules. These rules are in place to help both soil longevity and the health and safety of the consumer. Many Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Now, the EPA considers 60 percent of all herbicides, 90 percent of all fungicides, and 30 percent of all insecticides, none of which meet organic criteria, to potentially cause cancer. You can't always be certain you're getting safe food, but eating organic foods stacks the odds in your favor.
Organic food tastes better. Many people would be amazed to taste the difference between garden-grown fruits and vegetables (and wild meat) and the offerings you find down at your local mega-grocery-mart. The main reason for this disparity has to do with something called trophic levels, which is determined by where plants and animals fall on the food chain. When food—even natural food—is manufactured, as when plants are grown in poor soil with some added nutrients, or animals are raised using drugs and a nonnative diet, their physiological chemistry is altered. This doesn't just change their nutrient content—it changes the way they taste.
Organic food is more nutritious—which stands to reason, based on the whole trophic levels thing. When soils are depleted and then fertilized, only certain nutrients are added with fertilizers. This results in the loss of many of the plants' original phytonutrients. While these lost phytonutrients aren't necessarily a major component of any individual plant, they add up in your diet and become a major component of who you are. This lack of phytonutrients in the plants in our diets has a lot to do with many modern-day maladies. With regards to meat, it's basically the same story. Animals that are fed a poor diet are, as you might imagine, less healthy to eat, because they're also missing out on essential nutrients thanks to the trophic level paradigm—just like you are.
You won't have to eat genetically modified organisms (GMOs). A GMO is a plant, animal, or microorganism whose genetic sequence has been modified to introduce genes from another species. Because the long-term impact of GMOs on our health isn't known yet, they're forbidden by the Soil Association Standards for Organic Food and Farming. Furthermore, in order to qualify as organic, animals can't be fed GMOs, nor can they be fed antibiotics, added hormones, or other drugs. It is not currently required, however, that GMOs be mentioned on food labels, so it's very likely that anything not certified organic contains some GMO ingredients.
Your drinking water will be safer. The EPA estimates that pesticides contaminate groundwater in 38 states, polluting the primary source of drinking water for more than half the country's population. Because organic farmers practice water conservation and don't use toxic chemicals that leach into your groundwater, organic farming leads to less waste intrusion into our aquifers, which helps keep your drinking water healthier.
Your kids will be healthier. The toxicity of pesticide residue is determined not only by the chemicals used, but by our body weight in relation to how much we consume. This means that your children are even more at risk than you are. It's estimated that the average child receives four times more exposure than the average adult to at least eight widely used cancer-causing pesticides in food. To try and minimize this risk, buy organic, but also make sure that your family eats a wide variety of foods.
To help farmers and farm communities. It's estimated that the U.S. has lost more than 650,000 family farms since 1990. The USDA estimates that half of the U.S. farm production comes from only 1 percent of farms. Organic farming may be one of the few survival tactics left for the family farm and rural communities. The majority of organic farms are still small-scale operations, generally on fewer than 100 acres, and using an average of 70 percent less energy. Small farms use far more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices than large-scale farms do. For example, small farms use manure to fertilize soil, naturally recycling it to keep the land productive.

Industrial farms produce so much manure that it's a human health risk. The overspill of manure has contaminated water wells with E. coli and other pathogens. This brings up another subject: Industrial farms still—though now illegally—feed animals the ground-up remnants of other animals that aren't naturally part of their diet. This has led to pathogens like E. coli getting into our foods in the first place.

Furthermore, farm workers are much safer on small farms. A National Cancer Institute study found that farmers exposed to herbicides had six times more risk of contracting cancer than nonfarmers did. Due to their direct exposure, field workers on conventional farms are the most vulnerable to illness as a result of pesticide use. Organic farms eliminate that risk by eliminating harmful pesticides and other chemical inputs from their practices.
For more humane treatment of animals. Factory farms treat animals like commodities. They are usually kept in tightly confined pens or cages and often never move more than a few feet for their entire lives. They are also fed the cheapest foods available, no matter how it affects their—and then our—health. Besides the fact that a host of illnesses have entered our world as a direct result of this practice, it's also just not nice. Animals on organic farms are far likelier to be raised without cruelty. They are also fed a diet much closer to what they would eat naturally, and studies tell us—surprise!—that these animals tend to be significantly healthier than their factory-raised counterparts.
To promote a vibrant economy. Organic products only seem more expensive because people base their cost on their sticker price alone. However, retail price represents a mere fraction of their true cost. Market prices for conventionally grown foods don't reflect the costs of federal subsidies to conventional agriculture, the cost of contaminated drinking water, loss of wildlife habitat and soil erosion, or the cost of the disposal and cleanup of hazardous wastes generated by the manufacturing of pesticides. Compared to local farms, there's also transportation—and the pollutants that result from it—to consider. All of this means that essentially, you can pay now or pay later—just remember that you're going to be charged interest, mainly in the form of a socially and ecologically diminished world to live in.

What if you can't find organic food? One of our members, who lives in a rural area, went to her local market and requested healthier options. Now the store owner can't keep them on the shelf. You can, with a little initiative, make a difference. After all, retail stores are in business to serve you. If this doesn't work, hit the Internet. Since "organic" is the current buzzword of the food industry, there will be options. And of course there's always your local farmers' market.

8 Triggers That Change Your Metabolism

2011-02-13T18:01:00.000-08:00

8 Triggers That Change Your Metabolism

Many dieters point the finger of blame at their slow metabolism when dieting, but there are steps you can take to speed it up. Learn all about boosting metabolism.

By Jennifer Acosta Scott

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

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If you’ve ever had trouble losing weight, you’ve probably placed at least some of the blame on a slow metabolism. It’s true that your basal metabolic rate — the rate at which your body uses energy — can affect your ability to shed pounds. But there are also a few external, controllable factors that can slow down that metabolic rate, says Michael West, MD, an endocrinologist with Washington Endocrine Clinic in Washington, D.C.

Here are eight triggers that can slow metabolism, some (but not all) of which you can control, to make sure you aren’t sabotaging your weight-loss efforts.

1. Age. As you get older, your ability to quickly use up energy diminishes and your metabolism can slow. “As cells age, they do metabolize less rapidly,” Dr. West says. Older people also tend to have less muscle mass than younger people, which translates to a reduced metabolic rate. While you can’t make yourself younger to speed up your metabolism, West suggests being diligent about getting enough exercise — many people tend to get out of the habit as they age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that adults 65 and older get two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week and do strengthening exercises on all the body’s major muscle groups at least twice a week.

12 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight

2. Stress. When your nerves are frazzled, your body releases cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal system that is linked to weight gain. “There are definitely established links between psychological stress and the adrenal system,” West says. To make sure that stress isn’t making it harder to take off pounds, try to calm yourself by reducing the controllable stressors in your life. For example, if heavy traffic makes you nervous, avoid the roadways during rush hour. Regular physical activity, deep breathing, and even professional help from a psychologist or counselor may also be helpful.

3. Poor sleep habits. Getting too little shut-eye can significantly alter your body’s processes enough to predispose you to gain weight. “There was a recent study where healthy volunteers were subjected to poor sleep,” West says. “Even over one night, the lack of sleep was significant enough to disrupt their metabolic patterns and give them more insulin resistance, which is a risk factor for diabetes.” Insulin resistance has also been associated with obesity. To increase the chances of boosting metabolism, adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

4. Lack of exercise. Exercise not only helps you expend more calories while you’re physically active, but there’s also some evidence that it may increase your resting metabolic rate. To make sure you get enough exercise for boosting metabolism, set aside a dedicated period of time, rather than trying to accomplish it during the course of your everyday activities. Adults ages 18 to 64 need about two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, as well as strengthening exercises for all muscle groups twice a week.

5. Diet. It may be tempting to severely restrict your calories or skip meals to lose weight, but that may be a self-defeating practice. Not eating enough can actually cause your metabolism to slow down in an attempt to conserve calories. “There’s something to be said for eating a small meal around breakfast time to get your metabolism moving for the day,” West says. “Eating small meals throughout the day can also be helpful.” What’s more, under-eating or meal-skipping can make you more likely to overeat at your next meal.

A few studies have also shown that caffeine-containing drinks like green tea and foods containing capsaicin (a chemical that gives spicy foods their heat) may cause temporary increases in metabolic rates. However, they only increase energy expenditure and fat-burning by a very small amount.

6. Medication. Certain drugs can make it easy to put on pounds and hard to lose them. “Some antipsychotic drugs used for bipolar disorder and depression can make patients put on significant amounts of weight,” West says. One such medication, olanzapine (Zyprexa) has been shown to promote weight gain. Scientists aren’t sure why it happens, West says. If you feel yourmedications may be causing your body to hang on to extra weight, talk to your physician. He may be able to switch you to another drug that’s less likely to have those unwanted side effects.

7. Weather. There is some evidence that exposure to colder temperatures causes an increase in metabolism, as the body attempts to stay warm. However, research in this area is scarce, West says. People living in cold climates may be more likely to gain weight, he adds, because the low temps have a negative effect on their moods. “When you have long winters, you can have depression, and depression can cause people to gain weight,” West says. If you live in a cold place, be extra vigilant for symptoms of depression, and talk to your doctor if the blues don’t go away.

8. Illnesses. There are some medical conditions that can make losing weight more difficult. For example, thyroid problems like hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone, can cause body functions to slow down and weight gain to result. In men, low testosterone levels can have the same effect. Medications are available to relieve most of these conditions or eliminate their symptoms. If you’ve been trying to lose weight for some time and have been unsuccessful, ask your doctor about screening tests for these conditions.

Increase the amount of exercise you do, get enough sleep, and talk to your doctor about medical conditions that can be affecting your metabolism — these steps may bring about the positive changes you’re looking for.

4 Great Winter Sports Workouts

2011-02-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

Cross-country skiing is great if you live in a small country.
Stephen Wright

4 Great Winter Sports Workouts

By Andrew Rice

There comes a time when you just have to make a break from the confines of your living room and get outside. The great news is that winter sports are fantastic cross-training workouts because they require more balance than many summer sports. Also, they each utilize a set of muscles different from your usual workout. It's possible to be at peak strength and form come spring if you engage in one or more of these four winter sports activities to get outside and stay fit.

Downhill skiing. As you already know, the core muscles are the cluster of muscles around your spine, pelvis, and groin that give you balance and stability. Skiing uses all these muscles in a fun, dynamic workout. To mix it up a little, do things like skating in your skis up the hill to the chairlift rather than booting up the slope. For a beginner, just learning to ski is plenty of exercise. More advanced skiers can use a few tricks to keep improving balance and core strength: Take a run where you balance on just one ski for as long as possible while still turning and stopping. When one leg gets tired, switch to the other and keep going. Backward skiing is also a test of your balance and works a different set of muscles. Leave your poles at the lodge when you try backward skiing, or take them off your wrists and hold them out in front of your body, kind of like a pair of handlebars. Of course, try these tricks on a run where you're really comfortable, not on a double black diamond. Skiing moguls and shredding the terrain park with the snowboarders are also fantastic for your core.
Cross-country ski skating. First, my condolences to those of you who have snow but no mountains. Life is cruel. But flat snow has its uses, too. The variety of cross-country skiing called ski skating is wonderful for your balance and overall aerobic fitness. If you don't know what this is already, picture yourself ice skating really fast through the woods, but on skis. Seek out your local snow-covered frozen lake or a groomed cross-country ski resort for the best trails. Lacking those options, seek out the closest golf course or even a snow-covered football field. The motions of skating work the heck out of your quads, glutes, and core. Your arms get a nice benefit, too, since you sometimes use them to push. And you can adapt skating to your own preferences. Some people go long distances; others do sprints. Mix it up and come up with a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) program that'll blow away anything you do on a track in a pair of running shoes.
Snowshoe running. Proof that people will do just about anything to stay fit. This sport is largely practiced by devoted—make that maniacal—runners looking to crank up their fitness. According to at least one expert, marathoners who cross-train in the winter with snowshoes often find their race times have plummeted come spring. A set of good trail-running snowshoes should set you back between $200 and $400. Beyond that, it's free. It'll feel awkward at first. You'll need to retrain your brain a little from your running stride. On snowshoes, you'll pull your feet up using your hips rather than pushing down with your feet like you would running on dirt or asphalt. And don't run using a wide stance; that'll wear you down in no time. Truly hardcore snowshoe runners log up to 70 miles a week, but that's extreme. Start out slowly and work up to a mileage that's maybe 20 percent of your summer running.
Ice skating. Anyone who has ever watched Olympic speed skating or a hockey game can tell you that ice skating is a great way to build your lower body and flexibility at the same time. Plus, like everything that requires dynamic balance, skating builds insane core strength—that tiny 10-year-old doing a flying camel spin has more core strength than the entire Chicago Bears defensive line. But you don't have to be Olympic material to benefit from a good skating workout. No matter what your ability level, just getting on the ice works your core. Skating can also provide a great workout for the large muscles you employ on the ice, including your glutes, hip abductors, hip adductors, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves.

For skaters at any skill level, the key is to get a little outside your comfort zone. Beginning skaters should work on gliding on one blade as long as possible with the other blade off the ice. Everyone has a strong and weak side—use both. Start trying to do 5-second glides on each foot, then work up until you can go for much longer. Linking parallel ski-style turns is a blast on skates and utilizes your abs, glutes and thighs. Do this in sets with gentle skating in between. Finally, skating backward is a terrific exercise for your butt muscles and works the muscles on both sides of your legs. Make it a point to spend at least a third of your rink time going backward and soon you'll look like Wayne Gretzky from the rear.

I could blather on until spring thaw about great winter sports workouts, but I've got to get myself out of this chair and down to the rink. Enjoy the chill. Summer will be here soon enough and this year, I've promised myself to stay fit through the winter. I hope you can too.

Sugar Addiction Detox 101 & A Memory of Jack LaLanne

2011-02-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

I'd rather see you drink a glass of wine than a glass of milk. So many people drink Coca-Cola and all these soft drinks with sugar. Some of these drinks have 8 or 9 teaspoons of sugar in them. What's the good of living if you can't have the things that give a little enjoyment?
Jack LaLanne

Rest In Peace Jack!! You and my dad were my first glimpses of fitness and all that it can do for us. You have both truly inspired me to continue to pass on your message and way of life. AP
A list of Jack L's birthday challenges:
1954 (age 40): Jack swam the entire length of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco underwater with 140 pounds of equipment, including two air tanks. A world record.
1955 (age 41): Jack swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco while handcuffed. When interviewed afterward, he was quoted as saying that the worst thing about the ordeal was being handcuffed, which reduced his chance to star jump significantly.
1956 (age 42): Jack set a world record of 1,033 push-ups in 23 minutes on You Asked For It, a television program hosted by Art Baker.
1957 (age 43): Jack swam the Golden Gate channel while towing a 2,500-pound cabin cruiser. The swift ocean currents turned this one-mile swim into a swimming distance of 6.5 miles.
1958 (age 44): Jack maneuvered a paddleboard nonstop from Farallon Islands to the San Francisco shore. The 30-mile trip took 9.5 hours.
1959 (age 45): The year The Jack LaLanne Show went nationwide, Jack did 1,000 star jumps and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hour and 22 minutes.
1974 (age 60): For the second time, Jack swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf. Again, he was handcuffed, but this time he was also shackled and towed a 1,000-pound boat.
1975 (age 61): Repeating his performance of 21 years earlier, Jack again swam the entire length of the Golden Gate Bridge underwater and handcuffed, but this time he was shackled and towed a 1,000-pound boat.
1976 (age 62): To commemorate the United States bicentennial, Jack swam one mile in Long Beach Harbor. He was handcuffed and shackled, and he towed 13 boats (representing the 13 original colonies) containing 76 people (representing the Spirit of '76).
1979 (age 65): Jack towed 65 boats in Lake Ashinoko, near Tokyo, Japan. He was handcuffed and shackled, and the boats were filled with a total of 6,500 pounds of Louisiana Pacific wood pulp.
1980 (age 66): Jack towed 10 boats in North Miami, Florida. The boats carried 77 people, and he towed them for more than one mile in less than 1 hour.
1984 (age 70): Once again handcuffed and shackled, Jack fought strong winds and currents as he swam 1.5 miles while towing 70 boats (bearing a total of 70 people) from the Queen's Way Bridge in Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary.

Sugar Addiction Detox 101

By Debra Pivko

Sugar, sweet sugar—a delightful minute on the tongue in exchange for what feels like a lifetime on the hips. But weight gain isn't the only consequence of eating too much sugar. Ready for the not-so-sweet truth?

Overconsumption of processed sugar can contribute to a number of conditions, including tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, hormonal imbalances, overgrowth of candida yeast, chronic fatigue, more severe PMS symptoms, anxiety—and yep, even wrinkles. On the other hand, if you start to cut sugar out of your diet, you can shed excess weight, increase your energy, improve your concentration, improve your moods, and possibly steer clear of diabetes. Ready to kick-start your sugar detox? To help you out, I'll let you in on some reasons why we get addicted, and how to read food labels for hidden sugars. I'll also give you some tips on how to start your sugar detox so you'll have a much better chance at living a long, vibrant, and disease-free life.

Why we crave sugar. According to AskDrSears.com, "Sweets trigger an increase in the hormone serotonin—a mood-elevating hormone. The body and brain get used to this higher level of serotonin and even depend on it for a sense of well-being. So when our serotonin level dips, (we dip) into the (sweets) to 'correct' the situation." According to the Web site, sweets also "trigger the release of endorphins . . . the brain's natural narcotics, helping you to relax when stressed."

You've probably noticed that although sugar gives you an initial high (a rapid spike in your blood sugar), you crash several hours later, leaving you wanting more. It's because sugar takes away more energy than it gives. Eventually, you find yourself exhausted, anxious, and moody. I know I've definitely experienced this crash too many times.

Is the sweet taste worth the unpleasant effects? Think gaining weight is the only negative effect of consuming too much sugar? Nancy Appleton, PhD, author of Lick the Sugar Habit, describes some surprising ways sugar intake can negatively affect your health:

Suppresses the immune system's defenses against bacterial infections
Increases the risk of blood clots and strokes
Contributes to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating
Can lead to hypoglycemia, kidney damage, an elevation in harmful cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and tooth decay
Helps speed the aging process, including wrinkles and gray hair

The list goes on . . .

Make the decision to detox from sugar. The first step in breaking a sugar addiction is making the decision to stop eating it completely for at least a few days to start to get it out of your system. While it's usually best to make dietary changes gradually, sugar has the unique ability to inspire cravings that are refueled every time you give in to them. The only way to break the cycle is to stop feeding the fire. Then your cravings should subside substantially. Continue to resist large amounts of sugar and actively avoid situations that cue you to eat sweets. And whether you're at work, at home, or at a party, just because a cookie is sitting out on a table in plain sight, that doesn't mean you have to eat it.

Ask yourself why you're eating sugar before you put it in your mouth. Are you eating out of habit? Because of circumstance? For a special occasion? Because everyone else is? Watch yourself like a lab rat. Begin to face your truth by keeping a food journal. I like to jot down what drives me to eat sugar, when I crave it, where I eat it, why I want it, and how I get it. For example, do you pop up out of your desk chair in search of cupcakes the second you hear people at the office singing "Happy Birthday"? Journaling can be helpful preparation for stomping out your sugar habit by making you aware of why you're eating it.

Begin to eliminate sugar from your diet. For thousands of years, people ate whatever sugar occurred naturally in their diets, and it didn't seem to be a problem, it was a treat. Registered dietician Becky Hand reports that the typical American now eats the equivalent of about 31 teaspoons (124 grams) of added sugar every day (about 25 percent of the average person's daily caloric intake), and that sugar alone adds up to almost 500 extra calories each day! Our bodies simply weren't designed to handle this massive load. The American Heart Association recommends that added sugar should be limited to no more than 6 to 7 percent of your total calories (not including naturally occurring sugars found in fruit and dairy products.) To put this in perspective, if you eat 1,200 calories a day, you should limit your intake to 21 grams of sugar per day. That's the equivalent of about 6 ounces of low-fat fruit-flavored yogurt or one 8-ounce glass of orange juice.

To begin eliminating sugar from your regular diet, simply cut out foods with sugar, white flour, and high fructose corn syrup—including cakes, cookies, pastries, and most desserts. It's okay to have a dessert or sugary snack on occasion, but make sure it's not your main dish. Although sugar is generally found in desserts, added sugar can also be found in your main and side dishes, and even sauces. Look closely at the labels of processed foods, cereals, and sauces—like ketchup, barbecue sauce, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, and dressings. You can usually find nutritious alternatives with less sugar that taste just as good.

Eliminate hidden sugar. As you begin to decode ingredient labels, it's really important to know all the other words for sugar and sugar alcohols. Here's a hint: Look for words that end in "-ose."

Agave nectar/syrup
Cane juice crystals
Cane sugar
Caramel
Corn syrup
Corn syrup solids
Carob syrup
Dextrin
Dextrose
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrate (apple, grape, or pear)
Galactose
Glucose
High fructose corn syrup
Honey
Lactose
Maltose
Malt syrup
Molasses
Sorbitol
Sucrose

Trick your taste buds. Using spices and herbs can trick your taste buds into thinking you're eating something sinfully sweet. Try adding cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, or other sugar-free flavors and spices to your coffee, cereals, or other dishes and drinks that could use an extra kick.

Eat a healthy breakfast. What you eat for breakfast will actually influence your food choices for the next 12 to 15 hours, and influence your energy levels, moods, and overall sense of well-being. Dr. Joe Klemczewski, PhD, explains that eating a healthy breakfast balanced between lean protein (like egg whites) and slower-digesting complex carbohydrates (like oatmeal) will help you have good energy throughout the day, stabilize your blood sugar, reduce cravings, and make wiser food choices. Typically, your blood sugar is at fasting levels when you wake up in the morning. If you start the day off with a muffin and a latte, you're choosing to ride the roller coaster for the rest of the day. If, on the other hand, you begin your day with a veggie omelet and fruit or some oatmeal, you're opting for a balance of foods that will be absorbed at a slower rate. Then you'll have a steadier flow of blood sugar that's far easier to keep balanced than if it were fueled by a muffin, a bagel, or a cup of coffee dosed with sugar and cream.

Eat throughout the day. The best way to avoid impulse eating when you're overly hungry is to eat several small meals, spaced throughout the day. This will keep your blood sugar more stable than eating the traditional two or three large meals spaced farther apart from one another. Schedule your meals around your body's needs rather than around your to-do list if you can. You'll find it much easier to stop eating once you're full; to make smart food choices from a rational, calm place; and to maintain even moods and energy levels. Eating balanced meals is essential for getting real satisfaction from what you eat and leaving cravings behind. For most people, this means approximately 50 percent of your meal should be vegetables or fruit, and the rest should be split between protein (beans, meat, dairy, etc.), grains, and a bit of oil or other fat. However, everyone's a little different, and you should experiment to find what works best for you.

High-fiber foods fill you up—yet they bring less fat to the table, says Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, the Guthrie Chair in Nutrition at Pennsylvania State and author of The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan. Plus eating high-fiber foods allows you to eat a higher volume of food while ingesting fewer calories. It's a concept called "energy density"—the number of calories in a specified amount of food, Rolls explains. Some examples of energy-dense foods are: apples (skin on) and bananas, avocados, flax meal, and kidney beans.

Find alternatives for when you have a craving. Make sure you find alternative foods and activities that you actually enjoy. If they aren't satisfying, you'll eventually abandon them for your old habits. When I'm craving something sweet yet healthy, I usually go for either low-fat Chocolatey Cats Cookies (for People) from Trader Joe's^® (only 9.9 grams of sugar per serving) or a chocolate protein shake that is low in sugar content. That's not bad for a sweet treat. Yep, I'm a sucker for chocolate, but I can still enjoy the taste without overdosing on sugar!