6 Rules Of Good Nutrition

 

6. Never skip breakfast:
Breakfast eaters are 30% less likely to be overweight or obese

5. Snack with purpose:
Reinforce good habits
Keep metabolic rate up
Fill gaps between meals with nutrients your body craves
Healthy snacks or smart snacks are: a ziplock bag of homemade popcorn, ants on a log (celery sticks with peanut butter and raisens), string cheese, triscuits and peanut butter
Snack in moderation ---

4. Beware of portion distortion
Since 1977 hamburgers have increased by 97 calories, ffries by 68 calories, and mexican food by 133 calories per serving. Drinks have grown in size from 13.1 oz to 18.9 oz
One way to combat oversized portions at home is to buy smaller plates, bowls and cups

3. Drink responsibly
Watch what you drink
Americans slurp up 25% of their daily calories in liquid form; nearly double 20 yrs ago
25% = 330 calories a day from drinks
Drink more cold filtered water and keep it readily available
Beware of juices
Look for 100% fruit juice on the label
Avoid juice blends with high sugared fruit juices such as white grape juice

2. Eat more whole foods and less science experiments
Pick foods with the shorter ingredient lists
According to USDA most sodium in the American diet comes from processed/packaged foods

1. Set the dinner table
Families with more structured mealtimes exhibit healthier eating habits
If you can't sit down nightly together for dinner set aside on night to have a sit down dinner together and keep in sacred with NO interuptions of any kind.

Migraines and Exercise

Migraine Headache Exercises

 

 

Jun 14, 2011 | By Sarka-Jonae Miller     

Migraines are simply horrible. What causes your migraines may be different for you than for anyone else, and the symptoms you feel will also be somewhat unique. Whether the reason you get migraines is stress, posture or something else, exercise is likely to make your migraines better though unlikely to cure them completely. While suffering from a migraine, exercise might make you feel worse, so exercise when you are well to try and prevent future migraines.

Neck Stretching Exercises

Stretching your neck reduces tension and improves blood flow. Several basic neck stretches can be done without any equipment and only a few minutes of your time. To do these exercises, sit in a chair and look forward with your chin parallel to the ground. This is the starting position. Breathe out through your nose as you lower your chin to your chest. Breathe in as you raise your chin to point to the ceiling. Next, bend your head sideways to bring the right ear toward your right trap muscle and breathe out. Return to the starting position as you breathe in. Repeat on the left. Finally, turn your head to look to the left as you breathe out, keeping your chin parallel to the floor. Breathe in as you return to center. Repeat to the right.

 

Yoga Exercise

Viparita karani is a yoga pose that may be beneficial for migraine and headache sufferers. During this pose, you put your legs up and rest them against a wall. Doing so reverses the blood flow. To perform this exercise, hold your legs parallel to a wall while lying on your back and scoot forward until your buttocks and legs touch the wall. Extend your legs straight and rest your arms at your sides. This exercise promotes relaxation. You do not have to do anything but lie there and breathe through your nose.

Moderate Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise such as walking might help people who get migraines without aura, according to a 2003 study published in "Cephalalgia," the journal of the International Headache Society. What constitutes moderate intensity is somewhat subjective, but a person is typically seen as exercising at a moderate intensity if she can carry on a conversation while breathing and heart are elevated. Walking or doing other aerobic exercises consistently, such as 40 minutes a day three days a week, may lessen the intensity and frequency of migraines. The first and last 10 minutes should be dedicated to a slow warm-up and cool-down.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/264427-migraine-headache-exercises/#ixzz216F6SAbJ

7 Steps To Slim Faster

Step Smart to Slim Faster

Burn more calories while walking by improving your form. Just follow these 7 tips

By Jenna Bergen

Want to boost your burn? ) Perfect your form because using proper alignment helps you walk faster. Follow these simple tips to intensify your stride.

1. Keep your gaze focused directly ahead, not down at your feet.
2. Stand tall, head straight and chin up; avoid leaning forward.
3. Roll your shoulders back and down, not scrunched up by your ears.

4. Make a relaxed fist, as though cupping a fragile potato chip.

5. Tighten your abs, pulling belly button toward spine.

6. Bend your arms; naturally swing them forward and back without crossing the center of your body.

7. With each step, land on your heels and push off with your toes. (Aim for a midfoot strike when running.)

To Run or Not To Run ----

Should You Run When You're Sick?

Runners don't like to skip workouts--even when they're ill. Here's how to decide when you should take a sick day from training. By Marc Bloom Image by Timothy ArchibaldFrom the August 2004 issue of Runner's World

Runners seem to live by a creed that's stricter than the postman's: "Neither rain, nor snow, nor sniffle, nor fever shall keep me from my training schedule." Indeed, the coming of winter presents many issues for runners who'd prefer to keep at it even when sick. Oftentimes, symptoms aren't severe enough to make you stay in bed, home from work, or off the roads. And while exercise can give you a mental and physical boost when you're feeling run-down, there are other occasions when going for a run may do more harm than good.

David Nieman, Ph.D., who heads the Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University, and has run 58 marathons and ultras, uses the "neck rule." Symptoms below the neck (chest cold, bronchial infection, body ache) require time off, while symptoms above the neck (runny nose, stuffiness, sneezing) don't pose a risk to runners continuing workouts.

This view is supported by research done at Ball State University by Tom Weidner, Ph.D., director of athletic training research. In one study, Weidner took two groups of 30 runners each and inoculated them with the common cold. One group ran 30 to 40 minutes every day for a week. The other group was sedentary. According to Weidner, "the two groups didn't differ in the length or severity of their colds." In another study, he found that running with a cold didn't compromise performance. He concluded that running with a head cold--as long as you don't push beyond accustomed workouts--is beneficial in maintaining fitness and psychological well-being.

But, doctors say, you still walk, or run, a fine line. Take extra caution when training with anything worse than a minor cold because it can escalate into more serious conditions affecting the lower respiratory tract and lungs. Sinus infection, or sinusitis, is an inflammation of the sinus cavity that affects 37 million Americans each year. Symptoms include runny nose, cough, headache, and facial pressure. With a full-blown sinus infection, you rarely feel like running. But if you do, consider the 72-hour rule of Jeffrey Hall Dobken, M.D.: "No running for three days," advises the allergist/immunologist and ultramarathoner in Little Silver, New Jersey. Even without the presence of a fever, says Dr. Dobken, some sinus infections, when stressed by exercise, can lead to pneumonia or, in extreme cases, respiratory failure.

Not surprisingly, winter weather increases risk of sinusitis. In dry air, the nasal passages and mouth lose moisture, causing irritation. "The sinuses need time to recover," says Dr. Dobken, "just like a knee or foot." So Dr. Dobken recommends including treadmill running in your winter training regimen.

Another option for sinusitis sufferers is pool running. "The water adds moisture to nasal passages," says John J. Jacobsen, M.D., an allergist in Mankato, Minnesota. Pool running is preferable to swimming, says Dr. Jacobsen, because chlorine can be irritating to the nose.
Temperature Control
If you're still in doubt about whether it's safe to run or not, take your temperature. If it's above 99 degrees, skip your run. "Some people think that they can 'sweat out' a fever by running," says Nieman. "That's wrong. Running won't help your immune system fight the fever."

Nieman saw this firsthand when his running partner once ran a marathon with a 101-degree fever. Soon after, the runner developed severe and persistent symptoms similar to those of chronic fatigue syndrome. "Every day he'd wake up feeling creaky and arthritic," says Nieman. "When he tried to run, he'd stumble and fall." Eventually doctors concluded he had a "postviral syndrome," a latent condition that was exacerbated by the race.

Although this syndrome is rare, it's an example of the risk you take by running while ill. "Running with a fever makes the fever and flu-like symptoms worse," says Nieman, "and it can lead to other complications." During exercise, your heart pumps a large amount of blood from your muscles to your skin, dissipating the heat your body generates. If you have a fever, your temperature will rise even higher, and your heart will be put under greater strain to keep your temperature from soaring. In some cases, this can produce an irregular heartbeat. Also, a virus can cause your muscles to feel sore and achy; exercising when your muscles are already compromised could lead to injury.

Nieman recommends that runners with a fever or the flu hold off until the day after the symptoms disappear--and then go for a short, easy run. Runners should wait one to two weeks before resuming their pre-illness intensity and mileage. Otherwise, you risk a relapse, he says.

Above all, obey your body and the thermometer--not your training program.

Know Your Limits

How much running can compromise your immune system to the point of making you sick? For average runners, the dividing line seems to be 60 miles a week, according to David Nieman, Ph.D., of the Human Performance Laboratory at Appalachian State University. Nieman conducted the largest study ever done on this question by examining 2,300 runners who competed in the 1987 Los Angeles Marathon. "The odds of getting sick were six times higher than normal after the marathon," says Nieman, "and those who ran 60 miles a week or more doubled their chance of getting sick." The illnesses were of the upper respiratory tract, including sinus infections. Nieman says there's no doubt these findings are still applicable to runners today. He's also used himself as a test case: When Nieman trained up to 90 miles a week, he constantly battled sore throats. When he dropped his weekly mileage below 60, the symptoms stopped.

Happy National Ice Cream Day

15 Diet-Friendly Ice Cream Choices

Get the Scoop on Picking a Healthier Ice Cream

-- By Leanne Beattie, Health Writer and Stepfanie Romine, Staff Writer

 

 

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! We are a society of ice cream lovers, with the average American licking her way through almost 5 gallons of the creamy confection each year, according to the Canadian Dairy Info Centre. (Only New Zealanders, at 6 gallons a year, eat more!) With their bright packaging, catchy names and convenient pint-size containers, premium (full fat) brands are readily available in your grocer’s freezer. However there are plenty of reduced-fat and even dairy-free selections to satisfy your cravings. These diet-friendly varieties make it easier to enjoy the occasional scoop while still watching your waistline. An Ice Cream Primer Before we figure out which brands are best, let's get the scoop on ice cream, fro-yo and all those other icy treats you know and love. Frozen yogurt is yogurt that is frozen using a technique similar to soft serve. While lower in calories and fat than ice cream, not all frozen yogurt is made with live and active cultures the way that standard yogurt is. To make sure that a frozen yogurt contains "yogurt" and a significant amount of live and active cultures, look for the National Yogurt Association (NYA) Live & Active Cultures seal. Without that seal, frozen yogurt does not contain any probiotics. Gelato. This Italian ice cream doesn't have as much air as traditional ice cream, so it has a much denser texture. Ice cream. As if you needed an explanation, this frozen treat is made from milk or cream, sugar and flavorings. The FDA requires that ice creams with solid additions (nuts, chocolate, fruit, etc.) contain at least 8 percent milk fat, while plain ice creams are required to have at least 10 percent milk fat. "French" ice cream is usually made with a cooked egg custard base. Ice milk is made with lower-fat milk than ice cream, making it less creamy. However, it does contain fewer calories than ice cream. Italian ice (also called Granita) is a mix of juice (or other liquid like coffee), water and sugar, usually in a 4:1 ratio of liquid to sugar. The ices are stirred frequently during freezing to give it a flaky texture. These are almost always fat-free, contain minimal additives and are the lowest in calories of all frozen desserts. Sherbet has a fruit juice base but often contains some milk, egg whites or gelatin to thicken and richen it. It's a creamy version of sorbet (see below). Slow-churned (double churned) ice cream is made through low-temperature extrusion, to make light ice cream taste richer, creamier, and more like the full-fat variety. Look for the terms "cold churned," "slow churned" or "double churned" on the label, which refers to the extrusion’s churning process. Extrusion distributes the milk fat evenly throughout the product for added richness and texture without adding extra calories. By law, "light" ice cream must contain at least 50% less fat or 33% fewer calories than regular full-fat varieties. Soft-serve is a soft "ice cream" that contains double the amount of air as standard ice cream, which stretches the ingredients and creates a lighter texture. It's lower in fat and calories, but it often contains fillers and additives. Sorbet, softer in consistency than a sherbet, is usually fruit and sugar that has been frozen. Its texture more "solid" and less flaky than Italian ice. Nutrition Facts A little research (and label reading) is in order if you want to keep ice cream as a regular part of your diet. Here's what you need to know. While ice cream does contain bone-building calcium, you're better off getting calcium from other food sources since ice cream contains about half the calcium as an equal serving of milk, which is lower in fat and calories. Don't fool yourself into thinking you're eating healthy by getting calcium from Haagen-Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s—both of which can pack more fat per serving than a fast food hamburger! Some ice creams, especially "light" varieties are sweetened with artificial sweeteners instead. Using artificial sweetener in place of some or all of the traditional sugar can reduce calories, but these sweeteners aren't for everyone and may cause stomach upset when eaten in high quantities. In general, regular (full-fat) ice cream contains about 140 calories and 6 grams of fat per 1/2 cup serving. Besides the fat content, premium brands pack more ice cream into each serving because they contain less air—they are denser and harder to scoop than regular brands—meaning more calories, fat and sugar per serving. Low fat or "light" ice creams weigh in at about half the fat of premium brands but they still contain their fair share of calories thanks to the extra sugar added to make them more palatable. Toppings such as chocolate chips, candies and sprinkles send the calorie count even higher, and don't offer any nutritional benefits. Choose vitamin-packed fruit purée (not fruit "syrup"), fresh fruit, or nuts, which contain healthy fat, protein and fiber. While chocolate does have some health benefits, most choices like chips and syrup are usually full of fillers with very little actual chocolate. If you want extra chocolate, use a vegetable peeler to shave dark chocolate over the top of your serving. If animal-based products aren’t part of your diet or you can't stomach dairy, you can choose from a wide variety of non-dairy frozen desserts such as soy, coconut or rice "cream." These desserts cut the saturated fat because they don’t contain milk or cream, but can derive around 50% of their calories from fat (usually by adding oil to the product for smoothness or “mouth feel”). Indulge in a Better Ice Cream So what should you look for when you want to indulge in a creamy dessert but not go overboard? SparkPeople dietitian, Becky Hand, recommends checking the nutrition label and choosing a frozen dessert that meets these guidelines per 1/2 cup serving: 120 calories or less 4g of total fat or less 3g of saturated fat or less (sorbet, sherbet and low-fat ice cream usually fit the bill) 10mg of cholesterol or less 15g of sugar or less (this is equal to about 3 teaspoons of actual table sugar) Remember to keep portions small. A pint of ice cream is not a single serving; it's FOUR servings. If you eat an entire pint, you have to multiply the number of calories, fat grams, etc. listed on the label by four. Stick to portions the size of half a tennis ball, and always scoop your ice cream into a small bowl instead of eating it directly from the container to prevent overeating. And use a teaspoon rather than a tablespoon to take smaller bites. If you want total control over what goes into your ice cream, consider buying your own ice cream maker. Experiment with the recipes that come in the package, adding your own fresh fruit to create a treat that tastes good and is good for you at the same time. SparkPeople's Picks The following frozen desserts make good choices; they most closely meet the guidelines above, but several other brands and varieties might also fit the bill, even if not listed here. Frozen Dessert (and Serving Size) Calories Fat Whole Fruit No Sugar Added Sorbet (1/2 cup) 60 0 Healthy Choice Fudge Bars (1 bar) 80 1 Breyers Double Churned 98% Fat Free ice cream (1/2 cup) 90 2 Dreyer’s or Edy’s Fat Free frozen yogurt (1/2 cup) 90 0 Blue Bunny Fat Free frozen yogurt (1/2 cup) 100 0 Turkey Hill Fat Free frozen yogurt (1/2 cup) 100 0 Skinny Cow Low-Fat Fudge Bars (1 bar) 100 1 Breyers Double Churned Light ice cream (1/2 cup) 100 4 Dreyer's or Edy's Slow Churned Light ice cream(1/2 cup) 110 4 So Delicious Dairy Free Neapolitan frozen dessert (1/2 cup) 120 3.5 Haagen-Daz Sorbets (1/2 cup) 120-130 0 Good Humor Sherbet (1/2 cup) 130 1 Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches (1 sandwich) 140 1.5-2.5 Rice Dream non-dairy frozen dessert (1/2 cup) 150 6 Tofutti Premium non-dairy frozen dessert (1/2 cup) 170 9 Ice cream is by no means a health food or a vital component of a healthy diet. But it is a simple pleasure most people wouldn't want to give up. Remember these tips next time you plan to indulge to keep yourself in check. This article has been reviewed and approved by Licensed and Registered Dietitian, Becky Hand.

Stay Heart Healthy

List of Heart Healthy Foods and
Foods you can substitute to make heart healthy choices.

Heart Healthy Substitutes
Instead of:	Try these heart healthy suggestions
whole milk or 2% milk	1% milk or skim milk
whipped cream	chilled evaporated skim milk, whipped
cheese, (American, Cheddar, Swiss)	Cheeses with 5 or less grams of fat per ounce. Terms used: reduced-fat, low-fat or fat-free. Reduced-fat is easier to substitute when cooking
Creamed Cottage cheese	nonfat or 1% fat cottage cheese, or farmers cheese
cream cheese	light, fat-free products, or Neufchatel cheese
Mozzarella cheese	part-skim mozzarella cheese
Ricotta cheese	nonfat, lite, or part-skim
sour cream, regular	non-fat, light, or low fat sour cream or plain yogurt.
butter	lower calorie margarines in soft tubes, vegetable cooking sprays, or nonstick cookware.
margarine, regular	lower calorie margarines in soft tubes, vegetable cooking sprays, or nonstick cookware.
mayonnaise, regular	reduced-fat, cholesterol free, low fat, or fat free. If making a dip you can substitute plain nonfat or low fat yogurt. Reduce the amount required in the recipe.
salad dressing	reduced-fat, cholesterol free, low fat, or fat free dressings or lemon juice, vinegar, or mustard. Reduce the amount required in the recipe.
one whole egg	equals 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute
egg noodles	noodles made without egg yolk
condensed cream soup	99% fat-free condensed cream soup
salt	reduce by 1/2 or eliminate.
gravy	gravies made with broth and thickened with flour/cornstarch
fried chicken	oven baked or grilled chicken
bologna, salami, or corned beef	lean ham, low fat cold cuts, sliced turkey breast
short ribs	grilled or baked salmon, grilled lean beef tenderloin
beef, pork, veal, lamb	choose lean cuts trimmed of all visible fat, or substitute with chicken or turkey without the skin.
ground beef	ground turkey or lean ground beef
tuna packed in oil	tuna packed in water
oil for sautéing	water, broth, tomato juice
desserts: cakes or pastries	angel food cake, fruit, gelatin
ice cream	ices, sorbet, low fat or reduced fat ice cream, frozen yogurt
chocolate chips or nuts	raisins or dried fruit
frying	broil, bake, microwave, poach, steam, grill, stir fry

Heart Healthy Dining Out Strategies
Foods	Better Selections	Best to avoid
Beverage.	Request herbal teas; mineral or sparkling water; skim milk; unsweetened fruit juices and occasional decaffeinated diet drinks.	Alcohol; beer; wine; caffeine diet drinks, coffee, or tea; chocolate; cocoa; milk shakes and soft drinks.
Bread.	Request whole grains, biscuits, crackers, lavosh, muffins, or pumpernickel.	Glazed cakes; Danish; jelly filled or salt covered items; sweet rolls.
Appetizer.	Request bouillon, clear broth, or consommé; fresh fruit; fish or meat cocktails; gazpacho; raw or plain vegetables; tomato or vegetable juice; unsweetened fruit juice.	Breaded or fried items; canned fruit; dips; oil marinated or sauce covered items.
Salads.	Request fresh fruit; lettuce; tossed or vegetable salad.	Canned fruit; salads with dressings already mixed in.
Fats and Salad Dressings.	Request no butter or margarine, or little- or no-fat, low-salt, whipped or soft butter or margarine. Use lemon, vinegar, and mustard in salads or request olive oil. Request oil on the side.	Regular butter, margarine or oils; cream sauce; gravy; salads with mixed-in dressings.
Vegetables.	Request boiled, raw, steamed, or stewed.	Au gratin; cheese or sauce covered; creamed, escalloped, fried, or sautéed.
Potatoes and Substitutes.	Request baked, boiled, or steamed potatoes; plain pasta or rice.	Creamed, Delmonico, escalloped, French-fried, hashed-browned, or mashed potatoes; potato chips and salads.
Meat, Fish, or Poultry.	Request meats to be trimmed of fat before it's baked, boiled, broiled, roasted, or stir fried.	Braised, breaded, fried, gravy covered, sautéed, or stewed.
Eggs.	Only occasional use of boiled (hard or soft), plain, poached, scrambled, or low-cholesterol substitutes.	Creamed, fried, or oil-cooked omelet's.
Desserts.	Request fresh fruit, jello, plain angel food, sponge, or unsweetened fruit filled cake.	Layered cakes, canned fruit, custard, ice cream, pastry, pie, puddings, or any sugar-based item.
Delicatessen Selections	Extra lean corned beef, pastrami, or roast beef, beef brisket, and turkey breast are best; whole wheat or multi-grain breads; chicken or tuna salad; chopped herring; chef salad; fresh fruit plate with cottage cheese; dry bagel; borscht or broth soup; tossed salad, sliced tomatoes, beet salad, or carrot raisin salad.	High-fat meats (regular corn beef, hot pastrami, beef bologna, hot dogs, knockwurst, liverwurst, and salami); potato salad; mayonnaise based salads; combo sandwiches (Reuben); smoked fish (lox); creamy coleslaw; chopped liver; excess cream cheese and cheese spreads; sauerkraut (high in sodium).
Pizza Parlor Selections	You cannot go wrong by ordering extra toppings such as onions, peppers, mushrooms, tomato slices, broccoli and spinach. Other possibilities include chicken, crab meat, or shrimp.	Fat starts with the basic cheese, so avoid extra cheese and in particular mozzarella. Other culprits include bacon, meatballs, pepperoni, sausage, and prosciutto, as well as anchovies.
Sandwich Shop Selections	Both 100% whole wheat and pita bread are great choices. Good sandwich fillers are grilled chicken breast, ham, roast beef, and turkey breast. Instruct the server not to add butter, margarine, or mayonnaise to the bread and substitute with ketchup, mustard, or horseradish. Good salad choices include chef, garden, or Greek salads, but remember to ask for low-calorie dressings on the side and to omit egg or cheese. Broth-type soups are good, such as barley, beef, chicken, lentil, split pea, and vegetable noodle.	Avoid croissants, cheese, excess mayonnaise, egg, and creamy soups. Beware of "diet plates" with big burgers and scoops of cottage cheese, which have loads of saturated fat. Omit cheeseburgers, cheese sandwiches, or grilled cheese "melts" over chicken and seafood salads; and cold cuts. Combo sandwiches with meat and cheese and club sandwiches are best avoided due to the large portion size. Remember that salad combos such as tuna, chicken, and crab meat have lots of mayonnaise. Avoid creamy soups such as chowders or cream of "anything."
Submarine Shop Selections	Order the smaller size roll or pita bread. Turkey, smoked turkey, ham, and roast beef are acceptable. Ask the server to go light on the meats, omit the mayonnaise or oil, and generously load up on the shredded lettuce, onion, peppers, pickles, and sliced tomatoes. Choose salads as alternatives when available, such as chef or tossed salads with perhaps a scoop of tuna, chicken, or seafood served with Italian or pita bread.	Omit meats such as bologna, Italian cold cuts, salami (hard or Genoa) and sausages. Stay away from cheeses and steak and cheese. Other items to omit include antipasto salads, fried eggplant, and chicken cutlets.
Chinese Selections	Order plain steamed rice; boiled, steamed, or stir-fried vegetables (ask for little oil to be used); moderate fish and shellfish; non-fried tofu; skinless poultry and egg roll (insides only).	Anything fried (rice or crispy noodles), or with sweet and sour sauce; egg dishes or soups; salty soups; avoid duck and limit beef, pork and picked foods; excess soy sauce; ask chef to leave out MSG and cut down the use of commonly used corn starch, sugar, and salt.
Indian Selections	Order chutney (except mango); curry sauce (yogurt based); fish (omit butter basting); yogurt with shredded vegetables; basmati rice. Biryani (vegetable dish); chapatti or papadum bread; tandoori chicken; lentil or mulligatawny soups	Creamy or high-salt soups; clarified butter (ghee); deep fried meats; poori or paratha bread; fried samosa or pakora; ask to prepare dishes without excess salt and to omit coconut milk, if possible; omit garnishes with nuts or dried fruit.
Italian Selections	Order antipasto (no oil or excess meats); crusty bread (no oil or butter); broiled or grilled fish, seafood, chicken, and meats; garlic; plain or vegetable pasta; fresh unsalted mozzarella cheese; steamed leafy vegetables (kale and broccoli); salads; fresh tomatoes; zucchini; ices.	Garlic bread; stuffed pastas (ravioli and lasagna); fried eggplant; meatballs or sausage; sauces with butter, cream, oil, and wine base; pesto sauce; cheese-filled or parmesan style dishes; spumoni or tortoni ice cream. Beware of risotto rice; polenta; and high-fat, high-sodium prosciutto ham and pancetta; veal cutlets and Caesar salads.
Japanese Selections	Order rice; steamed fish; sushi; sashimi; miso soup; raw vegetables; tofu; sukiyaki (stir-fried); yakimono (broiled fish).	Tempura and other deep-fried food; excess peanut and teriyaki sauce; pickled foods; excess salt and sugar in sauces; excess salt in soy marinades and sauces.
Mediterranean (Middle East) Selections	Order couscous, bulgar, and pita bread; legumes such as chickpeas, fava beans, and lentils; hummus; grape leaves; yogurt.	Phyllo dough dishes for sweet desserts such as baklava; feta and kasseri cheese; excess anchovies and olives; high sodium foods; feta, olives and sausage; appetizers in general, except salads; excess fat from butter, olive oil, omelet's and tahini.
Mexican Selections	Order soft-shell tacos; burritos; fajitas; salsa; chicken enchilada; black beans or Mexican rice; grilled fish or chicken; salads without chips or shells; moderate corn or flour tortilla, using minimal oil; cerviche (marinated fish); gazpacho; chile con carne soup, with no cheese. Acceptable items include shredded lettuce; spicy meats; diced tomatoes; salsa verde; picante or tomato sauce; use Mexican salads as appetizers, with salsa as the dressing.	Chips, nachos; super nachos; chili con queso; fried taco or tortilla shells; guacamole; sour cream; cheese; refried beans; beef and pork dishes; olives; items such as chilies rellenos, chimichangas, chorizo (sausage), and flautas.
Thai Selections	Order steamed rice; broth-based soups (tom yum koang and pok taek); non-fried proteins, such as chicken, seafood, and tofu; vegetables; satay or steamed mussels; salads with light dressings, made with Thai spices.	Excess sodium; soy sauce and sugar; MSG; coconut milk, coconut oil; cream dishes, high milk and sodium soups; many fried appetizers; curry or curry sauce; fried eggplant; cashew and peanut toppings.

Road Tested: Energy Bars

Nutrition & Weight Loss:Performance Training Foods

Road Tested: Energy Bars Energy bars made with ingredients you actually recognize. From the May 2010 issue of Runner's World

Kind Fruit + Nut Bar WHAT IT IS Made with dried fruit, whole nuts, and honey, this line of bars (with nine flavors) contains 150 to 230 calories. VERDICT Testers thought the bars were "fresh and naturally sweet tasting," as well as "light enough to eat before a run." kindsnacks.com ProBar Fruition Bar WHAT IT IS Each 160-calorie bar (with two grams of fat) has a base of dates, oats, chia seeds, and nuts, and then adds fruits like strawberries or blueberries. VERDICT Runners enjoyed the moist, fruity flavor. "It melts in your mouth," said one reviewer. theprobar.com Olympic Granola Bar WHAT IT IS These dense, 380-calorie bars (made with an oat, honey, and nut mix) feature unique flavors, such as espresso almond chocolate and lemon chamomile. VERDICT Testers described it as "rich and satisfying," and "hearty enough for a postrun meal." olympicgranola.com Bear Naked Grain-ola Bar WHAT IT IS Packed with whole grains and fruits like papaya and cherry, each thinly pressed bar has 220 to 240 calories. VERDICT Runners liked this bar's chewy texture. One person said, "It was filling enough to hold me over during a tough lunchtime run." bearnaked.com Choco Chia Cherry Bars Make your own all-natural energy bars with this no-bake recipe (featuring three nutrient-boosting ingredients) from ProBar founder Art Eggertsen. 4 1/2 cups pitted dried dates 4 tablespoons agave or maple syrup 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup chia seeds Zest of 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup dried tart cherries 1/2 cup chopped almonds 1/2 cup granola Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add half the mixture to a food processor and process until the mixture clumps together. Repeat with other half of the mixture. On a lightly greased baking sheet, press the mixture into a 10x8-inch square with a thickness of about 1/2-inch. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes; then cut into equal-sized bars. Makes 12 bars.

The Laziest Ways to Lose Weight

Nobody can take the pounds off for you (unless we’re talking plastic surgery), but these 21 tips make eating right and exercising easier than ever

By: Hollis Templeton

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

The Laziest Ways to Lose Weight intro

Weight loss takes work—but the time you dedicate to eating right and exercising doesn't need to feel like a second job. Even if you don't have the time, money, or motivation to hit the gym and prepare a home-cooked meal each night (or if you're simply a self-proclaimed couch potato), there are still plenty of low-effort (but highly effective) strategies for getting rid of pesky pounds. Some of your favorite "lazy" habits, such as playing video games, buying prepared foods, and using cooking shortcuts, may help you slim down. Read on for 14 strategies that can help make losing weight a piece of cake.

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Multitask in Front of the TV

Save time (and money) by skipping the gym and working out at home instead, suggests Melissa Joy Dobbins, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Keep some free weights by the TV or simply do crunches or lunges during your favorite show,” she says. “I have both my treadmill and my elliptical parked in front of a TV. I can watch my favorite shows only if I’m on them,” says Becky Clark, author of How to Lose Weight and Get Healthy Even If You’re Lazy, who incorporates calorie-torching speed intervals into her living room cardio workouts so she can keep them shorter.

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Eat Leftovers All Week Long

Cook once on Sunday and eat what you’ve prepared during the week. For example, roast a turkey breast and prepare enough brown rice and veggies to last through the week. This way you have to think about food only once a week rather than 21 times, says Clark. “I tend to eat the same stuff over and over,” she says. Researchers at the University of Buffalo suggest that limiting the variety of foods in your diet and eating them at standard intervals, like once a day or once per week, can help you eat less, as you’ll be less tempted to overindulge in a food if you’re consuming it regularly.

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Shorten Your Shopping Trip

Instead of wandering up and down the aisles on an empty stomach, eat before you go to the grocery store and once you’re there, purchase only the items on your list, suggests Joy Dubost, RD, PhD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That way the only step left is deciding which brand or type of product to purchase. Dubost makes these suggestions: Reach for 1% or skim milk instead of 2% or whole milk; grab whole grain pasta, rice, and bread instead of white varieties; load sparkling water instead of soda into your cart; choose whole fruits or 100% juice over fruit-flavored drinks; and if you have a tendency to overeat straight from the package, pick preportioned sizes instead.

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Buy Ready-to-Eat Snacks

If you’re not the type to tote almonds and apple slices in your laptop bag, you’re likely on the lookout for a satisfying snack at the coffee shop, corner store, or vending machine come late afternoon. “Convenience food doesn’t have to mean junk food,” says Dobbins, who suggests keeping your eye out for prepackaged foods that are sold in their original form. Examples include whole or precut fruits and veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and cups of yogurt. If you’re trying to save money and don’t mind planning in advance, make your own snack packs at the start of the week. “As soon as I get home from the grocery store, I wash and cut up cauliflower, broccoli, and celery, making it handy to grab,” says Clark. “If I didn’t, I’d never eat it.”

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Carry a Clutch

If you’re going to a party, carry a clutch instead of a hobo or shoulder bag, says Marisa Moore, RD, an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson. It keeps your hands full, making it more difficult to hold both a drink and a plate.

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Leave Out One Ingredient

By using nonstick cookware, you’ll cut down on calories and prep time, says Clark. If you leave out oil or butter when cooking lean meats and veggies you’ll save fat and calories—extra-virgin olive oil contains 120 calories and 14 g of fat per tablespoon, and unsalted butter has 102 calories and 12 g of fat per tablespoon. Skipping oil or butter means you don’t have to spend time digging out one more ingredient from the cabinet or fridge. Plus, it can be time-consuming to wash greasy pans once they hit the sink.

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Break Between Bites

It might take a little while to get acquainted with this new habit, but setting down your fork or spoon in between each bite slows the eating process and may help you eat fewer calories, says Marisa Moore, RD, LD, MBA, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She also suggests taking time to thoroughly chew your food. In a study from Harbin Medical University in China, people who chewed their food 40 times per bite ate fewer calories than those who chewed just 15 times. Another way to fill up faster: Drink water before a meal, says Moore. “This simple action is not only hydrating, but also may help you take in fewer calories during the meal.”

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Have Your Meals Hand-Delivered

If cooking isn’t your thing, consider a healthy meal delivery service. This is a top health and fitness trend for 2012. Calorie-restricted and portion-controlled eating plans like Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig help dieters lose more weight than those in control groups, according to studies. Just like restaurant and take-out items, prices for meal delivery vary widely. For example, 28 days of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks on the new Meal Movement plan sets you back $14.79 a day, while pricing for Chef’s Diet, which delivers three gourmet meals plus two snacks to your door each day, starts at $43 per day for a 31-day program.

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Savor a Nighttime Snack

Your favorite at-home movie snack has some surprising slim-down benefits. Those who snack on popcorn get 250% more whole grains and about 22% more fiber than those who don’t eat the low-cal snack, according to research published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. What this means for weight loss: Fiber and whole grains keep your blood sugar from spiking (and then crashing), so you feel full longer than if you snacked on chips or cookies. Keep your kernels from taking an unhealthy turn by popping them in an air popper and skipping the butter and oil.

 

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Dress for Success

If part of what holds you back from hitting the gym is packing your gear ahead of time, layer on pieces of your workout wardrobe in the AM. “Clothes today are more exercise-friendly than ever before,” says Dobbins, who suggests selecting gym clothes that make you want to work out—and maybe even show off at the office. “Look for stretchy, flattering clothes that can double for work and workout. Or if your exercise of choice is walking, you don’t need any special clothes—just really good shoes!”

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Play Video Games

Gaming used to conjure up teen boys sitting on the sofa for hours on end. But today’s “exergames” are helping males and females of all ages torch serious calories. Researchers from Brigham Young University found that middle school students who played active video games that required the most movement, like Wii boxing or Playstation’s Dance Dance Revolution, got enough exercise to meet physical activity requirements (60 minutes per day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults). Their study, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, examined the energy expenditure of 39 children with various body types and found that kids burn 4 to 6.7 calories per minute playing active video games, compared with the 4.4 calories per minute they would burn by walking on the treadmill at 3 mph.

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Tinker with Your Smartphone

Take the tedium out of counting calories and recording your workouts by letting your smartphone do the work. The Thin-Cam app helps you create the ultimate food diary by storing photos you snap of everything that passes your lips. Based on your pics, the company’s health experts generate an analysis of your eating habits and offer advice on how to lose weight by picking smarter meal options.

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Sneak in More Steps

If your schedule allows no time for structured workouts, find ways to sneak in more movement throughout the day. “If you can’t exercise all in one sitting at least try to break it up into intervals, such as three 10-minute segments,” says Dubost. Or wear a pedometer to track your steps, challenging yourself to take at least 100 more steps than the day before, she adds. Easy ways to add more steps: “Get up from your desk and go for a short walk at least every 2 hours if not every hour and use the stairs instead of the elevator,” says Dubost.

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Hit the Snooze Button

Sleeping may possibly be the laziest way to lose weight ever. During a 6-year study, Canadian researchers observed the connection between sleep patterns and obesity and found that people who slept 5 to 6 hours a night gained 4.5 pounds more than those who dozed for 7 to 8 hours nightly. While many studies suggest that sleep deprivation increases levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition determined that lack of sleep can also slow the rate at which calories are burned. Swedish researchers found that even a single night of skimping on sleep slows metabolism the next morning and reduces the number of calories burned while performing automatic tasks, like breathing and digesting food, by 5 to 20%, compared with the morning after a good night’s rest.

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Pay Lip Service

Make your lips pop with zesty coral, red, or fuchsia hue. Not only is bright lipstick very on trend right now, it can keep you from eating sugary or messy foods since you won’t want to wipe and constantly reapply, says Sari Greaves, RD, nutrition director at Step Ahead Weight Loss Center in Bedminster, NJ. Plus, you’ll be more inclined to eat daintier or slower to keep your makeup from smudging.

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Nail It

Rather than mindlessly munch in front of the tube, give yourself a DIY mani-pedi. Polishing plus dry time can get you through an entire (nail-biting) Game of Thrones episode without reaching into the chip bag.

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Pay With Cash

If you’re quick to whip out the plastic to pay for food, consider cash. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people are more likely to buy unhealthy items on impulse when they pay using credit or debit cards. Why does coughing up the cash inspire healthy purchases? The authors of the study concluded that it’s actually psychologically more “painful” to pay with paper where the loss of money is tangible (as opposed to credit and debit cards where the loss is abstract). This pain can downplay the impulsive urge to fork over extra dough for unhealthy items that you know won't benefit your diet. Next time you’re at the supermarket, shop smarter and skip the swipe.

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Brush Your Teeth

Tap into years of Pavlovian training and brush your teeth soon after you’ve finished supper. Traditionally, brushing your teeth is a signal to stop eating, so you’re primed to resist after-hours snacking, explains Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD and author of The Flexitarian Diet. The strong minty taste may help distract your taste buds from craving another flavor and doesn’t mix well with other foods, either.

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Tighten Your Belt

To remind yourself to stop eating before you’re uncomfortably full, tie something around your waist—not your finger. Your belly will hit your belt before you’ve over-indulged, cuing you that it’s time to lay down the fork. Just don’t undo the notches as the night wears on!

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Wear Jeans to Work

Ditch the suit and take advantage of casual Friday. A University of Wisconsin-La Crosse study found that people who wear jeans to work take 491 more steps a day than those in business wear.

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Turn Down the Thermostat

Lose weight and save on utility bills by keeping your house or apartment a little chilly. British researchers who discovered a direct link between rising indoor temperatures and increased obesity rates in the United States and the United Kingdom noted that cooler temps force the body to expend more energy to maintain core body temperature. Their study, published in Obesity Reviews, explains that when the body is cold, it produces brown fat, which burns energy to create heat and differs from white fat, which is essentially a stockpile of calories. Spending more time in warmer indoor environments forces the body to let go of brown fat—it’s a use it or lose it type of situation. The researchers note that when people wearing light clothing are placed in a 60°F room, their energy expenditure increases by 100 to 200 calories per day. Over a year, those calories could add up to a weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds. Just don’t bundle up too much—it will negate the effect.

Soft drinks found to increase stroke risk

Study implicates both diet and sugar-sweetened sodas.

 

Pop. Soda. Cola. No matter what you call soft drinks, they are among the unhealthiest beverages in this country. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks have been linked with coronary artery disease and its risk factors, including obesity, high blood lipid levels, hypertension, and diabetes. And although low-calorie sodas have not been extensively studied, there's new information that sugar-sweetened and diet soft drinks alike may increase the risk of stroke (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2012).
The finding comes from an analysis of two long-term studies, the Nurses' Health Study, which began in 1976 with 121,700 women, and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, which started in 1986 with 51,529 men. Every few years, participants in both studies complete questionnaires about their health and diet. This allows researchers to see relationships between food choices and medical conditions that arise over time.
In this study, researchers looked at the number and type of strokes that occurred over a 22- to 28-year period. They compared this information with the consumption of low-calorie caffeinated colas, caffeine-free colas, other low-calorie soft drinks and their sugar-sweetened counterparts. All findings were adjusted for factors that might influence stroke risk, such as vegetable and red meat intake, smoking, hormone replacement therapy, age, parental history of heart attack and stroke, and exercise.
What they found was a red flag: Sugar-sweetened and diet soft drinks alike were associated with a higher risk of stroke, particularly in women. The more sugar-sweetened soft drinks the women drank, the higher their risk of ischemic stroke. Even more alarming was the significant risk of hemorrhagic stroke with increasing amounts of diet soda consumed.

The number of hemorrhagic strokes that occurred in men was too small to draw a comparison with soda consumption.
The questionnaires also asked about consumption of other beverages, and here there is some good news: Coffee was associated with a 9% to 13% lower risk of stroke and skim milk with an 11% lower risk than soft drinks. Tea and orange juice were also safer, but the comparison was not as dramatic