4 Keys To A Smart Nutrition Plan

D.I.E.T.

Think of the world "diet," and what the first thing that comes to mind? Visions of joyless eating, piles of pale lettuce, bored taste buds, more pale lettuce, meals that would starve a mouse, and mounds of food labeled "Off Limits" and locked away, never to be tasted again. Oh, and lettuce. In other words:

Don't
Imagine
Eating
This

Boooring!

Deprivation diets, fad diets and taboo-food diets send the wrong message. Your body is not a n enemy that needs to be beaten and starved into submission. Building healthy habits can - and should - be fun! This is a positive thing you're doing, making yourself healthy and happy at the same time.

Food was created for a reason. Each food has specific benefits and potential drawbacks. Even chocolate, in certain forms, is said to protect against high blood pressure and heart disease. On the other had, if you eat nothing but grapefruits, you'll be loading up on certain vitamins, but missing out on a lot of other very important nutrients. The key is balance. Too much of anything can hurt. But not enough of everything can hurt even more.

How far do you think your car would go on watered down gas or with out any oil? About 20 miles, probably. You're no different. Deprive your body of what it needs and it'll break down. The secret is to be conscious of the grades of "oil" and "gas" that you use. Some are more powerful than others, and help you run longer on less fuel.

To fuel your body for optimal performance while losing weight, we strongly suggest 4 strategies to use when starting a weight loss program:

* Control you food portions. Who really needs a "biggie" anything? Use our easy guide to portion control.
* Make smart substitutions. Why not try mustard (11 calories) instead of mayonnaise (99 calories) on that deli sandwich? Who knows, you might even like it better.
* Focus on "power foods". High protein, high fiber, healthy fats and good carbs give you the most punch for your lunch. Here are over 100 foods that fit the bill.
* Watch your eating habits. Mindless munching, emotional binging, and twice-a-day through feeding are sneaky habits that steal momentum and leave pounds.

by Mike Kramer, Staff Writer, SparkPeople

Beat the 4 Most Common Cravings

The Craving: Sweets
If visions of cookies and ice cream dance in your head, what you may be craving more than the sugar in these foods is the fat that provides their texture, taste and aroma, according to Somer. Several studies have shown that fat and sugar may release endorphins into the brain (neurotransmitters that can produce a feeling of pleasure or euphoria). This hypothesis may explain why people crave that sweet, creamy taste — it produces a pleasurable feeling.

The Solution: Guess what? Good old-fashioned exercise also appears to boost levels of endorphins (they’re the same substances credited with the so-called “runner’s high”). So next time you feel like biting into a chocolate-covered ice cream bar, lace up those walking shoes or hop on your bike instead. You’ll get the same pleasing feeling and the benefits of doing something good for your body. If you’re on the job or unable to get immediate fitness gratification, you can still get the creamy taste and texture you yearn for from low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit.

The Craving: Salt
According to Somer, many women experience salt cravings related to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) since fluctuating levels of estrogen can interfere with the normal salt concentration in the body. Unfortunately, cravings for salt often result in the consumption of foods that are not only high in sodium — dangerous for anyone with hypertension — but also heavy in fat (think chips, French fries, pizza). Some studies have shown that people who are deficient in calcium crave salt more frequently than those who are not. And Somer suggests the desire for salty foods, such as chips or pretzels, may have more to do with the wish to crunch than the actual salt.

The Solution: Try upping your calcium intake (which will also benefit your bones) with low-fat dairy foods or leafy greens. And reach for crisp, fresh, munch-able foods, like baby carrots or bell pepper wedges — they make great stand-ins for that pretzel or chip crunch. If you can’t forgo the salt, eat just one serving of low-fat, whole-grain pretzels.

The Craving: Carbs
Cravings for simple carbohydrates are most frequently associated with times of stress. The explanation behind this relationship? Carbohydrates found in such foods as crackers, breads, unsalted pretzels, and animal crackers have been shown to help boost levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, shown to produce a feeling of calm and well-being.

The Solution: Anything that relieves stress can help to inhibit these cravings. Try deep breathing techniques, yoga or simple exercise instead of resorting to the refrigerator. When you feel the need to feed, go for snacks of complex carbohydrates, such as yogurt or vegetables, which can help fend off cravings for simple carbs.

The Craving: Chocolate
They don’t call them chocoholics for nothing. While it could fit into the “sweet and creamy” category by most definitions, chocolate’s complexity and the fact that it is the most commonly craved food among Americans, according to Somer, earns it a class unto itself. Chocolate is the most difficult of foods to explain. According to researchers at the University of Arizona who last year conducted a review of the current research on chocolate cravings, the sensational combination of the fat, sugar, texture, aroma and several ingredients with addictive properties similar to those in psychoactive drugs, are most likely responsible for chocolate cravings. The researchers also suggest that these cravings can be a result of a magnesium deficiency.

The Solution: Uncompromising chocolate addicts may balk, but keeping other magnesium-rich foods, such as raw soybeans (a.k.a. edamame), on hand can be a quick fix. In cases where the longing is not due to magnesium deficiency, there’s not much else that will fulfill cravings for chocolate, Somer says. She suggests sipping a cup of warm, low-fat cocoa, or plunging fresh fruit, like whole strawberries, banana slices and melon wedges, into fat-free chocolate syrup — both of these approaches will add up to a lot less fat and calories than your average chocolate bar.

Conquer Your Nastiest Cravings

Do you eat healthful, balanced meals all day long until 4 p.m. or so, when a sudden and irrepressible craving for rich, dark chocolate or salty, crunchy chips strikes? Does your mind consistently wander to that pint of coffee-chip ice cream, tucked away behind the frozen broccoli, an hour or so before bed?

Lately, a popular theory attests that craving a particular food means you must be deficient in one of its ingredients. For example, you might believe that hamburger hankering is due to your need for the iron in red meat. But what’s really behind those seemingly uncontrollable cravings, and how can you get a handle on them before they wreck your diet plan?

While some cravings may indeed relate to a need for certain nutrients (as you’ll see below), employing this reasoning as a blanket justification for nibbling on foods that are packed with fat and calories will only result in one thing — weight gain. Many doctors and nutritionists dispute the claim, citing a lack of good evidence, and raise a solid point: If you’re truly deficient in iron, say, why not crave other iron-rich foods, such as spinach or black beans?

When it comes to food cravings, researchers believe there are other biochemical and psychological processes at work. And they agree that understanding the cause behind a certain yen is the key to prevention. So follow these basic strategies for staving off any kind of craving, then identify your specific food lust and learn how to stop it in its tracks!

Dodge the Desire
Be a grazer. Nutritionists suggest that eating several small meals throughout the day (or three meals and a few light, low-fat snacks) can help to prevent cravings later in the day. Choose high-fiber, low-fat foods to keep hunger at bay longer.

Go cold turkey. Some research has shown that completely giving up a particular food can result in losing a taste for it. According to Elizabeth Somer, M.S., R.D., author of Food and Mood (Owl Books), the longer you go without eating a particular food, the less you’ll crave it.

Get distracted. When you feel a craving coming on, do something that will get your mind off of it. Go for a walk or make a phone call. After 10 minutes, you may notice that the craving has passed.

Although we all have our favorite must-have foods — ranging from pickles to pastries — there are some common threads when it comes to the provisions we pine for. Here, identify the type of food you desire, then read on to conquer that craving.

By Bridget Kelly, eDiets Contributor

3 Ways to Refresh Your Treadmill Workouts

Don't Get Stuck in a Treadmill Rut

Is there anything more boring than the treadmill? After endless hours staring at the same wall, anyone would start to wonder if that’s all there is to exercise. But it doesn’t have to be that way. By shaking it up and loading your workout with variety, you can rediscover the fun of a good treadmill workout.

The first thing to remember is that any workout is and can be what you make it. The opportunity to go all out or to barely break a sweat is completely up to you. With that being said, even though the treadmill might be an uneventful and boring thought to most, you have the ability to make it fun and challenging.

The following are several tips on how to create your own workout.

1) Change up the pace
If you always walk at the same speed for the same amount of time, your body will get used to the routine and you might not see the long-term effects that you desire. Keep in mind that the body responds to changes in pace and sparks your metabolism accordingly. You can begin by trying a pyramid scheme. For example: walk at 3.2 mph for 1 minute then pick it up to 3.5 mph for 1 minute, then go to 3.3 mph for 2 minutes and then 3.6 mph for 2 minutes, etc. You can continue up the pyramid until you reach a point where the speed is at a level where you cannot hold it for the time period and then go back down. Before you know it, you will be walking faster and the time will have flown by.

2) Change the incline
With the same thinking that was behind the change in pace, you can do the same with the incline. Shock the body a little bit and do some hill repeats. Your body will respond positively and you will gain some cardiovascular strength in the meantime.

3) Engage in another activity while on the treadmill
If you see an opportunity to spark a conversation with the person next to you, go ahead – talk your time away. There have been many studies that show the positive effects of having a training partner. You might also find some benefits to reading or watching television. Just be sure that you are safe and don’t lose too much focus on the task at hand. These are just a few tips that can help transform the monotony of working out on a treadmill into a very rewarding experience all around. Now get out there and keep on walking!

-- By Holly Little, Certified Personal Trainer, Sparkpeople

Get the most out of what you eat!

Feeling satisfied may be your ticket to successful weight management.

What is satiety? It’s that lasting feeling of fullness at a meal's end, the feeling that you're no longer hungry or deprived. It can be a hard feeling to achieve with some diets. But satiety isn’t a luxury when it comes to weight loss — in fact, it may be your ticket to successful weight management.

"To get more satisfaction out of food, the idea is to fill up on foods that give you a lot of volume for relatively few calories," says Karen Miller-Kovach, MS, RD, chief scientist at Weight Watchers International. For example, 1/4 cup of raisins and 1 2/3 cups of grapes have the same number of calories, but with the grapes, you obviously get to eat much more, and you're apt to feel more satisfied when you're through.

Besides fresh fruit like grapes, other satiating high-volume foods include complex carbohydrates that are high in water, air and/or fiber, such as air-popped popcorn, vegetables and whole-grains like brown rice, says Miller-Kovach. But lean protein-rich foods, such as a skinless chicken breast, low-fat or nonfat yogurt or skim milk can also contribute to satiety, she adds. That's why, for maximum satisfaction, you might want to make sure your meals also contain some lean protein, says Miller-Kovach.

Super-satisfying temptation tamers
Other mealtime tricks for pumping up the volume in your food to maximize your satisfaction on fewer calories:

- Start meals with a first course of broth-based soup, vegetable juice or a salad with reduced fat or low-fat dressing. One caveat: "Make sure that first course isn't more than 100 calories," says Barbara Rolls, PhD, Guthrie chair of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University. Otherwise, you could end up eating too many calories at that particular meal.

According to Rolls' research, which has been published in her book Volumetrics (Harper Collins, 2000), subjects who began their meals with a high-volume, low-calorie starter like soup or salad ate 100 fewer calories over the course of the entire meal compared to those who started their meal with the entrée.

- Eat more vegetables, such as leafy greens, lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, summer squash and onions. In fact, stash them in stews, soups, pasta sauces, pizza and meat loaf. They're high-volume, high-satisfaction, low-calorie superstars because they're loaded with water and fiber, Rolls says, two top filler-uppers.

- Limit very dry foods, such as pretzels, crackers and chips. Dry foods lack water and thus are low in volume. "Dry foods pack a lot of calories into a small portion and are easy to overeat," says Rolls.

You can also make it second nature to gravitate toward healthy foods that fill you up. When you follow the Weight Watchers food plan, we can help you learn to naturally seek out these foods, while still being able to enjoy the treats you love.

Eventually you might find yourself gravitating towards these more satisfying, less caloric choices, making your healthy eating habits a way of life, not a chore.

Leslie Fink, MS, RD, Weight Watchers

7 Desserts that Fight Fat - I'll take it!!!

What do Darth Vader, King Kong, and an ice cream sundae all have in common? They’re all destructive, havoc-wreaking villains. But if you look deeper, you discover that they all have a good side, as well. Kong may have made a mess of Midtown Manhattan, but his animal rage was driven by his love for Fay Ray. Sure, Lord Vader wanted to destroy the Jedi, but when push came to shove, he put Skywalker first. And, well, the same is true of the ice cream sundae sitting in your dish.

It might have a bit more sugar than your body needs (technically your body doesn’t need any sugar), but ice cream also delivers calcium, which binds to fatty acids in the digestive tract and blocks their absorption. And ½ cup gives you 17 milligrams of choline, which can lower homocysteine. What’s homocysteine? An amino acid that restricts blood flow, and by lowering it, ice cream might actually help diminish your risk of stroke and heart disease. And so it is with dessert: If you can look at your after-dinner treat as an opportunity to add something more than just calories, you’re on your way to a healthier (and more indulgent) diet.

To that end we’ve pulled together America’s best desserts—the ones that offer something of nutritional substance, avoid the flab-inducing deluge of calories, and short you none on satisfaction.

Best Scoop-Shop Dessert
Cold Stone Creamery Tart and Tangy Plain Yogurt (Like It size with walnuts)
270 calories
13 g fat (1 g saturated)
24 g sugars

On its own, the Like It Size Tart and Tangy Yogurt has a mere 140 calories, making it the ideal base for a healthy topping of your choice. Fruit works fine, but walnuts usher in fiber and healthy fats, both of which work to keep your blood sugar in a healthy range as you indulge your sweet tooth.

Not That!
Oreo Crème Ice Cream (Like It Size)
440 calories
31 g fat (14 g saturated)
38 g sugars

Best Classic Dessert
Sonic Junior Banana Split
200 calories
6 g fat (4.5 g saturated)
22 g sugars

Whoever decided that banana splits should have three scoops of ice cream obviously wasn’t worried about body fat. So let’s agree right now: The only banana split worth eating is a single-scoop banana split. Thank you, Sonic, for giving us what we want.

Not That!
Banana Cream Pie Shake (14 oz)
408 calories
29 g fat (20 g saturated)
77 g sugars

Best Dessert Parfait
Ruby Tuesday Berry Good Yogurt Parfait
162 calories
3 g fat
26 g carbohydrates

The parfait is an entirely underutilized dessert. Ideally it should be a little sweeter than a breakfast parfait (this one is), yet still offer significant hits of fresh fruit, protein, and fiber (this one does). Order this in place of Ruby’s Italian Cream Cake and consider yourself 828 calories thinner.

Not That!
Italian Cream Cake
990 calories
56 g fat
108 g carbohydrates

Best Chocolate Bar
Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate Bar, 70% Cocoa (1/3 bar, 30 g)
157 calories
12 g fat (7 g saturated)
8 g sugars

It’s time to swear off milk chocolate. The dark stuff is a far richer source of epicatechin, an antioxidant that helps blood vessels relax, and studies show it migh reduce your odds of developing diabetes. After years of taste-testing dark chocolates, Chocolove’s Strong Dark still wins out—dark enough to corral cocoa’s benefits, yet sweet enough to taste like dessert.

Not That!
Hershey’s Mr. Goodbar (49 g)
250 calories
17 g fat (7 g saturated)
23 g sugars

Best Shake
Wendy’s Jr. Original Chocolate Frosty
150 calories
4 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
22 g sugars

It seems like every year Wendy’s comes out with some new, tricked-out Frosty. There are now Frosty Floats, Frosty Shakes, and Frosty-cinos, and every one is worse than the original Frosty. Stick to the classic, and make it a “junior.” Up-sizing to the small will more than double the calories in your cup.

Not That!
Oreo Twisted Frosty
440 calories
14 g fat (7 g saturated)
55 g sugars

Best Yogurt
Chobani Strawberry Nonfat Greek Yogurt
140 calories
0 g fat
19 g sugars

With other flavored yogurts, “strawberry” amounts to little more than corn sweeteners and red dye, but on Chobani’s ingredient statement, fruit is second only to Greek yogurt—just as it should be. That fills your dessert out with more natural sugar and good stuff like vitamins C and A, which bolster your immune system while mopping up free radicals in your body.

Not That!
Yoplait Original 99% Fat Free Strawberry
170 calories
1.5 g fat (1 g saturated)
27 g sugars

Best Caffeinated Dessert
P.F. Chang’s Mini Tiramisu100 calories
11 g fat (5 g saturated)
10 g carbohydrates

Thanks to the arms race of oversized foods currently underway in America’s kitchens, proper dessert portions now come with qualifying terms like “mini.” So be it. Chang’s Tiramisu consists of multiple decadent layers, just enough to hit your sweet tooth and reward a good day of eating. Eat this instead of a slice of New York-Style Cheesecake and you’ll save 820 calories. Make a dessert swap like that three times a week and you’ll shed nearly 3 pounds every month.

Not That!
New York-Style Cheesecake
920 calories
56 g fat (36 g saturated)
92 g carbohydrates

yahoo.com

Starbuck's....

By "safest" we mean "most guilt-free." As far as we know, Starbuck’s drinks aren't actual dangers to society...

New Kid on the Block: Skinny Caramel Macchiato
PER SERVING (Grande, 16 fl.oz.): 140 calories, 1g fat, 150mg sodium, 21g carbs, 0g fiber, 18g sugars, 11g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 4

This drink is SO good! Yeah, it's pretty much a Skinny Vanilla Latte with some caramel squiggles on top... but when have we ever turned up our noses at caramel squiggles? You can also get this drink iced, which will come in handy in the months to come. (How long 'til summer?!)

Guilt-Free Standby: Skinny Latte
PER SERVING (Grande, 16 fl.oz.): 130 calories, 0g fat, 150 - 170mg sodium, 19g carbs, 0g fiber, 17 - 18g sugars, 12 - 13g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 3

Just say "skinny" and your latte will automatically be made with nonfat milk. (There's no telling what will happen if you just say "scrawny.") And don't hesitate to request a pump or two of sugar-free flavored syrup for zero extra calories. At a fully stocked location, you can choose from Vanilla, Hazelnut, Caramel, and Cinnamon Dolce. Hooray!

Under the Radar & Awesome: Caffè Misto
PER SERVING (Grande, 16 fl.oz., with nonfat milk): 70 calories, 0g fat, 90mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g fiber, 10g sugars, 7g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 2

Half coffee, half milk, all good! It's a frothy masterpiece...

Decadent & Delicious: Frappuccino Light Blended Beverages
PER SERVING (Grande, 16 fl.oz. excluding seasonal flavors): 110 - 210 calories, 0 - 3.5g fat, 190 - 260mg sodium, 27 - 49g carbs, 0 - 2g fiber, 23 - 44g sugars, 3 - 6g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 3 - 6

Your year-round flavor options include Caffè Vanilla, Caramel, Cinnamon Dolce, Coffee (unflavored), Java Chip, Mocha, and Toffee Mocha. The least caloric of those are the basic Coffee (PointsPlus™ value 3*) and the 140-calorie Mocha (PointsPlus™ value 4). Sweet!

Can't-Go-Wrong Classics: Unsweetened Brewed Coffee or Tazo Tea
PER SERVING (Grande, 16 fl.oz.): 0 - 5 calories, 0g fat, 0 - 10mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars, 0 - 1g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 0

If beverages were wardrobe options, consider each of these your little black dress -- always a good choice. Just add your favorite calorie-free sweetener and sip away. Fans of plain sugar, simply tack on about 15 calories per packet. And a splash of fat-free milk adds just 10 calories per 2-tbsp. pour.

POP-UP SHOCKER! Wanna hear something crazy? A Grande (16 fl.oz.) Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha made with 2% milk and topped with whipped cream has 520 calories, 20g fat, and a PointsPlus™ value of 14. Anyone else think that's a tad excessive? Skip it, people...

Best of the B-fast Because a cup of coffee does not a morning meal make... Stat Reduction:

Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon with Egg Whites on English Muffin
PER SERVING (1 muffin sandwich): 320 calories, 7g fat, 700mg sodium, 43g carbs, 3g fiber, 6g sugars, 18g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 8

The first time we discussed this sandwich, we called it out as being too high in stats for a better-for-you option. Well, things have changed, the numbers have come down, and now we're on board. Chew on!

Longtime Fave: Egg White, Spinach & Feta Wrap
PER SERVING (1 wrap): 280 calories, 10g fat, 900mg sodium, 33g carbs, 6g fiber, 4g sugars, 18g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 7

Heaven in a tortilla! Mmmmmm. We love it SO much, we made our own version for an at-home fix!

Spoon-worthy Selection: Perfect Oatmeal
PER SERVING (1 container, nothing added): 140 calories, 2.5g fat, 105mg sodium, 25g carbs, 4g fiber, 0g sugars, 5g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 3

Customizable oatmeal? What's not to love? Here are the total stats with the different add-ins.

...with Brown Sugar
PER SERVING (1 container with 1 packet): 190 calories, 2.5g fat, 105mg sodium, 38g carbs, 4g fiber, 13g sugars, 5g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 5

...with Dried Fruit
PER SERVING (1 container with 1 packet): 240 calories, 2.5g fat, 115mg sodium, 49g carbs, 6g fiber, 20g sugars, ~5.5g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 6

...with Nut Medley
PER SERVING (1 container with 1 packet): 240 calories, 11.5g fat, 105mg sodium, 27g carbs, ~4.5g fiber

Smart Sweets There ARE reasonable options in that pastry case...

BIGTIME Fun: Marshmallow Dream Bar
PER SERVING (1 bar): 210 calories, 4g fat, 250mg sodium, 43g carbs, 0g fiber, 15g sugars,

MINIATURE Fun: Birthday Cake Mini Doughnut, Double Fudge Mini Doughnut, or Petite Vanilla Bean Scone
PER SERVING (1 doughnut or scone): 130 - 140 calories, 5 - 7g fat, 90 - 170mg sodium, 16 - 21g carbs, 0g fiber, 9 - 10g sugars

Raspberry Scone packs a whopping 500 calories, 26g fat, and a PointsPlus™ value of 14. No thank you!

Cold News... The grab 'n go refrigerated case has been increasingly stocked with guilt-free picks...

Deluxe Fruit Blend
PER SERVING (1 salad): 90 calories, 0g fat, 10mg sodium, 23g carbs, 2g fiber, 19g sugars

Picnic Pasta Salad
PER SERVING (1 salad): 320 calories, 5g fat, 480mg sodium, 53g carbs, 3g fiber, 3g sugars, 16g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 8

Chicken on Flatbread with Hummus Artisan Snack Plate
PER SERVING (1 plate): 250 calories, 9g fat, 520mg sodium, 27g carbs, 5g fiber, 3g sugars, 17g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 6

Dark Cherry Yogurt Parfait
PER SERVING (1 parfait): 310 calories, 4g fat, 150mg sodium, 61g carbs, 3g fiber, 39g sugars, 10g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 8

Strawberry & Blueberry Yogurt Parfait
PER SERVING (1 parfait): 300 calories, 3.5g fat, 130mg sodium, 60g carbs, 3g fiber, 39g sugars, 7g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 8

Farmer's Market Salad
PER SERVING (1 salad): 230 calories, 12g fat, 470mg sodium, 24g carbs, 5g fiber, 16g sugars, 8g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 6 Roasted Vegetable Panini PER SERVING (1 panini): 350 calories, 12g fat, 770mg sodium, 48g carbs, 4g fiber, 5g sugars, 13g protein -- PointsPlus™ value 9

Enjoy.... HungryGirl.com

10 Flat Belly Tricks from the Pros

Pros share their top sleek-stomach tips
Don’t even think about sucking it in so you’ll fit into those cute fitted white jeans: There are less-painful and longer-lasting ways to get the amazing middle you crave. We went straight to experts to get their very best advice for quickly shrinking your tummy. Here are the surprising foods, tricks, and moves they swear by. Their genius tips will help you shed inches and pounds, banish the bloat, and feel even more gorgeous. Hello, skinny jeans!

Eat at this magic hour
“You must eat a snack that contains protein between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Go for a protein bar, a piece of low-fat cheese, or some almonds with an organic apple.

No matter what, do not miss that snack. It’s important because it boosts metabolism and balances blood sugar. The lower you keep your blood sugar, the lower you keep your insulin, and insulin makes you store fat around your middle. Eating every three to four hours will keep your blood sugar even, but many people tend to go five or six hours between lunch and dinner without eating.”

Have a ball
“My No. 1 tip: Do the ball exchange three times a week. Lay flat on your back with your arms above your head and legs straight out. Start with a stability ball above your head in your hands. Bring the ball up above your chest as you bring your legs up to meet the ball and place it between your ankles. Bring the ball back down to the floor with your legs and straighten your arms back out over your head.

Repeat the ball exchange 10 to 12 times, remembering to keep your lower back pressed into the floor as you do this move.”

Beef up on this belly-zapping hormone
“Eat as close to zero grams of sugar as possible. This will keep insulin levels low and also keep levels of glucagon high. Glucagon, a hormone, is the best friend you could ever have in the struggle for a flat belly! Picture Ms. Pac-Man traveling around your waistline, gobbling up fat to be used as energy. That is glucagon.

The closer to zero grams of sugar you consume, the lower your insulin and the higher your glucagon...it’s as simple as that.”

Chew on this
“Chewing is the No. 1 tip I give to prevent bloating. Chew food until it is like applesauce in your mouth. Digestion begins in the mouth, and without proper chewing, food is not well-digested. Better-digested food means less gas and bloating.”

Put crunches last on your flat-belly list (for real!)
“I recommend the DCBA approach: Diet first, Cardio second, Building muscle third, and Abs exercises last. Follow it and you can safely lose one to two pounds a week. Spend 60 minutes a day preparing healthier meals. Spend 20 minutes a day three to five times weekly doing cardio. Spend 15 minutes a day three times a week strength training. Finally, spend 5 minutes a day three times a week doing abs exercises.”

Shake on the sea salt
“The culprit making your tummy bloat? It could be the salt in your diet. Use natural sea salt or kosher salt, which is lower in sodium teaspoon for teaspoon than traditional table salts. And stay away from soy sauce: Even low-sodium soy sauce is still high in sodium and will cause practically instant bloating.

Instead, flavor your food with a little fresh tomato salsa or a hint of cayenne pepper, which has an added benefit of boosting metabolism.”

Punch it out and lose 2 inches fast
“Add boxing to your cardio routine. When you throw punches with weights or at a fast pace, you’re working your core in a way that helps to flatten your midsection. You must engage your core to throw punches, and twisting your torso works all the ab muscles.

Boxing also gives you a cardio workout that burns extra calories. Add 16 minutes of boxing three times a week to your regular cardio routine (30 minutes at high intensity four to five times a week), and you can lose up to 2 inches from your waist in four weeks. Simply throw punches while holding 1- or 2-pound weights for 8 minutes, alternating arms, then repeat without weights at a faster pace for 8 more minutes.”

Try the flat-belly cheat
“Play up a different body part to draw attention from your middle.

If it’s your legs, wear skirts or slim pants. Shoulders—bare them even if just a bit with a boatneck or sweetheart neckline. Cleavage? Make sure your bra does its job. If your bra rides up in the back, the bra has likely stretched out. If it accentuates back flab or if the space between the cups doesn’t lie flat, go up a size

Size matters
“Eating portion-controlled meals that include whole-grain foods and monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) throughout the day is the best way to eat for a flat belly: People who eat whole grains lose more abdominal fat. And making most of the fats you eat MUFAs reduces ab flab, research says.”

The ultimate flat-belly menu

Best breakfast: A slice of whole-wheat bread with natural peanut butter and 1 cup of your favorite berries.
Best lunch: Spinach salad with sliced avocado, grilled firm tofu, and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
Best dinner: Grilled salmon, a roasted sweet potato, and sautéed asparagus with olive oil and garlic.
Best snack: A cup of fat-free yogurt with 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Laugh it up!
“The best thing for your abs is laughing. Every time you laugh it strengthens your abs. There are even laughing yoga classes (Go to Laughter Yoga to find a class near you). If you start busting a gust, you are absolutely toning your abs

By Shaun A. Chavis, by health.com

Weight Loss News Flash

Lose Twice the Weight by Tracking Your Food

You hear all the time that to lose weight, you should track what you eat. Well, a 2008 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that keeping a "food diary" may double your weight loss efforts.

Researchers from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research kept tabs on 1,685 overweight and obese adults (men and women), whose average weight was 212 pounds. The researchers encouraged participants to adhere to a reduced-calorie, DASH eating plan and asked them record their daily food intake and exercise minutes.

After 20 weeks, the average weight loss was 13 pounds per person. But researchers discovered something else; the more participants recorded what they ate, the more weight they lost in the end. Participants who did not keep a food diary lost about 9 pounds over the course of the study, while those who recorded their food intake six or more days per week lost 18 pounds—twice as much as those who didn't track any food!

Action: If you've ever doubted that using personalized Nutrition Tracker would help you lose weight, think again! At, we've always encouraged daily food and fitness tracking for people who want to lose weight, and this new study supports what we've been encouraging for years. By tracking your food, you become more accountable: If you know you're going to have to record that candy bar on your food tracker, you might think twice before eating it. Plus, detailed food tracker shows you exactly what you're putting into your mouth so you can make better, more informed choices. --

By Nicole Nichols, Health Educator, SparkPeople's

16 Foods Losers Love

We wondered what foods you just can't do without for your weight-loss plan. Here's what made the hot list.

Are you tired of eating the same old stuff? Would you like something new and different to wake up your taste buds? We asked Community Users on the WeightWatchers.com Message Boards to tell us what Plan friendly foods and drinks they just can't live without.

Here are some of their best ideas. Whether you've got the mid-afternoon munchies or a late-night craving, want something sweet or something savory, none of these 16 favorites will cost you many PointsPlus™ values.

1. "Quaker Oats Low-Fat Chewy Granola Bars. They've got the size and taste of a regular candy bar. Peanut butter and chocolate are the best!"

2. "Fat-Free Cool Whip with anything! I could kiss the person that invented it!"

3. "Pitas! I can't live without them; they have so many uses. Make pita chips or slice them into two layers and toast them for two tostada shells!"

4. "Ground turkey breast! The meal possibilities are endless! Whether it's sloppy joes, turkey tacos, spaghetti sauce, turkey loaf or turkey burgers, I can find a million ways to make it."

5. "Hormel Turkey Pepperoni — great for making pita pizzas. This has kept me from calling Pizza Hut many nights."

6. "Vegetable quesadillas. I eat them all the time with fat-free sour cream; they are so filling."

7. "Gum! Chewing sugarless gum has saved me on many a day when I wanted to eat, eat, eat."

8. "Folgers Cafe Latte Caramel Groove — it tastes so good."

9. "Grape tomatoes — great for guilt-free snacking."

10. "Tomato juice with horseradish and hot sauce — just like having a Bloody Mary. I like to drink it while making dinner."

11. "A Boca Burger, Wonder Light Bun and Velveeta Light Cheese. They make a low-calorie cheeseburger I can't live without!"

12. "Diet root beer. Add a scoop of light vanilla ice cream and have a root beer float."

13. "Pirate's Booty (snack food by Robert's American Gourmet). I wish this goody wasn't so popular because my supermarket constantly runs out of it."

14. "Sweet potatoes sliced into strips and 'fried' in a pan with Pam nonstick cooking spray. Yum!"

15. "Splenda! I use it in coffee, desserts, cinnamon toast — anything! It's wonderful."

16. "Nonfat chocolate pudding with just a dollop of light or nonfat whipped cream — so creamy it should be illegal."

weight watchers.com

Snacking Healthy - Add Snacks to Subtract Pounds

While some dieters happily accept when someone suggests a snack, others feel pangs of guilt when a nibble is merely suggested. However, there is nothing inherently wrong with a bite between meals. In fact, snacking might be the missing ingredient that will help you reach your weight loss goals.

But how can this make sense, since snacking theoretically adds calories?

Snacking doesn’t serve to replace a meal. In fact, you should spread meals and snacks out by an hour or two, and snacks should total a couple hundred calories or less.

Munching between meals can actually reduce your overall caloric intake by curbing overeating at your next meal. By controlling later binging, snacking can help you stay on track. You can actually use this to your advantage. If you know you are going out to a big dinner with friends later, for example, make sure you have a healthy snack before you head out so you’re less likely to order (and finish) a large entrée.

How You Snack Can Make or Break Your Diet
There is definitely a wrong way and a right way to snack. You should avoid sugary items like candy and soda, and shouldn’t be consuming enough calories to constitute a meal. Instead, steer towards foods that will satisfy you and keep you feeling fuller longer. Fruits and vegetables are always a safe bet because they are low in fat and calories. (Just be sure to avoid high-calorie dips.) Yogurt, fruit smoothies, even a slice of whole-wheat toast all make great snacks during the day. Combining lean protein, some healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates will help you feel fuller longer.

Mini Meals
Many experts are recommending several smaller meals throughout the day instead of the usual three. By eating at regular intervals, your blood sugar levels (and therefore your energy levels) remain stable. So, instead of that mid-afternoon crash, you’ll be full of vigor through dinnertime! Eating every few hours (especially if you chew on fruits and veggies) can also help add extra nutrition that might be missing from other meals.

Snacking Isn’t Grazing
Mindless eating is often the downfall of many snackers. You may start with only a handful of your favorite crackers, only to finish the entire box, without even thinking about it. Obviously, this example isn’t the healthy snacking that can help you reach your weight loss goals.

To avoid grazing:
* Fill a small plate with your snack, and leave the kitchen. Just walk away. When your plate is empty, snack time is over.
* Never bring the entire container with you in front of the television or computer. Enjoy your snack without distraction and you won’t be tempted to reach for more.
* If you stand around the snack table chatting at a party, you may find yourself reaching for food when the conversation lulls. This can often lead to an unintentional binge because you simply aren’t paying attention to what you are eating.
* Limit yourself to a single serving.
* Plan out your snacks just like you would a meal. Is one cookie worth the calorie cost, when you could eat a plate of fresh fruit instead?

Practice Moderation
As with the rest of your diet, moderation is crucial when snacking. Make sure that you are adding every snack to your Nutrition Tracker, along with the larger meals you eat during the day. If you don’t keep track, you might add excess calories and fat to your diet without realizing it.

Don’t sabotage your diet with unhealthy nibbles throughout the day; stick to nourishing foods whenever possible. If you know you have a weakness for junk food, do yourself a favor and don’t purchase these items next time you are at the grocery store. Then you won’t have to fight the temptation of ice cream or potato chips when hunger pangs hit.

By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer, Sparkpeople

5 Ways to Stick With Your Winter Workouts

Maintaining my Feel Great Weight one carrot (and cupcake!) at a time.

The past couple of weeks have really tested my motivation to maintain my Feel Great Weight.

The Northeast, especially Boston, was hit hard with snow, sleet, and ice. The last thing I wanted to do in that horrible weather was exercise. Bundling up, cleaning the snow off of my car, scraping the windows, and dealing with the messy roads require a lot of effort just to get myself to the gym! Instead of throwing in the towel on my motivation, however, I refocused, reminded myself of my goals, and went back to the basics. Here’s what I did to get myself back on track.

Write down my goals…again
In January, I committed to running four half marathons in 2011. I created a half-marathon training program for myself, but with the snow, I’ve gotten a little off track. So, last weekend, I rewrote my goals and refined my training schedule to motivate myself. Putting it down on paper made me feel more in control of the situation and ready to tackle the plan.

Identify the missed workouts
My Google calendar keeps me organized with all aspects of my daily life—from blogging deadlines and grocery lists to workouts and social events. I typically spend some time on Sunday afternoons scheduling my workouts for the week. Seeing my day laid out with plenty of time for exercise motivates me to stick to my plan. This is a great idea in theory, because I still missed quite a few of my scheduled workouts in the past couple of weeks. I went through my calendar to identify the ones I missed and to figure out why. Looking at my excuses for skipping them made me much more aware of how to deal with low motivation when it strikes, which will help me accomplish my future workouts.

Eat for energy
Eating foods for energy has totally changed my thinking about what I was putting into my mouth—and how it affects my hunger later. I used to keep a food journal online, but I found that I only focused on the calories consumed and not on eating nutritious and satisfying foods. It was also time-consuming and inconvenient to continuously calculate all of those calories, so hundreds of them often went unaccounted for each day, which made me feel like a failure.

When I started working at NuVal, I realized that the best foods were the most nutritious and also the most figure-friendly. I began choosing nutritious foods over those simply low in calories, and, eventually, I started making better choices. For instance, I realized that when measured in terms of calories, my lunches were much too small, making me overeat in the afternoon and sometimes at dinner too. Filling my meals with protein, fiber, and some healthy fats helped control my hungry, fuel my workouts, and keep my weight in check.

Blog about it
After finding my Feel Great Weight, I started my blog, Carrots ’N’ Cake, to keep me accountable in the months leading up to my wedding. Beginning with my first post, I’ve always been up front with my readers about what I want to accomplish. Sharing my goals makes me accountable to my family, friends, and even to strangers. My readers provide support, motivation—and even praise and encouragement!

Remind myself of how far I’ve come
So I haven’t been very motivated lately. But when I remind myself of how far I’ve come with my training—I recently ran my first marathon!—I know I can keep at my goals. Even though I’ve scaled back my mileage, I don’t want to take for granted the progress I’ve made. I’ve managed to keep my weight within 10 pounds of where I want to be. I’ve incorporated more fresh produce, whole grains, and unprocessed food into my diet. And I’ve even had an easier time saying no to my weaknesses–sweet splurges like cookies and cupcakes!

By Tina Haupert, Health.com

How Many Carbs Am I Really Eating?

What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are sugar-based molecules found in many foods, from cookies to cantaloupes.

If you have diabetes, planning your carb intake—and sticking to the plan—is critical to keep blood sugar on an even keel and to cut your risk of diabetes-related problems like heart disease and stroke.

Whether or not you have diabetes, you should aim to get about half your calories from complex carbohydrates (which are high in fiber), 20-25% from protein, and no more than 30% from fat, says Lalita Kaul, PhD, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

How to read a food label
The Nutrition Facts label lists the total amount of carbohydrates per serving, including carbs from fiber, sugar, and sugar alcohols. (If you're counting carbs in your diet, be aware that 15 grams of carbohydrates count as one serving.)

Sugar alcohols are often used in sugar-free foods, although they still deliver calories and carbs.
Sugar alcohols and fiber don't affect blood sugar as much as other carbs, because they're not completely absorbed.

If food contains sugar alcohol or 5 or more grams of fiber, you can subtract half of the grams of these ingredients from the number of total carbs. (See more details at the American Diabetes Association and University of California, San Francisco.)

How many carbs per day?
If you eat 2,000 calories a day, you should consume about 250 grams of complex carbohydrates per day.

A good starting place for people with diabetes is to have roughly 45 to 60 grams of carbs per meal and 15 to 30 grams for snacks. While snacks are key for people with diabetes who use insulin or pills that increase insulin production (otherwise, they run the risk of low blood sugar), they aren’t essential for non-insulin users.

The goal for anyone with diabetes, whether or not they use insulin, is to keep their blood sugar as steady as possible and to maximize their intake of nutritious carbs and minimize consumption of less healthy ones.

Fine-tune your intake
You may need to work with a nutritionist or diabetes educator to fine-tune your carb requirements, based on your activity level, whether you want to lose weight, and whether or not you use insulin.

Checking your blood sugar before and after meals is also important as you test-drive your carb-counting plan. If certain foods—like fruit juice or pasta—cause your blood sugar to spike, you’ll need to consume these in smaller portions.

Here’s a rough guide to figuring out the amount of carbs that can be found in 10 everyday foods. Get your measuring cup and scale ready!

Bread
1 slice of bread = 15 grams or 1 serving of carbohydrate

Although white and wheat bread have similar carb content (check the food label for details), whole-wheat bread is your best bet; it typically has more than twice as much fiber as white bread, meaning you digest it more slowly and your blood sugar will rise more gradually after you eat it.

People with diabetes should aim to consume 30 grams of fiber daily, even though this can be hard on the digestive system for some people, says Kaul, a professor at Howard University College of Medicine, in Washington, D.C. She also suggests trying extra-thin bread, which can slice your calorie intake in half.

Cooked pasta
One-third cup of pasta = 15 grams or 1 serving

Again, opting for whole-wheat noodles rather than pasta made with white flour is a healthier choice. But it’s important to remember—and easy to forget—portion size.

Just one-third of a cup, which is about half the size of a baseball, contains 15 grams of carbohydrate. If you overload your pasta bowl, you could easily get a day’s worth of carbs in a single meal.

Cereal
3/4 cup of dry cereal = 15 grams or 1 serving

Eating breakfast is important for all of us, but especially so for people with diabetes; a balanced morning meal helps you start the day healthy and energized.

A bowl of cereal with skim milk is a great choice for the first meal of the day, says Kaul, but you should avoid sugary, low-fiber cereals like corn flakes.

Oat bran cereal is a better option, the nutritionist says. Try it, and if you don’t like it, choose something else.

Crackers
4-6 Saltines = 15 grams or 1 serving

When you snack on crackers, checking the label for trans fat and sodium is just as important as looking out for carb content, Kaul notes. Even relatively low-carb crackers may be packing lots of this unhealthy fat and too much salt.

Choose crackers with no more than 200 milligrams of sodium per serving of carbs, and leave the ones that contain trans fat on the supermarket shelf.

Fruit
One small piece = 15 grams or 1 serving

You really can’t go wrong with fruit, says Kaul, as long as you keep an eye on portion size. However, if you have diabetes, fruits like apples, bananas, berries, cantaloupes, strawberries, and peaches are the best choices. Pears and grapes can have too much sugar, she explains.

A medium banana has about 15 grams of carbs, plus it is filling and chock-full of potassium. Berries are rich in fiber and antioxidants. But just remember how much fruit you’re eating.

One serving of berries is just 3/4 of a cup, but it’s easy to eat three times this much—or more—if you’re not careful.

Fruit juice
1/2 cup fruit juice = 15 grams or 1 serving

Kaul tells her clients to choose fruit instead of fruit juice, because fruit contains fiber. And juice—even the unsweetened, natural kind—is high in calories. “Three glasses will give you 300 to 400 calories,” she says.

People who don’t want to give up their OJ should have a small glass with breakfast, she says. And instead of consuming giant-size bottles of sweetened drinks, drink water or unsweetened tea.

Milk
1 cup nonfat skim milk = 15 grams or 1 serving

Dairy foods provide calcium, protein, vitamin D, and other key nutrients, so if you like them, definitely include them in your diet.

But skip full-fat milk for skim, and choose low- or no-fat dairy products.

People with diabetes frequently have high cholesterol and high triglycerides, and weight is often a concern, hence avoiding dairy fats is important, Kaul explains.

Yogurt
1 cup of light or plain yogurt = 15 grams or 1 serving

Yogurt is a great, healthy choice, as long as you go the nonfat route.

Flavored yogurt is frequently full of sugar, so check the carb content. You may want to skip it and make your own by adding chopped-up fruit and nuts to plain, nonfat yogurt (which is also likely to be less expensive if you buy a quart-size tub).

Cookies
2 cookies = 15 grams or 1 serving

Being diabetic used to mean being told to kiss tasty treats—like cookies—good-bye.

But these days, says Kaul, diabetes experts agree that indulging in sweets now and then is okay, as long as you consume them in small portions, and with meals.

Ice cream
1/2 cup of ice cream = 15 grams or 1 serving

Kaul advises her clients to stay away from ice cream—if they can—and try low-fat alternatives like frozen yogurt, sherbet, and even sugar-free popsicles.

Because ice cream contains so much fat, it should only be an occasional treat, enjoyed in small portions, she adds.

8 Diet Rules That Are Meant to Be Broken

If you don't eat red meat or snack after 8 p.m., girl, it's time to loosen up. The secret to losing weight is finding your happy medium (or medium rare). Get ready to break a few rules and lose weight, too.

Put Some Fun Back in Your Diet
Sticking to certain diet must-dos may actually be sabotaging your skinny-jeans goal. "A black-and-white 'This is good, this is bad' mentality sets you up for failure," says Judith Beck, PhD, author of The Beck Diet Solution. "With one minor dietary infraction, the mind-set becomes 'I've blown it, so I might as well keep going.'" Even worse, you may be following faulty advice. Learn why you should break these eight hard-and-fast diet rules -- and get ready to drop a size, you rebel, you.

The Rule: Swear off red meat to cut calories.
Smarter strategy: Enjoy an occasional hamburger for the protein -- and yumminess -- it provides. "Protein takes longer to digest, so it keeps you full," says Jonny Bowden, PhD, a weight-loss coach and author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. Plus, studies suggest that it can help suppress your appetite. When researchers at University College London fed mice a high-protein diet, the rodents produced more of a hunger-fighting hormone called peptide YY and put on less fat than the mice that didn't receive as much protein. Red meat gets a bad rap because certain cuts (like those labeled "prime") are high in artery-clogging saturated fat. So keep it lean with "round" and "loin" options (as in top round, sirloin, and tenderloin) and ground beef that's 5 percent or less fat. Eat no more than two servings, or five ounces, of lean meat daily (a serving is about the size of a deck of cards) and no more than 18 ounces a week. Vary your options with other protein powerhouses, like fish, poultry, and beans.

The Rule: Don't eat after dinner.
Smarter strategy: Your body doesn't magically store more fat and calories after a certain hour, so if you work out in the evening or feel famished, there's no need to go to bed with a grumbling tummy. "You can slow your metabolism if you don't give your body fuel when it needs it," says Christine Mastrangelo, RD, founder of New England Nutrition Associates. The trick is to choose a healthy snack, such as whole wheat pita chips and hummus or three cups of air-popped popcorn. If you nibble at night, Mastrangelo suggests that you start each day by planning ahead for those calories. "You'll be less likely to reach for traditional late-night munchies, such as potato chips and ice cream, when you know you've allotted only a small number of calories for your evening snack," she explains.

The Rule: Hold your ground against cravings.
Smarter strategy: Indulge yourself -- in moderation. Sure, you can try to substitute your way out of a craving, first by noshing on an apple, then a couple of graham crackers, followed by a fat-free pudding. But you'll probably end up consuming more calories than if you had simply enjoyed a few squares of chocolate or whatever it is you really want, says weight-loss expert Kara Mohr, PhD, owner of the fitness and nutrition company Mohr Results, Inc. "Psychologically, we're tempted by what we can't have, which is why deprivation makes us desire 'forbidden' foods more than usual," she says. When you do give in, odds are good that you'll devour more than you should, according to a study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders. Researchers at the University of Toronto found that women who were deprived of chocolate for a week experienced more cravings and ate more of the sweet stuff than those who weren't denied it. Still, it's best not to keep temptation too close to home. "This way, when a craving hits, you'll have to go to the nearest store to get something," Mohr says. You'll burn calories along the way, or you'll decide it's too much trouble and skip the trip altogether.

The Rule: Bread is the enemy.
Smarter strategy: Despite what disciples of the low-carb craze profess, bread -- the whole-grain kind, of course -- is an ally in the battle of the bulge, because the complex carbohydrates it contains provide filling fiber. "It's the easily digested refined carbs -- the ones in white bread, crackers, and pastries -- that lead to weight gain. They don't fill you up, so you get hungry quickly and end up consuming more calories," Mohr says. And there's a good reason you crave carbs: They are your body's preferred source of energy. "A drastic cutback only sets you up to OD on mac and cheese or chips later," Mohr adds. If bread still scares you, try a lower-calorie option, such as Arnold 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins or Flatout Flatbread's Healthy Grain Honey Wheat. With about 100 calories and five or more grams of fiber and protein each, they really are the best things since sliced bread.

The Rule: Be afraid of fat. Be very afraid.
Smarter strategy: Focus on healthy fats -- the unsaturated mono, poly, and omega-3s in fish, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. The real bad guys, saturated and trans fats, which clog your arteries and increase your risk for heart disease, are found in foods you shouldn't be eating a lot of anyway: chips, crackers, fried foods, butter, and fatty meats. "Healthy fats help your body break down and absorb nutrients like vitamins A and E and beta-carotene in fruits and vegetables," Mastrangelo says. In fact, one study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that you won't reap the full nutritional rewards of salads and raw veggies without a little healthy fat thrown into the mix. Try a handful of walnuts (that's about 12), a tablespoon of sunflower seeds, or a drizzle of olive oil-based salad dressing.

The Rule: Avoid the drive-through at all costs.
Smarter strategy: You only think an energy bar or protein shake is a better bet than a fast-food fix; a real meal will more fully satisfy both your hunger and your need to feed your face, as well as provide protein, fiber, and nutrients. Thank­fully, most chains these days offer healthy options. "Skip the cheese, mayo, and creamy sauces; ask for grilled, not fried, dishes; and order the smallest size available -- a single hamburger, not a double, and nothing supersized," Mohr says. When you pull up to that window, request one of these three picks: a grilled chicken sandwich or a hamburger, either loaded with extra lettuce and tomato; or a salad with grilled chicken (get reduced-fat dressing and forgo croutons and cheese).

The Rule: Stick to light beer at happy hour.
Smarter strategy: Don't let the label fool you. The term light isn't regulated and can be misleading. It means only that the brewski has fewer calories than the company's regular brand. At 110 calories, a 12-ounce bottle of Bud Light has a mere 35 fewer calories than a regular Bud. "A 'light' label is not justification for downing a six-pack," Bowden says. Chances are, you'll be more satisfied with just one robust brew that you truly enjoy rather than two or more of the watered-down version. Whatever you prefer, though, know this: Your system converts any alcohol, even the light stuff, into acetate. Once this substance hits your bloodstream, your body burns it instead of fat for energy, essentially slowing your metabolism and putting the brakes on your weight-loss efforts. So don't get too happy at happy hour: Stop after one round.

The Rule: Reach for 100-calorie packs when you snack.
Smarter strategy: Don't be suckered into thinking that portion-controlled packs are good for you. Just like the regular sizes of cookies and chips, they're loaded with artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, and partially hydrogenated oil (the prime source of artery-clogging trans fat), says J.J. Virgin, a nutrition and fitness expert and author of Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy. "You'll still feel hungry and unsatisfied after eating one of these bags, because it lacks important hunger fighters, like protein and fiber," Virgin explains. That means you'll soon be reaching for bag number two. Need another reason to shelve the mini munchies? A recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research found that dieters devour more when they eat from small packages. If you like the convenience of grab-and-go packs, make your own at the start of the workweek. Snack-size ziplock bags can hold these superior 100-calorie treats: six wheat crackers spread with two teaspoons of peanut butter (sandwich them to prevent a mess), 15 almonds or 10 cashews, three-quarters of a cup of blueberries and 15 chocolate-covered raisins.

By Jeannette Moninger, Fitness.com

Is Dating Making You Fat?

Fall in Love Without Falling Off the Wagon

Dating isn’t easy. In the beginning stages, deciding what to wear, where to go, and whether you should or shouldn't kiss can be stressful. Then, once you start to get more serious, you have big decisions to make, such as whether to be exclusive, to live together, or to get married. With so much to think about, your healthy lifestyle is probably the last thing on your mind.

Well, it shouldn’t be. According to research from the journal Obesity, dating and cohabiting can lead to weight gain. The 2009 study looked at 1,293 dating, cohabiting and married romantic couples, and found that over five years, women who were dating put on an average of 15 pounds, and those living with a romantic partner gained 18 pounds. Men also have an increased risk of becoming obese as they stay in a relationship, but not nearly as much as women.

Researchers say that when you find someone who you really like, you start spending more time with them and therefore adopt some of their less-than-healthy behaviors. Or you cut back on your usual workout time to spend time with your sweetie.

But you don’t have to be a statistic! Follow these five tips below to enjoy falling in love—without falling off the healthy living wagon.

Plan Active Dates
If your usual date night consists of dinner and a movie, it’s time to get moving! Active dates such as ice skating, hiking, running, laser tag, bowling and dancing give you the opportunity to burn some calories and get to know your loved one much more than you can watching the big screen. In fact, you can even have a date at the gym: grab two side-by-side ellipticals and chat each other up. Or, take turns spotting each other while you lift weights. After all, couples that work out together stay together.

Be Mindful of Portions
When you’re going on a lot of dates, it’s easy to get wrapped up in conversation and not notice how much you’re eating. You might even order foods you normally wouldn’t choose off a menu, such as heavy appetizers or decadent desserts. When the date of your dreams asks you out for ice cream, it’s hard to say no, right? So instead of saying no to certain foods, think small. When you’re out, be sure to put your fork down between bites, order healthy foods whenever possible, and remember to listen to your hunger signals. Your date won’t be offended if you don’t finish every bite on your plate, and you’ll feel much better leaving the restaurant pleasantly filled instead of stuffed!

Watch What You're Drinking
Dating seems to revolve around food and drink. Want to meet for a cocktail? Grab a latte? Have a nightcap? The problem with this type of date is that you can easily consume hundreds of calories (especially if you’re nervous and think that glass of wine will calm you down) without even feeling full or being out for very long. Be just as careful about what you sip as what you eat. If you’re a drinker, limit yourself to one or two alcoholic drinks (choose wisely with these tips), or go for low-calorie non-alcoholic options such as sparkling water, black coffee, or unsweetened ice tea. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather chew my calories (usually on a few bites of dessert) than drink them!

Have a Romantic Evening at Home
Dining out can be hard on your wallet and your waistline. Save some cash and some calories by eating at home. Find a healthy recipe together, go to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients (grocery shopping together is a fun way to bond and make everyday errands more enjoyable), and then spend the night making a good-for-you dinner. If you’re not known for your cooking skills, throw together an easy salad, so that if you do accidentally burn dinner, you have a back-up plan. Then, spend the night chopping, cooking and spending time together. Once dinner is ready, light some candles, turn on some music and enjoy your romantic evening in.

Don’t Forget “Me” Time
When you’re falling in love and consumed by a new relationship, it’s easy to want to spend every free minute with your honey. Just remember to give yourself some “me” time. Whether it’s hitting the gym, going to an exercise class, heading out for a walk or doing a yoga DVD at home, take at least a few minutes of every day to do something good for you. If you really have a keeper, he or she will understand how important this time is to you and your relationship.--

By Jennipher Walters, Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor, Sparkpeople

How to Eat Out and Lose Weight

You don't have to stay away from restaurants when you're losing weight!

Are you steering clear of restaurants while you're trying to lose weight? Are you afraid of large portion sizes, cafeterias, bottomless bread baskets and high-calorie entrees? Believe it or not, shunning restaurants isn't a realistic approach to weight loss — and it's unnecessary. Start with this list of tips.

Dining Do's and Don'ts
1. Set a budget. Determine how much you're willing to eat before looking at the menu. You can give yourself some leeway by scheduling some exercise on or near days you plan to eat out. Putting in gym time or going for a brisk walk will help offset a little extra eating. And remember, don't be flexible. You can loosen up a bit on special occasions, as long as you eat carefully most of the time. (Just don't let every day become a special occasion.)

2. Put on your game face. Decide on some guidelines before you go to a restaurant, and stick to them. For instance:

Skip the all-inclusive menu and opt for à la carte selections. Doing so might not be as economical, but you'll probably eat less.

Take one piece of bread, then ask your server to remove the breadbasket from the table.

3. Make special requests. You're paying good money for that meal, so you're entitled to make special requests or slight modifications. Why not say:

Can I get that without butter? Grilled? With the sauce on the side? I'd like mixed greens instead of fries with my sandwich.

4. Practice portion control. Some restaurant portions can be two, three, even four times the "normal" size–especially super-sized fast food meals. Keep your portions in check by:

Ordering a salad as a starter and then splitting a main entrée with a friend.

Creating your own scaled-down meal from a couple of appetizers and/or side dishes.

5. Break down (language) barriers. If you don't know what a preparation term means, ask. In general, though, the following words translate into high-fat, high-calorie dishes:

Au gratin, scalloped, hollandaise. Parmigiana, scampi, Bolognese.

6. Downsize the super-size. Super-sized fast food meal options can be loaded with calories. Either:

Order something small, like a basic burger. After all, the first bite tastes the same as the last.
Order yourself a children's meal.

7. Watch out for extras. The average burger with ketchup, lettuce and tomato isn't so bad. But one with "the works" is usually a caloric nightmare. Skip:

Bacon, cheese and mayonnaise. Double-burger patties and extra pieces of bread.

8. Don't go top heavy. Salad bars and garden salads grace menus across the country. But those extra toppings can sabotage your seemingly diet-conscious choices:

Go light on croutons, grated cheese and bacon. Opt for small amounts of low-fat or nonfat dressings on the side.

9. Don't drink away your progress. A drink with dinner is fine, but too many margaritas may wreak havoc on your dieting resolve. Keep your appetite under control by:

Alternating alcoholic beverages with noncaloric sodas or sparkling water. Not drinking alcoholic beverages on an empty stomach.

10. Resign from the "clean plate club." You paid for it so you have to eat it, right? Wrong. Just think of the health and emotional costs of those extra calories on your body. Downsize by:

Eating half the meal and doggie-bagging the rest. Pushing your plate away when you're full.

And remember to eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes for your body to recognize that it's full.
Make these dining-out tips and tricks part of your repertoire. They'll make a night out on the town, lunch with your pals, or vacations and travel a lot easier.

weightwatchers.com

What workouts burn the most calories?

The Mayo Clinic recommends 30 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a day. This can help control and lose weight, prevent heart disease, build strength and increase fitness. With so many choices, many people wonder which exercises burn the most calories. Below is a listing of the top exercises and the amount of calories burned in 1 hour by an average 160-lb. person (people who weigh less will burn fewer calories and those who weigh more will burn more).

Running
Running is the best exercise you can do to burn the most calories. If you are running at an 8 mph pace (7 1/2-minute miles), you can burn 986 calories in 1 hour. If you add hills or sprints, you can burn even more calories.

Rollerblading
While rollerblading became popular in the 1980s, it still ranks among the highest calorie burners. A 1-hour session can burn 913 calories.

Tae Kwon Do
This is a total body workout, building cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, movement, coordination and muscular strength. A 1-hour session burns 730 calories.

Jump Rope
Many people jumped rope as a kid, but incorporating it into your regular fitness routine can burn 730 calories in 1 hour. One hour may be too much jumping, so you can break this down to 10 minutes and still burn 122 calories.

Stair Climber
If you have enough resistance on the machine, using a stair climber can burn 657 calories in 1 hour, as well as build your lower-body strength.

Jogging – I still consider myself a RUNNER!!!
While running fast burns more calories, a slower jog at a 5 mph pace (12-minute miles) can still burn 584 calories in an hour. Long, slow runs are great for burning fat, too.

Basketball and Football
A friendly game with friends can burn up to 584 calories an hour. Exercising with friends tends to make the time go by faster and motivate you to work harder, too.

Swimming
Swimming is a great total body workout because it uses nearly all muscles in the body. Virtually all strokes will increase your cardio and muscular fitness, while burning up to 511 calories an hour. It's also non-impact, so it's safe and effective for your joints.

Insanity – Shaun T (this is from personal experience and my opinion)!!!

Livestrong.com

What to eat before you workout....

Learn why eating the right combination of foods before exercising can help you get the most from a workout, plus get expert suggestions on healthful, tasty meals that'll help your body go the distance.

Just as you'd fill up your car's gas tank before a road trip, it's vitally important to make sure your body has the right fuel to sustain you during a workout.

Proper nutrition, both before and after, will also "speed up recovery, protect you from fatigue and get you ready for the next workout," says Jenna A. Bell-Wilson, PhD, RD, LD, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics.

So, what should you eat before going for a bike ride or heading to the gym? Use these guidelines and snack ideas to keep your engine running optimally.

Balance carbs with protein
"A relatively high-carbohydrate, moderate protein, low-fat meal is best to consume before exercise," says Suzette Kroll, a registered dietitian and senior staff member of the Canyon Ranch Spa in Tucson, AZ. People often underestimate the importance of the carb part of the equation when fueling up for exercise, especially strength training, says Bell-Wilson. "They assume it's all about protein. Protein is important for muscle building and repair, but in order to lift those weights you need carbohydrates for energy," she says. Choose carbs that are easily digestible and avoid high-fat foods — or large quantities of any food — just before working out because they don't digest well during exercise.

Time it right
"Whether you're strength training or going on a run, you want to make sure you have something within four hours before the workout and then a smaller snack in the hour before," says Bell-Wilson. If you know your workout is only going to last 45 minutes, keep the snack small, she says. "If it's going to last 2 hours, then you're going to want to beef up that pre-exercise meal."

Carefully assess protein bars
When squeezing a workout into a busy schedule, you may like the convenience of protein or "sports" bars. Make sure you choose carefully; according to Kroll, most bars are "glorified candy bars, often providing even more calories." To find the better ones, Bell-Wilson suggests choosing a bar that has about 200 calories, up to 5 grams of protein and 25 grams of carbohydrates. "If you find a bar that you really like, but it's high in calories, just eat half of it," says Bell-Wilson. "Save the other half for after your workout."

Don't eat more than you burn
You just finish a heart-pumping, hour-long workout. You take a quick shower and then pass the gym's café on the way out. Watch out for those healthy-looking snacks. One smoothie or even a sports drink can replace all the calories you just burned, and then some. "It's important to realize that just because you worked out doesn't give you free rein in the kitchen," says Bell-Wilson. "The reward is that you went and you did it." If you exercise for an hour or less, your best bet is to grab a bottle of water and eat at your next scheduled meal. "If it lasts longer, plan to have a snack in your locker or on your way home," says Bell-Wilson.

5 pre-workout snack ideas
1. Half a chicken, turkey or lean roast beef sandwich on whole-wheat bread
2. Low-fat yogurt with a sliced banana
3. Low-fat string cheese and 6 whole-grain crackers
4. Hard-boiled eggs, yolks removed and replaced with hummus
5. Skim milk blended with frozen fruit to make a smoothie

5 post-workout replenishing meal ideas
1. One or two poached eggs on whole-wheat toast
2. Bean burrito: a whole-wheat tortilla filled with black beans, salsa and reduced-fat cheese
3. Stir-fried chicken and vegetables (try pepper, zucchini and carrot) over brown rice
4. Whole-wheat pasta tossed with chicken, broccoli and eggplant
5. Whole-grain cereal or oatmeal, with milk and fruit (such as a sliced banana)

Fitting Healthy Habits Into Your Hectic Life

13 Tips to Get More Nutrition and Fitness into Your Day

There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to do. And it can feel like an added stressor when you are trying to integrate healthy habits into your already hectic schedule. But if you make time for healthy habits, you’ll find yourself with extra reserves of energy that will lower your stress and help you get through life’s challenges.Here are a few things you can start doing right now to make healthy habits a relatively painless part of your routine:

1. Drink water throughout the day. You don’t hear this nearly enough: water is an all-purpose wonder-substance. It’s great for your skin, your digestive system, and circulatory system, and aids in weight loss and cellulite reduction. If you feel fatigued during the day, it’s often because you aren’t hydrated properly. Drink water throughout the day, sipping from a large bottle or glass. If you have it nearby, it’s easy to remember. If you don’t like the “taste” of water, keep a supply of lemon so that you can add a slice to your water – it cuts any bitterness, adds a bit of vitamin C and makes it taste more festive!

2. Cut back on the amount of soda and coffee you drink. Sugar and caffeine dehydrate you and create energy rushes followed by crashes, which are ultimately energy-depleting. Substitute with drinks like green tea or 100% fruit juice.

3. Replace high-sugar foods with low-sugar versions. Cutting back on the amount of refined sugar you consume helps reduce calories and weight gain and also helps you avoid the energy slumps that come from sugar withdrawal. Items high in refined sugar include most soft drinks, cereals, baked goods, and of course, candy and ice cream. Look for low-sugar or no-sugar versions of these, or simply opt for healthy snacks instead.

4. Stock up on healthy, portable snacks. When you are grocery shopping, pick up bags of baby carrots, string cheese, nuts, fresh and dried fruit, single serving packs of applesauce, yogurt, wholegrain crackers, peanut butter, turkey jerky, etc. Having healthy portable snacks around will help you avoid bad vending-machine, convenience store and fast-food options. Read some more portable snack ideas.

5. Take the time to plan healthy meals for the week. Spend 15 minutes or so to map out your meals. Keep it simple. Then, when you shop for groceries, make your purchases based on the meals you will make during the week. This will help you avoid relying on less healthy take-out or fast food choices. Learn even more grocery store tips.

6. Purchase frozen, ready-to-cook ingredients. Frozen fruits and vegetables have high vitamin and mineral content because they don’t sit around losing these nutrients for long before they are preserved. Although you’ll want to keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables around, it’s great to have frozen produce available for quick meal additions and smaller servings. Also, some grocery stores offer frozen boneless chicken breasts and a wide variety of seafood items in re-sealable packages. These are great for quick, healthy meals.

7. Pack your lunch the night before. You'll have given yourself the gift of extra time in the morning and you will assure that you have a healthy meal during the day. Don’t forget to pack snack items so you can avoid the vending machine.

8. Cook double batches of whatever you’re cooking. When you prepare dinner, especially on weekends, cook extra and freeze to use for another dinner or lunch. Then, you'll have a healthy meal ready to go when you are.

9. Give yourself some slack. If you are stressed out about preparing healthy meals every day, use what some experts call the "80/20" rule in your eating. If 80 percent of what you eat is healthy, then allow yourself to take it a little easier for the remaining 20 percent. You and your diet will survive.

10. Fit in exercise whenever you can. Experts recommend that adults exercise a minimum of 30 minutes three times per week. Aim for this amount, but don’t kick yourself if you can’t meet this goal. Any amount of exercise is better than none. No time to go to a gym? Build a stock of exercise tapes – many have routines that you can complete in 20-40 minutes. Use hand weights or do crunches, leg-lifts and lunges while watching television. Or invest in an exercise bike – you can pedal while catching up on your reading. Think of what would be most interesting to you and what best fits your schedule and budget.

11. Take a walk break during the day. Even 20 minutes can make a difference in your energy level, plus it gives you time to clear your head. If you walk with a friend or colleague, it also gives you time to socialize.

12. Whenever possible, walk. Increase the amount of time you can walk, versus sit or drive. It doesn’t take that much extra time to park a bit farther from the store entrance, or to make a personal visit to a colleague rather than phoning, instant messaging or e-mailing.

13. Get enough sleep. Even if you gain more time in your day by cutting back on sleep, you will be less effective throughout the day, as your energy level and cognitive functioning will be reduced. Insufficient sleep also makes you more susceptible to illness. By getting enough sleep, you become more efficient during the time you are awake.

Begin integrating some or all of these habits today. Make them part of your normal routine. You’ll be surprised at how little time is involved and how much better you’ll feel!

By Life Coach Mary Guarino, Ph.D., Sparkpeople

Satisfying Snacks for Every Craving

Whether you're craving something sweet, chocolatey, creamy, or crunchy, you can find a snack that satisfies and helps whittle your middle.

These loved picks are just the fix you need, because each one serves up slimming fiber or resistant starch (RS), both of which have been shown to help you feel full longer and drop pounds quickly. Give in to what you’re longing for—there’s no guilt here.

Sweet
Make it: Warm Pear with Cinnamon Ricotta
Calories: 170
Preheat broiler or toaster oven. Halve and core 1 pear; place on a baking sheet. Broil until tender (10–12 minutes). In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Top warm pear with ricotta mixture.

Sweet: On the go
Grab it
Panera Strawberry Granola Parfait ($4; Panera Bread stores)
Calories: 280

Chocolatey
Make it: Dark Chocolate and Oat Clusters
Calories: 160
Place 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 2 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk, and 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips in a saucepan; cook over low heat until chips melt (about 3 minutes). Stir in 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats; remove from heat. With a spoon or melon baller, drop 8 ball-shaped portions on a wax paper–lined baking sheet; let set in refrigerator 10 minutes before serving.

Chocolatey: On the go
Grab it
Late July Mini Milk Chocolate Sandwich Cookies ($4; Whole Foods)
Calories: 130

Creamy
Make it: Garlic and Herb Yogurt Dip
Calories: 160
In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon dried dill, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; serve with 4 ounces baked potato chips.

Creamy: On the go
Grab it
Yoplait Fiber One Yogurt ($3; grocery stores)
Calories: 50

Crunchy
Make it: Chili-Spiked Pita Chips
Calories: 160
Coat 1 whole-grain pita with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon chili powder. Cut pita into 6 triangles; place on a baking sheet. In toaster oven or broiler, toast 5 minutes or until crunchy, turning once.

Crunchy: On the go
Grab it
Corozonas Black Bean & Cheese Tortilla Chips ($3; grocery stores)
Calories: 140