6 Ways to Snack Smarter

From: Prevention.com What To Do When You Overeat 10 Ways to Curb Your Eating Just one more chip, you tell yourself. Next thing you know, you're curled up on the couch with an empty bag and a stomachache. Most of us snack too much when we should be pouring our calories into meals, but that's easier said than done when your favorite TV show  comes on. Check "out our tips for cutting back the snacks—like eating a better breakfast and taking a different route home— -and you'll Become a Smarter Snacker.

Smart Food Swaps for Wellness and Weight Loss

From: Cleveland Clinic:

Whether you’re trying to improve your health, lose weight or both, making over your meals can make a big difference. We don’t mean just removing certain ingredients; you should also add foods with greater nutritional value, focusing on body-boosting vitamins, minerals and polyphenols (plant molecules that activate disease-fighting genes)

To benefit: Your gut

Swap out: Sour cream

Add in: Nonfat plain Greek yogurt

 

Probiotics, found in yogurt, offer gastrointestinal health benefits, helping to alleviate diarrhea, constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers and lactose intolerance. Compare that to sour cream and it’s no contest.

 

We recommend Greek yogurt because it’s strained and, therefore, thicker, creamier and loaded with protein. In fact, Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt, and, according to a 2007 article in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, protein helps you feel satisfied after a meal — more so than carbohydrates or fat — helping you to eat less overall. Kirkpatrick advises that you stay away from yogurts with fruit, which contain added sugars and will, as a result, sabotage weight-loss efforts. Nonfat plain Greek yogurt has the same creamy texture as sour cream but only about one-third of the calories.

 

Use it: You can use nonfat plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream in tangy chicken marinade (with garlic, lemon juice and curry), shrimp or chicken salad, and dips. Try it on baked potatoes, or even use it in place of sour cream in cake recipes.

To benefit: Your brain

Swap out: Diet soda

Add in: Unsweetened iced tea or coffee

 

Black, green and white teas (hot or iced) can help get you through an afternoon slump. All three varieties (though not herbal teas) contain a compound called L-theanine, which studies have shown improves attention when consumed along with caffeine, another component of tea. Coffee is a good option too, as studies focused on its benefits show that it can increase short-term recall.

 

Another good reason to swap: The diet soda you’re drinking to save calories may actually be hindering your weight loss. In one study from the University of Texas Health Center, scientists found that for every diet soda consumed per day, the risk of being overweight or obese increases by 41 percent. Researchers speculate that the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks throw off your ability to regulate calorie intake.

 

Use it: Keep a pitcher of homemade iced tea or coffee in your fridge, and limit added sweeteners and dairy products.

To benefit: Your cells

Swap out: Ice cream or low-fat ice cream

Add in: Frozen fruit smoothies

 

Fruits are rich in flavonoids (a type of polyphenol with antioxidant properties), which can help protect you from developing certain types of cancer (lung, esophageal, bladder and stomach cancer), explains Kirkpatrick. Fruits rich in flavonoids include apples, blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberries, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries and grapes. In addition, people who eat fruit in abundance have a lower risk for high blood pressure — a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease — than people who don’t, according to research from Japan.

 

Use it: Use fresh or frozen fruit (frozen is often more healthful than fresh because it’s processed at the peak of ripeness), adding ice if you use fresh. Combine as many fruits as you want with a bit of fruit juice (such as orange or pineapple), plus nonfat yogurt (optional). Mix in a blender for one minute. Freeze until set (or drink unfrozen) and enjoy!

To benefit: Your bones

Swap out: White potatoes

Add in: Sweet potatoes

 

While white potatoes do offer nutritional benefits (they’re a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium and dietary fiber), the United States Potato Board confirms that french fries are the most popular way Americans eat potatoes, which spells serious trouble (those trans fats in the frying oil!). What’s more, white potatoes are higher on the glycemic index than sweet potatoes, and research has demonstrated that lowering the glycemic load of the diet appears to be an effective method of promoting weight loss.

 

Like white potatoes, sweet potatoes are packed with vitamin C, potassium and fiber. They’re also an excellent source of beta-carotene (the darker varieties having a higher concentration), which is essential for proper bone growth, normal vision and healthy skin.

 

Use it: Sweet potatoes taste great steamed without toppings, but you can also turn them into healthy french fries — by slicing, spraying with cooking spray or brushing with olive oil, adding a bit of salt and baking until browned.

To benefit: Your energy level

Swap out: Rice or pasta

Add in: Quinoa

 

Sometimes it seems like white-flour products are everywhere — a bowl of rice, a roll with dinner, a plate full of pasta. When you consume a lot of refined carbohydrates (like white rice, white bread and regular white pasta), they’re quickly digested into simple sugars and absorbed into your bloodstream, which can cause your blood sugar levels to spike and then quickly crash. The result is usually flagging energy, moodiness and tiredness. With whole grains and especially with quinoa, you don’t have that problem. Quinoa is a whole grain with a low glycemic load, which means it’s absorbed more slowly and thus decreases sugar spikes. That means more even sugar levels, which means a more consistent energy level and mood. Quinoa even beats out brown rice in terms of nutritional value: One cup of cooked quinoa has 15 percent fewer carbohydrates and 60 percent more protein than a comparable amount of brown rice; it also has 25 percent more fiber, which can help lower blood cholesterol.

 

Use it: With sautéed vegetables, quinoa is a wonderful side dish — you can serve it as you would a side of rice or pasta. Quinoa is also nice for breakfast — serve it warm with cinnamon, raisins and a sprinkle of chopped almonds.

To benefit: Your gut

Swap out: Potato chips

Add in: Air-popped popcorn

 

Popcorn eaters get more than twice as many whole grains, giving them more than 20 percent more fiber in their diet than people who don’t eat popcorn, according to National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) data. Fiber not only helps you feel full, it’s essential for keeping your GI tract regular. And popcorn is a low-calorie (please, no dousing it in butter), high-volume food — unlike most processed snack foods.

 

Use it: All you need are corn kernels and a brown paper lunch bag. Place the kernels in the bag, fold over the top, and place in the microwave on high for approximately three minutes, or until popping slows.

To benefit: Your waistline

Swap out: Corn

Add in: Broccoli

 

So many people rely on corn as their vegetable source, laments Jamieson-Petonic. The problem is that corn is a high-glycemic-index food, which means it increases your blood sugar. It’s also higher in calories than most other vegetables, especially the non-starchy variety. Broccoli, on the other hand, is a favorite among dietitians for good reason: It’s high in calcium and is also a great source of vitamin A, vitamin K, folic acid and fiber. On top of all that, new research shows that certain substances in broccoli appear to block a defective gene associated with cancer. “You get way more bang for your buck eating broccoli than corn,” explains Kirkpatrick.

 

Use it: Add broccoli to pasta dishes, sauté it with rice, toss it into salads, or simply serve it lightly steamed (with a dash of red pepper flakes and a spritz of lemon) alongside chicken and fish dishes. Swap out half a cup of corn for a whole cup of steamed broccoli and you’ll have a healthier, more filling meal with fewer calories.

To benefit: Your colon

Swap out: White flour

Add in: Whole grains

 

Swapping out “white” foods — white flour, white rice, regular pasta — for whole-grain alternatives like whole-wheat flour, brown rice and whole-grain pasta won’t help you cut calories in a one-to-one comparison. But the fiber in whole grains fills you up faster and sustains you longer, making you less likely to eat as much or go back for seconds — or to be hungry an hour later. In addition, there may be an association between whole grains and a reduction of colon cancer, explains Kirkpatrick. Studies also show that people who consume whole grains instead of white grains have a lower percent of belly fat and significantly less disease-causing inflammation.

 

Use it: To find products that are truly whole grain, look for the word “whole” (whole wheat, whole oats) near the top of the ingredient list. You can also trust the Whole Grain Stamp, an official packaging symbol. The Basic Stamp — it says “Whole Grain” — tells you that a product contains at least eight grams of whole grains per serving, but that product may also contain refined grain. The 100% Stamp — it says “100% Whole Grain” — certifies that all the grain in the product is whole grain.

To benefit: Your blood pressure

Swap out: Salt

Add in: Spices

 

Studies prove that reducing salt intake can lead to a substantial drop in blood pressure for people with high blood pressure (hypertension) or higher than optimal blood pressure, and that too much sodium causes triglycerides to build up in the walls of your arteries, which increases your stroke and heart attack risk. And yet Americans continue to consume far more sodium than is recommended. Your body needs some sodium to function properly — to help maintain the right balance of fluids in your body, transmit nerve impulses, and allow for proper contraction and relaxation of muscles. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 recommends limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day — or 1,500 mg if you are older than 51, are black, or have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. (Note that these are the maximum amounts; less is better.)

 

If you’re looking to add flavor to foods in place of salt, try fresh and dried herbs that are free of sodium, such as cayenne pepper, garlic or garlic powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, oregano, tarragon, basil and thyme. You’ll also want to limit processed foods, which are typically high in salt.

 

Use it: Generally, it’s best to add dried herbs to recipes during cooking and to add fresh herbs once you’re done using heat.

To benefit: Your unborn baby

Swap out: Croutons

Add in: Walnuts

 

Omega-3 fatty acids offer a number of benefits, from lowering LDL (or bad) cholesterol (one of the main causes of heart disease) to improving the health of your arteries. Here’s the kicker: Not only can omega-3s help everyone from infants to the aged, research shows that infants born to moms with higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids at delivery had advanced attention spans well into their second year of life! So that means, even if you don’t consume omega-3s for yourself (but why wouldn’t you?), think about little ones who have yet to enter the world.

 

Yes, you can get loads of these essential fatty acids from fish like salmon, but you can also get them from nuts, especially walnuts. And besides omega-3s, walnuts also provide fiber, which helps you feel full and eat less. Just be careful: Nuts contain a lot of fat, and even though it’s mostly healthy fat, it’s still caloric, so go easy.

 

Use it: Who doesn’t love a crunchy treat in a green salad? Instead of eating empty, unhealthy calories (croutons), try topping your greens with walnuts for crunch.

To benefit: Your waistline

Swap out: Dried fruit

Add in: Water-rich fruit

 

Dried fruit may sound like a healthy snack, but with its concentrated sugar, high calories and, too often, sugar coating, it’s not such a great option, especially if you’re trying to lose weight, warns Kirkpatrick. Fresh fruit, on the other hand, makes you feel full on fewer calories. The reason is simple: It takes up more room in your stomach. Think about grapes and raisins. “Raisins provide a lot of calories in a very small serving,” says Jamieson-Petonic. “For the same number of calories in a small box of raisins, you could have a whole cup of grapes.” And you still get that sweet taste satisfaction from eating fresh fruit, adds Kirkpatrick.

 

Use it: Keep fresh fruit on hand for snacking instead of digging into the dried stuff.

To benefit: Your heart

Swap out: Cocktails

Add in: Red or white wine

 

Research suggests that moderate alcohol intake can produce a slight rise in HDL (good) cholesterol. But that benefit can be outweighed by health risks, depending on your beverage of choice. If you opt for sugary drinks (banana daiquiri, anyone?), you’re getting added sugars, which increase inflammation and lead to a higher risk of heart disease. Waistline watchers should also know that froufrou cocktails often contain a surprising number of calories, points out Kirkpatrick. Switch to red wine and you get antioxidants such as flavonoids that are believed to lower LDL and boost HDL with no added sugar and less calories than many mixed drinks. Given the risks of alcohol, however, the American Heart Association recommends that you limit your daily intake to two five-ounce glasses for men or one five-ounce glass for women. Women who drink any alcohol should take 400 mcg of folic acid (the amount found in a multivitamin) to help offset the increased risk of breast cancer from alcohol intake.

 

Use it: Instead of mixed drinks, opt for wine, especially red. If you’re looking for a low-calorie wine drink, try a white wine spritzer — a mix of wine, club soda and a twist of lime or lemon peel.

To benefit: Your heart

Swap out: Ground beef

Add in: Ground turkey

 

Red meat is a source of both saturated fat and dietary cholesterol — two of the main sources of high cholesterol. White-meat ground turkey contains half the saturated fat of 85 percent lean ground beef. But it has to be 100 percent white or breast meat, warns Jamieson-Petonic. “Dark ground turkey can be just as high in fat as ground beef,” she explains.

 

Use it: At your next barbecue, try turkey burgers instead of ground beef ones. You can also swap in ground turkey for ground beef in meatloaf, meat-based pasta sauces, tacos and chili.

How to Stop Mindless Snacking

Do you sometimes find yourself eating when you are not really hungry?

Do you ever sit down in front of the TV with a bag of snacks and before you know it you have finished the whole thing. 

Or you stop to talk to a co-worker in front of the candy dish and before you know it your looking at a handful of wrappers that you have to throw away discreetly. 

Well if it makes you feel better, your not alone. 

Some snacking can be good for you but you have to learn to understand the difference between mindless snacking and true hunger.

Often times we snack because we think we have a physical hunger, but we actually have an emotional hunger.  But no matter what or how much you eat, you can never satisfy an emotional need with food.

So what to do?

I have a simple, yet empowering and effective approach to helping you deal with your emotional or non-hunger snacking.  It’s just Five easy steps:

Stop. Hydrate. Think. Write. Reflect 

Stop

Stop.......are you filling a physical need or an emotional need. 

Hydrate

Often times we are dehydrated and mistake that for hunger, so drink a big glass of aqua and wait at least ten minutes and see if you are still feeling "hungry". 

Think

Before you snack, ask yourself:  “Am I really hungry?” Instead analyze your state of mind, are you bored, tired, stressed, angry, lonely, or the thousands of other emotions out there.

Are you using food to mask underlying feelings you don’t want to deal with?  Things like relationship issues, employment issues, financial issues, ...etc.

Write

Nest, sit down, take out a piece of paper and write at the top of the page, “What do I need?” and start writing.  Write 3 things that you need right now or in your life.  You may be surprised to find that it’s not really food you’re hungry for, but for something else in your life.

Reflect, It’s Not All Or Nothing

Now I don’t want to you think I’m saying to stop all non-hungry snacking. There’s a place, without big servings of guilt on the side, for a piece of your friend’s birthday cake, a celebratory glass of wine after the completion of a big project at work, or an ice cream after a hot day at the beach.  But constantly “soothing” yourself with food because you’re bored, anxious, frustrated or depressed is a definite no-no.

Now - Eat Without Guilt (c’mon, you knew that would be part of the equation!)

The most undervalued skill when it comes to managing our snacking and hunger is learning to eat without guilt. We’re often snacking quickly for a whole lot of non-hunger reasons and, when we do, it’s easy to eat more than what we should.

There’s a power that comes from learning to slow down and really taste food, and accepting that it’s okay to snack for non-hunger reasons occasionally.


For more healthy snack options go to our page www.GetHealthyOrlando.com/SnackOptions.html 

400 Calorie Fix

400 Calorie Fix

Eat Anything, Anywhere!

Prevention's 400 Calorie Fix diet helps you lose weight effortlessly by fueling metabolism and revving energy so you stay satisfied. You'll eat four, 400-calorie meals each day. No food is off limits!

• Healthy Lunch Ideas
• How to Eat Healthy at a Buffet

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How To Eat Like a Naturally Thin Person

From: EatWithoutGuilt.com

The other weekend I was at a friend’s house for a party, when all of a sudden a woman came up to me and said “You’re having a piece of cake?”

“Yes,” I said, “and I’m enjoying every single bite.”  The woman then replied, “Oh, you must be one of those naturally thin people…I can’t even look at a piece of cake and not put on 5 pounds!”

Little did this woman know that for at least half of my life I dealt with overeating, emotional eating, binge eating, and yo-yo dieting.

Quite often people see me eating a guilty food, see that I’m at a normal weight — so they just assume I’m a “naturally thin person.”

What people don’t realize is that now, I have a relaxed relationship with food.  And that was the turning point for me.  Changing my relationship with food.  So much of what I learned about food, and my relationship to it, really came to light when I lived in France.

But it took time and it didn’t happen overnight.  It was the small steps that I took that overtime became part of my lifestyle.  It’s so much a part of my lifestyle now that I don’t even stop and think about it.  I don’t think about doing or eating this, versus doing or eating that.  It just comes naturally.

Here are just some guidelines that YOU can start implementing into your lifestyle:

1)  Eat until satisfied, not stuffed.  On a fullness scale of 1 to 10, I stop eating at around a 6 or 7.  But I find many overeaters keep going until 8 or 10.  Why?  For some, they’re part of the “clean plate club.”   As kids they might have been told about the starving children in the word, or look at not finishing their food as a waste.  But it doesn’t have to be.  Whatever I don’t finish I save for another time.


2)  Use small portions.  You know the phrase one’s eyes are bigger than one’s stomach?  I find that often happens when I’mreally hungry.  So instead of serving what I think I’ll need, I serve myself a little less.  If I’m still hungry after that, I’ll take a bit more.  But I always wait a few minutes before that second serving.  You just might find you don’t need that second serving.

3)  Don’t fear hunger.  All too often we look at hunger as a condition that needs to be cured, meaning we’re so afraid of being hungry that we eat too often.  It’s not the hunger that makes one overeat, often it’s the level of hunger.  There’s a difference between a little growling in the stomach and being lightheaded because you haven’t eaten in 10 hours.  It’s okay and it’s good to feel hunger.  You should be hungry before you eat.  Just like the level of fullness, you need to gauge your level of hunger.  You want to feel a bit hungry before eating your meal, just not to the point that you’re ravenous, as that’s what often cases overeating.

4) Don’t use food to cure the blues.  Sure, we all eat for emotional reasons from time to time, the difference is to recognize when you’re doing it and stop.  I always tell my clients that awareness if the first step to changing a behavior.  You have to be aware you’re eating for an emotional reason, and then take the steps to change it.

5)  Eat more fruits and vegetables.  Okay, I know you were secretly wishing this wasn’t true but it is.   But I try get my servings of fruits and vegetables most days.  And it’s easier than you think.  Add fruit to yogurt, on top of cereal, in a smoothie, or even on top of some whole wheat pancakes. You can even have fruit as dessert.  And don’t forget your veggies! I have at least one vegetable with lunch and dinner.

6)  Get moving.  And it doesn’t have to mean strenuous hours at the gym.  I only exercise a few days a week for 30-45 minutes each.  But I also do little things that add up.  I take the stairs when possible and don’t spend 10 minutes looking for the parking spot nearest the entrance.  I just park and then walk if need be.  You’d be surprise how just moving your body a bit extra makes a big difference.

So follow these simple guidelines, slowly incorporate them into your lifestyle, and then one day you’ll overhear someone saying that you must be a naturally thin person!

4 March Superfoods to Optimize Your Health

First and foremost, what constitutes a "Superfood"? Well according to Health.com "there is no legal or medical definition, superfoods are nutrient powerhouses that pack large doses of antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals. Eating them may reduce the risk of chronic disease, and prolong life, and people who eat more of them are healthier and thinner than those who don't. Read about several foods that are considered super, what health benefits they offer, and how to fit them into your diet." They also list many other choices for year round "superfood" eating

Now for the "in season superfood" for March, Natural News talks about how It’s important to eat in season. For most of us, that also means keeping up with what powerful superfoods each month will bring into season. The month of March brings sun for some, and snow for others. While the temperature may be in high contrast across the globe, March’s superfoods are excellent for both cold and warm weather climates. Offering both warming characteristics for a cold night and a light juicy snack for a hot day, here are 4 March superfoods that will aid you in your quest for optimal health.

1. Honeydew

Honeydews are a top favorite that start coming into season in March, launching off the subtle initiation of the spring season. Honeydews, outside of their delicious and juicy taste, are loaded with vitamin C — a nutrient effective in fighting infection, fighting strep throat naturally, boosting overall immunity, and even combating life-crushing stress.

When selecting a honeydew, look for one that feels heavy for its size. In addition, seek out a honeydew that bounces back when pressed. For preparation, honeydew is great on its own or thrown into a salad in chopped pieces.

2. Artichokes

Are you getting enough potassium? Chances are that even with a healthy diet, potassium intake may be less than optimal. This is especially the case if you’re experiencing muscle spasms or cramps. Artichokes are a great source of potassium, as well as folate. Folate is a miracle substance as it actually helps to facilitate the production of DNA and RNA.

You can use artichokes in soups, stews, or throw them in with virtually any other meal option. Artichoke hearts are particularly easy to throw into a raw salad filled with other delicious and nutrient-packed ingredients.

3. Peas

A great source of not only vitamins A and C, but protein as well, peas are especially appealing to young children. While some children may shun healthy vegetables in favor of harmful processed food products, peas are often delicious to adults and toddlers alike. What’s more, peas are relatively inexpensive and often come in large quantities. Peas are great side dishes, or can be thrown into a pasta or salad dish.

4. Cherimoya

You probably haven’t heard of cherimoya, though I recommend you try introducing it into your diet this March. A fruit with soft white flesh that comes from the Custard Apple family, cherimoya has a delicious tropical flavor and comes with a valuable nutritional profile. Like many of the March superfoods, cherimoya is full of beneficial vitamin C, though it is also rich in potassium and fiber. The numerous benefits of fiber are continually being highlighted by nutritional experts across the globe, and cherimoya is a tasty way to ensure you are getting enough.

Try cutting up the fruit into cube-like pieces and throwing on a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg. Alternatively, you can include some cut up cherimoya into a bountiful fruit salad for a tropical taste.