What does soda (or “pop” as it is called in the Midwest) offer?

1. Empty calories

2. Aspartame

3. Sugar

4. Phosphoric Acid

More in detail:

“Non-diet sodas contain sugar, derived either from corn or from beets or sugarcane. Refined sugar spikes blood sugar levels for a short time, increasing energy, followed by a sugar “hangover” which can sap energy. Refined sugar  spikes insulin levels in the body which have been connected to heart disease and high blood pressure. Insulin levels also affect how the body processes carbohydrates and determine whether food energy is burned or stored.

Diet sodas contain aspartame rather than sugar. Studies continue to discover new health issues related to aspartame intake and it should be avoided in an emergency situation.The phosphoric acid content in most sodas can prevent the body from storing calcium and cause osteoporosis over long periods of time. It also changes the acid composition of the stomach which can lead to digestive difficulties.”

More:

Prevent Disease, The Real Dangers of Soda to you and Your Children

HFCS - YUk!

What does High Fructose Corn Syrup offer? Some links to answer the question:

Fructose: Sweet, But Dangerous

What are the Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup?

Avoid HFCS

Personally…eliminating both diet and regular soda along with HFCS(High Fructose Corn Syrup) from my diet has made a HUGE impact, positively in my mental, emotional and physical well being.

What do you think?

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”
- La Rochefoucauld

As children we are reminded to drink our milk, and I did do just that until adulthood. A few months back I started to drink milk regularly again. Not only did I include milk into my regular diet it has also become a favorite post work out refreshment. If my workout is a high intensity, with lots of sugar burned …I might make it a glass of Chocolate milk . Of course I do still enjoy a cold protein shake as well, but a glass of milk does the job nicely.

Why Milk?

Milk has Vitamin D and Calcium:

Vitamin D – plays a crucial role in maintaining bone health. When blood levels of calcium drop, the body responds in several ways. It promotes the conversion of vitamin D into its active form, which then travels to the intestines (to encourage greater calcium absorption into the blood) and to the kidneys (to minimize calcium loss in the urine).For bone health, an adequate intake of vitamin D is very important.

Calcium – Despite the debates involving milk & calcium, one thing is very clear: adequate calcium – both for bone development and for non-bone functions is key to reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Also reportedly helps reduce the incidence of tooth decay.

Is a glass of milk more beneficial for recovery than a sports drink?

Some say yes…

“The results found that, when consumed immediately after resistance-based muscle damaging exercise, both semi-skimmed milk and milk-based CHO-P helped to preserve more muscle than either the sports drink or water,” reports the Dairy Council.

“This study supports the growing volume of literature which suggests that milk is a powerful post exercise recovery aid,” said Dr Judith Bryans, a registered nutritionist and director of The Dairy Council in the UK.

Some options to consider if you have Lactose Intolerance.

My perspective:  Obviously there are other options for one to get similar benefits as milk but I do appreciate the fact that milk is a less expensive alternative than most and does seem to be working very well with me.

Maybe a glass of milk will work for you?

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Sources: Effects of Drinking Milk Following Exercise, Harvard School of Public Health

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**Maybe we should include some foods that speed up the metabolism naturally:

Coffee – A quick boost, consider adding a little extra caffeine to your diet. A cup will give it a quick kick into high gear that can be helpful during the day.

Green Tea -Most will say this is a healthier alternative to coffee. Chemicals known as catechins found in green tea are believed to stimulate your metabolism.

Citrus Fruits – Researchers say that foods rich in Vitamin C, such as oranges, tangerines and grapefruit contain natural metabolism boosting properties that also make your immune system stronger.

Hot Peppers- Capsaicin is the ingredient in peppers that gives them their heat. Research shows that this compound actually stimulates your body’s production of adrenaline which kicks your metabolism into high gear temporarily. Throwing some jalapenos at your sandwich or some hot peppers in your scrambled eggs could help you burn more calories.

Dark Green Vegetables – High in fiber with high levels of vitamins and nutrients our bodies need to be healthy. Spinach, mustard greens and collard greens are good examples

Spices – Cumin, Ginger and cinnamon are all good examples. Adding a decent amount of these spices into your meals can give them more flavor and can help increase your metabolism.

Lean Protein – Protein is harder for the body to digest than carbohydrates, and because it requires more energy the result is more calories. By including lean protein in your meal, you’ll be giving your metabolism a boost when you eat. Try to  include chicken or turkey breasts and fish.

Whole Grains -  Fiber isn’t as easy for the body to digest. It takes more energy resulting in fewer calories available to be converted into fat cells.

So I guess the idea is to stay active and make wise food choices! ? Oh yes of course…

Water- Drink your water! It helps the body flush out excess sodium and toxins. A German study showed that drinking water helped boost the metabolism by 30 percent. Drinking enough water to stay well hydrated also helps to keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger, and can prevent unnecessary calorie consumption and binging.

What do you think, any additions?

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**Always check with your doctor for advice

*Sources: Water, Science Daily, Medical News Today, Bio-Medicine, Scripps Clinic, Diagnose me

So which nuts?

Almonds- Have the most calcium of any nut, and plenty of vitamin E …also “heart healthy” fat. My favorite snack throughout the day.

Peanuts- Lots of protein. I grab a handful before my workout.

Pistachios-*Contains plenty of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, which are stored in the retina and help maintain good vision.  An ounce of pistachios has as much protein as an egg. I prefer a handful after a workout. Sometimes it can be a challenge for me to only have ONE handful of these!

Walnuts- *High in omega-3 alphalinoleic acid, it helps stop inflammation of the body and helps prevent coronary heart disease. I don’t eat walnuts because my son is HIGHLY allergic to them. Apparently you might want to include a handful with a steak dinner, ” They’ve been shown to reduce the injury that a high-fat meal does on your arteries,” says Dr. Robert Vogel, chief medical director at Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa.

Cashews- Contains 5 grams of protein per ounce and high levels of the essential minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper and manganes. Moderation is key with this nut, I will have a handful occasionally.

*One serving size (roughly a handful) is all you need to get the benefits.

Stick with raw or plain to avoid the sodium.

Health benefits along with a good snack Go Nuts!

Do you have a favorite nut?

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*Sources and more on nuts: Organic Cashew Nuts, Medical News Today, Men’s Journal, Health Castle, Medicine.net, NUTS – THE SURPRISING HEALTH BENEFITS

Here is my take:

Foods that are high in protein and fiber are the best kinds of food to eat if you want to burn fat. It takes more energy to digest protein than it does to digest fat. So the more protein you eat, the more calories your body burns.

Some foods to try:

Eggs- Eggs are high in protein and essential to helping you burn fat. Eggs contain the vitamin B12 which is a key component in helping your body break down and burn fat. If you’re still concerned about your overall cholesterol intake, you can remove the yolk and still benefit from the high protein contained in eggs.

Low Fat Dairy Products- According to an article in Obesity Research, women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt  three to four times a day lost 70 percent more fat than low-dairy dieters. It appears that not only do dairy products help you strengthen your bones, they can also play an essential role in burning that unwanted body fat. Just watch your portions.

Beans- Sure beans have a reputation to cause gas, but Beans are also a very good source of protein, fiber and iron. Some of my favorite beans to eat are; Navy beans, White beans, Kidney beans, and Lima beans. Of course we want to limit our intake of baked and refried beans. Refried beans contain tons of saturated fat while baked beans are usually loaded in sugar, some protein but you’ll also be consuming a lot of fat and sugar. Remember to cook your beans thoroughly as we want to make the beans easier to digest.

Oatmeal- Have you noticed that many of the oatmeal brands are now boasting that eating more oatmeal will help lower your cholesterol level? Apparently oatmeal is loaded with soluble fiber which helps reduce blood cholesterol by flushing those bad digestive acids out of your system. That has to be good..correct? I prefer oatmeal that is unsweetened and unflavored. I avoid the apples and cinnamon flavor that are loaded with butter and sugar. If I need to sweeten my oatmeal, I add fruit and some honey.

Whole Grains- In the “no carb” craze of today we tend to miss out on some of the benefits of carbohydrates. If you go without them completely your body will start to crave them. So it’s not a good idea to exclude all carbs because the right kinds are actually good for you. I try to avoid the processed carbohydrates… the white breads, bagels, pastas, and white rice. The key is to eat “whole grain” foods because they haven’t been processed and contain the fiber and minerals your body needs. So don’t be fooled by a loaf of bread labeled “wheat”. Regular wheat bread is still lacking in vitamins and minerals. Manufacturers add molasses to it so it turns brown.

———–> Go visit Mike at LiveLife365, he will give you the straight facts! <————-

Lean Cuts of Meat- Turkey and beef are great for building muscle and boosting the immune system, but I eat in moderation. Basted turkeys are usually injected with fatty substances while beef contains saturated fat. I look for “loin” or “round” on the labels.

Salmon and tuna- are also good sources of protein. They both contain omega-3 fatty acids which may sound bad, but are actually healthy fats. I will consume Salmon and Tuna at least 3 times a week. Personally I avoid farmed salmon.

Olive Oil- Olive oil is one of those “good fats”. In fact, it’s so good that it helps you burn fat and keeps your cholesterol down. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that researchers are finding provide outstanding health benefits. One ounce of extra virgin olive oil contains about 85% of the daily value for monounsaturated fat.

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Of course we don’t want to forget about water…...

Speaking of wellness, hydration time! Go drink a glass of water. Remember health is wealth, and water is key in creating rich health -Stephanie Quilao

As we continue our journey towards a healthier lifestyle I think it is important, that not only do we keep an active lifestyle that includes a regular fitness routine. We should strive towards consuming healthier foods! What do you think?

Thank you Mizfit for coming up with the post title!

Do you have 20 minutes?  Sure you do…let’s go!

1-Run in place – 3 minutes (run the stairs for a tougher challenge)

2-Mountain Climbers – 30 seconds (increase to 60 seconds for more difficulty)

3-Jump Squats -  30 seconds (hold hand weights for a more intense challenge)

4- Wall sits – 1 minute (hold arms out in front to increase intensity)

One minute break. Repeat 1-2 times.

Ready to join? You deserve to feel good!

Go drink a glass of water. Water is an ally. Water helps your body run at its best performance -Stephanie Quilao

Thanks for the quote Stephanie!

Are your kids picky eaters?  Well, mine are.  That’s quite a challenge when your kids are small.  My children are 5 and 3, and both have learning disabilities, so for me, it’s very important to get them to eat properly.  Between busy schedules, therapies, active children, and fussy eating, getting my children to eat anything healthier than a multivitamin is QUITE a challenge.  So what is a parent to do?

Substitution-One thing I’ve done is NOT to worry so much.  Every day you read the dangers of sugar, or wheat, or dairy, or red meat.  It’s enough to make a parent go crazy. Unfortunately, time and budget do not really allow me to buy organic, sugar-free, gluten-free, etc.  I do the best I can with what I’ve got to work with.  For example, as much as possible, I use extra virgin olive oil for cooking rather than other kinds of oil.  I believe this is probably why my good cholesterol, or HDL, levels are very high.  I happen to also like the flavor that olive oil adds to my food. It is pricier, but we rarely fry foods anyway.

Fruits and Veggies, Any Way They Want-When Amelia was little, her therapist reminded me that sweet potatoes are a good source of iron. I was surprised, because I had given up eaten potatoes years ago.  My daughter loves mashed potatoes so I make them FRESH.  My kids also like potato salad, which I make fresh with potatoes, fresh green beans, tomatoes and onion, drizzled with balsamic vinegar.  My little one like anything with a red sauce and since cooked tomatoes are healthier than fresh, I frequently give her tomato sauce and salsa.  My other daughter likes fresh vegetables uncooked, but only if I serve them in a fancy tray with dip, so snack time becomes a fun mini-party for me and the kids.

Healthier Stuff-Rather than eliminating things from their diet that they like, I’ve taken the road of buying healthier versions of the foods they like. My kids are very fond of chocolate chip cookies, and Kashi makes a version with whole grain products and no sugar.  They love peanut butter, and it’s a good source of protein, so I spend a little extra and make sure there is no sugar, additives or palm oil, just “made from peanuts”.  We are not seafood fans, but buying pasta with Omega-3 and made with whole grains eases my mind that they are getting this important nutrient as well.

Plenty of Liquids-I’ve noticed my kids are thirsty a lot and it’s hard to keep them in milk and juice all the time.   I’ve started giving them more water, or glasses full of ice (they love to munch on it), and that makes me feel good that they are getting their fill of liquids.  I keep lots of juicy fruits, like oranges, on hand as well.

It isn’t easy, but with a little creativity, patience and LOTS of label reading, meal time does not have to be the most difficult part of child rearing.  Making sure that kids think of meals as a time to socialize with their family and enjoy themselves can also go a long way to helping busy parents get their picky eaters to eat right.

Thanks Gina! We have so much to learn as parents. Follow @ginabad on Twitter and her blog at Mom-Blog. For more on the picky eater check out the post from a couple of weeks Are your kids picky eaters?

People tend to eat very differently on weekends. Our more relaxed weekend schedules leave time for frequent trips to the kitchen for snacks, restaurant meals, parties featuring high-calorie hors d’ouevres and alcohol etc.

How do we avoid the diet danger zone?

Kathleen Zelman of the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic offers some fantastic suggestions:

The 80/20 Rule

There are two basic schools of thought on handling your diet over the weekend. The first strategy is to follow your usual healthful eating plan carefully and get to the gym daily during the week — so that when the weekend comes, you can splurge a little.

This doesn’t mean throwing caution to the wind and eating a whole pie in one sitting. It simply means enjoying some of the calories you’ve saved during the week, maybe in the form of a glass of wine or a serving of your favorite dessert. Think of it as the 80/20 rule: 80% of the time, you stick to your healthy routine; the other 20% is your flex time, to indulge in whatever suits your fancy.

Yes, you can have your cake and eat it, too, as long as the slice is small — and you keep up your activity. You need at least 30 minutes of activity each day, whether it’s walking, gardening, or doing an exercise video. Strap on a pedometer and let the steps you take while doing errands or shopping add up (strive for at least 5,000 steps). Getting some exercise almost every day just makes you feel better. As hard as it can be to get started, you never regret lacing up your sneakers.

This approach is my own weight management strategy. I find it easier to be diligent during the week knowing that I can indulge on the weekends. It gives me the motivation and discipline I need to get to Friday.

The Weekend Warrior

The second approach is to use your extra weekend time to prepare healthy meals and catch up on the exercise that gets squeezed out of your schedule during the week.

You can spend more time at the gym or increase the intensity of your regular routine. But be warned: While it’s fine to pump up your activity, tune in to how you are feeling and stop if you are overtired or in pain. Going overboard can result in injury.

With a little advance planning and a few hours to spare, you can stock your freezer with easy meals for the upcoming week. Batch cooking once a week can save you time and money. During the week, it allows you to get healthy meals on the table in minutes. And it can save you money both at the grocery store, where you can buy in bulk, and at the drive-through (which you’ll have no need to visit).

Staying on Track

Weekends are supposed to be enjoyable, with free time to spend on yourself, family, and friends. And there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy the weekends while continuing to make progress toward your weight loss goals.

Successful losers eat breakfast every morning to help control frequent trips to the kitchen for snacks. So start your day with a healthy breakfast like a bowl of high-protein, high-fiber cereal topped with fresh fruit, and skim or low-fat milk. Feel free to enjoy eggs on the weekends; just limit the high-fat sides such as biscuits, bacon, and gravy. Replace them with lean ham, fruit salad, and whole-grain toast.

Don’t let your portion sizes creep up while you’re relaxing. Have a large vegetable salad with light dressing before dinner to help fill you up. If you’re still hungry after your healthy meal, drink a big glass of water and wait 15 minutes. Still hungry? Eat vegetables or fruit.

Be sure to drink unsweetened beverages and water, or small portions of other beverages, to help control your liquid calorie intake. Calories from sweetened beverages, including coffee, tea, soda, juices, and alcohol, contribute as much as 20% of the calories in our diets according to a recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Jump on the scale one morning during the weekend to keep yourself on track. Researchers say that people who weigh themselves often do a better job of controlling their weight.
Makes perfect sense…enjoy your weekends without letting them undermine your weekday progress. Are you a weekend warrior? A little caution will go a long way toward keeping you fit and fabulous!

Our guest this week is a mother of three kids, a graduate of Health Education,  president and developer of the Super Healthy Kids, Healthy Habits Plate. A very busy individual indeed, please welcome Amy Roskelley!

Many parents are concerned about their kids eating behaviors.  Kids can be picky, stubborn, and can go for long periods of time surviving on mac and cheese. It can get even more frustrating when you find something healthy they like, only for them to reject it the next day.  So how do you make sure they are getting what they need without turning into the Grinch?  Here are a few ideas.

•           First, chill out.  If they are growing and have energy to sustain them for the demands of their little lives, than you probably are overly concerned.

•           Stop buying what you don’t want them to eat.  If you truly think your kid will starve if you stop buying hot dogs altogether, I promise you are wrong. I cut my 5 year old off cold turkey from hot dogs, and 1 year later, he is still asking for hot dogs.  But we don’t have any, so he eats something else.

•           Let them get hungry.  Food always tastes better, and they are more likely to try something if they are hungry.

•           For preschoolers, use the red light/ green light method.  Foods are all assigned red, yellow, or green.  Green light foods can be eaten anytime; yellow light foods, sometimes; and red light foods should be avoided.

•           Do not regulate the amount your child is eating.  You should be the one to decide WHAT they eat; they can decide HOW MUCH they eat.  Leave the “clean plate club” in the past where it belongs.

•           Be a role model.  If you eat good, healthy food, your child will more likely adopt similar habits. It’s been proven example is more effective than bribing when it comes to eating something.

•           Place a poster of the food guide pyramid into your pantry. Kids as little as 2, will look at our poster to decide what food they want to eat. Educating them about variety and good food choices gives them information rather than battling the “because I said so” model.

Fantastic tips! Amy has such a creative way to get the positive message out at her blog. The kids in her blog are Cereal Boy, 9 years old. Then The Flip-flopper, She’s 7 years old. Also there is ketchup boy….he is 4. Visit Super Healthy Kids for fun, healthy reading!

High Fructose Corn Syrup. Have you noticed that it’s in seemingly everything? Even things that aren’t sweet – like breadcrumbs – have high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in them. The Corn Refiners Association would have you believe with their recent ads that HFCS is as natural as a freshly picked ear of corn. So, let’s talk a little about HFCS. What is it and why do people get so worked up about it?

High fructose corn syrup is composed of glucose (aka dextrose) and fructose and is produced through a complicated series of chemical reactions. The only thing natural about HFCS is that its molecules originated in a kernel of corn. HFCS was first introduced in the 1970s. It’s cheap, and as its use increased, the price of junk foods plummeted. You can thank HFCS for the cheap Big Gulp at your local convenient store.

High fructose corn syrup is generally 42-55% fructose. The free fructose – and the staggering amount of fructose that people consume through foods containing HFCS – is what is concerning. A healthy diet shouldn’t have too much of any sugar, but fructose in particular gives me the willies because our bodies have a difficult time metabolizing it. High fructose consumption has been linked to diabetes, high triglycerides and bone loss among other things. Yes, we also get fructose from fruit and honey and maple syrup, but not in the quantities found in products that use HFCS as an ingredient, and when foods containing HFCS start to replace fruits and other natural foods in our diets, we lose all of the other wonderful nutritional benefits of those foods.

Some would argue that HFCS is no worse than table sugar (aka sucrose). Sucrose is a disaccharide of glucose and fructose – 50% glucose and 50% fructose held together by a glycosidic bond. It’s enzymatically digested to glucose and fructose in our stomachs. While it does have to go the extra step to release the fructose, our bodies seem to do that fairly easily. Over-consumption of sucrose can also result in health problems – tooth decay, obesity, and blood sugar regulation problems to name a few.

It’s unclear whether HFCS is as evil as it is made out to be. Is the free fructose in HFCS worse than the fructose bound in table sugar or does it get a bad rap because of the types of foods that it is in and the quantity that we consume those foods?

In the end, I’ve decided that it doesn’t matter. HFCS is found in the worst of foods, and by giving up HFCS we’re cutting out a lot of junk and refocusing our eating energy toward healthier foods. Credible studies that both vilify and redeem HFCS seem to come weekly, but rather than worrying about the latest study, we’ve decided to focus on the fact that there is little to be gained nutritionally from foods containing HFCS. In fact, just the opposite as foods that contain HFCS seem to displace truly nutritious foods.

We’re striving to eat healthier in our house, and HFCS is not a part of that goal. I want my children to crave fruits and vegetables and whole grains and not the sickly sweet foods that contain HFCS. Hearing statistics that life expectancies are starting to go down for the first time only solidify our resolve. We want better for our children and for ourselves. So bye-bye HFCS! You have no place in our house anymore!

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So, what contains HFCS, what are some tasty, healthy options that are HFCS free? As frequent visitor of Cathy’s site A Life Less Sweet I find answers to these questions and much more. You definitely want to be well informed when it come to the foods you and your family eat.