Posted by Virginia H. | Posted in Articles | Posted on 17-05-2010-05-2008
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Here’s how to reduce 8,101 (or more!) calories from your home cooked meal plan
The way nutritionists go on about restaurant diet crimes, you’d think the entrance to Bennigan’s would be blocked off by yellow police tape. But, breadbasket assaults aside, the riskiest place for your waistline is actually your own kitchen. That’s where you make daily decisions that affect your weight loss success: choosing between skim milk and whole, reaching for butter or olive oil, stocking up on Oreos or Triscuits. “Cutting calories when cooking at home is the first step to creating healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime,” says Lisa R. Young, R.D., author of The Portion Teller Plan. The following easy tips will help you crack down on fat and calories and serve and protect your figure.
Oil Be Damned
It’s healthier than butter, but it’s still fat. Here’s how to skip the slick stuff or make a little go a long way.
Make it a spritzer Oil in a spray can or mister (we like the Misto Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer, $10, chefsresource.com) lets you fry foods with a fraction of the calories you’d get from a pour spout. A spritz works great on pasta and roasted vegetables, too. Calories cut: 112
Cook twice For crispy chicken or fish without all the fat of frying, use your oven, says dietician and nutritionist Molly Morgan. Coat a pan with a tablespoon of flavorless canola oil and fry the meat for 10 minutes per side. Blot up extra grease with paper towels, then transfer to the oven and bake on low heat (200 to 250 degrees) for 15 to 20 minutes. Calories cut: 2,767
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Posted by Virginia H. | Posted in Articles, General tips | Posted on 03-04-2010-05-2008
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We’ve got our health truths down pat. For physical wellness, eat good, wholesome food and get plenty of exercise. But what about the myths out there about diet and exercise? Watch and learn as we bust five of the top diet and exercise myths.
Myth #1: Carbs are the Enemy
Maybe we can blame Dr. Atkins and other proponents of the low-carb diet craze for this one. Experts suggest that carbohydrates play a star role in keep you energized and your organs functioning properly. The carb bad rap should rest squarely on the shoulders of “white carbs” like white bread, white rice, and sugar. These refined carbs, dietitians suggest, are more likely to pack on the pounds. Stick with whole grains like whole wheat pasta and brown rice for a healthier diet.
Myth #2: Never Eat After 8PM
The habit of under-eating all day only to overdo it at dinner time is likely where this myth came from. Eating excess calories at any hour of the day will lead to weight gain. Just remember: It’s not when you eat, it’s what you eat.
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Posted by Virginia H. | Posted in Articles, Eating habits and diet | Posted on 26-03-2010-05-2008
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Calories can be cruel. Sweat through a 30-minute workout and you can torch 200. Take three gulps of a foamy frappuccino and you’re right back where you started.But slashing those suckers can be as effortless as piling them on. We’ve found 78 ways you can cut 100 or more calories at a pop. From picking the right slice at Pizza Hut to skipping the whip on your latte, they’ll add up so fast, you won’t miss a thing—until poof! Your love handles are gone.
At Breakfast
- • Ditch the Pop-Tart for a slice of high-fiber toast with strawberry jam.
- • Gotta have carbs? Split a bagel with a coworker.
- • Drink your two cups of joe black. Or order a single espresso instead of your usual latte.
- • Swap OJ for the real deal—one fresh orange.
- • Trade a side of regular sausage for turkey.
- • Top your waffles with Reddi-Whip instead of syrup (or use sugar-free).
- • Skip the whip on any Caribou Coffee 16-ounce drink.
- • Eat your granola from a 4-ounce mug, not an 8-ounce bowl.
- • Lose the Yoplait Thick & Creamy and have a Yoplait Fiber 1.
- • Order pancakes, but hold the butter.
- • Scramble together 4 egg whites instead of 2 whole eggs.
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Posted by Virginia H. | Posted in General tips | Posted on 21-03-2010-05-2008
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This is the basis of any diet or weight loss methods, you need to know how many calories you consume on average per day. From now on you should start counting your daily calories (you can use electronic calorie counters or just put it down on paper). Usually you can find the amount of calories of a product on its label (look for kcal). I also suggest USDA National Nutrient Database to find information about calories, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, and fiber in different products.
Now all this information in this and previous posts should be enough for you to determine your body index and set a goal of calories to cut per day. For fast but still safe results it is recommended to cut 15-30% of your daily amount of calories (depends on your lifestyle, sex and BMI).
Warning: Keep in mind this general rule of thumb: women should not go below 1200 calories and men should not go below 1800 calories a day. Your body burns up most of its daily calories just by keeping your body alive — even while you’re asleep! It needs fuel (calories) to do this.
Interesting Fact: A calorie is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. The calories in food are actually kilocalories or 1000 calories. When we say that a carbohydrate like sugar has 4 calories per gram, we really mean that it has 4 kilocalories per gram. This means that one gram of sugar has enough energy to raise the temperature of 1000 grams of water by 4 degrees Celsius. The calories in food provide a measure of the energy content of the food.
