Diet and Nutrition

The Healthy Fix for Lunch’s Middle Child Syndrome

If meals were children, lunch would have a full-on case of middle child syndrome. If you look at breakfast as the eldest child showered with praise and endorsements as the most important meal of the day, and then dinner handled with care and doted on like the youngest, lunch is left with little to hold up its head about. Instead, you see it brooding at fast food lines or in the empty wrappers of candy bars tossed aside on desks. Poor lunch. Can’t it get any love?

The truth is it should. Lunch deserves as much respect as breakfast, if not a little more.

“Even though a morning meal is very important to let your body know it’s not starving and to energize you as you start your day, lunch may be even more important — especially if we’re doing errands and are on the go, chasing after our children, or working hard at our desks,” said Elisa Zied, RD, author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips. She continued to praise lunch saying, “We need to keep energy levels high throughout the day, and having a healthful lunch packed with protein and fiber can help you stay energized and alert to perform optimally both physically and mentally. It also provides a great opportunity to supply our brain and muscles with key nutrients to keep us healthy.”

Talk about a self-esteem boost for this mid-day meal! Breakfast might get you going but lunch will keep you going. That 3:00 lull that has you inhaling Doritos? Kiss it good-bye. If you eat lunch, especially a healthful lunch, you’ll forget 3:00 even happened. (more…)

Posted on August 23, 2024 by Natalie K

Medifast Introduces Mocha Shake, Berry Crunch Cereal and Other New Meal Options

Dr. William Vitale developed Medifast in the 1980s. Since then, many other physicians have recommended the program to more than one million customers. As reported by RedOrbit News, Medifast recently introduced new types of cereal, cheese puffs, and shakes to the market. The new meal options are designed for weight loss and portion control, similar to the other meals Medifast currently offers.

Mixed Berry and Cinnamon Brown Sugar Cereal Crunch are two new breakfast items. The Mixed Berry Cereal Crunch contains 100 calories per serving with 0 grams of trans fat, 3 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 150 mg of sodium.

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Cereal Crunch contains 100 calories per serving with 0 grams of trans fat, 3 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 140 mg of sodium. When compared, the Mixed Berry and Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crunch contain about the same amount of vitamins and minerals, but the Cinnamon Brown Sugar flavor has slightly less sodium.

Medifast has also introduced new cheese puffs, which include Parmesan and Chili Nacho Cheese flavors. The cheese puffs are a great way to indulge in cheesy goodness without tipping the scale on calories.

Medifast’s Chili Nacho Cheese Puffs contain 110 calories per serving with 0 grams of trans fat, 1 gram of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 360 mg of sodium. They also contain 20 percent of the daily requirement of vitamins A and C. (more…)

Posted on August 22, 2024 by Samantha

Monsanto’s GMO Sweet Corn Makes its Grocery Store Debut

If you’re like my family, summer dinners mean several delicious seasonal vegetables – preferably vegetables prepared on the grill. Nothing quite says summer like a perfectly grilled ear of corn.

This is the first summer, though, that my family has really questioned our favorite summertime vegetable. This is the first summer we learned we might be eating genetically modified corn on the cob.

According the the Non-GMO Shopping Guide, there are very few fresh fruits and vegetables sold in America that are actually genetically modified. In fact, the only commercialized GMO is Hawaii’s papaya. This fact was true, but it seems that things are about to change.

Just this month, Wal-Mart Supercenters announced they will be carrying a line of Monsanto’s GMO sweet corn, despite the public’s outcries, according to a report from CommonDreams.org. As it is with all GMO foods in America, the store does not have to label the corn, and they said they won’t be.

The type of corn Wal-Mart is selling is a blend that has been modified to resist the toxic impact of being sprayed with chemical pesticides and herbicides.

Another blend has been growing this summer, too. MotherJones.com reported that a drought-tolerant corn was approved by the USDA in December 2024. They said farmers could begin growing and testing this crop this summer. Given the drought we’ve had this year, it lent a perfect excuse for such a blend of corn. (more…)

Posted on August 22, 2024 by Lacy

4 Breakfasts Worth Waking Up For, Including a Vegetable Frittatta Recipe

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D. for TheBestLife.com

I love breakfast foods, so I’ve always wondered why anyone would deliberately skip this meal. Cereal, oatmeal, waffles, eggs, latte—what’s not to like? And if you opt for healthy versions of these foods, breakfast could be your most nutritious meal of the day. Here’s how to make the most of your morning meal.

Cereal

Check the ingredient list to make sure that all the grains in the cereal are whole. Then check the label to make sure that you’re getting no more than 5 grams of sugar and at least 4 grams of fiber per 100 calories. If your cereal is very low sugar, such as Food for Life’s Ezekiel cereals or Uncle Sam’s, it’s fine to sprinkle on a few tablespoons of granola (which might exceed the “5 g sugar per 100 calories” rule in larger amounts). Here’s what to put in your bowl: (more…)

Posted on August 22, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Yo-Yo Dieting Isn’t as Bad For Metabolism and Weight Loss as We Thought

If you’ve been attuned to the diet world for any time now, you’ve likely heard the idea that gaining weight and losing weight cyclically – often referred to as yo-yo dieting– can throw off your metabolism and cause a whole whirlwind of health problems.  

Well a new study would argue that point, suggesting that yo-yo dieters fare no worse than people who remain at a constant weight when it comes to a healthy metabolism. And furthermore, they aren’t any less capable of losing weight than their non yo-yo dieting counterparts.

As reported by NBC News, to conduct the study (published in the journal Metabolism), researchers gathered nearly 400 participants, all of whom were overweight or obese pre-menopausal women between the ages of 50 and 75.

Of this group, 103 women (24 percent) had a past of moderate weight cycling, gaining and losing about 10 pounds multiple times a year. And 77 women (18 percent) had a past of severe weight cycling, meaning they lost and gained 20 pounds several times a year. At the beginning of the study, those in the moderate-to-severe weight cycling categories were heavier on average than those who did not fluctuate in weight. (more…)

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Dana

5 Satisfying Summer Food Swaps to Maintain Your Bikini Figure

School bells are ringing, but summer isn’t over just yet. The weekend air will still fill up with the scent of barbeques and many tables will be set with traditional summer fare at least through the upcoming Labor Day weekend. Yes, bikini season is coming closer to an end but there’s no reason to let all that hard work go to waste as you dine in these last few weeks of summer.

If you haven’t already tackled our Summer Food Bucket List, considering taking advantage of a few healthy food swaps that will allow you to enjoy the best flavors of this season before they’re long gone! These great switch-ups will help you cut the calories, bulk up on nutrition, all while keeping great summertime food on the table.

Guacamole Give-in

Try swapping traditional guacamole and tortilla chips for edamame guacamole with lentil chips, a great idea we found at HuffPo. Instead of using avocado for a traditional guac, use edamame (soy) beans to give the added bonus of protein and still a great flavor. Lentil chips are much higher in fiber than a corn chip and will fill you up faster, so you’ll need less to be satisfied. (more…)

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Lacy

MyNetDiary Diabetes Tracker: An Essential Mobile App for Diabetics

MyNetDiary – one of the top diet apps available to smart phone users – launched a new online and mobile app called Diabetes Tracker that’s specifically designed to help those with diabetes better manage their condition.

Launched in 2024 and now hosting more than 2.5 million members, MyNetDiary wanted to bring a diabetes-friendly app to the market since it’s a disease affecting nearly 26 million people in the U.S. alone.

Sergey Oresko, CEO of MyNetDiary, said in a press release that since launching their initial diet app, the company has received a number of requests for an app that caters specifically to diabetics.

“We’ve been asked by thousands of our members to help them track their battle with diabetes,” he said. “And after a year of work on this, we’re pleased to offer the most user-friendly and easy app for tracking everything related to diabetes, diet and exercise, all wrapped into a single iPhone app.”

We recently chatted with Ryan Newhouse, MyNetDiary marketing director, to get a better understanding of how the app works. First, he explained that the Diabetes Tracker is an educational tool and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any ailment or disease.  (more…)

Posted on August 20, 2024 by Dana

Kristen Stewart’s Breakup Diet is Pushing Her Toward an Eating Disorder

After a nasty split with Twilight co-star Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart is apparently not doing well. The Hollywood actress is subsisting primarily on Red Bull and cigarettes while keeping as low a profile as possible.

A source close to her also said Stewart is looking pale and worn-out. Stewart and Pattinson’s relationship lasted nearly four years and ended when Stewart admitted to an affair with her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders.

The insider said, “Kristen is a nervous wreck and existing on a diet of cigarettes, sugar-free Red Bull and the occasional bag of potato chips…Whenever anyone tries to push her to eat even a small bowl of soup, she either claims that she’s just had something, which isn’t true, or that she’s nauseous and there’s no chance of keeping anything down.” (more…)

Posted on August 20, 2024 by SarahS

‘Eat More, Exercise Less’ is Jonathan Bailor’s Mantra in The Smarter Science of Slim

“Long-term health and fitness is about the quality of food we eat and exercise we get, not the quantity.” This is how Jonathan Bailor sums up the research found in his new book, “The Smarter Science of Slim. Scientific Proof. Fat Loss Facts!” The book is full of research that points to so many flaws in our current beliefs on dieting and exercise. It’s research that men and women around the country have been relying on to help them finally breakthrough their weight loss; it’s also been assisting former Biggest Loser contestants after they leave the infamous ranch.

A catchy line throughout the book and the press info regarding the book is “eat more, exercise less.” It isn’t a catchy marketing line for Bailor to sell a diet pill, a weight loss device, or even a plan, it sums up the science and research he presents in the book.

Bailor explained that the science in his book is “shockingly different from marketing and common dieting myths.” It shows that the key to long-term fat loss and improved health is in the consumption of satisfying, unaggressive, nutritious foods like water-, fiber- and protein-rich non-starchy vegetables, nutrient-dense proteins, and whole food natural fats. When we eat this way, he explains that we’re too full for dry, low-fiber, and protein-poor starches and sweets, like bread, candy, cake, soda, and juice. (more…)

Posted on August 20, 2024 by Lacy

How to Cook with Avocado

Avocados are a food that I only just came around to in the last five years or so. When I was younger, I would grow weary if guacamole came near my plate, and certainly didn’t go out of my way to get put any on my favorite Mexican dishes. Doing so would’ve been a travesty, or at the very least, a meal fail. But if I would’ve known then what I know now about this nutritionally-dense and versatile fruit, I’d have been eating it by the chip-fulls long before my college days.

Health Benefits: Avocados are incredibly high in vitamins A, C, E, K and B6, and also provide ample amounts of riboflavin, niacin, folate and pantothenic acid. In addition, avocados provide 54 percent of your recommended daily fiber intake. And perhaps the most exciting news about this fruit is that when eaten with other foods, such as blueberries, it doubles the amount of antioxidants your body is able to absorb!

Nutritional statistics: One cup of avocado diced contains approximately 240 calories, 22 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Cooking methods: Much to some people’s surprise, avocados can be prepared in many ways, both savory and sweet. Add them fresh to your morning smoothie or blend them up with a banana for a rich and simple vegan dessert. You can also mash them up with peas and put them over toast, or whirl them into a dressing with olive oil, salt and pepper. See our recipes below for just a few ways to use this heart-healthy fruit. (more…)

Posted on August 19, 2024 by Dana

Jennifer Garner Sculpted a Sexy Post-Baby Body with Trainer Valerie Waters

In a sea of exercise- and diet-obsessed celebs, Jennifer Garner is a beacon of normalcy. The 40-year-old actress is a mom to three little ones and wife to Hollywood heart throb Ben Affleck, and somehow manages to keep work and family life in proper balance.

We reported back in April that Garner stepped out for the first time post-birth to reveal an amazing post-baby body at a film event in Las Vegas. And since then, the star has slimmed down even more, showing off her sexy figure this week at a movie premiere in Los Angeles for the film The Odd Life of Timothy Green.

As reported by People Magazine, the busy actress made workouts a priority both during and after her pregnancy with the help of celebrity trainer Valerie Waters. Waters, who has also sculpted the bodies of A-list celebs like Kate Beckinsale, Bradley Cooper and Jessica Biel, has worked with Garner for more than a decade and says the star’s toned body is all thanks to her hard work and dedication.

“She’s looking so amazing right now,” said Waters. “She looks strong and sexy, and I like that she’s rocking her Lycra again!”  (more…)

Posted on August 17, 2024 by Dana