Diet and Nutrition

Nutrisystem Success Launches Today

Nutrisystem sample foodsThe popular meal delivery program Nutrisystem will be launching a new program this evening, called Nutrisystem Success. Details of the program are still forthcoming, however, it appears that a major feature on the program will be improved physical activity plans and transition support. Nutrisystem Success focuses more on helping clients transition off the diet and maintain their weight loss. Sustaining weight-loss is often a weak point for meal delivery programs, because many people have a hard time continuing to make healthy choices once they stop receiving daily meals. The new program will also help clients exercise more, with “My Daily 3” personalized activity plans.

The company is also touting fresh-frozen Chef’s Table entrees, created by “award-winning” chefs. Meals will cost about $9.00 each, with over 130 options from which to choose. Meal replacement bars and shakes are a staple of the Nutrisystem’s weight loss plan, which has announced a newly re-formulated protein shake.

(more…)

Posted on December 14, 2023 by Margaret

Sensible Foods Just Make Sense for Dieters

Most of the time when we snack, we just want the act of snacking. Rarely does anyone actually need those extra calories, but most need the boost in nutrition from a healthy snack to help hit your daily nutrition requirements.

Sensible Foods dried fruit and vegetable snacks are the perfect snack for dieters- the calories are almost negligible, they are made from whole foods and they keep your mouth busy with satisfying little crunches. Sensible Foods come in a ton of different flavors, including Apple, Corn, Edemame, Tropical Blend, Strawberry-Banana, Soynut, Cherry Berry, and Orchard Blend. Sensible Snacks uses a process that removes the water while maintaining the product’s cell structure and nutritional value, and intensifies the flavor. The process gives them a shelf life of over two years, and each packet is the equivalent to 1/2 cup of fresh fruit, or 1 serving of your 5 a day. They range in calories, but all clock in at under 100 calories per pouch.

I love healthy foods in all forms, and choose my snacks based more on their nutritional profile than their taste. Being the healthy minority of my mid-20 peer group, I always like to run new healthy food products by some “average” eaters to get their spin. I gave some Cherry Berry to a fruit-a-phobe friend of mine, who quickly demolished the whole packet claiming he loved them because they taste like Fruity Pebbles. This is a true statement, which quickly led to an experiment of whether drowning them in milk would cause them to puff back up into berry form. It did not.

(more…)

Posted on December 14, 2023 by Kelly

Truly Enjoy Your Holidays With Moderation

By Lisa Eirene from 110 Pounds and Counting

What I love about the holidays are the traditions. My mom loves to tell the story of holidays when as a child I stuck black olives on the tips of my fingers and ate them. I love the frenzy in the kitchen, my mom trying to get all the food done at the same time. I love the aromas of baked turkey and stuffing, the ritual of making sure each bite of pumpkin pie has whipped cream on it.

Any way you slice that pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving and Christmas are days of Gluttony. We can avoid it, we can restrict our food intake on that day and longingly watch our family indulge or we can go hog wild and just eat everything on that table.

There has to be something in between, right?

As a reformed obese girl who has had a lifetime of struggles eating, I am faced with this decision every year. See, I used to weigh over 250 pounds. In those days I didn’t care that I was ingesting over 5,000 calories in that one meal.

(more…)

Posted on December 13, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Teach Your Kids How to be a Healthy Eater by Eating Like a Kid

Research has shown that children imitate their parents’ eating habits from a very early age. Although this may seem intimidating, modeling healthy eating behaviors can often be as simple as incorporating the advice you give to your children on a daily basis into your own life.

Becoming a Healthy Eater by Eating Like A Kid

Keep Sweets in Moderation. Sweets taste great, but you would never let your child eat unlimited amounts of them. The same should apply to you. Keep your sweets in check and look to indulge your sweet tooth in more creative ways. Many fruits, nuts, and spices can add a hint of sweet to some of your favorite dishes. This will help save you many empty calories in the long run and give you the opportunity to seek out more nutritionally dense foods when hunger strikes.

(more…)

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Kati

Embrace Balance to Avoid Fearing Holiday Meals

Anda T. writes about her weight loss struggles, victories and every day life at www.leavingfatville.com. She also runs www.greatclothingexchange.com in her spare time when not chasing a toddler, cooking, cleaning, working and trying to take over the world.

Holidays mean a time for family to get together, share good food and maybe some wine and enjoy each other’s company. Sounds like a great time, right? It wasn’t until I started my weight loss journey back in 2024 that I realized how the holidays could make or break my diet. Suddenly, November and December struck fear into my heart. How would I get through all the food? How was I going to track the calories? How was I not going to be starving all the time?

The first year, I got ambitious. I decided I’d cook everything. No one had to bring a dish, desserts were Cooking Light approved, and sides never saw one ounce of canned soup. The menu was amazing and diverse and people never missed the favorites. Me, though? I missed everything because I was in the kitchen. There was no visiting, and no chatting over some wine or an appetizer before lunch/dinner. I was dashing around the kitchen like a madwoman. I did it not once, but twice. By New Year’s Eve, I was exhausted. My holiday vacation wasn’t a vacation at all. I’d stressed out so much the entire time about food that I completely forgot to have fun. Sure, I stayed on track, but I missed so much of the festivities, I still felt like I’d been cheated.

(more…)

Posted on December 8, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Bob’s Red Mill Soups Make a Healthy Hostess Gift

You no doubt have a million holiday parties to attend this year, which leaves you with the dreaded decision of what to bring as a hostess gift. If you are sick of giving out the same bottle of wine to every host and hostess, go with a healthy, nutritious gift that is fun to give and can be personalized for every occassion.

For me, there is nothing I crave more on a cold winter’s day than a big bowl of thick, filling soup. Curling up on the couch to watch a movie with the cold rain falling outside (I live in Seattle, snow is a rarity) really gets me into the holiday spirit. Give your hostess everything they need to make a big batch of healthy, filling soup in one easy package using Bob’s Red Mill soups.

Bob’s Red Mill soups come in handy bags full of all the delicious and wholesome ingredients you need to make a big batch of hearty soup. Available in a variety of flavors and full of beans and whole grains, Bob’s Red Mill soup mixes are ready to go*- you can just pour the soup mix into a pot with water or broth, add any of your favorite spices, and let simmer.

(more…)

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Kelly

Weight Watchers PointsPlus Gets an Update for 2024

Weight Watchers Points Plus LogoWeight Watchers announced today that they’ll be rolling out new tools and features for their PointsPlus program, which debuted last year. PointsPlus 2024 will feature greater emphasis on starting off strong and will have a greater level of personalization.

The PointsPlus program was designed to encourage Weight Watchers members to eat less low-calorie processed food and more nutrient-dense fresh produce.

That said, the combination of the support-system offered by Weight Watchers meetings in tandem with food journaling have proven to be one of the most effective commercially available weight loss programs. “It’s been a year, and we have all had a chance to live with the new program,” said Kirchhoff. “Overall, the response has been fantastic, and we have seen and heard countless stories of member and subscriber success on this important new platform.” (more…)

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Margaret

Stay on Track Despite Holiday Traveling Pitfalls

By Rachel Berman RD, Director of Nutrition at CalorieCount.com

Over the river and through the woods or wherever else you plan to go this year, traveling for the holidays can throw a wrench into your healthy lifestyle efforts. From impulse snack buys to big sit-down dinners, it is true many Americans gain about a pound each holiday season that sticks and accumulates over the years. Despite hectic holiday travel, you can avoid that pound or more by following a few easy steps.

Plan Ahead

Packing healthy snacks is always a smart decision when you are on the go. If there is a chance you may get stuck in an airport or in traffic, plan ahead to stave off your hunger with an easy-to-pack snack like trail mix, a protein bar, fresh fruit, a peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread, or any other non-perishable snack. With nutritious, tasty options at your fingertips, you will not be as tempted by less-than-ideal snacks for sale and will be less likely to show up at your destination ravenous, ready to overeat. In addition, waiting many hours between meals can contribute to a slower metabolism. So if you think you should skip the snack and save the calories for later, think again.

(more…)

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Calorie_Count

4 Natural Antibiotics to Add to Your Diet

When it comes to antibacterial agents, natural medicine really shines. While there are hundreds of natural antibiotics of varying degrees of strength, here are some of my faves:

Garlic—A natural antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral agent, garlic is a great addition to your diet, particularly at this time of year. While garlic contains potassium and germanium, two minerals that are critical to good health, it is best known for its sulphur compounds, particularly allicin. These are the main phytochemicals that boost immunity and act as natural antibiotics. So, ladies and gentlemen, start chopping—garlic that is. It’s time to throw some fresh garlic into your favorite soup, stew, chilli, stirfry, meat or veggie dish. Forget garlic powder. Most of its health benefits are long gone.

Oregano Oil—The King of natural antibiotics, study after study proves the effectiveness of oregano oil. Of course, like anything, product strength can vary drastically. Some products are actually marjoram and not oregano at all. So, choose a reputable brand backed by research. I like North American Herb and Spice Company’s blend called P-73, which includes wild, high potency oregano harvested in harsh conditions. That might not sound like a big deal but harsh conditions usually spell stronger active ingredients in the plant, since the health-building phytochemicals frequently comprise the plant’s immune system.

(more…)

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Care2

Fit in 5: 5 Protein Powders You May be Missing

Pamela Hernandez owns Thrive Personal Fitness in Springfield, MO where she focuses on weight training for weight loss. She writes a blog for her web site, www.thrivepersonalfitness.com, sharing vegetarian recipes from her kitchen, exercise strategies, lifestyle tips and stories from her own journey. You can also follow Pamela on Twitter @ThriveFit or pick up more tips on Facebook, www.facebook.com/thrivepersonalfitness.

In the fitness world whey protein is king. Everyone’s post-workout shake is whey. Everyone’s pre-workout shake is whey. Everyone is cooking and baking with whey. You would think it was the only kind of protein powder out there.
While whey protein is the most popular, it isn’t the only protein powder on the block. In fact, you may be missing the boat if you aren’t including some other protein powders in your nutritional arsenal. Depending on your lifestyle and goals, there may be a better fit for your nutritional plan.

Soy: A non-animal derived protein powder that is also a complete protein. Soy may be a better fit if you’re a vegetarian or avoiding dairy. A 2004 study at the University of Ohio indicated that soy could be better at protecting against oxidative stress than whey, making this easily digestible protein an alternative for your post workout shake.

(more…)

Posted on December 7, 2023 by GuestBlogger

17 Day Diet Dethrones Weight Watchers as the Most Popular Diet in 2024

We’ve published our Most Popular Diets of the Year* list every December since 2024, and one brand has held on to the number one position that entire time. Until this year. In 2024 the 17 Day Diet jumped ahead of Weight Watchers. With one million copies sold, a Spanish version, a workbook, and a cookbook publishing March 2024, it’s no surprise that Dr. Mike Moreno’s 17 Day Diet was the most talked about weight loss program this year.

Weight Watchers maintained a strong position in the top 10, thanks in part to the new PointsPlus program and impressive endorsement from Jennifer Hudson.

Jillian Michaels has the most products on our list of 20, with three of her personal brands’ products holding positions in the top ten. She might have left The Biggest Loser, but her appeal is as big as ever. (more…)

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Natalie K