Diet and Nutrition

Supplement Pods Could Change the Way We Take Our Vitamins

Show of hands, how many of you start the day by turning on your coffee maker? Now while I can’t actually see any of you holding your hands up, I think it’s pretty safe to assume most of you are. Making that first cup of coffee is natural, but what if instead of coffee when you turned on your coffee maker, you got your daily servings of vitamins and minerals?

That’s the idea scientists at Nestle have come up with. The serving of vitamins and minerals would be formulated to your daily needs; to be sure you didn’t get too much or too little of the good things your body needs to function.

It may sound too much like science fiction to be true, but Shape Magazine reported that Nestle’s Institute of Health Sciences is working on the project, which has the code name “Iron Man.”

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Posted on June 27, 2024 by Elizabeth

Travel Tips from Eli Sapharti, Author of “From Fat Boy to Fit Man”

After conquering obesity, losing over 100 lbs, and getting in the best shape of my life, I have learned that when I am taken out of my regular daily routine and environment I can easily fall prey to old eating habits. One of the most challenging situations for me has been while traveling.

This reminds me of a particular airplane trip that I took a few years ago. One that I would soon like to forget if it weren’t for the lessons that I learned.

As I prepared to leave on a three-day business trip, I made sure I had everything I needed. Or so I thought. I had the right clothing, toothbrush, shaving blades, deodorant, and all the necessary toiletries. (I even packed extra undies.) What I didn’t prepare for were my meals that I was so used to having ready during my regular weekly routine at home.

My first challenge was when my flight was delayed and I found myself at the airport for an unexpected extra 2 hours. I was starving. (Well, not literally, but I WAS very hungry.) Since I didn’t want to sit at a restaurant and order grilled chicken and veggies (which would have been the best choice), I grabbed what I THOUGHT was the next best choice. A prepackaged turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread. Healthy, right? WRONG! I later learned that this sandwich had more fat, more sugar and more carbs than if I had ordered a burger a a sit down restaurant. Big oops.

My next challenge was while in the air. I don’t know about you, but I get especially hungry while traveling. Perhaps its not “real” hunger, but it seems these instances awakens my inner “snack monster”. So, I snacked. The problem was that the only snacks available were potato chips, cookies, or honey roasted peanuts. So of course I chose the peanuts—they were obviously the best option, right? Probably, but the issue was that one little bag (ok FOUR little bags) of peanuts didn’t satisfy me. So since eating FIVE bags of peanuts would have been excessive, I had a bag of chips instead. After all that saltiness I got a major sweet craving, which made me reach for a bag of chocolate chip cookies! Talk about a binge!

Luckily, after this binge I fell asleep and when I woke up, we were ready to land. Thank goodness for that or I may have been charged an extra fee for excessive snacking on-board!

The good thing about this trip was that it forced me to think and prepare before embarking on any trip, whether on a plane, a road trip with the kids, or even my honeymoon cruise which I cannot wait to go on!

Here are some rules I learned from this experience, which you too can use to avoid a travel binge:

1) Calculate how many hours you will be traveling and pack adequate meals for that time frame. For instance, pack a healthy sandwich or two that you can take with you on a plane, train, or automobile. By eating real meals you’ll reduce your in-between meal cravings. (more…)

Posted on June 27, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Food Labels Lead to Confusion, Waste

Open your fridge, and examine the labels on your food. No, not the nutrition labels, the ones that indicate if your food is still safe to eat. Based on the information you find, is your food still safe? Depending on which label your food carries, this may be a harder question than you think.

Many of us assume the three main labels (Sell by Date, Expiration Date, and Best if used by Date) mean the same thing. However, each of those three labels has a distinct meaning that may or may not tell you when you should throw out the food.

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Posted on June 25, 2024 by Elizabeth

Why Every Fridge Should be Stocked With Beer

I am well aware that not everyone loves beer, and that is more than okay. I am not recommending that you have beer in the fridge to drink necessarily, but I am here to share with you some other benefits of beer, plus some surprisingly ways to put it to use.

Beer strengthens the bones and heart
If you are a beer drinker, you likely know that it is a great post-run beverage because of the carbs, but did you also know that beer has high levels of silicon, which has long been linked to bone health? Not only that, but beer has proven to reduce the risk of heart disease in those who drank a pint daily. Great news!

Beer is rich in protein and vitamin B
Beer is also high in antioxidants, protein, and vitamin B. Please don’t try to just get your protein intake via beer, but if you are choosing between beer, wine, or liquor, pick up a pint.

Beer can be used for marinating
Like its cousin wine, beer is an awesome addition to a lot of recipes, especially when marinating meats. Since beer is acidic, it tenderizes meat, as well as adding flavor. (more…)

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Jessica Tholmer

Ben Affleck and Tim McGraw – Two Intense Workouts With Results That Prove 40 Is The New Hubba Hubba

Ben Affleck was a brief topic of conversation the other night when Jennifer Lopez stopped by the Bravo TV Clubhouse to chat it up with host, Andy Cohen. Among the dish was an assertion by J Lo that she helped Ben with his fashion choices during their two year relationship saying, “I did kind of like say, ‘you need to be, you know – You’re a movie star! You should wear a suit. . . ‘

Oh, Ben is going to wear a suit alright, a BAT SUIT! And by the look of some recently leaked photos, he’s going to fill it out nicely. My goodness. Is it warm in here?

When director, Zack Snyder, made the announcement that Ben Affleck would play the iconic role in the upcoming Superman sequel, Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, the interwebs wasted no time declaring that the actor best known for roles in Armageddon, Good Will Hunting, and Argo, had no business playing a super hero.

Ben shrugged off the bat-hate and then went out and just got ripped, you guys. Though no details have been released about his prep for the movie, we do know that he’s working with celebrity nutritionist and natural bodybuilder, Rehan Jalali, who also helped him get cut and chiseled for the 2024 movie, The Town.

According to Jalali, Ben’s previous diet consisted of six to seven small meals per day with a focus on lean protein (wild salmon) carbs (sweet potatoes), plus essential fats (almonds). In a Twitter Q&A session this spring, Jalali would only say, “the training is very focused and intense. We’re going for a real-life super hero look.”

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Posted on June 25, 2024 by Dani Stone

Your New Summer Favorite: Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta Salad

By Janis Jibrin, RD, Best Life lead nutritionist

Visiting Washington, D.C.? If so, you’ll inevitably wind up in the quaint neighborhood of Georgetown, which is also a bustling shopping mecca. My favorite place to have a bite is Kafe Leopold, a hidden oasis removed from the noise and crowds. The cuisine is loosely Austrian, and it happens to have some of the best salads in D.C. (Although, if you’re in a more decadent mood, the sausage, sauerkraut and spicy mustard is wonderful, as are the pastries).

I’d always loved Leopold’s Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta salad, but it just got even better—and more striking—after brand new executive chef Marcellus Coleman got ahold of it. He let me into the restaurant’s kitchen so I could watch him prepare the salad.

What to do with the rest of your watermelon? Turn in into yet another salad!

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Posted on June 24, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

Easy Leftover Solution: Make Kitchen Sink Fried Rice

It’s the end of the week, I have a strange collection of misfit leftovers, and all I want is a comforting (and cohesive!) dish. Enter: Kitchen Sink Fried Rice.

Stir-fry can be so forgiving and allow you to throw in almost anything you have on hand. I’ve found my favorite hodgepodge ingredients to combine, but feel free to let your imagination run wild! Have some greens wilting in the back of the fridge? Throw them in! Questionable lentils from last week? Throw them in! Old bag of frozen peas? …Well, you get the idea.

First of all, I have my brown rice cooked ahead of time—that’s the first leftover I’m looking to repurpose! You can also use an instant brown rice to cook the day-of and save on some wait time. Rice n Simple is a brand we’ve tried and enjoy; makes things super easy!

While many prefer the taste of white rice to brown, the nutritional benefits of brown rice (extra fiber, vitamins, and minerals) make it clearly superior and the other yummy flavors of this dish help hide the taste of the brown rice.

This is one of my go-to recipes because of it’s flexibility and freedom for it to be different each time. Here are the key steps I’ve stuck with so far: (more…)

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Katie McGrath

Work it Off: 3 Ways to Burn Off the 450 Calories in French Toast

One of my favorite breakfasts of all time is french toast. But because it’s mainly carbs and sugar—as in, lacking in protein, fiber, and most nutrients—I don’t order it all that often. But the other morning I made an exception and ordered up a plate. It was delicious. Don’t get me wrong—it was no Banana Bread French Toast—but it was still super tasty. Thick challah bread, tasty Vermont maple syrup, and lots of fresh berries on top. Yum!

Of course, this early AM indulgence cost me a fair number of calorie: 450 calories, to be exact.

How could I have burned off the 450 calories in my breakfast?

I could have helped my boyfriend build his deck for 70 minutes. (more…)

Posted on June 22, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

Jessica Rogers Lost 110 Pounds – “I Was Eating Myself to Death”

“I’m in tears knowing that I will get a chance to encourage more people. It is my heart’s desire to help make people realize their potential, overcome fear and reach their goals.” This is the reply we received from Jessica Rogers when we told her she would be featured on our True Weight Loss segment. After losing 110 pounds, Jessica is on a mission to tell others, “It’s all about your mindset.”

One night realized I was literally eating myself to death

When Jessica was a teenager, a lack of exercise, eating a poor diet and yo-yo dieting all contributed to her weight gain. But in times of clarity, she knew that it was the way she ate, that was often the biggest problem. Even in her adult years, Jessica admits that she would often eat until she became physically ill. One day, she had a startling thought, “If I don’t make a change for the better I won’t live long enough to see my children grow.”

How she lost 35 pounds in two months
Once Jessica got herself in the right mindset, she started a two-fold approach to losing weight. She joined a commercial weight loss program to help track calories, then she bought the DVD, Walk Away the Pounds and committed to it faithfully. After losing 35 pounds in two months by utilizing these two methods, she knew she was on the right track.

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Posted on June 21, 2024 by Dani Stone

5 Summer Foods That Keep Your Metabolism Burning

You may think all that sweat your body is producing in this hot summer sun is dirty, sticky, and stinky, but it’s actually one of the best things your body can do for itself. Sweat pushes toxins out of your body, it cleanses and opens up your pores, and it can even help maintain or give a boost to your metabolism. Damp skin is a sign your body is working hard in all the right ways!

Give your body a reward for its efforts by nourishing it with in-season summer produce. Not only will foods like asparagus, spinach, and berries fuel your body with vital nutrients and properly and naturally cleanse your body, but some of these summer foods will keep your metabolism revved up, too.

Peppers. These spicy bites can put a few drops of sweat on your forehead, but the capsaicin chemical inside is also known for heating up your metabolism (even hours after you’ve eaten!). The capsaicin in jalapeños, habaneros, and serranos reduces inflammation, relieves sinus pain, and can take down a headache. Add some heat to your next dish or drink, like our Fizzy Jalapeno Cherry Limeades or Watermelon Jalapeño Mojitos. (more…)

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Natalie K

Melissa McCarthy Creates Plus-Size Clothing Line, Continues to Be Amazing

We certainly cannot get enough of Melissa McCarthy. Besides being one of the funniest people currently making movies and television, McCarthy has been nominated for multiple awards (Emmy and Oscar!) and she is downright lovable.

But Shape.com recently reported that McCarthy has had a difficult time finding dressed for red carpet events due to her not being a standard Hollywood dress size. Unfortunately, as most of us are aware, there is not a lot of variety in A-list celebrity shapes and sizes which is an incredibly disappointing realization in 2024. Because she’s not a size 0, finding good dresses is an issue, despite being a big-name in Hollywood.

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Posted on June 18, 2024 by Jessica Tholmer

Diet and Nutrition

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