Diet and Nutrition

Motivation for Weight Loss Must Come from Within

This guest post comes from Paige Corley, a Program Director at the Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge.

I was recently asked to address the whole ‘staying motivated‘ thing. This is a toughie because I am not one to distract you with flashing lights, fun music, fad classes, etc.

Your motivation to workout and to stay healthy can’t come from a please-distract-me-from-what-I-am-doing strategy… it should come from that base-line, honest level of I-am-doing-this-because-I-know-I-will-feel-better-after.

When you don’t feel like working out, that inner voice has to speak and say, “feeling like working out isn’t part of the game – do it anyway.” Then you just do it because you know you will be happy you did. 
This can apply to doing an actual workout – or to sticking to your meal plan – or choosing NOT to eat that extra dessert/serving of healthy food/etc. (more…)

Posted on April 20, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Child Weight Gain Linked to Video Games

As you might suspect, if children play videos games to excess, they may be more apt to being overweight. The logical conclusion would be that it’s because they are sitting on their keesters and not outside breaking a sweat in the front yard with their friends.

While that might be true to some extent, the focus of new research is on what they put in their mouth while they are in the midst of their video game playing. According to new research, adolescent boys will eat more when they are playing video games, even if they aren’t hungry- the definition of mindless eating.

The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, makes a direct link between kids’ gaming habits and overeating.

Lead researcher Dr. Jean-Philippe Chaput of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute in Ottawa, Canada and his colleagues had 22 normal-weight teenage boys play video games for an hour. They also had some kids just sit for an hour. In each situation, they watched the children eat their lunch. (more…)

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Jason

Jamie Oliver Takes His Food Revolution To The Streets

In episode two of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Jamie made another attempt to build a bridge with the LAUSD school board by visiting another school board meeting to give an update and express his hope that they could work together.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to have made an impact, and the school board does not seem open to working with Jamie. Jamie was forced to take to the streets dressed as a tomato with a group of volunteers in fruit and vegetable costumes to create grassroots momentum for the food revolution. Jamie and his volunteers handed out healthy lunches, flyers with suggestions on how to get involved, and T-shirts with messages like “Let Jamie Oliver In” and “Feed Me Better” to parents and their children. Back in Jamie’s Kitchen, we got to see that Jamie was copied on at least 745 emails to the school board after this venture. Jamie was hopeful there were more than a thousand more on which he had not been copied and that these emails would make a difference to the LAUSD school board.

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Posted on April 20, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

How to Have a Healthy Lemonade Stand

The weather is getting warmer outside (hooray!) and one of the most ubiquitous sights in the spring time is the lemonade stand. As soon as it gets warm, my kids want to set up a card table at the foot of the driveway with a hand lettered sign offering lemonade for a quarter a cup.

I’ve passed many a stand in my travels, and I started to wonder – is there such a thing as a healthy lemonade? After all, lemonade by it’s very nature is simply water, lemon juice and sugar. Often lots and lots of sugar, to compensate for the bitter taste of the lemon juice. Is there a better choice? I decided to look at several of the lemonade options in an effort to find the healthiest beverage.

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Posted on April 20, 2024 by Carmen

What You Can Eat On the hCG Diet

Fish and vegetablesThe use of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for weight loss is a controversial topic, with many medical professionals arguing that 500 calories per day is dangerously low. Those who support the use of hCG argue that the hormone, when combined with a low calorie diet, causes the body to break down only non-essential fats, and not muscle or structural fats that cushion organs.

HCG was first used to aid in weight loss by Dr. Albert T. W. Simeons, who also created the first hCG diet protocol. This protocol was outlined in a pamphlet called Pound and Inches: A New Approach to Obesity that was published in 1954. This publication is available widely online and can be downloaded for free. The document still serves as the basis for all hCG diets, although some medical professionals who administer hCG choose to make certain modifications.

In Pound and Inches, Dr. Simeons emphasizes that the make-up of the of the calories consumed while taking hCG is extremely important. The diet consists primarily of vegetables and proteins. There are absolutely no sugars, added fats or processed food permitted on this diet.

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Posted on April 19, 2024 by Margaret

Eat More Ginger to Reap Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Ginger is a calming spice that has long been touted not only for its ability to add a powerful punch of flavor to both sweet and savory recipes, but for its nutritional and anti-nausea properties. Now, doctors and experts are saying that it may be a powerful weapon to help combat certain types of inflammation that cause pain.

Because ginger contains dozens of phytonutrients called gingerols, it is a powerful agent to help fight inflammation, including the kind that causes arthritis pain. According to the Huffington Post, Japanese researchers recently reported in the Journal of Medicinal Food that red ginger is used in Indonesian traditional medicine as a painkiller for arthritis.

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Posted on April 19, 2024 by Maris

Creative Cooking with Matzah During Passover

Growing up, my half-Jewish family didn’t keep kosher during Passover but we still ate a lot of matzoh [or matzah, matza or matzo]. With Passover upon us, it’s time to start talking about creative ways to eat the unleavened, oversize crackers.

While they are fun to munch on alone, perhaps topped with butter and salt, that certainly doesn’t lend to the most diet-friendly snack. If you have more matzah than you know what to do with, think outside the box. Luckily, matzah is a versatile food that you can turn into a variety of delicious dishes that won’t even leave you craving bread or pasta.

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Posted on April 19, 2024 by Maris

Make Healthy Substitutions in Your Recipes

My name is Carolyn and I blog about my weight loss journey on Weight Watchers over at Lovin’ Losing. I enjoy reading, baking, running, and playing with my furbabies.

In my experience, when trying to lose weight one of the most difficult things to do is learn how to cook healthy. Food is an integral part of our lives and cultures and often, friends and family who aren’t trying or don’t need to lose weight have a hard time adjusting when you start changing their favorite recipes. Sometimes the cook tries to make two versions of meals to appease everyone, gets overwhelmed with the work involved, and quits their weight loss journey. I’m here to say, that doesn’t have to be you!

Here are a few tips for getting friends and family on board with healthier cooking.

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Posted on April 19, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Sweet Treats Made With Coconut Full of Healthy Fats

We already know that there are many healthy ways to enjoy coconut, a fruit that provides a number of functional vitamins and minerals for the body. While coconut is rich in fat and saturated fat, it is healthy fat that provides energy for the lymph nodes, liver and other vital organs.

Because coconut is rich and satisfying, it can be a good source of dietary fat. Next time you want to add a little bit more coconut into your diet opt for one of our figure-friendly recipes.

Coconut Cream Pie: Even if you’re on a diet, you don’t need to give up eating pie. Just make sure it’s our coconut cream pie, that’s made with real butter and cream. Our advice? Just eat a small slice and add an extra ten minutes of cardio onto your workout the next day.

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Posted on April 18, 2024 by Maris

Make Your own Water Enhancers Like Kraft MiO

Water is arguably the most important thing you put in your body – but it certainly isn’t always the most exciting. For the first time, Kraft Foods hopes to change that with a new product that appeals to consumers’ desires to customize their food and beverage: a liquid water enhancer.

MiO, which means “mine” in Italian, is a a zero-calorie, concentrated line of liquid flavorings sold in sleek bottles that contain approximately 24 servings and retail for the suggested price of $3.99. Flavor offerings include Berry Pomegranate and Strawberry Watermelon.

“This is the next big thing,” says Roxanne Bernstein, director of the brand told USA Today. “It’s an entirely new category.”

While there are certainly other water enhancers on store shelves, such as Crystal Light, MiO is different from its successors in that all similar products are powders. MiO is a concentrated liquid packaged in tiny droplet-shaped containers that some have compared to eye drop bottles.

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Posted on April 18, 2024 by Maris

Healthy Recipes for Your Passover Seder

Passover, one of the most well-known of the Jewish holidays, is an eight-day festival celebrated in early spring. On Passover, Jewish families and friends gather together for dinners called Seders that involve, prayer, story-telling and some traditional foods.

During Passover, most Jewish people avoid eating anything leavened and opt for matzoh instead of bread or pastries. This year, if you’re planning a Seder or keeping kosher during Passover, get creative with your menu and whip up one of our favorite Passover-friendly recipes.

Russian Salad: The name of this hearty salad honors its ingredients, such as beets, dill, and pickles that are staples in a traditional Russian diet. Delightful with cold fish, poultry, or meat dishes, this is the perfect cold salad to keep in the fridge during Passover for fast lunches.

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Posted on April 18, 2024 by Maris