Diet and Nutrition

To Lose Weight, “Be Present” (vs. Distracted) During Mealtime

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., Best Life lead nutritionist

Want to feel more satisfied after meals? You can, if you put your mind to it.

Eating mindfully, which can mean everything from simply noticing what you’re putting in your mouth to practicing stress reduction techniques to help end stress eating, can really help. When you become a more mindful eater, you savor, enjoy, and remember fondly each bite and sip of your meal. The end result: You’ll feel more satisfied and less likely to rummage around for more food.

In a recent University of Southern California review of 21 mindful eating studies, 18 of them helped improve in eating habits, cut calorie intake, and reduced bingeing.

There are entire books on the subject, so I won’t attempt to cover every aspect. Instead, here are my top five strategies; they work for me—and have helped people who’ve come to me for nutritional counseling.

Identify why you’re eating or drinking. Is it because you’re actually hungry? (Rating your hunger for a week can be an eye-opener.) Or are you eating because you’re bored, stressed, or have another emotional trigger? Is it just habit (as in “I always have a 3 p.m. snack.)? Name the reason without judgment or guilt; these negative emotions can stress you out, driving you to overeat even more. (more…)

Posted on April 22, 2024 by BestLifeDiet

3 Easy and Tasty Ways to Eat Through Your Stash of Easter Eggs

Easter is all about eggs. And while your household may have an easy time snacking on the various candy eggs that made their way into your house (chocolate eggs, jelly bean eggs, etc.), good old chicken eggs may be slower to move.

We love eating hard-boiled eggs as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack—they’re a tasty blend of protein and fat which is why diets like The Royal Danish Diet and The Paleo Diet recommend them. But we also know that eating eggs a la carte can get a little old. Rather than slog through another uninspiring bite, try out one of these simple recipes which calls for hard-boiled eggs.

Chicken and Apple Cobb Salad: The apples and avocados in this tasty salad add flavor and extra nutrients. Plus it’s gorgeous! (See above.) (more…)

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

Make This Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad with Blackberries and Grilled Baguette Croutons

Don’t you love those moments in the kitchen when inspiration strikes and the result is a meal or dish so outstanding that you have to shout it from the rooftops…or at least from your blog?

This salad is my most recent moment of a) we have nothing to eat, b) those tomatoes are going to go bad soon so I should use them, c) and I guess I have some greens, too, d) and what about blackberries…

You know the drill. This time, a Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad was the result of desperate brainstorm. And if this is the result, let desperation be your muse always!

I had these baby heirloom tomatoes just begging to be eaten and every time I looked at them – so tiny, so juicy, so pretty – all I could think was how incredible they’d be roasted. Drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and crushed garlic, my hypothesis was on the nose. The entire house was filled with their tantalizing aroma, their tender skins burst just right, and they became the shining star in an otherwise ordinary salad.

On a bed of fresh spring greens, I chopped bites of baby mozzarella. I like to buy as close to fresh as possible, which is the containers of mozzarella balls soaking in water. (more…)

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Natalie K

Work it Off: 3 Ways to Zap a 169-Calorie Gelato Bar

Did you know that Italian gelato has fewer calories and less fat than American style ice cream? Me neither! But upon learning this fun fact my first thought was, obviously, I’ve got to get some! A few months ago I had seen Bar Gelato for sale in the Bay Area and the brightly colored bars of frozen gelato looked delish! This week I tracked them down and, after much internal debate, I finally settled on a flavor: Pistachio. (Other front-runners included Recchiuti Burnt Caramel and Guittard Dark Chocolate Sorbetto!)

It was, in a word, heavenly. Much denser than most other ice cream bars thanks to the reduced amount of air added to the formula. Much more flavorful than a lot of other ice pops and frozen treats I’ve had, thanks to the natural flavors. And, on an unseasonably sunny and warm day it really hit the spot.

Of course, there’s always a trade-off. This afternoon indulgence weighed in at a fairly reasonable 169 calories, but it was still more than I’d bargained to eat as a snack.

What are some fun ways to burn off 169 calories? (more…)

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

Tom Granville Lost 70 Pounds For the Love of His Daughter and Hockey

After his first marriage ended in divorce, Tom Granville never thought he would experience the joy of parenthood. When his second wife gave birth to their baby girl, he found joy he never knew was missing in his life.

Then Tom’s doctor delivered some unsettling news. At 450 pounds with high blood pressure and pounding headaches, the doctor warned that obesity was taking a toll on Tom’s body, and his life was at risk.

It was my, “come to Jesus moment,” Tom explained. The day he left his doctor’s office, he drove away and made a promise to himself to get healthy so he would be able to see his daughter grow up. “I left the doctor’s office and gave up fast food, junk food, pop, processed sugar, and most of my red meat,” he said. “I started eating healthy and joined a gym.”

Now, 70+ pounds lighter, Tom is making good on his promise and enjoying all the perks that come with his leaner frame, including squeezing back into that old beloved hockey uniform.

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Posted on April 19, 2024 by Dani Stone

Chocolate Milk Gets the Boot from Schools with Surprising Results

Think back: Can you imagine school lunch with no chocolate milk? Many can, and some schools have made the thought a reality in an effort to make school lunches healthier for students.

However, the efforts may have been misguided. Researchers from the Cornell Food and Brand Lab surveyed 11 elementary schools in Oregon where chocolate milk had been removed as an option, and found while the students did consume less sugar and calories, they also consumed less protein and calcium.

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Posted on April 18, 2024 by Elizabeth

Celebrating the Easter/Passover Cross-Over With Food Everyone Can Enjoy

Sunday is Easter, the day when Christians celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. Millions of Americans will mark the occasion by attending church services, then gathering with friends and family for a big meal, and an Easter egg hunt. The egg hunting part is still a mystery, but that’s what we do.

This year, Easter coincides with the weeklong Jewish holiday of Passover (April 14-22) which celebrates the liberation of Israelite slaves from Egypt. For anyone with friends and family of one or both denominations, chances are it will be a busy weekend, and one full of food and festivities.

During the seven days of Passover, certain foods are prohibited, so if you’re hosting a brunch or lunch and know an invited guest will be observing the holiday, you’ll want to accommodate them. Below, we have a few tips and Passover-friendly recipes that will make you the best hostess ever!

The most notable dietary restriction during Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is the forbiddance of leavened and fermented grain products. During Passover, most grains, breads, pasta and crackers (known as chametz) are not allowed, so bakers need to get creative. Luckily, unleavened bread, or “matzah,” takes its place.

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Posted on April 18, 2024 by Dani Stone

The Easter Dozen: 12 Surprising Recipes for a Perfect Easter Brunch Celebration

Easter is symbolic of so many things, but for me, it is the sure sign that spring has arrived. I love brunch in the spring more than any other season. It just seems as delicate and pretty as the season itself, which provides a pretty good excuse to take my meals to the patio.

This Easter, while the kids gather eggs and trinkets left by the elusive bunny, and your family celebrates the Easter holiday and all that it means to you, enjoy a little bit of this and a little bit of that from our well-appointed brunch menu.

Like a bag of jelly beans, there’s something in here everyone will like! But unlike those beans, it’s all way less processed and far more indulgent and nutritious.

Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

You don’t even know! Dessert meets breakfast in a muffin that’s almost too good to be true. Bake a batch and hope the bunny doesn’t make off with all of these, made with whole grain flour, fresh carrots, and a to-die-for cream cheese frosting filling.

Eggs Baked in Avocado

Turn your egg hunt upside down when diners discover this exquisite way to serve breakfast. Not only is it chock full of protein and healthy fats, but it looks adorable and is incredibly easy to prepare. (more…)

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Natalie K

The Right Way to Read a Food Label: Don’t Overlook the Fine Print

Clients love to tell me about the new snack bar or cereal they found at the grocery store. They tell me how it’s all natural or full of whole grains. I hate bursting their bubble when I ask how much sugar it has.

In your quest to be a healthy and fit you need to be a vigilant food detective. You can’t trust the health claims on the front of the box. You have to read the back of the box, the ingredient list in particular, to really understand what is (or isn’t) in the oatmeal or protein bar you’re about to buy. Unfortunately, it’s not easy deciphering food labels. Without sounding too much like a conspiracy theorist, I think they do it on purpose.

The marketing team believes if they highlight the words “natural”, “light”, or “reduced” on the label we, the consumer, won’t look any further than that. We will simply trust that the product is good for us, load up our carts and go on our merry way.

The problem is a lot of people do just that. This is where they often get into trouble. You have to read the label to get the real story of what’s going on. Even on products you buy regularly you need to check in every so often to make sure they haven’t changed anything without telling you. Do a quick scan of the products going in your cart and look for these 5 things:

Serving Size
Don’t be so sure that a bottle of juice or a small bag of granola is just one serving. More often than not what appears to be a single serving package of chips or beverage has at least two servings. You could take in double or triple the calories without really even noticing. (more…)

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Pamela

Something to Chew On: Food Texture Can Make You Overeat

Just like people prefer certain tastes over others, we all tend to have texture preferences when it comes to food. Take for example the chocolate chip cookie. Some will insist the best cookies are thin and crisp, while others will argue soft and chewy is the way to go.

Texture can influence a lot more than food preference. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research revealed texture can also affect how people perceive the number of calories in food.

Study authors Dipayan Biswas, Courtney Szocs (both of University of South Florida), Aradhna Krishmna (University of Michigan), and Donald R. Lehmann (Columbia University) wrote, “We studied the link between how a food feels in your mouth and the amount we eat, the types of food we choose, and how many calories we think we are consuming.”

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Posted on April 16, 2024 by Elizabeth

Get Your Run On: 6 Races to Add to Your Bucket List

So you want to run a race. Sure, there are probably a number of local runs in your home town, from a charity 5K fun run to full and half marathons. But if you’re going to put in the time to train to run a race, why not commit to running one to remember? There are dozens of races held in fun and unexpected location and with themes that will make the whole experience even more fun, and unforgettable.

Our friends at Shape magazine have compiled lists of the best spring races and the best women’s races. Below is a sneak peak of our favorite 6. (Click the links to see the other 14!)

The Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend: Men are technically allowed at this Florida event, which has a Tinkerbell-themed sister run at the southern California park, but it’s clear that women rule the road for this one. You can run a 5K, 10K, or half marathon; costumes are, of course, encouraged. (February 2024)

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Posted on April 16, 2024 by Jessica Cassity

Diet and Nutrition

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