Diet and Nutrition

Moderation, Not Avoidance, Key for Holiday Celebrations

The other day, I was surprised to see a Twitter friend advising total avoidance of favorite holiday treats during parties and celebrations. If nothing else, it just does not feel like the right approach or the one most likely to result in long-term success. Perhaps, I am being too sentimental and not logical enough on the subject; I’ll let you be the judge.

The comfort of Christmas traditions come from the memories that surround them, not just the ones being created but also memories from years past. Memories can be stored in any of our senses, including taste. Have you ever heard a song from your childhood and experienced a rush of memories from that period in your life? There is one song that will always remind me of the summer before my freshman year of high school. Does a certain smell remind you of a specific person? My grandmother had a lilac bush large enough for us to play inside of it; the scent of lilac always brings her to mind. (more…)

Posted on December 23, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

5 Foods You Aren’t Eating, but Should

Super foods are “so 2024.” There are just too many good-for-you foods out there to say that some (acai) are far better than others (blueberries). Nevertheless, Americans fall way below consuming the recommendations for vegetables and fruits and everyone could probably use a little “tune up” of their food choices. All veggies and fruits are good for ya, ’nuff said.

As you prepare for the new year, why not commit to changing it up. Here’s a list of five foods you should be eating if you aren’t already and a few ideas for enjoying them:

1. Salmon

Why: Salmon is on my list because it is high in vitamin-D, omega-3 healthy fats, and is an excellent source of protein, which the body needs for muscle building and satiety, the full feeling. Salmon has more protein per ounce than hot dogs. So consider that next time you think it is too expensive. (more…)

Posted on December 23, 2023 by Rebecca

Helping Kids Have a Healthy Holiday

My kids love the holidays. Adore the holidays. Fantasize about the holidays. Not just for the presents, which of course are the centerpiece, but for the treats that we always seem to have around. The cookies, cakes and fudge that seem to magically appear and multiply, the junk foods that we seem to rely on just a little more due to overwhelming busyness – the holidays are a treacherous tightrope of dieting pitfalls. Mention making your holiday eating healthier, though, and you are apt to get a backlash from your family. How can you help your family have a more healthy holiday without ruining the enjoyment for everyone?

Most importantly, model healthy behavior. If you are busy scarfing down the sugar cookies, it’s difficult for your children to be happy with a plate of carrot sticks. Make great choices for yourself and your kids will follow suit. (more…)

Posted on December 22, 2023 by Carmen

Interview with The Game On Diet’s Krista Vernoff

If you’re ready to unleash your competitive streak, then listen up.

Krista Vernoff, the Emmy-nominated, Golden Globe winning head writer and executive producer of television’s number-one hit show Grey’s Anatomy is all the brain child behind The Game On Diet. With her partner in health, Az Ferguson, the Body-For-LIFE’s Million Dollar Champion, they created this four-week incredibly fun challenge to help you to acheive your very best body, your very best health and your very best self.

We had a chance to talk with Krista about her Game On Diet. You can read along and listen to our audio conversation with this Game On guru as she talks passionately about the challenge that changed her life.

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Posted on December 21, 2023 by heather

Busting Through the Weight Loss Plateau

Sooner or later, everyone trying to lose weight hits a plateau, defined as a period or state of little or no growth or decline. In dieting, a plateau means that you’ve stopped losing weight. Getting on the scale weekly shows little to no change, and it can be frustrating to expend the effort with no visible reward. Take heart, though! There are several ways to bust through this.

Most importantly, make sure that you haven’t slid back into poor eating habits. Are you underestimating your caloric intake? For one week, go back to the beginning and keep a food journal recording everything you eat. Odds are, you are eating some extra calories that you might not even fully acknowledge. Maybe you got back into the habit of sampling as you are cooking, or finishing the leftovers on your kid’s plate. Write it all down, take a solid look at it, and see if there’s an area you need to address. (more…)

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Carmen

Enjoy a Healthy Holiday with Chocolate

It’s nearly impossible to entirely skip the sweets during the holidays. And, why should you? It’s a time of getting together with friends and family and to be thankful for what you have. As long as you are moderate about your indulgences, there is no reason to get worked up about it.

Most of us have mothers and/or grandmothers who are baking goodies this time of year. In my case, I live across the country from my mother. And last week I got a package with chocolates and cookies. My wife is trying to get in shape for a run after the new year. So, as the loyal and caring husband that I am, I promised to “take care” of the sweets myself.

Oh, what we do for love. (more…)

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Jason

“Do Your Best and Forget the Rest” Easier Said than Done

If you have ever done a P90X workout, you probably remember Tony Horton saying “Do your best and forget the rest.” It is one of his mantras intended to empower and get everyone to try each activity. You will never know all that you can achieve without making an attempt. If you continue to do your best over a period of time, your best should improve. This is also a helpful mantra for those who get caught up in perfectionism and competition. It is a reminder to stay focused on the task at hand, which will lead you to your goal, and ignore all the other variables and distractions. (more…)

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Brooke Randolph

Vitamin Guide from A to Zinc: Vitamin D

Want to keep your teeth and bones strong? Then you want to pay extra attention to vitamin D and ensure to have it in your daily diet. Vitamin D has also been shown to lower our risk for cancer, upwards of 150,000 cases according to Cedric Garland, a doctor of public health. One of the best ways to get vitamin D is directly from sunlight; this is due to how our bodies produce the vitamin from the exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

With the increase in concern for skin cancers and wanting to protect our skin from sun damage and burning, the amount of sunscreen we utilize has caused our vitamin D levels to plummet. I myself am very fair skinned, but I still make sure to allow my skin time outdoors to soak up the sun’s beautiful rays in limited quantities, ensuring not to burn or over expose myself. (more…)

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Amy

Chia Seeds: The New Super Food?

You may not know what chia seeds are, but you’ve probably heard of the sprout, famously grown and marketed as the Chia Pet. For our sake, we want to concentrate on the seed, because that is where you will find some pretty amazing health benefits.

photo: sweetbeetandgreenbean.net

Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows in abundance in southern Mexico. The chia can be traced back more than 3,000 years to Central America when the Aztecs used it as a primary food source, ranked up with corn and beans.

The nutty-tasting whole grain chia seeds are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, they are said to be up to four times higher in essential fatty acids than other grains. For the sake of comparison, chia has a 64 percent concentration of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), while the better known flax (flax seed) contains 55 percent. (more…)

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Jason

How to Enjoy Healthier Pies for the Holidays

Let’s face it, you aren’t going to be avoiding sweet holiday indulgences altogether. I’ve always been a proponent of all things in moderation. If you want to forego the traditional fatty pies, there are ways to make them a little healthier.

Here are a few recipe suggestions from Kelly Sundstrom at Livestrong.com:

Pumpkin Pie – The main ingredient (pumpkin) doesn’t contain any fat. And beta-carotene is converted into loads of vitamin A. Current research shows that a diet rich in beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and protect against heart disease. (more…)

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Jason

Healthy Habits Should Start Early for Children

More than two-thirds of adult Americans are obese, according to the latest studies, and many health experts feel that this begins in childhood. In the United States, the percentage of overweight or obese children has doubled over the past 30 years to 25 percent of the under-19 population. Obese children, just like adults, are at a higher risk for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and other diseases that in years past have been considered adult diseases. Twenty five percent. Think about four children that you know, and one of them might very well be obese or on the way.

Here are some healthy habits that you can instill in your children to help them learn the actions necessary to be healthy adults. (more…)

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Carmen

Diet and Nutrition

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