Diet and Nutrition

Dr. Phil’s Control Issues – Part 1

Part of taking stock of your thinking patterns and how they may or may not be helping you achieve your goals can be identifying your “locus of control.” Dr. Phil mentions “locus of control” on his website, but I think some further explanation can make this concept more helpful to you. I am surprised that Dr. Phil would use such a technical psychological term. control freak

“Locus of control” refers to a personality construct originally identified by Julian Rotter in the 1950s. It has been important in health psychology and research. In layman’s terms, “locus of control” is where you attribute responsibility for events in your life, whether to internal forces (yourself) or external forces (something outside of yourself). A person with an internal locus of control believes that his or her life and behaviors are guided by personal decisions and efforts. A person with an external locus of control believes that his or her life and behaviors are guided by luck, a higher power, fate, or other external forces, including other people.

Dr. Phil has added chance to external locus of control and internal locus of control. Chance appears to be a division of the concept of external locus of control, in which nothing and no one can truly create a change for you. Dr. Phil’s definition of external locus of control is more of a dependence on something or someone else stronger or smarter than you, like a program, diet, trainer, surgery, etc. Some research has suggested that those with a higher chance orientation will have the least success with weight loss. Those with an internal locus of control will take responsibility for what they can do to control their weight, while those with an external locus of control may seek out that thing or person that will help them lose weight; those with a “chance weight locus of control” are likely to believe that no difference will be made from making any personal changes.

I’ll continue this topic of Locus of Control tomorrow.

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Brooke Randolph

Guest Blog: 8 Little Known Facts About Anti-Aging Foods

GiGi runs a variety of heath related websites. Her Anti Aging News provides well-researched articles on the latest topics in the field of healthy aging while offering low-cost solutions to aging prevention. Anti Aging News gives you quality, healthy solutions to the problems we all face in our aging society today. Start your healthy aging program today by signing up for the latest in anti aging news and resources.

You’ve probably heard about the Super Foods or the Anti-Aging Foods, but here are some little known facts about how to prepare them so that they will give you more of those great benefits.

anti-aging

1. We all know that green tea is a great antioxidant as well as having many other benefits. But did you know that adding lemon to your green tea will increase your body’s ability to absorb the antioxidants in the tea by 80%?

salmon 2. The benefits of salmon with it omega 3 fatty acids and olive oil are well known. But did you know that roasting salmon in olive oil will not increase its fat content? If you fry salmon in olive oil, the fat content is increased by 10%. Putting it in the oven with a little olive oil will not increase the fat content.

garlic 3. Fresh garlic is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and can help with cholesterol and high blood pressure. But did you know that crushing the garlic is the best way to release the allicin associated with those benefits? You should also let it stand about 30 minutes after crushing before cooking. Avoid overcooking or you’ll lose the benefits of using garlic altogether.

4. One sweet potato has about 8 times the daily recommended amount of Vitamin A you need. But did you know that if you let your potato cool before eating you can burn almost 25% more fat after your meal? This is due to the fat resistant starch in the potato.

5. Beans are a great source of fiber and are good for your heart. But did you know that dark beans have more antioxidants than white beans? Black beans have 40 times more antioxidants than white beans.

tomato 6. You’ve probably heard that tomatoes are a great source of lycopene – a powerful antioxidant that has been linked to cancer prevention. But did you know that cooked tomatoes (such as pasta sauce) have much more lycopene than raw tomatoes? 171% more! This is one case where raw is not always better.

7. Steam broccoli – anything other than steaming will tend to reduce the glucosinalates, which are the cancer-fighting compounds. The Vitamin C in broccoli is better preserved with microwaving, although there is a lot of controversy lately about microwaving in general.

spinach 8. Spinach has long been known as a great antioxidant as well as a great cancer-fighting food. Adding it to a smoothie is a great way to get your spinach if you don’t like the taste of spinach, because you won’t taste it if it’s mixed with other ingredients such as carrots, apple juice or bananas.

Knowing how to get the most out of your anti-aging foods will make them (and you) far more effective. Enjoy!

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Natalie K

Fall’s 10 Most Friendly and Frightening Foods

The Fall Equinox, which occurred this past Monday, is always a bitter-sweet day on the September calendar. With it goes away the lazy days of summer and its fresh produce like berries and corn, and gathering friends around the grill for good food and conversation. The trade-off is simply described as being cozy- spending time with friends, watching football, wearing your oldest sweatshirt and preparing beloved comfort foods.

fall

We wanted to share you with a few foods your body should be craving now that it’s fall, and a few you need to learn to forget about during any season. It’s still possible to make foods that qualify as “comfort,” without sacrificing all the hard work you’ve done throughout the year to change your lifestyle and better your health.

Fall Food Friends

1. Apples
A healthy source of Vitamin C and Fiber – this crisp fall fruit keeps the doctor away by lowering cholesterol, aiding digestion and detoxifying the body.

2. Pecans
Swap a serving of meat for a serving of pecans. Under those shells are heart-healthy fats, 19 vitamins and minerals and quality fiber. Pecans naturally provide antioxidants and lower cholesterol.

3. Pumpkin
This gourd has carved a healthy niche for itself, providing Vitamin C, potassium and fiber. The snackable seeds are a high source of essential fatty acids and zinc. Pumpkin also makes the list of 14 Super Foods.

4. Cranberries
Tiny but mighty, these fall berries prevent urinary tract infections, reduce dental plaque and reduce kidney stones. Cranberries are also a source of Vitamin C, fiber and low in calories.

5. Butternut Squash
Offering a healthy serving of fiber, this gourd will fill you up, while also providing beta-carotene, Vitamins B and C and potassium. All of which can help you avoid cancer and heart disease.

Fall Food Frights

1. Cream-based Soup
Opt for broth- or vegetable-based soups which aren’t weighed down in fat and calories by cream, butter and cheese.

2. Potatoes
It’s all in how you prepare them. Grill or roast with light cooking spray and herb seasonings and you can reap the benefits of a sweet potato or red skin. Fried in oil or drenched in gravy removes all nutrition and makes for a heaping pile of calories.

3. Chilis and Stews
Lean proteins like chicken and turkey will reduce the slow-cooked fat burden of traditional chili and stew. Focus more on chicken or vegetable broths and load up on beans and vegetables for a healthier recipe.

4. Baked Goods
All the nutrients of apples, pecans, pumpkin and cranberry get baked right out when used in pies, cobblers, candies and lattes. Make your recipes with sugar alternatives, whole grain flour and avoid heavy butter and cream – and know you can always snack on the raw foods for a tasty treat.

5. Halloween Candy
Whether digging into the candy jar for yourself or treating neighborhood children, choose low-calorie, sugar-free varieties like gum, and avoid the trick of calories and sugar shock from chocolates and nougats.

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Natalie K

Mediterraneans Fear Extinction of Their Healthy Diet

Greece is smack dab in the middle of the Mediterranean region that is famous for its healthy diet. Cuisine rich in omega 3s, fresh fruit and vegetables is all about supporting optimal heart health. But now its citizens are ironically dealing with increased cases of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart problems. That’s because, like the U.S., they are also dealing with the unhealthy creep of soda machines and fast food restaurants in their neighborhoods.

mediterranean

Here’s an interesting and curious predicament: Greece, Italy, Spain and Morocco have actually asked UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to designate their diet as an “intangible piece of cultural heritage.” They are actually worried that their dietary heritage could be near extinction!

“This is a place where you’d see people who lived to 100, where people were all fit and trim,” Dr. Stagourakis said. “Now you see kids whose longevity is less than their parents’. That’s really scaring people.”

In Greece, three-quarters of the adult population is overweight or obese, the worst rate in Europe “by far,” according to the United Nations. Here’s more on the issue from The New York Times.

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Jason

Importance of Sleep for Good Health

Sleep plays an important role in our daily lives and I am going to go into detail about why we need a good night’s rest. Sleep is a necessity for good health and a good metabolism. Our bodies are designed to sleep roughly 6-8 hours a night, and missing sleep can have profound effects on our lives.

Lack of sleep throws off our biological clock and increases the risk of sickness, fatigue, mental/emotional stress, and mood swings. Missing sleep has adverse effects on our workouts as well. The body will fatigue earlier and definitely cannot handle the workload placed upon it. When exercising, the muscles of the body get broken down and a good night’s rest and proper diet is vital to replenish the broken down muscles and tired body.

sleeping

Tips To Get A Good Night’s Rest

Find a very dark and quiet place

Turn on a fan to drown out other noises

Turn up the A/C and grab an extra blanket

Take a warm bath before bedtime

Exercise for 30-90 minutes a day

Read a book or listen to quiet calming music

Avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol

Drink a glass of milk before bedtime (skim milk recommended)

And stretch before bedtime (relaxes body)

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Matt

Bernie’s Biggest Loser Episode 2 Recap

Episode 2 proved to be action packed from the very beginning. Right off the bat we see Michelle from the Pink Team beginning to confront the issues that she is dealing with concerning her and her mother’s relationship. Next, we see Jerry from the Yellow Team starting to feel better, which is terrific and truly goes to show why the Biggest Loser is such an amazing show.

Week two on the Biggest Loser is notorious for being a low week for contestants when it comes to dropping weight, so I was definitely shocked when Jerry and Coleen took on host Ali Sweeney’s challenge to lose more than 13lbs for the chance at 10,000 dollars.

biggest loser challenge

The physical challenge this week was awesome. Contestants got to revisit their adolescence by participating in a slip-n-slide challenge for the opportunity to win phone calls home. After 18 rounds Ed and Heba from the Orange Team emerged victorious and won the right to call home. Accompanying their prize was the opportunity to gift a phone call to another team. Ed and Heba chose to give a phone call home to married couple Amy and Phil who have three children, their youngest of whom is autistic- all in all I think Ed and Heba made a great choice.

chef rocco

On this Episode, contestants were also visited by celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, who showed contestants that eating healthy can taste great. Half of the contestants were given recipes that they had to prepare for the remaining contestants who were then asked to vote for their favorite dish. In the end Amy and Shellay from the Purple team won and were awarded a year’s worth of free groceries.At the weigh in, as in every episode, two teams fell beneath the dreaded yellow line, this week we saw the Grey Team (Tom and L.T.) fall below with the Yellow Team (Jerry and Coleen). Jerry and Coleen lost an amazing 11lbs. However, because of their deal with host Alison Sweeny to lose more than 13lbs for the chance to win 10,000 dollars, the yellow team was forced below the yellow line.

biggest loser yellow team

In the end the grey team was voted off, despite the fact that L.T. had helped to save the Orange team just the week before there was no favors returned by Ed and Heba, who cast votes to boot the Boston Boys. If episode two shows us anything, it’s that “Game Play” is in full affect! I can’t wait to see next week’s episode of the Biggest Loser and urge you to come visit me once again for an episodic recap here at DietsInReview.com.

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Bernie

Interview with Biggest Loser’s Eliminated Tom Desrochers and L.T.

The Week 2 casualties from Biggest Loser: Families were Tom Desrochers and L.T. (Little Tom), the Boston-based father/son duo that created the Grey Team. They were a clear choice for winning, but now that may not ever be (don’t rule out those famous Biggest Loser twists!).

grey team biggest loser

I spoke with Tom and L.T. the day after their elimination aired. They both sound happy and grateful for the two weeks they had on the ranch. “It sucked to be gone so early, but there was nothing we could do,” remarked Tom Sr. I asked L.T. about Heba and Ed failing to keep their word by voting out the Grey Team, after they had saved the Orange team in week 1. He said he knew if they fell below the yellow line, they’d be gone, and that this was a game, no mixing business and pleasure.

Since returning home, L.T. and Tom Sr. have continued eating healthy and exercising. L.T. is now down 92 pounds, and his father has lost 77. L.T. says that driving a cab at night, as he does, always meant there were no healthy alternatives to the fast-food diet he was living off of. Now, he brings his own food. He also uses a resistance band that he can shut in the door of the cab and get in some resistance training during lags in his shift. “Other cab drivers find it comical, but they’ve started asking questions,” said L.T.

L.T. shows no slack in his dedication to maintaining his healthy post-Biggest Loser life. He says he manages temptation by completely avoiding it. He stays away from people who drink, smoke and dine out regularly. He coaches youth football to occupy his time, and he uses three different gyms to keep from getting bored. Best of all, he says he quit smoking the day Jillian informed him he’d be on the show and has no plans of ever going back.

tom desrochers biggest loser

As for Tom, he’s also committed to this new life and says his old pill bottles are all the motivation he needs. Prior to Biggest Loser he took nine pills each morning, had high blood pressure and diabetes. Today, he takes zero pills and the illnesses are gone. He keeps the pills on a shelf in front of his mirror to remind him of a life he doesn’t want to return to. Tom has also done the grocery shopping with his wife since returning home, which has helped her to lose nearly 30 pounds, and does a lot of cooking (see his Curried Turkey and Cauliflower Soup recipe from last night).

The boys were mixed on their opinions of their trainer, Jillian Michaels. L.T. said that “not many people like her” inside the gym, but outside she’s very caring. “It’s a love/hate relationship.” As for his father, “You can keep Jillian, I didn’t care much for her,” Tom declared. He thanks her for saving his life, but didn’t care for her methods, the way she spoke to them like children or her “mouth.”

jillian michaels

L.T. even let us in on a little behind-the-scenes info- that gym where they sweat it out for eight or more hours a day? There’s no air conditioning! Tom and L.T. were quick to point out the numerous windows and fans throughout the gym.

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Natalie K

Chef Rocco Creates 7 Recipes for Biggest Loser

Chef Rocco is joining the Biggest Loser competition once again. Just as he did in Season 5, he is lending the Biggest Loser: Families troupe some guidance on eating healthy, without sacrificing flavor, variety or even your budget.

chef rocco biggest loser

He shared seven recipes, for less than $7/serving, for the seven teams during the Week 2 cooking challenge. Each team offered up their best cooks, and then Rocco asked the non-cooks to follow him to the grocery store and prepare his recipes.

Rocco advised that anyone leading a healthy lifestyle should shop the perimeter of their grocery store. It is there that all the fresh food resides. He explained that the deeper you go into the aisles, you’ll find “more processed, less healthy, more expensive” food items. Who needs that when these recipes taste amazing, will fill you up, and best of all- have low calories, zero fat and zero salt.

chef rocco biggest loser

Tom’s Curried Turkey and Cauliflower Soup

Heba’s Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Amy P.’s Quinoa Pasta with Pesto and Tomatoes

Jerry’s Pork and Vegetable Stir Fry

Amy C.’s Tiny Turkey Meatball with Chickpea Soup

Michelle’s Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa

Brady’s Mussles Stew

Enjoy this clip of Chef Rocco working with the contestants- you didn’t see this last night!

Sign-up today for the Biggest Loser Updates Newsletter– where you’ll never miss Bernie’s video recaps, eliminated contestant interviews, Villain of the Week, Quote of the Week, Weight Loss Tracker, Biggest Loser Recipes and so much more!

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Natalie K

Fad Diet Success is Short Lived

Today I was in my car listening to the radio when a commercial came on for some detox diet, claiming that our bodies are full of toxins and it is important to rid them. The commercial claimed that by following their diet you drop those last 10-20 pounds. I found myself laughing at this commercial… fad diets are everywhere! Don’t fall victim to them. Of course on a detox diet you will lose weight, because most of them are highly calorie restrictive and you are primarily drinking your meals.

Any diet that claims great success in a short period of time, or if the diet asks you to totally cut out food groups or overly emphasizes one food, then you are following a fad diet. Any success that comes from a fad diet will be short lived. If you drop those pounds quickly, as soon as you get off the diet you will quickly gain those pounds back and sometimes more!

healthy diet

It is important to make healthy eating part of your lifestyle, that way you don’t even have to think about it because it has become a routine. Many times you have to retrain your taste buds into liking food (i.e. cutting back on butter may not taste good at first, but the more you do it the more you become accustomed to the taste). Also, by having healthy eating habits now, you are potentially saving yourself a lot of money later. By eating healthier, you will have less doctor visits, you will be sick less often, you won’t have to rely on medications to make you healthy/better, and if you do have to go to the hospital your visits will be shorter then a person who eats mainly fast food.

What you do today impacts how you will live tomorrow… be good to yourself and eat for your health!

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Kinsey

The Gluten-Free Diet

I once worked with someone who came down with a mysterious illness. I don’t recall how long it was, but it took a while for her to figure out why she lacked energy and was losing lots of weight. gluten

She had an aversion to gluten, and from what I recall, she was diagnosed with Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine. Classic symptoms of Celiac disease include weight loss and fatigue.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. And it’s estimated that a tiny one percent or less have problems with it. But those people aren’t the only ones buying gluten free foods. According to an article at USAToday.com, between 15- 25 percent of consumers want gluten-free foods. Maybe part of what is driving the mini-trend is the news that even people without the serious gluten problems associated with Celiac disease are making the switch to life sans gluten; and there are still some who have gluten intolerance or sensitivity, causing symptoms ranging from bloating to rashes who depend on eating this way.

Here’s more on the gluten-free approach to eating.

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Jason

Rachael Ray and the Flat Belly Diet

The Flat Belly Diet is centered around fat, but not just the kind around your waistline. It’s a book and eating philosophy put together by Liz Vaccariello and nutritionist Cynthia Sass of Prevention magazine. The plan centers around MUFAs (Monounsaturated Fatty Acids). Monounsaturated fat is liquid at room temperature, but may solidify in your refrigerator. They help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood and lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.

There is no shortage of eating with the Flat Belly Diet, as you are recommended to have four 400 calorie meals, all with a MUFA source. So what foods are rich in monounsaturated fatty acid? Foods high in MUFA include nuts, avocados, dark chocolate, sunflower oil, canola oil and Rachael Ray’s favorite- olive oil.

Check out this spotlight on the Rachael Ray show that recently aired.

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Jason

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