The Teal Pumpkin Project

What a great idea!  I just read about The Teal Pumpkin Project and what a great idea!

It's all about raising awareness during Halloween around food allergies and promoting safety, inclusiveness and empathy for those who have a food allergy. A non food treat option benefits children with food allergies, as well as those with diabetes and other conditions.

It easy to join in.

• Display the sign or a teal pumpkin on your porch, door or easy to see spot letting trick or treaters know that a non-food treat is available at your home.  
• Purchase a non-food option (need ideas?  click here for suggestions) and be sure to keep your bowl of non-food treats separate from any candy, to ensure that the non-food items stay safe.  
• When the little ghosts and goblins come knocking simply ask which they would prefer. The non food items are very popular with everyone! 

If you only offer non food treats, it's a win-win.  The kids get a non food treat and you don't end up tempted with a ton of sugary candy around the house.  No evil leftovers staring you in the face causing you to implement tough love.    What a great idea!  Happy Trick or Treat friends!

It's OKAY

Before every flight takes off the flight attendant goes through all the safety information.  The exits are located here, this is how you fasten your seatbelt, if you need oxygen put your mask on before helping others who need assistance...

Wait.  Stop.  Take care of ME first?

It is ingrained in our very nature to put others first, to put the needs of our children and family before our own so why would we possible put our own mask on first?  Because if you pass out due to lack of oxygen then you are not able to assist anyone else.  You are rendered helpless and then neither of you are in a good place.

So, you ask, what does that have to do with weight loss and healthy lifestyle?

It's the same principle my friends.  If you are constantly putting others first and neglecting yourself and your own needs at some point you will not be healthy.  You will not be in a good place.  You will not be able to do the things for your family that you'd like to.  Self-care is important and if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anything else.

It's OKAY to say no to them sometimes.
It's OKAY to schedule your work out time and let them go to plan B.
It's OKAY to fix a healthy meal for the WHOLE family and not eat chicken nuggets because that's what the kids would prefer.
It's OKAY to put everyone to bed early so you can get your rest.
It's OKAY to say no to a stop at Dairy Queen
It's OKAY to say no to a candy bar at the gas station or grocery store if it threatens your willpower and resolve
It's OKAY to take everyone for a walk instead of playing video games
It's OKAY to make sure you have what you need so you can be healthy and feel good.

Trust me.
It's OKAY.   

Pay Attention Girlfriend!

It's time to revisit some very basic and yet very important tips that can be key in a healthy lifestyle.  Over the upcoming weeks thats the plan and today we start with....

Pay attention!  Pay attention!  Pay attention!

Pay attention to the act of eating.  It is so appealing and so very easy to eat while watching TV, reading a book, working on the computer or doing something else but DON'T DO IT!  I find that if I am distracted while eating I don't taste it, don't enjoy it and sometimes don't even remember eating it.  This is just not acceptable.  Every bite should be tasted, enjoyed and not rushed.  If you do this you'll find that you appreciate the flavors and will eat a lot less.

Personal check in:  I am home alone most days and usually eat both breakfast and lunch by myself.  I realize that I have fallen into a habit of reading or working on the computer while I eat and thus I've been eating more.  It stops today!  From now on I plan to taste and enjoy every bite.    

Post Halloween Tough Love

November 1st.  The day after Halloween. The Trick or Treating goodness is sitting there in the orange plastic pumpkins staring you in the face.  It was lots of fun and the kids made a haul.  The bowl of candy for callers is still sitting next to the front door, the leftovers calling your name as loud as they can.  "Come and eat me!"  Oh my, what to do, what to do!?

TAKE ACTION!

1. Dispose of the leftover candy.  Send it to work with your husband or throw it in the garbage and dump something gross, wet or goopy on top.  I can hear the dialogue in your head, "What? Throw away perfectly good candy?  But, but, but there are starving children in Africa!"  Yes!  Throw. It. Away.  You were okay with giving it away last night, so pretend it was all handed out and there are no leftovers.  It is gone.  (And do you really think starving children in Africa are going to benefit from YOU overeating on candy?)
2. Your kids made a haul and it's in the house.  That is THEIR candy - not yours and this is not a time to teach them about sharing.  You wouldn't take their allowance or their money so why would you think it's okay to take their candy?  Its not.  The candy is theirs.  Leave. It. Alone.
3. Start fresh with determination!  It's only 21 days until Thanksgiving and we all know that's another whole challenge to be dealt with separately.  Get back on track today!
4. Make something really healthy and yummy for dinner.  Try a new recipe.  Make it appealing so its easy to stay on track. 
5. Get outside and move.  Rake leaves, go for a brisk walk or bike ride, clean house like the in-laws are coming in an hour, whatever you do get your body moving more than you usually do.  

Halloween is only a day and even though it is laden with candy, its really not about candy.  Its about dressing up and having fun with others.  Relish that part and enjoy the laughter.  It's November now and Halloween is over.  Forget the candy.

Let's Start At The Very Beginning....

 As I type I can hear Julie Andrew's voice starting the famous song from the Sound of Music.  "Let's start at the very beginning.  It's a very good place to start."  Oh my, how very true those words are when it comes to healthy eating and weight loss as well!  If you haven't been living a particularly healthy lifestyle and want to make some changes to get on track it can be a very daunting and scary task.  So let's look at a couple small changes that will make a big difference in the long run.

Step One
Figure out what you are currently eating.  Are you eating junk?  Are you eating fruits and vegetables?  Are you eating items loaded with sugar?  High in calorie content?  High in fat?  Take a look at the labels and find out what you are putting in your body.  You won't know if you don't look.

Know what a
serving size looks like.

Read the labels!

Step Two
Look at the PORTION size for those items.  To keep it simple, if it's fresh fruits or vegetables use a piece (ie: a banana, an apple, a potato) as a single portion or use 1 cup for leafy items and a 1/2 cup for the others as good guideline.  If it's a packaged food it will say on the label what the portion size is and you'll be quite surprised to find out what a single serving of cereal or chips actually looks like when it's measured out.  Some items will pleasantly surprise you and others will NOT bring a smile to your face.  Trust me on this.

Step Three
Keep track and write it all down.  All. Of. It.  Every bite, lick and taste.   The only way to really do that is to write it down or track it using an online tool.  (There are a couple online trackers I've used and was pleased with both for different reasons.  One is Weight Watcher's online tracker (which has a fee involved) and the other is a free product from Livestrong.)  Weight Watchers tracks using the Points Plus Values and Livestrong tracks calories.  Both are good tools for our current purpose.

Knowledge is power and right now our goal is to get educated on WHAT and HOW MUCH we are eating.  Being aware, learning portions and journaling is a great place to start.

Do, rey, mi.  The first three notes just happen to be....

What are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting?

Hey everyone! This question (and their answer) came on the Hungry Girl e-zine recently. Their answer follows.... but I'd love to hear YOUR thoughts on the matter. Comment and let me know what YOU think. - Patti


Dear Hungry Girl,

What do you think are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting? Are there any secrets? I keep losing and gaining the same 20 lbs. Ugh!
Diet Diva

Dear DD,
There are many mistakes people tend to make when dieting. I'm going to list some of the biggies. And remember, this is just my opinion.

1. Following fad diets. I'm not a fan of fad diets. They don't teach you how to eat in a way you can live with forever. Sure, if you follow a set plan for a limited time, you can lose weight. The hard part is maintaining that weight loss in the long term. If you try to stick with the fad diet's style of eating, it's very likely you'll eventually give up or get bored. If you go back to your old eating habits, you regain the weight. This is a huge problem and the reason why I don't recommend fad dieting.

2. Skipping meals. If you skip meals you'll only end up hungrier and more likely to eat too much and/or the wrong thing. It's that simple. Eat breakfast. Eat lunch. And eat dinner!

3. Drinking calories. Sheesh! Drinking your calories is a WASTE... really. It's much more satisfying to chew food than it is to drink stuff. Having a low-calorie liquid swap is fine -- like treating yourself to one of our Swappuccinos or a diet hot cocoa when you're craving the real thing. But it's too easy to sip an extra 300 - 500 calories a day if you drink calorie-packed beverages. Avoid those and stick with water for the most part.

4. Living in denial. Don't pretend there are no calories in condiments, that a salad is healthy and diet-friendly no matter what, and that food you eat while standing (or on an airplane, etc., etc.) doesn't count. It ALL counts!

5. Not reading labels. READ LABELS, people! And read them CAREFULLY. Take note of serving sizes and servings per package. This is KEY.

There you have it... those are five mistakes that are very common. And no, there are no real secrets to dieting -- except that you need to find a way to eat that'll work for you FOREVER. That's the one thing people tend to forget -- the forever factor.

Staying On Plan and On A Budget

10 Smart Saving Tips from the Weight Watcher website.

1. Limit impulse purchases.
"Go to the store with a shopping list," says Mercer. And stick to it.

2. Buy in season.
Blueberries are a cheap treat come summer but practically an investment once it's fall. Consider growing some of your own produce as well.

3. Use coupons.
Sign up for your supermarket's shopper discount card, too.

4. Purchase sale items in bulk.
"Use the same main ingredient and dress it up differently," Mercer suggests. Turn ground beef into chili, burritos and a topping for baked potatoes. Plus, freeze some beef for the weeks to come.

5. Buy generic.
Follow this rule except when you know a certain brand is of higher quality. A major national brand of sliced Swiss cheese recently sold for $4.49 per half pound versus $3.49 for the store brand (priced on shoprite.com).

6. Think whole foods.
"The more processed foods you buy, the higher the price," Mercer says. Even a banana in pricey New York City only costs a quarter whereas a small candy bar costs at least 75 cents.

7. Do it from scratch.
"You're paying more for convenience," says Mercer. So grate your own cheese and shred your own lettuce.

8. Shift those proportions.
Use pricey meats as an accent; not the main event. For instance, skip the pork chops and cook up a pork stir-fry.

9. Load up on beans.
Meat is expensive, says Mercer. A pound of 85% lean ground beef purchased on shoprite.com costs $3.69. A 1-pound can of black beans? A mere 50 cents.

10. Shop at wholesale food stores.
Some examples include Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's and more. Make sure you know prices, though, to guarantee a savings.

Feeling Out of Control?

Control in our lives is an issue. It can be a big deal. There are so many things happening around us these days that we have absolutely no control over and we often times feel helpless to make an impact on the outcome.

Now, that may be true of many things in our outside world... but when it comes to food, don't kid yourselves my friends, you have control. There is no one force feeding you. There is no one on this earth who has more control over what goes into your mouth than YOU do. (In hindsight I realized that when I lost my weight a couple years ago, food was the ONLY thing in my life I felt I could control.)

So if you feel out of control in the area of food, what do you do? I've got a few thoughts that might help.

1)Get a plan. A plan that works for you.
2)Start with small changes. Just focus on one thing a day...or a week. When that comes naturally, then make another change.
3)Get a support network of friends. If it can't be your family or close friends (because some just are not supportive of our efforts) then find that support elsewhere. Join Weight Watchers, find support in a co-worker, or neighbor, or friend from church. Someone somewhere will be happy to do the journey with you. Don't be afraid to reach out to them.
4)Realize that it may not be easy at first. You are changing habits that have been in place for a long time.
5) Remind yourself that you are the BOSS about what goes into your mouth! (No matter how often Aunt Helga puts food in front of you and says, "eat, eat" YOU are still the boss. Ya, ya, ya!)
6)If you have no idea where to start... start with eating a fraction of what you normally would. Eat 3/4 or 1/2 of what you normally put on your plate. Start by eliminating fried foods. Start by eating 3 pieces of fruit each day.
7) Pray about it. Fall to your knees and ask for help!
8)Celebrate your successes whether they are big or small. Celebrate!

You ARE in control - it just may be that you haven't realized it yet.
Good luck and lots of power to ya!

It Really Comes Down to Choices

Everything in life comes down to choices... from the attitude you choose for the day to the food you eat. Take a look at the following comparison.

1 individual Little Debbie Cake is EQUAL to all of the following foods combined:

1 apple, 1 banana, 1 orange, 5 cups light popcorn, 2 slices light bread, 1 cup grapes, and 1 container of unsweetened apple sauce.

That totally amazes me.

Personally, I choose to have a great attitude each day and I choose to eat foods that will fill me up without a bojillion calories. (Most of the time anyway!)

Always consider your choices.

The Eight Traits of Emotional Hunger

Emotional and physical hunger can feel identical, unless you’ve learned to identify their distinguishing characteristics.
The next time you feel voraciously hungry, look for these signals that your appetite may be based on emotions
rather than true physical need. This awareness may head off an emotional overeating episode.

Source: Virtue, Doreen. Constant Craving A-Z. (Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 1999).

Emotional Hunger

1. Is sudden. One minute you’re not thinking about
food, the next minute you’re starving. Your hunger
goes from 0-60 within a short period of time.

2. Is for a specific food. Your cravings are for one
specific type of food, such as chocolate, pasta, or a
cheeseburger. With emotional eating, you feel you
need to eat that particular food. No substitute will do!

3. Is "above the neck." An emotionally based
craving begins in the mouth and mind. Your mouth
wants to taste that pizza or chocolate doughnut. Your
mind whirls with thoughts about your desired food.

4. Is urgent. Emotional hunger urges you to eat
NOW to instantly ease emotional pain with food.

5. Is paired with an upsetting emotion. Your
boss yelled at you. Your child is in trouble at school.
Your spouse is in a bad mood. Emotional hunger
occurs in conjunction with an upsetting situation.

6. Involves automatic or absent-minded eating.
Emotional eating can feel as if someone else’s hand is
scooping up the ice cream and putting it into your
mouth ("automatic eating"). You may not notice that
you’ve eaten a bag of cookies (absent-mined eating).

7. Does not notice or stop eating, in response
to fullness. Emotional overeating stems from a
desire to cover up painful feelings. The person stuffs
herself to deaden her troubling emotions and will eat
second and third helpings, even though her stomach
may hurt from over-fullness.

8. Feels guilty about eating. The paradox of
emotional over eating is that the person eats to feel
better and ends up berating herself for eating
cookies, cakes, or cheeseburgers. She promises
atonements to herself ("I'll start my diet tomorrow.")


Physical Hunger

1. Is gradual. Your stomach rumbles. One hour later, it
growls. Physical hunger gives you steadily progressive clues
that it’s time to eat.

2. Is open to different foods. With physical hunger, you
may have food preferences, but they are flexible. You are
open to alternative choices.

3. Is based in the stomach. Physical hunger is
recognizable by stomach sensations. You feel gnawing,
rumbling, emptiness, and even pain in your stomach with
physical hunger.

4. Is patient. Physical hunger would prefer that you ate
soon, but doesn’t command you to eat at that instant.

5. Occurs out of physical need. Physical hunger occurs
because it has been four or five hours since your last meal.
You may experience light-headedness or low energy if overly
hungry.

6. Involves deliberate choices and awareness of the
eating. With physical hunger, you are aware of the food on
your fork, in your mouth, and in your stomach. You
consciously choose whether to eat half your sandwich or the
whole thing.

7. Stops when full. Physical hunger stems from a desire to
fuel and nourish the body. As soon as that intention is
fulfilled, the person stops eating.

8. Realizes eating is necessary. When the intent behind
eating is based in physical hunger, there¹s no guilt or shame.
The person realizes that eating, like breathing oxygen, is a
necessary behavior.

It's a HoliDAY...not a HoliWEEK!

Tomorrow is the big day, my friends. Are you ready? Do you have your plan in place? Have you mentally rehearsed? Can you see yourself ending the day feeling SATISFIED and happy about what you ate versus stuffed, uncomfortable and miserable?

A few tips and reminders...
Eat something for breakfast. Don't head into the event starved or you're headed for a feeding frenzy and before you know it you'll be out of control.

Make time to excercise. Go for a walk, go to the gym, turn on some music and dance.

Take SMALL amounts of the annual things you love and eat them slowly. Savor them. (Don't let yourself feel deprived over missing something you really want.)

Fill the rest of your plate with low energy density foods - low cal stuff that fills you up. Fruits, veggies, white meat.

Eat slowly. Allow your brain and stomach to talk to each other about your comfort level.

Use the technique of leaving space on the plate in between each food item.

Drink water before you get started. Stay well hydrated throughout the day. Not only is it filling; but it helps with the feeling of being satisfied.

Eat slowly.

Wait before you eat dessert. Are you REALLY still hungry? Do you really want it? Is it WORTH the 10 - 15 points? Perhaps 2 or 3 bites is all you need. Just a taste. Maybe not at all. After all, we all know what it tastes like already! (And many times we THINK it's going to taste way better than it actually does.)

Have I said yet that you should eat slowly?

Focus on the people! Your loved ones. Talk, laugh, enjoy them. Enjoy the day and all the parts that are not associated with food.

You CAN do this successfully and you'll be glad that you are on track at the scale. And remember...it's a HoliDAY. It's not a HoliWEEK. Right back to program and healthy eating the next day.

Be thankful for all your blessings.
God is good.

Can I Buy Just HALF A Cookie?

We were in a new "goodie" shop where I was oogling the peanut butter cookies ...and in my opinion nothing beats a REALLY good peanut butter cookie! My friend and I laughed after I asked the high school clerk if it was possible to buy only half the cookie; but I was totally serious. Sometimes I only want a bite. Just a taste is enough.

On that same note - my daughter dragged me into the Godiva chocolate store in Minneapolis last weekend. Her plan was simple... they have "samples" - you take one small piece, get a yummy taste and walk out the door. We saved "a mint" (haha) in both cash and calories with this technique. And just a taste was plenty.

Many of you may be tired of hearing about my "3 bite" rule; but I need to say it occasionally if for no other reason than to remind myself of it. Three bites of a "rare sweet" are plenty and here's why: The first bite tastes like you've died and gone to heaven. The second bite is still very, very good. Bite number three is still quite yummy. But by bite number 4 the taste has diminished significantly and it only goes down hill from there. The first 3 bites are the best - so stop after that and you'll have had the best part!

BTW - I came across a blog I've been enjoying and want to share with you also. This guy puts it out there in a way that makes me think and I like that. It also seems that he has the same mindset as I in our approach to food and exercise. Check it out sometime when you get a chance...Rich DiGirolamo's Hey Skinny

Trigger Toning!

I liked this article from Weight Watchers. Check it out!


Although they don't give you a workout in the same way as aerobic activity, this type of exercise is vital if you want to firm up while losing weight.

Trigger Happy
The trick is to use specific moments during the day as triggers to remind you to do toning exercises. These need only take out a minute or two of your time and, at the end of the day, you'll be amazed at the amount of toning time you squeezed in.

Even small moves help keep you and your joints flexible, as well as burning off energy. And we all know that every little bit helps.

Trigger: Getting Out of Bed
First thing in the morning, stretch to the ceiling on tiptoes and then, feet firmly flat on the floor and legs straight, gently bend forward as far as you can. Don't worry if you can only reach your knees or shins, within weeks you'll find yourself much more flexible.

Trigger: While Cleaning Your Teeth
Lift yourself up and down on your toes as you brush. Calf raises are great for flabby calves and a good pre-ski exercise.

Trigger: Waiting for a Bus or Train
As many buttock clenches as you can manage.

Trigger: Watching TV
At the beginning of the show and during each commercial break, get on the floor and do 10 sit-ups or push ups (start off doing push ups on your knees.

Trigger: When the Telephone Rings
Breathe out and hold stomach muscles in for a count of 20.

Trigger: Waiting for Coffee to Brew or the Kettle to Boil
Standing press-ups against the wall or 10 squats.

What triggers do you have throughout the day that you could use? You can use anything from checking your email to emptying the cat food bowl as your trigger. Be creative and consistent with your "reminders" and activities.

How Important is WHEN????

I came across this article today and thought I'd share it. Interesting...... what do you think?

Is When You Eat Important?

Do you eat by the clock? Skip breakfast or lunch? Avoid snacking as a weight control strategy? If you answered yes to any of these questions, keep reading and learn how to change the timing of your meals and snacks to control not only hunger, but weight.

Our structured lifestyle has led many of us to believe that we must eat at certain times of the day. Many people routinely skip breakfast and lunch due either to time constraints or to a misguided weight-control strategy. Society and weight loss programs have taught us to believe that snacking is bad and should be avoided. Stop listening to others, and listen to YOUR body instead.

Overeating by definition means consuming more calories than our body needs at that point in time. Whenever we overeat, our body stores any extra calories as fat. Fat cells have a seemingly unlimited ability to grow to accommodate more stored calories. The defining factor in the growth of fat cells is the AMOUNT of calories eaten and the REASON they are eaten.

So, how often should I eat?

In the best of worlds, we would eat when we were hungry and stop when we were full. Sound impossible? Watch a six-month-old baby. She cries when hungry, and most certainly stops eating when full. If a baby can do it, so can we.

Try the following:

Instead of eating by the clock, or avoiding snacks because you think they are bad for you, listen to your body. Figure out how your body tells you it's hungry. Does your stomach rumble? Do you become listless and tired? Learn to separate physical hunger from so-called mouth hunger. Physical hunger is our body telling us it needs fuel to continue to function. Mouth hunger is our brain commanding us to eat brownies because we’re stressed. What type of hunger causes you to consume most of your calorie intake?

How much should I eat?

Just as you can relearn your hunger signals, you can also relearn your body's satiety signals. Eat slowly and mindfully, paying attention to how the food tastes, how it feels in your mouth, and how your body feels while you are eating. Stop every five to ten minutes and assess your satiety level. Am I full? Still hungry? Or perhaps I am thirsty. Stop eating when your body signals it is pleasantly full, not stuffed to the point of undoing your belt.

The bottom line:

Instead of paying attention to the clock or the latest fad diet plan, learn to listen to the ultimate expert: your body. Decode your body's messages and eating becomes more natural and less stressful. When you listen to those messages, you are naturally more comfortable, and you'll incline toward the weight your body is meant to be.

Source: http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage written by Lynn Grieger

How Nutrition Affects Your Hair

Does nutrition affect your hair? You bet your boots it does! Want healthy, shiny hair? Make sure you eat a balanced diet and your hair will be happy, happy, happy! Just a little bit of trivia on the topic that you may find interesting. I sure did!

• - The most important factor in the quality of your hair is your overall nutrition and health.
• - Optimal hair growth occurs when there are no nutrient deficiencies.
• - If you’re shedding more than normal, it may be due to an iron deficiency.
• - Biotin – aka vitamin H – is recommended to strengthen both nails and hair.
• - Deficiency in vitamin H – aka biotin – can result in hair loss that includes losing eyebrows and eyelashes.
• - Hair problems resulting from poor nutrition can be reversed by restoration of proper diet.
• 
  
• - Vitamin A deficiency that goes untreated can result in dandruff caused by the buildup of cellular debris in the hair follicles.
• - Each strand of hair is made up of 25% water. So make sure you stay hydrated if you want moisturized, soft hair!
• - An L-cysteine supplement can increase the hair shaft’s diameter. L-cysteine is a non-essential amino acid.
• - To avoid your hair becoming dry and brittle, make sure there’s enough protein in your diet.

Source: diet.com

Lose Weight and Save Money!

Here's just a teaser....

Replace 1 - 20 oz. regular soda with water five days a week and you'll save
(drum roll please....)

65,000 calories and $390.00! (Holy catfish Batman!)

So check out this link for the whole dealio. It's kinda interesting I thought.
Joy Bauer's Article on msnbc.com

Calorie-Saving Cooking Swaps

This list comes from a website that is really helpful with information on food and products available on the market. Check them out at www.hungry-girl.com

TOP ATE Calorie-Saving Cooking Swaps!

1. Nonstick cooking spray instead of oil (for stovetop cooking) 2. Canned pumpkin instead of eggs & oil (for baking) 3. Light vanilla soymilk instead of milk or cream 4. Fat-free liquid egg substitute instead of eggs 5. No-sugar-added applesauce instead of butter 6. Ground-beef-style soy crumbles instead of ground beef 7. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granular) instead of sugar 8. Butternut squash instead of potatoes

CORE (Low Energy Density Eating) Resources

A couple websites that have great resources are:

www.skinnyweek.com (Type CORE in the search box for lots of low energy density recipes)


http://www.freewebs.com/hwc1973/index.htm (Tips, recipes and ideas)

Low Energy Density Eating

The following article is from Mayo Clinic - the source reference is at the bottom for full credit....

Energy density and weight loss: Feel full on fewer calories

Choosing foods that are less concentrated with calories — meaning you get a larger portion size with a fewer number of calories — can help you lose weight and control your hunger.

Feel full on fewer calories. It sounds like a diet gimmick. But in reality, the concept of energy density can indeed help you feel satisfied with fewer calories. By consuming fewer calories, you can lose weight over time and keep it off long term.

All foods have a certain number of calories within a given amount (volume). Some foods, such as desserts, candies and processed foods, are high in energy density. This means that a small volume of that food has a large number of calories.

Alternatively, some foods — such as vegetables and fruits — have low energy density. These foods provide a larger portion size with a fewer number of calories.

Two factors play an important role in what makes food less calorie packed and more filling:

• Water. Many fruits and vegetables are high in water, which provides volume but not calories. Grapefruit, for example, is about 90 percent water and has just 39 calories in a half-fruit serving. Carrots are about 88 percent water and have only 52 calories in 1 cup.

· Fiber. High-fiber foods — such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains — not only provide volume, but also take longer to digest, making you feel full longer.

Energy density: Volume versus calories

Butter is high in energy density and provides just a small portion for those calories. Grapes and strawberries, on the other hand, are low in energy density. These foods have large volumes in relation to their calorie content.

Your best food choices

Changing lifestyle habits is never easy, and creating an eating plan using this concept is no exception. The first step is knowing which foods are best.

• Vegetables. Most vegetables — salad greens, asparagus, green beans, broccoli and zucchini, for example — are low in calories but high in volume. Each vegetable serving is about 25 calories, and typical serving sizes are 1 cup raw, a half-cup cooked or 2 cups leafy vegetables. Some vegetables are starchy — such as corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash — and contain more calories, about 70 calories in a half-cup serving.
• Fruits. Practically all types of fruit fit into a healthy diet. But some fruits are better choices than others are. Whole fresh, frozen and canned fruits without added sugar have about 60 calories a serving. Limit fruit juices and dried fruits, as they're concentrated sources of natural sugar and therefore have a higher calorie content.
• Carbohydrates. Most foods in this group are either grains or made from grains, such as cereal, rice, bread and pasta. The best type is whole grains because they're higher in fiber and other important nutrients. Examples include whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, brown rice and whole-grain cereal.
• Protein/dairy. This includes foods from both plant and animal sources. The best choices are those that are high in protein but low in fat and calories, such as legumes — beans, peas and lentils, which are also good sources of fiber — fish, skinned white-meat poultry, fat-free dairy products and egg whites.

Eat sweets and high-fat foods in moderation since many of these foods are high in calories but low in volume.

Make it work for you

Starting a healthy diet that emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains makes room in your diet for some of your favorite foods in small quantities: a piece of chocolate cake or a small scoop of ice cream, for example. When you're not feeling desperately hungry and deprived, as you might on some diets, you can enjoy a small portion of dessert without guilt.

Here are ideas to make this eating plan work for you:

• Increase the ratio of fruits and vegetables in your meals. For example, add blueberries to your cereal in the morning. Or top your pasta with sauteed vegetables and tomato sauce. Decrease the meat portion on your plate and increase the serving size of vegetables.
• Experiment with new foods and combinations. Try mango or peach slices on whole-wheat toast with a little peanut butter and honey. Toss some mandarin orange and peach slices into a salad. You may find some new tastes you love that fit within your eating plan.
• Start with soup or salad. Begin lunch or dinner with a broth-based, vegetable-filled soup or a large salad with a small amount of low-fat or fat-free dressing. These foods take longer to eat and curb your hunger. Next, serve whole grains, an extra portion or two of vegetables and a small serving of lean protein for your main course.

By eating larger portions of foods less packed with calories, you squelch those hunger pangs, take in fewer calories and feel better about your meal, which contributes to how satisfied you feel overall.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00195

Choose your hard

A friend sent me today's post and I thought it's a great one!

"Being fat is hard. Maintaining is hard. Choose your hard."

Isn’t that great? Let’s have our “hard” be maintaining well. Have a great week.