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All the Taste, Less Fat: 2 Handy Stand-Ins for Butter

June 27, 2014 by

Whether you practice a vegan diet or you simply want to reduce harmful fat and calories from your meals, cutting out butter is a healthy food choice. These simple butter substitutes will enable you to eat the foods that you love in a healthier manner, and they’ll taste just as delicious.

  1. Olive oil. While olive oil is also high in calories, it has a number of other health benefits that butter doesn’t. For every cup of butter, you can easily substitute 1/4 cup of olive oil plus two tablespoons in order to maintain the same texture and consistency. Olive oil is also completely vegan, and it can be used to grease pans as well.
  2. Commercial butter substitutes. Your local grocery store likely sells a wide variety of commercial butter substitutes and margarines that can be used in place of butter. These products usually have the same look, feel and taste, but they have much less fat and calories. Brands like Earth Balance and Smart Balance taste very similar to real butter, but unlike butter they’re completely vegan. Most chefs advise against browning commercial butter substitutes, however, because they burn very easily and don’t achieve the same effect.

Common Ingredient Substitutions [All Recipes]
Top 3 Ingredient Substitutions [The Kitchn]

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The Sugar Content in These Common Foods Might Surprise You

June 13, 2014 by

No matter how diligently you count calories, it’s also very important to monitor your sugar intake when you’re attempting to shed a few pounds. Foods like cookies, ice cream, and sweet soft drinks are obviously off limits, but there are also a number of other sugary foods that might surprise you. Here are two common sources of sugar that might be flying under your radar.

  1. Fat-free salad dressings. Seeking out fat-free foods in the grocery store may seem like a simple way to stay on track with your diet, but many of these products attempt to maintain the same bold flavor by loading on the sugar. Salad dressings in both creamy and oil-based forms are loaded with sugar from sources like honey and concentrated fruit juice. Be sure to check the nutrition information before you buy.
  2. Multigrain cereals. Don’t just assume that all grains are automatically healthy. Multigrain cereals offer important fiber and whole grains that your body needs for energy, but unfortunately, many leading brands also include as many as six grams of sugar per cup. Many dietitians suggest opting for the plainest version of your favorite cereal and adding fresh fruit or a teaspoon of sugar instead.

15 Surprising Sources of Added Sugar [SparkPeople]
6 Surprising Sources of Sugar [Huffington Post]

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Try These Tasty Alternatives to Cow’s Milk

June 6, 2014 by

There are a number of reasons to give up regular dairy milk, from food allergies to personal diet choices. If you’ve decided to take the plunge into dairy-free milk substitutes, these simple and tasty alternatives to cow’s milk will make the transition easy.

  1. Soy milk. This is one of the most popular milk alternatives, and it’s been around for quite some time. Soy milk is made with filtered water, whole soy beans, and thickeners that give it the same thick, creamy consistency as regular milk, and they also make it easy to bake with. Most brands of soy milk even contain the same amount of protein, Vitamin D, and calcium as cow’s milk.
  2. Almond milk. If you want to cut out milk in order to reduce your calorie intake, almond milk is a great alternative choice. This nutty mix of filtered water and ground almonds has only around 60 calories per cup, but it offers the same thickness and consistency as dairy milk.
  3. Rice milk. Rice milk has a more neutral flavor than many other milk substitutes, and it’s a bit thinner. However, it contains the same amount of calcium and Vitamin D as cow’s milk, and it offers a light, sweet flavor that’s mild and pleasant.

Meet the Milk Substitutes [Cooking Light]
Non-Dairy Alternatives to Cow’s Milk [SparkPeople]
5 Delicious Milk Substitutes [FitSugar]

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Brain-Training Exercises You Can Do Online

March 7, 2014 by

When you’re at work, you likely only utilize certain parts of your brain. Accountants utilize the mathematical side, artists use the creative side, and whichever part you don’t use as frequently may become sluggish and underutilized. If you want to maintain full brain function, the fun activities on these websites will help you stay as sharp as a tack.

Games for the Brain
This simply designed website features a variety of brain-training exercises for every type of thinking. NumberHunt improves your basic math skills, Colored Lines uses logic and special reasoning, and Memocoly improves your memory by asking you to remember a series of colors in the order in which they appear on the screen. Games for the Brain even allows you to rack up points to monitor your improvement over time.

Lumosity
You’ve likely heard of the Lumosity website, but it’s worth the hype. This attractive site allows you to create a profile and build a personalized training program, specifying the areas of the brain you want to work on. It incorporates memory, speed, problem solving, attention, and flexibility into its simple games and tests, and it tracks your improvement in each area along the way.

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Choose Healthy Foods by Using ‘GO, SLOW and WHOA’

February 21, 2014 by

Navigating the supermarket can be a challenge, especially when you’re shopping for healthy foods for the whole family. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute developed the terms GO, SLOW and WHOA to categorize foods that are lower in fat and calories and more beneficial all around. Use these categories the next time you go grocery shopping to help make smarter and healthier food decisions.

GO foods are the most beneficial.
These foods are lowest in fat and calories, making them less harmful to your waistline. They contain much less sugar than other foods, and they’re full of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs. GO foods include things like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats.

SLOW foods should be eaten in moderation.
Though these foods aren’t necessarily unhealthy, they’re higher in fat and calories and should be eaten in smaller amounts. Many SLOW foods provide some vitamins and nutrients, but their high calorie or sugar contents will make you gain weight if eaten in excess.

WHOA foods are the most harmful.
This category includes things like cake, cookies, and other desserts. These foods are the highest in fats and added sugar, and they’re much more calorie-dense than others. Because they provide little to no nutrients, they should only be saved for special occasions.

Choosing Foods for Your Family [National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute]

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Monitor Physical Activity by Determining Your Target Heart Rate

January 31, 2014 by

Becoming familiar with your target heart rate can help you to monitor the safety of your workout and track your fitness progress. Target heart rate is different for people of all ages and fitness levels, so the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention created these helpful tips to teach you how to find yours.

  • For moderate-intensity physical activity, a person’s target heart rate should be 50 to 70% of his or her maximum heart rate.
  • Maximum heart rate can be determined by subtracting the person’s age from the number 220 and labeling the resulting number “beats per minute.”
  • For vigorous-intensity physical activity, a person’s heart rate should be from 70 to 85% of his or her maximum heart rate.
  • During physical activity, you can monitor your heart rate by taking your own pulse using your index and middle fingers against your neck, wrist or chest.
  • Count your heartbeats in a 60-second interval and compare them to the target heart rate for your age during a particular kind of exercise.

Find out more by visiting the CDC's website!

Target Heart Rate and Estimated Maximum Heart Rate [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]

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5 Facts That May Surprise You About Left-Handedness

January 10, 2014 by

If you're a lefty, you're one of about 30 millions Americans born with a dominant left hand. In fact, about 10% of the world's population is left-handed, a proportion that's remained consistent for the past 30,000 years. Here are five more facts about southpaws that you might not already know.

1. Lefties excel at math, language, and music. They're well suited for jobs that require a keen sense of spacial awareness, like architecture and the fine arts. Bet you didn't know that four out of the five original designers of the Macintosh computer were lefties!

2. A mom-to-be over the age of 40 is 128% more likely to give birth to a left-handed baby than is an expectant mom in her 20s.

3. Southpaw U.S. Presidents include President Obama, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Harry Truman, and James Garfield. 

4. On August 13 of every year, left-handers celebrate International Left-Handers Day.

5. Famous left-handers include Jerry Seinfeld, Drew Barrymore, Brad Pitt, Bill Gates, Jay Leno, and Oprah Winfrey.

56 Interesting Facts About Left-Handedness & Left-Handed People [Random Facts]
12 Surprising Facts About Left-Handed People [Babble]
12 Little-Known Facts About Left-Handers [Everyday Health]
Weird Facts About Lefties [Yahoo Health]

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Avoid Common Food Allergies By Checking the Label

November 8, 2013 by

If you suffer from food allergies, you know the importance of reading labels. Thankfully, over the past few years, food labels have made it a littler easier to spot common allergens, like milk, egg, nuts, wheat, soy, and peanuts. Follow these tips to avoid eating common food allergens:

  • Some allergens, like the ones we've listed above, are considered common food allergens. If you have a common food allergy, it has to be listed on the label at least once.
  • Keep a look out for items made from common allergens. The ingredient list could say milk, non-fat milk, whey, or casein. All those ingredients are derived from milk and could cause a reaction if you have a milk allergy.
  • The packaging could say "may contain." In that case, the food may have come in contact with a certain allergen but was not necessarily made with said allergen. Putting "may contain" on the label is voluntary, so it's still important to check the ingredient list.
  • Sometimes manufacturers change the ingredients used in a product. It's very important to actively check the packaging if your allergy is severe. 

· Have Food Allergies? Read the Label [U.S. Food and Drug Administration]

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5 Ways to Cut 100 Calories

August 8, 2013 by

Deciding to go on a diet can be a big commitment. All of a sudden you have to exhibit self-control over all the temptations you encounter. Say goodbye to those office donuts. Instead of forcing yourself to change the way you eat, which can be nearly impossible, make small, healthier choices throughout the day, and watch the pounds melt away. You'd be surprised how just swapping one food for another can cut up to 100 calories without sacrificing taste.

Watch Your Beverages
Our drinks have a sneaky tendency to add hundreds of calories a day to our diet. That regular soda you drink with lunch and dinner adds up. Try cutting down your soda intake. Swap your soda with a glass of sparkling water. Instead of drinking a full glass of orange juice in the morning, cut it down to half a glass or switch your regular orange juice to one with half the sugar. Switch your milk from whole milk to 2% or skim, and use less cream and sugar in your coffee.

Drink Water
Speaking of water, drink more of it. If you take the time to drink a six to eight ounce glass of water before lunch and dinner, you'll find yourself eating less at meals. The water takes up space in your stomach, so you'll feel fuller longer, and you'll automatically reduce the amount you eat, and the calories you take in.

Control Your Condiments
Those dipping sauces and dressings can be adding a lot of unnecessary calories to your day. Instead of using ketchup or mayo switch to mustard, or go half and half. That way you'll still get the taste, but with less calories. Instead of pouring ranch all over your salad ask for dressing on the side, or go with a lighter option like oil and vinegar. Opt for hummus and salsa instead of heavy dips like spinach and artichoke.

Monitor Your Portions
We've all heard that the portion sizes in America have grown tremendously over the years. Well, it's true, and remember, you don't have to eat everything on your plate! Be more conscious of the amount of food you're eating, and try only eating half of your bagel in the morning. Cut your sandwich in half — eat the first half, and then check in with your body. Are you still starving? Probably not. Save the other half for your next meal. You'll save money and calories.

Don't Super Size
Fast food is convenient. When you're always on the go, it's hard to find the time to cook a meal. You don't have to eliminate the drive thru from your life just make better choices. Go for a regular cheeseburger instead of a quarter pounder. Better yet, choose a grilled chicken sandwich. Skip the large fountain soda for a small or a bottle of water. Just these small changes can have big results over time!

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Foot Care Tips for an Active Lifestyle

April 12, 2013 by

Your feet are one of the most important parts of your body, and you subject them to a lot of abuse every single day. Foot pain can be seriously debilitating, whether it be from strains, blisters or other issues. Here are some helpful tips for keeping your feet in good shape.

The most important thing you can do for your feet is wearing the right kind of shoe. Not only should they fit snugly, but they should also be appropriate for the kind of activity you are doing. Different kinds of shoes are designed for different things, so make sure your shoe offers the ideal combination of support and comfort.

Good sock selection is also very important. It’s important to wear socks that will wick moisture away from your feet as you exercise. Excess moisture left on the skin can result in blisters, fungal infections and more.

Toenail care is essential for healthy feet. You should always trim your toenails in straight lines perpendicular to your toes. This prevents ingrown nails and other issues. Make sure not to trim down the side of the nail.

If you feel anything unusual with your feet, you should consult a podiatrist immediately. Left undiagnosed, foot problems can lead to very significant health issues that can impact you greatly.

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