Monthly Archive: June 2011

Jun
25

Can you Lose Weight and Still Eat Fast Food?

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Weight loss with the help of a healthy diet is what we all have heard of, but strange enough it has been proven that weight loss can also be accomplished with the help of consumption of a suitable junk food diet too. Generally, the main concept of losing weight is targeting the correct caloric intake to stay fit and trim. The label on products that tells caloric value is being used to develop the normal diet plan; the optimal target is usually 800 to 1000 calories per day as suggested by dieticians.

You can eat Mexican fast food and not have to eat the taco salad in the edible bowl. That taco salad at Taco Bell that you probably think is a healthy choice contains 860 calories and 46 grams of fat. Even without the edible bowl, the salad still has 490 calories and 25 grams of fat. When at Taco Bell, consider having something with a soft flour or corn tortilla that is done in their “fresco style,” which means they use a salsa of tomatoes, onions, and cilantro in place of cheese and sauce on an item. Two grilled steak tacos done in their fresco style contains 340 calories and 10 grams of fat. Two of their ranchero chicken soft tacos are 340 calories and 8 grams of fat. If you are at any fast food Mexican restaurant, look for meals with flour or corn tortillas that are not deep fried; salsa toppings instead of ones containing cheese, cheese sauces, and sour cream; low fat cheese instead of full fat cheese if you really want the cheese.

If you want to eat a regular hamburger, skip that slice of processed American cheese. We all know that fries aren’t a healthy choice, a side salad with light dressing is much better. If you must have to have fries (and once in a while is okay), have the smallest size available. You may have to order the kid’s meal to get a small order of fries, but that’s okay. For a drink, make your choice a water or diet soft drink.

Grilled chicken sandwiches are okay if you skip all the extra toppings. You want to stay away from deep fried chicken sandwiches, once that chicken goes for a swim in the deep fryer, it’s not so healthy. A grilled chicken sandwich from Wendy’s has 370 calories and 8 grams of fat. A deep fried chicken fillet sandwich from Wendy’s has 470 calories and 16 grams of fat.

While eating fast food is not something any health expert will recommend having for every meal every day of the week, a person can eat fast food some of the time and still lose weight. It is all about being informed about the amount of calories and nutrition in each of the meals and making the best possible choice.

Here are some links to additional information:

Girl’s Health

Fat Calories

Help Guide

Jun
15

Dieting While on Vacation

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Everyone loves going on vacation, but staying on my diet can be a real pain. So, here are some tips that can help you make it through your vacation and still lose a pound or two:

First of all, have realistic expectations and do not anticipate losing as much as you would when you are at home and following your normal, every day schedule. Accepting this will help you not to become too discouraged when you get back home and jump on that scale. Be happy if you only lose a pound or two, depending on how long you have been vacationing, or even just being the same weight as you were before you went on vacation. When you are on vacation attempt to stay away from eating something because it looks really good. Do not go out and eat dessert every day unless it is a sugar free variety.

vacationThere is no need to stick to a certain dish when you are on a vacation. You may be comfortable eating a particular type of fruit salad every morning. However, this does not mean you cannot or should not eat any other type of salad. It is just a question of flexibility. Do you fear that having a different dish will cause you to ruinp your diet? If so, chances are high that you will skip your diet anyways. It is better to give yourself a chance by trying this approach instead of simply concluding that you cannot continue with your diet.

Travel to locations that encourage you to walk. I found that here in Miami Beach, the hotels are located on the main drag, and the main drag is chock full of shops, cafes, restaurants, beaches, activities, and places of interest. You don’t really need a vehicle here, everything is within walking distance. For other tours and activities, just have a taxi pick you up.

When, not if, you go out, it’d be a good idea to focus on foods that are higher in protein and lower in calories. This means opting for sandwiches with grilled meat as opposed to fried. Try to get chicken breasts instead of beef (as most beef tends to be really low quality and full of fat which equals more calories). If you have the chance to visit a sandwich shop, just get double meat with lots of veggies and a you’ve a nice dose of protein and a good balance of other nutrients.

Going on vacation should not be stressful. After all, we go on vacation to give us a break from the daily pressures and the stress. The last thing that we want to do though, especially if you have lost weight, is to regain and start all over again from square one. Try to use your self-control while vacationing and enjoy the things around you, not what is in front of you at meals and you will not only come back from vacation rested, but at the same weight, possibly even a pound lighter, when you return.

Here is some other great information:

Information from Oprah

Travel Tips

Travel Sense

Jun
10

Can Healthy Foods also make you Fat?

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I thought all healthy foods foods were good for you – they are, but I learned to watch my serving sizes.

Jun
06

Dieting for the Diabetic

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If you are diabetic your doctor will likely recommend that you see a dietitian to help you make changes to your eating patterns that will control your blood sugar (glucose) level and manage your weight. Rely on a registered dietitian to help you put together a diet based on your health goals, tastes, and lifestyle.

When you eat an excessive amount of calories and fat, your body responds by raising your blood glucose level. If your blood glucose level isn’t controlled, it can lead to more serious problems such as hyperglycemia or chronic complications, such as nerve, kidney and heart damage. A diabetic must monitor their food intake to ensure that the blood glucose level stays within a safe range.

For most people with type 2 diabetes, losing weight also makes it easier to control blood glucose and offers a host of other health benefits. If you need to lose weight, a diabetes diet can provide a nutritious way to reach your goal safely.

Some recommended foods for a healthy diabetic diet include the following:

* Healthy carbohydrates. During digestion, sugars (simple carbohydrates) and starches (complex carbohydrates) break down into blood glucose. Try and eat the healthiest carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans, peas and lentils) and low-fat dairy products.
* Fiber-rich foods. Dietary fiber includes all parts of plant foods that your body can’t digest or absorb. Fiber can lower the risk of heart disease and help maintain the proper blood sugar levels. Foods high in fiber include vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes (beans, peas and lentils), whole-wheat flour and wheat bran.
* Fish. Eat the proper type of fish at least twice a week. Fish can be a good alternative to high-fat meats. Cod, tuna and halibut, for example, have less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than do meat and poultry. Fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health by lowering blood fats called triglycerides. However, avoid fried fish and fish with high levels of mercury, such as swordfish and king mackerel.
* Fats. Foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as avocados, almonds, pecans, walnuts, olives, and canola, olive and peanut oils, can help lower your cholesterol levels. Eat them sparingly, however, as all fats are high in calories.

The following foods should be avoided as they increase your risk of heart disease and stroke by accelerating the development of clogged and hardened arteries:

* Saturated fats. High-fat dairy products and animal proteins such as beef, hot dogs, sausage and bacon contain saturated fats. Get no more than 7 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat.
* Trans fats. These types of fats are found in processed snacks, baked goods, shortening and stick margarines and should be avoided completely.
* Cholesterol. Sources of cholesterol include high-fat dairy products and high-fat animal proteins, egg yolks, shellfish, liver and other organ meats. Aim for no more than 200 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol a day.
* Sodium. Aim for less than 2,000 mg of sodium a day.

There are a few different approaches to creating a planned diabetes diet that keeps your blood glucose level within a normal range. With a dietitian’s help, you may find one or more of the following methods that will work for you.

* Counting carbohydrates. Because carbohydrates break down into glucose, they have the greatest impact on your blood glucose level. It’s important to make sure your timing and total intake of carbohydrates are the same each day, especially if you take diabetes medications or insulin. Otherwise, your blood glucose level may fluctuate more. A dietitian can teach you how to measure food portions and become educated at reading food labels, paying special attention to serving size and carbohydrate content. If you’re taking insulin, he or she can teach you how to count the amount of carbohydrates in each meal or snack and adjust your insulin dose accordingly.
* The exchange system. A dietitian may recommend using an exchange system, which groups foods into categories such as carbohydrates, meats and meat substitutes, and fats. One serving in a group is called an exchange. An exchange has about the same amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat and calories and the same effect on your blood glucose as a serving of every other food in that same group. So, for example, you could exchange, or trade, one small apple for 1/3 cup of cooked pasta, for one carbohydrate serving.
* Glycemic index. Some people who have diabetes use the glycemic index to select foods, especially carbohydrates. Foods with a high glycemic index are associated with greater increases in blood sugar than are foods with a low glycemic index. But low-index foods aren’t necessarily healthier, as foods that are high in fat tend to have lower glycemic index values than do some healthier options.

If you have diabetes, it’s extremely important that you consult with your doctor and dietitian to create an eating plan that works for you. Healthy foods, portion control and scheduling are necessary to manage your blood glucose level. If you stray from your prescribed diet, you run the risk of fluctuating blood sugar levels and more-serious complications.

Here are some links to some more good information about Dieting for the Diabetic:

Help Guide

The Guardian

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