In the May 2007 issue of O, the Oprah Magazine, there was an article called “Soothing Hunger’s Savage Beast” which talked about six different strategies for satisfaction. These strategies can help you overcome hunger in the toughest moments when you’re likely to go crazy and overeat when food is placed in front of you. I found all of the strategies to be helpful, and thought you might too.

1. Pile on the protein - it’ll make you feel more satisfied than any other nutrient. You can get protein from sources like yogurt, milk, and lean meats.
2. Fill up with Fiber - we’ve talked about the importance of fiber before but its importance in overcoming hunger is huge. It’ll take up space in your stomach and digests slowly so that you’ll feel full longer.
3. Get some nuts! - When your stomach is growling at you, it’s doing so because of a hormone called ghrelin.  Eating nuts will cause the ghrelin levels in your body to lower.
4. Take a walk! - A brisk walk has actually been found to temporarily suppress your hunger.
5. Keep your hands busy - choose a snack in which you’ll have to work to get the food like pistachio nuts.
6. Sooth the taste buds - perhaps you’re not actually hungry but you just want to taste something.  Dr. Oz says to try a strong mint or a breath strip and that just might be enough to satisfy your taste buds.

When you’re at the grocery store, there’s isle upon isle of packaged foods. We know to avoid many of them, but there are some that aren’t so bad for you after all.  These foods can be incorporated into your day for a balanced, well-rounded diet. Women’s Health sent out a nutritionist and weight-loss expert shopping to find the packaged foods that are actually on the healthy side. Here’s some of what she came up with (find the whole list here):

Breads, Pasta and Rice

• Thomas’ 100% Whole Wheat Mini Bagels
• Kashi Heart to Heart breakfast cereal
• Barbara’s Bakery Cinnamon Puffins for snacking
• Quaker Nutrition for Women oatmeal
• Bare Naked All Naturals Granola
• Prepperidge Farm 100% Whole Beat Natural Whole Grain Bread
• Barilla Plus Pasta

Dairy, Soy and Eggs

• Stonyfield Farm Fat Free Peach Yogurt
• Kraft 2% Milk White American Singles
• Sargento Light String Cheese Snacks
• Kraft Light n’ Lively Lowfat Cottage Cheese with Calcium

Meat and Fish

• Oscar Meyer Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Natural
• Healthy Choice Thin Sliced Honey Ham
• Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in Water
• Oscar Mayer Louis Rich Turkey Bacon

Freezer Foods

• Lean Cuisine Spa Cuisine Chicken in Peanut Sauce
• Birds Eye Steamfresh Fresh Frozen Vegetables
• Boca All American Classic Meatless Burgers
• Gardenburger Portabella Frozen Veggie Burger

Soups

• Amy’s Organic Lentil Vegetables Soup Light in Sodium
• Healthy Choice Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup
• Imagine Organic Creamy Broccoli Soup in a box

Snacks

• PriaGrain Eswsentials Energy Bar
• Fiber One Oats & Chocolate Chewy Bars
• Nature Valley Roasted Almond Granola Bars

Desserts

• Skinny Cow Ice Cream Cones
• Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sundaes
• Edy’s/Dreyers Loaded Frozen Dairy Desserts
• FrozFruit SuperFruit Pomegranate Cherry

Drinks

• Tropicana Light n’ Healthy Orange Juice
• Minute Maid Light Raspberry Passion

Dressings and Condiments

• Peanut Butter & Co. Crunch Time All Natural Peanut Butter
• Philadelphis Light Strawberry Cream Cheese
• Smucker’s Low Sugar Red Raspberry Preserves
• Salpica Rustic Tomato Salsa
• Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been one that has to make a grocery list before I get to the store so that I know what I’m buying.  This also prevents me from forgetting something important that I need, and then making another trip to the store to get it later on.  The only exception to my list-making habit is when there’s just one or two things that I need. After reading an article over at Shape, I’m thinking I should make a list even when there’s just a few things that I need, and so should you.

So why is making a grocery list, no matter how big or how small important? Well, it helps you stick to what you actually need and helps you avoid buying things that you don’t, namely the unhealthy foods like cakes, cookies, and chips. This means even when you have just three things you need, still make a list and stick to it.  It’s easy to get into the store and pickup anything that you see even if you don’t need it.  According to a study from New York University, “The brainpower you use trying to remember what to buy takes away from the mental strength needed to resist temptation.”

Looks like I’ll be making yet more shopping lists…

It’s the time of year when many of us will be spending more time socializing with family, friends, and co-workers. Those who are throwing the party or invited you over are going to feel obligated to offer you food, and it’ll likely be foods that you’re trying to avoid. Food Pushers are going to be around every corner, so you need to know what to do in advance so that you can enjoy yourself, but keep your lifestyle and diet on track.

• You’re invited to happy hour … Your friends and co-workers are going to want you to enjoy a cocktail with them, but it’s not hard to get out of this one. If you must drink, choose a low calorie beer or wine spritzer. Then just babysit the drink all night long!
• Your spouse, partner, boyfriend or girlfriend … If they’re not watching their calories, they’ll probably want to indulge with your company. One way to solve this is to get them involved in eating healthy too, but allow one day where you two can indulge together.
• Boss bought lunch at the office… and it wouldn’t be polite to not show up. Eat a healthy snack in the middle of the morning so you aren’t so hungry, and then eat a few bites of what they’ve bought.
• The in-laws invite you over for a calorie filled, high-fat dinner… Offer to bring a dish to pass, and make it something you’ll feel comfortable eating. Then just take small portions of what they offer and eat a bite or two.
• You’re on a date… and your date takes you to a nice restaurant where he wants to impress you. Telling him you’re on a diet may not be such a great idea if you don’t know each other well, so either order something healthy for yourself, or make up an excuse like you ate a late lunch. Then he’ll be understanding when you just nibble on the five course meal he ordered for you.

Source: AOL Body

I don’t know about you, but I’m STILL trying to get rid of Thanksgiving leftovers, especially turkey which seems to be never ending. Instead of continuing to eat the turkey on a sandwich for lunch, I decided to seek out a recipe for soup… but not just plain ole’ traditional turkey soup. I found a recipe for Tex-Mex Turkey soup and it sounds delicious! If you still have a plate full of turkey you’d like to get rid of, give this recipe a try.

 All you’ll need:

One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces raw, dried angel hair pasta, broken into 1″ pieces
3 cups drained, canned pinto beans
6 cups low-sodium turkey or chicken stock
1 1/2 cups cooked, diced turkey
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
chopped, fresh cilantro for garnish

All you’ll do:

1. In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic and Cajun seasonings. Process until smooth.

2. In a heavy soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta starts to turn golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the beans, tomato mixture and the chicken stock. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the turkey and heat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Ladle the soup into 6 bowls and garnish with the cilantro. Serve immediately.

Serving Size: about 1 1/2 cups

Calories per serving: 283

Fat grams per serving: 6

When you decide that you want to change your lifestyle so that you’re happier and healthier, it can be daunting to think of all the things that you need to do to get there. If you set out and think you have to do it all at once, chances are, you’ll fail.  Today we’re going to look at just five foods that you should cut back on that will give you the start that you need to get you on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

• Sodium
  Pay attention to the sodium content in the foods that you eat.  Frozen foods, fast food, and foods from restaurants are almost always extremely high in sodium. High sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure among other things. Use fresh ingredients when you cook, and you’ll have no trouble lowering the amount of salt that you consume.
• Caffeine
  You don’t have to eliminate caffeine from your diet, at least not yet. But what you should do is cut back. It really doesn’t do your body much good, and you’ll be better off without it.
• Sugar
  Sugar provides you with no nutrients and can lead to weight gain. Instead of turning to candy, cakes, and pies, try eating a piece of fresh fruit. It’ll help satisfy your sweet tooth and provide you with nutrients, all at the same time.
• Fats and Cholesterol
  Our bodies need fat- it’s a given. But, out bodies don’t need fat in the amount that many of us eat it. Fast food often times is nothing but fat and cholesterol, especially fast food that’s fried. Try to reduce or eliminate foods that are high in fat like butter and gravies, ice cream, fatty meats, and fried foods.
• Alcohol and smoking
  Most alcohol has a high sugar content which we know can promote weight gain. Remember to drink in moderation or eliminate it completely, and avoid tobacco.

Source: Yahoo Health

Yesterday we talked about a few things that you can do to keep the holiday weight off, so today I thought we’d look at ways you can make Thanksgiving dinner just a bit healthier and easier on your figure. Given the average Thanksgiving dinner has over 2,000 calories, eating healthy is key!

• Don’t show up to Thanksgiving dinner starving! You’ll eat a lot more.  Be sure to eat a great breakfast and if time allows, lunch. This will prevent you from overeating once all of that food is before your eyes.
• Fill your plate with veggies! If there are multiple vegetables, take some of each. Once your plate is half filled with veggies, choose a starch and leave room for that turkey.
• Limit high fat items — like gravy! Other items like green bean casserole and mashed potatoes are usually loaded with fat. If you’d like to indulge a little, be sure to do so in moderation.
• Portion-size - Keep an eye out for portion sizes! It’s easy to load up a big mound of potatoes and stuffing, so be conscious of what you’re putting on your plate.
• Choose a skinless piece of turkey - The skin of the turkey just provides you with fat and cholesterol which we all could do without.  Choose an appropriate portion of turkey… but leave the skin.

It’s Thanksgiving week and we all know what that means — food, food, and more food. It’s inevitable that between now and the start of the new year, most of us will be indulging a bit with friends and family. Just because you indulge doesn’t mean you have to gain a bunch of weight. Here are a few suggestions to keeping the weight off and enjoying the holidays a bit more.

1. Send all the leftovers home! If you’re cooking for a bunch of people, be sure to send all of those mashed potatoes and stuffing home with your friends and family. Keep the turkey though, that’ll be great on top of a salad or a sandwich.
2. Set weekly exercise goals. With holiday parties and the hustle and bustle of shopping, it’s easy to ditch the exercise. Keep it a part of your routine, and you’ll be able to indulge here and there without putting the pounds on.
3. If by chance you do skip the exercise and over-indulge (notice I said it’s okay to indulge, just not over-indulge) — don’t beat yourself up.  Keep a positive attitude and do your best to stay on-track.
4. Pick and choose the times that you’re going to drink alcohol.  Alcohol is simply empty calories and you should limit your intake as much as possible. Instead of two glasses of wine, have one. Two or three beers? Not such a good idea nor is multiple martinis or a couple long island’s.
5. Don’t stress! The holidays can be a stressful time, but try not to stress like crazy. Stress can increase the chemicals in the body that cause weight-gain, especially around the mid-section.

Finally…. have fun! It’s a great time of the year and you deserve to enjoy it.

Source

Can you imagine life without a Microwave? I can’t. I use it all the time for cooking frozen veggies, popping popcorn, and heating up those leftovers from last night’s dinner. I must admit, it’s one of the more useful appliances I have around the house and one that simplifies my life. While I use it frequently, I’m not “addicted” to it.

So what do I mean by addicted? According to Jo Ann Hattner, RD, clinical dietitian at Stanford University Medical Center, many of us have an addiction to the microwave.  We come home from work, starving, and pop a frozen dinner into the microwave. Minutes later, dinner is on the table and your stomach has been satisfied.  What’s wrong with this picture is that a small frozen meal alone usually isn’t enough, but more importantly, you’re not getting enough fiber and antioxidants.

Did the scenario I just described sound like you? Here’s what you can do to get all of the nutrients that you need: Instead of eating just the frozen dinner alone, try pairing it with a green leafy salad and a small whole wheat roll.  Should your sweet tooth crop up later on you, try eating a piece of fruit for dessert.  This way you’ll get the nutrients that you need, and you’ll probably walk away from the table feeling more satisfied than if you had just eaten the frozen dinner alone.

Source: Yahoo Health

Given that November is diabetes awareness month, I thought we’d take a look at the huge roll that weight plays. Here’s the thing about diabetes — it’s actually one of the few diseases that can be controlled and even prevented if you eat right and keep your weight down. Because we all have control over what foods we choose to put into our bodies, we can all decide to be healthy and work on preventing diabetes. The bottom line is simply this- if you want to prevent diabetes or improve your health if you have diabetes, you need to lose weight which you can do by following some of these guidelines:

• Portion control, portion control, portion control - this is huge! No matter which restaurant you go to these days - they give you well over one portion, not to mention the foods are generally high in sodium, fat, and calories. Use smaller plates, or just put less food on your plate to begin with, and try staying away from restaurants and fast food! You deserve to be healthy and fast food isn’t going to get you there.
• Eat at least 3 meals every day - Yes, everyday! Eating one or two large meals each day doesn’t do your body any good. You need at least 3 meals each day, or you can take the route that I usually do and eat 5 small meals each day. DO NOT skip on breakfast– it’s important which means it should be healthy. Try a cereal like Kashi Go Lean Crunch which is high in fiber and other nutrients that your body needs.
• Eat slowly - you’ve heard this before. Your body takes about 20 minutes to signal the brain that you’re full.  If you eat slower and STOP when you feel full, you won’t overeat. There’s absolutely no need to “clear your plate.” When you’re full, stop.
• Share portions when eating out - this is something my husband and I do all the time. Anytime we’re out at a restaurant, we always share unless we’re really wanting something different. If that’s the case — we ALWAYS take at least half of our meals home.
• Don’t drink your calories - Soda pop is loaded with calories. Avoid it. Water is best, followed by milk.
• Pay close attention to cooking method - Stay away from fried foods! Fried foods are much higher in calories and fat. Try grilling, broiling, or baking instead.
• Limit high-calorie condiments - You’d be surprised at how many calories certain condiments have like butter, mayo, creamy sauces like tarter sauce, and salad dressings. These calories can really add up, so try alternatives like mustard instead of mayo.
• Fill up on veggies - Veggies are good for you, it’s as simple as that. They’re the one food group with the lowest amount of calories.

If you already have diabetes, it’s even more important that you follow the guidelines above. Diabetes is a very serious disease, and taking it lightly like regularly eating sweets, eating out, skipping meals, and eating foods high in fat can lead to more medical problems and even death.

Have a family member with diabetes? Let them know that it’s diabetes awareness month and that you care about their health and well-being!

Source: Yahoo Health