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Thursday Thoughts

We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies.

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10 Diet Myths

Low-fat! Low-carb! Eat all day! Don't eat after eight! Finally, the honest to goodness truth about how to keep your weight under control.

Myth No. 1: Don’t eat after 8 p.m. The Theory: You burn up the food you eat earlier in the day, while late-night calories sit in your system and turn into fat. The Reality: Calories can’t tell time. “Your body digests and uses calories the same way morning, noon, and night,” says Mary Flynn, Ph.D., a research dietitian at the Miriam Hospital, in Providence. They may sit around a little longer if you eat, then lie on the couch and watch Letterman, but when you move around the next day, your body will dip into its stores. That said, there are other solid reasons to avoid late-night snacking, not least of which is that snacks you grab when you’re tired tend to be unhealthy ones. The Best Advice: If you often unwind before bed with a bowl of ice cream or buttered popcorn, try cutting the snack out. The calories saved may be enough for you to lose a few pounds a year. If you’re hungry, “eat something on the light side, like a piece of fruit or some cereal with milk,” says Ellie Krieger, a registered dietitian and the author of The Food You Crave (Taunton, $28., www.amazon.com). Night eaters tend to overeat (which leads to weight gain no matter when it’s done) because often they’ve been skimping during the day and come home famished. Being so hungry that you grab whatever is at hand means you’re more likely to make poor choices. “Don’t go longer than about five hours without eating,” says Jo Ann Hattner, a registered dietitian and a nutrition consultant in San Francisco. Just be careful to keep your meals and snacks small.

Myth No. 2: Eating small, frequent meals boosts your metabolism. The Theory: If you keep adding small amounts of food to your fire (the fire being your metabolism), you will keep it going strong and burn more calories overall. The Reality: Food intake has a negligible effect on metabolism. Some foods, including those with caffeine, may slightly and temporarily increase metabolism, but the effect is too small to help you lose weight. What most affects your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the rate at which your body burns calories at rest, is body composition and size. More muscles and bigger bodies generally burn more calories overall. The Best Advice: Build up your muscles. A pound of fat-free tissue burns about 14 calories a day, while a pound of fat burns just two to three calories. And while that difference may not sound like a lot, it will certainly help over time. Remember, too, that when you lose pounds, part of that weight is muscle, warns Liz Neporent, an exercise physiologist and the president of Wellness 360, a New York City–based corporate-wellness-consulting company. That’s why strength training is even more important if you’re on a weight-loss mission. Try the seven-exercise Muscle Maintenance Workout. And if you hate lifting weights, you can instead maintain your muscles by going to a Pilates, body-sculpting, or power-yoga class two to three times a week.

Myth No. 3: Pasta makes you fat. The Theory: When you eat carbohydrates, your body turns them into sugars, which are then stored as fat. The Reality: Carbohydrates per se don’t make you fat; extra calories do, whether you eat them in the form of carbs, fats, or protein. Besides, carbohydrates include vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, which are important parts of a healthy diet. In short, the problem isn’t pasta but the sheer volume consumed. “Americans tend to eat too much carbohydrates, fat, and protein. But they overeat carbs most of all,” says Barbara Moore, Ph.D., a nutritionist in Clyde Park, Montana, and a spokesperson for the American Society for Nutrition. “You go to a restaurant and you’re served three cups of pasta with lots of sauce.” Those three cups of pasta can pack up to 600 calories without the sauce. The Best Advice: Pasta in moderation is fine. Dietitians recommend two or three ounces of uncooked noodles per person — or half of a one-pound box to serve a family of four. This may look like a puny amount, but try thinking of “pasta as an ingredient, rather than as the basis of a dish,” says Mark Bittman, author of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (Wiley, $35, www.amazon.com). “Start with a lot of grilled or sautéed vegetables and maybe a tomato-based sauce. Then add some pasta, sparingly.” If you want protein, add beans, chicken, or shellfish. (For some delicious pasta dishes, see Healthy Pasta Recipes. Make your pasta — or bread or rice or cereal — whole-grain, which has more vitamins and minerals than white pasta. You’ll also be getting fiber, which helps you feel full.

Myth No. 4: Coffee can help you lose weight. The Theory: The caffeine in coffee acts as an appetite suppressant and a metabolism booster. The Reality: While coffee may temporarily squelch your appetite, drinking a couple of cups a day won’t have enough of an effect to help you lose weight. Besides, pouring too much coffee into your system — drinking, say, four to seven cups a day — may lead to anxiety, sleeplessness, and an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. The Best Advice: Enjoy a cup or two of coffee (or tea) every day, if you please. Just be sure that if you add anything to the brew — like cream, sugar, or cocoa powder — you take those calories into account. For example, a 16-ounce Starbucks café mocha can contain a whopping 330 calories (60 more than some chocolate bars). What’s more, those calories might not make you feel as full as the same number of calories eaten in solid form.Another coffee concern: sleep disruption, which new evidence reveals is linked to weight control. “Every time people feel tired, they think, I have to have a latte,” says Liz Applegate, Ph.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of California, Davis. “They become addicted to caffeine on a higher level, and it takes four to six hours to clear out of the system. Sleep is not as good, and you’re tired the next day.” And probably hungrier, too. At least two studies have shown that when people are sleep-deprived, they produce more of the hormone ghrelin, an appetite stimulant, and less leptin, an appetite suppressant. Not to mention that your resistance to the doughnut’s siren song is a whole lot lower when you’re pooped.

Myth No. 5: Milk can help you lose weight. The Theory: Calcium helps the body break down fat more efficiently, stimulating weight loss. The Reality: Dairy doesn’t appear to have magic properties. A few studies from the mid-2000s concluded that dieters who consumed dairy lost more weight than dieters who did not. But other studies showed no effect, and still others showed a link between high milk consumption and eating more calories. The Best Advice: Go ahead and eat dairy products, but stick with low-fat versions, which are lower in both calories and unhealthy saturated fats. Milk products are loaded with calcium, of course, but how much calcium you need is a matter of debate. The government recommends at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium for adults under 50 years old (about the amount in three cups of milk) and 1,200 milligrams for people over 50; however, the Harvard School of Public Health holds that no one really knows the healthiest, safest amount of calcium that adults should consume. If dairy products don’t agree with you, you can get calcium from fortified soy milk; fortified orange juice; dark green, leafy vegetables, such as kale and collard greens; and certain fish, such as canned salmon. Myth No. 6: Going on a diet is the best way to lose weight. The Theory: Switching to a prescriptive plan temporarily is the smartest way to drop pounds. The Reality: Short-term, you do lose weight on any plan that results in your eating fewer calories. But temporary changes don’t lead to permanent losses. “A diet won’t work if you think of it as doing a different thing for a while and then you’re going to stop doing it,” says Christopher Gardner, an assistant professor of nutritional science at Stanford University School of Medicine. “If you have a new way of eating and think, I’m going to eat like this forever, that’s the way to lose weight.” And keep it off. The Best Advice: Don’t go on a “diet” — a quick fix that begins on New Year’s Day or before bathing-suit season. Instead, change the way you eat. Find a satisfying eating plan that you can live with long-term, and make sure you’re eating the right amount of calories for weight loss. Then, when you’ve taken off some weight, don’t go back to eating as much as you did before you cut calories. “To maintain a lighter weight, you have to eat a little less than you did to maintain your heavier weight before,” says Gardner.Besides, dieting alone won’t work as well as dieting plus exercise — a little bit of exercise, or maybe a lot. Since 1994 the National Weight Control Registry has followed and analyzed the habits of successful weight losers (defined as people who have maintained at least a 30-pound weight loss for a year or more). Among its findings: Those who kept weight off exercised — with brisk walking or some other moderate-intensity activity — an average of one hour a day. “One of the most important aspects of weight maintenance is a high dose of physical activity,” says Rena Wing, Ph.D., a cofounder of the registry and a professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School, at Brown University.

Myth No. 7: Eating protein and carbs at different meals will help you lose weight. The Theory: Protein and carbohydrates require different enzymes for digestion; if you eat the two separately, you improve digestion and further weight loss. The Reality: Your digestive tract can handle a variety of food groups at the same time. There is no proof that eating protein and carbohydrates separately aids digestion or weight loss, says nutritionist Christopher Gardner. Indeed, it’s healthier to combine protein and fiber-filled carbs than to separate them. “The pairing of protein and fiber is what fills you up the most and gives you the most energy,” says Elisa Zied, a New York City–based registered dietitian and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “An apple is good, but an apple with peanut butter is more filling.” Also, some of the best foods for you — nuts, seeds, legumes — are made up of both protein and carbohydrates. “To people who say that you should separate protein and carbohydrates, I say, ‘Why did God make beans?’” says dietitian Ellie Krieger. The Best Advice: Eat protein along with carbs, but choose with care. The best protein choices are lean meats, poultry, low-fat dairy products, and tofu, because they have little (if any) saturated fat. The best carbs are whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which offer more health benefits than refined grains. “Those foods take longer to absorb, so there’s a slower release into the body and a more steady energy source,” says Hope Barkoukis, an assistant professor of nutrition at Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland. Myth No. 8: To lose weight, you need to cut calories drastically. The Theory: Eat much less; weigh much less. The Reality: Sure, if you subsist on 1,200 calories a day, you’ll take off weight, but it won’t be for long. Consider an analysis of 31 studies of long-term diets, where the diets averaged 1,200 calories a day. The report, published last April in American Psychologist, found that within four to five years, the majority of dieters in these studies regained the weight they had lost. “Psychologically, it’s difficult for people to adhere to strict diets over a long period because they feel deprived and hungry,” says Traci Mann, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, and the lead author of the report. “Also, our bodies are brilliant at keeping us alive when we try to starve them.” Your body becomes more efficient at using the calories you consume, so you need fewer to survive. In addition, people who are put on a very-low-calorie diet (800 calories a day) have an increased risk of developing gallstones and digestive issues. The Best Advice: Don’t starve yourself. “If you want to lose weight and keep it off forever, you need a modest calorie restriction that you simply continue and never stop,” says nutritionist Christopher Gardner. But what’s the right number of calories for you? Use this easy formula, a favorite of cardiologist Thomas Lee, editor in chief of the Harvard Heart Letter.First find your activity level on the table below. Multiply your weight by the number indicated. (You may fall between two categories. If that’s the case, adjust the number by adding a point or so.) The result is the number of calories you need to maintain your weight. Let’s say you weigh 135 pounds and do light exercise one to three days a week. Multiply 135 by 13.5 to get, approximately, 1,800 calories. If you want to drop some pounds, try cutting out 250 calories a day, says Lee. In a year, if you make no other changes, you could be 26 pounds lighter. Exercise more and you could lose more, too. And Your Number Is… You Exercise: Almost never Multiply Your Current Weight By: 12 You Exercise: Lightly, one to three days a week Multiply Your Current Weight By: 13.5 You Exercise: Moderately, three to five days a week Multiply Your Current Weight By: 15.5 You Exercise: Vigorously, six to seven days a week Multiply Your Current Weight By: 17 You Exercise: Vigorously, daily, and you have a physical job Multiply Your Current Weight By: 19 Myth No. 9: Diet foods help you diet. The Theory: Low-fat, low-carb, and artificially sweetened packaged foods make losing weight painless. The Reality: Low-fat and low-carb don’t always mean low-cal, and if you’re trying to lose weight, stocking up on these treats could undermine your efforts. In a series of recent studies, for instance, participants ate up to 50 percent more of foods that the researchers falsely labeled “low-fat” than they did of the same exact foods with real labels. “Consumers expect that low-fat M&M’s contain 20 percent fewer calories than their regular counterparts,” concluded the authors of the studies, Brian Wansink, Ph.D., and Pierre Chandon, Ph.D., in the Journal of Marketing Research, in November 2006. “Importantly, as a result, they expect that comparable increases in serving sizes are justified.” Some experts also believe that consuming artificial sweeteners might backfire. Two long-term studies looking at the drinking habits of thousands of people have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and being overweight. The Best Advice: When you’re tempted by a snack food that’s labeled “light” or “low-fat,” check the nutrition label. Look at how many calories are in a serving, then compare that number with the calories in a comparable product that’s not making a label claim. And then consider having just a small amount of the real thing. You may end up consuming fewer calories with, say, a full-fat product than you would with a low-fat version, because fat tends to be more satisfying. And take care that you don’t decide — consciously or not — that substituting a diet soda for a full-sugar one gives you license to eat a box of Valentine’s chocolates instead. Myth No. 10: Eating fat makes you fat. The Theory: Fat has nine calories per gram, whereas carbs and protein have only four per gram, so to lose weight you have to avoid fat. The Reality: Fat is not the enemy. Although fat-laden products can be full of calories, a modest amount of fat may help you feel full (so you eat less overall) and make healthy foods, like vegetables, taste better (so you may eat more of them). Fat also helps with the absorption of certain vitamins and phytonutrients, which are compounds in plants that are thought to promote health. The Best Advice: Eat fat, but don’t go overboard. And think about which fats you do eat, as some are better for you than others. Choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, found in liquid oils such as canola, safflower, and olive; most nuts; and fish. These fats don’t raise blood cholesterol levels and may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. The fats to limit or avoid are saturated fats, found mainly in beef and dairy products, and trans fats, which are in a lot of packaged foods, fried fast foods, and margarine. These are no more caloric than the good fats, but they are less healthful, as they increase the risk of heart disease. The Institute of Medicine, which advises the government on scientific matters, including health, recommends that when it comes to saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fats, you eat as little as possible. If we’ve learned anything as we’ve swung from low-fat to low-carb and back again, it’s this: There’s no need to eat dry salad or forgo any food you adore. Most everything in moderation will keep your weight where it belongs.

Information provided by: Real Simple

Vegetarian Chili

A sweet variety of chili, suitable for ALL phases of the South Beach Diet. 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large sweet onion, chopped 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup canned vegetable broth 32 ounce can crushed tomatoes 14 ounce can black beans, drained 14 ounce can kidney beans, drained Freshly cracked black pepper to taste 1 to 2 teaspoons dried chipotle pepper powder, or to taste Over moderate heat, add olive oil to a stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onion, peppers and garlic and saute' for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth, and the crushed tomatoes. Add beans to mixture and combine well. If too thick, add additional vegetable broth, up to 1/2 cup more. Gradually season with chipotle pepper, to taste. Reduce heat and simmer 10 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves 4 - generously.

Healthy Foods That Make You Feel Full

When it comes to diet-friendly foods that keep you feeling full for hours, your best bets include protein and fiber. Protein works because compared to carbohydrate and fat, protein takes a longer time to digest. Fiber helps by absorbing water, and therefore, expanding in your stomach and creating a feeling of fullness. Single foods that automatically combine the two - and are less than 200 calories - include ½ cup starchy beans (for example, navy, kidney, black, pinto and garbanzo beans) and one ounce nuts or seeds. When it comes to meal and snack combinations, your options are endless. The following menu provides a few meal ideas that fit the bill. Breakfast: ½ cup Kellogg’s All-Bran or General Mills Fiber One cereal, plus 1 cup of cinnamon-flavored Barbara’s Puffins, and 1 cup of Skim Plus (higher in protein than other milks). *You can also use 1 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal mixed with Skim Plus. Lunch: Large vegetable salad with 3-5 ounces grilled chicken, half cup chick peas, and low-calorie vinaigrette dressing. Dinner: Shrimp-vegetable stir fry with ½ cup brown rice. Snack Options (each between 100-200 calories): One piece of fruit + one ounce low-fat cheese 20 almonds or 35 pistachio nuts Non-fat yogurt topped with ½ cup high fiber cereal Courtesy of Joy's Healthy Bite

10 Second Stress Busters

1. Drink Tea Black tea has been shown to have an effect on stress hormone levels in the body. Researchers in England have found that people who drink black tea de-stress more quickly than those drinking a fake tea substitute. Tea contains catechins, polyphenols, flavonoids and amino acids that affect your brain's neurotransmitters and ultimately reduce blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 2. Go Nuts Next time you feel a bit cracked up, forgo the junk food and snack on some nuts instead. Nuts are typically high in tryptophan and magnesium, two key nutrients that support serotonin production. And almonds are especially high in stress-busting B vitamins, zinc, vitamin E and antioxidants. 3. Rub your Ears "According to Ayurveda, India's 5,000-year-old 'science of life,' there are marma points—like acupuncture points—in the ears that correspond to the various parts of the body," says Lissa Coffey, author/producer of the Dosha Yoga DVD. Simply rub the circumference of each ear—right hand on right ear and left hand on left ear—to instantly ease tension. 4. Take a Whiff Aromatherapy has calming effects that can tame the tension in no time. Proven stress-reducing aromas include lavender, lemon balm, chamomile and geranium. Carol Duncan, a registered aromatherapist and owner of Massage Central says to place a few drops of essential oils on cotton balls and place them a few inches from fans or heater vents or underneath your car seat. "Each time air passes over the cotton ball, the essential oils are reintroduced to the area," she explains. 5. Pop a Vitamin C Pill Researchers at the University of Alabama say that vitamin C reduces the levels of stress hormones in the blood, which may alleviate the body's response to stress. Studies suggest that 1,000 mg of vitamin C is most helpful. 6. Put on the Pressure "Self-administer acupressure," suggests Susan Lark MD, a leading authority on integrative medicine and women's health. Put your left finger at the base of your skull, then move it down the width of one finger, and then move it to the left the width of one finger. Position your right finger in the same place on the right side. Press both points for one to three minutes. According to Dr. Lark, a second stress-busting point is located four finger-widths below your kneecap and one finger-width to the outside of your shin. (You should feel a slight indentation.) 7. Eat Berries Blueberries, blackberries and other berries contain some of nature's most powerful antioxidants and are jam-packed with vitamin C, making them potent stress-busters. Stress causes the body to release free radicals—highly unstable oxygen molecules that can damage normal cells—and antioxidants help to neutralize those harmful molecules. 8. Strike a Yoga Pose "When we get stressed, we tend to tense up and cave our chest in," says Lissa. She recommends folding your hands as if in prayer behind your back, then pulling your shoulders back, tilting your head back and breathing deeply. 9. Stretch for Balance Another move that Lissa suggests is to sit in a chair with your left foot on the floor. Put your right ankle on your left knee and lean forward with a stretch. Hold it as far as you can go, then bend forward a bit more. Repeat on the other side. "This opens up your hips and balances that tensed up muscle feeling," she adds. 10. Reframe your Thoughts "Reframing simply means putting a different context around the situation," says Jay Winner, M.D., author of Take the Stress Out of Your Life. For example, Winner suggests thinking of time spent in a long line as a break from a busy day—a chance to relax your mind or meet someone new like the person standing next to you. A positive spin can counteract the stress-induced physiological changes that wreak havoc on your body. 11. Crave Complex Carbs Complex carbohydrates boost serotonin levels and keep a heightened sense of calm and relaxation for a longer period of time. Target carbs include whole-grain foods and cereals—such as whole-grain breads, oats and brown rice—as well as legumes such as peas, beans and lentils. 12. Take 10 Brian Jump, multi-day tour sales manager for Arizona Outback Adventures, breaks the tension of his long days by doing 10 jumping jacks, push-ups or anything that gets the blood flowing through the body. "This helps to release endorphins, which are a natural stress reliever," he says. 13. Laugh out Loud According to a University of California, Irvine study, even the expectation of a laugh boosts stress-busting hormones and increases hormones that induce relaxation—an effect that can last for up to 24 hours. Read a comic strip, check out the joke of the day or make funny faces in the mirror until you bust out with a belly laugh. 14. Eat 'Good Mood' Foods Certain foods contain compounds that may help the body produce mood-boosting neurochemicals. Dr. Lark, who's also author of Dr. Susan Lark's Hormone Revolution, says the following foods have been shown to produce a noticeable calming effect: turkey (high in tryptophan, taurine and B6); pumpkin seeds, spinach and black beans (all high in magnesium); papaya (high in vitamin C); and bananas (high in potassium). 15. Be in the Moment Focus on what's right in front of you, using your senses to connect with the environment. Dr. Winner suggests, for example, taking 10 seconds to smell the aroma of the food you're eating and savor its taste. "Take a few steps and let go of thoughts, feeling the ground massaging your feet with each step," he adds. Information provided by WDHealth.

8 Healthier Food Picks

To stay healthy and run strong, you need to make the right food choices. We show you how. By Liz Applegate, Ph.D, Runner's World You make choices every day—cash or charge, coffee or tea, Leno or Letterman. And most of these choices are easy. That is, you know what's best for you. (Letterman, definitely Letterman.) But take a stroll down any aisle in the grocery store, and suddenly simple choices disappear. Is a reduced-fat food truly a better option than its full-fat counterpart? Are vegetarian products more healthful than non-vegetarian versions? Having so many seemingly healthy choices makes it difficult to know for sure which foods are best for you and your running. Since I can't join you when you cruise the grocery store, I've done the next best thing: I've come up with a list of my picks for eight of the most puzzling food choices out there. Just remember that even when you've filled your cart with the best choices possible, you'll still be faced with one final question: Paper or plastic? Regular Peanut Butter vs. Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter Liz's pick: regular peanut butter. Check the label, and you'll find that both versions pack about 190 calories per 2-tablespoon serving. But, while the reduced-fat variety has less fat (12 grams versus 16 grams in regular), it has considerably more sugar. Even if you're looking to slash the fat in your diet for better heart health, you'll still want to stay away from the reduced-fat varieties. Why? Reduced-fat peanut butters contain hydrogenated vegetable oil, which is a primary source of artery-clogging trans fats. In comparison, regular peanut butter is a natural source of cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats. So when you opt for a reduced-fat peanut butter, you actually end up eating more unhealthy fats. And thanks to the healthy fats and the disease-fighting phytochemicals in regular peanut butter, it should be a part of every runner's diet. Bonus: The fat in peanut butter helps you feel full, making a PB and apple snack a great way to stave off late-afternoon hunger. Multi-Grain Bread vs. 100-Percent Whole-Wheat Bread Liz's pick: 100-percent whole-wheat bread. Sure, multi-grain breads such as 12-grain or 15-grain sound nutritionally impressive, but here's where label reading is a must. Bread labeled "100-percent whole-grain" is made with flour from the entire grain kernel, whether it be wheat, oat, or barley. But most multi-grain breads contain enriched-wheat flour along with other grain flours. This means most multi-grain breads typically offer less fiber and lower amounts of other key nutrients, such as zinc and vitamin E. Eating whole-grain bread makes great sense for runners because it packs a hefty dose of rejuvenating carbohydrates—about 40 grams in two slices. Aim for at least that many carbs soon after a tough run to restock glycogen stores. And on a daily basis, runners logging 20 to 40 miles per week should eat eight to 12 servings of grains, with one slice of whole-grain bread or a half-cup of whole-grain pasta counting as one serving. Reduced-Fat Potato Chips vs. Baked Potato Chips Liz's pick: baked potato chips. Nutritionist or not, I love crunchy chips as much as the next person, especially when they're loaded up with fiery salsa. By going "baked," you can get the great crunch of a potato chip without all the fat. A 1-ounce serving of baked chips (about 11 chips) has 130 calories, only 1.5 grams of fat, and 2 grams of fiber, while a reduced-fat version packs 140 calories, 7 grams of fat (1 gram of it saturated), and half the fiber. Baked chips fit easily into a performance-oriented diet. Eat them with nutrient-rich salsas or yogurt dips (try a dip with clams for added protein and zinc). But always keep an eye on the portion size (remember, 11 chips is about a 1-ounce serving). If you open a bag and munch mindlessly, you'll eat way more than a serving or two in no time. Turkey Franks vs. Beef Franks Liz's pick: neither. You'd assume the safe money would be on the turkey franks. But while most turkey franks have slightly less fat than beef hot dogs, they're both still loaded with fat. A traditional beef frank has about 16 grams of fat and 180 calories, compared with a regular turkey frank that weighs in with about 13 grams of fat and 150 calories. And since much of the fat in either frank is saturated, these dogs are best kept off your plate. If you like hot dogs, opt for a soy brand or a reduced-fat version, such as Healthy Choice franks. Soy dogs taste great (don't knock 'em until you've tried 'em) and come packed with extra nutrients you won't find in traditional dogs, such as 20 percent of the Daily Value for iron and 15 percent of the Daily Value for zinc. Soy dogs also supply about twice the protein of traditional dogs. As for reduced-fat franks, most come with just a few grams of fat and less than half the calories of regular franks (brands vary so check the Nutrition Facts food label). Frozen Yogurt vs. Light Ice Cream Liz's pick: light ice cream. Sure, yogurt sounds healthy—and, for the most part, it is. But in frozen form, yogurt can pack more sugar and calories than you expect. A half-cup serving of regular frozen yogurt contains 200 calories, about 5 grams of fat, and more than 4 teaspoons of sugar, while light ice cream comes with only 120 calories, less than 3 teaspoons of sugar, and the same amount of fat, with slightly less saturated fat. Sweet treats are a must for runners (there, you have it in writing). Since your running burns calories, fun foods like ice cream can easily fit into your healthy diet. During the summer months, top off a bowl of it with seasonal fresh berries and chocolate syrup. Or toss a scoop of light ice cream into the blender along with two types of fruit and a splash of fruit juice for a great recovery shake after your workout. Frozen Meat Lasagna vs. Frozen Vegetarian Lasagna Liz's pick: meat lasagna. Surprised? I was. Frozen lasagna is a favorite at our house, and often there's a battle over meat versus vegetarian. After I scrutinized the labels, the meat version came out on top with less fat, more protein, and the same amount of fiber as the vegetarian lasagna, which was loaded with fatty cheeses. Of course, brands vary, so read labels carefully to determine your best choice. Frozen entrées such as lasagna make great meals for runners. I often pop a large lasagna in the oven for a Monday night dinner, and serve it with a large mixed-greens salad and steamed vegetables. The leftovers make an easy take-along-to-work lunch or a postworkout meal with some whole-grain bread. Light Soft Margarine vs. Yogurt-Based Spread Liz's pick: too close to call. In this instance, go with your taste preference. Both of these options save on fat and saturated fat compared with regular margarine and butter. A tablespoon serving of light margarine or yogurt-based spread supplies about 50 calories and five grams of fat (with one gram saturated). That's a 60-percent fat savings compared with the full-fat versions. But both spreads contain hydrogenated vegetable oil, so you do get a tad of trans fats with them. Soymilk vs. Low-Fat Milk Liz's pick: low-fat milk. Thanks to its high-protein and low-fat content, low-fat milk (1-percent fat) is the winner here. An 8-ounce serving comes with 130 calories, just over 2 grams of fat, and 11 grams of protein (about 20 percent of the Daily Value), while soymilk provides the same number of calories, 4 grams of fat, and 7 grams of protein. But both are calcium rich, containing 30 percent of the calcium Daily Value. Yes, soymilk comes with health-boosting isoflavones that may stave off heart disease and cancer. But according to new research, milk drinkers have a reduced risk of developing insulin resistance syndrome, which typically leads to Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. That said, runners shouldn't bypass soy. Soymilk remains a wonderful soy option along with soy burgers, tofu, and a host of other soy products including tasty soy "sausages." Runners need more protein than sedentary folk (about 70 to 100 grams daily), and both low- and nonfat dairy, along with soy, are excellent protein sources. Visit lizapplegate.com for more nutrition and fitness tips from Liz, and for information on her new book Bounce Your Body Beautiful.

Temptations

Tonight I made cookies with my boys and I have to admit, I sampled a few. Just two. Okay three. And I have to say now that I feel really guilty about it. Why is it that I have this issue? I do really well throughout the week then fail miserably when faced with any temptation. I didn't need the stupid cookies. I didn't even want one. But I ate them anyway. I am never going to reach my goal if I keep doing this to myself.... Anyway, I found this blog - Half of Me. Check it out - it's amazing. Quote of the day said by Saint Francis de Sales: Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections

Quote of the Day: Look at yourself, like yourself, and find the positive.

This is Worth a Bookmark

Ever since January 1, 2008 I've been watching what I've been eating, specifically following Phase One of the South Beach diet, and contemplating what exactly I want to do for a workout regimen. Just in the few days of being on this diet I can already feel the change. I have more energy. I've slept better (overall) and I'm satisfied when I eat. I have had a slight headache, and have been a little tired here and there, but overall I'm settling back into my lifestyle change that I vowed to make - yet again - and I feel good. My problem is exercising. I walk a lot to and from my car and workplace several times a day, and when I'm home I chase my kids around and climb up and down the stairs multiple times a day. When I started the South Beach diet a few years ago, I managed to lose 90 pounds with NO EXERCISE, but now I know for sure that adding exercise to my daily routine in conjunction with my eating habits is the key that's going to get me to that goal I set for myself a few years back. In short, I came across this article and wanted to make note of it. I'm even going to give it a try. Anything to get rid of the wiggle and giggle of those thighs.... They are weighing me down.

Top 5 Habits to Increase Longevity

Read this morning on Yahoo Health: Dr. Mao's Secrets of Longevity It takes 14 to 21 days of repetitive behavior to form a new pattern in your brain. Once the pattern is formed, it becomes an automatic behavioral response.

As you develop new healthy habits, they will begin to replace bad habits. These healthy lifelong habits are adapted straight from the time-tested traditions practiced by centenarians all around the world, and I can say with certainty that they will transform and rejuvenate you!

Eat five small meals a day. Climb the stairs instead of using elevators. Laugh it up! Drink 8 glasses of water every day. Unwind with meditation.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy! Quote of the Day: Rule your mind or it will rule you.

A New Year, A New Start

First and foremost, Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season, and a fantastic New Year to match! I know my family did. One of my many resolutions this year is to follow a reasonable exercise and diet program so that I can lose weight in a healthy manner. I know, I know, just like last year. And the year before that. But I have vowed to myself (again as I have many, many times before) that this is the year that I am FINALLY going to do it. I have lots to talk about. Stay tuned. Quote of the day spoken by Winston Churchill: Never, never, never, never give up.