Food Labels, Decoded: What “Sugar-Free” Really Means

What It Means: Contains less than 0.5 gram of sugar per serving. The Health Implications: Many people who want to lose weight consume sugar-free products, which sometimes contain fewer calories. Diabetics monitor their sugar intake to regulate insulin production and keep blood sugar levels stable.

Keep in Mind: “Sugar-free” doesn’t always mean low-calorie. Added starch can bump up the calorie count. Also, manufacturers often replace sugar with artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols, such as lactitol, sorbitol, and xylitol, which may act as laxatives.

Bottom Line: As long as you use them in moderation, sugar-free products can be part of an overall healthy diet.

Food Labels, Decoded: What “Low-Sodium” Really Means

What It Means: Contains 140 milligrams or less per serving. The Health Implications: Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and stroke. Most adults should consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, but Americans average 3,000 to 5,000 milligrams daily. Keep in Mind: Bread products and other grain-based foods, including some breakfast cereals, are hidden sources of sodium. One slice of some breads has two to three times the salt in a typical serving of potato chips. Bottom Line: Choose foods with fewer milligrams of sodium than calories. If a product contains 200 calories per serving, for instance, it should contain 200 milligrams or less of sodium.

Food Labels, Decoded: What “Low-Carb” Really Means

What It Means: There’s no standard definition for this term, so it can mean any number of things — or nothing at all. The Health Implications: There’s no evidence that low-carb diets are more effective long-term than any other diets. Also, some carbs, like whole grains and produce, are healthier than others, and this term doesn’t distinguish between “good” and refined carbs. Keep in Mind: Manufacturers often replace those “missing carbs” with high-fat ingredients (such as nuts), sugar alcohols, or artificial sweeteners, so sometimes low-carb foods have just as many calories as foods that are not low-carb. Bottom Line: Disregard this label and pick foods that are healthy for what they do contain — vitamins, nutrients, and fresh ingredients.

Skip the Diet Soda

Get ready to ditch your soda habit. It takes time, but it’s worth it.

Here’s why: Recent research has shown that artificial sweeteners in soda may interfere with your body’s ability to estimate how many calories you’ve ingested, so you eat more than you need.

In a new rat study, animals that ate fake sugar consumed more calories overall and gained weight, compared to those that didn’t eat artificially sweetened treats.

This is just one study, but it’s enough to make you want to kick the can habit. Need more convincing? For every diet soda you sip daily, your risk of becoming overweight can rise by 37 percent, according to researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

We also know that regular soda is a total sugar bomb. At roughly 225 calories a pop, a 20-ounce bottle of regular soda packs nearly as many calories as a chocolate bar (but is much less satisfying).

Typically, soda also contains zero nutrients — so who needs it? Still have some soda around? Fine, stow it for guests who haven’t decided to quit. Next time you want a fizz hit, try seltzer with lime (or for a caffeine fix, green tea). What are your favorite low-cal soda substitutes?

Article can be found here.

Tips For Simplifying Your Life

We are such an advanced and civilized nation that we are actually going backwards. Our lifestyles are so complicated and filled with so many to-dos that we have left the basic parts of survival behind us. So, here are a few daily tips to simplify, tune out, and perhaps live a little more like our natural selves.

1. Turn off the TV. It's amazing how quickly time flies when you get lost in the TV vortex. What about going outside and taking a walk? Or better yet talking to your partner or reading to one of your children?

2. Limit the time you spend online, another time sucker. You can sit down to answer email, and hit a gossip site. Before you know it, an hour has just flown by. Computers are a great tool, but we need to keep how much of a role they play in our lives in check.

3. Don't nuke your food. We don't need to go and light a fire to cook a meal, but how about avoiding the microwave? Do you ever ask yourself what's in the food I'm eating? We are so civilized that we can't even pronounce the stuff we are putting in our bodies. Simplify: veggies, fruit, protein, and a non-white starch.

4. Did cavemen drink soda and frozen juices? Yes, they taste great, and hit the spot, but when did we stop drinking water? Entire cities were established around a good water source. Why don't we still think it's important? Try to stop making the sugary drinks the means in which we hydrate (including diet, they fatten you up too). How about having them as a treat and drink water the rest of the time? By the way, your kids are picking up their habits from you.

5. Stop and take a deep breath. We are all in such a hurry: The traffic is jammed, little junior has nine after school activities he's involved with, your cell is connected to your ear and we are on the go, go, go. Is it all necessary? Is there a way to simplify? If you can steal 5 to 30 minutes a day to just stop and meditate, or pray, do it. Think about what you are grateful for. What you dream of and want to achieve for yourself and your family, and take a few deep breathes. By the way, you are not a bad person if you say no once in a while.

6. Move. Part of being able to handle the intense pace of life is to be strong enough physically to deal with it. Forget thinking about exercise as a luxury that you don't have time to get to. Start viewing physical wellness as a must, and a right that we all have in order to enjoy this life. In the old days you had to move to survive. Now we just hop in our car and make our way to the drive thru. I don't believe that's the way it was intended to work best for us. You ever see how beautifully liquid your kids are and how well they sleep after a day of playing outside at the park or beach? Now that is the way life was designed.

It's impossible to simplify our modern day lives to the point of living in a log cabin, but we could learn something about ourselves from our primal roots. Do you ever just stop and wonder what it's all about? What are we really rushing around like lunatics for? How come we are not making our health a priority and taking better care of ourselves? I really, really, REALLY need to remind myself about these very same things - daily. And you should to. 2007 Gabrielle Reece . All Rights Reserved.

Yellow Fin Tuna & Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

Ingredients: 8 oz. yellow fin tuna fillet 2 tsp. olive oil (to brush on tuna fillet) Pinch of black pepper, freshly ground ½ cup whole wheat penne pasta 1 cup baby spinach ½ cup red peppers, julienne ½ cup cucumbers, ¼, then sliced 16 kalamata olives, pitted 16 grape tomatoes, halved ½ tbsp olive oil ½ tbsp Italian parsley, chopped 4 lemon wedges

Instructions: First, prepare the tuna fillets. Heat grill to medium high. Lightly brush olive oil on both sides of tuna and sprinkle with black pepper. Grill tuna until well marked, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Place in refrigerator to cool. Tuna may be cooked up to a day ahead of serving and stored in refrigerator. Cook pasta according to manufacturer’s directions. Drain well and cool. In a bowl, combine cooked pasta, baby spinach, red peppers, cucumbers, kalamata olives, grape tomatoes and olive oil. Gently flake the cooked tuna into the salad, leaving slightly large chunks. Divide pasta salad evenly among plates. Garnish each plate with Italian parsley and a lemon wedge. Makes 4 servings.

LIVE WISE: Breakfast Boost

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It revs you up first thing in the morning, and also helps you to avoid overeating later in the day. What's more, eating breakfast is one of the key traits of people who are able to maintain a healthy weight. Here's a few tips to help you get the most out of your morning meal. Three's a Charm: Aim to include 3 of the 5 food groups (grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans) as part of your breakfast. Try the Peach Melba Breakfast "Shortcake" for this reason. The cottage cheese in it makes you feel full for longer. *recipe below Fill up on Fiber: This nutrient can help you feel full. Try a fiber-rich breakfast bar and oatmeal cereal. Choose Wisely: Try to make sensible choices at fast-food restaurants. If you are having a breakfast sandwich, choose the English Muffin instead of a biscuit. And skip the sausage.

Peach Melba Breakfast "Shortcake"

Prep Time: 10 Minutes / Total: 10 Minutes

1 frozen waffle, lightly toasted

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds cereal

3 peeled fresh peach slices or drained canned peach slices in juice

Top waffle with cottage cheese, cereal and fruit. Serve immediately. Makes one serving.

8 Daily Habits that Keep You Calm

Get on your way to a more blissful day! We don't always have an extra hour to fit in a relaxing yoga class, nor are we all in the habit of meditating. Still, it's important to slow down, even if it means simply getting an extra hour of sleep or cutting yourself some slack. From enjoying your favorite tunes to chatting with a friend, de-stressing has never been easier.

Move! Regular daily exercise (such as walking for 20 minutes) can lower levels of stress hormones.

Take a Deep Belly Breath! "Abdominal breathing increases the amount of oxygen in your blood, triggering the brain to decrease the concentration of stress hormones," explains Bruce S. Rabin, MD, PhD, head of the Healthy Lifestyle Program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Get Your ZZZ's! A good night's sleep helps your body block the surge of stress hormones.

Chat on the Phone with a Friend! It keeps your social bonds strong, which gives you an overall feeling of support and belonging. "People who feel like they have friends and family they can turn to generally feel less stressed when things get tough," says Sheldon Cohen, PhD, a psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon University.

Be Mindful! For one minute, pay attention to what's happening inside and around you, listening to your heartbeat or your breathing.

Pop On Those Headphones! Any music lover knows that listening to your favorite tunes can make you less tense almost immediately. Cut Yourself Some Slack! Head off your inner critic: Write down a negative thought, then challenge it by writing something positive next to it. List as many as you can (or want to). When you get down on yourself, pull out your list to remember— and reinforce—the positive. Say Thanks! "At the dinner table, my family and I ask each other, 'What new and good thing happened to you today?'" says Alice D. Domar, PhD, executive director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health in Boston and author of Be Happy Without Being Perfect. From Woman's Day.

Diet-Friendly Comfort Foods

So often we use food to comfort ourselves in response to emotions. But unfortunately, many favorites are loaded with calories, fat and sugar. Here's a list of common comfort foods with lower-calorie swaps. Pizza Lose: two New York slices of Pizza (1,300 calories, 50 grams fat) Choose: Lean Cuisine brick oven style pizza (320 calories, 9 grams fat) Or make your own pita pizza with vegetables (250 calories, 6 grams fat) Ice Cream Lose: one pint Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip ice cream (1,040 calories, 64 grams fat) Choose: one cup Turkey Hill Low-Fat Moose Tracks ice cream (280 calories, 10 grams fat) Chips Lose: potato chips (one ounce = 160 calories, 11 grams fat) Choose: soy crisps (once ounce = 110 calories, 3 grams fat - plus protein and fiber, bonus!) Bread Lose: two slices white bread with butter (260 calories, 10 grams fat) Choose: Thomas' light English muffin with 2 tsp peanut butter (160 calories, 6 grams fat and 8 grams fiber) Taco Bell Lose: Nachos Bellgrande (770 calories, 44 grams fat) Choose: Fresco Burrito Supreme with chicken (330 calories, 8 grams fat) Burgers Lose: bacon cheeseburger (1100 calories, 80 grams fat) Choose: turkey burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup on half the Bun (334 calories, 13 grams fat) Fries Lose: large French fries (600 calories, 33 grams fat) Choose: baked sweet potato fries (220 calories, 0 grams fat) Chicken Wings Lose: fried chicken wings with bleu cheese dressing (720 calories, 59 grams fat) Choose: baked chicken tenderloins with hot sauce and low-cal bleu cheese dressing (120 calories, 1.5 grams fat) Pasta Lose: traditional macaroni and cheese (2 cups = 880 calories, 40 grams fat) Choose: whole wheat elbow macaroni tossed with ½ cup tomato sauce and 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese (2 cups = 420 calories, 5 grams fat) Cookies Lose: two raw chocolate chip cookie dough squares (200 calories, 10 grams fat) Choose: two South Beach Diet Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (100 calories, 5 grams fat) Full article can be found here

The Hottest Guilt-Free Microwave Meals

1. Kashi Thin Crust Pizza, Mushroom Trio & Spinach PER SERVING (1/3rd pizza): 270 calories, 9g fat, 700mg sodium, 32g carbs, 5g fiber, 3g sugars, 15g protein Kashi's newest pizzas have a super-thin crust made of the company's signature Seven Whole Grains & Sesame blend plus flax seeds. Roasted Vegetable and Tomato Garlic Cheese are also available, but this one is our absolute fave. It's crispy, yummy, pizza-rific perfection!

2. Lean Cuisine Flatbread Melts, Chicken Philly PER SERVING (1 package): 330 calories, 8g fat, 650mg sodium, 41g carbs, 5g fiber, 3g sugars, 21g protein

These new "fold 'n chew" sandwiches are packed with grilled chicken, melted-Cheddar goodness, onions, peppers, and more. There's also Chophouse Steak, Pesto Chicken, and Chicken Ranch Club to choose from. Stash some in the office freezer, and you may never make a fast food run at lunchtime again!

3. Weight Watchers Smart Ones Anytime Selections, Calzone Italiano PER SERVING (1 calzone): 290 calories, 6g fat, 620mg sodium, 47g carbs, 6g fiber, 6g sugars, 14g protein

We pretty much lost our cool altogether when we first tried this calzone... It ROCKS! Stuffed with low-fat mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, and tasty tomato sauce, it's hard to believe it only has 6 grams of fat. And the clever "crisping sleeve" ensures your 'zone comes out hot, crunchy, and delicious. Mmmmm!

4. Amy's Multi-Grain Hot Cereal Bowl PER SERVING (1 bowl): 180 calories, 1.5g fat, 260mg sodium, 34g carbs, 4g fiber, 8g sugars, 4g protein

A frozen breakfast cereal? Cool! If you love hot cereal but hate measuring out water and dealing with those too-tiny packets of oats, you will flip for Amy's new breakfast bowls. Each generous serving is packed with fiber and tastes fantastic. You might also dig the Cream of Rice, Rolled Oats, and Steel-Cut Oats Hot Cereal Bowls from Amy's. We do.

5. Cedarlane Moussaka Eggplant Mediterranean PER SERVING (1 meal): 230 calories, 10g fat, 590mg sodium, 22g carbs, 6g fiber, 7g sugars, 13g protein

Even if you've never had Moussaka (even if you can't pronounce Moussaka!), you will love, love, love this roasted eggplant entree. There are layers and layers of eggplant and other veggies, tomato sauce, and feta cheese, all smothered in a creamy white sauce. Sooooo goooooood!

6. Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers, Grilled Basil Chicken PER SERVING (1 meal): 290 calories, 6g fat, 580mg sodium, 37g carbs, 5g fiber, 3g sugars, 20g protein

This one's almost as much fun to prepare as it is to devour (but not quite!). The cute little steaming tray sits on top of the sauce compartment while you nuke it. There are tons of Cafe Steamers, but this one's a standout. Chunks of chicken, hunks of potatoes, and lots of veggies swim in creamy herb sauce for one heck of a delicious meal. You can easily fool people into thinking this was made without the use of a microwave. Try it!

7. Whole Grain Lean Pockets, Supreme Pizza PER SERVING (1 Pocket): 220 calories, 7g fat, 490mg sodium, 30g carbs, 3g fiber, 10g sugars, 10g protein

Unless you've been living in a cave (no offense to those of you who do), you know that high-fiber whole grains can help with weight management. But that doesn't mean you need to start boiling up barley for dinner. Just reach for one of these Supreme Pizza Pockets--each one's got 16 grams of whole grains! And every bite is packed with sausage, pepperoni, peppers, sauce, and cheese. It's like the ultimate inside-out pizza, and we love it!

8. Jimmy Dean D-Lights, Canadian Bacon, Egg White & Cheese PER SERVING (1 sandwich): 230 calories, 6g fat, 790mg sodium, 30g carbs, 2g fiber, 3g sugars, 15g protein

This frozen b-fast sandwich may give those drive-thru breakfast menus a run for their money! Get this: a honey wheat English muffin is stacked with egg whites, cheese, and Canadian bacon. All for just 230 calories and 6 grams of fat. How great is that?! A quick, delicious, and guilt-free breakfast has never been easier.

For more guilt-free food finds, plus recipes, tips, tricks, and more, visit hungry-girl.com and sign up for free daily emails!

Calling All The Biggest Loser Fans!

I just caught word of a great event going on at MSN and NBC called "Million Pound Matchup" Sweepstakes. And if you have to ask what it is after reading that title, it's a weight loss sweepstakes from MSN and NBC! To enter you MUST answer three (3) of three (3) MSN Health and Fitness trivia questions via multiple-choice answers on the entry form. And note - a correct answer is NOT required for entry. Trivia questions are presented in video format, each approximately 30 seconds in length, and will direct you to articles where the answers can be found at the Health and Fitness section of MSN. Watching video clues is NOT required for entry. And also? You can play EVERYDAY to increase your chances of winning. And so, what are you playing for? One Grand Prize winner will be selected for a luxury fitness trip for two people to a resort of the winner's choice from among a list of resort options provided by Sponsor at the time prize is awarded in either the U.S. or Mexico. ($7,000 ARV) Even better? Each day a prize of a Zune 30GB digital media player will be given away (106 total with an estimated value 0f $199 each) to one lucky winner. You have until April 15, 2008 to play. GOOD LUCK!

Snacks: How they fit into a healthy diet

Your stomach is growling, but lunch is hours away. You're eyeing the cookies on the counter, but know that you'll feel guilty if you indulge. If you think your best option is to avoid a snack altogether and wait for lunch, think again. A wide variety of snacks can fit into a healthy diet, so you don't need to avoid snacks. Rather, plan them with variety, moderation and balance in mind. You may feel guilty about snacking, but snacks aren't necessarily bad. In fact, mini meals several times a day can be beneficial. Here's how: Binge control. If eating several low-fat whole-grain crackers, a few pretzels, a piece of fruit or some raw vegetables keeps you from taking second or third helpings at your next meal, you may actually consume fewer total calories for the day. Extra energy and nutrients. Traditional, made-at-home meals often lose out to busy schedules. A grab-and-go snack can be the difference between some nourishment and none at all. Satisfaction for small appetites. Young children's tiny stomachs can hold only small portions of food at one time. Older adults who are less active and who burn fewer calories also may feel more comfortable eating smaller meals more frequently. Select foods that can satisfy your hunger, supply your body with energy and provide important nutrients. Choose a wide variety of these foods to ensure that you get all the necessary nutrients and to make your snacks more interesting. Here are some of your best snack picks: Whole grains. Whole-grain snacks are rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which give you energy that has some staying power. Look for items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers, whole-grain pretzels and whole-grain crispbreads. Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with no fat and only a small number of calories. They also provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients. Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds provide protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer. Nuts and seeds contain mostly monounsaturated fat, a healthy kind of fat. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantities. Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium and protein, plus a variety of other vitamins and minerals. Dairy products can be high in fat, so choose the low-fat versions. Some yogurts have a lot of added sugar, so consider "light" yogurt if you want to limit your calorie intake. Though snacks can contribute to a healthy diet, they can also be a source of excess calories if not eaten in moderation. For example, a single serving of almonds (about 23 kernels or a handful) contains 164 calories. But if you eat handful after handful until it totals a cup of almonds, the calorie count jumps to 800-plus calories. Be mindful about what you are snacking on, how often you are snacking and how much.

Complete Article found here.

Check It!

Today was the kickoff. Read about it here.

And also?

HERE.

See ya at the party!

Health Tip: Get Enough Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that's found primarily in citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, broccoli, potatoes and other fruits and veggies. Significant enough vitamin C deficiency can lead to a condition called scurvy. Here are warning signs that you're not getting enough vitamin C, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine: Excessively dry hair with ends that split easily Scaly, rough, dry skin Bleeding or inflamed gums Wounds that heal slowly, frequent infections, and bruising easily Frequent nosebleeds Pain and swelling in the joints Anemia Weakened tooth enamel

By: HealthDay

Teach your Children Well

Parents play a key role in preventing childhood obesity. Here are some ways to help your children stay healthy: Be a Good Role Model. If you expect your kids to snack on fruit instead of cookies and to be more physically active, you should do the same. Don't use food as a reward or as a way to show your love. If your child gets an A on a test, celebrate with a fun activity instead of an ice cream cone. Give up the "clean your plate" philosophy. Encourage your children to eat slowly, listen to their bodies and stop eating when they're full. Eat Meals at the table as a family, without the television on. Your children will be able to focus on their meal, you'll be able to monitor their portions, and you'll spend quality time together. Encourage your kids to help with meal planning and grocery shopping. Guiding their choices instead of dictating to them teaches healthy habits and gives kids a sense of control. Make sure your children get out and play instead of spending all their time at sedentary activities. Limit your kids TV and computer time to two hours per day, and find ways to be active with your kids like going for bike rides together in the evening or having them help with yard work.