More on Fats

Ok, picking up where we left off last week...

There are fats that you want to limit, fats you want to avoid altogether, and healthier fats to look for to include in your diet in small amounts.

Fats to Limit:

Saturated fats come from animal products and you want to limit these. Animal sources offer some of the highest quality protein and even the leanest varieties will have some fat. Stick with extra lean varieties of meat, low- or non-fat dairy, and just one egg yolk a day, for example, so that you get high-quality protein, but not too much saturated fat and too many calories.

Fats to totally avoid:

Hydrogenated, also called "trans fats," have been in the news a lot. These are fats that have been chemically altered in such a way that your body cannot use them properly, so they're terrible for you. They are found in solid margarines and many commercially baked goods,

including cookies, crackers, doughnuts and pastries, chips and other snack foods, and many

deep-fried foods. Since these are mostly all processed carbs as well, and contain the unhealthiest kinds of fat with no benefit, it is recommended avoiding such foods as much as possible.

The fats to look for (in moderation):

So for the fat your body needs, look for unsaturated fats, which contain essential fatty acids (EFAs). Seeds, nuts, nut butters, olives, olive and flaxseed oil as well as avocados all work well. Some kinds of cold water fish, like salmon and anchovies, also contain unsaturated fats. In

moderation, they're a great choice too.Remember, it's good to have small portions of these types of foods each day, but because they're so high in calories - 9 calories per gram - make

sure that you eat only small amounts. For example, a quarter cup of nuts and some fruit or raw veggies make a good snack. Or try some sunflower seeds or a few olives or a couple of avocado slices on your salad as a tasty way to add healthy fat to your diet.

Key points to remember:

Limit saturated fats by choosing extra lean and lowfat animal products. Try to totally avoid hydrogenated fats (also called "trans fats"), those that have been chemically altered in commercially baked goods, margarine, and other processed foods. Choose unsaturated fats in small amounts, such as seeds, nuts, nut butters, olives, olive and flaxseed oil, and avocados.

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Cereal Choices

Let’s face it: We’re rushed. Especially in the morning. Often we're running out the door a few minutes behind schedule as we stuff our bags and pray that we haven’t left anything behind. Mornings are messy, which is why breakfast is so often placed on the back burner. The problem is we sometimes forget to ever turn that burner on.

We’ve all heard the studies that show breakfast consumption is related to weight loss. For those who haven’t, the results are pretty clear: Breakfast eaters carry less body fat than non-eaters. Yet surprisingly, nearly 40 percent of us still skip breakfast, according to a poll conducted by ABC News. For those who do eat breakfast, about a third choose cereal. That makes it America’s favorite breakfast food. But whether that’s a good thing or not pivots on the choices we make in the supermarket.

Every box of cereal lives in one of two worlds: the world of fiber or the world of sugar. The first world pairs perfectly with freshly sliced fruit, while the second is already pushing the sugar threshold through a combination of marshmallows, sticky oat clusters, and frosting. Obviously you want to choose a cereal from world No. 1, but with all the marketing hype on cereal boxes, that’s not always easy to do. Especially when you’re speed-walking through the grocery store in the usual hurry to get home.

But fear not; we’ve got you covered. Here are the grocery store’s worst cereals and their more nutritious counterparts. Get your bowls and spoons ready.

WORST ICONIC CEREAL
Kellogg’s Raisin Bran (1 cup)
190 calories
1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
7 g fiber
19 g sugars

It'll be hard to find a more sugar-loaded cereal than Raisin Bran. It’s sweeter than even Lucky Charms, Reese’s Puffs, or Cocoa Krispies. Some of that sugar can be attributed to the raisins’ natural blend of fructose and glucose, but the real culprit is the sticky white armor of sucrose that enrobes each piece of fruit. Both Kellogg’s and Post are guilty of this raisin mistreatment, so what should be a legitimately healthy bowl of fruit and grains pours out closer to a candy-coated dessert.

Eat This Instead!
Kellogg’s All-Bran (1 cup) with a tablespoon of raisins
150 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
7 g fiber
13 g sugars

WORST CHOCOLATE CEREAL
General Mills Chocolate Chex (1 cup)
174 calories
3.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
1 g fiber
11 g sugars

First, let’s get this out of the way: Chocolate-flavored cereals should rarely be part of your morning routine. That said, they can make decent desserts. One study published by the American College of Nutrition found that among late-night snackers, those who chose cereal took in fewer calories than those who made other choices, and ultimately they wound up losing nearly half a pound of body fat per week. That doesn’t mean you should switch to an all-cereal diet, just that cereal is a better evening snack than you might think. Of course, not all are created equal, and surprisingly, the worst of them is the one that seems geared toward mature eaters. So the rule is, if you’re going with chocolate cereal, let your inner kid free. Per bowl, Chocolate Chex packs in more calories than Cocoa Puffs, Cocoa Krispies, or Cookie Crisp.

Eat This Instead!
Cookie Crisp (1 cup)
133 calories
1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
1.5 g fiber
15 g sugars

WORST HIGH-FIBER CEREAL
General Mills Chex Multi-Bran (1 cup)
210 calories
2 g fat (0 g saturated)
8 g fiber
13 g sugars

Chex might seem harmless, but it’s the only brand that holds down two spots on this list. The slip-up with this box is the heavy load of sugar. (Notice that it’s even sweeter than the chocolate-flavored Chex.) General Mills calls it a “hint of sweetness,” but really it’s on par with some of the most indulgent boxes on the shelf. In fact, one bowl of this cereal has more sugar than a scoop of Edy’s Slow Churned Fudge Tracks Ice Cream. We applaud the fiber, but the sugar won’t cut it.

Eat This Instead!
Post Shredded Wheat Original Spoon Size (1 cup)
170 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
6 g fiber
0 g sugars



WORST VITAMIN-ENHANCED CEREAL
Kellogg’s Smart Start Original Antioxidants (1 cup)
190 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
3 g fiber
14 g sugars

Of all the cereals on this list, this is the best example of inflated marketing. This box is littered with words that attempt to make you think you’re getting a wholesome breakfast, but in reality you’re getting a run-of-the-mill bowl of highly sweetened cereal with a multivitamin tossed in on top. Don’t let the added vitamins persuade you into thinking that the sugar isn’t a problem. It most certainly is.

Eat This Instead!
Kashi Vive (1 cup)
135 calories
2 g fat (1 g saturated)
10 g fiber
8 g sugars

WORST HOT CEREAL
Quaker Oatmeal Express Golden Brown Sugar (1 cup)
200 calories
2.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated)
3 g fiber
18 g sugars

Sure it’s convenient to have your oatmeal pre-packaged with a serving bowl, but is it really worth the love handles? Because that’s the likely result of eating this much sugar every morning. Sure, there’s a small shot of fiber, but in terms of the sweet stuff, this bowl is worse than eating a Little Debbie Marshmallow Pie for breakfast. Instead, leave an old coffee cup at work, and every morning load it with a packet of Quaker’s High Fiber Cinnamon Swirl. With that swap you’ll earn more belly-filling fiber and eliminate the blood-sugar surge. You’ll never even miss the plastic serving bowl.

Eat This Instead!
Quaker High Fiber Cinnamon Swirl (1 packet)
160 calories
2 g fat (0.5 g saturated)
10 g fiber
7 g sugars

WORST GRANOLA
Quaker Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisin (1 cup)
420 calories
12 g fat (7 g saturated)
6 g fiber
30 g sugars

You’re in big trouble if your mornings include a bowl of this stuff. One cup eats up 20 percent of your day’s energy needs and saddles you with as much sugar as a Snicker’s bar. That’s indulgent even by dessert standards. The culprit in this box is the combined impact of brown sugar and coconut oil, which together add loads of calories with scarcely any nutrients. What you want to do is switch to a lighter granola like Kashi’s GoLean Crunch!, and then instead of eating it by the bowl, use just a handful as a topping for unsweetened whole grain cereal or oatmeal. Now that’s a recipe for a good breakfast.

Eat This Instead!
Kashi GoLean Crunch! Honey Almond Flax (1 cup)
200 calories
4.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
8 g fiber
12 g sugars

So next time you walk down that cereal aisle at the grocery store, think twice about which box you grab and place in your cart. Make some better choices next time!

The Truth About Fats

Yesterday's post talked about one of the primary benefits of protein is that it helps slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, so there's less of an affect on insulin (blood sugar) levels. Well, dietary fat helps this too.

If you eat carbs by themselves, they will cause spikes in your insulin, but like protein, if you combine some healthy fat with your carbs, such as peanut butter or sunflower seeds or almonds with your fruit, the fat will help minimize this adverse affect.

What's more, fat is a vital component for building body tissue and cells, and it aids in the absorption of important vitamins and other nutrients. So we all need some fat in our diet.

BUT... the problem occurs when we eat too much of it. Fat is very calorie-dense. In fact, it has more than twice the number calories than protein or carbs. Carbs and protein have 4 calories per gram, whereas fat has 9 calories. So, you consume a lot more calories per volume of food with foods that are high in fat.

For example, a tablespoon of peanut butter has almost 100 calories, whereas a tablespoon of lowfat cottage cheese, which is also a great source of protein, has just 12 calories.

Don't get me wrong. Nuts and peanut butter are healthy foods and great sources of good fat. But as you now know, you must burn more calories than you consume to lose fat. And if you're eating lots of foods that are high in fat, it'll be tough to create this "caloric deficit."

So, while fat does help slow down the insulin response when combined with carbs, like protein does, it needs to be eaten in moderation so you can continue to burn more calories than you consume so you can lose fat.

Key point to remember:

Healthy sources of fat are beneficial, but because they're calorie-dense, be sure to eat them in moderation or it will be tough to create the necessary "caloric deficit" for fat loss.

Why Protein is Important at Each Meal

It's very important to balance ALL meals and snacks with carb-rich and protein-rich foods together. A meal with carbohydrates alone is problematic because glucose levels shoot up and then crash down. This can leave you feeling tired, hungry, and weak - and gives your body an easy opportunity to convert that meal to fat.

When protein is included, however, you will not only stay full longer, but glucose levels will stay more consistent, your metabolism will work more efficiently, and you will feel energized for a longer period.

Carbs are digested in about two hours, but proteins take longer to digest. So,when the two are eaten together, protein slows down the digestion of the carbohydrates, and energy from carbs are released more slowly.

In addition, eating carbohydrates with protein means the carbohydrates will be used as energy, sparing the protein for use building and repairing muscle tissues, their primary function.

So, for maximum fat loss, make sure that you include a complete protein source at each snack and meal.

There are a lot of healthy carbs, such as oatmeal and fruit. But if eaten alone, you'll run into the same problems explained above. A good snack I like to enjoy is an apple with a piece of reduced fat cheese or some berries with an ounce of raw almonds. I'll share more ideas with you later! Remind me!!

How to Naturally Stop Sugar Cravings by Eating the Right Foods

Sugar cravings – they are a real and legitimate addiction. And like all addictions, the first step is to become aware of it. Don’t feel like you’re alone; the majority of North Americans are right behind you. Luckily, once we become aware of the role sugars play in our lives, there is salvation, and it can be done naturally. The secret is in what and how you eat throughout the day, and the great news is that once you are eating the right foods, the cravings usually just go away.

The Dangers Behind Sugars

• Sugars are the culprits behind low energy levels and mood swings. Sugar deregulates blood sugar levels by causing a glucose spike, followed by a quick drop. This essentially causes a high, followed by a low energy slump. This is very similar to most addictive substances. Similarly, mood elevates due to release of serotonin caused by the sweetness. As soon as serotonin levels drop, we feel sluggish and more depressed, and crave more sugar.

• Sugars cause out of control cravings. The body’s response to a low blood sugar level is a craving for more sugar, and therefore more food. This is excellent news for food manufacturers, whose bottom line depends on how much food we are able to shovel in, thus craving more and more of sugar laden processed foods.

• Weight gain and health problems. It’s a vicious cycle. You crave more and more sugars in the form of refined sugars and simple carbs. As you keep eating more, your body stores the excess as fat. Quite quickly, you pack on the pounds in a very dangerous way. Your insulin gets out of control, you may develop diabetes, and the extra fat stores will lead to high blood triglycerides and high cholesterol. What’s more is that you will inevitably short change your body of consuming vital nutrients as you will be too busy tending to your sugar needs. It’s a train wreck.

What You Can Do

Modifying your daily routine and habits builds awareness of your body. Start educating yourself on proper nutrition. The internet is a great start, but be weary of misguided information. Talking to a nutritionist or dietician will ensure that you are getting the correct information, and are making healthy, sustainable, long term modifications that are not just a fad diet. Fad diets leave you deprived of fuel and essential nutrients. Although in the short term, you may lose lots of weight, in the long term, dieters consistently gain back all the weight (and more), and often develop a host of health issues.

List of major DO's and DONT's for kicking the sugar habit

DO:

• Get familiar with the glycemic index (GI) and eat foods that are low or medium on the GI scale.
• Substitute natural fruit and honey for refined sugars.
• Eat smaller portions every 2-3 hours to keep your blood sugar levels steady.
• Eat a healthy breakfast containing proteins and complex carbs.
• Get protein with each meal to keep you satiated.
• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is the number one reason for sugar cravings as well as excessive hunger.
• Reduce stress levels. During times of stress, levels of the hormone cortisol are higher. Cortisol functions to raise blood sugar levels, and also stimulates the storage of fat. You not only crave more sugar, but will be more apt to store it as fat. Ouch! Try exercise or go for a walk, take some "me" time out for a bubble bath, massage, or anything else that relaxes you.
• Clean out your cabinets of refined sugars – if it’s not there, you can’t grab for it in a moment of weakness.
• Get plenty of fiber in your diet (aim for 25 grams a day).
• Limit your caffeine intake. Caffeine causes blood sugar to drop causing the body to crave it.
• Limit your alcohol intake. Alcohol is sugar, and it also makes your blood sugar levels drop.
• Make sure you are including Omega 3, “good” fats, in your diet. (avocados, salmon, organic peanut butter)
• Brush your teeth after each meal. This "cleanses" your salivary glands and helps with sugar cravings.

DON'T:

• Drink soda or juices. They are laden with sugars.
• Use artificial sweeteners. They "trick" your brain into thinking that sugar is coming, and when it doesn’t it leaves you craving it even more! If you must use a sweetener, use Stevia – it is natural. White sugar, sugar in the raw, and brown sugar are all refined and should be avoided.
• Consume foods with a high GI, such as bagels, pancakes, pretzels, white pasta, and instant white rice.
• Eat processed or packaged foods, especially those that contain ingredients that you cannot understand or pronounce
• NEVER EVER skip breakfast
• Never feel hungry. Hunger exasperates cravings, deregulates blood sugar levels and leaves you in a really bad decision making place.

Make a commitment for a week to avoid all refined sugars and simple carbs and you’ll see your energy levels rise, and the pounds start dropping. Remember to substitute for natural occurring sugars, and remember to eat your complex carbs. Your brain needs sugar and your body needs carbs – so don’t deprive; just substitute!

How To Change up your Cardio for Faster Fat Loss

Forget traditional, long duration cardio….it’s the main culprit to stalled fat loss results!

Yep…the LONGER your Cardio Session, the more ineffective it becomes at burning fat ~ especially belly fat.

Not only do long bouts of cardio prevent you from achieving fast fat loss, these sessions actually slow your metabolism and cause your body to store more fat – not to mention significantly increase you appetite and set you up to overeat.

The solution …

Switch To Short Burst Intervals

The shorter, more-intense your session, the more you will burn more overall calories and preserve muscle, which will not only boost your metabolism but help you created that tight and lean look as you reach your ideal body.

What Are Intervals?

Intervals are simply brief, high intensity periods of exercise (where you work out as intensely as you can for your fitness level – anywhere from a 7 to a 9 on a perceived rate of exertion scale) alternated with active recovery periods (“off”) where you slow down just long enough to catch your breath before you repeat this circuit again.

For Example:

30 Seconds of Jump Rope (30 sec “ON”)

30 seconds of Marching (30 sec “OFF”)

Repeat 10 times

Your Interval Training Session can last anywhere from 10-15 minutes.

The goal – and the effectiveness – is to challenge yourself so that by the end of 10-15 minutes – you have had one heck of a workout!

If you could easily go another 10-15 min, then you have not truly worked hard enough. Go back and change up the variables – choosing a different movement, increase the effort and intensity, decrease the rest period, etc.

The combinations and formats you could choose for your Interval Training Workout are about endless.

No special equipment necessary – in fact, the more you USE your Body – the more effective your Fat Loss results!

Body weight intervals are more effective if you are using all the major muscles in your body. They are also great for when you are short on time or cannot leave the house and sure help if you are in need a quick burst of energy.

Studies -as well as countless testimonials of Cardio Queens – prove high intensity cardio workouts “Intervals” can provide all of the following fitness benefits:

* dramatically boost metabolism – both during AND after exercise

* faster rate of body fat-to-energy conversion

* preserves lean muscle (muscle is your metabolism – you do not what to lose this!)

* significant increase in aerobic capacity (Max VO2) = increased endurance and stamina

And one final reason to love intervals:

**They are short!**