We're reaching the end of our Spring H2O Challenge. Don't forget your final weigh in by Friday @ 5pm. The H2O blog may take a brief rest, but we will probably use it throughout the year for any of our health / wellness initatives.
It's time for your LAST CHANCE WORKOUT!
Join Us for Bike To Work Day
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Eat This, Not That - Snack Bars
Eat This
- Kellogg's Honey Nut Special K Bar - 90 calories; 2 grams of fat; 7 grams of sugars.
- Kashi TLC Chewy Peanut Butter Bar - 140 calories; 5 grams of fat; 5 grams of sugars
- LUNA Nutz Over Chocolate Bar - 180 calories; 4.5 grams of fat; 9 grams of sugars; 10 grams of protein.
Not That
- General Mills HOney Nut Cheerios Milk n' Cereal Bar - 160 calories; 4 grams of fat; 14 grams of sugars
- Kashi GOLEAN Cookies n' Cream Bar - 290 calories; 6 grams of fat; 35 grams of sugars
- Balance Bare Sweet and Salty Yogurt Nut Bar - 210 calories; 9 grams of fat; 11 grams of sugars
Monday, May 18, 2009
Surprising Good-For-You Foods
Now you can eat the foods you love and not feel guilty!
Cream-style corn: There was cream in your grandma's recipe, but the liquid in today's cans is actually a component of the corn kernels themselves and other ingredients such as starch. If you look at calories and fat, canned cream-style and whole-kernel corm are identical.
Pork: Lean cuts (tenderloin, boneless loin chops) compare favorably with skinless chicken. So, if your family is crying "fowl," vary the menu with these healthy cuts of pork.
Eggs: One large egg is a significant source of a number of vitamins and minerals, and contains only 75 calories and 5 grams of fat. Moreover, most of this fat is the healthy, unsaturated variety. (Eggs are high in cholesterol, but the cheif villain in raising blood-cholesterol is not the cholesterol in our diets, but in saturated fats). Also egg yolks are rich in the pigment zeaxanthin, which seems to help protect eyes from macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in people older than 65.
Beef tenderloin steaks: Ounce for ounce, this tender cut has about the same calorie and fat content as skinless chicken thighs. The key is portion size. At home, count a 3/4 inch-thick steak (about 3 1/2 ounces) as a single serving. At steak houses, order the petit filete mignon.
Cream-style corn: There was cream in your grandma's recipe, but the liquid in today's cans is actually a component of the corn kernels themselves and other ingredients such as starch. If you look at calories and fat, canned cream-style and whole-kernel corm are identical.
Pork: Lean cuts (tenderloin, boneless loin chops) compare favorably with skinless chicken. So, if your family is crying "fowl," vary the menu with these healthy cuts of pork.
Eggs: One large egg is a significant source of a number of vitamins and minerals, and contains only 75 calories and 5 grams of fat. Moreover, most of this fat is the healthy, unsaturated variety. (Eggs are high in cholesterol, but the cheif villain in raising blood-cholesterol is not the cholesterol in our diets, but in saturated fats). Also egg yolks are rich in the pigment zeaxanthin, which seems to help protect eyes from macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in people older than 65.
Beef tenderloin steaks: Ounce for ounce, this tender cut has about the same calorie and fat content as skinless chicken thighs. The key is portion size. At home, count a 3/4 inch-thick steak (about 3 1/2 ounces) as a single serving. At steak houses, order the petit filete mignon.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Eat This, Not That - At the Ballpark
Eat This
- Hot dog with relish, ketchup and mustard. 280 calories, 15 grams of fat, 1250 miligrams of sodium.
- Neopolitan ice cream sandwich. 190 calories, 7 grams of fat, 15 grams of sugars.
- Regular Beer (12 ounces). 139 calories, 0 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates. Moderate amounts of beer can help to raise HDL (good) cholesterol and lower insulin resistance. Moderate amounts of soft drinks will raise belly fats and lower energy levels.
Not That
- Large soft pretzel with cheese dip. 570 calories, 11.5 grams of fat, 2340 miligrams of sodium.
- French vanilla soft serve ice cream (1 cup). 380 calories, 22 grams of fat, 36 grams of sugars.
- Cola (16 ounces). 155 calories, 0 grams of fat, 49 grams of carbohydrates.
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Secret to Longevity
New research frmo the National Institutes of Health found that people with relaxed temperaments have a 15 percent greater chance of outliving their more dramatic counterparts. The reason: whenever you get upset, your body pumps out stress hormones. In the long run, these chemicals can set you up for heart disease, depresssion and other illnesses. So the next time you're ready to fly off the handle, slowly count to five before you respond.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Eat This, Not That - Night at the Movies
Eat This: Popcorn - 550 calories, 31 g fat (5 g saturated), 972 mg sodium. Skip the buttery topping to avoid extra 180 calories.
Not That: Nachos - 608 calories, 34 g fat (14 g saturated), 1,736 mg sodium. The orange goo is molten trans fat masquerading as cheese.
Eat This: Swedish Fish - 140 calories, 28 g of sugar. Among all candy choices, these are fat-free and contain less sugar than Skittles or Twizzlers.
Not That: Cherry Twizzlers - 320 calories, 2 g of fat, 42 g of sugar.
Not That: Nachos - 608 calories, 34 g fat (14 g saturated), 1,736 mg sodium. The orange goo is molten trans fat masquerading as cheese.
Eat This: Swedish Fish - 140 calories, 28 g of sugar. Among all candy choices, these are fat-free and contain less sugar than Skittles or Twizzlers.
Not That: Cherry Twizzlers - 320 calories, 2 g of fat, 42 g of sugar.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Fix Your Worst Diet Habits
Bad habit: Skipping Meals
Letting yourself get too hungry is one of the worst things you can do if you're trying to lose weight. When you finally do eat, you're likely to gobble down too much. It's also much harder to make good choices if you're ravenous.
Fix it: Eat breakfast and then refuel every four to five hours. If you rarely stoponce your day begins, plan what you'll eat. Consider easy options like microwavable healthy meals, low-fat cottage chees and fruit, or a high-fiber nutrition bar and a container of nonfat Greek yogurt. The healthy carbs and lean protein will provide long-lasting energy.
Bad habit: Eating Out All the Time
Restaurants are a caloric minefield. Portion sizes can be huge and chefts often have a heavy hand with fat, sugar and salt.
Fix it: If you can't cook at home, limit the damage. Avoid alcohol, which contains empty calories and loosens inhibitions, making it tougher to order wisely. Stick with water or have a glass of wine or a light beer if you really want a drink. Tell the waiter not to bring the bread basket, and order a salad instead. This will help curb your appetite. Ask for olive oil and vinegar on the side and go light on the oil. Next, pick a lean protein entree, such as fish or chicken and choose preparation methods that use little fat, such as poaching, grilling or broiling.
Bad habit: Using Food as Comfort
Most people who struggle with their weight use food to help them deal with negative emotions or stress. When the food is all gone, the problem is still there and its been compounded by eating too much.
Fix it: Try labeling your feelins and remind yourself that eating won't solve things. Visualize how you'll feel after eating and ask yourself if its worth it. Then choose an alternative activity, such as calling a friend, taking a walk or reading. Over time, these activities, not food, will be the first things you think of when you need a pick me up.
Bad habit: Eating When You're Not Hungry
Snakcing even though you're full makes the pounds add up.
Fix it: The next time you're about to pop something in you're mouth, assess your hunger level. If you're not truly hungry, don't eat. If you're a little peckish, allow yourself to get a bit hungrier. When you do sit down to eat, adhere to the Japanese saying hara hachi bu, which means 'eat until you are 80% full.' Chances are that in 15 to 20 minutes, you'll be perfectly satisfied.
Letting yourself get too hungry is one of the worst things you can do if you're trying to lose weight. When you finally do eat, you're likely to gobble down too much. It's also much harder to make good choices if you're ravenous.
Fix it: Eat breakfast and then refuel every four to five hours. If you rarely stoponce your day begins, plan what you'll eat. Consider easy options like microwavable healthy meals, low-fat cottage chees and fruit, or a high-fiber nutrition bar and a container of nonfat Greek yogurt. The healthy carbs and lean protein will provide long-lasting energy.
Bad habit: Eating Out All the Time
Restaurants are a caloric minefield. Portion sizes can be huge and chefts often have a heavy hand with fat, sugar and salt.
Fix it: If you can't cook at home, limit the damage. Avoid alcohol, which contains empty calories and loosens inhibitions, making it tougher to order wisely. Stick with water or have a glass of wine or a light beer if you really want a drink. Tell the waiter not to bring the bread basket, and order a salad instead. This will help curb your appetite. Ask for olive oil and vinegar on the side and go light on the oil. Next, pick a lean protein entree, such as fish or chicken and choose preparation methods that use little fat, such as poaching, grilling or broiling.
Bad habit: Using Food as Comfort
Most people who struggle with their weight use food to help them deal with negative emotions or stress. When the food is all gone, the problem is still there and its been compounded by eating too much.
Fix it: Try labeling your feelins and remind yourself that eating won't solve things. Visualize how you'll feel after eating and ask yourself if its worth it. Then choose an alternative activity, such as calling a friend, taking a walk or reading. Over time, these activities, not food, will be the first things you think of when you need a pick me up.
Bad habit: Eating When You're Not Hungry
Snakcing even though you're full makes the pounds add up.
Fix it: The next time you're about to pop something in you're mouth, assess your hunger level. If you're not truly hungry, don't eat. If you're a little peckish, allow yourself to get a bit hungrier. When you do sit down to eat, adhere to the Japanese saying hara hachi bu, which means 'eat until you are 80% full.' Chances are that in 15 to 20 minutes, you'll be perfectly satisfied.
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