All Entries For nutrition
My mom resurrected the Girl Scout program at my elementary school when I was a Daisy.
We moved and she was the co-leader of my Brownie troop.
I was a Junior, a Cadette and a Senior.
Though I wasn't the most active Girl Scout in later years, I proudly wore my sash and uniform for 13 years.
My mom was involved in Girl Scouts for 25 years, and my grandmother for about 20.
Needless to say, I like Girl Scout Cookies. We always had several boxes in the pantry and plenty more in the freezer. Because those cookies were always around, it wasn't a big deal when cookie time came around. Sure, I was excited to sell them. (And by sell, I mean call my family members and send the forms to work with my parents. I wasn't the most aggressive saleswoman.) But my appetite for them didn't grow.
Fast forward to college, and a life without Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs.
When I came home for a weekend and found the familiar green box of my favorite cookies. I ate an entire sleeve of them in two days!
I will admit that wasn't the last time I ate an entire sleeve of Girl Scout cookies, but it's an event that hasn't happened lately. I can exercise self control around my beloved Thin Mints, and I keep them in the freezer for slower eating.
Wonder what kind of caloric damage those little cookies can do?
Posted 1/28/2010 5:50:34 PM By: Stepfanie Romine : 380 comments
The familiar orange box and 'breakfast of champions' slogan has been an American icon for generations. For many athletes, being featured on the box is a goal and dream come true when it happens. In 1921, Wheaties was discovered by accident and because of wise marketing decisions, an association with sports started a decade later. Since that time, Wheaties has been associated with many accomplished athletes such as Mary Lou Retton and Michael Jordan as well as other well-known icons such as Ronald Regan, The Lone Ranger, and Mickey Mouse. The tie with sports and fitness has helped Wheaties remained 'The Breakfast of Champions'.
Now there is a new cereal, 'By Champions, For Champions'. Will Wheaties FUEL with its distinctive black box accomplish the same iconic status? Is it something you should consider including in your healthy diet?
Posted 1/18/2010 10:00:28 AM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 123 comments
by Susan Burke March, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
We live in a time of huge portions, cheap food, and timesaving technology. We're burning fewer calories, sitting for hours at our desks, in front of computers, and in traffic. It's so easy to overeat and even best intentions get in the way of getting regular activity. This isn't an American problem—there's even a term that's been coined to describe the world-wide explosion of obesity and weight-related type 2 diabetes—"diabetesity." With barely enough time for our families and friends, how is it possible to take charge of our foods and work in activity?
We can take it one meal at a time, one food at a time, and one walk at a time, and one day at a time. We can make choices that work for us.
When you see a thin person, do you assume that they are that way "naturally"? Or, are they making smart choices most of the time, every day, so that their weight control becomes second nature? People who make mindful eating second nature may appear naturally thin, but they're paying attention to what they're eating—and how much they're eating, and when. They usually stop eating when they're full, although there are times when they may overeat—that's natural too. They eat what they want—but how much they eat is usually just enough.
Thin doesn't come from having a "skinny gene." Almost always, a thin person practices thin behaviors. For example, they consistently monitor their weight—not necessarily by stepping on the scale—they may use their favorite jeans or skirt to keep track of their waist size. (Weight is just a number on the scale, and won't measure your fitness, for example, a muscular person can have an "overweight" BMI (body mass index) and be extremely fit—see a professional wrestler or active basketball player). When the thin person gains unwanted inches, they take steps to reclaim their physique, not by "dieting," but instead by cutting back and adding in; eat fewer servings of bread or pasta, eat more fruits and vegetables—and add more activity. It's not magic—just consistency, with activity.
Overeating is a habit, a learned behavior, and becomes ingrained and expected. Large portions become 'normal' and we are constantly reminded that the larger size is a "bargain"; that "upgrading" your order saves money, and that for just a few cents, your order can be a "biggie." "All you can eat" has become "eat all you can." Fast food eaters consistently underestimate large or super-sized meals by 500 calories. Do that just once a week and you'll gain almost eight pounds a year.
What does it take to gain a pound…or lose one?
Posted 1/14/2010 2:08:26 PM By: dailySpark Guest Blogger : 123 comments
by Marissa Beck, M.S., R.D.
Imagine this. You’re home after a grueling day at work. You kick off your shoes and drop your bags. Without hesitation, you walk into the kitchen and swing open the ‘fridge like Tarzan on a vine… Last night’s leftovers taste great. You should be enjoying yourself—maybe sit down and use a fork—but instead, you’re hunched over the counter dipping cold chicken into congealed rice, smacking your lips with every bite. Before you know it, you’ve already dug into the Halloween stash. Too bad those skittles were for the kids…
Mindless, robotic, munching—it happens to the best of us. You know what you should do, but sometimes you don’t listen to yourself. Luckily, there are some techniques that have been shown to curtail mindless eating before it gets scarier than the grisly trick-or-treaters.
HALT before the first bite
Stop yourself by say the word, “HALT!” Halt is an acronym that will help discover the reasons why you might be turning toward food. Halt stands for the following:
Posted 1/7/2010 2:16:22 PM By: dailySpark Guest Blogger : 209 comments
A decade ago, Jared Fogle lost 245 pounds eating two Subway sandwiches a day and the Subway diet was born. Today, Subway has capitalized on his publicized success by focusing their marketing and menu on healthier eating alternatives for those dining away from home.
A decade later, Christine has lost 54 pounds with the Taco Bell Drive-Thru Diet. Is this fast food diet your key to success?
Posted 1/7/2010 5:55:23 AM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 199 comments
If you've turned on the Today show or perused the New York Times Best Sellers list in the last few years, you probably know who Joy Bauer is. Bauer, a registered dietitian with a master's in nutrition from New York University is the author of Food Cures and Joy's LIFE Diet. She also hosts Today's popular weekly series called the “Joy Fit Club,” which celebrates determined people who have lost and kept off 100 pounds or more through diet and exercise alone.
Now she has a new book coming out on Dec. 29: Your Inner Skinny (Your Inner Skinny was previously published as Joy’s LIFE Diet.
I recently got the opportunity to connect with Joy, and she offered to answer some questions from you--and our readers.
Posted 12/29/2009 6:03:12 AM By: Stepfanie Romine : 79 comments
Recently we received an e-mail about Walden Farms products. The writer wondered what is in these zero calorie, carbohydrate, fat, gluten and sugar free products and if they were healthy or chemical ridden. We decided to take a closer look. Here is what we found.
Posted 12/24/2009 5:31:13 AM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 98 comments
Surveys indicate that the majority of the American public wants to know the nutritional information for the food they eat. This is also true when it comes to flying the friendly skies.
Recently, an article about how U.S. airlines rate on the nutrition scale, revealed the 2009 DietDetective.com airline survey results. The survey found that American Airlines was "most improved" over previous studies because of some sensible substitutions that were made. Continental took the top food spot because they offer free meals that are lower in calories, nutrient rich and provide variety.
Here is some highlight information for some of the more common airlines to help you make nutrient wise choices while traveling by air this holiday season as identified by the Annual Airline Snacking and Onboard Food Survey.
Posted 12/17/2009 1:11:53 PM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 56 comments
Vitamins and supplements are big business about a $20 billion business to be more exact. Many medical providers agree that taking a multivitamin can be beneficial but for many people that eat a well balanced diet, it isn't typically necessary.
A recent position paper by the American Dietetic Association reveals that eating a variety of foods to consume your nutrients is the best way to stay healthy and avoid chronic disease. This isn't a new nutrition philosophy but it is a message that can't be restated often enough in our supplement crazy society.
Most people can get the nutrients their body needs from a typical meal plan that includes a variety of foods from all food groups. However, many of us are falling short in several key nutrients and additional supplementation may be beneficial to help fill in the gaps.
Here are 4 important nutrients that may provide supplementation benefits even with a healthy diet.
Posted 12/14/2009 6:07:22 AM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 69 comments
A recent report highlighted what we nutrition minded people have known for a while, which is nuts provide good nutrition in a tasty package. Tree nuts in particular provide heart healthy benefits due to their healthy fat source and also provide a good quality protein from a non-animal source. Many times walnuts and almonds are talked about the most. Recently, more and more commercials have popped up in my region of the country for a small tasty alternative tree nut that may be even more healthy.
Posted 11/30/2009 6:31:10 AM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 178 comments
I'm not a big fan of the taste of milk, but I drink it because I think it's good for you. Add some chocolate syrup to it, and of course I like it even more. But at that point, is the milk becoming more like a dessert? A new campaign is trying to keep chocolate milk as a choice in school cafeterias, saying that taking it away will do more harm than good.
Posted 11/27/2009 6:05:44 AM By: Jen Mueller : 197 comments
We know there are food labeling loopholes as well as many different front-of-package identification systems. A few weeks ago we learned the 'Smart Choices' program had been halted. However, other identification programs and labels continue to crowd the fronts of many products on store shelves. Some packages contain the American Heart Association's heart shaped check-mark logo, while others sport a Healthy Ideas box or a Nutrition IQ logo.
Margaret Hamburg, head of the FDA, shared concerns recently related to the confusing nature of having so many different labeling and marketing programs on the front of packages. While the back of package nutrition information is already uniform and consistent because of the nutrition facts label, the same is not true for the front of the package, at least not yet.
Posted 11/12/2009 6:53:24 AM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 108 comments
By Suzanne W. Dixon, MPH, MS, RD, the scientific adviser for www.AppleBoost.com
It sounds contradictory, but a significant number of people in the United States today are simultaneously under- and overnourished. How can that be? If you’re significantly overweight, surely you can’t be malnourished, right?
As a former overweight person myself, a registered dietitian who has worked with many people on weight loss issues, and someone who studies the science of body weight regulation, I know firsthand that it's all too easy to be both overweight and malnourished.
The key to understanding this paradox is to understand the difference between macro- and micronutrients. Macronutrients provide the body with energy in the form of calories. Think carbohydrate, protein, and fat. There’s also alcohol, which isn’t an ideal source of calories, but which provides them nonetheless. Being a fan of a nightly glass of wine or a beer, I'd be remiss if I didn’t mention that alcohol provides calories!
Posted 11/10/2009 11:10:26 AM By: dailySpark Guest Blogger : 83 comments
A thick, juicy burger is almost as American as apple pie and many of us grew up eating a Whopper or Big Mac. With the Whopper offering 670 calories and a Big Mac providing 540 calories, would you be surprised to hear the apple pie might be the better choice since it contributes only half the calories. With a calorie contribution that large, this certainly must be why we have a weight problem in America right? Unfortunately, there are many worse offenders out there.
Here are 12 of the worst sandwiches currently on popular American restaurant menus that make the Whopper and the Big Mac look low calorie.
Posted 11/9/2009 6:38:25 AM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 170 comments
One of the primary meat sources of many Plains Indians was the buffalo also known as the Plains bison. Native Americans did not just eat the meat as a rich protein source. They also used every part of the animal to meet their day-to-day needs such as the fat to make candles and soap or the bones to make shovels and other farming equipment. Unfortunately, the Plains bison nearly faced extinction in the late 1890's when European settlers were killing many for their hides to be shipped to the eastern U.S. and Europe for leather processing.
Today, bison are making a comeback and there are almost 400,000 throughout North America. Yellowstone Park is home to the largest free-roaming bison population with about 3,500 for visitors to observe and enjoy. In addition to public federally protected free-range bison, private ranchers raise bison and their farm-raised meat is showing up in supermarkets around the country. Is it something we should be including in our diets?
Posted 11/5/2009 1:02:38 PM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 253 comments 
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