You've probably heard the bad news; that the healthiest, most convenient low-calorie protien around, canned/bagged tuna may contain high levels of mercury. Well, here are 2 bits of good news:
1) You can now get skinless, boneless salmon in a packet or can, which looks and tastes almost like tuna
2) If you buy "chunk light" instead of "albacore" canned tuna, it typically has only 25% as much mercury and also has less fat.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Sweat the Small Stuff
Hello!
Well, the latest numbers are in and Americans are now gaining 2 pounds per year, every year, on average. That's 20 pounds per decade--yikes!
Consider this: To gain 2 pounds per year you need to overeat by only 19 calories per day (1 saltine cracker.) On the bright side, this also means that you can lose 2 pounds per year by burning 19 calories more than you eat each day--that's only 2 extra minutes of exercise. Every little nibble or extra minute of physical activity adds up over time, so start sweating the small stuff.
And have a good week,
Jill
Well, the latest numbers are in and Americans are now gaining 2 pounds per year, every year, on average. That's 20 pounds per decade--yikes!
Consider this: To gain 2 pounds per year you need to overeat by only 19 calories per day (1 saltine cracker.) On the bright side, this also means that you can lose 2 pounds per year by burning 19 calories more than you eat each day--that's only 2 extra minutes of exercise. Every little nibble or extra minute of physical activity adds up over time, so start sweating the small stuff.
And have a good week,
Jill
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Dirty Dozen
Organic produce is wonderful for the planet and your body, but it sure costs a lot. If you're looking to save money on food, but also want to avoid pesticides, these are the foods for which organic matters most. According to the Environmental Working Group, common growing practices make these crops the most likely to contain pesticide residues.
1. Apples
2. Bell peppers
3. Celery
4. Cherries
5. Imported grapes
6. Nectarines
7. Peaches
8. Pears
9. Potatoes
10. Raspberries
11. Spinach
12. Strawberries
1. Apples
2. Bell peppers
3. Celery
4. Cherries
5. Imported grapes
6. Nectarines
7. Peaches
8. Pears
9. Potatoes
10. Raspberries
11. Spinach
12. Strawberries
Friday, December 12, 2008
Sugar is finally proven addictive
Hello!
Psychology researchers at Princeton have finally proven what you may have already suspected. Granted, they studied rats (so they could look inside their brains) but they found that eating sugar produces similar results as taking addictive drugs. After allowing rats to binge on sugar, they found
A) Altered brain chemistry: The rats' dopamine receptors were fried, just like with drug addicts,
B) Cravings: The rats went through withdrawal when their sugar was taken away,
C) Relapse: The rats ate even larger amounts of sugar at their next opportunity.
D) Alcoholism: The rats started drinking much more alcohol after becoming addicted to sugar.
Perhaps re-classifying sugar as an addictive substance will help us have the discipline not to buy it or keep it in the house.
Now perhaps those Princeton researchers can get working to find us something pleasurable that isn't illegal, immoral or fattening!
Have a good week!
Jill
Psychology researchers at Princeton have finally proven what you may have already suspected. Granted, they studied rats (so they could look inside their brains) but they found that eating sugar produces similar results as taking addictive drugs. After allowing rats to binge on sugar, they found
A) Altered brain chemistry: The rats' dopamine receptors were fried, just like with drug addicts,
B) Cravings: The rats went through withdrawal when their sugar was taken away,
C) Relapse: The rats ate even larger amounts of sugar at their next opportunity.
D) Alcoholism: The rats started drinking much more alcohol after becoming addicted to sugar.
Perhaps re-classifying sugar as an addictive substance will help us have the discipline not to buy it or keep it in the house.
Now perhaps those Princeton researchers can get working to find us something pleasurable that isn't illegal, immoral or fattening!
Have a good week!
Jill
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Winter Weight Woes
Hello!
If you've noticed that it's harder to watch your weight lately, you're not crazy. Winter weather and shorter days are tough on will-power and fat-burning for a few reasons:
1. Being cold increases your appetite.
2. Cravings for comfort food increase after the sun sets and it's dark outside.
3. Exercising in colder weather doesn't work your heart as hard. When your heart has to pump enough blood to simultaneously fuel you and cool you (i.e., sweat) you burn more calories.
4. It's good TV season. Who can be bothered to be active after dinner when a new episode of 30 Rock is on?!
What should you do?
Fight your best fight until the weather gets warmer and be glad you live in Southern California! Think of all those poor folks who live up north and live like this until almost June!
Have a good week,
Jill
If you've noticed that it's harder to watch your weight lately, you're not crazy. Winter weather and shorter days are tough on will-power and fat-burning for a few reasons:
1. Being cold increases your appetite.
2. Cravings for comfort food increase after the sun sets and it's dark outside.
3. Exercising in colder weather doesn't work your heart as hard. When your heart has to pump enough blood to simultaneously fuel you and cool you (i.e., sweat) you burn more calories.
4. It's good TV season. Who can be bothered to be active after dinner when a new episode of 30 Rock is on?!
What should you do?
Fight your best fight until the weather gets warmer and be glad you live in Southern California! Think of all those poor folks who live up north and live like this until almost June!
Have a good week,
Jill
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Your body's sugar "storage tanks"
Hello!
New research has found that some people are prone to release more insulin than others after eating carbohydrates. Insulin moves carbohydrates out of your blood stream and into storage-- which is usually your fat cells--so these high-insulin-releasers are more likely to gain weight unless they maintain a low-carb diet.
This explains why some lucky folks get away with eating more carbs than others.
If you believe you might be one of those unlucky carb-sensitive weight-gainers (or if you just love your carbs and want to avoid storing fat after eating them), here's a solution:
Build bigger muscles and use them regularly.
Before storing fat, your body will store sugar in your muscles, as glycogen...but only if there is space for it. When you exercise your muscles you burn up some of the muscle sugar, making room for more. Think of muscles as your sugar "storage tanks" that give you freedom to enjoy more carbs.
...now you know why I lift weights!
Have a good day,
Jill
New research has found that some people are prone to release more insulin than others after eating carbohydrates. Insulin moves carbohydrates out of your blood stream and into storage-- which is usually your fat cells--so these high-insulin-releasers are more likely to gain weight unless they maintain a low-carb diet.
This explains why some lucky folks get away with eating more carbs than others.
If you believe you might be one of those unlucky carb-sensitive weight-gainers (or if you just love your carbs and want to avoid storing fat after eating them), here's a solution:
Build bigger muscles and use them regularly.
Before storing fat, your body will store sugar in your muscles, as glycogen...but only if there is space for it. When you exercise your muscles you burn up some of the muscle sugar, making room for more. Think of muscles as your sugar "storage tanks" that give you freedom to enjoy more carbs.
...now you know why I lift weights!
Have a good day,
Jill
Tastebuds Gone Wild--The MSG Story
Yesterday I gobbled down an entire bag of white cheddar rice cakes. They were so delicious I couldn't stop. I was in a trance of pleasure and I was helpless! And after I polished off the bag and wished for more, it dawned on me that there must be some MSG hiding in there. That's the salty additive that makes sane folks eat like the world is ending.
But the label didn't list MSG. Instead the label said "yeast extract", which is code-word for MSG. How tricky!
So here's a quick primer on MSG:
1. MSG is an "excitotoxin," which means that it makes food taste amazing. Your brain's pleasure center goes wild upon tasting it and your appetite balloons.
2. People eat more quickly and much more food when their meals are laced with MSG.
3. A Chinese study looked into why MSG-eaters were more likely to be overweight & obese. The simple explanation was that they were eating a whole lot more.
4. MSG is often hard to identify on a label--it sneaks into things like:
yeast extract
hydrolyzed vegetable protein
sodium and calcium caseinate
autolyzed yeast
hydrolyzed corn protein
texturized vegetable protein
It is also sometimes sprayed on commercial crops to stimulate growth.
5. There is some evidence that MSG can cause chronic overproduction of insulin and can also damage the hypothalamus, which controls hunger. The many claims about cancer don't have strong support.
Chances are that you will have a tough time identifying MSG, especially when eating out. My suggestion is to pay attention to which foods drive your tastebuds unnaturally wild and then assume the worst.
If you already struggle with overeating, MSG is probably a disaster for you. Do your best to avoid it and seek out some healthy herbs & spices instead.
But the label didn't list MSG. Instead the label said "yeast extract", which is code-word for MSG. How tricky!
So here's a quick primer on MSG:
1. MSG is an "excitotoxin," which means that it makes food taste amazing. Your brain's pleasure center goes wild upon tasting it and your appetite balloons.
2. People eat more quickly and much more food when their meals are laced with MSG.
3. A Chinese study looked into why MSG-eaters were more likely to be overweight & obese. The simple explanation was that they were eating a whole lot more.
4. MSG is often hard to identify on a label--it sneaks into things like:
yeast extract
hydrolyzed vegetable protein
sodium and calcium caseinate
autolyzed yeast
hydrolyzed corn protein
texturized vegetable protein
It is also sometimes sprayed on commercial crops to stimulate growth.
5. There is some evidence that MSG can cause chronic overproduction of insulin and can also damage the hypothalamus, which controls hunger. The many claims about cancer don't have strong support.
Chances are that you will have a tough time identifying MSG, especially when eating out. My suggestion is to pay attention to which foods drive your tastebuds unnaturally wild and then assume the worst.
If you already struggle with overeating, MSG is probably a disaster for you. Do your best to avoid it and seek out some healthy herbs & spices instead.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Law and Order and Weight Gain
Hello!
You probably already knew that watching tv increases hunger (thanks to commercials) and contributes to body image problems (thanks to stars' perfect bodies), but here's a doozie: watching tv suppresses your metabolism below it's basal rate!
Researchers recently measured the calorie burn associated with watching tv versus reading. In both cases, the subjects were reclining and completely inactive. It was assumed that the calorie burn for both activities would be the same as resting metabolism.
The readers' metabolisms stayed at the basal level, as expected, but get this: Television watchers actually had their metabolisms go down by up to 16%! That's enough to pack on a few pounds per year for the average viewer.
The lower metabolism is thought to be caused by our brains shutting down during tv. Under normal circumstances, a brain burns a lot of calories throughout the day--about 450--but apparently only if you keep it engaged.
The takeaway message: Now you really can't justify munching on snacks while watching tv. How about some ab crunches instead?
You probably already knew that watching tv increases hunger (thanks to commercials) and contributes to body image problems (thanks to stars' perfect bodies), but here's a doozie: watching tv suppresses your metabolism below it's basal rate!
Researchers recently measured the calorie burn associated with watching tv versus reading. In both cases, the subjects were reclining and completely inactive. It was assumed that the calorie burn for both activities would be the same as resting metabolism.
The readers' metabolisms stayed at the basal level, as expected, but get this: Television watchers actually had their metabolisms go down by up to 16%! That's enough to pack on a few pounds per year for the average viewer.
The lower metabolism is thought to be caused by our brains shutting down during tv. Under normal circumstances, a brain burns a lot of calories throughout the day--about 450--but apparently only if you keep it engaged.
The takeaway message: Now you really can't justify munching on snacks while watching tv. How about some ab crunches instead?
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