Kansans and Friends In Weight Loss

When you serve meals to your children, are their plates piled sky high? If so, you may be teaching them to overeat without realizing it, say researchers from Cornell University. In their study, the experts found that serving sizes were the best predictor of how much a child would eat. This contradicts earlier studies that suggested children only eat when they are hungry or when they’re having a growth spurt. In fact, such big portions may explain why weight problems run in certain families. Parents who were raised in homes where plates were loaded up at mealtimes may in turn pass the unhealthy tradition along to their own children.

So, do your kids a favor and help them learn what an “average” serving size looks like. If you aren’t sure yourself, check out the nutrition label on the product package and use measuring cups until you can “eyeball” the correct amount. It’s a healthy lesson that you — and your child — will benefit from for a lifetime!

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You know that walking helps your heart and reduces your waistline, but did you know it also cuts your cancer risk? Researchers say 30 minutes of walking per day can keep cancer at bay or increase the survival odds of those who get cancer. Why? They maintain it’s because those who walk on a regular basis are much less likely to be obese, and obesity is a major risk factor for many types of cancer, including breast cancer.

So, instead of thinking of your daily walk as “just exercise,” try thinking of it as a gift you’re giving yourself and your family — the gift of a long and healthy life! Doesn’t that just make you want to go put on your walking shoes right now? Let’s go!

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Cooking with seafood doesn’t have to be complicated — you can fix up this gourmet-tasting meal in just minutes! By adding the veggies and pasta, you have a completely balanced meal that your whole family will enjoy. It makes for a very nutritious dish! So dive in!

Pasta With Shrimp and Broccoli

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients
2 cups whole-wheat ziti, penne, or other tubular pasta (for 1,600- and 1,800-calorie plans, use 3 cups)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
5 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp (about 15 large or 24 medium shrimp)
1 1⁄2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (optional)
Directions
Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return to the pot.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic or garlic powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the shrimp turn opaque. Add to the drained pasta.

Add the broccoli and the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until just tender. Add to the pasta and toss to mix. Sprinkle with the basil (if using).

Per serving: 339 calories, 11g fat, 41g carbohydrates, 163mg sodium, 9g fiber, 23g protein, 1g sugar

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If you’re not making dairy a part of your healthy lifestyle, you could be missing out on some big benefits, say experts from the American Dietetic Association. For example:

1. Research suggests that dairy intake and weight-management are strongly connected. Just three servings a day may make losing weight and keeping it off much easier!
2. A single 8-ounce serving provides 25 percent of your daily riboflavin needs. This important nutrient helps your body convert food into energy.
3. Fat-free milk is one of the leanest protein sources around. It provides all of the good stuff, but without the fat!
4. Dairy is rich in calcium, too! Bone up with an 8-ounce glass of milk — it’ll provide 30 percent of your daily calcium requirement.
5. Milk allows you to get vitamin D without the sun damage! A single serving provides 25 percent of your daily intake!
6. Milk is a great post-workout drink! An 8-ounce glass of skim provides hydration, electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein — and all for a bargain calorie count of 80. Yum!

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Cutting calories doesn’t have to mean drastic changes in the way you eat! It’s actually the little things that add up! See how many calories you can easily cut out with these eight little changes:

1. Use mustard instead of mayo: 100 calories.
2. Skip the wine or beer with dinner: 100 calories.
3. Take the skin off your chicken breast: 100 calories.
4. Switch to fat-free salad dressing instead of regular: 100 calories.
5. Drink water or herbal tea instead of a soda: 150 calories.
6. Order your sandwich without the cheese: 200 calories.
7. Choose an English muffin instead of a bagel: 200 calories.
8. Have a turkey sandwich instead of tuna salad with mayo: 250 calories.

I already try to use skinless chicken breasts when and where possible, I have maybe one glass of wine a month, instead of regular mayo I use light mayo, I drink diet soda and or ice tea when I can I stay away from high calorie drinks and I love English muffins just as much as I do bagels so that is an easy compromise.

I really enjoy getting these things from Denise Austin she is equally as good as Dr Phil but she is more experienced in giving good sound nutritional advice. Most if not all of what she talks about is what I have learned and is tried and tested by many experts if the nutrition and weight loss field. That is why I post her tips here that I recieve in my email over on MSN mail.

Have a good one.

Joe

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Do you shut your kitchen down at 8 p.m.? If not, late-night munchies could be keeping you from getting the results you want! Remember, food is fuel, and food eaten right before bed, when your body’s fuel needs are lowest, becomes fuel stored for another day — a.k.a. FAT!

Make an effort to eat your meals and snacks during the day, when your body needs the energy! Doing so keeps your metabolism burning at a steady pace and helps you avoid the kind of ravenous hunger that can drive you into the kitchen at night. Try these tips for breaking the “midnight munchies” habit:

• After dinner, clean up the kitchen and shut off the light. You’ll be less tempted to graze after you “close up shop.”
• Brush your teeth right after dinner. Don’t ruin that minty fresh feeling with a snack!
• Avoid eating in front of the television. Studies show you’ll eat more while watching the tube and not even realize it!
• If you must have a late-night snack, choose wisely! Have a cup of yogurt and fruit, a salad, a broth-based soup, or some steamed veggies.

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Don’t make your commitment to eating right and getting healthy harder than it needs to be. Clear out these five temptations from your kitchen before the munchies strike!

1. Fried frozen: Fried shrimp, french fries, fish sticks, onion rings, and the like. Even if you “bake” them, it’s too late — they’re already fried!
2. Frozen fat: Pizza and similar frozen foods loaded with cheese, meat, and fats.
3. Snack attack: Crackers, potato chips, and tortilla chips. Most of these are fried, and even the low-fat versions pack a lot of empty calories!
4. Sweets: Cookies, candies, and cakes — even the nonfat ones — contain no vitamins or minerals. If you can’t stay away from them, don’t keep them on hand!
5. Artery cloggers: Sausage, bacon, and other fatty red meats.

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Looking for a rejuvenating burst from one of the energy drinks hitting store shelves? As opposed to sports drinks that restore your electrolytes and rehydrate you, energy drinks are ones that contain caffeine or taurine, giving you a sudden burst of energy. Watch out for their hazardous effects though, experts from the Canadian Health Department warn. These seemingly harmless drinks not only contain empty calories but can also seriously damage your health. Experts recommend you:

• Avoid mixing energy drinks and alcohol.
• Drink no more than two energy drinks in a 24-hour period.
• Keep your water consumption up to prevent dehydration.
• Seek medical attention if you feel unwell after consuming an energy drink.

My advice? Skip the energy drink and head for the source — good nutrition and regular exercise. When you’re taking care of your body, abundant energy naturally follows. And the great news is — unlike with energy drinks — you’ll never risk paying for that pep with your health!

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If puffy eyes leave you looking tired and aged every morning, the cure is as close as your kitchen! The following food fixes will quickly restore you to your bright-eyed and bushy-tailed best:

• Place a chilled slice of cucumber over each eye and rest for five minutes. The cold reduces puffiness, while enzymes in the cucumber help draw out excess fluid!
• Another vegetable cure comes from the potato. Peel and slice thinly, then place a few slices over each eye and relax for 10 minutes. Bye-bye bags!
• Fix a couple of cups of hot tea, then squeeze out the tea bags and let them cool. Place the room-temperature tea bags on your eyes for a few minutes and puffiness will vanish!

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Think calcium is the best way to protect your bones from the ravages of time? Exercise may be even better! Researchers from Penn State found that women who engaged in weight-bearing exercise on a regular basis had better bone mass, even if they had a lower calcium intake! That’s because bone, just like muscle, builds strength based on how much strain it bears.Experts recommend that women get started as early in life as possible, since most bone mass is built before age 30. But it’s never too late! Those over 30 can protect the bone mass they have with proper diet and exercise. In short, make sure your calcium intake is adequate — 1,000 to 1,500 mg a day depending on your age — and include activities such as walking, jogging, dancing, hiking, stair climbing, aerobic dance, and resistance training with weights or exercise bands in your schedule three to five times a week. Here’s to you and your beautiful bones!

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