Kansans and Friends In Weight Loss

Do you find yourself putting items into the shopping cart that weren’t on your list when you got to the supermarket? Retailers actually arrange their stores to encourage impulse — and often unhealthy — buys! Just think about the candy bars right by the cash register or the aroma of fresh baked goods that greets you as you walk in the door. Is this a coincidence? Not a chance! Fight back with these tips:

• Make a list, so you’ll know what you need and go straight to it!
• Shop the outer walls of the store, where fresh produce, meats, dairy, and grains are displayed. Avoid inner aisles that are filled with processed items!
• Never shop on an empty stomach! Plan supermarket trips after a meal, when you won’t be as tempted!
• Read labels. If it’s high in fat, calories, salt, and preservatives, put it back!
• Avoid “free” samples. This little taste often winds up triggering an unnecessary purchase.
• Bring a friend to help you stay focused.

Now you’re a savvy shopper! Take that, marketers!

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Is midday or late-night munching sabotaging your Eat Right! plan? Snacking itself isn’t bad — people often comment that I’m constantly nibbling! It’s all about smart snacking choices. See how these common snacks stack up to their healthier alternatives:

• Instead of one scoop of ice cream, have 15 frozen grapes or one small frozen banana. You’ll save 150 calories and 11 grams of fat while satisfying your craving for something sweet!
• Instead of a handful of potato chips, reach for one cup of peeled baby carrots or celery sticks. You’ll satisfy your urge to crunch and save 125 calories and 19 fat grams!
• Instead of butter-lovers’ microwave popcorn, have 3.5 cups of air-popped popcorn. You’ll save 125 calories and 14 grams of fat!
• Instead of a candy bar, have a chocolate frozen yogurt bar. You’ll save 150 calories and 11 grams of fat!

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If junk food cost more, would it discourage you from buying it? That’s the question prompting the idea of a “fat tax,” proposed by Yale University psychology professor Kelly D. Brownell. He suggests slapping a 7 to 10 percent tax on unhealthy foods like chips and soda, hoping to “offset” the higher cost of healthier foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. The money could go toward programs to educate the public on the basics of eating right, and higher prices for empty- calorie foods would lead people to reach for healthier options, he says.

But critics aren’t yet convinced — they argue that similar “sin taxes” on products like alcohol and cigarettes have not had the desired effect. Others say such a tax would penalizes those with the least amount of income by making food more expensive.

It’s a novel idea, but why wait for the government to take action? Start boycotting these foods now! Paying a little more for fruits and veggies buys you and your family good health — and that’s something you can’t put a price on!

Ok if we boycott unhealthy junk food instead of putting a tax on it, then it would make more sense. Say for example one store sold 12 cases on avg of snack cakes with each case containing 12 boxes of snack cakes and sold them for 1.75 a box.that is 21.00 per case. If no one bought that case full of snacks that would mean the rest of the cases would potentially not sell and if there was a pallet of 36 cases of the snack cakes then the snack cake company would take roughly a 756 dollar hit in rejected merchandise just for one store. Now imagine a chain of stores in one town that had four chains that would be about $3024 worth of rejected sales. I would think instead of punishing the consumer by initiating a tax and still rewarding the snack cake company via the trickle down effect, that the company should be penalized. Yes it would mean a loss of wages eventually for the company employees and more importantly may shut the company down if they choose not make a healthier line, however, it would certainly make the corporate junk food companies stand up and take notice if one of their competitors took that drastic of a beating by the consumer.

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The vast majority of us reach for comfort foods when we’re feeling low. And while you’ve heard me preach time and again that that’s not a good idea, new research shows that there is something you should snack on when you need a pick-me-up — omega-3 fatty acids! Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh recently discovered that omega-3s not only protect your heart and cut your risk of serious diseases, they can also give you a mood boost! Talk about a win-win situation!

So where can you find these feel-good nutrients? Fattier fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon are all high in omega-3s. Not a seafood fan? You can also find omega-3s in tofu and soybeans, as well as in canola, walnut, and flaxseed oils. Finally, fish oil supplements also contain omega-3s, but be careful not to take more than 3 grams a day — overdoing it on omega-3s can have harmful side effects, such as increased bleeding and a higher risk of stroke.

The next time you’re having a bad day, opt for omega-3s instead of ice cream and do your body — and your mood — good!

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In a hurry? Fast-food restaurants are a convenient and quick option.

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