Sugar Substitutes
From EverydayHealth.com, here is an overview of sugar substitutes. I personally if I can just avoid sugar and it’s substitutes if I have a choice. Black coffee rather than double-double…but if I was a pop, maybe once a week, I’ll opt for diet. Try fruit to naturally sweeten some things like desserts or oatmeal.
- Saccharin. This is the granddaddy of artificial sweeteners, first developed in 1879. It’s sold under the brand name Sweet’N Low and is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sugar. Many diet colas and other diet foods contain saccharin. It also is sold in packets for sweetening individual meals and in bulk for use in cooking. Its safety: A 1970 study associated saccharin with bladder tumor growth in rats, so an eat-at-your-own-risk warning was added to its packaging. But the National Cancer Institute and the FDA have since concluded that saccharin does not pose a risk for bladder cancer in humans, so it is considered a safe sugar substitute for type 1 and type 2 diabetes diets. However, experts still recommend that pregnant women avoid saccharin.
- Aspartame. This sweetener is sold under the brand names Equal and NutraSweet and is 180 to 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is sold in packet and bulk form, but is not considered as useful in cooking because high heat reduces its sweetness.
Its safety: While many anecdotal reports have linked aspartame to health conditions ranging from depression and headache to cancer, researchers have not found that the sweetener poses any health risk to people. The American Medical Association, American Diabetes Association, and the FDA have all come down in support of aspartame’s safety, and it can be used by people with any of the three types of diabetes. However, people with a disorder called phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid it. - Sucralose. Sold under the brand name Splenda, this artificial sweetener is 600 times sweeter than sugar and is very useful in baking because granulated Splenda can be directly substituted for sugar in recipes.
It safety: Because sucralose is newer, there are fewer long-range studies available regarding its safety. That said, it has FDA approval and is accepted by the American Diabetes Association for use by all three types of diabetics. - Acesulfame K (Sunett, Sweet One). This sweetener, which can be used for baking, can be found in many packaged goods and is 200 times sweeter than sugar.
It safety: More than 90 studies showed acesulfame to be safe. - Neotame: This recently approved sweetener is about 8,000 times sweeter than sugar. It’s closely related to aspartame, but not yet widely used in the United States.
Its safety: Although derived from aspartame, a chemical change makes this sweetener safe for those with PKU.
- Stevia (Truvia, PureVia, SweetLeaf, Stevia in the Raw): The stevia plant is the basis of this sweetener, which is 250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar.
Its safety: Until recently, the FDA had banned stevia because of concern that it might cause reproductive problems in lab animals. But late in 2008, the FDA approved the purified part of the stevia leaf, known as rebaudioside A, for use as an additive in American food products. This form of stevia also is reported to have less of an aftertaste. - Agave nectar: This sweetener, produced from the agave plant, has just as many calories as sugar. But it is sweeter than sugar, so you use less, and it has much less direct impact on your blood sugar levels than either sugar or honey. Its safety: Agave nectar is as safe as sugar.
15 Recipes For Weight Loss
From Men’s Health email newsletter, click this link to go to their site and find 15 recipes for weight loss!
- Waffles with Ham and Egg
- Nachos with Chicken and Black Beans
- Chicken Fingers with Chipotle-Honey
- Crispy Quesadillas with Guacamole
- Spicy Potato Skins
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Grilled Chicken with Pineapple Sandwich
- Green Chile Cheeseburger
- Cheesesteak Sandwich
- Grilled Pork and Peaches
- Grilled Steak with Red Wine Butter
- Loaded Alfredo with Chicken and Vegetables
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Chicken Parmesan
- Strawberry Shortcake with Balsamic
PLUS Belly Busting tips here!
Navigate the Holidays – Make Time For Exercise
From Chatelaine’s e-newsletter, tips on how to maintain a workout regime over the holidays. I am going to visit my parents in the middle of nowhere (no gym near whatsoever) and have made up a workout plan consisting of bodyweight moves and time on a treadmill.
Still Hungry!
From EverydayHealth.com:
Q: Often when I’m finished with my meal, I still want to eat more. What can I do?
A: One strategy to increase satiety during meals is to make sure you have included plenty of high-volume, low-calorie items to fill up your stomach without filling up with calories. For example, load up on fruits and vegetables (as found in salads), low-calorie vegetable soups, and whole grains.
Another strategy involves mindful eating, where you slowly eat each bite and savor it. Many people have found this helps them get in tune with their feelings of fullness for the first time in ages.If you still have a problem with appetite even after trying these strategies, you might want to seek help from a weight-management specialist. There are many people struggling with appetite, as it is an ingrained instinct that is hard to overcome. There are also medications that a doctor can prescribe for appetite suppression if you have medically serious obesity.
Navigate the Holidays – Holiday Calorie Cutting
9 Recipes for a Health Thanksgiving Apply these ideas to Christmas dinner too!
Healthy Pumpkin Pie Control your cholesterol with this recipe!
Drop 20 Pounds
From EverydayHealth.com, here are the 4 “Diet Truths” that you need to know and practise to lose weight.
- Cutting out sweet drinks is non-negotiable. Sweet tea, soda, and flavored and sweetened milks, waters, and coffees all have to go. Drink plain water, low-fat milk, and sugar-free drinks instead. A study of 810 adults between 25 and 79 years old showed that after 18 months, those who cut out sweet drinks had greater weight loss than those who cut down on food calories. One possible reason: While your body lets you know when it is full of food, there is no way for your body to tell you when you’ve maxed out on liquid calories.
- Physical activity helps counting calories. Being physically active burns calories while it improves your overall health. Aim for 30 minutes a day most days of the week. A brisk 30- to 45-minute walk burns 100 to 200 calories. If you can burn 200 calories through exercise, you only have to cut out 300 calories in food or drink to reach your daily calorie-cutting goal.
- Strategically eating less drops weight. A study of 811 overweight people who participated in four popular diets found that whether diets were low-fat, high-protein, or a combination didn’t matter — weight-loss success depends on cutting out calories. In fact, you can continue to eat filling portions if you simply replace high-calorie foods with low-calorie foods that contain a lot of water, such as fruits and vegetables. A study of 97 obese women who ate either a low-fat diet or a low-fat diet with additional fruits and vegetables found that those who emphasized fruits and veggies lost up to five pounds more.
- Journaling leads to success. Counting calories is easier if you write down (or type in) what you eat, including serving sizes and details such as condiments you may have added. “Research has shown that exercise and journaling really make a difference in long-term weight management,” says Gail Curtis, assistant professor at Wake Forest University Health Sciences in Winston-Salem, N.C. A detailed journal will help you identify your successes and pinpoint where you can cut additional calories or replace high-calorie foods with low-calorie ones.
Navigate the Holidays: Pie Makeover
I love pie…especially pumpkin. But, we need every calorie cut over the holiday to minimize weight gain but still enjoy the holiday food. Here is South Beach’s healthy makeover on holiday pies. The link is below.
For the crust: Replace refined white flour with whole-wheat flour, white whole-wheat flour, or nut flour (made from ground almonds, pecans, and/or walnuts, for example). Feel free to combine some old-fashioned rolled oats with the flour to give the crust more texture. You can also use whole-wheat phyllo dough for a lighter crust. Be sure to limit any pie you make to one crust though.
For the filling: Take advantage of the fall season’s freshest produce and fill your pie with apples, pears, quince, or pumpkin, or use canned pumpkin purée or frozen fruits of your choice. For other pie-filling ideas, enjoy no-sugar-added natural peanut butter, nonfat or low-fat artificially sweetened flavored yogurt (such as raspberry or strawberry), or sugar-free pudding. Be sure to use granular sugar substitute (or agave nectar for a natural sweetener) and use fat-free half-and-half instead of heavy cream and trans-fat-free margarine (vegetable-oil spread) or canola oil rather than butter. You can also use no-sugar-added chocolate powder and unsweetened cocoa powder, but remember to count them toward your daily Sweet Treat allowance of 75 to 100 calories. Among the traditional pie flavorings, we recommend pure vanilla or almond extract, ground cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, freshly grated nutmeg, and ground cloves.
For the topping: Rather than using a second crust, there are many delicious ways to top your cooked pie. Here are a few suggestions:
- Lemon or lime zest
- Dark-chocolate shavings
- Sugar-free maple or chocolate syrup
- Bittersweet dark or semisweet dark chocolate chips
- Pecans, slivered almonds, or walnuts
- Light or fat-free whipped topping
Spot Reducing Abdominal Fat
From EverydayHealth.com:
Q: How should someone like me — with abdominal obesity (which goes along with metabolic syndrome) — adjust my weight-loss program to promote fat loss around the middle, as well as general weight loss? Should I exercise more, or eat even fewer calories (and fat calories) than someone who’s just generally trying to lose weight?
A: That’s a good question, because many people are in the same situation as you. First, if you smoke, you should stop because smoking promotes abdominal obesity. In terms of whittling your waist, fat loss around the middle will be more pronounced if you exercise along with decreasing caloric intake, both total and fat calories.As you probably know, abdominal fat is the most important to lose because it is the most strongly related to diabetes and heart disease. So diet and exercise are very important both for general weight loss and for abdominal fat loss. How much exercise? A lot — but that doesn’t mean you have to run a marathon or become a bodybuilder. Recent studies have shown that people who are the most successful at losing weight and keeping it off exercise at least one hour a day at an intensity equivalent to brisk walking.
Genetics plays a role as well — those who are predisposed to gain and lose weight in certain places will continue to do so no matter what kind of diet and exercise program they are on, but again, the first place the weight usually comes off is in the abdominal area. Remember, the road to a healthy weight begins with that first step, so my best advice is to watch what you eat and get out there and start walking!
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Abdominal fat increases the chances of metabolic diseases
Abdominal fat increases the chances of metabolic diseases like diabetes. Read this article here! It is important to maintain a healthy weight, but more important to maintain a healthy weight if you carry an extra tire around your middle!
Navigate The Holidays! Pan Jus Gravy
One thing I LOVE about family dinner is mashed potatoes and gravy…gravy on everything. I love it! However, it’s not the healthiest. Which is why I reserve it as a treat for the holidays (every holiday, I’m not a saint) and for sometimes Sunday night roasts.
South Beach came up with the following Pan Juice “Gravy” that uses no cornstarch or flour. I’m terrible at making gravy so I might as well stick with a recipe that doesn’t require thickening!
This “jus”-style gravy, made without flour or cornstarch, is thickened naturally by reducing and concentrating the turkey juices. After the bird is carved and placed on a serving platter, add the juices from the cutting board to the gravy for extra richness.
Makes 8 (1/4-cup) servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
After turkey has roasted, pour juices from the pan into a glass measuring cup or a fat separator; set aside. Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add wine to the pan and, using a wooden spoon, scrape any browned bits of turkey from the bottom of the pan. Add broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, skim off any fat that has accumulated on top of the reserved pan juices (you should have about 2 cups of juices). Add juices to the roasting pan along with any additional juices that have accumulated on the carving board. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Serve warm.
Nutritional information
Per (1/4-cup) serving:
25 calories
1 g fat (0 g sat)
1 g carbohydrate
1 g protein
0 g fiber
105 mg sodium
I Want My Sexy Back! 
