It’s now been a few weeks since we have made our New Year’s resolutions to eat better and finally lose those last five pounds or more. It’s time to check in and see if you’ve set yourself up for success this year. Brittany Glassett, registered dietitian at Porter Adventist Hospital has a few tips to keep in mind when setting – and keeping – new goals.

• Make SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely. For example, instead of resolving to “eat better,” make a goal to eat fast food less than three times per month.
• Write goals down and choose one or two to focus on at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed; once you’ve incorporated one or two changes into your lifestyle, pick another goal to tackle. Remember, it takes about three weeks to establish a new habit.
• Break your goal down into mini-goals. If you want to lose 50 pounds, that’s a pretty big feat and can seem impossible at times. Start with a mini-goal of losing 5 pounds in the next month.
• Get support. Tell family and friends about your goal to help keep you accountable when temptation arises. Better yet, get them on the fast track to being healthy also!
• Plan ahead. Plan all of your meals and go to the grocery store on Sunday. That way you won’t get home from work with nothing to eat but delivery pizza. Also, schedule your workouts just as you would any other meeting.

Six Small Changes That Make a Big Difference:

1. Choose more whole grains. All carbohydrates are not created equal. Unlike refined carbohydrates (white bread, sweets), whole grains contain heart healthy fiber and many vitamins and minerals. The fiber will keep you full between meals to help with weight management goals.
2. Add more color to your plate. Some of the most colorful foods are antioxidant packed fruits and vegetables. Try to have at least three different colors on your plate (white, cream and yellow don’t count!). Make a goal to try a new fruit or vegetable every month.
3. Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast. Eating small, regular meals (every three to four hours) will keep hunger at bay and help you to make better choices at meal times.
4. Don’t drink your calories. Soda, juice and high calorie coffee drinks contain “empty calories” – they provide excessive amounts of calories without providing much, if any, nutrition.
5. Replace vegetable oil with canola oil and olive oil in your kitchen. Olive oil and canola oil contain heart healthy monounsaturated fats whereas vegetable oil contains omega-6 fatty acids, a polyunsaturated fat, which are eaten in excess in the typical American diet. Omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation in the body, which is associated with many disease states including heart disease.
6. Keep a food diary. Even if it’s for one or two days a week, studies have shown that those who have lost weight and maintained it keep food journals. It really can be an eye-opener!

Source:
Porter Adventist Hospital

Nutrition / Diet From Medical News Today

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/214339.php

Healthy Food for Stronger Body:
Food in natural state: The food helps to build stronger body. Fresh fruits, apples and berries are good for satisfying the desire for sweets. Vegetables of all kinds such a green, yellow and orange are rich in vitamins and minerals. Steamed vegetables retain the nutritional value of the vegetables. Avoid calorie rich sauces and fats. High calorie foods are not good for health.

Fish, Chicken and Meat: To attain a stronger body, serve seafood two or three times a week. Ocean fish consists of essential fatty acids that are usually deficient in the healthy diet. Prefer baked chicken and fish rather than fried ones. The lean meat such as venison or bison is healthier than beef, which is rich in fat.

Processed bacon, lunchmeat, sausages and hot dogs contain plenty of junk, which the body does not require. Even if anybody wants to have such meats, then probably they can go for healthier versions that are available at health food departments.

Avoid Non-nutritional food: White bread and noodles are made of flour that is not good for health. The flour does not contain nutritional content. Moreover, the high starch content of white bread affects the sugar level of the blood quicker than a regular sugar. In addition, sugary pastries and snacks, apple pie are non-nutritional items, which are not good for health. It is essential that pasta or baked items have to be made from whole grains.

Benefits of Variety in Food & Water:
Some people are very much sensitive to frequently eaten food. Therefore, such people have to break the habit and start eating a variety in food to achieve stronger body. Consume various kinds of grains. Spelt is a better substitute for wheat. Prefer to have almond or rice milk rather than cow’s milk. People have to eat variety of food even if they do not like it.

Drink plenty of water and limit beverages such as soft drinks. If individuals are tired of drinking plain water, add some lime or lemon slice to it. Serve kids with some fruit juice with carbonated water. Even green and herbal tea can be good substitute for water. However, avoid excess of caffeine.

Avoid Skipping Meals:
Skipping breakfast brings down the energy level by midmorning. It is better to split the breakfast in half than skipping it. It helps greatly by eating breakfast early such as oatmeal, egg or whole grain bread. Snacks such as almonds and raisins also benefit the health greatly. The split breakfast provides better solution than going for candy bars or coffee, and retains the energy level to feel good and fresh.

The first step in maintaining a healthy lifestyle starts in the refrigerator – but it can be difficult when it is filled with tempting, unhealthy foods. The Freshen Up Your Fridge program sponsored by Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese encourages Americans to remove unhealthy items and add fresh, nutrient-rich foods that are all-natural.

Delicious Berry Parfait

Simple steps to eating healthy

To make freshening up your refrigerator even easier, find foods that are low in fat and only contain all-natural ingredients. New Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese, for example, is offered in both low fat (2 percent) and regular (4 percent), and contains only all-natural ingredients – no preservatives, and without added growth hormones. (No significant difference has been shown between milk from rBST-treated and untreated cows.)

“So many Americans try to eat healthy, but don’t realize that many foods contain unnecessary additives and preservatives,” says Kim Galeaz, registered dietitian. “I’m partnering with Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese to show how simple it can be to freshen up your refrigerator and live a healthier lifestyle.”

Galeaz’s fresh refrigerator tips include:

• Fill your refrigerator with fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Load up on in-season apricots, blueberries, strawberries, broccoli, green beans, snow peas, spinach and baby greens.
• Just 90 calories per serving, Daisy Brand Low Fat Cottage Cheese is naturally high in protein and low in fat, making it a favorite among active, nutrition-conscious adults. With its versatility in recipes and nutritional benefits for every age, consumers can feel good about making one purchase that is valuable in so many ways. One half-cup serving is packed with 14 grams of high-quality protein, and compared to other proteins, is very budget friendly.
• Know what foods are nutrient-rich. Naturally nutrient-rich foods provide valuable vitamins and minerals, and have fewer preservatives and additives than most other foods. Fruits, vegetables and cottage cheese are three convenient and nutrient-rich snacks to keep on hand in your refrigerator for growing kids, teens and active adults.
• Focus on high-quality protein. High-quality protein sources such as skinless fish, poultry, lean beef and pork, cottage cheese and eggs, provide all the essential amino acids necessary for building and repairing the body’s cells and boosting immunity.

Get creative

Fast foods don’t have to be unhealthy or expensive. Make refrigerator staples work for you by adding them to recipes or pairing them with a variety of foods. The versatility of cottage cheese allows for many meal and snack options that can provide gratification when that “snack attack” hits.

For a delicious summer treat, try the Berry Parfait recipe below.

Prep time: Five minutes
Time to table: Two hours, five minutes
Serves: Four

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Daisy Brand Cottage Cheese
• 2 cups mixed berries such as sliced strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
• 1 cup granola
• 4 tablespoons chopped almonds

Refrigerate fruit mixture two hours before assembling. In four serving dishes, layer 1/4 cup of cottage cheese, 1/8 cup of granola and 1/4 cup of mixed berries. Repeat layers in each dish. Top each parfait with one tablespoon of almonds. For a sweeter taste, try adding one teaspoon of vanilla and 3/4 teaspoon of Splenda to fruit and stir.

You can learn additional recipe ideas and tips by visiting www.FreshenUpYourFridge.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

“Supplements are a smart addition to a healthy lifestyle,” says Dr. Luke Bucci, a certified clinical nutritionist and researcher at Schiff Nutrition. “The health aisle of your local drug store holds a large amount of options that can be confusing.”

Bucci says that just because a supplement is expensive doesn’t mean it’s the best one. “Some of the highest quality, most beneficial supplements are actually quite affordable, if you know what to look for,” he comments.

If you want the best supplements for both your health and your wallet, Bucci recommends you consider the following four:

1. Multivitamins
“A multivitamin should be taken on a daily basis and helps ensure the body gets the vitamins and minerals it needs to stay healthy,” says Bucci. “This is especially important if you’re not eating a well-rounded diet. A multivitamin can help fill in the gaps that your daily intake of food is not.”

Look for options that are tailored to your age group, such as multivitamins for women or for those 50-plus. At just a few cents a day, multivitamins are one of the most affordable ways to help maintain good health.

2. Probiotics
Can bacteria be good for us? Yes it can, if it’s the right kind. “Probiotics are bacteria that we can ingest in supplement form that help keep the natural balance within our digestive systems,” says Bucci. “Some studies have shown that probiotics can restore normal bowel function, prevent infections in the digestive tract and even help the immune system.”

When looking for a probiotic supplement, try to find one that has Lactobacillus acidophilus and/or Bifidobacterium bifidus human strains. These will be the most beneficial.

3. Omega-3 fatty acids
An omega-3 supplement is a great way to improve your heart health and maintain good triglyceride levels. Fish oil pills are the most popular way to get this important fatty acid and provide several cardiovascular benefits. But new research has discovered other omega-3 options. “For many reasons, krill oil has demonstrated itself as a better source of omega-3,” says Bucci. “Krill are tiny shrimp-like crustaceans that inhabit the cold ocean areas of the world.”

Bucci notes that krill oil contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, but these are chemically linked together in a different form — a more soluble structure that is easily absorbed by our bodies. He recommends MegaRed Omega-3 Krill Oil because it has been tested in clinical trials, is smaller and easier to swallow, and contains the antioxidant astaxanthin, which neutralizes free radicals. “Just one krill oil softgel, about the size of a coffee bean, lowers C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels better than three large fish oil softgels. CRP is recognized as a key marker of cardiovascular health. The lower your CRP, the healthier your heart. And with krill oil, you have the benefits of omega-3 without the fishy smell or aftertaste,” says Bucci.

4. Antioxidants
Antioxidants the body needs to stay healthy are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. Since most of us do not eat enough of this fresh food group, an antioxidant supplement is a good idea. “Antioxidants are a great way to keep the body feeling great and ward off sickness,” Bucci comments.

To get a boost of antioxidants, try taking 1,000 mg Vitamin C daily. Women should also consider adding calcium and Vitamin D.

With this information, shoppers can be more knowledgeable as to which supplements are right from them and be able to navigate the vitamin aisle with greater ease. For more information about MegaRed, visit www.schiffmegared.com or call (800) 526-6251.

Courtesy of ARAcontent