Eating the right amount of protein increases lean muscle tissue and keeps you feeling full longer. We all know that muscle burns more energy than fat, so maintaining your muscle and building some more would benefit you greatly. As we age, our body breaks down more muscle than it builds. You end up with more fat than lean muscle tissue and lose strength and your metabolism slows down. Research shows that eating 25-30 grams of protein at each meal can increase your body’s natural muscle building by 50%, if you add exercise you can increase your natural muscle building by 100% (regardless of age, this works if you are 20 or 70 years old). After your workout, make sure and eat a meal with 25-30 grams of protein within 30 minutes to maximize your muscle rebuilding. Thirty grams of protein may seem like a high amount of protein, but at 20% (of a 2000 calorie diet) it is well within the recommended range of 10%-35% calories from protein. The key is to eat a variety of lean protein sources. Here are some ideas on what to eat –

2 oz lean turkey meat, 1 slice low-fat cheese, with two slices whole wheat bread = about 25 grams protein (make sure to add fruit, baby carrots and a glass of water to complete the meal)

- 1 glass skim milk, 1 - 5 oz low-fat Greek yogurt, 1 oz (about 24) almonds = about 25 grams protein

-3 egg whites, 1 oz non-fat feta cheese, and 1 slice whole wheat toast = 28 grams protein

-1 cup quinoa, 1 cup edamame mixed as a meal = 24 grams protein

- 30 minutes after your workout you can also make a shake with a couple fruits, 1/2 cup skim milk, and 1 scoop whey protein powder = about 28 grams protein

Tags: baby fat diet, dietitians, edamame, health, healthy eating, high protein, nutrition, protein, quinoa, soy, weight loss

Are you low on energy? Are there certain times of the day when you are dragging? Well, your high protein diet may be slowing you down if you are not eating enough of the right carb foods. The best sources of natural energy are foods high in complex carbs and low in fat. Also, the fiber in many of these complex carb foods will help to minimize energy spikes and lows by slowing digestion and providing a steady supply of energy. So, here is your list of energizing foods to keep on hand and eat throughout the day….

1. whole grains, such as whole wheat breads and wraps, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, wheat germ, barley, and oatmeal

2. legumes, such as bean, peas, lentils. Add them to salads, soups, pasta, wraps…pretty much anywhere and everywhere you can

3. include whole fruits and whole vegetables for fiber. Some vegetables do contain complex carbs, such as carrots, broccoli, spinach, and asparagus

Tags: baby fat diet, complex carbohydrates, diet, energy, health, nutrition, weight loss

You just committed to losing your weight and your gung ho and you want it off ASAP. But realistically how much weight can you lose each week in a healthy way so you don’t regain it? The ole 1-2 pounds a week still holds true and here’s why: you have to cut or burn about 3500 calories each week to lose 1 pound. Through diet alone that means 500 less calories each day for a one pound loss. Or if you exercised and burned it off that’s about an hour to an hour and a half a day of vigorous walking or jogging. So even if you’re gung ho, losing 2 pounds a week is pretty challenging - you have to cut 500 calories AND exercise an hour a day. Cut any more calories than that and your chances of regaining the weight are high. Plus you’d be missing lots of nutrients your body needs. So slow and steady, wins every time!

To cut 500 calories:

- eat 25-30% less at all your meals

- forgo dessert

- make all your drinks (except nonfat milk) non caloric

Tags: calories, pounds, weight loss

Keeping the weight off is proven by science to be harder than losing it. Studies show a drastic cut in calories can lead to hormonal changes that creates the yo-yo cycle. A researcher in Australia found that putting people on a 550-calorie (very low calorie) diet for 10 weeks led to an alteration in hunger-related hormones for over a year. While the people lost an average of 30 pounds, they regained about 12 of it after the study because they felt hungry all the time, even when resumed a normal calorie intake. The hormone alteration (an increase in ghrelin, a hunger stimulating hormone and a decrease in leptin, a fullness signaling hormone) is a well-known evolutionary survival tactic for humans to ensure back in the day we had enough fat to survive times of famine. These days it’s making it extra hard to maintain the weight loss you’ve worked so diligently for. But all hope is not lost. Losing the weight in a slow and steady way should lead to an easier maintenance phase and less hormonal alteration. Follow your tried and true healthy lifestyle changes and you will be successful.

- eat small, regular meals every 3-4 hours

- consume most of your calories earlier in the day and make dinner small

- have some fiber and protein at every meal and snack to help you feel full and satisfied

- exercise moderately every day, either through lifestyle activity or deliberate exercise

- eat the majority of your calories and stick to water or other non-caloric beverages mostly (nonfat milk is an exception)

- get enough sleep      

Tags: ghrelin, hormonal alteration, hunger, leptin, regain, weight loss, yo-yo dieting

Make sure you’re getting 3-4 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy every day. A new study that looked at diets of 75,000 people over 10 years finds a significantly lower risk of having a stroke for those consuming 4 servings of low or nonfat dairy a day as compared to those consuming none. Researchers explain that it’s likely due to a blood pressure lowering effect of calcium and vitamin D. As for your waistline, lowfat dairy can help keep you slender. Not only are they rich in protein, which may help with satiety, but several studies have found that including dairy products in your diet may assist with weight loss. And we all know the nutrients in milk keeps our bones strong. So, for many, many reasons, eat yogurt and lowfat cheeses and drink your milk.

Tags: calcium, dairy, lowfat, stroke, vitamin D, weight loss

New study confirms, Eating Less and Exercising More trumps other weight loss efforts. In looking at methods used for weight loss that worked, 65% ate less food, 55% exercised, 44% ate less fat, and 41% lower-calorie foods.  Yes!!!! I love these studies - they show that you do not need fancy and special types of foods to lose weight. This is the main message of all dietitians - just eat the right portions of fresh and healthy foods and you can lose weight and stay healthy.  The study published in The Journal of Preventive Medicine looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 4000 obese individuals. Click here for more details on this report.

Tags: baby fat diet, excercise, food, healthy eating, nutrition, obesity, overweight, weight loss

A new study reports that if children could reduce their intake by just 64 calories a day or expend it through exercise or a combination of diet and exercise, rates of obesity in the United States would go down. It doesn’t sound like a lot of calories, and it’s not, but actions do need to be taken in order to reverse the dangerously high obesity stats in this country. Increasing physical activity in schools and through after school activities could help increase the calories children expend. To cut 64 calories from the diet, children can eliminate less than one sugar sweetened beverage a day, including soda, juice drinks, teas or lemonades and replace with water. On a personal level, try to get your kids more active by reducing the amount of time they are allowed to sit at a screen (tv, video games, computers) and encourage play outside. Reduce or eliminate sugar sweetened beverages from your house and make your own flavored water (place cut up fruit in a pitcher of water and steep in the fridge for a few hours, the water takes on the flavor of the fruit you use). Small steps can make a big difference. 

Tags: 64 calories, children obesity, sugary beverages

White potatoes and pasta do not typically come up as the healthiest of foods; but what you may not know is that these foods do provide nutrition and do have a place at the table. Read more about bad foods that aren’t on USNews.com. All plants contain phytochemicals, in addition to the familiar vitamins and minerals. Mother nature provides these phytochemicals as defenses for the plants. These defenses are transferred to us when we eat the plant. For example, white potatoes have the phytochemicals quercetin and kukoamines that can help reduce blood pressure. This is in addition to providing an excellent source of vit C and potassium. Read the article for more information on “bad” foods that aren’t - I had the opportunity to comment on chocolate in the article. )Of course, most of us know that some chocolate is good for us.) The writer, Leslie Quander Wooldridge, did a good job reminding us that all foods have something to offer.  By the way, to get the most nutrition from your potatoes, leave the skin on while baking to keep the nutrients in and then make sure to eat the skins.

Tags: baby fat diet, Eating healthy, healthy foods, kukoamines, lose weight, phytochemicals, plant foods, quercitin, USNews.com, weight loss, white potatoes

People ask me all the time how I stay fit with my crazy schedule, 3 kiddos, and my love of chocolate. My secret? Not so surprising — exercise, and most importantly, eating fresh, wholesome, nutritious, and delicious foods. I absolutely love how I feel after eating a meal stuffed with nutrition. So, I thought I would share when I create and enjoy a fantastic meal. I just finished one, here it is…

2 La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious Soft Wraps mini - 50 calories and 4 grams fiber, 3 g protein each

In each wrap I added - 1 Tbsp avocado, 1 Tbsp salsa, 5 small golden tomatoes (Sunbursts), 1/2 slice low-fat mozzarella cheese, a few crumbles of queso fresco (crumbly, mild, unaged white cheese originated in Spain, widely eaten in Mexico). Heat in microwave for 45 seconds and enjoy!!!!!

1/2 cup shelled edamame

1 tall glass ice water

1 small Hershey chocolate Easter egg — my kids are supposed to stuff Easter eggs, instead I am slowly eating their candy.

Tags: avocado, baby fat diet, edamame, golden tomatoes, healthy eating, lose weight

Fast food and baked comfort foods might make you sad! A new observational study published in the Journal of Public Health Nutrition shows that eating fast food and baked goods may be linked to increased risk of depression.  Although this study does not show these foods to cause depression, it is interesting to note that fatty and salty foods may not be as comforting as we originally thought. Or maybe those who are already depressed are trying desperately to comfort themselves with the wrong action.  A better comforting action would be to do something good for yourself, such as eat a bunch of vegetables or fruits, go and laugh with a friend, listen to your favorite music, or go and jump rope for 5 minutes — or do all of these activities and more. Stay away from the typical “comfort” foods as they may not be as comforting as you think.

Tags: baby fat diet, comfort foods, depression, healthy eating, losing weight