It is back to school time and I have seen several times on the news about Safety and brown bagging it...As we change our lifestyle so does our family.  Many of the foodies pack their lunch and their kids lunch (we don't want to give them the junk in school cafeterias) so I felt the need to address the safety issues in brown bagging it...

A standard rule of food safety is to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot until it is time to eat them. Temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees.  An insulated jug (heat it first with boiling water) placed in an insulated lunch box can keep soup, chili  hot until lunch time.

Also consider pantry-safe foods packed in easy-to-open containers, like tuna that can be eaten out of a flip-top can, with or without bread.

Dried fruits and whole fruits like apples, bananas, oranges and grapes can round out the meal and can be kept safely at room temperature. But all fresh fruits, even those that will be peeled, must be washed before they are put in the lunch box.

A thorough washing is especially important for melons. If the skin is contaminated, the knife can transfer bacteria to the flesh, where they can flourish by lunch time.  Ever since cantaloupe was linked to an E. coli outbreak in 2004, I’ve washed all melons, including watermelon, with a soapy sponge and hot water as soon as I get them home from the store. If they are held for days unrefrigerated, I wash them again before cutting them open.

Of course, any surface, utensil or hand that comes into contact with raw meat, poultry, fish or eggs must always be thoroughly cleaned before being used for other foods, including those same foods after they are cooked.

Even perfectly safe food can become contaminated by careless storage, preparation and consumption. Perishable foods should be refrigerated as soon as they come home from the store. If you shop with a vehicle, take along a cooler for refrigerated foods, especially in warm weather.

As we all know eating right and excersising can make us healthier....but remember genetics play a factor too.  Coming from a family history of Diabetes I felt the need to address how your journey can turn your life around.  Let's look at the facts and myths...

How does diabetes happen? The causes are not totally understood. What is known is that simply eating too much sugar is unlikely to cause diabetes. Instead, diabetes begins when something disrupts your body's ability to turn the food you eat into energy.

To understand what happens when you have diabetes, keep these things in mind: Your body breaks down much of the food you eat into glucose, a type of sugar needed to power your cells. A hormone called insulin is made in the pancreas. Insulin helps the cells in the body use glucose for fuel.

Several myths associated with Diabetes: 
1. Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.
2. There are too many rules about choosing foods that are OK in a diabetes diet.
3. You have to give up all your favorite foods when you're on a diabetes diet.

Type 1 diabetes can’t be prevented, but type 2 diabetes has modifiable risk factors which can help you lower your risk for the disease.

Certain diabetes risk factors like age, family history, and ethnicity cannot be changed. However, changing other diabetes risk factors by eating a healthier diet and increased physical activity -- with or without weight loss -- may help prevent type 2 diabetes.

A study done by the Harvard School of Public Health and published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that being overweight and obese was the single most important risk factor that predicted who would develop type 2 diabetes. During a 16 year follow-up period, study results showed that regular exercise -- at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week -- and an improved diet that's low in fat and high in fiber significantly helped with type 2 diabetes prevention. The bottom line: type 2 diabetes prevention could be as easy as adopting healthy lifestyle habits.

In another study, the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study Group, researchers reviewed the effects of weight loss, diet, and exercise on type 2 diabetes prevention in more than 500 people who were overweight and also had pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes with an impaired oral glucose tolerance test. They concluded that with changes geared at weight loss and improving physical activity levels, people at high risk of developing diabetes could reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by more than 50%.

If you're at high risk for diabetes, here's your to-do list from the new guidelines:
Lose extra weight. Moderate weight loss -- 7% of your weight -- may cut diabetes risk.
Cut fat and calories from your diet. That should help with weight loss.
Skip low-carb or high-protein diets. They may not work out in the long run.
Get plenty of fiber. Get 14 grams of dietary fiber for every 1,000 calories you eat.
Go for whole grains. Make at least half your grains whole grains.
Get regular physical activity. Go for 2.5 hours per week

Your daily habits can tilt you towards or away from developing diabetes, and it's never too late to make a positive change.

I know, I know...Eat to lose some how just doesn't compute.  So let's take a look at why it is so important.  A friend was asking me about Weight Watchers and I was explaining the point system, the next question she asked was "Will you lose it faster if you don't eat all your points"?  The answer is NO!  I remember in the beginning of my journey....It was our weekly Saturday morning weigh in, my cousin stepped on the scale and lost 3.2,  I began thinking maybe I can lose more than a pound this week. I was notorious for losing but always less than a pound, but anything with a minus in front is a good week.  I stepped on the scale and gained 1.2!! I was devastated....I didn't eat my points!!

We have all figured our points, but for this blog we have look at calories. After all that is what is all boils down to. To lose one pound, a person must burn 3,500 calories more than are consumed (500 calories per day over the course of a week). For example, reducing calories by 300 per day and increasing daily activity to burn off an additional 200 calories should result in a weight loss of one pound per week.  That is why when we get to maintain our weight our points increase. 

Most health professionals recommend slow weight loss as the safest and most effective approach. A sensible weight-loss program allows you to lose weight gradually -- about one-half to one pound per week. Gradual weight loss promotes long-term loss of body fat, not just water weight that can be quickly regained.

Remember, metabolism is basically the rate at which your body burns calories. So let's go back to my friends question, what happens when we don't eat our points/calories.  Your body will store fat...why? 

Think of the calories in your body as the gas in your car to take a cross-country trip. The car needs a certain amount of gas to get there. To make the trip, you would fill up the tank and refuel it several times along the way. You wouldn’t just fill the tank half way, and you wouldn’t avoid refueling it when the tank became empty. If you did, your car wouldn’t perform well, and you wouldn’t get to your destination. 

Our bodies need adequate fuel too, and our bodies need to be refueled every 3-5 hours to perform well. If we don’t refuel our bodies with adequate calories throughout the day, our body (and all of its systems) will start to shut down.

Bottom Line....Eat your points/calories!!

It's all about the marketing to sell products...There are some Healthy food myth busters I feel we need to address.  "Knowledge is power" as I always tried to teach my son. So let's look at some marketing "Ideas" that are not always as they seem.

First, let's look at smoothies: Full of fruits and veggies, a smoothie can be a dieter's delight — sometimes. The main problem is the BIG containers. A 32-ounce Aloha Pineapple smoothie from Jamba Juice maxes out at 570 calories per serving; the same size Cherry Picker smoothie from Smoothie King comes in at 660 calories.  Foodies have posted about healthy smoothies they make (many sound so delicious) When you stop for a smoothie, check the nutritional information (located at every chain).

Muffins: Even if they're "whole grain" or "full of bran," many muffins are super-sized, sugary messes. A simple blueberry muffin from Dunkin Donuts has more than 500 calories, 16 grams of fat and 51 grams of sugar! Low-fat ones aren't always better — a blueberry-apricot one from Starbuck's has almost 400 calories and 47 grams of sugar. If you need a grab-and-go breakfast, opt for an English muffin or even half a bagel with a light spread.

Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter:  Think you're saving calories by using this in your PB&J? It's actually higher in sugar than the regular version and still contains hydrogenated oils(bad for your waistline and your heart.) Peanuts may be fatty, but they're full of healthy fats. Stick to 1-tablespoon serving, everything in moderation. 

If the label says "All Natural", it must be healthy.  Unless it's on meat or poultry (indicating no artificial flavorings, colorings or irradiation), the term "natural" holds no meaning—it's unregulated and undefined.

Dark bread is always better than white: A darker loaf of bread does not necessarily mean it's made with whole grains—it could simply just contain caramel coloring or a little extra whole wheat and be no healthier than white bread. This is a very competitive line of food, so watch the label with all bread.  Just because is says "100 percent whole wheat" or "whole grain" or "9 grain" doesn't mean it is better. Some bread can be like Granola, depends what is in it.  


Eggs with brown shells are more nutritious than white ones:  The only thing the color of an eggshell indicates is the color of the feathers of the bird from which it came!  The color does not affect nutrition. White eggs are laid by white hens and brown eggs are laid by red hens. Since brown eggs often cost a bit more than white eggs, save your money without sacrificing nutrition.

Bottom line....READ THE LABEL!  I will be blogging more on this topic...stay tuned!

Ever hear "Water it does a body good" That was from a campaign years ago... Let's dive into the facts about how good it really is...and it's effect on weight loss. Let's first look at why your body NEEDS water!

A human being can live without food for more than a month, but no one can stay alive for more than a week without water! All living things need water for their bodies to function. When you take in food, water helps to dissolve it and, along with certain chemicals in your body, it turns this food into energy for you to grow. These chemicals can work only in water.

Also, water is needed to carry the wastes out of your body as well. Since you lose water as you breathe and sweat, you have to have about 21/2 quarts of water a day to stay healthy. This can come from drinking water or other beverages, and from water contained in the food you eat.  Human being's body contains 65% water.

Now since we know we need water to survive does it help with weight loss?  The answer is yes and no!  Since we know we need 2.5 quarts of water a day, will you lose more weight if you drink more water?  No, but it does help flush your system, and if your drinking water which is zero calories in place of any other drinks that do ....weight loss!  Two full glasses of soda EVERY day helps you pack on an extra 24 lbs per year!

The benefit of drinking more water that really can aid in your healthy journey is simply this:  Water does keep you hydrated, and might help you snack less.  Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger; if you're thirsty you may snack more.  So the next time you think you might be hungry.....drink some water!

If you exercise in the morning, get up early enough to eat breakfast — that may mean one to two hours before your workout. Most of the energy you got from dinner the previous night is used up by morning, and your blood sugar may be low. If you don't eat, you may feel sluggish or lightheaded when you exercise. If you plan to exercise within an hour after breakfast, eat a lighter breakfast or drink something to raise your blood sugar, such as a sports drink. Emphasize carbohydrates for maximum energy.

Be careful not to overdo it when it comes to how much you eat before exercise. The general guideline:

Large meals. Eat these at least three to four hours before exercising.
Small meals. Eat these two to three hours before exercising.
Small snacks. Eat these an hour before exercising.
Eating too much before you exercise can leave you feeling sluggish, or worse, with a case of diarrhea or stomach cramps. Eating too little may not give you the energy to keep you feeling strong throughout your workout.

Most people can eat small snacks right before and during exercise. The key is how you feel. Do what works best for you. Snacks eaten soon before exercise probably won't give you added energy, but they can help keep up your blood sugar and prevent distracting hunger pangs. Good snack options include:

Energy bars or drinks
Bananas or other fresh fruit
Yogurt
Fruit smoothies
Whole-grain bagel or crackers with peanut butter
Granola bars
A healthy snack is especially important if you plan a workout several hours after a meal.

To help your muscles recover and to replace their glycogen stores, eat a meal that contains both protein and carbohydrates within two hours of your exercise session if possible. If you aren't hungry after your workout, drink juice or a sports drink to provide replenishing carbohydrates.

Good post-workout food choices include:

Yogurt and fruit
Peanut butter or meat sandwich
String cheese and crackers
Nuts and dried fruit
A regular meal with meat, starch, and cooked vegetable or salad

 I can take a quick glance at a recipe and know, with pretty good accuracy, what I can get away with changing and still end up with a dish that tastes terrific.  There are simple tricks to know what we can change right off the bat.  I only buy 2% cheese that saves so many points.  The only difference between regular cheese and 2% cheese is the milk, think about how you buy your milk and relate that to cheese.

In egg dishes (quiches, frittatas, omelets, breakfast casseroles), you can use egg substitute in place of half the eggs. In other words, if the recipe calls for six eggs, you would blend three whole eggs with 3/4 cup egg substitute (1/4 cup of egg substitute replaces each egg).

Cook with reduced-fat or fat-free products when available -- and when they taste good. Try fat-free sour cream, fat-free half-and-half, reduced-fat cheeses, light cream cheese, light mayonnaise, extra lean meat without skin or visible fat, reduced-fat or light sausage, less-fat turkey bacon, light salad dressings, and light margarine for frosting . Many cut calories and saturated fat along with total fat. A few fat-free products are in my arsenal as well: fat-free sour cream and half-and-half, chicken broth, wine, strong coffee, fruit purees, and fruit juice. These foods add moisture, and sometimes flavor, to recipes where you aren't using a lot of fatty ingredients

Never deep-fry when you can oven-fry or pan-fry with a lot less oil. Choose canola oil or olive oil, and use about 1/2 teaspoon per serving (depending on the item). When you pan-fry or oven-fry in a controlled amount of oil, you can cut a lot of the fat and calories your food would soak up if it were submerged in hot oil. For every tablespoon of oil you cut, you'll save 120 calories and 13.5 grams of fat.

Use whole grains in your recipes whenever possible. We've already talked about whole-wheat flour, but you can also substitute brown rice for white rice, add barley to stews and casseroles, and look for recipes that call for oats. There are also multigrain blends and whole- wheat pastas to choose from in supermarkets now. Whole grains offer a plethora of health benefits, plus fiber to fill you up. One-fourth cup of dry brown rice contributes 2 grams of fiber and a 2-ounce serving of dry multigrain spaghetti adds 4 grams or more of fiber to your diet.

Switch to "smart fat" ingredients when possible. Certain fats, when used in moderation, actually have health benefits! Omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish and some plant foods like canola oil and ground flaxseed), as well as oils that contain monounsaturated fats (like olive and canola oil) and foods high in monounsaturated fats (like avocado and almonds) may help protect against heart disease. In recipes, you often have a choice of which oil or margarine to use. You can also add fish to some entree recipes instead of red meat. When a recipe calls for melted butter or margarine, you can often substitute canola or olive oil. Foods fortified with or containing omega-3s are starting to pop up in several aisles in the supermarket, including low-fat milk, eggs, and multigrain pastas.

Make over your favorite recipes....be creative!

I know many foodies are diabetics and many just plain need to know....What is the recommended daily intake of sugar? After all we didn't start weight watchers due to our addictive nature to celery! It is commonly believed that people are born with an affinity for sweet foods. There may be good reason for this. Some researchers postulate that our ancestors were able to discern which foods were poisonous simply by taste. Naturally bitter foods were often those that were poisonous, while sweet foods were good or safe to eat. Over time, these tastes resulted in a built-in preference for sweet foods. 

 There is no formal limited Recommended Daily Intake for sugar. “Added sugars” are sugars and syrups that are added to foods during cooking. They don’t include natural sugars like the ones found in milk and fruit. Sugars may be added to foods to make them more palatable and are found in calorie-rich foods, which may lead to a higher calorie diet. This is why most nutrition experts recommend limiting added sugars (excluding fruit and milk) to 40 grams per day or 10 teaspoons (4 grams is in one teaspoon). Total sugar content is easily identifiable on the Nutrition Facts panel on the back of processed foods. There is "that" word again, processed foods....besides adding sodium to preserve, they also add sugar for taste. 

Beware it is not just sugar listed on the label, sugar comes in many forms on the ingredient list. Here are a list of things to look for... 

High fructose corn syrup 
Sucrose 
Glucose 
Fructose 
Lactose
Maltose 
Brown sugar 
Honey 
Molasses 
Fruit juice concentrates 

Ingredients are listed in order of predominance, by weight. In addition, the first five ingredients listed make up the majority of the product. Whenever possible, eat foods that do not list sugars as one of the first four or five ingredients. If you would like more information regarding labels, and the importance of knowing that is the key to your success....and your healthy journey, read the blog on labels! 


The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans specifically state: “Individuals who consume food or beverages high in added sugars tend to consume more calories than those who consume food or beverages low in added sugars.

As I research different topics for my blog, the Grapefruit Diet keeps popping up!  I always say this is a lifestyle change but, this morning got the best of me and I looked into the topic.  Partly because I live in Arizona and Grapefruit grow everywhere.... I have heard rumors that grapefruit cuts fat, I love the ruby reds in my neighbors backyard!  So here is what I found.

The Grapefruit Diet has been around since the 1930's and no one claims ownership of the diet.  Also known as the hollywood diet and the seed of the Atkins diet.  Most versions promise a 10-pound weight loss during the 12-day diet. Dieters who want more than 12 days of monotony must wait two days before starting the diet again. Exercise is recommended in some versions and absent in others. Long-term weight control is not part of the diet plan.

No scientific studies to date substantiate grapefruit's power to burn fat.

One small study published in 2006 and funded by the Florida Department of Citrus found that the addition of a half grapefruit or 4 ounces of juice with meals resulted in an average weight loss of more than 3 pounds in 12 weeks, with some participants losing 10 pounds. Researchers suspect the addition of grapefruit to the otherwise healthy meals reduced insulin levels and promoted a small weight loss. Study participants also "slightly enhanced" their physical activity, which could also explain the weight loss.

While grapefruit is a very nutritious low-calorie fruit (66-84 calories per serving), loaded with vitamin C and fiber, it is not a mysterious fat burner. The low glycemic index, high fiber, and low calorie nature of the fruit may reduce insulin levels and help dieters feel full and eat fewer calories. Beyond that, no magic appears to be at work with the Grapefruit Diet. Experts say one small study is not enough to pin magical powers on this fruit.

Bottom line....I will continue to eat those ruby reds from my neighbors backyard, all the while smiling as I eat the pink kissed fruit knowing the only "magic" is how great they taste!

We've all heard the myth that extra protein builds more muscle. In fact, the only way to build muscle is through exercise. Bodies need a modest amount of protein to function well. Extra protein doesn't give you extra strength. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

Teenage boys and active men can get all the protein they need from three daily servings for a total of seven ounces.

For children age 2 to 6, most women, and some older people, the government recommends two daily servings for a total of five ounces.

For older children, teen girls, active women, and most men, the guidelines give the nod to two daily servings for a total of six ounces.

Everyone who eats an eight-ounce steak typically served in restaurants is getting more protein that their bodies need. Plus they're getting a hefty amount of artery-clogging saturated fat as well.