V8 and Other Fruit or Veggie Drinks Tell Us to Sip Away But We Say Otherwise

Here, we’re all about getting the most out of anything we do. If we only have 20 minutes for a workout we are going to PUSH IT and wrench out from every second just as much sweat as we possibly can. If we’re going to refuel we’re going to do so with the right kind of carbs, whole grains, the good Omega fats, and make sure we pair it with protein.

When we sleep, we’re going to sleep hard; making it a priority because we KNOW just how vital it is for overall health and mental clarity and also that it will get us in our best possible shape. Here, we’re all about getting the most bang for your buck.

So, when it comes to fruits and veggies, here is where we stand: eat them…don’t drink them. Now, of course, if it’s a choice between guzzling some V8 and nothing at all, by all means go for the former. And of course the brand has been making a big marketing push to get you to do so, but if you’ve read up on some of our previous posts you probably can already guess our bottom line: why drink your calories?

Staying hydrated is essential and that means more than water; we’ve covered this plenty in the past and you need electrolytes as well. Today there is a myriad of calorie free or low calorie options available. Most fruit drinks, vegetable drinks, smoothies, and the like are not low calories. Many of them include a ton of excess sugar you don’t need either. 

The other thing about drinks is that they don’t register on the ‘fullness’ scale like actual food does. Drinks might fill you up for about as long as it takes for them to work their way through you, but when you hit the restroom you’re left just as hungry. In countless studies, people who drink their calories tend to eat just as many calories in food as they would have without the drinks.

That means those drink calories are just ‘extra’ calories that add up to poundage on your body later. Why drink the equivalent of a serving or two of fruits and veggies when you could eat them and get even more benefits.

Take the apple. If you ate an apple as a snack I’m sure you’d feel full and it would tide you over until your next meal. If instead you drank one serving of fruit juice, a measly 8 ounces, you wouldn’t feel full and then would likely reach for something else to fill you up. Sure that slogan may tout that “Fruits and vegetables fill you up without filling you out,” but it doesn’t exactly work that way when you’re ingesting them in liquid form.

Fruits and veggies are naturally low in calories, use that to your advantage. If we think of them in terms of volume, noshing away on these healthy foods is a great way to fill yourself up without ingesting a ton of calories. 

So why ‘waste’ those calories in replacement drinks when you can actually eat them…use those fruits and veggies to your advantage! :)

Surviving the Buffet Line -- Tips for Staying Sane While Eating on Vacation

In our summer vacation series we’ve covered how to still fit in those workouts while out traveling and we’ve also shared that it’s okay to sometimes take a break from regimented workouts, but it’s a good idea to still make that time an active rest. This time we’ll talk about the big F word. No, not that one: Food. 

Food on vacation, do images of colossal buffets come to mind? The BEST burgers and fries  that are the width of rulers? How about ice cream mountains swimming in hot fudge and caramel? Are you drooling on your computer, if so I’m sorry. Let’s face it, one of the biggest draws of many tourist destinations is the grub, the restaurant business loves it and heck, the people there dining are fans too. We live in a society where food is often a major focal point and usually when we are on vacation that is a prime opportunity to experience new foods from different areas and cultures.

This isn’t a bad thing and in fact some of the best memories from a vacation can be food related. Now, some people take that to the extreme and see their break as a no holds bar food-fest and take it to an unhealthy level. Savoring a slice of cheesecake is one thing, wolfing down half the cake and never really tasting much of it is another.

And let’s face it, plenty of summer destinations include sun, sand, surf, and swimsuits, you don’t want to completely wreck havoc on that bikini bod! Here are some tips for still allowing yourself to take full advantage and giving your palette a much deserved vacation while still staying reasonably sane and healthy.

*Take inventory. If you’re at a buffet, do a lap around the spread first before you start filling your plate. That way you can choose the items that you truly want instead of filling up on some so-so things before going back and seeing that you missed out on your favorite foods. 

*Weigh the options. Are you a big dessert person and think of the entrée as merely an obstacle to get through on your dive for the sweets? If so, that’s fine and there is certainly no reason to feel guilty on getting your dessert on. But, if you do plan on that maybe choose a lighter entrée and then indulge in that dessert sans guilt.

*Get menu savvy. Know what you’re ordering and if you don’t, then ask. How many times have you ordered something thinking it was one thing and wind up getting something totally different? Do you then grudgingly dig into something you don’t really like and regret it? Feel like you ‘wasted’ your bite…and potentially calories? Ask your waiter what something is if you need to and if you’re in a different country don’t feel too embarrassed if you have to have it explained a second time.

*Enjoy it, don’t turn into the wolfman. Make sure that whatever you’re eating you are actually liking the taste of. Savor those bites. If you’re not, why force yourself to finish it? If it’s a ‘meh’ experience maybe just take a pass and find something that really makes your taste buds sizzle. You don’t want to wind up feeling overly stuffed and then think back on how you didn’t even really like that shrimp scampi to begin with.

*Packing eats. When you’re out and on the go it’s easy to forget to eat something before you are at the point of being famished. Then it’s even easier to gobble down the first thing that’s remotely appealing and usually on the greasy side. So plan accordingly and pack some snacks or even a lunch or two to enjoy between kayak lessons or site seeing. Not only will you save a little money but you’ll be doing your hungry belly a favor too.

*Ditch the ‘guilt’ hitch-hiker. Finally, give yourself the liberty to cut loose on the whole diet thing. If you’re in some far off country how many times will you get a chance to eat that certain something, maybe never. Don’t pass up on the experience solely because you’re sticking to a diet; in all honesty it takes a whole 3,500 calories to gain a single pound of actual fat. Worst case scenario, you come back a little heavier; that’s okay you can always ‘undo’ that by working out a little harder upon your return!

Starbucks Survival Guide- Your Drink of Choice's Dirty Little Calorie Counts

If you’re like most people, your day doesn’t actually start until you’ve had your coffee, or at least you’re not ready to face the world yet. Coffee has become more than a beverage in our fine Nation, it’s almost the lifeline that keeps us going…I worry should Starbucks come up with a way to IV it straight into us. 

Ahhh, Starbucks, it only took me two sentences to get to it. Starbucks and coffee, yes there are competing chains out there and people are almost scarily loyal to them, but let’s face it Starbucks is heckbent on taking over the World. They have that corner in the grocery store, another one in the bookstore, AND of course the regular old chain all in the same shopping center.

Now coffee, if you sip it straight black has between 0 and 5 calories per cup. Not bad you say, let’s guzzle it down like water. But hold up, who drinks it straight black? I’m sure if you stepped to the counter and asked for that you’d be greeted with one fine about face by the barista. Sure you could add a couple of Splendas and only be raising the caloric stats by 5 per pack, but for the most part a typical Starbucks order takes a minute to rattle off. 

You might be shocked though to learn that if you order a Venti Caffé Vanilla Frap Blended Coffee as is you could be chugging down 580 calories! That’s before you even actually eat anything for the day! Mindless sipping can lead to major weight gain and the thing about drink calories is that they don’t register the same way as actual food ones. They count in the sense that the body will store them as fat if they aren’t burned off, but they don’t make you feel full like food would. That means you’ll be just as hungry come lunchtime.

Here’s a quick Starbucks Survival Guide to fuel your day but not your waistline:

*Don’t Overload the Extra’s: Read that as the heavy whip, the creamers, full fat milk, and the like. Of course you don’t have to have your coffee bland, but be selective and also go for the lower-fat versions.

*Sprinkle Me This, Straw Me That: Yes, chocolate rocks, not going to lie, but those cutie sprinkles and swirls on top don’t get a free pass on the calorie counts. Darn, same goes for caramel sauce and cookie straws.

*Seasonal Beverages: These come and go and with seasonal drinks Starbucks isn’t necessarily forced to post up the nutrition stats (they’re even cagey with full disclosure on the regular menu), but the same rules apply with everything else. Look at what is in it and use your calorie know-how. Case in point, a Venti Mocha Coconut Frap has 550 cals and 18 grams of fat. Even a Tall Frap version still with the whip and nonfat milk will set you back 9 grams of fat and 300 cals.

*Tea It Baby: Tea is also 5 calories or below per cup if you don’t add anything to it, and certain ones will still offer you the caffeine kick. Just something to think about, but also remember to keep in mind the calories of anything you add to it, not all tea drinks are created equal.

*Size Matters: This should be a no-brainer, but keep in mind that a single serving of any liquid is a cup, 8 ounces. Starbucks size-wise that means a Grande is actually two cups, with 16 ounces, so look at the ounces and do the math when you order.

Quickie Skyhigh Stats:

• White Chocolate Mocha (Venti/whole milk/whipped cream)– 620 cals 27 grams of fat
•  Double Choc Chip Frap (Grande/whipped cream)—640 cals 22 grams of fat
• Caffe Mocha (Venti/whole milk/whipped cream)--450 cals 22 grams of fat
• Cinnamon Dolce Latte (Grande/whole milk/whipped cream)—370 cals and 17 grams of fat
• Tazo Green Tea Frap Blended Crème (Grande/whipped cream)—490 cals 14 grams of fat – proof teas can be dangerous too

The Day The World Was Taken Over by 100 Calorie Snacks - Are They Worth it?

So are all those 100 calorie snacks inundating the supermarkets worth it? Well, yes and no. Yes because it is a nice way to enjoy some of your favorite foods in a small, portioned control version…and let’s face it staying on track with a tiny pouch of Milanos is way easier than cracking open the full sized version!

These small servings can also act as a startling wake-up call: “THIS is what a single serving looks like, are you joking me?!” The bad news is that many of these snacks are 1) super expensive and 2) are able to be devoured in about two bites.

The idea behind the 100 calorie craze is a sound theory, but typically the varieties are of chips, cookies, sweets, and other high calorie treats shrunk down to Munchin size. So that means that they will give you a nice taste of the foods but they probably won’t fill you up all that much. Cut to about three or four empty snack pouches littering your desk.

The other drawback is that often times faux foods, or ones that are the fat-free or sugar-free replacements, can cause you to eat more of them, both mentally and biologically. Mentally you can sometimes justify eating more because they are ‘fat-free’ but that doesn’t mean they are calorie-free or that because they are a few grams of fat less you can wolf them down by the truckload. Chemically these foods are also broken down differently by the body and can cause some whacky brain signals to be sent to your from your stomach; you might not be registering fullness or satiety the same.

Finally, prices…let’s be realistic and admit that most of us are on a budget. Portion control is really what these 100 calorie things come down to and if you want to do the same (actually this is a great technique to keep you on the right track regardless) just bust out some plastic baggies and get to measuring. Check the nutritional stats of whatever food it is you want to eat and measure out a calorie specific amount. You just made what Nabisco or Doritos wanted to sell you in a slicked out version for the cost of a Ziplock. :)

Awesome Dessert Pie Sans the Super-sized Calories

Happy Monday, guys and this one goes out to all those who LOVE dessert but are not all too keen on all the calories that may come with it! This ultra low-calorie dessert has been featured before, but we wanted to bring it up again because 1) it tastes AWESOME (not funky like you sometimes get with low-cal options) 2) it is seriously super easy to make and fast 3) it can be made with so many twists and tweaks...if you want even more chocolate, pumpkin style, and even with mix-ins like cookies. Finally, we also wanted to do this because we're introducing a fun new gadget to the blog and soon to be the site. This widget is called the ShopGlider and anytime we put up a recipe you'll see below the little button with the message "Click to Add This Recipe to Your Recipe Book" which takes you to a place where you can choose to create an online recipe book. You do need to make an online account, but it's free, and again totally up to you. We thought it was a fun kind of idea and wanted to see what you guys thought. We also wanted to say that the ShopGlider isn't paying us or anything like that by trying to bring them visitors. It's really only something we wanted to share with you all that might make eating and making healthier dishes easier!

So, without further adieu, here's the skinny on this Ultra Low-Calorie Dessert Pie recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 Pkgs Instant Fat Free/Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding
• 2 Cups Skim Milk
• 1 tub Light Cool Whip
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
• 1 Graham Cracker Crust
• 1 Combine milk, pudding mix, vanilla and half the tub of cool whip. Mix thoroughly
• 1 Pour mixture into crust and top with remaining cool whip
• 1 Optional: Add slices of banana or crushed Oreo cookies on top

Directions

1. This is one of my absolute favorite desserts. I am usually very skeptical of light, low cal or fat free desserts, I usually think they either have a funny taste or simply are not satisfying. This dessert proved me wrong! In fact, it is so good that people often ask me for the recipe with no idea how easy and ‘light’ it is. This is one dessert I would have no doubt about serving at a party or bbq, I guarantee the compliments will flow!
2. The best part is that there are so many variations that will totally change the dessert, so you never get bored!
3. Variations:
4. Make it a pumpkin mousse pie by adding half a can of pumpkin (can easily buy this at any grocery store), and sprinkle the top with cinnamon
5. Use chocolate pudding instead and add a crushed up ‘skor’ chocolate bar to the mix
6. Use cheesecake instant pudding mix to make it a cheesecake pie

Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 0 min Ready in: 5 min

recipes

Five Ways You May Be Unknowingly Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Part I: When it comes to what crosses those lips

Anyone currently trying to drop a few pounds, or maybe even more than a few, can attest that sometimes it is just plain tough. Whether it is a waning of motivation to stay committed to your workout routine, feeling downright enraged at having to forgo desserts when it seems the rest of the world is diving into rocky road euphoria, or you've been doing EVERYTHING 'right' but still the scale won't budge.

Losing weight can be tricky, don't get me wrong, BUT a lot of the time people are making it harder on themselves than it should be...and plenty of time they may not even know they are engaging in a little self-sabotage. Because there is MUCH to say on this topic and I don't want to try to cram it all into one epic post, this will instead be a series. This first one will be five mistakes people make when it comes to their eating habits.

1) Discounting Liquids: How many times do you see the woman complaining to her girlfriends about not being able to lose any weight...while sipping on a ginormous whipped-topped drink from Starbucks? People, if it aint water, straight black coffee, diet soda, or something else explicitly stating 0 calories...you're guzzling away your weight loss goals. For those who don't count calories, (And I'm not proposing that everyone necessarily should; instead focus on eating healthy portion sizes and everything in moderation. I only cite calories because many do and in this example I'll use them to give you a frame of reference.) take a look at the stats of your favorite beverages. You may be shocked to discover that some drinks clock in over 800 calories; that drink alone could come out more than your actual meal. The problem with liquids is that they also don't fill you up the same way as food would. For instance, if you were to drink a glass of apple juice you'd still feel just as hungry afterward and then likely turn to some food. Rather, if you had eaten an apple instead of the juice you'd be getting a more nutritious way to satisfy your belly. I'm not saying all drinks are banned, but if you are trying to lose weight you need to be conscious of what you're sipping on.

2) Portion Size Scmortion Size: It's no secret that portion sizes have been growing faster than The Blob here in America. What's happened is that now peoples' sense of what an actual portion size is has become fuzzy. This isn't only when we go out to eat, but even the plates and tableware stores are selling today are larger than in decades past. If you are watching what you eat you need to get reacquainted with what a typical serving of your favorite foods are. The good news here is that our good friends fruits and veggies make that pretty much a no-brainer. An apple is an apple is an apple. But for the rest of it, you may want to measure out what a half cup of rice looks like or 3 ounces of fish.

3) Mindless Eating: People eat when they're stressed, people eat when they're bored, people eat when something just happens to be in front of them. We're all guilty of it...but next time you're checking in for an appointment and you see a bowl of M&M's think before you fish out your favorite color. A few handfuls here and there add up. This also happens when you're eating a meal and you're distracted You may just keep on eating without listening for those hungery/full cues. It's documented that people will eat more while watching TV, out with friends, or doing anything else besides focusing on enjoying what they're eating. I'm not saying you need to hole yourself away in a dark corner whenever you eat (NOT FUN!) but every now and then check in with yourself and see how satisfied you are. Also, savor what you're eating and don't just wolf it down.

4) Believing Packages: Don't fall victim to slick marketing. Just because the front of the box screams 'Low Fat' or anything of the sort, don't take that as permission to go overboard. Again, I'm not saying we all have to be calorie counting Spartans, but if you are looking to lose weight you need to be label savvy. Companies' main goal is to sell products and they do that with their packaging. Find out what one serving constitutes, how many are in said package, and the stats for that single serving; then do the math. An interesting point about some of the low fat or sugar free fare, sometimes the total calories for the regular products are nearly the same. In some cases I've actually seen some cookies or crackers as being more; but because the package says it is lower in fat people sometimes tend to then take that as permission to eat more than they normally would.

5) BUT...Know When to Cut the Fat: This comes on the heels of the last. For things like mayo, dressing, sauces, cream, cheeses, spreads, etc. you should seek out the lower fat versions. This isn't just a weight loss issue but also because cutting out some of the saturated fats in these products is better for a healthy body. Here is a reason why people should never just assume that ordering a salad is their best bet. When you add in dressing and all those other 'extras' some of those salads have more calories and fat than if you were to order a burger and fries...no joke.

All right, that will give you plenty to chew on for the first in this series. Check back for the rest, but in closing I would like to recommend that we all throw out the word DIET. It brings to mind synonyms such as deprivation, misery, torture, and the like. That alone is enough to push you off-track of your goals; besides, diets are also usually some kind of 'plan' and many of them come with some pretty wacky stipulations. Eating healthy isn't a diet, it doesn't have a definite end date, and it also allows you to eat what you want...just in moderation. There aren't necessarily 'bad' and 'good' foods, but instead those that you should eat more of and others that are more treats and should be savored in smaller amounts. Eating healthy is also a way of life and a way to treat your body the best so that it then can be the best for you! :)