Condiments are a food’s best friend. Ketchup and French fries, a soft warm pretzel dipped in deli mustard, or even ranch drizzled over cold pizza. Although that last one is a favorite of mine, low-fat ranch with veggies is a better and healthier alternative.

There is a vast array of condiments that enhance the flavor of most foods, or condiments can be a must needed compliment to a certain meal like dressing for salad. However, condiments are pretty sneaky because they come in small packages and may be consumed in tiny quantities, but condiments often add extra calories, fat, sugar, and sodium to meals and snacks. The chart below is a few of the most common condiments used, along with their calorie, fat, sodium and sugar content.

From the chart, most of the condiments are low calorie per serving size, but when more than the recommended serving size is consumed, the calories, fat, sugar, and sodium add up. Always be aware of the serving size and try looking for low calorie, low sodium and low fat options when choosing your condiments and dressings.

You can even hold the mayo, and try these healthier alternatives instead:

• Mustard: This condiment seems so lonely without its counterpart ketchup, but ketchup can be loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Mustard alone is great, and comes in many varieties from regular yellow, whole grain to honey mustard.  Substitute it for mayonnaise on a sandwich, add it to homemade dressings or use as a dipping sauce.
• Salsa: Make it fresh. It is a great way to increase fruit and vegetable intake. Make it at home by chopping tomatoes, onions, jalapenos for heat, and herbs. Add fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper for a tasty salsa to put over an egg white omelette or to eat as a snack with low sodium corn chips.
• Vinaigrette Salad Dressing: A much healthier substitute to the traditional creamy dressings, made with healthier fats like canola, grape or olive oil. It also serves a double role as a delicious marinade.
• Hot Sauce: This spicy condiment is packed with flavor, and low in calories; a tiny bit goes a long way. Chili peppers contain capsaicin, a compound that makes peppers hot, helps with congestion, and has antioxidant properties.

When we lose control, it sometimes feels like reality can be lost in the distance.  Almost like being stuck in a balloon drifting away, seeing everything get smaller and smaller.  But losing control is only temporary, and that is something to keep in mind.  We learn and move on from those experiences.  In regards to food, we can sometimes lose ourselves in food.  Food can have a deep relationship with our emotions, habits, behaviors, and physical attributes.  The smell, taste, and texture in our mouth can relay a specific feeling.

For myself, when I used to drink soda, I always liked that feeling of the strong carbonation as it enters my mouth.  I liked the bubbles, I like the sound.  I gained my independence from drinking soda.  But, it is these associations that we are sometimes controlled by the foods we enjoy.  It is important for our health that we gain our independence, especially from food.

Maintenance, consistency, and a little hard work will allow you to gain the independence you need.  The goal is to get in control of your diet and health.  So whether you want to start cooking healthy meals, want to limit the times you eat out, or are searching for healthy foods that aren’t too expensive, there are many things you can do to make those positive changes for your health.

1)      Don’t Focus on Forbidden Foods!

An important rule is when you eat healthy, you need to enjoy it.  Try not to focus on the forbidden foods you cannot eat, such as a juicy burger and fries, but the items you can enjoy without feeling guilty.  Go for foods of the fresher variety, like fruits and vegetables.  Try something new and in season, like cantaloupe or summer squash.  If you have a sweet tooth or feel like you want to cool down during these humid summer days, try not to head for the freezer for ice cream, but to the fridge for low-fat yogurt.

2)      Cook, So You Have Control!

Another way to gain independence from food is by cooking your own meals, which will definitely cut back on the amount of times you go out to eat.  Not only will cooking at home save money, but it will also decrease intake of empty calories because you are in control of what you prepare.  It is ultimate control when you cook because you determine portion size, the amount of fat that goes in, the ingredients, the flavors, even the cooking method.  Most foods have a healthier version, such as fried chicken.  Though it is delicious, and may remind us of a comforting time, think about other options like grilling or baking.   So gather a few of your favorite recipes to see where extra health can be added or subtracted.

3)      Substitute! Substitute! Substitute!

It is simple too.  Even easy substitutions like olive oil instead of butter or brown rice over white rice can make a big difference in your health.  However, on occasions when the only option is to eat out, take control of the way you order food.  Substitution is key, like choosing a side salad over chips or wheat bread instead of white.  Many restaurants make it easier for the consumer and make healthier options readily available.

4)      Shop Wisely!

Fast food is the cheaper option, but eating healthy does not have to be expensive.  Eating well on a budget starts with shopping wisely.  Do not ignore the pesky junk mail.  Store mailers are usually sent through snail mail, which advertises the sales on produce, proteins and other food item.  Coupons are also offered, which is another great way to save.  Check out the farmer’s market and ethnic markets that offer a variety of fresh produce that is very affordable.  In addition, when going to a major grocery store, the store brands are usually cheaper for the same quality product.  Joining a savings club or using coupons will add more savings to the dollar.  In the long run, purchasing fresh produce has great benefits to your health. Practicing these tips gives you the opportunity to be in control, and gain independence from food.

If you are struggling to gain your independence from food and are ready to take control of your health, please contact us. We’re here to help!  Please click here to schedule an appointment to speak with a nutrition counselor (free) or write your comment or question below.

It’s summertime! It’s a perfect time to go out, enjoy fresh air, and spend time with family and friends. Summer is filled with social events such as picnics, potlucks, BBQs, carnivals and state fairs with plenty of unhealthy temptation. Traditional summer barbecue foods can definitely compromise the beach body you worked so hard for in the months leading into summer. Try some of these healthy tips for your summer BBQs so you can have fun grilling without the guilt that won’t sacrifice taste or the spirit of the season.

Healthy Summer Food Substitutions

Instead of: The traditional heavy meats high in fat (ribs, hamburgers, etc.)
Try: Lean protein choices such as chicken or shrimp and serve them on skewers as kabobs. They are easy to throw on the grill and are packed with protein and low in calories and fat. Add colorful veggies such as zucchini, bell peppers, and squash to add delicious summer flavors and loads of antioxidants.

Instead of: Macaroni and potato salad
Try: healthier pasta salads that replace mayo with fat free/low-fat yogurt or heart healthy unsaturated fats like olive oil. Toss in some lean protein choices and colorful veggies for a boost of nutrition and flavor.

Instead of: Deep fried onion rings
Try: Coating sliced onions with egg whites and a mixture of grated parmesan cheese, whole-wheat flour, and panko breadcrumbs and bake in a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes for a crispy, satisfying treat.

Instead of: Ice cream sandwiches, (nearly 500 calorie snack with 60% from saturated fat)
Try: Making your own ice cream sandwiches using lower-fat sorbet. Better yet, skip the cookies and enjoy your sorbet or low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit.

Additional Tips For Enjoying A Healthy Summer:

–          Be mindful of what and how much you are eating. Take breaks to see if you’re still hungry before you go back for another plateful.

–          Get some physical activity while you’re outside. Have fun backyard games with friends and family (don’t forget the sun block!)

–          Avoid the burn. Studies have found that compounds in charred and cooked meats may contain carcinogens, or cancer causing agents. Decrease this risk by marinating food before grilling.

–          Use a smaller plate. Studies have shown that people tend to serve themselves bigger portions when they have a bigger plate. Grab the salad plate to serve yourself to cut calories while maintaining the taste.

When I imagine a superfood, I think of a piece of bright green broccoli with a flowing white cape, flying in the air looking for junk food bad guys.

However, I have a huge imagination, and I may take the word a little too literal.  But this term superfood is used quite often to describe a food that is high in nutrients, and is very beneficial to your health.  There are a variety of superfoods that possess vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.

In the spirit of Independence Day, we celebrate this July with red, white, and blue in mind.

Red Superfoods

Starting with the red superfoods.  Many red fruits and vegetables contain an antioxidant called lycopene that gives them that vibrant red color.  Lycopene has been shown to reduce the risks of some cancers, heart disease, and age-related eye problems, as well as help with increasing the skin’s natural SPF.  Lycopene-rich fruits are watermelon and tomatoes, both refreshing juicy fruits that are great for a summer salad.  Raspberries are also the perfect summer berry.  They are a good source of vitamin K, which helps blood clot when we get a nasty cut, and is full of dietary fiber.  But if you are craving something with a little heat, eat hot peppers.  Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which gives peppers their heat.  Capsaicin stimulates the mucous membranes in the nose and respiratory tract, which also stimulates drainage, and clears out congestion.

White Superfoods

The white superfoods are just as good.  An amazing vegetable cauliflower is full of vitamin C and vitamin K.  Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and is necessary for growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body.  It can be eaten uncooked with tasty hummus, in a stir fry or as a delicious alternative to mashed potatoes; it is very versatile and super nutritious.  How about adding some tofu in to that stir fry mix?  Tofu, which is made from soybeans, is an alternative to meat protein.  Tofu is another one of those versatile foods.  It can be baked, grilled, sautéed with veggies, and even added to smoothies for an extra protein kick.  Tofu definitely lacks the saturated fat and cholesterol that animal proteins contain.  Plain yogurt also makes the cut for being a superfood.  It contains probiotic bacteria that promote a healthy digestive system.  Blend up yogurt with raspberries, sweetened with a little honey, and freeze to cool off from the summer heat.  Another great superfood is coconut.  Coconut water has a high electrolyte content that can even replace sports drinks.

Blue Superfoods

Last but not least are the blue superfoods.  Blue fruits and vegetables are packed with beneficial, health-promoting antioxidants, such as anthocyanins and vitamin C.  Eating your blue superfoods will not make you blue, as it did with Violet Beuregarde from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory movie.  On the other hand, these tiny blue superfoods like blueberries, acai berries, and grapes may lower risks for some cancers, decrease cholesterol levels, promote healthy aging and urinary tract health, and help with memory function.

These superfoods may not have a cape like I imagine, but they do fight to keep us healthy.  Keep the summer going, and eat more red, white, and blue superfoods.

Summer has arrived which means sunny days, warm temperatures, and ample opportunity to show off your hard-earned bathing suit-ready body. If you’re still trying to work off the winter weight, healthy eating and exercise will do the trick in getting your body summer ready. Healthy eating focuses on including whole grains, lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and plenty of water daily. In addition, a combination of cardio and strength training exercises will help tone your body overall, including the dreaded belly fat. You cannot “spot reduce” so if you want to lose the muffin top or the pot belly, try some of these fat burning exercise tips to burn overall body fat from head to toe.

Pump Up the Cardio

–          A good overall cardiovascular conditioning exercise program is crucial to burn fat

–          Walking is excellent, but most people have to pump it up a bit from their routine pace, especially if they’ve been exercising for a while and flab is not budging

–          Increase the days or length of workout time. If you work out two days, increase to three. If you’re jogging for half an hour, increase to 45 minutes or an hour

–          Interval training, alternating bursts of intense activity with bursts of lighter activity, is a good way to burn more fat. For example, walk for five minutes, and then jog for five. This strategy will burn overall more calories and more fat. If you are already jogging, jog then sprint to mix it up

–          Increasing intensity for a short period within your regular workout will burn more total calories and therefore more fat

Pump Iron or Do Other Strength Training

–          Weight training 3x a week for a half hour each session is ideal for beginners

–          Once flab is under control, two weight training sessions a week will help maintain tone

–          Work the full body. Work all the major muscle groups, (not just the flabby ones), but incorporate full-body weight training exercises that also focus on your flabby areas

–          For muffin top, focus on abdominal, oblique muscles by doing bicycle kicks, or do oblique twists with the cable weight machine

–          Can’t make it to the gym? Try home exercises to burn fat. For example, get a broom, hold it straight up over your head, then lean to the right and left. You should feel effort in your love handles

–          For flabby upper arms, do dumbbell kickbacks with hand weights (with upper arm parallel to the floor and bent at the elbow, lean over a weight bench or other low bench with your other arm supporting your body. Extend the lower arm holding the weight until it is straight. Repeat and switch the weight to the other hand.)

–          To maximize the fat burning during weight training, women should aim for 12-15 repetitions per exercise and focus on a higher number of reps rather than constantly boosting the weight

–          Men should aim for 8-12 reps and increase weight periodically

Crunch Your Flab

–          If a muffin top is due to abdominal muscles not being exercised a long time, toning up those muscles may help

–          In addition to cardio and healthy eating, belly fat can be toned up with crunches and reverse crunches (lie flat and raise your hips and legs to work the lower abdominals)

–          Get more from your core. You’ll get more from your Pilates, Yoga, or core-focused moves that will lead to a slimmer, flatter belly. Move from your waist. When you twist, make sure movement happens from your bottom rib up while keeping hips still

–          Add small weights for more fat burning potential. Start with a 5lb medicine ball or hand weight between both hands and swivel left to right and back, bringing the weight across your body while maintaining your torso above the ground (in a V shape)

 For other tips on slimming down for summer and for life, please also check out…Belly Fat Burning Tips for the Summer

Are you bathing suit ready?

That’s the question I ask myself at the start of every summer, and of course, I rarely say yes.  That’s because I do admit to having a little “muffin top,” which is a nice way of saying I have belly fat.  It is a continuous effort to shrink and/or maintain the belly fat I have, which is very much dependent on how much food is consumed, in relation to how much physical activity is expended.  However, a person having too much fat in the abdomen area poses various health risks.

Fat accumulates everywhere in the body.  But in regards to belly fat, the risks are associated with where the fat is located in the belly.  There are two easy ways to think about belly fat.  Imagine the shape of a body as if they were a pear or an apple.  Therefore, for people who are pear shaped, there is more fat accumulated towards the lower body.  Fat in this area is subcutaneous, which just lies between the skin and muscle; this is the fat we can pinch.  People who are apple shaped, fat is accumulated in the abdomen area, with an increased amount surrounding the internal organs; this is called visceral fat.  Subcutaneous fat is more cosmetic, whereas visceral fat surrounding the organs is linked to an increased risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia, breast cancer and colorectal cancer.  But not to worry; these risks can be minimized simply by being mindful of the calories taken in, and being physically active to burn those calories.

To beat the belly fat bulge, keep active, portion food, and make healthy food choices.  The general recommendation for physical activity is a minimum of 30 minutes per day of moderate intensity, such as walking or light jogging.  If you are just starting out, spread the 30 minutes throughout the day, and do burst of 10 or 15 minutes, then gradually go up to do the entire 30 minutes, then up to 60 minutes per day, which would be ideal to control weight.  Adding strength exercises by including light weights has also been shown to be helpful in reducing belly fat, especially the visceral kind.  Just remember, it’s heating up, and it is very important to keep hydrated when doing any type of physical activity; drink plenty of water.

The battle with belly fat does not end with just physical activity.  In addition, it is important to be mindful of portion size and making healthy food choices when eating in our out.  MyPlate (click on MyPlate for more information on portion size) is a great reference point.  Remember to make half your plate veggies and fruit, and the other half whole grains and a lean protein, with a side of dairy.  Limit foods high in saturated and trans fat, such as a marbled steak, butter, pre-packaged cookies or cake, as well as limiting simple carbohydrates, such as white breads and pastas.  Lastly, limit sugary drinks, and replace with more water.

Additionally, check out the list of belly fat fighting foods to incorporate into your next meal or snack.

• Avocadoes:  Avocadoes contain the healthy kind of fat, poly- and mono-unsaturated fat, and some protein.  Add them to your salad for that additional health benefit.
• Berries:  Fresh berries are high in fiber, and are good for us.  Some studies have shown an element is raspberries called ketones that prevent the buildup of fat in the belly and around the liver.
• Nuts:  Walnuts and almonds are especially good because they are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce belly fat, and with hunger pangs.  Only a small handful is needed per day.
• Fish:  Try salmon, halibut, albacore tuna.  Though these are fatty fish, they contain the fat burning omega-3 fatty acids, the healthy kind.
• Oils:  Healthy oils like olive and canola oils.  Use canola oil for a quick vegetable stir-fry, and drizzle olive oil over a small toasted whole wheat roll topped with avocado slices.
• Dairy:  Calcium in dairy helps burn belly fat by decreasing the body’s ability to store belly fat.  Make a yogurt parfait with low-fat greek yogurt, and add some berries for the added benefit of reducing belly fat.

Along with the traditional meat items, such as hamburgers, hot dogs or steaks, grill up some vegetables or fruits for a low-fat option.  So, if you are just learning to be grill master, concerned about carcinogens (a substance capable of causing cancer in living tissue), or want to prepare healthy low-fat meals follow these tips and  check out these delicious recipes (Click the links):

Tips to Grilling Up A Slimmer Summer

• Marinate your food.  Before you start grilling, take some time to make a marinade, which provides coating around the foods, limiting the formation of harmful carcinogens.  There are many varieties of marinades to make from citrus to sweet; it will make a big difference to your grilled foods.
• Give it a good clean.  Make sure to clean the grill with a wire brush to remove any buildup of char, which can be carcinogenic to your health.  Then wipe down with a damp cloth or paper towels to remove anything that wasn’t taken off by the wire brush.
• Watch out for flames.  When grilling meats, poultry or fish on an open flame, the fat from these proteins drips onto the flames creating a carcinogenic smoke.  By grilling leaner protein sources can result in less bad smoke.  Another precaution to take is to line the grill with foil poked with holes, to make a barrier against the smoke and food.
• Don’t let it burn.  Discard any noticeable burnt areas around the food and try not to eat, as those pieces have the cancer-causing substances.
• Fruits and veggies please!  Grilling fruits and vegetables caramelizes the natural sugars that give it a great flavor.  Keep it plain or marinate them, it tastes just as delicious.  You can also make a switch from your traditional salads and grill them, like a grilled Caesar salad.  Also, increase your fruit and vegetable intake and replace the meat entirely with vegetables like grilled eggplant or portabella mushrooms for a similar meaty texture.
• Instead of steak, try grilled fish.  Salmon, trout, and herring are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are very heart healthy.  Shrimp is great on the grill as well, bringing out a tasty smoky flavor.
• Keep it lean with chicken.  Grill chicken breast, but remember to remove the skin.  Try grilled chicken kabobs in between layers of fresh veggies or a zesty grilled chipotle chicken sandwich with your favorite veggies.
• Choose your meats wisely.  Choose lean meats that have less fat, such as loin or round cuts of beef or pork.  Choice and select grades of meat, instead of prime, have lower amounts of fat.  This of course limits the amount of fat that will drip onto the fire while grilling, limiting the production of the bad smoke.  Also, remember to trim the extra fat after you take it home.  Try a lettuce wrap with grilled steak or grilled pork fajitas.

Summer is around the corner, as well as Father’s day.  Treat your dad to a grilled feast with low-fat grilled veggies and proteins.  There are many food items you can grill, so when it heats up inside the kitchen, go outside and take it to the grill!