Daily Diet Blog

February 26, 2008

Obesity and Cancer Linked by Science

Filed under: Health News — EatingToLive @ 12:23 pm

It has long been sort of an “understood” that cancer incidence is increased by obesity, but up until now I don’t believe it’s ever been conclusively linked.  Obesity has been linked to a number of health issues that are plaguing us today, including diabetes, cancer, digestive disorders, mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, heart problems, circulatory issues, and the list goes on and on into almost every possible conceivable body part and area you can think of.

In fact, the link between obesity and various types of cancer has become so strong and scientifically proveable (ok, is that a word, or did I just make that up?), that it is now being listed as the number one killer, ahead of the all time worst, smoking.  The  most plausible explanation may be that obese people tend to not get a lot of the good, healthy foods that help us arm against cancers in their diet, like fruits and vegetables, but instead focus on highly fattening, salty and sugary foods which both promote weight gain and unhealthy blood sugars, as well as help to fuel every type of cancer, which is known to be fueld by excess sugar in the diet.

So, one of your best defenses against cancer, it seems, is to make sure you eat right and maintain that svelte, fit figure to help ward off cancers of all types. 

February 23, 2008

Food Combining Diets

Filed under: Dieting Trends, Diet Reviews — EatingToLive @ 9:12 am

An interesting method of dieting and keeping slim, trim, healthy and keeping your digestive system harmonious and plugging away is the method of food combining that is sort of catching on, in a cultish kind of way I guess.  This theory has been around a while.  I remember one of the first diet books I ever read called Fit for Life was based on the principle that combining foods properly was key to keeping the digestive system health and clean.

Not only did it advocate proper food combining but it also advocated steering clear of meat, especially red meat, and eating lots and lots of veggies.  The food combining principle seems complicated at first, but the basic principles are that you may only combine meats and dairies and starches with vegetables, never with eachother.  So a well combined meal would be say a piece of chicken, spinach, and green beans, but you should not combine it with any starch like potatoes, pasta or bread, and there should not be any fruits in their either.

Fruits were only supposed to be eaten by themselves, and preferably in the morning before anything else entered the stomach, so they would just be eaten up by the system very quickly, usually 45 minutes or so.  When I followed this diet regimen after reading it when I was young, I must say I felt great and had minimal digestive issues.  Now, I believe that there have been several more books written on the subject, and they may also have some better and newer information on food combining.  It’s a great concept. 

February 20, 2008

Inspiring Stories of Weight Loss Have Common Theme

Filed under: Diet and Weightloss News — EatingToLive @ 12:03 pm

That common theme I’m speaking of is hard work.  Very rarely do you hear of anyone who has dropped a significant portion of their body weight that says losing it was a cake walk, and if they do then they might be sugarcoating it or blatantly covering up how hard it was! 

Weight loss has become a bit easier these days by certain things we have at our disposal such as fat loss supplements and natural appetite suppressants, but let’s be honest, when it’s all said and done, it’s good old fashioned hard work and determination that shed pounds and keep them off for good.

Many people who weighed a morbidly obese weight before they lost a significant amount say that they were motivated by the realization that they are seriously damaging their health, and there is also the vanity factor too, where they say they felt embarrassed to do certain things in public, and certain people say they become almost sequestered when they feel they have gained too much weight. 

There is the one man who is Mexican who has lost over half of his body weight so far.  In fact, he weight in at such a high weight that he made the Guiness Book of World Records for the heaviest living man.  When people are coming down from such morbidly obese weights, they really must be commended, because to even move moderately at this type of weight is hard on the body, hard on the heart, and it takes a lot of endurance to wade through this type of exertion. 

Losing large amounts of weight, or heck, even a few pounds for some of us, can prove a daunting task, but if they are dilligent in their goals they can reach them and keep it off.  It’s the difference between life and death many times. 

February 17, 2008

Beware the Smoothie Calories

Filed under: Dieting Trends — EatingToLive @ 6:01 pm

With all those delicious smoothie beverage stores opening, you have so many choices it seems, when you are looking at the menu, that it seems impossible to pick one.  Many may assume that a smoothie always is going to be healthy and calorie wise, but it really depends on what they are putting in their smoothie when they get it made, whether it fits the “healthy” bill or not. 

For example, we were just at a smoothie stand the other day, and I really liked their selection.  I loved the fact that they had it all spelled out, right there up on the menu board, exactly what was in each and every one of their smoothies so you could gauge for yourself what you wanted, and could intelligently decide on what smoothie fits into your caloric and nutritional goals for that day. 

I’d like to also insert here that smoothies really should be considered a meal most of the time, unless they are ordered in a tiny size.  Most of the smoothie places I’ve been too offer very generous sizing, and it seems that I am stuffed after each one, so to consider this as a dessert doesnt’ seem like it’s calorically efficient if you’re watching your weight, unless you are a consummate athlete and plan on burning it all off later that day.

Watch for ingredients like sorbet or sherbet, these are likely not good choices, and may leave your blood sugar low a couple hours afterwards, causing you to pig out on something that’s most likely no good.  You would want to opt instead for either low fat yogurt or perhaps a fat free, reduced sugar frozen yogurt as your base to save on calories and sugar. 

Make sure they use real fruit.  Some smoothies may contain syrups or other phony ingredients.  If you’re getting real fruit and good ingredients you’re most likely paying more, that’s just the way of the world.  Be sure to ask for a calorie list and nutrition information pamphlet so you can see what you’re getting in your smoothie. 

I personally favor the ones with filling ingredients, like banana, strawberries, and perhaps some soy powder or a shot of fiber in their.  This way, you’re getting nutrition and fiber, both of which are great for your figure. 

February 14, 2008

Sugar Substitutes Making People Eat More?

Filed under: Diet and Weightloss News — EatingToLive @ 10:33 pm

That’s right ladies and gents, those sugar substitutes that lots of of consume in place of sugar to help us maintain or lose weight may actually be sabotaging our weight loss and furthered weight maintenance more than using actual real sugar does! 

I’ve actually heard rumors and hintings to this effect for some time now, but it seems that now there is conclusive research to back up the notion that these artificial sweeteners may in fact be backfiring on the very people that they are trying to say they help (namely people who are weight conscious and try to watch what they eat). 

The studies are being done on lab mice (or it may be rats, I don’t have the article I read originally in front of me), that are given the artificial sweeteners.  The interesting findings are that these mice are actually over compensating and eating more when they are given the artificial sweeteners versus real sugar. 

Researchers are thinking that this may be because real sugar creates a sort of satiety for “the real thing”, while artifiical sweeteners don’t give that sort of same chemical reaction that makes us not want to eat as much.  Either that, or it could be that in our minds we think that since we used artificial sweeteners and therefore saved calories so we can actually eat more food. 

I personally think it may be a combination of the two, because for me personally I can see both coming into play when I consume artificial sweeteners.  The problem with that train of thought is that you can’t consume more simply because you saved maybe up to 50 calories, which isn’t much. 

Chances are, you will consume way more than 50 calories to “make up for” that savings, and that is where the trouble comes in and the diet sabotage enters the picture.  It’s sort of like the artificial sweeteners are counteracting our natural appetite suppressant capabilities and turning our appetites into overdrive instead. 

February 10, 2008

Chocolate Fondue Not So Bad?

Filed under: Low Cal Ideas — EatingToLive @ 7:09 am

Chocolate fondue - ahh, the mere words ring as pleasant and indulgent to almost any women, and a lot of men too (my boyfriend included).  But what we also think of when we think about chocolate fondue is the fact that we are probably piling lots of calories onto our plate, especially since we’ve probably already had a meal of some sort, as chocolate fondue is not typically something we’d eat as a snack. 

And you’re right, chocolate fondue is calorie dense, but it can be made a tad better by A.)  Dipping it in healthy things like fruits, strawberries, cherries, bananas and grapes are some of my favorites and B.)  Not over doing it, and trying to keep the fondue coating thinner rather than immersing your whole piece of fruit in it.  If you observe these small rules, you may be able to indulge without feeling the after affects of the bulge as much!

I like to make a simple fondue at home by combining chocolate chips (I prefer to mix 3/4 milk chocolate nestle tollhouse brand, and 1/4 nestle tollhouse brand dark chocolate chips for a more interesting flavor), and milk.  You may even be able to use skim milk, but I’m not sure that matters so much since the amount of milk I use is tiny.  I use 1% milk though, and it works wonderfully.

I just put the chocolate chips in a microwave safe container, nuke the chips until they become soft enough so they will blend together, and add just a few splashes of milk, and mix it all together with a small fork or whisk.  You won’t believe how decadent it tastes, and it’s easy!  Also, I’ve found that if I really load up on the fruit and make the pieces larger, I’m not as apt to load up the chocolate on each piece, so it’s kind of like a healthier dessert. 

Also, I’m getting the nutrients of the fruit as well, and some added fiber.  Oh, and another bonus, if you follow the food combining method of eating, chocolate is supposedly compatible with any type of food. 

February 7, 2008

Cut the Fat, Cut the Calories

Filed under: Fat Reduction — EatingToLive @ 11:25 am

We all know that “fat” is a buzzword for something to avoid in our diets if we are trying to slim down, or cutting down on our caloric intake so that we can get skinnier or maintain a weight that we’ve already achieved through conventional, long term weight loss programs.  However, what a lot of people forget is that, just by simply cutting a lot of heavy fat out of the diet, you are actually cutting a great amount of concentrated calories as well, because calories really stack up in fat-laden foods and drinks. 

Take for instance, cheese.  Most cheeses, unless they are low fat, are loaded with fat - especially orange cheeses.  The sharper they are, usually the more fat content they have, so it would be wise to at least stick to lighter cheeses as a general rule of thumb.  Mozzarella, say, is much better than sharp cheddar because there is not as much salt or fat in the mozzarella.

Another fat heavy food is heavy creams and sauces.  Be careful with soups, because broth based soups are generally fine, but creamy soups, especially those super tasty ones you probably love, are usually off the charts when it comes to calories and fat content.  Especially heavy cream - heavy cream is extremely calories dense. 

One of the biggest faults with the low carb diets, which set your body up to block carbs basically, is that they encourage high fat foods in exchange for not eating breads and pastas.  This fat is definitely stored in unsightly areas still, like areas where you are more prone to cellulite anyways and just general fat deposits. 

Another fatty and calorie dense food is heavy desserts like cheesecake.  Cheesecake is known as one of the most decadent desserts, and for good reason.  It is loaded with not only fat, but also sugar, and may even be up to one thousand calories for a modest sized slice of this little piece of heaven.  Think about it, that’s why you feel stuffed to the gills after you eat it! 

Ice cream, of the non-lowfat variety is one of the worst culprits in high fat content and subsequently high calorie content as well, and should only be consumed as a treat few and far between.  If you’re slightly lactose intolerant, like me, you might be a little more swayed to stay away from the really heavy desserts, which are often based in some sort of dairy food. 

In short, by cutting down on the fats in our foods, we are also setting our bodies up for improved health and fitness, fat loss and weight loss since we are cutting out a ton of calories as well.  Good all around! 

February 5, 2008

Wearing Clothes the Slim the Body

Filed under: Health & Fitness Tips — EatingToLive @ 8:10 pm

My inspiration for writing this post is gonna sound not so nice, but here goes.  I saw a picture of rapper Lil Kim online the other day, and I am the first one to say that a woman should love her curves if she’s blessed with them, but the outfit she was wearing was an example of what not to do if you have curves, because it accentuated everything that may be construed as extra baggage.

My favorite color to wear when I’ve put on a few pounds is black, which is totally cliche, and I know that, but there’s a reason for the cliche - it really works to camouflage weight gain, slim the legs and hips, and create an overall look of length to the body, which overall is slimming and flattering to every body type, hence the reason black is one of the most popular clothing colors in any line you see.

Another rule is to only wear up and down stripes, never horizontal, on any part of your body that you are trying to make appear slimmer.  I love wearing pin stripe pants that have the stripes running up and down, because again, this creates the illusion of longer length, and therefore less heft.

Never wear anything that is too snug, unless you really want to be and appear uncomfortable.  Clothing should gently cling to your body, not squeeze and squish it into submission, unless you are going for the Mariah Carey look, and sorry Mariah, but honey you just don’t get the word “class” at all in the way you dress. 

Women who dress like Ms. Carey actually aren’t doing themselves any favors.  It garners the wrong kind of attention from both sexes, and quite frankly leaves nothing to the imagination, because it is so clingy that it squeezes and squishes all the wrong parts.  In short, if something makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t wear it! 

February 2, 2008

Stars Struggle with Weight Too

Filed under: Diet and Weightloss News — EatingToLive @ 11:12 am

We always are inclined to think that Hollywood darlings and those women and men who have seemingly all the money in the world are immune to problems with their weight and their body image.  However, we are totally wrong in this assumption.  Even totally fit and toned divas like the Black Eyed Pea’s Fergie has admitted to having a yoyo weight on the scale, and fired back at the press when they speculate she was pregnant, just because she had added a few pounds to her small frame. 

Many other women and men who are Hollywood stars or are otherwise famous struggle with their weight.  It’s easy to do these days, what with all the processed and highly fattening and addictive foods we are facing every day as an obstacle to being thin and happy.  Look at men like Val Kilmer, who’s been skewered by the tabloids for topless pictures that show him with an enormous beer gut.  Remember the days when he had a trim, muscular figure on Top Gun, or the days he played other roles where he was trimmed down to a respectable weight by anyones standards? 

And how about Rikki Lake, who had much success despite a huge weight problem back in the nineties, and has since slimmed down.  Even Lake admits that she still continues to fluctuate in weight, and has a constant mental battle over what foods to eat vs. what tastes good and is easiest to eat. 

There are other stars that are capitalizing with their weight issues and weight loss by becoming spokespeople for herbal weight loss supplements as well as for companies that offer weight loss support like Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, and Weigh Watchers.  Stars like Kirstie Alley, who gained a lot of weight just a few years ago, Valerie Bertinelli, and even Tori Spelling (um, I don’t think she was ever ‘fat’ but never mind, maybe she did have a little extra baby weight), are all hawking products and services to help women lose weight just like they did.

No one ever said that losing weight was easy, heck we all love our carbs and sugars once in a while, and stars also have this struggle with their self image as well. It’s not like just because you have money and fame there is a magic willpower weight loss pill that makes you choose all the right foods and exercise regimens.  It’s nice to know that everyone is human, and everyone is not as happy with their body as they’d like to be.  Makes you not feel alone! 

Powered by WordPress