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Holiday Shopping Sans Cinnabon
Tweet Share on Facebook December 5, 2012 CommentIf you've temporarily traded in your gym shoes for shopping shoes, you're not alone. You may not get your heart pumping like you would in a spin class, but there's a silver lining to all that holiday shopping: An hour of walking around stores can burn as much as 275 calories for a person weighing 145 pounds.
In other words, they say "shop 'til you drop" for a reason. But dropping anywhere near the food court can spell trouble for your waistline. Endless samples and fast-food chains leave few healthy options. However, your secret shopping weapon is as far away as your purse. Toss in a few snacks for a "holiday shopping survival pack" that will keep you nourished on the run. And keep these tips in mind to avoid an eating disaster amid your holiday shopping:
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Active Video Gaming: No Substitute for Real Exercise
Tweet Share on Facebook December 5, 2012 CommentMany parents hold out hope that active video games, or "exergames," will increase their children's activity levels—that, in a sense, these forms of entertainment will sneak exercise into their children's lives by masquerading as video games.
Well, I've got bad news for you. So-called exergames pack much more "game" than they do "exercise."
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Consider the Cupcake: A Barometer of American Taste
Tweet Share on Facebook December 4, 2012 CommentFor someone who can't eat gluten, I've spent a great deal of time pondering the cupcake.
Recently, I ordered several dozen mini cupcakes to celebrate my kids' upcoming birthday. Yes, that's right. The dietitian mother who begrudged her children—and yours—Halloween candy this year will be doling out mini cupcakes to a dozen toddlers and their parents later this month.
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Dreaming of Your Spring Garden? Get Started Now
Tweet Share on Facebook December 3, 2012 CommentWinter weather and a bit too much time inside may have you staring out the office window, dreaming of starting your spring garden. I know how you feel!
I have actually found that now is the perfect time to do the necessary research and planning so that you'll have the all right ingredients for growing healthy food.
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Is Dairy Healthy or Not?
Tweet Share on Facebook November 30, 2012 CommentFew nutrition topics are in a more constant state of froth than the place of dairy in a healthful diet. And that's really saying something, because nutrition topics in general are pretty frothy.
I have made my case now, more than once, that despite our decidedly imperfect knowledge of nutrition, we do have actual knowledge of nutrition—and that it is the basis for opinions worth sharing. Knowledge and expertise should be the basis of widely disseminated opinions about nutrition, just as they are the basis for such opinions in engineering, architecture, and rocket science.
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Exercise for the Right Reasons
Tweet Share on Facebook November 30, 2012 CommentWhen most people set out to get some exercise, it's for one reason: to look better. Whether our end goal is weight loss, toning up, or building muscle, we tend to be motivated to exercise by external benefits. However, recent research on willpower hints that this external focus may be counterproductive to our overall success.
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Are All Nut Butters Created Equal?
Tweet Share on Facebook November 29, 2012 CommentWhen I was growing up, peanut butter seemed to be the only option as far as nut butters went. I also remember my mother buying the natural type long before I was ready to give up my conventional brand. Boy, how times have changed. Today, there are so many options available: from almond to cashew butter; creamy to crunchy; organic to conventional. How can consumers know they are making the best choice when they hit the supermarket?
Below is a comparison of various nut butters, with no salt added. I am including sunflower butter even though technically it is made from a seed. One serving—2 tablespoons—of each packs:
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Spice Up Your Exercise Life
Tweet Share on Facebook November 28, 2012 CommentThe only way to build fitness is to continually change up your routine. If you do the exact same movements every time you work out, you won't be getting the most out of your fitness commitment. That means you can and should be finding new, interesting ways to exercise.
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Of Course There's Such a Thing as a Bad Food!
Tweet Share on Facebook November 28, 2012 CommentOf course there's such a thing as a bad food. At least there is if "bad" is defined on the basis of health. In a sense, a bad food is one whose risks outweigh its nutritional benefits when consumed regularly. And while there is certainly room for disagreement over what should or shouldn't be considered bad, some foods are pretty straightforward. Take lollipops for example. There's nothing nutritionally redeeming about a lollipop. There are no vitamins or minerals to speak of, and virtually all of its calories come from sugar. Consequently, I'd certainly label them "bad." Still, I'll occasionally give them to my children, whom I love more than life itself. But the fact is, just because a food is nutritionally bad doesn't mean we shouldn't ever eat it.
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What Are Sprouted Grains?
Tweet Share on Facebook November 27, 2012 CommentThere are a number of healthy foods that were once considered fringe fare, relegated to the realm of health-food stores and to the diets of people who preferred tie-dye to neckties. Yogurt, granola, hummus, and goji berries are all examples of "alternative" foods that debuted on the margins but have since gone mainstream. And to this list, it appears we may soon add sprouted grains.
On a recent visit to the supermarket, I noticed that a variety of sprouted-grain products had taken up residence in the cereal, pasta, bread, and snack aisles. A company called TruRoots markets sprouted lentils, mung beans, quinoa, and brown rice. Advertisements on two new cereals from Arrowhead Mills boast that they're made with sprouted corn and sprouted rice for improved digestion and nutrient absorption. Food for Life's Ezekiel 4:9 brand promotes breads, pastas, and cereals made from sprouted wheat, spelt, barley, and lentils. There are even tortilla chips by a company called Way Better Snacks that are made with sprouted beans and sprouted quinoa. Is this just the latest fad, or are sprouted grains poised to become the next big health-food craze?
