Read Thy Food Label!!!!

Such a simple answer to so many problems – if you know what you are eating, you will be able to better decide what to eat. Recent questions have spurred me to write a 101 on the food label – it is our friend, not the enemy……..trust me on this! In 1994 the FDA actually accomplished something historic and made it a law that all food and beverages (not alcohol) contain necessary nutrition information so Americans know what they are ingesting. Now, what most do not know is that these companies have leeway as to what they can publish, meaning that they have to have the following:

Serving Size
Servings per product, container, box, etc
Calories
Fat
Carbohydrates
Protein
Sugars
Sodium

Now, some people can get even granular with listing the specific fats, monosaturated, saturated, polysaturated, trans fats, specific carbohydrates – fibers, and other key elements that the company feels they need to highlight. Don’t get confused or scared – what you need to know or look for in the beginning of your healthy living are the serving size, how many servings, calories, sodium and protein.

Think of your daily caloric intake as a bank and allocate a certain amount of calories a day for you to ingest. The trick here is to make sure you are taking in the right calories and not the wrong calories. Few average food battles we could be faced with throughout the day:

1 Slice of White Bread: Cals:80, Fat:1, Carbs:15, Fiber:0.7 Protein:2

1 Slice of Wheat Bread: Cals: 100, Fat: 2 Carbs:20, Fiber: 3, Protein: 4

Bottom Line: The whole wheat bread might have 20 more calories, but the whole wheat combined with fiber and protein will keep you fuller much longer where the white bread does not contain significant nutrients to fill you up. The whole wheat also provides you with fiber – essential to daily health.

Important to know where you are getting your calories – if your "calorie budget" for the day is 1500, its NOT ok to eat a whole pizza and be done for the whole day! TOTALLY wrong way to view your calorie budget – you should be eating foods that are low in calorie but high in nutrients.
Don’t worry – we will have many examples and articles that will make all of this easier and bring all of the million tiny pieces together to form the puzzle… :-)

Beautiful Bloody Orange

Who knew there were so many types of oranges!?!? Bored of the ol' sunkist and looking for another huge source of vitamin C? Get to your local market and try this ruby orange! Red in color tart and sweet in taste - makes for the perfect sweet snack or addition to a fabulous fun drink prosecco. Having folks over tonight to toast your friends or just to get together? Impress them with an easy and economic drink! Grab a bottle of prosecco and some blood oranges and drop a slice into the flute and you will be thanked very much for this healthy low cal fun mixer!

Blood Orange Cals: 70

Vitamin C - Through the ROOF!

4oz Prosecco with Blood Orange Cals: 85

Happy Healthy Cocktail! ;-)

SNACK SPOTLIGHT! SNACK SPOTLIGHT!

Periodically I like to throw some exceptional foods into the spotlight! When that snack attack comes on or you realize you are running on low or no fuel keep some NuGo bars around! My fav is the Sugar Free Peanut Butter Crunch - just scrumptious AND SO SMARTLY NUTRITIOUS!

Cals: 170 - No not lieing, I am totally serious, a little trust please...! ;-)

Fat: 5g

Carbs: 5g

Sodium: 260mg

Sugar: 0

Protein: 20, yes 20g of protein!

If you aren't feelin' the sugar free, no worries, these guys have something for every snack desire!Their alternativess are NuGo Organic, NuGoFree, NuGo Dark, and just plain ol' NuGO ( great for a candy fix with tons of protein and low in fat) They are all delicous and offer different benefits! These unbelievable bars are sort of hard to find so I am including their website at the bottom so you can order or just read more about them! I am fully stocked all the time with these nutrient packed snacks!

NuGo Organic: Zero animal products, super low in sodium and tons of antioxidants!

Cals: 190

Fat: 5gCarbs: 5gSodium:65mgSugar: 15Protein: 10g

NuGoFree:Zero animal products, low in sodium, little bit higher in carbs - good for a mid morning snack!

Cals: 150
Fat: 3gCarbs: 28gSodium:85mgSugar: 13Protein: 9g

NuGoDark: Awesome for some much needed energy and antioxidants!

Cals: 200

Fat: 5gCarbs: 30gSodium:45mgSugar: 13Protein: 10g

NuGo: Incredibly low in fat, high in protein and low in cals!

Cals: 180
Fat: 3gCarbs: 26gSodium:45mgSugar: 13Protein: 11g

Check them out for yourselves!

http://nugonutrition.com/

Your Bod Needs Energy Man!

So, your not gonna eat breakfast, and then go all day without fueling up on some nutrients? Or your thinking of just skipping meals or not eating for a large span of time and you will lose weight?"EH, WRONG, TRY AGAIN"! Here are some easy to remember facts on skipping meals:

*You will create unwanted cravings
*When you do eat, your body will be quick to store this as fat b/c it is scared that it will not see food for a while! - This will result in WEIGHT GAIN!
*Weakness
*Low Blood Pressure
*Decreased bone density
*Dizziness
*Coldness
*Moody
*Faintness
*Low energy

If you provide small snacks throughout the day your body is on its tippy toes metabolizing the constant food and making sure your brain and all other vital organs have the necessary blood flow needed to make sure you are performing at your peak through the day. The easiest snack to keep in your pocket that will not be messy are some energy bars - I am a huge fan of these as they are low in calories and pack in some protein which will help keep you full longer - for now, get acquainted with some of my favorite types and stay tuned for a very comprehensive list which will add some variety to your day and be very easy for you to grab and go! (Also when you are looking at the nutrients on low calorie bars make sure there is protein and not a ton of sugar - with the protein you will be fuller longer with more energy)

Tasty Energy Bars:
Luna Bars - Avg. cals: 180, avg fat: 5g, avg protein:8g, avg carbs:24
Zone Bars - Avg cals: 190, avg fat: 6g, avg protein: 12g avg carbs 24
Soy Joy Bars - Avg cals: 130, avg fat: 6g, avg protein: 4g, avg carbs: 16
Special K Protein Bars - Avg cals: 180, avg fat:6g, avg protein:10g, avg carbs:24g

These are just a few examples of the many that are out there, but are my favorite as they balance out the carbs/sugar with the protein and the flavors are just incredible! They also dont leave that fake chocolate protein taste like some of the other bars do - they really taste like candy bars but without all of the empty calories! I will update with flavors but my favorite are the apple cinnamon Luna bars and the double chocolate zone bars! YUM!

Snack away the smart way and you will be more alert, productive and your metabolism will keep going and going and going!

Foodie News is Back and We Need To Snack!

Too busy is not an excuse!!! However, I was prepared to use this to explain myself to all of you! Noone should be too busy to ignore their passion or their health - and that is why Foodie News is alive and kickin' again! Recently I witnessed someone experience a burn out - and this is just not acceptable at all! I am here to remind everyone out there bustling along within their daily grind, hitting happy hours, eatin' on the run, attending too many meetings and not enough gym classes that you MUST remember to eat - and snacking is the way! Healthy snacking is genius and crucial to your physical and yes your mental health. If you are running around like a madman like we all are these days, keep some mini snacks around so your sugar levels don't go so low that slow down. Many folks don't get the correlation between your food intake and your mental ability to function and stay abreast of all there is for you to do.

Here is a little tip and please, I will have thousands, so don't feel sad that this is just one tiny suggestion! Start your busy day off with a high protein breakfast (egg whites, greek yogurt for example) - and pack some high nutrient packed snacks to aid you in your daily battle of meetings, conference calls, reports, deadlines and everyday stresses! No gas for a car engine stops the car and it is the same thing with your body - No food for your body decreases your bodies functional capabilities and you feel tired, sluggish and if it is super bad, could pass out! Grab a banana, energy bar, nut and fruit mix, some dried fruit, apple - anything that you can eat in between your hectic schedule and trust me, you will be happy you did!

Next Up - Highlighting what exactly happens when you don't fuel your engine!

My Best Friends... left and right... :-)

Everyone has their "thing" or their "release", for me it is running/walking with my IPOD and my best friends.. the sneaks...

We all know that exercise is good for the physical bod, but for me it is more important for my mental "bod"... I think, out of all of the addictions out there, running is probably the best one that I could have adopted. It is during this hour that I am with me, myself and I, zero judgments, zero negativity, zero connections except for the one between me and my thoughts. My sneakers do not judge they do not scold when I do not push myself and they let me flow freely through the streets, on the treadmill and most importantly through my contemplations on what is going on in my life at that time. They let me dwell on the last 2lbs that I want to lose and they let me obsess over the last mile I know I should run, and they accept it allowing me this time.

Foodie news is so much fun for me and allows me to share my thoughts on food, nutrition and exercise. If anyone is reading this and has not uncovered their "healthy" vice, try downloading your favorite "tune out tunes" and walking for 30 minutes. You get to escape your daily routine and at the same time burn a few extra calories and get your heart rate up.... it is a win win situation and a fantastic find!!! Look below for average calories burned during walking at a moderate pace for 30 minutes and running at 6.0mph for 30 minutes.

Walking - 105 cals per 30 minutes
Running - 250 cals per 30 minutes

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

How yummy do these look?!? Don't worry, its ok to have one or even two, they are not terrible and strawberries are low in calories and high in vitamin C! Today is the day to indulge a little, not too much and show your loved ones, significant other and YOURSELF some appreciation! Flowers, candy, cards, dinner, chocolates! Whatever makes you and your loved ones happy! Its healthier to love then to hate and less draining! Take today to indulge in something that you love to do. Cook? Bake? Exercise? Little Spa time? Some Chocolate??

Favorite indulgence of mine is to have a bubble bath, light candles, have a glass of champagne or wine and a good book... a little me time!!

Hopefully everyday you treat everyone around you and yourself a little special, but today treat yourself and loved ones a little extra special. It is a good thing to have that little something you love, chocolate, candy, whatever it is. Just don't over do it! Plus a little can go alooooooooong way and you can have more candy/chocolate if you share! Look at the cals in some of my favorite Valentine's Day treats!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry (average) - 107cals 7g fat
One glass of Champagne - 85cals 0 fat
Milk chocolate truffle - 78 cals 6g fat
White chocolate truffle - 87 cals 7g fat

Sometimes it is nice to let your guard down and have something that you typically wouldn't. A cheat day as sometimes I classify it! You work so hard at work and on being healthy, a little break never hurt anyone, just dont overindulge!

Don't forget to show everyone even in an email that you appreciate them, it definitely makes a difference!

Enjoy!

Snack on This!

Feel like a chocolate fix? WHO DOESN'T! Instead of choosing a cholesterol laden, fat promoting chocolate bar such as this little devil (to our left), choose CocoaVia (to our right)

CocoaVia actually helps the heart and prevent heart disease!

Visit the website at http://www.cocoavia.com/story/science.aspx to learn more about this delicous chocolate fix! The chocolate product comes in bars, chocolate covered almonds and raisins, and even a drink! Like dark chocolate? No problem! Milk chocolate preferred? Easy as pie! Check out the site to see all of the products and find out where you can pick up a box to test for yourself!

Heartful Help!!!

Here we go, just a few more days until Valentines Day!

Tradition has it that we give our heart to that special someone and we receive the heart of him or her. For this reason, we best keep our hearts in tip top shape so we can continue to carry out this tradition for many years! Recently, I had my annual blood work done to check my cholesterol levels. Was I feeling sick? Nope. Chest pains? Not so much. I go annually to make sure that my heart is set up so it can work as efficiently as possible and if not, then I can make necessary changes before anything gets way out of hand. One of the essential components to a healthy heart is cholesterol. Cholesterol lines the arteries and is necessary to protect the lining, however if it builds up over time in excess, it can actually block the flow of blood and cause a heart attack.

It is always better to be proactive rather then reactive. When you know how your HDL, LDL and triglyceride fat levels, you can breathe a sigh of release or make necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle in order to bring them to normal levels. Please see the chart below to find out what HDL, LDL and triglyceride fats are and what a normal level actually is.

LDL Levels - Deemed the "bad" cholesterol, the lower the better
Less then 100mg/dl - BEST
100-129mg/dl - Ok, not great
130-149mg/dl - Risky
160-189mg/dl - High
190mg/dl+ - VERY HIGH

HDL Levels - Deemed the "good" cholesterol.
Men - between 40-50mg/dl
Women - between 50-60mg/dl
If your numbers are below the minimum, you could be in high risk for heart disease.

Triglyceride Fats - Type of fat found in blood coming directly from the digestion of fats from your food. high levels of triglyceride fats increases risk for heart disease.

Less then 150mg/dl - BEST
150 - 199mg/dl - OK, borderline
200 - 499mg/dl - High
500mg/dl + - Very High

Make an appointment and find out where your "numbers" lie. A diet low in fat, especially saturated fat combined with adequate physical activity can keep your heart healthy.

Some examples of food that are high in cholesterol are:

Eggs
Butter
Cream
Shrimp
Certain Beef

Vegetables and fruits have zero, yes zero cholesterol and can help lower LDL levels!

FRUITY FACTS!!!!

Fruit is a delicious choice when choosing a food for fiber! They are low in calories and fat, 100% natural, can be used in a zillion recipes and are super tastee! Seeing as this is love month at foodie news, what better way to show your bod how you are luvin' it by learning more and EATING more fruit! Look at the list of my favorite fruits and the nutritional content. Also, you can substitute some fruits for oil and butter that is usually called for in recipes, (depending on the recipe of course!) I experimented and came up with a nutrient and flavor packed apple raisin bread recipe that packs in some healthful love for the bod without the excess fat and calories!

Calories in Fruits: (please note these are avg sizes, cals and fat varies if smaller or bigger)
Apple - 80c/0.5g fat
Banana - 110c/1g fat
Grapes - 110c/0.3g fat
Orange - 62c/0.2g fat
Pear - 96c/0.2g fat
Kiwi - 50cal/0.5g fat
1/2 med grapefruit - 41cals/0/1g of fat
1 cup of strawberries - 46cal 0.4g fat
1 cup of diced melon - 54cals 0.3g of fat
1 cup of diced honeydew - 61 cals/0.2g of fat
1 cup of diced pineapple - 74cals/0.2g of fat
1 cup of blueberries - 83cals/0.5g of fat
1 cup of diced watermelon - 46cals/0.2g of fat
1 cup of raspberries - 64cals/0.8g of fat
1 cup of diced mango - 107cals/0.4g of fat

My own Fat Free Apple Raisin Recipe -
1 cup of whole wheat flour (adds 14.6g of fiber!!)
4 granny smith apples
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp of baking soda
1 cup of sugar (or 1.5 cups of splenda)
3/4 cup of raisins
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1/4 cup of plain fat free yogurt

Total calories with sugar - 1970

Total calories with splenda - 1200

(Recipe produces 16 slices)

Turn oven on at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a bowl, pour flour, baking soda, egg whites and fat free yogurt. Set aside.

Peel apples and dice. Put into saucepan at medium boil with 1/4 cup of water. Stir occasionally until tender/mushy or you can put into a mixer and puree the apples. When apples seem almost like sauce, turn off water and add sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Mix together and slowly pour into flour mixture until completely combined.

Cook for 20-30 minutes or until fork comes out clean.. ;-)

I made this last night and my boyfriend ate the whole thing! It is a delicious treat packed with fiber, and healthy fruitiness!