9 Habits that will shrink your middle

Sick of crunches? So are we. Luckily, abdominal exercises alone do not a flat belly make. In fact, there are loads of little things—from what you drink to the way you handle stress—that can make or break your middle. Here are 9 easy ways to start shrinking without crunching.

1. Calm down. Too much stress can contribute to a potbelly. Stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone that seems to direct fat to our middle, says Jacob Seidell, PhD, of the National Institute of Public Health in Bilthoven, Netherlands. To keep levels low, try this 5- to 10-minute stress reducer: Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Next, take several slow, deep breaths to help clear your mind. Continue breathing deeply and repeat the word one to yourself as you exhale. (If you get distracted, just bring your focus back to the word one.) Practice this for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day.

2. Skip the alcohol for a week or so. That glass of wine with dinner may be part of the reason your jeans are too tight. Alcohol also tends to raise cortisol levels, sending fat to your belly, Seidell says.

3. Stop smoking. “It keeps me thin,” proclaim many smokers. But the truth is that smokers tend to have more abdominal fat than nonsmokers, says Seidell. (The stress hormone cortisol seems to be the culprit here too.) "When people stop smoking, the amount of abdominal fat actually decreases," he says.

4. Eat more fiber. Not only is fiber great for overall weight loss (it fills you up so you don't eat as much), but it also prevents constipation, which can cause your tummy to bulge, says Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore. To stay regular, aim for 22 to 25 g of fiber a day by eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables

5. Drink up. For premenstrual bloating, drink lots and lots of water. This will actually help flush away bloating, not make it worse

6. Keep bones strong. Osteoporosis can lead to fractured bones in your spine, causing you to slump. That shortens your abdominal cavity, giving your belly no place to go but out, says Willibald Nagler, MD, physiatrist in chief emeritus at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center in New York City. Be sure to get 1,000 mg of calcium every day from the foods you eat and/or from supplements.

7. Get your heart rate up. All the ab exercises in the world won't do a thing unless you get rid of the fat hiding your abdominal muscles. The best way is to do aerobic exercise for 45 to 60 minutes, 5 times a week.

8. Tuck your tummy. Imagine there's a magnet pulling your belly button back toward your spine. Practice the tuck until it becomes comfortable, and soon it will come naturally--like breathing. Do it every chance you get.

9. Get a bonus ab workout. Stand as much as possible when doing weight-lifting exercises. That way your abs work too. “They help to balance and stabilize your body,” says Tammy Strunk, an Emmaus, PA, fitness instructor. Concentrate on keeping your abs tight and maintaining good posture, but don't hold your breath.

Orginally posted on yahoo... (http://shine.yahoo.com/event/bikini/9-habits-that-will-shrink-your-middle-1410534/)

The Chocolate Milk Diet

Imagine if everything you needed to know about weight loss, you learned in kindergarten. Well, if your teacher gave you chocolate milk as a lunchtime treat, she was (unknowingly) giving you one of the most powerful weight-loss tools in the nutritional universe. Turns out this childhood staple may be the ideal vehicle for your body’s most neglected nutritional needs. Each bottle delivers a package of micro- and macronutrients that can help you shake off body flab and replace it with firm muscle. And when you served it ice-cold, the creamy sweetness flows across your tongue with all the pleasure of a milk shake. Yum.

That’s the crux of what I'm calling "The Chocolate Milk Diet," which isn’t a diet at all. It’s essentially three eight-ounce servings of chocolate milk consumed at key points throughout your day: one when you wake up, a second before you exercise, and a third directly after your workout. Or, if it's your day off, just pattern them for morning, afternoon, and night. Sounds good, right? It is, and that’s why it’s so easy. But is this a free ticket to eat as much fried chicken as you want throughout the rest of the day? Unfortunately not, but alongside a healthy diet, it can help you drop lots of belly fat fast. Here are the four reasons why:

Secret #1: The Calcium EffectResearchers have known for years about the role that calcium plays in building strong bones, but a more recent development deals with they way it affects your belly. A series of studies have shown that calcium can actually impede your body’s ability to absorb fat, and when researchers in Nebraska analyzed five of these studies, they were able to estimate that consuming 1,000 mg more calcium can translate to losing nearly 18 pounds of flab. What’s more, other studies have shown that dairy foods offer the most readily absorbable calcium you can find. Knock back three servings of brown cow and you’ll reach that crucial 1,000 mg threshold. At that point, any other calcium that you eat or drink is a bonus.

Secret #2: The Vitamin D FactorAll the calcium in the world isn’t going to help you if you don’t get a good dose of vitamin D to go with it. That’s because vitamin D is responsible for moving calcium from your food to your body, which means if you’re running low on D, you’re probably also missing the calcium you need to stay slim. Other symptoms of the D deficiency are weak muscles, easily breakable bones, and depression—not a great combo for success. Now here’s why this is significant: Most experts agree that the average American isn’t getting enough D. Some estimate that only half the population is meeting the requirement and one study published in the journal Pediatrics found that 70 percent of American children had low levels of D in their diet. The thing is, your body makes vitamin D naturally when you expose your skin to sunlight, but most people spend too much time indoors to benefit. And intentionally spending more time in the sun could put you at risk for skin cancer. The solution? Drink up.

Chocolate milk, like most milk, is fortified with vitamin D.

One caveat here: Drink 1% chocolate milk. Vitamin D won't work without a little fat to help break it down. You want to skip the whole milk, too, as it has too many calories to make it a regular habit. The best option is 1%, or low-fat chocolate milk. It has the fat you need to absorb crucial vitamins, yet at three cups a day, it will save you 120 calories over whole milk.

Secret #3: The Endurance BoostIf you want to lose the gut, you’ve got to exercise—no surprise there. But here’s a fact that’s not so obvious: Drinking chocolate milk can improve your gains. In a study published in The International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, subjects given chocolate milk before hopping on the stationary bikes were able to ride 49 percent longer than subjects given a generic carbohydrate-replacement beverage. And on top of that, they pedaled even harder. Total work performed by the chocolate-milk group was greater than the work performed by subjects drinking carbohydrate-replacement drinks or electrolyte-fortified sports drinks. The reason? Milk has naturally occurring electrolytes that keep you hydrated—more hydrated then water, in fact, which I revealed recently on my Twitter account—and its natural sweetness helps push more energy into your muscles. Another study from 2009 found similar results, but it went one step further by asking participants which beverage they thought tasted better. Not surprisingly, 100% chose chocolate milk.

Secret #4: The Protein-Body-Weight ConnectionWant to know the secret to staying thin? You need more muscle. That’s because muscle burns more calories than fat, so for every new muscle fiber you create, your resting metabolism receives another surge of fat-torching energy. And chocolate milk can help you do that. Researchers have determined that the ideal protein load for building muscle is 10 to 20 grams, half before and half after your workout.

How much protein will you find in low-fat chocolate milk? Eight grams per cup. (That means one serving before your workout and one serving after will give you a total of 16 grams of highly effective whey protein—a perfect serving.) Add that to the extra cup you drank first thing in the morning and you’re looking at a turbocharged metabolism that keeps you burning calories all day long.

And don’t forget, you can still melt those 18 pounds of belly fat without giving up your favorite foods. You just need to make smart swaps, and we’ve got 10 new ones right here. You'll lose weight faster than ever—again, with ever dieting again.

By David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding - Originally posted elsewhere...

Plain Yogurt

I love plain yogurt. My favorite way to have it is mixed with fruit and splenda... and a touch of vanilla... I just discovered that I can also use it as a subsitute for sour cream! I was a little nervous to try it and was excited when it worked...

So, I'm wondering how many other uses are out there for yogurt... so far I have it as a treat and sour cream... what do you use plain yogurt for?

I googled it and found this article I thought I'd share...

Yogurt: Good for You Inside and Out!

Yogurt. It is one of those foods most people either love or hate.

I love yogurt and over the years have tried finding a variety of ways to put it to use for both health and creative purposes. As a health care worker and mom of active children, yogurt often came to the rescue in some surprising ways.

The health benefits of eating yogurt on a daily basis is often advertised and preached in health magazines and commercials. Yogurt made from active cultures has been shown to enhance your immune system, prevent diarrhea and yeast infections, sooth and help prevent stomach ulcers and is even a healthy addition to your pet's diet . Have you wondered how many other uses is there for a container of plain, active- culture yogurt?

Facials: To cleanse, moisturize and tighten. Simply apply a generous coating of plain, active-culture yogurt to your face , close your eyes and relax for 20 minutes then rinse well with cool clear water.

Revitalizing Facial Mask: 1 teaspoon plain active-culture yogurt, 1tsp fresh orange juice with pulp, 1 tsp of aloe. Mix together well and spread onto face, allow to sit at least 5 minutes before rinsing off with cool clear water. (Cool cucumber slices on your closed eyes while you wait for either of these treatments really does reduce puffiness and redness as well!)

Relieve sunburn pain: My children often got too much sun before I realized just how long it had been since the sunscreen was applied. A coating of plain yogurt quickly cools hot sensitive skin and adds much needed moisture. Of course your little ones will groan 'Ewwww....gross!' but then giggle as the cool yogurt starts easing the burn! For extra moisture you can add a dollop of aloe gel to the yogurt before applying. Let sit on the red skin for several minutes then toss your little ones into a tub of cool water to rinse off!

While on the topic of children and yogurt here are a few more projects I introduced to them while they were young enough to think I was a 'genius'.

Yogurt Cheese: Introduce this as an 'experiment' and your kids may decide they like this cheese on a cracker better than peanut butter! Simply place a colander in a bowl(to catch liquid) then line the colander with cheesecloth or coffee filters. Pour a pint of plain yogurt into the colander. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight - 24 hours. The longer it drains the firmer your cheese will be. Then blend cheese with your choice of herbs and enjoy in dips or spreads in place of cream cheese. Each child can make their own flavor combination!

Finger Paints: Yogurt makes a great edible finger paint. All you need is a few drops of food color to make the 'paint' any color you wish. You can even give a lesson in primary and secondary colors and show the little ones how yellow & blue=green or red & yellow=orange. Then see how many colors you can come up with. Spread a large drop cloth under the work area for easy clean up. Better yet, use an inexpensive disposable tablecloth and simple toss in the trash after the fun is done! Also works great to 'paint the sides of the shower' while playing in the tub. Easily rinses off with cold water!

Moss 'Paint': You need to help prepare this one mom. I suggest getting an old blender at a yard sale for this project. It will come in handy for future messes you don't want mixed with edible food later as well!

Into a blender, pour a pint of plain active-culture yogurt, a few good size pieces of lawn or yard moss and a cup of water. This can be painted onto terra cotta pots to give an 'aged' look when placed on the patio or garden for a few days. If you have a damp shady area under some bushes or trees that nothing seems to grow in, pour the remaining 'moss paint' in the area and keep damp, you should soon see the moss grow and spread in the 'painted area'. Why not try 'painting the ground in a design? Perhaps your child's initials?

Pets: Don't forget your pets out when considering the benefits of yogurt. If you have a pet who tends to get 'gassy', it is often a result of not enough live bacteria in their digestive tract. Add a few tablespoons of yogurt to the pet's meals and you should see a difference in just a few days.

Has Fido found something foul to roll in or tried to play tag with a pole cat? Massage a thick layer of yogurt into their fur before giving them a bath for a squeaky clean and fresh smelling furry friend! A yogurt massage once a month, before his bath,will help Fido's fur shin and cut down on dogie dandruff as well!

Have you found a use for yogurt that I've not tried?

Single and On Plan: Boozing and Losing

A WeightWatchers.com editor tries to find a balance between enjoying happy hours in the city and dropping a few notches on the scale.

I started writing this column last June as I tried to lose "those last five pounds"—without giving up early-bird drink specials and pub crawls. I've been attending At Work meetings in our office, lost over 10 pounds* and reached my goal this fall, but I've Pogo-ed up and down since January with getting back to goal; and I think my single-city social life is to blame.

I don't want to say no to happy hours, marathon Saturday-night birthday parties in New York or playing drinking games with my big Irish family. (Our holiday parties showcase 10-on-10 flip-cup races and beer pong tables. Even my 84-year-old grandma makes guest appearances for a round or two.)

I know I could probably maintain my goal weight steadily if I cut out the booze, but I'd gain a few pounds back in one celebratory weekend so I might as well make this plan work for me to keep it off for good. My monthly column shares my thoughts and tips while asking you for suggestions as well.I've been working in the health industry for over two years

My Low POINTS® Value Standbys
These come in at a POINTS value of 3 or less, but use your POINTS Tracker for accuracy with different brands.
Bottled regular beer, 12 oz.
Bottled light beer, 12 oz.
Glass of wine, 6 oz.
Flute of Champagne, 6 oz.
Club soda and shot of flavored vodka (with a squeeze of lime or splash of juice)
Diet Coke with vanilla vodka or flavored rum

and have come to realize it's not always easy to make healthy decisions while out having fun. But

I'm going to try my best to get back to my goal weight and enjoy myself while doing it.
In my this installment, I'm tackling The Bar. Here are some tips I try to exercise on a night out with friends:

Pack a good snack for "after."When I anticipate coming home late from the bar, I try to plan ahead. Before heading out, I'll portion out a snack or mini-meal that will satisfy my post-drink munchies: low-fat cheese and crackers, pretzels, peanut butter and jelly on light bread.

Whatever it is, I just make sure it's portion controlled and the first food I see when I arrive home. Otherwise, I'll find an empty bag of pretzels on my counter in the morning and wonder what the heck happened last night.

Eat some protein.When I'm going out after work and know I won't get home until late, I'll try to eat a filling vegetable or fruit (like carrots, an apple or banana) and protein (like nuts or a granola bar) to stay satisfied. Sometimes I'll have my snack around lunchtime and save my packed lunch for 3 or 4 p.m. so I'm less hungry (and goofy) with the first few drinks.

Buy the first round.This strategy may not save me money, but I can take my time with my drink and not feel pressured to chug once I see my friends have emptied their glasses. I tell them I'm still working on mine while they buy their second round. When my guy friends let me pick up the first round, this keeps me from trying to keep up with them.

Keep them under three.POINTS values that is. For occasions that aren't incredibly "special" to me, I won't order a bathtub-sized margarita that'll drain half of my daily POINTS Target. Check out the sidebar for my go-to drinks with low POINTS values.

Dance! Or pretend to. My dance floor formula usually requires three elements: two drinks, a good DJ and a friend willing to get up there with me. But once I'm there, I'm staying put—burning calories away from bar. Granted, I probably drink the first third of my beverage quickly, so as to not spill any precious, expensive alcohol on the floor or me. But I love to dance, and I don't drink as much while I'm bustin' a move, so this tip works well for me.

Tips from Single Girls Around the World
Melanie, Editor for Weight Watchers' Australia/New Zealand Web site:"I ask for mixed drinks in a tall glass, they last longer."

Gina, Editor for Weight Watchers' United Kingdom Web site:"When I'm heading straight to the bar from work, I always make sure to have a big lunch—say, a homemade wrap or leftovers from last night's dinner. Then, if I get the chance, light crackers, a Weight Watchers

Just2POINTS&153 bar or something small just before I shut down my computer for the day or on the train on the way to the bar. That way I don't succumb to the greasy bar menu."
"Knowing I have something waiting for me in the fridge when I get home is imperative—some yummy leftovers to heat up—anything to distract me from the gauntlet of late-night burger bars and kebab shops on the way home after a long night."

Sandra, Editor for Weight Watchers' Germany Web site:"I have a glass of water between the drinks. It prevents a horrible hangover (due to dehydration by alcohol) and I won't drink as many wines as I would without the water."

"I always have an Alka-Seltzer before I go to bed; it helps me feel better the next day."

This article was originally posted on WeightWatchers.com

Get the Most out of What You Eat

Feeling satisfied may be your ticket to successful weight management.
What is satiety? It’s that lasting feeling of fullness at a meal's end, the feeling that you're no longer hungry or deprived. It can be a hard feeling to achieve with some diets. But satiety isn’t a luxury when it comes to weight loss—in fact, it may be your ticket to successful weight management.

"To get more satisfaction out of food, the idea is to fill up on foods that give you a lot of volume for relatively few calories," says Karen Miller-Kovach, MS, RD, chief scientist at Weight Watchers International. For example, 1/4 cup of raisins and 1 2/3 cups of grapes have the same number of calories, but with the grapes, you obviously get to eat much more, and you're apt to feel more satisfied when you're through.

Besides fresh fruit like grapes, other satiating high-volume foods include complex carbohydrates that are high in water, air and/or fiber, such as air-popped popcorn, vegetables and whole-grains like brown rice, says Miller-Kovach. But lean protein-rich foods, such as a skinless chicken breast, low-fat or nonfat yogurt or skim milk can also contribute to satiety, she adds. That's why, for maximum satisfaction, you might want to make sure your meals also contain some lean protein, says Miller-Kovach.

Super-Satisfying Temptation TamersOther mealtime tricks for pumping up the volume in your food to maximize your satisfaction on fewer calories:
Start meals with a first course of broth-based soup, vegetable juice or a salad with reduced fat or low-fat dressing. One caveat: "Make sure that first course isn't more than 100 calories," says Barbara Rolls, PhD, Guthrie Chair of Nutrition at Pennsylvania State University. Otherwise, you could end up eating too many calories at that particular meal.

According to Rolls' research, which has been published in her book Volumetrics (Harper Collins, 2000), subjects who began their meals with a high-volume, low-calorie starter like soup or salad ate 100 fewer calories over the course of the entire meal compared to those who started their meal with the entrée.

Eat more vegetables, such as leafy greens, lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, summer squash and onions. In fact, stash them in stews, soups, pasta sauces, pizza and meat loaf. They're high-volume, high-satisfaction, low-calorie superstars because they're loaded with water and fiber, Rolls says, two top filler-uppers.

Limit very dry foods,such as pretzels, crackers and chips. Dry foods lack water and thus are low in volume. "Dry foods pack a lot of calories into a small portion and are easy to overeat," says Rolls. You can also make it second nature to gravitate toward healthy foods that fill you up. When you follow the Weight Watchersfood plan, we can help you learn to naturally seek out these foods, while still being able to enjoy the treats you love.

Eventually you might find yourself gravitating towards these more satisfying, less caloric choices, making your healthy eating habits a way of life, not a chore.

The Trick to Treats

Forget the haunted house; the spookiest Halloween specter is the candy. We show you how to deal.

Talk about scary: Halloween is a hard time to stay on plan. What can you do when those 5-pound bags of candy go on sale at the grocery store, or when your kids have laid out their loot on the living room floor? We've surveyed some people who have had success with Weight Watchers, and found out how they tackle the scariest Halloween candy scenarios.

Resist the sales"My biggest Halloween challenge is not falling for the coupon in the paper," says Linda. "A 5-pound bag of Snickers on sale is still a 5-pound bag of Snickers."
Buy late"The closer to Halloween you buy the candy, the better," says Maggie. "In fact," she says, "never, ever open the bag before the first trick-or-treater comes." That way, you'll have less total temptation time to cope with.

Buy candy you don't likeDina says she heads straight for Mounds and Almond Joy when she has to pick up the Halloween candy. "Coconut is the one thing I don't like," she says.
Make up a game planIf you decide to go for the mini Reese's that the kids will love you for, says Maggie, "Start giving out more as the night wears on, so there's less left over." If there are still remainders, get them out of the house. Give the candy away to a food charity, collect it all and offer it to the neighbors, or bring it to work (and drop it off in a different department).
Go out on a full stomachIf you have to walk your kids around to trick-or-treat, make lunch your big meal of the day, so you're not walking around hungry with bags full of candy. Carry a thermos of something hot to sip on, or, as Manhattan meetings Leader Liz Josefsberg says, chew mint gum throughout the night. It’ll help kill your urge to put candy in your mouth.

Come up with a candy strategyWhen the candy's at home, work with your kids to decide what to do with it. Have them pick their 10 favorite pieces: If they're young, encourage them to leave the rest out for "The Great Pumpkin." And if they're too big to believe, encourage them to save the rest for lunches and parties.

Freeze!Liz suggests putting left-over favorite candy in the freezer. If you get weak and find yourself digging into them, they will be rock solid and it will take time to get through even one.
Ditch the sense of occasionRemind yourself that you can buy yourself candy any time of the year. There's no need to load up on fun-size bars on October 31 when you can enjoy them whenever your heart desires.

Keep things in perspectiveEating a little bit of candy on Halloween doesn't make a person overweight — it's constant overeating that can pile on the pounds. So don't assume you can't enjoy even a single treat, especially since deprivation is a dieting tactic that often backfires.
Slimming treatsHalloween means candy wherever you look, and it can be hard denying yourself outright. For those who like to have a candy bowl nearby, we searched the shelves for candy that was lower in POINTS® value, but still gave a bang for the buck. Miniatures are a great deal in terms of portion control, while chewy candies turn out to be a big mouthful bargain and hard candies and lollipops score high for long-lasting satisfaction. Here’s a sampling:

Item
Serving size
POINTS value

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Twists
3 pieces
1

Charm’s Blow Pop
1 junior or regular pop
1

Weight Watchers by Whitman’s Mint Patties
1 piece
1

Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pops
1 regular
1

Weight Watchers by Whitman’s Peanut butter crunch
1 piece
1

Skittles Original Bite Size Candies (fun size)
1 bag
2

Candy corn
1 oz
2

Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats
1 bar
2

Jolly Rancher Gummis
9 pieces
2

Jelly Belly Jelly Beans
35 pieces
3

Twizzler’s Cherry Bites
17 pieces
3

Junior Mints
16 pieces
3

Tootsie Roll Tootsie Rolls
12 small
3

Weight Watchers by Whitman’s Caramel drops
7 pieces
3

Originally posted on WeightWatchers.com (http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=536#Story)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

California Table Grapes

A perfect finger-food, a sweet snack and a lovely garnish, California table grapes are a simply divine fruit!

There are few things more highly anticipated than the first ripe strawberry of spring or a crisp fall apple, just days off the tree. In our Market Fresh series, we look at the produce in season this month and offer quick and easy suggestions for how to enjoy it.

It's no shocker that grapes are one of America's most popular fruits—they're sweet, crisp and bite-sized, not to mention readily available year-round. With 97 percent of America's table grape supply coming from California, it's likely that the clusters you're buying in the supermarket from June through November are from the Golden State (during the winter months, our grape supply comes mainly from Chile). Whether you've enjoyed them fresh, frozen, dried into raisins or preserved into a jam, chances are you're no stranger to this fruit of the vine.

Do it for your health.
Over 130 years ago, famed cereal maker John Harvey Kellogg is said to have prescribed 10 to 14 pounds of grapes per day as a cure for high blood pressure. And zany as his "cure" was, it may have been rooted in science. According to the USDA, grape skins contain the phytonutrient resveratrol, which studies have shown may help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. What's certain is that a 3/4-cup serving of California table grapes contains only 90 calories and 1 gram of fat as well as vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, dietary fiber and antioxidants that help protect the cells in the body.

Selection, Preparation and Storage
California table grapes come in three basic colors: green (sometimes called white), red and blue-black. Sweet and juicy Thompson seedless grapes are the most popular variety. Reach for firm, plump clusters securely attached to their stems, which should be green, not brown. Red and blue-black varieties should not show any hints of green, and the greenish-white grapes will display a slight amber tint when ripe. Once harvested, grapes do not ripen or sweeten, so you should choose grapes that are ready to eat. Be on the lookout for signs of decay: shriveling, stickiness, brown spots or dry stems.

Fresh grapes may be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days stored in a covered container or plastic bag. Wash grape clusters just before you're ready to eat them and pat dry. Serve grapes slightly chilled to enhance their natural crispness. To remove seeds, cut grapes in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds with the point of a knife. If you're looking to peel the grapes, try running frozen grapes under lukewarm water until skins split, then just slide the skins right off.

How to Use California Table Grapes
We heard these great grape tips through the grapevine (actually, they're from Megan Fawn Schlow, food stylist and recipe developer in New York City):

Freeze them.
Use frozen grapes instead of ice as a natural way to sweeten cold drinks.

Make a grape slush.
Put frozen grapes in the blender and blend with enough water to make a slush.

Roast grapes for flavor.
Add fresh or roasted grapes to salads for a little something extra. To roast grapes, place them on a baking tray in a 400° F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until soft and juicy.

Make your own raisins.
Create your own add-in to oatmeal or a yummy stand-alone snack. Just place grapes on a metal mesh rack and leave in a 250° F oven for 8 hours until they're dried out. Store the raisins in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Stuff grapes for an easy appetizer.
Combine 3 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese and 1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese. Cut slits in fresh grapes, fill with a smear of the cheese mixture and top with a sprinkling of toasted, chopped pecans.

Hint: For all recipes, use red or green seedless grapes or seeded grapes with the seeds removed.

Originally posted on WeightWatchers.com

A Big Belly Could Make You Feel Hungry

Your stomach could, indeed, have a mind of it's own. A new Canadian study suggests that fat around your midsection actually produces a hormone that makes you hungry. This hormone, neuropeptide Y, also seems to stumulate the growth of fat cells, at least in rats. Previously, experts thought hunger signals originated only in the brain. But now that the true power of belly fat is being uncovered, researchers are working on drugs that target this region alone.

Originally printed in HEALTH magazine - September 2008 Issue.

Fat and Fit? Probably Not

Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital are challenging the popular idea that you can be overweight and still be fit. A study of nearly 39,000 women showed that those who were physically active yet classified as either overweight or obese had risks for heart disease that were 54 percent and 87 percent higher, respectively, than women who were active and not overweight. Exercise, while critical for reducing heart disease risk, isn't enough. A healthy, low-calorie diet that helps control weight is essential.

Originally printed in HEALTH magazine - September 2008 Issue.

Take Fiber To Lose Weight

Daily soluble-finber supplements may help you lose weight by curbing your hunger, according to a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition. People who took them lost an extra 9 pounds over four months. Experts say eating fiber-rich food each day can work similar magic. A few to try:

OATMEAL: 1 cup cooked, instant or microwaved
POPCORN: 2 cups, air-popped or microwaved
EDAMAME: 1/2 cup, cooked
RASPBERRIES: 1 cup, fresh or frozen
POTATOES: 1 medium with skin, baked or roasted.

Originally printed in HEALTH magazine - September 2008 Issue.

Did you pig out at the cookout? 6 Food fixes that beat bloat fast!

Lately I’m all about what to eat (as opposed to what not to eat) to look and feel great, and I’m also all about enjoying myself on vacation. So this July 4th weekend, go ahead and have that burger, beer, macaroni salad and whatever else is on the menu at your mid-summer fete, and then make the necessary diet adjustments AFTER the party. Here, 6 simple swaps that will help you lose a little water weight and keep calories in check:

1) Season Food Without Salt

Smart Swap: Add zing to your meals with salt-free seasoning blends such as the Original and Italian medley Mrs. Dash instead of salt, salt-based seasonings, and highly processed foods. The reason? You may be attracted to your saltshaker, but water is, too. When you take in higher than usual amounts sodium, you’ll temporarily retain more fluid, contributing to that sluggish feeling, a puffy appearance, and extra water weight. Yuck.

2) Thirsty? Stick to plain H20

Smart Swap: There's nothing like a nice cold carbonated beverage when you're hot and thirsty but plain old tap water is a better way to stay hydrated—those tingly bubbles just end up in your belly, causing it to puff out more.

3) Up the protein, lower the carbs

Smart Swap: Use one slice of whole grain bread for your sandwich at lunch instead of two, and swap snacks like pretzels for nuts or seeds. At dinner, try to stick to lean protein sources and, if you must have a carb, try something made with whole grains like quinoa or brown rice. Unless you’re running a marathon this weekend, loads of high-carb foods like bagels, bread, pasta, pretzels, and cereal will just boost bloat. The science-y reason: as a backup energy source, your muscles store a type of carbohydrate called glycogen, and every gram of glycogen is stored with about 3 grams of water. But unless you have a vigorous exercise routine, you don't need all this stockpiled fuel. When you decrease the carbs, you'll temporarily train your body to access this stored fuel and burn it off. At the same time, you'll drain off excess stored fluids.

4) Cook your veggies

Smart Swap: Eat veggies, just eat them cooked—steaming is quick and easy. Fruit is gorgeous and plentiful right now so indulge in moderation. When you’re trying to watch your weight it may be temping to fill up on a grapes, but if you want a flat belly filling it with all that volume is counter-productive: A half-cup serving of cooked carrots delivers the same nutrition as one cup raw, but it takes up less room in your GI tract. The same goes for fresh fruits: Compare the size of a few grapes to a few raisins. Big difference! While you’re at it skip those notorious gas-causers like broccoli and cauliflower and cook up green beans, mushrooms, and squash—which is bountiful right now anyway.

5) Season food with belly-friendly flavors

Smart swap: some people love their food four-alarm spicy (I’m one of them)! Feel the heat for one night, then lay off the barbecue sauce and garlic for a few days while debloating. Give dishes a flavor boost with in-season fresh or dried herbs like dill, basil, mint, sage, tarragon, and rosemary. You can also use curry powder, lemon or lime juice—all perfect with fish or chicken. Try to avoid Black pepper, nutmeg, cloves, Chili powder, hot sauces, onions, garlic, mustard, barbecue sauce, horseradish, catsup, tomato sauce, vinegar; Spicy foods can stimulate the release of stomach acid, which can cause irritation.

6) Satisfy an oral fixation with seeds, not gum

Smart Swap: If you chew gum by habit or just like to bite down on something crunchy, reach for some nuts, like roasted or raw unsalted sunflower seeds. You probably don't realize this, but when you chew gum, you swallow air. All that air gets trapped in your GI tract and causes pressure, bloating, and belly expansion—none of which are swimsuit-friendly.

Originally posted here: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/did-you-pig-out-at-the-cookout-6-food-fixes-that-beat-bloat-fast-481871/

6 Essential Flat-Belly Foods

It's summertime—are you in swimsuit shape?

Even if you've spent the past months dieting yourself into fit form, a few poor food choices each week can quickly add up to a juggernaut of jiggle well before Labor Day. Don't believe us? Consider the caloric damage of typical summer activities—weekly backyard BBQs provide pounds of juicy burgers topped with gobs of high-calorie condiments; ice cream dates offer options of double and triple scoops, smothered in sugar-packed and fat-blasted toppings; and seasonal drink choices (the kind you add umbrellas to and sip from faux-coconuts) guarantee you'll wash it all down with hundreds of extra calories. Not exactly flat-belly fare.

That's why Eat This, Not That! has developed this list of six essential summer foods. The more of these bulge-battlers you eat, the better your chances of keeping those abs flat throughout this skin-baring season.

QUINOA
Per ¼ cup:
170 calories
2.5 g fat
7 g protein
3 g fiber

For starters, anytime you choose a whole-grain product over one made from nutrient-stripped white flour, you wage war against belly fat. Penn State researchers found that dieters who ate whole-grains lost twice as much belly fat as those who stuck to white-flour products—even though they'd consumed the same number of calories. What's more, quinoa contains twice the belly-filling protein as regular cereal grains, fewer glucose-raising carbohydrates, and even a handful of healthy fats. So start your day off with a cup of cooked quinoa combined with a ½ cup of milk and ½ cup of blueberries—microwave for 60 seconds, and you have a delicious (and slimming) alternative to your traditional oatmeal. Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa won "Best Grain" in Men's Health's Best Foods Awards 2009.

GREEN TEA
0 calories

Catechins, the powerful antioxidants found in green tea, are known to increase metabolism. A study by Japanese researchers found that participants who consumed 690 milligrams of catechins from green tea daily had significantly lower body mass indexes and smaller waist measurements than those in a control group. It's safe to say that green tea is one of the best beverages for your health—a stark contrast to any of these 20 unhealthiest drinks in America. Avoid those belt-buckling drinks at all costs.

KEFIR
Per cup:
174 calories
2 g fat
14 g protein
3 g fiber

Think of kefir as drinkable yogurt, or an extra-thick, protein-packed smoothie. In either case, this delicious dairy product is a belly-blasting essential. Beyond the satiety-inducing protein, the probiotics in kefir may also speed weight loss. British scientists found that these active organisms boosted the breakdown of fat molecules in mice, preventing the rodents from gaining weight. The researchers still need to prove the finding in humans, but there's no danger in downing probiotic-packed products. We like Lifeway Lowfat Blueberry Kefir—it contains L. casei, the same probiotic used in the study.

AVOCADO
Per avocado:
322 calories
29 g fat (4 g saturated, 20 g monounsaturated)
13 g fiber
4 g protein

Never fear this full-fat Mediterranean-diet staple: It's teeming with healthy monounsaturated fats (also found in olive oil), which have been linked to lowered LDL cholesterol levels and weight loss. In fact, a recent longitudinal study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the healthy-fat Mediterranean diet was more effective than a diet that avoided fats altogether—so go ahead and indulge!

EGGS
Per 1 large scrambled egg:
102 calories
7 g fat (2 g saturated)
7 g protein

A British study found that people who increased the percentage of protein-based calories in their diet burned 71 more calories a day (that's 7.4 pounds a year!). Jumpstart your metabolism as soon as you wake up with a protein-rich breakfast of scrambled eggs. (Go to eatthis.com for other great no-diet weight-loss secrets.)

GRAPEFRUIT
Per grapefruit:
104 calories
4 g fiber
2 g protein

A grapefruit a day in addition to your regular meals can speed weight loss. The fruit's acidity slows digestion, meaning it takes longer to move through your system, and you'll end up feeling fuller, and more satisfied, for longer. And the vitamin C-packed grapefruit works to lower cholesterol and decrease risk of stroke, heart disease, and some types of cancer.

By David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding for Men's Health

Eat Like Jillian

The Biggest Loser trainer-and SELF's newest contributing editor!-is always go-go-going. What you see on TV is only a slice of Jillian Michaels's life. When she's offscreen, she's still whipping her contestants (and herself!) into shape.

How does this powerhouse fuel her jam-packed schedule? She prioritizes. "If I didn't work out and watch what I ate, I'd easily be 200 pounds," she admits. "I'm not the girl who loves to go to the gym. And I'm not the girl who loves broccoli, either. But I am the girl who feels potent, capable and confident when she feels strong, and I don't want to give that up. To me, it's about building a better body." Find out what a fitness guru really eats with SELF's day in the diet of Jillian Michaels.

Breakfast
To start the day off right, Michaels stocks up on carbs for long-lasting energy. "Breakfast is usually whole-grain Ezekiel English Muffins with almond butter," she says. "And I eat two whole English Muffins, about 500 calories."

Lunch
"For lunch, I'll usually have some sort of fish and veggies," says Michaels, who usually eats with her Biggest Loser contestants. "Salmon carpaccio and a vegetable or salad. But if it comes with cheese, I won't eat the cheese."

Snack
For a quick afternoon pick-me-up, "I'll have hummus and carrot sticks or chips and salsa or an orange and raw almonds or Brazil nuts," she says. "A little bit of protein and a little bit of carbs." No matter what she's munching on, you can bet it'll be the healthiest option.

Dinner
"I try to cut out carbs whenever possible," Michaels says of her final meal. "And I eat organic whenever possible. I work with organic chefs who help me on my website and we create recipes and test them out. I eat fish a lot."

Sweet treat
"I try to get my dark chocolate in somewhere throughout the day," she admits. "I have to have it. I work it into my calorie allowance and I will always have 200 calories of chocolate...always!"

America's Worst Supermarket Foods

There may be no place on the planet more daunting than the American supermarket.

By David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, Men's Health

From the produce section to the frozen-food aisle, the modern-day market is loaded with 50,000 food choices, all vying for your hard-earned money. That's why we created the Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide, the brand-new follow-up to our national bestselling nutrition books that will help you cut through marketing mysteries and food-label lies in order to make the smart choices that lead to fast and permanent weight loss for you and your loved ones.

And there's no better way to start slimming down in 2009 than by eliminating the most egregious offenders in the supermarket from your shopping cart. Some are conspicuous calorie bombs, others are junk food masquerading as healthy food, but all 20 of these foods have one thing in common: They'll undermine your efforts to lose weight and feel great. So study up on the list of the Worst Supermarket Foods (and while you're at it, don't forget the 20 Worst Restaurant Foods in America), and resolve to master your market in 2009.

20. WORST CRUNCHY SNACK
Gardetto's Special Request Roasted Garlic Rye Chips (1/2 cup, 30 g)
160 calories 10 g fat (2 g saturated, 2.5 g trans) 40 mg sodium

Gardetto extracts the worst part of its Original snack mix and tries to serve it as a gourmet snack—a sneaky move that might have serious repercussions for even casual munchers. Each single serving exceeds the amount of trans fat deemed safe to consume daily by the American Heart Association.
Fat equivalent: 3 strips of bacon
Eat This Instead: Snyder's of Hanover Sourdough Nibblers (16 pieces, 30 g)
120 calories 0 g fat 200 mg sodium

19. WORST COOKIE
Pillsbury Big Deluxe Classics White Chunk Macadamia Nut (dough; 1 cookie, 38 g)
180 calories 10 g fat (3 g saturated, 2 g trans) 13 g sugars

Stick to Nestlé Toll House when it comes to big-brand cookie dough; the people of Pillsbury have a penchant for scattering trans fats across your market's refrigerated section. This cookie has one load of dangerous oils mixed into the flour and another blended with sugar and interspersed throughout the dough as "white confectionery chunks."
Fat equivalent: 5 "fun" size 3 Musketeers bars
Eat This Instead: Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (1 1/2-inch ball, 28 g)
130 calories 6 g fat (2.5 g saturated) 11 g sugars

18. WORST YOGURT
Stonyfield Farm Whole Milk Chocolate Underground (6 oz.)
220 calories 5 g fat (3 g saturated) 36 g sugars

Stonyfield is notorious for being a little too generous with the sugar, but the nearly 3 tablespoons in their Chocolate Underground is bad even by their supersweet standards. Not even Ben & Jerry's makes a flavor of ice cream with this much sugar. (Check out the rest of America's Most-Sugar Packed Foods.)
Sugar equivalent: 4 Cherry Popsicles
Eat This Instead: Breyers Cookies n'Cream YoCrunch Lowfat with Oreo Pieces (6 oz.)
120 calories 2.5 g fat (1 g saturated) 11 g sugars

17. WORST CANDY
Twix (1 package, 2 oz.)
280 calories 27 g sugars 14 g fat (11 g saturated)

Twix takes the already-dubious candy-bar reputation and drags it through a murky pool of saturated fat. With more than half the USDA's daily consumption recommendation for these dangerous fats in each package, this is one hazardous after-lunch snack.
Saturated fat equivalent: 11 strips of bacon
Eat This Instead: 100 Grand (1 package)
190 calories 22 g sugars 8 g fat (5 g saturated)

16. WORST CONDIMENT
Eggo Original Syrup (1/4 c)
240 calories 40 g sugars

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but not when this sugar slick hits the table. Excluding water, the first three ingredients are all different forms of sugar. If you want real syrup, make sure it's 100 percent maple.
Sugar equivalent: Two Häagen-Dazs Vanilla & Almond ice cream bars
Eat This Instead: Smucker's Sugar Free Breakfast Syrup (1/4 c)
20 calories 0 g sugars

15. WORST ICE CREAM
Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Peanut Butter (1/2 c)
360 calories 24 g sugars 24 g fat (11 g saturated)

Häagen-Dazs makes great-tasting ice cream with an impressively short ingredient list, but that doesn't make up for the fact that their pints are consistently the fattiest in the freezer.
Fat equivalent: 1 McDonald's Double Cheeseburger
Eat This Instead: Edy's Slow Churned Peanut Butter Cup (1/2 c)
130 calories 13 g sugars 6 g fat (3 g saturated)

14. WORST DRINK
AriZona Kiwi Strawberry (23.5 oz. can)
353 calories, 0 g fat 82 g sugars

It claims to be blended juice, but only 5 percent of this can is any sort of real-fruit derivative. The remaining 95 percent is a blend of water and high-fructose corn syrup. (Believe it or not, this pales in comparison to some of the other Unhealthiest Drinks in America.)
Sugar equivalent: 4 Original Fudgsicle Bars
Drink This Instead: Tropicana Lime Raspberry Fruit Squeeze (15.2 oz. bottle)
35 calories, 0 g fat 7 g sugars

13. WORST "HEALTHY" PANTRY ITEM
Pop-Tarts Whole Grain Brown Sugar Cinnamon (2 pastries)
400 calories 14 g fat (4 g saturated) 5 g fiber, 28 g sugars

Whole grain ain't the whole truth. There's also a glut of vegetable oil and seven types of sugar stuffed inside.
Sugar equivalent: 1 Snickers bar
Eat This Instead: Sun-Maid Raisin English Muffins with Cinnamon (1 muffin)
170 calories 0.5 g fat (0 g saturated) 2 g fiber, 13 g sugars

12. WORST FROZEN "HEALTHY" ENTRÉE
Healthy Choice Complete Selections Sweet & Sour Chicken (340 g)
430 calories 9 g fat (1 g saturated) 600 mg sodium 29 g sugars

Since when has fried chicken been healthy? Certainly not when it's cloaked in sugar.
Sugar equivalent: 2 scoops Breyers Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream
Eat This Instead: Kashi Southwest Style Chicken (283 g)
240 calories5 g fat (0 g saturated) 680 mg sodium

11. WORST CEREAL
Quaker 100% Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisins (1 c)
420 calories 12 g fat (7 g saturated)6 g fiber, 30 g sugars

Granola, for all its good reputation, is usually weighed down by a deluge of added sugars. In fact, for the same amount of sugar, you could have a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles more than twice the size—and you'd get more fiber and save about 60 calories in fat.
Calorie equivalent: 8 chicken wings
Eat This Instead: Kashi GOLEAN (1 c)
140 calories1 g fat (0 g saturated) 10 g fiber/6 g sugars

10. WORST PACKAGED PASTA
Pasta Roni Fettuccine Alfredo (1 c prepared with 2 percent milk and margarine)
450 calories 25 g fat (7 g saturated, 3.5 g trans) 1,140 mg sodium

Once again Alfredo proves itself to be the biggest belt-busting option on the shelf.
This side has a meal's worth of calories, and if you try to turn it into a meal in itself, expect to top 1,000 calories.
Sodium equivalent: 4 medium orders of McDonald's French fries
Eat This Instead:
Pasta Roni Nature's Way Olive Oil & Italian Herb (1 c prepared with water and olive oil)
250 calories 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated) 800 mg sodium

9. WORST BAKED GOOD
Otis Spunkmeyer Banana Nut Muffins (1 muffin, 114 g)
460 calories 22 g fat (3 g saturated) 2 g fiber, 32 g sugars

Despite popular belief, muffins are very rarely healthy. Case in point: The first ingredient in this muffin is sugar. The result is metabolic mayhem: Blood sugar climbs, pancreas goes into overdrive, and the body begins storing sugar as fat. Shortly after, you'll feel sluggish and crave more sugar.
Sugar equivalent: 3 1/2 Rice Krispies Treats
Eat This Instead: Vitalicious Apple Berry Muffin (1 muffin)
100 calories 0 g fat 5 g fiber, 10 g sugars

8. WORST FROZEN TREAT
Toll House Ice Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich (1 sandwich)
520 calories 23 g fat (9 g saturated) 44 g sugars

Do you really want more than a quarter of your day’s calories to come from an ice-cream novelty? If you're going to take in this much fat and calories in one sitting, it better be dinner.
Calorie equivalent: Two slices of hand-tossed pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut
Eat This Instead: Skinny Cow Low Fat Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich (1 sandwich)
140 calories 2 g fat (1 g saturated) 15 g sugars

7. WORST INDIVIDUAL SNACK
Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie (1 pie)
520 calories 45 g sugar 24 g fat (14 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)

Skip past the enriched flour and water on the ingredient list and here's what you get: animal shortening, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, butter, chocolate liqueur, and so on. Any one of these ingredients alone might prompt you to raise an eyebrow, but taken together they should invoke a gag reflex and a sprint for something far healthier.
Saturated fat equivalent: 2 McDonald's Quarter Pounders
Eat This Instead: Chocolatey Drizzle Rice Krispies Treat 100 calories 8 g sugars 3 g fat (1 g saturated)

6. WORST PACKAGED LUNCH
Oscar Mayer Maxed Out Turkey & Cheddar Cracker Combo Lunchables (1 package)
680 calories 61 g sugars 22 g fat (9 g saturated, 1 g trans) 1,440 mg sodium

Here's your first clue that this meal has issues: The ingredient list—in its squinty small type—is a full 4 inches long. It includes just about every form of fat and sugar you can imagine. Your child deserves better.
Calorie equivalent: 15 Chicken McNuggets
Eat This Instead: Oscar Mayer Deli Creations Fajita Beef & Salsa Flatbread (145 g)
280 calories 9 g fat (4 g saturated) 890 mg sodium

5. WORST STIR-FRY
Bertolli Grilled Chicken Alfredo & Fettuccine Complete Skillet Meal for Two (1/2 package, 340 g)
710 calories 1,370 mg sodium 42 g fat (22 g saturated)

A dinner for two should get your blood flowing, not stuff your arteries with more than the entire day's saturated fat.
Saturated fat equivalent: 22 strips of bacon
Eat This Instead: Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals for Two Grilled Chicken in Roasted Garlic Sauce (1/2 bag, 340 g) 340 calories880 mg sodium13 g fat (5 g saturated)

4. WORST FROZEN BREAKFAST
Jimmy Dean Pancake and Sausage Links Breakfast Bowls
710 calories 890 mg sodium 31 g fat (11 g saturated)

As if the calories, fat, and refined carbohydrates weren't bad enough, Jimmy D tops the whole thing with two Hershey's bars' worth of sugar.
Calorie equivalent: 6 bowls of Froot Loops
Eat This Instead: Jimmy Dean D-lights Breakfast Bowls Turkey Sausage (198 g)
230 calories730 mg sodium7 g fat (3 g saturated)

3. WORST FROZEN PIZZA
DiGiorno for One Garlic Bread Crust Supreme Pizza
850 calories 1,450 mg sodium 44 g fat (15 g saturated, 3.5 g trans)

The bloated crust and the greasy toppings will saddle you with 60 percent of your day's sodium, 75 percent of your day's saturated fat, and nearly twice the amount of trans fats you should take in daily.
Calorie equivalent: 6 slices Domino's Thin'N Crispy Cheese Pizza
Eat This Instead: South Beach Diet Deluxe Pizza
340 calories 660 mg sodium 11 g fat (4 g saturated)

2. WORST FROZEN ENTRÉE
Hungry-Man Classic Fried Chicken
1,020 calories 1,570 mg sodium 57 g fat (12 g saturated)

They should rename the company Hungry-Men, because there's no way a single man needs more than a pound of fatty fried chicken, oily potatoes, and a brownie.
Calorie equivalent: 5 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts
Eat This Instead: Banquet Select Chicken Parmesan
350 calories 870 mg sodium 15 g fat (3.5 g saturated)

1. WORST PACKAGED FOOD IN AMERICA
Marie Callender's Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie
1,060 calories 1,440 mg sodium 64 g fat (24 g saturated)

Marie Callender's perpetrates the ultimate sleight of hand here: The nutrition information says this medium-size entrée has two servings, but honestly, when have you ever split a potpie? Lard-strewn pastry tops and cream-based fillings are the lowest common denominators of the nutritionally nefarious potpie, and this one, with an ingredient list that reads like an O-Chem final, beats out dozens of horrendous iterations to earn this special place on our list.
Sodium equivalent: 8 small bags of potato chips
Fat equivalent: 23 strips of bacon
Calorie equivalent: 7 Taco Bell Fresco Beef Tacos
Eat This Instead: Marie Callender's Oven Baked Chicken (369 g) 320 calories 990 mg sodium 12 g fat (3 g saturated)

The Beginner's Guide to Walking

As easy as strolling to the corner store, walking is the most natural and affordable exercise you can do. We guide you through those first steps on the road to a healthier, more "mobile" lifestyle.

Walking is a fuss-free sport. It's both free and easy to schedule. And if you do it regularly, it reduces the risk of heart disease and can help you burn fat and lose weight.

Uphill walks work your calf muscles, hamstrings and buttocks. Downhill walks are great for your thighs (quads), and on level ground, your abdominals and lower back get a workout.

Where to Walk
Walk anywhere you like, whether it's indoors on a treadmill or outside at the park, by the sea or around your local neighborhood. Experiment with different routes that will challenge you with hills and varying terrains.

Sports dietitian Helen O'Connor, PhD, suggests parking your car farther away from your destination than you need to. Walk to work or to the farthest bus stop or subway station. Take the stairs. Or get off the elevator one floor early and walk that extra flight. Give yourself time to walk. Leave home a half hour earlier or take 10 extra minutes to walk to the store.

How Hard and Long to Walk
Start with a half-mile walk, three to four times a week. If you've been inactive, 15 minutes of walking may be plenty for your first few weeks. (It's a good idea to discuss your plans with your doctor.) Then increase the frequency, aiming for a 30-to 60-minute walk each day of the week. Gradually raise your intensity level by walking on inclines, with hand weights or on wet sand.

As you build your level of fitness, steadily climb to a comfortably challenging pace. You should still be able to hold a conversation even though you're breathing a lot harder. At the end of your session, you should be tired and sweaty but not exhausted. At this workout level your body is successfully burning calories. If you prefer to walk indoors on a treadmill, get your heart pumping by varying the machine's speed and incline.

What to Wear and Bring

Comfortable Clothes
Look for fabrics that draw sweat away from the skin. Wear layers, and peel them off as you warm up.

Athletic Shoes
Find shoes that aren't overly snug, because feet swell as you walk. Cushioning under the heel and forefoot are important, as is flexibility, so the ball of your foot can move freely.

Socks
Choose fibers that evaporate sweat and prevent blisters. Try double-layered or padded socks for walks on hard ground.

Pedometer
This handy device measures steps taken and walking distance.

Water Bottle
Drink before you start and every half hour, more often if you're sweating.

Sun Protection
Wear a hat, plus a layer of waterproof sunscreen with an SPF between 15 and 30.

Identification
Bring an ID and a few dollars, in case of an emergency.

Portable Music Player
Your favorite tunes can motivate you to walk a little farther and faster.

Technique Tips


The walking step is a rolling motion.
Strike the ground with your heel, roll through, then push off with your toe. If your feet land flat, your shoes are probably too stiff.

Watch your posture.
Imagine that you have a piece of string coming up through the top of your head. This visualization will straighten you up in seconds.

Tighten your tummy.
Holding in your stomach supports your lower back and keeps abdominals strong.

Swing arms naturally.
They help give you rhythm.

To walk faster, don't lengthen your stride.
Take shorter, quicker steps.

Originally published on WeightWatchers.com (http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=632&sc=3039)

8 Tips for Choosing a Fitness Buddy

A partner can boost your weight-loss success.

You know the old saying, "Two heads are better than one?" Well, that holds true for weight loss, too. Working with a partner to eat right, exercise and solve problems can boost your chances of weight-loss success.

"Having a partner can be incredibly beneficial," says psychologist Joshua Klapow, PhD, associate professor of psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

In order to benefit from having a weight-loss buddy, however, you need to pick the right person. Partnerships work best, Klapow says, when the following hold true:

A partner can boost your weight-loss success.

You know the old saying, "Two heads are better than one?" Well, that holds true for weight loss, too. Working with a partner to eat right, exercise and solve problems can boost your chances of weight-loss success.

"Having a partner can be incredibly beneficial," says psychologist Joshua Klapow, PhD, associate professor of psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

In order to benefit from having a weight-loss buddy, however, you need to pick the right person. Partnerships work best, Klapow says, when the following hold true:

You have similar behavior goals
Your buddy system will work best if your goal — to exercise four times a week and eat on plan, for example — matches your potential partner's goals.

You have a similar commitment to eating right and exercising
If you are very serious about losing weight and your partner is wishy-washy, the partnership won't work.

Your schedules mesh
You can't jog together easily if your partner works days and you work nights.

You agree to reinforce positive behavior and offer each other lots of praise.
"If a new behavior is not reinforced, it won't stick," Klapow says.

Jealousy won't be an issue
Good buddies are supportive even during weeks when one loses weight and the other gains.

You exercise at similar intensities
An effective partner not only shares your activity, but also does it at the same intensity as you. If you walk fast and your buddy dawdles, someone will have to change speeds.

You see each other in person
Pairing up with a buddy online or over the phone can be helpful, but Klapow says that face-to-face partnerships are more successful.

You do more than just form a buddy system
Losing weight with a friend is just one of the strategies that leads to weight-loss success. You'll multiply your chance of succeeding by following other proven strategies as well, such as writing down what you eat and charting your physical activity.

If you can't find the perfect buddy in your circle of friends and acquaintances, look in your community. Post a buddy-wanted note at work, church, social organizations or the local parks and recreations department. Or consider approaching someone you see at Weight Watchers meetings or someone you know from the Message Boards who lives in your area (be sure to take safety precautions when meeting a stranger). "You'd be surprised at how many people who are doing this alone would be happier doing it with a partner," Klapow says. "Someone has to take the initiative."

You'll both be on the road to weight loss in no time.

Article By: Alice Lesch Kelly Orginally Posted: http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=4&art_id=13511&sc=3039#Story

Good Health at Any Age

Want to live a longer, healthier life? Start with the number on the scale.

Most of us know that being overweight can increase certain health risks for people of all ages. According to the Surgeon General, for people of all ages, extra pounds could mean increased risk for heart disease (the biggest killer of both men and women), certain types of cancer, Type 2 diabetes, stroke and more. But someone trying to lose weight at age 50 has different needs than a 30 year old trying to do the same. Fortunately, there are age-specific steps everyone can take to help them stay healthy and reach their weight-loss goals.

"The good news is that you can turn your life and health around, and this can occur at any age," says Bill McArdle, exercise physiologist for Weight Watchers International.

Luckily, a modest weight loss through good dietary and exercise habits can positively impact your risk for these conditions, according to Jessica Smerling, RD, corporate program development specialist for Weight Watchers. "In addition, losing weight can help improve symptoms for those who may already have these conditions."

So whether you're barely 30 or well past 40, you can build a long, healthy life starting today.

At Any Age...

Risk of chronic diseases can be decreased with similar steps. In addition to maintaining a healthy weight, no matter how old you are, you should:

1. Eat a variety of foods, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables.

2. Choose whole grains over processed grains and foods with added sugars.

3. Choose fish, lean meats and poultry. Limit processed meats, especially from high-fat sources.

4. Aim to get in 30 or more minutes of moderate exercise most days if you're trying to maintain a healthy weight; more if you're trying to lose.

In Your Thirties…

As many people "settle down" in their thirties, they may start to notice one of the less desirable signs of adulthood: an expanding waistline. How can this be when your life seems busier than ever? According to McArdle, the widening responsibilities of job and family often mean you have less free time to focus on regular exercise and eating healthy foods.

Carrying extra weight at this age can affect not only personal health, but it can also affect the ability of both women and men to conceive a child. And, women who are overweight during pregnancy have an increased risk of miscarriage, hypertension, gestational diabetes, cesarean section and more difficulties with delivery. In these cases, the baby also has an increased risk of having higher birth weight and neural tube defects and being admitted to the intensive care unit.

Women

If you find your weight creeping up, look for small ways to move more (take the stairs, park a few blocks from work) or get back in touch with a sport you enjoyed as a teen. If you are trying to conceive, be sure your diet includes enough folate—a deficiency increases your risk of having a premature baby or a baby with low birth weight or neural tube defects. You can get it from a multivitamin, fortified cereals, enriched rice and vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and asparagus. And all women in this age group should also be sure to get enough calcium (1,000 mg per day), from supplements or nonfat dairy. Bone density peaks in the thirties, so now is the time to build strong bones.

Men

Career, marriage and kids mean a substantial change in lifestyle in your thirties. Now is the time to make a commitment to exercise before bad habits set in. If you find it hard to fit in fitness, McArdle suggests replacing coffee breaks or your evening beer with exercise breaks. "Be systematic," he says. "Set aside certain times during the day to exercise." You can even jump rope during commercials. "Or, if you're a big burger fan, try eliminating the fries and perhaps saying no to cheese," says Smerling.

In Your Forties...

Just when you think you've got yourself all figured out, something perplexing happens in your forties: Your metabolism starts to slow down. After age 45, the average person loses about 10 percent of their muscle mass each decade. As you lose muscle, you burn fewer calories, but if you're still eating the same amount of food, you'll see gains on the scale. Understanding this concept may help you keep the pounds—and the disease risks that come with them—at bay.

Women

One solution to the metabolism problem is to eat fewer calories, says Smerling. "Also, several studies show that resistance (i.e. weight) training can help boost metabolism, while newer research suggests that endurance (i.e. aerobic) exercise may help offset a decrease in metabolism with age," she says. To maintain and build muscle with resistance training, McArdle recommends doing a set of 8 to 10 exercises that work the chest, upper and lower back, arms, shoulders, abdomen and upper and lower legs twice a week. Starting in your forties, you should also be getting annual mammograms and clinical breast exams, and doing a self breast exam every month.

Men

Start eating smaller portions; it's the key to avoiding an increase in body fat. To accommodate a decline in muscle mass, increase metabolism by taking part in resistance training and physical activity. At this age, heart disease and diabetes start to become more of a real threat, especially if your lifestyle has not been healthy up to this point. Follow the smart eating and exercise steps above to control cardiac risk factors and defend against diabetes. Things to avoid:

• Saturated and Trans Fats: These include whole-fat dairy products, fatty meats and cookies and snack foods made with partially hydrogenated oils. Decrease your intake of them to minimize your heart disease risk.
• Salt: Limit it to lower your blood pressure.
• Refined starches and added sugars: Eat them less often as they offer little nutritional benefit.

In Your Fifties...

Paying attention to health and fitness can really pay off in your fifties, as your risk for heart disease, diabetes and many cancers goes up simply because you're getting older. (More than 90 percent of people with colon cancer, for instance, are diagnosed after age 50, according to the National Cancer Institute.)

If you haven't already, now is the time to talk to your doctor about an appropriate screening schedule for things like colon, prostate and breast cancers and osteoporosis. You also need to stay on top of your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. A number of mounting health risks can be improved through good diet and exercise. If you're overweight, don't get discouraged. First, aim to stop gaining, then work on losing—even 10 percent of your body weight can make a difference.

Women

The fifties bring another weight-related challenge for women: menopause. The average woman gains about 5 to 7 pounds during this time and tends to add those pounds around the waist, which is linked to increased cardiovascular health risks. In addition, "the risk of osteoporosis accelerates dramatically at the onset of menopause, so exercise (particularly weight-bearing exercise like jogging) and adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial," say McArdle.

Need another reason to exercise? "A study of nearly 122,000 women found that exercising at least one hour daily reduced breast cancer risk by 20 percent, with a greater risk reduction for postmenopausal women," he says.

Men

One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, regardless of weight. But once diagnosed, overweight and obese men's risk of dying from the disease is 25 to 50 percent higher than normal-weight men. "Losing excess weight," says Smerling, "has been shown to help prevent recurrence of prostate cancer and allows for more accurate screenings."

If pesky back problems or painful joints are keeping you out of the gym, McArdle suggests trying non-weight-bearing exercises such as stationary cycling, water aerobics, swimming and light resistance exercises. "These activities work major muscle groups in a weight-supported form of exercise. They are also excellent for burning calories and provide many of the same health-related exercise benefits as their weight-bearing counterparts."

Regardless of your age, Weight Watchers has tips to help you live a healthy lifestyle.

Originally Posted On Weight Watchers.com: http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=4&art_id=48861&sc=3046

'WEIGHT BOTCHERS' MENU AT...

Weight Watchers needs to send a calorie counter to Applebee's restaurants, a federal lawsuit claims.

The restaurant chain has been serving Weight Watchers-endorsed meals since 2004. Their menus post the fat, fiber and calories along with the Weight Watchers "points" for each dish.

But an analysis done this year by independent Analytical Labs in Boise, Idaho, showed that Applebee's math is all wrong - and so was the math of other chain restaurants, especially on items they advertise as "healthy."

"They found in no uncertain terms that it wasn't even close," said lawyer August Matteis, who has filed a $5 million class-action suit against Applebee's. "People go into places like Applebee's for the healthy menu, and a lot of people go specifically because they have that option."

In one case, Applebee's says its Cajun Lime Tilapia dish has 6 grams of fat and 310 calories, but the study discovered 14.3 grams of fat and 401 calories, according to court papers. In another, the Steak and Portobellos meal was advertised as having 10 fat grams, but actually has double that amount.

Two other meals had triple the amount of listed fat grams: the Italian Chicken and Portobello Sandwich has 18.6 grams of fat, while the Garlic Herb Chicken had 18. Both are listed on the Applebee's menu as having 6.

The claims are all the more disturbing, Matteis said, because Weight Watchers is a powerful brand. "Weight Watchers is probably the most respected diet institution in the world," he said.

The $5 million lawsuit was filed in the US District Court in Kansas, where Applebee's is headquartered.

Applebee's parent company, DineEquity, Inc., and New York-based Weight Watchers are also being sued.

Manhattan dancer Alison Solomon, a potential plaintiff, says that when she traveled for work, she was relying on Applebee's Weight Watchers menu to make sure she was eating healthy.

"It's very upsetting to learn that what you're getting is not what we're told," Solomon said. "If the claims are true, then I can't trust the menu."

Weight Watchers declined to comment. Applebee's said it warns customers that a difference between the nutritional information on its menus and what's actually in the food "is inevitable."

"We are closely reviewing the claims made in the litigation," spokesman Miles McMillan said. "We do not believe the claims have merit."

The same lab, commissioned by a Scripps Howard TV station, found similar misinformation at other restaurants. The "Guiltless Grill" salmon at Chili's didn't live up to its name, coming in at 35 fat grams, well above the claimed 14.

And a Taco Bell steak soft taco actually had 20 grams of fat and 297 calories, instead of the advertised 4.5 fat grams and 160 calories.

I don't like posting articles that show Weight Watchers in a negative light. But I felt it was necessary to post something like this as a sort of warning. Thank you Donna from WWMSG for sharing this with the group.

By ANGELA MONTEFINISE and KATHIANNE BONIELLO - Originally posted on nypost.com: http://www.nypost.com/seven/09282008/news/nationalnews/weight_botchers_menu_at____131118.htm

How to Beat the Holiday Weight Gain Odds

From 'food pushers' to parties that tempt your senses, here's how to overcome holiday diet temptations.

Just when you're finally getting your weight under control, boom! It's the holidays, and food is everywhere. From the office to the factory, from the office supply store to the drugstore (not to mention parties and family events galore), it seems as if the Thanksgiving-to-New Year's holiday season is one long, tempting food fest designed to make you gain weight.

Add in the emotions of the season and experts say the holidays can deal your weight loss efforts a double whammy.

"You've got the stress of the holidays, along with a lack of sleep, and, for many, a cauldron of bubbling emotions coming to the surface -- and you've got all this food beckoning you at every turn," says Warren Huberman, PhD, a clinical psychologist specializing in weight control at New York University Medical Center. "It can be a dangerous combination for those who have problems controlling what they eat."

But it is possible to keep the holiday food fests from ruining your weight loss plans. One of the best ways to start, experts say, is by discovering what your personal holiday overeating cues really are.

Food and Feelings: The Holiday Weight Gain Double Whammy

Though it may seem as if the temptation to overeat is all wrapped up in those hand made cannoli or that German chocolate cake, just being around more scrumptious food isn't the whole story. One recent study indicates that, for most of us, the drive to overeat at any time of the year is governed more by emotion than environmental cues.

In research published in the journal Obesity, Heather Niemeier, PhD, and colleagues found that for many people, the seed of overeating is actually planted within their emotions. Further, they found that people whose overeating is triggered by emotions tend to have a harder time losing weight and maintaining weight loss.

"When it comes to successful weight loss, our research showed that our emotions and our thoughts seem to actually play a bigger role than environmental cues -- we eat in response to feelings -- and for many people, the holidays can drum up a whole treasure chest of feelings, both good and bad," says Niemeier, a researcher with Miriam Hospital's Weight Control & Diabetes Research Center and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Rhode Island.

Whether it's longing for the memories of holidays past, having to face the lifelong struggles that come to the forefront at family functions, or just being alone this time of year, for many, this can also be a season of sadness.

"If we have somewhere in our history an emotional response that we responded to by eating, that's going to get triggered again -- that connection gets built and doesn’t get broken, particularly since we keep reinforcing it over and over, over time," says Katherine Muller, PsyD, director of the Cognitive Behavior Therapy Program Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

And there is some research to show that the food itself may act as an emotional trigger, causing even more emotions to bubble to the surface during this time.

"Much like music can evoke memories, so can certain foods stir up memories, plus, the olfactory sense is a direct path to the brain," says Huberman. "So sometimes, even the smell of a certain holiday dish can evoke an emotional response that ultimately sends you back to the buffet table more times then you even realize -- and you don't even know why."

In this respect, experts say, taking a moment to think about what role holiday foods play in your memory bank might help you overcome the temptation to eat them.

"It's OK to have the emotion, to think about the memory, but just don't try to bring back the good times or cover up the bad times with the foods you associate with those feelings," says Muller.

Making a Plan to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Although understanding why you eat can offer some measure of control, experts say it's also important to head into each potential food fest with a plan for how you're going to handle the temptation.

"If you think you can just go into the party and wing it, or worse still, believe you can simply avoid the buffet table, it's almost a sure thing you're going to lose control and eat everything in sight," says Huberman.

Instead, he says, you have to have a coping plan.

In research published recently in the journal Behavior Research and Therapy, doctors found that dieters who tried to control their appetites using avoidance strategies were at greater risk for overeating than those who developed coping skills to control their overeating.

Among the strategies that work best is positive self-talk, with the help of appetite "flash cards," says Judith Beck, PhD, clinical associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia and author of TheBeck Diet Solution

"Part of the Beck Solution is to make a list of every good reason why you want to lose weight, and read it to yourself every morning -- and when you are tempted to eat something you hadn't planned, just read it again, so you're constantly reminding yourself why it's worth it to turn down food," she says.

She believes you have to rehearse your reasons for wanting to be thin, the same way you rehearse the speech you give your boss when asking for a raise or the pep talk you give yourself before any challenging situation.

"You have to condition yourself and change your mind-set about what food means to you," says Beck.

Muller says this method works well for those who are "thinkers" and do well with a script. For those who are more spur-of-the-moment, "see it and eat it" types, a technique called "mindful eating" may work best, she says "So often, overeating is connected to a primitive, emotional place inside us, and we just mindlessly start eating," says Muller. "So one of the strategies would be to cultivate mindfulness: Keep bringing yourself back to the here and now, notice what's in your hand, notice what's on your plate, and pay attention to what you are eating."

Huberman says you can also go party-by-party, with a plan for each event: "You can limit the number of dishes you will eat, limit how much you will eat at each course, limit yourself to the three foods you absolutely love the most. The key is to put parameters around how much you will consume, and then stick to your plan."

Don't Let 'Food Pushers' Lead to Holiday Weight Gain

Despite your best laid plans, your holiday food goals can still go awry thanks to "food pushers" – friends, family members, and co-workers who refuse to take "no" for an answer when they're offering fattening treats.

"These are the people who, for whatever reason, seem to believe that their holiday celebration just isn't complete until they get you to give in to their food weaknesses," says Huberman.

From that co-worker with the bottomless cookie jar, to Mom and Great-Aunt Sue with their pecan pies and zillion-carb stuffing, to the hostess who won't let you leave her house before you wolf down a plate of diet-busting treats, even well-meaning friends and family can drag you into the Diet Twilight Zone.

The easiest way out? Just say "no" -- over and over and over, the experts say.

"We call this the broken record technique," says Huberman. "If you continue to politely refuse the food pusher, eventually they will stop pushing you. You don't have to be rude, but you do have to be firm."

Beck adds that we should feel entitled to do what is good for us.

"If you were refusing food because of an allergy or for religious reasons, you wouldn't think twice about saying 'no' and sticking to it," Beck says. "So give yourself that same sense of entitlement when you say 'no' to something because you are protecting your good health."

There's no need for lots of explanation about why you don't want to eat something. You don't even have to mention the word "diet."

"It's really OK to just say 'No, thank you -- it smells divine, but I'm really full.' You don't have to offer more explanation than that," says Huberman.

If you simply can't get away without accepting something fattening on your plate, Muller says, accept it. Then, just walk into the next room and dump it.

"Just because it's on your plate or in your hand," she says, "doesn't mean you have to eat it."

By Colette Bouchez - Review by Brunilda Nazario, MD - Originally post on WebMD.com: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20071218/how-beat-holiday-weight-gain-odds

Basic Weight Loss Mistakes

A lot of us are out there watching what we eat and exercising, but still not making a dent in our bellies and body weight. There are a few things we are probably not doing, or doing too much of, that would mean major improvements in our health.

Get more sleep. After a very short period of time (about 6 nights), studies show that your glucose levels can rise if you get only 4 to 7 hours of sleep each night. New parents are excluded, but everyone else should try to hit the 8 hour mark as often as you can and get to bed BEFORE midnight. Every hour of rest before 12 a.m. is twice as valuable as the hours after midnight: Our cortisol levels are lowest before midnight therefore our recovery is the highest.

Eating fewer refined and processed foods. Avoid fast and fried food and try to consume as many real foods as you can. It's also imperative to get enough fiber (helps with elimination); fruits and veggies are a great way to fill up.

Avoid sugary drinks and reach for more water. Water is great for so many things like digestion, eliminating toxins in the body, and transporting important nutrients to our cells which need energy to burn calories. Americans drink 20% of their calories, so be careful of that silent pitfall.

Get to know your kitchen. I realize it takes more work, but the simple truth is we eat out or order in too often. There is a greater opportunity to control what is in your food if you cook it yourself.

Slow down. When you do sit down to a meal, don't wolf it down. Our culture encourages eating while driving or sitting at our desks. The only time we seem to sit down and enjoy our food is at Thanksgiving. The monks chew each bite of food 100 times (which is excessive), but they also eat only until they are full. They recognize that chewing their food more makes it easier for the body to digest.

Breathe. There are so many days that I don't breathe deeply. In the morning, mid-afternoon, and at the end of the day take a 10 conscious, belly-deep breaths. Close your eyes, pull that air deep into your stomach via your nose and let all the junk out through your mouth. Whether its a stressful day, or you just want to start and end your day on the right foot, breathing is important.

Don't starve yourself. Oddly enough some of you may not be eating enough, and the lack of calories is putting your body into save mode. Our bodies are so brilliant, and if they aren't getting enough food, your metabolism will tell your body to store each and every calorie it receives or to make energy from whatever muscle tissue you have. Not good. Oh and by the way, don't skip breakfast. People who skip breakfast are over 4 times more likely to be overweight.

Do more than exercise. Even if you are working out, you can't eat and drink whatever you want. It really is a three sided puzzle: balancing exercise, food, and (oh yes) the spirit (which stress and happiness play into).

I wish you the greatest of success, and remember, being healthy is like making your bed. It really is something we have to work at everyday.

Written By Gabrielle Reece. Originally posted: http://health.yahoo.com/experts/gabbyguide/8717/basic-weight-loss-mistakes/