Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:49 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Running On Hills
Why can a simple statement bring on such anxiety for some people?
Most people avoid hills when running, when actually you should be running right towards them. The extra incline not only gets your heart pumping harder and faster, it really works those leg muscles. So, not only are you getting your cardio workout but you are strengthening your legs and speeding up your metabolism. For your diet, there is nothing better!
For some reason people just refuse to do it, because they think it will be too hard. They don't have to hurt though, because there are techniques you can learn that will make hill running a whole lot easier. Here are some tips:
- Shortening your stride and running with a light touch - By doing this you can feel nearly as good going uphill as you do on flat land. With relaxed, controlled strides, you'll also be able to zoom down the other side without pounding your legs.
- Save your energy - Don't look at the hill and think that you are going to run up it as fast as possible. You will only wear yourself out quicker. Find your slow, steady rhythm.
- Keep your breathing steady - Whether you're going up or down, try to maintain the same level of effort and breathing rate that you use on level ground.
As you start uphill, shorten your stride. Don't try to maintain the same pace you were running on the flat. This will exhaust you and leave you depleted later, when you can least afford it. Take "baby steps" if necessary, and try to keep the same turnover rhythm as on the flat surface. Your posture should be upright (don't lean forward or back) and your head, shoulders and hips should form a straight line over the feet. Keep your feet low to the ground. If your breathing begins to quicken, this means you're either going too fast, over striding or bounding too far off the ground. Use a flicking motion with each step, never step off in an explosive motion, it just wastes energy.
As you head downhill, stay relaxed. As with uphills, don't over stride, you don't want to catch too much "air." Over striding pounds the feet, stresses the hamstrings and overuses the quadriceps muscles at each footfall. Keeping feet lower to the ground will give you more control. Because you're going downhill, your stride will cover more ground than it does on flat land, though it should feel slightly shorter.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:54 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Elliptical Trainers
Elliptical trainers are one of the most popular machines in the gym because they provide a solid low-impact cardio workout that keeps your joints from being worked too hard. At the same time, you can really get your heart pumping and your blood flowing. If you don't go to the gym, you can find a home elliptical trainer that works just as well, but it can be confusing with all of the choices out there.
Elliptical trainers can range from $200 up to $5000 so the first thing you need to look at is your budget. As a general rule, you should spend as much as you can afford to, in order to get a quality trainer. Even a $300.00 trainer will work, but will it last? Chances are probably not. However, there are some inexpensive models that are made with quality but it is best to shop around. Make sure you read reviews by actual people who have used them. If you know anyone who has one, talk to them first and see if they are happy with their machine. You might want to save your money over time to buy a higher quality machine such as those offered by Precor, Sole and ProForm.
There are some features you should definitely have. They include:
- Stride Length. Some only offer 14" which would be too short for average-sized people so look for about 21".
- Adjustable incline. This isn't necessary, but being able to adjust the ramps can add intensity to your workouts.
- Smooth Motion. Make sure the pedals move smoothly and quietly - it shouldn't feel jerky.
- Upper Body Option. You don't need arm handles, but it's a nice option for more intensity.
- The Quiet Factor. You don't want your workout to sound like a freight train.
- Adjustable resistance. Make sure you have a broad range of resistance for maximum benefits.
There are some safety features such as warm-up and cool-down periods, handrails that provide balance, and a heart rate monitor so you know when you are doing too much. A good warranty is also important. At least 1 year for labor, and 1 to 3 years for the parts are the minimum you should have just in case something happens.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:34 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
This is an absolute perfect recipe for a lazy Sunday morning at home. You can make it the night before so that it will be ready to eat with a large cup of coffee and the Sunday newspaper. It is low in fat, low in calories, AND low in carbs - which makes it an all around good choice! Enjoy!
HONEY-NUT COFFEE BREAD
1 lb frozen bread dough, thawed
1/3 c brown sugar, packed
1/3 c honey
1/3 c walnuts, chopped
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp reduced fat margarine, melted
Prepare a 9" round cake pan with cooking spray; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to a 12 x 16" rectangle. Sprinkle brown sugar over top. Starting at narrow end, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Spread honey in bottom of prepared pan. Sprinkle walnuts and cinnamon over honey in pan. Cut rolled dough into sixteen pieces. Place pieces, cut side down, in pan. Brush rolls with margarine. Let rise until tripled in size. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn out of pan immediately onto serving platter.
16 servings; 109 Calories; 1g Fat (10% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 9mg Cholesterol; 100mg Sodium
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:21 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Eating Chocolate On A Diet?
If there is anything that can end a diet quicker, it is chocolate. The yummy, soothing taste of chocolate. Is there really anything better in life? Not to most people, women especially. Women love chocolate and often use a bad day or a fight with the husband to indulge in something they would eat anyhow, only they eat more of it when it comes to the emotional eating. Well the next time you do want to indulge, but don't want to ruin your diet, you should try these delicious substitutions.
Drink a Hot Cocoa instead of eating a chocolate bar
Hot chocolate made with nonfat milk and a tablespoon of sugar has 154 calories and 2 grams of fat per cup, saving you about 80 calories and 11 grams of mostly saturated fat compared with a milk chocolate bar. It is also more satisfying. The heat forces you to sip slowly, so your brain has time to register the delectable treat. Plus, drinking a milk-based beverage helps you eat less at your next meal.
Eat Oreos instead of Mallomars
You'd think that marshmallow would be lighter in calories than cream filling, but it most definitely is not. The Oreo has 10 percent fewer calories per cookie (53 versus 60). If you snacked on three cookies a day and made this swap, you'd effortlessly drop two pounds in a year.
Eat chocolate cake instead of brownies
Even when frosted, a slice of chocolate cake has about half the calories of a large brownie (235 versus 454). If the brownie has nuts, its calorie count jumps to 519. Why add all those extra calories when there are chocolate cakes in this world that can make you just as happy?
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:46 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
10 Ways To Lose 1 Pound In A Week
Let's face it - you have to start your weight loss somewhere. So, why don't you start with just a pound a week? In only a month, it will make your jeans feel a bit looser, and it will motivate you to get off your deriere and move a little more. It only requires you to burn or cut a total of 3,500 calories, which may sound like a lot but it adds up quicker than you think!
To lose one pound in seven days you need to reduce your net calories by 500 every day. The easiest way to do that is a 250 split. Cut half from your diet and burn the other half through exercise.
Here are 10 great ideas that you can do each and every week, to lose 1 pound, and trust me - you will barely know that you are doing anything!
- Replace your morning bagel and cream cheese with an English muffin and cottage cheese.
- Skip the large bakery muffin in favor of 1 slice of whole wheat toast topped with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.
- Replace your 450-calorie lunch with a 200-calorie protein shake.
- Modify your lunch: Skip the cheese on your salad or sandwich, substitute mustard for mayo, and replace potato chips with soy chips.
- Switch from one cup premium to light ice cream.
- Have a vodka and soda instead of a margarita at happy hour.
- Do 1 hour of housework.
- Perfect your swing at the driving range for 60 minutes.
- Dance for 40 minutes.
- Use a pedometer and log an extra 3,600 steps
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:36 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Avoiding The Fast Food Temptation
Much has been said about how fast food and eating out has made us fat. Granted, there are healthier ways to eat fast food and at restaurants, but there is more to it than that. You can go to McDonald's and get a yogurt parfait and a salad, but is that what you're really going to do?
There's a restaurant or fast-food joint on every other corner serving curly fries, buffalo wings, and ice cream in tons of new and "exciting" flavors. No wonder you're always hungry. Our calorie-seeking biology is not designed to deal with this kind of relentless food exposure, which is one of the reasons Americans are fatter than they were 30 years ago. Unfortunately, you can't turn off your senses that are practically screaming at you to eat all the food in sight, but here's what you can do:
At a restaurant - Fool your stomach and your brain. Research has shown that people view food, whether it's a half cup or a heaping plate, as one serving unit. So have the waiter box half of your dish before even bringing it to the table. If you don't see the missing portion, you won't feel deprived.
At the grocery store - Shop for later, not now. You tend to crave and buy fattier foods for dinner that night as opposed to meals for the rest of the week. You see yourself as a healthier eater when you plan ahead."
At the mall food court or drive-through - Have your order in mind at the drive-through and walking quickly to the healthiest place in the food court. You already know what's there so don't let all the choices overwhelm you.
At the buffet - Follow the two-item-only rule. Increased variety leads to increased consumption. If you keep introducing new foods, your brain won't register when you're full.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:50 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
There is nothing more delicious than a huge dish of Eggplant Parmesan, but with a huge amount of calories and fat grams, it may not be the wisest choice for people on a diet. That is why I am posting this very healthy and delicious eggplant meal. It isn't so much of an Italian dish, as it is a Japanese dish. Japanese eggplant?? Yes, and it is absolutely wonderful!
EGGPLANT WITH ROASTED PEANUTS
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/2 pound long thin Asian eggplants (about 2)
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound long beans or other green beans
10 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon roasted peanuts
Stir together fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice and let stand about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Preheat broiler. Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Brush a small baking pan with some oil and place eggplant slices in pan. Brush eggplant with remaining oil and broil 3 to 4 inches from heat, turning it once, until tender and browned, about 8 minutes. Combine eggplant with fish-sauce mixture and toss. Prepare a bowl of ice and cold water. Cut beans into 1 1/2-inch lengths and cook in a saucepan of boiling salted water 2 minutes. Drain beans and place into ice water to stop cooking. Drain beans well and mix in with eggplant mixture. Cut tomatoes in half and coarsely chop cilantro. Finely chop peanuts. Mix in tomatoes, cilantro, and some peanuts to eggplant mixture, tossing to combine. Vegetables may be prepared 2 hours ahead. Serve vegetables at room temperature sprinkled with remaining peanuts.
Serves 4 Each serving about 74 calories and 2 grams fat.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:42 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Japanese Food For Your Diet
With the amount of Japanese restaurants popping up around your city, you might wonder if it is good for your diet. It actually is, if you know the right thing to eat. Although white rice is an integral part of a Japanese dinner, which is not as good for you as brown rice, there is still a huge amount of choices with their abundance of seafood and vegetables.
The most well-known Japanese specialties, sushi and sashimi, are based on seafood, but you will find that vegetables, tofu and noodle dishes are also major menu options. Japanese cuisine also features one-pot meals, such as shabu-shabu - a kind of fondue consisting of paper-thin slices of beef and vegetables that diners dip into a simmering pot of broth.
The vegetables are almost always served crisp and fresh. If they are cooked, they are either blanched or grilled, except for the batter-dipped and fried vegetable tempura which you should stay away if you are watching your weight.
Dining in a Japanese restaurant gives you an opportunity to experiment with delicious vegetables you may never have tried before. Try burdock, daikon (radish), lotus root and Japanese eggplant, as well as the wonderful variety of pickled vegetables (oshinko), which are eaten as snacks or light appetizers before a meal.
Some of the flavors you are most likely to encounter as you enjoy Japanese food are shoyu (soy sauce), which should be avoided if you have high blood pressure because of the sodium content, mirin (rice wine), dashi (a flavorful broth made from dried bonito [fish] flakes), wasabi (extra-pungent horseradish), pickled ginger, miso (soybean paste) and both sesame seeds and sesame oil. All of these can be added to an otherwise boring dish to give it the zest you are looking for without adding a huge amount of calories.
Here are some other very healthy dishes that can let you enjoy your meal while not worrying so much about calories and fat grams:
Miso soup: A clear, satisfying soup made from soybean paste and dashi broth, often incorporating a few cubes of tofu and spinach or a sprinkling of green onions as garnish.
Sushi: Different kinds of seafood and shellfish, either raw or cooked, and/or vegetables and sweetened omelet, served either on top of hand-formed ovals of steamed, vinegared rice or spread on a flat bed of rice and rolled inside sheets of nori (seaweed).
Sashimi: Slices of fresh raw fish, varying in texture and flavor, served without rice.
Shabu-shabu: A fondue-like dish comprised of meat, vegetables and broth.
Yakitori: Skewers of chicken (other meats are also sometimes available) dipped or marinated in a sweet, soy sauce-based barbecue sauce and grilled.
Sukiyaki: A beef, noodle and vegetable one-dish meal in which ingredients are served in broth, then spooned into individual bowls and blended with daikon and ponzu.
Teriyaki: Broiled meats, seafood or tofu marinated in sweet teriyaki sauce.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:35 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Flavored Water Versus Plain Water
If you have looked on your water shelf at the grocery store lately you may have noticed that water doesn't just come in the plain variety anymore. There is all kinds of flavored water that has a little "kick" to it. A lot of people choose to drink them rather than plain water, and even more so than soda, but they may be worried that it doesn't give them the benefits of regular water. Also, there is a concern about artificial sweetners and preservatives. So, the question is - are these flavored waters good for you?
First, eliminating soda, especially the non-diet variety is a great way to start. Soda is extremely bad for you, not just because of the extra calories, but because of the high fructose content as well as artifical flavorings.
Second, you're already on the right track when it comes to drinking flavored waters instead of other drinks. The best fluids to drink are waters, so you are getting closer to drinking water by drinking the flavored waters, but it is wise to limit artificially flavored waters.
Artifiical sweetners should only be consumed in moderation, even if they are FDA approved. They are not necessarily harmful, but they aren't doing as much for your diet as you think they are.
We are far too accustomed to drinking beverages that are sweet, and we have lost our taste for pure, simple water, which although technically has no taste, can quench a thirst better than anything else. A better choice than the flavored waters that we find, is a nice sparkling water with a lemon or lime put into it for taste. That way, you still get to enjoy the bubbles and carbonation without the sugar or artificial sweetners.
Third, with summer coming, it is extremely important to stay hydrated. If you are eating a balanced meal of fresh veggies and a couple of servings of fruit each day then it is okay to add a few sparkling waters to your diet per day. Especially in hot summer days you should stay away from artifically sweetened waters because it will make you more thirsty rather than quenching your thirst. You should throw in a couple of glasses of plain water just to make sure you are getting the hydration you need.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:23 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Benefits Of Breakfast
Breakfast is often the most skipped meal of the day, and almost always to the detriment of your diet. Research suggests that people who eat breakfast get more nutrients and manage their weight better than people who don’t eat breakfast. A good breakfast also helps keep you from becoming hungry later in the day, when you shouldn’t eat so much, but usually do. It can also help children and teens perform better in school.
Making breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated. A bowl of high-fiber cereal with low-fat or skim milk and a banana qualify as a healthy breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry, try to eat something in the morning. Just as your body got used to not eating breakfast, it can get used to eating it again. Try these ideas to beat your breakfast barriers.
If you are not hungry in the morning then you should consider these suggestions to get back into the habit. Start with a quick bite such as juice and toast. Later, when you are hungry, have a mid morning snack such as low-fat cheese and high-fiber crackers or a hard-boiled egg.
If you are short on time you should keep quick-to-fix foods on hand. Breakfast cereals, toaster waffles, yogurt, cottage cheese and whole or canned fruit can be prepared in short order. The evening before, place the box of cereal, a bowl and a spoon on the table. Have a breakfast shake that comes in a can or that you mix yourself. You can even make a peanut butter sandwich with whole-grain bread ahead of time to eat on your way out the door.
If you are tired of breakfast foods you can try a slice of pizza, leftover casserole or a bowl of soup can qualify as breakfast. It doesn't necessarily matter that you eat breakfast foods per se, just as long as you eat in the morning when you wake up. It helps to get the metabolism going, and without it, your diet is doomed to fail.
Make food to go. Keep food on hand that you can take with you and eat in the car, on the train or bus, or at work. Convenient foods for this are apples, bananas, whole-grain bagels and low-fat yogurt in single-serving containers.
You should start gradually to get your body and mind used to it. The first week, plan to have breakfast twice. The next week, aim for breakfast three days a week. Your eventual goal is to eat breakfast every day.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:11 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Muffins are usually the bain of dieter's existence. They love them, but most of them are made with extremely high contents of fat and calories. Here is a recipe that is very low in calories - only 150, and only 1 gram of fat! So now you can enjoy your morning muffin without any of the guilt you usually face.
BANANA BANANA MUFFINS
1 1/4 c unbleached flour
3 tbsps brown sugar - packed
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 c bananas mashed
1/4 c skim milk
3 tbsps fat-free sour cream
1 egg white; whipped
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare six muffin pans with cooking spray and flour; set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice together in a bowl. In another bowl, combine bananas, milk, sour cream, and egg white. Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes, or until light brown.
6 servings; 150 Calories; 1g Fat (4% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 1mg Cholesterol; 143mg Sodium
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
4:59 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
The Benefits of Legumes
When was the last time you ate chickpeas, navy beans or black-eyed peas? Has it been days, weeks or even months since you partook in such an obvious health benefit?
Legumes are among the most versatile and nutritious foods available. They're good sources of protein and can be a healthy substitute for meat, which has more fat and cholesterol. Legumes, a class of vegetables that includes beans, peas and lentils, are typically low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in protein, folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. They also have a group of compounds that may help prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. In addition, they're a good source of fiber — the part of plant-based foods that your body doesn't digest. A diet high in fiber can reduce your risk of developing diabetes and help lower blood cholesterol levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Soybeans, one type of legume, are unique among beans because they contain all of the amino acids needed to make a complete protein, just like meat. They also contain isoflavones, a plant-based compound that may reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
Many healthy foods come from soybeans, including:
Tofu is a curd made from soybeans in a process similar to that used for making cheese. Because it has a bland, spongy texture, tofu absorbs the flavor of other foods when you marinate or cook it, making it very versatile. Tofu is available in several different textures, including extra firm, firm, soft and silken.
Soy milk is a soy beverage made by grinding soybeans and mixing them with water to form a milk-like liquid. You can use soy milk as a replacement for cow's milk. Some soy milk is fortified with vitamins and minerals.
Tempeh is a food made from fermented soybeans. You can buy tempeh frozen or refrigerated in a cake-like form. It has a meaty texture and nutty flavor, so you can use it in your recipes as a substitute for meat.
Soy flour is a flour made from ground-roasted soybeans. Use soy flour in baked goods for added protein, fiber and photochemical.
Peanuts, commonly thought of as nuts, are actually a member of the legume family along with beans and peas. Peanuts are good sources of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, niacin and folate. They're high in fat, but most of the fat is monounsaturated fat, the healthier type of fat. Peanuts can be eaten in moderation as a snack, or added to foods such as stir-fries.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
7:19 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Are You Ready To Lose Weight?
Weight loss demands focus plus mental and physical energy. So if you want to succeed, you need to prepare yourself. Part of that preparation is determining whether now is the right time to start your weight-loss program.
Weight loss is challenging, and it requires a commitment, as many people who have tried know very well. If there is another factor present, such as stress, lack of time or a physical ailment or condition that limits physical activity, it can make the challenge of weight loss even more difficult. Your weight-loss success depends on your readiness to take on this challenge. These questions can help you judge whether you're ready to lose weight:
Are you motivated to make long-term lifestyle changes that require eating healthy foods and exercising more?
Do you currently have distractions in your life that may prevent you from committing to your weight-loss program?
Do you truly believe that slower is better?
Are you realistic about your weight-loss goal?
Do you have family and friends to support your weight-loss efforts?
Are you willing to become more physically active?
Do you have time to keep records of your food intake and physical activity?
Are you willing to look at past successes and failures in weight loss and other areas of your life?
Do you view a healthy-weight program as a positive experience?
Have you resolved any eating disorders or other emotional issues that make it difficult for you to achieve a healthy weight?
Do you believe that a healthy weight is a lifelong commitment?
Are you ready to make a permanent change?
If you answered yes to these questions, then now is the time. You are ready to get going, you're motivated, and you can do it!!
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:55 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Reasons To Hire A Personal Trainer
We all need a little help with exercise sometimes, whether we're just starting out or we've been at it for a long time. Still, there are people who shy away from training, unsure of what they'll get out of the experience or whether it's worth the money. Take a look at just a few reasons people typically hire personal trainers and make sure it will be the right choice for you.
You're Not Seeing Results
If you've been exercising consistently for several weeks or months and aren't seeing the changes you'd like, hiring a trainer may be a good choice. A trainer can look at your current program and eating habits and help you see where you could make changes to create more effective workouts. A trainer can also help you determine if the goals you've set are realistic for you.
You Don't Know Where to Start
Knowing how to set up a balanced schedule that includes all the activities you need to do can be confusing. The great thing about a trainer is that he can help you maximize your time while helping you stay within your own limits so you don't overdo it. He can also help you set goals and map out a specific schedule so you know when, how and where you'll fit in your workouts.
You're Bored with the Same Old Workouts
If you're an experienced exerciser, maybe you haven't considered working with a trainer. But it can be a great choice if you need some variety in your workouts. A trainer can bring a fresh perspecitve and new ideas to challenge both your body and your mind. Even if you just do a few sessions or meet every few weeks, you'll find it refreshing to have new workouts and new exercise toys to play with.
You Need to Be Challenged
Maybe you tend to slack off on your workouts sometimes, especially when things get tough. A trainer can motivate you to push past those self-imposed limits, encouraging you to lift heavier, go longer and challenge yourself more than you would on your own. You'll find it's very hard to slack off with a trainer standing over you, telling you to do just one more rep!
You Want to Learn How to Exercise on your Own
Even if your goal is to create your own workouts and exercise by yourself, hiring a trainer for a few sessions can be a great benefit for learning the right way to exercise. This is especially true if you want to learn more about the muscles in your body, the exercises that target those muscles and how to do those exercises with great form. Just a few sessions can teach you a lot about your body and how it works.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:40 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
As anyone who has ever been on a diet can attest to, diets are hard because you have to give up dessert. Not in this case though! With summer coming quickly, fruits are in season and they taste absolutely delectable. What can be a better way to end a day then with a blueberry and peach cobbler - just like your grandma used to make (but much healthier!)
BLUEBERRY/PEACH COBBLER
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups coarsely chopped peeled peaches
2 cups blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces
6 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
Mint sprigs (optional)
Preheat oven to 400°. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add peaches, blueberries, lemon juice, and vanilla, and toss gently. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake mixture at 400° for 15 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir just until flour mixture is moist. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 3 times. Roll dough to about a 1/4 -inch thickness; cut into 16 biscuits using a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Remove dish from oven; arrange biscuits on top of hot fruit mixture. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.
8 servings Calories 212 (15% from fat); Fat 3.5g (sat 0.6g, mono 1.3g, poly 1.1g); Protein 2.8g; Carb 43.8g; Fiber 3.2g; Chol 0mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 135mg; Calc 50mg
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:34 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Monday, April 23, 2007
Buying Exercise Tapes
Working out to videos is a great way to exercise for so many reasons. It's inexpensive, you can workout regardless of the weather, it's convenient and there are tons of great videos with excellent instructors. On the downside, working out with videos can get a little boring and there are plenty of awful videos out there.
When choosing the best video or DVD for you need to look at these factors:
Determine Your Fitness Level
Videos are usually marketed for Beginner, intermediate and/or advanced exerciser. If you've never exercised, you're a beginner. If you've been exercising continuously for 3 months, you're intermediate and if you've been working out for more than three months, you're advanced. When choosing a new video, beware of descriptions on the videos. Some claim to be beginner workouts, but turn out to be intermediate or vice versa.
Decide How Much Time You Have to Exercise
Before you slap your money down for a video, find out how long the workout is. Will you really do a video that's 90 minutes long? Probably not, if you have a busy schedule. The total time listed in the video description usually includes an introduction, a warm up, the workout and a cool down. If you only have a few minutes a day to exercise, consider getting a circuit training workout, a DVD that allows you to mix and match workouts or a timesaver series.
Decide What You Want to Accomplish
Are you looking for a cardio workout or strength training? Yoga or Pilate's? Kickboxing or Step? There are hundreds of videos on the market and some combine elements of different workouts while others focus on one specialty. To get the most bang for your buck, consider a video that includes more than one type of workout. Using a video catalog, like Collage Video, can help you choose videos to fit your needs and schedule.
Do Your Research
Before you buy a video, check to see that you have the necessary equipment. Make sure the instructor is well-known and certified. Also, make sure you're not buying a 'new' video that has been repackaged from an old video, which means it may be outdated or unsafe. Use common sense when reading the video description. For example, some yoga videos promise fat burning workouts. Yoga is not a cardiovascular workout and isn't necessarily meant to be fat burning.
Rent It
Before you buy a video, check at Blockbuster or other local video rental store to see if they have workout videos you can try. There are also websites that rent videos and DVDs (including workout videos) for a monthly sum...might be worth a try before you shell out money for a video you don't like.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:11 PM ::
1 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
What is better with a Mexican entree then a perfect side dish. Mexican beans and rice used to be strictly off limit to anyone who was on a diet, but not anymore! With low calories per serving, this is a very filling and absolutely delicious side that adds a little spice to any entree.
MEXICAN BEANS & RICE
1 c long-grain white rice - uncooked
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 c onions - chopped
1 c celery - sliced
1 clove garlic - minced
15 ozs pinto beans, canned - drained and washed
8 ozs no-salt-added tomato sauce
1/2 c water
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
Cook rice according to package directions. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat add onions, celery, and garlic. Cook and stir until crisp-tender. Add pinto beans, tomato sauce, water, ketchup, chili powder, and hot pepper sauce. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice.
6 servings; 206 Cal; 1g Fat (6% calories from fat); 6g Pro; 41g Carb; 0mg Chol; 319mg Sod
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:31 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Medicine Ball Exercise
Combining a medicine ball with an exercise ball is a great way to strengthen your abdominal muscles and work on endurance and stability. Here are some exercises that you can do with your medicine ball that work your entire body. First you should warm up with 5 minutes of light cardio, and then take on each exercise. You should do 1 set of 10 - 16 reps if you are a beginner. Intermediate should do 1-3 sets of 10 - 16 reps. Steady the ball against a wall or chair for extra support in some of the following exercise.
Leg Extensions with Medicine Ball
Position the ball under upper back to engage your abs and to stabilize the hips while. Hold a medicine ball straight up over chest and make sure knees are at 90 degrees. Lower arms behind you while simultaneously extending the right leg straight. Return to start and repeat, alternating legs for 10-16 reps. For less challenge to balance, do the leg extension without the medicine ball.
Sit & Squeeze
Place your back against a wall with hips & shoulders squared. Slide down until knees are at 90 degrees, knees over ankles and weight in heels. Squeeze a medicine ball or towel just above your knees and hold for 15 or more seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.
Ball Squeeze & Lift
Lie on right side with ball between shins, squeezing it to hold it in place. Keep hips stacked and abs tight to stabilize your body. Squeeze inner thighs and contract the waist and hip muscles to lift the ball in the air. Lower and repeat before switching sides.
Medicine Ball Lunge
Begin in a lunge position with right leg forward, knee over ankle. Lower into a lunge bringing the ball down towards right hip. Straighten knees, bringing ball straight up overhead and then lower back into a lunge, sweeping the ball towards the opposite hip. Movement of medicine ball will be like a figure 8. Repeat other side.
All Around Crunches
Lie face up on ball and hold medicine ball in both hands. Begin with body draped over the ball, arms extended behind you. Contract the abs to lift upper back off the ball and bring the medicine ball towards your right thigh as you twist to the right, contracting the right side of waist. Repeat for all reps and then switch sides.
Ball Balance
Sit on Exercise Ball with strong abs and straight spine, arms extended on either side of you and one foot resting on medicine ball. Once you feel stable, lift other foot off floor and hold it for a few seconds, then rest it on the medicine ball with the other foot. Hold for 15 or more seconds and repeat.
Chest Squeeze with Med Ball
Sit on the ball or chair, back straight and abs in. Hold a medicine ball at chest level and squeeze hands to contract the chest. While continuing to squeeze the ball, slowly twist towards the left while simultaneously pushing the ball out a few inches. Pull the ball back in, return to center and repeat on the other side, alternating sides.
Medicine Ball Crunches
Lie on your back with knees bent, medicine ball right below the knees. Squeeze inner thighs to hold ball in place. Put hands behind head (cradle your head gently) and without straining the neck, lift shoulders and hips off the ground in a crunch, flattening the belly like a canoe at the top of the movement. Lower back down without completely relaxing and repeat.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:57 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Now that the cold nights are coming to an end, you have to try this wonderful and warming soup before it gets too late. This is a great addition to the chicken recipe which was yesterday's recipe of the day. It is an old-fashioned classic that can't be beat!
SPICY CLAM CHOWDER
1 cup cubed red potatoes (1/4-inch cubes)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon margarine
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) whole tomatoes, undrained, cut
1 can (6 1/2 oz.) minced clams, undrained
3/4 cup spicy vegetable juice
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Combine potatoes, onion, carrot, water and margarine in 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. (If vegetables begin to stick, add additional 1/4 cup water and continue cooking.) Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to boil over high heat. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until chowder is hot and flavors are blended, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard bay leaf before serving.
Servings: 6.0 Calories: 106.0 Calories from fat: 24.0 Total Fat 3g
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:29 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Overtraining As A Beginner
As a beginner, you may not even be thinking about overtraining. But, you're definitely at risk since doing too much too soon can make you feel fatigued and can even cause an injury. The symptoms of overtraining include:
- Insomnia
- Aches or pain in the muscles and/or joints
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Elevated morning pulse
- Sudden inability to complete workouts
- Feeling unmotivated and lacking energy
- Increased susceptibility to colds, sore throats and other illnesses
- Loss in appetite
- Decrease in performance
If you realize that your workouts are suffering and you've lost interest and energy, it's a great time to take a break from your routine. This could mean a few days to a week of complete rest, or doing something low key such as yoga or stretching. The trick is to listen to your mind and your body and allow them to take a break if they need it. You'll come back to exercise refreshed and energized.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:45 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Chicken always seems to be the old standard in which diets are made from. However, the chicken doesn't have to be plain and boring anymore! Here is a fabulous spicy chicken recipe that is not only low in calories but big on taste!
SPICED CHICKEN BREASTS
Spiced Paste:
1 large garlic clove
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 small fresh red or green chili like Serrano or cayenne
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger root
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (approx 1 1/4 pounds total)
1 small red onion
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
pinch cayenne
Spice Paste:
Mince garlic with salt and mash to a paste. Mince chili (including seeds for a spicier paste). Stir together with garlic paste and remaining spice paste ingredients in a bowl.
Cut 3 diagonal cuts about 1/4 inch deep in each chicken breast. Rub spice paste into cuts and all over chicken. Marinate chicken, covered, 30 minutes at cool room temperature. Preheat broiler and line broiler pan with foil. Cut onion in half through root end and reserve 1 half for sauce. Slice remaining onion half in thin slices, separating layers. While broiling chicken, soak onion slices in ice water in small bowl. Arrange chicken leaving plenty of room between each piece on broiler pan. Coat chicken with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and broil about 3 inches from heat 8 minutes. Turn chicken over and brush with remaining teaspoon vegetable oil. Broil chicken about 6 minutes or until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center. Prepare sauce while chicken is broiling: Mince enough reserved onion to measure 1 tablespoon and stir all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Drain soaked onion and pat dry between paper towels. Top chicken with onion slices and serve with yogurt sauce.
Serves 4. Per serving, including yogurt sauce, about 222 calories and 5 grams fat.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
4:38 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Friday, April 20, 2007
5 Lies You Tell Yourself That Will Make You Fat
You've probably said these things to yourself a million times right before you indulge in something you know you shouldn't. If you have to make an excuse to eat something, then chances are you already know it will effect your diet. Here are 5 of those very common excuses that if you use too much, will never let you lose the weight you want to.
1. I deserve it
This is the classic phrase that people tell themselves to "skip" their diet for the day. What exactly do you deserve? Gaining back the weight you've already lost? Thicker thighs? Self medicating with food is a learned behavior, and one that is contributed to emotional eating which invariably leaves us feeling miserable no matter how happy the occasion is that you deserve to celebrate for. Instead, establish a food-free reward system such as indulging in a good workout, or new pair of running shoes.
2. It's free!
Nothing in life is free, even when it rolls to you on a cart at your office as part of the weekly donut run. That 200 calorie donut, or in most cases the TWO 200 calorie donuts you eat can cost you $50 with your personal trainer just to get back to square one. Furthermore, when food is free, we settle for below-par standards. Ask yourself if you'd shell out the money to eat it. Instead why don't you put $1.00 in a jar every time you refuse to eat free food just because it's given to you at your work, your neighbors, or even when your mom comes over with leftovers. At the end of the month treat yourself to a healthy reward.
3. It would be rude to refuse
Never have two issues been as frequently confused as food and love. When a colleague, mother or friend offers us food, we feel compelled to accept even when we're not hungry. If this situation occurs frequently make your case clear. Rather than repeatedly turning down food, state your intention once, firmly and politely and ask for your efforts to be supported. In circumstances which require a little more finesse, graciously accept while insisting you're already full.
4. It's not the same without... (fill in with the food of your choice)
If an event requires food to distract you, then you shouldn't be there. This especially applies to movie theaters. If you feel like you can't go to the movies without your large tub of buttered popcorn, then simply stay at home and rent a DVD or bring your own air-popped popcorn. Better yet, take pride in proving to yourself you can survive two hours without food. Once you've established a new habit, you can draw upon that behavior the next time and repeat it until it becomes the new you.
5. But it's a party, we've got to celebrate
This has got to be one of the top reasons people cheat on their diet. Is every get-together an excuse to eat? No of course not! Food is fuel, not a party trick. Focus on the conversation and company, rather than the catering. It beats a pig in a blanket anytime.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:15 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Back exercises
It is a proven fact that people that are overweight have more back problems than people who are not. Simply put, you are carrying around more weight than a thinner person, and therefore your back has to work harder to lug you around. Here are some wonderful back exercises to stregthen your back as you work to lose the weight. Each of the back exercises listed should be performed with proper form to not only avoid injury, but to also allow the muscle to go through a full range of motion and get the most out of the exercise.
Pull Ups
1. Grab the pull up bar with an overhand grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width.
2. Allow your body to hang freely from the pull up bar with your arms fully extended.
3. Using your lateral muscles, pull yourself straight up as far as you can so that your chin reaches the height of the bar or above it.
4. Lower yourself back to the starting position (arms fully extended).
- This exercise can be done using a variety of different grips. Overhand or underhand, narrow or wide. And, while each way is effective, the overhand slightly wider than shoulder width grip is my personal favorite grip for pull ups.
- This exercise can also be weighted by either holding a dumbbell between your feet, or by adding weight to a pull up belt (also called a dip belt).
- While pull ups are primarily a back exercise, they also recruit the use of the biceps secondarily. An underhand grip will recruit the biceps more so than the overhand grip.
Lateral Pulldown
1. Grab the lat pulldown bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder width with an overhand grip.
2. Sit down with arms fully extended overhead.
3. Pull the bar straight down either in front of or behind your head. (If in front, pull the bar to the top of your chest. If behind, pull the bar to the back of your neck.)
4. Return to starting position.
- Just like pull ups, this exercise can be done using a variety of different grips. Overhand or underhand, narrow or wide. Each way is effective.
- While the lat pulldown is primarily a back exercise, it also recruits the use of the biceps secondarily. An underhand grip will recruit the biceps more so than the overhand grip.
Barbell Bent Over Row
1. Hold a barbell with a slightly wider than shoulder width overhand grip.
2. With your knees slightly bent, bend over at the waist so that your upper body is slightly above being parallel to the floor.
3. Pull the barbell straight up into your stomach.
4. Lower the barbell back to the starting position (arms fully extended).
- This exercise can be done using an underhand grip as well.
- Do NOT round your back. Your back should be straight at all times.
- While the bent over barbell row is primarily a back exercise, it also recruits the use of the biceps secondarily.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:55 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Can Pizza Be Good For You?
If you eat pizza all the time, there is a slight chance that you are not overly concerned with your health. If you are a healthy eater who turns to pizza as an occasional junk-food splurge, you may experience some guilt after you've downed a few (or five or six) slices of cheesy pizza. It doesn't have to be that way though.
Pizza in itself is not a bad food for your diet necessarily, it is what you put on the pizza, or actually what you don't put on that can make pizza healthy for you. If you stick with the pan pizza from one of the major chains it could mean big calories and carbs. If you want to know how many, you should check out the Hungeraway Nutritional Database which lists over 90,000 foods, including pan pizza.
However, if you choose a pizza that is better for your heart and health you could save yourself literally hundreds of calories. You should make your own pizza at home to make sure you are indeed eating the "right" pizza for your diet. Starting with a whole wheat pizza dough you can make a thinner crust to eliminate many of the carbs. Then instead of adding lots of sauce, you can choose a pesto that you spread liberally over the dough. Add tons of veggies, and lose the meats like pepperoni and sausage. Go for spinach, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and mushrooms. All are very low in calories (if any at all), and they each have their own individual benefits for your body. If you do enjoy the pizza sauce instead, choose a low-calorie sauce and a low-fat cheese that is finely grated and then top it with all your favorite veggies. Guaranteed you will never look at another thick crust gooey cheese pizza again after you have your very own pizza masterpiece at home!
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:41 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
This recipe is definitely one for the books. Although it is a bit time consuming, it is wonderful for a Sunday dinner, or a special night at home. Low Calorie Lasagne tastes as great as the actual Italian favorite, but with a lot less calories (only 238 per serving!), and just as much flavor.
Low Calorie Lasagne
8 oz. lasagna noodles
1 lb. low fat cottage cheese
1 egg
3 tbsp. grated Romano cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano, crushed
1 tbsp. parsley, minced
1 1/2 c. tomato sauce (from 2 (8 oz.) cans)
1 tbsp. seasoned bread crumbs
1 oz. Kosher skim milk Mozzarella
Cook noodles in boiling, salted water 20 minutes.
Drain, rinse well.
Combine cottage cheese with egg, Romano cheese, salt, pepper, oregano and parsley. In a 9 x 12 x 2 pan, layer noodles, cheese mixture and tomato sauce.
Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and top with Mozzarella.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Makes 6 servings
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:27 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Thursday, April 19, 2007
More Tips To Lose The Fat And Keep The Flavor
One of the many reasons people choose not to go on a diet to lose weight is because the food simply doesn't taste the same. Diet food has a stigma of tasting bland and boring. It doesn't have to be though! You can still eat low-fat food and keep the flavor at the same time, you just have to know what to eat.
Love a low-fat cheese
As long as you stick to a low-fat cheese, you can eat it in comfort-grilled on a sandwich or with macaroni-and still lose weight. Several low-fat varieties taste very close to traditional cheeses these days with a fraction of the fat, and they actually melt compared to previous low-fat cheeses. To keep the low-fat benefits, be sure to shred the cheese finely. This guarantees it will spread evenly, with fewer calories and less fat in every bite.
Stock up on salsa
Salsa should be a dieter's best friends. It's one of the few insta-flavor-explosions that's actually good for you. Most salsas are completely fat-free and full of fresh vegetables or fruits. Plus, salsa adds fiber to your meal, filling you up without a lot of added calories. Spoon 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa over a piece of baked or grilled fish or chicken breast, over omelets or poached eggs, on low-fat tacos, or on top of baked potatoes.
Embrace olive oil
It's easy to trick yourself into thinking you're eating a decadent meal by adding a touch of extra virgin olive oil. Olive oils are monounsaturated fats (the best kind) and have been linked to lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer. Extra virgin means no chemicals were used in the pressing; the finest ones should be labeled "first cold pressed" and "unrefined."
Keep the cream
It's amazing how easy it is to feed a common craving. Use a cream sauce or gravy with fat-free half-and-half, some broth, a bit of flour for thickening, and your favorite seasonings. Heavy cream has 51 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 3 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon. The same serving of fat-free half-and-half has only 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, and still provides that rich texture of its full-fat counterpart.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:18 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
The New Modern Way To Exercise
Exercise has long been known as the best way to speed your weight loss if you are eating healthy as well. With all the many suggestions on how to lose weight such as walking, running, going to the gym, stairmasters, swimming, biking, etc, has anyone thought of gaming?
Yes, gaming. With the invention of the Nintendo Wii gaming system, people have been actively losing weight. One man in particular is doing everything he can to NOT exercise the "normal" way. Mickey DeLorenzo said that when he went on his diet the only thing that changed was adding his daily 30 minute sessions of playing sports games on his Wii. The Wii is a gaming console where you move around in real life while your actions are emulated onscreen. It is definitely not the old Atari that you used to have.
By spending 30 minutes per day simulating boxing, tennis, bowling, and baseball DeLorenzo lost 9 pounds in the first month. He is not the only one. Many people have taking up "gaming" as a way to shed those unwanted pounds. Playing tennis on the Wii burns off approximately 92 calories in 15 minutes - that is almost 400 an hour! With bowling you burn off 77 calories in 15 minutes - 300 an hour! That is some serious exercise considering that if you are an average of 200 pounds, in one hour walking at 4 mph (which is essentially some serious speedwalking) you only burn about 375 calories. Which would you rather do? Have fun or do the same old walking everyday of your life? It might be worth it to mix it up and have a little fun at the same time.
Gaming isn't necessarily that new of an idea to lose weight if you talk to the teenagers around you. They might inform you of something called DDR - Dance Dance Revolution. Teenagers (and their parents) are losing a good deal of weight by playing this interactive dancing game daily. It is even so helpful in curbing obesity in schools, that last year as part of a fitness program a middle school added DDR into P.E. Classes and saw a dramatic weight loss among the students over the course of a year. Agan, it just shows you that exercise can be more enjoyable if you let it be.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:01 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
10 Facts For Better Nutrition
1. The major dietary problem in the US and countries of the Western world is over-consumption of certain dietary components. Excessive intake of sugars and fats have resulted in excessive caloric intake together with a diet of low nutrient density. One in four Americans is obese, a risk factor for diseases of the heart, blood vessels, cancer, and other major diseases.
2. The evidence that diets restricted in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol can reduce the incidence of chronic diseases is now overwhelming.
3. Learn to recognize the difference between hunger and appetite. Hunger is the stimulus within our bodies that indicates to us that we need to consume food. Appetite consists of the pleasurable sensations provided by food and is associated with the enjoyment of food.
4. Food is often used in one way or another to express feelings of happiness, love, security, or to cover up emotions of worry, grief, loneliness and so on. Before you have a snack, ask yourself why you need this snack, or why you may be reaching for something you know you should not eat.
5. There is a saying "A healthy body produces a healthy mind". This is true, because the brain benefits when food intake is adequate.
6. Support of family and significant other's is necessary for success.
7. Whatever you eat turns into YOU. Only you have complete control of what goes into your mouth.
8. Be careful of sugar. It is very easy to eat excess amounts of sugary food raising your caloric intake too high. One 12 ounce can of a soft drink with sugar beyond your caloric requirement could cause a potential weight gain of almost 15 pounds in a year.
9. An important part of staying fit is controlling your body weight.
10. Food is anything that nourishes the body. No two foods are alike in the ability to nourish, for no two foods contain identical amounts of nutrients. Therefore, variety in your diet is important.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:35 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Much has been said about how beneficial fish can be to your diet. The omega-3 fatty acids are said to lower your cholesterol, and in general fish is a low fat food that you can add quite easily to your eating plan. Here is a great low-calorie recipe that not only makes a great presentation, it tastes delicious as well!
Baked Red Snapper
1 pound red snapper fillets, cut into 3-inch cubes
2 teaspoons powdered rosemary
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Two fresh lemons, peeled and finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Sprinkle fish generously with powdered rosemary and black pepper. Arrange in a nonstick baking pan. Bake at 325-degrees 15-20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Remove to serving plate. Cover with lemons. Sprinkle with parsley.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories 135
Fat 2g
Protein 28g
Carbohydrates 3g
Fat 2g
Sodium 62mg
Calories from fat: 11-percent
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:23 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Changing Your Kitchen To Lose Weight
Many people are aware that super sizing your meals and eating greasy cheeseburgers with cheese fries on the side can make you gain weight. But did you also know that you can gain weight just by walking into your kitchen? It isn't necessarily the food in the kitchen that can make you fat, but other things such as the color, and the size of your glasses. It's true! Here are ways that you can change your kitchen to lose weight.
1. Paint it blue - Most people are unaware of the profound effect color has on their behavior For instance, blue is an appetite suppressant. In proven studies many people could not bring themselves to eat foods colored blue. To take advantage of this natural instinct, use blue plates, napkins, or place mats. You might even consider painting a wall blue or placing a blue light in the refrigerator to help curb late-night raids. Avoid red, yellow, and orange in the kitchen and dining areas. They actually stimulate your appetite
2. Downsize dinnerware - Extensive research shows that people eat what's put on their plates, even if it's more than they need to satisfy their hunger. To avoid portion distortion, simply buy smaller dishes. We need to bring back 8-ounce beverage glasses, 6-ounce coffee cups, and those little 6-ounce juice glasses because that are what serving sizes should be. The 12-ounce glasses should only be used for water.
Dinner plates should only be 7 to 9 inches in diameter. Since they don't come that way normally, you should invest in salad plates. People like to fill their plates, so when they eat spaghetti off a regular 10- to 12-inch dinner plate they may eat enough for four people.
3. Add a mirror - A mirror by the refrigerator or near your table may be all it takes to eat healthier. When more than 1,300 people were offered full-fat, reduced-fat, or fat-free spreads, those who dined in front of mirrors ate 22 to 32 percent less of the full-fat versions than those without mirrors. If you make food choices in front of a mirror, you may think twice about what you eat
4. Hide the TV - One of the best ways to avoid overeating is to turn off the TV which more and more people have in their kitchen. Studies have shown that the more TV people watch, the less they move and the more they weigh. If you don't have a TV in your kitchen, then eat there as opposed to the couch or in the living room. Watching television while eating generally makes you eat more because you don't want to get up during your favorite show to put the food away.
5. Turn up the lights - Even if the kitchen may be closed, you should keep the lights on. In two studies that tracked more than 400 people, researchers found that dieters are more likely to binge when there's less light. Dimmer light makes you less self-aware, which loosens your inhibitions. Conversely, bright lights make you more aware of what you look like and what you are eating.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:03 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Home Exercise Equipment
Trying to lose weight is an admirable goal, but many people don't want to do it in public. It may be fear, it may just be embarassement, but whatever the reason, you don't have to avoid losing weight just because you don't want to go to a big gym. There are plenty of exercise equipment that you can buy for your home so that you don't have to feel queasy at the thought of exercising in front of Mr. and Mrs. Universe.
Here are some suggestions for you:
Rowing machines - They provide a whole-body aerobic workout. The arms, shoulders, back, abdomen, legs, heart and lungs are all worked while rowing.
One of the advantages of rowing is that it does not cause the pounding on the legs and knees that running does. Rowing also builds muscle strength and endurance in addition to the aerobic benefits.
There are two types of rowing machines. A hydraulic machine uses a piston to provide the resistance. With a cable-driven machine, your pull spins a flywheel which produces a smooth action similar to rowing on water. The smoothness of the flywheel creates little strain on the back. If handles are not adjusted properly for height differences, hydraulic rowers can create back strain.
Stationary bicycle - This is another popular means of exercise. Like the rowing machine, the bicycle works the hearts, lungs and legs. Some bicycles have moveable handlebars that can be used in a rowing-like motion to work the arms. Nearly all bicycles have an adjustable braking force and pedal resistance.
To make your cycling more comfortable, find a bicycle with well-positioned handlebars, a comfortable seat, smooth pedaling, quiet brake mechanism, a speedometer and odometer. Many people find that reading, watching TV or listening to music while cycling can alleviate the boredom that is often associated with indoor cycling.
Cycling, like rowing, has the advantage of less stress on the legs and knees than running since your weight is supported by the seat and not your legs.
Treadmills - One of the most popular ways to exercise at home, treadmills benefit the heart, lungs and leg muscles. If looking at treadmills, find one that is motor-driven with controls for speed and elevation. It should also have a sturdy safety rail. Non-motorized treadmills are not recommended for running due to foot irritation. The treadmill can be set at a speed and pace, so be sure it will go as fast or slow as you will be walking or running. If boredom becomes a problem, a radio or TV may help pass the time.
Mini trampolines and reboun exerciser - The mini-trampoline is designed to be a springboard to give you height while the rebound exerciser is designed to absorb the stress of low bouncing while you exercise. The rebounder does not produce the stress on the joints that running does. It also is portable and easily stored.
One problem with the rebounder is that it does much of the work and you do not get as much aerobic benefit as you would from jogging. As with the treadmill and bicycle, you can watch TV or listen to the radio while bouncing along.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:46 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
The Low Fat Salad??
What could be healthier or more low fat than salad? Well, it depends what’s in it and on it. If your salad is a basic lettuce with chopped vegetables type of salad, then it is indeed low fat and healthy. It’s what is added to our salads that gets us into trouble.
Salads prepared at restaurants or fast-food joints are not always the healthiest dishes on the menu. The same with those salad kits from the grocery store, with condiments and toppings included. They offer convenience but may not necessarily be low fat. The salads listed below should raise some red flags.
High Fat Salads and Dressings:
Chef-style salads are high in saturated fat, thanks to all that meat and cheese—and that’s before we even think about the dressing.
Cobb salads feature bacon, eggs, blue cheese, avocado and creamy dressing.
Classic Caesar salad with its egg-based dressing, croutons and cheese is high in both fat and cholesterol.
Taco salads, with their cheese, refried beans, guacamole, ground beef, sour cream and deep-fried shell, are an all-round nutritional nightmare.
Greek salads are often loaded with oil and feta cheese.
Asian salads with fried noodles and a generous sprinkling of nuts.
Dressings in general, especially ranch, blue cheese, thousand island, high oil-to-vinegar ratio vinaigrettes, and regular mayonnaise or sour cream.
If you want to keep your salad low-fat and healthy then you need to use a low-fat or low-calorie dressing. If those are not available then a dash of oil, vinegar, and a little lemon juice is an excellent solution. There is no sense in making a healthy salad and then loading it down with everything you want to avoid!
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:31 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Is there anything better than your moms meatloaf? If you say no, then you must try this wonderfully delicious and comforting low-fat recipe for mini meatloaves.
These low fat mini meatloaves are a big hit with kids. For one thing, they're just the right size. These meatloaves are also good for them, too, as they're made from extra-lean ground beef and packed with shredded veggies. Enjoy these low fat mini meatloaves with skinny mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Mini Meatloaves
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound of extra-lean ground beef
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 medium zucchini, shredded and squeezed dry
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 slice whole grain bread as breadcrumbs
2 egg whites
1/3 cup tomato ketchup
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a nonstick or silicone muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Crumble ground beef into a large bowl. Add shredded carrots and zucchini, and chopped onion and green pepper.
Add chili powder, Worcestershire sauce and breadcrumbs. Stir with a fork. Add egg whites and stir again with a fork until well blended. You can knead the mixture with your hands but sometimes this makes the meat overly tough.
Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan, and top each cup with ketchup. Bake for 25 minutes, making sure that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Serves 6.
Per Serving: Calories 150, Calories from Fat 38, Total Fat 4.2g (sat 2g), Cholesterol 47mg, Sodium 98mg, Carbohydrate 9.2g, Fiber 2.3g, Protein 18.7
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:18 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
How To Play And Exercise At The Same Time
Everyone wants to play around, but no one really wants to exercise. So how can you combine the two? Very easily actually! When you're out with your children or at the beach getting a tan there are ways to incorporate some form of exercise so that even when you're having fun you won't realize that you are burning calories. Here are just a few suggestions for you to had a lot of fun to your otherwise boring exercise routine.
- Plan family outings and vacations that include physical activity such as hiking, backpacking, swimming, etc.
- See the sights in new cities by walking, jogging or bicycling.
- Make a date with a friend to enjoy your favorite physical activities. Do them regularly.
- Play your favorite music while exercising, something that motivates you. Choose music with different rhythms to help you increase or decrease your pace.
- Join a recreational club that emphasizes physical activity.
- At the beach, sit and watch the waves instead of lying flat. Better yet, get up and walk, run or fly a kite.
- When golfing, walk instead of using a cart.
- Play singles tennis or racquetball instead of doubles.
- At a picnic, join in on badminton instead of croquet.
- At the lake, rent a rowboat instead of a canoe.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
7:08 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
How To Use A Heart Monitor Effectively
If you are a beginner with the goal of improving overall fitness, losing weight or reducing stress, you should be using a heart monitor to figure out exactly what your heart rate is when you are exercising. With a treatmill, they usually have the heart rate monitor built in, but if you are exercising outside or with an apparatus that doesn't have one, you should invest in a quality heart monitor.
The rule of thumb when you first start exercising is that you should exercise in what is called the healthy heart zone which is 50-60 percent of your maximum heart rate.If you already exercise regularly but are aiming to lose body fat, exercise in the weight management zone which is 60-70 percent of maximum heart rate. Build up to a work out of 60 minutes of continuous exercise.
If your goal is to improve aerobic capacity or athletic performance, exercise in the aerobic zone which is 70-80 percent of maximum heart rate. Competitive athletes may need to add interval training sessions during the week in the anaerobic threshold heart rate zone, which is 80-90 percent of maximum. This high intensity exercise helps train muscles to handle lactic acid.
However, you should train sparingly at these upper limits. Exercising regularly at a heart rate intensity that is too high does not produce additional aerobic benefits and increases the possibility of an athletic injury. Interval training and anaerobic threshold workouts require a high degree of fitness, and is not necessary for general fitness training.
Once you determine your individual training zones, you can easily program them into your heart monitor. Your monitor will notify you with a beep if you are exercising above or below the pre-programmed zones. Many models record heart rate at selectable intervals. You can then evaluate your exercise after each session and adjust your intensity if needed. Recording heart rate also allows you to monitor your fitness improvements over time.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:59 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
20 Tips To Cut Fat In Cooking
Fat doesn't necessarily come from the foods you eat, it often comes from how you cook it. Take chicken for instance. It is one of the healthiest foods to eat, it is low in fat, and low in calories, but if you fry it in a gallon of oil then it really doesn't end up very healthy! Here are 20 tips on how you can lower your fat when you cook.
1. Use nonstick cooking spray instead of butter or oil. or at least choose liquid oils over solid fats (preferably canola oil or olive oil)
2. Choose extra-lean meat and skinless chicken breasts
3. Trim all visible fat from meat
Trimming Fat From Meat
4. Grill, broil, bake, braise, steam, poach, slow-cook, and microwave foods instead of frying them. Sautéing is ok with minimal amounts of oil, or use nonstick spray, or broth instead
5. Drain fat from cooked meats and blot them with kitchen paper if necessary
6. Use vegetables, beans or whole grains to replace some of the meat content of burgers, meatloaf, and chili
7. Coat chicken and fish in breadcrumbs rather than batter, and bake them instead of frying them
8. Choose chicken or turkey sausages instead of pork or beef sausages
9. Choose Canadian bacon or turkey bacon instead of regular bacon
10. Use one egg and two egg whites per person in your favorite egg dishes or cakes. or cut fat and cholesterol completely by using egg substitute
11. Substitute two meat dishes each week for fish or vegetarian meals
12. Use fat-free chicken broth or fat-free milk in mashed potatoes, soups, gravies and stews
13. Try fat-free evaporated milk in creamy soups and casseroles instead of heavy cream
14. Top your pies or line your tarts with phyllo dough instead of regular pastry
15. Oven-fry potatoes instead of making or buying French fries
16. Use herbs, spices, fruits and salsas to flavor your food
17. Substitute reduced fat cheeses for full-fat ones, and cut the amount you use
18. Choose reduced fat sour cream or yogurt instead of full-fat versions for stews, dips, spreads, and dressings
19. Use reduced fat or fat-free cream cheese instead of the regular version for cheesecakes
20. Replace some of the fat in baked goods with applesauce, plain nonfat yogurt or low fat buttermilk
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:47 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
With every meal you eat, you will always need a fabulous side dish to go with it. Well, who doesn't enjoy a good mashed potato side dish? They are comfort foods for most people, because of the memories that come back when you eat it. These aren't just the lumpy mashed potatoes your mother used to make though, these are low-fat mash potatoes that are incredibly easy to make. Not to mention, that they taste delicious!
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
1 pound (about 2 large) Potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cups Skim milk
2 large Cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon White pepper
Cover and cook potatoes in a small amount of boiling water for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat. Drain and recover. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, cook garlic in milk until garlic is soft, about 30 minutes. Add garlic-milk mixture and white pepper to potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed or mash with a potato masher until smooth.
Microwave Directions: Scrub potatoes, pat dry, and prick with a fork. On a plate, cook potatoes, uncovered, on 100% (high) power until tender (about 12 minutes), turning potatoes over once. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel and quarter. Meanwhile, in a 4-cup glass measuring cup, combine milk and garlic. Cook, uncovered, on medium heat until garlic is soft (about 4 minutes).
Makes 4 servings. Calories - 141 Total fat - <1 g Saturated fat - <1 g Cholesterol - 2 mg Sodium - 70 mg
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:37 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Monday, April 16, 2007
Slow Down Your Eating
EAting fast is one of the biggest downfalls of overweight people. It takes 20 minutes for our stomach to tell our brains that we are full. If we eat fast, we can eat way past what we need. This causes us to be overweight, develop chronic health problems and reduce our quality and quantity of life.
To increase longevity, slow down using this "put the fork down" technique that has helped many people. You may even notice yourself tasting your food, enjoying it more and loosing weight.
Here's How:
Put food in your mouth.
Put your fork, spoon, or chopsticks on the table.
Release your fork, spoon or chopsticks from your hand.
Chew your food. Chew it well. Pay attention to taste and texture.
Pick up your fork and reload it with food. (Do not do step six until your mouth is 100% empty.)
Continue the technique through the whole meal. Notice if your eating time increases. Notice too if you naturally eat less. Chances are that you will, and you won't end up feeling like you can't even walk. You'll automatically reduce the amount of calories you eat per day, and you may even find that you enjoy eating!
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
11:37 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Heathy and FUN ways to live longer
A healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean treadmills and salads everyday. Many activities that are fun and pleasurable are also good for you. By understanding how these activities can help you live longer and what to do to get the most benefits, you'll be putting some fun into your diet.
- Drink Red Wine - Red wine is packed with resveratrol, an antioxidant. These work to protect your body against the effects of aging. One or 2 glasses of red wine a day can help keep your body young.
- Eat Dark Chocolate - In my opinion, this is the best way to add fun to any diet! Dark chocolate is a wonderful food that contains a large amount of antioxidants that protect your body from aging. Find good quality dark chocolate, learn to appreciate it, and have a bit of it each day or every other day. Eating chocolate may lower your blood pressure and cholesterol while providing an energy boost. Just remember to count the calories into your eating plan as well.
- Smile - Smiling is a great way to change your attitude, connect with people and give benefit to your body. Like relaxation, smiling can work to counteract the effects of stress. By forcing ourselves to smile, we "trick" our body into believing that everything is good, thereby reducing stress.
- Have More Sex - Sex and touching are thought to be essential parts of health. Sex releases an assortment of beneficial chemicals in the body. Sex and touching help us bond with others, strengthens relationships, and increases our own self-worth. Frequent sex may even extend your life by years and burn calories every time you have it.
- Relax - Relaxation is the opposite of stress. While stress brings harmful health effects, relaxation helps our bodies to rest, heal and function better. By practicing daily relaxation techniques, you can train yourself to turn off your stress and replace it with calm energy. This will improve your blood pressure, heart rate and ability to cope with life's challenges.
- Make Exercise Fun - Physical games and sports are a great way to keep both your body and mind healthy. Simple exercise routines are great for maintaining balance, flexibility, endurance and strength. Find a game and activity that suits your level of physical ability and play often.
- Sleep - Sleep is an essential body function. Most Americans do not get enough sleep. Medications, stress, illness and poor sleep habits all can prevent you from getting between 7 and 9 hours a night. The health benefits of sleep include more energy, better immune function, and more.
- Spend Time With Loved Ones - Relationships are an important part of health. Not only do strong bonds with other people mean you will have help when you need it, being connected also means protection from loneliness, depression, and mental illness. Spend time cultivating your relationships with friends and family to improve your health and your life.
- Solve Puzzles and Play Brain Games - Mind games are a great way to stay involved and engaged in the world. Games can exercise different parts of your mind and entice your curiosity. If possible, choose social games like chess or bridge that exercise your brain while keeping you connected with others.
- Be Positive - Having a positive attitude about aging can add more than seven years to your life, according to researchers. Avoid the cultural push to glorify youth and regret each passing year. Find ways to to pleasure in your increasing age and enjoy greater learning, experience, and control in your life.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
11:31 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Boosting Your Self Esteem
As you gain weight your self-esteem tends to go downhill pretty quickly. This is very normal, but it isn't the greatest thing that can happen to you. Having a low self-esteem can make you feel down in the dumps, lonely, ugly, and you may feel that you are not a good person.
You can't be further from the truth though! Even if you have put on a few pounds you can still have a healthy self-esteem. You have to love your body inside and out. While you are making the effort to lose weight, you also need to make the effort to gain back your self-esteem. Of course this may happen just by getting more attention from your friends or feeling good about yourself when you fit into your first single digit pair of pants. For some though, it takes more than losing weight, so here are some simple and easy suggestions to follow to give you back your self-esteem.
- Paint your toenails a bold color
- Stand up straight, like you mean business
- Have your favorite inspirational quote printed on your morning coffee mug or water bottle
- Sleep naked
- Go to an expensive salon and cut or style your hair - no "cheap" hair cuts
- Get a massage
- Cuddling with your husband
- Go shopping with a friend without the kids
- Do something nice for a stranger
They are very simple ways to make you feel better about yourself, and they really do help. You are so much more than just the number you see on the scale. You are a good person!! Now, make everyone else see it too.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
10:55 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Here is a perfect recipe as you are getting ready to fire up that BBQ! No bbq would be complete without a creamy coleslaw to go with all the wonderful burgers, steaks, and veggie kabobs that you will eat. Coleslaw is normally very high in calories because of the mayonaise, but this recipe not only will you save on calories, but it actually tastes creamier and fresher!
CREAMY COLESLAW
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
6 cups thinly sliced cabbage (about 1 large)
4 medium carrots, shredded
1 cup thinly sliced red onion (about 1 large)
1/2 teaspoon dill seeds
Whisk together yogurt, mustard, water, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine well. Season coleslaw with salt and pepper. Coleslaw may be made 1 day ahead and chilled if covered.
Serves 6. Each serving about 68.1 calories and 1.1 gram fat (15% of calories from fat)
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
7:03 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Making Exercise Addictive
No one starts out thinking they can become addicted to exercise, but you can! In a good way of course! One of the hardest things is actually sticking with it. We all may start off with a goal that we're going to exercise 6 times a week, but it is hard to keep up with that kind of attitude. It is only when you stick with it for at least 30 days that it becomes a habit, and if you make it a habit it will be easier to keep it up for the long run - and that is what you need to lose the weight and keep it off. You'll see the results during this time period, and that motivation is usually what keeps someone moving.
Here are six simple steps to make fitness as natural as waking in the morning and falling asleep at night:
1. Timing is everything - Work out at a time that fits your schedule. If you plan to hit the gym after work, but often stay late at the office or have social engagements, it's going to be hard to make your workout a regular part of your week. For most people, mornings are the most realistic time. If you can get up an hour earlier for one week, you might find that exercise wakes you up and energizes you for the rest of the day.
2. Look for convenience - Pick a gym that's close to the office, so swinging by in the morning or on the way home is super easy. Before you know it, your car will practically be steering itself there.
3. Make it a "given" - If you do work out in the evenings, make sure your friends and family know that other engagements will have to wait until after your exercise time. The more you and everyone else in your life becomes accustomed to scheduling around your workout, the less likely you'll be to blow it off for other activities.
4. Think ahead - Half the battle is being organized. It doesn't take much. While you're packing your lunch or laying out your clothes for work the next day, be sure to pick out clean exercise clothes, pack your gym bag and fill up your water bottle so you can get up and go quickly.
5. Talk it up - Decide that you're going to be that person in the office or around the neighborhood who is awe-inspiring for motivation. When co-workers start noticing your weight loss, tell them that you now exercise four to five times a week. Make it a character trait, a fact of life, not just something you've been dabbling in lately. Hearing yourself describe your life in this way makes it real and will inspire you to keep it up.
6. Become an addict - The truth is, the "feel-good chemicals" released during high-intensity workouts can leave you craving exercise. If you can reach the point where you yearn for that fitness "high" the way someone might desire coffee, motivation will no longer be an issue.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
7:18 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Now that strawberries are in season, it is definitely the time to get the family and friends over your house to partake in this absolutely delicious dessert. This is a wonderful and low-fat recipe that you can make without much of a hassle, and it will have the whole family wanting more!
Superfine Strawberry Pie
2 egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup superfine sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbs. potato starch
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. water
4 cups fresh strawberries
1 Tbs. margarine
3/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 250°F. Beat egg whites and salt with an electric mixer until foamy. Slowly add sugar one tablespoon at a time while beating on high speed. Add 1 tsp. lemon juice and beat until very stiff and glossy. Spread meringue into a lightly greased 9 inch pie shell and bake 1 hour. Cool. While pie shell is cooling, combine potato starch, 2 Tbs. water and 1 tsp. lemon juice in a bowl. Stir until potato starch is dissolved. Place 1 cup strawberries and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add potato starch mixture, margarine and 3/4 cup sugar. Stir until mixture is thick and clear. Place remaining berries into baked, cooled meringue shell and pour glaze over. Refrigerate until set.
This recipe serves 8 people. Per serving: calories 167, fat 1.4g, 7% calories from fat, cholesterol 0mg, protein 1.6g, carbohydrates 38.8g, fiber 2.0g, sodium 67mg.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
7:07 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Friday, April 13, 2007
Kickboxing For Fitness
Are you looking for even more fitness regimes to add to your life? Are you getting bored with walking or jogging? Then maybe you should consider kickboxing! It is not only a great way to get into shape, but it can give you some real power if you need it.
Kickboxing is a sport that has recently gained in popularity. Think of how fit boxers need to be to stay on their feet, bobbing and weaving, constantly moving, while trying to punch each other for ten or 12 three-minute rounds. They are incredibly fit! So you’ll skip rope a lot in kickboxing class, which is a great cardiovascular workout. In addition, long sessions of running or other aerobic activity like cycling outside the gym will help you build the endurance you’ll need for those rounds of kickboxing.
You’ll also hit the heavy bag – which is a form of resistance training – that will build power in your arms. Hitting the double-ended bag and working with spotting mitts, which is like punching movable targets, will develop hand speed and eye-hand coordination. Push-ups will strengthen your entire upper body. Kicking drills will develop leg power and improve your balance.
All kickboxers and other martial artists have to be able to take a blow to the midsection. Crunches and other abdominal exercises will toughen up your abs. Flexibility is also crucial for anyone studying a fighting art.
With all this work, there will be no doubt that you will get into shape in no time at all!
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:55 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
More Tips For Dieting and Motivation
10 motivational tips to keep your diet on course and avoid being tempted by high fat, high calorie foods when you go to a party, or have guests over to your house!
1. Plan ahead
If you’re going to a party straight after work, eat something before you go so that you don’t dive into the nearest plate of snacks when you arrive. Go for something filling, such as a sandwich or a bowl of wholegrain cereal with skimmed or 1% milk.
2. Chose your food wisely
If you haven’t got time to eat before the party, chose your snacks carefully. Crackers are a great choice if they are low-fat but watch out for those dips. An average portion of hummus for example contains 6g fat and 90 calories compared with the same amount of taramasalata that has 25g fat and 250 calories.
3. Drink a glass of water
If you haven’t got time to eat and want to resist snacks totally then drink a glass of water to help fill your stomach and keep your hunger at bay.
4. Bring along sugar free gum
Chewing gum tends to stop you from nibbling bits of food while you’re cooking. It might not look very sophisticated when you have guests but it could just save you from overeating, and let you enjoy your meal.
5. Stock up on dried fruits
Dried fruits are low in fat and high in fibre. A good handful also counts as one of your fruit servings for the day.
6. Out of sight, out of mind
Keep temptation away when you’re at home. Don’t stock up on high fat snacks such as nuts, chips, or candy if you can help it. Otherwise, keep them out of sight or store them in an awkward place so they’re difficult to reach. If other members of your family want them they’ll have to get them down themselves.
7. Watch the alcohol
Although alcohol contains no fat, a small glass of wine can set you back 132 calories. To keep the calorie-count down, try alternating wine with mineral water.
8. Throw away the leftovers
Don’t leave bowls of unfinished snacks lying around after your company leaves. Chuck them out as soon as your guests have left.
9. Make your own dips
If you love dips and can’t bear to eat low-fat crackers by themselves, why not make your own low fat dips? One of my favorites is a chili bean dip. Whiz up half a can of red kidney beans with a raw onion, a garlic clove and a red chili, add a dash of lemon juice and a good pinch each of cumin, dry mustard and salt. A good portion contains just 0.5g of fat.
10. Don’t waste calories
If you really want something then have it, but save your calories for the things you really want and don’t just eat things because they are there. During a meal or buffet only eat the things you really like and make your plate look fuller by piling the veggies high.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:38 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Buying A Low-Fat Cookbook
I know these seems to have nothing to do with dieting, but it most certainly does! Where are you going to get all your great low-fat recipes? How are you going to try new foods that delight and entice your appetite, while cutting calories?
If you don't have new and low-fat foods to eat you will most likely get back into the same rut that you have been in for years, eating high fat convenience foods. Not everyone likes to cook, and some people are just simply not good cooks, so it is best to follow these tips when buying a low-fat cookbook.
It's a personal choice when you buy a cookbook. There are hundreds of low fat and special-diet cookbooks out there; some follow a particular plan, some offer a medical point of view, and others are more general.
Look at the Cover
As we know, the cover doesn't tell the whole story but it's a useful first glimpse at a book. You can get a snapshot of the author, their philosophy and credentials, as well as some one- or two-line reviews of their body of work.
Know What Kind of Foods They Offer
If you are a person who doesn't have time to make a meal that make take you 2 hours, then look for low-fat meals that you can make in 30 minutes, or 15 minutes. You don't want to buy a cookbook that is catered to how you actually cook!
Look at the Recipes
Do the recipes provide enough information for your use? Are there enough tips, shortcuts, ideas and suggestions? Look for nutritional analysis, if that's important to you.
Visual Aids
Are there enough photographs, illustrations, charts and tables? Do you like step-by-step pictures for more challenging recipes or do you think you can live without them?
Reviews
If you still can't decide in the bookstore, check out some online reviews. The main booksellers' sites provide publishing-industry reviews, reader reviews, as well as links to other works by the same writer. Check out the publisher's websites, too.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:27 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Who doesn't love a good crepe for breakfast? Well, if you haven't been one of the privileged who has ever eaten such a great tasting breakfast food, then you need to indulge yourself!
Crepes are thin pancakes which can be eaten in the same way as pancakes or rolled up with a filling of your choice.
Low-fat Crepes
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup of nonfat milk
PREPARATION:
Gently spoon flour into measuring cup and level with the back of a knife. Put flour and salt in a medium bowl and stir with a hand whisk. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add egg. Whisk egg and flour while pouring milk into bowl, stirring well to combine.
The batter should be free of lumps. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Spray an 8-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat skillet on medium high. Add a 1/4 cup of batter to hot skillet and swirl around the pan to cover as much of the bottom of the skillet as possible. As the edges cook, use a spatula to lift the edges of the crêpe. After about 1 minute, flip the crêpe over and cook for a further 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and start over until the batter is done. This should yield about 6 crêpes, so probably serves 2 or 3.
Enjoy with a sprinkling of confectioners sugar and a squeeze of lemon, or use the crêpes as the base for a fruity filling.
Per Crepe: Calories 57, Calories from Fat 8, total Fat 0.9g (sat 0.3), Cholesterol 35mg, Sodium, 122mg, Carbohydrate 9.3g, Fiber 0.3g, Protein 3g
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:15 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Exercise During Pregnancy
A lot of women are in the process of losing weight when they suddenly find out that they are not only going to gain weight, but have a baby at the end of it! First, don't let it freak you out. It is hard to have gone through the process of losing weight only to find out that you will have no choice but to gain it back, but you don't have to gain the total recommended amount of 25 pounds. This is the maximum you should gain, and really shouldn't be a goal of yours.
If you are overweight to begin with, chances are you can continue to lose weight without any effects on the baby whatsoever, depending on how overweight you are. The fact is, you shouldn't use your pregnancy as an excuse to stop working towards your goal. If you do, you'll just have to start over after the baby comes, so it is best to keep going. Here are the four most popular exercise routines among pregnanat women, that are not only safe for you and your baby, but still burn calories and build muscle.
Walking
Walking is a great form of exercise and can be modified for many fitness levels, including beginners. Other than a decent pair of walking shoes you don't need fancy equipment and it is a great workout for muscles and aerobic fitness. Many pregnant moms like to walk because the intensity is controlled by them and not someone else. Walking can also be maintained postpartum.
Yoga
In pregnancy the combined exercise and relaxation that yoga brings is a welcomed addition to your exercise routines. Many mothers have used yoga poses in their childbirth classes and then enjoyed it so much that they continued doing it. You may take pregnancy specific classes or modify certain poses in pregnancy, as lead by your instructor. There are also DVDs available with pregnancy specific yoga poses available.
Pilates
Pilates is a very popular form of exercise. Women who were doing pilates prior to pregnancy are asking if they can continue to do Pilates now that they are pregnant and the answer is yes. Pilates can be modified for anyone and is also great postpartum. Since the core muscles are prime in Pilates and very used in pregnancy be sure to find an instructor who is qualified to work with pregnant women.
Swimming
Many mothers enjoy swimming in pregnancy. Not only does it help you stay cool in the warm months but it also provides near immediate relief of many aches and pains in pregnancy. The water is a known comfort in pregnancy because it helps relieve stress and strain on muscles that are being stretched and challenged in pregnancy. It also helps mom deal with the added weight her body is carrying by lightening her load while she is in the water.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:31 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Going Out For Chinese
Next to Italian food, Chinese is the 2nd most popular food to eat when dining out. Not only is it absolutely delicious, but it can really be healthy for you - IF you know what to eat.
The large variety of entrees, appetizers and foods on a Chinese menu is what attracts so many diners, who have made Chinese food popular both at the restaurant table and to go. While some traditional dishes are high in fat and salt, Chinese menus also feature lots of vegetables and grains which are all good choices if you are eating healthy. Like many others, Chinese restaurateurs are beginning to respond to growing public interest in healthier, more nutritious food.
Think Appetizers - Skip the eggrolls and go for food that is on the plain, but not boring side. A calamari, or squid, salad marinated or boiled fish mixed with vegetables is a great place to start and can easily fill you up. The dipping sauce on the side is a must. A poached Cornish hen that is sliced and served with the sesame sauce on the side is another great choice. Many of the Chinese restaurants are also developing a garden roll, which is lighter than the traditional eggroll.
Go for the Vegetables - Vegetables are the most important thing in a Chinese menu. A tofu dish could feature dried bean curd, soft bean curd and bean sprouts, for example. The seasonality of fresh vegetables also offers opportunities for a variety of dishes. Hunan Chicken has many vegetables and flavors to suit every ones needs.
Choose The Sides - This is always an option, and often expected in Chinese restaurants. Steamed rice comes separately. Sauces can be served on the side, or you can order "sides" of fresh vegetables and make a meal of them.
Share Your Dish - It's the Chinese tradition, and it's great for portion control, which reduces fat and calories. Order family style, try others' dishes, and take leftovers with you for tomorrow's lunch or dinner.
Chinese restaurants across the country are finding ways to cut the fat and increase fresh vegetables and whole grains and they are making sure consumers know it, with menus that advertise "Batter-Free," "Not Deep Fried," "Atkins-Friendly" and "Brown Rice Upon Request," to name a few. In addition, more restaurants are offering seasonal specials.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:18 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Tips For Dining Out
There is no question that eating out is much better than cooking at home for many reasons. It gives us a time to relax, and try new foods, but it is also a manner in which people socialize and celebrate. The problem is, for many overweight people, they tend to choose the wrong types of entrees, or over eat by ordering an appetizer, main course, and dessert, all in one sitting. Here are some tips that can help you eat out without regret, and gained pounds.
Here are a few basic low fat dining tips:
- Choose restaurants that offer low fat or low cholesterol choices from the menu.
- Find several restaurants that will cater to your needs and make them your favorites. When you become a regular, you become special. Then you won't have to worry about what is in a dish every time you pop in for a meal. Don't forget to tip well when a waiter or waitress has "gone out of their way to help you".
- Ask to substitute salads, grilled vegetables or a baked potato to replace French fries, chips or other fat laden side dishes.
- Ask for any salad dressings or fatty sauces be served on the side. You can then be the one in control of how much you add
- Ask that cheese, butter or added oils be left off.
- If different size portions are offered, go for the smaller size or share an entree with a friend.
- Choose low cholesterol or low fat cooking methods. (Steamed, poached, grilled, baked, roasted, braised, boiled or au jus)
- Beware of dishes that are described with words like fried, creamed, in cheese sauce, scalloped, hollandaise, béarnaise, basted, sautéed, au gratin and anything that states "with or in butter".
- Do not be afraid to ask how the chef or kitchen prepares something or to make low fat special requests. Many chefs are stepping on the healthy eating bandwagon, so don't be timid. If they are health conscious, they will delight in telling you how they can still make low fat gourmet dishes that are tasty.
- If low fat salad dressings are not available, ask for lemon juice or vinegar. (Balsamic vinegar adds great flavor without a sour taste.)
- Limit the amount of butter, margarine, or olive oil used on bread, breadsticks or baked potatoes.
- Ask for mustard, salsa or low fat yogurt instead of mayonnaise, sour cream or butter.
- Ask for low fat milk for your coffee instead of cream.
- Substitute lower fat fruit desserts for pastries and cakes or try a light fruit sorbet.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:42 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Don't think we haven't forgotten about the Vegetarians among us. Here is a wonderful recipe that I have personally tried and absolutely loved. Not only did it get a permanent place in my stomach, but my son loved it too! That right there is reason enough to try it.
Three Bean Enchilada
Servings: 6
Serving Size: 2 Enchiladas
• 1/2 cup dried kidney beans
• 1/2 cup dried navy beans
• 1/2 cup dried pinto beans
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 - 4 oz. can chopped green chilies, undrained
• 12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 (10 oz.) can prepared enchilada sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded low fat Monterey Jack cheese
Sort and wash beans; place in a Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above beans, and bring to a boil; cover and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans; return to Dutch oven.
Add 6 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid (add water, if necessary, to make 1/4 cup.
Place beans blender or food processor; add reserved 1/4 cup liquid, onion, and next 5 ingredients. Process 5 seconds or until mixture is chunky.
Brush tortillas with water. Divide bean mixture among tortillas. Roll up; placing seam side down in a 12 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking oil spray. Pour enchilada sauce over tortillas; cover and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Top with cheese and bake, uncovered, 5 minutes.
Per Serving: 354 Calories
4.2g Fat
19.6g Protein
63 Carbohydrate
9g Dietary Fiber
4mg Cholesterol
466mg Sodium
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:37 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Positive Imaging For Your Body
Visualization can play an important part in losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Losing weight can be difficult for many people who use fad diets and pills to achieve their weight-loss goals without letting their mind help in the process.
Visualization is a powerful technique that can help you make lasting lifestyle changes, because of the motivation factor. Just by daydreaming about what you want to look like can significantly improve your chances in achieving your goals. It is a great weight-loss tool, and it's as simple as thinkingabout your body as you want it to look. This mental image of yourself is then transferred to your subconscious mind, which in turn starts to work on your body, shaping it in accordance with your mental image.
Once your mind is programmed with the proper mental images, it will start to work in assisting you to lose weight. You have to let go of past dieting failures and refuse to entertain any negative images that come into your mind. If you can visualize your body at its perfect weight and proportions, the subconscious mind will work to make it become a reality. It will then begin to positively reinforce your body into aiding the metabolism and eating habits.
Try to think of a different image of yourself, then let your subconscious do the work for you. If you think of your body fat and being out of shape all the time, then the subconscious mind will find ways to make it so.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:42 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Finding The Right Treadmill
So you have decided that you are ready to jump on the bandwagon and start exercising. First of all, good for you! Now that you are willing to do it, where do you start? Most people opt for buying exercise equipment that is effective, convenient, and can really get their heart racing - hence, a treadmill. The question then becomes, is how to pick out the right one. Since they are so expensive and can make or break your exercise plans, you need to make sure you are buying one to suit your lifestyle, your exercise routine, and your budget.
The following are important tips to make sure you maximize your investment and reach your goals.
- Consider your goals and the goals of other potential exercisers in your home before you start your search - Most families will have more than one individual that will likely be using the treadmill. "Under buying" or buying a low quality, underpowered treadmill that will be used by both a 130lb. and a 200lb. person is a common mistake. Additionally, if you have children or teenagers who will be participating in sports, consider their needs.
- Start your shopping with an authorized specialty fitness retailer - Make a list of local retailers who specialize in fitness equipment - not hockey, basketball and golf. These dealers will likely have a more educated staff, higher quality equipment, and the ability to assemble and service your treadmill more effectively. Sometimes these dealers will also have relationships with personal trainers to help you start your program.
- Go to the store prepared to test the equipment in the manner in which you will be using it - Almost any unit will feel and seem adequate if you walk on it for 5 minutes. It's only when you begin to put a treadmill through its paces by adding incline, using different programs, or jogging on it that you will start to notice major differences in quality and comfort even vibration and noise. Plan on wearing comfortable exercise clothes and walking or jogging shoes. Don't hesitate to spend 15-30 minutes testing the equipment. A good treadmill is a major investment. Take your time.
Things You Must Have With Your New Treadmill
- Easily navigable console and screen with a large digital readout - A sales person should show you some basics like start and stop, but after the first several minutes, the buttons and console should make intuitive sense.
- Shock absorption system - This is a major thing for almost all treadmills now, but make note. When you walk fast or run, does the deck feel firm and stable, yet forgiving? It should not feel "soft" or spongy as this type of cushioning can create knee injuries in the long run and also wear out quickly. On the other side of the spectrum, you don't want a treadmill that feels like you are running on asphalt. Look for a manufacturer that provides compelling, research-based, evidence on why their cushioning system works. Ask the salesperson why a manufacturer chose their cushioning and how it works.
- Automated adjustments to tread speed in order to compensate for minor variations in foot speed during workouts - This is a technology that proposes to make your session more comfortable and easier on your body. A test workout at the store will help you determine if these features really improve your workout. Remember, anything that will make your workout more comfortable and easier to stick with is worth considering
- Electronic Features - Most treadmills have a spectrum of features to lure buyers ranging from calories expended to amount of energy used. Consider what is important to you and how you will use it.
- Adequate Motor - This has become one of the most confusing data points of all. Don't be fooled by the "bigger is always better" rhetoric. In reality, a 2.0 and above continuous duty HP motor is sufficient for virtually any user if the other components are high quality . A good cooling mechanism reduces heat on the motor and other key components - extending the life and wear on these parts. A large motor with a poor cooling mechanism makes for a bad combination that will likely result in premature wear and tear on parts as well as poor performance.
As the most popular piece of aerobic equipment in the fitness industry, you can be overloaded with choices when shopping with the myriad of units available. One of the surest ways to buy quality is to go with a manufacturer that has a history of quality. In the fitness industry this means considering companies that have made treadmills for use in health clubs and other high use facilities like corporate facilities and municipal settings. It is also important to measure the available space you have in your home for a treadmill before you make a purchase.
Think long term for both your goals and other family members. This will keep you from under buying.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:33 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
The Benefits Of Fish
Fish is nature's most available source of the essential fat called omega-3. Omega-3 fats have the ability to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and have been shown to reduce blood pressure, inflammation, stop cancer growth, and most recently has been said to help to alleviate depression.
Now they have told us that Omega-3 fats also help with Diabetes as well. Since people with Diabetes have 2 to 4 times the risk of cardiovascular disease it is twice as effective. Fish oil in general is great for people with Diabetes because it also helps them to lower their blood pressure, making for lower blood sugar. Fish oil can also help lower triglycerides and raise the HDL levels in people, which can be extremely beneficial to people with Diabetes.
Lastly, for people with this horrible disease, omega-3 fats appear to give the body a better response to insulin by creating a softer cell membrane, which allows sugar to more easily pass into the cell, and therefore creating lower blood sugar results. All around it helps with insulin resistance, especially if taken over a long period of time.
For the maximum results you should consume 2 or more servings each week of the fatty fish like salmon, herring, whitefish, tuna, mackerel, rainbow trout, or sardines. If you don't like fish or simply need more omega-3 fats you can also choose fish oil supplements.
You should take a supplement everyday containing 600 mg of omega-3. Most fish oil capsules contain only 300 mg of omega-3 per capsule, so plan on taking two. Make sure you check the label though before taking too much. For people with heart disease, they need to take a bit more, as many as 3 to 4 capsules per day for maximum benefits.
Do not take fish oil supplements if you are on any blood thinning medications however, because it could cause adverse reactions. You should also only choose the "pharmaceutical grade" products to make sure you have quality fish oil capsules. You should plan on stopping the supplements at least 2 weeks before any surgery to avoid complications as well. All in all, consult your doctor and make sure the supplements are right for you.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:11 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
This recipe is for all the seafood lovers. It works fabulous as an appetizer to a seafood course, and is the perfect party food as well. Not only will your friends be impressed that you cooked such an elaborate appetizer, but they won't gain weight eating it! Unless of course they do like me who would probably eat the entire thing!
Shrimp Bruschetta
6 oz. (about 1 cup) diced, cooked shrimp
1 cup shredded fat-free. mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup chopped plum tomatoes (about 2 1/2 medium)
3/4 cup chopped fresh spinach
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 tsp. crushed fresh garlic
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 long, thin loaf French bread
Combine all ingredients except bread in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside. Slice bread into 24 1-inch slices. Arrange slices on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until crisp and dry. Spread each slice with I tablespoon shrimp mixture. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F and return to oven for five minutes of until cheese melts. Serve hot.
Serves: 24 - Nutrition Information Per Serving
calories - 68
total fat - 1
sat fat - 0
protein - 5
fiber - 1
sodium - 170
carbs - 10
Weight Watcher points - 1
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:58 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Nutrition For Energy
In order to lose weight, you need good nutrition. That should be obvious, but sometimes it just isn't that easy. Everyone wants to be healthy, but they either don't have the motivation to do it, or they don't know how. Nutrition is what gives you the energy you need to exercise and live a healthier life.
What makes something nutritious is the amounts of vitamins and minerals that are in the food you are eating. Here is some information about two of the most important vitamins you need, and what they can do for your body.
- Many of the B vitamins are required for the process of energy metabolism. If a reduced calorie diet does not provide enough B vitamins the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates may be affected and result in a feeling of lethargy.
- Vitamin C not only helps fight resistance to infections it also helps repair and maintain muscle tissue and blood vessels. Stronger lean body tissue is essential in order to exercise long enough to burn sufficient calories for permanent weight loss.
If you are not eating as nutritiously as you should be then you can take a nutritional supplement. Its not necessary to buy tons of vitamin and mineral pills just to ensure you obtain all essential nutrients. Taking one multi-vitamin pill each day should be plenty to help keep up energy levels so you can exercise effectively.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:32 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Using Hoodia For Weight Loss
There is no question that Hoodia will help you to lose weight. That is, if you take the REAL Hoodia. In many studies over the past 2 years since Hoodia really took off, it has been proven that almost 60% of Hoodia is counterfeit. 60% is a huge amount of the market! That is why you should only buy the real Hoodia. The question becomes then, how do you know that it is real and not fake as most of the products on the shelves.
Well, you can of course look to us. HoodiaPharm offers certified, real African Hoodia Gordonii. It is free of any fillers, or preservatives that take away from the 100% Hoodia that should be in every capsule that you take to lose weight.
HungerAway offers the real deal, and they send you a copy of the certification with every order to prove it. They test it both before the encapsulation process, as well as after it, to make sure you are getting what you pay for.
With the fact that so many Americans are overeating, or eating the wrong types of food, there is no better time to get in shape and lose weight. Hoodia won't do all the work for you though, it is imperative that you eat as healthy as you would if you weren't taking this miracle pill. You also need to exercise and drink plenty of water to ward off dehydration. You will lose weight faster, and with better results with just diet and exercise alone though.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
6:14 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
12 Get In Shape Tips
There are so many tips floating around about how to get into shape. Well, here are 12 more that are actually useful!
- Jump Rope - So it's been a while since you jumped rope, that doesn't mean you can't feel like a kid again! It is great aerobic exercise, and they can be used almost everywhere.
- The Early Bird Gets The Worm - Honestly, getting up early generally stinks, but you might be pleasantly surprised how much energy you have through the day with just a simple 30 minute cardio session before work.
- Walk With A Friend - It is the best way to get moving. Grab a friend and enlist both their companionship, and their motivation.
- Get Defensive - There are many self-defense classes that not only teach you how to protect yourself, but give you a great aerobic exercise. You can try Karate, Jiu-Jisu, Aikido, Kickboxing, Krav Maga, or Capoeira.
- Clear Your Head - If you are an emotional eater then this tip is for you. Don't use anger or sadness as a reason to eat, take a walk or jog around the neighborhood when you feel like stuffing your face.
- Change Your Exercise - You don't have to do the same thing everyday. When something gets too easy, or boring, change to something else. It will push your body, and you may find other things you enjoy.
- Pump Iron - You need to strength train to lose maximum weight. It prevents bone loss, improve balance, and boost your metabolism.
- Start a Fitness Log - It helps with motivation if you log your hours, activities, and how you felt during the process. You might find yourself writing down that you enjoyed yourself!
- Do The Hustle - Literally! Sign up for a dance class. They are not only a great way to meet some friends but you get your heart rate up and burn tons of calories.
- Set Goals - This really makes a difference in your weight loss. You can start off small but build up to even bigger goals, until you are exercising at maximum potential, and losing the maximum weight.
- Climb a Rock - It may seem adventurous or even crazy, but there are great physical benefits to it. You can use the many rock walls that you find in gyms, or you can take on the real thing.
- Join a Sports Team - Especially now that it is spring, there are many to choose from. Baseball, softball, tennis, volleyball, and even Frisbee can be an excellent way to burn calories and get healthy. Plus, you get some great socialization skills.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:19 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
No matter how busy we are with work, kids, hobbies, and friends, we all still need the opportunity to have a healthy and low-fat meal. That is why this is one of my absolute favorites!! It takes almost no time to put together and is perfect for everyone, whether you are watching your calories, your fat, or your carbs.
Quick Chicken Parmesan
4 boneless chicken cutlets, about 4 ounces each
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
flour for dredging
2 cups tomato sauce
1/4 cup low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Lay the chicken cutlets between two pieces of waxed paper. Pound each cutlet with the flat end of a mallet until thin.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet. While the oil is heating, season the chicken with salt, pepper and oregano and dredge it in flour.
4. Saute the chicken over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a shallow baking dish. Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with both cheeses.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Serving Size: 1 cutlet
Number of Servings: 4
Calories 292
Carbohydrate 17 g
Fat 10 g
Fiber 2 g
Protein 33 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Sodium 210 mg
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:13 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Monday, April 9, 2007
5 Tips To Getting Your Kids To Eat Right
Let's be straight here... it probably isn't just you who are overweight, chances are your children are as well. If you are cooking the meals, then chances are they are eating them as well. If they see you not exercising then they aren't going to be either. So, if you are trying to lose weight, then you should also have them join in with you! It'll be good for all of you.
Here are 5 tips for getting your kids on the right track towards healthy eating also:
- No more pop tarts for breakfast - Now, maybe you don't feed them pop tarts but chances are you may give them sugary cereal. Ban the sugar and give them cereal that with fiber and whole grains. It doesn't have to mean that they can't have sugar cereals on occasion. Maybe you can pick one day a month or just on their birthday. Other than that give them Cheerios, Raisin Bran, or Special K with the fruit of their choice on it.
- Get rid of the sweet after school snacks - You don't have to have a plate of cookies waiting for them. Put out a healthy plate of fruit, cheese, crackers, pretzels, or even veggies with a little dip on the side. Get rid of the candy, cheese nips, chips, and freeze pops.
- Limit the soda - You've heard it time and time again, but it is absolutely true. The calories and sugar in these popular sodas just add extra weight to your children. Save the soda for a special Friday night treat or a movie, and keep glasses of water or smoothies on tap for them to enjoy.
- Give them more vegetables - This is not going to be easy, so you have to think outside the box. Have them pick out their own that they would like to try when you are at the grocery store. Come up with new recipes that make vegetables seem "cool", or serve them with a healthy low-fat dip to make it more fun to eat. Anything you can do to get the recommended servings into their belly will pay off in the long run.
- Give them chips in small snack bags - It is almost impossible to get them to stop eating junk food altogether, so at least get them to eat the chips in moderation. If they have a 1 pound bag of Doritos in front of them, they will probably eat a lot of them, so try getting the little snack sizes instead. That way, they are limited to whatever is in the smaller bag, and won' t keep eating them which they so often do, even when they are full. Moderation is definitely the key to keeping kids healthy.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:09 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Selecting and Storing Your Fruit
Fruits are great sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals. One serving equals about 60 calories and is almost fat-free, so fruits can help you control your weight and reduce your risk of weight-related diseases.
Here are suggestions to help you select the highest quality fruits when shopping, and store them once you get home.
Selecting Your Fruit:
- Choose in-season fruits. Generally, the closer you are to the source and the season, the fresher the produce and the better it tastes.
- Select fruits that feel heavy for their size. Heaviness is a sign of juiciness.
- Smell fruits for characteristic aromas. Fruits should generally have their characteristic ripe scent but not smell overly ripe.
- Test the texture. An apple that feels mushy to the touch probably is too ripe. However, an avocado with a somewhat spongy texture is ideal.
- Read the labels on packaged fruits. Look for frozen fruits processed without added sugar.
- Choose fruit canned in water or fruit juice.
Storing Your Fruit
- Keep fruits at room temperature to ripen them. Fruits such as bananas, pears, nectarines and kiwi may be picked early and sold at grocery stores before they're ripe. To ripen, leave the fruit out of the refrigerator for several days.
- Store ripe fruits in the refrigerator. The cool temperature slows the ripening process, giving you longer storage times. The length of time you can store fruit depends on the type of fruit and how ripe it is at the time of purchase.
- Throw away produce you've kept too long. Discard fruit that's moldy or slimy, smells bad, or is past the "best if used by" date shown on the package.
- Freeze fruits for long-term storage. You can freeze many types of fruit for up to one year. Grapes, cherries, berries and melon freeze particularly well. For best results, cut larger fruit into smaller chunks and remove the skin of peaches, apples and nectarines before freezing. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer. Once frozen, take the fruit off the cookie sheet and put into freezer bags for long-term storage.
- Fresh fruit is best, but frozen fruits with no added sugar and fruits canned in their own juice or water are also excellent. If you're losing weight, use fruit juice and dried fruits, such as raisins and prunes, sparingly because they're a concentrated source of calories. They have a higher energy density than fresh produce.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:58 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
How To Choose a Gym
If you want to join a fitness center but you have never even stepped foot into one then you need to read this! Here are some questions that you should ask yourself and the sales person that is trying to sell you the membership. Many people are intimidated by the thought of even walking into a gym, but you don't have to be if you are prepared and know what you should find out, before handing over your credit card.
1. Does a health professional at the club give you a health screening and ask questions about your health prior to your first workout?
This is important so that you know where you need to begin and if you have any previous injuries that could hinder your workout.
2. Does the facility have emergency procedures? Are the professionals trained in CPR and first-aid? Is there an automatic defibrillator at the site and is the staff trained to use it?
It's important that the staff is well trained and procedures can be fluently administered in an emergency.
3. Are the professionals at the facility qualified? Is their experience in the area of training that you require?
You want someone who is actually qualified to train you, and not someone that could cause you harm!
4. Does the facility belong to a professional association?
If the health club is affiliated with an association, such as IDEA or IHRSA, you can be assured that all the professionals are informed about updated safety requirements and standards.
5. Is the equipment maintained and cleaned?
Cleanliness is self-explanatory. It is an indication of how the club is run. Well-maintained equipment will decrease disruption in your workouts and decrease the possibility of an accident.
6. Are there clear instructions next to each machine, in case a professional is unavailable?
Each piece of equipment should have clear instructions on how to use it and what body part you will be working. When a trainer is not available, this will help you get a safe workout.
7. If you participate in cardio classes, does the center have flooring that acts as a shock absorber? And are the classes scheduled at times that are convenient for you?
If you will be taking a lot of cardio classes, make sure the club's floor has shock absorption. This is to decrease possible long-term joint injuries from the impact of a regular floor. Don’t forget to check the class schedule to make sure you can attend the classes you are interested in.
8. Are there professionals available to assist you when needed? Will there be anyone available to help with your initial program set up?
It is important to start off properly. Ask if there will be professionals available to help you develop your program. Most clubs offer you at least two sessions with a personal trainer to help get you started.
9. Is the facility close to your home or work?
The more convenient the facility is, the greater the chance of you having fitness success. Statistics show that in the case of having to travel out of the way to workout, the success rate drops dramatically!
10. Do you feel comfortable with the members? Their age, level of training and productivity while at the center?
Every center is different and they each have different types of members. Find one that suits your needs. As you tour the facility, take note of the members. Are they training or are they chatting? Are they athletes or are they just starting out? Do they motivate you or intimidate you? Ask about the members who come in around the time you will be working out. Better yet, schedule the tour for that time.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:47 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
After this past weekend, you may need a few healthy days of eating to get back on track. If this is the case, then you need to try this wonderful breakfast recipe.
This spinach and mushroom frittata, which also has sliced tomatoes, is almost like an egg pizza and can be eaten any time of the day.
Spinanch and Mushroom Frittata
INGREDIENTS:
5-ounce pack baby spinach
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1 large roma tomato, halved lengthwise, then sliced
1 1/2 cups liquid egg substitute
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup reduced fat cheese
PREPARATION:
Coat a medium oven-proof nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Wilt spinach on low-medium heat. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add egg substitute and cook for 4-5 minutes without stirring until edges are set.
Finish cooking under broiler until edges are golden and center is just set, about 2-3 minutes. Remove skillet carefully, with an oven mitt, as handle will be hot.
Serves 4-6
Per Serving: Calories 94, Calories from Fat 20, total Fat 2.1g (sat 1.2g), Cholesterol 7mg, Sodium 281mg, Carbohydrate 5.5g, Fiber 1.6g, Protein 13g
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:43 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Saturday, April 7, 2007
The Motivation You May Need Right Now
During every diet there comes a time when you simply aren't motivated to exercise, or choose one healthy meal over the other delicious fat laden meal that you really want to eat. Just in general, hunger pains are not fun. Neither is watching the constant television commercials showing luscious desserts, or greasy food that your body and your mind are crying out for. That is why you have this blog - it will serve as a source for motivation and healthy alternatives to what your body is screaming for.
First things first, learn to use your brain. Not that we don't think you are smart, but your brain is actually going to be what gets you through this diet. It is all a mind game and you alone are the only one who can control how you feel about cutting back on the foods you would normally love to eat. It also controls how you feel about exercise and can convince you to stay true to your diet, or just give up completely.
Since we want you to avoid giving up, then we need you to use your brain right now to remind yourself that the decrease in food and the food choices you make are only temporary. You won't be on a diet forever, although many of the lifestyle changes you make will go on indefinitely. It just means moderation and that is something that your brain will understand eventually. Moderation is definitely better than never eating something again right? So, tell your brain that! Tell it that you will again eat the double fudge chocolate cake that your mother makes for you, but you will only be eating a small sliver instead of the entire cake. Eventually you will be okay with this.
Use the willpower you have in that mind of yours and overcome it. Take a walk, write in your journal, or just simply get involved with another activity. Your mind will do whatever you want it to, you just need to stay motivated and keep thinking about that size 6 dress you are dying to wear. That is often motivation enough!!
If all else fails, pick up the cookie or the chips you don't want to let yourself eat, toss it on the ground, and stomp it like there's no tomorrow. Be sure and check for curious onlookers before exercising the stomping step because it could make you look a wee bit insane, but most people will understand and possibly have already done it themselves.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
1:18 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
What To Do With The Leftover Easter Eggs
Did the Easter Bunny lay too many eggs at your house this year? If you don't know quite what to do with them then you are in luck. We have some great suggestions that just might fit very nicely into your diet!
Be aware that eggs are extremely high in cholesterol and we recommend that you always use 3 whites to 1 yolk. You'll achieve the same tasty result and will never miss the calories or cholesterol!
1. Make a great egg salad which uses 1 yolk to 3 whites to save you a ton of calories & some fat.
2. Pickled eggs are very simple to make and contain about 75 calories per egg. The easiest way is to place the peeled eggs into a jar of pickle juice. Take care that all the pickles are gone or they will wind up tasting like eggs.
3. Slice the peeled eggs and toss them onto a salad.
4. Sliced eggs also go well with gravy that has been prepared with bullion cubes and a bit of cornstarch mixed with water for thickening purposes. For chicken gravy, prepare your bullion as directed on the package (generally 1 cup of boiling water with 1 bullion cube added), then mix 1 Teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water until mixture 'loosens' up. Add cornstarch mixture to hot bullion and stir to prevent clumping. Sprinkle with coarse pepper and add 1/2 of a sliced egg.
Calories: About 40 (So yes, you CAN enjoy gravy on a diet!)
5. Make some lite potato salad by adding 1/3 of a chopped egg to 1 peeled baked potato that has been sliced into chunks. Next, add salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon of pickle relish and 1 Tablespoon of the Lite Mayo (Miracle Whip is divine!). Add a few pimentos if desired, as well as a sprinkle of paprika and a spoon of sliced olives.
Calories: About 200
6. Undeviled Eggs - Peel 1 dozen eggs; wash; slice in half; scoop out yolk and place 4 yolks and 8 whites into a bowl. Mash; add salt, pepper and 2 -3 Tablespoons of Lite Mayo. Add 1 Tablespoon of sweet pickle relish if desired. Mix well. Spoon filling into egg halves. Makes 16.
Calories: About 40 calories each.
7. Green Eggs & Spam - Odds are, once you've peeled your Easter Eggs, you're going to have some that are stained with color. Pick out the green ones, peel, wash and slice. Next, slice up some 'Lite Spam' and 'fry' it up in a little non-stick, no calorie cooking spray until it is crispy on the outside. Serve with the green eggs. Not only will you lessen your calories and fat, your children will have a great time eating them!
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
12:48 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Almost Easter Sunday - Another Fabulous Dessert Recipe!
If you are one of those last minute shoppers and cookers, then here is a last minute recipe for you to try out on your unsuspecting family members. It is low-fat and healthy, but they will never know it!
Low Fat Carrot Cake
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup light cream cheese
1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13-inch x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine flours, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir with a whisk. In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
Beat in sugar slowly, followed by the applesauce, buttermilk and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and stir until just moist. Stir in the pineapple, carrots, raisins and walnuts. Spoon batter into baking pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before frosting.
For the frosting:
Beat cream cheeses together with lemon juice and vanilla. Add in powdered sugar until desired consistency. Spread over cooled cake.
Cut cake into 16 squares.
Per Serving: Calories 269, Calories from Fat 29, Total Fat 3.3g (sat 1.1g), Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 244mg, Carbohydrate 54.9g, Fiber 2.7g, Protein 5g
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
12:34 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Friday, April 6, 2007
More Exercise Tips!
Everyone knows that exercise is good for you, and polls have shown that the majority of people have a genuine desire to exercise on a regular basis, but they just don't do it. These simple tips will make it easier to build a regular exercise program that fits into your schedule and life
Here's How:
Set aside a small block of time on a regular basis (usually 3 to 5 times per week)
Make a list of activities that you already enjoy doing. Many activities actually quietly contribute a great deal to your overall exercise amount.
Write down 3-5 activities that you are not doing on a regular basis, but which seem more like a fun or productive activity than like work. Anything that gets you moving around for at least 20 minutes will work. Some examples are window shopping, gardening, or even washing your car.
Consider what "traditional" exercise activities you are willing to try. While running, swimming, and lifting weights don't have to be part of the equation, all of these activities have more simple counterparts that are also beneficial.
For example running could mean taking a walk with your spouse and children after dinner. Swimming could equal a few games of bowling or golf each week. Lifting weights could mean spending time taking wheelbarrows full of mulch to different parts of the garden.
Set realistic goals, and commit to sticking with them. If you only have 20 minutes free in the early morning, then setting a goal to jog for half an hour every night is not realistic. Realistic goals set you up to succeed, and are an important part of any new undertaking.
In general, you should aim for trying to have 20 minutes of time 3-5 days per week, but if you have more, then use it.
Review the activity lists you've made and choose two weeks of activities that will add up to at least 6 20 minute blocks. If you know that you'll be going to a flea market for a few hours this weekend, or are already scheduled to play a round of golf, that's fine, count this time on your list.
For the next two weeks, keep track of how much time you're spending doing the activities you chose. You might be surprised at the results!
At the end of the two weeks, plan another two week block of activities. Try to incorporate at least one new activity that you'd like to try and then continue this process until you have developed a good balance of activities you actually enjoy. This will keep you motivated to keep going and lose the weight you have always wanted.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
2:54 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
The DASH Diet
Many people who are overweight also have high blood pressure. We've talked about certain ways to lower your high blood pressure and become more healthy, but here is a way that was developed by the National Institute of Health in coordination with researchers from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The DASH diet refers to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It represents, in their opinion, the most effective and most researched guide to dietary changes that will lower your blood pressure.
The mainstay of the DASH diet is a well rounded distribution of foods that focus on where your calories actually come from. The breakdown works as follows:
Total fat: 27% of calories
Saturated fat: 6% of calories
Protein: 18% of calories
Carbohydrate: 55% of calories
Cholesterol: 150 mg
Sodium: 2,300 mg
Potassium: 4,700 mg
Calcium: 1,250 mg
Magnesium: 500 mg
Fiber: 30 g
These guidelines represent a well balanced intake of fats, carbohydrates, and protein:
Grains: 8 Servings
Vegetables: 4 Servings
Fruits: 5 Servings
Dairy Foods: 3 Servings
Meats, Poultry, & Fish: 2 Servings
Nuts, Legumes, & Seeds: 1 Servings
Fats & Oils 2.5: Servings
Changes should be gradual though. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, should be the center of a healthy meal. You should work on increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables as well as minimizing the consumption of fats and sodium.
This will of course not only lower your high blood pressure, but there is no question that if you stick to the DASH diet you will also lose the weight, and that in itself can save your life.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
2:49 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
What is an egg substitute?
Egg Substitute is listed in many low fat or low cholesterol recipes as an alternative to whole eggs. Egg substitute looks a lot like beaten eggs, but what’s it made of?
Most egg substitute products—fresh, frozen or powdered—contain mostly egg whites, so if you have an egg allergy, these are not suitable as egg alternatives. Egg substitutes are an excellent alternative to eggs if you want to cut your intake of fat and cholesterol, which are concentrated in the egg’s yolk.
Although whole eggs are not especially high in fat, just 5 grams of total fat and less than 2 grams of saturated fat per egg, they are notoriously high in dietary cholesterol, containing more than two-thirds the daily recommended total. So multi-egg dishes such as omelets and frittatas, which often contain cheese or other high-fat, high-cholesterol ingredients, are good candidates for using egg substitute.
Egg substitute products such as Egg Beaters brand, contain 99 percent egg whites.
The other one percent comprises undefined “natural flavor,” coloring, spices, salt, onion powder, xanthan gum and guar gum. Many nutrients are added to make up for the ones lost from the yolk, so egg substitute will usually contain varying amounts of iron, zinc, folate, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamins A, E, B6 and B12, and have an equivalent amount of protein as whole eggs. While some brands, like Egg Beaters, contain no fat or cholesterol, others use vegetable oil as an ingredient, which adds to the fat content again—though the fat is largely unsaturated.
Check the label on the egg-substitute product to see if it’s low enough in fat, and also to see whether the egg substitute is suitable for all your needs. Some egg-substitute products are great for adding leavening qualities to baked goods, but unless the egg-substitute also contains added lecithin, which is normally found in egg yolks, it can't act as a thickener. This also makes egg substitute unsuitable for custards. In these cases, it's wiser to replace some rather than all whole eggs if you need to lower the fat and cholesterol content of a recipe. Powdered egg substitute may work very nicely in baking but not at all in scrambled eggs. If you need an egg-free alternative for this, then tofu would be your best bet.
Egg to Liquid Egg Substitute Conversion:
1 egg = 1/4 cup egg substitute
2 eggs = 1/2 cup egg substitute
4 eggs = 1 cup egg substitute
8 eggs = 1 pint carton egg substitute
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
2:34 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Since Easter is fast approaching us, I am winding down the Easter recipe of the day. Before you start cooking however, make sure you look at this fabulous Easter dessert that can add many oohs and aahs to your dinner.
Banana Cake
This low-fat banana cake is an indulgent treat, but with very little saturated fat, you shouldn't feel too guilty. But if you prefer to omit the frosting, that's just fine.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/4 cup canola oil
3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
.
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup light tub cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
PREPARATION:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat inside of 9-inch cake round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Place brown sugar, egg in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy.
Sponsored Links
Weight Watchers Recipes
Find 100's of delicious & healthy recipes. Official Site - Go Now!
www.WeightWatchers.com
Laura's Lean Beef recipes
Delicious low-fat beef recipes from Laura's Lean Beef
www.laurasleanbeef.com
Low Fat Diet Recipes
Try a variety of delicious recipes aimed at helping you lose weight.
www.JennyCraig.com
Add oil, milk, mashed banana and vanilla extract and mix until well blended. Gradually mix in flour mixture until just moist.
Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
For the frosting, place sugar, cream cheese and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread frosting on top of cooled cake.
Cake serves 12.
Per slice: Calories 305, Calories from Fat 62, Total Fat 6.6g, (sat 1.4g), Cholesterol 22mg, Sodium 234mg, Carbohydrate 56.5g, Fiber 1.2g, Protein 4.3g
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
2:21 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Fitness Gifts
If you have happened upon this blog because you have decided to give someone the gift of fitness, here are 5 ways you can do that. If you are looking for something to get for yourself, you are also in the right place. If you or someone you know is looking to make a positive lifestyle change then giving a gift of fitness can be an excellent way to do it.
- Gift certificate for healthy activities - Gift certificates have become "in" again when it comes to giving gifts. It doesn't have to be expensive, maybe just one or two fitness classes, a little bit towards exercise equipment, and other activities such as a day of rock climbing or a swimming class. They give the person a little versatility in their exercise routine, and may get them motivated to find something new to try!
- Fitness tools - Maybe you have a friend who just started walking, you can get them a pedometer, a heart rate monitor, or a biofeedback device. They enable the person to check their progress, and monitor how they improve. Make sure you get a good model that you have researched. You don't want to get them a dud gift.
- Fitness apparel - The fact of the matter is, when you look good you feel good. Who wants to work out in the same sweats day after day? Get them a new pair of fitness shoes, or brand new top of the line athletic apparel. The workout suits that are on the market now are sleek and beautiful and can really add a little zing to their workout.
- Personal training sessions - This is a great gift for the beginning exerciser. Just a few sessions won't cost too much and they will get an idea of where they need to start, and what kind of exercise will help them with their particular weight loss challenge. It helps them to start a routine, and really motivates them to get going.
- Gym membership - Many people want a gym membership, but don't often have the money to buy it. Also, they may have the money but may be scared that they won't use it so it may not be worth it. However, if you give it as a gift they will feel like they can go on their time, and they won't worry that they aren't using it enough. Chances are they will feel more comfortable and go more often! It is even better if you get one for yourself and one for them - that way you both can go and workout together.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:46 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
What Is The Best Terrain To Run On?
If you run or jog on a regular basis, then you already know that it helps you to lose weight and get in shape. You've probably put a lot of thought into the type of shoes you wear, and what your maximum heart rate should be. But have you thought about what kind of terrain you should run on?
Many people simply run on whatever is available to them. This may actually cause you more problems then it is worth. If your feet (and knees, ankles, and legs) are hitting the wrong terrain over a long period of time then you may be doing more damage to yourself then you think.
Here is the terrain you SHOULD run on:
- Asphalt - One of the most giving terrains, it absorbs well and it is level. You don't have to worry about twisting your ankle or hurting your knees.
- Grass - It is thick and matted and it also absorbs much of the impact from your foot striking the ground. Be aware of the dips and holes, as well as the morning or evening dew so that it doesn't get too slippery.
- Sand - Not only does running on sand burn a lot of calories, it gives as much as asphalt with the benefit of being a little harder so that you get your heart rate up higher. You should run closer to the ocean where it is flat and wet, and you should avoid the sloping shoreline to avoid hurting your knees.
Here are areas in which you should avoid:
- Concrete - One of the worse terrains you can run on, it should be completely avoided. It can cause joint and ligament pains because of the fact that the stone is so hard and unforgiving on your body. It returns all the force you hit it with and your body shouldn't take that much stress. It will eventually cause you fractures, sprains, and strains that you really don't need.
- Dirt - Although it seems to give more than concrete, dirt has many uneven areas. It also has holes, and rocks that can cause you to fall or twist an ankle without any warning.
You should find an area to run that you are comfortable with, know well, and will treat your body as well as you do. You should have good running shoes as well to alleviate any other stresses on your body.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:31 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
How To Breathe During Exercise
Breathing is actually one of the most important parts about exercise. Granted, breathing alone won't get you to lose weight - otherwise we would all be 100 pounds - but if you don't breathe right then you won't be able to work out as long or to the extent we need to, to get maximum results. Breathing correctly will help you feel good during your exercise routine, and it won't seem as difficult. Also, it helps to ignite the burning of the fat.
During the exertion or effort phase of exercise you should breathe out. For example - if you are doing an abdominal crunch you should breath out when lifting the weight or your head. It helps to contract the muscles and bring them in, giving you a tighter crunch then if you were breathing in.
The more rigorous the activity, the more often you need to breathe in and out in a steady pattern. You should always get into a regular rhythm and keep it constant so that you can supply your body with the right amount of oxygen. It also gives you something to focus on, other than the exercise.
Each exercise has a pattern that you will naturally get in to. You have to find that pattern and stick with it. It usually will feel very natural to you so that you don't feel like you are forcing the breathing. You should never hold your breathe, even during strength training, which some people commonly do. When you are bearing down during lifting weights and you hold your breath it can raise your blood pressure significantly. You can also reduce your blood flow in your brain and increase pressure in your chest.
Pay attention to your body and listen to how it feels during breathing and most likely you will find yourself breathing deeper and deeper, which is what you want to be doing.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:20 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Here is another great side dish to add to your low-fat Easter dinner!
Roasted Vegetables With Basil
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup fresh parsley
3 tbsp grated parmesan
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 cups broccoli florets
2 cups fresh mushrooms chopped in quarters
1 cup green beans, cut in pieces
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pimentos or chopped red pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Chop basil, parsley, parmesan cheese, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper together. Use food processor if possible. Add broth and mix well. Spray 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Put chopped vegetables (all but pimentos) in large bowl and toss with basil mixture. Put on pan and cover with foil. Bake 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle with pimentos.
PER SERVING: 55 Calories, 1.1 g Fat, 3.3 g Fiber, 5 g Protein,
287 mg Sodium, 8 g Carbohydrates
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:18 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Fad Diets
A fad is something that will eventually end. You see it in the clothes in magazines and even diets. It is simply anything popular at any given time. There are many fad diets that are available to you - The South Beach Diet, The Atkins Diet, and The Zone Diet just to name a few.
Each has very healthy recommendations, but each contain their own disadvantages. One of the biggest disadvantages is that they are often so strict that once you end the diet you will most likely gain back all your weight, and possibly more. It is extremely hard to follow these diets for the rest of your life because they often deprive you of something that you will eventually want.
If you do stay on it and lose the weight - then what? How can you continue keeping the weight off if you didn't actually learn to eat with moderation and not just eliminating food? These are not cures for obesity, they are temporary fixes that will end when you either get down to your goal weight, or just give up.
On the upside, they do offer you a quick and mostly healthy way to lose weight. Just keep in mind that you will have to either continue it for good, or be willing to start another fad diet when you gain the weight back.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
11:52 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
The McDonald's Diet??
It's true, people are following what they call "The McDonald's Diet". Just think back to Jared, the guy who did the Subway diet. He must have started the fad because now everywhere I look, on the diet forums, and even in the newspaper, people talk about this diet. It may be because of the award winning documentary called "Super Size Me" where Morgan Spurlock spend 30 days eating only McDonald's and ended up gaining 30 pounds. Well, with every negative there is a positive I suppose, and people found it.
McDonald's has been really trying to get their act together and offer some very healthy food as opposed to the fat laden burgers they used to just serve. Now, they have the California Cobb Salad, the yogurt parfait, the Asian Salad, and the fruit and walnut salad, just to name a few. They have also gotten rid of a lot of their trans-fats found in the fries and burgers. This all means that it is actually somewhat healthy to eat there - if you know what to eat!
Check out the nutritional database on Hungeraway (the link is on the sidebar). If you type in McDonald's it will give you a detailed list of what you can get that is within your calorie, fat, and carb range. It really is amazing all the food you can get for under 300 calories, and there are complete meals under 500 calories! If you are on a 1500 calorie a day diet, then you could conceivably eat there 3 times a day (and even 2 snacks if you do it right) and still lose the weight you want!
Just remember to keep it healthy. The occasional Big Mac IS okay, if it is only occasional. Try to stick to the salads with the low-fat dressing and no croutons, or pick up a healthy fruit salad. You can even mix this with a regular cheeseburger and still be under 500 calories. It's all about the options available to you. You will still lose weight, and you won't feel like you're dieting at all!
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
11:42 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Lose The Salt, Lose The Pounds
If you have certain health issues such as high blood pressure, or heart disease then you definitely need to monitor your sodium intake, but it can also help you to lose weight as well as become healthier.
Water retention is a big reason that you are heavier in the evening then in the morning. Right now you can be carrying as much as 3 pounds (but most likely more) of just water weight due to excess sodium. Just by getting rid of the extra water weight you will automatically drop a few pounds, and it will help you to look less swollen and puffy. It takes a few days after you start lowering your salt intake but after about 3 to 5 days you will visibly see the difference.
Also, many of the high sodium foods also contain a higher fat content then other foods. If you eliminate them strictly on the basis that they contain a lot of salt, it can also be a way to lose weight because you are eliminating the fat. Foods such as:
- Salty chips
- Salty crackers
- Salty nuts
- Salty pickles
- Salty bacon
Not only do these all contribute to false weight, but none of these is particularly healthy for you, except for the nuts, but only in moderation. Unsalted nuts are obviously the best choice for you though.
By ditching these foods you aren't all of a sudden going to become thin, but you will definitely see the difference in your scale and your clothes. Plus it gives you the motivation to get rid of the other junk food!
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
11:21 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Another great Easter dinner recipe! Again, all week we will be giving you ideas on what you can have ready for your family after the Easter egg hunt! Asparagus is in great supply around spring time so it is the perfect time to make a simple, creamy, smooth, and low-fat asparagus soup. You can save a lot of calories using sour cream instead of heavy cream, and it tastes absolutely delicious. Don't forget to break off the ends of asparagus spears before preparing them for the salad though.
Asparagus Soup
INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 pounds asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 leeks, chopped (white part only)
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 1/2 cups fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
PREPARATION:
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add asparagus, onion, celery, leeks and potato, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth and simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are softened.
Transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth.
You may need to do this in two stages. Return soup to Dutch oven, add sour cream and stir on low heat until blended.
Serves 6
Per Serving Calories 102, Calories from Fat 16, Total Fat 1.8g (sat 0.3g), Cholesterol 2mg, Sodium 376mg, Carbohydrate 16.8g, Fiber 3.8g, Protein 4.8g
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
11:17 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
The 7 Minute Butt Makeover
Women especially view their butt as the hardest part of their body to get in shape, but yet it is what almost every man stares at and what every woman wants. So, that means that eventually if you want to feel great about yourself and your body then you'll have to learn the butt makeover. It is funny to even think about it, but if you really admit it to yourself, you want a great butt too! Here are 3 great exercise that you can do to get your butt toned and looks like it got a lift:
1. Extension Step Ups - Grasp a pair of dumbbells by your sides with palms facing the side of your body. Stand behind a 6- to 12-inch high step (normally used in aerobic step classes but you can purchase one in any sporting-goods store) and keep your arms straight. Step onto the middle of the step with your right foot and then lift your left knee high (to hip height), step down with your left foot, then repeat on the right side. This is a great one, and you’ll really feel it. Perform 20 repetitions for each side of the body, and when finished immediately go to the next exercise
2. Walking Lunges - Stand with your feet hips-width apart, grasp a pair of dumbbells with your arms straight at your sides, palms in. Take a large step forward and lower your body so that your front knee lines up with your ankle. The back knee is almost touching the floor. Push off with your back foot and take a large step forward with your other foot. Walk lunge 15 steps and then turn around and return to the start using the same form. You should contract your glutes on the lowering of each movement. Just think of these as continuous giant steps while lowering the body. When finished, go directly to the next movement.
3. Bent Leg Reverse Kick-Up - Start this exercise on your hands and knees on a mat. Raise your left leg up until it is parallel with the floor with a slight bend in the knee. Support your weight with your arms and right leg. While contracting the butt, lift your left leg up and toward the ceiling, maintaining a bend in the knee. Slowly return to the starting position. After completing the set on the left side, repeat on the right side. To increase the difficulty, you may want to add an ankle weight to the working leg. Perform 20 reps each side and when finished, immediately begin again with the first exercise.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:56 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
How Much Fat Should You Eat?
The government's new dietary guidelines, published in January 2005, have clear recommendations about how much fat and what kind of fats we should consume. If you are presently on a low-fat diet then you should take this into consideration the next time you plan your daily meals.
- Total fat intake should be between 20 and 35 percent of total calories.
- Less than 10 percent of calories should come from saturated fats, such as those found in animal products. The American Heart Association recommends we consume less than 7 percent of calories from saturated fat.
- Most fat should come from monounsaturated or polyunsaturated sources (fish, nuts, canola and olive oils and spreads.
- We should keep consumption of trans fats as low as possible (anything that says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated on the label).
- The American Heart Association recommends a trans-fat intake of less than 1 percent.
- We should consume less than 300mg of cholesterol a day
- Meat, poultry and dairy selections should be lean, low fat or fat free.
- We should consume no more than 6 teaspoons of oils a day (cooking oils, and those in salad dressings and mayonnaise).
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:52 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Butter Vs. Margarine
A lot of people when going on a low-fat diet think that they need to cut out butter from their diet, but it really is okay to use butter or margarine. The question becomes is one healthier than the other? Both are about 35 calories and 4 grams of fat per teaspoon but that is where the similarities end.
Butter is an animal product that is high in artery clogging saturated fat as well as dietary cholesterol. It increases our risk of heart disease and stroke, and there is also concern about butter containing traces of hormones and antibiotics fed to animals. On the positive side, butter is a good source of Vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Margarine is made from vegetable oil but is low in saturated fat and has no dietary cholesterol at all. The liquid vegetable oil though is hardened through hydrogenation and is high in trans fat which we have all been told to stay away from.
There is no question that trans fats are worse than saturated fats, so the answer is that you should be using butter for the better overall health benefits. That is not to say that you should slather it on. In fact, there are so many light spreads and margarine's that are on the market that contain no trans-fat. They also contain plant sterols and stanols that block the absorption of cholesterol, making them healthier alternatives.
It just takes a little research and a bit of time in the butter aisle at your grocery store, but you can find healthy butter that you can add back into your diet for the taste you love.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:37 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
As long as we're getting ready for Easter, you don't want to miss this great recipe! It goes along perfectly with the appetizer from yesterday. It's simple and is as much a part of Easter as Turkey is to Thanksgiving. Ham has always been the main staple at most Easter meals, so go ahead and enjoy it, just make sure you cut off the fat to keep it as lean as possible.
Honey Glazed Ham
INGREDIENTS:
5-pound fully cooked whole boneless ham
1 cup of honey
3 tbsp orange juice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Place ham flat side down on a rack in a shallow roasting pan; bake uncovered for 1 1/4 hours, or until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 140 degrees (about 15-18 minutes per pound).
For the glaze, combine honey, orange juice, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl, stirring well.
Brush ham with glaze after 45 minutes’ baking time.
Baste frequently until done.
Serves 16-20
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:33 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Monday, April 2, 2007
Pedometers Motivate You
It is amazing how a little box with numbers on it really can change how you look at walking, but pedometers really do that for you! Not only do you get to see how many steps you are walking, but you actually get the feeling that you want to park the car just a little further away, or take the stairs just to see how many steps you can accomplish.
Most agree that you must take at least 6000 steps to maintain weight loss, and at least 10,000 per day to lose weight. This may seem like an overwhelming number but this includes the steps from your desk to the bathroom, steps to take the garbage out, steps to go get the mail... anytime you walk anywhere! It isn't that hard to do, but you may be surprised at how little you walk until you have something tell you the actual number.
Pedometers have come a long way in measuring correct strides and steps. It used to be that they just couldn't match everyone because of how differently we all walk, but now they are much more technologically advanced. Some models even calculate calories burned and have a stop watch feature for the longer walks or runs.
You'll even be surprised at how quickly you forget its there, because they are lightweight and comfortable to use. You'll start finding yourself strolling at lunch for no reason at all, or taking an evening walk with the kids. Before you know it, you'll be getting in 10,000 steps before dinner.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:33 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Exercise Your Chest
Men, if you're reading this, it doesn't refer to your chest - this is just for the ladies!
Most women at some point reach a time when the breast area starts to sag. We've all heard the jokes about how our breasts will be down to our knees, but is this really true? Unfortunately yes, they do tend to sag as we age. This can be due to breast feeding or a large amount of weight gain and then hopefully the weight loss that follows it. When you lose a large amount of weight the skin continues to sag making your breasts look a little more unattractive.
Breast tissue unfortunately can't be tightened, it is the way it is, but the chest muscles can be which will actually give your breasts a lift. Granted, you won't look like you've had plastic surgery but it will give you a renewed look to your breasts and give you a better feeling about them.
The best method for changes in body composition is a combination of efficient nutrition, including plenty of water, weight training and cardio. Then specifically you can work the surrounding muscles around your breasts by doing exercises that are designed for the upper chest. Two very specific muscles that work this area are:
Dumbbell incline press
Dumbbell incline flys
Both of these create the look of a "life" of the upper chest. You are sculpting your muscles to move up and out so that essentially you are giving yourself your own breast enhancement at home. It should be done 3 to 4 times a week with a set of either 2 or 3 reps of 15 to get the maximum results.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:17 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Exercise That Makes You Feel Sexy
Working out is most often described as boring. Most people do not like exercise, that is just a fact. Unfortunately if you are trying to lose weight then it is something you absolutely must do. So, how do you combine exercise with having fun?
Why don't you try exercises that make you feel sexy? Instead of the regular walking or other cardiovascular workout, you can try these exercises that also work your heart rate and muscles but give a little zing to your daily routine. Not only will they help you to lose weight but they also give a little variety to your workouts which might just inspire you to try something new. Plus, it might bring you and your significant other just a little closer :)
Belly Dancing
This is one of the most popular newer workouts, although belly dancing itself has been around forever. It is full of sexy but constant movements that make you feel sexy while teaching you how to breath with your diaphragm, working your hips like they've never been moved before, and tightening those abdominal muscles till they look like that of a professional belly dancer. Who could ask for more?
Cardio Strip Tease
This class is raising eyebrows and leading many women on a path of discovering just how wonderful and sexy they actually are, no matter how much they weigh. What you get is a low impact, total body workout with slow and sensual movements commonly associated with the local strip club. Don't worry though, you won't have to have men throwing dollar bills at you, you are simply losing the stubborn body fat that you have grown to hate. In fact, a 135-pound woman can burn 400-500 calories in one hour with this program. If you feel you are a bit too inhibited to join a classroom full of women, there is a Cardio Strip Tease video series, which allows you to burn fat in the comfort of your home.
Belly Fusion
This new and exciting class combines modern dance movements with belly dancing. The class is intended to tighten the waist, hips and abs by combining modern dance with sexy belly dancing movements. The dance moves improve your balance and coordination and the belly dancing release your sensuality. In a series of invigorating moves, you’ll blend total-body muscle tightening exercises, body consciousness, female power and dance energy.
Pole Dancing
You've probably seen this, but might not have believed it, but it is true. For 60-90 minutes, women are increasing strength, burning calories, improving coordination and experiencing just how sexy they can be. The classes are intended to help women feel sexy and confident, without relying on anyone else to make them feel that way. As an added bonus, participants get in great shape, lose fat and feel amazingly empowered.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:06 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
With Easter coming up this Sunday I'll be giving you recipes that your whole family can enjoy this holiday. Not only are they low in fat and calories, but they are much more fun then the regular Ham and veggies! Here is a great appetizer that you can serve while everyone is arriving.
Deviled Eggs
Making deviled eggs is a great way to use up hard cooked eggs from your Easter egg hunt. Even if you are on a low fat diet, eating eggs occasionally is fine. You could reduce the fat and cholesterol count further by tossing some of the yolks and replacing them with low fat cottage cheese.
INGREDIENTS:
12 hard-cooked eggs
1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp scallions, finely chopped
1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
Paprika
PREPARATION:
Cut cooked eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop out yolks and place them in a bowl. Mash the egg yolks with a fork; add mayonnaise, mustard and scallions. Mix well. Spoon yolk mixture into egg halves. If you have a pastry bag with a star-shaped tip, you could pipe the yolks into the whites.
Top with chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Sprinkle with a little paprika before serving if you like.
24 Servings
Per Serving: Calories 36, Calories from Fat 22, Total Fat 2.5g (sat fat 0.8g), Cholesterol 105mg, Sodium 41mg, Carbohydrate 0.3g, Fiber 0g, Protein 3.1g
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
5:02 AM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Motivation Time!
Whether you have been losing weight for 3 days, 30 days, or even 3 years you will at some point in time need some motivation to keep going. Usually the motivation comes in the form of the looks you are getting from other people, or the fact that you can continually buy clothes that are smaller and smaller. If for some reason that is not working then here are some more motivation tips for you.
You have to look at the positive strides you have made, not the negative ones. Just because you screwed up while you on vacation and at too much, or went to the movies and had the buttered popcorn, doesn't mean you have to give up completely. It is easy to focus on the negative but try to see the positives such as the salad you had for lunch or the 2 weeks that you didn't eat more than the goal of 1500 calories you at. Or maybe you just walked 1 more mile then you usually do - look at what you have accomplished rather than what you didn't. Here are even more motivational tips that should keep you going!
- If you don't reach a goal when you want, just focus on the fact that you will get there in time
- Remember how far you've got not how far you need to go
- If you miss a workout one day don't worry, just add a day that you usually don't exercise
- Remind yourself that a worthwhile pay-off lies ahead as you get healthier and more in shape
- Remember that the exercise is improving your health and fitness and will help increase your life span
- Remember exercise has many psychological benefits including renewed confidence and self esteem
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
9:07 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Healthy Lunches
At some point on your diet you are going to be getting sick of the same old salad and fruit that you probably eat everyday for lunch. If you get bored with the food that you eat to lose weight, then you might give up on your diet. Since you definitely want to keep it going, you might as well add a little variety to your lunches. Here are 10 very healthy and easy to make lunches that will help you to curb your boredom and actually making eating while on a diet fun!
Each of these sandwiches can easily be put into a whole wheat pita pocket or tortilla for easy transportation to work, and a fun new way to eat it. Some you can easily scoop into a storage container and add a fresh salad on the side. They stay fresher in a lunch bag and have fewer calories and fat grams then regular bread. Plus, by using whole grain you can get the fiber that your body needs to loss the weight that you want.
1. Chicken Salad – start with diced cooked chicken, add low-fat or fat-free mayo, finely minced celery, green pepper and several minced sweet pickles.
2. Chicken Salad #2 - take diced chicken, add several dollops of plain yogurt and mix in a diced apple or several tablespoons of crushed pineapple.
3. Chickpea Salad – drain a can of chickpeas and mash well with a fork. Add mayonnaise, garlic salt, parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
4. Tofu Salad – drain one pound of tofu and crumble in a bowl. Add Adobo, garlic salt and parsley and a minced green or red pepper. Add one squirt of mustard and several tablespoons of mayo. Mix well and serve.
5. Ham Salad – use diced or ground low-fat ham, add finely minced celery, some dried parsley, a teaspoonful of horseradish sauce and several tablespoons of fat-free mayo. Serve with Swiss cheese.
6. Egg Salad – Chop several hard boiled eggs. Add finely chopped celery, scallions, a squirt of mustard and several spoonfuls of fat free mayonnaise. Season with salt, pepper and a bit of dill weed.
7. Seafood Salad – take one drained can of tuna in water or crab meat, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, a handful of minced celery and grated carrot, several dollops of fat-free mayo, salt and pepper.
8. Tuna Salad – use one can of tuna in water, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, some finely minced celery and green pepper, 2 tablespoons of low-fat mayo and dried parsley.
9. Cottage Cheese Salad – 1 cup of cottage cheese, add minced celery, green pepper and grated carrot. Season with Adobo and dried parsley.
10. Fruit Salad - Here’s a super way to use up fruit past its prime: chop apples, pears, grapes—or any other fruit—add several dollops of vanilla or plain yogurt and several tablespoons of your favorite nuts, such as chopped walnuts or almonds. A tablespoon or two of coconut makes a flavorful addition also.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:56 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Recipe Of The Day
Since the below post contains healthy snacks that you can and should eat to keep your diet on track without the deprivation of missing the foods you love, we thought we'd start you off with a fabulous recipe. Everyone loves to snack on chips and bean dip but it is just too fattening and too high in calories. So, here is a low-fat 7 layer taco dip that is perfect for a evening with the family, or a girls night in without worrying that you are breaking your diet.
Ingredients:
1 cup fat free refried beans
1 pint fat free sour cream
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 package taco seasoning
5 green onions, chopped
12 ounces package fat free mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup shredded lettuce
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 bag fat free nacho chips
Salsa
Directions:
Spread refried beans on bottom of 8 inch square baking dish. In medium bowl, mix sour cream and garlic with taco seasoning. Spread sour cream mixture on top of beans. Sprinkle onions on top of sour cream mixture. In large bowl, toss cheese, lettuce and tomatoes together. Sprinkle over onions. Chill for one hour. Serve with nacho chips and salsa.
Calories 103 Fat 0.7 g Fiber 1 g.
This recipe for 7 Layer Taco Dip serves 8
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:52 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
Healthy Snacking
When dieting junk food has given snacking a bad name, but it sure doesn't have to be that way. Snacking is part of life, and should actually be part of your diet, as long as it is done properly - with the right types of snacks. While you're on a diet you should be eating 6 smaller meals per day instead of 3 large ones, and snacks make up 3 of those meals, so you might as well know what is the best for you so you are not ruining your diet. Here are several snacks that are healthy for you and should be added into your daily eating plan:
Popcorn - The fat in those microwave brands is the only negative here. Look for the healthier versions such as popcorn that is 98% fat-free. If you opt for plain popcorn, it's OK to drizzle a little margarine (one with no trans-fats) or butter.
Fruit and fruit smoothies - This is a great snack choice, especially if you use the fruit in the smoothies. The dairy will help you feel fuller and you'll get all the nutrients you need without the fat.
Ice cream - Ice cream isn't an everyday snack but there are good choices. Breyer's Light Vanilla is one of the best tasting vanillas without too many calories as long as you stick to the serving size which is about 1/2 cup. Also, Smart Ones fudge bars are delicious, and they take care of your chocolate and ice cream craving, plus they have four grams soluble fiber, 80 calories, hardly any fat.
Cheese and crackers - This is a great snack, especially if you have Diabetes. Choose a cracker such as low-fat wheat thins or something that has fiber in it, as well as whole grain, and add low-fat or reduced-fat cheese. Lower fat means more protein.
Cereals - Choose high-fiber, low-sugar cereals like oatmeal.
Yogurt/frozen yogurt - Yogurt doesn't need sugar to taste good. Buy plain yogurt and add something to it, like low-fat granola and fruit, for a truly healthy snack.
Popsicles/frozen fruit bars - There are some excellent, 100% fruit-juice choices out there such as Edy's no sugar added popsicles.
Vegetables - A healthy, easy to take with you snack. They are especially tasty with a low-fat dressing such as ranch to dip it in.
Nacho platter - This isn't a joke, you can make some very healthy nachos with reduced-fat tortilla chips, fat-free vegetarian refried beans, chopped tomatoes, peppers, sour cream, shredded chicken, low-fat shredded cheese.
Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway ::
8:39 PM ::
0 comments
Post / Read Comments
---------------oOo---------------
