HoodiaPharm HungerAway
Friday, November 30, 2007 Understanding Your Cravings

Food cravings are a common occurrence among all of us, but is it all in the mind or is there some reason for the craving sensation? Cravings can be defined as the intense longing for a particular type of food and are something that more than 60% of the population have had. Are these “all in the head” or is there some explanation to why we crave?

It may be that some cravings are related to nutrition. This is certainly true when it comes to carbohydrates and low blood sugar. Low blood sugar can affect appetite fairly quickly, leaving you hungry and craving carbohydrate type foods. This doesn’t explain cravings for high fat sugary foods in place of carbohydrates such as pasta or potatoes.

It is likely that the craving for high fat, sugary foods is due to the ease in which we can digest them. Fat helps carry flavor which is why high fat foods taste good. Sweetness is a flavor that humans were born liking, while other flavors are acquired.

Food cravings are also common in dieters. Diets often focus on deprivation of certain foods and cravings for “forbidden” foods become strong, particularly because the food is labeled as “forbidden. When resistance to temptation gives way, guilt more than often follows. To avoid this situation, don’t label foods. Look for smart alternatives. For example, when craving fries, don’t go for fast food, buy a packet of oven bake low fat fries and have a small portion.

The trick is not to beat the cravings, but to go with it in a more healthy way. Saying no when you really feel like something is likely to resolve in a binge later on. A good tip is to wait 20 minuets. If you’re still having a craving, allow yourself to have a small portion. For example, a mini candy bar rather than a giant one. This will give you a taste without going overboard on fat and calories. Another tip is to find a healthier alternative for your craving. Feel like something crunchy and salty? Instead of chips, go for a small handful of pretzels. Although these are still high in salt, they are low in fat.

Watching your portion size and swapping choices will allow a little taste without going overboard.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 5:37 AM :: 0 comments

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Easy Ways To Cut Calories

It's tough not to gain weight during the holidays. But if you take a closer look at everything you eat, you may find some hidden calories you can painlessly trim from your diet to balance out that extra-large slice of pie.

Think of your normal diet as your daily calorie "bank" from which you can borrow a few hundred calories. For instance, if you are in the habit of having a couple of cans of soda each day, switch to a diet beverage or water. Each 12-ounce can of regular soda pop contains about 150 calories. Two of those per day add up to 2,100 calories in one week. Some sandwich spreads or salad dressings can tally up hundreds of calories every day.

Other places where calories tend to tally up include condiments, spreads, and snack foods. Trimming even a few calories here and there ultimately leads to big savings. For example, using one spoon of sugar in your coffee instead of two eventually adds up.

Fruits are often recommended as substitutes for candy to fill cravings for sweets, and for a good reason: they're mostly water. But watch out for dried fruits - although virtually fat-free, they are concentrated and can be rich in calories.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 5:22 AM :: 0 comments

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Celebrate the Seasonings not the Seasons

What’s the most popular trio during the holiday season? It's cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg - the spices make more appearances than Santa this time of year! Of course you’ve used them to perk up pumpkin pie, give gusto to gingerbread and add excitement to your eggnog, but did you know these fragrant seasonings can help your weight-loss efforts?

Thrill your taste buds by substituting these spices where you’d normally use sugar, honey and even butter. You'll save big on calories and fat! Plus, cinnamon and ginger offer some noteworthy health benefits:

A dusting of cinnamon might do more than contribute spicy-sweet flavor to foods. According to some research it’s also been shown to inhibit bacteria that cause food poisoning.

Ginger is a staple in Asian cooking, but it’s been used to avoid digestive problems in the East for more than 2,500 years. Lately, it’s been gaining popularity for soothing the symptoms of arthritis, too. However, ginger is best known for its effectiveness in easing the wooziness, nausea and vomiting that accompanies motion sickness.

There’s a whole world of exciting ways to use these three tasty flavor enhancers. Here are some of our favorites. Get creative and you’ll save 15 calories for each teaspoon of sugar that you would have used.

Cinnamon. Stir some cinnamon into hot cocoa, toss it with chopped mango and dried cranberries for a fish or pork accompaniment, sprinkle a teaspoon on a baked sweet potato and mix it into vanilla frozen yogurt to impart festive flair.

Ginger. Add ginger to a shrimp stir-fry, sprinkle it on grilled swordfish, blend some into hot tea, mix with French vanilla pudding and use it to season steamed bok choy and broccoli for a sprightly, pungent flavor.

Nutmeg. Combine nutmeg with coffee grounds before brewing, stir it into vanilla yogurt, swirl some with hot oatmeal, incorporate it into hot rice with raisins, and sprinkle some on butternut squash for a nutty, comforting taste that perks things up with just a pinch.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 4:47 AM :: 0 comments

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Recipe of The Day

The Easiest Blackened Chicken

Chicken breasts simmered in Worcestershire sauce and a hearty dose of ground black pepper for extra heat.

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Calories: 171.07
Calories from Fat: N/A
Total Fat: 1.50 g
Saturated Fat: N/A
Cholesterol: N/A
Sodium: N/A
Total Carbohydrate: 12.04 g
Dietary Fiber: N/A
Sugars: N/A
Protein: 27.36 g
Vitamin A: N/A
Vitamin C: N/A

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Directions
1. In a large skillet combine the Worcestershire sauce and ground black pepper. Add the chicken and simmer over medium heat until the sauce begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn chicken occasionally, spooning sauce over it. The sauce will thicken. Let cool and serve.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 4:16 AM :: 0 comments

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Thursday, November 29, 2007 Ways To Stay Motivated

Sometimes we start losing weight, but we never finish. We ditch another diet. We throw in the towel on our exercise efforts. Maybe it's from outside pressure; sometimes we aren't ready to lose weight. Whatever the cause, it is not at all uncommon.

That doesn't mean you're destined for failure. Even if you've started and stopped 100times before, this time doesn't have to end the same way. By putting some important skills to use, you will find it a little easier to stick to your weight loss efforts than if you rely on sheer will alone.

Reward Yourself

One of the best ways to stay motivated throughout your weight loss journey is to reward yourself with non-food rewards that you will look forward to and enjoy.

It can be something tangible (a new book) or something intangible (no less important), such as a lazy Saturday of watching movies in bed.
By marking a goal - say, each five pound loss - you will begin to correlate reaching your goals with a pleasurable experience. When simply seeing the scale numbers change loses its "buzz," that special treat will keep you going.

Track Your Progress and Portions

Whether you keep a spreadsheet on your computer or simply jot down your stats in a notebook, keeping an eye on your progress will keep you motivated. You can track your weight, measurements, or BMI -- it is up to you. By looking back at how far you've come, you're less likely to revert to old habits.

Additionally, if you keep careful records, you will be able to catch slip-ups in your calorie counting or exercise habits that, left unchecked, could cause a major plateau or weight gain. Careful record-keeping includes closely monitoring portion sizes - what many say is the most important long-term weight management key. Overeating portions of even healthier foods can mean the difference between long-term weight loss success and eventual failure. Keeping a food diary is the best way to keep on top of what you're eating.

Master Emotional Eating

To achieve long-term weight loss success, you will have to come face-to-face with any emotional eating habits by asking some important questions: Do you overeat when you're angry? Do you splurge on an extra serving of dessert when you're feeling frustrated?

Being honest with yourself is the only way to get the true measure of your emotional eating triggers. Without facing them, you will always be less likely to be in control of your weight.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 8:54 AM :: 0 comments

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Melt Your Belly Before The Snow Comes

The stomach is a favorite storage place for fat. In fact, when your stomach has an overabundance of stored fat, it can look like the round belly of a snowman - especially the lower part where most of us really carry "the ball."

If you can relate, don't worry, there is some good news! If you work consistently and keep changing your ab exercise routine, you can melt that snowman stomach faster than you can imagine. Here are 3 exercises to start you off. But don't forget that, ideally, you would do a different routine on every ab workout day within a given week.

1. Lying Lower-Ab Lift Belly Melt (melts your lower-ab "pooch")

Position: Lie flat on your back, with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent.

Put your hands behind your head for support (not to use to pull you up).

Movement: Keeping your shoulders flat on the floor and lifting only your hip-butt area from the floor, flex your lower abs as hard as possible. (You can also flex your upper abs, too.) Return to start and repeat until you have done 15 repetitions. Without resting, move to the next exercise.

2. Lying Leg Raised Crunch Reach Belly Melt (melts fat off your upper abdominal area)

Position: Lying flat on the floor, raise your legs, keeping your knees very slightly bent.

Movement: Flexing your upper abdominal area as hard as possible as you go, extend your arms up keeping them at your sides - until your fingers reach your ankles at the sides of your body. Without resting, return to start and repeat until you have done 15 repetitions. Without resting, move to the next exercises.

3. Lying Upper-Lower Belly Melt (melts both upper and lower belly fat)

Position: Lie flat on your back, with your feet flat on the floor. Your knees should be bent, and your hands should be behind your head for support. Movement: Lift both your shoulders AND your hip-butt area off the floor, flexing both areas as hard as possible as you go. Return to start and repeat until you have done 15 repetitions.

Go back and do this sequence two more times

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:50 AM :: 0 comments

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The Holiday Weight Blues

The holidays are here, and in addition to decorating, shopping, singing carols and gift buying, people will be eating cookies, cakes, candy and other sugary snacks. The holidays mean many things to different people, but one common factor that binds people together is the way appetites seem to increase during this time of the year.

The time between now through January means one challenge after another for people trying to eat healthy, but there are steps everyone can take to avoid unwanted pounds.

This issue comes up every year. For many people, the holiday season turns into one big eating event and they can’t seem to stop. They say, 'oh well. It’s the holidays.'
By the end of January, people may find themselves unhappily weighing a few more pounds. It’s easier to gain weight than many people imagine. Five pounds is the equivalent of 17,500 extra calories, or about 290 calories a day. What can that mean in food consumed each day?

Two Christmas cookies
Two ounces of chocolate
Less than a cup of eggnog

If you are not careful, you will find yourself gaining those extra pounds without even realizing what has happened. But there are some things you can do to still enjoy the holidays without gorging yourself on the wrong foods.

What can you do to avoid weight gain during this time and help keep your cholesterol and blood pressure in line? The best tip is be selective in the parties you attend and what you eat once you’re there. You want to decide which events are essential. You have some you must attend and some that are not essential. Once you choose to go to a party here are a few suggested strategies.

First, if there is going to be a big buffet meal, plan to arrive a little later either to miss the dinner or have less time to graze.

If your holiday is not complete without a special item, make sure you have it. We don’t want you to go through the season feeling deprived or sad. When you go to an event, scope it out to make sure you select the high-calorie foods that are really most important to you.

Put a greater emphasis on the people in your life during the holidays. Socialize away from the buffet table. Just being within hand length of the goodies makes it harder to resist temptation.

Have your treats, but fill up on fruits and vegetables at the buffet. Also, if you have the opportunity to bring a dish to share, choose something light. You’ll be surprised how many people will appreciate it.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:15 AM :: 0 comments

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Recipe of The Day

Fresh Cranberry Salad

A sweet, sweet cranberry salad that everyone will think is dessert. Sugared cranberries are combined with crushed pineapple and miniature marshmallows and chilled overnight. Just before serving, this lovely concoction is folded into freshly whipped cream and sliced bananas.

Serves 7 to 8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes
Total time: 815 minutes
Calories: 461.84
Calories from Fat: N/A
Total Fat: 2.04 g
Saturated Fat: N/A
Cholesterol: N/A
Sodium: N/A
Total Carbohydrate: 109.54 g
Dietary Fiber: N/A
Sugars: N/A
Protein: 1.34 g
Vitamin A: N/A
Vitamin C: N/A

Ingredients
1 pound cranberries
8 ounces miniature marshmallows
2 cups white sugar
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 banana, sliced
1 cup unsweetened whipped cream

Directions
1. In a food processor or blender, coarsely grind the cranberries. Place ground cranberries in a large bowl and stir in the marshmallows, sugar and pineapple. Let mixture stand overnight in the refrigerator. Just before serving, stir in the sliced banana and whipped cream.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 6:44 AM :: 0 comments

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Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Becoming a 24 Hour Calorie Burning Machine

Muscle is the key to increasing your Fat burning when you are NOT exercising. The more muscle you have the higher your metabolism and the more you will burn after you are done exercising.

So how do you get more muscle. The most common way is lifting weights, but there are other ways. Another tool many people use is aerobic exercise. It is generally considered to be the fastest way to burn calories. Problem is, if you approach your cardio workout the way most people do (lower intensity for longer duration), your body will return to a normal rate burning fat very soon after you stop exercising.

To get the most out of a fat-loss exercise program, you need to increase your "after-burn." This refers to the calories you burn AFTER the exercise to replenish oxygen stores, remove lactic acid, reduce body temperature, and return to a normal resting state. And studies show that it is the intensity of your exercise that has the greatest impact on your after-burn.

Doing what is called Interval training helps do this as well. You exercise for more intense periods of time (NOT above your target heart rate) for shorter periods. By lifting weights as well you will increase the weight or resistance so you are fully exhausted before 10 reps. So if you find yourself able to do 11 reps, increase the weight. You can do periods of activity at a high level close together with periods of less exertion in between the high levels of exertion.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 8:52 AM :: 0 comments

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More Tips on Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

It's a fact of life, when the holiday season comes around, diets fly out the window. Typically, the average person gains around 7 - 10 pounds between Halloween and Christmas.

Want to avoid the holiday weight gain?

Remember, most traditional foods can be prepared in a healthy manner. Turkey is very lean without the skin, and gravy can be made without any fat. Potatoes that are served without butter can be very healthy. The beloved pumpkin pie is nutritious, but adding whipped cream can make this dessert stick.

During the holiday fun, don't forget about the exercise. Exercise can help keep of the holiday weight. Push comes to shove, try to walk off your meals. You should plan a walk after meals, park farther from stores when you shop, and take a few walks around the mall before you begin shopping.

During holiday parties and at family dinners, feel free to sample foods but try not to splurge. A good strategy is to decide on what you plan to eat in advance, then stick to your plan. Before hitting the dessert table, make sure you eat plenty of vegetables and slices of lean meats.

If at all possible, avoid alcoholic beverages. Drinks are high in calories and low in nutritional value. Also, having too many drinks can cripple your will power, and also add excess calories to your diet. In the place of alcohol, drink water with lemon. Water can help to limit your appetite and keep you from binging. Also make sure to avoid/limit eggnog, as each glass can have up to 300 calories.

Remember to be flexible with your healthy eating, one bad meal won't ruin your diet. Try to balance your calories over a few days and don't just look at one meal or day.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:10 AM :: 0 comments

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Recipe of The Day

SOLE with MUSHROOMS & ONIONS

Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Time-to-table: 40 minutes
Serves 4
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 4- to 6-ounce sole filets

¾ cup very finely chopped onion
4 ounces thinly sliced mushrooms
1 cup white wine (see TIPS)
¼ cup clam juice or chicken broth
Zest from 1 lemon
3 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, minced
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced
2 teaspoon fresh chive, minced
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 450F. Lightly butter or spray a baking dish large enough to arrange the fish in a single layer.

Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a broad dish. Dredge the filets in the flour mixture and arrange in the baking dish. Spread the onion, then mushrooms on top.

Mix wine, clam juice, zest and lemon juice in a small bowl, then pour over the fish. Top with herbs, then a twist or two of salt and pepper. Cover dish with foil.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Serving: 181 Cal (10% from Fat); 2g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 9g Carb; 1g Fiber; 428mg Sodium; 54mg Cholesterol;

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:01 AM :: 0 comments

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FAQ's About Weight Loss

If you're on a diet, or considering going on one, you're in luck. Here are ten of the most frequently asked questions about diets and weight loss:

1. How much should I weigh? Your doctor can answer that question most accurately. More important than how much you weigh is your body/mass index, which measures your height against your weight.

2. What's the best diet for losing weight? Any diet that provides all the nutrition that you need for health, and in addition, provides fewer calories than your body burns regularly.

3. How can I keep off the weight that I lose? If you lose weight gradually and re-educate both yourself and your body about food, you'll have a good start. The secret to keeping weight off is to balance your energy needs with your food intake. Eat enough calories to supply your body's energy needs, but not so many that your body stores the excess as fat.

4. What's the story with obesity and diabetes? Obesity increases the risks of a number of chronic health conditions, and diabetes is one of them. People who are more than ten percent overweight increase their risk of developing type 2 diabetes substantially.

5. How do I decrease my intake of sugar? Obviously, you can decrease your intake of sugar by cutting out sweets and refined snacks, but you should also watch out for 'hidden' sugars. Check ingredients. High fructose corn syrup and sucrose are both simple sugars that add lots of calories and little nutrition.

6. How often should I weigh myself? Most diet experts recommend that you weigh yourself no more than once a week. Some go so far as to tell you to throw out the scale entirely! A more accurate measure of your loss is your clothing size. If your clothing is feeling looser, you're doing great.

7. Do I really have to exercise? You don't HAVE to, but it will be a lot harder to lose weight if you don't. A half hour of moderate exercise daily is the minimum activity level for healthy weight loss. You can get it walking, running, cleaning your house - anything active burns calories.

8. What's a calorie? A calorie is a measure of energy. Foods are rated with calories based on the amount of energy they provide to the body when consumed.

9. Can I lose weight without changing my diet? Weight loss results when you burn more calories than you consume. If you only need to lose a small amount of weight and your diet is generally healthy, you can lose weight by increasing your activity level to burn more calories. If your diet is poor, or if you're more than a few pounds overweight, you really need to learn a new, more healthy way or eating, or you'll put the weight back on when you go back to 'normal' eating.

10. Should I eat fish on my diet? Unless it's expressly forbidden by your diet, absolutely. Fish is high protein, low saturated fat, and high in omega 3 fatty acids. Some doctors recommend eating as much as 10 servings of fish per week.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 6:47 AM :: 0 comments

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Tuesday, November 27, 2007 Fast Weight Loss Means Fast Weight Gain

You will be surprised to find out how many people are actually looking for a fast weight loss program. Why fast? Well, first of all, most of us are impatient. We live hectic lives. We want results now, we want to notice the change right away, and we don't want to work hard to achieve those results.

Most people eat what they want all year round, prefer TV over exercising and dream about how next week (or month/year) they are going to start a healthy lifestyle. Suddenly one day they realize that it is just 2 weeks left before they have to go to a Christmas party or that summer is coming up and they want to look good in the new bikini. Usually around this time I get hundreds of emails - all of them pretty much the same "I have this event coming up in two weeks. I need to lose about 10-15 pounds. What is the fastest way to do it?"

Of course TV and Internet is full of commercials that promise you to lose 20 pounds in two weeks. They even show you tons of pictures of fit, smiling people with perfect bodies. Sounds good, right? There is no such thing as fast weight loss. I'm sure I'll get some infuriated replies like "That can't be true!

The human body is a well coordinated working mechanism. It has no idea that you've decided to fit in a size 8 dress and doing some new fad diet. It thinks you are starving. It's too concerned about survival to allow us losing weight fast. Instead your metabolism slows down to conserve the energy. As soon as you'll start eating normal food you'll gain all of your weight back and some extra pounds in addition to that.

To make it simple fast weight loss is always followed by fast weight gain. No exceptions. In addition to that when you lose weight too fast, your skin does not have enough time to shrink, it will become loose.

The right amount of weight that the average person can lose in one week by eating correctly and doing exercises is around 2-3 pounds. That is a healthy, safe, effective amount to lose. Only that way you can get long lasting results.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 8:45 AM :: 0 comments

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Not Just Breakfast, but Fiber Too!

Taking the time to eat healthy in the morning is something that most Americans don’t do. If you want to eat healthier, then use a breakfast to begin a routine of life long health. As your mother always said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and medical science has proved her right.

If you’re on the go, and need to eat a cereal then its okay to do so, but know what type you need for a healthy breakfast. You might not realize that eating after waking up means that you’re replenishing your body from the previous night’s fast. You’re literally breaking the fast, and you don’t need unhealthy foods shoved into a body that’s already depleted. Besides if you eat a healthy breakfast you’ll maintain your weight and your mental functioning throughout the day will be chipper too. Eating a healthy breakfast just makes common sense, and your body will love you for choosing one.

Many people eat breakfast cereal to start their day off, but most breakfasts of this type are not a healthy breakfast at all. Most grain based cereals don’t have the correct amount of complex carbohydrates that the body needs. Fiber has a lot of these types of carbohydrates, but most cereals on have fine grain in them without the other bulkier substance that makes you healthy. For a healthy breakfast you need over 30 grams of fiber, and it should consist of soluble and insoluble fiber.

By eating something that includes insoluble fiber it eases gastrointestinal problems. Your stomach and bowels will empty easier, and studies have shown that it reduces intestinal and colon cancers. Insoluble fiber works by sucking water into the intestines, and it eases passing stools. Soluble fiber in a healthy breakfast plays an important role too because the stomach contents won’t empty too fast.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:42 AM :: 0 comments

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How To Make Any Meal Healthier

We all know weeknights can be stressful, rushed and hectic. You may have every intention of putting a healthy meal on the table, only to be overcome by 'real life'! Don't despair - all is not lost! When your best efforts go awry, and you order pizza or serve another meal that doesn't exactly fit into a healthy diet, you still have many options for making it healthier:

1. Start your meal with a large glass of water.

2. Blot pizza with a napkin or paper towel. This can remove several grams of fat from each slice.

3. Opt for veggie toppings on pizza if possible.

4. Add a bag of salad (but be careful of high-fat dressings and toppings)

5. Try adding dried herbs or other seasonings to your salads to give them a kick without relying solely on the dressing to do this. Eat salad dressings on the side. Use the technique of dipping your fork in the dressing and then adding your salad.

6. Fill half your plate with vegetables, and leave the other half for protein and complex carbs.

7. Sneak vegetables in wherever you can - in casseroles, pasta sauces, pizzas, sandwiches, soups.

8. Try starting your meal with a glass of vegetable juice or vegetable soup.

9. Cut back on bread where you can. Eat thin pizza crust; avoid garlic or cheese bread; limit servings of bread with italian meals. If you can, opt for whole grains.

10. Eat fresh fruit for dessert, or for an appetizer.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:41 AM :: 0 comments

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Recipe of The Day

LIGHT ‘N’ EASY CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes
Makes 2 servings (may be doubled)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir together sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch in a medium saucepan until thoroughly mixed. Slowly whisk in milk.

TIP for NEW COOKS: If you add the milk all at once, the pudding will turn out lumpy. “Slowly whisk in milk” is kitchen code for the technique used to mix dry and liquid ingredients without lumps. It’s simple to master. First, make sure the dry ingredients are completely mixed. Here, that means that no lumps, even tiny ones, of sugar, cocoa or cornstarch remain. Work out any last remaining pesky ones with the back of a spoon pressed against the saucepan. Next, pour the milk into a liquid measuring cup, that is, one with a spout for easy pouring. Pour a tablespoon or two of milk into the cocoa mixture and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. Repeat tablespoon by tablespoon until the combined mixture is more liquid than dry, then add the remaining milk.

Cook until thick over medium heat, stirring regularly, especially as mixture gets hot. Stir in vanilla. Pour into two small dishes and refrigerate at least 15 minutes to continue the thickening process.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per serving: 133Cal; 6g Protein; 1g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 26g Carb; 2g Fiber; 74mg Sodium; 2mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 6:00 AM :: 0 comments

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Monday, November 26, 2007 Making Smart Choices For The Holidays

The winter holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the once-a-year opportunity to join with friends and family in celebrations steeped in deep tradition. 'Tis also the season when exercise routines are put to rest and replaced, instead, with plans to cook, shop, decorate and pass plate after plate of sugar cookies, walnut balls and coconut macaroons.

The exact definition of the winter season varies from culture to culture, but in the United States it is generally considered to be the period beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with New Year's Day. Within that period of nearly six weeks exist far too many opportunities to overeat in the name of celebration. In fact, the average U.S. citizen gains five pounds during these festivities, and a majority of people fail to take this weight off from year-to-year.

This doesn't mean you have to be a Grinch this season. It is a time to celebrate, so deprivation is not an option. Instead, make a few concessions and be realistic with your goals. By making better choices this year, you may only have to lose a pound or two- instead of five-before spring. Here's how:

1. Eat a light, healthy meal before the big celebration-fruits and vegetables are high in soluble fiber, so they make you feel fuller for a long time. Try an apple or carrots as a snack before heading to the big party.

2. Limit your use of sauces or gravy-though yummy, they are often loaded with calories and fat. Take a pass and enjoy the nuances of the food on your plate.

3. Cut down on sugar-if you keep the cookies, replace the eggnog with a tasty selection of reduced-sugar juices or teas.

4. Bring a healthy dessert to pass-this way you can count on at least one dessert that you know you can enjoy guilt-free. Go to the Internet for healthy dessert ideas. You can share your recipes with others there, too.

5. Take a walk after dinner- even a little exercise will help. Take in the sights, sounds and smells of the season, and burn some of those calories before going to bed.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 8:33 AM :: 0 comments

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Weight Loss and Hypnosis

At this stage in your life you may have tried every Weight Loss pill, potion, remedy, theory and product there ever was created, only to find that every weight loss program or plan requires a certain amount of motivation to make it work! This might be the time to look at something a little outside of the box. Most of us have heard about Weight Loss and Hypnosis, but we all have to question a couple of things... like does it really work and of course is this type of weight loss method right for you? The combination of weight loss and hypnosis may not be for everyone, but the first thing you have to do is determine if you will benefit from this type of therapy.

For some people the share thought of combining weight loss and hypnosis may resemble that of a Witch Doctor type remedy, however, if you are able to open your mind to this type of weight loss method I’m sure you will see the benefits of combining weight loss and hypnosis. The other problem is that many people have misconceptions about weight loss and hypnosis and its benefits, unfortunately many of these false ideas tend to lead people away from considering this combination for better health.

How Does Hypnosis Really Work?

You must be wondering if hypnosis renders your unconscious or does it put you completely to sleep, as seen on most TV programs and Hypnosis Shows. The volunteer tends to do all sorts of crazy things from behaving like a child to jumping around the stage as if he or she was a monkey! To be honest this is not my kind of ideal remedy either. Hypnosis does not take over the mind, it is merely suggestive, reinforcing things you already know and believe to be true in your own mind, not that of what someone else tells you to do. Hypnosis can not tell you to do something or behave in a certain manner as you already know and have full control over your body, mind and soul.

Hypnosis will not deplete your appetite into a starving frenzy but may assist you with the thought of changing your desire to eat unhealthy foods. Mental images or memories tend to prevent many of us from eating certain foods because we have an awful memory or thought of it. Such as eating green vegetables as a child or any vegetable for that matter. Hypnosis works very much in the same way as those memories or ideas about certain things when you put something together that is bad for you with thoughts that really are not overly appetizing you will find that you crave the bad foods less and the good foods more. Weight loss and hypnosis is a very basic way of reminding you of things that you already know but it helps you reinforce those ideas and in turn makes it easier to drop weight than some of the more traditional methods that may not have worked in the past for you.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:51 AM :: 0 comments

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Common Pitfalls

If you're making an effort to eat a healthy, balanced diet, but are still struggling to drop those extra pounds, the problem might be one or more of the common pitfalls that many dieters don't even realize are an issue. Following are factors that can prevent you from reaching your weight-loss goals even if you're eating a nutritious diet.

Not getting enough sleep: Sleep is an important part of your healthy lifestyle or weight-loss program (aim for seven to eight hours per night). Sleep is when your body repairs and rejuvenates itself, so if you deprive it of sleep, you'll be sluggish and more likely to be unmotivated in your daily activities. Lack of sleep can also lower your metabolism, which means your body will burn fewer calories and therefore slow the weight-loss process.

Drinking alcohol: Alcohol can prevent weight loss for two key reasons:

1) The excess calories you're taking in. Having two or three drinks can easily add hundreds of extra calories to your daily total. These calories are "empty" - providing no beneficial nutrients. Alcohol also reduces the absorption of Vitamins A, D, E, K, folate, B1 and B2.

2) Alcohol keeps your body from burning fat. Alcohol and fat are both processed in the liver, so when the liver is processing alcohol, it cannot effectively metabolize fat.

Setting unrealistic goals: A common mistake many people make when embarking on a weight-loss program is trying to do everything at once. You didn't gain the weight overnight, so don't expect to lose it right away. Set realistic goals and change your bad habits one or two at a time. Old habits can start sneaking back in slowly if you take the "all or nothing" approach. If your goals aren't realistic, you'll get frustrated that the weight isn't just melting off and your motivation will suffer.

Skipping meals: Waiting more than four waking hours between meals causes your blood sugar to bottom out, leaving you weak, irritable and tired. Eating more often helps regulate blood sugar levels, keeps your metabolism up and your body burning calories rather than storing them.

Nighttime snacking: The foods we eat after dinner are often consumed while we're watching TV or doing other activities, increasing the risk of mindless over-eating. Also, going to bed with a full stomach can affect your quality of sleep because your body is busy trying to digest. Stick to healthy, low-calorie snacks in the evening.

Dining out often: The lack of control you have over ingredient quality and portioning can make frequent restaurant eating a big dieting pitfall. There tend to be lots of hidden fats and sugars in restaurant meals, too. Remember to watch the portions as well; restaurant servings can be anywhere from two to eight times the size of the portion you actually need.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:19 AM :: 0 comments

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Recipe of The Day

Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Dash hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 scallion, including green top, finely chopped
1 pound lump crab, picked over for cartilage
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Smarter Tartar Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl mix together the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce. Stir in the bell pepper and scallion. Gently fold in the crab, 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs and salt and pepper to taste. Put the remaining bread crumbs in a shallow dish.

Divide the crab mixture into 8 mounds. Shape 1 mound into a round and coat in bread crumbs. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and flatten the crab cake to form a patty about 1-inch high. Repeat to form the remaining crab cakes.

Bake until golden on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Gently flip the crab cakes and cook until the second side is golden, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Smarter Tartar Sauce:
6 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 scallion, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped sour pickles
1 tablespoon chopped capers
Spoon yogurt into a small bowl lined with paper towels. Place in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour until some of the liquid from the yogurt is released. Scoop thickend yogurt into a small bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.

Yield: 3/4 cup

Nutrition Information
Per Serving Calories: 254
Total Fat: 8 grams Saturated Fat: 1 gram
Protein: 26 grams Carbohydrates: 18 grams
Fiber: 1 gram

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 6:58 AM :: 0 comments

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Friday, November 23, 2007 5 Myths When It Comes To Weight Loss

MYTH 1 - The healthiest way to find out if you are losing weight is to weight yourself on a scale

FACT - The healthiest way to gauge your progress is to make sure you are increasing your strength levels and endurance through the length and level of the exercise routine you are doing. Another way is to simply look in the mirror and wear clothes. People put too much emphasis on the scale and not enough emphasis on how their clothes are fitting and how they are feeling

MYTH 2 - It is more beneficial to work out 2 to 3 hours a day instead of just one.

FACT - Long workouts can be counterproductive. More than one hour of intense exercise can actually increase cortisol levels which can assist in destroying muscles. The body is designed for quick but intense workouts so anything more than 45 minutes of weight training, and 40 minutes of cardio will counteract what you may have already done. Not that you won't lose weight, but after a certain point everything you are doing no longer has any effect on your body.

MYTH 3 - Women will look like bodybuilders if they weight train

FACT - A woman has only 1/3 of the testosterone that a man does so it is physically impossible to look like a man. The women who are body builders look big because they may take steroids or growth hormones. At first you may look a little bigger when you weight train because you are carrying excess fat below the muscles, but eventually when you lose the weight you will see only lean and defined muscles, not bodybuilder type muscles.

MYTH 4 - You must work out 7 days a week to see results

FACT - The amount of days you work out does not constitute a higher level of fitness. Consistency and the intensity of your workout is more important than how many days you do it. The more you workout the less energetic you feel about it because you are tired and don't feel like putting forth more effort. It is better to work out 3 or 4 days at a higher intensity.

MYTH 5 - To get flat abs or midsection you must perform a lot of abdominal exercises often

FACT - To get a flat stomach or a "six-pack" your body fat levels must be reduced. This is achieved through lower calories and fat combined with exercise. For most people having visible abdominal muscles is almost impossible because of genetics. If you gain only 2 or 3 pounds, even in water weight, they will probably disappear so it is best to get it as flat as you can but doing ab exercises everyday for an hour will not get them that way unless you are losing weight as well.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 10:02 AM :: 0 comments

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Three Great Dinners For Losing Weight

People often fail at weight loss because they get to the point that they are bored with their bland and sometimes mundane diet food. It doesn't have to be this way. Diet foods do not have to mean deprivation.

With all the new cookbooks out there that deal strictly with low fat or low carb foods you can have your pick of delicious and tasty foods without sacrificing anything. Here are 5 dinners that you can take and make your own without adding fat or calories.

  1. Meat and Potatoes - Many people think this is something you have to give up while on a diet, but quite the contrary. It is about portion size, not about skimping. Have a lean steak, chicken, turkey breast, or a fish steak. Cook it in olive oil instead of butter and use many of the low fat marinades that are available. Instead of mashed potatoes you can simply make a baked potato and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash or other low fat toppings such as no-fat sour cream and chives. Serve with veggies and you'll be full in no time.
  2. Salad and Salmon - For a quicker prep time you can use prewashed, prebagged salad with greens and spinach. Add the tomatoes, onions, artichoke hearts, and anything else you want to add for taste. Use a low-cal dressing or olive oil with balsamic vinegar. Serve with a small piece of salmon and toasted whole wheat pita bread.
  3. Baked children, beans, and rice - Bake the chicken in a pan coated with a cooking spray. Use orange juice mixed with honey, 1/8 teaspoon of Cayenne pepper and some dried thyme and oregano. Serve with the instant brown rice and microwaved green beans. It is quick easy, and extremely tasty.

Take each of these basics and make it your own. You don't have to add fat and calories to enjoy the meal, it just takes a little practice.


Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 9:18 AM :: 0 comments

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How To Stop Snacking

If you find that you're inexplicably drawn to the kitchen cupboards, or that fumbling around the fridge is your favorite after-hours activity, it's probably a result of boredom, not genuine hunger.

Here are a few ways to help get your mind (and your stomach) back on track:

Take up a hobby. Keeping your mind and your hands busy with something you enjoy will reduce your temptation to eat because of boredom.

Read a good book. If you find a real page-turner, you won't want to put it down just to get up and graze.

Take a bath. Get a little aromatherapy going and sink into a steamy bath. Focus on relaxing, and don't even think about running to the kitchen before getting into bed.

Have sex. Hey, why not? That's what I call a good distraction!

Don't Skip Meals - You might think you're saving yourself calories, but you'll always wind up hungry, so that you'll probably consume extra calories later on just to feel full. Furthermore, skipping meals can screw up your metabolism by putting it into survival mode and causing it to store energy as fat. We don't want that, so be smart about what and when you eat.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 8:55 AM :: 0 comments

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Recipe of The Day

Apple Cascade over Puff Pastry

1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 cup water
4 teaspoons sugar
1 pound fresh apples, peeled, cored, sliced
3 medium bananas, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
4 ounces pousse pieds or sea beans

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F

2. In a large pot, bring the water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon peel to a boil.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch, water and sugar. Add this mixture to the boiling liquid, stirring constantly until thoroughly heated.

4. Remove from heat and fold in the apples.

5. Place the apple mixture in a baking pan, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Stir the apples once or twice during cooking to keep the edges from burning.

6. Add the banana slices and bake an additional 5 minutes.

7. Cut the puff pastry into 8 even portions of any shape desired. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Cut out shapes in the center of the pastries to make room for the apple mixture. Pour the apples over the pastry shell and serve warm.

Serving Size: 1 pastry

Number of Servings: 8
Per Serving
Calories 180 Carbohydrate 36 g
Fat 4 g Fiber 4 g
Protein 2 g Saturated Fat 1 g
Sodium 47 mg

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:34 AM :: 0 comments

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Thursday, November 22, 2007 Women and Strength Training

Women and strength training -- do they go together? Without a doubt! Strength training offers so many important benefits that it should be a part of every woman's fitness program.

The obvious benefit is... it makes you strong! Strong women are able to accomplish their daily tasks with greater ease. Also, if you're strong, you'll look and feel better. Increased self-confidence and self-esteem will be evident in all aspects of your life.

Strength training is your secret weapon to increased metabolism. During cardiovascular exercise, you burn calories and fat and continue to burn calories for a period following your workout -- known as after burn. If you strength train consistently, you add muscle, which is metabolically active 365/24/7. A pound of fat burns about two calories a day. A pound of muscle burns approximately 35-50 calories a day.

Without weight training you could be setting yourself up for Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a silent disease, because there are no outward symptoms. People with osteoporosis usually don’t know they have it until a sudden bump or fall causes a fracture. Twenty eight million Americans have osteoporosis. Eighty percent of them are women. Most of these women are post-menopausal. Strength training with resistance causes overload on not only the muscles but the bones, tendons and ligaments as well. This overload stimulates bones to retain the minerals necessary to keep them dense and strong (including the joints), thus preventing the onset or progression of osteoporosis.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 11:53 AM :: 0 comments

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How To Lose 3 Extra Pounds a Month

Three ways to lose an EXTRA pound of fat (at a minimum) each month

By "extra," I mean aside from the fat you will already lose as a result of your daily exercise regimen. What I am talking about here is making a small change in your lifestyle to lose a ton (well, maybe not quite that much) of weight over the course of a few months.

So how do you do this?

The question then is how can you easily put on extra miles of walking, biking, or running? It really isn't very difficult at all. All you have to do is set a goal of walking an extra mile each day. Not all at once, but throughout the day. To do this, simply change your daily habits. Consider doing the following:

1. Park in the back of the parking lots whenever you go out. This simple little trick not only racks up the mileage with minimal extra effort on your behalf, but it also can save you a lot of potential headaches. If you notice, many of the people that park in the spaces close to the door are very selfish. They fight like cats for those spaces, and they will wait forever for someone to pull out of a close space. You've seen them. They will hold up traffic for several minutes waiting for the person to relinquish that cherished close space. Meanwhile, park and the back and walk!

2. Take the stairs instead of the elevators. I know it is tempting to ride the vertical car, but just stay focused on your goal. Remember, you are looking to change your lifestyle. This means you must "waste" energy throughout the day. Taking the stairs is one way to do this in a big way. When you take the stairs you are using your largest muscles (your legs and back) and getting back dividends!

3. When you are working, take a break and walk around for just a few minutes. If you took four or five breaks during your work day and took a leisurely walk for just five minutes each time, you would have walked an extra mile!

Now, if you make these three simple changes in your daily life, you will easily cover an extra mile or so each day. And that is a very conservative number. The fact is, it would more likely be several miles each day. However, if you covered just a little over one mile each day by making these three simple changes, it would add up to one pound of fat in a month. And that is fat that you will lose outside of your normal training.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 8:50 AM :: 0 comments

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Exercising Your Body AND Your Mind

Losing weight isn't just about exercising your body, it is also about exercising your mind. If you are in the right mind-set when you are going through your weight loss journey then you have a better chance of not only getting the weight off, but keeping it off. Here are three activities that combine more than one type of exercise to strengthen your body and muscles, and they are relaxing and refreshing. They have very different techniques but they all emphasize the body and mind connection towards losing weight and improving your health, flexibility, strength, and balance.

Yoga - Yoga uses a system of breathing and postures (poses) that can be as gentle or as vigorous as you choose. People of all ages and weights can use Yoga as a way to build muscle that will eventually help to burn calories. The gentle breathing exercises combined with slow movements really help you to relax and become one with your body.

Pilates - This is a low-impact exercise that is designed to build your core muscles which are your lower back, hips, abdomen, and buttocks. It also improves flexibility and posture. They are controlled stretches focusing on each muscle group in a way that uses both your mind and the muscles.

Tai Chi - An ancient form of martial arts, it involves gentle, circular movements that is combined with deep breathing to put you in a meditative state while working all your muscles. The poses are performed gracefully and slowly so that you aren't forcing the workout, it just starts to come naturally. It builds your muscles as well as reduces the stresses that can stop you from losing weight.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:49 AM :: 0 comments

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Recipe of The Day

Currant and Walnut Stuffing

13 slices sourdough bread,cut into 1/2" cubes
1 large onion, chopped
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 clove garlic
1 stalk celery, chopped
2/3 pound mushrooms, quartered
1 1/3 cup currants
2/3 teaspoon fresh sage chopped
2/3 teaspoon fresh rosemary,stem and chop
1 teaspoon fresh oregano,stem and chop
2/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 whole egg
3 egg whites
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/3 cup vegetable stock or low-sodium broth

1.Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.Tear the bread into pieces and set aside. Toast the walnuts on a sheet pan for about 10 minutes, set aside.

3. Sauté the onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until the onion is golden, about 10 minutes.

4. Add the celery, mushrooms, currants and the herbs and cook an additional 5 minutes.

5. Remove to a bowl, fold in the remaining ingredients and season to taste.

6. Place in a lightly-sprayed 8-inch square ovenproof dish, cover with a lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes.

7. Remove cover and bake an additional 15 minutes, uncovered, to crisp the top.

8. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Serving Size: 1/8th

Number of Servings: 8
Per Serving
Calories 240 Carbohydrate 30 g
Fat 10 g Fiber 4 g
Protein 9 g Saturated Fat 1 g
Sodium 451 mg

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:33 AM :: 0 comments

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Wednesday, November 21, 2007 How To Break The Cycle of Emotional Eating

Food is associated with comfort, security, and solace, making it so seductive when life becomes boring, stressful or lonely. We use food as a way to deal with unpleasant feelings or emotions. Food, just like drugs or alcohol, can dull emotional pain or temporarily fill psychological emptiness.

Self-help techniques can help break the chain that ultimately leads to the pantry and refrigerator:

1) Write it down. Keep an eating diary; record everything you eat, where, when, why, your mood, if you are eating alone.

2) List your triggers. Make a list of problem situations, foods, feelings. Once you see the pattern, you can work to diffuse the triggers.

3) Confront your cravings. Many people eat when they are really tired or thirsty. Learn to distinguish between body signals of real hunger or nutritional need and emotional triggers to eat. With emotional triggers, you can distract yourself by taking a walk or doing something completely different. If you choose to confront the craving, tell yourself aloud to stop if you reach for the food. Keep in mind that even strong cravings pass in about twenty minutes.

4) Eat mindfully. Choose one place in the house to eat. Savor your food. No other activities - especially radio or TV - while you are eating.

5) Learn to cope with stress. Regular exercise helps. You can use deep breathing or meditation anytime, anywhere to help you get past the craving. Lastly, maintain positive thinking.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 8:46 AM :: 0 comments

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Where Does Your Hunger Fall?

Diet self-monitoring, which consists of recording everything you eat along with other related details, is one of the best predictors of long-term weight loss success. Keeping a food diary increases your awareness of what, when, where, and how much you eat, as well as the feeling that are associated with your hunger. A food diary can also help your make substantial changes in your eating habits by letting you see your problems and plan effective strategies. F

or a diary to work you must write down everything you eat at the time you eat it. Also include how it's prepared, serving size, time and location of eating, if you're with anyone, what you're doing, and what your feeling. Decide where your hunger falls on a scale of 0 (full) to 4 (famished). Look over your diary at the end of each day to see if you notice any patterns. If you notice you eat to have a break, or because your bored or anxious, for example, you may be able to substitute activities that better address those feelings. After a while keeping the diary will become a habit. If you drop the diary and pick up weight, you can always return to the diary.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 8:22 AM :: 0 comments

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Recipe of The Day

Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Pepitas

1 pumpkin, about 2 to 2 1/2 lbs.
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 cups low-fat milk
2 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 pinch allspice
2 tablespoons dry sherry or Marsala wine
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Cut the pumpkin in half, scrape out the seeds, and place it, cut-side down, on a baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Allow the pumpkin to cool about 10 minutes before proceeding, as it will be easier to handle when it is not so hot.

3. While the pumpkin is baking, heat the oil in a small saute pan and saute the onion and celery for about 3 minutes or until softened and translucent.

4. Scoop the pumpkin pulp with a large spoon, put it into a large bowl and add the onion, celery, milk and water. Stir to combine. Ladle some of this mixture into a blender and puree it in batches, being careful not to overfill the blender. Strain the soup through a colander to remove any remaining fiber or seeds. Add the lemon juice, cumin, allspice and sherry or Marsala wine. Season to taste with salt and pepper .

5. Spread the pepitas or pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until toasted.

6. Reheat the soup, divide it among 4 warmed soup bowls and sprinkle with the toasted seeds (pepitas).

Serving Size: 8 ounces

Number of Servings: 4
Per Serving
Calories 171 Carbohydrate 21 g
Fat 7 g Fiber 3 g
Protein 8 g Saturated Fat 2 g
Sodium 81 mg

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:28 AM :: 0 comments

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Tuesday, November 20, 2007 Why We Have Cravings

Food cravings are a common occurance among all of us, but is it all in the mind or is there some reason for the craving sensation?
Food Cravings and How to Beat Them
Cravings can be defined as the intense longing for a particular type of food and are something that more than 60% of the population have had. Are these “all in the head” or is there some explanation to why we crave?

It may be that some cravings are related to nutrition. This is certainly true when it comes to carbohydrates and low blood sugar. Low blood sugar can affect appetite fairly quickly, leaving you hungry and craving carbohydrate type foods. This doesn’t explain cravings for high fat sugary foods in place of carbohydrates such as pasta or potatoes.

It is likely that the craving for high fat, sugary foods is due to the palatability of these. Fat helps carry flavor which is why high fat foods taste good. Sweetness is a flavor that humans were born liking, while other flavors are acquired.

Food cravings are also common in dieters. Diets often focus on deprivation of certain foods and cravings for “forbidden” foods become strong, particularly because the food is labeled as “forbidden. When resistance to temptation gives way, guilt more than often follows. To avoid this situation, don’t label foods. Look for smart alternatives. For example, when craving fries, don’t go for fast food, buy a packet of oven bake low fat fries and have a small portion.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 11:43 AM :: 0 comments

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Yoga Yet Again...

Many yoga enthusiasts have recently touted yoga as the ultimate weight-loss exercise but does it really work? The answer to that is a yes and a no. Yoga burns 244 calories an hour which is about the same number of calories burned by walking briskly, but walking also burns significant fat as opposed to just burning calories.

However, just because it doesn't pack a major calorie burning punch it doesn't mean that it can't help in some ways. Yoga improves flexibility, posture, and strength which are 3 factors that are extremely important to walking for weight loss. The more flexibility and strength you have and the more upright your posture is, the better of a walker you are, and the more calories you burn.

Also, your metabolism will also get the boost that it needs to help you continue to burn calories through the day because yoga builds muscle. The more muscle you have the easier it is to burn calories, even when you are sleeping.

Yoga is also extremely beneficial when it comes to the emotional state of eating. It helps you feel less stressed, and more at ease with your emotions so that you don't overeat simply because you have had a bad day. It teaches you how to calm your nerves, reduce feelings of depression, and show you relaxation techniques that you can do instead of eating.

So, no, yoga alone won't help you to lose all the weight you need to, but it will allow you to overcome your emotional eating while strengthening your muscles to burn more calories when you do other aerobic exercise.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 9:41 AM :: 0 comments

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Beating The Holdiay Weight Gain

Over the next 6 weeks leading up to the new year you will have the opportunity to either drop a few pounds or find several more. I don't know about you, but when I write up my Christmas wish-list, I don't have any intentions of putting 10 or 15 pounds in the form of fat securely fastened around my body on that list.

So how do we deal with the inevitable parties, banquets, dinners, and the large, all-to-often, and not-so-healthy meals we may be faced with throughout this time know as the “Holiday Season? Is holiday weight gain a mandatory phase that you must endure? No it is not. Now, let me share with you a plan that will help you to not only avoid holiday weight gain, but shed several pounds in the process.

First, just imagine what you want to bring with you into the new year? That's where it all starts, in your mind. You have to decide now, before you are faced with temptations galore.

Second, let's stricken the word “accident” from your thought process. If you gain or lose weight over the next 6 weeks months it will be on-purpose, fully intentioned, as a result of every willed action you enacted. We are all responsible for every last morsel we put in our mouths. Every bite has a purpose, what that purpose is, it's up to you. Whenever I eat a piece of pie or a pound of stuffing, it is not on accident. I don't think so! I don't ever recall accidentally eating a head of broccoli or perhaps a few florets of cauliflower.

When I count the number of holidays, office parties, family gatherings, and whatever else - it's usually no more than 6 or 7 at most. Over indulging or eating 2-3 extra helpings of desert on these days is not the problem. One meal here and one meal there is not going to hurt you. Albeit I'm not advocating that you transform into the vacuum cleaner or garbage disposal on these days.

Just plan those days in advance, that you know you will lose control, then eat a “reasonable” amount of your favorite foods and enjoy them. Don't you dare feel guilty about those meals! After those meals, however, return to a somewhat more normal way of eating.

As the holidays progress you'll notice an accumulation of not-so-healthy food items that lurk around your house. Okay you want to know the best way to conquer food temptations? You avoid them. Chances are you are not going to eat something that isn't there, in fact those chances are nearly 100%. If something is in your house it will be eaten. If you don't want it to be eaten, don't bring it into the house.

Most people who gain weight during the holidays use the holidays as an excuse to eat poorly 7 days a week for 2 solid months. The holidays are not a 2 month event, don't use those 6 or 7 days as an excuse to fill in the rest of the 50+ days with daily desserts and constant candy. Add to that the extinction of physical activity and you have a recipe for adding to yourself.

So, what do you plan on doing over the next 3 months? Are you going to bring much more of yourself into a new year, or are you going to make up your mind and take the necessary steps to not only avoid holiday weight gain, but be in even better shape by the new year.

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 8:24 AM :: 0 comments

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Recipe of The Day

Cranberry Compote

2 cups tangerine or orange juice
3 cups sugar
zest of 3 tangerines or oranges
4 cups cranberries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves

1. Place the juice and sugar in a deep saucepan and bring up to a boil. Add the zest and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Add cranberries and spices and simmer until thickened. Cook until big bubbles appear and mixture is very thick. Cool slightly.

3. Pour into a serving bowl.

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Number of Servings: 8
Per Serving
Calories 228 Carbohydrate 59 g
Fat 0 g Fiber 1 g
Protein 0 g Saturated Fat 0 g
Sodium 3 mg

Posted by HoodiaPharm HungerAway :: 7:30 AM :: 0 comments

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Monday, November 19, 2007 Determining Portion Sizes

Many of us routinely overestimate how large a portion size should actually be. When we go to restaurants we know that they give us huge plates of food that could easily serve 3 grown adults, but yet we have a tendency to think it should be all for us. It is simply not the case.

Restaurants are notorious for their super-sized portions and their larger than life meals, but we need to learn as a society what an actual portion size should be
The easiest way to decide the proper portion is to relate it to everyday items so you have an idea of how large (or small) it should be.

Here are some examples of the correct portion sizes :

1. Fruits and veggies – the size of a baseball or woman’s fist
2. A piece of fruit or raw veggies for a snack – a rounded handful
3. Serving of meat, fish, or poultry – A deck of cards
4. Nuts – the size of a golf ball or large egg
5. Ice cream – the size of a tennis ball
6. Pancake or waffle – the size of compact disc
7. Peanut butter – the size of your thumb tip
8. Serving of cheese – the size of 6 dice stacked up
9. Fish – the size of your checkbook

The best suggestion for starting is to get a measuring cup set,