Calories

7
Jul

70% are concerned about their weight

Since 66% are overweight or obese, the fact tht 70% are concerned about their weight is a good thing.* However, most have no idea how many calories they are eating, nor the amount of calories and exercise they need. It’s simple. Less calories and more exercise works for most. Fresh food has fewer calories than processed. Eat fresh and get moving!

… for the health of your family,
ellen and sally

*Reported by USA Today, Nanci Hellmich, “Study: American mostly clueless when it comes to calories.”, 9/7/2010, p. 6D.

10
Apr

Radio Gems: The Stubborn Fat Fix – Meet Authors Dr. Keith and Valerie Berkowitz

Posted by ellenbriggs (1) Comment

What happens when you fill you car with gas, put the foot to the metal and go, go, go fast. You wear out the car. If you put the wrong kind of gas in the car, the engine breaks down – it was not fueled properly. Can you see yourself as this car? Are you not eating right and running hard all day long? Dr. Berkowitz and his nutritionist wife , Valerie, have written a book, The Stubborn Fat Fix : Eat Right to Lose Weight, Cure Metabolic Burnout without Hunger or Exercise. In it they make it easy to understand that both slow or fast metabolisms can make it hard for to you to lose weight. Yes, fast metabolisms can contibute to fat gain. A fatigued body can put your body in the starvation mode which signals, hold on to the fat. You need an effecient fuel program to put your metabolism, hormones, insulin and more back into balance for balanced weight. Get this book! (bookstores and amazon.com) P.S. It is filled with nutrient-filled easy recipes your whole family will like.

… for the health of families,
ellen

19
Oct

Vote with your pocketbook!

Posted by ellenbriggs (0) Comment

Kraft has introduced some new products. In a time when healthier foods are in demand, you would think this food manufacturer could cough up some healthier products for kids. Don’t hold your breath. How about the ingenious idea of mac and cheese crackers? Wish I had thought of that. Cool Whip Topping in can. Just what we need – a fast and fun way to cover desserts with processed sugar and stuff. Just spray it into your kids mouths – they’ll love you! Nilla Cakesters – come on. NUTrition trail mix and more one hundred calorie snack packs are also being introduced to the market. Portion control can be helpful. Still, what ever you put into your mouth has a positive or negative reaction. That fact can’t be altered by the amount you eat. For example one hundred calories of a snack made with high fructose corn syrup is an absolute no, no. One hundred calories of a dried fruit, nut and seed trail mix – preferably organic – is a good product. I did not see this on Kraft’s new product list. Too bad. This company has the money to create and package healthier snacks. Vote with your pocket book. Don’t buy the junk stuff. Mac and cheese crackers – really. What’s next, Luncheable crackers?

… for the health of your family,

Ellen

13
Oct

Nutrition Information on Fast Food Menus May Surprise You

Posted by ellenbriggs (0) Comment

Which do you think has the most calories: Subway foot-long tuna sub, Panera Bread fresh tomato and mozzarella salad, Jamba Juice banana berry (original size), Starbucks no-sugar-added banana nut coffee cake, or, Wendy’s Chicken BLT salad? Take a good look. Think carefully. If you were watching your calories, which one would you not pick?

If you choose the Jamba Juice banana berry, you lose – or gain weight : 1,060 calories – you have to watch what they put into smoothies. There has to be a lot of sugar in this one and not many berries. Bet they use a fruit juice as a base.

Starbucks no-sugar added banana nut coffee cake: 890 calories – at what point do they stop adding sugar? Must contain lots of fat.

Panera Bread fresh tomato and mozzarella salad: 790 calories – probably the dressing and cheese

Subway foot-long tuna sub: 470 calories – eat half and you are down to 235 calories … don’t add any stuff!

Wendy’s Chicken BLT salad: 450 calories – watch the salad dressing or your calorie count will go up.

The good news is that calories counts are being listed, giving you the option to make Better Food Choices!

Source: Be a Menu Genus, Prevention Magazine, November 2008, p. 78.

6
Oct

Vending Machines in Schools Report

Posted by ellenbriggs (0) Comment

The School Beverage Guidelines set in 2006 says the “beverage industry is to provide lower-calorie and smaller portion options in schools, including the removal of full-calorie soft drinks, all by the 2009-2010 school year.” How are they doing? Since 2004 the schools show that beverage calories shipped to them have decreased by 58 percent and 79 percent of schools with beverage contracts are in compliance. This is a step in the right direction but there are two major flaws. Lower calories from companies such as Coca Cola usually means sugar-free artificially added sweeteners, not good. Plus, smaller prices usually do not follow smaller portions. In addition to sodas, juices are a target for reduced drinks, and rightfully so. The sugar-added ones can have over 300 calories in a container fitting vending machines. These sugar added juices comprise 39 percent of vending machine beverages sold. The number one sold snack is chips - no surpise there.

Pssst. Want to know who is connected to the School Beverage Guidelines? The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, American Beverage Association, The Coca Cola Company, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group and Pepsico. Lots of independent thinking there.

We have a long way to go to change the vending machine culture. All of those reading this blog should know that there are vending machine companies offering natural healthier drinks and snacks. Tell your schools to write contracts with them.

Source: Sarah Hills, “Pressure to cut calaories from school vending machines”, www.foodnavigator-usa.com, 10/6/2008.