The Diet Fitness Bloghttp://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/en-US2012-02-15T06:22:06ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Are there any quirky tips that keep you healthy, like taking a spoonful of oil/honey every day?http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2012/1/24/are-there-any-quirky-tips-that-keep-you-healthy-like-taking.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2012-01-24T19:37:32ZQuestions like this are the reason I wrote my book Diet Myths Busted; Food Facts not Nutrition Fiction. Too many times people are encouraged to concentrate on the minutia of details and end up ignoring the big picture of moving more and eating less and eating better. There isn’t a whole, unprocessed food out there that doesn’t offer some kind of nutritional benefit. The problem is people are always looking for something new and different when the old tried and true eat right and exercise daily is what works! There are no quick, querky, fast or surprising special ways to stay fit. Just watch Biggest Loser! The contestants are fed whole, unprocessed foods in reasonable amounts and they exercise. Nothing fancy, nothing that any ordinary person can’t do. A spoonful of honey a day is just a fad. There are plenty of people who have lost weight and kept it off without having honey.  Every patron I have had over the 20 years I have taught has been successful when and only when they adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes eating whole, unprocessed foods in a balanced proportional amount and daily varied exercise done without fads and hype.

]]>Are there any foods like celery that don’t have calories? I really like to eat but I don’t need the extra calories.http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2012/1/9/are-there-any-foods-like-celery-that-dont-have-calories-i-re.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2012-01-09T21:03:56ZAll foods have calories. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be food. There are foods that are high in calories and foods that are low in calories. Foods that are mostly water are generally lower in calories; for example cucumbers, celery, and watermelon. Foods that are dense and high in fat, salt and sugar are high in calories. Examples are cakes, cookies, candy, candy bars, and other similar foods. If you like to eat, go ahead – just stay away from those high calorie foods and make the calories count!

]]>My children really like the kiddie type cereals but I don’t know if they are really very good. Now I see they have added better grain and put a check mark on the box to indicate it is healthier. I want to feed my children right. Are these cereals any better now?http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2012/1/9/my-children-really-like-the-kiddie-type-cereals-but-i-dont-k.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2012-01-09T20:58:27ZThe cereals you mention may have more whole grains but they don’t have any less sugar or less of all the other added chemicals for color and flavor. In other words this is a way to make questionable foods appear healthy without really making any changes at all. We as parents are responsible for what our children eat. Your children can’t eat what isn’t in the house. With repeated exposure your children will learn to appreciate whole, unprocessed foods and lose their taste for cereals full of artificial flavors and sugar.

]]>I need a good protein drink recipe!http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2012/1/1/i-need-a-good-protein-drink-recipe.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2012-01-01T19:17:12ZA protein shake is a great way to start your day! Most of us start our day with a pretty heavy carb load like a bowl of cereal or a doughnut or sweet roll. Starting your day with a protein shake gets you a more balanced meal and keeps you satisfied a lot longer.

Here’s one of my favorite protein shake recipes:

1 cup of milk

1 banana

4 [frozen] strawberries

2 scoops (about 1/2 cup) of chocolate whey protein powder

1 Tbsp peanut butter

1 cup of ice and water

Makes 2 servings.

Add the milk to a blender followed by the banana and strawberries. Now add in the whey powder and peanut butter. Finally, fill a cup full of ice and water, add it to the blender and blend away! Makes two large servings that will keep you satisfied for hours!

Here are a few things you can modify or add or change in the above recipe. A half cup of coffee, a few walnuts, vanilla whey powder instead of chocolate, a tablespoon of cocoa powder, grapes, or frozen blueberries. Get creative, have fun and bon appetit!

]]>Holiday Greetings to all! A great cartoon from one of my favorite cartoonists.http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2011/12/24/holiday-greetings-to-all-a-great-cartoon-from-one-of-my-favo.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2011-12-25T00:13:03Z

]]>I recently quit smoking. I've begun Menopause, and I am at least 50 pounds overweight. I joined WW, and lost the first 10 pounds relatively easily. I work out six days a week for at least 1 hour, usually more. Is it normal to hit a hard plateau this soon? It's so discouraging...http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2011/12/12/i-recently-quit-smoking-ive-begun-menopause-and-i-am-at-leas.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2011-12-12T21:05:23ZSo far you have lost weight which is great. The first few pounds are usually water weight that has been locked up in the body. Remember it took time to put on that extra 50lbs so it will take time to take it off. It will take at least 3 months before you start to really notice a change. You are working out one hour a day but is it all one type of workout? For the best results, vary your workouts between very intense, aerobic and steady and make sure to take a day off in between. I would encourage you to hire a personal trainer for 2 to 3 sessions so an expert can help you tailor some workouts to your specific needs and help you execute the exercises in the correct manner. This is a lifestyle change for you, not a temporary fix. Keep up the good work!

]]>Is there any evidence of actual health/nutritional benefits from eating seasonally? Are we any healthier for eating, say, a cranberry in the fall instead of a strawberry?http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2011/12/3/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-healthnutritional-benefits-f.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2011-12-03T13:58:49ZThe short answer is no. I have read the studies and many support eating seasonally for economics, politics, ethics as well as nutrition. If you put the economics and politics aside, the health/nutritional benefits from eating seasonally come from having access to whole, fresh unprocessed foods. However, foods that are flash frozen or canned have the same nutritional value as fresh and can be eaten year around. For example, my family loves blueberries and we use fresh frozen wild blueberries in our shakes, salads and as a topping on ice cream or cereal all year. This is why my book, Diet Myths Busted; Food Facts Not Nutrition Fiction is so important. For some time we have been told to eat super foods every day such as pomegranates, blueberries, kale and spinach. Now we are being told to eat only foods that are seasonal. It is no wonder people are confused and frustrated with how to adopt healthy eating habits. The health benefits of eating foods in season are minimal compared to eating whole, unprocessed foods year around instead of processed, chemically enhanced foods. Healthy eating should be dictated by the types of foods eaten rather than season. Rather than worry about whether bananas are in season, just eat the banana. While foods that are in season are fresh and therefore the nutrients are better, the difference is slight and should not deter a person from avoiding eating apples in January because they are in season in September.  What people really want to know is “what do I need to do to eat healthy and not gain unwanted weight.” If a person eats seasonally but eats too much they will gain weight just as if they over eat at their favorite restaurant.  Keep the big picture in mind; eat whole, unprocessed foods that are affordable when in season and in a balanced fashion between the macronutrients and don’t overeat. When seasonal foods are unaffordable in their fresh state, they can be affordable in a frozen or canned version. Remember, no matter what the season is, all the grocery stores have a fresh food department.  It is just that simple. When people focus on eating in an over prescribed way, that smells like a fad, they take the fun and enjoyment out of eating and end up creating a source of stress in their lives they really don’t need.

]]>Why am I always so sleepy after eating a Thanksgiving dinner? I’ve heard it is because turkey has a substance that makes you sleepy. Is that true?http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2011/11/25/why-am-i-always-so-sleepy-after-eating-a-thanksgiving-dinner.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2011-11-25T20:18:37ZTurkey contains a small amount of the amino acid tryptophan, the substance often cited for the cause of sleepiness. In large amounts, tryptophan would make a person sleepy but turkey doesn’t contain that amount—even eggs contain more. What actually makes you lethargic after eating a big Thanksgiving dinner is the amount of food and the amount of carbohydrates that are often eaten during the meal. Most people eat potatoes, bread, stuffing, cranberries, pie, and cookies. All of these foods are carbohydrates and carbohydrates lead to the production of serotonin, a hormone that does make a person sleepy.  Also, people often consume larger amounts of alcohol with the meal. Alcohol is a depressant which can also lead to a fatigued or sleepy feeling. Even if people eat a more balanced meal between the macronutrients, most people consume well over 2000 calories at one sitting which places a large demand on the digestive system.  When large amounts of blood are diverted to digestive functions, other areas of the body are left without resources so the body goes into a rest mode—often referred to as the body’s tendency to “rest and digest”.

]]>I'm an almost 60 year old woman in pretty good shape but can't seem to get rid of those pesky dimples on my upper arms. Any specific exercises or diet changes that will help?http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2011/11/10/im-an-almost-60-year-old-woman-in-pretty-good-shape-but-cant.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2011-11-10T22:40:50ZThe dimples could be cellulite, stretch marks or just dimples you were born with. If it is cellulite, a diet lower in sugar combined with additional strength training will take time but it will help. I had cellulite on my thighs a long time ago and with years of weight lifting it finally went away. Cellulite is produced by fat deposits pushing through weak muscle tissue. This creates the sort of “cottage cheese” look. The trick is to get rid of the fat and tighten (strengthen) the muscle. A diet that is made of whole unprocessed foods in a proportional balanced manner will reduce fat being stored. An increase in weight training with the help of a personal trainer will help to firm and tighten the muscles all over the body. If the dimples are the result of stretch marks, then you will have to consult a dermatologist. If the dimples are just what you were blessed with, either accept them, consult with a dermatologist or even a plastic surgeon.

]]>What is a fruitarian?http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com/blog/2011/11/6/what-is-a-fruitarian.htmlThe Diet Fitness Diva2011-11-06T19:04:36ZFruitarianism is a subset of dietary veganism. Fruitarians follow a diet that includes fruits, nuts and seeds, without animal products, vegetables and grains. Some fruitarians follow a diet that consists of 75% or more of just fruit. Fruitarianism is more restrictive than the typical vegan diet.  The Health Promotion Program at Columbia University reports that a fruitarian diet can cause deficiencies in calcium, protein, iron, zinc, vitamin D, most B vitamins  (especially B12), and essential fatty acids. Additionally, the Health Promotion Program at Columbia reports that food restrictions in general may lead to hunger, cravings, food obsessions, social disruptions and social isolation.

]]>