FAMOUS DIET CLUB

SALAD dressing do's and don'ts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:40:00 +0000

You've scanned the restaurant menu and given yourself a little pat on the back for choosing a salad instead of fries on the side. Now comes the "top" question: "Which dressing would you like on your salad?" It seems like such a small detail, but your dressing decision can make or break your salad and either support or undo your initially healthy choice! Egad! Panic! Worry! Nah, just calm down and follow these do's and don'ts for dressing your salad.

Dressing don't: getting "dressed" in the dark

Just like you wouldn't leave the house in the morning without checking yourself in the mirror, you shouldn't eat your salad before eyeballing your dressing portion size first. For a better view, ask for your dressing in a small on-the-side container. If you're dining at home, pour a portion of dressing directly from the bottle into a small sauce dish first. Put the dressing back in the fridge right away - out of sight, out of mind - and then drizzle the dressing from the dish onto your salad.

Dressing don't: not paying attention to the label
In fashion, labels only matter to the status-conscious. But when it comes to salad dressing, it's best to be label-able. Peek at the nutrition stats on a bottle of salad dressing and you'll notice that the serving size is often only 2 tablespoons. 2 tablespoons doesn't sound like much, so it's easy to forget to factor in the calories, fat, and sodium from your dollop or two of dressing. 2 tablespoons of "regular" creamy ranch dressing has 16 g of fat, nearly 150 calories, and 12% of your daily recommended intake of sodium. Opt for a "fat-free" ranch to trim the fat down to only 0.3 g and one-third of the calories. But when you trade the fat, you often see a spike in sodium to make up for the lost flavor. Put a halt to all that salt by selecting low-sodium dressings.

Dressing don't: always thinking thin
The "ideal" body shape changes through the years. With healthy dressing, thin is sometimes in. Cutting fat and calories where you can may help you to manage your weight, which can help reduce your risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and elevated cholesterol. Dilute dressing with water, or spritz your bed of greens with a light spray-on dressing to perk up the flavor for a fraction of the fat and calories.

You could also whittle the waistline of homemade dressing by subbing in low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese in the place of buttermilk, mayo, or sour cream. But a bit of fat with your salad may be a good thing. That's because fat may help your body to absorb certain beneficial nutrients found in colorful salad ingredients like tomatoes, carrots, peas, and red and yellow bell peppers. Choose or prepare your own dressings that contain "healthier" monounsaturated fats - think delicious, salad-friendly avocados and olive oil!

Diet traps

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:07:00 +0000

There are some mindsets that can derail even the best weight-loss intentions. And while making over your body is a great goal, it's possible that to reach it, you also need a mental makeover - at least where your attitudes and beliefs about dieting are concerned.

Here are some commonly held beliefs about dieting, why they can lower your chances of success, and how to beat each obstacle.

Trap #1: Dieting has to be all or nothing.

The truth: It may feel virtuous to turn down chocolate cake, french fries, and every other treat that crosses your path, but in time, the temptation is likely to wear you down. And if you've been deprived of treats for a long time, you're all the more likely to load them on when you do cave in.

The fix: Make sure you indulge in the occasional treat. But make sure it's in moderation and only splurge on foods you really love.

Trap #2: Once you fall off the wagon, there's no point in getting back on.

The truth: The road to weight loss isn't always smooth, and you are bound to encounter some pitfalls along the way. Whether you've gone on vacation or just had a heavy restaurant meal, going off the plan can make you feel like you've blown your whole diet. But you've really only blown it if you decide to give up altogether rather than resume your healthy eating habits at your next meal.

The fix: Pick yourself up and get right back on the plan. It's normal to feel disappointed in yourself if you slip up. But in the long run, one little slip-up doesn't make a difference if you get right back on the plan. Don't wait until tomorrow or after the weekend - do it at your next meal.

Trap #3: A serving is the amount of food you can fit in your bowl.

The truth: The calories listed on the package are the amount contained in a specific amount of food, and that's not necessarily the amount you're eating. For example, your cereal may have 120 calories in a one-cup serving. But if your bowl holds 2 cups of cereal and you fill it right up, you're actually getting 240 calories. And extra calories from oversized portions add up!

The fix: Familiarize yourself with how big your portions should be, from a 3-ounce chicken breast that's about the size of a deck of cards to a half-cup serving of pasta that's the size of an ice-cream scooper. To start, weigh or measure out portions until you start to get a good idea of what different amounts look like.

Trap #4: Food doesn't count if it's fat-free.

The truth: While this belief was popularized with the invasion of fat-free products in the 1990s, it couldn't be further from the truth. The amount of weight you gain or lose is determined by the number of calories you eat compared to the number you burn. Still, few of your calories should come from fat. Instead, focus on getting your calories from foods that will fill you up and help you gain muscle.

The fix: If you're trying to lose weight, keep an eye on your overall caloric intake,and try to get your energy from foods rich in fiber, protein, and other important nutrients.

Trap #5: Nighttime snacking turns directly into fat.

The truth: Food you eat after dinner doesn't automatically land on your thighs, but if you've already had your fill of calories for the day, the extra snack could get the scales tipping in the wrong direction. But it's the extra calories that cause the problem, not the timing.

The fix: If you really enjoy a bedtime snack, then budget for the extra calories after dinner. But if you find you are getting hungry despite already having had your fill, consider adding a bowl of soup or some salad to your dinner, or swapping pasta or bread products for the whole-wheat version to help you fill up.

Trap #6: It's best to stick to the same foods.

The truth: When you're dieting, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut. Maybe you've settled on a meal that exactly fits your caloric needs so you find yourself eating it again and again or you're afraid to veer outside of a select group of diet-friendly foods. But if you're bored with your meals, you're more likely to cave when temptation comes along.

The fix: Diet food doesn't have to be boring. Focus on high-quality ingredients, which tend to have more flavor, and really try to mix it up. Adding fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, or even a small amount of good-quality olive oil or parmesan cheese to your meal can help keep things interesting without adding too many calories.

Starting a diet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:57:00 +0000

In most cases you should begin a diet by taking the same food plan you have now but cut out as much of the fatty food as you can while cutting back the portion sizes by about 20%. As well, try to increase your exercise. It is interesting to note that in some people an increase in exercise causes an increased appetite. If this is the case, go slowly with the exercise. As well, exercise increases your muscle weight so that when you begin exercising, if you have been inactive, you may initially gain a few pounds. Because of this, when you begin exercising, you may feel and look differently, but your weight may not change or may in fact increase slightly. However, if your size is decreasing, you are losing fat.

For many people wishing to lose a moderate to minimal amount of fat, such as 5 to 15 pounds, supervised diet clinics may be found. Make sure however, that they help you adjust your eating habits to your food likes and dislikes long-term. It is also recommended that you do not join up for more than a short period, but rather wait to see whether you find the diet clinic helpful before making a longer commitment. If you are concerned about your weight, and certainly if you have any diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high blood lipids such as cholesterol, you should see your doctor before starting a diet.

Essentials of any diet

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:56:00 +0000

A few of the essential elements of any diet are that it must result in long-term changes in eating patterns, and it must be individualized to you and your lifestyle. It must also include 3 meals a day, contain adequate calories for you to function and stay healthy, and it must contain a good balance of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fat).

It is important for you to know that carbohydrates fill you up quickly, whereas proteins keep you full for a longer period of time. As well, there is evidence now that suggests that proteins may increase non-shivering thermogenesis. That is, they can actually increase the number of calories you burn off at rest (i.e. not participating in physical activities). Although this effect is small, with a diet containing minimal proteins, you will feel hungry sooner and your body is not burning off as many calories while at rest, than if you were on a high protein diet.

DOES DIETING WORK?-How do fad diets work?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:32:00 +0000

You are considering going on a diet to lose weight. There are 3 key points to consider. Many people lose weight, but few can maintain it. The problem with diets is keeping the weight off.

You cannot stay on a diet forever.
Unfortunately there is no magic diet.

How do fad diets work?

Most fad diets work by changing the way you eat so drastically that you lose your appetite. For example, some diets contain a lot of one food like watermelon or banana. Other diets contain primarily two foods such as the wine and fowl diet. There are diets that cause rapid weight loss by having no carbohydrates or sugars in your diet. The rapid weight loss is however primarily due to fluid loss because ketone bodies are formed in the blood which carry fluid out of your body. Other fad diets include starvation diets (magic which can be believed short-term) or diets that make it easier for you to stick to them in the short-term by requiring the purchase of expensive pre-mixed foods.

The bottom line is that these diets have either dangers associated with them or cannot be adopted in your lifestyle long-term, in other words, fad diets don't work. And whereas about 85% of people lose weight on almost any diet, only about 15% of people keep it off at 2 years and 1 or 2% at 10 years.