Melissa Joulwan
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Low-Carb Vegetables
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Low carb-vegetables are highly recommended if you're trying a diet plan like Atkins, South Beach, Zone, Glycemic Index, Sugar Busters! and others advocate low-carb fruits and vegetables to varying degrees.
But low-carb vegetables are not just for dieters. Nutritionists agree that fruits and vegetables are the cornerstones of a healthy diet -- supplying essential vitamins, minerals and fiber, while helping to protect our bodies against diabetes, heart disease and cancers.
Low-carb vegetables are especially appealing because they contain less sugar than other vegetables, which allows someone to eat larger amounts without gaining weight.
You probably already know that starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, corn and peas are higher in carbohydrates. Green, leafy vegetables like lettuces are the least starchy. However, the exact carb count in a vegetable depends on the serving size. Also, when counting carbs in vegetables, the fiber is not counted and can be subtracted from the total number of carbohydrates.
Those trying to follow a low-carb diet, which usually depend on low-carb vegetables, should check with their nutritionist or with the specific diet plan to see which vegetables they are allowed to eat. If the plan does not recommend specific produce choices, you might try low-carb vegetables from the list below. They're great ways to get your USDA -recommended five to nine servings of vegetables per day.
Leafy vegetables
Arugula
Bok choy
Broccoli raab
Collard greens
Kale
Lettuce
Mustard greens
Spinach
But low-carb vegetables are not just for dieters. Nutritionists agree that fruits and vegetables are the cornerstones of a healthy diet -- supplying essential vitamins, minerals and fiber, while helping to protect our bodies against diabetes, heart disease and cancers.
Low-carb vegetables are especially appealing because they contain less sugar than other vegetables, which allows someone to eat larger amounts without gaining weight.
You probably already know that starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, corn and peas are higher in carbohydrates. Green, leafy vegetables like lettuces are the least starchy. However, the exact carb count in a vegetable depends on the serving size. Also, when counting carbs in vegetables, the fiber is not counted and can be subtracted from the total number of carbohydrates.
Those trying to follow a low-carb diet, which usually depend on low-carb vegetables, should check with their nutritionist or with the specific diet plan to see which vegetables they are allowed to eat. If the plan does not recommend specific produce choices, you might try low-carb vegetables from the list below. They're great ways to get your USDA -recommended five to nine servings of vegetables per day.
Leafy vegetables
Arugula
Bok choy
Broccoli raab
Collard greens
Kale
Lettuce
Mustard greens
Spinach
Burpees: The Perfect Exercise?
Burpees. The name's not pretty, but the results sure are!
A combination of squat, push-up, and vertical jump, the burpee has a somewhat nasty reputation for being the exercise of choice in prisons. But you should consider adding burpees to your routine for the same reasons inmates might: The burpee requires no equipment and can be done just about anywhere. Plus, it works your entire body, including those important core muscles, while increasing your cardio endurance.
So how do you do a burpee? The basic version is a six count move. Begin in the standing position, then:
- Sit into a squat.
- Kick your feet behind you so you're in a push-up position.
- Lower your chest to the ground.
- Press back up to complete the push up.
- Pull your feet back in so you're in squat position.
- Jump up in the air while clapping overhead.
Kara Combined Exercise Time and Family Time to Lose 107 Pounds
Diet & Weight Loss, Motivation, Success Stories
Be inspired by our That's Fit Success Stories. Then motivate others by submitting your own. Share how you've transformed your body through diet and exercise by sending us an e-mail at successstories [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com.
Name: Kara Masucci
Age: 33
Height: 4 feet, 11 inches
Before weight: 222
How I gained it: When I was younger, I ate all the time. Food was always around, and it was yummy. I was active, and I burned it off. But I remember my mom and grandma slapping my hand when I went for the second cupcake and saying things like, "Don't eat that, you're already too big."
As an adult, I enjoyed going out to eat, and I was apathetic because I was already overweight. I just thought, "I'm already big, I might as well have the cheese fondue!" As a Nurse Practitioner, you would think I would know better, but book smarts and street smarts are different. So I resolved myself to just be happy, and I thought I was.
Breaking point: When my daughter was one year old, I started to have some health issues. When I look back at my pictures now, I see how much weight I was carrying, but at the time, I thought I looked the same as when I was a freshman in college. I was overweight, but not "obese."
Kara, before
Photo: Kara Masucci
Age: 33
Height: 4 feet, 11 inches
Before weight: 222
How I gained it: When I was younger, I ate all the time. Food was always around, and it was yummy. I was active, and I burned it off. But I remember my mom and grandma slapping my hand when I went for the second cupcake and saying things like, "Don't eat that, you're already too big."
As an adult, I enjoyed going out to eat, and I was apathetic because I was already overweight. I just thought, "I'm already big, I might as well have the cheese fondue!" As a Nurse Practitioner, you would think I would know better, but book smarts and street smarts are different. So I resolved myself to just be happy, and I thought I was.
Breaking point: When my daughter was one year old, I started to have some health issues. When I look back at my pictures now, I see how much weight I was carrying, but at the time, I thought I looked the same as when I was a freshman in college. I was overweight, but not "obese."
Medicine Balls
Medicine balls, also known as "med balls," are weighted balls about 14 inches in diameter and available in weights ranging from two to 25 pounds. They can be used for strength and agility training, physical therapy and injury rehabilitation, and fat-burning interval exercises. Medicine balls are also particularly valuable for training the core, as well as the shoulders and lower body.
Medicine ball training is an "old school" form of exercise that's making a big comeback. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates stuffed animal skins with sand so his patients could toss them back and forth. Today, medicine balls are generally covered in leather, vinyl or polyester. Firm medicine balls are ideal for resistance training, while the softer, polyester-covered models are great for throwing, catching, bouncing and partner exercises.
Medicine ball training is ideal for both beginners and advanced exercisers because the weight of the ball can be scaled to participants' fitness levels. Lighter medicine balls -- four, six and eight pounds -- are the best option for partner exercises like one-arm throws, chest passes, overhead throws and rotations. A 10- or 12-pound ball can be used for sit-ups, squats and lunges in place of dumbbells, and may even be more effective in getting toned than using dumbbells or weight machines.
Check out these 10 cool exercises with medicine balls for easy ways to incorporate medicine ball training into your workout routine.
Medicine ball training is an "old school" form of exercise that's making a big comeback. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates stuffed animal skins with sand so his patients could toss them back and forth. Today, medicine balls are generally covered in leather, vinyl or polyester. Firm medicine balls are ideal for resistance training, while the softer, polyester-covered models are great for throwing, catching, bouncing and partner exercises.
Medicine ball training is ideal for both beginners and advanced exercisers because the weight of the ball can be scaled to participants' fitness levels. Lighter medicine balls -- four, six and eight pounds -- are the best option for partner exercises like one-arm throws, chest passes, overhead throws and rotations. A 10- or 12-pound ball can be used for sit-ups, squats and lunges in place of dumbbells, and may even be more effective in getting toned than using dumbbells or weight machines.
Check out these 10 cool exercises with medicine balls for easy ways to incorporate medicine ball training into your workout routine.
Flow Yoga
Flow yoga is a type of yoga that connects your movements to your breathing. In flow yoga, the yoga postures or "asanas" flow smoothly from one yoga position to the next on either an inhalation or an exhalation.
Flow Yoga is also called Vinyasa Yoga, which means "breath-synchronized movement." The thought is that the controlled breathing that accompanies the yoga positions in Flow Yoga cleanses the body and creates energy. This philosophy is the basis for other popular yoga styles like Ashtanga Yoga and Power Yoga.
But unlike the predetermined sequences of Ashtanga Yoga, there is no single set of rules or philosophy governing Flow Yoga.
Instructors have the freedom to create unique experiences by linking yoga positions according to their personalities and the needs or mood of the class. This makes Flow Yoga a great option for both beginners and experienced yogis alike.
Flow Yoga is also called Vinyasa Yoga, which means "breath-synchronized movement." The thought is that the controlled breathing that accompanies the yoga positions in Flow Yoga cleanses the body and creates energy. This philosophy is the basis for other popular yoga styles like Ashtanga Yoga and Power Yoga.
But unlike the predetermined sequences of Ashtanga Yoga, there is no single set of rules or philosophy governing Flow Yoga.
Instructors have the freedom to create unique experiences by linking yoga positions according to their personalities and the needs or mood of the class. This makes Flow Yoga a great option for both beginners and experienced yogis alike.
Catherine Lost 30 Pounds with CrossFit and Home Cooking
Diet & Weight Loss, Motivation, Success Stories
Be inspired by our That's Fit Success Stories. Then motivate others by submitting your own. Share how you've transformed your body through diet and exercise by sending us an e-mail at successstories [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com.
Name: Catherine Walker Hart
Age: 30
Height: 5 feet, 7 inches
Before weight: 168
How I gained it: Food addiction and overeating runs on one side of my family -- fast eating runs on the other side. I got both! I've always loved to eat and have always been a fast eater. Eating way past my full point was a daily occurrence in my life.
Growing up, I was very active and had a pretty decent metabolism, so I used to get away with eating too much. After I got married in 2006, I was no longer as active as I had been and my overeating started to catch up with me. My husband and I also became the "king and queen of takeout." When you eat most of your meals from restaurants, you don't have control of what goes into them, and the portions are larger than one person needs. I also was a bit of a carb addict, easily eating four to five times the appropriate amount of carbs in my meals. My husband and I also developed an ice cream habit. We could go through an entire pint on a nightly basis.
The more weight I put on, the more uncomfortable I felt, which only led to more overeating. And I was not burning off any of it! I tried several attempts at the gym, but I always felt lethargic and unmotivated. Eventually, I gave up.
Breaking Point: I started to notice that I could no longer cleverly hide my weight gain with baggier clothes. I have a small frame, so there was a window of time when I could hide extra pounds, but I was gaining weight beyond that window. The depression about my weight really kicked in when I had to buy a new pair of jeans in a larger size for the third time.
I became incredibly self-conscious about my weight and felt very uncomfortable in my own skin. I liked to think of myself as a strong, active person, and there I was carrying around an extra 35 pounds. I felt like I wasn't myself.
My weight was increasing, and I wasn't having any success changing to a healthier diet. In fact, I don't think I even understood what it meant to eat healthier. My grandfather had been a lean, strong, active athlete his entire life, but his addictive eating cut his life short. I knew in my heart that I had his genes and that if I didn't change my lifestyle now, I could be on the road to obesity with serious health consequences. I needed to kick it in the butt! I decided right then and there that "being heavy" was just a phase: I would not be a heavy person for the rest of my life.
Catherine Walker Hart, before
Photo: Catherine Walker Hart
Name: Catherine Walker Hart
Age: 30
Height: 5 feet, 7 inches
Before weight: 168
How I gained it: Food addiction and overeating runs on one side of my family -- fast eating runs on the other side. I got both! I've always loved to eat and have always been a fast eater. Eating way past my full point was a daily occurrence in my life.
Growing up, I was very active and had a pretty decent metabolism, so I used to get away with eating too much. After I got married in 2006, I was no longer as active as I had been and my overeating started to catch up with me. My husband and I also became the "king and queen of takeout." When you eat most of your meals from restaurants, you don't have control of what goes into them, and the portions are larger than one person needs. I also was a bit of a carb addict, easily eating four to five times the appropriate amount of carbs in my meals. My husband and I also developed an ice cream habit. We could go through an entire pint on a nightly basis.
The more weight I put on, the more uncomfortable I felt, which only led to more overeating. And I was not burning off any of it! I tried several attempts at the gym, but I always felt lethargic and unmotivated. Eventually, I gave up.
Breaking Point: I started to notice that I could no longer cleverly hide my weight gain with baggier clothes. I have a small frame, so there was a window of time when I could hide extra pounds, but I was gaining weight beyond that window. The depression about my weight really kicked in when I had to buy a new pair of jeans in a larger size for the third time.
I became incredibly self-conscious about my weight and felt very uncomfortable in my own skin. I liked to think of myself as a strong, active person, and there I was carrying around an extra 35 pounds. I felt like I wasn't myself.
My weight was increasing, and I wasn't having any success changing to a healthier diet. In fact, I don't think I even understood what it meant to eat healthier. My grandfather had been a lean, strong, active athlete his entire life, but his addictive eating cut his life short. I knew in my heart that I had his genes and that if I didn't change my lifestyle now, I could be on the road to obesity with serious health consequences. I needed to kick it in the butt! I decided right then and there that "being heavy" was just a phase: I would not be a heavy person for the rest of my life.
Mayo Clinic Diet Is a Fad
The Mayo Clinic Diet is a fad diet purported to help people lose 50 to 55 pounds during a 10-week span. It has no connection to the respected Mayo Clinic, a top research hospital, in Minnesota.
The basic premise of the diet is that dieters should ban all complex carbohydrates, but can eat as much protein and fat as they want. One of the "rules" of the diet even states, "At any meal you may eat until you are full -- until you can't eat any more."
Experts agree that a diet based on unbalanced nutrition and limited food choices, like the one recommended in the Mayo Clinic Diet, can be unhealthy. Plus, the boredom associated with eating the same foods over and over can prompt a return to old eating habits once someone goes off the diet.
The quick weight loss associated with the plan is also unhealthy. A better option than the Mayo Clinic Diet is the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, a lifestyle plan that includes a variety of healthy foods and daily exercise -- and is actually associated with the Mayo Clinic. It offers personalized menus, shopping lists, meal plans, results charts and dining-out tips.
Learn more about diet hoaxes that can sabotage your weight loss plans and check out That's Fit's Fitness page for tips to get in shape.
The basic premise of the diet is that dieters should ban all complex carbohydrates, but can eat as much protein and fat as they want. One of the "rules" of the diet even states, "At any meal you may eat until you are full -- until you can't eat any more."
Experts agree that a diet based on unbalanced nutrition and limited food choices, like the one recommended in the Mayo Clinic Diet, can be unhealthy. Plus, the boredom associated with eating the same foods over and over can prompt a return to old eating habits once someone goes off the diet.
The quick weight loss associated with the plan is also unhealthy. A better option than the Mayo Clinic Diet is the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid, a lifestyle plan that includes a variety of healthy foods and daily exercise -- and is actually associated with the Mayo Clinic. It offers personalized menus, shopping lists, meal plans, results charts and dining-out tips.
Learn more about diet hoaxes that can sabotage your weight loss plans and check out That's Fit's Fitness page for tips to get in shape.
Pilates Exercises
Pilates exercises are part of a fitness method started by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s. This popular workout trend teaches awareness of breathing while focusing on the alignment of the spine. Pilates target back and abdominal -- or "core" muscles -- but is also effective for toning the legs, arms, shoulders and glutes.
The exercises are often performed on a piece of equipment called a reformer, but can also be done on a mat without equipment. During these Pilates classes, you'll perform non-weight bearing moves that use your body weight to tone your muscles. All Pilates exercises have numerous benefits, including increasing both strength and flexibility, while also improving lung capacity.
Pilates classes are available at most gyms. Still, finding the right instructor can be the key to success. Certified instructors will give clear and precises directions that focus on correct body positioning and breathing. It's the instructor's job to accurately demonstrate the exercises for you and to give you cues that make the movements easy to understand.
Pilates exercises are great for both beginners and advanced exercisers. Instructors should provide modifications for the exercises and offer some individual instruction to ensure you are performing the moves in a way that is both safe and effective. Injured students should be able to participate with these modifications, too.
Think Pilates might be right for you? Learn more about how Pilates gives the gain without the pain.
The exercises are often performed on a piece of equipment called a reformer, but can also be done on a mat without equipment. During these Pilates classes, you'll perform non-weight bearing moves that use your body weight to tone your muscles. All Pilates exercises have numerous benefits, including increasing both strength and flexibility, while also improving lung capacity.
Pilates classes are available at most gyms. Still, finding the right instructor can be the key to success. Certified instructors will give clear and precises directions that focus on correct body positioning and breathing. It's the instructor's job to accurately demonstrate the exercises for you and to give you cues that make the movements easy to understand.
Pilates exercises are great for both beginners and advanced exercisers. Instructors should provide modifications for the exercises and offer some individual instruction to ensure you are performing the moves in a way that is both safe and effective. Injured students should be able to participate with these modifications, too.
Think Pilates might be right for you? Learn more about how Pilates gives the gain without the pain.
Caroline Freed Herself of Fast Food and Lost 145 Pounds
Diet & Weight Loss, Motivation, Success Stories
Be inspired by our That's Fit Success Stories. Then motivate others by submitting your own. Share how you've transformed your body through diet and exercise by sending us an e-mail at successstories [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com.
Name: Caroline Nittolo
Age: 35
Height: 5 feet, 2 inches
Before weight: 271
Breaking point: After my father passed away from complications from diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, I hit rock bottom, and I was still using food as comfort. I went to see the doctor, and my blood pressure was very high. For the first time, I had health issues, and it scared me. Right around that time, I had to travel for a month on business/pleasure and had to take 14 different flights. I was so mortified that the seat belts didn't fit me! The worst part of the whole experience was that most of the flight attendants automatically brought the seat belt extender to me. They knew just looking at me that I would need it. It was horrible! I knew I was big, but I tried to block out the fact that most people could see how big I really was.
Caroline Nittolo, Before
Photo: Caroline Nittolo
Name: Caroline Nittolo
Age: 35
Height: 5 feet, 2 inches
Before weight: 271
How I gained it: I have been overweight my entire life, but I gained the majority of the weight over the past five years. My dad was very sick and in the hospital for a long time, and I used food as an escape. I ate fast food three or four times a week; I was a fast food drive-thru queen! My favorite was McDonald's, but I would also go to Wendy's and Burger King. I always felt happy while I was eating the food, but I would feel guilty when I finished.
I never got out of the car, thinking that no one would see how big I was if I used the drive-thru. I ordered super-sized meals, but drank a Diet Coke with them, kidding myself that would make a difference. I do miss Ronald, Wendy, and the King, but they were no friends of mine. They were my worst enemy.
I never got out of the car, thinking that no one would see how big I was if I used the drive-thru. I ordered super-sized meals, but drank a Diet Coke with them, kidding myself that would make a difference. I do miss Ronald, Wendy, and the King, but they were no friends of mine. They were my worst enemy.
Breaking point: After my father passed away from complications from diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, I hit rock bottom, and I was still using food as comfort. I went to see the doctor, and my blood pressure was very high. For the first time, I had health issues, and it scared me. Right around that time, I had to travel for a month on business/pleasure and had to take 14 different flights. I was so mortified that the seat belts didn't fit me! The worst part of the whole experience was that most of the flight attendants automatically brought the seat belt extender to me. They knew just looking at me that I would need it. It was horrible! I knew I was big, but I tried to block out the fact that most people could see how big I really was.
Tricks to Avoid Halloween Candy
Diet & Weight Loss, Motivation
photo: freeloosedirt, Flickr
1. Give the treat of healthier snacks.
The grocery shelves are crammed with 100-calorie snack packs that are healthier options than candy. Snacks like pretzels, roasted nuts and baked chips and crackers are better options than some candies, and if you indulge in a pack, too, you can do it guilt-free.
2. Recognize your intent.
"Sometimes it's not the candy we want at all; we are just craving a particular feeling, like comfort or excitement," said Pam Wood, a Weight Watchers meeting leader in Austin, Texas. "We need to ask ourselves, 'What is it that I really want to satisfy: the craving for the candy or the craving to feel fabulous?'" If it's the latter, she advises that you say "no" to the candy and determine the best way to satisfy your true desires. If it is candy, go ahead and have a small piece to satisfy the craving.
