HealthyFats-related stories
America Takes it Off, Kellie Pickler, and Weight Loss - Week in Review - December 29 to January 4
Got a fitness goal in 2009? We've got just the place for you to start. Join us each week for America Takes it Off: Shrink a Size, and let up help you create the body you want this year.Ever wonder how naturally thin people stay that way? Laura thinks she's found the key in these seven habits.
Did you know you're more likely to inherit obesity than high blood pressure? Learn 19 more interesting facts about fat.
Kellie Pickler lost 28 pounds and reshaped her entire body. Fitz finds out how.
Have you taken your workout inside for the winter? Here are five ways to amp it up.
Fitz wants a chance to work with Oprah and wonders: Are you suffering from Oprah syndrome?
I'm an advocate of healthy fats, but Martha wonders does this diet go too far?
Men are from Mars, women are from Venus ... even when it comes to weight loss? Check it out!
Have a great week, everyone!
Keep your middle little with olive oil
Bagels can go right to your middle -- literally -- say the RealAge experts. But olive oil, now this item might just keep your middle little.
Seems the healthy fats from olive oil keeps bellies flat, which is a mighty good thing. You know why? Because excessive amounts of abdominal fat increases your risk for high blood sugar and other health problems. Now olive oil alone won't do the trick -- you've got to eat an overall healthy diet and exercise too. But getting a good amount of your calories from unsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil, can surely help prevent tummy troubles over time. They will also help you maintain better insulin sensitivity.
The Mediterranean diet is one you might want to adopt. About 30 to 40% of calories in this diet come from unsaturated fats. A diet you'll want to avoid: The high-carb diet. It tends to cause body fat to relocate to the belly.
Mediterranean diet on the decline ... even in countries where it began
But sadly, even in countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Morocco, the Mediterranean diet is in decline. Instead, the latest generation of kids enjoy a steady diet of processed foods and sweets, making a whopping two-thirds of them overweight. Health experts and government leaders are aghast and are seeking to designate the diet an "intangible piece of cultural heritage."
In America, where our national foods are hot dogs and apple pie, this might not seem like a big deal. But I find it incredibly sad that these countries are not only losing a significant piece of their history, but along with it wonderful foods that contributed to their longevity.
Making comfort foods healthfully
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
I grew up in a big family, with big family-style meals. So now when I have a craving for something, it tends to be heavy comfort foods, like chicken and dumplings or my family's version of chicken noodle soup.With some simple substitutions you can enjoy these comforting favorites and not feel guilty. Just take a look at your recipes and find opportunities for increasing the vegetable content, using healthy fats instead of not-so-healthy versions (e.g. olive oil instead of butter), using whole grains instead of refined versions (e.g. whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose or brown rice instead of white) and using leaner meats instead of fattier versions (e.g. ground turkey instead of hamburger). Take a look at how Crabby McSlacker made the quintessential comfort food -- meatloaf and mashed potatoes -- a little more on the healthy side.
Eating Well has a whole list of comfort foods made healthier. Here are some of Eating Well's recipes that I plan to try:
Sugar is dead
Womens Health, HealthWatch, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
Why are we gaining so much weight? Sedentary lifestyles certainly don't help, nor does our over-reliance on comfort technology (ie. cars, escalators, elevators, etc.). However, an argument can easily be made that diet is the main reason why our waistlines are growing. And, in particular, how our girth is largely due to how much sugar we consume.
Because simple sugars deliver a large amount of calories with little to no nutrition, it only makes sense that eating candy and drinking soda all day will cause a person to feel terrible and gain weight. A study published in the Annual Review of Nutrition found that from 1970 through 2000, daily caloric intake among women ages 20 to 39 jumped from 1,652 to 2,028. Interestingly, over the same period, the percentage of calories sourced from fats and protein decreased. So, we essentially got rid of of the healthy stuff and replaced it with junk.
It's no wonder, then, that since the average American consumes 25 pounds more sugar annually than we did back in the days of disco, we're barely able to get on the floor and dance these days.
These foods have a bad reputation, but should they?
Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
Jacki recently wrote about the nutritional value of peanut butter. Many people shy away from this creamy treat because of its fat content, but in reality, most of that fat is the good kind. Not only that, but studies have shown that eating peanuts is linked to lower cholesterol. Peanut butter is also satisfying, which means that when you eat it, you stay full longer.
There are a handful of other foods that have earned a bad reputation over the years, including eggs, coffee, avocado, and mushrooms. These foods were either deemed unhealthy or just not nutritionally sound, but new research is putting them back in the spotlight. Click on the gallery below to find out why health experts believe these bad boy foods might actually be good for you.
There are a handful of other foods that have earned a bad reputation over the years, including eggs, coffee, avocado, and mushrooms. These foods were either deemed unhealthy or just not nutritionally sound, but new research is putting them back in the spotlight. Click on the gallery below to find out why health experts believe these bad boy foods might actually be good for you.
The Daily Turn On! Fat is good
Life is too short not to be fully "turned on." The Daily Turn On! energizes all aspects of "you." Everyday The Daily Turn On! with That's Fit Life Fit expert Laura Lewis will awaken your mind, your body and your life!Did you know ... You really need fat! Before you dive into a huge bowl of ice cream, you need to know more about essential fats. Fats are made up of smaller "pieces" of fat called fatty acids. Some are known as the "good guys," which help lower cholesterol and provide components for hormone production. While others, "the bad guys," can lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer. Olives, nuts, seeds, avocados and fish are a few of the foods that provide the types of fat that we need in order to maintain optimal health. We don't need that much, but the small amount you do obtain can lead to a variety of health benefits.
Fat can even help you trick your body into thinking it is not hungry. The next time you get really hungry before a meal, eat about 70 calories of the "good" fat: about six walnuts, twelve almonds or twenty peanuts. Consuming good fat is the catalyst to the production of cholecystoknin (CCK), the hormone that tells your brain you are satiated.
Also, eat slowly so your brain has time to process this information before you end up over-eating.
Eat well ... live a fit life!
Fight your "fat tooth"
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Not a sweet tooth, but a fat tooth -- do you have one or the other? I, unfortunately, have both! They seem to take turns coming out, though, as sometimes I crave sugary sweets and other times all I want is a big greasy hamburger with lots of cheese.Scientists have found that the "fat tooth" is really an area of the tongue genetically designed specifically for recognizing fats. It seems that craving fatty foods may be a combination of both learned behavior and biological necessity -- it's well known that many good fats are necessary for a healthy system, but craving a mega-sized carton of French fries is not what your body had in mind. If you can find the right balance, probably through recipes that focus on healthy fats and not totally depriving yourself to the extreme, your "fat tooth" might be less active, and then the cravings will be easier to resist.
Heart health and the Mediterranean Diet
Heart attack patients have typically been put on low-fat diets to help prevent a recurrence in the future, but that may no longer necessarily be the case. A new study shows that a Mediterranean style diet (including "healthy" fats like olive oil) is just as effective at reducing further cardiovascular incidents as the more usually recommended low-fat American Heart Association diet. Interestingly enough, the patients in the study who were put on the Mediterranean diet had a harder time following it -- despite being allowed more fat. Apparently, since they were mostly older individuals, they weren't used to eating so much fish and seafood.
Butter or margarine . . . decisions, decisions . . .
Healthy Habits, Diet & Weight Loss, Reviews & Products, Nutrition & Supplements
The choice between butter and margarine seems like a trick, doesn't it? How can I choose between conventional butter and margarine?On the one hand, most margarines are full of trans fats, hydrogenated fats or fats from vegetable oils that raise the omega-6 levels while not accounting for the balance of omega-3's. The proper ratio of these fats is necessary for heart and immune health.
Then there is butter. Saturated animal fat is usually the main reason given for avoiding butter (like in this article), but for me, there are better reasons to avoid conventional butter. The bovine growth hormone has been linked to cancer and immune problems, just to name a few. The pasteurization process effects the nutritional value and digestibility of dairy products. Organic butter is a much better choice, although still pasteurized, it does not contain the bovine growth hormone.
