That's Fit

Agave nectar has shown up as tidbits in various post on That's Fit before, whether it's an ingredient in a hot chocolate recipe or an element of a celebrity's diet. But for those of you who don't know the details of what this sweet syrup is, where it comes from and why it's a good alternative to sugar or artificial sweeteners, this is for you:

Agave nectar is derived from a Mexican plant and considered a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners because it's naturally derived and has a low glycemic effect, which is explained thoroughly in this article on Shake Off the Sugar a web site devoted to low-carb options and reducing sugar intake. And here's another article about the trend in use of agave as a sweet alternative.

As for me, I use it in tea and baking recipes as well as in my morning oatmeal. The other day, I used it in lemonade. But I found adding a little organic sugar made the taste of the lemons come out more. Call me crazy.

My experiments have been fun and mostly successful. And I can vouch for agave's low glycemic load as I'm a type 1 diabetic using an insulin pump to control blood sugar and testing often. The effect of agave nectar on my blood sugar is minimal. But of course other experiences might be different. Our bodies are not entirely identical in how they react to various substances. And I'm not your doctor, so talk to yours about how you might use agave in your diet.

You can usually find agave in your local health food store. My local Super Target stocks it too. And you can buy online too. Sweet!

Not to sounds sexist here, but when we think of diets, we tend to associate them with women. It's not that men don't diet -- I suppose it's because they don't diet to quite the extent that we ladies do. That and I think they tend to be less public about it. Afterall, I've known dozens of women who've shared every detail of their diet with me, but I can count the number of men who have on one hand.

WebMD recently did an article on the most popular diet plans for men. Not surprisingly (if you ask me, anyway,) the most popular diet choice for men is the good old low-carb/high-protein Atkins approach. But there's a commonality: a quick-fix diet isn't typically successful in the long-run for either men or women. The best diet plan is the one you can stick with.

Want to know more? Read the full article.

According to the American Diabetes Association, low-carb and low-fat diets are equally effective in helping people lose weight, a goal of those who have or want to reduce their risk of developing diabetes. Though they stopped short of recommending low-carb in the past, in their 2008 guidelines, the ADA is now giving the plan its official support.

The association is careful to say that they aren't endorsing one specific plan to lose weight. Instead, they want people to find the plan that works for them so that permanent weight loss can be achieved. Low-carb may be an option for some people, though they do recommend that those who use it are monitored for rising cholesterol or declining kidney function.

Learn more about diabetes at the ADA's official website.

Carbs might be bad for your waistline, but it's thought that they might be good for you're brain, or at least that's what this article seems to say. In a study involving people who followed a high-fat/low-carb plan and those who followed a high-carb/low-fat plan, those in the latter group were the ones who showed improvement to their cognitive processing when given a series of tests.

But other than that, researchers found few other differences between the two groups -- their moods were about the same, and members from both groups were still losing weight.

What do you think of these findings? Me, I'm surprised that mood wasn't more of a factor -- I've heard of low-carb diets causing massive mood swings.

Low-carb dieting is one of the most popular forms of weight-loss out there, and it works! But is it healthy? Fitsugar recently asked that same question and they came up with the precautions for low-carb wannabes:

• Low-carb diets can be damaging to the health of women who are pregnant, as well as those with diabetes, kidney stones or high cholesterol.
• People following a low-carb plan might be missing important nutrients. Take a multivitamin and possibly fiber supplements if you're going to cut out carbs
• High amounts of protein can be damaging to the liver. Be sure to drink lots of water
• Remember to consult your doctor before going on any diet.
  

What do you think about low-carb diets? I think it can be healthy, but I'm not sure that I could follow one on the long term -- I'm too much of a pasta-and-bread fiend.

A number of blogs and websites have been flooded with Kimkins spam, and ours is no exception. Kimkins, a radical new(ish) weight-loss plan that is being touted as the low-fat answer to Atkin's, is fast becoming one of the most talked-about weight-loss plans, and it's not all good publicity -- in fact, the majority of it is bad.

Beside suggestions that the Kimkins program is unhealthy (you're supposed to eat only 600 calories a day,) there's much talk about the program's founder, Kimmers -- also known as Heidi Diaz. Diaz is apparently not 118-lbs as she proudly proclaims, but rather an obese recluse with a knack for scamming. I've been skeptical from the time I first heard about this diet, and frankly, I'm not surprised that this is apparently such a monumental scam.

If you're interested in learning more about the Kimkins controversy, check out this article from 3 Fat Chicks on the Diet. And remember, don't trust everything you hear.

Dieting seems to be a phenomenon that's popped up in the last few decades and quickly gained momentum into the new millennium. Afterall, could you imaging people in medieval times, when food was scarce, turning down a potato because they were trying to cut back on their carbs?

But according to Diet Blog and our friend, Crabby McSlacker, dieting happened 300 years ago too. Low-carb diets and exercise were recommended for achieving the ideal figure back then, and not much has changed except for the ideal figure size -- then, curves were favoured over the stick-thin body shape that dominates fashion magazines of today. Actually, I wonder if we will revert back to that way of thinking -- what do you think?

Road trips are next to impossible if you're trying to follow a low-carb plan. Gas stations and roadside stops are heaving on the white bread, fries, potato chips and sugary goods, and light on healthy things like salads.

So how can you stay on track on the road? Planning is key. Don't rely on finding something healthy on the side of the highway -- bring your own snacks. Pack a cooler full of healthy snacks like cheese, veggies and nuts. Bring lots of water, even if it means you'll need a few extra bathroom breaks -- keeping hydrated will help keep cravings at bay. And if you have to stop for something to eat, plan ahead and make an educated choice -- burgers without the bun and salads are good choices. If you find yourself at a sub shop, order yours on a small dinner roll instead of the huge sub bun.

How do you stay on track on the road?

It seems like everyone and their dog has come up with some new fabulous way to lose weight. Here's another prime example: Kimkins. It's described as Atkins but low-fat. It was developed by a woman named Kimmer who lost 118 lbs in 11 months by following the eating plan she suggests.

It sounds viable but to be honest, I wouldn't give them my money because of their website. They have a link that says '10 Reasons to Join'. I clicked on it and it asks for my Email address, which I gave, but then I got an Email saying the I would be Emailed the 10 Reasons, one a day, and I haven't received them yet. I get that it was just a ploy to get my Email address, but why make a potential customer go through hoops just to find out why they should join? It seems a bit sketchy to me.

I'm curious to know -- have you tried Kimkins or a variant? Were you craving carbs like crazy?

If you're following a low-carb eating plan, liquids can be the enemy. Some of the tastiest drinks have tons of sugar -- and carbs. Some of the worst culprits are:

• Lemonade
• Iced coffee drinks
• Hot chocolate
• Flavored water
• Soda

Fortunately, most drinks out there have a low-carb equivalent. To check them out, read the original article from eDiets.

My favorite low-carb drink is Iced Tea, home brewed and sweetened with just a touch of Splenda. Rooibos and peppermint teas are the tastiest if you ask me. What about you?

Summer is a great time to enjoy a picnic with family and friends. But picnics can be a bit of a nightmare if you're trying to diet. But have no fear -- here are some picnic suggestions with the low-carb dieter in mind:

• Skip the soda--opt for something calorie-free and more refreshing like ice-cold water or unsweetened Ice tea.
• Instead of bringing the usual pre-made sandwiches, separate all the ingredients--whole wheat bread, veggies, lean meats, low-cal spreads, etc.--into separate containers or baggies, allowing for delicious custom-made sandwiches or even a salad made on the spot!
• If Peanut Butter sandwiches are your thing, why not try an alternative, like almond butter?
• Forgo high-calorie desserts and instead bring some fresh fruit
  

What picnic tips do you have?

First there was the whole foods diet. Then there was the low-carb craze. Then eating organic was all the rage. And I'm sure you've heard of cage-free, free range and grass fed. Now there's eating locally. Well, eating locally isn't exactly a new concept--after all, farmer's markets have existed probably as long as farms, but it finally seems to be catching on as a dieting trend.

So what exactly does it mean to eat locally, and what are the benefits? I mean, we've all seen farmer's markets, perused their offerings and even occasionally indulged in some of their maple syrup candy and apple cider but what does eating locally really translate to?

"Local" is defined as anything within a hundred miles. That makes for a lot of possibilities in terms of food options, depending on where you live.

To me, farmer's markets were always the opportunity to get a little something different than what you'd find at a local supermarket. I know the one in Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn used to house a woman we referred to as the Cheese Lady who always had THE BEST cheeses anywhere. She had this one spicy white cheddar with horseradish in it that was TO DIE FOR. Sadly, at some point she took her wares elsewhere.

Going on a diet plan that includes having food delivered right to your door is becoming very popular these days, which means it's also becoming big business. And with big business comes all kinds of people trying to get in on their corner of the market. So with so many companies offering diet food delivery services, how can you tell which one is for you? Well Epicurious.com was curious too, so they recently tested 5 of the most prominent weight loss food delivery plans looking for who had the best taste and nutrition overall, as well as a few other factors. So who came out on top? eDiets! Congrats to them for getting "3 out of 4 forks" on the Epicurious rating system. The total ranking of 5 looks like this:
1. eDiets
2. Zone Chefs
3. Pure Foods Low Carb
4. Jenny Craig
5. Nutrisystem

Did your favorite make the list?

Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Rush Limbaugh has lost a ton of weight lately, and, as always, the healthy living writer in me wants to know how he did it -- some sort of fad diet? plastic surgery? or plain old healthy eating and exercise?

Turns out Limbaugh jumped on the low-carb bandwagon, and that's what lead to his success. However, he goes on to say that on this diet, he severely restricts his daily calorie allowance too, sometimes as low as 800 calories. Hello Nicole Richie! Ok, I'm kidding, but jokes aside, 800 calories for is unhealthy for a 5'5 woman, let alone a 5'11 man! Another secret of his success? He quit drinking alcohol, which he claims is just full of empty calories.

Limbaugh says that once he got used to the low-carb plan, he no longer was hungry or craved food. I find this hard to believe, but would love you hear your thoughts on this statement.

If you're following the GI diet or another low-carb plan, you might find that it's a challenge coming up with exciting meal ideas. Breakfast is particularly hard for me -- I love having toast and jam and an rarely stomach adding protein to my first meal of the day. Here's help in the form of a list of 10 GI-friendly breakfast foods -- think granola, yogurt and fruit, eggs, and even a pita pocket loaded with veggies.

What GI-Friendly meal ideas do you have? One of my favourites is scrambled eggs with salsa. I'm also partial to plain yogurt and fruit, sweetened with a bit of honey.