That's Fit

The Japanese love their fad diets, and a new one has taken the country by storm. The Morning Banana Diet has become so popular due to recent publicity that grocery stores across Japan are sold out of bananas, according to recent reports from banana importers. What's all the hype about? Here's a run-down of the diet:

• You eat a raw, unfrozen banana for breakfast.
• You can eat whatever you want for lunch and dinner, even fried foods. However, dessert is prohibited. You must eat dinner before 8 pm.
• At 3 pm, you can have a sweet snack, like chocolates or cookies. You can have something healthier, but if you want chocolate, don't deny yourself.

Apple or candy bar -- which one would you choose to snack on? I'm guessing most will choose the apple. If, however, I had both snacks on hand, which would you choose?

• Post-Sex on the Beach. Orange juice, cranberry juice, peach nectar, and grenadine combine for a non-alcoholic version of an old favorite.
• Chunky Monkey. So maybe you won't catch Carrie Bradshaw drinking this one; it's so delish, who cares if it's trendy? Just blend a banana, low-fat milk, and some chocolate syrup.
  
• Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice. A brandy-less version of a hot toddy, this drink combines warmed apple cider, cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, imitation brandy extract, and brown sugar.
• Virgin Margarita. With this tasty blend of sour mix, lime juice, and orange juice, you won't even miss the tequila.
  
  

The other day, while hosting over a dozen of my children's playgroup friends here at my house for some outdoor fun....I created a frozen treat guaranteed to fill their little tummies up in a completely nutritious and fun way. Bapaloneo (a weird word my three and five year old children made up) Pops served the purpose I had intended and energized the group for several hours of insanity. Try them this summer.

Fitz's Bapaloneo Pops:

• Cut bananas in half length-wise, and stick a popsicle stick in the flat end.
• Coat the banana with creamy peanut butter.
• Roll the peanut butter coated banana in a bowl of regular cheerios.
• Place pops on a pan covered with freezer paper and then put them in the freezer for an hour or so.

An easy way to lose weight is to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. Produce is famous for jamming massive amounts of vitamins, nutrients and fiber into very few calories. With most produce, you can consume lots of food for a very low caloric price. More bang for your buck that is!

I ask my personal training clients to try to include at least five meals per week consisting of pure produce. No meat. No grains. Most folks eat at least 21 meals per week, so this five meal plan doesn't deter anyone from getting enough protein. What it does do though, is get them to try new fruits and learn new ways to turn veggies into a meal.

Another benefit to this effort is that by keeping a few meals to just produce, you will more than likely be cutting quite a bit of calories out of the day. Over time, the more you rely on fruits and vegetables for snacks and meals, the more likely you'll be to achieve and maintain your ideal weight.

• Throw it in a smoothie. Browning bananas are much better-tasting in a smoothie than green or yellow ones. I throw it in with some vanilla yogurt and a touch of chocolate sauce -- it's oh-so-delicious.
• Slice it and have it with some granola or cereal.
  
• Much it up and spread it on toast, with some peanut butter if you like.
  

If you haven't heard about the benefits of flaxseed yet, where have you been hiding? The superfood is full of fiber, can lower cholesterol as well as reduce the risk of heart disease, may protect again breast cancer and contains tonnes of Omega-3 fatty acids. So if you haven't added it to your diet, now is as good a time as any.

Many people choose to grind the seed, which can be found at most local grocery and health food stores, in a coffee bean grinder and then sprinkle it into yogurt, cereal or even pasta sauce. If you'd like a few new ideas, take a look at the three tasty recipes listed here.

You can treat yourself to a Raspberry Smoothie, try a delectable Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin or whip up some Flaxseed and Blueberry Pancakes, which include another superfood (blueberries) as a main ingredient. Having taken a look at the recipes, I'm already craving one of the Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.