raisins-related stories
Exercise Helps This Child-Taming Diva Sheriff Stay Sweet While Running Off Skittles
That's Fit Club, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader! We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind.
Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Everlast and Everlast Woman are giving gorgeous workout T-shirts to each featured member! To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!
Age: 32
Occupation: Homemaker, Domestic Engineer, In-House Chef, Maid, Taxi, Motivator, Sheriff, Dog Walker, Cat Feeder, Snake Tamer, Playmate and Diva
How often do you exercise? About six days a week.
What type of exercise do you do? I am proud to say that for the first time in my life I can call myself a runner. I also do resistance exercises.
What gets you to work out, even when you're feeling lazy? My bad mood! I know exercise will snap me out of it and give me that hyper "I love everyone" feeling.
Raisins - The Perfect Pre-Walk Snack
Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
It's not to soon to start thinking about that big feast you might tackle tomorrow or that walk you should take just after you stuff down your calories galore.First things first. Before you head out the door on your power walk, eat some raisins -- they're the perfect pre-walk snack, with the power to help you keep up the pace and crank up your fat-burning reserves.
Check this out: Endurance athletes in one study who ate a few ounces of raisins before 45 minutes of cycling fared better than athletes who threw back a sports gel. Yep, raisin eaters have no problem keeping pace with gel takers, and they have higher blood levels of free fatty acids too.
Raisins rock. They're loaded with antioxidants, fiber, iron and potassium. Best of all, they're easy to sneak into most meals. RealAge suggests trying these sneaky strategies: Sprinkle raisins on hot cereal or on crusty whole-grain bread smeared with peanut butter, toss into your favorite lunch salad, infuse into Indian-inspired cuisine and put them on your pizza.

Snack Like a Skinny Person (VIDEO)
Fit Kicks Videos, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
The secret to becoming fit and trim is painfully simple, and I know you can follow these easy instructions. No diets, pills or programs necessary!
Changing your post-workout routine, tools to "un-Gumby-fy" your yoga routine, and other neat fitness training tips can be found at ...
For pre-workout snacks, raisins make the cut
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Raisins are the perfect pre-workout snack, reports a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. They taste better than commercial sports gels and have the same effect on performance. Raisins also help athletes meet their daily needs for vitamins, minerals, and fiber, says lead researcher Mark Kern, Ph.D. of San Diego State University.Kern's research, gathered from a group of male and female cyclists, was designed to examine potential differences in metabolism and cycling performance after consumption of moderate glycemic raisins vs. a high glycemic sports gel. Through blood samples taken before and after exercise, performance was deemed no different between the raisin and gel trials. Minor differences in metabolism were detected.
The bottom line: Raisins appear to be a cost-effective source of carbohydrate for pre-exercise snacking in comparison to sports gels for short-term exercise sessions.
Warm up with sugar and GORP
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Besides adding layers and applying heat, another speedy way to warm the body is to eat or drink something sweet, says one Alaska state trooper who coordinates search and rescue missions. Sugars help build an internal "fire," says Lieutenant Barry Wilson in the December 2007 issue of The Oprah Magazine. Sugar creates brief heat and quick energy. Keep in mind the "brief" and "quick" terminology. Make a habit out of consuming sugar and that jolt of energy will lead to an inevitable crash.
Even better for warming up: a little GORP (granola, oats, raisins, and peanuts). This combo provides more slowly-released carbs -- think of these as the fire's "sticks" -- as well as protein and fat, or the "logs."
Got sugar? Got GORP? Then you're all set.
Beware of these three not-so-healthy treats
You might think Sun-Maid's Vanilla Yogurt Raisins are a health food. The raisins are OK. The yogurt is OK. But the white coating mostly consists of sugar and partially hydrogenated palm-kernel oil. A one-ounce box containing about 35 raisins has 120 calories and a pretty hefty dose of saturated fat -- 20 percent of the recommended daily limit, to be exact.
How about some Calbee Snapea Crisps? They're just baked peas. But they're also full of fat. One ounce -- about 22 chips -- packs 150 calories which is the same as regular potato chips. Eat the entire bag and you'll consume 500 calories.
Now get this. There's a lemon lime spritzer out there, made my R.W. Knudsen, that surprisingly contains 170 calories per can. For a seltzer? Yep. It's sweetened with fruit juice concentrates and even has more sugar and 30 more calories than a can of Coca-Cola Classic.
This news certainly inspires me to double check the labels on seemingly healthy food items. It hope it does you too.
Resveratol in grapes may lead to increased endurance
Impressive, huh?
Cool Kid Recipes
Healthy Habits, Healthy Home, Womens Health, Healthy Kids, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
My kids are on a mission to try to out-do Mommy in the neat recipe contest, and I think they're winning. Almost every time I put a meal down on the table, they ask to change it up in some way or add something else to it. Often, my first thought is Eww!, but I never say that. As long as their requests are healthy I say "sure, let's give it a try!" Then...after they've done the taste test first and have given their approval I give a try myself. I've loved it all.
I think it's cool that they're not slaves to social pressure or traditional meal planning. They like what they like and they have oodles of new ideas. Maybe they'll spawn their own recipe book with this stuff, but for now....here are a few of their innovative and healthful treats. Enjoy!
Nutty Nana: Peel one entire banana and smear reduced fat peanut butter on it. Sometimes we put cherries on top of the peanut butter.
Yodelaheehoo Yogurt: Open a cup of your favorite yogurt and add any of the following ingredients: grapes, yogurt raisins, raisins, broken pretzels.
Healthy alternatives to Hallowe'en candy
Healthy Kids, Diet & Weight Loss, Reviews & Products, Nutrition & Supplements

Well, it's almost time for Hallowe'en again!
Are you getting ready by stocking up on candy?
Here are some ideas on alternatives to the usual sugary treats, including some surprises!
























