That's Fit

If you have a diet soda instead of a regular one, do you think that means you have more "room" for a big piece of cake? It sounds kind of crazy, doesn't it? Odds are the piece of cake would be more calories than the soda, and what does one thing have to do with the other anyway?

According to Brian Wansick PhD, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, that type of reasoning isn't unusual. In the Journal of Consumer Research, Wasnick states "We found that when people go to restaurants claiming to be healthy, such as Subway, they choose additional side items containing up to 131% more calories than when they go to restaurants like McDonald's, that don't make this claim."

So when we perceive a restaurant as being "healthy," we become more liberal in our choices -- potentially choosing more calories than we might have consumed at a restaurant with fewer healthy choices. Wansick calls habits like ordering cookies to go with your low-cal sub the "halo effect." While having cookies or other treats isn't necessarily a bad thing in and of itself, it's the fact that many people are consuming these calories mindlessly; they aren't viewing them as treats, but more of a regular item that they have made space for by eating foods that they perceive as healthy.

Remember, restaurants don't always tell the whole-truth-and-nothing-but about their nutrition information. Check out Bev's post and learn why it's more like the whole-lie-and-a-bigger-butt.

Healthy fast food? Could there really be such a thing? A West Hollywood restaurant in California called O!burger seems to think so, and they're not talking cold sub sandwiches either. Burgers, fries, and shakes make up a good part of their menu, along with veggie burgers, yogurt smoothies, and salads.

Their main claim to fame (and health) is that they're 100% organic and striving to be eco-friendly in every way they can. They do have a healthy sounding veggie burger made of spinach and corn, but no mention of fat grams or calories. Is being organic enough to make such a broad claim like "healthy?" Unfortunately I don't live in the area and can't go try it for myself but if you do then give it a shot and let us know what you think!

Love to eat out but hate the damage it does to your diet? Try these easy tips and tricks for having all the fun and none of the flab:

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), if you live in Austin TX or Boston MA you might want to think twice before going out to eat.

CSPI has ranked 20 US cities from best to worst using criteria from the city's food inspectors. The ranking considers "how often city inspectors found five major health hazards and five less critical concerns in 30 high-end, medium-range, and fast-food eateries in each city." Hand washing, maintaining food at a proper temperature, and improper cooking are some of the major health hazards. Minor infractions include poor employee cleanliness and hygiene, rodent and/or insect infestation, presence of sick restaurant workers, and contact of bare hands with food.

The CSPI encourages cities to adopt a restaurant grading program similar to a program in LA County where restaurants have to post what health inspection grade they received -- A, B, or C. (Lower grades would result in temporary or permanent closure).

Keep reading to see the CSPI's "Dirty Dining" list from worst to best.

We now know that a city the size of New York can ban trans fats altogether. But is it possible for a city the size of Los Angeles to ban fast foods? The LA City Council thinks so, and they plan on doing just that for a whole year according to recent news.

OK, they're not banning all fast foods. Rather, it's a ban that will keep new fast foods restaurants from opening up in the LA area for a year. But just what defines a fast food restaurant? Here's the criteria: "any establishment which dispenses food for consumption on or off the premises, and which has the following characteristics: a limited menu, items prepared in advance or prepared or heated quickly, no table orders and food served in disposable wrapping or containers."

It's thought this move will help reduce rising obesity levels in the LA region. That and help independent sit-down restaurants establish roots. What do you think of the move? Will it work?

To combat rising food costs and less customer turnout, many restaurants are turning to pre-fixe menus to help them weather the economic storm. By offering three-course meals, restaurant owners hope to lure in diners who are looking to get the most for their money. This same approach can easily be applied to the investment you've made in your fitness.

With time being the only thing being crunched these days more than the dollar, it's imperative that every moment you spend working out counts. Being able to get the most out of your workout, in the limited amount of time you have to do it, is one of the reasons why so many people are utilizing compound movements these days.

The Swiss-ball squat to bicep curl is a movement targets three muscle groups in one fell swoop: the legs, the abs, and the biceps. Normally I would advise that bicep curls be replaced with an exercise that targets a larger muscle group, but in this case, it makes for a nice finish to the first two meatier courses. A dessert, if you will.

In my expert opinion, yes! Disney World is the healthiest place on earth. I just returned from a five-night, six-day vacation with my husband and two children and was blown away by the amount of physical activity both offered and required of ourselves in order to indulge in the full Disney experience.

We pushed our double-stroller miles through two theme parks, climbed thousands of stairs and jumped an equal amount of waves at two water-parks, danced our tushies off to live bands at various Disney resorts, and played game after game with our children as we giggled, oohed and ahhed at all the Disney magic. As a fitness trainer, one of my biggest obstacles is convincing my clients not to trash their fitness efforts when they head out on vacation. Disney offers the perfect opportunity to not only maintain one's fitness level, but improve it.

The physical adventures are endless, and Disney World has made a deliberate effort to increase the availability of legitimately nutritious, low fat, and lower sugar foods. Fruit stands have popped up all over the theme parks, and children's dining has switched from burgers and fries to grilled chicken with carrots and grapes offered as side dishes. Soda has been dumped for low fat milk! I can't get food that "clean" in my own neighborhood, unless I cook it myself! Of course, the old junkie favorites like popcorn, fries, and ice cream are still available, but if you do care about your health and want to maintain it on vacation ... Disney makes it easy.

Do you have any great vacations planned for this summer? Along with a friend's family, my son and I are renting a cabin in what I deem as the prettiest part of our state. Also, if I can scrape together the funds, I might be bringing my son (who I adopted a year ago) back to his home state to visit his foster family. Whatever your summer plans are, don't let good nutrition go on "vacation" too. Some tips:

• When eating at a restaurant, don't order an appetizer and skip the bread basket.
  
• Select healthier fare from the menu -- for example, baked, broiled, or grilled foods are a better choice than deep-fried.
• Visit the local grocery store -- if you have a fridge in your hotel room your options are greater, but even if you don't you can still stock up on some foods that you can eat "in." Fresh fruits and veggies, sugar-free instant oatmeal (use the coffee pot to heat water). You can also use your hotel room's ice bucket to keep some foods chilled.
• Go on a picnic. Pack healthy foods and visit a park, beach, or nature reserve at your vacation destination. After lunch, go for a hike!
• Avoid the pastries and other high-carb options at the continental breakfast.
  

Today, due to a sudden onslaught of severe hunger, I headed to a nearby restaurant for a satisfying lunch. I ordered something healthy -- chicken, veggies and rice -- and was amazed at the amount of food they brought out. It took serious muscle to lift that plate. It was literally overflowing with food. Despite being famished, I could only eat a third of what was on my plate, and I felt grossly full afterwards.

My point? Restaurant sizes are way too big these days. Avoid overeating by making smarter -- and smaller -- choices. Some suggestions? Order off the kids menu (if they'll let you), ask for a half portion, opt for an appetizer instead of an entree or go for a side salad with some sort of lean meat. You might think it won't be enough, but I bet you'll be surprised -- it doesn't take much to satisfy hunger without feeling too full.

And next time you head out for a meal with the girls? Choose a tapas place where you can choose from a selection of appetizer-sized meals.

Want an easy way to cut a good chunk of calories from your meal when you eat out? Here it is: skip the bread basket. Dinner rolls can have between 100 and 270 calories, and that's not including the butter. Have two or even three of these before your get your entree? You've got a whole meal's worth of calories before dinner. Yikes!

So it should go without saying that if you're trying to cut calories, you should nix the bread. It's easy -- just ask your server not to bring it. Can't live without some pre-meal carbs? Ask for half the bread basket, or better yet, just one or two rolls. And ask that he or she bring you only whole wheat dinner rolls.

Want some tips on how to have your bread (basket) and eat it too? Check out this post from Noshtopia.

The city of brotherly love has decided to spread some nutritional love. A Philadelphia city council has given the thumbs up to requiring area restaurants to post nutrition information include calories, fat, and carbs. A final vote is still pending and there is some dissention about the measure. Critics feel that the requirements are too broad and that it would be difficult for some establishments to comply.

Not all restaurants would be required to post nutrition information. Only chains with 10 or more locations, convenience stores, delis, bakeries, and some coffee shops are included in the measure.

For some restaurants, determining nutrition data could be difficult -- particularly if meals can be customized or if there is a rapidly changing menu. But from a consumer's standpoint, I love that Philly is taking a stand. Sometimes restaurant meals can be shockers, so having the information there in black and white is a helpful tool. Remember, even if the restaurant you're going to doesn't post the info on their web site or in the restaurant, ask your server. They may know/can get the info for you or, at least, can let you know how it's prepared.

Of all the burgers out there, I think the general consensus is that veggie burgers are the healthiest of the bunch. They're low in saturated fat, and fat in general, plus they're lower in calories than regular beef or chicken burgers. As a non-vegetarian, I always get the same reaction when I order a veggie burger at a restaurant: 'Huh? Are you on a diet or something?' But I suspect that what veggie burgers lack in calories and fat they make up for in add-ons like cheese and sauce. But then again, I could be wrong.

What do you think? Are veggie burgers healthy or not?

Since my return to working in an office (at least on a part-time basis,) I've been giving some consideration to lunches. The consensus, at least among most of my co-workers, is that bringing your own lunch is not only healthier for the wallet, but healthier for the waistline too. But these days, it seems like healthy choices are available everywhere -- even fast foods joints have some sort of customizable salad option, and with nutritional information often available, it's easy to make a healthy choice. And considering I don't spend every day at the office, eating out two times a week isn't such a financial burden.

But I'm curious -- is it more common to buy a lunch or bring one? Judging by the line-ups in the food court, I'm inclined to say that bringing your lunch is a thing of the past, but then again, the microwaves at work come with their own set of line-ups. So what about you?

I hardly ever order dessert when I eat out, so on the rare occasion that I dine at a Chinese restaurant, I look forward to the inevitable coming of the fortune cookie -- I like to finish off the meal with something light but sweet. Plus, I love cracking it open to find my fortune. I carry the good ones around with me in my wallet.

But withe the consistency of sweet cardboard, fortune cookies are obviously highly processed and therefore devoid of much nutritional value. I couldn't help wonder, then, if they're more than just not good for you, but downright bad for you. What do you think? How many calories are in a fortune cookie?