The Skinny on Fats

Fat is a necessary part of our diet - but, How much is too much?

There is no magic number when it comes to fats, but let's get some information on fats and fats in our diet.
Each gram of fat is 9 calories - no matter what kind of fat it is.
We get fats in our diets and our bodies makes it's own fat from extra calories.
Limiting our consumption of fats to 20% - 35% is recommended by the Mayo Clinic for a healthy diet.

GOOD FATS	BAD FATS
Aids in the absorption of Vitamins A, E, S, and K. Prevents fatty acid deficiency. Aids in the production of endorphins. Aids in the transmission of nerve impulses. Aids in many other functions of the body.	Clogs arteries. Raises blood pressure. Causes obesity. Causes heart disease. Aids in the development of many health problems.
MONOUNSATURATED FAT & POLYUNSATURATED FAT	SATURATED FAT & TRANSFAT
Fatty fish such as salmon, herring, sardines and trout Flax seed, walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios Canola oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, peanut oil Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds Avocado Peanut butter, almond butter liquid or tub (transfat-free) margarine	Beef, pork, lamb, poultry skin, dark meat from poultry Cheese, butter, lard, whole milk, 2% milk, cream cheese, cream, sour cream, ice cream Coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, cocoa butter, stick margarine, some tub margarines Fried foods Most commercially prepared foods contain partially hydrogenated oils including crackers, cookies, pastries, microwave popcorn, snack food These fats can occur naturally but are mostly foods from animals.

*A note about nutritional labels on foods - if there is less that 0.5 grams, the law allows the manufacturers to say that there are 0 grams.  This means that if you eat multiple servings or many foods that contain 0.5, you may exceed your limits without knowing it.

A HEALTHY SNACK FOR KIDS!

Del Monte's Squeezable Fruits are a great snack for kids and adults alike.  

One 2 ounce tube is 60 calories.

100% of daily Vitamin C!

Fat-free and gluten free!

No high fructose corn syrup!

Provides one serving of fruit!

This snack is great for lunch boxes and on the go snacks instead of cookies or chips.  

You can also mix it with yogurt or use it as a topping for ice cream instead of high calorie toppings!!

The label states that it is 100% American grown fruit - which is probably GMO (genetically modified organism) but I could not find any information as to whether it is or it isn't.  

The label does state that the fruit purees are make from concentrate.

All in all, I feel that this is a great snack!!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For Yogurt?

Looking for a 

HEALTHY, LOW CALORIE, SWEET, DELICIOUS snack?

Plain frozen yogurt has much less calories than ice cream.  Sounds blah, doesn't it.


You can add fresh fruit to the yogurt before freezing it.  Your favorite fruit can be added to yogurt before freezing.  Just slice it, dice it or puree it and mix it with the yogurt, then freeze.  


Freeze the yogurt in Dixie cups for a fast, fun and cool dessert in the summer heat!!!

Baby, It's HOT Outside!

As temperatures climb, I find that even though I'm drinking a lot of fluids, I'm still thirsty.  


Soda, even diet soda, won't quench thirst.  
It's cool when it's in my mouth but doesn't quench my thirst.  


Water is the best thirst quencher, and luckily, it's 0 calories.  


Not all of us like to drink plain water, but many flavored waters have artificial ingredients and salt.  


Why would they put salt in our water?  I don't know.  Do you?


Plain water with fresh juices is very refreshing.  


Just one ounce of juice in 8 ounces of water can really make a difference.  If you like to mix flavors, it's easy.  

This is a real thirst quencher with very few calories!

Summer is coming! Summer is coming!!

Here in the south, it's already warm.  We're all busy trying on our summer clothes and (UGH)  bathing suits.

Barbecues are cooking and drinks are chilling.  How do we eat healthy with all the marinades and drinks?

We seem to forget that there are a lot of empty calories in our drinks.  But there is help!

With a short list, we can decide what to drink and how much and not rack up too many empty calories.

Beers  (12 oz.)
Coors  149 calories                              Coors Light  104 calories
Budweiser  145 calories                        Bud Light  115 calories
Bud Select  99 calories                         Bud Select 55   55
Michelob  155 calories                         Michelob Light 113
Miller Genuine Draft  143 calories        Miller Genuine Draft Light 110 calories
Pabst Blue Ribbon  144 calories          Pabst Blue Ribbon Light  67 calories

Full strength beers are generally 140 to 150 calories per 12 ounces.  Most light beers are 90 to 120 calories per 12 ounces.  Specialty beers, however, can be as high as 350 calories per 12 ounces.

Wines
White wines are generally 24 calories per ounce and red wines are about 23 calories per ounce.  You can calculate how many ounces are in a glass to decide how many calories you have.

Alcohols
This is a little harder to figure out.  One jigger/shot is equal to 1.5 ounces.
Rum, bourbon, brandy, gin, tequila, whiskey and vodka (94 proof) has 115 calories per jigger.
As the alcohol content goes up, so do the calories.

Mixed drinks combine one or more alcohols with juices or mixers which add calories.

Popular drinks
Jose Cuervo about 97 calores per 1.5 ounces
White Russian about 425 calories per 5 ounces
Pina Colada ranges between 375 - 640 calories per 6 ounces
Chocotini about 440 calories per 6 ounces
Mudslide about 595 calories per 2.5 ounces
Marguerita between 280 - 740 calories per 8.5 ounces
Mimosa about 75 calories per 4 ounces
Long Island Iced Tea about 780 ounces per 7 ounces
Apple Martini about 148 calories per 3 ounces

My advice is to know how many calories are in the drink you choose.  Then, decide on how many you will drink.  Alternate an alcoholic drink with water.  Use infused vodkas instead of mixers and fruit juices - there are less calories.

There is no reason to avoid parties, just decide what to drink before you go.  

International Delight Flavored Coffee Creamers

Have you tried this new product?

I hear it's delicious!

My problem is the calories and the chemicals.
45 calories per tablespoon is just too much for me.

I don't even know what the artificial flavors are made of.
There are so many better choices than to use these creamers in my coffee.

Coffee creamers are not natural products and can have negative effects on our bodies.

Even when they say low-fat or no-fat, there are still calories that are nearly the same as milk.

I would have to ask myself - Why would I use chemicals instead of natural products?  It can't be to save 4 calories.

For more information about milks and creamers, please visit RapidWeightLossExpert.com

Low-Cal & Low-Fat Foods Can Make You Gain Weight!

Can this be true?  You bet.           

When we put food or drink into our mouths, our brains are signaled that calories are coming.  The brain gears up for the job.  When little or no calories come in, the brain will kick into "starvation mode" and start to store the few calories as fat and slows the metabolism so that less calories are burned.

More and more sugar and fat substitutes are on the market.  They are in too many of our foods.  These chemical substitutes are even in the food we feed our children and infants.  So, more and more people are getting fatter and fatter at a younger and younger age.


Work with your brain and your body to lose weight.  Stick to natural sugars, natural fats and natural foods.  Don't eat low-calorie or no-calorie foods all day because they have no calories - this slows your metabolism so that you don't burn calories.  Eat balanced meals and snacks with natural foods.


Your body and your waistline will thank you for it!


For more information, please visit Rapid Weight Loss Expert

HAS YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION BEEN DERAILED?

Now is the time to get back on track!

Don't give up now - summer is coming and we all want to look our best and feel our best.

Start with a few easy exercises and changing a few dishes or snacks that you eat.  Start a journal to stay on track.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!

HAVE YOU GIVEN UP ON YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS?

Lose weight, get fit, eat healthy, stop smoking - these are always on the top of the list.  But how many of us actually do it.  Well, only about 50% of people even make resolutions.  Then about 22% of the people that do make them fail within the first week.  That goes up to 40% after the first month and by 3 months - 50% of the people who make resolutions have failed.  WHY?

Most of us make resolutions to stop, find, lose - this all sounds like we are going to deprived ourselves of things we want or work very hard.  We don't make specific goals.  Lose weight - how much, by when, what's the plan?

Eating healthier can actually be fun in the kitchen and exciting to try new recipes.  Break out of the tired old recipes and dishes that we always have and try something new.

Losing weight doesn't have to be a slow, onerous process with little results.  Get a plan that works for you and fits into your lifestyle.  Lose with a buddy!

Getting fit can be as easy as walking the dog - and he'd appreciate it too!  Find exercises that you can fit into your day - at home, at work, or shopping.

Visit RapidWeightLossExpert.com for easy exercises, great low calorie recipes and a weight loss plan that can have you losing weight quickly, easily and safely.

Have you heard of Obesogens?

Obesogen is a word invented by Bruce Blumberg, PhD of the University of California, Irvine.  They are chemical compounds in the environment that can disrupt our body's metabolic process.
Obesogens can reprogram how your cells work.
They can encourage your body to store fat and re-program cells to become fat cells. 
They can cause your liver to become insulin resistant so that the pancreas releases more insulin, which in turn, turns energy into fat.  They can increase your hunger and cravings.
If that news wasn't bad enough, there's more.
Obesogens accumulate over time and are found everywhere - in our air, water, food, and environment.
The good news is that with nutritional cleansing, careful shopping and a watchful eye to our products and environment, we can reduce our exposure to these chemicals that are making us fat and unhealthy.
We are giving up our health for all the conveniences.  We need to get back to basics and limit or stop using so many chemicals!

For more information about obesogens, please visit Rapid Weight Loss Expert