Super Shockers: Cinnamon Buns

Ooey gooey sticky licky sugary sweet heaven…Cinnamon buns!
Pass by one of these and you cant resist their delicious scent.

BUT an average sized Cinnamon Bun + icing: 620–846 calories

Did you know that you would have to: 

Walk for 180-240 minutes*

                OR

Swim for 120-180 minutes*

                OR

Bike for 240-300 mins*

*estimations based on 130 lb person

Healthy alternatives: 

Cinnamon raison English muffins = 120 calories
Cinnamon raison bagel thins = 110 calories

To try: 

Toast a slice of whole grain bread with cinnamon, butter mist and a pinch of brown sugar

Other cinnamon finds: 

Cinnamon cereal
Cinnamon bars

Cinnamon chips 

Super Side Swap: Mashed Potatoes

What goes best with beef?

Mashed potatoes.

But mashed potatoes: Seemingly innocent. Deceptively caloric.

What to do, what to do?

SWAP.

We love healthy swaps for fattening dishes so here is another great swap that adds a boost of vitamins and minerals to plain, old MASHED POTATOES…CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES. This is the easiest recipe that you can make in a MICROWAVE!!

Finished Product

Prep time: <5 mins Cook time: <8 mins Ready in: 15 mins

RECIPE: CAULIFLOWER MASHED POTATOES

1 large potato, peeled and cut into chunks

1 head cauliflower cut into florets

2 cups water

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 clove crushed garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Place the potato cubes and cauliflower florets in a microwave safe dish. Cover dish. Microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes or until the potatoes are done. Carefully remove dish. Place the potatoes and cauliflower into a large bowl and mash until there are no lumps. Add olive oil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well. EAT.

When out to eat avoid heaping mounds of mashed potatoes. They hide pools of butter, margarine and/or oil. Ask the server how they were prepared. If the situation sounds caloric, stick with a baked white or sweet potato as a side.

Super Meat: Choosing the Right Type of Meat

For many dieters, red meat is totally off limits. BUT meat can be a great source of protein, zinc, selenium, iron, and B vitamins. The problem comes from people choosing the wrong types of beef.

While we’re not such fans of the hunky chunks, if you have a hankering for some meat here are a few smarter options to chow down on:

• Roasts 
• Rounds of steaks 
• Top sirloin 
• Bison 
• Extra-lean ground beef for burgers 
• Grass fed beef (difficult to find in many restaurants) 

These are the big NO NOs. Meats to avoid: 

• Heavily processed and high fat meats like hot dogs, salami, bologna and frozen meats 
• Burgers that are more fat than ground beef 
• Meat that is streaked with fat. Visible fat = major calories, saturated fat and cholesterol 

Not at a restaurant? Cooking yourself? Firstly, bravo! Secondly, best ways of cooking your meat:

• Grilling 
• Broiling 
• Roasting 
• Baking

As a general rule, keep the portion of your meat to 3-4 oz. which is about the size of your fist or a deck of cards. 

The average restaurant sized portion of meat is 10 oz!! So when you’re out to eat try these tips to avoid a heart attack meal:

• Split your dish with someone else 
• Eat half and brown bag the rest 
• Order an appetizer sized meat and a large salad and make your own meat salad 
• Order a small sized piece and sandwich your steak with a slice of bread from the bread basket

Remember meat can be good just steer clear of the Fred Flintstone sized brontosaurus T bones!

Super Slimmers: Occasional Dieter

Find yourself saying: "I have to lose X lbs by this wedding, formal, party, reunion etc."


Diagnosis: You are an occassional dieter


You enjoy: Dieting based on events. What ever is coming up on your social calendar, dictates your diet routine. There may be some weeks with no engagements and out goes the diet. Then there will be the weeks where your literally starving yourself to shed last minute pounds.


Things to avoid: Food/drinks that bloat. A lot of people think that the best way to lose weght quickly before a big event is to just gorge on vegetables, but they dont realize that vegetables retain water, making you look like you've gained a lot of weight in a short amount of time. Some other bloaters are fake sugars, heavily processed foods, high sodium foods, dairy, and fiber filled foods. Drinking with a straw also will bloat you because you inhale more air as you swallow.

Eat: 1) WATER. Flush out calories and sodium with drinking lots of water. Of course don't go overboard with this, but increase your water intake just a bit to decrease your bloat.

2) Make sure to have the same number of calories and nutrients but limit portions. Almonds, avocados, olive oil, peanut butter etc. are all foods that come in small packages but pack a powerful bang of nutrients. By curbing the size of foods but retaining the same amount of nutrients you should prevent your stomach from expanding too much and filling out. 

3) Up the ante on foods rich in Calcium which naturally decreases bloating -- foods like yogurts, grains and fish.

If you know yourself, you know that you will not lose major pounds in the 3-4 days or even 1-2 weeks before a major event. However, you can healthily monitor your water retention so that you're debloated and ready to rock out!

Super Picks: Soy Crisps

What were loving today...Glenny's Multigrain Soy Crisps

With over 18 grams of whole grains, an impressive 6 grams of protein, 3 grams of dietary fiber and just 2 grams of fat in a perfectly portioned 120 calorie single serving bag, this delectible treat will replace any 'ole potato chip.

Looking to pair your crisps with something sweet?

Evenly spread 1 tbsp of all natural peanut butter (avoid the ones that have various preservatives) on to your circle crisps.

OR

Melt 20 chocolate chips in a microwave for 1-2 mins (making sure to stir every 30 seconds to prevent burning) and drizzle on to crisps.

Looking to pair your crisps with something savory?

Try smearing 1-2 oz of cheese (preferably Goat or the Laughing Cow Light Spreadable Cheese - both low in fat and calories) on to your crisps.

Check out the rest of Glenny's line of Soy Crisps and other flavorful products here.

Super Slimmers: All or Nothing Dieter

Find yourself saying: "Well, I already blew it so..." or "Today is the day!"

Diagnosis: You are an all or nothing dieter

You enjoy: restrictive diets. When you slip you figure you've already blown your diet, so why not get in all your bad foods today so you can start fresh tomorrow

Things to avoid: Obviously the food groups you’re avoiding already but also diet products that boast claims like low fat, nonfat, sugar free foods. These foods will only highlight the full fat, full sugared foods you’re missing out on. Instead, opt for foods that mimic the flavor and texture of the foods you really crave.

Rules to live by: 1) Avoid leaving the house hungry. If you’re already partially satisfied when you go to a party or out to dinner you’ll be less tempted to blow your diet. 2) Log your daily intake and times when you eat with a food diary. By recording when and what you eat everyday you will come to realize those moments in the day when you slip up and what foods you’re either getting too much or too little of. 3) Try the switch it up approach. Rather than cutting carbs, sugar, fats, etc. all at once, try one week with no carbs, the next week reinstate carbs but cut out fats, the next week reinstate fats but cut out sugars, etc. This will keep you from feeling deprived of any food group for too long and also keep your body constantly guessing.

Eat: frozen meals. With little preparation and easy to follow meals, these foods are ideal for nutritional balance and portion control for even the most restrictive diet. Dieters are able to eat a variety of different foods and cuisines that won’t blow their restrictive diets.

If you know yourself, you know that each day represents a new day. While some could criticize how making an announcement to yourself that today is the day you do it right may actually emphasize your upcoming deprivation and sets you up for failure, you may not realize how declaring each day a new day wipes your slate clean.

Super Sites: Helpful Sites to Keep You Slim

Not up to date on the latest health news? Need some virtual support for your dieting journey? Dieting blogs and sites are the best way to keep yourself on track.

Sometimes dieting mistakes are as simple as losing motivation, not knowing about the latest tips and tricks or lack of healthy recipes. Use some of these great websites to help you stick to your healthy lifestyle whenever, whereever.

1. Diet magazines: Combining fitness, nutrition and recipes, magazine websites provide a central destination for all things diet:

Shape Magazine

Fitness Magazine

Self Magazine


2. Some general sites are great resources for the latest diet information:

Fit Sugar Blog





3. Foodie Reviews: These sites are devoted to trying and reviewing the latest diet products that way you can buy and enjoy easier.

Yummy Diet Food

I Ate a Pie




4. Super Fans: Dieters who offer inspiration and/or comic relief for anyone’s dieting journey:

Fat Lady Singz

Diet Girl

Step Away From the Cake



5. Great all around site:
Hungry Girl

Super Snacking: Portable Twosomes

Sometimes 3 square meals a day just won't cut it. We need snacks! But instead of stocking up on on-the-go baddies (chips, chewy candies and chocolate bars), try to reach for the goodies -- portable AND healthy. By combining healthy fats, proteins and carbohydrates, these snacks won't weigh you down but will actually fuel you to keep going for longer...

5 easy, healthy AND portable twosomes to try:

1. Replace crunchy calorie bombs with a healthier crunch, try:

       Hummus + Carrots

2. Treat yourself to a disease fighting snack with a combo of protein and whole grains: 

          String Cheese + Crackers

3. Build your own mixed nuts: 

          Pistachios + Almonds

4. Something sweet:

Frozen Grapes + Pure Chocolate Chips

5. Get all the benefits of a meal with this snack: 

      Rolled Turkey Slices + Mustard

SUPER TIP: Remember food is fuel. Think of that the next time you reach for the candy bar. Feeding yourself candy and junk food provides no nutritional benefits and is simply empty calories. If you need to indulge, though, at least treat yourself to some home made or store made desserts. Avoid heavily processed foods at all costs.

Super Shades: Color Coding Your Diet

The color of our food is extremely important not just for how appetizing our food is but also to gage how healthy some items are or aren't. 

Foods that display different varieties of the color wheel indicate that they contain high amounts of certain vitamins, minerals, fats, and other breakdowns.

This post will focus on foods that contain the color BEIGE:

What are the first foods that come to mind when you think beige?

BREADS

PASTA

BATTERED AND FRIED

PASTRIES

Notice how these foods provide very little nutritional value (if any). These starchy and highly caloric items provide immediate blood rushes that lift you up quickly and bring a fast energy crash down.

So by all means try to avoid BEIGE and adorn your plate with colorful edibles to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.