Did you know?: Fiber can help you control your weight

If you are looking to lose or maintain your weight, getting more fiber in your diet may help you get one step closer to achieving your goal. Fiber helps you to feel fuller longer, so you’ll snack less between meal and snack times. Also, foods that are naturally high in fiber tend to be lower in calories than foods with less fiber and tend to be great sources of vitamins, minerals, lean protein and healthy fats. If you want to get more fiber in your diet, the best way is through whole foods rather than from processed foods that have had fiber added to them. Whole foods that are great sources of fiber include:

• Beans & peas - Experiment with adding beans to soups, stews & salads. Add peas to pasta. Use hummus or smashed black beans as a condiment in your sandwich or mix black beans into salsa.
• Fruits - Have berries or bananas with morning pancakes or waffles (whole grain), oatmeal or yogurt. Keep portable fruit on-hand at all times (apple, orange, banana, grapes, clementines, peach, pear, nectarine, washed berries in Ziploc). Add fruit to salad.
• Vegetables - Try dark leafy greens, artichoke, squash, eggplant, sweet potatoes, broccoli, peppers, carrots. 
• Whole grains - Try whole grain pancakes, waffles, muffins at breakfast, or oatmeal. At lunch & dinner opt for whole grain breads, pita, tortillas, etc. Substitute whole wheat flour for half of the refined flour in a baking recipe.

To read more, check out the following article from Today's Dietitian, which includes a quick and delicious no-cook recipe for cannellini beans:

Spill the Beans, Today’s Dietitian, May 2010

And:

The Top Fiber-Rich Foods List, Today's Dietitian, July 2008

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you are looking to lose or maintain your weight, getting more fiber in your diet may help you get one step closer to achieving your goal. Fiber helps you to feel fuller longer, so you’ll snack less between meal and snack times. Also, foods that are naturally high in fiber tend to be lower in calories than foods with less fiber and tend to be great sources of vitamins, minerals, lean protein and healthy fats. If you want to get more fiber in your diet, the best way is through whole foods rather than from processed foods that have had fiber added to them. Whole foods that are great sources of fiber include:

• Beans & peas - Experiment with adding beans to soups, stews & salads. Add peas to pasta. Use hummus or smashed black beans as a condiment in your sandwich or mix black beans into salsa.
• Fruits - Have berries or bananas with morning pancakes or waffles (whole grain), oatmeal or yogurt. Keep portable fruit on-hand at all times (apple, orange, banana, grapes, clementines, peach, pear, nectarine, washed berries in Ziploc). Add fruit to salad.
• Vegetables - Try dark leafy greens, artichoke, squash, eggplant, sweet potatoes, broccoli, peppers, carrots. 
• Whole grains - Try whole grain pancakes, waffles, muffins at breakfast, or oatmeal. At lunch & dinner opt for whole grain breads, pita, tortillas, etc. Substitute whole wheat flour for half of the refined flour in a baking recipe.

To read more, check out the following article from Today's Dietitian, which includes a quick and delicious no-cook recipe for cannellini beans:

Spill the Beans, Today’s Dietitian, May 2010

And:

The Top Fiber-Rich Foods List, Today's Dietitian, July 2008

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Piece o' Cake is on vacation

I am out of town for the week and don't know how much I will be checking in, if it all.

In the meanwhile, remember two things:

• It's OK to enjoy a treat or skip a workout today if you have to; more important is the overall balance of your meals and snacks and physical activity over the course of the day and week. If you have a cookie instead of a well-balanced snack, balance it out by making sure you get a few good servings of fruits & veggies later. If you skip a workout, make sure to get one in tomorrow and for now, at least try to get out in the fresh air and take a walk, even for just 10 minutes.

• Eating right and working out are not just things you do to lose or maintain your weight. Eating healthfully and fitting physical activity into each day are also good for your heart, brain, digestive and overall health and can help you to sleep better and feel less stressed.

See you soon!

I am out of town for the week and don't know how much I will be checking in, if it all.

In the meanwhile, remember two things:

• It's OK to enjoy a treat or skip a workout today if you have to; more important is the overall balance of your meals and snacks and physical activity over the course of the day and week. If you have a cookie instead of a well-balanced snack, balance it out by making sure you get a few good servings of fruits & veggies later. If you skip a workout, make sure to get one in tomorrow and for now, at least try to get out in the fresh air and take a walk, even for just 10 minutes.

• Eating right and working out are not just things you do to lose or maintain your weight. Eating healthfully and fitting physical activity into each day are also good for your heart, brain, digestive and overall health and can help you to sleep better and feel less stressed.

See you soon!

Part-time vegetarian? Meatless meals provide health & financial benefits

Want to eat more healthfully and save some cash at the same time? Consider going vegetarian for one meal per day or one day per week. The Mayo Clinic explains that "...people who eat only plant-based foods — aka, vegetarians — generally eat fewer calories and less fat, weigh less, and have lower cholesterol levels than do [non-vegetarians]." People who eat less meat also tend to have a decreased risk for various diseases. You don't have to be a full-time vegetarian to take advantage of these benefits. Start with one day or one week at a time. The bonus? Many non-meat sources of protein are cheaper than meat. Some of these non-meat protein sources include: eggs, skim or low-fat milk, low-fat cheeses, tofu and soy, beans, nuts, fruits & vegetables, whole grains and fish. A diet containing more of these foods and less meat provides more opportunities for a higher intake of fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and other nutrients. To read more, check out the following articles:

The Mayo Clinic -Meatless meals: The benefits of eating less meat



MarthaStewart.com -How I Learned to Love Meatless Meals






Image: MarthaStewart.com

Want to eat more healthfully and save some cash at the same time? Consider going vegetarian for one meal per day or one day per week. The Mayo Clinic explains that "...people who eat only plant-based foods — aka, vegetarians — generally eat fewer calories and less fat, weigh less, and have lower cholesterol levels than do [non-vegetarians]." People who eat less meat also tend to have a decreased risk for various diseases. You don't have to be a full-time vegetarian to take advantage of these benefits. Start with one day or one week at a time. The bonus? Many non-meat sources of protein are cheaper than meat. Some of these non-meat protein sources include: eggs, skim or low-fat milk, low-fat cheeses, tofu and soy, beans, nuts, fruits & vegetables, whole grains and fish. A diet containing more of these foods and less meat provides more opportunities for a higher intake of fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and other nutrients. To read more, check out the following articles:

The Mayo Clinic -Meatless meals: The benefits of eating less meat



MarthaStewart.com -How I Learned to Love Meatless Meals






Image: MarthaStewart.com

Recipe for the weekend: Guacamole

Avocados are filled with healthy unsaturated fats, fiber, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin and beta carotene. To take advantage of all this goodness, make some guacamole this weekend. This recipe for Chunky Guacamole, from Tyler Florence and the Food Network, is a great base; however, you can also consider the chiles and cilantro as optional and omit them, just as you might also consider adding a diced small tomato, as well as cumin, smoked spanish paprika and/or cayenne.



Image: FoodNetwork.com

Avocados are filled with healthy unsaturated fats, fiber, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin and beta carotene. To take advantage of all this goodness, make some guacamole this weekend. This recipe for Chunky Guacamole, from Tyler Florence and the Food Network, is a great base; however, you can also consider the chiles and cilantro as optional and omit them, just as you might also consider adding a diced small tomato, as well as cumin, smoked spanish paprika and/or cayenne.



Image: FoodNetwork.com

Do One Thing: Order a half-sandwich instead

Today's "Do One Thing" is a quick tip: The next time you head out on your lunch break from work, consider ordering a half-sandwich rather than a full sandwich. What to eat in place of that half sandwich? Have fruit, raw vegetables or cooked veggies instead. You might even have come to work prepared by bringing the fruit or veggies from home!




Image: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Today's "Do One Thing" is a quick tip: The next time you head out on your lunch break from work, consider ordering a half-sandwich rather than a full sandwich. What to eat in place of that half sandwich? Have fruit, raw vegetables or cooked veggies instead. You might even have come to work prepared by bringing the fruit or veggies from home!




Image: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Yoga to relieve the stress of business travel

Check out this May 5th New York Times article by John Hanc, Downward-Facing Dog’s Life, about the benefits that yoga can provide for business travelers (and probably for any traveler). Yoga can help business travelers improve their quality of sleep, blow off steam and can "be very beneficial in combating joint stiffness at the hip joint and preventing back problems." One traveler in the story used yoga to deal with "homesickness and melancholy," while another practiced yoga to keep herself "centered." The article includes a description of a suggested sequence of three stretches for business travelers and also mentions that "there is even an app for [yoga on-the-go]: Yoga Journal magazine’s iPractice 2.0, a mobile yoga class for iPhone and iPod Touch."


Image: Ben Garvin for The New York Times

Check out this May 5th New York Times article by John Hanc, Downward-Facing Dog’s Life, about the benefits that yoga can provide for business travelers (and probably for any traveler). Yoga can help business travelers improve their quality of sleep, blow off steam and can "be very beneficial in combating joint stiffness at the hip joint and preventing back problems." One traveler in the story used yoga to deal with "homesickness and melancholy," while another practiced yoga to keep herself "centered." The article includes a description of a suggested sequence of three stretches for business travelers and also mentions that "there is even an app for [yoga on-the-go]: Yoga Journal magazine’s iPractice 2.0, a mobile yoga class for iPhone and iPod Touch."


Image: Ben Garvin for The New York Times

Sugar and your heart

An April 20th CNN article by Tom Watkins, Sweet tooth? Here's news hard to live with, discusses the results of a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which focused on the link between added sugars and cardiovascular health. The study found that participants who consumed less added sugars had higher HDL ("good cholesterol") levels and lower blood trigylceride levels; meanwhile, those who consumed greater amounts of added sugars had lower levels of HDL and higher levels of triglycerides. The report also noted that 18.5 percent of Americans get at least 25 percent of their calories from added sugar. All this means that it's worthwhile to try to cut back on your intake of added sugars.


The easiest way to start reducing your intake of added sugars is to start eating more real, whole foods and fewer sugary beverages and processed foods. That means more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy and less soda, fruit juice and packaged foods and snacks. To read more about sugar, check out my post from Tuesday, March 30, 2010, "The (sweet and) lowdown on sugar."
 
Image: CNN.com

An April 20th CNN article by Tom Watkins, Sweet tooth? Here's news hard to live with, discusses the results of a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which focused on the link between added sugars and cardiovascular health. The study found that participants who consumed less added sugars had higher HDL ("good cholesterol") levels and lower blood trigylceride levels; meanwhile, those who consumed greater amounts of added sugars had lower levels of HDL and higher levels of triglycerides. The report also noted that 18.5 percent of Americans get at least 25 percent of their calories from added sugar. All this means that it's worthwhile to try to cut back on your intake of added sugars.


The easiest way to start reducing your intake of added sugars is to start eating more real, whole foods and fewer sugary beverages and processed foods. That means more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy and less soda, fruit juice and packaged foods and snacks. To read more about sugar, check out my post from Tuesday, March 30, 2010, "The (sweet and) lowdown on sugar."
 
Image: CNN.com

Do One Thing: Eat breakfast every day

You already know that you should be eating breakfast every day. After all, the American Dietetic Association states that people who eat breakfast "...have a better attitude toward work, higher productivity and better ability to handle tasks that require memory..." versus those who don't and "breakfast eaters also have more strength and endurance and better concentration and problem-solving ability." The problem may be that you're confused about what constitutes a healthy breakfast or you just don't feel you have the time for this morning meal. Ideally, you should aim for a breakfast that contains a nutritious food from each food group, i.e., a whole grain (whole wheat/whole grain pita, toast, pancake, English muffin), a fruit/vegetable (berries, apple, orange, banana, tomato, zucchini, spinach, asparagus), a protein (peanut butter, egg, nuts, tofu, chicken breast, salmon, tuna), and a dairy item (preferably a cup of skim or low-fat milk, but low-fat cheese works great too). Examples of a complete breakfast include:

• peanut butter and sliced bananas or strawberries on whole wheat toast, with a cup of skim milk
• whole grain pancake topped with fresh berries with one scrambled egg on the side and a cup of skim milk
• veggie omelet topped with low-fat cheese of your choice with whole wheat toast and cup of skim milk 
• oatmeal made with milk and topped with fruit and nuts

Maybe you have just enough time to grab something out of the fridge and quickly gobble it down before running out the door. Even if you are pressed for time, and can't quite fit in all four basic food groups, you can still have a sensible breakfast. Some quick and healthy breakfasts include:

• plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt top with berries and/or nuts
• toasted whole grain English muffin topped with a slice of low-fat cheese and a slice of tomato
• banana or apple and a small handful of almonds (about 24 nuts)

And remember, if your breakfast includes making a stop at the coffee shop, opt for a cappuccino, latte or espresso and order your drink with skim milk, sugar-free syrup and no whip.

Starting your day this way will not only help you feel more alert and energized during the day, it will also keep you feeling more satisfied until lunchtime and will help you achieve your nutrition goals by providing protein, fiber, calcium and lots of vitamins and minerals right off the bat!

For more tips on healthy breakfasts, check out MarthaStewart.com.

Image: MarthaStewart.com

You already know that you should be eating breakfast every day. After all, the American Dietetic Association states that people who eat breakfast "...have a better attitude toward work, higher productivity and better ability to handle tasks that require memory..." versus those who don't and "breakfast eaters also have more strength and endurance and better concentration and problem-solving ability." The problem may be that you're confused about what constitutes a healthy breakfast or you just don't feel you have the time for this morning meal. Ideally, you should aim for a breakfast that contains a nutritious food from each food group, i.e., a whole grain (whole wheat/whole grain pita, toast, pancake, English muffin), a fruit/vegetable (berries, apple, orange, banana, tomato, zucchini, spinach, asparagus), a protein (peanut butter, egg, nuts, tofu, chicken breast, salmon, tuna), and a dairy item (preferably a cup of skim or low-fat milk, but low-fat cheese works great too). Examples of a complete breakfast include:

• peanut butter and sliced bananas or strawberries on whole wheat toast, with a cup of skim milk
• whole grain pancake topped with fresh berries with one scrambled egg on the side and a cup of skim milk
• veggie omelet topped with low-fat cheese of your choice with whole wheat toast and cup of skim milk 
• oatmeal made with milk and topped with fruit and nuts

Maybe you have just enough time to grab something out of the fridge and quickly gobble it down before running out the door. Even if you are pressed for time, and can't quite fit in all four basic food groups, you can still have a sensible breakfast. Some quick and healthy breakfasts include:

• plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt top with berries and/or nuts
• toasted whole grain English muffin topped with a slice of low-fat cheese and a slice of tomato
• banana or apple and a small handful of almonds (about 24 nuts)

And remember, if your breakfast includes making a stop at the coffee shop, opt for a cappuccino, latte or espresso and order your drink with skim milk, sugar-free syrup and no whip.

Starting your day this way will not only help you feel more alert and energized during the day, it will also keep you feeling more satisfied until lunchtime and will help you achieve your nutrition goals by providing protein, fiber, calcium and lots of vitamins and minerals right off the bat!

For more tips on healthy breakfasts, check out MarthaStewart.com.

Image: MarthaStewart.com

Piece o' Cake returns tomorrow, Monday, May 10

I've been away all week, studying for finals and taking care of some things but look for Piece o' Cake to return tomorrow, Monday, May 10. In the meanwhile, you can check out old posts or some of the other sites I've linked to in the left frame. Thank you for your patience and Happy Sunday!

I've been away all week, studying for finals and taking care of some things but look for Piece o' Cake to return tomorrow, Monday, May 10. In the meanwhile, you can check out old posts or some of the other sites I've linked to in the left frame. Thank you for your patience and Happy Sunday!

Tips for better sleep

Related to yesterday's  (Sunday, May 2, 2010) post, "Sleep for Weight Control," which discussed reports suggesting that lack of sleep could potentially lead to weight gain and obesity, YogaJournal.com offers up tips for getting better sleep when dealing with sleep problems, specifically insomnia, in this article by Nora Isaacs. The theory is that stress, and the frenetic pace of daily life, can lead the body to find itself trapped in a constant state of arousal and finding the right "soothing rituals" that work for you can help calm the nervous system so you can get a good night's sleep. Some of the tips in the article include:

•  Get to bed early - The timing of your sleep is as important as the number of hours you get; getting to bed earlier (before 10PM) and waking up earlier (before 6AM) may help you feel less groggy in the morning
• Wind-down before bed - Turn off the television and computer and refrain from intense exercise and loud music; instead, put on some soothing music or light candles
• Journal - If racing thoughts keep you up at night, use a bedside journal to get all those thoughts out of your head and onto the page

For these and other tips, read the full Yoga Journal article here.      

Image: Sarah Kehoe for YogaJournal.com

Related to yesterday's  (Sunday, May 2, 2010) post, "Sleep for Weight Control," which discussed reports suggesting that lack of sleep could potentially lead to weight gain and obesity, YogaJournal.com offers up tips for getting better sleep when dealing with sleep problems, specifically insomnia, in this article by Nora Isaacs. The theory is that stress, and the frenetic pace of daily life, can lead the body to find itself trapped in a constant state of arousal and finding the right "soothing rituals" that work for you can help calm the nervous system so you can get a good night's sleep. Some of the tips in the article include:

•  Get to bed early - The timing of your sleep is as important as the number of hours you get; getting to bed earlier (before 10PM) and waking up earlier (before 6AM) may help you feel less groggy in the morning
• Wind-down before bed - Turn off the television and computer and refrain from intense exercise and loud music; instead, put on some soothing music or light candles
• Journal - If racing thoughts keep you up at night, use a bedside journal to get all those thoughts out of your head and onto the page

For these and other tips, read the full Yoga Journal article here.      

Image: Sarah Kehoe for YogaJournal.com

Sleep for weight control

If you are looking to lose or control your weight, consider getting more sleep in addition to eating right and exercising. Recent studies have suggested a connection between lack of sleep and increased calorie intake and risk for obesity. The New York Times' Anahad O'Connor reports that a 2005 study observed a correlation between sleeping fewer than seven hours per night and an increased risk for weight gain and obesity. Further, two recent studies have found links (in both men and women) between sleeping fewer than 8 to 8-1/2 hours per night and consuming significantly more calories. So, call it a day and get some shut-eye!

Image: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you are looking to lose or control your weight, consider getting more sleep in addition to eating right and exercising. Recent studies have suggested a connection between lack of sleep and increased calorie intake and risk for obesity. The New York Times' Anahad O'Connor reports that a 2005 study observed a correlation between sleeping fewer than seven hours per night and an increased risk for weight gain and obesity. Further, two recent studies have found links (in both men and women) between sleeping fewer than 8 to 8-1/2 hours per night and consuming significantly more calories. So, call it a day and get some shut-eye!

Image: Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net