Don't Drink Your Calories

Calories consumed in the liquid form of fancy coffee drinks, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages can waylay you when you're trying to lose weight. That's because people don't seem to "count" liquid calories as part of their daily calorie total. Those extra liquid calories add up fast.

A 20-ounce soft drink packs 250 calories, a 12-ounce mocha coffee drink has around 300, the average mixed drink has 300, and a glass of wine or beer about 150. Multiply that by a few servings and you can see how the extra calories can spell trouble for your weight-loss efforts.

Even if you drink only one soft drink a day, over time those liquid calories will have a big impact. For example, imagine that you had a can of regular cola with your lunch every day. Over the course of a year, that would add up to nearly 55,000 empty and unnecessary calories — or a little more than 15 pounds!

What's the solution? Make water and unsweetened or artificially sweetened seltzer, iced tea, and coffee your beverages of choice. Each has zero calories (unless you add milk to your coffee, and if you do, be sure to use low-fat or nonfat milk).

If you must have a soft drink, reach for a diet version — at least you won't be drinking hundreds of empty calories. But remember that soft drinks contain sodium, which you won't find in water, tea, or coffee.

In time, you may find you lose your taste for high-calorie beverages. And you'll lose a lot of extra calories too!

Office Survival Guide

With all the hours we spend at work — whether that means time in an office, at home, or on the road — it's important to examine the challenges that your career poses to eating well and living a healthy lifestyle.

For example, is your job extremely stressful? Fatiguing? Fast-paced? Boring? Any of these situations could push you toward eating as a way to cope. Instead, try the following tips:

• Practice stress management. When the pressure mounts, instead of turning to a high-calorie, high-fat trigger food to calm your nerves, try healthy, stress-relieving techniques like deep breathing, visualization, and mindful meditation.
• Learn to communicate what you want and need in an assertive way. Bottling up your frustration or lashing out in anger doesn't work — on the job or off. While it may seem scary or uncomfortable at first, as you practice communicating your needs, it will become easier.
• Work in some active "me time" into your workday. Instead of using eating as an excuse to take a break, bring your walking shoes along and hit the road instead. The quick walk will get you out of the office, let you blow off some steam, and burn calories to boot! Likewise, if you travel for your job, walk in the airport rather than pass time in the bar or food court.
• Save some energy for you. If your job often leaves you feeling too exhausted to do anything but collapse on the couch at the end of the day, something's wrong. Remember that while giving your all at work is admirable and important, you've got to strike a balance that allows you some get-up-and-go during your personal time too.
• Evaluate your job satisfaction. Do you feel ownership of and satisfaction in your work? Do you feel that your job utilizes your natural talents and skills to the fullest? That it challenges you and stimulates your creativity? That it's fulfilling? If you answered no to any of these questions, perhaps it's time to consider a career change or other adjustments to your job situation that will help you meet these emotional needs.

Are You in Touch With Your Emotions?

When you're faced with a powerful or uncomfortable feeling, how do you deal with it? Sometimes when we don't know what to do with an emotion, we turn to food to cope with it or cover it up. This response can become so automatic that you may not even be aware of the emotion that's triggering your impulse to eat. But if you understand what you're feeling and what you really need, chances are you will realize that food isn't going to meet that need.

The next time you experience an uncomfortable emotion, try the following steps. They can help you understand where your feelings are coming from and how to manage them.

1. Connect with the emotion. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and continue to breathe comfortably and fully with nice, gentle, full breaths. Focus on your bodily sensations. Recognize how your body feels "in the moment" without judging or interpreting. Notice how your chest rises with each breath and how the air flows through your nose and into your lungs.

2. Observe the emotion. Ask yourself, "What am I sensing? What am I feeling? What am I thinking?" Resist the urge to figure out why you are feeling a certain way — just experience the emotion.

3. Evaluate the emotion. Practice recognizing your true needs. Perhaps you are bored? Then your need might be for activity. However, if you are lonely, the answer may be quite different — activity involving friends or at least other people. Now ask yourself, "What do I need right now? What is missing?"

4. Choose an action. Understand that there is no right or wrong here — individual needs vary. We'll offer some ideas, but the best actions are the ones you come up with yourself — the ones that meet your needs in the moment. For example, you may need to:

• Express the feeling in private (cry, write in your journal, etc.).
• Release the feeling through action. For example, you might find release through movement, like walking or dancing.
• Use relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation.
• Express the feeling to others you trust and seek their support.

Reconnecting with your emotions can help you find outlets for them that don't involve food. This week, focus on improving your emotional awareness.

Diet Mistakes: 6 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight

Are you dieting and not losing weight? More than likely, some common diet mistakes are tripping you up.

The truth, experts say, is that even when you're "on a diet," you may be eating a lot more calories than you think. There's often a disconnect between what we know we should do to lose weight, and what we actually do while trying to diet.

For starters, stop thinking about dieting. Instead, take a look at those everyday habits that could be causing weight gain. Going on a diet can create an obsession with food, heighten cravings, and lead to a "throw-in-the-towel-because-diets-don't-work" mentality.

You might not realize just how quickly calories can add up. An extra tablespoon of salad dressing can add 75-100 calories, an extra tablespoon of butter adds 102 calories, and that 1-ounce bag of chips with your sandwich at lunch adds 162 calories. Eating while cooking, starting each day with a high-calorie coffee drink, finishing off the kids' plates at dinner, or having one too many glasses of wine -- these are just a few of the sneaky habits that sabotage weight loss efforts.

Yet as quickly as calories can add up, they can be subtracted. Becoming mindful of your diet mistakes -- the subtle ways that calories sneak into your diet throughout the day - can add up to real weight loss.

Check out our list of common diet mistakes people make, and see if any sound familiar to you.

Diet Mistake No. 1: Racing to the Finish

There's no reward for finishing your meal in record time -- unless you're a contestant in a hot dog eating contest! Our hectic schedules have led many of us to adopt the unhealthy habit of rapid eating.

"We need to adopt more of the leisurely, European-style eating so that we can savor our food, taste every bite, and get the signal of fullness before overeating," says Tara Gidus, MS, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Diet Mistake No. 2: Skipping Meals

Research shows that breakfast skippers weigh more than breakfast eaters. There is a misconception that skipping breakfast -- or any meal -- saves calories. The truth is that most people who eat fewer than three meals usually end up eating more calories during the course of the day.

Strive for three meals a day. Always start your day with a healthy breakfast, but be careful to choose wisely.

"Even a low-fat muffin can have as many as 400 calories and 5 grams fat," says Joanne Lichten, PhD, RD, a nutrition consultant and the author ofDining Lean.

A healthy breakfast should contain both protein and fiber. An egg, a piece of whole-wheat toast, and half a grapefruit has only 250 calories and will keep you feeling full until lunch.

Diet Mistake No. 3: Too Many Liquid Calories

Liquid calories from alcohol, smoothies, coffee with cream and sugar, sweetened juices, teas, and sodas can really contribute to weight gain. One recent study found that Americans get approximately 21% of their calories from beverages.

"When you drink beverages, you don't tend to compensate by eating less because most beverages satisfy thirst and don't impact hunger," says Gidus.

Switch from calorie-laden beverages to water, club soda, skim milk, vegetable juices, and small portions of 100% fruit juice. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation, and choose lighter drink options.

Here are some calorie counts for common beverages:

• 12-ounce light beer: 110 calories
• 12-ounce regular beer: 160 calories
• 8-ounce coffee with cream and sugar: 30 calories
• 5 ounces of wine: 120-130 calories
• 6-ounce wine spritzer: 80 calories
• 16-ounce sweetened tea: 160 calories
• 12-ounce diet soda: 0 calories
• 12-ounce soda: 150 calories
• 20-ounce smoothie: 410 calories

Diet Mistake No. 4: Oversized Portions

"We have gotten used to huge portions at restaurants so when we are at home, we serve up the same size and think it is normal," says Lichten.

Experts suggest a few tricks to help you trim your portions:

• Leave a few bites on your plate.
• Use smaller plates and bowls.
• Periodically check your portions with measuring cups.

Diet Mistake No. 5: Choosing Unhealthy Add-Ons

Not only have portions crept up in size, we also have a tendency to top off our "diet" salads and other favorite foods with high-fat toppings, like bacon, cheese, croutons, and creamy dressings.

And, at fast-food restaurants, "grilled chicken and salads are not always better than a burger," notes Lichten. "It all depends on the size and the toppings."

For example, the Burger King Tendergrill sandwich with honey mustard dressing has 450 calories while their Whopper Jr., with mustard instead of mayo, has only 290 calories. At McDonald's, the Caesar salad with crispy chicken and creamy dressing totals 490 calories, while a Quarter Pounder weighs in at 410 calories.

Diet Mistake No. 6: Mindless Eating

"Eating amnesia" is the act of unknowingly putting hand to mouth, usually from a bag or box in front of the television, while reading a book. It can also happen at happy hour, or when you finish the last few bites on your child's plate.

"Resist the temptation to clean yours or anyone else's plate," says Gidus. "Think about your waistline instead of the food waste."

Consider the calories in small portions of some of our favorite snacks, and see how quickly they can add up when portions are multiplied:

• 1 Twinkie: 150 calories
• 12 peanut M&Ms: 125 calories
• 1 ounce of French fries: 88 calories
• 1.5 donut holes: 100 calories
• 3 Hershey kisses: 75 calories
• 3 Oreo cookies: 160 calories
• 15 tortilla chips: 142 calories
• 20 potato chips: 162 calories

And how can you kick the mindless eating habit?

"First, try to get out of the habit of always eating something while you are sitting and relaxing," says Gidus. "Try a cup of tea, glass of water, or chew a piece of sugarless gum. If you want a snack, portion it out of the bag or container."

Five Appetite Control Foods That Suppress Cravings Without Adding Calories

Emergency appetite control food #1
Fresh drinking water. That's right: water is a powerful appetite suppressant and if you drink an 8-ounce glass of water when you first start feeling hungry, you will find that it suppresses your appetite in nearly every case. If you just drink a full glass of water and have the discipline to wait 10 minutes, you will find that your appetite is either completely gone or dramatically reduced.

Your next choice, if water does not do the trick for you, is to purchase a 32-ounce quart of natural,organic vegetable broth. You can get organic vegetable broth from Trader Joe's,health food stores, or even many of the finer grocery stores that have a natural health section. The key is to get organic vegetable broth that does not contain excitotoxins. These are ingredients that cause neurological disorders because they overexcite and harm nerve cells. Those ingredients are MSG,yeast extract, autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, and other similar ingredients. Warning: watch out for broth products made by Kitchen Basics. They claim their products don't contain MSG or yeast extract, but when I tried their product, I experienced a massive "MSG headache" that tells me it contains free glutamic acid that isn't listed on the label. (I'm very sensitive to MSG.) The brand of broth I buy is Trade Joe's house brand, which does not contain free glutamic acid.

You can also choose organic chicken broth if you prefer the flavor of chicken. Once you have that, simply empty the entire quart into a very large bowl, heat it up and eat it like soup. You will probably be unable to get through the entire bowl without feeling full. And how many calories have you consumed? Not 900 like you get in two cups of cashews or 1200 like in a big Mac, not even 300 calories like you get from a typical protein bar, instead you get 20 calories only. That's right: you can feel full on 20 calories by drinking an entire quart of organic vegetable broth.

Emergency appetite control food #2
The next best strategy is to turn to green vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage, bokchoy, and other leafy vegetables. They have so few calories that in my own diet, I don't even count them. That's right: I allow myself to eat an unlimited quantity of any green leafy vegetables without even recording the number of calories I have consumed. In my book, they are "free" foods.

It takes just as many calories for your body to digest them as you get out of the foods themselves. And yet at the same time, they fill your stomach and make you feel full, turning off the hunger signals in your brain. You may have also heard these called "negative calorie foods."

You can consume these green leafy vegetables in a couple of ways. Most people don't like to eat them plain. Instead, you can fill up a very large bowl (I am talking about something the size of a family dinner salad bowl) with lettuce and salad greens, then add only 100 calories worth of salad dressing. You will want to find some of the lower calorie salad dressings out there, and of course you want to avoid MSG, high-fructose corn syrup, and other ingredients in salad dressings. There are many very good salad dressings that only have 25 calories per tablespoon. Using those dressings, you can put four tablespoons of salad dressing on your salad and start munching away. In a few minutes, you will feel quite full and yet will have only consumed 100 calories that count. Remember the calories for the green leafy vegetables are free. You only count the calories of the salad dressing itself. This is an excellent way to fill your stomach and turn off your hunger signals while only giving yourself 100 calories.

Another strategy that uses green leafy vegetables is to stir fry them in a pan with no oils whatsoever. Just use water and flavoring such as onions, garlic and soy sauce. Simply stir fry all the green vegetables you want, add the spices and eat it. I do not count the calories in onions or garlic either, nor do I count the calories in soy sauce since none of these spices have very high calorie density. As a result, that entire meal goes in your stomach and counts for zero calories. Once again, it's a great way to curb you appetite without consuming large quantities of calorie rich food.

Emergency appetite control food #3
This is one of my favorites: I call it my "instant banana pudding" recipe, but of course, it's nothing at all like store-bought pudding. You'll need a blender for this one.

Add a quart of soy milk to the blender, then a couple of scoops of unsweetened banana-flavored simply natural spirutein soy protein powder. (Sources are listed in the downloadable book, "Secret Sources." Add stevia powder as the sweetener. I also toss in some supergreens powders, but you may want to avoid that at first, since it's an acquired taste(and it turns your banana pudding green).

If you were to blend this up, you'd have a banana-flavored soy protein shake. But we're not done yet: while the blender is running, put in about 1/2 tablespoon of guar gum powder, plus another 1/2 tablespoon of xanthan gum powder. These are thickeners. Within seconds, your blender will start whining and the whole mixture will attain the consistency of pudding. Now just pour it into a bowl and eat it like banana pudding! The mixture has near-zero carbs, no sugars, and is high in soy protein. Plus, it tastes great and fills you up fast. This is my favorite choice for a late-night appetite emergency.

You can get guar gum and xanthan gum at a health food store, or order online at a vitamin supplier.

Emergency appetite control food #4:
The last food is pickles. That's right, pickles. But I am not talking about the pickles you find at a regular grocery store. Nearly all pickles you find in grocery stores contain artificial food coloring. They have a yellowish tint to them that has been added through the use of chemical colors. This is not a natural ingredient and so it is something you want to avoid purchasing. Instead, you want to buy completely natural pickles like the ones you get at Trader Joe's that are made without artificial colors or flavors and that have an extremely low calorie count as well. An entire jar of pickles may give you only 50 calories or so and yet they can be quite satisfying and take up a considerable amount of space in your stomach, thereby turning off your appetite cravings.

Just don't buy pickles containing any added sugars or artificial colors. Some pickles are, believe it or not, loaded with sugar. They're more like candied cucumbers than pickles. Read the ingredients labels to be sure what you're getting.

By the way, while you're eating pickles, it's an excellent time to take some calcium and mineral supplements, too. The acidity of the pickles will accelerate the absorption of calcium.

Emergency appetite control food #5:
Here's an easy one: apples. Yep, apples. Eat the largest apple you can find. Sure, you'll get some calories and some carbs, but the apple will fill you up for quite a while, and that will stop you from eating far more calorie-dense foods.

Let me explain why this is such an effective strategy. If you're crazy hungry, it's very easy to reach for some processed foods (bag of chips, for example) and start munching away until you've consumed 1000 calories or more. And that's about half the total calories you need for the entire day!

But I dare you to try to eat 1000 calories worth of apples. It's impossible. You'll fill up even before reaching 400 calories, probably. Apples are great appetite suppressing foods because the bulky fiber fills up your stomach and turns off your appetite control hormones before you overeat. Plus, apples contain various phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. They're even a decent source of folic acid.

How to further suppress your appetite:
One more supplementary strategy to all of this is that you can multiply the appetite suppressing effects of all foods by swallowing a couple of fiber tablets before you begin eating. Fiber tablets or capsules would include psyllium husk, glucomannan, oat bran fiber, apple pectin fiber, or other natural fibers. You can find fiber supplements at any health food store. Be careful to watch the dosage of the fiber and drink plenty of water as you take these pills because without adequate water, they can gum up in your digestive tract and in extreme cases, they can block your digestive tract. So, you want to drink plenty of water with them.

By consuming both the fiber and the water before you start eating, you've already significantly turned off your appetite. Then by consuming these extremely low caloric density foods and beverages, you will further suppress your appetite. You can get an entire meal into your stomach for 100 calories or less and you can trick your brain into thinking you consumed an all-you-can-eat buffet.

But there's a catch to all this: in about an hour or so, your body will figure out that there isn't much energy in the food you've consumed. Your hunger will begin to return, but at least you delayed the onset of that hunger by an hour or more. If you combine this with physical exercise, you can delay it even further because the very act of exercising releases stored body fat and converts it back into blood sugar, which raises your blood sugar level and suppresses your appetite cravings.

You can also extend the effect of this by taking appetite suppressant supplements. Hoodia gordonii is one I've reviewed quite extensively, and it is currently increasing in popularity. My own experience is that hoodia tincture can help, but even hoodia doesn't shut off appetite completely.

Also, you don't want to starve yourself by eating these 100-calorie meals all day long. Remember, starvation is the fastest way to train your body to hold on to body fat. These are just items to get you past a difficult time when your appetite is unbearably intense.

Each day, you still need to get nutrition into your body in the form of whole foods and whole food supplements.

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/003550.html#ixzz1syh2ds38

Handling Buffets

If you had to name the type of meal that poses the greatest challenge to your ability to control how much you eat, chances are you'd choose the all-you-can-eat buffet. Loaded with appealing choices, a buffet can make even the most dedicated weight manager falter.

Fight back with these ideas for facing the buffet:

Plan your attack: Circle the buffet to see all that's offered and then go back to your seat. Think over your options and come up with a plan. That way, when you return, you'll know what you're looking for — and what you want to avoid. Perhaps have a small salad with a small amount of light dressing while you consider your plan — it will take the edge off your hunger and help you make better decisions when you go back to get your meal.

Use a small plate: A small plate forces you to keep portions in check. If only large plates are available, fill at least half of yours with salad greens and healthy toppings. And remember portion control — don't heap the plate until not another thing will fit.

Pick your favorites: Don't be tempted to take a little of everything. Instead, focus on your favorites. For example, have a little more shrimp cocktail and skip the fried chicken. Eat slowly and savor the foods you do choose.

Divide and conquer: Divide your plate into sections, reserving half for fruits and vegetables, one-quarter for starches, and one-quarter for proteins. This trick helps you trim calories while adding satisfying fiber and bulk.

Stick to one trip: Before you return to the buffet for a second helping, ask yourself if you're truly hungry or if you're only eating because the food is there. If you are still hungry, have a second helping of fresh fruit, vegetables, or green salad. Resist the urge to "stock up" just because so much food is available.

Skip the liquid calories: Opt for water, a diet drink, or unsweetened or artificially sweetened iced tea or coffee to accompany your meal instead of a soft drink or alcoholic beverage. You'll easily shave off a few hundred empty calories.

Go light for dessert: Pass by the cakes, cookies, and ice cream at a buffet and reach for fresh fruit or a cup of coffee with artificial sweetener instead. These options can provide a satisfying finish without later regrets.

Manage Your Plan Like a Business

One way to think of approaching your weight-loss journey is to liken the process to that of running a business. In business, you begin with a detailed plan that includes specific information on your goals and what steps you plan to take to achieve them. Also in the plan is a list of possible obstacles you might face and the actions you will take to overcome them should they arise. Once you've thought through and planned for as many variables as you can think of, you open the doors and put the plan into play.

Over time, issues and circumstances will arise that you didn't foresee. But rather than declare the venture a failure and give up, you revisit your plan, fine-tuning it to address and overcome each challenge as it arises.

Consider ME your key ally in this new venture to control your weight.

Often the reason people have trouble achieving their weight-loss goals is that they lack a comprehensive, long-term plan for achieving success. In my work, I find that taking this long-term "business plan" approach to the business of health is very effective. And so will you!

Truth About Belly Fat

Do you know the Truth About Belly Fat? Take the quiz and find out!

http://www.webmd.com/diet/rm-quiz-best-worst-foods-belly-fat?ecd=wnl_wlw_041812

Dealing With a Weight-Loss Plateau

From time to time, you might notice that the scale stops moving even when you think you're following your meal and fitness plans to a tee. It's called a weight-loss plateau, and the important thing to remember is that you will get past it!

When a plateau occurs, try these techniques to get the scale moving again:

Stick to your efforts: Now is not the time to jump ship on your weight-loss journey. Instead, it's time to be morediligent about following your plan.

Step up your self-monitoring: Often, people hit plateaus after they stop monitoring how much food they're eating and how much exercise they're getting. Start keeping records again — looking over them will probably tell you where the problem lies.

Shake it up: It's a great time to change your workout routine. If you walk most of the time, try biking, swimming, or aerobics instead. Or you may want to increase the intensity of your current activity. A change in your routine often gets things moving.

Pay attention to portions: Over time, "portion creep" can happen. We think we are estimating the amount we are eating accurately, but in fact we have gradually begun underestimating portion sizes. Go back to weighing and measuring portions for a little while — this will remind you what appropriate portions look like, putting your ability to "eyeball" them back on track.

Remember recording: If you've gotten out of the habit of writing your food and exercise, this is a great time to restart, even if it's just dinner, or all food one day a week. You might discover why weight loss has stalled faster than you expected.

Write it out: Turn to your Lifestyle Journal to reconnect with your motivation for starting this journey. Read some older entries to reignite that initial spark. Jot down all the benefits of your efforts to date. Brainstorm ideas for facing the plateau. Express your feelings. Explore negative self-talk. Writing about it will help keep you motivated.

Remember, while weight-loss plateaus are frustrating, they are also normal and quite common. But don't let a plateau turn into an excuse to give up. Hang in there — the results will be well worth it.

Considering a Therapist?

If you've never considered working with a therapist on your food and weight issues, perhaps now is the time to think about it. Understanding the complex emotions behind overeating, binge eating, or other unhealthy habits — and then changing those habits — can be difficult to accomplish on your own. And simply following a "diet" may not help you "unlearn" some old habits or unhealthy emotional coping strategies.

Behavioral health professionals who specialize in eating and weight problems are trained to help you uncover these connections and support you in breaking old patterns. A therapist can also help you clarify your goals, identify possible barriers and come up with ways to overcome them, and provide a constructive sounding board for your concerns.

Therapists are also trained to identify behavioral health problems — like anxiety, depression, and eating disorders — that may be contributing to your weight-loss struggle.

If you'd like to give therapy a try, be sure to call several potential therapists and ask about their experience dealing with food and eating issues. Once you have found someone you think you will feel comfortable with, schedule an appointment or consultation and give it a try.

Remember, when you're trying to make positive life changes, you need all the support you can get. Working with trained professionals can help you meet that need in a professional, confidential, safe, and constructive setting.

A Powerful Combo: Calcium and Vitamin D

Are you getting enough calcium in your diet to prevent bone loss and protect you from osteoporosis (a condition in which bones become porous and easily broken) later in life? Studies show that many Americans don't take in enough calcium in their diets. Women, who are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men, get less than half of the recommended daily amount. Experts recommend between 1,200 and 1,500 milligrams of calcium a day (women should aim for the higher end of the range). The body absorbs calcium most efficiently if you take in 500 milligrams or less at a time.

How can you be sure you're getting your share? Reach for calcium-rich foods like low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well as salmon, broccoli, kale, and other greens. Also look for calcium-fortified products like orange juice, cereals, and breakfast bars. Adding a few teaspoons of nonfat powdered milk to foods like puddings and soups can increase their calcium content without affecting taste. Finally, a calcium supplement can also help you meet your daily requirement. There are several types available, so ask your doctor whether you need one and which might be best for you.

While you're working on improving your calcium intake, it's important to be sure you're getting enough vitamin D as well. This important nutrient acts as a "key," opening the door for calcium absorption in your body. Without enough vitamin D, much of the calcium you eat may be passing right through your digestive tract rather than being absorbed.

Exposure to sunlight encourages the body to produce vitamin D. If you spend 10 to 15 minutes two or three times a week outside in the summer months, exposing your hands, arms, and face to the sun, you're probably getting the vitamin D you need. However, if you spend much of your time indoors, or always block sunlight from reaching your skin with sunblock and clothing (which, as you know, is a good idea when the risk of sunburn is high), you may not be. In addition, during winter months and in northern climates year round, it is difficult for our body to make adequate Vitamin D from sunlight. Some foods such as milk and other dairy foods are fortified with small amounts of vitamin D. For example, an eight ounce glass of milk contains 100 IU of vitamin D. It's also included in most multivitamins and in some calcium supplements.

The current recommendations for vitamin D intake of 200 to 400 IU per day were established in 1997. Since that time, new research suggests that greater vitamin D intakes may be necessary for optimal health. According to National Osteoporosis Foundation, the recommended intake of vitamin D for optimal bone health for adults under age 50 is 400 to 800 IU daily, and adults age 50 and older is 800 to 1,000 IU daily. Many health researchers are urging the FDA to increase the recommended daily intake of Vitamin D to 1,000 IU daily. Remember, as with any vitamin, too much vitamin D can be potentially harmful. Check with your doctor before taking any new supplements.

The combination of calcium and vitamin D in your diet is great insurance that you'll have strong bones for life! This week, focus on increasing your intake of these important nutrients if you aren't currently getting enough.

Metabolic Syndrome

In recent years, health experts have become increasingly interested in a collection of risk factors known as metabolic syndrome. They have found that people with metabolic syndrome are at an elevated risk for developing cholesterol deposits in the walls of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which causes most heart attacks and strokes. Metabolic syndrome also raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Because these illnesses are among the leading causes of death in the United States, preventing or treating the individual conditions that make up metabolic syndrome could save many lives. People may be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome if they have three or more of the following conditions:

• Increased abdominal fat: a waist circumference greater than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women
• Elevated blood pressure on several measurements: 130 mm Hg or greater systolic (top number) or 85 mm Hg or greater diastolic (bottom number)
• Elevated level of triglycerides (blood fats): 150 mg/dl or higher after a 12-hour fast
• Low level of HDL (the "good") cholesterol: lower than 50 mg/dl for men or 45 mg/dl for women
• Elevated blood sugar levels: 110 mg/dl or greater after a 12-hour fast

While researchers are still investigating why these factors often occur together, they suspect a gradual resistance to insulin in the body may be to blame. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body's cells use the glucose supplied by food. If the body doesn't use insulin efficiently, cells can't take up as much glucose, so it accumulates in the blood. In response, the body makes more insulin, overloading the blood. As a result of the excess insulin, triglycerides and other fats build up in the blood, increasing the risk of abnormal cholesterol. At the same time, kidneys become strained by the additional load, leading to high blood pressure.

In some cases, the cause of insulin resistance may be genetic or environmental. But most of the time, overweight and inactivity seem to be the culprit. Metabolic syndrome occurs in only 5 percent of adults of normal weight but in 22 percent of those who are overweight and 60 percent of those who are obese. Lifestyle changes such as losing excess weight, exercising, and quitting smoking can help to prevent or treat metabolic syndrome. If you suspect you're at risk, ask your doctor to evaluate you for this serious condition.

Learning to Be More Assertive

If you often feel that others are pushing you around, it's time to learn how to be assertive. Being assertive doesn't mean imposing your views on others. It doesn't mean being a bully. Nor does it mean always being right. Rather, being assertive means communicating effectively about your own needs in a respectful way that helps you find ways so both people's needs are taken seriously.

When you find yourself feeling as though you have to choose between someone else's needs and your own, try following these steps:

1. Practice active listening. Really hear the other person out and try to understand the feelings underlying his or her words. Concentrate on what the person is saying instead of thinking about how you'll respond. Take a moment to reflect on what's been said before you respond.
2. Build a bridge. Begin by restating what you think the other person has just said, in an effort to show the person that you have heard the message and understand the feelings behind it. For example, "I understand that you feel frustrated that I set the alarm earlier than you're used to so that I can exercise in the morning." You might also try rephrasing what you think the other person is saying as a question. "Do I hear you're feeling frustrated with being woken up earlier?"
3. Cross the bridge. Once you've developed an understanding of where the other person is coming from, it's time to state your own opinion or need. For example, "I want to be able to get up early because that's the best time for me to exercise, and getting regular exercise is important to me." Focus on your thoughts and feelings, and avoid making absolute, defensive, or accusatory statements.
4. Make requests and set limits. Once you and the other person understand each other, you can turn the discussion toward resolving the problem. Talk through the issue and be willing to come up with a compromise that meets both your needs. Perhaps you will discover some middle ground. For example, "Would you feel more comfortable with the alarm going off early if we both made an effort to go to bed earlier?"

It takes time and practice to learn to be more assertive, but it's worth it. Think of it as a path to a win-win situation!

Is Alcohol Good for Me?

Medical studies have shown a link between moderate alcohol consumption and a reduced risk of illnesses like heart disease. For one thing, moderate use of alcohol tends to raise HDL cholesterol, the "good" kind. But before you add alcohol to your list of healthy foods, it's important to understand more.

First, it's important to understand what "moderate" drinking means. For men, it means no more than two drinks a day; for women, it's a limit of one drink a day. One drink is defined as 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1 1/2 ounces of liquor.

When it comes to alcohol, more is not better. People who drink more than the amounts above lose the health benefits of drinking and are actually at increased risk of high blood pressure and other heart problems. Excessive drinking can lead to liver disease, gastrointestinal disease, certain cancers, disturbances of sleep and of mood, obesity, and a host of other health problems. Experts say those who cannot drink moderately are better off not drinking at all. If you are unsure whether or not you have a problem with alcohol, it's a good idea to consult with your physician.

And remember, alcohol packs a lot of empty calories. A 5-ounce glass of wine contains around 130 calories, a 12-ounce serving of beer contains roughly 150 calories, and 1 1/2 ounces of liquor also contains around 150 calories (and that's before you add any mixers). Calories from alcohol that are not burned by the body seem more likely to be stored around the abdomen, and abdominal fat is the most dangerous kind for your health.

Finally, since alcohol lowers inhibition and impairs judgment, drinking too much can prevent you from sticking to your goals to eat well.

In short, if you're going to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. And don't forget to factor in the calories!

Butter vs. Margarine

Have you ever wondered which is better — butter or margarine — when it comes to your health?

First, it's important to know that both are high in fat and calories. Both butter and regular margarine weigh in at around 35 to 45 calories per teaspoon. (If you use reduced-fat margarine, a whole tablespoon gives you the same number of calories.) Butter also contains both cholesterol and saturated fat, and diets high in these substances have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Too much cholesterol can clog the arteries, while saturated fat has been shown to increase levels of LDL, or "bad," cholesterol.

Margarine, which is made from vegetable oils, doesn't contain cholesterol. But that doesn't mean it's good for your heart. To render the oils solid at room temperature, hydrogen is added during processing, creating trans fats. These fats are thought to be even more harmful to the heart than saturated fats because they not only raise LDL cholesterol but also lower HDL, or "good," cholesterol. Some stick margarines contain relatively high amounts of trans fats, while softer margarines (tub and squeeze versions) usually contain less (if any). However, even some stick margarines are free of trans fats, so be sure to check labels.

So what's a person to do? Cut down on both butter andmargarine! Try replacing them with healthier options whenever you can. Butter sprays, for example, add buttery flavor to potatoes, vegetables, and other foods without adding many calories. Butter-flavored sprinkles and trans fat–free spreads can also add flavor with fewer calories and less fat. When sautéing foods, use a cooking spray or a heart-healthy oil like olive or canola, and when baking, try cutting the butter or margarine called for in the recipe by a third. You can also try replacing some or all of the butter or margarine in your baked goods with applesauce, crushed pineapple, mashed bananas, or yogurt.

In short, rather than getting caught up in the butter-versus-margarine debate, do what Duke Diet Online followers do best: Use common sense and portion control. Opt to reduce your use of both fats whenever you can. Every tablespoon you cut will also cut out calories and fat you don't need.

Using Meal Replacements

You've probably seen shakes and bars designed to be drunk or eaten in place of a regular meal. You may wonder, "Are they a good choice for weight loss?"

In general, it's better to learn how to choose healthy foods and eat them in reasonable portions than rely on a shake or bar to do it for you. However, meal replacements can be a good choice if you use them to replace a meal, such as breakfast, that you would normally skip. They can also be a healthy choice if you're caught in a pinch or need to eat on the go.

While meal replacements can be a convenient way to cut calories, it's important to keep in mind that not all products are created equal. Check the Nutrition Facts panel and make sure that the number of calories and other nutrient values fit in with your meal plan. At the Duke Diet & Fitness Center, we often recommend brands like Slim-Fast and Glucerna.

Also keep in mind that drinking a shake or eating a bar may not be as emotionally or physically satisfying as eating a well-balanced meal containing the same amount of calories. For example, compare drinking a 220-calorie meal replacement shake with eating a breakfast of one cup of fresh strawberries, four ounces of low-fat yogurt, and a slice of whole wheat toast. The second meal has the same amount of calories, but it would probably leave you feeling much more satisfied.

So make time for "real" food whenever you can, and use meal replacements as a backup plan. Remember, a meal replacement may be a better choice than a burger and fries, but there's no substitute for learning to make healthy food choices for life.