Monthly Archives: January 2012

Jan 24 2012
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Healthy Eating, Money Saving Ideas, Time Saver

My Grocery List

Last year, I started a personal project called $40/week for homemade meals. I noticed that I was spending up to $800 on food each month because I was going out so frequently. I didn’t know anything about cooking, and at the start I boiled EVERYTHING. So, everything I cooked tasted terribly. I’ve since taken a Dietetics cooking class to learn tons of the basics and I’ve practiced endlessly to get better at it. Not only did I have to learn about how to function in the kitchen, I had to practice how to go grocery shopping and get more bang for my buck. I mainly shop at Trader Joe’s, Lucky, Target, and sometimes Whole Foods.When I go grocery shopping, I keep these tips in mind when I fill my shopping cart/basket.

TIP #1: Shop Around
Different Locations = Different Price. I try to shop organic when I can, but I know that I can’t always due to my budget. I also try to avoid Whole Foods as much as possible because they are SO expensive. I buy a select few items there that are worth it like their Organic EVOO or Whole Wheat Pizza Dough Ball, both of which are very affordable.

TIP #2: Shop On Different Days
I’ve learned that food prices change due to location but also certain days of the week! Wednesday tends to be the most expensive because that’s when most stores restock their food supply. Fridays can offer lower prices on many items. Keep an eye out for that and find the trends at the stores where you grocery shop.

TIP #3: Plan Your Meals
When you buy an item, try to think of 2-3 dishes you can use it in. That way you can maximize the use of your groceries. For example, broccoli can be served in a stir fry, a chopped salad, or as a roasted vegetable side dish.

TIP #4: Stick To Your Budget
Don’t get tempted by that candy bar or those trashy magazine at the check out stand. STICK TO YOUR BUDGET (+/- a couple of bucks). Use the calculator function on your phone to add it all up before you check out.

TIP #5: Buy Bulk Only When Necessary
Not everything should be purchased in bulk. There are certain things that should be purchased in bulk. Consider this, chicken breasts can be purchased in bulk. Once I get home, I cut them up into small pieces, individually wrap them, and freeze them. It can be more economically sensible especially if I purchase them when the price is lower than usual highs.

Here is what part of my regular pantry looks like.

Regular Pantry Items:
These do not have to be purchased each week. It’s more likely that you will buy these items once or twice a month (sometimes, even less frequently).

- 2 Lb 10 oz Quaker Oat Quick 1-minute Rolls Oats (Target: ~$4.50 )

- 360 Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Whole Foods Market: ~$14.99)

- Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (Whole Foods: $1.29)

- 1 lb of Whole Wheat Penne Pasta (Trader Joe’s: $1.39)

- Orange Muscat Vinegar (Trader Joe’s: $2.99) or Balsamic Vinegar!

- 2 lbs Whole Carrots (Fresh & Easy: $0.99)

- 1 Loaf Whole Wheat Bread (Target: $2.50)

- 6 Whole Wheat Bagels (Target: $1.99)

- 18 Large AA Grade Eggs (Anywhere: $1.50-$2.00)

- 4 Chicken Breast w/ Rib Meat (Fresh & Easy: $2.49/lb = $8.00-9.00 total)

- 2 lbs Lean Ground Turkey (Fresh & Easy: $5.98)

New Week’s Items:
These items should be purchased each week because they do not last longer than a week and should be consumed within this time. Generally, this is produce.

- 12 oz Bag of Baby Spinach (Trader Joe’s: $1.99)

- 8 oz Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Trader Joe’s: $1.99)

- 8 oz Dried Cranberries (Trader Joe’s: $1.99)

- 1.5 lbs Zucchini, 5 whole pieces (Trader Joe’s: $2.29)

- 8 oz Whole Crimini Mushrooms (Trader Joe’s: $1.69)

- 32 oz Mountain High Plain Yogurt (Target: $2.50)

- Frozen Blueberries (Trader Joe’s: $1.99)

- 1 Jar of Tomato Basil Marinara (Trader Joe’s: $1.99)

- 8 oz bag of Shredded Cheese (Target: $2.50)

Clearly, this does not add up to $40 because certain items extend for longer than a week. But it’s important to note that it’s great that things can be used for longer than a week by buying products with longer shelf life (like pasta) or by proper storage (like freezing chicken).

Stay tuned for future weekly posts with recipes and more ideas to spend only $40/ week on your homemade meals

Happy eating,
Thomas :)

Jan 20 2012
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Healthy Eating

Marketing Tricks

I’m so glad that we are a part of the food revolution that is happening, especially within the Bay Area.  We are going back to raw foods and enjoying less overly processed foods.  But in our haste of enjoying healthier, fresher foods, we can fall into the carefully laid traps that food manufacturers employ to trick you.  You may think that you are buying healthier foods, but really, it’s a marketing gimmick.  Here are some marketing tricks of which you should be aware!

Trick #1: Multi-Grain/Wheat

There’s a whole craze about whole grains versus enriched white grains.  Companies have jumped on board and started making 100% whole grain products like breads, rice, pastas, and crackers.  This is great because there are more products using whole grains to provide us, as consumers, with more fiber and nutrients.  However, a lot of companies will trick you by labeling something is “Multi-Grain” or “Wheat.”  This doesn’t meant that the product is made of 100% whole grains which refers to one whole grain used.  ”Multi-grain” refers to more than one grain is used, but they are not particularly whole grains.  In fact, if you look at the Ingredients List under the nutrition label, you’ll see that these products are composed of “enriched wheat flour” (which is another way of saying “enriched white flour”).  Tricky Dicky!

Lesson: Read your ingredients list under the nutrition label!  This will tell you what your products are made of like if it’s regular wheat (enriched white grain) or whole wheat (a complete grain with the bran, endosperm, and germ).

Trick #2: Organic

Everyone thinks organic is the best.  Well, in some ways it is!  Fruit and vegetables are great organic because they don’t have harmful pesticides that are sprayed on them or the plant on which they are grown.  Also, there are no petroleum based fertilizers used on them either.  This is great because our food becomes fresher, rawer than conventionally grown with hormones and chemical sprays.  Pesticides can be harmful to the human body.  However, organic is expensive and sometimes not essential to the quality of some products.  I’ve seen Organic Bamboo Bed Sheets.  I didn’t buy them because they were organic.  I bought them because they were on sale.  Do I really need organic bedding?  No.

Note that only these organic foods can use the USDA certified organic label.
- 100% organic = completely organic or made up of all organic items
- Organic = 95% organic
Organic Labeling tricks
- Made with organic ingredients = 70% organic.  These DO NOT get the label.


Lesson: Not everything has to be organic and not everything organic is as good as it claims.


Trick #3: Fat-Free/Low-Fat

In the 80′s, there was a HUGE craze about the low-fat/fat-free diets because we thought eating more fat would put more fat in our bodies and make us fat.  That’s a pretty understandable rationale except it’s not completely true.  It’s a combination of what types of calories we get and how many calories we get that determines our storage of fat.  Mostly, fat-free/low-fat labeling is used on indulgent foods like ice cream or cake.  But did you know, that manufacturers actually replaced the fat with more sugar?  That’s right!  You could be eating a lower-fat yogurt, but there is more sugar in there (and potentially more calories).  Why do they put in more sugar?  Sugar and fat are important in food for many reasons: primarily, flavoring and tenderizing.

Lesson: Sugar and fat replace each other aka lower fat products shouldn’t be assumed to be better.

Trick #4: Sugar-Free/”Diet”

This is pretty similar to the previous marketing trick.  It’s so popular because again, we think sugar = bad = it makes me fat.  In sugar-free cakes or pastries, bakers usually add more fat (i.e. butter or shortening) to replace the sugar.  Also, people use artificial sweeteners in pretty much anything like diet sodas and energy drinks.  Be aware that the effects of most artificial sweeteners are wildly unpredictable.  There have been claims that they cause cancer in high dosages.  However, nothing has been proved on humans.  A recent study in the past three years noted that diet drinks can alter the body’s recognition and reduce the metabolism of sugar.  This has yet to be seen but the uncertainty makes me nervous enough, even if it’s zero calories.

Lesson: Moderate here.  Not all sugar-free items like baked goods are lower in calories.  The health risks of diet and sugar-free drinks are TBD.

Trick #5: All-Natural / Made with 100% Natural Ingredients

Following the wave of eating more raw foods, companies want to emphasize that their products are all-natural.  However, you’ll want to be especially cautious with food items that say that they are “Made with 100% Natural Ingredients.”  Alongside the great and beneficial things that are natural, there are also terrible and harmful things that are natural.  Take for example: orange juice.  Tropicana is getting tons of heat right now because they claim their juice is 100% pure OJ.  However, most foods need preservatives added to them to extend the shelf life.  This makes sense for consumers like us because we need to make sure our food is safe to consume when we buy it!  However, in addition to the “all-natural” orange juice, manufacturers may add coloring, sugar, and extra flavor boosts to enhance the juice.  After all of that, I can’t deny that the juice is “made with 100% natural ingredients” like an orange.  However, all the extra stuff…not so natural all the time and not so good for us.  Are they lying?  Technically and sadly, no.

Lesson: If you want to go raw, juice at home or find non-generic foods that require minimum processing like fresh produce.  That’s the only way to ensure that your food is not overly processed and is actually “all-natural.”

Trick #6: 0g of Trans Fat

Trans fats are bad.  They’re bad because of the carbon configuration in the fatty acid chains of carbons.  ”Trans” refers to opposite sides for the carbons around a double bond. As such, these trans fats are more stable and less reactive.  This means that the body has a harder time metabolizing/breaking down this type of fat.  Although manufacturers have limited or eliminated the use of trans fats in their products (due to growing opposition), they can still label something has having ZERO grams of trans fat on the nutrition label even if there is trace amounts of trans fat.  The threshold is 0.5 grams/serving, to be exact.  0g of trans fat…you’re such a liar.

Lesson: Check the nutrition label.  If it has a line item for “trans fats” and the amount is zero, they are lying.  ALERT.  Put the box of trans fatty crackers down, and step away from the aisle.

Overall, companies are really keen on tricking you into believing what they label.  The absolute best rule of thumb is to read the nutrition label, ingredients list, and use your critical thinking.  Don’t believe everything you read (except this blog).

Happy eating, friends

xoxo

Jan 15 2012
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Healthy Eating, Money Saving Ideas

Healthy Substitutes

There are a lot of eating habits that we can modify to enhance our intake of nutritious foods. I hate putting food into the “good” vs “bad” categories because I truly believe the moderate amounts of the “bad” stuff is actually okay. I encourage it! So when it comes to changing our eating habits, we have three options: (1) cut down to smaller portions of the “bad” foods, (2) make healthy substitutes, and (3) do both (1) and (2).

Here are my top 5 food substitutes!

Food Switch Tip #1: Tomato Sauce vs Cream Sauce

The Situation: Mac and cheese is many people’s go-to comfort food dish. I get it. You like cheese. Cheese is by no means a culprit. The real culprit is the ridiculous amount of cream and cheese with which we DRENCH our food. They are loaded with calories and saturated fat which can increase our risk of heart disease and cholesterol.

Why Tomato Sauce?: Tomato sauce is rich in antioxidants and rich in Vitamin C (almost 4 times more concentrated vitamin C in tomato sauce than regular tomatoes)! When cooking with tomato sauce, add a little bit of fat into it like extra virgin olive oil because it increases in absorption of the tomato’s vitamins into our bodies. Oh…and because tomato sauce is delicious.

Cheat #1: If you really miss that creaminess in your pasta sauce, then add a just little bit of milk or cream to your tomato sauce. Bing Bang Boom. You’ll not only moderate your amount of cream sauce, but you’ll break away from the usual marinara sauce. (Lightly) Creamy Tomato Sauce is amazing!

Cheat #2: Another “cream” sub would be switching from sour cream to plain yogurt! Mountain High is my favorite brand for plain yogurt because it has a similar thick texture like sour cream.

Food Switch Tip #2: Brown Rice vs White Rice

The Situation: White rice is just the fluffy endosperm of the wheat grain. It eliminates the bran and the germ of the grain which contain fiber, fat, protein, and other nutrients. White rice isn’t completely empty of nutrients, but it is so low that it’s almost despicable (and deliciously so)!

Why Brown Rice? Brown rice includes the bran and the germ of the grain so it is so much higher in nutrients and fiber. Another debate is about the glycemic index (which in short is how high your blood sugar levels spike due to a specific food) of white rice. The GI is higher for white rice than brown rice. This is really important to those who want to avoid high spikes in their carbohydrate intake like diabetics! Even though it can be slightly chewier, brown rice can still be fluffy and delicious just like white rice.

Cheat: Have 1/2 brown rice and 1/2 white rice to slowly introduce it into your diet. Eventually, try switching exclusively to brown rice. Your colon will not be mad at you for that (*ahem* fiber helps with constipation *ahem*). This goes the same for pasta and bread: switch to whole wheat!

Food Switch Tip #3: Steamed/Roasted Veggies vs French Fries/Chips

The Situation: French fries are amazing. They are the most nutritious food items that you’ll ever eat. Did you know they are calorie free? Okay, so only 1 out of those 3 is true (that they are amazing). They are a well established guilty pleasure of mine. I cannot resist french fries or fried chicken. But they are generally drenched in fat which does not offset any benefit from eating potatoes.

Why Veggies? I don’t think I have to explain how WONDERFUL vegetables are. They offer so many health benefits due to their high levels of fiber, vitamins and minerals. I think that they are most delicious when oven roasted. Simply chop them into even pieces, light coat them in some olive oil/salt/pepper, and put them into a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. AMAZING! Avoid drenching your vegetables in cheese, salt, or butter. Try enjoying fresh produce for their natural flavors. Like fruit, vegetables have their natural sweetness.

Cheat: If you order french fries, just order one side order for the table to share. That way, you have your fries but limit how much is eaten! Your friends will judge you if you take the last fry. Don’t be THAT guy (like me).

Food Switch Tip #4: Fresh Fruit vs Juice (Cocktails)

The Situation: That ocean spray cranberry juice you are drinking is really cranberry juice cocktail. You may as well drink a glass of added sugar. Avoid any drink that includes -ade, -drink, or -cocktail in its name. It all a different way of saying ADDED sugar. It is important to make the distinction of natural sugar versus added sugar.

Why Fresh Fruit? The real question is why not fresh fruit? They are naturally sweet fruit. You can juice them too! But if you eat them whole you get an added bonus: FIBER. Holla! Again, don’t confuse the restriction of ADDED sugar with the natural sugar found in fruits and vegetables. You literally cannot eat enough fruits and vegetables. You should rarely hear someone encouraging a MAXIMUM of fruit and vegetable intake.

Cheat: If you like your juice from a bottle, pour 3/4 of a glass over ice and add 1/4 of the glass with water. Diluting it will slowly curb your desire for such overwhelming sweet drinks.

Food Switch Tip #5: Water vs Soda

The Situation: This video is all the explanation you need.

Why Water? It quenches, it has zero calories, oh and yeah, we’re about 75% water, which we need to refill everyday. Think of our bodies like a tank of gas. Just like our cars need gas to run, we need water to run.

Cheat: I wish I could offer a cheat here but even if I suggested diet soda over regular soda, I’m not sure that would help. Especially since I know someone who used to drink a 32 oz diet soda every morning (also with lunch and dinner). I say, make water your go-to drink, even in restaurants. I’ve been a server and I wish that my guests would order other drinks besides water so that the bill would be more expensive. But, don’t let me or any other server pressure you. Water is more than fine…it should be everyone’s drink of choice. No cheat here.

There are simple ways to make substitutions when you cook at home or eat out. I challenge you to take special notice to how you FEEL after you gorge on a plate of french fries, Mac & Cheese, and soda VERSUS how you feel after you gorge on a plate of fruits & vegetables, whole grains, and water.  It makes a world of difference!

Follow the MyPlate standards (http://themoreyoungo.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/the-food-pyramid-is-out-my-plate-is-in/) and you really shouldn’t have a problem!

Happy and Healthy Eating

xoxo

Jan 10 2012
2 Comments
Exercise Tips, Healthy Eating

13 Health and Fitness Myths

There is a lot of miseducation out there and a ton of gimmicks that don’t support sustainability of a healthy life.  That is the focus of my blog: to teach practices that continually support your health/fitness, so that you can build a sustainable, healthy, and fit lifestyle.  Stray away from the FAD DIETS and GIMMICKY EXERCISES/EQUIPMENT.  Here are some of common myths.

Myth #1: “I’m on a Diet” means I can’t eat (normally)

Why this came about: We all know that calories in (food) < calories out (exercise) results in weight loss.  So, why not just not eat at all to lose weight effectively?

Truth:  WRONG.  ”Diet” doesn’t always = “Diet.”  To distinguish the two, a “Lifestyle Diet” is what you eat everyday versus a “Fad Diet” which is what most people are used to (meaning you must starve and if you have the urge to pass out, you can have a small cube of cheese).  Do you hear how ridiculous this is?  Other fad diets that I have heard of are (1) the Cabbage Soup Diet, where you can only eat cabbage as food and (2) The Lemon-Cayenne Pepper-Maple Syrup diet. Before you start any diet always ask yourself if you are eating nutritiously. OR you can just read the name of that diet…Lemon…Cayenne Pepper…Maple Syrup…Disgusting.  Unless you are illiterate, you have no excuse to go on these terrible FAD diets.

Myth #2:  My body is gross so I have to detox

Why this came about:  I have poisoned my body, and it’s just stuck in my body making it all gross and gunky.  I have to clean it out before I can start anew.

Truth:  Your GI/digestive tract is pink and beautiful regardless.  This myth is tricky because I think eliminating all the “bad” stuff that we normally eat is great.  I also think that detoxes/cleanses help to recenter us emotionally and mentally.  To raise our mental acuity and educate us on nutrition, detoxes and cleanses serve as perspective changers.  See food as fuel!  The only dangerous downside is that during these cleanses or detoxes, normal eating is eliminated and substituted with simply juice or not eating at all.  From a dietetics point of view, it is dangerous because you are depriving your body of essential nutrients by not eating.  However, these detoxes and cleanses are short term and do not last long and that is why I do not think they are bad.  Again, I think there are benefits, but the shock factor can be extreme.  A different type of cleanse that I suggest is to change your eating habits by switching to healthier options.  That in itself is shock enough and you are still eating normally…just healthier.

Myth #3: I need 5000 grams of protein to get buff

Why this came about: We hear that proteins provide essential amino acids which build muscle.  Also, dietitians push protein to conserve lean body mass especially when patients are critically ill and in need of healing or maintaining biological homeostasis.  From these, we believe that more protein = more muscle.  Not exactly.

Truth:  This is my favorite.  When I hear a gym rat say this, I immediately laugh inside my head.  Why?  Because this is 150% untrue!  Protein is essential, and I am not debating that.  However, dietitians and nutritionists (as well as the USDA, American Heart Association, etc) all agree that we, as averagely active beings, need 0.8 grams of protein for every kg of body weight.  Even if you are an extreme athlete, you need approximately 1.2 grams of protein for every kg of body weight (as a MAXIMUM).  20%-30% of your daily caloric intake should come from protein.  Did you know we EASILY get up to double our recommended protein requirements just from eating, so there is no real need for taking protein shakes or supplements.  Any more protein, and we just get rid of it through our urine or we can convert it to fat via a complex biochemical mechanism.  Also, a lot of fad diets call for low carb, high protein (see myth # 5).  Watch out though because protein is generally (but not always) coupled with fat.  Think about meat, nuts, avocados, eggs, and dairy.  All high in protein, all high in fat.  Choose wisely and opt for lower fat content/lean sources of protein.  Protein doesn’t make your muscles bigger.  Lifting weights properly and regularly does.

Myth #4: Eating fat will make me fat

Why this came about: The rationale is that if we eat more fat, we will store it as fat.  That introduced the craze for low-fat or non-fat everything.

Truth: Fat is actually very essential to our diets.  Recommendations are around 20-30% of our diet.  Why?  Well, saturated fats (like from milk, meat, and animal products) are necessary for normal nerve function in our bodies.  However, limit those fats because they are often linked with high cholesterol!  Trans fats give other fats a nasty reputation because trans fats are well…bad!  Our body can’t break it down to metabolize it and get rid of it.  Still, other fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats) provide health benefits like lowering LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol as well as other heart healthy benefits.  We want to eat a variety of fats to provide balance and moderation.  Don’t eliminate fat; limit fat.  Oh and did you know that “Low Fat” products generally have more sugar added to them in place of the fat because of it’s effect on taste and texture?  Be weary!

Myth #5: Carbs are evil/White Grains are bad

Why this came about: Carbs are sugar.  Too much sugar is believed to be bad for us.  Also, we blame carbohydrates for making us fat.

Truth:  This is one area that gets me riled up.  Carbs are SO good for us.  Why?  It is our primary source of energy.  We take carbs which are sugars and use it to create energy for our cells.  Glucose (sugar/carb) is broken down into ATP (energy for our cells).  Carbohydrates are divided into two groups: simple carbs (fruits/vegetables) and complex carbs (pasta/rice/bread/etc).  That is one great reason to loading your plate with fruits and vegetables.  Complex carbs get the worst rep.  Whole grains are great because they also provide fiber, vitamins, and mineral.  White bread is like the misunderstood kid on the playground.  It’s not that bad!  White grains are made up of just the endosperm of the grain and leave out the germ and the bran where tons of the nutrients are.  But federal regulation actually requires manufacturers to enrich/fortify these white grains as to put back some of the nutrients back.  Is white grain perfect?  No.  Should you feel bad about eating some once in a while?  No.  Should you switch to whole grains most of the time?  Definitely.

Myth #6: Lifting weights is only for men who want to get buff

Why this came about: Women are leaner and that is accomplished by running or “cardio.”  Men should be buff and that’s through lifting weights.

Truth: More than half the dudes in the weight room know sh*t about working out properly.  Egos get in the weigh (ha!).  Lifting weights is as effective if not more effective in aiding weight loss and muscle gain (opposite but positive possible results, I know!).  When we run, we push our bodies during that period of exercise.  But when we lift muscles, we break our muscles down and they need to heal.  Through this healing process (days of rest in between exercise), our bodies are exerting a lot of energy/calories to rebuild.  Regardless of gender, everyone should include a bit of weight training to prevent muscle atrophy, build lean body mass, and reach our fitness goals.  Remember, eating more protein won’t help you build muscle.  Lifting weights will help us build muscle.  It can also help us lose weight too.  Through proper training, you can get your desired results, whichever it may be.

Myth #7: I can’t eat fruit because all that sugar is bad for me

Why this came about: It’s the classic A = B,  B = C, and so A = C scenario.  Fruit has Sugar, Sugar is Bad, and so Fruit is Bad.

Truth: Fruit provides natural sugars, vitamins, and…FIBER!  Eat lots of it.  What the USDA and the ADA recommend is that we limit ADDED sugar (table sugar, corn syrup etc).  This is because added sugar = added calories which we tend to overdo because we love sweet things!  Don’t equate fruit with added sugar.  Remember, we run on carbohydrates.  So, try to get your sweetness through natural sources like fruits and vegetables and limit the added sugars.  Note, the juice made at home with a juicer is different than the juice cocktails that you buy at the store because the juice cocktails from the store are LOADED with added sugar.  Danger, Will Robinson, Danger.

Myth #8: I walk 30 minutes everyday and that’s enough.

Why this came about:  It is recommended that we do 30 minutes of daily exercise.

Truth: We need 30 minutes of RIGOROUS exercise.  Walking is a great starting point for those who are new to exercise.  But challenge yourselves by going on regular hikes, swimming, running, playing other team sports, biking, dancing, weight lifting, etc.  These rigorous exercises require more energy from our bodies which means we burn more calories.  Not to mention the benefits to our heart exercise, weight loss, lean muscle gain, and healthy body maintenance.

Myth #9: I have to eat many smaller meals versus fewer bigger meals

Why this came about: We tend to overeat at mealtime if we haven’t been snacking.  Also, snacking helps to regulate our blood sugar levels.

Truth: It does help to normalize our blood sugar levels to prevent spikes.  But it’s not always necessary to eat 6-7 small meals a day.  In fact, as long as you consume the same amount of calories, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, it’s not majorly bad for average people to eat 3 bigger meals a day.  However, for those who are sick like diabetics and pregnant women, meals should be more frequent and regular to make sure blood sugar isn’t too low/high and to prevent the formation of ketone bodies which can result in dangerous pH imbalances in our bodies.  The only downfall of eating smaller meals more frequently is the increase in oral problems like cavities and bad breath.  When we eat, we secrete acid into our mouth to break it down for digestion.  That acid can be detrimental to our teeth and form cavities.  Therefore, chew sugar free gum to increase saliva production which balances out the acid in our mouths.

Myth #10: I cannot eat past 8pm

Why this came about: It’s a fad diet technique, and it speaks to the fact that we all tend to indulge and overeat during midnight snacks

Truth: The only reason why this works in weight loss is because we don’t eat.  By not eating, we consume less energy/calories.  Sometimes, people forget the time, and because it’s after 8pm, they just don’t eat.  Talk about dangerous!  A better way to approach this is to have planned snacks after dinner.  This way, you don’t jump into your temptation of a bowl of ice cream.  Some fruit or some oatmeal will hit the hungry spot before bed time.

Myth #11: I work out regularly, so I can eat whatever I want

Why this came about:  Energy out versus energy in.  Because I am exercising so much, my energy out is so high.  I can compensate that by eating whatever crap I want and it won’t affect my body.

Truth: This is dangerous because along with eating whatever we want, we tend to eat the crappiest food for us.  So even if you burn 700 calories, you shouldn’t go and eat a 1000 calorie burger.  When we eat, we shouldn’t just think about calories.  We should think about what kind of calories we are getting.  Does it come mostly from trans fat or added sugar?  You can still eat deliciously well without turning to nachos drenched in oil based nacho “cheese.”  If you are trying to gain weight, consume more calories, but eat cleanly and with balance (see My Plate entry).

Myth #12: I’m skinny so I don’t need to exercise or eat right

Why this came about:  We relate overweight people as having a lot of fat and being unhealthy.

Truth: Even if we weigh less, we can actually have a higher body fat percentage.  This is most common as we grow older and more sedentary.  We don’t move around or exercise as much (like lifting weights) so we don’t build or maintain our muscles.  As such, our muscles shrink and are replaced by fat.  Note that muscle does not turn into fat!  So even if you are the same size as you were since high school, the chances of you having a higher body fat percentage is great if you don’t exercise or lift weights.  Higher body fat is already linked to many diseases like heart disease.  Additionally, with your decreased lean body mass (muscles), you become weaker and less mobile.

Myth #13: If I do 1 million crunches, I can lose my tummy fat

Why this came about: I can target the areas I want to work on like biceps, triceps, chest, etc.  Therefore, I can target my core by doing a million crunches to lose the body fat via spot reduction.

Truth:  Losing fat and gaining muscle are different.  You can gain muscle in target areas but you can’t lose fat in target areas (excluding liposuction).  Men generally keep their fat around their gut, so they tend to lose fat there if they lose weight.  Women generally keep fat around their hips, butt, and breasts, so those are the areas that lose fat first.  And no, you can’t choose the location of your body that loses fat first.  A big belly can be dangerous because that is where all your organs are stored generally.  This added fat can harden and really limit the expansion and function of your organs. Beer bellies are not cute and downright dangerous.
There you go: 13 health/fitness myths explained and debunked.  If you have any more questions or comments, please leave a comment and I’ll try to address it to the best of my knowledge and ability

Jan 02 2012
10 Comments
Healthy Eating

The Food Pyramid is Out; My-Plate is In

My Plate per the USDA

During my first 5 weeks at UCLA, I gained 20 pounds. I was shocked when I looked on the scale! Even though I was working out moderately and consistently, I was eating so much. Too much! I had no sense of portion control. Food can be a terrible temptation. It screams, “EAT ME: I’M DELICIOUS!” More than half the battle of controlling our weight and maintaining good health is Nutrition. Portion control is essential.

Remember the Food Pyramid? Well, it’s gone! Now, there is the new My Plate. It’s so relatable because it shows exactly how your plate should be each time you sit down to enjoy a meal. This is great because you don’t have to be so overloaded by counting your calories and measuring exact measurements of food. Follow these super simple rules and you’ll be able to control your portions.

(1) 50% of your plate should be fruits and vegetables

Whether you’re at a dinner party, a restaurant, or at your own kitchen table, start building your plate around fruits and vegetables. Let them be the first items you put on your plate. Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. Just don’t pour a buttload of butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon, or ranch over it all. Fruits and vegetables have the best natural flavors, and that is how they should be enjoyed :)
(2) 25% of your plate should be protein

Generally, we love to eat big pieces of steak. But, that is a dangerous practice because we build our meal around these proteins which increases our protein and fat intake significantly. My best advice for you is to treat protein as a condiment, whether is meat, fish, beans, quinoa, soy, etc. Choose lean source of meat to limit your fat intake. Just remember: meat = condiment.
(3) 25% of your plate should be whole grains

This is also where we tend to overload our plates and when we choose enriched white grains over whole grains. Whole grains include the germ in wheat products. The germ offers so much of the grain’s nutritional value and is removed in white grains (flours, breads, pastas, etc). Switch it out for whole grain pastas, rice, etc. Toss a small scoop of brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta. Complex carbohydrates offer essential sugars for our bodies to use a fuel and, my personal favorite, fiber.
(4) Milk and Milk Alternative Products

The USDA recommends approximately 3 cups a day. That’s an actual measurement of 3 cups or ~710 mL of cheese, yogurt, milk, etc (get your measuring cups out to give you a good idea of what that looks like). Whether it’s the feta cheese you toss into your salad, or a cup of yogurt you have as a snack, food items in this category should total 3 cups a day. Try subbing low-fat milk or milk products for your whole milk items. There are also soy, almond, and hemp all of which are delicious!

So there you have it. Build your plate this way and you’ll maximize your nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to feed your body. You’ll be naturally substituting all of the “bad” foods with all the “good” foods.

Eat well and be strong.

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