Tag Archives: foodie

Read This Before Hitting The Buffet

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Buffets can be hazardous to your diet! Whether you’re at a party, wedding reception or all-you-can-eat restaurant, you’re surrounded by temptation. Use these suggestions to make healthier food choices and keep the calories under control while you enjoy your meal.

Making Better Food Choices at a Buffet

  1. Browse around first. Scientists at Cornell University studied the differences between how overweight diners approached a buffet versus their thinner counterparts. They found that that 71 percent of leaner people scanned the offerings first to narrow down their choices, while heavier diners tended to immediately grab a plate and pile it up.
  2. Load up on vegetables. Most nutritionists recommend devoting half your plate to vegetables and fruits. This is always good for your health and goes a long way toward making any buffet meal lighter.
  3. Learn to count calories. Avoid underestimating the calories in certain foods. Vegetables dishes have a lot of calories once they get breaded and fried or smothered in cheese. Beware of creamy soups and most salad dressings.
  4. Practice portion control. You can usually incorporate your favorite treats into your diet if you keep the portions moderate. A teaspoon of nuts liven up a salad but eating them by the handful could put you over your limit.

Additional Suggestions

  1. Use smaller plates. The vast majority of people make only one or two return trips to the buffet. Smaller dishes will reduce the amount of food you can fit on each trip and make the experience seem more abundant.
  2. Sit at a distance. Make it more challenging to go back for more by sitting on the other side of the room. Avoid lingering around the table where you’ll be in danger of picking at the food for much longer than you intended.
  3. Face away from the buffet. Keeping fried chicken out of mind is easier when you keep it out of sight. Turn your chair in the opposite direction from the dessert selections.
  4. Drink lots of water. Staying well hydrated is good for your overall health and energy levels and helps you to feel full sooner. You’ll save calories compared to drinking alcoholic cocktails, which could also lower your resistance to over-enjoying the chocolate cheesecake.
  5. At social events, focus on socializing. Pay more attention to the guests and less to your plate. Get caught up in conversation and dancing so you’ll forget about wanting to eat more.
  6. Wear fitted clothing. Leave your stretchy long sweaters at home. Clothes that fit closer to your body will help remind you to eat sensibly. Stop yourself before you feel the need to loosen your belt.
  7. Order off the menu. Many restaurants will give you the choice to order off the menu or eat from the buffet. Opt for a single dish if the buffet looks fattening. Even if the buffet costs less, you save money in the long run by staying fit.
  8. Eat more slowly. If you make your food last longer, you’ll have less time to go back for more. Plus, you give your brain a chance to notify your stomach that you’re beginning to feel full.

Above all, keep in mind that “all-you-can eat” is a description, not a challenge. Slow down and be more selective about what you put on your buffet plate. You’ll eat less and enjoy your food more. 

How will you change the way you approach the next buffet?

To Your Success,
Juan 

Depression and Food: What Studies Show

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Depression and Food

Not all antidepressants come in a pill. A new study suggests that food can dramatically enhance your mood. Researchers at Deakin University in Australia, tested the theory on a group of participants with unhealthy diets who experienced moderate to severe depression. Half were asked to switch to a modified Mediterranean diet and nutritional counseling, while the other half continued their usual eating habits.

After 12 weeks, the Mediterranean-style diet group had significantly fewer symptoms, and 32% were in full remission. The other half, who received only social support, showed far less progress. While these results are dramatic, you don’t have to be clinically depressed to reap the benefits of eating more produce. Another study at the University of Otago in New Zealand, found that extra servings of vegetables and fruits boosted the psychological wellbeing of healthy young adults in just 2 weeks.

See how changing your diet could cheer you up. Run through this list, then plan a  visit to your local grocer or farmers market.

Fighting Depression with What You Eat

  1. Focus on whole foods. Fill up on natural foods that are full of nutrients and fiber that your body needs. Aim for at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits each day, along with plenty of lean protein and healthy fats.
  2. Limit processed fare. The other side of the equation is to cut back on junk food loaded with empty calories and sugar. That includes beverages as well as solid food.
  3. Toss a salad. Leafy green vegetables contain folate, which may relieve depression, as well as reducing your risk for certain cancers. Add a handful of beans or shrimp to your salad to make it a balanced meal.
  4. Ferment it. Probiotic and prebiotic nutrients are gaining a lot of attention as scientists learn more about how intestinal bacteria affect the brain. Sample fermented dishes like miso soup and kimchi dumplings.
  5. Go fish. Omega-3 fatty acids can also lift your spirits. You can find them in fatty fish like tuna and salmon, as well as soybeans, spinach, and walnuts.
  6. Enjoy chocolate. What could be easier than eating chocolate? Dark chocolate contains serotonin and antioxidants that help reduce stress. Be sure to watch portion sizes and check labels for actual cocoa content.

Fighting Depression with How You Eat

  1. Cook vegetables lightly. Cauliflower and carrots are even more nutritious when you prepare them quickly in minimal water. Try steaming or microwaving.
  2. Seek variety. Different produce contains different vitamins. If you eat a variety of colors, you’re likely to wind up with a good balance.
  3. Eat in. It’s easier to control what you’re consuming if you’re doing the cooking yourself, because restaurants tend to add more fat, salt, and sugar. Brush up on your kitchen skills and bring your lunch to work.
  4. Treat yourself. Forget about forbidden foods and allow yourself an occasional indulgence. It will make it easier to stick to your diet in the long run.
  5. Keep a journal. Strong feelings like depression or happiness can affect your food choices. If you struggle with emotional eating, write down what you eat and what’s going on at the time. You’ll be able to spot your triggers and figure out alternative approaches.
  6. Make friends with food. Strict diets can make you feel deprived or guilty. Remember that food nourishes your body and mind, and eating can be a lot of fun.

If you think you have signs of depression, it’s important to talk with your doctor who may recommend talk therapy and medication, in addition to any dietary changes. If you just want a little more energy and happiness, extra broccoli and blackberries may be all you need.

To Your Success,
Juan

#travelingonadiet

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Between hotel rooms, fast food stops, and unfamiliar restaurants, how do you eat healthy while you’re on a road trip or abroad? It’s not always easy, but sticking to a healthy diet is very possible. I travel at least twice per year, to multiple countries during the same trip. The temptation to every devour local dish in each country is overpowering. Often, I returned home at least ten pounds heavier, that is, until I became more disciplined. Discover how you can maintain your diet and your travel plans at the same time, with the following healthy eating tips.

A Traveler’s Guide to Healthy Eating While on the Road

1. Plan ahead. The sooner you start planning, the easier it will be to stay on your diet. Where are you going? How will you get there? What will your schedule be like? Once you’ve narrowed down the schedule for your trip, you can begin to plan for healthy food options. Do some online research for the locale you’ll be visiting. Where are the nearest grocery stores? Do you see healthy cafes or restaurants? What about nearby farmer’s markets? Find safe and healthy locations that offer food choices to fit your lifestyle, goes a long way in maintaining your diet.
2. Select grocery stores over fast-food chains. Instead of stopping at a fast-food chain and trying to decide how many calories are in the fries or burgers, try a grocery store instead. Grocery stores are more likely to have delis that offer healthier options, such as packaged salads, bags of nuts, trail mix, healthy dips, and other choices. You can usually find cut up fruit and vegetables in plastic containers for sale. You may also want to reach for the yogurts, cheese, and smaller containers of milk. Dairy has protein in it, so you’ll feel fuller for a longer period of time. You can find a variety of dairy products in small or travel sizes. 
3. Bring your own snacks. If you’re going on a road trip, you can pack a cooler with ice and bring healthy meats, vegetables, fruits, bread, and other snacks. If a cooler is not an option, then consider shelf-stable foods that can fit in a bag or purse. Can you find healthy nuts, crackers, or trail mix to fit your diet? What about dried fruits and vegetables? Having your own snacks on a transatlantic flight always saves the day!
4. Stay hydrated.  Especially when you travel. Dehydration can sometimes lead to overeating because your body becomes confused. Bring at least one water bottle with you, or purchase them along the way. Water helps avoid dehydration and cravings for other foods.
5. Avoid simple carbohydrates. You may crave comfort food as you travel, but it’s not always a healthy option. Simple carbohydrates can raise blood sugar and cause it to later crash dramatically. This can leave you irritated and tired. Instead of simple carbohydrates, reach for multi-grain, complex carbohydrates. Add protein such as peanut butter and nuts. You can purchase travel-size containers of peanut butter. Also, eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day helps avoid cravings. Try to schedule your stops and get food at the same time. 

Being on the road doesn’t mean you have to give up eating healthy. You can still maintain your healthy diet by planning ahead and following these guidelines. 

Until the next post,
Best,
Juan

 

Dieting No-No’s

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If you are reading this, chances are you have decided to make a change in your eating habits. Too often, we get so caught up in the fray of everyday life, we fail to realize just how poorly our choice of food becomes! No matter what your job, hobbies or goals may be, the choices you make when it comes to fueling your body, are the absolute foundation for performance. Frequent stops at the drive-thru on your way home, and microwaved “meals” only lead to decreased performance in everything you do, as well as the overall quality of life. Diets come and go every single day, this post will not focus on naming specific diets to avoid. Instead, we will look at the four key characteristics of any diet you may consider starting and allow you to steer clear!
Extreme Caloric Restriction
One of the biggest mistakes a lot of fad diets make is encouraging people to drastically reduce their caloric intake from day one. For example, the standard diet usually consists of around 2,000 calories. If any diet instructs you to only consume, let’s say, 1,200 calories from the very beginning, forget about it! This is a fallacy for a couple of reasons; the most important aspect of any diet is consistency. If you fall off the wagon after a week or so, every eating plan ever created is going to fail. Do you want to know a great way to avoid sticking to a diet? Being miserable will get you there QUICK!
Another reason this type of diet is a no-no is the bodily response to acute caloric restriction. Sure, reducing your caloric intake equals weight loss. However, this should be done gradually. Ironically, when you instantly begin eating far fewer calories than the body is used to, you actually signal a sort of starvation response. Your body is hardwired for survival, and instead of shedding excess bodyweight; it will do everything it can to spare it. The end result: being hungry all the time and still not losing weight.
Completely Eliminating A Macronutrient
In case you are not aware, carbs, protein, and fat are the three key macronutrients. Your body needs each of these to repair and carry out vital functions. While it is true that consuming a proper ratio of these nutrients is beneficial, eliminating any of them entirely is a mistake. Many diets you are sure to come across will advocate the miracle of abstaining from a certain macronutrient for a lengthy period of time. Simply put, don’t buy into it!
Weekly Or Daily “Cheating”
Remember, consistency is very important when sticking to any diet. A healthy relationship with food needs to be a lifestyle, not a 6-week crash course. If you notice, a lot of diets basically have you starving yourself or eating things you hate all week before “allowing” you to have a cheat meal or day on the weekend. Essentially, you deprive yourself of enjoying food for days on end, and the gorge on an unhealthy feast of your choice for one day. Make no mistake; one day of stuffing your face with junk food CAN undo an entire week of healthy eating. Your body doesn’t just reset its caloric calculator every morning; there is no “cycle”. Furthermore, this way of eating significantly increases your chances are developing an eating disorder.
General Absurdity
Let’s keep this one simple. If a particular diet sounds absolutely ridiculous, it is. The things you can find out there can get crazy. For example, consuming every single meal in liquid form,  weightloss earrings, only eating celery sticks and quinoa for two weeks, is not going to magically chisel out your beach body. Use your own discretion here. You are not a lab rat taking part in a clinical trial. Any diet you decide to adhere to needs to at least appear reasonable from the get-go!
No one can tell you which diet to try or ignore, this is a very personal decision. You should, however, use information readily available to help you make an informed decision. Beware of advertisements that create an urgency to “buy now”, or use celebrities’ pictures and names they are not familiar with, etc. Interestingly enough, recent reports by the Federal Trade Commission reports at least 6.5 million people to fall victim to weightloss scams every year. Don’t be a statistic. Consult a Doctor or Nutritionist, for the best ways to lose weight for YOU.

For my final diet/weightloss post of the month, I will have at least two free products and reports for everyone!
Until the next post,
Best,
Juan