I Love FREE Apps (not  the appetizer types)...

Smartphone owners hoping to shed a few pounds can choose from a wide selection of calorie-counting and nutritional consumption apps to meet and maintain their weight loss goals. The iPhone, and to a lesser extent Blackberrys and Android devices, can be a dieter's best friend. While the free and popular Lose It! iPhone app remains a great option for tracking your intake and activities, dialing into these alternatives can also keep you fit, healthy and trim. 

Not mentioned below, but I think it is essential is the BMI calculator, another free app!  I do have all the free apps mentioned below on my iPhone, and they do come in handy!  Lose it is a great concept, but it was a royal pain for me because it focuses so much on packaged/processed foods and it took too long to find my choices, but it did calculate my activity and food intake!  It just goes to show you that there is a wealth of information out there, and the smartphone’s give you ready access! Download some of these and see how you like them!

DailyBurn (Free)

DailyBurn tracks results from your daily workouts and keeps track of nutritional counts. 

Fresh Fruit (Free)

If you aren’t so up on your fruits, get this free fresh fruit app and start impressing fellow shoppers in the produce section.

Lose It! (Free)

If none of these options sound appealing, you can always tap into this pioneering app. One of the most downloaded titles ever to emerge from the App Store’s Healthcare & Fitness category, Lose It! challenges you to set daily calorie intake and workout regimen goals, while providing the tools and motivational encouragement to meet them. If you don’t see a particular food or activity in Lose It’s database, no worries. The app invites you to add new recipes and training programs on the fly. 

Women’s Health Slim Down Shopping List (Free)

While we are on the topic of becoming a better grocery shopper, check out the free Women’s Health Slim Down Shopping List. The app gives you the lowdown on more than 240 packaged goods that are healthy-diet worthy. 

Fast Food Calorie Counter (99 cents)

Finding a healthy choice at your local fast food joint can be a daunting task. Sometimes life’s craziness requires a quick stop at Mickey D’s, so download the Fast Food Calorie Counter app (99 cents) to help rein in the crazy calorie counts. With its wide selection of restaurants, you should have no problem finding a semi-healthy lunch on the road.

Weight Watchers Mobile (Free)

The app is free, but requires a subscription to Weight Watchers in order to use the tools.

CookWell ($1.99)

This app has everything the novice cook needs to start cooking well in the kitchen while moving closer to achieving any weight loss goals. The app includes a comprehensive tutorial that walks you through the basics, and keeps you coming back with daily tips and assignments.

Ample Android options

The iPhone is no longer the only app game in town. There are nearly 100,000 apps that can be accessed from Android-based smartphones. At $4.99, Absolute Fitness is arguably the most comprehensive fitness and dieting Android app available. Absolute Fitness is similar to Lose It! and DailyBurn, but goes deeper with tools that calculate your daily nutrients as well as track body fat and blood pressure. There is also a Fast Food Calorie Counter ($2.99) Android app that lists dietary information for 73 restaurants, and a free Diet Points Calculator that tracks your daily fat and calorie intake.

Best of BlackBerry

While there are not nearly as many apps available for Blackberrys, owners of the more business-oriented smartphone can still find a few options to battle the bulge while on the go. “The Calorie Counter for BlackBerry by MyNetDiary app, which is free to download but requires a $5 monthly subscription to use, is the best place to start. The app also includes custom recipes and workout programs.” If you'd rather make a one-time down payment on a nutrition and activity BlackBerry app, try Fit Pro - Sport and Diet for $8.99. The cheaper Diet Calendar app is also a good, albeit more limited, option.

Pumpkin Seeds a great stress fighting snack....

I know, summer isn’t even over yet and I am thinking about the fall and pumpkins!  I can’t wait to start seeing the gourds at the farmers market, cleaning them and utilizing those seeds.  Roasting them and spicing them up, add them to your salads or just eat them as a snack!

Pumpkin seeds are loaded with stress-busting potential thanks to high levels of magnesium. Only about 30 percent of us meet our daily magnesium requirements, placing the rest of us at a higher risk for stress symptoms such as headaches, anxiety, tension, fatigue, insomnia, nervousness and high blood pressure. (Basically we’re frayed wires, and magnesium is the electrical tape that can pull us back together.) A quarter cup of pumpkin seeds gives you half your day’s magnesium requirements.

Other smart sources of magnesium: Spinach, Swiss chard, black beans, soybeans and salmon.

More Tips on More for Your Buck...

Below are some of the 10 best solutions to help plan your menus around healthy, nutrient-packed staples that won t give you sticker shock at the checkout. Make the most of your grocery budget by stocking up on these versatile natural foods that are good for your health and wallet.

Apples

Why they're a 10 best: This fruit is a good source of vitamin C and is full of both soluble and insoluble fiber.

Use them in: Salads and baked goods; as a snack

Cost: About 60¢ each, depending on variety and season

(One of my favorite snacks)

Spinach

Why it's a 10 best: This leafy green is loaded with vitamins (A, C, K and folic acid) and manganese.

Use it in: Salads, pasta dishes, casseroles, soups and stews

Cost: About $1 for 5 ounces of fresh spinach

(I try and eat as much spinach as possible)

Beans

Why they're a 10 best: This tasty staple provides lean protein that s full of fiber, calcium, folic acid and iron and other minerals.

Use them in: Salad and stews

Cost:  About 35¢ per 1D 2-cup serving (canned)

(I prefer dried bean, more work but even cheaper, portion them out and freeze)

Frozen vegetables

Why they're a 10 best: They provide fiber and an array of nutrients, depending on which veggies you buy.

Use them in: Sides and casseroles

Cost: About 40¢ per serving

(Always have available in my freezer)

Sweet potatoes

Why they're a 10 best: These spuds are very filling (because they contain fiber) and a source of vitamins A and B6.

Use them in: Main and side dishes

Cost: About $1 each 

(I tend to eat more in the Fall, especially when I can find the Japanese sweet potatoes at the Farmer market, and they are far from cheap!)

Brown rice

Why it's a 10 best: Brown rice is a whole grain and a source of vitamin B6, magnesium, copper, zinc and manganese.

Use it in: Soups, salads and side dishes

Cost: About 37¢ per 1D 2 cup (cooked)

(Only on occasion)

Canned tuna fish

Why it s a 10 Best: This fish is a healthful lean protein and contains omega-3 fatty acids.

Use it in: Sandwiches, casseroles and salads

Cost: About 75¢ for 3 ounces

(I always have on hand)

Peanut butter

Why it's a 10 best: This popular pantry item offers protein and heart-healthy unsaturated fats.

 Use it it: Snacks, sandwiches, sauces, and baking goods. 

 Cost: About 20¢ for 2 tablespoons

(I prefer Almond butter)

Eggs

Why they're a 10 best: Eggs are a good source of lean protein, and also contain vitamin B12, riboflavin and phosphorus.

Use them in: Omelets, frittatas and salads

Cost: About 13¢ per large egg

(I prefer the omega 3 eggs, much more expensive, but much better for you)

Oats

Why they're a 10 best: This grain helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Use them in:  Baked goods, breakfast and to stretch ground-meat dishes

Cost: About 17¢ per 1D 2 cup for quick-cooking oats

(I only have oatmeal when I know there will be a long delay before lunch)

Until Monday - keep thinking veggies and protein!

Foods for Healthy Skin...

Oh those amazing omega 3‘s!  So many health benefits and also so wonderful for your skin!  Salmon and sardines are both an ideal food for many reasons, but as far as your skin’s concerned, there’s only one that matters: It’s among the world’s greatest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Those are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture. Plus, in one study, researchers supplemented two groups of mice with either omega-3 or omega-6 fats. After two weeks, the skin of the omega-3-fed group exhibited a 20 percent faster recovery rate from exposure to ultraviolet light. That gives salmon two crucial skin boons: keeping your skin from looking dry and helping it battle the dangers of excessive sunlight.  

I am so glad I am acquiring a taste for sardines!  I saw them again at whole foods and grabbed them fast!  Bob cleaned them, then grilled them with just some salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon!  Oh, so yummy!  It also took me a long time to go near salmon.  Now, I must eat salmon at least once if not twice a week!  

I was fortunate to be very active outdoors this whole season, and I feel confident that all the omega-3’s have helped my skin survive some of the extra sun that I encountered!

Watch TV without being a couch potato...

I loved this article from the Sunday Chicago Tribune!

The average American watches about five hours of TV a day.  Instead of being a total couch potato, fitness experts say, try some of these moves to torch calories at the same time:

Keep equipment on hand. Stash small weights, resistance bands, yoga mats and fitness DVD’s in your TV stand or someplace you can easily grab them during your favorite show.  If you have a treadmill, stationary bike or any other equipment, go ahead and set it up in front of the TV.  (In the winter, I catch up with programs while I am on the treadmill)

Take advantage of commercials.  If you get up and move during each break, your exercise minutes will add up quickly.  (might be a good reason to stop fast forwarding through the commercials)

Create competitions.  See how many sit-ups, push-ups, crunches or jumping jacks you can do during a commercial break and try to top your best number every time.

Wear a pedometer.  Walk or jog in place throughout a show - or just during commercials - and track how many steps you take.  You can also do some shadow boxing.

Sit on a stability ball.  This will help improve balance and posture and work abdominal muscles - as opposed to the couch, which does nothing for you.

Fidget.  People who move around even while they’re sitting can burn hundreds of extra calories a day.  Tap you feet, shake your legs, stretch your arms and rotate your neck regularly.  (I wonder if knitting count!)

Clean.  Get some house work done during commercials.  Dust the room you’re in or other rooms and see how much you can finish before the break is over.

Thank you Shmooh our cat for the photo op!

More Super Uses for Food...

MILK

• Shave with milk if you have nothing else to use as a barrier.
• Shine patent leather shoes by rubbing them with milk on a soft cloth.  Leave to dry and buff.
• Remove ink stains from clothing by soaking in milk.  This can take a half hour to overnight.
• Repair fine cracks in china by boiling them in milk.  The milk reacts with the kaolin in china to close the crack.  Place the plate in a pan, cover it with milk (fresh or reconstituted powdered milk) and bring to a boil.  As soon as it starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Spicy Clam Stew, a success...

Fast and easy:

Prep:  30 minutes

Cook:  56 minutes

Rest: 30 minutes

Makes:  4 servings

4 pounds clams, scrubbed

1 tablespoon cornmeal

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced, or 1 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons roasted garlic puree, see note

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, plus more for garnish

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 Discard any clams that remain open when tapped or appear broken.  Place the clams in a large bowl of cold water; sprinkle the cornmeal over the water.  Let the clams sit, 30 minutes.  Drain and rinse cams to remove any cornmeal

2 Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the shallots; cook, stirring, until soften, 2-3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, white wine, garlic puree, parsley, chives, salt and pepper to taste; heat to a simmer.  Cook, 2 minutes; stir in the red pepper flakes.

3 Add the clams to the simmering liquid;  cover tightly.  Steam until the clams open, shaking the pan around to evenly cook the clams, 6-8 minutes.  Remove the clams with a slotted spoon; place in a large soup tureen or individual shallow soup bowls.  Spoon the tomato liquid over the clams; garnish with chives.

Note: For roasted garlic puree, cut off the top quarter of a whole head of garlic.  Pull off any loose skin; sprinkle with olive oil.  Wrap head in foil; bake on baking sheet at 425 degrees until garlic is soft, 45 minutes to an hour.  Cool; squeeze pulp from cloves into a shallow bowl.

Nutrition Information

Per serving:  193 calories, 39% of calories from fat, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 46 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrates, 19 g protein, 274 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

Thank you Chicago Tribune for the basic recipe! Keep in mind that you may also use mussels instead or as a combo!  My changes are that I used my olive oil spray, I added extra tomatoes and some hot peppers from our patio garden, instead of the red pepper flakes.  Too make it have more of a Spanish flare I would have also added saffron if we had some and smoked Spanish paprika!  Hurray, another trip to the Spice House!

Another Fitness Myth You Need to Forget...

it doesn't matter where your calories come from

Calories are not created equal. First, some foods (in particular, proteins) take more energy to chew, digest, metabolize, and store than others. Others (such as fats and carbohydrates) require fewer calories to digest and store. Second, different food types have different effects on your blood sugar. Refined carbohydrates (think white bread, cookies, and fruit drinks) raise blood sugar levels dramatically, which encourages fat storage, weight gain, and hunger. Fibrous foods like apples, as well as proteins, raise blood sugar less, making them friendlier to your waistline. Finally, foods that contain a lot of water, such as vegetables and soup, tend to fill the belly on fewer calories, so you'll stop eating them way before you stop eating more calorie-dense foods. 

Until Monday keep thinking veggies and protein!

GUM...

OK, for those of you who know me will be amused by this blog!  I have a very difficult time dealing with gum chewers!  Or should I say, those who let it be know that they have gum in their mouth!  I personally think it is such an unflattering and annoying habit.  I have been know on occasions to ask someone to please remove their gum or talk to me when they are finished.  Enough said!

I have started experimenting with gum!  So far, no one has detected my chomp!  I chew gum to freshen my breath and sometimes to suppress my appetite before a meal!  I make sure it is sugar-free and my choice lately has been cinnamon.  

The good news is that in recent years chewing gum has been linked to some health benefits, preventing cavities, reducing plaque and strengthening the teeth!

So go ahead and chomp away, but do it in a quite, considerate way!

A Fitness Myth You Need to Forget..

Walking is not as effective as running

Sure, you'll burn about twice as many calories running for 30 minutes than walking for 30 minutes. But if a runner and a walker cover the same distance, they burn about the same number of calories. So if you're willing to take the 'slow route,' you'll likely lose just as much weight. In fact, studies have proved that how long you exercise matters more than how hard you exercise.

Ground Turkey...

It seems like a no-brainer for burgers and lasagna, but ground turkey often includes fat and skin. A 3-ounce serving can contain 13 grams of fat -- almost triple the amount in lean ground beef. With 40-plus percent of your day's worth of cholesterol, regular ground chicken is no better.

What to eat instead: Look very closely at the labels. Extra-lean turkey is your best bet, with 1 gram of fat and no saturated fat per serving. Can't find it? Buy at least 92 percent lean ground beef.

It just goes to show you how important label reading has become!  The top five items on the label we should be Interested in overall are:  total calories, total fat, calories from fat, sugars and sodium.  Cholesterol and protein are just as important and vitamins A and C, calcium and iron should also be considered!  It can be overwhelming at times, but all so helpful for your overall health!

Adding Vegetables to your Diet...

We all know we should be consuming two to three servings of vegetables per day and sometimes it just isn’t that easy!  Here are some great tips to help develop some positive, lifelong habits!

• Eat more of the best vegetables, less of the rest.  In general, colorful dark green, deep yellow, orange and red vegetables have far more nutrients than the pale ones.  Therefore, if you don’t like pale zucchini, summer squash and cucumbers, don’t work hard on acquiring a taste for them.  Instead, concentrate your efforts into having more broccoli, spinach and winter squash - the richly colored, more nutrient-dense choices.

• Keep baby carrots and cherry tomatoes handy in the front of your refrigerator for easy snacking.

• Include lettuce, tomato and green or red peppers on your sandwich or wraps.  Better yet - have your sandwich in a lettuce wrap!

• Always keep a baggie of cut-up veggies handy to snack on when you are on the go.

• When all else fils, eat fruit to compensate for lack of vegetables!