A Possible Reason For Weight Gain…

You work out regularly. You eat healthfully (most of the time) — so, why are you gaining weight? For starters, check your mood. A forthcoming study of 787 people conducted by Cornell University found that People in a good mood are 77 percent likelier to eat healthy food than those feeling bad. 

“When people are upset, they want immediate relief, which may include grabbing what’s easiest and most comforting,” Brian Wansink, PhD, author of “Slim by Design:  Midless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life,” tells Yahoo Shine. “However, people in good moods feel optimistic and tend to make choices that benefit their overall health.” Of course, there’s no magic bullet for perking up before you reach for the cookies, but the study also found that taking a moment to ponder a happy thought helps steer people away from the kitchen.  

Don’t worry - be happy:)

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein! 

Can’t Whine About Red Wine…

Is red wine a cure-all? The notion could easily be dismissed as fantasy if not for numerous studies trumpeting its benefits. The latest: a study to be published in the journal “Cancer Cell International,” which suggests that red wine slows the speed of lung cancer.  Tell us more of what we want to hear!

Co-author Evangelia Litsa Tsiani told us that her team examined the effects of red and white wine on six culture plates, which each contained millions of human lung cancer cells. The experiment was duplicated four times to ensure the results were not a fluke.

Tsiani said that the plates treated with wine demonstrated “60 percent inhibition” of the cells. Translation: the wine dramatically reduced cancer cell growth. The effect was much more pronounced with red wine than white (pass the Cabernet).

What else might red wine be good for? Pour yourself a glass and read on:

Red wine may promote heart health.  Studies suggest that a compound in red wine called resveratrol may function as an antioxidant, lowering cholesterol levels and staving off blockage in heart vessels. The result: a lower risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.

It may reduce men’s risk of developing prostate cancer.  Research published in “Harvard Men’s Health Watch” found that men who drank an average of four to seven glasses of red wine a week were half as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as those who didn’t drink the stuff at all.

Drinking a bit of red wine on the regular could keep the blues away. Last year, a study published in the journal “BMC Medicine” found that people over 55 who drank a glass of alcohol a day were less likely to be depressed than those who drank more or less. One possible explanation: resveratrol may have neuroprotective properties.

Even if you eat a ton, red wine might add years to your life. A 2006 Harvard study found that mice on a high-calorie diet lived longer when they consumed reseratrol.  (This one’s like having your cake and eating it, too.)

It goes so well with your food.  The Mediterranean Diet, which experts say is one of the healthiest out there, is all about drinking a glass of wine with dinner every night.

We can’t say yet if red wine is a magic bullet for health, but these studies are certainly encouraging. We’re cheers-ing to you tonight, science.

Mornings...

When it comes to exercising, there are two kinds of people in the world: those who work out in the morning and those who'd rather not get up before the sun. No matter which category you fall into, what you do in the morning can help or hurt your metabolism!  

Morning exercisers or not you might want to consider eating breakfast almost as soon as you wake up.  Either start off with a good breakfast or a good workout! If you're going to work out within an hour of waking up, then don't eat. But if you can't work out within an hour of waking up, then eat. Either your workout or eating a healthy breakfast is going to jumpstart your metabolism.

If you are a morning exerciser, skip eating if you normally experience stomach discomfort while you exercise. If I am going out for a long run - more than 6 miles I do fuel before a workout, a piece of toast with  alone butter or a hard boiled egg are my go to!  If you can burn off what's stored from the day before, then you're better off than just burning off what you ate for breakfast!  Never thought I would become a morning person!

How to Choose the Healthiest Bread...

Grains are an important part of a healthy diet. They're a great source of complex carbohydrates and key vitamins and minerals.

Whole grains are the healthiest grains because they're unrefined and haven't been milled or stripped of their nutrients. Whole grains can be found in single foods like brown rice, or as ingredients in products like whole wheat bread.

Whole grains are a good source of fiber and other important nutrients such as selenium, potassium and magnesium. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that whole grains make up half of your total grain consumption. To meet your whole-grain requirements, make sure to consume a variety of breads, pastas and cereals.

Although carbs can sometimes get a bad rep, bread can absolutely be a part of a healthy diet. The key is to learn which breads to choose, which isn't always an easy task.

With so many products on the market it's easy for consumers to get confused. The best way to find healthy bread is to look at the nutrition label.The ingredients appear in descending order based on volume. This means the first ingredient on the list is the most prevalent. Therefore, the first ingredient in whole-grain bread should be whole grain.

Look for breads that contain whole-wheat flour or 100-percent whole-wheat flour. This means the bread has no refined white flour. The ingredient list should not include wheat flour, enriched bleached flour, unbleached wheat flour, multi-grain or stone-ground wheat flour. Just because the bread is brown and has the word wheat on the package doesn't necessarily mean it's a healthy, high-fiber, whole-grain choice.

My breads of choice are multi grain slims and Trader Joe’s protein bread!

Lemons…

They are a as much a staple in our kitchen as garlic and onions!  The lemon adds a citrusy brightness to a finished dish that neither vinegar nor salt can replicate.  But, you can also clean your counters and cutting boards! Out of paper towels?  Not a problem! Slice a lemon in half, squeeze a bit of its juice on a cutting board, and use the half as a scrubby sponge for instantly cleaner surfaces. 

Matcha…

Since I have a hard time drinking any kind of tea, hot or cols, I found this intriguing!  Lately everyone is mad for matcha, a powder made from green tea that's even more powerful than the regular brew.  You get more antioxidants with matcha because you consume the ground-up leaves! That means you consume more of the catechins that have been associated with everything from reducing cancer and blood pressure to protecting your brain against aging.

Brewing a cup isn't the only way to enjoy this bold, slightly grassy tasting ingredient. Add about 1/4 teaspoon to savory and sweet foods for an easy nutrition boost!  I am going to give it a try by stirring in matcha with other spices - curry powder, paprika, Thai seasoning, and cumin.  What about tabbouleh which is mostly bulgur, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil and is naturally sweet. Matcha will counterbalances those notes to make the flavors pop in this Middle Eastern dish. It might be a matcha weekend!

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!  

Date Night…

At least once a month Bob and I find the time to go to the chiropractor and have a deep tissue message.  It’s all about maintaining balance! The best part is that we found a new favorite restaurant that recently opened in that vicinity!  It is Summer House Santa Monica and the atmosphere says summer!  It is what every Chicagoan needs to help survive Chiberia! I can’t wait to experience the restaurant in the summer when the retractable skylight opens!  At least for now it gives the illusion of summer!

They have so many tasty options on the menu.  To stay on the healthy side I get the albacore tuna tacos.  The tune has a light spicy rub and grilled to a perfect rare, served with guacamole, charred tomato salsa and a shredded cabbage slaw.  I usually skip the fresh corn tortillas and just wrap the fish and condiments in the lettuce that is on the plate.  It is awesome! 

If You Want Stronger Abs, You'll Need a Stronger Back...

If your abs are the star of the show, think of your lower back as the supporting cast. When it comes to waist circumference, your lower back factors into that figure just as much as belly fat does.  By tightening your lower back, your waist will look slimmer. Also, a strong lower back makes it possible for you to complete intense ab-focused workouts with less risk of injury.  You can't be one-sided!  It's the same problem we see in athletes who overdevelop their quads and end up with hamstring injuries.  If you neglect your back, not only will you have a more difficult time completing ab exercises in the first place, but you'll also have a better chance of injuring yourself and having to put off ab-targeted moves completely while you recover. In other words, if you want that six-pack, your lower back better be in shape!

Barbie Follow Up…

By now you've probably heard about the unlikely and controversial pairing that is Mattel and Sports Illustrated. The annual Swimsuit Edition, which hits newsstands on Tuesday, always aims to get people talking, but the campaign featuring Barbie on the cover wrap (only 1,000 copies of the limited-edition will be sold exclusively at Target.com), arguably the world's most unrealistic-looking model in the world, has people buzzing—and not in a positive, "unapologetic" way.

We could expound for days on the potential body-image issues of putting a child's play toy on the cover wrap of a magazine aimed at grown men. “Women are made to feel bad about their bodies from just about every angle possible," argues Ramani Durvasula, Ph.D., an L.A.-based clinical psychologist. "And yes, it starts young with Barbie and Disney princesses. It's harder than ever to eat right and find time to exercise—and girls are developing body image issues younger and younger,” she says.

Body-image issues aside, this isn't a fight just for moms and dads. There is something super unsettling and creepy about a publication that makes a direct and totally inappropriate correlation between sex and little girls' toys, but Mattel and SI are making a bigger statement. Problematic or not, realistic or not, real women and girls line up every day hoping to make the cover of SI's iconic Swimsuit Edition. Women like Christie Brinkley and Tyra Banks, who have been celebrated then and now, not only for their swimsuit shoots but also their success as entrepreneurs, have all starred on the cover. Real women—made of flesh and blood—work hard every day to fit impossibly high standards so they can have a chance to be seen by millions around the world (and it should be noted that SI reaches around 17 million women). Is SI saying they've all been outdone by a plastic doll who never ages? What exactly are they trying to say? Who are they trying to reach?

While Barbie is "unapologetic" as Mattel's advertising campaign touts in the issue—which features doll-size versions of Tyra Banks and Christie Brinkley wearing a black-and-white one-piece like the outfit Barbie wore for her 1959 debut (pictured above)—we're not buying this marketing strategy.  Thank you Shape Magazine!

Is it worse to consume too much salt or too much sugar???

A: In excess, both are very bad for your heart and health. However, consuming too much sugar is worse because it can make the negative effects of sodium even more harmful.

Halt the Salt - The main concern about excess sodium is that elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is known as the "silent killer" and is responsible for more than 350,000 deaths a year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Americans' intake of sodium comes from four main sources: 75 percent is in pre-packaged, processed, and restaurant food; 12 percent occurs naturally in food; 6 percent is added at the table; and 5 percent is added during home cooking. 

Beat the Sweets - While sodium intake has a direct consequence on your blood pressure, sugar's detrimental effects on the body are not as singularly focused. We often hear about the short-term (weight gain) and long-term (diabetes) consequences of too much sugar, but there are many negative effects between these two extremes. 

Aside from being a major source of calories that in excess can lead to fat gain, too much sugar can cause accelerated cellular aging and excessive inflammation, both of which can increase your risk for multiple chronic diseases. It can also decrease neuronal growth factors such as BDNF, a compound produced in your brain that is responsible for enhancing learning memory, higher-level thinking, and even long-term memory.

So stay away from those sea salt caramels!

Follow-Up…

The Biggest Loser winner Rachel Frederickson, who revealed her thin frame on the show's finale after dropping 60 percent of her body weight, is responding to critics who speculated she went too far.

Frederickson started at 260 pounds and lost 155 in seven months. At 5’4” and 105 pounds, doctors are calling attention to her BMI of 18, which is "underweight" according to CDC standards. But Frederickson, who graces the new cover of People, reveals that though she’s overwhelmed by the response to her new weight, she does not have an eating disorder. “I’ve never felt better. I keep saying it: I am healthy,” she says in the interview.

“Too enthusiastic” is how she describes her training, which consisted of six hours of exercise each day on 1,600 calories. While producers for the show are still backing her extreme weight loss, skeptics abound, including Biggest Loser host and former Shape cover model Ali Sweeney.

“I understand and shared in the concern for Rachel at the finale,” Sweeney told People. “My hope is that she and all show contestants achieve life long health.”

Other contestants have come forward both in favor of the show’s extreme weight loss and against it. Season 10 champion Patrick House lost nearly half his body weight on the show and has kept it off. “You can’t tell me I’m not healthier now than I was at 420 pounds,” he told People. But Kai Hibbard, a finalist from season 3, has been critical about her time on the show and the subsequent eating disorder she developed, citing that she wasn’t sleeping and stopped menstruating while the show’s trainers pushed her to get back on the treadmill.

Dolvett Quince, Frederickson’s trainer, admits this season’s weight loss was too much, and says he and Frederickson have discussed “getting her body back to a place where she has energy and muscle mass.” And Frederickson seems to agree. “I trained like an athlete for the finale," she says. "Now I am a girl in her real life.”

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein! 

The Latest Attack on Barbie…

It’s long but I had to copy the whole article!

This just in: Barbies absolutely do not influence little girls in any way when it comes to ideals of body size, says the lead Barbie designer at Mattel.  Furthermore, the doll’s inhuman proportions were made that way simply as a functional necessity, “for girls to easily dress and undress.”

Um, what?

As someone who was obsessed with Barbies until about the age of 10—and who has been prone to fears of getting fat, on and off, since right around then—I cannot say for certain whether there’s a connection or not. But what I can say with some conviction is this: This new explanation, courtesy of Barbie’s vice president of design Kim Culmone, is total BS.

“Barbie's body was never meant to be realistic…Primarily it’s for function for the little girl, for real life fabrics to be able to be turned and sewn, and have the outfit still fall properly on her body,” she continues in her no-holds-barred interview with Fast Company. To that, the interviewer follows up with (yes!), “So to get the clean lines of fashion at Barbie’s scale, you have to use totally unrealistic proportions?”

Culmone remains steadfast. “You do!” she says. “Because if you’re going to take a fabric that’s made for us, and turn a seam for a cuff or on the body, her body has to be able to accommodate how the clothes will fit her.”


When she’s asked whether Mattel would ever consider altering Barbie’s stacked and skinny body to reflect more realistic proportions, Culmone says that, while it’s not out of the question, there are two important points to ponder: One is that moms like to hand Barbie outfits down over generations, and changing the doll’s body size could seriously mess with that tradition. Plus, making such body-size changes wouldn’t happen without a clear reason, she notes, adding, “So to me, there isn’t an objective to change the proportion of Barbie currently.”

Finally, the design VP transforms herself into a child psychologist, explaining that girls do not make body comparisons when playing with Barbie.

“Girls view the world completely differently than grown-ups do. They don’t come at it with the same angles and baggage and all that stuff that we do. Clearly, the influences for girls on those types of issues, whether it’s body image or anything else, it’s proven, it’s peers, moms, parents, it’s their social circles,” she says (with Fast Company, brilliantly, linking “proven” to a study showing that Barbie may in fact be connected with body dysmorphia and eating disorders).


But studies don’t faze Culmone. “When they’re playing, they’re playing,” she continues. “It’s a princess-fairy-fashionista-doctor-astronaut, and that’s all one girl. She’s taking her Corvette to the moon, and her spaceship to the grocery store. That is literally how girls play.”

So, just a few things here: First, Culmone does have a point, as I honestly don’t recall, while acting out bizarre scenarios with or chopping off the hair of my Barbies, that I made any connection whatsoever between my pre-pubescent self and the strange, nipple-less, pointy-toed bodies of the dolls. (Though I do recall one 1975 version of Barbie's little sister, Growing Up Skipper, who GREW BREASTS when you wound her arm backwards, and that I had some inkling that this was scarily related to my future.) I did intuit, of course, that the oversized physiques of my Cher, Candi and Bionic Woman dolls were inferior to real-Barbie’s petite grace. So I do hear what she’s saying. And yet…

How can anyone seriously know if Barbie did or did not help teach me or anyone else what beautiful girls are supposed to look like?

Here's a clue: Culmone says Barbie's body is designed with clothes in mind—they just fit better on her unrealistic figure. I can't help but make comparisons to the fashion industry, with its parade of scary-skinny models, and the not-so-mysterious affect it's had on us all.

As for whether I'll let my own 5-year-old daughter play with Barbie, so far I haven't. But she's also never asked for one—and, to my knowledge, had never heard of such a thing, though I just asked her and she said, without missing a beat, "She's a doll who has blond hair and some pink outfit." Just goes to show, you can never be too sure about what seeps in.

DIVVY…

The Chicago solution for commuting around city via bike.  For an annual fee of 75 dollars you can use this bike for 30 minute intervals.  There are Divvy stations all over town.  Even though I have my own set of wheels, I did sign up!  Because our weather has been off the charts I have not activated my key yet!  I am excited to be able to use this blue bike to head downtown and not be worried about my own bike being stolen.  It will open up more doors to getting around the city, meeting friends and doing some quick errands!  Chicago is constantly opening up more stations and I can’t believe how many people are using them!  I just wish we had a must wear helmet law!  Looks like my helmet will become a part of my everyday accessory!

Wedding Dress…

OMG - I had my wedding dress on!  25 years preserved in the box and out it came on Friday!  The unbelievable thing is - it just about fit!  If only I didn’t put on the Holiday weight!  I am so excited to be revamping the dress to wear on our anniversary this year!  Of course it is going to be shortened and the the top is going to be totally reconstructed.  It has to be a little bit of a surprise, because like my wedding day - I do not want Bob to see it until he meets me out for dinner :).  More to follow - this is a big ordeal for me and I am so excited about it!  This idea would never have been a thought until I took off the weight and have almost retained it for trust about the last 5 years!  This photo doesn't do the dress any justice.  You just don't get the details of the little pearls and rhinestones!  But - that is me 25 years ago!

CVS Calls it Quits on Tobacco..

I thought this was news worthy!  A nasty habit that Bob and I were able to conquer!  Starting in October, CVS will stop selling tobacco products nationwide, as it interferes with the brand's overall goal of promoting health and wellness. "Selling tobacco is very inconsistent with being in that business," said Helena Foulkes, CVS's pharmacy president in a statement. "We really thought about this decision as it relates to the future as a health company—it's good for customers and our company, in the long run."

The Birthday Celebration Has Started…

This year I really made it clear - no over doing it!  It started last night!  Bob and I went out for our special dinner!  Saturday is my day I am cooking a healthy dinner, Tuesday is Bob's day and he can have whatever he wants! The following Thursday is our special “at home” dinner when we open a special bottle of wine to celebrate!  This is the time I really need to choose my battles.  PLUS - today I am getting fitted for my wedding dress.  We are going to be celebrating 25 years of matrimony and I am determined to wear that dress again!!  It comes out of the box today and that will be eye opening!  More detail to follow!

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!  

Sochi…

The Olympics have started and that should be enough inspiration to get me going for the next two weeks!

 

Biggest Loser…

WOW!  Inspirational!  I really got addicted to this show last year!  The stories and the motivation puts me in tears just about every episode!  Last night was the finale and GO RACHEL!  She looks amazing!  105 pounds!  I am going to go jump on my treadmill now!

Vinegar…

A Japanese study found that the substance that gives vinegar its sour taste and strong odor might fight fat.  The study found that in overweight individuals who consumed 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily for 12 weeks had significantly lower body weight, BMI, visceral (belly) fat, and waist circumference than the control group that didn't consume any vinegar!   Researchers feel this may be due to vinegar's acetic acid, which may switch on genes that pump out proteins that break down fat.  I use all different vinegars, red, white, rice, cider, sherry, and even plum!  They make great salad dressings, just add some lemon and mustard and any kind of herbs that you like!

Nutrition Facts Label Upgrade… 

What we know about nutrition has changed a lot since 1994, which is when the current nutrition facts panel went into effect. Yup, those labels are 20 years old! FDA has just sent guidelines for new labels to the White House. Here are a few buzzed-about possible changes we can definitely get behind!

Updated servings per container and serving sizes. You know those packages that are CLEARLY meant to be consumed in one sitting, but list 2 or 3 servings per container? No more of that. The recommended serving sizes may also change for certain foods in order to be more realistic. YAY!!!

Removing the "calories from fat" listing. When was the last time you checked that number? Seriously. We look at nutrition facts ALL DAY, and we don't even check that. The total fat, fat breakdown, and percentage of the daily value are all the fat stats we need.

More prominent calorie count. With all of the figures and percentages that make up the current labels (like, ahem, the above listing), it's easy to overlook this very important number! We love the idea of making it as easy as possible to read.

While there's no telling if and when these updates would be made, we'll be (impatiently) waiting!!