How to Save 100 Calories with Every Meal!

How to Save 100 Calories at Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Cocktail Hour & Dinner 

...Previously on Shine!

What starts out as an innocent meal... can easily turn into a caloric catastrophe. Eating too many calories, regardless of your current physical activity level, can wreak havoc on your body. To help you get healthy  and possibly shed a few pounds, here are multiple ways to save calories at every meal!

Breakfast

Eat your fruit; don't drink it: 12 ounces of OJ = 165 calories, vs. a medium orange = 62 calories. Think of granola as a condiment to be sprinkled over yogurt (for reference: a half cup of granola is around 200 calories). Drink your coffee skinny. A whole-milk grande latte from Starbucks has almost 100 more calories than one with nonfat milk. Here are some low-cal breakfast ideas that are under 30 grams of sugar.

Brunch

Have a smoothie made with fruit, nonfat yogurt, and ice, and skip the milk shake. Eat smaller portions since many brunches offer buffet options, and it can be tempting to fill your plate. And choose lots of veggies and fruit since they are low in calories and will fill you up! Instead of calorie-filled egg dishes covered with rich sauces, why not get an omelet (or even one made from just the whites) and spruce it up with some veggies instead of calorie-dense bacon or cheese? If you reach for a caffeinated beverage to go with your meal, make it an unsweetened tea instead of a Coke.

Lunch

Make your sandwich open-faced. A slice of whole wheat bread is anywhere between 70 and 90 calories, depending on the density of the bread Ditch the mayo. Two and half teaspoons of mayonnaise contain 90 calories, and the same amount mustard practically nil. Make sure not to order honey mustard, because the sweetness adds calories. Skip the slices of cheddar cheese, about 226 calories for two one-ounce slices, and choose thinly spread avocado instead. Ask for salad dressing on the side and dip when you need a dab.

Happy Hour

Try wapping out a higher cal drink for a lower cal version. For instance, enjoy a vodka cranberry (117 calories) instead of a strawberry daiquiri (230 calories). Try ordering a mojito (122 calories) instead of your usual rum and coke (369 calories). In terms of snacks, choose chips and salsa (155 calories) instead of nachos (569 calories). Got a craving for fries? Choose the sweet potato fries (120 calories), over the regular fries (302 calories). Here's where you can find the caloric breakdown of all your favorite happy hour drinks and food. And if you really need to get your calorie-rich cosmopolitan or margarita fix, here are some ways to lighten-up your favorite cocktails.

Dinner

Top your baked potato, be it a sweet spud or an Idaho, with two tablespoons of nonfat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Skip the pepperoni and order your pizza with red bell pepper, and douse it with red pepper flakes. Try dressing your salad with just lemon juice and skip the olive oil, which clocks in at 119 calories a tablespoon. Trim the fat! If you're cooking meat, trim off whatever fat you can. Skipping the skin when it comes to chicken saves you 50 calories, but also keeps 4.5 grams of fat out of your meal. Here are some healthy dinner recipes for every night of the week.

Artificial Sweeteners make you Bigger!
(WOW …more Fat!)
People who suffer excessive weight problem do lots of things to solve it. One of possible options is eating foods with artificial sugar. However, scientists have recently come to a conclusion that artificial sugar doesn’t do anything to help losing pounds. Furthermore it can as well add a few ones.

The fact is that our bodies are unable to distinguish between the calorie-free sugar substitutes widely used in the food industry and the real thing. Artificial sweeteners behave in a similar way to sugar, by activating sensors in the gut which are key to the absorption of glucose.

In the result, the body processes extra sugar – and of course all the calories that go with it. For a person who is on a diet this means little or no weight loss. And over time, this might even lead to extra pounds being put on.

Researcher Soraya Shirazi-Beechey said:

"If someone wants to lose weight, I don’t think artificial sweeteners are going to help. My recommendation is to eat natural foods, but to eat less of them."

The Liverpool University professor studied the processes in the small intestine which absorbs sugar or glucose from food into the bloodstream. Specific cells were discovered which detect sugar and release hormones important for its passage through the lining of the gut and into the blood, where it is either burned off or is converted into fat. As it turned out the cells react to both natural and artificial sugar and release the hormones.

Prof Shirazi-Beechey said:

"Artificial sweeteners can also activate the glucose sensor and increase the capacity of the intestine to absorb more sugar. ‘You drink diet cola to stay slim but the reverse is true, because the artificial sweeteners can activate the sensor, so you are taking more glucose from your diet."

The professor says that special drugs are necessary to be developed which could control the sugar sensor cells. If those to be invented then such diseases as obesity and diabetes could be cured. Well, my opinion is that natural sugar is anyway more wholesome than artificial. The matter is that one should control his intake of this sugar to prevent gaining weight. Tell me what you think about this research.

Previously posted on Web Our Vanity

Foods for Sound Sleep

The causes of sleeping problems can be very diverse, as well as the remedies to treat them, including even some certain foods. Read on to find out which foods are considered to be the best option when it concerns good sound sleep.

A good sound sleep is one of the health guarantees. The lack of sleep can cause various disorders. Proper food choices can really help to get rid of insomnia and other sleeping problems. Learn what you should eat (or drink) for good sound sleep.

Chamomile Tea

This miraculous herbal drink can calm you down before the bedtime, besides it fills our body with warmth that naturally makes us sleepy. So a good cup of chamomile tea half an hour before the bedtime will make all your sleeping problems disappear.

Honey

Honey is another ‘sleepy’ food choice that works on the reduction of orexin production in human’s brain. The matter is that orexin is the neurotransmitter that is charged with wakefulness. The rise in blood sugar reduces the production of it that naturally leads to a healthy sleepy state.

Dairy Products

Such dairy products as milk, cottage cheese, or yogurt is a good food choice for sound sleep. Dairy contains tryptophan that is the key point in the production of serotonin in human’s brain. Serotonin in its turn provides us with the feelings of sleepiness and relaxation. Thus a glass of milk or yogurt just before the bedtime will pave the way for good sound sleep.

Cherries

Melatonin is another hormone that is considered to be promotive of sound sleep. And cherries are one of the best melatonin sources. Moreover cherries are rich in age-defying antioxidants.

Eggs

Opt for a scrambled egg as a before-bedtime snack and it would keep you full until morning and therewith provide your body with enough amount of tryptophan.

Nuts and Seeds

Peanuts and hazelnuts, as well as sunflower and sesame seeds are also the good sources of tryptophan that is necessary for good sound sleep. Even a peanut butter sandwich is good before-bedtime snack option.

Alongside with the consumption of ‘sleep-promotive’ foods you need to make sure you exclude ‘sleep-preventive’ ones, such as soft drinks, energy drinks, coffee and other foods and drinks containing caffeine as well as alcohol and cigarettes. Follow our ‘sleepy’ nutrition tips and be ready to sleep like a log! 

...Previously Posted in  Our Vanity

Five Principles for Better Health

Five Principles for Better Health

courtesy: wikihow.com

Being ill is not nice. Being healthy is better. The main principles of health are healthy diet, no drugs (alcohol, smoking, drugs, eating too much), regular exercise, adequate rest and positive thinking. We can easily integrate them into our everyday lives when we want it. These five principles of health give us a long, healthy and happy life. If we live by these principles, we can avoid most diseases.

Eat healthy. A healthy diet consists of fruits, vegetables, cereals, milk, potatoes, pulses, etc. It is advised to eat little or no meat and a lot of raw food (raw fruits and vegetables). Raw food gives the body lots of vitamins and minerals that protect it from disease.

Avoid drugs, smoking and alcohol. They cause many diseases and usually shorten your life significantly. Too many sweets (sugar, fat), lots of salt and lots of meat are also unfavorable. Don´t eat too many calories. You live longer, if you eat less (but not too much less). Listen to your body. It knows what is good for you. Live wisely and stay healthy.

Be Active & Excercise. Go walking, jogging, cycling, swimming once or twice a day (one half to one hour), to keep the body strong and healthy. It is also sufficient to train on an exercise bike (bicycle, treadmill) or to do dynamic yoga (creative hatha yoga) for half an hour a day. Or to go for a walk on the weekend for an hour. It is important that the body is well warmed (practice until a slight sweating), it kills disease germs.

Relax sufficiently. Stress should always be put away by adequate recovery periods, yoga or meditation. For inner happiness, it is important to live in the right proportion of personal activity (work) and rest (relaxation).

Think positive. Avoid negative thoughts. Keep your mind through conscious control, predominantly positive. Positive thoughts lead to positive feelings and positive emotions have a positive effect on your body. Motivate yourself with positive phrases and ideas. Read positive books and have a positive task.


"Make it a way of life."—Marie Nurse Esthetician

Eating Healthy to Live Longer

How to Live Longer by Eating Healthy

In addition to an active lifestyle, healthy eating increases blood flow, decreases your risk of cancer & heart disease, and keep your bones and body moving. Healthy foods like vegetables and fruits, as well as fish, can dramatically increase your chances to live longer. Healthy food creates energy inside our bodies and provides minerals and vitamins that are needed to keep us going. Learn how you can live longer by eating health. 


Follow the tips below to eat to:

1.     Eat a healthy breakfast of fruits and either oats, fiber cereals or yogurts. Bananas provide numerous benefits for the body, including adding calcium, fighting depression and stabilizing moods.

2.     Drink flavored teas or Green Teas

Green tea gets rid of the toxins in the body and makes rooms for the vitamins and minerals you receive from vegetables and fruits.

3.     Choose fish and chicken

and cut back on red meats. Fish and chicken are an excellent source of vitamins and they tend to settle in the stomach easier than red meats. They will give you the strength and iron you need to fuel your body with live energy.

4.   Eat foods high in fiber, including fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. These foods are considered good carbohydrates and are nutritious, filling and relatively low in calories. Eat more fish and nuts, which contain healthy unsaturated fats. Substitute olive or canola oil for butter or stick margarine.

5.     Eat your Proteins. Protein gives the energy to get up and move and keep moving. A lack of protein in your diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity and weaken the heart and respiratory system. A few good sources of protein are red meats, beans and nuts. Try not to make protein the center of your diet, but eat a balanced meal with protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Remember to reduce portion sizes and don't eat as often. Don't look at certain things as off limits; when you ban certain foods from your diet you'll want those foods even more, and then you will feel GUILTY if you give in to temptation.