Editor's note: The following post was contributed by LIVE
STRONG.COM nutrition advisor, Alyse Levine, M.S., R.D., founder of NutritionBite. 
Here's a simple truth anyone can appreciate: A smart diet approach can put you on the fast-track to lose the extra pounds that feel like they'll never disappear. While watching your caloric intake is always an important part of shedding weight, the foods you eat make a big difference in the results you see. So much so, that when you combine these power foods with exercise, you experience a weight loss boost that seems almost too good to be true. Incorporate these food suggestions into a healthy diet plan, and you won’t have to wait until next summer to show off the body you want.
Matcha Green Tea
This concentrated form of green tea is known for being very rich in antioxidants. Studies suggest matcha has thermogenic properties that promote fat oxidation – or in other words, help to boost your metabolism and increase your calorie burn, says Levine. Incorporate at least 2-3 cups of green tea into your daily regimen to reap its benefits. Green tea is a great substitute for coffee, soda, or herbal tea.
Oat Bran
It may seem like a simple food, but oat bran is more complex than it looks. Oat bran is produced by rollers that flatten the groats (whole grains that possess the fiber) and separate the flour from the bran. As a result, Oat bran is rich in fiber (7grams per ½ cup), which helps you to feel fuller longer and get things “moving and grooving” in your GI tract. This can actually help reduce bloating. The bran is also rich in protein (8grams per ½ cup), making you feel more satisfied by a meal. Add a ½ cup or more to your daily diet by incorporating it into oatmeal, muffins, a yogurt parfait or even a meatloaf!
Adzuki Beans
These small red beans are commonly used in Japanese cuisine and are rich in potassium and fiber. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they can help reduce blood pressure and act as a natural diuretic. The payoff: It helps rid your body of excess water weight! The beans are also rich in soluble fiber. Add some to your salad for a healthy and flavorful topping or serve alongside some lean protein and vegetables for a balanced meal.
Peanut butter and banana on a graham cracker with a glass of milk
This sounds almost too good to be healthy, but you’d be surprised. This delicious snack helps promote a good night’s sleep when eaten before bedtime. The snack’s sleep promoting powers come from the fact that it's rich in tryptophan and serotonin – both of which promote feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. At least 7 to 8 hours of sleep is essential to your weight loss efforts, meaning this is an enjoyable meal that will push you closer to your goals.
Walnut Oil
This oil is rich in MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids). These fats are heart healthy and if consumed in place of saturated fats and trans fats in your diet, may help reduce unwanted belly fat. Since walnut oil is rich in flavor, using just a small amount can go a long way in salads and side dishes. Try substituting a little walnut oil (1-2 tablesppons) for a creamy dressing on a salad or in place of a creamy sauce on pasta.
Tart cherry juice
Research shows that drinking tart cherry juice (2 servings/day) can help reduce the aches and pains you feel in your muscles after working out. This is likely due to cherries’ natural anti-inflammatory properties. Reducing post-workout aches and pains can help you stay more committed to your summer workout routine and allow you to get beach body ready!
Under-ripe bananas
Bananas are a great source of fruit, but before they start to turn brown—and are more the greenish-yellow side—they possess a fat-fighting power: Resistant starch. Resistant starch is found in certain carbohydrates and passes through the body undigested – just like fiber. While resistant starch provides one with a feeling of fullness after eating, it does not contribute any calories to a meal because it is undigested. Other foods that are good sources of resistant starch include brown rice, lentils, beans, oatmeal, and cooked (and then cooled) rice and potatoes. Try to include at least 3 foods rich in resistant starch daily.
The government recently tried to create a torrential storm of change in the world of diet and nutrition. Instead, their efforts felt more like a drizzle.
If you missed it, the archaic Food Pyramid was finally removed as the crux of the American eating strategy (although it happened years ago, unofficially) and replaced with My Plate—a new circular-shaped guideline for dietary habits. And despite stealing the name of LIVESTRONG.COM’S popular eating tool (yes, we coined MyPlate first…but imitation is the greatest form of flattery), and having the best intentions, the new government guidelines leave me with more questions than answers. While I will admit this is a step in the right direction, and I applaud the efforts, we should expect more. And after talking to multiple nutritionists, I discovered that I'm not alone in my disappointment. Consider the following flaws of the new guidelines:
1) It’s Confusing
I’m not saying that the new My Plate is the Rubik’s cube of eating, but it’s close. The biggest problem that most people have with their diet is portion control. And yet, the new guidelines provide a pie chart that offers a hefty serving of ambiguity. Sure, you see that fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein should make up the bulk of your eating (and wash it down with a small glass of dairy...that's what the picture shows, right?). But how much fruit? How many vegetables? And what grains? We act like foods only come in one variety per category, when the reality is that most people aren’t informed enough to know good grains from bad grains. And they certainly struggle with portion size. So if this plate is based on the American supersized version, then the changes will be superficial. After all, it doesn’t matter how well you’re eating if you're overeating. And wasn't that the biggest problem in the first place?
Let’s dig a little deeper. If you look at the plate from a meal-by-meal basis (which it appears is the intention), it’s IMPOSSIBLE to know exactly what you should be eating and how much. That should be the goal: Make it easy to know what to eat. Enable people so they can accomplish their goals. In that respect, the new guidelines have failed. Meaning that no matter how much “balance” the plate shows, the average American is still guessing what to eat and the portion sizes. This is a bad thing.
2) It Makes Fat Look Bad
The new guidelines are not developed for the average American. Most American’s don’t view foods in terms of categories. They look at macronurtrients: Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Think about it: When you analyze a food label (if you analyze it, that is), do you look at the ingredient profile? Probably not. You're more likely to analyze the total number of calories and how many grams of protein, carbs, and fats are in each food. Most people do this because they don’t inherently know what food sources possess certain nutrient qualities. To them, food is food and the nutrition label is their guide.
Therein lays the problem with the new My Plate image. Unless you go online to the government site and click on the specific sections for more details, the graph itself doesn’t tell you much about what to eat, which is what American’s need. Not to mention, by grouping into food categories, it makes it seem like fats are bad. Without any context, fats are not listed anywhere on the guidelines, which is a regression back to the low-fat craze of the 80s and 90s. While I’m sure this was not the intention of the government, just looking at the categories makes it seem that fat should not be a part of your eating plan. This runs contrary to numerous research studies which have discovered that high fat diets help you melt your gut and ward off diseases. In fact, research from the University of Connecticut found that a diet as high as 60 to 70 percent of fat led to more fat loss than a diet that consists of only 20 percent fat.
So don’t forget, while it’s not inherently listed on the chart, healthy fats such as nuts, oils, avocados, seeds and fatty fish are still good for you and should be included in your daily diet.
3) It’s Designed for Weight Gain
I don’t believe in setting a standard for what people should look like. Everyone has different goals and expectations for their ideal body. And if a background in psychology has taught me anything, it’s that beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. With that said, we—as a nation—are overweight. There’s no debate about it. Most of the population could stand to lose a few pounds. And that has nothing to do with building six-pack abs, having long and lean legs, or building bulging biceps (all are great goals, though, if that’s what you want). But the current guidelines seemed skewed in a way that will make you MORE likely to gain weight.
Let me explain. The grain group still takes up the largest single portion of foods within the new diet guidelines. According to nutritionist Alan Aragon, M.S., creator of the Alan Aragon Research Review, the new My Plate guidelines offers up to a 50 percent allowance for refined grains. While grains are not “bad,” an overreliance on processed foods is one of the primary reasons America is currently waging an ongoing battle of the bulge.
What’s more, we are already a society that is overly reliant on carbohydrates. This is a direct correlation to our carb-heavy diet, and the insulin problems that have led to an onslaught of type-2 diabetes and excessive weight gain. You see, insulin is a complex hormone in your body. When it’s raised at the wrong times, you won’t be happy with what it does to the appearance of your body. This hormone can slow down your ability to incinerate fat, and it ramps up your body’s ability to store fat. Bottom line: If you’re eating an excess of processed carbohydrates day-after-day, in the most simple sense, those carbs will be broken down into sugar that the can end up storing as fat. The fatter you become, the less you exercise, and the more you risk suffering from obesity and diseases like Type 2 diabetes. In other words, it’s a perpetual cycle that starts with an over-reliance on processed carbohydrates, which includes grains.
This does not mean that carbs are bad. They are an essential part of your diet and should be consumed. But they should not be the bulk of your diet, and the majority of your daily carbohydrates should come from non-processed sources, such as fibrous vegetables (think broccoli, spinach, kale and most greens) or from fruit (although in more limited amounts).
4) It Downplays A Vital Component
When I look at the new My Plate guidelines, I’m shocked by the small proportion of protein. The protein allotment offers less than half of the dietary protein that’s considered optimal for active male adults, says Aragon, and it's low for females, as well. And while other food groups contribute some protein, it’s not enough to make up the difference and optimize the demands of physical active individuals and dieters.
That’s not to say that everyone needs to go on a super high protein diet. But the truth is, protein is a satiating component of any eating plan that will not only help you eat less, but it is also activate your metabolism. Quite simply, eating protein helps you burn more calories and lose more fat—without ever stepping in the gym. That’s because your body has to work to break down protein, and that process burns calories. What’s more, protein is also involved in building lean muscle (that fights against your body’s desire to build fat) and it can help prevent a laundry list of diseases that you’d rather not have.
As a general rule of thumb, many nutritionists suggest that you should shoot for anywhere between .7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal body weight. (so if you weigh 200 pounds, but want to drop down to 180, you should aim for roughly 180 grams of protein, per day). Women will tend to be on the lower end, and men on the higher end. Use this as a guideline, and while the protein may seem like a lot, this type of diet will leave you less hungry to desire the other foods that have fewer nutritional benefits and pack on unwanted pounds.
We’re bringing the battle of the sexes into the world of fitness. Forget every previous gender debate that ever occurred. I don’t care if men are from Venus and Women are from Mars, if Bobby Riggs had no chance against Billie Jean King, or if the Twitterverse thinks that I’m much funnier than my fiancé. (they do)
This challenge tests something much bigger: Accountability. Throw out excuses about one gender being physically or emotionally superior. In this battle, everything is equal. This is a test of will power:
Who wants it more?
Who genuinely cares enough about their health and fitness to make it a daily part of their life?
And how much can your activity inspire an entire gender to join your efforts?
This challenge will answer all of these questions—and help you achieve your healthy living goals along the way. (while offering some amazing prizes)
Here’s how it works:
The challenge is simple: Be active 30 minutes per day.
It doesn’t matter if you walk, ride a bike, lift weights, move boxes, go swimming, or do the Cha-Cha. We just want you to get up and move. Have some fun, break a sweat and make activity a consistent part of your day.
Each day log onto MyPlate, track your fitness activity (and your eating habits, if you’d like), and then post about what you did on the group challenge page. The more frequent you post and make comments about your activity, the more likely you are to win.
If you’re man, sign up here.
If you’re a women, this is your place.
The prizes:
Each week we’ll assess who was more active: Men or Women. It will be dependent on your consistent daily activity and how frequently you post on the group page and motivate the rest of your sex to be active. So reach out to your friends and family and have them join. Spread the word on Facebook and Twitter. After all, it’s your health and a chance to influence others.
At the end of each week, we’ll assess which gender was more active. And from the winning gender we’ll select ONE winner who will be featured as the “Member of the Week,” in our newsletter. We’ll also feature the winner on our Facebook profile page.
This is your chance to be the face of health and fitness for millions.
Dessert. Is that a dirty word? I suppose for me it is. For my sister and best friend definitely not.
I know that hearing the words “chocolate,” “dessert menu,” or even “tiramisu” can alter my mood and throw off my judgment.
At the same time, I pride myself on not being a sweets lover. I can say no. I have control over the sweet temptations that are so frequently placed before me. My will-power is the best around, stronger than anyone’s.
Shhh, don’t tell anyone: I like dessert. I should say, I actually like bites of dessert. I prefer to have a plate of chocolate, fruit, creamy items and sample a bite of each. Here is why this works. How many times have you perused the dessert menu item by item, made your final decision, ordered and upon delivery been let down? Disappointed, dissatisfied, even frustrated. I have experienced these emotions more often than the dessert actually lives up to its detailed description. This may be why I order multiple items on the menu…hoping that I will get at least one truly satisfying bite. My method of operation regarding dessert is to order the best sounding items and go from there. If the first bite is missing the taste and flavor the menu promised, move on to the next item. The cost has already been accrued, the calories do not need to follow suit if that first taste is lacking your expectations. The decadent bites and delicious morsels must be worth it.
This is the reason I create my own treats. My dessert creations satisfy the craving, never disappoint and keep me well within my daily calorie goal. Fresh berries are extra sweet during spring; especially during summer and are a wonderful dessert alone, or added to ice cream or yogurt. My Frozen Granola Berry and Yogurt Bars are the perfect addition to any upcoming BBQ’s you have on the calendar.
Use your favorite granola and summer fruits (summer officially starts June 21st this year) and let me know how it goes.
-Susy
Stop for a second and fill in this blank: From this point forward, my food choices for the day will _____.
What did you answer? Will your food choices nourish your body? Give you energy? Help you stay under your calorie goal?
We tasked our Facebook fans with the same question and the responses we saw were inspiring--in part because we were reminded of the collective force of our users making smart food choices and empowering those around them to do the same.
(Some highlight responses from our Facebook users courtesy of Wordle.net)
It was also a powerful reminder of some very good news. We don't have to wait to change the way we eat or wait take care of our ourselves (mind, body and soul).
We get to start today, or better yet, this very moment. Food is such a powerful tool for our goals because eating is something we have to do every day, multiple times a day.
Every time we eat we also get a chance to recommit to our wellbeing. And as so many of you know, committing to small choices daily lead to habits that create long-term success.
We strive to provide you with the tools and information that will empower you to choose wisely and create your own success. Our MyPlate trackers possess such a strong knowledge of the nutritional information and caloric implications of what they consume -- it's truly incredible.
We love this visual representation of what our trackers are reaching for across the country.
We want you, too, to feel inspired by today's good news. Past choices are in the past and the burden of grand future plans can be set aside.
It's time to enjoy the simplicity of good choices from this point forward. Let's go!
About a year ago I came to a frustrating conclusion: Work is designed to make you fat.
Before you accuse me of making excuses, the concept is actually proven by science. When I was at Men’s Health, we wrote an article about how sitting in a chair is literally killing your body—regardless of your level of activity. Quite simply, your job forces you to move less and oftentimes eat worse.
Fortunately, you don’t’ need to throw in the towel. I’m here to tell you that accepting the reality of your job is the first step in shifting the battle of the bulge. You see, just because work makes it harder to stay in shape doesn’t mean long hours must sabotage
your healthy living goals. That’s the type of excuse that isn’t acceptable. But it’s human. So much so that I have a confession to make:
I let my job get the best of me.
I’m not sure when or how it happened, but the truth was written all over my body. I was lethargic, lacking energy and not sleeping well—this despite the fact that I was still hitting the gym four days a week. I share my story to remind you that every stumble is another opportunity to pick yourself back up. And that failure and mistakes are only as permanent as you make them.
My problem was my diet, as it is for most people. More specifically, I stopped paying attention to what I ate. I had so much confidence that I knew what it meant to be healthy that I went on autopilot and figured I didn't need a helping hand. I stopped using
MyPlate. I starting snacking more at work (even healthy snacks become unhealthy in large amount) and I tricked myself into believe that everything was good.
But good should never be a substitute for great, especially when it comes to your body. It doesn’t matter what your goal is. Your expectation should always be to push the limits of your potential, which is why I’m reaching out and recommitting to my healthy eating goals and continuing to educate myself on healthy foods. It will be more work on my end, but it will help me recapture my body, my energy and create the life I want to live.
I suggest you do the same. Look in the mirror and ask yourself: Are you eating the way you should? Have you stopped pushing yourself to become better? I don’t have the solutions, and I'm not telling you how to eat. But I know that asking the question is necessary to finding the answer. And the quest to become better will ensure your next step takes you one step closer to the person you want to be.
Editor's Note: This is part of a series called, "One GREAT Answer." Each week we ask our readers what they want to know, and take their questions to the world’s smartest experts.
My job seems to make it impossible for me to keep off the pounds. What at work strategies can help me lose weight?- Barry T, Alabama
If you’re looking for advice on how to shed pounds at work, the devil is in the details, says nutritionist
Dr. Mike Roussell. After all, most people don’t realize the small decisions they make that can either help them burn more calories, or pack on stealthy extra pounds. Roussell crafted 3 simple tips to help you prevent your job from becoming a gateway to overeating. And if you’re looking for more great nutrition tips from Dr. Roussell, post your questions in comments section below or check out his Facebook page for his free cookbook,
The 7 Healthiest Meals Ever Created.
Take Conference Calls Standing
Sitting eight hours a day at work is a metabolic death sentence that burns as little as 25 calories per hour. Bump up your calorie burn by taking phone calls standing (pacing is even better). By just standing you can burn up to 75 more calories per hour. If you are on conference calls or phone meetings as little as 45 minutes each day and you stand instead sit, you’ll burn an extra 280 calories per week – the calorie equivalent of running an two and three quarter miles per week.
Bring a Satiety Shake Work
Food found around the office is horrible. From the refined carbohydrates in the vending machines to the doughnuts in the break room, to the chocolate and candy bowl by the receptionist – it is a nutritional landmine for anyone trying to lose weight. Instead of letting hunger get the best of you pack a Satiety Shake in your bag before you leave the house. In a blender combine chia seeds, protein powder, walnuts, blueberries, water, and a couple ice cubes. Blend it up, put it in a shaker or Rubermaid Chug bottle and bring it to work with you. The chia seeds contain fiber, which helps slow how fast you digest food, making you feel fuller longer. The protein powder and fats from the walnuts will also increase your feeling of fullness. Blueberries contain low impact carbohydrates, which keep your blood sugar controlled providing you long lasting energy—without gaining fat. An added benefit of blueberries is that their antioxidants have been shown to improve mood.
Don’t Eat at your Desk
When it is time to eat, just eat. Multi-tasking while eating will cause you to eat more and leave you less satisfied once you get back to work. A study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that when study participants used a computer while eating they did not feel as full following their meal. In addition, when offered a snack 45 minutes later, they ate more calories than the people who didn’t play on their computers while eating lunch. The lesson: Turn off your monitor or, even better, get away from you desk so that you can enjoy your lunch without multi-taking distractions. You’ll feel more satisfied and you’ll be less likely to have a mid-afternoon urge to devour the bowl of chocolates at the receptionist’s desk.
Today we took to our Facebook page to ask one simple fill-in-the-blank question. This week's subject? Motivation.
Our members were prompted with: When I don't feel motivated to workout, I remind myself that _____.
We received over 345 insightful responses that shed light on how so many of you are achieving your get fit goals. The feedback we received was so inspiring we felt compelled to share some highlight fill-in-the-blanks!
@Connie being fit is a way of life.
@Sarah I want to live as long as possible, and feel good when I wake up everyday!
@Lee my bike looks lonely.
@Terence strong body, strong mind.
@Valerie I remind myself that I cannot bear to regress - forward is the only way!
@Terence I can't fantasize my way my goal.
@Dave ...that I'm lucky enough to be in shape and workout.
@Kelly I can't motivate others to do what I won't do myself.
@Ana A new achievement has to be completed! Go!
@Emanuel My opponent isn't resting.
@Benji The armed forces protecting us don't take breaks, do why should I?
@Michael Six months ago I weight 50 pounds more and my waistline was 6 inches larger.
@Michele that I feel so much better when I've finished a workout!
@Bryan I want to be around to see my kids grow up and play with them.
@ John I almost died from kidney failure last summer and was in the hospital 5 weeks. I am ok now but had to learn to walk again I was so weak, go back to work and then I signed up for my 1st 5k May 1. My time was so slow in May I sort of gave up. Then my doctor said you are going to hate this for awhile since you are older and have gained weight. I really like him. He just plain said it is going to hurt and that is why so many people give up. Well I am no quitter. I came home. Signed up for 2 more races this summer and 20 personal training sessions at the downtown Seattle YMCA. Now I have to keep moving. If I don't I die early weak and feeble. No frigging way! My family typically lives into their 90s and I don't plan on being an exception.
@Bonnie This is mind over matter.
@Anne That moss can't grow on a rolling stone.
@Daniel I have to reach my goal so I could help others also :)
@Paulette that running helped me kick cancers arse
@Joshua I pretend I am a professional cyclist and I have no choice
@Dani I'll feel incredible physically and mentally once it's done!
@Janene I am worth it!
@Rana I can. And so I do and count my blessings while I'm at it.
Below is a visual representation of all the responses we received (Wordle.net). Click the image to enlarge.
Thanks, all, for encouraging our team to get out and get moving this week. You're an inspiration!
Over the years I’ve had a number of new fitness “things”. I remember in 1997 it was spinning. I was hesitant to attend a class, but not sure why. I suppose it could have been the unknown. Or maybe the fact that the classes had a cult-like feel. People who were spinners seemed possessed. All they wanted to do or talk about was their amazing workout. And their gear: special shoes, shorts, and even gloves. It was all too much for me. I was intrigued and put off at the same time. Eventually, I finally decided to go to a class.
The room was dark with well dimmed lighting and it was difficult to see what was going on. The instructor assisted me onto my bike and adjusted my seat and handle bars. She gave me a few tips: Do what I can, don’t stand up on the pedals today, and most of all, just enjoy.
She took her place at the front of the room and off we went. Her music selection was good from what I remember. I took it all in: Checking out the other riders, watching their form, listening to the instructor all the while getting a great cardio workout. Before I knew it, I was hooked and spinning was my new thing.
Memorial Day Weekend, last Sunday, I ran my first 5k. I have run 10k’s in the past and do a 10k mud run each June; however, I had never considered a 5k. My co-worker, Serena, said that she and her husband and new baby were going to run the Brentwood 5k, and that they do this run every year. So my first thought, “Sign me up.” I was going to need a workout, and the class that I usually teach on Sundays was cancelled due to the holiday weekend.
The 5k started at 830am. I didn’t want to deal with parking traffic, so I rode my bike to the start line.
A nice warm up and I burned 200 calories! I met Serena a few minutes before the race started. It’s was flat course, so our goal was to complete the 3.1 miles in less than 30 minutes. After a few pre-race stretches and a couple of jokes about the 8 year old girls lined up in front of us, the starting gun was fired.
We were off and running.
I’ll admit it: The race was so much fun. A 5k is the perfect length race as far as I’m concerned. Easy breezy. I finished in 27:01! My mile time has increased since last year, as I took 4 months off to heal my back injury. A nine minute mile is fine with me for now. My goal is to slowly increase my speed because no doubt, 5K’s are my new thing. So much so, that I signed up for my next one on June 12th.
What’s your new thing? I would love to hear and give it a try.
-Susy
My Plate 101:
Lesson 2 Display Options
When we say MyPlate we truly mean “your plate.” Last year we created MyPlate Settings - a hub where you can customize your MyPlate to your exact liking.
You can find MyPlate Settings under your username in the top right corner of any page.
Click and here is what you see:
One very important setting is Food Search. By selecting “As real time results beneath the search box as I type,” you will be able to to search food items, select serving size for those items, and track the times you eat those items from the same screen. By selecting “On a separate search results page” you’ll receive alist of food items that fit your description. From there you can choose the item that best suits your needs and will go to another screen to track the day that you ate the item. You will still need to classify the time, which you will be able to do once the item has been tracked. Personally, I find that the “real time” search is much more efficient and an overall easier user experience. It’s all about what works for you.
Another great option available to you in MyPlate Settings is the ability to adjust your view. You’ll find various view options in the Display Options section.
How much scrolling do you like to do? I do not like to scroll. I prefer my view to be as condensed as possible, so I have my fields set up as “Do Not Show” or in “Tab View.”This conserves space.
I utilize my meals and frequently eaten almost every day, but I do not like them to be set to an open view, I prefer to have them set to tabs.
Click on any of the tabs and you can see all your information. I love this feature.
Another trick I love to use is the drag and drop capabilities.
Once you have chosen what you want to view on your plate, you can organize from top to bottom.
Let’s say I want to move my Fitness block up to the top. Take the cursor and hover right next to the word “Fitness.” You will see the cursor change to drag and drop tool, once you see the cursor change, click your mouse and drag the block to its new spot.
You can see from the image below the dotted lines from where “Fitness” used to be.
It’s just that simple. You can move any of the components on the page.
Hope this helps your tracking.
Stay tuned for MyPlate 101 Lesson 3.
-Susy
