Refrigerator Raid

Get Ready For The National Body Challenge

The National Body Challenge, sponsored by Discovery Health, is a great way to find the motivation and tools to start a new healthy lifestyle!

Signing up for the Challenge is free.  There are tons of resources available on the website that can help you get started, including an 8-week pass to Bally Total Fitness, customized meal plans with recipes, fitness plans, weight loss trackers, videos and more!

Moreover, The National Body Challenge also includes some aired television specials on Discovery Health (beginning January 7).  So you can watch other people as they journey toward health and fitness, plus get some inspiration and tips for yourself!

Registration for the Challenge begins December 27--so you can start working off those holiday calories!  But you can sign up here to get an email reminder when the Challenge goes live.

Bad Foods

Do you really know how many calories you're consuming when you go out to eat?

Check out this article from Men's Health and MSNBC, which lists the 20 worst foods in America.  Once you realize a personal pizza at Uno's restaurant can add up to 2,310 calories, you may decide that it's smarter--and healthier--to dine at home.

Give The Gift Of Health

Planning to give baskets of sausage, cheese and chocolate for a holiday gift?  According to a recent AP News article, gifts of food will be popular this holiday season.

But do you really need to give someone a gift that's loaded with calories, fat and cholesterol?  Instead, try some of these healthier food options:

Gourmet Food Basket: Give the chef in your family some special gourmet foods that can be turned into a healthy meal.  Good choices for the basket include imported olive oil, herbs and spices, and smoked salmon.

Popcorn Basket: Popcorn is a low-calorie snack that's loaded with fiber!  Try giving some unusual varieties of popcorn packaged with an air-popper.

Wine Basket:  Studies show that drinking one glass of wine each day can be good for the heart!  Give your favorite wine drinker a selection of imported wines.

Pasta Basket: Tomato sauces are loaded with antioxidants, and pasta is a healthy part of the Mediterranean diet.  Include a few bags or boxes of whole wheat pasta for extra fiber.

Fruit Basket: The traditional fruit basket is a great way to give the gift of health!  Try seasonal favorites like oranges, as well as some more exotic choices (like kiwi or papaya).

The Weekly Tip

Go outside!  The crisp autumn air makes now a great time to get some outdoor exercise.  Head outside to the local park, spend an hour at a nearby playground, or go for a hike in the woods.

Health Tidbits

•    Whole grains can reduce risk of pancreatic cancer.  Link

•    Eating fish can boost memory.  Link

•    More adults are exercising.  Link

•    A pedometer may help you lose weight.  Link

•    Does competitive eating set a bad example?  Link

•    U.S. companies don't care about employee health.  Link

Cure Your Thanksgiving Hangover

Got a "Thanksgiving" hangover?  After yesterday's meal of meat, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, you may be feeling a bit stuffed.  However, there are some steps you can take during the next few days that can help minimize the damage you did to your diet.

Rethink "leftovers."  Forget about having another Thanksgiving meal from leftovers.  Instead, think of ways to turn them into a healthier snack.  A turkey sandwich on whole grain bread (Hold the mayo!) makes a hearty, low-fat lunch.  Or add chopped turkey to a large green salad to get some extra protein with your veggies.

Get some exercise.  A little physical activity is the best thing you can do to combat the extra calories you consumed on Thanksgiving.  Go outside and take a walk in the crisp autumn air, or get the family together for a friendly game of football.

Eat!  You may be tempted to skip a meal or two this weekend to try and "balance out" all your Thanksgiving calories.  But skipping meals will only slow your metabolism and make you feel sluggish.  Instead, eat small meals regularly every few hours.  This will keep you from getting too hungry (and possibly binging), and regular meals will help you burn calories throughout the day.

Happy Thanksgiving

Have a fun and healthy holiday!

Eat Less On Thanksgiving

It's not too late to cut back on your Thanksgiving calories!

Some experts estimate that the average Thanksgiving meal totals up to 3,000 calories.  That means almost an extra pound of fat on your waistline!

Many nutritionists and dieticians suggest that we make our Thanksgiving dishes a little healthier.  This USA Today article, for example, offers a few solutions for incorporating low calorie menu items into your Thanksgiving meal.

But who wants to eat mashed potatoes without the butter or stuffing without the gravy?

You can indulge in all the traditional Thanksgiving recipes without the weight gain if you simply eat smaller portions.  Here are a few tips to help you eat less--but still enjoy your favorites!--on Thanksgiving Day:

Dish up smaller portions.  Instead of serving yourself a heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes, try just a small scoop.  Use a tablespoon instead of a ladle to portion out gravy.

Leave some white space.  Don't let the foods on your plate touch.  This helps you avoid heaping up your servings.

Wait for seconds.  Instead of immediately scooping up second helpings, wait ten minutes.  You may discover that you're already beginning to feel full.

Pick one favorite.  You may want to sample the pumpkin, apple AND cherry pie.  But try having one slice of your absolute favorite.

Be generous with leftovers.  Give away the leftovers to friends and family so you won't be tempted to dig in for a midnight snack.

New Mothers Need Sleep

Trying to lose your baby weight?  According to a recent Reuters article, new mothers who get plenty of sleep are more likely to drop weight than those who are sleep deprived.

If possible, enlist the help of someone--the baby's father, a relative, a friend or a babysitter--to ensure that you get adequate sleep after the birth of your child.

A Very Personalized Diet

Many of us "blame our genes" when it comes to our love handles, saddlebags and spare tire.  And now health experts may have discovered a way to use our genes for weight loss, too!  A recent Reuters Health article reported on a "nutrigenetic" diet that creates a nutrition program based on an individual's DNA.

Unlike other one-size-fits-all-diet, these tailored plans may actually help dieters lose more weight in the long run.

It will likely be quite a few years before these types of diets are made available to the general public.