Each of the following entries weighs approximately 125 pounds—except for one. Can you pick out the imposter?

A. The most beautiful woman in the world
B. The world’s largest cabbage
C. A six-foot long shark
D. The amount of sugar you’ll eat this year

You probably guessed “D,” and you’re right. Jennifer Lopez, a massive green cabbage from Wasilla, Alaska, and Scooter the Shark—who lives at the Newport Aquarium in Cincinnati—all weigh about 125 pounds. But you couldn’t possibly eat that much sugar in a year, right? Think again: The average American chokes down more than 130 pounds of the stuff every 365 days.

A recent University of Minnesota study found that women consumed about 13 percent of their daily calories from added sugars, and for men that number was closer to 15 percent—a 38 percent jump since 1982. Not surprisingly, the researchers also found that increased sugar consumption mirrored the rise in the participants’ BMI, an indicator of obesity.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Great, now I have to cut sugar from my diet.” Not so fast. The American Heart Association says that women can safely consume up to 100 calories (about 25 grams) of sugar per day, and men can consume up to 150 (37.5 grams). The secret is finding sweet foods that quell your sweet tooth without blowing out your sugar quota—and that’s exactly what I’ve done here. Below you’ll find the results of our latest report on eight sinfully delicious treats that silence sugar cravings without adding inches to your waistline. Focus on these, and you’ll look more like Jennifer Lopez—and less like the world’s largest cabbage.

130 pounds! REALLY! What makes this more interesting we don’t do this pound by pound, but by gram by gram! Before I come off all high and mighty PLEASE! I am just as guilty as the next person. Ice Cream, Doughnuts, Cookies, Chocolate and so on… Good God I can’t imagine what I would look like if I didn’t do these little things called IRONMAN.

OK so what can you do if your sweet tooth is begging PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

Here are some solutions to cutting back on that sugar.

DOUGHNUTS – Now if you are a donut connoisseur like me, these lovely yummy little bites of pure joy this can be a BIG problem. Should you cut these totally from your diet, YES, but that is not going to happen so the goal is to look for a better alternative and KEEP THEM AT A MODERATION (or for vacations like I do.)

The next time you find the urge for these little bites of joy stop and think. There is choice #1 and choice #2.

#1 – Entenmann’s Frosted Devil’s Food Doughnuts

#2 – Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnut

Well if you chose #2 that would be the smarter choice. 120 less calories, 7 grams less fat, 13 grams less sugar. Now I am not saying the #2 choice is a healthy choice, but if you are going down that road you might as well try to make it as less painful as possible. If you are familiar with the Krispy Creme versions that come directly from there store and how warm and fresh they are, the grocery store version simply doesn’t cut it. Pop a doughnut in the microwave for a few seconds and press toe! Remember there is nothing nutritionally redeeming about a doughnut. Those who know me, know this these are in my top five when it comes to food weaknesses. It is best just to say no!

COOKIES – Yep these babies are right up there for me, but unless my wife makes her Chocolate Chip cookies I can stay away from them, but you might not be AS STRONG AS I (forgot everything you just read about me and doughnuts.)

Choice #1 Kashi TLC Oatmeal Chocolate Cookie

Choice #2 Chips Ahoy! Big and Soft Oatmeal Chunk Cookie

Since both have healthy oatmeal in them it is a tie! WRONG! Remember a typical American (not you of course) is eating 130LBS of sugar of year! So the smarter choice is #1, saving you 50 calories, 3  grams of fat and 5 grams of sugar.  The Kashi also packs in 4 grams of fiber which is more than an orange. Keep in mind a serving size is ONE COOKIE, not TWO, THREE OR THE WHOLE BAG.

CANDY – Man it is like these guys are reading my mind! How did they know I have a weakness for candy? Here are your choices.

#1 Skittles Original Fruit

#2 Werther’s Original

One says fruit and the other tastes like butterscotch. Be careful, here is a hint. Hard candies last longer so they tend to satisfy better. So it choice #2. Let’s talk serving size. The Skittles you find in the candy holders as you check out your groceries is considered a serving size, not the size found at the gas station or movie theater. The serving size for Werther’s is 3 pieces. Here is the difference you save 180 calories, 10 grams of fat and 37 GRAMS OF SUGAR, and that is with the grocery store size. SIDE NOTE: Interested in save a few bucks? Slip a few Werther’s into a pocket when you are going to a movie, instead of paying the $3+ dollars for the Skittles at the theater.

CANDY BARS – I mean really are these guys following me?If it has the word Snickers, Milky Way, Crunch, Chocolate and so on these are just as bad as doughnuts for me! But when all is said and done THEY ARE JUST EMPTY CALORIES, that range from 200 to 400 calories. On a treadmill it will take me 25 minutes at a pretty good pace to burn off 400 calories. So if I eat one of these, my workout really begins at the 25 minute mark, not at the 0 minute mark. Ouch! Double ouch! Is it worth it? Sometimes but most of the time NO! Here are the two choices to see if you can make a smart decision if you need to have a candy bar.

#1 Hershey’s (yes I said Hershey’s) Take 5 Bar

#2 Nestle’ (yes I said Nestle’) Butter Finger

So the idea is to cut back on sugars, correct and if we save some calories and saturated fat along the way even better. The correct choice is #1. When waiting to check out at the grocery store the first choice IS NOT TO GRAB A CANDY BAR! What to do then? I don’t know read the interesting topics in all those wonderful magazines, I mean it is important that we know that Linsey Lohan is Charlie’s Sheen’s alien step child, right? If you have too make a choice the Take 5 bar saves you 70 calories, same amount of fat, but saves you 11 grams of sugar.

PUDDING – They did it again! Now if I could have pudding on top of a doughnut with a candy bar stick (hey now that is a good idea, oh wait I am The Fitness Buddy, sorry).

#1 Snack Pack Chocolate

#2 JELL-O Sugar Free Double Chocolate

Hint, this article is about cutting back on sugar. YES the sugar free JELL-O pudding wins! A plus to this I actually eat these and they are yummy, but the serving size is just 1! On a serious note of making smart decisions, most snack size puddings have the same amount of sugar, fat and calories of a candy bar. I know that is sad… SIDE NOTE: Two words ICE CREAM… wait… pause… wait… If you find yourself eating ice cream as you normal dessert after dinner, lunch or breakfast (Hey don’t judge me!) here is a tip. Save a bunch of calories, fat and SUGAR and sweeten your sweet tooth by eating ONE of the JELLO-O Puddings. PS, I am saving the ice cream topic for last.

FROZEN TREAT – Dove Bars, Haagen-Dazs, Eskimo Pies, Klondike Bars, I can keep going if you like… one more Bon Bon’s. Basically anything ice cream usually on a stick covered in a chocolate shell of goodness, right? Here are the choices and this one should be pretty easy to pick out.

#1 Fudgsicle NO SUGAR ADDED Fudge Bar

#2 Haagen-Dazs Vanilla and Mile Chocolate

I hope you picked #1!? Right!? For an example you could eat 7 Fudgsicles to every one Haagen-Dazs Bar. YOU SHOULDN’T but you could. By eating one Fudgsicle you will be saving 250 calories, 20 grams of fat, 19 grams of sugar. I know, it is sad, I am sad too but face the facts! Make smart choices! PS there is protein and fiber (I am not talking about the stick) in the Fudgsicle’s. If you don’t like chocolate there are plenty of fruit choices that make a good substitute.

LASTLY…

ICE CREAM – For me, the frozen treats, pudding, candy bars, candy, cookies and even doughnuts are just the warm-ups to ice cream. My ultimate weakness is ice cream! In fact I think I was separated from birth from my brothers Ben and Jerry. Up to the age of 30 I could all the ice cream my heart desired. I hate getting old!

#1 Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter Cup 1/2 cup

#2 Edy’s Slow Churned Chocolate Fudge 1/2 cup

If you chose #1 and I told you you were right, would you believe me? Sorry it is #2, I know I am sad too! But let’s look at this logically. The Edy’s does have Chocolate, it does have Fudge and it is slow churned, so how bad can it be? I mean it is still ice cream! The numbers, Edy’s saves you 240 calories, 21 grams of fat (11 grams of saturated fat) and 11 grams of sugar. Edy’s also carries the name Dryer’s in some parts of the country, also Breyers makes a slow churned ice cream. All in all the topic is making smarter choices and I have to say sorry Ben and sorry Jerry!

OK that is the list. Remember the typical American is eating 130 pounds of sugar a year, gram by gram.

1 pound is 453.5924 grams

130 pounds is 58,967.012 grams

NOW THAT IS SCARY!

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy

WHY?

Well there could be a lot of reasons, but I find the more truthful you are to yourself the better the chances are the weight will come off.

Truthful to yourself, not to me, not to your spouse, not to anyone but yourself. Look into the mirror, deep into your eyes and really ask yourself… “Are you really doing everything you can?”

If your like me this is always a battle. I find no matter how good I think I am doing there is always something I can do, if I am really honest with myself. Lately for me it is late night snacking. Why am I doing it? I am not really hungry but night after night I find myself looking through the fridge or maybe hunting through the pantry. No matter what you think about my frequent doughnut or ice cream references 9 out of 10 times it is just talk. I could only imagine if I ate as many doughnuts or ice cream I say I do. YIKES!

So as I write this article for you, I too am as guilty as most of you.

To lose 1 pound of fat equals roughly 3,500 calories. That means you have to subtract 3,500 calories from your diet or burn an additional 3,500 calories or some combination of both to lose that 1 pound.

One idea is to exercise an extra 3,500 calories a week but this is a lot of effort.

My example, on a good day I will burn 750 calories on an hour run, so lets do the math. 750 goes into 3,500 equals 4.67 more hours of running. Simply that means instead of 5 one hour runs for the week those runs now become two hour runs. If I run 7 miles per hour run that equals 35 miles a week. Doable for me, but if I have to turn that into 2 hour runs now we are talking 70 miles a week. Ah I am not an elite runner so that would be rather difficult.

So the better idea is to look at what one eats.

Rule 1 – Write it down – I know what a pain in the butt. Don’t change your eating habits for one week. Be totally honest! Write down everything that enters that pie hole is written down on a piece a paper. Now just don’t write down Mountain Dew. Write the time, amount, size and if available the calories (make sure you look for the serving size), the more information the better. After the week is done look back at the week. Are there any patterns? Is there anything that stands out? Remember this is done to help, BE TOTALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF!

Summary:

1. Be honest with yourself.
2. One week write everything down and WE MEAN EVERYTHING.
3. Look for patterns.

Rule 2 – Size does matter – Time to pull out your money and buy your new friends, measuring cups and spoons. Here is a test. Take out your favorite cereal and pour into a bowl what has been your normal serving size. Now look at the serving size usually found on the box. It probably states something like 3/4 of a cup. Now pour that bowl into the 3/4 cup and see how much over flow you have, so your “150 calorie” cereal was probably 400 to 500 calories. Now before you say, “3/4 of a cup is not going to fill me up”, you are probably right. My answer you just saved 250 to 350 calories of processed food (most cereal is processed too some extent) use those calories up with a piece of fruit or a yogurt. Now it becomes more of a meal.

If you measure with your eyes there is a good chance every single time you eat you are over and probably way over the serving size. Another helpful tip about size, is use smaller plates and/or bowls. You fill the plate with spaghetti there is a good chance you will do what your mom taught you. You will eat everything on your plate. A smaller plate, simply means less calories.

Summary:

1. Purchase measuring cups and spoons. USE THEM!
2. Smaller plates and/or bowls.
3. Replace emptier calories (have no or very little nutritional value) with healthier options.

Rule 3 – Protein is your friend – Find out how much protein you need for a day, roughly a 150 pound person needs about 75 grams of protein. Why protein? Protein helps build muscle and more muscle the more calories a body burns. Now this doesn’t mean everyone needs to be the next Arnold, but the more lean muscle you have versus fat the more calories you burn. Protein takes longer to digest, you feel fuller longer, keeps the blood sugar levels steady so you don’t feel like you are starving and overeat. Does this mean everyone should be downing a protein shake right after a workout? Probably no, unless you just came off a 1 1/2 to 2 hour hard workout. One thing that protein shake may have that it doesn’t tell you is the amount of sugar in these drinks plus you should try NOT to drink your calories. Another reason there maybe more protein in that shake than you need. More protein for the sake of having more protein is not a good thing. The body takes what it needs and stores the rest as FAT.

So what are you suppose to do? Here I tell you need protein but now it sounds like I don’t recommend protein shakes. Well it goes back to a Fitness Buddy saying, if it comes the ground or comes from an animal eat it. If humans touch it between the plant or animal to your mouth try your best to avoid it. It is a short drive home a whip up something healthy from the fridge and pantry. There is a bonus, it probably will save you a few dollars each time you do this.

Summary:

1. Protein good.
2. Beware of Protein shakes, better fix something at home.

Rule 4 – Colors – Generally the more colors in your food the less calories you are eating. This does not mean eat more mint chip ice cream or put pretty sparkles on your chicken. Fruits and Vegetables! Hmm… that’s right fruits and vegetables do come from the ground, imagine that. Along with the lower calories, we are talking you will consume more vitamins and minerals you need to function. Plus they are rich in fiber so you feel fuller longer. I am just thinking what could you eat that has a lot of colors? How about a salad? Chop up some chicken breast (protein) and add it to the salad. Add a few nuts or flax/sunflower seeds and now we are talking about a meal. JUST DON’T DESTROY IT BY PICKING A BAD SALAD DRESSING!

Summary:

1. The more colors in your meal the better.

Rule 5 – Foraging or grazing, STOP! I have changed my mind on this a bit. I use to be on the side you should be eating 5 or 6 meals a day. Smaller meals, because if you do this, this means you won’t get hungry throughout the day. To certain extent there still is a part of me that believes this, but the more I think about it to say eat five or six meals a day maybe goes a bit far. If you are not hungry DON’T EAT! You are just putting extra calories into that body that at that moment you might not need. My only warning is do not go the other way. There are to many of you out there eating only once or twice in a day. That is just as bad, because you simply slow down the metabolism. Yes this is a fine balance and everyone s going to be different. Also those who graze or forage may think a smaller meal might be a bunch of crackers or cookies and those are just empty calories.

Summary:

1. Five or six meals a day may not be the right strategy for you.
2. Eat when you are hungry, not starving.
3. If you are eating five or six small meals a day make them count. Don’t eat empty calories.

Rule 6 – Plan the week. Do not go to the grocery store without a list. If you have a list stick to the list. Kim, my wife is great on this rule. She always plans two or three meals for the week that will carry us through the week, plus she makes one big pot of soup. She will also cook up a bunch of chicken breasts or turkey burgers so there is always something good and healthy to eat at our household. Like I said she is great. This does take half of a day, but before you say you don’t have half a day again be honest with yourself. How much TV are you watching? Healthy meals or worrying about who will be the next American Idol, which is really more important? How about have the family help, get the spouse and kids together. A family that cooks together, generally is happier and healthier.

The other benefit of having a plan, this means trips to the fast food joint are cut way back, there is always food for a brown bag lunch and there are plenty of choices of fruit and veggies in the home.

Summary:

1. Living fitter and healthier takes a plan.
2. Be honest with yourself, instead of saying I don’t have time to shop and cook you give up American Idol.

Rule 7 – You shouldn’t be a speed eater. Do you have a watch? Here is a test. Next time you sit down for lunch time yourself and see how long does it take you to eat what is in front of you. 5 minutes? 10? Simple rule the longer the better. It takes time for your brain to register that you are getting full. In fact it may take 15 to 20 minutes before the body says enough is enough. So if you are pigging out and that pig out lasts 15 to 20 minutes just think how much extra food is going in that pie hole.

1. Slow down. Don’t stand at the counter. Reintroduce yourself to an item of furniture called the dining table.
2. Avoid putting all the food on the table. AKA think Turkey day. If it is in front of you the chance you will eat more. Keep the food on the stove or on the counter.
3. Don’t eat alone. If you are talking the longer it will take to eat.
4. TV eating? Do not bring the bag to the couch! Measure the serving size, then bring it to the couch and eat.
5. Eat like eating at a sit down restaurant. Serve yourself a salad, eat it at the table. Then go back for the main course, eat it at the table. This takes longer!
6. Hungry? Don’t drive. Think about the amount of empty calories you eat in your car per week. This includes what you drink (except water). Try going a week without eating in the car. I bet this will be hard. THIS MEANS NO STARBUCKS! I know ouch.

Rule 8 – Weight loss takes time. When I mention the TV show The Biggest Loser, what comes to mind? For me it is how fast these people lose weight. There are some week’s where contestants lose 10, 15, 20, 25 or even 30+ pounds. FOLKS! You do know this is not real life, right? It would be great in real life this would be happen, but simply it doesn’t. Most of us do not have 2 personal trainers, 6 to 8 hours a day to workout, have our diets planned and generally have the food prepared for us. Right? We live in the real world. I love the show, especially if it finally gets a person to wake up, but it also leads to high expectations that just don’t happen in real life.

In fact, if I could I would take the pound number and throw it out the window. I hate asking that question. When you look at the overall picture this journey is about living fitter and healthier. How many times have I said that. It is about finding yourself, getting your head on straight and living life, instead watching it go by. The pounds will come off if you really are true to yourself. Look at these hints, WE ALL FAIL AT THESE! What matters is picking ourselves up, really look at our behaviors and then change for the better.

This is not suppose to be torture. Think how long did it take you to get in the spot you find yourself? I bet if you say 5 years, it really is more like 10 or 20 or a lifetime. So making the changes to make the arrow point in the other direction will take time and this will be with you for the rest of your life.

OK off my soapbox and back to the subject, it takes time. It will take at least 3 months to reprogram yourself out of these bad habits. It takes time to make good behaviors. After that time it will take another 3 months at least to practice these new behaviors. Quick-fix or fad diets do more harm than good. They reinforce bad habits without you even knowing it. Don’t believe me, does the Grapefruit diet really sound like a good thing? It doesn’t teach you a thing, you will sour (yes the pun was intentional) on the diet, give up. Gain the pounds you may have lost and gain back more.

In order for this to work you need a few things

1. Your food choices have to taste good. Try new things, introduce new textures, spices and flavors. An open mind will go along way in being successful!
2. Fine tune, fine tune and when your done fine tune. Guess what the fine tuning never ends. This goes for exercise and diet.
3. Don’t give up. You will fall off the wagon, IT WILL HAPPEN! You will have to learn that this will happen and you will have to learn CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK! Stop beating yourself up, learn from it and move on. This also will happen in exercise. If you burn yourself out with a certain exercise, try something new. AN OPEN MIND HELPS IN THIS JOURNEY!

It is not easy, if it was everyone would be doing it. But if you are truly honest with yourself, honest with your diet, honest with your exercise changes will happen! It takes time and the journey will never end.

Until next time Your Fitness Buddy…

By a show of hands who has visited a popular place called T.G.I. Friday’s. By know you should be aware that most of their selections are a bit heavy on the calorie side, not too mention the sodium side. So the smarter Fitness Buddy follower say I will beat them at their own game, I will order a Santa Fe Chopped Salad. Well you have good intentions but you might have been better ordering almost anything else on their menu.

Here is the surprising news – The Santa Fe Chopped Salad has 1,800 calories! That is not a misprint, I said 1,800 calories. I didn’t even mention this salad is around $10. $10 for vegetables WHAT A DEAL!

Any idea why this salad is 1,800 calories?

1. Maybe you are served a salad that actually serves 4, not one. Let’s do the math, that means a serving size actually 450 calories, not bad but when was the last time you ate a quarter of your salad at a restaurant and put the rest into a doggie box?
2. Think the crunchy tortilla strips? I am sure they give you the most healthy tortilla strips, right?

OK so here is a solution:

Make your own, save close to $7 and 1,460 calories not mention lower the saturated fat and sodium totals dramatically.

What will you need:

• 3 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
• 4 small Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime
• 8 oz. flank steak
• 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp canned chipotle pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/2 can black beans, drained
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced

This makes 4 servings and the cost is close to $3.25 per serving.

How to make it:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degree
• Place the tortilla strips on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly brown and crispy
• Using a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and half the lime juice
• Preheat a grill or grill pan
• Season the steak with salt and pepper
• Once the grill is fully heated toss on the steak, cook for 4 to 5 minutes until firm
• Let the steak rest for 5 minutes then slice the steak thinly
• Combine the remaining lime juice with the vinegar, chipotle and honey
• Slowly drizzle the olive oil, whisking to combine
• Toss in the lettuce with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat
• Divide into 4 servings
• Top each serving with the steak slices, black beans, avocado, salsa and tortilla strips

So not every day is a Friday, but it can be a lot healthier!

These are the JUST SAY NO FOODS that are not helping you in your fitness and health journey.

1. Sports Drinks
2. Protein Shakes and Powders
3. Bagels
4. Bacon
5. Cocktails
6. Packaged Deli Meat

A bagel 20 years ago was much smaller, in fact a bagel was only 140 calories. Any ideas what today’s bagel caloric count is?

If you said somewhere around 350 you would be correct. 350 CALORIES! Why not just order a doughnut, they are much yummier? By the way this does not include that yummy cheese spread we smother all over it (usually two of those little packets because the bagel is sliced in half.)

No wonder that CARB diet was all the craze, just look at the amount of carbs you get in today’s bagel. If we still had the bagel from 20 years ago do you think the CARB diet would exist?

OK Bagels are thought as the healthier substitute of the doughnut, but obviously there is some trouble with that thought. Yes you can buy the bagel that has the multi grain, multi seed, and multi good for you bagel but there is still a problem. IT IS THE SIZE OF A TIRE FROM A BUICK!

Another problem is the majority of bagels are made from refined grains… I will wait until you process this… … … Why am I waiting? I am waiting to see if you put two and two together. What is another word for refined? Bingo! Processed! Most of the bagels are stripped of their nutrients during this refining process. Let’s say it together… YUMMMMMMY!

OK let’s try this for a solution.

OATMEAL! In fact sprinkle the oatmeal with nuts, raisins, and cinnamon. This turns into a well-rounded breakfast with everything a body needs to get it going in the morning. If you do it this way you start the day with a breakfast packed with whole grains, protein, healthy monounsaturated fats, iron, and antioxidants. It is also a breakfast that will make you feel fuller longer and there won’t be a spike in your insulin keeping that sweet tooth at bay.

OK I picked on the bagel, but really this can be said about almost everything today. Everything is served in larger portions compared to 20 years ago, EVEN OATMEAL! That is one of the main problems facing this ever-increasing obesity problem. The second problem as we face this obesity problem most things are made cheaper than 20 years ago, EVEN OATMEAL! Cheaper generally means more process foods touch our lips. How do we combat this if it is everywhere? How about using that gray matter between the ears. Common sense is probably our biggest ally in this battle. Make smart decisions, not quick decisions!

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy.

]]> http://thefitnessbuddy.com/blog/2011/02/are-you-eating-or-drinking-these-part-3/feed/ 0 http://thefitnessbuddy.com/blog/2011/02/do-you-eat-or-drink-these-part-2/ http://thefitnessbuddy.com/blog/2011/02/do-you-eat-or-drink-these-part-2/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:34:13 +0000 Jim http://thefitnessbuddy.com/blog/?p=1021 These are the JUST SAY NO FOODS that are not helping you in your fitness and health journey.

1. Sports Drinks
2. Protein Shakes and Powders
3. Bagels
4. Bacon
5. Cocktails
6. Packaged Deli Meat

Protein Shakes and Powders

I touched on this a little in the sports drink topic, but I feel it deserves more coverage. During my time at a big box fitness center I found it interesting the amount of focus there is on Protein shakes or the big tubs of protein powder. In fact I was judged on the amount of protein powder I sold a month. Well needless to say I was never really in the top of the group in selling this stuff. I am not saying that there are not situations when selling someone extra protein is needed, but overall the gym was just interested in selling the stuff.

OK so what is protein and why do we need it?

The technical answer: Any of a group of complex organic macromolecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and usually sulfur and are composed of one or more chains of amino acids. Proteins are fundamental components of all living cells and include many substances, such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies, that are necessary for the proper functioning of an organism. They are essential in the diet of animals for the growth and repair of tissue and can be obtained from foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes.

WOW how is that for answer!

Let’s try to simple it down a bit. I really like the last sentence. Protein helps in the growth and repair of tissue and can be obtained from foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes.

Those who have known me for awhile or maybe have read a post or two from me know I like laying it out there so there is no small print. I know I have typed this before but it bears repeating.

If it grows from the ground or comes from an animal eat it. If it comes from the ground or animal and humans do a lot with it from point A (meaning said animal or plant) to point B (meaning YOU) try your best to avoid it.

So protein is what helps growth and the repair of tissue. Let’s cover the growth topic first. Before you think by eating the next chicken breast will make you look like Arnold, hold on. First if you want to look that way you will have to train totally different and second you would have to eat massive amounts of protein. Generally that is not going to happen to you and me. Protein will help grow lean and tone muscles, generally what we would like to have.

The second topic protein helps repair tissue. This is a good one, because if you didn’t know this when you lift a weight you are basically ripping apart your muscle tissue. How’s that for an eye opener! Before you drop the dumbbell and run the other way, this actually the way it is suppose to happen. These muscle tissues are microscopic and as the repair themselves they repair become stronger, leaner and toner. So that is why we need protein.

Back to the protein shakes and powders, because it sounds like we really need this stuff. The answer is yes and no, I know it is never black or white with this stuff. Again let’s simplify this once more.

In the definition it states that protein comes from foods like meat, fish, eggs, milk and legumes. DO YOU EAT ANY OF THESE ITEMS? I thinking you just might. Good, BUTTTTTTT (you knew that was coming, right) do you eat enough of them?

This is why maintaining a balance diet is so important. Are you starting to see that if you want to reach your fitness and health goals everything needs to work together. Go without one item the whole chain falls apart, thus the word BALANCE!

There are times when these protein substitutions may come into play, especially if you are not eating a balance diet but they are not the excuse to keep eating this way. They are a band aid, a temporary stop gap measure, and rarely are they needed if you are maintaining a healthy diet.

But Fitness Buddy I am… fill in the blank here…

Vegetarian – OK no meat, you can get your protein from other sources like legumes.

Milk hater – OK how about yogurt?

EGGS, I heard they are high in cholesterol? – Correct they are, but the facts are unless you have a cholesterol problem you are missing out on one of the best nutrient resources we have to eat. There are 15 nutrients in an egg, 13 are found in the yoke. Everything in moderation, unless your doctor says NO!

Theses are all excuses and not the reason to switch to a protein shake or powder.

Yes there are times when you might want to grab a shake or make one for yourself, but if your diet is well balanced these times are far and few in between.

OK so here are my reasons to say no.

1. You just had a hard workout, why dump those calories right back into your body. The calorie counts on some of these shakes might be higher than the calorie count you just left on the gym floor.
2. Protein shakes are bring the gym BIG $$$. Don’t even get me started on the “protein bars” aka Candy Bars.
3. Protein powder are BIG $$$$$$ to the gym. Yes the Personal trainer makes a few $$$ selling them to you, but the gym itself makes most of the $.
4. The time at the gym I spent working I was pretty clear to myself I would not sell something to someone unless I understood it and could see any results. Well I did not see enough results to merit pushing on my client.
5. I am no doctor that is why I would ask my doctor before buying. Generally they are more concerned for your health versus the gym.

A last point. You can actually consume too much protein. More is not always better! Excess protein is stored as fat, not muscle, yep that is right I used the FAT word. Protein should roughly be about 20 to 25% of your calories on the day that you exercise for 1 hour, or close to an 8 to 10 ounces.

SOLUTION:

A great choice is scrambled eggs. Not only are you getting a good source of protein, they are a good source of other nutrients.

So The Fitness Buddy’s final say on Protein Shakes or powders… Eat smarter, make your food choices balanced and generally you can pass on the protein shake or powder. Why give the gym any more money if you don’t need too.

Until next time … Your Fitness Buddy.

These are the JUST SAY NO FOODS that are not helping you in your fitness and health journey.

1. Sports Drinks
2. Protein Shakes
3. Bagels
4. Bacon
5. Cocktails
6. Packaged Deli Meat

Before I go any further let me say most of you know I love food, it is my weakness and will be my weakness until I die. The message I am trying to get across is that you MUST make smarter decisions and the what you eat plays a bigger role in what you are going to loose than exercising. This does not mean, “see The Fitness Buddy says we don’t have to exercise”. WRONG! Exercise is also a big part of the fitness and health journey, besides helping you lose weight exercise also make the body stronger, leaner, toner and overall healthier. SORRY NO GIMMICKS HERE! Eat smarter, watch portions and exercise!

SPORT DRINKS

Question when is it best to drink sports drinks?

Only after a long workout.

Ever walk into a gas station or a grocery store and see the amount of sports drinks are available? It is shocking, but since they are SPORTS drinks they are made for the healthy and fit people so they must be OK for you… Right?

WRONG!

Generally the ONLY time you need a sport drink is when you are exercising longer than 90 minutes (I would say even closer to 2 hours is even better). Why? Turn the bottle around and look at the calories in the bottle. Then read the serving size of that bottle (usually around 4). Then read the amount of sugar that is in that sport drink. I am not saying sport drinks don’t have their place, but as a normal everyday man I am thirsty drink, NO WAY!

But then what are you suppose to drink when you are thirsty? Hmm… Let me see, what could a person drink that helps them with their thirst, is abundant and is good for you? HOW ABOUT WATER! When exercising up to 90 minutes and perhaps 2 hours water is everything you need. If you find yourself working out past 2 hours, 1. You animal and 2. Be my guest because your body is in need of some of the extras in that bottle.

PS – This also goes for those RED BULL type of drinks, soda, and those special coffee’s found at your local coffee houses (yes we are talking about STARBUCK’S) NOT NEEDED!

OK so no sport drinks, what can you have after a hard workout, try Chocolate Milk. OK Chocolate Milk is high in sugar, but it does replenish the body’s glycogen stores, PLUS it has good for you things like protein, carbs, calcium, fat and leucine.

What is leucine? It is the #1 amino acid for rebuilding muscle.

Let’s recap:

1. No to Sport Drinks, unless you are in the middle of a long workout (1 1/2 to 2 hours long, must be a hard workout, not you lollygagers)
2. NO to the Sport Drink cousins, Red Bull, soda, “coffees” EVER!
3. WATER WATER WATER WATER WATER WATER, get my point?
4. A good after workout out drink, good old chocolate milk!

Got it?

Part 2

A 2007 study shows that Americans were taking in 21% of their calories from what they drink or close to 460 a day. OK that doesn’t seem to bad. I will put it this way you are eating a Quarter Pounder from McDonald’s (without cheese) a day.

Better yet are you looking for that magical pill, that gimmick, that diet plan that will help you magically make you drop those few pounds? Well here it is folks, but there is one thing it is not magic. It is simple common sense. STOP DRINKING YOUR CALORIES! We are already putting to much food in our mouths, why add an extra 460 calories to it (by the way this was only an average, plus it this study was done in 2007, look at the calendar, it 2011 I am thinking that number has gone up).

It takes a person to burn an extra 3,500 calories (around) to loose one pound of fat. So let’s do the math.

460 calories

x 7 days in a week

3,220 extra calories per week

hmm… interesting… 3,220 is close to 3,500, correct? So if you substitute the 460 calories a day with say WATER which has zero…

OK I will get off my soap box and give you some helpful tips you can use throughout the day. Want to bet I will be mentioning water a few more times?

Breakfast

By far the most important meal of the day.

Bet you never heard that one before. So what are the choices?

1. Coffee, not the Starbucks version, a nice warm cup of joe. I am not a coffee drinker, but many of you are is an excellent choice. It is loaded with antioxidants and some needed caffeine. Caffeine in moderation does speed up your metabolism.
2. Milk, another good choice with a catch. First it has tons of protein and the right portion of fat a person needs, but here is the catch. Remember the idea about not drinking your calories, dump the 2% and move into the low fat or skim choices.
3. Juice or better a smoothie, STOP! Not the best of choices. Why? Sugar, Sugar, Sugar, and I believe these drinks may have some sugar. There are some smarter choices like a good cup of OJ once in awhile, but if you must drink juice MAKE SURE THE BOTTLE/CARTON SAYS 100% REAL JUICE. Another choice is Grapefruit juice which is lower in sugar and has that wonderful lycopene.

Mid Morning

1. Water, plus it is a good time to get up an stretch for a few moments.

Lunch

1. Simple WATER!
2. Another favorite at this time of day is tea! You know Tea has calories, right? Back to the water.

Mid Afternoon (AKA snoozeville)

1. Water (bet you didn’t see that one coming)
2. Coffee (NOT STARBUCKS or DUNKIN DOUGHNUTS) You can even add in a cream and sugar and still be way below those other types of coffee.

Dinner

1. Say it with me, WATER!

Post workout

1. This is one that got me when I was working at a club, THE PROTEIN SHAKE! WHY? So you worked out so hard burning all those calories just to put them back in and chances even more? So why to clubs sell protein shakes? I am not sure, but it might have something to do with they are very profitable! JUST SAY NO!
2. What you need after a workout is protein to help maximize muscle growth and carbs to help replenish your glycogen reserves. I think we talked about this in the beginning Chocolate Milk, better if it is reduced fat Chocolate Milk.

Before Bed

1. I am getting thirsty just saying it, WATER!

Does this mean you can’t have your Starbuck’s or a beer or two, of course not. Don’t believe me? Just ask the people at Culver’s. I do have a favorite shake there that I get from time to time. I too have to watch my calorie intake from my fluids. But this is a pretty safe bet, when it comes to losing a few pounds watching what you drink might have just as big of an impact on your waistline as what you eat.

Until next time… Your Fitness Buddy!

So if you made it this far, CONGRATS! If you stumbled a bit, it is not too late. Ask yourself is getting healthier and fitter REALLY that important? For some sadly it is not, but hopefully for most IT IS! You just need support and structure. Remember if it was easy everyone would do it. I am not going to kid you, this is hard, it takes effort and there are no permanent short-cuts.

The journey to health and fitness starts between the ears (OOOOHH that is good). It doesn’t start at the gym, getting on a treadmill or going on the latest diet. Start between the ears and work from there.

OK I found this article from the folks at Men’s Health. There is a choice of witch is better for you. As all of my post I will put my two cents worth. Give me some feed back.

#1. Vegetable or Vegetable juice?

Answer: Tie

Didn’t expect this one, did you? Unlike sugar-packed fruit juice, low-sodium vegetable juice, like V8, has relatively few calories and is still very nutritious. It’s a smart choice if you’re not eating enough vegetables. It’s also a healthy, antioxidant-packed alternative to a sugar-packed drink, like a typical store-bought smoothie.

My response: Tie? Really? OK maybe they have something here, but I have one issue with the tie. Have you ever tasted V8? Not exactly a hot fudge sundae. I know eating vegetables isn’t a hot fudge sundae but eating fresh veggies is tastier than a V8. Tie? Sorry not in my book.

#2. Pasture-Raised Meat over Factory Farm-Raised Meat

Answer: You don’t need to be a tree hugger to prefer sustainably produced chicken and beef.

Pastured chickens roam around and consume vitamin-rich bugs and grasses, so their meat has 21 percent less fat and 28 percent fewer calories than conventional chicken. Grass-fed beef, likewise, is 11 percent lower in calories than conventional beef. Plus it has 36 percent less fat and a healthier balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

I have to agree, but are they saying the 1/4 Cheeseburger at your local fast food place isn’t roaming around? Sometimes I wonder what the real story is in where this stuff comes from.

#3. Fresh Fruit over Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is nutritious, but by weight it has more than twice the calories of fresh. And because its water content is lower, you have to eat more to feel satisfied. In fact, fresh fruit beats any other fruit product, including juice. A medium orange, for example, has just 62 calories and 12 grams of sugar, along with 3 grams of belly-filling fiber. By comparison, 8 ounces of Tropicana Pure Premium OJ has 110 calories, 22 grams of sugar, and 0 g fiber.

One of my newer sayings is don’t drink your calories. I didn’t make that saying up but it hits home. I love a good glass of OJ, but they are correct. Water Water Water. Plus people do fall for the trap that just because it is dried it still means it is good for you, well not true. Read the labels!

#4. (Pork) Bacon over Turkey Bacon

Turkey is a relatively lean meat, but turkey bacon isn’t 100 percent bird. It can contain up to twice as many different additives as regular bacon has. Both turkey bacon and real bacon give you a mouthful of sodium, and the difference in calories is negligible— but at least real bacon makes your kitchen smell good. Plus, it’s not that indulgent—one slice has 25 calories.

Guilty! I have fallen for the Turkey Bacon, thinking that it is WAY better than regular bacon. Never thought about the additives they put into turkey bacon, sometimes it is not about the calories.

#5. Soft Cheese over Hard Cheese

As cheese ages, it loses moisture and becomes more dense in calories and fat. To cut calories without cutting out cheese, just eat smaller amounts of aged cheese, or go with a soft variety, such as mozzarella.

Did someone say cheese? This is a food source I have to watch because it is on the top ten list of my favorite things to put in my pie hole (ooh pie).

#6. Regular Peanut Butter over Reduced-Fat Peanut Butter

Reduced-fat peanut butter might seem like an easy way to save a few calories, but the manufacturer probably took out much of the fat in the peanuts and usedsoy protein and corn-syrup solids. That means you’re trading healthy fat for double the carbs, all to save a measly 19 calories.

I knew this one. Plus there are somethings that shouldn’t be substituted, one being peanut butter. It is similar to going to an ice cream shop and ordering sherbet, you just don’t do it. Or maybe a chocolate shop and getting sugarless chocolate. Other than for medical reasons you JUST DON’T DO IT! Life has to have it’s little pleasures, just remember everything in moderation.

Folks remember it is only week three of the journey. Some weeks are harder than others. When the days are short like they are here in the Chicago area and it snows/drizzles/ices/rains all in one day, the last thing you might want to do is eat right and exercise. It is OK, cut yourself some slack, but your are on a lifestyle change journey pick yourself up dust yourself off and keep on fighting!

Never give up, NEVER give up!

Until next time this is Your Fitness Buddy!

So on to the article and when I add something to the article I will make sure I note it.

Enjoy or be afraid…

Two out of three people in America today are either overweight or obese. That means every time you sit down in an airplane or a packed movie theater, more likely than not you’re going to wind up as the lean center of a fat sandwich. But as you look right and left and see nothing but heft, you can’t help but think, What happened?

How did we all get so darn fat?

Well, the simple answer is that we eat more calories. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that American men eat 7 percent more calories than they did in 1971; American women eat a whopping 18 percent more—an additional 335 calories a day! But the harder question is this: Why do we eat so many more calories? Are we suddenly more gluttonous? Do we have some kind of collective death wish? Is the entire country hellbent on qualifying for the next season of Biggest Loser?

No. There’s an even crazier reason: It’s the food!

We’ve added extra calories to traditional foods, often in cheap, mass-produced vehicles like high fructose corn syrup. These new freak foods are designed not by chefs, but by lab technicians packing every morsel with maximum calories at minimum cost—with little or no regard to dietary impact. Indeed, Eat This, Not That! 2011 has uncovered the truth about some of your favorite fast food and grocery store items and how they’re causing you to pack on unnecessary pounds. It’s enough to kill your appetite, which—in these cases, anyway—would be a good thing.

Hello it is me again The Fitness Buddy, I like to add something here. Reread that last paragraph! This goes with one of my sayings, “If it grows out of the ground, comes from an animal, EAT IT! If a human touches it, BEWARE! If many humans touch it, DON’T EAT IT!” The less involvement our food has with human beings the better. Is it possible? Yes, but it is difficult but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put some effort into it.

OK back to the article…

THE FAST-FOOD HAMBURGER
The great American staple. Don’t worry, burgers really do come from cows—but have you ever wondered how those giant chains process and distribute so much meat so cheaply? And . . . are you sure you want to know?

The Truth: Most fast-food hamburger patties begin their voyage to your buns in the hands of a company called Beef Products. The company specializes in taking slaughterhouse trimmings—heads and hooves and the like—that are traditionally used only in pet food and cooking oil, and turning them into patties. The challenge is getting this byproduct meat clean enough for human consumption, as both E. coli and salmonella like to concentrate themselves in the fatty deposits.

The Fitness Buddy here again… Did you read what I just read? Heads, Hooves, meant for pet food and cooking oil, turns them into patties? Yikes… That is something I did not know… Double Yikes… Suddenly I will have to rethink my purchase the next time I go through a drive thru…

The company has developed a process for killing beef-based pathogens by forcing the ground meat through pipes and exposing it to ammonia gas—the same chemical you might use to clean your bathroom. Not only has the USDA approved the process, but it’s also allowed those who sell the beef to keep it hidden from their customers. At Beef Products’ behest, ammonia gas has been deemed a “processing agent” that need not be identified on nutrition labels. Never mind that if ammonia gets on your skin, it can cause severe burning, and if it gets in your eyes, it can blind you. Add to the gross-out factor the fact that after moving through this lengthy industrial process, a single beef patty can consist of cobbled-together pieces from different cows from all over the world—a practice that only increases the odds of contamination.

Ah… Oh that is nice…

Eat This Instead: Losing weight starts in your own kitchen, by using the same ingredients real chefs have relied on since the dawn of the spatula. If you’re set on the challenge of eating fresh, single-source hamburger, pick out a nice hunk of sirloin from the meat case and have your butcher grind it up fresh. Hold the ammonia.

I wish they were kidding…

BETTY CROCKER’S BAC-O BITS
We’ve all been there before: A big bowl of lettuce or a steamy baked potato is set before us and the sudden desire for a bit of smoky, porky goodness pervades. We try to resist, but we grab for the bottle anyway: Mmmmm . . . bacon.

The Truth: Not quite. If it’s Bac-Os you grab for, just know that there’s not the slightest whiff of anything pork-like to be found in the bottle. So what are those little chips you’ve been shaking over your salads? Well, mostly soybeans. The bulk of each Bac-O is formed by tiny clumps of soy flour bound with trans-fatty, partially hydrogenated soybean oil and laced with artificial coloring, salt, and sugar. The result is a product that’s actually less healthy for your heart than the real thing!

I am glad to say this Fitness Buddy has never had a BAC-O-BITS. Don’t you just love that description – “tiny clumps of soy flour bound with trans-fatty, partially hydrogenated soybean oil and laced with artificial coloring, salt and sugar. YUMMY in your TUMMY! Seriously!

Eat This Instead: Hormel makes a product called Real Bacon Bits, and as the name implies, it’s made with real bacon. And gram-for-gram, the real bacon actually has fewer calories than Betty Crocker’s Bac-Os. If Hormel can make a nutritionally superior product using real bacon, then why would you ever choose the artificial one that’s loaded with partially hydrogenated soybean oil?

PREMADE GUACAMOLE
When you buy bean dip, you expect it to be made from beans. And when you buy guacamole, it seems reasonable to expect it to be made from avocados. But is it?

The Truth: Most guacamoles with the word “dip” attached to the label suffer from a lack of real avocado. Take Dean’s Guacamole, for example. This guacamole dip is composed of less than 2 percent avocado; the rest of the green goo is a cluster of fillers and chemicals, including modified food starch, soybean oils, locust bean gum, and food coloring. Dean’s is not alone in this offense. In fact, this avocado caper was brought to light when a California woman filed a lawsuit against Kraft after she noticed “it just didn’t taste avocadoey.”

Well the same cannot be said about guacamole for The Fitness Buddy. I can make an exception, I do not believe I have ever had guacamole from the grocery store. It has always been at a restaurant or made at home. Does that mean the restaurant made it fresh? That is a good question! Next time I will ask or better want proof. I mean who doesn’t like green goo with fillers and chemicals?

Eat This Instead: Avocados are loaded with fiber and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Trading the good stuff in for a bunch of fillers is cheating both your belly and your tastebuds. Either look for the real stuff (Wholly Guacamole makes a great guac), or mash up a bowl yourself. Scoop out the flesh of two avocados, combine with two cloves of minced garlic, a bit of minced onion, the juice of one lemon, chopped cilantro, one medium chopped tomato, and a pinch of salt.

FRUIT ON THE BOTTOM YOGURT
It seems like the ideal breakfast or snack for a man or woman on the go—a perfect combination of yogurt and antioxidant-packed fruits, pulled together in one convenient little cup. But are these low-calorie dairy aisle staples really so good for you?

The Truth: While the yogurt itself offers stomach-soothing live cultures and a decent serving of protein, the sugar content of these seemingly healthy products is sky-high. The fruit itself is swimming in thick syrup—so much of it, in fact, that high-fructose corn syrup (and other such sweeteners) often shows up on the ingredients list well before the fruit itself. And these low-quality refined carbohydrates are the last thing you want for breakfast—Australian researchers found that people whose diets were high in carbohydrates had lower metabolisms than those who ate proportionally more protein. Not to mention, spikes in your blood sugar can wreck your short-term memory, according to a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Not what you need just before your urgent 9 a.m. meeting with the boss!

This one was a gimmie. I knew this was more marketing, than about nutrition. How about this add in your own fruit? Oops I think they cover that below.

Eat This Instead: Plain Greek-style yogurt, mixed with real blueberries. We like Oikos and Fage brands—they’re jacked with about 15 to 22 grams of belly-filling protein, so they’ll help you feel satisfied for longer. And blueberries are another great morning add—scientists in New Zealand found that when they fed blueberries to mice, the rodents ate 9 percent less at their next meal.

TURKEY BACON
Pork bacon’s got a bad rap for wreaking havoc on your cholesterol. But is turkey bacon really any better?

The Truth: Stick with the pig. As far as calories go, the difference between “healthy” turkey bacon and “fatty” pig is negligible—and depending on the slice, turkey might sometimes tip the scales a touch more. Additionally, while turkey is indeed a leaner meat, turkey bacon isn’t made from 100 percent bird: One look at the ingredients list will show a long line of suspicious additives and extras that can’t possibly add anything of nutritional value. And finally, the sodium content of the turkey bacon is actually higher than what you’ll find in the kind that oinks—so if you’re worried about your blood pressure, opting for the original version is usually the smarter move.

Really? Next time I am at the grocery store I will have to check this one out. Hmmmm….

Eat This Instead: Regular bacon. We like Hormel Black Label and Oscar Mayer Center Cut bacon for some low-cal, low-additive options.

REDUCED-FAT PEANUT BUTTER
Nothing makes a PB&J feel less indulgent like a scoop of low-fat Jif. It’s low fat, so it must be better for you . . . right?

The Truth: A tub of reduced-fat peanut butter indeed comes with a fraction less fat than the full-fat variety—they’re not lying about that. But what the food companies don’t tell you is that peanut oil—the fat in peanut butter—is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat that can actually help fight weight gain, heart disease and diabetes! Instead, they’ve tried to cash in on the “low-fat” craze by replacing that healthy fat with maltodextrin, a carbohydrate used as a filler in many processed foods. This means you’re trading the healthy fat from peanuts for empty carbs, double the sugar, and a savings of a meager 10 calories.

Maltodextrin? What? That has the same amount of letters as Peanut Butter. Start to look at labels, folks. If you see words you cannot pronounce, spell or just never heard of look for a better option.

Eat This Instead: The real stuff: no oils, fillers, or added sugars. Just peanuts and salt. Smucker’s Natural fits the bill, as do many other peanut butters out there. We especially like Peanut Butter & Co. Original Smooth Operator and Original Crunch Time.

Bonus Tip: The average American drinks 450 calories a day—a quarter of the calories you’re supposed to consume during an entire day!

EAT RIGHT RULE: If your food can go bad, it’s good for you. If it can’t go bad, it’s bad for you.

In closing all is not lost. Part of the fitness and health journey I speak of is making smarter decisions. Going to resources to find factual information is something we all can do. It takes a little more effort but in the end we are talking about the most precious item we have, OUR HEALTH AND FITNESS! Breaking it down to the most basic, it is more important than your family, more important than your friends, more important than you job.

Don’t believe me? What good are those three things if you are DEAD? Sorry to be blunt, but as the article states 2/3 of the US population is overweight or obese. Everyone knows this shortens ones life.

Start to make smarter decisions… Until next time Your Fitness Buddy.

My string of inconsistency continues: Sorry life got in the way. I have been meaning to finish up with the last 5 so here they are.

21. Compare the front label with the back – What is stated on the front may not always be what is stated on the back, when you read the ingredients. The front might state something that is good for you, but in turn the back states it may only have a small portion of what is stated on the front.

22. Steer clear of 100-calorie packs – A study from Brown University in 2007 found that people ate the same amount of cookies and chips regardless of whether they ate from a large multi-serving bag or a single-serving bag. A Fitness Buddy note: I read this over numerous times and I am not sure about this one. Maybe it needed to include more information, but the way I read it a person will open up more than one 100-calorie pack per sitting. If this is true then I totally understand the statement. If a person sticks to a single 100-calorie pack versus a multi-serving pack, are they saying a person eats the exact single serving size? I doubt that. So yes eat more than 100-calorie bag, BAD! Eat just the one 100-calorie bag, OK! Saving money tip: The 100-calorie bags are more expensive per serving compared to the multi-serving brethren. Buy the multi-serving bag, then break out the zip lock baggies and measure out a single serving size and dump them into the bag. Done, cheaper!

23. Invest in smaller plates and bowls – Researchers have found that people will generally eat whatever is in front of them. For those that are old enough think back to your dinner plates when you where a kid, they averaged 8″ in diameter, today over 12″ is common. Less food on the plate the less you eat. Mom was right to say clean off your plate, but they were smaller plates back then.

24. Consider canola oil – Canola oil has less monounsaturated to saturated fat compared to the vaunted extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil’s price is near $1.00 per ounce, a high-end canola oil costs about a quarter.

25. Learn to love lentils – Lentils versus brown rice saves money. A pound bag has 11 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein in each serving size. Plus it is rich in folate and B vitamin, plus saves you 41 cents a pound versus brown rice.

Well that is it. 25 tips on beating the grocery store at their own game, eating healthier and keeping an eye on the pocket book.

Until next time The Fitness Buddy…