If you must eat fast food
I cannot advocate eating fast food, but I know we all have cravings for cheap, greasy fast food. I found an article on real simple.com that outlined the typical foods we consume at fast food chains. I wanted to go through the top 5 fast food restaurants and give suggestions on what is your best bet.
1. Wendy’s
Instead of ordering a loaded baked potato (bacon, sour cream, butter), opt for a baked potato topped with broccoli, chili and chives. It is filling, has loads of fiber, and has a mere 370 calories and 3 grams of fat. Add a glass of 1 percent reduced-fat chocolate milk to satisfy a sweet tooth.
2. Taco Bell
Always choose soft tortillas over crunchy.
Try the fresco style which replaces a dish’s normal sauce and cheese with fresh salsa. Loading up on salsa instead of cheese and other sauces can save you hundreds of calories and 10 or more grams of fat. The fresco style tastes fresh and has cilantro, which is delicious.
3. Subway
I thought tuna was always a good choice, but I was wrong. It is loaded with mayonnaise, which is very fattening and loaded with cholesterol. Try a veggie or turkey sandwich and order it on a wheat roll.
4. McDonald’s
It’s all about the sauce or dressing here. If you purchase chicken nuggets, pick barbecue sauce over ranch. You save 345 calories. A better choice is always a salad, but make sure you order yours with low-fat balsamic vinaigrette.
5. Burger King
If you must have a burger, order a hamburger from the kid’s menu and a side salad.
If you can do without the beef, order a grilled chicken sandwich with extra lettuce and vegetables.
Drink up…. Green Tea, that is
The benefits and perks of drinking green tea keep getting better and better. A recent study done by researches at the University of Purdue found that a compound in green tea reduces the growth of cancer cells. Drinking green tea also lowers cholesterol levels and helps the ratio of HDL (good cholesterol) to LDL (bad cholesterol).
This magic of green tea is that is high in catechin polyphenols, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is an anti-oxidant that reduces the growth of cancer cells, kills cancer cells without hurting healthy cells, lowers LDL cholesterol levels and reduces the chance of blood clots from forming. Green tea even prevents tooth decay.
Green tea is linked to help in medical conditions such as:
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cancer
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cardiovascular disease
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infection
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poor immune system
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high cholesterol levels
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arthritis
Bottom line…. drink green tea, it’s good for you and it tastes good.
Prevent ovarian cancer through your diet
MSNBC recently reported that adding certain foods to your diet could help reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer.
The magic ingredient in these foods are flavonoids, a type of antioxidant compound that are part of a plant’s natural defense system that fights off disease and infection. Scientists believe that flavonoids could protect cells from DNA damage.
Three types of flavonoids were listed including kaempferol (found in tea, broccoli, kale and spinach), luteolin (found in peppers, carrots, cabbage and celery), and myricetin (found in tea, dried beans, raisins and blueberries).
It is important for college women to include these foods in their diet because ovarian cancer has no symptoms in early stages so it is often diagnosed at more advanced stages, meaning survival rates are lower then other types of cancer.
Here’s a recipe I found (from Rachael Ray…who else?) for an easy side-dish that includes both peppers and broccoli to enhance your ovarian cancer fighting potential!
There’s more to the core than a sexy tummy!
Core fitness is the key to a healthy-looking, athletic body and is crucial for active pain-free movement.
Core muscle training can improve your body in so many ways:
- flatter stomach
- a strong, athletic-looking back
- improve sexual performance
- decrease chance of injury
- increase speed
- boost muscle power and agility
- enhance balance and posture
Exercises that work the core- they’re easy & you can even do them at home:
- Plank
- Side plank
- Boat Pose – strenthens abdominals
- Bridge - works glutious maximus and lower back
- Hip Lifts – begin in bridge, then slowly lower hips to ground, and then back up again pushing your pelvis to the ceiling, squeezing your glut and abdominal muscles
- Push-ups
- Crunches – for an extra challenge, use large stability ball to challenge balance and increase the range of motion
- Use BOSU (equipment that looks like half a stability ball) – place hands on BOSU ball shoulder length apart, extend arms and legs out like you are doing plank or a push up -this will challenge core muscles even more
- Cat Pose - this action (on all fours, bringing your navel into your spine) primarily recruits transverse abdominus
- Squats & Lunges
- Any CARDIO: Cardio on machines such as the elliptical, treadmill, or stationary bike require your core muscles, especially abdominals to be engaged
For more info check out Yoga Journal or About.com’s Core Strength Suggestions and Info!
No Pudge Brownies
Lindsay Frucci, like myself, is a brownieholic. She loves chocolate but hates fat, so she created No Pudge! Fudge Brownie mix in 1995. These delcious treats are fat-free and one 2-inch brownie sqare only contain 120 calories.
I recommend the single serving recipe which is just 2 tablespoons of No Pudge! Brownie mix and 1 tablespoon of non-fat vanilla yogurt. Microwave the ingredients in a bowl for one minute. Put a dollop of non-fat whipped cream on top and it is heavenly.
No Pudge! Brownies started in New Hampshire but are now sold in thousands of grocery stores across the nation. I found them at Food Lion and you can also order the mix online.
The brownie mix comes in original, cappuccino, mint, rasberry and multi-packs.
Visit the website for more recipes.
Yoga: Take free classes on campus
Yoga can lower stress levels, increase muscle tone and help with mediation. Shape magazine featured an article that claimed Yale researchers found yoga and mediation can lower high blood pressure.
While gym memberships may not be in some people’s budgets, if you have a gym on your campus, yoga classes are probably offered. JMU offers yoga as well as yogalates (a combination of yoga and pilates).
I thought I would include some of my favorite yoga poses here that you can try at home.
1. Chair pose (strengthens thighs, calves, ankles and spine)
Look at this video to watch how to complete this pose.
2. Tree pose (strengthens thighs, calves, ankles and back–also helps build balance)
Look at this video to watch how to complete this pose.
3. Crescent Moon pose (strengthens legs, back, shoulders and arms– also helps build stamina)
Look at this video to watch how to complete this pose.
I encourage you all to take a yoga class to learn the basic poses. Once you become familiar with the poses, you can practice at home.
Namaste.
Don’t Feel Bad About Eating Peanut Butter by the Spoonful Any Longer
Are you a peanut butter lover, but worry about how fattening it is? Don’t fray any longer. Buy all-natural peanut butter and you are in the clear. All natural peanut butter, such as Smart Balance Omega, is a “good fat.” It is a great source of omega 3’s from flax oil, contains no refined sugars or trans fatty acids and is non-hydrogenated. If your peanut butter does not separate or form oil at the top, you are good to go.
You want to avoid commercial peanut butter like Jif and Skippy because they contain hydrogenated oil and refined sugars, which are very bad for you. The oil in non-natural peanut butter forms harder, saturated fats. This is done to keep the oil from forming at the top, however, that oil is trans fat acid and very unhealthy. Remember saturated fat = bad.
All-natural peanut butters are good sources of protein and fiber which will keep you feeling fuller for longer and can reduce the risk of heart disease. It also contains foliate, vitamin E, magnesium and resveratrol, which are all nutrients linked to reducing heart disease.
So next time you are in the grocery store, proudly buy all-natural peanut butter and be happy to not see oil at the top.
“New”-tritious Foods
While trying new foods is always a good thing, trying new super nutritious foods is even better. CookingLight.com recently highlighted eight new power foods and recipes using these foods as the main ingredients. I’ve decided to take my three favorite of the eight and tell you how I incorporate them into my diet, because sometimes these recipes can be tricky or time consuming.
1. Soybeans–Sounds scary, I know but soybeans are actually really good. I discovered them at my favorite sushi restaurant when I got an appetizer of edamame. Next time you go grocery shopping try looking for a bag of edamame (a.k.a. soybeans) in the frozen vegetable section. Just microwave some, sprinkle with a little salt and get snacking.
2. Cranberry/Grape–Cran-Grape juice is delicious. Both are good and healthy on their own, although straight cranberry juice can be a bit tart (and also is easily confused with Cranberry Juice Cocktail which is loaded with sugar).
3. Kale–I’ve been eating kale since I was little, mostly because my mom likes to make black eyed pea soup (try it, it’s really good). Lately I’ve been sautéeing kale as a side vegetable for dinner. Adding some minced garlic makes it extra good.
Play around with these foods and let us know the different ways you can incorporate them in your diet!
Prevent skin cancer with java and a jog!
Most of you are on spring break right now, but for those summer vacations soon approaching…keep this in mind.
After working out, you might want to swap that postrun bottle of water with a cup of coffee. Rutgers University has released research showing that the combination of exercise and caffeine could help destroy precancerous skin cells.
tea or coffee anyone?! I think so 
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