Eat half your dessert Eat off smaller plates Snack on fruits & veggies Ask for salad dressing on the side Swap fries for a green salad Increase your fiber If you sit a lot, get up and move about once an hour Skip seconds Drink water before a meal Don't snack late at night Order your latte with skim milk Chew your food slowly Don't eat snacks directly from the bag - portion out a serving Stop eating before you're full Take the stairs instead of the elevator Eat before you get too hungry Eat before you go food shopping Eat sweets in small amounts When you eat out, ask the server { Read More }
How’s Your Memory? Secrets from a Champ
We all have our so-called little tricks. Some use post-it notes. Others use a string around their finger. And then there are those of us who write the same thing down on three different lists... only to forget where we left those lists. It's embarrassing when you walk out to the parking lot and can't remember where you parked your car. Or how about when you're stuck for a word and it stubbornly refuses to form on your lips, or when you forget someone's name at the moment you're about to introduce them to someone else? But there are tricks to remembering. Maybe there's hope after all. I { Read More }
Something I’ve Always Wondered About: Should You Wash Bagged Greens?
Ever since the outbreak of Listeria from bagged salad greens (eight times in 2012!), I've been paranoid about washing my greens. Even if they come bagged, and the bag is marked "triple washed," I pay no attention. Out comes my salad spinner (what a great invention - can't live without it) and rinse...and rinse...and rinse. I mean, who wants Listeria, which can multiply at refrigerator temperatures, and cause potentially deadly blood poisoning or meningitis in older adults and in people with compromised immune systems? Why take a chance, when all you have to do is..rinse? Here's what the FDA has to { Read More }
What You’re Probably Not Getting Enough of in Your Diet
Quick - what comes to mind when you hear the word "fiber?" I'll bet it's something to do with needing it to stay "regular." Well, yes, that's one thing fiber helps you do - avoid constipation. But it's important for other reasons, too. And since March is National Nutrition Month (it's also the month we change the clocks - yay!) it's a good time to think about putting more fiber into your diet. Why? Most of us are not getting enough fiber. Current recommendations call for at least 25 grams per day; the amount in five servings of either fruits or veggies and one or two servings of { Read More }
Shouldn’t We Be HEALTHIER Than Our Parents Were??
I like to think that every generation learns from the prior generation and steps things up when it's their turn. This one thing is for sure: I always thought that we knew more about being healthy than our parents did. C'mon, look at us! We're the gym-goers, healthy eaters, obsessed with our input as well as our output. We're the healthy generation, the enlightened ones who know a thing or two about whole grains, too much salt, too little sleep. Aren't we? Now, take our parents. Did they know the difference between a crunch and a lunge? I'll bet they never knew that regular exercise can keep your { Read More }
3 Diet Myths and Other Confusions
I'm wondering why I woke up this morning with weight on my mind. Is it because we're into a new year and I'm hearing lots of people talking about hanging onto their promises to shed some pounds? Or is it because with each passing year, it's getting tougher - dammit! - to keep off those extra pounds? Or maybe it's the (ridiculous, non-age-appropriate) fashions in the magazines that make us feel like we aren't thin enough....that we can never be thin enough. How about all of the above? I just came back from visiting my BFF in California and I think that might be influencing my perception just a wee { Read More }
Midlife Minute: Think Before You Eat
It's easy to dig into food that is in front of you, especially if it's the kind that you love and crave . For me, that's anything sweet. I can easily ignore the savory, salty stuff, but cookies, pies and cakes? Not so much. To save you some unwanted pounds, too-tight pants, mindless eating and that overall awful feeling of regret (AKA "self-loathing"), here are some helpful tips, brought to you from the American Academy of Family Physicians. Consider them the adult equivalent of a time out (AKA "get a grip"). Ask yourself whether you truly are hungry or if you are eating to fulfill another { Read More }
Keeping Thanksgiving Leftovers Healthy
We usually have way too much food for Thanksgiving. But we know that in advance. One of the reasons we overcook is so we have leftovers. I don't know exactly why, but I enjoy leftovers way more than I enjoy the food the first time around. And despite the fact that I know it's nice to give departing guests a doggie bag, I get rather possessive of my leftovers... Our Thanksgiving was a small affair this year. Recent events - the hurricane, my dad being in the hospital, relatives unable to travel - made for a really quiet and somewhat somber holiday. We lost the pleasure of the company of our older son to { Read More }
It’s Never Too Late to Make Healthy Choices
After visiting Miami’s Pritikin Longevity Center a while back, I’m happy to say many of the lessons I learned still resonate with me. Instead of using salad dressing, I drizzle my salad with the best balsamic glaze I can afford. I’ve cut my protein portions from eight ounces to about four, and find that it’s just enough, since most of my plate is loaded up with salad and veggies. While some might have found the conversation with my various meal companions each night excruciatingly boring and a big yawn, each time we sat down together to break bread (that is the closest we ever got bread, trust me), { Read More }