Mindless Eating... and the solutions to avoid it!

Today's tips are brought to you via "Today's Dietician Magazine"

• Today the average person makes nearly 250 food decisions each day. Wow! and most of these decisions happen without thinking! 

• Research shows that people eat an average of 2.2 more candies each day when they are visible, compared to when they are not. Solution? Don't leave candy out on your desk, dining room table, or anywhere near them! If you don't think 2.2 extra pieces of candy is a lot, you should do the math (2.2 x ~50 calories = ~100 extra calories per day, times 365 days = 36,500 extra calories a year, which is 10 pounds.......)
• Be careful when you purchase 100-calorie packs. While the idea may be a good one (portion control) they tend to backfire for about 30% of the population, according to research. The idea of portioning out your food is a great way to make a healthier environment, but you're still going to be better off eating 100 calories of a fruit, vegetable, or low fat dairy product than you will eating a 100-calorie pack of cookies. Also, it's cheaper just to do the portioning yourself!
• Have you ever noticed that the foods with the most marketing tend to be the ones that the worst for us? If you have the ability to do so, fast forward through your commercials, or just leave the room when they are on.
• Believe it or not, food is cheaper these days, and according to the article it only takes up about 6% of our income (this is an average). I think a lot of us get caught in the traps at stores where we see a "good deal" and then we must buy it, even if we hadn't planned on doing so.Can you say "mindless shopping"! Remind yourself that unhealthy food is typically cheap food, so stay away, unless you really must have it....

Bride to Be Tip: How to dine out smarter and guilt-free

Food is a part of our social interaction. You can stick to your diet all you want- but when you get an invite to have dinner out with friends, or out to a special date night with your sweetie, you should be able to accept and not freak out about what the scale might say the next day. Here are some tips to help you dine out smarter and guilt-free.

1. Prepare before you go. If possible check out the restaurant menu online (if possible) and choose what you will eat ahead of time. 
2. Don't skip breakfast and/or lunch. You don't want to be ravenously starving and dive head first into the bread basket. If you are really hungry, eat a small snack before you leave the house (example: small handful of almonds, a few baby carrots, or a small box of raisins). 
3. Ask how the food is seasoned or prepared. Fish may sound like a healthy idea on the menu, (and it usually is) but if it is blackened- then it's got a layer of grease and salt getting in the way and you are losing the benefits of eating fish in the first place. 
4. Splurge if you must. But pick only 1 item to splurge on. If you really want a glass of wine- got for it. Or if you really want cake for dessert- have it. Just don't have the alcohol, and the bread basket, and the fries, and the cake, and.... (get the point?)
5. Eat half of your meal. Portion sizes are HUGE these days! Split the meal with someone, or eat half and have the other half boxed up. If you have trouble leaving food on the plate, ask the server the bring the box out with the meal and box up half right away. Then you won't be tempted to overindulge.
6. Eat Consciously and Intuitively. Stop eating when you are 80% full. If you overdo it, because "it just tastes SO good!" Box the rest up and you can always eat it later and it will still taste great.

Look for these key words when choosing off the menu:

• steamed
• broiled
• baked
• grilled
• poached 
• roasted

Stay away from menu items that are:

• fried
• crispy
• au gratin
• blackened

You have your resolutions... now what?

Maintain your 2011 fitness and weight loss resolutions

We all set out with the best intentions when making our resolutions for the new year. Hopefully, you are staying on track with your physical fitness goals. If you have strayed from staying the course, don't beat yourself up. Changing bad habits and adopting a new a healthier lifestyle won't happen overnight. Be patient with yourself and keep your focus and set your goals for what you can achieve today.
Here are 5 inspirational tips to keep your 2011 New Year's Resolution of keeping in shape on track.
1. Think about how much better you'll feel after your workout. Getting started or motivating yourself to start is the hardest part. After working out, endorphins kick in which help elevate our mood, relieve stress, and keep us coming back for more.
2. Tell yourself you only have to do 15 minutes. By the time you have finished those first few minutes, you'll feel re-inspired to keep going. Our bodies like to move, and after you warm-up you will realize how good it feels and continue for 15 more minutes, or even a full hour!
3. Schedule to workout with a friend. Inspire each other to keep the appointment. No one likes to cancel on a set social event. Find a friend who has similiar workout goals and make sure you both hold each other to it.
4. Invest in some new music. Listening to an upbeat song will help get your body, and your mind, moving. Put on earphones and go for a walk. While listening to your favorite new song or playlist you may find yourself picking up the pace or even going for a refreshing jog.
5. Multi-task! Workout while you are watching your favorite TV show. Lie on the floor and do Pilates mat exercises. Here is a great abdominal endurance exercise that is easy to do at home.