Eat Smart Age Smart » Best Diet Tips from Experts

Doctors want to kill this woman

eatsmart — Tue, 11 May 2010 18:33:32 +0000

In what is perhaps the most shocking announcement made in some time regarding the diet and health industry, a lady doctor has just released what some authorities are calling the world’s “Top Secret Fat Loss Secret!”

The woman doctor, whose name is Dr. Suzanne Gudakunst, has really upset the major food & drug industries, as well as diet supplement manufacturing food companies.

In the past 6 years she has worked largely in secret developing what may be the “cure” for obesity — and testing this first on herself, and then on a select group of volunteer patients who anxiously awaited salvation from the harmful effects of suffering “the battle of bulge.” So valuable her SHOCKING findings and PROVEN results are, that she’s now just released her simple and easy-to-do system under the aptly titled: “Top Secret Fat Loss Secret!” And her timing couldn’t be better. . . !

Click here for the secret …

- Since recent studies reveal obesity has now reached epidemic proportions, her secret may well prove a major life-saver to the now more than 40% of Americans alone who are labeled “obese!” – Children are now considered “fatter than ever” by most experts, and Dr. Suzanne’s remedy may prove a preventative in the fight against later-in-life developed diabetes when these same children grow into adults!

And what may be the BIGGEST “Shock” of all is this horrifying fact:

=> Dr. Suzanne has received death threats for simply making her secret fat loss solution available to the general public – and from what law enforcement investigators believe may be insiders in the weight-loss/diet food manufacturing and weight-loss drug treatment industries!

One federal law enforcement official (who insists on remaining nameless) said in confidence:

“It’s no shock to us at the [agency name withheld for security purposes] that this lady doc has received so many threats on her life as food and drug companies stand to lose potentially billions of dollars by the release of her new breakthrough secret for losing weight.”

But now with the release of this breakthrough weight and fat loss revelation, people who previously struggled so very hard with little or any success in the fight against the “extra pounds” now have a VAST & POWERFUL WEAPON on their side for a well-deserved change!

Click here for the secret

When asked if she feared retaliation from pharmaceutical and weight-loss food manufacturers, she said almost too hopefully…

“I wish they would do so especially in public because to get fired upon for this would demonstrate more than ever that I must have done something very, very right …

…as anyone with common sense would see that the only reason they are in business in the first place is because being overweight as a population only serves to make them even richer … and what I’ve done is going to free masses of people from being slaves to them for good! – even many millions.”

So despite the continued threats, Dr. Suzanne is more on the ball and out to ruffle as many feathers as she can with her New “TOP SECRET Fat Loss Secret!”

Click here for the secret

To be sure the good gal-doctor isn’t going this alone! Nope. She’s got some very BIG heavy-hitters on her side!

Joined in unison by some of the biggest names in modern medicine from the likes of Johns Hopkins, Harvard Medical, and a good number of the other leading world-recognized hospitals and higher-learning institutions, Dr. Suzanne moves rapidly forward in her personal “war” on ugly, unwanted fat and for the pursuit of better and eventually optimal health for all!

Additionally, you should know that nothing about her secret fat loss cure is difficult or hard to do.

What you may even find strangely surprising about her secret is the fact that it can by done by anyone effortlessly! (You’ll have to see it for yourself to understand how this is actually possible!)

So if you are someone who has been losing the fight against ugly fat and unwanted extra weight (that eventually without a doubt will shorten your life and lower the quality of it), then this is exactly what the good lady-doctor ordered!

Just grab the good doctor’s secret for yourself at:

Click here for the secret

But I feel it only fair to warn you that “the rush” is so vehemently on, that if you hesitate you may find that tomorrow when you get there (the link just above) the credit card-taking process might be so overburdened that you can’t order at all … (So it might be a good idea that you hurry on over there NOW rather than risk waiting till later and losing out for good!)

Plus, it’s my understanding that she knocks off nearly HALF the price just for people getting over there within 24-48 hours!

So if I were you I’d not take any chances because although credit card processing may still be working by the time you get there, the price may nearly DOUBLE just 2 days from now (and then you’ll kick yourself saying “Dad-gummit! I knew I should have grabbed that when I had the chance!” … so don’t let this happen to you – grab it NOW!)

Also keep this in mind…
———————————
How many times have you seen sudden “breakthroughs” of such great controversy potentially come along and cause a woman doctor to actually get death threats for her secret ‘know-how?’ — You’re right … very, very few.

So don’t overlook this email as it may very well prove to be one of the most influential and important ones you’ve ever received…

Grab the good doctor’s secret for yourself at:

Click here for the secret

Jump start weight loss before spring break!

eatSmart — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:59 +0000

Losing a few pounds before spring break can be easier than you think and it can be done in a safe way. Yes, it is possible to enjoy a healthy weight loss before you hit the beaches in your newest bikini!

A spring break body is more achievable than you think AND you don’t have to dread showing your body to the world if you keep a few simple rules in mind.

Now, before I share these tips with you, remember that having a bikini-ready body should not be reserved to a few times in the year. By making healthy eating and a regular intensive fitness regime as part of your life, you will have a strong and fit body all year round.

>>> Here are 10 easy dummy-proof ways to jump start weight loss before spring break!

1. Eat protein at every meal: You should also include breakfast and eat vegetarian protein like nuts.

2. Limit the highly refined wheat foods: Make sure to include whole wheat and whole grain options in your diet.

3. Ditch “food products”: Ninety per cent of what you eat should be REAL food that could have been hunted, caught, gathered from the ground, plucked from a tree or grown … if it comes in a box/package from your freezer … chances are it’s not all that real.

4. Vary your starch: Include a lot of “real” carbohydrates in your diet as opposed to high refined ones. Your best choices are oatmeal, sweet potatoes, beans and legumes.

5. Be careful with sweets: Don’t eat unlimited amounts of fruit and be careful with the extra-sweet, extra-ripe variety. For now on, keep fruits to two a day, and choose the low-sugar, high-fibre variety like apples, pears, plums and especially berries! Here’s a tip: fruit should be eaten alone or with something light such as nuts or some cheese. Drastically limit your intake of fruit juice.

6. What kind of fat are you eating? You should worry less about the amount of fat you and pay more attention to the kind of fat you eat. The worst are fried foods, margarine (this is really bad for you) and foods that contain hydrogenized or partially hydrogenized oils. The best is omega-3, found in fish and flaxseed oil.

7. Reduce or eliminate dairy for a short period of time (especially cow’s milk): For a few weeks, you might want to limit your dairy intake to reasonable amounts of cheese and occasional portions of yogurt, but NOT the fat-free kind (it contains way too much sugar).

8. Stop using vegetable oils such as sunflower, safflower and corn: Instead buy olive oil, grape seed oil or coconut oil. Conventional supermarket vegetable oils are HIGHLY refined, and oxidize easily when heated, contributing to arterial plaque.

9. Drink at least eight or more large glasses of pure water a day: You’ve heard this before … I’m not teaching you anything new, but the question is: ARE YOU DRINKING WATER EVERY DAY or are you still making excuses like: “I don’t like the taste of water”?

10. Eliminating alcohol for a couple of weeks: You can always go back to moderate drinking later, but cutting back will help you drop the weight fast.

Do you have healthy tricks to help you get your spring break body ready? I’ve love to hear about them!

Photo by Stewart

>>>> If you’re viewing this healthy eating or healthy living tip in an aggregator that collects content from different sites, or as a re-blogged post, please check out the content from the REAL website at www.EatSmartAgeSmart.com

Tapping World Summit testimonials

eatsmart — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:50:55 +0000

Tapping is a technique that combines ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology with startling results. In fact, Paul McKenna has used this method to help a number of his clients deal with weight issues and binge eating.

Tapping has been extremely effective at helping people get over fear, anxiety, trauma, phobias, even pain and excess weight with a simple tapping technique that you can easily learn and apply yourself . . . and do it right from the comfort of your own home? Tapping has also been linked to cancer recovery!

The First Tapping World Summit (in March 2008) had over 81,000 attendees!

If you are looking to heal from the pain of anxiety and stress, this proven method might actually be worth you taking a few minutes to learn more.

This event is monumental!

There is a new DVD series that shows you how to effectively use the tapping technique yourself from the comfort of your home or during breaks at the office.

The movie teaches you about releasing pain, how our emotions affect our body, releasing trauma, how our childhood is affecting us today, how to clear limiting beliefs, using Tapping to make the Law of Attraction work for you, and much more!

==> Check out the video here: The Tapping Solution

>>>What is Meridian tapping and how can it help me in my life?

Millions of people are settling for lives filled with poor health and emotional baggage. Not knowing how to achieve the joyful and satisfying lives they desire, they’re stuck accepting a lifestyle of emotional trauma, chronic physical pain, compulsions and addictions, or perhaps just an empty feeling inside. Along with these problems come pills to kill the pain, sleep at night, and suppress anxiety – but this is hardly better than the disease.

If you’re like many people, you feel trapped, caught in this cycle. You’re tired of feeling sad, depressed, anxious, discontent, and unwell. You’re sick of the expensive and ineffective treatments. You’re fed up with relinquishing the power over your health and happiness to psychologists and doctors. You’d like to grow, flourish, and thrive, putting the past in the past. You want to be your best, living a life that is filled with peacefulness, joy, and fulfillment, from day to day and moment to moment.

With Tapping, you can do that. You can discover the vital secret for emotional wholeness and physical relief. You can take your physical and emotional well-being into your own hands. It’s simple for anyone to master.

==> Check out the video here: The Tapping Solution

>>> Here are some really powerful testimonials on the effectiveness of the tapping technique:

“What a wonderful DVD this is! It’s a solid, down-to-earth, and compassionate portrayal about an extraordinary subject.” — Lindsay Kenny

“This movie and this technique is profound and yet so incredibly simple.” — Ariane de Bonvoisin

I am not one to tear often and this movie made tears come to my eyes. This is really really positive, great stuff. — Christopher P.

“I received my DVD a couple of days ago and have played it many times. It’s terrific!” – Irene, Ontario Canada

“I had a serious knee injury and tapped along as you suggested and the pain is just gone. My knee is perfect. Now, I know that Tapping works, but it still amazes me how spectacular it works.” — Madalyn M. Richardson

“I have to tell you that it far exceeded my expectations. It is truly EXCELLENT. Good work!!!!” — Laya Stettler

“I have tears in my eyes watching how everyone shifted from their pain, whether be emotionally or physically into having more control over their lives.This was a so inspirational to watch! For anyone who has any doubt about this technique, watch this video and get inspired! It works!” — Annie Siegel – New York, NY

“The DVD The Tapping Solution is the tool I need to help explain to the sceptics around me what I’ve been enthusing about. It is, I believe, pitched just right to stimulate curiosity. This film quietly draws us in to the main theme – how people with many different kinds of problems can be helped by the same simple technique.

It is brilliantly filmed and edited, well shaped and the right length, intriguing yet respectful of the privacy of the participants. It is beautiful to observe their individual blossoming, and the development of empathy within the group. Their stories are our stories, one way or another.

The clips from interviews with a great range of experts are very helpful, worth watching again and again for the insights they bring. Thank you so much for the care and love you have put into the making of this great little DVD. It’s a gem.” — Lynsey Ferrari, New Zealand

“The DVD is amazing, inspiring, moving, just plain fantastic.” –Cecilia Winston, St. Louis, MO

==> Check out the video here: The Tapping Solution

Tapping Solution explores “Meridian Tapping” a new discovery that combines Ancient Chinese Acupressure and Modern Psychology with startling results. If you are caught in pain, addictions and other limiting beliefs, the Tapping Solution can help you make head waves in your everyday life.

==> Check out the video here: The Tapping Solution

Tapping World Summit testimonials

Food addiction can take over your life

eatsmart — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:56:28 +0000

Food addiction is now considered as a real health issue that goes far beyond the simple idea of telling someone to stop overeating.

Food addiction is so complicated that it’s been the discussion of many case studies on TV medical shows like Dr. Oz Show and The Doctors.

Food addiction is most likely what has gotten a lot of participants on The Biggest Loser to seek the much needed help they need.

One of the techniques that has worked incredibly well for food addiction is “tapping”. Tapping is an ancient Chinese technique that has gained a lot of popularity in the last few years.

Tapping has become so vastly popular that two years ago several thousands of people around the world used this technique during one of the biggest healing event on the planet!

The First Tapping World Summit (in March 2008) had over 81,000 attendees!

If you are looking to heal from the pain of anxiety and stress, this proven method might actually be worth you taking a few minutes to learn more.

This event is monumental!

>>> What’s this about the Tapping World Summit?

The Tapping World Summit is an amazing online event that last year had over 81,000 people in attendance.

If you’ve never heard of Tapping before you’re going to be blown away at how powerful it is.

The best way for me to explain how effective it is for you to take a look at the video on the page below.

In the middle of the video you’ll see an amazing clip from the documentary film “The Tapping Solution.”

==> Check out the video here: The Tapping Solution

It’s used and recommended by leading experts such as Jack Canfield, Joe Vitale, Cheryl Richardson, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Joseph Mercola and many others.

If you’re looking to create prosperity, clarity, energy focus, better physical and emotional health, unlock the reason why you’re not losing weight, deal with food addiction and much, much more than you need to register for this international online event:

==> Check out the video here: The Tapping Solution

This event features some of the top EFT / Tapping practitioners in the world such as Carol Look, Patricia Carrington, Brad Yates, Bob Doyle, Carol Tuttle…in fact, there will be over 18 instructors in all with over 20 presentations …

Just take a look here at what you will experience, at no charge to you:

==> Check out the video here: The Tapping Solution

You can listen to all of the presentations or just a few of them, you get to pick the topics that interest you.

=> Check this out:

When you register you’ll also get immediate access to three powerful interviews with Jack Canfield and Joe Vitale who you may recognize from the hit movie “The Secret” and Bruce Lipton, the author of “The Biology of Belief.”

Plus you’ll get two more audios introducing you to the 2010 Tapping World Summit that will teach you the basics of Tapping so you can immediately start to implement this powerful technique.

This entire event is filled with amazing speakers, topics and information. It’s a one of a kind event that you won’t find anywhere else.

==> Check out the video here: The Tapping Solution

>>> There is an entire section devoted to food addiction:

“Freedom from Food! Releasing your cravings and compulsive eating habits to lose weight and feel great.

In this content-rich session you will discover:

* The hidden relationships between stress and food

* The secret to stop using food as a solution to your problems, or to mask pain.

* Gloria’s Four Level Plan to eliminate guilt and the pain associated with compulsive eating

* The key to losing that excess weight and never regaining it again: a three-step daily tapping workout.

Gloria Arenson is a California-based psychotherapist specializing in cutting edge therapies such as Meridian Tapping. She has helped thousands of people to recover successfully from eating disorders, compulsive spending, anxiety, fears, phobias, PTSD, panic disorder and other problems.

She is the author of numerous books, including “Desserts is Stressed Spelled Backwards”, “How To Stop Playing The Weighting Game”, and “EFT For Procrastination”.

>>> Food is not only one of the many health issues and phobias that have been cured with the tapping technique:

Chronic back pain, fear of public speaking, Fybromyalgia, abudance blocks and smoking to name a few.

>>> Here are a few powerful testimonials from Thought Leaders:

“I have been Tapping for years and have found it to be a pivotal tool in creating the life of my dreams. Finally a film that captures this technique in a heartfelt, down to earth and passionate way. This information is essential if you want to live your best life!” — Jack Canfield, co-author of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul Series”

“In all my years of clinical experience I have never encountere a single healing intervention as consistently effective as Tapping. This film powerfully captures the enormous healing potential of this truly amazing tool.” — Dr. Mercola, founder of Mercola.com, the world’s most visited health website

>>> Here’s a video that will give you an insight on the tapping program:

==> Check out the video here: The Tapping Solution

Food addiction is a complicate issue that can take over your life and leave you feeling unhappy, miserable and frustrated. You don’t have to go at it alone when you

Food Addiction photo by yeah chià!

Tapping World Summit testimonials

food addiction

Obesity will kill you faster than smoking?!?!

eatsmart — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:08:19 +0000

Imagine what happens if you are obese AND you are a smoker?

I’ve personally known Jonny Bowden since 2006 and I’ve always been very impressed with his approach to health and I always look forward to what he has to say and what I can learn from him.

It’s no surprise that at this time of the year a lot of people are trying to either lose weight, get fit or quit smoking.

Those are traditional New Year resolutions that usually quietly die by Valentine’s Day.

If you’ve watched the latest “The Biggest Loser” season 8 series, you’ll know that losing weight is becoming less and less of an option (it’s darn right mandatory) for a lot of people who are tipping the scale at more than 400 lbs.

I mean Danny, the winner of “The Biggest Loser” season 8 series, managed to lose 239 lbs (from 430 lbs and now weighing 191 lbs) and in the process was able to sleep in the same bed as his wife after suffering from sleep apnea for eight long years and having to sleep on a reclining chair in his living room!!!

>>> Here’s Danny, the winner of “The Biggest Loser” season 8 series

I think that most people should not have “losing weight” as a New Year resolution, but it should be a life or death decision … because unfortunately it’s becoming just that for soooooooooooo many Americans.

I’ve had a few posts in the past on the urgency to take control of the major obesity problem in North America, but Jonny Bowden has been attacking the problem head-on for a long time now.

>>> In fact if you haven’t yet, I encourage you to read one of the most-read articles on this site: Overeat and your brain will want more!

He recently wrote an article based on new findings from the New England Journal of Medicine where it’s become quite clear that the obesity problem in America is at alarming rates since it’s now official that obesity WILL kill you faster than smoking!

As I ask in the opening of this article, imagine if you are obese and smoke. I’ve seen it with my own two eyes and Dr. Oz and his team are now working with Steve, dubbed the “Unhealthiest Person in America” who is scarily overweight and has an addiction to nicotine (he’s a heavy smoker).

>>> If you missed that episode on Dr. Oz, here’s a quick video summary:

>>> Here’s Jonny Bowden’s explanation as to why obesity will kill you faster than smoking:

The New England Journal of Medicine did some fancy statistical footwork and looked at how many years the average person is likely to gain in life expectancy from declining smoking rates. They then plugged in average years lost from rising obesity rates.

For the first time ever, obesity won and now presents a greater threat to life expectancy in America than smoking does.

Let’s say obesity and smoking rates had held steady. In that case, an average 18-year-old would expect to gain about 2.98 years in life expectancy over a 15-year period, largely due to a 20% reduction in smoking over the past 15 years.

But a 48% increase in obesity wiped that out. Instead of an increase of almost 3 extra years of life, the average 18-year-old can expect less than a year.

So it’s not that life expectancy is expected to fall. It’s still rising. But it’s rising only a fraction of what it would have if it weren’t for obesity.

“We know that the effects of obesity are not quite as intense as the effects of smoking, but obesity is more widespread,” said Susan T. Stewart, PhD, of Harvard. “It was a little discouraging to see that obesity was winning.”

There’s been about a 1.4% decrease in smoking rates per year in the 15 years prior to 2005. But trends show that from 1971-2006 there’s been an average 0.5% increase per year in Body Mass Index.

Assuming trends continue, 21% of current smokers are expected to quit by 2020.

Unfortunately, the number of “normal weight” Americans is expected to drop by 35% during the same time frame. By 2020, a whopping 45% of Americans are expected to be clinically obese.

Bottom line: the effects of obesity now exceed the effects of smoking on life expectancy.

The researchers cautioned that these kinds of “population-type forecasts” don’t apply at the individual level to people who quit smoking or lose weight.

Do both, and you can really reduce the likelihood of being a medical statistic.

>>> More about Dr. Jonny Bowden:

If you know you need to lose weight, and you’ve tried and failed at diets in the past (who hasn’t?), then I strongly urge you to check out Jonny Bowden’s Diet Boot Camp!

You’ll find more details here if you’re ready to change your body: Jonny Bowden’s Diet Boot Camp!

>>>> You can also read this latest post: Jonny Bowden’s Diet Boot Camp – eight weeks to a leaner and healthier body

Photo by Tobyotter

5 dummy-proof ways to start improving your diet

eatsmart — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:27:47 +0000

I’m a huge fan of Dr John Berardi and since getting my hands on his Precision Nutrition, I’ve found it to be incredible at helping me keep my healthy eating habits in check.

There’s really no such thing as an easy way to lose weight and keep it off permanently. You just have to roll up your sleeve and become 100 per cent committed to making better food choices AND remaining fit (for life).

Dr. John Berardi Lean Eating Program is launching TODAY!. It’s a transformational program that will only be open for short time (and he only opens it once per year). Last year, he awarded $10,000 to the winner of his weight loss challenge.

I’ve seen all the before and after photos of the winners and I can tell you these people have transformed their bodies and if they keep up with Dr. Berardi’s advice, they will have transformed their lives and the lives of their entire family (and extended family) FOREVER!

Before I talk to you about Dr. Berardi’s program launching today, I invite you to learn from Dr. Berardi’s 5 dummy-proof ways to start improving your diet:

The best way for you to improve your diet is to follow these five rules:

1. Eat about 4 – 5x a day and don’t wait so long between meals.

Research has demonstrated that those people who eat more frequently tend to have better blood sugar control, lower stress hormone production, lower body fat, and more lean muscle. But their food has to be the right stuff.

2. Include lean, complete protein at every meal and snack.

The ideal amount of protein per day for an exercising individual is 1 gram per pound of body weight. For a 140 lb woman, that’d be 140 g of protein. Getting this much means grabbing some protein every time you snack or eat a meal.

3. Include veggies at every meal and snack.

The ideal amount of veggies each day is about 8 servings. It’s quite tough to get all these servings if you don’t include some cooked, raw, juiced, or blended veggies with each meal.

4. Include a variety of healthy fats.

Our food supply today contains a fat balance that’s out of whack. To get our fat intake back to where it should be, we need to include things such as olive oil, avocados, flax oil, fish oil, raw nuts, etc. each day.

5. Consume carbohydrate-rich foods only after exercise.

Carbs aren’t the enemy. But they should be controlled — especially for women — since it’s easy to over-eat them. The best strategy to control carbs is to eat mostly whole grain carbohydrates (like amaranth, quinoa, whole grain oats, etc.) and to save them until after exercise. Since exercise increases our body’s ability to effectively utilize carbohydrates, the ideal time to eat some whole grains is within the first few hours post-exercise.

These “rules” are a great start. But they won’t get the job done alone. In fact, there are two other secrets to helping you build a great physique.

>>> Can lean eating be the solution to help you to a healthy weight?

Dr. John Berardi launched in January 2009 a program that has honestly changed bodies in a remarkable way. His program opens only once per year and there is a limited number of students he’s willing to work with.

If you are interested in making long-lasting changes when it comes to your weight, I recommend that you check out some of the success stories from Dr. John Berardi 2009 Lean Eating winners.

>>> It’s true that the cost of the Lean Eating won’t be in everyone’s reach, but I’ve been following Dr. John Berardi’s Precision Nutrition programm for one year now and I’m telling this guy’s brilliant.

>>> The one thing to keep in mind about John Berardi is the fact that he’s a former professional athlete and has been training athletes for most of his career. His goal is not to get you to “lose belly fat”, his goal is to get your body into shape, reach a healthy weight and make permanent changes to the way you eat.

>>> Here are the links again if you want to check out these two healthy weight programs:

1) Lean Eating Program

2) Precision Nutrition program

How not to gain too much weight during the holidays

eatsmart — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:33:13 +0000

***The biggest mistakes you might make over the holidays that would cause you to gain a LOT of weight are exposed in this post!***

Party over here, party over there, party everywhere!!!

Is there not a song that has those words? Well for most of us the last month of the year is party month.

With parties come a deluge of drinks (pops, juices and alcoholic beverages) and a mountain of food at every corner.

>>> Three foods that will surely kill your diet during the holidays:

1) The endless mountain of home-baked sweets you’ll be eating soon! How many amateur bakers unleash the power of their stand mixer during the holiday season just to come to work with a platter of freshly baked goods? It’s so hard to resist all those treats and that doesn’t even take into consideration all the mini-chocolates and candy canes floating around the office.

2) How many cocktails or eggnog drinks did you have this week? Trust me, you will lose count of how many drinks you’ll consume during the holiday season, but your body is keeping track and every sip is adding up on the calorie scale! If you don’t usually gravitate towards alcoholic beverages, there is no shortage of soft drinks available and don’t forget about those virgin-drinks! It all amounts to one thing in the end: sugar!

3) How many appetizers can one consume in a day or an evening during party-hopping season? Far more than you think!

Appetizers and snacks may not seem like food in comparison to sitting down with a plate (a fork and a knife), but they will considerably add to your calorie load because you can easily overindulge when it comes to those bite-size portions that are so popular at this time of the year.

You see, when it comes to appetizers, most of us stand in front of a table, chatting up a storm, reminiscing about the year that has passed all the while popping copious amounts of bite-size food in our mouths.

Also, when you are going from one invitation to another, it almost seems rude not to eat all of them. You really don’t want to disrespect your host by saying that you just came from another party and you ate up a storm.

> So how do you control your weight during party-season and avoid overeating?

There are definitely tricks to avoid overeating during the holiday season. Most of them are dead simple and won’t put a damper on your holiday spirits and they also won’t add to your waist line.

I don’t think the idea is to give up the holiday treats that are only available once a year. I think it’s more of a question of actually learning a few tricks that will allow you to enjoy the holiday season without putting on too many pounds.

I guess what I’m saying is that it is possible to enjoy holiday meals and desserts while maintaining a healthy weight during the month of December!

> 13 simple tricks to avoid overeating during the holiday season:

1. Have a liquid breakfast: When you’ve spent the evening eating and eating and eating, you don’t want to wake up the next morning and eat a bagel or a muffin. Even outside of the holiday season, you should keep your breakfast light because as the name says, it’s the meal that breaks the night-time fast. You should opt for fresh fruits, smoothies or freshly squeezed juices.

2. Drink water: Water is essential. It’s even more important to remember to drink water during the holidays because you are drinking so many alcoholic beverages and soft drinks. To make it easier, why not carry a bottle of water with you and make sure you drink one or two litres a day.

3. Don’t go hungry: If you are running around, do grab something on the go like a sandwich or a handful of nuts before you head to your parties. If you arrive famished at your parties, you will not discriminate and you’ll end up eating everything that’s offered to you to quiet your stomach.

4. Eat something healthy: If you have a lot of parties, try to eat a healthy salad at lunch (not one with heavy oily salad dressings). You don’t want to only eat sweets, highly saturated foods and alcohol for two weeks straight.

5. Dips can contain a lot of calories: Dips and veggies are a holiday feast staple. Yes, it may seem like a healthy choice to eat raw vegetables, but some of those dips are insanely high in calories. Hummus (Middle Eastern chickpea dip), cutting back on the amount of dip you eat or bypassing dips all together and sticking to the veggies (it’s not like you’re not going to eat anything else) are much safer options.

6. PLEASE grab a plate: If you’re going to eat appetizers, put them on a plate. If you see what you are eating, your brain will quickly do the math and you’ll stop eating eventually when you realize that you’re consuming way too much food.

7. Control your pace: If you know you have more than one party to go to for the evening, why not cut back your portions at each party?

8. Keep walking right past the food: Office parties are just cruel during party season. It seems like each department and each group within each department throws a party. That also means that board rooms and office kitchens are always loaded with leftovers. If you see them, you don’t have to stop and sample the goods, you can (and SHOULD) just keep walking.

9. You don’t have to eat dessert: This is definitely the season for decadent sweets and many desserts that you only get to sample once a year. Try to keep your calories for your absolute favourites. This might sound like a sacrilege to some, but you don’t have to eat desserts all the time AND you don’t have to taste all the desserts that are presented to you.

10. Have some of my freshly baked goods! Yes, that IS the invitation of the season. Everyone comes to work with home baked goods and boxes of chocolates. Everyone is so polite and so caring, so of course they don’t want you to feel left out and they’ll offer you food. You don’t have to say yes if you’ve already eaten a lot or if you have a string of parties scheduled for that day or that week.

11. You don’t have to go back for seconds (or thirds): So you’ve been good and you did put your food on a plate so you can actually see what you are eating. That doesn’t mean you need to go back for seconds or thirds because chances are, you’re just getting started when it comes to your party-hopping schedule.

12. Alcoholic beverages do contain calories: It goes without saying that when it comes to alcohol, you also want to control your intake. Alcoholic beverages are very high in calories (because they contain a lot of sugar) and they dehydrate your body.

13. Walk off some of the calories: It’s so easy during this time of the year to eat, drink and sit (and repeat). If seems like we are going from one meal to another without any breaks. If you don’t have time to maintain your regular fitness program, be sure to take walks or do anything you can to keep moving. Remember that managing the remote control doesn’t count as a calorie-burning activity.

> So are these tips that I use myself?

I’ll be honest, I have the reverse problem during the holidays. When I see too much food, my brain shuts down and yells “no more”. When most people I know complain about the weight gain in January, I usually have nothing to add to that discussion because I simply cannot stand being around that much food.

When it comes to alcohol, once I’ve passed the three-drink mark, my stomach starts screaming for relief, so I’ll switch to sparkling or flat water.

> So why are these tips to avoid overeating during the holiday season so important?

There is nothing more discouraging than having to lose weight that you’ve put on over a two- or three-week period of overeating. It’s a known fact that as we age, we simply don’t burn as much calories and fat as we used to if we live an inactive lifestyle where we have little physical activity. You gain weight as you age because your muscle mass diminishes with time and if you don’t exercise and overeat during the holidays, you too will be trying to find the latest lose-weight-quick-Hollywood-diet of the year in January.

Losing weight is hard enough, so having to lose 20 pounds that you’ve put on during a short period of time is challenging and there are ways to avoid it all together without sacrificing your party enjoyment.

You can have your cake and eat it too during the holiday season … as long as you don’t end up eating the entire cake (or the equivalent in calories)!

Don’t worry, in the coming weeks, I’ll have loads of tips and advice to help you get on track for the New Year and lose weight … and none of them involve silly diet gimmicks!

Photo of Christmas cookies by Dano

Photo of gingerbread house by yumiang

Photo of star cookies by realSMILEY

Photo of Christmas Wreath by Tracy Hunter

Photo of pastry by Tracy Hunter

Photo of lasagna by purpleslog

Photo of turkey with bacon by WordRidden

Photo of Martini by Kyle May

Video: Eating healthy tips for grocery shopping

eatsmart — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:04:39 +0000

***Don’t miss 5 incredible videos at the end of this post!***

What if you had a healthy eating expert walk you through the grocery store guiding you in making better food choices when you do your grocery shopping?

Would this be something you’d like? I think most people would jump at the chance of learning healthy eating tips from the creator of Genuine Health’s Greens+ Superfood powder.

I can tell you, that I start my days with Greens+ and it’s done wonders at supporting my health. I’ve had the opportunity of meeting Sam Graci at a number of events, but when I received an email telling me that Sam would be at Whole Foods Market offering advice on pH foods how to do make better food choices at the grocery store, I grabbed my brand new Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom and ran.

I will first start with the videos and then I’ll explain more on pH foods and how important they are in supporting your health. This is a five-part video, so you’ll want to watch all of them to get as many tips as you can because we literally walked around the store for close to one hour and Sam is a real encyclopaedia of healthy foods!

1) Eating healthy tips with Sam Graci creator of Greens+ (part 1/5)