There are so many things we can add or take out of our diet to improve our health.  Sometimes it can seem like your diet needs a total overhaul. Here are my top four suggestions for what you can change that can have a big impact on your health.

1) Deep Frying

Deep frying can increase the calories of a food by over 40%. Not to mention it significantly increases the amount of fat. Some fat is necessary in the diet but deep fried foods are often high in the wrong kinds of fats. For a healthier choice: focus more on grilled, BBQ'd and baked options.

2) Processed Meats

Research is starting to link the effects of processed meats with heart disease. For example, eating one ounce of processed meat per week can increase the risk for heart disease by a third. THIS IS HUGE! Try to choose fresh or frozen unprocessed options like chicken, fish, pork chops and steak. Red meat can be included in moderation as part of a balanced diet but the unprocessed versions will be a much better choice.

3) Box Foods

Think of it this way: the less hands that handled your food, the more control you have over what is in it. Many prepackaged foods are high in cheap oils, sugar, salt and preservatives. If you have the option to make something from scratch, do it.

4) Sweetened Drinks

Calories from sugary beverages can add up. Even the healthier looking options like a simple cup of all natural fruit juice can have over 5 sugar packets in it. These harmless drinks in a day (a smoothie here, chocolate milk there, sugary coffee in the morning, a can of pop at night...) can sometimes lead to you drinking as many calories as you eat! Focus more on sugar free options such as water or plain coffee and tea. While sugary drinks as a treat are totally acceptable, the less you make them a part of your everyday life the better. These drinks do nothing to fill you up but can really raise your total calories in a day.

There are lots of other things that can help you improve your health, be sure to check the rest of the site for more tips!

Keeping healthy is important. It requires controlling stress, getting enough sleep, exercising, monitoring your health and eating right. The problem is there is a lot of information out there and it can cloud up what is best to do. While not getting enough of the right stuff is a common issue, over doing the good stuff can be just as much of a problem.

Here are a few common culprits you might be over doing:

1) Nuts

Nuts are a great source of healthy fats but they are quite high in calories. A serving of nuts is only about 8-10 nuts which probably just seems like a tease. Try having nuts as part of a snack with a piece of fruit or on top of a salad or cereal instead of just on their own. You will be less likely to over indulge but still get the benefit of the healthy fats and wonderful flavour!

2) Smoothies

They're quick, they're easy and they are even easier to over do. While you can pack a lot of nutrition into a smoothie you can also just pack a lot of stuff into them. This can lead to a lot more calories and a lot more sugar than you bargained for. Think of it this way, if you would find it excessive to eat all the individual fruits and items you put into the smoothie before you blend them up, you are probably packing in too much.

A couple of tips to trim things down: try putting in one vegetable for every fruit. Cucumbers and spinach are great additions. Also try to avoid adding extra sugar. The fruit is sweet enough. There is no need for extra juice, honey or sweetened yogurt. Finally add in some protein and fiber to make it more filling so you won't go over board. Protein could include nut butter, protein powder or Greek yogurt. Extra fiber might include flax seeds or oat bran. Experiment with what works best for you!

3) Protein Shakes

Most people over do their protein in a day. Unless you eat little to no meat, body build or do extreme aerobics like long distance running, you probably don't need these shakes. Focus on getting proteins in your meals and snacks through meat, low fat  cheese, eggs, beans, tofu and nuts. 

4) Greens

I'm talking about bottled greens. While they can provide a source of vitamins, you are better off eating ACTUAL greens than using these products.

5) Olive Oil

Also a healthy fat, but too much of a good thing is still too much of a good thing. Avoid over doing oils on salads or when you are cooking. Make a little go a long way and your will avoid accidentally increasing your calories too much.

6) Diet Cookies/Treats

Sure its a little lower in calories but a cookie is a cookie is a cookie. Sure it has no added sugar but it also likely doesn't fill you up or provide any real nutrition. If you need a sweet fix, these treats can prevent you for over doing it, but don't take these lower calorie alternatives for granted because they can still add up.

7) Juice

We often neglects what we drink and juice has such a healthy image about it we often don't factor in how much sugar it really provides. A measuring cup of juice has as much sugar as 5 packets of sugar. Think about this the next time you chug down a big glass. 

All of these items can fit into a healthy well balanced diet. Just be aware that just because something is healthy does not mean you can go nuts with the amount you have. 

BBQ season can be a lot of fun. The air is warm and it's a great time to socialize. However, all that socializing can stress some people out that are trying to watch what they eat. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help you keep on track but still enjoy yourself this summer. 


Tip One: Watch your condiments and try some new creative toppings
Sometimes what we add to our food can double or triple the calories before we know it. Be mindful of full fat salad dressings, mayo based dips and sweet sticky sauces. These tend to be the biggest culprits. I suggest trying some flavorful but lower calorie options. These might include mustard which has lots of variations. Or maybe some pickled veggies like red peppers or kimchi.

If you tend to overdo the dressing on your salad, try keeping them on the side for better control. You can also lower the calories by making your own dressings at home using oil and vinegar and adding larger amounts of vinegar to the mix.

Tip Two: You may end up drinking more calories than you eat
Your average non-alcoholic cocktail at a party will run from 100-300 calories. Alcoholic beverages can run even higher. A Pina Colada for example can have as many calories as a Big Mac. If you are worried about the possible weight gain, try to focus on lower calorie beverages. Use calorie free mixes like club soda. You can also make lower sugar versions of your favorite drinks like iced tea in your own kitchen very easily. 

If you find drinking water boring, try chopping up fresh fruit or cucumber and adding them to the pitcher for a nice change.

Tip Three: Grilling is more than burgers and hot dogs
While these options are tasty, they are also not very healthy. Get creative with other lean ground meats. Turkey and chicken can work well as burgers with the addition of some creative spices. Bean burgers are also becoming popular! Shish-kabobs can help you add some much needed vegetables to your meals as well as grilled meat. 

Get creative with lots of tasty combinations like chicken, pineapple and peppers or beef, tomatoes and onions. Grilling vegetables can make a great side for you BBQ and help change things up from just salad.

Tip Four: Try grilling fruit for a delicious low calorie dessert
We all want something sweet at the end of a meal, but it can add up fast. Grilling seasonal fruits adds an extra sweetness to them. You can serve them with a little whipped cream for extra decadence.

Fruits that grill very well include peaches, pineapple, pears, apples and bananas. You can do smaller fruits if you have the proper grilling pan with small holes to prevent them from falling through. One of my personal favorite fruit desserts is grilled strawberries with a dash of balsamic vinegar mixed with orange rind. It sounds strange but it tastes amazing!

Summer is a wonderful time full of lots of socializing. With the socializing comes the BBQs and with all that temping food, it can be bard to stick to your plan. Here are some quick tips to keep you one track but still allow you to enjoy the warm season:



Tip One: Watch your condiments and try some new creative toppings
Sometimes what we add to our food can double or triple the calories before we know it. Try to be mindful of full fat salad dressings, mayo based dips and sweet sticky sauces. These tend to be the biggest culprits. As an alternative, try some flavorful but lower calorie options including  mustard which has lots of variations or maybe some pickled veggies like red peppers or kimchi.

If you tend to overdo the dressing on your salad, try keeping them on the side for better control. You can also lower the calories by making your own dressings at home using oil and vinegar and adding larger amounts of vinegar to the mix.

Tip Two: You may end up drinking more calories than you eat
Your average non-alcoholic cocktail at a party will run from 100-300 calories. Alcoholic beverages can run even higher. A Pina Colada for example can have as many calories as a Big Mac. If you are worried about the possible weight gain, try to focus on lower calorie beverages. Use calorie free mixes like club soda. You can also make lower sugar versions of your favorite drinks like iced tea in your own kitchen very easily. 

If you find drinking water boring, try chopping up fresh fruit, ginger or cucumber and adding them to the pitcher for a nice change.

Tip Three: Grilling is more than burgers and hot dogs
While these options are tasty, they are also not very healthy. Get creative with other lean ground meats. Turkey and chicken can work well as burgers with the addition of some creative spices. Shish-kabobs can also help you add some much needed vegetables. 

Get creative with lots of tasty combinations like chicken, pineapple and peppers or beef, tomatoes and onions. Grilling vegetables can make a great side for you BBQ and help change things up from just salad.

Tip Four: Try grilling fruit for a delicious low calorie dessert
We all enjoy something sweet at the end of a meal, but it can add up. Grilling seasonal fruits adds an extra sweetness to them without added calories. You can serve them with a little whipped cream for extra decadence. Fruits that grill very well include peaches, pineapple, pears, apples and bananas. You can do smaller fruits if you have the propper grilling pan with small holes to prevent them from falling through. 

One of my personal favorite fruit desserts is grilled strawberries with a dash of balsamic vinegar mixed with orange rind. It sounds strange but it tastes amazing!

You may already be familiar with Dr. Mike Evans from his famous youtube video 23 1/2 hours. Dr. Mike Evans came and spoke at a meeting I recently attended and he was fantastic! Not only is he a well renowned doctor, but he owns his own media lab.  He tries to make information about health and living a better life 'infectious' by spreading it through creative methods like television, interactive websites and playing cards.

Below is a video he showed at our meeting and I really like the message behind it. We could all afford to make our days a little harder!

Happy Friday!

I found this very informative how to guide on reducing your sugar intake. Well worth the 90 seconds if you are looking for ideas. The only thing in the video I wasn't keen on is the beef jerky. Replacing high sugar foods with high salt foods is just replacing one problem with another.

But sugar is something we all need to be more aware of both to help with weight maintenance and reduce our risk for developing diabetes. In children, it has been demonstrated that a reduction in added sugars to the diet can help with maintaining a healthy weight and improve overall nutrition (since daily calories are not being taken up by as much nutrient empty sugar). 

One piece of good news the video does not explain is that your taste buds can be trained to prefer less sugar. Many of us eat large amounts of sugar on a regular basis and our tongue comes to expect the flavour. Taste buds turn over about every 2 weeks. So if you can stick it out on a lower sugar diet for two weeks you will often find the high sugar products you used to love are almost overwhelming. So hang in there!

Her name Rachel Frederickson. She is 24 and the newest winner of the Biggest Loser reality TV show series.
I personally do not watch the show, but a colleague of mine sent me the photo above to examine. On the left is Rachel at the start of the show at 205lbs. On the right is Rachel 7 months later at 105lbs. According to the online stats Rachel is 5 foot 4, which would put her new BMI at 18. 18.5 and under is considered underweight on the BMI. BMI stands for Body Mass Index and is a method used for determining a healthy body weight based on your height. BMI is not effective in children, pregnant women, the elderly or the very muscular. Even if Rachel were very muscular in this case it wouldn't matter as those with more muscle tend to read HIGHER on the BMI scale because muscle weighs more than fat.

What disturbed me the most about the picture was how wasted her muscles look. The contours and sharp angles in her face and arms alone would concern many health professionals seeing her.

It's true that Rachel is a former competitive swimmer and younger than the average Biggest Loser contestant so metabolically she responds different to weight loss. Having a higher metabolism and higher levels of muscle does give one an advantage in the weight loss department.

But is this too extreme?

I have never been able to sit through more than 5 minutes of the Biggest Loser. Their extreme diet advice and excessive exercise tactics which have resulted in hospitalizations are just disturbing to someone like me. And that's only talking about what is shown on the TV. Many Biggest Loser Winners have broken their media contracts and come forward about the inappropriate treatment on the show. From extreme dehydration dieting to get muscle definition which resulted in peeing blood to what the winners reported as an newly developed eating disorder.

It seems like most media outlets, Biggest Loser is only concerned about what their people look like on the outside rather than the inside. Skinny over healthy. It's really sending a bad message.

What do you think?

You may have gotten a gym membership as a gift during the holidays or invested in one yourself because you felt it was time to make a change. The reality is that the majority of gym new comers that show up in January and February will likely be gone by March or April.

Some people will have only gotten a trial and decided not to renew and others will just stop going but continue to pay the pricey gym fees.

Why does this happen though? Why do we give up on the gym so quickly. Here are a few reasons to consider:

1) It's intimidating...

Maybe it's your first time to a gym or it's been a while. Walking into a place where most of the people look buff and lean can make you want to turn on your heel and run out the door. To boot, you have no idea what half the machines in there do and you really don't want to make a fool of yourself. Here are a few tips to make things a little easier:

-Hire a trainer (if you can afford it). They can be pricey, but they are great for setting people on the right path towards their fitness goals. They will also make sure you are exercising is a safe and appropriate manner.
-Investigate the gym before you buy. Be sure to walk around and look at what they offer and the type of clientele. If you are looking for group classes and all you see are barbells, maybe look somewhere else. There are also lots of online reviews for gyms so be sure to check those out as well.

2) You over do it...

Everyone gets excited about starting something new, but be cautious you don't let this enthusiasm cause you an injury. Be aware of your current fitness level. If you have never worked out before, maybe start with walking on the treadmill or using the elliptical to build up some endurance before you decided to try the Body Attack Extreme Class.

3) You have no perceived time...

You're busy! There's no time left in the day so you'll just pay off the membership contract and be done with it. Remember that joining a gym is a new habit and so of course there will be no time at first since it was never a part of your schedule. Plan it in just like your office meetings or kids hockey practice. Also be realistic with how often you can go. There is no rule saying you must go everyday. If three days a week is all you can afford, that is three days you didn't have before!

4) You don't like the gym...

There is nothing wrong with not liking the gym. It is not for everyone. It may be a sign you need to try something different. There are more ways to get fit than a gym membership. Try hiking outdoors, making a walking group with your friends or joining a recreational sports team like volleyball or baseball. Fitness should be something you enjoy not dread!

Another free app I am recommending. The Pepperplate is a great app for the person looking to improve their meal planning skills.
Meal planning can be tough to get into, but it can help you make healthier choices, save you time and reduce your costs. The idea is to plan ahead what you will be cooking!

The Pepperplate allows you to store all your favorite recipes. You can manually add your own in or auto populate certain recipes from websites that are compatible. The compatible websites are all listed on the site and there are quite a few: from allrecipes.com to the foodnetwork to Martha Stewarts webpage!

Once you have all your recipes, you can select them to go on your grocery list which sorts by area (produce, milk, meat etc.). Instead of printing the list, you can download it onto your phone and then tick things off as you get them. You can also add on extra things you need that are not in the recipes (like dish soap!). You can also use the schedule function to remind yourself what recipes you want to do which day.

Overall this is a good app. You don't even need to use it on your phone. In fact, some functions can't be used on the mobile site. For some people this is probably a downside. There is a bit of a learning curve and sometimes the recipes don't auto load properly but overall it works pretty well. Best of all it is free!

I highly recommend trying it. I've already cut down my grocery costs and it has motivated me to try new recipes I find!

www.pepperplate.com