Calories Burned During Activities

This table provides an average amount of calories burned per hour for different exercises. Thought it could be pretty useful just to have a basic idea of the amount of energy your body uses up during common activities. Remember this is an estimation, the amount of calories used varies depending on your type of metabolism.

Source:
Healthy Nutrition Guide

Beauty Pressure

The goal is NOT about trying to achieve a stereotypical image of "beauty" or "perfection" produced by society, it's just about BEING HEALTHY!

10 Foods That Drive Weight Gain and Loss

I came across a press release on the Harvard School of Public Health website that presented the results of a research study recently conducted. The study was done over a period of 4 years and determined several factors in lifestyle behavior and the effects they had. These included physical activity, sleep duration and t.v. watching but the most significant determinant of weight change was diet. Ten foods were found to contribute the most to weight loss and weight gain when having an additional serving daily over the course of the 4 year period. These were the results:


Foods that promote weight gain:

1. Potato chips
2. Potato
3. Sugar sweetened beverages
4. Unprocessed red meats
5. Processed Meats

Foods that promote weight loss:

1. Vegetables
2. Whole grain
3. Fruits
4. Nuts
5. Yogurt 

Avoiding or substituting the foods that promote weight gain is ideal. Definite steps should be taken in order to remove artificial sweeteners and highly processed foods from your diet. Artificial sweeteners tend to fool your body into thinking it is consuming the calories  necessary to carry out basic functions. Once realizing that the nutrient source is not sufficient, the body signals for greater intake. This leads to frequent hunger and consumption of high calorie foods eventually resulting in weight gain. Processed foods such as deli meats and potato chips commonly contain high fat content and sodium. These are both nutrients that should be taken in moderation. The potato, a dominantly carb filled root, is a basic staple in most American homes. Instead, try switching to sweet potato that contains more vitamins and minerals while allowing you give in to your sweet side.

I'm sure most of you were not shocked when reading the list of foods that promote weight loss. Since we were kids we have been told that fruits and veggies are good for us. Recently, the promotion of whole grains and calcium containing food items such as yogurt has been everywhere we look. Whole grain helps promote heart health and provides our bodies with a good form of carbohydrates needed as a primary fuel source for the body. Yogurt and nuts, also mentioned in the list, both contain protein which helps maintain satiation(feeling full) for a longer period of time. Try to consume nuts such as walnuts and almonds that contain superior levels of good fats. It is easy to understand why these foods promote weight loss.

Source:
Harvard Study

Harvard's Take on a Healthy Plate

Several months ago, the USDA traded the long recognized food pyramid for a plate. It was done in order to simplify the ideas that were trying to be presented through the pyramid. Previous pyramids were very confusing. How much is one serving of fruit? How much sugar and fats could you try to squeeze in and still consider it a minimal part of your diet? Instead of serving its purpose as a clear visual representation of nutritional information to the public, it only left people dumbfounded. I completely agree with a new diagram to represent daily intake but the oversimplified plate does not encompass the important concepts that need to be communicated to the masses.

Currently, the plate does not include examples or specifications on the types of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins that should be included in an individuals diet. It also does not give any room to oils and fats which are necessary to maintaining a healthy body. A few months after this new plate was presented to the public, Harvard had their own take on conceptualizing the governments nutritional advice. This transformation of the amateur plate has a better grasp on what Americans should be focusing on when deciding on their meals for the day. Placing importance on whole grains and healthy proteins as well as accommodating examples provides a better presentation of current nutritional recommendations. Replacing milk with water, adding oils as well as placing an emphasis on exercise implements the exact additions that needed to be made.The Healthy Eating Plate demonstrates the accepted views by most nutritional professionals. Using the information shown in this modified plate is a beneficial tool in achieving a healthy lifestyle, use it well!

For a few good laughs I also added a link to Colbert's take on the new MyPlate.....

Colbert's Take on MyPlate



Source: 
Harvard, a Different Take on a Healthy Plate

Seasonal Ingredient Map

This interactive map allows you to see what is fresh during every month of the year at every region in the United States. Choosing locally grown items that are in season can add color and increase the nutrition value in your meals. It also helps with being able to eat healthy on a budget. Farmer's Markets in your community will tend to lower prices on produce that is in season since there is such a surplus. Have fun exploring this wonderful map which also includes recipes, ingredient descriptions and tips!

Epicurious Seasonal Ingredient Map

Quotes

"To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself."
- Thich Nhat Hanh

"To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves- there lies the great, singular power of self-respect."
- Joan Didion

"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live."
- Jim Rohn

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do that by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
- Mark Twain

"The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself. "
- Anna Quindlen

"Success never rests. On your worst days, be good. On your best days, be great. And every other day, get better." - Carmen Mariano

"Beauty is in the mirror you look at everyday. Enjoy your being." 

 

National Food Safety Month

As a college student I have heard plenty of stories of friends waking up after a long night of ...ummm... "studying", stumbling into the kitchen to find, through squinting eyes, a half eaten box of pizza from a party they had two nights ago. At the time, it seems like a wonderfully greasy surprise after such a long night of "studying". Problem is, most of them don't question the situation much, devour what was left of their seemingly gift of a feast, and then wonder why they have stomach pains later that day.

Good thing I started this blog a bit before September was completely over! It is National Food Safety Month and as a food science and human nutrition major I see it as my duty to share all these tips with you.

1. Keep food out of the danger zone (40 - 140 degrees Fahrenheit)! This tends to be one of the most overlooked food safety basics. Do not leave food on your counter for more than 2 hours in this temperature range, it is the ideal environment for foodborne bacteria to thrive. After 4 hours food must be discarded to avoid consuming potentially harmful bacteria. 
2. With tip 2 freshly in our minds, remember to thaw out frozen food in the fridge. Although it may take longer than leaving it out on the counter this assures that no part of the food item will be in the danger zone at any point of the defrosting process. 
3. Wash your hands. This minimizes the spread of foodborne bacteria. By washing your hands for at least 20 seconds you prevent personal contamination of your food.
4. Don't cross contaminate. Cooking surfaces need to be sanitized in order to avoid cross contamination. Try to have a different surface to prepare meats/poultry, fruits/vegetables and foods with strong odors such as onion or garlic. Some surfaces such as wood or plastic can retain a bit of bacteria or strong odors. By having a surface for certain categories of food unpleasant tastes can be averted. No one likes their strawberries to taste like garlic! 
5. Rinse fruits and vegetables before use. Even if you plan on peeling the item, this step can remove bacteria that can easily spread during preparation. Washing meat and poultry is not necessary since this is usually done when the item is packaged and doing so in your kitchen sink can actually lead to contamination of other nearby items. 
6. Cook foods thoroughly and to the necessary temperature for safety. Use a thermometer if possible to be sure foods are fully cooked. Chicken that is ready to eat should be 165 degrees, show no pink in the center, and have clear juices. Beef or pork should be cooked to 160 degrees throughout. 
7. Finally, I have added a table below in case you have any questions on how long common food items can remain in the refrigerator or freezer. 

Hopefully next time you're searching for a meal in your refrigerator you know what to avoid in order to steer clear of any harmful bacteria.


This information was obtained from www.foodsafety.gov and from my food science courses. Please feel free to visit the website for additional information.

Delicious Brownies

I can be healthy and have brownies too? - Of course!

One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle is to completely remove some of the high calorie foods they crave. But how could you ever give up oh so tempting brownies? Well you don't! Being healthy allows you to include all those foods you love. Those that make your mouth water and smile just when thinking of them. Yes! I am saying you can indulge every once in a while. Not allowing some room for comfort food can result in binge eating which can lead to an unhealthy eating pattern.

But remember, it's all about balance.
Delicious Brownies Recipe

Workout Generator

Doing the same work out routine day after day can tend to be pretty boring and having to come up with different exercises on your own seems a bit difficult for most of us. This work out generator definitely helps put together a work out routine with just what you need.

All you have to do is type in where you want to work out, what your general fitness goal is, how much time you have and which muscle group you want to focus on. In just a few moments a recommended workout will appear! Easy, right?


Workout Generator