I'm Not as Smart as I Thought...Are You?

It's always a little difficult for me to get up for work on Mondays but this morning seemed particularly difficult. I think it might have been due to the large coffee I had at eight o’clock last night. Yeah I know, it was a dumb decision but it tasted so good! I don’t even wanna know how many calories were in it.

Anyways, I took this quiz from the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram at work today (and I’m blogging at work right now – Shh! Don’t tell) and I got practically every question wrong! I thought I knew more than the average Joe about the number of calories in foods but apparently not. Maybe that’s why those extra five pounds will simply not budge off my waist! Try it yourself.

Here's a quick quiz to see if you know which is the lower calorie choice.

1. Apples and oranges both have generous amounts of potassium and vitamin A, but which one is lower in calories?

2. A tablespoon of butter has 12 grams of fat. The same amount of stick margarine has 11 grams of fat, some of which could be artery-clogging trans fat. Which is lower in calories?

3. Researchers around the country are discovering that dark chocolate has a wide range of benefits, ranging from its antioxidant qualities to its potential ability to lower blood pressure. Which is lower in calories, dark or milk chocolate?

4. Fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which protect the body against environmental pollutants. But which fish is a lower-calorie choice, salmon or halibut?

5. As you shake that jar of powdered creamer into your coffee instead of reaching for the half-and-half, do you wonder if you are making a good choice? Which is lower in calories?
6. An ounce of potato chips has about 160 to 180 milligrams of sodium. Tortilla chips have about half that amount of sodium. But which is lower in calories?

7. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger supports replacing cola drinks in school vending machines with apple juice. Which is lower in calories?

Answers: (1) An orange, at 64 calories; (2) in stick form, they are about the same; (3) dark chocolate wins, but not by much; (4) halibut is lower by about 40 calories, but salmon has about twice as much omega-3; (5) calorie-wise, they are the same; (6) not only do tortilla chips have much less sodium, they will also save you 10 calories; (7) choose apple juice and save 10 calories

SOURCES: The Sacramento Bee; The Nutrition Bible, by Jean Anderson and Barbara Deskins; and The Complete Book of Food Counts, by Corinne T. Netzer

Jimmy Knows What He's Talking About!

A fellow lover of diet soda, Jimmy at Livin’ La Vida Low Carb, wrote an excellent observational post the other day about diet soda and the people who drink it. Jimmy pointed out that whenever he goes to a restaurant and orders drinks for him and his wife, the waiter always assumes (incorrectly) that the regular soda is for him and the diet soda for his wife. Why do we always assume this? Here are two stereotypes he noticed that I couldn’t agree with more:

1. Women drink diet soda so they won’t get fat but men are expected to be “manly men” and drink beer or full-calorie soda.
2. People always assume that people who drink diet soda are overweight. Skinny people don’t need to drink diet soda.

My dad loves diet soda, especially the lime-flavored variety, and he often gets a look of surprise when he orders it at a restaurant. Is it girly for a man to enjoy a beverage that not only tastes great but also provides no sugar or calories to his overall diet. I say NO WAY! As obesity rates soar in the U.S. and around the world, we need to start focusing on products that will help us lose the weight and keep it off.

In regard to Jimmy’s second point, it’s a good thing that people who are overweight often order diet soda. Naturally, ordering a Big Mac and diet soda doesn’t make a lot of sense but hey, cut those calories any way you can.

The only area Jimmy and I differ in our love for diet soda is that he is a low-carb lover while I am simply a lover of carbs. I try to reduce calories rather than carbs but I say do what works best for you.

Jimmy, thanks for the great post and keep up the good work!

What's a Girl To Do?

A recent study on low-fat diets is creating a lot of buzz and it’s not necessarily good buzz. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that women who followed a low-fat diet for eight years had the same risk of getting heart disease, colon cancer and breast cancer as women who ate whatever they pleased.

The study is upsetting people because many of us assume, incorrectly, that controlling the amount of fat we eat in the diet will prevent the onset of certain diseases. This study blows that theory out of the door. So, if eating a low-fat diet doesn’t necessarily work then what should we do? Well, here’s the funny thing…I don’t think experts know exactly what we should do. Most of them recommend watching the kind of fat we eat as well as incorporating exercise and other healthy habits into our daily routine.

Other experts believe the Mediterranean diet is the key to preventing heart-related diseases. This diet is low in saturated and trans fats but high in monounsaturated fats. Still, other experts think we should all stick to the USDA Dietary Guidelines and consume more fruits, veggies and grains while controlling the amount of unhealthy fats we eat.

In general, I’m a little confused because there isn’t really a consensus among experts. I plan on continuing to do what I’m doing – watching my calories and getting at least 20 minutes of exercise everyday. In my opinion, studies come out everyday telling us what to do or what not to do. Sticks to what works best for you…

Some ramblings....

I'm feeling somewhat strange today. Not bad strange, just strange. I think I'm excited it's almost Friday yet secretly stressing about all the work I need to complete before the week's end. To switch things up a bit, I thought I would fill you in on some random thoughts...

1. Chocolate is both my friend and enemy. I refilled my candy jar with chocolate goodies today and now I can't stop eating them. Who knows why I didn't choose healthier options or better yet, sugar-free candy, but I didn't. I was trying to limit myself to four pieces of candy daily but I've already exceeded that limit and the day's only halfway over.

2. Diet soda is not keeping me awake today. I've already had three of them and I'm still ready to crawl into my warm bed. Sigh...I thought about splurging on a regular soda in hopes of a sugar-high but realized my excessive chocolate intake hasn't woken me up so a regular soda isn't likely to help either. No reason to waste the calories...

3. The vending machines at work can do some serious damage to the waistline. Seriously, I was browsing the contents for something healthy to munch on and there's nothing. Does anybody actually eat those packaged Honey Buns- yuck!

Happy Thursday to everyone!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone out there, whether you’ve got special someone or you’re single. To kick off this great day I thought I’d post some heart-healthy tips from the Norwich Evening News:

Eat Healthily: Too much saturated fat from red meat, biscuits, cakes, chips and dairy products can clog up your arteries and put a strain on your heart. However, eating fish, poultry and vegetables can help.

Slash Salt: There is a proven link between high salt intake and high blood pressure. People who have a lot of salt in their diet seem to be more likely to have high blood pressure. It's not yet known exactly why this happens.

Get Active: Physical inactivity is the most common risk factor for heart disease, seven out of 10 adults do not take enough regular exercise. Half an hour a day makes all the difference and can be built into a daily routine.

Stop Smoking: Stopping smoking is the single most important thing a smoker can do to live longer and improve your health. From the moment you stub it out, the risk of heart attack starts to reduce and is halved after one year of stopping.

Reduce Alcohol: Moderate drinking - between 1 and 2 units of alcohol a day - has a protective effect on the heart in men aged over 40 and in women who have gone through the menopause. One unit of alcohol equals half a pint of ordinary beer or a small glass of wine or a pub measure of spirits.

Lose Weight: If you are overweight, reducing your weight will reduce the workload of your heart and help keep your blood pressure down.

Don't Stress: Anxiety and strong mental effort can raise blood pressure. If left untreated for a long time, high blood pressure can lead to kidney failure and even damage your sight. It can also cause the heart to become abnormally large and less efficient (left ventricular hypertrophy). This can lead to heart failure and further increase the risk of having a heart attack.

And my own fabulous tip…yep, you guessed it: Drink diet soda!!!

Diet Soda Helps Me Keep it Simple

I remember in high school when I literally consumed about 5 Dr. Peppers throughout the course of a school day. I assumed, incorrectly, that because it was a liquid it couldn’t contain many calories and cause me to gain weight. After school let pout, I would often stop by Sonic’s drive-through and pick up a gargantuous size Dr. Pepper to hold me over until dinner. Hmm, maybe that’s why I gained 5 pounds in 2 months my senior year…

Apparently I’m not alone in this assumption and many people fail to account for the calories they’re drinking. An article in the Daily Vidette from Illinois State University indicates people often ignore or dismiss the calories in liquids and then proceed to wonder why they’ve gained weight. Alcohol often plays a huge role in this miscalculation of calories. “Consuming up to seven Smirnoff beverages in one night resulted in a calorie intake of up to 1,000 calories,” notes Julie Raeder Schumacher, RD. Up to 1,000 calories! Add couple hundred more calories and that’s my calorie limit for the day.

It’s important to be conscientious of the calories we eat as well as the calories we drink. Lucky for me, I pretty much live on diet soda, diet lemonade and water. With diet soda there’s no wondering how many calories I’m drinking or if I’m consuming too much sugar. That’s why I like diet soda you see – I’m a simple girl and diet soda keeps things simple for me

Being a Big Baby

It’s a cold and rainy day in Atlanta. The streets are icy, accidents are abound and my overall disposition is somewhat bleak. I’ve been staving off a cold for about a week now and I think it’s finally caught up with me.

I’ve got the sniffles, a hacking cough and body aches to prove that I am not at my physical peak right now. Luckily, I’ll be taking a weeklong break from blogging to take a much-needed trip to visit family members. I can’t wait to relax and rest my old bones. Considering I’m only 23 the fact that my bones feel old is not a good sign. I’m a huge baby when I don’t feel well and I pity my coworkers who are forced to listen to my whining today.

Oh, woe is me! I need to suck it up and grow up. Maybe a nice, cold diet soda would do just the trick. Yes, that’s exactly what I need right now!

Kudos to a Co-Worker!

I just wanted to give a HUGE shout-out to one of my co-workers. He has managed to lose 19 pounds through the South Beach diet. Here’s my deal with the hundreds of diets out there – do what works for you. In general, it truly is calories that count but if you find a specific food plan that meets your needs and keeps you satiated, then by all means go for it!

It’s fascinating to watch the day-by-day changes in his appearance. His face has taken on a leaner, more defined appearance. He also has more energy to get through the day. I don’t know much about South Beach except that it is similar to Atkins yet not as restricting. Being the bread lover that I am, this plan would be somewhat difficult for me. Kudos to him for making a commitment to a healthier lifestyle!

This year is a great time to get healthy and take your body. Good luck to all and keep up the good work!