10 Foods That Help Boost Your Metabolism!

Everyone has a metabolism that works at a different rate. Metabolic rate is often determined by genetics, but there are actually certain foods that will give your metabolism an extra boost which can help regulate your digestive system and allow you to burn fat faster.

Photo Courtesy Of:
http://gimmesomeoven.com

1. Spinach: It not only speeds up your metabolic rate, but is also full of important nutrients and minerals your body needs.

2. Water: DRINK A LOT! Drinking water helps to speed up weight loss and remove toxins from your body.

3. Grapefruit: It is a great source for Vitamin C, but also reduces insulin, which helps boost your body's metabolism.

4. Blueberries: These are full of antioxidants that help increase metabolic rate. 

5. Broccoli: Broccoli contains high amounts of Vitamin C and Calcium, which work together to help increase your metabolism. It is also full of Vitamin A, folate, and fiber. 

Photo Courtesy Of: http://www.mslimalicious.com
/2012/01/green-tea-can-help-you-lose-weight.html

6. Green Tea: It contains an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which speeds up the nervous system function and causes your metabolic rate to increase.

7. Lean Meats and Proteins: These can include turkey, beef, chicken and poultry. When you consume lean meats, you burn calories during digestion because it takes a lot of energy to break them down in your body.

8. Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a high-fiber food which requires a lot of energy to break down. Like with lean meats, this means your burn calories during the process, which in turn raises your metabolic rate. Oatmeal also has other heath benefits, including lowering levels of cholesterol and reducing chances for heart disease.

9. Almonds: They are high in calories, but they are also full of fiber and fatty acids that help boost your metabolism.

Photo Courtesy Of: http://www.webmd.com
/diet/ss/slideshow-boost-your-metabolism

10. Hot Peppers: Capsacin, a chemical found many hot peppers such as jalapenos and cayenne pepper, helps to speed up your metabolic rate.

This list was generated with information from two articles: 

"10 Foods To Boost Your Metablolism" from LiveStrong.com

"10 Foods That Boost Your Metabolism" from IngredientsInc.net

For more detailed information, read the full articles!

I like coming up with ways to increase my intake of these foods. One great way to do that is to make eating spinach salads a habit! I try to eat spinach everyday, and often include broccoli and blueberries along with other fruits and veggies. If drinking water gets boring, try naturally flavored water or vitamin water! Also, maybe try oatmeal for breakfast sometimes! As you read in my earlier post, that is my usual morning meal. There are many ways to increase the amount of metabolism boosting foods in your diet! Have fun coming up with your own creative ideas and recipes! 

If you're interested in learning about more ways to increase your metabolism, the article "10 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism" from WebMD gives great advice!

Results Of My Juice Cleanse!

Hey everyone!

My juice cleanse definitely did not go as planned. I won't say too much because I would really like you to watch the video! I made a short video during each day of the cleanse and then put them all together into one. I know it's a bit lengthy, but if you are at all interested in this topic I think that you'll find it enjoyable and informative. I learned a lot during this process, and I hope watching this video will teach you something new as well! Please feel free to ask me any questions that you may have.

                            

7-Day Juice Cleanse!

Hey everyone! Listen to my podcast about juice cleanses and the 7-day cleanse I'm starting this morning.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Here is a link to the Naked Juice website: Naked Juice

This is what my refrigerator currently looks like! I threw out all of my other food so I won't be tempted.

Reading Nutrition Labels

If you want to purchase healthy food products, it is important to know how to properly read and understand the information presented to you on nutrition labels. This can be quite a challenging and confusing task if you don't know what to look for. Sometimes people just skip it completely. I want to provide you with several tips that I've gathered over the years and also share some links to helpful sites with more information that you might find useful the next time you go grocery shopping.

1. Be sure to look closely at the serving size, number of servings, and calories.

- If you don't do anything else, do this! Sometimes people look at ONLY calories, and assume that's how much is in the whole package/product. This not not true! Calories, and all other information on nutrition labels, is based on one serving. Many packages contain MORE than one serving. Make sure to look at the serving size and be aware of much you will actually be consuming. This information is usually located at the top of nutrition labels.  

Photo Courtesy Of: http://blog.fooducate.com/

2.  Pay attention to the Daily Value percentages. 

- This is based off of a 2,000 calorie diet, so it may not be exact for you.

- Foods are considered to be high in a nutrient if they are 20% of the Daily Value or more. They are considered low in a nutrient if they are 5% or less.

3. Look for products that are low in: saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugars.

- Sodium and unhealthy fats are bad for your heart. Sugar only adds calories, and no other nutrients.

4. Look for products that are high in: potassium, fiber, vitamins (A and C), calcium and iron.

5. Look for sources of lean protein.

- Get the most protein for your calories and fat by comparing how much protein you get from one serving with the total amount of calories and fat. Generally, look for low-fat or fat-free products.

6. Be sure to check out the list of ingredients.

- If you're looking for a whole-grain food, it should appear first on the list.
- The article, "9 ingredients to avoid in processed foods", provides a list of 9 ingredients you should always try to stay way from. It also gives information on why they're used and why they're bad.
- The article "Harmful Food Ingredients to Avoid at all Costs", provides some similar information, but includes an extended list of ingredients to avoid as well as more tips on reading nutrition labels.

Photo Courtesy Of:
 http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/NFLPM/ucm274593.htm

This list of tips does not include every bit of information that is provided to you on nutrition labels, but it has some of the main things to look for and what I use at most frequently to help me make decisions when grocery shopping. I learned a lot of this information during my Lifetime Wellness course last year, and some of it I've picked up doing research in my free time. 

If you're interested in learning more in-depth information, check out these articles for further reading:
"Reading Food Nutrition Labels" from the American Heart Association
"How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label" from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Eat Organic!

The differences between organic and non-organic produce can be kind of complicated and hard to understand. In short, organic foods are grown and produced using methods that do not involve synthetic (human-made) chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides. According to the article "Organic Foods: Are they safer? More nutritious?" from the MayoClinic Website, conventional methods use these to promote plant growth, reduce pests and diseases, and manage weeds. These synthetic chemicals can be harmful to both human health and the environment. Organic methods of food production, on the other hand, use natural fertilizers (like manure or compost) for plant growth, birds and insects for pest and disease reduction, and methods such as crop-rotation and tilling to manage weeds. Read the full article for a more detailed explanation.

In addition, the article "Organic Foods: Understanding Organic Food Labels, Benefits, and Claims" provides a great explanation of the harmful effects of pesticides and the many benefits of organic produce. It also explains how to read organic food labels, why organic produce is more expensive, how to stay within your budget while shopping, and how to choose the "right" organic foods. 

I wish that all the food I purchase could be organic. Unfortunately I don't have the budget for that. However, I try to find the money to buy at least some organic produce on each of my shopping trips. For example, I always buy my lettuce/spinach organic. My favorite brand of organic food is Kashi. I constantly have a supply of their snack bars and cereal in my room. My family loves it as too, so it's nice to be able to go home enjoy it there as well. Check out Kashi's website to find out more about the company and the different products they offer.  

A friend and I took a trip to the "Topeka Natural Food Co-op" earlier this afternoon. They sell a wide variety of local, organic, and natural food and Earth-friendly products. I've never been in a store that is strictly natural and organic. I usually just shop in the organic section at Wal-Mart or Dillon's, so it was really fun and interesting to see! They have some foods there that I didn't even know could be made organic. I decided to splurge a little and purchase some natural wild-salmon burgers. I had one tonight, and it was delicious! I'd definitely recommend making a visit if you get a chance. Check out their Facebook page for more information!

This slideshow includes some pictures that I took at the Topeka Natural Food Co-op and pictures of Kashi products and other organic produce I currently have.

                                            

How To Eat Healthy When Dining Out

If you're anything like me, staying healthy when going out to eat at a restaurant can be a bit of a challenge!  It can be very hard to know the nutritional value of the food items you are ordering when all you can see is a description and a picture on a menu. In addition, it is very easy to overeat at at restaurants because many of the portion sizes that are served are two or three times larger than recommend serving sizes! I want to quickly share a few things I do that tend to help me out a lot when eating out.

•  Plan ahead and find the restaurant's nutritional facts online before you go out.



Photo Courtesy Of: 
http://www.ericwedum.com/interactive/ 

 Many times brochures with nutritional facts are available for you to look at inside the restaurant, but who wants to be the one to take 20 minutes to count calories before they're ready to order? If you're concerned about the nutritional value of the food you eat while dining out, my advice would be to check out the nutritional facts online and plan what you want to eat ahead of time. Most websites should have this available, it's easy to do, and it can actually be fun! I get a feeling of accomplishment when I can plan a meal that is within my target calorie range. Red Robin is one of my favorite restaurants, and they have a "Nutritional Customizer" (pictured above) on their website that allows you to customize an order in anyway you want and it will calculate all of the nutritional facts for you. Check it out! Red Robin - Nutritional Customizer. Of course, eating out can sometimes be spontaneous. You won't always have the time to plan your meals out beforehand. When that happens, I do have other suggestions!

• Check if the menu has a "Lighter Options" section.
This is becoming increasingly popular in restaurant menu's. At almost every restaurant I go to, there's a section on the menu called "On the Lighter Side," "Weight Watchers" or something similar. For example, Arby's recently launched their new "Eat This Not That" menu selection, and Applebee's has their famous "Under 550 Calories" section (pictured below). Selecting your meal from the "lighter" section of the menu will help ensure that you can accomplish your goal of staying healthy while eating out.  These can also easily be found online. Here are a few more examples from popular restaurants. 
• Chili's - "Lighter Choices"
• Taco Bell - "Drive-Thru Diet"
• McDonald's - "Favorites Under 400 Calories"
• Red Lobster - "LightHouse Menu"

Photo Courtesy Of:
http://www.eatdrinkdeals.com

• Don't be afraid to ask for adjustments to be made to your meal!
It is perfectly okay to ask for your salad to be made with the dressing on the side, for your sandwich to have whole wheat bread instead of white, to have broccoli instead of fries, or for your chicken to be grilled instead of fried. Don't be embarrassed to ask for those things. Have it made the way you want! Take charge! 

• Know when you are full. 
Don't finish your food just because it's there on your plate. If you're full, stop eating! This is much easier said then done. I know I have a tendency to eat food when it's in front of me, but knowing when you need to stop eating is a habit that is important to develop.

Those are just a few of the tips I have for being healthier when eating out! I could add more, but this post is already pretty long. :) If you're interested in learning more I recommend checking out these articles. Some of the tips are similar to mine, but there are many additional ones as well!

• "Healthy Fast Food"
• "10 Ways to Eat Healthy When Eating Out" - This gives tips on how to eat healthy based on the type of food you will be eating like Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, etc. 
• "How To Eat Healthy When Eating Out"

Go Ahead, Indulge in Peanut Butter!

Photo Courtesy Of: 
http://thesweettreat.wordpress.com/ 

I am addicted to peanut butter. My room is stocked with several jars and I usually can’t go more than two days without eating some. Lucky for me, peanut butter is packed with nutrients and is actually very healthy for you.  However, some kinds are healthier than others and it is important to know what to look for. In this post, I want to share with you the many benefits of peanut butter, how to shop for it, and a few of my favorite peanut butter recipes. :)

                                              

According to an article published on the Harvard Health website, studies have shown that those who eat peanut butter or nuts on a frequent basis have a smaller chance of developing heart disease or type 2 diabetes than those who don’t.  Peanut butter is also full of protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients! For more information read the entire article,

 "Is Peanut Butter Healthy?"

Many people tend to think that peanut butter is unhealthy for you. Some of the main reasons for this include…

     1. It contains saturated fats.                                                                                                           

• This is true. However, that does not automatically make it unhealthy for you. It is important to look at the ratio of saturated fats to unsaturated fats. Peanut butter contains a much larger amount of healthy unsaturated fats. If you’re interested in learning more about the difference between these two kinds of fats, read the article "Understanding Fats."                                                                       

2. It contains sodium.

• It does have sodium, but it also provides us with a greater amount of potassium, which actually counters the harmful effects of sodium. The Harvard Health article provides more information on this.

3. It contains hydrogenated oils.

• ONLY SOME peanut butter does! Hydrogenated oils contain trans fatty acids that contribute to heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. It is very possible to find and purchase peanut butter that contains absolutely zero hydrogenated oils.

When shopping for peanut butter, if you’re looking for the healthiest option, it is best to go natural. Natural peanut butter contains no hydrogenated oils, trans-fat, or added sugars. It also has less unhealthy saturated fats.

My favorite kind is “Smucker’s Natural Creamy Peanut Butter.” I ALWAYS have a jar of it around. There are many other brands to choose from if you don’t enjoy Smucker’s.

I would like to share three of my favorite “peanut butter” recipes.  First, I want to point out that although peanut butter is healthy, it is a high-calorie food. It contains about 200 calories per serving (2 tablespoons), so it is important to watch how much you eat. That’s the hardest part for me. I am always careful not to eat too much. 

 

I’m sure you have all tried a peanut butter and banana sandwich at some point in your life. I eat them all the time. However, I have recently started to add strawberries as well. It is absolutely delicious. I recommend trying it out!

This particular recipe includes…

2 Slices 100% Whole Wheat Bread

2 Tablespoons Natural Peanut Butter

½ Medium Banana

2 Sliced Strawberries

This next recipe is one that I love to drink before my morning workouts. It’s packed full of fiber and protein. This recipe is small since I only made one serving for myself. It includes…

½ Medium Banana

½ Cup Cooked Oatmeal

1 Tablespoon  Natural Peanut Butter

¼ Cup Skim Milk

6 Large Ice Cubes

Blend on high until smooth.

You can do a lot to mix this recipe up! Sometimes I add strawberries, or include vanilla yogurt instead of milk if I want a thicker texture. Feel free to try your own thing!

Here is a link to a great recipe for a "healthy" Peanut Butter Pie for those days you feel like indulging in something a little sweeter without going overboard. It only has 300 calories per serving! :) The picture is from when I made it several months ago. It might be about the most amazing thing I have ever tasted. 

I know this post was a bit long, but I hope you all enjoyed it, learned something new, and will think about trying out some of these recipes! :)