New Year, New Diet?

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It’s early January, and for those of you who have gym memberships, you know that means dealing with a lot more people. A new year spurs New Year’s resolutions, one of the most common of which is to lose weight. Part of that process obviously involves the gym… hence the million-and-one extra people every night getting their treadmill on.

But the other, perhaps more important, aspect of shedding the pounds is diet. Because, unfortunately, no amount of exercise can offset the amount of calories, sugar, and fat I can personally consume in doughnuts. Or cheesecake. Or cookies. Or… well, you get the point.

So what’s the best diet? That really depends on the individual. The key is establishing a lifestyle that is both healthy and sustainable. For me, that means generally eating lots of veggies, fruits, and lean meats while moderating my intake of things like sugar, dairy, and gluten. I don’t completely cut anything out of my diet; rather, I choose to savor those foods by eating them only occasionally.

One of the unexpected bonuses of eating more veggies and less sugar is that I actually eat more food. That’s because the foods I consume are often less calorie dense but more nutrient dense than things like chocolate doughnuts. For those of you who are calorie counters, you likely already know that consuming more vegetables, fruits, and lean meats allows you to eat a lot more food than when consuming sugary treats like soda and candy bars.

  

This year, U.S. News & World Report’s best ranking diets overall (as rated by food and health experts) include the Mediterranean Diet, the Dash Diet, and the Flexitarian Diet. The lowest ranking diets? The Keto Diet and the Dukan Diet, which were rated as too hard to follow and therefore unsustainable. The Weight Watchers diet scored the top slot for Best Commercial Diets and Best Weight-Loss Diets.

Women’s Health Magazine recently shared a fun video that shows what 1,200 calories looks like for three popular diets: paleo, Mediterranean, and vegan. Which one looks the most appealing to you?



Do you follow a particular diet? Or are you more of a diet sampler like me, simply keeping to an overall “healthy eating” lifestyle?

The Avocado You Didn't Know You Needed Is Here

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Was anyone actually looking for a low-fat avocado? Even if not, the option is now here—well, in Spain, anyway.

Eurobanon's Isla Bonita has released a "light" avocado that has 30% less fat than the regular kind. According to the company, it's also milder in flavor with a juicier and lighter pulp. Additionally, it has a slower oxidation rate, gets ripe faster than traditional varieties, and is available year-round.

If you're looking for details on how (and maybe why) this fruit was developed, you're out of luck. Isla Bonita has said they won't release the exact location of the avocados' cultivation, though they do admit that they're grown somewhere other than Latin America, where most avocados on the market today come from.

While a low-fat food can be a great thing, particularly for those wanting to eat healthy, nutritionists are already questioning this development. After all, avocados, though high in calories and fat (322 calories and 30 grams of fat), also contain vitamins B, C, and E, as well as minerals like potassium and folate. They're low in sugar, high in fiber, and contain monosaturated "good" fat that can help lower cholesterol. You want to eat them in moderation, but they can easily be part of a healthy diet.

While it's pretty common for people to look for low-fat alternatives, professionals say this "light" avocado may not be the best route. 

"Being that fresh avocados are pretty much a perfect, creamy, dreamy, and delicious produce pick, I'm a tad skeptical about fussing with something that's not broken," said Joy Bauer, founder of Nourish Snacks. However, she admits a potential upside: "If this new product has all of the same nutrient attributes—without any suspect add-ons needed to reduce some of the fat—perhaps this will be a new way for those looking to lose a few pounds to enjoy avocado."

Other nutritionists are far more negative. 

"This sounds like an awful idea to me!" said Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN. "It reminds me of low-fat peanut butter, which I say is about as good as eating vitamin-free vegetables! Foods should be eaten in their whole real form."

The "light" avocado will be launched at the October Fruit Attraction trade fair in Madrid and is already being sold in supermarkets and specialist stores in Spain. Its nutritional make-up has been verified in lab tests, and it's received the Spanish Health Foundation's Food Health Programme approval.

We'll have to wait a bit for it to be released in the US, as it's only available in Spain right now. But when the time comes, it will be interesting to see how quickly American consumers pick up on it.

I’m Calling Out Whole Foods For What It Is: Deceptive

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You know, for being such a health guru, one would think that I would be in love with Whole Foods… but I’m not. As a matter of fact, I hate Whole Foods.

I sincerely believe that Whole Foods rips people off. Their prices are exorbitant only because they’re selling this idea of “designer food.” It’s where all the cool kids shop—you know—all the Pilates instructors, fitness trainers, naturopaths, etc.

They do an excellent job of marketing themselves as a top-notch health food source. Except, a lot of their products aren’t even healthy…

Take, for example, their 365 Chocolate Sandwich Cremes. In reality, this is nothing more than a glorified Oreo. In fact, when compared side-by-side, they have nearly the same amount of sugar.

And these kinds of hypocrisies are all over the place! There’s the Nature’s Path Mmmapple Brown Sugar pastries (the equivalent of Poptarts), the Whole Foods Two-Bite Cinnamon Rolls that are loaded with sugar, the 365 Cheese Curls (a knock-off of Cheetos), the Glutino Milk Chocolate Coated Wafers, and the list goes on and on.

Sure, some of these products may be made with organic ingredients, but at the end of the day, it’s all overly processed junk food. And people are buying into this!

Don’t fall for the marketing folks, because at the end of the day, that’s all that it is. It’s all one big, fat corporate lie that’s being used to make money off of you.

And if you still don’t believe me, consider this: back in March of 2016, Whole Foods was selling peeled oranges in plastic containers. Twitter user Nathalie Gordon said it best, “If only nature would find a way to cover these oranges so we didn’t need to waste so much plastic on them.”

So here’s what I propose instead: go to a grocery store with affordable prices and stock up on fruits, veggies, meats, nuts, and seeds. Your waistline and your wallet will thank you for it.

Tips for Eating Healthy During the Holidays

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With less than a week before Christmas, it’s time to prepare for all those delicious—albeit unhealthy—treats that will be at your disposal this holiday season. Trust me, I get it; it’s hard to turn down pumpkin pie, mac ‘n’ cheese, Christmas cookies, and eggnog. But if you want to be healthy, it’s absolutely necessary that you avoid the temptations that will come your way.

Tip #1: Find a Mantra

Find a word, phrase, or quote that you can repeat to yourself whenever you’re feeling weak. Your mantra should have special meaning to you, something that will keep you motivated to make the right choice. Some examples include:

• I eat to fuel my body, not to satisfy an appetite  
• Note to self: When I eat like crap, I feel like crap
• It’s not a short-term diet, it’s a long-term lifestyle change
• I’m strengthening my ‘resistance’ muscle. It’s getting stronger!
• Looking and feeling amazing is the best revenge

Tip #2: Keep an Inspirational Photo Nearby

There’s a reason that vision boards are so effective. When we have a crystal clear vision of what we want, it helps us to manifest it that much easier. Take some time to sift through a magazine and find some fitness pictures that really inspire you. If you don’t have any magazines, search for images on the Internet. You can either keep a physical copy of this image on your person at all times, or you can store it electronically on your phone. Using pictures of celebrities is fair game.

Tip #3: Reward Yourself With Something Other Than Food

Look, eating healthy is hard work. If you can manage to resist all the temptations this holiday season, make sure you celebrate by rewarding yourself. The reward doesn’t have to be expensive; it can be as simple as taking a nice, hot bath. Other ideas include going to the spa, getting a massage, watching a movie, or going to a concert. Remember: this is a spiritual journey, and you should take part in celebrating the new and improved you.

Stock Your Fridge Like a Pro

Lately, I’ve been having a lot more guests come into town. While I’m quite good at making my bedroom pristine, stocking extra towels, and filling up the bar cart, I’m always a bit worried about making sure they have enough to eat. I cook dinner on a regular basis, so there’s always food in the fridge, but it’s usually specifically set aside for a meal I’m planning to make. And the leftovers tend to be just enough for my lunch the next day.

Granola bars are a fantastic go-to snack.
Image: Shutterstock

I want guests staying with me to feel like they’ve got enough to snack on during the day, but I also don’t want to go overboard and have a massive amount of food left over once they leave.

Luckily, I’ve learned what to keep stocked, especially when guests are coming over. These are a few main staples that you can keep in your pantry and fridge to ensure your guests won’t go hungry:

• Mushrooms. They are super easy to add to eggs for breakfast, or to dress up a dish for lunch or dinner. They also keep for about a week and are very easy to cook with.
• Champagne + Rosé. Always keep two or three bottles of nice champagne for when guests come over to celebrate with you. If your guests don’t drink, swap the alcoholic beverages out for some sparkling apple cider.
• Granola + Nuts. These items can act as a quick grab snack for guests before you take them out on an adventure. They’re also great for stashing in your bag when you go out—just in case anyone gets hungry while you’re away from home.



Keep a little sweet on hand, too! Chocolate is a simple treat
that goes well with wine or a glass of milk.
Image: Shutterstock

• Cheese. When it comes to stocking cheese for when guests come over, I don’t mean shredded cheddar cheese for tacos. I’m talking a couple hunks of good cheese to serve up to guests with some nice crackers. My favorites are Gouda, Brie and a goat cheese. On that note, pick up some crackers that aren’t just saltines—whole grain crackers or Triscuits are great options.

• Chocolate. It’s great to keep a little bit of something sweet around, because let’s be honest…who doesn’t love chocolate with a nice bottle of wine?
• Eggs. Eggs can easily be used to whip up a quick frittata or omelet in the morning and they keep for quite a while. If you need quick go-to snacks during the week, simply hard-boil a few of the eggs.   

What are some things you always have stocked prior to guests visiting?

5 “Healthy” Snack Foods to Avoid

Don’t you just hate it when you’re trying to be healthy and then someone tells you what you’re eating isn’t as good for you as you thought it was? Well, I’m sorry to be that person today—but it’s a job someone has to do. The problem with the food industry is that it wants you to want their food—and today that means marketing anything that can be as “healthy,” even when it might be just the opposite.

Instead of flavored yogurt, buy plain Greek yogurt and add
honey or fresh fruit.
Image: Shutterstock

Sure, there are foods that fall on one side or the other—wonderfully healthy or terribly unhealthy. For those black-and-white cases, it’s easy to follow the rules. Unfortunately, most foods fall somewhere in between, in a gray area that makes it easy for food companies to twist healthfulness to their whimsy.

Flavored yogurt, such as Yoplait and other brands, might seem like a good choice at the store, but let’s take a second look. Looking at the back label might reveal a relatively low calorie and fat count, but check out the sugars, too. Flavored yogurt often contains up to 30 grams of sugar in one cup, which (by the way) is the entire recommended daily allowance for most women.

As an alternative, buy plain Greek yogurt (lots more protein, anyway) and flavor it with fresh fruit like bananas or strawberries, honey, or cinnamon.

Instant oatmeal is something I ate for years thinking it was super healthy. While it isn’t unhealthy, it’s super processed (for faster cooking), has a high glycemic index and your body digests it very quickly—meaning you won’t be held over until lunchtime. Try steel-cut oats instead. Not only do they taste better (in my humble opinion), but they’re also way better for you. They take a while to cook, but they also keep for up to a week in the fridge.

Instead of instant oats, try steel-cut oats.
Image: Shutterstock

My favorite is slow-cooking steel-cut oats with chopped apples and a little cinnamon. Naturally sweet, it’s a delicious start to the morning (and I won’t get hungry an hour later!).

Packaged egg whites generally have less than half of the amount of protein of a whole egg. They also often contain artificial ingredients like maltodextrin, which is a sweetener, and are missing crucial healthy ingredients like choline and lutein. Stick with a whole protein-rich egg—just don’t overdo it!

Bottled salad dressing can really ruin a wonderfully healthy salad. Bottled dressings and sauces often contain high amounts of sugar, especially in the “low-fat” versions. If you’re cooking meat, try a dry-rub powder instead or make your own dressing at home—sans sugar.

Sugar-free protein / granola bars may be getting their flavors from other places. It’s better to have a bar that’s naturally low in sugar with a few ingredients than one that contains a whole laundry list of unpronounceable names but no sugar. Sorbitol is a common ingredient in sugar-free bars, and it’s hard for your body to break down and can cause bloating.

Lululemon’s Latest Problem Revealed

While I do love Lululemon, the news this week hasn’t exactly been flattering. After numerous complaints from customers, the yoga clothing line came clean with a not-so-great admission: some of their black Luon women’s pants were made just a tad too sheer. Okay, quite a bit too sheer, actually.

Lululemon makes getting fit fun & communal
Image from nymag.com

Right now, it’s unclear how the mistake came about. But it is clear that women doing yoga in the pants were rather unhappy when they found out their pants were fairly transparent while practicing any number of yoga stretches and positions. The company has recalled the line, pulling the pants from its stores and offering full refunds or exchanges to women who have purchased them.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first issue Lululemon has had with sheerness in the past year. Their stock, which has skyrocketed in the past three years, took a 5% dip on Tuesday when the recall was issued. The recall of the pants will also cause their profits to take a significant dip for the quarter.

Image from lululemon.com

But the main problem here is the potential loss of loyal customers. So many women and men have come to love the brand, which, although a little pricey, has a strong mission and ideals. Hopefully this flub up won’t lose them too many customers.

It’s certainly frustrating that a mistake on this grand of a scale could happen because of what appears to be a lack of proper oversight in its overseas factories. But one thing Lululemon does have going in its favor (besides the large customer base) is its friendly, fun appeal to anyone wanting to live a healthy lifestyle.

What makes it so? It’s in everything from the company’s many inspiring phrases found on its website, bags and more (“run against the grain, take the road less travelled,” “Breathe deeply,” “Friends are more important than money”) to its colorful and exciting lines of exercise clothes.

Lululemon's inspiring manifesto
Image from lululemon.com

Lululemon makes it fashionable to be fit and living a healthy life, and it makes people feel connected to each other—just like I feel connected to all of the other fitness and health bloggers I find on social media sites. Lululemon offers free yoga classes in its stores, connects customers with qualified yoga instructors, and generally cultivates a sense of community.

And business flub up or not, that makes them one of the few retailers who do.

Average Sized Mannequin Photo Goes Viral

I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s ever walked by mannequins on display at a store and asked, “Really?” It’s not uncommon to see weirdly skinny mannequins sporting merchandise in size 0, safety pinned at the back because it’s still too big. Those clothes often end up being what I describe as “good on the rack,” but not really anywhere else.

The Gap's "Always Skinny" mannequin earned
the nickname "Death Camp Chic"

You know it’s a problem when your bones are literally bigger than what’s supposed to be a full flesh-and-bone representation. Of course, not all mannequins are like that. But the average size for mannequins in the United States is between sizes 4 and 6. This contrasts sharply with the average woman’s size, which is between 12 and 14 according to Women’s Wear Daily.

Mannequins are also blessed with abnormally long figures and limbs, some as much as 6 inches taller and 6 sizes smaller than the average woman, according to the Chicago Tribune. But lately some in the fashion industry have taken a stand against the promotion of anorexic figures, including major gurus like Vogue, which is run by editor Anna Wintour and contributed to by fashionistas like Lauren Santo Domingo.

But now a photo of two mannequins is making the viral rounds on the Internet—and the approval has been overwhelming. The picture depicts two mannequins from an unknown Swedish retail store sporting sets of purple lingerie. What’s special about them is that they actually look like real women. They have hips, breasts, and soft tissue. Their legs and arms look proportional. They are still slim, yes, but in a healthy way.

Average-sized mannequins from a Swedish retailer
are receiving praise for being realistic.

A few worry that making larger mannequins will promote obesity, but to that I say “Pah!” The mannequins aren’t obese; they are a more realistic depiction of what women actually look like. How does seeing a super skinny mannequin help us picture clothing on our own bodies? How does it make us feel when those clothes don’t seem to fit in quite the same way?

The picture surfaced earlier this week on the Women’s Rights News Facebook page with a message attached: “Store mannequins in Sweden. They look like real women. The US should invest in some of these.”

And I have to say, I agree. What do you think?