Today's Tip: How Much Sugar Are You REALLY Eating?

One of the #1 causes of excess "baggage" on our bodies is SUGAR.  Did you know that if you cut out half of the sugar you currently eat, it's likely that you would make not only a significant impact on your weight, but also in how you feel in general?

A quick look at the negative effects of too much sugar...

- Obesity
- Weight Gain
- Contributes to Osteoporosis
- Can decrease the growth hormone
- Increases Cholesterol
- Causes hyperactivity & anxiety, particularly in children
- Causes food allergies
- Can interfere with the absorption of protein
...and about 135 other reasons that Dr. Nancy Appleton, PhD, lists as to "how sugar is ruining your health" in her book "Lick the Sugar Habit".

Keep in mind that to consume sugar, it doesn't necessarily mean we are eating big doses of the "white stuff".  Remember, sugar includes glucose, fructose (as in fruit sugar), lactose (as in milk), sucrose (as in table sugar), maltose or malts (as in rice malt and honey), fruit juice or jam (contains concentrated juice, which is high in fruit sugar), maple syrup, corn syrup, palm sugar (traditionally used in macrobiotic cooking), and the very deceiving organic brown sugar, which is not all that different from white sugar.

"But it tastes so good!" you are probably saying.  And yes, it does!  So even though some people have seen great results cutting sugar almost completely from their diet, I'm saying if you just reduce what you currently eat by half, that's an awesome start. Often times if we cut sugar too dramatically it could invariably lead to cravings and diet imbalances.

Let's talk about a couple of alternatives.  See, you don't have to give up the sweetness of sugar in order to be healthy, you just need to replace it with better alternatives. There are two natural, organic sugar alternatives that are sweet, easy to use and cook with – stevia and xylitol. They may sound like chemicals but they are completely natural and have been proven not only safe but beneficial for our well-being.

Stevia is a herb that has been used as a sweetener in South America for hundreds of years. I have heard some people say that it can taste a little bitter in drinks and in some recipes, but this can actually be overcome by using xylitol in combination with stevia for ideal sugar replacement.

Xylitol is a natural substance found in fibrous vegetables and fruit, as well as in corn cobs and various hardwood trees, like birch. I didn't realize this until I started doing some research on it, but xylitol is so natural that our bodies produce up to 15 grams of it daily during normal metabolism.

For instance, I love oatmeal.  But just plain oatmeal is a little hard for me to thoroughly enjoy!  So I add a bit of Truvia (branded stevia) to sweeten it up a bit, along with a little cinnamon and pure vanilla extract.  This is truly the best option, but if you insist on instant oatmeal from the packets, strive to find a brand that doesn't have a lot of added sugar. Read your label!  And if it has zero sugar but is sweetened with artificial sweeteners, what have you really gained??

My main goal for you to incorporate today is to start becoming more aware of the sugar you intake.  If you eat a lot of fruit, that awesome!  But remember fruit has sugar in it, so you need to avoid excess intake when you have the choice - like what you put in your coffee, the kind of yogurt you eat or what cereal you buy.  Be aware of how much sugar you are eating, as well as how much artificial sugar you are taking in.  Any "fat free" or "lite" products typically have aspartame or Splenda in them - you aren't doing yourself any favors when you take in too much "fake" stuff either!

As a side note - I do use pure cane sugar in place of white sugar when baking and cooking.  Everything in moderation remember!  So if you need to use sugar, just do so with caution and make the BEST choices.

Some information taken from Natural News: Natural Health News and Scientific Discoveries
http://www.naturalnews.com/022692.html#

Today's Tip: Are You Training Correctly for Fat Loss?

Okay friends, if you are struggling to break past a plateau or trying to lose fat for the umpteenth time, it's highly likely that you can succeed on both fronts if you think through your workouts just a bit and make sure you are training the right system. For effective fat loss, your workouts shouldn't be based on muscle groups...they need to actually be the signal to the muscle groups...the signal to burn fat and build muscle.

To achieve fat loss, you need to increase the metabolic effect of each workout - that is key!  That, along with reducing fat deposits from excess consumption of - yes, you guessed it - sugar, bad fats and bad carbs must be your goal for fat loss. Otherwise you are spinning your wheels.

So to quote a fellow trainer who is certified in strength & conditioning & is also a physical therapist, this begs the question: "If fat loss happens by increasing the metabolic effect of each workout, why would cardio -- which tends to be an equal intensity over time -- be a possibility for fat loss?"

I'm not saying that running 3 miles a few times a week at the same pace isn't good exercise.  I'm just saying that if it's the only exercise you are getting, it's not going to burn your fat.  Just like typical weight lifting where you go to the gym and exercise 1-2 muscle groups at a time - resting and repeating - is not going to burn that fat very quickly either.  What you really want to do is to be "shocking" your body the entire time you exercise, "shaking up" your metabolism, and forcing your body to undergo rapid repair for 2-3 days to come.  Why? Because it's in the repair process that healing takes place and muscles can grow.  And for fat loss, it's during the repair process that calories are consumed. 

Sounds simple, doesn't it?  Well, it really is.  Consider how your body works, why it would put fat on to begin with, and how your body would best understand how to lose it. For me, other than pregnancy, I was at my heaviest when I was a Freshman in college. 

Why my body put the fat on: What was I doing?  Well, not much exercise, eating too much sugar, not getting enough sleep and doing homework laying on my bed which equaled poor posture.

When reality hit, I started running and eating less...and although I did lose some pounds, I didn't build any muscle and still didn't have the energy I should have had at 19 or 20.  What was missing??  Well, I had gone "fat free" and ate little to no protein to lose weight.  I look back now and even though I weighed less, I was probably the least healthy I have ever been.

How would my body have best understood how to lose the fat it put on: Combine the cardio with muscle building, fix my posture, reduce the sugar and start replacing those simple carbs with complex ones.

Pretty simple, right?  Our bodies are complex beasts, but to make them run most efficiently, it's really pretty simple. When it comes to fat loss, you must ask: am I training the right bodily system? If you are starting an exercise program and want to include running, go for it.  But try some new things - go for a run but stop after one mile and do 15 burpees to jack your heart rate up.  Then after 10 push-ups run another mile. Interject some sprints every mile or so. Or, go for a run on 2 days in a week and strength train on other days. Don't target one muscle group - do circuit training to hit all your muscles.  And no, this doesn't have to take a long time.  My workouts are 45 minutes, which includes a warm-up and stretching at the beginning and the end.  The key is to be efficient and have a plan before you head out.

Lastly, to quote my friend Lisa, "you can't outwork a bad diet." So you can't just workout efficiently, target the right muscle groups and fix your posture and expect the fat to melt away.  What else packed on my pounds?  Too much sugar, bad fats and way too many simple carbs. 

Another very important thing: remember that what worked for your friend Joe may not work for you. Listen to your body!  If you see a fit person at the gym on the treadmill running day after day you may think that's the ticket for you to get fit. Before you jump into that idea, think through what YOUR body needs.  Look at what put on the excess weight and figure out what you can do to reverse that.  For you moms out there yes, having those babies put weight on us and left a few lasting effects :).  At the same time, don't let that keep you from finding a plan that works. 

Lots of "food" for thought today...have a great one!

Today's Tip: Crock Pot Apple Crisp - Light and Delish!

Last weekend my in-laws were here and I wanted to make a yummy dessert for after dinner on Saturday night. We were doing a lot during the day, however, so I needed something that wouldn't take too much time.  I remembered seeing a crock pot apple crisp recipe somewhere, so I searched for one and found a keeper!  This came from allrecipes.com, and it was adapted from Weight Watchers.

A couple of other modifications:
1) I swapped out the white sugar for pure cane sugar, and the flour for white whole wheat flour. 
2) We served it with frozen yogurt, however, I would recommend Vanilla over the Coffee flavored yogurt I accidentally purchased. The Coffee was okay, but a nice Vanilla Bean would be better!
3) 2 Tablespoons of apple pie spice is a lot - you might want to reduce this to 1 tablespoon, and then add a teaspoon or two of cinnamon.

Healthy Crock Pot Apple Crisp Recipe

Serves about 8.

Ingredients: 

• 7 cups peeled, chopped Granny Smith apples
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pure cane sugar
• 3/4 cup flour (I like the Ultragrain brand of white whole wheat flour which I found at Wal-Mart)
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons apple pie spice
• 1 tablespoon apple butter
• 4 1/2 tablespoons regular butter
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• Dash of salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Ice cream for garnish

Directions: 

1. Place chopped apples in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add apple butter and lemon juice and stir to coat the apples. Mix together the corn starch, 1 tablespoon of apple pie spice and the 1/4 cup regular white sugar. Mix well. Pour mixture over the apples and stir to coat.
2. Sprinkle walnuts over the apples and mix well.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, second tablespoon of apple pie spice and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly like sand.  Sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture until they are all covered.
4. Set slow cooker to low and cook for about 4 hours, or until apples are tender and soft. If you make this over night, be sure your slow cooker turns off after it’s done cooking so the crisp doesn’t burn.

Nutritional information per serving (about 1/2 cup)

Calories: 275
Fat: 8 grams
Carbohydrates: 42 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Protein: 2.6 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 7

Today's Tip: No Fail Dinner Main Dish...Kid and Grown-Up Friendly!

The other day the kids and I were at the grocery store, and when we were at the deli getting sandwich meat, they commented on how good the big, thick chicken strips looked on the other end of the deli counter. Well, y'all know me - all I could see was the thick breading on the strips, plus the hot oil they had just been dipped into for frying.  So yesterday I decided to find a recipe for chicken strips that I could make at home.  My goal was to find something that the kids would not only eat, but be excited about when they came into the kitchen to help with dinner - and a dish that would be "Jen Niemann-approved"!

Did I find it?  Yes I did.  They walked into the kitchen and one kid said, "mom, those look awesome!"; another said, "man, it smells good in here"; the 3rd said, "who is getting out the ketchup?" These were easy to make and so much better than the deep fried ones from the deli!

Crispy Baked Chicken Strips

1 lb. skinless chicken breast tenders
1 egg, beaten
2 cups finely crushed whole wheat cracker crumbs or 2 cups plain whole wheat breadcrumbs (we used Zesta whole wheat crackers)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

1 Mix cracker crumbs and seasonings well.

2 Dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, then dredge in crumb mixture.

3 Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or to reduce clean-up time, place a sheet of foil sprayed with cooking spray onto baking sheet.

4 Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, turn pieces over and back another 4-5 minuted or until crispy on outside and lightly browned.

5 Dip into favorite sauce, or enjoy just as they are!

PS Yes, we use ketchup around here...the "Simply Heinz" kind :)

Today's Tip: Should you buy organic?

So you head out to do your grocery shopping, and whether you go to your local grocer, a large chain or a superstore, you will find an "organic" produce section.  You'll also find other products in the store - such as meats - labeled organic. Without exception, these products are more expensive than "regular" items, and may often appear to be more nutritious.  So are they worth the extra cost?  Since I've had this question come up a few times recently, I thought I would list a few talking points so you can make an informed decision about what is best for you.

One of the most interesting reports I found was a new Stanford study published into today's Annals of Internal Medicine - it sifted through 237 published studies comparing organics to conventional foods to answer the question "is organic worth the extra cost?" 

Many people believe organic is healthier and more nutritious, but the study's lead author said they were a bit surprised they didn't find that to be true in study.  Conventional and organic produce scored equally on vitamin and mineral content. Only one nutrient — phosphorus — was significantly higher in organic versus conventionally grown produce. There was no difference in protein or fat content between organic and conventional milk, though evidence from a few studies suggested that organic milk may contain significantly higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids. 

Organics might not be more nutritious but will likely lower your exposure to pesticides and dangerous bacteria.  Crops bearing the USDA organic seal of approval are raised without synthetic pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge. Organic animals must be fed organic feed free of antibiotics or growth hormones. Anything labeled organic can't be genetically engineered or treated with radiation to prolong shelf life.

Sticking with organic chicken and pork appeared to limit exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which some experts warn may be contributing to the rise of hard-to-treat infections in humans. However, not all the organic produce tested was 100 percent pesticide free. While they were 30 percent less likely to have traces of chemicals than conventional fruits and vegetables, the study showed that the pesticide levels of all foods fell within allowable safety limits. 

Bottom line, the study proved that the risk of a diet without fruits and vegetables is greater to a person's health than the risks posed by pesticide residues. In addition, not all conventionally grown foods contain residue nor are organics always the more virtuous choice. A good rule of thumb: Skin can protect the fruit or vegetable from any pesticide exposure so when the outside can be peeled away, it may not be worth spending the extra cash for organic.

No doubt, when we lived in California, the produce was readily available at numerous roadside stands and farmers' markets and I loved getting fresh produce, as well as new things I hadn't tried before. We have also had our own garden, which is another great way to have fresh produce and to control what products are used.

So I'll conclude by saying that personally, I do not recall having ever intentionally purchased any organic fresh foods like fruits, vegetables or meats at a grocery store.  True, I loved my frequent shopping at the produce stands (oh those wonderful strawberries!) or in my own garden, but my typical grocery shopping happens outside of the organic area of the store.  My husband and I grew up on a farm and ranch, respectively, and we strongly believe that the majority of farmers and ranchers make very good choices with the way they raise their crops and animals. Think about it, if they didn't, would they have a very profitable business?

It's easy to get caught up in one article that you read or a study you hear about.  I encourage you to thoroughly investigate any new idea or concept, and determine if it is right for you and your family.  Wash your fresh fruits and vegetables, and feel confident that we live in an amazing country with the ability to produce fabulously healthy and abundant foods!