Fats, Beverages and Condiments

Today is the last in our series, so checkout what you should be consuming in regards to fats, beverages and condiments!

SMART FATS

Healthy fats help keep you feeling full longer.*

Recommended Serving Size:
Thumb-size portion

• Dairy: cheese (low fat), feta cheese, mozzarella (low fat)
• Dressings: balsamic vinaigrette, creamy salad dressing (low fat), mayonnaise
• Fruit: avocado, olives (large)
• Nuts & Seeds: almond butter (with salt), almonds (raw, whole), peanut butter (natural, with salt), peanuts (raw, chopped), pecans (raw, chopped), pumpkin seeds, sesame butter/tahini, sunflower seeds, soy nuts (roasted, lightly salted), walnuts (raw, chopped)
• Oils: canola oil, fish oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, safflower oil

SMART BEVERAGES

Water, almond milk (unsweetened), tea, brewed coffee with noncaloric sweeteners (if desired). Limit specialty coffees, creamers and sugars as they are a source of refined carbohydrates.

SMART CONDIMENTS

Vinaigrettes, barbeque and wine sauces, as well as herbs and spices are recommended; however, any condiment of choice should be used sparingly. Choose lower sodium options when possible.

SMART Carbs

Today is a look at the sort of Carbohydrates you should be consuming!

 

SMART CARBS

Carbohydrates are vital for energy.


Recommended serving size:
Fist-size portion

• Dairy: milk (1% or skim), yogurt (low fat) with fruit
• Bread: corn tortillas, whole grain breads, whole grain English muffins, whole grain tortillas
• Fruit: apples, apricots, bananas, berries, grapes, kiwi, melons, oranges, tangerines, peaches, nectarines, pears, pineapple, plums
• Grain: amaranth, barley, bran cereals, buckwheat, corn, couscous, long grain brown rice, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, spelt, whole grain cereals, wild rice
• Pasta: brown rice pasta, whole grain pasta
• Root Vegetables: potatoes (russet, red, gold; small 3.5cm diameter), sweet potatoes/yams (small 5cm diameter, 10cm long)
• Legumes: beans (boiled or low-sodium canned), edamame, lentils (boiled or low-sodium canned), peas

Smart Vegetables

Today we are looking at the SMART vegetables you should be eating!

SMART VEGETABLES

Vegetables fortify your body with vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Recommended Serving Size:
Two fist-size portions
Artichokes, arugula, asparagus, beets, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, cucumber, eggplant, endive, green beans, kale, lettuce, mixed greens, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, peppers, radicchios, radishes, rhubarb, romaine, rutabaga, snow peas, spinach, sprouts, squash, tomatoes, turnips, zucchini

Bod-e Smart Food Guide

Over the enxt few days, we want to share with you the Bod-e Smart Food Guide to see what foods are best to eat in conjunction with the Bod-e Plan.

Lets start with Smart Protein!

SMART PROTEINS

Protein is essential for weight loss management since it helps build muscle.

Recommended Serving Size:
Palm-size portion

• Bod•ē Shake, Bod•ē Burn
• Dairy: cottage cheese (low fat), eggs, egg substitutes, Greek yogurt (nonfat plain), yogurt (low carb/high protein)
• Poultry: chicken, duck breast, ostrich, turkey breast (low sodium)
• Red Meat: beef (lean cuts), buffalo (ground), elk, roast beef (low-sodium deli), venison
• Seafood: catfish, clams, cod, crab, halibut, lobster, mussels, salmon, scallops, shrimp, snapper, tilapia, trout, tuna
• Vegetable Protein: tempeh, texturized vegetable protein, tofu
• White Meat: pork (lean)

The Truth About Fats and Carbs - Part 2

Myth #2: Fat is “bad” and needs to be eliminated from your diet completely.

Once again, fat is an essential part of a body’s essential nutrients that needs to be eaten – again – in moderation.  FDA food guidelines insist that a healthy diet should be made of up 20-30% fat because it provides energy and helps to transport vitamins such as Vitamin A, E, K and D throughout the body. 

However, fat has a terrible reputation due to the fact that a single gram contains more than twice the calories than a gram of carbohydrates or proteins.

Unfortunately, recent studies have shown a typical American diet is made up of 40% fat.  This is a number that certainly needs to be addressed and lowered. However, there also needs to be a bit of ‘fat education’ promoted to those with such fat-laden diets - because, just like carbs, not all fats are created equal. 

“Bad” fats that raise cholesterol and increase blood pressure are Saturated Fats and Trans-Fats. Too many Saturated and Trans-fats can also increase a person’s risk for heart disease.

Saturated fats are typically found in animal products such as:

·         Bacon

·         Poultry skin

·         Ribs

·         Hotdogs

·         Sausage

·         Coconut oil

·         Palm oil

High levels of Saturated Fats can also be found in dairy products such as:

·         Cheese

·         Sour cream

·         Butter

·         Ice Cream

Trans-fats are made from liquid oils.  Trans-fats are processed chemically making the oil a solid or semi-solid when brought to room temperature. Trans-fat is typically found in partially hydrogenated oil which is an ingredient in most packaged sweets, baked goods and snack foods and margarine.

Instead of these unhealthy fats that make up 40% of so many American diets, 20-30% of a healthy diet should consist of healthy fats: Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. These fats are more natural, less processed and therefore the body recognizes them as being a helpful tool rather than a something that should be stored.

Monounsaturated fats are found in:

·         Olive oil

·         Canola oil

·         Nut

Polyunsaturated fats are found in

·         Fish

·         Flaxseed

·         Walnuts

·         Soybeans

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are found in:

·         Cold water fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel and anchovies

·         Flaxseed oil

·         Flax seed

·         Walnuts

Omega-3 fatty acid is a polyunsaturated fatty aid that helps the body to build cell membranes in the brain.  It also control blood clotting and it has proved to provide benefits to those suffering from cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

…The bottom line is – the more you fuel your body with all of the nutrients, minerals and vitamins that it requires – in the quantities that it expects and needs, the more efficiently and effectively it will function. 

The body is a machine and it operates at peak performance when it is fueled with ‘high-test fuel’ in the proper amounts at the proper times.  We cannot expect our body to do what we want it to, to make drastic changes and to maintain them - unless we start by giving it what it wants and needs as well. 

Work with your body’s needs instead of against them, and you’ll be surprised at how much faster you can reach your health and fitness goals!

The Truth About Fats and Carbs - Part 1

The Truth About Fats and Carbs

Dispelling myths surrounding these delicious legends

Myth #1: Carbs are “bad” and need to be eliminated from your diet completely.

While it’s true that it is ‘bad’ to eat anything in excess, carbs are an essential part of a balanced diet.  There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex.  Simple carbohydrates have earned a bad reputation because they are made up of sugar molecules and once eaten - they cause a spike in blood sugar.  Also, when simple carbs are eaten in excess, the body will continue to burn these carbs instead of tapping into the fat stores. 

…But once again, the elimination of carbs completely will have negative effects on the body as well.  Avoiding carbs completely eliminates the body’s relationship with carbs, making it difficult to control whenever they are reintroduced again.  Also, the elimination of carbs causes a nutritional imbalance lead which can lead to unnecessary cravings. 

Instead of cutting carbs from your diet completely, stick to the proper portion daily. The FDA dietary requirements recommend that a daily nutritional balance consist of 50-60% carbohydrates.

Also, look for the second, healthier version of carbohydrates – complex carbs.  Complex carbs, often referred to ass starches are high in fiber and are made up of a long chain of molecules.  A smaller portion of high-fiber carbs can help you feel full and satisfied.  Also, the complex molecular make-up of these carbs causes the body to work harder and to burn more calories when breaking down these molecules. 

Complex carbs can be found in the following foods:

·         Crackers

·         Pasta

·         Rice

·         Whole grains

·         Starchy vegetables such as corn and potatoes

Simple carbs that should be avoided when possible include white bread, rice products and pastas which have undergone a chemical process that stripes away nutrients and fiber. When this ‘stripping’ process is left to the body, it causes the body to work more efficiently, to gather essential vitamins and nutrients, and once again, to burn more calories in the break-down process – a wonderful benefit!