It’s that time of year again. That time when you hear young girls (or your friends or coworkers) saying, “Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?” Whether you dread it, or look forward to it, largely depends on how you feel about cookies. Me? I love Girl Scout cookies. I am particularly partial to those Tagalongs/Peanut Butter Patties. My mouth begins to water just thinking about those butter cookies covered in soft peanut butter and coated with chocolate.
Given the opportunity, I know I could easily knock out a whole package in one sitting. Definitely not a good idea, especially since there are 150 calories and 8 grams of fat in just two cookies (one serving size). However, I am not about to give up my Girl Scout cookie fix. After all, it only comes around once a year. I’m not about to miss out and I am not about to suggest that you do either.
You can still have your favorite Girl Scout cookies. You just need to remember, as with any food, the importance of moderation. I know it is not always an easy thing to do. Pulling out one suggested serving size and putting the box away again is often a testament to sheer willpower! No question, it is challenging, but definitely not impossible.
At the risk of having you roll your eyes and stop reading this, I am going to say it. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I know, I know. You have heard it all before. Those of you who religiously eat breakfast are probably thinking what else could I possibly tell you that you don’t already know….probably not much. I’d probably be preaching to the choir.
I am hoping to convince a few of the non-believers amongst us. You know, those unconvinced folks that are likely smirking at the idea of having their minds changed on the subject. After all, you have not eaten breakfast up to this point, and you don’t intend to start.
I guess my question to all those anti-breakfasters out there would be, “why not?” What is your objection to eating breakfast?
It cannot be that you are afraid of taking in more calories and gaining weight. That could not be it because numerous studies have actually shown that eating breakfast helps weight loss and is an effective tool for controlling weight. When you eat breakfast regularly, you tend to eat fewer calories and less saturated fat and cholesterol throughout the day.
It cannot be an objection to eating the sugary cereals, donuts, and waffles typically associated with breakfast. Heck, I would object to that kind of breakfast too! However, I am sure you know there is a mountain of healthy alternatives such as whole grain rolls and muffins, hard-boiled eggs, low-fat yogurts and cottage cheeses, leans meats, and fruit smoothies.
Maybe you are one of those people who just cannot stomach food first thing in the morning. I understand that, but starting out with a glass of fruit juice, a dry piece of whole-grain toast or a piece of fruit can at least jump start your metabolism and ensure your body has fuel after going without anything for probably the last 6 to 12 hours. Knowing you can start with something small like juice or toast, and a few hours later eat a more nutritional snack when your stomach settles shouldn’t stand in your way of eating breakfast.
If these are not your objections to eating breakfast, then I bet it’s the old tried and true, “I don’t have time.” If that is your excuse, then I have a few suggestions that can help you overcome this one.
The other day I was talking to a friend in Illinois who was excited that the sun had finally come out after being MIA for the previous ten days. Living in California and getting a fair share of mild temperatures and sun even in winter, I often forget other parts of the country have to deal with waist-high snow, ice, below-zero temperatures, and long stretches of sunless days. Her excitement about finally seeing the sun got me thinking about a recent article I had read on the importance of Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is one of those vitamins that researchers are starting to eye more closely because of its health benefits. Several research studies in recent years seem to indicate it can potentially assist with everything from lessoning the severity of influenza symptoms to preventing and treating diabetes Type I and II. It has also been found to protect against certain cancers such as colon, prostate, and breast cancer, and play a role in preventing hypertension, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, rickets and osteomalacia.
Let’s talk fat.For decades, we have heard that eating fatty foods were bad for us.In true “sky is falling” fashion, we concentrated on eliminating all fats from our diets instead of focusing on lowering or eliminating the truly harmful fats from our diets and keeping the good ones.Yes, there are actually good fats and our body needs these fats.
As a nation, we became obsessed with the idea of eating low-fat foods because we were told ingesting fatty foods contributed to everything from obesity and high blood pressure to heart disease and high cholesterol.Do not get me wrong, consuming large quantities of bad fats over one’s lifetime will cause major health programs, but not getting enough of the good fats can also cause health concerns.
Metabolism has a starring role when it comes to your health; it is the energy (calories) your body burns to maintain itself. Learn how to increase your metabolism, and you effectively use more energy, i.e. burn more calories.
The end, rather enjoyable result is that you lose weight. I often talk about one of the best ways to increase your metabolism and that is by exercising regularly. Lifting weights and resistance training are great ways to build muscle, and having more muscle mass means you will use more energy (i.e., burn more calories).
This time, I want to talk about another important component for keeping your metabolism high and that is your diet.By eating well-balanced meals made up of the right foods, you can provide your body with the right nutrition, which in turn, can keep your metabolic rate high. Foods high in protein and fiber, but low in fat are effective in boosting your metabolism. Foods high in protein generally take a longer time to breakdown, which means you burn more energy in the process.
High fiber foods work similarly to proteins, and can be tremendously helpful if you are trying to lose weight. You definitely cannot go wrong by including fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, and whole-grain breads in your diet.
