Breakfast… it didn’t get it’s name for any old reason, it has a deeper meaning behind it. Breakfast means to break the fast since dinner the night before. With that being said, breakfast is the most important meal of the day to not only get your body fueled up for the long day ahead, but to also rev up that metabolism to burn more calories.

With pancakes to waffles and pastries, the ideal American breakfast is far from any great way to fuel up. What we need is some great protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber in the mix to keep that blood sugar stable and your body running at full speed.

Before you start shedding tears while waving good bye to your beloved pancakes, I have a great protein pancake recipe that is sure to get you moving and groven for the rest of the day!

What you will need is some whey protein powder, eggs, and oatmeal. . . 3 simple ingredients for a great breakfast!

Directions

Mix together:

1/4 cup uncooked instant oatmeal

1 whole egg

2 egg whites

1 scoop protein powder

Throw on a skillet and treat them no different than your regular pancake. To add some more flavor into the recipe try flavored protein powders like strawberry!

Nutrition Breakdown

Calories: 313

Protein: 31 grams

Carbohydrates: 27 grams

Fat: 8 grams

Fiber: 5 grams

Enjoy!

Question:

What’s your favorite protein packed breakfast?

From Mc. Donald’s BigMac Burger to Burger King’s Triple Whooper burger, the fast food industry is always on the run to make the top knoch burger with more bang for your buck.

Take for example this years newest member to the fast food family, KFC’s bunless Double Down which consists of 2 greasy fried chicken patties, smootheringcheese, topped off with bacon

. . . Atkin’s doesn’t have anything on this bad boy!

As the fast food industries continue to compete with each other, so does Americans waste lines. The shocking caloric count on some of these burgers run high into the thousands with artery clotting fats and cholesterol. Not to mention that most people don’t eat just the hamburger. We can’t forget to add those deep fried goodness of french fries and the sugar loaded coke to make the meal complete! Oh, and can you supersize that while your at it?

If Mc. Donald’s BigMac wasn’t enough, just wait till you hear the news I have for you. Carl’s Jr. is testing a footlong hamburger in some of the California Carl’s Jr chains… that’s right folks, Subway’s $5 footlong is going to have some major competition coming up.

The Carl’s Jr. Footlong Cheeseburger consists of 3 large buger patties, decadently dressed with layers of cheesy goodness on a footlong bun. Wonder how they super size that bad boy?!?!

Charged at only $4.00-$4.50, Carl’s Jr. is sure to get customers flocking to their doors. This price is like 3 hamburgers for the price of one!

The Footlong Cheeseburger is going to give Carl’s Jr. just what they want… publicity and revenue. But where is the line drawn in integrity and moral between money and the health of this nation? Type II Diabetes, Heart attacks, and strokes are among the leading health problems in American and I’m sure the fast food industry has something to do about it.

Foods like these should be outlawed!

Question

What’s your take on Carl’s Jr. Footlong Cheeseburger?

Do you think the Government should start regulating Nutritional content of fast food chains?

Snacks have gotten really bad reputation throughout the years with their high calories and fat content. Most foods that have been labeled snack foods live up to their reputation, like chips, chocolate bars, and soda. Vending machines are loaded with these unhealthy snack options that can cause someone to detour their diet plan if not prepared.

Well today I want to introduce you to an amazingling healthy snack that will be sure to curb your afternoon hungry pains while satisfying your taste buds.

I am proud to introduce Pretzel Crisps: Irresistibly crunchy, Naturally thin, and Deliciously gourmet… A low calorie, non-fat snack that comes in all different flavors to meet the needs of those who crave salt foods and those that crave the sweet ones.

Thanks to Lucky Taste Buds, I received 6 bags… that’s right, 6 bags of Pretzel Crisps! I have been in carb heaven and my friends are started to as well. . . I finally gave in to sharing my lovely snacks.

Compared to the normally loaded calorie and fat snacks you find in your office vending machine, these ideal healthy snacks are only 110 calories per serving, 0 grams saturated fat, and 0 grams cholesterol.

These pretzels come in an assortment of flavors including Tuscan Three Cheese, Toasted Cinnamon, Classic, Supreme (like an everything bagel), peanut butter and chocolate, White Chocoalte and Peppermint, and Chocolate…

Even the Peanut Butter and Chocolate and Dark Chocolate flavored Pretzel Crisps contain heart-healthy dark chocolate, 0g trans fat and only 140 calories per serving.

Here’s a great recipe to try out while snacking away on Pretzel Crisps:

SPINACH CHEESE DIP

- 1 pkg. chopped spinach

- 1 c. salad dressing/ fat free mayonnaise

- 1 pkg. vegetable soup mix

- 1/2 c. grated fat free cheddar cheese

- 1 c. low fat sour cream

- 1 can water chestnuts, chopped fine

Cook spinach about 2 minutes and squeeze dry. Add to sour cream and mayonnaise; add water chestnuts and soup mix. Cut top of loaf of rye bread and scoop out the center, leaving 1/2 inch shell. Save bread for dipping. Put spinach mixture in shell; replace top and wrap in foil. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Question

What’s your favorite snack food?

What Pretzel Crisp Flavor would you enjoy the most?

Sitting or standing… that is the question!

Let’s face it; the reality of sitting down to a home cooked dinner is so in the 90’s. Families and individual’s these days are finding themselves eating on the road, while standing in the kitchen, sitting in front of the television, or in front of the computer at work.

There are thousands of excuses to why people can’t find time to sit down for meals, but these excuses could be the culprit to an expanding waste line.

Research has shown that those who sit down to a COMPLETE meal, as well as snacks, are less likely to eat more calories throughout the day.

Sitting down to eat compared to standing up while eating plays a mental game with our food diary. The mind does not recognize when we eat on the go or while standing… leading us to snacking after the so called meal.

Visually seeing everything laid out on a plate also helps to visually satisfy those cravings/hunger and helps one pay attention to what we are putting in our mouths.

Eating while sitting down at the table compared to standing up or on the road ultimately makes the meal more satisfying and full.

So the question is, are your excuses for not sitting down at the table valid. Do you really have an extra few minutes to walk to the table?

Question

Where do you typically eat your lunch or dinner?

Do you eat your snacks on the go or sitting at the table without distractions?

Summer is here and you know what that means… VACATION!

Road trips, lying out by the pool, having fun at attraction parks, visiting family members and friends, and of course one can’t forget about the endless amounts of new foods!

But with temptations lurking around every corner, it can be very tough for those who are trying to eat right and stay healthy. Vacations pull people out of their everyday routine which can be a disaster waiting to happen if not prepared when it comes to eating right.

The key to staying healthy while on vacation is to find a happy medium between overindulging and denying everything.

Here are some great tips to eating healthy while on vacation

1.) Zip-It, Lock-It, Snap-It

Zip-Lock bags and Tupperware containers are great for road trips or full days away from the house. Preparing meals ahead of time will prevent the stress of finding healthy meals/snacks and will save you tons of money. Keep a cooler in the back of the car full of water, veggies, fruits, and pre-made meals

2.) Breakfast Alternatives

A major plus to being on vacation is sleeping in, but don’t be fooled that you can skip breakfast. It’s one of the most important meals of the day. Research has shown those who eat breakfast are less likely to overindulge throughout the day. However, breakfast can be hard while staying on hotels or at someone else’s home. Be sure to plan ahead by purchasing fruits, granola bars, bagels, or cottage cheese, oatmeal (for those with a microwave). Be sure to include some protein to keep you full. Don’t be embarrassed… haul that cooler up into your hotel room J

3.) Snacks

I always carry around snacks in my purse. You never know when you might get the munchies . . . and those churros, ice cream cones, and nachos will be calling your name at Disneyland! Not to mention the chips, candy bars, and chex mix at the gas stations that always seem to jump into one’s hand! Healthy snacks on-the-go include fruit, granola bars, almonds, peanut butter crackers, healthy cereal, carrots… and the list goes on.

4.) Desserts

Nothings better than having your favorite dessert show up during vacation… it’s destined to happen! Or that dessert that’s well known in the city you are visiting. Don’t be so fast to turn your back on this sinfully delicious treat! It’s ok to let yourself indulge a little, vacation is all about finding that happy medium. Allow yourself a treat, but just don’t over do it. Limit yourself to 1 treat a day. Share your dessert with someone else or have the waiter put half of it in a to-go container before it even hit’s the table.

5.) Home Cooked Meals

Visiting family members and friends are always a great time, but eating can be difficult when the cooking is out of your control. But remember, eating right is all about moderation. Go ahead and eat what’s served, but remember that you don’t have to finish everything that is served on your plate.

Be sure to fill up more on fruits and vegetables. If you are hungry later than you can always pull out those snacks tucked away in your suitcase when they aren’t looking.

Eating healthy while on vacation can be very easy and stress free… all you have to do is remember that moderation is key and plan, plan, plan ahead of time!

How do you stay fit and eat healthy while on vacation… or do you?

In the 1990’s the Fat-Free Diet Fade struck the diet industry by surprise. The motto and diet / health mentalityof “Less is More” was taken up like it was going out of business. The food industry started making creating products appealing to this mentality by throwing in more preservatives and fake ingredients to slap a “fat-free” or “reduced-fat” label on it, making it easier for people to cut out all fats from their diet.

I have to admit, I am one that fell into this trap. I strayed far away from anything containing fats. Thanks to the diet food industry, by the end I was eating close to no fat in my daily dietary intake.

I mean, it makes sense, right?!?! Eat less fat and my body won’t put on the fat. . . WRONG! The body needs fat in order to function to its fullest. In fact, eating below the recommended daily fat intake can actually sabotage weight loss and put one’s health at risk.

Here are 6 risks of eating a low fat diet

1.) Depression

Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids play a vital role in regulating mood behavior. A diet low in fat can throw people into depression, bipolar disorders, and ADHA. Foods high in omega 3 fatty acids include fish, flex seed oil, leafy greens, and walnuts Foods high in omega 6 fatty acids include sunflower, safflower, corn, cottonseed, walnut and soybean oil.

2.) Poor Vitamin Absorption

Fat soluble vitamins including A, D, E, K depend on fats in one’s diet in order to be absorbed. Not getting enough fats in a diet will cause these essential vitamins to be quickly excreted without any benefit to the body leading to increased bleeding, decreased vision, poor skin, decreased bone density and teeth breakdown.

3.) Increased Risk of Cancer

The New York Times published a study showing that people increased their chances of cancer when on a low fat diet. One might think they are doing their body a favor by reducing their fat intake, but in the long run, they are going to be paying for it!

4.) Heart Disease

A decrease in fat intake causes the body to decrease in HDL (good cholesterol) which works to excrete and keep the level of LDL’s (bad cholesterol) down. This leads to high cholesterol and ultimately heart attacks, strokes, and other heart diseases

5.) Overeating

Low-Fat food products can be very sneaky! They like to play with our minds and tricks one into thinking they can eat more of it because it’s low fat. Studies show that people tend to eat more because they think they are eating “low-fat” when really these products have just as many calories, carbohydrates, and if not more sugar.

6.) Imbalanced Nutrition

When one goes down, one must come up. Decreasing fat intake forces people to compensate in other areas. People usually end up eating more carbohydrates while on a low-fat diet which has been proven to increase one’s appetite and chances of Type 2 diabetes.

Just like over eating dietary fats can lead to detrimental problems, so can under eating fats. People seem to forget that moderation is key when it comes to dietary fat intake. If this list doesn’t force you to become more aware of your dietary fat intake, than I don’t know what will!

Check out the table below to find out how many fats you should be in taking each day:

1200 Calories: 27-47 grams

1500 Calories: 33-58 grams

1800 Calories: 40-70 grams

2100 Calories: 47-82 grams

Here is a list of healthy fats to fit into your diet:

-       Nuts

-       Peanut Butter

-       Avocado

-       Fish

-       Cooking Oils

-       Olives

Remember, Moderation is Key… You don’t want to overdo it or under do it when it comes to fats

How Do You Fit in Your Daily Fat Intake Each Day?