Cookout tips for calorie counters

As National Barbecue Month comes to an end, the official start of barbecue season kicks off with this Memorial Day Weekend’s festivities. These summer months will have you eating outside for plenty of reasons including family picnics, birthday parties, and outdoor festivals. All this means the simplicity of counting calories gets a little harder. Because you’re generally not the one cooking or controlling the menu, you’ll need a little help keeping track at these events. Below is a rundown of what you may encounter at a BBQ.

A Day’s Worth of Fat
That traditional bratwurst is calling your name, but saying yes to it will pack on the fat grams to the tune of 25. If you go for two, you’re almost at a day’s worth of fat and almost 600 calories not even counting the bun. If a chicken or turkey bratwurst is available, choose that. Bring a pack to the party to add to the grill if you’re unsure if it’s an option. That will save you 20 grams of fat and a third of the calories per dog. Even a hot dog or hamburger has about half the fat of a pork bratwurst.

A Day’s Worth of Added Sugar
Cookouts are a prime location for sugary beverages. Aside from the 20 oz. bottle of soda, which packs about 240 calories, you may have that highly desirable cup of lemonade. Both pack about 70 grams of added sugar. That’s a day’s worth of added sugar for most people. Drinking watered down lemonade takes all the fun out of the experience, but who says you have to fill your cup to enjoy the taste. Bring a few packs of club soda instead and add fresh fruit to it. Pieces of strawberries or watermelon are a fun surprise for the sweet taste you crave in a cold beverage in the summer months. A splash of apple or cranberry juice can get your taste buds going as well. Dress it up in a nice cocktail glass for a visual treat.

Stay Full Foods
Now for the good part (nutritionally speaking).  Barbecues are the perfect place to have foods that will keep you satisfied. With high protein meats a central part of the menu, and side dishes that scream fiber, you can choose foods that will stick to your ribs as my Mom would say. A couple wedges of watermelon has a couple grams of fiber and a high water content that will help fill you up. An ear of corn has a couple more grams of fiber. A side of broccoli coleslaw nets you four more grams of fiber and you’re feeling pretty good on the hunger front. Add a half a chicken breast, with 26 grams of protein and you should make it through the barbecue without the need for a second or third plate.
Missing Gems
If your family is known for not grilling fruits and vegetables to go with all that meat, be the one that steps up. Pineapples, tomatoes, zucchini, asparagus, artichokes and so many more can really add a nutritious flair. Some well placed seafood on the grill, like shrimp, salmon, halibut, or tilapia, can be another way  for you to save calories without sacrificing the fun and flavor of barbecue foods.
By: carolyn_r

Research: Exercise-food reward

A study published in the March 2012 issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology revealed the affect exercise has on regions of the brain associated with food reward. Researchers tested healthy young men and women who are habitually active by testing their reactions to food cues after exercise or after rest.

Exercise lowered participants’ reactions to both high-energy and low-energy food. The findings suggest exercise reduces pleasure of food, incentive motivation to eat, and anticipation and consumption of food when compared to responses at rest. A separate University of Colorado study of obese participants in an exercise program saw a similar result, with chronic exercise showing a reduction in the response of visual food cues.

By:carolyn_r

Aerobic vs. resistance- which melts lbs?

A study by researchers in the UK found hunger hormones were affected differently depending on the type of exercise. Resistance training and aerobic exercise were compared in a small group of healthy males in which three 8-hour sessions monitored ghrelin and peptide YY during exercise and two meals.

Aerobic exercise beat out strength training for suppressing hunger. Specifically, ghrelin, a hunger-stimulating hormone, decreased and peptide YY, which suppresses hunger, increased during aerobic exercise. Though strength training also decreased hunger, it only lowered ghrelin, while peptide YY did not change significantly. The effect of the hormone changes lasted about two hours.

By: carolyn_r

Research: Lack of sleep and hunger

I remember my days working at Mass General Hospital and how many of my colleagues saw getting by on minimal sleep as a badge of honor . I talk about sleep with my weight loss clients and hear the same story.  As Rodney Dangerfield might say “sleep gets no respect”. Living a healthy fit healthy life is all about balance and routine quality sleep is a big part of the plan.

Beware of falling below the six-hour mark.A review of studies reveals the role inadequate sleep may play in increasing the vulnerability to obesity.Those who fall below six hours of sleep a night have an increased body mass index, diabetes and hypertension. This may be due to the fact that lack of sleep negatively affects your ability to make good food choices.

ts in a row reported a 24% increase in appetite and their cravings for sweets, salty, and starchy foods greatly increased.

By: Carolyn_r

Reasearch: 9 week study validates weight loss hypnosis

In a 9-week study of two weight management groups (one using hypnosis and one not using hypnosis), the hypnosis group continued to get results in the two-year follow-up, while the non-hypnosis group showed no further results (Journal of Clinical Psychology, 1985).

In a study of 60 women separated into hypnosis versus non-hypnosis groups, the groups using hypnosis lost an average of 17 pounds, while the non-hypnosis group lost an average of only .5 pounds (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1986).

In a meta-analysis, comparing the results of adding hypnosis to weight loss treatment across multiple studies showed that adding hypnosis increased weight loss by an average of 97% during treatment, and even more importantly increased the effectiveness POST TREATMENT by over 146%. This shows that hypnosis works even better over time (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1996).