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Benefits of Eating Avocados

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benefits of avocadoAvocado is a unique fruit that is loaded with healthy fats and important nutrients. Unfortunately, many have been led to think of this fruit as nothing but a side dish in the form of guacamole. The delicious avocado should actually be a regular part of a healthy diet for a number of reasons. Here are just a few of the benefits of eating avocados on a regular basis.

  • Helps to Reduce the Risk of Some Cancers

Since raw avocados are anti-inflammatory and contain a lot of important antioxidants that have cancer fighting capabilities. Consuming avocado could also mean less risk of certain cancers (prostate, skin and mouth, for example). The reason for this is that phytochemicals present in the fruit inhibit cancer cell growth which causes cancer cells to die.

Avocado has also proven useful for people going through chemotherapy. Chemotherapy often leaves patients severely lacking in certain vitamins and antioxidants- all of which avocado helps to replenish.

  • Aids in Nutrient Absorption of Other Foods

Avocado is an incredible source of healthy fats. People need fat for overall health, especially brain health, but it also serves another purpose. The fat helps your body process/use nutrients. Fat absorbs vitamins and minerals that normally wouldn’t be completely used by the body. It literally acts like a sponge so when your body breaks down the fat, it also gains numerous other nutrients.

  • Improves Heart Health

Another reason avocado’s impressive fat content is so good for the human body is that it protects your heart’s health. Most of the fat in the avocado is called oleic acid and studies have shown that it’s useful in reducing inflammation and protecting the heart from disease and stress. If you have a history of heart conditions in your family or already have a health condition, you definitely want look into to eating more of this fruit.

  • Helps to Lower Bad Cholesterol

Again, fat comes into play. Monounsaturated fat is a healthy fat that helps lower bad cholesterol, which is also known as LDL. The reason this happens is because avocados are high in a compound called beta-sitosterol. This compound doesn’t only lower LDL but simultaneously raises HDL, which is the health cholesterol. A study published in the Archives of Medical Research proved just how effective avocados are at lowering bad cholesterol.

  • Impressive Source of Fiber

The average woman is lacking roughly 5 to 10 grams of the recommend 35 grams of fiber she should consume on a daily basis. Instead of going to a fiber supplement, just have an avocado. One medium avocado has about 11 grams of both soluble and insoluble fiber, roughly 25% soluble and 75% insoluble. Fiber is very important for weight loss, digestive health and overall metabolic health.

  • Avocados Support Eye Health

As mentioned earlier, avocados are high in different antioxidants but two of them are particularly important for eye health, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These two antioxidants have been proven to reduce the risk of cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Avocados are useful in eye protection in all ages but are especially useful for the elderly.

  • They Have an Insane Number of Vitamins and Minerals

This fruit is loaded with vitamins and minerals, more than 20 of them to be exact. These include:

  • Vitamin K
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin A
  • Folate
  • Copper
  • Potassium
  • Zinc
  • Phosphorous
  • Iron

All of these vitamins and minerals are necessary for health and if you can get all of them in one food, why not?

Avocados are just as healthy as they are delicious. They are also super versatile in terms of how you can prepare them. If you’re unsure of how to incorporate avocados into meals check out these recipes for inspiration. It is best to consume avocado raw or unprocessed to get the most nutritional benefit from them. Recipes like fried avocados wedges are delicious but you are going to be negating a lot of the fruit’s health benefits.

What Happens to Your Body When You Skip Meals?

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affects of skipping mealsIt’s safe to say that you’ve probably skipped meals either accidentally or on purpose. You may believe that skipping calories will simply help your weight loss efforts. Unfortunately, skipping meals doesn’t just leave you hungry but could actually increase weight gain! Not only is weight gain the opposite of what you are trying to achieve, but there are other side effects of missing meals that you should know about. Here are 6 things that could happen to your body when you decide to skip a meal.

  • Your Blood Sugar Drops

Blood sugar levels aren’t just something diabetics have to worry about. When you skip a meal or two your blood sugar levels drop and your body reacts to the lack of food. Low blood sugar can lead to shakiness, strong cravings, dizziness and even fainting if you constantly skip meals consecutively. Eating every 3-4 hours will help you avoid low blood sugar. Some people feel that the body goes in to “starvation mode” but that’s not entirely true because the body will break down excess fat (which we want it to do) and muscle if there is a lack of food for days and days.

  • Giving into Cravings or Outright Binging Increases

So, your blood sugar is low from a skipped meal. No big deal- you just eat a large one to compensate, right? Wrong! Low blood sugar pretty much signals your brain to eat a lot once you do have a meal to compensate for the lack of food. Eating a lot of food suddenly and rapidly (even if it’s a healthy meal!) can in turn spike your blood sugar, even if you’ve had low blood sugar before the meal.  It all depends on how much you eat, how insulin sensitive you are and whether you have existing issues with blood sugar, your liver and your pancreas.

When you skip meals, you are far more likely to end up giving into cravings. Even worse, you are more likely to completely binge, because along with the cravings you may feel that you have calories to spare since you skipped a meal. It is easy for starve-then-binge patterns to become a habit and many dieters struggle with this.

  • You Destroy Your Energy Levels and Inhibit Workout Results

Skipping meals also depletes your energy levels. You are going to feel tired, heavy and physically slow. You may inadvertently pick up bad sedentary lifestyle habits just because you feel so weak. Feeling so tired is obviously going to affect your workout. Not only will you just not feel like working out, but you open yourself to overexertion and increased chance of injury if you’re tired. Your muscles run on glucose from food, so keep that in mind.

  • Focus and Short-Term Memory is Negatively Impacted

Going without meals makes your body tired but also can really affect your mental energy. One of the first things that happens when you skip a meal is difficulty when focusing on tasks. Your mind may feel foggy and slow. Also, you may have trouble remembering things at work, school or around the house. After you eat, the high blood sugar spikes mentioned earlier can also make your mind feel so jittery that you can’t focus simply from over stimulation.  Don’t put your body on a blood sugar roller coaster.

  • You Increase Your Body’s Belly Fat Storage

When you miss meals regularly, your body can go into a protective mode that causes your body to store more fat, especially around the stomach. Based on an Ohio State University study, researchers believe that humans who go into this mode followed by binging or “gorging” eating behaviors inadvertently teach their bodies to improve their fat storing capabilities.

You simply can’t tell your body that you are skipping meals to lose weight. It simply doesn’t work that way.  The body is designed to protect us from starving and it doesn’t know that there is a grocery store down the street.  It is trying to anticipate famine before it happens and conserve energy. Continuing to eat in an unhealthy way is likely to just make your weight loss goals more difficult to achieve. This is one of the reasons that eating small meals spread out over the course of a day and meal planning can be so effective.

  • You Could Become Deficient in Important Nutrients

Skipping a couple meals throughout the week doesn’t seem like a big deal in terms of nutrition, but it can lead to serious deficiencies. Humans need a varied diet of vegetables, fruits, meats (for some), fiber, vitamins and more to be healthy. The average person is already deficient in some vital vitamins and minerals because unhealthy eating habits are so rampant. By skipping meals, you further reduce your opportunities to eat a variety of nutritious food.

Another common behavior among meal skippers that leads to deficiencies is that when they do eat, they tend to eat the same staple meals all the time. Even if your staples are very healthy, it’s easy to create a deficit if you really haven’t planned out your meals to be inline with your nutrition needs.  A multivitamin can help, but it won’t correct the problem completely.

It is important to eat regularly and throughout the day. Calorie-counting and logging your meals with a  website or app is also very helpful for weight loss. It allows you to track how much you are eating, which can help you prevent having to skip dinner or snacks just to stay in your limit.

Kale Berry Mango Green Smoothie

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kale raspberry mango smoothie

I whip up this smoothie very, very often in my trusty Nutribullet, so I thought I’d share the recipe with you this morning. It’s a great, anytime smoothie with lots of nutrients, vitamins, fiber and protein. Balanced, Creamy and Sweet with just 232 calories.

I used SunWarrior’s Warrior Blend Vanilla Protein Powder. I love it because it’s vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free. With no added sugar, artificial flavors or artificial sweeteners, it’s a great choice for those who want a more natural protein powder.

Prep time:  7 mins

Cook time:  3 mins

Total time:  10 mins

Serves: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • ½ cup mango, frozen
  • ½ cup mango, frozen
  • 1 cup raspberry, frozen
  • 1 cup raspberry, frozen
  • 1 cup kale, chopped
  • 1 cup kale, chopped
  • 1 scoop Warrior Blend Vanilla Protein Powder
  • 1 scoop Warrior Blend Vanilla Protein Powder
  • ¾ cup of water

Instructions

  1. Load all of the ingredients into your blender. Add the fruit and water first, then the other ingredients.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 232 Fat: 2.65 Carbohydrates: 38.7 Sugar: 18.3 Fiber: 12.4 Protein: 20.5

 

affiliate link

Green smoothie book
If you would like to learn more about making delicious green smoothies, check out our green smoothie e-book, “Drink Green Smoothies“.  It’s a detailed guide with over 80 delicious recipes.

Can Diet Soda Make Your Food Cravings Worse?

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diet soda cravingsAccording to this survey, nearly 1 in 5 Americans, on average, consume at least 1 soda per day. Just one serving of soda can be loaded with sugar, dye, sodium, carbs and empty calories. Americans love their soda, but obesity and other health concerns are a serious, rising issue. A lot of people want to cut back on soda drinking, but how do they cope with letting go of their beloved drinks? Many turn to something that is sugar-free and has an attractive name: diet soda.

At face value, diet sodas seems like a really great idea. Lots of flavor and no calories? That sounds like a win. Unfortunately, diet soda may not be all it’s cracked up to be. You still get all the caffeine and potential chemicals. You could also be just as addicted to diet soda as you are to regular soda. Many consumers get so excited about it being sugar-free that they don’t stop to think about how something so sweet could affect their eating habits, health and cravings.

Dangers of Diet Soda?

Diet soda is not perfect alternative to regular soda. Many of the same issues of people experience from drinking regular soda coincide with those from diet soda. Caffeine withdrawal, kidney issues and ingesting too much sodium are just 3 examples.

Many people feel that common diet soda ingredients, like artificial sweeteners, are not healthy. Various chemicals and additives that make up diet soda could cause side effects due to intolerance, such as:

  • Dizziness
  • Heart palpitations
  • Upset stomach and other digestive issues
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Memory loss and difficulty focusing on tasks
  • Feeling lethargic and tired, even after getting enough sleep
  • Insomnia
  • Dehydration
  • Increase tooth decay and gum disease
  • Cell Damage

(I’ve included some links below for more info)

Negative reactions don’t happen to everyone. Some people feel perfectly fine drinking diet drinks/soda.  This is really a subject where you have to listen to your own body and do your own research.

Diet Soda and Food Cravings

Sadly, many of the people that decide to switch to diet soda do so because they want to lose weight. In actuality, diet soda may inhibit weight loss and has another side effect- it can increase food cravings.

It’s safe to say that one of the most difficult aspects of a weight loss journey is avoiding bad foods. Many Americans are pretty much addicted to sugar, and stopping a major sweet tooth craving is hard. Diet soda makes for a sweet indulgence that people feel ok giving in to because it doesn’t have sugar. Unfortunately, this can start a vicious cycle of cravings.

First off, recent studies have shown reliably that diet soda increases weight gain. It may sound backwards but it’s true. One notable study was done for the San Antonio Heart Study by The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. This 25 year study showed that the more diet soda a participant drank, the more they increased their chances of becoming overweight or obese. Percentage-wise, “for each diet soft drink our participants drank per day, they were 65 percent more likely to become overweight during the next seven to eight years, and 41 percent more likely to become obese”.

There are a few theories about why this happens but most agree that is comes down to diet soda drinkers believing that they can either, eat other sugary foods (and more of it) since their diet soda doesn’t have any, or they subconsciously crave sweet foods even more and their willpower is too weak.

  • Diet soda’s chemical sweeteners may trick your tongue into thinking you are eating something sweet but your body doesn’t recognize the “fake sugar”. You may feel like you are satiating your sweet tooth craving but you aren’t. This cycle often ends in overeating or binging on super sweet or fatty foods.
  • People subconsciously reward their behavior of eating sweet foods when they choose a diet soda. Even if the diet soda doesn’t contain sugar, they are still conditioning themselves to always give into cravings.
  • People may believe that diet soda doesn’t “count” and therefore they can drink it whenever they want, in large quantities while still indulging their sweet tooth cravings.

The simple answer to whether diet soda makes cravings worse is often a firm yes for vast majority of the population. Even if particularly strong-minded individuals can curb their cravings while still enjoying diet sodas, the question is why? With so many other healthy alternatives to diet soda, why continue to regularly drink soda of any type if you risk potential side effects.  There are so many natural sweeteners and other drinks to choose from that don’t carry the same risks.

Once in a while a regular soda or a diet soda is a nice treat- just don’t rely on it as a form of hydration or nutrition. Water, tea, milk, nut milk, natural no-sugar-added juices, coconut water, and homemade smoothies are all great alternatives that can help you to avoid side-effects or worsened cravings.

Additional info:

Mango Mint Mojito Smoothie

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mango mint mojito smoothieJust before all of the signs of Summer fade into Fall, you can enjoy this great tropical smoothie. This low calorie drink is half Mojito/half smoothie…no alcohol.  Feel free to add a little protein powder or a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt to the recipe if you would like for more protein. I’ve suggested frozen mango, just in case you can’t find fresh ones in the stores anymore.

Prep time: 
Cook time: 
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Serves: 1
Half mojito, half smoothie. This drink will let you slip into a tropic state of mind anytime of year.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup of frozen mango
  • ½ cup pineapple, frozen or fresh
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon of lime juice
  • 8 mint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 1 cup of So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk, chilled
Instructions
  1. Load the ingredients into your blender. Start with the solids and then add the juice and coconut milk.
  2. Add a few pieces of ice if you would like a very frosty smoothie.
  3. Use 2 tablespoons of sweetener instead of one if you want a very sweet smoothie. Don’t forget to add in those calories.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 231 Fat: 5.2 Carbohydrates: 49 Sugar: 38.3 Fiber: 3.2 Protein: 1.74

Enjoy!

Blackberry Cheesecake Smoothie

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blackberry cheesecake smoothieLooking for a low calorie, high protein smoothie that will help tame your sweet tooth?  We’ve got the smoothie for you.  261 calories and 30.5 grams of protein.

Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 1 serving
High protein, low calorie smoothie. Great for cheesecake lovers.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup vanilla greek yogurt (Oikos)
  • ½ cup blackberries
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tbsp cream cheese
  • ½ cup water
  • 7-9 pieces of ice
Instructions
  1. Load the ingredients into your blender. Start with the ice, cream cheese and blackberries.
  2. Then add the yogurt and protein powder.
  3. Add the water last.
  4. Blend until the ice is broken down.
  5. If you have a traditional blender, blend on the highest setting to crush the ice.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 261 Fat: 3.5 Carbohydrates: 26.1 Fiber: 5 Protein: 30.5

Blackberries are a great fruit for smoothies because they are low in sugar and high in fiber.  They also contain lots of nutrients, including vitamin C, antioxidants and vitamin K. (more info on the benefits of blackberries)

Protein Powder: You can use the protein powder that you like. I used the Vanilla version of Amplify Smoothie by NDS.  Purchased it at GNC and it has no artificial flavors, no sweeteners or preservatives.  20 grams of protein, 2 grams of sugar and 4 grams of carbs.
blackberry cheesecake nutribulletI blended everything up in my trusty Nutribullet. This photo includes all of the ingredients, except water. What I learned was that I should have put the yogurt in last because some of it stuck to the top of the Nutribullet blending cup. I had to take it off of the base and shake the cup to get to some of it to blend into the mix. Then, I blended for another 20 seconds.

blackberry cheesecake smoothie

The finished product was a bright, beautiful lavender color.  Delicious and perfect for cheesecake lovers.

Berries and Oats Breakfast Smoothie

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This is a great and simple meal replacement smoothie for breakfast with lots of protein. It’s a meal in a cup.

berries and oats smoothie recipe

There is a whole LOT of fiber in this smoothie and that is what balances out the carbs.  Because of the fiber, your blood sugar won’t rise like it would if you were just eating pure sugar. This recipe is also full of nutrients, like potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin E.

You can use plain yogurt to cut out even more sugar and carbs, but you’ll want to add a low carb sweetener, like stevia, if you want to replace the sweetness.  You can also add vanilla protein powder if you would like more protein.

Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
A great breakfast smoothie with berries, oats and greek yogurt for a complete meal in a cup.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup frozen strawberries
  • ½ cup frozen raspberries
  • ½ banana, medium
  • 1 cup vanilla greek yogurt
  • ½ cup of oats (quick oats/rolled oats)
  • ½ cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon of honey or agave (optional)
Instructions
  1. Add the water and greek yogurt to your blender first.
  2. Then add the oats and banana.
  3. Add the berries and any sweetener last
  4. Blend until smooth. Add a bit more water if the mix is not blending due to the thickness of the mixture.
  5. Taste to make sure you’ve achieved the desired sweetness.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 400 Fat: 3.3 Carbohydrates: 71 Protein: 23.4

Notes:

  • If you want to use fresh berries instead of frozen, that’s fine.  Frozen berries can be a bit more affordable.  Just add a few ice cubes to chill the mixture.
  • Freeze the other half of the banana and use it with your next smoothie.
  • Find the brand of vanilla greek yogurt with the lowest sugar.  I used Oikos at 11 grams per cup.
  • The agave or honey is optional. Omit sweetener to reduce the calories and carbs in this recipe. The banana and berries will actually make the smoothie sweet. If you prefer, you can add a few drops of Stevia for a low carb boost of sweet instead.

What is the Ketogenic Diet?

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Note: Talk with your doctor before starting ANY diet/weight loss method. It’s important to educate yourself about any potential risks whenever you consider a diet. Going Keto/Ketogenic/Low Carb may be a great choice for someone else, but it may not be the right choice for you.

ketogenicThere has been quite a low-carb craze over the past few years and that only seems to be growing in popularity. A growing number of people want to know more about what they are eating and its effect on the body. Perhaps they are younger people doubting how healthy the average American diet is or the older generation looking for an answer to their health problems. Recently, there has been a buzz about how low carb diets, and American diets in general, should include more healthy fats.

“People who avoid carbohydrates and eat more fat, even saturated fat, lose more body fat and have fewer cardiovascular risks than people who follow the low-fat diet that health authorities have favored for decades, a major new study shows…

By the end of the yearlong trial, people in the low-carbohydrate group had lost about eight pounds more on average than those in the low-fat group. They had significantly greater reductions in body fat than the low-fat group, and improvements in lean muscle mass — even though neither group changed their levels of physical activity.” – The NY Times reported on this study.

One low-carb style diet under a lot of scrutiny and gaining a lot of fans is the ketogenic diet. While some people wholeheartedly back the benefits of this way of eating a Low Carb/High Fat Diet/Moderate Protein, it seems as though an equal number or more people claim it’s unhealthy.  Most of this criticism is tied to old criticism about low carb diets, like the Atkins plan and the notion that “Fat is Bad”.

“Diets low in carbohydrates and higher in fat and protein have been commonly used for weight loss since Dr. Robert Atkins popularized the approach in the 1970s. Among the longstanding criticisms is that these diets cause people to lose weight in the form of water instead of body fat, and that cholesterol and other heart disease risk factors climb because dieters invariably raise their intake of saturated fat by eating more meat and dairy.” – Source

Like so many diets that contradict what is traditional or what is in a government food pyramid, keto diets are largely misunderstood – even by doctors- mostly due to a lack of research. Serious, adverse reactions have been seen in people using a Keto diet and some see it as a treatment for disease more so than a diet that should be used for weight loss.

History of the Ketogenic Diet

Though it may be in the spotlight right now ketogenic diets certainly aren’t new. In fact, the ketogenic diet was developed in 1924 by Dr. Russell Wilder as a treatment for epilepsy. Despite being very successful, the ketogenic diet unfortunately wasn’t able to maintain its popularity as anti-seizure medication took over in the ‘40s. Many people felt that a pill was an easier fix than a diet.

To this day there are many people that successfully use the ketogenic diet to maintain their epileptic condition and prevent seizures from occurring. One organization that promotes this diet for epileptic conditions is The Charlie Foundation which has been successful for 21 years now.

For the non-epileptic, the ketogenic diet still holds a lot of promise as a means to weight loss and overall improved health. I must note however, that in my opinion this diet is not for people with blood sugar issues, diabetes, kidney issues or cirrhosis of the liver. Not everyone can drastically reduce their carbohydrate intake or eat a diet that is rich in fats. For example, if you are on insulin or blood sugar medication and you remove all carbs from you diet, that could be a serious problem.

It is a drastic change for most people, illness or not, so please make a doctor’s visit before embarking on this way of eating. I have seem commentary online from people with diabetes or pre-diabetes and insulin resistance who sing the praises of Keto. However, I can’t recommend it universally due to the potential risk.

How does it work?

When you are on a Keto diet, your body uses fat (lipid energy) instead of glycogen from carbs/sugars as fuel for the body.

“What exactly is Ketosis? The metabolic state of ketosis simply means that the quantity of ketone bodies in the blood have reached higher-than-normal levels. When the body is in a ketogenic state, this means that lipid energy metabolism is intact. The body will start breaking down your own body fat to fuel the body’s normal, everyday functions.” – Bodybuilding.com

Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet

There are a lot of benefits people find when they change to a ketogenic diet. The following are some of the most common.

  • It Reduces Appetite

The combination of protein, healthy fat, lack of grains and low number of carbs means you feel satiated more quickly and for longer. Many studies (see below) find that participants on the keto diet never complained of hunger, despite eating less.

  • It’s More Effective for Weight Loss

Ketogenic diets are incredibly successful for healthy weight loss as going into Ketosis causes your body to use fat as energy. Many people find that they begin losing weight very quickly even without exercise.

  • Visceral Fat is Greatly Reduced

Many diets can help reduce subcutaneous fat, like the jiggle on your legs and arms, but few are as effective as getting rid of visceral fat. Visceral fat is the dangerous fat on the abdomen that surrounds the organs.

  • Increase Good Cholesterol

Not all cholesterol is bad. HDL is actually a lipoprotein that carrier cholesterol away from the body and towards the liver where it can be used or excreted. Traditional diets increase LDL which does the opposite of HDL. (more info)

  • Naturally Improves Blood Sugar

Carbs break down into mostly glucose which increase insulin and blood sugar. By keeping carbs to a minimum and obtaining them only from plant or animal sources, blood sugar levels don’t experience spikes.  This is also the reason why people with blood sugar issues have to be careful and seek a doctor’s care when trying a Keto diet.  If their blood sugar drops too rapidly, that could be a serious health issue.

  • Lower Blood Pressure

Hypertension is dangerous as it increase the chance of stroke, heart attack and organ failure. Studies have shown that those who eat low carbs have lowered blood pressure. (more info on this from WebMD)

  • Helps to Heal Brain and Mental Health Issues

The brain physically and psychologically improves on low-carb diets like keto. This diet provides the brain with ketones which it can burn. Glucose is provided naturally by the liver. The epilepsy example given early is excellent proof as to how healing ketogenic diets are for the brain. (more info)

Ketogenic and low-carb diets have been studied quite extensively and in nearly every study they come out on top as more beneficial for the participants. You can find a reference list to ketogenic/low-carb studies by clicking here.

Pursing any type of new diet, particularly one with dietary food group exclusions, requires research on your part. It is always a good idea to consult your doctor before starting a new diet. He/she may point out concerns you had not considered based on your unique situation. If you have questions about this way of eating, you may want to find a dietitian or nutritionist who has some experience with low carb diets and general nutrition. There are also books on the market to help those who want to learn more about going Keto. There is no one size fits all plan, so do your research.

affiliate links

I’d talked about the benefits a lot, so let me present some balance. Here are some articles that talk about the pros and cons of Keto and Ketosis:

Note: Again, this is not a plan I would suggest for diabetics, people with kidney issues, those with high cholesterol or people with other serious medical issues without doctor’s approval. (This is my opinion and I’m not a doctor.) It’s important to educate yourself about any potential risks whenever you consider any diet plan. 
Please consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and well being or on any opinions expressed within this website. The information provided in this site is believed to be accurate based on the best judgment of the author/individual member posting. However, you as the reader must be responsible for consulting with your own health professional on  matters raised within.

Chopped Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Garlic

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I love Brussel Sprouts! I REALLY disliked them as a child, but I was re-introduced to them as an adult and I’m a true fan. They are one of my favorite side dishes. My favorite way to sauté them is with Pancetta (Italian-style bacon), garlic, lemon juice and oilve oil. I whipped some up today and you’ll find the recipe below.

chopped brussels sprouts

Brussels Sprouts are a great low calorie food. 1 cup of fresh Brussels sprouts has about 40 calories, 4 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein and 8 grams of carbs.  They have a taste similar to cabbage and you can cook them in a similar way and use the same kinds of flavors to season them. They are also a great source of protein, iron, antioxidants, folic acid and potassium. For this recipe, I chopped them up and this can help them cook faster.  Remove any dark, speckled leaves or bad spots.

fresh brussels sprouts

Chopped Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Garlic
Recipe Type: Side Dish, Veggies
Cuisine: Side Dish, Salad
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 3
Sauteed Chopped Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta Italian-style bacon, garlic, olive oil and lemon.
Ingredients
  • 1lb Brussels Sprouts, chopped
  • 1 oz Pancetta, cubed
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large or medium skillet, cook the Pancetta for about 5 minutes on low/medium heat to let the fat melt. Stir occasionally so that it doesn’t stick.
  2. Then add in the olive oil and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 1-2 min until the garlic starts to brown.
  3. Turn the heat to medium. Add the Brussels Sprouts to the skillet and pour the lemon juice over it.
  4. Stir the mixture to allow the oils and garlic to coat the sprouts. Cook for 8-11 minutes until the large pieces are tender to your liking (taste and see). Keep stirring every 2-3 min to make sure the mix cooks evenly and nothing sticks.
  5. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Serving size: 1/3 of the total – approx 5 oz Calories: 155 Fat: 9.8 Carbohydrates: 14.4 Fiber: 5.7 Protein: 6.7

Here is a photo of the recipe cooking.
cooking brussels sprouts

Here is the final finished product. Delicious!

brussels sprouts recipe

6 Ways to Lose Weight Without Counting Calories

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Even though creating a caloric deficit is vital for weight loss, counting calories is easily one of the most tedious parts of losing weight. I recommend that you track your calories and what you eat, keeping an actual goal in mind in terms of calories, carbs, fat, etc. This is become much easier to do because apps and websites make tracking calories super simple, but face it, sometimes you just forget to log your meals. Also, some people just hate calorie counting and wish there was another way. Well, you’ll be happy to know that you have options. Here are 6 ways you can continue your weight loss success even if you choose not to track what you are consuming. (Note: With these methods, you STILL have to eat right and use portion control.  These methods will just help you…they can’t overcome poor eating habits.)

weight loss without counting calories

Include More Strength Training in Your Workouts

Generally, people believe that cardio the main thing you need to focus on if you want to lose weight. Perhaps, they were told this by a trainer or came to the conclusion themselves because they may equate strength training with “bulking up” or just building muscle. You’ll be happy to know that strength and resistance training isn’t going to make you a muscle-bound hulk. Women’s bodies don’t work that way and most women need supplements to achieve large muscle gains that could bring on a “hulk” look. The right exercises will give you a lean, more toned, curvy physique that wouldn’t be possible to achieve with cardio alone.  Just compare the bodies of marathon runners and fitness models and you’ll see what I mean.

Now, that being said, I don’t think that you should focus solely on strength training. You do need to continue doing some kind of cardio for fat loss, just be sure you don’t omit some body weight work or exercises with weights. One of the most effective ways to get cardio and strength training into your regimen is circuit or interval training. Studies show that interval training is far more effective than traditional cardio and strength training practiced separately. Here is a great program to get you started from Bodybuilding.com

Don’t Eat 2 Hours before Bed

Another way people end up going over their calorie intake goal is by snacking right before bed. One study done by the American College of Sports Medicine showed that participants gained roughly a 1/4lb of weight per 100 calories consumed between 8pm and 4am.

Avoid feeling hungry before bed by ensuring you eat healthy meals with enough calories for your energy expenditure during the day. If you can stop eating by 9pm, that may be the best course of action. If you do feel hungry an hour or less before your bedtime, it is best to go to sleep on an empty stomach if possible and have a hefty breakfast in the morning than going to sleep on a full stomach. (Now, that’s a different story if you are pregnant, have blood sugar issues or other medical issues that would require you to eat for some reason. Follow doctor’s orders in that case.) Happy medium: If you just have to eat something, stick with veggies, popcorn and other low calorie foods!

Stop Binging on High-Sugar Foods

Some people have this idea that as long as they stay under their calorie limit they can eat whatever they want. This is absolutely not true, when it comes to binging on processed sugar. Sugary foods may be ok as a treat on occasion but don’t think your health will go unaffected if you stay under your limit.

“Research indicates that a diet high in added sugar reduces the production of a brain chemical known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Without BDNF, our brains can’t form new memories and we can’t learn (or remember) much of anything. Levels of BDNF are particularly low in people with an impaired glucose metabolism–diabetics and pre-diabetics–and as the amount of BDNF decreases, sugar metabolism worsens. In other words, chronically eating added sugar reduces BDNF, and then the lowered levels of the brain chemical begin contributing to insulin resistance, which leads to type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, which eventually leads to a host of other health problems.  Once that happens, your brain and body are in a destructive cycle that’s difficult if not impossible to reverse.” – Forbes

Honestly, a clean diet made up of whole foods is often so filling that you’d really have to try and overeat to break your caloric limit. This is especially true of raw diets and paleo diets. Whichever diet lifestyle you choose to follow, limit the bad foods and you won’t need to micromanage your caloric intake.  When you do need a sweet fix, practice moderation and choose fruit first over processed sugar.

Drink Only Water and Herbal Teas

It seems like there is a lot of obsession these days with coffee, soda, diet soda energy drinks, sugar-laden juices and other beverages. While there are times when you can indulge in a sweet drink or one with caffeine, statistics show this happens far too often for many people. Consuming alcohol also fits into the mix, due to high carb content and the potential for addiction.

Giving up your favorite drinks sounds excessive but liquid calories are going to hinder your weight loss goals and overall health just as much as food. Remember that water should be a staple beverage…the main thing you drink. Herbal teas can also be beneficial for your health and the naturally caffeine-free ones may be the perfect alternative to coffee for some people.  Do your research on tea to learn more about the benefits of the herbs you are drinking.

Stop Eating Before You Feel Full

A common habit is to eat until you feel full or even continue eating until you simply can’t anymore. This is an old habit but one that is often instilled upon people as children- perhaps it was your mother saying you couldn’t be excused from the table until you finished your plate. Also, many people feel guilty about wasting food.

Dividing you meals into portions is a great way to limit calories but you can take it an extra step by stopping eating when you feel roughly 90% full, even if there is still food left. Many people are surprised that when they do this they feel satiated and don’t feel overfed.  Just because the food is served to you, doesn’t mean you have to eat it.  At restaurants, you can also ask them to box up half of your portions so that you can take it home.

Visit Your Doctor for a Check Up

This may be a surprising tip for weight loss but visiting your doctor for a physical and blood panel work should be done. Especially if you find that you are eating well and exercising regularly for a month or two but still struggling to lose weight.

Sometimes underlying health conditions like pre-diabetes, diabetes, cancer, hypothyroidism or hormonal issues like PCOS and menopause can inhibit weight loss. These problems need to be treated not only to help you get to a healthy weight but also to prevent future health issues. Everyone, even if you are healthy and never get sick, should get a complete checkup prior to starting a new lifestyle.  It’s a MUST!

Calorie counting and keeping track of your meals with a specific goal in mind is not the only way to lose weight, but it can really help. If you really hate calorie counting or perhaps aren’t getting the results you want despite staying under a recommended calorie limit, you should consider perhaps changing your diet and workout regimen. Embracing some of the tips above, dealing with the source of any emotional eating and nixing bad habits like smoking could really help.