Archive for the ‘Diet News’ Category
Posted by leah
It’s hard to believe there was ever a time when cocktails fell out of fashion, yet they did in the late 60s and 70s. Apparently, people found other distractions. Apart from that, cocktails have been shaken, stirred and slurped since the 1830s and have come to symbolize sophistication and luxury.
It’s all too easy to make a bad cocktail. It’s not simply a case of mixing something colorful with something alcoholic and finishing with a cocktail umbrella. As a successful bar tender will tell you, there are some tools necessary to this trade and a well-stocked bar is essential.
First things first, a well-stocked bar doesn’t just imply a variety of consumable liquids; it refers also to a range of necessary bar equipment. Salt for glasses, garnishes, syrups, ice buckets and tongs, measures and pourers, straws and stirrers, shakers, blenders, chopping boards, utensils and glasses, all important in creating that perfect concoction. Don’t forget serving trays and payment dishes and the all-important drip trays and bar cloths.
There are five main ways to make a cocktail: layering, building, blending, stirring and shaking. Layering takes some practice but the results look impressive. Pour the spirit over the back of a spoon so that it rests on top of the liquid underneath.
Building involves pouring all of the ingredients straight into the glass. Blending is pretty self-explanatory, as is stirring. Shaking involves use of a cocktail shaker to mix and chill the drink, though pour the liquid carefully, retaining the ice in the shaker.
With thousands of recipes out there, industry experts recommend that at the very least, your cocktail bar should include all your usual spirits: gin, vodka, rum, whisky, brandy, tequila, vermouth and bourbon. They suggest also having wine on hand, liqueurs and triple sec.
As for mixers, soda water, cola, ginger ale, fruit juices, grenadine and angostura bitters should suffice. Don’t forget your cherries, olives, onions, lemon, Tabasco and sugar for garnishing.
Good decorating technique is the mark of a talented bar tender. Avoid garish swizzle sticks, glittery fountains and plastic animals and opt for fruit, whether sliced or cleverly knotted and twisted rinds.
Next you’ll need adequate glassware, if you are really going to impress. Cocktail glasses typically have a thicker stem, to avoid the drinker’s hand warming it up. Champagne cocktails should be served in a flute to prevent the bubbles from dissipating too quickly. Martinis should be served in, what else? A martini glass and shooters should be poured into consumption-restricting shot glasses.
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Posted by leah
You know you’ve got to get moving. You resolve to park the car a few blocks from work, take the stairs, and hit the gym after work. But a few weeks pass and before you know it, parking spots start opening up right in front of the building, the elevator is already in the lobby, and you’ve worked late every night that week. It’s not that you don’t know how to get fit, you just can’t seem to stay motivated. We all know people who are religious with their workouts. So, what’s their secret?
We asked fitness experts and regular Joes alike how they stick with their routine. These methods keep them moving; maybe one will work for you.
1. Embarrass Yourself
Make a mark on your calendar every time you make it to the gym or park. Seeing your motivation (or lack thereof) in black and white helps keep you going. Suzanne Schlosberg and Liz Neporent, authors of Fitness for Dummies, Second Edition (IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., 2000), suggest “whether you write your goals on the side of your shoe or in your training diary, glancing at them on a daily basis will help keep you focused and motivated. Some people tape their goals to their bathroom mirror or refrigerators.” Do whatever works to make you remember what you promised yourself.
2. Join a Club That Wouldn’t Have You for a Member
So you’re not Steffi Graf. That doesn’t mean you can’t join a tennis team. Richard Cotton, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise, says “joining a club, team or finding an exercise partner … provides a support system and someone to simply share the experience with. Often times just knowing someone will be asking you ‘How’s it going?’ can be the difference between exercise success and failure.”
3. Love Thy Neighbor and Love Thyself
You can’t leave a neighbor standing on the corner checking her watch. She knows where you live. Miriam Nelson, director of the Center for Physical Fitness at Tufts University and the author of Strong Women Stay Young and Strong Women Stay Slim (Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1999), says, “When I make a date with a neighbor to go for a run I keep it, and we have a great time.” She also plans a regular appointment with her neighbors. “Saturday mornings several of my neighbors come over and we lift weights together; it’s a great way to start the weekend,” she says.
4. Challenge Yourself
Working toward an event — like a 5K walk or run, or an overnight bike trip to a faraway bed and breakfast — keeps you on track. Every time you exercise you’ll be closer to meeting your goal. “The minute you mail in your entry fee, you’ll have a whole new sense of purpose. And the feeling of accomplishment you get from completing your event is like nothing else,” say Schlosberg and Neporent.
5. Dance, Dance, Dance
“Music is a fantastic motivator,” says Michael Olajide Jr., a former professional boxer and inventor of Aerobox workout routines. “It can push you to do more and to exercise longer, even longer than you planned.” Who doesn’t get a surge of energy every time they hear their favorite tune? Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to get that new CD.
6. Don’t Count the Miles
“Do not work out to burn calories or lose weight,” says Emme, plus-size model, author and columnist. “There are more important things than burning calories taking place during your workout. Newfound self-esteem and stress reduction are just two positive aspects of many that come to mind.” If you’re always focusing on burning off your morning doughnut, of course exercise seems like a chore. Try exercising for the sake of your health, not your body.
7. Find the Fun
Forget about the “no pain, no gain” attitude. “The mind, body and soul connection is very important here, don’t forget to have fun,” says Emme. Pick an activity you’ve always loved, like biking or walking outdoors. The more enjoyable it is, the more likely you’ll stick with it.
8. Make It a Family Affair
“When I go for a run I entice one of my kids to go with me — he or she goes on their bike and I run. It’s a great way to be together with my kids,” says Miriam Nelson. Who better to egg you on than the ones who love you best!
9. Learn to Love Lycra
“Buying snazzy new workout shorts or comfy new cross-trainers can really get you fired up to work out, ” say Schlosberg and Neporent. Once you realize how much better the right equipment makes a workout, you’ll be loving your sports bra as much as soccer star Brandi Chastain.
10. Dive for Dollars
Money is the ultimate motivator. Put a dollar in a jar every time you make it to the gym. At the end of a month, treat yourself to a massage. You’ll be at the gym more often than the trainers.
11. It’s About Time
“My mood motivates me to work out, so timing is everything,” says Kathy Kaehler, personal trainer and author. If you aren’t up for a workout don’t feel guilty about postponing. On the other hand, exercise has been known to improve a bad mood. Work out your aggressions in the gym instead of at home or work.
Posted by lorenz
The logic of these diets is that, because fat contains more calories than carbohydrates or protein, limiting the fat in our diet is a simple way to promote weight loss.
All types of added fats, such as butter, margarine, mayonnaise, sour cream and salad dressings, are reduced or eliminated. Foods high in fat, such as fried foods, snack foods, cheeses and red meat, should be replaced with lower-fat versions or eaten in smaller portions. Most low-fat diets call for an increase of carbohydrate intake in the form of pasta, breads and potatoes.
A high-fat diet has been associated with numerous health conditions, from obesity to heart disease and even some types of cancer. The plan encourages the use of foods naturally low in fat, such as fruits and vegetables
, which also contain healthy amounts of essential nutrients .
Upside of Low Fat Diets
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Foods that are low in fat - for example, vegetables, whole grains, fruit - are generally healthy.
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Many high fat foods are also high in sugar, which is bad for you and can lead to weight gain. Cutting down on cookies and ice cream is never a bad thing!
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A low-fat diet has been shown to reduce the risk of many health conditions, including high cholesterol,
heart disease and obesity.
Downside of Low Fat Diets
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Not all foods that are low in fat are also low in calories. For example, bread and pasta are both fairly low in fat but can pile on the calorie intake if eaten to excess.
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There has been an explosion of foods that are reduced in fat yet contain lots of sugar: snack bars, cookies, cakes, candies, ice cream and so on. Those foods do not promote a healthy diet, even if they are low in fat.
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Low-fat diets assume that all fat is created equal, which researchers now know is not the case. Monounsaturated fats, the type found in olive oil and certain oily fish, have been found to be essential to a healthy body and mind.
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Some vitamins (e.g., vitamins A, E and K) are found predominantly in fatty foods. People who eat a low-fat diet normally are advised to take vitamin supplements.
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Fat makes food taste better - it’s sad but true. Therefore, if you try to eliminate fat from your diet, you end up with boring, bland meals, making it less likely that you’ll stick to the diet.
Posted by lorenz
Red wine is rich in antioxidants
Many people have heard that a Mediterranean-influenced diet is beneficial to your health. Why? The theory is that the high antioxidant levels contained in a diet full of fruit and vegetables extinguishes the free radicals and other oxidants which damage your cells and tissues. Similarly, red wine contains antioxidant chemicals that have also been credited with a lowered risk of heart disease. Antioxidants act as a biological “army” to protect the lining of your blood vessels from developing the dangerous fatty plaque that causes atherosclerosis. This plaque is developed from damaged (oxidized) fat molecules that begin collecting within the lining of the blood vessels. Antioxidants sacrifice themselves by taking the place of the tissue and cells so that they are not damaged and can thus continue with their regular metabolism.
Polyphenols benefit your heart
Red wine is rich in a class of compounds known as polyphenols, which can also be found in teas, chocolate, and fruit. These compounds are involved in the quality of the wine because they influence the color, bitterness, astringency, and chemical stability1. Polyphenols have been associated with numerous cardiovascular benefits: they reduce blood clots, relax blood vessels and promote healthy cholesterol metabolism.
In one clinical study, volunteers were asked to drink 12 ounces of red wine daily for two weeks. At the end of the study, researchers concluded that a moderate daily intake of red wine was associated with a slight increase in HDL cholesterol levels as well as an increase in chemicals that act as antioxidants in the blood2. Another research study determined that moderate wine drinkers have lower incidence of hypertension related mortality3.
In a third notable study, researchers took all of the information above one step further and recruited 15 volunteers with coronary artery disease. They asked volunteers to drink 8.5 ounces of red wine everyday for the first two weeks, and then switch to 8.5 ounces of non-alcoholic wine for the next two weeks4. Results of the study showed improved blood vessel functioning after the two weeks of drinking the alcoholic red wine.
Which wines should I drink? And how much is enough?
Researchers at the University of California, Davis tested a variety of wines to determine which ones had the highest amount of polyphenolic compounds. Results of the tests indicated that Cabernet Sauvignon was at the top of the list, with Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir following closely behind.
So how much wine do you need to drink before you can reap these benefits? If a 4-ounce glass is equal to 1 serving of red wine, men should drink 2 servings per day, while women only need 1.
Is the benefit from the grape rather than the alcohol?
Despite all this positive research, some scientists remain skeptical about whether the beneficial qualities of wine can be attributed to the grape extract itself or the alcohol contained in the wine. Nevertheless, there are strong efforts in the scientific community to demonstrate that a moderate intake of red wine is beneficial to your health.
Posted by lorenz
Pick a program that focuses on strategies you can practice long-term, not just while you are “on the diet.” Meal replacements, like shakes and portion-controlled entrees, make it easier to cut calories now and in the future. A plan with lots of vegetables and fruits allows you to eat in volume without a lot of calories, and they’re loaded with nutrition.
Make your home a safe haven
Fill your home with healthy, low-fat, quick and easy food options. A bowl of fresh fruit on the counter, for example, can make it easy to have a healthy snack.
Don’t go it alone
Research shows that people are often more successful when they lose weight with a friend or a group.
Make a strong start
Contrary to common wisdom that “slow and steady” weight loss is best, recent articles have found that dieters who lost weight quickly, lost more total weight and kept off more weight long-term. Researchers concluded that how well dieters do in the first 2-4 weeks predicts their success up to five years later.
Make a plan
If you don’t plan out what you’re going to do, the world has a plan for you. Map out the first day of your week to get a strong start you can build on the rest of the week.
More is better
When your weight-loss plan includes healthy strategies like vegetables and fruits and meal replacements, the more of these you eat the more success you’ll have. You don’t have to be hungry to lose weight. On the contrary, if you stay full on low-fat, low calorie foods, you’re more likely to stay on your diet and lose more weight overall.
Target your “easy wins”
Simple substitutions are often the easiest way to cut calories. Drinking a diet soda instead of a regular soda every day will save you 15 or morepounds in a year. Eating a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and mustard instead of a roast beef sandwich with mayonnaise just twice a week will save you another 15 pounds.
Keep moving
Daily physical activity, like walking, along with healthy eating is key to long-term weight-loss success and maintenance. Once again, more is better.
Track your progress
Food and exercise records help you stay accountable to your diet plan, reinforce your success and give you valuable feedback on how to continue to build your skills.
Drink your fluids
It is important to stay hydrated, especially when you are losing weight, because your body will naturally lose some water. Make sure you drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses of non-caloric liquids per day.
Easy Swaps
With these strategies under your belt, try the following “Easy Swap” system along with physical activity to help drop those pounds:
Easy Swap: Coffee w/milk, sweetener
Instead of: “coffee house” latte
How often: 5 days a week
Lose in a year: 18 - 20 lbs.
Easy Swap: Whole grain cereal w/skim milk
Instead of: a bran muffin
How often: 3x a week
Lose in a year: 14 - 15 lbs.
Easy Swap: Mustard
Instead of: mayo on sandwiches
How often: 3x a week
Lose in a year: 12 - 13 lbs.
Easy Swap: Turkey sandwich w/lettuce and tomato
Instead of: cheeseburger and fries
How often: 3x a week
Lose in a year: 8 - 10 lbs.
Easy Swap: 6 oz. baked potato w/sour cream
Instead of: 5 oz. french fries
How often: 3x a week
Lose in a year: 10 lbs.
Easy Swap: 20 oz. diet soda
Instead of: regular soda
How often: 7 days a week
Lose in a year: 25 lbs.
Easy Swap: Piece of fruit
Instead of: a candy bar
How often: 5 days a week
Lose in a year: 10 - 12 lbs.
