My favorite healthy snacks....

1. I love trail mix. I make it myself with nuts from the baking isle because there are no salts or oil added to them. Dried fruit. Yummy. I have to measure 1/4 cup out those cause it is healthy but high in calories so portion control is key.

2. All bran crackers dipped in fat free cottage cheese or humus. These crackers have 6 grams of fiber and actually taste really good. I like the garlic kind.

3. Frozen yogurt. I love the kind at Maverick gas station. All different flavors for 80 calories a serving (1/2 cup). When I am prego i totally crave this...

4. I like grapes dipped in Cool Whip Free. No fat or sugar but remember still has a few calories. This is a yummy treat for me!

5. Air popped popcorn with spray butter {0 calories} and white cheddar flavoring. This is a good treat if you want something salty w/o the calories of chips.

6. Light string cheese. Low fat and east to grab. I usually eat it with almonds.

7. I love the thick Yo plait yogurt- Key lime pie. I freeze it for 20 minutes. Yum.

8. Prunes. oK it may sound like old people food but they are sweet and full of antioxidants.

9. I chew lots of gum. It helps keep my mouth busy and not thinkning about eating.

10. I love fiber one bars. Tons of fiber and great if you are craving a treat...

What are some lower calorie snacks you eat?......

Guess who is on Rachel ray tomorrow....

Thats right, the one and only...

Tune in to Rachael Ray’s talk show this Tuesday, January 27 as she welcomes guest Jillian Michaels, the hard core trainer from Biggest Loser. Jillian introduces the audience to a butt-busting workout you won’t want to miss, and Rachael prepares a less-guilt pasta dish.

Are you serious.....

One of my favorite places to eat is Costa Vida- I love their Mango Chicken Salad. To die for! I usually get it w/o cheese, chips, or dressing on a wheat tortilla. I was curious in how many calories were in one and to my sad surprise there is 900 calories in one salad!!! That's w/o dressing too. Its a big salad but I never thought that many calories. Jeremy and I will have to spit one or something. Portion sizes are way out of proportion today.....Some things I try to do are as follows- Use smaller bowls, plates, etc. I sometimes use a measuring cup as my bowl:) I started doing that for my 2 year old cause the handle but it works great for me. Also never eat out of the box, you'll eat more then a serving or 2.

When you go out to eat ask the waiter to box half your meal. Then it won't be tempting to pick after you have already had enough.
Think of a baseball when you think of one portion of pasta.
Think of a golf ball when thinking about nuts and dried fruit- high in calories. but still good for you.
Think of 6 dice as a serving of cheese...
and a deck of cards for meat...

10 worst snacks for kids......

In continually trying to be more healthy in my life I often read health blogs, magizines, etc. I also have become interested in kids health. I have a 2 year old. I am not completely nazi about everything he eats. He eats fruit snacks at church once a week and he eats treats at my parents house but other than that I try to feed him healthy foods and stay away from processed/ sugar/ etc. It is getting a little harder when he throws a tantrum because he wants a treat but reading about children health helps me say no and stick with it. Here are some of the worst things to feed the kiddos....

1. Potato Chips - in one 1 oz bag there is 225 calories and 15 grams of fat. If you look at the label there is nothing but fat and carbs. The worst unhealthy snack for your kids. no nutrition and way too high in sodium to a child.

2. Donuts - let's take "Crispy cream donuts", one serving 200 calories with 12 grams of fat. It's dough fried in oil. Give it to your kid for a snack only if you want him/her to have type II diabetes the rest of their life.

3. Cookies - even fat-free cookies are full of sugar and carbs. When we say fat-free we don't say calorie free. One chocolate chip cookie has 130 calories and 6 grams of fat. Not a good choice for a snack. Forgot to tell you, no one eats one cookie. If kids start eating cookies they'll eat 3 or 4. So you can multiply 130 x 4 = 520 calories.

4. Chicken nuggets - especially those Wendy's "4 piece Kid's Meal Nuggets" are the worst. 190 calories and 12 grams of fat. full of saturated fat. Make your own or bake the frozen ones if you have to resort to them.

5. Soda - any kind of soda. There is nothing good in soda. Did you know there are 10 teaspoons of sugar in one can of soda? Your children should not have more than 6-7 teaspoons of sugar per day, and that includes all the sugar they get from fruits and veggies during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Don't even get them started so they won't ask for it. Don't have it in the house so you don't drink it either.

Did you know that you can clean coins by placing them in a glass with coca cola for 1 hour? Can you imagine what soda does to your kid's stomach? There is a lot of caffeine in sodas too, in case you are wondering why your child is so hyper.

6. Cupcakes - 1 cupcake has 130 calories 1.6 grams of fat 17 grams of sugar. As you can see there is no nutrition value in cupcakes. It's mostly carbs and sugar.

7. Candy - nutrition nightmare. There is nothing but sugar and as we know sugar is one of the leading causes of obesity and type II diabetes.

8. Crackers - My favorite are Ritz Crackers with cheddar cheese on top :) Nothing but carbs and fat. 80 calories per serving and 4 grams of fat. You can replace it with wheat crackers for nutrition. they have whole wheat ritz, my son really likes those. He likes the all bran ones too.

9. Ice cream - 1/2 cup of chocolate ice cream has 143 calories, 7 grams of fat (4g of saturated fat) and 16 grams of sugar. So there is nothing but carbs, fat and sugar.

10. Chocolate whole milk - packed with saturated fats. Tall-sized chocolate milk from Starbucks has 264 calories, 12 grams of fat and 27 grams of sugar. Children over 2 can drink low fat milk.

Now that you know how many calories and fat are in all these snacks try to avoid them. Your kids deserve better and healthier snacks. If you already feed your children these snacks slowly switch them out for healthier ones. Or put 1/2 whole grain cereal w/ 1/2 sugar cereal and slowly get rid of the sugar cereal. The key is being an example to your kids and providing healthy choices for you children. ONe of my favorite children's health blogs is...

http://healthy-snacks-for-kids.blogspot.com/

Dr.Oz....

Yesterday on Oprah Dr.OZ came to discuss health related issues. He gave us an ultimate health checklist. Here is an over view from dietsinreview.com.....

Dr. Oz and Oprah introduce the
Ultimate Health Checklist

As Oprah’s Best Life week continues, she welcomed Dr. Oz, a.k.a. America’s doctor, to the show once again. In the second day of her campaign to get healthy alongside the rest of us, she asked Dr. Oz to share the most important things about our health that we need to be aware of and proactive in doing. He calls it the Ultimate Health Checklist, and says that as long as we’re able to keep to the list, which really isn’t that overwhelming, we can live long, happy lives.

Here are the 10 things on Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Health Checklist that all men and women should make a point of following.

1. Schedule a Check-Up. Dr. Oz told Oprah’s audience that people who have a family doctor are healthier, and pointed out that while many do not have health insurance, you can find free and government-funded access to quality health care providers.

2. Know the Five Ingredients to Avoid. Check food labels for this simple list of ingredients, and pass on foods that include them in the first five ingredients listed (meaning they are highest in concentration).

• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Sugar
• “Enriched“
• Trans-fat (may be indicated by the word “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated”)
• Saturated Fat

3. Add Healthy Foods to your Diet. Make an effort to meet these nutritional goals each day and week.

• 3 grams Omega-3 daily. Sources for this healthy fat are fish, soybeans, nuts, flaxseed and others.
• 5-7 servings of Antioxidants daily. Sources for this cancer-fighting agent are blueberries, red beans, pomegranates and pecans.
• 25 grams Fiber daily. You’ll want to chose whole-grain options, like brown rice and whole grain cereals and pastas.
• 1 Tbs. Olive Oil daily. Extra-virgin or regular olive oil both work. Dr. Oz suggests this is why the Mediterranean Diet is praised for working so well.

4. Take a Multi-Vitamin. This should be part of your daily routine. Here are Dr. Oz’s vitamin tips.

5. Know Your Numbers. At your check-up, learn these numbers, and make it a goal to optimize them.

• Waist size - measure at belly button, total inches should be less than half your height.
• Blood pressure - optimal is 115/75
• Cholesterol - LDL (bad) should be <100;>40
• Resting heart rate - <83>
• Blood sugar
• Vitamin D - find out if you have a deficiency. Darker skinned people are more susceptible.
• C-reactive protein
• Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)

6. Find a Health Advocate. Always bring a relative or a friend with you to the doctor to better understand your treatment.

7. Get Organized with Your Health Information. Keep updated copies of insurance, medical records, allergies, etc. so that you can play a more active role in your care and treatment.

8. Know the Medical Tests You Should Have. These will vary for men, women and by age, but talk with your doctor to learn if you need:

• Mammogram
• Pap Smear and Pelvic Exam
• Dental check-up (2x/year)
• Vision check-up (1x/2 years)
• Bone Density
• Hearing
  
  

9. Exercise. Dr. Oz wants us to keep our bodies actively moving, and recommends the following:

• Start walking. Aim for 10,000 steps per day, start with 30 minutes/day (about 3k steps)
• Elevate your heart rate for 60 minutes every week
• Flexibility 5 minutes/day
• Strength training 30 minutes/week

10. Sleep! Your body requires the rest that comes from a good night’s sleep. Practice this tips to catch your Zs:

• Get 7-8 hours sleep each night
• Keep the room dark and cool
• Create a routine
• Make the bedroom for sleep and sex only
• No caffeine four hours prior to bed
• Do not keep a TV in your bedroom
• Take a calcium and magnesium supplement
• Information from Diets in review.com
  

Weight Loss Battle....

The weight loss battle is long, tough, and requires a lot of dedication and motivation on your part to be successful. I’ve seen so many people struggle with the ups and downs of weight loss over the years including me. My highest weight was when I was 15 years old weighing in at 256 pounds at 5' 8". Over an 7 years { i know it took forever} I got to 138 pounds when I got home from my mission. Thats about 115 pounds. I have gained some with getting married and having a baby, I got a little more laxed about it. I feel really good at 145-150, I know that may still sound bigger to some of you but I feel good at that. I really would like to lose 20 pounds in the next 3 months. Weight loss just sounds so easy, eat less & exercise more. There is so much more though..... Emotions, hormones, pregnancy, metabolism, motivation, and genes. There are 5 things that I really feel work in losing weight if you are consistent with them....
1. Drinking water. Always have a water bottle.
2. Don't eat 3 hours before you go to sleep.
3. Eat 6 small meals a day, bigger in the morning: less at night.
4. Exercise and be active everyday. Even if you are just walking, just keep moving....
5. If you eat something you shouldn't, don't wait to the next day or next Monday to get back on track. Get right back on track!

I am starting the Biggest Loser once again for 12 weeks. The New Year brings new motivation, new hope, and hopefully it will bring a new number on the scale. If anyone would like to participate please leave me a comment or e-mail me at www.thetwitchells@hotmail.com. We weigh in every Monday morning... One rule I have for myself is that the TV can only be on if I am jogging on my little trampoline. I am not really a TV person but I do watch Oprah 1/2 the time and biggest loser once a week. So I will not be watching it like this....like much of America....

Cellulite......

Studies show that 90% of women have visible cellulite. Most people get it on their rear end. For me my rear is fine but I have it on my upper inner arm. It seems like no matter how many push ups I do or weight lifting it is still there. Sometimes i think it is gone then i see it in a certain light and its still there! I really don't like it. I one time tried the Mary Kay cellulite stuff which I can honestly say didn't work. This stuff is said to work but I am skeptical about it......
It says in 4 weeks it will be gone. It is not worth even a try at 1,600$ for me! Well what is it and how do you get rid of it.......
Cellulite is fat - plain ol' ordinary fat. What is term "cellulite" is actually a dimpling effect of fat caused by the way fat cells lie in or between connective tissue in the body, primarily in the hips-thighs-buttocks region. Connective tissue extends from the skin to the muscle below. Fat cells, especially when they get bigger, "push up" against the tissue to create the dimplin.

Another factor which influences who will show more cellulite is where the body tends to store fat. Women who deposit fat in their hips and thighs tend to have more cellulite than women who store fat around their waists -- again, this falls under the control of your genes.

The treatments tighten the skin briefly to reduce the appearance of cellulite; that is what all the creams and lotions you can buy over-the-counter will do. Cellulite is fat, and it seems to be harder to lose than other areas of fat on the body; this may stem from the way fat cells are embedded in connective tissues. To reduce the amount of fat that is absorbed and stored or burned by the body, eat less fat, consume fewer calories, and exercise.

I cannot recommend any legitimate, scientific literature on cellulite treatments because they don't exist (the literature, and a true "treatment"). Just eat less, exercise more- the answer the every dieting question!