Monday, April 27, 2020

6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Snacking

For many people, nothing can sabotage a slim-down like a bad snacking habit. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), over the last 30 years, the average number of snacks consumed per day has doubled. And the percentage of adults who snack on any given day has risen from 59 to 90 percent. Considering that snacking more times in a day is associated with consuming more calories, is it any wonder that as our snacking habits increased, so too have our waistlines?

Don’t get us wrong—we’re all for healthy snacking. Fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds can make for nutritious mid-day noshing. But according to a 2014 Nielson report, chips, chocolate, cheese and cookies—which tend to be higher in calories, fat, sugar and salt, are the top-ranking snacks in North America.

7 Snacks To Beat the Afternoon Slump

If you often find yourself reaching for some of these snack-time staples, or you are a frequent flyer in the office snack drawer, it may be time to reassess. Here are 6 questions to ask yourself before you give in to your next snack attack:

1. Am I actually hungry?
Bored? Stressed? Eating because it’s there, because it tastes good or because everyone else is doing it? There are lots of reasons we eat. But there’s only one reason we should: Because our bodies need fuel. Before you dish out, ‘fess up: does your body really need a snack right now?

10 Tasty Snacks Under 200 Calories

2. Did I wait 20 minutes after my meal?
That’s about the amount of time it takes your tummy to signal your brain that it’s full. If you just downed a whole plate of food, wait at least 20 minutes before visiting the vending machine.

3. Am I hydrated?
It’s not uncommon to confuse thirst with hunger. To be sure you aren’t just running low on liquids, drink a glass of water before you visit the vending machine.

It’s Simple: Drink Water, Lose Weight

4. Am I so hungry, I’d eat broccoli?
If you truly are hungry, you’d eat anything, right? So ask yourself: If the only snack I had on hand was something healthy like a piece of fruit or raw veggies, would I still NEED to snack?

5. Can I munch in moderation?
If you decide that snacking is a necessity, don’t opt for foods you tend to overeat. If you’re diving into a supersized bag of popcorn, cutting off at a serving might prove tricky. Portion out your snack or better yet, reach for guilt-free options (see #6).

Simple Swaps for a Healthier Lunch

6. Is there a more nutritious option?
Carrots with hummus, celery sticks with peanut butter, apple slices and a hard-boiled egg or a low fat cheese string are all great snack options to have on hand when mid-meal hankerings hit. They are lower in calories, fat, sugar and salt than many conventional snack options, plus they dish out tons of nutrients your body needs.

The post 6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Snacking appeared first on The Leaf.

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20 of Our Most Popular Recipes of All Time

Daunted by the volume of tasty recipes to choose from on The Leaf? Start with these 20. They’re delicious, healthy and you could call them “the people’s choice.” They’re our most raved about, popular recipes of all time. Once you taste them, you’ll find out why.

The 30 Most Popular Dessert Recipes of All Time

Here are 20 of the most popular recipes featured on The Leaf:

1. 3-Step Banana Pudding >

Calories per Serving: 149

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel and 2 Extras

It’s healthy. It’s sweet. It’s easy. What could be bad? This dreamy, creamy banana pudding is a decadent dessert that tastes anything but diet-friendly. Bonus: It makes such a large portion, you can save half for tomorrow!

2. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups >

Calories per Serving: 139

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 PowerFuel and 2 Extras

No surprise that this is one of our all-time favorites. It tastes just like candy and takes no time to make! Just melt some chocolate in the microwave, pour into muffin cups and freeze. Top each one with crunchy peanut butter mixed with warm coconut oil and pop back into the freezer to harden. Enjoy your favorite peanut butter candy made diet-friendly!

3. Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry >

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 2 PowerFuels, 2 Vegetables and 2 Extras

Soy sauce, fresh ginger and hoisin sauce make a delectable coating for stir-fried chicken. Throw in crispy broccoli, onions and bright red bell peppers for a fiber-filled Flex meal. Served over brown rice, it’s better than takeout!

7 Simple Stir-Fry Recipes That Are Anything but Boring

4. Creamy Pasta Salad >

Calories per Serving: 228

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel and 1 Vegetable

Don’t let anyone tell you that pasta salad is just for summer picnics. This is a year-round filling crowd-pleaser filled with broccoli florets, red and orange bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and cooked turkey bacon nestled in your favorite pasta. Enjoy one of our most popular recipes dressed in a nonfat Greek yogurt and light mayonnaise mixture, flavored with garlic powder, parsley, lemon juice and pepper.

5. Black Forest Milkshake >

Calories per Serving: 257

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel, 1 Vegetable and 1 Extra

Chocolate and cherries are best friends in this creamy milkshake. This blender recipe starts with a chocolate Nutrisystem shake to which you add a cup of frozen cherries, unsweetened almond milk and the secret ingredient; spinach! Yes, it’s a secret green shake that’s packed with protein, fiber and antioxidants.

6. Peach Cobbler >

Calories per Serving: 135

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 2 Extras

Fresh peaches are sweetened with stevia and spiced with nutmeg, all nestled within a whole wheat crust. The flavor of sweet and sour peaches shines in this popular recipe and complements the light, buttery crust made with whole wheat flour, eggs, light butter, nonfat milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon.

4 Sweet Reasons Peaches Are the Best for Summer Weight Loss

7. Skinny Chocolate Donuts >

Calories per Serving: 135

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 2 Extras

Donuts on a diet? It’s unheard of! Crispy on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside. Drizzled with a sweet chocolate glaze, these diet-friendly treats are sure to be your go-to dessert. Just grab a donut pan and make a simple batter of whole wheat flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, egg, stevia, nonfat milk, butter, Greek yogurt and vanilla. Bake for about 10 minutes, top with a homemade glaze and enjoy your diet-friendly donuts.

8. 3-Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bombs >

Calories per Serving: 131

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 PowerFuel and 1 Extra

These are your secret weapon against that mid-afternoon slump. The three ingredients are a chocolate Nutrisystem shake, a scoop of peanut butter and some cream cheese. Combine them in a blender, pop them into the freezer to set, then roll them into balls. Freeze the rest for healthy snacks all week long.

9. Sweet Strawberry Cheesecake Pudding >

Calories per Serving: 98

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 PowerFuel and 1 Extra

Made with real strawberries and real cheese, this cheesecake pudding is definitely the real deal. And it’s so easy to make! Pop the ingredients—fat free cottage cheese, low fat cream cheese, sliced strawberries, vanilla extract and liquid stevia—into a food processor or blender and there you have it! Top with some extra strawberries if you’d like to add a SmartCarb.

10. Blueberry Cheesecake Donuts >

Calories per Serving: 161

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 3 Extras

Who enjoys pastries on a diet? You do! These are just as delicious as the ones you buy at the bakery. However, they’re way lower in calories and much, much healthier. Whole wheat pastry flour adds some fiber, while skim milk, nonfat plain Greek yogurt and light butter shave some calories. A stevia sweetener replaces regular sugar for a healthy take on popular donut recipes.

10 Tasty Blueberry Recipes You Need to Bookmark Right Now

11. Skinny Cheese Steak Sandwich >

Calories per Serving: 292

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 2 PowerFuels, 1 SmartCarb and 1 Vegetable

This mouthwatering version of the iconic Philly cheesesteak sandwich is only 292 calories per serving. Despite being short on calories, it’s definitely not short on flavor. Our healthy recipe pairs thinly sliced flank steak with sautéed onions, mushrooms and bell peppers, all stuffed inside a six-inch sub roll. We season it all with garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce and top with a slice of reduced fat provolone.

12. No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars >

Calories per Serving: 199

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 PowerFuel

Did we have you at “no-bake”? Thought so! It’s easy enough to buy ready-made granola bars. However, many are high in calories and packed with unhealthy ingredients. But not these! All it takes to make a healthy, homemade granola bar is peanut butter, honey, rolled oats and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Four simple ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen!

13. 5-Star Skinny Chicken Nuggets >

Calories per Serving: 116

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 PowerFuel

Don’t you love it when you can enjoy healthy versions of your favorite foods while losing weight? These spiced, skinny chicken nuggets have plenty of flavor and crispy mouth feel without the heavy breading. They’re packed with low calorie flavor from garlic powder, paprika, cayenne and black pepper. A little time in a hot oven and you’ll be enjoying a childhood favorite made healthy.

14. Avocado Chicken Salad Sandwich >

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb, 1 PowerFuel and 1 Extra

Next time you’re at the grocery store, grab a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to make meal prep a breeze. You can use it to make a variety of dishes, including our delicious chicken salad. Most popular recipes featuring chicken salad call for mayonnaise. However, our healthy version replaces it with fresh avocado. Serve it on a whole wheat sandwich thin with a squeeze of lime that truly makes this chicken salad special.

4 Rotisserie Chicken Recipes for Quick and Easy Flex Meals

15. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mug Cake >

Calories per Serving: 146

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 Extra

Mug cakes are among some of the most popular recipes. And for good reason! They’re so delicious and so easy to make. Add powdered peanut butter, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, stevia, mashed ripe banana, unsweetened almond milk and chocolate chips to a microwave-safe mug. Pop it in the microwave for a few minutes and voila! Instant dessert.

16. BBQ Chicken Sandwich >

Calories per Serving: 417

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 2 SmartCarbs, 2 PowerFuels, ½ Vegetable and 3 Extras

Enjoy the family barbecue while staying on your diet! A great Flex lunch or dinner, this barbecue chicken sandwich starts with 12 ounces of boneless chicken breast that’s poached, shredded and tossed with barbecue sauce. It’s layered on a whole wheat hamburger bun and topped with a quickie coleslaw made with only a few ingredients.

17. Skinny Pumpkin Latte >

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 PowerFuel

This recipe offers all the warm, spicy comfort of your favorite autumn drink with none of the guilt. That’s thanks to skim milk, stevia and nonfat whipped cream. Real pumpkin puree and pumpkin spices supply the fall flavors you’ve been waiting for all year.

Pumpkin Palooza! 10 Pumpkin Recipes You Need in Your Life

18. 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies >

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 PowerFuel

You could take these seasonal brownies to a party or cookie swap and no one would know that they’re diet-friendly. Four simple ingredients come together to create decadent, chocolatey bite with the flavors of autumn harvest. Pumpkin puree, banana, peanut butter and cocoa powder are a magical combination that results in this top recipe.

19. Blueberry Burst Energy Balls >

Calories per Serving: 197

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 SmartCarb and 1 PowerFuel

This flavorful pick-me-up couldn’t be easier to make. Just grab your food processor and grind up cashews, rolled oats, sweet pitted dates and antioxidant-rich blueberries. Roll the mixture into balls and enjoy as healthy snacks throughout your busy week.

20. Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps >

Calories per Serving: 219

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 2 PowerFuels, 1 Extra and 1 Vegetable

Shredded buffalo chicken is nestled into crispy lettuce leaves and drizzled with a homemade, skinny blue cheese dressing. Your Instant Pot can help make preparing the chicken a cinch. Just throw in chicken breasts, chicken broth, chopped onions and buffalo sauce. 10 minutes later and you’re ready to shred the chicken. After shredding, add it back to the pot for five minutes and it’s good to go. Drizzle on the dressing made with blue cheese crumbles, nonfat Greek yogurt, lemon, garlic powder, salt and pepper. For the lettuce wraps, use bibb or iceberg leaves and top with chopped carrots, celery and scallions.

11 Simple Recipes for Lightened-Up Street Food

The post 20 of Our Most Popular Recipes of All Time appeared first on The Leaf.

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How to Beat Belly Bloat

When you’re feeling puffy or swollen around your middle and can’t zip up a pair of jeans that you swear fit fine the other day, bloating is likely to blame. It’s often caused by gas or irregularity, it’s sometimes embarrassing and uncomfortable, but the silver lining is that you can beat belly bloat with some simple strategies, like these:

Eat Slowly
You’ve heard this advice for a bunch of different reasons—such as to help you feel fuller faster or be more mindful of your meal. But as it turns out, taking your time at the table can help with bloating as well. When you scarf down a meal or drink something quickly, you’re likely to swallow too much air. You might get the hiccups, or the gas may build up in your stomach and intestines and lead to bloating. Take your time and chew well while eating. You may also swallow excess air when you chew gum, suck on hard candy, and drink too many carbonated beverages.

6 Veggies to Keep You Feeling Full While You Lose Weight

Ease in More Fiber
Fiber helps keep things moving through the intestines, which aids digestion and helps prevent constipation. But, many high-fiber foods—like beans, Brussels sprouts and broccoli—are also pretty potent gas-producers. Upping your fiber intake too quickly can cause bloating, so start slowly and work your way to your daily fiber goal over the course of a few weeks.

Get Moving
Ideally you want to work in some exercise on most days, but even taking a short walk after eating can help prevent belly swelling. Physical activity nudges the bowels into action, so to speak, to help relieve constipation and prevent excessive gas.

How to Fit Fitness in Your Day

Cut Back on Sodium
Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that the general adult population limit sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams a day, reports indicate that the average American eats about 3,300 mg of sodium a day—which means chances are good that you are consuming more sodium than you should. And, given that excess salt intake can be to blame for water retention, your salt habit could be causing midsection puffiness. Try cutting back on your salt intake with these simple tips. Or consider a program like Nutrisystem, which falls within the USDA’s sodium recommendation and can be customized to contain even less salt. Already on Nutrisystem? Just make sure that your Grocery Additions aren’t responsible for sneaking in extra sodium.

12 Sneaky Sources of Sodium

Pump Up the Probiotics
Put simply, probiotics are good bacteria in your body, which help you fully digest your food. Research suggests that there are many benefits to probiotics. They can stimulate immunity, helping you fight colds and allergies. They may help prevent weight problems—some studies have shown a link between low levels of good gut bacteria and obesity. They can also support healthy digestion by reducing the quantity of bad bacteria in the gut, which can contribute to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and diarrhea. What’s more, probiotics can help reduce the belly bloat you feel when you don’t have enough of the right kind of bacteria in our gut. Pile on the probiotics by chowing down on fermented dairy foods like yogurt, kefir products and aged cheeses, or opt for non-dairy foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh and soy beverages. Intimidated by some of these strange food terms? Check out Nutrisystem Protein and Probiotic Shakes, which are packed with protein and probiotics to help support digestive health and bust belly bloat!

The post How to Beat Belly Bloat appeared first on The Leaf.

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I weighed myself this morning and had a massive mental breakdown, I need some reassurance before I completely give up on my journey.

Hello. I’ve started my weight loss journey on the 28th of March, it will be a month tomorrow, with a starting weight of 75Kg. I’m a short female (1.60cm), so I’m clearly severely overweight. I’ve started counting my calories and doing exercise (an hour on the elliptical everyday - I have recently bought some dumbbells so I’m just trying to incorporate some YouTube HIIT workouts in my daily routine too), and despite not noticing any difference in the mirror or in my progress pics and even with massive ups and downs, the weight has been steadily going down. Two days ago (25th oh April) I weighed at 70.09Kg and I was incredibly happy and proud of my small progress.

Now, the big issue. These past two days, I’ve skipped my exercises and I’ve sort of fell off the wagon as I told myself I deserved a break and was really craving some junk food. Yesterday I had a whole bottle of wine, a burger with cheesy chips and a lot of chocolate. The day before, another bottle of wine, a kebab, and heavily snacked on crisps and chocolates (I know those two are massive binges, please don’t judge me, if was some sort of special occasion and I’m already feeling so ashamed). Fast forward to this morning. I now magically weight 73.07Kg. I am absolutely devastated, I started crying and I still haven’t been able to stop. How is it possible to have put on 2Kgs in two days? Have i fucked up a month worth of progress in just two days?

Now, this is not the first time it has happened. My weight goes down everyday as long as I eat healthy, which I really don’t mind, but every single time I treat myself and have a ‘cheat meal’ (a pizza, some crisps, a bit of mayonnaise, a plate of pasta) the following day I have one, two, sometimes three Kgs more. And they do NOT even out the day after, at all, as I’ve seen lot of people say: every time it happens that number stays and I have to slowly start going down from there again, and it usually takes me days to get back to what I weighed before that specific cheat day. This utterly terrifies me. Does this mean that I’m not gonna be able to have cheat meals anymore for the rest of my life? That the day I decide to have a pizza and some drinks I’m immediately gonna jump back to my original weight and start losing what I’ve already lost, as if I’d just stared? How does one cheat day completely invalidate all my hard work and sacrifices? I might sound stupid, but I’m so confused and I’m completely devastated right now. Maybe someone can explain to me how and why this thing happens, I’d really appreciate it and maybe it will give me the strength to drag myself to my stationary bike before it gets too late and I waste another day.

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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2Sco2tB

Day 1? Starting your weight loss journey on Monday, 27 April 2020? Start here!

Today is your Day 1?

Welcome to r/Loseit!

So you aren’t sure of how to start? Don’t worry! “How do I get started?” is our most asked question. r/Loseit has helped our users lose over 1,000,000 recorded pounds and these are the steps that we’ve found most useful for getting started.

Why you’re overweight

Our bodies are amazing (yes, yours too!). In order to survive before supermarkets, we had to be able to store energy to get us through lean times, we store this energy as adipose fat tissue. If you put more energy into your body than it needs, it stores it, for (potential) later use. When you put in less than it needs, it uses the stored energy. The more energy you have stored, the more overweight you are. The trick is to get your body to use the stored energy, which can only be done if you give it less energy than it needs, consistently.

Before You Start

The very first step is calculating your calorie needs. You can do that HERE. This will give you an approximation of your calorie needs for the day. The next step is to figure how quickly you want to lose the fat. One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. So to lose 1 pound of fat per week you will need to consume 500 calories less than your TDEE (daily calorie needs from the link above). 750 calories less will result in 1.5 pounds and 1000 calories is an aggressive 2 pounds per week.

Tracking

Here is where it begins to resemble work. The most efficient way to lose the weight you desire is to track your calorie intake. This has gotten much simpler over the years and today it can be done right from your smartphone or computer. r/loseit recommends an app like MyFitnessPal, Loseit! (unaffiliated), or Cronometer. Create an account and be honest with it about your current stats, activities, and goals. This is your tracker and no one else needs to see it so don’t cheat the numbers. You’ll find large user created databases that make logging and tracking your food and drinks easy with just the tap of the screen or the push of a button. We also highly recommend the use of a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Knowing how much of what you're eating is more important than what you're eating. Why? This may explain it.

Creating Your Deficit

How do you create a deficit? This is up to you. r/loseit has a few recommendations but ultimately that decision is yours. There is no perfect diet for everyone. There is a perfect diet for you and you can create it. You can eat less of exactly what you eat now. If you like pizza you can have pizza. Have 2 slices instead of 4. You can try lower calorie replacements for calorie dense foods. Some of the communities favorites are cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash in place of their more calorie rich cousins. If it appeals to you an entire dietary change like Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian.

The most important thing to remember is that this selection of foods works for you. Sustainability is the key to long term weight management success. If you hate what you’re eating you won’t stick to it.

Exercise

Is NOT mandatory. You can lose fat and create a deficit through diet alone. There is no requirement of exercise to lose weight.

It has it’s own benefits though. You will burn extra calories. Exercise is shown to be beneficial to mental health and creates an endorphin rush as well. It makes people feel awesome and has been linked to higher rates of long term success when physical activity is included in lifestyle changes.

Crawl, Walk, Run

It can seem like one needs to make a 180 degree course correction to find success. That isn’t necessarily true. Many of our users find that creating small initial changes that build a foundation allows them to progress forward in even, sustained, increments.

Acceptance

You will struggle. We have all struggled. This is natural. There is no tip or trick to get through this though. We encourage you to recognize why you are struggling and forgive yourself for whatever reason that may be. If you overindulged at your last meal that is ok. You can resolve to make the next meal better.

Do not let the pursuit of perfect get in the way of progress. We don’t need perfect. We just want better.

Additional resources

Now you’re ready to do this. Here are more details, that may help you refine your plan.

Quick Start Guide - Build your foundation!
Loseit Compendium - Frame it out!
FAQ - Answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions!

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Weight loss has stalled for the past two months. Do you think my goal is still attainable?

19F 5'1 current weight: 143 Goal Weight: 120 Highest weight: 185

My weight loss journey started two years ago as a college freshman. I lost 15 lbs the first semester (175 to 160). The semester after I lost another five pounds. Then I went back home for the summer and gained ten pounds. Last semester I lost that weight and lost five pounds on top of that (so 165 to 150). Then I went home for winter break and gained weight pounds in 3 weeks. This semester I lost those eight pounds and lost 5 more (so 145). I went home due to my university moving classes online. I actually lost four pounds in three weeks but I'm almost positive it was muscle loss since I didn't leave the house and was sitting most of the day doing coursework. Then the weight started creeping up three weeks ago and now I am at 143.

I'm sticking to a 1200 calorie diet (weighing and logging) with intermittent fasting 16/8. I was doing strength on machines at school along with cardio 3x a week along with walking at least 10,000 steps each day.

I try so hard but it is so easy to gain it all back. I've calculated that my TDEE must be around 1400 calories at a sedentary level, which is insane because the calculator says in should be 1600. Being as active as I was only got it up to 1800 calories burned a day. I feel so hopeless right now. I'm used to walking everywhere on campus and I can't even go for walks at home now because there are three immunocompromised people in my household.

My goal was to reach 120 lbs by August so I can get new clothes for school that will last me years but now I don't think I'll lose even 10 pounds by then nevermind 20.

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Do you ever get to be satisfied with your body? - Fears and body image

Lately I've realized that one of the reasons I don't keep up with my routine and give up at losing weight is because I'm afraid of not liking my body at normal weight. I guess I don't like my body but I know "it's because I'm fat. I don't have a good body because I'm fat" That, in my head, it's the excuse for alowing myself to have an "ugly" body. So when I see other women's body, not photoshopped, I see that even the ones that are skinny or look to be at a helthy weight aren't fawless and I woul feel like I still have a non perfect/acceptable body on my eyes, so I would still hate it. It scares me because I know I'll have lose skin (have a good amount of weight ahead of me), and I already have strech marks. Also, I've been overweight since I was 12 so I don't know how my normal weight adult body looks so I don't know what's underneath/what to expect.

Do/did you have the same fear? How did you feel about your body after weight loss?

Note: Let me clarify here that I'm calling MY BODY ugly. Don't mean that every overweight body is ugly

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