What is a Whole Grain?

What Is a "Whole Grain"?
Q: I am confused by the term "whole grain." Are there whole grains in the wheat bread I buy? Why are they healthier than white or other breads?
A: No worries, you'll soon get to be a pro at this when you're grocery shopping — I promise. Basically, you're looking for "whole" to be the first word in the ingredients list of your grain — it's that simple. Select foods labeled "Whole" or "100% Whole Wheat," and stay away from anything labeled "White" or "Enriched." Those are not true whole grains but have been processed in some way.
Whole grains are healthier for you because the grains haven't been processed — they still contain their most essential components. Here's a little lesson on the anatomy of a whole grain:
Bran: The outer shell of a grain. It is essential because it contains fiber, B vitamins, and other trace minerals.
Germ: The inner component of the grain. It provides antioxidants, vitamin E, and B vitamins.
Endosperm: This contains the carbohydrate and protein of a grain.
What's more, whole grains can help improve our hormone levels, and many of them are even better sources of phytochemicals and antioxidants than some vegetables. That makes them powerful allies in the fight against heart disease and more than a dozen types of cancer. Fatty acids from whole grains may also stimulate fat cells in our stomach to release leptin (the satiety hormone), which would tend to fill us up and keep our blood sugar steady. Eating whole grains can even help reverse insulin resistance.
The reason non-whole grains are bad news is that when you alter the cellular structure of a whole grain, its properties and functions change. Many products contain refined grains, which have been so processed that they lack both bran and germ. Because the bran and the germ contain the most essential nutrients, refined grains contain only carbohydrate and a little protein. Refined products include white rice, white flour, white bread, and white pasta. You should stay away from these foods, as they will throw off your blood sugar level.

It's Not Just Bread

You aren't limited to eating whole-wheat bread for your whole grains — other choices include rolled oats, barley, brown rice, whole wheat flour, and sprouted grains. All are sources of whole grains and are extremely nutritious and delicious. Just make sure you always look at the ingredients list, because the front of a package can be very deceiving!

Tip

Nutrient-dense, high-fiber/high-water-content foods will help you fill up without any fear of overdoing your calorie allowance. You'll feel full faster and stay full longer. When you give your body the food it recognizes, it easily absorbs the critical nutrients needed for optimal health and metabolic function.
Focus on spreading out your calories evenly over the course of the day by eating every 4 hours — 3 meals and one snack. Here's another great tip: Using salad plates instead of dinner plates can fool your mind. You'll feel more satisfied with less food, and once you finish, you'll be less likely to make a conscious decision to fill up that plate again.
Remember, after all is said and done, your calorie intake, along with exercise, is a proven component in the weight-loss and weight-maintenance equation. Know your range and stick close to it.

An Email about Thanksgiving

Someone sent me this email. Its good advice.

Prepping for a Healthy Thanksgiving
Well, rock stars, at the risk of sounding cliché, it's that time of year again: holiday time. Starting with Halloween-candy hell in late October and lasting through the hors d'oeuvre–happy New Year's Eve at the end of December, these late-fall, early-winter months are notorious willpower crushers. It's often easy to forget about your journey when you find yourself face-to-face with a mile-long buffet table piled high with every delicacy and scrumptious treat that you've ever included on your "NO" list. But you've worked too hard to blow it now!
Trust me, I know it's temptation time, and you are probably scared to death about the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaching. But, think about it: If you're the host, this is your opportunity to make this a healthy Thanksgiving for all! If you are a guest, contribute by bringing your own (healthy) dish! Need some more help? Here are some important tips to help get you through the day:
Go naked! Turkey is a great source of lean protein, but make sure the serving that hits your plate is skinless. And bypass the gravy boat: This often-overlooked offender is typically made from fat drippings that have been thickened with butter and flour.
Stock up on veggies! Except for those that are drenched with butter or oil, these sides are a great way to fill up without piling on the calories. The same goes for water, which can help you beat the bloat.
Go very easy on the mashed potatoes and stuffing. Look, I'm a realist and I know that for many, Thanksgiving is hardly complete without these two classic sides. So if you're not bringing your own healthy mashed cauliflower, make sure you're working all those extra calories into your daily allowance.
Conquer the tryptophan! Going for a brisk walk after dinner is a great way not only to keep you off the couch and help you digest, but also to fit some calorie burning into a night in which exercise is usually sidelined.
Skip the leftovers! Thanksgiving dinner is a one-meal deal. It's a dinner — not a drawn-out three- or four-day eating event. Once you've enjoyed a moderate holiday meal, then fight the urge to take little containers of those tempting dishes and desserts home with you. If it's not at your house, you can't eat it!
Most importantly, be realistic. If you try to completely abstain from treats — every single day, not just on holidays — you'll end up miserable and on a surefire path to disaster. Keep it real and set practical expectations for yourself as you face each challenging meal this holiday season. With proper planning, you'll have a positive head start on a healthy New Year!

Just Say No!


When it comes to the holidays, bypassing family members' comments can be as tough as bypassing the fattening desserts. It goes without saying that not everyone will understand the healthy lifestyle you've created for yourself. Whether it's ridiculing your new habits or tempting you with seconds, don't let these naysayers drag you down with their lack of support. Avoid them if you must. But don't be afraid to be firm and stand up for yourself. After all, this isn't their journey, it's yours.

Move it and Lose It

Move It to Lose It
In weight-loss terms, fat is energy and the best way to lose it is to use it. You have to do it with diet and exercise. If you diet without exercise, the majority of your weight loss could be from muscle. The minute you stray from your diet, the weight will come right back on.
The only way to lose it for good is to get moving! Exercise not only helps you burn calories, it also helps build, strengthen, and maintain lean muscle. Exercise has another benefit called afterburn. A great cardio routine keeps burning fat not just during your workout but for hours afterward. Not bad, eh?
The rule of the game is increasing your intensity. The exercise afterburn is also referred to as "excess post-exercise oxygen consumption." It represents the calories used up to return the body back to its pre-exercise state, or resting level, which can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 48 hours, depending on the intensity and duration of the workout. What's more, if you do a moderate workout in the morning and in the evening, you will reap the benefits of a twice-a-day afterburn without overtraining your muscles.
Doing any type of physical activity is healthier than sitting on the couch downing a bag of chips. And activities like bowling and golf do burn calories — but not enough. To see dramatic weight loss, you must do heart-pumping cardio. Cardio is any activity that is rhythmic, continuous, requires the movement of large muscles, and raises your heart rate. While bowling and golf get you moving, the action is stop-and-go. There's no reason to give up those activities, just be aware that you must still put in time on the treadmill (or doing some other cardio activity) as well.

Not Seeing Results?


People are inherently different, and that's why some respond to a workout regimen more quickly than others. However you respond, it's important to keep your head up and your butt in gear. Stick with it, and your clothes should be fitting differently by the end of the week. In another week you could see dramatic changes in your physique, and the week after, you'll be feeling more confident, strong, and fit than you ever have before. The key is to keep it up!

Fish

What Types of Fish Are Safe to Eat?
Q: I want to incorporate more fish into my diet, however I keep hearing that many types of fish aren't safe to eat. Which fish are the safest and healthiest for consumption?
A: As many of you already know, I am a BIG fish advocate. Certain fish are excellent sources of omega-3s and iodine, which are essential for good thyroid function. The thing about fish is that many types have high concentrations of mercury and other toxins. Some fish contain hormones that could increase the likelihood of cancer growth. Many fish also contain PCBs (highly toxic industrial compounds), which have been linked to lower IQ scores, poor memory, attention problems, and thyroid dysfunction.
Bear in mind, the last thing I want is for you to be afraid to eat fish.You just need to make sure you do your homework and play it safe. Remember, the right kind of fish is high in protein and contains many nutrients that help fight off disease.
Try to eat these nontoxic fish: abalone, Alaska wild salmon, anchovies, US farmed barramundi, Atlantic char, kona and Dungeness crab, Atlantic herring, black sea bass, clams, halibut, Atlantic mackerel, farmed oysters, Pacific pollock, farmed rainbow trout, Pacific rockfish, sablefish, sardines, snapper, stone, tilefish, and canned tuna.
Make sure to stay away from these types, which are more likely to be toxic: Atlantic cod, blue and king crab, Atlantic flounder/sole, bluefin tuna, bluefish, Chilean sea bass, croaker, eel, grouper, king mackerel, lingcod, marlin, orange roughy, Pacific roughy, shad, shark, summer and winter flounder, swordfish, wahoo, white sea bass, wild striped bass, and wild sturgeon.
If you have any questions regarding fish in your area, check out Monterey Bay Aquarium's Web site. There, you can find regional seafood guidelines and receive answers to any fish-related questions you have.

Fish-Oil Supplements

If you're absolutely freaked out about the environmental toxins in fish or you just don't like fish in general, you can (and should!) take a daily fish-oil supplement instead. Your body cannot make the EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids, and you need them to survive. Fish-oil capsules allow you to get the nearly miraculous health benefits without exposing yourself to the heavy-metal toxicity and pesticide buildup in some fish.

Meat

Choosing Meats Wisely
As with all foods, when selecting meat there are some good and some less-than-stellar choices. Full-fat meats pack a lot of calories and have tremendous endocrine-disrupting power as a result of all the garbage in them. So if you love a juicy rib-eye steak, I sure hope that you are paying attention.
Livestock absorb the many pesticides, hormones, and other chemicals that are often used on industrial farms to increase meat growth, boost milk production, or kill bugs and fungus on crops. Those pollutants find their way into nonorganic meat and dairy. When we eat those fatty meats and other animal products, we are absorbing all those chemicals too. The result: Your body is like a giant toxic-waste dump!
When you're grocery shopping, you need to select your meat wisely. Always go for organic meat. Pasture-raised, grass-fed beef is one of the best options to choose since conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), found in the meat of organic pasture-fed cows, is a fat that we know is incredibly healthy for you. You also want to select leaner cuts of meat. Look for the words loin or round, such as "sirloin" and "eye of round." Moreover, trim any visible fat when you're preparing your meat.
Before you get all bummed out about avoiding fatty meats, let's remember the basics of weight control. The primary reason not to eat full-fat meat when trying to lose pounds comes down to simple math: Ounce for ounce, those foods have way more calories than leaner options.

Healthy Fats


Try to get the majority of your fats from unsaturated and omega-3 fats as often as you can. These healthy fats lower your LDL cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids are also extremely beneficial and have been shown to reduce inflammation, heart disease, and the risk of a heart attack. How do you add them to your diet? Some of the best sources include fish-oil supplements, walnuts, and fatty, cold-water fish (such as wild-caught salmon).

Calcium

The Critical Role of Calcium
Do you get enough dairy? You should! Research is piling up that shows what a critical role dairy's calcium plays in weight control (your best choice: organic low-fat plain yogurt). Even small deficiencies of calcium change fat-burning signals in the cells and have a dampening effect on metabolism.
Grass-fed dairy products have saturated and trans fats, but they also include the best kind: conjugated linoleic acids, or CLAs. Shown to improve body composition, CLAs help to drive fat out of fatty tissues, where it can be burned up more easily. The combination of these healthy fats with dairy's high protein also stimulates the appetite-suppressing hormone CCK (cholecystokinin). Organic free-range dairy tastes better and has no antibiotics or hormones and more omega-3s. Bonus: The zinc in dairy also helps to support healthy levels of appetite-suppressing leptin.
Most dairy foods in this country are fortified with vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium. Adequate vitamin D not only helps prevent osteoporosis, it has also been linked with lower risks of cancers, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, glucose intolerance, and even MS.
Here are a few tips to help you get your one to two servings per day:
Take your milk straight. One eight-ounce glass of organic low-fat milk has 290 mg of calcium — almost a third of your daily needs — and more than eight grams of protein.
Don't drink chocolate or other flavored milks. And steer clear of soy milk — while it is high in calcium, it's also high in potentially dangerous phytoestrogens.
Look for brands of yogurt (and occasionally ice cream) with no artificial preservatives, colors, flavorings, sugar, and other sweeteners — organic is best.
Wean yourself from sugared (or, heaven forbid, artificially sweetened) yogurts by taking your one-cup serving and replacing 1/4 cup with 1/4 plain, then 1/2 cup, then 3/4 cup. Once you get to 100 percent plain, use strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries to sweeten your yogurt.
Try high-protein Greek-style yogurt — the thicker consistency comes from being strained through muslin so the watery part is removed.
Go easy on the full-fat cheese — it's tasty, sure, but don't forget that taste packs a pretty hefty caloric wallop.
Steer clear of low-fat dairy products with thickeners and gums — I'd rather you eat a small dollop of real sour cream or a reasonable portion of full-fat cottage cheese than confuse your hormones with synthetic gunk.


Say Yes to Yogurt


It is so key to have one to two servings of dairy per day. The best dairy food is, by far, yogurt, primarily because of its probiotics. The probiotics in plain organic yogurt join up with the bifidobacteria, the "good bugs" that mostly live in your gut, to help fight against infections and protect you from yeast overgrowth. Bifidobacteria also digest the foods we eat, allowing your body to take in critical vitamins, including enzymes that metabolize cholesterol and bile acid. Without these microbes, the whole digestive system would screech to a halt.

BPA

Why BPA Is Bad News
Do you love warming up with a bowl of soup on a chilly fall day? Well, before you open up your next can of soup — or any can for that matter — you'd better listen up! Those cans could have the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in their linings — which means that the food in them might contain BPA, too.
BPA has been used for years in clear plastic bottles to make them more durable and in the liners of food cans to make the products last longer. Consumer Reports recently tested numerous name-brand canned products, including soup, juice, vegetables, and tuna, and found at least some amount of BPA in almost all of them. The chemical was even found in some products that were labeled BPA-free. A few studies have linked BPA to an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer, infertility, PCOS, insulin resistance, and diabetes. That's pretty scary stuff considering that we get almost 30 percent of our food from cans. Liners of metal cans aren't the only place where you can find BPA, though. The chemical has also been found in baby bottles, polycarbonate drinking bottles, and other beverage containers.
Current federal guidelines on BPA levels don't take into account the hundreds of recent animal and laboratory studies done on the potential health effects of BPA levels. However, the Food and Drug administration will soon decide what level of exposure of BPA is safe.
I know that metal cans are convenient, but why take the risk with BPA? Use glass, stainless steel, or ceramic bottles whenever possible. Try to make meals from scratch as often as you can, using the freshest ingredients that you can afford and find. Trust me, a good homemade meal will beat a canned or processed one any day — and that's especially true for homemade soup! You can eat these delicious dishes immediately or store the leftovers in the freezer (in a BPA-free container) for later. You — and your good health — will thank me for it.

More Reasons to Can the Can

Did you know that you're not getting nearly the nutritional bang for your caloric buck by cutting open a can? Many veggies lose up to 90 percent of their original nutrients in the canning process. Plus, canned foods are typically very high in sodium — some cans of soup have 2,000 mg! Stay away from processed foods as much as possible, and eat whole foods. Buy frozen vegetables and visit your grocery store's produce aisle and your local farmers markets instead of getting your vegetables from cans.

Emotional Eating

Find the Strength to Stop Emotional Eating
Emotional eating can be a big problem when you're trying to lose weight. You have a sucky week (or month!), and suddenly that pint of ice cream seems like the solution to your problem, right? WRONG! That's the old you. The new, empowered, and strong you can push through tough or trying times, knowing that things can and will get better.
Stop letting your emotions sabotage your weight loss. Establish healthy patterns of behavior and invest in your physical and emotional well-being.

Face Your Problems Head-on

It's easy to emotionally eat when you're feeling stressed or anxious about things in your life — especially around the holidays. Put down that junk food and pay attention to what is really eating you up inside. Focus on finding short and long-term solutions instead of sabotaging your diet. Track you food and your feelings in a food log, then look back at it later to see what was happening in your life when you were at your best and worst. Think before you eat! You've worked way too hard to get where you're at to just blow it in the heat of the moment.

Portion Sizes

Making Sense of Portions Sizes
Q: What's the best way to keep track of what I'm eating — portion sizes, calories, etc.?
A: I'm so glad you asked. If you really want to get those "calories out," you need to know exactly what you're putting in. That's where eating the right portions and counting calories comes in.
Using your diary, start keeping a written record of absolutely everything you eat through­out your day — and be detailed! For example, don't just write down chicken. Write down how it was prepared and how much you ate.
At first you should measure and weigh your food to figure out exactly how many calories you're consuming. It is important to make sure you are always measuring raw; when food is cooked, it is more dense and has more calories. I know measur­ing everything can be tedious, but it won't take long for you to know by heart what a cup of milk looks like or how many ounces of chicken are in a small breast. Before you know it, you'll be eyeballing your portions like a pro.
At the end of every day, use a calorie-counter book to add up the calories you have consumed. Using these simple methods, you can make sure you are eating the right amount of calories to achieve your weight-loss goals.

When You're On the Go...

If you're eating out, here are some useful tips for assessing portion sizes using your hand.
The size of your fist is roughly equal to a cup-size serving of cereal, wild rice, black beans, etc.
The size of your thumb is roughly equal to an ounce-size serving of cheese.
The tip of your thumb is roughly equal to a teaspoon of olive oil or butter.
The center of the palm of your hand, without fingers, is roughly equal to a 3-ounce serving of fish, chicken, beef, etc.

Allium Family

The Allium Family
Garlic and other alliums — onions, leeks, chives, shallots, and scallions — are incredible body detoxers. They stimulate the body to produce an antioxidant that lives within each cell, ready to fight free radicals where they live throughout the body. The antioxidant's action is especially important in the liver, where it helps to remove pharmaceuticals and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Each member of the allium family serves a different role to keep you healthy. Onions have a certain type of flavonoid that is an incredible free-radical destroyer, and emerging science suggests may also help fight obesity and diabetes. Garlic helps lower total cholesterol — but raise your good cholesterol (HDL) — by decreasing the liver's synthesis of cholesterol. And leeks are cool because they take the best aspects of garlic and onions — especially manganese, a blood-sugar stabilizer — and combine them with fiber, turning them into an all-around fantastic choice to keep insulin levels stable. Have at least one serving per day of alliums. Here are some tips on how to cook and eat them:
If you can hack it, try to eat these guys raw — alliinase an be deactivated by heat. Slice raw red or Vidalia onions for your sandwich or burger; chop green onions into your salad or garlic into your dressing.
Crushing, chopping, or chewing garlic helps release alliinase enzymes, which trigger many of its beneficial actions. After you chop or crush garlic, let it stand for 10 minutes before cooking to let the enzymes activate all of the beneficial compounds.
If you're going to roast garlic, at least chop the top off before you roast it — that will allow for some enzyme activity.

Garlic Breath


As you can see, garlic is extremely healthy for you, but I know what you're thinking — you don't like what it does to your breath. To battle garlic breath, which can last up to 18 hours, chew a sprig of parsley or mint after your meal. Be sure to brush and floss, and use a tongue scraper and/or mouthwash regularly.

Marine Corps Marathon

Hi Everybody,

Sunday I ran the Marine Corps Marathon. Four hours 53 min. The last 8 miles was a combo of run and walking - my training was not adequate. Something to work on next time. There were many runners of all shapes and sizes. I encourage all of you to step out and register for something you haven't done before. Maybe a 5k race. If you register, you will train. If you train you will lose weight. Finally, when you finish your race or accomplish your goal, you will feel gratified.

Wickham

Dealing with Emotional Eating

For those who have been following - I did the Marine Corp Marathon yesterday in Washington. Finished in 4 hours and 53 min. It was more difficult than I had anticipated.

How to Deal With the Cause of Your Emotional Eating
Do high-stress situations send you straight for the fridge? If you think the solution to a problem with your boss can be found at the bottom of a pint of ice cream, then pay attention. Food is not the solution to whatever it is that is making you feel sad, angry, pressured, or anxious. In fact, unhealthy, emotional eating leads to weight gain and self-loathing. The key to stopping this kind of eating is to identify and understand your triggers. One way to start is to keep a journal or use your online Food Diary to record not only what you eat but how you feel when you eat it. Then you have to work on dealing with your emotions — without food. To break the self-destructive cycle of emotional eating, you have to create awareness and then implement a game plan. Here's how:
Before you eat anything, I want you to ask yourself two questions: Are you hungry? And are you depressed or anxious? Then ask the following question: Can you find an appropriate way to address whatever emotions you've uncovered instead of suppressing them?
For example, if you had an argument with your mother, can you call her and talk it through? If you're feeling anxious about a work- or school-related deadline, can you break down the work into manageable parts, so that each time you finish a part you'll feel more on top of it? If you can address the emotion in the moment by acting on it directly and positively, seize the opportunity to do so.
Using food as an anesthetic is easy in the short term but extremely detrimental in the long term. Looking problems in the eye is difficult, but once you begin to probe beneath your behavior and analyze your feelings, it gets easier and easier.

You vs. Emotional Eating

It's important to have an arsenal of recovery behaviors to manage emotions in healthy ways. Try engaging in a hobby you enjoy, reaching out to a loved one for support, or experimenting with incompatible behavior, which is behavior that steers you away from the self-destructive behavior. For example: Exercise, take a hot bath, or get your nails done. Doing things that make you feel beautiful make you less inclined to binge.