Diet

Read this astounding fact:

In an email from EWG: "Did you know that just 4 percent of American adults eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables? It's true. Shamefully, only a tiny fraction of our nation's farm spending encourages Americans to eat and produce healthy foods."

That's why Environmental Working Group is partnering with more than a dozen California organizations to ask Governor Jerry Brown and California's Congressional delegation to stand up today for healthy national food and farm policies.

It's exciting for me to find new ways to prepare my favorite veggies. Here are my top finds of the week.

If your holiday weekend activities include a solid workout (and they should), remember these 5 rules for exercise nutrition.

1. Don't starve yourself and/or save yourself for the afternoon bbq.
2. Don't exercise on low carbs.
3. Don't skimp on protein,
4. Don't fear fat.
5. Stay properly hydrated.

More in depth info here.

Results from a Harvard study of almost 40,000 woman, provides more reason to eat fish and foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. The results show that over the period of the study (since 1993), participants who consumed one or more servings of fish per week were 42% less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration. Read the full story here,

A University of Chicago study found that after two weeks of sleep restriction, normally healthy eaters ate an average of 200 more calories a day, all in snacks. These munchies were often high in carbohydrate content and were usually consumed between 7p.m. and 7a.m.—the worst time, waistband-wise, for needless eating.

Sounds too good to be true, you can eat unlimited quantities of certain foods and lose weight. It would be better news if the list had more sumptuous choices, but at least you can select these negative calorie foods to satisfy cravings.

One of the top new year's resolutions is to lose weight.  I thought it would be helpful to provide tips about favorite foods that satisfy cravings while providing nutritional benefits.
Here's the first: It's ok to eat potatoes.

According to RealAge "...Whether you're trying to slim down or just boost your nutritional status, potatoes are a super menu choice.

For years, I wanted to write a blog devoted to my experiences at Trader Joe's. Every time I shop, people ask for my recommendations and opinion about products, so I thought it would be good to share this info with other aficionados. Future posts will be here or you can follow me @tradrjoesaholic.

Tis the season for entertaining. May I suggest you stock up on the most flavorful crackers I have ever eaten. Try the Raisin Rosemary crackers with just about anything. They are my new fav cracker.

There are many food choices to help reduce sodium intake and thereby helping to keep blood pressure in check. Check out this slide show and please share with friends.

While channel surfing last night, I got a glimpse of " The Biggest Loser" weigh in. OMG, The biggest guy was 4.5 times my weight. How can people let themselves get so obese. Their stories are depressing. But with all the hidden calories in foods, I understand how uninformed people make bad decisions when selecting food. Check out this list of foods to avoid. There are a few surprises. Remember to drink BodyAmi once or twice daily!