Oh So Tasty! Part 3

This is the cool, summer treats edition of Oh So Tasty!  
It gets HOT around these parts, so I had to find some delicious portion 
controlled options to enjoy during the hot summer months.

EDY'S Slow Churned Snack Size Cups 
This doesn't even taste like a "light" ice cream!  Flavors like Carmel Delight, Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, Coffee, Cookies 'n Cream, Mint Chocolate Chip, Rocky Road and Vanilla Bean have half the fat and a third fewer calories than regular ice cream (under 200 calories).

Skinny Cow Individual Cups

150 calories of cool, creamy goodness that comes in five delicious flavors: 

Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Dulce de Leche, Strawberry Cheesecake, 

Caramel Cone and Cookies ‘n Cream.

Blue Bunny All Natural Frozen Yogurt

The Personal size has 2 servings in each cup and the Pint size has 4 (100-120 cal ea).

Flavors: Yogurt White Chocolate Raspberry,Vanilla Bean, Chocolate Vanilla Swirl, 

Strawberry Banana, Bordeaux Cherry Chocolate and Caramel Praline Crunch.

Ciao Bella Sorbet

All natural sorbet that comes in mini cups, bars and pint sizes to help with portion control. 

Flavors: Raspberry, Wild Blueberry, Mango, Blood Orange (my fave), Prickly Pear, Lemon Zest, Blackberry Cabernet, Passion Fruit, Banana Mango, Peach Ginger, Strawberry.

Blue Bell Strawberry Fruit Bars

At 70 calories, it is a perfect snack to satisfy those midday or evening cravings. 

Eating one bar provides 50% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C 

because it's made of mostly strawberries!  You can't beat that.

Note:  All photos from company websites.

Something New: Week 7 Wrap-up

Whew!  Week 7 of the Something New competition has come to an end.  The tally for this week is 1 more pound lost for a total of 9 lbs!  I can't wait until I reach my goal of 10 lbs lost.  I think I am going to have to change my long term goal (20 lbs. by Dec. 2012) because I believe that I can improve on it.  It's so exciting!!

Recap: 

• I have fallen HARD for the grilled shrimp at The Fish Market.  Add the rice pilaf and steamed broccoli for a delicious and healthy meal!!
• I am not even going to discuss my water intake this week. 
• This week I will be completing the EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge!  I am planning to shift to more cardio workouts until after the 4th.  That means more advanced step, Zumba, ESA Dance/Sports, rhythm boxing, walking, etc.  After the holiday, I am going to start an EA Sports Active 2 challenge.  I own three different editions in the ESA family, so this is providing me with some variety.

10 Stubborn Exercise Myths that Won’t Die

We have all heard some of these before:  "No pain, no gain!" "You'll never bulk up without supplements." "Crunches are the key to six-pack abs!" It seems there are more questions and half-truths in the market about healthy exercise than there are clear, definitive facts—but the exercise industry is a multi-billion dollar business in the United States alone, built partially on selling gadgets and DVDs with incredible claims to people desperate to lose weight or look attractive. Meanwhile, good workout plans and simple truths lurk in the background waiting for their time to shine. All of this results in a ton of misinformation about exercise in general and Lifehacker.com set out to find the truth.

LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE!!

• Myth 1: No Pain, No Gain

• Myth 2: Soreness After Exercise is Caused by Lactic Acid Building Up in Your     Muscle

• Myth 3: Exercise Takes Long Hours/Is Worthless If I Can't Exercise Regularly

• Myth 4: You Need a Sports Drink When Exercising to Replenish Your Body's Electrolytes/Minerals/Etc

• Myth 5: Stretching Before Exercise Will Prevent Injury

• Myth 6: Working Out Will Only Build Muscle, Not Help Me Lose Weight 

• Myth 7: Exercise Will Help Me Lose Weight Quickly

• Myth 8: You Need to Take Supplements to Build Muscle

• Myth 9: If You Don't Exercise When You're Young, It's Dangerous When You Get Older

• Myth 10: Working Out at Home/Working Out at the Gym is Better than Working Out at Home/Working Out at the Gym

Read the full article for details HERE.

Review: Luna Bars

Soooo, I decided to try out some protein bars...in particular Luna Bars.  These bars were created by women for women to provide us with vitamins and nutrients that we need.  Their website states that these are not meal replacement bars, but an "organic nutrition bar which provides the nutrition women need to maintain active, healthy lives. It is a delicious, nutritious and convenient snack that satisfies and curbs hunger between meals, helping to prevent high calorie/high fat snack cravings such as potato chips or candy bars."

I bought three flavors:  Caramel Nut Brownie, Chocolate Dipped Coconut and S'mores.   I needed a snack the other night so I broke the Caramel Nut Brownie in half to try it.  Luna's website describes it as "Rich chocolate brownie goodness drizzled with creamy caramel."  Yes, there is a caramel layer on top with a chocolate drizzle and a chocolate layer on the bottom.  My problem comes with the middle of the bar or the brownie, which is like a dark chocolate rice crispy kind of taste.  I am sure some people would love this, but I am not a fan of dark chocolate so I won't be buying this one again.

Photo courtesy of CrazyFoodDude.com

 
I tried the Chocolate Dipped Coconut after church one Sunday.  My tummy was growling, but I was out running errands with no lunch in sight.  Luckily, I had this bar in my purse.  Luna's website describes it as " A deliciously decadent combination of toasted coconut and chocolate."  I don't know about that decadent part, but the bar was pretty good, even if it was a bit thick and chewy.  Make sure you have some water around to wash it down.  It took me a couple of bites to get used to the consistency.  Some reviewers say that it reminds them of Samoas, but it's not THAT good!  FYI - That's my favorite Girl Scout cookie in life, lol!  Overall impression?  It was tasty enough that I would buy it again.

 Photo courtesy of Iwannabeadomesticgoddess.com

I finally got a chance to try the S'mores bar.  Luna's website says "Marshmallow nuggets swirled with graham crackers, topped with dark chocolate."  This bar tasted a lot like a thicker, chewier rice crispy treat with chocolate on the bottom.  Take a wild guess if that means it was good??  Yep!  Again, it was tasty enough for me to buy it again. 

All in all, these bars were tasty snacks.  However, at about 180 calories, they were a bit too much for me for a snack.  That's usually my calories count for two snacks.  Lo and behold, they come in a mini version that's only 80 calories!!  I will have to try these flavors at some point.  If you already have, let me know what you think.

LUNA Minis are available in two varieties (10 minis per box):
  Nutz Over Chocolate® and S’mores
  White Chocolate Macadamia and LemonZest®

Are You Obese? BMI vs. WHR

I recently read the article, “Obesity could affect 42% of Americans by 2030” at USAToday.com.  In the comments section, someone (who disagreed with calculating levels of obesity by using BMI) said “If somebody wants to know if they're actually fat - divide your waist measurement by your height.”  Curious, I decided to Google this statement and found a number of articles that refuted the fact that BMI was the best indicator to determine if one was overweight.  The Weight-to-Height Ratio (WHR) is a much better method to determine if someone is susceptible to health risks associated with obesity.

Concept
BMI or Body Mass Index, a ratio of weight to height, has long been considered one of the best measures for assessing overall health risk.  Getting your BMI into a healthy range used to be considered a top health priority. However, recent research shows that there is a new sheriff in town: your waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Studies now indicate that WHtR is a much better measure than BMI for assessing obesity and cardiovascular risk. 

The Research
In a recent study presented in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism, the WHtR was the strongest predictor of cardiovascular risk and mortality. On the other hand, BMI was not always positively associated with cardiovascular risk. The results of this study discourage the use of BMI as a measure of health risk and encourage the use of WHtR.  

BMI Flaws
BMI provides a guide to the relationship between a person's height and weight. However, having a high BMI is not always a telltale sign that one will be at greater risk for disease. For instance, many thin people who have low or normal BMI's still have heart attacks or die from strokes and many people who have high BMI's are in good cardiovascular shape (as the study above indicated). BMI does not take into account an individual's frame, gender, or the amount of muscle mass versus fat mass. For example, two people can have the same BMI, even if one is much more muscular and carrying far less abdominal fat than the other; this is because BMI does not account for differences in fat distribution.

 WHR
The WHR is calculated by dividing waist size by height, and takes gender into account. As an example, a male with a 32 inch waist who is 5'10" (70 inches) would divide 32 by 70, to get a WHtR of 45.7 percent. The WHtR is thought to give a more accurate assessment of health since the most dangerous place to carry weight is in the abdomen. Fat in the abdomen, which is associated with a larger waist, is metabolically active and produces various hormones that can cause harmful effects, such as diabetes, elevated blood pressure, and altered lipid (blood fat) levels.

Many athletes, both male and female, who often have a higher percentage of muscle and a lower percentage of body fat, have relatively high BMIs but their WHtRs are within a healthy range. This also holds true for women who have a "pear" rather than an "apple" shape.

The following chart helps you determine if your WHtR falls in a healthy range (these ratios are percentages):

WOMEN
• Ratio less than 35: Abnormally Slim to Underweight
• Ratio 35 to 42: Extremely Slim
• Ratio 42 to 46: Healthy
• Ratio 46 to 49: Healthy
• Ratio 49 to 54: Overweight
• Ratio 54 to 58: Seriously Overweight
• Ratio over 58: Highly Obese

MEN
• Ratio less than 35: Abnormally Slim to Underweight
• Ratio 35 to 43: Extremely slim
• Ratio 43 to 46: Healthy
• Ratio 46 to 53: Healthy, Normal Weight
• Ratio 53 to 58: Overweight
• Ratio 58 to 63: Extremely Overweight/Obese
• Ratio over 63: Highly Obese 

Resources:

Calculate your BMI and WHtR with the BMI Plus Calculator at WebMD.

Original article at LiveStrong.com.

 

Something New: Week 6 Wrap-up

Just completed Week 6 of the competition!  I lost one more pound this past week for a total loss of 8 lbs!  Once I have lost 10 lbs, I am planning to enjoy my first cheeseburger since the competition began.  #Don'tjudgeme

Recap:
I am still doing the EA Sports Active 30 Day Challenge and have been mixing up my cardio by incorporating dance.  Now that has been a lot of fun!  My workouts have also gotten longer because I have been doing an additional 15-20 minutes of cardio on the days that I do my strength training.  I even got a chance to walk outside this week and noticed that my usual trek was a lot easier.  Plus, I was able to take two laps in the same amount of time that I used to take one.  My endurance is improving, so yay me!

Almond Milk vs. Soy Milk: The Great Debate

Soy milk and almond milk are the top two most popular dairy milk alternatives that are recommended for people with allergies, lactose intolerance, diabetes or heart diseases. They can also be used when baking or cooking savory dishes.  So which one is better for you?  I did a bit of research to help you decide.

Photo from: SeriousEats.com

Quick Facts

It Doesn’t Taste Like Milk: Honestly, the taste of soy milk takes some getting used to when you are used to drinking regular milk.  The consistency is a little thicker and the original tastes a little “beany”, which is why I prefer the vanilla flavor.  I don’t like to drink it alone, but it works great for me in cereals, with pancakes or with cookies.  Online reviews say that almond milk tastes sweeter and nuttier.  I haven't tried the original almond milk, but I have tried Silk Pure Vanilla Almond, which tasted like I was drinking vanilla bean ice cream.  Yummy :-)

Soy Milk is High in Protein: It’s the only one that’s comparable to cow’s milk, providing between 8 and 11 grams of protein per cup. Soy protein also has beneficial effects on cholesterol levels and may also help keep your bones strong. 

Almond Milk is Lower in Calories: If you’re counting calories, almond milk tends to be quite a bit lower in calories and sugar than most of the other non-dairy milks. It also contains monounsaturated fats, which are the same heart-healthy fats found in olive oil. Almond milk is fairly low in protein.

Calories for the original and vanilla flavors of each:

• Silk Original Soy Milk: 90 calories per serving
• Silk Pure Almond Original: 60 calories per serving
• Silk Vanilla: 100 calories per serving
• Silk Pure Almond Vanilla: 90 calories per serving
• Silk Pure Almond Unsweetened Original or Vanilla: 30 calories per serving

Nutritional benefits: Cow’s milk is a major source of calcium and vitamin D and non-dairy milks are not naturally high in these nutrients. Some brands are fortified to make them comparable to cow’s milk as a source of calcium and vitamin D. Both soy and almond milk are excellent sources of B vitamins and all essential minerals including iron, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, copper and manganese. These minerals help control your blood pressure, improve your blood oxygenation, and protect you against diseases.  One notable advantage of almond milk is that it is much higher in vitamin E and manganese, making it a more powerful drink for improvement of skin quality and protection against cancer. However, most brands of soy and almond milk contain added sugar, salt, and other things to improve the flavor (almond milk usually has more sodium than soy milk).

Resources:

NutritionDiva.com

FitDay.com