Citrition Nutrition

A client recently told me that her trainer said that eating watermelon was just as bad as eating a piece of cake. I must clarify this because it is far from the truth. Fruit sugar and added sugar (such as that found in cake) are both looked at as sugar by your body. However, fruit, such as watermelon, provides a wide array of vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants and water. Cake on the other hand provides little nutritional value. Aside from that fact, the watermelon has about 46 calories for one cup while a small slice of cake can have anywhere from 250 calories and up. So, while they both provide sugar, the watermelon provides a ton of other benefits. So, don’t swear off all sugar. Eating fruit sugar should definitely be part of a healthy diet.

Kosher Salt, Iodized Salt, Rock Salt, Flavored Salt???  So many to choose from.  Although there are different reasons one might choose one salt over another, all salts are high in sodium. That means they all can increase blood pressure. So, make sure to use all salt in moderation.

With a heat wave such as the one passing through much of the country, the importance of hydration cannot be stressed enough. A general rule of thumb is that you need about 1/2 oz of water for every pound of body weight. Most people need about 8 - 12 glasses of water each day. But, on days that are especially hot and humid, your needs increase. And although those iced coffees and other iced beverages may be refreshing, beverages with caffeine only dehydrate you more. So, make sure to keep a bottle of water on your desk and with you at all times so that you are guaranteed to get the amount you need.

While I’ve written about these packs before, I must clarify since I’ve recently received a lot of questions about them. For those of you who don’t know — there are now 100 calorie packs of everything from oreos to wheat thins to ritz crackers. While these snacks are great for weight control, they are definitely not the healthiest foods. Because they are in individual packages which only contain 100 calories, it’s a lot easier to not overdo it on the number of cookies or crackers you eat. However, most are made with white flour and some contain a small amount of trans fats. So, if you’re looking for a healthy snack, reach for a piece of fruit or a vegetable. But, if you’re trying to satisfy a craving without overdoing it, these are a good option.

Most people want to know what the secret is to losing weight. Well, the real secret is that you need to do exercise, not only change your eating habits. Remember that exercise doesn’t have to be in the form of going to the gym. It just means get out and do some movement rather than sitting on your couch or in front of your computer. While it’s warm outside, take advantage. Walk those few extra blocks to work or simply go window shopping. Any time you are moving you are burning calories.

Did you know that a plum only has 30 calories? That’s only slightly more than a piece of bubble gum. So, if you get hungry mid-afternoon reach for some summer fruit. Peaches are also low in calories — about 40 calories for a medium-sized one. And, you can eat about 3 peaches or plums for the number of calories in a banana….

Reading a food label can be a somewhat daunting challenge
given the massive amount of nutrition information out there. Should you look at
fat grams, calories, sodium, cholesterol, carbohydrate grams, how much fiber
the food has or if it has a lot of vitamins and minerals? The answer depends on
what you are looking to achieve. If you are trying to “watch” your weight, the
number one thing you should look at is calories. And, remember, if a box says
that it has two servings per container and you eat the whole container, you
really ate double the number of calories. Grams of fiber, fat, carbs etc…can be
important for other reasons, but just because something has a lot of fiber or
only a few grams of carbs does not automatically mean it will help you lose
weight.

Many people eat less in the summer months than they did in the winter. And, yet, despite eating less, they still find that they can’t lose weight. This is a very common complaint. What most people don’t realize is that despite eating less, they are drinking more. Calories all count whether you are eating them or drinking them. Those extra calories could be from more nights of happy hour or just more lemonade. On these hot days, it’s common to be thirsty. If the beverages you are drinking are sweetened iced tea, soda, lemonade, juice smoothies…you are getting LOTS of extra calories from your beverages. It’s also more common to go out for drinks when it’s nice outside than in the winter where all you want to do is get inside. So, remember to watch how many calories you are consuming from beverages. And, water is always a great way to go — save calories and money.

A client asked me this question the other day and I think it’s a common one. Of course if you are eating a snack, it’s better to choose a healthy one such as a string cheese than a bag of cookies. However, just because it’s healthy doesn’t mean it doesn’t have calories. You can still gain weight if you are consuming more calories than you need. So, remember to listen to your body and eat when you are hungry rather than eating out of boredom. And, definitely opt for nutritious snacks over empty calories.

A client asked me a question yesterday that I think is a common one. Should you pay attention to fat, carbs or calories? Although all of those are important for different health reasons, when it comes to weight loss, the one that matters most is calories. Your body does not know the difference between a calorie that came from fat or one that came from carbs. It only knows that you fed it a calorie. So, always look to see how many calories you are eating. You cannot lose weight by eating the same number of calories, but fewer grams of carbs.