Organic food availability has increased over the past few years in the marketplace. Now they can easily be found in not only health food stores like Whole Foods, but also in your basic, more generic stores and even places like WalMart and Target.  Organic foods are generally more expensive than non-organic foods, which can turn many people off from purchasing them, so read on to learn about the benefits of eating organically, and which foods should top your organic to-buy list.

Why eat organic?

Whether or not organic food are more nutritious has been a long on-going debate.  However, recent studies suggest that organically grown plant products contain more minerals and antioxidants then conventionally produced products. Producing organic food is also better for the environment.  Environmental benefits of organic production include improved soil organic matter, reduced energy use, reduced pesticide residues in food and water, and lower nutrient pollution.

Why is organic food more expensive?

Due to a smaller production scale and higher labor costs, organic foods tend to cost more at the grocery store.  However, you may notice when certain fruits and vegetables are in-season, the organic to non-organic price is fairly similar.  Focus on eating organic fruits and vegetables that are in season to avoid the high mark-up.   Refer to the website fruitandveggiesmorematters from the Produce for Better Health Foundation for lists of foods that are in season monthly and year-round.

What does organic mean on a food label?

In order to use the term “organic” on a food label, specific guidelines must be met as defined by The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program.  These guidelines ensure that all organic meat, dairy, eggs, and poultry came from animals that were given no antibiotics or hormones. Plant-based foods can be labeled USDA organic seal of approval, like pictured above, as long as they are grown without most pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage fertilizers, bioengineering or ionizing radiation.

What are the different levels of organic claims on food labels?

A product will be labeled “100% organic” as long as it is completely organic or made from completely organic ingredients.  The USDA allows foods to be labeled “organic” as long as 95% of the ingredients are organic.  By law, products can be labeled “made with organic ingredients” as long as it is made from 70% organic ingredients.  However, you will not find the USDA organic seal on these food labels.

The Dirty Dozen & the Clean Fifteen

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non-profit research team whose mission is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment.  EWG accomplishments include helping to ban BPA plastic in baby bottles, reform toxic chemical laws, and fighting for safer tap water.  The EWG also helps determine which produce is the greatest  contaminated and which is the least contaminated by pesticides in the US.  The produce found to be the most contaminated make up the “dirty dozen” list and is recommended to be purchased organic, washed, and eaten.  The “clean fifteen” list of foods are those that are the least-contaminated and deemed O.K. to eat non-organic by the EWG.  You may notice that the foods on the “clean fifteen” list tend to have thicker skins that are either peeled or tossed away before being eaten.  The hard exterior of foods like watermelon, cantaloupe, and avocado may help protect the inner, edible portion from absorbing pesticides.

Dirty Dozen:Buy these organic

• Apples
• Celery
• Strawberries
• Peaches
• Spinach
• Nectarines, imported
• Grapes, imported
• Sweet bell peppers
• Potatoes
• Blueberries, domestic
• Lettuce
• Kale/collard green

The Clean Fifteen: Lowest in pesticides

• Onions
• Sweet Corn
• Pineapples
• Avocado
• Asparagus
• Sweet peas
• Mangoes
• Eggplant
• Cantaloupe, domestic
• Kiwi
• Cabbage
• Watermelon
• Sweet potatoes
• Grapefruit
• Mushrooms

“Executive Summary | EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides | Environmental Working Group | EWG.org.” EWG Home | Environmental Working Group. Web. 06 Feb. 2012. <http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/>.

“Fruits & Veggies More Matters » What’s In Season? Winter.” Fruits & Veggies More Matters. Produce for Better Health Foundation. Web. 06 Feb. 2012. <http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=795>.

McCullum-Gomez, Christine, and Anne-Marie Scott. “Perspectives on the Benefits of Organic Foods.” Eatright.org. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Sept. 2009. Web. Feb. 2012.

“Question of the Day – What Does ‘ Organic’ Mean on a Food Label? – from the Academy.” Eatright.org. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Web. 06 Feb. 2012.    http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442451536

Baked BBQ Chicken Tenders

Baking your chicken tenders is a great alternative to frying them in oil or having them ordered in, where they are definitely going to be deep-fried and full of fat.  To make crispy and flavorful baked chicken tenders, begin with boneless, skinless chicken cut into slices and dip them in your favorite type of barbeque sauce.  Next, coat the BBQ-coated tenders in a light layer of flour, then dip them in an egg wash (one egg yolk and a few egg whites).  Coat the tenders with whole-wheat flour and spray with non-stick spray or an olive-oil mist.  Bake the tenders at 450 degrees in the oven for 10 minutes on each side or until crispy.  Serve with honey mustard, ketchup, BBQ or your favorite sauce!

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes are personally one of my favorite foods.  When they are peeled, cut thin, seasoned and baked, they transform into an even tastier snack called sweet potato fries.  Baked sweet potatoes, and even sweet potato fries are an excellent source of Vitamin A and naturally contain no trans or saturated fat. Again, if you order in your french fries, whether white or sweet, they will certainly be deep-fried and you should steer clear if your trying to keep your fat content down.

Feel free to try and make sweet potato fries on your own by peeling, slicing, seasoning, lightly drizzling your fries with olive oil and baking until crisp, but I usually opt for the store bought brand Alexia Sweet Potatoes Fries.  They come in a few varieties, but my favorite in the Spicy Sweet Potato Julienne Fries.  A 3oz serving is pretty hearty, at about thirty fries.  Each serving is only 130 calories, 4 grams of fat, 7 grams of sugar, 250 mgs sodium and cholesterol free.

Your party guests, and you, will be sure to love a homemade horseradish sauce to accompany the spicy sweet potato fries.  You can easily whip up a lower-calorie version at home by combining 2 Tbsp low-fat mayonnaise, 4 Tbsp plain low-fat Greek yogurt, 3 Tbsp horseradish, and a dash or pepper and onion powder.

Shrimp Skewers

Shrimp cocktail is usually a crowd-pleaser at holiday parties, so to give low-calorie shrimp a Super Bowl party twist, pile large cooked shrimp, pineapple chunks, and thick cuts of green bell peppers onto kebob skewers and fire up the grill or oven.  Smother the skewers with sauce of your choice, but I recommend Honey barbeque sauce, lemon/garlic/olive oil mixed together, Teriyaki or jerk sauce. Cook the skewers until blackened and serve with additional sauce.

Spinach Dip

If you’re like me and are more of a semi-homemade then start-from-scratch party host, spinach dip is a choice appetizer.  One entire package of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix only has about 80 calories, and although the package says it contains sixteen two tablespoon servings once prepared, eight 1/4 C servings is more realistic for a four-hour game.   The recipe on the package calls for 16oz sour cream, one box frozen spinach, and 8oz water chestnuts.  To make this recipe healthier, use my secret weapon for sour cream swaps, low-fat Greek yogurt.  Mix 12oz plain Greek yogurt with 1/4 C low-fat sour cream to get a creamy mixture that once the dip mix is added, is almost unidentified as a swap.  I also use two-packages of frozen spinach to stretch portions out and add more vegetables.  In lieu of a white bread bowl, hollow out a whole-wheat bread bowl and serve with a variety of veggies for dipping.

Happy snacking TweakFit followers! And let’s go….. Madonna???

References:

“Hidden Valley – Dips: Green Onion Dip, Fiesta Ranch Dip & More.” HiddenValley.com. Web. 01 Feb.          2012. <http://www.hiddenvalley.com/products/hidden-valley-dips-mixes/>.

“Spicy Sweet Potato Julienne Fries | Alexia Foods.” Alexia Foods. Web. 01 Feb. 2012.       <http://www.alexiafoods.com/products/sweet-potatoes/spicy-sweet-potato-julienne-fries>.

Tip #1: Pack for the Plane

So, the airlines say to arrive two hours ahead of time for your flight. Although, I always end up with about an hour and a half time to kill; like my mother always says, it’s better to be safe than sorry. There aren’t many options of things to do while waiting for your flight or while in the air, which leaves many of us reading, listening to music, or people watching to pass the time.  It seems like, as I look around, everyone is also eating, myself included! While the airport has come a long way with variety and options, let’s face it…everything is overpriced and the truly healthy options are limited. You may not be able to get your liquids through security, however, feel free to pack as many snacks as you like. For my ten hours in the air from Philly to Hawaii, I was sure to pack a good number of mini meals/snacks in order to avoid eating somewhere like Sbarro or committing the ultimate sin…PLANE FOOD! Try some of these awesome ideas to keep you satisfied

1. Emerald 100 calorie pack almonds: With varieties like dry roasted, cinnamon and sugar, dark chocolate cocoa, these snack packs are already portion controlled and portable.  Each pack is an excellent source of Vitamin E, sodium-free and contains fiber and protein to help keep you satisfied.

2. Just add water- protein powder and instant oatmeal: If you want a quick mini meal without a mess, just ask the flight attendant or the nearest Starbucks for a cup of either hot or cold water.  Stir one scoop of protein powder in with cold water or shake into a bottle of spring water to help satisfy you and strengthen your willpower for other high calorie snacks.  To warm your bones on a cool flight, add one cup of hot water to instant oatmeal for a low-calorie nosh in a variety of flavors.  The thought of putting on my bikini in January was enough to help me grab for my oatmeal while they were passing out the warm chocolate chip cookies on my flight! Try this mental image travel tip when you get a craving!

3. Apple: Your mother might say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” but my motto is “an apple a day keeps your hunger at bay.” Enough said,  keep a few apples in your carry one to fight off hunger.  They contain a ton of nutrients, fiber, and are one of the easiest fruits to travel with since they aren’t messy, don’t bruise easily, and keep well.

Bring Your Gear

Most hotels these days have pretty decent fitness facilities, but if you don’t pack your sneakers, how are you going to break a sweat!?  Make packing your gear a priority and don’t forget about your other gym essentials.  Mine include my ipod and hair ties, but maybe yours is a knee brace or Under Armour.  Whatever it is, don’t give yourself an excuse not be active, or most likely, you’ll use it!

If your hotel or the place you are staying doesn’t provide access to a gym, think ahead.  Easily portable workout equipment include resistance bands or a workout DVD.  Take advantage of the great outdoors and take a walk, jog, or swim.   Utilize the website walkjogrun.net to create a mapped out route no matter what part of the country you’re in.

Start the Day with a Good Breakfast

Watching your intake 100% is hard for anyone, and frankly, I don’t recommend it.  Not giving yourself a little leeway, can often set you up for an all or nothing mentality  Practice moderation and make sure you are active.  Starting the day with a good, healthy, and satisfying breakfast can help you stay on track with good choices and moderation throughout the day.  Packing extra protein powder, fruit and instant oatmeal is a good idea for easy foods you can make in your room, but another good option could actually be the hotel continental breakfast.  Loading up on muffins and danishes isn’t your best bet, but opting for hard-boiled eggs/egg whites, a whole-grain cereal mixed with low-fat yogurt or fruit with cottage cheese can help you stay energized and satisfied throughout the morning and are all fairly common continental breakfast choices.

Find a Grocery Store

Whenever possible, when I reach my location I like to find a grocery store and stock up on some healthy foods for my hotel room.  Some of the items you could find in my mini-fridge/drawers right now include apples, bananas, low-fat Greek yogurt, green pepper slices, Kashi Banana Chocolate Chip Soft n’ Chewy bars (you MUST try these, so good! And contain 1/2 serving fruit & 1/2 serving vegetable each!), and Bumble-bee Lemon & Pepper tuna medley with crackers. Like I said earlier, I’m not a saint when it comes to avoiding all sweet and sinful foods, but at least being prepared with healthy and tasty snacks help me find a happy median.

Use these tips next time you travel and have a happy and healthy vacation!

Interestingly, the worst thing you can do when you develop osteoarthritis or osteoporosis is to become less active. An abundance of research has demonstrated that resistance training is effective for both delaying the effects of osteoporosis and osteoporosis, as well as alleviating and reducing the effects of current bone conditions.

According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the best way to exercise for bone health is to perform persistent resistance training exercises. Here are a few tips on how to keep your bones healthier later into your life:

1. Weight-Bearing Exercises Reign Supreme

Like muscles, bones adapt to increases in load and intensity of exercise. When an increased load is placed on the bone, it adapts by becoming stronger and denser so that it can handle future loads of that degree. To force the bone to adapt in the most efficient manner, exercises that bear the entire weight of the body are best. Choose to job instead of cycle, or to do pushups versus using the incline press.

2. Free Weights are Better Than Machines

As a rule, free weights are superior to exercise machines because they force the bones to bear more body weight. You can imagine that performing an overhead press with a bar places a much greater load on the axial skeleton than performing the same exercise on a machine. Free weights have the added effect of targeting the smaller, stabilizer muscles within a given exercise, which can prevent stress on the joints and osteoarthritic conditions later on. Of course, if you suffer from severe osteoarthritis, machines may help you perform certain exercises through controlled ranges of motions without stressing the joints too much. Talk with your physical therapist about what exercises you are capable of performing.

3. Progressively Overload Your Bones

Also similar to muscles, they become stagnant when they are not sufficiently stimulated. Your bones will stop adapting if you stop exercising. Progressively increase the load of your exercises by about 10 percent each week to keep your bones healthy and strong. You will also need to allow for sufficient rest between exercise sessions, and to take a week of exercise off from time to time to allow your body to recover.

4. Calcium and Vitamin D

You’ve probably heard that calcium and vitamin D are crucial for maintaining bone health. It remains true that these micronutrients play the most direct role in preventing bone pores later in life. Calcium helps form the structure of bones and the body uses vitamin D to metabolize and absorb calcium. The best sources of calcium are milk and dairy products, as well as green leafy vegetables. You can get nearly all the vitamin D you need from sun exposure, but vitamin D also exists in fish and eggs.

The one-month period is a critical measuring stick to assess your progress, alter your goals, or consider revamping your resolution entirely. According to a 2010 study in the journal “Sports Health,” most New Year’s resolutions last just two months. It may provide some solace to know that you’re not the only one struggling with your goals at this point, but having this knowledge also allows you to take some precautionary measures to keep you motivated and avoid dropping your program.

Here are some tips, both for those who are struggling and those who are well on their way, to making 2012 the best fitness year of your life.

1. Make Your Resolution Specific and Measurable

We all want to lose weight, gain weight, build muscle, or become healthier. But these are simply dreams, not goals. For a resolution to become an actual goal, it needs to be specific. Research has demonstrated that the more specific and detailed you can make your resolution, the more motivated you will be to achieve it and the more likely you will be to achieve it. Make your resolution as specific and measurable as possible. Don’t just lose weight in 2012. Lose 20 lbs. Don’t just build muscle. Bench 200 lbs.

2. Set a Timeline

As with the specificity of your goals, you may also not have set a timeline for accomplishing this goal other than “sometime in 2012.” You need to take it a step further than that. Have a specific date at which point you’d like to get that goal over and done with, so you can move onto the next one. If you feel that this goal will take the entire year, set several intermediate target dates so you can measure your progress. I suggest one per month.

3. Alter Your Goals

It’s okay, you’re not ditching your program if you need to make your goals a little easier. Just by getting out and exercising more than in 2011, you’re heading in the right direction. But if you’re finding it more difficult to keep your exercise or nutrition program going, make it easier. It’s much better to accomplish an easy goal and feel successful than to feel like a failure for not accomplishing something that you didn’t have at least a moderately reasonable chance of achieving anyways. It always baffles me, but this is the concept that many people don’t seem to get. Goals are just tools and they’re not concrete. You need to use them to your advantage. If your goals are defeating you, it’s okay to pull back on the reigns a little bit. As a rule, a goal should be about 10 to 15 percent harder than your previous level of performance. For example, if you can run a mile in nine minutes, a realistic goal is to run it in eight minutes and ten seconds by your next time point.

4. Reward Yourself

If you’re like me, you berate yourself when you don’t accomplish something but fail to compliment yourself when you’ve done something well. This “never-good-enough” attitude is dangerous when it comes to goal-setting. It’s okay to be hard on yourself from time to time, but ultimately this will wear you down and lead to what sport psychologists call a failure-based goal-setting style. We set goals to avoid failure, not to achieve success. This attitude will never allow you to perform your best, only enough to avoid feeling like what you construe as a failure. Reward yourself when you achieve your goals, but avoid punishing yourself when you don’t. How you reward yourself is up to you, but make sure to acknowledge your own success and efforts.

5. Add Some Social Support

If you’re struggling on your own, involve a friend or family member in your exercise or nutrition plan. Friends and family members can hold you accountable for your program and you can also do the same for them. Sport psychology research has shown that exercising in a social or team environment leads to markedly improved performance and motivation compared with going it solo.

6. Shake it Up

New Year’s resolutions are fun because they inspire us to improve in some way and they make us feel as if we’re stepping into a new “us.” This rejuvenating feeling, however, will fade after awhile and causes many people to rid themselves of their programs or jump to new ones. Don’t completely ditch your program. Simply find ways to mix it up so that your resolution constantly feels fresh and new. If you always exercise in the gym, go hit the mountain or run on the beach. If you’re sick of your nutrition plan and eat the same things everyday, go to a new grocery store or find a bunch of new recipes. Because of practical issues, you probably have to adhere to some sort of routine. But at least once a week, exercise or eat in a way that you never have before. This can even be your reward.

7. Remember Your Purpose

Your purpose for your resolution will keep you motivated when times get tough. Remember why you chose to set a New Year’s resolution. This isn’t your goal itself, but it’s the reason you decided to set the goal in the first place. Maybe you set a goal of losing 20 lbs. because you were generally feeling lousy about yourself. Or maybe you wanted to eat more servings of fruit to avoid getting cancer or to live longer in order to see your grandkids. Your purpose is the one thing that shouldn’t change during your resolution and it will be the one thing that should always provide a sense of motivation. If you don’t know, or don’t remember, what your purpose for changing was, really think on this and try to find one. With a strong sense of purpose, achieving your resolution itself will be almost secondary.

Performance Benefits

Caffeine’s greatest exercise benefit is on your body’s aerobic endurance, or your ability to maintain a certain exercise intensity for a greater length of time. Numerous studies have demonstrated that caffeine intake prior to, and during, exercise results in greater exercise duration, reduced fatigue, and greater time to exhaustion. Similar effects have been shown for short-duration exercise intervals as well.

Some research suggests that caffeine can improve sprint and power events, but the findings are somewhat equivocal. Furthermore, the number of studies examining caffeine’s role in these types of events (e.g., weightlifting, 100m dash, etc…) are scarce.

How it Works

Caffeine is believed to improve aerobic endurance performance by increasing the body’s ability to use its fat stores during exercise. It is well understood in exercise science research that the greater use of fat for energy prevents the depletion of glycogen — the stored form of glucose that we receive from consuming carbohydrates. The more glycogen we are able to conserve in our muscles, the more energy we will have later on in an event.

Dose

Research has demonstrated that the most effective caffeine dose prior to exercise is about 1.5 to 3 mg per 1 lb. of body weight. Keep in mind that a cup of drip coffee contains about 150 to 200 mg of caffeine, while a cup of tea contains about 50 mg.

Consuming more than 4.5 mg of caffeine per 1 lb. of body weight may cause adverse symptoms, according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). The NCAA penalizes athletes who have more than 15 micrograms of caffeine per 1 mL in urine samples, and consumption of more than 10 g is believed to be fatal for most humans. You’d need to consume about 8 cups of coffee to exceed the IOC’s caffeine limit.

Source

Caffeine appears to be more effective when consumed in tablet form than from food sources such as coffee. Consider purchasing pure caffeine tablets for the most optimal effects. If coffee, vitamin water, or energy drinks are your preferred caffeine modality, you’ll just have to consume more. According to Graham and colleagues (1998), coffee may contain a compound that limits caffeine’s chemical response in the body.

Warnings

Not all people react to caffeine the same way. Some individuals may experience heightened nervousness, irritability, and anxiety after consuming high amounts of caffeine. Some sources of caffeine, such as coffee, can cause stomach problems, such as gas, bloating, and cramps. In severe cases, caffeine can lead to heart problems.

Caffeine is also a diuretic, and increases the risk of dehydration and heat-related conditions in hot temperatures.

There is no magic weight-loss pill… no substitute for hard work, physical activity and a balanced, healthy diet within your calorie-range. However, the most important part of all of this is that you make it a lifestyle, meaning that physical activity and diet are a consistent and harmonious part of each and every week of the year. It’s not too late to change last year’s bad habits of dieting, slacking off, and then playing catch up. Use some of the tips below to help you stay motivated all year ’round:

Schedule in Work-outs

In the beginning of each week, take a look at your calender and jot in work outs that realistically fit into your schedule.  I find that fitting in workouts in the mornings help me stay consistent, because by the latter part of the day, other things like a shopping trip or happy hour may stray me away from my commitment.  On the flip side, some of my clients who have problems with late-night eating find that an evening workout helps them fight eating out of boredom during the 7-10pm hours.   If you get an hour lunch break, consider a forty minute mid-day session with a quick protein shake or bar for lunch.  Find out what time of day will work for you, and put it on your calendar.  Towards the end of the week, set aside a time for a “make-up” workout, in case life throws you a curve-ball.

Join a class or running group

Including other people into your work out will help hold you accountable.  Look into if your gym or community center offers group exercise classes like spinning, Zumba, or Pilates.  A lot of areas are beginning running clubs like  http://www.westchesterrunningclub.com/. Not only will this help you regularize your weekly schedule for work outs, but it will also make working out a social part of your day.  Becoming a “regular” in a class or running club will have others asking you where you were if you decide to skip out on a workout.

Reward Yourself for a Job Well Done

Nothing motivates people more than rewards!! Sure, you may say that your fresh-n-fly hot body is the best reward you could ask for…but realistically,in this day and age people like instant gratification.  Since we already know that it takes consistency for weight loss, I want you to alter your instant gratification mindset into a short-term/long-term reward mindset.  Set yourself one to three weekly short-term goals that will help you on your way to your long-term goal.  Good examples of some starter weekly goals could be including four hours of exercise, logging a food journal daily, or packing lunch for work instead of eating out.  If you comply to your weekly goals, reward yourself!! The key to good rewards is making them something that will motivate you to continue with your good habits for the next week.  For example, if you made it to the gym for four hours, buy yourself a few new songs on i-tunes or a magazine that you can only listen to/read while working out.  Maybe you will treat yourself to buying new spices/herbs to encourage more in-home cooking,  Long-term goal rewards should be larger, but with the same general concept.  Maybe one full month of on-track work outs could mean a new pair of running shoes or buying a wok to make new home-made cuisine.

1. Garmin Forerunner 910XT

Why: It’s really, really cool. With all the features of its predecessors, the 910 XT is sleeker, smaller, and has a number of additional functions the previous versions don’t. Most of the previous GPS watches were incredibly bulky, making the watch awkward and annoying — especially if you plan to wear it when not working out. Plus, may people complained that sweat around the wrist caused the watch to malfunction (something I know firsthand from paddling). Apparently the 910XT no longer has that problem, and its barometric altimeter can help improve the mapping data during ascents/descents. Plus, the swim mapping features can be transferred to the kayak stroke — which is perfect for me. At a retail price of $449, however, this is not a cheap toy.

2. A Juicer

Why: Anyone who’s read my posts knows I’m not really into fad diets, but I’ve seen variations of the juice-diet work firsthand. My sister, my sister’s boyfriend, and my mom have all lost over 20 lbs. on juice diets, and have never looked or felt better. I’ve had the juice blends, and they’re quite tasty. If you’re looking for a quick and convenient way to pack an amazing amount of nutrients into a small, low-calorie meal, I highly recommend “juicing.” Juicers range from about $75-$200.

3. Vibram Five Fingers Bikilla LS Shoes

Why: I’ve begun to see these shoes more and more in gyms and on local trails and running routes. Designed to mimc the barefoot marathon runners of Kenya and Ethiopia, I’ve known many people who swear by these and will never return to regular running shoes. Evidently barefoot running, when executed properly, is better for the foot’s natural arch and curvature and many people say these shoes are substantially more comfortable than more traditional versions. Vibram’s latest version was recently named one of the top fitness products of 2011 by Health.com. You can generally find these for under $100.

4. A Lifetime Supply of MET-Rx Bars

Why: I tend to favor “real” food, such as roasted seeds, nuts, and fruit slices to boost my energy during long workouts, but I’ve also used MET-Rx bars for years. As I’ve posted in prior articles, you don’t need nearly as much protein to balance the protein cell degeneration cycle following a workout as nutrition suppliers would have you believe, and carbohydrates are probably more important both during and following a workout. Therefore, high-protein bars aren’t of much value, in my opinion. But I’ve always thought the classic MET-Rx bars have the best flavor and consistency of any workout bar on the market — much more easily dissolvable than the rubbery Power Bar. I recommend these if you don’t have time to prepare a real snack for your workout or training. The classic MET-Rx bar was also named Askmen.com’s top-rated fitness bar in 2011. The chocolate chip cookie dough flavor is my favorite, and a box is about $20.

5. A GoProHD Camera

Why: Ok, this isn’t really a fitness product, but it’s still a really fun toy. The world’s leading sports action camera, the GoPro is ideal for the extreme sports athlete who wants to recapture and relive their physical heroics. So why am I interested in it? Well, I am a kayaker and I’ve found that stopping to pull out a camera from my waterproof compartment is a bit of a hassle. Plus, most waterproof cameras take pretty poor pictures. While the GoProHD cannot match that of a really good non-waterproof camera, it’s close. Plus, with a camera mounted on either my boat or my person, I always feel inspired to work out harder and venture into areas I wouldn’t normally go. This may work for you, too. Like the Garmin, it’s pricey at just under $300.

There’s my list. I’d love to hear about your favorite fitness products as well. And if you’d like to know where you can send me gifts, please send me a message.

I’ve written about some of these diets in other posts, but I want to reiterate that weight-loss is not a secret. Any diet program that claims that losing weight involves the consumption of some “magic bullet” nutrient or avoiding other key macronutrients is likely a gimmick. Not only are they gimmicky, but they are costly. Personally, I find it funny that losing weight — which should actually lower your grocery bill because you are consuming less — ends up costing people thousands of extra dollars each year.

Luckily, you don’t need these costly programs to lose weight. These programs offer nothing you cannot replicate yourself. I will admit that most people I know who go on some of these diet programs do end up losing weight. In fact, some of them shed amazing amounts of weight very quickly. But when I look closely at their diet programs, I quickly realize one of two things. Either the program is physically dangerous, or it is no different than the tried-and-true weight loss strategies that dietitians have know for years. Here’s a closer look at what expensive commercial weight loss programs offer, and how you can replicate similar, or better, diet strategies at home for free.

Motivation

Perhaps the biggest advantage commercial diet programs offer is the psychological benefit. They require you to set goals, monitor your food intake and exercise performance, and many even have counselors and support groups in which you can motivate each other and share stories. They require you to cut calories, exercise more, and stick to your program.

This will be the most difficult part of losing weight yourself, but you can do it. You have to start by setting a goal, and I recommend that your goal have nothing to do with the amount of weight you lose. There are no guarantees that you will lose a certain amount of weight with any program, and this should not be the key determinant of your program’s success. Instead, set  a goal of achieving 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. Set another goal of cutting 250 to 500 calories from your diet each day. If you do these things, weight loss will take care of itself.

Monitoring

Most online weight loss programs allow you to record what you eat, enter it into a diary, and some even provide elaborate graphs and charts of your food intake. This simple goal measuring strategy is one of the key reasons commercial diet programs are so effective. They provide a visual representation of your progress, they allow you to see how well you are actually following your program, and they allow you to set new goals.

You can easily keep track of your own food intake. I suggest WebMd or the Mayo Clinic websites, which each have similar tracking systems. You can also simply graph your food intake and exercise patterns in an excel sheet or home diary.

Specific Diet Strategies

Here’s where commercial diet programs begin to veer in many different directions. Low-carb diets are popular because of the misconception that carbohydrates cause weight-gain. Protein-based diets help because protein requires more energy to digest, thus burning more calories. However, the small effect these programs have on your metabolism pales in comparison to the effects of simply cutting calories and increasing activity level.

According to the Mayo Clinic, most commercial diet programs are effective because they emphasize restricting caloric intake and monitoring your food intake. As mentioned above, you can easily do this yourself. Start by following the 3,500-calorie rule — you need to burn 3,500 calories beyond what your take in through food to lose 1 lb. of body fat. This rule may vary slightly from one person to the next, but it’s a great start. If you cut 500 calories from your diet each day, you’ll lose about 1 lb. each week. Burn more calories through exercise, and you’ll lose more.

Quick Weight Loss

Any diet program that advocates losing weight quickly is ill-advised, and places you at risk of nutrient deficiencies and dehydration. For example, much of the weight lost in protein-based diets is from dehydration, not fat. Low-carb diets should actually focus on avoiding simple sugars and foods high in the glycemic index, but not carbohydrates in general. Consuming less than a certain number of carbohydrates each day can limit your intake of certain vitamins and minerals.

Quick weight loss programs are dangerous and you don’t want them. Not only are they dangerous, but they typically do not provide lasting results. Once the weight is gone, many people resort back to their old eating habits. Losing weight slowly allows your body to shed fat rather than water weight or protein stores, and also forces you to engage in healthy physical activities which you can enjoy for the rest of your life. Avoid attempting to lose more than about 1 to 2 lbs. each week if you really care about your body.

Bumble Bee Easy Peel Sensations Bowls

Tuna is one of my lunch time favorites, but sometimes even the thought of opening, draining, mixing, and seasoning can leave me feeling overwhelmed with two minutes to get out the door. That’s why I love Bumblebee’s Easy Peel Sensations.  Each individual bowl can be easily opened without a can opener and there is no need to mix with mayonnaise because each bowl is already seasoned to perfection.  With flavors like lemon and cracked pepper (my personal favorite), sundried tomato and basil, and spicy thai chili, these bowls are my secret weapon when I want to eat healthy but skip the prep work. Each bowl has less then two-hundred calories and about thirty grams of protein!

Campbell’s Select Harvest Light Soups

Soups are a classic lunch food, and since many come in easy microwavable containers they are an easy on the go meal to bring to work.  However, many of them are packed with sodium, and I find the low-sodium options to be lacking a lot of flavor.  This is why I scanned the grocery store aisles and did some taste sampling to find the best tasting, moderate sodium, low calorie soup to help my clients and readers make good choices at the lunch table.  Campbell’s got it right when they created their Select Harvest Light soup varieties.  All their twelve different varieties contain 100% all natural ingredients and even if you eat the entire container, it will only set you back between 100 to 160 calories.  Although the sodium levels are not low, two cups contains around 1,200mg, so as long as you pair your soup with other lower sodium choices throughout the day you should be okay.

Green Giant Healthy Blend frozen vegetables

Green Giant recently came out with their health blend veggies which conveniently steam in the microwave and make it easy to get in a couple servings of vegetables at lunch.  Each variety spotlights a different aspect of good health including their antioxidant-rich blend, healthy vision blend, heart health blend, digestive health blend and healthy weight blend.  My favorite is the healthy weight blend, which contained carrots, sugar snap peas, black beans and edamame tossed in a light butter sauce.  There are two servings in each container, and eating the entire package provides ten grams of fiber, ten grams of protein, and only has six grams of sugar and 180 calories.

EAS Myoplex OriginalReady-to-Drink Protein Shakes

I am an advocate of healthy homemade protein shakes made with real fruit, but sometimes getting out the blender doesn’t fit into your morning to-do list.  EAS Myoplex shakes are a great option and not only take absolutely no time to prepare, but I think they taste great.  Each three-hundred calorie shake container is seventeen ounces and packs in forty-two grams of protein, six grams of sugar, and has only two grams sugar.

Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal

One of my favorite breakfast/lunches is 1/2 C Quaker quick-oats, 1/2 banana sliced and 1 C almond milk in the microwave for three minutes and topped with 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter.  It is so warm, so filling and the combination of ingredients is delicious! However, sometimes there just isn’t time for measuring, slicing, and waiting! For those types of days, I am glad I have Quaker Weight Control packets on hand.  Just add hot water and you’ve got a warm meal with seven grams of protein, six grams of fiber and one gram of sugar, this oatmeal is a good option for a lunch where all you have to do is add hot water and eat!

My advice, pick up some of the above options for the days where ten minutes of extra sleep feels like an extra hour and pair with other grab-n-go items like fruit, greek yogurt, whole-grain crackers or protein bars for a complete meal.