Halloween Treats - Playing it Smart

As you dust off the "Naughty Nurse" costume or get the kids ready to hit the trick-or-treat scene, there is temptation 'round every corner on Halloween. It's scary how you can sabotage your diet on one day!

Those seemingly harmless little mini candies can be pretty harmful. The sweet witches brew cocktail that goes down so smooth is packing too many calories and more sugar than the mini!

Let me give you some tips for maintaining your diet while still enjoying the merriment of the holiday.

Indulge a little
Here's a list of some tasty treats that are between 50-80 calories.

- One mini candy bar
- Four Hershey's Kisses
- Two Dum-Dum lollipops
- Three Mini-Tootsie Rolls
- One Nerds mini-box
- Ten pieces of candy corn
- Two small Laffy Taffys
- Two Jolly Ranchers
- One Junior Mints mini-box
- One Mike-n-Ike mini-box
- Two small York Peppermint Patties

Play it Smart with Alcohol
I love going out on Halloween. There are so many great, creative costumes to see and it's always fun to be someone or something else for an evening. But, too much alcohol can not only ruin a great week of healthy habits, it can make you feel pretty crummy the next day. I recommend white wine over any sugary liquor choices or punch. I like to make white wine spritzers when I'm out for an evening. Just add diet sprite or 7up to 2 or 3 ounces of wine. It dilutes the alcohol so that you don't drink as much. I bring a bottle of the soda in my purse so that I don't have to pay extra at a bar.

You should also balance each alcoholic drink with the 2-1 theory. Two glasses of water per one drink.

Hit The Gym Before the Party
"Many studies have been done that conclude we tend to eat less, and absorb less of the bad stuff when we do, after a good workout. Also, the rush of endorphins tends to make us a bit happier, which means we don't seek joy in the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup." Make sure to get in a good one today. You will be less prone to candy overload if you do!

Hide the evidence. Better yet, get rid of it!
Tomorrow morning (after your extra hour of sleep), throw away or give away all the extra candy. Do not leave it sitting around for you to snack on for the next two weeks! If it's there, you WILL eat it. Don't kid yourself. This "housecleaning" includes all extra trick-or-treat candy, brownies, cookies, etc. that found their way into your home after today. If you have kids and they would be a little less than happy if you ditched their stash, hide it under the sink or on a high shelf in the pantry. Get it out of sight. Give the kids 1-2 pieces a day in their lunch or after dinner and then after a month, throw it away. Candy does not need to hang around until next Halloween!

Happy Halloween!


Source: Beachbody.com

The absolute WORST foods you can eat...

I often jump on top of my soap box to anyone who will listen about certain foods. For example, I have always told my Dad "do not eat that Alfredo sauce! It's like a heart attack on a plate!" Ummm...it's true by the way.

Anyway, I have shared foods that are great for you - filling, tasty and nutritious. I feel like it's time to explore those items that can jeopardize your health the most. Don't get mad if I list your faves. This list is based on an analysis of the nutritional values, not necessarily just my opinion.

Ok, here goes...

1. Hot dogs: Our ballpark fave is one of the worst offenders, not just because of the meat, non-meat, not sure what's in part, but because of the white bun and chili we top it with. "What really gets hot dogs on the list is that they may just give you cancer! Hot dogs as well as other cured meats contain nitrates. While harmless by themselves nitrates in our bodies can eventually be converted into nitrosamines which are powerful carcinogens."

The average American eats 60 hot dogs a year. Ick. Let's cut that down to maybe just one or two per year on a special occasion...like if you went to the World Series!

2. Alfredo sauce: In honor of the Yankees run to the World Series, let's look at the stats for 1 cup of this creamy sauce - 250 calories, 18 grams of fat (most of which are the bad kind), 27 mg of cholesterol and 17 grams of carbs. That is for one measly cup! Have you ever had pasta with only one cup of sauce? May as well double this = 500 calories, 36 grams of fat, 54 mg of cholesterol, 34 grams of carbs. With stats like that, it's a wonder that ANYONE can knowingly eat that mess. Sorry to burst your bubble of blissful naivety.

3. French fries / Onion rings: I get a little angry when I think about how Americans can take something pretty darn nutritious like a potato or an onion and make it so unhealthy! Ok, maybe the French helped us some...

Sure, some french fries are prepared better than others, but I'm talking about the fast food kind. According to the Associated Content, even though fries "come different ways at different places, none of them are actually good for you. If you know you are getting a French fry from an actual cut and fried potato these are going to be better for you than the fast food kind. The fast food fry contains carcinogens, lots of sodium and other non nutritious things."

Skip 'em.

4. Ice Cream: This one pains me the most. The cream used is real ice cream is incredibly high in fat and calories. Then when Ben & Jerry get a hold of it and add all the other sweet goodness, you've got a diet buster of the worst kind. Not to mention that the most common time for consuming ice cream is in the evening when we are most sedentary. There are better alternatives.

5. Bacon: Nothing says "good morning" like the smell of fresh bacon cooking. That delish smell is none other than fried fat and sodium, though. "Two pieces of bacon, cooked and drained will be about 120 calories and up to 10 grams of fat and that is when drained. If you aren't draining your bacon you can double those numbers."

The nitrates in bacon have also been linked to stomach, pancreatic and colon cancer. Boo for bacon.

6. Donuts: You know that tempting, innocent looking hot pink number with the sprinkles? Run away screaming! I cannot think of a worse offender in the sweets family. It is packed with calories, sugar, fat and sodium. Fried dough? What in heaven's name were they thinking when this was invented? Donuts are even worse because they are generally eaten for breakfast, which because of the high sugar and carbs spikes your blood sugar with a very vicious crash. One donut has abut 300 calories and 19 grams of fat. And when is the last time you had just one?

Next time you bring breakfast to the office, opt for breakfast burritos. Still not the best thing for you, but a helluva lot better than this round devil.

7. Regular Soda: Liquid candy. Seriously. Soda is jam-packed with high fructose corn syrup, caffeine, sodium, preservatives and EMPTY calories. You may as well eat a couple sugar packets. I don't hate on any particular brand over another. They are all BAD. I've also heard that you can dissolve a nail in a glass of Coca-Cola. Mythbusters says "no," but the fact that it was even tested tells you about the acidity. I am not willing to put that kind of toxin in my body.

But what if you love the fizz? I'm with you. I do like a little carbonation. It tickles your nose and complements popcorn so well. Diet sodas have come a long way. Diet Dr Pepper tastes sweet and indulgent. Although I am not a fan of sodas in general, diet included, every now and again I will indulge in one. But, my healthy friends, the negative ingredients outweigh the momentary fizzy delight.

8. White bread: There is little else that packs on more weight than refined carbs, like white bread. This also includes hot dog buns, white pitas, white bread at restaurants, etc. Banish it from your diet! Some dietitians would say that you shouldn't eat anything white - white bread, white sugar, white sauces, etc.

According to Tanya Zuckerbrot, inventor of skinnyandthecity.com, “[white bread] shoots your blood sugar up and then you crash. The fiber in whole wheat slows the digestion down so you feel fuller longer and fiber helps stabilize the blood sugar."

9. Mayo: With 110 calories and 11 grams of fat in 2 just tablespoons, mayo is pure evil for watching the waistline. "The fat in mayo is polyunsaturated, which isn’t as bad as saturated or trans fats, but it’s not as good as monounsaturated fat. Polyunsaturated fat can lower your bad cholesterol but it does not increase your good cholesterol,” according to my buddy Tanya Zuckerbrot.

When it comes to mayo, it just doesn't cut the mustard. Ha!

10. Packaged Pastries: Sorry Little Debbie. You are much better off getting a fresh pastry from a bakery than to eat a packaged treat with loads of fat, calories and preservatives. This dessert lover just says no to ding-dongs. Empty calories. And they really don't taste as good as something fresh.


Did I ruin your lunch plans?

The good news is that almost all of these foods can be made better for you, lower in fat and lower in calories. Why negate all of your great efforts with these foods? Stay tuned for the yin to these unhealthy yangs. I will post later this week...

For the love of God, put down the hot dog on white bread with mayo, fries and Coke. Walk quickly to the trash and find something else to eat!

Sources: Associated Content, Askthetrainer.com, The Today Show, New York Daily News

Healthy Start

Everyone is looking for a quick fix, right? Quick energy boost? Fast weight loss? Speedy slimming? We are an instant gratification society - give me my results now, please!

Well, I do not believe that there is "speed to market" when it comes to health and fitness. It is something that you will need to work at your entire life. Watching what you eat and exercise should be part of your routine from now until your 100. (Insert sigh here). No, wait. That shouldn't be a source of frustration; it should just simply be part of what you do each day, like brushing your teeth.

Ok, enough airy fairy advice. That is all fine in theory, but when it comes to brass tax we all need help. Well, I can offer you some help when it comes to getting started, getting motivated and/or keeping your current goals in sight.

The first step you need to take is to start with breakfast. Can you hear Grandma's voice echoing in your head: "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." But it is so true. Breakfast is so important because it breaks the night long fast and bumps up your metabolism. If you don't eat breakfast, then your body goes all the way to lunch without kicking into full gear. Would you want to wait that long for your body to get going? Now that's NOT instant gratification for the old metabolism.

According to a Harvard University study of kids in the Northeast, there was a clear link that showed those that usually ate breakfast performed better in math and had fewer cases of hyperactivity in the classroom. Breakfast is your tool to natural energy.

We are all busy. It's just as easy to run out of the house to work without taking the five minutes to grab a bite. But there are so many easy things to make or prep the night before. Here are some great, healthy, filling options:

1. Whole wheat toast with peanut butter. This is my staple breakfast. I pop in toast while I'm packing my bag for the day. I slather a little natural peanut butter on it and wrap it in a napkin to eat in the car on the way to work. Add coffee in a to-go cup and you have a budget and health-conscious meal.

2. Oatmeal. Instant oatmeals are so easy to prepare and taste pretty good. Oatmeal is a nice, healthy comfort food - especially as the temperatures drop. Mmm...a warm bowl sure sounds good.

3. Shakeology. I just started selling Beachbody products and have fallen in love with this meal replacement shake. Seriously. I know that I don't condone energy drinks, but this one packs an energy punch without any weird ingredients. It also helps aid weight loss. It has all kinds of great vitamins, fiber, phytonutrients and more. Full, full, full for at least 4 hours. Mix her up, pop it in your BPA free water bottle and head to work. Convenient and tasty. If you are interested in trying this let me know or check out my Beachbody site: www.teambeachbody.com/meghanh

4. Egg White Omelette. This one takes a little more time and might be a weekend breakfast. I like to buy pre-cut veggies at the grocery store so that I can toss a few into the egg white mixture before cooking. Add a little reduced fat cheese and a slice or two of dry whole wheat toast. Delish.

5. Yogurt Parfait. This is one that I make the night before using plain or vanilla fat free yogurt layered with fruit. Add the granola in the morning so that it doesn't get mushy. Another one to put in a plastic cup and eat on your way to work! Just try to eat it at stoplights only.

Whether it's toast or Shakeology, make breakfast a priority this week. Your body will begin to use this fuel and your overall metabolism will improve. Try it for a week and let me know the result!



Source: Balancing Meals, Suite 101

Natural Energy

I taught a rockin’ kickboxing class this morning and still have my exercise high so I thought I would draft a post. After class I had some awesome members come and chat with me. They were so sweet and told me that they were so glad that I’m back to teaching (after being off for several months with the baby).

To be honest I love it when I get my ego stroked a bit. When you are a new Mom, you are 100% dedicated to a little person that cannot say “thank you,” or “Momma you look pretty” or even tell you what it is they need. Ok, so I don’t always look “pretty” as I do the early morning feedings or am cleaning up his cute little bum. In fact, I probably look a little rough. P.S. yesterday I never got a shower in!

All that being said, I was more than happy to chit-chat with the girls. One of my new “best friends” was telling me she is so motivated by my high energy and asked if I take any sort of energy supplement or drink an energy booster before class. They were shocked when I told them that the truth is, no, I take nothing. I don’t believe in energy drinks or any supplementation other than a multi-vitamin. I have been known to drink a shake with vitamins and such, but nothing that has any energy boosters or weird ingredients.

I believe that I am one of those people with natural energy, which is why I seem to excel at teaching Group Fitness. However, I think that energy is part state of mind and part healthy living.

We pump so many toxins into our diets – from the preservatives in the food we eat to sodas and alcohol. It’s a wonder we can even drag ourselves out of bed in the morning! While I don’t live completely preservative free, I try to eat as many fresh ingredients as possible. You feel more full and can see the difference on the scale.

The other two critical ingredients to my energy success are sleep and water. You cannot drink enough water in my opinion. I keep a water bottle on hand and probably fill it up 6-8 times per day. I also get plenty of sleep. Even with a newborn who wakes up many times a night to feed, I always make sure to go to bed early and eliminate anything that may decrease the quality of sleep (i.e., alcohol, caffeine, etc.)

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cup of coffee and haven’t met a Sauvignon Blanc that I didn’t like. But, I enjoy both of those indulgences in moderation. You’ve heard it before and it is SO true. Most things in moderation are ok for you – caffeine, alcohol, dessert…sex. My husband would say that the last one is best enjoyed everyday (like taking my vitamin)! Ha!

Did I cross the line? Ok, I’ll steer it back to my point. My point is energy cannot be found in a bottle. If you look for some type of quick fix, you won’t find it. You can find it inside yourself (another word for energy is drive.) Find the drive within you to rock your workout and rock your lifestyle.

I’m sipping on my water as I type, just finished eating grapes and am about to take a nap! Ok, the water part is true.

Time Wasters

As I dig myself out of my flu fog, I have been doing a lot of relaxing and watching TV. This morning I was checking out the Today Show and one my faves, Jillian Michaels, was on answering fitness questions. She had a really interesting point that I had to share with everyone about wasting time that could be used for your health benefit. I reflected on the past week of achiness, coughing, sneezing, sleeping and general ickiness and calculated just how much TV I watched. Probably 40 hours of it. Sickening. Now in my case I needed the rest to get over illness, but I bet I watch more TV than I should. What else would I accomplish if I switched off the TV and did housework, went for a walk or popped in a workout DVD?


So many people claim that they don't have enough time to fit a workout into their day. In Jillian's no nonsense manner, I will say "that is crap." How much time do you watch TV each day? How long do you spend resetting that alarm each morning? Did your morning cup of coffee take 30 minutes? All that time can be reprioritized to allow time for fitness.

So, here I go. I'm feeling better. The day is beautiful. I am switching off the TV. There. Silence. That feels good. I'm headed out for a walk.

What will you do with your found time for health?

Lolli Lollipop

Sugar! Argghh! Why do I love you SO very much?

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog, you know that I am pretty much a sweet-aholic. I don’t just like sweet things, I need them, I crave them. Well, my sugar-addicted pals, I have found yet another way to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Lollipops.

You learned to love them as a kid. Only a lollipop in hand usually meant that you had to endure something awful, like a shot, a doctor’s visit, a trip to the tire store with Dad or a hard spelling test.

No shot needed for this tip.

I bought some Blow-Pops before I went in to be induced because I read something about sucking on hard candy gives you a little energy and such. I didn’t end up using any, but have a full bag of the sugary delights in the pantry. In a moment of sheer, sugar-craving panic last week where I had to choose between my husband’s pint of Haagen Daaz and a lollipop, I went for the lollipop.

Hmmm. 60 calories. No fat. Sugar, yes, but certainly the lesser of the two evils.

I am not necessarily condoning refined sugars, but feel like a lollipop here or there when in a sugar obsessed fit, is not the worst thing. The result – ZERO dessert for me this week. Just 3 lollipops.

One to try. Don’t tell your dentist I told you.

It's Snack Time...

My office buddy, Jennifer, asked for some smart snacking options and I have plenty of those to share. I am a snack freak.

Smart snacking to me is more than a low-cal dish to get you from lunch to dinner. It should be a balanced combination that keeps your blood sugar even and gives you an energy boost. Perhaps the most important component to a snack is how satisfying it is. I always balance a carb and protein. This will keep you from hitting the vending machine 20 minutes after you eat some random 100-calorie pack. Those things bug me, they are so unsatisfying. I could rant about those for an entire post. But I won’t.

So, here are my faves to stave off the hunger beast. Feel free to add a few of your ideas.

PB & A
Apple (I like Granny Smith’s or Fuji) 2 TBS peanut or almond butter (look for the natural ones out there, they are best)

This is the smart snacking version of PB&J. Replace the “J” with “A.” And we all know that “A” is for Apple. We learned that in kindergarten. I like to use a reduced fat version of peanut butter. It still tastes delish.

If you don’t have an apple, peanut butter is good on lots of things – bananas, celery, pears, whole wheat toast and pretzels. I keep a jar at my desk to make it easy.

Hummus Dip
Hummus Whole wheat tortilla OR raw veggies (like carrots or cherry tomatoes)

No instruction needed. Dip and enjoy.

Little bit’o’Guac
Guacamole Raw veggies (i.e., celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes or broccoli) OR corn tortilla

I think I eat avocadoes almost every day. Nature’s butter! Just don’t eat an entire avocado at a time. A little goes a long way. Dip the veggies or tortilla in the guac and say “yum.” Easy.

Turkey roll up
Sliced deli turkey (I heart Boar’s Head) Spicy mustard Small wheat tortilla

Spread the mustard on the tortilla, add turkey and roll away. This is so delish and easy. Try other options besides the mustard, too, like low-cal salad dressing, fat-free mayo or a bruschetta spread.

Low-fat popcorn and sliced almonds
1 packet of your fave low-cal popcorn (or air-popped is even better, since it sans processing) ½ cup sliced almonds (I use Diamond culinary sliced almonds) Spice of your choosing (if I want something sweet, I use Splenda and cinnamon. For a savory touch, use a seasoning salt and a dash of parmesan cheese)

Toss it all together in a bowl and separate into a 5 zip-loc bags. Yay, a portion control sized for the entire week. Be sure to store in the fridge if you use parmesan.

Yogurt parfait with almonds
1 small tub of your favorite yogurt (I love the Horizon organic) 1 handful of your favorite berry (mmm…blueberries) ½ handful of sliced almonds with no salt (I use Diamond culinary sliced almonds)

Mix it all together in a bowl and get back to your desk. I’m sure there are some emails to attend to.

Homemade Granola Mix
1 cup low-fat granola ½ cup dried fruit (I love craisins) ½ cup sliced almonds (again with the Diamond culinary nuts) ½ cup pretzels

Mix it all together in a bowl and separate into 5 zip-loc bags. Just like the popcorn mix above, you have a snack for the week. You can always add a little more sweet to the mix like a few (I repeat a FEW) M&M’s.

Laughing cow cheese
Light or fat-free Laughing Cow cheese Wheat melba toast

Just spread one wedge on a few melba crackers and bring on full!

Let me know which ones you like!

Exercise During Flu Season

If you haven't been inundated with flu talk in the media, then you have been living under a rock! I know that I am more paranoid than ever about the regular flu and the swine flu.

Many people fear germs and are hand sanitizing like crazy. This approach should follow you to the gym. I recommend grabbing some travel pack sanitizing wipes. Wipe down any equipment before touching it (including cardio machines, weights and other strength machines).

In the group fitness room, I may look like a nut, but I wipe down the stereo, all the hand weights that I use, the mat, bench and bar. Takes a few minutes, but will hopefully rid them of those nasty germies. Hey I've got an amazing little boy to protect!

If you do get sick, you should avoid hitting the gym to protect others and allow your body time to heal. Just don't overdo it on the chicken noodle soup!

If you are very paranoid of the gym germies, then take a jog outside or do a workout DVD. There are plenty of options that will keep you healthy and fit!

Bottom line: Don't let the flu keep you from achieving your fitness goals!

Fab in 15

What time does your alarm go off in the morning? Do you hit the snooze button 5 times until you end up getting out of bed so late that you don't have time to wash your hair? For me, my sweet little boy serves as my alarm. Only my sweet alarm likes to go off about 4 times a night.

Ok, so let's get that hair washed and do something good for ourselves this week. I encourage you to try an experiment that I call "Fab in 15." For many of us, we drag ourselves out of bed, get ready and head off to work where we sit for 8+ hours and then try and squeeze in a workout before we head home to sit in front of the TV. Net net, we sit a lot.

Starting tomorrow morning give yourself a kick in the butt that will help jump-start your metabolism and get your day off to an energized start.

Here's how it works: Set your alarm 25 minutes earlier than normal. (I know those last few minutes of sleep are precious, but just give me a week and let's see what you think after you try this plan):

5 minutes: get dressed into workout gear and/or groan and moan about being up so early
15 minutes: jog or walk briskly around your block (or on a treadmill if you have one available)
5 minutes: execute 15 push-ups, 15 sit-ups (the real ones, not crunches) and 15 squats (hand weights optional)

Then you are done. Get ready (hair washing included), eat breakfast and take on your day.

That's it. Not too bad, right? Fab in 15 should not replace a full workout, it should be simply added to your daily routine. For an average 150-pound person you can burn 210 calories if you run for the 15 minute interval and 135 calories if you walk for 15 minutes at a brisk pace. These extra 25 minutes will help you burn more calories during your day and will get that metabolism working right away.

Alternately, if you already exercise first thing in the morning, then try this routine in the evening before dinner or during your lunch break.

You can even multi-task: Grab your dog and bring him along. Grab the stroller so the baby can enjoy the fresh air. Or check voicemails while you walk!

This mini burst of activity may help if you've hit a plateau or it might be just a great way to get your day started (or finished). Either way, it's a win-win.

If you snooze, you won't lose on this one!

Give it a try and let me know how it goes...

Attitude is Everything

Today was my first day back to teaching aerobics after 4 months of maternity leave. I kicked my own butt. I'm already sore.

The last few months of my pregnancy were too hard to continue with teaching and then of course, after having the baby I needed time to heal. I had been getting back into exercise since about three weeks postpartum, but it has indeed been a long time since I had a rock star workout. When you teach, you have to be "on." You can't take a break, leave the class early or roll your eyes at the instructor when she says "just ten more." I had to bring a dynamic workout to a room full of 50 eager members and couldn't take it easy.

There was several points during the 60-minute kickboxing class that I thought I might pass out. But, I dug down deep at told myself to keep going. Whenever I felt fatigue creep up, I smiled even bigger and punched a little harder. It felt great! I tackled the pain with a great attitude. This class was one step closer to losing the last 10 pounds of baby weight.

My message to you today is to really think about your attitude when you go to the gym, take a class or even when choosing the right foods to eat. If you go into things with a sour attitude then the outcome cannot be successful. Have you ever hit the gym and said "I hate this." Or eaten your healthy meal and thought "this is miserable, I'd rather have a hamburger"? What was the ultimate outcome? Did you leave the gym after only 25 minutes of what you deem "agony" on the treadmill? Did you abandon the healthy meal and indulge in a high-calorie meal. Don't think of healthy habits and exercise as necessary evils. Think of them as steps toward a better you.

A great 30-minute workout or smart choices at the dinner table are tiny accomplishments that ladder up to achieving your larger goals.

What is your fitness goal? Share it here.