It's Not Just Calories that Count

Like the title of the post says- it's not just calories that count when you're selecting what foods to eat.  Specifically, I am going to address how this impacts looking at nutrition labels when choosing prepackaged meals such as frozen entrees.

Healthy frozen entrees are healthier than their unhealthier counterparts, but that doesn't mean they're good for you.  Nothing replaces eating fresh, unprocessed foods that have no additives.  Most, if not all, frozen entrees have a ton of added sodium that is used as a preservative.  However, all that added sodium can have negative effects on your health.  For example, it can lead to fluid retention and high blood pressure.  Adults should limit their sodium intake to between 1500-2300 mg per day, but about 90% of adults consume much more than that.

Take, for example, one of my favorites- Lean Cuisine Asian-Style Pot Stickers.  Based solely upon calorie count, the 230 in this dish seems like a great choice for a meal or a snack.  But take a look at the amount of sodium- a whopping 530 mg, between a quarter and a third of what you should be eating in an entire day!  Another Lean Cuisine entree, the Steak, Cheddar, & Mushroom Panini, has 340 calories, which seems great for a sandwich loaded with steak and cheese, but packs a whopping 640 mg of sodium.

Because most foods contain sodium (yes, even water and milk do!), this is another number that people need to become more aware of when selecting what to put into their bodies.

References:
http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/sodium/
http://www.leancuisine.com/Products/Details.aspx?ProductID=53
http://www.leancuisine.com/Products/Details.aspx?ProductID=10619

Being healthier in 2013!

Well first off, Happy New Year!  I definitely slacked on blogging towards the second half of 2012 but I want to get back more into it this year.  One thing I want to write about is my goal of getting healthier this year.  Ideally I would like to lose some weight as a result, but at the very least I want to feel better about myself and know that I am treating my body better.  So, I am going to do my best to post weekly about what I am doing in my life to achieve this goal.

The easiest way, I think, to start getting healthier is to change what you eat.  You don't even have to completely change your diet- just make small changes towards foods that are better for you.  Any little bit helps.  My post today will address some ideas for making your lunch healthier.

1) Swap out bread for vegetables.  Maybe you're thinking, 'how do you make a sandwich without bread?'  There are plenty of ways!  You can make a lettuce wrap.  Practically any cold cut tastes good in lettuce; simply use it instead of bread and make your sandwich the exact same way otherwise.  Another vegetable that you can use as a substitute for bread is cucumber.  Cut a section of cucumber in half lengthwise, then cut out some of the inside, creating a well (like in celery) but leaving enough around the edges so that the cucumber is still sturdy.  Then pile on your favorite cold cuts and toppings into each half.

2) Use better condiments.  Mayonnaise may taste great (believe me, it's my favorite sandwich spread!), but there are plenty of other condiments that pack a lot of flavor with a lot less calories and fat.  Mustard is one option, but there are also plenty of others that may not immediately come to mind.  Balsamic vinegar is one great alternative, and you can sometimes find flavored balsamic vinegars if you want a little bit different flavor.  You could also use other vinegars, like rice wine vinegar, depending on the taste you're going for.  Stay away from salad dressings or oil-based sauces.

3) Pick healthier sides.  Chips are easy, but other things are better for you.  If you want to stay with something salty, nuts are a great option.  They have protein that chips don't have.  Fruits and vegetables seem like an obvious side, but it still takes a conscious effort to pick those over less nutritious options.  If you pick applesauce, look for one with no added sugar or sweeteners.  And if you really can't give up your chips, go for a baked option instead of fried.

These are some of the tips I'm incorporating into my routine to get healthier this year.  Hopefully they can help you, too!  Let me know if you have any ideas you'd like me to share that have worked in your life.

An Update...

You probably have noticed that I haven't been blogging here much lately.  A lot of it had to do with all the work I had keeping me very busy during my senior year of college.  Now that's over, but I've still been thinking a lot about what I want to do with this blog.  I considered switching over to a new blog and dedicating it to reviews, but I've done so much with this blog that I'd really hate to abandon it.  I'm going to keep blogging here, but focus more on posting reviews (of foods, movies, books, products) than I have in the past.  This may all change in the future, but for now, this is the best choice for me.  So, now that I'm back, get ready for more posts, more reviews, and hopefully, a much more exciting blog!

A crazy few weeks...

It's been one thing after another for me this month...mainly, being sick times 3.  One week I was sick with a cold.  Then, I was better for not even 2 days before coming down with another (worse) cold/flu-like virus followed by a terrible ear infection later that week.  So, pretty much I've been sick for the past 3 weeks.  I'm mostly better now...about 95%- the ear infection killed my hearing for a few days, and I'm still waiting for my ears to completely recover.

In the midst of all that, I still didn't skip any classes or lab time or band.  I ran myself ragged and I was completely exhausted too.  I'm feeling better now just in time for midterms leading in to traveling with the pep band for post-season basketball tournaments.  I never give myself a break!

So, it's no wonder that I've fallen way behind in blogging.  I have a lot of posts that I've been meaning to write, but with being sick and still trying to keep up with schoolwork, I just haven't had the time.  Hopefully all the craziness going on in my life will calm down fairly soon and I will have time to start doing some things for fun instead of because they're required.

Anyway, I figured I'd post an update since it's been a while, and hopefully I can get back to blogging quite soon!