Antioxidants have been popular in the world of weight loss lately and we have guests at our weight loss camps ask us if antioxidants are as beneficial as everyone is making them out to be. The answer is, it depends. Here are six myths and truths about antioxidants provided by ConsumerReports OnHealth to explain what we mean.

Myth: Antioxidants are all vitamins
Truth: There are thousands of antioxidants and only a limited number of them are vitamins. Antioxidants have the ability to block free radicals. Free radicals are unstable chemical fragments that cause damage throughout your body and can cause abnormal cell growth and reproduction.

Myth: All antioxidants are created equal
Truth: According to Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D. and director of the Antioxidant Research Lab at Tufts University says, “Different antioxidants fight different free radicals.” But what’s nice is that all antioxidants work together like a well oiled machine. For instance, vitamin C recycles vitamin E, meaning that when vitamin E blocks a free radical, vitamin C takes the remaining vitamin E and changes it back to its original antioxidant form.

Myth: Be sure to eat pomegranates, berries and other super fruits
Truth: There is no official definition of a ‘super fruit.’ It can mean whatever someone wants it to mean, therefore it does not hold any significance. All fruits and vegetables have a unique blend of healthy components and some of those include antioxidants. By only focusing on ‘super fruits,’ you are missing out on a variety of other beneficial fruits and vegetables.

Myth: You should amp up your intake with supplements
Truth: Don’t focus on supplements when you can get the nutrients you need from food. Clinical trials have shown that consuming nutrients in supplement form does not produce the same results that found when consuming them in foods. Why waste your money on a single supplement that may work when you can buy foods that can provide multiple nutritional benefits?

Myth: If some antioxidants are good, more is better
Truth: We’ve all heard the saying that “there is no such thing as too much of a good thing,” that saying does not apply to nutrients in supplement form. There has been some evidence to indicate that when taken in megadoses (which many supplements come in) it can cause antioxidants to become pre-oxidents which may actually increase the production of free radicals. The opposite result of what antioxidants are intended to perform.

Myth: Packaged food with labels that promise antioxidant benefits will boost your health
Truth: Just because a package advertises antioxidants, does not mean that they carry a health benefit as well. Since antioxidants are desired by consumers, manufacturers will add vitamin C or E and then advertise that their food contains antioxidants. They do this in hopes to drive up the sales and price of their product but in turn do not yield the benefits that consumers expect. Some products may already contain the antioxidant and the manufacturer is not even adding anything to the product.

We are still discovering more about how antioxidants work within our body so the best advice we can give you to promote a healthy diet and help you achieve your weight loss goals is to make sure that you eat a variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes every day. Sometimes staying true to eating a balanced diet of whole, natural foods is still the best way to go.

We’ve all heard of and maybe have tried the fad diets like SlimFast, South Beach and Atkins to lose weight. But they all seem to have some major nutritional holes in them that aren’t good for you in the long run. Recently, here at Shane Diet & Fitness Resorts, we have received a lot of questions about whether or not the Mediterranean diet is good for weight loss and the answer is, no. But, the Mediterranean diet is good for heart health.

According to an article from the Mayo Clinic, the Mediterranean diet focuses on getting plenty of exercise; eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts; replacing butter with healthy fats like olive and canola oil; using herbs and spices to flavor foods rather than salt; limiting red meat consumption to a few times a month; eating fish and poultry a minimum of two times a week; and drinking red wine, in moderation of course. They found that following this way of eating wasn’t necessarily correlated to weight loss but helped lower heart disease and other heart related problems.

How to get started:

• Eat your fruits and veggies and switch to whole grains: Your meals should consist of a variety of plant based foods that are minimally processed and bought in season. The goal is nine to ten servings of fruits and veggies a day. Start eating whole grain bread, cereal, rice and pasta products.
• Get nutty: Almonds, cashews, pistachios and walnuts are great to have on hand for quick snacks, plus they are filling. Instead of buying peanut butter that has hydrogenated fat, buy a natural peanut butter.
• Leave butter behind: Use olive and canola oils for cooking instead of butter or margarine.
• Spice up your life: Instead of using salt to season your food, use herbs and spices. Not only will they help make your food taste good, they contain health enhancing substances.
• Go fishing: Eat fresh fish a couple times a week. Stay away from fried fish, unless it has been sautéed in canola oil.
• Replace red meat: Switch red meat for fish or poultry. When you do have red meat make sure the portions are small and that they are lean cuts. Avoid high fat meats like sausage and bacon.
• Focus on low-fat dairy: Consume more skim milk, fat-free yogurt and low fat cheese.
• Raise your glass: Having a glass of red wine at dinner has been shown to help lower heart disease. As long as it’s okay with your doctor, it’s okay with the Mediterranean diet.

Approximately 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and fatalities from heart disease could have been prevented in high risk patents if the individuals had changed their diet to follow more closely with the Mediterranean diet.

The New England Journal of Medicine conducted a clinical trial to see its effects on various heart risks. They ended the study early, due to the startling results. They found that the Mediterranean diet did indeed improve the heart health of the individuals participating and that it was not necessary to continue the trial.

The important thing to remember when changing your eating habits, whether if it’s to improve heart health, lose weight or both, make sure you are getting the nutrients you need. Do some research and find some recipes before you start and you’ll have all the tools you need to be on your way to a healthier heart and life.

One of the greatest enjoyments of fall is the abundance of fresh, ripe, delicious apples. Apples are a great low calorie snack to help you lose weight, great in a variety of recipes,  a natural mouth freshener, and are very inexpensive.

Why Are Apples Good For You?
Apples are a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber such as pectin actually helps to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, thus reducing the incident of arteriosclerosis and heart disease. The insoluble fiber provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system. It is a good idea to eat apples with their skin. Almost half of the vitamin C content is just underneath the skin. Eating the skin also increases insoluble fiber content. Most of an apple’s fragrance cells are also concentrated in the skin and as they ripen, the skin cells develop more aroma and flavor.

HAVE AN APPLE TODAY!
Fuel up with this powerful breakfast with fresh fall apples to energize you through the morning!

Fresh Muesli with Apples and Almonds

Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup unsalted almonds
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 apple, diced
• 2 tbsp honey

Directions:
1. Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. Toast the oats and almonds until aromatic (or  you can smell the nutty scent). Keep an eye on them and keep stirring because they will burn easily. Stir in cinnamon and let cool to room temperature.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the oat mixture, yogurt and milk.

3. Cover and refrigerate until oats are soft. About one hour or let soften overnight.

4. Spoon the muesli into two bowls. Top with a diced apple and a drizzle of honey.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 283 kcal
• Total Fat: 7.4 g
• Total Carbohydrates: 51.2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7.0 g
• Protein: 7.7 g

Nutrition Tips:

• The German word muesli means “mixture” and can include raw or toasted cereals (oats, wheat, millet, barley, etc.), dried fruits (such as raisins, apricots, and apples), nuts, bran, wheat germ that is mixed with milk and yogurt.
• Muesli is very versatile and you can create it depending on the ingredients you like.
• Greek  yogurt has a higher protein content than regular yogurt. If you do not like just plain Greek  yogurt, mix half the Greek  yogurt with the yogurt you are used to eating.
• In the fall apples are in season. Try going to local farmers markets and get fresh apples. Also, try switching up the variety of apples you use.

Can’t get enough apples?  Check out Julie’s post about what types of apples are best for your recipes.

Most baked goods are often high in fat and sugar. Muffins, often assumed as a healthier choice, can even sometimes be a “cupcake” in disguise. You may think it’s impossible to create a lower calorie, healthier baked good that is just as tasty as the original.

Try these simple swaps the next time you’re baking.

We all know how difficult it can be some days to get the daily recommended amount of vegetables in your weight loss diet.  There are little tricks to sneak in vegetables for your healthy lifestyle and you won’t even realize you are eating them.

Regardless of the season, smoothies are a delicious treat. When ordering a fruit smoothie out, it can be loaded with sugar, fruit juices, ice cream, and often times no real fruit. It can be misleading when you think you are picking a healthier option for weight loss success. For example a popular smoothie chain has a flavor of banana berry flavor which racks up 560 calories and 115 grams of sugar.

By making one at home you can control what goes in and can also sneak in some vegetables with it. Would you ever think that spinach could go into a fruit smoothie? Most people automatically crinkle their nose and question it. Spinach in a smoothie? It may sound like a strange ingredient, but you cannot even taste it and you are able to get a serving of vegetables in for the day. It gives the benefits of nutrition, plus it turns your smoothie into a pretty green color!

Banana Berry Smoothie
(serves 2)

• 1 banana
• ½ cup strawberries
• ½ cup blueberries
• ½ cup low fat vanilla yogurt
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup of ice

Combine the banana, strawberries, blueberries, yogurt and water in the blender. Blend until smooth. Then add in the spinach and blend again until smooth. Add ice and blend and then serve.

Each serving is only 152 calories. It’s a perfect treat for any occasion! Fruit smoothies are so versatile you can create your perfect smoothie with your favorite fruit combinations. Try combining some of your own favorite fruits and veggies to see what you like best and feel free to share your new recipes with us here!

Find a Decent Pair of Running shoes

Invest in a quality pair of running shoes for the best workout possible for weight loss.

Asics, New Balance and Saucony are the popular running shoe brands. Many marathon runners recommend Asics as the brand of choice.  If you are flat footed or have high arches, keep in mind that you will need special shoes or inserts.  Some factors to consider when choosing shoes include shoe comfort, proper fitting for your foot’s length and width, good protection from the sole, breathability and shoe weight (you don’t want shoes that are really heavy).  Remember, you get what you pay for.  If you drop $20 on a pair of running shoes, they will not last very long and you will find your joints aching frequently.  Shoes that you will be running and jumping around in are one thing to invest in.  Go to a store that specializes in athletic shoes, get fitted and plan on spending $60 to $100.

Stretch

Stretching is the last thing that people want to do during their workout but hard running and exercise will tighten up your joints and muscles leaving you prone to injury.  One way to remedy this is by stretching to avoid tightness.  One of the more important areas to stretch is the IT band, which is an extension of the muscles in the upper outer hip that extends down through the knee.  Much of knee pain in running can be caused by injury to the IT band and can be prevented by stretching and foam rolling.  The lower back and hamstrings (back of the upper leg) also need to be stretched after workouts since these areas are compressed by supporting your body during high impact exercise.  Incorporate a total body stretching routine after workouts and on off days.

Strengthen Muscles Equally

Muscular Imbalance is another leading cause of running injuries.  A muscular imbalance is defined as one muscle being disproportionately stronger or weaker than its counterpart muscle.  Think of the abdominal muscles in your stomach.  If you work them out quite frequently, but avoid doing lower back exercises, then you have a muscular imbalance.  Muscular imbalances exist in muscles that are on opposite sides such as the quadriceps and hamstring located at the front and back of the leg.  When you have a muscle in the front that is weaker than a muscle in the back, the joints in the middle suffer.  Usually a joint is supported by the muscles, but if it is being pulled tighter in one direction, it is under a lot of stress.  A left leg that is stronger than the right leg is also a muscular imbalance leaving one side of the body to overcompensate.  A way to avoid these imbalances is by strength training all body parts equally.

Build up gradually

The big cause of running injuries that is often overlooked is doing too much too soon.  An individual that goes from running five miles in one week to attempting 20 miles in the next is greatly increasing the risk for an overuse injury.  It is recommended that you increase your running distance or time no more than 20% each week.  That means that if a total of 5 miles were completed in week 1, then 6 miles is a good number for week 2.  It is much better to take your time getting to a 20 mile week, rather than rushing to get there and suffering an injury that takes you out of exercise for six to 12 weeks as a result.

Rest and recover

Be sure to allow yourself to rest and recover when running for weight loss.

After a hard workout, your body needs rest.  When your body is at rest, the recovery process begins, which involves the strengthening of bones, joints and muscles, as well as the refilling of your energy tank.  Giving your body the fuel that it needs through proper nutrition is also a vital part of the recovery process.  When timed correctly, rest and recovery will increase your exercise performance and healthy lifestyle in general.  However, if joints still feel achy after a rest day, skip running by cross training.  Go for a bike ride or a swim giving your knees and ankles longer time to heal from the high joint impact of running.  Low impact exercises like the elliptical are a good way to stimulate your cardiovascular system without putting additional stress on recovering joints.

Warm up first, especially in colder weather

Some people like to roll right out of bed and immediately go outside to run.  The problem with this is that after a night of sleeping, your body slows itself down.  Cold weather will amplify the slowing of your body’s functions.  To work around this, gradually get your body ready for exercise with a 5-15 minute warm up.  Harder running requires a large range of motion from the muscles.  To reach this level of performance, your muscles need to be warm and loose.  Warm up by doing basic movements like leg swings, arm circles and breathing exercises.  The goal is to gradually increase the heart rate and the heat in the body.  I like to do this by starting with a moderate walking pace, gradually increase my speed into a jog and finally move into my running pace.  Remember, your warm-up should be of low intensity in relation to your exercise levels.  If your workout pace is a jog or speed walk, then gradually work up to that.  A warm up should be included with your workout regardless of the time of day, so always give yourself at least a couple of minutes.

If you’re looking for a great way to lose weight while having fun, consider joining an adult weight loss camp like Shane Diet Resorts.  SDR offers a summer weight loss program for adults with proven success for a healthy lifestyle.

Going Nuts?  Me too.

Going to EAT nuts, that is.  A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who eat nuts twice per week have a reduced chance of becoming overweight or obese compared to women who do not eat nuts.  Watch out, almonds.  Here I come.

Add some nuts to your diet to prevent excess weight gain!

But it’s not just almonds that have healthy lifestyle benefits.  Walnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, hazelnuts (filberts), and pistachios come packed with vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, calcium, selenium, copper, and magnesium.  And let’s not forget our faithful peanut.  As my personal favorite legume, peanuts are a good source of B vitamins and help make peanut butter mighty tasty.

So why exactly do nuts help to prevent excess weight gain?  Though some tend to steer away from these crunchy, delicious foods, the unsaturated fat in nuts is actually quite beneficial.  Fat is necessary for the body to absorb certain vitamins and minerals – notably vitamins A, D, E, and K – and these are needed for proper metabolism.   Some scientists also believe that the human body is not necessarily able to process the entire nut (think fiber and indigestible plant material), which results in the absorption of fewer calories.

So add some chopped walnuts to your morning oatmeal.  Grab a handful of almonds for a quick, filling snack.  Or treat yourself to a few apple slices topped with a creamy swirl of peanut butter.  You’ll be getting some great vitamins and minerals as well as enjoying a tasty treat.  Who doesn’t go nuts every now and then?