Posts Tagged ‘Nutrition’
Where does food come from?
I am writing this article based on a conversation I had with my husband a few weeks ago. I told him that avocados were a fruit (he thought they were a vegetable. Common mistake!) and that they grown on a tree. He didn’t believe me on both accounts! We finally did an internet search and I was able to prove my point. Of course, it’s not about being right…it’s about knowing where your food comes from! :)
Do you know where your food comes from? What about your kids?
First, check out this video from Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution:
Wow. Pretty shocking, right? These kids don’t know what a tomato is, but they know about “tomato ketchup”! Just make sure everyone knows what a tomato plant looks like, here’s one for you:
For your sake (and your kids if you have them), learn where your food comes from!!! I’m not talking about food from a factory…that’s not food. I’m talking about finding out where REAL FOOD comes from!
So let’s check out what some of your favorite foods look like before they hit your grocery store or farmer’s market! First, let’s start with the avocado ;)
Avocado
Garlic
Quinoa
Yellow Squash
Pineapple
Cashew
Broccoli
Cacoa (Cocoa)
Artichoke
Flaxseed
Cranberry
Asparagus
Celery
Pretty cool, huh?
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Food Dyes: Are they Safe?
I have been watching the bloggers from 100 Days of Real Food and Food Babe fight for Kraft to remove food dyes from their products. I have signed the petition personally, and I encourage you to do the same!
But first, check out their recent interview with Dr. Oz to learn more about how food dyes affect your body:
Right now it is more about providing cheap food to the american people rather than REAL food that’s healthy and safe. Unfortunately, I don’t think that Kraft is going to change by a few hundred thousand people signing a petition. Kraft – and any other company out there! – will only change once it makes sense for them financially as a business. If everyone who signs the petition is still buying their products with dyes in it, change won’t happen. Every day, you are “voting” with your dollar. Are you using your money to buy products with artificial dyes in it, or are you buying healthy and wholesome products instead? If enough people stopped buying junk food, these companies like Kraft would have to change to meet the demand or go out of business. The businesses are only providing what the consumers are willing to buy. I hope that you realize that you, the consumer, is much more powerful than you realize!
This next week when you go grocery shopping…who will you vote for?
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Digestion: Processed vs. Whole Foods
Have you ever wondered what it takes for your body to digest your food? Maybe not, but I think that you should consider watching this short video clip. It will show how your body digests your food, and specifically the differences between processed food (Chicken Top Ramen, Blue Gatorade and Gummi Bears) versus Whole Foods (Hibiscus Gatorade, Homemade Chicken Stock and Noodles, Pomegranate/Cherry Juice Gummi Bears). The meals are comparable, but very different when it comes to food quality and health.
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Tags: digestion, Health, Nutrition, processed food, whole food
Exclusive Interview with Farrah Abraham
In an exclusive interview with SkinnyTwinkie.com, the reality TV star Farrah Abraham talks about her healthy habits that have helped her stay in such great shape.
SkinnyTwinkie.com: In the last year you have created Mom&Me Italian Hot Pepper sauce, released your books “My Teenage Dream Ended” and “Passy Perfume“, all while being a full-time mom to your beautiful daughter, Sophia. With everything you are busy doing, how do you stay in such great shape?
Farrah Abraham: Great question with one easy, low key simple answer: “at home workouts”. A little example of this is on my YouTube channel & at sixpackshortcut’s YouTube channel. I have a gym in my house but in all honesty I just get bored looking at the equipment. I’d rather it be about the core and fit in time before my shower or right before bed.
SkinnyTwinkie.com: Do you have a favorite workout? If so, what is it and why is it your favorite?
Farrah Abraham: My favorite workout move is “V ups” as well “V core” and “V sit”. I felt after I had my daughter my tummy is the one part of my body I will consistently have to have keep up on, and these quick moves keep me looking summer bikini ready all year long. Just look online at last weeks bikini pictures; dead of winter in Florida but I still had my bikini body ready with no pressure.
SkinnyTwinkie.com: As a Culinary Professional, what advice can you give others to create healthier meals in the kitchen?
Farrah Abraham: It’s amazing to be a professional chef and not be the statistic of a regular chef; being overweight and looking forward to health problems in the future. A quick tip for creating healthy meals at home [is to] start at the grocery store and buy mostly raw items. This will give you more nutrition and less cooking time. I believe in a couple [of] specific reminders; Don’t Count Calories, Do not eat right before bed, and eat while sitting up straight.
If you’re not counting calories, then you get to pay attention to keeping meals looking tiny and delicious! If you’re not eating right before bed, you will be prompted to eat your most important meal of the day, “Breakfast” and make it count! Hint: a good bowl of berries & oatmeal will do the trick! Lastly, if you’re slumped over when you’re eating, your head and your stomach won’t be able to connect properly to let you know you have eaten way too much. I think there have been many times we can count, where we stand up and feel like we’re too full to move or need to go buy bigger pants – Watch for these little tips!
SkinnyTwinkie.com: A lot of people struggle with eating a healthy breakfast. Do you have a particular go-to meal in the morning?
Farrah Abraham: I kind of touched on this, but oatmeal is really healthy for your morning. You can make it different every morning with add-ins such as berries, nuts, or yogurt.
SkinnyTwinkie.com: How have you been able to incorporate a healthy lifestyle for your daughter?
Farrah Abraham: Sophia gets prime gourmet baby food, as I like to call it. I make sure that Sophia gets all five food groups a day and that’s my main goal. But I am quite proud that Sophia loves brussel sprouts. I like to make candied brussel sprouts for her & they’re all gone :)
SkinnyTwinkie.com: Is Sophia a picky eater? If so, how have you been able to get her to eat her veggies?!
Farrah Abraham: I think all toddlers can be picky eaters, but it’s a parent’s job to help them grow out of that close mindedness. Start with small steps by blending some veggies up in the blender and mixing them with a fruit dip and take their favorite berries and dip it in, or if you have a meatball lover make your own meatball mix with blended veggies. I have hundreds of tricks for getting Sophia to widen her palette. After all, when I went to college, that’s what I had to practice myself, all the time, even when some things truly tasted unappealing.
SkinnyTwinkie.com: Any health tips you would like to share to help other busy moms?
Farrah Abraham: The only tip needed is [to] pre-make meals, as well [as] make family portions to last a couple days. Cooking every day can really hold up a businesswoman. So set an evening or morning to knock out some meals ahead of time so it’s possible to run around all week if needed.
Thank you Farrah for sharing your fitness and nutrition tips with us!
Make it Happen
Farrah proves that exercising and eating healthy are possible for those of us that are super busy (aren’t we all?) and still want to stay in great shape all year long. I hope all of her health tips will help you stay focused and motivated to make your health goals happen!
Remember: Summer bodies are earned in the Winter! ;)
Image Credit: Farrah and Sophia
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Tags: Celebrity, Farrah Abraham, Fitness, Health, Nutrition, reality star
New “Healthy” Girl Scout Cookie
It’s that time of year again when girl scouts (or parents of those girls) are out trying to sell us their little Girl Scout Cookies. As many of you know, there is an obesity epidemic in America. I’m not blaming cute little girl scouts for this, but they certainly aren’t helping with the problem.
This year, the Girl Scouts have come out with a new cookie. A healthy cookie. Mango Crèmes with NutriFusion™. Problem is, the Girl Scouts are saying this cookie is healthy, but is it really? Let’s take a look…
As you can see, the first ingredient is “enriched flour”. Next? Sugar! There’s dextrose (a form of sugar) and corn syrup in this cookie. Where’s the mango? Where’s the coconut? Oh yeah… it’s listed under the “contains less than 2% of” category. There isn’t even mango in this cookie! It’s listed as “natural and artificial flavor”. Yikes.
No, this new “healthy” Girl Scout Cookie isn’t healthy at all. I suggest moving on to a different snack. Perhaps a real mango?
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