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Calorie Smart - How smart is it?

Everybody has a magic number.  A magic number of calories they can consume to maintain a specific weight.  Therefore, based on your body's metabolism, and providing all variables were removed, if we would eat MORE calories than our magic number we would likely gain weight.  If we would consume LESS calories than that magic number, we would likely lose weight.  But, how are we supposed to know the caloric value of everything we eat in a day?  While most packaged food is now mandated to include nutritional information on the outside of the package, what do you do with fresh meat from the butcher?  Or potatoes from the produce department of the grocery store?  Those have calories, but it varies based on serving size, and who has those values memorized anyway?  Far-fetched to say the least.

CalorieSmart™ is a mobile, hand-held device designed to assist with personal weight loss by offering total calorie management.  The specialized software contained in this slim, palm-sized portable journal is used to track food consumption, exercise and weight goals. The CalorieSmart™ with its full keyboard and large LED screen has all the technology to meet today’s demand, yet comes sized to fit into your pocket.

CalorieSmart™ keeps you on track with your health goals anytime, anywhere.  The interactive weight management database allows you to record what you eat, the amount, and kind of exercise you do.  With nutritional information for over 50,000 food items including menu items from over 250 restaurants in Canada and the US, it is easier than ever before to keep accurate records as you work towards your weight loss goals.  You can also track your progress for personalized goals and get daily and weekly progress updates.  CalorieSmart™ empowers you with tools to make your health a constant priority and an integrated part of a busy on-the-go lifestyle.

Using CalorieSmart™ helps make weight goals a reality, whether fulfilling a New Year’s resolution, getting ready for vacation or living healthy for life.

So how smart is it? Pretty darn smart! 

10 Weight-Loss Myths: Don't Be Fooled!

When does a lie become an accepted truth? When the lie is repeated often enough. 

It’s the oldest trick in the book, a favorite ploy of politicians and others who stand to gain, but still we fall for it.

Especially when it comes to losing weight. 

The diet industry is riddled with self-perpetuating myths, misconceptions, and downright mistruths, sighs psychologist Jeffrey Wilbert, Ph.D., author of Fattitudes.

“The strategy is to market fringe products and miracle cures that are very seductive in what they promise,” Wilbert explains, noting the billions of dollars the diet industry spends on consumer advertising. “Very few people are successful [at losing weight], but the promise gets into our subconscious and stays there.”

The antidote, says Wilbert, is for consumers to educate themselves from reputable sources with reliable data. We start the process by smashing 10 of the most common weight-loss lies right here.

1. “Lose 30 pounds in 30 days.” Or any other gimmick that pledges massive weight loss at breakneck speed. “It’s not healthy, and it’s not true,” Wilbert says. Permanent weight loss requires lifestyle change, not a quick fix, he adds.

2. Fat is bad for you. “Dietitians forwarded that one to people for years,” says registered dietitian and nutrition teacher Rick Hall. Now they know better. The truth is that some fats are unhealthy, and some are good – indeed, necessary – for your health. (Hence the term, “essential fatty acids”!)

3. Carbohydrates are bad for you. First it was fat, now carbohydrates are the bad guy. Wilbert explains that this trendy idea is just too broad. When trying to lose weight, make a distinction between unhealthy carbohydrates, such as white sugar, and complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and whole grains, which provide vital vitamins, and fiber to aid digestion.

4. Lose weight by not eating. Uh…no. Starving deprives the body of the nutrients it needs for life and can lead to serious illness. Plus you lose muscle mass, not fat. Even if you do lose pounds, you gain them back almost immediately when you raid the fridge again.

5. Don’t eat after 6 p.m. “It’s not what time you eat, it’s what you eat!” insists Dare to Lose author, Shari Lieberman, Ph.D. “In Europe they eat at 10 o’clock at night and they’re half the size of Americans.”

6. Salad bars are healthy. Bacon, cheeses, fried chicken, oily dressings…The apparent allure of salad bars means they probably require as much of your considered attention as ordering at a fast food restaurant. “You have to choose the foods at a salad bar wisely,” Lieberman reminds people.

7. Diet sodas aid weight loss. This is one of Lieberman’s favorite pieces of diet-industry hype. “There isn’t a single study that shows diet sodas help you lose weight. There’s absolutely no data on that at all,” she claims.

8. You shouldn’t step on a scale. “It’s another misconception that dietitians have passed on,” says Hall. “I completely disagree with it.” He says checking your weight on a regular basis, say once or twice a week, is an obvious way to gauge your progress and alter your diet accordingly. However, Lieberman notes that scales in and of themselves, well, suck. She encourages people to keep track of hip, thigh and tummy inches, too.

9. You can lose weight with a pill. “You can’t replace healthy eating and exercise with a pill,” Hall warns. “Pills aren’t a new thing, they’ve been tried for decades…[with] horrible side effects.”

10. You have to join the gym. Actually, the most recent research indicates 30 to 60 minutes per day of moderate physical activity is all it takes to balance healthy food intake. It doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise, “just move your body!” exclaims Hall.

**Original article provided by Susan Woodward for MSN Health and Fitness

GNU as a fibre source

Did you know you would have to eat 24 Citrucel® Soft chews (with only 2g of fibre each) to get the same amount of fibre (12g) that is contained in ONE Gnu Foods "Flavor & Fiber" bars?  Now that's a lot of chewing!

A healthy diet contains 25 to 30g of dietary fibre, and a single bar delivers 48% of the recommended daily intake.  Not only does a diet rich in fibre help keep you regular, but it is proven to help reduce the risk of heart disease.

**It’s widely understood that if you eat more fiber, you’ll be more regular. But fiber does a lot more for you than maintain regularity. Scientists and health researchers now tell us that a high-Fiber diet can increase our chances of preventing and treating chronic and acute health problems:

Other benefits of a high-Fiber diet include:

• Fiber-rich foods can help with weight loss and obesity. Fiber fills you up without being fattening. Fiber is a key ingredient, along with protein, in staving off hunger and keeping you satisfied. It stays in your stomach longer, absorbing water and making you feel full. It also keeps insulin levels stable, which encourages the body to store less fat.
  
• Dietary Fiber can reduce the occurrence of digestive disorders and constipation and alleviate symptoms of disorders such as diverticulitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
  
• A High-Fiber intake (25 grams or more) can significantly lower the risk of heart disease. Soluble Fiber as part of a low fat, low cholesterol diet can lower blood cholesterol between 0.5% and 2 % for every gram of soluble Fiber eaten per day.
  
• Studies have shown that diets high in whole grains and Fiber can help lower the incidence of stomach cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. The Institute for American Cancer Research presented research that showed whole grains contain antioxidants, Fiber and phytochemicals that fight disease.
  
• The American Diabetes Association recommends a high-fiber diet to lower the risk of getting Type 2 diabetes. High-Fiber diets help slow glucose absorption and help regulate blood sugar levels.**

**Source: http://www.gnufoods.com/fiber/101/#howmuch

Visit the BARS selection at www.weightmanagementblvd.com to see the full selection of GNU "Flavor & Fibre" bars that are available. 

Study: Higher-protein diets support weight loss, but may lower bone density in postmenopausal women

Study: Higher-protein diets support weight loss, but may lower bone density in postmenopausal women

Healthy Food Choices for Protein

Courtesy of Livestrong.com

Welcome to the WMB Blog!

Hi everyone,

Even though we are NOT a weight-loss centre, and we don't charge you a membership fee to shop with us, we DO care very much about your weight-loss journey and hope to be able to post useful, informative and interesting content on our blog to support you with your lifestyle change.  Nobody said it was going to be easy.  We understand that the transition from one way of living to another will have it's ups and downs.  But, you're not in this alone.  Millions of people struggle with achieving their weight goals everyday.  However, millions of people are also very successful in achieving them, and we want you to be among those that overcome their challenges and win the battle of the bulge!  Here at Weight Management Blvd, we are regular people who endure the same challenges.

So let's see how we can support each other, nobody can win this alone.  If you would like to submit a topic suggestion, please send an email to nickyATweightmanagementblvd.com and we'll see if we can post relevant information.

**please be advised that not ALL topics will be addressed, and nothing posted on this site will take the place of sound medical advice from your doctor.**