5 Tips To Become A Healthy Food Shopper

If you read my last post “Are you being fooled by deceptive food product labeling?” then you know just how sneaky food companies can be. Companies know you associate “whole wheat” or “organic” or “all natural” to healthy so what do they do? Slap these words on the front of their box as a brilliant marketing technique to get you to buy their product! But the problem with this is that they mislead you to think a product is 100% healthy, when in reality it might not be.

I’m not going to lie, these guys are good. But the good news is, there are ways to beat them! It all starts with knowing what to look for in the ingredients. Even before looking at a nutrition label I head right to the ingredient list! I want to share with you 5 of my full proof tips for becoming the healthiest food shopper and for beating the system of misleading food product labeling.

You ready?! Here they are:

1. Beware of the following phrases on the front of food packages. They can easily be empty words that do not equal healthy. How? Because the FDA has no official definition for these words. That means the food company decides what these phrases mean. For example, “helps support immunity” could mean there is just a speckle of vitamin c in it. You C?

• 
"All Natural"
• "No artificial ingredients"
• "Natural Fruit Flavors"
• "100% juice" 
• "Multigrain"
• "Helps support immunity"
• "Smart Choice"

2. When you see hot health phrases like “organic”, “vegan”, or “gluten-free” on the front of food packages, don’t assume the food is low in sodium, calories, fat, sugar, carbs, ect. A vegan cupcake is still a cupcake. Now if you’re going to eat the cupcake enjoy the heck out of it! But just be aware of the calories, serving size, ect.

3. When opting out of white flour and looking for products that are whole wheat, whole grain, or sprouted grains:

• Look for "whole" as the first ingredient on the ingredient list or look for 100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain on the front.
• Also remember to look for "whole wheat flour" and not just "wheat flour" (don't be fooled they are not the same!)
• Enriched wheat flour is white flour with some whole wheat added to it. Another trick term to watch out for.

4. You want to know what ingredients to steer clear of when investigating your food ingredient labels. Here are the top most harmful food additives that do not belong in your body and have been tied by research to an array of health problems!!!

• Partially Hydrogenated Oils
• High Fructose Corn Syrup
• Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
• Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
• Potassium Bromate
• Sodium Nitrate
• Brominated Vegetable Oil
• Food Dyes- Blue #1, Blue #2, Yellow #5, Yellow #6, Red #40
• Artificial Sweeteners-Aspartame (includes Equal), Sucralose( includes Splenda), Saccharin (includes Sweet' N Low)

5. Golden rule:  Buy packaged foods with the least amount of ingredients and ingredients that your great grandmother would recognize.

*Bonus Tip: Remember that ingredients are listed by what the food has the most of. If you are buying a whole grain bar, whole grains should be the first on the list not sugar or anything else!

I hope this post along with my last post will help you know what to look out for when buying any packaged foods. You deserve to know what foods exactly you are putting in your body because it's YOUR BODY. And no one messes with that! Please share this information with any family or friends who you think could benefit from these tips!

Have a H&H day!

Lauren

Cited Articles:

http://www.mainstreet.com/article/lifestyle/food-drink/how-decode-food-packaging?page=5

http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/identifying-whole-grain-products

Are You Being Fooled By Deceptive Food Product Labeling?

If the front of a cereal box says "all natural" or "made with whole grains" it has to be healthy, right? I mean, it wouldn't be on there if it wasn't...correct?

Well, not necessarily. We live in a country where phrases that appear on the front of food packages can be very misleading. Some phrases like "all natural" and "made with whole grains" are merely a good marketing technique to get you to think a product is healthy so you will buy it, when in reality it might not be! Phrases like the ones above draw you in because food companies know what you want to hear. Sneaky sneaky food companies. That's not very nice now is it!

There's nothing "natural" about genetically modified oils and "autolyzed yeast" (a hidden form of MSG)

A study cited in an article by the Prevention Institute shows just how sneaky food labeling is:

"A study called Claiming Health looked at the front-of-package labeling on 58 children's products labeled as nutritious through package marketing like 'smart choice' or 'sensible solution.' The results: 84% failed to meet basic nutrition standards for sugar, fat, saturated fat, sodium and fiber. 95% contained added sugar."

You must be thinking, "how can companies get away with this?" Good question- I was thinking the same thing too! I found out that the FDA has requirements for some phrases that companies put on their products, but not all. Sadly, its perfectly legal for companies to slap on the front of their boxes phrases that may or may not tell the whole truth. For example, take a look at this box of ritz crackers I found in my house:

It says "whole wheat" on the front so my mom probably got excited to see Ritz stepping up their health game and bought a box. But look at the ingredient list- it turns out the first and main ingredient is actually white flour! (unbleached enriched flour= fancy term for white flour with some added whole wheat flour to it) So because there may be a small amount of whole grain flour in the cracker, ritz technically isn't falsely advertising. Not to mention, the cracker also contains partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil and high fructose corn syrup- both a health nightmare!

This is just one example of how deceptive food labeling can be. If you are feeling betrayed- good. You should be! I mean why is all this investigating necessary? We shouldn't have to guess if a food label really means what it says. 

I refuse to be fooled by deceptive food product labeling so what do I do? I skip the fancy shmancy colorful words on the front and I head right to the ingredient list on the back to take a look for myself! Knowing what to look for in the ingredient list is key. Check back with me tomorrow for a post on what ingredients to beware of that are in SO MANY packaged and processed foods you may be eating along with some other tips to being a healthy food shopper!!! 

What are your feelings on food companies and their deceptive labeling? As always, i'd love to hear YOUR thoughts!  

Articles cited in this post: 
http://www.preventioninstitute.org/press-sa/strategic-alliance-in-the-news/829-qlightly-salted-how-to-decode-food-packagingq-31412.html

10 Reasons to Smile Today and Everyday

Hello world! Take a moment right now to close your eyes, take a deep breathe in through your nose, and sigh it out through your mouth. With each exhale release any tension, any stress, any anxiety, and any expectations. With each inhale replace all negativity with love, strength, happiness and positive thoughts. Choose to control your mood. Choose to control your thoughts. Choose to control your life. No matter what you are going through today, no matter how many things are going wrong for you, know that there is always a reason to smile.

Paris, France

Smile because it will bring up positive thoughts in your mind and make all the negative ones seem unimportant.

Smile because you are important and there is no other YOU in this world.

Smile because you are the only one who controls your happiness.

Smile because smiling is contagious.

Smile because no matter what challenges come your way, you CAN handle them.

Smile because everything happens for a reason.

Smile because the world is full of beauty, you just have to see it.

Smile because there are beautiful things in store for you.

Smile because there is always someone fighting a harder battle than you are.

Smile because when you do, the world naturally will smile back.

Lazy Sunday Morning Oatmeal Recipe

There's nothing I love more than a lazy sunday morning. Rolling out of bed in your pajamas, putting on a pot of tea, doing some yoga, not having to rush to work or school- today was that day.

After a vinyasa flow yoga class this morning I came home and made a delicious bowl of oatmeal that just warms your soul…every.time. This breakfast is so comforting and perfect, especially on a cold winter morning!

It's filling, but does not leave you overly stuffed. It's sweet, but does not use any sugar or artificial sweeteners. And it's nutritious, but you would never know because it tastes so good! This recipe is so much healthier than most store bought oatmeal packs. All you need are 2 ingredients! Almond milk and rolled oats ( i use the gluten free ones).  And then from there you can add on top whatever fruits tickle your taste buds for a sweet kick! I love the banana and blueberry combination….SOOO YUMMY. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups original almond milk
• 1 cup Bob's Red Mill (Gluten Free) Rolled Oats
• A few dashes of cinnamon
• Toppings :
• any fruit(for some extra carbs if this is a pre or post- workout meal and to naturally sweeten it up)
• nuts, almond/ peanut butter (for healthy fats and some added protein)
• extra cinnamon, natural honey or vanilla extract ( if you taste the oatmeal and it's not sweet enough for you)

Directions:

1. Bring 2 cups of almond milk to a boil in a small pot
2. Add 1 cup of oats into milk
3. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally (for a thicker oatmeal cook for longer)
4. Serve with toppings of choice & enjoy!

I would never steer you wrong so give this  ooey-gooey bowl of creamy deliciousness a shot and you won't be disappointed :)!

Why Gluten Free Does Not Always Mean "Healthy"

Everywhere you turn these days there is a label that says Gluten Free. In restaurants, on packaged foods, on t.v advertisements…you just can't get away from this latest buzz word! It's so trendy that I wouldn't be surprised if people started tattooing "gluten -free" on their bodies... 

In the midst of this gluten-free craze that has become ever so popular these last few years you might have asked yourself these questions: What's all the hype about gluten? Should I go gluten free? And what the heck is gluten in the first place?! 

I want to tell you very simply everything you need to know about gluten and why gluten free does not always mean "healthy"(mhmmmm!).

First off, let's chat real quick about what gluten is exactly and why it has become America's latest enemy. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and is what makes bread nice and fluffy! A hundred years ago, wheat contained a normal amount of gluten that the body could digest. Now however, the way foods are processed, wheat contains 9 times the amount of gluten as it used to! Bread, cookies, pasta, cereal, pastries, muffins, gravy, fried foods, hot dogs and lunch meats are just a few of the items that contain gluten: all foods we should be staying clear of in the first place! 

Basically, our bodies are on gluten overload. Studies have tied gluten to basically every health problem you can imagine; inflammation, stomach issues, IBS symptoms, fatigue, skin rashes, ADHD, joint pain- you name it. Even if you don't have celiac disease (an auto-immune disease where you cannot tolerate gluten at all) I believe almost everyone can benefit from eliminating gluten from their diet. It's not something to get obsessed over…just when you can, you are better off without it and probably will see improvements in your health!

But do not think that "gluten free" is synonymous to healthy! Just because something says gluten free on it does not mean it should be the staple of your diet. Why? Because processed gluten free products can be just as bad as foods with gluten…if not worse! Gluten free packaged foods are nutrient poor, high in sugar, contain preservatives, and are made with refined oils to make up for the absence of gluten. So next time you see a bag of candy that says gluten free on it, don't be fooled into thinking its equivalent to eating a handful of fruit!

So what should we eat? Welllllll go back to the basics of course! And what you've known is good for you all along. Eat foods that are naturally gluten free like quinoa, brown rice, vegetables, fruits,beans, fish, eggs ect. and save the gluten free aisle for snacks and desserts! 

All in all, do whats right for YOUR body. If you try going gluten-free for a week and realize you feel less tired, or have less stomach aches or joint problems then continue on a gluten- free diet! It's all about you and feeling the best you can. No body can tell you what diet you should be on. No body knows your body better than you. Feed your body natural, real, whole foods that will make you feel alive, energized, and ready to take on any challenges that come on your way!

Have a healthy & happy wednesday!

Lauren

Cardio and Ab Do It Anywhere Circuit

Alright guys, time to talk fitness! The weather here in New York has been FREEEEEZING these last few days but it has not stopped me from getting my workouts in! There are tons of excuses we can make to get out of working out but at the end of the day we are only cheating ourselves.

It doesn't matter if you haven't worked out in a week, a month, or a year. There is no better day to start up again than today. Today is a new day, a clean start and another opportunity to take control of your life. So get up and get that blood flowing! Take one day at a time. Believe in yourself and know that you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to. Your body will achieve what your mind believes! Think positive, tell yourself you can, and most importantly don't give up. Each day, each workout, each time you push yourself you are one step closer to your goals. Stay motivated and push through any obstacles in your way and know that it is always worth it.

That being said, here is a cardio and ab workout I designed for you that you can do anywhere at any time, no equipment needed! (inspired by being snowed in last week) Oh and did I mention it only takes 15 minutes?! Talk about a bonnuuuuus!

CARDIO CIRCUIT 

(Complete set 1-2x with 2 minute rest in between sets)

Work as hard as you can for 20 seconds then rest for 10!

0:00- Squat Jump OR Burpee(higher intensity option)

0:20- REST

0:30- Mountain Climbers

0:50- REST

1:00- High Knees

1:20- REST

1:30- Jumping Jax

1:50- REST

2:00- Squat Jump OR Burpee(higher intensity option)

2:20- REST

2:30- Mountain Climbers

2:50- REST

3:00 High Knees

3:20- REST

3:30- Jumping Jax

3:50- REST

4:00- DONE!

AB CIRCUIT 

(Complete set 2-3x with 1 minute rest in between sets)

(Perform each move for 30 seconds each unless noted otherwise, no rest in between moves)

Bicycle Crunch

Flutter Kicks

Toe Touches

Reverse Crunch

Plank (1 minute)

Side plank (each side)

*google/ youtube any of the moves you are not familiar with for demonstrations

*Modify any of the moves to increase or decrease intensity (also can email me for modifications)
* Listen to your body! Do not perform any of the moves if you feel discomfort in your neck, back, knees, ect.

15 minutes that's all it takes. Work hard and whenever your mind tells you to stop, KEEP GOING!

You got this,

Lauren

10 Simple, Delicious & Healthy Snack Ideas

I'm a snacker. Have been, and always will be one! My friends and family all know that I have a stash of food with me at all times. Why? Well it's simple: I love to eat! But you could imagine how happy I was when I found out that snacking in between meals actually has a lot of benefits: helps you maintain energy throughout the day, keeps your blood sugar levels stable, helps with weight management, and curbs your cravings.

If I went from lunch at 1:30 pm until dinner at 6:30 pm without snacking, all hell would break loose. I would be cranky and not to mention STARVING. At dinner I would probably eat everything in sight before my brain could register that I was full. Not to mention, after dinner I'd probably feel really crappy because of the bad food decisions I made that caused my blood sugar levels go sky rocketing high. Maybe this sounds familiar? 

Snacking between meals can help you gracefully make it from meal to meal and also comes in handy when those snack attacks come to getcha! You know what I'm referring to. That mid afternoon or after dinner craving for food that often leads you sprinting towards the vending machine or candy stash in your pantry. Everyone get's them so don't worry, you are not alone! 

Snack attacks can come on because you are missing nutrition in your diet, eating too little or not the right foods at meals, eating to fill emotional needs, or to ease your nerves. Whatever the reason, know that if a snack attack comes you do not necessarily have to run towards unhealthy choices.

Tips: 

• Try to snack on things that do not come in a plastic wrapper or box. But if you must, choose snacks that have no more than 1-2 lines of ingredients and for the love of all that is healthy, stay away from ingredients that your great-grandmother would not recognize!!!!! Ex. high fructose corn syrup.
• It's all about how to pair your foods! To keep yourself fuller longer and to avoid blood sugar spikes, pair a protein with a carb. So for example, instead of having an orange for a snack, try an orange with a handful of nuts.

Here is a list of a few of my favorite healthy snacks. These snacks are simple, healthy, delicious and most importantly convenient. Convenience is key. Let's be honest, no one has time to step out of the office to go make a batch of kale chips for a snack. The snacks listed below can easily be prepped and put in a container or wrapped in tinfoil to take on the go to work, school, or even a road trip!

1.Apple with almond butter or peanut butter

2.Hummus and veggies

3. Dates stuffed with nut butter of choice- great mix of sweet and creamy goodness!

4. Healthy bars- my favorites are Macro Bars, Kind bars or Two Moms In The Raw bars

5.Brown Rice cakes with peanut butter topped with goji berries

6. Frozen grapes with a handful of nuts

7. Green Smoothie

8. Protein Shake- my favorite protein powder is Vega One Sport (Vanilla or Chocolate)

9.Banana with peanut butter

10. Trail Mix- i love to make my own! Throw your favorite raw nuts and seeds in a jar with optional add-ins such as dark chocolate, dried fruit, or goji berries.

Here's to choosing foods that will make us feel energized, happy and alive!

Lauren

Oh and p.s I say we get some of these bad boys in the vending machines! Press D3 if you'd like dates stuffed with almond butter. YES PLEASE! I like the sound of that!Whose with me?! 

Green Juice To Kick Off 2014

It is day 3 of the New Year and I am feeling more energized than ever before! 

A huge part of my energy boost has come from adding in way more vegetables and fruits to my diet over the past year. A great way to kick off 2014 is by making green juices and smoothies to add in delicious raw fruits and vegetables to your diet. In addition to boosting energy, the benefits of juicing and blending fruits and vegetables include: detoxification, natural weight loss, clearer skin, mental clarity and focus, reduce cravings, increase in antioxidants and fiber, and alkalization. 

I'd like to share with you The Ultimate Green Juice recipe made by Pauline Hanuise for MindBodyGreen. All you need is a juicer! If you don't have a juicer, you can buy one( doesn't have to be an expensive one!) OR see my previous post for a beginner green smoothie recipe to try out with a blender.

Ultimate Green Juice

Serves 1

Ingredients

• A few celery stalks
• 1 broccoli trunk
• 1 green apple
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1/2 cucumber
• Some romaine lettuce
• A few stalks of kale

Preparation

Put all the ingredients in your juicer.

Give it a shot, drink up & Enjoy!!!

Cheers to a healthy & happy 2014,
Lauren