Calories

• Healthy Living 101: Understanding Whole Grains

  Whole grains are made up of the entire or "whole" grain, including the bran, germ, and innermost part of the kernel, the endosperm. Each portion of the grain or seed plays an important role in...[more]

• Healthy Living 101: Classifying Foods

  Foods can be classified by the way they affect the body and/or by their food group. It is important to understand both in order to balance your meals and achieve optimal health. Macronutrients The Merriam-Webster...[more]

• The Truth About Brown Fat

  You may have heard of the term "brown fat" before, so what does that mean exactly? It's not a type of fat you cook with, but rather a type of fat in your body....[more]

• Proteins, Fats, and Carbs: How to Balance Your Diet

  Dieting can be confusing. High-protein diets claim to help you lose weight quickly, but can lead to high cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease. High-carbohydrate diets may be low in fat, but can...[more]

• Excess Weight Ages Us More Quickly

  We all know that being overweight or obese can pose threats to our health, especially at a young age. But what effects does overweight or obesity have on the actual aging process? Obese Children Become...[more]

• Healthy Living 101: How to Read a Nutrition Label

  Too often, purchasing food can be confusing, especially with all of the persuasive marketing tactics used by food companies. Learning how to read, understand, and compare food labels can help you maintain, manage, control, and/or...[more]

• Eat This, Not That: Calorie Cutters

  If you eat more calories than your body needs, your body will inevitable store them as excess weight. The trick is to reduce your calorie intake without feeling like you are depriving yourself - and...[more]

• Ideal Body Composition: What You Should Know

  We live in a culture that has become increasingly more obsessed with body image and weight. Dangerously thin bodies are celebrated and coveted, perpetuating the unrealistic goal of obtaining an ideal body--one devoid of any...[more]

• Eat This, Not That: Breakfast Edition

  You've heard that breakfast is the most important meal. It boosts your metabolism, staves off hunger, and provides you energy to start and get through your day. But what if you are making bad breakfast...[more]

• Real FitDay Users Share: What Was Your "A-Ha" Moment?

  What sparked you to embark on your fitness journey? For many of us, it was one moment or incident - the "a-ha" moment - that got our butts in gear and changed our lives forever....[more]

• Meal Planning Made Simple

  The key to long-term weight management and healthy eating is consuming a balanced diet. Restrictive eating and fad diets may provide temporary weight loss, but they may also provide fatigue, hunger, food fantasizing, malnutrition, binging,...[more]

• 10 Tools to Help Keep You on Track

  1. Good Pair of Shoes Make sure you have a pair of shoes that fit you well and are made for the type of activity you plan to do. For example, don't plan to jog...[more]

• Healthy Kitchen Staples to Start 2012

  If you want to make over your health, refrigerator, and pantry, then make a note of these 12 staples that will get you eating right in the New Year. 1. Assorted Whole Grains Cereals, pasta,...[more]

• The Healthy Food Halo

  Have you ever noticed that certain foods are deemed "healthy" and we seem to think we can eat these foods in unlimited amounts because of their purported health benefits? This has been referred to as...[more]

• Pizza a 'Vegetable'? How to Handle School Lunches

  Recently, Congress passed a bill that classifies the small amount of tomato paste in pizza as the equivalent of a serving of vegetables. The problem is that this legislation can affect the public school...[more]

• 10 Tips to Help You Achieve Your New Year's Health Goals

  With the new year comes the opportunity for a fresh start. For many people, this means leading a healthier lifestyle and losing weight. If this is your goal, follow these tips to stay on track....[more]

• The FitDay Guide to Healthier Holiday Baking

  The holiday season always seems to throw us all into a baking frenzy. We whip up dozens of cookies, cupcakes, pies, candies, and other treats that we then decorate with beautiful holiday colors. While all...[more]

• 5 Ways to Eat Mindfully at Holiday Parties

  The holidays can cause an internal struggle between the desire to splurge on festive treats at numerous feasts and the will to avoid the inevitable weight gain that ensues after overindulging. However, there are ways...[more]

• Using Thanksgiving Day Leftovers in a Healthy Way

  Turkey Day has come and gone, leaving us all feeling a little softer around the middle. So what are you supposed to do with all of those leftovers if you're trying to avoid overeating several...[more]

• How to Cut Extra Fat, Sugar, and Calories from Fall Vegetable Dishes

  Sweet potatoes, yams, pumpkins, and other colorful squash are available in abundance during the fall season. Upcoming holidays like Thanksgiving also bring these vegetables to the forefront, showing up in numerous recipes. Orange-colored vegetables are...[more]

• 4 Ways to Eat Healthy During the Holiday Season

  The holidays are a time for us to gather with family and friends to celebrate. For better or worse, with celebration comes food. If you have been working very hard at eating healthy, losing weight,...[more]

• Stress Eating: What You Can Do to Keep It at Bay

  Stress, boredom, or any array of emotions can lead to cravings for food. If these cravings take control too often, you might find yourself eating large portions of high calorie, sweet, and/or fatty foods. However,...[more]

• Can Eating More Frequently Lead to Weight Loss?

  Have you ever wondered how some people can eat quite frequently but never seem to gain weight? It's often said that eating smaller, more frequent meals fuels your metabolism and helps keep you satisfied throughout...[more]

• Healthy Holiday Eating: A Comparison of Two Meal Plans

  During holiday gatherings, you may be confronted with array of food and drink options that you rarely see during the rest of the year. Though overindulging could derail your health plans, do not despair! Study...[more]

• A Guide to Healthy Holiday Eating

  The holidays are upon us with 6 weeks of temptations from the end of November to the beginning of January, with well-wishers who leave plates of cookies at the office or drop by with gooey...[more]

• 5 Ways to Prevent Weight Gain When You Can't Make Your Own Food

  Staying healthy can be difficult when you have limited resources. College students, for example, typically live in dorm rooms with only small refrigerators and no access to stoves or other kitchen appliances. Frequent business travelers...[more]

• Understanding Metabolism: How It Influences Weight Control

  It may be tempting to blame your failed weight loss attempts or weight gain on a slow metabolism. However, it is rare that excessive weight gain from a medical problem slows metabolism, as in cases...[more]

• 8 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget

  It's often been said that eating healthy is too expensive. This is simply not true. With a few strategies, you can save money while also avoiding extra pounds. Frozen fruits & veggiesPurchasing frozen produce is...[more]

• Not All Calories Are Created Equal

  For decades, we've been taught that weight loss comes down to the simple idea of "calories in versus calories out." This equation is simple and can not be escaped. To lose weight, you must take...[more]

• What Are Carbs? How They Work (and How to Get Them to Work for You)

  Most people view carbohydrates as "evil" foods. Found in breads, pastas, cereals, and almost everything sweet, carbohydrates receive a bad reputation for causing weight gain. In reality, carbohydrates provide energy your body needs to help...[more]

• "Off-Limits"? Think Again! How Cheating Can Help You Succeed

  We've all heard the old adage "cheaters never prosper." But when it comes to following a healthy diet to lose weight or maintain your current weight, do cheaters prosper? Some diets allow for certain "cheat"...[more]

• Measuring Fat and Weight Loss: More Than Stepping on the Scale

  In light of the constant stream of fad diets and the increasing concern for obesity, researchers are constantly looking for the best measure of weight loss. Most people judge their weight loss by checking the...[more]

• Protein and Dairy: A Dieter's Best Friends?

  New research has found that increased consumption of protein, particularly protein from dairy foods, helps people who are dieting lose more fat and preserve lean body mass (muscle) during exercise- and diet-induced weight loss. The...[more]

• Can the Secret to Successful Weight Loss Be as Simple as Chewing More?

  In desperate attempts to lose weight, people are willing to try just about anything. New fad diets are constantly popping up, and the diet industry makes boatloads of cash every year. Americans spend about $40...[more]

• The Good News About "Bad" Fats

  Most people are probably aware that fat is "bad" for you. A diet high in fat is shown to cause many health problems, including heart disease, high cholesterol, and weight gain. However, not all fats...[more]

• Carbs and Dairy: Is It Really Safe to Skip Them?

  As a child, I was taught that my meals needed to come from 4 simple food groups: grains, seafood/meats (including beans), dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese), and fruits/vegetables. Since then, the USDA has issued numerous versions...[more]

• Getting Enough Fiber Is Easier Than You Think!

  The average American is not consuming enough fiber. Most health experts recommend approximately 25-35 grams of fiber every day. A few of the numerous benefits of fiber include its ability to stabilize blood sugar, reduce...[more]

• How Do Nutrition Needs Change with Age?

  As a dietitian who primarily works with children, I receive a lot of questions about whether or not nutrition needs change or increase as a child gets older. The simple answer is yes; the more...[more]

• 3 Steps to Healthy Weight Gain

  While the majority of the clients I see are struggling with the challenges of weight loss, I occasionally encounter somebody who has the opposite predicament. Difficulty gaining weight can be frustrating, and the solution is...[more]

• Quick, Healthy Snacks and Lunches-to-Go

  When life gets busy, eating right can be hard to do. Our increasingly chaotic lifestyles are jam-packed with so many long hours working, taking care of families, trying to maintain healthy relationships, and many other...[more]

• US News Ranks the "Best Diets"

  US News and World Report recently released with a ranking of twenty diets. Their findings were based on seven criteria: short term weight loss, long term weight loss, ease of following, nutrition, safety, effectiveness for...[more]

• Nutritive Versus Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

  Sweeteners, whether they be nutritive (provide calories) or non-nutritive (do not provide calories), are added to a multitude of foods and beverages. Sweeteners not only provide a sweet flavor to foods, they are also used...[more]

• 16 Surprising Sources of Protein

  Protein does more than just build strong muscles. It also strengthens bones, increases satiety, protects against heart disease, and helps support a healthy immune system. We also know that consuming plenty of protein is an...[more]

• What Are Net Carbs?

  Most people who are concerned about their health are very familiar with food labels. You've probably looked at your fair share of Nutrition Facts panels, ingredient lists, and health claims on packaged foods. Reading labels...[more]

• Eat This, Not That: A Comparison of Two Meal Plans

  Every day, we are constantly faced with choices about what to eat. For most of us, it's got to be quick and easy, and it's got to taste good. Unfortunately, the healthy benefits of a...[more]

• Low, Less, and Lite: How to Decipher 'Healthy' Food Labels

  Ever walk down a grocery store aisle and try to decipher labels? Or have you had a hard time deciding whether a product labeled as "low fat" is better than "low sugar?" You are not...[more]

• 3 Steps to Smart Snacking

  If you ask anyone in the health profession how often you should eat, you will most likely be told to eat 5 to 6 small meals spread out over the course of each day. The...[more]

• A Dietitian's Take on the New MyPlate

  The USDA's familiar MyPyramid has just been replaced with MyPlate. The consensus seems to be that this new model is simpler and easier to understand than the previous version, and I completely agree. Consisting of...[more]

• Is Your Body in Need of a Calorie Reduction?

  A calorie reduction is synonymous with weight loss since weight gain is based on eating calories and also eating more calories than you burn. You can look at a few specific warning signs in...[more]

• Can Calorie Reduction Drastically Affect My Mood?

  Calorie reduction can drastically affect your mood. Food has an impact on your mental health and your mood. When you drastically reduce your calories, you set off physiological processes in your body that can...[more]

• Dark Chocolate Nutritional Information

  Besides being delicious, dark chocolate offers health benefits. Cocoa beans, its basic ingredient, are rich in flavanols, which are antioxidants that ward off damage to your cells and organs. Dark chocolate thus provides flavanols that help guard the...[more]

• Nutritional Facts for Rice Milk

  Rice milk is made by streaming brown rice through a mill stream and filtering out the pressed grain. It is a high-carb alternative to cow's milk. Popular brands, such Rice Dream and The Bridge,...[more]

• Dark Chocolate vs. Milk Chocolate vs. White Chocolate

  With the wide variety of chocolate available, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate, how can you tell which is the best for your health and your sweet tooth? Read on to compare...[more]

• Red Wine: Calories, Carbs and More Nutrition Facts

  Red wine is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by crushing red grapes and using yeast to consume the grape sugars. The yeast converts the sugars into alcohol over time. The result is a beverage...[more]

• Skim Milk Nutritional Facts

  Skim milk is packed with nutrients and does not have the calories and fat of whole milk. Skim milk has several benefits, such as building strong calcium enriched bones and maintaining a healthy weight....[more]

• Soy Milk: Nutritional Facts

  Soy milk provides excellent nutrition that is high in protein and carbohydrates, but low in fat and cholesterol. Soy milk is made by pressing harvested soy beans in water and removing the insoluble fiber....[more]

• Almond Milk Nutritional Facts

  Almond milk is a nutritious beverage that's often consumed as an alternative to cow's milk. The drink is made by soaking almonds in water for 6 to 8 hours. The almonds are drained and...[more]

• Craving Something Sweet? 9 Low Calorie Candy Options

  How do you curb your cravings when you're on a low-cal diet? Just because you're watching your weight doesn't mean you have to eliminate all sweet snacks. There are a number of low calorie...[more]

• Yerba Mate Nutrition Facts

  Yerba mate is a perennial plant that is typically sold as loose tea and can be a healthy part of any diet. In addition to tasting great, this unique type of plant has a...[more]

• Obesity Nutrition Facts - The Truth About Calories

  Proper obesity nutrition and a regular exercise regime are the only two things that can help you counter obesity effectively. Obesity may be defined as an increase in the fatty tissue inside your body...[more]

• Reading A Nutrition Label - Avoid The Traps

  A package label is not always what it says it is supposed to be; sometimes, they are nothing but a marketing ploy meant to get you to buy the item. What you have to...[more]

• How Many Calories Should Chicken Have?

  While chicken has earned a reputation as a healthy, low-calorie source of protein, the number of calories in chicken can vary by large amounts—depending how it is baked, grilled, fried, broiled or stewed.  When...[more]

• How Many Calories Should I Eat to Lose Weight

  When starting a diet, the first question that everyone usually asks is, “How many calories should I eat to lose weight?” The good news is that the answer to this question is not a...[more]

• Portion Control / Plate Size Tips For Caloric Control

  The portion control plate is one easy way to control your portion sizes without having to count calories with every meal. This simple system allows you to use visual estimations of an appropriate portion...[more]

• How To Count Calories And Lose Weight

  Everyone knows that by counting calories you lose weight. But, how do you do it properly? You have to know how many calories you need for the size of your body and your level...[more]

• The Nutritional Value of Mushrooms

  Mushrooms can provide more than just taste and texture for our meals--they actually have a surprisingly high nutritional value also. With more than 14,000 kinds of mushrooms in existence, only 3,000 of those are...[more]

• 9 Metabolism Boosting Foods For Faster Weight Loss

  As amazing as it may seem, it is possible to boost your metabolism with metabolism foods. Since  metabolism is basically how fast and efficiently your body burns the calories you eat every day, the...[more]

• Calculating Calories Burned From Your Exercise Routine

  The amount of calories burned from your exercise routine depends on the duration and intensity of the exercise, as well as on your weight. Once you find out this amount you can increase it...[more]

• What's A Calorie? How Many Do I Need?

  There are very scientific terms that define a calorie, but the precise definition is better replaced by a simpler standard for our discussion. A calorie is a unit of measure for energy, that our...[more]