Low-Calorie Desserts - All the Fun of Cheating on Your Diet With None of the Guilt

By Barbara Cagle

I hate dieting. I would guess you do too. Not only are we required to deprive ourselves of the foods we love, we are made to feel guilty which can actually lead to eating more of the foods we should not be eating. Here are some recipes I have discovered that may help you stay on track without having to make the ultimate sacrifice of no more desserts. These are healthy low-calorie deserts that you can eat on most any diet.

First up VANILLA CUSTARD. At only 20 calories per tablespoon,you can eat a small cup of this without the guilt and it is a delicious treat at the end of any meal.Steeping the vanilla bean in the milk helps mask the fact that a good portion of the fat has been omitted. This rich custard is a no-bake version I am sure you will enjoy.

You will need:

2 c ups low-fat milk

1/2 vanilla bean ( about 2 1/2 inches, sliced down the length to expose the seeds)

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1 large egg

Pour the milk into a small saucepan and add the vanilla bean. Heat over medium-low heat until small bubbles appear around the edges of the milk. Remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.

Remove the vanilla bean from the milk, using the tip of a small spoon or butter knife,scrape the remaining seeds from the inside of the bean and stir into the milk. Discard the bean pod.

Stir the sugar and cornstarch in a clean saucepan to blend. Gradually add the milk and stir until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Stir in the egg, and heat the mixture over medium heat until it reaches a boil and has thickened. As soon as the mixture reaches a boil remove from heat. Pour immediately into serving dishes or one large bowl. Cover with clear plastic wrap over the top. Allow the plastic to touch the top of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.Serve chilled.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

20 calories / tablespoon, 1 G protein, 0.4 G fat, 3 G carbohydrates, 13 mg sodium, and 10 mg cholesterol.

Custards not your thing? How about some CHOCOLATE CAKE? Substituting cocoa powder for baking chocolate will save 10 grams of fat. For this Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Raspberry Glaze you will need:

1 cup plus 12 whole hazelnuts

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

Oil and flour for the pan (our you can use a baking spray)

2 large eggs

2 egg whites

3/4 cup mild flavored vegetable oil (a corn oil is good)

1/4 cup strong brewed espresso coffee, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cop unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Whole raspberries for garnish (optional)

You can also substitute strawberry for the raspberry above

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking pan and heat until the skins are cracked and the nuts are toasted, about 13 minutes. Transfer to a wire mesh strainer and, protecting your hand with a pot-holder and holding the strainer over a bowl or the sink, rub the nuts briskly to remove the loose skins. Cool.

Set aside 12 hazelnuts; coarsely chop and reserve for the garnish. Finely chop the remaining hazelnuts in a food processor with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Set aside.

Lightly oil and flour a 10 inch spring-form pan: Shake out the excess flour (or use a baker's spray).

Beat the whole eggs and egg whites in a large mixing bowl until frothy. Gradually beat in the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar. Continue beating until the mixture is pale yellow in color, about 5 minutes. At the lowest speed, beat in the oil in a slow, steady stream. Add the coffee and vanilla.

Stir the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl; stir in the finely chopped toasted hazelnut-sugar mixture. Add the egg mixture and gently fold until thoroughly blended. Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake until the edges pull away form the sides of the pan and the center is firm to the touch, about 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes. In a small saucepan, stir the raspberry jam over low heat until melted and smooth. Spread in a smooth, even layer on top of the cake. Let stand until the cake is thoroughly cooled and the jam is set.

Loosen the sides of the cake with a small spatula. Remove the sides of the pan. Slide the cake onto a serving platter. Decorate the top with a border of the reserved chopped hazelnuts and evenly spaced whole raspberries, if desired. Serve in thin wedges.

The deep chocolate flavor of this cake disguises the low 281 calories per serving.

5 G protein, 21 G fat, 23 G carbohydrates, 73 mg sodium, 36 mg cholesterol.

CHEESECAKE! Yes, who doesn't crave cheesecake when dieting. Here is a cheesecake you will love.

Orange Cheesecake and Strawberries is only 137 calories per serving. Yes, you can! To make this cheesecake you will need:

The Crust

1 cup finely crushed vanilla wafers

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon egg white

vegetable-oil cooking spray

The Cheesecake

1 container (16 ounces) low-fat cottage cheese

1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large navel orange, sectioned, membranes removed

1 pint ripe strawberries, thinly sliced

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Combine the vanilla wafers and cinnamon in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the egg white until foamy and blend it into the crumbs with a fork.

Spray a 9 inch spring-form pan with the vegetable-oil cooking spray. Press the crumbs in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared ban. Bake 10 minutes. Cool.Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, cream cheese, sugar, flour, orange juice,orange zest, and vanilla until very smooth. Spoon into the prepared crust and smooth the top with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon.

Bake until set in the center, about 35 - 40 minutes. Cool in the pan. Refrigerate until cold. Loosen the sides of the cake with a small spatula and remove the pan rim.

Combine the orange sections and strawberries. Cut the cheesecake into 12 wedges. Spoon some of the fruit on each wedge to serve.

137 calories per serving. 8 G protein, 5 G fat, 17 G carbohydrate, 281 mg sodium, 12 mg cholesterol.

Sometimes we just want something fruity. Fruit satisfies that need for something sweet without any of the guilt. Try this simple Winter Fruit Tart for a change. A little higher in calories, but worth it, especially if you substitute for some of those high calorie holiday desserts.

For the WINTER FRUIT TART you will need:

The Filling

1 8 ounce package dried figs, stems trimmed, and quartered, about 1 1/2 cups ( I use the Calimyrna figs)

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup dried apple chunks

1 2-inch piece vanilla bean,split

2 cups unsweetened apple juice (or for a less sweet filling, half apple juice and half water)

For the Crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup mild-flavored vegetable oil (I prefer corn oil)

3 tablespoons low-fat milk,or more if needed

2 large ripe pears, peeled,cored and quartered, cut into 1/2 inch wedges

2 tablespoons sliced natural (unblanched) almonds

For the filling: combine the figs, raisins, apples, vanilla bean and apple juice in a medium saucepan. Heat to boiling; reduce the heat to low and cook, covered,until the fruit is tender, about 25 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat and boil until the liquid is evaporated and the fruit is dry, about 2 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid. Transfer to a platter and cool in the refrigerator. Remove the vanilla ban before using the filling.

Meanwhile, make the crust by combining the flours, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Gradually add the oil while stirring quickly with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Drizzle int he milk and toss with a fork until the dough forms. Gather into a ball and roll the crust between two sheets of wax paper into a 10-inch circle. Fit the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch loose-bottomed tart pan. Use any excess dough to reinforce the sides of the shell to make a rigid edge.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the cooled dried-fruit filling into the tart shell. Arrange the pears on their sides in a sunburst pattern. pressing them into the filling. Sprinkle with the almonds.

Bake in the preheated oven 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 250 degrees F and bake 20 minutes more, or until the crust is browned. Cool on a rack. Carefully remove the outside rim of the tart pan. Makes about 6 servings.

408 calories per serving, 5 G protein, 12 G fat, 76 G carbohydrates, 197 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol.

You can have your sweets and diet too. Many people fall off their diets during the holidays because of the abundance of sweets at every table. Choosing wisely and using these lower calorie options may help you stay on track through the winter holiday season and eliminate that guilt you feel when you find yourself cheating.

Where to Buy Fructose Free Foods

By Leonie Washington

High Fructose corn syrup is an ingredient found in almost every processed food and drink that you buy. Many sodas, juice, bread, basked goods and condiments are made with this ingredient. There is a major debate within the food and nutrition community about whether are not high fructose corn syrup is healthy. Some experts say that unlike natural sugar it raises blood sugar levels drastically and is higher in calories, while other experts say consuming fructose free foods does not make one healthier

Whether or not you believe consuming fructose free foods will improve or make no difference to your health, one fact is that sugar is high in calories and too much can be detrimental. So what can you do? For starters you can make small changes to your diet by knowing where to purchase organic foods with natural ingredients and less sugar. A great place to buy inexpensive organic food is Trader Joe's.

Some people have the impression that stores that sell organic foods have high prices. Many items at Trader Joe's that are fructose free such as syrup, salad dressing, bread, juice and ice cream often cost less and some are approximately the same cost as non fructose free foods at popular supermarkets.

Trader Joe's also carry a wide variety of items like meats, produce, dairy, breakfast, baking, snack, and dessert products that are nutritious and also tasty. As America is becoming a society that's more green conscious in how we affect the environment, it is important not to exclude the foods we eat since this is a major part of out lives.

What You Must Know About Meal Replacement Bars

By Jonathan Octavius Bell

I think a really important thing you should know about meal replacement bars is that they're a great aid in losing weight - but only if used properly. Most people assume that a meal replacement bar is simply a bar that's allocated to let's say lunch. They think that eating the bar at lunch time will then aid them in losing weight - and this may be the case.

But more important they're meant to be used as part of a small meal diet, where you have five smaller meals instead of five big ones. This type of diet achieves two things, restricting calorie intake and helping maintain or even increase metabolism. From here you should start to lose weight as long as you don't stray from the course!

They're not usually meant to simply replace a meal which was previously much larger. People who want to lose fat, tend to have had a several hundred calorie abundance for several years. A tall man who would need around 2500 calories to maintain his weight may have been eating 2700 for several years. In this instance all he has to do is reduce his calorie intake by 200 to stop gaining weight, and 300-500 to lose mass.

But what's important is that he must have a calorie deficit without affecting his metabolism. Usually when people are desperate to lose weight they think by starving themselves for a week will do the trick. They may lose some weight at first, but when the body realizes it's going to go without food for a while the metabolism drops massively. This means that the tall man's 2500 calorie daily allowance to maintain his weight is no longer applicable... it may be 2000 or even 1500! This is why it's important to lose weight by dieting properly and over a long period - and not just fad dieting - this is why meal replacement bars are so useful in losing weight.

The Margaret River Wine Region Western Australia

By Eric Simon

At the southern most tip of the grand continent and country of Australia is the gorgeous Margaret River Wine Region. The lush region is home to over 60 sprawling wineries, hundreds of delicious restaurants, and entertainment for the whole family. Margaret River Wine Region is predominately boutique wineries producing only one percent of the countries wine, however the region produces over 15 percent of Australia's premium wine. Wineries use anywhere from 2.5 tons of grapes to 7000 tons of grapes. The boutique wineries are able to control the quality of their wine better than the larger commercial wineries found in other part of Australia. Many of the wineries offer free or reasonable pricing on their delectable wine tastings. The vineyards are the main attraction in this historical surfing area but they are not the only side to this beautiful region.

Among the luxurious and delightful wineries are the great restaurants for all appetites. Cuisines range from fresh fish caught right off shore to the italian and even native Australian food. Restaurants are mostly casual but there are plenty of fancier establishment for a romantic evening overlooking the green wine region or the powerful ocean. Local restaurants serve wine from around to region, giving guest another opportunity to try a new type or winery while at dinner as well. After a warm meal, gaze at the beauty of the region around you with a glass of rich desert wine or liquor from the Margaret River Wine Region.

Yes, that is right throughout Margaret River are distilleries of all types of alcohol. Most are smaller brands, that rarely leave the country for as an export but they all offering tasting and many have tours for the interested guests. Unlike the wineries the distilleries are fully operational throughout the year, therefore tours and purchasing can be done at any time. Scattered around the distilleries and wineries are unique specialty producers including sweet chocolate houses, fudge, and ice cream factories. As with the distilleries they offer an insiders view on the making of their sweets from start to finish.

For the more adventurous tourist, Margaret Wine Region boasts majestic hills and cliffs for hiking, rock climbing, and extreme bike riding. It is suggested visitors consult or hire a guide to travel on the beaten trails due to changing landscape and wildlife found in the area. Heading down to the shore, massive waves pound the shore year around creating a surfers paradise. Locals are usually surfing the waves and visitors are welcomed to join in on the fun or bask in the sun on the gorgeous beaches which line the coast.

The Margaret Wine Region is only a short jog from the city of perth, folks can travel by bus, train, plain, or personal vehicle to the gorgeous region. Traveling through the region there are hotels, bed and breakfasts, and select wineries have accommodations for guests. When visiting Australia, the wineries, distilleries, sweet factories, and fining dining found in the Margaret Wine Region are a must.

Diet Solutions to Help Lower Cholesterol

By John F Black

Heart Attack is the second most rampant disease in world, second only to cancer. In America alone, there have been 780,000 new cases in 2009. In the same year, 408,000 people experienced their second or third heart attack. All experts expect this number to continually rise if nothing is done to stop it.

The leading causes of heart attacks and heart disease are stress and a bad diet. Bad diet has contributed to the growth obesity cases in the United States. There are over 60 million cases of obesity among adults and over 9 million in children. Obesity cases continue to grow in the continental United States and this trend is crossing over to other countries and cultures as well. Obesity leads to high blood pressure which in turn contributes to heart disease and heart attacks.

New ways of dealing with this rising epidemic are coming out of the woodwork. Gastric Bypass is a means where people dealing with the disease can curb their desire to eat by limiting the capacity of food they can take in. Diet pills have also improved since they have come out and now offer lesser side effects. However, these do not solve the problem. They only alleviate the symptoms. The only true solution to this problem of heart disease is a life change which involves a better diet and a sound exercise plan.

One change that one can make is by eating out less. Home cooked food is healthier because you get to control what goes into it. One added benefit is that preparing your own meals also gives you savings.

Even if you prepare your meal on your own if you do not put in the right things, you will not get healthy. However, sometimes, it is not about what you put in but more about what you do not put in. Try to eliminate fatty items from the food you cook. Choose leaner cuts of meat. Choose healthier oils like vegetable oil and olive oil instead of butter and Crisco.

Removing fatty foods is only the first step. It is also important to add in healthy items to your diet as well. Garlic is a food item that has been proven to lower blood pressure. Garlic is not only good for you, it tastes good as well. Lemongrass is also an herb that works well in lowering cholesterol.

Vegetables are also important in a healthy diet because it is jam packed with beneficial vitamins and minerals. It is also a good source of fiber which in turn helps the digestive system process food better. Studies show that a good digestive system allows for better absorption of nutrients as well as a better excretion of waste and toxins.

Food Supplements and other over the counter drugs can help a person get the necessary nutrients they are missing. There are also alternative drugs that lower cholesterol and in the process guard against heart disease and heart attacks.

Heart disease is a serious concern, especially with a growing number of cases around the world. The disease does not choose who to affect but it often happens to people with families. What happens to these families when their loved one is taken suddenly?

Fat Burning Diet - What You Need To Know

By Bradley White

If you are looking to lose weight, you might want to consider going on a fat burning diet and an effective cardio-centric workout plan. It is necessary to make radical changes in your diet if you wish to achieve your ideal weight and get rid of all the excess pounds permanently.

What constitutes a fat burning diet?

The most important components of a calorie burning fitness plan are fat free and protein rich foods. You would also have to give up certain indulgences such as fast food junk, chips, and carbonated drinks. It is also recommended that you consume large amounts of fruits as well as vegetables especially the following:

Apples 

Citrus fruits (grapefruit, oranges, lemons) 

Melons and Watermelons 

Berries 

Beans 

Broccoli 

Peppers

In addition, you should also do away with too much starch in your daily meals. You can instead substitute starch with lean meat such as beef and chicken as well as fishes that are rich in fatty acids. Salmon, tuna, sea bass, and sardines are just some of the best fishes to have for lunch or dinner.

How does one successfully stick to the meal plans?

Being on a strict diet is never easy especially if everyone else in your household are fond of binge eating. The best thing to do is to start cooking your own meals in accordance with the fat burning diet. There are very simple and healthy recipes you can follow which would allow positive results to occur in as little time as few weeks. The effects of this fitness plan can also be boosted by exercise.

Healthy Recipes On A Budget: 5 Nutritious Meals You Can Try Now

By David J. Jefferson

It can be hard sometimes to find food that is nutritious, affordable, and great-tasting. Most people think that accomplishing two of those goals means compromising the third, but that's not true! Here are five quick, healthy recipes on a budget that you can start trying today...

1. White Chili

Most people probably don't equate the words "health" and "chili," but white chili is a delicious and healthy recipe for a tight budget. Instead of using ground beef or other fatty meats, get lean ground turkey. Combine that with white beans, spices like garlic and cumin, and some chicken broth and yogurt for the smooth, creamy base.

2. Easy Omelet

Many people believe eggs are unhealthy or too full of cholesterol, but free-range eggs are full of protein and health omega-3 fats. To make this easy, health recipe, start with a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, followed by three pre-beat eggs. Stir the eggs around until just before they start to set, place a lid on the pan, and turn the heat to low. After about 2 minutes, you'll have the perfect omelet that will slide right out of the pan!

3. Delicious Pork Tenderloin

When you think pork, you usually think fat, but certain cuts like tenderloin are extremely lean and cost-effective! To make this perfect health recipe on a budget, start by salting the outside of the tenderloin. Then, cook it on all sides in a cast-iron pan in olive oil until the whole thing is golden-brown on the outside. To finish the cooking process, add a bit of chicken stock or water to the cast-iron for moisture, and place the whole thing in a 350-degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Serve with barbeque sauce or your favorite home-made sauce.

4. Greek Yogurt on the Cheap

Greek yogurt is protein-packed and full of healthy enzymes, but it tends to cost more than regular yogurt. To make your own for less, put a coffee filter over a metal strainer and dump your normal whole-milk yogurt into that! Place the strainer over a bowl to catch the drippings, and after about a day, the filter will be full of thick, Greek yogurt! To make it part of a great, healthy recipe, add nuts, granola, or fruit.

5. The Simplest Broccoli Soup

No, we're not talking about cream of broccoli, just plain (but delicious!) broccoli soup. To make this healthy budget recipe, get broccoli that has a dark green color and no extra leaves or flowers coming off of it. Trim the bushy parts off, leaving the stems for another day, and put them into a pot of boiling, salted water. Once the broccoli is cooked through, add it to a blender along with about two cups of the now-green water. Blend, adjust the seasoning, and serve! It goes great with cheese and nuts.

Low Carb High Protein Recipes

By Bernie Dozier

Low carbohydrates high protein recipes have always been popular with athletes. This popularity has exploded in the last 10 years due to the introduction of low carb diets to the public. There are many low carb diet recipes such as, low carb breakfast recipes, low carb lunch recipes, regular low carbohydrates recipes, free information on recipes, and high protein recipes that are more and more popular to the public more so than athletes today.

The high protein low carbohydrates diet will consist of foods that are high in protein but low in carbohydrates such as, lean hamburger meat, lean steaks, most cuts of lean red meats, all types of chicken, fish, pork chops, pork loins or tenderloin, ham (check bacon), eggs, milk, yogurt, hard - soft - medium cheeses, tofu, soy milk, beans, split peas, peanut butter, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds and a whole lot more.

The small list above will give you an idea of high protein foods that can be associated with low carbohydrates high protein recipes, and can also be formed into low carb breakfast recipes as well. If your body is consuming the correct balance of low carbs and proteins, this will not only allow your body to shed pounds but in-effect transform areas that use to be problem fatty areas into muscle. Yes, the high protein diets will use that protein to develop muscle in the areas were muscle is needed.

Many professional body builders use these types of diets to shed fatty tissue and build muscle tone. With weight training and proper exercise this can be achieved. For those that would like to find a low carbohydrates high protein diet, there are many available and not just for eating meat. You can find a diet that's right for you. If you would prefer to eat beans, soy, nuts and such, there are diet recipes available to accommodate you. These diets are not set in stone and can be used in a multitude of different ways.

You have to remember that, although you can find low carb recipes free, that doesn't always mean they are the right recipes for you. Do the research; find the information that closely resembles the types of foods you've eaten before, this will help you to get started. Then you can add different food groups that may be new to you, and you can enjoy a decent low carb high protein diet with newer foods.

There is another reminder I would like to add about finding low carb high protein recipes and that is, you don't want to make this out to be a job. You want to look forward to your next meal. It is very important to realize this. If you make it into a job, you will lose interest very quickly and for the most part stop dieting. This happens to millions of people around the world. They are dieting with foods they do not like to eat, they fashion the diet into something horrible. Then blame it on the diet or recipes for the failure.

Take your time in getting the right recipes, pick and choose, there are many low carb high protein recipes available. Find one that will fit your lifestyle with the high proteins you can eat that you enjoy. Some people like to eat meat, others don't. Some people like dairy products, others don't. You can take many different recipes and create your own plan. This is done all the time. We try to make it simple by putting together the most common recipes, and making them available. Low carbohydrates high protein recipes and low carbohydrates breakfast recipes, all being the most common will help you in achieving your goals very quickly.

The History of the Jelly Belly Candy Company

By Julee Morrison

The Jelly Belly Candy Company produces some of the most flavorful jelly beans with flavors ranging from buttered popcorn to cherry and everything in between. It's a company that was started in America in 1869, just two years after brothers Gustav and Albert Goelitz emigrated from the Harz Mountain region of Germany.

Reuniting with an uncle who had migrated five years prior, Gustav, age 24, set up an ice cream and candy store in Belleville, Illinois and Albert, age 21, took to a horse drawn wagon to sell their confections to surrounding communities.

The Goelitz brothers by no means invented jelly beans. These tiny jelly candies have been around since Biblical Times, known as "Turkish Delight", which originated in Instanbul, Turkey. The original jelly bean was a citrus, rose water and honey gel that had a firm outer coating and chewy center.

In the late 1800s Americans became infatuated with penny candy as candy makers began creating sugar candies. Inspired by Jordan Almonds, which was then known as "Confetti", "Turkish Delight" was recreated and shaped into a bean and coated with a soft shell using a process called "panning". This process originates back the 17th century France. Raw nuts or fruit were placed in a bowl filled with sugar and syrup, then by hand, the bowl was rocked back and forth until the nuts or fruit were coated with the syrup and sugar. Whose idea it was to modify and coat the "Turkish Delight" is unknown, though early advertising records attribute William Schraft, as he promoted sending the jelly beans to Civil War Union Soldiers.

Then one of America's worst economic depressions hit in 1893. Paper money was double the value of the gold backing it. The financial strain hit the Goelitz Brothers and they were forced to assign assets to creditors and sell the business. Albert continued selling candy for another company until his death at the age of 80. Gustav, however, never recovered, dying in 1901, just one week shy of his 56th birthday.

In 1898, the next generation of Goelitz, Gustav's son, Adolph with the help of his friend and neighbor, William Kelley, opened a candy shop in Cincinnati, Ohio. Edward Kelley, William's cousin, was hired in 1901 as the company's bookkeeper. Through his employement he met and fell in love with Goelitz's sister, Joanna. The two were married, formally joining the Goelitz and Kelley's into a family partnership.

The 1900s had America in love with chocolate. Then World War II entered and as chocolate was sent to overseas troops, creating a chocolate shortage, Americans migrated back to penny candies and jelly beans. It was one, if not the first, of confectionary items to be sold by weight as "bulk candy".

The country's candy manufacturer's employed an estimated 27,000 workers and the Goelitz Confectionery Company prospered. The arrival of 1912 had the company turning away orders due to the lack of production capacity.

Goelitz and Kelley found a factory along the north shores of Lake Michigan. Its location offered rail service and the land was affordable. They purchased the factory and moved the company to North Chicago. Income tax was introduced in 1913 and closed the doors of many mom-and-pop candy makers. Goelitz Confectionery Company was well established and survived, making primarily butter creams, which would later be known as mellocremes. Licorice, chocolate and peppermints were also manufactured, however, the mellocremes kept the company growing for the next five decades.

The best seller for the Goelitz Confectionery Company was candy corns. Origin shows the candy corn being invented during the 1880s, thought Goelitz Confectionery Company's don't show production of candy corn until 1900. Regardless of when they began manufacturing candy corns, the company created a reputation for the finest candy corn on the market.

Candy making was seasonal work, mainly March through Thanksgiving, employing 30 workers for the autumn candy production. Without air conditioning, the factory was hot as more than 50 batches of candy were created each day.

Employees worked six, ten hour days at a wage of $5.22 per week in 1900. The weekly salary rose to $11.18 per week by 1917.

Men, employed as "stringers", would walk backwards pouring "runners", hand-held buckets, each weighing 45 pounds, into trays of cornstarch imprinted with kernel-shaped molds. The candy corn production required three passes: one for orange, white and yellow colors.

Wooden buckets, tubs and cartons were used to pack customer orders. Using paste the workers made themselves, labels were placed on the packages and delivered by wagon to customers in the area. Railroad cars handled orders for customers of longer distances. Very long distances were not an option due to the products perishability.

The beginning of World War I found turmoil within the company. Gus Jr. left the business permanently and Herman migrated west to California and opened his own company, The Herman Goelitz Candy Co. Herman's company manufactured what Herman knew best, Candy Corn. He was too far from his family's business to be of competition.

Following the Great Depression, the third generation of the California and Illinois candy making companies saw other manufacturers creating candy corns and undercutting prices. It was hurting both businesses. William Kelley, based in Illinois and Herman Rowland, descendent of Gustav Goelitz, recognized that expansion was necessary if they were to survive. They needed to diversify the product or close their doors. The company, lead by 19 year old Herman Rowland, expanded adding Chocolate Dutch Mints, gummi bears, jelly beans and jells to production.

The Governor of California, Ronald Reagan, wrote his famous letter stating, "We can hardly start a meeting or make a decision without passing around the jar of jelly beans" in 1967.

Sugar prices soared in 1975 and candy business went out of business as buyers held back orders hoping to wait out the crisis. The Chicago plant was closed for a couple of months to buy time, while Herman, in California, borrowed heavily to buy sugar to continue production.

A driver for a candy distributor, David Klein, approached Herman Rowland and shared his childhood dream, to create "the Rolls Royce of jelly beans". The Goelitz candy makers, who had built a reputation for quality, crafted eight flavors of small, intensely flavored jelly beans in the summer of 1976. The company created a process that cooked the flavors into not only the shells, but the center of the jelly beans and used natural ingredients wherever possible. They spared no cost in using only the very best ingredients.

The Goeltiz's chose unusual flavors, never before made into jelly beans: Very Cherry, Lemon, Cream Soda, Tangerine, Green Apple, Root Beer, Grape and Licorice. They called these jelly beans, Jelly Bellys, a derivation from a rhyme with the 1920s blues singer, Leadbelly. The new flavors were sold individually, revolutionizing the mixed bags of jelly beans.

The Jelly Bellys were a sensation and Herman found himself in need of additional production to meet the demand. He called William Kelley in Illinois and the candy making family was reunited into a single company for the first time in 58 years.

During the 1980 Presidential Election, Jelly Belly entered the homes of America. Former Governor, Ronald Reagon, won the election and brought Jelly Belly into the White House. Reagan's passion for jelly beans introduced Blueberry Jelly Bellys, so he could serve red, white and blue jelly beans at inaugural parties. Production increased to round the clock and orders from current retailers were booked two years in advance of being able to ship.

Three tons of Jelly Bellys were served at the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan. More than 10,000 Jelly Bellys were used to create a portrait of Ronald Reagan.

Jelly Belly was the first jelly bean in outer space. In 1983 as a presidential surprise fot eh astronauts, Jelly Bellys were sent on the space shuttle Challenger. It was also the flight of the first American female astronaut, Sally Ride.

Each Jelly Belly has just one calorie! This makes it a choice snack among dieters as the Jelly Bellys taste so much like the foods they are supposed to be that it feels like an indulgence eating caramel apple or buttered popcorn!

Today, the Jelly Belly Candy Company is the world's choice for gourmet jelly beans. They have fifty official flavors and countless other flavors from special to collections to wacky. Jelly Belly offers Movie Flavors which are popular. The Ant Bully offers the flavor, dirt. The best selling movie flavors, however, come from Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, featuring flavors like Ear Wax, Rotten Egg and Vomit.

Consumers love mixing different flavors of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans to create a new flavor. It's so much fun that the company has a link of recipes on its website and recipes can be found on each package of Jelly Bellys. The company still manufacturers candy corn, and more than 100 other candies, including gummis, sour candies and chocolates.

Mexican Meals For Dieters - Making Good Choices

By Christine Szalay-Kudra

By planning ahead and being aware of what is healthy and what is not, you can enjoy all your favorite traditional Mexican foods without having to go hungry or feel like you are missing out. Whether you are thinking about making a Mexican food recipe at home or ordering at a restaurant, a little background knowledge about low fat and low calorie choices can mean the difference between a healthy meal and an unhealthy one.

For many people, their idea of authentic Mexican food recipes would be deep fried tortillas filled with meat, cream, and lots of cheese, tortilla chips, guacamole, and creamy dips. If you were to visit Mexico, you might be surprised about what the locals actually eat. If they were to eat what some westerners think they do, they would all be obese!

Traditional Mexican Foods

A lot of the meals do contain cheese and some contain cream or are deep fried, but Mexico's diet is more versatile and varied than some people give it credit for. We might go to a restaurant and order fried items with creamy dressings and then a rich chocolate dessert. A Mexican meal is more likely to consist of meat, chicken or fish with a selection of fresh vegetables, fresh herbs, and a tomato-based sauce or some kind of dressing.

Tortillas feature on the Mexican table at most meals but they are not the deep-fried, bright yellow, U-shaped ones you get at fast food joints; rather they are simple flour or corn ones, which can be eaten as a meal accompaniment, used to scoop up soup or stew or filled with chicken, meat, vegetables, cheese or eggs and enjoyed like that.

Western restaurants cater for the western palate. Most Chinese restaurants use a lot of sugar in their entrees, to make them more palatable to westerners, who find it hard to believe that the typical Chinese diet is rather plain in comparison.

A simple mixture of rice, fish or meat and vegetables is the daily diet in many Asian homes. So why do people not realize that Mexican food is not what you get at junk food restaurants, Tex-Mex restaurants or most non-authentic south of the border eateries?

Healthy South Of The Border Choices

The truth about traditional south of the border meals is that they are generally quite healthy. Take Mexican stew or casserole, for example. This would be a combination of beef, pork, or chicken with all your favorite vegetables and a mouthwatering sauce made with chilies, tomatoes, garlic, fresh cilantro or parsley, lime juice and cumin.

The aromatic flavors work well with the meat and vegetables and because this is so healthy, you can balance it out with some grated cheese on top or sour cream on the side. Such a meal would be more filling and tasty than a greasy, deep fried dish which is slathered in molten cheese.

By all means, you can order sour cream or guacamole on the side, or sprinkle some cheese over your food, if you select a nutritious entree. Choose a soup or salad for your appetizer and a fruit-based dessert and your whole meal can be nutritious yet very filling and enjoyable. You do not have to deprive yourself altogether of the tasty dips or creamy side dishes if you choose your meal wisely.

By Orlando Ramos

By Orlando Ramos 

As the spring rolls into summer, we are ready to hit the road again. Food on the road can be a dangerous thing for the weak. Most highways and freeways offer fast foods, microwave items, junk food galore and lets not forget the endless choices of soft drinks! Not to mention, eating junk food for a couple of days can leave you feeling fatigued and grouchy, as well as give you a stomach ache. With a bit of planning and willpower, you can steer your way around the junk food and maintain your healthy lifestyle while on a long road trip.

If you have a planned route, do a bit of research to see what sites and locations may be of interest to you. Also what great places there are to eat along the way. You may even want to call ahead to a property and ask a local what's good in the neighborhood.

Take the time to plan out your meals and food options. To pack a cooler for a 2 or 3 day trip should be well thought out is easy. An assortment of healthy snacks, such as fresh and dried fruit and good quality cold cuts and whole grain bread is recommended. It is obviously important to drink lots of water and keep plenty of ice in the cooler to avoid food spoilage. A simple effort on your part can save you time, money, as well as a bit on your waistline. You'll feel better, healthier, more active, and enjoy yourself more. If you are eating breakfast at a restaurant or a continental breakfast, avoid excess sugar. High carbohydrate meals may improve your mood for a short time, but lots of high fructose items can also make you sleepy. That's not good when your driving.

You should make time for brief stops every 2 hours or so. Having children on board is a greater challenge, but non the less still a pleasure. Organic single serve yogurt is a an easy item to keep in the cooler and usually are sealed and disposable. If time and location permits, make a few stops along road side produce stands. Fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables are a the ultimate food choice! Plus it will give you and yours a great opportunity to really take in the sights, smells and flavors that a region offers.

If you are staying in a hotel or motel for the night, make sure to evaluate your cooler and check to see that all items are sealed properly and that the ice replenished as needed.

Eat for Energy - 6 Foods That Give You Energy and Are Good for Weight Loss!

 By Bill Goode

The secret is out: the food can be your best friend to lose weight. Whether you need to burn fat, or simply relax and energize your body, your food may help. 

There are many good foods for weight loss, plus some of them also help you raise your energy levels.

Why Eat for Energy?

Energy is essential for everyday life. It's how we cook a meal, send an email or smile at someone attractive at a bar. To keep us energized throughout these busy days, we need food to lose weight that will also act as an energy booster. Good foods for losing weight that give you energy help you stay productive all day.

Energy is essential and as food is our energy, this is the number one reason why diets with severe caloric restriction are very difficult to follow.

Nuts

There are 3 wonderful things you have to memorize in relation to nuts:

• Protein and fat will help satisfy hunger 

• Nuts help you to boost libido (yes, that libido) 

• The nuts give you energy!

Nuts are full of good things like calcium, fiber, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc to name a few.

They are practically a multivitamin themselves, nuts are good foods for weight loss that will boost your energy levels without increasing the amount of calories and fat.

Good fats are in nuts help you feel good also makes you feel satisfied due to the protein and gives you the energy to not feel lethargic at the end of the day, which cannot be said of caffeine or sugar. Eat a handful of raw nuts daily to get more energy and nutrients.

Almonds are the best, but pick your favorite and eat when you snack.

Salmon

Being a great source of protein, salmon is already a good food to lose weight. It's a great fish to eat for energy too.

The best thing is that you can eat salmon in many ways.

You can take a steak and cook on the grill, make a sushi roll or just make some eggs with smoked salmon for breakfast. With so many ways to boost your energy levels, salmon is a superfood to lose weight and have more energy.

Grapefruit

It's no secret that grapefruit is a good food to lose weight and have more energy. However, there is a reason for this obsession. Grapefruits are good foods to lose weight because of its fiber and pectin. It is a fat burning food.

Grapefruits are good foods to lose weight because they give you energy: to digest them you need to use more calories than they give you... and that is the calorie deficit that makes you lose weight!

Whole Grain Bagel

When you need something that gives you the encouragement needed to get going in the morning, eat a whole grain bagel instead of a white bread. The whole grain bagels are good foods to lose weight because they are high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, and help you lose weight because they require more energy to digest.

Spread with fruit jam to help follow a conservative account of calories every day.

Apricots

When you need a sweet snack without suffering the downturn of energy, looking for a nice apricot. Apricots give you energy, and unlike candy also give you nutrients. They are good foods to lose weight because they have fiber, which makes them excellent sources of energy. Apricots contain lycopene and vitamin B, long considered an aphrodisiac and a stimulator of energy...

Carrots

Carrots are good foods to lose weight because of its bright orange color and can help prevent many types of cancer. In addition, carrots are big promoters of energy because they are digested quickly in your bloodstream giving you an instant boost of energy!

In my opinion, carrots are one of the best foods to lose weight because they give you energy-- you can put a dozen of them in a bag and eat as a snack, as you need to eat for energy throughout the day.

Get a bag of baby carrots and have energy that lasts all day.

Successful weight loss requires you to think carefully about the food you put in your grocery cart and on your plate. Healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables are great for weight loss, plus it will help boost your energy, fight cancer and germs.

Good luck - below is a link to a personal video review of a highly effective weight loss and fitness program that may be just what you're looking for and complement your healthy diet regime.

8 Unusual Fat Burning Foods For Natural Weight Loss

By Thomas K Bristow 

In this article you are about to learn how to easily reduce belly fat and permanently keep off the weight you lose by incorporating eight unusual fat burning foods into your diet.

If you are working out regularly, but still find it difficult to shed the pounds, then you need to take a look at the food you eat and start eating the foods that will aid you in weight loss. You need to have a balanced diet plan and include the foods that are proven to burn fat.

Let's take a look at eight super foods that will help you in your weight loss goal.

1. Green tea - this is packed with antioxidants will boost your metabolism and kick start your day drink green tea in the morning instead of coffee when you drink green tea. There is no need to add milk and try not to add sugar.

2. Lentils - these are an excellent source of magnesium and fibre. There are many recipes you can find that incorporate lentils into everyday meals. Many of the lentil recipes can be a nice alternative to meet these can be boiled or steamed and best serve slightly al dente for a real nutritional punch.

3. Apples - apples can be eaten at any time of the day, it's a low-calorie snack with some amazing health benefits. The antioxidants help to prevent fat cell build up and aid weight loss.

4. Squashes - like butter-nut squash. These give your body a full feeling and have a great taste. Cut the squash into bite-size pieces. Drizzle with olive oil and try roasting in the oven. Use squashes instead of French fries.

5. Salmon - for a healthy, tasty meal try steaming Salmon, The health and weight reducing benefits of Salmon have been well documented. It is high in protein rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and high in vitamins D

6. Som Tum - This is a Thai green papaya salad and is packed full of flavours and spices, t's very tasty and regularly enjoyed by Thai people on a daily basis. It is made from green papaya sour lime hot chilli and salty tasting fish sauce. It will really get your metabolism working and the people of Thailand swear by it as a fat reducing food. A nation of people can't be wrong.

7. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water to increase your metabolism fat burning rate.

8. Peanuts - unsalted peanuts are an excellent snack. They help to build body tissue and boost testosterone in women. Consider buying unsalted nuts and snacking on them during the day in between meals. This will stop you from getting hungry.

Healthy Foods to Lose Weight - Some Examples to Follow

By Vincent Pham

Diet and nutrition plays a critical role when it comes to weight loss but many people are not aware of this fact. It is not easy to lose weight and that is why you need to pay some attention on the type of food you eat. Physical exercise alone cannot help you to lose weight but it must be accompanied with a healthy diet.

This article will highlight some examples of healthy foods to lose weight. There are some foods that can actually help you lose a lot of pounds within a very short period of time. It is always advisable to have a good breakfast if you want to boost your chances of losing weight. The following are good healthy foods that can help you lose weight.

1. Balanced Diet Shake

This is a good nutritional drink for breakfast that contains vitamins, natural minerals and some complex carbohydrates. The diet shake should include 10 grams of soy and if possible 5 grams of dietary fiber for every serving. A balanced diet shake provides 180 calories per serving.

2. Toasted Plain Bagel with Natural Jam

This is a good meal for lunch because it is a good source of energy and can help you save up to 360 calories. Cream cheese has a lot of fat and that is why natural jam should be used in this case. You can use a toasted frozen bagel is if you do not have a fresh one.

3. Scrambled Whites with Greens

This meal provides 255 calories and has very low cholesterol levels. Fat-free pam is used to scramble white eggs that are normally blended with a cup of mushroom and a cup of spinach. This meal is very rich in dietary protein. Normal scrambled eggs have a lot of fat and this is actually the best alternative because one can save up to 100 milligrams of cholesterol.

4. Spaghetti Squash

This is almost similar to the usual spaghetti but has some dietary toppings and sauces. This type of spaghetti is very rich in fluids, vitamin B, Vitamin fiber, potassium and carbohydrates. Spaghetti squash is a low-calorie meal that helps you save up to 200 calories. It is important to be light on the sauces when you are you are preparing spaghetti squash. Those who may want to resupply their body muscles after workouts can combine spaghetti squash with traditional pasta.

5. Frozen Fruits

Fruits should always be part of your diet if you want to lose weight. Fruits are very nutritious, satisfying and refreshing. They are rich in iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and nutritious fiber. Fruits have low calorie levels and are known to have important antioxidants. You can eat fruits as a dessert and the fact that they are sweet means that they can alert you when you are eating excessively. Examples of healthy fruits that you can include in your diet include mango, dried papaya, bananas, blueberries and frozen grapes.

6. Potato Pasta

This meal is free from gluten and wheat and is known for its high fiber and complex carbohydrate. Organic potatoes are used to prepare healthy potato pasta because they contain important nutrients such as iron, calcium and Vitamin C. Potato pasta has low cholesterol level and that is why it is good when it comes to weight loss.

Does The Garcinia Cambogia Pill Accelerate Weight Loss?

By Melissa Smallwood

Garcinia Cambogia is speedily coming to be an extremely popular weight loss aid due to its dual-action fat loss effect. Some folks call it the holy grail of fat burning, after learning about it from doctor Dr. Oz, the famous TV personality and MD. But why is it the best option for individuals that wish to drop their body fat percentage? This, plus weight loss without changing their diet regimens dramatically seem like a tall order.

Garcinia Cambogia is an exotic fruit that grows in Southeast Asian rainforests. Although fresh in revelation, dozens of studies have already been begun to study its full potential in weight management. Similarly, reviews of this item are also becoming seen widely over the web, either to really give insight on its potential as a weight loss supplement or to advertise particular brands.

Fat Burning

What actually makes it special is its so called twin-activity fat blocking feature. It helps by protecting people against weight gain. Initially, it protects against people from eating way too much on unneeded fats by reducing the hunger and minimizing cravings by controlling chemical and hormone production inside the body physique. Secondly, Garcinia effectively protects against fat building up, so much so that any change in diet plan is minimized.

Being also a hunger suppressor, the supplement keeps hunger attacks off at their right times. It lends the person clarity in differentiating actual food cravings from simple craving. In addition, it manages presence of the stress hormone called cortisol. When left uncontrolled, cortisol can eat into muscular tissue cells like fuel, making metabolism weak.

Reduces Emotional Eating, Helps Users Feel Better

One more unusual benefit a weight loss diet pill made from Garcinia has is its remarkable ability to improve the body's manufacturing of serotonin, a hormone tasked with supporting mood and sleep. According to a research carried out by an university in Texas, Garcinia Cambogia could enhance the serotonin production in a person by approximately four tenths, triggering appetite-suppressing at the same time.

For these reasons, supplements made from Garcinia are an excellent option for so-called emotional eaters. It's also ideal for those who experience improved appetite when grappling with being stretched emotionally. Unlike various other weight loss supplements made from diet plan fruits, a Garcinia Cambogia supplement is abundant in hydroxycitric acid (HCA) that obstructs fatty acids from forming into fat layers below the skin, as evident in another related study.

Certainly, a supplement containing Garcinia Cambogia promises so many conveniences for thousands of individuals who are expecting to achieve their optimal weights without having to utilize synthetic compounds and approaches. Nonetheless, there are still some concerns to be discussed. For one, the information gotten from laboratory tests use lab mice as test subjects. There is a lack of clinical trials studying its impact on humans.

Additional testing should assure that it is really effective for humans. Nevertheless, it must be borne in mind that the majority of supplements and medicines are examined utilizing lab setups with animals and not human trials. Potential side effects that arise from the use of this fruit extract have been stated in the past, even though it is by and large thought to be safe.

Weight Loss - Why Do We Gain Weight?

By Kim Beardsmore

Our genetic make up: Every cell in our body has a central control panel, that is a nucleus that contains our genes and chromosomes. This is the instruction manual for your body and this is inherited from your parents. It is this instruction manual that is largely responsible for how your body, and even your mind, behaves.

The environment in which we live: Our personal environment may also contribute or cue you to adopt poor eating or exercise habits. This is especially true in today's society, which is dominated by speed and convenience. For example, escalators, elevators and remote-control appliances make us less physically active. Also, greater availability and the constant marketing of foods that are high in calories, fat and added sugars, and larger portion sizes promote unhealthy eating behaviors.

There may also be personal reasons why you are consuming too many kilojoules from food and drinks, or not being physically active enough. For example, when feeling down or bored you may eat more than you need, or if you are feeling depressed it is more difficult to get active.

Knowing the reason why you may be consuming excess kilojoules or not participating in physical activity, is an important first step in changing your lifestyle habits to help you reach a healthy weight.

Our lifestyle: What we eat and drink and how active we are. This is the gradual gain in weight as a result of eating food and not exercising enough.

The extent to which we can affect our genetic make up and our environment are limited. However, lifestyle is the area in which we can significantly manage and if need be, improve our body weight to ensure we maintain a healthy weight for our height, age and gender. This is why learning a healthy nutritious eating pattern and adopting it for life, that is, lifestyle changes has a significant impact on our ability to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Gaining and losing weight works according to some a simple biological principle. When you consume more energy in the form of food and drinks that your body uses each day you will gain weight. When you consume less energy in the form of food and drinks that your body requires each day you will lose weight.

Despite what some advertisers would have use believe, weight loss does not occur as a result of any of the following:

* Supplements that will melt the fat while you sleep or while you wash

* Exercises that don't take any effort and cause no sweat

* Unique food combinations that will allow you to eat what you want and still lose weight

In order to lose weight you will need to know approximately your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). Your RMR is the number of calories your body burns at rest in a 24 hour period. When your body gets about 500 less calories than it needs each day as a result of eating less or exercising more, you will lose one pound of weight per week. To illustrate how efficient the human body is in motion, the average female would need to go for a brisk walk for 1.5 to 2.0 hours in order to burn 500 calories.

When you consume 500 calories a day more than your body's requirements, you will gain approximately one pound a week! To illustrate how easy it is to gain weight, one 7oz bag of corn chips has approximately 1000 calories. If you ate a bag of corn chips every day in addition to three square meals its possible you could gain 2 pounds in a week!

Effective Weight Management Goes Way Beyond Weight Loss

By Mairead Lyons

Fixating on losing weight alone is short lived and cannot be sustained long term. It most often results in many unsuccessful attempts, usually through fad dieting, yo yo dieting, starvation, scrupulous calorie counting and obsessing with the weighing scales. You need to focus on the bigger picture... aiming for whole, long term health instead of fixating on weight loss alone. We are bombarded with promises and quick fixes every day for that perfect figure, when in reality, success can only be achieved when one understands the fundamentals of nutrition and why their current eating and lifestyle habits have led to their current weight problems. Only through re learning, a balanced, fulfilling dietary plan, a feeling of satisfaction after eating, awareness of portion control, cravings being a thing of the past, and some form of physical activity that suits the individual's fitness levels will success be attainable. A support structure and emotional awareness are also fundamental to any long term health strategy as only when all these factors combined have been acted on can permanent change be made. A long term strategy towards a healthier weight will control blood pressure and cholesterol levels, lessen your risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers as well as depression, fatigue and infertility. In a nutshell, losing weight goes way beyond weight loss and shedding those 2 to 3 lb's a week. Focus on the "bigger picture," long term health and longevity.

Benefits of exercise go way beyond weight loss

Exercising as a way of dieting or as a means to an end to shed those pounds is counter-intuitive. What should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience as well as a highly stress busting activity that is about self-care and being positive around health and fitness, instead becomes another chore. So it's no wonder the exercise plan goes off the rails so quickly at the beginning of every new weight loss attempt.

Setting yourself an achievable, realistic goal around exercise is vital. "I have to lose four stone by summer" is not a goal. "I will arrange a free fitness consultation at my local gym one day this week", on the other hand, IS a goal. 

An effective weight management programme should include specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time managed goals around exercise and nutrition. 

Food and emotions

Many people self medicate with food to manage their emotions when feelings of stress or depression take hold. 

Food definitely makes us feel better, even if we aren't self-medicating when we eat. Food not only quells our hunger, it also makes us feel better emotionally. So what's the test for using food to self-medicate?

One benchmark of self-medicating is overindulgence, where food becomes a substitute for a more adaptive way of feeling good. We don't know how to cope when life takes over and things happen- all the D's: divorce, death, deadlines, debt, demands. Eventually eating can appear to be ones only comfort.

Emotional eating creates a cycle of feel bad, eat, feel worse, and eat more. Be mindful of the food-emotion connection.

Obstacles 

Weekend Binging: All week you exercise and eat the right foods, but come the weekend you want to "let your hair down." Weekends are wonderful for relaxing, but be mindful of indulging in junk food as a way to unwind. You want to be full of motivation and feeling ready for a new week come Monday, not nursing a hangover from those empty calorie beverages.

Analysis Paralysis: With so many exercise regimes available, deciding which one will give the best results can be a bit overwhelming. There's CrossFit, Zumba, boxercise, yoga, running, weights, circuit training, DVD's, and many more. The best workout is the one you'll do consistently and meets your personal goals and enjoyment. Find what works for YOU. 

Poor Planning: Healthy living requires some organization and planning. If you're hoping to squeeze in a workout and have no idea where your meals will be, you're setting yourself up for failure. Plan by scheduling workouts and food shopping in advance for the coming week. Preparation and managing time efficiently is key. Don't give up. Practice makes perfect.

Social Pressure: Although we can't blame others for our own choices, we do need to recognize when they influence our choices. Be prepared for situations where you've caved to peer pressure in the past and don't be afraid to say no. This can be a great time to have a friend who's making the same strides as you to make positive change in their life. Friends can be a great source of support and encouragement.

Is Cardio Good for Weight Loss?

By Bryan D Holekamp

Which consistent theme do you hear from most health gurus on how to lose weight? The answer - "Do lots of cardio." You will hear from just about every diet coach that you should consume fewer calories and do more cardiovascular exercise. It is the age-old 'Get-on-a-treadmill-and-run' mantra. Of course, this advice stems from the belief that your body is an energy balance and that you must burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight. So what is the result of cardio training?

Exclusive cardio exercises come at a price. Now, when I say cardio, I am referring to cardiovascular endurance training. Key word: endurance. Cardio is long, drawn-out sessions of physical endurance that raise your heart rate for durations of at least 20 minutes (usually 45+ minutes). Examples of cardio exercises include jogging on a treadmill for 30 minutes, a long bicycle ride, swimming for an extended period of time, running more than a 5K, or an hour-long aerobics class. Please note that I am not including sprints into this category. Remember, the duration must be at least 20 minutes to be considered cardio.

So what is wrong with cardio training? Cardiovascular exercises burn muscle while preserving fat! You read that correctly. After an extended exercise interval, your body will burn muscle for fuel, and will later store more energy in fat tissue. From a physiological perspective, this makes perfect sense! Why should your body sport a lot of muscle when you are just moving from one location to another? Basic locomotion does not require much muscle. Your muscles are actually a hindrance: they weigh you down requiring more effort, and they burn calories just to function. Having more muscle boosts your metabolism, which means you burn more calories with the same amount of activity. Now, this may sound great to you (especially if you are trying to lose weight), but it is terrible news to your energy-hoarding body. To adapt to long cardiovascular sessions, your body wants to be as light as possible, while maintaining an energy repository. And what is the best way to store energy? Fat tissue- of course. There are more calories per gram with fat than with carbohydrates or proteins. So, to maximize energy storage and minimize weight, your body stores more fat and burns muscle. This reason explains why marathon runners are not muscular.

Of course, many people fixate on the weight loss aspect. Yes, it is true that cardio can help you lose weight. After all, I just stated that your body wants to minimize the weight to take the strain off your leg muscles. If your goal is simply weight loss, cardio training can help you get there. But simple weight loss is a terrible goal. You will end up like these marathon runners who are underweight but are clinically obese based on body fat (>30%). High body fat is unhealthy, no matter what your weight is. The takeaway is to focus on more short-term, intense bursts of exercise and NOT fattening, long-duration cardio training.

Laugh Away Calories - Funny Weight Loss Tips & Quotes

By Larry Wentz

Did you know you could burn calories by laughing? A study at Vanderbilt University showed you could lose up to 50 calories by laughing 10-15 minutes a day.  When laughing, people burned 20% more calories. Laughter has other health benefits that include stress reduction, immune system boosting, natural pain relief and increased blood flow (good for the heart) - no joking either.

Sadly your sense of humor is one of the first things that you lose on a diet. Let's try to remedy that. Enjoy some humorous thoughts and do a little laughercising.

Funny Weight Loss Tips & Quotes

Laughing burns off calories so everyone needs a giggle.... some more than others.

Don't Eat That!

Forget Liposuction - Try Lip Obstruction!

Eat your food while staring into a mirror.... totally naked!

Carry Large Helium Balloons

When eating donuts - only eat the center part.

Weigh yourself with only one foot on the scale.

Keep a pit bull in the kitchen

Use Parental Block for the Food Network on your TV - Eat PIN Number/Password.

Eat your food with one chopstick

LMAO is a great way to reduce weight in the hindquarters.

Don't eat your evening meal before breakfast

Ladies - Drop 5 lbs. Instantly! Let go of your purse.

Instead of carrying your laptop around - start carrying your desktop PC.

Attach Full-Length Mirror to your Refrigerator Door.

Hang your bikini on the refrigerator.... definitely don't do that if you are a guy.

Remove wheels from your grocery cart.

When weighing yourself on the scale - try to defy gravity.

Use Superglue As Lip Gloss

Only eat food that you can catch & kill with a toothpick

Don't burn off fat with a candle.... a blow torch will work quicker.

Like the silent tree falling in the forest.... food actually has no calories if no one sees you eating it

Cut back on your food intake if you weigh more than your refrigerator.

50 Lb. Cellphones

Do 600 Tweets per hour. Move over 6 pack abs.... 6 pack fingers is the new rage (Note - Only Twitter users may get that one)

Unfollow some calories (another Twitter-related one that may go over your head)

If you can't pronounce the ingredients.... you probably shouldn't eat it.

Swap dinner dishes with your pet - Kibbles n' Bits & Little Friskies make great appetite suppressants.

Eat that prime rib roast with a straw

Set a goal to lose as much weight as your stock portfolio has done in the last year.

Running to the refrigerator is not considered exercise.

Running to the refrigerator is not considered exercise.... unless it is a moving refrigerated truck.

You know you're overweight when your computer tells you that your @ is too big.