It’s that time of year again – the Girl Scouts are peddling their cookies and we’re buying them up. But what is it about these cookies that the Girl Scouts don’t want you to know?

Girl Scout Cookies - What They Don't Want You To Know

When it comes to health, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that eating a cookie isn’t good for you, but let’s face it, having a treat every once in awhile makes life worth living. And as a nutritionalist, I have no problem with that. I tell my clients all the time, you have to live your life and having a treat once in awhile is okay, as long as the treat isn’t loaded with garbage.

What the Girl Scouts don’t want you to know is their cookies are loaded with garbage … a lot of garbage.

My issue is the Girl Scout cookies don’t have to be filled with garbage. When additives are put into the cookies for the shear reason of causing addiction and cheapening production at the health risk of those who consume, well, I have a MAJOR problem with that.

And you should too.

First, let’s cover the use of High Fructose Corn Syrup which is found in Girl Scout cookies. This is an extremely dangerous ingredient to use in ANY food. What was shocking to me is the Girl Scout organization officially commented why they use High Fructose Corn Syrup in their cookies:

Our licensed vendors use a variety of ingredients in the production of Girl Scout Cookies, including, in some cookies, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Our bakers have indicated that HCFS is a specifically helpful ingredient in the browning process, and helps cookies retain freshness. For those cookies where HFCS is used, our bakers indicate that it is a key ingredient in ensuring the quality of the cookie.

Seriously, they are going to try and get you to believe that they use HFCS because it is helpful “in the browning process”? Really? You wouldn’t hear as much B.S. in the Republican debates! The real reason they use it? It is cheaper and more addictive than real sugar.

Corporations who sell food products know they can make more money two ways: make their product with cheaper ingredients or get people to consume more of them. HFCS allows them to do both.

That’s shameful.

What’s worse? You think you are supporting your local Girl Scout troop, but they only receive between 10-20% of the sales. That’s it. Why not just go door-to-door and ask for donations instead of selling a product that is detrimental to one’s health?

I will be straight up with you, as delicious as these cookies are, they are poison to your body, and they don’t need to be. If they would accept less profit and actually use natural ingredients, Girl Scout cookies could be much healthier. Using the cheapest ingredients to maximize profits and contributing to the sharp rise in obesity and diabetes … especially among juveniles, is morally wrong.

Stand up for what is right and pass on the Girl Scout cookies. Send a message that no matter how addicting of a product they try to make, the public is smart enough to pass.

If you need a healthy snack that will also satisfy your sweet tooth and also give your body the nutrition it is craving, turn to our snack items to lose weight and feel better. We never use high fructose corn syrup as our meals are designed with your health in mind. After all, our diet has been recommended by more than 20,000 since 1980, that’s over 30 years. There is a reason why Medifast is the last diet people try because it works and it can for you too.

You want to be healthier. The fastest way to better health and skinnier waistlines is by changing your diet. You already know this as it isn’t breaking news. It is difficult to always eat the “required” fruits and vegetables you need a day…five plus servings a day. If you are one who has a hard time eating and enjoying all the fruits and veggies you should eat in a 24 hour period then smoothies might be just what the doctor ordered.

Smoothies are fruit based drinks that are typically blended with either yogurt or milk until smooth. The combinations of smoothies are endless. These super fast meal replacements are packed full of goodness that will give you plenty of energy to power you through your day. If you choose just the right ingredients for your smoothie, it can keep your blood sugar in check, beat fatigue, help keep you regular and help keep your mind focused and sharp.

When searching for smoothie recipes it is sometimes difficult to find recipes that are really good for you. If they call for ingredients like syrup or frozen yogurt or even tons of sugar then your smoothie will no longer be the healthy meal that you really want. Bodies crave nutrients and when man made ingredients are used you will find that you will be “craving” something else to nibble shortly after your smoothie is gone.

Smoothie How To’s
The main elements to a smoothie are base, liquid and fruit.

Base

The base to your smoothie can be so many different ingredients. It is important that the base of your smoothie makes your smoothie creamy in texture and taste. The base is what helps give your smoothie body. Without the proper base your fruit would quickly rise to the top. The base helps to thicken your smoothie.

For a creamy base use:

Bananas – Bananas are a great base. The overripe bananas are especially sweet and creamy. One to two bananas work great. Bananas can be peeled and cut into chunks and then frozen to use later.

Pears – Many people just don’t like bananas, pears can be used instead and give the same qualities to your smoothie as the banana. Pears, just like bananas, need to be a little overripe to have the best results. One pear per smoothie is usually just enough.

Avocados – Avocados are super creamy. You may not like them alone, but mixed with other foods you may be surprising. Avocados are full of good for you, healthy fats, but don’t overload on these. Both because of the fat and the fact that too much will overpower your smoothie’s flavor. Use only one quarter to one half of an avocado per smoothie.

Nuts – Nut smoothies can be delicious! They give a fantastic creaminess. Do use nuts in moderation, however. If used as a base try a quarter cup per smoothie. Blended nuts are great to use in place of milk. It is best to blend the nuts with your liquid of choice first to get them smooth. Then you can add the fruit of choice and ice.

Dairy – It is easy to find recipes for yogurt smoothies, but for those of you who are allergic to dairy so try one of the other alternatives. You can also try coconut milk. The best choice is plain yogurt with probiotics and no sugar. Cottage cheese can also be used. One third to 1 cup of either yogurt or cottage cheese is just right.

Liquid

You must be careful with the liquid part of your smoothie. If too much is added, your smoothie will be thin and “watery”. The liquid you choose will influence your smoothie’s overall flavor. Normally you only need a cup or two of liquid.

Fruit

When adding in your fruit there are numberless combination options. You will have to experiment some to see what you like, but there are some combinations of fruit that just seem to go together. For instance mangos just seem to work with pineapple, but also taste great with other fruit as well. Bananas and berries also seem to just go together.

Smoothies are a way to incorporate many good things to your diet. Kids love smoothies too so get your whole family involved. At first it will probably be a good idea to follow a recipe and as you gain confidence make and name your own.

You already know that there are tons of damaging and dangerous things such as pesticides, carcinogenic additives, chemical dyes and fillers made from unappetizing ingredients such as wood, yes wood, found in packaged and processed foods. But the real hidden danger is what the food is shipped in and stored in. New research has found that by simply getting rid of these packages as quickly as you can, you can bring yourself and your family nearly immediate health benefits.

Are you aware of the dangers linked to use of the toxic chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), found in polycarbonate plastic food containers? These also include bottled water and takeout food containers. How bad is BPA in packaging? It is linked to breast and prostate cancer and even early puberty.

The question you may be asking is since you have been exposed to BPA all your life are you doomed to get cancer? The Breast Cancer Fund and Silent Spring Institute (both San Francisco-based organizations focused on environmental causes of breast cancer) conducted a study to measure how dangerous these packages are, specifically zeroing in on how quickly and meaningfully the BPA levels in the body decline when people stop eating or drinking foods packaged in BPA containers.

As part of their study, the Breast Cancer Fund and Silent Spring Institute enrolled five families, each consisting of two parents and two children, who had regularly consumed prepackaged, processed foods and drinks in cans, frozen dinners, bottled water and foods designed to be microwaved in their own containers. Then, for three days, these families were presented with fresh, organic food cooked by the research team and stored only in glass or stainless steel containers. To measure the direct and immediate impact of the change, researchers collected urine samples from all participants before, during and after the diet.

The Results

After just three days, everyone’s BPA level fell, with an average drop of two-thirds. BPA has a half-life of six hours in your body, notes Connie Engel, PhD, program coordinator at The Breast Cancer Fund. This means that six hours following exposure, half of what you’ve taken in is eliminated. When the families resumed their normal diets, their BPA levels returned to pre-intervention levels by the next urine sample.

These findings were published in March in the online journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Make the Right Choice to Be Healthy Now

As part of your “Lean and Green Meal” and your maintenance plan with Medifast, make the smart choices on how you consume food, store your food and heat your food. It isn’t enough to eat the right foods, you also have to be mindful how it is shipped, stored and heated too. This study demonstrates that we all can quickly lower our own BPA levels by making basic changes in what we eat and drink. Such as:

- Buy whole foods and carry them home in paper bags.
- Do not microwave in plastic, even if it is labeled “microwave-safe”! Heat raises BPA levels in plastic, upping the health hazards. Instead, microwave food in glass or ceramic containers.
-Consider switching to a French press coffeemaker. Typical coffeemakers may contain traces of BPA and other toxins in the bin that holds the coffee filter and coffee. These grow more concentrated when heated.
- Kick the cans. Avoid canned foods except those that are in BPA-free cans, such as from Eden Foods, Vital Choice, Oregon’s Choice and Trident Seafoods.
- Watch out for the kids. Developing children are at even greater risk for harm from BPA. Use glass baby bottles or BPA-free plastic bottles. For older children, get stainless steel lunch boxes instead of plastic.

Be proactive, greatly reduced the levels of BPA in your foods and containers and you should notice an increase in your health.

You want to be more healthy, that’s not breaking news, but how we get there. That’s what you really want to know.

First of all, let’s cut to the routine stuff for review that’s important for you to be doing …

- Cancer Screening
- Eating More Fiber
- Having a Good Social Network (not Facebook, REAL people!)
- Weighing Less (use Medifast)
- Drinking Less
- Smoking Less (or quitting altogether)
- Controlling Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

While all the above are important and you shouldn’t minimize your efforts on any of them, which is the most important? What would give your health the biggest R.O.I. (Return on Investment)?

To give you an idea, let’s look at some clinical trial results:

- Knee Arthritis. Patients who did treatment for one hour a day three days a week, 47% experienced less pain in their knees.
- Dementia & Alzheimers. Reduced progression in older patients by 50%.
- Diabetes. Those at risk, 58% lowered their progression, in other words, without treatment they would have diabetes.
- Post Menopausal. 4 hours a week of treatment had a 41% decrease in risk of hip fracture.
- Anxiety. Reduced by 48%.
- Depression. 30% were relieved and as dose was increased that number jumped to 47%.
- Harvard Alumni. Following over 10,000 Harvard alumni over 12 years those who had the intervention over those who didn’t had a 23% lower risk of death.
- Fatigue. #1 treatment.
- Quality of Life. This treatment has been proven over and over that your quality of life will improve if you take the treatment.

So what is the medicine?

Exercise.

Yes exercise. Mainly just walking, not doing triathlon crazy stuff, just walking. Think about your day … mostly spent sitting, sleeping and not really being active. And what you really want to do is devote a half hour, preferably and hour to exercise. The 23 1/2 hours to better health comes from … you get to keep doing what you do for 23 1/2 hours … just give up one half hour for a better quality of life.

What you may not know is there was a recent study done with 50,000 people and what it determined is that “Low Fitness” is the strongest indicator of death. More so than smoking, hypertension, diabetes, high blood pressure or even obesity.

Now, what is most interesting about this study is most studies are backed by large pharma companies because they will have a drug for hypertension and the study will “show” that the #1 problem is hypertension so just take this pill and all will be okay. It is great to see a study that is NOT sponsored by big pharma and with the results coming back that exercise is the key … there is no “funny business” going on trying to sell a product as going on a daily walk is absolutely free.

Now, another study was done that looked primarily at obesity. If a person is obese and not exercising, that is a VERY bad combination. However, if the obese person was active, even if they weren’t losing weight, they were just active, many of the negative factors were not as prevalent in those patients.

So if exercise is the medicine, what is the proper dose? You should focus on How much, how often and how intense. The easiest way to look at this is the more exercise the better but also it should be understood that the “rate of return” diminishes after 30 minutes, which is why 30 minutes is the absolute minimum you should be exercising a day.

If you currently are not exercising at all, if you begin, you will start to see big differences in about a week. In some females, just doing an hour per day cut their risk of heart disease by half. That is reason enough to start right there. And you don’t have to do the 30 minutes all at once. You can do three 10 minute walks. To stay motivated and continuing this program of daily exercise it is best to have a friend or even go on morning and evening walks with your spouse. It is a great “planning time”. Another great motivator is a dog. Dog walkers have typically better health than non-dog walkers. At work or when you are out an about, park far away from the store entrance so you can walk. Take the stairs when you can. It is the little things that keep you active that will lead to big differences.

In Japan a study was done with 8,000 workers who would walk to work if that played any significance in blood pressure. It was found that if their walk was 10 minutes or less there was no change. 11-20 minutes blood pressure reduced by 12%. Over 21 minutes and the rate dropped by 29%.

What I hope you gain from this is being sedentary is bad for your health – really bad. What is the biggest culprit? TV. The average American watches 5 hours of TV a day … and if that number goes up to 6, that person can expect to live five years LESS! Yes, less. Just watching TV.

Walking is truly man’s best medicine.

Ask yourself this question, do you think you can limit your sitting and sleeping to just 23 1/2 hours a day?

Along with exercise, getting the proper nutrition and healthy calories is key to your overall health and fat loss. Turn to the diet that 20,000 doctors have recommended since 1980. The Medifast Diet.

You don’t need high tech equipment to get the information you need to check on your health. With the right information about your health, you can make changes to your lifestyle, be healthier and live longer too. And you don’t need a doctor to get you the information.

Looking Into Your Healthy Future

Let’s be honest, you still need your doctor, but you can save money on co-pays and also long waits and get the information you really need by following the advice in this article. With that understood, there are five tests you can do yourself, right at home, that will help gauge your health and all physician-approved. The equipment you will need is merely a stopwatch and tape measure. That’s it.

LIFE TEST # 1: A BRAIN TEASER

Many doctors use the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) to evaluate memory and cognitive abilities for their patients. It also screens for signs of dementia in older people. Instead of going to the doctor, you can do this test right in the comfort of your own home.

All you need is a pen and paper.

Test-taking instructions: Ask a series of straightforward questions. What’s today’s date? What country are we living in? Who is the Governor? Repeat something you recently heard. Can you name objects around the room where you are sitting? Consistent problems with answering questions such as these can indicate that you may have some underlying health troubles, which may be dementia or could be other problems, including other factors or nutritional deficiencies. For example, dementia-like symptoms can sometimes be side effects of prescription or over-the-counter medications or may be caused by a deficiency of certain nutrients, such as vitamins B-12 and B-6 or the amino acid L-carnitine.

LIFE TEST # 2: STICK YOUR NECK OUT

A simple test for obstructive sleep apnea, which is a dangerous sleep disorder. Basically the person stricken with this displays abnormal pauses in breathing and snoring and it is usually caused by neck circumference. Although size matters in the sense that larger people have larger “healthy” measurements, if you are a man with a neck circumference of 17 inches or more or a woman with a neck that measures 16 inches or greater, you have a higher-than-normal risk for sleep apnea, in fact, you may have sleep apnea and not even realize it.

What you need: A tape measure.

How to do it: Measure the distance around your neck at about the spot where a man would measure for collar size for a shirt. If you are in the danger area, see your physician to discuss whether you should be tested for sleep apnea. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to complications ranging from daytime sleepiness and poor concentration to an increased risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. Losing weight or sleeping on your side may solve the problem, or your physician can prescribe a special sleep mask or other device to help regulate breathing.

LIFE TEST # 3: NAME THAT FRUIT

In general, people of both genders whose bodies are shaped like apples (round at the middle) face greater health risks than those shaped like pears (a narrow waist and wider hips). When fat accumulates in your abdomen and around your waist, it’s a sign that fat is also building up around vital organs such as your heart, liver, kidneys and intestines. For people of average height, a waist circumference over 35 inches in women or over 40 inches in men often is an indication of higher risk for metabolic syndrome, diabetes or even heart attack or stroke.

What you need: tape measure.

How to do it: Wrap the tape measure around your waist and then your hips. If your waist is bigger than your hips, you have an apple shape. To slim down, consult your health-care provider and get started on a sensible program of diet and exercise.

LIFE TEST # 4: PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR POOP, YES YOUR POOP

A sudden change in bowel habits, especially if you are 50 or older, is a possible sign of a digestive disorder, which may or may not be serious. Watch for variations in stool frequency, color, consistency or shape that last longer than a few days. Also be alert to the onset of prolonged periods of constipation or diarrhea. Other stool symptoms that should be checked out with your doctor include the presence of mucus or blood (bright red or dark or clotted) or a color that is very light or very dark.

Required equipment: None.

A normal stool is soft, medium brown, doesn’t sink quickly and doesn’t stink (not terribly, anyway). If you detect danger signs, promptly report them to your physician and seek appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

LIFE TEST #5: SPEED TEST

Believe it or not, something as simple as the way you walk (called “gait speed” in medical-ese) is an accepted measurement of frailty in older people and a predictor of physical and cognitive health. In fact, it is a key barometer of heart and lung health and overall well-being. In the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers reported that measuring gait speed even can aid doctors in determining whether a patient is fit for heart surgery. In other research, investigators found that people with a brisk gait of at least 3.28 feet (one meter) per second live longer than average.

Required equipment: A tape measure or yardstick and a stopwatch.

How to do it: Measure out a distance of 30 feet (roughly three car lengths) and then use the stopwatch to time (or have someone else do so) how long it takes you to walk the distance at your regular pace, for instance, imagining yourself taking a walk on a nice spring day. Ideally, you should cover the distance in no more than 10 seconds. A worrisome result would be if it takes you 20 seconds. The idea here is not that you should try to walk faster, but rather that if you are healthier overall you will naturally be a faster walker. Therefore, picking up your walking speed may turn out to be a good way to achieve this general health goal, and it will enhance your mental acuity as well. That should be ample incentive to start a regular walking program several days a week!

Yes, these tests are basic, but the information they provide is valuable and helpful, they’re worth doing periodically to keep a measure on your health and well-being.

Source(s):

Andrew L. Rubman, ND, founder and director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut. www.SouthburyClinic.com.

The following article is based on that you are currently in “Maintenance Mode” with your Medifast Diet and are no longer on the 5&1 Plan…

This is about making smart food choices each and every day.

Food companies are smart. They understand how to package their products to fool you into thinking they are good for you. I actually saw a frozen ice cream cake at the market the other day that had “Good For You” plastered on the box. Really?

What are food impostors? Simply put, it is bad food for your body. Bad for you foods like cookies and chips are easy to spot and avoid. Those are no brainers. However, many bad foods are getting tricky to spot and actually seem healthy. Packaging can say “whole grain”, “real fruit” and “natural protein”, but is it really? You are seeing packaging evolve today in the grocery stores but don’t be fooled. In fact, my advice is to ignore everything you see on the front of the package. Instead, turn it around and you still have to read labels and the ingredients. Don’t slack off here!! Here is a quick cheat sheet for you:

Seems healthy: FRUIT SMOOTHIE                                                                                      

But it’s like: A MILKSHAKE

Did you know that often there isn’t any fruit at all in these frosty drinks? True story. Instead they are full of fruit flavored syrups and sugar filled juices and full fat ice-cream. Often, they are worse for you thank a milkshake. You have to keep telling yourself that your biggest enemy in losing weight isn’t fat, it is sugar. And one of these fruit smoothies you buy can completely ruin all your work for the week. Avoid them.

Better: Ask for whole fruit and low-fat yogurt and no juice or syrup, or better yet, make your own at home so you are in control of what goes into it.

Seems healthy: VEGGIE CHIPS

But it’s like: POTATO CHIPS

The similar fat and calories in veggie chips outweighs the benefit gained from the tiny amount of vitamins. Skip them altogether. There is a new “Guilt Free” brand of chips at your local health food store which will give you the crunch you are looking for without ruining what you have done with your Medifast Diet.

Better choice: Stir a packet of French onion soup mix into Greek yogurt. Then enjoy with your favorite raw veggies. This not only satisfies your salt cravings but also has the crunch as well.

Seems healthy: FORTIFIED FLAVORED WATER

But it’s like: FRUIT JUICE OR SODA

Sugar is sugar no matter what it is put around it. If you are concerned about not getting enough vitamins take a multi vitamin. There is no reason to drink these whatsoever. They damage your body the same way soda does. Avoid.

Better choice: Plain water is always a better choice. If you want some flavor add lemons, limes or a splash of juice such as orange juice to a glass of water or sparkling water.

Seems healthy: SPINICH WRAP

But it’s like: THREE SLICES OF BREAD

Better choice: Pick a 7-8 inch whole-wheat tortilla, but make sure whole wheat flour is the top ingredient.  This saves you 100 calories. Also look for those that are gluten-free.

Say Bye Bye to Your Bad Carb Addiction Forever!

Before you start on your Medifast Diet, you have to be smart. You can’t just start something without making the right choices. For example, you can’t quit smoking and have a year’s supply of cigarettes in the closet, can you? Of course not.

Let’s be honest, everyone enjoys rolls, cakes, chips, cookies, pasta and pizza.  What we don’t enjoy is what is does to our waistline.  And that is why you are here – starting the Medifast Diet, so you can make a positive change not just in your waistline, but also to your health. In order to be healthy, and I mean really healthy, you have to eat better day every day; but how? It isn’t about eliminating carbs, it is eliminating the BAD carbs. There is a difference and you will learn these differences while you are on the Medifast Plan. I know, those white flour carbs just seem to beckon you….”Eat me, eat me!”  So how do we control those cravings?

Typically it takes 28 days to cycle off an addictive substance, and yes, bad carbs are addictive.  It will be hard going off them, you need to know that going in. But if you stick with it, you will feel better than you have in years. It’s worth it, trust me! I used to be addicted to bad carbs and the difference is unreal. I want you to feel the same. It is liberating!

Okay, let’s get back to our issue … refined carbs are like toxins to our bodies.  Foods such as chips, pretzels, breads and pastas when made with refined white flour contributes to your visceral fat, you know that fat we get around our midsection.  The worst possible fat!! But the main problem is, this is the most dangerous fat for your health.  It can suppress your body’s ability to produce insulin and also puts you at higher risk for heart disease and cancer as well as diabetes.  And you don’t want any of those.

This week-by-week plan shows you how to kick your bad carb addiction for good, so you won’t have distractions while you are on the Medifast Diet Plan.

Week 1 – The Cleanse

The very first step you must take on this journey is to remove all temptation.  Yes, all of it. That’s right-fill up that trash can with all those unhealthy carbs in your cupboards. Don’t give away the food because it is like poison, and you don’t want to give someone poison, do you? Why are you doing this? Simple. If they aren’t available you can’t eat them.

What to do instead? Replace them with healthy fats.  Before you freak out over taking in fat there is something that you should know. Same with carbs, there are Good Fats and there are Bad Fats. Did you know that when America switched to a low-fat diet obesity rates went UP? That’s right, they went up, not down. Fats can be good for you. Fats like olive oil, nuts, avocados, fatty fish and flax seed.  Do not count calories; that is a waste of time. This week is about getting rid of your cravings by detoxing your body while giving it healthy nutrition from your Medifast Plan.

Why are fats good? Fats satisfy your hunger and helps control your cravings. Do limit your sugar intake this week to the sugar present in the Medifast meals. Do not have any sugar with your Lean and Green meal. Sugar is completely off limits as an additive for you. You will go through some withdrawals too as sugar is as addictive as heroin.

Week 2- Go Brown

Why brown?

Whole grains serve you well in many ways; they are packed with fiber, minerals, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. Whole grains help in regulating blood sugar and keep your tummy full longer.  Diets rich in whole grains prove good for your health by keeping blood pressure lower as well as cholesterol levels.  Whole grains also lower our risks of obesity and diabetes.  Fill your shopping cart with such goodies as, oatmeal, whole wheat breads, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and quinoa. A suggestion is to avoid Gluten when possible.

Week 3-Let’s Talk Portions

Till now we have been focusing on changing what you eat. You have cleaned out your surroundings…the bad is gone and the good stuff is in.  This week you will focus on how much you eat.  No need to waste your money on scales and fancy measuring cups, you were created with all the measuring devices you need already attached.

Carbs - The perfect serving of good carbs is no bigger than your own fist.

Protein - Meats to include fish and fowl should be palm sized, or 4-6 ounces at most. Make sure it is a lean cut per “Lean and Green” meal.

Fats - Use your own thumb to guide you on how much fat is the right amount. Concentrate on healthy fats instead of the bad ones. Always avoid trans fats like the plague.

Fruits and Veggies - The rule is as much as you can grab is the perfect amount. Especially green veggies. Eat as much as you want, but no added sugar or salt!!

Week 4 – You Little Cheater You!

That’s right! By week 4 you have earned your weekly cheat day.  Once a week you can enjoy whatever white flour food you desire, whether it be pizza or bread, it is your choice.  If you pair it with something fiber rich like veggies your body will metabolize the sugar better which helps control your weight.

Be careful with your cheat day, don’t go overboard or you may damage everything that you worked hard to overcome. The cheat day worked for me because, well, I’m human and I need a treat every once in awhile, but unlike years ago when I would eat the entire tray of brownies, now I just have a bite or two and I’m satisfied. It feels great.

Good luck on your Medifast Diet! This will be a great journey for you and you can do it!

American’s Food Consumption Changes…Good or Bad?

Over the past few decades there have been fundamental changes in our food consumption and our overall lifestyles. Do you eat differently today than when you were a kid?  Most would say yes. Do you eat out more and less at the family table than in the past?  Most would agree that “together time” at the dinner table is a rare event these days. Do you eat more convenience foods? With our seemingly busy lives, we turn more towards convenience because, well, it’s there.

It is interesting to see how America’s food consumption patterns have changed over time.  Are these changes for the good? Hardly. Read some of these staggering statistics and you can decide for yourself.

How Things Have Changed:

EGGS – In 1909 each person in the U.S., on average, ate 300 eggs per year. In 2010 that number has dropped to 247, and the rise in “processed eggs” should get you to sit up and take notice.  We have all heard the campaign about eggs and cholesterol, while this may be true, how about the really good things about eggs?   Eggs are one of the few foods that are a naturally good source of vitamin D.  This plays a vital part in calcium absorption, helping to form and maintain strong bones.  Eggs also pack a whopping 6 grams of protein accompanied with only 80 calories. What do we typically eat for breakfast now? Carb laden foods have been swapped for the so called “bad egg”.

MILK – In 1945 milk topped the list of beverage choices at 45 gallons consumed per person for the year. As other drinks gained popularity milk started slipping in the ranks. By 1998, milk consumption hit an all-time low down to only 22 gallons per year/person. That is HALF of what it was in the 40s. While milk’s arch nemesis, SODA, rose from 10 gallons/person that year soaring up to nearly 60 gallons in more recent years! Now you tell me, is this a good change?

GRAINS – Grains are an essential part of our diet.  According to the food pyramid, we should consume more whole grains than anything else. In 1909 individuals ate, on average, 300 pounds of grain per year, but that number has plummeted by over 100 pounds per person by 1998 while our waistlines have expanded.

SUGAR – Added sugar is a drug and horrible for your body! We know that. Still, the amount of added sugar has risen from 82lbs in 1909 to a whopping 156 lbs. today.  Do you know how much sugar that is? That is 31, 5 lbs. bags for each one of us. Yes, it tastes really good, but this is what sugar can do to your health; promotes skin aging, causes cancer, contributes to obesity,  weakens eyesight and this list goes on and on!  In 2003 both the United Nations and World Health Organization released a new guideline that sugar should only account for 10% of daily calorie intake that’s just 200 calories based on a 2000 calorie per day diet. The American diet far exceeds those levels.

CALORIES – In 1909 the average calories consumed averaged 2,220 per person. Today that number has jumped to 2,700! That adds up to a lot of extra pounds at the end of the year. Why this increase? For one, Americans eat more cheese than ever before. In 1909 4 lbs. of cheese was average, and today 32lbs. WOW! We sure do eat a lot of pizza! We also consume more fruit juice than ever before, which adds to the sugar increase. And our carb intake has jumped from 389 grams to 490 grams per day.  With almost every number going up the only way for our scales to go is up! This is why our teen obesity rate has increased from 5% to 17%.  And even more alarming, one in every three adults is now obese.

So now, what do you think? Are these changes for the good?  I think not!  We all need to look at these statistics and decide, what role do I want to play in our future? We all need to look at our own consumption habits and what we are teaching our children. We need to worry about what we eat and how it impacts our life not only today but tomorrow as well. If these numbers keep rising where will we be in the decades ahead?

If you need help controlling your waist line and getting healthy again, turn to Medifast. There is a reason why more than 20,000 doctors have recommended the diet since 1980. It gives your body the nutrition that it needs, training your body to eat more often with smaller meals and learning how to cook healthy with your Lean and Green Meal. Make the right choice. Choose Medifast.