5 Solutions to the Biggest Challenges of Eating Out

There are so many wonderful things about going out to eat: It’s fast, quick, easy and tasty. But, if you’re trying to be mindful of your choices or making positive nutrition changes, eating out can be a barrier to success.

Americans eat and drink on average about a third of their total daily calories away from home. While it’s ideal to eat mostly home-cooked meals, life can sometimes get in the way, and there will be times when eating out is inevitable. If you eat out often, try limiting yourself to one or two times per week or a level you feel good about in your own situation, schedule and lifestyle.

Making healthy choices while eating out is a challenge. To help, here are the five most-common pitfalls for eating out, plus tips on how you can successfully navigate around them.

1. You show up too hungry.
Here’s a typical scenario: you’re hungry, and then you decide to head out to eat. Sometimes it’s fast food, and you’re eating within minutes. Sit-down restaurants exacerbate the situation by making you play the waiting game: you wait to be seated, then wait to get the menu, then wait until your food arrives (with a bread basket staring you in the face!). By the time your food actually comes, you are past the point of reasonable hunger–you are so hungry you might even feel out of control about what you eat and how much. Even though it’s tempting to “save up” calories in preparation for eating out, it usually isn’t a great idea. The desperate hunger you feel can be detrimental to making the best decision in the moment.

Instead of letting yourself get to the desperate hunger (aka hangry) zone, remember to eat regular meals and light snacks during the day leading up to a night out. Let yourself be hungry, but let it be the type of hunger that’s reasonable and in control–that may mean grabbing a banana or handful of almonds before dining out.

2. You’re served huge portion sizes.
According to Drs. Lisa Young and Marion Nestle, portion sizes at restaurants took a sharp increase in the US during the 1970s and have continued to expand. Multiple well-controlled studies have shown that, when offered larger portion sizes, people tend to consume more. For example, one study gave participants four different portion sizes of macaroni and cheese on different days (small, medium, large and extra-large portions). They found a 30% increase in calorie consumption when participants were offered the extra-large portion versus the small portion. The take-home message is this: the portion sizes at restaurants are more food than we need, and, when we are served huge portions, we tend to overeat.

Combat the large portions by trying a few things:

• Share an entree with a friend.
• Order the “kid” size.
• Opt for a vegetable side dish rather than fries or chips when given the option.
• Use the plate method. Visualize how that restaurant meal would look like on your plate at home. Try to eat the equivalent of about a quarter of your plate of protein, quarter of starch and half your plate of vegetables.
• Look up the nutrition information on MyFitnessPal, and decide what you have room for in your day before you get to the restaurant. Already there? Try the app’s new restaurant logging feature.
• Ask for a doggie bag, and pack up half of your food before you start eating.

3. Drinks add up.
Sometimes when we eat out, we feel the pressure to order a drink. A small 12-ounce soft drink contains about 140 calories. Cocktails can range from 100 to as many as 500 calories per drink. Don’t be afraid to order water–it can save you calories and money to boot! If you choose to have a drink, make it occasional and intentional. Enjoy it as a treat!

4. You’re surrounded by deliciously tempting choices.
One of the joys of eating out is knowing you’re eating food that’s delicious, and you don’t even have to do any dishes! Everything on the menu can make you salivate. Many of us get stuck in the trap of feeling a sense of scarcity with eating out and think, “When will I eat this again?” or “I never get this food, I have to get it all in now!” Rather than falling victim to the temptations around you, remind yourself that you can come back another time, or you can take home the leftovers so there’s no need to go overboard in this moment. It takes practice, but it’s worth it!

5. The “cheating” mentality creeps in.
Because eating out is a treat, we can sometimes fall into the trap of the “cheating” mentality. Labels of “bad” foods or “unhealthy” foods can cause you to feel guilty about your choices. Often, what results is throwing in the towel for the time-being only to be followed by a deep sense of guilt and regret. This becomes an unhealthy cycle of falling off the bandwagon and recommitting. Instead, enjoy the food before you without guilt, and know that healthy eating is not perfect eating. It’s about making healthy choices most of the time and allowing yourself to enjoy all foods.The cheating mentality does not help you in the long run; it leads to unhealthy cycles and a damaged relationship with food.

While some aspects of eating out are stacked against us, it’s still possible to make healthful foods choices. If you can reduce how often you eat outside of the home, do it! If you can work on tuning in to your body, recognizing and becoming aware of the common pitfalls, you will be more likely to be able to enjoy the occasional fun night out free of guilt or shame.

Love to dine out? We’re thrilled to announce that MyFitnessPal now has a special Restaurant Logging feature—an even easier way to stay on track with your health goals when you dine out at restaurants! To celebrate the launch of this new feature, we’ve teamed up with Panera Bread® for an amazing sweepstakes. Enter here for a chance to win Panera for a year!

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Turkey Orzo Soup

With an aromatic veggie trifecta of onions, carrots, and celery swimming in a delicious turkey- and lemon-scented broth, Uproot Kitchen‘s turkey orzo soup is a soul-warmer, perfect for a chilly night. Save time making this hearty dish by using leftover turkey meat or rotisserie chicken.

Turkey Orzo Soup

Ingredients

• 1 large white onion
• 4 medium carrots
• 4 medium stalks celery hearts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 1/2 pounds turkey breast cutlets (if using cooked turkey, see note below)
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta
• 2 lemons, juiced (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Dice onion, carrots, and celery hearts. You should get about 2 cups diced onion, and 1.5 cups each of diced carrots and celery.

In a soup pot, add diced vegetables along with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté for 5 minutes on medium heat.

Mince garlic cloves and add them to the pot, sauteeing for 2 minutes.

Add in turkey breast cutlets (thinly sliced raw turkey breast), broth, and dry pasta. Bring the soup to a simmer, and then allow it to cook for 15-20 minutes.

Test the orzo pasta for doneness before turning off the heat. Remove the turkey meat and shred it using 2 forks, and then return it to the pot.

Add in the lemon juice and fresh parsley. Stir to combine, and serve hot in 2 cup portions.

Notes:

• Add additional liquid when reheating leftovers of the soup as the orzo pasta will absorb additional liquid. Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months in freezer bags in 2 cup portions.
• If you are using leftover shredded turkey (about 3 cups is recommended), add the cooked meat during the last 5-7 minutes of cooking.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 8 |  Serving Size: 2 cups soup

Per serving: Calories: 404; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 49mg; Sodium: 428mg; Carbohydrate: 61g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 36g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 1128mg; Iron: 21%; Vitamin A: 104%; Vitamin C: 97%; Calcium: 33% 

Marisa Westbrook is a public health professional and food blogger who shares healthy recipes for active lifestyles. By using whole ingredients, getting workouts in, and walking to fro-yo, she finds a healthy living balance. Visit her blog Uproot Kitchen for healthy recipes, travel and restaurant recaps, and active lifestyle tips, or connect with her via Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Marisa Westbrook. Original recipe published on Uproot Kitchen.

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4 Small Exercise Tweaks that Lead to Big Results

Are you just not seeing results from the fitness program you’re doing? Whatever your particular situation is, it might be time to look at the way in which you are performing the important exercises in your plan. Very often, all it takes is one small tweak to that movement to get you seeing results again.

Let’s walk you through some of the common errors that many people often make with their exercises so that you can see for certain how to adjust them in your workout plan.

1. The Full Squat

Of all the moves you do in your workout program, perhaps the full squat is the most important. Squats work multiple muscle groups at once, boost your heart rate, and will enhance your balance and agility.

The biggest error made with this movement is not going all the way down to the ground. Remember, if you move halfway through an exercise, you’ll see half the results. By going all the way down to the ground in the squat, you’ll get greater glute activation, meaning better butt building results. If you want that round, curved backside, squatting as low down to the ground as possible is a necessity.

2. The Bent Over Row

Now we come to the bent over row. The biggest mistake here is letting momentum take over the exercise.

As you bend over, you want to really think of squeezing the shoulder blades back and together as you lift the bar up towards the chest. Never swing the weight upward or you’ll have very little muscle activation and put yourself at risk for lower back pain. Keep the back as stationary as possible and that too will help ensure it’s only muscular power driving this movement.

3. The Crunch

The front crunch is another commonly performed exercise that will help build muscular strength and endurance throughout the core – if you perform it correctly.

This move is all about the mind-muscle connection. You need to really focus on just squeezing those abs as you let the upper body rise up into the crunch position and then lower it back down again. Never pull on the back of your head with your hands or swing the body upward using momentum in this movement as well. Slow, controlled, and steady – that needs to be how this exercise is performed.

4. The Push-Up

Finally, when doing push-ups, make sure that you don’t short yourself here like you may have been doing on your squats.

Go all the way down to the ground so that your chest is just inches from touching. Half push-ups will do very little to build muscular strength. If anything, they’ll just put excess stress on your shoulder and elbow joints as you bounce up and down through the movement. Lower down on a three count, pause at the bottom for a one count, and then press up over a two count. This will really have you feeling the muscles you’re targeting.

Clean up these four exercises in your workout program and you’ll be amazed at the results that you start to see.

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6 Things to Keep in Mind When Dining Out

It’s easy to eat mindfully at home—fresh ingredients and measuring utensils for the win! The real problem is when you hit a new restaurant with friends or stop in for a quick bite somewhere. Your healthy eating plan can totally be derailed the second your server hands you a menu.

If you’re not sure whether “pan-seared” or “pan-fried” is the way to go, or if you’re lost when it comes to alcohol and dessert options, you’ve come to the right place. Here, two registered dietitians share their secrets for decoding the major diet traps while dining out.

1. Remember your “ideal plate” A good rule of thumb: half your plate should be filled with veggies (potatoes don’t count). So when you think about your meal as a whole while ordering off the menu, try to keep half of what you’ll consume vegetable-based, “Whether that means adding extra greens on the side, starting with salad and making sure your main also includes veggies, or even adding extra veggies to a pasta dish,” says Jackie London, M.S., R.D.N. “It will rack up the fiber content, which will help you feel full faster, and stay that way.”

2. Don’t fear splitting or special requests You will not be loathed by waitstaff if you make special requests to lighten up a menu item or if you ask to split a dish. “It’s important to share—you save so many calories that way,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D.N. “Being in a restaurant is not like going to a friend’s house for dinner. You are paying,” she says. Which means you can order one great main dish to share and two side salads, ask your server how a dish is prepared, request veggie subs for high-cal sides, ask for less butter or oil to be used for cooking—whatever, it’s your meal! (Helpful advice: If you’re splitting a meal with a friend, tipping as though you’d ordered two main courses is always a nice gesture.)

3. Choose dressing and sauce carefully “The number one pitfall my clients run into is picking items that would otherwise be healthy, but instead racking up a high-calorie-from-fat content due to cream or cheese-based dressings or sauces,” says London. The most common offenders? Caesar, ranch, creamy balsamic, and Thousand Island dressings; cream-based soup and alfredo sauces; mayo or aioli on anything; and potatoes, polenta, and other starch-based items like “creamy” risotto and pasta. All of which are butter- and cream-laden. Ask for dressing on the side and don’t use the whole pitcher—use only what you need, or opt for a tablespoon of heart-healthy olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead. Avoid cream-based main courses, or order sauce on the side there, as well. “Choosing a tomato-based sauce or vegetable broth is an easy swap—you’ll cut calories and keep the veggie-based fiber content high,” London says.

4. Forget about cleaning your plate You don’t have to be a member of the Clean Plate Club, says Taub-Dix. “Think about it,” she says. “If a 6’4” male construction worker and a 4’11” mother order the same dish, someone is getting a very wrong portion size.” Don’t rely on the restaurant to tell you how much you should eat—know what a common portion size looks like and take the rest home to enjoy as another meal later. (The Mayo Clinic has a slideshow of some common healthy portions.)

5. Look for healthy words on the menu There are good and bad menu buzzwords. The good ones: steamed, grilled, roasted, broiled, boiled, poached, “lightly” sauteed, pan-seared, and blackened. “These imply less added butter, oil, sauce, cream and breading, allowing you to enjoy the meat you choose without a lot of added calories,” says London. Some bad buzzwords: crispy, crunchy, deep-fried, pan-fried, stir-fried, breaded, parmesan, doughy, dumpling, rolls, and creamy. “These signal added calories from oil, breading, or both,” says London. “When you’re in a scenario where people are sharing appetizers or the whole meal in general, pick one of the more treat-like items, spring rolls or dumplings for instance, and have a few bites before passing it on.” This keeps calories in check so you can have your cake and eat it, too. Speaking of cake, this rule also applies to dessert. “I am never one to skip dessert, so I understand when clients don’t want to miss out on this either,” London says. “Choose one item that’s special to you, share it with a friend or date, have about three bites, and be done with it.”

6. Drink smart Don’t forget about liquid calories. Every glass adds up, and alcohol can skew your judgment, causing you to reach for the bread basket or order that extra dessert. Oops! Taub-Dix suggests sipping water while drinking alcohol at dinner, which has the added bonus of making sure your body isn’t mistaking thirst signals for hunger pangs so you don’t overeat. London recommends skipping mixed drinks, fruit-based beverages, and other cocktails, and ordering one clear drink only: wine (red, white, or champagne), spirit and soda (seltzer or diet cola, but no tonic), or the hard stuff on the rocks. “This will keep calories to a minimum and limit the double-hangover—feeling the residual effects of a high-sugar beverages,” she says.

What do you look for first when you pick up a menu?

Love to dine out? We’re thrilled to announce that MyFitnessPal now has a special Restaurant Logging feature—an even easier way to stay on track with your health goals when you dine out at restaurants! To celebrate the launch of this new feature, we’ve teamed up with Panera Bread® for an amazing sweepstakes. Enter here for a chance to win Panera for a year!

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Crispy Baked Kale Chips

Side-step starchy potato, and get your salty snack fix to boot with these crispy baked kale chips from Dietitian Debbies Dishes. Nutritious kale bakes to perfect after being tossed with flavorful garlic, paprika and onion. Change up the flavor by using your favorite spices. Make in bulk for an easy low-carb, low-calorie snack to last you throughout the week.

Crispy Baked Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 1 (6-ounce) bunch curly green kale
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Remove stems from the kale leaves and chop into 1-inch to 2-inch pieces. Spin kale in a salad spinner to remove excess moisture or pat dry with paper towels. Transfer kale leaves to a large bowl.

Toss with olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and salt. Using your hands, gently massage oil into leaves.

Spread kale leaves in a single layer onto a baking sheet or two. (Make sure leaves don’t overlap.)

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until kale leaves have darkened and dried. Let sit on the stovetop for 5 minutes to cool before serving.

Store extra chips in an airtight container.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 3 |  Serving Size: 1 cup

Per serving: Calories: 41; Total Fat: 2g; Saturated Fat: 0.3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 69mg; Carbohydrate: 5g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 0g; Protein: 1g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 198mg; Iron: 4%; Vitamin A: 178%; Vitamin C: 113%; Calcium: 5% 

Deborah Davis, MS, RD, practices clinical dietetics in Chicago, Illinois. She shares practical nutrition tips and healthy recipes on her personal blog, Dietitian Debbie Dishes. In her free time, you’ll likely find Deborah in the kitchen, camera and spatula in hand, developing recipes for her blog and freelance pieces. Connect with Deborah on Twitter and Instagram. Photo courtesy of Deborah Davis.

Original recipe published on Dietitian Debbie Dishes.

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5 Science-Backed Takeaways for Healthy Eating

Earlier this month, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were officially released. A team effort between the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services to distill the latest scientific evidence on nutrition research, the recommendations are meant for Americans age 2 and older, and they’re intended to advise policymakers and health professionals when they write new laws or create new programs.

So, what’s up with the new guidelines? To help you understand the changes, here are five things to know:

1. They stress eating patterns. Compared with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, there is less emphasis on individual foods and nutrients. Instead the spotlight is on having a healthful “eating pattern” at an appropriate calorie level. In my mind, this translates to establishing good eating habits so that you choose nutritious foods most of the time. Unsurprisingly, the guidelines state that a healthy eating pattern includes vegetables, fruit, grains, low-fat dairy, protein and plant-based oils.

PRO: No one food or nutrient is the key to good health, so focusing on eating patterns is a better approach. Additionally, foods can’t be eaten in isolation of each other, so it’s more helpful to have a holistic pattern.

CON: There’s less focus on calories, portion sizes and energy balance, which isn’t to say they’re not important. In the context of maintaining a healthy weight and reducing disease risk, calorie quantity still matters.

2. They acknowledge there’s no one road map toward good health. In fact, the new guidelines describe three different healthy eating patterns:

• Healthy U.S.-Style: This pattern is what we’re used to seeing from health professionals in the U.S. As a dietitian, it’s what typically comes to mind when I think “well-balanced, varied diet”: fruit, vegetables, whole grains, dairy and lean protein.
• Healthy Mediterranean-Style: This pattern is like the U.S.-style, but it contains more fruit and seafood and less dairy. It’s likely included because of strong evidence from numerous large studies that a Mediterranean-style diet is protective against major chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s.
• Healthy Vegetarian: This eating pattern eliminates meat and seafood, and it is higher in plant-based protein sources (think: legumes, nuts, seeds and soy products) and whole grains. Dairy and eggs are included but can be omitted for vegans. It’s likely included due to growing public interest in plant-based diets, and because there’s ample evidence that vegetarians tend to have lower BMI’s, cancer rates and chronic disease risks.

PRO: Nutrition is not one-size-fits-all but varies for each individual; therefore, acknowledging several eating patterns is a step in the right direction. It’s highly likely a number of healthful eating patterns exist outside these three, but at the moment, science has abundant and meaningful evidence to support these three eating patterns.

CON: If you were already confused about what healthy eating looked like, the new guidelines won’t help narrow it down for you. But, then again they are dietary guidelines (not food rules) for a reason. If it helps, all three eating patterns limit added sugar, saturated fat, trans fat and sodium, which we’ll discuss at length.

Similar to past guidelines, the advice on what we should eat more of is phrased in food (think: fruit, vegetables and whole grains), while advice on what we should eat less of is phrased in nutrients. Many experts, among them consumer activist and author Marion Nestle, Ph.D, M.P.H., chalk this up to the political influence of industry. Even if the 2015 Dietary Guidelines are more veiled than you’d like, they have some very useful takeaways:

3. They urge us to cut back on added sugar. Previous dietary guidelines also recommended limiting added sugar intake, but the 2015 Dietary Guidelines give an actual daily cap: no more than 10% of daily calories (about 12 teaspoons) from added sugar. Added sugar – especially in the form of sugary drinks – has been under fire since many studies find that it is associated with higher body weight and increased risk for metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.

PRO: It’s a sweet victory for many nutrition experts and organizations like the World Health Organization that have been gunning for a minimum on added sugar consumption. In fact, many feel that cap on added sugar should be lower than 10% of daily calories.

CON: The major downside? We lack the info that makes it easier to par down on added sugar. Currently, “added sugar” is not listed separately from “sugar” on the Nutrition Facts panel. While we can avoid foods with high sugar grams per serving altogether, remember we don’t want to eliminate fruit and dairy foods. They contain natural sugars in addition to important vitamins and minerals.

USEFUL TAKEAWAY: Drink fewer sugary beverages (think: soda, juice, sweetened coffee and tea) – they’re still the No. 1 source of added sugar in the typical American diet.

4. They omit the minimum cap on cholesterol. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines do away with the previous recommendation on dietary cholesterol of 300 milligrams per day. However, they maintain that strong evidence from prospective cohort studies show that a diet low in dietary cholesterol decreases risk for heart disease and obesity. Since cholesterol is mainly found in animal-based foods (think: egg yolks, shellfish, meats), it’s hard to isolate its effect from that of saturated fat. New studies have emerged citing a lack of correlation between eating cholesterol and it showing up in your blood.

PRO: Egg and seafood lovers, rejoice! We’ve long ostracized high-cholesterol foods out of fear that they’ll adversely affect our blood cholesterol. Include eggs and seafood in your eating pattern – just don’t go crazy.

CON: You’d be hard-pressed to find a health professional who’ll comfortably vindicate dietary cholesterol. New evidence constantly emerges from the nutrition world, and there just isn’t enough strong, steady evidence at this time. I’d say, though, that eliminating the cap on dietary cholesterol is kind of a telling move.

USEFUL TAKEAWAY: If you’re a healthy individual, don’t avoid foods like eggs and seafood just because they’re high in dietary cholesterol. Still unsure? Check with your doctor or dietitian to get perspective for your particular scenario.

5. They maintain the cap on saturated fat, sodium and trans fat. These science-based recommendations center on reducing your risk for heart disease. The daily caps are:

• Eat less than 10% of calories from saturated fat. The guidelines maintain that strong evidence supports swapping saturated fat with unsaturated fats (aka heart-healthy fats). Why? Because it helps decrease risk for heart disease by improving your good cholesterol (HDL) and lowering your bad cholesterol (LDL).
• Eat less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium. Americans eat an average of 3,440 milligrams of sodium daily, which is nearly 50% more than the recommended level. High-sodium diets are linked to higher blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of developing heart disease.
• Eat little to no trans fat. This recommendation came about because strong evidence exists linking trans-fat consumption with increased risk for heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes.

PRO: Limiting saturated fat and sodium while nixing trans fat is sound dietary advice.

CON: You have to read between the lines to know what foods you should eat less of in order to meet the caps for saturated fat, sodium and trans fat.

USEFUL TAKEAWAY: Here’s the food translation:

• Eating less saturated fat means limiting your meat consumption.
• Replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat means choosing more plant-based fats such as avocados, olive oil, canola oil and so forth.
• Eat less sodium and no trans fat means choosing fewer junk foods – especially those made with a lot of salt, seasonings and hydrogenated fats.
• Eat no trans fat also means steering clear of packaged foods whose ingredients include hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fat (think: frozen desserts, cookies, margarine)

To learn more, read the 2015 Dietary Guidelines: http://ift.tt/1QxfXHz

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6 Tips for Pushing Through a Weight-Loss Plateau

It’s a familiar story. You made the decision to adopt healthier habits with a goal of losing weight, and — at first — the pounds seemed to fall off. Then suddenly progress slows, and the inevitable weight-loss plateau rears its ugly head. This leads to frustration and confusion as to why what was once working no longer is. For many, the result is a backslide into old habits and, in turn, weight gain. It’s a vicious cycle.

“Interestingly, in the beginning of a weight-loss plan, people often lose more weight making fewer changes, like limiting portions and cutting out certain food and beverages,” explains Samantha Tinsley, an Indianapolis-based clinical dietitian. “But once they’ve lost usually around 10% of body weight, that weight loss slows down.”

Since this is an all-too-common phenomenon, experts have devised strategies to help those committed to healthier habits stay devoted even when weight loss levels off. There’s no doubt that if you can stay the course and make the proper adjustments, you will eventually see progress again. Here are six strategies for pushing past that plateau and sticking to your weight-loss plan through thick and thin:

1. Mind the (energy) gap.

One of the conundrums of weight loss: As you trim down, you actually need to further restrict your calorie intake or increase your energy expenditure. This is a result of the fact that you’re carrying around less mass. If you hope to continue shedding pounds, you have to continually crunch the numbers to figure out your energy needs.

“It’s estimated that for every pound you lose, you need to reduce your food intake by eight calories,” explains Tinsley. “So for someone who has lost 30 pounds, she now needs to eat 240 fewer calories or burn more through exercising — that’s called the energy gap.”

2. Reframe goals.

While weight loss may seem like it’s all about the numbers on the scale, considering the other benefits of adopting a healthier lifestyle can help you push past a plateau.

“Shift your focus to thinking about non-scale victories,” advises Glennis Coursey, coaching lead at MyFitnessPal. “Ask yourself: What are some of the positive things that are happening in my life based on my weight loss — maybe you got a hug from your kid and they could put their arms all the way around you, or you went on the farthest run you’ve ever done.”

There are plenty of benefits to getting healthy that are harder to quantify but are just as important as weight loss. When you take the time to celebrate those achievements during a plateau, you’re more likely to stay motivated even when the scale isn’t moving.

3. Reassess your diet.

Simply reducing portion sizes is often enough to prompt weight loss for many people. Unfortunately, a more strategic overhaul of your diet is usually necessary as the pounds come off.

“Eating smaller portions is a good start to get that initial weight loss, but after awhile, it’s hard to follow a lower-calorie diet without choosing lower-calorie foods,” says Tinsley.

That means if you are still eating a lot of macaroni and cheese or fatty meats, you’re going to have trouble feeling full on a reduced-calorie diet. When you choose foods rich in fiber and lean protein, you’ll feel fuller for longer, even when you’re cutting calories.

4. Plan ahead.

Setting a course for your week can go a long way in keeping you on track with healthy habits and weight loss. “If you can anticipate challenges you may encounter, they are going to be much easier to get through,” says Coursey. “Maybe you’re planning on going to the gym five times this week — that means you need to look at your calendar beforehand to see when you can go.”

Tinsley adds that the same approach applies to diet: “People who are really successful with weight loss have a plan to go to the grocery store. They know what they will eat for lunch and the healthy snacks they’ll have at work.”

5. Move more.

While changes in diet may be enough in the beginning, if you hope to continue losing weight, you’re going to have to increase the amount of exercise you get each day.

“Studies have shown that people who keep the weight off are active for upwards of an hour each day,” says Tinsley. “By finding activities that increase your energy expenditure, you don’t have to be as strict with your calories.”

Coursey emphasizes that moving more doesn’t mean only getting structured exercise like hopping on a treadmill or going for a bike ride. Everyday activities burn calories, too. This can include everything from mowing the lawn to vacuuming the house. “It’s important to shift your focus and also pay attention to activity throughout the day,” she adds.

6. Stay positive.

For many, it can be demoralizing when weight loss levels off. There’s plenty of evidence out there, however, to suggest that if you can stick with your weight-loss plan, the pounds will come off. This is why remaining positive is so important to keep you on track.

“You need to say to yourself, ‘I’m feeling frustrated, but I’m working hard and I have to find the motivation to keep going,’ ” says Tinsley. “You can feel frustrated without hating yourself. Rather than focusing on the numbers, think about how you’re feeling overall since you started this journey.”

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Ginger-Garlic Spiced Pork Chops

Taste this delectable spice-bomb, also known as Cooking Light‘s easy spiced pork chops! Sweet brown sugar, smoky paprika and spicy ginger infuse lean center-cut loin pork chops for an irresistible weeknight meal. Serve with brown rice and steamed vegetables for a complete and satisfying meal. For a lower carb option, omit the brown rice and double your steamed veggies instead.

Ginger-Garlic Spiced Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 (4-ounce or 115 grams each) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon bottled minced ginger
• 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
• Green onion for garnish (optional)

Directions

Lightly score a diamond pattern on both sides of pork. Combine sugar and next 6 ingredients (sugar through garlic); rub evenly over pork.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add pork; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 pork chop

Per serving: Calories: 209; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 62mg; Sodium: 498mg; Carbohydrate: 9g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 25g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 520mg; Iron: 5%; Vitamin A: 12%; Vitamin C: 1%; Calcium: 2% 

Find more low-calorie dinner meals like this from the new Cooking Light Diet, where you can lose weight without giving up the foods you love. Learn more at CookingLightDiet.com. Follow Cooking Light on Facebook for more daily recipe inspiration.

Follow Cooking Light on Facebook for daily recipe inspiration.

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Restaurant Sabotage: What’s Really in that Salad?

You’d think ordering a salad at a restaurant would be a foolproof way to “eat healthy” on the go—but here’s the deal: restaurants aren’t in the business of keeping you healthy. They’re in the business of offering meals that taste good, so you will keep coming back for more.

Check out the nutrition facts for your favorite meal-sized restaurant salad and I’m willing to bet it has more fat, calories, salt, and sugar than you’d ever expect. I did, and it was worse than I expected. My former favorite, the BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad from California Pizza Kitchen, has 1,250 calories, 81 grams of fat, 1800mg of sodium, and 6 teaspoons of sugar. Sodium aside, the numbers suggest I might actually be better off ordering the BBQ Chicken Pizza—and eating the entire thing myself!

It’s time to end the salad sabotage! Here are some common bowl-busters and tips to help you make healthier choices when ordering greens on the go.

1. Crunchy toppings Whether it’s thin strips of tortilla chips, fried Asian noodles, or crispy croutons, a hearty sprinkle of crunchy toppings add more fat, sodium, and refined carbs than they’re worth. You’re better off asking for these on the side, and spooning them on sparingly before you dig in.

2. Crispy shrimp and crusted chicken While the name has a nice ring to it, the words “crispy” and “crusted” are synonyms for “fried.” One four-ounce fried chicken breast has 300 calories and around 15 grams of fat. The same amount of fried shrimp has 275 calories and 13 grams of fat. By asking for grilled shrimp or chicken instead, you’ll be cutting the calories and fat by at least half.

3. Fried taco shells Mexican-lovers beware: the grand finale of a taco salad, that crunchy taco shell bowl, will tack an additional 400 calories on to your meal. Your best bet is to skip the shell altogether, go light on the sour cream, and sprinkle a few crushed tortilla chips on top instead.

4. Dangerous dressings Depending on the size you order, there can be anywhere from 2 to 4 (sometimes more!) tablespoons of dressing coating your salad. Creamy dressings tend to be high in fat, sweet vinaigrettes are often a sneaky source of added sugars, and many Asian dressings can be high in sodium. Adding oil and vinegar yourself is the healthiest option. Still, you don’t always have to sacrifice the flavor of your favorite dressing. Simply ask for it on the side, and dip your fork into the dressing before loading it up with veggies. The light coating gives you just enough flavor and you’ll use about half as much.

5. Sugary sauces Barbecue and honey mustard sauces are commonly found on restaurant salads, but beware: they’re loaded with added sugar. Just 2 tablespoons of honey mustard sauce contains 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce contains an entire tablespoon of sugar. Ask for these sauces on the side to control how much sweet stuff ends up on your salad.

6. Dried fruit I’ll admit to loving pops of sweetness in my salads, but dried fruits are concentrated sources of sugar—some of which is added, like with most dried cranberries. It’s common to have ¼ cup of dried cranberries mixed into a restaurant salad, which add upwards of 100 calories and nearly 20 grams (or 5 teaspoons) of sugar to your “healthy” meal. Opt for salads with fresh fruit instead, like sliced apple or pear, to keep the sweet without all the concentrated sugars.

7. Cheese A 1-ounce serving of cheese typically has anywhere from 80 to 110 calories, but most meal-size restaurant salads show up with much more than that—usually double! Rather than having it mixed in, ask for the cheese on the side and then sprinkle it on sparingly. A little goes a long way!

8. Super-sized portions Portion distortion isn’t just a problem with entrees, restaurants know that oversized salads ensure customers leave full, happy, and feeling good about making a “healthier” choice. If you want your salad with all of the fixings, order the half- or lunch-sized portion. It will save you a lot of calories, and a little cash, too.

How do you healthy-up a not-so-healthy restaurant salad? Share your tricks in the comments below.

Love to dine out? We’re thrilled to announce that MyFitnessPal now has a special Restaurant Logging feature—an even easier way to stay on track with your health goals when you dine out at restaurants! To celebrate the launch of this new feature, we’ve teamed up with Panera Bread® for an amazing sweepstakes. Enter here for a chance to win Panera for a year!

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Stir-Fried Cauliflower “Rice” Bowl

Get more vegetable into your day with our stir-fried cauliflower “rice” bowl, which is also friendly for the carb-conscious crowd. You can enjoy all the flavors of fried rice–egg, carrots and peas–on a bed of savory cauliflower “rice.” If you crave a protein boost, serve with a side of lean chicken or broiled shrimp.

Stir-Fried Cauliflower “Rice”

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower (2 pounds or 1180 grams), cut into florets
• 2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 4 large (50 grams each) eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 small (100 grams) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup (65 grams) fresh or frozen sugar snap or baby peas, thawed and drained
• 1/2 cup (110 grams) vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium, gluten-free soy or tamari sauce (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 green onion, sliced diagonally

Directions

Place cauliflower florets, in batches, in a food processor and pulse until it is the size and texture of rice. Set aside.

Heat 1/2  teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggs; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until set. Transfer to a plate; thinly slice and set aside.

Wipe skillet clean; heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil over medium heat. Add carrots, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in cauliflower and sugar snap pea pods. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes until mixture is hot and cauliflower is crisp-tender.

Combine broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil; stir into cauliflower and cook 1 minute. Stir in reserved eggs; cook 1 minute until heated. Sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups

Per serving: Calories: 277; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 212mg; Sodium: 523mg; Carbohydrate: 33g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 14g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 936mg; Iron: 15%; Vitamin A: 198%; Vitamin C: 187%; Calcium: 14% 

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Myth-Busting: Facts and Fiction About Detox Diets & Juicing

The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to make healthy lifestyle changes, so you may wish to jump-start weight loss, eat a more balanced diet or work toward a fitness goal. But since trendy diets keep popping up, it’s important to separate fact from fiction.

Detoxing and juicing are two trends that aren’t going away anytime soon. “Detox diets” are usually based strictly on a variety of fruit and vegetable juices coupled with water. They promise to shed weight in record time while ridding your body of harmful toxins. But how much truth is there to these claims?

Myth 1: “Detox diets” are the only way to cleanse your body of harmful toxins.
All the juice in the world can’t compete with the natural detoxification that your body does every day! Your kidneys, liver and immune system work around the clock to filter out harmful toxins and rid your body of pathogens. But there’s good news: Consuming vegetables and fruits enhances this natural detox system by providing a boost of antioxidants, phytochemicals and vitamins.

Myth 2: Juicing will result in long-term weight loss.
As promised, juicing can lead to drastic, short-term weight loss, as a result of cutting calories and losing water weight. Without any solid food to supply starches and fiber, your body doesn’t hold on to water — leading you to quickly shed pounds. However, juicing alone cannot consistently supply all the essential nutrients you need, and it is likely to result in “yo-yo dieting.” While fruits and vegetables are certainly important for long-term weight loss, a balanced diet also includes lean protein and healthy fats as well as crucial micronutrients.

Myth 3: Detox diets are suitable for everyone.
The potential pitfalls of juicing mean that detox diets aren’t the best choice for everyone. Often, weight loss from juicing comes at the expense of muscle loss, since muscle maintenance requires dietary protein. With calorie-restricted detox diets, you might not even have the energy to work out. This can result in further loss of lean body mass, which wouldn’t be desirable, especially for athletes. Juicing also removes the pulp and fiber from fruits and vegetables, which makes their natural sugars easier to absorb. This can lead to a spike in blood sugar that could be unfavorable for diabetics.

With these myths in mind, it’s important to recognize that juicing itself — not juicing under the guise of a restrictive detox diet — can also be beneficial. Here are three tips to healthfully incorporate juicing into your eating plan:

1. “On-the-go” nutrition. In the hectic routine of daily life, it can be hard to find time for nutritious, balanced meals. Juicing fruits and vegetables can provide a convenient alternative to cooking a hot meal. Juices can complement a complete meal — just make sure to take your juice with more substantial foods high in fiber, protein and healthy fats. This is a strategy to eat on the go without relying on fast food!
2. Diversify your diet. If you don’t love fruits and vegetables, kale, pomegranates and beets can be intimidating to incorporate into traditional meals. Juicing allows you to add an array of fruits and vegetables to your eating plan without all the slicing, peeling and sautéing!
3. Immune boost. With cold and flu season upon us, your health is more important than ever. Juicing allows for rapid absorption of vitamins and antioxidants that support your immune system. While whole fruits and vegetables also provide these nutrients, juicing offers a quick way to increase intake if you find it hard to meet daily recommendations.

Keep these facts in mind as you’re bombarded by trendy diets, and always consider what is realistic and sustainable for a healthy lifestyle in the long run!

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So You Want to Stop … Eating on Autopilot

Why do you eat? Because you’re hungry, right? And you stop eating because you’re full. Not according to the work of psychologists like Brian Wansink, David Neal and Wendy Wood. From their research, we’re learning how much of eating is simply habitual. We are actually triggered by cues from our environment that it’s time to eat or that we should be hungry, or we eat simply out of the habit of putting food into our mouths without even noticing.

In 2010, Neal and Wood, along with Mengju Wu and David Kurlander, recruited 98 people to participate in an experiment at a movie theater. The scientists gave all the participants popcorn, showed them the same movie trailers, then gave them a survey asking to rate how hungry they were when they arrived and how frequently they ordered popcorn at the movies. The catch was the popcorn: Half the participants were given fresh, delicious, buttery popcorn, and the other half were given unsalted, week-old, completely stale popcorn. The result? People who reported they frequently ate popcorn at the movies consumed the same amount of both the fresh and the stale popcorn, regardless of how hungry they were. If eating popcorn at the movies was a habit, they ate popcorn without thinking about how hungry they were — even if it tasted like foam packing peanuts.

According to Wansink’s research at the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, if you recorded every food decision you made, including all of the food you either ate or didn’t eat and every portion size you selected, you would still be unaware of 221 food-related decisions per day. We make so many mindless eating decisions that Wansink wrote an (excellent) book about it called “Mindless Eating.”

The result of all this mindless eating is apparent from our collective waistline. The average American gains a pound a year between ages 25 and 60 — often without noticing how it happened — precisely because of mindless eating. But there’s no need to fear self-sabotage. Learn how to use your environment to your advantage and mindlessly lose weight instead of accidentally packing on the pounds:

1. Switch up where and when you eat.

As noted in the popcorn experiment, eating is a lot more about context than hunger, so changes to the time and place you eat actually impact the amount of food you eat. For example, people who were given the stale popcorn in a meeting room and asked to watch different videos noticed the terrible popcorn immediately — and stopped eating it. So if you normally eat lunch at your desk, eat it in the break room. Or if you eat breakfast on the go, wake up earlier, and try eating at the table.

2. Use smaller plates.

According to Wansink’s work, the container we put our food into impacts how much of it we eat. Using smaller plates can reduce the amount we eat by 31% without us even noticing. And that holds true even if we go back for seconds and thirds! The very fact that we have to think about it reduces the amount we eat even more.

3. Keep food at arm’s length at parties.

“Party binging,” as Wansink calls it, is when people eat thousands of extra calories without noticing. I advise my clients to get scientific at parties, and it can work for you, too. Get out a tape measure, and measure the length of your arm. Now make sure that you hang out and socialize at least that far away from the bar or the food table at your next party. Seriously, not being physically near the food will keep it from mindlessly jumping into your face. You can still enjoy food, drinks and the party, but keeping your distance ensures that you are choosing to enjoy it instead of eating on autopilot — without noticing or enjoying any of the extra calories.

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10 Must-Make Meatless Meals Under 375 Calories

Step aside steak — veggies aren’t just for side dishes anymore! Pack those fiber-rich vegetables, plus whole grains, nuts or legumes into salads or even no-meat sloppy Joes. These plant-based protein options deserve the spotlight. They’re bursting with fresh flavor and nutrients galore, and these recipes contain little cholesterol and saturated fat. Gather your produce, and get ready for a stellar plant-based feast with these 10 meatless mains — all under 375 calories per serving!

1. Baked Falafel Lettuce Wraps | The Wheatless Kitchen
These crispy baked falafel wraps make sneaking in plant-powered protein and fiber a cinch! Baking the spiced ground chickpea and quinoa mixture rather than frying keeps this Mediterranean lunchtime favorite light without sacrificing flavor. Serve with fresh cucumber and tomato slices. Recipe makes 6 servings at 3 falafels + 1 tablespoon yogurt sauce + 3 lettuce leaves + 1/2 tomato + 1/2 avocado each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 285; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 3mg; Sodium: 331mg; Carbohydrate: 34g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 9g

2. Grilled Zucchini Hummus Wrap | Maebells
This convenient wrap is packed with grilled veggies, cheese and hummus! Grilled zucchini is paired with kale, red onion and tomatoes, plus cheese and a heap  of hummus for a double dose of creaminess. Recipe makes 2 servings at 1 wrap each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 332; Total Fat: 17g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7g ; Cholesterol: 15mg; Sodium: 643mg; Carbohydrate: 34g; Dietary Fiber: 17g; Sugars: 2g; Protein: 13g

3. Quinoa Party Salad | Clean Eating
If you’re looking for a palate-pleasing fiesta in your mouth, look no further than this healthy Mexican-inspired quinoa salad. Since it takes less than 30 minutes to whip up, it makes a great main meal or side dish for bigger crowds. Serve as is or with crunchy baked tortilla chips. Garnish with avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Recipe makes 8 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 362; Total Fat: 10.5g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 46mg; Carbohydrate: 56g; Dietary Fiber: 10g;  Sugar: 3g; Protein: 14g

4. Asparagus Pea Pasta Bowl | MyFitnessPal’s Original Recipes
Fragrant lemon, creamy feta and fresh dill make this easy lunchtime favorite a flavor sensation. For a fiber boost, use whole-grain bow-tie pasta. Squeeze extra lemon over each bowl prior to serving, and pair with a simple mixed green salad to complete the meal. To make this dish vegan-friendly, swap out the butter for olive oil, and omit the feta. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 1/2 cups each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 359; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 22; Sodium: 251mg; Carbohydrate: 59g; Dietary Fiber: 6g;  Sugar: 5g; Protein: 13g

5. Creamy Coconut Cauliflower Soup | The Honour System
Sip on silky smooth coconut-cauliflower soup by blending potatoes fragrant garlic and creamy coconut milk with cauliflower. This flavorful blend of real ingredients beats canned soup every time. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 1/2 cups each.

Nutrition (per serving):  Calories: 262; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 291mg; Carbohydrate: 46g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Sugar: 13g; Protein: 8g

6. Vegetarian Fried Rice | Calories In, Calories Out Cookbook
Who doesn’t adore a good fried rice? This healthier version features whole-grain brown rice, green beans, carrots, corn and tofu for a veggie-packed main meal that’s guaranteed to keep your taste buds satisfied. To cut down on prep time, cook the rice the day before. Garnish with freshly chopped green onions. Recipe makes 6 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 341; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 31mg; Sodium: 795mg; Carbohydrate: 55g; Dietary Fiber: 5g;  Sugar: 3g; Protein: 11g

7. Vegan Green Bean Casserole | Minimalist Baker
Think green bean casserole is reserved for Turkey Day? Think again! This decadent, comforting dish features lighter ingredients that deliver serious flavor. Whip it up this weekend for a vegan flavor powerhouse that the whole family will enjoy. Hooray for crispy fried onions! Recipe makes 8 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 273; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 8g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 406mg; Carbohydrate: 24g; Dietary Fiber: 5g;  Sugar: 6g; Protein: 6g

8. Pinto Bean Sloppy Joes | Clean Eating
Swap out beef for high-fiber pinto beans and veggies in a unique and tasty alternative to traditional sloppy Joes. Slow-cooking them boosts the flavor of the sweet and tangy sauce and makes prep a breeze! While they may be a tad messy, these sammies are guaranteed to be requested time and time again by kids and adults alike. Recipe makes 10 servings of 2/3 cup + 1 bun each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 283; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 692mg; Carbohydrate: 51g; Dietary Fiber: 11g;  Sugar: 13g; Protein: 11g

9. Spinach and Potato Frittata | MyFitnessPal’s Original Recipes
This simple, scrumptious egg bake starts on the stovetop and then crisps up in the oven right before serving. Fresh thyme adds an earthy finish that pairs perfectly with the creamy goat cheese. Serve with whole-grain toast and a mixed green salad to round out the meal. Recipe makes 6 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 228; Total Fat: 5g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 100mg; Sodium: 346mg; Carbohydrate: 32g; Dietary Fiber: 3g;  Sugar: 2g; Protein: 12g

10. Chickpea Cauliflower “Rice” Bowls | Healthy Nibbles and Bits
Enjoy cauliflower in a whole new way with this unique, lower-carbohydrate (and more nutrient-dense!) play on rice. Roasted chickpeas add that oh-so-important crunch factor while bell peppers, zucchini and corn add antioxidants and a splash of color. Serve with sliced avocado and extra crispy chickpeas on top. Recipe makes 4 servings at 2 1/2 cups each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 295; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 785mg; Carbohydrate: 43g; Dietary Fiber: 12g;  Sugar: 11g; Protein: 13g

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3 Workout Swaps to Burn More Calories

The top two excuses for avoiding exercise: a lack of time and reduced motivation as the result of poor results from previous weight-loss attempts. It’s true that in this hustle-and-bustle world, when you’re faced with choosing to exercise versus working and tending to family responsibilities, most people opt for one of the latter options. It’s particularly difficult to commit to a regular physical-activity regimen when you’ve struggled with weight-loss efforts in the past.

For these reasons, it’s important to focus on getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to exercise. This means figuring out a workout that will torch calories in as little time as possible. By swapping less effective workouts for proven calorie-burners, you’ll see results faster, saving you both time and money. That also means two fewer excuses.

If you’re looking to lose weight, try one of these:

1. Swap weight training for compound strength exercises.

While simple weighted exercises like bicep curls are great when it comes to building strength, compound strength moves are more efficient in not only increasing muscle but also burning calories. Rather than isolating a single muscle during an exercise, as you would doing something like bicep curls, compound strength training recruits several different muscle groups simultaneously. Think about squatting, pulling and pushing — all three types of movements require the use of multiple muscles. For instance, a squat recruits your quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings. Similarly, you’ll rely on both your back muscles and biceps to do a pull-up.

Even more effective is combining a couple of moves. For example, a burpee requires you to first squat down, walk your feet back and then get into a plank position before reversing the sequence and jumping back to standing position. For a 180-pound man, the American College of Sports Medicine estimates each burpee burns around 1.5 calories.

Since muscle tissue burns more calories than fat even when you’re resting, exercises that build multiple muscle groups can play a role in weight loss.

2. Swap regular cardio for Tabata training.

Research has shown that most of us will burn a little over 100 calories per mile when running. Alternatively, Tabata training or high-intensity interval training can burn more than 300 calories in a lightning-fast 20-minute workout. This type of workout involves repeating short bursts of high-intensity moves followed by periods of rest.

Interested in how many calories Tabata training could truly burn, the American Council on Exercise conducted a study on the subject by putting together their own Tabata regimen. It included exercises like burpees, jumping rope, push-ups and squats. The participants performed 20 seconds of an exercise, then took a 10-second break. They did 16 different moves two times through, taking a full minute of rest between every cluster of four moves. In just 20 minutes, participants burned a whopping 240–360 calories — that’s 12–18 calories per minute!

If you’re just beginning a new exercise routine, you can start by doing half of these moves and progress as you gain fitness. Start with just 10 minutes of Tabata plus a warm-up and cooldown. The moral of the story is that high-intensity exercise, even in small amounts, torches calories in a way that old-school pavement pounding never will. Even better news: Research shows that you continue to burn calories for 24 hours after HIIT at a rate similar to the 24 hours following a more time-consuming, endurance-focused workout.

3. Swap running for low-impact cardio.

Since running has a reputation for causing injuries — research estimates around 80% of runners suffer an injury in any given year — choosing an alternative cardio exercise that has a lower risk for injury can be important in terms of keeping you on a regular workout routine. While higher-impact activities like running have often been cited to be among the greatest calorie burners, research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning suggests that energy expenditure is similar on an elliptical and a treadmill when exercise is performed at a similar intensity. Indeed, another study that compared cycling with uphill treadmill running also concluded that the two exercises elicited similar calorie burns. While running provides great aerobic exercise, the risk of injury may not be worth it for someone who is new to this type of high-impact exercise and is trying to stay on a regular workout regimen to lose weight. Keeping in mind that the intensity at which you work out and your current fitness will affect the amount of calories you burn, the bike or elliptical may be a better choice than the treadmill the next time you head to the gym.

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The Basics of Body Recomposition: How to Lose Fat & Gain Muscle at the Same Time

One of the most curious terms you’ll see pop in any sort of fitness writing is “lean muscle.” It’s a curious term because, as you may know, all muscle is lean muscle. There is no such thing as “fat muscle” or “bulky muscle.”

Still, it’s a term that has worked its way into the fitness lexicon because of the imagery it suggests. The expression is used to describe the process of building muscle without adding fat; or, in the case of more specific marketing, the idea of building strength without adding “bulk.”

Both of these are highly desirable, and yet neither of them come close to what people really want—the so-called Holy Grail of body transformation: the ability to burn fat and gain (lean) muscle at the same time.

This is something called body recomposition, and while it is undoubtedly difficult, it is not, as some people might have you believe, impossible. In fact, a better way to put it is this: while recomposition is anything but easy, it can be made simple.

I’m going to give you a very basic approach to body recomposition and begin to arm you with the tools you need to help you lose fat and build muscle at the same time.

It All Comes Down to Diet

Reading this here on MyFitnessPal—home of the most popular nutrition tracking systems in the world—it’s no surprise that we would start by touching on diet. That said, it also happens to be the most important aspect when it comes to body recomposition. Although modifying your exercise program is certainly going to help, the truth is that diet holds the key.

Specifically, I’m talking about something called cycling.

In the context of dieting, “cycling” means that certain aspects of your nutrition are modified on specific days. Nearly every successful diet uses some sort of cycling, whether it’s a standard intermittent fasting practice, a ketogenic diet, or carb backloading. All of these examples use very different parameters for cycling, but they have one thing in common: you eat more calories and carbs on days you work out than you do on days you don’t.

That is the key. If you want to achieve recompostion, you’re going to eat MORE on days that you exercise, and LESS on days that you do not. The primary reason for this is energy utilization and recovery. To put in the most succinct way possible, you need to take more energy on days you expend more energy. Pretty simple, right?

Apart from helping you achieve body recomposition, these things are also important for hormonal optimization. However, there are some other advantages as well: researches at Louisiana State University found in a 2005 study that calorie cycling prolongs your life; this conclusion was further supported by researched conducted by the National Institute of Health in 2008.

So, calorie cycling is going to help you lose fat while you gain muscle, optimize your hormones, AND live longer. Not bad, if you ask me. Now, let’s learn how to do it.

Basic Calorie Cycling for Basic Recomposition

As mentioned earlier, the key to calorie cycling for recomposition is to eat more calories on days that you train and less on days you do not.

Before we go any further, we need to define what “training” actually means. For the purposes of our discussion concerning body recomposition, the term “training day” is ONLY referring to a day on which you perform weight training for at least 30 minutes. Although other forms of exercise can certainly be intense, recomposition is ONLY possible if you’re doing at least 30 minutes of reasonably intense weight training a consistent three times per week.

After all, part of recomposition is gaining muscle, and the most effective way to achieve that is through resistance training. Got it? Good! Moving on.

Now that we’ve established that, let’s look how many calories you should eat to achieve your goal of simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain.

It’s a three-step process, and it looks like this:

• First, figure out your maintenance calories. Input your information into your MFP Diet Profile, then set your goal for “maintain my current weight” and hit “update.” The number you were given is your Maintenance Caloric Intake, or Maintenance Calories (MC).
• Next, figure out your training day calories. Take your MC, and increase it by 15%. Keep in mind, training days are ONLY days you train with weights.
• Finally, determine your rest day calories. Take your MC and decrease it by 10%. Rest days are any days you DO NOT train with weights.

That’s it. Super simple. Let’s put it into practice using my body.

I currently weight 197 pounds and am 5’8’’ tall with 10% body fat. According to my MyFitnessPal diet profile, my MC is set to 2,550. For a guy my size, that sounds about right.

To determine my training day calories, I simply take that number on add 15%. To get that number, I multiply 2,550 by .15, giving me 383. I simply add that to my MC and get 2,933. This is the number of calories I will eat on days I train with weights.

(Remember, you have to eat extra calories to gain muscle, so don’t worry if this number seems high.)

Next, I want to determine my caloric intake on rest days—those days on which I do NOT train with weights. To do this, I take my MC and subtract 10%. I first multiply 2,550 by .10 and get 255, then subtract that from my MC, giving me 2,295. And just like that, I know how many calories I need to eat on my rest days!

Closing Thoughts & Next Steps

Remember, while recomposition is difficult, it can be made simple, especially with a formula like this. While there are a lot of ways to eat for recomposition, this basic formula is the perfect first step on your journey to simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain—your key to gaining that “lean” muscle you’ve been after.

Next time, I’m going to take it a step further, and show you how to set up your macronutrient intake to make your recomposition plan even more effective!

Your Turn

Now, it’s your turn. Give it a shot, and let us know how you’re doing in the comments section. We’ll be around to check in on you and offer some advice and guidance.

The post The Basics of Body Recomposition: How to Lose Fat & Gain Muscle at the Same Time appeared first on Hello Healthy.

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Mediterranean Egg Salad

Bursting with bright flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, cooling cucumbers, and savory olives, dive into a Mediterranean vacation in your mouth with The Healthy Maven‘s fresh twist on the traditional egg salad. Substituting mayonnaise with plain greek yogurt packs an extra protein punch sans the extra fat.

Mediterranean Egg Salad

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs, hardboiled
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained of excess oil and chopped (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped finely
• 1/2 medium cucumber, chopped
• 1/4 cup olives, chopped
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• Splash of lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Chop up your hardboiled eggs and place them in a bowl.

Add in sun-dried tomatoes, red onion, cucumber and olives.

Stir in Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and spices until well-combined. Serve egg salad over lettuce wraps or whole-wheat bread. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe

Per serving: Calories: 221; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 431mg; Sodium: 486mg; Carbohydrate: 11g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 15g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 488mg; Iron: 16%; Vitamin A: 14%; Vitamin C: 18%; Calcium: 12% 

Davida is a healthy living blogger behind The Healthy Maven, where she writes about healthy food, fitness and her insatiable sweet tooth. She aims to create delicious recipes that are healthy, gluten-free and filled with good-for-you ingredients but still taste as authentic as the originals. It’s not rare that she’ll throw spinach in her brownies! Check out more of her recipes on her blog and follow her on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Davida Kugelmass. Recipe originally posted on The Healthy Maven.

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The Ultimate Guide to Cutting Calories When Eating Out

Eating out is a notoriously easy way to rack up added calories, fat, sugar and salt. However, it’s extremely convenient and a social necessity on certain occasions. Instead of feeling lost the next time you glance at a menu, follow these tips and guidelines to choose smarter, healthier fare!

With the endless bowls of chips and salsa, mounds of queso smothered enchiladas and fishbowl-size margaritas, the calories and fat grams can add up fast when eating Mexican food. Have your fiesta, and eat it, too, with these slimming tips for dining south of the border:

• Add fresh vegetables and salsa to your dish instead of cheese, queso dip or sour cream. These ingredients are calorie-dense and can quickly addfat.
• Choose corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas. Not only are corn tortillas usually smaller, they are also a source of whole grains. For a low-carb alternative, order your dish as a salad bowl.
• Go meatless! Fill your taco, enchilada or burrito with a variety of beans and grilled vegetables instead of meat.
• Order brown rice instead of white rice. Brown rice is a whole grain that serves as a rich source of fiber, selenium and other nutrients.
• Don’t fill up on chips and salsa – save room for your main course.

Healthier Picks

1. Chicken Fajitas
2. Taco Salad (hold the hard shell and queso)
3. Shrimp or Chicken Taco on Soft Corn Tortillas

Cartons of white rice, breaded chicken and greasy egg rolls doused in soy sauce can quickly become a high-salt, high-calorie nightmare. Follow these quick tips to enjoy your favorite Chinese cuisine:

• Choose steamed dumplings or “summer” rolls instead of fried wontons or egg rolls. Summer rolls are made with thin rice paper and usually contain fresh vegetables and shrimp or lean meats like chicken or pork.
• Many meat and vegetarian stir-fry dishes include a variety of vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, cabbage and mushrooms. However, there is often not a full serving of vegetables in the main dish alone. Consider ordering an extra side of steamed vegetables to complement your entree.
• Be conscious of sauces. If a dish comes with a thick sauce or dressing, order it on the side. Use soy sauce sparingly, and choose a low-sodium option whenever possible to avoid unnecessary salt intake.
• Choose a stir-fried or sauteed meat option (e.g., Kung Pao Chicken or Chicken & Broccoli) instead of a breaded or fried meat option (e.g., General Tso’s, Sesame or Sweet & Sour).
• Order a side of steamed brown rice rather than white rice or fried rice. Fried rice is often made with white rice and soy sauce, making it higher in salt and lower in fiber than steamed brown rice.

Healthier Picks

1. Kung Pao Chicken. This spicy stir fry chicken dish is made with peanuts, vegetables, and hot chili peppers
2. Moo Goo Gai Pan. A stir-fry dish made with chicken, mushrooms, and vegetables.
3. Sashimi

While stacks of pancakes, sizzling bacon and gravy-smothered biscuits tempt your taste buds, these breakfast staples can easily pile on fat and calories. Enjoy the most important meal of the day in a healthy way using these simple breakfast tips:

• Order a side of whole-grain toast rather than enriched grain sources (Think: white bread, grits, biscuits, muffins or buttermilk pancakes). The whole-grain toast will provide a boost of satiating fiber and other important nutrients.
• Creating your own omelet is the perfect way to load up on a variety of vegetables and protein! Include a leafy green such as kale or spinach and a lean meat source such as turkey or chicken sausage. Sausage is both higher in protein and lower in fat than bacon.
• For a boost of vegetables, add tomato, avocado or spinach to your favorite egg dish.
• As a side dish to complement your entree, choose a cup of fresh fruit or a small bowl of oatmeal instead of home fries or grits.

Healthier Picks

1. Vegetable Omelet
2. Oatmeal with Fruit (without brown sugar)
3. Eggs, Whole-Wheat Toast and Fruit

Juicy, red steaks and potatoes doused in cheese and sour cream can turn a traditional American favorite into a fat- and calorie-laden meal in no time. Try out these simple tips the next time you dine at a steakhouse for a healthy spin on some American classics:

• Choose lean cuts of meat (Think: filet mignon, flank steak or tenderloin) instead of fatty cuts of meat such as a rib-eye or T-bone.
• Keep portion size in mind. Bigger isn’t always better. When ordering steak, consider choosing a portion of 3-6 ounces.
• Pair your steak with a baked potato, brown rice or a house salad. Avoid scalloped potatoes, potatoes au gratin or wedge salads. The latter options are often prepared using cheese, oil and cream-based sauces, leading them to be higher in both fat and calories.
• Use butter, sour cream and cream-based sauces sparingly, and always ask for these condiments to come on the side.

Healthier Picks

1. Filet Mignon and Baked Sweet Potato
2. Grilled Salmon with Steamed Broccoli
3. Burger (without a bun or cheese and all condiments on side) with Baked Potato and Side Salad
4. Grilled Chicken with Steamed Mixed Veggies and Brown Rice

Italian restaurants are known for plates of spaghetti stacked a mile high, never-ending bread baskets and creamy Alfredo sauce. Dodge the barrage of calories, refined carbs and excess fat with these tips:

• When ordering spaghetti, tortellini or other pasta dishes, ask your server whether whole-grain pasta is available. If so, opt for the whole grains instead.
• Choose a tomato-based sauce instead of a cream-based one such as Alfredo. Vegetable-based sauces will usually be lower in fat and calories than cream-based alternatives.
• Italian restaurants often offer a variety of fish and shrimp options. Choose a grilled seafood dish for a boost of essential fats.
• Skip the unlimited bread baskets. Complement your entree with a side salad (dressing on the side) or small piece of plain whole-grain bread.
• Ask for grated cheese on the side so you can sprinkle it on yourself, or just omit it altogether.
• Ask your server whether small “lunch” portions are available. Or, order a regular entree portion, and place half in a to-go box before eating your meal.

Healthier Picks

1. Minestrone Soup and House Salad
2. Chicken Marsala
3. Grilled Fish and Vegetables with Marinara over Whole Wheat Pasta

Creamy mashed potatoes, fried chicken and cornbread can satisfy almost anyone, yet these Southern classics quickly become calorie-dense, high-fat meals. Enjoy your traditional Southern favorites the lighter way using these healthy tips:

• Choose grilled or roasted meat instead of heavier meats like fried chicken, chicken-fried steak, fried pork chops or fried shrimp.
• Order a salad or side of freshly cooked vegetables like green beans, collard greens or stewed okra. Avoid fried vegetables and heavy starch-based sides like fried okra, potato salad, macaroni salad, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato soufflé or mashed potatoes.
• If your entree comes with gravy or other heavy sauces, ask for them on the side so you can control exactly how much to add.
• Drink unsweetened tea or water with a lemon to avoid the added sugar and calories that come from drinking sweet tea, lemonade or soda.
• Order the kids meal. If you’re craving the pulled-pork sandwich, get the smaller portion off the kids menu, which is usually served with only one side.

Healthier Picks

1. Pulled Chicken with Baked Beans and Collard Greens
2. Smoked Turkey with Green Beans and Corn on the Co
3. Beef Brisket with Stewed Okra and Coleslaw

Keep these tips in mind for a healthier experience the next time you dine out!

Love to dine out? We’re thrilled to announce that MyFitnessPal now has a special Restaurant Logging feature—an even easier way to stay on track with your health goals when you dine out at restaurants! To celebrate the launch of this new feature, we’ve teamed up with Panera Bread® for an amazing sweepstakes. Enter here for a chance to win Panera for a year!

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