Tag Archives: calorie counting

Consider Calorie Impact of Alcoholic Beverages

jamie-lyn-pittmanJamie Pittman is currently a graduate student at East Carolina University where she is obtaining her MAEd in Health Education.  She also works full-time as a grant coordinator at the North Carolina Alliance for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NCAAHPERD) in Raleigh, NC. Jamie is also an active member of MyDIR, the DietsInReview.com community.

Week after week friends complain to me that they “can’t lose weight,” that they are doing “EVERYTHING!” and their weight just won’t budge.  These same people go out and drink five or more drinks at least one to two nights a week.  You might think–what’s the harm in a little social drinking?  You should be allowed at least one “cheat” day a week where you can eat and drink whatever you want, right?

Alcohol contains calories (I promise—all alcohol contains calories!), 7 calories per gram to be exact and they add up quickly.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites that the average alcoholic beverage is 13.7 grams, or about 96 calories. (more…)

Posted on April 25, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Alcoholic Drinks Pack on the Pounds

beer-bottleA British study has found that people are woefully unaware of the weight-gaining consequences of drinking alcohol, particularly if you drink on a regular basis. The Know Your Limits campaign polled 2,000 adults in England. Researchers found that 40 percent of the people didn’t know that a glass of wine has the same calories as a slice of cake (120).

I’m not sure that knowing the comparative calorie content is all that ignorant. However, when you think about what kinds of foods an alcoholic drink can be compare to, it’s pretty revealing. A pint of beer is comparable to a doughnut. And what’s most telling is the cumulative or long view of consumption. Five pints of beer a week would add up to 221 doughnuts in a year! (more…)

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Jason

Watch What You Drink, Not Just What You Eat

When we talk about diet, it’s almost always about solid foods. But don’t overlook what you drink. It’s a big mistake, as it impacts our weight a great deal. Here’s the report from CNN:

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Posted on April 10, 2024 by Jason

Pizza Not a Diet Death Sentence

Pizza is often the worst thing you can eat. But there are options that can make that pie a decent dietary option.healthy pizza

I’ve recently taken to making homemade pizza. Sure, it saves a little money as opposed to ordering takeout, but I also have fun kneading the dough and spreading the toppings myself. I’ve yet to graduate to throwing the dough in the air, which could be pretty scary stuff.

I’m not hear to tell you that what I make is the ultimate health food. I try my best to mimic a secret family recipe that has a sweet flakey pie-like crust (it remains under lock and key, no matter how hard we try to pry). But, I’m not so sure it’s altogether unhealthy either. I make it with a super thin crust, and I load it up with tons of mushrooms and chopped green peppers. And I go fairly easy on the cheese. There’s little to complain about. (more…)

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Jason

Fast Food Patrons Ignore Nutrition Info

Reuters reports that Yale University researchers have found that a large majority of fast food patrons almost never look at the nutrition information provided by the establishment.french fries

And my response to that would be, tell us something we didn’t know. While I applaud fast food restaurants for putting healthier items on their menu, when people go there, they are thinking about the greasy fries and burgers, not about a salad. I can’t imagine an inner dialog trying to figure out whether I should get a Whopper, or just a cheeseburger? Nah, when people commit to stepping through those front doors, they are going to indulge. (more…)

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Jason

The Biggest Loser Complete Calorie Counter

Keeping track of the calories you consume is a major part of losing weight and staying fit. The Biggest Loser: Complete Calorie Counter offers information on thousands of foods found in your kitchen, favorite restaurants and grocery stores. In addition to counting calories, based off serving size this book offers information such as sodium, fat, fiber, carbohydrate, protein and saturated fat content.

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Posted on March 24, 2024 by Coleen

Dieting Boils Down to One Thing: Calories

It seems that most people sweat the details when they try to lose weight. While there are a few things you need to consider (like exercise), when it comes to eating, researchers have found that dieting is much simpler than you may think. That is, no matter which diet you choose, it all comes down to one thing: calorie restriction.dieter

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, looked at four low-calorie diets, and all of them yielded an average loss of 7% of body weight at six months and 6.4-7.9 pounds lost at two years.

“Weight loss is very simplistically just reducing the amount of calories that you take in, and any kind of healthy diet that allows you to do that is the best,” says Frank M. Sacks, M.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health. (more…)

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Jason

The Joy of Cooking, Super-Sized!

Portion distortion isn’t just exclusive to your dining destinations, be it fast food or otherwise. A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that it’s spilled over into the recipe books, too!recipes

The study looked at how classic recipes have changed during the past 70 years and found a nearly 40 percent increase in calories per serving for just about every recipe reviewed, about an extra 77 calories.

The study identified the trend in many cookbooks, but it focused on the iconic Joy of Cooking. It was first published in the ’30s and has been regularly updated, most recently in 2006. (more…)

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Jason

Valentine’s Parties Mean Calorie Crush for Kids

kid with valentine's candy

A box of chocolates is a sugar crash waiting to happen!

The Valentine’s Day party at school is one event that kids look forward to during the school year. They exchange cute cards with friends and get to take the afternoon off to binge on sugar. There’s nothing wrong with the cute cards, in fact, they usually present a great opportunity for an at-home craft project. It’s the candy and sweets that are shared along with the cards that create the calorie and sugar bombs that cupid blasts open with his little arrow. Here are the calories and sugar found in common Valentine’s Day party fare, and some lovely alternatives.

  • Necco Conversation Hearts, 1 serving = 40 pieces
    160 Calories, 38 grams Sugar
  • Hershey’s Kisses, 1 serving = 9 pieces
    230 Calories, 21 grams Sugar (more…)
Posted on February 12, 2024 by Natalie K

Men: Your Waist Size is a Big Indicator of Health

man measuring waist

The inches around your waist should be no more than half your total height.

Men and women battle different fat demons. Men usually have it accumulate around the waist, while women have problems in the thighs and rear end.

One thing I get a little jealous about is when guys are just naturally thin in the waist. But even the best of them lose that advantage with age. I’ve always been pretty naturally thin, but when I let myself go even a little, the only thing that is natural is the mid-section bulge that comes with slacking on my nutrition and exercise.

It doesn’t take a ton of weight gain around the waist to start inching toward serious health risks. So what’s the best way to tell? A great way is to check your waist size. (more…)

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Jason

Burning Calories is Child’s Play

Do you ever envy your children’s endless energy to run, jump, skip and play? As the spring weather starts to warm, take advantage of all the calorie-burning ability of their favorite games. You’ll get some quality playtime with the kids, reminisce about your own childhood, and burn some extra calories.

hopscotchJumping Rope = 150 calories/15 minutes of moderate intensity.

Hopscotch = 75 calories/15 minutes

Roller Skating = 209 calories/30 minutes

Dancing = 135 calories/30 minutes

Playing Catch = 75 calories/30 minutes

Jumping Jacks = 120 calories/15 minutes

Riding Bikes = 239 calories/30 minutes of moderate intensity, about 12 mph.

Hula Hooping = 100 calories/10 minutes

Flag Football = 239 calories/30 minutes

Frisbee = 90 calories/30 minutes

Don’t miss an opportunity to join a dodgeball game, hide-and-seek, or chasing the dog around the yard. The calories burned add up to lost weight and gaining some fresh air!

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Natalie K