In 2009 the U.S. Department of Labor reported that the average American family of four spends $8,513 per year on groceries. That’s a lot of trips to the market and probably a lot of empty calories purchased each week.
While some people can afford to splurge on premium ingredients and brand names, the grocery store is also one of the most common places where people overspend.
“Take your grocery list to the store when you shop,” said Teri Gault, CEO of TheGroceryGame.com “Don’t buy groceries that you don’t need. If you have a list of everything you’ll need for the next few weeks, you’ll gather all the ingredients you need while saving money and avoiding the panic of the last minute rush.”
Follow some of our tips to keep your grocery budget to a minimum – and your grocery list full of healthy food.
When you hear “Oktoberfest“, what comes to mind? If you are anything like me, it’s beer. Beer can be a caloric bomb, though, next bringing to mind the term “beer belly”.
Beer doesn’t contain fat; however, it does have tons of carbohydrates, protein and alcohol- and that’s it. Beer is the epitome of empty calories, giving you all the calories with no vitamins, minerals or redeeming health qualities whatsoever. A gram of carbohydrates has 4 calories, a gram of protein 4 calories, and a gram of alcohol has a little over 7 calories. This is why different beers can have higher calorie counts in relation to their alcohol content.
To keep things in perspective, I found this information online at realbeer.com: “A five-ounce glass of wine contains about 125 calories; one ounce of distilled spirits, 90 proof, 75 calories. Beyond the world of alcohol: an eight-ounce glass of milk has 160 calories, one ounce of potato chips 160 calories, a banana split 550 calories, and a Burger King Whopper 650 calories. Oh yeah, just six French fries have 12 grams of fat (about as many calories as a light beer).” Read Full Post >
Jamie 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. Read Full Post >
I say it often and I know you’ve heard others say it, but nutrient rich foods are key for your health and for weight loss (or weight maintenance). I recently received some information about the Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition (NRF) and decided to check out their website. In doing so, I found some great information about incorporating nutrient rich/dense foods into your diet.
What is the NRF?
The Nutrient Rich Foods Coalition website describes this group as “a partnership that brings together leading scientific researchers, communications experts and agricultural commodities. Our members are composed of 12 food commodity associations that represent the five basic MyPyramid food groups.” Meaning, this group consists of experts in each of the five food groups (milk, grains, vegetables, oil, fruits). The website offers several tools that the public can understand and incorporate into their lives with the focus being on making calories count by choosing nutrient rich foods. Read Full Post >
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:
In 2009 the U.S. Department of Labor reported that the average American family of four spends $8,513 per year on groceries. That’s a lot of trips to the market and probably a lot of empty calories purchased each week.
When you hear “
