Nutrition Information

Many food packagers use the old trick in which the nutrition information on the label is based on a serving size, but the container contains multiple servings-leaving you to do the math. VitaminWater is a good example - each bottle contains 2.5 servings of the sugar-sweetened water, so a whole bottle delivers 33 grams of sugar (almost as much as a can of Coke). That’s a lot of calories when plain water could do the trick. One bottle (2.5 servings) of the Charge flavor: 125 calories, 32.5g sugar.

Sweeteners

People continually ask about "healthy" sweeteners. There really is no such thing. Here is a link to a nutrition blog about Agave Nectar which we use because it supposedly has less of a glycemic impact. The best choice as far as sweeteners go - avoid them if you want to lose weight.



http://blog.nutritiondata.com/ndblog/2009/04/agave-hype.html

Breakfast

Breakfast - you need it to get your metabolism in high gear. Try steel cut oats topped with blueberries (now in season) or other seasonal fruit along with a piece of whole wheat toast. The most important breakfast decision you can make - eat clean at home before leaving and skip the fast food drive-though.

Quick Fruit Salad

Concentrate on all the good things you can eat to keep your weight in check, not the things you shouldn't eat. Fresh fruits in season are a great snack and addition to your meals. Cut up some fresh grapes, bananas, and an apple and mix a few sunflower seeds in a bowl. Add a touch of low-cal mayo or just orange juice for a delicious, easy to make fruit salad.

Calories

Calories are not necessarily a bad thing. A calorie is simply a measurement of the energy value in food. You need calories to fuel your body's systems. However, calories not burned for fuel may be stored as fat, causing you to gain weight. So a balanced intake of calories versus the amount of calories you expend on a daily basis is necessary.

Exercise

"We don't quit exercising because we grow old, we grow old because we quit exercising." Dr. Kenneth Cooper

Sugar Consumption

Americans consume an average of 22 teaspoons of sugar per day by the consumption of many sugar filled foods and drinks. If you could cut that amount in half or more, you will lose weight!