Want to lose a few before the upcoming holidays? Fill up with fiber.
It's no news that boosting your fiber intake is good for your health. But boosting it at breakfast may be the key to staying lean, say RealAge doctors Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz. In their new-this-week book, YOU: On a Diet, they suggest putting fiber-rich foods like oatmeal, whole-grain toast, or a veggie-packed omelet on your morning menu to curb afternoon binging on Cheetos or cookies. That's because fiber acts like a speed bump in your gastrointestinal tract, slowing everything way down, so you stay fuller longer.
This is one way you can use your body chemistry, not willpower, to curb cravings and get to your ideal body size. Learn other science-based strategies like this from Roizen and Oz's YOU: On a Diet plan.
Believe it or not, enjoying a fiberful diet -- especially at breakfast -- can reduce your calorie intake for up to 18 hours a day. And it helps control blood sugar and lower insulin levels. Although you should aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, avoid adding it all at once or you'll produce more gas than a Saudi oil field, say the doctors. Start with an additional 1 to 2 grams of dietary fiber -- the amount in a slice of whole-grain bread or 1/2 cup of green beans -- at and between meals and slowly increase from there.
Green and Bumpy for Dinner?
Green, bumpy, and slightly smelly. It's no wonder some people turn up their noses. But if you do, you're missing out.
No, we're not talking about the foil-wrapped leftovers in the back of the fridge. We're talking about broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, as well as white cauliflower -- powerhouse veggies that are rich in isothiocyanates, compounds that not only give the vegetables a slightly pungent smell and bitter taste but also are credited with inhibiting cancer cells. Don't like any of them? Chop, grate, or puree them into soups, spreads, sauces, and side dishes -- you'll hardly notice 'em. Find health-boosting broccoli recipes with RealAge Smart Search.
Don't let your family's groans prevent you from serving certain so-good-for-you vegetables. Just work them in discreetly. No, we're not talking about the foil-wrapped leftovers in the back of the fridge. We're talking about broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, as well as white cauliflower -- powerhouse veggies that are rich in isothiocyanates, compounds that not only give the vegetables a slightly pungent smell and bitter taste but also are credited with inhibiting cancer cells. Don't like any of them? Chop, grate, or puree them into soups, spreads, sauces, and side dishes -- you'll hardly notice 'em. Find health-boosting broccoli recipes with RealAge Smart Search.
- Mix pureed cauliflower into mashed potatoes -- the flavor is amazing and no one will guess what your "secret seasoning" is.
- Top tacos with crunchy shredded cabbage or mix minced cabbage into tuna salad.
- Make coleslaw a family staple; just use low-fat mayo in the dressing.
- Blend finely chopped broccoli into meatballs or pesto pasta sauce.
- Shred Brussels sprouts into green salads -- they'll get lost in the mix.
Why Sweat Is Good for Colons
See those beads of sweat dripping onto the control panel of your exercise machine? That's a good sign for your colon.
Exercise helps keep your colon healthy, but moderate-to-vigorous exercise -- the kind that gets you winded and makes you perspire -- may be particularly important. It can help slow down the growth of colon cells, which is a good thing; slower growth means a lower risk of cancer. So be kind to your colon by sweating to the oldies -- or to whatever it is you like to sweat to -- for at least 30 minutes a day. Bump it up to over 40 minutes or more and you'll do even better.
You know that exercise can stave off deadly diseases, from diabetes to cancer. So what are you waiting for? Get moving! Walking is hard to beat if you're just getting started. Aim for a brisk 30 minutes at least 5 days a week and when that gets easy, increase the time and intensity to keep your body challenged. Even better, add some weight work and stretching three times a week.
The protective effects of exercise on colon health seem to be greater in men than in women, but the overall health benefits for both genders are overwhelming. Other things you can do to keep your colon healthy: Make sure your daily diet contains adequate calcium (1,200 milligrams) and vitamin D (400 international units), get plenty of fiber, and limit red meat intake to no more than once per week.
Out of Sight, Out of Mouth
Is it silly to hide the leftover Halloween candy -- from yourself?
Nope. In a Cornell University study, office workers who kept candy in a clear dish within easy reach ate far more treats than when the candy was kept in an opaque container at least 6 feet away. And at the end of the day, the workers also underestimated how much candy they had taken from the clear dish. Scary how a little thing like location can affect your willpower. Stash treats out of sight so you're less likely to trick yourself into mindless munching.
Get this: If you have to go get stashed-away candy, you'll feel like you treated yourself more often than you actually did. Why might you underestimate the number of treats nibbled from a close-at-hand clear jar and overestimate the number taken from an opaque container that's farther away? It's easy to lose track of portions when snacks are within reach and you're eating mindlessly while doing other things, like reading e-mail or watching TV. But when you have to get up to retrieve the munchables, you think before acting.
Concealing candy works in a couple of other ways, too. Deliberately putting those miniature Snickers in an out-of-the-way place forces you to make an extra effort to reach them. And treats that are out of sight are at least partly out of mind. So go ahead: Trick yourself out of treating yourself.
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