Obese | Shane Weight Loss Camps & Resorts

Posts Tagged ‘obese’

Healthy Diet: The Importance of Breakfast

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

When we finally wake up from a full night’s sleep, our body desperately needs nutrients to replenish the body for a healthy lifestyle. Following an overnight fast, it’s crucial to feed the body correctly to keep it running at its best.

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, so be sure to eat wisely!

It is proven that children of all ages who eat breakfast before school perform better in their fields. It was also found that children have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight compared to those who skipped breakfast each morning. It was also discovered that some children who skip breakfast lack brain power, physical energy and display cognitive problems. Therefore, the child cannot focus and perform to the best of their ability.

Some healthy breakfast options include peanut butter on whole wheat toast, fat free yogurt, egg white omelets, low-fat granola and fresh fruit. Children who don’t eat breakfast have a higher chance of being obese. They will also have a tendency to consume more calories throughout the day, which could lead to overeating and weight gain. Another great option for breakfast is old fashioned oatmeal, which is packed with satisfying fiber and a good option for your weight loss diet. Fiber keeps the digestive tract healthy by ensuring a clean passage of food.

So the lesson here is, don’t skip out on breakfast! There is a reason they call it the most important meal of the day. Not only does it jumpstart your energy level and keep you focused, but it also prevents you from overeating later in the day, which can lead to becoming overweight or even obese.

Written by Adrienne Pellechia, Nutritionist at Camp Shane weight loss camp for kids

Email This Post

Tags: healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, healthy weight, obese, overweight, weight gain, weight loss camp for kids, weight loss diet
Posted in Healthy Eating, Healthy Lifestyles, Wellness | No Comments »

Spice Up Your Meals, but Still Lose Weight!

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011

It’s probably safe to say that most people do not enjoy boring food; after all, it’s that great flavor that attracts us to anything we like to eat, especially unhealthy options. Cheese, sour cream, butter, and cream add tons of flavor to our favorite dishes, but they also increase the calories and fat content, which can lead to becoming overweight or obese. This spells trouble for those of us looking to lose weight and make a positive change in our weight loss diets. Don’t despair, though, because there are great alternatives that you can try that will enhance the flavors of your meals.

Spices and herbs are either very low in calories or calorie free. They can really pack a punch when it comes to adding flavor to your meals, so there is no excuse for eating bland, tasteless foods for the sake of your diet. Experiment with some of these options, and you may find that you enjoy them enough to ditch the fat for good!

Use spices to add flavor to your food without adding fat and calories.

If you eat Beef, try: peppercorns, chili powder, dill, garlic, paprika, powdered mustard, rosemary, sage
If you eat Eggs, try: basil, chervil, chili powder, chives, curry powder, paprika, red or black pepper, tarragon
If you eat Fish, try: basil, bay leaves, cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic, pepper, rosemary, saffron, tarragon
If you eat Lamb, try: curry, garlic, ginger, mint, mustard, rosemary, saffron, sage
If you eat Pork, try: cloves, coriander, garlic, ginger, lemon, rosemary
If you eat Poultry, try: dill, garlic, ginger, oregano, paprika, powdered mustard, sage, tarragon
If you eat Vegetables, try: allspice, basil, chervil, chives, cilantro, dill, garlic, marjoram, mint, nutmeg, parsley, red pepper, rosemary

Keep in mind that there is a significant difference between the fresh and dried versions of an herb or spice. This is mostly a factor of convenience – most people do not have the space or time to tend to an herb garden, and buying fresh herbs at the grocery store can be hassle as well. Most dried herbs and spices have a long shelf life, but remember that the dried version is a much more condensed version. The flavor is packed in, so you will only need about one-third the amount as the fresh variety. So, for example, if your recipe calls for one tablespoon of fresh basil, you will only need about 1 teaspoon of dried basil.

If you do feel like trying your hand at growing an herb garden, there are many simple ways to get started. Most nurseries or lawn care centers have pre-planted herbs to get you started, or you can start from scratch with seeds if you are feeling really ambitious. This could be a great way to get the entire family involved in eating healthy – caring for a garden together can be a fun activity, and when it comes time to cook, everyone can reap the benefits of their work when you use your home-grown herbs to spice up your meals!

Written by Cara Harbstreet, Nutritionist at Camp Shane weight loss camp for children and teens.

Email This Post

Tags: lose weight, obese, overweight, weight loss diet
Posted in Healthy Eating, Healthy Lifestyles | No Comments »

The Hidden Horrors of Your Hot Dog

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Americans sure do love hot dogs. We have holidays surrounded by their consumption, contests for eating them, an accompanied patriotic sense, and way more variety than should exist for processed, recombined meat stuffed in an intestine. It is no secret why these dogs are so very popular, but you may want to think twice before slapping them on the grill, for the sake of your healthy lifestyle.

Hot dogs are not the healthiest meal choice for your child; use them as a treat, rather than as an everday meal.

The first thing that should be noted is the amount of saturated fats and cholesterol, which could in turn lead to becoming overweight or obese. In two dogs, you are eating 42 percent of your daily fats, 56 percent of your daily saturated fats, 20 percent of your daily cholesterol, and 40 percent of your daily sodium. Is there anything you see wrong here? First of all, not many of us get full from only two hot dogs. Also, these numbers don’t include the bun or toppings!

The next thing to consider is what exactly you are eating. Mechanically Separated Meat is a paste-like batter of meat products, formed when bone and edible meat products are forced through a sieve to separate the bone. Although deemed safe to eat, mechanically separated beef has been banned due to risk of mad cow disease. Mechanically separated turkey, pork, and chicken are still allowed.

Variety meats also seem to be a reoccurring item on the food label. What kind of variety are we talking here? Some examples include liver, kidney and heart. These items may also be disguised as “white meat by-products” on the label, so beware!

The last thing to watch for is the addition of nitrates. Hot dogs have large amounts of sodium nitrate, which has been linked to cancer. The reason companies use this product is to prevent the red color in processed meats, but is the benefit worth the risk?

They may taste good, but try to make hotdogs a “treat,” rather than a daily meal. It’s not worth the potential weight gain, and there are many other foods which taste just as good, or better, and are also good for you!

Written by Amanda Yazbek, Nutritionist at Camp Shane weight loss camp for children and teens.

Email This Post

Tags: healthy lifestyle, obese, overweight, weight gain
Posted in Childhood Obesity, Healthy Eating, Parenting | No Comments »

Lose Weight: Beat Night-Time Hunger

Friday, September 16th, 2011

Nighttime hunger can contribute to weight gain, even leading to becoming overweight or obese.

Do you often find yourself starting to get hungry a few hours after dinner into the evening hours? Are you sitting on the couch during your favorite night-time show when a food craving strikes? If you find yourself consistently going to bed hungry, you may suffer from night-time hunger.

There are many things you can do to keep your hunger at bay through the late evening hours. For starters, try preparing and consuming your dinner at a later time. If you’re used to eating at 5:30 or 6pm, try eating around 7 or 8 instead. If you eat your large dinner later, you will feel full until bedtime. Another thing you can try is drinking different types of flavored teas or carbonated calorie-free water. If your stomach is full from calorie free beverages, you’re less likely to be hungry for another snack.

Other things you can try: take a warm bath, read a book, go to bed, or most importantly, stay out of the kitchen. If you stay far away from the place where your food is, you are less likely to eat it. If all else fails, have a little snack consisting of mostly protein. Turkey and crackers, peanut butter and celery, or a small protein shake. Eating a large amount of carbohydrates has actually been known to disturb sleep patterns, however, every person is different. Night-time hunger is a problem among many Americans, and can often to lead to becoming overweight or obese, so if you must eat a snack, make sure it’s a smart one to keep your healthy lifestyle on track.

Written by Adrienne Pellechia, Nutritionist at Camp Shane weight loss camp for children and teens.

Email This Post

Tags: healthy lifestyle, lose weight, obese, overweight, weight loss camp for children and teens
Posted in Healthy Eating, Healthy Lifestyles, Nutrition in the News | No Comments »

Healthy Lifestyle Slips for Young Parents

Saturday, June 18th, 2011

Obesity has become a rising epidemic for children, but it is impacting parents of young children as well. A new study suggests that having young children may make it tougher to keep up healthy diet and exercise habits, leading to overweight and obesity issues. The results of this study were discussed in a recent article from Reuters Health by Amy Norton.

There were more than 1,500 young adults who participated in the study, and the results found that those with children aged 5 or younger generally exercised less often than non-parents. Among the women involved in the study, young moms tended to eat more calories, sugary drinks and saturated fat; the kind found in meat, butter and milk.

Healthy Lifestyle Slips for Parents with Young Children

Parents with young children often have trouble maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Jerica M. Berge, of the University of Minnesota Medical School says that it is not shocking that young parents exercise less than their childless peers and is in line with the general idea that parents busy caring for a preschooler do not have a lot of time, or energy, to devote to themselves.

Berge suggests that in order to remedy this, young parents should change their definition of what exercise means. “It doesn’t have to mean going to the gym. You can find a way to fit it into family time. You could, as a family, go for walks together,” she suggests.

Besides the problem of lack of exercise for young parents, their diet may also need to be re-evaluated. Since young parents are often busy and limited on time, they end up preparing “quick-fix” meals, which are more likely to be high in calories and fat.

Berge suggests that parents try to keep healthy snack foods, like fresh vegetables and fruit, on hand for those times when they need a quick bite. Even if parents have to resort to a less-healthy meal, portion control can still be implemented.

Of the men who participated in the survey, fathers’ diets did not differ from other men. However, fathers got an average of less than 5.5 hours each week of exercise, compared to men with no kids who got almost 7 hours. Mothers reported less than 2.5 hours of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each week, while women without children averaged a little more than 3 hours per week.

Although the results of this study aren’t very shocking, it is important that young parents still take their healthy lifestyle into consideration, despite their busy schedules. At Shane Weight Loss Camps & Resorts, we follow the philosophy of healthy diet combined with physical activity to result in weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. Even people with limited time should at least try to prepare their meals at home and control the portion size. Regarding exercise, it doesn’t have to be lengthy or fancy; try to make family activities physically active and everyone will benefit!

Are you surprised by the results of this study? Have you experienced the busy life of a young parent and what did you do to continue your healthy lifestyle? Go ahead and share your tips!

Email This Post

Tags: healthy lifestyle, obese, overweight, portion control, weight loss camp
Posted in Healthy Eating, Healthy Lifestyles, Parenting | No Comments »