How to Boost Your Metabolism

Turbo-charge your metabolism 

Combined with a sensible, balanced diet, regular exercise and good sleeping habits will ensure that you’ll look your best and enjoy good health at any age. Here are some ways to boost your metabolism:


Build more muscle mass

Muscle burns more calories than fat. The more lean muscle mass you build up, the more calories you’ll burn daily. Add some weight-bearing exercise 2–3 times a week, such as weight-lifting, walking or any other form of resistance exercise. Even carrying your groceries instead of using a trolley can be considered a weight-bearing activity! Try lifting some hand weights while watching your favourite TV programme. This will help you build muscle mass and burn off some calories at the same time.


Avoid skipping meals

You may think that skipping meals will help you lose weight, but the converse is usually true. Significantly decreasing your caloric intake will slow your metabolic rate, as your body enters into “fasting” mode and reacts by hoarding fat and burning lean muscle for energy. Keep your metabolism active by eating at least three meals a day, amounting to not less than 1000 calories.


Exercise regularly

An exercise regime involving activities such as cycling, walking or jogging will help increase your metabolic rate during the activity and for several hours thereafter. Even simple aerobic activity such as taking the stairs and housecleaning can boost your metabolism.


Go for an evening walk

Although exercising at any time is good for you, light evening activity such as taking a walk around your home is particularly beneficial. The metabolism tends to slow down towards the end of the day. About 30 minutes of aerobic activity before dinner will increase your metabolic rate and keep it elevated for another 2–3 hours. Those dinner calories will have lesser chances of taking up permanent residence on your hips!


Get adequate sleep
Sleep loss affects the levels of appetite-regulating hormones and the body's capacity to metabolise carbohydrates. Without enough sleep, your metabolic rate nosedives as less fat is burned for energy. Your energy levels during the day may dip, and you may feel too tired to exercise, on top of a tendency to overeat and pick unhealthy foods.


Eat enough protein

Protein forms the building blocks for muscle. Without adequate protein, you may actually lose desirable lean muscle mass.


Imbibe less alcohol

Alcohol can slow down the fat-burning process because your body has to clear the alcohol calories before attacking the fat that you are trying to lose by exercising and cutting back on your food intake.


Get enough calcium

Apart from strengthening teeth and bones, getting enough calcium can also boost your metabolism. Add some low-fat yoghurt to your diet as a snack between your meals.



This article was originally published in healthxchange.com.sg

How to Avoid the Temptation to Eat Unhealthy Foods

Are you trying to avoid eating unhealthy foods but can't fight the cravings? It's just that some foods are just addictions, so breaking them are difficult. Here is a good starting place to put you on the yellow brick road to healthy eating.

• Identify your cravings. 

A particular food craving might point to something lacking in your diet. Find your favorite cravings below, and then note the possible item(s) missing from your present diet.

Craving: Chocolate, Missing Nutrient: Magnesium

Women should be cautious during menstruation, as magnesium levels do drop. Instead, try snacking on natural fruits, nuts, or take a vitamin/mineral supplement.

Craving: Sugar or Simple Carbs, Missing Nutrients: Protein & Complex Carbs

A quick science lesson: Carbohydrates break down into sugars. Since sugar metabolizes very quickly, it is not a good source of long term energy. The best source of energy includes protein and complex carbohydrates, which break down much slower. Good examples include brown or wild long-grain rice; and pasta or bread made from wholewheat flour. It is called "wholewheat" because it includes the "whole" kernel, of which the outer shell contains the germ, bran and nutrients of the grain. White rice (Minute Rice) and white flour have been stripped of this goodness, leaving only the inner starch (simple carbohydrates).

Craving: Fried foods, Missing Nutrients: Calcium & OMEGA 3 Fatty Acids

OMEGA 3's are good fat! Try eating more fish, or check your grocery store for milk, cheese, or eggs containing theses essential oils plus calcium (it will state such on the label).

Craving: Salt, Missing Nutrients: Hydration, Vitamin B, Chloride

When you desire something salty, try to drink water instead. Also, stress can lead to a Vitamin B deficiency, so if your experiencing hardship, take a second Vitamin B supplement half way through your day.

• Remove temptation. 

Just get rid of it, and remove all temptation from your home. To keep yourself from buying more, never go to the grocery store while hungry. When you have only healthy foods to eat, you'll make healthy choices. When you do get a craving, it'll be too much bother to hunt down a candy bar, when you have a healthy substitute at home.

• When you go to the store, force yourself to buy good foods. 

Avoid ice-cream, frozen dinners, white bread, sweets and snacks. If you do this, you will find it harder and harder to eat the wrong type of foods at home.

• Replace the rituals. 

You don't need dessert after dinner. You don't need candy at the movies. You don't need a donut with your coffee. To break such habits, provide a healthy alternative beforehand, such as a piece of fruit. You can take fruit into a theater with a little white lie, by explaining your diabetic and it's doctor recommended, should anyone ask. Keep an assortment of healthy choices around, such as a crisp vegetable salad you can garnish with lemon or vinegar or peppers, various fruit (remember citrus fruits can be very high in calories), apples, water melon, rice cakes, raisins, dates, and other healthy snacks.

• Avoid Boredom. 

Keep yourself active and busy, so you're not always thinking about just food. There is a lot more to do than eat.

• Drink plenty of water! 

The water intake recommended does NOT include the water you receive from food or coffee. If you feel thirsty, this means you are already dehydrated - and dehydration can often be confused with hunger. Keep a large jug of lemon favored water, chilled herbal tea, or Crystal Lite on hand if you don't like plain water. Another trick is to keep a drinking glass and jug of water always in sight. If it's in front of you, you'll drink it.

• Reward Yourself! 

Permit yourself a treat from time to time, as you establish new habits. Just be sure a treat is exactly that, just a small taste! One or two cookies, not an entire bag. If you lack the will power in the beginning, purchase a small prepackaged goodie, so that is all there is. A "cheat-day" is a day in which you are permitted to have such a treat. It does not mean you can cheat all day long!

Eating healthy is a lifestyle, not a quick fix to a problem
There are many other things you can do instead of snacking. A short list includes: read the paper, watch a ball game, draw a picture, cut the lawn, plant some flowers, drink a cup of tea, call a friend, take a walk, groom your dog, watch a sitcom, learn a foreign language, do a dance routine, read a book, or research something. So get up off your lazy rear!

Start slowly. It is easier to stick to a new routine if you gradually work up to it.

Eat your meals slowly, with other people, and at a table made to hold a plate and have chairs around it.

Try these healthy alternatives to unhealthy snacks: a handful of toasted/salted almonds, granola bar , Go-Raw gluten free snacks, rice cakes/soy chips, clementines,cereal.

"Nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels"



This article was originally published at WikiHow.

7 Myths and Facts about Chocolate

Whether you prefer a gooey chocolate truffle or a mug of hot cocoa, chocolate is the number one indulgence for most of us—especially on Valentine’s Day. But this indulgence comes at a price, right? After all, isn’t chocolate bad for us, full of caffeine and saturated fat? Not so fast—new research has shown that chocolate can be a part of a healthy diet after all. 

Here are some common myths about this Valentine’s Day (or any day) treat, along with the facts to set the record straight.

Myth: Chocolate is high in caffeine.

Fact: While eating chocolate may perk you up, chocolate is actually not very high in caffeine. A 1.4-ounce chocolate bar or an 8-ounce glass of chocolate milk both contain 6 mg of caffeine, the same amount as a cup of decaffeinated coffee. (For reference, regular coffee contains about 65-135mg of caffeine.)

Myth: Chocolate is loaded with saturated fat and is bad for your cholesterol.
Fact: Stearic acid, the main saturated fat found in milk chocolate, is unique. Research has shown that it doesn’t raise cholesterol levels the same way that other types of saturated fats do. In fact, eating a 1.4 ounce chocolate bar instead of a carbohydrate-rich snack has been shown to increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

Myth: Chocolate lacks any nutritional value.

Fact: Chocolate is a good source of magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. It also contains polyphenols (an antioxidant also found in tea and red wine) that have been associated with a decreased risk of coronary disease. An average chocolate bar contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a 5-ounce glass of red wine.

A daily serving of dark chocolate, which contains more antioxidants than milk chocolate, can also help lower blood pressure and improve insulin resistance according to a joint study between Tufts University in Boston and the University of L’Aquila in Italy. The findings do not suggest that people with high blood pressure consume dark chocolate in lieu of taking their prescribed medication, but that the flavonoids in dark chocolate may have a positive effect on blood pressure and insulin resistance. Learn more about the health properties of chocolate.

Myth: Chocolate causes cavities.

Fact: Candy alone is not responsible for cavities. Cavities are formed when bacteria in the mouth metabolize sugars and starches from any type of food (soda, candy, juice, bread, rice and pasta) to produce acid. This acid then eats through the enamel of the tooth, causing a cavity.

The protein, calcium and phosphate content of milk chocolate may actually protect tooth enamel, and its naturally-occurring fat content means that chocolate clears the mouth faster than other candy, reducing the amount of time its sugars remain in contact with tooth surfaces.

Regular fluoride use, proper oral hygiene to remove fermentable carbohydrate residue and the application of plastic sealants can all help prevent the formation of cavities—whether you avoid chocolate or not.

Myth: Chocolate causes headaches.

Fact: While sited as a common cause of migraines, a study by the University of Pittsburgh has shown no link between chocolate and headaches. The results of that double-blind study of 63 participants known to suffer chronic headaches were published in the neurology journal Cephalalgia. Chronic headaches were once thought to be caused by amines in foods (including histamine and beta-phenylethylamine) such as cheddar cheese, peanuts, cured meats, chocolate and alcohol, but this study eliminated chocolate as a possible headache cause.

Myth: Chocolate causes acne.
Fact: Regardless of what your parents or grandparents may still say, studies in the past twenty years have eliminated chocolate as a cause of acne. In fact, many dermatologists doubt that diet plays any significant role in the development of acne. Acne is now believed to be caused by a combination of high bacterial levels and oil on the skin. For more information about the causes and treatment of acne, click here.

Myth: Chocolate causes weight gain.

Fact: Any food can be part of a healthy diet if consumed in moderation. An average chocolate bar contains 220 calories, which is low enough to be a part of a weight control diet if other high-calorie foods are eliminated. Enjoying the occasional piece of chocolate may reduce the risk of severe bingeing, which can occur when you feel deprived of your favorite foods.

Chocolate’s bad reputation is slowly changing and research now shows that chocolate can be a part of an overall healthy lifestyle, when consumed in moderation. If you keep your portion sizes small and select dark chocolate whenever possible, the occasional treat can be a guilt-free part of your diet.

10 Tips For A Healthy Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is right at our doorsteps. For the Chinese around the world, it is the time of the year when you find good company, reunion of relatives and friends and delicious meals, cakes and delicacies. Amid the festivities and feasting, it is easy to let down our hair and indulge in whatever is presented to us.

Here are 10 tips on enjoying the festive season without comprising on your health:

 1. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables

Many vegetables are used in Chinese New Year dishes that have symbolic meaning and you can eat more of;

• Fatt Choy ( black hair moss) – Meaning prosperity. Although it has no nutritional value, but it provides fiber 
• Spring onion – Symbolize everything is smooth sailing. 
• Yu Sheng – Chinese New Year salad that is toss high above to symbolize rising above you 
• Mandarin oranges – Symbolize gold nuggets and good fortune. 
• Lettuce wrap – For the Cantonese, it sound like rising fortune. 

Most of these vegetables dishes are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and help in digestion.

2. Do not visit on an empty stomach

 When you are hungry, you tend to overeat without thinking. Have a light meal or healthy snack of apple, banana or nuts before visiting or in between visits.

3. Be selective

Limit your intake of meat such as pork, chicken and seafood, especially when they are deep-fried. They are high in saturated fat. Choose nuts and seeds over sugary pineapple tarts and bak kwa (barbecued pork).

4. Drink plenty of water

 Water keeps you from being dehydrated when you do home visits and helps to flush off the toxins accumulated from the feasting. Choose plain water over the sugary drinks and alcohol. 

5. Use a small plate

 Big plate encourages you to pile on a bigger quantity of food.

6. Have some room

 Eat up to 70% of fullness and eat slowly. Eating slowly will give the brain time to register that you are full, so you will not overeat.

7. Ration yourself 

If you are moving from one house to another and eating everything that is offered in each house, you will definitely overeat. Ration yourself the amount you should eat per household. You should aim to eat a total of not more than 2000 calories in a day. 

Below are examples of the calories of the common food you will find:
Bak Kwa – 1 piece, 37g, 228 kcal
Mandarin orange, 1 fruit, 116g, 37 kcal
Nian gao, 1 portion, 423g, 977 kcal
Pineapple tarts, 1 piece, 5g, 23 kcal.

8. Stay active

 Do not forget your exercise regimens. The holiday season is no excuse to slack. Don’t forget that you will be eating more calories and if you do not burn them off with exercise, they will be stored as fat.

9. Provide healthier choice for your guests

If you are hosting, offer a variety of healthy nuts, salads and fruits in addition to the rich cakes and pastries. Make a jug of healthy ice lemon tea rather than serving the sugary drinks.

10. Put them altogether

You can apply all the 8 tips together and achieve a multi-prong approach to achieving healthy eating. There is always a possibility to succumb to temptation, but when applying all these tips together, each can reinforce the other and prevent you from overeating and yet allowing you to enjoy your holiday.

Do you have other ways to maintain healthy eating in the Chinese New Year period? Do share with us in the comment box below.



Article originally published on http://lookgoodfeelgreatalways.com

Bak Kwa Recipe & Nutritional Content

Calories in 1 sheet Bak Kwa – 45g
Energy: 176 calories
Protein: 12 g
Carbs: 18 g
Fat: 6 g

Does that suprise you? That BBQ pork contains more carbohydrates than protein? That’s because it’s loaded with sugar during cooking!

From Wikipedia:

Bak Kwa, or rougan is a Chinese salty-sweet dried meat product similar to jerky, made in the form of flat thin sheets. It is normally made from pork. Bakkwa is believed to have originated from a meat preservation and preparation technique used in ancient China that is still practiced in places with Hokkien influence.

In Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines bakkwa or ba gua is the most widely used name. Cantonese speakers use the term yuhk gn’, Anglicised version long yok, while in China and Taiwan the product is more commonly known as rougan. Commercially available versions are sometimes labeled as “barbecued pork,” “dried pork,” or “pork jerky.” Bakkwa is particularly popular as a snack in Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines. In Beidou, Taiwan, it is regarded as one of the three pork delicacies. 

Bak Kwa – Chinese Barbecued Pork – Recipe (Makes 8 pieces)

• 300gr pork mince 
• 90gr caster sugar 
• 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce 
• 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce 
• Pinch of bicarb of soda 
• 1/2 ts light soy 
• 1 tablespoon rice wine 

Method

• Mix all the ingredients and leave in the fridge overnight. 
• Cut a sheet of greaseproof paper to fit in a standard (35cm-ish wide) baking tray then place the pork on top, patting out well with your hands. Lay a sheet of clingfilm on top then roll the pork out with a rolling pin until it is maybe 5mm thick, at which point it should pretty much cover the paper. 
• Slide the paper onto the baking tray and dry the pork in an 80C fan-oven for 45 minutes. 
• Remove, cut the pork into 8 and then place on the rack of a grill pan, so air can circulate around it for the final cooking. 
• Turn the oven up to 200C and cook the pork for 10 – 12 minutes, turning once, until is reddish-brown and starting to char around the edges. 
• Leave to cool for a few minutes then demolish in its entirety in 5 minutes flat.

Chinese New Year feasting?

The Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations typically last for a full 15 days. Just as you think you survived the first few days of CNY holidays and your stomach is taking a break from the endless flow of pastries, nuts and soft drinks, the weekend is here and the same house visit ritual begins again!

Not to mention, your colleagues have brought some of the goodies to the work place and the temptation cycle begins. So how do you keep your holiday spirit high but your waistline low? It is not too late to follow the below tips:

Nutritional Content of Popular Goodies

• Bak Kwa (1 piece, 57g)- contains 229kcal, 8g fat, 24g sugar with 15g protein
• Pineapple tarts (2 pieces, 40g) - 163kcal, 7g fat & 12g sugar
• Love Letter (4 rolls, 52g) - 224kcal , 6g fat & 19g sugar
• Shrimp Roll (10 pieces, 15g) - 46kcal ,4g fat & 0g sugar
• Kueh bangkit (6 pieces, 36g) - 137kcal,4 fat & 8g sugar
• Beehive cookie/ kueh ros - 149kcal, 7g fat & 8g sugar
• Nian gao (1/4 portion, 106g) - 245kcal, 0.5g fat & 37g sugar

Thus, let's have a look at the accumulative intake of a typical variety of goodies that may happen during each house visit!

2 pineapple tarts + 10 shrimp rolls + 1 Bak Kwa + 6 Kueh bangkit + 4 love letters
= 799kcal, 29g fat & 63g sugar

This is actually comparable to a plate of chicken rice that contains 700kcal & 26g fat!

Tips

• Avoid making a visit on an empty stomach, instead, fill yourself up on the healthier and lower calorie containing foods/drinks

When you are hungry, you may tend to eat without self-control and the festive goodies, such as those above, and are typically calorie-dense made with lots of oils/cream/butter/sugar. You can try to avoid this lack of self-control by first filling up on healthy fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole-grains or healthy calcium-rich low fat milk before making a house visit or hitting off to the goodies-filled table.

• Know your trigger food, ration them out or avoid them totally

Some crave sugar while others crave salty foods. There must be some or at least 1 specific food(s) that you crave and once you start, you just cannot seem to stop. You might want to try out rationing first. By eating small portions, you are less likely to overeat.

However, if you really find your trigger foods too hard to resist, it is then advisable to avoid them because they can potentially spark overeating. If you know that you will have difficulty eating just 3-4 pineapple tarts for example, you may want to choose to eliminate them altogether to avoid overeating.

• Practice eating and drinking consciously, slowly and wisely

It is the unconscious nibbling and sipping that can really add up to your calorie intake. It is easy to lose track of how many goodies and glasses of alcohol/soft drink/sweet beverage/cordial you are consuming at a house visit. It is always helpful to stay aware of what, when and why you are eating/drinking. Before you reach for another goodie on the table, ask yourself, "Am I hungry or am I eating because the food is just in front of me?"

Chewing your food and eating slowly allows you to savour your food. It also allows your stomach the time it needs to digest and for you to feel full, hence preventing overeating.

Too much alcohol can also give you a burning headache the next morning. Do you also know that alcohol only provides empty calories that can contribute significantly to your calorie intake? Soft drinks, sweet beverages and cordials also provide empty calories. You can wisely reduce the calorie damage by choosing water (zero calories; filling up on water also fills up your stomach and prevents overeating), "light" beers, diet soft drinks and "no sugar added" or "less sugar" beverages or add extra ice to limit volume intake whilst diluting them down.

This article is originally published in Yahoo Singapore Fit To Post Health Blog.

Smart Ways to Snack at the Office

Singaporeans tend to put in long hours at work, and come mid-afternoon, many also tend to have a snack attack.

When it comes to snacks, the number one thing you must know is that you can have just about any snack, as long as you control the portions.

“It is what you eat daily that really matters; the occasional treat is usually acceptable,” says Magdalin Cheong, Chief Dietitian and Senior Manager, Dietetic & Food Services at Changi General Hospital.

Scientists, such as American food psychologist Brian Wansink, have extensively studied how easy it is to overeat. A big problem is mindless eating, and the simplest habits can have a huge impact in terms of weight management.

Keep your snacks at a distance

People eat up to 50 per cent more candy when the candy jar is less than six feet (1.8 m) away from their workstation. It’s not just a matter of temptation. If the jar is filled with a healthy food such as carrots, people will also eat about a third more than if the bowl isn’t within such easy-reaching distance.
Pick snacks that come in small packages

In another study by Wansink, people ate half of the popcorn they were given, no matter if it was a medium- or a jumbo-sized tub. And they ate significantly more M&M’s from a 2-pound (1 kg) bag than from a 1-pound (500 g) bag.

Basically, people will mindlessly eat most of the food or snack that is put in front of them. Even when subjects were given stale, 10-day old popcorn, they still ate 44 per cent more from large buckets than from smaller ones.

Trick your mind

According to a recent study from Yale University, the feeling of satiety can depend on how “indulgent” you assume your snack to be, regardless of the actual calorie content.

Right after having a 600-calorie “indulgent” milkshake, participants’ ghrelin levels (the hormone that drives hunger) dropped significantly, indicating they felt content. Their ghrelin levels stayed flat after drinking a “sensible”, low-calorie milkshake.

Actually, both milkshakes were the same. Mindset meaningfully affects physiological responses to food, say the study authors.

If you can eat healthy food while retaining the feeling that you’re indulging, you’re golden. So, next time you have a sensible snack, try to dream up a sexy name for it, to build that contented feeling.

Top 10 healthy food snacks recommendations

• Vegetable sticks (with hummus, or a tuna or yoghurt dip)
• Nuts and trail mixes
• Low-fat string cheese
• Yoghurt
• Whole-wheat crackers
• Mixed fresh fruits
• Steamed vegetable pau
• Mantou (steamed bun)
• Pita bread sandwiches
• Instant oats

Other snack suggestions – do mind the quantities

• Seaweed snacks. Go for the less salty brands.
• Granola and cereal bars. While usually healthier than chocolates or very sweet biscuits, these snacks do tend to be high in sugars and calories, warns CGH’s Chief Dietitian, Magdalin Cheong.
• Popcorn (popped in the microwave)
• Rice cakes
• Cream crackers
• Baked chips
• Soy nuts and soy crisps
• Dark chocolate
• Dried fruits. Favour those which are naturally dehydrated. “Most imported dried fruits are preserved with glucose syrup; anything deep fried is not advisable as the calories add up”, says Ms. Cheong.

Originally published at healthxchange.com.sg

Healthy Cooking

Maintaining a healthy weight can be a daunting task, especially in food haven Singapore. Whether you’re trying to lose the kilos, or maintain your current weight, it always helps to know about the food you’re putting into your body.

Balance Your Food Choices

You do not have to give up your favourite food just because it is high in calories. Reducing your portion size or making up for excess calories by eating a lower-calorie meal later are quick tips to help you manage your diet.For more information on the caloric content of commonly-eaten food, visit www.hpb.gov.sg. Download the diet tracker and have this information at your finger tips!


Eat Whole-grains!

Be it bread, rice or noodles, natural is best. The less processed your food is and the more whole-grains it contains, the longer and faster you will stay full.

When prepared well with less fat or sugar, whole-grains, fruits and vegetables offer you lower-calorie meal choices at any time of the day. Rich in antioxidants, they give you more goodness in a bite than a higher-calorie meal.

Love whole-grains? Don't fret about it being limited to bread and rice. Do you know that whole-grains now come in kway teow, noodles, man tou and biscuits? Look out for this symbol the next time you shop at the supermarket. Who says being healthy can't be fun and easy?

Building Blocks of a Healthy Diet

We love our char kway teow, and we love our nasi briyani! They're absolutely delicious but may not contain what we need to stay healthy. So, here's a quick rundown on what your body needs, and how come commonly enjoyed hawker fare stack up in nutritional content.

Here's what you need to include in your daily diet;

Carbohydrates provide the main energy fuel for key organs, including your brain. Carbohydrate foods such as breads, cereals and rice should form the staple of your diet.

Protein is the building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. Protein repairs tissue, too. Good protein sources are lean meat, fish, chicken and soya beans.

Fats are essential for growth, healthy skin and regulation of bodily functions. The key is to reduce the saturated fats (think chicken skin).

Fibre promotes healthy bowel function, keeping disease at bay.

Fluids keep us hydrated and aid the body's metabolism and functions.

Typical daily needs and dietary allowances (for women):

• Energy: 1800 to 2000 kcal 
• Protein: 58g 
• Total fat: 56 to 67g (25 - 30% of energy) 
• Saturated fat: less than 22g (10% of energy) 
• Carbohydrates: 275g 
• Dietary fibre: 20g 
• Cholesterol: less than 300mg 

The best picks:

Keep those for the special, occasional treat: