Today's Blog question comes from Diane on twitter (@pbkup).  Question was: Pertaining to dieting, is Dried Fruit good for you?

Answer:  Well the answer is Yes & No.  What do you say?  Dried fruit is sweet, chewy and delicious and is a good source of concentrated vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and.....calories.

Because dried fruit is a concentrated source for good things...it's alot of calories in a small "package".  So limit the dried fruit to topping on your unsweetened yogurt or as a sweet addition to your trail mix/nuts.  In small amounts, dried fruits provide a portable source for carbohydrates & calories that is needed while hiking or after a workout but remember that the calories are compact.

A tiny warning about dried fruit.  Pick an organic, unsweetened option.  Did you know that most dried fruit contains many additional ingredients to make them sweeter & last longer on the shelf?  Common additives in one dried fruit mix are:

Tart Cherries, Diced Apple, Diced Apricots, Raisins May contain 2% or less of:  Sugar, Sunflower oil, Rice flour, Sulphur dioxide for color retention, Potassium sorbate as a preservative, and contains sulfites.

Look for naturally dried fruit and mix with nuts for a healthy on the go snack.  Perfect to throw into your gym back for post-workout (see blog post below!) Use as a naturally sweet addition to a high protein snack not as the main ingredient.

US NEWS recently evaluted 25 common diets for diabetics. To view the entire article with full list of common diets, click here.

"Diet is a crucial tool for managing diabetes, and weight loss can help people who are overweight prevent type 2 diabetes. The experts who rated the 25 diets below evaluated each one on its ability to both prevent and manage diabetes. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), an eating plan endorsed by the government, and the Biggest Loser die...t came out on top."

Interesting that the "DASH" approach was on top with The Biggest Loser diet because, "..in the judgment of our expert panelists.. Its emphasis on whole grains, fruits, and veggies matches the sort of nutritional prescription that diabetics frequently hear their doctors recommend."

So the DASH approach was the "experts" pick because it's what they hear doctors' recommend to their patients. If the doctors had it correct, then the rate of diabetes would be decreasing, not increasing at such an astonishing rate, isn't that correct?

Their take on Paleo eating: "...The Paleo diet lagged behind other ranked diets when evaluated for its effect on diabetes. Without the research to show otherwise, most experts rated it a “minimally effective” way to prevent or control diabetes."

In my opinion, diabetes is not caused by being overweight. Insulin issues & metabolic issues create a lifetime of over reactions by the body when sugar & processed grains are constantly introduced to the already overstressed body. When the body can't "react" properly to insulin spikes anymore, diabetes or even pre-diabetic reactions occur. A diet that eliminates sugar & processed grains will benefit the diabetic in every case. Carbohydrates should be only introduced in the form of whole fruits & veges and in a controlled manner to not over stress the pancreas.

I have been dealing with insulin issues for about 6 years.  High cholesterol for no reason, blood sugar problems and pre-diabetes.  I came across the Metabolism Miracle diet about 3 years ago which gave me the info about the effects of sugar & carbs on the pancreas and the reasoning behind this.  Not long after I began to follow a Paleo Diet which had similar facts...that the body can not handle processed sugar & grains for the same reasons.  I will write more about my journey with Paleo eating...but I'll give you the facts:

1.  My weight is back to near normal - down 30 lbs.
2.  My cholesterol is down from 272 to 183
3.  I maintain carbohydrates at about 75g or below per day which keeps my blood sugar steady and my pancreas happy.

4.  I'm back to working as a fitness instructor and now playing ice hockey without the terrible fatigue I was experiencing.

So do you have any questions?  Use the comments area and let's discuss.

Is It Time to Eat?
By Mark Nelson

It probably is. Because if you're like many people, you don't eat often enough. According to Turbo Jam® trainer Chalene Johnson, you should eat at least five times a day. That includes three meals and two snacks. So why eat so often?

It helps prevent your body from storing fat. I kid you not. Our bodies are actually programmed to store fat, and this trait has helped us humans keep going over the eons. At many stages during our existence, it was critical to our survival. If you look back in time with me, I'll show you why.

Picture yourself wearing an animal skin or scratchy woolen toga, a few smears of mud and no hair product. (Don't feel bad—no one else looked good, either.) If you look in your hand, you'll see that you're carrying a spear that you made yourself. The reason for making it is that you're hungry.

If you throw well, you eat. If you miss, you don't. So being able to store energy in the form of fat will hopefully sustain you until your throwing improves.

This same survival tool remains part of our makeup today.

So the best way to avoid slipping into this fat-storing mode is to keep your metabolism going with small meals and snacks. Eating frequently prompts your body to efficiently keep working and burning the calories.

And if that weren't enough by itself, there's another good reason to avoid long waits between meals.

Eating regularly tames wild cravings. By eating smaller meals on a regular schedule, you'll help your body work comfortably on fewer calories, and stay in an energy (fat)-burning mode. This will help you feel more energetic, and keep your blood sugar stable, which will reduce carb cravings before your next meal.

Now let's say you need even more help controlling your cravings for the wrong stuff. What do you do?

Start your day with the right stuff. Chances are, you don't eat in your sleep. So when you wake up, your cells are ready to absorb essential nutrients and, in particular, protein.

Throughout the night, your body uses excess or circulating proteins to replenish your muscles, hair, skin, and nails. In addition, your body uses proteins to create millions of antibodies for defense against bacteria, which often attacks while you sleep. That's why eating a healthy breakfast packed with protein is good for you.

Starting your day with eggs, nonfat cottage cheese, a P90X® Peak Performance Protein Bar, or Shakeology can help you get a good serving of the protein and nutrients you need.

And a good rule of thumb for the timing of this meal is within an hour of waking up. If that's not possible, have a meal or snack as early as possible to get your metabolism revving. So what about the rest of your day?

Lift weights, then lift plates. Another smart time to eat is about 30 to 45 minutes after a workout. At this time, the enzymes responsible for energy production are in high gear, and the energy-storing hormones within our blood are suppressed.

This means less energy will be stored as fat. Carbs will be immediately taken up to replenish the low glycogen stores caused through exercising. Protein will be used for the recovery and growth of new calorie-burning muscle tissue. And the best news is, your body will burn most of the nutrients from the meal to fuel these reactions. That's why eating after a workout is a good idea.

Having protein late in the day, for perhaps your last meal or snack, will also provide your body with the protein it will use overnight to revitalize your muscles, hair, nails, and antibodies.

Of course, remember portion size. If you're not sure how much that might be, use the palm of your hand as a guideline. It's a good trick, since you probably have your hands with you.

As with most things in life, timing is everything. So when you're trying to drop pounds, don't just think about what you eat—think about when. This will enable you to get more nutrients from fewer calories. Of course, the fewer calories you eat, the easier it is to lose weight. So eat right. On time. On schedule.

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10 Tricks for Losing Those Last 10 Pounds
By Whitney Provost for Beachbody 1/27/11

At the start of a new fitness program, you clean up your diet and hit the workouts, and the weight seems to fall off. But when you get down to the last 5, 10, or 15 pounds you want to lose, the scale may suddenly refuse to budge. You might be tempted to drastically reduce calories or increase the amount of time you spend working out. Don't do it. Instead, here are some simple tricks to help you lose those last 10 pounds.

Cutting calories too low will cause your body to think it's starving, and it will hold on to the fat you're trying so hard to lose. Working out longer will cut into your personal time and probably won't help you drop those last few pounds anyway. Instead, try making these tweaks to your program.

1.  Clean up your diet. Once you find a diet that works for you, stick to it. Researchers at Tufts University followed 160 people on four different weight loss plans and found that the type of diet participants were on didn't matter as much as the participants' willingness to stick to their diets. If you've been dieting for a while, you might have become a little lax with your food choices and portions, so tighten them up again. To lose those last pesky pounds, stick to unprocessed foods (the kind that don't come in a box) and choose lean protein, vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. Keeping a food journal will help you track everything you eat and get your calories under control. 

  2.   Cut out some carbs. A simple, short-term trick to losing weight is to cut    back on carbs until you're at your goal. Eat lean protein and vegetables at every meal and limit carbs to before and after your workouts, and you'll probably see the scale shift rather quickly. Easy, low-carb meal ideas include egg-white omelettes with vegetables, Whey Protein Powder shakes made with water, salads with lean protein (chicken, tuna, or turkey), and grilled or broiled lean beef, poultry, or fish with vegetables.


3.    Bump up the intensity of your workouts. No matter what workout program you're doing, you will lose weight faster if you kick up the intensity. Jump higher, squat lower, and increase the weight you're lifting to burn more calories, rev your metabolism, and stoke the fat-burning fire. Whether you're working out to Slim in 6®, ChaLEAN Extreme®, P90X®, or any other Beachbody® fitness program, you'll bust through a plateau by putting out more effort when you exercise.

4.  Change your exercise routine. If you've already increased the intensity of your workout program and still find that your weight loss has slowed, it might be time to try something different. When you perform the same exercises over and over, your body becomes more efficient at them. As a result, you use less energy and burn fewer calories. By starting a new fitness routine, you'll shock your muscles, reignite your metabolism, and get the scale moving again. Check out TeamBeachbody.com to find the workout that'll take your weight loss to the next level.

5.   Stand up. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that lean people spend 2 more hours per day on their feet than overweight people. Participants in the study who stood, paced, and fidgeted burned as many as 350 extra calories a day and were much leaner than those who didn't move as much. Get up from your desk at work, talk on the phone while standing, and stay on your feet in waiting rooms—the simplest effort will yield an extra calorie burn that may help you shed those remaining pounds.

6.  Eat a little less. When your body gets smaller, it requires fewer calories to function properly. A 165-pound woman who works out three to five times a week may require 2,300 calories per day to maintain her weight, but the same woman at 125 pounds may only need 2,000 calories for maintenance. Trying to lose additional pounds in your lighter body means cutting back a little more. You do not need to make radical changes, however; if you're already increasing the intensity of your workouts and eating a clean, whole-foods diet, you could probably see the scale move with a modest 100-calorie reduction per day.

7.  Zigzag your calories. Cycling your calories, also known as zigzagging, is the process of eating more on certain days and less on others. If you always eat 1,800 calories, try eating 1,500 calories one day and 2,000 the next. As long as you create a weekly deficit, you should see the pounds drop. Much like shocking your muscles into working harder by introducing new exercises, it's possible to shock your metabolism by zigzagging your calories.

8.  Drink more water. You may not realize how important water is for weight loss—it's not just a tool to help you eat less. Being properly hydrated will balance your energy levels, which allows you to exercise with intensity. (Have you ever been so thirsty during a workout that you couldn't perform as well as usual?) Drinking enough water may also increase your metabolism and promote muscle building—a well-hydrated body can more efficiently repair and build muscles. On the other hand, being dehydrated encourages muscle breakdown. So drink up, especially since you are exercising regularly.

9.  Relax. Believe it or not, you may be trying too hard to lose weight. If your workouts are very intense and your diet is too strict, you could overtrain and burn out. Your mind and body will just not respond in the same way when they're tired. Muscles need rest to repair and grow, and sometimes your brain needs a break from constant calorie counting and worrying about the last few pounds. Instead of becoming frustrated and diving into a box of cookies, try to relax and reduce the intensity for a little while. You may be surprised to find the scale moving again when you give your mind and body a rest.

10.  Reevaluate your goal weight. First, congratulate yourself on getting to this point. Losing weight is not easy, and you've already accomplished a great deal—so enjoy your success. The next step is to ask yourself if the "magic" number on the scale is really the best weight for you. Perhaps you've lost fat and gained a lot of muscle; your new hard body might be healthier and happier with a few more pounds on it. Many people want to weigh the same as they did in high school or college. What if you're much more fit and muscular now than you were in those days? You may realize that the number on the scale today is perfect for you.

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