Healthy Tuna! In Water or Oil!?

Friday 27 Jan 2012 by Mira | 1 Comment
Filed under: Omega 3, calories, fat, health, sushi, tuna

Canned tuna in water or canned tuna in oil?? Which one do you you think is healthier??

Maybe you're gonna say "Tuna in oil" since it is packed with all the good fats, v/s tuna in water which might lack some important omega-3 fatty acids!

Let's start by saying that tuna in general is a great and cheap meal to eat twice a week to stay safe from aging problems and chronic diseases!

It is very rich in protein, with no carbohydrates and a lot of minerals like selenium, magnesium and potassium, the B vitamins niacin, B1 and B6, and most important, the beneficial Omega-3 essential fatty acids!

It also increases our immune function, elevates LDL cholesterol, alters blood lipids. Moreover, fish oil naturally contains high levels of the two essential vitamins, A and D.

Canning tuna is not that bad as well!! It is an effective way of preservation.

If the food's overall quality is high, it is best in all forms, whether it was canned, frozen, or fresh.

BUT... Read the rest of this entry »

Atkins Products.

Monday 23 Jan 2012 by Mira | 14 Comments
Filed under: calories, eat out, fiber, fitness

As mentionned in my blog, Atkins Products are available at Eat Like Mira clinic, which are based on delicious, low-carbs whole foods!

Atkins products vary from sweets, cereals, milkshakes and other tasty & low- carbs foods.

You can check Atkins website here: http://www.atkins.com/Products/Product-Overview.aspx

And this is what I tried yesterday! I was craving for a sweet taste, so I got the chocolate oatmeal fiber bar!

It's from the "Day Break" Category, that means it is perfect as a snack, especially before any workout!

The bar has only 6 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar and only 7 grams of net carbs!

It contains in total 130 calories, 10 grams of fiber, and only 5 grams of fat!

Food Intolerance Test!

Thursday 19 Jan 2012 by Mira | 15 Comments
Filed under: food intolerance

Food intolerance is not usually life-threatening, but can make us feel extremely uncomfortable! Its symptoms can be delayed for many hours and days, and it is sometimes difficult to identify the food causing this problem.

The general symptoms:

Anxiety, bloating, Bronchitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, constipation, depression, diarrhea, gastritis, insomnia, malabsorption, migraine, water retention, weight control problems and itchy skin problems.

The food detective test can give you results in just 40 minutes!

It is safe and accurate and will give your reaction to 59 kinds of food!

This test is available at Eat Like Mira clinic!

You can be suffering from food intolerance!

Test yourself and find out!

My Plate: The New Food Guide Pyramid

Wednesday 18 Jan 2012 by Mira | 9 Comments
Filed under: Nutrition, food guide pyramid

I have Mentioned at the beginning of this blog, the Food Guide Pyramid and said it is the indicator of a healthy and varied eating plan.

The Food Guide Pyramid is an outline of what to eat everyday based on the Dietary Guidelines.

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/01/10/food-guide-pyramid/

But now we can say: Goodbye pyramid. Hello, plate!!

The USDA, the agency in charge of nutrition, has switched to a new symbol: a colorful, nice, easy to understand plate, called My Plate, with almost the same messages:

- Eat a variety of healthy food!

- Increase the portion of some food and decrease other kinds of food!

The Pyramid had six divisions which represent the 6 food groups, with the emphasis of a low consumption of oils and sweets.

The plate is divided into 4 groups: the vegetables, the fruits, the grains and the protein, with another separate group to be consumed while eating, dairy product (milk or yogurt).

My plate also encourages to eat more vegetables than fruits, as well as more protein intake from vegetable sources (grains) rather than animal sources.

My plate is also focusing on organising our plate when choosing our meal. It aims to discourage super-big portions, which causes weight gain!

Crack and Open a coconut!

Friday 13 Jan 2012 by Mira | 4 Comments
Filed under: calories, coconut, fat

Coconut is known as the Tree of Life!

Coconut is one of those food that seem to fluctuate between the 'good food' and 'bad food' list, and if you're confused about this, no worries! Coz even the experts are!!

Both the American Heart Association and the National Heart Foundation recommend avoiding the use of coconut oil for cooking, as it is high in saturated fat and increase blood cholesterol! And that's how the confusion about coconut fruit came up!

FACTS!

No doubt, coconut is very high in fat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture states that 1 cup of raw coconut contains roughly 24 g of saturated fat. With this high fat content, raw coconut is also a very high-calorie food, with 283 calories per cup, says the USDA.

Here are the nutritional facts of one piece of raw coconut (45 grams):

Serving size: 45 g

Calories: 159, and calories from fat: 126

Total fat: 15 grams, and saturated fat: 13 grams

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Dietary fat: 4 grams

Coconut is high in fiber, Vitamin B, Iron and Zinc.

So As you noticed, coconut fruit is free of cholesterol, but contains high amount of saturated fat which increases LDL level and thus increases blood cholesterol level!

And any high-calorie food can lead to weight and fat gain if not counted into your overall daily calorie intake and physical activity regimen.

HOWEVER!! Read the rest of this entry »

Fantasia Chips, Light!

Monday 9 Jan 2012 by Mira | 9 Comments
Filed under: calories, exchange food list

I crave for salty snacks sometimes! So I try as much as I can to have low- fat choices!

Yesterday I had this light Fantasia Chips!

They say it is 40 % less in fat.

That doesn't mean that it is not fried but the fat content was reduced from 10 grams to 6 grams per serving.

The ingredients:

Potato Flour, potato starch, vegetable oil, Wheat starch, Corn starch, salt, sugar, and flavour enhancer.

The whole bag contains 130 calories with 0 mg of cholesterol!

If you want to consider the food exchange list, the whole bag is counted as 1 exchange carbohydrates and 1 exchange of fat.

It is the Original Fantasia Light, My favorite

Cheese Addiction! :)

Monday 2 Jan 2012 by Mira | 19 Comments
Filed under: calories, fat

It's winter time! So what's best than cheese & wine dinners?!

Cheese is a wonderful source of protein, calcium and phosphorus, but it's also a major source of saturated fat!!

Many cheeses are naturally lower in fat than others. These include low-fat mozzarella, cottage cheese, parmesan and feta cheese.

Cheddar, halloumi, Brie, camembert and swiss cheeses have higher fat content if not consumed in their reduced fat form.

Note that reduced-fat cheeses have about 6 grams of fat, with 4 grams of saturated fat.

What about goat cheese???

A lot of people love it but have question marks regarding how fattening is that kind of cheese!

Well the good news is that : Read the rest of this entry »

Coffee Mate!! Good or Bad?

Monday 19 Dec 2011 by Mira | 24 Comments
Filed under: Trans fat, calories, cholesterol, health, tea and coffee

Coffee-mate is the brand name for a line of non-dairy creamers manufactured by Nestle, in 1961.

Coffee-Mate has expanded its line enormously over the past few years, allowing customers to choose different flavors!

But can it be a substitution for milk and other dairy products??

Is it good or bad for our health??

A serving size of Coffee-mate is 2 teaspoons: 6 grams

The regular one has: 33.5 calories per serving, 1.5 g of Carbohydrates

The Light one has 26 calories per serving, 0.8 g of carbohydrates Read the rest of this entry »

The TOP 3 Benefits of Artichokes!

Wednesday 14 Dec 2011 by Mira | 64 Comments
Filed under: artichoke, fiber

I love artichoke! I usually enjoy eating it on its own, or with a simple dipping sauce ( olive oil, garlic and lemon sauce)! while I keep the heart, (which is tasty as well) for soups or salads!

Artichokes like many other vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which prevent cancer diseases in general, but leukemia and breast cancer specifically.

Artichokes are also known to raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL).

But besides being rich in antioxidants, artichokes offer 3 unique benefits which I'd like to focus on!!

1- Treatment for liver diseases:

Dueto cynarin (antioxidant in the pulp of artichoke) and another antioxidant, silymarin, artichokes have always been used as a treatment for liver diseases!

Studies have found they may even regenerate liver tissue.

Hangover Treatment! Read the rest of this entry »

Is Honey That Healthy?

Saturday 10 Dec 2011 by Mira | 408 Comments
Filed under: calories, health, honey

I got a message from someone asking me if honey is really that healthy or is it just a "grandma's tradition"!

He asked me to talk about it here, so Mr X that's for you!

Well for something that sweet and tasty, I guess honey health benefits may be placed on the top!

1- Rich in antioxidants:

Honey contains powerful antioxidants, that neutralize free radicals in our body and thus protecting us from aging and from many medical diseases.

A 2004 study conducted by the University of California concluded that honey contains as many antioxidants as spinach, apples, oranges or strawberries.

2- Good for diabetic people:

Honey contains glucose and fructose sugars, and it contains more calories than table sugar. But According to Dr. David Baer of the USDA Agriculture Research Service, our body tolerates honey better compared to table sugar. Eating honey is better for people with diabetic conditions as it is less likely to cause blood sugar spike.

3- It beautifies our skin: Read the rest of this entry »

Burger King Chicken Salad!

Monday 5 Dec 2011 by Mira | 350 Comments
Filed under: calories, eat out

Who said we can't choose low calorie food choices even when we eat from fast food chains??

Sure we can!

That what I did yesterday. I felt really hungry and couldn't find healthy restaurant nearby. I stopped by burger King and ordered their chicken salad

Actually they call it chicken Caesar salad but I didn't see anything related to that. So I personally called it "chicken salad"! looll

Its ingredients:

Lettuce, corn, tomatoes, cucumber, grilled chicken: 120 calories

The sauce: Creamy Caesar dressing: 149 calories

(I put half of it)

My total salad intake: 195 calories!

Hamidiye Water, the spring of the sultans

Wednesday 30 Nov 2011 by Mira | 339 Comments
Filed under: body, eat out, health, water

Last night I was having dinner at Naranj, the oriental Syrian restaurant. I was drinking a lot of water and almost finished a whole 2 Litres bottle!

Then I was looking at the water bottle to see what it was as it is the first time I taste it.

It was the HAMIDIYE water, from Turkey.

It is a very smooth water with only 1.1 mg of sodium, and PH: 7.2

A PH under 7.0 means the liquid is more acidic, while a PH over 7.0 is more Alkaline. The PH of a liquid can change due to different environmental variables, most importantly light and temperature.

Maintaining a pure neutral water PH ( PH 7) is an important factor to maintain a normal body PH.

WHY?? Read the rest of this entry »

The Claim: Brown sugar v/s White Sugar

Friday 25 Nov 2011 by Mira | 345 Comments
Filed under: calories, glycemic index, health

You've heard that brown rice is better for you than white rice, and whole wheat bread comes out on top over white bread!

But what about brown sugar??

I always notice that many people try to replace white sugar by the brown one as they believe that it is healthier and lower in calories.

What's the truth behind that?

In reality, brown sugar is most often ordinary table sugar that is turned brown by the reintroduction of molasses. Normally, molasses is separated and removed when sugar is created from sugarcane plants.

Bad news right??

Brown sugar, also called “raw sugar” is sugar that has not been fully refined. It contains from 3.5% molasses (light brown sugar) to 6.5% molasses (dark brown sugar).

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, brown sugar contains about 17 kilocalories per teaspoon, compared with 16 kilocalories per teaspoon for white sugar.

While brown rice and brown bread are essential to decrease high blood sugar, brown sugar has no effect on diabetic people!

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/05/29/glycemic-index-for-diabetics/

Sucrose raises blood sugar levels, so don't distinguish between white, brown or raw sugar, because all cause the same response

KDD Pineapple Juice

Monday 21 Nov 2011 by Mira | 401 Comments
Filed under: calories, exchange food list, glycemic index, health

Why do a lot of people think that this kind of juice makes us loose body fat??

I want through this post to clarify the point of all juices, especially the KDD Pineapple juice!

Juices in general are loaded with sugar and eventually loaded with CALORIES!!

One glass of juice is considered as 2 exchanges of fruits, and so have a minimum of 120 calories!

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/02/17/exchange-food-list/

A lot of my clients ask me: Even the pineapple juice??

Unfortunately YES!!

Pineapples have a powerful enzyme called Bromelain, which makes our body burn more fat! Read the rest of this entry »

Interval Cardio Training!

Thursday 17 Nov 2011 by Mira | 387 Comments
Filed under: fitness, physical activity

How to burn maximum fat during cardio?

The weight loss and the super fat loss training technique is called interval training!!

This is when your heart rate is brought up and then back down, giving you a higher calorie usage, and thus maximum fat loss!

The Interval work is mostly used because it allows the trainee to perform well at a higher intensity during less running time.

Example of how to do it: First start by a warm up at a low speed, then start to run by increasing the speed. After that, decrease again the speed and increase the incline button. After that, press the decline button then run back at higher speed... and so on for 45 minutes.

How often does this exercise recommended?? Read the rest of this entry »

Sri Lanka Food Specialities!

Sunday 13 Nov 2011 by Mira | 328 Comments
Filed under: Nutrition, eat out, green tea, health

I was in Sri Lanka a week back, and while discovering this new country, I noticed that all what people eat there comes up from natural sources!

All fruits are freshly eating after cultivation! These are mainly the tropical fruits!

Mangoes, pineapples, bananas, and of course coconuts!

The last fruit is everywhere! They even make their alcohol from it! It's called the coconut arak! (so strong though!)

Coconut is a tropical fruit rich in protein and its water is good for kidney and urinary bladder problems!

It kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections and urinary tract infections. It also Improves calcium and magnesium absorption so it improves the development of strong bones and teeth. Read the rest of this entry »

My Nutritional Tips in Kidzee Nursery newsletter

Wednesday 9 Nov 2011 by Mira | 377 Comments
Filed under: health, interview

KIDZEE is the name of a famous nursery in Kuwait. I've been asked to write some nutritional tips for their monthly newsletter.

This article is mainly addressed to parents. They need to encourage their kids to do healthy choices by choosing their favorite foods, by incorporating their kids into more activities, and many other tips which can benefit all all parents!

Below are the nutritional tips in both Arabic and English versions!

October/ November newsletter.

My nutritional article in Kidzee nursery

For Menopausal Women!

Thursday 3 Nov 2011 by Mira | 405 Comments
Filed under: body, calcium, health, menopause, physical activity

Menopause is a normal condition that all women experience as they age. It usually starts between the ages of 45 to 55 .

We all know that in menopause, women stop menstruating, marking the end of her reproductive period. It is accompanied by hot flashes, sweating, headache, fatigue, mood swings, changes in libido, and weight gain due to a decrease in body metabolism.

But not all women are aware about what to eat or about which vitamins and minerals are essential during the menopausal period!

- Avoid hot flashes triggers: Caffeine, spices and alcohol make hot flashes worse. That's why try decaf coffee, reduce hot pepper while cooking and cut back on alcohol to see if hot flashes improve.

- Eat more fiber: A diet rich in fiber is necessary for a healthy digestive system function, especially during this period. It keeps your heart healthy. Choose 100% whole grain breads and cereals and make sure to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. These are filled with important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that keep you healthy and young!

- Watch your calcium and vit. D intake: Calcium and Vit. D are the key minerals during menopause to keep your bones healthy, and prevent osteoporosis.

Consume 2 to 3 servings of low-fat dairy products daily (zero fat dairy products do not contain Vitamin D) . Toss your salads with low-fat cheeses or yogurt. Consume up to 3 eggs per week, as well as more dark leafy vegetables which are also a good source of calcium.

More Vitamin E: Studies have proved that Vit. E is excellent for reducing hot flushes in menopausal women.That's why get plenty of this Vitamin from a healthy diet when you eat nuts, seeds, olives, avocados, olive oil or canola oil. Read the rest of this entry »

Delicious Pinkberry!!

Monday 31 Oct 2011 by Mira | 460 Comments
Filed under: calcium, calories, eat out, yogurt

Talking about delicious frozen yogurt??

The first option that comes to my mind is surely Pinkberry!! I used to make fun of the queue that I used to see when it first opened, but no wonder Pinkberry has now more than 4 branches all over Kuwait!

And the special thing about it is that they rotate seasonal offerings several times a year!!

For those who don't know what is it, Pinkberry is a zero/low- fat frozen yogurt shop with different flavors. You choose the flavor that you want with your favorite toppings.

Toppings offer a perfect taste and texture combination!

My favorite mix! 3 flavors!

A mix of the original, pomegranate and passion fruit flavors, topped with some berries and raw walnuts!!

All yogurt are "non-fat, sugar-free and zero cholesterol!

It is a fulfilling healthy snack, as it is rich in calcium (found in yogurt), antioxidants (found in berries), and omega-3 (found in raw walnuts).

It tastes less like ice cream and more like yogurt:)

I took the medium size. It had almost 250 calories.

Check their website for more products info! http://www.pinkberry.com/

Exercises to Trim your Hips!

Thursday 27 Oct 2011 by Mira | 549 Comments
Filed under: cellulite, fitness, physical activity

A lot are asking me what are the best exercises to reduce and slim the hips.

Usually going up the stairs, doing spinning classes or just the oudoor cycling can be very good for your hips.

Plus I have incorpotated 2 videos that may help as well

Both exercises can be done at home.

The first one is a very easy workout: Each move should be done 12 times, for 4 series.

Top Hip Exercises!

For more advanced people, start doing these 7 moves in different series!

Pilates Hips and Thighs Workout

And again, As I always say, exercising alone is not enough, a healthy eating lifestyle MUST BE ADAPTED

Super Foods for Men!

Sunday 23 Oct 2011 by Mira | 417 Comments
Filed under: Omega 3, cancer, cholesterol, ginger, health

Men are different from women in everything even when it comes to their nutritional needs.

They need nutrients that can help them maintain muscle mass, prevent prostate cancer, strengthen immune system and much more.

So guys!! Below is a list of the main super foods to start improving your health:

- Lean Red Meat: Lean cuts of beef are packed with protein with only a little more fat than chicken breast. Red meat is also one of the best sources of leucine, an amino acid that helps build muscle.

- Avocado: It is considered a "good fat" food. It decreases levels of total cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol (LDL). Olive oil and nuts also contain good fats.

- Salmon: This is another excellent source of healthy fat! It contains a special type, the "Omega-3 fatty acids", which protects against heart diseases, some cancers, and arthritis.

- Ginger:It has an anti-inflammatory property.Research proves that eating ginger regularly may help reduce the pain of exercise-related muscle injuries. It aids in digestion and reduce migraine. Read the rest of this entry »

Sandwich Vanilla Ice Cream ;)

Wednesday 19 Oct 2011 by Mira | 368 Comments
Filed under: calories, eat out, fat

This is the KDD SANDWICH VANILLA ICE CREAM!

I was craving for an ice cream then I said to myself let's try this sandwich ! And I've noticed that it is low in fat and low in calories, perfect for ice cream addicts!

This is why I wanted to share it with you

The sandwich bread has a really sweet addictive taste, and the vanilla filling makes it taste even better.

This fulfilling KDD Sandwich has in total 91 calories and 3.3 grams of fat.

The vanilla ice cream is very light (only 10 % butterfat) , and this is something you feel once you taste it:)

Try it and share your feedbacks!

Do Beer and Wine Hurt a stomach Ulcer?

Saturday 15 Oct 2011 by Mira | 438 Comments
Filed under: alcohol, health, peptic ulcer

Peptic Ulcer is common among people.. And I've discussed in an older post how to treat it or avoid it through good and healthy way of eating.

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/04/06/nutrition-for-peptic-ulcer/

But now let's answer this question:

Are beer and wine allowed when suffering from peptic ulcer or heartburn??

Stomach Ulcer is caused by a kind of bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori for short.

This Study is taken from the WebMD:

Liam J. Murray, MD, Queens University of Belfast, U.K., and colleagues tested 10,537 people for H. pylori infection. They also asked them how much alcohol and coffee they drank and how much they smoked. Read the rest of this entry »

Pomegranate Secrets!!

Tuesday 11 Oct 2011 by Mira | 342 Comments
Filed under: Nutrition, cholesterol, fiber, glycemic index, health

As I am everyday seeing my dad eating pomegranate, I decided to talk about it here Honestly It's not really my favorite fruit coz find it hard to chew... But I was sharing some with dad as it is always good to try different varieties of food to get all the different and unique vitamins

Pomegranate Origin: West Asia (Iran), Eastern Mediterranean, and its season goes from October through January. But when buying pomegranate juice look for 100% juice with no sugar, no high fructose, corn syrup or other fillers.

Pomegranate miracles!!

- Better blood flow:

Pomegranate has shown to decrease the amount of plaque in the arteries, which leads to a smooth blood flow and reduction of heart diseases.

It is also known to increase HDL (the good cholesterol), and to lower LDL (the bad one which causes heart attacks)

- Powerful antioxidants: Read the rest of this entry »

How to Choose your Coffee

Friday 7 Oct 2011 by Mira | 31 Comments
Filed under: calcium, calories, fat, tea and coffee, vit D deficiency

Have you ever took into consideration how many calories can you actually consume by only having one cup of coffee??

It will be weird to know that most of your morning coffee contains a lot of unnecessary fat and calories! So why don't you keep those extra calories for a healthy breakfast instead :)

You can enjoy a simple morning coffee! How???

Follow these tips:

1- Avoid adding cream to your coffee:

Cream contains saturated fat, which leads to an increase in blood cholesterol levels and to weight gain. Adding cream will make you take up to 110 extra calories and 8 grams of fat in 400 ml of coffee.

2- Do The right choice:

Mainly most of the coffee you order is full of fat, that's why always order your coffee to be reduced in fat, which will eventually reduce 10 to 14 grams of fat in 400 ml of coffee. Go for a skim or low-fat milk! And believe me it won't change anything in the taste

3. Avoid Adding sugar:

If you like a sweet coffee, try to avoid the white and the brown sugar, as both contain lots of calories! Instead, use a sweetener (consuming it in moderation DO NOT cause any medical problem).

4. Be Careful about your coffee size!

As we all know, there are a lot of coffee sizes... I always go for the small size... In that way, caffeine content, fat content and calories will be reduced.

5. Add protein and calcium to your coffee: Read the rest of this entry »

PUFAK chips :)

Thursday 29 Sep 2011 by Mira | 366 Comments
Filed under: Trans fat, calories, salt, unsaturated fat

I guess PUFAK Chips is one of the favorite chips for many people No wonder! It's really delicious and it is the favorite one for me as well!

A Lot of you donnow the actual nutritional facts of it, and think that like other chips,it is fattening and full of saturated fat..

Well Pufak chips, and fortunately is BAKED AND NOT FRIED! Yess that means it doesn't contain Trans fatty acids, the number one cause of cardiovascular diseases.

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/03/03/questions-about-fat/

Plus this cheese flavor pufak, doesn't contain a lot of calories for its big size.

Other small chip packs can contain more than 100 calories, but are smaller in size and full of saturated and Trans fats.

Pufak contains only 127 calories, and can be taken as an afternoon snack sometimes, for people who are craving for salty munchies

Do Milk and Yogurt help in sleeping better?

Monday 26 Sep 2011 by Mira | 361 Comments
Filed under: Nutrition, body, calcium, health, honey, less sleep, yogurt

Who hasn't try drinking milk or yogurt at night before bed, just to sleep better and deeper

Ok!! I am one of those people! I have to drink my yogurt before bed time! I got used to it and Love it!

Yogurt is easier to digest than milk. Many people who cannot tolerate milk, either because of a protein allergy or lactose intolerance, can enjoy yogurt.

Tryptophan effect!

Yogurt and milk contain tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids needed in our bodies. It makes us get the proper rest and helps us to relax.

Calcium effect!

That's another surprising sleep-inducing nutrient: Calcium is effective in stress reduction by stabilizing our nerve fibers, especially those in the brain. So in other terms, it clears up your mind so no more bad thoughts when sleeping

Insomnia?? One more advice!!

Try the famous Milk and Honey Remedy.

Take a glass of hot milk with a teaspoon of honey to calm the soul and induce sleep. Or, you can just add 1 or 2 teaspoons of honey to a cup of chamomile

Do not drink tea at night. It has caffeine and will stress you out.

Do not drink orange juices or any vitamin C rich foods. Vitamin C boosts your energy, which is unwanted for the sleeping process.

Have a good night...

Spinning classes and weight loss..

Thursday 22 Sep 2011 by Mira | 378 Comments
Filed under: calories, fat, fitness, physical activity

Spinning., known as indoor cycling, is another type of aerobic exercise or cardio workout for weight and fat loss!!!

The class usually lasts for 40 to 50 minutes, and the calories vary from one person to another. But in average, a spin class enables you to burn 500 to 800 calories, if you are doing it right

The weight loss training technique is called interval training, and this is when your heart rate is brought up and then back down, giving you a higher calorie usage.

That means, your instructor will ask you to to do cycling speeds, followed by sprints, then he will ask you to do some standing and sitting positions with some push ups using the handlebar.

Didn't get it???? Have a look at this video!

Spinning for Weight Loss!!!

Total Fitness Spinning...

Spinning can help you lose weight not only through the calorie burned but through its ability to tone your muscles as well.

LEARN and BURN

Dinner at PF Chang's

Monday 19 Sep 2011 by Mira | 406 Comments
Filed under: calories, eat out, fat

Last night we decided to have dinner there.

Honestly, it was my first time to try it! yes!!! Don't be shocked it is! As I am not into Chinese foods!

PF Chang's is actually considered an American chinese restaurant.

Well The food is fatty and oily, I admit but it is soo tasty!

And here are the items that I tried:

1- Miso soup: You need to try it!

That soup contains tofu, chicken, it is sweet and sour, you can see that it is oily, but is considered as a healthy soup

1 bowl: 120 calories in average

2- Chicken lettuce wraps:

It is a combination of noodles and some chicken strips. It is spicy as well.

That comes with some cabbage on the side,(you roll it with the chicken and noodles) but I donnow why it is called chicken lettuce wraps! lool

I had 2 thin cabbage wraps: 150 calories in average Read the rest of this entry »

Sweet Potatoes ARE NOT Potatoes...

Thursday 15 Sep 2011 by Mira | 512 Comments
Filed under: cancer, constipation, diabetes, fiber, glycemic index, health

Sweet potatoes are not potatoes!!

They are actually a completely different vegetable than regular potatoes.

It’s true that both of them have their place in a healthy diet but these two foods offer different tastes and unique nutritional benefits

Sweet potatoes are loaded with nutrients and have impressive array of antioxidants. Sweet potatoes are also higher in fiber and they have a lower glycemic index which is important for diabetics and carbohydrate watchers.

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/05/29/glycemic-index-for-diabetics/

SWEET POTATOES: Read the rest of this entry »

Ketchup, Mustard or Mayonnaise??

Monday 12 Sep 2011 by Mira | 400 Comments
Filed under: calories, health

"Are Ketchup, Mustard and Mayo fattening?? Are these 3 full of calories!?"

That's what my clients always ask me!

We have people who like mustard, those who like ketchup, those who like mayo and surely those who like to combine the 3 together!

In this post, I want to clarify this point as it's kind of confusing for some people

Let's start by talking about ketchup and mustard.

While neither ketchup nor mustard contains a lot of calories, mustard is the healthier choice. Talking about calories, mustard has almost zero calorie, while ketchup can contain 20 calories per tablespoon. When comparing sugar content, Ketchup has a significant amount of sugar, but mustard doesn't have any.

Personally I add mustard almost to all my food!

A special note about mustard as well, is that the yellow one tends to increase body metabolism by 20 percent if one tablespoon if consumed daily!

Mayonnaise, as most people know and unlike ketchup and mustard, is very high in saturated fat and therefore the least healthy of these 3 condiments. If you must have mayonnaise, look for reduced fat or zero fat versions.

1 teaspoon of regular mayo: 45 calories

1 Tablespoon of light mayo 45 calories

So comparing ketchup, Mustard and mayonnaise, mustard is the healthiest choice

You can mix ketchup and mustard together and use it as a vegetable dip, as a salad dressing or to put in sandwiches!

Lose your love handles!

Thursday 8 Sep 2011 by Mira | 460 Comments
Filed under: fat, health, physical activity, salt, water

If this pouchy area around the lower back is called "LOVE handles", why do most women HATE them so much???

Men do love this area, they find it sexy! Of course as long as those extra curves are small ones! If not, women are too skinny for them!

If you have love handles, don't be obsessed about that!

2 solutions are able to decrease your curves. They are complimentary and should be applied together

A- Nutritional lifestyle:

The way you eat and your daily food choices play an important role of course! Imagine you're exercising then eating a pizza or a Burger after that! USELESS SOLUTION!!!

For you to burn the love handles, you need to focus on lean protein like grilled chicken and seafood, plus let you meat intake be minimal.

Include a salad in every meal you eat, and choose multi- grain selections of bread. Include a variety of good fat in your diet like olive oil, avocado, raw nuts, those good fats will help you to burn the extra fat accumulated in your handles. Read the rest of this entry »

How to Cut at least 80 calories??

Sunday 4 Sep 2011 by Mira | 405 Comments
Filed under: Nutrition, calories, eat out, weight loss

Cutting 50 to 100 calories might not make any difference for most of you! While actually It does!

Adding up extra and unuseful calories can be unnecessary when you can still enjoy your favorite meal!

And ...As we all know extra calories are the main reason for gaining weight!

These are 12 tips you can follow, so you can cut up to 100 calories!!

1- Don't drink juices or regular soft drinks while eating:These are full of simple sugar, easily absorbed and unuseful!

Instead, drink water before you start eating and for those who cannot stop soft drinks, go for the diet ones!

2- Eat the whole fruit and not its juice! As I said before juices are full of sugar and can be made of 3 0r 4 whole fruits, plus they don't contain fiber! Eat the whole fruit, it has fiber, less calories and is more consistent!

3- Remove half the bun or the upper sandwich bread:When eating your burger or sandwich, try to remove the upper side bread. You will still enjoy your meal but with less calories Read the rest of this entry »

DELTA Water...

Wednesday 31 Aug 2011 by Mira | 370 Comments
Filed under: salt, water

As you always notice, I like to talk about water as it is your body's major nutrient, and makes up 70 to 75% of your total body weight.

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/01/10/why-water/

I also said that The most important problem in Kuwait is that water contains a lot of sodium( that what leads to water retention and bloating) thus we need to look into the sodium content of the bottle we are buying..

And I have posted so many posts regarding that subject.

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/06/09/ultra-water/

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/11/07/sodium-water-bottle-in-sharm/

http://eatlikemira.com/2010/03/04/i-changed-the-water/

And Now here is a new water bottle! It is DELTA!

Read the rest of this entry »

Fat Loss or Weight loss??

Saturday 27 Aug 2011 by Mira | 550 Comments
Filed under: Uncategorized

Maybe a lot of you donnow what's the difference between body fat loss and body weight loss!

Well Follow this article to understand the concept more

When you want to lose weight, the procedure occurs due to water and muscle loss which is the Lean Body Weight, or due to the fat mass, or even from both!

mmmm Confusing???

You might be just worried about decreasing your body weight, but when loosing weight quickly and in an unhealthy way, just know that you are losing Lean Body weight and the the FAT!!

SO HOW CAN YOU LOSE THIS BODY FAT?? Read the rest of this entry »