Test Your Fast Food Breakfast IQ! (WOW!)

Test Your Fast Food Breakfast IQ!

By Monica Nuñez

1. IHOP^® Stuffed French Toast Combo: 1,476 calories. Yep. That's 1,476 calories consumed, all before lunchtime! Some people consume that many calories in a day. Impressive! Of course, when you look at what this combo contains, you won't be surprised: Cinnamon raisin French toast stuffed with sweet cream cheese filling, topped with cool strawberry or your choice of fruit compote and whipped topping. Served with two eggs, hash browns, two bacon strips, or two pork sausage links. This breakfast packs quite the punch, to your stomach and your fitness goals. I'd skip it. The Stuffed French Toast Combo also contains 76.2 grams of fat, 173.1 grams of carbs, and 29.1 grams of protein.
2. 
   
3. Jack in the Box^® Hearty Breakfast Bowl and Orange Sunrise Smoothie (24 oz.): 1,210 calories. Definitely "hearty" in calories, the breakfast bowl contains 780 calories, with 540 of those calories from fat. Total fat content is 60 grams—with 20 saturated fat grams and 7 trans fat grams. Although the bowl is not going to win the sodium challenge over the Deluxe Breakfast, it's still impressive at 1,350 milligrams of sodium—oh, the salty goodness! The bowl also contains 34 grams of carbs (4 grams of dietary fiber and 1 gram of sugar) and 26 grams of protein. While the smoothie contains no fat, you don't want or need to consume a 430-calorie beverage. The smoothie also contains 108 total grams of carbs (with 86, yes, 86 grams of sugar) and 4 grams of protein. Why not opt for a large orange instead? Come on! You can actually go "big" on this fresh fruit and not do any of the damage that this and the other large breakfasts listed will do. One large orange (about 6.5 ounces) has 86 calories, 21.6 grams of carbs (along with 4.4 grams of fiber and 17.2 grams of sugars), 1.7 grams of protein, 73.6 milligrams of calcium, and 333 milligrams of potassium.
4. 
   
5. McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast (large-size biscuit; no syrup or margarine): 1,150 calories. You'll consume 1,150 calories (540 calories from fat) if you opt for the Deluxe Breakfast—with the large-size biscuit. As with the IHOP Combo and the Jack in the Box breakfast, you will have consumed over 1,000 calories before noon. Wow! The risk you take when you decide to go through that drive-thru window is costly, even if the price of your breakfast is not. If you go for the conservative Deluxe Breakfast with the regular-size biscuit (at 1,090 calories, 510 calories from fat), you'll save 60 calories. Does that make a difference? Maybe not—definitely not to your waistline if you eat the Deluxe Breakfast often. The Deluxe Breakfast with the large-size biscuit also contains 60 grams of total fat (20 grams of saturated fat), 116 grams of carbs (with 7 grams of fiber and 17 grams of sugar), and 36 grams of protein. At 60 grams of total fat, you consume 93 percent of your recommended daily allowance. The sodium content is also worth mentioning: 2,260 milligrams of sodium. Don't forget that all of these numbers do not include the syrup and margarine.
6. 
   
7. Burger King^® Enormous Omelet Sandwich and Minute Maid^® Orange Juice (12 oz.): 870 calories. Most of those 870 calories will be coming from the 730-calorie sandwich. The omelet sandwich also has 45 grams of total fat, with 16 saturated fat grams and 1 trans fat gram. It falls a bit short of the Deluxe Breakfast with its 1,940 milligrams of sodium. Other nutritional content includes 44 grams of total carbs, with 2 grams of fiber and 8 grams of sugar, and 37 grams of protein. Your safest bet is to stick with the juice alone. At 140 calories, it contains 33 grams of carbs (30 grams of sugar), 2 grams of protein, and 42 milligrams of vitamin C. I dared not add anything like, say, a large hash brown. It's almost as highly caloric as the sandwich at 620 calories (40 grams of total fat, with 11 saturated and 13 trans, and 1,200 milligrams of sodium). If it helps, you'll only consume 10 more calories if you choose this Burger King breakfast over the Starbucks breakfast.
8. Starbucks^® Venti Hot Chocolate (2% milk, with whip) and a Blueberry Scone: 860 calories. That 2% milk won't really help you much in the way of saving calories. The hot chocolate contains 460 calories (160 calories from fat) and the blueberry scone contains 400 calories (160 calories from fat). If you opt for no whip cream, you're still going to consume 390 calories in drink alone. I know it's very hard to resist this sweet, delicious "breakfast," but you're better off avoiding so much sugar so early in the morning—well, OK, you're better off avoiding so much sugar, period! That venti hot chocolate also contains 18 grams of total fat (10 grams saturated), 64 grams of carbs (with 2 grams of fiber and 54 grams of sugar), and 18 grams of protein. The blueberry scone has 17 grams of total fat (9 grams saturated), 54 grams of carbs (with 2 fiber grams and 17 sugar grams), and 5 grams of protein. If you simply can't resist the hot chocolate, why not try a tall instead of a venti with nonfat milk and no whipped cream? It contains 190 calories (20 calories from fat), 2 grams of total fat (no saturated fat), 37 grams of carbs (2 grams of fiber and 31 grams of sugar), and 11 grams of protein.

6 Strategies for Stopping Sugar Cravings.

6 Strategies for Stopping Sugar Cravings:

• Eat regularly. Avoid skipping meals or starving yourself. Include planned,
healthy snacks into your eating plan. Sugar cravings get more intense
when you’re over-hungry.

• Eat more complex carbohydrates, especially high fiber, whole grain
products. Minimize simple sugars and refined products. Cakes, cookies,
sweets, white rice, white bread, and white pasta may cause an “insulin
reaction” which makes you feel sluggish and crave more sugar.

• Include a good source of protein and/or healthy fat with each meal.
Protein and fat are digested more slowly and give satiety to meals.

• Cut back on caffeine. Caffeine wreaks havok with blood sugar levels,
increasing the chance of overeating later.

• Focus on flavor to satisfy your senses without overeating.

◊ Try one of these fabulous flavor boosters: roasted red or yellow
peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh ginger, balsamic or rice wine
vinegar, lemon or orange zest, fresh herbs, crushed red pepper
flakes or tabasco sauce, fresh mint or cilantro, salsa.

◊ Know which flavors turn you on. Think about the tastes, smells, and
textures of food that are most appealing to you. Then, incorporate
a low fat alternative into your everyday eating plan.

◊ Stop periodically during a meal and ask yourself if you are truly
enjoying the food you are eating? Is the food worthy of your taste
buds?

◊ Create a flavor-savoring mood at mealtimes. Set the table in style.
Arrange the plate attractively. Light candles.

• Break old patterns. Practice stress reduction techniques to avoid turning
to sugary foods for comfort.

• Legalize all foods. When sweets are strictly forbidden, you end up
craving them more and often bingeing on them later. Enjoy a small
dessert when you truly crave it. Eat it slowly and savor it without guilt!

Created by Sheri Barke, MPH, RD
UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center, 2002

Weight Loss - It's All In Your Head

I LOVE this article because it is soooo true!

BY: Kathryn Soloff

Here is a simple truth: We constantly think about changing our lives.
For some of us it is our job, finding someone to love or giving up smoking.
For many people it is about losing weight. We think about these things
and yet never do them.

For many people who are overweight, they are always thinking about it
or trying something new. Yet, a significant amount of them do not lose
weight, or keep it off. They almost never get into shape.

There is a myriad number of excuses for the weight loss merry-go-round.
We waste time, we start and stop, we procrastinate, we lie and make excuses,
we get frustrated and complain and in general, make ourselves miserable.
Successful weight loss is much more than dieting and exercise. Actually,
losing weight and improving our health is as much, if not more, an internal
process than it is an external process.

If you can successfully reprogram yourself, everything else will simply fall
into place.

Most experts concentrate on teaching us about diet and exercise. If it were
that simple then the success rate would be much higher. It is very easy to
impart information to people. Getting them to do these things consistently
is the problem. Our conditions come down to two things. The first is the
decisions that we make. The second is the things that we do (or the things
that we don't do). When we view the problem in this manner it is easy
to deduce that losing weight and getting into shape is more about our minds
than our diet and exercise programs.

If you wish to create a permanent change in any aspect of your life, including
weight loss, you have to have a significant change in your mind.
Here are some ways to approach getting the most out of your weight loss efforts.
There is a very real relationship between your attitude and the outcome. Enter
your weight loss regimen with the best possible attitude. Transforming yourself
is more about attitude and commitment than it is about finding the right diet or
exercise program. Having the right frame of mind equates with a positive outcome.
It is unbelievable how many people sabotage themselves with a poor attitude.
Typically they whine, complain, rationalize and procrastinate. Of course,
they end up where they started. Conversely, many are successful and maintain
their results simply because they manage to get their head into the right place.
Also, once you lose weight you obviously wish to keep it off. This is a lifetime
program, not an event. It is not uncommon for people to devote their efforts to
losing weight for a specific event. The problem with this is they gain it all back,
and then some. Maintaining your weight is a lifetime goal.

Make up your mind. Come face to face with the tough decisions that you have
avoided all this time. Instead of focusing on this weeks diet or joining a gym,
consider implements a series of healthy lifestyle changes. Break your bad habits
by creating and replacing them with good habits.

Finish what you start. Every single day, thousands, if not millions of people begin
programs that they will never maintain. They start a new diet, but cheat. They
join a health club but do not go regularly. Maybe they start running and quit within
the week. Do not be one of them. Be realistic and sensible. Do not try to undo
years of bad habits by next week.

Do not procrastinate. The right time never comes. Do not make excuses. If you
want something bad enough you will find a way to do it.

Fit Test: Second Time

I Improved!

These were my results for the first time I took the Fit Test and then the second time:

1. Switch Kicks-50 1st time Second time-55

2. Power Jacks-56 Second time-60

3. Power Knees-91 Second Time-109

4. Power Jumps-46 Second Time-51

5. Globe Jumps-6 Second Time-10

6. Suiicide Jumps-17 Second Time-22

7. Push-up Jacks 14 Second Time-20

8. Low Plank Oblique 23 Second Time-47

Some places I improved a lot, and other places just a little. But EVERY single move I improved on. I love INSANITY!

Monday Review!

Note: This is just my personal opinion on the non-Beachbody workout I do.

Today's workout I did was SELF:Bikini Ready Fast. This promises to give me a bikini ready body with fast results I take it.

30 mins long. Needed 2-5 pound weights. The DVD gives you tips in the beginning and does let you know what you will need, such as the weights. The warm-up is very lengthy, and boring. Once the workout begins you use the weights for the majority of the workout. There was a lot of upper body work done. And I do mean A LOT! I feel like my core and lower body accomplished nothing. Which I think is weird to have workout called Bikini Ready Fast and not focus on the core and legs he most. Isn't that what most of us want to look the best?

I actually think this workout should have been named an upper body workout. Once the cardio part actually starts it is very slow and boring. The same move (pretty much side to side) is done over and over and over again. All and all someone very new to fitness might benefit from this workout. However, if you wanted something to get you *Bikini Ready* you'd have to do something a bit tougher probably than what this had to offer.

I also looked up other SELF workout DVD's cause I figured there was more. I found 4 others on Amazon.com. If you were to purchase all 5 SELF DVD's from Amazon you'd pay $53.95 plus shipping and all that good stuff. That's just for DVD's. No, online support, no guides, no nutrition guides, no gifts like what Beachbody offers. Plus you would have to purchase seperatly which ever pound weights you wanted to use in the SELF workout.

If I had to take my pick between the entire SELF set and, let's say, a Turbo Jam set from Beachbody, I'd still stick with Beachbody. At least with Turbo Jam, I'd get the support, food and fitness guides, more workouts and the sculpting gloves.

Home Direct.

Beachbody offers many supplements that you can receive through the Home Direct Program.

Team Beachbody offers a Home Direct program by which you may purchase a product and choose to have that product sent directly to you on a periodic basis (every 30, 60 or 90 days depending upon the item purchased). These future shipments and services will be charged to the same credit card that was used for your initial purchase of the item(s).

I just wanted to write about this so that if you are purchasing a supplement and see the HD next to a product that means Home Direct is available for that product. You also have the option to not use Home Direct. As seen in the pic below. (Click Pic to make bigger)

Monday Review!

I have already done my Insanity workout for the day. Today was Pure Cardio.

After finishing up Pure Cardio I thought every Monday I would do a review.

I want to review some other home workout DVD's and see just how they stack up against Beachbody's workouts.

Today I did the 10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp. This DVD consists of 5 10 minute kickbox related workouts.

I started out with the first, 'Basic Training'. Only 10 minutes long it teaches you the basic moves in kickboxing. It is supposed to prepare you for what is ahead. I think this workout would be great for a begginer.

(However I did not find any of the 5 workouts on this DVD very challenging, a few moves were slightly.)

The Second 10 minute workout is lower body. The moves in this workout are an effective way to tone the lower body. But I found it rather boring to do.

The third workout was arms and shoulders. The instructor uses hand weights, there is no mention though on what size weight to use.

Fat Burning Blast was the only 10 minute workout I found slightly challenging. It involved, Burpees, push ups, plank, floor jacks and a few more. However, again, I was bored.

The last workout was abs. Some basic crunches involved, along with plank and side planks. Which are good ways to strengthen the core.

I never noticed in any of the workouts the instructor mention any intensity. It all seemed to be low intensity. Which is great for a beginner, I did not feel challenged though.

To wrap it up, in my opinion, this workout was very boring. No interesting music, moves were basic and not very challenging. There was only one person in the DVD and that was the instructor. In order for me to have made it effective I would have had to do the entire 5 workouts at once instead of breaking them up for just 10 minutes a day. The instructor mentioned burning lots of calories at the end of one of the workouts, I feel like I barely burned any. :/

I will definitely stick with doing Turbo Jam for a fun, calorie burning workout when it comes to kickboxing! :o)