Fast Food Snacks to Avoid

If you're wondering where those extra pounds are coming from it could be that treat you grabbed with this morning's cup of java. Yes, they're delicious, but many of the snacks you'll find at the higher end coffee shops and other fast food restaurants have more calories than you think. In fact the foods with the highest fat might even look like the most natural choices.

For instance, if you go to Starbucks you might be deciding between the Blueberry Scone and the Double Fudge mini doughnut. Believe it or not the Double Fudge Mini Doughnut only has 130 calories and 8grams of fat compared to the 470 calories and 25 grams of fat in the Blueberry Scone!

At Tim Horton's you are better off to choose the Strawberry Yogurt rather than just one Sour Cream Glazed Cake Tidbit. The yogurt has 140 Calories and 2.5 grams fat while the Timbit has 90 calorie with 4.5 grams fat. And can anyone ever eat just ONE Timbit?

At McDonald's you might think having a Carrot Muffin instead of a Vanilla Cone makes sense. Wrong! The Vanilla one is only 230 calories with 7 gram of fat while the carrot muffin is 430 calories with 16 grams of fat.

At a Coffee Time outlet it is better for you to choose the Almond Hazelnut Biscotti over the Raisin Bran Muffin. The Muffin has 610 calories and 18grams fat while the Biscotti have 160 calories and 5 grams fat. However the redeeming factor with the muffin is that it does have 9 grams of fiber where the biscotti have none. On the upside with the biscotti again, it contains almonds which are high in Vitamin E and help lower cholesterol.

It's a bit ironic but sometimes the healthiest sounding items are the worst culprits when it comes to their calorie, fat and sugar contents even if they do contain healthy things like flaxseed, bran or fruit.

You should also watch out for toppings like butter, peanut and margarine which can add tons of calories to fatty items such as scones, muffins and croissants.

As you can see it is important to check the nutrition information. Many snacks have more fat and sodium than you would ever think. Be sure to ask a clerk for information. If they do not have a brochure then go online to check the nutrition of what you are getting with some of these quick snacks. Don't think they don't count when it comes to counting calories! They do!

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Surefire Ways to Keep Kids Healthy

If you love your kids you want them to operating at their optimum health levels so they can be as creative and productive as possible.

First of all you should check your child's weight once a month to ensure that he or she hasn't dropped any weight as a result of insufficient calorie intake. Active kids can require 500 to 1,000 more calories a day than their inactive peers because they burn more energy while engaged in sports. It is essential for you to make sure that they have enough to eat so they can thrive in life.

If you do discover that your child has lost weight, consider seeing a registered dietitian to help plan a diet that will meet his increased energy needs. You can find a dietitian at by talking to your family doctor or pediatrician. You can also find them listed online. Sometimes even your school will have a dietician you can talk to.

Ideally you should give an active kid three meals each day, as well as three or four healthy snacks. Kids have small tummies and cannot eat enough at a meal to sustain them for many hours, so snacks are vital to keeping their energy levels up. Feeding children like this also makes sure they never feel hungry and if you feed them several tinier meals a day they never get stomach aches either.

To keep kids healthy meals should be high in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grain breads, pasta, rice, cereal and potatoes. They should also contain protein (chicken, fish) and healthy fats (oil-based salad dressing, soft margarine, or any vegetable oil, such as olive, canola, sunflower or flax). The key is balance! I have found that a kid that eats too much is unable to do hi s or her homework.

It is also crucial that you serve a variety of foods to ensure your kid's entire vitamin and mineral needs are met. If your kid eats the same thing every day he or she may get sick because there is not enough variety in the diet.

When it comes to feeding the kids it also helps to plan ahead. Busy schedules that include early-morning or night-time practices interfere with meal times. Be sure to carry healthy snacks and think ahead to the next meal so that healthy options can be available.

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