q&a friday

i'm back friends. the weather was rough but we made it through! pics to come soon!
now back to the q&a friday questions...

weight loss supplements. 

are there any that are healthy? are they safe? 

and here's the report... the issue with weight loss supplements is that they are not subjected to the same rigorous standards/procedures prescription drugs are subjected to. the food & drug administration {fda} does not have to do tests for these supplements. this means there is no standard body making sure these products are effective or that they even contain what they say they contain...and that's where the problem lies. we are unsure of the short-term and long-term effects and the research just isn't there to determine if they work. so basically anyone can put out a supplement out and state it's "magic" and while they may be showing research, remember they are selling a product and can skew it the way they see fit. however when supplements/weight loss pills are put on the market, the fda does monitor it's safety and can recall/ban something if necessary. so far, the only weight loss supplement {actually an over the counter medicine} that has been approved by the fda is alli, yet there have been records of liver damage and unpleasant side effects. 

here is a link to a mayo clinic article, they took a few supplements and wrote a small description regarding  the action and safety of each

mayo clinic

and here is the fda link for future questions and as a source

fda

basically, as not fun as this is to say, there is no quick fix for sustained weight loss. it will take a balance of smaller portion healthier meals plus exercise to achieve a healthy weight loss. and while it's not easy, it is achievable! 

q&a friday

alright and here we go...first question was about quinoa {pronounced keen-wah}:
quinoa, one of my favorite new foods, looks similar to cous cous yet is in the leafy family {related to spinach}. however, to get even crazier quinoa is a complete protein. that's right friends, so if you are vegetarian or just looking for some meatless options {cause lets just face it, meat can get expensive} quinoa is a great alternative because it has all the amino acids amounts necessary in a serving size. while most of you may say, "that does not substitute for a meat" {husband, i am reading your mind right now}, nutritionally it does! it is also a good source of fiber as well. double whammy! now quinoa actually cooks similar to rice in that you 1. put it in water, 2. bring it to a boil, 3. and cover it to simmer and cook the water out {you can actually cook it in a rice cooker as well}. it will quickly produce this gorgeous red or cream colored {depending on the color you get} circular grain look-a-like at a 1:3 ratio. this means that 1 cup uncooked makes 3 cups. another great thing is that it is neutral in taste so you can make it sweet or savory...you decide. oh and btw it's gluten-free so if you are needing to follow a gluten-free diet, this is another option. so quinoa...go check it out!

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here are some great recipe sources:

• quinoa corporation
• whole living
• all recipes 

another question i had was regarding some healthy snack options. great question, as i get this often! now the biggest thing with healthy snacks is that they need to be convenient cause let's just be honest, we often choose processed snacks because they are just that. so when you get home from the grocery store or the night before you have to bring your lunch, make your snacks convenient. cut them up, portion them out, package them...whatever you do, make them easy to grab&go. now some healthy snack options include:

• popcorn {not the "movie theatre extra butter kind," but the smart pop or light kind}
• yogurt {light&low sugar}
• peanut butter & apples
• hummus & whole-grain pita
• carrots/celery & low-fat ranch
• trail mix {make your own-add lightly salted nuts, dried fruit, and m&ms} 
• low-fat cheese and apples
• fresh fruit & a light yogurt fruit dip
• cottage cheese & fruit
• homemade peanut butter crackers {whole grain crackers with pb}
• homemade smoothie {light yogurt, frozen fruit, & some oj}
• ants on a log {celery with pb and raisins}

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the possibilities are endless! 

questions, comments, concerns...let me know! and keep those nutrition questions coming...until next friday!