These hacks can make a major dietary transition less intimidating and ultimately more successful.

Eating habits are a tough thing to change. From the time were babies, whatever our parents choose to feed us affects our taste buds and preferences. We learn to love certain flavors and dislike others, and often these arent good for us. The evolutionary urge to binge on salt, sugar, and fat nutrients that were once rare but now exist in abundance is difficult to overcome, as is the tendency to eat meat when its cheap and widely available.

Increasing numbers of people, however, are consciously choosing to rethink their diets for environmental and ethical reasons. Reducing meat or cutting it out completely is becoming more normal. You can see it in the number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants opening in every town, the expansion of healthy school meal programs, Meatless Monday campaigns, and salad bars in cafeterias. Documentary films like Forks Over Knives and Cowspiracy have got people thinking about plant-based eating.

If youre wanting to do this but feel overwhelmed by such a change, do not fear! There are ways to make it easier, less daunting, and more successful in the long run. Ive gathered the following list of hacks from The Reducetarian Solution, a collection of essays that examines the many benefits of reducing meat in ones diet. These ones stood out for me and have certainly helped in my personal journey toward significant dietary meat reduction.

There are countless meat-free options available involving exotic ingredients like seitan, tofu, Quorn, and tempeh (not to mention cultured meats and possibly insects), but if youre new to the world of meatless eating, these might seem intimidating, or even unappetizing. Focus instead on making meatless version of favorite, familiar foods. For example, try bean chili, veggie lasagna, bean-and-rice-filled burritos, lentil soup, and salads topped with nuts.

Its not all or nothing. Youd be setting yourself up for failure if you went from a faithful carnivore to vegan overnight. Build up to your goal slowly in order to ensure lasting success. Start with one meatless meal a week and work up to more. Try always ordering vegetarian when you go out to eat, or do it the other way around, allowing yourself meat only when youre at a restaurant. The more vegan/vegetarian food you incorporate into your diet, the easier it will get.

This suggestion comes from Elisa Museles in an essay called Listen to your body. She explains that many of us eat for the wrong reasons, filling our bodies steadily because were bored, tired, stressed, or because the clock says its dinner time:

How will you know whether your body can handle less animal protein at every meal if youre multitasking and rushing? How will you notice if youre satisfied when you eat your meals standing up, while reading your texts?

She wants you to take the time to hear listen to what your body is telling you. Sit at the table, chew slowly, put down your fork. Pay attention to the aftermath, i.e. Are you energized or lethargic? Does your gut feel good or uncomfortable? Are you still hungry or full? Whats your mood and how are your cravings? Pay attention to these details and youll find yourself making food choices to get the outcome you want.

If youve spent years giving meat a central position on your dinner plate, then it will seem scary to think of removing it. It requires a completely different approach to meal preparation. I know because Ive been through this. I used to cook meat every day and loved it, but as Ive delved into more plant-based eating, Ive discovered countless glorious replacements. Now I get excited about beautiful heritage beans and pans of oven-roasted vegetables. No longer does it seem like Im missing out, but rather that Ive discovered a new world I knew little about.

Another wise suggestion from Museles: The food that works for todays long-distance run might not work next week when youre battling a cold. The meals that energized you while you were pregnant might make you feel slow and groggy when youre chasing toddlers.

In other words, be flexible. Listen to your body and your cravings (within reason), as they are trying to tell you something. For example, Ive noticed that I crave animal protein much more in the winter than I do in summer, when Im happy to subsist mostly on salads and fruit. Make feeling your best more important than fulfilling expectations of what you should be eating.

Community makes everything easier. Find friends or coworkers that follow plant-based, reducetarian diets. See if local vegan restaurants offer cooking classes. Look for Facebook groups or blogs where you can connect with similar-minded individuals. As Nick Cooney writes, At heart were all a bunch of copycats, so surrounding yourself with people who follow the same habits will be a recipe for success.

Note: Be sure to consult your doctor or health care provider when implementing a major dietary change.

The rest is here:
6 strategies for reducing meat in your diet - Treehugger

Dietitians weigh in on alkaline diet...

MISSOULA, Mont. - One of the hottest diets on the internet promises you'll lose weight if you cut down on acidic foods, including animal products and processed foods.

Two Missoula dietitians we talked to about alkaline diets say people may be losing weight on them, but not because of acidity.

Emily Smith is a registered dietitian at Providence St. Patrick Hospital.

"The problem with this diet is that our studies are showing that food rarely, or does not significantly, change the pH of our bodies," said Smith.

Smith, and registered dietitian Denise Zimmer, of Peak Health and Wellness, say the weight participants are losing likely has more to do with eating more whole foods and controlling portions.

They say a well-rounded diet is more successful for long-term weight loss.

"We like to see people make lifestyle changes in just eating healthy, whole foods, unprocessed foods from every food group," said Zimmer.

Dietitians say half your plate should be made up of fruits and vegetables, and you should get a balance of protein, which can include lean meat.

The meat and seafood manager at the Good Food Store in Missoula suggests looking for the terms "prairie-raised" and "grass-finished" on meat labels.

"I would look for what's raised here in Montana. It doesn't have to travel far to be processed and it gets nothing but grass its entire life. It's higher in omega threes, much lower in fats, much lower in saturated fats, and so it's a much healthier product," said Russ Kubisiak.

Dairy products also can offer protein. Zimmer suggests three to four servings a day.

"In the diets that are out there, dairy is one thing they eliminate, when really, studies show people who get adequate dairy are at better weights than those who don't," said Zimmer.

Dietitians do agree with cutting out processed foods, but say you should get a limited amount of whole grains every day.

An average person is recommended to have about six ounces of whole, unprocessed grains every day. This may be less than you think.

Zimmer explains that one half cup of whole grains is one ounce. One slice of bread also is considered to be about one ounce.

Follow this link:
Dietitians weigh in on popular alkaline diet craze - NBC Montana

Atkins. Paleo. Vegan. Keto. Gluten-free. IIFYM. These days, there are more diets than there are food groupsand most of them do come with weight loss and healthy eating benefits. But how many of these would you want to maintain for your entire life? (Just think about how many years that is of counting macros, avoiding bacon, and steering clear of doughnuts.)

In the all-or-nothing health world where kale is king, HIIT is queen, and you've either drank the Kool-Aid or spit it out, developing lifelong habits seems like an afterthought. It's all about going to the extreme to get better-body results ASAP.

Butobviously, you're not trying to lose the weight and gain it back. You're not trying to get in shape, then get out of shape. You're not trying to feel great, then go back to feeling shitty. So why do you subscribe to a harsh diet that you know is going to fail you eventually?

Enter: the 80/20 rule for healthy eating. It's not so much a diet as it is a way of eating for lifeone you can maintain happily until you're 105.

The gist: you eat clean, whole foods for about 80 percent of your calories of the day, and you #treatyoself for about 20 percent of the calories for the day. (ICYMI it's recommended by health pros like Jillian Michaelsand many dietitians as a way to teach moderation.) "The 80/20 rule can be a fantastic way to enjoy the foods you love and keep your weight in check," says Sarah Berndt, RD for Complete Nutrition and owner of Fit Fresh Cuisine.

It's something you can do forever. "It's a more livable diet style, which allows you to enjoy a few special treats without feeling guilt," says Sharon Palmer, R.D. and author of The Plant-Powered Life. When you feel guilty about eating something that doesn't fit into the "healthy" category, it can lead to binging and disordered attitudes about eating and body image. (After all, it helps you avoid the worst weight loss mistake there is.)

It's not great for weight loss. If you are eating large portions of even healthful foods, like whole grains, fruits, nuts, healthy fats, lean proteins, you can exceed your body's energy needs (read: calories) and gain weight. Calories still count, even healthful sources of them. "The 80/20 rule is very loose guidance and could be applied to a diet lifestyle that's already in balance when it comes to calorie needs," says Palmer, meaning it may be best for weight maintenance rather than dropping lbs.

"Its still important to practice moderation and portion control with the 80/20 rule," says Berndt. "Your indulgences need to be a reasonable portion rather than a free-for-all to gorge."

Just because that 20 percent is for "treats" doesn't mean you can go ham with the Oreos or a bag of chips. "Try to consider this more as a general rule of thumb," says Palmer, rather than specific numbers to meet every day.

For example, if you're aiming for 2,000 calories a day (here's how to figure out how many calories you need), then the rule indicates you'd have about 400 to "play" with. But just because there's wiggle room for some indulgences (a glass of wine with dinner, a slice of a coworker's birthday cake), doesn't mean those are "throw-away calories" to be wasted on food with zero nutritional valueand you certainly don't need to use all 20 percent. In fact, it's probably best to shoot lower than 20 percent, since"people are really bad at estimating how much food they eat and consistently underestimate calories and portions," say Palmer.

Keep in mind: "Every meal is an opportunity to nourish your body," says Palmer. "For many of us, every bite should count in order to reward us with fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound)."

If you learn to love the 80 percentto crave peanut butter instead of cake, and roasted Brussels sprouts instead of chipsthen you won't be dying for the 20 percent. Instead of thinking of it as a reward, think of it as some wiggle room to just ~live your life.~ (Because #balance is the essence of lifeand the most important thing for your health and fitness routine.)

Personal Best: The tools and inspo you need to crush your goals (whatever they are!) all year long. Join our Personal Best Facebook Group for 24/7 squad support and share your winsbig and smallon social using #mypersonalbest.

More:
Why the 80/20 Rule Is the Gold Standard of Dietary Balance - Shape Magazine

Women's Health

What's REALLY Sabotaging Your Diet? Use This Flow Chart To Find Out Women's Health And though you've probably heard that shedding pounds is as simple as calories in versus calories out, a lot of factorslike how often you're working out and what your diet looks likecan affect how much you're eating, says Samantha Cassetty, R.D ...

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What's REALLY Sabotaging Your Diet? Use This Flow Chart To Find Out - Women's Health

Kate Upton knows her fianc Justin Verlander is the perfect partner for her, and she wont be doing any pre-wedding dieting as she prepares to walk down the aisle, she recently revealed to People.

In terms of her look on her wedding day, she said, Justin is so supportive and I dont think that he would honestly have a strong opinion in that way. Hes a lover, not a judger.

Upton is confident in her body and wont be trying to make any drastic changes before her big day.

I never get on a scale because you cant judge yourself for how much you weigh, she told People. What really matters is how good I feel.

She spoke to People after attending the recent Pronovias bridal fashion show in Barcelona, revealing she was in the early stages of wedding planning.

This is the first time Im actually looking at dresses, she said. This is the perfect place to start because theyre so known for wedding dresses. Its an iconic place so I can figure out where Im going to go on my special day.

Upton, 24, revealed her engagement to the Detroit Tigers pitcher in May of 2016.

She revealed at the 2016 Met Gala that he proposed to her just before baseball season and she was "excited to finally be able to share it with the world."

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Kate Upton reveals she won't diet before her wedding: 'I never get on a scale ' - Fox News

A low glycemic index diet might halt or prevent dry macular degeneration, according to a study conducted in mouse models. This form of macular degeneration is by far the most common kind.

Moreover, switching the diet from high- to low-glycemic, even late in the lifespan of the mice, stopped disease progression, the study found. This means that if humans respond the same way, changing to a low-glycemic index diet could reduce the incidence of dry AMD.

The GI appears to be an attractive dietary intervention target, because simple replacement of small amounts of high-index foods (such as white bread) with lower-index foods (such as whole grain bread) can significantly reduce glycemic peaks without requiring a change in overall dietary patterns, the study stated.

Moreover, the study said its findings in mice correlated with human observational studies that find consuming lower GI diets is associated with delayed progression of early-stage AMD.

The study, appearing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is available online at j.mp/maculard. Allen Taylor was the senior author; Sheldon Rowan the first author. Both are of Tufts University in Boston.

Located on the opposite side of the lens, the macula includes the region of sharpest vision, the fovea. Dry AMD is a breakdown or thinning of retinal pigment epithelial cells, which support the light-sensitive cells. Those with the disease progressively lose central vision, preserving sight on the periphery.

While mice dont have a macula, when fed a Western-style diet they do exhibit age-related features characteristic of dry AMD, the study stated. This type of diet includes easily absorbed sugars that raise blood sugar levels, prompting a release of insulin. It has been linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, among other conditions.

The low glycemic diet was the same in composition and calories as the high glycemic one, except that they differed in the ratio of amylose to amylopectin in the starch they consumed. More amylose content raises the glycemic index of the starch.

To find out what was going on inside the mice, the researchers examined their metabolism and gut microbes.

These studies revealed changes in the gut microbiota that altered the production of metabolites that protected against AMD, including serotonin, the study stated. Changing the diet to a low-glycemic-index diet, even late in life, arrested the development of AMD, offering dietary interventions for AMD.

bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1020

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Dry macular degeneration stopped with low glycemic index diet in mouse study - The San Diego Union-Tribune