Beth Janes, SELF Magazine
We owe fat an apology. It's been vilified for so long, and now it turns out that the stuff may fire up our flab-burning furnace, silence our cravings and power us to a strong, lean body. Still, we don't want you going all Paula Deen on us, so you've got to know some key facts. Read on to discover the "bad boy" nutrient's healthy side.
Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs)
The Lowdown: Nuts, avocados and canola and olive oils are rich in MUFAs, often the most common fat type in our diet, says William Lassek, M.D., coauthor of Why Women Need Fat.
Friend: MUFAs help control hunger and blood sugar, says Wendy Bazilian, R.D., coauthor of The SuperFoodsRx Diet. Plus, they may turn on genes that trigger fat burn.
Daily Goal*: Up to 30 percent of your daily calories, or about 60 grams, can come from fat, and MUFAs should make up the lion's share of that. Go for 30 g to 50 g per day.
Related: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats
The Lowdown: Of the
Blog Posts by Self Magazine
- SELF magazine
In a sea of how'd they convince anyone that was a good idea pilots, there are ten newbies that you should not miss, that everyone will be buzzing about because they are so transportingly fun. One comedy, The Mindy Project, that's the funniest, sharpest thing I've seen since Happy Endings surprised me a couple years ago, with flawed yet sympathetic people saying things people actually think (and don't always actually say, but that's the entertaining part.) Dramas that bring fears to frightening life like Revolution, The Last Resort, and, in it's own way, 666 Park Avenue. There's a juicy sexy soap, Nashville, and a few crime shows that surpass the genre's norm. The most fun? Arrow on the CW, a deliciously dark take on super-heroism that should be a must-watch for any Avengers or Dark Knight lovers. Update those Tivo Season Passes now!
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Sarah-Jane Bedwell, SELF magazine
Lettuce may be the first thing that comes to your mind when someone mentions the word "salad," but lettuce-based salads can get boring after a while. Good news: there are lots of salad options that don't contain so much as a leaf of lettuce. Below are a few of my favorite lettuce-free salads:
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Cucumber salad: Simply slice cucumbers, tomatoes and onions and garnish with your favorite chopped fresh herbs and dressing (see below for a simple formula for making your own dressing).
Kale salad: Kale is a superfood, packed with all types of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It also makes a super salad when used in place of lettuce. Chop kale coarsely and combine with a sweeter veggie (like steamed or grilled sweet corn kernels or roasted butternut squash) to help cut the slightly bitter flavor of kale. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice will also help brighten the flavor.
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Bean salad:
Read More »from The Truth About Carbs
Patti Wolter, SELF magazine
What's a carb? Besides being insanely delicious, we mean. Basically, carbs are a category of molecules in grains, produce, dairy and sweets that occur in three key forms.
Sugars
These are the easiest to break down into glucose, a major fuel source. They exist naturally in food (fructose in fruit; lactose in dairy); it's added sugar you should worry about. Sweeteners such as table sugar, agave nectar and honey contribute calories without other good-for-you stuff, like fiber in fruit or protein in milk.
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Fiber
This complex carb functions in almost the opposite way from sugars: You can't digest it, and certain fibers move slowly through the digestive tract, helping you feel full, shuttling out some fat and slowing glucose absorption. Aim for 25 grams a day, says SELF contributing expert Janis Jibrin, R.D.
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Starches
Also complex carbs, but not all starch is created equal. Take the starch in
SELFLiza Monroy, SELF magazine
How far would you go to bond with a man? For one woman, there were no limits-until she lost her identity.
I wish I could say I started exercising for myself, but as with many things, I did it for a guy. He was a helicopter pilot, and he had once been an expert in the Brazilian martial art of capoeira. I lived down the street from a capoeira academy, so I vaguely knew what it was (a mysterious mix of dance, fighting and acrobatics). But despite years of overhearing call-and-response singing pouring from the studio's windows, I'd never been curious about what went on in there. Until I met the pilot.
Read More »from The Things We Do for Love
That's how I acted with men. If a guy was interested in something, I got interested, too. My high school boyfriend was into the Pixies and existentialist literature, and I still own every Pixies album and every book by Jean-Paul Sartre, all of them dusty from disuse. In college, I dated an outdoorsy guy and found myself wilderness camping, freezing my butt- Danielle Braff, SELF magazine
If you're walking around like a zombie these days, it could be because lots of the sleep advice you're getting is flat-out backward. We're here to rescue you from tossing-and-turning hell.
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Read More »from 8 Easy Ways to Better Sleep Lee Walker Helland, SELF magazine
What you eat shows on your face. Dig in to these delicious beautifiers-research shows they'll bring you a smooth, clear, "I just ran 5 miles" glow. Plus, we found beauty products that deliver the same nutrients, fast.
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Read More »from 10 Foods for Radiant SkinMelissa Carstensen, SELF magazine
What's the biggest calorie bomb at the fair?
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Amanda Woerner, SELF magazine
Sometimes, when life feels out of whack, a cocktail with a good girlfriend can be enough to get you through. But other dilemmas require the big guns: a therapist or a life coach. Figure out who to call before your next meltdown.
Related: Yoga Moves for Flat AbsYour guy's getting on your nerves.
Why has he been acting like such a jerk?Grab a drink. It can be a cocktail or coffee-the point is, have it with a pal you can confide in. "Sharing a problem with a close friends helps you clarify what you're really upset about," says Gabriela Cora, M.D., a psychiatrist in Miami. You may realize that you tend to sweep frustrations under the rug and that it's time to talk things out. Just admitting there's a problem can help you feel better. Plus, commiserating lends perspective-every relationship has bumps. Cost: your bar tab!
But see a shrink... If you always end up unhappy with a guy. A therapist can help you analyze the past dating
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Robin Hilmantel, SELF magazine
A new survey finds that 54 percent of women think about food more often than sex. How to use that appetite to sweeten things up with your honey tonight.
Satisfy an A.M. Urge: Ignoring your rumbling belly at breakfast is a bad idea, and so is postponing a morning mash-up. Your guy probably wakes up ready for action (men are like that), so start the day with a score. It will up your oxytocin, the bonding hormone, says Ian Kerner, Ph.D., coauthor of The Big, Fun, Sexy Sex Book. Another result: You'll feel hotter all day.
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Tease Your Taste Buds: Even if you have a main squeeze, you can still appreciate a bit of eye candy (e.g., the cute guy from IT or David Beckham in an undies ad). "Men tend to get aroused from one stimulus-you, naked. But women often need multiple sexual cues to get turned on," Kerner says. Noticing other dudes isn't a betrayal; it actually revs you up for the one you love.
Savor Every Nibble: A cookie
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