5 HABITS THAT ARE DISTROYING YOUR METABOLISM

You've set your sights on enjoying the warm summer months with your leanest body ever, but time's passing quickly and you're still sporting a bit of extra winter weight. So, you embark on a quest for the perfect diet plan! With only a few weeks to spare until you're on vacation, you know you need something intense. Here's where you have to be careful.

Commit to a quick-fix crash diet, and you could actually move away from progress rather than closer to your ultimate goal. Don't think it could happen to you? Don't be so sure. Many people damage their metabolism on a daily basis without even realizing it, and then they wonder why they aren't seeing results.

Your metabolism is responsible for determining precisely how many calories you burn on a daily basis. If it runs sluggish, your fat-loss engine will, too. Avoid these eight metabolism-wrecking mistakes to ensure your metabolism stays in high gear for the weeks to come!

MISTAKE 1 POOR PROTEIN INTAKE

When many people hop on a diet, their protein intake plummets. As calories go down, common sense might have you believe that protein should decrease accordingly. This, however, is incorrect. When you reduce your caloric intake, you actually need to bump up the amount of protein you consume. This helps prevent muscle mass loss which, should it occur, will halt your metabolism in a hurry since muscle is metabolically active tissue.

As you restrict calories and torch fat, be sure to target 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound you weigh each and every day. This number may seem high to some, but it will help you maintain lean mass and ensure your body doesn't dip into amino acids for energy.

wHEN YOU REDUCE YOUR CALORIC INTAKE, YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO BUMP UP THE AMOUNT OF PROTEIN YOU CONSUME.

MISTAKE 2 DIETING TOO SOON

Another vital error that can mangle your metabolism is starting a diet before you've built a solid base of lean mass, especially if you're already quite lean.

If you have a lot of fat to lose, it's wise to shed some before you focus on building muscle. However, if you're looking to go from lean to ripped and have very little muscle on your frame, you're far better off focusing your efforts on a clean bulking phase first.  Having added muscle on your frame will give you more metabolic ammo so when you do finally diet the process moves along faster and easier. In addition, if you're dieting to reveal a shredded physique, you need to accrue a decent amount of lean mass to reveal!

MISTAKE 3 DOING TOO MUCH CARDIO

Do you consider yourself a cardio king or queen?

If you're not familiar with the term, it describes someone who devotes far too many hours of the day to low-intensity cardio training. It starts out innocuous enough: You spend 30 minutes per day on the treadmill, stair stepper, elliptical, or your cardio weapon of choice. At first, you see moderate results. You then decide to do twice as much cardio to double your results.

Up goes your cardio commitment! You see slightly better results, so you decide to add even more cardio. What if you went twice every day? Imagine the fat burning potential! The problem: You'll eventually hit a wall.

"You can't possibly constantly continue to increase your cardio more and more just to earn better results, or else you'll be living in the gym," explains Jen Jewell, who sees this happening all too often. "It's a vicious cycle."

Once you get to that point where it takes hours of cardio to maintain your current body weight, you'll feel trapped. Your body will adapt to all this cardio and, in time, you will stop seeing the results you once did. Always keep that in mind.

So, what should you do? Drop the slow-paced cardio and add a solid dose of high-intensity interval training, like a Tabata program, to your routine! In addition, turn your focus back to food. Remember, greater fat loss will come from changes to your diet, not hours spent on cardio machines.

MISTAKE 4 TRADING SLEEP FOR TRAINING

I understand if you're determined to never miss a beat with your workouts. As you ramp up your fat-loss efforts, you might even start hitting the gym twice per day, once for cardio and once for weights. That's great, but not if it comes at the cost of a good night's sleep.

When you're overworked, something has to give. If it's your sleep time, you've just committed a fat-loss felony. Sleep is imperative for fat loss. It'll not only keep your metabolism stronger, but it'll also help you maintain better insulin sensitivity.

A lack of sleep will also drain your energy, making it nearly impossible to muster the drive to perform intense, fat-blasting workouts. Aim for 8 hours of sleep per night if you want to optimize your metabolism.

MISTAKE 5 YO-YO DIETING

So, you achieved your goal weight and figure you'll add back one of the forbidden foods that previously resided on your do-not-eat list. But, before you know it, your entire diet is filled with the exact foods which caused you to gain weight in the first place!

In a fit of disgust at your lost results, you resolve to hop back on another intense diet to shed the weight. This process, known as yo-yo dieting, damages to the body and may crush your metabolism over time.  With each yo-yo diet attempt, your body will bounce back a little less, until you're hardly recovering at all. "This back and forth form of living is not healthy for the body or the mind," explains Jen Jewell.

Instead, find a diet that you can commit to for good. Even when you're working toward weight maintenance, you should have no problem following the same eating concepts you used to lose the weight in the first place.

Likewise, you also want to avoid the post-success binge-week. "Having a cheat meal after a competition or diet success is one thing," explains IFBB Physique pro Craig Capurso, "but having a binge week after a diet is sure to cause physiological, hormonal, and metabolic damage that can take months to correct."

(repost from: www.Bodybuilding.com)

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Personal Trainer Food's 28 day-regimens—composed of lunches, dinners, and optional breakfasts and snacks—helps my clients slim down without confusion or artificial ingredients. The meal programs use a variety of natural ingredients, preventing diet weariness by letting clients mix and match them into meals.

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TOP 5 HOLIDAY PARTY SURVIVAL TIPS

Visit my website to schedule your training today!!!

1. KEEP YOUR ROUTINE OF TRAINING
There's no reason to stop working out. Going to a party? Go for a run or get in a good workout at the gym before you head out. AND/OR plan a personal training session the morning after the party with your trainer. You'll be less likely to overindulge if you know you're going to get an ass kicking the next morning.

2. FILL UP ON VEGGIES AND LEAN PROTEIN
Take your time and look at your options.  Be smart about your choices. If that finger food looks loaded with cheese & sauce--keep looking. Some things just aren't worth it. If you're going to indulge a little, make sure it's with your favorite food. Make those calories count. Have a small amount sampling, then move on.

3. PORTION CONTROL
If you have a choice of plates, grab the smaller one and fill it with healthy choices. It sounds silly, but your brain will think you're eating more, when you're actually eating less. SNEAKY! ;)

4. BE THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
This doesn't mean boozing it up either!  Alcohol is a diet killer, but you can have some if you choose wisely. A good choice is a nice glass of champagne at 80 calories a glass.  Be SOCIAL--If your mouth is busy chatting, it's less likely to be in the corner overeating.  If there's dancing, get out there and burn some extra calories.

5. STAY HYDRATED WITH WATER!!
Water fills you up and fires up your metabolism. This one's a no brainer: drink water!

Enjoy the holidays. It's a beautiful time of the year. Remember; you're always in control!!  Have a wonderful celebration...See you at the gym!  :)

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The 5 WORST protein bar ingredients... Do YOUR bars have these?

The 5 WORST protein bar ingredients... Do YOUR bars have these?

Protein bars...so convenient yet so full of garbage. They hold the promise of being healthy, easy and full of muscle-building protein.

But have you ever taken a few minutes to look at what's actually IN them? 

I think you're going to be in for a shock when you read the TRUTH about the ingredients in some of the most popular protein bars on the market right now.

Let's get right to it:...

#1 - Soy Protein Isolate (SPI)

This is, unfortunately, one of the most prevalent protein sources you'll find in protein bars, especially those marketed to women. This marketing would have you believe that soy is an excellent protein source for women because of the isoflavones found in it. In reality, studies have indicated ?that these soy isoflavones can actually be TOXIC because of how the soy is processed (fermented soy products such as tofu are fine, just fyi). In addition, SPI was actually considered a WASTE product in soy processing until recently, when it was discovered that money could be made by passing it off as a protein source. It's cheap and definitely NOT a high-quality protein. It should be avoided. 

And the final nail in the soy coffin: GMO. A very high percentage of the soy grown in the United States is from genetically modified organisms (GMO). They don't currently have to be labeled as such but if you're buying any sort of processed food, chances are very good you're getting a GMO-sourced product.

#2 - High Fructose Corn Syrup

This is an easy one to figure out...the adverse health effects of it are well documented (contrary to what the commercials from the Corn Growers Association claim - those are truly among the most annoying commercials in existence, trying to make people who question corn syrup look stupid). It's one of the WORST things you can eat and yet there are still bars that use it as a primary ingredient.

#3 - Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil

Palm kernel oil is a cheap, unhealthy fat. Unlike plain palm oil, palm kernel oil can't be obtained organically. Instead, the oil must be extracted from the pit with a gasoline-like hydrocarbon solvent. The fractioned form is the most processed...if you see that in the ingredients, you should definitely avoid it.

#4 - Sugar Alcohols

This includes ingredients like Maltitol Syrup, Xylitol, Sorbitol, Lactitol, Mannitol, and Erythritol. Sugar alcohols are included in bars for sweetness...especially in bars that are "carb controlled." Sugar alcohols don't impact blood sugar as much as regular sugar because they're not well absorbed in the digestive tract...and when things aren't well absorbed in the digestive tract, things happen (if you know what I mean). 

In small amounts, sugar alcohols aren't a big problem, but if you start getting into the double digits of grams of sugar alcohol (and many low-carb bars are in the 20 gram range), THEN you can start to see unpleasant digestive issues.

#5 - Artificial Sweeteners

I won't get into the whole debate about whether artificial sweeteners are bad for you or not and what they turn into in your body, etc. Personally, I'm of the mindset that if it's created by science, chances are good your body won't recognize it and won't be able to metabolize it into something actually good for you. Therefore, I try and stay away from artificial sweeteners as much as I possibly can. I find the actual natural flavor of real food to be pretty good. :)

In Summary...

Those are the top 5 worst protein bar ingredients...and you will actually find bars that contain ALL of these ingredients in them.

The main problem I have with the vast majority of protein bars today is that at their most base level, they're deceptive. The bars are put forward as convenient, healthy alternatives to food for "on the go" people. Yet when you take a close look at the ingredients, they're actually WORSE for you than most candy bars.

Obviously money is the biggest factor...companies that use high-quality ingredients in their bars have to charge more for them in order to stay in business. Hence the brick-like slop sold in bar form that you'll find in the grocery store aisles today.

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Mindful Eating: What's eating you?

Many people have psychological factors that lead to our bottomless bingeing, here are some steps that may help.  Mindful eating is not a diet, or about giving up anything at all. It’s about experiencing food more intensely — especially the pleasure of it. You can eat a cheeseburger mindfully, if you wish. You might enjoy it a lot more. Or you might decide, halfway through, that your body has had enough. Or that it really needs some salad. Think about how most of us go unconscious when we eat; mindlessly eating--FOR WHAT?

#1. HALT: Before you open the fridge door ask yourself this. Am I:

Hungry? Is my body giving me the signs of real hunger? Is my stomach gurgling? Take a minute to check in with your body and to feel real hunger.

Take a minute to check in with your body and feel real hunger

Angry? Am I upset with something or someone? Is there something I want to say, but cannot say? Am I trying to eat to ignore or stuff my anger?

Lonely? Am I feeling lonely, isolated or different? Instead of eating, who can you call? Where can you go? Speak up and ask for company.

Tired? Are you burnt out, tired or weak? Are you using food or energy drinks to push yourself that extra hour? Honor your body and take a break, nap or just go to sleep.

#2. Create an Atmosphere:

Eating is a treat and gift to yourself. Treat it like one.

Buy a pretty tablecloth, set the table, or accent with flowers. Learn how to make eating a beautiful ritual.

I like to diffuse a citrus essential oil in the room that helps to calm my anxiety and helps me become present.

#3. Sit Down:

Go sit down at a table and be mindful of where you are

How often do you actually sit down to eat?

If you are standing while eating because it is quicker, slow down. Go sit down at a table and be mindful of where you are. Even if it is just an orange, go sit down and eat it bite by bite.

Great Info Here: http://www.eatingthemoment.com/meditational-eating/

#4. Put the Technology AWAY:

Practice becoming fully present at the table without any distractions.

That email, text, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest message can wait.

Unclench that grip and turn the phone over so you don’t see the screen.

Practice becoming fully present at the table without any distractions.

#5. Put Your Fork Down and Chew:

This is probably the best advice someone gave me years ago. Between each bite, put your fork down on the plate and take the time to chew.

Chewing not only helps break down the food before it enters your stomach, but it helps you be mindful of what you taste.

What does the food feel like on your tongue; what are the flavors on your taste buds?

#6. Feel the Fullness:

honor the process of eating

After several bites, check in with yourself. Are you full? Do you need a little more food to feel satisfied?

Stop before you are stuffed. This requires tuning in to your body, and listening to those first signs of satiation.

 The goal of conscious eating is to know the ins and outs of our hunger, to connect with where our food comes from and to honor the process of eating moment to moment. With each bite, you get another chance to become conscious.

REPOST with some modifications from author Mary Crummins, of Eat Local Grown

Flab or stress belly?

For many women, getting bikini ready means tackling one dreaded area in particular — our tummies. Most of us still think the best way to achieve a washboard stomach is by doing hundreds of sit-ups. Not so, says A-list trainer and body guru James Duigan. 

James, who sculpts supermodels Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley among others, insists there is no ‘one size fits all’ method for getting a flat belly. Instead, he’s identified five key ‘tummy types,’ all of which require a different approach to achieve successful toning. 

Once you figure out your tummy type (mine is the STRESS BELLY), you'll be on your way to getting the perfect midriff... 

THE SPARE TIRE TUMMY

The spare tire: This is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate because it's caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE 

These people are likely to lead sedentary lives, perhaps with jobs that keep them desk-bound. They may also have an emotional attachment to sugary foods. 

Luckily, this ‘spare tire’ is one of the easiest tummy troubles to eliminate as, according to James, it’s caused by eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough. 

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

If you exercise very little, eat lots of sugar and refined carbohydrates in products like cookies, cakes and white bread, or rely on starchy carbs like pasta and rice, you you probably have an overweight tummy with accompanying fat on your legs and hips,’ says James. 

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN 

• Cut down on alcohol. ‘Alcohol is a fat bomb for the tummy — pure sugar which goes straight to your waist and stops you burning all other fat until the booze has been processed,’ says James. ‘Just a few glasses three to four times a week will lead to a “wine waist” — a thick midriff and pudgy tummy. ‘If you want to drink occasionally that’s fine, but the bottom line is that you have to cut back on booze to get a flat belly.’
• Once you cut out alcohol for two weeks, it’s time to overhaul your diet. ‘In a nutshell, eat well and move more,’ says James. Avoid low-fat and so-called ‘diet’ snacks. ‘These pre-packaged products are often packed full of chemicals, refined sugar, salt and preservatives to give them flavor.
• ‘Ditch calorie counting in favor of a healthy diet full of unprocessed fresh foods such as fish, eggs, organic meat and vegetables. ‘Start the day with eggs and smoked salmon, or even grilled chicken and vegetables, and snack on sliced lean meats. ‘And don’t be afraid of eating good fats, such as avocados, nuts and oily fish. These encourage your body to burn midriff fat, giving you a flat tummy.’
• ‘Exercise is the key to helping this tummy type,’ says James. Simply going for a long walk, doing lunges, squats or dips at home or a yoga class will be beneficial. You don’t need a gym.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY 

If you regularly reward yourself for a hard day with a piece of cake or deal with bad news with a biscuit, it’s important to remember that being beautiful is as much about how you feel as how you look. The starting point for any tummy transformation is feeling happy.

THE STRESS TUMMY

Stress tummy: These types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE 

Stressed-tummy types are typically over-achievers with perfectionist personalities. They are usually also susceptible to digestive conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can cause bloating and make their tummies look far worse. 

‘Stress tummies are easy to spot, as the weight is specific to the front of the midriff and the umbilical area,’ explains James. ‘When stressed, we produce cortisol, a hormone which encourages the body to cling on to fat around the stomach.’ 

Stressed tummies will also be fairly hard to the touch, rather than wobbly. 

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

It’s likely you skip meals, abuse your adrenal system with too much caffeine and grab junk food for convenience. 

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN 

• Get an early night. ‘Stressed women nearly always sleep badly, which disrupts the production of leptin, the hormone which helps regulate appetite and metabolism,’ James explains. ‘This is why we eat more when we are tired and crave fat-depositing sugary snacks for an instant energy boost.’
• Combat exhaustion with a relaxation strategy of deep-breathing, meditation and long baths before bed to encourage a good night’s sleep and limit coffee consumption to no more than two cups a day.
• Don’t go for the burn when exercising. ‘Excessive cardio which increases cortisol levels isn’t the answer,’ says James. ‘Instead, yoga, long walks and resistance work with weights is perfect for sculpting and building up strength while calming the system.’
• Magnesium is a calming mineral to help soothe a stressed belly. James advises eating lots of magnesium-rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY Stress-busting stretches and yoga poses at night time can help to lower cortisol levels, while chamomile teas or James’ own Bodyism Body Serenity supplement (bodyism.com) can also help the body unwind.

THE LITTLE POOCH

The little pooch: These women are likely to be busy mums or have demanding careers - hey may even be a gym junkie. 

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE

These women are likely to be busy moms or have demanding careers. ‘They may even be a gym junkie, but stuck in a workout-and-diet rut, perhaps always eating the same foods and doing the same routine at the gym, which keeps you slim but leaves you with a lower belly that spoils your silhouette,’ says James.

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

‘Doing excessive crunches and using gimmicky gym items such as ab-rollers can place a strain on the hip flexors and the lower back, causing the tummy muscles to protrude so your belly sticks out,’ says James.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN

• Good nutrition and plenty of fiber are essential to improve digestive conditions such as inflammation, bloating and constipation, which can make a pooch tummy worse. Green leafy vegetables, oat bran and whole grains are good, natural sources of fiber.
• Sit-ups done incorrectly increase your lower back curve and accentuate the ‘pouch’ effect. Swap sit-ups for planks. Do these by lying face down on a mat, resting on your forearms. Push off from the floor, rising onto your toes and elbows, so your body is parallel to the floor from your head to your heels. Start off doing ten seconds and build up to a whole minute.
• It’s a common misconception that using weights bulks women up. In fact, the opposite is true. Using weights will burn serious amounts of fat in a short space of time, so try introducing circuits — repetitions of exercises like squats or lunges which work individual muscle sets.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY

Be kind to your tummy, reduce inflammation by drinking lots of water and eating easy-to-digest foods such as green vegetables and lighter proteins such as fish and chicken.

THE MOMMY TUMMY

The Mommy tummy: Women with these bellies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mom, have little time for themselves.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE 

Women with these tummies have usually given birth in the past few years, and, being a typical mum, have little time for themselves. ‘After giving birth, the uterus drops and is much heavier than it was pre-pregnancy,’ says James. ‘It takes at least six weeks to return to its usual size, so don’t even think about trying to get a flat stomach until after then. 

‘You need to re-train your pelvic floor and lower abs to increase blood flow and strengthen loose muscles.’ 

TYPICAL BAD HABITS
Rushing back to exercise too quickly. ‘I would suggest waiting around two to three months,’ says James. ‘Being stressed about getting rid of your baby weight will only make you cling onto it more. Give yourself a break!’

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN 

• ‘Fish oil supplements turn on fat-burning hormones and turn off fat-storing hormones,’ says James. ‘Begin by taking three 1,000mg capsules a day with meals and build up to five. I’ve trained Elle Macpherson through two pregnancies and she takes these every day.’
• Try to eat good fats — found in sources such as nuts, oils and olives — every day. ‘Not only do they help you burn fat and absorb vitamins from food effectively, they also help combat tiredness — a big help for tired moms,’ says James.
• Gentle pelvic floor exercises (known as Kegels) act as a natural corset for the body to flatten your tummy from the inside out. Squeeze and clench your pelvic floor muscles 15-20 times, in five sessions a day.
• Steer clear of sit-ups. ‘After giving birth, the linea alba muscles — which run down the mid-line of the abdomen — separate and you need to allow them to recover,’ says James. ‘Crunches are the worst thing you can do, as they will force these muscles farther apart. Instead, breathe deep into your tummy while on all fours, then slowly exhale while doing a pelvic floor exercise.’

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY Daytime naps (try putting up blackout blinds) and stretching before bed are important ways to restore sleep hormones and boost fat-burning. 

THE BLOATED TUMMY

Bloated tummies: These are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion.

HOW TO IDENTIFY THIS TYPE 

Bloated tummies are often flat in the morning, but swell throughout the day with gas or indigestion. Bloating affects both slim and overweight women. It is almost always caused by food intolerances and allergies, or sluggish bowels as a result of a poor diet. 

TYPICAL BAD HABITS

You eat the same foods and may have done so for a lifetime without realizing you’re intolerant to them.

MIDRIFF MAKEOVER PLAN 

• ‘The most common intolerances I see are wheat and gluten (bread, pasta, pastries, pizza, cakes and cereals), alcohol, yeast (in muffins, beer and pastries) and processed dairy (cheese, milk, butter),’ says James. ‘Gluten in particular can inflame the bowel and make the stomach look bigger.
• ‘Experiment to work out what bothers your belly as you know your body better than anyone else. Try eliminating key culprits such as gluten for two weeks to see if your bloating reduces, or worsens when you reintroduce foods. Focus on a diet with lots of fresh veg, meat, chicken and fish.’
• Sluggish bowels are often a result of eating the wrong foods in the wrong way. Make breakfast your biggest meal, as this is when digestion is at its peak, and avoid eating late at night which leads to bloating. Chew food properly and drink plenty of water to keep the digestive system moving.
• Bloating can be a sign of imbalanced gut flora. So to get your tummy really flat you need to repopulate it with friendly bacteria. Prebiotic and probiotic supplements are the simplest way. Natural sources include miso soup, sour cream and some fruit and veg including kale, garlic and onions. A healthy gut means a flat stomach.

TOP TIP FOR THIS TUMMY 

Believe it or not, breathing can be the best thing you can do for this kind of tummy. Try this each morning: lay on your back, completely relaxed, and breathe deep into your tummy ten times. After eating, a walk will help the digestive process, too.  

***THANK YOU to Hailey's Helpful Hints for this AWESOME Blog Post***

How to Compare Junk Food to Healthy Food

How to Compare Junk Food to Healthy Food

Some things just scream junk food. You know double-stuffed chocolate cookies and the cheese puffs that stain your fingers orange aren't good for you. But it's not always so obvious to identify healthier foods. This takes a little investigative work. Comparing junk food to healthy food means reading and understanding nutrition labels, identifying ingredients and thinking about how foods are prepared.

Step 1

Read the nutrition label of a food from top to bottom.

Step 2

Look at the number of calories per serving and examine the number of calories from fat. Junk food usually provides a large number of calories per serving, with the majority of the calories coming from fat. Healthy food should be low in calories and especially low in calories from fat. On a 2,000 calorie diet, you should consume less than 65 grams of fat a day.

Step 3

Analyze the types of fat the food contains. Junk food is usually high in the bad types of fat -- trans and saturated. The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1 percent of total trans fat from calories, or less than 2 grams of trans fat a day if you have daily diet with 2,000 calories. Less than 20 grams or 10 percent of your total calories should come from saturated fat. Healthy foods have little to no trans and saturated fats.

Step 4

Study the amount of cholesterol and sodium in the food. For a daily diet of 2,000 calories, you should consume less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol and 2,000 mg of sodium. The higher the numbers, the more likely it's junk food.

Step 5

Read the percent daily values of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium and iron. These are good nutrients often absent or low in junk food -- less than 5 percent of the recommended daily value for that nutrient is considered low. For a food to be rich in the nutrient, it must provide at least 20 percent of the nutrient's recommended daily value.

Step 6

Consider the food's overall content of nutrients such as fiber, calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. A healthy food doesn't have to be high in all of these nutrients. An orange, for example, provides 130 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, but it only has 2 percent of the daily value of vitamin A and no iron. Some healthy foods provide a lot of one nutrient, while others provide smaller amounts of a variety of nutrients.

Step 7

Look up the sugar content and compare it to the food's ingredients list. Foods such as fruit have naturally occurring sugars, and naturally occurring sugars won't appear in an the ingredients list. Junk food often has a large amount of added sugar, which you will see listed under a variety of terms, including sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey, maple syrup and fruit juice concentrate.

Step 8

Read the ingredients list. The order of ingredients in the list indicates how much is in the product. The first ingredient comparatively makes up most of the product, the second listed ingredient is the second most plentiful, and so on. If you see sugar, salt or fat as one of the first ingredients (or high-fructose corn syrup, enriched flour, or corn starch), it's one of the main ingredients in the food. Junk food is often high in all these.  Be aware that food manufacturers have gotten tricky to list sugar as different ingredients; look for sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup solids, brown sugar, dextrose.  

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