Fall is upon us, which means that the new TV season has begun, baseball is heading into the postseason, and football has started up. The weather’s getting cooler and the couch is calling for you to lay down in it with a warm blanket. Now keep in mind, we’re not encouraging any couch potato behavior. We’d prefer that you pop in a Hip Hop Abs Ultimate Results video and use the couch as a towel rack. But we’re all human, and it’s almost impossible to resist the siren song of a Red Sox-Yankees playoff game or the return of Ugly Betty or Desperate Housewives. Just because you’re taking a couple of hours off to flatten your gluteal muscles and sofa cushions doesn’t mean you have to stuff yourself with chips and cookies or other bagged diet killers. Here are 10 tasty and healthy snacks that are great for TV downtime.

1. Popcorn. It’s not just for the movie theater anymore. In fact, you’re better off skipping it at the movie theater. A bucket of oil-popped movie theater popcorn can contain as much fat as three to five double cheeseburgers. But air-popped popcorn is a pretty benign treat. Three cups of popcorn have just 93 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Air-popped popcorn doesn’t have much nutritive value outside of the energy you may get from the calories and some dietary fiber, but it can satisfy your munchies without getting you too far off the diet path. The best popcorn comes from your own hot-air popper—offering no additional fat or salt, unless you add it later. If you’re going for microwave convenience, make sure you read the label carefully. Even some of the “healthy” brands contain a fair amount of fat and salt. And many microwave brands contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been linked to cancer. You might be better off making your own microwave popcorn. Just put a 1/4 cup of popcorn into a brown lunch bag and fold the top over tightly and microwave at your usual popcorn setting. Try to avoid salt and butter. Instead, enjoy your favorite herbs, or a squeeze of lemon juice with some garlic powder or cayenne pepper.
2. Bean dip. Beans are a great source of protein and fiber and don’t have tons of calories. One cup of canned pintos only has 206 calories; it also has 12 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber—almost half of your recommended daily allowance. And beans are incredibly filling. Even prepackaged bean dips are pretty decent (of course, always check the label for the fat and sodium content). You can make your own dips, hot or cold, by food-processing canned black or pinto beans (my favorites are the ones canned with jalapeños). Add water to create your desired consistency, or you can also use fat-free refried beans. You could add some chopped bell or jalapeño peppers, green onions, or canned corn to add a crunchy texture or some chopped tomatoes for a little extra flavor and vitamins. Instead of fatty tortilla chips, use baked chips, or, better yet, some raw, crunchy veggies, like carrots, celery, sliced bell peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower. And if “beans, beans, the musical fruit” make you a little too musical, you might take a look at Linda York’s article below on ginger’s degasifying properties.
3. Salsa. This is the perfect mix of tomatoes, onions, and peppers—all members of the top tier of Michi’s Ladder. And the great thing is that salsa is so low in calories and so high in fiber, you can basically eat it by the cupful and not gain weight. If you buy it at the store though, watch out for the salt content—that’s the secret ingredient in most canned and jarred salsas. You’re much better off making your own pico de gallo. Just dice tomatoes and onions and mix with as much minced jalapeño and/or garlic as you can stand. Add fresh cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste and toss the veggies in the juice of two limes. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. You can eat it with baked chips or the crunchy veggies that also go great with the bean dip. The salsa and the bean dip also complement each other well, for the double dippers among us.
4. Crispbread crackers. These crunchy treats (including Wasa and Rykrisp brands) have around 30 calories a cracker (depending on the brand, flavor, and style) and a couple of grams of fiber in each one. And they make great bases for you to play Top Chef with some healthy ingredients from your refrigerator. Try a dollop of fat-free cottage cheese with a dash of hot sauce; a slice of turkey breast and roasted red pepper; a “schmear” of hummus and a couple of pitted olives; or a slice of tomato and a fresh basil leaf with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Even the pico de gallo recipe above with some shredded nonfat cheddar will make a tasty treat. By being creative with some wholesome ingredients, you’ll forget all about the halcyon days of eating Ritz crackers washed down with aerosol cheese right from the can (sigh).
5. Pistachios. Pistachios are a great heart-healthy snack full of antioxidants, fiber, and unsaturated fats (the good kind). A 1/2-cup serving (with the shells, assuming you don’t eat them) only has 170 calories, with 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber; however, that serving also has 14 grams of fat, so don’t go nuts chowing down on a whole bag. Walnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, and other nuts all have their nutritional upsides, too, but the reason I think pistachios make great snacks are the shells. The shells are difficult to open, so rather than shoveling handfuls of pre-shelled nuts down your throat, eat shelled pistachios so that you’re forced to slow down. Keep an eye on the sodium content when you buy the nuts. Either buy unsalted or low-salt versions. And forget those disgusting pink ones that taste like lipstick. Who needs to leave hot-pink fingerprints all over the couch? A lot of stores also sell flavored versions that aren’t too salty. Chili-lime is one of my favorite flavors.
6. Edamame. The Japanese have one of the healthiest diets in the world and soybeans are a great staple of that diet. Edamame, the steamed or boiled soybean pods, contain all the essential amino acids, many essential fatty acids, and soy isoflavones. And a 1/2 cup of beans only contains 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 9 grams of carbs, with 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Truly one of nature’s perfect foods. And like pistachios, you can serve them in their shells, which slows down your face stuffing, giving you time to feel full before you’ve overeaten.
7. Mini-pizzas. Forget the frozen food section. Anyone with a toaster oven or a broiler pan can be their own Mama Celeste or Chef Boy-ar-dee. Just take half of a whole-wheat English muffin (67 calories; 2 grams of fiber), add a little tomato sauce or low-sodium pizza or spaghetti sauce and a sprinkle of low-fat or nonfat mozzarella cheese, and voilà—tasty and healthy pizza! Like with the crispbread crackers, your imagination’s the only limit for toppings. Fresh herbs like basil and oregano are delicious. Peppers, mushrooms, and anchovies are popular and fairly healthy. Just stay away from processed meats like pepperoni which are often loaded with saturated fat, carcinogenic nitrates, and sodium.
8. Pita chips and hummus.Now you can open a Greek taverna in your living room. While some stores sell pita chips now, you can easily make your own with very little fuss and muss (and usually with much less fat and salt). A large whole-wheat pita has 170 calories, 5 grams of fiber, and less than 2 grams of fat. To make chips, cut around the edge of the pita with a small paring knife, so you have two discs. Then with a knife or pizza cutter, cut the discs into eighths or smaller chip-size pieces. Arrange the pieces on an aluminum foil-covered cookie sheet, lightly spray with some olive oil cooking spray, and sprinkle with a little salt or low-fat parmesan cheese or your favorite dried herbs. Cook in the oven or toaster oven until lightly browned and crispy and serve with your favorite hummus or dip recipe.
9. Relish tray. Some of my favorite snacks are pickled or brined anything—cucumbers, cauliflower, peppers, artichoke hearts, carrots, okra, baby corn, cornichons, cocktail onions, olives, sauerkraut, kimchi . . . even herring and hard-boiled eggs! Extremely low in calories, a plate full of pickled veggies on the coffee table is great for snacking. But watch out for the sodium! Certain store brands have more than others. The more ambitious might try marinating their fresh veggies in vinegar and a little heart-healthy olive oil, to control the amount of salt involved. If you use salty brands, you might consider rinsing them to get rid of some of the salt, or mixing them on a plate with some fresh, unpickled vegetables to mitigate the salt intake.
10. Deviled eggs. Eggs, having once been considered a scourge of the heart-healthy diet, are now getting a better rap. What’s indisputable is the health value of the whites. If you take the yolks out of the equation, the egg whites can prove to be small healthy, high-protein delivery systems suitable for all kinds of nutritious creamy fillings. Cut a bunch of hard-boiled eggs in half, lengthwise, and scoop out and discard the yolks. Try mixing some nonfat cottage cheese with your favorite mix of mustard, curry powder, garlic, paprika, pepper, salt, or other spices and blending or food-processing until creamy. Spoon or pipe the mixture into the egg whites where the yolks used to be and you’ll have a high-protein snack without the fat and cholesterol. You can also use the empty egg whites as scoops for your favorite healthy dip or salsa.

Of course, you can enjoy even more snack food if you can work some exercise into your TV watching. During playoff season, don’t just save the stretching for the seventh inning. Try some exercises like Debbie Siebers’ Slim Series Express. Or if you’re settling in for a night in front of the tube, make a deal with yourself—you can veg out and watch The Office and 30 Rock if you turn off Scrubs (come on, it jumped the shark two seasons ago) and do Shaun T’s Hip Hop Abs instead. If you have a show like Heroes that motivates you to kick some butt, schedule some P90X Extreme Training Workout time immediately after the show while your adrenaline’s still pumping. Or if, like me, you’ve become enslaved to your DVR or TiVo, use it to your advantage and do a cooldown stretch to your favorite show as a reward for a well-done workout.

P90X Extreme Training Workout, including P90X Videos

P90X is a revolutionary home fitness system that includes 12 incredible sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to change your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days. You’ll also receive a comprehensive 3-phase nutrition plan, specially designed supplement options, a detailed fitness guide, a calendar to track your progress, online peer support, and much more. (When you make your purchase from Extremely-Fit, you have the option at checkout to select a free fitness coach to help you along the way!) Meanwhile, your personal trainer, Tony Horton and P90X, will keep you engaged every step of the way, and you won’t believe your results!

Why is P90X so effective?

3 Guides to get you started!

P90X 3-Phase Nutrition Plan designed to help you lose fat while maintaining high energy levels. P90X Fitness Guide packed with valuable fitness information to help you get the most out of your program. “How to Bring It” P90X video for a quick overview of the complete P90X Extreme Home Fitness training system.

The Complete P90X Home Fitness System Includes:

12 Highly Intense P90X Workouts!  Watch the P90X Videos for each DVD Below.

Tools To Keep You Motivated!

• P90X Calendar to set your workout goals, track your progress, and stay motivated.

• FREE Online Support Tools for access to fitness experts, peer support, and motivation!

All it takes is an hour a day to get in the best shape of your life. And other than a set of dumbbells or B-LINES Bands Complete Kit and a place to do all you really need is some grit-your-teeth commitment. Be sure to check out our article on required and optional P90X Equipment.  Still undecided?  Read our P90X Reviews, results from real people!  Are you ready to get in shape, the best shape of your life?

by Jordana Haspe

Looking for something to nosh on? Sure, you’re drawn to Slim Jims and candy bars, but resist. There’s another option available anywhere from the most basic gas station shop to the most upscale health food market—nuts—specifically, unsalted nuts or (better yet) unsalted raw nuts. They’ve gotten a bad rap in the past because of their fat content, but more and more studies are discovering that even their fat can be good for you.

How can fat be good? When it’s unsaturated. Saturated fat can raise your cholesterol, increasing your risk of heart attack or stroke. On the other hand, unsaturated fat, including polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, can actually lower your cholesterol—not the healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL), but the artery-clogging low-density lipoprotein. In fact, eating 1.5 ounces of nuts, five days a week, has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.

Here are some other nutty benefits:

Protein. Nuts are high in protein, making them a great pick-me-up between meals. Sure, a candy bar might boost your energy because of all the sugar, but only very briefly, and then you’re headed for a crash. So grab some trail mix instead and you’ll be good until your next meal.

Omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts are a source of omega-3s, which are usually found in fish. This nutrient helps fight heart disease, and may also help fight inflammatory diseases like arthritis.

Antioxidants and phytochemicals. Nuts contain antioxidants, which protect your body against cell damage. This may help prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other ailments. Several nuts, including almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and Brazils, are good sources of the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium.

Weight loss. No, eating nuts won’t make you lose weight. But they can be an important part of an all-around healthy diet. Remember, when you choose nuts, you’re skipping that candy bar or those chips. Nuts also have fiber, which helps you feel full so you won’t need to eat as much. But you don’t want to overindulge on nuts either—they’re pretty addicting. So measure out the amount you want to eat instead of grabbing them straight from the bag.

by Linda York

To eat or not to eat?

That is the question with carbs. Depending on the fad diet, carbs are either in or out, but the good news is that now you can have your cake (if it’s whole grain) and eat it too. Remember the Food Pyramid? Well, that has undergone some serious renovation, and the new architecture spells out fresh, updated USDA dietary guidelines. How many servings of whole grains—a rich source of complex carbohydrates—are we supposed to be eating a day? Don’t know? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. The new guideline for these amazing foods is three servings a day. All right, we have heard that whole grains are great for us, but what are they, how do we use them, and how do we include them in our diet?

Carbohydrates 101

Carbohydrates are an essential part of a balanced diet. Carbohydrates provide the body with its main source of energy. Certain tissues and parts of the body—the brain, the central nervous system, parts of the kidneys, and red blood cells—must have a constant supply of carbohydrates for energy formation. The brain alone burns 600 calories’ worth of glucose (a carbohydrate) per day just from thinking (if you don’t think, it’s somewhat less).

The amount of carbohydrates that an individual will require over the course of the day will depend in part on the total number of calories the person needs. That amount will vary because of age, metabolism, body type, and, most of all, activity level. In general, most people do well consuming between 40 and 50 percent of their calorie intake in the form of carbohydrates.

Natural vs. refined

Natural carbohydrates come from whole-food items, such as string beans, apples, carrots, and brown rice. Refined carbohydrates are derived from processed food items such as crackers, cookies, jelly beans, and bread or pasta made with white flour. Guess which group is considered healthier?

Complex vs. simple

Complex carbohydrates are found in many whole-food items, such as vegetables, legumes, and whole grains (oatmeal, wheat berries, barley, corn niblets, etc.). They take longer to digest and metabolize because of their complex structure, especially their fiber content. Simple carbohydrates are generally found in processed food items (white-flour products and sugars) and are digested and metabolized quickly because of their lack of fiber. They are also found in fruit, as fructose, but when eaten as a whole food, they’re encased in fiber, which minimizes the negative effect known as the sugar rush.

Plants are the primary source of dietary carbohydrates—fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans. Milk and milk-based products also contain some carbohydrates.

Fiber fulfillment

Fiber, although not a source of calories, adds bulk and texture to foods. It slows down your digestion time so that you stay full longer. Vegetables are also high in fiber. Soluble fiber, from foods like apples and oatmeal, sets up a kind of gel filtration system in the intestinal tract. It binds with bile salts (the end product of cholesterol metabolism) and other waste products and carries them out of your system. Bile attaching to fiber helps lower the body’s cholesterol level.

Insoluble fiber, such as wheat bran, swells with water and helps prevent constipation. It also binds with substances such as estrogen and can remove excesses of this hormone from the body.

Get lean and happy

So why is there so much buzz in the nutrition world about whole grains? The new story is weight loss. The Harvard School of Public Health conducted a study that found that “a diet rich in these good carbs slows weight gain and can reduce body fat.” Cooking with whole grains is a fun and satisfying adventure. They have a sweet, slightly nutty taste, and are satisfying because of their chewy texture. Plus, there are so many different ways you can include them in your recipes. The combinations are endless, and in no time at all, you’ll find yourself creating your own wholesome, delicious, whole-grain meals.

8 Super Carbs

Here are eight Super Carb whole-grain foods that you can add to any healthy balanced diet and exercise regimen—whether you sweat off the pounds with Hip Hop Abs™ Dance Party Series or dance, slim, and tone with Yoga Booty Ballet.

1. Brown rice. This nutritional dynamo packs more B vitamins, fiber, protein, selenium, magnesium, and potassium than white rice. At 45 minutes, it takes longer to cook than white rice, but you can get it precooked—either frozen or in a vacuum pouch. There are a lot of new products that make it easy to include brown rice in your diet. You can find it as the main ingredient in crackers, rice cakes, cereals, pasta, and rice milk.
   
2. Barley. This is an excellent source of fiber and a great source of protein, B vitamins, selenium, zinc, and iron. It also contains beta-glucan and pectin, which are both recognized for their cholesterol-lowering abilities. It makes a great side dish just plain, or you can find it in some soups and breads.
   
3. Quinoa. Pronounced keen-wah, this crunchy grain is a complete protein that contains lysine (an amino acid missing from most grains), and is a great source of riboflavin, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, and fiber. It’s used to make some varieties of pasta and hot and cold cereals. It’s also a great change from rice or pasta as a side dish.
   
4. Millet. Crunchy and fast to cook, it’s a good source of fiber and plant protein. It also contains potassium, B vitamins, folate, iron, magnesium, copper, and zinc.
   
5. Wheat berries. This is a sweet and chewy source of fiber, protein, B vitamins, folate, zinc, iron, and magnesium, as well as phytochemicals.
   
6. Bulgur. This is the name for wheat berries that have been steamed and cracked. It may be used in pilafs, soups, and bakery goods; as a stuffing; or as a healthier substitute for rice or couscous.
   
7. Farro. It is the original grain from which all others derive and was the standard ration of the Roman Legions that expanded throughout the western world. Farro is lighter in taste and texture than wheat berries, but has the same nutritional ingredients. It is also sometimes called spelt, and can be found in a variety of whole-grain breads.
   
8. Whole-wheat couscous. Couscous is a really quick-cooking pasta made from whole wheat. It’s great as a side dish or with a stew ladled on top.

Fun whole-grain choices include: whole-wheat tortillas; frozen pizza with whole-grain crust; whole-grain waffles; whole-grain crackers; barley, wild rice, or whole-wheat pasta soups; whole-grain pretzels; air-popped popcorn; 100 percent whole-grain bagels and English muffins; brown rice sushi; and whole-grain cereals.