I love junk food.  I should probably be a bit more politically correct and call it “comfort food.”  Some of my personal favorites: Cheetoes, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Milky Way Bars, or a bowl of cereal (preferably the kid stuff).  But, if I need something bad to eat, I’ll eat just about any kind of junk food.  Here’s some interesting, some historical, information on some of America’s favorite comfort foods.  A big thanks to Joe Wilkes at Beachbody for this article.

Test Your Comfort Food IQ!
By Joe Wilkes

In what country were potato chips invented? In the good old U.S.A. They were invented in 1853 by chef George Crum, who became annoyed by a customer who complained his fried potatoes were sliced too thickly. The chips quickly became a hit and were put on the menu of Crum’s restaurant, the Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, NY, as “Saratoga chips.” Another great step in potato chip technology was when food entrepreneur Laura Scudder invented an airtight wax-paper bag in 1934, ensuring that the potato chips would stay fresh until the bag was opened. › Continue reading

I am a Southerner….and I like collard greens. But, I have to throw in a disclaimer. Usually, these lovely leaves start out healthy, but end up quite the opposite. After you throw in fried potatoes, pinto beans (cooked with bacon, of course), cornbread (cooked in a cast iron skillet, of course) and fried chicken or pork chops…..you’ve pretty much ruined any chance of healthy this vegetable had! But, there is hope! Substitute the above with a grilled chicken breast and a few small, baked red potatoes and you’ve got the healthy back! Check out the next article in the Michi’s Ladder series by Beachbody’s Denis Faye.

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Collard Greens
By Denis Faye

Look out! Superfood alert! Although popular in the South with the likes of fried chicken and corn bread, this deep green, leafy veggie is all kinds of healthy. It’s closely related to kale and is a member of the Brassica family, which includes broccoli and cauliflower.

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Chard. What? When I hear the word, I think of “charred.” Like, the way I DON’T want my meat cooked. I had no idea what chard is until I read this next installment of Michi’s Ladder foods by Beachbody’s Denis Faye. Another interesting food I’ve never eaten or heard of.

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Chard
By Denis Faye

No, it’s not over-grilled meat. It’s a leafy green vegetable that’s a member of the beet family. However, unlike its shirt-staining cousin, you actually eat the leaves of chard, not the root (although beet leaves are growing in popularity). It also goes by the names Swiss chard and silver beet.

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Lunchtime is another critical moment in the world of those trying to lose weight or stay in shape.  I say critical because usually lunch takes place at the workplace.  If you don’t think ahead, and bring your lunch, you could be in real trouble.  Fast food restaurants at every turn, co-workers ordering in pizza or whatever else that can potentially blow your diet.  It’s important that you plan ahead your meals, and not got stuck with a lunchtime dilemma.  So your options are to dine out, order in, or bring your lunch.  Dining out and ordering in can get expensive.  (Joe Wilkes was kind enough to provide the information you see below.)

The best choice is to make your own lunch. You control what goes into the meal and what goes into your body. Instead of the artificial colors, flavors, and various incarnations of high fructose corn syrup you get from the local fast food chain, you can fill your plate with fresh whole foods that will energize your body and save you a ton of money. As my grandfather used to say, there’s no point putting your paycheck through your stomach. So here are some healthy ideas to get you through the day with high energy and low cost. › Continue reading

Here is another installment in Denis Faye’s series on Michi’s Ladder foods, bok choy. Bok choy seems almost like a perfect food: very few calories, but tons of nutrients!

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Bok Choy
By Denis Faye

You may know it as Chinese cabbage or pak choi or you may not know it at all. A relative of good ol’ American cabbage, bok choy has green leaves and white stalks. If you’ve ever had soup in a Chinese restaurant, you’ve probably eaten bok choy.

The nutrition facts

The beauty of some leafy greens is that they pack a massive nutritional punch while being almost calorically void. At 20 calories for a cup of boiled bok choy, you probably burn more preparing and eating it. But that cup also lands you 144 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)* for vitamin A, 74 percent of vitamin C, 72 percent of vitamin K, and nice little hunks of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, manganese, and potassium. You also get 2 grams of fiber. › Continue reading

Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it’s important to make breakfast a healthy “good for you” meal. It has to be simple and easy, and of course taste good. Since we’re working longer and trying to fit in 30-60 minutes of exercise, sometimes breakfast gets pushed back to a quick snack on the run, or even worse, skipped all together.

Some people are under the impression that skipping breakfast will help them lose weight. But truth be told, people that skip breakfast often have less energy, and tend to gain weight. Their day starts with a slower metabolism, and burn fewer calories, and then when lunch time comes along, they overeat! Some people don’t make it to lunch, they are so hungry, they eat out of the snack machine, or indulge in donuts left in the break room. You are much better off, taking the extra time to eat a healthy breakfast. Fire up your metabolism, get some energy, and prevent those cravings in the break room. Try these quick n easy breakfast ideas to get you off on the right foot in the mornings! Special thanks to Joe Wilkes for the information provided below! › Continue reading

Ok, here it is…the next Michi’s Ladder food: barley.  I honestly think that the only association I’ve ever made with barley would be another food-type product: beer.  I must say that I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it is actually healthy!  Barley is a highly nutritious cereal grain.  I try not to think about beer and cereal at the same time, for obvious reasons.  So, here is the low-down on another good-for-you food, courtesy of Beachbody’s Denis Faye.

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Barley
By Denis Faye

Yes, beer is made from barley, but, no, that does not land beer in tier 1 of Michi’s Ladder. Barley is actually a highly nutritious cereal grain with a nutty flavor. But to be completely honest, most cereal grains can be described as having a nutty flavor, so you should probably try it for yourself. It’s a great way to get those complex carbohydrates without resorting to wheat. › Continue reading

Arugula? I have to be honest with you when I say I really had no earthly idea what arugula was. I must admit that I was quite shocked when I realized that it was a green, leafy vegetable. I pictured some sort of oddly shaped, pale colored, root type vegetable. If you’re reading this wondering what the heck is Michi’s Ladder, click here. This is article number two in a series about Michi’s Ladder foods written by Beachbody’s Denis Faye. Check back with us in a day or two for the next food Denis covers: barley. Keep an open mind, you may find something new and yummy to add to your diet!

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Arugula
By Denis Faye

Arugula is just the American name for this aromatic salad green. In the UK, they call it rocket. In France, it’s roquette—which is actually just a fancy way of saying rocket—but no matter what you call it, the stuff is a zingy addition to any salad. › Continue reading

So, you’re thinking of starting that long ascent up Michi’s Ladder? Well, there are going to be foods that you’ve never heard of, or you’ve never eaten. Here is the first in a series of articles by Beachbody’s Denis Faye that explain the benefits of some of these “different” foods.

Climbing Michi’s Ladder: Artichokes
By Denis Faye

Considering how ubiquitous and fun to eat artichokes are, the amount of people who’ve never tried them is surprising. There are several varieties, the most common being the globe artichoke. The round, prickly thing with the thick leaves that you peel off and eat is actually the bud of an artichoke flower. And in addition to being a great source of fiber and minerals, that process of peeling off the leaves one by one slows down eating. Not only does this make digestion easier, but it can create a feeling of satiety from what’s actually very little food. › Continue reading

You never know…..things that you think are good for you, can actually be bad. Thanks go to Denis Faye at Beachbody for this interesting article.

9 Foods That Can Fool You
By Denis Faye

During my South Dakota, 1970s childhood, my mom used to order something called the “Diet Plate.” Common in most Sioux Falls-area and greater-Minnesota region restaurants, it consisted of a scoop of cottage cheese; a couple canned peach halves, still dripping syrup; a hamburger patty; iceberg lettuce; and a sprig of parsley.

While delicious by mid-20th-century, Midwestern standards, it was about as calorie restrictive as the chicken-fried steak and baked potato my dad was eating across the table. Still, the perception was that this was diet food, most likely because each element in the “Diet Plate” had a vague resemblance to another, healthier, foodstuff—except the hamburger, that is. But that had to be there because this was South Dakota and any other meat would be deemed un-American. › Continue reading