One of the things I really like about the Abs Diet Powerfoods is that there’s nothing complicated or strange about the list. It’s full of things you probably already like eating and can easily incorporate into your diet – like peanut butter!

I know, you’re probably thinking, “Peanut butter?! It’s so high in fat and calories!” But if you choose an all-natural, sugar-free version, it can be a great part of a workout diet. First of all, it’s got the good type of fat – monounsaturated – and second, it helps build muscle and burn fat. It’s quick, it’s full of protein, and when you’re on the go, you can throw it into a smoothie or eat it with apple slices. Limit your consumption to about 3 tablespoons a day, and check out these other healthy ways to eat peanut butter from Eating Well:

• Peanut Noodles with Shredded Chicken & Vegetables
• Tofu with Peanut-Ginger Sauce
• Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque

Note: if you’re allergic to peanuts or just want some variety, also try almond or cashew butter.

• For more information on the Abs Diet, visit Women’s Health.

Image: Dr Stephen Dann

Protein is absolutely essential for building muscle and staying healthy, and the next category on our list of Abs Diet Powerfoods will give you plenty of protein, not to mention iron, zinc, and other vitamins like B-12. We’re talking about turkey and other lean meats! Eaten in moderation, these foods can help you fight obesity, heart disease, mood disorders, and memory loss.

In addition to turkey breast, lean meats may include steak, chicken, and fish. Feel free to incorporate shellfish, Canadian bacon, and omega-3 rich flaxseed, but avoid foods the Abs Diet authors call impostors: sausage, bacon, cured meats, ham, and fatty cuts of steak like T-bone and rib eye.

Remember, the key is lean, and keep it to 3 ounces or less per serving. Prepare meats using techniques like grilling, broiling, and roasting (sorry, no frying!), and trim off and drain excess fat. For a great guide to choosing lean meats, see the University of Michigan’s Healing Foods Pyramid.

• For more information on the Abs Diet, visit Women’s Health.

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Just in time for Easter, it’s our next Abs Diet Powerfood – eggs! A lot of people avoid eggs due to concerns about cholesterol, but it’s worth considering them for their muscle-building and fat-burning properties. In fact, eggs are actually very low in saturated and trans fats. In a study cited by Precision Nutrition, eggs were even “shown to enhance weight loss when used with a calorie restricted diet — meaning that people who both reduced their calories and ate 2 eggs a day lost more weight (65% more weight loss & 16% more body fat lost) than people who just reduced calories.” Hop over to Precision Nutrition for the lowdown on eggs and cholesterol.

Of course, like anything, don’t overdo it. Eat no more than one or two eggs at a time or stick to egg whites or Egg Beaters for a quick and easy source of protein for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Eating Well has a great collection of healthy egg recipes, and there’s always my favorite standby for a light yet powerful breakfast: one boiled egg, sliced and served atop one slice of WASA whole grain crisp bread with a slice of tomato. Serve it with a cup of fresh fruits and berries, a small handful of mixed unsalted nuts, and a cup of green tea, and you’ll be Living Life Loud!

• For more information on the Abs Diet, visit Women’s Health.

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Of all the Abs Diet Powerfoods, this is one of the easiest to incorporate in your diet – instant oatmeal. Naturally, you can eat old-fashioned oatmeal, too, but the instant kind is great for carrying in your purse or gym bag or keeping in your office drawer.

What does oatmeal do for you? A better question is what doesn’t it do. Fiber-filled oatmeal boosts energy, reduces cholesterol, maintains blood-sugar levels, and fights against heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and obesity. It’ll fill you up in the morning or power you in the afternoon. The Abs Diet even suggests you can have a bowl at night to avoid unhealthy, late-night binge eating.

When shopping for instant oatmeal, be sure to get the unsweetened, unflavored variety, or you might end up eating lots of extra sugar and calories. But don’t worry, you can still get plenty of flavor by adding other Abs Diet Powerfoods like dairy products, almonds and other nuts, and berries. A sprinkle of cinnamon is fantastic, too.

• For more information on the Abs Diet, visit Women’s Health.

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As we continue to explore the list of Abs Diet Powerfoods, this week we turn our attention to dairy products such as fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese.

We’ve all heard that dairy contains calcium and helps strengthen bones, but the Abs Diet also focuses on the power of dairy to help fight fat. Its authors point to a University of Tennessee study that found dieters who incorporated high-dairy, high-calcium foods lost significantly more weight than dieters on a low-dairy, low-calcium diet. Researchers have said that calcium, as well as some of the minerals found in dairy products, may help break down body fat and preserve muscle.

You can easily incorporate milk or yogurt into a smoothie and cheese into an egg white omelet. Ricotta and Greek-style yogurt are great for making creamy sauces, dips, and sandwich spreads. Just remember to choose low- or non-fat dairy rather than whole milk. Good examples include 2% milk, low-fat cheddar or mozzarella cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat ricotta cheese, light cream cheese, and plain low-fat yogurt. A serving size is 1 cup of milk, 3/4 cup of yogurt, or 2 ounces of cheese.

• For more information on the Abs Diet, visit Women’s Health.

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Popeye was right – spinach is a powerful food! In fact, spinach and other green vegetables are next on the list of Abs Diet Powerfoods, a collection of foods that help fight fat, build muscle, and keep you healthy for life. What’s so great about spinach, you ask?

Packed with Vitamins A, C, and K, folate, beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium, and fiber, spinach neutralizes free radicals and helps fight cancer, heart disease, stroke, obesity, and osteoporosis. It’s hard to overstate the nutritional benefits of spinach; for a full chart, check The World’s Healthiest Foods site.

One cup of raw spinach offers about one-third the nutrition as half a cup of cooked spinach. However, unlike Popeye, you don’t have to eat mushy spinach out of a can! To prevent overcooking, just quickly steam or sautée it in olive oil. This makes a good bed for chicken or tofu. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a crumble of low-fat feta to the spinach and you have quick, healthy side dish. Or throw a handful of raw spinach into your morning juice or smoothie. For more healthy ideas, take a look at the spinach recipes on Eating Well and Whole Living.

• For more information on the Abs Diet, visit Women’s Health.

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Last week, we talked about almonds. Next on the list of Abs Diet Powerfoods is beans. Think beans are humble, boring, or … how shall we put it … troublesome? Prepare to change your mind!

This category of powerfoods includes legumes like soybeans, chickpeas, pinto beans, navy beans, kidney beans, lima beans, and black beans. First, the nutritional facts: beans are low in fat and high in protein, fiber, and iron to help you build muscle and burn fat. With their high fiber and protein, beans make a filling meal and will help curb after-dinner snacking. They’re also a great source of phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Eating beans doesn’t just mean burritos and chili. To incorporate more beans in your diet, try adding them to your regular pasta, grains, or salads. For more inspiration, check out these recipes for Italian-style white beans and pasta, savory roasted chickpeas, and Middle Eastern-inspired toasted pita and pinto bean salad, as well as Precision Nutrition’s feature, Bean Me Up, Scotty.

If you have trouble digesting beans, check out these tips. Also, the more you eat beans, the more your body gets used to them. And it will appreciate the nutritious boost!

• For more information on the Abs Diet, visit Women’s Health.

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Have you heard of the Abs Diet? It centers on 12 good-for-you “Powerfoods” that help fight fat and build lean muscle. This diet isn’t about deprivation; it’s about keeping yourself fueled, satisfied, and full of energy. For the next several weeks, we’ll be looking at each of the Powerfoods in more detail. First up: almonds.

Although “fat” is often treated like a bad word, there is such thing as good fat and almonds fall into this category. High in monounsaturated fat and antioxidants, they help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Almonds are also high in fiber, protein, and essential minerals. No wonder they’re considered a Powerfood!

Munching on a handful of almonds can help curb your cravings, build muscle, and lower the risk of weight gain. Keep a stash in your purse or office drawer and snack on 12-24 almonds between meals. They’ll keep your energy steady and prevent you from grabbing a candy bar when the afternoon slump hits. You can cook with almonds, too. Try this Almond Olive Tapenade on whole grain crispbread or in a salad.

• For more information on the Abs Diet, visit Women’s Health.

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Diet. I shiver just hearing the word. Don’t you? How many diets have you tried? Most importantly, how many diets have failed you?

Food is always a part of our experience. In my home country, Sweden, we socialize a lot around food, and it’s connected to good times meeting with friends. In the healthy world of fitness, nutrition is a cornerstone in progress and energy levels.

We know that in a baby’s life, what we feed it is a necessity for life and development, and when we get old, we are very aware of the same thing. So why, then, do we get lost in the middle? In our most conscious part of living, between childhood and elderhood, we develop a fear of food. Most people I know, myself included, have a difficult time with food. Hearing the word “diet,” or having the experience of eating out, not knowing what is right or wrong, culminates in a surrender or many times fear.

For this second week of the Body-Mind challenge, let’s work towards creating healthier patterns that can help us celebrate food and eating again. There is no reason why we cannot enjoy our food experiences. After all, food is what keeps us alive and healthy, and gives us energy and even joy. To start enabling the Good Food experience, practice these four concepts this entire week, or for as long as you need to:

1) Give your Good Food the good qualities it deserves. Think to yourself: “The food I put in my body is healing my body, giving me energy, and it tastes good, too!”

2) Stick to the foods Mother Earth gave us as much as possible. Eat whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and proteins (animal or your own choice). Play with colors, combinations of foods, and textures. After some time, the body adapts to clean healthy foods, and it will reject processed unnatural foods. Listen to your body and it will tell you what you need.

3) Create an even, solid flow of energy intake. Start your day with breakfast, and put something in your body every three hours for a total of four to five times per day. If this is difficult to remember, use your phone or alarm to remind you every three hours and have a snack readily available. It will soon turn into a habit and your body will start telling you that it is hungry without the alarm.

4) Enjoy your healthy food. Eat with a loving heart since you know that it is benefiting you so much and you have made good choices. Spend at least 20 minutes eating each meal, and allow yourself to TASTE the food. Chew slowly and thoroughly. Stop eating when you feel satisfied but not full. Can you feel where that is?

I am wholeheartedly going through this with you, constantly. I, too, get lost in a controlling web, and sometimes it is hard to find the joy in the things we have to do every day.

Take your diary (if you haven’t bought one yet, I recommend it – it is going to be your guidebook to yourself when it is done!) and write down the four concepts. Practice them this week, share them with your loved ones, and discuss them with me or your friends. Integrating them into your life will make them more attainable and you will be on your way to a better, healthier, and more joyous you! Most of all, try everything with an open heart and a mind of a child.

Please let me know how it goes and Live Life Loud!

Image: D Sharon Pruitt