The Leaf | Healthy Weight Loss Blog

Vitamin C is one of the most talked-about nutrients. Most of us are aware that it is essential for our health and immune system, but do you know why or how much of it you need each day? How can you be sure that you are getting enough? These days, it’s more important than ever to maintain a healthy supply of vitamin C, so we’ve put together this quick guide to everything you need to know about it and how you can get it from your daily diet. 8 Foods to Support Your Immune System All Year Round Read More Why is Vitamin C Important? Healing wounds. According to the National Institutes of Health, your body uses vitamin C to produce collagen, proteins that form the primary structure of skin, cartilage and other soft tissues. When you suffer from a wound or bruise, your body replenishes the damaged area with fresh collagen. Cancer protection. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. This means that it helps to neutralize “free radical” cells that damage healthy cells, blocking the first step

When talking or reading about weight loss, we hear a lot about managing and adjusting our calories. But what exactly are calories? How do we know just the right amount to consume each day? And how might our caloric needs change as we lose weight? What 100 Calories Really Looks Like Read More What are Calories? The answer to this first question is easy. Calories are a simple way to measure the amount of energy you get when you eat food, says Mayo Clinic. Your body needs calories just to perform its most basic functions—keeping your heart beating and your lungs breathing—as well as to fuel your daily activities, from walking around to working at your job. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are the macronutrients that provide the bulk of your calorie intake. According to Mayo Clinic, they are your body’s main energy source. No matter which nutrients you eat, the calories are either rapidly converted to energy or stored in the body as fat. “These stored calories will remain in you

What diet in the world lets you eat a delicious treat like fudge? This one! This intensely chocolate-flavored confection has long been a classic delicious treat in the U.S., where food historians say it was invented. Some say it was a candy recipe gone wrong—it was “fudged,” hence the name—but according to the  Davenport Daily Tribune, origins of fudge can be pointed to college girls in the late 1800s having fudge parties in their dorms. It makes you wonder if fudge may have been the origin of the famous “freshman 15,” those extra pounds new collegiates gain when they go off to college. But these freezer fudge recipes we’re sharing with you today won’t add an ounce. They have the same creamy texture— with even more trendy flavors like gingerbread, pumpkin, pecan pie and, of course, peanut butter chocolate! Here are six fall fudge recipes you can indulge in without “fudging” your diet: 1. Basic Freezer Fudge > If you can’t stop yourself from tinkering with a recipe, this is t

Although they are both root vegetables, look and taste similar, sweet potatoes and yams aren’t even cousins. In fact, sweet potatoes are members of the same family as morning glories, while yams count as part of their family lilies and grasses. To make it more confusing, not only are sweet potatoes not potatoes, what’s labeled as a yam in your local market is probably a sweet potato, actually. Most real yams are grown in Africa and may only be available in markets selling international foods. There are hundreds of different kinds of sweet potatoes that come in colors ranging from white to pale orange, to deep orange inside. There are even some purple varieties! Here are some popular varieties of sweet potatoes: The Covington In North Carolina, where sweet potatoes are a big crop, this is very popular. It’s rose-colored on the outside and has an orange flesh that’s super sweet. You may have served it on Thanksgiving. The O’Henry This variety, on the other hand, looks almost lik

Belly fat can be seriously stubborn. Even if you’re on a plan and losing weight, it can seem like the fat around your middle just won’t budge. And if you’re apple-shaped, it can feel like it will be the absolute last thing to go. Looking for some tips to target that belly fat? We’re here to help! You should love the body you’re in, but if your goal is to lose belly fat, we understand: That stubborn stickiness can be frustrating and demoralizing. More important, fat held around your middle is a health risk. People with visceral fat around their stomachs—the rock-hard kind associated with a beer belly that’s close to your organs—have higher risks of early death, says John Hopkins Medicine. According to Reuters Health, one study found that every 10-centimeter increase in waist size increases the risk of heart failure by 19 percent in women and 30 percent in men. Reduce your risks by decreasing your belly fat. If you have an apple-shaped body, consider the all-new personalized programs