You know water is super healthy and important to drink, but if you don’t like the taste, you’re not alone: About 20 percent of Americans dislike the flavor of plain H2O, a Wall Street Journal article says.

Now many beverages companies are focusing on this group of non-water drinkers, offering alternatives that they believe are healthier than regular soda and diet soda, which both have gotten a bad wrap over the years. But sorting through all these new options can be overwhelming. Deciphering between what is a healthy choice and what might be another soda in disguise can lead many to think a Ph.D. in food science is needed.

Read the full article here.

One thing I really love about my job is that it keeps me on my toes. The world of nutrition never gets boring, especially because it seems every other day there is a new diet being talked about. Just this week, featured on The Dr. Oz Show, was the dopamine diet.

Created by Bryce Wylde, a graduate from the Ontario College of Homeopathic Medicine with a diploma in homeopathic medicine and health sciences (DHMHS), this diet claims that chronic overeating causes low levels of dopamine—a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers and regulates movement and emotional responses—that ultimately leads to a cycle of cravings and more overeating. To restore dopamine receptors and prevent this cycle from continuing, Wylde recommends eating tyrosine-rich foods and supplementing with L-tyrosine, a non-essential amino acid that serves as precursor for dopamine.

Read the full article here.

Putting in extra hours at the office could be putting extra pounds on your figure, according to new research.

In a two-year Australian study, women in the workforce were more likely to gain weight than those who weren’t employed. And the more hours they worked, the more weight the ladies put on.

Okay, as much as I would like to say we should all retire immediately, we all know that isn’t a choice. There are a lot of easy ways, however, to avoid becoming another statistic and needing to buy a new work wardrobe.

Read the full article here.

Something I have been telling my patients for years is finally backed up by research: Do not go food-shopping hungry!

Researchers from Cornell University had 68 adults fast for five hours and then gave some of them crackers before setting everyone loose to grocery shop. Those who didn’t have a snack bought about 19 percent more food, including more higher-calorie foods. The study also found that healthier food choices were made between the hours of 1 and 4 p.m. and 4 and 7 p.m.

Clearly this means it’s best to grab a snack before shopping. But there are more things you can do to pre-empt the purchasing of high-calories foods and make healthier choices when you stroll down the aisle.

Read the full article here.

1. Choose in-season, local produce

Seasonal produce offers more flavor as well as price savings, says Keri Gans, RD, a New York-based nutritionist and author of The Small Change Diet. Local produce supports farmers and also spares the environment by eliminating long-distance delivery systems. And spring is the perfect time to take advantage of your neighborhood’s bounty. Not sure where to start? Here are four seasonal veggies to swap into your diet.

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Do you have difficulty getting up in the morning? Feel like taking a nap in the middle of the afternoon? In the old days, you might have simply grabbed a cup of coffee to get you going. But today thanks to Wrigley, the chewing gum manufacturer, you could buy a stick of gum that provides the same amount of caffeine as about a half-cup of coffee. If you ask me, this is crazy.

At first it seemed that the biggest rage with caffeinated products was in energy drinks, like Red Bull. Today the market is so huge with these types of beverages I can’t even keep up. Much to my dismay, many brands of bottled water also now include caffeine and, if that wasn’t enough, it can also be found in such products as jelly beans, waffles, and potato chips. And to make matter worse, these foods and drinks are not only being consumed by adults but also by children.

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As SHAPE’s Weight Loss Coach, I recently did a story on what I eat in a typical day. Some readers were surprised that I had eaten soy at both lunch and dinner, thinking that it wasn’t a healthy choice. The funny thing is, I hadn’t even realized I consumed it twice. Perhaps that is because I view soy as just another healthy protein option, same as I would fish, chicken, or beans.

Unfortunately in today’s world there is so much information easily available that it is sometimes hard to decipher facts from fiction. So is the case with soy. Whether it’s good for you or not seems to be a recurring question.

As a registered dietitian, it is important for me to stay abreast of all emerging research. Honestly sometimes that can get difficult, but nonetheless I do try. So my choice to recommend soy as part of a healthy diet is based on the science presented to me, not my own personal bias.

Read the full article here.

Don’t know what to make for dinner? Perhaps you reach for your newest cookbook (or read it on your iPad) to find the perfect dish for yourself or your family. What you might not realize, though, is that dish—especially if it’s a celebrity chef’s recipe—might not be the healthiest choice.

A recent U.K. study analyzing recipes developed by celebrity chefs found that 87 percent of the 904 recipes contained undesirable nutrients, especially saturated fatty acids, sugar, and salt. Not surprising. I have watched the Food Network more times than I could count and think we are faced with the same situation here in the United States. Rarely do I see a chef on the show prepare a well-rounded, nutritious meal that I would recommend to my patients, unless they have a strong background in nutrition or are a registered dietitian.

Read the full article here.

Today’s study tested one such strategy. “I think this could possibly help individuals who really have no idea of how many calories they should consume for the day,” said Keri Gans, MS, RDN, CDN, nutrition consultant and author of the The Small Change Diet. “It puts a different perspective on it. I think most people could imagine time spent exercising.”

Gans noted that walking speed is different for everyone. “I think brisk walking is relatable, however, I am not sure how most people will interpret it,” she said. “Brisk walking for a 27-year-old male will be quite different than it is for a 65-year-old woman … I think females will be more likely to be influenced by this. Most are more concerned with their weight to begin with.”

Read the full article here.

As a registered dietitian in private practice, Shape.com’s Weight Loss Coach, author of The Small Change Diet, and media personality and spokesperson, my life can get rather hectic, to say the least. But no matter what, I always make time to prepare healthy meals—mostly by keeping them quick and simple. I opt for foods that are high in fiber and provide ample protein and healthy fats to keep me full and satisfied throughout the day. I also try to save room for an indulgence or two, as you’ll see by checking out what a typical day in my diet looks like.

1. Breakfast: Oatmeal and OJ
Practically all year long, no matter how hot it gets outside, I start my day with a bowl of oatmeal. I make quick-cooking oats (not to be confused with instant) with nonfat milk in the microwave and then top it with low-fat cottage cheese, chia seeds, and cinnamon. The combination of fiber, protein, and fat keeps me basically satisfied until lunchtime. Along with my oats, I have a glass of 100% orange juice mixed with about an equal amount of seltzer because I want to get well-hydrated to start the day but not consume too many extra calories while at it; I also need the juice to take my vitamins.

Read the full article here.