Question of the week

The following question was posted by a reader at FOODPICKER.org:   
I have pre-diabetes and enjoy having an afternoon snack.  Is microwave popcorn ok for me to have?

Popcorn is a great snack which includes fiber and complex carbohydrates. In addition, it is low in calories, sodium and sugar and it's easy to make!  It is a fat free snack aside from the oil/butter which may be used during preparation.  Before you eat it keep in mind that 1 carbohydrate choice (15g) is equivalent to 3 cups of popped corn.  An alternate to microwave popcorn would be popping popcorn on the stovetop (which is almost a lost art).  The popcorn made on the stovetop has a much richer flavor and less non-popped kernel waste.  One option would be to cook it with a small amount of grape seed oil.  This polyunsaturated vegetable oil has a light neutral flavor but a high smoke point which makes it suitable for frying or in this case, popping corn.  Grape seed oil also contains beneficial compounds such as linoleic acid (omega 6) and vitamin E.

Question of the week: How Do I Stay Motivated?

The following question was posted by a reader at FOODPICKER.org:
I have diabetes and I'm having trouble staying consistent and motivated.  I'm usually good for about 2 weeks and then I go back to my old ways of eating and lack of exercise. How can I stay motivated?

Answer:  Changing any behavior is difficult and it takes time and patience.  Try to set short term goals to make small changes initially, such as exercising 3-4 days a week, drinking more water or adding a  vegetable to one meal each day.  Write your short term and long term goals in a journal and make a commitment to yourself to write anything positive that you did that day toward achieving your goal.  This will motivate you to continue to reach another goal.  You will slowly replace your old ways with new healthy habits that make you feel good about yourself!