It's back to school time and breakfast and lunch are important to keep students healthy and to keep them on task and doing their best work in school. Keep these tips in mind when sending your children off to school:
Don't skip breakfast, even if it's just a glass of low fat milk. Try adding a breakfast powder to add vitamins, minerals and a bit more protein.
Whole grain cereals, oatmeal, toast, English muffins, or mini bagels are quick to prepare.
Try an egg sandwich: microwave one egg in a microwave-safe cup for 30 seconds. Place egg onto a toasted mini bagel for a quick out-the-door sandwich.
Make a quick, healthy breakfast treat by spreading a banana with peanut butter.
Make your own “lunch kit”:
Using toothpicks, skewer cherry
tomatoes, cheese cubes, or grapes, for a fun and easy to eat lunch for younger
children.
Use tortillas for wrapping up
turkey, cheese, tuna salad, ham, etc. Add a light coating of mayonnaise, cream
cheese, or mustard, lettuce, pickles, or whatever your child favorite fillings and
toppings are.
Use cookie cutters to cut
sandwiches or cheese slices into fun shapes. If your child doesn’t like the
crust on breads, don’t make a big deal about it. Trim the crust ahead (just
barely shaving it off) and your child will most likely eat the whole sandwich
(as opposed to biting around the crust).
Pasta salads or
cold tortellini are hits with some kids.
Use leftovers. A chicken leg, or
turkey cubes are often a welcome change.
Try new veggies like cubed bed
bell peppers or sugar snap peas. Even if you child only tries a few bites, it’s
a start. Try mincing bell peppers into the spreads for the sandwich wraps.
Include milk every day at lunch.
Encouraging your child to drink milk at lunch ensures that he will get the
calcium and vitamin D he needs.
Include a fruit every day at lunch
(raisins, pears, applesauce, apples, grapes, berries, melon chunks).
Including a small treat (cookies,
chips, a cupcake) is okay. Encourage your child to eat most of his or her main
entrée, milk, and fruit before digging into the treat, but do allow something
fun to eat.
Children should have a say into what goes into their lunch
box.Include an element of fun in
eating. Some things may be non-negotiable (such as you must drink milk, eat
your sandwich or entrée, and have a fruit or vegetable), but if children can
pick out a special dessert or treat, they may be more willing to try the more
nutritious food that’s packed in their lunchbox. In addition, they are learning
a lot about balance and moderation, and how to manage their own healthy eating
habits (which can include cravings for certain foods that should be met with
moderation, but also acceptance). As a parent you can pack the “perfect lunch”
but if your child doesn’t eat it, it’s not so perfect.
Here’s to a healthy and happy
school year.
August 5, 2010 Tips for College Freshman
WHAT TO EAT IN THE DINING HALL
Eat breakfast. Whole-wheat toast, bagels,
English muffins, cereal with nonfat or low fat milk. Fruit juice. Eggs are
okay- don’t worry about having a couple a week. Bacon and sausage are
loaded with saturated fat though, so limit them.
Choose two pieces of fresh fruit every day, or
one piece and a glass of juice.
Take advantage of any bread available. If
nothing else is available you can build your meal around bread by adding
peanut butter, cheese or a salad. Include some whole wheat bread in your
diet.
When nothing else is appetizing make the salad
bar the main meal. Build you salad with greens and vegetables. Go easy on
any prepared, creamy salads. For protein, sprinkle with cheese, sunflower
seeds, chickpeas, nuts or eggs.
Try the low fat dressings. One ladle of regular
Ranch dressing has about 200 calories, so go lightly.
Pasta is a good choice with marinara sauce or
olive oil and garlic
Lunchmeats are okay- choose low fat varieties
(baked ham, turkey, lean roast beef). Salami, bologna, and other loaf
meats, are much higher in fat so limit those types.
Add vegetables to your sandwiches when
available- lettuce, tomato, green peppers
Baked chicken or baked fish are good choices
Skip the gravy or go easy on the sauce- they can
rack up the calories
Soups can be a meal- add bread and a salad
Dessert can be tempting. Limit items like cake,
pie, ice cream, to just once per week. Choose fat free muffins, nonfat
frozen yogurt or a small cookie to satisfy your sweet tooth.
More info? Check out the book: The College Student's Guide to Eating on Campus by Ann Litt.
QUICK SNACKS
Snacks are important,
especially when you are busy and active. Keeping some nutritious snacks on hand
when hunger strikes is a good way to ensure that you will be getting more of
the essential nutrients you need to stay energized and healthy.
Buy sandwich bags so you can pack snacks to go.
Snacks should be fairly low in fat and offer some
vitamins and minerals. “Empty calorie” snacks (those which are mostly sugar or
high in fat, without any significant vitamins or minerals) like soda pop,
potato chips, candy, snack-cakes, should be limited. It’s fine to consume these
kinds of snacks on occasion, but more nutritious choices should make up the
bulk of your snacking so you can stay healthy and energized!
Here are some quick and easy suggestions to keep in your dorm or apartment:
Have English muffins, mini Boboli or Triscuits
on hand to make quick pizza snacks. Just add a bit of tomato sauce,
shredded cheese, and pop into the toaster oven or microwave, and you have
a quick snack or meal.
Drink more low fat milk. Instead of grabbing a
150-calorie can of soda, or even a zero calorie diet soda, drink a carton
or glass of low fat milk. Chocolate milks is great.
Low fat fruit yogurt
Pretzels or light microwave popcorn
Apple slices with chunks of cheese, or cheese sticks
Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread or on mini bagels
Make your own trail mix in a big jug or zipper
bag, then grab some every day to take on the go. (Mix mini pretzels, mini
graham bears, peanuts, chocolate chips and raisins)
Graham crackers with a glass of milk
Mini carrots
Invest in a blender to make smoothies. Mix a
banana, fruit yogurt and blend with low fat or nonfat milk. Try frozen
strawberries blended with milk too.
Dry cereal- try Quaker Oat Squares, Multi Bran
Chex Cheerios, Frosted Mini Wheats. Take some with you or have it with
milk.
Cheesy tortilla- sprinkle some shredded cheese
on a flour tortilla, microwave 30 seconds.
Low fat granola bars or breakfast fruit and
cereal bars.
July 14, 2010 Buffalo Chicken Burgers, Tomato-Cucumber-Orzo Salad
In case you read this week's Meadville Tribune column and wondered "where's the recipe that goes with this photo?", here is a recipe to try out!
A Tomato, Cucumber and Orzo Salad also follows.
Buffalo
Chicken Burgers, courtesy of Good Housekeeping
Ingredients
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) blue cheese, crumbled
2 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 pound ground chicken or turkey
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
3 TB (plus additional for serving) cayenne pepper sauce
Nonstick cooking spray
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
Lettuce leaves
Carrot and celery sticks
Directions
Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over
medium heat.
In small bowl, stir mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese,
vinegar, and Worcestershire until blended. Set blue cheese sauce aside.
Makes about 3/4 cup.
In medium bowl, combine chicken, celery, and cayenne pepper
sauce just until blended. Shape mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick burgers.
Spray both sides of burgers with nonstick spray.
Place burgers on hot grill rack; cook 12 to 14 minutes or
just until meat loses its pink color
throughout, turning over once. Burgers should reach an internal
temperature of 170 degrees F.
Serve burgers on buns with lettuce and some blue cheese
sauce. Serve remaining blue cheese sauce with carrot and celery sticks.
Pass additional cayenne pepper sauce to serve with burgers if you like.
Nutritional information is based on 1
burger without sauce
Each
tablespoon blue cheese sauce: About 40 calories, 1 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 4 g total
fat (2 g saturated), 0 g fiber, 7 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium.
Cucumber, Tomato and Orzo Salad
I love this summer salad as an option to traditional potato or pasta salads. A great way to use garden cukes!
2 small fresh cucumbers, peeled, seeded, chopped
5 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
2-3 TB fresh parsley, chopped
3-4 TB chopped red onion
1 can Cannelloni or Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
5 oz (dry) orzo pasta [cook according to package, drain, rinse,
set aside]
DRESSING
¼ tsp sea salt
1 TB sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
3 TB balsamic vinegar
Mix cucumber, tomato, onion and parsley in a medium bowl.
Add beans and cooked pasta. Toss.
Mix salt, sugar, olive oil, and vinegar in a glass measuring
cup. Whisk to blend.
Pour dressing over salad mixture, toss to coat. Chill for at
least one hour.
July 14, 2010 Sausage-Stuffed Patty Pan Squash
Ever wonder what the heck to do with Patty Pan Squash? Patty
Pan is a yellow summer squash that is shaped like a flower or sunburst. They
are mild in flavor, and great stuffed.
Ingredients
2 Patty Pan squash (about 6-inch in diameter)
7 ounces apricot chicken sausage (or any favorite chicken sausage,
I used the local Malady’s Meat Market sausage), casings removed
one small chopped onion
2 TB chopped green onion tops
½ tsp tumeric(or
another favorite spice)
½ tsp thyme sprigs
½ cup quick-cooking barley
2-3 TB grated Parmesan cheese
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Prepare squash by cooking in microwave. Place whole squash
on microwave-safe plate and cook for 3 minutes (you can also boil in water for
5 minutes). Once pre-cooked, slice top off squash and remove middle pulp and
seeds, forming a bowl (rim should be about an inch thick). Set aside.
2. Saute onion until clear, add sausage spices and herbs. Crumble
sausage as it cooks, and cook until browned. Add green onion and cook one minute longer.
3. Meanwhile cook barley according to package directions while sausage is cooking.
4. Add cooked barley to cooked sausage, mix well.
5. Add sausage and barley mixture to center of each squash. Sprinkle
with cheese.
6. Place squash in glass baking dish. Fill with an inch of water, and
bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, until squash is tender.
Serves 2.
July 13, 2010 Cooking is Your New Health Care Strategy
This really isn’t news to many, but cooking at home is good
for your health. Harvard Medical School brought medicine and menu planning
together to illustrate the benefits of a healthful diet recently in the
“Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives” conference. The premise behind the conference
was to educate physicians about how important it is to be able to discuss
healthy eating and cooking with patients.
The conference focused on a few key points that lead to
healthier eating:
§Consume ‘good carbs’ (limit refined sugar and
white flours, and add more whole grain carbohydrates: oats, barley, brown rice,
whole grain breads and cereals)
§Eat Mindfully (be aware of what, how much, and
when you are eating)
Even though this may not sound like news,
somehow, folks are reluctant to buy in to these simple tips. Let’s see if I can
make them more meaningful to you:
§Food
should taste good. If you think you do not like vegetables, it is probably
because you have never prepared them properly or have had them prepared
properly for you. Just steamed? Boring. Try grilling veggies this season, and
toss them into pasta (hot or cold) for a great side dish or meal. Slice
zucchini, onions, eggplant, and bell peppers and toss together in an oven safe
glass dish. Drizzle with good olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in
the oven for about an hour. The result: a sweet, tender, delicious taste
sensation.
§Don’t be
afraid to pan sauté. It may sound difficult, but it’s easy and a great-tasting
alternative to deep-frying, and it’s a way to add ‘good fat’ to a tasty meal. And it's quick, and won't heat up your kitchen. Try
breading thin cuts of chicken breast or pork loin. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive
or peanut oil in a six to ten inch sauté pan, place meat into hot oil and cook
until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes per side.
§Add carbohydrate;
don’t remove it from your diet. If the question is: “Are carbs bad?” The
answer is “No. Just not too many”. Frankly, I am getting tired of hearing about
“carbo-phobics”. If you think you are going to get fat, or stay fat, by eating
a bagel in the morning, or a roll with your salad, or a bowl of rice, stand
back, because I may just slap you (ouch). The idea that the bread/grain group
is evil is ridiculous. Sure whole grain breads offer more nutrients and fiber,
but eating a white roll isn’t going to undo your healthy eating or weight loss
plan. What will undo your weight loss plan is: junk food, candy, processed
cakes and cookies, sugary drinks, tubs of icing, too many granola bars, too
many rolls with your salad, and not moving your body enough.
§Do you even know what you ate today?
Were you hungry? Do you know how small or large your portion was? Did you count
the handful of candy you took from your coworker’s desk? Being aware of what
and how much you eat is important when it comes to changing behaviors for the
better. Consider keeping a food log (stay posted, I will have a food and exercise journal
published later this year).
Cooking doesn't have to take up a lot of your time either. Keep meals simple and use fresh ingredients (now is a great time to visit farmer's markets or your neighbor's garden). Use your grill both for meats, chicken, seafood, and vegetables. You can even grill fruit. Grilled peaches or pineapple make delicious accompaniments to meats.
Try this tasty salad to use as an accompaniment to your next BBQ or picnic:
CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD WITH ORZO
1 cup orzo pasta
2 medium cucumbers, seeded, chopped
5 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 can Cannelloni or Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
3 TB balsamic or apple cider vinegar
1 TB sugar
¼ tsp salt and pepper (or to taste)
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain under
cold water.
Combine vegetables (cucumber, tomato, onion) in medium bowl
and mix. Add beans and orzo, mix.
Combine parsley, oil, and vinegar and blend. Add sugar, salt
and pepper, and mix well.
Pour dressing over vegetable-bean-pasta mixture and toss
together. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
May 12, 2010 Find the Facts: The sweet science behind high fructose corn syrup
I attended a great lecture about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
at the Pennsylvania Dietetic Association Annual Meeting in April. Dr. Kristine
Clark, from Penn State, provided an excellent discussion about the science
behind HFCS, and confirmed all of my thoughts on the substance: There’s nothing
wrong with it.
HFCS closely resembles sucrose (table sugar), appears to
have no scientific link to causing obesity, and can be part of a diet in moderation,
just as other sweeteners (which, should be a very small part of any diet).
I have never bought into the media hype behind HFCS and it’s
link to obesity and other ailments, as it is just illogical to assume that this
one substance, especially this one, directly relates to our weight problem. In
some cases, health advocacy groups or individuals want to blame something as the cause for every health crisis we face as a nation.
So why not? HFCS did appear in the mass food market in the early 1980s, a time
when the nation was fairly normal weight, but consider the facts.
The research has shown that HFCS and
sucrose have similar metabolic responses in healthy weight women.Studies have shown no significant
difference in how HFCS affects plasma glucose, insulin, or appetite hormones (ghrelin,
leptin). So once sucrose and HFCS are absorbed into the bloodstream they
deliver the same sugars, at the same rations, to the same tissues, within the
same time frame.
So let’s take a look at some additional facts:
The composition of HFCS is not much different
than table sugar
Compositionally, HFCS 55 (the type used in our
food supply) is 55% fructose, and 42% glucose (the other 3% is ‘other’ sugars,
or polysaccharides)
Sucrose (cane sugar, or ‘table sugar’) is 50%
fructose and 50% glucose
So you see, HFCS only has 5% more fructose than regular
table sugar, which comes from sugar cane, and has been consumed by humans for
hundreds of years. Yet the public seems to be wary of High Fructose Corn Syrup,
assuming it must be high in fructose because of the name; but in fact, HFCS is
not all that “high” in fructose.
More interesting, many of the
studies done that show adverse side affects on weight were done on rats
predisposed to obesity, and were done with high doses of pure fructose.
Fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup are chemically two different things. Pure
fructose in the amounts provided in these studies, is not present in the human
diet, although we eat foods that contain larger amounts of fructose (fruit).
Here’s an example: Agave nectar
concentrate, recently being touted as a ‘health food’ (unfounded), is 74%
fructose, as is pear juice concentrate. Other foods that are in the same fructose
range (42-55%) as HFCS: Almonds, apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli,
Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cashews, cherries, Clementines,
sweet corn, cucumbers, currants, dates, figs, filberts,
Grapefruit, grapes, hazelnuts, honeydew,
melon, kiwi fruit, lentils, lettuce, lime juice, macadamias, nectarines, sweet
onions, navel oranges, peaches, peanuts, peas pecans, sweet peppers,
persimmons, pineapple, pistachios, raisins, summer squash, strawberries, sweet
potatoes, tomatoes, walnuts, cooked wild rice. Should you stop eating fruits,
vegetables and nuts because of their fructose content? Of course you should
not.
Now, before I go on,
hear this loud and clear: I do not advocate eating high sugar foods with
abandon, I simply do not see a significant difference in the source of sugar,
be it HFCS or table sugar.
Now then, from a food-processing standpoint, HFCS has many
advantages. The properties of HFCS are attractive to the food industry. HFCS is
more stable, delivers a sweetness that is comparable to sucrose, retains
moisture, resists crystallization, and has a lower freezing point. Sure you may
be thinking, “well, we shouldn’t use processed foods”, but there are many that
are quite convenient, or specialized. Let’s look at sports drinks. Do you think
athletes will give them up any time soon? I don’t, and I know they play a key
role in hydrating and replacing electrolytes. HFCS has been used in these
products because not only does it provide sweetness and needed carbohydrate,
but it allows the product to hold its color, and what young athlete doesn’t
have his or her favorite sports drink color? Of course the color of these
products are important to the marketing of them. One company has made the
switch to sucrose, due to public demand, but the public may not be pleased to
see their favorite sports drinks fading colors.
Many companies are quietly replacing the HFCS with sucrose
(table sugar) and calling it “natural”, but the point is: you shouldn’t consume
too much of any added sugar. Period. There is no question, that as a country,
we are consuming too much (an average of 605 calories more a day compared to
1970, but only 52 calories of that is from added sugars). However, which
sweetener you consume does not seem to have any significant impact on your body
weight or health, as long as it’s not too much.
Find the facts before you believe the hype, and keep it
fad-free.
Rust is a licensed, registered dietitian and
nutrition coach, a licensed
provider for Real Living Nutrition Services® and the author of The Calorie
Counter for Dummies®. You can order the book right here at the website hompage.
April 8, 2010 Eeat a Good Breakfast, Control Your Hunger
You may be thinking that skipping breakfast is saving you
calories, but think again. Usually this leaves you hungrier later in the
morning and later in the day, sabotaging your weight control efforts.
People who eat breakfast daily, lose weight, and keep it off, more successfully than breakfast-skippers.
To fuel up in the morning, try to include a bit of protein
with your carbohydrate. Also include fiber- whole grains and fresh fruit. If
you eat high-fiber, low-energy, dense foods – such as oatmeal with strawberries
and walnuts, or granola with low-fat yogurt - you can eat more and with fewer
calories. Try out these quick ideas:
§Cereal and milk – check portion size. Generally
it’s 1 cup with 4 ounces of low fat or nonfat milk
§English muffins have fewer calories than bagels.
Try a whole grain type, add 1 tsp peanut butter for protein
§One slice of pizza may work for some people
§A yogurt with ¼ cup of crunchy whole grain
cereal or low fat granola cereal
§Oatmeal with fruit and chopped nuts
§One ounce of cheese melted on whole grain toast
Breakfast helps
children and teens maintain healthy weights too:
Cereal is a
quick and easy way to fit breakfast in. A group of researchers analyzed data
that followed more than 2,000 young girls from ages 9 to 19. They found that
regular cereal eaters had fewer weight problems than infrequent cereal eaters.
Those who ate cereal only occasionally had a 13% higher risk of being
overweight compared to the regular cereal eaters.
Another study showed that the prevalence of obesity
decreased by number of daily meals. In other words, the more times per day a
child ate (meals and snacks) the less likely they were to be overweight or
obese. So children should also be eating breakfast daily, having a couple of
healthy snacks, and not skipping other meals either.
Getting something into your children and teenagers before
school is better than nothing. If they really don’t want to eat, at least make
sure they drink some milk or orange juice. Some “on-the-go” ideas, in addition to ready-to-eat cereal, for those
kids who can’t get out of bed on time:
§Quaker Breakfast Squares
§Instant Breakfast powder in 12 ounces of milk
§A Banana
§Packaged peanut butter crackers
March 23, 2010 March is National Nutrition Month
March is National Nutrition Month®: A great time to start healthy habits!
This year's theme is "Nutrition
From the Ground Up." National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education
and information campaign created annually in March by the American Dietetic
Association. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making
informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
Have you found yourself
slacking on those resolutions you set back in January? Well, National Nutrition
Month is a good time to get back on track, or even set some new goals.
Try these on for size:
Drink 4-6 ounces of orange juice each morning. Just a small cup of orange juice will provide your daily vitamin C, an essential antioxidant.
Ask for whole grain. The next time you order a sandwich out for lunch, ask for the whole grain bread. Eating more whole grain will help with weight control, lowering cholesterol, and keeping blood sugar in check if you have diabetes.
Spread lightly. That blob of butter you get on your pancakes, or side of toast? It's too much. Use less.
Grab an apple or pear mid day for a snack. It will fill you up, provide vitamins and fiber, and taste great!
Schedule your exercise with a friend. This will keep you on track, and it will be more fun!
Find out more at http://www.eatright.org/nnm/
February 26, 2010 Michael Pollan does not address one big part of the equation: Human Behavior
I had the pleasure of listening to Michael Pollan, author of
The Omnivore’s Dilemma, speak
last night at Allegheny College. He is an outstanding writer, and presented his
case about our country’s industrial agriculture’s affect on our environment,
our food choices, and our health, in a captivating manner. I agree with a lot
of his advice about how folks should change some of their eating habits. But
it’s not so simple.
My hand was raised during the Q & A that followed, but I
did not get picked to hold the microphone. This is my question: What about
human behavior?
Having twenty-four years of experience providing nutrition
counseling in both inpatient health care settings and on an outpatient basis, I
am keenly aware that behavior change is difficult. I am also keenly aware that
there are many different sorts of food habits among us. Individuals at risk for
disease, who eat very poor diets, must be counseled and educated about why they
need to change their ways, and given guidance on how they can begin making
changes.This however, doesn’t
mean they will do it. Registered dietitians are trained to provide such
behavior modification counseling. Most of us realize that this is not something
most people can do in a short period of time, or in a complete-overhaul
fashion. Many of us have also been exasperated in the disinterest many of our
clients have when posed with the idea of having to eat differently.
As a nutrition counselor, I take every client’s individual
health, situation and dietary history into consideration. I have heard for many
years the excuse: “Eating healthy is more expensive than not”. I’ve never
bought it, and still don’t. “Rice and beans are cheap,” I would at times tell
my clients. The case that Pollan provided during his presentation, in which a
family may have to choose between affording healthy foods and diabetes
medication, is one-sided. Being a child of depression-era parents, and turn of
the century immigrant grandparents, I find this dilemma hard to swallow. The
choice should simply be to take care of your health. This would include finding
ways to both eat well (and maybe less) and take any prescribed medication. We
also know that if the “eating well part” comes first, we can prevent the
“taking medication part”. In the case he showcased, it was too late. I’m sure
the individual was given warnings, as I have warned many overweight patients in
the past: “You need to lose weight and eat better, or you may develop
diabetes”.
People make choices. They prioritize where their dollars go,
even if their budget is very small. If they change the way they value
nutritious foods, and understand the positive impact making these choices will
have on their overall health or disease, they may become motivated to
prioritize fresh produce over fast food meals, despite their sometimes (see
example below) slightly higher cost. People need to value healthy foods, and
make choices based on needs, not wants. My ancestors valued food. They grew it,
procured it, and spent time preparing it for family meals. They realized the
value of purchasing a twelve-dollar pear tree, which will yield bushels of
pears within three years, and then years to come.
So let’s put the cost of “healthy food” into perspective: Pollan
presented a slide that showed how many more calories per dollar one can
purchase in junk food (about 1200 per five dollars or so), over vegetables
(250). This is also a biased story. Two hundred and fifty calories in raw vegetables
for instance, would provide about ten cups of raw carrots or ten crowns of
broccoli. That’s a lot of vegetables, and could provide a family of four a
healthy snack or side dish for several days through the week. The junk food
calories, while providing immediate energy (in too many empty calories), will
not sustain appetite (therefore, the individual will keep eating more, gain too
much weight, and increase their risk for disease).
I’m not sure what the answer is for the future of our
nation’s health care, but I’m sure it will not come in the form of government
policy, but instead on a personal realization that your health depends on your
personal choices. Health care reform, like human behavior, needs to take baby
steps in the right direction. Neither the food industry, nor the farmer’s methods,
nor the health care system is responsible for your health. You can make the choice
to prioritize healthy foods for your family. Since when do you need to have the
food industry portion out 100-calorie packages for you? Sure, it seems easier,
but it doesn’t solve the problem: Learning how to eat just enough out of the box on your own, without gaining excess
weight.
I agree with Pollan’s message: “eat food, not too much,
mostly plants”, but we cannot oversimplify the complexity of the human behavior
factor which is involved in food choices and eating. Eat well and make time to
learn how to cook simple meals (it really doesn’t take that long) and don’t
wait for the easy street. If you already are making health-conscious,
environmentally sound food choices, continue doing so, but do realize that changing
others’ behavior is not going to be an overnight success story. Behavior change
is difficult and often requires professional support, but it is worth the
effort, and will have a huge impact on the eating habits of future generations.
Pollan commented that
a family could buy a fast food dinner for four for fourteen dollars. Here is an
estimated comparison of a simple home-cooked meal (buying weekly sale items) to
a $14 dollar fast food meal. Both feed a family of four, but the homemade meal
reduces your risk for obesity and disease:
Baked skinless chicken, 6 leg quarters (sale, $0.79/lb)$2.07
Baked potatoes, 4$1.20
Margarine for potatoes and biscuit$0.60
Green beans, canned, no salt added$1.00
6 Biscuits (made from mix)$1.50
1% milk, 8 ounces$0.21
Water
TOTAL COST$6.58 ($1.65 per person)
CALORIES per serving = 650 (one pc chicken) to 850.
Good source of potassium, vitamin C, B, and fiber. About 25
grams of fat
$14.00 Fast Food Meal = 1000 calories per person
Very little vitamin A or C and fiber, about 40 grams of fat
February 3, 2010 February is Heart Month
February is Heart Month - Wear Red on Friday February 5th
February is National Heart Month and is kicking off on February 5th with National Wear Red Day. This is a day encouraging everyone to wear red (a shirt, a tie, a sweater) to bring awareness to not just heart disease, but the risks of heart disease in women.
Heart disease is still often thought of as a man's disease, but in fact it kills as many women. The difference: it occurs later in life than it does in the average man. In fact, one in four women in the U.S dies of heart disease compared to one in 30 who dies of breast cancer. About 80 percent of women ages 40 to 60 have one or more risk factors for heart disease. Having one or more risk factors dramatically incrasese a womean's chance of develeoping heart disease.
Talk to your doctor about your risk. Keep in mind, these factors:
January 6, 2010 It's January: Get out the measuring cups
Do your knees or back hurt? If I promised you that eating less could bring you less pain, what would you think? Well, I'm pretty sure it's true in most cases.
January is a month of reflection, and many people set health goals. Eating less is a great place to start after a grazing the buffet and sipping cocktails during December. Setting some simple goals will result in weight loss over the next few months, and less stress on your back and joints.
Start with these10 simple changes:
When dining out, understand that the portions are more than you need. Decide immediately that you are not going to finish the meal. Instead, take half home or have a house salad and share one meal or one appetizer with a friend. (Check out The Calorie Counter for Dummies® for information on the calorie and nutrient content of your favorite restaurant foods.)
Keep a food journal for one week, and longer if you can. People who have lost weight and kept it off often write down everything they eat and drink. This is not obsessive, but responsible. It makes you accountable to yourself. If you know you are going to write it all down, you will be sure to analyze your hunger.
Add exercise to your journal. Either schedule regular days and times that you will exercise each week, or look at your week on Sunday and plan the days and times you are going to fit in in. Fifteen to twenty minutes on busy days is great. Fit in what you can, and plan at least 2 days that you can spend 30-60 minutes exercising.
Plan 3 meals and 2-3 snacks daily. Recording your food intake helps you realize that you should have a healthy meal pattern. Eating 4-6 times a day keeps you nourished satisified and keeps your hunger under control (that is, you won't ever get "too hungry")
Eat 'clean' food. Make choices directly from the food groups. An egg and toast, a bowl of oats; half a ham sandwich, vegetable soup, with an apple; a cup of yogurt or glass of milk, cheese with crackers; baked chicken with rice and green beans. Skip junk and overly processed food as much as possible.
Drink plenty of water. If your urine color is dark, you are dehydrated. Think about taking a water break, and drink through the day.
Get out the measuring cups. Go ahead and measure
your cereal for a few days. Get a good idea how far you should fill your bowl.
Measure some of your beverage glassware too. Glasses can be very deceiving and
fluid is an easy way to rack up extra calories if you are not aware how much
you are consuming.
Fill up on fiber. By including vegetables on at
least a third of your plate, you will eat less of higher calorie foods.
Read labels. Find out what “one portion” is
supposed to be and how your portions stack up. Never eat out of the bag or the
box, always pour out a single portion (of crackers, pretzels, chips for
instance) into a small bowl.
Slow down. Fast eating leads to overeating and
that uncomfortable “I ate too much” feeling. Eating slowly allows your brain
the time it needs to tell you to stop eating because you are full and
satisfied.
December 26, 2009 Start Practicing Your Resolutions
Some folks gain up to ten pounds in the week between Christmas and New Year's. Start practicing your new year's resolutions now, to avoid this trap. While the holidays should be enjoyed with family and friends, sans guilt, you can have some control over your calorie intake if you put a bit of thought into it. If you gain less weight this week, you will have less work to do come January.
So this year, from December 28-December 31, set goals to eat well, stay active, and reserve extra calories for New Year's Eve celebrations.
If you are working this week, be sure to pack a healthy, light lunch that includes two servings of fresh fruit - one to eat with lunch, one to eat as an afternoon snack; stay away from the vending machinel; drink plenty of water through the day; and avoid alcohol.
If you are home for the holidays, use the "out of sight, out of mind" technique.
Keep the cookies in the freezer unless you are having guests.
Cook light, low fat meals for supper, and eat a healthy breakfast and lunch (as opposed to 'grazing').
Schedule in your exercise ahead of time. On Sunday night, think about what times you will fit activity in each day this week. Even if it is a twenty minute walk or fifteen minute session on your elliptical machine or treadmill, do it.
Use some of your holiday gift money to purchase a copy of the Calorie Counter for Dummies®. After all, in 2010, less calories in and more calories out (burned) continues to be the formula for weight loss. So stay wise, and keep a handy reference around to remind you that this year, you can and will lose weight, by understanding where those extra calories are coming from.
December 23, 2009 Happy Holidays in 5 Easy Steps
The holidays are upon us, and while I don't suggest you count calories on Christmas Eve or Christmas day, do watch what you eat from Saturday through Friday. It is easy to get into the trap of overeating once you "binge" on the holiday. Your mind may tell you "what the heck, it's a holiday", but that holiday is actually only one or two days.
To stay on track with your weight loss program, aim to maintain your weight through the first of the new year. These five simple steps can help:
Enjoy the holiday. Indulge in your favorite foods, but still be mindful of portions.
Pay attention to when you are feeling full. Stop. You'll eat again tomorrow.
Plan your week. If you plan some gatherings with friends and family, plan on eating more calories those days, and staying in control the other days.
Plan at least 20 minutes of exercise at least 4 to 5 days between Christmas and New Year's
Get enough sleep. A restful body is less likely to overeat.
Once the new year is here, be sure to pick up my new book The Calorie Counter for Dummies®!
December 7, 2009 Nutrition Tips for Guys
A friend suggested I write more articles directed to dads
and men, instead of being so gender-heavy on ‘moms’. So this article is for the
fellows out there who care about nutrition and their waistline.
Here are some things to consider:
Don’t skip meals. Good eating habits are just as important
for men as they are for women. Men generally need more calories, so it’s better
to spread them out through the day in the form of 3 meals, and one or two
snacks. If you skip breakfast, you are likely to overeat later in the day, when
your body may not be using as many calories.
Watch liquid calories. Sugary sodas provide about 150-200
calories per 12 ounce serving; beer provides 150 calories per 12 ounces; a
one-ounce shot of whiskey or scotch provides about 75 calories (a scotch on the
rocks, about 240).
Eat most of your calories before or during your workday. No
matter what shift you work, plan meals and snacks to support your work day, and
also to help control late-night snacking
Eat at least 2-4 servings of fruit daily, preferably whole
fruit over juice. Examples of a two-serving
portion: A large apple counts as two serving, a large box of raisins, a banana,
24 grapes, 12 ounces of juice. It’s really not so hard, and the fiber is good
for you, as are all of the vitamins.
Slow down. Don’t gulp your food. If you are trying to lose
weight, eating more slowly actually can help. It takes 20 minutes to register
in your brain that your stomach is full, so put your fork down, take a sip of
water, and relax.
Exercise regularly. Get to the gym or take a regular walk or
jog around the neighborhood. You don’t have to be a muscle-head or an elite
athlete to exercise for good health. Enlist a buddy to meet at the gym to work
out with, so you stay accountable and make it happen.
Most men may not admit to being conscientious about their
eating habits or food choices, but many are. It is a good idea to be at least
somewhat aware of how what you eat impacts your health. For instance foods that
“sound” healthier are not always so. A slice of Chicken Pesto Pizza may have
one hundred more calories than a slice of plain cheese pizza.Check out the calorie count of menu
items when they are available. My new book, The Calorie Counter for Dummies, is
a great tool to keep around when you are wondering: “how many calories are in
that?” Don’t hesitate to enlist the help of a registered dietitian either. He
or she can make it easier for you to decipher what’s important to you
personally, in terms of what to eat more of, and what to less of. Take good
care of yourself.
October 28, 2009 Snacks for School-Age Children
Use Common Sense When Planning School Treats
Halloween is the
beginning of the holiday season in schools across the country. Think carefully when
sending treats to school for your child’s classroom. You don’t have to tell
students “it’s healthy”; focus on “It’s yummy” instead.
Homemade,
unprocessed treats can be so much healthier, not only for your body, but the
environment. But some schools are posing new regulations that insist on
packacked-only treats. If so, consider these easy to find ideas:
Small bags of pretzels
Individually wrapped popcorn balls
4-ounce applesauce
Individual animal crackers
Granola bars
Sandwich crackers
Part-skim mozzarella sticks
Dried fruit- raisins, apples, trail
mix
In addition, serve low fat milk to go along with treats. Many children
and teenagers do not get adequate sources of calcium in their diet. Some are
inappropriately drinking soda pop with meals. Offering chocolate milk with whole
mini bagels is a great treat that children will enjoy. Offer fruit-flavored
cream cheese to go along with the mini bagels. Nutritious, delicious, and easy
clean up! You can provide fruit juice as well, as it can balance out a treat
and serve as a fruit serving. Portion is important. Serve in small five to
seven ounce cups along with a small treat. Balance sweet, high fat treats with
healthier choices. It’s perfectly fine to offer two mini donuts per child,
along with orange wedges and low fat milk; or apple cider with graham crackers
and sliced apples.
