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Why am I eating?

I am a big fan of quotes.  It is baffling to me how much motivation and clarity I can find in a few short words spoken by someone I don’t even know.  Take my latest “favorite” for example…

“If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the solution.”

Duh.  That makes sense, right?  But it touches me on a deeper level, as I imagine it would touch many of you.  More often than not we look to food for reasons that have nothing to do with growling bellies.

When did you last open your fridge or pantry and stare blankly into it, only to grab something, eat it and return a few minutes later to repeat the process?  If you find yourself doing this often, then most likely hunger isn’t the problem. Boredom? Loneliness? Stress? Maybe… but not hunger.

The first important step in creating a healthier lifestyles is tracking what you are eating (which is why it is a wonderful to log your foods!).  The next step is beginning to ask yourself why you are eating.  Breakfast… well I woke up and I was hungry – check! A great way to start the day. Maybe by lunch you knew you’d be hungry soon, so you ate your turkey sandwich, carrots and yogurt- check! That makes sense.  But then you notice after dinner, you begin reaching for food when you aren’t hungry.  Chips, ice cream, graham crackers and peanut butter, leftover pizza… do they all start sounding irresistible around 8:30pm?  Or do you find yourself at a party and can’t seem to leave the snack table, even though you’ve already eaten dinner? Now we’re on to something!

Once you’ve started noticing when your non-hunger eating begins, you can begin to do something about it.  For beginners, acknowledge the times that you are reaching for food and you aren’t hungry.  Really, say it out loud.  Once you hear yourself say it, you will most likely giggle, but then you can begin to explore why you are standing in front of the fridge.  Take a few minutes to evaluate what you are feeling.  Boredom? Loneliness? Stress? Happiness? Nervousness? Exhaustion? Social Anxiety?  If the feeling isn’t hunger, then eating won’t solve it.  Make a note on your food log of the time and what you’re feeling, so you can begin to notice a pattern in your behavior. Then, and this part is important, step away from the fridge.

The next step is to replace the old habit (eating mindlessly when not hungry) with a new behavior.  Here are some suggestions:  write in your journal (a great way to evaluate what you’re really feeling), go for a walk, go for a bike ride, do a work out video, put on music and dance around your living room, get out of the house and run an errand, take up scrapbooking (or other arts and crafts), call a friend, chew some gum, pick up knitting while you watch tv (so your hands stay busy and away from snacks), drink some tea or flavored water, take a long bath, reorganize your closet, read a good book, play a board game with your family, meditate, go to the gym, frame some pictures, paint a room, or… blog about it ;)

Has the blank stare into the fridge ever happened to you? If so, what did you do about it? Or are you still trying to fight the non-hunger eating? Have you found habits that have helped? Please share!

The wonderful problem you never knew you had

The secret is out, and if you haven’t heard it yet, hear it now- You do not have to starve yourself to lose weight!  In fact, if you do, it is going to hinder your success.  I used to see a lot of people that had troubles losing weight because they loved double cheese burgers and chocolate shakes, but now I am seeing a lot more of people having difficulty because they are not eating enough.  When someone hears this, they are sometimes frustrated, but look at it like this, what a great problem to have! Now, you actually get to eat MORE and LOSE weight- wahoo! J

Not eating enough shows up in different ways.  Some people try to restrict too much throughout the day.  They will have a 100 calorie protein shake for breakfast, some deli turkey slices on a low calorie roll for lunch, and a small serving of vegetables and chicken for dinner.  For some people, that is all they have for the day, and for others, they are ravishing by the evening and overdo night time snacking.  Other people eat sensibly, but exercise often and are not compensating for the calories burned during their exercise sessions.  All are frustrated because they feel they have such strong willpower, make healthy choices, and the scale still won’t budge.

If you are constantly coming in significantly under your 411fit goals, or are only at half way to goal by the evening time, then you need to rethink your weight loss strategy.  Many people make dinner their largest meal, but your body needs the bulk of those calories earlier in the day to help you be at the top of your game at work, at play and everything in between.  Start by planning and balancing your calories more evenly throughout the day.  This is especially important for those who exercise in the morning.  You need to make sure your body is properly fueled before your workout and that you eat something afterwards as well.

The idea of eating more often scares people, but if you are eating healthy foods (which I know you are!), it can take a larger quantity to get you at your proper calorie intake level.  We’ve always been told that it’s simple: calories in vs calories out, but unfortunately this is not always the case.  If you cut calories by too much, then your body will begin to conserve energy, which overtime will decrease your resting energy expenditure (your metabolism) and cause a slowdown in weight loss, and eventually even weight gain.

So if you are sticking to your workout routine, and being honest with the facts you tell 411fit, then make sure you are getting in all the calories it tells you to eat.  Spread them throughout the day, and try to make each meal/snack a healthy balance of carb/protein/healthy fat, while staying at your calorie limit.  If you have a story of success from learning to eat more, instead of less, please share it! This is the latest trend I have seen in people’s weight loss struggles and I want everyone to know that being hungry isn’t the way to lose weight… now isn’t that what you’ve always wanted to hear?! J

Fat… not such a bad word after all.

Thank goodness the days of extremely low/no fat diets are behind us! Let’s be honest, did anyone lose weight by following that regimen?   According to several studies, the answer is no.  In the 1960s, Americans ate 45% of their calories from fat – and only 13% of us were obese. Now, while most of us get only about 33% of our calories from fat, and 34% of us qualify as obese! Even though many people have moved on to making carbs the enemy (which they aren’t, FYI), some people still fear eating foods with fat.  My goal is to inform you of why you shouldn’t be afraid to drizzle a little olive oil or add some avocado to your sandwich…

First, let’s take a look at what fat does for your body… Fat make up 60% of your brain and is essential to brain function, including learning abilities, memory retention and moods. Fat helps keep your body’s cells flexible, and is responsible for building cell membranes.  As for your heart, certain fats are used to help keep the heart beating in a regular rhythm. Fats also compose the material that insulates and protects your nerves.  Fats help cushion your organs, and ease inflammation.  Eating fat with your meal will also slow down the digestion process and leave you feeling fuller and satisfied for longer.  And did you know that vitamins A, D, E and K can only be absorbed by your body in the presence of fat? 

Often when people try low fat diets, they swap cookies for fat free cookies and salad dressing for fat free salad dressing.  This is when the problems start.  When companies remove the fat from their products, they usually substitute the lack of fat with sugar, resulting in a product that is going to leave you less satisfied and send your blood sugars through the roof… not a good combination.  I am not suggesting that you stick with the your original diet of full fat cookies and chips, but instead, cut down on those processed foods and add in more natural, healthy fats in moderation.

How to choose the healthy fats… First the “good fats”

Monounsaturated fats lower bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, while increasing good cholesterol (HDL). Example of monounsaturated fats are: vegetable oils (olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil), avocados, peanut butter, and many nuts and seeds.

Polyunsaturated fats can also lower total cholesterol, lower LDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides and fight inflammation.  Examples of polyunsaturated fats include: vegetable oils (soybean oil, corn oil and safflower oil), fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring and trout), some nuts and seeds such as walnuts and sunflower seeds. Those wonderful OMEGA-3 fatty acids you hear so much about are in this group!

On the “bad” side of fats…

Saturated fat can raise your total blood cholesterol and you bad (LDL) cholesterol. Saturated fats usually occur in animal products, like meat, eggs and dairy.  Try and limit saturated fats to less than 7% of you’re your daily calories (says the American Heart Association).  When you do have meat or dairy, choose the lower fat options.

Trans fats are the worst. They can not only raise your bad LDL cholesterol, but also lower the good HDL cholesterol.  Transfats are manmade and are put in processed foods to help extend their shelf life. Look out for these in baked goods, crackers, processed anything, etc.  Important! Even though companies are required by law to list transfats on their nutrition labels, there is a loop hole.  If there is less than .5g/serving, they can list it as 0 transfat.  To be sure, make sure the ingredients “partially hydrogenated” or “shortening” (yes, shortening can contain some transfat) do not appear on the label.  Contrary to what you may think, if a label says it has “fully” or “completely” hydrogenated oils, it doesn’t have transfats. Counterintuitive, right? But if the label just says hydrogenated oil, stay away because you don’t know if they are partially or fully hydrogenated. 

Phew, this blog is getting a little long, so I‘m going to go ahead and sum things up.  Yes, even though all fats (including healthy fats) are the most calorie dense nutrient (9 calories/ gram), eating healthy fats as part of your balanced diet will not make you fat; in fact, it will help improve your health.  Just be aware and choose mono and poly unsaturated fats instead of attaining your daily fat allowance through chips and onion dip.  Any questions? 

The Scoop on the new Subway Scoop!

Some people may already be utilizing the new lingo “Scoop It!” at their local Subway, but for those you aren’t or haven’t even heard of it (I know I’ve seen it on the Biggest Loser), I’m sure you will soon. 

What is it? The “Scoop It” campaign refers to having the bottom half of your subway bread “scooped” out- basically the Subway employee will hollow out your bottom piece of bread, lowering the calories, carbs, sodium and fat in your chosen sandwich.  But before you order a bag of chips to subsidize that calorie deficit, take a closer look at what you’re really scooping out…

*All sandwich comparisons are calculated using 9-grain bread, lettuce, tomato, green peppers and onion

                                              

                                      Regular                     Scooped!

6” Turkey Sub

                Calories           280                                 250

                Carbs                48                                   40

                Fat                   3.6                                     3

                Sodium            920                                 840

6” Roast Beef Sub

            Calories             310                                  280

            Carbs                   46                                   39

            Fat                      4.5                                  4.5

            Sodium              840                                 770

There are the facts… on average, a scooped sandwich is about 30 less calories, 7-8 less grams of carbs. And about 70-80 mg less of sodium. Better? Yes, but marginally.  I thought the fat statistic was interesting, because on each sandwich you are changing the same thing- scooping out the bread. So how does that translate into decreasing the fat in the turkey sandwich by .6 g, but not altering the roast beef sandwich? I can’t figure that one out…

Right now the Scoop It campaign is being tested in the Kansas City metro area.  It is part of the Diabetes Friendlier meal choices (I thought it was interesting they used diabetes “friendlier” instead of friendly), and have the scooped sandwiches paired with a new drink – Vitazest Water (which with 0 calories, 0 carbs, 0 everything, is also “diabetes friendly”)  Check out the info at http://subwayscoopit.com/index.html. 

I foresee the campaign being successful, but it worries me a little that people will overestimate their calorie savings and “make up for it” elsewhere.  What do you think? Will you have your sandwiched scooped?

Through my Husband’s Eyes

When most people find out what I do, their first reaction is to look at my husband with sympathetic eyes, because surely all he gets to eat is wheat germ and sprouts.  I have a great time trying to convince them we eat more than just “rabbit” food, but somehow no one is convinced that David actually enjoys whatever I “make” him eat.  So this past Saturday, over a delicious lunch at Jason’s Deli, I asked him what his thoughts were on his eating habits, and I found his point of view very interesting…

My husband is an average guy… well, I think he is fantastically above average, but in a nutrition/health sense, he is like the typical man.  Before we got together, his single man meals were like so many others, consisting of skipping breakfast, heating up frozen lasagna for lunch and adding extra pepperoni on store bought pizzas for dinner. And he liked it.

Once we began dating, I refused to be part of a statistic (the one that shows how women gain weight once they get in a committed relationship and start adopting the man’s eating habits), so I stuck to my own healthy habits.  However, not wanting to be a nag, I didn’t try to change David’s routine, so he stuck to no breakfast, a large lunch, and nachos for dinner.  As time passed, we ate together more often.  We tried new places and new meals: customized salads, veggies and hummus, sushi, and he began making healthier choices at times, simply because he had tried and liked a wider variety of foods.

Once we were engaged, married and living together, I took over preparing most meals (because I really enjoy it!).  I started making him breakfast as I made mine, and dinners at home consisted of healthier versions of our favorite foods (chicken fajitas, homemade pizza, etc).   In David’s mind, we were still eating Mexican and pizza… not much different that he had been eating BB (Before Brittany). I didn’t buy sodas, but there was water, lemonade, tea and other options available.   David (like a lot of men I’ve worked with) was fine eating and drinking whatever was available.  Since I only had healthy options available at home, that’s what he ate. 

This past Saturday as we talked about these changes, David filled me in on his thoughts… he said that over the past few years, his eating habits changed, but they changed so slowly that he didn’t really notice.  Since we started dating, he is down about 40 pounds… each pound has slowly dropped off over the past 3-4 years.  He weighed in this past weekend at the lowest weight he’s been since high school. He attained these results without even trying (crazy, isn’t it?), and he feels good.  Now he simply has healthier habits; he orders a 6 inch instead of a foot long at Subway, he asks for no mayo on his Arby’s market fresh sandwich, he orders the buffalo chicken sandwich grilled instead of fried (he is in sales and eats out a lot), and actually puts vegetables (as opposed to all pasta and pepperoni) in his salad at the salad bar… but he still drinks “real” beer (Magic Hat #9s), sometimes let’s 6-7 hours go by in between meals, orders nachos when he wants them, but in his own words, he never feels restricted or deprived. 

I found his story to be a perfect example of what a lifestyle change is really all about: not perfection, but slow changes over time that adds up to big success.  As you look back over the past few years, what stands out in your mind as small things you’ve changed that now contribute to your healthier life? Do you take the stairs instead of the elevator? Do you snack on almonds instead of potato chips? Have you given yourself credit for the small changes you’ve made? Maybe today is the day to introduce a new small change that will yield results down the line. Please share which changes you have made to your lifestyle and the results you’ve seen from doing so!

Are you absorbing what you should from your healthy food choices?

It's easy to assume that if you eat a salad you are getting the wonderful, nutritious benefits that come along with all those veggies.  However, if you are topping your salad with a non-fat salad dressing, your body may not be able to absorb all the phytonutrients and vitamins it should be.  A little fat is needed to absorb all the good stuff from lettuce, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, etc.  I’m not saying you need to drench your salad in full-fat ranch to get the benefits, instead, choose a low fat dressing, make your own dressing with a little drizzle of olive oil and vinegar, or stick to your favorite fat-free dressing but add a few slices of avocado or a sprinkle of walnuts to ensure your body is able to absorb and use all the good stuff you are feeding it.

Here are a few other tips to making the most out of your healthy choices:

• Heat garlic to increase its potential to decrease the risk of cancer.
• Heating increases lycopene’s availability. Lycopene is an important antioxidant that helps prevent several forms of cancer. The richest source of lycopene is found in cooked tomatoes.
• Steam broccoli to increase its glucosinolates, which may help to prevent cancer.
• Cook carrots and zucchini to increase antioxidant availability.
• Canned meats and beans retain their nutrients, including thiamine, as well as freshly cooked meats and beans. (Just remember to rinse your canned beans to decrease the sodium!)
• Vitamin A and potassium are not lost during canning.(In fact in some foods, such as canned pumpkin, the vitamin A content actually is higher than it is in fresh pumpkin!)
• Canned fish has more calcium than fresh fish does. (Just be mindful of mercury levels in all fish)
• The fiber content in canned food is equivalent to that in fresh foods. (However, fresh or frozen foods will have less sodium and other preservatives than canned, while keeping the same fiber content)
• Cooking methods can change the antioxidant content and type in a food. For instance, cooking garlic in oil creates different antioxidants than the kind created by cooking the garlic in water. (My advice? Add garlic into your cooking in a variety of ways – sautéing, boiling, roasting… YUM!)
• Combining Vitamin C with iron will increase your body’s ability to absorb the iron (important for people who are anemic).  Try mixing in some mandarin oranges into your next spinach salad, or sliced red pepper into a stir fry with lean beef and edamame.

If your lifestyle doesn't control your body...

If your lifestyle doesn't control your body, eventually your body will control your lifestyle.

I heard this phrase a little while back and it has really resonated with me.  As I read it, it reminds me what my overall objective is, to be healthy, live with vitality and enjoy life.  It is so easy for us to get wrapped up in inches, pounds, body fat percentages, jean sizes, etc, but what is your underlying motivation to change these things? I have found more than once, that if your goal is completely aesthetics, then you will fail.

You can be a size 2 and look great in a bathing suit, but what good is that if your heart and lungs are failing due to poor nutrition and lack of exercise… what if you can’t even run into the waves without becoming winded and having to lie down?

I started my journey years ago with my main objective being to look good in smaller jeans.  Although this was a powerful ‘want’ in my mind, it wasn’t deep enough for me to really commit to, so I began the yo-yo journey that many people do. Sometimes I was up 10 pounds, and then I’d get mad at myself and starve until I took those 10 pounds off… only to put them back on in a couple weeks as soon as my willpower wore off.  Back then I was always asking myself, how many calories does this have in it? Can I afford it, or will it show up as back fat?  Boy, am I glad those days are over!

Now I look at food differently.  Instead of asking about how many calories and fat grams are in these potato chips, I ask myself if this food choice is contributing to my overall goal of better health.  I could choose to do the Hollywood Cookie Diet and eat cookies all day long and lose weight, but is that making me healthier? No. It limits my calories, but doesn’t provide my body with the nutrients, fiber, antioxidants and other important things that my body needs to live up to its health potential.

Now it is more important to me to eat healthfully and take care of my body so I can have many (many, many, many) years full of jumping into waves, dancing in the rain, swimming with my dog, laughing with my friends, walking with my husband, chasing my (future) kids, and enjoying life to the max. 

For me, it has taken the stress out of eating.  It doesn’t mean I never indulge in potato chips (I do, and they go great with my Grandma Betty’s famous cream cheese dip!), but the majority of the time, I base my food decisions on what will help me become healthier. And, you know what? I haven’t had a problem with my weight since I started living this way.

So, I’m curious… what do you look forward to being able to do for years to come because of the healthy choices you are making today?

Organic Produce: worth the extra buck?

Although organic produce is becoming more prevalent, the price of it generally remains higher than its conventional counterpart.  During these tough economic times, many people are left to wonder, is it worth the extra buck to go organic?

In my opinion, the answer is an emphatic ‘yes’! Not only do organic fruits and vegetables have less pesticide residue (which most people are aware of) and have more flavor (they really do taste better!), but they also have a higher nutrient content.  A 2007 study out of the United Kingdom showed that organic produce contained up to 40% higher levels of some nutrients (including Vitamin C, zinc, and iron) than its conventional counterpart.  Another 2003 study showed that organically grown berries contained 58% more polyphenols than conventionally grown berries. (Polyphenols are cancer-fighting antioxidants found in berries, as well as some other fruits and vegetables).

How is it that organic produce has more nutrients? Experts say that the secret is in the soil.  Nitrogen in organic, composted soil is released more slowly than in conventional soil, which allows the fruit or vegetable to grow slowly.  Fruits and vegetables that are fertilized with ordinary soil grow quickly and do not have time to develop all the nutrients they are supposed to.  It is also important to know that nutrient content begins to decrease after harvest, so for the most nutrient-dense foods, choose locally grown, organic produce.

Please note that the focus of this blog is on fruits and vegetables. Although I personally feel that organic milk and hormone/pesticide-free meats are worth the extra buck too, that is a topic for a different blog.  I am not, however, a strong advocate for organic, processed “junk”. I feel that companies that create organic snack foods are misleading consumers.  Please don’t be one of those people that think eating an organic cookie is going to help you lose weight.  Organic doesn’t mean that what you are eating isn’t still filled with sugar, fat and a lot of other organic junk.

If you would like to try going organic, but aren’t quite ready to commit more money to your grocery budget, check out the following list that highlights the fruits and vegetables that are most contaminated with pesticide and insecticide residues. You can pick and choose the fruits and vegetables most important to you and get the biggest bang for your organic buck.

Preferably Organic —Most Commonly Contaminated*	If Budget Allows, Buy Organic	It’s Your Call —Least Commonly Contaminated
·         Peaches ·         Apples ·         Sweet Bell Peppers ·         Celery ·         Nectarines ·         Strawberries ·         Cherries ·         Kale ·         Lettuce ·         Grapes - Imported ·         Carrots ·         Pears	·         Collard Greens ·         Spinach ·         Potatoes ·         Green Beans ·         Summer Squash ·         Peppers ·         Cucumbers ·         Raspberries ·         Grapes - Domestic ·         Plums ·         Oranges ·         Cauliflower ·         Tangerines ·         Mushrooms ·         Bananas ·         Winter Squash ·         Cantaloupe ·         Cranberries ·         Honeydew Melon ·         Grapefruit	·         Sweet Potatoes ·         Tomatoes ·         Broccoli ·         Watermelon ·         Papaya ·         Eggplant ·         Cabbage ·         Kiwis ·         Sweet Peas - Frozen ·         Asparagus ·         Mangoes ·         Pineapple ·         Sweet Corn - Frozen ·         Avocadoes ·         Onions
*Listed in order of pesticide load Source: Environmental Working Group. Go to foodnews.org for updates.

Sleep it off

It’s not news that your hormones are affected by how many hours of sleep you get.  However, many people still aren’t getting enough sleep and, as a result, are packing on (and keeping on) the pounds. Let’s take a closer look…

Leptin and ghrelin are two hormones in your body that work together to control your appetite.  Ghrelin is produced in your gastrointestinal system and stimulates hunger. Leptin is produced by fat cells and lets you know when you are full.  Lack of sleep creates hormone mayhem, as it causes ghrelin levels to rise (increasing your hunger) and sends leptin levels plummeting (leaving you less satisfied when you do eat).  As a result, you overeat to try and quench your hunger, but are never satiated because your leptin levels aren’t high enough to send your brain the message that you are full.  This troublesome combination leads to an increase in calorie consumption and weight gain.

Here are a few eye opening facts about the link between sleep and weight gain, from Columbia University in New York City:

• People who slept 6 hours a night were 23% more likely to be obese than people who slept between 7 and 9 hours.
• People who slept 5 hours were 50% more likely to be obese than people who slept between 7 and 9 hours.
• People who slept 4 hours or less were 73% more likely to be obese than people who slept between 7 and 9 hours.

What constitutes enough sleep?  In an ideal world, we’d all go to bed, fall asleep immediately, sleep solidly for 8.5 hours and wake up naturally, fresh as a daisy! I know that in today’s world of stressful jobs, busy lives and crazy kids, sleep isn’t always that easy to come by. However, knowing how much it affects your health, it is important to make time for sleep each night (“catching up” by sleeping for 10 hours on the weekends does not work to regulate your hormones).  Try not to fall below 7 hours of sleep each night.  If you are currently only getting 5 hours of sleep each night, try to increase a little at a time to make it manageable.   Try going to bed 30 minutes earlier and you will start to notice the immediate benefits of a longer night’s sleep.  Develop a bed time routine that helps you relax so you can fall asleep quickly.  Use the bedroom for only sleep and sex. Turn off the TV and leave your blackberry on the kitchen table. The world can wait until morning for your reply to an email.  DVR your favorite show that starts at 10:00pm, and watch it tomorrow at 7:00pm instead of staying up late tonight. Your health and your scale will thank you!

Do you have tips for a better night’s sleep? If so, please share them. I know many people struggle with getting enough quality sleep, so the more suggestions, the better!  

On the Road Again...

Hands down, the most common question people have about healthy eating is what to do when they are away from home.   Whether you are in your car for an afternoon, or away on a week’s vacation, here are a few tips to help keep your healthy lifestyle on track:

In the car:

• Pack your own snacks.  If you are going on a road trip, pack a cooler full of fresh cut veggies and fruit, turkey sandwiches on wheat, string cheese, and water to keep you from wasting money, time and calories at the fast food restaurants.   Also, I always keep an emergency snack pack in my car for those times you aren’t expecting to get caught in 2 hours of traffic.  Pack nonperishable items, such Kashi granola bars, 100 calorie packs of almonds or individual packs of dried fruit in the pouch behind your seat or in your arm rest.  That way, these snacks are out of site so you won’t be tempted to overindulge when you aren’t hungry, but they will always be there for when you do need them.
• If you must stop for food, try stopping at a grocery store instead of a gas station or fast food restaurant.  There are a lot of grocery store that are right off the exit, and most have a deli section where you can build your own sandwich (packed with veggies, of course), grab some cut up fruit or salad, or sometimes even sushi (an 8 piece California Roll made with brown rice usually is only about 250 calories- just watch the sodium by not soaking it in soy sauce!)
• Don’t wear your pajamas.  This may sound like a silly tip, but if you have on your biggest, softest sweatpants to make a road trip cozy, you may be tempted to eat more and snack on junk because you feel so little in those big pants.  This doesn’t mean you have to wear your skinny jeans, but wear pants that fit you well, so you will feel your stomach expanding before you reach for another bag of pretzels. 

On the plane:

• Again, bring food with you. As long as you aren’t bringing liquids (which actually include things like yogurt) in your bag, you can bring food with you through security. Put a granola bar in your purse, or go all out and pack a turkey sandwich, apple and carrots.
• If you forgot to pack a snack, I’d recommend buying food at the airport to bring with you on the plane, rather than waiting until you’ve boarded.  This is a good idea for 2 reasons:  the food aboard the plane is generally ridiculously expensive and the limited selection available is awful for you ($14 for a “snack pack” full of oreos, salt water taffy, cheese and crackers).  Inside the airport, you usually have more options. I was at the Denver airport yesterday and saw fresh fruit available, along with yogurt parfaits, grilled chicken sandwiches, custom made salads, etc.  I chose the Turkey and Craisin sandwich on whole wheat with no mayo from the Denver Airport Boulder Brewery, but all of these options would be easy to grab and take on the plane with you. No need to sit down at the Tequilaria, down chips and queso and be late for your flight.
• In mid-air, when they wheel the drink cart by, choose water (or if you are feeling fancy, choose seltzer water, which they’ll serve to you with a lime- delish!).  This will keep you well-hydrated and keep extra calories from sneaking into your day. 

In the hotel:

• If you are going to be at the hotel for a few days, ask where the local grocery store is and stock the mini-fridge with yogurt, fruit, cut veggies, low fat milk, etc.  This way you will have healthy snacks and a healthy breakfast at your disposal.  If there is no fridge, you can still get granola bars, nuts and canned fruit (choose the low sugar varieties) to keep around, so you won’t be tempted to free the Doritos from the vending machine.
• Going out to eat for dinner? Check the menu online before you go. This way you will be able to have a healthy option picked out before you arrive starving and order whatever sounds good.
• Do your research ahead of time and book a hotel that has a fitness facility or pool. If you get in a work out, you are more likely to feel motivated to keep up your healthy eating habits too.

These are just a few tips I have found to be helpful. What tips do you have for how to stay on track while away from home? Please share! J

High Fructose Frustrations

There seems to be a lot of confusion around about high fructose corn syrup.  Some health experts vilify it, while commercials (especially those made by the corn growers of America) say it’s no big deal. So what’s the truth behind all the controversy?

First, let’s take a look at what it is. HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is made by converting glucose in corn starch into fructose (both types of sugar, FYI). The resulting mix of fructose and glucose acts as a preservative (extending the shelf life of products) and is cheaper than plain, old fashion table sugar (sucrose). This is why so many companies opt to use HFCS over regular sugar.

The problem occurs when people eat and drink too many products made with HFCS. Not because HFCS is inherently bad for you (it’s no transfats!), but because, like sugar, it is high in calories and low in nutritional value.  If you are eating a lot of HFCS, it probably means you are eating a lot of processed foods and drinking a lot of sweetened soft drinks and juices. It also probably means you are at least a little bit overweight and not getting all the nutrition your body needs.

There is also some research showing that fructose is converted to fat more quickly in the body than glucose. Unlike glucose, fructose does not increase insulin or leptin production, and it does not suppress ghrelin (translation: Fructose does not decrease hunger when you eat it).

My bottom line: there is no need to go crazy, throwing out everything you have in your pantry that contains HFCS, but cutting down on your consumption of HFCS will be beneficial to your health and your waistline.  Look at labels when you are grocery shopping and try to avoid avoid products with HFCS listed under ingredients (especially if it is listed in the first few ingredients, as ingredients are listed in descending order of weight). Try these other tips to cut down on HFCS in your diet:

• Limit your amount of processed foods (bars, sauces, cereals, condiments, baked goods, etc)
• Drink water instead of soft drinks and fruit-flavored drinks
• Want the benefits of fruit? Eat a piece of the real thing, rather than drinking juice. It will help fill you up, thanks to the fiber.
• Eat more foods that occur naturally (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, etc) and don’t come in packages with nutrition labels and a long list of ingredients
• Snack on whole foods, like almonds and raw vegetables
• Chose whole grain cereals over sugary, sweetened versions

Bagelicious = Bootylicious?

Many of you have become accustomed to Arnold Sandwich Thins as being an easy, calorie conscious choice for sandwiches, mini pizzas, etc, but have you seen the new Thomas’ Bagel Thins?! Such a simple concept, but they have changed my life.

I’ve always been a carb lover, but had mostly given up bagels a few years ago due to the calorie bomb that most of them are...

• Dunkin Donut Wheat Bagel (plain) 320 calories, 3.5 g fat, 550 mg sodium
• Starbucks MultiGrain Bagel (plain) 320 calories, 4 g fat, 220 mg sodium
• Panera Whole Grain Bagel (plain) 370 calories, 3.5 g fat, 420 mg sodium

But now, Thomas’s has brought my love back to me with their new Bagel Thins! They taste just like a regular bagel, but thinner (obviously…), and the best part is for one 100% Whole Wheat Bagel Thin, it will only cost you 110 calories, 1 g fat, 190 mg sodium!

This means you could enjoy a delicious bagel thin, topped with 1 tbsp of low fat cream cheese (45 calories, 3 g fat, 100 mg sodium) for less than HALF of a regular bagel with no creamy topping…

• 100% Whole Wheat Bagel Thin + Cream Cheese = 155 calories, 4 g fat, 290 mg sodium

• Panera Whole Grain Bagel, no topping = 370 calories, 3.5 g fat, 420 mg sodium

For an even more satisfying breakfast, try the breakfast I make for my husband:

1 Whole Wheat Bagel Thin

½ c Egg Beaters (southwestern style is the best!)

2 tbsp chopped onions and peppers

1 slice reduced fat cheese

Saute the peppers and onions in a pan with a little nonstick spray, add the Egg Beaters and scramble. Sandwich the slice of cheese and egg inside the Bagel Thin and enjoy a satisfying breakfast that will stick with you for only 220 calories, 5 g fat!

With a breakfast that low in calories, you’ll be able to add in some fresh fruit and coffee with milk as well. Bagel lovers unite, and bring the joy back to breakfast!

On again, off again...

A common habit I see in my clients is a weekly switch from being “on” the diet or “off” the diet. This makes losing weight or being healthy so much harder than it has to be. First of all, the word diet has GOT to go. I nixed in from my vocabulary and I suggest you do the same. The use of the word diet automatically implies that the method of weight loss you are using is a temporary change in your eating habits used only to get you to a desired weight. Diets are pointless on so many levels, including the fact that years of off and on dieting will wreck your metabolism, will deprive your body of nutrients it needs to be healthy and to keep working correctly, and will drive you insane as you put your will power up against the biological NEED of hunger.

There is a lot of talk of lifestyle change. In my opinion it gets thrown around too much without people really focusing on what it implies. With a lifestyle change, you are not starving yourself, obsessing over every calorie or staring at the seconds slowly pass on the treadmill.  You are not eating only cabbage, drinking only liquids or staying home every night afraid to face the calories that going out to dinner with your friends will bring. So that’s what it isn’t. What it IS, is small changes. Focus on including more fruits and vegetables. Make a goal; I will eat 3 fruits instead of 2 fruits today. Is that hard? I will take a 15 minute walk around the block after work. EASY.  Now these small changes will not immediately make weight fly off your hips, but they will begin chipping away at it, and more importantly they will bring important changes to your life, such as more energy, glowing skin, and a better night’s rest. Don’t underestimate how good these will make you feel.