Throw Away Your Fat Clothes!

Why Do I Crave Chocolate?

2009-11-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

The answer may surprise you... but the reason you crave chocolate is because it tastes good! Besides something sweet on your tongue, something creamy in your mouth, and some calories and fat to ward off any hunger that may occur over the next few hours, it temporarily boosts your blood sugar, and even alters some chemicals in your brain that make you feel better. The caffeine may help you become more alert, and at the same time the serotonin (a neurotransmitter) more calm. Why wouldn't we crave chocolate constantly? It does so much for us!

A better question may be "why do you give into the craving?" or "Why are you constantly focusing on it?"

Let's look at the second scenario first:

If you are trying to lose weight or eat healthier, you may continue to remind yourself that chocolate is "not allowed" on your diet or it's "forbidden" or it's "bad". When you tell yourself that something isn't good for you, even though you like it, you are making yourself want it more. Think about things you were told you could not have as a child. As soon as something was "forbidden" you wanted it more. When you were allowed to have it, it lost some of its appeal.

Let chocolate lose some of it's forbidden appeal and let yourself have some. Not a pound bar. You might not even want to keep it around the house or your office. What if you let yourself buy a tootsie roll every day or a peppermint patty? Is there a reasonable amount of chocolate that you could savor, enjoy, not feel guilty about, and have your craving satisfied?

Perhaps your answer is "no" because some people simply cannot have one piece. "I'll eat the entire bag" they say, or "If I can't have a whole candy bar I don't want just one bite".

If you find a happy medium that works for you, like a few chocolate kisses in the afternoon, you may find your cravings aren't monopolozing your thoughts throughout the day.

Okay, then let's address the other question: "Why are you allowing yourself to give in to the craving?"

Think of some of the impulses we deal with each and every day. What are you craving that you just do not act upon because it's not socially acceptable? What if you would just love to plant a big smooch on that new handsome guy at work? Certainly, you aren't going to do it!

What if you would just love to smack that gum out of the mouth of your coworker who annoyingly insists on chewing as loud as a cow all day long? Nope, you aren't going to give into that either.

If your friend got a brand new designer purse and you were just aching to take it home and make it your own, would you do it? No. Why not... You want it.

Think about other desires you have in your life that you don't act on even though it would feel good in the moment. What stops you? Consequences?

The next time you crave chocolate think about what you really want, how you would feel if you had some, and what the consequences would be. Not sure? Let me give you a little tip: If you eat a 300 calorie candy bar every day for a month, you'll gain three pounds. Ouch. Keep it up and you're looking at 36 pounds a year. Not gaining weight? This means you are eating the same number of calories your body burns, and on the flip side that would mean that giving up the daily chocolate bar would result in a weight loss of 36 pounds a year. Some consequences, eh?

Why DO you crave chocolate. More importantly, what are you going to do about it?

What is Your Payoff For Staying Overweight?

2009-11-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

Are you someone who is overweight, wishing you could lose the extra pounds, but never being able to stick faithfully to a weight-loss plan that works? Have you been overweight for a long time, or did the pounds come on at a certain point in your life, maybe after a major life change? Consider the fact that perhaps having the extra weight is serving a purpose in your life.

People who carry extra pounds may benefit from sitting down and doing some serious thinking. What is the reason the weight is not coming off? What is the reason it came on in the first place? It could just be as simple as "I lost control of my eating" or "food just tastes too good to resist". Maybe you just hate to exercise or you have physical restrictions which keep you from being very active.

But maybe being overweight is serving a purpose in your life. Consider the story of Ernie, a successful loser who tells his story in the book "Thin For Life" by Anne M. Fletcher, MS, RD. One of his payoffs was that he could avoid certain tasks he didn't want to complete: "I didn't have to mow the lawn on a hot day," he recalls, "because I might have a heart attack". Do you use your weight to get out of doing something you can't just say you don't want to do?

Some overweight people use their weight as an excuse not to be sociable at times. They don't want to go out in the evening because they enjoy relaxing at home. They use their weight as an excuse, "I just don't want to go out as long as I'm overweight--I'm not comfortable dressing up". Is it possible you could be a healthy weight and tell your friends, "I prefer to relax at home in the evening"?

Women in positions of authority have been reported to carry extra weight in order to appear more imposing and directorial. They presume that if they were small and feminine, they wouldn't be regarded with as much power. Perhaps it is the person, not the way the person looks, that commands respect.

Attractive, flirtatious women have been known to put on weight after they marry: In their mind this reduces the chance they will attract another man and have to deal with putting off unwanted advances, or deal with the possibility of entertaining an affair.

And sometimes being overweight just allows us to continue to be inattentive to our diet, exercise, and health in general. "I can eat whatever I want if I'm fat anyway". Being too heavy to exercise certainly carries the benefit of having an excuse not to exercise!

How is your extra weight serving you? Does it allow you to easily avoid social situations; prevent intimate relationships with the opposite sex; keep your sister from being jealous of your gorgeous figure; or give you another reason to eat whatever you like?

Ernie suggests finding a "less neurotic way to get what you want. If you don't want to mow the lawn. . . hire a kid to do it".

My Diet Isn't Working: What Can I Try Now??

2009-11-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

I am a 55 year old woman who has struggled with my weight most of my life. Most recently I spent 2 1/2 years on Nutrisystem and I successfully lost a total of 40 pounds. Now I have gained back 8 since I went off of it in January. I went back to Weight Watchers but have lost nothing -- not even the 8 pounds I gained back. It's been an "up 2, down 1; down 2 up one" kind of thing for months now. I also got a Wii Fit and exercise 30-40 minutes a day - have been doing that now for over 3 months, but no effect on weight. My MD tested my thyroid and she also ran some other blood tests and says that my metabolism is normal. Any suggestions would be appreciated! Barbara B.

Dear Barbara,
I can certainly appreciate your frustration with sticking to an exercise and diet regimen and not seeing the weight coming off. It sounds like Weight Watchers has worked for you in the past, but it's just not working now. Since Nutrisystem was what worked best for you more recently, what do you think about going back to that program again? Sometimes the simplest answer is the one that works!

Just one other suggestion I have....I usually find that people are not sticking very strictly to their program when they are not seeing the scale move. I always recommend keeping a diet and exercise diary. Since we notice how restricted we feel most of the day and most days per week, we tend to let the diet slide a bit to reward ourselves. Same with exercise: "since I do it almost every day, I'm going to take a few days off because I'm a little under the weather, I'm busy, the weather is bad" you name it!
If you are totally honest with yourself, have you been exercising literally every single day for three months? Have you never gone over your points with weight watchers?

Every once in a while we follow the plan to the letter without good results. But much of the time it's when we follow it "most of the time" that the weight just isn't coming off.

Good luck!

Great ways to get exercise at home!

2009-10-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Do you think you need to join a gym to get enough exercise? Wonder how you'll go for your long walks once the cold sets in? Feel like you don't want to go out in public and get all sweaty?
My friend Gail has some great tips for working out inside the comfort of your own home. Some of these are fun! I especially love the idea of checking out a variety of work-out tapes from your library to keep mixing things up. If you haven't tried Zumba, check it out--fun Latin dance moves with energetic music keep you from getting bored!

Read Gail's full article here: http://www.easy-weightloss-tips.com/exercise-indoors-without-special-equipment.html

Do You Save Room . . . Or Make Room?

2009-10-11T14:31:00.001-07:00

When it comes to dessert, do you save room or make room? Last night my husband and I were out to dinner with another couple. We shared a couple of appetizers, a basket of bread, and then each dug into our own delicious meal. I purposefully searched the menu for a lighter entree after all the "pre meal" calories I had eaten. I ordered fish with a side of pasta. The serving was large. I was able to eat half of the food on the plate and have the waiter put the rest in a take-home container.

By this time I noticed I was the only one at the table who hadn't cleaned my plate. Well, sometimes it's difficult not to! I mean there are dishes that just taste too good to stop eating. Plus, the conversation was flowing, we were enjoying each other's company and the background live piano music in the restaurant. There are times your plate is just cleaned before you know it, despite your best intentions.

But I was consciously saving room for dessert, because I knew the platter of sumptuous selections was going to be paraded by our table and I knew my husband and I were going to share one of them. So when the other couple said, "none for us, thank you" and I explained that I had saved room for dessert by finishing only half my meal, my husband gave me a curious look. "Saved room?" he asked. "I didn't 'save' room, but I can make room".

What about you? If you are going to have dessert do you eat less at your meal? Perhaps pass on an extra roll or go without a calorie-containing beverage?
If you know you're going out to dinner, for that matter, do you eat lighter earlier in the day, knowing you are likely to be taking in a few hundred excess calories at a restaurant meal?

Splurging on a great meal--or a great dessert--can be a real treat. And you don't have to tip the calorie balance that keeps you from your weight loss goal. Eat lighter earlier in the day, or during the meal before dessert. Save room and save calories. If you're 'making' room for dessert your body may not need the extra calories!

Hear Coach Laurie Interviewed for Weight Loss Tips!

2009-10-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to hear Raw Andrew interview me for some helpful weight loss tips: http://www.shedyourweight.com/interview_with_laurie_beebe_dietitian_and_weight_loss_coach.html
You can listen now and hear us talk about the major obstacles to weight loss and how to get past them; the truth about fad diets and if you should follow them; the importance of having a good mindset to stop sabotaging your own weight loss plans.

The best way to lose weight is by eating healthy nutritious food and exercising. And it seems that the best way to keep the weight off is by maintaining the healthy eating habits and continuing to exercise.

Laurie also explains why you should seek professional weight loss help, especially if you are having a hard time losing weight. A good weight loss coach will hold you accountable and will guide you, making sure that you will take the less resistance path for weight loss.

Feel free to comment on Andrew's page or leave your thoughts here!

Can I Eat In Any Restaurants On My Diet?

2009-09-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

Now there's a website that can answer that question for you!
HealthyDiningFinder.com is a great find. When you go to the website, you enter your zip code and any other criteria (like price ranges for meals) you want to specify. They'll come back with restaurants in the area that participate in their program, and entrees or appetizers that you can choose that are healthy.

The calorie criteria is not very strict--a meal can have up to 700 calories to be considered 'healthy'--but that's not too bad for a dinner, depending on your daily calorie allowance. (To give most of you a better idea, that equals nearly 14 weight watcher points).

Each restaurant will advise you how to order special requests to keep your meal within the healthy allowance. For instance, they may specify you need to ask for the sauce on the side, ask for "no mayonnaise", ask for the meat to be broiled, or some other side to be left off, such as guacamole.
And many of the items are far less than 700 calories. The calorie content is specified for each dish.

This can come in handy the next time you want to go out to dinner at your favorite restaurant, join your co-workers for a lunch out, or even if you're out of town and aren't familiar with the local fare.

Give it a shot and let me know what you find!

"Easy Diet Labels" Help You Follow Your Diet Regimen

2009-09-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

Check out this new product I came across reading Gail Davis' "Quick and Easy Weight Loss Tips" blog.

They're called "Easy Diet Food Labels" and they come in four variety packs:
One set is used to label your foods based on calorie content (low, moderate, or high); another for heart healthy foods (lower in cholesterol, fat, or sodium); a third for carb content, and my favorite, "family eating habits" to help guide your family members in their food choices. You choose the set you would most often use for your particular preferences.

Sure, someone has to read the label! But once you know what category the food fits into you just slap the sticker on in a conspicuous place and then when your husband or kids go to grab the item, they are forewarned by a warning label (often designed like a caution or stop sign) or the go-ahead green sticker for the green light to enjoy!

The cost is quite reasonable, at $3.99 for a package of 125 stickers... however, the cost of shipping was over $5 a package through Amazon and that changed my mind about ordering. It was easy to place an order through the Amazon site, and there are other venues where you can purchase these stickers.
Check out the website at http://www.easydietlabels.com/ for more details.

Happy dieting :)

Six Creative Ways to a Thinner You

2009-09-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Doesn’t dieting get boring? Counting calories and feeling deprived, and dragging through day after day until you can go off your diet is no way to lose weight. Try these six creative ways to weight loss and eradicate the boredom from weight loss plans forever.

1. Switch the focus from taking things out of your diet to adding things in:
On most diets we make lists of foods to eliminate: “no chocolate”, “no desserts”, “no eating out” in order to reduce calorie intake and this leads to cravings and feelings of deprivation. Instead, plan on adding things into your diet that are good for you: more glasses of water, more fresh fruits, more vegetables, and more whole grains. If you actually succeed at eating and drinking more of these healthy and filling things, you
won’t be hungry for some of the empty calories you’re used to eating, and the result will be weight loss!

2. Keep a journal, and make it fun: If you know that writing down everything you eat helps you lose weight, but you hate the idea, switch things up a bit; keep a record of how many minutes you exercise each day, or how many fruits and vegetables you eat—go for a record!

I know one woman who likes to track her “calories saved” every time she craves something high-calorie but instead walks away…”saved 550 calories driving by DQ instead of going in and ordering a blizzard” might be one of her entries. Then you can see the cumulative results of your positive actions add up during the week with lots of calories that you passed up.

3. Establish a reward system just like one that worked for you when you were a kid! I like to use pretty little stickers of flowers or smiley faces and give myself one in the margin of my appointment book for every day that I walk more than 10,000 steps or eat fewer than 1600 calories, for instance. When I accumulate a certain number of stickers, say 20 in a month, I treat myself to something worth that many ‘points’ like a
massage or a pedicure or a new book. Be sure you know what you’re working towards to give yourself that extra motivation, and start burning more calories and eating fewer to help you get to your weight loss goal.

4. Pedometer challenges. There are several websites that host pedometer logs and goals, and most pedometers come with an insert of ideas for you to get walking! The suggested daily number of steps—10,000—is about 5 miles. This includes any walking you do during the day, so you can get more in by parking a little farther away, taking steps instead of the elevator (even going down stairs adds to your accumulated steps), or walking up and down the aisles at the grocery store. Start by logging your usual daily steps for a week so you get an idea of your starting point. Then strive to add another 1000 every week until you get to your own personal daily goal.

Here’s an FYI: You burn about 100 calories for every mile you walk, which equals about 2000 steps. This makes it fun to go out and aim to burn 100 calories during a run to the grocery store and feel good about all the walking you’re doing when you have to take those steps anyway!

5. Switch up the diets. You may have found that there is a diet plan that works for you, but you just can’t stay on it for more than a few weeks. If you can stay on Atkins or Weight Watchers or Medifast for nearly a month, but then can’t manage another day, set a goal of just a few weeks for each diet. Instead of going off the diet and back to your usual way of eating (which lead to your weight gain), you’ll continue to see weight loss results every week as you continue to eat fewer calories . . . it doesn’t really matter which plan you are on! You might set some other goals that work for you for short terms, like “pack your lunch every day for 2 weeks” or “eat vegetarian at dinner for 2 weeks” or “have 5 small meals a day for the next 2 weeks”. These are all steps that reduce calories for most people and will lead to weight loss even though it’s an unusual way to go about dieting.

6. Games and blogs: Some people write blogs to journal their journey of weight loss and this may give you motivation to keep going—especially if you dare to make it public! One journalist wrote daily dieting blurbs on twitter throughout the day. She said it worked well for her because it kept her accountable—she knew people were watching and, what’s more, they were rooting for her.

Another blogger asked for a sponsor each week during the 52 weeks of her diet—each seven days she lost weight for the follower who was cheering on her efforts and that kept her motivated.

Look for games to motivate you towards your weight loss goal. One game works on a bingo-like board, with a board of 16 squares for you to cover every time you perform a certain activity: it might be eating a fresh fruit or having a healthy breakfast; having 6 glasses of water in one day; or going for a 5,000 step walk (about 2-1/2 miles). Play with others in your family, make up new activities, or challenge yourself to going for a ‘blackout’ and cover every square on the board! (see product listing here if you'd like to try the game).

Diets are dreary and exercise can be something we don’t look forward to. In order to lose weight through eating fewer calories and burning more calories, strive to make eating healthy and exercising fun any way you can. Then developing healthy eating and exercise habits will be something you can look forward to as you shed those unwanted pounds.

Please leave us your comments to let us know what creative ways you have for weight loss and if one of the ones mentioned above worked for you!

Stop Dieting and Start Losing Weight!

2009-09-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Chances are you've been on and off weight loss diets numerous times, but you probably weigh just as much now as you ever did. Do you get it? This means diets don't work. So stop going on diets and looking for the magic one that works for you. Here's why diets fail to help you lose weight and what you can do to get those pounds off for good.

1. Going on a diet implies you will go off it some day, right? You get this strict meal plan that outlines what you can eat, what you can't eat, and what times and how much. You resolve to stick to it strictly to get off a number of pounds for some special event coming up. And then, you can't wait to go off the diet! How is this going to help you keep the weight off? You're going to be looking for another diet a few months later when the weight comes back on. Meanwhile, eating something "not allowed" leads you to see yourself as being "off the diet". So you go and eat whatever you want until it's Monday, or some other appointed time to go back on the diet. See a pattern here?

2. Associating your self-worth with your diet adherance: I hear people talk about missteps on their diet, beating themselves up! "I really blew it this weekend" they say, or "I was so bad last night" or "I totally cheated when we went out". They are not pointing out that one choice was not good, or if they could do it over they would make a different decision. No, they are saying "I was a bad person" or "I failed at what I was trying to do". This just makes you feel worse and often people who are overweight turn to food to comfort themselves when they feel bad about themself. Not exactly helpful when trying to lose weight!

3. Feelings of Deprivation: How much do you want ice cream when you're on a diet that does not allow any? Pretty much, right?! As you plod along on your strict weight loss regimen, most of your focus is on foods you can't have: no cookies, no chocolate, no potato chips. On some diets it's even worse--maybe no pasta or other carbs or maybe it's no more than a few hundred calories per meal, leaving you hungry most of your waking hours. How long can a person be expected to stay on an eating plan that keeps them craving foods they are used to eating and that they love to eat? Not very long. So it's off the diet again and back to your old habits--habits that put the weight on in the first place.

4. Rewards of food: People who are overweight sometimes have the habit of using food for comfort, or a reward system, or a celebration. Heck, food is good for any emotion, isn't it?! Let's say you are going along, following a diet really well for a week and losing weight. Time to reward yourself and break out the cookies! Ooops, that doesn't help the weight loss plan. What if you "cheated" and "blew" your diet and ate what you weren't supposed to so you feel bad about it? I suppose eating some ice cream will make you feel better. Using food to soothe or celebrate may be what put some of the weight on in the first place, and until this changes, a long term weight loss will not be successful.

5. You can't live on a diet forever: The fact is, you can lose weight on a diet. For as long as you take in fewer calories than you burn, the weight will come off. But you can't stay on most diets for long. Eliminating food groups, counting daily calories, or eating pre-packaged meals isn't realistic to do on a daily basis in the long term. What works is establishing new habits, learning to eat lower calorie choices every time you eat, and working a healthy lifestyle into your every day life.

Dieting may get the weight off while you can adhere to a strict plan, but once you go off the diet the weight will return. Stop dieting and start living! Get into a healthy routine as a way of life, lose weight, and keep it off for good.

Pay Close Attention To the Food Label

2009-09-06T13:53:00.001-07:00

I just returned from the grocery store where I was looking for some tasty munchies that weren't too high in calories. Most chips and snacks have 120-180 calories per serving. Some serving sizes are quite small!

So I found this new variety of chex mix (their sweet-n-salty variety) which contains 9 servings at 120 calories each. That sounded good, so I bought them.

Well, I started thinking when I got home--this looks almost like a 'big grab' bag of a snack that would realistically only be two or three servings. I started thinking that if anyone in the household opened the bag, they would easily eat half of it and not realize they had downed what I calculated to be 540 calories--an awful lot for a snack!

So I decided to portion the bag out into the 9 servings in little snack baggies.

Only I ran out of chex mix way before I got to the 9 baggies!

Here is what I managed, pictured on the right: Five--count 'em--FIVE little baggies. Now, I think the little ziploc bagful is okay for a snack, but I also think most people would probably easily eat two of the portions I ended up with if they weren't paying careful attention, or dishing out their snack serving before they sat down to eat it. Eating out of the bag would surely be a lost cause!

Meanwhile, if I eat one of these portions I just made, it comes out to about 215 calories. Not what I had in mind for a lower-calorie snack!

If you've been reading labels for portion sizes and calories, good for you! But my little experiment showcases how off we can be when thinking about an amount of a food we might realistically eat. Think about portioning out your snacks in a measured dish next time you count on having one with a reasonable number of calories!

Six Steps to Get to the Weight of Your Dreams

2009-09-03T03:18:00.000-07:00

What habits have been keeping you the weight you are right now?
You really can lose a significant amount of weight by making only a few small lifestyle changes. Try one of these or shoot for them all, and see the weight melt off after a few short weeks.

1. Keep a diet diary: This is a simple step that requires no more than a pen or pencil and a small notebook. Yet it's been proven over and over again during the past few decades that recording a person's intake invariably results in their weight loss. It increases awareness of what is being eaten, and gives one a second thought before unconsciously eating something for a purpose other than hunger. You'll find yourself putting back all sorts of sweets and treats and walking away shaking your head, thinking, "I sure don't want to record that I ate that"!

2. Regular walks: Although vigorous cardiac exercise will certainly burn more calories, a regular walking routine helps millions of people lose weight and keep it off. Simply put, every mile walked burns an average of 100 calories, regardless of your speed, and this will add up to a pound of weight loss after approximately one month. Keep in mind, this adds up to 12 pounds of weight loss by the end of the year!

3. Feel good now, and envision yourself feeling better: Getting down on yourself about your weight, appearance, or eating habits doesn't do anything positive for you. Start learning to like yourself for who you are and remind yourself of all the positive attributes you possess. Feeling good about yourself may reduce the number of times you turn to food to feel better. Then envision who you want to be, and spend a great deal of the day feeling what's it's like to be in those shoes. Whenever you have time (while you're showering, driving, walking, or doing other tasks which you currently spend berating your last binge) practice being the person you want to become. Thinking positively is immensely powerful in getting you to where you want to be.

4. Know what you're eating: Read labels, comparison shop, look up restaurant menus on the internet, and collect fast food nutritional information. You can't know what is in a food (how many calories, grams of fat, grams of sugar, etc) without the nutritional label. Lots of websites have information on the foods that do not yet have labels, so seek these out and be an informed consumer. You may easily find ways to save hundreds of calories a day by choosing a different fast food entree or another brand of soup!

5. Eat healthy foods: You do not have to give up chocolate forever or go on a crazy fad diet in order to lose weight. Get in the habit of eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and while you're at it you can have a snack in between meals, and--yes--even before bed. Find snacks that contain fewer than 200 calories, like Skinny Cow Ice Cream Novelties, Weight Watcher bars, or granola-type bars which are abundantly available.
As for meals, try using smaller plates and take only one serving. Don't starve yourself--you can start eating like this and keep losing weight for a long time to come, and you won't feel like you're on a diet!

6. Hang out with healthy eaters: It's difficult to be around people who want to go out for pizza, ice cream, or buffets. Concentrate on socializing with others who like to eat healthy foods and take a cue from them.
Maybe you'll even take a walk together :)
Try starting some new healthy habits and see yourself shrink to your old healthy weight once again.

If you would like the assistance of a personal diet coach to get you on the road to weight loss, come on over to http://www.mycoachlaurie.com or email me at laurie@mycoachlaurie.com. We'll get you started right away!

The Five Worst Ways To Attempt Weight Loss (aside from cutting off a limb)

2009-09-01T02:57:00.000-07:00

There are some pretty bad ideas out there to supposedly help people lose weight. Unfortunately there are more people who are desperate to lose weight. So they will try anything... things that are unbelievable, pills and potions that are unhealthy, and procedures that are downright dangerous. Have you been using one of these methods to lose weight? Let us know how they worked for you!

1. Diet pills, including over-the-counter and 'herbal' supplements

Do you really believe any claim that tells you, “eat whatever you like and no need to exercise!” or “lose weight while you sleep”? You must be kidding … do you think if such a magic pill or potion existed that Oprah would still be anything over a size 6?

Whatever is included in these pills may include stimulants similar to caffeine to simulate the speedy feeling you can get that blunts your hunger response. It can also increase your blood pressure and cause other serious side effects.

If the supplement is made from ‘herbs’ or other ‘natural’ ingredients, it’s likely not regulated by the FDA so you really don’t know what’s in it, or if it’s unsafe.

2. Crash Diets

Going on a diet plan that provides you with less than 1200 calories can help you lose weight very quickly—but that’s not all. You can’t possibly get the nutrition you need if you’re eating less than 1200 calories, so you’ll end up suffering in the long run. That is, if you can stay on the diet for more than a couple of days!

Chances are you’ll find yourself starving and miserable and give up in a short time. If you don’t, you may lose several pounds, but—I’m sure you know—you’ll gain it right back when you return to your usual eating habits.

3. Liposuction

Don’t get me wrong: liposuction does have its place. It’s designed to suck fat off of small body parts where fat can accumulate and cannot be lost by dieting: places like your chin.

It is not a procedure for sucking 15 extra pounds of fat off your midsection! Any plastic surgeon who agrees to this is likely not board-certified (check out his credentials) and is putting your health at risk to use this technique when a healthy diet and exercise plan would work just as well.

4. Colon Cleanses

Colon cleanses do not help you lose weight. Oh, sure, you may see a lower number on the scale when you step on, just as you would if you had an episode of food-poisoning induced diarrhea, or heavy sweating from spending too long in a sauna.

You can lose water-weight, along with water, electrolytes, and other essential nutrients that can leave you feeling downright weak and sick.

Colon cleanses are not regulated by any state licensing bureaus, so you never know what you’re in for … it’s just not a good idea. It’s not necessary either, since your body naturally cleanses your intestines regularly—it’s called having a bowel movement.

5. Fad Diets

These diets, like any other, work for as long as you can stay on them. Not to be confused with some of the popular diet-chain centers that provide you with group support, nutrition classes, and counseling (which can be very nutritious and simple to follow, and end up working for many people) fad diets aren’t typically ones you can stay on for long. Something like the Cookie Diet, the Cabbage Soup Diet, or the Beverly Hills Diet have set plans for each day, and warn you to ‘drink plenty of water’ and stay on the diet only for a limited period of time. That’s because these diets are incomplete sources of many nutrients and the promoters know you could get truly sick from eating like this for any length of time.

These are the bad ideas--how can you tell if a diet plan is good? The hallmark of a good diet is one that provides nutrition, but also gives you fewer calories than you burn. You can stay on it for any length of time. And there aren't any crazy promises like "lose up to 80 pounds this month (results not typical)". It is possible to lose weight while staying healthy, and not feel like you are starving and deprived. An optimal weight loss diet is one you can stay on indefinitely, as you see the pounds come off and feel satisfied at the same time. It actually becomes a way of life as you replace healthy new habits for older bad ones.

If you are ready to lose weight the healthy way, consider having your own diet coach. I can provide you with one-on-one counseling—short term or long term—or you can do-it-yourself with some aid from my e-course or e-books. Check them out on http://www.mycoachlaurie.com/productmenu.

You Can Lose Over 50 Pounds: Just Take Your Time

2009-08-31T10:34:00.000-07:00

Losing a lot of weight can be extremely intimidating. Start with a few simple steps, see quick results, and stay motivated to continue on with your success.

1. The first step is acknowledging that you did not gain 50 pounds overnight, so you aren’t going to lose it that quickly either. Experts recommend aiming to lose 10% of your body weight over the next six months. This means losing 20 pounds in six months if you weigh 200 pounds.

Chances are, this is not the amount of time you had in mind to lose 20 pounds—many people want it off in a month or less. But once you recognize that slow and sure is the way to get it off and keep it off, you’ll be more comfortable making simple changes in your diet for lasting weight loss. You probably know from numerous crash diets in the past that losing eight pounds in a week doesn’t mean a thing when you gain it right back; nor is it pleasant to be starving for any length of time.

Eating a healthy diet means the weight will come off in time, and you won’t be suffering during the next several months while you lose weight.

2. Second, you can’t know what to change in your diet without knowing how you eat on a typical day. We don’t usually realize all that we eat during any given day: the Danish we hastily gulp down at the breakfast meeting; the quick drive-thru lunch to give us some energy before we get back to work; the leftovers we clean off our child’s plate; the munching we do while watching TV: these all add up to hundreds of calories a day without us even realizing we’ve eaten any of it! So it’s imperative you start keeping a food diary.

Just write down what you eat within 10 minutes of eating it (or selective memory will forget you ever ate it). This helps people lose weight by making us aware that we are going to eat something. You’ll find that very often you stop and think, “I don’t really want to eat this—I’ll have to write it down and add it to my intake list and it’s a lot of empty calories”.

Trust me on this: try it for two weeks. Numerous research studies have proven this as an effective weight loss technique that works without going on any crazy diet.

3. Finally, learn to eat reasonably. This doesn’t mean you can never eat chocolate again or you can never go out to eat again: Start with just trying to eat a basic, healthy diet. You know what good foods are and what crappy, high-calorie/empty nutrition foods are. Just eat more of the better ones (like fruits and whole grain and veggies and low-fat dairy) and less of the junky ones.

Schedule meals if you have to, like you would an appointment. Skipping breakfast invariably leads to making up for it later; same with lunch. Have a sensible breakfast (cereal or toast or yogurt and fruit) that doesn’t take up too much of your time if that’s an issue in the morning; find a lunch you like and try to stick with a consistent menu every day…. Maybe a frozen diet meal with less than 300 calories with a salad or fruit you can add to round it off, or a sandwich and some veggie sticks and a yogurt or string cheese.

Dinner should be a lean, broiled or baked meat portion of 6 ounces or less, a vegetable, and a cup of starch (such as pasta, rice, or potatoes). Plan a snack in the evening if you like to have one; just find one that has less than 200 calories and save yourself another few hundred over that bag of chips or pint of high-fat ice cream.

Including 30 minutes of walking a day will be a big help also. The more you move, the more calories you’ll burn.

The idea is to change your lifestyle for good. Try small and easy changes one step at a time so that you replace all the bad habits that led to gaining weight, with great habits that will keep you lean and healthy for the rest of your life.

Want more ideas on how to develop healthy habits that are simple? Choose from a selection of e-books to assure you will make the best choices for snacks, breakfast, fast food meals, and all-around lifestyle changes for weight loss at http://www.mycoachlaurie.com/products

Eat The Part You Like!

2009-08-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

I happened upon a great method of weight loss a few years back, when I made friends with a woman at work and we started having our lunch together. We quickly discovered we liked different parts of the same dishes in many cases: she liked the chowder and I liked the clams; she liked the chocolate chips and I liked the cookie; she liked the apple pie filling and I liked the crust. We started to share certain foods, realizing we were only eating half as much as we would have been had we ordered the food by ourself! We would share a slice of layer cake at office birthday parties, she taking the chocolate layer and handing me the white which I preferred.

This is a great principle I have developed and used by myself in the years since: only eat the part you like! Even though I don't work with this woman any longer, I remember that I didn't miss the apple pie filling when we split a slice and I ended up with a plate of just apple-moistened crust. I now order hamburgers in restaurants without the bun (I don't care for the bread, but enjoy the meat patty) and salads without the cheese or croutons; I remove the crumbs from breaded fish and pick the meat and green beans out of beef stew, leaving the carrots and gravy behind.

I leave things on my plate that aren't my favorite instead of feeling compelled to eat the entire dish. And then I count the calories left behind, adding them all up in my head to calculate how much weight I won't gain this month because I didn't eat the part I didn't like!

What can you leave behind to save a hundred calories?

Make Friends With Snacks

2009-08-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

Are you struggling to lose weight? Can't stick to your diet? Is one of your rules "No eating between meals?" Well toss that one right out the window! Snacks can be a nourishing contribution to your diet, as well as a great pick-me-up in the afternoon. The key, as you may have guessed, is choosing the right snacks.

Here are a few rules to follow to keep your snacks smart and healthy and prevent them from sabotaging your diet:

1. Plan snacks ahead of time. Know that you have one coming up can really help get you past a dessert craving or walk past a candy dish. Keep smart snacks in your desk at work or even in your handbag so their available whenever the hungries start to overwhelm you. I'm a big fan of granola-type bars like those pictured above. Look for those providing less than 150 calories, and containing some vitamins and fiber. Also try to compare labels and choose the lowest fat grams per serving. If you have the storage facilities, other healthy snacks are fresh fruits (canned fruits work, too), yogurt (again, look for those under 150 calories per serving), or a bowl of cereal.

2. Have that conversation with your inner child. When you hear that two-year-old having a tantrum in your head, screaming "I want a candy bar now", take a minute to address her instead of just trying to push her away with a loud 'NO'... after all, think about how that's worked for you in the past. Go ahead, even though it sounds silly, and ask her, "what is it you're looking for right now?". Chances are that part of you is stressed, or bored, or anxious, or--yes--maybe even hungry. If you're hungry, it's time for a healthy snack! If you're looking for something else, food won't really help. Consider taking a break from your desk, a quick walk, a drink of water, or emailing a friend to vent. Give yourself ten minutes to wait and see if the child settles down. Even if this works one or two times, you're getting some positive results!

3. Start living with healthy habits. Get a mantra to help you dedicate your behaviors to what really is important in your life. Whatever is meaningful to you (like, "I am nourishing my body and treating it right so it will treat me right when I'm older", or "garbage in, garbage out", or even "my body is my temple") write it down and post it everywhere until it becomes imbedded in your brain so it is a belief you don't even question! Challenge your inner child when she starts whining and convince yourself to avoid the vending machine: How much satisfaction will you get from that candy bar? Most people answer "about two minutes"--as long as it takes to eat it! How long will you be feeling good about skipping the candy bar? As soon as the craving passes you'll be patting yourself on the back for at least the rest of the day! And the results will be showing on you for the rest of your life, every time you choose the better option.

Decide what's really important to you, and if it's living healthy, that includes eating healthy! Make up your mind to develop new habits and eat right every day, every hour. (And if you mess up one hour, don't beat yourself up about it! Just get back on track the very next minute and don't wait until Monday!)
Now go out and buy some healthy snacks so you can start living right tomorrow, and throwing away your fat clothes in a few weeks!

If snacks are sabotaging YOUR diet, download my e-book "Smart Snacks", and learn how to start snacking healthier and see weight loss results right away! Find this book and others for under $10 at http://www.mycoachlaurie.com/products.html

Going Out For Ice Cream

2009-07-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here's a great tip to save calories when you're taking the family out for an ice cream treat: Order the kiddie cone! That's right, most establishments offer a very small sized cone that's usually served to little kids. But adults may order them as well.

After all, when you go out for ice cream it's usually the taste of the ice cream and the experience you're after, and that can be achieved with a few bites and a little cake cone. How often do you go out and get ice cream because you're really starving? How many times have you finished a cone and gone back for another because it wasn't enough?

Here's what you can save by ordering the tot-sized serving:

McDonald's kiddie cone has 45 calories and a small cone has 150 calories

Dairy Queen tot sized cone has 150 calories and their small is 230 (their medium is 330 calories)

If you order a blizzard, go for the small size as well: it has a whopping 550 calories, but the medium (which most people order because, well, "small" just doesn't have the appeal) has an average of 775 calories.

Choose a small size when going for a treat, or share your calories with a friend! You can still treat yourself, but treat yourself well by saving a few hundred calories every time you do.

Let us know about the next time you order a small size instead of large or medium ... do you notice any difference in your satisfaction?

Do The Math and Lose It Now

2009-06-19T09:31:00.000-07:00

A very common question I am asked is "How much weight can I lose in two weeks?" or "How long would it take me to lose 25 pounds?" The idea of losing a specific number of pounds in a set amount of time is how most people set out to lose weight.

My question for them is, "and then what?" What will you do after you lose 25 pounds and attend your high school reunion? What will you do after you go on a crazy diet for three weeks to fit into that little black dress?

Chances are you will go back to your usual eating habits (which, face it, probably aren't very healthy) and gain the weight right back. Then you'll be writing me six months later because it's time for holiday parties or beach season and you have 25 pounds to lose again.

What if your goal was not to lose a number of pounds by a certain date, but to adapt healthier eating habits? What if you could reduce your portions, substitute a candy bar for a piece of fruit or a granola bar, and go for a 20 minute walk each day? Well then you could lose two or three pounds a month. Most people would say that's not worth it, but lets take a look:

Ona scale from 1-10, how hard would it be to fit in a 20 minute walk on most days? This will lead to a pound loss each month.

On a scale from 1-10 how difficult would it be to check your portions at dinner and resist taking seconds and eating until your stuffed. You would probably feel much better well into the evening. This would lead to a pound loss at the end of the month.

On a scale from 1-10 how miserable would you really be to give up your afternoon candy bar? How much do you enjoy eating it, versus just looking forward to it? For how long after you eat the candy bar do you feel good? Substituting a healthier snack with more nutrients, including fiber, and less sugar and fat can lead you to yet another pound of weight loss at the end of the month.

Slowly, but surely, the weight will gradually come off as you adapt a few healthier habits. No crash diet, no giving up foods you like, no hours of exercise at the gym. Just a little walk, a little less food, a little smarter snacking. And one year from now--do the math--you'll have lost 36 pounds. Now how good does that sound?

Fat Acceptance

2009-06-15T07:01:00.001-07:00

For several decades there has been a movement, and even an association--The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance--to influence our society to stop being prejudiced against fat people. Yes, they call themselves fat, and there's a carefully thought out reason for this: labeling a person as "overweight" or "obese" lends more credence to the condition because of the clinical and scientific sound of the title.

Now with over a full third of the American population obese (previously clinically defined as 20% above their ideal weight, and now as have a body mass index [BMI] of 30 or above) more and more are joining the movement. Many women claim that being fat--even weighing as much as 300 pounds--is not what makes them unhappy; dieting is what makes them unhappy. They want to stop obsessing about their weight and their eating and stop experiencing the prejudice and public gawking they suffer because of their size. The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) works to have laws passed to prohibit discrimination in the work place and act to intervene when children who are overweight are bullied at school.

Indeed, these fat women assert that the number on the scale or the size of their clothing or the way that they look should not be what determines their acceptance in society, their happiness, or their self-worth. They point out that mental well-being is important just as physical health is, and that they suffer greatly from being singled out, stared at, and experiencing self-loathing because they don't meet society's ideal standard of weight.

For those who believe this is just an excuse for these fat people to eat what they please, most of them say they are concerned about their health and do keep up regular exercise and sensible eating. They go to their doctors for physicals and evaluations and many can honestly say that their blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels are normal. They also point out the dangers of yo yo dieting, which are well documented.

While the people who are part of the fat acceptance movement say they are happier accepting their weight as it is, feeling great in every aspect of their life--including dressing well and finding worth in their family, relationships, and career insteadof their size--health professionals still acknowledge there is no denying that extra weight will more than likely contribute to chronic illnesses as these people age. No one can say being one hundred pounds overweight is good for you.

Another stand I take issue with is the NAAFA's statement that "society believes fat people are at fault for their size". I believe people are at fault for their size. As long as an overweight person attributes their weight to an outside factor--whether it's their metabolism or genetics, the fast food industry, or their destiny--taking the responsibility away from themselves is being in denial. This greatly reduces the chance they they will ever assume responsibility and do something to take control of their situation.

Check The Portion Size!

2009-06-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Today's tip: When you read the food label to see how many calories are in the food you are contemplating eating, be sure to look at the portion size!

You'll be very surprised to find that after you see "180 calories" on the king sized candy bar, if you read a bit further you will find there are "3 servings" contained within the wrapper! That means you'll have eaten 540 calories by the time you finish off the candy bar (which, let's face it, is going to happen before we eat half--or 1/3--and wrap the rest up for later!)

Even a can of tuna or a can of soup, a small bag of chips or a bottle of iced tea--foods that very obviously appear to be contained as one serving--will tell you on the label there are 2 or more servings in that package. Don't stop at the "Calories" on the label . . . read on to see how many portions you will be consuming if you finish the contents.

10 things your nutritionist won't tell you

2009-05-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

http://www.smartmoney.com/spending/rip-offs/10-things-your-nutritionist-won-t-tell-you/

Hydroxycut Recall

2009-05-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

One death and two cases of people requiring a liver transplant have been linked to taking the weight loss aid, Hydroxycut. The FDA issued a recall as of May 1, 2009 for over a dozen of the hydroxycut products. The manufacturers have agreed to withdraw these products from the market, citing their concern for safety. A few hydroxycut supplements are not involved with the reported incidents and do remain on the market. Recalled products include the following.

Hydroxycut Regular Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Rapid Release Caplets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Liquid Capsules
Hydroxycut Max Liquid Capsules
Hydroxycut Regular Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Caffeine-Free Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Hardcore Drink Packets (Ignition Stix)
Hydroxycut Max Drink Packets
Hydroxycut Liquid Shots
Hydroxycut Hardcore RTDs (Ready-to-Drink)
Hydroxycut Max Aqua Shed
Hydroxycut 24
Hydroxycut Carb Control
Hydroxycut Natural

Although millions of customers have taken hydroxycut products over the past 10 years, recent reports of liver injury have prompted the Food and Drug Administration to go forth with the recall. Twenty three cases of elevated liver enzymes, jaundice, and seizures and cardiovascular incidents have been called in to the agency, which relies on self-reporting for products not regulated by the FDA. It is not known how many others may have health problems which they neither associated with the product, nor called in to the FDA to report.

A major roadblock to finding safe weight loss supplements is the fact that herbs and other compounds are not defined as either a "food" or a "drug" and thereby escape regulation by the federal agency that monitors tehse types of products for safety. Caution should be used when choosing dietary supplements not approved by the FDA or other reputable agencies, remembering that claims that sound too good to be true . . . probably are.

The Lighter Side of Weight Loss

2009-04-20T05:27:00.000-07:00

You might as well find some humor in the process while you are on the journey to weight loss and the ultimate healthy lifestyle. Here's a cute quip from "Does This Blog Make Us Look Fat" and a link to all the other entertainment they have to offer!
http://tinyurl.com/dy7xx8

The Low Fat Diet: A good idea for weight loss?

2009-04-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

Technically a low fat diet is one containing less than 50 grams of fat, and this can be useful for controlling certain conditions, such as gall bladder disorders. Keeping your fat intake to 50 grams or less can also help balance the energy-yielding nutrients that compose your calorie intake: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. On a typical weight loss diet of 1500 calories, 50 grams of fat would provide 450 calories and this is just under 30% of the calories; well within the recommendations of several health associations such as the American Heart Association, The American Diabetic Association, and of course the American Dietetic Association.

But, what if you try to follow a diet very low in fat? Will this help you lose weight?

Well, there are several drawbacks to trying this. Fat actually serves a few purposes in our diet!

1. It's the source of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. Of course, you could take vitamin supplements for these, but it's always a good idea to get your vitamins from food.

2. There are nutrients called essential fatty acids that are only found in fats. If you lack these you will see symptoms such as a scaly rash and thinning hair. Fat are definitely necessary for certain body functions.

3. Fat helps you stay full longer after you eat. Go on a diet too low in fat, and you could end up so hungry a couple of hours later (think Chinese food) that you might end up overeating to satisfy that hunger.

A few guidelines to getting the right amount of fat in your diet:

- Don't try to avoid fat altogether. Choosing every food you can find in a fat-free form can end up sabotaging your weight loss efforts and even lead to certain deficiencies.

- Read labels and look for foods containing less than 30% of the calories from fat

- Certainly don't seek out fats to add to your diet. I hear about people using extra salad dressings and spreads, rationalizing "fat is necessary in the diet"... but it's easy to get plenty when you eat a healthy diet with some animal products (even fish contains some), dairy products (even low fat contains some), grains (there are breads, cereals and crackers with small amounts of fat in them--you don't have to go for donuts to get what you need!), and even vegetables (where do you think corn oil comes from?).

A very low fat diet might not give you the benefits you are looking for. If you plan to try a very low fat diet be sure to get at least 10% of your calories from fat, and do the research you need to do first to be sure you won't end up lacking any essential nutrients.

Gourmet Low Fat Snacking

2009-04-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

Have you been looking for a great snack that won't break your calorie bank?

Here's one, but it might break your piggy bank!!

A while back I told you about the pineapple jerky that was just fabulous, nutritious, and fat free. Now the makers of the best variety of jerky have a new release: sasquatch jerky. As you can see, it's quite expensive and available only in limited quantities, so act fast if you want to be among the few to try it! Once they run out they aren't likely to get any more.

Please post your comments here if you can afford this rare, luxury food item to let us know how it tastes!

50 tips for weight loss

2009-03-26T05:20:00.001-07:00

I was just sent a link for this great list of tips and tricks to support you in your weight loss efforts, "Lose Weight While You Are At Work". Thanks Kelly! I especially like all the resources available online that you can join for free--something people are always looking for. Be sure to try at least one of them every day this week. Let us know which you liked best by commenting below :)

http://www.mastersinhealthcare.com/blog/2009/50-easy-ways-to-lose-weight-while-you-are-at-work/

A Healthy New Twist on Cake Mix Recipes

2009-03-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

I read about this recipe before, and finally had the chance to try it today! Take a regular box of cake mix, and instead of the oil, eggs, and water, just add a can (15 oz) of pumpkin, mix well, and bake as directed. Still have some of those cans leftover from the holidays? This is a great way to use them up.

Here I have pictured one regular-sized muffin (about 100 calories and no fat) and a few mini-muffins (with probably less than 50 calories a piece!) that I just took out of the oven.
The resulting recipe saves you about 100 calories a serving if you're making a regular cake, and reduces the calories of a regular sized muffin or mini-sized muffin as well. PLUS, it provides you with 50-75% of your daily value for vitamin A in the form of beta carotene from the pumpkin, plus an extra gram or two of fiber per serving.

You can make some tasty combinations when you add pumpkin to a spice cake (which I chose today), a white cake, a yellow cake, a pineapple cake, or an orange cake. I'm not sure how it would taste with chocolate or some of the other flavors, but do let us know if you try one and add your comment below!

The other alternative to substituting pumpkin is using a can of diet soda in place of the water, egg and oil, which makes the final product even lower in calories--but adds no vitamins or fiber.

"Low Fat" Does Not Always Mean "Low Calorie"

2009-02-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

If you are trying to lose weight, looking at labels to find the lowest fat foods may actually be sabotaging your efforts. Food labels can be quite misleading in an attempt to try to sell more products: and it works! One of the most falsely held beliefs is that when you find a food that is fat free, it is also calorie-free. This leads you to believe you can eat all you want. And that's what the manufacturers want you to think.

In reality, when fat is taken out of a product, other additives must go in to take its place, enhancing the flavor and texture of the food. Carbohydrates are often added and these provide a substantial amount of calories; even artificial sweeteners provide a small number of calories and you can get the accurate information on the nutrition facts panel if you look closely.

Here are a few types of foods people look for in low fat varieties to enjoy guilt free... and why you can't have all you want without piling on the calories:

Candy: Candy bars containing nuts or chocolate have a significant portion of their calories provided by fat. But there are also calories from the sugar (and a small amount of protein). Candy that does not contain fat (like skittles, starburst, jelly beans, pixie stix, lollipops or marshmallows) provides calories from the sugar. Ironically these often advertise "no fat" on the label, implying that the original product did contain fat, but this particular brand does not. In fact, they--along with other products like some sodas--will advertise "fat free" to get you to buy theirs. There is not any difference, though, between one brand of sugary candy and another when it comes to fat and calories.

Salad dressings: Virtually all the calories in salad dressing come from the fat in them. So it may seem logical to assume that a low fat or fat free dressing would be much lower in calories. They are somewhat lower (and greatly depend on each variety and brand) but also have calories added back from the other ingredients to keep the flavor and texture in the dressing. A two-tablespoon serving of regular ranch dressing has 145 calories; the low-fat variety has 80, and the fat-free, 50. As the fat goes down, the calories drop significantly, but certainly not altogether. And people tend to pour more on, since it's lower in calories! If you aren't careful using this type of product you could be sabotaging your weight loss efforts.

Snack foods: These are probably the biggest culprit. We all love to snack on cookies and chips, and are secretly hopeful we will find a way to enjoy all we want without adding hundreds of calories to our diet. But it just can't be done. Regular Lay's chips provide 150 calories per ounce, and although the Baked Lay's reduces the fat content from 10 grams to only 1.5, the calories are still at 130 per ounce. Not a significant difference--especially while people are eating more, figuring they are lower in calories to allow for a double serving!

Another example is the Low-Fat Oreo Cookie. At 50 calories a piece there is not much difference between this and the 54-calorie regular Oreo. Especially if you have an extra one.

The bottom line is, if you are watching your calorie intake you can't go by the 'low fat' advertisement on the front of the label--or even by the fat content of the food. You need to compare the actual calories provided, and by alll means be aware of what they call a serving size! The best way to reduce calories from fats is to cut back on your serving size, and eat dressings, candies, cookies and chips a little less often.

The Monster Iced Honey Bun

2009-02-21T09:56:00.001-08:00

Fridays I work in our local food pantry to aid in dispensing food assistance and nutritional information to folks who could use a little help. We have a number of staple items we purchase from monetary donations, and we dispense eggs, milk, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta and rice and other grain products. We get all sorts of food donations, too, and you never know what a group, a church, or a store will send over. Sometimes we’re lucky enough to get loads of noodle soups, boxes of cereal, or cans of sweet potatoes just when we’ve run out.

Yesterday we received a delivery of a dozen cases of monster honey buns with 36 packages in each case. Not the ones pictured here: No, the ones we got were similar–except they were absolutely HUGE! The jumbo ones in the picture are only 4.75 ounces each and probably come in under 600 calories. The ones we got were 6 ounces each. I ventured a guess at the calorie and fat content–580 calories and 30 grams of fat? I was pretty far off. These babies provide 760 calories a piece and 43 grams of fat.

This opened up a topic of conversation among the volunteers at work. “What else could you eat for 760 calories?” (My entire dinner usually). ”Isn’t 43 grams of fat all you need in an entire day?” (Why, yes, for most people it is). “What if you just ate two of these in a day–you’d get 1520 calories and wouldn’t need to eat anything else at all!” (Except for the fact that the two honey buns would give a grand total of 4 grams of fiber for the day and absolutely no vitamin A, vitamin C or a number of other vitamins and minerals).

My biggest question is, “How many people who eat these take a look at the label?” Do you always look at the food label before you decide “yes” or “no”? What are you picking up for a snack during the day, oblivious to the number of calories, fat grams, and perhaps total lack of any nutritional value it provides? And if people knew the number of calories in one of these, what percentage of them would keep on choosing them despite the outrageous number of calories contained?

I urge you to take a look at the food labels on the choices you are putting into your body. Not that you are going to instantly change what you are eating, or give something up because it’s not “good for you”. But a little knowledge can go a long way. Do you have a cut-off point in mind? A number of calories at which you will put that down and walk away, realizing how far those calories would go towards an entire meal? Thinking about how many hours of exercise you’d have to work through to burn that food off?

In the case of the food product in question, one would have to jog about seven miles–would it be worth that to you in exchange for enjoying a Monster Iced Honey Bun?

Four Steps to Wellness

2009-02-17T14:22:00.001-08:00

Today I was fortunate enough to meet a local massage therapist and hear a presentation she gave to our business group about maintaining wellness. She focused on four steps to incorporate into your day to keep you well:

1) Hydration
2) Movement
3) Relaxation
4) Better Nutrition

Please read a transcript of her presentation here http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhpjx59q_1cpvgmjg9

And if you are local to the St.Louis area, be sure to check out her website and make an appointment for a massage: she will even come to your office to provide chair massages for your staff! http://ww.kylarieger.massagetherapy.com

How To Set Goals To Motivate You for Weight Loss

2009-02-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Setting goals can be immensely helpful in getting us to reach our target weight. The idea of losing 40 or 50 pounds seems overwhelming moreso than motivating, and can leave us vulnerable to comforting ourselves with food, of all things!

Take some time before beginning your weight loss program to outline some specific interim goals you would like to reach. These will keep you feeling motivated and heighten the awareness of progress as you move towards the larger goal of losing a number of pounds. Here I share some very helpful examples from clients of mine to illustrate those that painted a colorful picture for me.

1. Emily wanted to be able to shop in the misses department instead of the women's sizes for clothing. Even though a size 14 is not her goal, it was a great moment for her when she realized she did not have to shop for larger sized clothing. She told me, "Now I go try on clothes even when I'm not buying, just because I love fitting into the smaller sizes!"

2. Sheila had a very specific picture of what she wanted to look like; she pictured herself walking along the beach carrying her sandals and wearing nice-fitting capri blue jeans with a crisp, white button-down shirt. Whenever she was tempted to give in to a craving, all she had to do was picture this look, and she new what was really important to her. She was able to pass on so many high-calorie foods over a few weeks that she reached her first goal quickly and easily.

3. Marjorie's goal was more about getting away from what she was currently experiencing; her thighs rubbed together when she walked and it irritated her, both physically and emotionally. She heard the sound of her pant legs swishing back and forth against each other whenever she walked down the quiet halls at work and was convinced everyone else did, too. More than anything, Marjorie wanted to lose enough weight to let her walk comfortably and quietly. This was enough to motivate her to keep her food diary and continue other actions that led to the weight loss she desired.

4. Pam had an idea of how she wanted her figure to change: She was always proud of her curvaceous physique, but recently as she had put weight on, she noticed her belly protruding far more than made her comfortable. "My goal," she told the group, "is to have my profile show my bust larger than my belly". We all nodded in agreement with Pam's idea. This was by no means her final goal, nor did it involve a number of pounds to lose, but it was a picture in her mind that was going to keep her motivated to get her sneakers on every day after work and hop on the treadmiill for 45 minutes---like she had been planning to do for the past 16 months.

5. Victoria's goal was to get off her cholesterol and blood pressure medications. "I don't want to be on these for the rest of my life!" She has a doctor's appointment coming up in four months and knows if she can lose weight by then, along with establishing a regular exercise regimen, her numbers will be good enough for her doctor to discontinue those medications.

How do you picture yourself in your dream life? Are you happy and healthy and fit and active? Start living the life you want now! Take actions to eat healthier, be more active, and work towards the goals that will keep you motivated as you help your body take the shape you want it to have.

The Pistachio Principle

2009-02-08T15:36:00.000-08:00

"Imagine the possibilities," Eastern Illinois University professor and researcher Dr. James Painter proposes "if the restriction and deprivation were removed from the 'diet' picture...."

Research conducted on pistachios, of all things, will yield a new approach to weight loss if Dr. Painter (also a registered dietitian) has a say. His suggestion is for people to focus on changing their environment and behavior rather than restricting their food intake to lose weight, based on recent research using pistachios to study food cues.

Subjects in one study were given the choice of eating pistachios they had to shell, or eating those that were already shelled. Participants were allowed to eat until they were satisfied, and those in the group who took the time to remove their own shells ate 50% fewer calories than the others.

In another study two groups both ate nuts with shells; but in group A the shells were left out on the table. Group B had their shells--evidence of how much they had eaten--whisked away. The results: Group A consumed 35% fewer calories.

In both these studies people ate all they wanted, and were no longer hungry. So it appears your mind can convince you that you are full not just based on what you ate or how much, but on how much you see you have eaten, or how much time you spend eating.

Here are a few ways you can change your environment at home to get your mind off counting calories, and just letting it naturally signal you when you've had enough:

1) Keep high-calorie easy-to-munch foods out of sight: shelled nuts, chips, cookies and candy can go down too easily--you keep eating them because they taste good and they're convenient. Why would being full make you stop?

2) Take some time and energy to prepare your food: Instead of purchasing pre-made, pre-packaged and ready-to-eat varieties, put some more effort into making your own--we're talking sandwiches, cut-up fruit and vegetables... Come on, burn some calories when you eat!

3) Put your food on a plate--no more eating out of the box or bag: This will help you visualize how much you are going to eat. You can always go back for more. Eating out of the bag gives you no visual cue and, again--it tastes good so what will stop you? If you have a handful on your plate and the bag is put back in the pantry, you'll run out before you've eaten the entire bag.

4) Stop when you are no longer hungry: Pause and take a mini-inventory every so often. Are you hungry? Are you paying attention to enjoying what you are eating (or mindlessly munching down while watching TV?)

You don't have to eat until you are full. When you aren't hungry, stop. Figure out something else that can satisfy you instead of ingesting hundreds more calories!

Apply the Pistachio Principle to your eating habits for six weeks and see how you find this new approach working for you. Please leave your comments here and let us know :)

Impress Your Fellow Diners

2009-02-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

"I don't want people knowing I'm on a diet," Lauren told me. This was her reason to ignore my suggestion to order sauces on the side. "I'm too embarrassed to ask the waiter not to bring the basket of rolls," said Brenda, as we were going through a list of ways to reduce calories when dining out.

I don't understand. Why is it alright with you to walk around 35 pounds overweight, 24 hours a day? You have high cholesterol and high blood pressure, but what stands out in your mind as a drawback is having attention called to the fact that you are trying to eat healthy?
Get your priorities in line: You want to be healthy. That should be number one. Normal blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels. Number two should be to get your BMI (Body Mass Index) into the ideal range: not obese, and not overweight. And third, if you can get to a healthy weight and an 'average' size, you will be impressing your clients and colleagues by being in good shape: When you look like you care about yourself and set forth a good image, you also feel good and project an even better image. The positives build upon each other.

People who are overweight are viewed with prejudice, unfair as it is. People who eat too much are seen as lacking in self-control and not caring about their image. What message does this send to the people you are trying to impress? Earn the respect of your clients by sharing with them and letting them know that your number one goal is your health. Take advantage of using the time at a restaurant meal to display this: Ask for salad dressing to be served on the side; ask for information from the waiter about what you are ordering (is there fat in the sauce?); ask for a take-out container with your meal so you can take part of it home without forgetting your intentions until your plate is cleaned. Demonstrate that you don't decide what you will do based on other people's judgement of you, but rather on what you know is the best decision!

Recently I met with a client who was trying to work exercise into her time away at a business conference. "We have meetings all day until 4:30 and then we go out for drinks at 6:00 and dinner at 7:00," Julia told me. "And how would you feel," I asked her, "If you told your colleagues at 4:30, 'I'll have to take a rain check on the drinks this afternoon: I'm going to run back to my room and get to the gym so I can get a quick workout in before dinner'". She thought for a moment and then answered, "I would feel good about that". It shows self-determination, dedication to priorities, and taking care of what's important before running off to socialize when you will have time for that at dinner as well. Visualize ahead of time how you will feel calling attention to the fact that you are concerned with what you put in your body. Will people think it's frivolous? Or will they take your cue and try to impress you with how cautious they can be about what they're consuming?

Several weeks ago I was at a networking dinner after a meeting and was impressed by a colleague I'll call Liz. We were all receiving our entrees and I saw the waiter bring Liz a styrofoam container that she started piling half her meal into before she began to eat. I looked around at the other diners. No one noticed Liz's actions because they were all excited, just having received their own meal and busy digging in to taste the first bite. "Aren't you embarrassed to be taking home half your meal in front of everyone," I asked her (with Lauren and Brenda fresh in my mind). "Of course not," she answered. "I don't care what they think--I've just lost 27 pounds and I have 12 more to lose and I'm not going to let anyone else get in my way!" Now that's impressive.

Walk Your Weight Off

2009-02-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

A pedometer is a small instrument that clips onto the waist band of your skirt or slacks and tracks how many steps you take each day by sensing the small movement your hips make whenever you take a step. Contrary to popular belief, it does not really matter if your pedometer is totally accurate, or if it calibrates miles walked or calories burned. The part that really matters is that it is consistent. You can find one for less than six dollars at your local department store and it does not have to have any bells or whistles.

The first thing you need to do is find out how many steps you take on an average day. Wear the pedometer from morning till bed time for a few days, being sure to zero it at the beginning of each day. Write down how many steps you take each day. This tells you your baseline. You might walk 500 steps a day because you have a desk job and don't like to exercise or you might walk 5000 steps a day because you go for a walk every morning and are then on your feet all day at work. Maybe your steps fluctuate depending on whether it's a weekday or weekend. Get an idea of how many steps are usual for you and that's where you start.

Then, set a goal for how many steps you want to aim for on most days. The following facts will help you:
- Most people burn approximately 50 calories for every thousand steps.
- This means walking 2000 steps burns about 100 calories.

- For the average person, 2000 steps is about one mile.
- For every additional hundred calories you burn each day, you can lose nearly one pound a month.
- This means that for every mile (or every 2000 steps) you start adding to your daily walking, you can lose over 10 pounds this year. Decide to get out for a two mile walk each morning and lose 20 pounds this year; decide to take 6000 more steps than your baseline, and you can say so long to more than 30 pounds in twelve months.

Now be sure to plan how you are going to add these steps to your daily regimen. Can you take a two mile walk after dinner? This should only take 30 or 40 minutes if you walk briskly. Find ways to start adding steps to your day and get your pedometer climbing into the thousands: take the steps instead of the elevator (even going down stairs uses more steps than the elevator and these count too!); park a little bit farther away when you drive to work or the store; make a few extra trips in and out of the house when bringing in groceries instead of dragging in six sacks at a time; have fun by playing little games with yourself, like taking the silverware out of the dishwasher one piece at a time and walking over to the drawer to put it away. Go ahead, come up with some crazy ones!

You've probably heard that adding more steps during the day helps to burn calories, but with a pedometer you can actually see them adding up and you can know how many more calories you are burning with each activity. Notice how many steps you rack up by going just a little bit further, walking to a nearby friend's house or the store instead of driving, taking the long way instead of taking shortcuts. Have a contest with friends and see who can increase their steps the most. Have fun with it, and try to eventually get your steps up to the recommended ten thousand a day to lose the weight you need to and then keep it off!

Please share your fun ideas to get more steps in, and how many you got up to! My highest was 17,000 on a vacation in Philadelphia's center city with non-stop walking all day long... that's over eight miles :)

Burn More Calories in the Snow

2009-01-29T10:17:00.000-08:00

If you're like a lot of people, just thinking about exercise is a big drag. And if you are trying to lose weight, you wish you liked to exercise because you know that burning more calories will help speed along the process. The key is to make burning calories fun! This is a picture of me in my parents' backyard in northwest Pennsylvania, carving a path for cross-country skiing.

Here are seven winter activities that can burn a lot of calories. You can enjoy the beautiful, sparkly snow, get some fresh air, and keep fit without having to drag yourself to the gym and be bored on the treadmill.

1) Downhill Skiing: 535 calories an hour. Seems like you're not doing any work and just along for the ride!

2) Cross Country Skiing: 700 calories an hour. Now this seems like a little more work until you get into the swing of it.

3) Shoveling Snow: 400 calories an hour. It's a necessary evil anyway--you might as well see the benefit of burning the fat while you're out there.

4) Walking in the Snow: 270 calories an hour. A little tougher than walking on flat ground--you'll feel it tomorrow!

5) Building a Snowman: Go ahead, have some fun with the kids and burn 250 calories an hour.

6) Sledding: 420 calories an hour--not if you're sitting on the sled the whole time, but that walking uphill really does it!

7) Ice Skating: Enjoy gliding along as you burn 300 calories an hour (more if you skate faster!)

Go ahead and take advantage of these winter activities while you can. For every additional 500 calories burned each day you can lose another pound each week! If you're trying to maintain your weight, this means you can eat an extra few hundred calories and enjoy knowing you've already burned them off!

Leave us a note with your favorite here. Personally, I just love to shovel the driveway :)

All I Can Eat?

2009-01-22T06:14:00.000-08:00

OK, so here I am on vacation at one of those all-inclusive places: all I can eat, all I can drink, everything's included. So what's a dietitian to do? My strategy, which I planned out ahead of time, was to try to include 2 fruits and 2 vegetables at every meal (except for the veggies at breakfast), to eat fish at least once a day, and to eat meatless meals as much as possible. My plan was to limit desserts to just a bite or two of a couple of selections (just being realistic, here--I know I can't choose one when there are eight of them staring at me). As for the drinks, it's tough to limit them as well, when you're passing a bar every 5 feet and seeing people walk off to their spot on the beach with chilly-looking blue and pink and purple frozen refreshments!
So far, I'm not doing too badly: Breakfast is easy. It's a buffet and I head right for the cereal, yogurt, fruit and toast. I know I will be tempted with eggs and bacon and sausage, so I concentrate on the selections of fresh breads and the assortment of fruits. I love mango and melons and they are here in abundance!

Lunch can be something from the grill or from the buffet. There is always a variety of salads and I know if I fill up on those I won't have room for too much else. So I choose a small amount of pasta salad, some vegetable sides, and the tasty fish dishes that are always available. Once I add the fruit salad to these, I'm plenty full until later.

When it's time for dessert I am lucky here because they've already portioned everything into one-inch squares. I can choose two or three tastes and know I won't get carried away into eating an entire wedge of cheesecake because there are only two bites there!

Truly, by the time dinner rolls around I'm not exactly starving. There is food everywhere you look and it loses its appeal after seeing it all day. I did have a bag of popcorn from the snack bar yesterday afternoon, and by dinner the entree of little chunks of pineapple chicken on a scoop of rice were plenty to fill me up at the Thai restaurant.

As for the drinks, there is beer and champagne, wine, and frozen concoctions flowing like water.
There are also plenty of other drinks around here, so I'm managing to keep my palate sated with rich, delicious Jamaican coffee, fruit punches, and raspberry-flavored unsweetened iced tea. And my new favorite drink: they put a large pitcher near all the pool areas filled with ice and water and chunks of watermelon and honeydew. Yum! It's very cool and refreshing with a mild hint of sweetness. I'm going to make this when I get home and drink it all the time!

Hopefully, I will come home without gaining weight which, unfortunately, is par for the course on vacations for most people. I'm trying to get to the fitness center everyday for a short stint on the bicycle or treadmill, and mind what I eat and drink during the day. It's not really that hard to do since I'm finding plenty of healthy foods that I like!

How Long Must I Suffer?

2009-01-18T08:03:00.000-08:00

How many times have you impulsively ordered a dessert, wolfed down a candy bar, or taken a second helping at the dinner table, only to regret it very shortly afterwards? If you take the time to think about what you are going to eat before you eat it, you can save yourself enough calories to start losing weight right now! People eat high-calorie foods for immediate gratification: Those donuts smell so good; that pie looks so appetizing; that chocolate will make me forget how mad I am at my boss.

This week, stop and think about what you eat before you eat it, and think about delaying your gratification and what that will do for you. If you take a deep breath and decide to pass on the morning donuts in the breakroom, for how long will you be regretting that decision? Will you really be dreaming about those donuts until late that afternoon, or will the vision of donuts evaporate from your mind as soon as you are back at your desk? What if you don't have dessert after dinner? Of course you will be craving it and thinking about it at the time, but how long will you have to wait until you forget about it?

If you're like most people, once the temptation is removed you won't be fixated on that food any longer. Figure out how long it takes you to forget about the food after you've decided not to eat it. Maybe it's five minutes, or for some people maybe the thought lingers for a few hours.

Now, compare this to how long you are feeling badly about your weight. How often during the day are you wishing you weighed less, wishing you skipped the last treat you indulged in, wishing you looked better in your clothes? How many times during any given day is your weight on your mind? Do you feel crummy when you see yourself (or avoid yourself) in the mirror; get dressed in the morning; go clothes shopping?

Which sounds better to you of the two situations: missing a slice of cheesecake for a couple of hours in the evening, or wanting to lose twenty (or more) pounds during most of your waking hours? This week, try delaying the gratification of empty-calorie treats in exchange for longer term happiness when you lose that weight! Pass on the junky vending machine snacks, the drive-through burger with fries, the ice cream sundaes in the evening. Choose a lower-calorie more nutritious option when you are hungry and another activity (besides eating) when you are bored or stressed. See how much weight you lose by the end of the week. Start looking forward to the day that your new habit will be fitting into smaller clothes instead of scarfing down a piece of chocolate layer cake!

I Just Ate HOW Many Calories?!

2009-01-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

If you are a person who has started reading labels to find out how many calories you are eating, good for you! This is a great move towards becoming more aware of what you are eating and whether or not you are choosing foods that are contributing to carrying an extra few pounds on your body. Most helpful is comparing calorie content from one food to another.

For instance, you may have no idea how many calories are supposed to be in a slice of cheese, but if you compare a slice of part-skim mozzarella, or fat free kraft singles, to an ounce of a full fat cheese, you can see the difference: You could be eating 50 calories, 80 calories, or 100 calories, with each slice, depending on the brand and variety you choose. Now I'll fill you in on the information on the label that is even more important than the calorie content. It's the serving size. Because the serving size that the manufacturer chooses is what all the other information is based on. And if you are trying to figure out whether you're eating a low calorie food, a low fat food, a significant source of calcium, or anything else nutrition-related, you have to know that it is all based on what they call a serving size. This might be very different from your serving size. At one time a "serving" of Triscuits was three. Three tiny, little crackers. Who eats that much and then stops? What about a serving of Grape Nuts cereal? This has increased recently to 1/2 cup... still a smaller amount than most people probably eat. And when's the last time you measured out 1/2 cup of ice cream from a carton and settled for that much without throwing on an extra rounded spoonful just for good measure!

My favorite calorie story is when my husband came home from work one day and confessed that he had eaten a Snickers Bar earlier that afternoon--even though he was reportedly trying to lose weight--"But it only had 170 calories," he told me, justifying his treat. Well, the last time I checked, a Snickers Bar had about 280 calories. Maybe they came out with a diet version of the candy bar with chocolate and peanuts? NOT! A thought hit me as I was in the supermarket check-out line a few days later and I eyed a King Sized Snickers Bar on the snack shelf. I reached for it to read the label and there it was: "170 Calories" under the nutrition information. All I had to do was look up a little bit further on the label for the serving size and I had the answer to my question: "serving size: 1/3 candy bar". Uh oh. Who eats a third of a candy bar? What would you even do with the rest of it? My darling hubby had unwittingly eaten 510 calories that afternoon between his lowfat lunch and his low calorie dinner.

So here's your tip for the day. When you read the nutritional information on any food label, be sure and check out what they call a serving.

How Fast Can I Lose Weight?

2009-01-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

You hear all kinds of fantastic promises from weight loss pills and potions: "Lose weight overnight!"; "Lose 11 pounds in 7 days!"; "Lose inches from your waistline in less than 3 weeks!". But how many of them are true?

The scientific fact is, it takes 3500 calories to make one pound of body fat. So the answer to "how long will it take to lose a pound" would be "as long as it takes you to deprive your body of 3500 calories". You might do this by eating less and you might do it by exercising more; the best way is probably a combination.

So, how can you eat 3500 calories less than you usually eat? Well, most people don't eat 3500 calories in one day, so even if you fast you're not likely to lose a pound a day. The scale may show you losing more weight while you're dieting if you're losing water weight--but that's not really the weight you want to lose. For people who go on crash diets they can lose weight more quickly, but some of it will be muscle weight--that's not the weight you want to lose either. Muscle weight makes you look more tone, keeps you strong, and burns more calories than other body tissues.

To lose fat weight it's going to take some time. The most common recommendation is to eat 500 fewer calories each day for a total of 3500 fewer calories by the end of each week. This will yield one pound of desirable weight loss. To lose faster you can burn an extra 500 calories each day.

What is the equivalent of 500 calories of food? It could mean eliminating a candy bar and a can of soda; an extra fried chicken quarter; a large milkshake or a large frozen cappuccino; a piece of pecan pie. Take a look at the extras in your diet: sweets, snacks, sodas, and second helpings. I would not recommend eliminating a meal like breakfast to try to lose weight--this will slow down your metabolism and work against you in the long run.

As for 500 calories of exercise that will take about an hour of jogging, swimming, or an aerobics class. If you can exercise an hour each day and eat fewer snacks and sweets, you could lose two pounds a week.

I know this doesn't sound like a rate you want to lose weight. Of course you want to get 20 pounds off as quickly as you can. But the rule is, weight comes back on quickly when you take it off quickly. Think about your future. What would you like to weigh in six months? If you lose 20 pounds this month you may easily gain it back next month. If you change your habits to eat more wisely and exercise more often, you could weigh 25 pounds less six months from now by losing only 1 pound a week! Now that sounds like a plan.

Do You Want What You Can't Have?

2009-01-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

How would you feel if you were told you could not have fresh oranges anymore? Or apples, bananas, steamed broccoli or crunchy carrot sticks. Would that make you want them more?

Dieters often focus on what they "can't" have, and this leads to craving those exact foods more and more. When "I can't have ice cream" is on your mind all day, day after day, it just makes you want it more. And you aren't even interested in all those 'diet' foods you perceive as being 'good for you' but undesirable.

My theory is, those foods become undesirable merely because you can have all you want. What if you tried changing your frame of mind: What fruits or vegetables or whole grains would you miss if you were told you couldn't have them anymore? I'll bet you can think of a few foods you take for granted because they aren't forbidden. Believe it or not, there are people who have to avoid many fresh fruits and vegetables because of certain illnesses (for instance, in kidney failure). When you are told you can't have a certain food (or group of foods) you suddenly begin to want it, miss it, savor the idea of having it right now!

So my suggestion is to start thinking of those foods that are good for you that you would really miss if they were on your forbidden list. Enjoy those fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. And let yourself have a no-no once in a while (like a brownie or chocolate chip cookie once a week). When you change your way of thinking about foods as 'allowed' or 'not allowed', some of them will increase their appeal, and some cravings will vanish.

Try it and see :) Let us know by leaving your comments here!

What's Your Problem?

2009-01-05T06:47:00.000-08:00

Through 25 years of working with thousands of clients, I have noted that people who are trying to lose weight can usually finish this sentence easily: "My problem is ..."
It may be that you just love sweets, or maybe you snack when you are bored. Perhaps you've never taken the time to plan your meals for the day, or you don't like to restrict yourself from foods you love to eat because it makes you feel deprived.

If you're trying to lose weight, give some thought to what your problem is. In what area of your eating pattern do you really know you are eating too much? It's a tough thing to do, because admitting you have a problem is the first step to solving it. And when we say "my problem is, I like to have a donut during my 10 am coffee break", or "my problem is, I am addicted to those 1/3 pound bacon cheeseburgers for lunch", or "my problem is I love a bag of chips to keep me company when I watch TV at night" ... well, then we know we're going to have to give up that comforting habit.

But don't despair! You don't have to go without, I promise. There are ways to find acceptable substitutes so you'll be able to have a sweet treat mid-morning, a fast food lunch you'll love, and a snack in the evening that will keep you happily munching away to your favorite reality tv show! Take that first step and figure out where the extra-calorie problem lies, and then you can take the second step--decide what smarter choice you have instead--to start the weight loss rolling.

For helpful ways to re-organize your diet if you've identified your problem as fast foods, skipping breakfast, or unwise snack choices, see my new e-books here: www.mycoachlaurie.com/products.

Free Diet Makeovers This Month!

2009-01-02T06:48:00.000-08:00

It's the new year; the time where everyone is making new year's resolutions. And I'll bet that "lose some weight" is top on many people's list!
I'd love to help you do it right this year, so I'm offering to help you makeover your diet starting now!

It's easy to do--just think of three ways you can change your diet to make it better. How can you eat more foods that are good for you? Fewer foods that are high in calories? How can you be sure to exercise more regularly? Sit down with a pad of paper and jot down some ideas. When you come up with a few good ones, just send them here as comments. I'll add my expert comments to yours and help you refine them so they'll work best.

Here are some examples of what we might see:

1) Eat 3 fruits each day.
comment: have a plan to track them, such as keeping a log on the refrigerator door. After supper, check to see how close you are, and if you are lacking a fruit or two, have one for dessert and another as a bedtime snack.

2) Stop eating fast food.
comment: You don't want to set yourself up to fail. If you eat fast food often for convenience sake, you're going to have a back-up plan that works, like packing your lunch every day--and will you really do this? How about taking a few minutes to research your favorite fast food restaurant on their website for nutritional content of the foods you like best. You'll quickly find that some have hundreds more calories than others. Instead of "no more fast food" it may be wiser to refine your goal as "find the healthiest choices" for when you do turn into the drive through window!

3) Exercise every day.
comment: If you don't exercise every day now, what makes you think things will change so drastically? You need an easy plan! What exactly will you do for exercise, and where and when will you do it? Do you like to walk? Do you like aerobics classes? Can you follow a schedule more faithfully if you have an exercise buddy? Again, you want to set yourself up for success, so make your goal realistic. "I will walk monday and wednesday after dinner with my husband, and meet Barb at the gym on Tuesday and Saturday mornings for yoga classes" might work better for your new routine.

Share some goals with us and we can all get some good ideas to start out 2009 with healthy habits that can last this whole year!

2009-01-01T15:18:00.001-08:00

I'm running a contest to help me get a collection of e-books written for my "Choose To Lose" series. You see, I've learned that each individual has their own specific 'problem areas' in their dietary habits that prevent them from losing weight. I've identified several prominent ones among the clients I've seen over the years and started writing this series of e-books.

The idea behind the series is to target only the areas that will help you reduce your calorie intake, and not make you read through an extensive diet book that involves changing habits you don't need to change.

For example, some people skip breakfast which slows their metabolism and makes them hungry later in the day, leading to overeating. If you're a faithful breakfast eater, you don't need to read about how to overcome the roadblocks that keep people from eating the morning meal (which include, "I don't have time", "I'm not hungry when I get up", and "I don't like breakfast foods").

Some people snack excessively either out of stress, boredom, or hunger due to not planning their meals well. They can take in hundreds of excessive calories through mindless munching any time from the morning coffee break donuts, to the afternoon candy bar fix, to the evening television side-kick bag of chips. If this sounds like something you do, you can get the "Smart Snacking" e-book and solve your weight problem!

Other common habits that lead to over-consumption of calories and subsequent weight gain include: consuming fast foods too often, and making poor choices when you do; dining out for dinner several nights each week and 'splurging' too often; eating out for lunch every day when packing your lunch could save you hundreds of calories; not reading labels to see how many calories you are consuming, etc.

I have ideas for about 10 e-books in the near future: three are already available on the www.mycoachlaurie.com/products page; each is approximately 20 pages in length; all can be downloaded with adobe acrobat after purchase.

Here's what's up with the contest: If you know what your 'problem area' is that is keeping you from losing weight, send it to me and if I write an e-book about it, I'll send you that e-book, plus any other one you choose, for free! You can either comment here or send me a private email at laurie@mycoachlaurie.com. I'll be in touch with you shortly thereafter with an email to let you know whether it's a topic I will include in a future e-book, and if it is, I'll send you a voucher for 2 free e-books good through the end of March (at which time I hope to have several topics completed and ready for download!)

Thanks for your help, and good luck: we can all win!

This Year, Make Your New Year's Resolution Stick!

2008-12-31T06:37:00.000-08:00

The first month of the new year makes us feel full of so many possibilities, and at this time of the year we are so gung ho to begin anew, making the best and biggest changes possible. Now find out how the way you state your resolutions can mean the difference between following through, or tossing them out the window after just a few days.

Think about some of the most common resolutions you hear: "I'm going to lose weight"; "I'm going to exercise more"; or "I'm going to eat more healthy". The problem with each of these is that they are too general. They don't give you any direction or any solid steps to follow. So after a few weeks when your excited phase starts wearing out and the gym becomes boring, you just let the good intentions drop away until, say, bathing suit season.

What can you do to turn these good ideas into good habits? Decide on what steps you can take to incorporate healthier eating and exercise habits into your life. Here are a few examples of how to re-word some new year's resolutions so you will find them easier to stick with:

1. I'm going to lose weight: Decide what steps you can take to make this happen. What can you incorporate into your daily routine to result in a decrease in calorie intake? How about, "I'm going to have fruit or sorbet after dinner instead of cookies or ice cream", or "I'm going to start keeping a food journal and set a goal of eating only when I am hungry or really want a certain treat once a week". These are behaviors you can perform, without watching the days go by with the scale not budging.

2. I'm going to exercise more. How are you going to be sure you actually follow through with this resolution? Some people work better with a schedule, or with an exercise buddy. "I'm going to find a class I like at the gym and find a buddy to join me so I'm sure to keep my appointed time on three days each week", or "I'm going to go for a 30 minute walk after dinner four nights a week" holds you accountable to a friend and to a schedule. It's a very concrete way of including exercise into your regular routine and you can keep this up literally for the rest of your life!

3. I'm going to eat more healthy. This statement is far too general. What does "healthy" mean to you? Will you stop eating processed foods? If you stop for fast food one day will you believe you've blown the whole 'healthy' resolution and pounce on a new reason to give up right away and pig out? "I'm going to make sure I eat at least three fruits and three vegetables each day", or "I'm going to avoid foods that contain more than 30% of the calories from fat" will direct you to a concrete action you can take. If you miss a vegetable one day, you can easily start over the next, knowing that you are doing better this year than you were last year.

Plan on some specifics that define what you really mean by "healthy" or "weight loss" or "more exercise", and start those new habits to form a healthier you in 2009!

Truvia: The New Generation of Sweeteners

2008-12-20T16:17:00.001-08:00

A plant by the name of Stevia has been getting a lot of attention recently. It seems promising as a new generation of no-calorie sweetener: Great news for people watching their waistline as well as people with diabetes who limit their intake of sugar. One company, Cargill, manufactures a product made from Stevia under the brand name, Truvia. Here's the scoop:

Truvia is a combination of the compounds Rebiana and Erythritol. The first of these comes from the leaves of the stevia plant. The companies that manufacture it (Cargill and Coca-Cola) report it "only consists of the best-tasting components of the stevia leaf". The sweet leaf of the stevia plant is dried, steeped in water, and further purified to provide a calorie-free sweet taste.

The second compound, erythritol, is a sugar alcohol which acts as the carrier for truvia. It is a sugar alcohol with a digestive pathway that results in very little of it remaining in the large intestine (as happens with some other sugar alcohols), reducing the likelihood of gas or bloating.
The Truvia product has been studied and found not to contribute calories, or to affect blood sugar of people with type 2 diabetes. It has also has claims of "no aftertaste", even though many products containing Stevia do have a lingering aftertaste for many people.

Coca Cola is ready to release some beverages containing Truvia, even while the compound is pending FDA approval. Cargill and The Coca-Cola company are working together to bring rebiana to consumers around the world as an ingredient in a variety of foods and beverages. Look for it on grocery store shelves real soon!

Portion Control for the Holidays

2008-12-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

I was speaking to one of my clients the other day and she has progressed so far with the changes in her eating habits since we first met in September. I wanted to pass along some of the tips that have worked for her because she is losing weight and feeling great, so I thought these ideas would work for someone else out there!

1) The first change Lucy made was to use smaller plates in her home at dinner time. Many have extremely large dinner plates that can easily measure nearly a foot in diameter. At the time I suggested she change to smaller plates, she hesitated and said to me, "but I only put food in the middle part--not all the way out to the edges". Then she realized how much plate was still being filled as she compared the size of her usual serving plates to the smaller 'salad' plates. "I'll try using these and see how it goes," Lucy agreed. And ever since then she has been dining with the smaller ones, feeling satisfied and not stuffed.

2) The other trick Lucy tried for dinner meals was to reduce the amount of food she was cooking. "It's just me and my husband for dinner, but sometimes we cook enough for four or six people--then we just keep taking more helpings because the food is in front of us." Now she and her husband start with just enough food for two, and they both get just enough and never overeat at dinner.

3) When dining out, Lucy and her husband share a main entree with an additional order of a side salad. Or sometimes they'll each get an appetizer instead of a full meal. "They really give you so much food when you eat out, if you don't stay aware of how much you're putting away, it can be gone before you remember to ask for a take-out container!"

4) At the recent buffets Lucy has been going to around the holidays, she's come up with a couple of tips of her own that she shared with me: "Since I can't get a smaller plate wherever I go, I just leave more plate showing than I have covered!" What a great idea that is: Instead of saying to herself, "I'm at someone else's house now so I'll just fill up my plate like all the other guests," Lucy remains aware of eating reasonable portion sizes to help continue her weight loss and meet her goals. She makes sure there is plenty of space on the plate because that means it's not overflowing with food--translation--calories!

5) And the last tip she shared with me was another useful one when going through buffet lines: "I just take one spoonful of each item on the line--a spoonful of turkey, a spoonful of mashed potatoes, a spoonful of sweet potatoes, and so on. I'm not missing out on anything and it's plenty of food by the time I reach the end of the line. It's just so easy to take too much. Reminding myself to stick to one spoonful of each food works out just perfectly."

Thanks to Lucy for all the great tips, and congratulations on the 15 pounds you've shed so far!

Lose Weight by Eating For Your Eye Color

2008-12-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

Undoubtedly you’ve heard of the popular book, “The Blood Type Diet”. In fact, blood types are identified in case you need to receive blood one day to prevent you from having a serious reaction.Period.There is absolutely no significance as related to your diet, your food tolerances, allergies, or reactions to food! The fact that someone wrote a book called “Eating for Your Blood Type” is akin to writing a book called, “Eating for your Eye Color”. So, I will tell you now how to best eat for your eye color to help you lose weight:

There are groups of people who have blue eyes, others who have brown eyes and some who have green. If both of your parents have blue eyes, so will you--just as if both of your parents have type O blood, you will. Therefore, these characteristics can be seen among others in your family—just go ahead and ask them!

Okay, so first of all, any of you who have blue eyes, listen up! You have light colored eyes and you really like snacks; especially those high in carbohydrates. Am I right? You enjoy having a donut or coffee cake late in the morning. It acts as a real pick-me-up to keep you going until lunch time, and of course, donuts taste so good to you (because your eyes are blue!) You love having some chips or cookies in the afternoon from the vending machine. You just get a craving for something sweet or salty a couple of hours after lunch, and that little munchable treat satisfies you until dinner time. Finally, you often crave something to snack on in the evening while you are watching television. How do I know this? Your eyes are blue! Mine are too. I like to snack.How can we lose weight? Here’s how: find a lower calorie substitute for the snacks you are presently consuming. There are fantastic 100 calorie snack bags so you can have a hostess mini-cake package late morning, some wheat thins or cheese nips in the afternoon, and a skinny cow ice cream bar in the evening. Yes, even though you have blue eyes and you like to snack, you can still lose weight --just get your snacking under control.

Now for those of you with brown eyes: you like sweets, especially chocolate. And you like peanut butter. Of course you do; I know that because your eyes are brown. I have friends with brown eyes—they like chocolate and peanut butter. So, you like to eat peanut M & M’s, snickers candy bars, chocolate ice cream with nuts in it, and other treats that have a lot of calories. This makes you gain weight. You gain weight when you eat chocolate and peanut butter because your eyes are brown! And because these are very high calorie foods. What can you do about it?
First of all, realize that liking chocolate or peanut butter is not really a physiological craving. You do not need chocolate. You just like it because it tastes good. So you need to know that if you can wait until the craving passes and not wolf down a king-sized Snickers bar or double Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, you will be okay. For every 300 calories you can pass up (check the labels on those candy bars), you’ll lose three more pounds by the end of the month. This could be nine pounds a month if you’re indulging three times a day!
If you still want the taste (of course you do!) then learn to control the portions. Again, many of the 100 calorie snack bags are foods you would enjoy; chocolate covered pretzels, nutter-butter cookie crisps, and chocolate chip cookies. There are lower calorie brands of ice cream and you need to measure out a ½ cup portion when you eat it, instead of scooping ice cream into the bowl until it’s full (yes, I know that’s what you do, because your eyes are brown).

And, finally, we get to the smaller percentage of the population—those with pretty, green eyes. Unfortunately, you are predisposed to a taste for foods that have fat in them! This is unfortunate because fats have twice the calories of carbohydrates. You like donuts, potato chips, cakes, and pie. Cookies, brownies, and ice cream are also sources of fat, as well as sour cream, butter, and salad dressing. You have green eyes, so I know you are not someone who likes a dry baked potato or an undressed salad. You usually order French fries or a milkshake when you go out for fast food.
What can you do to get that weight off? Start limiting your portions of these foods. Write down everything you eat for a week. See how many times each day, on average, you indulge in one of these high fat foods. Now make the decision to reduce this to only one time a day, at most. If you have a donut, you do not also get a milkshake later that day; if you get fried fish you do not also have French fries; if you have pie after lunch you do not also get ice cream after dinner. You have green eyes: you need to find other ways to treat yourself during the day besides eating these high-fat foods!

To everyone with colored eyes, best of luck with your weight loss efforts! I’m confident you will be able to lose weight after you choose lower calorie snacks, reduce your portion sizes, decrease the calories consumed from treats, and find other ways to de-stress besides eating high-calorie foods.

I must add here, that this is a spoof, just in case someone believes these tips are true. The good news is these tips actually will work for you no matter what your eye color!
Have I gone too far? Let me know!!

Fat Blasting Boot Camp at Home!

2008-12-10T04:47:00.000-08:00

Today I want to tell you about an exercise program developed by a colleague of mine, Angie Schumacher. I'm no exercise expert, but she is! And she has developed this program for you to use at home to work your body into a fine specimen. Here's more:

The Fat Blasting Boot Camp Program was designed by Angie Schumacher, a Certified Personal Trainer, for her boot camp class in Colorado. She wanted to ensure that her members received a total body workout in just 30 minutes-3 times a week.

With the Fat Blasting Boot Camp Program, you will start out with 2 weeks of "Get Started" workouts that will get your body ready for the upcoming 12 weeks of workouts. Each workout is linked to a video demonstration that will show you how to correctly do each exercise.

The Fat Blasting Boot Camp Program consists of 3 circuits—Strength, Cardio and Core. You begin with the strength training, which includes 4 exercises that will hit every muscle in your body. This will sculpt and tone your upper and lower body and elevate your heart rate, making sure you are burning tons of calories. The cardio training consists of 3 exercises that elevate your heart rate and boost your metabolism to ensure maximum fat burning. You then finish off with core training, which incorporates 3 exercises that will hit every inch of your abs, creating lean, sexy abs. After each workout, your body will continue to burn calories for the next few hours! No matter what fitness level you are at, all the workouts are easily suitable to meet your needs.

Not only do you get the most amazing and effective fat burning workouts, you will also receive Fat Blasting Meal Plan Ideas, which help you to plan your meals and help you achieve maximum results with this program. A copy of simple, Energy Producing Recipes that Angie has used over the years, will also be included. Lastly, you will get a private invitation to the FREE Fat Blasting Boot Camp forums where you can ask questions about the program, blog about your experience, chat with other women who are using the Fat Blasting Program and receive one on one attention from Angie Schumacher.

Why is this program different from the others? This is a program that can be used right in the comfort of your own home, with little to no equipment! No universal gym machines, cardio machines or gym membership is needed. What you WILL need is a medicine ball OR dumbbells OR a kettlebell , stability ball, a chair or a step. That’s it!
No need to spend tons of money on diet pills or diet programs or to be confused over all the contradicting information about fitness and weight loss, the Fat Blasting Boot Camp Program is your answer!

The Fat Blasting Boot Camp Program is backed by a 8-week money back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied, you will receive your money back, no "ifs," "ands," or "buts." So you really have nothing to lose.

Click here to order. Let us know how you're doing each week!!

http://laurie79.fatblastbc.hop.clickbank.net/

My Favorite New Products

2008-12-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

One of my very favorite snacks just came out in 100 calorie bags! Sold in a box of 5 packs, they are only slightly smaller than the vending-machine sized pouches. Same great tasting cheesy popcorn in just the right serving size! You just stop when the bag is empty and you've had a hundred calories. Cheesy, and easy--hard to beat.

Celestial Seasonings has brought out their holiday line of teas. Yum! My new favorite is gingerbread spice. I also have SugarPlum spice and plan to go back for egg nog and others. The egg nog package suggested pouring a little milk in with it. I tried that with the gingerbread spice this morning and it is really delicious.

Let me know what your low calorie favorite foods are and we can post them here to share with others :)

Hot Cocoa Recipe to warm you up!

2008-12-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

I just got in from out of the snow (brrr!) and decided to try a new hot cocoa recipe a friend passed along the other day. She used a blender but I did it in my magic bullet and that worked out just great. Here it is:

Mix 1/3 cup non-fat dry milk and 1 Tbsp cocoa with 1 Tbsp sugar (or no-calorie sugar substitute if you prefer) and a dash of vanilla or almond extract. Pour in 1 cup of very hot water and blend for 15-20 seconds. Pour into a mug and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Enjoy the foamy hot treat knowing I did a nutritional breakdown for you :)

The non-fat dry milk provides 80 calories, the cocoa has 20 calories, and a tablespoon of sugar has 45 (Equal, Splenda, or Sweet-n-Low will give you less than 5 calories.) That's 100-145 calories for the final product, and it includes at least 25% of the daily value for calcium, Vitamin D, and riboflavin from the milk! Not bad for a mid-morning snack to warm you up.

Let me know how you like it.

What is Fattening?

2008-12-05T04:29:00.000-08:00

You hear people say, "I can't have that, it's fattening" all the time. What does fattening really mean? Presumably it means that the food you are eyeing is likely to add fat to your body. But how do people define 'fattening'? Is it a certain number of calories? A certain amount of fat?

Just about any food can provide you with an excess of calories if you eat too much of it. Likewise, there may be a very calorie-dense food (like chocolate cake or pecan pie) that won't really add on the pounds if you choose to consume a small portion of it.

I'd like to challenge you to re-define your use of the word. Think about foods in terms of portion sizes. Realize that apples may be fattening if you eat 10 of them at one time (total calories: 600), and a three-musketeers bar is not fattening if you have one fun sized bar (total calories: 60).

There are virtually no foods prohibited from a weight loss diet when consumed in moderation. Find out which of the foods you regularly eat are very high in calories (butter, salad dressing, ice cream) and reduce your portions of them or find lower calorie alternatives (spray butter; low-fat or low-calorie dressings; ice milk or low-fat ice cream). Fill up on the low calorie foods that you enjoy (carrots, watermelon, rice cakes, low-fat yogurt) to satisfy your hunger. Remember that foods themselves are not fattening, but rather it is how much you eat of them that makes them higher in calories.

What can you eat a smaller portion of this week to save on calories? Let us know!

More Tips on Weight Loss During the Holidays

2008-12-04T05:41:00.000-08:00

Have I told you all about the website SparkPeople.com? It's a place you can go to log your food and exercise online, and you know by now what a big fan I am of food and exercise diaries! The site tracks your calories for you, provides a printable meal plan for each day based on the calorie level suitable for your weight goal, and sends you helpful tips every day. There are blogs to read--and you can write your own--and forums to browse and add your comments. You can join with others as individual friends, or join some of the groups that are already there to welcome you. Here's a very timely article that was in my mailbox today... I couldn't have said it better myself!

Hydration is Important in Cold Weather, Too!

2008-12-01T06:16:00.000-08:00

Now that cold weather is upon us in many areas of the US, it's still just as important to stay well-hydrated. We can lose water from our bodies without noticing, particularly when we aren't sweating as much. So what are some good ways to keep the fluids coming in if you aren't crazy about drinking eight glasses of water a day?

1) Soup can make a nice and filling lunch, but there are also versions that make good snacks. Remember "cup-a-soup"? You can boil a cup of water and have some hot chicken noodle soup in just about one minute as an afternoon pick-me-up. Some of these are a bit salty. So to be most effective (and not make me thirstier later on) I hold back some of the seasoning powder--which contains most of the sodium--and just use about half of it along with all of the noodles.

2) Like the warmth of coffee but not caffeine? The sweetness of the frothy cappucino from the vending machine but not the calories? Remember decaffeinated coffee provides no caffeine and no calories, but still gives you a source of fluid. It can count as one of your glasses of water and also warm you in the wintry weather.

3) Hot tea. What a variety there is available today: It's not just plain tea anymore but hundreds (literally hundreds!) of flavors. Many come in individually wrapped packages so they're easy to carry with you and you can have a cup wherever hot water is available. Still no calories; still counts as a cup of water. My favorites: Constant Comment (a spiced orange flavor), Jasmine, Rose, Cinnamon Apple, and Caramel. You can also find mint flavors, berry flavors, lemon, even licorice!

4) Flavor your water. Just because it's cooler this time of year doesn't mean you wouldn't like a cool glass of water once in a while. If you find it too boring or tasteless, just add some flavor. Squeeze in a bit of lemon or orange; add an ounce or two of fruit juice to sweeten it, adding only 20 calories added; or use one of the zero-calorie powdered drink mixes. It all still counts towards your recommended eight glasses of water.

Wherever did the "Eight Glasses" requirement come from? The medically suggested need for appropriate hydration is based on one's size and calorie intake. In scientific language, a person is estimated to need one cc (or one milliliter) of water for each calorie they consume. An average calorie intake is 2000 (that's the level on which the daily values are based on food labels). When translating the metric 2000 milliliters to ounces, you get 66 ounces, or just over eight cups of water! So if you take in 2000 calories a day you need about eight, 8-oz cups of water. If you are larger and consume more calories and are more active you will need to adjust upwards. Likewise, if you are a smaller person and consume fewer calories you might be fine drinking just six glasses of fluid each day. Any extra you take in is easily excreted by your kidneys so unless your doctor has suggested otherwise, eight glasses is fine for everyone.

Got any great ideas for tasty hydration? Let us hear them--leave your comments here!

How To Relax on Thanksgiving Day (even if you're the hostess)

2008-11-26T08:12:00.000-08:00

Holidays can be so stressful. Especially if you are hosting company, cooking the meals, arranging for everyone to be comfortable, and feeling like you need to do all the entertaining. Here are a few tips to help yourself relax a little and let yourself enjoy the special day, too!

1. You don't have to do everything yourself. It's okay to ask people who are coming over to bring a dish! Some may even like to come early and help out with the cooking. If you can get someone else to handle the appetizers or the drinks or the desserts, that's one less thing you have to worry about.

2. Ask your company to keep the area neat. Having the kids who are over keep their toys or jackets or boots all in one set location will keep your living area clean for everyone to enjoy. If there's a designated area for luggage, laundry--whatever tends to pile up in the way--will keep your house appearing more organized and keep you more relaxed.

3. Enlist help. Try asking for help. You'll probably be surprised at the positive response! Many times people would like to help you but don't know what you need. So asking someone to carry a tray of food into the dining room, having a few people help bring the dirty dishes into the kitchen, asking your family to help wash dishes while you prepare dessert, or hiring help for the occasion can all be a great relief for you.

4. Take Shortcuts. Get wild and crazy with these ideas: use disposable dishes and flatware; use paper napkins; buy the desserts instead of baking them. Go out on a limb and figure out how you can save precious time to spend with your company instead of cooking and cleaning for them!

5. Remember the meaning of the holiday. Remember that people aren't really coming over to eat delicious food off of fancy china and be served homemade pumpkin pie. People are all coming together to see each other and the eating is just the icing on the cake. Let some things go. Do what's important. And remember the famous words of Dr Seuss, "Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter".

Make it a great one :)

Impossible Pumpkin Pie

2008-11-24T07:09:00.000-08:00

I'm trying something new here today, so let me know what you think! Today I'm posting a recipe I love because it's so easy and so timely.

This "Impossible Pumpkin Pie" gets its name from the fact that the crust part is made simply by mixing the ingredients all together and letting the layers fall naturally into place as it bakes. This picture was not taken by me, personally, but is an accurate representation of what the final product looks like. So here it is:

Impossible Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients: 3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. Bisquick baking mix

2 tbsp. butter

13 oz. can evaporated milk

2 eggs

16 oz. can pumpkin

2 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp. vanilla

To reduce fat and calories, I substitute a lower calorie spread for the butter, and a fat free evaporated milk. Egg beaters can be used in place of the eggs (use 1/2 cup of egg substitute).

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pie plate.
Beat all ingredients until smooth; 1 minute in blender on high or 2 minutes with hand beater. Pour into plate. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.

That's it! Impossibly simple, and I can tell you it's delicious :)

Plan Ahead for Thanksgiving Mealtime

2008-11-23T13:01:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving upon us, thoughts of huge and bountiful dinners come to mind. Many of us will be indulging in all-you-can-eat buffets, hosting meals for friends and relatives, or visiting other's homes to eat with them. I even know a few people who are attending more than one gathering for a celebration meal that day (one at her family's at 2 pm and then to his family's home at 6 pm). I get stuffed just thinking about it!Planning ahead is your best weapon to doing the right thing this Thursday. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1. Decide ahead of time what you will eat and how much. A fantastic guideline is to fill your plate 1/2 with vegetables, 1/4 with turkey, and 1/4 with starches.

2. If there are appetizers, focus on the raw veggies and stay away from cheeses, crackers, and dips. Fill yourself up with the high fiber, nutrition packed snacks.

3. Choose a little bit of everything you like to put on your plate once. No returning for seconds! Remember you do have to save room for dessert :)

4. Try to get slivers of dessert: a very small slice of pumpkin pie and a very small slice of pecan if you're having both. You can taste just about everything and savor the flavor. Just don't pile your plate with the high calorie sweets, and you'll thank yourself later.

Thanksgiving is a day to be shared with loved ones. It's a day to be thankful and celebrate with food. Just enjoy the tasting, the sharing, the company, and don't get carried away with overdoing it on the calories!

What strategy works for you on this special day?

New Year's Resolution: "Lose Weight!"

2008-11-21T04:52:00.000-08:00

Are you starting to think about the new year yet? Probably not; there's Thanksgiving just around the corner, and then time to start shopping and decorating for Christmas and other December holidays. With all of the planning and traveling and parties and dinners, it's all most of us can do to try to get through the holiday season without gaining weight.

But, hey, here's an idea ... what if you could actually lose weight by the end of the year? That's right, start changing your diet now instead of waiting to make it a New Year's Resolution. What will this mean to you? Well, you'll have a head start on everyone else six weeks from now. And, oh, there's that little black dress that would look so cute on you to wear New Year's Eve!

So what can you do now to get started:

1. Start writing down everything you eat from now until New Years. I tell you this repeatedly, because it's such an easy thing to do and it is definitely effective! Writing everything you eat in a log makes you aware of the 'extras' you're picking up--a cookie here, a chocolate kiss there--and can stop you in your tracks, saving you hundreds of calories a day.

2. Write down three reasons you would like to lose weight. Why would it be important to you? Get these fresh in your mind each day to keep you on track when you're tempted by the office treats or the party platters. Passing up on those cute little quiches can help you fit into that little black dress, and if you keep reminding yourself of this, it will work!

3. Be sure to drink plenty of water. You already know this. Now make it a habit! Whenever you think of it, have a glass of water or iced tea or other unsweetened beverage. This is especially helpful after a meal when you're craving one more thing, or in between meals when you're likely to seek out a snack. Sometimes we look for something to eat and what we actually need is a little hydration. Take a drink first, and then see if you are still hungry in 15 minutes.

Now, I haven't said one word about cutting out chocolate, or not eating fast food fries, or monitoring your portion sizes. These all help as well. But if you're not in the mode to change your eating habits in ways that will make you feel deprived--especially over the holidays--then try adding the first three to your daily regimen instead. They'll help too! And see if you don't lose a few pounds over the next few weeks.

Let us know how it goes--come back to post your comments here!

Mr Meltdown is melting right along!

2008-11-19T05:07:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK-6XgDxA28

I was so happy to see Mr. Meltdown's video this week! Not only has he lost another 3 pounds, but his video shows all the healthy foods he has found to enjoy :)

He found low-fat turkey sausage muffins for breakfast on days he wants a change from his 4-grain cereal; he enjoys steamed vegetables to help keep him feeling full, and has a can of water-packed tuna or Nature Valley snack bars when he wants a snack; he found lower calorie frozen dinners for when he doesn't have time to cook a meal; and my favorite part is that he reads the labels. Not just the calories per serving, but what a serving size is! That is the most important part that too many people miss--they see "120 calories per serving" but don't notice that part that says, "6 servings in this little bag that looks like a single serving size; eat all at once and take in 720 calories when you imagine you are eating 120". It doesn't actually say all that--but it should!

I must confess I am flattered because I know that he got some of these ideas from me :) But I am so happy to see him staying motivated; finding healthy foods that he likes; staying within his calorie level (for his size he can have about 2600-2800 and lose weight at a healthy rate), and continuing his posts to keep us updated on what new finds he can share with us, and how he continues to lose--slowly but surely--towards his goal of being a healthy man with healthy eating habits.

Way to go, Mr. Meltdown :)

Can Online Weight Loss Programs Work?

2008-11-17T14:12:00.000-08:00

With everyone having such a hectic schedule nowadays, there isn't always time to devote to attending diet classes and meetings in person. There are a variety of programs to help you lose weight that are conducted online, ranging from a specific membership through Weight Watchers, to my own Healthy Eating, Healthy Weight six week email program. But do these programs work if you are basically doing it without meeting a sponsor or leader in person?

Research says, "Yes it does"! There are several advantages to online weight loss programs and it might be a system that works for you. Consider the following if you find yourself too busy for a weight loss program that includes face-to-face meetings:

1. The convenience. Users can access the information from home, work, or even while on vacation. If one travels frequently and scheduled meetings are missed, the in-person system will not work for long. If there aren't meetings in your area, or you work odd shifts, the online system is still available 24/7 for you.

2. The cost. Without having to pay for an instructor or a meeting room, online programs can be offered for less money. Healthy Eating, Healthy Weight packages start at under $60! Many sites, such as Spark People and The Daily Plate, help by offering free membership if what you want is a place to go and log your intake, exercise, and calories, and to chat with others who have things in common with you.

3. Easy to stay in touch. Since people email back and forth in these programs, you don't have to be available to meet at the same time as you do in person or on the phone. Some programs have instructors that can answer your questions or evaluate your meal intake: You send them your information, they send you back comments and suggestions later in the day.

4. Anonymity. For people who require privacy, no one ever needs to see you, or know who you are! All they have is an email address to send information to. This allows weight loss clients to be more open and honest.

Any disadvantages to the online way to lose weight? It's not for everyone, and complicated cases such as people who require prescribed modified diets for medical reasons still need more individualized attention.

If you are really ready to start a weight loss program--ready to commit to making the changes in your diet to lead to a healthier life--but do not have the time to schedule weekly appointments, drive to a destination, and weigh in each week, consider that online weight loss programs may be the answer for you!

Spray Yourself Skinny

2008-11-14T04:54:00.000-08:00

Some new versions of butter and salad dressing save calories not just by changing their formula, but by changing their method of application. What a great idea this is: Spray butter on your toast and save at least 100 calories; spray dressing on your salad and save over 150 calories!
Here's how the numbers add up in a few examples:
Salad Dressings
-Wishbone spritzers variety salad dressings come in delicious flavors like French Flair, Raspberry Bliss and Caesar Delight. You only get 15 calories in 10 sprays. That is enough to wet a good portion of a small salad with flavorful dressing. Even if you usually pour a "light" raspberry vinaigrette over your salad you get 80 calories in two tablespoons. This is what they call a serving, but try measuring two tablespoons some time, then put it on your salad. Does this cover enough lettuce, tomato, and cucumber for you to be satisfied? If not, you might be using two, three, or even more 'servings' when you dress your salad! If you're still using regular dressing, fasten your seatbelt-Creamy Caesar dressing contains 170 calories in the same two tablespoons. Measure how much you use on your next salad to figure out how many calories you'll be saving by switching to the spray method.
You don't even have to buy this particular brand. You can use any light dressing you like and put it in a convenient spray bottle to help yourself cover more area of your salad using less dressing.
Butters and Spreads
-Do you like real butter? If that's what you use on your toast, or to fry an egg, keep in mind that a tablespoon of regular stick butter provides 100 calories. Spreads that come in a squeeze bottle (the more liquid, the lower in saturated fat) provide about 60 calories per tablespoon. Whipped butter comes in lower at only 50 calories per tablespoon. But the lowest of all is the "I can't believe it's not butter" spray with less than one calorie in five sprays. Now, it may take you 20 or 30 sprays to cover your entire bagel in the morning, but you know that can't be more than 5 or 6 calories, even if there were one entire calorie in five sprays!
If you've never heard me talk about the "100 calorie rule" let me summarize it here: For every hundred calories you save each day, you can lose nearly a pound in one month. This means if you change to spray butter and save a tablespoon of butter a day (100 calories) you can lose a pound this month. If you frequent restaurant s you should know that one tablespoon equals three pats of butter. How many do you use at a meal? On bread, potatoes, corn? By the way, margarine contains exactly the same number of calories as butter, pat for pat.
If you are used to pouring several tablespoons of salad dressing on your salad and you switch to spray dressings (or even just put diet dressing in a spray bottle of your own) you save 300 calories or more. This will mean up to three pounds lost at the end of 30 days if you usually eat salad every day. Restaurant portions of dressing (often served in a small gravy boat) can easily exceed eight tablespoons on a large salad. If you're counting, that means eight calories of spray versus 420 calories of light dressing, or 680 calories of regular dressing!
Think about how many calories you consume by covering your food with fats like butter and salad dressing. Try the new sprays, eliminate hundreds of calories a day from your diet, and join the "spray yourself skinny" club today!

Evaluation of Popular Diets

2008-11-12T04:43:00.000-08:00

Check out the website You-on-a-diet.net for reviews of all the popular diets.

Ever wonder what The South Beach diet is? How the Atkins diet works? If the Cabbage Soup diet is healthy or easy to follow? This website reviews the popular diets: What they entail, how they work, and whether or not they are healthy. And probably the biggest question, "do they work?"

There is also a diet blog, on which I am a guest blogger--so I can attest to the accuracy of the information there :)

A question and answer area lets you pose questions to be answered by the community. I will be answering some there.

And remember I also have a blog site called Ask The Dietitian where you can post your questions from me and return to see them in print. So ask away and I'll have your questions about nutrition and diet answered promptly!

Mistaken Identity

2008-11-10T05:56:00.000-08:00

One mistake many dieters make is identifying too closely with their diets. They get their behavior and self-esteem closely tied in with the progress they are making on their diet, and this is not a good thing.

You see, it's very common and to be expected that one day this week you will eat something that you had determined you would not eat. And this does not make you a bad person. It is not a reason to feel guilty. Furthermore, it will do nothing to assure that you revert back to the 'good behavior' of eating healthy. It generally leads to beating yourself up, feeling like a failure, and then comforting yourself with food. That's not helpful is it?

Keep your identity separate from what you eat. Keep reminding yourself of your best qualities and what you are good at. It will help you stay in line with the healthy eating you aim for. When you slip and have a donut at the office, try telling yourself something like this: "I slipped and had a donut without thinking about it seriously. I am still a good person, a good mom, and good at what I do in my job. For the rest of today I will be conscious of what I eat and be sure to include healthy choices. And later today I will be sure to get in some extra stair-climbing or walking to be sure I burn off some of those extra calories".

There. Problem solved. You are still a good person and you will make more good choices today. You can burn off some of the calories (or even all!) that you had not planned on eating today. It is not a tragedy and you are not off track. Just a little blip in your plan.

Keep up the positive thinking. And remember that your eating habits do not define who you are!

Let us know about a time you ate what you hadn't planned and how you got back on track that very same day!

2008-11-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

Today I'd like to introduce Mr. Meltdown. We met each other on line and we are working together to achieve his weight loss, which he is very ready to do at this time! We have been chatting for a few weeks and I have been sharing some information with him about healthy eating, lower calorie food choices, and the truth about low carb diets. Today will be his first installment of the "Healthy Eating, Healthy Weight" program, so I'm interested to hear his reaction to all the information provided and how he will respond with actions.
The really fantastic news is that at this time he is willing to share with you his trials and tribulations. It will definitely make for some interesting reading: He's going to keep us posted on what works for him and what doesn't, what he is going through, how it feels to be where he is and where he's heading.
He has an entire blog with posts, products, podcasts, and videos! He is an excellent writer, and very in tune with his feelings and his relationship with food, so it is a rare chance to travel along with someone on this journey.
Visit him at www.Mrmeltdown.com and see his progress on both our blogs over the coming months.

5 Proven Weight Loss Behaviors

2008-11-05T06:06:00.000-08:00

How are they proven?

Researchers surveyed people who had lost weight successfully to find out how they did it. These people all had several characteristics in common. If you can develop these it will greatly increase your chance at reaching your goal and maintaining your healthy weight.

1. They had previously acheived their weight loss goal. Even though they later gained weight back, they knew they had reached their goal before and knew they could do it again!

2. There were several dietary components of successful losers, including eating breakfast regularly, eating lower fat foods, and having meals at regular times on a daily basis.

3. They incorporated physical activity into their lifestyle.

4. On a personal side, they like themselves, their lives are stable, they have effective coping methods, and they have the confidence that they can lose weight!

5. Self monitoring was very prominent: people who lose weight successfully write down what they eat every day; keep a log of their physical activity; and weigh themselves frequently. These habits keep them keenly aware of when weight or behaviors are moving away from ideal.

Try adding these behaviors into your life, one step at a time. What can you do this week? Start a food diary? Simply write down what you eat! Can you take a few more minutes to be active during the day: a ten minute walk in the morning and the evening? How are your coping skills and your self-confidence? If these need help, get the guidance you need to set yourself up for successful weight loss.

Remind yourself every day that you can do it! Decide on an affirmation that will work for you and repeat it while you are getting ready for work, on the way there, while you wash your hands for lunch, on the way home--whenever you have a moment during the day. The more your brain hears that you can do it, the sooner you'll begin to believe it. And that's an important step to beginning your weight loss journey.

Increase Your Chance of Successful Weight Loss

2008-11-03T04:28:00.000-08:00

How can we figure out what works to help individuals lose weight? One way is to study people who have lost weight successfully and see what they all have in common. A study in the International Journal of Obesity found some key behaviors people practiced which increased their odds of keeping off the weight.

1. Flexibility with the diet they follow: If it's easy to make changes and substitutions, people are more easily able to adhere to their diet plan. When you follow a diet that is very strict and does not allow flexibility, it's hard to stay on it. Simply going out to a restaurant with friends could sabotage your efforts if menu items are not exactly what is 'on' your diet.

2. Structured timing of meals: When people eat their meals at regularly scheduled times they are more successful at losing weight. Eating at erratic times or forgetting to eat a meal altogether does not help develop healthy eating habits that lead to weight loss.

3. Food choices: Dieters who have more food choices are able to stay with their regimen longer. If you try to follow a diet that is too restrictive it can get frustrating early on and lead you to stray.

4. Physical activity: Like it or not, the fact is that increasing physical activity helps weight loss. This does not mean you have to start jogging or going to the gym every day. Find ways to increase your activity like parking farther away to increase your walking distance, taking stairs instead of the elevator (even for one or two floors if you're going up several), and discovering an activity you enjoy such as tennis or dancing.

5. Coping with stress. Those who are successful at losing weight have found coping mechanisms to deal with stress. Instead of eating they have figured out what helps them to relax: calling a friend; going for a walk; taking a bubble bath or reading a good book. Learn what helps you calm down instead of turning to food when the daily fires throw you for a loop.

How does your weight loss plan fit in with these successful strategies? Make a serious effort to find a plan that allows you more food choices and flexibility. Be sure to get on a regular meal schedule and be consistent with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and any snacks that are included in your meal plan. Do some thinking about what you can try when you find yourself turning to food for reasons other than hunger. Get out there and enjoy a new activity, and see your success at weight loss soar!

What Is A Calorie?

2008-10-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

Calories are actually a measure of energy; scientifically, the amount of energy it takes to raise one gram of water by one degree Celsius. The term we use as Calories are really kcals or 1000 Calories. We use kcal because if we didn’t, a Three Musketeers Bar would have 285,000 calories and no one would ever eat one!

Calories are measured by an apparatus that burns the edible portion of a food and measures the energy that is released. Calories people burn are measured by monitoring the amount of oxygen taken in and carbon dioxide released during certain activities.

In grade school we learn that oxygen is what we breathe in, and carbon dioxide (CO2) is what we breathe out. Where does the carbon come from? The Carbon (C) that we breathe out comes from the energy yielding nutrients: Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The other nutrients—vitamins, minerals, and water—neither contain carbon, nor provide Calories.

People burn most of their calories by their continuous body functions (heart beating, breathing, regenerating new cells, etc). This is called your Basal Energy Expenditure and accounts for about 2/3 of the daily calories burned by most people. When you add to this your movements and exercises during the day (even the process of digestion), you find your total calories expended.

How do we calculate the number of calories in a food? There are a few basics to begin with: Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram. Protein provides 4 calories per gram. Fat provides 9 calories per gram. The only other substances that provide calories are drinking alcohol, and sugar alcohols (such as sorbitol, found in sugar-free gums and candies).

You can calculate the calories in a food by reading the label that shows grams of carbohydrates, grams of protein, and grams of fat. The gram weight of a food will be more than the total of the carbohydrates, protein, and fat, because of water weight. Water can compose of up to 90% of some foods (fruits in particular) but is present in very small amounts in high fat foods, such as butter.

For example, a teaspoon of sugar weighs approximately 5 grams. Only about 4 grams are carbohydrate (the rest a little bit of water). If you multiply 4 grams x 4 calories/gram, you find 16 calories in a teaspoon of sugar! Let’s try to calculate butter: a teaspoon of butter weighs about 5 grams. There are 9 calories in a gram of butter (fat). Take 9 calories/gram times 5 grams and find that there are 45 calories in a teaspoon of butter. Hmmm, butter sure has more calories than sugar!

Try doing the math on food labels you find around your house: On a label of bread you might find 12 grams of carbohydrate (x 4 is 48 calories) and 3 grams of protein (x 4 is 12 calories) and the total calories in a slice will be near 60 calories. The slice of bread weighs 30 grams, but the rest of the weight is from the water content.
I hope you enjoyed this little nutrition class :)

The Scale Can Be Your Friend

2008-10-30T04:25:00.000-07:00

More research on helpful weight loss tips: weighing daily helps people track themselves and learn when to adjust their diet to maintain their weight! For years the standard recommendation was to weigh yourself weekly and expect one-two pounds of weight loss per week. While the one-to-two pound range is still a good idea for losing, the fact is you can easily gain this quickly as well. And when people slack off on monitoring their weight, that number can grow pretty high before you notice your clothing is too tight.

Weighing daily comes with some caveats:

1. You have to realize that daily fluctuations occur based on your water weight, which can be affected by sodium intake as well as hormones for women.

2. You will also weigh more if you are wearing heavier clothing (obvious, isn't it!)

3. And you will weigh more immediately after a large meal. Picture this: holding a large turkey dinner with all the trimmings plus dessert while standing on the scale. . . if the scale says you weigh three pounds more while you are holding the food in your arms, why wouldn't it say three pounds more immediately after you eat it and your stomach is holding it? It does exactly that! By no means is this the same as eating enough calories to gain three pounds of body fat, (which would be over 10,000 calories). After the food is processed and the waste excreted, you'll be back down at least 2-1/2 pounds!

4. Since day-to-day fluctuations are invariable it's important not to give too much attention to the number on any one day. Following daily weights in a log book, on a paper chart, or even on a computer graph can show you trends over time and help you get back on track when the numbers continue to rise. Likewise, if the numbers continue to decrease over time, you know you are losing real body weight; not just seeing a lower number on the scale due to dehydration because you didn't have enough water one day

So stay on top of your weight as you continue to eat healthy and adjust your calorie intake to get to your goal, and then use this monitor to help you stay just where you want to be!

Can Meal Replacements Work for Weight Loss?

2008-10-28T04:38:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, meal replacements were frowned upon by many dietitians and other health professionals. The emphasis was on learning to eat healthy, real foods in the proper portions, and no substitutions were allowed! Now the philosophy has changed. Leading experts in the field of nutrition are offering up this advice: If it works to help you lose weight and it's not potentially harmful, go for it!

That being said, there are dozens of ways you can choose a meal replacement diet!

1. Many diets can be purchased which include an entire program for you. You've seen them on tv with their famous spokespeople. You don't buy any of your own food: These programs provide meals, snacks, desserts--everything. The downside is they can be expensive, and you may not like the taste of their food. You are also highly likely to regain the weight when you go off their program and back to eating supermarket and restaurant food. But it's a good idea to try if it will help you lose weight now. Maybe you'll gain it back, but maybe you won't!

2. You can eat one or two regular meals and substitute the third with a meal replacement, such as a bar or a drink. You know the saying, "a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch, and a healthy dinner". It can be a diet drink, or it can be Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink. The important factor is that you are getting a good source of important nutrients in a limited amount of calories at that meal time. The reason it works is it takes away the work of figuring out what to eat and how to prepare it. Just pop open a can and drink your breakfast and maybe lunch, too. One of the hardest parts about dieting is all the planning--this takes that hard part away.

3. Another option is to prepare a low calorie frozen meal for lunch every day. This can be considered a meal substitute, just like the Subway diet can. It's a prepared item that you do not have to think about or fix or cook.

4. You can use any combination of these: A slimfast for breakfast, a 6-inch low fat sub for lunch, and a Lean Cuisine for dinner. Just be sure to use the food pyramid guidelines to also get in enough servings of fruit and dairy, which are often not included in these meals. Sound like a lot of calories? I calculate less than 1200. That means you have enough leftover for a 100- calorie snack bag in the evening. enjoy!

Please let us know if you try this! Comment here and let us know which way you did it and what your results were.

And The Best Diet Is ...

2008-10-27T06:23:00.000-07:00

Wow! I sure am learning a lot at this year's Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition (FNCE). I will have a new entry every day this week to fill you in on the latest research reported by the best dietitians and doctors around the country as members of the American Dietetic Association gather to share the latest findings, newest products, and best tips for weight loss.

Here is a summary from the meetings I attended yesterday:

1. The diet that works best is ... ta da ... the one you can stay on! Yes, research shows that whatever diet you choose--South Beach, Atkins, The Zone, SlimFast, or your own concoction of specially planned meals--if you can adhere to an intake that is lower in calories, you will lose weight. While people were on a regimen that had them eating fewer calories than they burned, they consistently lost weight. When they went off the diet, they gained the weight back. One to five years after stopping their diet, about 98% of the dieting population gains back all the weight they lose during the diet.
So the moral here is, find something you can stick with...forever. Don't see yourself snacking on cheese sticks and pork rinds four years from now? Maybe Atkins isn't the diet for you. Like counting your points? You can stay on weight watchers forever! It's important to include some flexibility, variety, and definitely to include foods you like. Think long and hard about what you can do to change your eating habits permanently, and you won't have to go on a 'diet' again!

2. Everything is proven to be good for you. As I predicted, all the vendors are here showing evidence that prunes--oops! I mean dried plums--are good for you; pork is good for you; nuts are good for you, etc etc etc. Read research with caution. There can be studies showing anything the researchers set out to prove, and companies that sell a product will find a way to prove their product is good for you!
Meanwhile I am enjoying a lot of tasty samples. Some I will bring home for my husband to try and I'll let you know how they go over (I am not a fan of chocolate and peanut butter, and many of the snack bars are made with these flavors).

3. Weight loss is good for your health. Amazingly, research shows this! Over and over again there are reports in the seminars about how even a slight weight loss (7-10% of your current body weight) can reduce the incidence of diabetes in those who are prone, decrease blood pressure, lower high cholesterol, raise HDL cholesterol (the good kind), and lower elevated triglyceride levels. This means if you weight 200 pounds you can lose 15-20 pounds and produce amazing results for your health. You do not have to aim for a goal of 150 pounds, which is a daunting task, and may be the reason you put off dieting! Just shoot for ten pounds at a time and see what changes you can make at your next doctor appointment.

Well, these are the highlights from the first day. More to come later this week!

How Many Calories Should I Eat A Day?

2008-10-24T04:21:00.000-07:00

One question I hear all the time is "How many calories should I be eating a day?" This, of course, varies greatly from person to person. It depends on not only your weight but also your height; the taller you are the more you burn because you have more lean body tissue and this lean tissue (muscle) uses more energy than fat. It depends on whether you are male or female; men typically have more muscle mass, so they burn more calories (not fair!). It depends how old you are because after a certain age (around 35) we start burning fewer calories and that number continues to decrease gradually as we continue to age. Finally, it greatly depends on your activity level because if you get a lot of exercise you naturally are burning a lot more calories.

Here's a quick and convenient way to estimate of how many calories you need. Multiply your weight by 15 to get the number of calories you need per day to maintain your weight. If you weight 150 pounds and you are happy with this weight, you need (15 x 150) approximately 2250 calories a day to maintain it. This is a very general starting point, because from these numbers we don't know whether you are male or female, active or sedentary, young or older. It's just an estimate.

If you would like to lose weight, multiply your present weight by 10. If you weigh 180 pounds and you would like to weigh less, a good estimate is for you to eat (10 x 180) 1800 calories a day. Again, it certainly depends on how active you are, how tall you are, and whether you are male or female (a man could lose weight faster on this calorie level than a woman), but it's a good place to start.

Play around with the range of 10 to 15 times your weight. If you weigh 160 pounds, look at the numbers from 1600 (16o x 10) to 2400 calories (16o x 15). You could probably lose a pound a week by limiting your calorie intake to 1600 calories, and you would probably maintain your weight if you ate 2400 calories a day. Remember if you are middle-aged, female, less than 5'4", and not very active you will need to keep your calories in the lower part of this range to lose, and maybe even to maintain your weight.

If you are very overweight (say, 270 pounds or more) you should multiply the weight you would like to be by 15 to find a good starting calorie level. People who are nearly 100 pounds overweight are carrying that extra weight as fat tissue, which does not burn nearly the calories of our muscles, organs, and other body tissue. So a 270 pound woman may aim for (170 x 15) 2550 calories to start losing weight. It sounds like a very high calorie level for weight loss to occur, but people who are this heavy are usually eating more than 2500 calories a day! Therefore, reducing your intake to less than you usually eat will result in weight loss. You do not have to start with a 1200 calorie diet and feel starving to lose weight. Eat a little less; take your time with weight loss. Make it permanent!

Now, just a quick note on where to go from here: how do you figure out what to eat once you figure the appropriate calorie level? It's pretty tough counting calories all day, so take advantage of using some estimates again here. Aim for 1/3 of your calories at lunch and 1/3 of your calories at dinner; slightly fewer at breakfast to allow for small snacks during the day. If you want to eat 1800 calories a day, divide that into a 400 calorie breakfast, a 500-600 calorie lunch and dinner, and a couple of 100-150 calorie snacks! Read your labels and get to know what the calorie content is of foods you eat often. Some websites calculate these for you so it may be helpful to enter your food intake on one such as The Daily Plate.

Post any questions and we'll help you get started!

What's "Good For Me" Now?

2008-10-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend I'm off to the Food And Nutrition Conference and Exposition (FNCE), the annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association. I'm excited because I'll be bringing back lots of information for all of you! I'll be learning the latest research on what makes people gain weight, how the appetite signals work, and how best to help people lose weight.

In addition to the research presentations, there will be food and nutrition companies present by the hundreds. They'll each have a booth set up in the enormous exhibit hall, be handing out pens and mugs and key chains to entice us to walk over to see what they have to tell us, and they'll all tell us the same thing: Why their product is so "good for you"!

There's the Pork Board and The Dairy Council; The American Egg Board and the International Tree Nut Council. There are retail companies like Nestle and Kelloggs to tell us how chocolate is good for you and how breakfast cereal is a good start for your day. The California Dried Plum Board will be there (they changed the name of "prunes" to "dried plums" several years ago as a marketing technique since prunes have a reputation among some of not being very tasty). And there will be new products showcased like Quorn; a textured vegetable protein made from mushrooms that makes a delicious vegetarian version of 'chicken' patties and other substitute versions of meat products. What they all have in common is research to prove that their product is good for you; studies that show how consumption of the food they sponsor will reduce your chance of getting cancer, or improve your eye health, control your diabetes or help you lose weight.

But did you know you can find a study to support just about anything? If I wanted to do research to prove that eating lots of lemons makes my hair lighter, I could do that. There might be 929 studies that show lemon intake has no effect on hair color, but the 930th study might show a slight lightening of hair shade in a small group of women who drank lemonade every day... it might not be a direct result of the lemon intake but, hey, if that's what I'm trying to show then it works for me!

My point is, be careful about what you read and hear when trying to figure out what's 'good for you'. Ask and investigate when you see a study reported on the news that "coffee drinkers suffer lower incidence of Alzheimer's disease". Was the study sponsored by the coffee bean board? Was there more than one study done with the same result? Are there dozens of other studies that disprove this outcome? The saying "don't believe everything you read" is very applicable in relating to news about a specific food and what it can do for you. Don't be quick to judge, don't be quick to avoid one food because one study showed it can make blood sugar rise in some people with diabetes, and don't jump on the bandwagon to overeat another food because one study found it can help your eye health. Constantly changing your diet based on the latest rumors is unnecessary and confusing. If you try to keep up with the latest research on everything from everywhere you'll end up flustered and feeling like you just don't know what to eat or who to believe.

Look for information that has been obtained from reputable scientific institutions, results that have been repeated, and facts that have stood the test of time. Follow the recommendations of appropriate and reliable associations such as the American Dietetic Association, the American Diabetes Association, The American Medical Association, and the American Heart Association. You'll find advice repeated consistently among all of these boards, such as "get plenty of fruits and vegetables and whole grains" and "maintain a regular exercise habit of at least 30 minutes of activity daily" and "consume fats and sweets in moderation".

It's easy to get confused with all the media bombarding us with so much new information every day. Don't let yourself get caught in the trap of trying to keep up with "what's good for you" and changing what you eat and what you avoid because of one report you heard. The bottom line is: there is not one food that will help cure or prevent any disease and, likewise, there is not any one food that will be the downfall of your health.

Follow the adage "everything in moderation" and check with the reputable national organizations for any questions you have on what's good for you!

If you have any specific questions I can clarify for you, feel free to post a comment here for a public answer, or email me at laurie@mycoachlaurie.com for a private response.

Motivation Monday: What Can You Do This Week?

2008-10-20T05:36:00.000-07:00

On Mondays we often resolve to start a new diet. We feel guilty for all the calories we consumed over the weekend, going out to eat, having a few drinks with friends, splurging on desserts, and generally throwing caution to the wind. So instead of scaling back we decide to go for the extremes to make up for it: No more chocolate--ever!--we declare; I'll just have a grapefruit half for breakfast and a salad for lunch and some plain chicken and vegetables for dinner from now on; and definitely no snacks anymore.

How long can you really keep up a pattern like that? Depriving yourself and telling yourself "no" all day long, despite true hunger setting in. Trying to ignore the ever-present treats we eye in every store, in every cafeteria line, on every coworker's desk. Have you tried this way before? Okay, so you know it's not going to work!

Instead, try a new idea: Choose ONE thing you can do this week to improve your diet. The goal should be for it to become a long standing habit. Remember that habits don't develop overnight. Certainly you would not easily change all of your eating habits this week, so shooting for a plan like the first one is setting yourself up for failure.

What can you be sure to accomplish this week? Drinking three more glasses of water each day would be a good habit and in no way a deprivation. Including an extra fruit or vegetable serving in your diet each day (or both!) would make your diet more healthy and it's a great goal to shoot for. Maybe you can commit to a 20 minute walk each evening after dinner, or after lunch with a coworker.

If you think these ideas won't help you lose weight, think again. In the long term if you were to establish the walking habit you would be burning an extra hundred calories every day (that's 36,50o a year!) resulting in a weight loss of 10 pounds. If your focus was on eating MORE of something, like fruits, vegetables, or even water, it would take the feeling of deprivation away and be easier for you to follow through each day. Even a positive change that is not diet-related, (like taking 30 minutes a day to relax, or meditate, or journal, or call a good friend) can help reduce your stress and decrease the stress-induced eating behaviors in which we often engage during the week.

Stop the all-or-nothing diet behavior! Find just one new habit you can begin this week. Set yourself up for success and start today.

For five tips on how to set yourself up for success, sign up for my free monthly newsletter at http://www.mycoachlaurie.com/

Can Women In Their 50's Find A Way To Lose Weight?

2008-10-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

Why is it harder for women to lose weight in their 50’s?
Is it really a fact that it’s harder to get the weight off or does it just seem like it? Think back to when you did find it easy to lose weight. What was different?

Besides your hormones, menopause, your muscle mass, and other biological issues, there are also lifestyle factors to consider:

1. As we age it is very likely we have more disposable income than we did when we were younger. This, along with the types of social activities we enjoy later in life, often leads to dining out for dinner more. In turn we have less control over the ingredients in our meals, as well as the portion sizes. Eating out more often means larger meals, preceded by rolls or chips or appetizers, in combination with alcoholic beverages, and/or followed by desserts! Consider that you may actually be eating more now than you did 20 or 30 years ago.

2. Comparing your lighter days to now, how often do you eat fast food? It is much easier to pick up a quick meal nowadays than to make one at home, and sometimes even less expensive. It is so convenient to order Chinese food, or a pizza, when you may have prepared virtually every meal at home when you were a young mother with small children. Maybe you even skipped a meal now and then because you were so busy! Could you be getting an extra few hundred calories several days a week from burgers, fries, and other meals that are so convenient, but not so low-calorie?

3. How closely do you watch what you eat today compared with how you may have watched your figure when you were younger? Did you have days where you barely ate because there was a dress you wanted to wear to a party that was coming up? Did you avoid cookies and chips and other snacks and desserts because “fat free” or “guilt free” or “low-cal” treats did not exist? We may eat many ‘diet’ foods these days, telling ourselves “it’s okay; it’s low fat”. Well, it’s not calorie-free food, so maybe we are getting more calories than we need on a daily basis.

4. Finally, exercise naturally comes in to the energy balance equation. How much exercise do you get now compared to the activity in your daily life a few decades ago? Do you find yourself spending a lot of your day in sedentary activities due to your work, or even your hobbies? Did you do more walking back then for reasons like getting the kids to school or visiting a neighbor? Today it is quite easy to go through a twenty-four hour period hardly moving a muscle! We drive everywhere. We email people at work instead of walking down the hall to answer a question. We can order clothes online and gifts from catalogs so we don’t even have to go to a mall for shopping. We can get our dry cleaning delivered to our home, and even get a sack of burgers and fries without leaving our car—just drive up to the window and it’s handed to you! What can you do today to increase your activity level? Consider that as little as 20 minutes of walking each day can help you lose more than 10 pounds a year!

Take some time to think about what your life was like when you were at a weight you would like to be again: What was your breakfast like? Your lunch? Your dinner? What did you do for exercise or how active were you just to get the daily list of errands accomplished? What did you do for fun with your friends besides going out to eat?
Perhaps you will find the key to getting back to a healthy weight when you remember how you ate and how you exercised. One thing is for sure: sitting in your easy chair and blaming your weight on your age isn’t going to change a thing!

The Calories You Save Today Will Be The Weight You Lose Tomorrow!

2008-10-15T04:28:00.000-07:00

All it takes is saving 250 calories a day to lose half a pound a week. While that may sound like a measly amount, it means by New Year's Eve you could be six pounds lighter! That's a dress size for some women, and certainly enough to make anyone's snug trousers fit more comfortably. You don't need to go on a diet or start jogging every morning for this to happen. Just start paying attention to those high-calorie items and either skip them or replace them with something less fattening.

Here are six times during the day you can save yourself up to 250 calories:

- Your morning coffee drink. Coffee has about 2 calories. What you put in it could have a lot more. Some non-dairy creamer labels state a serving at 12 calories, but a serving size is a teaspoon! If you use 2 ounces (that's 12 teaspoons) your coffee has 150 calories! And that's just your first cup... If you have a name-brand coffee drink that has whole milk and flavored syrup you could be downing 260 calories without even having a bite of breakfast.

Consider opting for a smaller size, or using skim milk instead of whole milk, cream, or non-dairy creamers.

- Your lunchtime soda. The typical 20 oz plastic bottle of soda has 200 calories. Not what you recall reading on the label? Check again--there are 2.4 servings in one of them! When's the last time you shared one of these?

Try substituting with water, unsweetened iced tea, or an occasional diet soda. Or share your calories with a friend :)

-Your fast food lunch. ALL of the fast food establishments post their nutritional content on the web. Check the calorie content of foods you like. A typical order at Burger King--a whopper and large fries--hands you 670 calories from the sandwich plus 500 from the fries (1170 calories total).

Now, just try having a whopper junior with small fries and you're down to a 370 calorie sandwich and 230 calories from the fries (that's 600 calories for lunch, saving you 570 calories). Most of the restaurants now have healthy side alternatives such as applesauce at burger king or apple slices at McDonalds.... just ask!

Your afternoon candy bar. Looking for a quick source of energy when you start dragging after lunch? How much does a candy bar really help? Most of them contain a high amount of fat, often from nuts in addition to the chocolate, and they can actually leave you with a sugar crash a short time later. A candy bar can have between 180 and 240 calories. That's a medium sized one. Now there are king sized candy bars. They have more calories. Read the label.

Try fending off the drowsies with a glass of ice water, a short walk, or a 100-calorie snack bag. They make some great ones!

-A nice big, juicy steak for dinner. A prime cut of meat is prime partly because of the fatty marbling that makes it tender. The fat also contributes calories, so that each ounce of meat can have at least 75 calories. That means a 16 oz steak can have 1200 calories.

Cut it in half and save 600 calories. Also save having to buy lunch tomorrow when you eat the leftovers.

-Dessert. A relatively small slice of pecan pie can have over 400 calories; other pies without nuts have slightly fewer; a serving of cheesecake over 250 calories; Chocolate cake, 240 calories.

Try 1/2 cup sherbet for 100 calories, or some of the 'light' ice cream novelties that have less than 150 calories (Skinny Cow makes great fudge bars as well as ice cream sandwiches)!

Start reading labels or going online to find out how many calories are in foods you typically eat... you can usually find a substitute you like just as well (poached salmon instead of steak? Grilled chicken instead of a whopper?) and save a few hundred calories a day. You'll be losing weight in no time without having to go on the latest fad diet!

Help for the Dinner-challenged is HERE

2008-10-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCING: THE VIRTUAL DINNER COACH (available in download or hard copy)
Designed by a registered dietitian to help you make balanced meals every night in a snap!

Make EASY MEALS IN MINUTES to serve your family at home!

Does figuring out what to make for dinner keep exhausting you?
No time to cook?
Not even time for grocery shopping?
Let THE VIRTUAL DINNER COACH help you figure out what to make every night of the week!

Use the simple list of staples, sample menus, and fast and easy recipes to coach you through an easy assortment of what to make your family for dinner!

Includes:
Recipes for entrees, starches, "one-dish wonders", vegetables, and desserts
Ideas for what to serve when you don't have time to cook
Sample menus for two weeks (including breakfast, lunch, dinner and three snacks)
Shopping List Guide

Click here to view more information

Comments from Moms who have previewed the VIRTUAL DINNER COACH

"The dinner coach has some great tips for busy Moms and novice cooks on using shortcuts currently available in the markets, plus easy, family-pleasing recipes."

(I'll keep posting comments here as they come in!)

Think Before You Drink

2008-10-10T04:34:00.000-07:00

You may be spending a lot of time watching what you eat, but how much attention do you pay to what you are drinking? Beverages can be adding hundreds of calories a day to your intake and preventing you from losing the weight you would like to lose.

The average soft drink provides about 10 calories per ounce. This means 80 calories for eight ounces of soda, punch, juice (yes, even fruit juice that provides nutrition also provides calories!), milk (actually this is for skim milk--whole milk provides nearly double!), and even more for alcoholic beverages.
Keep in mind these number are for eight ounce servings, which people rarely consume nowadays: a can of soda contains 12 ounces (that's 120 calories), a bottle of beer 12 ounces (providing about 150 calories unless it is a light beer), and the plastic bottles of soda now contain 20 ounces--which bring the calorie content to a whopping 240! Yes, the label may tell you there are 80 calories per serving, but be sure to check what a serving size is equal to, and how many servings there are per container.

Other high-calorie beverages include sweet tea, which may have in excess of 200 calories per eight-ounce serving depending on how sweet it is; egg nog at 340 calories per eight-ounce serving, and a Starbucks Latte (16 oz) at 272 calories. If you order your latte with skim milk (and no whipped cream) that will bring it down to 220 calories.

Check out the measurement of the glasses you use in your home. Use an eight-ounce measuring cup and fill your favorite glass with water to see what eight ounces looks like. You may be pouring yourself a whole lot of extra calories by filling your glass with milk, juice, or a sweetened beverage. Many glasses hold 20 ounces and the calories add up quickly!

What are some lower calorie alternatives? Water, of course, has no calories and may be flavored with lemon or a flavored tea bag steeped for a few minutes. Diet soda has zero calories, but there can be draw backs to drinking excessive amounts. Tomato juice has only 41 calories per cup, and vegetable juice (like V-8) 46 calories per cup. Coffee and tea have less than two calories per cup and can be flavored with artificial sweeteners. However, if you add non-dairy creamers--even sugar free-take note of the serving size (in most cases one teaspoon) and see how fast the calories can again add up!

To prevent gaining weight (or to help with weight loss) keep a few rules of thumb in mind:
1. 100 extra calories per day may cause near a pound weight gain each month, so rethinking your beverage choices and take note of serving sizes.
2. Milk and juice are great sources of many vitamins and minerals but the "serving size" recommended is often 8 ounces or less. Even though they are 'good for you' the calories can turn into 'too much of a good thing' when you drink large servings.
3. Many containers of sodas, sweetened teas, and coffee drinks contain more than one serving. If the calories per serving seems reasonable, be sure to check how many servings are in the container before you drink the whole thing.
4. Even gatorade and other sports drinks are sweetened and contain nearly 10 calories per ounce. No free ride here!
5. Restaurants that serve 'sweetened tea' give you no control over the calorie content; ask for unsweetened and add your own sweetener (there are about 20 calories in a pack of sugar, so use accordingly!)

Bottom line: start paying attention to beverage labels the same way you do food labels. Check out the calorie content and what their serving size is equal to. You might just find this to be the secret to your own weight loss success!

How Fast Can I Lose Weight?

2008-10-08T04:22:00.000-07:00

How do they lose over ten pounds in one week on these extreme weight loss shows? The answer is, extreme measures. Not only is it easier to lose weight quickly when you weigh over 250 pounds, as most of these participants do, but it's easier to cut calories when you usually eat over 3000 calories a day, which most of them do as well. If you are not 100 pounds overweight, you should expect to lose quite a bit more slowly.

The other end of the equation that helps these people lose so quickly is the amount of activity in which they are participating each day. You see them working with their personal trainers, but did you know they are exercising for up to six hours each day? All they do on this "campus" is eat a light breakfast, then go out and exercise for three hours; eat a light lunch and go to the gym for another three hours. They get a light dinner before having to video tape their thoughts for the day and then collapse into bed! So unless you are planning on an exercise program that includes several hours of activity each day, along with a lower calorie meal plan, you should not expect to lose weight in the double digits.

So what is reasonable? If you can eat 500 fewer calories each day than you normall eat (or exercise to burn 500 more calories than you normally burn each day) you can expect to lose one pound a week. It may be easier to eliminate 500 calories a day from your intake than it will be to work this much off at the gym: It takes about an hour of intense activity for most people to burn this number of calories. It's more likely you can take a look at the labels on a few of the snacks or desserts you eat and find 500 calories to take away from your diet fairly easily.

Here are some typical examples of food portions that provide 500 calories: A slice of pecan pie; a cup of haagen daz ice cream; a 'big grab' bag of doritos chips; a large (or in some cases 'medium') order of fries; four reese's peanut butter cups. A Hardee's thickburger, among many other fast food restaurant sandwiches, provides over 800 calories! So there are plenty of ways to either eliminate these extremely high calorie snacks and desserts, or find much lower calorie selections to replace them.

If your goal is to lose a pound each week you should take note of foods like these in your diet and plan for ways to substitute them with items that are lower in calories. Perhaps while you're at it you will even find some foods that will provide you with more vitamins, minerals, and fiber as well (such as choosing fruits, vegetables, string cheese, yogurt, or a bowl of cereal when the afternoon or evening hungries hit).

If you have a relatively small amount of weight to lose (say, less than 35 pounds) and do not find that you are including very high calorie foods in your diet each day, you may find that you need to watch what you are eating more closely and plan to lose weight more slowly. The current recommendation for healthy weight loss is 10% of your body weight over the next six months. This means if you weigh 180 pounds, for example, you should aim to lose 18 pounds in six months, or approximately three pounds a month. I know this sounds terribly slow, but the plan is you will not be dieting and restricting and suffering to get there. And from there you will continue to lose weight because you have developed healthy new eating habits. Take a look at this equation:

Fast and Temporary = Deprived and Miserable

Now, think about how many times have you gone on a diet, deprived yourself, lost a few pounds, and then gained it back. You know now that way doesn't work! This time do it differently. Make small changes, include more nutritious foods in your diet, pare down the high calorie 'junk' foods (like cakes, candy and cookies, for starters), and learn some new habits! Six months from now you can be thankful and keep heading on your way down to your ideal weight!

Let Me Count the Weighs

2008-10-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

Weighing yourself on your bathroom scale every morning isn't the only indicator of how you are coming along on your quest for achieving and maintaining your ideal body weight. There are other ways you can measure your progress, and a few things to keep in mind that the scale doesn't tell you. Here's a list of things to know when you are tracking your weight loss:

1. The scale does not tell you that your weight includes the two glasses of water you just drank (which actually weigh exactly one pound). Try to weigh yourself at the same time every day: for instance, first thing in the morning.
2. The scale does not remind you that you were naked yesterday when you weighed yourself and this morning you are wearing flannel pajamas which weigh exactly 1.5 pounds. Remember to wear the same type of clothing each time you weigh yourself.
3. A typical bathroom scale does not differentiate between water weight, fat weight, and muscle weight. How are you to know when you are a few pounds down that you are not just dehydrated? If you are a few pounds up that it might be water retention because you had a high sodium meal of chinese food yesterday evening? The answer ... a special scale that measures your body composition. There are several brands and types of these scales. See the website of a company called Tanita for one brand of scale and an explanation of how this works. No more guessing about whether you've put on muscle or fat!
4. BMI is another measurement that shows you how close you are moving to a healthy weight. Go here to calculate what yours is, and see how close you are to a healthy weight. A great goal is to move out of the 'obese' and into the 'overweight' numbers, or out of the 'overweight' range and into the 'healthy' range. This gives you an idea of how realistic your weight goal is and how meaningful it can be.
5. Waist circumference is another way to assess your progress towards a healthy body weight. Current recommendations from national health organizations determine at what waist measurement men and women suffer from increased risk of chronic diseases.
Go here for information on waist circumference

Using more than one measurement can give you a better view of how you are doing when you feel like things aren't moving quickly enough. Keep in mind that every week you are moving toward a healthier you. Keep heading in the right direction and don't worry so much about how long it takes. As long as you are eating better this week than last week, better this month than last month, you are successful!

Questions About Sodium

2008-10-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

I hear so many misstatements about sodium, including its relationship to weight gain, I'm taking the time to address the facts to clear some of the confusion. One of the first things to understand is the amount of sodium humans need on a daily basis, and then what the recommended limitations are. Once you have an idea of what the numbers mean you can make sensible decisions based on the facts you are reading on the food labels.

First of all, sodium is an essential element in the diet. We have sodium in our body and it must be kept within a specific concentration in our bloodstream for normal body functions. So we definitely need it. In fact, if a person were to try completely eliminating sodium from their diet, the consequences could be quite harmful--even fatal!

That said, the minimum recommended sodium intake is about 500 milligrams. Milligrams are the units found on food labels in regard to sodium so it's easy to find how much sodium is contained in any food with a label. Once you start reading labels you'll find that canned and processed foods do contain quite a bit of sodium. However, foods many people talk about being high in sodium (like soda, for instance, which somehow got a terrible reputation for being high in sodium and terrible for causing fluid retention) are not. Soda averages 25-50 milligrams of sodium--NOT a high source! Bread averages 120 milligrams of sodium. Baked goods will all have at least 100 milligrams of sodium because salt and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) are used to make them. Again, not a number to worry about. Why?

Because the recommendations for sodium intake are to limit this mineral to 2400 milligrams per day. Two-thousand, four hundred milligrams each day. Now you can see that a food with 100 or 200 milligrams is not very high in sodium, even though we think of 100 as a high number. In this case, it's not!
Anyone with normal and healthy kidneys, normal blood pressure, and a good daily intake of fluid will be able to flush out all the excess sodium ingested during the day. Eating a hot dog one day is not a likely cause of any fluid imbalance or organ damage in a healthy individual--you usually find yourself more thirsty later on and naturally drink more water to help eliminate the extra sodium.

The problem is, the average sodium intake of most Americans is near 4000 milligrams of sodium daily, and some take in amounts near 10,000 milligrams each day. Over time, consuming large amounts of sodium can contribute to elevated blood pressure in some people. This, surprisingly, is rarely from people salting their food. A teaspoon of salt (the main source of sodium) contains 2000 milligrams of sodium. If you were to measure a teaspoon of salt into a shaker and use that to salt your food during the day, the average person probably wouldn't use most of it.

Then where does most of our dietary sodium come from? Start checking the labels on your canned food and frozen foods; start looking up the sodium content from fast food restaurants (frightening!); check out sodium content in processed foods such as lunchmeat (bologna, hot dogs), corned beef, pickles, and olives. Here is where you will find single servings that are providing 500 milligrams of sodium, 1000 milligrams of sodium and even more! One trip to a fast food restaurant can easily put you up to the recommended 2400 milligrams before you include anything else you eat all day! Look at a can of soup, a diet frozen dinner entree, a pizza. This is where Americans are getting their excess amounts of sodium.

It's not a bad idea to watch your sodium intake, and it is certainly a great idea to read labels. But both these efforts are wasted if you don't know what you're looking for or what the numbers mean. Stop worrying about the 40 milligrams of sodium in a diet orange soda when you're having it with a corn dog that contains over 900 milligrams of sodium. Stop worrying about the 240 milligrams of sodium in your high fiber breakfast cereal when you're consuming 800 milligrams in a can of soup for lunch! Don't even think of giving up your morning glass of milk because it contains 120 milligrams of sodium... especially when you pour diet Italian dressing on your salad at dinner to the tune of 470 milligrams of sodium! What about spaghetti sauce you use from a jar? Check it out--one half cup contains over 800 milligrams of sodium!

My point here is not to worry you about the amount of sodium you take in. My point is that a healthy, low calorie food that provides a concentrated source of nutrition should not be avoided because it contains a few hundred milligrams of sodium (like milk or cereal). Especially by someone who is going to have thousands of milligrams of sodium later that day in a sandwich of lunchmeat (which is also high in fat) or a chinese buffet (during which they are likely to consume far more calories than they need as well).

Finally, sodium does not contribute to or cause weight gain. If you eat a high sodium meal you will retain fluid weight until you have consumed enough extra water to flush out the extra sodium (yes, drinking more water will help flush out the sodium faster). So, yes, the scale will reflect a higher body weight for a number of hours. This has nothing to do with how much fat you are carrying, which is presumably what we want to lose when we want to lose weight! Your sodium intake has no effect on your body fat content, or on how difficult it is to lose fat weight.

For now, keep reading those labels, but first know what the numbers mean! Don't ignore the highest sodium foods with a low nutritional content (like a fast food breakfast sandwich with sausage or bacon and 820 milligrams of sodium) and then turn around and avoid a healthy choice (like low fat cheese) because it has 200 milligrams of sodium!

Color Your Thinking

2008-10-02T04:02:00.000-07:00

One major reason people go 'off their diet' is a consequence of black and white thinking. We set ourselves up with the unrealistic goal "to eat perfectly forever," and as soon as we depart from the ideal, we feel like we failed. So we stop. We stop trying to eat healthy because once again we are telling ourselves, "I can't do it. I tried again, and I failed again. I'm just destined to be overweight forever," and so on and so on.
You end up telling yourself you failed again, when all you did was eat something that wasn't the very best choice. It's not the end of the world! You don't have to wait until Monday to 'start again'. You can start this very minute. "From this moment on," you can reassure yourself, "I will continue to make healthy choices for the rest of the day". Not for the rest of your life, just today.
Give yourself goals that are doable and you'll be more likely to succeed. Keep succeeding and you're more likely to feel successful. Feel successful and you'll keep making the best choices. What a colorful cycle you can start for yourself!

So, from now on, no black and white thinking; no "on" or "off" your diet; no "good" foods and "bad" foods. Only better choices more often! Start giving yourself positive reinforcement. Listen for the negative comments you tell yourself and challenge them right back with a positive one--or two! Instead of "I can't stop eating chips", you turn right back around and say to yourself, "I will be fine without the chips" and "I am making smarter choices about what I eat every day". When you hear yourself complaining, "I just can't lose any weight" remind yourself, "I am eating more healthy and the weight will come off" and "I am learning new and healthy habits and I feel better about myself--my body will be more fit as a result".

It may sound silly to try to talk yourself up at first, but give it a try and you will notice in a short time that you really can make yourself feel better. You really can be your own cheerleader! Live in a world of colorful thought and keep making better choices every day.

Do You Have Buffet Pants?

2008-09-30T04:27:00.000-07:00

In my "healthy eating, healthy weight" class last weekend the attendees were talking about some previous habits that led them to becoming overweight. Now Janet is losing weight by making healthier choices, but what did she do to get to her present state of overweight?
"I used to have buffet pants," she confessed. "I had pants that were a little bit too big on me, roomy and with an elastic waist. When I would go out to eat at a buffet I would wear them, knowing that I would want the extra room when I finished eating all I could". Wow! She was planning to eat so much that she anticipated becoming uncomfortable in regular pants. She wore special pants to accomodate for the belly bloat she knew she would experience after an all-you-can-eat buffet. Does that sound familiar to anyone out there?

Here's the good news: she planned ahead! Now Janet can use this 'skill' she already knows she has. She can plan ahead before meals. This is such an important step when trying to lose weight. Thinking about the choices you will make ahead of time prevents deciding on something spur of the moment. Usually our spur of the moment choices are those we make just because we want something that sounds good or tastes good; not because it is a healthier, lower calorie and lower fat choice.
Now Janet plans her meals ahead of time. She knows what she's going to make for dinner ahead of time, she plans a smart choice for lunch before she goes to work, and she knows what she's going to order before she goes out to dinner. Most restaurants make their menus available online, some even pointing out their healthier choices.

If you have been able to plan what you were going to eat ahead of time when dining out in the past, you can still do it! I know I've heard many overweight people do this time and again--think about it. How many times have you looked forward to a particular dining experience, saying, "I can't wait to go there this weekend; I'm going to have their ribs--they are delicious!" or "I am really looking forward to the fettucini alfredo tonight--it's the best!" See? I know you've done it before so you can do it again! This time, try preparing ahead of time for the delicious entree that's a lower calorie choice. "That place has the best baked salmon/roasted chicken breast/broiled pork chops". Say it with me now, "I am going to enjoy exactly half of the plate tonight and savor the other half tomorrow for lunch".

Planning ahead is not hard and it is not new. You've done it before, but for a different reason. Now try doing it for the best reason--your new healthy eating plan!

Go Ahead, Embarrass the Waiter!

2008-09-25T06:25:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been made aware of a roadblock that many dieters share. I never knew this situation existed, but apparently people do not order their food the way they'd like when dining out because it embarrasses their waiter.

"No," my overweight client says, "I could never ask for the butter and sour cream on the side--the waiter looks at me so strangely". "But," says the woman who has not been able to shed her 30 extra pounds for 15 years, "I could never ask them to bring just two rolls instead of a basket! It would be so inconvenient for them!"

Over and over I hear reasons why it would not be acceptable to ask for your food the way you want it when you eat out in a restaurant. "That's the way it comes, so that's the way you should order it," they tell me. How about, "since you are paying for it and they are making it for you, you should be able to ask them to make it the way you want it!" Why would it be inconvenient for the waiter to put two rolls in a basket instead of six? Why would it be any trouble for the chef to leave off the gravy? How would it be more work to put the butter and sour cream on the plate next to the potato instead of on it, or the dressing in a cup on the side instead of poured onto the salad?

Furthermore, people tell me they are embarrassing themselves by asking for a take-out container as soon as the food arrives. "Everyone will look at me strangely," fretted Donna. And Cindy told me, "If I split an entree with my husband, or order an appetizer for dinner instead of an entree, the waiter will think I'm cheap". Really? You care that much about the opinion of a 23 year old college student who you will never, ever see again? Frank told me he doesn't want to make a big deal of ordering his food in special ways because it will call attention to the fact that he's trying to lose weight.

I have a newsflash for all of you, although it's not politically correct. People know you are overweight. They see it. Twenty four hours a day and seven days a week. Is this not embarrassing? Is there some reason you are too proud to split a meal or take half of yours home, yet okay with walking around carrying 30, 40, maybe even 80 extra pounds?
How does it embarrass you more to ask for the sauce on the side than it does to worry about fitting into a chair in the restaurant dining area?

Take account of what really matters in your life. Get yourself healthy and stop worrying about how other people will take it! Start showing yourself, as well as others, that taking care of yourself is the priority and start doing it today.

I can't sign off without giving kudos to Liz, of course. Last night at a dinner function there were about eight of us at the table in a restaurant. When our meals started arriving Liz asked the waiter for a take-out container as soon as she got her plate. No one noticed (Can you believe it? No one took notice of Liz asking the waiter for something because they were all excited to have just received their own dinner!). I noticed, and I said to Liz, "I'm so impressed that you asked to have a take-home container as soon as you got your food--I hear some people feel funny about doing that". "Well," Liz told me, "I just lost 20 pounds and I'm planning to keep going for another 20. I'm going to keep making smart choices even when I'm eating out and feeling funny about it isn't going to sabotage my progress". Yay Liz!!

Which Weight Loss Plan Is Right For You?

2008-09-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

Since we are all individuals, we all need individually tailored diets. What works to help one person lose weight doesn't necessarily work for the next person. You have to examine the weight loss plans that are available and figure out which parts suit your lifestyle. This became most obvious to me when, during the past week, I had five different clients each verbalize, "The part that worked for me was...." and they each said something remarkably different! I find it so interesting to hear what, of all the tips I toss out each week, sticks for each of these women. Some find meaning in one off handed statement I made, while proven research is totally ignored. Yet they all have found success in something meaningful to each of them. Here are their stories:

I met Emily for coffee last week and she has lost 27 pounds over the past 7 months. Just perfect for her, since she consistently reassures me she is not dieting. "I still remember the first time we met to talk about my weight loss plan," she relates. "I couldn't believe that you were telling me it's just a matter of eating a few hundred calories less each day and exercising to burn off 100 more calories a day! The main thing is I just eat less butter now, and take a 20 minute walk every afternoon, and I still keep losing nearly a pound a week." For Emily, she just needed to become aware of what she was eating and find some lower calorie alternatives. "My favorite evening snack now is a handful of mini-chocolate chips melted over some strawberries. I just never get tired of eating that and it gets in one of my fruit servings!" For Emily, eating just a little bit less and walking just a little bit more has made more than a little bit of change in her weight!

Margaret is in my weekend "healthy eating" class and I've noticed quite a change in her confidence over the past 2 weeks. "What changed for you?" I asked. "For me," Mary answered, "it was deciding that I was going to do this for myself, focus on myself, and finally know that now is the time to take care of myself! I don't worry about what my husband chooses to eat or when he chooses to exercise. I cook healthy dinners in healthy portions and take the leftovers for lunch the next day. If there is a bite or two left over I actually throw it away instead of feeling obligated to eat it! I do what I know is best for me, and I'm already feeling my jeans get looser!" For Margaret, she decided to put all the worries aside about 'what will happen to other people if I do what I need to do' and decided she was worth the effort. It's paying off for her and she's feeling, possibly for the first time in her life, that she is really doing what's best for her.

Laura has made amazing changes in just one week. "I think before I eat. I don't always remember to assess my hunger level, but I always remember to ask, 'is this a good choice?'" She's practically cut her portions in half! At dinner time she uses smaller plates; when eating at restaurants she asks for a doggie bag even before she starts to eat; and when going out to lunch she gets the half sandwich option instead of the whole one. She asks herself before grabbing a snack at work, "do I really want this badly enough to sabotage my efforts to lose weight?" Weight loss is very important to her, and one affirmation that keeps her going is repeating, "I am making healthy choices". Instead of subconsciously repeating "I can't lose weight" she now believes she is a person who makes healthy choices; she tells herself that several times a day and it's working.

Lisa is thrilled with her weight loss progress. Losing up to two pounds a week during the first month, she has learned that there are no forbidden foods. "It makes losing weight so easy just knowing I can keep eating like this for the rest of my life. I love knowing I don't have to give up pizza or ice cream--I just can't eat huge portions and I can't have it every day". Lisa has started eating just about half as much of these foods as she used to. "Something about believing these foods are bad for me made me just want them so much more. Now I find my cravings for them have virtually disappeared, and just a taste is enough to satisfy me".

Each of these women found something that resonated with them. What might work for you? The good news is you can try them all out, for free :) Try keeping a food log one week, eating smaller portions the next, walking an extra 20 minutes a day, and finding an affirmation to remind yourself you can do it! You don't have to choose just one and you don't have to stick with one. How about a 'rotating' diet where you apply one principle one week and try another the next to keep from getting bored or discouraged.
Please! Post your comments here and let us know what works for you. Good luck with whatever you decide to try.

What Are These Calories Worth?

2008-09-19T03:14:00.000-07:00

Thinking before you eat can save you lots of calories--not to mention indigestion-- and health problems in the long run. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself before you indulge in high calorie foods that may help you decide "It's not really worth it".
1) How will I feel after I eat this candy bar/donut/milkshake? Of course you want it now, that goes without saying. But how will you feel 15 minutes later? Will you feel satisfied? satiated? relaxed? If the answer is in some way better than you feel right now, it might seem to be a good choice. If you know you will not feel better in any way after enjoying the first few delicious bites, then think again before buying or biting. Realizing that you may feel guilty about it, tired shortly after from a sugar crash, or that having one piece of candy will just leave you wanting more, might help you wait 10 or 15 minutes to let the craving pass. You save 300 Calories!
2) Is this food worth the calories it will put into my body? Find out how many calories are in foods you are eating. Look up the calorie content of things you eat often. Search internet sites that provide calorie information, fast food restaurant nutrition information (just google 'burger king nutrition' for instance), and labels on foods you eat to get the information. Think about the number of calories you are getting from a side of fries, from a dessert, or from a piece of office birthday cake. Ask yourself beforehand, "Is this really worth the enjoyment I'll be getting in exchange for the calories I'm taking in?" Remember that if every day you bypass a 300 calorie indulgence it will mean a three pound weight loss at the end of the month! Maybe this sounds like too little to matter, but remember that a year from now that will add up to 36 pounds--not bad for just skipping a few treats that you didn't really want in the first place.
3) What would I have to do to burn off this number of calories? Again, checking internet sites for calories burned, find out what activities you would have to perform to burn off 200 or 300 calories. Remind yourself what you will have to do to even out the extra calories you take in from high calorie foods during the day. Ask yourself, "If I eat this ice cream am I willing to go out for a 40 minute walk to burn those calories?" If the exercise isn't in your plans, maybe the food shouldn't be either!

Think before you eat and decide whether you will really enjoy the food and feel good about eating it; whether you can spare a few hundred calories or you would rather lose weight by passing up on those fattening treats; and whether you are willing to be more active to burn the calories off. See how often you decide it's not really worth it!

Resist Temptation by Changing Your Environment!

2008-09-17T04:52:00.000-07:00

If you're having a hard time resisting those treats, maybe it's time to try another strategy. Is there something in your pantry, on your desk, or even on the drive home that you repeatedly indulge in, only to beat yourself up about it later? "Why did I drive thru and get fries again?"; "Why do I keep going eating the chocolate kisses on my desk?"
If your willpower or common sense isn't working, take a stab at changing your environment. Do what you can to avoid those tempting treats and see how this works for you. Here are a few suggestions:
1) Find another route home. You know your favorite QuickMart has that cappuccino drink you can't resist, so find another route home and stick to it. Out of sight, out of mind (not right away, of course, but soon enough!)
2) Buy treats for the office that YOU don't like! If you have candies or cookies around 'for everyone else' but you keep eating them, make an effort to bring in some type that you don't like. Fill in the blank: "I would never eat _____". Hate licorice? Fig Newtons? Bring these in for your coworkers and you won't be tempted!
3) Buy snacks for home that aren't your favorite. Keeping chips around for the rest of the family? Buy a flavor you don't like! I happen to enjoy Kettle chips, fritos, baked lays and anything sour-cream-and-onion flavored. But I don't like barbeque chips. What kind do I buy when I don't want to be snacking on chips all week? Maybe you guessed it--barbeque flavor!
4) Keep fattening snacks out of sight. Yes, sometimes we know they're there anyway, and they're even calling our name! But when you open the pantry door and the first thing you see are the Little Debbie cakes you adore, you are going to be much more likely to eat them! Move the snacks to a higher (or lower) shelf where they won't be the first thing you see. Keep rice and pasta and high fiber cereals within view--not things you'll be most tempted to grab and eat before you can think twice.
5) Hide, don't seek. Put ice cream, Halloween candy, and other temptations behind other foods in the freezer or cupboard. Yes, you might go for them anyway, but you may be less likely to eat them as often when you don't view them every time you open the door.

Try a new strategy. Keep tempting foods that are high in calories and low in nutrition as out of sight and out of reach as possible. Making them ultra convenient for you makes it more likely you will eat them more often. See if keeping them out of the house, out of reach, out of sight, or out of the office will save you from indulging even just a time or two this week!

Take a Tummy Check

2008-09-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

As I've said before, stopping to think before you eat is a tremendous help on your path to healthy eating and weight loss. Here's some more advice on more specifically what to think about!
Check in with your internal cues (what does your tummy tell you?) the next time you are ready to eat a treat. Think about what is giving you the signal to eat. Often, it's merely the fact that some food is present in front of you. Someone hands you a piece of birthday cake, you see the candy bar display at the cash register, or you see the golden arches up ahead on the roadside. Check in and ask yourself, "Why am I going to eat this? Am I hungry? Maybe even full! How will I feel 10 minutes after I eat this?" I want to remind you I am not suggesting that you never eat a treat! Just that you think about it first and think about what it will mean to you. Often, you will realize that you aren't really hungry, and that you won't feel better in any way after you eat it. Sometimes you will at first think you want it, and then become aware that it would just be a quick reaction to gobble it down, giving you little satisfaction afterwards. You might weigh the options and see that in ten minutes you will feel a little indigestion and a lot of regret, so it wouldn't be worth it to eat!

What other external cues could be signaling you to eat? The smell of food is often overwhelmingly inviting! Walking past a bakery, a mall cookie store, or the airport cinnabon cart is hard to resist. Take a tummy check: Yes, the food smells good... Remember that smells have no calories, so enjoy that delicious aroma all you like :)
Now, ask yourself if you really want to indulge in an extra 300 calories, and how you will feel afterwards. Sometimes the answer will be yes, in which case you should savor each bite! Other times, you will do a check of your internal cues, realize you are not actually hungry, enjoy a few more sniffs of the baked goods, and walk on, feeling confident you made a great decision.

Next time you are about to treat yourself to a high calorie treat, stop for a moment and do a tummy check: Am I hungry? Is it my stomach telling me it's time to eat, or are my eyes, nose, or other senses giving me false signals that I need to eat. Stop to think, and save yourself a few hundred calories today!

But, I really don't eat that much!

2008-09-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

When and how did this weight creep up on me? One day I was a size 8 or 10, and just a few short years later it seems they are making clothes smaller than they used to!
How do we gain weight when we aren't really eating that much? The answer is, just as slowly as we lose it when we are on a calorie-restricted intake--a little bit at a time.
In fact, just because we noticed the weight all of a sudden doesn't mean we gained it all of a sudden. You might be gaining just one half pound a month. Not even noticeable for a year or so. In two years it has added up to a 12 pound total and you seem to have bumped up into the next clothing size "all of a sudden".
Even though you don't binge and gorge on food, and you may be actually trying to eat wisely most of the time, it doesn't take much to put on a few pounds a year.

Experts believe that it may come down to as little as 50 calories difference a day, and here's how: It takes approximately 3500 calories to equal one pound. Eat an extra 3500 calories and you gain a pound; exercise to burn an extra 3500 calories and you lose a pound. And this is true over a period of time. If you change your intake or exercise by 50 calories a day, it will take 70 days to change your weight by one pound. Certainly not a desirable rate if you are trying to lose weight! (Seventy days is more than two months.) But if you are taking in just 50 extra calories a day (say you've developed a new habit of popping a couple of chocolates in the afternoon, or switched to a large side of fries instead of a medium those 3 days a week you drive through the fast food place for lunch) you will end up gaining about five pounds during the period of a year. And what if you change jobs or houses and no longer walk a couple of flights of stairs every day or you now park closer so you're not walking as many steps each day? It could make the difference of 50 calories a day you are no longer burning--which translates to gaining five pounds this year.

Take a close look at your habits. You don't have to be eating huge amounts of food to be gaining weight over a long period of time. It might be a very small change you've made. The good news is, by making a very small change now, you can weigh five pounds less next year at this time! The slow weight loss is a trade-off for a small change--bigger changes mean faster weight loss. What can you change in your diet to take in 50 fewer calories a day? A bit less salad dressing or a lower fat variety? A smaller portion or a healthier snack? What about exercise--can you walk just ten more minutes a day or take the stairs instead of the elevator? These small changes will add up to a small weight loss month after month, until you're back into the size you like to be :)

Make It Easy

2008-09-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

Trying to figure out what to eat can be so overwhelming... make it easy!
Here's a great image of a food guide pyramid--not what the modern version looks like anymore, but an easy way to remember what to eat and how many servings to have.
If you choose the minimum recommended servings from each group (6 servings of grains, breads, and cereals; 2-3 fruits and 3-4 vegetables; 2-3 dairy servings; and 6 oz of lean meat per day) while limiting fats and sweets, your intake will be as low as 1200 calories, believe it or not. That's a low enough calorie intake for virtually anyone to lose weight.
Now, most people's first reaction is, "what? That's so much food!". Then I have them relate their usual intake, and their impression changes to "What? A serving of cereal is only 3/4 of a cup? A serving of chicken is just three ounces? I'd be starving!"
So maybe you don't have to crash your intake from 2200 calories all the way down to 1200 to lose weight. The idea isn't for you to go hungry. The plan should be for you to eat healthy foods so you get your nutrition, while you get enough of things that you like to maintain a feeling of satisfaction.
Just use the food guide pyramid as a starting point, and work out a compromise between their recommendations and your current diet. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Be sure to include several servings of dairy products each day: Milk, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese count--ice cream and cream cheese don't! Additional intake of calcium and other nutrients found in dairy products have been shown to help people lose weight.
2. Focus on increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables: While getting essential vitamins and minerals, you'll also be getting fiber and feeling more full, leaving less room for snacking on empty calorie items like chips and cookies. Plus, it's good for your mindset to be focusing on taking in more of some foods when you're trying to lose weight, instead of being preoccupied with what you plan to deprive yourself of.
3. Don't be afraid to include starches (carbohydrates) in your diet: But do so in moderation. One cup per meal is well within recommendations (cereal, mashed potatoes, rice, pasta) but that doesn't include a few rolls on the side!
4. Know what a portion of protein looks like (the size of a deck of cards) and stick to it: People forget, with all the hype of low carb diets, that protein foods provide calories, too. From lean fish and chicken that can have as little as 50 calories per ounce, fatty meats can provide more than 90 calories per ounce. If you indulge in a 12 ounce steak, you could be taking in over 700 calories at one sitting before you count the baked potato with sour cream and butter! (Hint: the baked potato is the least of the culprits in a meal like this!)
5. Get the facts: The food guide pyramid has been designed and re-designed over the years with the input of nutrition expert groups from across the nation. When you don't know what to believe, look to the organizations whose job it is to help you learn them. The American Dietetic Association, the USDA, the American Heart Association, and American Diabetes Association are good starting places. They're not trying to sell you anything so they have no ulterior motives when they all repeat the same advice: Keep your diet lower in fat, higher in fiber, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and get regular exercise!

Five-Tip Friday: Planning Exercise for the Weekend

2008-09-05T02:31:00.000-07:00

The weekend's almost here, finally! You've had a busy five days, and maybe little time to work in exercise. Now that the weekend is upon us, you may have some free time to look forward to. How will you use it? Are you just going to while away more than 48 hours off, lazing in front of the tv? I hope not! Here are some ways you can get in a couple of hours of exercise and feel good about how you've used your time when you start back to the work week on Monday:

1. Consider starting your weekend exercising after work on Friday. What a great way to work off some of the week's stress and get an extra hour of exercise in. Maybe you can find a class at your gym that's offered Friday evening, or maybe your family will join you for a bike ride.
2. Find some exercise buddies. Any activity can be more fun when you're doing it with people whose company you enjoy. Walking, hiking, horseback riding, or jogging can all be done while having an enlightening conversation with friends. Invite some neighbors to join you and set up a time now--you'll be more likely to follow through with it then.
3. Find a local activity in your newspaper. There may be all kinds of group activities going on that are specially scheduled each weekend. Maybe a 10K run or a fundraising walk for a medical charity. Many times there aren't rules about whether you walk or run the route, or even rollerblade it! You can feel good about working out and contributing to a cause at the same time.
4. Check out local community programs Your community may offer some programs in swimming, adult dodge ball, softball, or other leagues. Remember how much fun you had doing these activities when you were a kid? There's still fun to be had!
5. Try a new activity Is there something you've been thinking about trying? Yoga, kickboxing, or ballroom dancing? Find a studio near you and sign up for some weekend classes. You'll be doing something you look forward to and doing your body a favor by staying active!

Please, post here to let us know what you've tried and how you enjoy your active weekends!

Too Many Options

2008-09-04T04:48:00.000-07:00

I have a quote sitting on a sticky-note on my desk (actually I have about 17 of them, but they are all meaningful!) that says, "Too many options limit your commitments; too many commitments limit your options". To me this means that taking on too many activities, duties, or obligations results in having to say no to other opportunities that come along. It makes me think twice about taking on something new. I want to be sure to have the time and energy to expend on a future endeavor that I may find enjoyable or worthwhile. Too many commitments limit your obligations.

The other side of the quote is that too many options limit your commitments. When there are too many things available it makes our heads spin and we just don't know what to choose. Here are some instances of this: Which phone plan should I choose? Unlimited minutes? Unlimited texting? Family Plan? Two year contract?
What brand of jeans should I buy? Low rise? Button Fly? Flare Leg? Faded?
What flavor of coffee should I order--with or without foam? caffeine? fat? hot or cold?
How would you like to mail this? 1 day, 2 day, priority, first class? Do you want delivery confirmation? Insurance? Certified? Registered?
It's everywhere, every day. And it's enough to make you throw your hands up in the air and walk away shaking your head, thinking, "just forget it--it's making me dizzy to think about".

Supermarkets are a perfect example of too many options. If you shop in a typical grocery store there are hundreds of varieties of salad dressings, dozens of choices of coffees, even more different types of milk! These choices are a constant source of overwhelm, and make grocery shopping stressful for many people. If this is true for you, and makes eating healthy difficult as well, consider limiting your own choices.

My friend Katie is on a 'quick weight loss' commercial diet plan. She was telling me about it the other day, and how limited her choices are. She gets a special bar for breakfast, 4 ounces of chicken or fish for lunch and dinner, and a specified number of fruits and vegetables, milk, and whole grains during the day. She isn't allowed 'dark soda' or low fat dressing (salad dressing has to be a certain brand and it has to be fat free). "Why," she asks me, "can't I have low calorie dressing or diet cola?" I don't have an answer for her. I don't know why a colored beverage would affect her weight loss. I don't think having two tablespoons of low fat dressing will stop her from shedding the pounds. But I know she's dropping weight fast on this plan to the tune of about three pounds a week.

I have a friend who is a diet counselor at Jenny Craig. She tells me, "We tell people what to eat, and when to eat it". It takes their options away and they don't have to fret over all the decisions that precede each meal and snack.

Is Katie's weight loss a result of special combinations of food? By avoiding dark soda? By the magic breakfast bars? No. More than likely Katie is able to adhere to this diet because she doesn't have to make choices. She does have options, like what flavor breakfast bar to eat, and how to cook her chicken at dinner time. Same with the customers at Jenny Craig. The reason it works is they don't come home after work and walk in the door thinking, "what will I make for dinner? The number of possibilities are too much to bear--the easiest thing will be to pull out a take-out menu and order either Chinese or Italian--that's two choices and I can deal with that!"

Limiting your own options helps by taking away choices that can cause overwhelm. What can you plan in your daily diet that will help you make the best decision at each meal? Many studies show that people who eat the same breakfast and/or lunch each day find it easy to maintain their weight once they achieve their goal. Can you decide on a standard breakfast? For example, cereal and skim milk and fruit each morning? You can still have a variety of cereals to choose from so you don't get bored (raisin bran, grape nuts or oatmeal) and switch off fruits (banana or raisins or canteloupe) but you aren't faced with a mass of options each morning that leads you to decide, "donut--that's less work".

If joining a commercial weight loss program is what helps you, well, it's the end result that's most important. If you can do it yourself, that's great too. Think about some ways you can limit your options to two or three from each food group for every meal. It doesn't have to be a strict diet (like "I'll just eat tuna every day for 5 weeks"), but it can be a sensible plan that you can enjoy eating and find simple to follow ("I'll have a 300 calorie frozen meal for lunch every day with a piece of fresh fruit and a salad").
Limit your options to a few smart ones and see how this helps you, in your diet, and in your life!

September is National Food Safety Education Month

2008-09-03T04:52:00.000-07:00

I'd like to give you a few simple reminders about food safety, since this is National Food Safety Education Month. Sometimes we take food safety for granted ... keeping leftovers out a bit too long until we get around to putting it away; leaving hot food at room temperature for hours until all the company has arrived; or taking a chance on eating ten day old take-out because "it smells okay"!

Here are five food safety tips to keep you and your family from getting food poisoning:
1. Cook food thoroughly: This means using a meat thermometer when cooking meat, fish, or chicken. All meats should be cooked to at least 145 degrees--even if rare--but poultry and pork should be cooked to at least 165 degrees, ground beef to 160 degrees. Always place the food thermometer in the thickest part of the food and away from the bone.
2. Cool food thoroughly: When putting away leftovers, allow food to cool down a bit before placing it in the refrigerator. If the leftover dish is quite large, consider dividing it into smaller portions. The refrigerator should be cold enough to keep chilled foods at 40 degrees or below.
3. Treat leftovers with care: Leftovers should be put away in the fridge or freezer within two hours. If you have company coming late and your meal is sitting out at room temperature, opt for keeping the food warm in the oven so that it doesn't cool down to less than 140 degrees. When re-heating leftovers, only warm up enough for you to eat at that sitting; continuing the cycle of reheating food, placing it back into the refrigerator, then reheating it again the next day, increases the chances of acquiring a foodborne illness.
4. Handwashing: Always wash your hands before cooking, after handling raw foods (such as meat or chicken), after using the restroom, and before eating. The number one cause of food-poisoning is poor handwashing. Use warm water, lots of soap, and rub your hands together to create friction for at least 20 seconds each time you wash your hands.
5. Avoid cross-contamination: This is what happens when you use the same knife, counter, or cutting board to cut raw chicken, then raw vegetables for a salad, or fresh fruits for dessert, or a loaf of bread. Just as your hands can spread germs to the food you will eat, so can a knife or a cutting surface. Any time a utensil comes in contact with raw meat it should be thoroughly washed before cutting anything else. Some people have a special cutting board, or special knives, they use just for raw meat, and another they use for fresh fruits or vegetables. Just be sure everyone who uses the kitchen knows the rules!

It all comes down to staying out of the danger zone (40-140 degrees) where bacteria grow easily and quickly, keeping HOT foods HOT and COLD foods COLD. And always remember, "When in doubt, throw it out"!

Free teleclass one week from today!

2008-09-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

I'd like to tell you about next week's teleclass so you can mark it on your calendar! At 7 pm (central time) on Tuesday, September 9th, my guest host this month is Sandra Martin, RN, MHS. Sandra has been working in corporate wellness and health promotion for over 20 years, and now lead workshops on emotional fitness.

Please mark your calendars and be sure to join us to hear about a different approach to eating issues: the emotional side. Experience one of the skills that "The Solution" process teaches you to use to check in with your emotions before you eat.
Email me at laurie@mycoachlaurie.com to register. Attendance is free but space will be limited!

In the meantime, you can call in to hear last month's call (How to get more fruits and vegetables in your daily diet) to see what a teleclass is like--call 641-715-3414and enter access code 553407#
This recording will be available until September 9th, 2008.

Have You Included Enough Pleasure In Your Plan?

2008-09-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

I was having a conversation today with a group of life coaches about life planning, and the question arose about how much fun and pleasure we should expect in our lives. The answers ranged from "there just can't be too much" to "the limit would be an amount that interferes with your responsiblities" to "anything can be fun if you make it fun--even housework!" It comes down to our attitude. If you want fun in your life, go for it! Fun and pleasure can be a major focus of what we want in life and we can gain it in several ways.

First, when you do have leisure time, plan something that would be fun for you or give you pleasure. It might be an activity, like riding a bike or taking a trip, or it might be just taking a nap. It doesn't have to be something unique and fantastic but it should be something you enjoy!
If there is something you want more of in your life, figure out a way to get it. To quote Charles Buxton: "You will never 'find' time for anything...if you want time you must make it"!

Second, you'll find optimism to be a very helpful mindset. Having a positive outlook really helps your brain stay open to more possibilities. Pessimism can have the effect of shutting your brain down to any new options. Optimism helps you see new ways, be open to trying new things. Training yourself to think positively can work wonders in helping you solve problems, develop plans, and take actions.

Finally, keep your long term goals in mind as well as your short term goals. What is important in your life, overall? An interesting musing I read this weekend was the distinction between pleasure and happiness: Pleasure is felt short term, like enjoying a massage, while happiness is experienced over the long term. If you choose to be happy, this will be affected by the decisions you make each day. Think about what you are doing during a typical day and how it may affect your overall happiness. Trying to lose weight? Having that donut may give you immediate pleasure, but will it contribute to your overall happiness or will it be sabotaging that goal?

What will give you pleasure, fun, and an improved outlook on life? Take a little time to think about it, make a plan, and enjoy living life on your terms starting today!

No Eating Zone

2008-08-29T04:54:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a great and successful week so far, giving yourself positive ideas and making better and smarter choices with what you eat and how active you are. This weekend I have an idea that might help you eliminate some mindless eating: Establish a "No Eating Zone". This would be a place where you receive subtle cues to eat whenever you approach, even when you're not hungry.

Maybe it's the chair in front of the TV, the sofa where you curl up to read a good book, or your bed where you have a late night snack just before turning in. Some people find they eat to pass the time when they're in their car, on the phone, or at a relative's house. Some places cue us to eat because there are snacks involved as part of the event, like a ball game or a movie theatre.

Where is this place for you? Your desk at work or your sewing room? Your front porch or your neighbor's kitchen? Figure out where you are consuming extra calories when you're not even hungry and decide that will not be a place for you to eat anymore. Food is eaten to nourish our bodies, to enjoy in the company of others during a meal, to savor the flavors... but not to be consumed as a past time while we're already doing something else we enjoy!

Tell us about your "no eating zone", what you used to eat there, and how you feel about giving it up!

Weight Loss Solution: How Sally Lost Weight

2008-08-28T04:50:00.000-07:00

Sally was not eating three meals a day when she came to see me for help losing weight. "I feel like I'm saving extra calories by skipping breakfast, and sometimes lunch," she told me. "If I can get by without eating then, doesn't that mean I should be losing weight? I'm afraid if I start adding all that extra food I'll gain even more." In the famous words of Dr. Phil I asked, "So, how's that working for you?"

Sally admitted it wasn't working. Sometimes she would get so hungry she would eat whatever she could find that was fast and easy--usually a candy bar from the vending machine or a convenience store. "And when I get home around dinner time I'm just too hungry to think of cooking an entire meal," she related. So dinner was usually something she could get quickly and lots of--like a buffet, or a Chinese take-out or a pizza. Obviously Sally had good intentions, but physiological hunger virtually always wins out in the end. Sally's body was talking her brain into feeding herself with the only regard being 'get something now'.

I told Sally about some research studies that showed convincing evidence of how eating more meals during the day helped people to weigh less. When subjects were given 2000 calories at one meal for six weeks in a row--and that's all they ate all day--they gained weight. As the same subjects had the same 2000 calories divided into 2 meals, then 3 meals, and eventually 6 meals a day for several weeks, they ended up losing weight. The same people, the same food: The only difference was they were eating it over a span of 15 hours instead of 50 minutes.

Sally agreed to try it. We came up with a simple and fast breakfast she could eat that wouldn't be time consuming for her while she was trying to dash out the door. We found several great options for snacks she could have during the day that were relatively low in calories so she wasn't so hungry just before a meal. Having planned snacks increases the chance that she'll think clearly at meal times, and make a wise decision about what to eat then. She could eat a fairly light lunch, since she was used to eating little at that time, and also because there was another snack to come in the afternoon.

After a couple of weeks Sally was adjusting to her new schedule and she was pleasantly surprised. "I actually enjoy my breakfast and have started looking forward to it," she told me with a smile ... "I can't believe all the food I'm eating and that I've actually lose three pounds!" Sally was no longer making candy bar runs mid-afternoon, because she never found herself too hungry to stop and think about what a smarter choice would be. She was arriving home at dinner time feeling only slightly hungry, and with enough energy to put some thought into preparing a balanced, low fat meal. She was getting comfortable with the idea that she could eat three meals (plus snacks!) on a regular schedule and not gain weight.

Try it out to see for yourself: Have a bowl of cereal for breakfast (or 2 slices of toast); bring some string cheese or a yogurt for a morning snack (you are likely to be hungry for lunch now that your body is getting fuel from breakfast and increasing your metabolism); have a 300 calorie frozen meal for lunch, or a sandwich, with a fresh fruit and a salad; bring a 100 calorie snack for the afternoon to be sure you don't arrive home so hungry that you raid the pantry; and prepare a nice healthy dinner (it doesn't have to be fancy) to round out your day. Chances are you can still have another snack in the evening (a low fat ice cream bar, or a few handfuls of popcorn) and find yourself on the road to successfully losing weight. Give it a few weeks and please post how you're doing here so we can cheer you on!

Mind Over Matter

2008-08-26T04:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I wrote about how going on a diet can set you up to fail. Today I ask you to think about how you talk to yourself and if that can be affecting how successful you are. If you desire to lose weight but are always saying, "I just can't lose weight; being overweight just runs in my family" or "I must just have a slow metabolism" you are justifying to yourself that it just won't happen. You are giving up without even trying. And you are bound to be unsuccessful.

If you have not been successful at weight loss (or other accomplishments) think about speaking positively to yourself and see where that gets you. If you think this won't work, I say give it a try--it sure can't hurt. And in the words of the famous Dr. Phil, "How is what you're doing now working for you?"

Here are some ideas of what you might be telling yourself and how you can phrase it more positively:
- "I can't stop eating these chips" becomes "I am going to put this bag of chips down now because I am making better decisions with how I eat"
- "I can't go for walk--I'm just too tired" becomes "I'll go for a short walk now because I know I will feel good when I'm finished"
- "It doesn't matter what I eat--I just can't lose weight" becomes "even if I don't lose 50 pounds I know I'll be in better shape by choosing lower calorie foods and eating more reasonable portions"

Try to catch yourself when you say negative things (even if you're not saying them out loud) and stop to phrase them in a more positive way. Think about other areas of your life where you are telling yourself you're no good; you may be establishing self-fulfilling prophecies. Saying (or thinking) things like "I'm just not an organized person", "I'm a lousy housekeeper" or "I'm just no good at math" reinforces these ideas in our brains. Sometimes we start believing these are true because we hear them over and over again--even if we are only hearing them in our own minds.

So, start thinking about what you tell yourself and turning the negatives into positives. Write down three things you routinely tell yourself that are negative, and the new positive phrases you will replace them with from now on! Please, share some of them with us here.

Another Reason Not To Diet

2008-08-25T04:19:00.000-07:00

I say this a lot: "Going on a diet implies that you will eventually be going off your diet"... and then you have to consider what will happen when you go back to eating the way you were when you packed the weight on in the first place. Now here's yet another angle from which to view how being on a diet affects your mindset: Being on a diet is black-and-white thinking, also known as all-or-nothing thinking. It says, "You are either on your diet or you are off it".

So, what happens if you tell yourself you are 'on' a diet, and then you eat something that is not allowed on your diet? Bam! You are off your diet, just like that. Then what? Then the little devil in your mind says, "well, now that we've blown that, we might as well give in and have a piece (or two) of that leftover pie that's in the fridge".

What would be a better alternative to "going on a diet"? I suggest you tell yourself, "I am watching what I eat and making better choices most of the time". This gives you allowances for times that you are not perfect. And since none of us is perfect, that just makes sense. This way, if you have an extra helping of potatoes, indulge in a piece of pie, or accept the birthday cake offered at the office party and eat it before even realizing what you've done, you haven't blown anything. You've made a choice that didn't help you lose weight, but that happens. You haven't failed because you haven't set yourself up for failure.

From what I've seen, going on a diet sets you up to fail. There is little chance you can stick to a plan you set that doesn't allow for extenuating circumstances or even special occasions. So repeat out loud now, "I am watching what I eat and making better choices most of the time". And while you're at it, how about, "I am choosing to find a physical activity I enjoy each day and being active for at least 30 minutes".

Please leave your comments here and let us all know how these affirmations help you, or if you have another that works for you!

43 things to do this weekend

2008-08-22T04:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend, instead of snacking, here's a wildly fun thing to do if you have to be indoors. (If you don't have to be indoors you should be outside doing something active, burning calories, of course!)
There is a website called "43 things". I don't know how they came up with the number, but it's a fantastic, motivating, and fun place to be on the web. The idea is this: come up with a list of 43 things to do. You decide what you want to do and when you'd like to accomplish these feats. They range from the divine to the disastrous. Some are inspiring and some downright ridiculous. But all of them are so much fun to read.
There are people who aim to quit smoking, lose weight, run a marathon, or skydive. Some want to read certain books, write a book, do something they've always been afraid to do, or tell someone what they really think. Many members want to learn a craft, learn a new language, change careers, or travel to some exotic place.
You don't even have to come up with your own list. You can browse what others have decided to do and tag on to theirs. Some goals have hundreds of followers with the same intent of accomplishment. Popular ones include losing weight, learning to cook or sew, exercising more, quitting a bad habit, becoming more organized and being on time.
Less popular ones include dying your hair pink, hosting a talk show, and making a violin.

Mine? I only have six right now (I haven't updated for a while):

1) get rid of all the clothes in my closet (and dresser) that don't look and feel great on me!
(I'm the only one with this goal so far) My closet has really improved since I posted this goal. I think it will take a little more than a year (I have to go through a few seasons) but it's always on my mind when I dress and when I shop.

2) coach 100 clients so I can reach a Professional Certified Coach level
(I'm the only one with this goal, too). It's quite a lengthy process for this level of certification. It's going to take about five years. If anyone is thinking about being coached, it would help me out at the same time, as I continue to log my hours over the next few years.

3) finish knitting the sweater I started for my husband last fall
(No one else has this as a goal, but maybe they have other knitting projects they've started and have yet to finish) I also have started a sweater (or two) for myself, and a couple of pairs of socks for friends and family members... I just couldn't bear to list all of my unfinished knitting projects. It makes me dizzy to think about.

4) complain less
(Surprise! This is a goal I share with 818 other people on the site) It is a good idea and it's a win/win for everyone. Next time you get ready to complain about something, just try to phrase your statement in a more positive way: instead of "Ugh! It's raining again--I'm so tired of this weather" how about, "the plants sure must be enjoying this--at least we're not in the hurricane region". Try asking for what you want instead of pointing out what you don't want: "Honey, I'd really appreciate if you put the seat down when you're finished so I don't have to worry about falling in". It sounds so much less like nagging and complaining, and then people know exactly what you want--not what you don't want!

5) Take a "one-year off" trip
(This one I share with 240 people who also have it on their list) Hopefully we will be able to start traveling early in 2009 and continue for most of the year!

6) write an e-book
(No one else on the site is striving to do this right now)
I have two of them started; one is outlined and one is almost finished. I just have to break it up into smaller goals now to get each step taken care of, one at a time.

Post your goals on the '43 things site' or leave some here in the comments. Let us know how you're progressing with them and if we can be of any help!