Q:  What are your thoughts on artificial sweeteners?  Are they okay to consume when trying to lose weight?

A:  The jury is still out on artificial sweeteners.  The fact of the matter is they do save calories when trying to lose weight.  Switching from regular soda to diet will save calories.  Same thing goes for using artificial sweeteners like Splenda or Equal in place of regular sugar.  Here’s the catch… some studies are showing that products containing artificial sweeteners actually increase the cravings for sweets.  In my experience, when my clients cut back on the diet soft drinks they consume, they lose more weight.  My recommendation is to keep it to no more than one serving of artificial sweetener per day.  A serving would be one 12oz can of diet soda, or one packet of sweetener.  Eventually, it would be great to limit it to just a couple servings per week.

Q:  What do you think of the book “Intuitive Eating”?  Have you read Bethenny Frankel’s book “Naturally Skinny”?  What’s your opinion on it?

A:  I love the book “Intuitive Eating”.  I learned a lot from it and from the authors.  I love the concept of intuitive eating, but feel that it has to be catered to each person.  Identifying your hunger and developing a healthy relationship with food is the main priority.  Once that base is established, it’s much easier to look at calories and nutrition from a “healthy lifestyle” perspective.  The goal is to eat healthy, but feel good about it, and not feel like you’re depriving yourself.  I have looked at the book “Naturally Thin”.  I like Bethenny’s writing style.  What she is doing is telling her story and how she came out of the “diet mentality”.  She is a natural food’s chef… and that’s the extent of her training.  A good way to view this book is to look at the tools she used to develop a healthy relationship with food, and how she manages that on a day-to-day basis.  The reader can see if those tools work for them.  The food diary she listed is based on her body and her needs.  It’s important to keep that in mind.  Take the info in the book and tailor it for you.

Q:  I read in one of your blog posts that you’re pregnant!  Congratulations!  How did you deal with body image, weight gain part of it?  I’m so worried about that for when I get pregnant.

A:  I think every woman worries about this to an extent.  I had worked a lot on body image issues in the past, so I felt pretty good about where I was at prior to becoming pregnant.  I did have a hard time seeing my body change, but I learned to get over it.  This time in my life is not about me… it’s about my body building a healthy baby.  I had to tell myself that my body was going to do what it wants to do… I know longer had control of it.  I know it will all be worth it in the end.

Q:  What tips do you have for college students?  I’m about 15 pounds overweight and often snack during late night study sessions.

A:  It’s all about managing your schedule in college.  You’re body will typically ask for food every 4-5 hours, depending on what you previously ate.  Keep an eye on the portion sizes.   As far as snacking goes, mindless snacking will put on excess weight, especially if it’s done consistently and becomes a habit.  Keep healthy snacks close by, so when hunger strikes, there’s less temptation by the vending machine.  Take a look at your class and study schedule and try to structure your meals a little.  Getting your body into some type of routine can help.  Lastly, stay active.  Try to squeeze some exercise you enjoy on a daily basis.  This not only keeps our weight healthy, but relieves daily stress as well!

Got a question for Weekly Bite?  Submit your question on this blog post and I’ll put in the next Q&A.

For those of you who have been battling a LONG winter… the weather this weekend is suppose to be AWESOME!!  Take full advantage of it and fire up a pitcher of SKINNY MARGARITA’S and whip up a batch of this crazy good guacamole!!  This is the simplest recipe and is sure to please any crowd. 

Ingredients:

• 5 ripe avocados (they want to be soft to the touch)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tomato seeded and chopped (you want to remove all the insides)
• Optional – 1 small serrano chile (remove seeds and ribs) finely diced
• 1 small bunch cilantro finely chopped
• Juice of two large limes or lemons
• 1 tsp cumin (more to taste if needed)
• 1 tsp chili powder (more to taste if needed)
• 1 tsp kosher salt (more to taste if needed)

Remove the pit from the avocados.  With a spoon, spoon out the inside of the avocado into a bowl.  Roughly mash with a fork (you want to leave some avocado chunks).  Add onions, tomato, serrano chile, cilantro and lime/lemon juice.  Mix together.  Add base measurements of seasonings… judge by taste how much more you need.  ENJOY!!

For the SKINNY MARGARITA’S check out the recipe on Weekly Bite’s HAPPY HOUR page and just multiply the recipe.

Why not kick the weekend off with a little champagne!  This cocktail is to die for!!   I can’t take credit for the creation of this… this recipe actually  originated from my super cool neighbor!  This RASPBERRY CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL is so simple and easy to make!  Cheers!

Recipe:  Pour about 1.5 ounces of chambord liqueur into the bottom of a champagne glass, drop a couple of fresh raspberries into the glass, top off glass with ice cold champagne.  ENJOY!!!

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive.  Just because we’re on a budget doesn’t mean we have to buy the cheapest bag of potato chips.  Here are some budget friendly foods that can keep you on the healthy track without breaking the bank:

1. OATS:  You can’t beat good old fashioned oats!  Purchase the most reasonably priced brand at your local grocery store.  One serving of oats (1/2 cup) provides a healthy dose of fiber and when eaten daily, has been shown to reduce cholesterol.  
2. EGGS:  Never leave the grocery store without a carton of eggs in your basket!  Eggs are loaded with satisfying protein to keep you full during the day.  Eggs can be eaten at any meal.  You can scramble them, poach them, make egg salad, or my favorite, make an omelet with what every veggies you have in your fridge.
3. LEGUMES (BEANS):  I often refer to beans as the perfect food.  Beans not only provide a healthy dose of carbs, but are loaded with fiber and protein!  Carbs, Fiber, and Protein are the main components of a healthy meal.  The most economical way to purchase beans are in bulk.  Cook a large batch over the weekend that way you have a quick and easy “go to” food during the week!  Beans can be thrown into a salad, mashed in a sandwich, or, if you’re creative, you can create your own bean hummus and use it to dip veggies in!
4. FROZEN FRUITS & VEGGIES:  Frozen fruits and veggies are just as nutritious are fresh!  Frozen fruits and veggies are processed at peak ripeness, blanched (which causes minimal loss of soluble vitamins, then flash-frozen, all within hours of being picked.  Frozen fruit can be added to muffins and/or pancake mix; use in smoothies; blend and heat for a topping for pancakes, waffles, yogurt, or oatmeal.  Frozen veggies can be added to soups, stews, eggs dishes (omelets or mixed with scrambled eggs), stir fries, and used as side dishes.
5. WHOLE GRAIN PASTA:  Whole grain pasta contains more fiber than regular pasta.  This can be purchased in bulk as well!  A great way to incorporate whole grain pasta into a meal is to boil the pasta and drain.  Add any sort of legume (chickpeas are a great choice), and add a frozen veggie such as broccoli, or a bag of mixed veggies to the meal.  Season with  a little olive oil, salt & pepper.  

I want to start off by saying that not all dietitians are perfect eaters.  I’m not a perfect eater.  I’m human, with normal cravings and needs.  I’ve gotten a lot of questions on what I do to stay healthy and how I eat.  There is no simple answer to those questions.  How I eat to stay healthy is something I’ve learned over time.  A lot of what I’ve learned is through the countless mistakes I’ve made.  When I was thinking of a way to put how I eat into words, I knew the best way to describe it was to let you know how I got to the healthy place I am now.  I could easily list what I eat on a daily basis, but without you knowing how I got there seemed pointless.

Before I get started, I have to let you know that I’m 7 ½ months pregnant.  So everything I reference in this post is based on pre-pregnancy.  Eating while pregnant is a whole other topic.  I had to get to know my body all over again. I had to learn how to deal with morning sickness, massive cravings, and the hardest of all… accepting the physical changes my body was going through.  So, everything I talk about is pre-pregnancy.

About Me

I’m a petite 5′2″ female and have dealt with weight insecurities most of my life.  I’ve always been an avid exerciser… often exercising too much.  The funny part is during that time in my life, I was at my heaviest.  The more I exercised, the heavier I was.  And what I mean by too much exercising, I mean exercising for 2+ hours… and not because I was training for a race or event.  The more I exercised, the hungrier I got.  The hungrier I got, the more I (over)ate.  The more I ate, the more I weighed.  The more I weighed, the more insecure I became.  The messed up part is that all of this was happening while I was studying to be a dietitian.  I viewed exercise as a form of weight control, and viewed eating as a something that could only be done once calories were counted and portions were weighed.  I was straight-up un-healthy!!  My relationship with exercise, food, and my weight were way off.   

How I came out of it

I knew what I was doing was unhealthy.  I thought to myself “how can I be a dietitian and tell people how to be healthy when I was struggling with it myself?”  Without getting too detailed, I did have sort of a moment and I new a change had to be made.  I had to help myself before I could help others.  This process took a lot of time.  When all this was happening, I was living in San Diego, CA.  I contacted one of the author’s of Intuitive Eating (just 2hrs away from me) and began to slowly come out the “funk”.  As a Dietitian, I am well aware of calories, portions, and everything else regarding food.  What I had to do was develop more of a healthy relationship with food, and look at calories in a non-judgmental way.  This process took time… a lot of time.  I worked really hard to eat when I was hungry.  The difference was I knew what a proper portion size was for me.  I stopped eating “diet” foods and moved to “real” food. 

All of the mistakes I made I viewed as a learning experience.  I know what happens to my body when I consistently eat when I’m hungry, and I know what happens when I consistently eat when I’m not hungry.  The reason I know this is because I’ve seen the results.  I’ve gained weight when I mindlessly snack.  I’ve lost weight when I cut out the mindless eating.  Another big difference is my exercise routine.  I view exercise in a totally different way then before.  I run and practice yoga (bikram is my favorite).  I’m healthier physically and mentally now more than ever. 

Why am I Sharing This??

The reason why I’m sharing this personal info is to help people.  Dietitians are not perfect… I know I’m not!!  Dietitians are a wealth of nutrition knowledge and our job is to give accurate nutrition info based on sound science.  There are tons of RD’s who have never had any food issues and some who have.  I can only speak for myself.  As far as the way I eat now.  I never look at calories on a day to day basis.  I based when I eat on hunger and sometimes convenience.  When I do eat, it’s kind of impossible to ignore the calories… it’s my job to know the calories of things.  I look at calories differently now.  I don’t obsess over them or crunch my daily numbers.  Sometimes I may eat a meal that has 300 calories, and then eat 1 or 2 cookies because I want them and I’m still hungry.  As long as I’m listening to my body I am happy.  It’s when I get out of touch with my body that I know something is wrong.  Like I said… this took a lot of time for me to figure this all out.

I truly hope this post has helped!  If you’re interested in see what a typical day looks like for me, let me know… I’m happy to share!

It’s that time of the year again!  This past weekend officially kicked off the start of our local farmer’s market!  I am very fortunate to only live a few blocks away from our farmer’s market.  I took full advantage of the gorgeous weather this weekend and walked on over. 

There are countless reasons for why we should buy from farmer’s markets.  The food we buy is healthier and tastier.  The money we spend supports local farmers and agriculture, and we can talk directly to the person who grew the food.  Farmer’s market produce looks homegrown because it is!  Sizes and shapes will vary because they aren’t standardized for sale to the supermarkets.  Here is what a farmer can tell you about their product:

• They know what varieties they planted.
• They know how the produce was fertilized and culitvated.
• They know what problems were encountered growing the produce.
• They know when they were harvested.

Benefits of Buying from a Farmer

The benefits of buying straight from farmers are huge!  The farmers can pick their fruits and vegetables when they are at their peak.  With store bought produce, as your food travels it can lose freshness because foods that have to spend a week on a truck are picked well before they ripen, leaving you with a less nutrient dense and less nutritious food to eat.  Some of the best tasting fruits can really only be founds at farmer’s markets or roadside stands.  You can tell the time of year by which fruits were available.  Buying from a farmer can helps us link produce with seasons.

If you don’t have an area farmers’ markets,try a CSA. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and it’s a system by which you become a member of a farm by paying a seasonal membership fee, and, in exchange, you share in the farm’s harvests. By joining CSA you can get locally grown, usually organic produce for typically lower costs than you’d find in your grocery store.  Visit www.localharvest.org to find farmers’ markets and CSA’s by zip code.

With swimsuit season just around the corner the emails have been pouring in for quick ways to lose weight and get in shape.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’re looking for a quick fix… you’re not going to find it here.  Permanent weight loss takes time and patience.  There is however, some fine-tuning you can do to tighten up your diet, eliminate excess eating, and be well on your way to a healthy weight.

Tune into REAL Hunger

You should be feeling hungry each time you eat.  If you’re a regular reader of the blog, I know I may sound like a broken record, but when you consistently eat when you’re not hungry, you will gain weight.  Tuning into your true hunger is key.  Using the hunger scale is a great guide to help you identify your true hunger.

The Hunger scale ranges from 0-10.  Zero is extreme hunger… you feel so hungry you might pass out.  The opposite end of the scale is 10.  I call this the Thanksgiving Dinner Syndrome.  You ate some much food you feel physically ill.  Right smack in the middle of the scale is “5″.  This is a neutral feeling.  You’re not hungry or full.  You basically have no desire to eat. When you’re at a five, you should feel hungry in about 2-3 hours.  The key time you should be eating is between a 3 and 4 on the scale.  This is what I call a comfortable hunger.  You feel the grumbling in your stomach and slight hunger pangs.  At this level of hunger you can consciously make a healthy decision on what to eat without letting the hunger control you.  Anything lower than a “3″ and the hunger will control you.  From a “2″ down, you are so physically hungry that it doesn’t matter what you eat, how much you eat, or where you eat.  At this extreme level of hunger it’s common to overeat.  It’s very important to not let yourself get overly hungry. 

Eat Only Until Satisfied

Never eat until you’re full, stuffed, or sick.  Only eat until you’re satisfied.  This means eating until you’ve reached a “7″ on the hunger scale.  This is where portion control comes in.  Only YOU know when you feel satisfied.  You also know how you feel when you ate too much.  A meal that satisfies one person may not satisfy you.  The amount of food you need to satisfy yourself is sort of a trial and error deal.  You need to take your time when you eat.  If halfway through your meal you feel satisfied, then stop eating.

Rules to Get You Started

•       Eat three meals per day and one or two snacks only.  No snacking between meals unless you’re truly hungry.  If you feel hungry between meals, this is a sign you didn’t eat enough at your last meal. 
•       Space your meals 4 hours apart, no longer than 5 hours between meals.
•       Plan your snack when you know you will be going longer than 5 hours until your next meal.
•       Cut off eating after dinner.  This is a way to eliminate mindless snacking or boredom eating.  If you feel a little hungry before you go to bed, chug some water.  You could easily be thirsty rather than hungry. If you’re feeling a little hungry, think back to the time you had dinner.  If you had a light dinner at 5:30pm and you’re hungry at 9pm, you may need a little something to keep you from feeling overly hungry when you sleep… Make sure this is true hunger and not boredom eating… use the hunger scale to gage you’re hunger level.  You want to look for a grumble in your stomach.
•       Avoid “clean the plate syndrome”!  Make it a rule to always leave some food on your plate.  When you eat out at a restaurant, only eat half of what’s served… doggie bag the rest.
•       Exercise!!!!  Do whatever kind of exercise you enjoy!!  Get outside and move your body.  If you’re new to exercise, start out with 30 minutes per day.

Finding time to eat “healthy” can be a challenge when we’re juggling work, exercise, and home schedules.  It’s easy to rely on fast food, but a little planning can get you and your family on the right track to healthy eating.  Here are some tips to fuel your busy day:

Plan! Plan! Plan!

 If your goal is to “eat healthy on-the-go” planning is key!  Start by putting a grocery list together with portability in mind.  Relying too heavily on drive-thru windows or vending machines can easily derail your goals.  Keep a small cooler stocked with items like sliced fruit, low sugar yogurt, string cheeses, protein bars and nuts.  These items can serve as a healthful complement to a grilled take-out sandwich or serve as better snack options.

Plan your meals for the week

• Review weekly schedules (sporting events, meetings, personal commitments, etc…)
• Take inventory of items you have on hand (freezer, pantry, and refrigerator).
• Prepare your shopping list.

Shop only once per week.

• Purchase perishables weekly.
• Stock up on staples last will last a few weeks (pasta, rice, jarred sauces, canned items, etc…)

Eat fresh when you can!

• Fresh produce provides the most vitamins, minerals and fiber.
• Offers seasonal varieties.
• Is available pre-washed: packaged salad greens, pre-chopped vegetables, and pre-cut fruit.
• Purchase weekly

Keep frozen fruit and veggies on hand.

• Fruits and vegetables are frozen at the peak of season to preserve nutrients.
• Frozen products are easy and convenient
• Be sure to purchase frozen fruits without added sugar and vegetables without added sauces, sodium, or fat.
• An assortment of frozen vegetables and unsweetened fruits are available year-round. 

Keep portions in check!

• Portion sizes are often too large.
• Use an easy reference to estimate your own portions (check out the blog post “How to Control Portion Sizes” for portion ideas)

Cook on the weekend (or your days off) for the week ahead.

• Prepare larger meals to provide leftovers for another meal.  Cook a large batch of chicken, soup, potatoes, veggies, etc…  This will make it easy to have a quick and easy meal when you’re coming home starving and have no time to cook.
• Freeze leftovers in lunch-size portions.

Choose take-out and convenience foods with your health in mind.

• Request English muffins, dry toast or bagels for breakfast.
• Hold the mayo, butter, dressings and cheese on fast food sandwiches and baked potatoes.
• Select broiled, baked, and grilled meats, trimming visible fat/skin before eating.
• Choose steamed vegetables without sauces.

Always eating on the go?

• Tuck portable, nonperishable foods in your purse, tote, briefcase or backpack for an on-the-run meal.
• Here are some ideas: Peanut butter and crackers, granola bars, a piece of fresh fruit, trail mix, single serve packages of whole grain cereal or crackers.

Grabbing dinner at the supermarket deli?

• Select rotisserie chicken, salad-in-a-bag and freshly baked bread.
• This makes for a quick and easy nutritious meal.

When Eating Out:

• Order the regular or child-size portion instead of the mega-sized serving
• For a lighter meal, order an appetizer in place of a main course
• Make special requests!  Ask for no mayo or bacon; ask for sauces on the side.
• Think about your food choices for the entire day!  If you’re planning a special restaurant meal in the evening, have a light breakfast and lunch.
• If you choose the buffet, fill up on salads and veggies first.  Take no more than two trips and use a small plate that holds less food.

Resources: American Dietetic Association, Supermarket Saavy

Exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle.  Whether our goal is health maintenance or training for an endurance event, fueling properly is key.  It’s also important to recognize the difference between the two.  Eating to fuel a daily power walk is different than eating to fuel a long distance runner or a triathlete.  Factors to consider include the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, the right amount of vitamins and minerals, as well as the proper amount of fluids.  Here are some tips for my endurance training readers.

Carbohydrates:

• Best fuel for working muscles
• It’s important to include carbs at all meals.
• Our muscles are fueled by carbohydrates for energy, it’s important to make our carb choices count by focusing on whole grains and produce.
• A serving of fruit or veggies is about the size of a baseball.
• A serving of whole grains is about the size of our fist (1 cup). A 1-cup serving of grains averages about 175-200 calories.

Protein:

• We need protein for muscle growth and for recovery (to repair muscle damage after exercise).
• Protein is needed to make red blood cells, which moves oxygen to muscles, and white blood cells, which help fight infection.
• Our body uses protein to make hormones and enzymes, which helps regulate our metabolism.
• Our maximum protein needs are only about 1 gram per pound body weight. This can easily be met with “real” food.
• Three ounces of lean meat provides about 21 grams of protein. Three ounces is about the size of a deck of cards.
• A good rule is to eat a portion of lean protein the size of the palm of your hand (at least 3 ounces) for lunch and dinner (breakfast if possible).

Fat:

• We need fat for energy
• Fat helps our body utilize some vitamins.
• Fat helps move substances in and out of cells, and it helps keep your brain and nervous system healthy.
• Fat provides a “satisfaction” factor at each meal.
• Try to include a serving of healthy fats with your meal. A serving is a tablespoon (about the size of your thumb).
• Healthy fats include: almonds, mixed nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, ground flax meal, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, avocados, canola oil, and olive oil.

Vitamins & Minerals:

• Help unlock the energy stored in food so your body can use it as fuel.
• Our body needs calcium, magnesium, fluoride, and vitamin D to keep bones strong.
• Include a serving of veggies (1 cup) at lunch and dinner… preferably dark leafy greens.
• Include a serving of fruit (1/2 cup) at breakfast and lunch.
• Make sure your veggies are not fried or swimming in butter.
• Take a daily multivitamin. This is a great insurance plan to ensure our bodies are getting the nutrients it needs.

Fluids:

• Water is the most important nutrient. If your body weight drops just 1% from losing fluids, your performance will suffer.
• Be sure to replace the fluids you lose through sweat when you are active.
• For high intensity or endurance workouts (90 minutes or longer) it is extremely important to replace your fluids.
• Weigh yourself prior to your workout.
• Hydrate during your workout as usual.
• Weigh yourself after your workout – make note of the number of pounds lost post workout. Consume 3 cups (24 ounces) of water or sports drink for every pound of body weight that your lost while you were active.

Sports Drinks:

Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Power-Ade are really only needed when you will be working out for 90 minutes or more.  For daily exercise up to 1-hour, water is the best choice for hydration.

Always eat breakfast

Make it a point to eat a good breakfast every morning.  This is extremely important for endurance athletes.  The level of glycogen in our liver is lower in the morning.  We need to refuel our body to replace the energy it used while we slept.

Before an Endurance Workout

3-4 hours before a workout, practice, or competition, eat a carb loaded meal such as rice, pasta, yogurt, fruit smoothie, fruit, breads, rolls, etc…

For Morning Exercisers

If our workouts will be no longer than one hour, it’s not vital to eat something prior to our workout… unless you are STARVING from the night before.  If you will be going for a long run, cycling, or any other activity that will be 90 minutes or more, fueling prior to exercise is key.  Have an energy bar, granola bar, ½ bagel, large banana, etc…  Consume at least 12ounces or more prior to your workout, and make sure you hydrated properly the day before.

Question of the day:  How do you fuel your workouts?  What pre-workout meal works best for you?

Resources: American Dietetic Association, Jon Vredenburg MBA,RD, CSSD

I have gotten a lot of questions about emotional eating and ways to overcome it.  This article just touches on some of the main issues behind it.  There are references at the end that provide more details and more ways to cope.

What is Emotional Eating?

Emotional eating is eating for reasons other than the true feeling of physical hunger.  Emotional eating is feeding our feelings, not our hunger.  Reasons we may eat can include anxiety, loneliness, boredom, sadness, happiness, celebration, stress, etc… and any other reason you can think of that you eat other than hunger.  We’re basically eating to fill a void.  Emotional hunger can arrive suddenly, while physical hunger builds up and comes on gradually.  When we eat to fill a void we often reach for “comfort” foods.  For some, this may be high starch/carb laden foods.  Emotional hunger often needs to be satisfied instantly. 

The Numbing Effect

When we eat when we’re not hungry (emotional eating), it’s difficult to tell when we’ve had enough.  When we eat when we’re not hungry, we can’t tell when we’re full.  It’s almost like a numbing feeling.  It’s like the endless bag of potato chips.  We eat for emotion and don’t stop until the bag is gone, or, we don’t stop until we feel uncomfortably full.  If we still have a void, we can easily look for more food.  When we eat for true physical hunger we can tell right away when we’re full… so we stop eating. 

Emotional Eating & Weight Gain

When we consistently eat for reasons other than hunger, we will gain weight.  Majority of the time when we eat for emotion, we eat unhealthy food… so this doesn’t help the situation.  If our body is not physically hungry and we eat anyway, our body most likely did not need the calories.  Even worse is when we use food as the main reason to cope with our emotions.  I’ve said this over and over again, weight gain occurs when we CONSISTENTLY eat when we’re not hungry.  Even if we are eating healthy, if we’re over eating we will gain weight.

Coping With Our Emotions

We all have moments when we eat out of emotion… the problems occur when we use food as our main form of coping.  Learning to cope with our emotions without food is vital… especially if we have a weight problem.  This can be very hard… especially if we’ve been eating out of emotion for many years.  I have had clients who haven’t felt true physical hunger in decades.  When we stop eating for emotion, we are forced to face those emotions.  If we’re use to snacking after dinner and we stop, we need to find something else to fill that void.  The really hard part comes when we really want to eat something, but know that we are not physically hungry.  We have to deal with that feeling which at times can be tough.  The good news is the more we learn to deal with it, the easier it will become.  The goal is to consistently associate food with hunger.  The more we get use to this, the easier it is to be around food and have no desire to eat because we’re not hungry.  The ultimate goal is to consistently eat when we’re hungry.  If we have a moment when we eat out of emotion, we just accept it for what it is and move on.  Just take it one meal at a time.

This article covers a very small part of emotional eating.  If you feel you need more guidance, two great references are author Geenen Roth (her books cover emotional eating in detail as well as ways to cope), and the book Intuitive Eating (this book has one chapter on emotional eating, but the entire book is ideal for someone who consistently eats when not hungry).

If you have any questions about this article, want to know more, or have suggestions for future topics, add a comment in the comments section below.  If you know of anyone who may benefit from this article click on the “share this” icon below; from there you can post a link to this article or you can email it to a friend.

For those who are frequent readers and subscribers, you know that I send out a weekly newsletter as well as an email each time a new blog post is up.  I am considering eliminating the emails with the blog post updates and only email the weekly newsletter.  I don’t want to overwhelm readers by flooding their inbox with emails.  What are your thoughts on this?  Do you enjoy receiving the blog updates?… or are they too much?

Thanks in advance for your input

I often get asked the question “What foods I always HAVE to HAVE”.  If I was allowed only 10 items to purchase at the grocery store, regardless of the price, these are my picks.

1.     Quaker Old Fashioned Oats:  100% natural whole grain oats are great by themselves or added to many other recipes.  My favorite way to eat Quaker Oats is to take ½ cup dry oats and cook per instructions in 1-cup skim milk or light soymilk.  Once cooked, I like to swirl a tablespoon of all natural peanut butter in the bowl… YUM!

2.     Greek Yogurt:  This yogurt is packed with protein!  Something you don’t see in other yogurts.  Averaging at about 17 grams per 7 oz, this can be eaten at any meal, any time of day!  My favorite brand is FAGE 2% yogurt.  I’ve been asked why I prefer 2% to 0% fat.  This is a personal preference.  I enjoy the creamier taste of 2%, and for just 30 calories more; I think it’s worth it.  Either is perfectly acceptable.  My favorite way to eat this yogurt is to mix it with ¼ Nature’s Path Granola and ½ cup berries.

3.     Bananas:  Bananas are known for it’s impressive potassium content.  With about 4 grams of fiber per large banana, this fruit is a great addition/compliment to any meal.  My favorite way to eat bananas is either in Greek yogurt, or sliced on top a piece of toast with natural peanut butter.

4.     Nature’s Path Granola:  The reason I love this granola is for the great taste and calorie content.  A lot of granola tends to be calorically dense.  Nature’s Path Granola comes in at about 240 calories per ¾ cup.  My favorite way to eat granola is mixed with yogurt, or by itself.

5.     Lite Silk Soy Milk or Skim Milk:  This provides a great combo of protein and carbohydrates… can be added to recipes, cereal, or enjoyed by itself.

6.     Whole Wheat Tortillas:  I eat these almost every day!  My guideline is that is has at least 3 grams of fiber and no more than 150 calories.  I use these for sandwich wraps and tacos.

7.     Spinach Leaves:  Spinach is loaded with calcium, folic acid, vitamin K & Iron.  Spinach is also rich in vitamin c, iron, and fiber to say the least.  In an effort to consume more veggies, I add loads of raw spinach leaves to any sandwich or wrap I make.    I also like to add spinach to soups and omelets.

8.      Morning Star Veggie Sausages & Burgers:  The taste of these products can’t be beat!  As a great source of protein, I always add these to sandwiches and wraps.  It really adds great flavor to a meal!

9.     Eggs:  My grocery cart is never without a carton of eggs.  Eggs are a great source of protein and can complete any meal.  My favorite way to eat eggs is in a whole-wheat tortilla.  I take 2 egg whites scrambled with 1 whole egg, one morning star sausage broken up in the egg.  Place inside warmed whole-wheat tortilla and sprinkle with low-fat cheese.  This meal has been eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

10. Natural Peanut Butter:  I’ve tried all different types of nut butters from almond to cashew, and many more… but for some reason; nothing tastes better than good ole PB!  I have many ways I enjoy eating peanut butter… with oatmeal, with a banana, spread on toast, with apples, mixed in with yogurt (yes you read that correctly), old fashioned PB & J sandwich, and of course, by itself with a spoon!

A revision was made to the article “How to Lose Weight – Eating to Satisfy”.  The original article referenced complex carbohydrates as food in its most natural state.  That statement was incorrect.  Complex carbohydrates includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and the “white stuff” (potatoes, white rice, pasta, etc…).  The focus of the article was to place emphasis on consuming “real food” versus processed foods.  

My apologies for the confusion.  Please see the revised article below.

Eating to Satisfy! – Putting a Meal Together

Eating healthy is very important, but how much we eat is even more important!  This is not a license to eat whatever we want, whenever.  You have to get to know your body.  Learn what food satisfies you the most and what doesn’t.  Like I’ve said before, 80% of what you eat should be healthy and the other 20% percent is whatever you want.

What Satisfies You?

It’s no secret that food in its natural state is better for us than processed foods… but why?  What exactly is happening in the body that makes a meal stay with us longer than a bag of potato chips?

Real Food versus Processed Food –

We all know that carbohydrates include bread, rice, cereal, pasta, fruits, veggies, and all sugar and sweet products.  Carbohydrates also come in the form of packaged and processed food.  When I talk about REAL FOOD, I’m referring to food in its most natural state (whole wheat bread vs. white bread, whole wheat pasta vs. white pasta, brown rice vs. white rice, fresh fruit vs. fruit juice, etc…)

When a carbohydrate is in it’s natural state, our body has to work physically harder to break it down.  The whole grain and fiber is in tact, which makes it harder for the body to breakdown.  The longer the body takes to break down that food… the longer that meal will stick with us and keep us satisfied for a longer period of time.  This is why emphasis is placed on consuming whole grains, fruits, and veggies.  They are higher in fiber.  The more fiber a food has, the longer that food will take to be converted to energy in the body and the longer that meal will stay with us.

With pre-processed foods, our body has to do a minimal amount of work to break it down.  It is absorbed quickly in our body, therefore, it can leave us feeling hungry and wanting more food in a shorter period of time.  The result can leave us feeling unsatisfied and wanting more food.  Great examples of processed carbs are anything that comes packaged.  A good question to ask yourself is “Did this food naturally come this way?”  We know that Oreos don’t grow on trees and Skittles don’t naturally fall from the rainbow in the sky.  They are processed and should be eaten in moderation.

The Protein & Fat Factor

So now we know the importance of eating real food versus processed food. There are other factors involved in making a meal satisfying and protein & fat play a big role.  Protein comes in the form of lean meat, chicken, fish, low-fat dairy, & some plant based foods such as beans.  Protein provides a much needed satisfaction factor to our meal.  Protein naturally takes longer for the body to breakdown; therefore, it sticks with us longer, providing more satisfaction.  What even more important to know is what protein does when eaten with a carbohydrate. 

Carbs are our body’s form of energy.  No matter what form the carb is in (natural or processed) the body breaks it down (into sugar) and utilizes it for energy.  Protein, when eaten with a carbohydrate, slows down that process, thus making that meal last longer.  Here is a good example.  If we eat an apple, our body would go through its natural process of breaking that apple down and converting in the energy for the body.  If we added a piece of cheese with that apple, our body would take even longer to break that meal down because we’ve added protein, which will slow down the conversion of the apple to energy in the body (providing more satisfaction).

The same thing goes for fat.   Fat provides more satisfaction factor because it takes much longer to be processed in the body.  When we combine a meal of whole grains, lean protein, and a small amount of healthy fat, the meal will stick with us longer and leave us feeling more satisfied.  Healthy fats to consider are plant-based oils such as olive and canola oil, nut butters, nuts, and seeds.

Where do processed foods come in?

It’s unrealistic to say we will never eat processed foods.  They are everywhere and provide a quick and easy convenience.  The goal is to not make processed foods the based of our diet.  Eighty percent of our diet should come from “REAL” food and the other 20% can be whatever we want.  This makes our diet more livable and realistic.  If we have a day where we eat more processed foods than intended, don’t beat yourself up over it.  Just take it for what it is and move on.  No need to obsess over something that’s already been done.  We always have our next meal to make up for it.

Quick Summary

Here is a quick summary of what we’ve gone over in the series and what it takes to lose weight.

1.     Get to know your hunger!  This is a very important rule.  When we consistently eat when we’re not hunger, weight gain will happen.

2.     Know your limits! – Listen to your body.  Portion control is extremely important.  Get to know your body and your limits.  Eating healthy is very important, but how much we eat is even more important.

3.     Are you really hungry, or just bored?  Consistent mindless noshing can easily pack on the pounds.  I know this is a hard one, but boredom eating is a bad habit.  Try to really focus and identify when you’re eating when hungry versus eating when bored.

4.     EAT REAL FOOD!  Food in its most natural state will provide us more satisfaction.  Try to keep your intake to 80% real food and 20% whatever you want.  This will keep us balanced, and keep out diet for “Livable”.

If you have any questions about this article, want to know more, or have suggestions for future topics, add a comment in the comments section below.  If you know of anyone who may benefit from this article click on the “share this” icon below; from there you can post a link to this article or you can email it to a friend.

The Biggest Loser has become the most popular weight loss show in history.  The physical transformations these contestants go through is mind-blowing.   I think the main reason I find it so intriguing is because it’s what I specialize in.  These contestants aren’t following a fad diet, taking diet pills, or resorting to weight loss surgery.  They are literally working their tales off! 

A lot of people ask me if I think these results are realistic.  In a real-life situation, yes and no.  It can be done, but not in the same time frame as the show.  A year-and-a-half ago, I had the pleasure of going to a presentation given by the brains behind the Biggest Loser (the dietitian and physician who see these contestants everyday).  What they admitted first off was that the reason the contestants consistently lose so much weight is because they are taken out of their environment.  All the barriers we face in real life (job, family, friends, lack of time, lack of knowledge) have been removed.  Think about how much easier it would be for us to lose weight if we had none of those challenges. On the ranch, their entire day includes meeting with the dietitian, psychologist, doctor, and of course, exercise for hours and hours.  Their “job” is basically to exercise, learn about proper nutrition, and practice it everyday.  Here is the diet they are taught to follow.

Biggest Loser Principles & Diet

•       With a regular exercise program in place, you must burn off more calories than you take in each day.
•       Recommended daily caloric intake for weight loss is “modified low carb diet” made of 45% carbohydrate calories, 30% lean protein, and 25% healthy fat.
•       45% Carbohydrates – vegetables, fruits, whole grains
•       3 servings of healthy proteins (fish, skinless chicken breast, lean ground turkey)
•       Healthy fat include an occasional spray or splash of olive oil or canola oil for salads or cooked dishes.  It also includes healthy fats from small servings of nuts and seeds.
•       There is room for one optional treat per day
•       Cereals must have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving
•       Daily calories are based on 7 calories per pound of body weight. (adjusted with significant weight loss)
•       Their diet is analyzed weekly by the dietitian.  The contestants usually adhere to the diet 70% of the time.

Common Characteristics of Contestants

The contestants had no idea of the number of calories they consumed daily.  They ate very few fruits and veggies, little whole grains, too much refined carbs (white stuff).  They did little planning of their meals, ate out a lot at restaurants or fast food.  Majority of their calories came from calorie laden beverages (juice, soda, fruit punch).  Very little exercise was reported and their health was not made a priority.

My View on the Program

I think the Biggest Loser is a fantastic program, however, I can’t help but notice the amount of weight some of these contestants put back on a year or so after the show.  The most important thing to take away from this is the importance of PERMANENT LIFESTYLE CHANGES!  I cannot stress this enough.  These contestants are placed in a controlled environment, and even at that, we can see on the show how they struggle emotionally.  Imagine how much harder it is to implement this at home?  The diet they follow places emphasis on whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean protein, and healthy fat… that is a healthy diet.  What’s even more important is the optional treat they are allowed.  It is so important to include foods we love in moderation.

How Can We Do This At Home?

The Biggest Loser diet places emphasis on all the right foods! 

•       Rather than counting calories, focus on controlling the portion sizes.       (See my article on “Eating with Your Eyes”)
•       Keep your intake 80% healthy and 20% whatever you want.
•       Listen to your hungry – Your body should be asking for food every 4-4.5 hours, try not to go longer than 5 hours without eating.  Waiting too long to eat can cause us to over eat.
•       Set a realistic exercise goal – Exercise is important for many reasons… the main one being our health!  The amount of exercise the Biggest Loser contestants do on the show is unrealistic in “real life”.  If you’re new to exercise, start out slow and increase as your endurance picks up.  If our goals are reasonable, it’s easier to keep them, rather than setting unrealistic goals and feeling overwhelmed. 

If you have any questions about this article, want to know more, or have suggestions for future topics, add a comment in the comments section below.  If you know of anyone who may benefit from this article click on the “share this” icon below; from there you can post a link to this article or you can email it to a friend.

RECALL ALERT!! – Millions of pistachios and pistachio products have been recalled due to a possible salmonella contamination.  The FDA is taking every precaution and recalling every pistachio product.  For more information CLICK HERE

Stay tuned for more recall alerts!

QUAKER GIVEAWAY!!

My friends at KEEP IT SIMPLE FOODS are giving away three  boxes of Quaker Simple Harvest Trail Mix Bars.  You have from now until Midnight EST  tomorrow to enter!  GOOD LUCK!