Category: Diet

1. Outta sight, outta mind. Keep those goodies where your hot little hands can’t get them – put them in the freezer, have hubby hide them in the basement, donate them. For the sake of your waistline don’t leave them in a bowl where you can get at them..Just 1-2 pieces of candy (an extra 300-500 calories per day) can put a pound on you in a week if you’re not careful! That’s pretty scary.
2. Prioritize and sort. #1 rule in dieting = Everything in moderation.  Lay it all out and decide which ones are really important to you – choose those and make a plan for when to eat them (not all in 1 sitting).  Maybe 1 snack size treat can be worked into your calorie allowance once or twice a week…if you compensate with exercise and otherwise clean diet. I like to save my treats for the weekend, sit at the table and eat it slowly and mindfully and royally.  Also dark chocolate has some antioxidant properties so that’s a high priority for me..in fact, I’ll indulge in 70% dark organic chocolate over nearly any other packaged treat. Pretzels, popped corn are also great swaps. Have a taste test with the kids – have a little sampling and decide which aren’t that great and you’re willing to part with..
3. Bribery! Some dentists even offer a buy-back program. You can trade your kids some of their stash for cash — to go to the toy store or on an outing of their choice…Same for you – reward yourself for your self-control maybe with a new workout outfit.
4. Chew gum/ brush your teeth while handing out the goods! Its will distract you from putting something more calorie dense and nutrient poor in your mouth!
5. Lift weights Halloween morning! It will help even out/suppress your blood sugar and help you resist cravings.
6. Don’t skip dinner…If you’re starving and/or sleep deprived you will find it harder to resist temptation
7. Read this post from Shape magazine about what’s actually in your Halloween candy:http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/whats-really-halloween-candy…took my cravings away faster than you can say polybutelatedwhashamakailt.

   Deprivation can set you up for binging. Candy and other less-healthy choices can be worked into an otherwise healthy lifestyle in moderation. Be a role model and have a conversation with your kids about how to incorporate treat foods into their diet appropriately.. It’s a skill that enables you to tame the beast.

Apparently, it can be done any number of ways – Master Cleanse, Feeding Tube, HCG diet.  Basically its restricting your calories to the point where your body uses its own muscle for fuel.

So while this article is all chipper about how wonderful this or that gal is gonna look in her dress, they don’t show how every day, shortly after that feeding tube comes out or she eats, say 1200 whopping calories she’s gonna start gaining weight. (For those who don’t know, 1200 calories is pretty low, but still safe.)  Can you imagine dating a woman 159 lbs, marrying her at 120 and then a month after the wedding she’s 140? It could happen.  Is that grounds for annulment?  I mean, who is this person anyway?  Fat, skinny?  Skinny fat (that’s fat by body fat percentage even while looking lean).  Healthy or not?   Maybe the thing the groom’s sure of is that he’s marrying a woman who is willing to actually starve herself for vanity’s sake. Wow, how’s that for for being a top thing to look for in a spouse you hope to grow old with, bear children with and go through all of life’s ups and down’s with?

How about this article …about a woman who ate garbage..and died early.  Really.  This is newsworthy?  All I can say to that is Duh!

Basically, America seems in many ways to still be an extension of ancient Greek society, which placed its emphasis on the body. We’re obsessed as a culture with external beauty.  We’re impatient, too.  So we love to hear about the quick fix.  Working hard at the gym and eating real food doesn’t make for sexy journalistic fare.

Oh, and the article about the woman who died of Coca Cola ingestion?  Well, we love that because it allows us to forgive ourselves of our petty indulgences because we relish knowing we’re not as extreme as THAT woman.  We love knowing as bad as our binges can get, they’re still not THAT bad.  Right. Reality check—-they ARE!

No excuses.  Get back to the gym.  Bikini season is around the corner.

Question:  There are so many confusing statements out there.  Is Dairy going to help lose weight or is it better to stop having it?   Pam, Los Angeles

Answer:

Great question Pam.  I hear this type of question from time to time –  should I eliminate this or that food group.  This time it happens to be about dairy.

Let me preface what I’m about to say with the caveat that I’m not a registered dietician nor am I a physician.  These are the professionals specifically qualified to be answering diet-related questions when it comes to your situation and I am able to refer clients to people I trust in those fields if you’d like.  I am someone who has read a lot about health and fitness who is able to read a scientific study with an eye for bias and someone who has tried to fine-tune her own diet and fitness plan for optimal results.  I’m a certified fitness instructor so this is more of a personal than a professional opinion.  That said, these are my thoughts:

I’m just not an all-or-nothing type gal when it comes to dairy and weight loss.  If you want to go cold-turkey on something for the sake of your health, I’d pick soda (diet & regular) or trans-fats and luncheon meats with nitrates!…but dairy?

I go organic (got enough hormones already thanks), low fat (for the calorie count and fat ratio to the rest of my diet mostly) whenever possible and figure it into your calorie allowance.  If you are struggling with a cholesterol issue and your doctor has recommended to limit your consumption of animal proteins, surely listen to his/her advice.  Also if you’re lactose intolerant or vegetarian for ethical reasons, there are many non-dairy alternatives you could choose…

That said, nothing I have read indicates there’s something about dairy which leads to weight gain or retention specifically.  In fact quite the opposite is true.  There have been a few studies which show eating yogurt is good for weight loss.   F0r instance, a Harvard Study published in 2011, showed positive results for weight loss by those who ate yogurt as opposed to those who don’t.  Another, in 2005,  showed the same, but the study was funded by General Mills, makers of Yoplait.   Those are off the top of my head and there have been many more.

That’s not to say I’d go ahead and eat 1200 calories per day of hard cheese…but consumed as part of your diet which is based on fruits and veggies and complex carbs/fiber, I don’t see an issue.

Everything I have studied indicates eating clean and working out with the right cardio and weight training balance and burning off 3500-7000 calories per week through diet and exercise is what makes you lose weight in a healthy safe way.

I’m just not up for the “eggs good for you/bad for you” saga.  I don’t see how you can go wrong with healthy, real food.

I think red meat in moderation is safe. Moderation..That is to say: unprocessed, grass fed, preservative-free, 1-2 servings, once a week. See if this new Harvard study says I’m right, or if all red meat will kill us.

Purim, Passover, and Easter are nearly here, and although they can be a lot of fun, all  holidays,  can be stressful. There’s the preparation, cleanup, and interactions with relatives who may not be supportive of you or your healthy diet plan; then add to that treat foods which lure us with memories of childhood, or heartwarming traditional foods associated with those holidays like chocolate filled marshmallow eggs or hamentashen cookies that just aren’t around all year long. It seems temptation is lurking at every turn. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. You might find yourself unwittingly succumbing to the temptation to binge on those treats or over- eat at the buffet. ..Even though you know you’ll be disappointed when you see the numbers on the scale a week later.

In order to not blow all the hard work you have been doing, it’s a good idea to become mindful of the caloric impact of  various foods and situations you will likely encounter so you can plan accordingly. You need a strategy.
Here are 10 tips to help you survive the holidays with your head held high and your bottom zipped securely into your skinny skirt:

1. Don’t arrive hungry!  If I know the meal will be filled with things I’d rather not eat..or a ton of things I would rather eat but won’t be proud that I ate so much of them a week later– I might down a protein shake an hour before the meal and spoil my appetite. Drink a glass of water before hitting the buffet to help fill your tummy, or add to that water a scoop of psyllium husks (a fiber supplement that can be found at health food stores).  Eat normal meals through the rest of the day that are healthful but slightly lower in calories.  For instance, if you trim 100 calories off breakfast and lunch and a snack, you can indulge in a 300 calorie treat without impact.
2. Exercise! Burn off the extra calories before you have them & keep your metabolism up.
3. Don’t hang out by the buffet. Focus on being social.
4. Eat your greens first, before the higher calorie foods like proteins and desserts. If you must graze, make it at the veggie platter.
5. Choose well. Grilled, boiled, baked or broiled and steamed  will be lower on fat ad calories generally.  Fried, sauteed ( in fat/oil), dressings, cream sauces, Au gratin (a cheese sauce) will have a higher fat and calorie impact.
6. Offer to bring a dish. Almost any dish has a healthy version. Just google healthy version and name the dish and you will have a plethora of options.
7. Don’t deprive yourself! Plan your indulgences. Enjoy in moderation. Have that cookie (not 12) and savor it. Eat it slowly, on a plate, sitting down. Maybe even try eating the main meal on a smaller plate for that matter- to control your portion sizes.
8. Easy on the alcohol.  Alcohol’s hormonal effects which can make you store fat … this is on top of the plain caloric impact and relative lack of nutritional value.
9. Keep yourself accountable. Keep a food journal and log what you are eating. There are calorie counters on line and even diet journal apps for your smartphone so you can log right there in the buffet line. Lose It is my favorite.. You can even scan the bar code of those chips on the table and know immediately how to fit them into your calorie allowance.
10. Holiday stress can make you release the hormone grehlin which makes you hungry, and the stress hormone cortisol which can make you pack on the fat. Consider lessening your commitments and obligations so you aren’t pressed for time and will have enough sleep and mental clarity to withstand temptations that threaten to destroy your new good habits.

(Originally posted February 6, 2012)

Fat Myth-busting:

Have you heard that February is national avocado month? Nope. Me neither. I read it on someone’s email list and fact checking disproved it. Maybe it was a possibility in 2008 though.

Anyhow, avocados have gotten abad rap due to their high fat content. When we hear fat, many of us think simply eating fat makesyou fat….but that’s so 1980’s. While it is true that too much of the wrong kind of fat can be unhealthy, avocado doesn’t have those kinds of fats.

What? Wrong and right kinds of fats? Yes. You should minimize saturated fats (often found in animal meats, some fish) and trans-fats. We have all heard how bad factory produced trans-fats (they’re implicated in cancer) but most people don’t know how to figure out how to avoid them.  I tell my clients to make it simple- if the package ingredients list any of the following words: “hydrogenated, partially-hydrogenated, or a fractionated” put that box back on the shelf!  To vastly simplify…These types of fats aren’t processed by the body well and they may lead to accumulation of plaque in arteries which can lead to cardiovascular disease (hello heart attack).

On the flip side, unsaturated fats like monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fats are fats your body needs in order to function properly. Fats promote satiety (feeling full/like you have eaten enough). So if you pick the right kinds, you can boost your weight loss because you’ll be less likely to eat low nutrient high caloric foods (ie. cookies and chips) which sabotage your weight loss plans because you won’t be looking for more food since you’re full. Avocados contain omega-3, 6, 9 essential fatty acids (EFAs) like oleic acid.  EFAs have been proven to boost your metabolism. A faster metabolism healps you lean out faster. Also, the fats found in avocados help your body create a fat burning hormone called adiponectin. They are also rich in fiber- which helps regulate bowlels. They are cholesterol-free and nutrient dense (contain vitamins A, K, C, E, B, folic acid, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and iodine. They have thick skins and aren’t one of the highest pesticide laden foods. So stretch your dollars-no need to buy these organic.

Now, you might be thinking that with all these vitamins and healthy fats, avocados can probably fight and prevent problems like high blood pressure, heard disease and stuff so I should load up on them. Not so fast! They are still high in calories…and weightloss is still a numbers game- calories in vs. calories out (ok a little more sophisticated than that but not too much). So I recommend eating them but in moderation.  Figure out how much is right for your daily caloric  allowance or use your thumb nail as a guide- really. When in doubt, when it comes to fats, a tablespoon or two is fine.

On the other hand, I often see at the market, people buying cakes every weekend for family entertaining, packaged cookies for luncboxes with margarine (has hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oil).  Every weekend is far from moderate! Add it up. That’s a lot of garbage in your body each year and it is not healthy.

(Originally posted January 27, 2012)

Some of these recipes are good for anyone-not just diabetics-because keeping your insulin levels in check keeps your body humming at a nice steady pace and can help you burn fat. However, I’d have you skip the cheese in the chicken parmesan and use whole grain pasta in the pasta with veggies. Check out the yummy french toast though! http://www.prevention.com/health/diabetes/10-diabetes-friendly-meals-beat-belly-fat/strawberry-almond-french-toast

(Originally posted January 16, 2012)

Just picked up some So Delicious brand Vanilla flavored Coconut Milk in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods. 90 calories per serving. Reliably Kosher certified. Non GMO. Very yummy and none of the hormone issues of standard cow milk (antibiotics and genetically modified feed for the cows and unsuitable for lactose intolerant folks) or soy milk(estrogen & often genetically modified ) & more nutritional benefits than rice milk. A very nice milk alternative.