As I continue my years in the nutrition and wellness industry, I find that there is often a division between dietitians that subscribe to one or the other philosophy when it comes to food quantity: portion control or intuitive eating. I see blogs and articles heavily promoting one or the other. But I would argue that these two approaches are not mutually exclusive of each other. They are both important approaches that can be used together for optimizing health. I was recently interviewed by a company called Healthy Steps by Jokari – a company that sells practical kitchen tools, including very useful portion control gadgets. They asked me what portion control means to me. The interview is provided here, although the video interview did not allow for me to expand on these concepts. So let’s explore this discussion in a bit more depth as we look at portion control, intuitive eating and another important eating approach – meal frequency.
Portion Control: Portion control is a tool that is used to show standard and appropriate serving sizes of foods. Examples of portion control tools would be comparing a deck of cards to represent 3 ounces of meat, or a baseball to represent a serving of starch or starchy vegetable. Or, even the useful products that companies like Healthy Steps sell to consumers that help load your plate with standard portions. Portion control tools are meant to be a guide to what the USDA decides is an appropriate portion for most Americans based on research. Again, it’s merely a guide. In fact, I wish we renamed this to a more friendly approach – portion guidance. The word “control” seems so militaristic in nature and that is what turns many intuitive eating promoters off to this helpful tool. This approach was never meant to be something that would relinquish our right to listening to our own bodily cues. Portion guidance systems also help us to make sure we are eating enough of a given food. We are encouraged to eat a certain amount of fruit and vegetable servings each day (go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/ to get your own custom plan by plugging in age, gender, weight, height and activity level) so we need to know how much a serving is. Portion guidance seems to be especially helpful for my patients that were raised in the "clean plate club" and are now psychologically unable to end a meal until their plate is cleaned. They need to have a jumping off point to set up their plates, and then dial in the intuitive eating concepts. We use standardized portions when prescribing constant carbohydrate diets for diabetics in order to optimize blood sugars. For instance, one portion of carbohydrate for diabetics is 15 grams, and they must know what those portions are in order to dose insulin and/or to stay within their carbohydrate prescription. As you can see, portion guidance is a very useful tool in a variety of situations.
But before we talk about intuitive eating, let’s insert another eating approach here that sets us up well – meal frequency.
Meal Frequency: Americans are leading busier than ever lives and often times we go way too long to eat. Most of my weight management clients either skip meals or go way too long between meals. Many times this causes a person to not be satisfied by an appropriate meal portion. In fact, this can cause them to overeat in order to make up for the lost calories earlier in the day. My recommendation, consistent with current research, is to make sure you eat three solid meals and also include 1-2 in-between those meals in order to decrease your risk of (or treat) obesity. That way, you never come too hungry to a meal. Let’s be honest, it’s difficult to make optimal food choices when you’re starved. More than weight control, the correct meal frequency optimizes energy levels and promotes both normal blood sugars and cholesterol levels. I do find that my patients get used to not eating breakfast and they ask me if they should eat even when they don’t feel like eating. This is the one meal of the day where I would say...yes. Your body needs to be re-trained to eat with regular frequency, and this will help start the progress.
And now we have intuitive eating.
Intuitive Eating: Meal frequency and portion guidance set-up allows us to practice intuitive eating. Intuitive eating is a nutrition philosophy or approach that encourages us to tune into our bodies more and eat for simply the feeling of hunger. Living in a world of multi-tasking, it can be difficult to do what seems like such an obvious thing. But we do. We eat because the clock tells us to do so (and we try to push our kids to do the same!), or because of stress, or boredom or a variety of emotional reasons. This approach is very important and something that all people should look at in their own lives. Many times people are not overweight because of food, but because of outside influences that drive us to eat in order to soothe our feelings or emotions. Obesity caused by emotional eating can dredge up fear around food because emotional eaters don’t feel in control in its presence. Intuitive eating concepts are important for the ex-clean plate clubber or the busy parent or the emotional eater. Let’s get back to the basics and eat for real physiological reasons. If you find that you are an emotional eater, consider getting support by a counselor or psychologist that specializes in this field.
When it comes to food quantity, all these 3 approaches - in my opinion – are great tools to be used together for optimal health. The right meal frequency combined with guidance using standard portions and then letting intuition do the rest. Combine that with food quality, and you are well on your way to living your best life!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
New USDA Dietary Guidelines - Done Cheap!
The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans was released on Monday. The press conference was attended by many dietitians on the world wide web, and all the while we were discussions were in real-time on Twitter. At the press conference, one of the age old questions was raised. I am paraphrasing, “How does the average American that is struggling in this economy feed their family the way these guidelines recommend? Healthy foods are expensive!” Many of us in “Twitterland” were wishing they would have provided the public some good examples, but they answered only in generalities. Is a bag of chips really cheaper than a bag of frozen veggies? What about a box of twinkies?
Unfortunately, the report that was put together in order to come up with the guidelines revealed that children eat the bulk of their calories from grain-based desserts, yeast breads, processed chicken, sugary drinks and pizza. In other words, our children are overfed, yet are still undernourished. This post will list the foods the USDA wants us to eat MORE of along with some budgetary tips (utilize the active links!) on how you can do this without blowing your monthly budget.
Increase vegetable and fruit intake, which includes eating a variety of vegetables, especially dark-green and red and orange vegetables and beans and peas. My local grocery store often sells 10 bags of frozen vegetables for $10. The other day, they had a sale on canned foods where you only pay 26 cents for 20 cans! You have to watch the sales and then buy in bulk when able. But remember, frozen is about equal to fresh on nutrient quality and very low sodium canned vegetables and canned fruit in their own juices are just a close second. You can often buy bags of beans for less than $1. Consider searching out a produce co-op in your local area or visiting your local farmer’s market. Locally grown produce usually contains superior nutrient quality since it’s farm to plate distance is shortened, and you get to support your local farmer. If your funds are really tight, government programs or WIC cards encourage for the purchase of produce items through special incentives.
Consume at least half of all grains as whole grains. Increase whole-grain intake by replacing refined grains with whole grains. Make your own breads! Make your own pancakes by adding half whole wheat or buckwheat flour. Start your day off with a big batch of steel cut oatmeal in the crockpot. Purchase things such as wild rice, whole wheat couscous, brown rice and barley in bulk or in the bags versus the boxed varieties. Cook them in large quantities and eat them throughout the week. Add these grains with beans, top with a low-fat cheese – serve with a side salad or frozen veggies for a super easy and nutrient-rich meal!
Increase intake of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, or fortified soy beverages. Generic brands of milk are often cheaper. Look for dairy items that are on sale. Blocked cheese is cheaper than the pre-shredded. Purchase yogurts in the larger containers instead of the single serve for big savings. Use dried/powdered milk for recipes.
Choose a variety of protein foods, which include seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Bulk, bulk, bulk. Remember that 3-4 ounces is a portion – decreasing portion sizes for each family member is a huge cash saving!
Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed by choosing seafood in place of some meat and poultry. Shop ethnic grocers such as Asian stores, as they have a tendency to have cheaper prices. Look for frozen bags and canned seafood on sale.
Replace protein foods that are higher in solid fats with choices that are lower in solid fats and calories and/or are sources of oils. Higher fat meats may seem lower in price, but how much are you paying for the actual meat of that portion? You actually get LESS protein per pound than lower fat/lean cuts. So pound for pound, you pay MORE for the nutrients found in fattier meats. Food for thought!
Use oils to replace solid fats where possible. I am sure you have noticed by now, but canola oil is much cheaper than olive oil. I like canola oil because it has the least amount of saturated fat (~7% as compared to ~15% in olive oil) large percentage of omega-3 “heart healthy” fat. Canola oil can be used for both baking and cooking, so it’s very versatile. Again, look for savings in the generic or store brands.
Choose foods that provide more potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D, which are nutrients of concern in American diets. These foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and milk and milk products. Make budgetary room for low-fat dairy in your diet because dairy will help you achieve potassium, calcium and vitamin D. Beans of all kinds are a fabulous fiber and nutrient source that could be enjoyed alone, added to salads, soups and casseroles.
Other Tips
Be Flexible. Maybe your favorite food items are out of your budget. Remain patient and there will come a sale. Explore other foods. You might find something you like better! And the more variety we have, they better nourished we are.
Plan Ahead. Shop for your groceries one full week in advance in order to avoid the eating out trap. Eating out excessively leads to both budget and belt busting every time!
Bulk and freeze. This will not only save you money, but will also save you time – two precious commodities these days. Free resources for doing this can be found at http://www.menus4moms.com/bulk/index.php and http://bulkfreezercooking.com/. Be sure to choose the healthy recipes!
Grow your own garden. Again, eating on a budget demands that flexibility! There are a lot of resources for first time produce gardeners. What a fun thing to do with your children and as a family. Don’t have enough room outdoors? No problem. Many people are growing all kinds of produce indoors.
Brown bagged your lunches. Many of these components not only save you money, but they also help you stay on track with your healthy lifestyles. You can bag healthy food items that go on sale or even eat leftovers from last night’s dinner.
Be on the lookout for sales and good coupons. Grocery stores have weekly specials that can be found in a saver book located at the front of the store. You can also shop for coupons online at websites such as http://www.coupons.com/, http://www.couponsurfer.com/ and http://www.smartsource.com/. Consider taking a look at the coupons to help plan your weekly menu. You can search for recipes by ingredient at websites such as http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.gov/ (under Recipes) and http://allrecipes.com/search/ingredients.aspx.
You can read more about all the recommendations in the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines by going to http://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/.
Are your food budgeting tricks not listed? Share them with us!
Unfortunately, the report that was put together in order to come up with the guidelines revealed that children eat the bulk of their calories from grain-based desserts, yeast breads, processed chicken, sugary drinks and pizza. In other words, our children are overfed, yet are still undernourished. This post will list the foods the USDA wants us to eat MORE of along with some budgetary tips (utilize the active links!) on how you can do this without blowing your monthly budget.
Consume at least half of all grains as whole grains. Increase whole-grain intake by replacing refined grains with whole grains. Make your own breads! Make your own pancakes by adding half whole wheat or buckwheat flour. Start your day off with a big batch of steel cut oatmeal in the crockpot. Purchase things such as wild rice, whole wheat couscous, brown rice and barley in bulk or in the bags versus the boxed varieties. Cook them in large quantities and eat them throughout the week. Add these grains with beans, top with a low-fat cheese – serve with a side salad or frozen veggies for a super easy and nutrient-rich meal!
Increase intake of fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, or fortified soy beverages. Generic brands of milk are often cheaper. Look for dairy items that are on sale. Blocked cheese is cheaper than the pre-shredded. Purchase yogurts in the larger containers instead of the single serve for big savings. Use dried/powdered milk for recipes.
Choose a variety of protein foods, which include seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Bulk, bulk, bulk. Remember that 3-4 ounces is a portion – decreasing portion sizes for each family member is a huge cash saving!
Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed by choosing seafood in place of some meat and poultry. Shop ethnic grocers such as Asian stores, as they have a tendency to have cheaper prices. Look for frozen bags and canned seafood on sale.
Replace protein foods that are higher in solid fats with choices that are lower in solid fats and calories and/or are sources of oils. Higher fat meats may seem lower in price, but how much are you paying for the actual meat of that portion? You actually get LESS protein per pound than lower fat/lean cuts. So pound for pound, you pay MORE for the nutrients found in fattier meats. Food for thought!
Use oils to replace solid fats where possible. I am sure you have noticed by now, but canola oil is much cheaper than olive oil. I like canola oil because it has the least amount of saturated fat (~7% as compared to ~15% in olive oil) large percentage of omega-3 “heart healthy” fat. Canola oil can be used for both baking and cooking, so it’s very versatile. Again, look for savings in the generic or store brands.
Choose foods that provide more potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D, which are nutrients of concern in American diets. These foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and milk and milk products. Make budgetary room for low-fat dairy in your diet because dairy will help you achieve potassium, calcium and vitamin D. Beans of all kinds are a fabulous fiber and nutrient source that could be enjoyed alone, added to salads, soups and casseroles.
Other Tips
Be Flexible. Maybe your favorite food items are out of your budget. Remain patient and there will come a sale. Explore other foods. You might find something you like better! And the more variety we have, they better nourished we are.
Plan Ahead. Shop for your groceries one full week in advance in order to avoid the eating out trap. Eating out excessively leads to both budget and belt busting every time!
Bulk and freeze. This will not only save you money, but will also save you time – two precious commodities these days. Free resources for doing this can be found at http://www.menus4moms.com/bulk/index.php and http://bulkfreezercooking.com/. Be sure to choose the healthy recipes!
Grow your own garden. Again, eating on a budget demands that flexibility! There are a lot of resources for first time produce gardeners. What a fun thing to do with your children and as a family. Don’t have enough room outdoors? No problem. Many people are growing all kinds of produce indoors.
Brown bagged your lunches. Many of these components not only save you money, but they also help you stay on track with your healthy lifestyles. You can bag healthy food items that go on sale or even eat leftovers from last night’s dinner.
Be on the lookout for sales and good coupons. Grocery stores have weekly specials that can be found in a saver book located at the front of the store. You can also shop for coupons online at websites such as http://www.coupons.com/, http://www.couponsurfer.com/ and http://www.smartsource.com/. Consider taking a look at the coupons to help plan your weekly menu. You can search for recipes by ingredient at websites such as http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.gov/ (under Recipes) and http://allrecipes.com/search/ingredients.aspx.
You can read more about all the recommendations in the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines by going to http://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/.
Are your food budgeting tricks not listed? Share them with us!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Healthy Resolutions: A Healthy Parent = A Healthy Family
Well, it’s the end of the first month of the new year. Have you set any healthy resolutions? Have you thought about how you plan to make 2011 healthy/healthier for your family? What message does your personal lifestyle communicte to your children? I think these are all questions we should contemplate for the sake of our family's future wellness.
I was contacted by Everyday Health to provide answers to very important questions regarding New Year’s Resolutions and wellness goals. As a big advocate for being a healthy role model for children, I felt it was important to answer these questions for all moms and dads trying to make 2011 the healthiest year yet. Many of these questions discuss weight loss and getting fit, however, they can be used for other nutrition and wellness goals as well. So here we go!
1) We all make New Year's resolutions, and often these resolutions involve weight loss or fitness goals. But many of us quickly lose traction and don't achieve our goals. What are the psychological and emotional reasons behind these failures?
A person truly needs to be ready to make changes. Any purposeful, positive change in life is rarely an easy thing, so you must be dedicate time and effort. In those that come to see me for nutrition guidance, I usually can tell in the first session if they are truly ready to make the changes needed to achieve their goal. Confidence and optimism at the start of any effort are both critical. Confidence certainly feeds into optimism and vice versa. Believe that you can achieve the goals that you set before you. Check your confidence level – and make sure you go into your resolutions with the right attitude.
2) What is the biggest mistake people make when making a resolution?
They don’t get specific enough with that their resolution(s). They cannot just say, “I want to be healthier in 2011.” Well, what does that mean? And how do you plan to go about doing that? Goals need to be written down along with a game plan on how to get there and posted with a completion date. Lastly, choose an accountability partner that knows about the goals you have set and have them follow-up with you on your progress.
Are you setting yourself up for failure when you make a New Year's resolution to lose weight or get fit?
I don’t believe so. I believe every single day brings with it a new beginning – a renewed opportunity to head down the optimal path in any area of your life. Your past mistakes should be seen as learning curves, and not as a gauge to how you will do going forward. So, whether it's a new year, a new month or even a new day - they all bring with it a chance to start fresh.
3) How do you set reasonable, healthy expectations when you resolve to lose weight or shape up at this time of year or any other time of year?
One must resolve not to fall prey of fad diets or quick fixes. Many out there are desperate to get the result and this is the cause of that temptation. Instead, set very specific, realistic and measurable goals that include just a couple impactful nutrition goals and a couple exercise goals. Again, write them down and have someone else sign the document with you for accountability. Re-evaluate those goals and objectives every six weeks or so to work through any stumbling blocks or just to adjust goals to fit your progress. This helps to keep the challenge going as you get closer and closer to your goal.
4) What kind of support should you seek to help you achieve your goals?
I truly believe the guidance of a Registered Dietitian (RD) in the area of nutrition expertise is extremely helpful. RDs are nutrition scientists that practice evidence-based nutrition that are also equipped to assist in goal setting, accountability and practical tools that will help you get there. Dietitians that work specifically in weight management and wellness have experience working with many types of people and can tailor a plan that fits your specific needs. You can find an RD in your area by going to the American Dietetic Association website at http://www.eatright.org/.
5) What are three things you can do to improve your chances of success before you make a healthy lifestyle change?
1. Be motivated to live a healthy lifestyle for more than body weight only. In my experience in working with hundreds of weight loss clients, I find that most of those only motivated by weight loss or attaining a number on the scale are the least successful. But those wanting to have more energy, optimize their health, feel better – are the ones that do better. The cool thing is that the weight takes care of itself! I believe that this is true because the desperation leaves the scene and it allows a person to fully grasp healthy lifestyle concepts. Come to the realization that everything flows from a healthy body and you want to be healthy for more than a jean or dress size. Do you want to be a better parent? Do you want to climb the ladder in your profession? Do you want to positively influence others? It is all more achievable from a healthy and well body.
2. Clear the clutter out of your life. What are you involved in that is keeping you from living a healthy lifestyle? Many times we are involved in too many activities and they are not really nourishing to our lives. You may need to make a life goal list and then tailor all that you are involved in to that life goal list. Bow out of things that do not align to that list.
3. Know what a healthy lifestyle is and what it isn’t. Healthy lifestyles ebb and flow with the changes and adaptations of life. It should not be a militaristic approach that doesn’t allow for flexing. It is the simple changes made over time that have their biggest and long lasting impact.
6) Why is it so hard to keep the weight off after a diet, and what can you do to maintain weight loss?
Many people go on fad diets and they are very impractical – some 500 calories a day or less. Crash diets do nothing to train you for the real world. Again, seek the advice of a Registered Dietitian so they can put together a reasonable plan that will allow for a modest weight loss per week. Modest, but consistent weight loss preserves lean tissue – which is what drives the rate at which you burn calories. We lose lean tissue just by aging. We don’t need a fad diet’s help to do that for us!
But also, much research has shown that people that have previously been overweight need to be even more active to maintain a lower body weight as compared to others that have never been overweight. High levels of physical activity (one hour most days of the week) must be a regular part of a successful weight loser’s life. Other great things have been learned by the National Weight Control Registry out of Brown Medical School. Check it out!
7) Can you rearrange your life in any way to make it easier to avoid diet temptations?
If there is any food in your home or office that sends you into poor eating patterns then I would suggest keeping those foods away to avoid the trigger. Instead, enjoy them in moderation away from your everyday location. Also, your taste buds change as you start eating more nutrient-rich foods. After having lowered sugar and fat in your diet for a period of time, many people find when they go back to eating those foods they seem much richer and more sugary than before.
We also must dismiss all those reasons why a person may eat when not hungry. Be sure to address any emotional reasons why you might be turning to food when making changes to your lifestyle. If needed, seek the help from a counselor or psychologist and they can help you identify your deeper issues here.
8) What advice do you have for people who just don’t like to exercise or who avoid it for other reasons?
I say that a weak heart wants to stay weak. What I mean by that is that your heart is a muscle. When you are sedentary, the heart muscle gets easily fatigued. I don’t know about you, but it’s a scary concept to think about having a weak heart! It’s the organ that pumps blood to everything else. So I say, challenge yourself. Start off slow and observe the feelings after exercise. The body is made to move and must do so in order to be healthy. Don’t’ decide to work out or not to workout based on emotions. Do find something that interests you, but don’t decide to work out because you “don’t feel like it.” I absolutely love running, but there are still times that my mind tries to talk me out of it - and I teach this stuff! Set your exercise goals by detailing what days and times you plan to do them and follow through. I never regret going for a run. On the contrary - I say, “whew. I am so glad I did that!!”
9) When you’re making a resolution to improve your health, who should you recruit to be on your wellness team?
Annual medical checks by your physician are vital. In addition to being followed by a dietitian, encourage your loved ones to join you. Surround yourself with like-minded people and you will be more successful. As your lifestyle changes, you may surely find that the things you used to like to do will change as well. And that may involve a shift in the people you hang out with on a regular basis.
10) It’s easy to make excuses when you’re juggling work and family responsibilities. How can you make time for your resolutions in a hectic schedule?
Prioritize. If you truly feel something is important in your life, you will find the time. Bottom line: If you think you don’t have time for something, it’s truly not that important to you yet. Ouch! Yep, I said it. It's just the truth.
If you have set any healthy New Year’s Resolutions, I would love to hear from you by commenting below. Or, if you have had past success by setting New Year’s Resolutions, let me know what component(s) of your plan helped to make you successful. Let’s all learn from each other!
I was contacted by Everyday Health to provide answers to very important questions regarding New Year’s Resolutions and wellness goals. As a big advocate for being a healthy role model for children, I felt it was important to answer these questions for all moms and dads trying to make 2011 the healthiest year yet. Many of these questions discuss weight loss and getting fit, however, they can be used for other nutrition and wellness goals as well. So here we go!
 |
| Make 2011 your family's heathiest year yet! |
A person truly needs to be ready to make changes. Any purposeful, positive change in life is rarely an easy thing, so you must be dedicate time and effort. In those that come to see me for nutrition guidance, I usually can tell in the first session if they are truly ready to make the changes needed to achieve their goal. Confidence and optimism at the start of any effort are both critical. Confidence certainly feeds into optimism and vice versa. Believe that you can achieve the goals that you set before you. Check your confidence level – and make sure you go into your resolutions with the right attitude.
2) What is the biggest mistake people make when making a resolution?
They don’t get specific enough with that their resolution(s). They cannot just say, “I want to be healthier in 2011.” Well, what does that mean? And how do you plan to go about doing that? Goals need to be written down along with a game plan on how to get there and posted with a completion date. Lastly, choose an accountability partner that knows about the goals you have set and have them follow-up with you on your progress.
Are you setting yourself up for failure when you make a New Year's resolution to lose weight or get fit?
I don’t believe so. I believe every single day brings with it a new beginning – a renewed opportunity to head down the optimal path in any area of your life. Your past mistakes should be seen as learning curves, and not as a gauge to how you will do going forward. So, whether it's a new year, a new month or even a new day - they all bring with it a chance to start fresh.
3) How do you set reasonable, healthy expectations when you resolve to lose weight or shape up at this time of year or any other time of year?
One must resolve not to fall prey of fad diets or quick fixes. Many out there are desperate to get the result and this is the cause of that temptation. Instead, set very specific, realistic and measurable goals that include just a couple impactful nutrition goals and a couple exercise goals. Again, write them down and have someone else sign the document with you for accountability. Re-evaluate those goals and objectives every six weeks or so to work through any stumbling blocks or just to adjust goals to fit your progress. This helps to keep the challenge going as you get closer and closer to your goal.
4) What kind of support should you seek to help you achieve your goals?
I truly believe the guidance of a Registered Dietitian (RD) in the area of nutrition expertise is extremely helpful. RDs are nutrition scientists that practice evidence-based nutrition that are also equipped to assist in goal setting, accountability and practical tools that will help you get there. Dietitians that work specifically in weight management and wellness have experience working with many types of people and can tailor a plan that fits your specific needs. You can find an RD in your area by going to the American Dietetic Association website at http://www.eatright.org/.
5) What are three things you can do to improve your chances of success before you make a healthy lifestyle change?
1. Be motivated to live a healthy lifestyle for more than body weight only. In my experience in working with hundreds of weight loss clients, I find that most of those only motivated by weight loss or attaining a number on the scale are the least successful. But those wanting to have more energy, optimize their health, feel better – are the ones that do better. The cool thing is that the weight takes care of itself! I believe that this is true because the desperation leaves the scene and it allows a person to fully grasp healthy lifestyle concepts. Come to the realization that everything flows from a healthy body and you want to be healthy for more than a jean or dress size. Do you want to be a better parent? Do you want to climb the ladder in your profession? Do you want to positively influence others? It is all more achievable from a healthy and well body.
2. Clear the clutter out of your life. What are you involved in that is keeping you from living a healthy lifestyle? Many times we are involved in too many activities and they are not really nourishing to our lives. You may need to make a life goal list and then tailor all that you are involved in to that life goal list. Bow out of things that do not align to that list.
3. Know what a healthy lifestyle is and what it isn’t. Healthy lifestyles ebb and flow with the changes and adaptations of life. It should not be a militaristic approach that doesn’t allow for flexing. It is the simple changes made over time that have their biggest and long lasting impact.
6) Why is it so hard to keep the weight off after a diet, and what can you do to maintain weight loss?
Many people go on fad diets and they are very impractical – some 500 calories a day or less. Crash diets do nothing to train you for the real world. Again, seek the advice of a Registered Dietitian so they can put together a reasonable plan that will allow for a modest weight loss per week. Modest, but consistent weight loss preserves lean tissue – which is what drives the rate at which you burn calories. We lose lean tissue just by aging. We don’t need a fad diet’s help to do that for us!
But also, much research has shown that people that have previously been overweight need to be even more active to maintain a lower body weight as compared to others that have never been overweight. High levels of physical activity (one hour most days of the week) must be a regular part of a successful weight loser’s life. Other great things have been learned by the National Weight Control Registry out of Brown Medical School. Check it out!
7) Can you rearrange your life in any way to make it easier to avoid diet temptations?
If there is any food in your home or office that sends you into poor eating patterns then I would suggest keeping those foods away to avoid the trigger. Instead, enjoy them in moderation away from your everyday location. Also, your taste buds change as you start eating more nutrient-rich foods. After having lowered sugar and fat in your diet for a period of time, many people find when they go back to eating those foods they seem much richer and more sugary than before.
We also must dismiss all those reasons why a person may eat when not hungry. Be sure to address any emotional reasons why you might be turning to food when making changes to your lifestyle. If needed, seek the help from a counselor or psychologist and they can help you identify your deeper issues here.
8) What advice do you have for people who just don’t like to exercise or who avoid it for other reasons?
I say that a weak heart wants to stay weak. What I mean by that is that your heart is a muscle. When you are sedentary, the heart muscle gets easily fatigued. I don’t know about you, but it’s a scary concept to think about having a weak heart! It’s the organ that pumps blood to everything else. So I say, challenge yourself. Start off slow and observe the feelings after exercise. The body is made to move and must do so in order to be healthy. Don’t’ decide to work out or not to workout based on emotions. Do find something that interests you, but don’t decide to work out because you “don’t feel like it.” I absolutely love running, but there are still times that my mind tries to talk me out of it - and I teach this stuff! Set your exercise goals by detailing what days and times you plan to do them and follow through. I never regret going for a run. On the contrary - I say, “whew. I am so glad I did that!!”
9) When you’re making a resolution to improve your health, who should you recruit to be on your wellness team?
Annual medical checks by your physician are vital. In addition to being followed by a dietitian, encourage your loved ones to join you. Surround yourself with like-minded people and you will be more successful. As your lifestyle changes, you may surely find that the things you used to like to do will change as well. And that may involve a shift in the people you hang out with on a regular basis.
10) It’s easy to make excuses when you’re juggling work and family responsibilities. How can you make time for your resolutions in a hectic schedule?
Prioritize. If you truly feel something is important in your life, you will find the time. Bottom line: If you think you don’t have time for something, it’s truly not that important to you yet. Ouch! Yep, I said it. It's just the truth.
If you have set any healthy New Year’s Resolutions, I would love to hear from you by commenting below. Or, if you have had past success by setting New Year’s Resolutions, let me know what component(s) of your plan helped to make you successful. Let’s all learn from each other!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
The Magic Kitchen Cookbook by Disney (Review)
Thank you to those that watched my daughter, Hannah’s video debut where she showed her viewers how to make the Tropical Fruit Smoothie recipe on page 30 of The Magic Kitchen Cookbook by Disney in my last blog post, Empowering Kids in the Kitchen. Hannah’s confidence started by taking on the project of leading a recipe instruction, it continued by her mother (me!) encouraging her along the way and it was followed up by all the wonderful comments and positive feedback for Hannah on Facebook, Twitter and on the blog itself. She read them all and it thrilled her. I am observing her interest in cooking and baking go up as a result of the experience. Thank you for being part of building Hannah’s confidence with food! Let it be a reminder to empower all the children in your life to have fun with food.
Now, the book review. The cookbook was actually published in 2007 so many of you may already have this in your library. Our family received the cookbook this past Christmas so it is new to us. I have to say, Disney sure has taken on a big responsibility when using their characters to talk food and nutrition. We all know firsthand how much power Disney characters have in our young one’s lives! If yielded the wrong way, even this mother could raise her “Mama” tail feathers. But I was pleasantly surprised that Disney has seemed to rise up to the balanced nutrition message through this cookbook, through their new line of food products and even in improving the food quality at their theme parks (although I do believe there is more work to do there). In this cookbook in particular, they seemed to cover a lot of the aspects of cooking, baking and working with food. From kitchen basics, culinary lingo, food safety to the fundamentals of nutrition concepts – this cookbook covers it before the first recipe. I absolutely loved that they used The Incredibles to discuss energize and exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle (see our family at Disneyworld posing with The Incredibles in the post, Top 5 Nutrition Tips for Family Vacationing). In the superior Disney fashion, the pictures are very vibrant and the characters are nicely displayed throughout the pages to get your child's attention. There are wonderful “Food Facts” to teach basic nutrition knowledge and also “Get Moving” suggestions to help keep kids active all throughout the recipes. The book is hardbound and has a fabulous binder spine so it is really easy to keep the cookbook open to any given page.
Now, the most important part – the quality of the recipes. The recipes are good and fairly easy to make. They all are nutrient-rich with emphasis on low-fat, (mostly) whole grain carbohydrates and minimally processed ingredients. There are more “treat” recipes like the Play-Time Peanut Butter Treat recipe on page 98, but even still, they use lower fat ingredients without added sugars. I was impressed by the food variety and the creative ways in which they were presented, which is important for food acceptance.
The last couple pages of the book contains a Get Moving and Fruits and Veggies Log to encourage all family members to keep up both efforts. Overall, I love the cookbook and recommend it to others. I look forward to many more "Mommy & Me" experiences with this book with both of my children. If you get the book, I do encourage you to use the items in the book to educate your children along the way. They might actually listen to you more when you tell them that their favorite Disney character tells them what you say is indeed true!
Now, the most important part – the quality of the recipes. The recipes are good and fairly easy to make. They all are nutrient-rich with emphasis on low-fat, (mostly) whole grain carbohydrates and minimally processed ingredients. There are more “treat” recipes like the Play-Time Peanut Butter Treat recipe on page 98, but even still, they use lower fat ingredients without added sugars. I was impressed by the food variety and the creative ways in which they were presented, which is important for food acceptance.
The last couple pages of the book contains a Get Moving and Fruits and Veggies Log to encourage all family members to keep up both efforts. Overall, I love the cookbook and recommend it to others. I look forward to many more "Mommy & Me" experiences with this book with both of my children. If you get the book, I do encourage you to use the items in the book to educate your children along the way. They might actually listen to you more when you tell them that their favorite Disney character tells them what you say is indeed true!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Empowering Kids in the Kitchen
One of the great benefits of “mommyhood” is to watch your children discover things for the first time. It may be watching them see, taste, learn or experience something that really gets them excited. The foundations we lay in our children have long term impact. It is great to know that the precious time that we invest in their lives will prove to be profitable and equate to large dividends.
The same is true for exposing your children to no pressure food experiences. As parents, we wonder why our children are such picky eaters, or apprehensive to try new flavors - yet we don’t allow our children to “experience” food. Our family recently bought Adobe Premiere Elements, which is video editing software, so we could play around with making our own videos. Over the holiday break, my 6 year old, Hannah and I, spent some time playing around in the kitchen. Hannah loves to be in charge, so we decided to film her very first video of her showing people how to make a tropical fruit smoothie. Hannah’s grandmother got her Disney’s Magic Kitchen Cookbook for Christmas and we are planning to make every recipe.
Hannah was the leader – she decided which recipe she wanted to make and even which fruit she was going to choose to put in the smoothie. We had a discussion about what her viewers might want to know while she is making the recipe – handwashing, cleaning the fruit and safety in the kitchen. As you watch the video, take notice of Hannah’s glances over at me to see my approval. As we let our children take the lead, encourage and commend them on a job well done. Remember their age and their capabilities! Don’t expect perfection. I thought Hannah did wonderful for her very first video shoot! We originally planned it to be just Hannah by herself, but at the last minute, I was added as the “host” so I could assist with filling in any missing gaps. It’s a raw, homegrown video, but I cherish the video documentation of our experience together.
You don’t necessarily have to shoot videos with your children, but I do encourage playing in the kitchen with them. Allow them to role play as the “chef teacher” so they can gain confidence and learn vital leadership skills in the kitchen and life in general. In our busy everyday lives, let’s all remember to take time out to invest in those ways to build our children up in the kitchen. Hannah and I had a lot of fun, spent some great time together and we look forward to doing some more.
My next post will be a book review of the cookbook. Stay tuned!
Special thanks to our director, Nicky Hales, and our producer, Jeff Lemond for pushing our small project to completion.
The same is true for exposing your children to no pressure food experiences. As parents, we wonder why our children are such picky eaters, or apprehensive to try new flavors - yet we don’t allow our children to “experience” food. Our family recently bought Adobe Premiere Elements, which is video editing software, so we could play around with making our own videos. Over the holiday break, my 6 year old, Hannah and I, spent some time playing around in the kitchen. Hannah loves to be in charge, so we decided to film her very first video of her showing people how to make a tropical fruit smoothie. Hannah’s grandmother got her Disney’s Magic Kitchen Cookbook for Christmas and we are planning to make every recipe.
Hannah was the leader – she decided which recipe she wanted to make and even which fruit she was going to choose to put in the smoothie. We had a discussion about what her viewers might want to know while she is making the recipe – handwashing, cleaning the fruit and safety in the kitchen. As you watch the video, take notice of Hannah’s glances over at me to see my approval. As we let our children take the lead, encourage and commend them on a job well done. Remember their age and their capabilities! Don’t expect perfection. I thought Hannah did wonderful for her very first video shoot! We originally planned it to be just Hannah by herself, but at the last minute, I was added as the “host” so I could assist with filling in any missing gaps. It’s a raw, homegrown video, but I cherish the video documentation of our experience together.
You don’t necessarily have to shoot videos with your children, but I do encourage playing in the kitchen with them. Allow them to role play as the “chef teacher” so they can gain confidence and learn vital leadership skills in the kitchen and life in general. In our busy everyday lives, let’s all remember to take time out to invest in those ways to build our children up in the kitchen. Hannah and I had a lot of fun, spent some great time together and we look forward to doing some more.
My next post will be a book review of the cookbook. Stay tuned!
Special thanks to our director, Nicky Hales, and our producer, Jeff Lemond for pushing our small project to completion.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Children, Follow My (Eating) Cues
Feeding behaviors are solidified early in life. In general, children are wonderful examples of listening to their hunger and satiety cues. Both of my children are great examples. My son is a really big eater in the morning and into lunch time and then has a tendency to pick the rest of the day. While other days, he eats very little. My daughter, on the other hand, eats a small amount at breakfast and then slowly picks up throughout the day. Some days, she seems to eat the amount a grown woman would eat! But I trust she is accurately listening to her own body as remains active and her weight is following a healthy growth curve. Unfortunately, many parents confuse children when they tell them to eat because it is meal time. Parents think, “Surely they should be hungry because they haven’t eaten in several hours.” And not only do some parents make children eat, some make them clean their plates. I recently wrote a letter to a well-known, elite school here in Dallas when one of my pediatric patient’s mother (who happens to be a physician) told me they still practice the clean plate club at their school. Really?! I thought everyone has figured out by now that this is not a good thing to do. The clean plate club trains the body “untrust” its physiological signals to eat or not to eat. This approach may have started back in the Depression when food was scarce, but I see many adult patients that are still trying to unlearn what they were taught by their parents. “Do not get up from this table until your plate is clean.” Or, “If you want that dessert, you better eat everything on that plate.” Dietitians cringe at the thought, although I truly believe parents are very well-intentioned.
One of the best food behavior gifts we can give our children is the gift of trusting in their own hunger and fullness cues. I credit my own mother for allowing me and my siblings to make our own decisions to eat or not, and I firmly believe this has been one of the foundations to my healthy relationship with food. We ate as a family at the table without distractions (this is key), which helped us in listening to our individual cues. Because of mom, I can have my favorite food under my nose and if I am not hungry, I have no desire to eat it.
Paula Ryan, MS, author of the Healthiest Regards Blog, posted a great hunger and satiety scale that I wanted to share with Mommy Dietitian readers. It’s one of the best I have seen because it also lists the consequences of waiting too long eat, or not stopping when the body says it has had enough. If you find yourself eating in the absence of hunger or waiting way too long to eat, consider printing this scale off and going back to the basics. Many people eat for reasons other than hungers like when they are stressed, mad or sad. Deal with those issues directly instead of turning to food. It may be easier said than done for some, but this can be a start to a healthier YOU in 2011. And a healthier you means a healthier family because the children are watching – and doing what you do.
One of the best food behavior gifts we can give our children is the gift of trusting in their own hunger and fullness cues. I credit my own mother for allowing me and my siblings to make our own decisions to eat or not, and I firmly believe this has been one of the foundations to my healthy relationship with food. We ate as a family at the table without distractions (this is key), which helped us in listening to our individual cues. Because of mom, I can have my favorite food under my nose and if I am not hungry, I have no desire to eat it.
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| Hunger Scale by Paula Ryan, MS, of Healthiest Regards Blog. (Click to enlarge) |
Friday, December 10, 2010
Nutrition For The Sick
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| Nutrition can play a key role in the recovery of an illness. |
Minor Illnesses
Most of us will only deal with minor illnesses that pass in a matter of days. My 3 year old son recently came down with strep throat and it was no fun watching him be so uncomfortable in his own body. He ran a high fever for 3 days and during that time, he did not eat one calorie. Ack! Don't you know, I hated it. Even when we gave him a fever reducer medicine, he would not eat. Luckily, we were able to get an electrolyte replacement fluid in him throughout the days. If you are your child is sick and unable to eat, make sure fluids are still being taken in. For high fevers or those that are vomiting or have chronic diarrhea, an electrolyte beverage such as Pedialyte, Gatorade or CeraLyte are important to drink over water. When dehydrated, water can actually further the dehydration process since dehydration is not just about fluid loss, but loss of electrolytes as well. Do not worry too much when there is little to no food intake during these brief illnesses because any weight loss can be re-gained after getting better. My son little body lost 2 ½ pounds during strep throat, but luckily he has completed his 10-day regimen of antibiotics and is eating well again. I expect him to re-gain any lost weight. During any minor illness, consider eating small, bland meals that are easy to digest until you are feeling better.
Major Illnesses
Major illness are what I would consider any illness lasting greater than 2 weeks or are chronic in nature. I work with many children and adults that are chronically ill and adequate calorie intake is my most important goal for them. For children, long term weight loss or failure to gain will result in loss of length/height growth. We have a window of opportunity to grow these children optimally so we must do all means necessary to get adequate total calories in them. With adults, a loss of 10% or greater over 3 months or less can cause the immune system to be compromised. Even if they were overweight to begin with, drastic rapid weight loss is not a good thing during major illnesses. Quality nutrition - high produce and antioxidant foods - would be great in a major illness, but many times sick people are very tired and eating is a challenging chore. Adequate calories is the ultimate goal with quality nutrition coming in as a close second. On my website, I have a free resource page that includes an educational sheet that assists with healthy weight gain/weight stabilization and I also have a sheet on a high calorie liquid diet including smoothies and supplement ideas to maximize calories. In major illnesses, I highly recommend a visit with your local Registered Dietitian to do a full and complete nutrition assessment that will come with a customized medical nutrition therapy plan. You can find one in your area by going to ADA's Find a Registered Dietitan page.
End of Life Nutrition
End of life and hospice nutrition really is a different issue altogether. All medical efforts have been exhausted and the person is still dying. I have had the honor of working with some of these patients in their homes and what their loved ones need to know is that under nutrition can actually act as an anesthetic. It can dull the senses which can assist with some pain control. In some cases, feeding can actually cause pain if their intestines or complementary organs are not working correctly. The biggest goal in hospice/end of life nutrition is to comfort the patient. After all, a patient that is dying does not have many decisions they can make so deciding to eat or not to eat should be theirs and theirs only (if conscious). As a dietitian that works in hospice care, we educate on the risks associated with eating certain foods so the patient and their family can make an informed decision. Many of these people are at risk for aspirating food into their lungs, which could put them at risk for pneumonia. If this patient still had a shot at getting better, we would not allow them to eat certain textures. But in hospice care, we allow the patient and/or their families make that decision.
Whatever the illness may be in your or your loved one’s life, know the important use of food and nutrition. It has the power to recover and stabilize in many instances. But in others, allow food and nutrition be an individual’s choice. In both instances, food can provide nourishment to the soul and that is a good thing.
Stay Healthy/Preventing Illness Resources:
Eat For Immunity using American Dietetic Association’s Public Resources
CDC’s Family Health Page
Kid’s Health From Nemours: Keeping Your Children Healthy
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End of Life Nutrition:
Hospice Foundation of America on Nutrition & Hydration
This blog post is dedicated to what I believe was the best mother-in-law in the world. Oh, I so miss our conversations and special times we had together. You were such a beautiful woman inside and out. It was truly inspiring how you loved your family and how you empowered those around you to be better people. Thank you for being a Mommy Dietitian blog follower and one of my biggest cheerleaders for my nutrition consulting practice. I am a better wife, mother, woman and entrepreneur from learning by your incredible example. I will be forever grateful for how you raised your son, my husband, to be one of the greatest men I have ever known. Your grandchildren miss their Nanny, and are sad you left this world so soon and so suddenly. But we find comfort in knowing that we will see you again someday. We love you, Beverly.
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