Exercise a matter of time?

A new study from Wake Forest shows that people who have flexibility at work tend to have better health habits including getting more exercise. The researchers surveyed 3200 workers over the course of a year. Interestingly when a person's work situation became more flexible (from the beginning of the study to the end of the study) certain health habits improved but they were not necessarily more apt to workout. In some cases having more time meant more time to exercise, but for others it seemed not to make a difference.
Of the people that I know who exercise there are two types of personalities. One type would exercise no matter what their work or home situation; this person fits it in early in the morning, late in the evening and on weekends. She makes sure that there is a convenient way to get in her workout. Exercise is a regimen and is scheduled the way that meetings or other important appointments are. The other type of personality exercises when it is convenient but working out tends to fall farther on the list of priorities so may fall off the list altogether. I would say this is the more common personality.
As we approach January 1 and the date of New Year's resolutions including many peoples' vows to exercise more, it would be of benefit to try to become more like the first type of exercise personality - the one that makes exercise like brushing your teeth or taking a shower, something that's a necessary part of the day. Start by finding the time of day that works for you, schedule it in and make it a no excuses must-do. I'm not a morning person, so for me the best time is in the evening after I put the kids to bed and before my husband comes home from work. I have equipment for my home and there's a tv show on at that time, which I enjoy. I tell myself in order to watch it, I have to be on the treadmill or elliptical machine. There's no negotiations.
Flexibility at work, at home or not at all, if exercise is part of the routine, it will surely be accomplished. And when we're talking about seeking weight loss and lifelong weight maintenance, exercise is a necessary component. As your resolution this year, find the way to make exercise a must-do part of your life.

Delish dish in just 10 minutes

It seems like my day has gotten shorter. Although I know that intuitively a day is still 24 hours as it always was, it just feels like I've lost a number of hours somewhere. (And when I say "somewhere" I mean changing diapers, doing infinite loads of laundry, cleaning up spills from under the high chair, fetching milk, water, yogurt, crackers, etc, playing game after game of Candyland, you know what I mean). When it comes time to make dinner I need things that are quicker to make than ever and more importantly, from ingredients that I have in the house. (If I have to run to the grocery store, forget it. I'll just order a pizza.) So, I am thrilled to share my newest recipe creation that takes - get this - 10 minutes! Here's what you'll need to buy in your weekly grocery shopping:
1/2 pound frozen or fresh shrimp
1 bag steam-in-the-bag veggies (Birds Eye SteamFresh Asian mix is what I used - any are fine)
1 bottle of Asian salad dressing (Ken's Sesame Ginger Light is what I used)
Boil-in-bag brown rice (5 or 10 minute)
1 bag frozen edemame or soybeans

Serves 2. (Double ingredients if you want to serve 4.)
First put the water on to boil for the rice. Run 1/2 pound of shrimp under cold water to defrost (or use fresh). Put a saute pan on medium-high heat for the shrimp. Put a bag of rice in the boiling water - when there's five minutes left on cooking the rice throw 2/3 cup edemame into the boiling water with the rice bag. Pop the veggies in the microwave for 5 minutes. Peel the shrimp and throw in the heated pan with 1-2 Tbs of the salad dressing. Cook about 2-3 minutes until shrimp are no longer pink. Everything should be done at the same time. Drain the water from the rice bag and edemame. Divide among two bowls: the rice, the veggies, the edemame, and the shrimp.
Voila - dinner's done in 10 minutes! It's really healthy, too - you've got veggies, whole grains, fish and legumes with just a touch of sodium from the dressing. The portions are a good size - my husband was definitely satisfied with the meal. This one is definitely being added to my rotation.
Gotta run - just heard the cereal bowl being thrown from the high chair!

Fertility Diet follow up

I got an email yesterday from the authors of the Fertility Diet in response to my last posting about the book. Apparently they had gotten one negative, rather lengthy review on Amazon from a woman that took issue with the book. (They were pleased to see a positive response from a dietitian to counter her opinion.) The critic's main argument is that the book takes too many leaps by making recommendations based off of just a few studies and that women will believe that changing their diet is a cure for infertility and fail to seek help from their doctors. While she presents an interesting case, I don't agree with her analysis. When analyzing whether recommendations are sound I look for several things - these are the questions you can ask yourself when deciding if a "diet" is appropriate:
- Is it based off of research? Is there a body of research and not just one study? Are the studies large, lengthy and reputable?
- Do the recommendations jive with what we know from other research?
- Will following this eating pattern harm the person in any way?
- Is there a lifestyle component to the recommendations?
Since the recommendations passed these criteria and following the eating pattern is more healthful for multiple reasons, I gave it a green light. In addition, I think that people are wise enough to know that while diet and lifestyle are an important part of health, seeing a doctor for a specific condition is a necessary aspect of care.
Nutrition is an interesting field because we learn new information everyday while we have to make recommendations based off of the best knowledge that we have at the time. So, while nutrition is a definite science with hard data there is an element of judgement that comes into play. To make the best diet choices for yourself, you can look to credentialed experts for help and be your own judge by asking and answering the right questions. And most important of all - will eating this way work for you, can you implement these recommendations into your daily life? Only YOU can answer these questions.

Trouble getting pregnant may be related to diet

A new book called "The Fertility Diet" has some interesting insight into the potential link between what a woman eats and her ease with getting pregnant. I would normally think something with this title could be folklore, however, the diet is based on research from the Harvard School of Public Health and the book is written by the study authors. They're on the Dec 10th cover of Newsweek along with an article summarizing the data. The researchers looked at over 18,000 women that are part of the ongoing Nurse's Health Study, which is a huge, long-term research project assessing the effects of diet on a number of diseases. They found that women who readily got pregnant ate a diet with lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, and plant proteins and ate less trans fats and animal protein. The women who had fertility and ovulation issues were eating nearly the opposite. Interestingly, they also found that consuming whole milk foods - ice cream, cheeses, full fat yogurt -was beneficial for fertility. The book also mentions exercise and maintaining a healthy weight as key lifestyle factors in promoting fertility.

Bottomline: The book gets the green light for overall soundness and balance. The Fertility Diet promotes a healthy diet rich in the foods you should eat the most - whole grains, fruits, vegetables - and those you should eat the least - fatty meats, baked goods, and processed snack foods. While having full fat dairy is more controversial since it is high in saturated fat, dairy overall is rich in calcium and other nutrients your body needs. Just stick to 1-2 appropriate portions per day if the dairy is full fat: 1/2 cup ice cream, 1 oz cheese, 1 cup yogurt. If you've been trying to get pregnant and are having trouble, paying attention to your diet and making healthier choices is certainly a step in the right direction.

High-calorie holiday season underway

Now that the holiday season is officially underway, like me, you probably have a million family and friend gatherings/parties in the next month. No matter what religion you do or don't practice, this time of year tends to bring people together and that always means lots of food. Thanksgiving weekend we had people over three of the four days and we didn't even have the holiday here! While it's great to get together and being hospitable is important, there are some strategies you can employ so that all the excess eating doesn't carry on throughout the entire month, weekdays and all. Here's what I do:
1) Send everyone home with the leftover dessert they brought. No need to have the calories tempting you all week long.
2) Serve lots of healthy appetizers: hummus and whole wheat pita, crudite with lowfat dip, shrimp cocktail, reduced fat cheese with whole grain crackers, mini turkey meatballs. You and your guests can fill up on the low cal starters and having those leftover all week won't hurt your waistline. Do not serve these hot apps: anything doughy and filled, pigs-in-a-blanket, anything covered in bacon. At 100-200 calories each, they are just not worth it.
3) Start the meal with broth based soup. Studies show it can help reduce total calorie intake. And again, leftovers makes a nice light meal during the week.
4) Swap one of the usual starchy sides - mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls - for an extra vegetable like mashed cauliflower or sauteed spinach. Again, lighter leftovers.
5) Lastly, if someone gives you a nice box of chocolates or another food item as a gift, either serve it to your guests (if you have company over) or take one taste and send the rest into work with your husband for his co-workers. Spread the love and the calories!

Wishing you a relaxing and wonderful start to the holiday season. And remember, it's about being with your loved ones, not the food, gifts or decorations.

Thanksgiving Healthy Tips

I am looking forward to eating all of my favorite foods at my Mother-in-law's house tomorrow. As is tradition when we eat at her house, I will not be allowed anywhere near the kitchen. It is the one time of the year (we handle all other holidays differently), that no one in my extended family wants to think about healthier versions or portion control or moderation. So, I have to keep my mouth shut. Her cooking methods are very different than mine. She cooks what we in Texas call "down-home" meals. She still uses an iron skillet and Crisco. Although, I do not think she saves the left-over grease anymore - I do need to state that her food is absolutely amazing. Okay, fine, I can work with that, I have a plan (for those of you who are facing the same situation, maybe my plan will work for you).
--wake up and work out before the feasting begins,
-- eat low-fat healthy foods all day, such as fruit and oatmeal in the morning, broth-based soup and salad with lots of veggies at lunch about 3 hours before our Thanksgiving meal (do not make the mistake of starving yourself),
-- and after the meal, I will make sure everyone goes outside and throws the football.
For those of you who have the opportunity to make some healthier substitutions, here are some of my favorite tips for the typical Thanksgiving fare,
- leave the skins on and use skim milk in the mashed potatoes, oh and add pressed garlic,
- eat your sweet potatoes, they are full of nutrition. Make a maple syrup sauce separately and let everyone drizzle on their own potato,
- use spray butter on your rolls,
- eat lots of greens in a salad and add a lot of color with fresh veggies and fruit,
- make your own cranberry relish rather than eating cranberry sauce -- it will have less sugar and whole, fresh cranberries,
- for dessert, just pick two with a portion size equal one serving combined,
- if you drink alcoholic beverages, alternate with water in between.
We hope you have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving

Soup's on!

As the weather has begun to turn colder in the northeast and I feel like just hibernating, my "winter" instincts have started to kick in. I don't know if you experience the same thing, but it seems like every year when the weather dips my appetite gets stoked. Almost like Mother Nature is trying to pad me up for the winter. (Coincidentally, it coincides with the feast of the holiday season. Go figure.) This year in my attempt to keep myself satisfied and fitting into all my cute sweaters (not hiding in the big bulky ones) I've rediscovered an old friend - soup. Since my "winter instinct" also involves wanting to cook comfort foods, making a big pot of figure-friendly soup goes along quite well. Knowing how nutritious they are, I've been trying to add more beans to my diet so I started by buying a bag of 16 bean mix - it was like $1.19 for a pound and makes a huge amount of soup. After following the directions for a quick rinse and soak (about an hour), I threw them in a pot with 3 cups of low sodium chicken broth, 3 cups of water, sliced carrots and celery to simmer for a couple of hours. While it was cooking I did some work, then played with my kids, got them into bed and even worked out. Voila! My husband and I have had a filling meal of 16 bean soup for dinner every night this week. Making your own soup is so easy and it's much lower in sodium than the canned kind and you can add all kinds of nutritious ingredients. Next week after turkey day I'm going to take the carcass and make a big pot of turkey stock, throw in a bag of split peas and have meals for another week. Just thinking about it makes me feel warm all over! Yum.

Best 100% Juices

I just ran across an interesting study about 100% fruit juices. The researchers looked at the nutrient density (amount of nutrients or good stuff per calorie) of popular 100% fruit juices. Nutrient density is a good way to make sure your calories count. For example, a prune and a piece of hard candy may have the same number of calories but the prune will be healthier because of the nutrients found in the prune. Out of the seven juices tested, which included apple, grape, pink and white grapefruit, orange, prune and pineapple, two were found to have the most nutrients. Orange juice and pink grapefruit juice were the winners in terms of more good stuff/calorie. Click here to read more about the study.

Fresh, Whole Foods Challenge Menu

OK, I did it. I really had to focus on the foods that I ate and at times had to stop myself and reach for something "fresh." I definitely had to pay attention and think about what I was eating, beyond what I normally think (given my love of food and health, I think about what I eat all the time in terms of balancing foods and what I and my family may be missing). But, yesterday I had a different focus and I ended up eating very healthy. Here are the foods I ate and the nutrition results for the Fresh, Whole Foods Challenge from yesterday's blog --
Breakfast

• oats and skim milk -fresh
• orange juice
• egg - fresh
• grapes - fresh

Snack

• raw almonds (fresh) and dark chocolate chips

Lunch

• light tuna in water and two pieces whole wheat bread
• spinach salad (fresh) with feta, onions (fresh), pressed garlic (fresh), oil and vinegar

Snack

• apple (fresh)

Dinner

• lentils with stewed tomatoes and pressed garlic (fresh)
• chicken breast, all natural (fresh) made with onions (fresh) olive oil and basil (fresh)
• steamed brown rice (fresh)
• skim milk

Out of 23 foods and beverages (I did not count oils/dressings), I ate 16 fresh, whole foods (based on the definition from yesterday's blog). So, about 70% of my food intake was fresh. Here is the analysis of what I ate --2150 calories, 44% carbs, 20% protein, 35% fat (44% of it was monounsaturated fat - the healthy kind), fiber 34 g (the recommended intake is 25 g). All in all, I did really well. Also, my analysis shows that I met or exceeded most nutrients. There were a few that fell below the recommended value but that is OK, because I will make up for those nutrients throughout the week.

Now, challenge yourself and see how you do -- remember, strive for at least half of your food intake to be fresh.

Eating Fresh, Whole Foods Challenge

We need to eat fresh, whole foods -- I know, they are not convenient and they go bad if you do not eat them in time. However, it is important to teach our families and ourselves how to eat fresh, whole foods vs. relying heavily on processed foods (which typically have several of the good nutrients stripped out as well as added ingredients that we do not need). For example, new research shows that as produce ripens there is an increase in powerful antioxidants from the break down of chlorophyll, which could be beneficial for health. These are compounds that are found in the whole fruit. By only eating processed foods that are enriched or fortified to make up for the stripped-out nutrients, you can miss out on eating a set of nutrients that need to work together in the whole food to protect your health. There are several nutrients that come in bundles and work together, such as vitamin A and the carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin that take care of our eyesight; or vitamin E and the tocopherols that work together as antioxidants.
Teach yourself and your families to rely on fresh, whole foods and only use processed foods occasionally. This does not mean you should give up your canned fruits and veggies. Although, these are somewhat processed, they are an easy and convenient way to reach the desired 5-10 fruits and veggies a day. Just make sure you are also including fresh, whole foods in your daily diet. And, based on the new study, make sure your produce is ripe. Try this today, count how many processed foods you and your kids eat vs. the number of fresh, whole foods. Try to make sure that at least half of your food intake is fresh and whole. I am going to join you in doing this -- I will write down everything that I eat today and run a nutrient analysis on my foods and will report back tomorrow. I will post what I ate, count the number that were fresh and whole, plus add the nutrition information for my day's menu.
There is no formal definition of "fresh, whole foods," so, for the sake of this challenge, we will include minimally processed whole grains, natural dairy and meats as fresh as well as whole fruits and vegetables. If you are like me, you may be concerned with pesticide contamination or added hormones and antibiotics, if so, make sure to choose the all natural, and organic varieties.

Are energy drinks a tired mom's answer?

One perusal down the refrigerator case at your convenience store and you'll see an incredible phenomenon taking place in the drink market. A huge array of high priced, highly-caffeinated energy drinks. With the exploding energy drink market - over 300 new energy beverages introduced in 2006 - it's obvious we live in a sleep-deprived, overly-fatigued society, and no one feels it more than the new mom. We're looking for a magic elixir to refresh our energy and recharge our batteries. Are energy drinks the answer? If you're pregnant or nursing the answer is definitely NO. But even for other moms, you need to read the label carefully. There are a lot of ingredients being put into energy drinks that you may not want in your body in the amounts they contain. As an example, guarana, found in many energy drinks, in high doses can cause heart palpitations and raise blood pressure. A recent study presented at the American Heart Association annual meeting indicates the potential dangers. Most energy drinks also contain significant amounts of caffeine, which can cause dependence and highs and lows in energy. You also have to watch for the calories; similar to regular soda at 70-150 calories per 8-ounces in the non sugar-free versions, they can pack on pounds if it becomes a daily habit. Bottom line: Try natural energy boosters first.

• Eat regularly
• Drink plenty of water
• Take power naps (20 minutes does wonders)
• Exercise moderately for 30 minutes a day

If you still feel lethargic, visit the doctor for a check up to rule out potential health issues.

For those who still want their energy drinks: An energy drink once in a while likely won't cause much harm but you're better off avoiding them. Save only for special circumstances where high doses of caffeine is crucial - like the morning after being up all night with a sick baby and you have a big presentation to give.

Anti-aging and Dr. Oz on Oprah

Did you happen to catch Oprah today? I happend to hit the gym at 4pm today and caught Dr. Oz on Oprah talking about staying young -- that is a topic of interest as I am starting to look very tired in the mornings, even with a good night's sleep. He just put out a new book and was detailing some of his strategies for staying young -- I loved the recommendations for keeping your house free of toxins. I can't wait to tell my husband that I am not crazy when I ask him to take his drycleaning out of the plastic bags right away and drive with the windows down to air them out. He also had recommendations on diet, he recommended vit D supplements, and high antioxidant foods. The vit D supplements may make sense given that new research finds that there is vit D deficiency in many of the elderly who live in the North -- for those of you in sunnier states, direct sunlight for 15 minutes a day takes care of your vit D needs. Also, eating high antioxidant, fresh foods is a great way to take care of yourself -- luckily, Mother Nature loves antioxidants and if you eat your 5-10 veggies a day, you are probably getting a good amount of antioxidants. Great antioxidant foods include -- berries, citrus fruits, grapes, nuts and seeds, dark green veggies, onions, garlic, whole grains, and yes, cocoa and chocolate. Dr. Oz also talks about calorie restriction as a way to slow aging, although there is some research on this subject, we do not know all the possible effects of essentially starving your body. For most moms not eating enough food can have a detrimental impact on your mood, energy level, and ability to think clearly, as well as modeling good eating behaviors for your kids. Also, most people when cutting down on calories, may cut out several important foods needed for long-term health. If you determine that calorie restriction is something you want to try -- talk to your physician and get a referral to a dietitian so they can help you do it in a healthy way.
My advice on staying young, aside from not smoking, using sunblock and exercising, is to eat a healthy, balanced diet everyday with --
- 10 servings of fruits and veggies,
- only whole grain carbs,
- at least one serving of beans and nuts a day,
- only low fat meats and low fat dairy,
- and very important --- leave lots of room for laughter and play time with your family and friends.
If you want to read more about Dr. Oz's recommendations or take his stay young quiz, click here.

Breastfeeding for cancer prevention

Yet another reason to breastfeed. A huge report just came out of the American Institute for Cancer Research that focuses on the most important lifestyle changes you can make to prevent cancer. Lots of the recommendations are the same as you've heard before for an overall healthy lifestyle and for weight loss: exercise, eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, limit sugary, processed and fast foods, limit salt intake. The one recommendation that I was surprised to see on the list was to breastfeed and to do so exclusively for at least 6 months. It's interesting to me because the whole focus of the report is on cancer prevention. So, in addition to the weight loss benefits, the bonding aspect and the numerous ways it protects the infant from illness, the mother gains protections against breast cancer and perhaps even ovarian cancer by breastfeeding. For you new moms and moms-to-be, if you needed another nudge to get you to breastfeed or to keep you breastfeeding, here you go.

Tips for eating Halloween candy

Here are some tips to cut down on eating too much candy --
-- Dump the candy on the floor with the kids and create a pile of your favorites (both you and your children).
-- Throw away (or donate to your child's daycare treasure box or good manners award chest) all candy that does not make it into your favorite piles.
-- Keep 5 pieces of your favorites for yourself -- again, either throw away or donate the rest of your pile.
-- For the kids, give each 5 Ziploc bags and let them put three pieces in each bag (this assumes the candies are snack size - if they are full size, then just one per bag).
-- Each day (for a total of 5 days, they do not have to be consecutive days) they can enjoy a bag -- Make sure they balance the treat with something healthy like nuts or fruit (that also goes for mom).

Don't supersize me follow up...

Yesterday, just after we posted on the potential pitfalls of eating too much fast food, a new study came out supporting the very point we were making: the more often you eat out, the greater the likelihood you'll be overweight. The study was done at Temple University and showed that people who ate fast food 3-6 times per week had significantly higher BMIs (body mass index) than those who ate fast food 0-2 times per week. BMI is a measure of your weight relative to height or in simple terms, the higher your BMI, the more overweight you are.
The study also looked at whether people would be willing to pay more for healthier items and the answer was basically no. Luckily, some chains, like Wendy's, have healthier items available on the combo deal without any extra charges. So you can get a salad, baked potato, chili, or yogurt + granola rather than fries with your meal for no extra money. You can even get a bottle of water instead of a fountain soda, no charge. After doing a nutrition analysis with the same grilled chicken meal with yogurt + granola and water, you can save 220 calories, 10 grams of fat and 250 mg of sodium over the small French fry, small Coke version.
Since Americans eat out an average of 5 times per week -- and with our hectic schedules we know that's not going to change -- every fast food chain needs to offer healthier choices without the customer having to pay more for it. Because we all know it's hard enough passing up those greasy, salty fries for a salad, you don't need cost to be a factor also. So, stick to the restaurants that offer healthier choices without having to make a dent in your wallet. It's all about balance, and Wendy's is one place helping make that a little easier. (Hey, that could be their tagline.) Who knows? If every fast food place got on board with offering healthier choices at no extra charge, maybe the next time they do the study, they'll find that people who eat at fast food joints are no heavier than people who avoid them. At least that's this dietitian's/mom's/crazy-busy-person-who-eats-fast food-too's pipedream.

Don't Supersize Me!

We need to change "value for money" from size and amount of food to nutrition value of food -- this needs to be our new thinking. As restaurants "super size" their food, we "super size" our bodies. Make sure you know what constitutes a serving and stick to it -- portion distortion is real and it affects all of us. Most people to do not realize that their bottle of soda contains 2.5 servings (8 oz is a serving for most beverages, but 4 oz is a serving of 100% juice). Read the nutrition label and look at the serving size, you will start to notice that packages that appear to be a single serving actually contain several servings. Repeat after me, "it is OK to leave food on my plate, in the bag, in the wrapper and not drink the full bottle or glass." Save the leftovers for tomorrow or when you are thirsty later in the day. Also, teach your kids what a serving of food really looks like. Here are some helpful hints from the book, The Portion Teller --
— 3 ounces of meat = 1 deck of cards
— 1 cup of cereal = a baseball
— 2 tablespoons salad dressing = a small shot glass
— ¼ cup nuts = a golf ball
Source: The Portion Teller Plan: The No-Diet Reality Guide to Eating, Cheating, and Losing Weight Permanently -- check out this book for more information. I saw the author speak, she is very visual with her examples and provides compelling information concerning how our food portions have changed. Also, a recent report on MSNBC reveals how many restaurants are serving crazy portions of food, one example are sandwiches from Hardee's, Wendy's and Burger King that include two days worth of meat (click here to read the MSNBC article).

Teach your kids rather than deceive them

After seeing Jessica Seinfeld's book called "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food," we, as nutrition educators and moms, felt compelled to post on the importance of teaching your kids about nutritious food rather than just hiding it in their treats. While brownies made with pureed spinach and carrots mixed in sounds like an interesting way to work some veggies into your child's diet, teaching your children that vegetables and fruits are delicious and healthy on their own is the best way to foster a love of produce as they get older. My 4 year old talks about how he eats his vegetables so he'll grow big and strong and feel good everyday to do all the things he loves to do. And, no he doesn't always eat every bite, but I'm glad he knows the value of eating his veggies rather than just sneaking it into the dessert he may get as a treat. For my 18 month old, I put vegetables or fruit on his tray every meal and I would encourage you to do the same. Even if they aren't always eaten, fostering the idea that produce is part of every meal will stick with him as he gets older. This is a critical time for developing healthy eating habits, not only for him but the whole family.
Bottomline: If you want to use veggie or fruit purees in recipes to boost your child's intake, go ahead. Just make sure you also give him fruits and vegetables that he can see, smell, taste and appreciate for all they do to make him a strong and healthy individual.

Eating fish in a contaminated world

Eating fish has health benefits and in the U.S. we do not eat enough of it. But, how can you blame us, it turns out we have to worry about contaminants in our fish? So, what are our options...not eating fish should not be one of them. Fish are a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals as well as the omega-3's or DHA we have all read about (see our last post). Well, help is on its way, organizations are now testing fish and offering safe fish options. With this in mind, I want to share a helpful and informative website to help you find safe fish, http://www.kidsafeseafood.org/home.php. Although the website says, "kid safe," we can all benefit from their testing and information. According the the website, when choosing salmon look for chum, coho or pink and avoid sock-eye, king (chinook) and Atlantic salmon.

Hot topic: DHA

New moms and moms-to-be, there's great news! Foods with DHA are here and even more are coming. DHA is the omega-3 fatty acid that's crucially important for a developing baby. The most important time for baby to get it is in the womb - 2nd and 3rd trimesters - and in the first few years of life. The reason it's so important is that it promotes visual and brain development for the growing baby. Studies show higher IQs and vision scores in babies that get more DHA - it's the reason so many formulas are now fortified with DHA. The typical U.S. diet is pretty low in DHA since it comes from fish and most Americans just don't eat that much of it. So moms need to either take supplements when expecting and nursing or to eat foods rich in DHA.
As we already talked about in the past several postings, we attended a nutrition conference where we got a sneak preview of the latest up-and-coming foods to hit the marketplace. Well, DHA was everywhere. This is great news for those who don't like to eat fish or limit intake for other reasons (mercury can be a concern, however a new study did show that the benefits from eating fish in terms of baby's development far outweight any risks from excessive mercury, so you're better off eating it than not eating it).
Here are just some of the foods you should see or be seeing soon in your grocery store with DHA added: Horizon organic milk fortified plus DHA; Yoplait kids yogurt; Silk plus omega 3 DHA; Bellybar nutrition bars, shakes and chews; Oh Mama! nutrition bars. They're all made with a DHA called life'sDHA that comes from algae, so it's vegetarian. YoBaby Plus whole milk yogurt with cereal also has a version with DHA. That one is from purified fish oil.
I wish they had all these choices when I was pregnant and nursing. I did take DHA supplements (Expecta) and eat fish as often as I could but so many more choices would've helped. I am glad my toddler and preschooler can benefit from the new yogurts and milks.
Bottomline: If you're pregnant or nursing eat foods rich in DHA: fish, supplements or fortified foods. You need about 300 mg per day. For toddlers on up, make sure they eat or drink foods with DHA as well. There is currently no recommendation for the amount of DHA a child should have (some say 17 mg/100 calories, which is the amount in formula) but about 200-300 mg per day would be the ballpark.

Fiber, fiber everywhere

Picture this: day one of the nutrition conference is over and two very bloated dietitians are laying down to rest. What happened? Too much fiber, too fast. We were feeling the results of sampling all the new foods from the exhibit floor.
A huge trend we saw (and experienced) was the addition of fiber in everything from yogurts to snack bars and even ice cream. The type of fiber in foods like these is often inulin, a natural fiber found in fruits, vegetables and grains. It's found on the ingredient deck as the words "inulin" or "chicory root" (one source of inulin). Here's a good backgrounder on what inulin is and how it can benefit health. Adding fiber to foods is definitely a positive change that food companies are making since the majority of Americans don't eat even half of the required 25-35 grams each day. Fiber has numerous health benefits and can help greatly with weight control since it is filling, but passes undigested so does not add calories to the diet. Just keep in mind when adding fiber to your diet: drink more water to keep everything "moving along smoothly" AND increase fiber a bit at a time to keep the digestive side effects (ex. gas) to a minimum.
On day two, we learned our lesson and took samples to bring home so we could try them over the next few weeks rather than all at once.

Whole Wheat PopTarts Nutritionals

I just got the nutrition information on the Whole Wheat PopTarts (see my 1st post on Oct 8th) -- unfortunately, the product does have high fructose corn syrup as well as corn syrup listed twice on the ingredient label. However, I do like that the first ingredient is whole wheat flour and that they have 3 grams of fiber. BottomLine: The new Whole Wheat PopTarts did not achieve healthy food status, but are a better alternative to the current PopTarts.

What should you and your kids drink?

I get a lot of questions on what and how much juice and milk children should drink as well as what is the best drinks for moms. OK, let's start with the obvious, for daily living, not including high endurance sports, water, water, water to quench thirst without adding unnecessary calories and sugar. Now that we have that out of the way, what about those children and adults who do not like water -- try flavoring the water with lemon, orange or tangerine juice and a little sugar (before adding it, melt the sugar by boiling it in some water in the microwave). Water should make up the majority of your beverage choices, especially in hotter and humid climates where kids and adults are constantly in need of a refreshing beverage. Now, beyond water, what should your choices be --

For Kids (age 4 years and up)

-- in general no more than two 8-ounce 100% fruit juice beverages

-- and at least 2 cups of low fat or fat free milk.

Given the recent beverage guidelines, such as the School Beverage Guidelines and the Guidelines for Adults, food and beverage manufacturers are trying to make healthier beverage options available. I just came across this interesting drink called Bot Flavored Water soon to be available in Whole Foods. It is made for kids as a healthier alternative to juice -- lower sugar (9 g vs over 20 g found in juice), nothing artificial, providing mostly water. I would prefer that kids just drink water and enjoy juice no more than two times a day, but for those who do not like water this may be a good option.

For Adults

--just drink water or flavor it with natural juices (or if you must a low cal powder like Crystal Light).
--Also make sure that you are getting your dairy, two glasses of skim milk, in addition to one cup of yogurt (a bowl of cereal can count as one glass of milk).

By the way, I really liked the opinions shared in the following article (click here) on the New Beverage Guidelines -- read for yourself and tell us what you think.

New product at The American Dietetic Assoc. meeting

I just came back from the American Dietetic Association Annual Conference in Philli, PA where over 10,000 dietitians from around the U.S. came together to hear the latest science in nutrition and health as well as see the new healthier products that are hitting the grocery store shelves. My favorite pick were the new PopTarts -- they taste great.

Whole wheat PopTarts -- it is about time. Kids and parents love PopTarts and they are so easy in the morning, the only problem is, they are unhealthy. I do not remember the ingredient list entirely as there were so many ingredient and nutrition facts panels that I reviewed while I was there (my head is still buzzing), but I believe they did not have high fructose corn syrup and that the fiber content was pretty good (I am waiting on Kellogg to answer my nutrition and ingredient questions about this new product, but they are slow). We will have to keep an eye out to make sure that the product is, indeed, healthier. According to the reps, the product should start hitting grocery store shelves now.
As soon as I get my notes together, I will share some additional product information and nutrition and health outcomes that were discussed during the scientific sessions.

Eating Like My Kids: I did it!

I did it! I ate like my kids all week. I recommend all moms try this -- I fed them healthier and I ate healthier. I actually had much more energy than normal -- I was eating about every 3-4 hours and trying to stay away from processed foods. Also, I realized that they eat much more fruit than I do. I make sure every snack includes a fruit - since I do not typically snack often, I was not getting as much fruit as my kids. So, last week I ate about 5 servings of fruits a day -- if everyone did this, based on population studies, we would have a lot less heart disease and other chronic illnesses. There are several good habits from last week that I will continue --
-- Eating breakfast sitting with the kids instead of in the car while driving them to school
-- Snacking on fruits, nuts and seeds in the morning and afternoon
-- Eating my meals at the same time everyday
-- Eating at least 5 fruits a day (I typically do hit 5 fruits and veggies a day but this takes me to a whole new level)
Looking at my list, I realize that these are recommendation that I typically give to my clients -- as much as I try to practice what I preach, as you can see, there is always room for improvement.
So, here is your challenge -- eat like your kids for a week and let us know what stuck. I already know of one mom considering the "Eat Like My Kids" Challenge -- a fellow blogger from mom-for-ma-tion.

The kid-vegetable challenge

Every night I face the same challenge: getting my kids to eat something green (that grew from the ground). Well, I just found a new product that has made getting my kids to eat veggies easier and the prep time much quicker for me. Birds Eye Steamfresh veggies are ready-to-go, in bite size pieces, frozen vegetables that you pop in the microwave for 5 minutes to steam. Tear open the bag and you're done. Tonight the kids ate the green beans as is and had the mixed vegetables last night. For the broccoli or cauliflower I've thrown a slice of American cheese on top to melt and both my kids gobbled it up. Not only is the prep so much cleaner and easier, since they are steamed right in the bag, they taste just as good as fresh. No worries about freezer burn or ice in a half used bag. What products have you found that make the "kid-vegetable challenge" easier? (Not to mention the "husband-vegetable challenge" I've faced as well. I'll save that for another posting.)

The mental factor

We all know there's a big psychological component to weight loss, right? I find this field fascinating. New research from a Cornell lab that studies why we eat what we do in the quantities that we do, showed that people ate more calories when they thought of the restaurant as healthy than if they thought of it as a typical fattening fast food joint (ie. Subway vs McDonalds). Surprised? I was, until I realized that it's a version of the Snackwells syndrome all over again. You know where you eat bigger portions because it's "lowfat" and end up taking in more calories than with a normal portion of the regular version. People in the study also rewarded themselves with dessert more when they thought they were being "good" during the meal.
You know as a busy mom, you're going to have to grab food on the go or takeout to feed your family sometimes. So should you just forget trying to eat at the "healthy joints"? No, of course not. Just keep in mind the mental factor of eating is as important as the nutrition you put in your body. And stop thinking of foods as being "good" or "bad." Tune into what your body needs and wants - hey, it may just tell you that some spinach is what it craves - and make the portion reasonable no matter what it is.

Eating like my kids results

Here is the result of Monday's trying to eat like my kids. First as a reminder, here are the foods we ate --
B-fast - oatmeal, drinking yogurt
Snacks - sunflower seeds, mandarin orange cup, banana
Lunch - sunflower butter and all natural jelly on whole wheat bread, raw almonds, natural fruit leather, skim milk
Snack - baked Cheetos, grapes, skim milk
Dinner - Cooking light recipe, Sept. issue, p. 172 Chicken Pot Pie and Skim milk
Here are the results (I have also included the percentage of hitting my recommended intakes based on my gender, age, and activity level).
-- 2176 calories which is 97% of my recommended amount of 2245 calories
-- my macronutrient breakdown was -- 51% carb, 21% protein, 29% fat (all within the optimal
ranges of 45-65% carb, 10-35% protein, 20-35% fat)
-- my omega 3's intake was very low at only 20% of the recommended 1.1 grams
-- my fiber was 100% at 25 grams
-- cholesterol was 45% of the ok amount of 300 mg at 135 mg
-- my folate and iron were low
This is not bad for one day. We typically do not evaluate a diet on just one day of eating but instead look at the entire week. So, if you have a bad day it is ok, because you can make up for it. To improve my eating this week, I will increase my omega-3 intake by eating salmon, walnuts and flaxseed bread over the next few days. Also, I will add orange juice to breakfast to help increase my folate intake as well as a serving of beans with dinner to help increase my iron (and folate intake).
I said I would do this the whole week, so I am still eating like my kids. So far, I have really enjoyed taking the time to sit down and eat breakfast with them.

Eating like my kids continued

Yesterday, I ended my Eating like my kids day with a mid-afternoon snack of a handful of baked Cheetos, grapes and homemade lemonade (yes, I actually make my own lemonade. It is actually quite easy). Then for dinner, I made a recipe out of the Sept issue of Cooking Light p. 172 -- chicken pot pie. This was pretty labor intensive for me. Especially given my day -- I had to drop the kids at school, get work done, work out quickly, pick them up, have a snack, do homework, do some more work, take my daughter to her 1st soccer practice (I am the assistant coach), then go and introduce myself to a new prenatal group that I am teaching at the Y -- this was not the right recipe for a day like yesterday. I actually had to have my neighbor come over to turn off the oven for me since I was running late to my daughter's practice. However, it was a very good and healthy recipe and the kids ate it and my husband and I loved it. And bonus, I have enough leftovers for tonight. Tomorrow I will share the nutrition analysis results of my first day of eating like my kids.
As for the homemade lemonade --
-- Squeeze about 6-8 lemons using a hand press directly into my 1.8 L pitcher (cut the lemons into thirds, you get more juice also rolling the lemons on the counter top seems to help)
-- Dissolve a cup of sugar in boiling water (I do this while I am squeezing lemons)
-- Finish filling the pitcher with ice, cold water and the boiled sugar water
Sometimes, I will add some tangerine juice or limes for different flavors and nutrients.

Eating like my kids

This week I am going to eat just like I usually try to feed my kids (I am not perfect). So, today at 6:45am I actually sat with my children and ate oatmeal and a drinkable yogurt for breakfast. I then sent my daughter to school with snacks, sunflower seeds, mandarin orange cup, banana and water, which I also ate throughout the morning before lunch. For breakfast, I normally would have eaten an energy bar and drinkable yogurt (one without high fructose corn syrup) in the car while driving the kids to school and would not have eaten again until 1pm because of my work. For lunch, I ate at the same time as my children did at school, 11:30 am, and had a sunflower seed butter and natural jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread, raw almonds, an all natural fruit leather (FruitaBu) and milk (I had skim, they had 1%). At the end of the day, I will run a nutrition analysis on how we ate and will report back.

Almonds are healthy and good for your waistline

Almonds are a superfood. They are packed with nutrients and eating them regularly can help to lower cholesterol. But what about all those calories? Well, a new study shows you don't need to worry. Women who ate 2 ounces of almonds each day (344 extra calories) didn't gain any weight over 10 weeks. Why? Since almonds are satisfying and filling, the women compensated for most of the calories by reducing their intake of other foods. Also, some of the fat in the almonds was blocked from being absorbed by the fiber content - so their bodies weren't really recognizing all the calories. Bottom line: eat a handful or two of almonds as a great afternoon snack or chop some on top of your morning oatmeal. They're really nutritious and keep you satisfied, making it easier to stick to the rest of your healthy diet.

Most Women Feel Fat

I have friends and lead weight loss groups of women that are not happy with their bodies. Most are moms that just never lost the baby fat or they lost the fat but are not back to their pre-baby shape. And now, with their hectic lives directed by their children, are finding it hard to fit in a healthier diet, not to mention exercise. Well, they are not alone, in a new survey of 2000 women sponsored by SlimFast, 78% of women said they are larger than they want to be, with more than half wanting to be a size 8 or smaller -- today the average size is 12. Ok moms -- we need to slow down and figure out a way to take care of ourselves. Our negative body image can be passed onto our children. For their sake, let's eat healthier and feel good about ourselves!!! Read my post on August 14th for some quick tips. Click here to read more about the survey.

Back to School Snacks

Well, it is time to say goodbye to the lazy days of summer and get back into a regular routine. My daughter started her preschool today and as I was packing her snacks she was trying to talk me into providing all treats to help her through her first day. Although, the treats would make her happy, they would not help her get through the day. So, we compromised. I let her pick one treat. Here are the snacks she took to school,
-- A chocolate Z bar by Clif (this was her treat)-- has a great ingredient deck and nutrition and she loves it!
-- Tasty little crackers (TLC) by Kashi with almond butter (peanut butter is not allowed at her school).
-- Baby carrots -- I hope she eats them.
-- Strawberries with powdered sugar -- just a little, otherwise, she will not eat them.
Quick tip for moms -- try and eat the way you want your kids to eat. By doing this, you will not only eat better but will also be a healthy-eating role model.
I also ran across an article that has some interesting recipes and good information for back to school lunches, click here for the article.

Pregnancy diet impacts baby's heart health, too

On the heels of the study showing that eating too much junk during pregnancy may make a difference in the baby becoming a junk-food junkie too, is a study looking at how diet during pregnancy impacts the baby's heart health into adulthood. The research is just getting underway, but the lead author suspects that it will show that not only does the mom's diet affect the baby's long term heart health, but the heart health of her grandchildren as well. Wow, that's a lot of responsibility! Bottom line: eat your fruits and veggies during pregnancy, future generations are counting on you.

Eating Junk Food During Pregnancy - Bad Idea

A study just published shows a link between what you eat during pregnancy and breastfeeding and your child's future eating habits. "Our study has shown that eating large quantities of junk food when pregnant and breastfeeding could impair the normal control of appetite and promote an exacerbated taste for junk food in offspring," says lead author Dr Stéphanie Bayol. "This could send offspring on the road to obesity and make the task of teaching healthy eating habits in children even more challenging." Now, this study is interesting but it used rats so the results would need to be verified in humans. Click here for the report.

Fatness is Sweeping the Nation, Save Yourself

OK, I cannot help but write these tips after seeing the CDC slides again (from my last post). These are some easy to incorporate behaviors to help you lose weight or not gain weight, try these for two weeks -
--eat at least 5 fruits and veggies a day - count at the end of the day, make up for the amount missing at dinner, e.g. I only ate 3 fruits today, so at dinner I need to have two servings of vegetables
--include a 1/2 cup serving of beans or lentils in your meals once a day -- make sure they are not cooked with bacon or with oil, just water (and maybe some garlic)
--snack on one big handful of your favorite nut or seed (1.5 oz or about 15-30 depending on size) once a day
--drink plenty of water, try to drink at least 5 8-ounce glasses of water throughout the day
By adding these foods, you will naturally replace other less "healthy" foods. You will also add important nutrients that can help you feel great and stay in shape. Lastly, add exercise to your day, even if it is only for 15 minutes... get that heart-rate up (Try this -- jump rope outside for 15 minutes while the kids play. Jump for 3 minutes and take a 1 minute rest, do this 5 times for a total jumping time of 15 minutes).
We want to hear from you in two weeks -- tell us your success stories!!! Or share some tips of your own.

Fatness is Sweeping the Nation

I just came across the frightening CDC (Center for Disease Control) illustrations of how the growing American Girth has spread throughout the US over the past 20 years. As a dietitian, the CDC has shared these images with us several times over the past years. These images are now gaining attention and are visible to the public. All states are estimated to have at least 15% of their population as obese. It is scary to see how obesity really is a growing epidemic. I must warn you now, the following may give you a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. Click here to see the increase of obese Americans throughout the US since 1985.

Two Angry Moms...making a difference

Check out Two Angry Moms...these women are on a mission to make school meals healthier. They are asking parents to join their children for lunch at their schools the week of Oct 15-19th and ask questions about the food and ingredients. You can also ask for a copy of their wellness policy.

Saving money while cutting calories

I've been told countless times that "it's so much more expensive to eat healthfully." This article caught my attention because it has some creative tips on saving money while cutting calories.

Do "diet" foods pack on pounds?

Feeling guilty for choosing the regular ice cream rather than the sugar-free frozen yogurt? Don't. A new study suggests that consuming diet foods and diet drinks may not help keep pounds off and may even lead to weight gain. In the article, one researcher speculates that the body can't be easily fooled and makes up for the missing calories and more. He says people may even crave more sweets when diet foods are eaten. However, researchers are conflicting in their opinions on the topic and it's certainly not conclusive. As a dietitian, I think that reduced calorie foods can be part of a weight loss diet by helping cut down on calorie intake if and only if they are still viewed as a dessert or indulgence and limited in the same way the high-calorie food would be. Remember the "Snackwells syndrome?" If you feel more satisfied with a small portion of the luscious, full-fat Haagen Dazs than the sugar-free frozen yogurt, than by all means savor every (small) bite of the real thing.

Coffee good for women's memory

If you love coffee as much as I do and have "mommy brain," (as I do) you're going to love this news. Research was just published on over 7,000 women showing that drinking coffee may protect women's memory and even halt the development of dementia. Many of the women we talk to in our nutrition practices ask about whether coffee is okay and some even tell us they've switched to energy drinks thinking they're better. NO WAY! Coffee not only has zero calories, it's looking better and better in terms of numerous health benefits. Plus, taking a coffee break and sipping slowly provides its own mental recharge for the harried mom. Since having kids I can't seem to remember a thing - perhaps I just haven't been drinking enough coffee!

Easy and Fun Summer Snack

My daughter and I just created a fun and healthy snack this morning that I wanted to share with you. The best part of this snack, besides the nutrition, is that your child get to have fun while eating it. You can eat this with your child but make sure you let her make your snack...she will love that she is making your food for once.
Ingredients:
Sliced bananas
Peanut Butter on a big spoon
Granola in a bowl
Preparation:
Let your little one take a slice of banana, wipe it against the peanut butter on the spoon (you may need to help depending on the age) and then dip the banana slice and peanut butter in a bowl of granola (the granola will stick to the peanut butter) and eat. We had fun this morning and my picky eater actually ate her snack. Also, I not only got to play with her but I ate healthy too.

The Baby Fat Dieter's Guide to Fast Food

In the midst of a pretty stressful week that involved more than usual amounts of takeout, I ran across this press release talking about the dissatisfaction consumers have with the healthy selections at chain restaurants, including fast food joints. It got me thinking about the choices we've had as we ordered, took out or drove through this week. I think the main problem is that the healthy selections aren't always as appealing as the less healthy choices (think carrot sticks vs french fries). Restaurants can definitely stand to offer more equally tasty yet healthier choices and I do believe it can be done. To me, a grilled chicken sandwich is a great example of a healthier choice that I find just as, if not more, tasty than the greasy, deep-fried version. It may take some time for restaurants to heed the call, so in the meanwhile some of the tactics I use to keep my family's selections reasonable:

• Choose the must have item on the menu and have a small portion (cheeseburger or Whopper Jr not a bacon double cheeseburger)
• Balance the choice with something healthy, like nonfat milk or water rather than soda or a milkshake
• Avoid the "value meal" - it isn't such a value if you wouldn't have ordered the side dishes in the first place
• If you must have fries, get one order that everyone can share
• Most often visit restaurants with healthier selections that you enjoy, limiting those with hard to resist fatty foods to once a month
• VERY IMPORTANT: when your kids are done with their food either wrap up the rest or throw it away; eating their leftovers doesn't do anyone any good

After one of those weeks when I'm just glad everyone got fed at all, TGIF!

Stress and Weight Gain

While we have heard that stress is not good for our health including weight gain, researchers are just beginning to understand why. Information that may help explain why stress may impact weight gain was published yesterday (click here to read about it). This study is important because it can help researchers find solutions to our obesity epidemic. Although the research findings are exciting, it is worth mentioning that we are not mice. So, a study such as this is mainly used for researchers to design better human studies versus making recommendations for humans.

In another experiment, the researchers found that stressed-out mice tend to gain twice as much weight in the belly area than expected given the calories they consumed. The results show that it was not just stress but the combination of stress and high-fat, sugary foods that led to weight gain. Even though this was shown in mice, who can argue with decreasing stress, high-fat and sugary foods? We will keep an eye out for the human version of these studies.

Baby Fat Portion Sizes for Moms

"Portion control" -- this is now the "buzz" phrase for controlling how much we eat. You can now see the food companies responding by the increase in 100 calorie (or less) snack packs now on the market, for example, one of my favorites is the Quaker Mini Delights 90 Calorie Packs, Chocolatey Drizzle. Too see a report on what people think of portion control click here.

Portion control is how we eat in our house -- we eat all the foods we like and through "portion control" manage how much we eat of all foods. What most do not realize, is that portion-control is not just about limiting the bad foods but it is also about including portions of good foods. For example, this past weekend I indulged in a juicy, grilled cheeseburger and made sure to add onions and green leafys, ate plenty of fruit off of the fruit tray and avoided eating my son's left over real beef hot dog and potato chips (this was not easy). We would love to hear how you "portion-control" your foods.

Long daylight hours for walking

Now that the days are long, we've been doing a lot more late day family walks. Actually, we've kind of been forced out of our house each evening. You see we're trying to sell our house and realtors keep calling to show the place after 5 PM. With lack of a better idea, we've been sticking the kids in a stroller and going for long walks to the playground. And you know what? My husband and I are getting a ton more exercise. Pushing two kids, plus a stroller up the hills in our development is quite a workout. We come home drenched in sweat. Maybe once the place sells, we'll keep up the walks (at least that's the hope).

New Report by the USDA: Creative Solutions for Controlling the Purchase of Unhealthy Foods

I just came across an interesting report (click here to access a more in-depth review of the report) by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with proposed methods of helping consumers choose healthier foods -- I must admit, it is one of the more creative (government) solutions to the obesity epidemic yet. It mainly has to do with helping adjust behavior vs. more education. It may work for those who struggle with the temptation to purchase unhealthy foods (which is pretty much everyone).
Here are some of their suggestions --
*using a prepaid "healthy card" in grocery stores and schools - an example would be limiting the purchase of treats and sodas or at least keeping them to a minimum. Also, the report states that in schools it could be pre-determined what portion of the card had to be spent on fruits and vegetables.
*portion sizes - we get it.
*on-line grocery shopping -- this could help avoid the temptation of buying less healthful foods at the store, you would simply drive up and pick up your order.

Moms need a good laugh

The other day my one-year old son took a yogurt and dumped the whole thing on his head, then proceeded to rub it in. My natural reaction was to clench my teeth and scream. But as I heard my 4 year old just laugh at the baby like it was the most hilarious thing he'd ever seen, I let go of the anger and joined in. You know what...as the three of us were laughing, I felt calm and more relaxed. In the often stressful life of a mom, you need a hearty laugh on a daily basis - it really makes things better. I guess that's why studies show that laughter is good for your health and can even make you live longer. (Bonus: less stress can help with weight loss, too.) Here's a great site, made especially for moms, for one of "those days," when a good laugh is what you need.

Too much weight during pregnancy = more weight 15 years later

Well, it seems that all women tend to gain weight over time, but those who gain too much weight during pregnancy keep even more pounds on. A study out of Sweden showed that women who gained more than the recommended 25-35 pounds (healthy pre-pregnancy weight) or 15-25 pounds (overweight pre-pregnancy) had higher weights 15 years later than those who gained either the recommended amount or less. On average they weighed 22 pounds more than they did prior to pregnancy even 15 years later; those who gained the right amount during pregnancy still weighed about 15 pounds more 15 years later compared to pre-pregnancy weight.
It sounds bleak, but it doesn't have to be. During both of my pregnancies, I was concerned about gaining too much. So, I made a pretty big effort to eat close to the way I ate before I was pregnant. I would have an extra snack or two when I got hungry, but stuck to lowfat yogurt, nuts or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I also made sure to keep exercising, at a bit lower intensity. I gained about 20 pounds during each pregnancy and took it off within a month of giving birth. My boys were both a healthy 7 pounds 10 oz so for me it was the right amount to gain. I'm a big proponent of keeping the weight gain closer to the lower end of the range as much as you can. The key is to continue eating a good diet, exercising and listening to your body. Those are my tips. What worked for you?

Avoid packing on pounds when traveling

Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer travel season. Whether driving, flying or taking the train, keeping your weight loss "on track" while on vacation can be a challenge. Here's a good article from a well seasoned travel writer who just lost 42 pounds with lots of tips on eating light and fitting in exercise when you're away from home. Happy trails!

Good article -- Which diet is best?

I just saw an article that is really good. I cannot link to it but you can find it in the May 22 issue of the Harvard Health free HealthBeat Newsletter called Which Diet Works Best? -- it explains and compares the different popular diets, low carb, high protein and low fat diets. Their bottom line -- all diets will work as long as you decrease calories. So, good news - pick the diet that works for you ( just remember to choose the good carbs, good sources of protein and healthy fats in whichever diet you choose).

Breast feeding and weight loss after pregnancy

I've had several recent conversations with moms of young children about the topic of breast feeding and weight loss. Since breast fed infants are provided about 600 calories through breast milk, logically, breast feeding would help with weight loss in the mother if she doesn't increase her intake by as much. It's also a notion supported by scientific research as well as nutrition guidelines for lactating women, who are told to consume 500 calories more per day than non lactating women. In my own experience, breast feeding helped to take off the weight I gained during both of my pregnancies.
But, recently two women I spoke with on separate occasions, told me that for them, breast feeding actually kept the pounds on and they didn't lose the weight until they stopped nursing at about a year. I wonder if psychologically they continued to "eat for two" until they stopped nursing or if their body adapted to the increased needs and "hung on to the weight" during this time? Have you had this same experience? I'm curious how many people have a tough time losing weight while breast feeding - perhaps because of a stoked appetite - but then take off the weight once they wean.

"Default" Dinner For the Inevitable Busy Day

Last night around 6:30 it hit me that I needed to make dinner. I had such a busy day with work, dropping off the kids at school, more work, a short work-out for me, more work, picking up the kids and t-ball practice -- that I completely forgot that the kids needed to eat something (And, oh yes, I needed to eat too). My husband was coming home late from work, so I could not ask him to get dinner started for me. At this point, it would have been easy to go to a drive through window and just pick something up. I did not, however, give in to my children's pleas for McDonald's, instead, I went home and made one of my "default" dinners. My "default" dinners are not alway completely healthy but last night the one I chose did not include chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese -- it was just as easy, but much healthier. During dinner I started thinking about the nutritional value of our meal -- remember, I am a dietitian, so I cannot help it -- and decided to run a nutritional analysis on my "default" dinner. So, here is the dinner and the results of the analysis --
-- Sam's Club frozen chicken breasts without skin (I add soy sauce and my kids eat it with ketchup) -- microwave for less than 10 minutes
--Canned black beans (we sprinkle reduced fat feta cheese on top) -- microwave for less than 2 minutes
--Uncle Ben's whole grain 90 sec pouch (we add spray butter and soy sauce) -- microwave for 90 seconds
--Canned green beans -- microwave for less than 2 minutes
--Whole wheat bread slice (with spray butter)
--Skim Milk
The analysis showed a very low-fat meal, less than 10% a good amount of carbohydrates and an excellent amount of protein at 115% DV. Additionally, we ate 34% of the recommended amount of fiber, over 50% of the recommended amounts of most vitamins and 20%-50% of all minerals. The down-side was that folate, vit C and the omega-3 fats were low -- but remember this was just one meal. These nutrients could be made up in other meals. I would love to hear about any of your quick and healthy "default" meal tips.

Cooking simple

Do I cook? Sort of. I manage to throw together dinner most nights of the week using lots of easy, ready-to-go ingredients. The menu gets pretty repetitive, however. Looking for recipes and then grocery shopping are major drains on my precious time. So I love this new-to-me concept popping up across the country that my friend just introduced me to. The place we went was called Simply Cook It and for a pretty reasonable fee you go and prep up to 12 meals (each serves 4-6 people) in under 2 hours. She and I went for the first time last night and now my freezer is stocked with 12 ready-to-cook dinners. You don't actually cook the food until you're ready to eat it, so everything will taste really fresh and homemade. We had a fun time catching up on girl-stuff and getting a much needed break from the kids, while prepping food that our families will get to enjoy. It's a win-win for everyone. In some cases I deviated from the recipe a bit and cut back on fat or salt to make it a little healthier. Now getting a meal on the table will be much easier and give us a break from the dinner doldrums. Great. I can use the time for something better, like going for a jog in this gorgeous spring weather!

Celebrity baby boom - follow up

Following up on a posting from last week re:celebrities in a baby boom and Tori Spelling's post-baby weight loss efforts...Check out the nearly 30 celebrities that either just had a baby or are expecting shortly. Keep in mind photos can and often are touched up, so looks may be deceiving. A good takeaway? Every new mom or mom-to-be deserves a little pampering to keep her spirits up, so give yourself the star treatment every now and then - get your hair done, get dressed up and definitely capture the moment with some photos! As a bonus, seeing how good you look all spiffed up may be motivating for getting your diet back on track.

Breakfast for Weight Loss

Mornings are tough -- they were hard in high school, college, post-college and still today. Not only do we have to get ourselves ready to go but introduce little ones and the tough mornings get even tougher. If I knew then what I know now, I would have enjoyed my quiet mornings at my pace -- it was a luxury! So, what are some of the things that go out the door so that we can get out the door -- one of them is typically breakfast. I am here to warn you -- do not give up breakfast. Aside from modeling good behavior to your children, breakfast can help you lose weight and keep it off. According to a study published using information from the National Weight Control Registry, 78% of successful weight loss individuals ate breakfast consistently every day of the week. Impressively, on average, these people lost 70 lbs and have kept it off for 6 years. Now, breakfast does not have to be time consuming. I typically pick up a banana and my favorite energy bar, which right now is the kids' bar by Cliff, the Z bar (I like the wholesome ingredient deck) and I fill my coffee mug with my beverage of choice for that morning. My breakfast begins as soon as the kids have their seat belts on and we are out of the neighborhood.

Good tip for reducing tv-time snacking

Here's a good tip for reducing snacking at night when you're vegging in front of the tv...paint your fingernails. You wouldn't want to risk a smudge by reaching your hand into the fridge or the cookie jar. Besides, this is probably the only down time you have all day to yourself, sans children, when you could possibly pamper yourself a bit. If that won't work for you (maybe you don't like doing your nails), take up another activity that keeps your hands busy like knitting or scrapbooking. There's nothing sweeter than a baby wearing a hand knit hat; and I'd be willing to bet you have a million beautiful family photos either sitting on your computer or in boxes that could use a good showcase.

Post-partum depression linked to nutrition

A researcher at the University of Calgary is studying a possible link between nutrition and postpartum depression. Having analyzed the diets of pregnant and postpartum women over the years, I completely agree that there must be a link. Of the women I have counseled, several have nutrient deficiencies and then they get pregnant and these deficiencies only get worse based on how the women feel during their pregnancy. In 2005 the USDA reported that many Americans do not get enough vitamin E, calcium, potassium and fiber. Additionally, women of childbearing age may not be getting enough iron in their diets. All together, these deficiencies can cause all kinds of problems including affecting energy and mental well being. To help you get enough of these nutrients:
-- eat a handful of raw nuts a day,
-- include beans in one of your meals
-- and eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day (actually count how many you ate at the end of the day before dinner and make up for the number you are missing at dinner and afterwards). As for getting enough calcium, eat some yogurt -- you will not only benefit from the nutrients but bonus, you will get the healthy bacteria that is good for your digestive system. I personally look for the yogurt that does not have any high fructose corn syrup in the ingredient deck -- the jury is still out on how it affects the storage of fat in your body.

Why this blog? Sorting through the confusion

Hi, I am Monica also a registered dietitian and mother of two. With all the responsibilities that come with Motherhood in addition to my work -- I still have to find the time and energy to stay healthy. I spend a lot of time taking care of my family as well as helping others in my practice to live healthy lives and sometimes (most of the time) I come last. So, to satisfy my needs and everyone else's needs -- I scour the earth, media, friends, patients and everywhere else to find easy ways to stay healthy. After doing this for a decade, I want to share what I have learned and continue to learn with as many people as possible. There is so much confusion as to what and how to eat that we created this blog. Our hope is that this blog will help you sort through what you read in magazines, hear in the news or even from friends and family to find what really works versus what is sensational and overstated information. On an almost daily basis, we will post helpful information and hope that you will share your wisdom or news that you have heard. Together we can help each other stay or become healthy.

Celebrities in a baby boom - and taking off the fat

Recently Hollywood has been in a baby boom. Along with the slew of pregnancies has come all of the postpartum weight loss stories and headlines on who's taken off what and in how long. For real women, seeing celebrities lose their baby fat in what seems almost an instant, it can be a little disparaging when yours doesn't come off as soon as the baby is delivered. But real women take heart, you can take off your baby fat too. It may take a few months or even a year - just focus on eating healthier one day at a time. To help, we'll keep the dietitian-approved, real-mom tips coming.
In the newest celebrity postbaby weight loss story, we hear Tori Spelling is doing NutriSystem to take off her 40 pound pregnancy gain. And her son is 6 weeks old already. See, even for her it's going to take some time.

weight gain during pregnancy too high?

Saw an interesting article today that leads me to question the weight gain recommendations. The Harvard study looked at weight gain in women during pregnancy and the risk of the child becoming overweight. They found that women who gained the recommended amount of weight were four times more likely to have a child who was overweight at age 3, as women who gained less than the advised amount. The women who gained too much weight during pregnancy were also at a higher risk of having an overweight child.

Since really taking off the baby fat begins during pregnancy, I've always told pregnant women to make sure not to gain more than the recommended 25-35 pounds; or if overweight to begin with, 15-25 pounds. But this new study, calls into question whether those amounts should be lower, at least for the sake of keeping your baby at a healthy weight (and it would make taking off the baby fat easier post-delivery). One study is not the be all and end all, but it's worth considering.

The real world of post-baby weight loss

They say that once you become a mom, your life will never be the same. Maybe they should add in "your body will never be the same." But isn't that what we're all after, to get back to our pre-baby bodies? As a dietitian and a mom to two young boys, I know the challenges of losing the baby fat both first hand and second hand. All of my friends with children share the same issues with taking off the weight and keeping it off - no time to cook/shop/eat healthy, too much junk food around, too many parties to go to, being the human garbage disposal, and on and on. By talking to all the moms I know about this, I've managed to gather tips and tidbits that really work! And as a dietitian I've seen these tips in practice actually help women lose weight. These aren't the annoying not-really-doable kind, these are the ones that fit into the realities of a mom's life. For example, one of my friends takes any food brought to her playgroup (usually cookies or cupcakes) and either makes her husband take it to work with him or else she brings it to a neighbors house. Let others get fat!
Monica, the other dietitian who will write in this blog, and I started this in the hopes to get feedback from those of you out there that have golden nuggets to share, things that have worked for you in taking off and keeping off the baby fat.
Getting back to your pre-baby weight or even taking off a few more than that (if necessary) can be done by using small steps. That's how Monica and I did it. Now, as far as the pre-baby body - you know, the one where certain parts of you were perky - that may be gone forever.