Dinner dilemma solved

I hear time and time again from my friends and patients with young babies or children at home - most of whom are trying to lose a few pounds - that making a healthy dinner is an insurmountable chore. With all else there is to do, finding time to make a balanced meal gets pushed to the wayside. I feel their pain. When I'm done with work and shuttling the boys to and from activities, grabbing takeout just seems so much easier. But while it's quick and easy, eating takeout certainly won't help with keeping your health or weight in check. Cooking a homemade meal means you know exactly how much salt and fat was added into your food. Enter the slow cooker (or Crock Pot, as your mom used to call it). Toss in some chicken breasts, frozen veggies, a can of crushed tomatoes and a half pound of whole wheat pasta, let it simmer all day and you have a delicious, ready-to-eat meal when it's time to collapse into your chairs. You can use just about any lean protein (seafood, turkey, lean beef, pork tenderloin), vegetables, starch and source of liquid for a well-balanced, all in one meal.
While I'm not a slow cooker queen, like some, every few months I rediscover my slow cooker and love how easy it is to get dinner on the table. The meal is nutritious, low in fat and simple to prepare. I can pretty much use ingredients I have lying around. So go ahead, rediscover your slow cooker, too.

Paltrow exercised away the baby fat

Did you catch Gwyneth Paltrow on Oprah this week? I missed the episode but I did see an article yesterday with her comments on how she got her body back after baby number 2. It was refreshing to hear that not only did it take her 2 years to lose the baby weight, but it took hard work to take off the pounds. She credits lots of exercise for helping her lose the weight. While she worked with a celebrity trainer, there's nothing she did that regular people can't do themselves. It's really about motivation and sticking with it. I know for myself, taking off the baby weight and then maintaining my weight long term requires that I exercise daily - in addition to eating right most of the time (chocolate daily is a must have). I have some equipment in my basement and when I put the kids to bed at night, I go down there and enjoy an hour of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune while I work out. No nannies, celebrity trainers or state-of-the-art gym needed. You can do it, too. Buy a jumprope or an exercise video and get started. You'll be looking like Gwyneth in no time - or at least the best, fittest version of you (which is even better).

More kudos for the Mediterranean diet

A new study came out showing the Mediterranean diet prevents numerous diseases, like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and even Parkinson's. While the Mediterranean diet is not new and we've known that it's a healthy eating pattern, this study analyzed the diets of more than 1.5 million people - so it's conclusive.

Eating like our Greek and Italian friends means loading up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, fish and even olive oil and cutting back on red meat, dairy products and processed foods. The good news is that most of the those foods will also help you to lose weight since they are rich in nutrients and fiber so they fill you up without filling you out. The diet is really about eating whole foods that are either naturally low in all fats or high in only healthy fats, which keep your blood flowing smoothly.

To get yourself started on a Mediterranean style of eating, cut back your red meat intake to only once or twice a week and replace with a nice, healthy piece of fish, like tilapia or salmon, and a side of lentils. Get rid of the butter from your fridge and replace with olive and canola oil. You can order pre-filled olive and canola oil spray bottles that make portion control easy from Gourme Mist. This ensures you're not overdoing it on the added fat because even if it's the healthy kind, too much fat means too many calories.

Eating high protein breakfast sustains your diet

A new study out of Purdue University finds that eating a high protein breakfast - participants had eggs and Canadian bacon - leads to a sustained feeling of fullness throughout the day. Feeling satiated can lead to eating less at subsequent meals or going for a longer time without getting hungry again, making weight loss easier. Another study found that having two eggs for breakfast helped overweight adults lose more weight than those who ate a bagel with the same number of calories. Again, it's likely due to that feeling of satiety. Fiber and protein, because they take longer to digest, are the two nutrients that promote longer lasting feelings of fullness.
While having an egg or lean meat at breakfast can be a good high protein choice, low fat dairy can serve the same purpose. A high fiber cereal or oatmeal with skim milk or yogurt are also satiating breakfasts.
While I'm on this topic, I came across a new product, called Lightfull, which promotes itself as a satiating snack. It's a yogurt-like drink that has 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein for only 90 calories. The company sent me some samples so I gave it a try and you know what, it was pretty true to its claims. I had one for breakfast with half an English muffin and really didn't feel hungry again until after noon. Normally, I need a mid-morning snack to tide me over til lunch. I'm going to give some samples to my weight loss patients and see how it works for them too. Check it out and see if it works for you.

Holidays and weekends could be sabotaging your weight loss

Came across a great article that hit home. It's about a new study that found that dieters regularly comsume more calories on the weekends than during the weekdays and those extra calories were making weight loss impossible. The reason it hit home for me is that one of my patients is having that exact issue. The scale won't budge, yet Monday through Friday his diet is pristine. The weekends are sabotaging all of his great eating during the week. Alcohol, eating out and less physical activity are all culprits. Interestingly, according to the study people who are extremely strict about their diet and do not give themselves breaks to cheat - like weekends or holidays - are 1 1/2 times more likely to keep off the pounds.
So, as we go into this Labor Day holiday weekend - keep your diet on track and do not allow those extra calories to sneak in. Here are some tips to help you:

• Eat a high-fiber breakfast with some protein (eg. oatmeal w/skim milk, egg whites and whole wheat toast + a piece of fruit) --make sure to eat enough to keep yourself satisfied, skimping on breakfast can backfire; I find about 400 calories at breakfast is right for most women
• At BBQs fill up your plate with salad, veggies, whole grains if there are any, and a small piece of lean protein; skip anything with mayonnaise
• If you want a drink, have one and make it a glass of wine or light beer; those fruity cocktails are really high in calories
• Exercise, at least 30 minutes each and every day - even holidays and weekends
• Keep a food journal and write down what you eat each day of the weekend; it holds you accountable
• Weigh yourself on Monday mornings; knowing you'll have to face the scale may help you to stay on track

Look for many more great tips to help you lose the baby weight and keep your diet on track in our new book The Baby Fat Diet -- available for preorder and on bookshelves this December.

Back to school healthy lunchbox ideas

As the lazy days of summer wind down and kids head back to school, you may start thinking about what to pack in the lunchbox. This is something I struggle with every week of the school year: getting my kids to eat a nutritious lunch that can be prepped fast. Here's an article I wrote with 8 easy, healthy lunch options. By the way, these are great lunches for yourself, as well. They are all nutrient packed and have less than 500 calories, so can help you stay (or get back) on track with your diet this fall. Since they are full of fiber and protein, feeling satisfied through the afternoon is a guarantee. So once again, eating like your kids is beneficial to your health and your waistline!
Tip: For me the quickest way to get through the grocery store with healthy food in my cart is to make a list ahead.

New Quick and Easy Recipe

I have another recipe to share with you that I created with ingredients found in my fridge and pantry -- my family really liked it and so it passed the test for blogging!

1 lb cooked chicken breast -- you can boil or bake it (I boiled the chicken the night before)
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup no-fat sour cream
1/2 cup low-fat Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion (I used my small chopper)
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (I used the small chopper again)
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 cup organic, low sodium tomato sauce
Whole wheat tortillas (or use corn for a lower calorie option)
1 tbsp olive oil

1. Chop the cooked chicken breast in a chopper (I cut up the chicken and used my small chopper since it is easy to clean) and place into pan with olive oil
2. Add all ingredients (except tortillas) and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes (you may want to adjust some of the ingredients based on your desired consistency)
3. Using a tablespoon, place mixture in center of tortilla, spread and roll tortilla - repeat until all mixture is used up (or you run out of tortillas).
4. Place tortillas in baking dish and drizzle more tomato sauce over top if desired and cover with foil.
5. Bake at 425 for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Enjoy with brown rice and small red kidney beans
Nutrition info for two tortillas --
340 calories (made with 2 whole wheat tortillas) or 180 calories (made with 2 corn tortillas)
13 grams protein and 5 grams fat (with either the whole wheat or corn)