Great lunchbox addition

There's a great product that I've been putting in my kids' lunchboxes - it's called Wateroos. Not only are they healthy - they're really just water with a touch of flavor but no sugar or calories - but the kids love them b/c they look just like juice boxes and have cute characters on the front. Starting kids off early and teaching them to enjoy the pure, natural taste of water is extremely beneficial - developing this good habit avoids the need to drink sweet or flavored beverages and in most cases lots of sugar or artificial sweeteners. It can be really hard to break the habit of overconsuming sugary sweet or diet drinks once you're an adult and realize it's best to stick to water. Drinking too many calories is a very common habit that I see in my patients who need to lose weight. The first thing we cut out are coffee drinks, juices, sodas and smoothies; it's much more satisfying to eat your calories than to drink them. Even diet drinks can be overdone and aren't really good for your teeth. So, the earlier you can develop the water habit, the better.
There's also a good website, www.drinklesssugar.com, which compares different lunchbox drinks so you can see how much sugar is in various beverages.

Eat to lose weight

I just had a conversation with the nursing staff at my doctor's office yesterday concerning weight loss. They had been trying to lose weight and had successfully lost some weight but were now at a plateau. These women are educated and know what they should be eating, but they were not aware of how much and when they should be eating. This became obvious when I dug a little further and found that both went the whole work day without eating, so from 8-6pm they did not eat a thing. Additionally, one of them had not eaten yet, and it was already noon. This nurse in particular even made the comment that she used Weight Watchers to successfully lose the bulk of her weight and they made her eat all the time. After speaking with them the possible problem became clear -- in response to their baffling question of "why am I not losing weight" I was able to provide a simple answer...YOU MUST EAT TO LOSE WEIGHT! Going all day without eating will only sabotage your efforts at losing weight (and staying energetic and happy and let's not forget, healthy). In fact, the US weight loss registry shows that those who lose weight successfully eat breakfast at the same time every day. So, what does that tell us? We need to eat on a schedule. The body needs to know when to expect food, so that it does not try to conserve energy. We want the body to feel free to burn calories. Another important factor are all of the nutrients that are missing from their diets because of their limited food intake during the week. You also need key nutrients to help your body burn energy efficiently. Additional problems with not eating all day can also include overeating at other meals, feeling as if it is okay to eat higher fat foods since you did not eat all day, etc. (You know all the inner talking we do to rationalize unhealthy eating.) So, here is my advice...
1. Eat breakfast at the same time everyday to break your overnight fast -- make your body confident, so that it will burn energy efficiently.
2. If you do not have time for a sit down lunch during the day, that is okay, just make sure to bring healthy snacks with you and eat every 2-3 hours during the day.
For example,
-- if you eat breakfast at 7 am, by 10 am make sure and have a piece (or two) of fruit.
-- by 12 pm make sure and have an all natural peanut butter (2tbsp) sandwich with no added sugar jelly (1 tbsp) and whole wheat bread
-- by 2 or 3 pm have a homemade trail mix (high fiber cereal, handful of almonds, raisins and a few semisweet chocolate chips) and another piece of fruit
3. Make sure and eat a healthy dinner with at least two vegetables if you did not eat any veggies during the day.
4. If you are hungry before you go to bed, eat a high fiber cereal and skim milk as a snack.

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.