A new survey finds that while many people (75%) say they want more healthy items on their menus when eating out, not as many (51%) are actually ordering them.  Expense and taste are two of the main reasons cited. 

As a dietitian, I stress to patients that you have to consider health when eating out. We do it far too often (yes, takeout is “eating out”) to think that we can lose or even just maintain weight without taking into consideration the calories in our restaurant meals.  Luckily establishments are starting to recognize this also and have begun offering healthier fare that does taste great and cost the same as the fattier choices.  Subway has been promoting their new Tuscan Chicken Sandwich, which comes in at less than 9 grams of fat — my husband just tried it and said it’s definitely a tasty lunch.  Dunkin Donuts Flatbread egg white sandwiches are a great bet for breakfast.  And for dinner, the Guiltless Grill Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon at Chili’s comes in at only 420 calories.  The point is there are lots of healthy, delicious choices available and you can always special order what you want to make a healthier meal. The key is that we need to do it, and do it often.

Tags: eating out, healthy meals, restaurant, survey

We like to drive home certain points, so here is an important tip for those of you who want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight — you must eat breakfast.  Including protein in your meals can help keep you satisfied longer and can also help you lose weight.  Eggs are a great way to add protein to to your meals, especially breakfast.  You may have heard that eggs are unhealthy and so you limit or only eat the whites.  Recent studies show that whole eggs can be part of a healthy diet and that they are not as lethal as once thought.  A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition lends further support to not banishing eggs altogether.  The study looked at the diets and health records of over 21,000 men from the Physicians’ Health Study.  They found that there was not any increase in risk of heart attack, stroke or dying from any cause in men who ate up to six eggs a week.  However, this may not hold true for those with diabetes.  So, if you are diabetes free and eat a healthy and balanced diet - an egg can help you start your day off right.  In addition to great protein found in the whites about 3.6 g, the yolk also has protein about 2.5 g as well as essential fats and nutrients important for health. The yolk is a nutrition powerhouse — so including a few each week is okay.  The concern is the amount of cholesterol - a large egg contains about 215 mg and the AHA recommends limiting to 300 mg a day.  however, there is little evidence that consuming eggs as part of a balanced diet will increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.  To play it safe - keep it to no more than one yolk a day with as many whites as you want. Here are some ideas.

- sunny side up egg on whole wheat toast, piece of fruit and glass of skim milk

- one egg and two egg whites or egg beaters with lowfat cheese, salsa and glass of orange juice

- one egg and two egg whites scrambled with last night’s leftovers - great with black beans and shredded chicken and baked tortilla chips and orange juice

- Corn tortilla chip frittata - from previous post in Jan 2009

Baked corn tortilla frittatas (recipe below), two slices whole wheat toast (with 1/2 Tbsp unsaturated fat spread like Country Crock Omega-3), a banana and glass of skim milk -

Calories 463

Carbs 78 g (67%)

Protein 24 g (20%)

Fat 7.5 g (14.5%)

Fiber 38% of your daily needs

So, this is a higher protein meal at 20% protein with good carbs (energy to get your brain and body going), low amount of fat and an excellent amount of fiber - a healthful breakfast for anyone in your family.

Egg-Beater corn tortilla frittata recipe

1 serving

1/4 cup egg beaters

2 tbsp skim milk

1 handful shredded carrots (feel free to add other veggies)

1 handful crushed baked corn tortilla chips

Onion and garlic powder optional

Combine all ingredients and pour into greased (use spray canola or olive oil) muffin pan holes fill half way and bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes until fluffy.  Make several a few days ahead of time and pop in microwave for a quick meal.

Tags: baby fat diet, breakfast, eggs, healthy eating, lose weight, protein

My kids love ice pops in the summer but the sugar-laden, artificially colored/flavored ones offer no nutrition.  Instead of the prepackaged ones, I often freeze orange juice or grape juice in ice pop containers because it’s so simple and they’re a hit - and I feel better serving them 100% juice pops rather than colored, sugar water.  But now that blueberries and strawberries are in season, I’m going to try using the whole fruit to make ice pops. Here’s a recipe I found on Food Network for blueberry and strawberry ice pops that looks super easy. These ice pops are chock full of fiber and antioxidants.  I’ll have the kids help make them too, which offers a good opportunity to talk about these healthy fruits. At 6 and 3, they are way into foods that will “make them grow big and strong.”  I’ll let you know how it goes. 

Tags: blueberries, ice pops, kids, recipe, strawberries, summer treat

A new study published yesterday adds support to eating whole grains - participants in the study were able to reduce their total cholesterol and bad cholesterol (LDL) by 4.5% in 3 weeks by eating whole wheat (click here for study details).  This can be explained by the fiber, nutrients and extra phytochemicals found in whole grains compared to refined grains.  By keeping the grain whole, you do not strip away or lose the nutrition naturally found in the grain.  Whole grains are also important for losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight - the fiber helps you feel satisfied longer and the nutrients help your body burn energy.  Here are some tips for adding whole grain goodness to your diet –

Get rid of all refined carbs in your pantry and replace with whole grains, i.e. whole wheat tortillas, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, whole grain cereals with at least 5 g fiber, oatmeal

When cooking whole grain pasta let boil a minute or two longer and add about 1/4-1/2 cup more water when cooking brown rice

Try some new whole grains like quinoa, hulled or hulless barley

Eat wheatgerm and bran - even though these are not whole grains, they are a very nutritious part of the grain. Try adding wheatgerm to sauces, oatmeal, cereal and salads

On the label - the first ingredients should say, whole wheat, oatmeal, brown rice, etc

Tags: baby fat diet, cholesterol, healthy eating, whole wheat

I live in Texas, where a 10 ounce or larger steak a few times a week is cultural.  We love our steaks in Texas, especially grilled steaks!  You can imagine how well my advice to have a one-3 ounce serving of steak a week is accepted here.  For most of the men I know the advice goes against being a true “Texan.”  Fortunately, my husband does not define his “Texan-hood” by the food that he eats, or we would be in big trouble since I rule the kitchen in our house. Now, there has always been support for limiting the amount of red meat eaten because of the saturated fat, cholesterol as well as the possible carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds) created by cooking meat at high temperatures (like grilling).  A new study now adds even more support for the advice we give on an almost daily basis — a large-scale study by the National Cancer Institute found that people who eat the most red meat and processed meat have a higher risk of death.  (News that will most certainly disappoint many of my neighbors and clients.)  The study reported about a 30% increase in risk of death from heart disease and cancer among those that ate the equivalent of a quarter-pound hamburger a day when compared to those who ate less than 5 ounces in a week (3 ounces is considered a reasonable serving).  This could be due to carcinogens that are created during high temperature cooking and the saturated fat and cholesterol.  They also found that “white meat”, i.e. chicken, turkey and fish did not increase risk and those who ate the most had slightly lower risk of dying than those who at the least. The main message from this study is that moderation is key — people need to decrease the amount of red meat and processed meats in their diet.  Eating a serving (3 ounces up to 5 ounces if you must) of red meat once a week is reasonable and can be part of a healthy diet.  Here is some advice for decreasing the health risk associated with eating red meat -

Buy lean cuts of beef that have the words “round” or “sirloin.”

For pork buy the loin cuts.

Select the “choice” and “select” grades for less fat marbling.

Before grilling your meats marinate with  beer or wine - it may help cut down the cancer-causing compounds created during high temperature cooking.

Tags: baby fat diet, cancer, health, healthy eating, heart disease, red meat, weight loss

If you’re pregnant, working out is not only going to help you take off the weight post-pregnancy but is beneficial to the baby. A new study from Kansas City University found that moms-to-be who exercised moderately for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week had better fetal heart rate and breathing measures than those of expecting moms who did not exercise.  These benefits may make the babies better able to breath on their own once born and less likely to experience respiratory problems. There are potential cardiovascular benefits to the babies as well.  

I’m so glad to hear this news. I was an avid exerciser before, during and after each of my three pregnancies. For me, the mental benefits are one of the reasons I work up a sweat nearly every day – I just feel much calmer and more relaxed after I work out (thank you endorphins!).  I would’ve had a hard time going 9 months without exercising and luckily there weren’t any medical reasons I couldn’t continue to workout (at a somewhat slower pace).  I’m so glad to hear that it wasn’t only for my own benefit but my boys got a cardio boost as well!

So if you’re pregnant (and even if your not), as long as there are no other contraindications from your doctor, tie up your walking shoes and get going — for your baby’s sake!

PS - Getting back into your post-pregnancy clothes much quicker is an added bonus of all that sweat. And believe me, as someone who is 7 weeks post-partum, fitting into your regular jeans can’t come quick enough!

Tags: baby, benefits, exercise, fetus, Kansas City University, pregnancy, study

A new poll found that dads-to-be on average gain about 14 pounds during their partner’s pregnancy. The men indicated that having more snacks in the house and indulging in larger meals during the 9 months was the culprit. Only about 1/3 of the men then joined in to take off the post-pregnancy weight through diet.  This means lots of daddies carrying around spare tires for good. 

While my husband didn’t gain 14 pounds during my recent pregnancy, I know that my eating habits tend to influence him as well. When I was going through a serious Doritos craving several months back, I noticed the telltale orange color on his fingers also. Now that my pregnancy is over and I’m on track to taking off the weight, we’ve both been eating more salads and snacking on fruit and frozen yogurt. I’m guessing his belt is moving down a notch as well.  

So, if your hubby put on a few pounds while you were pregnant and hasn’t taken it off, now’s the time to team up. In the Baby Fat Diet, we talk about how important it is to get the whole family on board with better eating habits by talking about the changes you want to make and perhaps even signing a contract of commitment.  Get started by cleaning the junk out of your pantry and loading up on summer fresh produce – for the health of all your loved ones.

Tags: daddy weight gain, family, husband, pregnancy weight, snacking, weight loss

So, did I have the perfect Mother’s Day? I have to say it was pretty great — the day was beautiful and sunny, my in-laws did the cooking and the kids had a blast playing soccer and baseball in the yard, while I got some much needed down time to relax and swing with the baby on one of those old fashioned double-porch swings.  And I got to take a walk in the evening by myself as I thought about our day and how appreciative I am for my family.  It was just what I needed to decompress – part of being truly healthy is listening to the body and giving it what it needs.  For me, down time was just the thing. Shrimp kabobs will have to wait til Father’s Day.

Meanwhile, a new study came out showing that eating low fat versions of foods may be less satisfying than just having the real thing, particularly if you know that the food is low fat.  A group of women were all given a chocolate milk shake, while researchers watched a brain scanner.  Half the women were told it was a chocolate milk shake and the other half were told it was low fat, though it actually was the exact same milk shake. The researchers compared the lighting up of the reward centers of the brain between the two groups as they drank the shake. When people were told it was low fat, they had much less activation in the brain, implying less satisfaction than when they thought it was the real deal.  It pretty much explains that whole SnackWells phenomenon, where people compensated for eating fat free by just eating the entire box of cookies, saving no calories and in fact, eating hundreds of excess calories – meaning extra pounds on the hips. 

Having a small portion of what you really want is often a more effective weight control measure than trying to eat something that is less satisfying but lower in fat or calories.  This holds true with many of the people I counsel and for myself.  Fooling the brain is not so easy to do and the brain plays an integral part in choosing what we eat and how much.  So, bottomline — have real chocolate if that’s what you want, just make it a small square.  (Rich, dark chocolate tasting squares are ideal for built in portion control.)

Tags: brain, low fat, Mother's Day, satisfying, study

There are a lot of choices for sweetening your foods and drinks, but which ones are best for your health?  It is not easy to choose, given all of the contradictory news concerning high fructose corn syrup as well as new sweeteners, i.e. stevia.  To start, there are two main simple sugars in our diet - glucose and fructose. There are metabolic differences in how your body handles fructose versus glucose, however, we do not eat or drink fructose or glucose alone.  Most sweeteners (refined and unrefined) are a combination of both, for example high fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, molasses as well as sucrose (white table sugar) contain both fructose and glucose. There are also non-nutritive (zero calorie) sweeteners, such as stevia, aspartame, saccharin and sucralose.  Of these, stevia has just recently been given the okay by the FDA.  Since stevia is derived from the leaf of a plant it is considered a “natural” sweetener.  It is also 200-300 times sweeter than sugar and so not much is needed.  The other three non-nutritive sweeteners are considered artificial and research shows that including drinks and foods with these zero calorie sweeteners may actually result in people taking in more calories — more research is needed to understand this better.  Okay, back to which sweetener is the best for health.  Your best bet is to choose sweeteners that also have other nutrients, such as the unrefined sweeteners like honey, brown sugar, molasses.  These not only sweeten but they also have antioxidants that may be good for your health.  The trick is too not use too much and to limit foods with added sugars.  So, a fruit with naturally occurring fructose and glucose is okay because of all the additional health benefits you get from the fruit. But watch out for sweetened beverages, like the new iced green teas that have an overload of refined sugars added with not much else (aka empty calories).

Tags: artificial sweeteners, baby fat diet, health, healthy eating, sugars, sweeteners, weight loss

Since I had my third child on April 13th and have been feeling quite sleep deprived and extra busy feeding, changing, getting the other two off to school, I’ve been thinking that I deserve a really great Mother’s Day this year.  In fact, we all deserve our perfect Mother’s Day. So, what is a perfect Mother’s Day? Obviously that differs based on the person, however, my perfect day involves lots of family time, a beautiful day, some activity outside and a good meal.  For the first few years when we had just one or two kids we went out for brunch or dinner with our parents - our kids’ grandparents - to celebrate the occasion, but we’ve learned that eating out can be pretty stressful with young kids.  I can’t even imagine how we’d do it with a newborn, too.  My favorite Mother’s Day was one year when we took the kids on a long walk to a playground and then barbecued salmon at our house and had the grandparents bring the sides.  It had all the elements of my perfect day. So this year, given that we’re all trying to save some money and lose some weight, why not try an outdoor activity with your family followed by a healthy, homecooked meal that everyone pitches in on?  I’ll let you know how my perfect day plays out this year and what we have in store for the menu.  I’m thinking shrimp kabobs.

Enjoy your perfect day - happy Mother’s Day!

Tags: healthy meal, Mother's Day, outdoor activity