Health One Meal Replacement Car Survival Kit

Many of our patients are busy and have hectic schedules as many Americans typically do.  Being organized and having a plan to be successful is something we think is important in life, but also important when you are making a lifestyle change.  

One important component to our program is meal planning.  Meal plans are set up individually, but most will utilize the Health One Meal Replacements    In order to be successful and organized some patients have used a Health One Meal Replacement Survival Kit.  This kit is comprised of the things necessary to be able to meet your meal plan requirements if you are in a bind or need a back up plan.  For example, you are traveling out of town and have packed for the allotted time, but then your car breaks down or you get stuck in traffic or are delayed an extra day.  This is when the "survival kit" really comes in handy, but it could also be very useful in ordinary situations too. 

A Health One Meal Replacement Survival Kit can be tailored to the individual needs.  Different people desire different flavors; therefore there is not a one-size-fits-all kit.  Here is a list of suggested items to have in your Health One Meal Replacement Survival Kit, but feel free to modify the list below to meet your needs!

• A plastic shoe box container with lid (as seen below)-found under $5 at big box stores or even the dollar stores
• 5-10 packets, variety of the flavors of the Health One Meal Replacement that you enjoy
• 2-16 oz. bottled water
• 3 plastic or foam disposable bowls
• 10 disposable spoons
• Blender Ball Bottle or another type of shaker to "blend" the meal replacement and water
• Items for additives:
• PB2
• Mrs. Dash-to use as an additive
• No Sugar Added Peach Cups
• Sugar-Free Fat Free Pudding powder
• extracts
• other spices



Plastic Shoe Box Container (Image Source)

 PB 2 Peanut Butter Substitute (Image Source)

Bottled Water (Image Source)

Blender Bottle or another type of shaker (Image Source)

Plastic or Foam Bowls (Image Source)

Plastic Spoons (Image Source)

Mrs. Dash Spices/Seasonings (Image Source)

No Sugar Added Peach Cups (Image Source)

Once you have your kit established, place it in your car or take it with you where ever you go.  That way if you are ever in a bind and need a meal you can whip out your kit and make the following:

• A quick shake: 1 MR + PB2 or another additive (extract), pudding, etc. with 8 oz. water in blender bottle.  If a gas station is near, add ice!
• A quick 1x1: Mix in disposable bowl with disposable spoon 1 MR + PB2 or another additive such as an extract or pudding, etc with water that makes a batter consistency. Eat uncooked OR find the nearest gas station and use their microwave for FREE! 1 minute in the microwave & you have a quick, hot meal.  
• Peach Cobbler: Mix in disposable bowl with disposable spoon 1 Vanilla MR + the entire contents of one container of the 'no sugar added peach cups' until all is incorporated.  Microwave at a gas station for 2 minutes & sprinkle with cinnamon (if available in your kit).  

Be sure to keep your kit stocked regularly with the items you use most...this will ensure that you are not lacking something you need when the time comes!  Have you made a Health One Meal Replacement Survival Kit?  If so, we would love to hear what you have in yours.  

Food Labels: Health Claims vs. Marketing

There are 3 different claims that you might find on a food and nutrition label of any food product on the market.  They are 1) Health Claims, 2) Structure/Function Claims, and 3) Nutrient Content Claims.  These claims are regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).  

Last week we blogged on Nutrient Content Claims, so it only seemed appropriate to do a quick blog on health claims. The FDA states that health claims 'describe a relationship between a food, food component, or dietary supplement ingredient, and reducing risk of a disease or health-related condition'. A health claim has 2 parts: 1) some kind of substance (ie. food, food product or dietary ingredient) & 2) a disease or health related condition (ie. high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, etc).  

An example of a health claim might be "diets high in calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis" or "diets low in dietary fat may reduce the risk of some cancers".  Calcium and low dietary fat have been studied over the years and the conclusive evidence from research suggests that they reduce the risk of the stated above.  The FDA has certain requirements that these claims must maintain.  Read HERE for a complete list of health claims and their requirements.  

As you can see these claims are regulated and have evidence to back them up.  Therefore, they are appropriate for the consumer to know and so they are appropriate to be placed on the label of a food product. If a consumer is interested in reducing their risk of osteoporosis, knowing that the products they are deciding between will or will not help them in that goal is important to purchasing a product.  

On the other hand, there are claims that the manufacture places on the label that are not regulated by the FDA.  These claims are simply marketing claims.  They grab your attention and try to make you think you NEED a product based on the claim being marketed and a lot of times they are successful in doing so.  However, the research and evidence to back them up is not there! Be aware of these statements-they are traps to get you to buy their product.  Here is a short list of "marketing claims" that manufacturers use to get your money!

• Doctor-recommended
• Eco-friendly
• Energy
• Green
• Naturally raised, naturally grown
• Natural (except for the term's regulated use on meat and poultry)
• High-quality
• Local
• No additives
• Sustainable
• Wholesome

The food label and design, along with the claims, can be very eye-catching and persuasive when deciding between products, but you must be careful what "catchy" images or words make you purchase a product.  Think through and know the difference between something that is helpful in knowing and something that is just there to encourage you to purchase a product! Those marketers are good...but we can outsmart them if we understand what they are doing!

  

What Does THAT Mean on the Food Label?

The food label provides a plethora of information that most Americans can only dream about understanding.  What they do understand is something that grabs their attention whether it is the color, images or design on the product container.  In addition to the design, the words can also provide a reason to choose a product over another.  Phrases like "lower calorie", "good source of", and "fat-free" are at the top when it comes to grabbing the consumers attention when they are deciding between similar products. 

What are those phrases and what do they mean?  They are "nutrient claims" that are regulated by the FDA and must meet certain requirements in order to be noted on a products' package/container. Read on HERE in an article by the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics to find out what the requirements are for the claims that you see most often.     

Do you see the claim in the picture below?  (hint: reduced fat)

Image Source

Thinking About a Salad? Think Twice when for Weight Loss or Maintenance

The salad has We hear it all the time, "I ate a salad" or "I chose to get the salad bar instead of what I normally get", etc.  Chances are if you are trying to watch your weight you have said something similar.  Google provides this definition of salad: 

sal·ad  

/ˈsaləd/

Noun A cold dish of various mixtures of raw or cooked vegetables, usually seasoned with oil, vinegar, or other dressing: "a green salad". A mixture containing a specified ingredient dressed with mayonnaise: "tuna salad". The salad has been around for a long, long time.  We're talking since the beginning of time when people gathered edible leaves as part of their meal plan. However, the salad we know today is not just edible greens! That would mean that the salad would consist of greens such as Romaine, Iceberg, Kale, Spinach, etc with little seasoning and a rather low calorie snack or meal.   Today, the calories in a salad has not only grown due to increased portion sizes, but also due to the number of non-vegetable additional toppings. Because of the increase in calories, the salad may not always be the first and best option for weight loss or weight maintenance.  A salad can be a great option if you think twice about the amount and type of toppings that you add.   Toppings to GO ahead and include these vegetables/herbs: snow peas green/red/yellow/orange peppers tomatoes carrots broccoli cauliflower mushrooms green beans cucumbers zucchini asparagus beets artichoke hearts peas radishes onions salsa basil/mint/chives/parsley/dill Toppings to CONSIDER, but not get carried away with include fruits (remember fruits have calories too!): pears mandarin oranges apples cherries grapes  strawberries pomegranate Toppings to CONSIDER if you desire more lean protein: low-fat or no-fat cottage cheese grilled chicken canned tuna baked fish ground turkey, cooked egg whites tofu edamame/hummus Toppings to LIMIT if you desire tasty salad, but want to limit calories: cheese avocado croutons dried fruit sunflower seeds sesame seeds other seeds nuts/water chestnuts salad dressing (creamy, oil based) *Ask for on the side to dip fork crispy noodles  pasta high calorie meats: those that are cooked in oil or fried Instead of this: Image Source Choose something that looks like this: Image Source

A veggie-filled salad will yield fewer calories and provide fullness unlike no other salad you could make AND you will be happy with your choice of building a salad that IS considered a good option for weight loss or weight maintenance!

Your Medical Chart; Does it include Physical Activity?

Do you participate in activity?  Physical activity that is or movement of your body parts. If so, do you know how many minutes you do each day or on a weekly basis? Do you know what is recommended?

If the answer to all these questions is "no", then you might be surprised or taken back when your doctor asks you report the number of physical activity minutes you are doing. The Associated Press came out with this article stating that there is a push for doctors to record this type of information as a vital sign (blood pressure, pulse, etc).  Reporting and recording it is just as important as a persons blood pressure and that it is of higher concern than most people would typically think for physical activity.

The guideline for Americans age 18-64 for physical activity is at least 150 minutes per week.  "Adults gain most of these health benefits when they do the equivalent of at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity (2 hours and 30 minutes) each week. Adults gain additional and more extensive health and fitness benefits with even more physical activity. Muscle-strengthening activities also provide health benefits and are an important part of an adults overall physical activity plan." ~2008 Physical Activity Guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services.  

We promote physical activity and encourage all of our patients to increase the number of minutes they are doing physical activity each week.  This might be increasing from 0 minutes to 5 minutes per day of intentional physical activity.  Whether or not this is something that you will see from your doctors office in the future or not, it is definitely proven that those who participate in regular physical activity are healthier than those who do not. 

Start now by increasing your minutes that you are active each day by setting a timer 5 times per day to take a 5 minute walk or getting up to walk around the office every hour.  Even a little improvement is worth the benefit!

The Post Holiday or New Year "Diet" Trend

Now is the time! The time to jump on board with a new year's resolution in hopes of keeping it throughout the year.  According to statisticsbrain.com, losing weight was the #1 new year's resolution and "staying fit & healthy" was ranked #5 in 2012.  Here are a few more stats from statisticsbrain.com:

-45% of Americans usually make new years resolutions
-8% successful in achieving their resolutions
-24% never succeed and fail on their resolution each year

It's interesting that "lose weight" is the #1 new years resolution, but it's not surprising since the overweight/obesity trend in America is rising each year.  Why is this?  Plain and simply answered...over consumption.  Americans are eating too much; too many calories that is.  And the new year falls on the heals of the major 6 week, "over consumption period of time", beginning with thanksgiving.  So, Americans spend 6 weeks (or more) eating too many calories then they decide to make a goal or resolution to lose weight.  Great idea if they are the 8% who are successful in achieving their resolutions, but not so good when it means another fad diet ending in starvation and disappointing results. 

What Americans really need is a reliable program that will provide them with the necessary tools to make lifestyle changes.  

life·style noun (ˈlīf-ˈstī(-ə)l): the typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture;  a particular way of living:the way a person lives or a group of people live 1
 

Trying each year to participate in a short term diet or short term stint at the gym to accomplish weight loss is not the key.  The key is participating in changes that you can do for the rest of your life (all year round; including holidays, get togethers, etc.).  Those are considered "lifestyle" changes. When a person is able to make lifestyle changes that they can do ALL year around and not just the first 6 weeks of a new year, this is when they are successful in achieving their goal of weight maintenance or weight loss. 

 

HNT is that reliable program to provide quick weight loss results (that's what you want) while meeting nutritional needs (that's what our registered dietitians and other health professionals on staff want) as you learn the tools you need in order to make the necessary lifestyle changes. 

 

The idea of weight loss is simple....if you overeat or eat too many calories at some point you must compesate by eating fewer calories.  Otherwise you will gain weight if you continue to eat too many calories-as many Americans do each year.  Did you catch that?  I said the "idea" or "concept" of weight loss is "simple".  I didn't say actually "DOING" it was! That is why we are here to help-it's our job!

 

We are here when you are ready.  Call 317.489.4817 for more information on how you can break the cycle of creating the same new years resolution each year and not being able to be successful.  Come to one of our FREE orientations to get started.  

Thanksgiving Foods Modifications & Substitutions for a Lower Calorie Day

After researching the top 10 Thanksgiving Day foods here is the list I have come up with:
1. Turkey
2. Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
3. Ham
4. Pumpkin Pie
5. Cranberry
6. Green Bean Casserole
7. Sweet Potatoes
8. Rolls
9. Stuffing/Dressing
10. Macaroni & Cheese

Considering the average American consumes ~4500 calories on Thanksgiving Day from these foods and others, we have to come up with modifications, substitutions or decide to eliminate some of the foods altogether.  I'm not one for eliminating foods so we will try to focus on modifications or substitutions. 

1. Turkey-preparation is key with saving calories on turkey.  Be sure to bake NOT fry! Remove the skin which contains most of the fat (calories).  Don't smother in gravy (200 cals per 1/4 cup)-use sparingly if at all. 

2. Mashed Potatoes-utilize your biggest asset when it comes to saving calories and getting nutrition, the Health One Meal Replacement (HOMR).  This recipe is delicious and uses only a fraction of the calories with the same great taste.  If you aren't going to be using the HOMR, use pepper & Mrs. Dash to flavor and next the butter, heavy cream, and sour cream to save calories.

3. Ham-similar to turkey, saving calories on ham comes from selection of the ham and preparation.  Select a ham that is lean, be sure to bake & don't add any "special" (key word for calorie-loaded) sauces/glazes like brown sugar or honey, etc.  Trim the visible fat before eating to save additional calories

4. Pumpkin Pie-since pumpkin pie is the 'dessert of choice' for many on Thanksgiving, portions are key!  Instead of having 1/6th of the pie (or more) enjoy a small slice, consider 1/12th, of the pie to save calories instantly but still enjoy the taste of traditional pumpkin pie.  Or, you could opt to make "Crustless" Pumpkin Pie or the Pumpkin Roll from the HOMR to provide at least 25% of your daily nutrition needs while saving on calories. 

5. Cranberry-usually served sliced from the can which can cost as much as 420+ calories per cup! Even though you may not eat 1 cup, consider an alternative like sugar-free cranberry jello that is 20 calories/cup.  Or, make your own sugar-free cranberry sauce that uses fresh cranberries and a sugar substitute to save calories. 

6. Green Bean Casserole-easiest solution is keeping those non-starchy veggies naked and with out sauce to save calories.  Try instead flavoring with minced onion and garlic, Mrs. Dash, and pepper and leaving the bacon/ham, cream of "whatever" off, as well as the fried crunchies on top.  You'll be satisfied knowing your green beans are 35-40 calories per cup instead of ~100 per cup.

7. Sweet Potatoes-similar to green beans in that they are great to add to the meal plan, but not so great when they are loaded with sugars/brown sugars, syrups, marshmallows, and butter!  Sure they taste good, but can clock in at over 350 calories per 1/2 cup especially when you add the pecans on top.  All you need to do is bake a sweet potato and top with cinnamon, spray butter, and a sugar substitute, if desired, and voila you have reduced calories and put in less work.

8. Rolls-Another "costly" calorie food (up to 250-300 per roll with butter and/or jelly) readily served at Thanksgiving. Tip to save calories = eat only 1 or 1/2 of one and limit toppings & stay AWAY from the ROLLS!

9. Stuffing/Dressing-portion size is again the biggest solution to still be able to enjoy but not pack on tons of calories.  Traditional stuffing or dressing include lots of bread, eggs, butter/fat, sometimes meat, and sometimes vegetables so it all depends on what you are including in your dish.  Use a recipe you can trust to provide lower calories such as Hungry Girl's "Save the Day Stuffing"! In this recipe she uses light bread, lots of low-calorie veggies & egg beaters to keep the calories low.

10. Macaroni & Cheese- Starch and fat = perfect combination for high calories! Limit portion size, but also consider using spaghetti squash and a low-fat cheese (like cheese wedges) to save calories.  Also consider adding broccoli or other vegetables that can be found in this Hungry Girl's "Too-EZ Mac 'n Cheese" Recipe.

It's harmless to get your Thanksgiving Day top 10 food list in shape and you might even find a few recipes that you would like to use each year.  Try to fool family members with lower-calorie versions, but don't fool yourself into thinking that not counting or tracking the calories is a good idea.  After all 3,500 calories can quickly add up!

Health One Meal Replacement Cookie Recipes

Who said losing weight had to be with boring food?  The Health One Meal Replacement allows variety and flexibility to make whatever you desire...even COOKIES (and lots of other food recipes) not just shakes!  With quick and simple swaps you can use the same recipe structure and create dozens of cookie (and other) recipes for your enjoyment.  Some ideas include America's favorite chocolate chip,  oatmeal raisin, chocolate peanut butter, molasses, almond, orange-cranberry to name a few.  See the picture for actual recipes to help you get started! Thanks Janet T. from Indianapolis, IN for sharing your favorite cookie recipe swaps. 

 

 

Mary Grim on her Inspiration: Mindfulness

Mary Grim is a participant at the Weight Management Program of Salem, OR.  She has been very successful in creating wonderful, delicious and inspiring recipes with the Health One Meal Replacement.  The rest of this post is Mary talking about her inspiration for her recipes! We hope you enjoy.

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My Inspiration - Mindfulness 

What do I mean by mindfulness? When it comes to my intake of fuel (food) it is about taking the time to prepare an attractive and nutritious meal, sitting down and being aware of what I am putting into my body. This has helped to eliminate the mindless eating that I have done for many years. What a difference this has made in my efforts to live well.  

As a first step in learning to be mindful, I made a commitment to climb out of my rut and improve my experience of eating. I was in a HUGE rut with my Weight Management Program – eating on the go and eating the same thing over and over again. My personal commitment began with a challenge to create unique, tasty, attractive and healthy meals using Health One Meal Replacement.  Like many of you, I do not have a professional culinary or dietary background. But I had prepared healthy meals for my sons as they were growing up; and, I do enjoy cooking. So with the knowledge I had, I began looking at recipes and photos of food. Then I started to experiment. This is where the fun began! 

Some of the steps I take before beginning to create a new recipe:

1. Find an existing recipe that might be converted successfully.
2. Ask some questions before you begin. Questions like:
1. What is the base ingredient that may be replaced by HOMR?
2. Does this recipe require leavening?
3. Does this recipe require thickening?
4. Will the recipe require additional sweetening?
3. Take the recipe and go down the list of ingredients.
1. Keep a list of additives and their calories for a quick reference. You may visit my blog No Longer a Grim Girl for a list of low or no calorie additives that I use on a regular basis. www.CalorieKing.com is also a wonderful reference that I use.
2. Identify ingredients that must be substituted to not exceed the allowable additive calories. My goal is to keep additives at 80 calories or less. The lower the better without sacrificing taste.
3. Learn the role of various additives. Some examples are:

                                          i.    Gelatin and pudding thicken.

                                        ii.    Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Eggs or Baking Mixes that include yeast provide leavening.

                                       iii.    Pudding, fat-free cream cheese or sour cream provides moisture.

Now it’s time to begin to experiment. The quantity that you make will most likely be your biggest challenge initially. If you’re like me, I was used to cooking in family sized quantities; and, I took family size portions. The change to “cooking small” takes some thought and practice.

Here are the steps I take when I begin to cook an experimental recipe:

1. Document EVERYTHING! If it is a success, you will be able to make the recipe again and again.
1. Ingredients – make a list.
2. Quantities – measure them exactly! I have a little measuring cup that measures by tablespoon and teaspoon.
3. Steps – what you do first, second…
4. Baking temperature, baking time or refrigeration time

Presentation – Make it pretty – YOU deserve it!

1. Serve food on a small plate – like a salad plate. Your plate will be full and give the illusion of more.
2. Color – one thing my mother taught me was to always have some color on your plate – some green beans or a few strawberries. If you’ve visited my blog, you’ve seen that I’ve even put edible flowers on a plate to add some color.
3. Set the table. Whether you are eating on a kitchen stool at your breakfast bar or at the table, make it look nice. Use a placement and a napkin.

You’re probably saying. “That’s great for you, but I don’t have the time to do all of that.” You don’t have to come up with great recipes on your own. The Health OneMeal Replacement facebook page and my blog have a lot of fun recipes. And, please know that these more involved recipes do not make up all of my meals. I still have my quick and easy favorite recipes that I make up in quantity for breakfast or lunch. And I have multiple shakes during the week. But at least three times a week I treat myself to a sit-down meal that is special. 

My hope is that you will share my inspiration to become more mindful while learning to live a healthy and happy life.

Be well…Mary

No Longer a Grim Girl

www.nolongeragrimgirl.blogspot.com

New Meat Nutrition Labels

On March 1, 2012 the USDA now has rules and regulations in place for the nutrition labeling of some meat products. This should help clear up the foggy assumptions of whether a meat product is really a good option or not.  Remember the leaner (lower fat %) the lower the calories and better the product is to help you lose or maintain your weight!

Here are the changes you will see:
1) All ground or chopped products (e.g. ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey) will have nutrition information on the package label
2) The rule also provides that if a ground or chopped product includes a lean percentage statement on the label, it must also display the fat percentage (ie. will be noted as 90% lean/10% fat ground beef product instead of the traditional way of labeling 90/10)

For more information, visit the Academy of Dietetics & Nutrition website.

5 Helpful Tips When Dining Outside the Home

1. Plan ahead. Many restaurants now post their menus online, as well as their nutritional information. Even if they don’t have nutritional information, you can take note of the dishes you’re interested in and plan your caloric intake around them. The key is to watch out for portion size, because you won’t likely know until you arrive at the restaurant how big their portions are.

2. ONLY eat half of your meal. One way to address the portion issue is to ask if the waiter can bag half of your meal before they even bring your meal out to you. 

3. Know high fat lingo. There are a few words and phrases you should watch out for on any menu that indicate the fat content is going to be significant. They include “breaded,” “battered,” “with gravy,” “au gratin,” “cream sauce,” “buttered” and more.

4. Know how to have your meat cooked. One of the keys of weight loss is sticking with the right preparation types. Poultry, for example, should be skinless if possible, and it should be steamed, broiled, grilled, baked, boiled, poached or even roasted. It should definitely not be fried. Red meat is fine a couple of times a week, as well, just watch out for portion control and try to order more lean cuts as opposed to fattier cuts.

5. Go easy on the sauce. The most important tip when eating out is to order sauces, dressings and condiments on the side. This can save hundreds of calories. Be careful not to dump the entire side of sauce onto your meal and use only one to two small spoonfuls for your meal. 



         *Written by: Karen Willy, Dietetic Intern, Purdue University

Spring into Action: 5 Ways to Be More Active

Tank top & swimsuit season is not as far away as you think! These longer, sunnier spring days are the perfect time to start fresh with a new fitness program. So shake off the winter lethargy, dust off those sneakers, and spring into action with these fun tips!

-       Go for a walk in the park

-       Go on a bike ride

-       Hit the Monon

-       Walk the canal

-       Plant flowers with your spouse, kids, or grandkids

           *Written by Karen Willey, Dietetic Intern, Purdue University

Eating Healthy on a Budget

We've all heard it before "eating healthy cost more", etc.  We are not hear to debate whether eating healthy costs more or not, certainly it takes planning, preparation and proper budgeting to make it happen.  Read this article for 10 tips for Nutritious Shopping.  You'd be surprised how easy it is to eat healthy and watch your bottom line.

Christmas Survival Tips!

This time of the year is very challenging for most people.  A study published by the New England Journal of Medicine noted that most Americans appear to gain only one pound during the holidays which is better than most people think actually happens.  However, this one pound is never lost after the holidays are over.  Therefore, over several years weight accumulates! 

In order to maintain during the holidays, you may need a few tips in your back pocket:
1) Decide to attend only the parties or events that you MUST go to (ie. family gatherings, other one time ever events like an awards banquet) and steer clear of the ever-so-famous indulging typical events (ie. cookie exchanges, progressive dinners, or buffets). 
2) Take a fruit or vegetable tray to the functions that you do attend.
3) Avoid hoovering around the food all. day. long. Better yet, don't allow food with in an arms span!
4) No matter what still track calories.
5) Make a list & stick to it while grocery shopping.  The "special" goodies that are out can be too tempting for our own good.
6) Start a new tradition by doing a 5k run/walk or some other form of physical activity around Christmas.  There are tons of runs specifically in the month of December: "Sleigh Bell 5k", "St. Nix Six", "Frostbite 5k", "Jingle Bell Run", "Gingerbread Pursuit", "Santa Hustle" and these are just in the Indiana area.  Google your state and 5k races to see which are available near you.

These tips can be applied to any other "special" time of the year when food is abundant & temptation is high.  Don't fall into gaining one pound and not losing it after the season is done and over!

Don't know how to start? Contact Us we can help.

Substitutes for Saturated Fats

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans tell us to limit saturated fat and replace it with either monounsaturated (MUFA) or polyunsaturated (PUFA) fats.  These guidelines tell us that if we eat less than 10% of calories from saturated fat and choose MUFA's & PUFA's we will have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. 

It's the holiday season where baking and cooking is at full throttle. What ingredients do you use when you bake? Are they good for you? Do you know the details or do you care?  Looking at some of the favorite seasonal cookies: chocolate chip, sugar cookies, roll out butter cookies, etc. or other holiday dishes (casseroles, breakfast dishes, etc) they all contain some form of saturated fat. 

Here are some simple swaps to help you limit your saturated fat intake this holiday season.  If the recipe calls for...then use this instead...

Butter...soft spread (margarine)

Whole milk...skim, 1% or 2%

Whole evaporated milk...evaporated skim or reduced-fat milk

Regular mayonnaise...reduced-fat mayonnaise or low fat yogurt

Chocolate chips...dried cranberries

Whipping cream...imitation cream made wit fat-free milk

Sour cream...1% or fat-free sour cream or pain, low-fat yogurt

Cream cheese...light or fat-free cream cheese

Whole-milk cottage cheese...reduced-calorie, low-fat or fat-free cheese

Eggs...2 egg whites per egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute per egg

Bacon or breakfast sausage...lean Canadian bacon, turkey bacon or lean ham

Meat or poultry...seafood such as salmon, tuna, trout or tilapia

1 pound Ground beef...1/2 pound extra lean (90%) ground beef & 14 ounce can of lentils/beans

Here are more substitutions to guide you in your seasonal baking/cooking!

These simple swaps are sure to help you lower saturated fat intake during the holiday season without compromising taste.

Surviving Thanksgiving!

If you are like most people you have about 5 Thanksgiving events to go to: his moms, your moms, your sisters, your immediate family, your daughters, etc...not to mention work or church related get togethers! How to do you begin to survive all that food with out gaining weight? One word, planning. 

Planning is the first key to surviving any event with a lot of food.  I would suggest knowing what items the host is planning on having.  When you know the food options, it makes it easier to plan what fits in to your calorie budget.  If you determine that all the options are out of your calorie budget, then it's time for you to plan what your day or meal will look like.  Will you have meal replacements ready or make them when you get there?  Do you have the equipment (ie. oven, microwave, blender, etc)? Will you take your own food?  Maybe something lower in calories like a oven baked turkey breast salad.  No matter what your actual day/time/location plans are you have to have a MEAL plan that will work with your goals.

The second key to surviving any event is to stick to your plan that you developed in step 1! Figure out what it will take for you to follow through with your plan and plan that out too. 

Third, look up calories so that you are aware of how many calories stuffing (or dressing), sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, the rolls, the mashed potatoes have.  You would be surprised at the amount of calories you may see. 

Then, ask family and friends for support.  Ask them to bring vegetable dishes that aren't covered in sauces, butter, or glazes! Those things only add calories.  Serve gravy on the side to be able to choose how much you want to use. Make your dish contribution to the event one that supports your goals...think mixed fruit dish for dessert.

Last, listen to yourself.  You know what you need to do...now do it (or don't do it if it involves eating a whole pecan pie)!  

Look here for common calories of Thanksgiving foods.

Here is a list of Hungry Girl approved foods for Thanksgiving. Some great reduced calori ideas!

Enjoy the company of friends and family-those are tips on surviving Thanksgiving.


        

Apps for Smart Phones that help with WEIGHT LOSS!

Do you have an iPhone or other kind of smart phone? If not, you might be a fraction of people that hasn't ventured into this well expanding trend and you may be missing out on some pretty sweet apps to help with your health and weight management.  Now that I have those of you disappointed that don't have smart phones, I'll let you in a secret...some of them have websites that do the same thing! Just create a page & voile you are ready to use!

1. My Fitness Pal : A great website OR app that can track calorie intake, foods you regularly eat, and exercise while giving you other tools that may be helpful along the way.

2. Run Keeper: A fitness app or website to help you track, measure and improve your fitness.  Great for figuring mileage around a path you typically run or just for tracking the number of minutes you do physical activity!

3. Our Groceries: An app that helps you plan and store your meal plan for the week.  It also allows you to create a shopping list and check off as you go through the store.  You can make multiple lists (ie. one for Walmart, one for Safeway, etc) OR you can use it for other lists (ie. questions for next doctor visit, to-do list, etc)

The great thing about the 3 listed above is that they are all FREE! Take advantage of resources you might already have.  Who knows, they may help you to improve your health and weight management.

 

Do You Need A Water Enhancer?

Water can be boring, especially if you are used to sweetened beverages or juices, but now it doesn't have to be! Kraft has a new product on the market to help enhance the flavor of water.  It is called MiO.  There are six flavors that have these claims (from their website): "Caffeine-free, Calorie-free per 8 fluid ounce serving, 0g Carbohydrates and considered a free exchange, Sugar-free, Free of artificial flavors, Kosher, Gluten-free, Cruciverbalistic, Tasty, & Good-looking".  They are around $3.99 per bottle and supply ~24 8 ounce servings to your flavor liking.  In other words you can squirt a lot for more flavor or less for less flavor!

Looking for the new product & can't find it?  It's located at many stores like Target, Meijer, Kroger, Jewel/Osco, Publix, etc. Go HERE to see all places you can find MiO.

Click to see How It Works!

Weight Loss: Not an All or Nothing Mindset

When I was growing up I often heard the saying "If you can't do something right then don't do it at all".  This kind of mantra can lend itself to an 'all or nothing mindset' which is so popular when attempting to lead a healthier lifestyle.  The quest for perfection can actually sabotage our best efforts and in some ways be a convienant cop-out in achieving our health goals.  Are you prone to the 'all or nothing mindset'?

Answer these questions to find out:

1.  Do you typically begin your new program, idea, meal plan, exercise routine on a Monday?
2.  Do you use the words good and bad to describe certain foods and your eating behavior?
3.  Do you typically want to speed up the process by eating less food or Health One Meal Replacements than your meal plan suggests to reach your goal?
4.  Do you expect to suffer, feeling starved & deprived?
5.  Do you expect to completely eliminate your favorite foods?
6.  Do you 'fall off the wagon' and 'throw in the towel' after making just one unhealthy food choice?
7.  Are you convinced that past failed attempts were due to lack of effort and/or staying focused?

What changes have you made over the years to decrease the pattern of 'all or nothing'?

Here are some suggestions to help with the 'all or nothing' mindset:
1.  Don't start on a Monday! Of the 46% of the people that started on Monday, by Tuesday evening 32% were back off track.  Starting on a Monday can be a subtle way of giving yourself permission to go all out on the weekends.
2.  Ditch 'good' and 'bad' foods.
3.  Stop starving yourself for faster results.
4.  Don't suffer through your diet.
5.  Don't dump your favorite foods.
6.  Don't let mistakes derail you.
7.  Forget the past.


(information modified from Sparkpeople.com)

           

Lifestyle Changes

After Foundation, our great intentions and positive lifestyle changes can slowly but surely give way to some habits we thought we had said goodbye to. It can be discouraging and a bit humiliating. The "inner voices" can have a hey day with us. "Don't I already know this, what is my problem, I'm too busy to focus on this, or this stuff is just too tedious."

The reality is lifestyle change is a process and life can throw us some challenging curve balls. The main thing to remember is you don't have to go at it alone. Sometimes we all need to be accountable to someone besides ourselves (especially when those inner voices are influencing us in the wrong direction).

The point is....we're here for you if you need some support getting back on track. There is a complimentary check-in on Wednesdays from 11:50 to 12:10. The wellness walk follows afterwards! All are welcome but your choice on that one. Practice classes are $30/month. Just want to drop in for one class to recharge, $10/class. Would like some one-on-one guidance, $20 for a 25 minute session. I wanted to offer some different options. As we say the view for optimal health is so worth it but there are different styles to achieve it. 

Have a well week,