**Orientations** Don't miss the opportunity to learn more about our health and weight management program at our free orientation sessions. We are located in the Indianapolis area! If you don't live near a site-we have a Remote Program. Contact us at info@hntindiana.com for more information. Visit our website to check available dates.
Fit vs. Fat: Which Matters More for Longevity? article in Time Magazine states that there is more to being healthy than just watching the scale. So, what to do to decrease your health risks? Get moving & incorporate more physical activity in your daily routine. Start slow with just 20 minutes of walking per day. Wear a pedometer to challenge yourself to meet the 10,000 steps goal. Write a list of all the opportunities you have to be active & choose one for each day. Some could include: walking before work or during your lunch break, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or even parking farther when going shopping!
HNT Indiana is looking to begin another Foundation Class in January 2012. If you are interested in being a part of our weight loss program and live near the Noblesville, Fishers, Indianapolis, Carmel, Cicero, Kokomo areas please contact our office at 317.489.4817 or view our calendar for our available free information sessions.
We hope to be able to assist you in your journey with health and weight management!
Winter Squash is in season! What is it, what do you do with it, how do you select it? All great questions for these vegetables that are delightful to look at but intimidating to fit in your meal plan. Butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and pumpkin are the most common of the winter squash family, but calabaza, blue or golden hubbard, acorn, kabocha are other varieties of this plentiful squash.
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!
The American Dietetic Association announced its' 2012 theme for March, National Nutrition Month, "Get Your Plate in Shape". Stay tuned for more information about how to get your plate in shape!
We had a great time this year at our annual all Indiana HNT Holiday Special. This year we discussed the topic of starting "New Traditions" and how important that idea is for leaving a legacy of good health. We spent some time estimating the calories in 2 average Thanksgiving meals to provide insight on the amount of calories that are typically consumed during this time of the year. We came up with 1 meal that was well over 2,000 calories and the other over 3,200 calories!!
After acknowledging the amount of calories in the foods we eat we discussed what New Traditions could be put in place. Eliminating, Substituting, or Modification are 3 strategies discussed in relation to the foods or traditions that are in place around this Holiday Season. Using one of the three when needed can save calories here and there an make it easier to maintain or continue to lose during a time when most people are gaining!
Here are a few pictures from the event:
HNT Indiana Staff: Chelsea, Sheila, Christina with Baby Kherington born 10.24.11, & Roxanne
Our patients estimated the calories in these 2 Holiday meals-mashed potatos, turkey, pie, noodles, casseroles, etc! One was roughly 3,200 calories & the other was around 2,300 calories.
Our 3rd annual clothing swap was a hit with tons of nice and gently used items to take home. Free shopping!
Best of all, enjoying the company of our patients. Some who traveled quite a distance to be at the Holiday Special.
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
Freedictionary.com states this for the definition of a vegetable:
veg·e·ta·ble(vjt-bl, vj-t-)n.
1.
a. A plant cultivated for an edible part, such as the root of the beet, the leaf of spinach, or the flower buds of broccoli or cauliflower.
b. The edible part of such a plant.
c. A member of the vegetable kingdom; a plant.
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or derived from plants or a plant.
2. Suggestive of or resembling a plant.
3. Growing or multiplying like plants.
Now, I ask...is pizza a vegetable? Let's break down the components of pizza starting with it's base or crust. The crust is not a vegetable as it is made from dough (flour and yeast). Then comes the tomato paste. This is where it gets a little sticky and where the U.S. Government has failed when it comes to regulations. The law put in place allows 2 Tbsp (the amount typically used/slice) to be considered a vegetable. The 2 Tbsp of tomato paste doesn't measure up to the vegetable regulations from MyPlate. MyPlate recommends 2 1/2-3 cups of vegetables per person and considers 1 large tomato, 1 cup chopped or sliced to be 1 vegetable or 1 cup of tomato juice to count as 1 vegetable. No where does it say that 2 Tbsp or 1/8 cup of tomato paste is equivalent to 1 vegetable! Side note: technically speaking, tomatoes are fruits.
These regulations are actually in place for the school lunch system that feeds many children. A population base already in danger of obesity and it's related health risks.
Back to the pizza, on top of the tomato paste comes the toppings. Last time I checked, most people were not topping their pizza with only vegetables. According to Shareranks.com, cheese, pepperoni, chicken, bacon, and meatballs are the top 5 toppings. Among the top 10 include Canadian bacon/ham, onions, sausage, goats cheese, and mushrooms. So, out of 10 top toppings, onions (at #7) and mushrooms (at #10) are the only vegetables listed! I don't believe you would get a cup out of the amount of onions and mushrooms on a slice of most Americans' pizza slices.
Now that we have the pizza components identified, we can see that counting pizza as a vegetable is quite a ludicrous thing to do. We encourage everyone to add cups and cups of veggies to their pizzas so that they can, in fact and accurately, count their pizza toppings towards their vegetable count for the day, but we know that may not be reality.
It's important to know the facts. Know the facts about what counts as a vegetable and how to get the recommended number in each day. The only one you end up hurting in the long run is yourself for denying the fact that you thought pizza was a vegetable!
At HNT, we can help you to achieve the goal of getting in 3 full cups of vegetables. It takes skill and strategy to implement this lifestyle change and we would love to help you make it your lifestyle to get 3 cups in each day. Call our office 317.489.4817 for more detail about our health and weight management program.
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)!
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