| FIBER: A 5 LETTER WORD BY COINCIDENCE? |
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Food for Thought
By Stacey Nelson, Dietetic Intern
& Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
ghoffman@fitnessunlimited.com
Fights cancer
Inhibits weight gain
Balances blood sugars
Eliminates irregularity
Reduces risk of heart disease
Not all fiber is created equally. There are two different types of fiber: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fibers such as whole grains, whole wheat, seeds, some fruits and vegetables help with bowel movements, and have been linked to probable decreases in the risk of colon cancer. Soluble fiber like oats, barley, and apples create a feeling of fullness, keep energy levels steady, and also help lower cholesterol levels.
A study by the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control found that the average American consumes only 11-13 g of dietary fiber per day, which is less than half of the American Dietetic Association (
ADA) recommendation of 25-30g per day.
Look below for ways to incorporate more fiber into your diet. The following food choices are high in fiber to help you be on your way to 25-30 grams of fiber a day:
Breakfast:
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Food Item
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Serving Size
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Fiber (g)
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Oatmeal
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½ Cup
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3
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Cream of Wheat*
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¾ Cup
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1
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Shredded Wheat
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1 Cup
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6
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Cereal (Raisin Bran)
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1 Cup
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7
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Whole Wheat Bagel
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1 Bagel
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6
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Whole Wheat English Muffin
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1 English Muffin
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3
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Strawberries
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1 Cup
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3
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Blueberries
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1 Cup
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3
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Fruit Yogurt*
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1 Cup
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0
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Lunch :
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Food Items
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Serving Size
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Fiber (g)
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Vegetable Soup
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1 Cup
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4
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Whole Wheat Bread Sandwich
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2 slices bread
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4
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Whole Wheat Wrap Sandwich
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1 wrap
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2
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Carrots and Celery
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Side with sandwich
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2
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Veggie Burger
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1 burger patty
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3
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Pear
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1 medium sized
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5
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Dinner :
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Food Items
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Serving Size
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Fiber (g)
|
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Whole Wheat Pasta
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1 Cup
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6
|
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White Pasta*
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1 Cup
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3
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Peas
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½ Cup
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5
|
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Brown Rice
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¾ Cup
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3
|
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Lentils
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½ Cup
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7
|
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Black Beans or split peas
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½ Cup
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8
|
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Romaine Lettuce*
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2 Cup
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2
|
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Broccoli
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½ Cup
|
3
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*Often thought to be high in fiber, but in fact are not.
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| Plan to Plan |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts 02186
Whether you are trying to eat better, slim down or lower your blood pressure, my advice to you is the same: have a plan.
Make a plan for your week. People tend to eat very similar foods for breakfast and lunch, so start with dinner. Sketch out a week's worth of meals, perhaps trying one new recipe, and make your shopping list accordingly.
Make a plan for your challenges. If you really like salty foods but need to follow a lower salt diet, find an alternative that works for you. Thinking you can stay away from all salty foods because you "should" won't keep you away from them for long. Read labels and try some lower salt alternatives. (By the way, 5% sodium on a label makes it a low sodium food. Check the portion size.)
Make a plan for your environment. Remember when a gas station just sold gas? We need to be savvy consumers in this new market. Can't resist the candy bars when you pick up your blood sugar pills at the pharmacy? Use the drive through pharmacy instead. Tempted by the offerings at the grocery store? Eat before you shop; make your grocery list and stick with it. Did you know you can make it through a two hour movie at the cinema without a snack? You may find an extra $20 in your pocket afterwards, too!
Certainly our food environment needs to change, but right now take control of what you are able to control. Be prepared.
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| Easter nuggets |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
After a brief break in blogging, I'm back! Thank you to all my loyal readers for your patience!
This Easter Sunday I will be enjoying family time with my in-laws, as I'm sure many of you will be, too. I'm especially looking forward to some new culinary creation from my brother-in-law. He knows I'm vegetarian and is going to try his hand at a lentil dish!
Here are some quick facts about Easter goodies:
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"Original" jelly beans, 13 beans:150 calories, no fat
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5 Peeps chicks:140 calories, no fat
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Reese's peanut butter egg 1.2 oz (large):180 calories, 11 grams fat
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Cadbury creme egg, large:150 calories, 5 grams fat
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Cadbury mini eggs, 12 pieces: 190 calories, 8 grams fat
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Palmer hollow chocolate bunny 1 3/4 oz: 260 calories, 16 grams fat
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Dyed hard boiled egg (large): 75 calories, 5 grams fat
And for me, a slice of my signature Easter carrot cake with cream cheese frosting: 400 calories, 22 grams of fat. I'll be serving that with a nice long walk!
Happy Easter to all of you who celebrate! |
| 'Tis the Season |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
Greetings, on this 1st day of December! I know you're all expecting nutrition tips on how to maintain your weight throughout the holidays... so I'll just say "have a plan."
What I'd really like to write to you about is ideas for holiday gifts. Think active! Join Fitness Unlimited (ladies) or renew your membership. How about Wii Fitness or new sneakers? Fashionable athletic gear that you'll want to be seen in can help you stay motivated with your exercise routine.
Keep the kitchen in mind: an indoor grill, reuseable containers (skip the plastic baggies-- they cost too much for the environment), healthy-eating cookbooks or home food delivery service. Being prepared helps you stick with your healthy eating plan.
And how about those gifts that cost next-to-nothing? A walk on the beach with a loved one or a home-cooked meal by the fireplace or windowshopping down main street? Time may be money, but money can't buy time together. |
| The Biggest Loser |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA |
This commentary is for all you Biggest Loser watchers out there.
I started writing this blog 2 weeks ago and I'm glad I was slow to finish, since I have a slight change of heart since then.
I was going to rant about how Jillian Michaels,one of the personal trainers on the show, is such a bully, and how she likes to yell and belittle contestants. Sure, her team usually wins the weigh-ins, and more winners from the show can claim her as their trainer, but I'd love to see statistics on contestants after the show. My guess is that Bob Harper's team members reach their goals and keep the weight off longer. My fear for her team members: please the bully now but slip back into old habits once you leave the ranch and no one is screaming in your face. Self-motivation is a far more useful tool than fear tactics (or game playing). And weight loss is not the hard part: maintenance of the loss is.
So where is my change of heart?? This week Jillian turned on her counseling skills and drove right to the heart of issues for 2 contestants: Abby & Shay. Both contestants had traumatic life experiences and turned to food as a coping mechanism. Jillian was able to gently turn their attention to this and help both of them realize their past events don't have to shape their futures. In this job (as a weight loss specialist) rarely is food the issue: it's about exploring people's behaviors and working together to find alternative coping mechanisms & creating new habits.
I'd like to see more of this side of her! I hope the at-home weight loss crowd does too.
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| One dietitian's lunchbox |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
What do you eat? I get asked this question ALL the time from clients, coworkers, friends and family. Here's a list of some of my favorites to pack for lunch:
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Sandwich: whole wheat bread, sandwich thins or whole grain wrap; peanut butter & jam or humus & veggie
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Yogurt: always! Stonyfield is my favorite, but occasionally I'll buy Dannon All Natural or Chobani Greek (blueberry)
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Fruit: I love pineapple, but I'll eat any. Mostly I have bananas, apples, melons & berries
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Vegetables: usually carrot sticks, but lately I've had a lot of grape tomatoes from my garden; sometimes salads or vegetable soups; low sodium V8
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Polly-O lite string cheese or BabyBel light cheese(I like the wax wrapper)
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Kashi granola bars: usually Trail Mix or Pumpkin Flax spice
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Nuts or trail mix: I like any nut, but mostly buy almonds & walnuts. Rubbermaid makes cute 1/2 cup containers that I fill half with nuts, half with raisins or other dried fruit
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Ok, sometimes less-than-healthy snacks make their way into my cupboards too. I love Fritos so occasionally I'll buy the 1 oz snack packs. Quaker makes cheese flavored mini rice cakes called "Quakes" which are tasty, too. Sometimes chocolate chips find their way into my trail mix as well. Sweet, salty & crunchy = yummy!
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| Veggies are medicine |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
It's summertime and the veggies are fabulous! Now is the time to build more into your diet for weight management or just to stay healthy. Did you know potassium in tomatoes & potatoes can lower blood pressure, vitamin K in spinach may build bone density and eating 5 or more servings of any vegetables daily can lower your risk of heart disease? It's true!
Not all vegetables are created equally. That's a good reason to have a variety of them, but also to focus on what I call the "powerhouses." Here's how they rank:
Awesome: all dark green leafy (kale, spinach, turnip greens, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, curly endive, bok choy), deep orange (canned pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, butternut squash), and red (tomatoes, red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes)
Not-too-shabby: Snow peas, asparagus, red cabbage, zucchini, cauliflower, okra, wax beans, potato w/skin, celery
No-vegetable-is-bad-for-you: parsnips, rutabaga, beets, mushrooms, onion, eggplant, garlic, turnips, cucumber, corn
Certainly this list is not inclusive, but as a general rule of thumb go for the brightly or deeply colored ones for the biggest nutrition punch. With a rainbow of colors on your plate they will be hard to resist!
Some information provided by Nutrition Action Healthletter Jan/Feb 2009; www.cspinet.org
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| Got Cravings? |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
Summer is finally upon us (I think!) and with the warm weather comes... ice cream! But haven't you worked hard all spring to get in shape for that bikini or sleeveless top? One little scoop couldn't do much harm, could it?
Yes. It's not the little scoop so much as it's the permission you've granted yourself. If you have an ice cream, why not fried clams and french fries too? You've worked hard and you deserve it, you tell yourself.
Try this approach: exercise your resistance muscles. This is revolutionary thinking from "the Beck Diet Solution" by Judith S. Beck, Ph.D. Dr. Beck believes that "to weaken the intensity and reduce the frequency of cravings, you have to stop giving in to them." Sure it will be hard to resist, at first. After you've said no once you'll feel empowered and it will be easier to say no the next time you're faced with unhealthy choices. And you'll honor your health or weight loss goals.
Happy Summer!
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| Don't let vacations derail you! |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA |
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My favorite part of blogging is writing after I've been on vacation. There's something about being out of my usual routine that surprises me, even though my brain knows it shouldn't. So since I've written last I've taken 2 trips: 1 skiing in NY and 1 visiting family in the South. Let's start with skiing.
First of all, I like to be in control of my food. I think my profession warrants that, but I'm also a Taurus: practical, logical and enjoy routine. This has to go out the window when you're someone's guest, of course! Skiiing was great- nice and cold and plenty of snow. And then... the lodge. How can you avoid hot chocolate when EVERYONE around you is ordering steaming hot cups of it, dripping with whipped cream? Me. I've looked up the calorie & fat content of many cups of cocoa for clients that I knew it wasn't worth it. Instead: coffee w/a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream. Coffee has ~nil calories and Bailey's is 95 per 1oz. Hit the spot!
Then, my trip to Alabama to visit family. Sonic is a very popular drive-in fast food joint, very prevalent in the South, and I've never been to one. My brother wants to stop in for a cherry limeade. Sounds tasty, until I get home and look up the nutrition facts: large size has 340 calories and 88 grams of sugar. That's equal to nearly 1/2 cup sugar, almost as much as a cookie recipe calls for! I'm glad I only had a sip! I won't tell you about the large chocolate shake from McDonald's at 1160 calories, 27 grams of fat and 168 grams of sugars that also found it's way into our rental car:(
But after all the pizza, pasta, sandwiches and snacking, I was ready to be home eating my fruits, veggies, humus, veggie burgers and yogurt again. Vacations are really nice for a change of pace, but I like how I feel when I eat simpler foods.
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| Successful Losers |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
To my devoted blog-friends and fellow weight-losers-
If you weren't able to make it to my weight loss panel discussion last week, here's what my client-experts had to say:
**"Surrender" to the process... meaning, when you are ready to make a lifestyle change, be prepared to give up some lifestyle habits, not just foods.
**Exercise and move. The goal is to accrue 200-300 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week, which includes things like aerobics classes, elliptical work or fast walking. Get in strength training 2-3 times/week. AND be active in your daily activities. This is where you burn the majority of your calories.
**Get help. See me or another Registered Dietitian. (No gym membership required to see me). Hire a personal trainer. Use a therapist or lifecoach. It's hard doing it on your own, so take advantage of the experts.
**Figure out why you're overweight. The simple answer is eating too much and not exercising. Dig deeper than that-- that's where your key is to change.
So take these tips and add your own. Just remember, the "Biggest Loser" is a game; a TV show for entertainment purposes. Your life isn't.
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| What's so special about January?? |
Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
Happy New Year! As a dietitian and gym consultant, I love January. January is the time of year that I get an influx of new clients and the gym is bustling with positive energy. Even I get more motivated to work out when I see everyone else doing it (even though I like exercise, let's face it: it's not easy changing into sweats when you're cold!).
January is also a time for those beloved resolutions. I think it just gives us something to focus on until the weather changes. So let's see if I can offer some advice for setting goals and sticking with them.
First, make resolutions that mean something to you. Your strongest motivation comes from the heart. Secondly, make sure your goals are achievable. For example, if you're trying to lose weight, set a small goal like 5-10 pounds. After you've reached it, you'll feel empowered and can work on a new goal. Next, be specific with what you want. "Exercise more" is vague: narrow it down to "gym 3 days per week," etc. Be sure to set a timeline and plot your progress. For some of my clients I plot their weight on a spreadsheet and print out graphs to help "visual motivation." Lastly, be sure to acknowledge your accomplishments and reward yourself for your efforts. How about new gym clothes, a CD or a manicure?
What's so special about January? A clean slate. |
| Happy Holidays! |
Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
Today's blog is taken right from the American Dietetic Association website, which is my credentialing agency (www.eatright.org). Check out the great tips!
Health Tips for Holiday Eating
The holidays are here, and even though they come with enough cookies, candy and comfort foods to last a lifetime, don't run screaming from the buffet table just yet. Food may be a centerpiece of holiday festivities, but the holiday season doesn't mean you have to pack on the party pounds. Try these tips for making your holidays healthful:
Take the edge off your hunger before a party. Feeling hungry can sabotage even the strongest willpower, so eat a small, low-fat snack such as fruit or low-fat cheese before you head out the door. This will help you avoid rushing to the buffet table when you arrive.
Make just one trip to the party buffet. Choose only the foods you really want to eat and keep portions small. Often just a taste satisfies a food craving or curiosity. Also, move your socializing away from the buffet table to eliminate unconscious nibbling.
Meet and greet. Conversation is calorie-free. Get a beverage (try sparkling water and a lime twist rather than alcohol) and settle into the festivities by catching up with old friends and making new ones.
Choose lower-calorie party foods. Go easy on fried appetizers and cheese cubes. Instead, have some raw vegetables with a small amount of dip-just enough to coat the end of the vegetable- or try boiled shrimp or scallops with cocktail sauce or lemon. To help ensure there will be healthful treats, bring a dish to the party filled with raw vegetables with a yogurt or cottage cheese dip, or bring a platter of fresh fruit.
If you are at a sit-down dinner party, cut your first helping in half. That way, you can enjoy seconds (and your host or hostess will feel good about that) and the total amount of food you eat will be about the same as a normal-size portion.
Enjoy physical activity after a holiday feast. Find activities the whole family can do such as walking, biking, roller-blading or hockey, and develop family fun-time habits that can continue after the holiday season.
Be realistic. Decide if you want to lose weight during the holidays. Maybe maintaining your weight by balancing party eating with other meals will be enough work. Eat small, lower-calorie meals during the day so you can enjoy celebration foods later without overdoing your total calorie intake.
Have fun. Enjoy traditional holiday meals and party foods with family and friends while maintaining a healthy lifestyle, too. |
| Coconut custard killed my buzz |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
Dietitians are human too, you know. Yes, I'm able to sit in my office and dole out useful advice about how to handle holidays forkful by forkful and be sincere. I generally think my own advice is useful (in all sincerity I do enjoy a high success rate with my clients). I made a plan this Thanksgiving to be mindful of my sweets, which have always been my downfall. "I'll only eat pie if it's coconut custard" was my motto. I don't really like pie, but it's the only dessert served at the inlaws. Blueberry, cherry, lemon merengue, apple, pumpkin and ....coconut custard. I sliced myself a nice piece and was thoroughly enjoying it when I eyed the box it came in. Hmm... do I want to know? Of course, I need to know this to help my clients, I thought. And there it was: serving size: 1/6 of an 8" pie; Calories: 290 Total fat: 17 grams. Yikes!What do I do now?
Relax, eat it slowly, and next time get rid of all pie boxes! |
| Happy Thanksgiving! |
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Food for Thought
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
Happy Thanksgiving everyone who's reading my blog! I get a lot of questions this time of year about how to approach the holidays. Here's my advice:
1) Enjoy the meaning of the holiday 2) Don't eat or drink too much
Blend and serve to all! |
| Fall back to sleep |
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Thoughts for the Week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
My clients often inspire my blogs and today is one of those times. Did you know that sleep can influence your food choices? When you don't get enough sleep, you are much more likely to crave carbs, whether complex (like bread) or simple (like candy). And usually you don't feel very satisfied when you do eat them. The reason for this has to do with brain functions. There are 4 pleasure centers in the brain: food, drink, sleep and sex. Let's talk about the first 3!
If you are tired, your brain might perceive this as hunger and increase your cravings. Signals crossed! The same goes for hunger and thirst: think you're hungry even though you just ate? Drink some water and see if the sensation goes away. The dangers are many: 1) too many calories 2) too many carbs 3) chronic lack of sleep may lead to diabetes, heart disease and obesity!
So how much sleep should you get? Ideally, 7-9 hours a night. Keep this in mind as we are heading into the holidays: it will be much harder to resist sweets if you're not sleeping well.
Sweet dreams! |
| My family wants me fat |
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Thoughts for the Week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
So I flew home to the midwest recently to visit my family and returned 10 pounds heavier.
No, not really, but easily could have if I didn't pay attention! Being home is a treat, which everyone likes as an excuse to eat out. And out. And out! I think living in Massachusetts has sorta spoiled me: when I go out I expect my salads to be dark leafy greens and I can almost always find vegetarian fare. Not everywhere, my friends! Iceberg lettuce is king in Wisconsin! A visit to the small town of 3000 folks where my grandparents live was quite a challenge. My options: grilled cheese, salad (iceberg lettuce w/tomato wedge), or, ALAS, a veggie burger! My husband took one look at my plate as they placed it before me.... white bun, burger, garnish of iceberg lettuce! No fruit, no chips, no pickle, no nothing. Admittedly, it tasted better than it appeared. The downside to this lunch, however, was that I was so hungry all afternoon I couldn't resist grandma's treats. You know the ones. Please don't make me write them!
And then there's my mother. She gave up sweets but took us out for frozen custard and had the house loaded with sweet breads, cinnamon rolls and this chocolate-covered chex mix stuff that I like! Being the good Catholic, German gal that I am, I caved a bit from the guilt of "well she bought them for us." By day 3 my hubbie and I were feeling a bit ill and made a point to go for walks and did some calesthenics in the park (my trainers would be proud of me--they're always pushing clients to do this). And you can bet we walked all over the airport on the way home.
Moral of the story: Others can't make you eat. But they can make you cupcakes. |
| Trader Joe's makes cents |
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Thoughts for the Week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
So I stopped by Trader Joe's yesterday to pick up a few items for the house, knowing they'll have just the products I need to add some variety to our pantry. I found those items (e.g. jarred bruschetta sauce, roasted red peppers, portobella mushroom ravioli, mini dark chocolate bars, etc.) and got a pleasant surprise: they haven't raised their prices! I scurried home and compared my grocery receipt from last week at a bigger chain store to this one and found a gaping difference. Boxes of cereal cost $1.50 less, individual yogurt cups cost $0.10 less each (which adds up to a lot when buying 10 per week), an 8 pack of whole wheat pitas cost $1.29 and their yummy garlic humus was $2.99! I'm sure food prices need to adapt with fuel prices, but Trader Joe's found a way to keep it real. Kudos! |
| Ah, the power of cheese |
Thoughts for the Week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited
Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
I've started work on a project this week that my boss has been asking me about for a while now, and I'd like to share the results with all of you. "What are some good-tasting cheeses that are lower in saturated fat?" Well, of course I had to head down to the ol' cheese store to find out! But first things first: the facts. Saturated fat is the bad fat that makes your cholesterol go up, so we all want to limit that. I set ~3 grams per serving as my cut-off, as that would keep the daily value under 20% (20% or more is considered a "good source" and we don't want a good source of this stuff!) Second point: what did I find? Lots!
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Cabot 50% & 75% reduced fat sharp cheddar
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Jarlsberg and Jarlsberg lite Swiss slices
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Sargento reduced fat cheddar & provolone slices
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Kraft Polly-O Twists (mozzarella & cheddar twists)
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Laughing Cow lite wedges
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Laughing Cow Babybel light semi soft discs
Most brands also make a fat free version, but I'm not inclined to recommend them, as they lose their cheese properties (and flavor)!
And what about flavor?? I can actually vouch for all of these! The Polly-O's, Jarlsberg and Cabot 50% lite regular make it into my shopping cart. The Cabot 75% is good if it's mixed into something like shredded in tacos or cubed into pasta salad. Personally I don't like spreadable cheeses, but many of my clients love the Laughing Cow wedges. The Babybel are my husbands favorite, mostly because they come wrapped in red wax, like cheeses of old! Sargento provolone tastes best to me toasted on an onion bagel with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and a dribble of olive oil
But don't base your decisions on my tastebuds! Go experience your own cheese! |
| Burn calories shopping? |
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Thoughts for the Week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
I had a friend come to visit this weekend and we decided we needed to go shopping. After walking around Ikea, Crate & Barrel & other mall stores for 2 hours she commented that nothing wore her out like walking around shopping. That got me thinking... how many calories did we burn hunting for new house wares? After browsing through my secret dietitian resources for calories burned for every type of activity, here's my estimate. Since everything is calculated per pound, I figured the average between our weights was about 150#. I would estimate we spent half the time walking slowly, the other half standing around or standing in line. We burned ~175 calories standing and ~205 calories walking around, adding up to 380 calories! Compared to a 60-minute aerobics class where we would burn ~450 per hour that doesn't seem like a lot. Compared to lounging on the couch with a cappuccino for those 2 hours? 180. We doubled our output! My last feat? How to figure out who decided putting a bakery next to a women's athletic apparel store was a good idea?! Even sporty dietitians have weaknesses... |
| Chopping dollars |
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Thoughts for the week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
5 tips for (healthy!) shopping on a budget
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Plan menus & make a shopping list. It's easy to overspend by wandering aimlessly through the grocery store. Use your weekly circular from the newspaper to check for specials, especially on meats & produce.
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Buy store brands. Private label brands can cost 15-20% less than national brand counterparts. Many "generic" foods have just as high quality, too.
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Compare unit prices. Use shelf tags to compare the cost per unit, not just the overall price. This is one tip I've been exploring a lot lately. The 100 calorie snack packs I've compared cost 200% more than the same food in a larger bag! Invest in some reusable snack containers and portion them out yourself. (Less to add to the landfill, too!) Compare a bag of whole carrots vs baby carrots. Spend a little time peeling them and save ~50%!
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Shop seasonally & locally. Fresh produce usually costs less when it has less distance to travel. Check out a farmers market!
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Be mindful of your protein choices. Choose meats, poultry & fish that are on sale. Use these foods in condiment-sized portions, or about 1/4 of your plate, and fill the rest with whole grains, vegetables & fruit. Or try even less expensive dried beans and lentils! At 89¢ per 1 pound bag you could cook up a nice lentil stew. Just add tomatoes, onions, potatoes, carrots, peppers and some seasonings! Or perhaps a bean burrito is more your style. Never cooked with beans before? Have no fear. Most cans or bags come with a recipe printed on the label.
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| Summer Treats?? |
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Thoughts for the Week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
www.fitnessunlimited.com
On my drive in to work I pass by a little mom 'n pop food stand that always makes me snicker. "Steamed hot dogs" is what they advertise. As though steaming saves the poor frankfurt from being a bottom-of-the-barrel unhealthy food choice! Hot dogs are hot dogs and even steaming can't help neutralize the fat & salt bomb. A "regular" sized hot dog with a bun & ketchup will cost you 260 calories and 15 grams of fat, most of which are saturated fat. Not worth a heart attack.
My second favorite sign is at Friendly's. It reads "Share a Brownie Sundae" or some other frozen treat of theirs. Now they have the right idea! Friendly's new Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae weighs in at 930 calories, 54 grams of total fat and 23 grams of artery-clogging saturated fat. Yikes! That's 115% of your saturated fat allotment for the day! In order for this sharing concept to be any good, you would need to find 3 friends to bring down those numbers to something reasonable. Worth it? Maybe. Healthy advertising? I think not. |
| Whole Grains |
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Thoughts for the week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
www.fitnessunlimited.com
Have you seen the new commercial for Big G cereals? It shows the cereal aisle plopped down in the middle of a busy city street with consumers raving that their old favorites are now all made with whole grain. Are we supposed to believe that Lucky Charms is a healthy cereal?
Maybe. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend that Americans make "half their grains whole." This means that most people should consume 3 or more servings per day of whole grains. Whole grains can be found in some cereals, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, whole grain breads, barley, oatmeal, popcorn, etc. One full serving of a whole grain contains 16 grams or more, and every General Mills cereal now has 8 or more grams of whole grains per serving. (We need a total of 48 grams per day).
Confusing? Just look for a gold stamp that looks like a postage stamp on grain products. The stamp will list the number of grams of whole grains in one serving of the food. The stamp was created by the Whole Grains Council , a nonprofit consumer advocacy group working to increase consumption of whole grains for better health. See http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/
Where does this leave Lucky Charms? Better than the original product, but with 11 grams of sugar per serving, it contains more sugar than whole grain. Try Cheerios or Total instead. |
| July 4th |
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Thoughts for the week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
5 tips for a healthy 4th
Who can believe the biggest holiday of the summer is already upon us! We celebrate our country's freedom this week, and if you are a typical American, barbecuing all the way. Don't let your good health intentions take a holiday, too! Find a way to middle ground. Here are a few tips.
1) Grill right: Grilling can be a healthy way to cook, but beware of some little-known facts about the BBQ. Grilling muscle meats like beef, chicken and fish at high heat or allowing the fat to drip and burn causes cancer-promoting compounds, called HACs and PAHs, to form. Consider pre-cooking meats then briefly grilling for flavor. Adding acidic sauces such as marinades, lemon juice or flavored vinegar can protect your food from this process. Also, aim for more lean foods like shrimp, chicken breasts and hamburgers that are at least 93% lean or portabello mushrooms. Limit or avoid hot dogs, sausages, ribs or prime cuts of steak. Too much artery-clogging saturated fat!
3) Drink smart: Like those iced coffees or caramel macchiatos? Watch out! A tall Caramel Macchiato with whole milk from Starbucks will cost you 240 calories and 10 grams of fat (6 saturated!). The Dunkin Donuts Orange Coolatta sounds refreshing, but a 16 oz beverage is 370 calories of highly-sugared orange concentrate solution. Yikes! Instead try:
*Water (of course)
*Unsweetened iced tea
*Flavored sparkling water
*Iced flavored coffee with skim milk and sweetener
*Iced Latte Lite (DD) or Frappuccino lite (Starbucks)
*Lite cranberry juice, seltzer and a lime
4) Stay active: swim, bike, play in the park, fly a kite! Or, come in for a workout. We're open Thursday 5:30-3, closed Friday, but back to summer hours on Saturday & Sunday (7am-4pm). We would love to see you!
5) Remember why we are celebrating! July 4th is Independence Day! Find a way to celebrate your freedom: hang your flag, attend a parade, thank a veteran and watch a Red Sox game!
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| Summer desserts |
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Thoughts for the week
By Ginger Hoffman, RD, LDN
Registered Dietitian for Fitness Unlimited Healthclub for Women
Milton, Massachusetts USA
As my husband and I were walking home from Friendly's last weekend, ice cream in hand, I asked him what I should blog about this week. Hmm... summer desserts,"he said without hesitation. Brilliant!
If you are like most people, the summer heat saps your appetite. However, it never seems to cut the cravings for sweets! Here are some ideas for light summer treats.
Fruit, fruit, fruit. You knew I was going to say this! Keep it super simple by choosing sliced watermelon or a fruit cup, or jazz it up by adding a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar over sliced strawberries. The tartness of the vinegar heightens the sweetness of the berries. Peachy for peaches? Slice up a dish and sprinkle with slivered almonds for a nice soft/crunch punch.
For those of you with more time, and a hot grill, skewer up some strawberries, peaches, pineapples, plums & papaya. Mix together 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar with 2 tsp sugar and grill the fruit until it is lightly browned, turning and brushing frequently with the sugar mixture. Hot pineapple is one of my personal favorites. Yum!
Are smoothies more your style? Watch out for smoothie shop selections! Planet Smoothie's Shag-a-delic smoothie made with blueberries, strawberries, banana & yogurt sounds healthy. It's the 22 oz serving size that will set you back 430 calories. That's about how many calories an average-sized woman needs for her whole meal! And those of you who want to beat me to the punch, 2 food groups (fruit & yogurt) does not a meal make! How about a homemade strawberry kiwi smoothie made with 1-10oz bag of frozen strawberries, 2 fresh (peeled) kiwi, 8 oz strawberry non-fat yogurt and 1 tsp almond extract. Delicious! And only 110 calories per serving (recipe makes 4 servings). For more healthy recipes, check out my favorite website at www.aicr.org
Love those sundaes & cones? Ask for kiddie sizes. They are what small used to be.
Enjoy the sweetness of summer! |
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