Sunday, November 29, 2015

8 Tips (and tools) on how to stay on a diet and still eat out


At this time of year, we tend to eat out a lot. It can be difficult to stay on track with your healthy diet when this happens. However, eating out does not have to derail your weight loss (or weight maintenance) efforts.  Being prepared and having a strategic plan will allow you to eat out at almost any restaurant and still stay on track. 

TIP 1 - Plan ahead:  Most restaurants have their menus online and some even have the nutritional info posted (chains mostly).  Go online, search for the nutrition information of the restaurant you want to go to, and plan out your choices. Popular restaurants that have all their nutrition facts posted online include Starbucks, Panera Bread, Au Bon Pain, Cosi,  Hale and Hearty, Pizza Hut, Chipotle, The Keg, Milestones, Montana's, Boston Pizza, and more. Try this website (click here) for a pretty broad listing of restaurants and their menu item nutrition facts. Also, if you want the low-down on nutrition information for menu items, The Economist ran a great commentary on the issue as it pertains to New York when in first hit the fan in 2011.

As you can see, getting the nutritional information before you go has become relatively easy; it just requires a little homework.
 
Once you arrive:

TIP 3-  Drink please!  Try ordering a warm drink first thing such as hot water with some fresh lemon slices.  You’ll be surprised how this warm calming drink can fill you up and soothe the craving/hunger beast.  Herbal tea is also a great option while coffee tends to throw off blood sugar levels and may lead to cravings and bad decisions later on.

TIP 4 - Be an assertive orderer:  Don’t be afraid to modify the menu.  Trust me, in this age of “nutritionism”, waiters are used to it. Ask questions and know the terminology.  Grilled, steamed, broiled, boiled, and baked are fine, but beware of terms such as creamy, smothered, lightly breaded, deep fried. Ask for sauces on the side and leave out the fries/rice/pasta/potatoes that usually come with the main entree and ask for extra veggies instead (most restaurants are happy to do this).      
                                  
TIP 5 - Start with soup or salad:  Both can be filling and satisfying. Order the dressing on the side and dip your fork lightly in the dressing before every bite.  Stay with non-creamy soups. Ask the server if dairy is added so you will know if they add cream or cheese or even butter (extra tip: you can tell your server that you are lactose intolerant to make sure they don’t add cream, butter, or cheese) 

TIP 6 - Appetizers as the main course: Try ordering from the appetizer menu if you don’t find anything you want on the main menu such as grilled calamari ,caprese salad, or shrimp cocktail.  Smaller portions save calories and are less expensive.

TIP 7 - Liquor Control:  Alcohol can stimulate hunger so never drink on an empty stomach (This really throws off blood sugar) and try to follow the 1:1 rule; follow a glass of wine with a full glass of water.  Even try to cut the wine with ½ club soda or Perrier in a wine Spritzer or mix vodka with soda water.

TIP 8 -  Portion Control/Leftovers for the next day:  Most restaurants provide huge portions--take a look at the size of the plate or bowl!  Eyeball your serving size (palm of your hand) and divide your portion accordingly.  Make a mental note to have the rest packed-up for home, or, better yet, ask the waiter for a to-go container and box it up right away.  Added bonus: you have less to cook the next day.

The smart phone world is still trying to stay on top of restaurant nutrition. There are a few good apps out there, but they need constant updating. Here are a few free ones that are worth trying, just to get a sense of what your waistline is up against:

Restaurant Nutrition by Foundation HealthCare Network

Restaurant Nutrition by Unified Lifestyle

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Exercise – The wonder drug


Years ago, doctors rarely told people with chronic ailments to exercise because they were unsure of how much physical activity these people could handle. In the last decade, exercise has proved to be effective in helping people manage – and prevent – everything from heart disease to osteoporosis, diabetes, and even cancer.
Do you exercise, or are you physical active?
Being physical active is a wonderful lifestyle choice, but it is not the same as being an exerciser. Physical activity is any body movement that leads to increased energy expenditure, while exercise is planned, structured, and repetitive body movement.
For instance, activities of daily living – stuff you have to do, like carrying the groceries – count as physical activity. To say you exercise means you might go for a brisk walk everyday during lunch, attend a weekly yoga class, or enjoy a competitive game of ball every Friday.
A Prescription for Exercise
When your doctor writes you a prescription for a drug it often comes in several different forms, a chewable tablet, a liquid suspension, etc. The dose of the drug also varies. It could be one large dose once a day or several smaller doses throughout the day.
Exercise is no different. There’s a “dose-response” relationship between exercise and health. In effect, you or your trainer could write a “prescription” for exercise, at a tolerated intensity, with your own personal “dosing” schedule. Whatever you choose to do, remember - the only requirements are that your physical activity be planned, structured, and repeatedly enjoyed.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity every day for five days per week. Or, you can swap that for 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity three days a week. This is a great “prescription” to start with while working up to one hour of daily moderately intense activity.
Time well spent
Increasingly, chronic diseases are costing us time and money. That’s not news, but preventing disease by being physical activity is far less expensive than traditional medicine. Any time you spend enjoying yourself while being active, right now, means less time spent in convalescence, waiting for medical care when you are older. 

Speak to your regular healthcare practitioner or certified personal trainer and write yourself an Exercise Prescription today! Are you looking for a personal trainer? Contact me. Not only am I a certified personal trainer, I also work with other trainers and can help you find someone who will match your needs.

Have a favorite exercise? I would love to hear what it is! Either comment below or head on over to my Facebook page to comment.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Eat This, Not That


I am a huge fan of the Eat This, Not That series. I came across this write up that I thought you would emjoy. Emily Kennedy, MSc, Nutritionist, is a food researcher and writer who believes small changes can result in permanent weight loss.

To emerge victorious in the battle of the bulge you need to make small changes that are sustainable over a long period of time. In the long run, crash dieting and eliminating certain types of food will cause you to regain any lost weight. Small tweaks to your daily food choices - 100 calories here and there - may not have quick results but they will last longer.

Here are a few examples of small changes to save calories and reduce your energy intake:

Eat This
Not That
At Breakfast:
McDonald’s Egg McMuffin   
Calories: 290
Total Fat: 12 grams
Sodium: 760 milligrams
Savings: 260 calories, 18 grams of fat, and a whooping 740 milligrams of sodium!

Tim Horton’s Cranberry Blueberry Bran Muffin    
Calories: 290 (yes, same as an Egg McMuffin!)
Total fat: 10 grams
Sodium: 710 milligrams
Sugar: 24 grams
Savings: 110 calories and 7 grams of fat – but this is not a good substitution if you’re watching your sodium!


Kellogg’s All-Bran Buds, 1/3 cup
Calories: 80
Savings: 120 calories


McDonald’s Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddles
Calories: 550
Total Fat: 30
Sodium: 1500 milligrams



Tim Horton’s Wholegrain Raspberry Muffin
Calories: 400
Total fat: 17 grams
Sodium: 580 milligrams
Sugar: 26 grams

Good For You Muesli, 1/3 cup
Calories: 200
(This is still a healthy product but you can do better calorie wise.)


At Lunch:
Harvey’s Warm Grilled Chicken Salad w/ Asian Sesame Dressing
Calories: 230
Fat: 5.5 grams
Sodium: 814 milligrams
Savings: 620 calories, 39.5 grams fat, 876 milligrams sodium

Stonemill Organic Muesli Bagel with Flaxseeds
Calories: 140
Savings: An even 100 calories.

Hollywood Thins 100% Whole Wheat Bread, 1 slice
Calories: 50
Savings: 90 calories


Renee’s Gourmet Wellness Pomegranate
Blueberry with Acai, 2 tbsp
Calories: 10
Savings: 110 calories



Taco Bell Fiesta Salad
Calories: 850
Fat: 45 grams
Sodium: 1690 milligrams




Wellness Multi Grain Bagel
Calories: 240


Country Harvest 100% Whole Grain Sunflower Flax, 1 slice
Calories: 140

President’s Choice Maple Balsamic Dressing, 2 tbsp
Calories: 120


At Dinner:
The Keg Teriyaki Chicken with Steamed Asparagus (instead of potatoes)
Calories: 470 calories
Saturated Fat: 1 gram
Savings: 1340 calories and 48 grams saturated fat!!!


Boston Pizza’s California Pizza
Calories: 610
Total fat: 11 grams
Sodium: 450 milligrams
Savings: 140 calories, 16 fat grams, 1200 milligrams sodium!!



The Keg Prime Rib Classic, 8 oz.
Calories: 1,810
Saturated Fat: 49 grams



Boston Pizza Gourmet Pepperoni
Calories: 750
Total fat: 27
Sodium: 1650

For Snacks:
Power Bar Pria
Calories: 170
Fat: 5 grams
Savings: 250 calories, 12 grams of fat


Source Salba Ancient Grains Bar
Calories: 100 
Fat: 2 grams
Savings: 130 calories, 5 grams of fat


Danone Silhouette 0% M.F. Yogurt
Calories: 40
Savings: 110 calories


Tri-O-Plex Energy Bar
Calories: 420
Fat: 17 grams


Kellogg’s Chocolate Chip Vector Energy Bar
Calories: 230
Fat: 7 grams

Danone Creamy Coffee Yogurt
Calories: 150


To Drink:
Brut’s Champagne, 3 ounces
Calories: 60
Savings: 291 calories

Dairyland Fat-Free Creama Coffee Creamer, 2 tbsp
Calories: 20
Savings: 100 calories even!



Bailey’s Original Liquor, 3 ounces
Calories: 351


Nestle Coffee Mate French Vanilla, 2 tbsp
Calories: 120