Dining out

Trying to eat healthy while eating out? It can be a challenge especially when you are trying to lose weight.
Check out the following link. Here are 13 rules to guide you to eating lighter and healthier if you are dining out.
13 Rules for Dining Out on a Diet

Kelly Devine Rickert MS RD CSSD LDN

Avoid Drinking Your Calories - Drink Smart

I have been in the weight loss field for 8 years, and time and time again, individuals are good at recalling food eaten, but often forget to report liquid calories or snack type items. If you are trying to lose weight, over time this oversight can lead to frustration, lack of weight loss and weight gain.

Every time you eat, your body and brain are monitoring the calories coming in and using the information to alter metabolism and control appetite and hunger. Unlike solid calories, liquid calories are not perceived or "read" by the body in the same manner. Liquid calories can slide under the metabolic radar, which is not a good thing. The body does not count them the same, and often the brain does not think of them as "food."

Think about this for a moment, most people can stop at a gas station, purchase a 500-700 calorie Soda and still go meet family and friends to eat dinner a half hour later. However, if that same person were to eat a 500-700 calorie meal, appetite would be suppressed and eating would end. It should be noted that this information pertains to beverages/liquids that are mostly sugar and provide a substantial amount of empty calories.

Below are some common summertime beverages and their healthier, lower calorie alternatives. Cheers to your health!

Cold Stone Creamery: "Love It" Cake Batter = 550 calories
"Like It" Watermelon Sorbet = 160 calories

McDonalds: Medium Chocolate Shake = 750 calories
Vanilla Ice Cream Cone = 150 calories

Dunkin Doughnuts: Large Coffee Coolatta = 800 calories
Large iced coffee with skim milk and splenda = 60 calories

Starbucks: Grande Iced Caramel Macchiato = 230 calories (no whipped cream)
Grande Ice Cafe Late with skim milk = 90 calories

Dairy Queen: Small Chocolate Xtreme Blizzard = 650 calories
Small Pineapple Sundae = 230 calories (DQ did not have anything under 200!)

McDonalds: Large Sweet Tea = 230 calories
Large iced tea with lemon = 0 calories

Alcoholic Beverages:
16 oz. margarita is about 368 calories
16 oz. pina colada is 700-900 calories
5 oz. Pino Grigio wine = 120 calories
1 oz. Rum, Diet coke and lime = 64 calories

Blog Series: The Pro's and Con's of Dietary Fat

4 of 6: Saturated Fat

The easiest way to identify saturated fat is that it is SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. To help you remember think “Saturated = Solid.” If it is solid on your countertop then it is solid and rigid in the body, negatively affecting all areas of your body, especially the cardiovascular system. Saturated fat has been shown to

• Increase total cholesterol
• Increase LDL (the bad) cholesterol which his associate with arterial plaque and buildup
• Increase heart disease risk
• Increase risk of all chronic diseases including cancer

The goal is to consume less than 20 grams of saturated fat per day. Animal-based foods, dairy, desserts, cooking fats, fast/restaurant foods, and tropical plant oils are high in saturated fat. For example, the white fat on bacon is solid at room temperature = saturated fat. When the fryers are turned off at your favorite burger joint, the oil becomes solid as it cools. Below is a table of some foods high in saturated fat:
1 slice Giordano's Stuffed Cheese Pizza = 12 g. sat fat

• 1 Bubba Burger (frozen brand) = 10 g. sat fat
• 1 Slice Giordano's Stuffed Cheese Pizza - 12 g. sat fat
• 1 White Castle Cheeseburger = 3 g. sat fat
• 2 tbs. Sour Cream = 3 g. sat fat
• ¼ c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese = 5 g. sat fat
• 1 Bratwurst, Johnsonville = 10 g. sat fat
• Chicken Alfredo Olive Garden = 48 g. (2 days worth!) sat fat
• 1 tbs. Butter = 7.3 g. sat fat
• 1 Hot Dog = 7 g. sat fat
• Chili’s Boneless Buffalo Wings = 16 g. sat fat
• 1 serving Starbucks Whipped Cream = 7 g. sat fat
• 1 scoop Oberwise Butter Pecan Ice Cream = 16 g. sat fat

It is very easy to over eat saturated fat, especially if you eat out often. To decrease saturated fat in your diet tries these simple tips:

1. Choose low fat dairy products. This includes cheese, shredded cheese, milk, cheese and cottage cheese
2. As temptins as it is, skip the cheese in sandwiches, meat, and sides. Not only will you avoid the unnecessary saturated fat, you will also cut calories by at least 100 per slice of cheese.
3. Limit or completely avoid butter, margarine, Crisco, Lard and other oils or spreads. Choose light versions instead. Consider using County Crock Whipped, Smart Balance Light, Spray Butter, Promise Light or PAM Spray.
4. Ditch the toppings. Limit toppings such as Whipped Cream, salad dressing, Ice Cream, and Cream Cheese. Try fresh fruit or sugar free jelly instead.
5. Limit red meat (including pork) to 2 meals (6 oz.) or less per week. Instead choose poultry, fish and legumes (beans & lentils). If choose red meat, trim all visible fat, and choose lean cuts such as Top round, Flank steak, Bottom round or Pork Tenderloin. Individuals who consume mostly red meat are 30% more likely to die from cancer or heart disease than those who reported eating less. Red meat (including pork) is also associated with a greater risk of heart disease, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and diabetes.

Blog Series: Pro's and Con's of Dietary Fat

3 of 6: Trans Fat - The Ugly Fat

Trans fat has been in the news quite often in the past few years. It seems as though it can’t be eliminated from the food supply fast enough. A small amount of Trans fat is found in the food supply naturally. However, in the 1960’s manufacturers began regularly using Trans fst to prolong product shelf life, improve texture (smooth or crunchy), and produce cheaper foods. A food that highlighted the benefits to manufacturers was the Twinkie! It is cheap, tasty and can sit on a shelf forever.

High amounts of synthetic Trans fat can embed themselves into our cell membranes producing negative health effects. Up to 20,000 cardiovascular related deaths occurred in 2004 as a result of Trans fat. To our body, Trans fat is like throwing a wrench in a smoothly running machine. It increases the risk of chronic disease by disrupting normal body function.

It does not take a lot of Trans fact to negatively impact our health. It only takes about 2 grams (about 2 small paperclips) of Trans fat to jam up your metabolic machinery

Tips to help you decrease Trans fat intake

- Read the label. Trans fat is always listed. The goal is less than 2 grams per day.

- Avoid the ingredient “partially hydrogenated” which is followed by a type of oil. There is a loophole to the labeling rule. If a product has less than 0.5 g of Trans fat per serving, it can be listed at 0 on the label. However, keep in mind that if you eat more than one serving or eat several products with low levels, it is very easy to over consume the amount of Trans fat recommended per day.

Despite efforts to eliminate trans fat, Trans fat is still ubiquitous in the food supply. It may even be lurking in places you never considered such as hard taco shells, fast/restaurant fried foods, margarine, crackers, non-dairy creamer powder, and bakery items.

Fun Fact: In 2005, McDonald's lost an $8.5 million lawsuit for failing to decrease trans fats in their products. $7 million was donated to the American Heart Association and $1.5 million was used to educate the public on the danger of trans fats.

Choosing whole, fresh, minimally processed foods is an easy way to avoid Trans fats all together.

Blog Series: The Pro's and Con's of Dietary Fat

2 of 6: Portion Size

One of the biggest mistakes when trying to lose or maintain weight is eating healthy foods but in large portions. Even healthy foods have calories. Through the years, one of the pitfalls I have observed is overconsumption of nuts, trail mixes, and seeds as meals or snacks. Reasons for choosing larger portions of these items are to increase protein intake and "they are healthy." But this is a misunderstanding.

¼ cup of trail mix = 170-230 calories. And who can eat just ¼ cup?
½ cup of shelled sunflower seeds = 375 calories

The only food category that can be consumed in unlimited quantities is non-starchy vegetables. The more vegetables, the better for you.

When consuming fat, it is important to choose the appropriate portion size to avoid excess calories that can lead to weight gain or a weight loss plateau. The following are each one serving of fat:

1 teaspoon: any oil, mayonnaise, butter, margarine

1 tablespoon: low fat margarine, low fat mayonnaise, regular sour cream, nut butters, regular salad dressing, cream cheese

2 tablespoons: Avocado, half & half/cream, reduced fat sour cream, reduced fat salad dressing, reduced fat cream cheese

6-10 nuts: Almond, cashew, walnut halves, peanuts, pecans
Tip: A serving of nuts will fit into a small mint tin. Try packing a portion of nuts to eat at work. Do not eat these items near an open bag where you can keep going back for more.

8 large olives

Be aware of foods that have hidden fats. Even if the fat is not visible, calories can add up quickly. These include pizza, ice cream, sweets, crackers, cake, cookies, chips, and microwave popcorn.

Tune in Monday 8/1 to learn about harmful saturated fats!

Your Food Choices May Be Costing You More Than a Grain of Salt

The average American gets about 3,400 mg of sodium a day, which is well above the recommended amount of 1,500 mg per day. Consuming this much sodium a day may be easier than you think if you consider that just one teaspoon of table salt has 2,325 milligrams (mg) of sodium, almost 1.5 days worth.

In fact, the vast majority of sodium in the typical American diet comes from foods that are processed and prepared. Examples include bread, packaged pasta/rice dishes, lunch meats, bacon, cheese, soups, snacks and fast foods. Sodium is naturally present in all vegetables, dairy products, meat and shellfish. For example, 1 cup of low-fat milk contains about 107 mg of sodium, contributing to your overall sodium intake.

Beyond the harm caused by high blood pressure, research has shown that excess sodium can be toxic to humans. For example, some studies conclude that a high salt diet might contribute to the following: stiffer arteries which are often the early sign of heart disease, increased calcium losses which could eventually lead to osteoporosis and the excretion of high levels of protein in the urine, worsening kidney damage initially caused by high blood pressure.

Whether you are sensitive to salt or not, most Americans can benefit from reducing sodium in their diet. Reconsider your typical food choices and try some of the following ways to cut back on sodium:

• Eat more fresh foods especially fruits and vegetables, which can balance some of the negative effects of sodium.
• If you purchase processed foods, opt for the low or reduced sodium options.
• Check food labels and limit products that contain MSG, baking soda or powder, disodium phosphate and sodium nitrate.
• Use fresh herbs and salt free seasonings to flavor your food.
• Decrease your use of sodium-laden condiments such as soy sauce, salad dressings, ketchup and sauces

Article published by: Ellen Muhammad, Dietetic Intern

Trying to stop food cravings? Not eating the foods you crave may help, a study finds

by: By Jeannine Stein, Los Angeles Times

The prospect of going on a diet makes many people nervous. Once cravings for verboten foods set in, dieters may fall off the wagon. But a study finds that over time, restricting some foods may tamp down those cravings.

The study centered on 270 men and women who were randomly assigned to a low-carbohydrate diet or a low-fat diet for two years. Those on the low-carb diet were told to limit carbohydrates and eat foods high in fat and protein. Those on the low-fat diet cut back on calories and fat and limited protein to about 15% of calories from protein, 30% from fat and 55% from carbohydrate.

Foods such as jelly that are high in sugar were discouraged on the low-carb diet, and high-carb foods such as bagels were banned on the low-carb diet.

Researchers surveyed participants about how often they craved sweets, high-fat foods, carbohydrates and starches and fast-food fats. Participants also were asked about their preferences for certain foods -- this was used to measure how much they liked the foods that were restricted from their diets.

Conclusion: The findings "demonstrate that promoting the restriction of specific types of foods while dieting causes decreased cravings and preferences for the foods that are targeted for restriction," the authors wrote. That's counterintuitive to what most people think they'll experience when they diet and, the authors noted, could put those dieters' concerns to rest.

The entire article can be found at http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-diet-cravings-20110419,0,3457431.story

How Self Control Works

Brain How Self-Control Works It's a skill, we are learning, that profoundly shapes lives. How does it work? Where does it come from?
Scientific American 4/15/2011 by Dan Ariely

The scientific community is increasingly coming to realize how central self-control is to many important life outcomes. We have always known about the impact of socioeconomic status and IQ, but these are factors that are highly resistant to interventions. In contrast, self-control may be something that we can tap into to make sweeping improvements life outcomes.

If you think about the environment we live in, you will notice how it is essentially designed to challenge every grain of our self-control. Businesses have the means and motivation to get us to do things NOW, not later. Krispy Kreme wants us to buy a dozen doughnuts while they are hot; Best Buy wants us to buy a television before we leave the store today; even our physicians want us to hurry up and schedule our annual checkup.

There is not much place for waiting in today’s marketplace. In fact you can think about the whole capitalist system as being designed to get us to take actions and spend money now – and those businesses that are more successful in that do better and prosper (at least in the short term). And this of course continuously tests our ability to resist temptation and exercise self-control.

The remainder of the article can be viewed at: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-self-control-works

Red Light!

For many eating out has become a regular aspect of life. Busy schedules, fatigue, shuttling kids to and from make eating out even more appealing. However, despite your best efforts to choose healthy items, restraunts are not on your side. Food prepared outside of the home is laden with salt and hidden calories in the form of large poition sizes, added fat and added sugars. To lose weight and improve health the answer is simple, eat out less. And remember, if it is not healthy for you it is not healthy for children either. Just because they are younger and may not struggle with weight, does not mean that these foods do not not have an impact on their present and future health. Check out the caloric content of these "red light" foods.

Chili's
Quesadilla Explosion Salad 1400 calories, 88 grams of fat Classic Turkey Sandwich w/French Fries 1340 calories, 63 grams of fat. Even without the fries, the sandwich has about 1,000 calories!

Olive Garden
Tour of Italy 1450 calories, 74 grams of fat Fettuccine Alfredo 1220 calories, 75 grams of fat Pork Milanese 1510 calories, 87 grams of fat

Applebee’s
Oriental Chicken Salad 1130 calories, 95 grams of fat Three Cheese Chicken Penne 1470 calories, 79 grams of fat Quesadilla Burger WITHOUT fries 1240 calories, 103 grams of fat. Fries add an additional 400 calories

1 Slice of Small (8"-9") Pizza
Lou Malnati's Sausage Thin Crust 240 calories, 15 grams of fat Lou Malnati's Pepperoni Deep Dish 540 calories, 32 grams of fat Papa John's Original Crust Cheese 210 calories, 8 grams of fat Pizza Hut Supreme Stuffed Crust 420 calories, 21 grams of fat

Now you must be wondering "what can I eat?" Check out the blog Thursday for some "green" light options that won't set you back in your weight loss journey! -Mallory Piontkowski, dietetic intern