Diet and Nutrition

Alternatives to Alcohol

The following question is one that I am asked often:

“How can I avoid alcohol when dining out, whether for business or pleasure?”

It is a good question to ask, because gram for gram, alcohol is as calorie dense as a fat gram. Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig customers know that a glass of wine is endearingly referred to as “two fats”, or two fat exchanges. It can be tough to stick to that plan when dining out, as one glass inevitably leads to two, which can often lead to lack of good judgment in food choices.

Therefore, the most successful dieters avoid alcohol while they are focused on their goal, and it’s easier to do this than you think! We’ll show you how.

* For a lunch date or business lunch where everyone is expected to have a drink, order a virgin bloody mary, no salt. Count it as a veg serving!

* For a cocktail party or pre-dinner drink with friends, order a club soda, splash of cranberry, squeeze of lime. It looks like a popular drink, called a cape cod, and no one but you and the bartender will know it is alcohol free.

* For dinner itself, as a substitute for wine, ask your server for a new product called “dry soda”. This is a food-friendly soda with negligible calories, invented by a woman here in the Pacific Northwest. Faced with the problem of not being able to drink wine with dinner while pregnant, she designed a beverage that enhances food, like wine does, but without the alcohol or calories. With flavors like kumquat, rhubarb (my favorite!), lemongrass and lavender. Any cuisine can find a dry soda to compliment their wine list.

*Bring a bottle of non-alcoholic wine and pay a corkage fee. More and more, people are bringing in their own wine to restaurants, so don’t hesitate to do so. The corkage fee can range from zero to twenty-five dollars, but it’s worth it to sip decent wine in great crystal and not feel like you are being left out of the conviviality of the meal. A great non-alcoholic (n/a) wine to look for is Inglenook’s Cabernet Sauvignon. As well, many new flavored waters are packaging in wine-looking bottles. Bring what you want to drink, and enjoy!

*Reward yourself later, with a cup of your favorite hot tea or fat-free hot chocolate. Patting yourself on the back for a good decision is one of the best ways to make sure you continue to do so.

Happy Spring!

Posted on March 8, 2024 by Gretchen

Biggest Loser: Episode 10

Once again I’m going to cut straight to the chase. For the first time in this season of Biggest Loser, I was so completely sad over the person who was eliminated. It was my Cry of the Week, watching the elimination. It seems as though anyone who knows Bernie would say that he’s the nicest person they’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. How many people can you say that about who you’ve never actually met. He’s funny, genuine and kind. That guy never gave less than 100% the entire time he was there. Bernie looks amazing now and I’m anxious to see how he continues to shape-up at the finale.

As soon as the blue team lifted their first plate to reveal Bernie’s name- I knew it was done. Thankfully, after last night the blue team doesn’t exist anymore. Neither does the black. In yet another dramatic beginning to the weigh-in, Allie told us that what she was about to say would transform the entire course of the game. Don’t we hear that every week? She didn’t lie, everything changed last night. No more teams. Everyone weighs in as individuals now. And that yellow line? Oh, it’s back!

I really enjoyed last night’s episode. More so than last week’s tear-soaked man-show. It was actually light-hearted, fun and it moved quickly. Thanks to the Writer’s Strike we get two-hour episodes, which I enjoy, but sometimes they get a little long.

A lot happened last night, so here’s a run down of my favorite snippets:

– Wanna bet a dollar we see a book from Roger? Publicists everywhere were watching the show last night when he was visiting with season two’s Dr. Jeff learning healthier food options for football parties. “I might just write a book about the healthy way to tailgate.”

– All of the contestants went back to meet with the doctor they saw episode one. Everyone is healthy! Blood pressures are down, sleep apnea is near cured, and one of the most exciting revelations was for Kelly. She’s battled with infertility and weight can certainly be something that doesn’t help that cause. She has so far exceeded their recommended weight by 38 pounds- meaning her chances of conceiving and carrying a baby have increased 10%. Amazing news!

– Roger hit the 100 pound mark! He’s lost 104 pounds to date.

– The temptation, I thought, was pretty cool. Let’s not only tempt with candy, but let’s make it feel like gambling with a vending machine. All but two players won 1 pound passes for the weigh in, Dan won the most money with $9500 (and ate the most calories!), and Kelly near puked on TV. I thought it was a bummer that they didn’t share what they won/lost.

– By letting Mark go home last week and not Roger, Black team felt like the Blue team just handed the game and the $250,000 to Roger. We’ll see.

– For winning Biggest Loser of the Week last week, Bernie earned the right to give immunity to any one player except himself. He chose Brittany, his teammate since day one. The last team to be on the Biggest Loser campus. They hugged. She cried. And it’s for that reason that I give not one, but two, Quotes of the Week, to my pal Berndana (that and I have a crush on him)…

“It’s not rocket science when you’re dangling 500 feet above a ravine,” during the challenge, dangling 500 feet above a ravine, educating us on not looking down.

“The next time you see me, it will be modeling on the cover of your favorite magazine,” during his after-the-show Biggest Loser transformation.

Posted on March 5, 2024 by Natalie K

Baby food as diet food?

The latest craze to hit Hollywood is noshing on baby food to keep calories low, portions in control and ingredients pure. I must admit, this trend sounds a bit bizarre at first, but then again, we are talking about Hollywood where boundaries are known to be pushed when it comes to keeping the pounds off. Aside from dining on spoonfuls of mashed peas and blueberry delight as a way to stay lean, baby food is great to add to recipes that require pureed or mashed food (think ginger squash muffins or sweet potato scones). Pureed vegetables and fruits are also great substitutes for fats and sweeteners in many recipes, plus they deliver vitamins and fiber, too. It may cost a bit more to grab a few jars of baby food, but you save on time. When you’re clock-pressed, this kitchen secret is a stand by. Learn more about the Baby Food Diet here.

Posted on March 4, 2024 by heather

The Geek Diet

Do you know more about gigabytes than healthy bites? The Geek Diet may be right for you. Do you know more about your iPod than a pedometer? Then the Geek Diet may be right for you. Before I get on a Jeff Foxworthy-like rant, let’s take a look at what makes this diet what it is.

The Geek Diet isn’t really about what you eat, but how you eat your food. Author Mark Faithfull’s mantra is this: “effective long term weight loss is about psychology not biology – we lose weight with our minds not our mouths.”

The book’s title is a nice marketing angle, but anyone can enjoy the read and take something from it. You might think there are complicated scientific formulas, but nothing as complicated as quantum physics. In fact, it’s elementary, my dear. Faithfull opts out of giving menus, stating that it gets more complicated that way. You’re given some basic rules that he says are easier to handle. Here’s a little more on the principles behind The Geek Diet.

Posted on March 4, 2024 by Jason

Schools Trick Kids With Healthier Foods

There’s an interesting initiative in West Virginia to combat child obesity. Schools are trying to sub healthier versions of the usual junk food they serve. It’s well intentioned, but it’s not without critics, since some think that kids will grow up not knowing how to make healthy choices when an adult isn’t tricking them into eating healthier.

Posted on March 3, 2024 by Jason

Another candy holiday?

Maybe it’s just me but it appears that in the past years, most of our holidays have turned into candy holidays. It used to be that Halloween, Easter and a Valentine’s Day box of chocolates were the holidays that we often celebrated by relishing in a chocolate candy heart or a caramel-filled egg. Not only have these three traditional candy holidays turned full throttle in their assortment of every kind of candy on the market wrapped up in festive packaging, but Thanksgiving, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, and the Fourth of July have also joined the bandwagon. I don’t remember eating red, white and blue Blow-Pops growing up, but come mid-June, they are a ubiquitous item in candy aisles with kids (and even adults) sucking on them as they fire up the barbecue.

Don’t get me wrong, I am about as happy as a kid in a candy store when I’m in a candy store, but I think our preoccupation with and overindulgence in sugar is something to look at as we read the daily health headlines that provide ongoing evidence of the increasing waistline in this country’s childhood and adult populations.

Posted on March 3, 2024 by heather

I’m not afraid…

…to admit that writing for this blog is self-motivating. I’ve always been one to practice what I preach, so a few weeks ago I made the personal decision to give vegetarianism a try. I’m a lacto-ovo vegetarian, and can I share with you, it is a lot easier than I thought it would be!

I’m all about the well-stocked pantry, and one of the things I’ve discovered is “dry curd” cottage cheese, aka ‘farmer’s cheese’. At only 70 calories and almost no fat (per 1/2 cup), but with nearly 20 grams of protein, I have found my new favorite “super food“.

A little research showed me that the reason why the curds are “dry” is that no additional cream is added after fermentation. This also reduces the lactose, for those who are sensitive, and its crumbly texture is perfect for tossing with pasta (whole grain of course!); or, do like I did, and sprinkle over fresh baby spinach with chopped walnuts, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Yum!

My pants are already loosening up at the waist, my digestion has improved, and the recipe possibilities are endless. Check back often for more great pantry tips and recipe ideas.

Posted on March 3, 2024 by Gretchen

Bob Greene’s Super Foods

Any healthy diet should include a rich variety of foods from all groups to ensure you’re giving your body all of the nutrients it needs. Bob Greene, creator of the Best Life Diet, recommends these five Super Foods. He says while all foods provide vitamins and minerals, these little gems should appear on your plate as often as possible.

 

1. Olive Oil
Ditch your old cooking oil and switch to Olive Oil. It can raise the good cholesterol and lower the bad cholesterol, has a light and delicious flavor and can be used to cook nearly every meal you make. Request your food be cooked in olive oil at restaurants.

2. Soy
Countries like the U.S. who eat an animal-fat rich diet are more likely to have cancer. Soy is an ideal source of protein, is easy to prepare and can take on the flavor of anything you want. Best of all, it can decrease your chance of heart disease or cancer.

3. Mushrooms
Grill them, bake them, put them in a soup, pasta, salad or kabob- any way you slice them, mushrooms are good to eat and good for you. They are packed with antioxidants, potassium and Vitamin B.

4. Walnuts, almonds and nut butters

While the calorie count might be high in nuts, they offer healthy fats, protein and fiber. Eat a handful of nuts as a snack or enjoy an almond butter sandwich for lunch. You’ll be amazed at all the nutrients such a small food can provide.

5. Eggs

The egg is one of the most versatile foods and has been one of the most controversial. No longer is the egg our enemy. Eggs promote eye health, contain 6g protein, 9 amino acids and 5g of “good fat”, actually work to prevent stroke and heart disease and provide Vitamin D.

Learn more about Super Foods from the original Super Foods list from Dr. Steven Pratt.

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Natalie K

25 Most Outrageous but popular Diets

Maybe we knew it all along that our diet was destined to failure because of its sheer ridiculousness: The Subway Diet, the Cookie Diet, the Cabbage Soup Diet. But in a recently published article, 25 of the most popular diets are analyzed for their nutritional content, staying-power and promised results to show just how far we diet-obsessed Americans will go to lose a few pounds. For many of us, I’m sure we can check a few or even more of these 25 diets as “Yep, I’ve tried that one. And that one too.” For some, maybe they worked, even if just temporarily.

Some clearly require the will-power of a military general (the Master Cleanser) and some promise a cancer-free life (the Macrobiotic Diet). But all of them have one thing in common: They all strive to be the one end-all-be-all way for you to lose weight. Maybe I could eat three Subway sandwiches every day for the next 6 weeks to lose weight, but once that 6 weeks is up, what do I eat? More sandwiches?

Interestingly enough, the one diet that research shows to have long-lasting success stories is Weight Watchers, because it lays out a way of eating for life and it forces you to look at some of the underlying issues in your own personal life that may be thwarting your health goals.

Check out the 25 Diets article and tell us what you think. If you have tried one of these diets, let us know what your experience was with it.


Posted on March 1, 2024 by heather

6 New Diet Review

This week, Diets In Review added six new reviews to the list. Check these out and see if one is right for you. If you’ve already tried it or have experience with the program, we encourage you to leave a comment here or at the review.

DineWise
DineWise is a meal delivery service bringing healthy meals right to your door, and doing it a bit differently than some of the other guys. You can personally customize each meal based on dietary needs or likes and dislikes, and each menu item is designed by professional chefs.

IntelliTrim
IntelliTrim is a diet supplement pill that actively blocks fat. The company shares its research for the effectiveness of the product and how the active ingredient prevents the body from absorbing fat cells.

Acai
This berry is native to the Amazon and is a powerhouse of nutrients. In addition to a rich flavor, Acai provides antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. It’s listed as one of the 10 Super Foods and can be a healthy supplement to naturally energize.

Calorie King
You won’t find a better resource for giving you the calorie counts and other nutrition facts for more than 11,000 foods. Everything from pantry staples to restaurant menu favorites can be found at Calorie King. It’s worth bookmarking and using its many other features like recipes and community support.

Valerie Bertinelli: Losing It
In January, Valerie announced that she had exceeded her weight loss goal with the Jenny Craig program. This week, she released her book “Losing It”, sharing her experiences and giving like-minded dieters inspiration.

Zinera
This new diet pill says you’ll be “zinergized” by its 40 ingredients. With all recognizable ingredients like vitamins, calcium and green tea, Zinera claims to boost metabolism, squelch cravings and help you better manage your weight loss.

The Baby Food Diet
Leave it to Hollywood to dream up another fad diet. Starlets are eating little jars of baby food as small meals and snacks to stop cravings. While they are packed with nutrients and no preservatives, can it really provide an adult healthy weight loss?

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Natalie K

1,000 More Fruit Stands on New York Streets

File this one under government working well for the public… The city of New York is taking an initiative to put 1,000 fruit and vegetable stands in lower income neighborhoods. Obesity effects everyone, but especially poorer people, because they tend to buy cheaper processed and fast foods. And, people in general these days are living busy lives and eat on the run. If a fruit and vegetable cart is on the corner as you’re walking to your apartment, you have no reason not to pick up some produce on your way. As they say, you can only lead a horse to water.

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Jason