Break Through Your Diet Rut!

By Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.

Can you relate to this very typical diet story? You start off super-committed and the pounds fly off.  But a few weeks or months later, your enthusiasm and motivation start to peter out, as do the losses on the scale.

If you’re in this boat (or expect to be soon), these weight loss strategies promise to keep things fresh so you don’t lose steam.

Try journaling (not just your food!).  
Keep a special diary to record and process your feelings, challenges, and successes along your weight loss journey. Also jot down the reasons you committed to losing weight in the first place and some of the best “perks” that you’ve experienced so far (maybe it’s an array of complements, or a once-uncomfortable task you can now do with ease).  Re-read your entries often to keep your motivation from stalling.

Micromanage.
Set small goals (i.e., no eating after dinner for a week, or losing 2 pounds this week) and reward yourself after every achievement. Treat yourself to a manicure, a new book, clothes (in your new, smaller size!), a stylish haircut, or another special prize each time you pass another mini-milestone.

Spice up your food. 
If you’re sick to death of oatmeal, tossed salad, and grilled chicken, it’s time for a menu overhaul. Follow these three tips to reignite your taste buds.

• Don’t repeat the same meal two days in a row.
  I can appreciate how easy—and convenient—it is to fall into the same food routine, but that can get old fast. Instead, go out of your way to vary up your breakfast, brown bag lunches, and at-home meals to break through the boredom.
• Buy a healthy cookbook for creative inspiration.
  Work your way through the book one recipe at a time and try all sorts of new, interesting flavors. It’s just like the movie Julie and Julia!
• Experience healthy ethnic cuisine.
  Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, and South American cuisines can be very light and refreshing, and they’re full of delicious flavors and fresh produce. Just choose wisely (no tempura or pasta alfredo, please).

Jazz up your fitness routine.
It may just take some new, high-energy music downloads to rekindle your relationship with exercise. If you belong to a gym but always hit up the same cardio machines, start sampling some of the group fitness classes offered at your club (I promise, you won’t be the only newbie there!).  Or, try taking your workout outside, where you can walk or jog a different route every day. The change of scenery will keep things from getting stale.

Here’s one of my absolute favorite strategies for helping people stick with their exercise routine: buy books on tape (or audiobooks for your iPod) and make a deal with yourself that you’re only allowed to listen to the books while moving (walking outdoors or on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, etc.). As long as you pick interesting books, you’ll be so engaged in the storyline, you’ll actually look forward to working out so you can hear the next chapter unfold!

If all else fails, GO SHOPPING! 
Stand in one of those 180 degree mirrors and really study yourself wearing a smaller pair of jeans. Celebrate your new figure and all the hard work you’ve put into getting to this point.

No doubt about it, losing weight is a struggle at times, but almost every “big loser” will tell you it’s worth the effort. Stay strong and focused…your goal is within reach!

For more info on losing weight and healthy living, visit joybauer.com and follow Joy on Facebook and twitter.

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9 Reasons Your Body Thinks It’s Hungry

By Brynn Mannino, Woman’s Day

A staggering 63 percent of Americans are overweight. The most common cause? We eat more food than we need—and we’re all guilty of doing it: mindlessly munching on a bag of pretzels during a reality TV marathon or treating ourselves to a second helping when the first was plenty. But boredom and indulgence aside, why else are we reaching for a snack when we should feel full? Some of it can be blamed on habit, while other triggers have more to do with our body’s hunger signals. Check out the list below to find out the most common overeating pitfalls and simple solutions for avoiding these traps.

1. You didn’t get enough sleep last night.
Lack of rest stimulates two faux hunger triggers: energy deficiency, to which our natural reaction is to nourish our bodies, and appetite hormone confusion. “When our bodies are drained, levels of leptin—a hormone produced by our fat cells that controls our appetite—decrease, while levels of gherlin—a hormone produced by our stomach that stimulates our appetite—increase,” explains American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Karen Ansel, RD. That’s two hormones working against you. “Getting eight hours of sleep a night is the easiest thing you can do to prevent overeating.” If you do fall short on zzz’s, be sure to load up on nourishing, naturally energizing foods—such as fresh fruit, complex carbohydrates and lean proteins—throughout the day to help your body feel satisfied.

2. You’re taking medication that causes hunger as a side effect.
If you felt ravenous the last time you were taking an antibiotic to tame an allergic reaction, joint inflammation, acne or a bad cold, the medicine may be to blame. “Medication that contains mild steroids, like prednisone, a corticosteroid, ramp up hunger big time,” says Milton Stokes, RD, owner of One Source Nutrition, LLC. “If you’ve already eaten a normal-size meal, ignore the drug-inflated hunger,” says Stokes. Instead, try an oral fix like chewing gum, sipping warm coffee or brushing your teeth, he suggests. If you’re on long-term steroid therapy, consult a dietitian to devise an eating plan that will help you feel more satisfied throughout the treatment.

3. You’re thirsty or dehydrated.
The symptoms of dehydration (sleepiness, low energy) closely mimic those of being overly hungry, which may lead you to think you need food to increase your energy level, explains Sandon. When you’re thirsty, your mouth becomes dry, a symptom that eating will temporarily relieve, notes Sandon. She suggests drinking a tall glass of water or cup of herbal tea before eating and waiting for your body’s hunger signals to adjust (about 10 minutes). “Doing so could save hundreds of calories.”

4. It’s “mealtime.”
As creatures of habit, we tend to eat on autopilot. While some regularity is encouraged so that you don’t become overly hungry, which could lead to bingeing, it’s also important to listen to hunger signals, says Ansel. “Next time you sit down to eat, ask yourself: ‘Am I really hungry?’ If the answer is ‘no,’ either eat a smaller portion or put off the meal for an hour—though no longer than that,” suggests Ansel. This also applies to situations you associate with eating, like flying. “We’ve been conditioned to associate an airplane ride with eating,” Ansel says. The solution: “Pay attention to timing,” recommends Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, assistant professor of nutrition at University of Texas Southwestern. “Know how long the flight is and plan satisfying meals around it.” Also, take advantage of the free (hydrating) beverages, she adds, as the enclosed space leads to hunger-causing dehydration.

5. You just worked out.
We are conditioned to feed ourselves after exercising. And, after a particularly strenuous exercise session like a spinning class or interval-training workout, we tend to feel ravenous. But that doesn’t mean your body needs extra calories. “It means your body needs a specific kind of nourishment,” says Marissa Lippert, RD, a nutrition consultant and dietitian in New York City. Opt for roasted chicken or other lean meats (protein will replenish your muscles) and brown rice or other whole grains (complex carbohydrates take a while to break down) to help your body recover faster and fend off hunger longer.

6. Not enough time has passed since you finished your meal.
You’ve just eaten lunch only to wonder: “Why am I still hungry?” Before you assume you didn’t eat enough, consider that maybe you ate too quickly. “Appetite hormones need time to tell your brain you’re full,” explains Sandon. To prevent post-meal hunger pangs, keep these pointers in mind: Eat slowly, putting down your fork between bites; choose flavorful and satisfying foods; and include a combination of fat, protein and carbohydrates in every meal. If you’re still hungry, try sucking on a mint to ward off your cravings.

7. The women around you are eating.
A joint study out of Duke University and Arizona State University found that women tend to mirror other women’s eating habits. “When one overdoes it, the rest often follow along,” Ansel confirms. To avoid this copycat effect, Lippert suggests taking a quick minute to reassess your own eating habits—or, if all else fails, grabbing a pal and evacuating the scene of the food. A more permanent fix? Be the one who sets a healthy example for your girlfriends to follow. Their waistlines will thank you! “Just as obesity is contagious, so are healthy habits,” says Dawn Jackson Blatner, author of The Flexitarian Diet.

8. You smell or see food.
“We tend to eat with our senses more than our stomachs,” says Ansel. When we smell or see food—even if it’s in a photo, advertisement or TV show—our mouths water, which stimulates our appetite. Onset factors can include smelling a batch of cupcakes baking, seeing snack food laid out on the counter or watching a cooking show. The clear-cut solution: “Out of sight, out of mind.” Leave the room, hide the candy jar, turn off the TV—and the craving to eat will likely subside, says Ansel.

9. You’re stressed out.
“Studies show that when people recognize they’re stressed, they are more likely to turn to high-fat, salty or sugary foods,” says Sandon. “These foods both are comforting and feel good in the mouth,” she adds. But it’s not all about emotional eating. Sandon notes that your body’s chemical reaction to stress could also cause hunger pangs. “Increased levels of the stress hormones cortisol and insulin may be associated with triggering appetite.” Either way, appetite control boils down to decision-making. Before reaching for the ice cream tub, try quickly clearing your mind.

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Vegan Recipe: Apricot Smoothie

BY MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

An apricot smoothie should be pure apricot, with no other fruits to dilute the intense flavor. This smoothie makes a great drinkable breakfast or mini-meal in the afternoon.

3 medium-size apricots (about 6 ounces), pitted

3/4 cup plain low-fat soy yogurt (try Whole Soy & Co. plain yogurt – available at Whole Foods)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon mild honey, like clover or acacia (you can also use maple syrup to stay 100% animal free)

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 or 2 ice cubes

1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend at high speed until smooth. Serve right away.

Yield: One serving.

Advance preparation: Drink this right after you make it.

Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 4 milligrams cholesterol; 44 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 144 milligrams sodium; 13 grams protein

Good luck, healthy girl!

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Junk Food Changes Your Digestion for the Worse

By: Margaret Furtado, M.S., R.D.

The November 11, 2009, issue of Translational Medicine included a research study indicating that eating junk food for even a single day can encourage the growth of a bad type of bacteria in your gut. Compared to our normal intestinal bacteria, this altered bacterium is harmful because it breaks food down more efficiently and thus makes many more calories available to the body, upping the risk of weight gain significantly.

Dr. Jeffrey Gordon at Washington University in St. Louis first gave mice with germ-free intestines a low-fat, high-plant diet, and used genetic tests to confirm that their intestinal bacteria were comparable to those in a healthy human’s GI tract. After a month of eating this healthy diet, half the mice were switched over to a high-fat, high-sugar diet and Dr. Gordon began to reexamine their guts.

He discovered that within 24 hours after receiving the junk food, the intestines of the mice showed increasing amounts of an obesity-causing-bacterium, Firmicutes, and diminished levels of an obesity-preventing-bacterium, Bacteroidetes. And these mice continued to grow fatter even after they were put back on the initial low-fat, plant-rich diet.

The results of this study suggest that eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates such as sugar and corn syrup, as well as fatty foods like those served in fast-food eateries, might significantly up your chances of increasing the numbers of obesity-causing bacteria in your gut.

The moral is, if you want to have healthier, more “weight-friendly” bacteria in your intestines, those that can help you maintain a healthy weight, then eat mostly whole foods such as vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fresh fruits, and nuts and seeds (but eat these last two in moderation, given their higher caloric density).

You may even want to consider taking a probiotic or a healthy-bacteria supplement. Why? The human body is composed of about 10 trillion cells, whereas the GI tract contains 100 trillion bacteria–10 times more bacteria than human cells! Therefore, if your diet is lacking and you feel you could be eating healthier, consider supplementing your diet with healthy bacteria. (Be sure to check with your health care provider before starting any regimen, even an over-the-counter pill.) A daily probiotic supplement can ensure that your GI bacteria will be helping, not hindering, you and your weight as much as is possible!

Good luck, healthy girl!

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Naughty & Nice: Cheese Puffs

Many women will agree (in secret) that guilty pleasures can be as salty, fattening, sweet (and as embarrassing) as Cheetos Puffs.  They’re cheap, they’re easy, and they remind us of our childhoods before dieting and responsibilities.

NAUGHTY: Cheetos Puffs

In just 1 oz, you’ll consume 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 370 grams of sodium, and a bunch of different oils and salt mixtures you can’t even pronounce.

NICE: Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar (not vegan)

Ditch the super guilty treat for this much healthier version.  Pirate’s Booty in 1 oz has half the fat and sodium and fewer calories.  Plus it’s made with only all natural ingredients, so you won’t be putting harmful chemicals into your body along with the cheese!  Pick some up at your local Whole Foods.

Good Luck, Healthy Girl!

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