Lean Plate Club

Welcome to The Lean Plate Club, hosted by Washington Post health and nutrition writer Sally Squires. On Tuesdays at 1 p.m. ET, Sally leads a discussion for people who want to eat healthier, move around more and otherwise get better but not bigger. We're not about fad diets or crash weight-loss plans; we're about eating wisely and living healthy for the long haul.

We want to hear from you -- your tips, strategies, meal plans, successes, warnings, setbacks and more. Of course Sally will be happy to answer questions, and turn others over to the Club. None of this, of course, is a substitute for medical advice.

Sally Squires has covered health and nutrition for The Post since 1984. She holds masters' degrees in nutrition and journalism (both from Columbia University), is co-author of "The Stoplight Diet for Children" and covers heart disease, cancer, psychology and many other health topics in addition to nutrition. She usually eats a salad for lunch, sits unluckily close to the Health section's legendary cookie depository and (for this phase of her ongoing battle of the bulge) swears by "The Firm" series of exercise tapes.

Health section editor Craig Stoltz will join Sally sometimes. Stoltz has none of Sally's impressive credentials but labors under a decade-long medical directive to control his weight and eat wisely, takes a statin to lower his blood cholesterol and keeps track of everything he eats on a Palm handheld computer, a fact most of his acquaintances no longer find interesting.

Sign up for the free Lean Plate Club e-mail newsletter.

A transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Sally Squires: Welcome to the Lean Plate Club!

Today marks two years of instilling healthy eating and physical activity habits. So of course, we're eager to hear how your latest efforts are going.

As we head into a third year, know that the Lean Plate Club remains dedicated to giving you the tools to take back control of healthy eating and boost physical activity. LPC is not about dieting but instead is designed to help you achieve a healthy through smart choices. There's no one diet for everyone. No one way to exercise, and of course, no one way to success. In today's Lean Plate Club column, you'll be inspired by just a few of the members who have found that small changes in healthy habits can add up to big payoffs. Thanks to all the members out there who continue to inspire us with their efforts and to all the experts who have given so freely of their time in helping to get the best and latest findings to you.

To celebrate, there are a number of give-aways today:


American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide by Robert Larson Duyfe, MS RD (Wiley; $24.95)

Denise Austin Digital Fitness Scale

The Ultimate Ride: Get Fit, Get Fast and Start Winning with the World's Top Cycling Coach by Chris Carmichael with Jim Rutberg (Putnam;$24.95)

Yoga on the Ball by Carol Mitchell (Healing Arts Press; $18)

When Life Changes or You Wish it Would by Carol Adrienne, PhD. (Quill; $12.95)

Here's the deal: tell us how you're managing to eat more healthfully and to move more throughout the day. Give us a great new resource to help instill healthier eating and exercise habits. Share a recipe. Tell us about a delightful food you've found (And yes, we're looking for recipes, foods and beverages that are also healthy.) Do that, and one of these items could be yours. Please note that in making this offering, we are not endorsing any product, book, weight loss program or exercise regimen. Winners are announced at the end of the chat.

To celebrate LPC's second birthday, today there are also two dozen Five-A-Day cups showing portion sizes for fruit and vegetables. They go to the first two dozen members who e-mail me at leanplateclub@waspost.com. Please put 5-a-day cup in the subject line and include your snail mail address.

If you're interested in subscribing to the weekly, electronic Lean Plate Club newsletter, there's an official way to sign up for this free service. Log onto www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/email/front.htm. Please let me know if you have any trouble subscribing at leanplateclub@washpost.com and please put "trouble subscribing" in the subject line. By the way, questions that don't get posted during the web chat because of time constraints are often used in newsletters. The newsletter is sent out Tuesdays at mid-day.

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Sally Squires: Now, on to the chat and the beginning of a new year of healthy habits!

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Dear Sally
Congratulations on your two year anniversary.
I would like to thank you for all the encouragement I have been inspired by your column for the last 20 month and have lost 65 lb and still going. I too could not walk more than 5 min when I started after a long illness and a large weight gain I am now working out 5 days a week at the gym 35 min on treadmill and weight lifting and eating healthy Thank you so much for your weekly column Good luck for the next 5 years.

Sally Squires: Hey Gaithersburg: Way to go! For all those people who say that weight gain is inevitable or that it's impossible to achieve a healthy weight and keep it off, you and other members continue to prove them wrong. Thanks very much. Continued good success to you and thanks for the inspiration.

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Marblehead, Mass.: Not a question, just a plug for a great site I found for vegetarians: www.fatfree.com. Naturally, the recipes tend to be low in fat.

Sally Squires: Thanks, Marblehead. It looks interesting. Here are a couple of others to add to the list:
www.vegetariantimes.com,
cgi.fatfree.com/cgi-bin/fatfree/recipes.cgi
www.vegsource.com

Of course, reducing fat helps cut calories, but some fats--including that in fish, canola, olive oil, avocados, nuts,etc.--are healthy. Last week, a new study helped confirm that "spreads" such as Benecol and Take Control can help lower cholesterol as much as some statin drugs. And of course, they're fats too. So as the saying goes, everything in moderation....

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Silver Spring, Md.: A suggestion: I used to grab a muffin and coffee if I was out of the house on errands past lunch time. To improve my diet, I purchased a cloth lunch bag with a cold pack. Now
I take along an individual serving of low fat cottage cheese and some fruit; melba toast or other low fat crackers.
This helps me stay on a healthy eating program. Teresa

Sally Squires: Way to go, Silver Spring. That is indeed a healthy habit. As I was bringing my breakfast and lunch into work this morning, I had a quick conversation in the elevator with a colleague. We agreed that once you get into the rhythm of packing food for the day, it's really not hard. And it gives you a great way to eat healthfully--and control costs. In short, a win-win. Plus I'll immodestly say that I can usually manage to pack better tasting food than what I can buy (except at some of the really fancy restaurants, of course.)

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Bethesda, Md.: A quick question about the article Nuts to Us. It seems to me that 1/3 cup would hold less then 30-36 almonds, and that also at 7 calories a piece, 250 calories would be a lot for a snack, when you are counting calories although you did mention in the article that you should subtract other food. Who can stop at 36 almonds?

Sally Squires: Hey Bethesda: That 1/3 cup is about an ounce and a half.

But you can check this nut--or any other food, for that matter at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's web site.

www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl

And you're absolutely right about nuts being calorie dense. As Alice Lichtenstein, PhD. from Tufts said last week in the Lean Plate Club column, it's extremely important if you add nuts to be sure to subtract some other food. Unless, of course, weight gain is your goal.

Who can stop at 36 nuts? Well if you dice those nuts, you can make them stretch a lot farther and still have some great flavor. Consider dicing or slicing and then measuring out small amounts to top salads or morning cereal, for example. You get taste with fewer calories. But yeah, if you're sitting at bar having a drink and going through handfuls of nuts, it can be pretty hard to stop at 36.

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Reston, Va.: I have been reading about the benefits of soy so I took the plunge and bought vanilla soy milk. I love it and wanted to share a treat with you all. I used to eat ice cream every night but have found that if I put berries in a bowl and pour the soy milk over it, I am filled and it satisfies my sweet tooth!!

Sally Squires: Hey Reston: There certainly can be a lot of benefits with soy. And it's great that you've discovered a new food you really enjoy. Sounds like you've found a smart substitution that works well with your preferences and habits. Great going!

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Isla Del Sol, Fla.: I take vitamins to keep in good health, but I have no idea of how many and in what strength. Is there an ideal list and if so where can I find it? I would prefer to get their benefit from food instead of pills.

Is that a good idea?

Sally Squires: Right on, Isla. Your instinct is a good one. Most of the studies showing benefits from vitamins and minerals point to food as the prime source of those benefits. And in recent months, a few studies have prompted some experts to reconsider who should--and shouldn’t--be taking multivitamins. It's complicated and the experts are still sorting it out. In the meantime, a couple of things that do seem wise for now: if you're male adult or a woman post menopause, you may not need a supplement with iron. If you're past 50, the National Academy of Sciences says that vitamin B12 is a good idea, since the stomach is less able to produce acid that helps break down this vitamin from food. If you fall into that age group, the recommended dietary allowance is 2.4 micrograms per day.

Also, most people fail to get enough calcium daily because they neglect to eat enough dairy products. So a calcium supplement may also be a good idea.

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Takoma Park, Md.: Hi Sally,
About a year ago I started following the LPC way of life -- portion control, move more, try new fruits and veggies. It paid off -- and I'm 75 lbs. lighter, and feel so much better for it.
One of the things I found helped was still letting myself have small amounts of foods that are traditionally "off-limits." A sprinkling of blue cheese, a few chocolate chips, even a slice of pizza or a couple french fries now and then. It really keeps me going, and I don't feel like I'm depriving myself. It really is all about moderation! Thanks for the chats, and here's to a great 3rd year of LPC ahead!

Sally Squires: You inspire us, Takoma. You're another example of how making small changes can really pay off. Big time! Congratulations! Very, very awesome.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Congrats on LPC's 2nd anniversary! Here's hoping for many more. It's a great tool in my fight to get/stay slim, and I am always happy for Tuesday to roll around, so I can get my weekly dose.

This past week, I cooked a huge pot of green beans to eat with meals and as snacks, as I'm trying to drop those last 5 lbs to goal. (Green beans and other non-starchy veggies are -0- points on the Weight Watchers plan, and can be eaten any time.) I like mine cooked the ol' Southern way -- with a ham hock. Well, under the circumstances, that was out, so I tried something else: I got two huge smoked turkey wings from Whole Foods and cooked the beans with 'em.

I'm telling you, that pot of beans turned out great! The wings didn't add that much sodium, and so I added some "No-Salt" to get enough of a salty taste. I also added some pepper after cooking. There was a little fat left behind in the beans, but not much, and I was able to skim some of it out after refrigerating the batch.

And, I got a bonus, to boot -- the 2 wings yielded about 7 ounces of meat, w/o skin, which I chopped up and added to a reduced-fat macaroni 'n cheese casserole. The turkey gave the casserole a wonderful flavor! I had to restrain myself from eating more than one portion. It was that good.

Hmm. I think I'll make another pot 'o beans this week . . .

washingtonopost.com: Lean Plate Club: Two Too Good (Post, July 29)

Sally Squires: Thanks Gaithersburg: The beans sound wonderful. And I'm convinced that they are a healthy, great tasting food, filled with complex carbs, protein, fiber and yes some protein. They're cheap. They're versatile and if you buy them canned, they can even be a "fast food." Just rinse well to help lower sodium.

Good luck with your continued efforts. Sounds like you're really close to that goal.

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Somerville, Mass.: My tip for more activity in my day:
When we moved to two story upstairs apartment, I tended to put off trips to the basement or the upstairs. I decided I needed a new strategy to get moving. Now as soon as I think of something that has to go upstairs or downstairs I move it right away.

This means more stair climbing in my day! I also get the additional benefit that things get put away more quickly.

Sally Squires: Hey Somerville: This is a great suggestion and a wonderful example of lifestyle activities--just the thing for boosting exercise throughout the day. It's this kind of tip that we all have to remember to help us keep moving more throughout the day. Thanks very much!

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Alexandria, Va.: Sally- love these chats!; How much better for you is Soy milk than cow's? They claim to have more calcium but how much truth is there to it? I have been buying soy lately and I would like to know if I'm really getting the benefits.

Sally Squires: Alexandria: Let's go to the USDA database...When I look up soy milk, it says that there are only 10 milligrams of calcium per cup--that's far lower than the 301 milligrams listed for a cup of skim milk. Clearly, your brand of soy milk has added calcium. So you're going to read the label and compare to a similar amount of skim milk in the grocery. You may only see percentages listed but that should give you a good comparison if you look at similar amounts, e.g., that one cup.

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Baltimore, Md.: Congratulations on your two year milestone! I've enjoyed your chats for a while but was never able to take the leap and put it all into practice. I'd been unemployed and was at home noshing all day. I also ate very little veggies. Fortunately, last month I started a new job and decided to overhaul my lunches. Now I pack lunch everyday and take a sandwich and a large green salad. I make my own salad dressing with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and ground black pepper. I've found that not only is the salad delicious, but it really fills me up, AND I feel great that I'm eating fresh veggies. I think this is a change that I can stick to. My next step is to have a salad with dinner too.

Sally Squires: Hey Baltimore: Congratulations on that new job and those new habits. You are definitely on a roll. The thing that always surprises me is what wonderful flavors a very hearty salad can have. It can be a real joy to eat. Sounds like you've discovered the same thing. Thanks!

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Springfield, Va.: Hi Sally, This isn't a question either, but hope it's helpful....I just returned from a trip to Hawaii and I'm hooked on fresh pineapple. Two great ways to enjoy it are to slice it in one inch sections and lightly grill it on the bar-be-que. Then coarsely chop it and combine the pineapple with 2T lime juice and 2T finely chopped red onion. Add a sprinkle of salt. Another way I like it is to combine fresh pineapple chunks with some fresh ginger, a little salt and sugar, some cilantro leaves and a small red chili pepper finely chopped. These are both great with grilled chicken or pork. Enjoy!;

Sally Squires: Hey Springfield: Pineapple is a great idea. One cup is just 75 calories. It tastes great. Can add lots of flavor to all kinds of food and also provides a good slug of potassium and lesser amounts of a lot of other minerals and vitamins including vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C. There are also a couple of grams of fiber.

Thanks for the suggestion. (And the trip to Hawaii sounds great!)

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Somewhere, USA: Sally, thanks for the inspiration! Can you give me a few ideas for smoothies? I want to try this as an alternate "dessert." Thank you!!

Sally Squires: Boy, can I give you some ideas for smoothies. And there's also a smoothie video. Not only can you get great flavor and mouth feel (similar to what you'd get for ice cream), but you can make them cheaply and quite healthfully at home. You need a blender of course. I use a cup of yogurt (plain for me; vanilla for my son who likes things a little sweeter.) You can choose nonfat, low-fat or regular depending on your nutritional needs and preferences, but you'll get less saturated fat with the nonfat and lower fat varieties.

Now here's the fun and creative part: you can use any fruit you want. I usually toss in a banana and then some berries. If you use frozen fruit, the smoothie gets cold faster. You need about a cup of fruit besides the bananas. But again, there's room here for creativity depending on how thick you want this to be. Add about a cup of ice. You can also add some flaxseed or wheat germ. You can other flavorings: almond extract, vanilla. Whatever.

I happen to love raspberry smoothies. But my son favors cherry. Both are made with unsweetened or fresh fruit.

Here's the other secret: the longer you blend these, the more volume they have and the more they will fill you up.

Bon Appétit!

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Alexandria, Va.: Thanks for the smoothie suggestion you posted a couple of weeks ago. I tried it and am substituting it for my after dinner ice cream fix in the summer. Last night, I made a watermelon smoothie and it was great.

Thanks for the suggestion and for helping us all kick a couple of bad habits!

washingtonopost.com: Lean Plate Club Video: Smoothies (washingtonpost.com, July 29)

Sally Squires: You're quite welcome Alexandria. A watermelon smoothie sounds wonderful and refreshing. I also have them for a lunch or breakfast on the go. Glad you enjoyed it.

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Reading, Mass.: Hi Sally and happy birthday to the LPC!

One change I've made is to eat breakfast. I never used to like to eat until at least 10 AM but about a year ago went to a nutritionist who told me to eat by 7 every day. It was a struggle at first but now is automatic. The five meal theory certainly works and is a good way to plan meals/snacks for the day while keeping the metabolism up and running instead of letting it snooze.

Sally Squires: Thanks, Reading!

Breakfast is a really important meal. In fact, it's one of the habits that successful losers in the National Weight Control Registry practice every day. These are folks who have dropped significant amounts of weight--around 50 pounds--and kept it off for at least 5 years. So you're on to a really good thing. Thanks!

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Ashburn, VA. : 10 Tips that have helped me lose just over 30 pounds:

1. always take the stairs
2. park my car far away! (this also prevents unwanted door dings!)
3. Do bicep curls with my heavy grocery bags
4. Take my dog for at least 2 thirty min. walks per day
5. learn to love running and the peacefulness of running alone. I get most of my projects done in my head during this time!
6. eat everything in moderation!
7. put veggies in everything I can. (mix with pasta, put on pizza, sandwiches, etc.)
8. FRUIT smoothies! Frozen berries, bananas, and skim milk make a great snack!
9. Bring my lunch to work
10. say NO to coffee and soda and say YES to water!

There are a zillion more, but these are the ones that really made a difference in my life. Many thanks to your column for the wonderful advice!!

Sally Squires: What a great list of wise, but simple, habits, Ashburn! Thanks very much and congratulations on losing those very impressive 30 pounds.

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Somewhere, USA: When I am craving a Mexican treat and want to avoid the chips and cheese I brown ground chicken with an onion, jalapeno, garlic clove, cumin and chili powder. Then either scoop it up into a leaf of lettuce with a dollop of pepper jack and home made salsa or I mix in a half cup of brown rice scoop it into a green pepper, top with pepper jack and bake. Tastes BETTER than dry taco seasoning, low in salt and carbs. Even eating this with baked chips is healthy. For home made salsa cut up tomatoes, onions, hot pepper of choice and season - Yum

Sally Squires: Great ideas, somewhere. I also love black bean dip. Drain a can of black beans. Place in blender. Add a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Some garlic or garlic powder, a few jalapeno peppers or red pepper flakes, a couple of tablespoons of orange juice. Salt and pepper as desired. Mix and voila! Thanks for your suggestions!

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Arlington, Va.: Hi Sally,
I've been exercising regularly for years (lost 30 lbs. this way almost 6 years ago and kept it off!). I'm getting married in about 6 weeks, and I've got so much on my plate that my workouts are suffering. My normal schedule is cardio five days a week, weights 3 days. I'm finding that I can only get to the gym 3 days a week b/c I'm so stressed and busy. I'm worried about weight gain right before the biggest day of my life! If I keep up the intensity of the cardio for my sessions, and do the same weight routine in 2 days instead of 3, will I be okay? Or should I just try to fit in my normal schedule no matter what? I will definitely keep a closer watch on my eating. Any thoughts you may have are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Sally Squires: Hey Arlington: First deep breath. Remember, this is one of the biggest days of your life. You're in love. You're about to embark on a new chapter of your life. This will all work out whether you workout as regularly as you'd like.

To avoid stress eating, do keep track of what you are consuming. Grant yourself three healthy meals a day. Eat some protein, some healthy carbs (whole grains) and yes some healthy fat at each one. Make sure you have healthy snacks handy for those super stressful moments.

If the gym isn't fitting exactly into your schedule, then take walks, as short as 10 minutes. It will help clear your head, help you breath slowly again and probably take the butterflies out of your stomach. And hopefully make you less likely to overeat. Can you schedule your gym workouts with a friend or your fiancé(e)? It'll do you both good, I suspect.

And be sure to get enough sleep. Yeah, I know that probably sounds impossible. But it will likely help keep your stress level down, and your appetite in check. Nap if you have to. And order out if you have to. But choose wisely. Reach for fruit, vegetables, salads, soups, fish, low fat dairy. And easy on the portions. Look for ways to ease your stress. You'll make it. Celebrate! Best wishes! Let us know when you're back from your honeymoon.

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Washington, D.C.: Sally, orange juice in your black bean dip? Really? okay... you haven't steered me wrong yet...happy bday!

Sally Squires: Oh, yes indeed. It is delicious. And if you don't want to try that, consider the orange champagne muscat vinegar at Trader Joe's in place of the balsamic. Yum!

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Mountain View, Calif.: For the person last week who talked about "pigging out" eating cereal straight out of the box -- that sounds just like me! In addition to Sally's great suggestions, here are a few things that helped me:

- Eat a bigger breakfast: this really cut down on the "munchies" for me.

- Measure and write it down: Don't deprive yourself of that cereal, but promise yourself that you will pour it into a measuring cup and count how many cups you consume. I'm much more likely to stop after a half cup, rather than consuming half a box this way.

- Develop a taste for a higher volume, lower calorie cereal like Puffed Kashi. You can still get the "mouth feel" of eating a lot, while consuming less.

- Wash and cut up fruits and vegetables so that they are ready to "grab and go" just like the cereal.

- Even if you "pig out" once in while, don't get discouraged -- just get right back on track.

Sally Squires: Well said, Mountain View. Sounds like you have really managed to change some important habits that might have been derailing your efforts. Measuring food and recording it also serves another important purpose: it helps slow down eating. It's hard to gobble something mindlessly if you force yourself to measure it out.

Thanks!

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Hi Sally, I am not good at winning stuff but I would like to get a 5-a-day cup. Can you tell me where they are sold? I could really use one of those. I do aim for the recommended 5 - 9 fruits & vegetables per day for myself and my husband (who has high blood pressure and weighs too much) but I have no idea how close I get to it on any given day. Thanks for sharing this great gadget with us.

Sally Squires: Hey Gaithersburg: I don't believe that they are sold. They come to us courtesy of the National Cancer Institute's Five A Day program. I've got a small stash and will fill as many requests as I can (without an assistant.)

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Boyds, Va.: Sally:
Congratulations on the 2 year anniversary. I look forward to your column and chats weekly and learn something new each time I log on. It has helped me maintain my healthy weight but also get me "re-jumped" when I'm not feeling much like exercising or eating well. Everyone's stories are inspiring.

Did you hear about the study written up in JAMA last week regarding the plant based diet, with soy, nuts, fiber and plant esters (Benecol/Take Control spreads) that lowered cholesterol as well as statins. It was done by the University of Toronto. The web site www.almondsarein.com has recommendations on incorporating this into your diet as well as a link to the write up.
Also, I'd like to recommend a personal recent purchase. A book called "From Asparagus to Zucchini" which is published and sold by the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition (www.macsac.org). A wonderful 200 page book for folks like who garden or like to purchase local farmer's market goods and then need help with how to prepare them (or use the abundance of them in the case of zucchini). I'm not connected to them in any way, just heard about the book from a local CSA.
Hope we are all here next year to celebrate #3!
Take care everyone!

Sally Squires: Thanks Boyds. I did read the study, which was quite interesting and confirms some previous work. The book sounds great. Thanks for the good wishes and the tip.

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Falls Church, Va.: Sally,
I'm eating 3 peaches a day lately: they are just SO GOOD! Besides vitamin C, do peaches contain significant amounts of other vitamins? Any vit. A (from the orange color)? or potassium? I run ~4 miles a day, and need potassium, but don't like bananas at all....

TIP: if you have a peach that's slightly lacking in flavor, try sprinkling a bit of brown sugar on the slices of peach. Really will perk up the flavor. But August is peach month, so I don't anticipate that being a problem much....

Sally Squires: Hey Falls Church: Let's go to the database...One medium peach has 42 calories, 2 grams of fiber, about 5 milligrams of calcium, 193 milligrams of potassium, and 524 IU of vitamin A. By comparison, one medium banana has about 470 milligrams of potassium. Thanks for the tip!

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Maryland: healthy food substitutes:

make a 3 egg omelet with 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites, and a sploosh of fat-free half-and-half. Cook in a good pan with a quick spray of olive oil.

take a good look at how much simple carbs are in your diet (pasta, rice, potato, etc). High in calories, causes spikes in blood sugar, easy to overeat. It's hard at first, but if you give them up entirely for a few weeks, you'll be happy with a taste now and again. Nowhere is it written that a steak has to be served with a starch - try it with fresh fruit instead (like the grilled pineapple!)

Feel free to snack if you want to - I realized that I simply like to nosh. Now I do it with fruit instead of popcorn or other prepared foods.

Make smart choices. Once I finally realized that thinner people DO exercise and DO watch what they eat it got a lot easier for me.

Sally Squires: Well said, Maryland! And you're right, there are all kinds of "unwritten" rules that can easily be broken. Thanks!

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Fat Question: Sally,
If we are supposed to consumer 20-30% of our calories from fat, does this include saturated and unsaturated? Or just unsaturated?

Sally Squires: The recommendation is to keep saturated at 10 percent or below of total calories. Another way to put it: try to limit saturated and trans fat to 20 grams or less per day. As for percentages of other fats, that's under debate. American Heart Association says total fat could be somewhere between 25 to 35% of total calories. Others say aim for less than 30%. Hope that helps.

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Washington, D.C.: A side dish I really like to make that also incorporates black beans and orange juice is "refried" black beans -- all it takes is a couple of cans of black beans, a sautéed onion, a couple of chopped up chipotle peppers (found in the Mexican aisle at Harris Teeter) and OJ and a little water-- it is awesome, really. Just smash it all up and cook until the liquid reduces.

Sally Squires: Great suggestion, DC. One tip: look for refried beans that don't have lard, a saturated fat. I'm pretty sure that the Trader Joe's (and suspect Teeter Harris') fit that bill of being lard free. Thanks!

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Connecticut: I need some motivation or maybe someone else's solution to my problem. I think I eat fairly well, overall, and I exercise a decent amount.
I find myself stymied by work though. I cannot seem to keep myself from eating out of boredom. It's very frustrating to me b/c I feel like all of my other weight-loss efforts (I am always and have been for a years a fairly constant weight, I'd just like to lose a few pounds to where I was 2 summers ago) are being negated by the fact that I'm constantly hungry at work.
I've tried everything I can think of. I've played games with myself about waiting 15 minutes before eating. I drink water constantly, which only makes me have to pee more since I'm drinking over a liter a day (sometimes 2). I tried gum and lifesavers as a means of temporary distraction.
It's not working! How do I keep control of this calorie-sabotaging habit? HELP!!!

Sally Squires: Hey Connecticut: We're really short on time, so this will be brief. Make sure you are eating enough at meals to keep you full. Consider some high volume snacks: soup, cereal, smoothies. Aim for about 100 to 200 calories. Plan them for a time of day when you are likely to be bored. Don't do anything else but eat them and consume them slowly, really focusing on every bite. Water is good, but research suggests that it doesn't necessarily help you feel full. That's why water filled foods: fruit, soup, etc. can be better choices. And then try distraction. Can you take a walk, call a friend, write an e-mail, walk the stairs, or do something else when you're bored instead of eat? Good luck. You're not alone in this. Let us know how you do.

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Laytonsville, Md. Veggie: Congrats on 2 years.

On the subject of using soy milk, I get the kind with B12, extra calcium with vanilla flavoring and use it with my morning decaff coffee. It can be frozen with berries/fruit and makes the best soy ice "cream" I still freeze lowfat, no sugar yogurts for a treat (100 calories or less!) or the soy ice "cream" and then I use them as ICE blocks to pack my lunch, which I have now at my desk.

My other trick has been to always exercise, weight lift, or swim before any meal. Today it was a walk around the building at noon. I'll swim tonight.

I do have a question-- the South Beach diet has so much meat and I don't eat it. Someone said that using vinegar/lemon juice with the beans, legumes slows down their digestion. And that having some protein (tofu, soy patty or egg whites for me) with each meal slows the digestion process to keep the hunger pangs away. Is there any truth in this concept of having a protein or/and an acid slows down digestion?
Thanks again for answering our questions!

Sally Squires: Hey Laytonsville: Thanks! I haven't heard about slowing digestion in this manner. But it is true that having mixed meals will help smooth the glycemic index of foods. IN other words, if you eat a single food: a potato, for example, versus a potato with a meal, you'll get a different level of blood sugar. Having mixed meals helps moderate the blood sugar and insulin response. Hope that helps.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally,
Wanted to say that I love this chat, also wanted to tell you how I solved a problem I had with my pedometer. I started wearing a pedometer last spring and made sure I never went under 10,000 steps. Well, I got a little too obsessive and kept trying to beat my record each day. When I hit 40,000 I also suffered a stress fracture of my foot so really had to slow down. I still managed to get the 10,000 but kept ratcheting up as my foot got better. My husband suggested that when I reach 30,000, I take it off. I don't have to stop walking however, but no longer am clocking my steps! It seems to be working. Given that I can't be the only obsessive person out there, I just thought I'd submit this for what it's worth.

Sally Squires: Sounds like you've got a very helpful and wise husband. Thanks and good luck with your efforts. You are indeed logging some impressive distance!

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Sally Squires: Thanks everybody for a wonderful chat and for all the inspiration, tips, recipes and more over these past two years. You all make my job very easy. It's always hard to choose winners, but this week they are: Silver Spring for the lunch suggestion; Baltimore who has recently found employment and new habits; Takoma Park for a very inspiring weight loss, Ashburn for a great list and Connecticut who is struggling with boredom.

Please e-mail me your snail mail address to squiress@washpost.com and please put winner in the subject line. For the cups, please email me at leanplateclub@washpost.com and please put 5-a-day in the subject link. Don't forget to include your snail mail address. Until next week, eat smart and move more with the Lean Plate Club. Cheers!

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washingtonopost.com: That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.

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