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.

________________________________________________

Sally Squires: Welcome to the Lean Plate Club! Look for things to get a little nutty since the FDA approved a qualified health claim for nuts last week.

________________________________________________

Sally Squires: Apropos of the discussion about nuts--and other healthy fats--the freebies this week are:

User's Guide to Good Fats and Bad Fats by Marie Moneysmith (Basic Health; $5.95)

Others are:
Beyond Gumbo: Creole Fusion FOod from the Atlantic Rim by Jessica B. Harris (Simon and Schuster; $27)

Ten Minute Workouts by Chrissie Gallagher-Mundy (Cassell; $14.95)

Ten MInute Agni-Ageing by Erica Brealey (Cassell; $14.95)

You know the drill. Inspire us with a way to fit in more physical activity into daily life. Share a great recipe that is also of course, healthy. Tell us how you managed to keep a slip from turning into a slide. In other words, regale us, inspire us, inform us. And yes, one of these volumes could be yours. Winners are announced at the end of the chat. And our offering does not in any way endorse any particular book, weight loss program or exercise regimen. It's merely meant to be informational as you instill healthy eating and activity habits.
Now on to the chat...

________________________________________________

Reston, Va.: Hi Sally-

Through the Lean Plate Club, I learned about the South Beach diet and have been on it for 4 weeks now (currently in phase 2). I have lost 10 pounds and feel great (inside and out)! Question- I have been eating for breakfast every morning 1 cup of either Uncle Sam's cereal or All Bran Extra Fiber (with 3/4 cup skim milk). Though these do supply a good amount of fiber, I am having difficulties with "irregularity". Any helpful hints? Thanks! P.S. I love the Lean Plate Club- its awesome!

Sally Squires: Hey Reston: Thanks for the update about your preogress progress with the South Beach Diet. Since the Lean Plae Club took a look at South Beach a few weeks ago, it's been really interesting to hear the reaction to those following the program.

Congratulations on the 10 pound loss. Very impressive. And you're doing it at what is considered a safe rate. Hints for your irregularity: drink lots and lots of water and boost fiber as much as possible I believe that you can choose berries as fruit during phase 2. They're really high in fiber. Current recommendations are to eat somewhere between 25 to 35 grams a day of fiber, which most people don't eat. If you can get to those levels, I'll wager that you'll find some relief. Exercise may also help.

Let us know how you do.

________________________________________________

Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: I'm pretty good at eating healthfully and exercising regularly. One of my problems is the occasional "pig-out"--like eating cereal straight from the box, etc. Not junk food, but just for the sake of volume. How can I try to control this? I think by doling out portions I subconsciously get resentful that I can't just "eat what I want." Thanks so much for your column and chat!

Sally Squires: Thank you, Dupont. There can be many reasons behind "pig outs." Especially the ocassional ones that you describe. First, take a look at what precedes your over indulgence. Have you been particularly restrictive in eating that day? In other words, eliminate "really" hunger. Two: track your emotions. Did you reach for the box of cereal because you felt down? Happy? Tired? Frustrated? Bored? Angry? Stressed? Only you can pinpoint if you are eating for emotional reasons. Three: Look at what you're eating. If you have not gotten enough of varied nutrients, you could also be eating because of a real need for something. Finally, how did you decide how much you should or should not eat? General rule of thumb is to multiply your weight times 10. That will give you a rough basement number of calories. So if you weigh 120, your starting intake is about 1,200 calories per day. Add anywhere from 20 percent more (sedentary living) to 80 percent (for a really, really active life.) And yes, that's just to stay even, not to try to lose any weight.

Let us know what happens.

________________________________________________

Horseheads, NY: Now for the Pecans for the Spiced Pears:

Candied Pecans
1 pat butter + 2 tblsp. Beau Brummel (sp?);
1/2 cup Splenda; 1/2 teasp. ground cinnamon; 1/4 teasp. cayenne pepper; 1 pinch salt; 1 egg white; 3 cups pecan halves. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter/BB in saucepan over med-low heat. Stir in Splenda & spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 min. Mixture will look crumbly (but mine didn't).Remove from heat & cool 10 min. Best egg white by hand in large bowl until frothy. Beat in Splenda mixture. Stir in pecans to coat well. Spread on single layer of lined baking sheet; bake about 20 minutes.
Remove, cool 10 min. & break up clumps. Cool completely. Store in airtight container for up to 6 wks. or freeze up to 3 months.

Sally Squires: Hey Horseheads! This sounds really great. Reminds me of a can of pecans that a friend from Louisiana gave us last Christmas. They were delicious. For those who don't want to use the subgar substitute, Splenda, you could use regular sugar. After all, it's only half a cup.

And when eating nuts, don't forget that dicing and slicing goes a long way towards great flavor with fewer calories. For example, I take two pecans and dice them over cereal or salad. They taste great and eating them this way adds only minimal calories. Thanks for the recipe!

________________________________________________

Takoma Park, Md.: Is there any way to dry roast nuts so that some of the oil is removed?
If so, who makes these kinds of nuts?

Sally Squires: Hey Takoma: I don't think you have to worry about this. Here's why--The folks at the International Tree Nut Association, Dr. Alice Lichtenstein at Tufts and the USDA website all show that nuts are so high in fat that they don't absorb more from roasting in oil. Thus, oil roasted or dry roasted doesn't make any calorie difference. If you're roasting nuts yourself, you could simply pat with a paper towel if you're really concerned about the added oil.

________________________________________________

Alexandria, Va: I recently decided that I am not getting enough fruits and veggies so on Saturday mornings I have started to walk from my apartment (around the king st. metro) down to the farmer's market at the market square in old town. I then buy some fruit and so forth for the week and then walk back home.

Sally Squires: Great idea Alexandria. And you illustrate a "two-fer"--you get exercise and get what you need for food. A win-win situation. Great going. Hope you're enjoying all the wonderful produce now in season. Also for those of you who don't live near the Alexandria farmer's market, recent LPC electronic newsletters have linked to other farmer's markets in the region and even to a site where you can find farmer's market's while traveling. I'll try to dig out the link and get it to Eleanor, our intrepid producer to see if she can post it during the chat.

________________________________________________

For Restonian on SBD: I also did SBD and had/have a salad every day at lunch time. Every day. It would be far cheaper to bring it from home, but then variety may be a problem (I'm not terribly creative) and time is not on my side. I'm lucky to work near a whole slew of restaurant and usually eat at Wendy's, Chicken Out, Panera, or Baja Fresh, but just about every where you go you can get a salad. (I'm not too keen on the McD's salads though - not sure what it is, they're just off a bit). Good luck!;

Sally Squires: Thanks Reston for the update on your experience with South Beach. And by the way, thanks to all you volunteered to test the McDonald's salads last week. I'll be sending out the coupons later today with a short survey form.

________________________________________________

Chantilly, Va: Sally,

What kind of foods are fibrous carbs and which are the bad kind of carbs ? I can never remember the good stuff.

Sally Squires: Hey Chantilly: You're not alone in this. It can seem kind of complicated sometimes. Reach for fruit and vegetables,w which have complex carbs (and often come with fiber too.) Next, think whole grains. In crackers, WASA, Ryvita and even Triscuits (although they're higher in fat than the other two) are a couple of choice. On the label, look for whole grains as the first ingredient.

Whole grain cereals: shredded wheat, Cheerios, Medley by Kashi, Grape nuts, raisin bran generally have whole grains. More processed cereals: sugar puffs, etc--generally don't. Wild rice, brown rice, popcorn are also considered good complex carbs.

________________________________________________

Takoma Park, Md.: Hi Sally,

Great column today on nuts. What about other seeds? I love sprinkling a few sesame seeds or poppy seeds on fish or chicken before cooking them. It's a great nutty flavor without as much fat or calories!

Sally Squires: Hi Takoma: Sesame seeds are also pretty good sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. They have other benefits too including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, folate and potassium. One teaspoon has about 15 calories and 1 gram of fat. One tablespoon has about 47 calories, 2 grams of protein and 4 grams of fat, less than 1 of it saturated. Poppy seeds are pretty similar to sesame seeds according to the USDA website.

________________________________________________

Washington, D.C.: Do you know where I can find out what the nutrient -- specifically, fat -- content of sushi is? I absolutely love sushi and usually have it for lunch once a week, but I just want to find out what kind of fat content I'm dealing with here so I can plan the rest of my food choices around it (or have it less frequently). Thanks!

Sally Squires: Hey DC: You could look up the individual types of fish on the USDA website.

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

I just put in bluefin tuna. Three ounces has 122 calories;4 grams of fat. I'm guess that a piece of sushi would be about 1-2 ounces. So you'll have to get our calculator, I'm afraid. The seaweed wraps should be minimal in calories. The rice is in small portions, I'm guessing about 1 Tablespoon each, not a lot of calories. Hope that helps.

________________________________________________

Cheverly, Md.: We have been using Smart Balance spread for awhile and am wondering if it is as healthy as advertised considering that it has palm oil. Although it does not contain any trans fatty acids and is non-hydrogenated.

Thanks, Janet

Sally Squires: Hey Cheverly: Check out this site for more information on Smart Balance products which were developed by researchers at Brandeis University. Generally, it seems to rank pretty well among the spreads. Of course, these are fats, but they have a lot of good fats. Don't worry so much about the palm oil. It's likely there in minimal amounts if the label says no trans fats and nonhydrogenated. Here's the link:

www.smartbalance.com/main.html

________________________________________________

Virginia: I was very interested to read about the new laproscopic band surgery in the paper this morning. I am 5' 6" and weigh 230 pounds, and I'm definitely one of those who is good and consistent about watching what I eat and exercising. I just can't seem to take the weight off. Do you or any of the LPCers know where I can more information about the procedure?

Sally Squires: Hi Virginia: Here's the link for the American Bariatric Surgery Society. www.asbs.org/
The Food and Drug Administration, www.fda.gov may also hvae some information. And CBS's 48 hours did a round-up on lap bands Saturday night. As you know, this surgery is not without risk. You might also be inspired by another piece on the 48 hours show about Drew Negroponte, owner of several very fancy restaurants in NYC. He shed more than 100 pounds without bariatric or lap band surgery.

________________________________________________

Groton, Conn.: I'm a week old South Beach diet person and lost 7 lbs the first week. It's interesting how one can get so filled up on veggies in good sauces.

Here's a recipe I found that my friends loved. It's a little spicy, but great tasting. If one wants it a little mellower, leave out the cayenne pepper.

Spicy Grilled Chicken

2.75 lbs Chicken Pieces (boneless will do, but can use pieces with skins)

1 tbls Coarse Black Pepper
1 tsp Paprika
.5 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tbls Garam Marsala
2 tsp Ground Cumin
2 tsp Dried Oregano
.5 tsp Salt
1 Crushed Garlic Clove
3 tbls Vegetable Oil (can use Canola or Olive Oil)
2 tbls Lemon Juice
2 tbls Plain Yogurt

Combine all ingredients and rub on chicken
Grill 10-12 minutes

Sally Squires: Hey Groton: Thanks very much for this recipe! It sounds delicious. And congratulations on your success. Keep up the good work and let us know how you do. Way to go!

________________________________________________

Laurel, Md.: A whole-grain suggestion: try using hominy as a starch base for soups/stews/casseroles. In the summer I use canned (white or yellow) and add some chopped tomatoes, onion, spices and some other vegetable (green beans work well) and simmer on the stove top until it is warm through. This doesn't take long and doesn't heat up the kitchen.

Sally Squires: Hi Laurel: Thanks for the reminder that hominy is indeed a whole grain and good choice. Good suggestion for the steamy days ahead! Thanks!

________________________________________________

Washington, D.C.: I was doing real well at exercise and eating right and then hit a slump where I wasn't doing so great. I was stuck there for a few weeks but have found a new way to help keep me on track. My best friend is also trying to lose weight, but we live too far apart to exercise together, but now we email each other daily about how we are doing - what are out goals for today, how well did we meet yesterdays goals, etc. And that helps keep me focused.

Sally Squires: There you go, DC! Necessity is the mother of invention, as they say. This is a great idea. Thanks for sending it along. And good luck with your efforts. Sounds like you're heading back on track.

________________________________________________

Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally,
I just moved into a new apartment and felt like the change of address could also lead to a change in eating habits i.e. I'll declare my new place a (relatively) fat-free zone or something. I think this is a good idea, but worry that the stress of moving will hinder my ability to follow through with my new health plan. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks! Love the column!

Sally Squires: Hey DC; COngratulations on your relocation. Moving is indeed one of life's most stressful events, so I understand your concern. But now that you've relocated it's a great time to stock up on healthy stuff. And since a new home often means housewarming gifts, why not let your family and significant others know when they ask that you'd appreciate anything along those lines. I can imagine a popcorn popper, a George Foreman grill, a wok, a healthy cookbook, and a whole variety of things that could really make your new digs fun and your keep your eating very healthy!

________________________________________________

Horseheads, NY: Here is a dessert recipe we adapted this week (from the local paper) and loved. It's Grilled Spiced Asian Pears with Blue Cheese and Candied Pecans. Note that it calls for Asian pears which were $1.99 apiece; next time, I'm trying domestic pears. I'll send another submission for the pecans.

4 Asian pears; 1 pat butter + 2 tblsp. Beau Brummel (sp.?) all melted; 1/8 teasp. Chinese 5-spice powder. Garnish:
Wedge of blue cheese (4 oz.); 1 cup candied pecans (see below)

Heat grill to med-high (275-400). Slice pears from stem to bottom into 1/2 inch slices. Combine melted butter and 5-spice powder. Brush liberally on both sides of sliced pears. Grill pears 3 minutes on one side.Turn and grill another two minutes. Fan slices on a platter and serve with the wedge of blue cheese and candied pecans.

Sally Squires: Thanks Horseheads. I guess that the pecan recipe came through first. This sounds really delicious and it's filled with nutritious stuff: healthy nuts, at least a serving of fruit and even some calcium in that blue cheese. Yum. Thanks again!

________________________________________________

Arlington, Va.: Help! I love to eat. I've always been thin, but lately I've been getting a little bulkier than I would like. But, I've been having an awful time cutting down on what I eat, so I've been trying smaller techniques--avoiding sour cream at Mexican restaurants, ditching the mayo for my sandwich, drinking diet instead of regular soda. Am I fooling myself by taking the easy way out, or could this actually make a difference? I'm still feeling chunky. Thanks!

Sally Squires: Welcome Arlington! You're going to find a lot of company here. Yes indeed small changes can help you get back in line. Take a look at next week's Health section for some really inspiring tips from other Lean Plate Club members who have done just that: used small changes to catapult themselves forward in a big way.

Of course, you need to fit this into a reasonable lifestyle. In other words, no sense going without the sour cream if you're have huge portions of other food at the Mexican restaurant. And sure, avoiding the mayo saves some calories, but you also have to take into account the size of sandwich that you're eating. Drinking diet soda may be the best strategy especially if you're downing a lot of regular soda. And as you focus more on reducing your chunkiness, also think about getting more physical activity. Remember: it's calories in versus calories out. Plus, the weight will likely come off faster with more activity and you'll likely feel better too. Let us know how you do.

________________________________________________

Vienna, Va: Sally,

I've read your chats for a while and am impressed with all the good eating habits and tips. However, I've found that exercise and some weight training, (even for us females) helps complete the circle and helps accelerate the weight loss process.

Sally Squires: Hear, hear, Vienna! Absolutely right on. Exercise and weight training and I'd add flexiblity and stretching too, are great for all ages, all fitness levels and both genders. Well said. In fact, we've covered some of these very topics in previous LPC columns, which are archived at www.washingtonpost.com/leanplateclub

________________________________________________

Washington, D.C.: My peanut butter ingredients include partially hydroginated oil, but the label says no trans fat, does that mean that the partially hydroginated oil is such a small amount that it doesn't add trans fat??

Thanks!

Sally Squires: Yes indeed. That is exactly the case. Same is true of some healthy margarines that also list partially hydrogenated fat in the ingredients, but have minimal amounts of trans fat on the label. Message is to read those nutritional labels like a hawk, as you clearly do! Thanks!

________________________________________________

Pittsburgh, Pa: Sally,

Aside from eating the right foods and exercise, I'd like to stress that losing weight is a simple matter of burning off more calories than you take in. You know, you can eat too much of the good stuff as well.

Sally Squires: You bet, Pittsburgh. That's why we emphasize moderation in all things and encourage boosting activity in all kinds of ways. Thanks!

________________________________________________

Fairfax, Va. Weight Watcher: Hi Sally-

I just wanted to let you know how helpful your weekly chats/columns/newsletters are. Thanks for supporting us all in our weight loss/fitness journey.

I also wanted to say that I have been following the Weight Watchers plan for 9 weeks now and I have lost almost 13 pounds! I feel great. People are starting to notice, which is always nice to hear. And the plan is pretty easy. My husband has lost almost 9 pounds and he isn't even going to meetings. Healthy eating has a way of rubbing off on the family (especially when you only buy/cook healthy items!)

And finally, a hint: We have found that Morningstar Farms Recipe Crumbles (in the frozen foods) is a great substitute for ground beef. Just add taco seasoing, sloppy joe seasoning, chili fixings, etc, and you will hardly notice the difference. And you increase your soy protein. Win-win!

Sally Squires: Hey Fairfax: Congratulations! Very impressive indeed. Keep up the great effort and thanks for the Morningstar suggestion. Sounds really good. Boca also makes some good "ground meat" substitutes. And ground chicken breast is another good choice for those tacos. Thanks!

________________________________________________

Virginia: Hi Sally and LPCers--
I am trying to eat more fish and trying to branch out from salmon. But I'm having trouble figuring out which ones are low cholesterol but also not high in mercury (or metals, or whatever it is that is dangerous)? Can you give me four or five types?
Thanks!;!;

Sally Squires: Hey Virginia: You've come to the right place. Check out the April 29, 2003 column at www.washingtonpost.com/leanplatclub

Also the David Suzuki Foundation has some very good information about fish. www.davidsuzuki.org
Other sources include:
www.epa.gov.

Since 2001, the FDA has advised children, pregnant women and women who want to become pregnant not to eat any shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish. (A safe intake of seafood for pregnant women and children is about 12 ounces of other fish per week, the FDA says.)

By the way, sardines are a great choice.

________________________________________________

Fairfax, Va: Sally,

Have you noticed that DQ has posted the calorie content for its products ? You can really blow a day's worth of calories in there.

Sally Squires: Hey Fairfax: No, I haven't noticed that. But let's give them kudos for informing the consumer. And look for more ice cream news this week as a consumer group lists it's latest round-up just in time for summer treats!

________________________________________________

Takoma Park, Md.: Clarification about roasting nuts --
I meant is there any way to roast them so that some of the oil found naturally in the nuts comes out?
I was assuming that "dry roasted" meant you didn't add any extra oil to the roasting process.

Sally Squires: Hi again, Takoma. No, none that I am aware of. But I'll check with the International Tree Nuts Association to be sure and report back in the next electronic newsletter.

________________________________________________

Horseheads, NY: Sally, they are great, especially because just a few go a long way. In case you didn't get it, here's the first part of the recipe that we adapted from the local newspaper for Grilled Spiced Asian Pears with Blue Cheese & Candied Pecans.

Slice up 3-4 Asian pears (1/2 in. thick) from top to bottom. Melt 1 pat butter and 2 tblsp. of Beau Brummel. Add 1/8 teasp. of Chinese 5-spice powder and brush onto pears (ea. side). Grill (med-high) about 5 min. turning once. Fan slices onto platter and serve with a 4 0z. wedge of blue cheese and the candied pecans.

Sally Squires: Thanks Horseheads!

________________________________________________

Chevy Chase, Md.: Is there a nutrition guide that explains how to combine foods according to your weight range (eat a certain number of grams of protein with a certain number of grams of carbohydrates, etc.) so that with each meal or mini-meal or snack you can achieve the right balance and be sure to not go hungry between eating as you lose weight? I first heard about this technique from someone who saw a naturopath in Arizona and now I have lost the contact information.

Sally Squires: Hey Chevy Chase: There are a variety of things out there that sound like this. The Eades have a book that talks about percentates. The Zone is somewhat similar. I'm not sure if these are what you mean. I think that Suzanne Somers does some of this in her books.

________________________________________________

Alexandria, Va.: I'd like to addressed one issue seldom addressed when anyone talks about weight loss, etc. That is the effect of age on weight loss. I am 56, exercise at the gym for 2 hours 3 times a week (religiously - 1 hour and 10 minutes on the treadmill, and 50- minutes of lifting weights), follow a healthy diet (Weight Watchers), and in the past year I have lost maybe 10 pounds. What's up with that? My doctor says there is "nothing wrong" with me - thyroid, etc. But I cannot believe that such an effort can result in almost nil in terms of weight loss. From looking at me, you'd think I spend my time pigging out and never exercising..... Got any ideas?

Sally Squires: Hey Alexandria: Those gym sessions are great. So is your healthy eating. But what are you doing for the other 22 or 23 hours of your day? If you're leading a sedentary life like most of us, you may not be getting much other activity. And how heavy are those weights? Most people don't lift enough, according to William Kraemer chair of the Human Perfomance Lab at the University of Connecticut. If you don't gradually boost your weight lifting, you'll get aerobic benefits, but not necessarily more muscle.

Consider tracking your other activity. Even think about a pedometer. You might be surprised at the results. But congratulations on those 10 pounds. You're going in the right direction, albeit more slowly than you'd like. And that's better than putting on 10 pounds in a year. Keep up the good work. Do let us know how you progress.

________________________________________________

Sally Squires: We're out of time folks. Thanks everybody for a great chat. The winners this week are: Horsehead, Alexandria, Groton and DC (who is using e-mail to get back on track.)

Please send me your snail mail address to squiress@washpost.com.

Look for some nutrition news this week on ice cream and margarine. Until next week, eat smart--and of course, move more--with the Lean Plate Club. Cheers!

________________________________________________

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

________________________________________________