Confused about nutrition? Wondering how to fit in more physical activity? Welcome to the Lean Plate Club. Ask Sally Squires, nationally syndicated Lean Plate Club columnist for the Washington Post, about eating smart and moving more every Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET. Sally draws upon her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University to preside over the lively Lean Plate Club web chat. Whether you're trying to reach a healthier weight or simply maintain it, you'll find plenty of tips and strategies.

Share your own food finds, creative workouts and secrets for healthy, great tasting meals. We'll cheer your successes and help with your setbacks. (None of this, of course, is a substitute for medical advice.) E-mail Sally, author of the newly published Secrets of the Lean Plate Club (St. Martin's Press) at leanplateclub@washpost.com.

Or just sign up for the free Lean Plate Club e-mail newsletter. The Lean Plate Club column appears Tuesdays in the Washington Post Health section and is nationally syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group. Find other Lean Plate Club members at www.frappr.com/leanplateclub.

The Archives:

Sally Squires's Recent Columns

Discussion Transcripts

A transcript follows.

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Sally Squires: Welcome to the Lean Plate Club! I'm coming to you today from sunny St. Petersburg, Florida.

The e-mail newsletters should be in your electronic in-boxes right now. (If you'd like to subscribe to this free service, you can sign up at the www.leanplateclub.com.) And if you have subscribed and don't receive your e-mail newsletter, please let me know at leanplateclub@washpost.com. (Last week, we had some major technical difficulties transmitting the newsletter last week. They seem to now be resolved.)

If you get a chance, I hope that you'll post comments on our Web site to the LPCers who have been keeping video blogs of their progress on the Holiday Challenge. These are updated regularly and will continue to be until New Year's Day.

Also, next week, the Health section goes "dark" for a week, but you'll be able to read the Lean Plate Club online on Tuesday.

And look for a new feature coming in January: Successful Losers. If you are one -- we're looking for people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least a year -- we'd love to hear from you. E-mail me at leanplateclub@washpost.com

Prizes this week are some new cookbooks from Williams-Sonoma. Winners will be announced at the end of the chat. And as always, we're looking for smart ideas to eat healthfully, move more and get through the holidays unburdened by extra pounds. By the way, the activity goal this week is to take three, 10 minute walks daily in addition to whatever other activity you are doing.

Now on to the chat!

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Meerkaterpillars Holiday Challenge: Hello from our team of Holiday Challenge participants. We are five women aged 31-50 who live and work in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Each week I request everybody's weight via e-mail and update a spreadsheet and graph. Starting with the weekly Lean Plate Club e-newsletter, I then compile a little newsletter of our own with the week's Holiday Challenge goals, other tidbits and general snarky remarks. For example, today I included a link to an article with the breaking news headline of "Women prone to stress eating during holidays." Duh. I think we already know that.

Anyway, I include the graph in the -mail so that each person can see how she's doing relative to the others. (Note, there are no numbers on the graph, just color-coded lines for each participant, as well as an average of us all.) I'm happy to report that our average has varied less than a pound from week to week and is currently exactly the same as when we started.

Thanks.

Sally Squires: Way to go Baltimoreans. Sounds like you've really got this down to a science. I see some future video bloggers for next year's Holiday Challenge. Thanks very much for weighing in. Continued success with your efforts.

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St. Paul, Minn.: Hello Sally,

You've mentioned Stash Creme Caramel tea a number of times recently, and I would like to try it. Where have you been able to find it? Thanks so much!

Sally Squires: I find it at our local grocery, which of course could be kind of a long trip from Minnesota! (I've also seen it in Trader Joe's.) But you can buy Stash online as well. We'll post a link in a minute. Could be a great stocking stuffer.

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Raleigh, N.C.: Happy Holidays, Sally! I'm determined that 2007 will be the year I slim down and get healthy. I'm already off to a good start, getting up every morning at 5 to exercise, and someone has recommended "Volumetrics" to me for an eating plan. The LAST thing I want is another fad diet. What do you know about Volumetrics? Is it worth checking out?

Sally Squires: Volumetrics is definitely not a fad diet. It is written by Barbara Rolls, PhD., of Penn State University. Rolls is frequently featured here on the Lean Plate Club. Her research shows that by eating food with lower energy density and higher volume food -- that is soups, stews, salads, etc. -- you can feel fuller on fewer calories. She has also published "The Volumetrics Eating Plan." Both, by the way, are also mentioned in "Secrets of the Lean Plate Club," a volume written by me with help from all of you!

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washingtonpost.com: Stash Tea

Sally Squires: Here's the site to buy Stash tea.

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20008: Over the last six weeks I've lost about 5 pounds or so mostly by watching what I eat (I'm pretty good about working out). I'd like to lose another 5-10 but lately I'm finding that the willpower and focus that seemed to come so easily before has all but disappeared. I understand that plateaus are normal and that this being the holiday season doesn't help my cause, but I'm starting to feel really disappointed in myself. I know one or two cookies won't make or break my efforts, but at the same time, I also know it's a slippery slope and that it's all too easy to add back those couple of pounds (and maybe plus some!). So I guess what I'm asking is, how do I get back my resolve and motivation and more important, stop feeling so down about the whole situation?

Sally Squires: That's great that you trimmed 5 pounds! And give yourself an extra gold star, because you've been losing weight during the holidays -- a notoriously difficult time to shed pounds. In fact, it's so tough that I'd say, put any notions of further loss on hold until the New Year. And if you can, stop being so hard on yourself.

Let me hasten to add that weight maintenance still doesn't give you license to load up on lots of Christmas cookies (and other holiday fare).

But you could just use these next two weeks to maintain your weight -- that's always a good thing -- and start planning how you want to tackle weight loss in 2007. So maybe you want to start exploring some new cookbooks to try healthy new recipes (not a bad holiday gift idea either!)

You might also invest in some measuring cups and perhaps a kitchen scale.

You're already working out, which is great. But how can you hone those workouts? Or perhaps you want get some new workout gear. You get the idea. Ease up a little. Give yourself a refreshing break and start thinking of the weight loss log and other tools that you can have in place when you return to your efforts full time in the New Year!

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Dallas: Thank you, Sally, for all your advice every week. It has been such a great help to me.

I am a diabetic staying well controlled by eating low-fat, high-fiber and watching the carbs.

The last two blood checks (three months apart) have shown slightly high potassium levels and my doctor has given me a sheet of foods high in potassium. I am to limit myself to ONE SERVING of ONE of these foods each day.

This sheet (of which I can only have one serving a day of one of them, remember) includes 1 cup of milk or yogurt, 3 oz of meat, fish or poultry, 1 serving of dried beans, oatmeal, or bran cereal, along with the expected fruits and vegetables.

Being permitted only one of these choices each day, I am concerned with getting the protein, calcium, and fiber that I need. I spoke briefly with a nutritionist who suggested supplements. Is that my only choice?

A visit to the Kidney Foundation page was only more confusing and alarming -- I am hoping because it was emphasizing diet for kidney failure.

To be honest, I a feel very discouraged with such a radical diet change. (Not to mention giving up parsnips -- ha ha)

Sally Squires: So sorry to hear of your potassium problem, Dallas. But it was a very smart idea to get a dietary consult. Calcium supplements are a good idea for a lot of people who simply aren't getting the 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams per day of calcium needed. Ditto for fiber. You might also check both the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disease Web site for more info. We'll publish a link in a minute as well as the American Diabetes Association Web site.

This may be challenging, but it would be even more challenging to face worsening kidney disease and possibly dialysis. So anything you can do now to help prevent these things is very smart. Hang in there. And please let us know how it goes.

You might also consider getting a second opinion from another physician and/or from a registered dietitian.

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College Park, Md.: So I received a book on pedometer walking, along with a pedometer from the chat a few weeks ago, after sharing a story about my mother's weight loss. Well, this weekend, I gave her the book and the pedometer, and I think she might start walking.

The way that I've been convincing her is by reminding her that one of her dogs is also overweight. He has a lot of energy and only gets into trouble when he's bored, so I have decided to take him for short jogs when I'm home for the weekends. But, as a regular runner, I know that training needs to happen all week, so I asked my mom if she could walk him to keep him in shape for me. And it would probably keep her in shape for me, too!

Sally Squires: So glad you received the prizes from the previous Web chat. And as you know firsthand, many of our canine companions are now experiencing the same weight problems that we humans are. So your idea sounds really smart. Hope you and your mother will let us know how it goes! Thanks.

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Washington, N.C.: Do "good" carbs (brown rice, nuts, veggies, etc.) still give you a sugar rush and subsequent crash the same as pastas and white flour? It seems that I get really tired about an hour after eating these good carbs.

Sally Squires: Because healthy carbs have more complex carbohydrates --which are a bit harder for the body to digest -- they are less likely to spike blood sugar. But it depends in part on how much you eat of them and what else you eat them with. You might try reducing your portion of these carbs and add a little more protein. That may help. Hope you'll let us know how it goes.

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washingtonpost.com: The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Sally Squires: As promised, here's the link mentioned earlier.

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Kalamazoo, Mich.: I have found a fun way to get more exercise this holiday season when I can't get to the gym. Since I have been taking belly dance lessons, I find that I can crank up the Christmas carols and shimmy away as I work. I may not be able to get my upper half in motion, but the lower half is having a ball! I just have to remember to turn off the body when the UPS man comes to the door or I am in the grocery store!

Sally Squires: I love it! Thanks for sharing this great idea!

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Frederick, Md.: Do you have a recipe for crunchy, mildly-spiced chick peas? Thank you.

Sally Squires: Hey Frederick: Lean Plate Club members have posted this before. I'll try to give you an outline by memory and then see if they'll weigh in. As I recall, you take a can of garbanzo beans. Drain. Place on a cookie sheet (that is either nonstick or spray with a little olive oil or other healthy oil.) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle paprika, garlic, a little salt and pepper on the beans and bake until they're crispy. (About 15 minutes.)

Anybody out there have a more precise recipe? If so, please send our way. Thanks

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Fairfax Station, Va: My tip for keeping the weight off during the holidays:

1. Eat what you crave (so you don't feel deprived), but stop eating when eating is no longer a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10.

2. At a party only have EITHER a plate or a drink in your hand, not both (also allows for hand shaking....)

3. Always leave something on your small plate.

4. Eat what you like best first -- don't force yourself to eat dinner first if you really want dessert. It is likely that you'll end up eating dinner AND dessert, when dessert would have been enough!

Sally Squires: Great tips. I'd add to this: snack before going to a party. Have about 100 to 200 calories within the hour before you go. Only eat sitting down. Skip the appetizers unless it's something so overwhelmingly great that it's worth the calories. Do have at least one holiday food, but forego the stuff that you can get at other times of year.

Other suggestions out there?

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Silver Spring, Md.: I try to eat healthy but it doesn't always work. I just got the results from my cholesterol check for a physical. My cholesterol is 235 and my HDL is 111. I have heard conflicting ideas about whether that is okay or not and haven't been able to find much information. Last year my doc said it was fine (and the numbers were 232 and 93 respectively) but a friend of mine who is a dietician said I need to reduce my cholesterol to under 200. What do you think?

Sally Squires: The latest guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program advise you to get your total blood cholesterol below 200 milligrams. Changing what you eat, what you weigh and how much you exercise can all help. But if that doesn't control your blood cholesterol levels, you may need to consider cholesterol lowering medication. The important thing is to get your blood cholesterol to a healthier -- and safer -- level.

Also, do check out the links that we will post momentarily to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, to the American Heart Association and to a column on the Portfolio Diet, a plan to lower cholesterol with a variety of foods that was developed by David Jenkins at the University of Toronto. Hope that helps. Hang in there. You can reach a healthier blood cholesterol level. Please let us know how it goes. Thanks

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washingtonpost.com: Portfolio Diet: Tough to Stay Invested In (Post, March 21, 2006)

Sally Squires: Here's the column on the healthy foods to help lower cholesterol. It includes healthy margarine and yes, even chocolate. Everything in moderation!

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washingtonpost.com: Cholesterol (American Heart Association)

Sally Squires: Here's the American Heart Association's site on cholesterol.

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Omaha, Neb.: I'm finding it difficult to exercise in the winter, as I don't like to walk in the cold. Can you recommend any exercise books or DVDs that don't rely on a lot of expensive equipment? Thanks.

Sally Squires: You bet! Leslie Sansone has some great walking tapes. All you need is a working television set, a good pair of walking shoes and a tape player or DVD player. I've done her 3 and 5 mile walks. They're fun, although sometimes her cheeriness gets a little grating. So sometimes I turn the sound off.

If you want to get a step (about $50), you might enjoy Gin Miller's "Classic Step." (Gin is credited with developing Step Aerobics. Her DVD is easy to follow and fun.)

I love the "Firm" tapes. (This is no secret to LPCers.) I believe that they're also now on the Discovery Channel. So if you have cable, you may not need to buy them. I've also obtained some through auctions at eBay.

And do check out your library, video store, Wal-Mart, sporting goods stores and Costco for other exercise videos. Also if you're a Comcast cable subscriber, they have a free exercise service available.

Hope that helps. You might also check out Collage Video, which allows you to view clips of tapes on line before buying.

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Winter vacation: I've gained probably 3-5 pounds in the past couple months and was already about 3 pounds above where I wanted to be. Now, I've just planned a beach trip for MLK weekend -- 3 1/2 weeks away! Tips for shedding a few pounds quickly?

Sally Squires: Hmm. You do know that you've come to the Lean Plate Club, right? Fast weight loss, particularly for a deadline, is not really what we're about. But you can't go wrong filling up first on fruit and vegetables, have a little extra lean protein, get plenty of fiber, drink lots of water (which is good anyway), eat slowly and give yourself time to really know what you've eaten. Of course, keep moving and do try to get 8 hours of sleep. (It really does help with energy and to control appetite by keeping insulin, blood sugar and other appetite hormones at healthier levels.)

But the real message here is to do this because it makes you feel better, not to drop a couple of pounds fast. What matters is the long term. You want to look good not just on MLK weekend but also later in the year, right?

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washingtonpost.com: Cholesterol (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Sally Squires: Here's one more cholesterol link

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Alexandria, Va.: Thanks for the chat. My doctor told me that I needed to lose 20 pounds, and that eating a better diet can help me towards that goal. The problem is that I get soooooo hungry during the day and after dinner when I eat the smaller portions for a meal, or a salad instead of a burger. How can fight my hunger and reduce my cravings?

Sally Squires: You may not be eating enough during the day, Alexandria. So you get hungry at night. (You could also be eating out of boredom, stress, etc.)

But let's assume that you're trying to be so good that you're simply not eating enough during the day. Be sure that salad has some lean protein with it. So add a skinless chicken breast. Or some nonfat cheese. Or a half cup of beans. Or 3 to 4 ounces of fish, or lean meat, or even an egg or two (hardboiled.)

Make sure you have a healthy snack before you head home. Eat a healthy dinner with about 30 percent of calories from protein, about half from healthy carbs and the rest from healthy fat. Fix yourself an after dinner treat: hot chocolate with skim milk might be one option. And make sure that you have plenty to do with your hands--knitting, needlework, a photo album--so that they won't be tempted to reach for food! Good luck and let us know how it goes!

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Baltimore: Since steel cut oatmeal has been mentioned several times over the past few weeks, I thought that I'd share how I make it. The night before I want it, I put 1/4 cup of oatmeal, a pinch of salt, and 1 cup of boiling water in a thermos. The next day, I pour the contents into a microwave safe bowl and heat it up for about a minute. I eat it with dried fruit and nuts. I much prefer steel cut oatmeal to old fashioned and making it the night before enables me to make it quickly.

Sally Squires: This sounds like a neat idea. My only concern is whether the oatmeal stays hot enough during the night. Have you ever tried to make this in a slow cooker?

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Peoria, Ill.: Is bulgar good for you? I've read it has a lot of protein.

Sally Squires: Bulgur wheat is a great choice. Here's what the Whole Grains Council says about it. (We'll post a link in a minute.)

"Bulgur (Triticum ssp.)

When wheat kernels are boiled, dried, cracked, then sorted by size, the result is bulgur. This wheat product is sometimes referred to as "Middle Eastern pasta" for its versatility as a base for all sorts of dishes. Bulgur is most often made from durum wheat, but in fact almost any wheat, hard or soft, red or white, can be made into bulgur.

Because bulgur has been precooked and dried, it needs to be boiled for only about 10 minutes to be ready to eat - about the same time as dry pasta. This makes bulgur an extremely nutritious fast food for quick side dishes, pilafs or salads. Perhaps bulgur's best-known traditional use is in the minty grain and vegetable salad known as tabbouleh.

Health bonus: Bulgur has more fiber than quinoa, oats, millet, buckwheat or corn. Its quick cooking time and mild flavor make it ideal for those new to whole grain cooking."

As for protein, all grains have some protein in them.

According to the USDA, 1 cup has nearly 6 grams of protein -- about the amount found in 1 egg and nearly that found in 1 cup of skim milk. The Whole Grains Council also features recipes for bulgur and other whole grains.

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washingtonpost.com: The Whole Grains Council

Sally Squires: Here you go!

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Silver Spring, Md.: Thank you for the American Heart Society cholesterol site.

Sally Squires: You're very welcome!

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Arlington, Va.: I'm trying to lose about 10 pounds. Recently, I bought one of those water jugs that holds the recommended eight glasses of water we should drink each day. I also work out, though, and was told I actually need to drink more than the eight glasses a day. What's a good way to determine how much water to drink (especially since it can really fill me up)?

Sally Squires: The latest recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences urged Americans to let thirst be their guide to fluid intake, rather than a set amount. That's because most of us get plenty of liquids.

A new beverage guidance system unveiled earlier this year by Barry Popkin, PhD. at the University of North Carolina, noted that water is the beverage of first choice. But you can also get fluids in whole fruit, in dairy products (skim milk, yogurt, kefir and alternatives including soy and rice milk). Tea and coffee are mostly water (of course, they can also come with caffeine and a lot of coffee drinks these days are loaded with added fat and sugar.)

You could start by having 1-2 glasses of water with each meal. Have a glass of water before and after your workouts. (More if you're feeling thirsty). And you might have a glass of water when you wake, before you go to bed and with snacks. But there's no set amount that you SHOULD drink. Hope that helps. Continued success with your efforts!

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Potomac, Md.: About one month ago you wrote an article in Sect. A of the Post titled "Heart Benefits Found in low Carbs, Some Fats." Is it possible to get a copy of this article?

washingtonpost.com: Heart Benefits Found in Low Carbs, Some Fats (Post, Nov. 9)

Sally Squires: You bet, Potomac. Here you go. Thanks to our producer Paul Williams.

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Fairfax, Va.: I recently moved, and since my commute increased, I've switched from eating cereal at home to breakfast on-the-go. Can anybody suggest their favorite breakfast/granola bars? Thus far I've tried two of Kashi's -- I love 'em because they're high fiber and high protein, although I like the crunchy better than the chewy. I also tried some of the Uncle Sam's Cereal granola bars, which seemed healthy, but don't taste good to me (although my partner likes them).

Sally Squires: You might also try Larabars. I like them because they have all natural ingredients, no added sugar or fat. They run about 190-230 calories each. They not particularly high in protein, but they taste great.

Also, Clif Nectar bars are quite good. And you might check out Healthy Valley Granola bars. They're also not too sweet. And by the way, I've been making stone cut oatmeal, then freezing it in individual portions. On early mornings when there's not time to eat at home, I toss the containers in my food bag for the day. Add some nuts and a little dried fruit and you've got a great meal. Heat in microwave at work. (By the way, you get a protein boost if you make the oatmeal with skim milk instead of water. Add a 1/4 to 1/3 cup of dried skim milk powder for more protein if you want.)

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally. How do you count calories and watch what you eat with ethnic food? I eat Korean food at least once a day and I don't really restrict what I eat because I love it all. However, I eat a lot of white rice and a lot of the side dishes can be very spicy and salty. It's easier to watch what you eat when it's something obvious (like sandwiches or fast food), but harder with this kind of food. I exercise regularly but feel like I need to watch what I eat more and jazz up my exercise routine (getting very tedious and boring). Thanks!

Sally Squires: I take it that you're eating this from a restaurant. If so, it's virtually impossible to know how many calories you're getting. And while Asian food can be quite healthy, a lot of restaurant Asian food is loaded with fat. So giving yourself license to eat as much as you want may not be a wise idea.

Okay, but you love it. So what can you do? Skip anything fried. Go heavy on the veggies. The rice, even white, is fine. But consider portion sizes. Same with noodles. Fish, again not fried, would be another good option. And count on anything with sauces as having some added calories.

Soups and stews would be other smart choices. Enjoy! And you might check out learning to make some of your favorite Korean dishes at home. That way you can know exactly what you're getting.

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Arlington, Va.: Sally,

I just bought some "white sweet potatoes" for the first time at the farmers' market on Saturday -- while it's my understanding that orange sweet potatoes are lower on the glycemic index and therefore less starchy and healthier than regular potatoes, I was wondering if this is also true for the "white" variety or if they are closer in nutritional value to regular potatoes??

I was planning to cook them tonight so I'd welcome your insight!

Sally Squires: White sweet potatoes are a new one to me, so I did a little research. According to one site -- Specialfoods.com -- they're also called camote, boniato, or batata. They seem to be similar in composition to whole wheat flour. Because they are not orange colored, my hunch is that they are also lower in beta-carotene (which the body converts to vitamin A) than regular sweet potatoes. Hope that helps and hope you'll let us know how they taste.

My food find this week are fresh cranberry beans. Since I haven't been able to get Total yogurt here in Florida, I've also taken a tip from a recent LPC Web chat and have been draining the water from regular nonfat yogurt. It is a close match to Total and a lot less expensive.

Another treat this week: kumquats. I slice them and added them to a fresh fruit salad that we ate this week. They're tart, tasty and have a great texture. Delicious!

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washingtonpost.com: White Sweet Potatoes (specialfoods.com)

Sally Squires: Here's the link for the White Sweet Potatoes

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Roanoke, Va.: I recently bought some millet thinking it would be a healthy thing to incorporate into my diet. I have had a hard time finding relatively low-calorie recipes for it. Does anyone have suggestions? Also, when I bought it, it was in a bulk bin, but I read somewhere it is supposed to be refrigerated. I put it in my cabinet. Do I need to throw it out?

Sally Squires: Here's what the Whole Grains Council says about millet:

"Millet (Panicum miliaceum)

Millet is rarely served to humans in the United States - here, it's the grain most often found in bird feeders. Yet it's the leading staple grain in India, and is commonly eaten in China, South America, Russia and the Himalayas.

Millet has a mild flavor and is often mixed with other grains or toasted before cooking, to bring out the full extent of its delicate flavor. Its tiny grain can be white, gray, yellow or red."

Here's a recipe from Epicurious.com for curried millet. Happy Holidays!

CURRIED MILLET, SHIITAKE, AND CORN SALAD RESTEY

I cook millet about once a week - it fits into my macrobiotic diet and tastes great. I often make this recipe for friends as it pleases just about everyone.

Millet is a small round golden grain that has a high vitamin and mineral content. Although millet is unfamiliar to most people in this country, it is a staple throughout Africa, India, and Asia.

4 tablespoons vegetables oil

1 cup millet*

2 cups water

1/2 onion, chopped fine

1/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 cups fresh corn (cut from about 4 ears), or frozen, thawed

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon seasoned rice-wine vinegar

1/3 cup fresh parsley leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped fine

*available at natural foods stores

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat and cook millet, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes, or until it makes popping sounds and begins to turn golden. Remove skillet from heat.

In a small saucepan bring water to a boil and stir in millet. Cook millet, covered, over low heat 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Transfer millet to a large bowl and fluff with a fork.

In cleaned skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and saute onion, stirring, until softened. Add shiitake and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add corn and cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Still in curry powder, soy sauce, vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and add to millet.

Serves 4 to 6.

Gourmet

January 1996

Mark Restey: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Fairfax City, Va.: Dear Sally and Moving Crew,

I just wanted to let you know that I DID IT! Six weeks ago I had a cholesterol of 310, and my doctor said he was going to put me on statins. I'm only 32 years old and weighed 180 lbs at the time, and I didn't want to pop pills for the rest of my life. I told the doctor I know I can get my cholesterol down, and he gave me six weeks to do so. I re-tested this past week, and my cholesterol is now 169! I've been running about 4 times a week, eating low fat, no sugar, no cholesterol, heart healthy organic foods, and have lost 25 lbs in six weeks! For inspiration I had my wife and 19 month old baby, not to mention your columns and great advice. Thanks so much! The doctor said he'd never seen anything like my case, and it was "unbelievable." I look forward to keeping my cholesterol and weight down, and hopefully running a marathon or two next year!

Sally Squires: Congratulations Fairfax City! That's fantastic. I hope you will update us on your progress from time to time. A very happy holiday to you and your family.

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Hartford, Conn.: For the past two months I've been working to losing about 10-15 pounds that I gained over the past couple of years for a variety of reasons. While in the past I found it counterproductive to count calories (very stress-inducing), I decided that I had to do it again. My goal on the exercise side is to keep up with what I enjoy doing (being active), make sure I get in at least a walk on non-activity/non-gym days, and not let busy work schedules bump that on occasion.

So, I've been pleased that the calorie counting is really not a stressor anymore. This time through it is causing me to double check portion sizes, encouraging me to enjoy the occasional splurge days - but keep the splurges in check and get back on track the next day.

What I've found interesting is the spreadsheet I've set up. Not knowing exactly what my caloric intake should be, I've set up columns for (my weight x 10), (my weight x 10 x .1) up to (my weight x 10 x .4). It really shows the value the extra exercise can have. At the minimum amount, calories eaten would have kept me at a "break even." At the most active level, I would have lost about seven pounds by now. I'm somewhere in between.

This process has been very empowering. It's shown me the control that I have to make a difference on both sides of the equation!

Sally Squires: What a great example of how viewing this process in a different way can really make a huge difference. Sounds like you're really on a roll Hartford. And you're right: unless you have some way of tracking the calories in, it's really had to know if you're in caloric deficit. That walking is absolutely key. In fact, in today's LPC e-mail newsletter I gave link to a study that showed when you diet without exercising, you risk losing bone. So congratulations on all you're doing and a very happy holiday!

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Hebo, Ore.: I have lost 70 pounds and maintained for 15 years, and exercise has been a major component for my success. Bench stepping, aerobics, lifting light weights, and walking are all parts of my exercise regime.

My most inventive form of exercise, however, is power walking in grocery stores. When I am running late and have shopping to do, and I know I'll be too tired or cranky to care about exercising when I get home, I put a few nonperishable items in the grocery cart and race throughout the store for 40 minutes. Keep in mind the time of day can be more challenging: immediately after work is busy, and I've gotten adept at avoiding small children. Not once have I experienced a collision. Only one time has an employee noticed my routine, and she smiled at me as I made my third loop through the produce department. Her only comment was, "Good for you."

Sally Squires: Wow! 70 pounds! That's fantastic. And maintaining it for 15 years makes it even better. Thanks much for weighing in. Sounds like you're a great candidate for our Successful Losers feature coming up in January. Please contact me at leanplateclub@washpost.com after the chat. Thanks

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Tucson, Ariz.: Hi! You've mentioned bean dip and vegetables as a healthy snack. I'm sure I can find lots of yummy bean dips here in the southwest. But are you referring to homemade dip, or do you recommend a particular brand? What should I watch out for on the label? Thanks!

Sally Squires: I make bean dip in about 5 minutes at home with a can of black beans. Drain. Put in a food processor. Add garlic (powder or fresh), 2 tablespoons of vinegar (Balsamic is great), 2 tablespoons of orange juice; pepper to taste, red pepper flakes (if you want it hotter), fresh cilantro. Pulse a few seconds. Voila! Bean dip.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Two and a half years ago, I had gastric bypass surgery. I lost 100 pounds. Now I am beginning to eat like I did before the operation and have gained back four pounds. I can't seem to get back in control of this situation. Any ideas?

Sally Squires: First, congratulations on those 100 pounds. Second, weight gain a year or two after gastric bypass is quite common. You might want to take a look at a previous Lean Plate Club column about weight gain after gastric bypass. It should be on our Web site.

Third, take a little time to think about why you lost those 100 pounds. Look as well at why you eating. When is it for emotional reason? When is it for hunger?

Consult with your doctor. And if there are other emotional issues that are fueling your new eating habits, try to address those with a professional so that you don't find yourself regaining a lot of pounds.

Good luck with your efforts. Please let us know how it goes.

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Sally Squires: We're out of time. Winners today are Kalamazoo, the Baltimorean working on the Holiday Challenge with others, Hartford, Fairfax City and Oregon (who lost the 70 pounds.)

Please send your name and address to leanplateclub@washpost.com. Please include winner in the subject line.

Happy Holidays to all. The Health section goes dark next week, but look for the Lean Plate Club column online. No chat next week. But we'll return on Jan. 2, ready to hear all about how you did during the Holiday Challenge and to start some healthy goals for 2007 together.

Until then: Happy, healthy holidays to all of you. Thanks for being part of the Lean Plate Club!

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