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! We've got stress on the plate today as well as NEAT offices. And The LPC e-mail newsletter should be in your electronic inbox now. In it, you'll find the usual wide ranging topics from news to links to healthy recipes and of course to innovative ways to keep moving. If you'd like to subscribe to this free, weekly service, just log onto www.leanplateclub.com where you will be one click away.

Prizes today are:

"The Saint Tropex Diet," by Apostolos Pappas PhD with Marie Annick Courtier (Hatherleigh Press)

"The Four Day Win," by Martha Beck, PhD. (Rodale)

"The F-Factor Diet," by Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS RD (Putnam)

"This Year I Will....," By MJ Ryan (Broadway Books)

"Feed Your Tiger," by Letha Hadady, DAc (Rodale)

We're looking for inspiration. Assistance. Fun. Food Finds. You get the idea. Winners are announced at the end of each chat and in making this offering we are not endorsing any book. It's simply a way for you to know about the wide range of information available as you seek to eat smart and move more.

Now on to the chat!

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Washington, D.C.: Lately I've been getting stressed out at work and reaching for carbs - popcorn, rice cakes, granola bars. I feel like it helps jog my brain a bit but also know that it's a comfort food. How can I get that brain buzz without all the carbs sabotaging my diet? Thanks!

Sally Squires: There's a lot of stress eating going around these days, D.C. In fact, I just got off WTWP radio, where the host, Victoria Jones, says that she can be a stress and a night-time eater.

So, a couple of thoughts. First, there's nothing wrong with you're eating. But you might look at the time that you get these cravings as well as the other circumstances. Have you eaten enough for lunch? If these cravings are coming within an hour or two, you might benefit from eating a few more calories at your mid-day meal.

You might also think about taking a walk first, even if it's only to re-fill your water bottle. That movement can really help energize. And do take a look at the NEAT office in today's Health section (and online.) It really seems to be a way to fit more activity into the work place without sacrificing productivity.

You might consider putting some hummus on that rice cake. Or having a piece of fruit or some veggies and hummus first. Those would be good nutritional choices. A low-fat or nonfat cheese stick could be another option. And you might also add a small -- emphasis on the small of course! -- amount of nuts. Another good carb option: nonfat yogurt with fresh fruit. That way you control the portion sizes and the added sugar.

Other thoughts out there?

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Richmond, Va.: Hi, Sally,

Thank you so much for your column and for the Holiday Challenge! I've always been 15-20 pounds overweight, but I've never done anything about it; I've lacked motivation. Well, I read your column on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, felt inspired, and took the challenge. I've kept up the healthy habits, and when I weighed myself this morning, I saw that I've lost a net 9 pounds since the day before Thanksgiving!

Thank you, thank you for your sensible approach to health and weight loss! And to everyone else out there -- hang in there. If I can do it, so can you!

Sally Squires: Congratulations Richmond! Sounds like you breezed through the holidays well and got a good start on 2007. For those who aren't familiar with the Holiday Challenge, the goal is not to lose weight, but to maintain it from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. If you do that you're usually a step ahead of the curve as this Lean Plate Club member from Richmond notes. Congratulations again!

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Looking for bran without sugar: Sally, I am looking to add more fiber, particularly bran, but it seems that high-fiber bran products are always sweetened: e.g. bran cereal, bran muffins, etc. I know there are some good whole-grain crackers such as Ryvita and Wasa, and I eat those often, but they are not as high fiber as All Bran. Is there any such thing as a high-fiber bread or cracker that is savory, not sweet? I just don't want the added sugar or artificial sweetener.

Sally Squires: It's interesting that you ask this question today. This morning after I was on the radio really early, I stopped by the Giant and got some bread. They didn't have the brand I usually buy -- Ezekiel -- so I did a lot of label reading. I understand exactly what you are saying.

So yes, in addition to Ezekiel, which you can find at Trader Joe's, at Whole Foods and elsewhere, there is Mestemacher, which is a dark, dense German square or rectangular loaf bread. (Let me hasten to add that I have no connection with either companies.)

And there's nothing wrong with whole-grain breads either, but I've found that the whole-grain sprouted breads give me more staying power. That's just one person's experience. How about others out there? And in a minute, I'll post two recipes for making your own Ezekiel bread, which by the way is apparently what Ezekiel (from the Bible) lived on in the desert.

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washingtonpost.com: Ezekiel Bread I (Allrecipes.com)

Sally Squires: This recipe has quite a bit of honey. The next one doesn't.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally,

Thanks for the chats!

Don't think I could get the office to install a NEAT treadmill for me, but I do park further away from the entrance, take the stairs, hand-carry documents myself and wear a pedometer. The pedometer has really helped -- I can check it, and if I am not moving as much as usual, I can increase my activity by taking extra walks. All of these things have helped me drop 11 pounds, (as well as getting up the extra 30 minutes each day during the week to work-out on the elliptical).

Thanks.

Sally Squires: Congratulations on those 11 pounds. Don't tell anyone, but I'm trying to lobby to get the Post to put a desk over one of the treadmills in our Health Club downstairs. (I tried to get at least one of these NEAT stations installed in the newsroom when we renovated a year ago. I didn't win that battle, but I am typing this chat while standing, which I try to do more and more.)

Anybody else out there stand at your desks for more activity?

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River City: Broke my arm! Husband doesn't cook, so I'm eating more pizza and other greasy food. Can't exercise! Need easy ideas for this double whammy (or triple if you count that since I can't do other things, I'm susceptible to boredom eating too). Easy food my husband or I can fix, safe exercise. I'm petrified of increasing my girth while I wait for my arm to heal.

Sally Squires: So very sorry about that broken arm. Ouch! Doesn't sound much fun at all. Hope you recover very soon.

Okay, so one food that can be your ally is soup. Yes, many of them will be high in sodium, but there are a growing number that aren't. And besides, you don't want to add to your worries right now. So focus on the calories rather than sodium for now.

Get your husband to load up on fruit and easy to eat veggies. So think baby carrots with dip (I'm talking bean dip, not some high-fat concoction.) Your husband can even buy some of these veggies already prepared in veggie platters. You may not be able to lift them with one hand, but you can open them that way.

And there's nothing wrong with having some emergency rations of healthy frozen food. Kashi has quite a good line of frozen meals that have come to my aid in recent weeks after long hours at the office. They've got whole grains and provide portion control. And yes, they taste pretty good. (So far, I've liked them better than either Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice, but let's see how the membership feels.)

A whole roasted chicken that your husband can pick up at the grocery would make for another good meal that could stretch farther if it's just the two of you. And don't forget about these places like Let's Dish where you can make a month's worth of meals in a few hours.

Finally, a number of groceries now deliver. So you might even be able to get help by calling in or getting on line. That way you've got healthy food in the house and you can help teach your husband to cook if he doesn't already know how.

Or maybe just teach him how to cook healthfully.

Good luck with your recovery. Hope it all goes smoothly. And don't forget that your arm is broken, but once your doctor gives you the okay, you may be able to do other gentle activities, including walking (provided it's not icy of course!)

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Sitting at my desk...: I have to sit at my desk, unfortunately, because I'm in a cubicle where everyone can see me if I stand (including my boss). Does fidgeting (lots) make any difference? I get so fidgety sitting here for hours!

Sally Squires: Fidgeting definitely makes a difference. The same researcher who has developed the NEAT office -- and you can see Lean Plate Club member Lois Yurow, of Westfield, N.J. in action on our Web site -- has done research on fidgeting. It burns more calories too.

As for being above your cubicle, what's wrong with that? Standing enables me to see across the whole newsroom -- and yes my editor gets a bird's eye view of me working too. Nothing wrong with that!

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River City: When I first started working after college, all architects, landscape architects, drafters, civil engineers, etc., worked at standing drafting tables. I felt it was very good for my back.

Now I have a regular sitting desk and was unsuccessful at getting my employer to provide an old-fashioned standup drafting table when we moved into a new office.

There's a long tradition of standing at drafting tables and I bet most designers agree with me that it felt good on the back and miss that.

Sally Squires: Good point. I believe that Thomas Jefferson also had a standing desk. As James Levine of the Mayo Clinic notes, we were not meant to be sitting for these hours and hours a day.

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La Crosse, Wisc.: I joined a weight-loss program at a local hospital last October and have lost 28 pounds so far. I still have about 15-20 to go, but with the tools I got from the 12-week class and the support of careful sources (like you!), I know I can do it.

One of my biggest challenges is not eating in response to stress. I find that making myself aware that the feelings are not hunger, then using a diversion tool such as a quick walk around my building or five minutes of just tuning into my real feelings and figuring out how to deal with them has made all the difference. Please know that I have also changed the way I eat to include whole grains, fruits, veggies and low-fat/high quality proteins. I love the book "Volumetrics," because it really addresses the hunger issues (especially early on in the program). I eat a small amount of food quite often, so I don't have to deal with hunger and blood-sugar issues. (I am SO weak when I'm feeling true hunger!) I also track my steps on a pedometer with a goal of a minimum of 10,000 per day, plus work out with weights twice a week.

I look forward to your column every week because it is great to get the ideas from you and all your bloggers! Thank you so much for being the voice of sanity and sensibility!

Sally Squires: Way to go La Crosse! Sounds like you have really made some great progress. I'm also a big fan of "Volumetrics," which is by Barbara Rolls, PhD., of Penn State. I am convinced that Lean Plate Club members can lead the way to eating smart and moving more because of postings such as yours. I think we can be force of change!

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Ashburn, Va.: I heard a replay of you on the Satellite Sisters over the weekend. I just wanted to pass on that you sounded great, it was a very informative and entertaining couple of segments!

Sally Squires: Well thanks very much Ashburn! It's always fun to be on with the Satellite Sisters. For those who don't yet know about them, they're the five Dolan sisters who reunite on a regular radio show from different places -- Los Angeles, Colorado and Portland -- to chat about all kinds of things. We talked most recently about multivitamins.

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Portage, Mich.: I recently moved from D.C. (I am the Baked Oatmeal Girl!) and I've found a wonderful new treat here at the grocery store in Michigan -- the FiberOne Chewy bars in chocolate oat and peanut butter. INCREDIBLE! 140 cals, 9 grams of fiber and 4 grams of fat. 2 WW pounts. They are sinfully good and when dunked in skim milk remind me of those Potbelly's cookies I used to eat (before losing 30 pounds)!

Sally Squires: Thanks Portage! I spent a number of formative childhood years in both Jackson and Muskegon, Mich. It's a great state. And your baked oatmeal recipe is still a favorite. So glad you've checked back in with more tips.

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Kensington, Md.: Hi Sally:

For six months I have been working hard to get in better shape. I go to Jazzercise 4-5 times a week and do yoga once a week. Certainly I have more muscle tone and feel great. However, I have not been able to lose my spare tire around the waist. I understand "spot" losing is not possible. Does this mean simply that I have to eat less in general, whereby the weight would come off my whole body? So far I've dropped 8 pounds. Thanks for any ideas.

Sally Squires: Those eight pounds are great! And yes, exercise and physical activity have lots of benefits as you already know. But it's quite difficult to lose a significant amount of weight from (mostly) doing that without also cutting back on calories.

As for that weight around the middle: aerobic activity may help you burn some of that. It just takes time. Are you also doing some weight training? That may also help give your very good efforts a boost. And if you are doing weight training, you may want to gradually increase the weights that you use. Most people err on the side of not lifting enough weight, and I'm talking here about 10 to 20 pound free weights -- not more.

Hang in there! This will work, but it doesn't happen overnight despite what many books, exercise tapes and television shows such as "The Biggest Loser" seem to imply. Hope you'll let us know how it goes.

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Work stress: I'm a stress eater too and try to remind myself of that before I reach for the carby mid-day snack. I have a bottle of water first and that almost always gets rid of the craving. Taking a break from the situation, by taking a walk if possible, as you suggested helps too. I'm not a big snacker, so it's probably easier for me than others, but acknowledging what you're doing (eating even though you're not really hungry) avoids the problem.

Sally Squires: It sure does. And lots of stress eaters are also night time eaters. You know, the kind that finds themselves going from the 'fridge to the pantry to the 'fridge for just a little more of this or that. Not that I'd have any personal knowledge of this or anything.

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Help for River City: How about salad kits with grilled chicken? I think even you could grill or broil chicken with one hand if necessary.

Our local organic grocery store has a plethora of prepared meals to address every dietary restriction out there, including wholegrain, healthy, etc.

Good Luck

Sally Squires: That salsa is a great idea! The prepared foods can be good too, except it's hard sometimes to know how many calories you're really getting. But it's easy these days to make your grocery your sous chef what with all the precut veggies and meat and other other things ready to cook. We also keep frozen chicken breasts, which can be thawed in a couple of minutes in the microwave and then cooked quite quickly on the stove top or in the oven. Make extra and you can use for your salad the next day.

By the way, salads are another really smart food that is high in volume, has great flavor and not many calories -- unless you slather tons of salad dressing on it, of course! Thanks.

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Fairfax, Va.: I have a food find: Eden Organic refried beans. Instead of the usual black or pinto, they also have combination black and soy beans (yum) and kidney beans. No added fat, just a touch of sea salt. A great way for me to sneak in beans (and soy!). I stuffed them, along with sauteed veggies, into Ezekiel sprouted wheat tortillas, topped them with enchilada sauce/salsa and a tiny bit of low-fat cheese, and baked them until the cheese melted.

Best of all, the combination of the whole grain tortilla, refried beans, veggies, and a bit of fat from the cheese filled me up for HOURS!

Sally Squires: That sounds really good. And let's add to that growing list of foods with lasting power: red pepper and tomato soup with half a cup of kidney or black beans. Or butternut squash apple soup with wild rice or white beans. Both are delicious. And you can find both at Trader Joe's and many other stores (at least the red pepper and tomato soup.)

Thanks Fairfax.

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Over 50: I am having real problems with weight loss. I'm over 50, vegetarian, can't eat chocolate, milk without Lactaid pills, and don't drink. I work out 4-5 days per week, fairly strenuous cardio plus weights. Can't lose an ounce. HELP??

Sally Squires: The first question: are you already at a healthy weight? I'm guessing not or you probably wouldn't be writing.

Second: how long have you been on this regimen? Figure on a healthy weight loss of half a pound to 2 pounds per week. Have you noticed any differences in how your clothes feel? In other words are they getting looser? That could be a sign of progress that the scale doesn't show.

Third: Are you in caloric deficit? If you're not measuring how much you eat -- even if you only do this for a few days -- there's no way to know if you're eating fewer calories than you burn.

Fourth: Are you getting enough sleep? Interrupted sleep -- common at your age -- can affect blood sugar, appetite hormones and more.

You might also check out Miriam Nelson's site, which we'll post in a minute. She's from Tufts University and has done quite a lot on helping women to be strong and be leaner.

Hang in there. You can do this.

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Ashburn, Va.: Sally, for New Year's I resolved to exercise more. To this end, I gave myself a goal of 15 minutes of activity per day. I figured 15 minutes was something even I could do (I am rather sedentary). My problem is this: I do 15 minutes exactly. I never do any more. I HATE exercising. I hate the way it makes me feel. I feel sore and tired and out of breath and sweaty and all of the things people say about how it eventually gives them more energy and they feel great so far do not apply to me. I don't know what to do -- I know I need to be more active. I am a fine weight, but I have other medical issues, but I hate doing this. Even something simple like walking stinks. And I hate feeling like I HAVE to do this, but if I don't make it a job, then I'll just not do it. I need motivation and I need help!

Sally Squires: Good for you for taking on a new challenge for this year, Ashburn. I would have suggested taking a walk, until I read your posting that you don't like that either.

Okay, so how can you make physical activity more enjoyable? You can keep forcing yourself to be more active, but if you don't find something you really like, odds are you probably won't stick with this.

So do you like to dance? Put on your favorite DVD and boogie. (That's one of the things that "fat" actress Kirstie Alley says that she does for about 45 minutes to an hour daily.)

Do you like books? You might treat yourself to books on tape, or check them out from the library. That could help make your walk more inviting.

Have you ever tried tai chi? Or yoga? Or Pilates? Or just stretching. Most of these won't give you a cardiovascular workout, but they could help get you stretching and toning and strengthening without huffing and puffing a lot. Then when you're stronger, you might try other activities.

Do you like video games? Perhaps you'd enjoy "Dance Dance Revolution," which you hook up to your television set.

How about swimming? There's an activity that will be gentle on your joints, but can be either a solo activity or a group activity (such as in water aerobics.)

Heck, you can even do belly dancing or tap dancing. They all burn calories. The point is to find something that you enjoy. Gardening also counts.So does cleaning your house. And you might benefit from getting an exercise buddy to help reinforce each other's efforts.

This also reminds me that the President's Challenge on Physical Fitness and Sports has a new challenge for federal workers that they launched yesterday. Whether you're a federal worker or not you'll find lots of helpful info at the link that we'll post in a minute.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes.Tnanks.

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washingtonpost.com: StrongWomen.com

Sally Squires: Here's Miriam Nelson's Web site as promised. Thanks to our producer, Paul Williams.

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washingtonpost.com: fitness.gov

Sally Squires: Here's the Web site for the President's Challenge. And by the way, you can also set up a your own group on it, if you so choose.

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re: 0ver 50: Replying to your question -- yes, it's been several months, and I've not lost an ounce. Muscles are tighter, fine. But there's the balloon around the hips...Oh, and I'm female.

Sally Squires: Several months is a fair amount of time. Have you had a physical recently? Thyroid problems can sometimes afflict women at mid-life. But let me hasten to add that even if that might be the case, correction doesn't result in more than about four pounds of weight.

My suggestion: keep food records for a few days, which means measuring and weighing all that you eat. See if you are experiencing any calorie creep. Hope you'll let us know what you discover.

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Lexington, Ky.: A new food find for me this weekend is the line of lower-sodium Amy's Organic Soups. I tried the butternut squash soup, as well as the split pea soup, and they are both good. Sodium-wise, they come in under 300 mg of sodium per serving -- a vast improvement. I'm looking forward to trying other soups in this line; if memory serves me, I think there is a lentil vegetable soup, and I'm sure there are a couple of others too.

Sally Squires: I like these soups too. And lentils, bean soup, etc. are just really good foods to fill you up. Thanks for the food find!

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Frederick, Md.: Salad Lettuce question: What types of lettuce are better than others to use in salads? I often vary lettuce and spinach but I've often wondered if some were better than others.

Sally Squires: Variety is great in all things, including greens. Darker Romaine lettuce is a good variety. Ditto for arugula, watercress, escarole, spinach (not lettuce, of course,but a green) plus plenty of other greens. You might also try endive (which comes in green and red varieties.) Another option: expand to fennel (a nice licorice flavored alternative to celery) that will give your salads some added crunch. And by the way, there's nothing wrong with iceberg lettuce, which is much maligned. It has nutritional value too and plenty of crunch. In fact, if you're going to pig out, why not pig out on lettuce of all kinds?

Thanks.

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Standing in cubicle...: How do you raise your keyboard and monitor sufficiently to write while you stand? I'd love to do it (I also tend to sit lopsided, so I end up with a sore butt muscle... standing would be a double benefit). I write for a living... if I can do even part of that while standing, it would be a boon.

Tips, please!

Sally Squires: My desk at The Post has a motor that allows it to lift. At the Mayo Clinic, they have a portable desk that fits over the treadmill or exercise bike. Lois Yurow commissioned a carpenter to build a special desk for her home office and treadmill. She also uses a wireless keyboard and a wireless mouse.

But I've typed stories (and Web chats) standing in airports and even with my laptop perched on our washing machine when my desk wasn't high enough at home. Creativity comes from many corners. And stay tuned because we're exploring doing more with this NEAT desk idea....

Hope that helps. And in the words of James Levine, "Get UP!"

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Centreville, Va.: Sally, I'm glad that you touched on the issue of "fat stigma" in your recent newsletter. It is completely unacceptable that an individual should be treated differently based on his or her weight. Does it happen? Of course. It happens in both a cruel ("The American Idol" judges' musings) and kind (I'm just teasing so that he will consider his health) spirits. The former is reprehensible and predatory; the latter reflective of peremptory egotism. If you care about a person and you worry about his/her weight and health, lead by example. Take good care of yourself, exercise, eat in moderation. The rest will follow.

Sally Squires: I must say that the American Idol really took me aback when I saw a clip of Simon taking on that one overweight contestant even before he opened his mouth.

So yes, there's a lot to work on with fat stigma. Maybe that's another place where the Lean Plate Club can help lead the way.

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Washington, D.C.: Help! It's not that I don't know what's wrong and what's right to eat...I know what is healthy vs. what is not, the problem is sometimes, I just don't want to do it! I want to lose the weight, but either I'm completely 100 percent motivated, or the exact opposite, and then I eat a cheeseburger!! I know its all about moderation and not self-deprivation, but why can't it ever work for me??

Sally Squires: You're not alone in these feelings, D.C. And know that it often takes people seven, eight, 10 or more tries to successfully lose weight (or make a number of other habit changes.)

But let's revisit that cheeseburger: eating one cheeseburger doesn't blow your efforts, unless you let it. If you can let go of the motivated/not motivated mentality, which is akin to the dieting/not dieting mindset, I wager that you'll find more success. Small steps really do add up. So set one goal for tomorrow that you know you can achieve and then build on that. And it could be as simple as getting your exercise gear together. Or just having a healthy breakfast.

Take it step by step. You really can reach a healthier weight. Lean Plate Club members prove that week after week.

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Alexandria, Va.: Sometimes not gaining is winning. I've been on my quest for a year now. I've lost more than 40 pounds but have had a tough few months, both home and work stress. I realized that I'm actually winning. I haven't put on any stress weight and I'm exercising 5 to 6 times a week. The object is not to be the fastest but the last one standing! For a crunchy sweet snack -- Whole Foods carries Irene's biscotti (no affiliation with either company) and each cookie has 20 calories. Not overly sweet, crunchy and a decent size makes three cookies a nice choice. Not a diet choice.

Sally Squires: Exactly, Alexandria! And thanks for the food find.

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Portland, Ore.: Sally, thanks for the LPC community. It helps to know we're "fighting the good fight" together.

Strategies for handling stress: Walking (first thing in the morning), for an hour, five to six days a week. Practicing deep "belly breathing" for a few minutes. Watching old "Looney Tunes" cartoons (or whatever makes me laugh uncontrollably). Reading a favorite, beautiful poem. If I'm alone in the house, dancing to the rock 'n' roll music I grew up with.

Re: today's "Lean Plate Club" column about stress eating -- I don't fit the pattern of eating just as much, and just as unconsciously, whether or not I'm really mentally engaged doing something I like. For instance, if I'm at the computer doing genealogy research, I can work for hours without semi-automatically going to the kitchen to find something to stuff my face with. Otherwise, if I'm doing mundane tasks that aren't physical, I'm constantly thinking about what there is in the house to eat. It's a struggle but it keeps me looking for way to do things that I'm really passionate about!

Sally Squires: Thanks very much for posting Portland. That genealogy research sounds quite interesting. And I'm delighted that your hometown newspaper, the Oregonian, publishes the Lean Plate Club. If any others out there would like to see LPC in your local newspaper, just zip me an e-mail to leanplateclub@washpost.com.

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Alexandria, Va.: Sally -- I really enjoyed today's article, as I do consider myself a stress eater. But, like the article says, when I am REALLY stressed, I don't eat.

I've been getting bored with my breakfasts and finally decided to try making instant oatmeal with skim milk instead of water (2/3 cup milk, 2 min in the microwave). It is so different -- a really creamy consistency that's really satisfying. Plus, it's a good way to get in dairy/calcium, since I don't always have time for my afternoon yogurt snack.

Sally Squires: That's a great way to add calcium -- and protein -- to your oatmeal, Alexandria. Thanks!

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washingtonpost.com: Ezekiel Mixes (aaoobfoods.com)

Sally Squires: Here's the other recipe for Ezekiel bread. But remember, you can also buy this in grocery stores.

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Washington, D.C.: Sally -- thank you so much for all of the wonderful chats! I am pregnant with my first and my midwife stresses the importance of protein! I am not a huge meat eater so I've been eating edamame as much as I can. The thought of grabbing a hard-boiled egg as a snack doesn't excite me much -- other than nuts and edamame do you have any suggestions?!

Sally Squires: Congratulations! How wonderful and exciting. Other good protein sources include nonfat or low fat dairy -- also a good source of calcium for you.

And don't overlook other beans, another excellent source of protein. If you eat meat, lean cuts of red meat would be good options, and would give you additional vitamin B12 and iron, also good for the baby. Poultry without the skin is great too.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology features some excellent pamphlets about nutrition. We're about out of time, but if you do a Google search you can get to the ACOG Web site. Then search there for nutrition in pregnancy. There are some special concerns with avoiding certain types of fish high in mercury during pregnancy and while nursing as well as some foods that are not pasteurized.

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Devon, Pa.: What is your academic background?

What professional training and/or experience do you have that you feel qualifies you to write authoritatively regarding food and nutrition?

Sally Squires: I'm delighted that you asked. I've have two master's degrees in from Columbia University. One in journalism and one in nutrition from the Institute of Human Nutrition at the College of Physicians and Surgeons. I'm also the author of two books: "The Stoplight Diet for Children" (co-authored with Leonard Epstein, PhD) and more recently, "Secrets of the Lean Plate Club." (St Martin's Press.)

Plus I've covered nutrition, health and medicine in Washington for more than 20 years for The Post.

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washingtonpost.com: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Sally Squires: Here's the link.

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Maker's Diet: Sally -- I have been following the Maker's Diet, not to the tee of course, but more generally than not. It is basically an all-natural, low-carb, low-sugar diet. It has been amazing so far. However, I have been eating eggs for breakfast, a lot! Although I am completely filled up all morning, I worry about the cholesterol. I am physically fit, but I know cholesterol is not good for anyone. Any thoughts?

Sally Squires: Yes, you might want to switch to one egg yolk and several egg whites. Or to egg substitutes, which are mostly egg whites. Recommendation is to limit daily cholesterol intake from all sources to 300 mg per day or less. An egg has about 270 mg from the yolk. None from the white.

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Sally Squires: Thanks to all for a great chat. Winners today are: Richmond, River City, Portage, Work Stress and Help for River City. Please send me your name, address and please put winner in the subject line to leanplateclub@washpost.com.

Until next week: Eat Smart and Move More with the Lean Plate Club. Thanks again to all!

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