Lean Plate Club

Talk About Nutrition and Health

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!

It's steamy here in D.C. But then it is the last day of July, so we really can't complain too much. So gather round your computer screens and let's stay cool indoors for a bit and discuss some of our favorite topics.

Prizes today are:

"Prevention's Dance Yourself Thin" with Marie Forleo (DVD)

"8 Weeks to Optimum Health," by Andrew Weil, MD.

"The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person," by Judith S. Beck, PhD.

"Making the Cut," by Jillian Michaels

For those new to the Lean Plate Club, here's the deal: Assist another member on this Web chat. Tell us about a healthful, great tasting food find that you have discovered. Inspire us with how you have been motivated to lose weight with a friend, family member, spouse, colleague, etc. Or tell us how their weight affected yours.

We're also looking for clever new ways to fit in more activity. You get the idea. Winners are announced at the end of each chat. And in making this offering we are not endorsing any volume or DVD, just showing you the wide range of resources that are available as you seek to reach a healthier weight.

The Lean Plate Clube-mail newsletters, should be in your electronic in-boxes now! If you'd like to subscribe to this free, weekly service, just log onto our homepage at www.leanplateclub.com. Follow the simple instructions to subscribe and you're good to go.

Now on to the chat!

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Alexandria, Va.: My husband is 6 foot 4 inches. He is a great food lover, also red wine. I have trouble convincing him that over-eating is irresponsible! A stroke would be no gift to your children! It is more difficult to keep portion sizes appropriate for me when his are really quite big.

Thanks for listening.

Sally Squires: We love to listen, Alexandria! And you're right, a stroke would indeed not be fun. Any chance that you can take small steps together?

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Carlsbad, Calif.: The bottom of the Kashi shredded Autumn wheat cereal bag has lots of "shreds". They make a fabulous, high fiber coating for chicken -- probably would be good on fish, veges, other too]. I have used butter or egg white as the first coat and then baked the chicken. You can add any herbs to the shredded wheat depending on your flavor preference that day, chili powder, garlic, and cumin or my fave, lemon thyme, Mediterranean oregano -- mild flavor, and sumac -- citrusy Persian spice. The options seem endless, and the chicken is moist with crunch.

Sally Squires: Great idea, Carlsbad. Very clever. And it reminds me that when we were in our temporary kitchen -- perched above the washer and dryer while our regular kitchen was being gutted -- I improvised with some crushed pesto cracker crumbs to coat chicken. It was great as well.

Thanks for chiming in!

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Bismarck, N.D.: In the past year and a half, I have lost 130 pounds. Now to keep it off!!! At 72, living alone, I would gain gradually while eating very well. Just a few extra calories a day at home plus quite a few more in social situations.

I think I have finally learned how to do it. I got myself a large-surface frying pan. I put in a bit of oil, then add a serving of potatoes, one of meat or a veggie patty, and a bit of garlic and some veggies, fresh or frozen. I season with lots of hot stuff. Dessert is yogurt or low-cal pudding. If I eat like this most dinners, no weight gain.

Sally Squires: Wow! 120 pounds! Fantastic. And as a seasoned adult, you also give new meaning to the words "you're never too old!" Thanks much for your inspiring example and congratulations Bismarck!

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Alexandria, Va.: I thought the study on friends and others you keep company with gaining weight, thus causing you to gain weight was very interesting. I think this is definitely true for my fiance and I. We are both 15 - 20 pounds heavier than we where when we first started dating. I'm not sure if this is because we eat differently (actually eating real meals together, vs. eating an apple or a bowl of cereal for a meal in my single days) or if it's just because we're at different places in our life now where there is less time for exercise. I try to cook healthy for us, but boy is it difficult some days!

Sally Squires: It is challenging some days to keep it all together, isn't it? You're not alone in that feeling. In fact, as I come home tired from a long day, I think of all of you as my inspiration for putting a healthful meal on the table. Last night it was about 9 p.m., but it was a wonderful salad. Hearty, flavorful. Filling. Great -- if I do say so myself!

Hang in there. With practice, this gets easier.

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Austin, Tex.: Yes! I have tried to maintain my weight for years, with limited success. This summer my husband has become very motivated to adopt a healthier lifestyle. As a result we are both eating less, cooking healthier, and walking every day. It is much easier to make good choices when the person you are eating with and shopping with are eating better.

Sally Squires: Hear, hear Austin. There's the power of two at work! Continued success to you and your husband. Hope you'll let it know how it goes. Was it difficult to get him to join you?

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Salt Lake City: Forty six pounds shed -- so far -- and twice as much to go but I'll get there. And yes, the company you keep, whether it be friends or family, definitely influences food and lifestyle choices that you make, big time! We had friends over to dinner last weekend, all of whom are either maintaining a healthy weight or trying to get there. Everything we served was low fat, calorie reduced, and either a "Light Cooking" or a Weight Watchers recipe. AND everything was "interesting" (no bland, dried out chicken breasts), delicious and our guests raved about it! For instance, dessert consisted of grilled nectarines with a small dollop of wild blueberry jam in the scooped out center. (A small dish of whipped cream was available separately, but only one person used it, and then, sparingly).

Sally Squires: And that whipped cream is okay in small portions. In fact, two tablespoons -- but measuring is essential here! -- has about 25 calories. So it can be kind of a nice treat, when one is looking for something a little special.

Congratulations on those 46 pounds. That's quite an accomplishment! No, that doesn't do it just. Awesome is more like it! Way to go. Hope you'll let us know how it continues to go. We're rooting for you.

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Sharing the Weight at Work: I don't have a problem with family and friends affecting my weight -- it's coworkers that are helping me stay unfit! I already needed to lose a few pounds when I started here, but I've gained another 5 from all the treats doled out. Two people in my department are very overweight and spend lots of time passing out goodies, letting you know when there are leftovers from meetings, and even calling to ask if you want to go back to the conference room with them for a 2nd round of leftovers! One woman keeps candy at her desk and tries to get everyone to eat it, and seems hurt when you don't want any. I've asked them politely to stop tempting me, but it starts up again after a few days. Sometimes I feel like I'm being bullied, and sometimes I think they just want company in their bad habits. They will eat tons of junk, while talking about how they need to stop eating junk.

I'm tired of being tempted, so now I bring extra fruit or a cup of non-fat yogurt to have on hand when the goodies come out. I have not been able to interest anyone in eating healthier, or in going for walks at lunch time. Since I took control of my situation, I've lost a few pounds and I'm hoping some further weight loss will inspire my coworkers to make their own changes.

Sally Squires: You could indeed be the catalyst that sparks the rest of your office to become healthier. Then again,they may be all talk. And no one should feel pressured to eat what others bring to the office. But that's easier said that done, sometimes,isn't it?

You should see the huge can of peanuts that someone has placed in the Health section today. They're delicious, but people keep walking by and take yet another handful!

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Herndon, Va.: What do you think about Gina Kolata's new book, "Rethinking Thin?" She provides compelling evidence that diets don't work and that a person's weight is almost entirely determined by genetics. If nothing else, I'd love to see this book as a prize on future Lean Plate Club lists.

Sally Squires: That book was the subject of much discussion in last week's Web chat. You might want to take a look at the transcript. And by the way, we keep the Web chat transcripts and columns archived at www.leanplateclub.com. If you can't find it, just let me know.

I believe that I have offered the book as a prize on this chat. But confess that the books do start to blend together...except for "Secrets of the Lean Plate Club," of course.

Sorry, couldn't resist!

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Springfield, Va.: My husband hinders my weight control efforts because he is always wanting to eat out instead of eating healthy meals at home. He complains that he doesn't want to deal with the mess that cooking makes (even though I go out of my way to do as much of it myself) and that cooking heats up the house. It is an on-going battle to try and find easy, quick, non-messy meals and to talk him out of going out!

Sally Squires: Have you tried the cost argument? It is so much less expensive to eat at home -- unless you're only going to fast food restaurants. Is there a trip or something that he would like? You might make the cost argument with the idea of putting the savings in an account for him -- or both of you -- to spend.

Another thought: Maybe you could set specific nights where you agree to go out. And I take it that he doesn't cook, but is he willing to help you plan meals in advance?

One more thought: You might prepare some things at a service, such as Let's Dish. They cost is about $4 a meal. It tastes more like restaurant fare, but you finish it at home. Might be the happy medium solution.

Other thoughts out there? We'd love to hear about them.

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Washington, D.C. : I have recently adopted a "buddy system" approach to weight training by hiring a personal trainer for two hours a week. I am sure to make these sessions since I am paying for them and I have someone there to challenge me and keep me motivated. I figure after a few months these habits will be so ingrained in me that I will stick with them on my own.

Sally Squires: Great idea! How much are you paying?

For those whose budgets don't allow this cost (often about $55 per hour or more), you might consider splitting a trainer with a friend or two.

Thanks for chiming in.

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Arlington, Va.: About six years ago two of my co-workers were melting away before my eyes! I was astounded and intrigued when I heard that they were both on Weight Watchers. By Christmas I was convinced and right after New Year's signed up. It was great to have the re-enforcement and support in the workplace when eating lunch or getting the mid-afternoon munchies. It is now five years since I lost 40 pounds (and kept off). I attribute my kick start to my colleagues.

Sally Squires: Now there's a great example of how contagious getting thinner can be! Congratulations! We ought to add up the pounds lost on this chat. Bet they will be significant!

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Bradenton, Fla.: The study proves Weight Watchers statistics that state by percentage, the members who lose the most weight and tend to maintain the weight loss, attend the meetings. Group dynamics, interaction, etc., by association can directly affect individual efforts. I attend meetings & participate in WW online, but I also participate in the Lean Plate Club "group," if you will, which by its own description is there to support the "group" and its weight loss efforts.

Sally Squires: Right on, Bradenton. And I mentioned the Lean Plate Club and our "virtual" community to Fowler, the political scientist who is co-author of last week's study. He loved the idea! By the way, look for more research from this group. They have other studies underway and more planned. Should be interesting to see their results in the coming years.

Thanks for chiming in.

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Alexandria, Va.: Sally -- over the weekend I made an effort to eat all the produce in my fridge that was about to go bad. My best meal? A delicious ear of corn paired with spinach, sauteed in a bit of walnut oil and tossed with a tablespoon or so of feta cheese. While it cooked, I read the plastic clamshell that the spinach came in. Did you realize that ONE of those large containers is one serving? Just 30 calories for the whole thing and let me tell you -- I wasn't hungry for dessert! It cooked down to a small, normal amount, too.

Sally Squires: I love the way all that leafy spinach cooks down to such a small portion, don't you?

It's a great example of how easy it can be to eat those 2.5 cups of veggies recommended daily for most adults. You can find more at My Pyramid. We'll post a link in a minute.

Thanks for the great reminder!

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McLean, Va.: I do take other diabetes drugs (than avandia). I take glyburide and metformin. I always gain weight in the mid section while on them but I can't get my surgar under control. I just moved to Virginia in May, found a new doctor in Mid May and am now waiting to go to an endocrinologist. I'm hoping to be able to try a new drug that a friend in Michigan has went to w/success called Byetta (I'm not sure of the spelling). I have to go to an endo. to get this. Can anyone comment on the positive or negative of this drug.

Thanks. And I will be checking this site out now that I found it.

Sally Squires: Welcome to the Washington, D.C., region, McLean!

You spelled Byetta correctly. it's apparently fairly pricey, according to a quick search that I just did on the Web. One site says expect to pay about $200 per month. And we'll post a link to a search of byetta on the National Library of Medicine.

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washingtonpost.com: Diabetes Drug Database

Sally Squires: As promised, here's info about some diabetes drugs. More to come...

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washingtonpost.com: MyPyramid.gov

Sally Squires: As promised, here's where you can see for yourself how few veggies can help you meet the recommended daily intake. Also you can customize this site and find out your specific needs.

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washingtonpost.com: Putting a Trend To the Test (Post, Aug. 30, 2006)

Sally Squires: And here's information about Let's Dish and other services that enable you to make a month's worth of meals and then freeze them.

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Washington, D.C.: I've done Weight Watchers at Work with the same core group of women for several years. I've found that the closer we stick together, the more successful we become. Many of our group have gone on to Lifetime (goal) status and I'm nearly there (after losing over 140 pounds). Just as our social networks affect the weight we GAIN, so do they affect the weight we LOSE -- it's a matter of giving each other the support and strength to undertake the journey.

Sally Squires: Hear, hear! Couldn't have said it better myself. And wow -- congratulations on those 140 pounds! Sounds like you've got a great group going. Thanks for chiming in.

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Omaha, Neb.: If cigarettes and smoking is uniformly banned, as is any ad promoting the act of smoking, why then are not "all you can eat" commercials for places like Arby's, Burger King, and Sonic (to name a few) banned? It is so wrong to advertise double/triple burgers with fries for only $2, $3, $4, etc. This is promoting obesity -- plain and simple. I find this to be dangerous and destructive advertising.

Sally Squires: A growing number of experts feel the way you do. Psychologist Kelly Brownell at Yale's Rudd Center calls our environment toxic to weight loss. And there are places that are considering fat taxes which may hit some people below the belt -- and help motivate them to shift their eating habits. Thanks for chiming in.

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washingtonpost.com: PubMed results for "byetta"

Sally Squires: Here's the National Library of Medicine search for byetta, a drug for diabetes. And by the way, this site is free and available for anyone to search on line. It's a great resource and an example of your tax dollars at work! Thanks to our stalwart -- and very busy -- producer today!

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Lexington, Ky.: About food in the office -- I finally learned that it's not my responsibility as an employee to try or eat a big serving of everything that folks leave in the break room to snack on. It's a choice (and usually not a good one) to eat that stuff.

Sally Squires: Yep. And I wonder if some employers will draw the line as health care costs continue to rise along with the obesity epidemic. Maybe we can find other ways to celebrate in our cubicles. Perhaps, exotic tea? Or coffee? Or fruit and veggie platters! Now there's a movement that the Lean Plate Club could start.

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Falls Church, VA: I wonder if the conductors of this "study" gave any thought at all, or have commented on the possible affect on those who are struggling with weight issues. The 2 Drs. I saw on Today last week who apparently conducted this study, were both very thin and never talked about the flip side of their study or how it might impact overweight people. Did it ever occur to these "professionals" that people tend to choose friends that are most like them and that people who are obese may feel out of place and unwanted in other circles and CHOOSE to be with each other? Did the study ever consider that overweight people, even in a family, might prefer to be together because the alternative may be too painful and they don't want to be judged?

Have they considered that this rather useless study might make people of normal weight look at their friends and make social decisions to ostracize based on fear of "contagion"?

I doubt very seriously if these findings have any real basis in scientific fact, and can lead to no real positive conclusions. In fact, what really helpful conclusions can be drawn from such findings? Be careful in selecting your friends -- be sure they're thin?

or take aggressive steps to control the eating of your close friends so YOU won't get fat? (That should help a lot.) or if you tell your friends they're making you fat they'll lose weight. (I don't think so.)

In other words, when you get right down to it, What Was The Point? How will this help the nation's obesity crisis? Not at all. And that's not a guess.

Sally Squires: You raise some very important points. But to get published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a study has to go through some pretty rigorous review by other scientists. So it's likely a valid study.

What it seems to point out is how we affect each other. And that's pretty important too, don't you think? And you're absolutely correct fat stigma is a real problem. So that's something else that needs to be addressed.

The latest figures from Johns Hopkins project that 71 percent of American adults will be overweight by 2015 and some 40 percent will be obese. So I suspect that may help change our perception of how overweight and obese people are viewed. Let's hope so anyway.

Thanks very much for chiming in, Falls Church.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: My husband is an excellent cook -- his mother was a professional chef, and his way of showing love is by cooking. Unfortunately, he inherited her heavy hand with fats, and he has no sense of portion control. When I resist eating all that he serves, he gets insulted. I almost look forward to evenings when he isn't at home. What do I do?

Sally Squires: Find some middle ground. Otherwise this will continue to be a huge strain on your relationship. And who needs that?

So, where do you begin? Maybe you could alternate cooking each night. Perhaps you could plan meals together. And there's no reason that in many instances you can't both have what you want.

Take a salad. The greens get fixed, but you each get to decide what and how much dressing to put on.

Same could be done with veggies. Casseroles and mixed meals are more challenging. But at least you could get him to switch to healthy fats (if he isn't already using things like olive or canola oil, rather than butter.) And there's nothing wrong with using modest amounts of avocado (a healthy fat) nut (healthy fat) and other things like walnut oil, or flaxseed. You get the idea.

Also fatty fish -- not fried -- but naturally fat, such as salmon is a great thing to eat. And there's no need to add huge amounts of fat to that.

You could also point him toward Eating Well, Cooking Light and even some slimmed down recipes in Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Cucina Italiana and more.

There are great healthful meals to make.

Hope you and he can find that middle ground and hope you'll let us know how it goes.

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Midland, Tex.: Friends, help your friends! Most of us need encouragement and motivation for a lot of things we do, from eating right and exercising to being a good parent/spouse. My best friend always makes cutting remarks if I exercise more than she or don't order dessert when we eat out. It's hard for me to not talk about my day if that includes an exercise class, because I would like the affirmation. Friends, help your friends by encouraging their good habits.

Sally Squires: Hear, hear, Midland! Thanks.

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New yogurt: I've just discovered Yo Plus by Yoplait. It's basically their response to Dannon's Activia, with added fiber and probiotics for digestive heath. I love the added fiber because my grocery store had been seriously slacking on stocking Stonyfield Farm yogurt (they're the only other brand with fiber I could find), and I prefer the taste to Dannon.

I've been trying to get more calcium in my diet, too, so I've started making a smoothie with frozen berries and a cup of fat free yogurt for breakfast, and drinking more (fortified) soymilk after I run, and now I can bring a little yogurt cup as my after-lunch dessert. As you can probably tell, I'm one who can't just drink milk straight up.

Sally Squires: I've seen this in the dairy case, but haven't yet tried it. And you remind me that I have found three alternatives to the wonderful Total yogurt. One at Trader Joe's. The other two, also Greek style yogurts, at Whole Foods. Didn't like one of them as much as Total. Trader Joe's is passable -- and $2 less -- so it's not a bad option. But didn't think it was quite as creamy as the nonfat Total, still hard to beat. (And I have no connection with the companies mentioned.)

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Sandy Springs, Ga.: It is not a valid study - even some of the other scientists that were interviewed about it for CNN.com admitted that they doubted the results could ever be reproduced. By definition, that means the study was not done using a scientific method.

Sally Squires: We may have to agree to disagree here. The data is drawn from the on-going Framingham Heart Study, funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. And this research was funded by the National Institute on Aging. So while there may be critics of the methodology or the results, it is still a valid study by design and by its publication -- and the accompanying editorial -- in the New England Journal of Medicine. Thanks for chiming in.

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Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio: Fat HATRED is Contagious

A recent report on the study that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine draws the conclusion that "obesity appears to spread through social ties." NEJM Volume 357:370-379, July 26, 2007, Number 4. Recommended remedy is to avoid having fat friends.

Up until now as a collective community we have ignored the fact that over the recent decades the average increase in weight has only been about 6-11 pounds. Hardly epidemic proportions.

We have ignored the fact that according to the World Health Organization, the U.S. is not even in the top 10 fattest populations in the world (U.S. ranks 20th)

We have ignored the fact that overweight people live as long as "normal" weight people and some studies suggest longer than thinner people.

We have ignored the fact that the majority of those that diet regain the lost weight and often more.

We have ignored the fact that science has never shown that losing weight prolongs life, although some studies show intentional weight loss increases risk of dying early from certain diseases -- not to mention high risk surgeries.

We have ignored the fact that health indicators, such as insulin sensitivity and cholesterol levels can be improved through changing health behaviors regardless of whether weight changes.

We have ignored the fact that if we truly cared about the health of fat people we would make sure they had equal access to health coverage so they could obtain affordable, appropriate health care instead of denying them based on their weight.

But, we can NO LONGER IGNORE that the escalation of obesity hysteria now infringes on the human rights that all people can and should expect according to The International Bill of Human Rights.

People are being denied health care, housing, employment, personal safety and dignity, and now, apparently, the right to personal relationships based on their BMI.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states (parenthesis and emphasis are added):

Article 1: All human beings (including fat human beings) are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood (and sisterhood).

Article 2: Everyone (including fat ones) is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Article 3: All people (including fat people) have the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 5: No one (including fat patients and fat children) shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 12: No one (including fat public figures) shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his(/her) privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his(/her) honor and reputation.

Article 17: (1) Everyone (every fat one) has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. (2) No one (fat person) shall be arbitrarily deprived of his(/her) property.

Article 23: Everyone (including fat employees) has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment. Everyone (including fat employees) without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

Maybe you are not a fat person or you don't have any fat people in your life you care about, so you figure you don't need to do anything about this. But according to the most recent pseudo science, it is only a matter of time before your human rights are in jeopardy too.

Deb Lemire

Member of the Association of Size Diversity and Health

www.sizediversityandhealth.org

Sally Squires: You raise some very important points. Thanks very much for chiming in today.

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Pittsburgh: Hi Sally! Thank you for a great service to all of us trying to get healthier!

Two parts from me today:

First, what are your thoughts on vitamin supplements and metabolism? I have been taking a multi plus green tea extract and a B-complex, but I go back and forth as to whether it is actually helpful. Not overusing, so harm isn't really a danger.

Second, is about the communal effects of fitness/non-fitness article. On one hand, I agree with the research. I have noticed that because I am very open about my struggles and what I do to combat it, that my friends and co-workers ask me about when I go, sometimes even join me.

I will even make special trips to the gym I go to to coordinate with friends. We share exercises, and methods, and keep each other going. With new methods, I have lost 23 pounds in about four months.

On the other hand, my knee-jerk reaction to the article was a defensive one. "Great! now I will get to hear the 'skinny' people snub yet more of the rest of us!" Which isn't exactly a constructive way of looking at

the whole thing.

On the whole, in the Big Picture of things, ATTITUDES in general are contagious. Be it fitness and health, or racism, or people simply being boorish and rude. Set the bar higher than the lowest common denominator,

and maybe we can all make some progress.

-steps off soap box-

I feel better now!

Sally Squires: Good! But be careful as you step off that soapbox.

And congratulations on those 23 pounds! Your message -- and some of the other postings today -- underscore how important it is to put ourselves in others' shoes before criticizing about weight or a lot of other things. That's not to say that everything is okay, but just that we could all probably be a bit less judgmental and encouraging, don't you think?

That's what I enjoy about the Lean Plate Club and the way members reinforce what we're all -- me included -- trying to do better in eating smart and moving more.

As we engineer more activity out of our lives and as the population ages, more and more people are going to have to figure out how to do this better.

Whew! Now I'll get off my soapbox too!

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Davenport, Iowa: Thanks for the motivation and encouragement that you and the other LPC'ers offer each week. I need all the help I can get to lose weight, eat right and exercise.

Recently, my husband started a new job where the time he works varies every week - sometimes day hours and sometimes evenings. He is often busy the whole time he is at work, so he doesn't have time for a meal break. What can he eat that doesn't require using a refrigerator or a microwave and he can eat while he works? He isn't really fond of protein bars.

Also, when he works the evening shift (goes in at 1-2 and gets off at 9-10 p.m. with no supper break), he wants something to eat when he gets home, but not a big meal as he will be going to bed in 1-2 hours. Do you or the other LPC'ers have any suggestions for him? Thanks again for all your help.

Sally Squires: Soup might be a good option for that late night meal. It could be canned -- or these days boxed! -- or home-made. It's easy, fast, and filling without having a lot of calories -- unless it's cream-based.

It's challenging to find foods that don't require refrigeration or a microwave. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat might be one option. Trail mix might be another, although portion size is key if he is watching his weight.

Does he have access to any hot water? If so, there are some ready-made foods that can be reconstituted with hot water. Oatmeal, mac and cheese, soup, noodles, etc., would be some options.

Beef jerky, turkey jerky and salmon jerky could be good protein possibilities and don't require either refrigeration or the microwave. (You do have to like to chew with these foods, however.)

Nuts and dried fruit would be other options for him along with crackers and some cheeses that are pretty stable for a few hours. Laughing Cow is one.

Hope that helps.

If you have other suggestions, please e-mail them to me at leanplateclub@washpost.com, since we are nearly out of time.

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Minneapolis, Minn.: Has anyone heard of a sugar substitute called "Whey Low Granular"?

Ingredients are sucrose, fructose, and lactose monohydrate. VivaLac, Inc. of Ashton, Md. puts it out. I first discovered Whey Low as an ingredient in gluten free muffins sold here in Mpls.

Package states: "Whey Low Granular is a revolutionary new food product to replace table sugar one-for-one in all your favorite foods and beverages. The patented blend of all-natural sugars, when used in combination with dietary carbohydrates, is regarded as low-carb, low-calorie and low-glycemic, as the blend requires less insulin for conversion and reduces serum glucose levels by 70 to 80 percent compared to sucrose."

Does this make any sense?

Sally Squires: This is a new one to me too, but I just did a quick search. Whey Low Granular is a sugar substitute. (Sucrose is table sugar, fructose is the sugar found in a lot of fruit and lactose is the sugar found in dairy products, likely the source of that "whey.")

Whether this product does all that it claims, I can't say quickly without more research. I'll see what I can find. Stay tuned...

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Washington, D.C.: Heck, yes -- my sister's weight/eating habits affect mine and vice versa. She is probably 70-80 pounds overweight, and I'm about ten to fifteen overweight but she thinks I'm "skinny" and gets very annoyed when I say I'm trying to watch what I eat or need to exercise. Sometimes I definitely eat more when she's around, and oddly enough I think she eats more when I'm around, too. On the flip side, there have been times when we've both done Weight Watchers at the same time (although not "together") and have definitely coached and supported each other.

Sally Squires: A great example of the complicated effects that weight can have on siblings -- as well as friends, colleagues, spouses and partners. Thanks for chiming in.

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well *I* can say it:: the overwhelming conclusive scientific fact is that obesity is unhealthy. We shouldn't make fun of overweight people, or discriminate against them, but I'm not going to say it's healhty just cuz I'm afraid of being labeled unPC. It IS unhealthy. And I say that as someone who weighs more than I should, and I know it and I want to get healthier, NOT just feel good about my weight.

Sally Squires: There's no question that there are numerous weight-related illnesses. But it is also true that not everyone experiences these problems with added weight (although the odds are definitely not in your favor particularly at morbidly obese levels.) And I think that just about everyone can agree that achieving a healthier weight often makes people feel more energetic, sleep better, improves mood and more.

So it's a balance. Everything in moderation including finding what weight works best for you. Thanks for chiming in.

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Everyone (every fat one) has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. (2) No one (fat person) shall be arbitrarily deprived of his(/her) property. : What a red herring! No one said heavy people shouldn't own property! What a great example how the victimology has made people afraid to state the truth: obesity is dangerous to your health.

Sally Squires: I confess that I read too quickly past that part. Thanks for pointing that out.

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Arlington, Va.: Sally, I can not seem to lose weight. I was always the same weight but then put on 6 lbs last summer after six weeks of taking prednisone and have not been able to lose the weight. Right now I am a few pounds above where I should be for my height so it's not like I am very overweight or anything. I watch what I eat (tried weight wathcers and even after a perfect week on the program would see no weight loss) and I exercise a good amount. I even started taking an intense boot camp class five days/week. I thought that boot camp would add intensity and change to my program and I would drop some weight, but 6 weeks in and I have not lost an ounce. People say I must be putting on muscle but my clothes don't fit any better and some things like my jean feel tighter. I am at a complete loss. Should I get my metabolism tested? I know thyroid issues run in my family, but I had it tested last year with my regular physical and doc said everything was normal.

Sorry this is so long, I just really need some help.

Sally Squires: As you know, prednisone is a very powerful steroid that often results in weight gain. So it's not unusual that you experienced these added pounts.

Now...about those six pounds. Is this 6 pounds above what would put you at a healthy body mass index -- in other words, up to 24.9 for a bmi? Or is this 6 pounds above the range where you would like to be?

Since we're almost out of time, feel free to e-mail me after the chat to continue the discussion. But in the meantime, stick with your healthy habits. Make sure you're eating enough calories daily to support weight loss and that extra activity. (Your body could think it is in starvation mode otherwise.) And continue to focus on the healthy habits. The weight will take care of yourself. The number on the scale is just one measure of your body -- it's not the end all and be all.

Hope that helps.Thanks.

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Sally Squires: Thanks to all for a great chat. Winners today are WW (for the 140 pounds lost) Bismarck; Austin, Carlsbad, Salt Lake City and Arlington (40 pounds lost.) Please e-mail me at leanplateclub@washpost.com and please include your name, address and put winner in the subject line.

Until next week, eat smart, move more -- and keep helping each other -- with the Lean Plate Club!

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