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Tuesday, April 8, 2003; 1 p.m. ET

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

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

Submit your questions before or during the discussion.

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

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

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

Sally Squires: Welcome to the Lean Plate Club.

Hearty congratulations go today to my colleague Bob Levey who noted in his column yesterday how he has changed his habits significantly over the past year and along the way, lost 26 pounds. Way to go Bob! And for those of you who recall Bob's very public efforts last year about this time, you'll also see how much he's changed in his perspectives. He now talks about eating more healthfully, fitting exercise into his life on a regular basis. Last year, he began his effort by writing about "going on a diet." Now he talks about making lifelong changes. He's really achieved a lot and is an inspiration.

If you saw today's Health section, you know that most Americans' diets resemble an hour glass rather than a pyramid. In other words, we're eating too many calories, and too much stuff from the tip (that's fat and oils) and too much from the bottom (that's the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group, most of it processed white flour.)

So to help kick off the chat, what shape is your daily eating?

The freebies this week come in part thanks to Food Editor Jeanne McManus. They include:

Take-Out Tonight!: 150 Restaurant Favorites to Make at Home by Weight Watchers (Fireside; $13.95) [This book was featured in a recent Food section.]

Prevention's Decadent Desserts for Diabetics: 125 Luscious Recipes for the Whole Family by Regina Ragone, MS, RD (Rodale; $16.95)

Dr. Kushner's Personality Type Diet by Robert F. Kushner, MD and Nancy Kushner, MSN, RN (St. Martin's; $23.95)

Sweat Your Prayers: Movement as Spiritual Practice by Gabrielle Roth (Tarcher/Putname; $12.95)


For those new to the Lean Plate Club, here's the deal: we're looking for a great food find, a new way to fit daily activity into your life; an inspiring story of eating or activity change that will help us do the same, a recipe for a great tasting healthy food. Give us one of those and you could get one of these books. Winners are announced at the end of the chat. (By the way, our offering of these books does not endorse any product, exercise program, weight loss regimen. It's merely to let you know the range of materials that are out there.)

If you'd like to subscribe to the free, weekly Lean Plate Club electronics newsletter, you can sign up at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/email/front.htm. The newsletters are generally sent out mid-day on Tuesdays. Please let me know if you have any trouble subscribing or if you don't receive the newsletter. You can e-mail me at leanplateclub@washpost.com. Please put "trouble subscribing" in the subject line.

Now on to the chat!

Southwest Virginia: Hi Sally.

Just wanted to say that the LPC has really helped me make a big change in my life. Since the first of February, I have lost 10 pounds not by dieting, but by eating healthier. I feel so much better and I know I look better. I am now inspired to keep up with healthier eating and am now trying to incorporate physical activity into my daily routine. Thanks.

Sally Squires: Way to go Southwest! (You could compare notes with Bob Levey!). I'll bet that you may also be sleeping better and have more energy during the day. And I suspect that you will also be successful with increasing physical activity too. You might look back at the Make the Move challenge if you haven't already seen it. You can find it at www.washingtonpost.com/leanplateclub.
Thanks for posting.

Washington, D.C.: I LOVE LOVE burritos/tacos with lots of beans and veggies, however I'm concerned about the white flour used in the tortillas I use. Does anyone know where I can get whole wheat or healthier tortillas? Thanks!

Sally Squires: Hey DC: This is a good food choice--high in taste, one of your personal favorites and filled with great stuff. Yes, indeed you can find whole wheat tortillas. I've seen them most recently at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. I suspect you can get them elsewhere too. The thing to look for with tortillas is fat content, since some are made with lard--a decidedly unhealthy fat. Anybody else have more tips on where to find the healthy kind?

Arlington, Va.: Hi Sally! I'm never around for the chats, but I had a great lunch recipe I wanted to submit. I got a box of the Far East Tabouleh salad and made it according to the directions on the box, leaving out the olive oil. I added chopped cucumbers, raisins, chickpeas, garlic, sunflower seeds, and two tablespoons of a lowfat roasted red pepper vinagrette.

I'll have that and lowfat yogurt, which will fill me up for the rest of the day.

I made enough to bring for my lunch at work for the rest of the week!

Sally Squires: Hey Arlington: This sounds delicious, easy and has a lot of really nutritious ingredients. Thanks for submitting.

Nutritional Info: Hi Sally
I was wondering about how to guess the fat/calories of some fast foods. For instance, I love the chicken caesar wrap from wrapworks - it's chicken, feta, lettuce, and caesar dressing in a spinach tortilla. What do you think the nutritional info of that is? How can you guess things, like how the meat was prepared and what that does to the fat content? Thanks for your help.

Sally Squires: Hi. You're put your finger on a real challenge for all of us since so many people eat out regularly and few restaurants provide much nutritional info. If this wrap is from a chain, you might find nutritional information on their web site. You might also want to check out Restaurant Confidential by the folks at Center for Science in the Public Interest (I'll send their Web site URL to the producer so it can be posted here without screwing up the formatting.)

If it's a favorite restaurant that you frequent a lot, then check with the owner and or chef to find out exactly how things are being cooked. It's very hard otherwise to know the real deal on calories.

I found it! I found it!: Do I get a prize? Last week you mentioned wanting to find whole-wheat angel hair, which also just happens to be my favorite pasta. This weekend I found it at Harris Teeter, of the brand Hodgson's Mill. I had it on Saturday night and it was fantastic -- definitely my favorite of the whole-wheat pastas I have tried. I also picked up a whole-wheat-spinach pasta, same brand, that looks great, but haven't tried it yet.

I was very excited as I, too, have been on a quest for angel hair!

Sally Squires: Way to go! I looked this weekend and didn't find any, although I did see plenty of other types of whole wheat pasta. Thanks very much!

Brookeville: Interesting to note: This week's Journal of the American Medical Association focuses on issues of obesity and weight loss. One study compares results of people on the Weight Watcher program to that of people trying to go it alone with limited nutrition support. The result: Wt. Watcher attendees had slightly higher weight loss results. Speaking as someone who has lost 80 lbs. over the last year and a half with the Wt Watcher system, I found that interesting. What has worked for me has been not slavishly attending Wt Watcher meetings every week (I'm a lifetime member), but applying every source of encouragement I can find-- using the Wt. Watcher model as my base, particularly for journaling because it's so simple. I read LPC, I get the free Wt. Watcher and E-diet e-mails, I have nutrition and fitness tips on my yahoo page, I subscribe to Cooking Light. I process it all and use what seems realistic for me. I believe every person must chart their own weight loss course. Tenacity and the ability to forgive yourself for mistakes (and move on) are the most important things that have helped me.

Sally Squires: Hi Brookeville: You really put your finger on it. I couldn't have said it better myself. We're all so well-nourished and we have engineered so much physical activity out of our lives that unless you really focus on changing habits, it probably won't happen.Great going. Thanks!

washingtonpost.com: Restaurant Confidential

Help in Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally!

Great chats! Question: How many servings of each food group apply to a 1,500-1,600 calorie diet? I ask because I get to controlling when figuring out actual calories and thought it would be healthier if I just focused on portion control and actual servings.

Thanks!

Sally Squires: Thanks! The pyramid gives ranges, so you'd want to aim for the lower end of those servings. For example, the bread etc. group says six to 11 servings. You'd want to aim toward six. And by the way, the recommendation is for at least three servings a day of bread, pasta, etc. to come from whole grains. That's something most people miss.

Texas: Last August I wrote you asking for low sodium recipes to use for my 13 year old granddaughter who is awaiting a kidney transplant. You kindly referred me to the National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases and asked me to keep you posted of my precious baby girl's progress. She is doing very well. She was able to go back to school in December and is on the honor roll. The home dialysis treatments are very helpful and she is now able to eat foods that were previously restricted. The transplant is scheduled for the first week in June. We're standing ready for the transplant and will do whatever is necessary for her recovery. In the meantime, we are praying for a miracle and if you don't think it inappropriate, I'd like to ask for prayers from your readers. She is just the dearest child. Thank you Sally.

Sally Squires: Dear Texas: I'm delighted to hear that things are going well for your grand-daughter. There's so much good information available at the National Institutes of Health for consumers and it is your tax dollars at work. The main site is www.nih.gov. Absolutely, your grand-daughter will be in our thoughts and prayers. Thanks for the update.

Philadelphia, Pa.: Inspiration struck, thanks to LPC. Picture it, Saturday evening, home. Relaxing, watching TV, feeling those first pangs of hunger. Rather than strap on the junk-food feed bag, I took a few minutes (and I do me a few) to throw a pound of asparagus on a cookie sheet, fire up the oven, sprinkle with a tiny bit of olive oil and kosher salt. 15 minutes later I'm relishing a luscious freshly prepared, completely satisfying snack.

Sally Squires: Awesome, Philly! Just goes to show how good habits can pay off. Roasted vegetables are a wonderful snack. Thanks!

Annapolis, Md.: I'd like to share some ways I've increased the amount of whole grain foods in mine and my family's diet:

I love pizza and make it or buy it frequently for my family. But I have always felt bad about it, because it is made from refined white flour. Making it from regular whole wheat flour was not satisfactory -- its nutty, strong flavor just doesn't go with pizza. Someone in an LPC chat suggested King Arthur Flour's "White Whole Wheat" flour as the solution, and I have finally found it and tried it. (It's easily available on the King Arthur Web site, but only if you are willing to pay $6 in shipping for a $2 bag of flour!) I found it at Giant, and it makes a very good, somewhat rustic and peasanty tasting pizza dough. You would not mistake it for white flour, but it is more than acceptable. I have also used it in banana bread, muffins, and cookies, with good results.

I have an easy-peasey recipe for oat bran muffins that I make with Splenda (the new fake sugar). Just freeze them and nuke them for 50 seconds when you're ready to eat and enjoy a sweet, warm, virtuous treat (only 2 points on Weight Watchers). In a bowl, beat two egg whites, add two tablespoons of canola oil, 1 cup of skim milk, two mashed bananas (or equal amount of applesauce if you prefer), one tablespoon of baking powder, 2 1/4 cups of oat bran, 1/2 cup of Splenda. Mix, pour into muffin tins, bake at 425 F. for 17 minutes. You can add nuts, ground flax seed, raisins (to the applesauce variant) or whatever you want.

Lastly, Trader Joe's sells delicious whole wheat tortillas, which I use to make easy vegetarian burritos: saute an onion, add some chopped garlic, add a can of black beans (undrained) and almost any vegetable you like--I've used frozen corn or spinach, chopped zucchini or bell pepper--then add a couple of teaspoons of cumin and some thyme, and a few shakes of worcestershire sauce. When the bean liquid cooks dry, spoon the mixture into the tortillas (add cooked instant brown rice mixed with salsa if you want), grate a small amount of cheddar or jack on top, roll the burrito up, and microwave it briefly, just enough to heat the tortilla. Serve with salsa and anything else you like or have on hand -- tabasco sauce, fat free sour cream, guacamole if you can afford the calories. Fast, cheap and good!

Sally Squires: Yum, Annapolis. You are making me very hungry. I make pizza dough all the time at home for my son and recently tried some with whole wheat flour with very mixed success. So guess I'll have to try the King Arthur's variety. Thanks for posting these great recipes.

Arlington, Va.: Hi Sally!

I have a couple tips that have helped me go from winded all the time, to an active, energetic, healthy eater.

Like many people, I have a hard time keeping my eating healthy during that mid-afternoon early evening period after work. I work out in the mornings, and when I get home at 6 p.m. I'm tired and hungry, and rarely feel like going to the effort to cook a real meal. I've found the best solution is to use a crock pot so that when I get home, I already have a hot, healthy meal ready. It saves me from needless snacking or making something like mac and cheese, and the meals turn out delicious. And while you can make fantastic legumes and soups in it, it's also appropriate for spring/summer when you can pop in lean chicken with a can of chopped chiles and some black beans and have fantastic fajitas waiting for you, or other kinds of fun mexican food. Plus, they now make sleek silver crock pots, so you don't need to have that old ugly avocado green one that's been passed down to you or purchased back in the 70s.

If I have my dinner already made, I can eat healthy and fill myself up without those terrible mid-afternoon calories!

I also find that if I set everything out for the gym the night before, I don't have time to talk myself out of going when the alarm goes off. The less time to think, the better the chance I'll go right to the gym, and I'm always glad I did!

I think the trick for me is planning, and to think of where I might slip up and take care of things before it happens. If I'm consciously thinking and prepared, I succeed, and when I get lazy, I fail. It's really no more work, it's just more focused.

And so much thanks to the LPC to help me with all of this!

Sally Squires: Arlington: You're very welcome. It's really inspiring to hear what you're doing. We've featured the crock pots (also known as slow cookers) in recent Food sections. Putting a chicken in one for a Mexican meal is great idea. Speaking of chicken, you might also want to take a look at a recent article where they made two chickens and got 12 meals out of it. Thanks!

Whole wheat angel hair: I recently bought whole wheat angel hair pasta at the Safeway in Georgetown. It was a big name, national brand of pasta, but exact nomenclature alludes me at the moment. I believe the packaging was green. Had to really search the shelf for it, as it was buried amongst unlike pastas. But I made some for dinner the other night and it was great!

Sally Squires: That makes two sources of this stuff. Thanks!

Falls Church, Va.: Where can I find whole wheat sub rolls and hot dog rolls? I haven't seen these items anywhere. Thanks.

Sally Squires: I haven't found sub rolls, but have bought whole wheat hot dog and hamburger buns at Trader Joe's and Fresh Fields. Yes! markets might also carry them. Any other sources out there?

Snacking: I had stalled out on my weight loss, and was stymied. Then, I started snacking.

I do the WW system, so I was still sticking to my WW Points, but I started spreading them around more. A Pria bar around 11. A fat-free chocolate pudding cup around 2.

My energy used to crash at 4, and now it doesn't. I'm finding myself less drawn to diet caffeinated sodas. And, I'm back to losing weight!

Healthy snacking can be the key, folks.

And, Pria bars? Yummy, sweet, and fortified w/ vitamins. Mmmm!

Sally Squires: Hey Snacking. I've recently tried these Pria bars too and also found them quite good and satisfying (and I have no financial interest in the product.) I'm not sure how much they cost, but they didn't have the aftertaste that I usually find with a lot of other of these "energy" or health bars. What you illustrate so well is that you found a problem and adjusted. Great going! Thanks.

Washington, D.C.: Hi - I'm enjoying reading your chat. I'm very new to it. I just wanted to ask about olive oil. I was under the impression that it is good for you. I use it frequently with garlic -- healthy and flavorful.

Sally Squires: Welcome, DC. Olive oil falls into the category of healthy fats--these are generally fats that are rich in mono-unsaturated oils (as in the case of olive oil) or polyunsaturated fats: safflower, canola, flaxseed, corn, etc. They're less likely to clog your arteries because they contain no or little amounts of saturated fat. But they are still fat, which means that they hv 9 calories per gram (about 100 calories per tablespoon) so you still need to use them with reason.

Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: Yummy meal I made on Sunday night that was SOOOO easy to do and very good for you too!

Chop two cloves garlic, mix with 1 tbs olive oil, salt, fresh ground pepper and FRESH grated lemon rind -- that's right! You just grate it with a cheese grater or if you are lucky you have one of those special thingies made to do that. Rub this on flounder, sole, any similar fish and put in the oven at 425 for ONLY 8 MINUTES!

Then toss fresh spinach, chopped bell pepper, green onion, bacon (I used low fat kind) and make the dressing using 1/4 cup maple syrup, 3 tbs cider vinegar, 1 tbs each olive oil and dijon mustard, salt and pepper. put dressing in microwave for about a minute and toss with salad.

The whole meal takes about 15 minutes top and tastes soooooooooo good. even my skeptical boyfriend was satisfied and said he was going to brag to friends!

Sally Squires: This sounds delicious, Dupont. And it has a lot going for it nutritionally too. Good fats in the fish, good stuff in the spinach and other vegetables. Sounds like a win-win combo. And you're boyfriend likes it too. Maybe it's a win-win-win!

Washington, D.C.: The raw weather yesterday got me in the mood for this soup. The recipe is from Cooking Light and is quite good -- I'm usually sceptical of recipes that use low-fat dairy products, but this is really good. It makes a huge amount so some may want to halve the recipe.

Baked Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS:
4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash. Discard skins.
3. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
4. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Sprinkle each serving with cheese, onions, and bacon.
NUTRITIONAL INFO:
CALORIES 329 (30% from fat); FAT 10.8g (sat 5.9g, mono 3.5g, poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 13.6g; CARB 44.5g; FIBER 2.8g; CHOL 38mg; IRON 1.1mg; SODIUM 587mg; CALC 407mg

YIELD:
8 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups soup, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon)

Sally Squires: Thanks DC. Cooking Light has some wonderful recipes. And if you like Cooking Light, also check out Eating Well, which used to be a monthly magazine too. It went out of business but is back as a quarterly.

Silver Spring, Mf.: Can you suggest a good workout video for getting back in shape after child birth? I only have 30 minutes to workout and want to make the most of it!

Thanks.

Sally Squires: Congratulations on your baby, Silver Spring. There are so many options for videos--and so little time to write about or do them. Winsor makes a Pilates tape that you might enjoy. There are some short Firm tapes which combine aerobics, stretching and weight training. You can get them on e-bay or at the firmdirect.com. Half.com also has a lot of used tapes. And check out your public library and video store for some tapes that you could try before purchasing.

Other suggestions out there?

Alexandria, Va.: I have discovered that most of the time my hunger pangs are really thirst pangs. Nothing some good OJ or even choc milk doesn't fix!

Sally Squires: Hey Alexandria: That's a great observation and is probably true for a lot of folks. I'd also add to the list for hydration--a Michigan Strait, AKA plain old water.

Corn tortillas - even better than whole wheat: In my search for the lower-calorie tortilla, I rediscovered corn tortillas. They are smaller (portion control) and have more fiber for fewer calories than most wheat-based tortillas. The best ones can be found at stores that cater to our area's Latino populations. They smell like fresh corn and are more authentic for some types of Mexican dishes anyway. Read those nutrition labels! I use them to make a yummy "enchilada casserole" -- instead of rolling filling into the little tortillas, I layer them like lasagna with a filling of grilled chicken, black beans, enchilada sauce, tomatoes, and whatever vegetables I can get my hands on, including zucchini, corn, bell peppers, and onion! It's so good I've found I don't even need the cheese which usually makes enchiladas so good.

Sally Squires: This casserole sounds great! Yes, indeed, don't overlook corn tortillas, but do keep a lookout for that lard. And there are plenty of other flavors too including spinach and red pepper, etc. Thanks!

Arlington, Va. - re crackers: Ever since the day that you talked about the partially hydrogenated fat found in crackers I've been on a mission to find crackers without it since I rely pretty heavily on them for snacking and/or to accompany my tuna salad at lunch. I finally found some that I LOVE. They are made by Barbara's Bakery. They are all natural and made with Organic Flour. They are low fat, have no cholesterol, no refined white sugar, no hydrogenated oil, are dairy free, vegetarian, preservative free, free of artificial flavor and color and are kosher to boot! I found them at Whole Foods and they are yummy!

Sally Squires: Thanks Arlington. I know the Barbara's brand, but have not tried this cracker. These sounds really good!

In veggie heaven: Hi!

Love these chats!

I've had a veggie epiphany lately and I wanted to share: For a quick, very healthy meal (or two or three), I've been baking a spaghetti squash (cut in half, sprinkled w/ salt and pepper), and then having a bowlful topped with some low-fat tomato sauce and a small sprinkling of shredded cheese. Sometimes I'll add some stir-fry veggies on top as well. I've found it to be easy and quite filling -- and it makes enough for at least three days!

Also, I wanted to pass along a Web site that many people probably already use: www.DWLZ.com -- it has nutritional info for many restaurants, mostly in the form of WW points, but it may serve as a decent guide for non-WWers.

Sally Squires: Thanks! I've done something a little similar with eggplant, which is also often overlooked. The great thing about these vegetable dishes is how full you can feel in eating them. (By the way, Kim O'Donnell does an occasional web chat on Fridays on vegetarian cooking, if you're looking for more ideas.) Thanks as well for the web site. And I should hv mentioned that we also have a wonderful fast food resource at www.washingtonpost.com, thanks to the intrepid John Nichols. Maybe our producer Liz can get us to te link for it.

Washington, D.C.: In counting fruit and vegetable intake, are beans vegetables or protein? What about processed bean foods like tofu or tempeh?

Sally Squires: Hey DC: This question often stumps a lot of folks, me included. But here's what USDA has told me: beans can be either but not both for the same meal. In other words, if you have a bean tortilla, the beans are used as a protein. If you eat baked beans with your chicken, then beans count as a vegetable. Tofu and tempeh are mostly considered meat substitutes--unless you're eating meat, in which case, they could be counted as a vegetable. Hope that helps.

Alexandria, Va.: I just wanted your reader to know that the Fat calories fast food page is still up and running: fatcalories.com.

They carry the nutrition information for 11 fast food restaurants and allow you to compare chains by food groups.

I am in no way affiliated with the site, but am grateful to it for learning that a Burger King double whopper with cheese has 1150 calories and 790 fat calories.

Sally Squires: Thanks Alexandria! You can also find nutritional info on most of the major chain sites. Also that site for CSPI is www.cspinet.org

Alexandria, Va.: A very easy way to cook chicken: just cover chicken breasts with salsa, and bake in the oven until done. The chicken is incredibly moist, and it works for both my husband (who loves salsa) and me, who doesn't. I just scrape it off an eat the chicken.

Sally Squires: Sounds like a great combination. How long do you bake the chicken and at what temp? I'm guessing 350 degrees?

Gaithersburg, Md.: I also have enjoyed great success on Weight Watchers (nearly 70 lbs to date), and I have to agree with the previous poster that following the WW program 100 percent is not what worked for me. I did follow it pretty much 100 percent in the beginning, but as time went by, I adapted it to my own likes and needs.

For example, I never cut my calories back as far as WW told me to... I like to function on the "if it ain't broke" principle -- and as I was still losing weight on 30 Points, I figured I'd continue on that.

And it turns out there's a really good reason why that works for me. I had been getting frustrated at attempts to cut back further, so yesterday I had my resting metabolic rate (RMR) tested. My RMR is 1660 calories (and I'm a 50 YO short female). So my new plan is to eat about 1800 calories a day, and more when I take my long bike rides.

I think you have to take help wherever you find it, and you have to come up with what works for YOU. WW helps me, certainly with the support, other programs have provided good ideas, friends and support groups (online groups, too) help. For me, 'focus' is the key. I will be successful the rest of my life as long as I keep part of my daily focus on eating and health, and don't lose it amid the clutter of daily life. Support groups help you keep that focus.

Sally Squires: Well said, Gaithersburg. And congratulations on shedding those 70 pounds! Very impressive!

Arlington, VA: Sally- As for snacking, I really enjoy Balance Bars. The "gold" kind (Caramel blast or Chocolate Peanut Butter) tastes just like a candy bar. I think they they have about 200 calories, but they also have around 15 grams of protein and are fortified with vitamins too. Just thought I would throw in my 2 cents. Thanks!

Sally Squires: And thanks for throwing in those two cents, Arlington! What counts is that you've found something that you really like. That's the key.

Alexandria, Va.: Haven't tried Pria bars, but Clif bars are really good -- they fill you up and actually taste good.

Sally Squires: Thanks Alexandria!

Alexandria, Va.: Sally,
Can you tell me about flax seed oil? Where can one get it? Does it have a flavor? Can I add it to foods like yogurt?

My pediatrician has suggested that I add it to my three-year-old's food to soften up his BMs (we're potty training, with little success).

Thanks!

Sally Squires: Flaxseed oil is available in most grocery stores and health food stores. You probably could add it to yogurt. You might also make sure that your three year old eat more high fiber, more fruit and vegetables (not juice) and gets plenty of water. Whole grains can also help. You might also want to check with a registered dietitian who specializes in kids. You can find one in your area at www.eatright.org. Or ask your pediatrician. And know that three is still right on target for toilet training. Some kids are earlier--and later--than others.

Alexandria, Va.: Sally, thanks a lot! Because of you, I am hooked on edamame! I eat it almost every night. Lightly salt it, put it in the microwave for nine minutes, and I get an instant high-protein, low-fat, fibrous, filling, tasty daily dose of veggies. Who would have thought I could fall in love with soybeans?

Sally Squires: Edamame! Way to go. I confess that I still haven't quite developed a taste for the stuff. Perhaps it goes back to my college days when I cooked soybeans because they weren't then readily available in other ways. They kind of smelled like brewing beer. Not a pleasant recollection. But I know loads of folks like yourself you really enjoy edamame.

Arlington, Va.: Hello! Really enjoy the chats. I am a dessert junkie and need something sweet after dinner. I just discovered am amazing treat - reduced calorie and fat Klondike bars. Slim-a-bear, I think they're called. (130 calories per ice cream sandwich!) They are SO good and less expensive than the skinny cow ones. I highly recommend them - they handle my sweets cravings very well!

Sally Squires: Hey Arlington: Also check out Skinny Cow and Silhouette bars. Fudgsicles, and Starbucks Frappacino (sp?) bars which are also 130 calories or less. You might take a look at last summer's Lean Plate CLub columns on the archive, because we went through a bunch of sweet treats there too. Frozen cherries are also quite good, if a little odd sounding as a dessert! (Do let them thaw a bit so you don't lose a tooth, however.)

Arlington, Va.: Hi Sally,

I was hoping you could comment on some of the limitations of BMI and weight as indicators of health. Of course, we all know that ideal BMI varies with body type. However, even you, who are obviously very informed about health issues, often say things like "according to what you told us, you're within a healthy weight range."

I contend that this "healthy weight range" does not make sense for a given individual. An example: my friend and I, both 5 foot 4, both pretty lean (I would guess that our body fat percentages are very similar)--she is built pretty small and weighs 120, I am much more muscular and weigh 135. If we both put on 20 lbs of fat, I would now be "overweight," according to the BMI standard, while she would be "healthy." In fact, we would both just be carrying around 20 extra pounds of fat (her body fat percentage would actually be higher than mine.)

Is there any evidence that weight, independent of body composition, is an important determinant of health? (Has anyone looked at very muscular athletes, for example, and found them to have worse health outcomes than active thin people?) Or is weight just used as a proxy for body fat for simplicity?

I understand how looking at a population using this measure is helpful in making grave declarations like "America is getting fatter." But for an individual trying to figure out what his or her ideal and/or healthy weight range is--it seems that each of us has a range of weights at which we'd be healthy, and that the ranges specified by the BMI are not necessarily a good approximation (for example, a very small-boned person might well outside of their optimal weight range at the top of their BMI range.)

Thanks! I enjoy this chat and look forward to your thoughts.

Sally Squires: Arlington, you raise some very good points. And yes, there are indeed limitations to the BMI. But they're still a really good starting point for most folks. And let's face it: with 60 percent of Americans now overweight or obese--and the numbers continuing to climb--limitations with BMI aren't really the problem. As for the differences between thin and overweight active folks, Steve Blair at the Cooper Institute in Dallas as studied some of this. What really counts is the activity. In other words, studies suggest that thin inactive people are worse off than overweight active folks.

So, you're right, there are various gradations with all of this--another reason why it's important to focus on the habits and not just the bathroom scale.

Crohn's Disease: Sally, I don't know if you can answer this question, but I thought I might try you. My husband was diagnosed yesterday as possibly having Crohn's disease. We will know for sure in a couple of days, and he has gone into the hospital so that they can make a quicker, definitive diagnosis, as he is bleeding internally. Though there was nothing in my cursory reading of WebMD on nutritional changes, other than avoiding dairy, what else can I plan to change in our family's diet to help him when he gets home? He is the family fitness nut (1 hour of hard exercise five days a week), has the heart, blood pressure and esophagus of an 18-year-old (I just saw his insides yesterday!), excellent weight, etc. Thanks

Sally Squires: I'm sorry to hear that your husband is in the hospital and sure hope that he recovers soon. There's a whole lot of good information out there on Crohn's disease (as well as other digestive diseases.) Start with www.nih.niddk.gov the Web site for the National Institute of Digestive Diseases and Kidney Diseases. They also have a Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse. You might do a google search too for Crohn's Disease. Another good source: National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus available at www.nlm.nih.gov.

Good luck and please let us know how your husband does.

Bethesda, Md.: Sally,

I have to say your column really hit home today (especially with some of the people I work with). When it comes to eating five a day, people here often eat mostly chips, cookies, cake, candy, and sodas. It makes it very hard to eat well when there is always so much junk around. One way I can keep myself on track is to bring in breakfast and a healthy snack -- if I have an apple or some strawberries and a plain lowfat yogurt, I have no trouble sticking to a healthy diet. Also when I do this, I feel so much better than if I eat the junk. What is a good, polite way to refuse birthday cake, when you want to help celebrate with everyone?

Sally Squires: Hey Bethesda: People do feel uncomfortable when they're eating and you're not. You might say that the cake looks delicious but that you are really full from lunch (or fill in the blank.) Another option is to take a very small piece, eat a bite and discard the rest. Or split a piece with someone.

Quick at home workout : Kathy Smith's time-saver fat-burner dvd. It has two twenty minute aerobic workouts which are amazing, and a 7-8 minute cool-down. No ridiculously confusing steps - just a great workout that has helped me tone up. I got mine at Barnes and Noble.

Sally Squires: Thanks!

Lyndonville, Vt.: My challenge is to stick with a healthy eating program while my husband hasn't the slightest interest in it. He even brings home our state's favorite dessert, Ben & Jerry's. Other than separate refrigerators, any ideas, especially on sticking with the program. Have gained way too much since we got married. Doesn't help that both of us really like good food.

Sally Squires: Yes, indeed, it can be challenging. Maybe you can get your husband to bring home individual servings. Or perhaps you could accompany him to a Ben and Jerry's store where you could have one scoop and he can get what he wants, but agrees not to bring it home where it will tempt you. Try to find some common ground--or some healthy alternatives.

Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally, I love the chats! I have a question. I love refried beans, are they bad for me? I've been buying the fat free one's and I just want to make sure I'm not thinking I'm eating something that's good for me when really they aren't.
Thanks!

Sally Squires: Refried beans that are fat free are not bad for you. In fact, the ones with some fat may not be a bad choice either. It all depends on what else you're eating during the day. But in general, refried beans (preferably without lard) are a great choice. The real question is: do you also enjoy eating them?

Sally Squires: Thanks everybody! So many great suggestions, tips and recipes. You're making it harder and harder each week to declare winners. Wish I could give each and every one of you one of these books. Here goes: Winners this week are "I found it!"; Philadelphia; DuPont for the fish recipe and the member who just suggested the Kathy Smith tape.

Please e-mail me at squiress@washpost.com and please put winner in the subject line. Please include your name and snail mail address in the e-mail so I can send your prize. By the way, I'm told that there were some difficulties with the newsletter publication today. They're working on correcting it. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Until next week, don't diet, eat smart --and keep moving--with the Lean Plate Club! Cheers!