 |
Sally Squires
Washington Post Health and Nutrition Writer
Tuesday, June 10, 2003; 1:00 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. Sally Squires has covered health and nutrition for The Post since 1984. She holds masters' degrees in nutrition and journalism (both from Columbia University), is co-author of "The Stoplight Diet for Children" and covers heart disease, cancer, psychology and many other health topics in addition to nutrition. She usually eats a salad for lunch, sits unluckily close to the Health section's legendary cookie depository and (for this phase of her ongoing battle of the bulge) swears by "The Firm" series of exercise tapes. Health section editor Craig Stoltz will join Sally sometimes. Stoltz has none of Sally's impressive credentials but labors under a decade-long medical directive to control his weight and eat wisely, takes a statin to lower his blood cholesterol and keeps track of everything he eats on a Palm handheld computer, a fact most of his acquaintances no longer find interesting. Sign up for the free Lean Plate Club e-mail newsletter.
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! It's unbelievable, but the sun is actually out here today in DC. Okay, let's get right down to business:
The freebies this week are:
Entertaining for a Veggie Planet: 250 Down to Earth Recipes by Didi Emmons (Houghton Mifflin; $18.95)
Walking Fast: Techniques and Workouts for High-Level Fitness and Performance by Theres Iknoian (Human Kinetics; $15.95)
Fat is A Family Affair by Judi Hollis, PhD. (Hazelden; $14.95)
Prescription for Dietary Wellness: by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC ((Avery: $19.95)
As always our offering of these books does not endorse any particular exercise or weight loss regimen, book or product.
It's simply meant to show you the wide range of information available as you instill healthy eating and exercise habits.
And for those new to the club, here's the drill: you could win one of these volumes if you tell us about your own successful habit changes, inspire us with how you got back on track after a detour from healthy eating and exercise; share a healthy food find that is also great tasting, of course! Or give us a wonderful recipe to try. Winners are announced at the end of the chat.
My food find this week: cajun salmon, frozen at Trader Joe's. I've been wary of buying frozen fish. But this was delicious and can be placed from the freezer directly into the oven. Dinner was ready in 25 minutes--enough time for me to fit in a couple of sets of abs.
Thanks to all the wonderful e-mails from members who would like to participate in a Fitness Makeover. I was out of town for much of last week, so only got a chance to respond to a few of you. But I will send messages to the rest. Your response was overwhelming. Thanks to all!
Please let me know if you've subscribed to the LPC newsletter but are not receiving it. (Please e-mail me at leanplateclub@washpost.com and please put "trouble subscribing" in the subject line.) If you'd like to subscribe, you can sign up here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/email/front.htm And yes, it's still free. The newsletters are generally sent out mid-day on Tuesdays.
Now on to the chat! ________________________________________________ Bethesda, Md.: Hi--
I am starting on the South Beach Diet and am hoping for the best. I'm wondering if there are others out there who, like me, aren't crazy about eggs for breakfast. It seems that eggs (or egg substitute) are the staple for the breakfasts, especially in the first and second phases. Is there any other way to be faithful to this diet without eggs in the morning?? I've done it for 2 days, but the egg routine is getting old really fast.... Thanks for the chat. Any help would be appreciated. Sally Squires: Hi Bethesda: I'm posting your question early so others can answer. Good luck with your efforts. Just a reminder: the more you can eat foods you really enjoy, the better the odds of your success, research shows.
Any helpers out there? ________________________________________________ Gaithersburg, Md.: Dear Sally
Wonderful article today. I was just talking with a pediatrician who has started a practice which deals with eating disorders in teenagers and children here in bethesda and she was telling me about how the children eat what ever is placed in front of them at our house we use smaller plates for the children and myself and let them come back for 2nds if they are still hungry It has helped me loose 50lb and still loosing together with other eating strategies such as exercise and moderation.
The other question is which program for your Palm PDA do you or Craig use. I was thinking of using something instead of a food diary. I have read your previous article on the PDA but could not find exactly what I was looking for.
Keep the LPC going it is great. Thank you washingtonpost.com: Lean Plate Club: Portions for the Pint-Sized (Post, June 10) Sally Squires: Thanks Gaithersburg. The research from that study today was quite interesting. It's a good reminder for all of us to watch how much food we put on our plates.
Craig and I have used Balancelog for the Palm. I like it a lot (and no, I don't have any financial interest in the company; neither does Craig.) You can also now download the entire USDA database of foods to your home computer or PDA (provided that it uses the Palm operating systems.) And this latter service is free.
You can find out more about Balancelog at www.healthetech.com ________________________________________________ Canfield, Ohio: Hi, Sally- Love these chats. Thanks for all of your advice and encouragement. I recently re-read your April column “Know Thy Fishmonger” and it renewed my motivation to come up with some creative ways to prepare fish. I’m single and find it hard to muster up the energy to cook interesting meals for myself after a long day at work – so ease and simplicity are very important to me when it comes to experimenting with recipes. I thought I’d share my most recent easy AND healthy fish creation (!): 3 cod filets (any mild fish variety can be substituted)
2 tsp. olive oil
2 cups onion
3 cloves garlic
1 c. red bell pepper strips
3 Tbs. dried cranberries (I used Craisins)
3 tsp. brown sugar
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 ½ Tbs. bread crumbs Heat the oil in a large skillet and throw in all ingredients except the fish and breadcrumbs. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the onions are wilted. Set aside and keep warm, then place the fish filets in a shallow baking dish brushed with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and a little salt and bake at 450 for about 12 minutes – Add the pepper/onion mix to the fish and serve. This was so easy and it made enough for three delicious dinners! Just thought it might help some other LPC’ers get some of those omega-3’s!
Sally Squires: Hi Canfield: Thanks! And this recipe sounds great. The evidence on omega-3's is looking pretty good, so eating more fish is a great-tasting way to fit in this healthy stuff. ________________________________________________ Reading, Mass.: Hi Sally -
This is for the South Beach question. You can actually have anything listed on the allowable list for any meal. So if you feel like having low fat sirloin for breakfast, go for it! I know some people who are having the ricotta snack as breakfast. String cheese would work too. I think he just suggests eggs to make it sound familiar to people but you can do whatever you want within the confines of the allowable foods. Sally Squires: Thanks Reading! We've had a number of questions in recent weeks about South Beach. As you know, the Lean Plate Club philosophy is everything in moderation and of course, finding an approach that works best for you that is healthy and one that you can live with...for a long time. Sounds like we should take a closer look at South Beach for an upcoming column. ________________________________________________ Washington, D.C.: Sally,
I'm an avid fan - thank you so much for this weekly chat, it's a welcome break on my least favorite day of the week - Tuesday.
I am writing with a question concerning physical activity - is it possible to OVER-exercise? I am a very active 22-year old woman - I walk over a mile to/from work each day in addition to at least an hour of high-intensity aerobic activity in the gym or outside every day. However, the pounds don't come off - in fact I see no difference at all in my body after about a year of this intense schedule. I eat healthily - vegetarian and I eat 4 small meals each day. Please tell me what you think I need to change in order to see a change in my body - it's discouraging to work so hard at something and to see no results!
Thanks a lot. Sally Squires: Hi DC: I'm delighted that you enjoy the chat. I always learn a lot here too. I can understand your frustration. But let's take a step back for a minute. First, do you really need to lose weight? Or are you aiming for a unrealistic--and idealistic goal? You can answer that by checking your Body Mass Index
(www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.htm)
and checking your body fat percentage.
Okay, let's say you do need to lose a few pounds. What exactly are you eating? In other words, drinking coke and eating french fries is also vegetarian, but not necessarily healthy. Nor is vegetarian food necessarily low in calories or fat. Take a close look at what you're doing. I'd like to say check it against an on-line healthy eating index, but the U.S.D.A. web site has been redesigned and I can't find the link. We'll update that at another time!
Other things to consider: have you had a physical exam recently? If not, consider one. Thyroid problems can affect weight as can other health problems.
How many calories are you eating daily? Too low--or too high--could sabotage your efforts. Check the LPC archives for more on this.
Have you ever considered weight lifting? It can make a difference in losing inches versus pounds. Hope this helps. Let us know how you do. ________________________________________________ McLean, Va: Tip of the week: Declutter your shelves the lean plate club way. I recently started to get serious about my diet. In doing so I did a massive rethinking of what is on my shelves. I went through every item and read the label. All those things that were not part of my getting serious, got the boot. If they were un opened they went in a donation pile, otherwise the waste can. What amazed me was the quantity of process junk that I had accumulated. I next went through and made a list of healthy alternatives and staples I wanted to have on hand. Many of the suggestions from our online chats went on the list. A quick trip to Traders Joe and Shoppers and my project was complete. BTW, I also made sure my refrig and freezer were cleaned out and that I went into the overstock area I keep in the basement. My emphasis was on low fat and low carb/sugar and to get rid of simple carbs. Sally Squires: Hi McLean: This is a great idea. Years ago, I co-wrote a book called the Stoplight Diet for Children. One of the first things families were urged to do was to look at their kitchen cupboards, fridge, freezer, etc. and eliminate the stuff not nutritious. It can really help. Thanks! ________________________________________________ Washington, D.C.: The biggest change I made may seem minor to others but was years in the making and that is officially switching from regular coke to diet coke. I made many unsuccessful tries and what eventually made it stick was diet vanilla and diet cherry coke. You still get the sweet taste so I'm fooled into thinking I'm not drinking diet soda. I have dropped at least five pounds just from this change alone. Sally Squires: Great going, DC! Guess I'm traveling down memory lane here, but that reminds me of a story that we ran a couple of years ago in the Health Section about how small changes--such as yours--can really add up in a big way. Thanks! ________________________________________________ Somewhere, USA - Portion Size: Like the first poster, we give the children very small portions and they can have more if they are still hungry. Even on our (rare) visits to fast food restaurants, I get a couple of large or extra-large orders of french fries for our family of five to share and then I shake out about a dozen at a time onto napkins for each child. I'm not sure that agree with the conclusion you drew, that allowing them to serve themselves is the best strategy. How did the kids who got "appropriate" sized portions do? Why didn't they test kids on small portions? Besides, what about messiness, hot pots, and not leaving enough for the others? Sally Squires: All good questions, Somewhere. In this case, the kids ate in a cafeteria setting under close supervision. But it was interesting that when they served themselves, they took an appropriate amount of food. By the way, that size was determined from a large national food survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And of course, the researchers, who included scientists from Penn State, do not suggest offering unlimited amounts of junk food to kids and letting them decide how much to eat. ________________________________________________ Washington, D.C.: Hi, I am a Type 2 Diabetic, and I love pasta. Unfortunately, it raises my blood sugar levels. To date, I have not tried the
colored pasta's, but now that I am working at eating better and moving around, I wanted to know if the carrot and spinach pasta would be better for me to eat, instead of the white pasta? Sally Squires: Dear DC: It would be even better for you to choose whole wheat pasta,which is made from more complex carbs and so won't raise your blood sugar quite as much. The spinach and carrot pasta likely still have white flour, which is processed and converts quickly to sugar--something that you don't want.
If your doctor offers a visit to a diabetes nutrition educator, make use of the opportunity. And if you e-mail me after the chat, I've got a new book that I'll be happy to send you that just arrived on my desk and is looking for a good home. ________________________________________________ South Beach dieter: The poster who said you could eat anything on the list for breakfast doing South Beach is right. Remember, the menus are just suggested menus to help people who are at a loss to meal-plan.
And if the first poster looks at the menus in the second phase (just 2 short weeks away), you'll see the return of high fiber cereals and old fashioned oatmeal and fresh strawberries (yay, just when the local berries are showing up at the farmer's market). I feel the same about eggs, but throwing in veggies and lowfat cheese, and a dash of hot sauce helps. I did scrape my eggs into the trash this morning, though, I was egged out, and grabbed some lowfat cottage cheese instead. Sally Squires: Thanks! Clearly there's a lot of interest in this particular plan. ________________________________________________ Arlington, Va.: I got back on track to healthy eating by joining Weight Watchers. I'm not trying to plug them. I was loosing weight on my own by eating sensibly and walking, but got off-track somehow, gaining back a lot of weight. Started again on my own, loosing 9 pounds. Then my mom told me that Weight Watchers was having a "joining up sale". I joined a few days before Easter and have so far lost 15 pounds on Weight Watchers. I'm also walking lots! I detest Sarah Ferguson, but I love Weight Watchers! Sally Squires: Congratulations Arlington! And your experience illustrates how at various times in your life, different types of strategies may work better than others. Sounds like you're on track. Way to go! Thanks for posting. ________________________________________________ Portland, Ore.: Dear Somewhere in the US- I share your frustration. I know that having a partner or support network is one way to keep energized and on-track. Try finding one-even one on-line. I need the same thing as my husband means well but isn't helpful. Sally-is there a way to connect people directly without using this web site or chat function? I really find it difficult and uncomfortable.
Sally Squires: Hi Portland: There are indeed chat rooms at www.washingtonpost.com that are focused on this very subject if you so desire. I also read a great piece in the Wall Street Journal today about this topic. I believe it said that weight watchers also has similar chat rooms--I don't know if you have to be a member. ________________________________________________ Gaithersburg, Md.: Sally,
I know this has probably been brought up before, but my suggestion is: Branch out beyond Giant and Safeway! We went to the Grand Mart in Gaithersburg this Sunday (they also have branches in Germantown and in Centreville; I know there are lots of other ethnic markets scattered around the metropolitan DC area). WOW!! A produce section easily twice the size of those in your average supermarket, with all kinds of nifty new stuff to try, in addition to the "regular" fruits and vegetables, generally at much lower prices. One big example price-wise: bananas 19 cents a pound vs. 59 at Giant/Safeway. "Exotic" things (at least not common to G/S): yellow mangos (yum!), Korean squash, Korean melons, Chinese mushrooms, and so on. VERY fresh fish. TENDER pork chops (again, about a third less than G/S). Lots of interesting foods, mostly Korean because the owners are, but also other Asian specialties and Latin American foods (my favorite Maria cookies!). A few "American" foods, but not a lot. Different varieties of teas, to keep me away from soda. Different sauces, to add new flavors, usually without too much added fat. I think if we just eat the same things all the time, it gets boring, so you just eat mindlessly. If you try something different, you're less likely to do that. Sally Squires: Hear, hear Gaithersburg. I thought of this very thing earlier this week when I passed a Korean market in Rockville--the subject of earlier discussions on an LPC chat. I love finding new markets and browsing to see what I can discover. I've come across some winners--and some loser, like the omega 3 cereal that has 1,000 mg per serving and tastes like it does! ________________________________________________ Gaithersburg, Md.: I'd like to weigh in with praise for BalanceLog. I got it for my PDA in conjunction with having my resting metabolic rate tested. What I like about it is this: I can plan my entire day on it, before I even eat a bite. I use it while I'm packing my lunch in the morning. I figure out what I'm going to be eating, what I have room left for, whether I can fit a treat or two in, and I can even input my exercise calories burned to see what additional amount I can/should eat for the day. Planning my entire day in the mornings really works for me, more than I imagined it would before I started using the program. Do I always follow it? No, but I do most of the time. And when my food plan changes, which is inevitable some of the time, I just erase the old data, enter my new food data, and go on from there. Sally Squires: I agree completely Gaithersburg. It's a great device. DietMate is another one that I've tried. And I'm sure that there are others out there. This approach won't be for everyone, but for folks who want to track what they're doing--not obsess mind you, but keep track as you would your checking account balance for instance--these things are great. Thanks! ________________________________________________ Isla Del Sol, Fla.: I eat a lot of sea scallops, usually pan frying them in butter. Is there something I can substitute for the butter? Sally Squires: You bet Isla. Consider replacing that butter (which is high in saturated fat) with some olive or canola oil. You'll get some healthy fats that will also taste great. And if you choose extra virgin olive oil, you get the oil from the very first pressings of olives--it's filled with more good stuff. Enjoy those scallops! ________________________________________________ Reading, Mass.: This is for Somewhere, USA...I've been where you are and it's overwhelming and depressing. The hardest part for me was to forgive myself for the weight gain and to put it behind me so I could focus on what to do about it instead of beating myself up for allowing it to happen. I know I need rules and a plan to make a weight loss plan work so I carefully chose what to do - first to get back into control (saw a nutritionist) then to focus on exercise (the Firm - love it!) and then to move to an eating plan (first Weight Watchers and more recently the South Beach Diet). The other thing I did was to borrow from the 12 step plans and just took one day at a time. I feel so good now and can't believe how far I've come in a year. Good luck! Sally Squires: Thanks Reading. And let me fill in the blanks here a little. In today's electronic newsletter, two Lean Plate Club members asked for help. One was a bit discouraged about backsliding during a sedentary winter. Reading is offering some suggestions here. ________________________________________________ Washington, D.C.: Any suggestions for a good tasting good for you cereal? There are tons of cereals at Fresh Fields etc. but I'm reluctant to buy a whole box and end up with something that tastes like saw dust. Thanks.
Sally Squires: You bet, DC. I like Medley by Kashi. Others out there? And don't forget that you can also mix cereals for more flavor. ________________________________________________ Gaithersburg, Md.: You do not have to be a Weight Watchers member to take part in the WW web page bulletin boards, though you have to sign in with a "handle." I have "met" quite a few women on these boards, and some of us went on to form our own private Yahoo group, related to fitness. A few of us have even met and gone on long bike rides together! We range from triathletes to women who just like to exercise to videos. We "speak" every day; it's a great, supportive environment, and helpful to all of us. Sally Squires: Thanks for the update, Gaithersburg! Sounds really great. ________________________________________________ Annandale, Va.: Just wanted to comment on your article today-
I wonder if a lot of the differences between our weights and the weights of those in Asian countries can be attributed to the difference in eating style? Asian style eating has the food cut into small pieces, and you serve yourself only a few bites at a time throughout the dinner. So, when you start getting full, you just don't serve yourself any more. Granted, you don't know exactly how much you ate, but then again, you are really only eating just enough to make yourself full. It seems to me that you wouldn't eat as much this way as someone who has to "clean up" their plate when they serve themselves the entire dinner at once, and put too much food on it. washingtonpost.com: Lean Plate Club: Portions for the Pint-Sized (Post, June 10) Sally Squires: Hi Annandale: You raise an interesting point. Serving only a few bites at a time also means that you can potentially eat more slowly. That in turn, gives the stomach a chance to signal the brain that it is full.
Thanks for your thoughts! ________________________________________________ Baltimore, Md.: Sally,
We all know the health benefits of drinking water. But, what about drinking seltzer water? I drink about three to four liters a day (the sodium-free type) and believed that this was a good thing, however, recently I heard that all of the carbonation may be a bad thing for my kidneys. Do you have any information about this? Sally Squires: Hey Baltimore: Based on previous reporting, I've never heard any down side to the carbonation posing a problem for the kidney. But I'll check and if I learn anything more will post it. Good question, however. I think you're safe to drink away. ________________________________________________ McLean, Va: Simply cut all your meat portions in 1/2. This will reduce by quite a lot. In addition, have 1-2 veggies days each week. Plan ahead to try new vegetables, beans, an other non meat entries. I use this day to eat a veggie burger, make veggie chili, red beans and rice, soup, etc. When I go to a restaurant, my wife and I share a entry and a salad, generally plenty of food for each of us, no left overs and 1/2 the meat. Washington: I'm trying to lose a few extra pounds and am attempting to reduce animal protein to one-third of the plate. This means I need interesting ideas for nutritional side dishes. Do the LPCers have any ideas to share? Thanks. Sally Squires: I'll start with a few and then throw it open to the group. How about a wild rice salad with slivered almonds and raisins? Or whole wheat couscous with shaved carrots, minced dates and chopped pistachios? You can buy pre-cooked wild rice at Trader Joe's or of course make your own. Whole wheat couscous takes just five minutes to make. Sally Squires: Hey McLean: Thanks for responding to the query for help from the LPCer in today's newsletter. For those on the web chat, the two last paragraphs above come from a posting in that newsletter. ________________________________________________ Camden, NJ: Just some encouragement and advice for "Somewhere, USA". I lost nearly 50 pounds more than 20 years ago, and have kept most of it off all these years. First, find a diet plan that makes most sense, and can easily fit into a permanent lifestyle. For me, it was my own version of the Scarsdale Diet by the late Dr. Herman Tarnower (better known for being the victim in a scandalous murder), which taught me how to create a calorie "budget," incorporate variety and healthy choices, and also the appropriate role of exercise. He suggests NOT exercising during the first two weeks of his diet, and then limiting it to aerobic activity after that. Weight lifting should be held off until one reaches their target weight. I also like his diet plan's inclusion of foods that you can eat at much of as you want, when you get hungry, including all the fruit you can eat for lunch, and snack on all the raw veggies you want when you get those hunger pains in the late afternoon or early evening (just remember that eating too many of these healthy foods can create a nasty bout of constipation, which is why I keep a bottle of Magnesium Stearate near by). With the advent of calorie free dressings and dips, this makes the diet very workable. Another diet tip that's been featured heavily on Yahoo!, and that's eating a bowl of soup before sitting down to a meal -- its been proven to help reduce the total amount of calories consumed at a setting. This has worked for me when I travel, and diet plans can go to hell in a hurry. Just avoid cream based or highly caloric soups when dieting, since they are full of calories (a word of disclosure -- I work for a soup company). A typical 16-19 oz. can of hearty soup (usually 2 servings) is usually 240-360 calories, and you can dress up tomato soup with veggies and make a very nice, very healthy, and low calorie gazpacho, a wonderful meal or appetizer for the summer.
Sally Squires: Great suggestions, Camden. And another really good illustration of how you've taken tips and worked them into your own life in an effective way. Nice going! Thanks! ________________________________________________ Washington, D.C.: Hi! I'm a first time participant in your discussions. I read your column and these transcripts and enjoy both very much. Regarding the article featuring the weighted Hoola Hoop, I too have noticed the retro-fitness trend. I recently took an Urban Rebounding class which is basically aerobics on a mini trampoline. It's really fun and jumping on that thing makes me feel like a kid (this helps because I'm an exercise novice). Have you tried rebounding? Do you know if it is an effective aerobic exercise? Are there any studies on the benefits of this exercise? Thanks! Sally Squires: Hey DC: Welcome. Yes, the article was quite intriguing on Hula Hoops. And no, I haven't tried rebounding although I have seen the mini trampolines and am a bit astounded at their price. That's all I know for now, but sounds worth making a few phone calls to experts. ________________________________________________ Falls Church, Va.: Today I did a really positive thing. My building has 5 flights of stairs (and two basement levels). I work on the 2nd floor. This morning, practically first thing after arriving at work, I went to the little-used back stairwell and jogged up to the 5th floor then jogged down to the lower basement, then back up to the 2nd floor. It got my heart pumping and my leg muscles twitching, and boy was I energized this morning! (Well, energized for morning.) I'm planning to do this every morning for the rest of the week. Next week, I'm going to try to increase it to two reps of up-and-down-the-stairs. I am going to try to keep increasing the number of reps I do. I need to get back in shape, and this seems like a great way to fit in a little morning exercise. Free, too! I will keep ya'll posted. Sally Squires: Way to go Falls Church. Taking the stairs is a wonderful way to get some quick exercise, raise your heart rate and boost your brain power. Great going! Do let us know how your efforts continue. ________________________________________________ Silver Spring, Md.: Long-time lurker, first-time poster. As a busy (2 p-t jobs, 3 kids) person, I always figured I'd never have the time to exercise seriously. I finally bucked up and asked for a session with a personal trainer for Mother's Day, and I have to say it was the best thing I could have done. She measured percent body fat, and took measurements of MANY parts of my body. She helped me work out a 40 minute routine to do 2 or 3 times a week using nothing more sophisticated than dumbbells and a kitchen chair. Just having been to her (and paying for the visit) have made me more serious about doing the exercises and watching my diet -- and I have a follow-up appointment with her for 6 weeks after the initial meeting to keep me honest. I HIGHLY recommend this to help people get started off of the right track. Sally Squires: Hey Silver Spring: Congratulations!Sounds like it was really worthwhile. Let us know about your follow-up visit in six weeks. ________________________________________________ Gaithersburg, Md.: Cereals -- I LOVE Optimum Slim, by Nature's Path. I've tried several of the NP cereals, and that is my favorite of all of them. Sally Squires: Thanks Gaithersburg. There's also a Hi-Protein cereal in a brown box that is quite good. Wish I could recall the full brand name. ________________________________________________ For Isla...: Start off substituting part of the butter with oil - I think that about 25% butter 75% olive oil gives me the best of both worlds. Sally Squires: Hi Isla: That is indeed a good way to ease into a change. In fact, it's something that also works for those who want to wean themselves down to skim milk: slowly increase the percentage of skim versus two percent or whole. As we like to say around here....everything in moderation. Thanks! ________________________________________________ Lyndonville, Vt.: For the woman demoralized by winter weight gain... The hardest part to remember is that we are not our weight. I'm lucky to have a husband who also struggles with food/weight issues. When I get depressed over what is really a small part of who I am he reminds me that, "It is not cancer and nobody died." Then we go for a walk with the dog and the next day is better. Sally Squires: Great advice Lydonville. Sounds like you have a wonderful spouse. Thanks. ________________________________________________ Southern Maryland:: Re: South Beach diet -- I tried it several weeks ago, following the article in Prevention magazine. I was faithful to it for two weeks and didn't lose an ounce. I'm very leery of it because of the number of eggs and amount of cheese in the diet. Anyone with cholesterol problems might be wise not to do it, but, heck, a doctor is pushing this thing. Can you do an article about this in the future? One good thing about it -- I discovered low fat mozzarella "string" cheese as a snack. One or two sticks late in the day staves off the hunger. Why do they call it string cheese, anybody? Sally Squires: Hi Southern Maryland: Thanks for the feedback on South Beach...As for that string cheese, I believe it got that name because of it's shape. But I could be assuming something here. ________________________________________________ Olney, Md.: Sally, I think Baltimore might be referring to the fact that seltzers can have added sodium, IIRC. Make sure you're just drinking carbonated water, and then add a little juice to keep your interest. Sally Squires: Hey Olney: I beg to differ. Club soda has added sodium. Seltzer usually does not. If you like tart drinks, seltzer with some unsweetened cranberry juice and lime is quite good. But it will make you pucker! ________________________________________________ Hyattsville, Md.: Sally: I just started trying yoga but I started wondering today, is yoga considered part of the 60 minutes activity? My heart rate doesn't rise when I am doing this, it's more "sustained stretching" moves.
Thanks! Sally Squires: Hi Hyattsville: There are some forms of yoga that will raise heart rate, but you are correct, most yoga does not give you an aerobic workout. When the National Academy of Sciences suggested 60 minutes daily of activity, they did not specify an activity although they did give brisk walking as an example. In short, those 60 minutes of yoga can certainly count for exercise, but as you correctly suggest, won't challenge your cardiovascular system--although the stress relief of yoga could be beneficial to blood pressure. ________________________________________________ Washington, D.C.: I am 29 y.o. female, 5'3" weighing about 143 lbs at 35% body fat. I would like to return to 120-25 lbs and 20-23% body fat. I just signed up for a personal trainer, will work out with him once a week, and do three additional sessions a week on my own (I am doing this now with about 45 minutes of fairly high intensity cardio each session). I will be picking up the weight lifting routine with more frequency. I've only been doing this a couple of weeks and haven't lost an ounce. Clearly, my calories are too high. I probably am still taking in around 14-1500/day. I tried to do 1300 but it was really hard. I eat fairly well -- typical dinner might be a small salmon piece, a baby artichoke and a very small portion of brown rice. Do I need to get down to 1300? Sally Squires: Hi DC: It may take you longer than a couple of weeks to see major changes in weight. You might boost daily activity with walking in between the days when you have harder workouts. And if you're desk jockey, try to get up once an hour for a five minute saunter around the office. Be sure to also get enough sleep--that can help with appetite and energy. You can try going down to those 1,300 calories, but it sounds like it will be difficult to sustain. It would probably be more fun to boost activity. And keep track of your measurements. You may be losing in ways other than weight, such as inches. Let us know what happens. Good luck! Hang in there. You didn't put those pounds on overnight. It's likely you won't lose them that way either. ________________________________________________ Alexandria, Va.: Silly question, but much debated in the office today. Are green beans considered a starch or a veggie? Sally Squires: No silly questions here, Alexandria. Green beans are a veggie. ________________________________________________ Olney, Md.: I found the USDA database. Sally Squires: Thanks Olney! ________________________________________________ West Fork, Ark.: Hi Sally,
I have a healthy eating tip for those who don't have a good access to a kitchen or microwave at work. I purchased a GE Hotpot ($12) which is basically a plastic kettle that boils water quicker than a microwave. I teach and can use it in my classroom for oatmeal, soups, or pastas that are prepackaged those paper cups. Fantastic Foods has some great healthy vegetarian selections. It is also perfect for a midday mug of tea.
Sally Squires: Sounds great, West Fork! Thanks! ________________________________________________ Washington, D.C.: Sally, I need help. I think I would have more energy if I exercised more, but I feel too tired to start! What has gotten people up and moving?
Thanks. Sally Squires: Dear DC: Try simply walking. Start small. I mean really small. You might take a look at the Make the Move challenge on our web site. Try just committing to a two minute walk a day. That's right, just two minutes. The next day, try for a four minute walk. In other words, take it slow. Set a goal you can achieve and go for it. Many folks also find that getting an exercise partner really helps. Let us know how you do. ________________________________________________ Rockville, Md.: This isn't a weight questions per se but I keep reading a lot of articles about mercury in fish and how dangerous it is for women of childbearing years. I don't eat any meat or poultry but my husband and I both eat a lot of fish-probably 4-5 times a week. We want to start trying to conceive soon and I'm very concerned that I should cut fish out of my diet-but its healthy and I need protein.. HELP!!!! Sally Squires: Dear Rockville: Here's what the experts say--
Since 2001, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2001 has advised children, pregnant women and women who want to become pregnant not to eat any shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish. (A safe intake of seafood for pregnant women and children is about 12 ounces of other fish per week, the FDA says.)
Hope that helps!
________________________________________________ Somewhere, USA: Bacteria Concerns? Sally, I'm in my 6th month of pregnancy and have recently come across a few articles that advise not eating deli meats during pregnancy because of the risk of listeria. Needless to say, I'm a bit concerned, as I have had sliced turkey many days for lunch. Do you know anything about this warning? Sally Squires: Dear Somewhere: Check with your doctor if you're really concerned. But since you're not ill, don't worry about what you've eaten (unless you know of an immediate outbreak from your deli.) And if you're really concerned, consider making your own turkey breast at home for next couple of months. Good luck with your pregnancy. This is really a special time of life. Enjoy. You may also find some information at www.cdc.gov ________________________________________________ Bethesda, Md.: As noted in the Washington Post in Sundays' Source section-Bubble Tea
172 Calories
3 gm Protein
34 gm Carbs
3 gm fat
12 mg cholesterol
2 gm saturated fat
47 mg sodium Try Great Tea Neck in Montgomery Mall. washingtonpost.com: Sunday Source: Bubble Tea (Post, June 8) Sally Squires: Hey Bethesda: I saw this too. It sounds really good. Thanks! P.S. Another great place to get Bubble tea is Lollicup in College Park. ________________________________________________ Sally Squires: We're out of time folks. Thanks to all for a wonderful chat. The winners today are Canfield, McLean, Lyndonville and Arlington (who got back on track.) Winners, please e-mail me at squiress@washpost.com and please put "winner" i the subject line.
Until next week: Don't diet, eat smart--and move more--with the Lean Plate Club! Cheers everybody! ________________________________________________ washingtonpost.com: That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion. © Copyright 2003 The Washington Post Company | 
