Smart Splurges in the Frozen Food Aisle
We all need to indulge now and then to avoid deprivation and overeating. Frozen foods can be a great way to treat ourselves - not only for taste and convenience, but for built in portion control. As the frozen food aisles continue to expand, there are many fabulous new options. That's the topic of my Today Show segment (scroll down for the video). Here are some tips for some smart indulgences in the frozen food aisle:
- Check out the box size - avoid those that say "hungry man"; "hearty portions" and similar large-size hints
- Look for labels that include words like "lean","light", "healthy", and "smart"
- Read the label to make sure of the serving size - it might look like a serving for one, but the calories listed are for 2 or more
- Don't be confused by labels saying "sugar free" or "fat free" which don't mean "calorie free"
- Feel free to eat LESS than the serving size - you don't need to eat four bagel bites listed as a serving; if you just want a taste pizza, stick with one or two!
PIZZA
Lean Cuisine French Bread Pizza 290 calories; 8 gm fat
Lean Pockets Pepperoni Pizza 280 calories 7 gm fat
Bagel Bites (4) 220 calories 7 gm fat
FROZEN ENTREES
"Asian": Lean Cuisine Sweet and Sour Chicken (10 oz) 300 cal; 3 gm fat
"Meat and Potatoes": South Beach meatloaf 210 cal; 9 gm fat
"italian": Michelina's Lean Gourmet Chicken Parmigiano 250 calories 4.5 gm fat
SNACKS
Home Bistro shrimp cocktail 130 cal
Tyson Grilled Chicken Strips 110 cal
Lean Pocket Whole Grain Stuffed Sandwiches 210 cal
ICE CREAM / DESSERTS
Slim-a-Bear ice cream sandwich 100 cal
Luigi's Italian Ice (lemon or cherry) - 6 ounce cups 120 cal
Skinny Cow - ice cream bars 160 cal
Fudgsicle 70 cal
Sugar Free Fudgsicle 35 cal
Sugar Free Popsicles 10 cal
Smart Ones Cheesecake 150 cal
Smart Ones Eclair 140 cal
Indulge wisely and enjoy!
More on this topic from Madelyn Fernstrom:
The Truth About Chocolate
If you’re confused when it comes to chocolate, you’re not alone. A health food? A tasty indulgence? Maybe a little of both? That’s the topic of my Today Show segment. I hope you’ll find the answers to your questions, and also post a note with your own thoughts!Some basic chocolate “truths”:
- Chocolate comes from a plant – it’s the seeds (within the pods) of the cacao tree. It’s naturally very bitter; if you munched on a cacao bean, you would find a very harsh and bitter taste, nothing like chocolate as we know it.
- Chocolate varies in its preparation. There are government regulations of what can be called “chocolate”, depending on its ratio of: cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, and milk. Ranging from baking chocolate (almost no added sugars), to dark chocolate (limited sugar and abundant cocoa solids), to milk chocolate (lots of sugar, added milk, and less cocoa solids), to “white” chocolate (NOT classified as chocolate at all, because it has no cocoa solids!)
- A special type of antioxidant is found in cocoa solids, called “flavanols”, which are where the health-promoting heart healthy claims of chocolate come from. This is dose related, meaning the more you eat, the more flavanols you consume. As a comparison, it takes nearly four ounces (that’s 3-4 regular size dark chocolate bars), consumed every day to promote a reduction in blood pressure! That’s 500 calories and 42 grams of fat!
- The new “super cocoas” are the wave of the future to harness the health benefits associated with the flavanols. The first of these is a Flavanol Rich Chocolate (containing 200 mg per serving – that’s a lot!), produced by the company, Cocoa Via. It’s the active ingredient, without the sugar and fat of a regular chocolate bar.
- Chocolate is also a “carrier” for other nutrients, which are unrelated to the activity of the flavanols. Calcium fortified chocolates (in milk and dark varieties) provide ½ the daily calcium requirement in one disk (at 30 calories), plus vitamin D. Plus, phytosterols (plant chemicals) are added to some chocolates to boost the cholesterol lowering ability of the product (Cocoa Via bars with 80-100 calories each). Again, any potential health benefits come from regular – daily – consumption.
Bottom line? Enjoy a modest serving of chocolate IF you enjoy it. Don’t start consuming chocolate as an addition to a “healthy diet”. Calories count, so monitor your portions, and allow a small indulgence. You don’t need to justify a chocolate treat for the health benefits of chocolate. While there are some health benefits to flavanols, they’re also present in a variety of other foods, including apples, grapes, wine (fermented grapes!), and tea.As with all things eaten, moderation is key! What are your thoughts?
Hidden Reasons You Can't Lose Weight
Every day I hear from people who try really hard, and just can't seem to lose weight. There are a number of "hidden" reasons this might be happening to you. That's the topic of my Today Show segment.YOUR EATING
Confusing “heart-healthy fat” or “fat free” with low calorie. Switching to olive oil from butter is a heart healthy choice, but won't save you any calories. To lose weight, it's important to cut the amount (instead of a tablespoon at 120 calories, try a teaspoon at 40 calories, since it's so flavorful). Fiber rich, whole grains are a great choice, and fat-free, but the calories add up we don’t stop with ½ - 1 cup serving. The only solution to this is label reading for calories per serving; when you see that reduced-fat peanut butter has just about the same calories as regular peanut butter, you won't be fooled by clever ads.Poor calorie “eyeballing” (studies show 50% too low). We all feel we’re good at estimating portion size, but the cues to do so set us up for failure. Studies show we are at least 50% too LOW in our estimates – even when professionals do it.
Skipping Meals. Too busy, or choosing to skip a meal to save calories? The problem with meal skipping is you get over-hungry for the next meal – “I didn’t realize I was so hungry”, once you start eating.
YOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Too much exercise is a biological stimulant for hunger. This is very common for dieters who only want to focus on exercise as a way to cut calories.. Rigorous exercise stimulates appetite to “refuel” for metabolic balance. I'm talking 2 hours of more intense activity. Plus, like the poor "eyeballing" of food, most of us aren't skilled at estimating how many calories are used for activity. Just remember it can take 5 minutes to eat a 500 calorie piece of pie, and nearly 2 hours to exercise it away!
On the other end of things, no exercise is a diet disaster. Whether it's lack of time, or lack of interest - only 100 cal a day – a 20 minute walk – helps you lose 10 pounds in a year! Even a small drop in physical activity (that people ignore) packs on the pounds. Here's an example I recently heard from a patient of mine: “I used to park blocks away in a cheaper parking lot. I got promoted, and get the corporate lot. I’ve gained 5 pounds in 3 months.”
YOUR BEHAVIOR
Lack of sleep is a huge problem – when we're tired, we eat for energy. When we're tired, we lose our focus, and discipline, and lose the mental control needed to stay on track. Between-meal snacks to “wake up” are the solution when a power nap would be better. Our body's have 24-hour rhythms in many hormones and pathways - like body temperature - that don’t “reset” and get out of balance with lack of sleep.
Poor stress management - a lof of mindless eating comes from the lack of focus due to mental stress. We often confuse business with poor stress management. "I feel overwhelmed" say many patients. We eat to soothe, to reward ourselves, and to indulge in extra calories. Food DOES make us feel better, but we have to learn to self-soothe in other, non-food ways as well.
Lack of consistency (5 days on, 2 days off). “I’m trying but lifestyle isn’t working”. Some general awareness every day is needed to avoid what I call “weight creep”. It takes only 100 calories extra a day to gain 10 pounds in a year. Most often, people “relax” their lifestyle on the weekend, and can easily pack on a couple of pounds a month – 7000 calories (that’s 2 pounds) – over 8 weekend days – only about 850 calories more a day.
YOUR BIOLOGY (BODY):
Medications can cause weight gain as a side effect, when they are started. Some stimulate appetite, and others slow your metabolism. A range of medications from antidepressants; antipsychotics some antihistamines, as well as insulin and blood sugar drugs, some blood pressure medicines, and anti-inflammatory drugs can pack on the pounds. Check with your doctor when starting a new medication, and always ask if weight gain is a reported side effect - there may be another medication you can take without this side effect. This happens only at the beginning of a new medicine. If you’re started a new medicine, and gained 4 pounds or more in a month, check with your doctor…..It’s NOT the cause if you’ve been taking a medicine, and then find suddenly you’re gaining weight, months after you’ve started.
Undiagnosed Mood Disorders. Undiagnosed depression or anxiety is both behavioral and biological. While many think depressive symptoms are only the “classics”: loss of appetite, insomnia, and weight loss, a large subgroup sleeps more and eats more. Oftentimes thyroid gland problems are linked to mood disorders (see below), and can result in weight gain.
Thyroid Function – The thyroid gland is your body’s “furnace” and sets the thermostat. This is regulated by a signal from the brain to release thyroid hormone into the system. Either resting or stimulated thyroid gland activity can be a problem, and result in slow, steady weight gain.
Elevated fasting insulin. This is known as "insulin resistance" or " metabolic syndrome" and often found in people with an "apple" shape (weight accumulates in the middle). It's invisible unless you get a blood test. Blood insulin levels can be high, with blood sugar levels being normal (everyone knows that number). It does not mean diabetes (where blood sugar is high), but is a sign of pre-diabetes. This can greatly sabotage a solid weight loss effort - and correcting the problem (with medication for starters) makes that weight loss effort easier. A further plus - more weight loss alone can help lower your fasting insulin - getting you off the medication to correct the original problem!
What do you think? Leave a comment below!
When Food and Medicine Don't Mix
Did you ever wonder about those labels on your prescription bottles?
"do not take with food"
"avoid dairy products"
"take with food"
"avoid grapefruit juice"
"take with water"
There's actually a strong biological basis of food and medicine interactions that can really affect how your medicines work. That's the topic of my Today Show segment.
- interfering with how the drug is absorbed and digested by the body.
- blocking the breakdown of the medicine in the digestive track ( intestines or the liver).
- Mimicking the effect of the medicine (acts like the medicine in the body.)
Avoid GRAPEFRUIT JUICE If you take a cholesterol lowering agent (statins), some heart medicines, some immune system drugs, and some antihistamines.
Avoid VITAMIN K RICH FOODS (like dark green vegetables) if you take a blood thinner, like coumadin. Don't eliminate dark green veggies, but monitor your vitamin K intake carefully.
Avoid HIGH FIBER FOODS at the same time you take certain antibiotics and iron supplements.
Avoid HARD CHEESE and RED WINE if you are taking certain antidepressant medications, called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).
Avoid ALCOHOL with any medications affecting the brain. This includes, antidepressants, sleeping pills, sedatives, and antihistamines.
Avoid COFFEE and CAFFEINATED DRINKS if you take anti-anxiety medication or asthma medications. The stimulant action of caffeine can be a problem.
Need more information? Read the package insert, look on-line, or ask your pharmacist or doctor. It's important to know if you need to avoid the food altogether, or only a little before or after taking your medicine.
Let me know your own experiences with food and medicine!
Cocktails: Is It Worth the Splurge?
Many of us enjoy a cocktail now and then, but when you're watching your weight, this can become a huge personal debate. We must all ask ourselves: "Is It Worth The Splurge?". This is a VERY individual choice. Check out the tips on how to make a better cocktail choice in my Today Show segment below.
It's a biological fact that humans do not register the calories we drink - alcoholic or any other - as effectively as the calories we eat. Many studies demonstrate this point: when we drink calories, along with eating food, we don't account for those liquid calories, and eat as much as if we didn't have any extra calories at all. When it comes to alcohol, the calories are all over the place, and can range from 64 calories for an ultra-light beer to 800 calories for a giant frozen margarita. They sure can add up quickly.
Bottom line: Americans drink a lot more calories than we used to - and alcoholic beverages are a major part of this problem - as drinks have gotten fancier (with multiple kinds of spirits, liqueurs, and flavorings) and larger (20 ounce margarita, anyone?). Plus, alcoholic drinks have the "double whammy" of high calories and the inhibition-reducing effects of alcohol, which can easily lead to overeating (fried zucchini IS a vegetable, right? fried mozzarella sticks - calcium and protein, right? You get the picture!).
It's time to "size up" our alcoholic beverage choices to support our weight management effort, as well as a healthy lifestyle.
More from Madelyn:
Be Careful What You Drink
We are a nation of "supersizers" and often don't pay attention to the calories we're drinking. For most people, when we're home, we have "normal" size glasses, and pay attention to the serving size we're drinking (or at least most of the time!). Studies show that we ALL drink what's put in front of us. If a small serving is provided, we drink that... If a large one is there, we usually drink the whole thing (or much more than if we were just offered a small size). Bottom line: whatever size we're given is "one serving".And, restaurants - whether chains, or fast-food types - lure us with amazing looking drinks in very cool glasses (sometimes we get to keep them as a souvenir! - or buy them in the "gift shop"). Most restaurants offer free refills, and we can always "supersize" for just pennies.
We all accept that eating away from home can add more calories. But most of us don't think about the calories from our drinks - which add up quickly. We also, biologically, don't compensate for these calories when we eat. Translation? We basically add on all the liquid calories to what we're eating.
While no drinks are "off limits", paying attention to the servings and what's in these drinks is a definite plus for your waistline. Check out my Today Show segment for some easy solutions to this problem.
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