Exciting legislation is happening in New York City. The city's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Frieden has proposed a bill that all restaurants in New York City supply caloric values for basic sizes with ranges according to sizes and additions. The legislation is suggested to help consumers make more informed decisions and gain awareness of the nutritional content in foods.
The chairman of the council's Health committee, Joel Rivera, is introducing new legislation to water down Dr Friedman's bill. An advisor of Mr Rivera stated in a press release that "people going to Burger King are not the kind of people who care about the calorie count." Mr Rivera was also the leader in opposition of zoning laws to limit the number of fast food restaurants in neighborhoods with high obesity rates.
Most people do not realize how many calories they consume throughout the day. Everyday, I work with patients and clients who are fascinated at how many calories are in foods purchased at the grocery stores and restaurants. Many fast food meals provide over half the estimated daily calorie needs people require. People from different cultures, education levels, socioeconomic status do not know enough about calorie content in foods. It does not always matter if you are rich or poor--everyone needs nutrition education. Mr. Rivera's advisor should appreciate that generalizing that all people who eat at Burger King could care less is stereotypical and plain wrong.
A simple strategy to health and weight loss is Calories In needs to be less than Calories Out. It is as easy as basic arithmetic. If someone can have a better idea of the calories consumed when they are eating eat, they will be one step closer to taking control of their weight and health status. I think New York is taking a great step at helping people take control over what they eat.
What do you think?
Check out the links below:
NY Sun: Council May Well Step Into Fight Over Fast Food
http://www.nysun.com/article/49254?access=797938
NYT OPINION February 27, 2007 Editorial: You Want Some Truth With That?
February 28, 2007
February 14, 2007
Make the most of your vacation
I am currently on a much needed vacation and started thinking about how easy it is to be so unhealthy while travelling. Here you are, trying to do something good for yourself and take a break, but when you are done with your trip you have gained 5 pounds and feel like you have taken 5 steps backwards. It is doable to be healthy while traveling and enjoy your trip at the same time. Again, it all goes back to finding a balance. Moderation is the key. Savor your splurges without going too far off the deep end.
Here are some tips to make the most of your trip.
1. EXERCISE
Exercise is the best trick to keeping off the pounds while on holiday. When looking for a hotel, find one that has a fitness center in it. You would be suprised at how common it is and how many people take advantage of the facilities. This morning when I went to my hotel gym, all the machines were full! Whether its 10, 30 or 60 minutes, take some time for a some cardio and a quick weight circuit to keep the energy going, burn some calories and boost your confidence. Another option is to exercise throughout the day. Take a walking tour instead of a bus tour, go on a group hike rather than a boat ride, go on a bike tour rather than renting a car. These are all options to add activity to your day and still enjoying your travels. if your traveling partner is not supportive of these ideas, try to find a compromise. Wake up a little earlier so you can fit in a morning workout. At night when you normally watch tv, do some situps and push ups in your room. Make a compromise with you parter. Agree to go on a boat tour, if they agree to go a hike. They may be resistant to execise just because they have not incorporated healthy habits into their routine. Be a good role model and show them how fun exercise can be!
2. MEAL TIME
Plan ahead is your best bet. If you worried that you are going to eat out at every meal, bring some meals with you so you wont overeat at every meal. I bring cereal with me on every trip to I know I am getting my fiber in the morning and do not eat a uge breakfast. It feels a little weird a first but the waiters could care less and they know to bring me an empty bowl and a glass of milk! Bring some whole grain crackers, vars, nuts, cereal or other snacks so you can prevent overeating throughout the day. Also, think about your day and plan. If you know you are going to a fancy dinner, have a light lunch. If you know you are going to have a huge dessert two nights in row, save those as your dessert nights and dont have desserts on other nights. When ordering try to incorporate a vegetable into every meal. Instead of ordering three heavy things, choose a salad as the appetizer so you can enjoy your entree more.
3. DRINK WATER
Always remember to drink plenty of water while traveling. Planes can dehydrate you and it is easy to go a day without drinking when you left the hotel without a bottle. Find a grocery store to stock up if you are going to be in one hotel for a while. Keep a bottle in your backpack or purse so you can sip throughout the day. You will feel fuller so you may not snack so much and you will stay hydrated.
4. BE PROUD OF YOURSELF!
Realize that this is a great accomplishement. To resist temptation and make healthy habits part of your travelling routine may be tricky at first, but once you start you will notice how much better you feel at the end of each trip. Many people say after a trip, " I need a vacation from my vacation!" You wont feel that way anymore. You will come energized from your healthy ways, confident from your commitment to health and enriched with new cultural experiences from your journey.
Just a few tips to make the most of your holiday.
Bon voyage!
Here are some tips to make the most of your trip.
1. EXERCISE
Exercise is the best trick to keeping off the pounds while on holiday. When looking for a hotel, find one that has a fitness center in it. You would be suprised at how common it is and how many people take advantage of the facilities. This morning when I went to my hotel gym, all the machines were full! Whether its 10, 30 or 60 minutes, take some time for a some cardio and a quick weight circuit to keep the energy going, burn some calories and boost your confidence. Another option is to exercise throughout the day. Take a walking tour instead of a bus tour, go on a group hike rather than a boat ride, go on a bike tour rather than renting a car. These are all options to add activity to your day and still enjoying your travels. if your traveling partner is not supportive of these ideas, try to find a compromise. Wake up a little earlier so you can fit in a morning workout. At night when you normally watch tv, do some situps and push ups in your room. Make a compromise with you parter. Agree to go on a boat tour, if they agree to go a hike. They may be resistant to execise just because they have not incorporated healthy habits into their routine. Be a good role model and show them how fun exercise can be!
2. MEAL TIME
Plan ahead is your best bet. If you worried that you are going to eat out at every meal, bring some meals with you so you wont overeat at every meal. I bring cereal with me on every trip to I know I am getting my fiber in the morning and do not eat a uge breakfast. It feels a little weird a first but the waiters could care less and they know to bring me an empty bowl and a glass of milk! Bring some whole grain crackers, vars, nuts, cereal or other snacks so you can prevent overeating throughout the day. Also, think about your day and plan. If you know you are going to a fancy dinner, have a light lunch. If you know you are going to have a huge dessert two nights in row, save those as your dessert nights and dont have desserts on other nights. When ordering try to incorporate a vegetable into every meal. Instead of ordering three heavy things, choose a salad as the appetizer so you can enjoy your entree more.
3. DRINK WATER
Always remember to drink plenty of water while traveling. Planes can dehydrate you and it is easy to go a day without drinking when you left the hotel without a bottle. Find a grocery store to stock up if you are going to be in one hotel for a while. Keep a bottle in your backpack or purse so you can sip throughout the day. You will feel fuller so you may not snack so much and you will stay hydrated.
4. BE PROUD OF YOURSELF!
Realize that this is a great accomplishement. To resist temptation and make healthy habits part of your travelling routine may be tricky at first, but once you start you will notice how much better you feel at the end of each trip. Many people say after a trip, " I need a vacation from my vacation!" You wont feel that way anymore. You will come energized from your healthy ways, confident from your commitment to health and enriched with new cultural experiences from your journey.
Just a few tips to make the most of your holiday.
Bon voyage!
January 28, 2007
Start the New Year Off Right
So January is coming to a close...are you still following your New Year's resolutions? It is a lot of pressure to start eating a perfectly healthy diet come January 1. Often people set big, unrealistic goals that are impossible to follow. Instead of setting yourself up for disappointment, here are some suggestions to modify your diet in healthy way. The following New Year's Resolution is in the January/February 2007 issue of the Nutrition Action newsletter, a great resource of nutrition information provided by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
1. Eat Bran cereal in place of other cereal
Recommended dosages of fiber are 21 grams for women 51 and older, 25 grams for women 50 and younger, 30 grams for men 51 and older, 38 grams for men 50 and younger. It is hard to get that much fiber daily through the diet and starting the day with a bran cereal is a great way meet your needs. Most foods have 2-7 g foods per serving while many bran cereals have 10-15 grams. Bran is shown to have heart healthy benefits along with improving the health of the colon. It is also shown to decrease appetite since the fiber fills you up.
2. Eat less meat or go meatless
This is not to say to stop eating meat. However, try to be adventurous and incorporate some protein sources that are meatless into the diet. The American Cancer Society recommends people limit consumption of red meat and processed meats. Nitrites in packaged meats are associated with a variety of cancers and new research is showing that cooked meats have a pro-oxidant effect. For those who eat red meat more than 4 times a week, try to incorporate fish, lean chicken(white meat without the skin), beans, soy or meatless products. Experiment with cooking techniques and seasoning to get a taste that works for you.
3. Let beans squeeze out starches
The USDA's dietary guidelines for Americans recommends at least three cups of legumes a week. Legumes include all beans and lentils. They are a great food because they inexpensive, easy to prepare, fiber packed and a great source of carbohydrate, fat and protein. They are also packed with nutrients. Instead of pastas, breads or rice at every meal, try lentil soups, chili, add beans on salads or use spreads like hummus. There are a variety of types of beans and legumes. Buy some cans, add some vinegar, lemon juice and seasonings and see what works for you. Legumes are easy to buy, cheap, convenient to make and good for you--it doesn't get much better!
4. Don't drink your calories!!!
For someone who is trying to lose weight, the first place to look is their beverage intake. Sodas, juices, many teas and coffees have hundreds of calories. People are gaining pounds every year and it is coming from empty calories in drinks. It is extremely misleading because people look at "all natural" juices and "organic" iced teas and think they are healthy. The sad truth is they are all empty calories. Take a look at your weekly intake of beverages and see where you can cut them out and exchange for water. Club soda and diet sodas are a great alternative because they have no calories. Tea and coffee also have no calories before adding milk and sugar.
5. Hold the cheese
This is another sneaky one since cheese is everywhere. 1 oz of cheese has 100 calories--who can eat only 1 slice of cheese!! Cheese can make a healthy salad, sandwich or egg dish into a high fat, high calorie meal. Be strategic. Try fat free or low fat cheese at home and hold the cheese when eating out. If you are a huge cheese fan, enjoy it on special occasions and savor the taste. Learn to pick your battles.
6. Snack smart
The average American eats three meals and two snacks a day. With increasing portion sizes and hidden calories throughout our food supply, the average snack is turning into a meal. The best advice is to plan ahead. Have fruit, vegetables, whole grain crackers, yogurt or protein bars available so when you are starting to get hungry, you are prepared with a low calorie, nutritious snack. Many people overeat everyday since they wait too long between meals, get starved and eat whatever is quick and easy, and most likely not so nutritious. Think about times during the day where you often get stuck and find a way to be armed and ready!
7. Add Omega 3s into your diet
Many of you have heard of the buzz of Omega 3 fatty acids. Our body cannot make Omega 3 fatty acids so it is essential that we eat them in our diet, hence the name essential fatty acid. Omega 3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory affect. It is suggested that Omega 3's can protect the heart, decrease triglycerides and curtail the inflammatory response. Please do not misunderstand--the inflammatory response is essential for our survival. It allows us to know when there is a problem and sparks our immune response to start to work. The problem is a lot of our foods have Omega 6 fatty acids which are pro inflammatory. Most American diets have far more Omega 6 fatty acids than Omega 3s. It is important to eat more Omega 3s in order to find a balance. Great sources of the fatty acid are fatty fish such as salmon, walnuts, flax, canola oil and olive oil. Some easy ways to make the change are buy canned salmon instead of canned tuna, add flax seeds to cereal and salads, pack walnuts as a snack and replace all vegetable oils at home with canola and olive only.
8. Sip soup not salt
Soup is a great food to eat to cut calories. It is filling and many soups have less than 200 calories in a hearty bowl. The problem is that many canned soups have an excessive salt content making a once healthy food into a food that is not heart healthy. The recommended amount of Sodium per day is less than 2400 mg daily. This is extremely difficult to do unless you prepare all of your food at home from scratch. Sodium is in most packaged and canned foods as a preservative and to add taste. To continue eating soup without the salt, try using a low sodium boxed broth and adding vegetables, rice and a source of protein to keep it healthy without all the added salt.
9. Roast vegetables, not potatoes
Potatoes are technically vegetables but they are not most nutritious veggie out there. The sad reality is that the vegetable eaten most often in this country is french fries. A beautiful colorful salad can have no fat and full of vitamins while french fries are full of fat of calories. Experiment roasting different vegetables and trying them on your plate at dinner rather than potatoes. Don't get me wrong, please continue eating potatoes. A baked potato can be a great snack and there are a nutritous food. The problem is most people do not eat any vegetable other than potatoes. Think of it more as adding more color to your plate at each meal. Each color represents a different nutrient. Try roasting some bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini and broccoli as a side dish for dinner to fill your plate.
10. Finish with fruit
Last but definatley not least, we have to remember dessert. We have our chocolate cravings or sweet tooths that cannot be ignored. Instead of always going to for candy or getting your hand in the cookie jar, try some fruit to end a meal. At restaurants look for a fruit dish on the menu, at home make a fruit salad and have it ready in the fridge.
Just some tips to start the new year off right. Remember, baby steps add up!
1. Eat Bran cereal in place of other cereal
Recommended dosages of fiber are 21 grams for women 51 and older, 25 grams for women 50 and younger, 30 grams for men 51 and older, 38 grams for men 50 and younger. It is hard to get that much fiber daily through the diet and starting the day with a bran cereal is a great way meet your needs. Most foods have 2-7 g foods per serving while many bran cereals have 10-15 grams. Bran is shown to have heart healthy benefits along with improving the health of the colon. It is also shown to decrease appetite since the fiber fills you up.
2. Eat less meat or go meatless
This is not to say to stop eating meat. However, try to be adventurous and incorporate some protein sources that are meatless into the diet. The American Cancer Society recommends people limit consumption of red meat and processed meats. Nitrites in packaged meats are associated with a variety of cancers and new research is showing that cooked meats have a pro-oxidant effect. For those who eat red meat more than 4 times a week, try to incorporate fish, lean chicken(white meat without the skin), beans, soy or meatless products. Experiment with cooking techniques and seasoning to get a taste that works for you.
3. Let beans squeeze out starches
The USDA's dietary guidelines for Americans recommends at least three cups of legumes a week. Legumes include all beans and lentils. They are a great food because they inexpensive, easy to prepare, fiber packed and a great source of carbohydrate, fat and protein. They are also packed with nutrients. Instead of pastas, breads or rice at every meal, try lentil soups, chili, add beans on salads or use spreads like hummus. There are a variety of types of beans and legumes. Buy some cans, add some vinegar, lemon juice and seasonings and see what works for you. Legumes are easy to buy, cheap, convenient to make and good for you--it doesn't get much better!
4. Don't drink your calories!!!
For someone who is trying to lose weight, the first place to look is their beverage intake. Sodas, juices, many teas and coffees have hundreds of calories. People are gaining pounds every year and it is coming from empty calories in drinks. It is extremely misleading because people look at "all natural" juices and "organic" iced teas and think they are healthy. The sad truth is they are all empty calories. Take a look at your weekly intake of beverages and see where you can cut them out and exchange for water. Club soda and diet sodas are a great alternative because they have no calories. Tea and coffee also have no calories before adding milk and sugar.
5. Hold the cheese
This is another sneaky one since cheese is everywhere. 1 oz of cheese has 100 calories--who can eat only 1 slice of cheese!! Cheese can make a healthy salad, sandwich or egg dish into a high fat, high calorie meal. Be strategic. Try fat free or low fat cheese at home and hold the cheese when eating out. If you are a huge cheese fan, enjoy it on special occasions and savor the taste. Learn to pick your battles.
6. Snack smart
The average American eats three meals and two snacks a day. With increasing portion sizes and hidden calories throughout our food supply, the average snack is turning into a meal. The best advice is to plan ahead. Have fruit, vegetables, whole grain crackers, yogurt or protein bars available so when you are starting to get hungry, you are prepared with a low calorie, nutritious snack. Many people overeat everyday since they wait too long between meals, get starved and eat whatever is quick and easy, and most likely not so nutritious. Think about times during the day where you often get stuck and find a way to be armed and ready!
7. Add Omega 3s into your diet
Many of you have heard of the buzz of Omega 3 fatty acids. Our body cannot make Omega 3 fatty acids so it is essential that we eat them in our diet, hence the name essential fatty acid. Omega 3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory affect. It is suggested that Omega 3's can protect the heart, decrease triglycerides and curtail the inflammatory response. Please do not misunderstand--the inflammatory response is essential for our survival. It allows us to know when there is a problem and sparks our immune response to start to work. The problem is a lot of our foods have Omega 6 fatty acids which are pro inflammatory. Most American diets have far more Omega 6 fatty acids than Omega 3s. It is important to eat more Omega 3s in order to find a balance. Great sources of the fatty acid are fatty fish such as salmon, walnuts, flax, canola oil and olive oil. Some easy ways to make the change are buy canned salmon instead of canned tuna, add flax seeds to cereal and salads, pack walnuts as a snack and replace all vegetable oils at home with canola and olive only.
8. Sip soup not salt
Soup is a great food to eat to cut calories. It is filling and many soups have less than 200 calories in a hearty bowl. The problem is that many canned soups have an excessive salt content making a once healthy food into a food that is not heart healthy. The recommended amount of Sodium per day is less than 2400 mg daily. This is extremely difficult to do unless you prepare all of your food at home from scratch. Sodium is in most packaged and canned foods as a preservative and to add taste. To continue eating soup without the salt, try using a low sodium boxed broth and adding vegetables, rice and a source of protein to keep it healthy without all the added salt.
9. Roast vegetables, not potatoes
Potatoes are technically vegetables but they are not most nutritious veggie out there. The sad reality is that the vegetable eaten most often in this country is french fries. A beautiful colorful salad can have no fat and full of vitamins while french fries are full of fat of calories. Experiment roasting different vegetables and trying them on your plate at dinner rather than potatoes. Don't get me wrong, please continue eating potatoes. A baked potato can be a great snack and there are a nutritous food. The problem is most people do not eat any vegetable other than potatoes. Think of it more as adding more color to your plate at each meal. Each color represents a different nutrient. Try roasting some bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini and broccoli as a side dish for dinner to fill your plate.
10. Finish with fruit
Last but definatley not least, we have to remember dessert. We have our chocolate cravings or sweet tooths that cannot be ignored. Instead of always going to for candy or getting your hand in the cookie jar, try some fruit to end a meal. At restaurants look for a fruit dish on the menu, at home make a fruit salad and have it ready in the fridge.
Just some tips to start the new year off right. Remember, baby steps add up!
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