Roughing It!

To quote Havard University's School of Public Health [14]: it's time to start roughing it!

Here are some recommendations they make for increasing fiber

1. Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices.
2. Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products.
3. Choose whole grain cereals for breakfast.
4. Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars.
5. Substitute legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups.
6. Experiment with international dishes (such as Indian or Middle Eastern) that use whole grains and legumes as part of the main meal (as in Indian dahls) or in salads (for example, tabbouleh). 

Okay, so how?  Well, again, the good folks at Harvard (all on the same website link above), nicely provide us a list of foods that you can add to your diet to increase both types of fiber (because they are both equally important!)

Soluble fiber is that which dissolves in water and is responsible for helping lower your cholesterol and regulating your blood sugar.

• Oatmeal, oatbran
• Nuts and seeds
• Legumes
• Beans
• Dried peas
• Lentils
• Apples
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Blueberries

Insoluble fiber is that which does not dissolve in water, and thus, really good at cleaning you out!

• Whole wheat bread
• Barley
• Couscous
• Brown rice
• Bulgur
• Whole grain breakfast cereals
• Wheat bran
• Seeds
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Celery
• Tomatoes

Also, another great source of information on fiber is www.dietaryfiber.com which will provide you will all the information--and much more--you could ever want or need to know about fiber!

And again (yes, you're getting this on ever fiber post!) remember to drink your water and take it slow on increasing your fiber to avoid any unfortunate, um, side effects!

~a grain of salt for your bloody mary (because it has tomatoes and a celery stick, both of which help boost your insoluble fiber!)

Beans, Beans The Magical Fruit...

This week's Hellthy Habit is upping your fiber intake.  The recommended daily [12] intake is 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women (which drops to 30 & 21 grams respectively for everyone over 51 years).

JUST A WORD OF WARNING: fiber is not the thing you on which to go overboard!!  You definitely want to work your way up slowly, otherwise, your stomach, intestines, and anyone living, working, or within a 10 feet radius won't be thanking you very much!!!


The first thing you need to do is figure out how much fiber your getting already and then set about to increase it several grams a day until you've reached your goal.  So, how to up your fiber intake?


Fruits
Veggies
Whole Grains
Beans


Of course you can use supplements (think Metamucil or FiberOne), but in the long run getting fiber from food is better, as foods that have the most fiber, like fruits & veggies, have other benefits (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc, etc.).


So what's the point of bulking up your diet?


Not only does the fiber make you more regular (good pooping is important!), but it lowers your risk for heart disease by lowering your cholesterol and regulating your blood sugars (which also reduces your risk of developing diabetes), and it helps you feel fuller longer, which of course helps curb your appetite.  No matter how you look at it, you can't go wrong with more fiber!


~a little salt for your bloody mary & celery, for the fiber of course!


PS--don't forget to drink water, it helps the fiber work better!

Small Changes

The good folks at WebMD [11] put together a collection of ways to "slim down without dieting."  Sounds great to me, since D-I-E-T is a nasty, nasty four letter word in my humble opinion!  They've found easy to tweak things that will help you modify how you eat in manageable, um, bites--thus increasing your odds of success and lowering your odds of failure. 

1. Eating slower & making your meals last longer than 20 minutes (they suggest using a timer!)
2. Sleeping more (although not too much, which we'll learn when we tackle sleeping.  While different studies suggest different amounts--7-9 hours/night seem to be the most ideal)
3. Eat more veggies (hmmm...where have we heard this before?!?!?)
4. Adding soup (broth-based that is) to your meal(s)
5. Eating whole grains (make sure whole is in the ingredients, like whole wheat) and avoid refined grains like the plague (well, they didn't say it, but I'm sure it's what they mean!!)
6. Eyeball your skinny clothes!  By keeping something that's a bit too snug in eye range, you're more likely to stick to your guns!
7. Skip the bacon (i resisted the urge to scream and throw a tantrum like a 5 year old diva told she can't have a new pair of shoes to match her new backpack)...sigh.  okay fine, but I'm still saving it for an occasional treat, thankyouverymuch!
8. Build a better slice of pizza by chosing more veggies and less (or no) meat and going easy on the cheese.
9. Cut back on the sugar--particularly in sugary drinks (switch to water or seltzer and save your calories for delicious indulgences, like CHEESECAKE...hopefully there's not a "never eat cheesecake again" suggestion or I will have to act like the aforementioned 5 year old diva!)
10. Use tall thin glasses rather than short wide ones--you'll trick your brain into serving yourself less (works for using smaller plates, bowls, forks, spoons, etc...as you already know if you've been keeping up!)
11. Limit alcohol intake...a little is good, but too much has too many calories and also loosens your inhibitions making it more likely to select the burger & fries rather than the grilled salmon and salad.
12. Sip green tea, as some studies are showing that it might temporarily boost metabolism (no sweatin' required!).  
13. YOGA! Not just for the exercise component, but also because it forces you to focus and tune-in to your body, which can help you resist overeating and indulging in less-than-healthy foods less frequently.
14. Eat at home, where you can control portions, ingredients, cooking methods, etc.  While some places, such as NYC, are taking initiatives to make the consumer more informed (much to their shock!) by posting caloric content--not everywhere is doing this yet nor is every restaurant, so save your splurges and dine out less frequently.
15. Catch the "eating pause"--that moment when you momentarily drop your fork--it's your body signalling you're done!  so listen up, put your fork down, and box the rest up for leftovers!
16. Chew strong mint (sugarless) gum.  Or brush your teeth.  Anything to make you not want to put anything else in your mouth!
17. Shrink your dishes (apparently I was jumping ahead of myself earlier!  yes, I'm reading and typing at the same time..that way you're experiencing it as I'm experiencing it!) even though you're eating less, you'll be cleaning your plate and so you won't feel like you're missing a thing!
18. Get your portions right (REMEMBER MY CEREAL BOWL?!?!?! that's all I have to say about that!)
19. Try to aim for 80% fullness, rather than 100%, or as the Japanese call it hara hachi bu. Smaller plates, smaller utensils, and stopping at "the pause" all help!
20. Eat out YOUR way!  Going out is fun and inevitable, so make the most out of it.  Order appetizers as meals.  Start with a broth based soup or a house salad (NOT drowning in dressing!).  Split entrees with your friends, BF, spouse or yourself the next day (i.e. have half boxed up immediately rather than waiting until you're done eating).  Ask for steamed veggies or grilled meats.  Most restaurants are happy to comply, if not, find a new favorite restaurant!
21. Reach for the red sauce!  Since they're tomato based, they're chokkers with lycopene and have much less calories than the creme based sauces.
22. Go meatless more often.  While lean meats are a great source of protein, going veg or vegan more often will help you shave calories (presuming of course, you're not replacing lean meat with fettuccine alfredo!)
23. Burn an extra 100 calories a day.  Take a walk, hike, jog, clean the house more vigorously--the little stuff adds up!
24. CELEBRATE!  Be it meeting an exercise goal or even making it through the day without any soda--treat yourself to reward your positive behaviors--trust me, you'll want to be doing more!  Personally, I like using mani/pedi or spa treatments, but whatever floats your boat.

Challenge yourself to start working down this list--it's a sure fire way to get in the express lane on the road to hellthy!  Now, let the tweaking--and losing--begin!


~a grain of salt, taken preferably with a shot of tequila and a wedge of lime (to prevent scurvy, of course!)

The Soup Du Jour

Forget cabbage soup, the best soup on the [diet] market is veggie soup.  Well, I guess technically, cabbage soup is a veggie soup, but rather than follow diet that only allows you to eat that for days on end, try adding a small bowl of veggie soup a couple of times a day as a way to increase your veggies for the day, as well as help you fill up and keep you from overeating on everything else.
The good news is that there's no wrong way to make the soup.  The great news is that every cup you have is a serving of vegetables.  The best news is that you don't lose any of the nutrients in cooking because you're eating the broth as well!  Add what you like, leave out what you don't.  It's easy as pie.  Easier, in fact.

I start out with what I like to call the Holy Trinity: olive oil, diced onions, and minced garlic...then just start adding vegetables!  Here's what I like to add to mine: celery, carrots, tomatoes, corn, and cabbage or spinach (depending on what I have on hand).  It's also a great time to clean out the veggie bin and use anything that might have seen better days.  In that spirit, I've often added green beans, potatoes and okra.  Personally, I don't like it to get too mushy, so I stay away from things like squash or zucchini, which after a bit of cooking tends to mush, but if you like them, throw them in.  Another great thing is that you can mix fresh with canned (but drain it first) with frozen.  Nothing is really off-limits in the veggie department.  Add salt, pepper, and a few fresh herbs and viola! a tasty, healthy meal, appetizer or snack.

Experiment every time you make it, that way your taste buds aren't getting bored and you'll soon find that you rather enjoy making a big pot of soup that will sustain you (rather inexpensively, at that!) throughout the week!

~a dash of salt for your celery & bloody mary to help increase your daily veggie intake!

Potato, Potahto...

Did you know the average American eats about 120lbs of potatoes a year --which averages out to about one potato a day (thanks USDA for that information!)!!  But our beloved potato gets such a bad rap because some of the most delicious ways to enjoy potatoes include topping it with cheese, sour cream, & bacon or deep fat frying it! 

Potatoes are actually quite nutritious.  They are high in carbs, so don't go binging on them!  But did you know that a large baked potato will provide you with nearly half of your daily requirement for vitamin C, over a quarter of your fiber requirements, and 7 grams of protein?  Of course this is sans anything, so if you wanna add toppings, do so in moderation or add healthier toppings, such as salsa (and up your lycopene as well!).

Do some experimenting with potatoes...there are several varieties out there to enjoy and grow to love!  For example, I used to hate...HATE...HATE!...sweet potatoes, but then I tried them without all the traditional brown sugar & marshmallow (what I like to call Thanksgiving-style) crap and I realize that I actually LOVE them (Momma was shocked, but proud!).  They're now quite popular as fries (although, they still are FRIED, so don't go overboard!).  When you compare 1 cup of sweet potatoes to 1 cup of bake potato above, they have about the same number of calories and little less protein, but provide a bit more fiber and a lot more vitamins, particularly vitamins A & C.  I like to roast them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then mash'em with a bit of olive oil and a couple of dollops of plain Greek yogurt...mmmm!

The smaller (aka waxy) varieties (think red or fingerlings) have a slightly lower glycemic index and the colorful ones are packed with vitamins.  Regardless of the variety you pick, keep the skin on, the added fats to a minimum, enjoy them in moderation & within the recommended SERVING size and there's no reason to exclude them from your diet altogether!

~a dash of salt for your bloody mary & celery stick (to up your veggie intake!)

Tomato, Tomahto...

Canned tomatoes are GREAT for keeping on hand to add to soups, stews, and chili.  But they're great to keep on hand for a couple of other very important reasons.

1. They immediately bump up your veggie intake to whatever you add them.
2. They are full of Lycopene, "[which] is the pigment that gives certain fruits their red coloring. This carotenoid is believed to have strong antioxidant powers, with some studies showing a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration. There is no established Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for lycopene, but there's evidence that phytonutrients like lycopene are an important part of disease prevention" [8].

So that brings me to one of my favorite foods: spaghetti!  I grew up, as many do, eating spaghetti sauce from a jar...until as chance would have it, I met my best friend Christi, who's mom (Cindy, aka one of THE best cooks/bakers on the planet!) made her own spaghetti sauce.  What?  WHAT?  OMG!  AHH-MAZING!! It changed my life.  Laugh, call me a drama queen, whatever. But it did.  Why?  It's amazingly simple and so much healthier & cheaper than the stuff you get in the jar.  Why?  Because you get to control what goes into it and it's fun to play around with different spices.  Over the years, I've modified her original recipe--a lot of it had to do with the lack of all the delicious herbs & spices Cindy adds...but the most important ingredient is LOVE.  Once you add that, you really can't go wrong and will never buy your sauce again!  Here is an uber-simple, but oh-so-delicious recipe for spaghetti sauce, that was thrown together last minute (and with a wonderful addition by Ann with the roasted garlic! so I'm completely stealing that idea!).  Add it to the whole wheat pasta of your choice and--if you have some--sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top--if you don't have it, I promise you won't miss it!

Before I begin though, a quick word about herbs. Do yourself a HUGE favor and invest in an herb garden.  It doesn't take a lot of effort or space (mine is in the windowsills of my kitchen) or even that much money, but it is a fabulous way to add a freshness to all of your dishes, like my spaghetti!  Btw, a BIG, HUGE THANK YOU TO CINDY, who spoiled me from ever eating spaghetti from a jar again!!  xoxo

Sherry's Quick Spaghetti Sauce:

1 onion
1 head of garlice plus 2 cloves (don't panic...it won't be over garlicky i promise!)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
1/2 handful of dried oregano
1/2 a cup or a large handful of fresh basil
1 large can of crushed or diced tomatoes
small package of whole wheat pasta

Preheat oven to 450F.  Slice of the very top of the head of garlic (so that the cloves are exposed).  Place on a baking sheet and drizzle a healthy amount of olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Place in oven for about 10 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned and smelling delicious! 

Start the water for your pasta (making sure it's adequately salted) and then dice your onion, mince your 2 cloves of garlic, and give your basil a rough chop.  Once the water is boiling add your pasta.  The sauce takes like 5 minutes to make, so you don't want to start it until your pasta is actually cooking.  Once you've added the pasta, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a large saute pan (I actually use a wok!) and saute' onions and minced garlic on medium high heat until translucent. Add tomatoes and a bit of water used to rinse out can.  Stir in oregano, as well as a pinch of salt and pepper. Grab a quick taste and adjust spices as needed.

Once pasta is al dente, drain and set aside.  Check the garlic, it should nearly be done.  If so, take it out of the oven and set aside. Add basil to the sauce and mix in really well.  Grab a bowl, add some pasta and a large ladle of sauce and a few of the roasted garlic cloves and then top with some parmesan if you'd like.  Ta-da!  That's it.  The great part is that for every large ladle-full of sauce you eat, you're getting nearly a full serving of vegetables!  Not bad for spaghetti night!

~a dash of salt for your bloody mary, as the tomato juice & celery up your veggie count (and is full of lycopene!)

The Veggies Are Coming!

Oh c'mon I did give you a head's up that Veggies would be our Hellthy Habit this week!

So, how did you do on lowering your portion size?  Any tips you found useful in helping curb your portion sizes?  Did smaller plates & bowls help?  Hopefully you're well on your way to smaller portion sizes!

So, now we're going to switch gears and I'm going to open it back up again with eating your vegetables.  Eat, eat, eat (and how often are you going to see that when you're trying to lose weight?)  As mentioned in the last post, they are a great way to add fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants to your diet.  They are low in calories: one cup of raw spinach is 7--THAT's RIGHT, SEVEN--calories!  But watch out how you serve them--a 1/2 cup of creamed spinach is 70 calories!!  And if you over cook them--particularly if you're boiling them--you can cook out a lot of the nutrients!

Well then, what's a girl (or guy) to do?  Grill'em, roast'em, , eat'em raw, add'em to soups & casseroles...possibilities are endless!  Over the next week or so, I'm going to be sharing not just why you should eat them, but also some of my favorite recipes to dramatically increase your vegetable servings!

Aim for at least 5 1-cup servings a day and when you've reached that goal, try to for more.  Your body will thank you for it!

~a little salt for your tequila and lime, served with a small side salad--dressing on the side!

All You Can Eat!

Tiny serving sizes left you feeling so hungry you could eat a horse & chase the rider?

Well the good news is that if you are consistently eating less, your body will eventually recognize the smaller portions and allow you to feel fuller on less food (contrary to popular belief, you stomach does not shrink!  ALAS!).  While it is great to keep in mind and perhaps motivate you to eat smaller portions, it's not helpful for the empty feeling in your stomach right now!

So here are three things that help fill me up:

1.  Eat more veggies!  I can hear it now: groan. groan. groan.  Say what you want about veggies, but they are chock-full of fiber (for helping you feel full), vitamins (to keep you healthy), antioxidants (to keep looking fabulous), AND they are very low in calories (ha ha ha ha....guess what I'm going to make next week's Hellthy Habit?!?!?!).  So, if you've eaten and you're still feeling hungry, go ahead--fill'er up with veggies!  Of course, that would be non-laden in fatty sauces kinds of veggies.  Broccoli & cheese is great, as is a great big salad with lots of ranch dressing, but neither are great ways to whittle your waist!

2.  Soup is another great filler--but again, like your veggies, if you want soups where you can eat all you want, then stick to broth-based or veggie filled soups.  The creamy soups will also help fill you up, but if you're eating them as a filler before your meal, then stick to a--as in ONE actual 8 oz--cup.

3.  Water--yep, our beloved Hellthy Habit prior to this one.  Studies show that being well hydrated goes a long way in helping you stay full & satisfied.  In fact, our cravings for thirst & hunger are so interlinked we often mistake thirst for hunger.  Next time you're STAAAARVING, try drinking a big ol' glass of water first, wait a few minutes and then reassess your hunger.  You might find that you're not so STAAAARVING after all!

~a little salt for your shot of tequila and wedge of lime (as that's the proper serving size and will help prevent scurvy of course!)