YOU on a Diet ( 11/01/07 - 02/29/08 )

[bluelips]

Originally Posted by jezzie

What a coincidence. In 2003 I lost 59 pounds with Atkins. (But I had put back 39 by 2007.)

Hmmmm. I don't recall ever reading a suggested protein requirement. If I find out I'll post it.

Thanks~ I don't remember reading it either but thought maybe I had missed it. I know that with Atkins I was eating way too much protein and fat.

[jezzie]

I am eating less fat now than I used to. Not sure about protein. I do love my brown rice and beans.

Another tip for today .....

•Don't Worry, B Happy

Say bye-bye to mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and brownies. There's a new kind of comfort food in town.

To feel better, eat plenty of foods rich in B vitamins. It can help stoke your feel-good fires, making it less likely you'll be moody, irritable, impatient, or depressed.

'The Food-Mood Solution'
Benefits of B Abound

Along with reversing moodiness, irritability, impatience, tension, anger, and depression, B vitamins may increase energy and promote a sense of well-being, writes Jack Challem in The Food-Mood Solution.

You can get all the B you need from a B-complex supplement or a multivitamin. Or stock up on some of the best food sources of B:

* For B1 (thiamin): wheat germ, peas, long-grain brown rice, lentils, pork, and whole-wheat bread
* For B2 (riboflavin): fortified cereals, milk, almonds, and broccoli
* For B3 (niacin): tuna, chicken, salmon, fortified cereals, and peanuts
* For B5 (pantothenic acid): yogurt, avocadoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, and chicken
* For B6: fortified cereals, bananas, salmon, and spinach
* For B12: chicken, turkey, milk, and eggs
* For folate: fortified cereals, lentils, garbanzo beans, orange juice

RealAge Benefit: Getting a total of 700 micrograms of folate (vitamin B9) per day in food and supplements can make your RealAge as much as 1.2 years younger.

[jezzie]

Common Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss

ROBERT B. SAPER, M.D., M.P.H., DAVID M. EISENBERG, M.D., and
RUSSELL S. PHILLIPS, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

Over-the-counter dietary supplements to treat obesity appeal to many patients who desire a "magic bullet" for weight loss.

Asking overweight patients about their use of weight-loss supplements and understanding the evidence for the efficacy, safety, and quality of these supplements are critical when counseling patients regarding weight loss.

A schema for whether physicians should recommend, caution, or discourage use of a particular weight-loss supplement is presented in this article. More than 50 individual dietary supplements and more than 125 commercial combination products are available for weight loss.

Currently, no weight-loss supplements meet criteria for recommended use.
Although evidence of modest weight loss secondary to ephedra-caffeine ingestion exists, potentially serious adverse effects have led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ban the sale of these products.

Chromium is a popular weight-loss supplement, but its efficacy and long-term safety are uncertain. Guar gum and chitosan appear to be ineffective; therefore, use of these products should be discouraged.

Because of insufficient or conflicting evidence regarding the efficacy of conjugated linoleic acid, ginseng, glucomannan, green tea, hydroxycitric acid, l-carnitine, psyllium, pyruvate, and St. John's wort in weight loss, physicians should caution patients about the use of these supplements and closely monitor those who choose to use these products.

(Am Fam Physician 2004;70:1731-38. Copyright© 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians.)

Common Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss - November 1, 2004 - American Family Physician

[jezzie]

•Super News About Soup

If you choose soup when hunger strikes, you could be placing yourself on the path to weight loss.

In a year long study of overweight people on a reduced-calorie diet, snacking on soup each day led to more weight loss than noshing on a calorie-equivalent amount of energy-dense snack foods.

The key difference: even though the soup and the high-energy snack had the same number of calories, the soup took up more space in people's bellies. Thus, the soup eaters felt less hungry later and ate less over the course of the day.

Snacking on foods that have a low ratio of calories to mass -- such as air-popped popcorn, vegetable broth-based soups, and fresh produce -- may help you eat fewer calories overall and aid weight loss efforts.

When incorporating soup into your weight-reduction plan, steer clear of cream-based varieties, which are high in fat and calories.

Instead, choose soups with a base of chicken broth or vegetable broth and those loaded with vegetables, kidney beans, lentils, or brown rice to keep you satisfied and help you trim down.

In a study of overweight and obese people, those who ate two servings of low-energy dense soup per day as part of a reduced-calorie diet lost an average of almost 16 pounds over the yearlong study period.

The people who ate two servings of high-energy dense snack foods per day lost an average of just over 10.5 pounds -- 35 percent less than the soup-snacking group.

RealAge Benefit: Maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

[jezzie]

•All About YOU: Dietary Damage Control

Downing that pint of mocha-mint-chip ice cream might have seemed like a good idea at the time, but now you're overwhelmed with remorse.

Is there anything you can do? You bet. First, take a 30-minute walk. Then, make sure you stay awake for a few hours.

This helps in two ways: It helps your body break down the nutrients you just consumed, and it encourages your body to use the food for energy rather than storing it as fat.

More Damage Control

Dessert may be the last thing on your mind after polishing off an entire frozen pizza, but that's another thing you should avoid after binging: sweets. Sweets increase insulin and help deposit excess calories -- in the form of fat -- in your belly.

RealAge Benefit: Losing excess weight by increasing physical activity can make your RealAge 3 to 9 years younger.

[jezzie]

Friday's foods:

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
raw almnds, banana

Breakfast:
old fashioned oatmeal w/cinnamon, buckwheat honey
orange

Snack:
6 oz. Vanilla soy milk, Granny Smith apple

Lunch:
small pizza made on whole wheat tortilla
pumpkin/vegetable soup

Snack:
6 oz. concord grape/cranberry 100% juice
banana

Dinner:
salmon (baked in garlic, olive oil/vinegar)
green beans

[jezzie]

Green Beans with Apple Cider

16-ounce bags whole frozen green beans
light olive oil
1 small yellow skinned onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup apple cider
Salt and pepper

Put the beans in a large microwave safe bowl, loosely cover bowl with plastic food storage wrap and microwave on high 3 minutes. Uncover and stir the beans, then cover and microwave on high 4-5 minutes more.

Heat a small skillet over medium low heat. Add a drizzle of light olive oil and the onions and cook until beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cider, raise the heat to medium high and cook until liquid is reduced and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

Remove the beans from microwave. Season the beans with salt and pepper, to taste, and add to the pan with the onions and cider. Toss evenly to coat the beans and keep warm until ready to serve.

[jezzie]

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

small (golf-ball sized) onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon, scrubbed clean
12 fresh sage leaves
Small handful fresh flat-leaf parsley (about 1/4 cup, from 6 stems)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus light olive oil for oiling pan
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
boneless turkey breast half, skin on (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 to 3 cups apple cider
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Oil a roasting pan and set it aside.

Put the onion into the bowl of a mini food processor. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the lemon in thin strips, being careful not to cut into the bitter white pith. Add the lemon zest to the food processor and reserve the whole lemon for another use. Chop the onion and lemon zest until fine. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until it forms a coarse paste.

Put the butter into a small pan and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is bubbling. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Put the turkey breast on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the flesh from 1 end, being careful not to pull it completely off, creating a pocket. Season the turkey breast with salt and pepper.

Stuff the herb paste under the skin of the breast, and spread it evenly under the skin. Transfer the breast to the roasting pan. Using a pastry brush, baste the breast with half of the butter. Place the turkey in the oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 400 degrees F. After 20 minutes, baste the turkey breast with the remaining butter, and roast for an additional 20 minutes, until cooked through, and a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 170 degrees F.

Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving while you make the gravy.

Put the roasting pan over the burner on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the pan juices, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. While stirring, pour in the apple cider. Bring to a simmer, and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the turkey breast on the diagonal, and serve with warm gravy.

[Wolfpax24]

ooooh these sound so yummy! thx. jezzie!

[jezzie]

.
Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
raw almnds, banana

Breakfast:
slow cook oatmeal w/cinnamon, buckwheat honey
mineola orange

Snack:
concord grape/pomegranate/cranberry 100% juice
banana

Lunch:
whole grain pasta w/hot pepper sauce, Parmesan
salad w/ extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar

Snack:
5.5 oz. can of V-8 juice, Granny Smith apple

Dinner:
crockpot pumpkin vegetable soup w/brown rice
(the last of this batch)

[jezzie]

.

[jezzie]

Best Picks and Skips at the Salad Bar

Salad bars can be diet salvation or junk-food minefields. Here's how to get from one end to the other without detonating an explosion of bad fats, sodium, sugar, and refined carbs.

*1. Go dark on greens: Build a vitamin- and fiber-packed foundation by starting with roughly 1 cup of spinach and romaine leaves (for more than half of your daily vitamin A and all of your vitamin K, plus some folate and vitamin C).

Skip 'em: Lighter greens tend to offer less nutrition. Iceberg lettuce, for instance, delivers only about 7% of the A you need, some K, and not much else.

*2. Go bright on veggies: Next, add about 1 cup of the most colorful crudités -- think broccoli, carrots, cherry tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, beets. Ounce for ounce, vibrant veggies give you more fiber, minerals, vitamins, and disease-fighting antioxidants than their paler companions, like celery and cucumbers.

Skip 'em: Anything coated in mayo or an indefinable dressing, including carrot-and-raisin mixes, coleslaw, and potato salad.

*3. Choose lean proteins: Aim for about 1/2 cup of these. Chickpeas and kidney beans are nifty sources of fat-free protein (6 grams each). Sliced hard-boiled eggs (8 grams) are another smart choice, just limit the yolk to limit the fat.

Skip 'em: Chicken, tuna, or crab salads -- they're usually made with high-fat mayo; three-bean salad, which typically is afloat in a sea of oil; and cottage cheese, which is high in aging (read artery-clogging) saturated fat.

*4. Sprinkle on extra flavor and crunch: Like cheese? Add 1 tablespoon of Parmesan (22 calories) to punch up the flavor, or 1 tablespoon of walnuts or sunflower seeds for some healthy crunch. Both have good-for-your-heart fats that help your body absorb the nutrients in all those veggies.

Skip 'em: Cheddar cubes -- you'll quickly eat more than you need; croutons -- they may look harmless but at 100 calories per 1/4 cup, they're usually high-cal booby traps of refined carbs, sodium, and trans fats. Ditto for crunchy Asian noodles.

*5. Dress for success: Now swirl on about 1 tablespoon of heart-healthy olive oil, a splash of vinegar, a grating of pepper, and toss, toss, toss. Ask any chef -- it's the secret to a perfect salad. Thorough tossing ensures that all the flavors and textures are evenly distributed and lets you use minimal dressing to maximum effect.

Skip 'em: Walk right past those vats of ready-made salad dressings. Even the low-fat or fat-free versions are usually loaded with salt, sugar, and additives. And just 2 tablespoons of regular blue cheese or ranch have about 160 fat-packed calories.

*6. Prefer a fruit salad? Easy. Go for whatever's fresh -- melons, berries, pineapple, kiwi -- and top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds for a sprinkling of good fats and crunchy flavor.

Then buy a small container of low- or no-fat yogurt or cottage cheese for creamy protein minus the saturated fat in dairy foods.

Skip 'em: Syrupy canned peaches, apricots, pears, etc. They have far more calories and fewer nutrients than fresh fruit.
.

[jezzie]

Asian Salad Dressing

Crunchy vegetables and tender chicken breasts tossed in a tangy vinaigrette make a refreshing main-dish salad.

* 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
* 3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce
* 3 tablespoons light olive oil
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon tahini paste
* 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or reserved chicken-poaching liquid

To prepare dressing: Combine soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil and chile-garlic sauce in a glass measuring cup; stir to blend. Heat light olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan; bring to a simmer. Whisk in tahini and broth (or poaching liquid); cook until reduced slightly, 4 - 5 minutes. Let cool.

[jezzie]

A Little Wine, Sunlight Help Boost Women's Health
Two small studies suggest life-enhancing, life-extending benefits

By Ed Edelson, HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Nov. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Two of life's simple pleasures -- a glass of wine, a little time in the sun -- may have benefits for women's health.

Wine first: In a report from Spain, researchers at the University of Barcelona evaluated the effects of moderate consumption of red and white wine -- 6.8 ounces, or two glasses a day -- in 35 nonsmoking Spanish women, average age 38.

The study was done like any other controlled medical trial, with each woman drinking the recommended "dose" of either white or red wine for four-week periods, with a four-week dry period separating each round of study.

"The data showed that, in comparison with the baseline period, consumption of both red and white wines increased serum [blood] HDL cholesterol (often called 'good' cholesterol), which suggests a cardio-protective effect," said the report in the November issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"Similarly, serum concentrations of interleukin-6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (both markers of chronic inflammation), decreased significantly after both wine ingestion periods," the authors wrote.

Other markers of cardiac health were affected "in a healthy way" by red wine a little more than by white wine, the researchers added. The study provides, "scientifically rigorous evidence" that moderate wine consumption helps keep the heart healthy by preventing low-grade inflammation in women, the Spanish team concluded.

"This continues to add to many other studies by showing the mechanisms by which both red and white wine help prevent heart disease," said Dr. R. Curtis Ellison, professor of medicine and public health at Boston University. "When you give women a glass and a half of wine each day, you have considerable effects on improving inflammation, a little more for red wine than for white," said Ellison, who was not involved in the research.

A number of other studies have shown the same protective effect in men, with slightly greater intake of wine, Ellison said.

Next, sunlight: In the same issue of the journal, a British-American team reported a trial in which levels of inflammation-related molecules were measured against blood levels of vitamin D, made naturally by the skin when it is exposed to sunlight.

"The purpose of the study was to see if there was a correlation between vitamin D levels and indicators of aging," said co-researcher Jeffrey P. Gardner, a professor at the Center of Human Development and Aging at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

In addition to measuring blood levels of inflammation-linked molecules such as C-reactive protein, the researchers also measured the length of sections of the women's DNA called telomeres.

"Other people's work indicated that telomeres were bioindicators of aging, more than a person's chronological age," Gardner said.

Longer telomeres indicate low levels of inflammation, he explained.

Sure enough, the data indicated that higher levels of circulating vitamin D was associated with longer telomere length. Women with the lowest concentration of vitamin C and highest concentration of C-reactive protein had telomeres short enough to indicate about 7.6 more years of aging than women with the highest vitamin D and lowest C-reactive protein levels.

"Optimal vitamin D status may provide a benefit during the aging process," the researchers concluded, with additional trials needed to prove the point.

HealthDay

[jezzie]

•Pick Up the Peppermill

Adding a little spice to your life by sprinkling your food with a generous supply of pepper just may help you nab more nutrition.

Plain old black pepper has many plusses. First, it doesn't contribute to high blood pressure, as does salt. Pepper also contains a phytochemical called piperine, which researchers believe may help the body better absorb nutrients from the foods to which it's added.

Studies have shown that piperine is absorbed very quickly across the intestinal barrier, which is why it may enhance the absorption of some nutrients.

One of the most ancient spices, pepper was mentioned in Chinese and Sanskrit texts a few thousand years ago. Research suggests that piperine, a plant chemical found in pepper, is easily absorbed in the intestines, causing better absorption of some nutrients.

Moreover, the volatile oil found in black pepper, as well as other spices such as cloves, nutmeg, and oregano, appear to have antibacterial qualities that inhibit food poisoning and spoilage.

Preliminary studies also suggest that black pepper may protect against colon cancer.

[jezzie]

Sunday's foods:

Pre-Breakfast:
2 cups half decaf with evaporated milk
raw almnds, banana

Breakfast:
old fashioned oatmeal w/cinnamon, buckwheat honey
orange

Snack:
6 oz. Vanilla soy milk, Granny Smith apple

Lunch:
whole grain pasta w/hot pepper sauce, Parmesan
salad w/ extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar

Snack:
6 oz. concord grape/cranberry 100% juice

Dinner:
salmon cake w/c*cktail sauce
broccoli

[jezzie]

How to Walk for Weight Control
From Wendy Bumgardner,Your Guide to Walking.

To lose weight and to keep it off, you need to get moving.

Walking Off Weight: Walking at a moderate pace for 30-60 minutes burns stored fat and can build muscle to speed up your metabolism. Walking an hour a day is also associated with cutting your risk of heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes and stroke. Isn't it time to work 1-hour walks into your busy lifestyle?

[jezzie]

Blackened Salmon Sandwich

Ingredients

* 1 pound salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions
* 2 teaspoons blackening or Cajun seasoning, (see Ingredient note)
* 1 small avocado, pitted
* 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
* 4 crusty whole-wheat rolls, split and toasted
* 1 cup spinach leaves
* 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

Directions

1. Oil grill rack, preheat grill to high.
2. Rub blackening (or Cajun) seasoning on both sides of salmon.
(Ingredient note: Cajun seasoning is a spice blend that usually includes cayenne and black pepper, salt, thyme, garlic and onion powder and paprika.)
3. Grill until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
4. Mash together avocado and mayonnaise in a small bowl.
5. To assemble sandwiches, spread the avocado mixture on the bottom half of each roll. Top with the salmon, spinach, tomato and onion.

[jezzie]

Chickpea Burgers and Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

Chickpea burgers

* 1 19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
* 4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp. oregano
* 1 clove garlic chopped
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 6-1/2-inch whole-wheat pitas, halved and warmed, if desired

Tahini sauce

* 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
* 2 tablespoons tahini,
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. To prepare burgers: Place chickpeas, scallions, egg, flour, oregano, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until a coarse mixture forms that holds together when pressed. (The mixture will be moist.) Form into 4 patties.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until golden and beginning to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes more.
3. To prepare sauce and serve: Meanwhile, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Divide the patties among the pitas and serve with the sauce.

[jezzie]

Chewy Fudge Brownies

Ingredients

* 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Ingredient notes)
* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 each large egg whites (see Ingredient notes)
* 3 each large eggs
* 2/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend
* 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
* 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over barely simmering water or in the microwave.
3. Whisk flour, cocoa and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Beat egg whites, eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or whisk until smooth. Add applesauce, oil and vanilla; beat until blended. Add the chocolate-butter mixture; beat until blended. Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with nuts.
5. Bake the brownies until the top springs back when touched lightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into bars.


ingredient notes

Dried egg whites are pasteurized so this product is a wise choice in dishes that call for an uncooked meringue. They are also convenient in recipes calling for egg whites because there is no waste. Look for brands like Just Whites in the baking or natural-foods section of most supermarkets.

Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Available in large supermarkets and in natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

[jezzie]

Cheddar-Apple Melt

Ingredients

* 1 whole-wheat English muffin, toasted
* 2 teaspoons jam
* 4 thin apple slices
* 2 slices reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Top English muffin with jam, apple and cheese.
2. Toast in a toaster oven or under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
.

[jezzie]

Southwest Barbecued Chicken with Tomato Red Pepper Dressing

Ingredients:
4 tbsp Tomato Red Pepper Salad Dressing (recipe follows)
1 tsp red chile powder
1 tsp light olive oil
1 tsp honey
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (or, fire up the grill).
Mix together the salad dressing, red chile powder, light olive oil and honey.
Pour half the dressing over the chicken breasts in a lightly oiled or nonstick baking dish.
Bake for 10 minutes. Baste with remaining sauce and cook about another 10-15 minutes or until done.
Be careful not to overcook.
2 Servings


Tomato Red Pepper Salad Dressing

1 small (6 ounce) can of tomato paste
1 whole roasted red pepper or pimento from a jar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil

Combine all ingredients in a blender container. Blend until well mixed.