Happy Halloween!

Here's a few things to focus on instead of just eating candy on Halloween. The idea is to have fun on this holiday not just eat too much candy and feel sick that night and have a "candy hangover" the following day. Here's an interesting little history about the Jack-'o-lantern.

Jack-’o-lanterns have been around for decades. The story is obviously about a man named Jack. Jack invited the devil for a drink at the local bar but Jack didn't not want to pay for his drink, so he made a deal with the devil. The devil turned himself into some coins, but instead of paying for the drink, Jack kept the coins. Later freeing the devil, he promised to change him back if he did not steal his soul. Upon his own death, God would not let Jack into heaven because of his past and the devil would not let him into hell. Instead, the devil gave Jack a piece of coal, which Jack placed into a turnip. The legend goes that Jack used the turnip and coal to light his way around as he looked for a final resting place. 

Now that's a story you can tell your kids! Keep your Halloween Happy by staying on track with moderation. review my "tricks" from earlier in the week!

Don't Trick Yourself!

Before you decide to do anything sneaky around Halloween with food know that the the National Confectioners Association are on top of your tricks! Here are some of their facts:

• Four-in-ten (41%) adults admit that they sneak sweets from their own candy bowl.
• On Halloween night, the majority (52%) of those providing treats to costumed kiddies will be passing out chocolate, while three‐in‐ten will drop hard candy or lollipops into the sacks.
• 62% of adults will be handing out candy because "it's a personal favorite" or it's a household tradition (55%)
• About 26% of households will include full-size candy (chocolate and non-chocolate) in their Halloween activities.
• 90% of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their kids' Halloween trick-or-treat bags.
• Parents favorite treats to sneak from their kids’ trick-or-treat bags are snack-size chocolate bars (70% sneak these), candy-coated chocolate pieces (40%), caramels (37 %) and gum (26 %).
• Parents least favorite goodie to take from their kids’ trick-or-treat bags is licorice (18 %).  

Know that even if you sneak some treats in before or on Halloween night, the scale won't trick you the next day! Review my hints from Tuesday so you don't have to be afraid of the scale Monday morning!

Trick or Treat!

Those tiny little goblins will be out soon collecting all their goodies this upcoming weekend. Parents who are watching their weight will be at home dealing with the temptation of candy around the house. Are you one of those parents?

Here are some better ways of "treating" yourself instead of over doing it:

-.If you feel you need to purchase Halloween candy, do it the day before Halloween so it’s not sitting around to "haunt" you. Store it in places where you don't have to look at it all the time. Ask your kids to hide it from you. (Just make sure they promise you they won't open it!)
-Better yet, buy non-food treats for trick or treaters, or if you must,.buy items that you don’t like. Otherwise who are you really fooling here?
-Allow yourself a moderate amount of candy if you need to avoid deprivation. Account for it in your food plan for the day, or just get back on track right away the next day, without beating yourself up.
-Emphasize the fun part of Halloween. Have fun with your trick or treaters by making them do a "trick" for you. Stay busy if you are at home giving out treats.
-Halloween night is so hectic a healthy meal is not even a consideration sometimes. This year plan on leftovers, have a healthy frozen meal, or simply assemble a meal more like a lunch and plan on it early.
-If you miss dinner it's really a setup for yourself  because eventually things calm down and the kids and you will be digging into that candy bag!
-Offer to buy your kid's candy when it comes in so the leftovers aren't "haunting" you. Be sure and discard it right away.
-Enlist your spouse or friend to support you (NOT be the food police).

Stay on track! Remember that Halloween is the kick off season for weight gain. Don’t be tricked, treat yourself to staying on track and feeling good about your weight loss efforts!

Experimenting with Low-Carb Eating

As a professional nutritionist I’ve never been sold on hard core low-carb eating, especially for maintenance.

So I’ve done an experiment with myself. Keep in mind I’m maintaining, not losing weight anymore... (read my first blog of my weight loss story). I lowered my carbohydrate rate (about 155-200 grams a day) but I’ve kept them  mostly “healthy” carbs, about three servings of  fruits, five or six servings of vegetables, about three or four servings of whole grains (whole grain cereal like cooked oatmeal or small potatoes,  yams, and/or corn.  My healthy fat intake is about four-five servings (50 calories each, 5 grams of fat). I eat more servings of  lower fat protein than I used to, about nine to ten ounces. These are my daily servings..And I certainly don't deprive myself.now and then of my favorite cookies and/or dark chocolate  now and then.
.

So what I’ve discovered is that my tastes for sweets has diminished substantially, I feel satisfied and I hardly have any cravings (as long as I address my emotional needs appropriately). Note I only weigh about 125 pounds, I'm past menopause and I’m not overly active.)

I never thought I would adhere to this type of eating plan but it seems to work. New diet research is suggesting  higher protein might help declining muscle mass for those who are older and with my own clients/patients,  particularly women in peri-menopause, menopause and post menopause, a higher protein diet combined with healthy fat consumption might be a better balance. Readers what are your experiences with low-carb or high carb eating? 

Think Ahead for Halloween

Some of you maybe thinking of Halloween. NOW is the time to consider your strategy for staying on track with your dieting efforts. You won’t have much diet mojo if you don’t plan ahead on this candy laden holiday.
Don’t trick yourself into eating things that will sabotage your best efforts. Next week I’ll certainly get into specific strategies for this “haunting” holiday but for now really start thinking about what specifically gets you into trouble on this holiday. What have been your previous mistakes and how  can you avoid them this time around? When are you victorious?

October is Breast Cancer Prevention Awareness Month

Although the fight is still going on to prevent breast cancer I always think it’s a good idea to remind women of the basic facts for breast cancer prevention: "AICR experts estimate that overall, about 1/3 of cancers in the 1.4 million cancers that occur every year in the US could be prevented by following these three few basic guidelines":

1. Move! Health authorities suggest about 30 minutes a day. It’s not only good for breast cancer prevention but it’s just plain good for your body in countless other ways.
2. Maintain a healthy weight. Use the BMI as a basic calculator for this. It’s a mathematical equation that determines health risk according to your weight.
3. What we eat is obviously a big indicator in terms of fighting all diseases besides breast cancer. Most reputable health organizations are suggesting nine to eleven servings of fruits and vegetables not just a mere five a day although that’s an admirable start. Here’s the best list of cancer fighting foods: beans, berries, cruciferous, dark leafy greens, flaxseed, garlic, grapes, green tea, tomatoes, and 100% whole grains foods (not the processed versions). Some authorities suggest soy is beneficial but as a professional CNC I personally believe there’s too much controversy around it to actually suggest it for cancer prevention. (But if you do consume it make sure it is not genetically modified, always cooked and consumed in moderation.)

New Prescription Weight Loss Medication

Studies usually show that with, or without medication to lose weight the end result still ends up in regaining the weight unless a person really adheres to a healthy eating plan and lifestyle plan with it. Many weight loss physician assisted clinics utilize appetite suppressants and although they may work very well controlling appetite, for some there are just too many side effects. But, another new prescription weight loss appetite suppressant is on the horizon.

Developed by Vivus Inc., the drug Qnexa is showing promise in clinical studies as a more effective appetite depressant than previous phentermine related appetite suppressants.

Three various doses of Qnexa® have shown promise to the FDA “that it may be a revolutionary weight loss aid resulting in less susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, blood sugar regulation and inflammation related conditions. The more severe side effects are tingling sensations, dry mouth, upper respiratory infections and headaches." 

But let me strongly emphasize again, just as all the studies indicate, you still have to do the work to KEEP the weight off with healthy eating, exercise, behavior modification, and I'd personally also suggest a strong maintenance program..

Don't Go it Alone

This is a rather lengthy story below but I think it proves a valuable lesson in terms of how important support is IF you are willing to overlook your pride or embarrasment and really allow people to help you when you need it the most. It's written by Jason Garcia, a motivational writer.

"Back in college I, like every other freshman on earth, talked about backpacking through Italy. I talked to friends, I talked to family, I talked to myself. But for all my talking, I didn't do a bit of traveling.

I was like everyone else who reaches the edge of comfort. I was scared. I hated to fly--still do--didn't speak a word of Italian, and hadn't a clue where to begin. So I thought, and I talked, but I never did.

That all changed when I talked to Curt, an up-for-anything roommate from California. A few months later we were stepping off a train in Rome and into the clutches of a scam artist waiting for unsuspecting tourists, but that's another story.

The point was that all my talking didn't do a thing. It was only when I included someone else that my plans began to roll.

Here's what happened...

Anticipation exploded: When I told Curt what I wanted to do, my excitement surged. We were like a father and son playing catch, tossing ideas back and forth for hours. I would mention a place I wanted to go. He would tell me about a site he wanted to see. On and on it went with each new idea adding to the excitement.

Fear shrank: Alone, fear wins. But with a friend, it's a fair fight. I hate to fly, as you now know, but I got over that fear with Curt's help--I should say nagging. Whatever the case, it's easier to do scary things with someone by your side.

Brains Doubled: He knew things I didn't know. I knew a few things as well. (Not much.) This is the most obvious perk of having a partner: he or she doubles the brainpower just by showing up.

Resiliency Grew: The benefits go on and on, but I'll end with one I found useful more than once during our trip. I am terrible with direction, so I got us lost many, many times. (I once got lost in the halls of my high school...as a senior.)

Such foul ups would have stressed me out or driven me crazy if I had been alone. With a friend, though, I was resilient. I had a voice of reason to calm me down. After zigging where I obviously should have been zagging, Curt helped me find my way without losing my mind.

When you work in a team, you can raise your friend's spirits when things go wrong just as surely as he can keep you from breaking down at the first sign of trouble.

These things aren't possible if you try to do it alone. So look around, choose a friend or someone in your family, and ask them to join you in whatever you want to do. If no one raises a hand, look for local groups or online clubs.

You're not alone. You're not the only one who wants what you want. You have only to search and the person you need will be there, waiting to support you.." 

And I will add, a real true support system should give support but also the "tough love" that may be needed  to get you on that “plane to success."

Negative Affirmations

Awhile back after reading Michael Losier’s book, Law of Attraction I learned that an affirmation frequently won’t work because there is doubt or disbelief in it even if it sounds positive.  

An example Losier gave for losing weight was very specific. He suggested not saying, “I weigh 130 pounds (if you weigh 180).” Your conscious mind knows for a fact  you weigh180 instead of 130 and the brain mentally fights with the incorrect thought and makes you possibly feel even more negative about your weight loss efforts.

So what do you say then? Losier suggests, “I’m in the process of weighing 130.” Notice how different that actually feels?  The fact is you are in the process of losing weight whether you weigh 180, 150, or 135. As long as you are attempting to lose weight, then you are in the process and that's positive! To me that definitely feels a lot better and for affirmations to work effectively according to Losier, they must not only sound positive, but the feeling behind it must be positive as well.

Breaking Unhealthy Eating Habits

We usually have "bad" eating habits for a reason. We get some kind of pleasure from them even though we may not always be overtly aware of it. Here's a little trick if you are taunted with things around the house you shouldn't really be having around (you have them because of your spouse or kids, which by the way excess junk food isn't good for anyone anyway, heavy or not).

Brian Wansink, Ph.D., author of Mindless Eating, states that "Habits, become that way (pleasurable) because they provide value to a person." To change the habit, take away the value.

He suggests putting a rubber band around your wrist. Every time you engage in your negative behavior, snap it--and snap it hard! Simple as it sounds, this works. According to Dr. Wansink, "It's a quick way to pair non-reinforcing behavior with the behavior you want to stop."

You just have to commit yourself to giving yourself that snap when you need it. Or allow your kid to do it and I gurantee you'll break the habit!  Ouch!

Chemicals in a Can

For a long time it’s been known that fresh food is always the best option when choosing fruits and vegetables. Now there’s even more reasons to avoid canned foods. Consumer Reports found BPA, (bisphenol-A, a chemical correlated with problems with the reproductive problems, diabetes and heart disease) in 19 brand named foods that were tested and all with varying amounts of BPA, even though some of them actually stated they were "BPA free."  Not good is it? 

That’s just one more good reason to use fresh whole food whenever you can.  Who needs or wants any more health  problems?

Words from the Wise Doctor

The doctor here I am referring to here is Andrew Weil, MD, who is noted  for his integrative approaches to healing.. To quote him directly, the main tenet of this approach to healing, "... is that the body has an incredible capacity to regulate and heal itself, and good medicine should begin with the assumption that the body can and wants to be healthy. To that end, we should always consider natural, less expensive treatments first."

He and I  both agree that generally a balanced lifestyle, adequate sleep, good nutrition basics, exercise, and the use of more natural modalities should come first for healing.. Even though my speciality has been weight loss I also have been trained in nutrition to help "support" the healing process with the more predominant health conditions of today.

 It is my greatest wish in my lifetime to see both Western Medicine and more holistic health care to really come together in this endeavor.

Readers please let me know what your views on this. Do you think it's even possible? Why or why not?

Another Slant on Low-Carb Dieting

Many a dieter swears by low-carb dieting because how quickly  he /she loses weight. While this seems true in many cases, there are always differences in how each person responds to a low-cab eating plan. As a professional nutritionist I rarely advocate an extremely low-carb meal plan and if I  suggest a lower carb plan  it's rarely  below 40%-50% of a person's total caloric intake, especially if a client is being treated for depression. (By carbs I am referring to all carbs: fruits, veggies, grains, and even dairy. YES, these are carbs too!) Carbohydrates create mood-boosting serotonin important for a good mood , appetite control, and adequate sleep. Lack of carbs can disrupt any one of these things.

In fact Australian researchers did a study with both a low-fat and a low-carb diet for a year, each group losing the same amount of weight.  I'm not saying  low-carb carb is bad, but strive for balance and if  you are already being treated for depression it may not be the best kind of diet for you. And it's always a good idea to keep simple refined carbohydrate intake low. Opt for whole grains, beans, fruits and veggies for both weight loss and good health.