Myth: When I eat during the day will determine how successful I am at managing my weight.

Answer: BUSTED?

The results of a new Spanish study about the timing of when you eat and effectiveness of weight loss (late eaters experienced slower weight loss) has received a lot of attention. Why? Everyone is looking for a weight loss ‘magic bullet.’ Is the timing of when you eat that ‘magic bullet’? Well, it could be for you but not someone else. Managing your weight is affected by many things – your senses (taste, smell), your emotions, your body’s hormones that regulate appetite, the environment and numerous other factors. This particular study has its flaws. Whenever you read the results of a study, you should ask yourself some questions:

1. How similar am I to the people involved in the study? This study involved overweight people in Spain. Their ages weren’t reported in the popular media stories about the study results.
2. How was the study designed? In this case, those in the study weren’t randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. This is considered an observational study. Random assignment is one way researchers find out if the only difference between the two groups is what they are studying – in this case the timing of when meals are eaten.
3. Does the study show cause and effect or just some association? Observing differences in groups that aren’t randomly assigned to a treatment or control group doesn’t show that one thing (eating later) causes something else (more weight loss). It’s an interesting observation that other studies will need to confirm.

One finding from the study is insightful – late eaters ate fewer calories for breakfast and were more likely to skip breakfast than the early eaters. The National Weight Control Registry, which tracks the behaviors of over 10,000 people who have been successful at long-term weight loss, found that 78% of those in the registry eat breakfast every day. Something to consider when managing your weight.

For more information about managing your weight, go to http://missourifamilies.org

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: There are too many things at home and work that promote unhealthy food choices or sitting too much.

Answer: This may be TRUE, but...

You can change your home or office environment so that you are surrounded by reminders to make healthier food choices or become more active.

AT WORK

• Make your glove compartment or desk drawer into a healthy snack box. Keep a small package of almonds, a container of applesauce or a small plastic bag of whole-grain cereal handy so you reach for these healthy snacks instead of driving to the nearest fast-food drive-thru. Not enough room in the glove compartment or at your desk? Pack a small cardboard box with healthy snacks and keep it in the back seat of your car.


• Download a mindfulness bell for your desktop or get a free mindfulness bell/meditation timer mobile app for your mobile device. These applications help you set up bells that chime every hour, reminding you to get up and take a short walk. Type "mindfulness bell" or "meditation timer" in your search engine to find free examples and downloads.


• Planning your next day’s appointments? Be sure to add a walking appointment with yourself to your mobile device’s calendar or list of things to do. This will ensure that you take the time to add walking to your schedule.

AT HOME

• Reduce the amount of time you spend sitting at home. Stand up and walk around when you are on the phone.


• Keep healthy snacks like cut-up veggies in clear containers right up front so you see them when opening the refrigerator. Keep other foods in opaque containers so you can’t easily see what is in the containers.


• Keep a bowl of fresh fruit out on the kitchen counter. It will remind you to reach for fresh fruit for a snack.

Go to http://missourifamilies.org/ for more information about healthy eating and becoming more active.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: The caffeine in energy drinks can’t hurt me.

Answer: BUSTED!

New federal data shows that emergency room visits are increasingly tied to energy drinks. Comparing the years 2007 and 2011, hospital visits involving energy drinks doubled. In 2011, 20,783 visits cited energy drinks as the primary cause or contributing factor for the visit. Compare that to 10,068 visits in 2007. Caffeine, an ingredient in energy drinks, can cause anxiety, headaches and irregular heartbeats. Those 18 to 25 years of age were by far the largest age group of patients reflected in these visits.

Caffeine is not the only ingredient in energy drinks to be cautious of. These drinks may contain other stimulants like yohimbe. And even if the ingredient is not a stimulant, it may interact with medications you are currently taking. How do you know if the ingredients are safe? One source of information is the Office of Dietary Supplements Fact Sheets – when you click on the ingredient you will see more detailed information including side effects and cautions.

For more information about energy drinks, go to http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut242.htm.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: There’s no way to eat sensibly during a Super Bowl party.

Answer: BUSTED!

According to Wikipedia, Super Bowl game day is the 2nd largest day for food consumption in the United States after Thanksgiving. Not exactly a recipe for making healthy food choices. Why do we eat so much on this day? It might be due to the kind of foods we traditionally make for this fun event – high fat and high calorie foods. It also may be because we are watching TV. ‘Mindless’ eating may lead you to eat more than you would if you weren’t watching TV.

Below are some tips to help you transform your Super Bowl party. Try this instead of that…

Hummus with pita chips & veggies

• Try baked chips instead of regular potato chips. Another idea is to take 100% whole wheat pita bread, cut it into triangles and bake in the oven to make your own healthy chips.
• Ditch the chips and cut up fresh veggies with dip. Or try this Avocado and Tomatillo Dip
• Instead of high-fat dip for your baked chips or fresh veggies serve hummus or salsa.

How you eat also influences how much you eat. Try these tips to change your food environment on game day:

• Keep food packages and platters in the kitchen. You’ll need to get up from your comfortable seat and get more food when you’re hungry. If the food is right in front of you, you’re more likely to eat it.
• Think about portions for food. Take your foot-long sub and cut it into smaller portions. Serve yourself one portion and bring it back to your seat. Want more? You’ll need to get up and get another portion from the kitchen if you’re still hungry.
• Think about portions for snacks. Keep bowls of chips or other snack foods in the kitchen. Serve yourself a small amount. Then go back to the TV. You’ll have to get up and get more from the kitchen when you’re ready for more.

Go to Missourifamilies.org for more information about how to make healthy food choices and become more active.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933

Myth: If a weight loss product is sold or promoted on TV, it’s safe for use.

There is no quick fix for weight loss.

Answer: BUSTED!

It’s that time again – the post-New Year’s ‘get the weight off’ kick. The Healthy Weight Network has released its Slim Chance Awards for 2012, identifying the worst weight loss schemes of the year. Raspberry ketone pills for weight loss and other products are given the top spots on this list, which can be found at http://www.healthyweight.net/fraud.htm#news. These products are unproven and could be risky for some. And expensive! The raspberry ketone pills may cost $12 to $20 a bottle depending on how many pills are in a bottle and the dose. Many of these products are celebrity endorsed. Google recently announced its most popular diets of 2012 based on online searches conducted, many of which were diets promoted by celebrities.

Want to protect yourself from these weight loss schemes and products? Learn more and watch this 3-minute video at http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ProtectYourself/HealthFraud/ucm267540.htm.

How do you easily spot a weight loss scam? If you see the words “fat burning,” “guaranteed” and “quick and easy” used in ads or other promotional materials for weight loss diets or products, run the other way!

Go to Missourifamilies.org for more information about how to make healthy food choices and be more active.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933