Showing posts with label Calories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calories. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Myth: With all of the eating out over the holidays, there’s no way to watch my calories.

Answer: BUSTED!

The holidays often include too many opportunities to eat out and celebrate. Think it’s impossible to watch what you eat when eating out? Not so! Here are some questions to ask your server when eating out to make your dining a bit more healthy:
    Group having a holiday dinner party at restaurant
  1. Which soups are made with broth and not cream? Usually soups made with broth are minestrone, chicken noodle and vegetable.

  2. Do you offer lower fat salad dressings? If this is not an option, ask for the regular dressing on the side and dip your vegetables into it instead of pouring the dressing over your salad.

  3. Is there a smaller portion available? You might be able to get an appetizer portion of a dish which is smaller than an entrée portion. If not, share the entrée with someone else at dinner or take half home.

  4. Can I have veggies as a side dish instead of the side that comes with my meal? Choose veggies not prepared in oil, sauce or butter or ask for steamed veggies.

  5. Is this dish available without a high-fat topping like gravy or cheese? Some dishes come with sour cream, cheese, gravy or sauce on top. Ask if the dish can be prepared without it. If not, ask if there is a similar dish that is available.

Adapted from “Ten Questions You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Ask” from The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet: Smart, Simple Science-Based Strategies for Losing Weight and Keeping It Off by Barbara Rolls, Ph.D.

Get more tips for eating out healthfully at http://missourifamilies.org/features/nutritionarticles/nut214.htm

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

Friday, January 13, 2012

Myth: Beverages aren't as important as food when trying to cut calories and lose weight.

Answer: BUSTED!

Variety of juices, sports drinks and sodas - be wary of the sugar and calories that may be in these and other beverages
Calories from beverages are just as important as calories from food. With the new year, many people are trying to lose weight, so it is important to be aware of the amount of calories you are getting from both food and beverages. Many beverages are referred to as “liquid candy” because of the amount of calories they contain.

It only takes consuming an extra 100 calories a day to gain 10 pounds in a year! That’s less than the amount of calories in one can of regular cola. Don’t forget the hidden calories in 100% juice. While 100% juice does give you nutrients that colas do not, it is a concentrated source of fruit sugars. An 8-ounce cup of orange juice has 112 calories. You get more nutrients and feeling of fullness from eating the whole fruit than drinking the fruit juice.

Warming up in the winter with hot beverages can also give you unwanted calories. Here are some common winter time drinks and the calorie punch they provide:
  • McCafe large peppermint hot chocolate with non-fat milk: 340 calories, 5g fat
  • McCafe large mocha: 400 calories, 14g fat
  • McCafe large mocha with non-fat milk: 330 calories, 6g fat
  • Starbucks venti white chocolate mocha: 580 calories, 22g fat
  • Starbucks venti pumpkin spiced latte: 470 calories, 15g fat
  • Starbucks grande white hot chocolate with whipped cream: 490 calories, 19g fat

The good news: It only takes 100 less calories per day to lose 10 pounds in a year.

For more information, check out these articles on coffee drinks or soft drinks on the MissouriFamilies website.

Contributors: Mary Keels, Dietetic Intern, MDHSS; Denise Schmitz, M.A., R.D., MU Extension Nutrition & Health Education Specialist, schmitzda@missouri.edu

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Myth: You can eat more foods if they are low-fat or fat-free.

Answer: Busted

When people see low-fat or fat-free, they usually eat more. However, just because a food label says low-fat or fat-free it does not mean you get an all-you-can-eat pass. In reality, when fat is taken out of foods, sugar and carbohydrates are added to keep the food tasting good. This may get rid of the fat, but not the calories. Next time you are at the store, compare two types of the same food. You shouldn’t be surprised if you find that the low-fat and the regular food item are almost the same number of calories!
nutrition labels
And remember, weight depends on total calories taken in. Don’t be fooled by the low-fat or fat-free label!

Want to check out more information on this or other health topics? Visit the Missouri Families website.

Guest Contributor: Eva Hightaian, Nutrition Intern at the University of Missouri
Co-Author: Donna Mehrle, MPH, RD, LD, mehrled@missouri.edu, University of Missouri Extension

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Myth: You can burn fat and lose weight by eating certain foods, like grapefruit and celery or foods with caffeine.

Answer: Busted!

No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy, or calories) for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss.

Tip: The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active.

Contributor: James E. Meyer, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, meyerje@missouri.edu

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.

feet on bathroom scale
Answer: Busted!

It seems logical - skip a meal, eat less food and lose weight. Skipping meals makes your body think you are in a starvation mode, slows your metabolism, and makes you hungry. In fact, you may be so hungry that you overeat the next time you eat. You end up eating more calories than if you had just eaten the meal.

Skipping a meal and making up for it later can lead to eating more calories overall and work against your weight loss efforts. A better approach is to honor your hunger and eat smaller, more frequent healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. Choose foods that will fill you up and give you lasting energy, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein.

Contributor: Karen Sherbondy, RD, LD, Extension Associate, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri Extension, sherbondyk@missouri.edu

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Myth: I have to count calories to lose weight.

Answer: Busted!

There are many ways to cut calories without having to keep track of them. Here are a few simple ways:
  • Cut back on fat. Choose lean cuts of meat and low-fat milk or dairy products.
  • Eat smaller portions. Even low-calorie foods can add up when your portions are bigger than you need.
  • Use low-fat cooking techniques. Try baking, broiling or grilling.
  • Use a smaller plate. Your plate will be full but will have less food on it. Less food equals fewer calories.
  • Don’t drink your calories. Drink sugar-free beverages or water.
  • Eat slowly. Take 20 minutes to eat your meal. It takes that long for your body to realize the stomach is full.
  • Fill up on fiber. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They fill you up but not out.
  • Limit extras. Gravy, sauces, salad dressings and margarines can add up quickly. Use them sparingly-a little will give you a lot of flavor. Many restaurants add butter to steaks or vegetables, so make sure to request no extras be added to food when eating out.

Remember all foods fit into a healthy eating plan. You’re more likely to stick to your plan if you don't deprive yourself. Everything fits in moderation.

Monday, December 28, 2009

MYTH: Physical activity is icing on the cake—it doesn’t do anything for me, really.

Answer: Busted.

Let’s explore physical activity as a part of losing weight.

Again, using the analogy of the appliance, one of the questions to consider is ‘What way will give me the “best product for my money” (or, best weight loss for my effort)?’ If weight loss is the only thing we want from our New Year’s Resolution, then physical activity may not be an aspect of the “appliance” we want to buy with our time and effort. Why is that? Most weight loss occurs with reducing calories. Physical activity uses some calories, but not nearly enough to result in a meaningful amount of weight loss in a reasonable length of time. If our resolution is really to improve our health by losing weight, then that is a whole different matter—physical activity is crucial!

Physical activity has been shown to reduce blood pressure, without any other behavior changes! Also, being physically active helps us to keep our muscles strong, even when we are losing weight. Why is this important? Well, the lean part of our bodies (muscle and major organs—like the heart and liver, to name a few) is the part of the body that uses the calories we eat or drink. If our body has more muscle, then we are going to burn more calories every day—more than another “body” our same age and size that is less lean. Physical activity also reduces the chance of developing heart disease and diabetes more than just weight loss by itself.

Our proposed resolution just made a change to: “lose weight to be healthier.”

While the holiday season is a great time to practice changing eating behaviors, it can also be a time to practice being more physically active. A lot of people shop more during this time, which gives us practice time! Some ideas to experiment with include the following:

Plan your after-Christmas/New Year's shopping trips to include walking the longest distances between stores or items being purchased—forget about saving time and being efficient! Going from one end of the mall or store to the other end to buy items on your list will automatically increase the steps you are taking.

After completing your shopping trip, take a final “lap” around the mall or store—adds steps with little extra time.

Consider buying yourself a pedometer. Using a pedometer is one way to track the number of steps taken per day.

Did you know that cleaning house is considered a moderate activity? Maybe spend some time everyday cleaning house? A more organized, company ready home would be a bonus!

How about walking the dog? People who walk their dogs log in more steps that than who don’t. Plus, the regularly walked dog will help keep you walking often—who can resist those eyes begging for a walk?

While you are practicing including physical activity in your life this week, think about what keeps you from being physically active during your “regular” life. Knowing what keeps us from doing what we want to do is excellent information to help us choose our final New Year’s Resolution.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

MYTH: It is impossible to eat healthy during the holidays!

Answer: Busted.

Hard, maybe, but not impossible! So, how do we eat healthily during the holidays? As promised, here are some more hints that you might use to practice changing your eating habits during December:

· Consider keeping snacks handy that are low in calories, but pack a punch of nutrients. Having cut-up fresh vegetables and fruit on hand will help you to choose healthy snacks, which helps you to avoid getting too hungry and overeating. Buy fresh vegetables and fruits that are in season to get the best value for your money.
· Do you know it takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to let your brain know it is full? Eating too quickly can lead to that “stuffed” feeling—just because we didn’t give our stomach enough time to signal—full, full, full!! Enjoy your food! Take a bite and savor the flavor, aroma, texture of the food. Be aware of what and how much you are eating.
· Plan what you will do if you are tested with a food that is too high in calories, salt, fat—whatever eating habit you are practicing to change. Planning ahead is another way to practice changing eating habits—just thinking through what you will do helps to make that action a reality when the situation does occur.
· After you have eaten to your satisfaction, remove your plate, especially if there is still food on it. We tend to pick at the food that is in front of us—no matter how full we are. If you cannot get rid of the plate, make the food look unappetizing—mix all the “leftovers” together, put ketchup or lots of pepper on it, visualize worms in it—anything to make it unappealing to you!

See Missouri Families and Mypyramid for additional tips.

Practice, practice, practice! Physical activity hints coming up next!

Friday, December 11, 2009

MYTH – Changing habits is “as easy as pie”.

Answer: Busted.

For those of us who have made the same New Year’s Resolution for several years in a row, we KNOW how hard it is to change our habits—regardless of what they are. Changing a habit takes determination and practice.

Of course, the first step in changing a habit is deciding which one to change and then go from there. December is the perfect month to really think about what habit we want to change in 2010. As an added bonus, this month gives us time to practice a bit before settling on a specific resolution.

Let’s consider making a resolution to lose some weight next year. In thinking through what needs to change to lose weight, three ways come to mind—changing what we eat or changing our physical activity or both. If we think about losing weight as something we are going to buy (like a major appliance), maybe we should think about what “appliance” will work best for us, how much it “costs” and will it give us the “service” we want? Some example questions to help us decide which way to use to lose weight are: What will I have to do to make each of these ways work for me? What way “fits” best into my life right now? What way will give me the “best product for my money” (or, best weight loss for my effort)?

The holiday season is a great time to practice changing eating behaviors. Some ideas to experiment with include the following:
· When taking food to a party or office-gathering, consider taking low-calorie snacks like vegetable trays. Put cottage cheese in a food processor or blender, add a bit of water and a package of flavoring for a lower calorie, more nutritious vegetable dip. Salsa is also a great low-calorie sauce to use with pita crisps.
· How about using a smaller plate? Research has shown that using larger plates results in more food being eaten. Take a few snacks and move away from the table. People who stand and talk by the food table tend to eat more than those that don’t. Mingle with everyone at the party—focus on the fun and the people, instead of the food.
· Watch those beverages! Drink diet soda, diet tonic water or a glass of water instead of multiple glasses containing calorie-loaded fluid!

Look for more hints next week!

Thursday, October 8, 2009

"Enhanced waters" are a good choice when I'm thirsty, right?


Answer: Sorry...no.


The bottled water aisle used to take up much less room a few short years ago. Now it it has become an aisle of its own. "Enhanced waters" have everything from vitamins, minerals, protein, herbs, caffeine and fiber added to it, thus the term "enhanced." Here are 3 questions you should ask yourself when you reach for a bottle:


1. Do I need the extra calories or protein or whatever is in it? Many of these bottled waters have added sugar adding extra calories (70 to 125 calories) that we don't need. Drinking bottled water with extra calories/sugar is like drinking a soft drink. As for protein, most of us get more than enough protein from the foods we eat.


2. Is the claim on the bottle "for real?" Many ingredients added to enhanced waters have murky claims - just what does "relaxed," or "more energy" mean when it's on a label? Most of us are stressed out and need more energy. When we see a label that tells us that this product will help us feel less stressed and have more energy, we want to believe it. There are few, if any, studies available to back the claims. Find more about these drinks. As for the vitamins, minerals and fiber in the water - better to get what you need from foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean meat and low-fat dairy foods.


3. Can I afford it? The cost for these drinks adds up quickly. When they are on sale, they can be as low as $1 per bottle. If you only drink one bottle a day that adds up to an extra $7 a week! Consider the cost to the environment, too. If you are concerned about less packaging, as many are these days, you are adding more plastic to the environment when buying these bottled waters even if the bottle is recyclable.


Looking for some alternatives? Here are some refreshing drink ideas.