Feel Like Snack? They Can Make or Break Diet

Snacks, by definition, are eaten in between meals to help curb hunger or give you a boost of needed energy.
They can be part of a daily nutrition plan to get all of the nutrients you need to be healthy. They can also derail diet plans if a bite of this and sip of that puts you over your limit. So as you pop into convenience stores while you’re out and about or linger longingly near the candy display at the supermarket check out counter, think before you succumb to a snack attack.
When snacks are good
Snacks should be considered mini-meals with a mix of nutrients that includes whole grain or high fiber foods and some lean protein. Here are some healthy grab and go snack ideas:
• Small oatmeal raisin cookie with a small carton of fat free or 1 percent milk.
• A few pieces of dried fruit such as prunes, apricots or raisins with a small carton of lowfat yogurt.
• A couple of packaged cheese sticks (Colby, cheddar, reduced fat if available) with whole grain crackers.
• Fresh apple slices or celery sticks with peanut butter.
• Make-your-own lettuce wraps — a slice of turkey or leftover chicken wrapped in a romaine lettuce leaf.
• Hard boiled egg with a couple of carrot sticks.
Snacks can be a great opportunity to sneak in the needed number of servings of fruits and vegetables per day. A bunch of grapes and a handful of nuts make a great snack while driving on a long car trip or during an unexpectedly long commute home. The fruit is not only a source of vitamins, minerals and fiber, but it also contains fluids to help keep you hydrated.
When snacks aren’t good
Some folks chomp on snacks because they’re bored, not hungry, and that of course is not a good thing, especially if you’re trying to limit calories for weight management. Salty snacks can put daily sodium intake over the limit. Fried snacks can put you over your daily fat and calorie limit. Sweet snacks can spike blood sugar levels that come crashing down too fast, causing an energy crash, too. Any snack that puts you above and beyond your calorie level for the day is overkill nutritionally and you’ll see the results on the bathroom scale as the numbers go in the wrong direction! Just because that fried chicken finger choice at a fast food place is called a “snack pack” doesn’t mean it’s the right snack for you.
Best diet snacks
Snacks are not only a welcome part of a weight management plan, they can be allies in the battle. You should plan on no more than 200 calories per snack. The fiber, fluid and lean protein in small portions of foods chosen as snacks can keep your blood sugar on an even keel to help you curb hunger pangs and keep energy levels up so that you get the physical activity that you need.
Healthy snacks include combinations of fruit ( fresh, frozen, canned in juice), vegetables (fresh, cooked, in juice form) whole grains (breads, crackers, tortillas or cereals, lowfat or nonfat dairy products (glass of milk, carton of yogurt, serving of cottage cheese, slices of cheese, frozen nonfat milk desserts), nuts (a handful, not a canful), legumes (black bean dip, hummus spread) and lean protein (hard boiled egg, roast beef, turkey, smoked salmon).
Look for products that are portion controlled for you, such as small packets of nuts, applesauce and yogurts. Look for whole grain products with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
Look for frozen dessert products with less than 100 calories per serving.
Kid-friendly snacks
Children need snacks. Depending on the age, they just seem to do better with smaller meals spread throughout the day. So, again, think of snacks as mini meals and great opportunities to deliver needed nutrients. Junk foods are often defined as foods that don’t deliver any nutrients, just fat, sugar and calories. So since tiny tummies have room for only so much food, why fill them up with junk foods’ empty calories? Now, there’s nothing wrong with cookies, crackers, chips and even the occasional candy. But choose versions that sneak in needed nutrients such as oatmeal raisin cookies (fiber), whole grain pita chips or other crackers (fiber, and whole grain nutrients). Dipping fruit into chocolate sauce such as strawberries, chunks of pineapple or banana is preferred over chocolate bars. Also, some fast food places offer cut up fruit to go. It’s a treat that delivers vitamins, minerals and phyto nutrients (plant nutrients) that help children’s bodies and minds develop.
Need snacks in the car?
Easy-to-peel-and-eat Clementine oranges are in season right now and the perfect size for kids. How about slightly sweet tasting grape tomatoes (just like fresh grapes, cut these in half for kids under age 3 to prevent choking) or those fresh carrot chips? Offer with lowfat ranch dressing or hummus (chickpea spread) as a super after school snack that serves up many nutrients.
Beverages as snacks
Yes, beverages count! In fact, staying hydrated is vital to support good health for your body and mind. Even if you’re mildly dehydrated you can feel lethargic, irritable and it can diminish mental focus. The best liquid snacks deliver plenty of water whether they’re in the form of plain water, flavored waters, nonfat milk, unsweetened iced tea or 100 percent fruit or vegetable juices. But when liquids contain calories, remember the liquid portion of portion control. A glass of fruit juice should be 6 ounces (which counts as a fruit serving) not an 18-ounce tumbler. And of course, that 36-ounce Big Gulp cola can add up to a lot of unneeded excess sugar and calories.

Jump Start New Year's Diet Now

Happy New Year!

Well, I'm popping the Champagne early to celebrate

the fact that the Holidays can actually be the best time

to start putting your New Year's Diet Resolutions into

action!

The holidays may not seem like the ideal time to start a diet. After all, isn’t this the season when platters of cookies litter the office and neighbors invite you over for huge holiday buffets? Add to that the family celebrations with your aunt’s triple chocolate fudge and uncle’s rum soaked eggnog and the holidays can be a mine field of fattening foods. But, ask yourself “Is it really any different the rest of the year?” Every season brings its own timely temptations from Super Bowl Sunday’s snacks to Fourth of July fried chicken and ribs. So why not resolve to recognize these waist widening challenges and learn to apply some slimming strategies when the landscape is fat with indulgent food choices. Research shows that the most successful dieters- those who lose weight and keep it off for the long haul- practice healthy eating and exercise habits all year long. They don’t have New Year’s diet resolutions that lapse by January 31st because they don’t make big promises that are impossible to keep. For instance, if you’ve ever vowed on January 1st that “I’ll never eat ice cream again!” or “I’ll never order French fries again!” then you made one of the biggest New Year’s diet mistakes- biting off more than you can chew. Instead, set a time limit or portion limit. “I’ll only eat French fries once a month.” Or “I’ll only eat ice cream in a really small bowl.”
There’s no time like the present to make a fresh start and begin new healthier eating habits- even if you’re headed out to a holiday party tonight! So, hit the reset button to refresh your screen and follow the FRESH start rules to help your hips survive the holidays.

Fresh Start Diet Rules for Surviving the Holidays

F- Freshen up your food life- Keep fresh fruit and other healthy snacks such as whole grain crackers, nuts, and fresh veggies on hand at home. A handful of almonds or walnuts before heading out to a party can calm your appetite so you don’t dive into the buffet the minute you arrive. Stock your pantry with whole grain pastas, brown rice and your fridge with low fat or non fat milk and yogurts.

R- Recognize barriers- OK it’s going to be tough to say ‘No’ to holiday favorites like chocolate fudge and that creamy cheesy hot artichoke dip. Know your splurge foods and resolve to enjoy them in small quantities. Use a small plate to serve yourself. Research shows your mind will think it looks like a lot more food than the same amount on a large plate.

E- Enjoy the taste of eating right – Did you know that the deviled eggs, steamed shrimp, roast beef and chicken on skewers often served at holiday dinner parties are all diet-friendly lean protein choices? Feel free to add low-cal flavor with mustards, horseradish, cocktail sauce and salsas. Remember that some foods are actually allies in the weight loss war. Broth based soups, veggies, fruit and whole grains fill you up with out filling you out.

S- Start new habits- Keep a list of what you’re eating and drinking for a few days. Be as specific as possible on types of foods and amounts. Don’t know what a cup of mashed potatoes looks like? Get some measuring cups out and become familiar with portion sizes. This snap shot will help you keep track of over eating and while you’re at it- write down your physical activity. Did you take the stairs instead of the escalator at the mall? That counts, too!

H- Have a plan – Eat breakfast. Schedule time to take a walk or go to that yoga class. If you’re going to a pot-luck bring the salad or vegetable side dish. If Friday involves a big dinner party, eat less on Thursday and walk more on Saturday. If it’s a three hour car ride to Grandma’s pack fresh fruit and a turkey sandwich for the road so you don’t have to stop at a fast food joint. Save the calories to enjoy holiday treats when you get to Grandma’s. Successful long term weight control is a balancing act.


Keep in mind that most people gain about one pound over the holidays. That doesn’t sound like much but if you don’t lose it- after ten years that’s ten pounds. If you maintain your weight this time of year, that’s great! You won’t even need a New Year’s diet resolutions! If you’d like to share your healthy holiday eating tips I’d love to hear them. Please email me at http://www.carolynoneil.com/ or
visit my blog http://www.dishondieting.blogspot.com/

Tis the Season for Slimming Cocktails

Tall and slender. Bubbly and bright. Luscious and cool. Ah, the temptations of cocktail hour.

From retro whiskey sours and Kir Royals to trendy pomegranate martinis and green tea infused vodkas, the clever concoctions created by bartenders today offer a fantastic assortment of enticements long before the dinner menu even hits the table. So, the hospitable greeting, “Would you like to start with a drink?” introduces the first challenge to diners with an eye on calorie control when dining out. Got your eye on a shaken and not stirred martini? Here’s how to do the metabolic math on alcohol. The standard 1.5 ounce serving of 80-proof alcohol has 96 calories even before you add any mixers. Whether you're drinking a beer or a Bellini; the higher the alcohol content, the higher the calories.
For example:
80-proof vodka (40% alcohol; most common) - 64 calories per 1oz
100-proof vodka (50% alcohol)-82 calories/1 oz
And it’s real easy to overdo it with alcohol calories. Here’s why. 1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories, compared with only 4 calories for a gram of carbohydrates or protein. There are 9 calories per gram of fat. So, even though you won’t find the number of grams of alcohol per ounce on a wine list, you get the idea that alcohol is a pretty concentrated source of calories.


But Green Tea is Healthy, right?
The restaurant’s bar often isn’t far from the kitchen these days and modern mixologists are borrowing from popular culinary trends. Enter the pomegranate martini. Sure pomegranate juice is super high in antioxidants and research does show that the kind of nutrients it contains can be heart healthy. But, most studies looked at the effects of 8 ounces of pomegranate juice per day for 45 days- not eight drops in a martini on a Friday night. Same goes for green tea infused vodkas or other concoctions including green tea in the recipe. There’s generally not enough to pack a health promoting punch. Enjoy the flavor. It’s a cocktail not a cure. Well, guess it depends what ails ya!

Dessert in Disguise
From frozen strawberry pina coladas to Key Lime pie martinis served with graham cracker cookie crumbs on the rim-they’re creamy, delicious and loaded with calories. If you must imbibe say hello to your liquid dessert! And goodbye to any other splurge items on the menu tonight. If you want to end the meal with a sweet drink, order a small (1.5 oz) after dinner liqueur like Grand Marnier or Amaretto, over ice and sip slowly for 120 calories.

Bottom’s Up?

400+ Calorie Splurge Club- It’s the fat in the cream that ups calorie counts.
Pina Colada (5oz), Chocolate Martini (5oz), White Russian (5 oz),
Eggnog with rum (8 oz), Hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps (8 oz)

300+ Calorie Caution Club – It’s the sugar in the mix that drives up calories.
Mojito (8oz), Margarita (8oz), Whiskey Sour (8oz), Mai Tai (6oz), Cosmopolitan (5 oz)
coffee or chocolate liqueur (4 oz)

200 and under Calorie Slender Sipping Club
Martini (2.5 oz): 160 calories -This is a small martini by restaurant standards!
Port wine (3 oz):128 calories – High alcohol content means high calorie content.
Bloody Mary (5 oz): 118 calories – Good source of vitamin A but watch the sodium.
Red wine (5 oz):120 calories- Higher alcohol reds will have more calories.
White wine (5 oz): 120calories-Sweeter whites will have more calories.
Champagne, Cava, Prosecco or other Méthode Champenoise wine (5oz): 106-120 calories- Is this why French Women Don’t get Fat?
Wine spritzer with sparkling water (5 oz): 100 calories – More hydration, same festive glass!
Spiced cider with rum (8 oz):150 calories- Hot beverages take longer to drink, too.
Vodka, Gin or Rum and tonic (8 oz): 200 calories- Order with diet tonic or club soda and save 100 calories.
Screwdriver (8 oz): 190 calories- Sub half of orange juice with club soda and cut 50 calories.
Mimosa (5 oz): 100 calories – About the same calories as Champagne alone but you get some Vitamin C in your drink.

Videos of Chef's Healthy Thanksgiving Ideas

These links take you to video clips of Chef Fritz Doss, of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta with his Healthy Thanksgiving Menu. Join CBS Better Morning's anchor Tracye Hutchins and I as we learn how to lighten up the big feast.

Healthy Thanksgiving Tips #1
Butternut squash soup and a salad with pumpkin vinaigrette start the meal.
http://www.cbs46.com/video/17962648/index.html



Healthy Thanksgiving Tips #2 Turkey and sweet potatoes with Chef Fritz Doss of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. Carolyn finds out how creative chefs cut the fat and calories in popular Thanksgiving dishes while still celebrating the great tastes of the season.
http://www.cbs46.com/video/index.html

Giving Thanks for Chefs' Menu Inspirations

Whether you’re doing all of the cooking at home, taking a dish to a gathering of family and friends or making restaurant reservations for your Thanksgiving dinner Atlanta area chefs offer some inspiring ideas to add a deliciously healthy twist to menu traditions.
While even this dietitian believes that Thanksgiving is not a day for dieting, it’s certainly smart to up the flavor appeal of holiday favorites with creative recipes that keep the calories down. Hey, if you skip the butter and brown sugar in your sweet potatoes you can have a bigger slice of pumpkin pie!
Celebrate with Seasonal Produce
Their first bit of advice is to remember the first Thanksgiving’s mission to celebrate and give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Executive Chef Christian Messier’s menu at The Sun Dial Restaurant at the Westin Peachtree Plaza is seasonally inspired year round so his Thanksgiving menu gives tribute to locally grown produce, “Salads are often overlooked in the melee of stuffing, braised meats, and roasted birds. It is a good time to take a step back from the norm and use some seasonal lighter fare.” Messier will toss an Apple and Winter Greens salad for guests served with goat cheese rolled in spiced pecans and a white balsamic vinaigrette made with fresh apples and Dijon mustard.
Sweet New Ideas
What Thanksgiving spread would be complete without sweet potatoes? But, this year why not forgo the miniature marshmallows and throttle back on the brown sugar and butter to savor and appreciate the natural sweetness of a roasted sweet potato? Chefs at Seasons 52, who specialize in creating just-as-tasty but lighter, lower calorie dishes are serving roasted sweet potatoes with a cumin lime vinaigrette and glaze roasted winter squash with apple cider. Chef Ron Eyester of Food 101 in Morningside gives whipped sweet potatoes a flavor kick with cinnamon and chipotle chile peppers. Sweet potatoes-one of the everyday darlings of dietitians because they’re rich in fiber and vitamin A- are on Executive Chef Carvel Grant Gould’s menu at Canoe restaurant almost year round. She suggests a departure from the usual roasting and mashing, “I slice them into long julienne strips along with some parsnips and rutabaga turnips prepared the same way. Then they’re sautéed in a non stick pan with some garlic and shallots for about four minutes until their tender but still have some texture. It’s a great accompaniment to turkey or any poultry.”
Exotic flavors from Southeast Asia transform the Thanksgiving menu at Spice Market in the W Hotel Midtown into a taste adventure. Why not shake up a few traditions by sprinkling on some interesting spices? Spice Market’s cranberry sauce is accented with fresh ginger and the pumpkin pie is served with an apple guava sorbet. Nutrition research shows that the more flavor appeal in a meal, the more satisfied we are with less. OK, so translated to Thanksgiving rules- you’ll only have one big helping instead of two!!
Freshening Up Menu Favorites
How would like to be expecting 500 guests for Thanksgiving dinner? Executive chef Fritz Doss of the Hyatt Regency Atlanta is ready for a big crowd with a huge spread from soup to nuts and all the trimmings. But, since he knows that a growing number of his guests give thanks for healthy fare as part of their everyday lifestyle including the holidays, he’s prepared a special menu of lighter takes on Thanksgiving favorites. The meal starts with a butternut squash soup with sage leaves made with chicken stock and only a little half and half. A salad of winter greens, fresh apples, dried cranberries and pecans is served with roasted pumpkin vinaigrette. Doss explains, “I roast the butternut squash for the soup and pumpkin for the salad dressing at a really high temperature to caramelize their natural sugars. It adds so much more flavor.” The turkey is brined with apple cider, maple and bourbon and served with port glazed pearl onions, cinnamon roasted sweet potatoes and organic spinach topped with a little Parmigianino regiano cheese. Of course Doss doesn’t forget dessert, “I’m preparing a lighter dessert of spiced poached pears. You can have it with a scoop of the maple walnut ice cream too if you like!”

Aging Boomers and Lost Muscles

Just when you thought it was fine to relax with a glass of well earned wine and nibble on a few whole grain crackers, nutrition researchers are here to ask, “Did you have enough protein today?”

OK, we know you’re not into body building competitions but get a load of this mid-life reality check. You could be losing muscle mass and strength- a condition called sarcopenia- if you don’t consume enough high quality protein on a daily basis. Susan Hewlings, PhD, RD of Stetson University in Deland says, “We’re seeing sarcopenia, which commonly occurs in the elderly, in younger subjects in their early to mid-fifties.” Hewlings and other researchers presenting at the 2008 American Dietetic Association’s annual Food and Nutrition Conference shed new light on the connection between what we eat and the health of our aging muscles. Bottom line: research shows that to prevent and treat lost muscle mass you must consume 1.5 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. That translates to about 90 grams of protein a day for a normal weight man and would be less if you’re a tiny gal.
Don’t Save Up for a Big Steak Dinner
But, here’s where the real specific advice kicks in- you should be including sources of high quality protein such as eggs, milk and meats and balancing your protein intake throughout the day. “Typically people eat less protein at breakfast, a little more at lunch and then eat a lot at dinner. To optimize protein synthesis and prevent sarcopenia it needs to be more evenly distributed.” There goes that diet plan to starve all day and splurge on a big steak for dinner. Your muscles are hungry for amino acids found in protein foods all day long. In fact, Robert Wolfe, Ph D Professor of Geriatrics at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas warns that “When there are periods of the day when no amino acids are being absorbed from the gut, muscle serves as the only significant reservoir of protein.” That means your body starts robbing the muscles of stored protein to keep organs and other tissues humming along. So, make sure you’re eating protein containing foods every day and including protein in each meal. And that includes snacks. Something as simple as fresh apple slices topped with peanut butter is a good choice.
Hewlings emphasized that protein alone can’t do the job of preserving and building muscles as we age, “I call exercise the ‘poor man’s plastic surgery.’ And note that physical activity boosts lean body mass only if you’ve got enough protein in your diet.”
Protein On The Menu
Since foods are often a combination of the three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate and fat) chooses protein containing foods wisely with other health concerns in mind. For instance, a 6-ounce broiled porterhouse steak is a great source of complete protein—38 grams worth but contains 44 grams of fat. The same amount of salmon gives you 34 grams of protein and 18 grams of fat- and it’s the kind of fat that’s good for you. For a complete list of protein foods to include in a healthy diet go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/.

Shop 'Til you Drop- Your Food Costs!

That's me standing in the produce aisle reporting this, "The hottest food trend hitting supermarkets now is how to save a buck!"

Old school tips on bargain shopping - from coupon clipping to reading unit prices-are in vogue with a vengeance. Here are a few smart ways to save on food dollars without sacrificing good nutrition. You've got to stay well nourished to ward off winter's colds and flus! The win-win here is that often the more economical humble heroes - such as beans, rice, canned tomatoes, soups, eggs and milk- are also the most nutritious choices in the supermarket, too.

Ready. Set. Shop ‘til you drop – your food costs!
· Leftovers: Wonder or Wasteful? Wonderful—think double duty meals. Roasted pork loin makes a great dinner one night and leftovers for tasty pork sandwiches or wraps the next. Or to save time, money and the urge to grab something quick at takeout, make a big pot of rice one night and use it the next day to go with a chicken and vegetable stir fry. And while you’re picking up the milk don’t forget the eggs – they’re both economical sources of high-quality protein. And eggs aren’t just for breakfast anymore. Set up an omelet bar for dinner or make a frittata or quiche.
· Comfort Foods: A) High Calories and Costly or B) Healthy and Affordable? B! Think meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, baked lasagna or cream of tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. However, give these wallet-friendly crowd pleasers a contemporary nutrition makeover – serve the meatloaf with brown rice, use whole grain pasta for the mac and cheese, add some chopped broccoli or zucchini and mushrooms to the lasagna and use lowfat or fat free cheese for the sandwiches. Look up your old favorites recipes online to find new healthier twists, which can also save you a few bucks or check out my book “The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!”for more of my tips and insights for you and your family.
· True or False: Fancy Vitamin-Enhanced Drinks are Worth the Extra Spend. False. False. False. Don’t be fooled by sports drinks, enhanced water or even vitamin D and calcium fortified orange juice, not one can stack up against the nutritional and economic value of a glass of milk. Milk offers the most bang for a quarter, with a full 8-ounce glass of nine essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D, protein and potassium. Other beverages fall short on nutrients and can cost up to seven times the amount of one serving of milk.
· Are shopping lists a thing of the past? No, don’t forget the good old shopping list! With the price of gas today and of course your precious time, there’s nothing worse than getting home from the store to find you forgot one ingredient for a recipe. Or putting the groceries away and finding you were out of milk. Shopping lists help us plan what we need and avoid impulse purchases, as well. If chocolate covered donuts aren’t on your list then keep that cart moving. To focus your food dollar where it counts nutritionally, it might help to arrange your shopping list by the groups in USDA’s MyPyramid -- fruit, vegetables, grains, meats and milk and milk products. Once you built the foundation with these foods, you can decide if there’s some extra cash still available for snacks or other treats.