It would be great if some of you could share some of your favorite snack products. If you have the caloric content - it would be even better! Post your ideas for everyone for everyone to see.
What kind of snacks do you crave? Different people crave different kinds of snacks. Some people prefer sweet snacks, while other prefer crunchy or salty snacks. The key will be to make them as healthy as possible… or at least portioned controlled! There 
are many individual portion controlled snack packs available. This is much easier than trying to limit your serving from a jumbo sized bag. Check out my snack tips for more ideas on snacking.
Here are some suggestions for crunchy snacks:
| Food | Calories | Fat grams | Carb grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nabisco wheat thin crisp pack | 100 | 2 | 16 |
| Honey Maid cinnamon thin crisp pack | 100 | 2 | 19 |
| Nabisco peanut butter cookie crisp pack | 100 | 3 | 17 |
| Glenny's soy chips (2.6 oz bag) | 140 | 2 | 18 |
| Quaker cheddar rice cakes, 1 oz bag | 120 | 5 | 14 |
| Quaker multigrain rice cakes, 1 cake | 50 | 1 | 12 |
| Bachman pretzel stix, 1 oz box | 100 | 1 | 20 |
| Pretzels, 1 oz | 110 | 1 | 22 |
| Pirates Booty, 1 oz bag | 130 | 5 | 18 |
| Veggie Booty, 1 oz bag | 140 | 6 | 17 |
| Oreo thin crisp pack | 100 | 2 | 20 |
| South Beach whole wheat crackers pack | 100 | 4 | 16 |
| South Beach peanut butter cookie pack | 100 | 2 | 15 |
| Orville Redenbecker mini microwave popcorn | 100 | 2 | 24 |
| Healthy Delight cinnamon apple crisps | 105 | 0 | 25 |
| Healthy Delight caramel apple crisps | 105 | 0 | 25 |
| Wt. Watcher's dried apple chips | 70 | 0 | 19 |
| Wasabi peas, 1/2 cup | 130 | 4 | 19 |
| Baked Lays (small bag) | 110 | 2 | 23 |
| Crum Creek soy bites (www.crumcreek.com) | |||
| - Sensational soy | 120 | 4 | 15 |
| - Rosemary/garlic | 105 | 2 | 16 |
| Smart Measure snacks (www.smartmeasure.biz) | |||
| - Fruit & nut trail mix | 80 | 3 | 15 |
| - Pretzel, raisin, peanut mix | 75 | 1 | 15 |
| World Gourmet Sensible Portions soy crisps | 100 | 3 | 16 |
How many of you gained weight over the holiday weekend? Probably quite few (if you dare to get on the scale!). Let’s say the scale jumped up by 3 pounds. Does this mean you gained 3 pounds of fat? Probably not. It takes an extra 3500 calories to promote a one pound weight gain of fat. So does this mean you ate an extra 10,500 calories over the weekend (in addition to the calories your body needs to maintain its weight)? I guess it would be possible, but that is a lot of eating! Chances are that most of your Monday morning weight gain is due to fluid retention.
Here is what happens… your body is made up of about 60-65% water. Any increase in carbohydrate or sodium intake will cause your body to hold on to water. For example, lets say your normal diet is moderate in carbs. Then you overindulge on the weekend on bagels, dessert, and maybe some pasta. Your body does several things with these carbs:
1. some is used for immediate energy
2. some is stored as fat
3. much of it goes into energy stores in the liver and muscles.
These stores are called glycogen and will provide your body with energy as time goes on. Runners try to fill up their glycogen stores by eating pasta on the night before the marathon. They want to stuff their energy stores full of stored carbs to be used as energy during the race. Now here is the catch - in order to hold the carbohydrate in storage, your body needs to hold onto water. For each gram of carbohydrate, your body needs to hold onto 3 grams of water. This technical stuff may not mean much to you, but basically eating extra carbs will cause a temporary weight gain due to fluid retention. As the days go by and you go back to your normal diet, your body will release the water and you will lose a few pounds on the scale.
Keep in mind that consuming any nutrient - whether it be carbs, protein or fat - in excess of your caloric needs - will cause weight gain. It just looks like carbs cause more of a weight gain because of the fluid retention.
Don’t worry - you can get those weekend pounds off quickly!
Here are some tips to speed the loss of your weekend weight gain:
1. Follow a 3 day low carb diet. Here are 2 simple meal plans (pick one):
Breakfast:
a. egg whites with veggies
b. 1 cup cottage cheese and 1/2 cup berries
Lunch:
a. Big salad with 4 oz turkey, plain tuna or grilled chicken, 80 calories salad dressing
b. grilled chicken, fish or lean meat, 4 oz and steamed vegetables
Snack: 15 almonds or a string cheese
Dinner:
a. 6 oz lean meat, fish or poultry, large portion veggies or
b. Steamed Chinese chicken/shrimp tofu and veggies, 3 T. sauce on the side
Snack: diet jello or diet ice pop
2. Limit your sodium intake
3. Drink at least 10 cups of water a day
4. Exercise 30-60 minutes a day
Your weekend weight gain will be off in no time! Keep in mind that the goal here is to prevent a weekday starve weekend binge cycle. This not healthy physically or psychologically. While it is nice to take a break from always watching what you eat, the key should still be moderation on the weekends. More about this at a later post.
Are there certain foods that you can not control your intake of? Once you start, you can not stop? These foods that can lead to binges ar
e often called trigger foods. Common trigger foods include sweets such as cookies, cake and chocolate, salty foods such as nuts, chips, or starchy foods such as bread or pasta. You may find yourself thinking about these foods nonstop - especially if they are in your house. My trigger food is chocolate. There is NO way I could keep a box of chocolates in my apartment and have only one a day. It actually amazes me that some people can do this!
Ask yourself these questions:
Once I start eating this food, is it hard to stop?
Do I eat it when I am not even hungry?
Do you find that you think about this food a lot - especially if it is in your environment?
Have I ever eaten it instead of having a meal?
Trigger foods can lead to overeating which may lead to weight gain. Even if you do not have a weight problem, the uncontrolled eating can make you feel out of control and weak.
Here are some suggestions to deal with trigger foods:
1. The first step is to acknowledge that you have a control problem with certain foods. It is unlikely that you will suddenly learn how to moderate your intake of these foods. I have had many clients come to my office and ask me “How can I learn to have just one?” Unfortunately, I do not have the answer! It is quite likely that you will never be able to have just one.
2. Do not keep these foods in your house if possible. How many times have you bought this particular food telling yourself that it was for your husband or if company dropped by, but deep inside you knew it was for you? So rule number one is not to keep it in your environment. If you need to buy desserts or snacks for your family, buy 
something that does not trigger cravings or uncontrolled eating. For me, since I love real potato chips, I would buy Doritos for my family instead of chips since I really do not like Doritos.
3. If you feel you can handle your trigger food if it is in packaged into an individual serving size, try buying 100 calorie packs, individually wrapped ice cream products, etc. The question is…. can you have just one 100 calorie pack? If not, do not buy them.
4. Since everyone is different, you will need to consider whether it would be best if you totally avoided your trigger food OR allowed yourself a moderate portion in a controlled environment. For example, if you love pasta but can not stop eating it if you make it at home, consider allowing yourself a pasta entr©e in a restaurant several times a month. Or allow yourself a real dessert on occasion in a restaurant, but do not keep sweets at home
5. Pay attention to how your body feels after eating the trigger food in the above controlled environment. If it still sets off cravings into the night or the next day, you are likely better off totally avoiding the food.
6. If you feel really out of control with your eating, you should seek counseling as it can be a sign of an eating disorder.
I do not know if any of you have noticed this activity calculator… but I think it is interesting! It will tell you have many calories you burn in various activities based on your weight. This way you will see how much activity you will need to do in order to burn off the extra slice of pizza or glass of wine.
You will find common sports activities like jogging, biking, yoga, etc. In addition, you will find other activities such as mopping up floor after guests leave (after a wild night one would assume), watching tv (yes, even you couch potatoes will burn calories doing this) and my favorite - rearranging furniture (this seems to be the favorite activity of the neighbors who live on the floor above me….several nights a week the furniture starts to get dragged across the “uncarpeted” floor at 3 am)
Check it out!
Polycystic ovarian sydrome (PCOS) is the most common abnormal hormonal condition of women of reproductive age and is the number one cause of infertility. It affects 7-10% of all women. Unfortunately, many women who have it do not know they have it. The diagnosis often slips by physicians as the condition can be tricky to diagnose. I have been specializing in PCOS for the past 8 years and often have the opportunity to help a woman get diagnosed with this condition. This will enable them to get the proper treatment.
Allison was a 30 year old female who came to my office seeking help in losing weight. She had experienced a rapid 30 pound weight gain in college which she has still not been able to lose. Allison reported sugar cravings, mood swings and carbohydrate cravings. She has tried many different diets but none have worked for her.
I obtained Allison’s diet history. Her diet was very low in fat and fairly high in carbs. She indulged her sugar cravings at least once a day. Her caloric intake was approximately 1700 calories a day. She was trying to exercise 2-3 times a week…when she was not too tired.
I frequently ask women who are overweight (especially in the abdominal area) about their menstrual history. It turns out the Allison had irregular periods and was put on the birth control pill in college. I also asked her if she had any symtoms of excessive hair growth - which she did. She said she thought the hair was due to her Italian ethnicity. Irregular periods, rapid weight gain and excessive hair growth (hirsuitism) can be symptoms of PCOS.
Problems:
1. I suspected Allison had PCOS. This could contribute towards her weight gain and difficulty losing weight, carb cravings and mood swings. It can also increase risk of diabetes, heart disease and endometrial cancer if not treated. I had Allison take a PCOS quiz. While this is not a “diagnositic” test, it is a useful tool to suggest a diagnosis of pcos.
2. Allison’s diet was too high in processed carbs and too low in protein and heart healthy fats and fiber.
3. She often went too long without eating. This contributed towards low energy levels, carb cravings and overeating at the next meal.
4. Allison was not exercising on a regular basis.
Solutions:
1. I gave Allison the names of several endocrinologists who specialize in PCOS. She met with one of them and was diagnosed with PCOS. She was relieved to know there was a reason for her difficulty losing weight, excessive hair growth and low energy levels / carb cravings.
2. I provided her with information on PCOS and insulin resistance. I also discussed the importance of a healthy diet in treating PCOS.
3. I explained that she would likely feel better and have more success in losing weight if she moderated her carbohydrate intake, selected lower glycemic index carbs and ate more frequent mini meals that included a high fiber carb, protein and fat. For example, snack on peanut butter and whole grain crackers rather than 2 hundred calorie packs of fat free cookies.
4. Increase her exercise to 4 times a week. In addition, I recommended that she walk to work (2 miles) at least 3 times a week. I explained the benefits of increasing physical activity: burning calories, speeding metabolism, stress management, lowering insulin levels, etc.
5. Keep a food record recording what she ate, the time she ate and how she felt. In additon to helping her keep track of her calories, this also showed her which meals made her feel better.
6. I also stressed the importance of calorie control. I often see people who think they can eat almost unlimited food as long as their carb intake is low. I recommended 1400 calories a day for Allison.
The good news, I have been meeting with Allison for follow-up appointments every 2 weeks. She has been able to lose 8 pounds in 7 weeks. She feels much more energetic and had fewer carb cravings. She has been meeting her exercise goals and says she feels like a new person.
Check out my website for more references on PCOS
Do you think having a drink or a glass of wine helps you sleep? It may appear so at least initially. Alcohol has a sedative effect. It can make you feel relaxed and helps you fall asleep more quickly. However this peaceful sleep only lasts 3-4 hours. After the alcohol gets metabolized, withdrawal like symptoms can occur. This leads to shallow sleep and multiple awakenings during the second half of the night. So while alcohol has an initial effect of increasing sleep, its overall effect is to impair sleep and can lead to an overall reduction in sleep time. As a result, it can affect energy levels the next day. Be aware of how you feel the day after drinking. If you find yourself feeling fatigued, it would be a good idea to cut back on the amount of alcohol you are drinking. If you already have sleep issues, do not use alcohol as a sleep aide.
I have a back issue so I often work standing and have my computer placed on a high stand. I actually think this is much better for your back, posture (and butt!) than 
sitting all day. This new desk takes it to a whole new level!
Researchers at The Mayo Clinic built what they called a “vertical workstation” – a desk fitted over a standard treadmill. They persuaded 15 obese people to work at this treadmill-desk and measured how many calories they burned.
Here are the benefits… If an overweight office worker used this vertical workstation all day, every day for a year, he or she could lose up to 66 pounds, the researchers report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. It showed that the obese participants burned up to an extra 100 calories an hour on the treadmill (only going 1 mph) versus sitting at the desk.
The researchers wrote that even if they used the treadmill workstation for 2 - 3 hours a day, they could lose up to 45-66 pounds a year.
These desks costs approximately $1,600. If you had the opportunity to have a desk like this, would you want it?
Do you find that on occasion your waistband feels extra tight and your stomach is distended? Or perhaps your rings get tight and your fingers feel puffy? There are different kinds of “bloating”. One is an overall fluid retention and the other is more localized in the abdominal area. Both can be very annoying - especially when they make your clothes fit tight or cause pain in the stomach area.
Overall fluid retention
Your body is made up of approximately 65% water. You can lose or gain several pounds on a daily basis. Have you ever noticed the scale jumping up a few pounds several days prior to your period? Hormonal changes can make your body hold on to several pounds of fluid. Or how about waking up with puffy eyes the day after eating Japanese food? Your body wants to keep a balance of sodium to fluid. Increasing your sodium intake will cause your body to hold on to water… for a day or two. You will then release it.
Tips to deal with fluid retention:
1. Limit high sodium foods
2. Drink at least 8 cups of fluid (preferably water). This will help to flush out the sodium.
3. The key here is not to panic, it is only water weight and will come off in a day or two.
Intestinal bloat
Bloating can also occur in the abdominal area. Symptoms could include a distended abdomen that feels hard or stomach pain. The following factors could be cuprits in abdominal bloating:
- Carbonated beverages
- Consumption of gassy foods such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, peas, radishes, beans and other legumes.
- Constipation
- Fried and fatty foods
- An increase in your fiber intake
- Milk and other dairy products, especially in people who have trouble digesting lactose ( the main sugar found in milk).
- Sugar and sugar substitutes (especially sugar alcohols such as sorbitol)
- A medical condition such as crohns disease, IBS or celiac disease (gluten intolerance)
I usually recommend that you keep a food record with what you eat as well as any symptoms you are getting. This can help to identify the culprit.
Tips to deal with intestinal bloating:
1. Start by eliminating the most common culprits including gassy vegetables and legumes
2. Go through the above list of foods and eliminate them one by one to see if your symptoms improve
3. Eat slow. Eating fast can contribute towards swallowing air which can cause gas
4. Limit chewing gum. This can also cause gas
5. Try eating smaller more frequent meals
6. If you still have a bloating and pain in the intestinal area, I would recommend that you check in with your doctor to rule out a medical cause
7. Try beano
8. If you are lactose intolerant, try lactaid milk or take a lactaid pill prior to eating a lactose containing pill
An article came out in the NYT on May 8 called “Genes Take Charge and 
Diets Fall by the Wayside”. This article has created quite a lot of buzz. For those of you who missed it, here is a summary:
Two studies were discussed that demonstrated how obese people who lose a lot of weight (~ 100 pounds) almost always regain the weight. It turns out that this large weight loss causes a 24% slow down in metabolic rate. This makes weight regain more likely. In addition, psychological changes occur that increase the appetite and interest in food.
Another study was cited that demonstrated how lean people who increase their body weight by 20 - 25% (by eating up to 10,000 calories a day!) and become obese will lose the weight and go back to their normal lean weight without dieting within a few months. So one could conclude that due to genetics, our bodies want to stay within a certain weight range.
 I am concerned that the take-home message of this article is that overweight people are doomed to stay overweight. While it likely true that our bodies want to weigh within a certain range, this does not mean that you can not lose weight and keep it off. I see plenty of people in my private practice who lose weight and maintain the loss. Last week at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, I gave a lecture titled “I am Tired of Weighting: New Treatments for Obesity”.  I discussed how people are able to lose weight and keep it off. As an example, I talked about the National Weight Control Registry. This study has been ongoing since 1994. It includes over 5000 people who have lost at least 60 pounds and kept it off for over a year. The majority of people who lost the weight and kept it off are consuming an average of 1400 calories, exercising 400 calories a day and are eating low fat diets with a lot of fruits and vegetables. Yes, it is hard work - but it can be done!
One of the keys to long lasting weight control is to set a realistic weight loss goal. Aim for a 5-10% loss of body weight. Stay there for a while and let your body adjust. You can then figure out if you can realistically lose another 5% of your body weight. And of course, you will need to follow a reduced calorie diet and regular exercise program.
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