The arrival of summer brings a flurry of social activities – pool parties, beach parties, BBQ’s, rooftop parties, birthdays (why are so many birthdays in summer?), etc.  And of course all of these get togethers revolve around food and/or booze. While it is great to spend time with friends, neighbors and family, if you aren’t careful, these parties can start to pack on the pounds. By the time Labor Day rolls around, your muffin top will be spilling over your bathing suit.

I thought about doing this post because many of my clients (as well as myself) have been struggling with how to handle this increased party frequency from a food and alcohol standpoint.  Speaking of parties, the pic on top is of my bday get together at Cellar Bar (liquid calories were flowing …) and pic below, Paula’s bday party at Otto (wine, pizza, pasta, bread, desserts). We ended up overindulging at Otto’s because we didn’t get our food until until almost 10:30 pm. Low blood sugar and alcohol = overconsumption!

Tips to slim your summer party
1. Offer to bring a healthy dish to your neighborhood party so you can avoid Mrs. Smith’s mayo packed potato salad and dressing drenched green salad. Suggestions: interesting summer salads made with healthy dressings, fresh fruit in season (try making fresh fruit kabobs), grilled veggies, green salads, pasta salad made with whole wheat pasta and tons of veggies with light dressing.

2. Add some lean protein to your BBQ choices. Let your neighbors indulge in ribs and cheeseburgers, while you have a turkey burger, veggie burger, salmon burger or grilled chicken breast.

3. Lighten up on the alcohol and remember that liquid calories DO count! Wine spritzers, light beer or dilute drinks with non-caloric mixers are your best bets (i.e. small amount of vodka and diet lemonade.) Keep in mind that the hot weather dehydrates you, which will increase your thirst …which in turn can cause you to drink more alcohol. Make sure you stay hydrated with plenty of water.

4. Plan ahead. If possible, find out what will be served at the party so you can strategize ahead of time. Check out the restaurant menu online. Remember not to go to a party too hungry – have a light snack ahead of time.

5. Set limits for yourself. If you know you’ll be going to a pool party and BBQ this weekend, limit your food and alcohol intake at your friend’s bday party on Thursday night.

6. If possible, try to arrive a little late to the party – or leave before desserts (without appearing rude of course!) This cuts down on eating/drinking time.

7. Wear a tight outfit (or bathing suit) to the party … you will be more body conscious and less likely to overindulge!

8. Try to include some physical activities in the parties. For example, frisbee or volleyball.

How many times have you skipped lunch only to find yourself raiding the vending machine at 4 pm? The carrots you brought in for your afternoon snack just won’t cut it. Or how about when your 8 pm dinner turns into a 10 pm dinner?  The bread basket is calling your name and you can’t stop at just one piece. Your stomach has turned into an endless pit. Grilled fish for an entree – forget it! All you want is a huge bowl of pasta. These scenarios have one thing in common: waiting too long to eat will eventually cause you to overeat. You can prevent this from happening with a little awareness and planning.

Eating at regular intervals can be difficult when you have a busy schedule. Meetings back to back, work deadlines, picking the kids up at school, trying to fit in a workout, etc. Healthy eating tends to take a back seat. Or perhaps you are dieting and intentionally skip meals in hopes of cutting calories. This tactic will eventually backfire. In both of these situations, when you eventually do get around to eating, you can’t stop – it feels like you just can’t get full! What is going on?

The problems with going too long without eating:
- Your brain secretes “food seeking” signals, usually for sugary or fatty foods. You can’t fight these brain chemicals and will eventually give in to eating (often overeating).
- In addition, when you go too long without eating, it’s common to get feelings of low blood sugar. You might feel tired, shaky or have a headache. This is usually accompanied by strong carb cravings.

The solutions:
1. Don’t let more than 4 hours or so go by without some kind of a “feeding.” I tell my clients to treat food like medication – eat it whether you are hungry or not. Because once you get low blood sugar, you may not be in full control of what you will eat. The trick will be to prevent the low blood sugar from occurring.

2. Plan snacks to keep with you in your desk, office refrigerator or briefcase/pocketbook (or man bag – see pic) Good snacks include: fruit, nuts, string cheese, laughing cow cheese and high fiber crackers, yogurt, cottage cheese, popcorn, high fiber energy bar, etc.

3. Don’t skip breakfast. The best kind of breakfast is one that contains some protein, a little fat and high fiber carbs. This promotes a slower rise and fall of blood sugar. My favorite is: 2% Greek yogurt, Fiber One and berries.

4. Don’t eat lunch too late. This will likely cause you to overeat.

5. If you know you will be having a late dinner, eat a healthy snack (see above) an hour or two before going to the restaurant.

Bottom line, by preventing low blood sugar now, you will be able to control your food intake later!

Dining out is one of life’s most pleasurable experiences.  However it can be a little too pleasurable for some! A martini here, a few bites of chocolate mousse there, fresh bread dipped in olive oil … soon enough your belly will be bulging out of your pants. The good news is that with a little planning and discipline, you can still eat out and maintain your waistline. (pic is of my coworkers and I dining out at Le Rouge Tomate) 

Here are some common problems areas and tips on how to deal with them:
1.  Portion sizes. Portion sizes in most restaurants tend to be oversized. Cut down on the portion sizes by:    
   - Splitting an entree with a friend
   - Ordering a half order of pasta for your entree, along with an appetizer
   – Ordering two appetizers instead of an entree
   – Taking some food home in a doggie bag
   – Avoiding those restaurants known to serve large portions
   – As soon as the food comes, portion off an “appropriate” amount to eat
   – Ask the waiter to bring you only 1/2 of your entree and wrap the rest up for you to take home

2. Excessive fat.   Restaurant foods are often high in fat. Your meal probably contains  
more fat than you realize, whether it is the olive oil drizzled over your salad, the oil used to sauté the portebella mushrooms, or the butter added to the marsala sauce. For example, butter is often added as part of  a roux to thicken a sauce. This is rarely stated on a menu.  Also many chefs “top off” the supposedly plain grilled fish, meat or poultry with butter. Here are some tips to cut down on fat intake:
   – Avoid fried foods
  – Avoid sauces containing butter, cream or cheese. Keep in mind that oil, although low in saturated fat and cholesterol, has the same total fat and caloric content as butter.
   - Request that salad dressings and sauces be served on the side
  - Ask questions – don’t assume what ingredients are used.
   – Request foods be prepared your way.

3.  “All-inclusive meals” These meals include appetizers, entree and dessert. We may feel compelled to eat each course because it is included in the price. It is generally recommended that “all-inclusive” meals be avoided. Avoid these meals! Order a la carte instead. It’s better to pay an few extra dollars by ordering  a la carte than to deal with the cost and embarrassment of having to buy new clothes!  (Pic is of me being “force fed” dessert)

4. Alcohol. Aside from being high in calories, alcohol tends to weaken willpower and  may impede the body’s ability to burn fat. Therefore, it is best to limit your intake of  alcoholic beverages. (This man seemed to be enjoying his vodka and tonic … wonder if he overindulged later on?)  
 
5. Too hungry by the time food arrives
   – Make dinner reservations earlier
   – Plan an afternoon snack between lunch and dinner. This will help get your blood sugar up so you won’t be so hungry at dinner.
    - Fill up on water or a club soda, rather than rolls and high calorie appetizers. The club soda is good because it will make you feel bloated and less likely to want to eat.

6. Little willpower.   Try to plan your meal in advance. It is much easier to think about
what you are going to order before you get to the restaurant than to make wise choices once the menu arrives. Check out the menu online ahead of time so you can plan in your mind what you’ll eat. Push the bread basket away from you.

7. Extra’s  (i.e. bread and butter on table) For some people trying to lose weight, bread can be a  major problem. There is nothing wrong with eating a piece of bread, but when one piece leads to four, this can be trouble!  Stay tuned for my tips on how to avoid eating the bread on the table…

Memorial Day is approaching and many of us will be firing up the grill. And what goes on the grill … juicy burgers of course! For those of you who have been working hard to get your body in shape for summer, why not try a healthier option? Burgers don’t always have to be BEEF, and trust me - a little variation is a nice surprise for your taste buds. 

Instead of a traditional beef burger, why not make a chicken, turkey or even a mushroom burger.

Calorie comparison between burgers:

Tips to spice up your burgers:
For chicken, try to purchase the skinless, boneless, thinly sliced, antibiotic and hormone free (yes it does take a little effort to eat healthier). Make a concoction of egg white, olive oil, adobo, ancho chile, cayenne pepper or chipotle seasoning (your choice or a blend), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Dip the chicken breast in this concoction and let marinate for at least 1-2 hours. Grill and serve.

For turkey, try to get the 99% fat free ground turkey, antibiotic and hormone free. Mix the ground turkey with finely chopped red onions, the following dry seasonings: 1 tsp of thyme, oregano and basil, a pinch of salt and pepper as well as a crumbled feta or goat cheese. Once it is all combined evenly, make 2 inch rounded patties and grill when ready.  In my opinion, the key to a tasty yet healthy turkey burger is to stuff it. When the burger gets cooked, the flavor gets released.

For the mushroom burger, try to get portabellas.  Portabellas can easily be grilled with a splash of red wine vinegar over it and ¼ tsp of garlic salt sprinkled on top.

For veggie burgers, try a adding a little salsa and guacamole or BBQ sauce. Or even a slice of low fat cheese. And for those of you who’ve never tried on – check them out. There are numerous brands and flavors available.

Burger toppings
Healthy options: For any of the above burgers, you can serve them with the following healthy options: whole-wheat hamburger buns, veggies of your choice including sliced or caramelized onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles, sauces of your choice such as spicy brown mustard, BBQ sauce or ketchup, or smoky horseradish sauce. 

Not so healthy options:  
Regular mayo (100 calories per tablespoon)
Regular full fat cheese (100 calories for a slice or ounce).
If cheese and/or mayo are still calling your name, at least look for a low fat version. 

**If you live in NYC and aren’t able to grill your own, check out Better Burger for an overall healthy selection or Pop Burger or Shake Shack for their mushroom burgers.

I would like to thank Anita Mirchandani for writing this article. She is a certified Spin, Group Exercise, and Kickbox instructor as well as a NASM certified personal trainer. She is currently pursuing a MS degree in Clinical Nutrition from NYU. In her spare time, she prefers to relax with yoga, shopping or just walking around NYC. She prefers nights out that include dancing, and restaurants that serve both guacamole and good, strong margaritas… and burgers?

You can’t wait for your vacation – visions of lounging poolside with a margarita in hand are floating in your head. However, in the back on your mind, this excitement is dampened by fear of gaining weight while on vacation. All the food … booze … and no gym! The last thing you want to do is to come back from vacation with a bloated belly. A tan body can only hide so much. Is it possible to prevent weight gain while on vacation?

This concern of weight gain has come up several times recently with my private clients (*name changes of course) who are getting ready to leave for vacation. Susan is heading to Croatia with friends who love to party. George is heading out to his favorite couples all-inclusive resort in Cancun. Unlimited food and booze spells trouble for him in numerous ways.  Many people gain weight while on vacation. The trick to prevent this is to identify potential problem areas and come up with a game plan on how to handle them.

So here are the potential problems:
1.Many of us like routines and feel safe with then. Once out of routine, it is easy to fall apart when it comes to your eating and exercise schedule.

2. Often times, there is no access to a gym. This thought is especially of concern to gym rats who are locked into their same old routine of using the treadmill and weight training. 

3. More booze! Perhaps a drink at brunch, drinks poolside, then happy hour, wine at dinner and perhaps more partying later on.

4. No access to your favorite dietetic foods (i.e. I can’t believe its not butter spray, diet salad dressing, light mayo, low carb bread, etc.)

5. Fear of the unknown. What types of foods will be available? Will I be able to resist these foods when I’m not in my own environment? Will I have access to a gym?

6. Time on the road can lead to unhealthy food choices. Think about those  long car trips or time in airports.

7. Pressure from family and friends to partake in eating/drinking festivities or overall sloth like behavior.

Tips to minimize vacation weight gain:
1. If possible, plan an active vacation. For me, the ideal vacation would be a ski or biking trip. That way you get to be active during the day and enjoy good food and desserts at night, minus the guilt. Oops …did I forget to say wine?

2. If you’re not going on an active vacation or don’t have access to a gym, be active in other ways. Take daily long walks on the beach. Rent bikes. Swim laps in the pool. Do tons of sightseeing. I know when I travel to Italy and consume pasta/bread/wine daily, I don’t gain weight because I walk hours a day.

3. Avoid the vacation mentality of  “I’m on vacation so I can eat and drink whatever I want”. True, you can have some indulgences, but it shouldn’t be a free-for-all. Keep the treats to a minimum – maybe one a day.

4. Stick to at least one familiar meal a day if possible. For example, if your usual breakfast is egg whites and fruit, try to have the same while on vacation. This routine can make you feel more in control for the rest of the day. 

5. Avoid wasting calories. Why eat the stale bread at dinner? Or have that second pina colada when the first one wasn’t even so good?

6.  If you do feel the urge for an afternoon cocktail poolside (or at least want an excuse to see the cabana boy …), stick to low cal drinks such as wine spritzers or a light beer. Avoid the calorie and sugar ridden frozen drinks.  Make sure you drink a lot of water to stay hydrated.   (thirsty???)

7. Set a cocktail goal. I might suggest no more than 2 drinks a day (0r 14 a week!)

8. So maybe your meals will be larger, but chances are that you’ll save calories by avoiding all the snacks that you normally eat (mini chocolates, Skinny Cow bars, Pinkberry, etc.)

Bottom line, vacations should be a take to relax. You don’t want to spend your time worrying about if you’ll gain weight. Follow my tips and you should come back looking relaxed … and with no extra belly fat!

You just finished most of your jumbo restaurant meal and are totally stuffed. A few bites of food remains on your plate and you can’t stop looking at it. Finally you manage to shove every last bite of food into your mouth. Why is it that some people feel compelled to eat every thing on their plates? And if you are one of those people, is there anything you can do about it?

Why can’t you stop eating?
There are many reasons as to why you overeat and have trouble leaving food on your plate. Perhaps when you were younger, your parents brainwashed you not to waste food and forced you to consume everything on your plate. (Check this link out on how The ‘Clean Plate Club’ May Turn Children Into Overeaters). Stay tuned for my post in the next week on suprising reasons as to why we overeat. But whatever the reason is, the question remains, what can you do about it? Check out some of my tips on how to leave more food on your plate.

Tips to avoid the “clean plate club”:
 1. In restaurants, try to avoid being in the situation where there is too much food on your plate. Split an entree with a friend, order just an appetizer or ask the waiter to bring you only 1/2 the entree portion and wrap the rest to take home in a doggy bag.

2. When your restaurant meal arrives, immediately portion off 1/3 of it and push it away. If this is still too tempting for you, pour salt, pepper or hot sauce on it. Do whatever you need to do to avoid eating it (discreetly off course!)

3. Eat really really slow. This way most of your dining companions will be finished eating. You will be less likely to keep eating if everyone else has finished. In addition, it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that you are getting full.

4. If you are sharing appetizers with friends, discreetly push the plates out of reach. Keeping the plates of food close by is asking for trouble. For example, this Park City man (in pic) was having trouble controlling his intake of wings. He continued to eat them until every last one was gone. If he had pushed the plate out of reach and taken a breather, he might have been able to save a few hundred calories!    (pic above is of Park City Man, L.C.,  hands eagerly reaching for more wings…)

5. Pay attention to how your body is feeling. Are you starting to feel satisfied with the food? The goal is to feel pleasantly satisfied, not stuffed!

6. Eating should be an enjoyable experience, not a race. Put your fork (or greasy hands) down. Take a breather. Have a pleasant converstion with someone. Food is supposed to be enjoyed, not inhaled. Sometimes this little break can stop the frenzied cycle of eating.

7. If you feel the urge to continue eating, have a private conversation with yourself. Ask yourself why you feel the need to continue eating. What will you gain by eating more? Tell yourself that the same food (i.e. wings) will be there another day … there is no benefit to eating beyond the point of fullness. 

8. Play a game with yourself. Every time you go out, practice leaving some food on your plate, even it means going out of your comfort zone. In time, it should come more naturally to you and you won’t feel the urge to clean your plate.

Would love to hear anyone else’s suggestions as how to leave food on their plate!

You finally crawled out of your winter time slug mode and are hitting the gym full force. In addition to getting fit, you anticipated losing a few pounds.  However to your dismay, you see the scale creeping upward … and it’s not all muscle! What is going on? With all this exercise, you should be losing weight, not gaining. If this sounds familiar, read on to hear about how exercise can make you gain weight.

Real case study: triathlete gaining weight     
Suzanne is training for her first Olympic Distance triathalon  (swim 1 mile, bike 25 miles and run 6 miles). She started her 6 day a week training schedule 5 weeks ago and has noticed a 4 pound weight gain. While some of this is from muscle, not all of it is as she is having trouble buttoning her pants.  Suzanne also reports she frequently feels tired and is ravenous. So why is she gaining weight?

Here are some potential causes of weight gain: 
1. Despite the fact that she is exercising 6 days a week, somehow Suzanne is consuming more calories than she is burning off. It is easy to rationalize “I just ran 5 miles, so I can eat this extra piece of bread or bite of ice cream, etc.” These little calories add up!

2. Her hunger has increased due to all the exercise. Active muscles need more calories than couch potatoes. However the trick will be to get the right kind – and amount – of calories to fuel her body… without contributing to weight gain.

3. Suzanne is not giving her body enough rest. While some people can work out 6 days a week and feel fine, others can’t! Feeling chronically tired increases hunger and cravings for carbs(and often the not-so-good kind!)

4. She may need to pay more attention to her pre and post workout meals. Inadequate and/or inappropriate fueling can lead to low energy levels and greatly increased hunger later on (as well as poor performance while training or racing)

5. She was afraid she’d run out of energy during her long runs or rides, so she was overcompensating by eating large amounts of food the day before.

6. Suzanne has been is trying to maintain her social schedule as much as possible …  not enough sleep, too many cocktails, etc.

Solutions to stop the weight gain:
1. This is obviously not the time to diet, however she will need to trim the extras. Areas to cut back on include: alcohol, fried foods, sweets and rich sauces and dressings – and of course, overall portion sizes.

2. I would recommend that she keep a detailed food record of what she eats and drinks, as well as what she is doing for exercise.

3. While no one wants to be a hermit, this is not the time to be Ms. Socialite. Curb the cocktails and get enough sleep.

4. Consider taking another day off. In addition to causing increased hunger, fatigue, muscle soreness and increased risk of injury, overtraining can actually impede her athletic progress.

5. Make sure she stays hydrated. Sometimes we think we are hungry when it is really fluid that our bodies are craving.

6. Pay extra attention to what she eats prior to and after her workout. It is best to have a meal that includes a moderate portion of carbs and a little protein if desired prior to your long workout. For example, she didn’t need a massive bowl of pasta and an ice cream cone the night before a 20 mile bike ride. A moderate size bowl of pasta for dinner along with a high carb breakfast (i.e. oatmeal and a banana) before her ride would be perfect.

Bottom line: Regular exercise is an important part of losing weight and keeping the weight off. However, it doesn’t give you the green light to eat whatever you want!

Stay tuned for more tips on sports nutrition.

We all get them: those nagging, persistent, compelling urges to chew, taste, indulge and devour. They call to us in the middle of the day, at the end of the day and for some of us even late at night. So what do we do? Do we give in, do we give up? NO, instead we need to learn how to control those impulse reactions by acquiring the necessary tools to do so. Read on to learn ways to control your cravings …

So, you may be wondering, what is a “craving?” Many times a craving indicates a lack of something in the body related to a hormonal imbalance, stress, lack of nutrition or even forced deprivation. Our bodies are telling us that we need to stop and pay more attention to replenish and restore our energy levels with food, sleep or just simple relaxation.

Tips to decrease your cravings:
1. Eat regularly
One of the best ways to manage your daily intake is by eating small, nutritious foods throughout the day. About every 3-4 hours is ideal as that ensures you never get too hungry: a main cause of over-eating and weight gain. Another benefit of small, frequent healthy meals is that you are more likely to meet all your nutritional needs for the day which promote a healthy mind, body and boosts your metabolism. Eating well makes you feel better and this will keep you on a healthy track, making healthy choices all day long. Examples of small meals could include 3 oz grilled chicken/fish, 1 cup of steamed veggies and ½ cup of brown rice, OR, 6-8 ounces plain low or non-fat yogurt with 1 cup of whole grain cereal and ½ cup berries.

2. Get plenty of sleep
Many researchers speculate that 8 hours of sleep is the magic number, however, studies also reveal genetics can also affect how much sleep you require for full restoration. It is best to pay attention to the way you feel when you wake up. A sign that you are NOT getting enough sleep is if you have to hit the snooze button more then once and/or you feel as though you are dragging or fatigued during the day. Further, if you engage in moderate to heavy exercise more than 4 times a week your body may need an extra hour or 2 of sleep for full recovery and repletion. When our bodies don’t get the adequate rest it requires it instinctively seeks out high calorie/fat foods that it knows will provide quick energy. Moral of the story: the better you sleep the fewer calories you’ll consume.

3. Stay hydrated
We often get confused between a thirst signal and a hunger signal as they both come from the same area of the brain, the hypothalamus. The easiest way to understand the difference between a hunger signal and a thirst signal is to remain adequately hydrated throughout the day. An easy way to do so is to keep a water bottle with you at ALL times and WHEREVER you go. Stainless steel bottles are the safest and most highly recommended as they are BPA free, a harmful chemical found in plastic and some aluminum bottles. On average, about 8-8 ounce glasses is the minimum amount of water you should drink per day, however, this may not be enough if you exercise regularly. One way to test your hydration level is by the color of your urine as it should appear colorless or slightly yellow. Keep in mind that most other beverages and foods contain water as well such as soups and raw fruits/vegetables.

4. Deal with stress
Taking control of your stress levels via healthy techniques such as exercise or deep breathing will help you feel calm and keep hormones in balance. This may instantly help decrease cravings. Many of us deal with stress with rather harmful habits that lead to poor health over time and can disrupt hormonal/chemical balances which is what leads to addiction or severe cravings. Studies show that some bad habits such as smoking, drinking and OVER-eating can become very addictive over time as the body starts to crave these substances to fill the “void.” By replacing these habits with healthier ones you can reverse the damage and train your body to stop signaling for it. Next time you’re feeling super-stressed, call up a friend to chat, or better yet, use that stress to fuel a high intensity workout at the gym. When we do good things for ourselves, it can become one of the healthiest addictions out there and that’s a craving we all should want to keep around.

5. Moderation
So you’ve done all of the above, and you still can’t seem to kick the craving. Now is when we have to just give in. And no, that doesn’t mean run to the store buy a whole box of chocolate chip cookies and shove them in your mouth before you even get to check out. It means treating yourself to small portion of whatever it is that you have been thinking about. By allowing yourself to have your favorite foods once in a while, you will be much more successful at controlling cravings.  Deprivation is not the way to go, as your body will almost ALWAYS bounce right back like a rubber band. That’s why crash dieting never works and those fat free donuts just never seem to suffice. Your cravings will become so intense, you may even really find yourself one day out of control, in the back of the corner store, scarfing down those Entenmann’s cookies. Yummy! Be honest with yourself and give yourself a little break once in a while when you know you deserve it. Here is where I will use my favorite line, EVERYTHING IS OKAY IN MODERATION.
Keep the cravings on the curb and your health will stay in the home! 

**Please note, if you have been experiencing severe thirst, hunger or any other cravings that do not go away, please consult with your primary physician as this may be a sign of more serious medical condition or endocrine disorder**

I would like to thank Lisa Moskovitz for writing this article.
Lisa is a Registered Dietitian and recent graduate of NYPH Dietetic Internship who has gone on to secure a job working as a clinical dietitian at a long term care facility in the Bronx. Ultimately, she is working towards building up her own private practice and becoming an established consulting dietitian/nutritionist for the NYC community. Her specialities include sports nutrition, digestive disorders and general wellness.

Does a tasty cocktail or chilled glass of wine call your name as the weather turns warmer? If so, you aren’t alone! As we come of out of winter hibernation, our mood improves and the days stay lighter longer, many of us get the urge for a cocktail or two after work. We crawl out of our winter “slug-like” mode and hit the bars with our friends. Who wants to go home and watch tv – or take a 6 pm spin class for that matter – when all your friends are out at the new hot spot roof top bar!

“Liquid Spring Fever” hit full force this Wednesday evening as the temperature peaked at 90 degrees. As a typical city girl, I had 4 texts from friends asking to meet for drinks. Of course, I could not refuse! But what happens then these texts come in 5 nights a week? The calories in booze adds up quickly! If you aren’ t careful, your muffin top will sprout just in time for bathing suit season. Read my tips to minimize damage done by “Cocktail Spring Fever”.

Does this sound familiar?
- Skip the gym to hit the hot new roof top bar
- One drink leads at 3 or more…
- Trying to meet Mr. or Mrs. Right at your local bar
- How else would you socialize after work other than having a few cocktails?  (Pic is of me and party friends Paula and Alba)

Solutions to minimize damage done by “Cocktail Spring Fever”:
1. The obvious solution is to drink less. Set limits on yourself as to how many cocktails you will have a week. My suggestion is no more than 7 drinks a week for women and 14 drinks a week for men (I know this isn’t fair but these are the general recommendations!)

2. If you have trouble limiting your cocktail intake, you will need to limit the nights you go out. You don’t have to go out with every friend who texts you. Be discriminating! My suggestion would be to have no more than 3 nights a week involving alcohol.

3. If one of your reasons for going out is to meet guys (or girls), then think of alternate avenues that don’t involve bars or alcohol. For example, central park is filled with hotties on bikes or running. Meeting someone in this environment will help you to avoid the “beer goggle” syndrome. So get out your bike or running shoes … and hot outfit of course!

4. Even better, join a club for running, biking, or triathlon training. A sure-fire way to meet athletic people.

5. For those people who enjoy a little early am torture, sign up for a 6 am boot camp workout 3 days week. You will quickly learn your lesson when you have a drill sergeant yelling at you to do 15 more pushups as you feel nauseated from your activities the night before.

Easter is fast approaching. And yes, it is a religious holiday, but it can also be a chocolate fest … chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs, etc. If you are a chocoholic (like me!), this can be a troubling holiday. Check this out: one large chocolate bunny has 1050 calories. Take a little bite of its ear, then its leg and before you know it, Mr. Bunny is gone.  This indulgence equals 2 hours of running or 4 hours of brisk walking! So read on to learn my tips to control your intake of Easter candy.

One of my fondest memories as a child was Easter. My siblings and I were each designated a room in the house. We would wake up in the morning and search “our room” for chocolate eggs, bunnies, peeps, jellybeans, etc. (Perhaps this fueled my chocolate obsession as an adult!). I remember having tons of chocolate goodies that lasted me for weeks.

While over consuming chocolate in childhood is not the best idea, it can be even worse for an adult. Our metabolisms are much slower and it can take hours and hours of exercise to burn off the calories in a chocolate bunny!

Tips to control your Easter candy intake:

1.The lowest calorie candies are those made from marshmellow (i.e. Peeps) versus chocolate.

2. Don’t buy the candy too early. Wait until the day before Easter to make your purchase. The longer they are sitting in front of you, the greater your chances of indulging.

3. Keep them out of sight until you actually give them out.

4. Once the Easter meal or celebration is over, get rid of the extra candies. Give them to your friends, doorman or husband to bring to work.

Here is city girl Esther (from Esther’s Weight Loss Journey) roasting Peeps in her apartment! Way to go Esther … better than eating Mr. Chocolate Bunny.

 Here are the calories in some common Easter candies: