Do you go ”nuts over nuts” and find it impossible to control your portions? How about peanut butter? Do you find yourself eating it by the spoonful? If you answered yes to these questions, you are not alone!  

It has always amazed me that some people are quite disciplined when it comes to portion control of nuts. They can take out a small handful or count out 15 nuts or so and put the bag away. The same goes for peanut butter or almond butter. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people (and neither are many of my clients). There is something about nuts and nut butters that can be quite addicting. Luckily, there are a few new products on the market that can help those of us with “portion control issues!”

Nuts and nut butters can be a satisfying snack or part of a meal. They contain heart healthy fats, protein, fiber – all three of which will keep you fuller longer . In addition, almonds have calcium, which strengthens bones, magnesium, which helps the body absorb important minerals, and potassium to help regulate blood pressure. They also have vitamin E and antioxidants, which boost the body’s immune system and promote good blood circulation. Studies have linked a regular intake of nuts to decreased risk of diabetes and heart disease. So hopefully these new portion controlled packs of nuts and nut butters can help more of us incorporate nuts into our diets.

Justins 100 Calorie Squeeze Pack of Maple Almond Butter or Honey Peanut Butter ( a while back I did a post on Justins 200 calorie pack of nut butters … now they have made even smaller packets!)
Portion size: one pack
Calories: 100
Fat: 8 gm
Saturated fat: 1 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 35 mg
Carbohydrates: 4 gm
Sugar: 2 gm
Protein: 3 gm

Emerald  100 Calorie Packs of Nuts: (3 varieties including dry roasted almonds, natural almonds and a mix of walnuts and almonds )
Portion size: one pack  (the following nutritional info is an average for all 3 varieties)
Calories: 100
Fat: 9 gm
Saturated fat: 1 gm
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 150 mg
Carbohydrates: 5 gm
Sugar: 1 gm
Protein: 3 gm

Ok , so I fibbed …. there is another variety called Cocoa Roast Almonds Dark Chocolate Flavor 100 Calorie Packs. They’re dusted with dark chocolate powder and are quite satisfying – and healthy – for a sweet tooth.

BTW – check out this VERY funny commercial for Emerald nuts starring Robert Goulet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPtpo1OuYcs  It talks about getting low blood sugar in the afternoon while at work. It’s something we can all relate to!

Do you use olive oil on your salad? Sautee your veggies in olive oil? In restaurants, do you dip your “crust of bread” in olive oil? Snack on nuts? Add avocado to your salad?  If you’ve answered yes to several of these questions and feel that your overall diet is healthy diet AND you’re having difficulty losing weight, it’s possible that your intake of heart healthy fats is slowing your weight loss!

Foods rich in monounsaturated fats such as nuts, olive oil, nut butters and avocado are known for their heart health benefits. While I would much rather see you get your fat intake from these healthy fats as compared to trans or saturated fats, what we tend to forget is that our fat cells really don’t know the difference between a good fat and a bad fat.

Real life case study: Mrs. X  was a 63 year old female who came to me for guidance in losing 30 pounds. She couldn’t understand why her weight wasn’t losing weight. She was following a Mediterranean type diet. She wasn’t consuming an excessive amount of carbohydrates, drank nonfat milk and rarely ate desserts, red meat or cheese. Upon first glance, her diet didn’t seem to be excessive in calories. But upon further questioning, Mrs. X admitted to being rather liberal with her intake of olive oil. She used it to sauté her chicken, fish and veggies. She admitted to having a rather heavy hand with adding it to salads. In addition, she had 1/2 an avocado in her salad every night. It turned out she was consuming 850 calories a day in the form of heart healthy fats. I had recommended that she follow a 1400 calorie diet to lose 1 1/2  pounds a week. Mrs X was shocked as she felt olive oil was a healthy fat and never really thought about the effect it may be having on her weight.

Bottom line, while certain fats are much healthier than others, keep in mind that all calories count!

Tips to control your caloric intake from heart healthy fats
1. Be aware of the calorie content of these heart healthy fats:
  – 1 oz nuts (25 almonds, 14 walnut halves, 18 cashews, 24 peanuts) = 160 calories
  – 1 T. olive oil (or any oil) = 115 calories
  – ¼ avocado = 90 calories
  – 1 T. nut butter = 100 calories.
  – 2 T. vinagrette type dressing: 100-150 calories
  – Restaurant grilled chicken or fish:  ~ 1 tsp of oil for each 2 oz of protein. For example, a 7 oz piece of grilled fish or chicken may contain an additional 3.5 tsp fat (157 calories in addition to the calories in the fish/chicken)
  – Restaurant sautéed veggies: ~ 1 tsp of  oil for each cup of veggies. For example, 2 cups of sauted spinach could contain an additional 2 tsp fat (90 calories)

2. Measure the amount of oil you use at home.

3. Get a spritzer for your olive oil. This will cut down on the amount that you use.

4. Use olive oil Pam cooking spray instead of oil

5. Count out your nuts – don’t just grab a handful. If you have trouble controlling your intake of nuts, try the 100 calorie packs. (check out Blue Diamond or Emerald brands)

When it comes to dieting, there is always another plan or food being touted as the latest and greatest new way for reducing weight. So I put this out to you: have you ever thought about Gefilte Fish? Not likely. Unlikely. Never. In fact, when Gefilte Fish is mentioned, many of us just cringe thinking of little cratered, white balls swimming in a slimy sea of gelatin with a couple of sliced carrots floating around like orange jellyfish. Not a pretty sight. Or, often, Gefilte Fish is associated with the religious holiday of Passover when your grandmother passionately made it for you as a child. Then you ate it with all the due care and love that you had for grandma’s affection. 

But unappetizing is most people’s reaction, as if to a gag joke. And come on! A new fad diet. Laughable. Or maybe not.  I put this out to you. Gefilte Fish is not only nutritious; it is an excellent way to diet.

Let’s look at the facts taken from a number of store brought labels:

Nutritional Benefits
Low fat without a doubt. And the primary ingredient, aside from water, is fish (whitefish, pike, mullet, carp) and egg whites.  So not only does it offer a low-fat diet with protein, it offers omega-3’s without the levels of mercury some of the bigger fish have to offer. 

For example, 3-4  pieces with a salad make a great lunch or dinner. You are getting anywhere from 15-21 grams of protein with minimal fat content and low calorie content.  Much less fat than the average candy bar you greedily eye every time you wander into the supermarket. You may want to consider staying away from the Premium Gold with its higher fat content.

And if you don’t like the taste, I say to you – “It’s all in your head.” The sweet Yehuda has a creamy, sweet, pleasant consistency and tender taste. Or try Gefilte Fish with traditional horseradish along with a smidgen of mayo or ketchup. Stay below a teaspoonful of mayo per portion. Try it with pickles, a small piece of whole wheat bread or even apple sauce. I find all these topping a great combination.

 The Gelfite Fish Diet?
I tried it and the results were great. Weighing in at a whopping 165 lbs, I decidedly needed to loose about 5-7 pounds. After three months eating Gefilte Fish about 3 – 4 times a week at one of my meals  – usually for dinner – I was able to shed 8 pounds and keep it off even through the last of the Summer when there were a flurry of parties and eating-related activities that are about as helpful as a Whopper with fries for weight reduction.

So I leave it to you. But results are in the Gefilte Fish!

I would like to thank Julian Singer for writing this article.  I have known Julian for several years. While he is always rather trim, the last time I saw him he was looking particulary lean. (I believe he was getting ready for a beach vacation in Hampton Beach, N.H.) He told me he was substituting more gelfite fish for other foods at meals. As gelfite fish are not one of my favorite foods, I was intrigued and suggested he write this post. Here are his words:  “You may ask what right I have to write about dieting. Well, after living and working in NYC for over 20 years, I have done my fair share of working out, dieting and reading about the latest way to loose weight. While definitely a layman on the subject, without any professional credentials, I have been working on a book aimed at men and do know that often dieters seek out trendy diet plans without going for simple basics. I put this suggestion out there only because it worked for me.  (Pic is of Julian)

City girls and guys – go ahead and try substituting gelfite fish for your steak!

When you think of summer, what do you think of? Here are some of the things that come to my mind … vacations, BBQs, rooftop parties, weekends in the Hamptons or Jersey Shore, margueritas poolside, burgers on the grill – to name a few. While summer is often associated with eating lighter,  it’s also a time that we  indulge more due to vacations and weekends away. In addition, as the summer draws to a close, we may experience the last hurrah, thinking “bathing suit season is over so I might as well eat whatever I want”.  (Pic is of city guy guzzling beer as he attends to the grill)

Bottom line, many of us have taken a holiday from our healthy eating and exercise routine. Like our kids, it is time for us to go “back to school.” We need to some good habits under our belts before the holiday season is upon us!

Homework assignment:
1. Keep a food log. “I really do not eat that much – I can’t understand why I am not losing weight”. How many of you have ever said this? Most of us are so busy that we don’t  pay detailed attention to what we eat. Our portions may be larger than we think. Or we may eat “unconsciously” at times during the day.  Chances are that you are eating more than you think. Many people vastly underestimate the amount of food they are eating – sometimes by as much as 75%! Studies have shown that those people who keep a food log can double their weight loss.  So either get your notebooks out, record on line (check out fitday.com) or try one of the food log apps on the IPhone. Check out this post for more tips on keeping a food record.

2. Plan a healthy afternoon snack so you aren’t famished by the time dinner comes around. Our blood sugar tends dip several hours after lunch. This can lead to low energy levels, carb cravings and can cause overeating at the next meal. The ideal snack is one that contains carbs (preferably high fiber and/or low glycemic index) in addition to some protein and/or fat. I often suggest ~ 150 calories for this afternoon snack. Examples: 1 T. peanut butter on a small apple or a string cheese and a few Wasa crackers or yogurt (try the high protein Greek yogurt) and 1/2 cup berries

3. Eat more volume based foods such as veggies, fruit and broth based soups. Not only will this boost your nutritional intake, it will also help to fill you up so you’ll eat less of the fattening foods. Try starting your meal off with a salad or soup.

4. Get all the trigger foods out of your environment. This means your husband’s pint of Ben and Jerry’s “Chubby Hubby”,  the chocolates on your assistants desk, etc. The less temptation you have around you, the better!

5. Eat more dinners at home. Not only will you be in control of how the food is cooked and what ingredients  are used, but you will also save money. Now when I say “eat at home”, I don’t mean to order in Chinese! Cook a simple meal of grilled fish or broiled chicken and a salad.

6. Rev up the exercise. “It’s too hot” is no longer an excuse as the temperature starts to drop. Walk to work instead of taking bus or subway. Or at least get off a stop earlier. Find an exercise buddy to join you on a lunch time speed walk. Schedule exercise sessions into your appointment book like any other appointment. The ideal exercise program combines resistance training with some type of aerobic exercise.

7. Set concrete attainable goals. My suggestion would be to pick 2-3 goals each week to work on. Don’t try to be perfect with your eating and exercise plan. Instead, focus on a few goals each week. See my Tips on How to Stay Motivated (FREE download)

Kids aren’t the only ones who have to go back to school!

What are you doing this Thursday? Happy Hour? Working late? Instead, why not do something for your health and come to my lecture on Weight Control Tips for the Active Person this Thursday in Central Park. This lecture is FREE and open to the public.

I guarantee you will learn something! Most us know the basics of what to do in order to lose weight. The problem is doing it. It can feel just about impossible to stick to a healthy eating plan with a hectic schedule. You will learn practical tips for how to eat healthy and low cal “on the run”.

Here are some of the topics we will be discussing:

- calculate how many calories your body needs to lose weight
- ideas for healthy meals and snacks
- get a lot of handouts with sample breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinners
- you will have the chance to get your questions answered by a nutrition expert (me!)
- find out what kind of diet plan will work best for you – low fat vs. low carb?

 
When: this Thursday, September 17 from 6:30-7:30 pm

Where: Central Park at the 97th St. Entrance. Go into the park at this entrance and walk about 200 feet. You’ll see a group of people sitting on the grass. IF IT RAINS: class will be held in the auditorium at   PS 6 The Lillie Devereaux Blake School , 45 East 81st Street  (located on 81st street between Madison Avenue & Park Avenue), New York, NY  

Please contact Martha at mmckitt@aol.com if you plan on attending so I can make sure to alert you of any place/time changes.

The lecture is sponsored by NYC Adventure Bootcamp   and Gemini Adventure fitness

Check out NYC Adventure Bootcamp website for these great new kick butt classes:

Fitness Boxing: Now at 6:30pm (upper eastside)
Fitness Boxing: Westside location coming soon…
Soon new time & new location for BootCamp
** Sign up for their newsletter for updates and helpful fitness tips
 
 Stacy Papakostas
Adventure Boot Camp for Women
www.NYCAdventureBootCamp.com
  (212)426-4871        

Tired of the same old breakfast? Looking for a healthy choice to “eat on the run”? No time for breakfast – need something quick? Look no further! I have compiled a comprehensive list of healthy breakfast choices – both meals you make at home and meals you eat on the run. Download this guide (see link on right side of home page) and keep it with you. You can find the healthiest choices to make on the run – whether you are at Dunkin Donuts, Pax, McDonald’s, Jamba Juice, etc.

Most of my breakfast choices are in the 200-300 calorie range. Some people may need more calories than this. If so, add a fruit and/or increase your portions. Keep in mind that not all the breakfast choices on my Survival Guide are ones that I would necesarily recommend as being the most nutritious, however they are much better choices than some other items. For example, my recommended choice of a Wake-up wrap at Dunkin Donuts (170 cal, 10 gm fat) is a much better choice than the Sausage, egg and cheese on a biscuit (600 cal, 40 gm fat).

Don’t forget to Download my FREE Lunch, Snack and Sushi Guides if you have not alreadydone so. Pass one onto your friend as well.

Are you a late night snacker? Eat your dinner at 10 pm? Having trouble losing weight despite watching your caloric intake? If so, it may have something to do with the time that you eat. In the past, when it came to weight control,  we had always believed that it doesn’t really matter what time you eat. It was your caloric intake that was most important. However, a  new study suggests that eating late at night may slow your weight loss.

Late-night snackers are more likely to gain weight, research suggests
By Sudeep Chand
Health reporter, BBC News

A team from Northwestern University, Illinois, found that when you eat, not just how you eat, could make a big difference. Scientists found that when mice ate at unusual hours, they put on twice as much weight, despite exercising and eating as much as others. The study, in the journal Obesity, is said to be the first to show directly that there is a “wrong” time to eat. “ How or why a person gains weight is very complicated – but it is clearly not just calories in and calories out. ”

Fred Turek Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology
Recent studies have suggested that circadian rhythms, the body’s internal clock, have a role in how our bodies use up energy. However, this had been difficult to definitively pin down. Deanna Arble, lead author of the study, said: “One of our research interests is shift workers, who tend to be overweight. “This got us thinking that eating at the wrong time of day might be contributing to weight gain.” The experiment looked at two groups of mice over a six-week period.
- Both groups were fed a high-fat diet, but at different times of the mice “waking cycle”.
- One group of mice ate at times when they would normally be asleep. They put on twice as much weight. This was despite them doing the same level of activity, and eating the same amount of food, as the other mice.

Groundbreaking
The findings may have implications for people worried about their weight. “How or why a person gains weight is very complicated, but it is clearly not just calories in and calories out,” said Fred Turek, from the Northwestern’s Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology, where the research took place. “Better timing of meals could be a critical element in slowing the ever-increasing incidence of obesity.” Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, agreed. He said: “It is groundbreaking. It really gets you thinking why this has not been done before. “It could be very dramatic if it affects whether you are going to get fat or not.”

At this stage, the results could still be interpreted as controversial when applied to humans. The scientists now hope they can find out more about how the process works. It is thought that sleep, hormones and body temperature all play a part in how we gain weight.

My thoughts:
This is interesting research and it may provide some insight into the area of weight control. It is a known fact that shift workers tend to be more overweight than those people who work set hours during the day. I’m not aware of any studies that looked closely at the activity levels and caloric intake of these shift workers compared to day workers. I would be interested in seeing that kind of research done.

Keep in mind that the above study was done on mice – not humans.  Until we have further research, I would still say that your total caloric intake is more important than the time you eat. Of course, I always recommend spreading your calories out during the day vs. bottom loading your calories (eating a big late dinner!).  This helps provide an even flow of energy as well as helps prevent overeating at the next meal.

But if you are one of those people who eats dinner late and/or saves a lot of your calories for late night snacking AND  find the scale is not moving downward despite watching your calories and exercising, I would recommend that you experiment with eating earlier to see if it makes a difference on the scale. If you tend to work late, eat your dinner at work ~ 7 pm (versus 10 pm when you get home!) and maybe save 100 calories for a late night snack. And for you late night snackers, try to limit your snack calories to 150 or less to see if that makes a difference.

Let us know if you see any difference in your weight by eating earlier!

Want to lose weight? Live longer? Have beautiful younger looking skin? Increase your stamina and decrease risk of numerous diseases?  If so, just start taking acai berry supplements or drink 1-2 oz of the acai berry juice a day. These are some of the claims made by the manufacturers of acai berry products. Hmmm… these claims sound a little too good to be true. The questions are – how healthy are these little berries and do they live up to their health claims?
 
I have been hearing about acai berry supplements and juice for the past few months. Just do a search on the acai berry and you’ll come across thousands of websites and blogs touting the above claims. I had 2 clients ask me last week if these acai berry supplements and drinks were worth purchasing. So I decided to do a little research.

What is the acai berry?
The acai berry is an inch-long reddish, purple fruit. It comes from the acai palm tree (Euterpe oleracea), which is native to Central and South America. It is a relative of the blueberry, cranberry, and other dark purple fruits. Some say the Acai berry tastes like a blueberry with a chocolate flavoring. Dr. Perricone, author of  “The Perricone Promise” has said it is among the top 10 super foods on earth. The Acai berry is 90% seed, with only 10% of the berry edible. Only the skin and pulp of the berry is eaten; the seed is discarded. Because the Acai fruit is perishable, it was not until modern freezing techniques made long-distance transport possible in the 1990s that scientific research into this berry could begin in the USA and other countries. The only way to export them to the US is to ship them in juice or pill form.

Nutritional content of the acai berry 
The acai berry is healthful because it contains amino acids, heart healthy fatty acids (actually 50% of the calories in the acai berry come from fat – the majority of it being heart healthy fat), fiber, vitamins and minerals and most importantly – antioxidants. The acai berry contains more antioxidants than most foods in the world!  If you want to see how the acai berry stacks up to hundreds of other foods with regards to antioxidant content, check out this site that lists the Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity(ORAC is the acronym for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, and it is the measurement of antioxidants in food). 

What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are the buzz word lately in the health industry. It’s why green tea, blueberries, cocoa, red wine, and many so-called superfoods are in great demand.. Antioxidants are natural chemicals that prevent damage from free radicals. Free radicals enter our bodies through environmental pollution, poor diet, lack of exercise, and stress. They travel through our bodies, and over time can store up and lead to diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants help stop the damage from free radicals. They seek out and remove free radicals before they can cause harm to our bodies. Research on the acai berry has focused on its possible antioxidant activity. Theoretically, that activity may help prevent diseases caused by oxidative stress such as heart disease, cancer and so many other age related degenerative diseases including ophthalmology.

Acai berries contain large amounts of anthocyanins – more than any other fruit. This type of antioxidant is responsible for the berry’s purplish color. As for your health, anthocyanins are very good at slowing down the aging process. Secondly, anthocyanins has several cardiovascular benefits to contribute. One benefit is that they help to prevent clot formation, which consequently improves blood circulation in your body. Acai berries also contain Vitamin E, which is another substance known for its antioxidant properties.

Claims made by manufacturers of acai berry products:
Now, let’s move on to the claims made by the people who manufacturer acai berry supplements, cleanses and drinks. Here are some of them:

- Promotes weight loss
- Flushes out harmful toxins
 -Flattens your belly
- Prevents heart disease
- Increases sex drive
- Improves sleep
- Increase your metabolism
- Increase energy and reduces fatigue
- Relieves joint and arthritis Pain
- Boosts your immune system
- Fights free radicals and diseases
- Helps prevent cancer
- Improves mental clarity

Sound a little good too be true?

Beware of scams and hefty price tags …
Since the acai berry has exploded in popularity, it is also become a huge money making area for unscrupulous businessmen.  People who sell these products state false claims and testimonials in hopes of getting your business. They may try to convince you that only their product contains the “real” ingredients or that other products are not as potent. Other scams will offer you a free trial, take your credit card number for shipping and then start billing you $80-90 monthly. I would just say “buyer beware!” In addition, when you purchase these products online, the fee tends to be quite steep. A 25 oz bottle of acai juice can cost as much as $40 (a serving is 1-2 oz/day). One of my clients told me that his “dealer” was making $40,000 an year selling these products and the person above him was making double that!  (pic – this woman claimed she lost 45 lbs in 12 weeks taking the acai berry juice and colon cleanse)

For more info on these scams, check out:
CNN  
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)  

Does the little berry live up to its claims?
There is no doubt that acai berries are very healthy and are one of the highest antioxidant containing fruits (or foods) available. There is a growing body of research on the potential health benefits of antioxidants. In addition, there are other healthy substances in the acai berry including: fiber, omega 9 fatty acids (like the kind of fat found in olive oil), amino acids, vitamins and minerals – all which make the acai berry a very healthy choice. But keep in mind that these same substances are found in numerous other fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc. Until further research is done, there is no proof to back up the above claims.

Your best bet is to consume a diet that is plentiful in fruits, vegetables, whole grains … and throw a little red wine and cocoa if you like as well! The key here is to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables as they all contain different nutrients. Check out the above ORAC site to see which are richest in antioxidants.  If you’d like to try acai berry products, check local health food or gourmet stores for acai berry juice or other acai berry products. Be careful if you decide to purchase them over the internet.  And remember, there is no one “miracle” food to boost health!

I bet most city girls and guys are watching some aspect of their diet, whether it be calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium or carbs (or some may just be watching their belly grow…). Wouldn’t it be great if you could know the nutritional content of your salad before you bought it? Or if you could actually “build” a salad to your personalized specifications with regards to calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium, etc. Now you can!   Several of my clients have told me about this great salad place in NYC called Just Salad . You order on line and “build” your salad. As you are selecting the ingredients, the website tallies up the nutritional content of your salad.

The concept and menu
Chef Laura Pensiero is a nutritionist and culinary professional. She has created meals for Just Salad that are healthy and nutritious but are also quick and easy. You can purchase a salad that is premade (all healthy ingredients) or build your own. The stores also sell wraps (one is called Martha’s wrap … could this be named after me? Doubtful!), soups and frozen yogurt. It doesn’t appear that you can “build” your wrap … though I think that would be a great idea. Perhaps I’ll suggest it to Chef Laura.

The nutritional content of my salad:
I decided to test out the nutritional calculator and “build” a salad.
Here are the ingredientsI selected: arugala,  grape tomatoes, chick peas, dried cranberries, grilled chicken, broccoli, low fat balsamic dressing.
Here is the nutritional content:
475 calories
9.75 gm fat 
2 gm sat fat
0 trans fat 
57 gm carbs
533 mg sodium
14 gm fiber
37 gm sugar
36 gm protein  

Locations:
Midtown East: 320 Park Avenue
Financial District: 100 Maiden Lane
30 Rock: 30 Rockefeller Plaza
Fashion District: 134 West 37th St.
Hong Kong

I think this is a great concept! It might make you think twice before adding cheese, nuts, dried fruit and a rich dressing to your salad. Hopefully other restaurants will follow the same concept. With over 66% of our population overweight or obese, the more nutrition information we have as consumers, the better off we will be. Studies have shown that New Yorkers say the nutritional labeling in restaurants is having an impact on what they eat.