Hold the tomato in your salad and sandwich! By now you have probably heard of the outbreaks of salmonella from eating certain kinds of raw tomatoes. It is recommended that you avoid the larger tomatoes such as red plum, roma and round red. The smaller tomatoes such as grape, cherry, homegrown tomatoes and those sold with the vine still attached are supposedly safe. At this point, I would recommend that you avoid all tomatoes in restaurants as you don’t know what kind of tomaotes they are.

Here is the full report:

Tomatoes Linked To Salmonella Outbreak ATLANTA, June 4, 2008

(AP) An outbreak of salmonella food poisoning first linked to uncooked tomatoes has now been reported in nine states.

U.S. health officials said Tuesday that lab tests have confirmed illnesses in Texas and New Mexico as the same type of salmonella, right down to the genetic fingerprint. An investigation by Texas and New Mexico health authorities and the Indian Health Service tied those cases to uncooked, raw, large tomatoes.

The New Mexico Department of Health said that so far, 39 people from nine counties in New Mexico have become ill from the strain of salmonella, called salmonella Saintpaul. There have been no deaths, but several people have been hospitalized.

The New Mexico patients, who began to become ill on May 6, have come from Bernalillo, Cibola, Curry, Dona Ana, McKinley, Otero, San Juan, Sandoval and Socorro counties.

At least 17 people in Texas and New Mexico have been hospitalized. None have died, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

An additional 30 people have become sick with the same infection in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Idaho, Illinois and Indiana. CDC investigators are looking into whether tomatoes were culprits there, too.

In Texas and New Mexico, raw large tomatoes - including Roma and red round tomatoes - were found to be a common factor in the illnesses. But no farm, distributor or grocery chain has been identified as the main source, said Casey Barton Behravesh, a CDC epidemiologist working on the investigation.

“The specific type and source of tomatoes is under investigation,” she said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday alerted consumers in New Mexico and Texas that the outbreak appeared to be linked to certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes, but said the specific type and source was under investigation.

The FDA suggested people in the two states limit their tomato consumption to tomatoes that have not been implicated in the outbreak. Those include cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached and homegrown tomatoes.

Salmonella is a bacterial infection that lives in the intestinal tracts of humans and other animals. The bacteria are usually transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal feces.

Most infected people suffer fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps starting 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness tends to last four to seven days.

Many people recover without treatment. However, severe infection and even death is possible. Infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk for severe infections.

In Texas and New Mexico, patients ranged in age from ages 3 to 82. Most were interviewed and most said they ate raw tomatoes from either stores or restaurants before becoming ill between April 23 and May 27.

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We’ve all heard that you can slow your metabolism by eating too few calories. But at what point does this “slow down” in your metabolism happen? I recently got asked an excellent question from a CGB reader regarding this subject.

Question from Dax: Hey, I really like your website . . . and I’m a guy, is that okay?  I understand the science behind the slower metabolism on a restricted diet.  Your body becomes more efficient, which sounds like a good thing, but actually means that you run on few calories and, therefore, more calories would become fat.

However, I get confused by the numerous examples of the opposite.  Why did Christian Bale in the Machinist get so thin!  He claims he lost 63 pounds by eating nothing other than a can of tuna and an apple per day.  Why didn’t his metabolism keep him from losing the weight? (Pic is of Christian Bale before and after his weight loss)

Also, what is the fewest calories a man can eat without going too low?

Answer from Martha: First, I think it’s great that you enjoy my blog! I actually have a lot of male readers. I try to make many of my posts of interest to both guys and girls. Second, you asked an excellent question that I have actually wondered myself.  While I don’t have a scientific answer for you, here are my thoughts…

Studies have demonstrated that the metabolism does slow when the caloric intake has been decreased to a very low level, especially when this restriction has been ongoing AND a fair amount of weight loss has occured. The act of losing weight in itself will slow the metabolism. In addition, the new lower body weight will require fewer calories that the initial higher body weight. So this is a double whammy so to speak.

But you have raised a good point. How can some people, such as Christian Bale or anorexics, get to such a low body weight if their metabolisms slow down? My answer would be that they consume SO FEW calories that they still lose weight despite the slow down in metabolism. Many anorexics consume only 400 calories a day and may exercise for several hours a day. Christian Bale’s diet doesn’t sound far off from 400 calories.  BTW - check out this link for more info on Christian Bale’s 63 pound weight loss for the movie The Machinist. Another example would be liquid diets. I worked with these medically supervised fasts, such as Optifast, for many years when they were popular. The participants generally started out obese and ate only 500-800 calories a day (in the form of shakes) for months at a time. If they stuck to the diet, the majority of them lost a large amount of weight.  So despite the slow down in their metabolic rate, they were still able to lose weight.  But here is the problem -  when they start to eat even somewhat normally … their weight skyrocketed back up - usually rapidly. This is because their metabolism had slowed down and even small increases in caloric intake caused rapid weight gain.

So to summarize, weight loss can still occur in many people if very low calorie diets are adhered to. However this is not recommended as very low calorie diets are inadequate in nutrients and will make weight regain likely once the low cal diet is discontinued. The best way to lose weight is a moderate reduced calorie diet and regular weight training and cardio.

To answer your second question - I can not tell you exactly how low you can go with your calories before your metabolism will start to slow. This really depends upon your age, weight, activity level and your own metabolism. But I can tell you that you should not consume fewer calories than your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Check out this link to find out your BMR.

Hope this answered your question Daz and thanks for reading CGB!

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Here’s a great way to start your Sunday off - attend  Boot Camp taught by Julia Derek in Central Park.  You all know Julia as she a frequent contributer to CGB. Not only is Julia an excellent teacher (and I know because I have taken her classes …ouch!) with many years of experience, she is also entertaining. Other potential perks: the possibility of  meeting other city girls and city guys!

Fit & The City Sunday Boot Camp in Central Park will include:

High intensity workout for all ages and all fitness levels in the heart of Central Park taught by experienced fitness instructor Julia Derek. Gain strength, lose inches, and have fun doing it!  Email julia@adrenalinefitnessny.com to reserve your spot and find out details about this event.

When: Sundays (first class June 15) at 9:30 am (lasts for an hour).
Where: Great Lawn, Central Park
Cost: $15

For more info about Julia, go to www.adrenalinefitnessny.com

Fit & The City Saturday Yoga Class in Central Park

If you’re in town during the weekends , please join us for a Vinyasa Yoga class in Central Park! Destress, strengthen your body, gain flexibility. Class is aimed at intermediates and is taught by Vinyasa/Hatha instructor and Integral Yoga Institute graduate Alex Starodubstev. All you need is a yoga mat and 15 dollars! Please email julia@adrenalinefitnessny.com for more information and to reserve your spot today.

When: Saturdays (first class June 14) at 9am (one hour).
Where: Sheep’s Meadow, Central Park.
Cost: $15

For more info about Alex, go to www.adrenalinefitnessny.com

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Esther is down 2 more pounds for a total of 4 pounds weight loss! Her current weight is 144 pounds. Congrats Esther! She has told CGB that taking her weight loss journey public has really helped her as she feels more “accountable”. After all, who would want to report that they ate 1/2 pound of cheese with 4 glass of wine in a night! This past week was especially diifficult as Esther ate dinner out 4 times. And eating out usually means more drinks… however Esther met her goal of only 2 alcoholic beverages. 

Did Esther meet her goals for last week?

Here are 3 days of her food records:

Friday June 6   
Breakfast   
iced coffee   
2 eggs with humus   
Lunch   
cosi sandwich (1/2 bread, grilled chicken)   
Dinner   
Japanese Hibachi dinner: clear soup, salad   
grilled, steak, shrimp & vegatables.   
pellegrino water   
vita muffin   

Tuesday June 3   
Breakfast   
1/2 banana   
hard boiled egg   
iced coffee   
Lunch   
Kashi entree   
chicken florentine   
iced coffee   
Dinner   
6 sm veg dumplings   
9 steamed shrimp   
1 tps of lite tarama   
1 tps of olive hummus   
mixed nuts: sunflower, pumpik, almonds   

Thursday June 5
Breakfast
1/2 banana
2 oz peak protein bear naked
iced coffee
Lunch
1 popeye’s chicken wing
3 slices of turkey, 2pc string cheese mustard
water
Dinner
mixed greens w/ olive oil & lemon
steak ( on George Forman grill)
dried apricots ( 4)

My comments on her week:
1. She averaged 1300 calories. Keep in mind that my calories are estimations as I don’t know exactly what her portion sizes were in restaurants nor do I know how the food was prepared.
2. Esther handled her restaurant dining extremely well! She had more “plainer” types of food such as grilled fish, steamed shrimp, etc. versus food prepared with more fat (i.e. pita and dips). Eating out 4 times this week and still losing 2 pounds is quite an accomplishment.
3. My guess is that her decreased alcohol intake is contributing to her better restaurant choices. Most people tend to have less willpower around food after they have had a few cocktails!

Esthers goals for this week:
1. Beware of the PMS cravings and low energy levels. Esther reports she is already having to really push herself to get to the gym due to fatigue/PMS. I guess this 95 degree weather doesn’t help much!
2. Be careful at Father’s day cookout. We will discuss this later in the week.
3. 2 alcoholic beverages this week
4. Continue to be careful with choices in restaurants
5. I am curious as to what Esther’s portion sizes are with her protein at home. Please weigh your protein 1-2 times.
6. Calories in your nut mix can really add up. Can you weigh the total mix of nuts (sunflower, pumpkin, almonds) once and tell me what it is ? You also might want to look around for the 100 calorie packs of almonds.   
7. Continue with personal training twice a week, one pilates, and 3 cardio sessions (maybe 2 spin classes and 30 minutes on treadmill or eliptical).

Keep up the good work!

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So Esther made it through week 2 with flying colors! She met 100% of her goals. She kept her eating out and alcohol intake to a minium. She handled the Sex in the City party admirably. Esther lost another pound this week. Starting weight: 146  Weight May 30: 144

Here were Esther’s goals for week two:

Friday May 30th 
Breakfast  
coffee  
1 hard boilled egg 
4 oz 2 1/2 % cottage cheese
Lunch  
sushi 1 1/2 rolls 
( spicy tuna, tuna, california)
iced tea  
Dinner  
tuna tartare 
vodka w/ club soda 
martini w/3 olives 
1 pretzel stick  

Wednesday:   
Breakfast   
2 hard boiled eggs   
4 oz 2% cottage cheese   
Lunch   
1 chicken cutlet   
1 cup brown rice   
sm can of zucchini in tomato sauce   
1 orange   
Dinner   
1 hamburger
roasted cauliflower & broccoli
shirataki noodles
water
1 orange

Tuesday May 27th    
Breakfast    
banana    
1 cup coffee    
water    
1/4 orange    
Lunch    
green salad w/ fresh turkey    
little cheese, olive oil vinegarette    
Dinner    
2 chicken cutlets w/ panko bread crumbs sauteed in grape seed oil    
1 cup of brown rice w/ lemon    

My observations on Esthers food records:
1. Your caloric intake averaged ~ 1300 calories. Excellent!
2. Try to have an afternoon snack daily. If possible, make it something nutritious like fruit or yogurt.
3. Increase your intake of vegetables at night when you eat at home.
4. Glad to see that you are eating Shirataki noodles as they are a great low cal replacement for pasta.
5. Continue have salads frequently for lunch, but make sure you limit your oil to one Tablespoon.

My interview with Esther:
 1. Martha: Overall, how do you feel you did this week? Still as motivated?
Esther: I thought I did extremely well this week.  I am more motivated as I go on and getting a lot of support from friends and family helps.

2. Martha: Any tricky social situations?
Esther: This week I only went out once so it wasn’t difficult.  I have two occassions I will be out next week not including the week-end.  The limit of two drinks per week is hard when going out but not difficult when I am home.

3. Martha: Any barriers to meeting your exercise goals?
Esther: I am trying to schedule the workouts into my daily routine.

4. Martha: Any other thoughts?
Esther: Probably just that I had expected to lose more then just one pound this past week as I stuck to the plan 100%  Martha:  Losing one pound a week is right on track.  Losing slower means that you are losing more body fat. Losing more than 2 pounds a week means that you are losing more water and some muscle. Remember, “slow and steady” wins the race!

Esther’s goals for next week:
1. Continue food records
2. Plan healthy afternoon snacks
3. Exercise program the same as last week (2 training sessions, 3-4 cardio and 1 pilates)
4. 2 alcoholic drinks a week
5. Be very careful with choices eating out
6. An average of 1300-1400 calories a day.

Keep up the great work!

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Yogurt and fruit parfaits, vinaigrette salad dressing, grilled chicken wraps … they all sound so healthy, so they must be low calorie - right? Wrong. I have compiled a list of foods of commonly eaten foods that could sabotaging your weight loss attempts. You don’t necassarily need to avoid these foods/drinks, I just wanted to give you a “warning” signal that all is not as low cal as it seems.

Martha’s Top 8 Deceptively High Calorie Foods:

 1. Yogurt parfait.
Yogurt, granola, topped with fruit. Sounds healthy and low calorie - right? Not necessarily. A 16 oz (the usual size) strawberry parfait is 400 calories, 12 gm fat and 52 gm carbs. (from Pax, NYC)

2. Tuna salad sandwich.
We know fish is good for us … so how bad can it be (aside from the mercury content!)? Tuna sandwiches are not nearly as low cal as they sound because they tend to contain tuna packed in oil, are loaded with mayo and are jumbo sized. A typical deli NYC tuna salad sandwich has over 700 calories. The Southwest tuna wrap from Au Bon Pain - which doesn’t even contain mayo - has 860 calories, 54 gm of fat and 65 gm of carbs.

3. Smoothies.
Smoothies can be very healthy… and also high calorie. For example, a Jamba Juice 12 oz Mango Peach Topper Smoothie is 390 calories, 8 gm fat and 73 gm of carbs. The 16 oz size is 500 calories, 10 gm of fat and 95 gm of carbs. The Dunkin Donut’s strawberry banana smoothie (medium size - 24 ounces!) is 550 calories, 4 gm of fat and 118 gram of carbs. Yikes - enough for a meal!

4.  Iced coffee drinks. 
With the warm weather hopefully here to stay, think twice before cooling off with a Starbuck’s java chip frappacino (grande) for 460 calories, 19 gm of fat and 67 gm of carbs or the caramel blended frappacino (grande) for 380 calories, 15 gm of fat and 57 gm of carbs. These are only a few of the calorie ladden iced coffee drinks. Check out my previous post on Starbucks iced coffee drinks for more info on calories.  I think most of us city girls will think twice before ordering some of these drinks now that NYC has mandated that calories be posted on the menu (for restaurants that have 15 or more chains).

5. Vinaigrette salad dressing. 
Many of us think balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing is low cal because is it “healthy”. Sure, olive oil is good for your heart, but that doesn’t mean it is low calorie. These dressings tend to contain a lot more oil than vinegar. A typical size portion of a seemingly healthy balasamic viniagrette dressing can contain 350 calories! (i.e. that little 2 oz container from Cosi’s). We know the other creamy dressings like blue cheese or caesar are high calorie, but don’t underestimate the calories in vinaigrettes!

6. Specialty salads
With summer approaching and visions of bathing suits in our heads,  many city girls turn to salads for lunch, assuming they are making a healthy low cal choice. I can’t tell you how many times a client has proudly told me she/he had a caesar salad with grilled chicken for lunch, thinking I would be pleased. Little do they know that these salads can contain over 900 calories and 60 grams of fat. It is the dressing the packs in the calories. The same goes for a cobb salad which contain 900-1000 calories and 70 grams of fat. Think about it - bacon, blue cheese crumbles, avocado (yes, it’s good for your heart - but not your fat cells!) and blue cheese dressing.

8. Gourmet wraps/ sandwiches.
Many city girls grab a gourmet type wrap or sandwich for lunch from places such as Cosi’s, Au Bon Pain, Pax, thinking they are making a good choice. The ingredients in these wraps can sound healthy as they are often made with a whole wheat wrap and contain ingredients like grilled chicken or turkey.  However, they tend to be loaded with high calorie sauces and/or cheese.  Some of these wraps contain over 700 calories. For example, the Suncoast Turkey Wrap from Pax contains 740 calories, 27 gm fat and 80 gm of carbs. The Tarragon Chicken Sandwich from Au Bon Pain contains 740 calories, 31 gm of fat and 61 gm of carbs.

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Esther has asked citygirlbites for support in losing weight. She has just finished the first week of her weight loss journey and has sent us an update. (We omitted the first week because she was on vacation and didn’t do so well….). Esther has lost one pound this week. Initial weight = 146  Weight May 23 = 145   She was a little discouraged as she felt she made many changes, however I pointed out the she ate out quite a bit. Eating out will almost always increase your caloric intake.  In addition. losing one pound a week is right on target! (Pics are of Esther and her trainer, Anastasia from Equinox, working out)

Here are Esther’s goals from week one:

Here are 3 days of her food records:

Saturday May 10th    (2100 calories approximately)
Breakfast: coffee , Kashi toasted almond bar 
Snack: Two hard boiled eggs , 1 piece laughing cow cheese , gardenia salad
Lunch: 1 sushi roll 1/2 salmon 1/2 yellowtail
Snack:15 almonds
Dinner: 2 glasses white wine, 3 1/4 pita bread with Greek spreads
grilled striped bass, Greek french fries ( handful ), 1/4 piece roasted corn
Snack: Berry Apple Sauce 

Tuesday May 20th  ( 1000 calories approximately)
Breakfast: coffee, banana  
Lunch: pea soup , 1 breadstick  
Dinner: 1 hamburger, grilled onions, shirataki noodles, grated cheese 1 teaspoon  

Wednesday May 21st  (1700 calories approximately)
Breakfast: coffee, peppermint tea  
Lunch: turkey club wrap, water  
Dinnner: 2 glasses white wine, 1/4 piece chicken quesadilla, salmon tartar appetizer, shaved fennel salad  

My observations:
1. Esther  had some really good days (1000-1200 calories - even a little too low!) but some other not so good days (1800 calories or more).
2. Last week she had 4 nights of eating out. Even though she has been making great choices for entrees and not eating desserts or bread, the appetizers and wine are bringing her daily caloric intake to 1800 calories or more.
3. This coming week, I’d like to focus on helping her cut back on calories when eating out. Areas to work on:
-  cutting back on wine
-  low cal appetizers without oil (tuna sashimi, shrimp cocktail, salad without cheese and dressing on the side - add sparingly)
- skip the appetizer altogether and just order a healthy entree
- restaurant food, even when grilled, tends to be cooked with a lot of oil. Avoid sauces and ask for minimal oil used in cooking. 
- since you have an active social life, direct your friends to restaurants that you know have healthy choices. Japanese is always a good bet. Check out my post on calories in sushi.
4. Her dinners at home look great. Make sure to add a lot of veggies to help yourself fill up.
5. I would suggest that she has more salads for lunch with lean protein. Just make sure you either use low fat salad dressing or small amounts of the “real thing”. Check out my post on salad dressings.
6. We will also judge her progress from her measurements or by how her clothes fit rather than just by the scale. Esther has dramatically increased her exercise. This can cause development of muscle mass which will make her lose inches but can slow the loss on the scale.
Starting measurements:
arm: 12″
natural waist: 30 1/2 “ 
lower abs : 36″
hips:  42 1/2 “
thighs: 25 3/4 ‘

BTW - Esther didn’t make it to Toast of the Town last Monday. She got sick from eating possible bad sushi (she thinks!). In any case, she avoided a diet disaster with unlimited wine and food!

Goals for this week:
1. Continue food records
2. I would challenge her to have only 2 glasses of wine for the whole week
3. Eat out only 2 times this week and be very careful!
4. Add in 2 more cardio sessions this week. Walking home from work and doing interval training with your trainer is great - but try to add 2 more sessions for 40 minutes or more (i.e. spinning class, speed walking on the treadmill or the eliptical machine).

Good luck! BTW - I heard you are attending a Sex and the City Party next week. Be careful!

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Most of us have our favorite foods we can’t live without. As a nutritionist, I get a lot of people asking me what I eat. While I enjoy eating a lot of different foods (most healthy, some not so healthy), there are a few foods that I always have to have in my apartment. I thought it would be interesting to see what types of foods other nutritionists can’t live without. Here are replies from some of my co-workers - registered dietitians and dietetic interns -  at New York Presbyterian Hospital. (Pics are of “nutritionists night out” … suprised I didn’t see wine listed as a favorite food/drink!)

Four foods nutritionists can’t live without:

C.S:    Non-fat yogurt, bananas, frozen vegetables (all kinds), almonds

D.H:    Oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, frozen broccoli, and chocolate 

B.O:    Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter, cherry tomatoes, grapefruits, rice and beans

M.Z:    Avocados, Sarabeth’s Fig Jam, cherry tomatoes, Laughing Cow Cheese; French Onion
Pheww that was hard because I can’t go without eating sushi for a week but I don’t keep it in my home; actually I don’t keep very much at home.

T.K:    Meusli - I mix my own, dried soba, canned fish, eggs

J.B:    Greek Yogurt 0% Fat, unsalted matzo, Swiss Miss Hot choc (50 calories), plaintain or fresh apple

J.H:    Dried cranberries, high fiber (4-5 g) bread,  cheese (usually cheddar, or sliced havarti), oranges, strawberries or apples
 
J.H:    Hummus, peanut butter, bread (always a loaf whole wheat sliced bread but a french baguette or challah is usally around too!!)
apples

R.W:    Natural chunky peanut butter, garlic lovers hummus, philadelphia fat free cream cheese, and chunky spicy salsa. I find that these spreads are an easy/cheap way to get me to eat my vegetables and make for healthy snacking. 

C.G:    Vanilla almond milk, Fiber One cereal, celery and hummus, dark chocolate

G.W:    Two foods I NEED to have are reduced fat peanut butter and sliced american cheese (reduced fat also). 

S.T:    Salad supplies- lettuce, tomatoes, cukes, mushrooms, fat free cheese slices/string cheese, some kind of sugar free candy/treats for my sweet tooth such as jello sugar free puddings and jellos, Fiber One cereal  

S.Z:    Fage 0% Greek Yogurt, soy nuggets, Puffins peanut butter cereal, part skim string cheese 

A.A:    Apples, carrots, almonds, chocolate 

T.C:    Skim milk, yogurt, cereal - Quaker Oatmeal Squares, whole wheat bread

G.A:    Bread, milk, cereal and fruit juice. That’s mostly because of  my children.

M.N:    Granola, cheese, tomatoes, peppers 

C.D:    Almonds, unsweetened apple sauce, oatmeal, chocolate    

M.M. (me!):   Fage 2% yogurt, blueberries (fresh or frozen), All Bran or Fiber One cereal, eggs.

 Well, there you have it. Most of our favorite foods are on the healthy side. Common favorites include almonds, peanut butter, whole grain bread, yogurt and various fruits and veggies. This doesn’t mean we don’t eat junk food on occasion!

What are the foods/drinks that you can’t live without?

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Citygirlbites has received a plea for help. Esther, a loyal citygirlbites reader, is trying to lose weight and thought taking her “case” public would help keep her motivated. Esther is a typical city girl. She works long hours, gets home late, minimal time (or sometimes motivation!) to exercise, has an active social life, eats out frequently, likes her wine…

Esther  has been battling her weight for the past few years (maybe more). Unfortunately, she has been losing her battle. Like many of you, she has tried numerous diets and exercise routines. Lost a few pounds here and there…but nothing significant or sustainable. If anything, her weight has been slowly going up. So Esther has decided to take her case to citygirlbites. She feels “going public” may help keep her motivated as well as control her urges to stray if she knows she will need to “cheat” (don’t like to use this word, but I will anyway!) in front all the readers. She has even agreed to put her pic on the blog.

Esther’s Story:
Martha:Esther, tell us why you decided to approach citygirlbites to “broadcast” your story.
 Esther: Since I am a city girl bites loyal fan I thought why not ask Martha to put me on her blog so I could not only feel accountable for myself but to make myself accountable to any blog readers.
 
Martha: Tell us a little bit about your weight history.
Esther: I have always been weight conscious and dieted on and off since junior high school.My weight fluctuated but usually it was a five pound difference up or down.I don’t know exactly when my weight increased a substantial amount but somehow my weight went from 121 to 131 to a high of 146 which is still a little unbelievable for me only being 5″2.

Martha: What kinds of “diets” have you tried?
Esther:In the past I would try anything that came along from the Scarsdale diet to drinking and eating grapefruits to “ burn fat “.  Since the weight I would usually lose would come right back on I realized that I needed a nutrition plan that didn’t deviate that much from how I normally eat. I then tried Jenny Craig which didn’t seem to take any weight off and I didn’t like eating foods that were prepared in advance and prepackaged.  The most recent plans I’ve tried are Atkins, South Beach and just plain Mediterranean eating ( from my origin ).  I’ve been avoiding processed foods and “fat free” “fake” food.  My main problem seems to be my portion control.

Martha: Tell us about your exercise program:
Esther:I’ve been a member of Equinox gym for seven years and when I go, I love being there, but getting there has not been consistent. I received an email from Equinox for a weight loss challenge so I decided it would be an opportunity to push myself and try to commit hoping for results.  During the challenge I’ve committed to working out with my personal trainer Anastasia twice a week as well as going to the gym for pilates & spinning classes.

Martha:Esther, tell us what your major problem areas are when it comes to controlling your weight (ie. eat out a lot,  alcohol, have trouble with bread basket, not enough consistent exercise, etc.)
Esther:I think aside from my portion control, I seem to be out of control when I socialize.  I try to stick to healthy meals but tend to sample other peoples plates.  I also have a habit of snacking in the evening whether it be more than one 100 calorie pack, too many nuts… and a few glasses of wine. I also attend a lot of industry events ( a few a month ) that pass around hors d’ouevres and champagne, wine… When I do go to industry events or out to dinner with friends, I end up skipping the gym.

Martha: Now that you are in serious weight loss mode, please tell us what you are eating on a typical day.
Esther: Here was a typical day (although there is really no such thing as typical for my schedule)
Friday May 9th: 
Breakfast: 
coffee 
once small cheese pie ( eggs, cheese) 
 
Lunch: 
2 small pieces of chicken 
1 smart ones pasta w/ vegetables in tomato sauce 
 
Snack: 
1 piece string cheese 
grapes & strawberries 
bite of dessert 
 
Dinner: 
1 1/2 glasses of white wine 
tapas:  steamed clams, 1 bite fresh mozzarella, 1 artichoke, 2 pieces zucchini sauteed in olive oil, 1 piece grilled octopus with lemon & olive oil 
chicory salad with oil & anchovies 
1/2 piece of steamed striped bass, one slice of steamed potato 
strawberries w/ one spoon of zabalone 
1 small espresso 
No exercise this day

Martha: I can see that eating out is a bit of a problem… more on this later!

Here are my recommendations to get you started:  
1. I would recommend a 1300 - 1400 calorie diet plan for you, assuming you are following  my exercise recommendations.

2. Keep daily food and exercise records, including beverages. We will post one weekday and one weekend day (I will choose the days to be posted!!) on citygirlbites.

3. Exercise recommendations:
a. trainer 2x/week
b. cardio 2-3 sessions/week
c. optional 1 pilates sessions/week
d. walk home from work at least 2 days a week. (this is a 45 minute walk)

4. Each week you will set goals and then report if you met them the next week. You also must report each “cheat”. Send in weekly reports of your weight, exercise schedule and how you did on your eating plan.

Martha:Now that we have your picture up,  if any of you city girls or guys see Esther on the street, give her some words of encouragement. On the other hand, if you catch her in a cheese shop purchasing chunks of cheese or see her grabbing food from others plates  in restaurants or see her ordering one too many glasses of wine, PLEASE confront her. She needs our support!

 Esther, BTW - I heard you are attending a potential problematic event Monday evening … Toast of the Town . For those of you who aren’t familiar with this event, here is a description “Well-dressed New Yorkers of all ages attend Wine Enthusiast’s Toast of the Town at the New York Theatre at Lincoln Center for an opportunity to sample over 500 different wines and dishes from select New York City restaurants”. Be careful Esther - we are watching you!!! We look forward to your first report this Friday.

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You’ve probably heard the word organic a lot lately and perhaps you are wondering what organic actually means and if it’s really worth the hefty price tag.  First, let’s make one thing clear, in the food world, organic and natural are not synonyms and neither of them independently mean that a product is healthy.  The word “natural” is over-used when it comes to food so read the ingredients label to decide if a product really is natural.  Cookies, chips and other snack foods may contain organic ingredients, but that alone does not make them a healthy option.

So, what does the term organic actually mean?  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for the certification of organic foods.  The USDA defines organics as products produced “using materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems to minimize pollution from air, soil and water”.  This means that organic food is not genetically modified and is produced with minimal use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides and in the case of animals without antibiotics or growth hormones.  In order for a product to have a USDA organic seal, it must be at least 95% organic.  100% organic products will usually be labeled as such.  A product labeled with the statement “made with organic ingredients” must contain at least 70% organic ingredients; these products will not have an organic seal.
 
Benefits of eating organic foods
Two known benefits of eating organic are: reducing environmental pollution and limiting your exposure to pesticides, herbicides, chemicals, antibiotics and growth hormones.  None of the evidence against pesticides, growth hormones or other chemicals used in agriculture is significant enough for their use to be banned in the United States, however reported dangers associated with the use of these products include: genetic damage, nervous system damage, disrupted hormone function, infertility, cancer cell growth and harm to the skin, eyes and lungs.  There are studies that show increased vitamin and mineral concentrations in organic produce but there is not sufficient evidence to support a statement from the Department of Agriculture affirming that organic food is nutritionally superior to its conventional counterpart.

Is organic worth the cost?
The reason organic food is typically more expensive than conventional food is that organic farming practices are more expensive and organic farming results in lower crop yield. So, is ingesting fewer chemicals and reducing your carbon footprint worth the cost?  I like the idea, but I guess it’s ultimately a personal decision.  To help you out the Environmental Working Group have named the “dirty dozen” of produce; tests show that these foods have the most pesticide residue.  So if you do make the decision to try organics, these foods are a good start:

The “Dirty Dozen” include: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, red raspberries, spinach and strawberries. Check out this previous post for more info on the most and least contaminated fruits and veggies - and how to clean them.

Organic meats, poultry and baby food
Organic meat and poultry products are also an important consideration.  Organic meat and poultry products cannot be given antibiotics or growth hormones, are able to roam outdoors, and eat only organic feed with no animal byproducts.  Additionally, for parents out there, organic baby food might be the way to go since smaller systems are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of pesticides and fertilizers.  (Again, there are no official recommendations to this effect).

Where to find organic foods
One of the many benefits of living in New York City is that organic foods are quite accessible.  Many branches of Food Emporium carry a good selection of organic foods.  Most specialty stores like Gourmet Garage and Whole Foods Market carry organic foods. You are almost always guaranteed a great selection of organic foods at any New York City Greenmarket.   For added convenience, Fresh Direct offers a myriad of organic foods as part of their delivery service.  If you need some help getting started, Healthy Living NY  offers lists of grocery stores, markets and even restaurants that serve organic foods.  Check it out, perhaps its easier being green than you think.
 

I would like to thank Allison Arnett, Dietetic Intern at New York       
               Presbyterian Hospital for writing this article. 

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