New Year's Resolution - To Your Health

How many years has 'lose weight' been listed in your top 3 New Year's Resolutions?

If it almost seems like listing it dooms you to keep the weight on, then try a different approach. Make 'losing weight' a side benefit of a more important resolution 'be healthier'.

There are lots of things you can do to be healthier. You can manage your health:

• Make the medical rounds
  - Get a physical, get a gynecological exam, see other doctors that you ought
  - Every two years, get an eye exam
  - See a dental hygienist
• Get tests
  - Blood tests, check blood sugar levels (A1C), cholesterol, Creatinine (the chemical found in blood or urine that estimates kidney function)
  - Mammogram and other tests your doctor will suggest
• Monitor your health
  - Know your blood pressure, weight
• Protect your immune system
  -Get a flu shot, pneumonia vaccine (once a life and worth it)
• Build and maintain good habits
  - Eat healthy, set-up an appointment with a nutritionist to start learning what eating healthy is
  - Eat only when hungry, stop when you're full
  - Exercise
  - Get on a weight lose program, vow to stay on it for the entire year.

The oldest food known to man may be the best.

Fresh and dried fruits were the staple of early man. In ancient times, fruits were considered to have magical properties. Perhaps we should give fruits their due reverence for what they consistently deliver to our bodies: substantial quantities of essential nutrients. Plus fruits are very easily digested and exercise a cleansing effect on the blood and the digestive systems.

Why eat fruit?

• Eat a lot of fruit and you will naturally enjoy better health.
• Fruits have a hydrating effect helping the body to absorb the sugar and minerals directly from the fruit.
• Fruits also have a diuretic and alkanising effect and the fibres promote good intestinal elimination.
• Fruits are easily and quickly digestible, they are a source of instant heat and energy. Fruits also have a natural laxative effect. The fibrous matter in fruits aids in the smooth passage of food in the digestive track and easy bowel action. The sugars and organic acids contained in the fruits also increase their laxative effect, especially in papaya and guavas.
• Fruits are best eaten in their natural form. Nutrients are lost when fruits are baked or cooked.
• Always eat fruits before other foods because they digest faster.

Change your 'comfort' food

A bad day at work, I used to be in the refrigerator eating ice cream out of the container. It was one of my comfort foods with cookies a close second.

I've changed what I go for in the cupboards for comfort. You can do it. I did it by promising myself that I could have ice cream if I really wanted it after eating a more low-calories and nutritious comfort food. Most of the time, I never opened the freezer for the chocolate chocolate mint.

The key to changing comfort foods is having them in the house and not having to do a lot of preparation to eating them. Here are some comfort foods to start embracing:

1. Soups - What mom made us, from a pan or from scratch, is what brings back warm memories of childhood.
   
   Progresso and Campbell's have come out with some great low-calorie soups. Talk about easy to fix, pull-open can top, pour in microwave cup, serve 3 minutes later.
   
   Always have them in the pantry. But don't stop there, I've found that acorn squash soup have a creamy taste that I think hit the comfort spot. Send some time in the soup aisle checking labels on some of your favorite soups.
   


2. Desserts - When it comes to comfort, rich and creamy is the name of the game. Rice pudding, vanilla pudding, chocolate flavored yogurt tend to be low in calories. Check the individual brands. Do some research and have some low-calorie treats in stock.
   


3. Breakfast, anytime of the day - Lots of people find breakfast such a comforting meal that they indulge in their favorite breakfast dishes for other times in the day. There are even restaurants that serve just cereals (waiters in PJs).
   
   I'm not suggesting french toast and pancakes, but why not an egg with a slice of toast or pouring some milk over your favorite cereal. Before I go to a party, I'll eat a bowl of cereal to fill me up. It helps subdue the pangs of hunger that would otherwise find a party snack tray tempting.
   


4. Vegetables - Make comfort food all about texture: crispy, soft or succulent. You can buy carrots, cauliflower, broccoli already cut-up ready for dip. And for dip, why not use a low-fat, low-calorie vinegarette.
   


5. Teas - Find a tea that hits the comfort spot. For me it's Teavana's chocolate tea. Oddly it doesn't taste like tea but it 'feels' like I've drank some chocolate.
   
   Do it up, make a tea ceremony just for yourself. Teapot, sugar and cream bowl (better yet find a tea you don't need sugar and cream), and a favorite cup, if all put on a tray and taken out to the deck it's all sublime. Find yourself a tea cozy and you'll be set.

With comfort food, it's about engaging our senses and our emotions in a deeply satisfying way.

Get Antioxidants From Food, Not Supplements

Antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies are associated with decreased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. So wouldn't it make sense that antioxidant supplements could do the same. However, supplements are largely ineffective in preventing heart disease, according to an American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Advisory.

"At this time, there is little reason to advise that individuals take antioxidant supplements to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease," said lead author Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., of Pennsylvania State University, adding: "We know that diets high in fruits and vegetables are associated with decreased risk ... In addition, achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight and being physically active are important."

Another study of over 170,000 participants published in The Lancet found that antioxidant supplements did not lower the risk of gastrointestinal cancer and in fact seemed to increase overall mortality. Again these supplements may actually increase, not decrease, your chances of dying from cancer. For example

• Combinations of beta-carotene with either vitamin A or C, and vitamin E supplements were found to pose the most risk.


• Vitamin E pills actually increased LDL (bad) cholesterol in animal studies, reports The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Dr. Ronald Krauss, director of atherosclerosis research at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, said: "If one wants to take advantage of antioxidants, which can have many health benefits, one should rely on eating foods that are rich in antioxidants and not rely on taking supplements to prevent heart disease."

Why would antioxidant supplements on their own show little benefit, or even potential risk? One possibility is that the many different nutrients -- vitamins, minerals and phytochemical antioxidants -- within whole foods work in synergy. Some antioxidants act as "big brother" to other nutrients, shielding them from oxidative damage and letting them do their job. What's more, plant-based diets also tend to be lower in harmful saturated and trans-fats and higher in beneficial fiber.

Fortunately, the supplements in question are found abundantly in nature.

• Beta-carotene: butternut squash, pumpkin, cantaloupe, carrots, kale, spinach and apricots.


• Vitamin C: red bell peppers, papaya, citrus fruits, kiwis, broccoli.


• Vitamin E: almonds, dark green leafy vegetables, vegetable juice cocktail, whole grains, corn.
  

Don't slip up on banana facts...

...because eating bananas is a great idea! Don't give them up just because of calorie content.

According to Dole, bananas are a well-known 'Superfood for Your Heart' because of their unique combination of nutrients all supporting various aspects of heart health:

• potassium (for blood pressure control)


• fiber (for cholesterol regulation)


• vitamin B6 (to reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid which at high levels can damage arteries)


• vitamin C (to prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol).

If the above isn't enough...

• Astonishingly, eating two bananas a day can reduce blood pressure by 10% in one week.


• Those who consume diets rich in potassium are 50% less likely to have a stroke.


• Consume 3 or more bananas a week and you'll have a lower risk of developing leukemia, as well as colorectal and kidney cancer. 72% lower risk of colorectal cancer; such anti-cancer benefits may be due to bananas' high level of vitamin B6, which has been shown to inhibit DNA strand breaks.

The banana diet craze that swept Japan...

...is being promoted by the banana distributor, Dole.

The banana diet was created by an Osaka pharmacist, whose husband dropped 38 pounds by following it. Word spread and Japanese grocery stores couldn’t keep bananas on the shelves.

Now, Dole is trying to get Americans to join the bandwagon but with a healthier banana diet that helps you lose weight while enjoying the benefits of increased fruit consumption.

The Dole banana diet substitutes well-balanced meals and nutritious recipes for the “all you can eat” approach.

I've always felt that bananas got a bad rap in diet literature. When you think of it, so did fruits. The sugars in all fruits were considered dietary villians. But apply commonsense and fruits should be a large part of your losing weight strategy.

• The vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in fruit work synergistically with each other, so much so that your body absorbs these essentials much easier than in supplement or 'fortified' food form.
• You can attack hunger cravings a lot easier with a piece of fruit than with a granola bar or other snack food.

The Dole Banana Diet may be a little extreme, but the recipes on the web site include a lot of fruits which I give a two thumbs up.

Lack Of Evidence For Multivitamin Benefits

If you're taking a multivitamin to get all the vitamins you need, think again. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found "insufficient evidence on the benefits and safety of multivitamins/minerals to recommend their regular consumption."

"More than half of Americans are taking dietary supplements, the majority of which are multivitamins, and the bottom line is that we don't know for sure that they're benefiting from them. In fact, we're concerned that some people may be getting too much of certain nutrients," said panel chairman J. Michael McGinnis, M.D., M.P.P., Senior Scholar with the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

With many commonly consumed foods (cereal, protein bars, sports beverages, etc.) fortified with vitamins and minerals, it's easy to see how adding supplements to your regimen could easily put you over the top. For example:

1. Beta-carotene supplements were not found to protect against cancer or heart disease. In fact, beta-carotene supplementation among women who were smokers at some point in their lives more than doubles the risk of tobacco-related cancers. If you eat a healthy diet, getting too much beta-carotene is a concern.


2. Athletes and others take glucosamine to relieve joint pain, but research shows most commercial supplements are ineffective, while the safety of large doses remains uncertain.


3. High intake of multivitamins in general -- and zinc in particular -- hiked men's risk of dying from prostate cancer. Multis can also be a concern for women, as they're linked to increased breast density, which can mean a six-fold greater breast cancer risk.

This doesn't mean you should ignore your nutrient needs, as far too many Americans are deficient when it comes to fiber, calcium, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, C and E. Rather, put your focus on deriving key nutrients from food, not supplements.

Best hostess gift award

If you're tired of buffet lines with everything soaked in calories and fat, here's the answer. And the answer may be the best hostess gift there ever was. Bring roasted veggies.
And don't just bring the veggies and take up space in your hostess' oven, bring your own oven - toaster oven that is.

That's my friends toaster oven in the backseat with all the gifts. And those are the cut-up veggies ready to roast in the baggie. Grace set-up the oven in an out of the way place, put the veggies in a dish she brought, put the veggies into the 350 degree oven and let roast for 60 minutes.

Grace even brought her own potholders and serving tongs.

I happened to catch a glimpse into her purse and caught the reminder note to remember to bring the veggies. Grace thinks of everything.

Happy Holidays

Avoiding double dipping dips

A previous post highlighted the problems of double dipping with party dips (oh the bacteria!); a good friend provided a great suggestion.

Instead of one big bag of chips/pretzels/crackers, buy individual sized packets and provide a spoon for party-goers to scoop the dip into the their own packet.

Why didn't we think of this before? As someone watching her weight, the packet gives me the nutritional info I need. The trick is stopping at one packet. But then it's easy to count packets not chips.

Photo is of Sun Chips with bacteria prone salsa.

Is it your family that's writing to 'Dear Abby'?

'Hungry for Advice' wrote to Dear Abby complaining that her sister-in-law, while in the process of losing weight, is driving the family crazy.

The weight-loser rambles on and on about what she eats and doesn't eat. And apparently, the woman feels free to comment of food choices that her family makes.

Sounds like a boring holiday dinner coming up for this family.

In this season of holiday togetherness, Dear Abby imparts an understanding of what the weight-loser is going through. With dieters often obsessed food: food that's allowed, food that's forbidden, Dear Abby suggests the weight-loser isn't going to change until she "accepts that her new eating habits have become her lifestyle." Accepting this, only then will food stop being uppermost in her thoughts.

Dear Abby suggests that the weight-loser joins a support group that will give her positive feedback from others losing weight also. Hopefully this interaction will mean the family is subjected to fewer details of her weight-loss journey.

So I now wonder if I bore my family with my proud accomplishments of losing weight and getting fit. Probably more than I'd like to think.

The takeaway is to get us to accepting our new eating habits as our lifestyle, making getting fitness easier on us and as it turns out, our families.

Antioxidant Pills Negate Exercise Benefits

Vitamin stores, health food stores even my local grocery store has them - antioxidant pills that promise to neutralize the free radicals generated by strenuous exercise. Instead antioxidant pills block metabolic improvements that you gain with exercise.

In a recent German study, people who engaged in about an hour and a half of intense exercise -- running, cycling, weight-lifting -- five days a week achieved various health benefits, including improved ability to control blood sugar, thus reducing diabetes risk.

But when the men took antioxidant supplements -- 400 IU of vitamin E and 1,000 mg of vitamin C -- there was NO improvement in insulin sensitivity.

Why? The pills seem to displace the body's own natural antioxidant systems, which otherwise neutralize the oxidative damage caused by increased oxygen intake during exercise.

Take Home Message: For maximum benefits and minimum risk, get the nutrients you need from Antioxidant Superfoods like apples, berries, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.

What nutrients are you missing?

One look around will tell you, as a nation, our intake of calories, refined carbohydrates, saturated fat and sodium is too much. Yet, we are undernourished when it comes to key nutrients based on a recent reports issued from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

We fail to meet recommended daily allowances for a host of vitamins and minerals. Nutrients slipping through the 'crack' include: fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, E and C and calcium.

Vitamin C is lacking in 40% of men and 38% of women 19 or older -- surprising because it’s so easy to meet (e.g. half of one red bell pepper provides well over 100% of the daily requirement). Vitamin C promotes collagen formation, immune function and wound healing. Top sources of vitamin C include red/yellow bell peppers, kiwi, oranges, and broccoli.

Calcium deficiency is also problematic, with one half of women and 40% of men failing to get enough. Calcium promotes strong bones and teeth. Top sources of calcium include nonfat milk, soybeans, kale, and arugula.

Zinc One-third of people over 70 years old do not get enough zinc. Zinc helps boost the immune system and may reduce cold symptoms. Top sources of zinc include oysters, beans, oats, and green peas.

Vitamin B6 Are you among the 33% of adult women do not meet the daily vitamin B6 requirement. Vitamin B6 may reduce the risk of heart disease, help make red blood cells, and support normal brain and immune function. Top sources of vitamin B6 include potatoes, bananas, red bell peppers, and broccoli.

Iron About 15% of women 14 to 50 years old fall short on iron. Iron is needed to oxygenate the blood and support reproduction. Top sources of iron include cooked clams, spinach, green peas, and soybeans.

Phosphorus Forty percent of young women (ages 9-18) do not get adequate phosphorus. Phosphorus works with calcium to promote strong bones and teeth. Top sources of phosphorus include lentils, sardines, salmon, and Portobello mushrooms.

Brushing teeth as a part of your weight loss strategy

Brushing your teeth after meals does more than prevent cavities and freshen your breath--it also sends a signal to your brain that you are done eating. So brush as often as possible for good oral hygiene and curb cravings while you're at it! Carry around breath mints or gum for the same effect when you eat out.

source: Dole Nutrition Handbook

Lose weight mantras

I recently met a woman who had lost over one hundred pounds and had kept it off for the last 10 years. I asked her what she did when she was reaching for food she wasn't hungry for.

She said to herself "I've got to stop eating sometime, it might as well be now."

You know the scenario, you're about to go to bed and you're walking through the kitchen. Just one more cracker, you're thinking. What could it hurt?

Try this mantra next time a tasty tidbit calls out to you from behind a kitchen cabinet door.

Strawberry Salad with Greens, Feta Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Here's the recipe suggested for Dole Spring Mix lettuce with my own improvements (seriously salt on this salad?).

Ingredients
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
1 pkg. DOLE® Spring Mix lettuce
2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Directions

• Combine vinegar, olive oil, basil in small bowl with a dash of pepper.


• Gently combine the lettuce and strawberries in large bowl.


• Add vinaigrette and toss gently. Serve and sprinkle each salad with cheese and pine nuts.

Dole's Salad Guide: New entry in the bagged salad line proves interesting

Who hasn't seen the add with the gent suggesting what you can eat with a particular bagged salad.

At first the new bagged salads showed promise indicating how mild or bold the lettuce is or how tender and crunchy the lettuce is. I didn't know you could characterize lettuce that way; and unfortunately, I don't know what to do with that information.

A little more reading on the package gives a good suggestion or two. For Spring Mix, it pairs well with balsamic vinaigrette, crumbled goat cheese, julienne sliced sun-dried tomatoes and Mediterranean herbs (what are Mediterranean herbs?)

Digging deeper, the Dole web site gives several recipes per bagged lettuce type. The recipes are a little hard to find. You have to know to search for 'packaged lettuce.' Anyway, here's the home page for bagged salads. The recipes really let you add some sophistication to your at-home-eating experience. I've tweaked a strawberry lettuce combo salad. See what you think.

Before I forget, the bagged salads all have new easy open packages. Thank goodness. How many times have you cut open bagged salad only to spill some leaves.

Load up on greens to lose weight

Excerpts from an article by Karen Collins, R.D. for MSNBC.

You arrive at a restaurant, ravenously hungry, you first eat a good-sized salad. When the main course arrives, all you can do is nibble and pick at it. If this has happened to you, you’ve stumbled across a good weight management strategy.

Studies by Pennsylvania State University have shown that women who eat large (3 cups), low-calorie salads before being served the rest of their lunch ended up eating 100 less total calories.

It's a weight losing strategy to lose more than 10 pounds a year:

• Salads must be large (3 cups). Salads half that size (typical size for most Americans) were shown to reduce the calorie count by only half as much. The salads included lettuce, grated carrots, tomato, celery and cucumber with limited amounts of reduced-fat dressing.
• Keep it low fat. When salads slightly higher in fat and calories were served in the Penn State study, overall calorie consumption at the meal stayed the same. But large portions of higher-calorie salads with cheese and regular dressings actually increased overall calorie consumption at meals by 17%.
• Wait a bit before eating the rest of the meal. In the Penn State study, the remaining food was served 20 minutes after the salad. That's gives your body enough time to recognize how much you've already eaten. If you eat quickly, you might still eat the same amount after a large salad. Your body needs the time to sense how full it is.
• Admit it, if you're a clean plater. Don't serve yourself (so you won't eat) regular portions of the dishes following the salad. To reduce the total number of calories you eat at a meal, you need to eat smaller portions of the remaining dishes. Let your hunger should be satisfied with smaller portions.
• Along with your low-calorie foods, include protein, whether it is meat, poultry, fish, dairy or vegetarian. Otherwise, within a few hours, you’ll be ready to eat again, and your calorie savings may be wiped out.

While weight loss alone can lessen your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and a host of other ailments, all the extra fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins and nutrients you are getting in the process will do double-duty in terms of protecting you from disease. Filling up on fruits and vegetables lets you cut calories without feeling hungry, while increasing anti-aging antioxidant activity in your blood.

The success to a salad strategy for weight control depends upon proper food portions. By filling up primarily on low-calorie foods, like salads, vegetables or light soups, you can cut back on high-calorie, high-fat foods like meats and desserts.

By switching to a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans, you're eating for weight control and better health says the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Where are you on the health-and-wellness consumer scale?

Today’s health-and-wellness consumers can't be defined by demographics; all incomes, genders, educational backgrounds and ethnicities are represented according to a new study released by the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Global Market Development Center’s (GMDC) Educational Foundation.

Three key segments of health-and-wellness consumers emerge: Core (13 percent), Mid-level (62 percent) and Periphery (25 percent). Almost the entire U.S. population fits into one of these segments.

• Core consumers are most lifestyle-involved in health and wellness, and serve as trendsetters for other consumers. It’s a major life focus for them.
• Mid-level consumers are moderately involved in the lifestyle, and tend to follow some of the trends set by the Core group and purchase large amounts of both conventional and health-and-wellness-specific products.
• Periphery consumers are the ‘entry-level’ health-and-wellness consumers, and are more reactive than proactive when it comes to health and wellness.

There’s a constant evolution toward the Core group over time, driven by triggers such as life stages and illness.

Within health-and-wellness product categories, the study found that there is a “Predictable Product Adoption Path,” showing the order by which consumers typically introduce product categories into their wellness regimens as they evolve from Periphery toward the Core.

For example, new parents may buy organic baby food and then try some organic foods themselves, followed by organic and natural products in other categories such as personal care.

Tops idea for down'sizing'

Two finds for your consideration.

This is a fabulous find for a down'sizing' gal. A wrap knit top that goes over a favorite tee. Super for downplay the tummy area which for most of us is great. I have something just like this in purple stripes with a purple tee underneath. Wrapping makes the top fit just right, regardless of a smaller size.

The second find updates the empire waist look. There are so many empire waist tops out there, it's time for an update. As you well know, empire waists are great at hiding that area between chest and hips. But a loose cropped sweater to top it adds interest while it forgives a little larger size than needed in the empire blouse. Make that great empire blouse last longer.

Beware of holiday dips and doubling dips

Based on information taken from a 12/8/09 Miami Herald article by Jodi Mailander.

The holiday season has begun and you can assume every party will have its fair share of dips and chips. If you're like me, every time you submerge a chip into a dip you think about the 1993 Seinfeld episode in which George Costanza is confronted after dipping twice with the same chip.
The scene introduced us to the social taboo of ``double-dipping."

Health-conscious fun-lovers should be wary -- and not just of gaining weight from all those extra calories -- of double-dipping. Turns out that science backs the popular fear that party goers are sharing more than good cheer when they go back to the communal bowl of dip for seconds with the same chip.

A Clemson University study found that three to six double dips in one bowl transferred about 10,000 bacteria from the eaters' mouths to the remaining dip. So double dipping could make you ill.

As a party-goer, dip in the thick. In general, thicker sauces -- cheese dip, chocolate syrup, hummus -- may be safer. They have less bacteria and the number of bacteria in them gets smaller over time, the Clemson study found. Salsa picked up the most bacteria, probably because it was runny, making it easier for bacteria to slip off the chip back into the bowl.

As a party-giver, serve small, one-dip chips or only munch with people you really like.

Double-dipping is like kissing everybody at the party.

Exer-gaming not replacing playing sports

Excerpts from a 12/08/09 Detroit Free Press article by Krista Jahnke

Wii Fit has a growing set of followers who bypass traditional workout methods and use interactive exer-gaming to get in shape.

It started 3 years ago with Dance Dance Revolution. Now there's Wii Fit, The Biggest Loser and more. Wii Fit has sold more than 21 million units since its launch in 2007. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) named technology-based fitness one the top trends of 2009.

The games help make fitness fun and get people who are not exercising to start. But do the games a worthwhile workout?

An Ace study conducted with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, showed less than six-pack-producing results.

``Doing the real thing is always better in terms of return on that investment,'' said Dr. Cedric Bryant, the ACE chief of science. ``You can't perfectly simulate the activity that the game mimics.''

These studies found that Dance Dance Revolution offers the best video game workout; Wii Sports was second-best. They called the popular Wii Fit the most ineffective.

"Of course, much depends on how much the user puts into it," Bryant said. And he points out, something is better than nothing. ``What you can do is look at it as part of an overall workout program,'' he said. ``For a person who traditionally works out pretty hard already, the Wii could be a great exercise for a recovery day.''

Michaels, the celebrated trainer from The Biggest Loser, said getting into the exer-gaming arena was rewarding because she once was an overweight gamer herself. Her new game line, Fitness Ultimatum 2010, allows users to customize their workout and get simulated one-on-one training from Michaels. On the Wii version, which uses a balance board, it can track how closely users mimic Michaels' movements. ``The game offers immediate and accurate feedback following each rep completed, so the player can correct their movements, thus attaining a successful workout,'' Michaels wrote in an e-mail.

Exercising at home has meant following repetitive DVDs or bulky exercise equipment. Technology based exercising (Wii Fit and others) or exer-gaming gives the exerciser a lot of options to vary their work-out at convenient times and place. It shouldn't be your only source of exercise, however. Most fitness experts suggest using it on 'recovery' days from your normal fitness routine.

Smart Choices Program

The Smart Choices Program is a new front-of-pack nutrition labeling program that U.S. food manufacturers and retailers can voluntarily adopt to promote informed food choices.

A Smart Choices label can be put on food if it meets nutritional criteria based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The qualifying criteria works to:
- limit total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, added sugars and sodium
- encourage nutrients such as calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium and vitamins A,C, and E
- encourage food groups such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free milk products.

The program covers food and beverages in 19 distinct product categories, including meats, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and snacks.

'Just eat it,' says Michelle Obama

First Lady Michelle Obama says it best. When it comes to veggies, the First Lady told kids at a White House health fair to not complain about eating fresh produce. "Don't whine, just eat your veggies," she told them.

I hope the kids' parents were within hearing distance. We grownups need to buckle down and "just eat" our vegetables too.

Eating lots of vegetables is crucial while losing weight. With calories not worth mentioning and packed with essential nutrients, you can eat lots and fill up easier with veggies.

A weight loss lifesaver has been grilled vegetables. At the beginning of the week, I chopped up onions, green peppers, mushrooms, squash. I throw all those veggies into a big zip-lock bag with baby carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. I add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons each of cumin and fresh rosemary and literally toss the zip-lock bag up in the air a couple of times.

These last me a week, I grab hands full to toss in a salad or to add to stir fry or to oven roast.

Oven roasting is my favorite. It takes 45 minutes but so worth it.

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Spray non-stick vegetable spray in a baking dish.
3. Toss the fresh veggie zip-lock a couple of times
4. Spread one cup (for each serving) of fresh veggies in the bottom of the baking dish.
5. Bake for 30 minutes then add one cup of broth (I use the powered king that I mix in a bowl).
6. Bake an additional 15 minutes and you've got great tasting veggies for any meal.

The beauty of this recipe is that it works with almost any vegetables. Pick and choose what you want to add.

Down'sizing' - part 4, what to buy

1. Pants-top priority for fit but not for variety. Find pants that fit. Buy just enough to get you from one washday to another. I make do with denim, black, khaki and brown. Decide what you need and then find the cheapest pants that fit. Why the cheapest? Because you won't be wearing them for long.

Before going too far, we need to stretch. Talk about stretch fabrics that is. As you slim down, you'll want to try stretch pants. They can be body slimming in the misses' sizes. Avoid stretch pants that look great when you put them on but puddle at the knees around noon. Good stretch pants look good all the day long.

Some pants have an inside 'tummy' trimmer, a little mini girdle inside the pant. Great idea but make sure when you tuck a shirt in that the 'tummy' trimmer doesn't try to grapple with the shirt edges making it next to impossible to get a smooth look.

Here's what I've found works in buying pants:

• Jeans in all colors. Jeans are cheap and the fit can be pretty amazing.
  The lowdown on the big box stores
  K-Mart has a great jean selection. Don't look for anything beyond khaki, black and denim but the price is right and the jeans are nice enough to wear to work any day of the week.
  A step up costwise is Kohl's but the store outdoes itself in selection. Gloria Vanderbilt jeans tend to fit smart (read: you'll wear a size larger than other manufacturers) but the fit is great and the color assortment fantastic. Look for Kohl's coupons in the paper to make the trip to the cash register hurt less. blogger update: I bought Gloria Vanderbilt jeans today at Kohl's for $19.99, you can't beat that.
  
• Slacks
  Wal-Mart has the best selection with twill pants with elastic waists. For us gals who are losing weight, elastic waists can help give our bottoms a great fit.
  I love Target but their pants tend to be less than 'standard' with 'need-to-iron' fabrics, cargo pant pockets, pinstripes, cuffed hems, bell bottoms. When you're down'sizing' your fashion focus shouldn't be on the bottoms.
  
  Once you get in the misses' sizes, I suggest you start tucking shirts in. Find a department store that has their own brand of slacks. You want inexpensive yet looking nice.
  Macy's JM Collection of pants were a godsend for me. They are available in a multitude of colors and options: petites, regular and tall, misses' and women's sizes, elastic waist, zippered front with belt loops and side zipper styles.
  
  During the first leg of my weight loss, the stretch pull-on straight leg pant was perfect for my figure that tends to lose the inches last on my waist. Now in the misses' category, I'm aopting for side or front zipper styles. And at $24.98, these pants are priced to fit my budget. And did I mention they need very little ironing. Online shopping tends to have the best availability in sizes and colors. Bonus benefit: Once I found these pants, shopping became a breeze. Pants becoming a bit loose? Go online and buy the next lower size.

2. Have fun with tops Show off your newly emerging figure.

• A stretch top can fit nicely sometimes across 3 sizes making them a great budget saver.


• Long sleeve t-shirts with no band necklines are inexpensive yet nice enough to wear to work any day of the week. Add a scarf, pretty necklace or vest to dress it up.

3. Belts Yes, look forward to the time when tucking in your shirt and belting the bottom is a look-good option. Once you've left the women's sizes, you should be wearing belts every now and again.

For your down'sizing' look for a belt where you make the holes. I have a belt with a loose weave of leather, no holes (3rd one from the top in the photo). I just stick the prong of the buckle wherever it fits. I bought it at size 16 and still wear it. I love that it's beginning to wrap around my side on its way to my back.

Other belts can work just as well, like the tie belt at the top of the photo. There are belts with holes across its entire span (belt 2 and 3 from the top). The last belt is metal but backed with stretchy fabric. When stretched to its entire length the metal circles are barely touching. All great belts to down'size' with.

4. Vests Buy a vest to wear unbuttoned then as you lose weight, button it. Vests can hide blouses that are a little too large. Great budget saver.

5. Jackets Try the vest strategy of buying small and wearing unbuttoned then buttoning it as the size goes down. Numberwise, buy only what you absolutely need in basic colors (read: black or brown). Don't get me wrong, jackets are fantastic additions to the down'sizing' wardrobe, but they can be budget busters.

Fitted vs Boxed Fitted jackets are going to start looking great on you, but remember fitted jackets are usually designed for a certain look. The outfit won't look so great when you try to pair a fitted jacket outside its genre. Buy fitted when you can think of a couple of outfits you can make with it. Fitted jackets are so tempting. Just make the jacket work for you in several ways.

6. Winter clothes I work inside, all day. So my down'sizing' strategy is to not to immediately down'size' ill fitting coats and sweaters that I just take off once I'm inside the door.

My strategy changes for my cold weekends when I go hiking with the Appalachian Mountain Club. I don't want to look frumpy with my buds, so my hiking clothes fit quite nicely thank you but inside my thermal underwear is quite loose (heh, large sizes are still effectively warm).

I'm heading up to NYC in December. I walk a lot in NYC so I bought a new coat. Down'sizing' your wardrobe doesn't mean you do without when you need it. We've worked hard to get our shapes, there are times when you need to show it.

Here's what I buy for my woolies and fleecies:

• Think smooth - no large 'cables' (as in cable-knit) running down your sweaters and no puffy jackets (the latest style, but so frosty the snowman looking).


• The great thing about sweaters is they're a lot like stretch fabrics. They have to be really big to look too big on you. Make your existing sweater wardrobe last as long as possible.


• Looking for warmth? Fleece is it at bargain prices. Target has a huge assortment of fleece jackets and sweaters in a variety of colors only $15 each.
  
  Other posts in this series
  Down'sizing' introduction
  Part 1 - the plan
  Part 2 - getting the most out of each size..
  Part 3, focus

Down'sizing'- part 3, focus

1. Separates, think tops, pants, skirts, vests and jackets. The human body loses loses weight ignorant of clothing sizes. For me it's been bottoms first, but now the top is catching up. Down'sizing' your wardrobe is certainly the time to mix and match tops and bottoms.
2. Don't buy a smaller size to 'lose' into. Personally if I buy something smaller, my body seems to say 'we'll see about that' and it takes a lot longer to get there.
   But there is another reason not to buy smaller. As you lose, clothing styles will look different on you. Empire waists were always my best bet at my heaviest. Something happened between size 14 and size 12, the empire waisted clothes sensing a smaller waist at size 12 seem to want to 'pile' at my hip line and make me look heavier. Don't want that.
   I'm also amazed at clothing styles that looked horrendous at my obese weight but looked fantastic as I slimmed down.
   There'll come a time when you don't need a loose fit to look good. It will come.
3. Don't buy investment pieces when you've got more weight to lose. It's the correct mindset. You don't want to buy an expensive or frivolous item when you're not near your ideal size. Don't give yourself any motivation to keep the weight high.
   However, if you need clothes for work that need to be professional (lawyer, interior decorator, etc.) - clothes which tend to be more expensive- buy what you need. Treat it as a short-term investment. Wear it a couple of times a week to get your money back.
4. Know when to splurge There are times when you want to shine. And you should with your emerging beautiful figure. Show it off at the company dinner, cousin's wedding, anniversary dinner.

Other posts in this series
Down'sizing' introduction
Part 1 - the plan
Part 2 - getting the most out of each size..
Part 4, what to buy

Down'sizing' part 2 - getting the most out of each size

Blessed are those who only need to lose one size.

I'm not one of those people. I love shopping and love shopping for smaller sized clothes that make me look great. But once I set-up my budget, it was obvious that binge shopping to wrap my new body in the threads it deserves was not going to happen.

It comes down to 'when'. When do you buy the smaller size. My thoughts...

1. Pants Depending on where you lose weight first, pants can be the first to go loose. I'm bottom heavy and when I lose weight the pants are the first to show. Pants also have a higher 'frumpy' index, loose pants can ruin the look of the outfit. Tops not so much.
   
   Pants became my priority in buying. Loose pants had Goodwill in their near future. I bought pants for every new size. Not so in blouses.
   


2. Blouses Most blouses can be worn plus a size or two without the top looking too big. To trick is not to go beyond 'one size too big.'
   
   I had an 'ah ha' moment about this. At size 16 I bought a fun purple striped cotton sweater set. I loved it. Sometime and some pounds later (size 12), I was wearing the outfit out shopping and noticed the same outfit was 80% off and available in a smaller size. Before trying on the smaller size, I would have sworn the larger size was a good fit. One look in the dressing room mirror told me how wrong I was. I looked like a puddle in the larger size. The smaller size looked that much more fantastic.
   
   Exception: Stretch knit tops. The trick is buying the knit top so it's not that tight on you to begin with. I knew a top was too tight when my Mom told me that I should get the mole on my tummy looked at. That same knit top, I still wear on my several sizes smaller body. You'd have to feel the fabric to know that its stretch, but tucked in it still looks great.



3. Skirts Depending on the fit, skirts can be like pants, jean skirts particularly. Those with gathered waists not so much. If you wear a skirt with a long jacket, you can get away with a larger size much longer. Watch the fit if the jacket is short or fitted.
   


4. Jackets can be like blouses unless you buy something super fitted. While losing weight, super fitted jackets aren't the best buy.
   


5. Dresses To make them last longer try belting them. I've tried putting jackets over them but then the ample amount of material showing around the jacket hem looks bad. Overall dresses aren't the best buy for a weight losing gal.

Other posts in this series
Down'sizing' introduction
Part 1 - the plan
Part 3, focus
Part 4, what to buy

Down'sizing' the wardrobe, part 1 - the plan

As you lose weight, you need to buy new clothes. Loose clothes make for a frumpy appearance, that look is not why we're getting in shape.

And if you're keeping an extra watchful eye on your wallet, you need to buy clothes with a plan. The goal is to look great with every pound and every size lost without jacking up the credit card bills.

How to plan the down'sizing' of your wardrobe:

1. Give yourself a budget. You don't want to loose weight and your credit rating.
   
2. Make your budget correspond to your weight loss. Attach the amount to spend on clothing budget to what you lost in weight. Here's how:
   
   - Think what you want/should/could spend on new clothes in a month.
   - Determine what you'd like to lose in a month.
   - Divide pounds into dollars and spend according to your loss.
   
   For example: In April, I could spend $40 in clothes. I wanted to lose 8 pounds that month. For every pound I lost I could spend $5.
   
3. Work with a plan. With our regular wardrobes, most of us can go 3 to 4 weeks without repeating an outfit at work. During the time you're losing weight, divide that in half. At first*, I was willing to repeat outfits at work every 2 weeks. So at any one time during my weight loss, I needed for work:
   
   - 8 nice tops
   - 2 casual Friday tops
   -1 jacket/blazer (that doubles as a dinner jacket)
   - 4 pairs of slacks
   - 1 pair of jeans
   
   Your needs will be different, but what's important is to write down what you need to wear.
   
4. Keep it simple. Only have in your closet what fits. Clothes that are too large can stay until they can be replaced. 'Too small' sizes find another home. It's easier to stay on your down'sizing' wardrobe plan if you can see in an instant what you got and where the gaping holes are.
   
5. Don't fight your budget. Once you've written down and bought or found the clothes you really need, make it easy to stick to your budget.
   
   Purchase a dozen IKEA hangers (or any other 'odd' looking ones). Ones that will stand out in the closet. These are the only hangers in my down'sizing' closet. I was able to hang all my clothes (except for pants) on the 12 hangers. If I bought something new, it needed a hanger. Something old had to go.
   
   So before buying anything new, I would stand in the dressing room and decide what piece of clothing would lose its hanger (go in the Goodwill bin or the 'too large' box). With only 12 items in my closet, it was easy to picture what my options were. If I wasn't willing to part with something then I knew the new item wasn't worth it. The budget was spared a hit.
   
   blogger note: I can't tell you how many times I would come back a month or so later, a size smaller, and try the same top on (of course in a smaller size). If it was a winner, it usually was marked down making it a double winner.
   
6. Have an exit strategy. If there are only 12 hangers and you buy a blouse, an old top needs to go. But where?
   
   Do you really want to save clothing that doesn't fit? Personally I decided to save only one size above where I was at that particular time. I don't want to make it easy to gain weight.
   
   So in my closet I have two bins, one 'Goodwill' and the other 'one size big.' If I buy something new, the old item freed from one of the 12 hangers gets put in either of the bins. Drop a size and everything in the 'one size big' bin gets put in the Goodwill bin.
   
   To make this exit strategy really work, make frequent Goodwill runs.
   
   Other posts in this series
   Down'sizing' introduction
   Part 2 - getting the most out of each size..
   Part 3, focus
   Part 4, what to buy
   
   *I realized I was the only one to notice how frequently I wore outfits, so I took the number of outfits down to 1.5 weeks. Keeping my budget the same, I was able to buy nicer clothes.

Down'sizing' introduction

Losing weight means coming down in clothing sizes or down'sizing'.

For those of us who started rather large, it's back to shopping upfront in the store in the Misses' department not having to trek back to women's section. Happy to find a clothing item that really fits and looks great. Done with the X sizes that fit by just hanging or being draped on the body.

Although we all love shopping, shopping to down'size' your wardrobe can be fraught with problems. The more obvious is expense. You can't buy a whole new wardrobe with every lower size. Yet you want to look good and show off your progress.

Down'sizing' your wardrobe is a series of suggestions on how to down'size' optimally. Your suggestions are desired, so please comment.

Super-sized mentality

It was a super-sized moment. I just bought a new 3 piece luggage set with the new spinner wheels on the bottom that let the luggage roll besides you not dragged behind you.

As I was hauling my ten year my old suitcase out of the closet to give to Goodwill, I noticed the super-sized difference. The old suitcase, which used to be the largest piece of luggage I owned for years, was only slightly bigger than the smallest piece of luggage in the new set I bought.

Ten years ago, this battered and torn suitcase was the only luggage I took on a 3 week trip to Italy filled with clothes, first aide kit, sewing kit, laundry stuff, even a fanny pack. During the trip, I remember thinking that I wished I packed less.

What happened in ten years for luggage makers to super-size their goods? Luggage makers are just meeting the needs of a super-sized society.

We're a super-sized society. At McDonald's we super-size our 'meals', we buy super-sized, super-soft toilet paper in super-sized amounts at super-sized big box stores.

If it was only that, but as we all know the super-sized mentality shows up on our bathroom scale. And many of us don't realize it. In a recent poll, 27% of overweight women didn't admit to being overweight.

Well I was overweight. I admitted it. For sometime I did nothing about it. That part of my life is over.

Less is more

Less is more than just losing weight.

Weighing less is more fun. It's more years to live healthier lives creating more time to be happy being who we are.

Weighing less is a journey made easier when you share the road. What's the old Chinese proverb? Every journey starts with a first step.

Walk with me.

Weight Loss Saboteur 4: Snack-size treats

Don't be fooled by snack-size treats

If you can't stop after eating one mini portion of chips or cookies, separate them so you have a treat in your car, office desk and gym bag.

In a 2008 study, 59 students were given either nine small (45-g) bags of potato chips or two large (200-g) bags to eat while watching TV. Participants who were encouraged to think about calories were almost twice as likely to eat chips from the small bags and, if they did, to eat twice as much as those munching from the big bags.The research indicates people were more likely to eat more than they should because the small packages didn't seem to count.

Weight Loss Saboteur 2: "Good" Fats

Not eating enough "good" fats or eating too much "good" fats, it's a slipery slope that you need to watch your footing on.

It may seem counter-intuitive but foods rich in unsaturated fats - nuts, avocados and olive oil - send the brain a 'full' message sooner, helping you eat less overall.

Again moderation is the key, avoid weight gain from healthy fats by limiting your daily intake to two to three tablespoons a day. So eat just a handful of nuts or one sixth of an avocado or a third of a SlimCado avocado.