Healthy Holiday Recipes

Christmas and New Years are just a few days away. With all the holiday parties, it is often hard to find healthy food options. Below are some healthy ingredient substitutions and great recipes for a meal at your home or to bring to a family or friends house. They are ideas that everyone will enjoy.

Substitution List for your favorite recipes

• Instead of cream in a recipe
• Use fat free half-and-half, evaporated milk
• Instead of one egg
• Use 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute
• Instead of regular mayonnaise
• Use low-fat mayonnaise
• Instead of whole milk
• Use 1% fat or skim milk
• Instead of sugar
• Reduce the sugar in the recipe in 1/2
• or use 1/2 sugar and 1/2 Splenda
• Instead of sour cream
• Use reduced fat sour cream or low-fat plain yogurt
• Instead of cream cheese
• Use reduced fat cream cheese or nonfat riccota cheese
• Instead of vegetable oil in dessert recipes
• use less oil than what the recipe calls for
• or  use unsweetened applesauce
• or use half unsweetened applesauce and half plain low-fat yogurt
• Instead of butter, margarine, shortening or oil to prevent sticking in a pan
• Use cooking spray or use a non-stick cooking pan.
  
  
  Recipes
  
  Winter Salad
  
  Ingredients for Salad
  1 Head of Romaine Lettuce
  1 Cucumber (chopped)
  1 Large Pear (chopped)
  ¼ cup Dried Cranberries
  ¼ cup Walnuts (toasted and chopped)
  
  Salad dressing
  3 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar
  1Tbsp Olive Oil
  1Tbsp Mustard
  1 Tsp Sugar
  
  Preparation
  
  Mix all salad ingredients together. In a separate bowl mix salad dressing ingredients.
  Mix salad with dressing and serve.
  
  
  
  Cider Gravy
  (From EatingWell: November/December 2007)
  
  Make this low-fat gravy in the roasting pan while the turkey rests. Apple cider adds rich fall flavor.
  
  Ingredients
  • 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups apple cider
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  
  Preparation
  
  1. When you remove the turkey from the roasting pan, leave the roasted shallots behind. Skim off any visible fat from the pan juices.
  
  2. Whisk 1/2 cup chicken broth and flour in a small bowl until smooth; set aside.
  
  3. Set the roasting pan over two burners on medium-high heat. Add cider and vinegar; bring to a boil and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the pan, until the liquid is reduced by about half, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 3 1/2 cups broth. Increase heat to high; return to a boil, whisking often. Boil until the liquid is reduced by about half, 8 to 12 minutes.
  
  4. Whisk the reserved flour mixture into the pan. Boil, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour the gravy through a fine sieve into a large measuring cup. (Discard the solids.) Season with salt and pepper.
  
  Nutrition Information
  Per 3-tablespoon serving : 28 Calories; 0 g Fat; 0 g Sat; 0 g Mono; 7 mg Cholesterol; 5 g Carbohydrates; 1 g Protein; 0 g Fiber; 56 mg Sodium; 28 mg Potassium
  
  
  Low-Fat Baked Apples
  
  Ingredients
  1 medium-large Rome Apple
  Brown sugar
  1 Tbsp mixed dried fruit
  Sprinkle of cinnamon
  
  Preparation
  1. Remove the core from the apple, leaving a hole through the middle of the apple. An apple corer is the easiest way to do this. Leave the skin on the apple.
  
  2. Place apple in a baking pan and add a small amount of brown sugar into the hole
  
  3. Fill the apple with the mixed dried fruit. Sprinkle cinnamon to taste.
  
  4. Pour a small amount of water in bottom of dish and place in a 350-degree oven until the apples are cooked through and the sugar has melted.
  

Suggestions for Success at a Holiday Party or Famliy Celebration

The holidays are soon approaching. We all look forward to spending time with family and friends, enjoying holiday parties, and eating lots of great food. But, we all know, it can be challenging to eat healthy during the holiday season. There are food temptations all around us. So, how can you be successful? What will you do to stay healthy this holiday season?

Eat a healthy breakfast on the day of a party.
-Have a breakfast that includes plenty of protein.
* Scrambled eggs with fruit and toast
* Yougurt and cereal
* 1 Tbsp peanut butter on whole wheat toast
* Cereal and milk
* Meal Replacement
-Do not skip breakfast and save the calories for later that day. This will lead to overeating at the party; you will be very hungry, the smells and sights of all of the food will increase your hunger, and you will likely make unhealthy food choices.

Try to exercise the day of the party.
-You will burn extra calories and will feel good about yourself.

Do not go to the celebration hungry.
-This will lead to overeating on the appetizers and snacks. Instead, have a healthy 100 calorie snack that contains protein to help satisfy your hunger. Also, drink a glass of water before going to a party.

Preapare healthy food items.
-If you are having guests over to your house, prepare some lower calorie appetizers including vegetables and low fat dip, crackers with low fat cheese, sliced apples with yogurt, and shrimp with cocktail sauce.
-If you are going to someone's house, offer to bring over a vegetable platter and a healthy side dish for dinner. This will allow you some healthy options.
-Have a salad at the beginning of the meal. You can add cranberries and walnuts to give it some added flavor and color.

Limit yourself to one alcoholic drink.
-After that drink seltzer water, unsweetened iced tea, or water.

It's ok to indulge...a little.
-At a holiday party, choose 1 or 2 things to indulge in (in small portion sizes) and walk past the rest. Moderation is key. For dessert, again, try to eat fruit salad or just choose one dessert and have a small piece.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Support Group Meeting on Wednesday, December 8th at 6:30PM

Join the Center for Medical Weight Loss on Wednesday December 8th at 6:30PM to discuss

Healthy Eating for the Holidays

This month's Support Group will be led by Monika Kraus, R.D.

Hope to see you all there!

There is no cost for Support Group and you do not have to be a weight loss patient to attend.

Please call 919-232-9436 or email loseweight@fmaraleigh.com to sign up!

Holiday Fitness

Holiday housework can be your ticket to strength training and cardio!

Fitness training does not have to take place in a gym. In fact, the majority of fitness training can happen easily right in the midst of the holiday madness.

House work is a given through this season. Whether you're making room for new toys, preparing for guests, or cleaning up after the guests have said their goodbyes, housework is inevitable. However, it yields an incredible workout when every muscle is properly used.

HOW??

Did you know that every time you press your hands firmly against a tub or wall to clean, you're working your triceps, your shoulders, and your chest muscles? By the time you've scrubbed firmly against the walls, and by the time you've done a few windows, and even a few baseboards, you've given those triceps and your pectorals (chest) and your deltoids (shoulders) a great winter wake up call!

You can also zone in on the sides beneath your underarms with a little cabinet reorganization. Keep the arms raised and sorting-that's the secret!! This can be added to your arm workout day.

On a different day of the week, you can turn your focus toward your lower body. When you clean, use the power of full and proper squats to tone the hips, buttocks, and thighs. Instead of staying down on the floor, try squatting each time you want to place another item on the shelf.

For things that are high above reach, place your stool beneath you. Step up each time to add or move something on the shelf. This can also be added to your upper body workout for a full body combination. Make it a challenge with speed or repetition.

So, what about abs? Oh, those infamous, burdensome abs! Did you know that if you keep the belly firm the entire time you engage in any other physical activity, you increase the chances of toning and burning fat in that area? Just pull it in while you're scrubbing, squatting, and while you're racing back and forth to complete the chores.

Getting to the gym can be a bit overrated. You can take advantage of every opportunity you have before you. Don't let the holidays hit you with extra pounds! Use the chores you have to do to create the strong body you need for great health.

Remember that the key is to have a positive attitude. How do you think Snow White kept her figure? She whistled while she worked! With the power of positive thinking, you can do anything!

Article written by Shenette Jones, Personal Training Specialist with the Center for Medical Weight Loss

Healthy Eating While Holiday Shopping

It is the time of year when we start heading back to the mall to shop for holiday presents. And of course, when at the mall, there are a lot of food choices to make. So, how do you go to the mall to shop – and eat healthy. Below are some tips for watching your waistline while you shop.

Plan Ahead

• Don’t go to the mall hungry. Try to eat a healthy meal before heading to the mall.
• Pack healthy snacks to carry in your purse or pockets. The biggest benefit of packing a snack is all of the money you will save (that you can use to shop with) and it reduces the temptation of that 350-600 calorie pretzel, scoop of ice cream or piece of cake.
• Before heading to the mall look at the restaurant and food court menu’s online and plan out what you will eat.
• Many restaurants will have their nutrition information posted.
• As you look online, you will find many meal selections that provide 350 calories, rather than the 800-1000 calorie meals.
• It is often challenging to make healthy food choices with all of the sensory overload of samples, tempting food, and familiar smells of your favorite foods. Having a plan before you go to the mall can help reduce the tematation of foods.
• If you have a smart phone, many apps are available that will list the nutrition information of chain restaurants that you can also view while at the mall

At the mall

• Drink plenty of water. Often when shopping it is easy to forget to drink fluids. On the other hand many people will drink soda and/or coffee which will make you even more thirsty. If a drink comes with your meal, choose water, unsweetened iced tea, or a diet drink. But again, be sure to carry a water bottle around and keep drinking water.
  
  Water= hydration= feeling satisfied.
  • Skip the “meal deals”. Instead choose a sandwich and a salad/fruit.
  • Skip high calorie beverages including soda, coffee drinks, high calorie smoothies, juices, etc. Instead try drinking water or calorie free beverages with your meal.
  Good meal choices
  
  • Grilled chicken sandwich and a side salad (avoid the mayonnaise and use low calorie dressing on the salad)
  • Turkey wrap (avoid the mayo and instead use mustard) with a fruit cup.
  • Small slice of pizza with vegetables and/or grilled chicken (avoid meat on your pizza) and add a side salad (use low calorie salad dressing)
  • Chilli and a side salad.
  • Vegetable based soup (avoid cream based soups)
  • Smoothie (however choose one that provides protein and is not loaded with excess calories- many will list calories)
  • A hamburger is not the healthiest choice, but you can make it healthier by choosing the smallest burger available, skipping the cheese and sauces. Instead add lettuce, tomato, and ketchup. Skip the fries and have a side salad with your burger.
  • Mexican food: many food court restaurants will offer a burrito bowl which is the fillings without the burrito. This can be a great choice with chicken and beans. But be sure to limit the amount of cheese and avoid the guacamole and sour cream. Instead load up on the salsa and vegetables.
  Good snack choices
  
  • Lowfat or nonfat yogurt
  • Fruit
  • Bag of pretzels
  Avoid these high calorie temptations:
  
  • Large Pretzel coated with butter, sugar, or icing.
  • Ice cream, muffins and pastries
  • Cookies, cakes, and cinnamon rolls (even if they come with your meal).
  • Holiday “coffee” drinks.
  • Milkshakes and high calorie smoothies.
    
  Wishing Everyone a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving Holiday!

The Power of Positive Thinking

We have a patient that tells a great story about her very first visit at the Center for Medical Weight Loss and why she decided to start the program. When she came in for her very first visit she was feeling very down and didn't have much faith that this program would work for her. She had tried every diet imaginable and wasn't able to lose weight and keep it off. While she was being seen for her initial consultation Dr. Drabick reached over to her and said "you're worth it," and that small amount of positivity was all it took for her to get started and to now have lost over 115 lbs. and keep it off over a year later! So now I am going to pass on a little positvity to all of you in the hope that it will help you to motivate yourselves and to remember that you are all worth it too! Here is a short poem that I found very inspirational.

Positive Thinking Will Take You Wherever You Want to Go in Life

There is nothing more powerful in this world than

a positive attitude. It will see you through the best

and the worst of times, and reassure you when

nothing else seems to.

A positive outlook arms you with the confidence

you need to reach for your dreams, no matter how

high they are.

If you take chances in life, what you're really

telling yourself is that you believe in who you are.

Remember to tell yourself that you can do whatever

you set your mind to - and you'll see just how far

that kind of thinking will get you.

-T.L. Nash

I hope that all of you will take this advice and run with it! Trust in yourselves that you can do whatever you set your mind to, including losing weight! I have faith in all of you! Here is to the success you've already had and the success you can look forward to having in the future!

"I Can't Stop Thinking About Food"

We all have days (or weeks, or months) when we can't stop thinking about food. There are certain times of the day that are harder than others, and certain events that make it more challenging. Below are some tips for getting through some of these challenging times.

Challenge #1:  Watching Television (especially the commercials) makes most of us want to eat.  The food commercials look really good, we get bored, or we are just in the habit of snacking while watching TV.

Solution:

• Press the "mute" button during commercials.
• Keep a “goody box” nearby with things that you can keep you busy (nail file, hand cream, stress ball, a joke book, puzzle book), or call a friend during the commercials.
• If you have DVR with your cable service, then DVR your favorite TV show’s, and fast forward the commercials.

Challenge #2: Missing the smell and taste of your favorite foods.

Solution:

• Plant an herb garden. You can grow herbs on a window sill, outside on a deck, or in your garden. Every morning, take a deep breath and smell the herbs.
• Buy scented candles. They are available in many flavors and scents (even chocolate). When you are craving a treat, smell the candle.

Challenge #3: Being tempted to eat something that is not on your nutrition plan.

Solution:

• Before eating the food, wait 10 minutes, and keep yourself busy during that time. Often in 10 minutes, the craving will go away.
• We are often thirsty rather than hungry, so have a glass of water, wait 10 minutes and see if you are still hungry.

Challenge #4: Getting together with friends is often revolved around food, so you are finding it hard to spend time with others.

Solution:

• Plan times to be with friends that do not include a meal. Plan a shopping trip, go to see a movie, and/or enjoy a walk outdoors.
• Get to know others on the same diet plan. Spend time together doing activities that do not revolve around food.

Many of these tips were provided by a participant at the Center for Medical Weight Loss. If you have any additional ideas that have helped you when you have "food in your thoughts", it would be great to add them to this list.

Support Group Meeting on Wednesday November 10th at 6:30PM

Join the Center for Medical Weight Loss on Wednesday November 10th at 6:30PM to discuss the importance of exercise and how to keep it interesting.

This month's Support Group will be led by Monika Kraus, R.D. and Shenette Jones, Personal Fitness Trainer.

Hope to see you all there!

There is no cost for Support Group and you do not have to be a weight loss patient to attend.

Please call 919-232-9436 or email loseweight@fmaraleigh.com to sign up!

You Are What You Eat: Healthy Foods For Your Skin

We often think of lotions, creams, and soaps for bringing out the best in your skin. Did you know that what you eat also affects how your skin will look and feel? Below are some great foods to help keep your skin looking young, prevent premature aging, reduce your risk of skin cancer, and bring out the best in your skin.

 

Water: Drinking water helps to keep your skin hydrated. Hydrated skin helps move nutrients around and removes toxins. Try to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

Green tea: Green tea has anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce the health risks from ultra-violet light. It may also reduce the risk of skin cancers. Try drinking a cup of green tea every day.

Vitamin A, C, and E: All three of these vitamins provide antioxidant properties which are helpful to your skin. There are many factors that can damage your skin including the sun, air pollution, and cigarette smoke. Antioxidants help to repair the skin from these and many other irritating agents.

o Vitamin A is vital for skin health. It is necessary for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue Great sources of Vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe. Low-fat dairy including yogurt, low fat cheese, milk, and cottage cheese also provide a great source of Vitamin A. The healthy bacteria in yogurt also help with digestion which is beneficial for your skin.


o Vitamin C fights premature aging by reducing the damage caused by free radicals from the sun, smoke, and pollution. Some great food sources include kiwifruit, oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower.


o Vitamin E also protects skin cells from ultra violet light, smoke, and pollution that produce cell damaging free radicals. It also helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Food sources include sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, peanut butter, wheat germ, and tomatoes.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids: Fatty acids act as a barrier to harmful agents and also act as a passageway for nutrients to get into your skin and waste products to get out. The healthier your cell membranes are, the better they can hold moisture. Fatty acids can be found in salmon, tuna, flaxseed and walnuts.

Healthier cell membranes → moisture in your skin → softer, younger-looking skin.

Selenium: Selenium helps to protect your skin from sun damage and delays aging by protecting skin quality and elasticity. Selenium can be found in whole wheat bread, muffins, and cereals; turkey, cottage cheese, tuna and Brazil nuts.

Enjoy a variety of healthy foods that contain the nutrients above to help your skin and overall health.

Your skin will thank you!

The challenges of staying with the plan when everyone else is eating the good food

In an ideal “dieting world”, everyone around you would be eating healthy, there would only be healthy food available to eat, and there would be plenty of time for exercise without the stresses of everyday life.

Unfortunately, this ideal world does not exist for most of us. We are faced with many challenges that make dieting hard at times.

One prominent challenge is seeing eveyone around you eating “the good food”. It is often hard to eat a salad when you see your friends and family eating the food you want. So how do you stay successful with the challenges?

• If you know you will be attending a party or going to a restaurant, choose foods wisely the rest of the day. This will allow some wiggle room for making some not so healthy choices when with friends.

• Do not tell everyone you are dieting. Some may try to tempt you with unhealthy foods, others may question everything you are eating, and some may offer unsolicited advise. If others ask, just let them know you are trying to eat healthier.

• If you are going to a restaurant, go online and look at the menu earlier in the day and make your food selection – and stick with it. This will reduce the temptation for making unhealthy food choices.

• Remember, that even though others around you may not be eating healthy food at that particular time, they may be eating very healthy at other times or just may not be motivated for a healthy lifestyle at this point of time. Don’t let their habits infuence your goals.

• If you are hosting friends at your house, plan to prepare a healthy meal. If you are going to someone elses house, offer to bring a healthy dish.

• Even though it may be challenging, keep reminding yourself why you are trying to lose weight. This can help keep you on track.

• Remember, it is ok to try a small piece of “unhealthy food”. On the other hand, if you don’t think you can stop – just skip it.

• Join an exercise class where you may meet new friends that are also focusing on health. You can motivate each other.