Not just any diary – a food diary

Diet recommendations are always changing and new fad diets come and go. There are many diets to choose from, with many different plans to fit a variety of individual’s needs. But one constant continues – keeping a food diary. Many studies have found that dieters who keep a food diary have more weight loss success.

So what is a food diary, and why should you keep one?

A food diary is a written record of everything that you eat and drink during the day. It can also include your exercise and daily water intake. There are many ways to record what you are eating. It can be in a notebook or binder, on your computer, or even on your phone. Websites and smart phones have made it even easier, as there are many free websites and phone app’s that will help you to determine the nutrient content of foods.

Benefits of keeping a food diary
• Helps you to focus on what you are eating. If you have to write it down, it brings more awareness to food choices. Can you remember what you ate this morning, yesterday, or a week ago? It is often hard to remember what we eat at meals, let alone when we grab a piece of candy, take a taste when preparing dinner, or have a few crackers while waiting to eat lunch. By recording what you eat, it brings awareness to what you are eating.
• Helps you to be aware of portion sizes. Very often we eat food without awareness of portion sizes and nutrient content. By keeping a food diary you will be aware of every calorie that you are eating and drinking.
• Accountability If you have to write it down, it is real. This alone will make you think before you eat.
• Provides a guide to bring to your health care provider. This will help you and your health care provider to evaluate your diet and weight changes over time.
• Helps you to keep track of your progress. You can see the improvements in your eating habits, and helps to be sure you are eating a variety of foods and nutrients.
• Helps you through plateaus. You can focus on small changes for further weight loss.
• Keeps you motivated. It is a constant reminder about eating healthy and exercising.

To get started
• Get a notebook or binder to use for your food diary, use an online program, or download an app onto your smart phone. There is no right or wrong method – choose a method that will be easiest for you and your lifestyle.
• Record everything you eat and drink. Include portion sizes and when you ate.
• Read food labels and/or use the programs available online and on apps to determine calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates in the food.
• You can also record your exercise. It can help to provide motivation to keep you moving.

Enjoy your food diary, and best of all, see the pounds come off.

Portion Distortion: How much should you be eating?

Measuring out your food
1. Measure, measure, and measure some more…
2. Try to use the same size plates/bowls/silverware. This will help you to learn what food portions look like on your plate – when you have a good understanding of portion sizes you can measure less often.
3. Read food labels to help estimate the correct serving size.
4. When eating out, use your hand or other objects as a measuring too

• 3 ounces of chicken, fish, or meat = Palm of your hand
• 1 ounce of cheese = Tip of your thumb
• Vegetable or fruit = your fist
• ½ cup of pasta or rice = tennis ball
• Cereal = your fist
• Small potato = computer mouse
  

Tips for success
1. Use smaller plates

2. Put the proper portion size on your plate. If you want seconds, go for additional vegetables.

3. Do not eat directly out of a bag or carton. Instead, take out an appropriate portion and put it on a plate, container, or baggie to eat.

4. Keep your serving dishes on the counter instead of the table. It will help to reduce the chances of going back for seconds.

5. Do not watch TV or read a book while eating. Try to focus on enjoying the food you are eating and the company you are sitting with.

 When Shopping
1. Do not go to the market hungry.

2. Beware of free “samples’. The calories can add up quickly.

3. Whenever possible, purchase individual portion sizes of snacks.

4. Do not buy “mini’ sized snacks. It often leads to eating more than you planned.

5. Choose lean/low fat meat/chicken/turkey.

6. Be careful about “fat free” versions of your favorite packaged foods. Fat free, does not mean calorie free, and many times fat free packaged products are not many calories less than their full fat version.

Eating Out
1. Avoid all-you-can eat restaurants.

2. Order a salad (with salad dressing on the side) as an appetizer. This will help you to eat less of your main meal.

3. Eat half of the food on your plate or share an entrée with someone else and order an extra side salad. – ask for a take-out container to take the other half of your meal home.

4. Drink water with your meal.


Reading Food Labels

1. Understand how many servings are in a package.

2. Read the nutrient values to help pick out healthy foods.

3. Fat free does not mean calorie free.

4. Compare similar foods to find the healthiest variety.

Join us for our support group meeting

Please join us this Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at 6:30pm at the Center for Medical Weight Loss

for our monthly support group meeting.

We will be discussing:

"Portion Distortion: How much should you be eating?"

This is a great meeting to talk with other participants in the weight loss program, discuss your success and challenges, and have your nutrition questions answered by Monika Kraus, RD.

If you have any questions or would like to sign up to attend, please call:

Sarah Saba

Program Manager

Center for Medical Weight Loss

919-232-9436

What is flaxseed? And why should you start using it?

Flaxseed, also know as linseed, is an herb that comes from the flax plant. It has been used throughout history for its health benefits. It is easy to add to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner recipes. Flaxseed can be purchased at health food stores and is often available at many supermarkets.

Healthy Benefits of Flaxseed

Flaxseed contains Omega-3 essential fatty acids, "the good" fats that have been shown to be heart-healthy.

Flaxseed contains Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant properties.

Flaxseed contains both soluble and insoluble Fiber.

Flaxseeds are high in most B vitamins.

Flaxseed may reduce your risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and lung disease.

Flaxseeds may help reduce arthritis inflammation.

Flaxseed may reduce a women’s risk of hot flashes.

Recommended intake of Flaxseed

Many studies have found that is more beneficial to use flaxseed rather than flaxseed oil (as flaxseed oil contains only some parts of the seed).

Purchase  flax meal or whole, milled, or ground flaxseed.

 It is recommended to have 1-2 Tablespoons of ground flaxseed a day. When using flaxseed, it needs to be ground (whole flaxseeds will pass through your body unused). You can easily do this with a coffee grinder or food processor.

How to use Flaxseed

Put it on your favorite foods including yogurt, soups, smoothies, and recipes.

Substitute milled/ground/flax meal in recipes that call for flour. For example, in recipes for muffins, bread, pancakes, and waffles that call for 2 cups of flour, replace 1/4 cup of the flour with milled, ground or flax meal.

Store unused ground flaxseed in the freezer to keep the nutritional properties.

Store whole flaxseeds in a dry cool place. It can be kept for up to one year.

Try experimenting with flaxseed. It adds a great nutty taste to your food while adding an array of health benefits.

The Benefits of the Buddy System

We all struggle with trying to stay motivated after starting a new diet or exercise program. It tends to be that most people are very motivated in the beginning and then sometimes that initial determination to succeed can wear off. Recently one of my friends and I were going for a walk and we started discussing how we tend to go through a cycle where we will be very good at eating well and exercising for a few weeks and then inevitably we go back to our bad habits. Sound familiar? So we decided that we would form a partnership and we are now meeting at the gym every morning and posting our food intake to a website that allows us to track what we eat, as well as view each others pages. It has proven to be very motivating!

Why does the buddy system work so well?
The main reason that the buddy system works so well is because of the accountability it provides. Research suggests that people who are held accountable are more likely to be successful. That's a huge part of the reason our patients continue to be seen even after they have met their weight loss goals. The staff at our office is always here to provide that needed support to our patients.

So, if you're having trouble sticking with your diet and exercise plan, get out there and find yourself a buddy. Your accountability partner will be there to motivate you when you're giving in to that urge to quit, as well as to be your cheerleader when you are doing really well.

Stress Management Through a Healthy Diet

What you eat plays a large role in stress management.

The list below provides many food sources to help you

look and feel your best every day.

• Complex Carbohydrates may reduce stress by increasing serotonin levels in our bodies. Whole grains, high fiber breads and cereals, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta are great sources of complex carbohydrates.
• Vitamin C may reduce stress hormone levels while strengthening the immune system and reducing free radical formation. Good food sources include in oranges, strawberries, blueberries kiwi, red and green bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, and grapefruit.
• Magnesium helps to regulate the levels of cortisol, a hormone released when the body is stressed. Good food sources include spinach, salmon, beans, and nuts, and apricots. Try to have fatty fish at least one time a week, make a vegetarian chili, and snack on nuts on a regular basis.
• Omega 3 fatty acids help regulate cortisol levels. Good food sources include flaxseeds, walnuts, soybeans, and salmon. Try using ground flaxseed on yogurt, in homemade breads, and in a smoothie.
• Nonfat and lowfat dairy products contain calcium and B vitamins, which are needed for the health of your bones and nerves. The proteins in milk also have a calming effect on the body by lowering blood pressure and reducing levels of cortisol in your body.

Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol. The chemicals in caffeinated products and alcohol cause the release of the stress hormone adrenaline. This causes an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure, which in turn, can increase your stress level.

2011 - Making It A Mindful Year

Two of the most common New Year Resolutions are to lose weight and to change eating habits. These are great resolutions. But unfortunately, all too often, unrealistic goals are set, and by the end of January many people find themselves going back to their old eating habits and gaining additional weight.

However, with good planning, you can be successful. The most effective way to get the weight off is to set realistic goals and to make mindful lifestyle changes. This will lead to success in weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle in 2011.

Setting Realistic Goals
• Think about how much weight you would like to lose and set sensible goals for weight loss
• Follow a healthy eating plan that you can be successful with and fits into your lifestyle
• Include a regular exercise routine and be sure to schedule it into your day.


What is Mindful Eating? 
Mindful eating is having an awareness of what you are eating and what you are not eating on a daily basis.

• Eat slowly. It generally takes 20 minutes to feel satisfied after eating. If you have trouble eating slowly try putting a timer on the table and be sure to eat in no less than 20 minutes.
• Watch portion sizes. Put appropriate portion sizes on your plate, and eat slowly.
• Before having seconds at a meal, thinking if you really want more food. Ask yourself – has it been 20 minutes since I started eating, am I still hungry, do I want more because of the taste, or am I adding more food out of habit.
• Do not skip meals. When you are very hungry, it is hard to eat mindfully, which often leads to overeating.
• Snack only when hungry. When planning to eat a snack, think about if you are hungry or just eating out of habit or boredom. Choose snacks that will satisfy your hunger or cravings.
• Remember a snack is a snack, not a meal, and watch portion sizes.
• Keep a food journal. This will hold you accountable for everything you are eating.
• Sit down at the table when eating. If you are standing or running out the door while you eat, you will tend to eat faster, feel less satisfied, and eat more food than if you sit down and eat slowly.


Common Mistakes – Not Being Mindful
• Picking at food while preparing a meal. This provides additional unwanted calories.
• Snacking from a bag, box, or container of food. It is challenging to know when to stop or how much you ate. Instead put the appropriate portion size of food on a plate and eat slowly.
• Grabbing a quick snack as you walk through the kitchen (i.e.; cookie from the cookie jar, piece of cake on the counter, chips from the food pantry). Eating out of convenience leads to overeating.
• Continuous snacking on bread or chips at the table at a restaurant before your meal arrives. This provides additional calories without the protein or fiber that will actually fill you up for an extended period of time.
• Binge eating in the evening as you are watching TV.
• Food shopping while hungry. This leads to impulse purchases. Instead go to the market after you eat a meal or healthy snack and be prepared with a written list and stick to the list.

At first, it can feel like it takes a lot of energy to be mindful, but amazingly, over time these new skills will become habits that do not require a lot of extra work, and will become part of your regular routine.

Wishing You a Happy, Healthy, and Mindful 2011

Nutrition Support Group Calendar

Below is the calendar for the Nutrition Support Group through May 2011. We hope you can make it to the class. It is a great way to meet others who are also trying to lose weight, and to discuss challenges and successes that you have had. We meet from 6:30-7:30PM the second Wednesday of every month. Everyone is welcome.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

“How to Start Loving Healthy Food”

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

“Portion Distortion- How much should you be eating”

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

“Emotional Eating, how to turn it into mindful eating

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Motivation and Weight Loss

2011 January Updates

Happy New Year!

To help all of you reach your goals and resolutions this year we have come up with some new Personal Training Packages! Let our Personal Trainer, Shenette Jones, help you get the results you're looking for! For more information on these packages please call 919-232-9436 or email loseweight@fmaraleigh.com

Something else to look forward to this January is our next Special Event. The event will be held on Saturday, January 29, 2011. This event will be held at our office, 3500 Bush Street Suite 103 Raleigh, NC 27609 and will feature information on stress management, fashion, massage, personal training, yoga, skin care and so much more! During the event we will be holding raffels for a free visit with our Personal Training Specialist, Lipo B injections, and Arbonne skin care products.

Also, don't forget about our upcoming Support Group Meeting to be held on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 6:30pm. Support Group will be led by Monika Kraus, R.D. with a focus on setting healthy and "realistic" diet and weight goals, something that is especially important during the new year. Look forward to seeing you all there!

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.