Sally Squires

• The Lean Plate Club archive • Recent stories by Sally Squires • Health Section: Nutrition • Health Section • Food Section • Talk: Health message boards • Live Online Transcripts • Subscribe to washingtonpost.com e-mail newsletters • mywashingtonpost .com -- customized news, traffic, weather and more

The Lean Plate Club
With Sally Squires
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2001; 1 p.m. EST

Welcome to The Lean Plate Club, hosted by Washington Post health and nutrition writer Sally Squires. On Tuesdays at 1 p.m. ET, Sally leads a discussion for people who want to eat healthier, move around more and otherwise get better but not bigger. We're not about fad diets or crash weight-loss plans; we're about eating wisely and living healthy for the long haul.

We want to hear from you -- your tips, strategies, meal plans, successes, warnings, setbacks and more. Of course Sally will be happy to answer questions, and turn others over to the Club. None of this, of course, is a substitute for medical advice.

Health section editor Craig Stoltz will join Sally sometimes. Stoltz has none of Sally's impressive credentials but labors under a decade-long medical directive to control his weight and eat wisely, takes a statin to lower his blood cholesterol and keeps track of everything he eats on a Palm handheld computer, a fact most of his acquaintances no longer find interesting.

A transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Sally Squires: Welcome back to the Lean Plate Club and week three of the Holiday Challenge. For the uninitiated, we're challenging you not to do anything extreme this holiday season (like dieting), but to simply maintain your weight. If you succeed, you'll start the New Year even, without the six unwanted pounds that often plague most people. After that, it's up to you as to how you proceed.

Thanks to Craig Stoltz for guest-hosting the chat last week with his usual wit and deft touch. I just read the transcript and it was a lively discussion. The only thing he got wrong was the address for those wanting more info about tuna. He listed mine by mistake. You'll want to send those queries to him!

We had a great trip to various destinations in Louisiana. And yes, I did have deep fried turkey on Thanksgiving, which was delicious. I imagined something akin to fried chicken, but it's nothing like that. The birds are injected with cajun spices several days ahead of Thanksgiving. Then they are lowered into a vat of peanut oil that is heated by a propane tank. (As you can imagine, this is all done outdoors.) The turkey cooks in a little more than an hour and it's very moist and mouth-watering. Not greasy at all.

So now, on to questions and comments.

Washington, D.C.: This year I took to heart the comments and suggestions I saw on this chat and focused on enjoying the food I only get to eat once a year and having small portions of the "every day" food. I also made sure to do a bit extra workout each day leading up to Thanksgiving and the days after. The result = I actually lost two pounds! Thanks for the best Thanksgiving ever! I'm going to keep this up to combat the calorie laden holiday parties I'll be going to in the next six weeks.

Sally Squires: Washington: You are inspiring. And while the goal of the holiday challenge isn't to lose weight, if that happens while you're enjoying yourself, so be it! Let us know how you do.

To combat the extra calories that I indulged in while in Louisiana, I made time nearly every day to walk/jog along the levee beside the Mississippi. And my pedometer was a good reminder to get up and move.

Other Thanksgiving success stories out there? Or even some slip-ups where you learned something worthwhile?

Thanksgiving Report: Hi Sally,

I'm submitting early, but wanted to include my Thanksgiving success story, (which may help people get through Christmas/Hannukah as well as prepare for next Thanksgiving). The first thing I did was a 30 minute yoga routine which really helped focus me and get me ready for the day. Then I decided to prepare a big fruit salad to serve with dinner and we had a big green salad as well. The fruit salad was a real hit with everyone. It was a nice palate cleanser and helped me feel full, satisfied, and not deprived. While not a traditional Thanksgiving side-dish, based on the family's reaction (and empty bowl) it will become a new tradition. Another hit -- mulled cider we made in a crock pot. We left it on all day, (the smell was heavenly) and I dipped into that rather than multiple pieces of pie.

Sally Squires: Great ideas! The cider sounds like a real hit. I'll remember that for Christmas.

Before we left, I also took the time to do an exercise tape, which made that day of packing, getting last minute stuff done at the office, etc. go a lot more smoothly.

While traveling--and let me tell you, airports, like food courts, are not easy places to find healthy foods--I found some good soups--especially jambalaya in New Orleans--and drank steamed skim milk from Starbucks, topped with a few sprinkles of chocolate. It was great and quite filling, worth a try.

Potomac, Md.: As a transplanted native of the New Orleans area, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving in the Crescent City.

Last week, someone asked whether the Alpha 3 in tuna survives the canning process. Please don't forget to answer; I would guess a number of people would like to know.

Regarding Alpha 3, I am a few days into trying to add flaxseed to my diet at my doctor's suggestion as an additional source of both fiber and Alpha 3. Other than ridicule from my wife and kids, so far so good. Any suggestions on ways to use flax?

Sally Squires:
Potomac: Louisiana was a wonderful place to celebrate Thanksgiving. We actually spent the day of the holiday in Vacherie, where we experienced really warm Southern hospitality.

I'm just back in the office today and have not had a chance to answer the alpha 3 question about tuna, but will do some research and get back to you next week. As for flaxseed, the evidence is promising enough--though not cast in stone--that I sprinkle a few flaxseeds on my salads. It's crunchy and provides some extra fiber. But from my trip to the American Dietetic Association annual meeting, I learned at the flaxseed booth that unless you really chew those flaxseeds you won't get all the benefits. That's why some people use a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds, or even a coffee grinder.

Here's some other information from Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D.
Food Science and Human Nutrition Specialist at
Colorado State University Cooperative Extension

 
If you are interested in including flaxseed or flaxseed oil in your diet keep the following in mind:
Flax seeds, as well as flaxseed flour and oil, can turn rancid quickly if stored at warm room temperatures. It’s best to buy them in quantities that you will use within a few months and to store flaxseed flour and oil in the refrigerator once opened.
The seeds of the flax plant have a hard outer coating. Unless they are ground or thoroughly chewed, they pass through the body undigested. Also, the raw seeds do contain small amounts of cyanogenic glucosides, which can be toxic if consumed in large quantities. Cooking seems to break down the toxic components.
Both flaxseeds and flaxseed flour can be found in some breads, muffins and cereals, generally sold at health food stores.
Flaxseed is high in fiber, so it’s important to increase water intake along with increased in flax intake.
In rare instances, some individuals may have an allergic reaction to flaxseed.

Falls Church, Va.: Hello.

I've looked on a number of occasions and find myself at a loss to figure out just how many calories I should aim to eat to maintain my weight. I'm 29, 5'3", 114 lbs., and don't exercise a lot. Can you give me a general sense of what my goal should be?

Thanks.

Sally Squires: Here's a general rule of thumb. Multiple your weight by 10 to get a rough--and I emphasize the word rough--estimate of your resting metabolic rate. At 114 pounds, you'll burn approximately 1,140 calories a day pretty much by just breathing. Since you're sedentary, add about 20 to 40 percent more calories a day--that's about 200 to 400 more calories. So you can probably eat 1,300 to 1,500 calories a day and will maintain your weight--which by the way, gives you a healthy body mass index of 20.

Regardless of your healthy weight, however, you're still missing a good bet if you're not very active. Yeah, you're still young. But as we all age, we lose muscle mass, so without activity, your muscles will turn increasingly to fat. (And by the way, that burns a lot fewer calories--one reason why so many of us put on pounds as we age.) Even more importantly, all the evidence points to regular exercise as an extremely effective way to prevent a host of diseases--from diabetes and heart disease to high blood pressure and cancer. Plus, it's a great mood elevator and seems to help maintain mental acuity. So don't wait: get out there. Find an activity--or several activities--that you really enjoy. Go for it!

Drenched with Hot Flashes...: What kind of exercise program can we middle-aged lumpy-dumpy women participate in without fainting from hot flashes? I often wake up in the middle of the night drenched with sweat. I don't want to exercise and pass out from the heat. I was on HRT for about two weeks, but was having extreme dizzy spells and my doctor thought I was having a stroke, so it's back to hot flashes again.

Also, is it possible to gain 10 pounds in three weeks on less than 2000 calories a day? I was doing so well, lost 25 pounds in a year, then got back on the scales last week (before Thanksgiving) and found I had GAINED 10 pounds in three weeks. I only eat salads, yogurt for lunch, and oatmeal and fruit for breakfast. Depressing, to say the least.

Sally Squires: Dear Drenched:

Absolutely there are exercises for you. Two you don't want to miss: weight lifting and stretching. Yes, you read that right. Weightlifting (and I'm not talking about starting with 50 pound barbells, but rather with just 1-2 pounds) will help you build some muscle mass, which accounts in part for that lumpy-dumpy feeling you describe. The other benefit is that muscle burns more calories than fat and that will help boost your resting metabolic rate.

Stretching--and here you might try yoga, t'ai chi, or simple stretches (Karen Voight has a good tape and there are many also available at video stores, on the web and even at some public libraries)--is great for maintaining flexibility, which also declines with age and leads to injury.

Also, check again with your doctor if your hot flashes persist. There are a number of different HRT preparations and there are some foods--including soy--that may help. The good news: hot flashes don't last forever.

Additional Food Court Suggestions: Sally,

I can't stay for the rest of the chat but wanted to log in with a tip that will hopefully be of use to the Lean Platers. This may be an obvious one -- but I never head to the mall without nutritious snacks. I always bring a small bottle of water with me. Raisins, dried nectarines, and other dried fruits mixed with fat free granola is a great energy boost. I also bring a balance bar -- 14 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat (only 1.5 saturated). Usually I'll just eat half of a bar. If I want to indulge or need a pick-me-up, I'll go for a skim latte or mocha. That way I'm getting more protein and calcium. (Mochas are fat free as long as you skip the whipped cream. They are made with cocoa powder).

Cheers!

Sally Squires: Great suggestions! Thanks for participating.

Washington, D.C.: I'm so sad to actually KNOW how many calories and fat grams are in the White Chocolate Cappucino at Starbucks -- thanks for the info, no wonder I haven't been losing what I thought I should be losing!

Sally Squires: Yes, the caloric content of some of these foods can be pretty sobering. Having spent the last week eating out, I can also attest to the fact that portion sizes are another reason why it's not always so easy to navigate the food court!

Rockville, Md.: Hi Sally,
I've managed to not gain these past three weeks, and maybe even drop a pound. My Thanksgiving preparations included the idea of cutting fat where possible, and making sure I got at least 30 minutes of good exercise each day. I didn't skimp on ingredients and leave folks feeling like they missed out on something, but I used lower-fat or no-fat ingredients when possible.

Sally Squires: Good for you, Rockville. I must say that making the commitment to walk along the levee helped me. And while I didn't have a scale along, I did keep my belt on the whole trip and it didn't move a notch!

Harrisonburg, Va.: Entering my weight daily into the chart has worked really well for me. Just needing to note my weight on the graph acts like an extra reinforcement... amazingly I've lost five pounds in the past two weeks (and 23 since early August.) And I felt like I really enjoyed eating food over the Thanksgiving holiday. Just not as much as in previous years and with long walks to make up for the extra eating. But what do I do now for my holiday chart? I'm thinking of starting with a new chart that has today's weight as my maintenance goal for January 1st. Does that make sense? I don't want to assume that I can gain these five pounds back.

Thanks!

Sally Squires: Harrisonburg: That's awesome. Even better is that fact that you didn't feel deprived for Thanksgiving. As for the chart, you could start a new one, or you can stick with the one you've got with the idea that you will maintain that five pound loss through the holidays. Let us know how it goes.

Anyone else out there finding the weight chart helpful?

Alexandria, Va.: Last week someone asked about advice on eating out... my nutritionist recommended the book "Dining Lean." It's a great resource for figuring out the healthier alternatives in a variety of restaurants.

Sally Squires: The book is by Joanne Lichten, PhD, R.D., and you can read a 15-page excerpt on Amazon.com. Lichten has also written another book that you might find helpful: How to Stay Health & Fit on the Road. It's also available from Amazon.

If you know what restaurants you might encounter, you can also find a wide array of nutritional contents on the web. McDonald's, Burger King, etc. post these and they're quite helpful at navigating a good route. Also check out the Center for Science in the Public Interest. (www.cspinet.org)
They're the Washington-based consumer group that does regular round-ups of restaurants. Their reports are archived on their website and they are an eye-opener.

Food Court Query and Tip: Hi Sally,

Thanks for such an informative article today. A trip to the mall could really add on the pounds. I indulge in frozen yogurt when I'm holiday shopping. Most is fat-free, (be sure to check) and you can also add fruit as a topping. I get a small size and find it very satisfying. Question: those Aunt Anne's pretzels smell wonderful but are the plain ones low fat? I'm suspicious of them and have a feeling that butter is included in the batter.

Thanks.

Sally Squires: Don't know about the Aunt Anne's variety per se. But I was surprised to find that many of the pretzels are apparently topped with butter. The Glazen Raisin was one of the worst offenders.

An option is to split the pretzel with someone else just to be on the safe side. Happy shopping!

For "Drenched": Are you sure you gained 10 pounds? Maybe your scale is broken. If you didn't notice your pants getting tighter...

Sally Squires: Good point. A pound is equal to about 3,500 calories. In other words, you'd have to consume that many more calories--or burn them--to either gain or lose a pound. It is also possible to retain water, which could account for some of that weight. And George Blackburn at Harvard says that the body resets its weight about every 48 hours. So perhaps weighing yourself again today and in another day or so would give you a better reading.

Sally Squires: Hi Clubsters, Stoltz here, back in my Ed McMahon role supporting Sally's chat.

I need to correct a statement of mine last week which suggested provolone was a low-fat cheese. What I should have said was, *I* thought it was a low-fat cheese. When I looked up the numbers, Provolone is only slightly lower cal/fat than other slice cheeses. Most slice cheeses have 100-115 cal./1 oz. slice, with 6-9 grams of fat. Provolone clocks in at the lower end, 100 cal/7.6 gm fat/1 oz. slice. So it's a prudent choice but maybe only 10 percent "better," for those watching calories and dairy fats, than say swiss or cheddar.

I feel better now. And, miraculously, 1 pound lighter than I was Weds before Thanksgiving. Back to you, Sally.

Alexandria, Va.: Sally, excellent expose of the perils of the Food Court. But it raises an interesting question: If the diet industry is a $33 billion a year cash cow (pardon the pun), and millions of Americans are getting fatter in spite of Lean Cuisines/Healthy Choice/ Elliptical Gliders/ Snackwells/The Lean Plate Club, why don't the Food Court people offer healthy alternatives? Why is eating out so fraught with obstacles? Why are portions so gargantuan? Why, why, why? It seems to me a savvy food court establishment could claim part of the $33 billion by offering a low cal/low fat alternative to TGI Ruby Friday's grease-laden fare. What do you think?

Sally Squires: All good questions, Alexandria. Some food establishments are adding more healthful products. Good example: the salad shakers and yogurt and fruit at McDonald's. And when we were in Louisiana, I had a side order of shrimp etouffe at Popeye's. It wasn't fried and it was just the right portion.
So if you're careful, you can eat healthfully. But part of this is also consumer driven. If we demand healthier foods, we'll get them. And if we keep eating the less healthy stuff, that's what will continue to be served.

Starbucks employee on Mochas: Mochas at Starbucks are NOT made with cocoa powder; they are made with Ghirardelli chocolate syrup in big vats. I just wanted to clear this point up lest anyone think it was merely cocoa powder in those mochas. Thanks.

Sally Squires: Starbucks employee: I was referring to the cans of chocolate and cinammon that customers can sprinkle on drinks. I was not suggesting that you use coca powder. Whatever was in that can was delicious, by the way!

Sterling, Va.: Last week host mentioned that he tracks his food consumption with an add on to his Palm. Do you have any additional information on this? I would like to use my Palm in the same way. Thanks

Sally Squires: There are several good programs available. Health editor Craig Stoltz uses Vivionics, which he's written about in the Health section pages. Healthetech also makes Balancelog for windows and the Palm. But there are number of products out there to try.

Story Ideas: Maybe your Food Court article could be the first in an ongiong weekly Health Section series. First the Food Court, then the caloric/fat content of your typical holiday party fare (pigs in a blanket, spinach cheese puffs,cocktail meatballs, etc.), then a story on the fat/caloric content of Christmas cookies, Egg nog, champagne, etc. What do you think?

Sally Squires: Stay tuned. I suspect that at least some of these will get attention in future Health sections as we continue the holiday challenge. But remember too, that the idea is not to forego all the fun of the holidays. We want you to have your buche de noel and eat it too. The goal is just not to overdo it. And remember, exercise, exercise, exercise!

Rosslyn, Va.: Sally,

I'd like to buy my (obese) mother the pedometer that you have been talking about. Can you tell me where I might pick one up? Also, can you assure me that it's user-friendly? My mother isn't all that savvy with gizmos.

Thanks!

Sally Squires: Like the programs for the Palm, there are now a whole host of pedometers that work really well. I happen to use a Digiwalker that counts steps, miles and has a clock and a stopwatch. There are simpler models that will do just one or two of these functions. The devices run about $25 to $35. They're small and not very complicated. I got mine at www.digiwalker.com

Alexandria, Va. Again: Thanks for answering my question. You made a poignant observation: "But part of this is also consumer driven. If we demand healthier foods, we'll get them. And if we keep eating the less healthy stuff, that's what will continue to be served." So are you implying that Americans are ambivalent about being healthy? That while we spend so much on diet books, foods, and exercise equipment, we still indulge on Big Macs and fries? Are we are own worst enemies? That's a story right there!

Sally Squires: I don't know that Americans are ambivalent about being healthy. I think everyone wants to be healthy, don't you? The disconnect is that we've slowly gotten more sedentary and we are fortunate to have a very plentiful--and relatively cheap--food supply. The combination means that many of us are going to have to pay attention or we'll continue to gain weight as we age.

Germantown, Md.: The challenge is working - I've actually lost two pounds accidentally. I lost 20 lbs this summer and fall and didn't want to undo my hard work. At the same time, I wanted to enjoy the holiday season and not think about every little thing I eat. Great idea!

Sally Squires: Good for you, Germantown. Keep at it and let us know how you continue to do. And if you--or anyone else--would like to share your story with a wider audience, e-mail me at squiress@washpost.com

Thanks!

Auntie Anne's pretzels:
Don't know what qualifies as "low fat," but the original (non-buttered) pretzel has a whopping 340 calories! Turns out that was the answer to the mystery about why I wasn't losing any weight!

They have nutritional info on their Web site (most places do. Heck, even Wendy's does) so know you can always check!
www.auntieannes.com/products/FactSheet.asp

Sally Squires: Great info. Thanks for checking. Company websites are really good sources of nutritional information.

HELP!: I have a big chocolate tooth, and my only way of getting it under control is to have a glass of chocolate soymilk when the craving hits. That is usually the every other day, sometimes every day. Just how unhealthy is this habit? It means I rarely eat chocolate anymore (and when I do a small piece suffices), but I know that there is some fat in the soymilk. Then again, every gram of soy protein helps, right? P.S. -- I drink the Silk brand chocolate milk.

Sally Squires: Sounds like you have found just the right way to control your chocolate craving. I can't see anything wrong with what you are doing unless you're getting a lot of soy in other foods too. (In other words, you don't want to overdo any one particular food.)

Stafford, Va.: I'm 5'7" and weigh 127 lbs. I am really happy to say that I didn't over indulge during Thanksgiving but I was satisfied. I have no discipline when it comes to sweets though, so I managed to sneak in an extra 20 mins on my current workout. I burn anywhere between 1,100-1,200 calories a day during my 2 hour workout. Is that too much? Am I overdoing it? I currently run for 30 mins, crosstrain for 45 mins and walk for 20, with some ab work and light weights thrown in for 20 mins. I feel fine afterwards. I would also like to know how many calories should I take in a day.

Sally Squires: Stafford: This is a great regimen and your weight and height suggest that you've got a healthy BMI of 20. If you're not suffering injuries--and it sounds like you're not--what could be wrong with what you're doing? Sounds like you're doing everything right. More power to you! As for calories, you're going to need at least 1,300 for resting metabolic weight, plus 60 to 80 percent more per day because of your high activity level. That adds up to about 2,300 calories a day.

Mount Vernon, Va.: Many of us eat in government cafeterias. Any suggestions that you can give would be helpful. It is hard to avoid high salt and high calories. Maybe we can educate the management of these cafeterias. Thank you.

Sally Squires: Go for the soups (not cream based, of course), salads, fresh vegetables, lower fat salad dressings. A lot of government cafeterias have yogurt. (I've actually found some pretty good food at the NIH cafeterias.) You can almost always find a salad bar and a sandwich bar (turkey is a great choice.) Avoid the mayo, but go for the tomato and lettuce. And voice your concern. Cafeterias are businesses--even government run ones--and if you vote with your feet they'll pay attention.

Glover Park: re: Mall Food and Dining Lean: Had to give up my daily Cinnamon Scone from Au Bon Pain after I read that it's 10 points on Weight Watchers diet! Yikes, I had NO idea. That'd be more than a third of points I'd aim for in a day. Hurrah for Au Bon Pain's Web site listing of nutritional info for SOME of its goods, but alas it's not where I learned about the scones. I'd like to know more nutritional info on salads, dressings, and bread at both Au Bon Pain and Xando/Cosi. I have a feeling some of my favorites aren't as virtuous as I'd like to think.

Sally Squires: Thanks, Glover Park. It's all pretty sobering, isn't it?

San Francisco, Calif.: I received a diet book from a friend in Spain, and instead of calories, the measurements are in kilo-joules. Is this just another example of America being out-of-step in a metric world; do you have any quick and easy conversion tips?

Sally Squires: San Francisco: I've done a quick look for a conversion and can't find it. E-mail me after the chat and I'll see what I can find to pass along. (squiress@washpost.com). I have to tell you that at most medical meetings, researchers talk about calories, even scientists from abroad. Most scientific papers are actually written in English.

Washington, D.C.: Hello Sally and fellow Lean Platers: May I offer a hint that worked for me this Thanksgiving? We do a lot of long-trip car traveling (not just at the holidays) and with two kids and a dog in the car, fast food joints are the norm for meals. I went on to the Web sites of McD's, Wendy's, and Taco Bell, and printed the nutritional information on the menu choices. I put them in a notebook, and carried it in the car. When we pulled into a fast food parking lot, I took a quick look at the calorie/fat gram columns. Even if I was really hungry, looking at those BIG numbers was a great deterrent! (Sometimes it meant a just choosing a small fries i/o a Biggie Fries, but it still helped...)

Sally Squires: What a great idea! I'm going to do that next time we travel. Thanks!

Calorie Intakes: The calorie intakes you've been recommending seem high to me. I am female, 5'9, about 165 lbs. Have been going hardcore for about a month now, eating between 900-1300 calories a day and doing cardio 5-6 days a week (600-1100 calories' worth) plus weightlifting 3 days a week, yet I've only lost about 5 pounds in a month... at 3,750 calories per pound, something isn't adding up here... what am I missing?

Sally Squires: First of all, it's 3,500 calories per pound. Secondly, it's not a perfect equation. In other words, some people, especially those who have been on very low calorie diets, may not lose weight quite as fast. But at the Uniformed University of the Health Sciences, researchers are putting overweight women on 2,000 cals a day. Weight loss is very gradual, but as the researchers say, when these women learn to eat (and exercise) at this level, they never have to change anything again. Weight comes off slowly, but they gradually return to a healthy weight.

Washington, D.C.: I just looked at some photos of Olympic crowds from early in the 20th century. Everyone looked skeletal compared to the average crowd today at an American sporting event. Yet calorie counters on Palm Pilots, nutritional labeling, pedometers and Yuppie gyms are all products of the modern age. Our forebears were able to keep fit without all of this fancy stuff, yet we're facing an epidemic of obesity in this country. Any ideas why?

Sally Squires: Yes. We eat too much and exercise too little. Just a few hundred calories a day can add up to 10 pounds in a year. We all just need to be more conscious of this and work harder at it. You know, doing things like eating a little less, taking the stairs more, making sure that we get up and walk around during the day from our computers. Just think of how many times you e-mail a colleague instead of walking over to talk with them. It all adds up.

Need help eating right: I only need to lose a little weight, but definitely could be in better shape. With that in mind I've started eating healthier and exercising. (I've lost five pounds without feeling like I was "on a diet".) I would like to cook more things from scratch but am at a loss when it comes to selecting fruits and veggies. Can you reccommend a book or a Web site that talks about how to select and store fresh fruits and veggies?

Sally Squires: Check out the USDA website as well at NIH. Both have recipes and USDA has tips on proper storage etc of food. Many of the agricultural services from universities are also good sources. I love Deborah Madison's book on vegetables. But do a search on amazon or just browse one of the bigger bookstores. You'll find a lot of choices.

Arlington, Va.: For "Calorie Intakes", losing 5 pounds in a month is great. You should lose 1-2 pounds a week. Any more is just water loss.

But if you're worried, you may actually not be eating enough. Step up your calorie intake to at least 1,500, and I think you'll see a real difference.

Sally Squires: Well said, Arlington. Thanks.

In Response to "Calorie Intakes": Dear God! It's plain dangerous to eat less than 1200 calories a day. Eating less puts your body into "starvation mode," slowing down your metabolism and making it even more difficult to lose weight.

Sally Squires: You're absolutely right. We're written about this problem in the Health section and it's an important reminder,. Thanks for "weighing" in.

Arlington, Va.: I love Baja Fresh, and they have a very detailed nutritional guide to all of their menu items on their website. Their stuff did have more fat and calories than I expected, but they do offer suggestions on ordering to cut the fat and calories.

Sally Squires: Great, thanks!

Arlington, Va.: I'm sorry. I've failed the challenge. I've lost 8 pounds in the past 3 weeks.

On Thanksgiving, I had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, wine and pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Unfortunately, the whipped cream was "lite" (my uncle brought it!). I didn't eat huge amounts of anything, but ate until I was full. I did a brief workout on Thursday morning (just about 15 minutes), and then hit it really hard on Friday. Then, nothing until this morning.

So I was very surprised when I weighed myself at the gym this morning--I lost 2.5 pounds over Thanksgiving.

Exercise truly is the key.

Sally Squires: Arlington, you are awesome. As you know, weight loss is not the goal of the challenge, but if it happens, all the better. Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. And I'm completely with you. If I don't exercise, it's all lost for me.

Thanks everyone for a great chat with helpful tips and comments. Come back next week for week 4 of the Lean Plate Club Holiday Challenge. Happy Shopping. But be careful in those food courts!

   |      |