• The Lean Plate Club Archive • Column Archive • 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

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2002; 1 p.m. ET

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.

Want to get the upcoming Lean Plate Club E-newsletter? Send your E-mail address with "LPC" in the subject line to squiress@washpost.com to be added to the list.

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 to the Lean Plate Club!

You won’t find the column in today’s Health section because of the special issue on walking, which is well worth a close look. And speaking of walking, I’m just back from a trip that took me through the Charlotte NC airport. It’s huge. In fact, using my pedometer I managed to clock 12,000-plus steps yesterday despite traveling. There really are NO EXCUSES for not moving more, even while traveling.

Mark Fenton, who is also featured in today’s Health section, will do a walking chat right here at 2:30 p.m. following the Lean Plate Club .


The freebies for today:


Eat More Weight Less by Dean Ornish, MD (Quill)

Turn Off the Fat Genes by Neal Barnard, MD (Harmony)

The Promise Fat Loss and Fitness System by Derek Alessi and Don Alessi, Jr. (Clarence Brothers)

Stealth Health: Eating Right in Spite of Yourself, by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD (Penguin)


As usual: our offering does not endorse any particular exercise, weight loss or diet regimen.

Also, here’s an early request: a Lean Plate Club member and mother of a college age student asks for help in getting her son to cook healthier meals. She’s looking for a suggestion for a good basic cookbook. My colleagues at the Food Section suggested these two books, (but caution that you still have to watch ingredients carefully to make sure they’re healthful):

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
Learning to Cook by Marion Cunningham

Evelyn Tribole’s Stealth Health (listed above as one of our give-aways today) is also quite good.
Come up with another great suggestion or send in an inspiring story of your success at instilling healthy habits or how you happened to walk more during the week and one of these volumes could be yours.

If you want to subscribe to the free, Lean Plate Club electronic newsletter, please log onto to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/email/front.htm. The site will guide you through the steps to subscribe. And if you signed up for the newsletter, but are not receiving it, please e-mail me at squiress@washpost.com and put “trouble subscribing” in the subject line.

Now, on to the chat:

Silver Spring, Md.: Sally,

First of all, thank you for the inspirational, thoughtful chats. I am submitting this early in the hopes of a response. Is it possible to drink too much water? I drink nearly two gallons every day -- because I enjoy it! But my family insists that I am damaging my internal make-up (specifically, electrolytes?) and that I need to cool it on the water intake. What do you think? Thanks!

Sally Squires: Thank you Silver Spring. I also get very inspired by Lean Plate Club members. We're all in this together. I consider myself a work in progress and feel fortunate to have a job where I get to learn about the latest in nutrition and exercise.

Is it possible to drink too much water? No, for most people. Exceptions: those with medical problems such as severe kidney disease or kidney failure and those in heart failure. These folks especially need to check with their physicians before drinking copious amounts of fluid. For most of us, however, it would be hard to drink too much water. If you feel good--and have no medical reason to do otherwise--then keep at it. You might also drink some of that water at meals.

College Park, Md.: Hi Sally,

I know that you've probably covered this before, but I have a question about good and bad oils: I know that olive oil is a good oil, but what about peanut and sesame oils? I'm eating my salad with my favorite Asian-style salad dressing, and feeling very guilty about the peanut and sesame oil that it contains. Thanks!

Sally Squires: Hey College Park: This is a question that we can never cover enough. Olive oil is a good oil, but some experts think that there are even better ones--at least in terms of lowering heart disease risk. (And one important caveat here: even the best oils still are fat and carry about 100-120 calories per tablespoon.)

Other good oils include canola, safflower and flaxseed oils because of their content of healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids. In fact, the National Academy of Sciences just set a for the first time an adequate intake for two types of these fats. (Peanut and sesame oil fall into this category too.) It appears that these fats help protect against heart disease. So it's a good idea to get a little bit of them every day.

San Francisco, Calif.: I have lost 45 pounds in 6 months and have now reached my target weight (Body Mass Index went from 28 to 22).

I now however have difficulty motivating myself, since the goal, staying the same weight, is so bland. What suggestions do you have to keep my enthusiasm? What new goals can I set?

Sally Squires: Wow, San Francisco! Way to go. A few suggestions: keep up whatever exercise you have been doing. That seems very important for long-term maintenance.

Now, as for felling a little bored (if I read between the lines correctly) find some new things to try. Isn't there an activity that you've always been interested in, but have never done? A new type of cooking or a hobby or something else that you can put your new energy to so that you don't slip back to old habits?

Rockville, Md.: Wondering if there is a relationship between food and adult onset diabetes.

Sally Squires: Absolutely. Being overweight and inactive is one of the key risk factors for this type of diabetes, which by the way, is starting to be diagnosed in children too.

Pilates: I was wondering what you think of Pilates as a form of excercise. I have been doing step aerobics for so many years it bores me to tears, and I'm lookinf for new ones to sculpt muscles. Ive heard Pilates is good for building lean muscles, but isn't neccesarily aerobic. Does all excercise need to be aerobic?

Sally Squires: I've never tried Pilates myself, but have read about it and known people who have done it. It sounds quite interesting. It can be expensive, so before you commit to costly lessons, you might check out the bookstore or video store for tapes. And no, indeed, all exercise does not need to be aerobic. In fact, a variety of activities is probably a good thing for sustaining interest and for maintaining such things as strength, flexibility, balance, muscle, etc. Pilates, yoga, tai chi, weight lifting, etc. are all in that category. Besides, they sound like fun! Imagine!

Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: Sally,

Here is my suggestion for a beginners' cookbook. It's published by Men's Health Magazine and it's called, "A Man, A Can, and A Plan." It's in bookstores now and I think it's pretty clever. It gives basic recipes to the uninitiated, using few ingredients, but healthful ones. It won't intimidate a soul, and it just might encourage a fella to keep on cooking, as opposed to eating out.

Cheers!

Sally Squires: Thanks Capitol Hill. Sounds great!

Crofton, Md.: Hi Sally --

The LPC has been a great resource for me and learning to eat and live more healthfully, especially now that I am a Mom. I wanted to share how I avoid unnecessary snacking and a way I add a little extra walking to my days.

First, I found that I always wanted a snack while I was watching my favorite TV shows. To help me avoid this, I started doing a quick 10 minute exercise routine that I found in a magazine as soon as the urge to make a bag of popcorn or open the chips starts. The routine includes some leg lifting, crunches, and a tricep exercise. I was amazed that I no longer felt like having the snack once I finished that routine.

Also, having the same problem at work, I decided that when the urge hit I would get up from my desk and go outside and walk around the building. It takes about two minutes to get outside, around the building and back to my desk and it's a great way to break up the day.

These two things have really helped me keep my calorie intake at a reasonable level and I have started to slowly lose some extra pounds.

Thanks!

Sally Squires: Great suggestions! When you try these alternatives to eating, you begin to realize how many times a day we reach for food instead of doing what we really need, which is to move or get a glass of water or just take a quick break. Thanks again.

Historic Brookeville, Md.: In the latest issue of Cooking Light magazine, there's a huge article about the weight-loss benefits of nuts -- any kind of nuts. The magazine cites several recent studies that say that not only does regular consumption of an ounce or two of nuts daily cut down on incidence of heart/blood pressure ailments, they've also found it to be a factor in losing weight and keeping it off. For those who (like me) tend to grab handful after handful of pecans, etc., they recommend the shot glass approach. Fill the shotglass with your favorite nuts, put the container away (one shotglass equals about one serving). I looked for nut coverage on the LPC archive, because I thought I'd seen something about it recently, but couldn't find it. Anyway, I'm happy to build nuts into my food plan.

Sally Squires: Thanks Brookville. Nuts really are a good food and by the way are also mentioned in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Their only drawback: high in calories, so you really do have to be vigilant about mindless eating of them. ANother option: shave nuts over cereal for your own "granola." You get the crunchy mouth feel, the great taste but fewer calories.

Virginia walker: Here is my method of getting a little extra walking in throughout the day:

I work on the 5th floor of an office building. Each time I have to use the bathroom, which is almost once an hour because of the volume of liquids I drink, I make myself walk up and down the 5 flights of stairs before I return to my desk. (I do this AFTER I have used the bathroom!)

Sally Squires: Hey, Virginia. Great idea. Two birds with one stone. Thanks!

Two gallons a day won't: Hurt anyone, particularly if you are very active. I start feeling bad when I DON'T get at least a gallon to a gallon and a half of fluids every day.

Be realistic -- if you have been drinking that much water for a long time and you feel fine, how "screwed up" can your body be? LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, not your family. I'm willing to bet that those concerned family members don't have great eating habits themselves.

Sally Squires: Well said. And again, if you've been doing something seemingly healthy and you feel good (and there's no medical reason not to do it) then why not go for it!

Takoma Park, Md.: Hi, Sally --
For the mother of the college student. I don't have a specific book in mind, just some suggestions for the kind of book to look for:
1. Many recipes with 5 ingredients or less (Simplicity is important for college students who want easy recipes on a budget).
2. Simple, inexpensive ingredients (same reasoning as above)
3. Many pictures with explanations of techniques, like how to chop an onion, mince garlic, or place a chicken in a roasting pan. If her son is new to cooking, pictures will help alot.
4. The book should be easy to prop up and read while following the recipe. A looseleaf or notebook style, for example. Larger than average print, too.
5. The book should include shopping and storage tips, like what staples to keep in the house, and how to keep produce fresh.

Hope this helps! Love the chats, Sally!

Sally Squires: Thanks, Takoma. Great suggestions. A few years back I made a home-made cookbook for my two oldest sons who were on their own at college. I think at the time, they thought it was kind of over the top, but have come to appreciate it because it had some of their favorite recipes that we made at home.

San Mateo, Calif.: What do you think of body-fat scales that are sold in retail stores? Are they helpful, or is a normal scale adequate for measuring progress?

Sally Squires: The studies on these body-fat scales are interesting. Tanita makes a number of them and most of their models seem to offer both pounds and body fat. They're not as precise as some of the very scientific methods used in research, but seem to offer a fairly accurate assessment for most people's purposes. It's another way to track your progress. And if you like it, go for it. They're not even that expensive. I believe they run about $100 or so.

Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: Your walking section inspired me -- I just got back from a brisk 20 minute walk that helped break up my day, and I now feel much more focused and productive for the rest of my workday. I generally get in a good amount of walking, as I live two miles from work, and only rarely "cheat" and take the bus. What slips me up is my pace. Sometimes I do well at keeping a brisk pace the whole way, but often it is much more leisurely. I tell myself that at least it's better than taking the bus, and I am getting in a good chunk of my 10,000 steps, regardless of pace. How much of the benefits of walking do I lose when I take it easy?

Thanks for the very informative Health section, and your always helpful chats!

Sally Squires: Thanks Dupont. I'll pass along your comments to our editors, Craig Stoltz and Susan Morse, who worked really hard putting this section together.

Pace does make a bit of a difference according to the latest recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences. They set 4 mph (that's a 15 minute mile) as the goal for most people and they want us to walk about an hour a day. If you go faster--and you'd have to really be a brisk walker to do that--then you can walk a little less.

Walking at a slower speed is also good, however. And while traveling I got on a treadmill several times in the past couple of days. It helped to see how fast that 4 mph pace is--it's certainly faster than what I normally walk witht the dog. Bottom line: Your 20 minute walk was a great thing to do as you already discovered for yourself.

re: Pilates: Everyone should try it! I recently took a class at my gym at felt sore in muscles I didn't even know were there! It's a nice change of pace from regular work outs which helps keep thing interesting. I'm sure all instructors vary, but I'd describe it as sort of like a face paced yoga class.

Sally Squires: Thanks. That's one vote for Pilates!

Washington, D.C.: I just had a frozen entree for lunch. And now I feel really full and it was tasty, too! About 300 calories and 5 g of fat. I know these aren't the most healthiest meal choices. But is it ok to have occasionally?

Sally Squires: You bet, DC, and for several reasons: you ate a reasonable meal, you liked it, and you feel full. That's a winner.

Walking: It was interesting that today's Health section was all about walking and I believe in yesterday's Metro section there was an article about a suburban community where even though the kids can all walk, most of the parents drive their children to and from school. What better way to spend quality time with children and get some exercise. When I read articles like that, I get concerned for the future of our country. We're raising a generation of pampered wimps!

Sally Squires: I'm with you. I love seeing the joyful faces of parents--and yes even kids--as they walk their children to school.

Washington, D.C.: My mom got a great cookbook for me and my siblings when we moved out on our own. It's called "The Kitchen Survival Guide" by Lauren (or Laura?) Brody. It is basic, basic...from how to boil an egg to how to pick out good fruits and vegetables to what utensils you should stock your first kitchen with. It is a great resource. It contains tons of good, basic recepies too.

Sally Squires: Thanks, DC. That's a new one to me. Thanks for submitting it.

Warrenton, Va.: It's difficult to find fresh fruit so I started to buy the 4 ounce Del Monte fruit cups. I'm trying to lose weight. Is this choice a good substitute for fresh fruit?
Thanks.

Sally Squires: Hey Warrenton. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, all fruit counts towards those five servings a day. I'm sure you know this already, but the fruit and vegetables are a healthy way to add vitamins and minerals and fiber. They still have calories--important to count if you are trying to trim some pounds--and you always want to check to see if fruit products have added sugar. The National Academy of Sciences has recommended limiting added sugar in our diet--think soft drinks, cookies, candy, some fruit drinks, etc.--to no more than 25 percent of total calories daily.

College student's cookbook: Last year, my brother gave me a cookbook called the "4 Ingredient Cookbook." All of the recipes had no more than four ingredients and were easy to prepare. The book was spiral bound, with hard covers -- easy to use, with simple instructions. I recommend it for anyone looking for very basic recipes that are easy to make.

Sally Squires: Great suggestion! Thanks.

Gaithersburg, Md.: Sally, you mentioned in a previous chat that you topped baked acorn squash with mango chutney. I tried it, and it's really good! I'm not a huge fan of squash, so I need to doctor it up a bit -- and this definitely does the job.

I wanted to mention that I have started putting olive oil on my baked potatoes. I oil-up the potato with olive oil before I bake it. I bake a 10+ oz. potato at 425 degrees for about 75 minutes (it gets really crusty). Then, I break it open and moisten it with one tablespoon of olive oil, and add salt and pepper. It's a delicious way to get some of those good fatty acids, and avoid butter and trans-fats.

Sally Squires: Hey Gaithersburg. Glad you liked it. And I have to thank my mother-in-law here for making some fantastic home-made mango chutney.

Chutney, by the way, is a wonderful way to spice up a lot of different foods (and get a little extra fruit.) And I'm always suprised by how many different varieties of chutney are now available.

Bethesda, Md.: Sally, I'm trying to get that extra exercise in wherever I can. Any suggestions for unobtrusive exercises I could do at my desk? I work in a cube, but it's in an isolated corner of the office -- I don't want to drop to the floor for push-ups, but I can do more than isometric exercises.

Sally Squires: Hey Bethesda: You might keep a set of two handweights at your desk. Some folks are also--don't laugh--getting balls to sit on for a while in place of their chairs. It helps tone stomach muscles. You can always do kegel (these tighten the muscles of the pelvic floor) exercises while sitting. Another good exercise: Lift yourself (using legs only) about an inch off your chair. Hold briefly. Then stand. Then lower to about an inch off your chair, hold and lower onto chair. You get the idea. This is good for upper thighs and buttocks.

There's also:
Office Yoga: Simple Strethces for Busy People by Darrin Zeer
and

Stretching at Your Computer or Desk by Bob Anderson

Other suggestions out there?

Duck, N.C.: What exactly IS chutney?

Sally Squires: Hi Duck:

Chutney is a kind of sauce often made with mangos or peaches, raisins, spices, etc. It originated in India, I believe, (although if I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will let me know) and is used as a condiment much like we might use ketchup. It's really quite good. Maybe we should post chutney recipes one of these days on Lean Plate.

Washington, D.C.: Um, people do know that the suggestions for a beginner cookbook are related to a question submitted in the cooking chat, right?

Sally Squires: Maybe the cooking chat covered this today, too. But I got a question from a mother looking for some help for her college age student.

Bethesda, Md.: Loved the section on walking -- I was so inspired that I did an extra 1/2 mile on the eliptical trainer today while reading it! I was especially pleased to see that I've managed to stumble upon several of the things that the articles mentioned -- including the pedometer, and three of the great books about hikes in this area. By using the books -- as well as area maps (and just keeping our eyes open) we've mangaged to hike in some beautiful places... many within just a mile or two from home. And taking five minutes to drive someplace new makes the hikes a lot more fun than just doing the same walk over and over again.

As for the pedometer, it gives me a way to tell if I've been as active as I think I have been. If I find I've had a more sedentary day than usual, I'll get off one Metro stop early on my way home -- or walk to the next one away from work. Its all small stuff -- but it all adds up.

Sally Squires: Thanks Bethesda. You know we were talking about pedometers in the office earlier this morning. I was relating how with my pedometer, the long walks between planes at the Charlotte airport yesterday became fun because I knew I was clocking more steps. And now I view stairs also as an opportunity rather than a drag. It's a subtle change in attitude.

Washington, D.C.: Sally,

Love the Lean Plate Club, and today's Health section on walking was great timing for me. I just had a physical with a new doctor, who "prescribed" exercise six days a week; when I laughed cynically (I'm a couch potato), he suggested walking the dog. That's usually my husband's chore, but it is nice when we can go together in the evening. The pace is slow, but we can cover a lot of ground if we let the dog (a scent hound)lead the way! So I'm going to try it tonight.

Thanks for all your great tips!

Sally Squires: You're quite welcome. I lovingly refer to my dog as the coach because he has prompted me to get out there more times than I can count--and probably not enough for him!

Leesburg, Va.: I took beginners Pilates classes from a physical therapist. She was very thorough and checked everyone's positions. Recently I joined a new gym which offers a variety of exercise classes, including Pilates. I attended a few classes and found the instructor not as thorough. It's very important to learn it slowly and correctly. My physical therapist recommended a video which is good in addition to an excellent instructor. The video is called The Method "Precision Toning" with Jennifer Kries. It's great exercise for your abdominal muscles and flexibility.

Sally Squires: Thanks for the information Leesburg. The tape sounds quite interesting.

Too much water: Just for the record, you can drink too much water. There's a condition called hyponatremia that occurs among runners and other endurance athletes in which the sodium level in the blood drops due to losing sodium through sweating and then being diluted by too much water. It can cause symptoms ranging from dizziness and fatigue to a coma and death in more extreme cases.

Sally Squires: Yes, indeed, while rare, it certainly exists. And that's why it was underscored that you especially need to be careful if you have a medical condition. And it's never a bad idea to drink some of that water with a meal, which almost always contains sodium and will help you retain a good electrolyte balance. But for most of us, it will be difficult to drink too much water.

Washington, D.C.: What's not nutritious about frozen meals? recently I started eating Healthy Choice or a Lean Cuisine just about every night for dinner, and I've lost five pounds in the last month. I thought I was making good choices -- was I wrong?

Sally Squires: Nothing is wrong with frozen meals. (And by the way, congratulations on your weight loss.) It all comes down to reading the label and making sure you know what you are consuming and how it fits with what else you are eating--and how much activity you are getting.

Milwaukee, Wis.: A healthy "cookbook" suggestion -- If the son is outgoing, perhaps he could ask the people from whom he buys the food for inspiration? A lot of times, I find that less confining (and almost invariably healthier) than a cookbook. -Although I do like the Moosewood cookbooks -- and I'm not a vegetarian.]

I learned how to make gazpacho from an organic farmer at the farmers' market; cinnamon rolls from my friend who made them for brunch; and sorrel sauce from the produce guy at a local supermarket (Sauteed shallots, a smidge olive oil, fresh sorrel or arugula -- pureed -- works great on salmon).

Sally Squires: Thanks, Milwaukee. Great idea!

Chicago, Ill. : Hi, Sally! Thanks for the great chats!

I've been following the general LPC advice: Exercising daily and eating better. My question is about my "crutch food": air popped popcorn. I have it almost once a day, two tablespoons of popcorn and two teaspoons of low-cal butter. It seems great: it tides me over until dinner (because of my husband's hours, we eat late almost every night) and it's one of my favorite foods. Could it ben keeping me from losing weight? Even with the jogging and the reduced cal diet, I haven't been losing lbs. Could the carbs in my beloved popcorn be the culprit?

Many thanks!

Sally Squires: Hi Chicago: I can't say exactly why you have plateaued but suspect that it doesn't have to do with any one food. If you haven't already done it, track your intake for for three to 7 days. Record what you eat and calculate calories. It may be you're consuming a little more than you think. Do the same with exercise. Also, be sure to weigh yourself at the same time and in the same clothes. Take into account monthly water fluctuations which plague many women. And finally, it may be that you are like many other folks. Your weight hits a plateau for a little while before it takes a sudden drop. Not unusual at all. Let us know how you do.

Still Wondering at Metro Center: Reminder from last week....any information on what "NFS" and "NS" stand for on fitday.com?

Sally Squires: Mea culpa. I was away unexpectedly for a few days. I'll call this afternoon. You can also e-mail me at squiress@waspost.com. But I'll try to post answer next week.

washingtonpost.com: Sally, just wanted to share that Mark Fenton, who was featured in today's Health section, will be online at 2:30 p.m. ET, to talk about the benefits of walking.

Sally Squires: A good reminder for an upcoming chat. Thanks!

Sally Squires: Hey Everybody: Thanks for a great chat. The winners today are Capitol Hill, Brookville, DC (for the cookbook suggestion) and Leesburg. Please e-mail me at squiress@washpost.com and put winner in the subject line. Until next week, Eat Smart with the Lean Plate CLub. And keeping walking! Cheers!

washingtonpost.com:

That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.

Stay tuned to Live Online:

Health: Benefits of Walking at 2:30 p.m. ET

Did you know that you can follow more than one Live Online discussion at the same time? Just open another browser window and toggle back and forth between discussions! And, if you miss one, catch up with the Live Online transcripts.

Keep up with the latest in news, sports, politics and entertainment with washingtonpost.com e-mail newsletters.

NEW! Personalize your Post with mywashingtonpost.com. Get customized news, traffic, weather and more.

   |      |