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The Lean Plate Club
With Sally Squires
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2002; 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.
Sally Squires has covered health and nutrition for The Post since 1984. She holds masters' degrees in nutrition and journalism (both from Columbia University), is co-author of "The Stoplight Diet for Children" and covers heart disease, cancer, psychology and many other health topics in addition to nutrition. She usually eats a salad for lunch, sits unluckily close to the Health section's legendary cookie depository and (for this phase of her ongoing battle of the bulge) swears by "The Firm" series of exercise tapes.
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 and week 7 of the Everyday Challenge. How's it going out there? What are you finding easy--and what's difficult--about the challenge so far? If you've been doing this since the beginning, you're now largely eating according to the Dietary Guidelines, considered by some of our finest minds to be a healthful way to eat.
For those of you just joining the chat and the challenge, the goal is not to diet, but to hold the line on weight gain and establish healthier eating and exercise habits. It's never to late to join this effort (click on the archived Lean Plate columns for more info). But if you do, start slowly and institute one food goal a week. For exercise, begin at 10 minutes a day, gradually increasing workout time as the weeks progress.
E-mail me if you are interested in getting our upcoming electronic newsletter. (squiress@washpost.com). Also the freebies this week are:
Pilates for Beginners: A Hands-Free, Eye Level, Step by Step Guie, by Kellina Stewart. And Recipes for Living, A Green Mountain At Fox Run Cookbook. There's one volume for the LPCer who offers the most innovative way to eat meatless and one to the person who has an unusual way of meeting those 19 minutes of exercise a day. (Remember, in offering these we in no way are endorsing any particular book or weight loss or exercise regimen.)
On to the comments and questions:
Alexandria, Va.:
What percentage of people who lose weight keep it off 10 or 20 years later?
Is the success rate related to how much weight the dieter lost?
Sally Squires: Great questions Alexandria. Wish I could give you definitive answers. But I've checked with the National Center for Health Statistics, the American Obesity Association and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. No one has good numbers on this.
One figure often quoted is that 95% of dieters ultimately fail. But when a scientist I know once tried to track the source of that figure, he found it to be quite questionable. (Aren't we all glad about that!)
So what do we know? Fad diets can work in the short run, but in the long-term they ultimately fail. What else do we know? Some of the best evidence comes from the National Weight Control Registry, a collection of several thousand men and women who have lost at least 60 pounds and kept it off for at least six years. Impressive, huh?
Successful "losers" exercise a lot. They also track their weight in some fashion (so they know where they stand) and they record food (although they don't necessarily count calories religiously.) What else? They eat breakfast. A new report out just this month in Obesity Research notes that 78% of folks in the Weight Registry ate breakfast every day of the week.
Washington, D.C.:
I know it is important to eat breakfast in the morning to get your metabolism started. My question is, does coffee with 1/2 cup of milk in it start your metabolism? Really, 1/2 cup of milk is equal to a small yogurt, so by my thinking it should be the same. Is it?
Sally Squires: Hey Washington. You've got the start of breakfast, but you're missing the opportunity to eat a more well-rounded meal and get your day started on really good nutritional footing. (Be sure to see the question above about the National Weight Control Registry members eating breakfast every day.) Okay, so what do you get in that half cup of milk? If it's 2 percent, you're getting about 70 calories, 175 milligrams of calcium, plus pretty significant vitamin A (at least in fortified milk) and small amounts of other assorted vitamins and minerals. You're also getting about 2 grams of fat, about 1.5 of it saturated, plus about 4.5 grams of protein. None of that is bad.
But look what you're missing: fruit and carbs. So how about expanding that milk and coffee to include fruit and cereal? Or whole wheat toast and a little peanut butter, plus some OJ? Or if you like drinking your breakfast, why not make a smoothie? Use yogurt, honey, fruit, a little wheat germ and yes, even a little coffee if that's your thing.
Washington, D.C.:
Hi there,
I'm wondering where I can acquire copies of "The Firm" video series, which ones you would recommend doing, and how often? I am in moderately good shape, but am looking for a routine I can do at home (my gym is near work, but I tend to neglect myself during the weekends). Thanks very much!
Sally Squires: I've got to say that I love these tapes--although I can tell you that not everyone agrees. A colleague here at the Post lent me one and I got the bug for them.
They combine aerobics and weight training and there are a lot of tapes that do this, but these just hit me right. (And frankly, whether you go to an aerobics class, run along the mall or do the Firm tapes, you want to find some activity or activities that does this for you so that you keep doing it regularly.)
Firm tapes can be found at stores inlcuding the Sports Authority, on-line (ebay, firmdirect.com, amazon) and now Anna Benson, the creator of The Firm is doing a new set of tapes at fitprime.com
Going to a gym is also great by the way. (I've done that too and loved it.) But for my schedule these days, the thing I like about tapes is that you're also guaranteed a spot in class, you can do it at your convenience and you know exactly what you'll get. Plus you can stop for a drink of water as needed!
Washington, D.C.:
Sally, which meals are we really talking about this week? I never think to eat meat with breakfast (two thumbs up for oatmeal!) unless I'm at a restaurant, and the only meat that finds its way into my lunch is whatever I've cooked the night before. I've been doing really well on the Lean Plate Club and have actually used it to try foods (namely, tofu) that I've always wanted to add to my diet. But when we're talking about meatless meals, should we be aiming for lunch or dinner, or would any of the three major meals count?
(I guess I'm having a hard time believing I'm healthy enough now that this challenge is more of a gentle reminder.)
Thanks!
Sally Squires: Sounds like you're doing really well, Washington. We are talking about lunch and dinner. And based on what you've reported, it appears that you're already doing some of this naturally. The point is to expand our eating repertoire and not to overlook some other good sources of food, including low-fat or non-fat dairy, soy, fish and beans. Good going on the tofu, by the way.
And I want to report that I cooked and ate edame this weekend with soba noodles, hoisin sauce, broccoli and shrimp. It was pretty good, although I'm still not sure I understand all the raves for edamame. Anybody out there have a recipe for it that they love and are willing to share so we can fully appreciate the high (taste) marks for this food?
Rockville, Md.:
I noticed in today's LPC, you suggested folks have one low-fat/no meat meal a week.
I think many will turn to mac-n-cheese, quiche, or pizza to handle this, but as you know these are pretty unlikely to be low fat.
And those who are unused to preparing tofu or the various beans/lentils as main dishes may find it hard.
May I suggest a simple tranlation of a meat to non-meat meal? Tacos using soy crumble instead of hamburger. Consistency will be similar, seasoned taste will be similar, the food will be fun, and you can add all the veggies you want. Just watch the cheese and sour cream.
If you really want to explore non-meat meals that are fun, folks may want to consider signing up for some international vegetarian cooking classes or seminars. Whole Foods/Fresh Fields, MOM in Rockville, the Adventist hospitals, and other places offer then frequently (check the Post Food section or sign up for the store's mailing lists). Montgomery Country continuing ed offers Indian and Chinese vegetarian classes, usually 2 or 3 sessions. Very inexpensive, even for non-county residents, and delicious.
Sally Squires: Actually, Rockville, we are suggesting one meatless lunch or dinner a day. But you raise some good points. I think you could have pasta and cheese--even mac and cheese--if you make it with nonfat skim milk and go easy on the cheese, for instance, grating an aged parmesan. (An ounce would be a lot in that case.)
Your food suggestions are really good. Thanks. I'd add to that list soups--lentil, split pea laced with fresh tarragon (sans the ham), butternut, pumpkin, minestrone; humus and pita bread, tzatzkiki with whole wheat crackers, salads (with as many ingredients as possible), dolmas, phyllo dough with spinach and a little feta. The list goes on and on.
The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook : Your Guide to the Best Foods on Earth : What to Eat, Where to Get It, How to Prepare It
by Diana Shaw, Kathy Warinner (Illustrator);
Nonna's Italian Kitchen : Delicious Homestyle Vegan Cuisine
by Bryanna Clark Grogan
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
by Deborah Madison
This Can't Be Tofu : 75 Recipes to Cook Something You Never Thought You Would--And Love Every Bite
by Deborah Madison
Also checkout:
Vegetarian Times (http://www.vegetariantimes.com/)
Free downloadablc vegan recipes from http://www.vitalita.com/cookbooks.html
http://www.justcookbooks.com/vegetarian/index.shtml
Herndon, Va.:
I would like to add some meatless meals during the week, but my kids protest vociferously to this idea. One of them is lactose-intolerant, so cheese is out. Any ideas for kid-tempting meat-free dishes?
Sally Squires: You bet, Herndon. How about pasta with tomato sauce (you can also take eggplant, grind it in a food processor and cook it, adding it to the sauce. It will give a meat-like texture.) Boca burgers are really great. They can also be crumbled and cooked like hamburger for a meatless "sloppy joe." Similarly, you can find "meatless" hot dogs in the dairy case and it's worth it to spend some time in the frozen aisle of both conventional grocery stores and specialty or health food stores. The meatless products keep proliferating.
What else could you do? Salads fixed with eggs, beans, red cabbage, avocado, lettuce, onions, fruit, pasta are also great. Take a tip from Alice Licthtenstein, PhD., a researcher at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University in Boston (and mother of two teens.) She makes salads nightly and changes them slightly according to the preference of her family members and tops them with regular salad dressing for flavor. And if this sounds hard, it's not. I got our youngest family member to rave about a salad made with red cabbage, artichokes, fennel, red onions, a couple of kinds of lettuce, capers, olives, avocado and more this weekend.
Will your kids eat soup? Another great meatless possibility. For the lactose intolerant child, how about a grilled "cheese" sandwich with a cheese substitute made from soy or rice? (No, they're not brie, but they taste pretty close to processed American cheese.) Don't forget Aisan food either. Vegetarian spring rolls would be a good choice. So would fried rice, stir fry with vegetables and tofu.
And don't forget pancakes or waffles (preferrably whole grain), served with fruit and yogurt or milk--sure to please even the youngest finicky eater.
I don't know the ages of your children, but you might take a look at Vegetables Rock: A Complete Guide for Teenage Vegetarians by Stephanie Pierson.
Edamame:
The simplest of recipes. Just boil the pods in water, salt them, put some ice on top to chill them slightly, and pop them out of the pods into your mouth. Couldn't be easier, and the little bit of saltiness satisfies like carrot sticks never do.
Sally Squires: Thanks! But they still tasted a little like lima beans to me? Or am I missing something?
Washington, D.C.:
What do you think of the Viactiv chocolate calcium subsitutes? Do you think they are worth it?
Sally Squires: Depends on your diet. How much calcium are getting daily? Recommendations are 1,000 mg for 19 to 50 year olds; 1,200 for those 51 and older.
If you're not getting enough and you like the flavor of Viactic, which means you'll eat it, then it's great. Just be sure not to get carried away however. There is an upper limit for calcium of 2,500 milligrams. And as I recall, Viactiv also has some vitamin D, which is good. But there's an upper limit for that too: 50 micrograms or 2,000 IU per day.
Arlington, Va.:
If your edamame tasted like lima beans, perhaps you overcooked them? After boiling, they should still be fairly firm in a way that lima beans never seem to be.
I think a lot of the appeal of edamame is the ritual of popping them out and eating them. Although we eat them at home a lot, we always get them at Japanese restaurants too for a healthy appetizer.
Sally Squires: That could be, although I used them frozen in stir fry. But I'll try again. Thanks!
Registry Question:
Does the Weight Registry account for the METHOD by which these people lose weight? I have lost over 200 pounds (and still going) via gastric bypass. Any ideas if this method would "count?" THANKS!
Sally Squires: My understanding is that this would indeed count, if you have kept the weight off for a number of years. The Weight Registry is run out of Brown University, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Colorado.
By the way, however you did it: that's an impressive weight loss. Congratulations!
Washington, D.C.:
Hi, Sally. Thanks so much for the great advice in your column. Here's a suggestion for modifying one of America's favorite meals: cheeseburger with fries. Try a Boca or Morningstar veggie burger on one piece of toast folded over, loaded up with lettuce and tomato and onions and a little cheese, with a side of baked potato fries. To make the fries, cut a baking potato into about 8 wedges, spray with a non-fat cooking spray (such as Pam), sprinkle with onion salt and garlic powder, chile powder, or Old Bay seasoning and bake on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees until golden, about 15-20 minutes.
Sally Squires: Thanks and thank you for your recipes. Sounds really good.
Meatless in Virginia:
Sally,
One great way my wife and I have found to cut down on eating meat is to use the soy-based Morningstar Crumbles in place of ground beef. We’ve tried all the other meat substitutes and, with the exception of Green Giant Crumbles (which has been discontinued after being sold to Morningstar), this is the best tasting ground beef substitute out there. Best price found has been at Shoppers and it isn’t too different in cost the ground beef.
A quick and really tasty meal is to make tacos using a commercial spice mix and the crumbles (non-fat sour cream is a great compliment). Not only do you get fewer calories and fat than in meat, you get the health benefits of soy protein and even get a bit of fiber. If you keep kosher, it also gives you a way to have a little cheese and sour cream on your taco. Have not had the success in using Crumbles in chili that I’ve had in tacos yet.
For other meatless meat dishes, my niece and nephew really like the Morningstar Corn Dogs and my wife and I love the Chef Max Bocca Burgers as well.
Sally Squires: Great ideas, Meatless. I especially like the ones that appeal to your younger family members.
Be on the lookout for a new food that has been used in Europe and is poised to get FDA approval here. It's Quorn and is made from a kind of mushroom or fungus. I tried it at the American Dietetics Association meeting last October and it was quite good.
Northern Virginia:
Can you talk about how cutting back on high-glycemic foods can help you lose weight? I mean things like potatoes and bread. I am hooked on carbs but I want to lose about 20 pounds, so this could be a big help. Thank you.
Sally Squires: Glycemic index is interesting and controversial. Some experts think it is not that meaningful because we rarely eat one food meals. Any mixture of food, therefore, throws off the glycemic index (which by the way, is how fast and how much your blood sugar rises after eating a particular food.)
Having said that, you can use GI to your advantage while the experts debate its merit. Whole grains and fruits and vegetables raise the GI less than processed foods. So what the Everyday Challenge has focussed on is integrating these foods more into the daily diet. By the way, you can also pretty much gorge on fruits and veggies to your heart's desire with all kinds of health benefits (provided of course, that you don't deep fat fry them!)
Washington, D.C.:
This chat is such an inspiration -- thanks! I'm doing pretty well with lean cooking at home, but I need help when we dine out. If I have to order one more broiled chicken breast, I will go crazy! I'd love to hear ideas from other posters about the lean meals they eat in restaurants. My husband is thin and loves to eat out, so we tend to hit the restaurants on the weekends, and it blows my diet.
Sally Squires: Thanks! And that's great that you are seeing progress at home. You're certainly not alone in finding eating out challenging. It is and it's one reason why Center for Science in the Public Interest is advocating for calorie counts on restaurant menus.
Until then, however, employ some of the same strategies out that you do at home. Think salads (dressing on the sdide and dip your fork into it rather than pouring on the salad) soups (preferrably not cream based), stews, grilled fish and vegetables. Some experts advise asking for a doggie bag at the beginning of the meal. Take the portion which is usually large and move it into that container for taking home. That way you won't be tempted.
Another possibility: go for appetizers or split a higher calorie entree with your husband. That way you can taste, but you won't over-indulge.
Alexandria, Va.:
I lived in Tokyo for four years. In Japan, edamame is considered a summer snack food, served cold & washed down with beer. It's served in the pod, which may or may not be salted or seasoned (depends on how much beer the restaurant wants to sell!). That being said, I have seen edamame (without pod) mixed with a little tuna and served as a salad, although I can't remember if that was here or in Tokyo. I like to eat edamame with a little seasoning, but I don't drink the beer. To me, edamame could be a good substitute for peas in any dish.
Sally Squires: Thanks Alexandria.
We got some of the pods here in the office, but I don't think that we fixed them appropriately. We're going to keep trying. I've found one recipe for an edamame pilaf that I want to make. Maybe that will do the trick.
Frozen Edamame:
Well that solves the mystery! The frozen ones are never as good. Try them the next time you in a Japanese restaurant. Also check quality produce sections like Fresh Fields for fresh ones.
Sally Squires: Ah, okay. This is making more sense. Thanks!
More lunch ideas:
Lately I have started eating hummus and tabouli with corn tortillas. I never seem to have pita on hand, but there's always a package of tortillas in the fridge. I microwave them for about 20 seconds at work just to soften them up a bit.
Sally Squires: Sounds really good. Also check out tzatzkiki, a yogurt and cucumber dip (about 5 grams of fat per 2 tablespoons). It's quite good.
Herndon, Va.:
Here is my tip for a low fat, no-meat lunch. I stuff a (toasted) whole wheat pita with brown rice, salsa, red & green pepper strips, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The whole wheat pita only has 150 cal, no fat and 4 grams of protein. The brown rice is also a good protein source and one can't go wrong with lots of veggies. It is so good that I never even notice that the meat is missing from my sandwich!
Sally Squires: Excellent idea, Herndon. Thanks.
Arlington, Va.:
Sally, I have been following the Weight Watchers plan since October and have lost 26 pounds so far. I have another 50 pounds to get to goal. My question for you is this: is it possible to continue losing weight without a real exercise program? I have never liked excercise, and although I plan to add it in the future, I'm not ready now. Can I continue losing successfully if I don't exercise?
Sally Squires: You probably can, but all the evidence suggests that you will do better with weight loss and improve your health in other ways with exercise.
Steven Blair's work at the Cooper Institute in Texas shows that even active overweight folks do better long run than sedentary thin people. Exercise is just proving to be really important to health.
Having said that, you don't have to become a marathon runner or an olympic athlete to add exercise to your regimen. Start with just 10 minutes a day. Walk around the block a couple of times. That will probably take 5 minutes. Do it twice and you've made 10 minutes. Find ways to fit activity--not just exercise--into your daily life. I'll bet you'll be surprised by the rewards. Let us know.
Meat substitutes:
Frankly I despise fake meats. I have tried a variety of crumbles, patties and sausages, and they all seem to have this vaguely chemical, sythetic taste to me. If I want a burger, I eat a real burger.
Here are some meat-free dinner ideas:
Black bean enchiladas
Fried rice with tons of veggies
Pasta tossed with sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil
A middle eastern feast: tabbouli, hummus, baba ganouj with pita wedges
Sally Squires: Another good point, Subby: you don't need to use fake meats to eat meatless.
Arlington, Va.:
I don't want to sound alarmist, but with all the talk about soy and soy products, I want to mention that large intakes of soy may contribute to or aggravate low thyroid problems. I did not know this myself until I was recently diagnosed with low thyroid. I'd encourage those who want to use soy as a substitute for protein in their diets to look into this.
Sally Squires: A very good point, Arlington. And it's important not just for soy, but for any food. Moderation is key. There is no one food that should be eaten to excess. The studies suggest that the more varied the diet, the better. In Japan, by the way, their dietary guidelines consist of eating 30 different foods a day. Try it. (You can only count one food once a day, so if you have strawberries at breakfast and at lunch, they only count as one food.)
Somewhere, USA:
I have lost five pounds since starting the Lean Plate Club on January 22. I
tell people I am not cutting out anything, but mainly I am eating five
fruits
and veggies a day and drinking a lot of water. I do more physical activity
than suggested, but I have been doing that for years and finally I am
losing
weight. I am seventy years young. Thank you for giving us something that
is
easy and healthy. Writing down everything is helpful.
Sally Squires: Very inspirational, Somewhere70! Yes, loading up on fruits and veggies, plus adding lots of water, helps. It may "crowd out" less desirable foods.
Crofton, Md.:
My favorite no-meat meal is nachos. I use the baked corn chips, make a spicy bean mixture from refried and black beans, use a small amount of sharp cheddar cheese, then load up on lettuce, tomato, onion, jalepenos, and salsa. I occasionally add some light sour cream. It fits into my meal plan (diabetic) but also feels like I'm cheating.
Sally Squires: Sounds really good Crofton. Thanks! (Sometimes I get so hungry during these chats!)
Columbia, Md.:
Do you have any strategies to reduce eating at the end of the day?
Sally Squires: Some have told us they eat fruit and drink a glass of water early in the evening, and that reduces the urge to overeat snacks. Any LPCers have suggestions for this Columbian?
Beltway:
Hi Sally!
Several questions for you actually:
Do pickles and banana peppers count as vegetables? Also along the same lines, if I drank a glass of orange juice (or any 100 percent juice), can it count towards both the 5 a day and water goals?
I absolutely love having cereal for breakfast, so I was wondering if you have any recommendations for whole grain or whole wheat cereals that taste good as well (i.e. honey nut).
Appreciate the advice!
Sally Squires: Pickles and peppers both count. (Pickles are after all cucumbers.) So does that orange juice, although juice tends to be more highly concentrated in calories than whole fruit.
As for cereal, it is a great way to start the day. There are a mind-boggling array of options these days. But read the labels: you want to go for whole grains and cereals that don't have sugar or some other sweetener as one of the first ingredients. Oatmeal is a great choice. Grape nuts, toasted oatmeal cereal, reduced fat granola, shredded wheat, Cheerios. The list goes on and on. And that doesn't even touch the number of products available in health food stores.
Arlington, Va.:
Sally,
I frequently blend different combinations of frozen rasberries, blueberries and blackberries (sometimes with other fruits) for a smoothy that helps me reach my five fruits and veggies a day.
I'm concerned though... how much of the healthful benefits do I lose by straining these drinks? The numerous seeds can be VERY annoying.
Sally Squires: You're probably losing a little bit, Arlington. How much depends on how much you're straining. I also use raspberries for smoothies sometimes, but find if I really pulverize them in the food processor that I don't get those seeds. (I usually whip them up for about 3 to 4 minutes, based on the Volumetrics approach from Barbara Rolls at Penn State.) Try it and see what happens.
Bethesda, Md.:
In response to Columbia, I just find
keeping busy in the evening helps reduce
cravings. If I want something in the
evening, I make myself wait until I go for a
30 minute walk. Not only do I get in the
exercise, but usually by the time I get
home I am no longer craving anything.
Sally Squires: Great tip, Bethesda. Thanks. Others have suggested brushing teeth. One could also sip hot broth (vegetable, chicken, beef.) Most important thing, however, is to have several plans in place to avoid temptation. And to also close the kitchen, so that you won't be tempted there either.
re: Eating Out:
Ack, I can sympathize with the poster who can't face another chicken breast. Ye gods, I hate broiled tasteless chicken. I tend to order vegetarian meals (like fajitas, pastas, salads, just about anything in Southern Indian resturant). The problem is that some have cheese -- which can be a big diet buster, too. Shrimp & other seafoods are low in fat (depending on preperation) and taste good. Non-creamy soups are very filling and generally low-fat.
Sometimes I just gotta have that cheese-laden whatever that is sooooo unhealthy but tastes sooooo good. So I have a very light lunch and enjoy that "forbidden" dinner. Then I make sure I eat right the next day. It's all about planning.
Sally Squires: Hear, hear! Absolutely right on. And it's also important to talk to your waiter or waitress and let them know that you really do want something low fat. Sometimes, restaurants will coat even low-fat food with a fatty spray so that your first bite is one of great pleasure.
Washington, D.C.:
How do heart rate monitors work? I have noticed that if I'm walking on a treadmill and wearing my heart rate monitor, the monitor readout matches the treadmill's -- and I'm not touching the treadmill sensors.
Sally Squires: I wish I could tell you. Clearly, they're using some similar technology. I'd be happy to research and let you know next week. Or you can e-mail me after the chat at squiress@washpost.com
Washington, D.C.:
I have some suggestions for eating vegetarian meals at restaurants. First, pizza is an easy solution. Treat yourself to something good (like Pizzeria Paradiso) or just get a regular delivery pizza, but ask for half the cheese on top. Eat a salad on the side with a vinaigrette dressing. Mexican restaurants have veggie fajitas and burritos, which are good even without a lot of sour gream or cheese (try a Burrito Brothers black bean and spinach burrito on a whole wheat tortilla to go). Indian restaurants are packed with vegetarian options. Wendy's has a decent baked potato and side salad. For something really different, try the pumpkin turnovers and the vegetarian plate at Afghan Kabob in Georgetown. D.C. is full of vegetarian options!
Sally Squires: Great ideas, Washington. Thanks. I'd also add an omelet made from egg substitutes for another option.
Rockville, Md.:
The one way I have fought my evening cravings is to eat dinner 1 hour before I go to bed. I have no issues with losing weight (it's flying off me) and I am not concerned with eating. I have 4 meals and 2 snacks a day, no problems. Maybe stop having dinner at 5 or 6 p.m., or go to bed earlier? I haven't eaten dinner that early in YEARS! I eat dinner at 9 p.m.
Sally Squires: Good idea, Rockville. But don't you get hungry at 6 or 7?
Columbian to Columbia:
re: evening munchies.
Suggestion: CHAI! Big train Vanilla chai dry mix-sold at le gourmet chef. One serving (a mug) has just 55 calories and is a very filling drink. They use nonfat milk solids in the mix to cut the cals. I drink it for snack and for a dessert with some cut up fruit. It has been a real lifesaver.
Sally Squires: Nice work, ColtoCol! 55 calories for a mug of chai is great.
Port Washington:
At restaurants, I always order fish. Even fatty preparations at least deliver the good fat of the fish itself. But there are many good broiled and light-sauced kinds that are kinder to calories too.
Sally Squires: Yes, good idea. Many people don't make much fish at home, so eating out is a good time to get that into your eating plan.
Re: reducing evening munching:
I used to eat most of my calories after sunset, but I've been able to cut back on it with two changes. I now include more complex carbs with my dinner -- something like brown rice or whole wheat couscous that really takes a while to process, not potatoes or pasta. Also, I now do my workout in the evenings, around 7:30 or 8. As I am an evening person, I have more energy then anyway, plus it gives me something to do so I'm not mindlessly eating 'cause I'm bored, AND I sleep better.
Sally Squires: Both good strategies. Thanks!
Harrisonburg, Va.:
My suggestion for meatless meals is to make potatoes or sweet potatoes your main dish. I cook them several different ways and with a salad or other vegetables, I'm stuffed. I also use kasha or couscous as a main dish on occasion. I don't miss meat at these meals at all. By the way, I've lost 10 pounds on the latest challenge, 30 pounds since August! I really appreciate all the ideas people have been giving in these chats.
Sally Squires: Amazing work, Harrisonburg! Yes, potatoes (esp. sweet) are nutritious and filling, a good way to keep hunger at bay without loading up on higher-fat things.
St. Petersburg, Fla.:
Do you have any guidelines on shelf life of frozen food in your freezer?
Sally Squires: Most freezer food should be used within a couple of months. Otherwise you risk freezer burn.
Woodbridge, Va.:
Sally -— One trick I have found helpful in planning vegetarian meals is to forget about having a meat replacement as the "entree" or center of the meal. Instead, think grain-and-greens (or other veggies) or grain-legumes-greens (which is likely to be more filling). The grain can be simply cooked—like a pot of brown rice—but also can be something like a pilaf or fried rice, or a casserole that combines grain and legumes. Example: for dinner I am making a recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s World-of-the-East Vegetarian Cooking that combines millet and yellow split peas; I’ve made this before and know it comes out a little dry, but goes really well with salad or cooked spinach or fresh tomatoes, all of which add moisture. Another recipe I like combines bulghar wheat and chick peas.
The other way to do the same combination is to use breads: today’s lunch is home made whole wheat bread, peanut butter, carrot juice, and an apple. The “wrap” foods like pita bread and tortillas can function in a similar way but usually aren’t whole grain.
I was a vegetarian for ten years and recently have found myself wanting to eat like this again. One thing to watch out for is cheese: I ate a lot of it, and it can make a vegetarian diet be pretty fattening.
Sally Squires: Good points, Woodbridge. By eating the grain-based entrees you suggest, you get both a non-meat meal and a serving or several of whole grains. And the note about full-fat cheese in the vegetarian diet is always a useful reminder.
Washington, D.C.:
I work alot and rarely have time to cook. So for lunch I usually have some fruit and a turkey sandwich and for dinner I usually have a lean cuisine. Am I robbing myself of nutritional variety? I am so jealous of people who have time to spice things up.
Sally Squires: If you can shop at least once a week, you can probably have some foods in your refrig and freezer that will enable you to cook for yourself at night. Have pasta, some canned tomato sauce, fresh eggs (or substitutes); some canned broth on hand. Cabbage and romaine lettuce have a long shelf live. So do many fresh fruits. You can grill or sautee chicken or fish in about the time it takes to make a Lean Cuisine. Throw some veggies in the same pan or steam them in the microwave. Add a baked potato or sweet potato and you've got a meal. Salads are also really quick, provided that you've got the makings on hand.
Gaithersurg, Md.:
Hi Sally,
Is semolina (as in the lasagna I ate last night) a whole grain?
I have been slowly losing weight for the last year, but have not lost an ounce since November. After reading some of the comments that have appeared in your online discussion, I concluded that I was not eatng enough calories. With a great deal of trepidation, I took the leap of faith and added 100 calories/day. This week I lost 3 pounds. I found the extra daily 100 calories kept the cravings down and I was a lot more content. I am going to add more calories this week and see what happens.
Sally Squires: Fantastic Gaithersburg. And your experience illustrates another really important point: there is no one way to maintain weight or lose weight for everybody. You've got to find what works best for you and your body. The point is to find healthy ways of living. Congratulations!
Gaithersburg, Md.:
(A)Trying to understand the fat as in Olive Oil. I make my own dressings -- simple vinaigrette (Olive oil & lemon juice, some herbs, and pepper). I made enough for a week and brought it to work. Kept it in the fridge. I found that the liquid turned thick and whitish the next day. Whats going on? I thought only saturated fats do this thing?
(B)For lunch today I threw in some walnuts along with my usual green salad. Good fat boosted!
(C)Wandered into the fruit isle at my regular grocery store in pursuit of something other than apples for snacking. Found "papaya." Decided to bring it home. What a surprise! It was nice and sweet.
(D) About increasing whole-foods. Tried to make me and my family eat brown instead of white rice. Didn't work well initially. Tip -- add 1/4 part to 3/4 part regular white rice. Its to set the ball rolling. I hope to slowly increase the ratio. Its working for now!
Sally Squires: I suspect that the olive oil has simply gotten too cold. It will cloud with temperature.
Papaya is a wonderful find. As for that rice: brown rice doesn't do it for my family either. But they love wild rice--another good option that can also be combined with regular rice.
RE: heart rate monitors:
Most exercise equipment now is compatible with Polar heart rate monitors. If you are wearing the chest strap, the machine is picking up the reading just like the watch receiver is doing.
Sally Squires: Thanks!
Rockville 9 p.m. Dinner Eater:
Here is my eating schedule:
8 a.m.: snack
10 a.m.: breakfast
(see, I reverse the snack/meal)
12 noon: light cocoa or tea
2 p.m.: lunch
4 p.m.: Workout (for 75 minutes)
6 p.m.: snack
9 p.m.: dinner
This schedule has worked for me for almost 18 months now, it's fantastic! But, of course, we are all different.
Sally Squires: Thanks for the detail, Rockville. . .
New York:
My roommates and I used to follow Weight Watchers together, and made this meatless dinner that was also very low in WW "points." We took low fat tortillas and toasted them, spread a little lowfat sour cream and topped them with with a Morningstar black bean burger, a slice of 2 percent cheddar cheese and some salsa. Folded over and eaten with a side salad, it gave us a TexMex taste (which we thought we'd have to sacrifice).
Sally Squires: Thanks New York. Sounds tempting.
Fishy Fish:
For fish eaters, a poster put this up on Kim O'Donnel's chat: It lists fish that people should avoid because of overfishing, a real problem.
http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/efc_oc/dngr_food_watch_chart.asp.
Sally Squires: A good point to remember. Thanks.
Del Ray Grrl:
MMM edamame! I'm having some as part of my lunch right now. I got a bag of the frozen in pod kind at TJ's.
I boil em for about 5 minutes, sprinkle w/kosher salt, and dip in TJ's soy vey veri veri teryaki sauce (no, I don't work for Trader Joes!).
I think the big deal is the sauce -- yum! Just don't overdo it or you'll get a salt overload. Personally, I like them still warm.
Sally Squires: Okay, I'm determine to try them again. Thanks.
Washington, D. C.:
Does coffee or chocolate reduce the body's absorption of calcium? Does chocolate milk really equate to the same amount of calcium as plain milk?
Sally Squires: Chocolate milk has about 26 calories per ounce and 35 milligrams of calcium per ounce, according to the USDA. (Calories will vary slightly by fat content, so skim milk will have fewer cals. than whole). They're roughly equivalent and if the chocolate means that you'll drink the milk, it's probably worth considering, although you need to watch the calories.
Germantown, Md.:
Re: Working a lot, no time to spice things up.
I understand fully. Even if I get home on time, I just don't want to cook (especially on the days when I'm cooking for one). I try to set aside one day (usually Sunday) to cook about 2-3 dishes. I put on my favorite CD's, really make a big deal out of it. Usually 2-3 dishes will make 3 dinners for one and 3 lunches. Combine that with your sandwiches and lean cuisine and you have a lot of variety with very little work.
Sally Squires: Yes, this is a great approach. And you're going to hear more about it next week in the Food Section.
Bethesda, Md.:
From past experience working out on
cardio equipment at the gym most of
them are designed to monitor heart rate
based on someone holding the sensors
or through infrared signals from a heart
rate monitor the person is wearing. So in
other words the machine is getting
signals from your heart rate monitor.
Sally Squires: Thanks Bethesda. I'll also do some checking and let you know what I find next week.
22202:
Hi, This is probably one of the most common questions that you get, but I need help! I'm 26 and used to being about 125. However, after my clothes started feeling tighter and my underwear riding up a big more (sorry, but it's true!) I finally weighed myself and am 140! I know it's not huge compared to a lot of people. But it's not the size for me to feel good about myself and not look and feel bloated.
Now, what to do? My eating habits are the biggest problem, I know. I gorge myself and am trying to work on that. But the thing that I really need help with is what to eat? I eat a lot of things with rice and pasta, which I know that I need to cut back on. What should I be eating that's filling yet easy and won't cake on the pounds. Chicken? Beef? Fish? Please give me some ideas! Also, I take my lunch into work. Any ideas for that instead of carb leftovers from the night before?
Thanks from the newly-minted big butted girl.
Sally Squires: First, relax a little. Yes, it's scary to put on those 15 pounds. But you're not alone. You can reverse this trend. You've already taken a step in the right direction by paying attention.
Now, don't worry about changing your diet yet. First record what you're eating for about three days and how much activity you're getting. You need to have a rough idea of what you're taking in and how many calories you're burning.
Next, aim for healthy food. Start with about 2,000 calories a day. Check the Everday Challenge archives for some steps. We started for example, with simply eatin five servings a day of fruits and vegetables.
Also get moving. Start with a 10 minute walk everday. Ease into it. Find activities that you really like and will continue to enjoy.
Most importantly, don't fall for fad diets or quick weight loss schemes. They may help you lose a couple of pounds for a few weeks, but research suggests that they ultimately fail.
Let us know how you do.
Re: Breakfast Cereal:
KASHI!!
Sally Squires: Hadn't thought of that one. Thanks!
Washington, D.C.:
I like to have something hot for lunch, so I usually bring a container with a combination of barley, sauteed vegetables (or just frozen ones), and some kind of beans, and heat it in the microwave. Any and all kinds of spices can be thrown in as well. I make a big pot of barley on the weekend so it lasts all week, and it is easy to throw together in the mornings when you are in a hurry! Meatless and healthy (esp. if you use healthy fats for sauteeing!).
Sally Squires: Sounds really good. Your idea about adding spices is terrific. For those of you who haven't visited the fresh herb aisle in the produce section, take a look. There are some really wonderful herbs and spices available that will add great flavor with virtually no calories.
Sally Squires: Thanks everyone for a some wonderful suggestions and questions. The winners today are Harrisonburg, Va. and the Rockville Dinner eater who manages a daily workout. And this week, I'll also throw in a potholder to everyone who e-mails me from the chat today. Send me a message at squiress@washpost.com with your address and I'll mail it to you.
Until next week, cheers!
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