Sally Squires

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The Lean Plate Club
With Sally Squires
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 9, 2002; 1 p.m. EDT

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.

This week, Sally was joined by registered dietitian Nancy Clark, director of nutrition services for SportsMedicine Associates in Brookline, Mass.

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. Today, I'm delighted to introduce as our guest, registered dietitian Nancy Clark, author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook: Eating to Fuel Your Active Lifestyle. (Human Kinetics; 1997). Also available on-line at www.humankinetics.com. Nancy Clark is Director of Nutrition Services at Sportsmedicine in Brookline, Mass. She's ready to field your most pressing questions about eating better to help boost daily activity. (By the way, for more slightly more serious athletes, her newest book is "Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions," available at www.rcn.com) The freebies today are "Ready, Set, Go! Synergy Fitness for Time Crunched Adults, A Fully Illustrated Workbook for Beginners to College & Pro Athletes," by Phil Campbell, M.S. (Pristine; 2002), "Sports Nutrition for Women," edited by Anita Bean and Peggy Wellington (A & C Black Publishers); and of course, "Sports Nutrition Guidebook," by Nancy Clark, MS, RD (Human Kinetics; 1997) Send us your inspiring story, tips or an innovative way that you are incorporating the Lean Plate Club philosophy into your life and one of these books could be yours. One volume to the three best stories or tips. (And as usual, our offering does not in any way endorse any particular book or program.) Winners to be announced at the end of the chat. Now, on to the comments, suggestions, tips and yes, questions. But wait, one more thing: if you want to subscribe to the upcoming electronic LPC newsletter, send me an e-mail at squiress@washpost.com. I'm working on the prototype this week. We should be up and running very shortly.

Quick Meals: I have two suggestions for quick meals. One is admittedly a better choice than the other. The first is hummus with toasted pita "chips" (I cut a pita in pieces and toast until crisp), cucumbers, carrots, and/or cherry tomatoes (any two) and a serving of fruit. I drink water or skim milk, or both. My three-year-old asks for this dinner regularly. I buy a pound or more a week of hummus. Does anyone have a good recipe for hummus? This makes a good lunch also.

The not as good, but still okay one, is a Weight Watchers or Lean Cuisine entree with pasta and vegetables. I like one with spinach and tomatoes. Unfortunately, there are usually only four tomato chunks, so I add cherry tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes, a serving's worth or more. Then I share the meal with my three-year-old, also serving raw or cooked vegetables (total of two servings), and we share a baked pear for dessert. I also like to have wheat french bread with this meal. The entree cooks in 35-40 minutes in the oven (the pear usually is done in this amount of time also, and cools down as we eat), which gives us time to play, take a bath, go outside and ride a bike, etc., so while it is not a quick meal from start to finish, it works when there is a lot to do at home between getting home and going to bed.

Another one is the buttermilk-tomato sauce recipe from Laurel's Kitchen. Saute a chopped up onion in a little olive oil, stir in some basil, add a cup of buttermilk into which you have previously mixed 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, and two-three tablespoons of tomato paste. Stir to mix and pour over pasta. You can add grilled chicken this as well, although I have never seen the need to.

Nancy Clark: It alls sounds delicious. I drank a cup of buttermilk today as part of my breakfast. While it is an acquired taste, it really is satisfying. (Be sure to look, however, for the low-fat versions of buttermilk.) Anybody out there have a good hummus recipe they can share?

Washington, D.C.: I saw the "20/20" segment last Friday in which a family and friends all had "stomach stapling" to lose weight after years of weight gain and diet failure. Did you watch it? What is your opinion of this operation?

Nancy Clark: I saw the promos for it, but did not see the actual segment. It sounded quite interesting. Stomach stapling is a last resort for morbidly obese people, who don't really have any options left and are already facing major medical complications. The Health Section staff writer Sandra Boodman wrote about this surgery on Feb. 29, 2000. Perhaps our intrepid producer, Liz O'Leary, can find a link and post it for us.

Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally,

I've been lurking for a few weeks, and I'm really enjoying your chats -- lots of great ideas and encouragement! I've heard that apple sauce can be used as a substitute for oil when baking. I was wondering how to convert the oil into applesauce, i.e., if the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of oil, how much apple sauce do I use?

Thanks a lot!

Nancy Clark: Hey Dupont: Welcome and thanks for your comments. Glad you're joining in. Here's what my colleagues on the Food section recommend: Best to find a recipe which already uses the fruit substitutes. As for rule of thumb, it varies widely based on the recipe. One website recommended substituting the fruit for the oil in a 1:1 ratio. (In other words, half a cup of fat substitute for half a cup of oil.) But my colleagues on the Food section caution that it's just not that simple. If you have a favorite recipe, better experiment a little before you serve it to company. Other tips: substitute just half the required oil with fat substitutes, fat grams will be higher, but taste is apparently better. And recipes that already have fruit as ingredients are apparently the best successes. Example: muffins, banana bread, etc.

Other experiences out there with these fat substitutes, which by the way include apple and prune.

Takoma Park, Md.: I read Bob Levey's column yesterday about his new diet. Did you give him any advice? Does he read your LPC articles?

washingtonpost.com: Bob Goes on a Diet, Part 1, (Post, April 8)
Bob Goes on a Diet, Part 2, (Post, April 9)

Nancy Clark: I'm a big fan of Bob--he used to have an office near the Health section--and I love his columns. We talked a little bit about his upcoming diet and I urged him to not set too lofty a goal and to focus on all the things that we do: in other words change his habits first and lett the pounds fall where they may.

I have also threatened to challenge him in a contest on daily activity--in other words, we could both wear pedometers and have an independent person read them every day. We could see who can meet those 10,000 steps consistently and maybe even put a little money on it for charity. But he has been oddly silent. What say you Bob?

Washington, D.C.: Sally --

Are there any D.C. food markets that sell Asian fish sauce? The Glover Park Fresh Fields does not carry it. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks.

Nancy Clark: I have a bottle of this sitting my very fridge today and believe that I bought it either at Safeway or Trader Joe's. You can also find it in China town groceries and at some Asian markets in Rockville. Other sources out there anybody?

Washington, D.C.: I've been meaning to send this tip in for a few weeks and kept forgetting, so here it is -- better late than never.

You asked for ways to sneak veggie servings into your day. I have started substituting mustard/mayo on my sandwiches with hummus or baba ganouj (similar to hummus, only with roasted eggplant instead of chickpeas). You can find hummus ready made in any grocery store, usually in the deli section. I found baba ganouj at Trader Joe's, and I'm sure places like Whole Foods carry it too.

Nancy Clark: Great suggestion, DC. And don't forget other veggies based sauces including salsa, guacamole and caponata (an eggplant/olive Italian concoction.) We also put Tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber) on bagels with lox recently. It was great.

Early Morning Exerciser: What suggestions do you have for fueling up before morning exercise? I get up at 6 a.m. and am out walking the dog by 6:10 (Because I have to be back home by 6:45 so my husband can leave for work and someone will be home with the kids). I have tried to jog instead of walk but find myself lacking motivation -- sometimes I can't even manage more than a "stroll" although I try to maintain a BRISK pace. I am reluctant to get up much earlier because, let's face it, hard as I try, I'm not getting my eight hours a night as it is (see last week's column). Any suggestions?

Nancy Clark: Despite popular belief, the food you eat even five minutes before you exercise gets used for fuel--as does the food you eat during exercise (as long as you are exercising at a pace you can maintain for more than 20 minutes. Hence, you could grab a banana as you go out the door and eat it as you walk. As the banana digests, you might find you have the energy to even run! Give it a try.

Sally Squires: Hey everybody: Bear with us today. Those first couple of answers were actually from me: Sally Squires. Nancy is now going to send on additional answers to the exercise questions. We'll get this right yet!

Burke, Va.: I workout immediately upon waking up in the morning, how can I maximize nutrition at that point? I am on a very tight schedule and have things scheduled to a science to afford the workout time. Am I OK without eating before working out?

Nancy Clark: Yes, it is indeed OK to eat before you workout. Most people can tolerate food just fine; others discover they have intestinal problems. I suggest you experiment to determine what foods settle well--and how much you can comfortably eat. You might prefer to have some juice--it will provide both fluids and energy, and may do the best job of perking you up.
If you cannot tolereate food firt thing in the morning, you mgiht want to have a snack before you go to bed. That evening snack will help boost your blood sugar so you'll have more energy the next morning.

Fairfax, Va.: Hi. I get hungry about every three hours even when I eat a protein-packed meal. I don't know what that says about me, but since I get hungry so often I've turned to fruits and cereal. Will I gain weight eating cereal regularly? I only eat healthy ones like Cheerios or Special K, but I wonder if there are other things I can snack on that won't give me too many calories or fat. I'd appreciate your suggestions.

Sally Squires: I'll bet Nancy has got some thought on this one.

Nancy Clark: Hunger is simply a request for fuel. If your body is hungry, it simply means you need to add some gas to your tank. Eating does not mean you are going to OVEReat and get fat. If you eat enough to satisfy your hunger, your body will be able to regulate the proper weight. The trick is: Eat like a kid. Kids eat when they are hungry, stop when they are content and NEVER run out of energy! They also eat a variety of foods, and do not worry about carbs, protein and fats. The variety offers them what their body needs.

Falls Church, Va.: Where can I find menus to eat between 1,500-2,000 calories per day? I'm have started working out and now would like watch what I eat. However, I don't have a clue where to begin. Thanks.

Sally Squires: Check out the USDA website: www.usda.gov for some good recipes. The National Institutes of Health also features some recipes at www.nhlbi.nih.gov including some tips for the DASH diet which emphasizes fruits and vegetables and is helpful in lowering blood pressure but also has good common eating tips for everybody.

Nancy Clark: You can also divide your calories evenly throughout the day: 500 for breakfast, 500 for lunch 400 for a "second lunch" (that provides good energy for an afterwork workout) and then 600 calories for dinner. By reading food labels, you can create your won menus that fit withing your calorie budget. I suggest you include three types of food per meal and that will help you find the right balance of nutrients, such as cereal-milk-banana, bread-peanut butter-yogurt, pasta-tomato sauce-parmesan cheese. All those foods have a label and you can define the portion that fits into your calorie budget.

Washington, D.C.: Question for Nancy:
My brother (mid-30's) is overweight, has high sugar, hates vegetables, loves steak and french fries, and doesn't like suggestions about eating healthier.
Is there anything I can do to help change his mind and his eating habits? Any web sites you could recommend?
I may be fighting a losing battle here but I am concerned about what he's doing to his body.

Sally Squires: Some thoughts for this concerned woman who is trying to help her brother achieve a healthier lifestyle?

Nancy Clark: You cannot motivate someone .. you can simply say "I love you and I wish you would take better care of your health." Your brother's job is to see the benefits that come with eating healthier. Perhaps he has children and would like to live to see them grow up, or perhaps he would like to have more energy and feel better. Focus on health, not weight. Health is the real issue. People can be fat AND fit ... perhaps fitness is more appealing to him? If he is willing to talk with a registered dietitian (RD), he would learn that eating well is easier than he might think. To find a local RD, go to www.eatright.org and use the American Dietetic Association's referral network.

Washington, D.C.: Hi!
I use the exchange system to watch my intake, but I'm a bit confused about distribution, esp. with starches and proteins. For a 1200 calorie diet, sometimes I see 4 starches and 6 proteins, other times I see 6 starches and 4 proteins. What do you think is the best distribution for a 1200 cal. diet using food exchanges?

Thanks

Sally Squires: Part of this is going to depend on what tastes and feels best to you. It's good to follow the exchanges, but unless you are under a strict doctor's order to carefully adhere to a certain regimen, you want to find the amount of calories--and the ratio or protein and carbs--that works best for you, all within moderation of course.

Nancy Clark: Having a combination of protein and starch at each meal enhances satiety--that pleasant feeling of fullness. The exact proportion can vary from meal to meal.

Washington, D.C.: RE: Early Morning Exerciser: I found that just by telling myself I am going to walk it makes it that much easier to be OK with that and actually accomplish it. Then, I usually, but now always find myself running. This mental game makes me feel like I accomplish more than I set out to do.

Sally Squires: Another tip that I find helpful: Get everything ready for your workout ahead of time. It gives you fewer reasons not to do it. And there are studies that show even if you only get into your workout clothes, it puts you a step closer to achieving your goal of getting more activity. You know, one day you manage to get dressed. The next you get out there and walk. The next day, you go even farther. The point is to figure out a way to achieve your goal.

Nancy Clark: And also remember, the decision to exercise is almost always the right one--you feel better when you move your body!

Washington, D.C.: I read your article of today's Health section and I realized what I was doing wrong. Thank you very much for your making me realize how I should proceed before going to exercise. I was not motivated at all, feeling too much tired at the end of my working day before heading to the gym. I know why now. I should pay attention to my breakfast and lunch in order to have the energy to continue well throught the day.

I am 55 years old, somehow overweight, and very stiff due to my lack of exercise. I would like to know of a plan to begin to exercise and not feel exhausted at the end. I began yesterday, working on a tread-mill, "burning-fat" program for 20 minutes. I did rather well but I ended rather tired. I tried to stretch at the end and I did 10 minutes on the bike -- level 1. I got home ravishing with hunger as well as tired. I thought that after exercise I was going to feel refreshed as my colleagues do. They do exercise and they feel much better. For me it is the opposite and besides I am hungry at the end. Also, yesterday, I had a snack one hour before to going to exercise -- and then? I thought that after the gym I could get along with a light meal. I did, but, anyway I was hungry for something else.

Any comments? And thank you again.

Nancy Clark: When people start a diet and exercise program, they commonly "diet" at breakfast and lunch,then try to exercise on fumes. No fun. They get home tooo hungry and eat everything in sight. The better bet is to fuel at breakfast and lunch, and even have a snack before you workout. (I recommend 100 to 300 calories within the hour before you exercise). After you exercise, you will indeed be hungry, but you should not be starved and should be able to control your appetite and eat just a little bit less at night. That little bit less will contribute to the calorie deficit needed to promote loss of body fat. Getting too hungry leads to dietary disaster and negates any calorie deficit that exercise might have created..

Nutritional Information for Favorite Restaurants?: Sally and Nancy,

I do a great job of eating heathily when I cook for myself, but I find eating out (which I do quite often) very frustrating. While I know you can find nutritional information for many national restaurants on the web, some simply don't provide it. Plus I don't have a clue as to how many calories my favorite meal is at a local Indian restaurant. I also understand that most restaurant meals are two and three portions. How on earth do I estimate the nutritional value of these things? Thanks!

Sally Squires: Eating out can be a real challenge. But if you've been following the Lean Plate Club, you're developing the skills you need. Plan ahead. In other words, know what you've eaten during the day and what you've got banked to spend calorically. Choose carefully. Ask for help from your waiter or waitress. A growing number of restaurants are getting attuned to healthy eating. Think vegetables. Avoid creamy sauces where possible, as well as fried foods. Go for flavor and because restaurants serve huge portions, split an entree with your dining partner--or as for a doggie bag.

Nancy Clark: I also recommend you do not enter the restaurant in a "too hungry" status...that easily leads to overeating.
Even if you do not know the calories of restaurant foods, you can listen to your body and stop when you feel content, not stuffed. Kids do not count calories and they commonly leave half the meal on the plate. They simply stop eating when they are satisfied. Grownups can do that too, if they think about it!

Arlington, Va.: A slogan I once read to help implement the idea behind today's article:

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.

It doesn't mention snacks, but helps me remember to front-load the day. It gives your body more of a chance to burn-off (thru exercise & regular activity) the calories.

My experience has been that those late-night calories are the worst. Any science behind that?

Sally Squires: The most important thing are total number of calories. But I've heard Nancy talk about fueling up during the day so that you can exercise when hunger strikes towards the end of the day. She might want to expound more on that.

Nancy Clark: "Late night calories" need to be classified as "appropriate calories" or "excess calories." You can learn your calorie requirements by consulting with a registered dietitian (www.eatright.org). Once you know your calorie budget, you can then determine if those late night calories are excess or appropriate.

Easton, Md.: Where (on your Web site I hope) can I find the Lean Plate Club Everyday Challenge guidelines for change? All I can find now are the transcripts from previous weekly discussions.

Sally Squires: Try this link.

Sally Squires: Thanks Liz for providing the link.

Nancy Clark: Great info!

Alexandria, Va.: I used to make hummus, but I started buying it since it seemed to take up so much time. The basic ingredients were: chickpeas/garbanzos, tahini sauce/paste, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, dash of cayenne. I curshed the beans first, then added a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice, then the tahini to the right consistency. Season according to taste. I used canned verus dried beans, but I didn't like the garbanzo skins in the mix, so I'd have to take each one off (reason why it was so hard/took so much time) Most Middle East or vegetarian cookbooks probably have specific amounts. There's lots of varieties sold now- roasted garlic, three pepper--now I just buy it at Safeway. Good cooking!

Sally Squires: Yum, Alexandria. Thanks for sending this along. I can hardly wait to try. Must admit that I have tried making hummus many times, but still can't make it as well as what I buy at the store.

Nancy Clark: Yum!

Breakfast Question: Hi Sally and Nancy. this is a wonderful forum! i have a question regarding my breakfast..i'm a 23yr old active female who works out regularly. for breakfast 5 days a week i find that eating half a grain bagel and a packet of instant oatmeal keeps my hunger down for the rest of the day, meaning by the time lunch rolls around i'm not starving and i'm not starving after work before i go to the gym and i have a normal appetite for dinner. i feel like this half a bagel and oatmeal is a great start to the day and curbs hunger pains between normal meals and cuts down on my snacks to maybe just one before i work out..is this a poor breakfast? i'm a littl concerned about the bagel since it's high in calories..i'm 5'3, 120lbs and i work out 4-5 times a week..is eating this a half a bagel in the morning 5 days a week a good idea?

Sally Squires: Thanks for your kind words. At your height and weight, you've got a healthy BMI of 21. If you want to vary your diet for taste or for just getting more variety of food, go ahead. But it sounds like you're on a pretty good track.

Nancy Clark: You likely deserve to eat at least 1,800 calories without lots of exercise, so that translates into perhaps 2,200 caloires with exercise. If you divide that into four meals per day (breakfast at 7:00, lunch at 11:00, second lunch at 3:00 and dinner at 7:00), you have about 500 calories per meal. A bagel is about 300 to 450 calories, depending on it's size. You certainly can enjoy a WHOLE bagel in the am, along with the oatmeal!

tips: Hello
A few ways of getting a minute or 2 of extra exercise:
- play with your pets, not lazily waving a string at your cat but pouncing and running with him
- get off the bus a stop early
- dance around your house to good music while youre making/waiting for dinner
- take the last 5 minutes of your lunch break to walk around the block
- walk to your local errands instead of driving (good especially in this weather!)
these may seem simple but they're things I do every day anyway...

Sally Squires: Great ideas. And it's these simple types of lifestyle exercises that can really make a difference. Thanks!

Nancy Clark: Being inefficient also helps...take lots of trips up and down the stairs.

Quick Energy: My daughter's soccer team always eats oranges during halftime of games. The theory is that it provides quick energy with the sugar, and fluids with the water content. Are there other foods that would be recommended for quick energy? Her team has been county champions for the last two seasons, so something is working!

Sally Squires: We provide bananas to our son's tennis team. Whole grain fruit bars are another option. Other thoughts, Nancy?

Nancy Clark: The body needs water and carbohydrates. You can get these in many forms. Becuase athletes have different likes and dislikes, I'd offer a variety of options. Oranges, juice, bananas, go-gurt, bagels, grapes... take you choice!
The kids should also fuel up before exercise as well as fuel during.

McLean VA: To the person looking for a hummus recipe: It takes a couple of minutes to whip up a batch in the food processor. My cookbooks are about 20 years old, but Vegetarian Epicure and Claudia Roden's Middle Eastern Cooking both have good recipes.

Roughly:

Put into food processor bowl: One can drained chick peas, two tablespoons olive oil, two tablespoons tahini (sesame paste), a couple of cloves (chopped) of garlic, two tablespoons fresh lemon juice, salt, and a bit of water. Pulse process for a chunch result. Adjust seasonings to taste. This is a no fail recipe. Just do it till it tastes best to you.

Sally Squires: These hummus recipes are great. Thanks everybody. Keep 'em coming. Maybe we should have a hummus bake off....

Nancy Clark: Hummus is a great sports food, rich in carbs and protein. Enjoy it!

Silver Spring, Maryland: Hi, Sally,

Often after I eat I get really sleepy. What foods tend to make you drowsy?

Sally Squires: Turkey is one food that can do this. If you also happen to be chronically sleep deprived and hungry, once you satisfy the hunger, your body may take over and just do what it needs: get drowsy and make you want to sleep.

Nancy Clark: You might want to take a short walk after a meal and get you rblood circulating. Fresh air may do the trick!

Washington, DC: Hi, I'm the sister with the overweight brother. He is single, no kids, lives with a cat. He eats out a lot (he can afford to). He sees a dietician (or a nutritionist) once in a while due to his high sugar. But I haven't seen a change in his eating habits or his weight.
Is there anything else I could do?

Sally Squires: If he lives in your city, how about making dates to walk with him regularly? Or perhaps you could take a healthy cooking course together. Or invite him over for dinner and cook together.

Nancy Clark: You cannot work harder than he does on this health campaign. He has the right to choose how he wants to live. But he'll also pay the price. Remind him, if he has "no time" to stay healthy, he'll find the time to be sick.

washington, dc: You mentioned, in this morning's article, what to eat and when to eat when you work out at lunch and in the evenings, but what about for us morning exercisers?

Sally Squires: We've addressed this a bit earlier in the chat, but I'll bet that Nancy can add some more info.

Nancy Clark: Because the blood sugar drops overnight, you want to put a little fuel in your gastank before you exercise. This will get your blood sugar on the upswing and you will better enjoy your workout. Your brain eats only the sugar in your blood, so if you have low blood sugar, you'll lack the desire to exercise hard and will fail to enjoy it as much.

Washington, D.C.: Can you recommend some good, low-fat sources of protein for a pregnant, vegetarian friend? She mostly eats salads and that can't be enough protein. Thank you.

Sally Squires: She might want to consult with a registered dietitian to be sure that she is getting all that she needs. Beans, tofu, nuts are a few to add to her daily regimen. But again, this is one where a professional consult would be well worth the money.

Nancy Clark: You are right, salads are not protein-rich. ALso note, many people who claim to be "vegetarian" are actually "non meat eaters" who fail to consume adequate protein. A RD can help vegetarians find the right balance of carbs, protein and fat to ensure good health. (www.eatright.org)

20006: Is it true that one's tastes can acclimate to different foods? I was discussing this with a friend who is trying to eat better. I explained that over the years of eating healthy foods, I've actually lost my taste for high fat foods and fried foods. I crave the good stuff now. It's not like I'm depriving myself of what I'd rather be eating, ie bad foods. Is there anything to that idea? Or is it just me?

Sally Squires: It's not just you. A really good example of this occurs with salty food. As people become more acclimated to salt, they crave it more. Same goes for when they start to wean themselves off salt. I've heard this also discussed with milk. Those who slowly switched to nonfat and then taste the full fat stuff, really notice the difference.

Nancy Clark: You can indeed choose to learn to like what is healthful for you!

Washington DC: I love carbs too much, and according to most people carbs are bad for me. Help what should I do? Is eating too much carbs hindering my weightloss efforts?

Sally Squires: Carbs have gotten an undeserved bad reputation lately. But the US Dietary Guidelines recommend that they are major building blocks of your daily intake. Figure on 6 to 11 servings per day. Okay, having said that, go for the whole grain varieties of carbs which are more satiating and will provide you with more fiber and a greater number of vitamins and minerals.

Nancy Clark: If you are craving carbs, you have likely gotten too hungry. I've tamed the sweet tooth in many a "carboholic" by having them eat more calories of wholesome foods at breakfast and lunch and a planned snack. Carb cravings are not a personality quirk but rather a symptom that your body needs quick energy.

Alexandria, VA: Careful with all of that hummus, folks. Although it (and its eggplant-rich cousin, Baba Ghanouj) are indeed tasty and high in protein and complex carbs, it is also very high in fat and it is easy to go overboard on it. If you're not careful, you can go through half a tub of hummus and end up ingesting more calories than a bag of potato chips.

Sally Squires: A good reminder, Alexandria of the adage, no foods in excess and a reminder to engage in mindful eating.

Nancy Clark: Any food can be fattening--even healthful foods!

Another restaurant tip: Don't drink with the meal. That is, don't drink alcohol. After changing my eating habits to no longer have a glass of wine with dinner, I found that I still had one when I went out--it was different somehow. Unfortunately, your body doesn't count alcohol calories differently depending on where you consume them.

There's also the obvious reason to not drink: you'll be less inclined to exercise restraint in what you're eating. Fried onions sound like a much better idea after a beer than before it, if you get my drift.

Sally Squires: Well said! I also sometimes order a Virgin Mary, which also counts as a hidden vegetable, by the way.

Nancy Clark: Clever idea!

Hummus recipe: Hi all -

I make a MEAN hummus if you're interested:

In a blender, combine 1 can Chick Peas, 1/2 cup of Tahini sesame paste, lemon juice, salt and 2-3 cloves of garlic. Blend. Adjust lemon and garlic to taste. I like mine with LOTS of both. Yumm!

Sally Squires: You're making me hungry. Sounds delicious. Thanks!

Nancy Clark: And so easy to make. Who says eating healthfully is hard?

Arlington, Va.: Hello Sally - I found the Lean Plate Club about a month ago and it has really helped me stay focused on my fitness goals. I lost about 20 pounds last year through diet and exercise, however, recently I had become stagnant and quite frankly lazy until I found the LPC. Although I continued to eat healthy, I had been making excuses to not exercise. I'm thinking my lack of motivation to exercise had resulted out of boredom - doing the same things day after day. I took you up on some earlier advice to find fun things to do for exercise. One of my favorites - I signed up for a belly dancing class at the Joy of Motion Dance School in Dupont Circle - its so much fun that it doesn't feel like exercise. They have a great listing of classes and I am looking forward to taking something new in the next session.

Another program that I found to be motivational - boot camp for women - which is run by fitness results in Arlington, Virginia. I joined this month and have really enjoyed working out with the instructors and the other women in the class help to keep you motivated.

Sally Squires: Welcome! And thanks Arlington. Glad you're joining us. These are great activity suggestions. And that's the point: to find things that you really love to do. Also, check out page 3 of today's Health section for some other great workout ideas.

Nancy Clark: The E in Exercise is for Enjoyment (not for Excruciating). If you enjoy your exercise program, you'll want to do it for the rest of your life.

Boyds, MD: Sally or Nancy, Thanks for this forum. How would you recommend dividing up those 1,800-2,200 calories if you want to "graze" on about 6 small meals a day. After some experimenting I have found that grazing works better for me to control my hunger pangs. I also work out (walk or use gym equipment 30-45 minutes 5 days a week). I'm 5'6" and weight 125.
Thanks.

Sally Squires: Good going, Boyds on your daily habits. Sounds like you're doing really well.

Nancy Clark: How about: breakfast 400-500, am snack 200; lunch 400-500, afternoon snack 200-300, and dinner 400-500, pm snack 200

Mountain View, CA: Before my early morning workout, I usually have one third of a Power Bar and a about a quart of water. I have it all set out with my workout clothes before I goto bed. Saves me a trip to the kitchen so I don't wake anyone else in the house.

Also, I just discovered a lowfat peanut spread at my local Trader Joe's. It's only 2g of fat per serving -- much lower than peanut butter. It's not too good by itself or at room temperature, but refrigerated and spread on a rice cake with some fruit spread on top, it's a pretty good substitute. For those of us who can't use "peanut butter" and "moderation" in the same sentence, it's a great find.

Sally Squires: Thanks for the suggestions, Mountain View.

Nancy Clark: The E in Eating is for Enjoyment. You should eat the brand of peanut butter that you truly enjoy--in the appropriate portion. Because weight is under a calorie budget, you might end up with fewer calories of real peanut butter than the lowfat peanut butter plus jelly. Think about it!

Washington DC: I love the idea of a healthy and large salad for dinners. I have been adding tuna, artichoke hearts, onions, corn, and green peas lately. However, I am getting a bit sick of those additions! Any suggestions for a new twist on my old salad dinner?

Sally Squires: Oh yes! I've been searching various produce aisles and found some great stuff: try fennel, add a few nuts, go for interesting vinegars and oils (Trader Joe's raspberry vinegar is out of this world, and I've become a fan of hazelnut and walnut oils.) Try the wonderful fresh olives available. Add different types of beans (about half a cup will really make you feel full.) Reach for the feta (low in fat and small amounts are very satisfying.) Try capers. Hard boiled eggs, (get rid of the yolks if you're watching your cholesterol.) Add some fresh herbs, which will really add to the taste. Look for red romaine lettuce, spinach, the list goes on and on.

Nancy Clark: Fruit can also be a wonderful addition to a sald--raisins, dried apricots, as well as fresh chopped apple or pear. Be creative!

Somewhere, USA: Do you know anything about the idea that saccharin and equal sweetener might be diuretics? And, to go along with that, is there any similar, or opposite effect from aspartame or other sweeteners? Thanks.

Sally Squires: I haven't heard about this, but will do some checking and report back next week.

Nancy Clark: I also have not heard about that.

Durham, North Carolina: Nancy, here's one for you...

I really am in a quandry. I run apx. four miles 5x per week in the am. On some mornings, I'm so hungry when I awake that I have to eat before I run. My performance on those days is less than spectacular--I find myself walking a lot up the steep hills. On the mornings I don't awake ready to gnaw on my own arm out of hunger, I find that I run more consistently. The downside is that I have a headache after the run and am generally a b---- to all around me. Any suggestions?

Sally Squires: Okay, Nancy we're eager to hear your thoughts.

Nancy Clark: Sounds like you need to learn about a place that is between starved and stuffed...a place where your body is content. If you are starved, you went to bed too hungry and are not eating enough before or during your run. A consult with a sports nutritionist might be helpful to help you regulate your calorie intake.If you have a headache, perhaps you have gotten dehydrated?

Fairfax: Sally, In reading several of Marty Gallagher's chats, I notice that he recommends doing a cardio workout on an empty stomach in the morning...he says that since your body is in a "glycogen-deprived" state, you will burn fat as fuel rather than sugar...but here you recommend getting at least a little bit of fuel into your system before a workout...is there any truth to the "glycogen deprivation" theory?

Sally Squires: Nancy: what say you?

Nancy Clark: Burning fat differs from losing body fat. If you are in a depleted "fat burning mode" you likely have too little energy to enjoy a hard workout (and you will burn fewer calories). If you fuel beforehand, you will have more energy to work harder and burn more calories. Weight loss results when you create a caloire deficit. Worry less about what kinds of calories you are burning and look more at creating a calorie deficit at the end of the day.

Arlington Exerciser: Having lived life as both an afternoon/evening exerciser as well an early morning exerciser, I wonder how I ever managed to workout in the late afternoon. I always found that evening exercise was more sporadic as I had to stay late at work, run errands, meet friends and often put it off from just sheer exhaustion from working all day and then dealing with a crowded gym! I realized that the only way I could regularly exercise was in the morning, however, I'm not a morning person. So in order to get myself out of bed and working up a sweat an hour earlier I decided to enlist the help of others. I found an early riser (my mother) and for the first 3 weeks of my routine, I had her call me every morning at the appointed time to make sure I was out of bed and ready to exercise. The few times I opted out of exercising, I was still awake, thanks to my mother, and lying in bed trying to sleep but just feeling guilty. Now my body is "programmed" to wake at a certain time and working out is a breeze. I also changed my routine by running outside instead of on the treadmill- how refreshing to see the first light of day, the kids waiting for the school bus. For anyone out there who doesn't think they can stomach a morning workout, you can do it!

Sally Squires: Good for you Arlington. And you underscore a point that can't be underscored often enough. Finding what works for you. Thanks for submitting to the chat.

Nancy Clark: Support certainly helps!

dining out in Arlington: In response to the poster who wondered about calories for food in restaurants: www.calorieking.com is a great resource for different kinds of food. They have some restaurants listed as well as averages. It's really handy and great for planning ahead. I'm on Weight Watchers and if I'm going to a restaurant, I look up the menu if possible online ahead of time and figure out what I'm going to order even before I walk in the door. Then I try to be sure to order first so I'm not tempted by everyone else's fattening choices.

Also, if you go to www.dwlz.com, click on site map, and then on restaurants, there are Weight Watchers points available for more restaurants then you ever thought possible. Calories are listed for some as well.

Sally Squires: Thanks Arlington.

Nancy Clark: Great resource!

Chicago, Ill.: Sally,

Recently I have fallen in love with Chai. I regularly, okay, daily, get a skim milk Chai Tea Latte from the neighborhood Starbucks. I have been patting myself on the back for drinking so much milk and thereby getting the calcium I need, but I am also trying to clean up my diet to get in shape for my wedding -- I am already exercising six times a week but haven't really been focusing on diet -- and it has occurred to me that perhaps these tasty treats are a disaster calorie-wise. Any advice?

Sally Squires: Chai itself is just tea and should not have any calories. Question is what else is going into it. www.starbucks.com will likely have calorie counts. Go for the skim milk and easy on any sweeteners. And by the way, best wishes on your upcoming nuptials.

Nancy Clark: You will notlose body fat if you only exercise and fail to create a calorie deficit!

Arlington VA: Love the chats. Am a woman weighing 140 pounds. How many calories should I be consuming a day if I'm trying to lose 10 pounds? (In terms of exercise - I'm trying to speed walk a few times a week)
Thanks!

Sally Squires: Figure on roughly 10 times your weight to start. That would be about 1,400 calories. Add 20-40 percent per day if you're sedentary, 40-60 percent if you're active and 60-80 percent if very active. Nancy details a lot of this in her book. Or, just know that most weight loss programs recommend consuming about 1,600 to 1,800 calories to lose roughly a half pound to a pound per week. If you're quite active, you might even want to aim for 2,000 calories.

Nancy Clark: Or, you can simply knock off 100 calories at the end of the day, and that will contribute to a 10 pound fat-loss over the course of the year. Note that creating a small calorie deficit is more likely to result in long-term weight loss than a crash diet attempt.

Falls Church, VA: Sally or Nancy: About twice a week with the warm weather now, I can go for my 40-minute jog in the morning, which I love because it wakes me up. However, I really do need to eat something before I go. Usually I can get up and have some tea, juice and peanut butter toast an hour before I exercise. I am still, however, working on losing the last 5 pounds (out of 25 total!) so I don't want to pack on the calories.
Is the peanut butter too caloric? I don't like bananas at all, so the previous answer won't help me!

Sally Squires: Part of it will depend on how much peanut butter you're eating. You might also consider a whole grain cereal or some yogurt, which will also give you protein, but possibly with fewer calories. Your regimen sounds pretty good to me, however. Nancy may have other thoughts.

Nancy Clark: You do not gain weight at breakfast; eat breakfast! The only place to lose weight is at night -- when you are sleeping. So fuel by day, enjoy your peanut butter (in the right portion) and eat a little less at night. If you wake up hungry for breakfast, you can pat yourself on the shoulder for having lost weight overnight!

Washington, D.C.: Two quick questions on healthy grains: I know that we should be looking to eat grains with three grams of fiber per serving. I'm doing well with oatmeal, other cereals and brown rice, but it's hard to find yummy breads with 3 grams of fiber. First, any suggestions for for yummy, fiber-rich breads? And second, is it "bad" to eat bread with two grams of fiber if I'm doing well with the other grains? Thanks!

Nancy Clark: Over the course of the day, try to have more wholesome foods and fewer refined foods. Look at the trends, not the individual foods.

Washington, D.C.: Thanks for the "Running on Empty" article. Here's my question: I workout first thing in the morning (i.e., at 6:00 a.m.). What/when should I eat to be at my best?

Nancy Clark: You can enjoy a snack as you run out the door--banana, half a bagel, a swig of juice. My Sports Nutrition Guidebook has a whole chapter on pre-exercise fueling.

Alexandria, Va.: Sally,

I'm a creature of habit, and eat roughly the same food each day. With this diet, I maintain my current weight. However, even when I exercise 3-4 times a week without changing my diet, I don't lose any weight. This has been the case for an extended period of time. Why would I not lose weight if I'm eating the same food (and same amounts of it) but burning more calories?

Nancy Clark: The chances are you are eating too little and your body is conserving calories. I suggest you talk with a registered dietitian to help you get more variety in your diet as well as balance your energy needs. Go to www.eatright.org and use the referral network to find a sports nutritionist in your zip code area.

Sally Squires: Thanks everybody for some great tips, suggestions and questions. Winners this week are the person who submitted the great lifestyle exercises, the LPCers who is doing belly dancing and the sister who is trying to help her brother get healthier. Contact me at squiress@washpost.com and I'll send your books. We still have a number of questions left, which will be answered off line and posted at the end of next week's chat. So if your question didn't make it online, look for it next week. Many thanks to Nancy Clark for being our guest today. Keep eating smart and getting daily activity, LPCer's. Cheers!

Sally Squires: Thanks everybody for some great tips, suggestions and questions. Winners this week are the person who submitted the great lifestyle exercises, the LPCers who is doing belly dancing and the sister who is trying to help her brother get healthier. Contact me at squiress@washpost.com and I'll send your books. We still have a number of questions left, which will be answered off line and posted at the end of next week's chat. So if your question didn't make it online, look for it next week. Many thanks to Nancy Clark for being our guest today. Keep eating smart and getting daily activity, LPCer's. Cheers!

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