Sally Squires

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The Lean Plate Club
With Sally Squires
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, Aug. 13, 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.

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. Is it as quiet in your office today as it seems in ours? That gives us more time to discuss places to find great, healthy recipes--just the thing to keep you interested in maintaining your healthy new eating habits.

Also, there's good news: I know I've been promising its debut for a long time, but the Lean Plate Club electronic newsletter is set to be unveiled in the next week or so. I've passed along addresses from those of you who have already e-mailed me. If you would like to suscribe--and yes, it's free--you can do so at www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/email/front.htm Once there--and by the way, you'll also find some other free newsletters--scroll down to the Lean Plate Club and press the button. Voila! You will be subscribed.

Now for the freebies:

Today we offer:


Food & Mood: The Complete Guide to Eating Well and Feeling Your Best, by Elizabeth Somer, MA., RD, (Owl; $17.50)

Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating by Water C. Willett, MD, (Fireside; $13)

Good Cholesterol, Bad Cholesterol by Anita Hirsch, MS, RD, (Marlowe; $9.95)

The Good Carbohydrate Revolution by Terry Shintani, M.D., J.D., MPH, (Pocket; $23)


As always, our offering in no way connotes endorsement of any book, diet, or exercise regimen. Regale us with your own personal change in habits; give us a new way to fit in lifestyle exercises, offer up a great healthy recipe--or a place to find more--and one of these volumes could be yours.

On to the chat:

Colorado Springs, Colo.: I am just starting out on what I believe will be a year long effort to lose 70 pounds. I can't seem to get started -- every time I try to eat right and make it to the gym, I fail. I have been trying to start for the past several months. I am getting so discouraged and I am so disappointed in myself. Can anyone help me?

Sally Squires: Welcome Colorado! You've come to the right place. Our members have lots of experience with just this kind of thing. First, while it's great to set that goal of 70 pounds, try easing up a little. You're setting out on a road that will move you slowly but surely to a healthier lifestyle. Try making just one small change in eating this week: we started in January by just eating five servings a day of fruit and vegetables. And also try getting about 10 minutes a day of activity. That's right, just 10 minutes. And it could be walking, or riding a bike. The gym is a great place to go, but you want to make changes that you can incorporate every day into your life. Work up to the gym. And if you're absolutely set on going now, get an exercise buddy to meet you there. Or spring for a session with a physical trainer. You can learn more about instituting small weekly goals at www.washingtonpost.com/leanplateclub. Remember this is a process...you did't gain that weight overnight. You won't lose it that way either. Do let us know how you fare.
Other suggestions out there from members?

Amherst, Mass.: Hi Sally,

I'm new to the LPC, and have been reading previous discussion transcripts. They're so helpful!

The other day, I bought smaller bowls for sorbet, a terrific idea I'd never thought of. And THEN, I bought BABY SPOONS! The happy result is, I eat less, TASTE it so much more, and have time to ENJOY it!

Thanks for hosting this. I'm looking forward to more.

Sally Squires: Welcome Amherst. And great idea. I've also heard Yale psychologist Kelly Brownell on this subject. He notes that when most people eat a bowl of ice cream, they love the first couple of bites, and they love the last couple of bites. But there are many calorie-laden bites in between that are really just mindless eating. Sounds like you have --pardon the pun--licked that problem!

Towson, Md.: Love these chats. I'm interested in an article that was mentioned about the "food pyramids" that are used in other countries. Could a link be provided to that article, as I've had no luck finding it? Thanks, and keep up the good work!

Sally Squires: Hi Towson. Thanks. We published these food pyramids two summers ago in the Health section. I'm not sure that they are still accessible. But the Pan American Health organization has a nice booklet of food icons for their member countries. They're located in DC and should be on the web. E-mail me after the chat and I'll try to help you find access to the booklet.

Franconia, Va.: A more general question for today. I've lost almost 100 pounds in the last year (320 to 220 on a 5'11" frame) by just changing habits and using tips from the LPC. Sure, it's been hard work, but well worth it. Exercise and drinking lots of water have become habits and I watch what I eat. In the next year, I'd like to get to a "healthy" weight, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what that is. I bought a body fat scale and look at the height-weight and body mass tables that are published in various places (including that very depressing artcile in the Post a couple of weeks ago). To fit into the height and weight charts and BMI, I'd have to have a body fat near zero (I tend to build lots of muscle when I lose weight). So, what's most important -- BMI or body fat percentage?

Sally Squires: First of all Franconia: Congratulations. Wow! Very impressive. Very, very inspiring. Sounds like you have dropped this weight in a very healthy way. Now to that point about BMI and body fat. At your current height and weight you're at about a BMI of 30-31, which is still borderline obese. Yes, I know that must sound discouraging given the distance you have come. And you're right, body fat does indeed count. As we've written in the Health section, a number of very prominent athletes would also be considered overweight or obese by these standards.

So, what should you do? One, if you haven't done this already, get a physical. It's just a good idea after such a huge drop in weight.

2. There are some relatively inexpensive devices that will help measure body fat. Tanita makes a number of them. But there are others out there too. IN fact, if anyone has a brand they really like, I'd love to hear about it.These devices look like a bathroom scale--in fact most will show pounds as well as body fat. There' not perfect, but they could give you a gauge.

Finally, take account how you feel. Part of instilling healthy habits and getting to a healthier weight is to feel good about yourself. We're not all meant to be rail thin.

Somewhere, USA: Sally, I wish it was quiet in my office today! My question is this: How can I satisfy my salt craving without eating junk foods like potato chips? I can't eat too many nuts, as I am mildy allergic, so that's out. Help me out please!

Sally Squires: Do you like olives? They're a salty food with some healthy fat. You might mix them with some cherry tomatoes and carrots for your own salty antipasto.

Capers are also good for a salt fix. Pretzels, air-popped popcorn (sans the extra fat) are too other options. A lot of members have talked about soy nuts a good healthy snack. Other suggestions out there?

Mt. Pleasant, Washington, D.C.: This is my first time participating. I'd like to recommend the Moosewood Lowfat Cookbook. It's not just for vegetarians, and it is so lowfat, that even as a Weight Watchers member (30 lbs down, 30 to go), I occasionally add a little healthy fat to the recipes. Whenever I serve them to guests, I get rave reviews.

Sally Squires: Welcome, Mt. Pleasant. And thanks. I once interviewed the author and thought she had some great suggestions. I'm delighted to hear that they have a low-fat cookbook.

Asparagus City: Hi all!!

After having my baby over a year ago -- and then in the past four months having multiple people ask if I'm pregnant (what's up with that?) I decided I need to do what I can to lose the rest of this tummy! So, I take my yummy asparagus, boil it in water with salt, garlic, and basil, and then waaa-la, YUM! No need for any sauce to add any fat. It is filling and yummy! So far, a tiny bit of loss to tummy -- hopefully more to come!

Sally Squires: Sounds delicious. Thanks!

Cereal Diet?: Everyone in my office is talking about the cereal diet. You eat cereal for breakfast and lunch, fruit for snacks and a normal dinner. Everyone is saying the lost five pounds in two weeks! I'm wary of quick fixes, and this sounds a lot like slim fast. But, I've lost 30 pounds with Weight Watchers, and over a year have gained 10 pounds back. I'd like to lose just five of those 10, because I think I can maintain there, and this sounds pretty easy. Any thoughts?

Sally Squires: It all comes down to calories. I'd love to say that there are quick fixes, but sciences simply proves there are not. Having said that, however, if you choose your cereal carefully--and don't feel too deprived at doing this--you could be successful. In fact, let's emphasize that it's possible to lose weight on nearly any diet. The trouble is that weight comes back when you return to your "regular" eating habits. If you try this, aim for high fiber, lower fat cereals and be sure to consume them with low-fat or nonfat milk or yogurt. The plus: you'll get a fair amount of fiber and the volume of the food will help you feel sated. There's nothing wrong either with snacking on fruit (and veggies, too). But also realize that while you may drop pounds with this approach, you don't necessarily learn to instill healthier habits--unless you want to eat cereal for breakfast and lunch for the rest of your life.

Silver Spring, Md.: In response to keeping portions sizes under control, I have found that if I take only half a serving of a food at a time I can go back and have seconds yet stay in the portion size. This works especially well for soups and stews.

Moreover, I have recently renewed excitement to live in a city. What benefits you can get when one can walk easily to the grocery store, school, or even Metro to get further. However, I have to say that these code red days frustrate me when it comes to being able to take a long walk outside.

Sally Squires: Yeah, the air quality and heat certainly does put a damper on outdoor activities. But you're right, living where you can walk a lot really helps with the activity level.

Arlington, Va.: it seems hopeless at first if you have a lot of weight to lose but if you can lose a little, it motivates you to lose more and if you slip back up, at least you proved you can do it once. I find it helpful to eat or preferably drink your favorite thing, in my case, Starbuck's Iced Tea, with a flavor that fills up the taste buds so I don't want anything else. Also, it helps if you discard what your mother said about three meals a day, because whoever made that up wasn't fat.

Sally Squires: Hey Arlington: You're right. And nearly everyone faces the specter of starting to lose weight again after succeeding--unless that is, they figure out how to stick with healthy habits. Even the folks in the National Weight Control Registry have attempted an average of 11 weight loss tries, before they finally succeed. So the good news: each time you fail, you learn something that is important.

Also, I beg to differ on those three meals. If you choose carefully I think you can eat them and maintain a healthy weight.

Milwaukee, Wis.: It's me, the farmer's-market-lovin' Milwaukeean again.
This week, it's tomatoes. I ended up with a couple pounds of heirloom tomatoes in a variety of colors (purple, yellow, green, orange, striped), and about 10 big non-heirloom regular tomatoes that still taste better than their supermarket counterparts. I also got green basil, opal basil (similar flavor but it's purply-black), and a few ounces of fresh mozzarella.

Heirloom tomatoes: Made a salad. Slice and seed. Make a salad with the fresh mozza (like I said, only a few ounces) and the green basil (ripped into small pieces). Dress with a couple capfuls of olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Regular tomatoes: Made puttanesca sauce. Sautee a chopped onion and three cloves of minced garlic in some olive oil. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes, and cooked WAY down (use a big pot -- I used a 3.5-quart cast iron French oven and it almost overflowed, but it cooked down quickly enough). Mash with a potato masher, then puree with a stick blender (our stick blender is cheap and lousy, so we needed to mash first). Add a cup of red wine, a squirt of honey (also available at a Wisconsin farmer's market), a handful of capers, the black basil, about 15 pitted kalmata olives (chopped finely), and about a dozen anchovy filets, chopped finely. Let the flavors simmer for awhile, then serve over pasta (puttanesca even disguises whole-grain pasta, if you're into the nutrition but don't enjoy the taste/texture) with a generous sprinkle of hot pepper flakes. We discovered that the recipe (improvised) made enough sauce for two pounds of spaghetti, so a lot got frozen.

I also have about 15 small sweet peppers (again, in a variety of colors). I was thinking of turning them into a spread or relish; does anyone else have any ideas?

Sally Squires: Hi Milwaukee. Thanks and I'll post your query and see what folks say.

Annandale, Va.: I've been reading your chat since May and have been trying to work in those little changes. I always keep a bottle of water at my desk and keep water in the fridge at home. I also do a lot of walking during the day at work. Since I work at the Pentagon, I have a lot of ground to cover and tennis shoes are part of my daily attire. I even started the FIRM tapes (found a fantastic deal at costco). My weakness is when I get home in the afternoon. The minute I walk in the door with my kids I want to snack like crazy. Any ideas to get me through this time frame with willpower?

Sally Squires: Good for you Annandale. Sounds like you're making some good progress. Okay, for those times when you walk in the door, here are a couple of thoughts: one, make sure you're not hungry. In other words, have a small planned snack before you get home so that you won't be tempted to eat everything in sight. Two, if that's not possible have a healthy snacked planned for you and your kids. Think smoothies--they're fun to make with kids too--fruit; a few crackers with peanut butter (you'll have to measure this out ahead of time); air-popped popcorn; a frozen fruit bar are a few that immediately come to mind.

Takoma Park, Md.: For the person craving salt --
Baked tortilla chips (Guiltless Gournmet makes some GREAT flavors), baked potato chips (NOT the kind with Olestra!). Even Cheerios may work (they are high in sodium).

Sally Squires: Thanks, Takoma.

Mt. Pleasant, Washington, D.C.: Dill pickles are a great salty snack. So are WOW chips if can tolerate them, and baked Doritos. As you can tell, I have problems staying away from the salt!

Sally Squires: Thanks Mt. Pleasant.

Bethesda, Md.: Your article today could not have hit home anymore with me than if you had taped a conversation between me and my husband.

I have been following the Lean Plate Club since the first week in February. Between then and May I lost 20 pounds and have maintained the loss the past three months. I still have 10 more to go but all in due time. I get bored very easily with food, especially lunches, so I have begun my own challenge -- to make as many different recipes as I can. I sit down every Sunday morning and plan my meals for the next week using my monthly Cooking Light magazine, my cookbooks and any recipes I have found online from bulletin boards to Epicurious to The Washington Post food section. Since it is just my husband and I we often have leftovers so I only have to cook 3-4 times a week, but so far I have eaten some of the best meals and am building up quite the list of recipes. Since May I have made 40 new recipes and the list keeps growing. Thanks for the inspiration and the guidance.

Forever a faithful fan.

Sally Squires: You're quite welcome Bethesda. The best part about doing this chat is that I get to explore all the things that interest me too. We're all trying to figure out how to be healthier together!

For Colorado Springs: I found that even the changes in the Everyday Challenge could be hard to stick to. For example, if you grocery shop for a week at a time, getting stuff for five a day all at once can be pretty overwhelming. So I just made a point to do one thing healthier everyday, no matter what it was. Examples of hings that I did:
Pick a salad instead of fries.
Get dressing on the side.
Drink water instead of soda.
Go for a walk instead of spending a break surfing the net.
Now the unhealthy stuff has lost a lot of its appeal and its easier to go to the gym or to eat healthy. Start as small as YOU need to.

Sally Squires: There you go! Thanks. And I recently heard a colleague say that by making just one change, he found it so much easier to make the rest. We all just have to find the starting point that works best for each one of us.

Boston, Mass.: Hi Sally and all,
Just wanted to report in and say that I've lost eight pounds in the last two months by focusing on the goals set by the Everyday Challenge. I feel like I have made some fundamental changes to my habits that are hopefully going to be for good, instead of the 20-lb. gain-loss seesaw I've experienced before.

I think the mental breakthrough for me was when I realized, once and for all, that it is just not possible to regulate your intake of food based upon what is made available to you. In our society we are surrounded by vast amounts of food and we have to take notice of what, why, and how much we eat. It sounds so simple but we lose the connection between being hungry and how much we eat so early in life. I watch my small nieces eat and they know exactly how much food they need. They stop when they're full and are happy, healthy, and full of energy. So I'm trying to learn from them.

I don't want to preach here, but realizing that I didn't have to finish every huge portion put in front of me (even the ones I dished up myself) has been something of a revelation, and has made all the difference. Now I look at what is considered a portion size for whatever food I'm eating, and try to eat that and see how I feel. I may have more but at least I know how much I'm eating--and it's a lot less than it used to be!

Thanks for this column, it's a great resource!

Sally Squires: Thanks Boston. And congratulations on your success. You raise a really good point: kids do know how to eat until we start forcing them to eat the wrong way. In fact, if we could all just move and eat more like kids, we'd probably not be having this discussion!

McLean, Va.: Hi, my doctor just told me that my triglycerides is too high and my HDL is too low. I currently, run 1.5 to 2 miles a day do three times a week weight lifting. I'm 27 years old and I weight 178 pounds. What would be a good diet to lower my triglycerides and lose weight?

Thank you.

Sally Squires: Hey McLean: You should also work closely with your doctor and possible a registered dietitian on this one. Sugar can help raise raise triglcyerides, so you might try to eliminate as much of that as possible from your diet. HDL, which is the protective form of cholesterol, is more difficult to raise. Check out the excellent web site run by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, www.nhlbi.nih.gov for more info. American Heart Association also has additional information. And there's a good book by Johns Hopkins researcher Peter Kwiterovitch on cholesterol (and trigylcerides are there too, I believe) that you may want to find at the library or bookstore.
Good luck. Be sure to let us know how you do.

Washington, D.C.: Hi Sally - An office mate and I need some clarification: What's the connection between sugar and weight gain/fat accumulation. I eat pretty darn healthy, but I have a notorious sweet tooth. Not for chocolate and such, but actual candy. I try to steer towards the non-fat type like gummi bears and lifesavers, but my office mate said the sugar is just as bad but didn't know why. Can you enlighten us?

Thanks!

Sally Squires: It all has to do with calories in and calories out. If you eat too many of those gummy bears and don't burn off enough calories, you will gain weight. If you skip the gummy bears and eat too many other calories and don't burn off enough calories, you will gain weight. If you're at a healthy weight--and you're not paying the dentist a lot for cavity care--stick with what you're doing. If you're trying to lose weight, then think about substituting some sugar free candy for the real stuff--or better yet, try some of the great fruit that is now available. To me, cherries match any candy.

Montgomery Village, Md.: Hi Sally!

I love the chats! Even though I'm not following all of the advice of the LPC, I'm learning a lot. I wanted to share the thing that stopped me from eating fast food.

Colbert King wrote a column in December about the gender segregation in Saudi Arabia that is followed by American companies like McDonalds. I read that article, wrote a letter to McDonalds the next day, and haven't eaten at McDonalds since. That was my fast food temptation, and a great convenience trap for me. I then gave up all fast food and Starbucks for similar reasons. Instead of going through a drive thru, I'll go home or back to my office and microwave a Lean Cuisine. Not terribly healthy, but far better than McDonalds.
This is a little offbeat, but it worked for me! I'm now at 7 1/2 months without fast food and don't miss it at all.

Sally Squires: Thanks Montgomery. Glad you like the chats!

What to do with Peppers?: Roasted Sweet Pepper Tapenade

2 each of Red, Yellow and Green Bell Peppers, roasted over
flame, peeled, seeded, and sliced.
1/2 cup Black Nicoise Olives, pitted and diced
1/4 cup Capers
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 cup Shallots, minced
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar 1/4 cup Pesto Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, marinate 6-8 hours in the refrigerator

-sticks

Sally Squires: Thank you! Yum!

Washington, D.C.: I am a big fan of the Lean Plate Club! I have a question, that I think fits in today. I would love to hear some good ideas for a healthier, low-fat pesto recipe. Usually, pesto has depressingly high amounts of fat per serving.

Sally Squires: Anybody out there have one? As I recall, Deborah Madison has a pretty good pesto recipe. Remember, you're getting healthy fats in it. You could also go to smaller portions...

Crofton, Md.: I own the "Taste of Home's Down Home Diabetic Cookbook" and love it. I've also just started getting their Light & Tasty magazine. Last weekend I made baked pineapple chicken, carrots and celery almondine, and baked pears for my sweetie. Served with a small glass of champagne, it was wonderful. Sweetie has lost 25+ pounds this year and I have lost 64.

Sally Squires: Way to go Crofton! Light and Tasty is a new one to me. Thanks.

Washington, D.C.: I'm new to the Lean Plate Club. I'd like to do the Lean Plate Challenge with my mother, who's always on a diet. Should we jump right in where you are now, or print past columns and start from the beginning?

Sally Squires: Welcome! It's probably best to start with one small eating change and one small amount of activity daily. We happened to start with eating 5 servings a day of fruit and vegetables, but you could just as easily begin by drinking enough fluids daily. If you go to www.washingtonpost.com/leanplateclub you'll find the challenge broken down week by week. The point is to initiate changes that you can live with for life. By the way, we started with just 10 minutes a day of activity. If you're already working out you can do more, but for those who are leading very sedentary lives, it's not a bad place to start.

Germantown, Md.: Regarding BMI. If the person is a male, and 5'11", and 220 pounds, the BMI might indicate that he's borderline obese, but if he puts on muscle fairly well from dieting, that result is completely skewed against him and I'd recommend getting a bodyfat percentage over anything else. I also am 5'11", and I weigh 210-215, and my bodyfat now is right around 9-10%, hardly obese or anywhere near it. Of course back in may I weighed 250, and bodyfat was way, way up there, but the point is, now it's pretty low and I'm doing several things to get it even lower. Anyway, BMI's I feel aren't a very accurate in my opinion in today's world, and here's a question, who came up with a standard 2000 calorie diet? It's a lot of calories in my opinion, depending on the activity level of a person, and to not differentiate between men and women is even worse.

Sally Squires: Hi Germantown: The 2,000 calories comes from the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. It's an average. And for women, it could be slightly lower; for men slightly higher.

Again, BMI is a starting point. Absolutely there are variations. But it's also easy for some people to say that they are big boned and so avoid thinking of themselves as overweight. Then the pounds just keep creeping on. But I like your approach of using both, which is what I was recommending to the earlier member.

Fat free chips?: So what is the deal with Olestra and those "Wow!" potato chips? There was a big deal when they first came out that they cause unpleasant GI side effects.

But I recently tried them, and well, WOW! I liked their non-greasy feel, taste just as good as "real" chips, and didn't have any problem.

What is your opinion on these chips, and is there anything I should know about them?

Sally Squires: Center for Science in the Public Interest has led the charge on this one. Their concern--which is by the way shared by a number of prominent scientists--is that over-use of these products could result in a vitamin deficiency. It's why the makers of WOW were required to add some extra fat-soluble vitamins. In the short term, some people seem to experience diarrhea and fecal incontinence. But if you don't happen to be one of those--and they are rare--then this may be a food that fits well in your daily regimen. Just be aware of the concern about vitamins and compensate in other ways.

Houston, Tex.: Hi Sally,
I have seen in several different sources that weight fluctuations of 10 pounds or more are very bad for your health and can reduce your lifespan. Have you heard about this? If true, it is an important reason to stay away from fad diets and to stick with LPC-like lifestyle changes!
When I need a salt fix, I love kosher dill spears!

Sally Squires: I think you're talking about the Nurses Health Study which found that weight gain was associated with a higher mortality--but I believe that it was a more significant weight gain than 10 pounds.

Even so, it seems that fad diets don't work. And the point of the Lean Plate CLub is to rediscover the joy of healthy eating and activity. Great suggestion on the Kosher Dills. Thanks!

Salt vs sugar: Why do some people crave salty things and others crave sweets? I could have a billion salty things in front of me and not blink an eye. But sugary sweets -- ooh mama look out! I LOVE THEM!

Sally Squires: There's a whole institute--Monell--in Philadelphia that looks at this very question. I suspect that it has to do with genetics. But there is one thing that is certain: something sweet at the end of a meal seems to help signal the brain that eating is over.

Stop when you're full: I have to agree with the poster who spoke about the mental attitude of food being all around and portion size. My mother made us eat everything on our plates. When I got married, my husband was appalled. He would watch me shoveling in food that I didn't want, because I felt I had to. I am really in tune now with stopping when I feel full, which can happen with quite small portions. I don't waste food, at a restaurant I bring home what I don't eat, and at home, I package it for lunch the next day.

Sally Squires: Great idea. Thanks!

Pesto:: I do mine very very light, almost looks like split pea soup with similar consistancy. I do in blender and add a bit of hot pasta water to it, and use lots more garlic than normal. So you could start with a purchased pesto as the pesto base here (and just add garlic to taste):

Serves 2 to 4

4 tablespoons of Pesto Base (just ground
fresh basil leaves with olive oil)
1/2 cup warm water
4 large cloves of garlic (use less if you
wish, this packs a punch!)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3/4 cup of washed, stemmed spinach (don't bother draining)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan/Romano cheese
(or less according to your dietary needs)

Place all ingredients, except cheese, in blender and puree. The sauce should be the consistency of green pea soup. You can vary the consistency by adding more or less water. You can also substitute cream for the water. Add a little pepper to taste. The sauce may still taste a little bland, that is because the cheese ( which contains the salt) has not been added. Heat the sauce on low. Toss with fresh pasta and cheese.

-Sticks

Sally Squires: Thank you!

Damascus, Md.: For the person trying to lose 70 pounds... don't . Take a goal you can accomplish in four weeks and go for that. For some people, a goal of losing five pounds works. For others, a goal of going to the gym three days a week works. Don't do it all at once, don't even THINK about your ideal weight. Take a month, change one thing, and next month, decide where to go from there. Sort of like the whole LPC challenge.

My progress started a year ago, when I decided to go to the gym three times a week. Then, two months later, I started going five times a week. Then, three months later, I started watching my food intact and tried to lose five pounds. A year later, I am 20 pounds lighter, still go to the gym five times a week, and don't huff and puff when I carry in groceries.

Just think in small steps, and savor each victory.

Sally Squires: Great thoughts, Damascus. Thanks.

Boston, Mass.: Try soy crisps for a reasonably healthy salty snack. The Trader Joe's Cheddar variety are the best I have found so far, though they go stale 10 minutes after the bag is opened. At least it helps you avoid eating the whole bag.

Sally Squires: Sounds really good. Thanks!

Metro Center, Washington, D.C.: Here is some advice for Colorado Springs. I have dropped over 70 pounds each of the last two years, with 20 pounds to go.

Drink plenty of water. It makes you feel satiated and keeps you well hydrated. Plus your skin will thank you.

Limit caffeinated beverages to one a day. It is the anti-water, it dehydrates you.

Keep a positive attitude. On days you don't feel positive, pretend that you do.

Log everything you eat. It will keep you honest. I use fitday.com because it is free and easy to use.

Measure yourself monthly. That way if you are buidling muscle (which weighs more than fat) you won't get discouraged.

Weight yourself weekly, first thing in the morning, without clothes, after voiding. Jumping on the scale daily or hourly will discourage you. Your body regulates itself and you don't want to think you gained weight just because you drank some water.

Plan your meals weekly. Make sure they add up calorically and nutritionally.

Always have a backup plan. I keep protein bars on my person at all times, in case I need to miss a meal, plane gets delayed, etc.

Find fitness activities you enjoy. Start out slowly, work your way up to 4 days cardio, three days weights. Muscle burns more calories today, so make sure to lift weights!

Get support. I belong to eDiets.com because they plan all of my meals for me and I like the virtual community (no meetings required). They also have online experts you can ask questions of.

Good luck!

Sally Squires: Congratulation, Metro. You certainly speak from great experience. Thanks.

Oakton, Va.: Why don't more fast-food chains offer lower-fat turkey and veggie-burgers as an alternative to the traditional beef burger? And mashed potatoes as an alternative to fries, like Popeye's and KFC?

Sally Squires: Wish I could tell you. Probably if more consumers request it, they will. Wendy's is providing some wonderful salads. I believe that Burger King now offers veggies burgers. And I was at Legg Mason last night and they had a great Greek salad and some other really healthy food. So the message is getting out there.

For a Salt Fix: PICKLES! I am a self-proclaimed salt fiend and eat pickles pretty frequently. The calories are pretty negligible and I think they may even count as a vegetable (cucumbers)! The mini kosher dills are great to take to work.

Sally Squires: Thanks! Pickles are getting a lot of votes today.

Woodbridge, Va.: I have two really good suggestions today, Sally.

First, Cooking Light magazine always issues a book at the end of the year with their recipes for the year. These books can be found in many used bookstores for a reasonable price. Also, they are frequently remaindered at the end of the year.

Second, there is a fairly new magazine that you may not have seen but thatis showing up in the magazine stands in supermarkets called Light and Tasty, put out by the Taste of Home people (Reiman Publishing). The recipes are submitted by readers and then tested by Taste of Home's test kitchens; nutricional information is supplied for the recipes in Light and Tasty (although not for most of the recipes in Taste of Home, which tends to have higher fat recipes). Everything I have tried has been good.

Sally Squires: Cooking Light gets a lot of high marks. ALso Family Circle and Woman's Day have websites with seachable recipes. They include calorie counts.

Hyattsville, Md.: Sally: After spending way too much money on cookbooks that I end up not using, I'm spending more time perusing the shelves of cookbooks at the library, check them out and if I find enough recipes in there I like (thank goodness you can renew these for three weeks at a time), then I consider buying the book. You really do need a variety of recipe sources, as you say, to satisfy and keep variety on the tastebuds. I have visited most of those you listed today and they are all helpful in one way or another. One source I also like is Graham Kerr's books. He changed from gourmet to healthful style cooking a number of years back when his wife suffered a stroke. One of his golden rules is variety. Also on his web site he started a program with restaurants out in the Wash state area (guess that's where he lives) that are part of a program where they print the calorie/fat content on the menu, and upon request will tailor your portion so you are guaranteed to have under 1,000 calories on your plate!! We visited Coeur d'Alene, ID this weekend and this really nice french gourmet restaurant was part of the program with a subtle line at the bottom like: 800/12(6), and only if you knew about the program or asked would you know that was a calorie/fat(sat fat) count so as not to bother those who were not wanting to care about that. Kind of neat I thought!

Sally Squires: Great suggestion, Hyattsville. Kerr has been really at the head of the pack on healthy eating. Thanks.

The Firm update: I found a box set of Firm video tapes at the Costco in Gaithersburg for $16. Four tapes -- they are all pretty good. Only problem is they require the "fanny lifter" which is $80. I've been using just a normal step I have in the house, seems to be working, although it's not as high. Sally, any thoughts?

Sally Squires: I used a step stool for months before I finally broke down and bought a firm wood stool on sale. (They no longer sell them.) Just make sure what you use is not too high for your height--the Firm tapes offer guidance on this--and that it's sturdy. If you're good at carpentry you can also make you own or sweet talk someone else into doing it for you.

Takoma Park, Md.: A recipe source I have found to be very useful is the epicurious.com Web site, all the recipes from Gourmet and Bon Apetit in a searchable database. They are not necessarily healthy, but you can find ones that are. The useful part is that you can search by ingredients, cooking methods, etc., and there are thousands of ideas with comments and ratings that are also great. You can also just modify them to be healthier, the comments of other cooks are great motivation to experiment!
This site, along with the LPC got me started cooking beans, which I have always avoided before. I know it's weird, but my whole family has always had an aversion (we get some pretty strange looks when we eat at Mexican restaurants!). But I'm trying to add more variety and more diverse sources of protein, I eat very little meat and felt I was relying too much on dairy. So I finally took the plunge and am loving all the bean and grain salads out there. I've found I can make them very quickly on the weekend and have lunch for the week, it's perfect!

Sally Squires: Thanks, we mention this very site in today's Health section. It's great.

Bethesda, Md.: Hi Sally,

All of your advice has helped me so much to eat healthier. But I do tend to eat pretty much the same thing for breafast every day during this time of the year. I am blueberry fiend ( they are my favorite fruit and when they are in season, I eat them everyday) and have been eating a cup full of blueberries every morning, then I have a small cup of fat-free plain yogurt with a ripe peach (with all the juice) cut into it. I've been eating this for breakfast everyday since the season started because its so good! Also I know how short the summer fruits are around. I eat different things for lunch and dinner each day, depending what I feel like, but in the fall and winter I love to eat Fuji apples at breakfast. Is this unhealthy? Am I missing out on a lot of nutrients since my breakfasts don't have any real variety (except when the seasons change)?

Sally Squires: Hey Bethesda: There's nothing wrong with what you're doing. You might, however, slowly expand your repertoire of fruit and vegetables by adding them to your daily snacks. Check out the column where we talked about the importance of eating by the rainbow and you'll see why.

Columbia, Md.: Hi Sally,

Thanks for taking the time to look at this!
I'm in my mid 20's, 5'3", 135 or so, size 8, curvy. In the past few months I've gained a few pounds, mostly in my middle. I've done everything I can to try to lose the weight, but the only thing that seems to work for me is the weight loss supplements. So, I take half the dose every day for a weeks until I lose the weight and everything is fine, but then of course I start the cycle all over again.

As far as food goes, I make a point to buy the most interesting fruits and vegetables possible (example: purple peppers) to make things interesting, but I still can't control my appetite without supplements. How badly am I hurting myself?

Sally Squires: Sorry that I'm getting this question late in the chat, Columbia. My quesiton to you: what supplements are you taking? There are some dangerous things out there. E-mail me after the chat and I'll try to point you to more information.

Chantilly, Va.: I'm a male, 5 feet, 5.5 inch tall. I weigh 149 pounds, have a 30-inch waist. I exercise moderately, walk twice a week, 35-45 minutes each, 2 to 2.5 miles, and bike 2-3 times a week, 30 minutes and 5 miles average.

I started keeping a food diary on April first of this year and have lost 27 pounds (from 176 to 149). I don't eat anywhere near as much beef as I used to and have increase the amount of seafood in my diet.

When I used the body calculator on the Health web page, it says I should consume 2682-2925 calories a day to maintain my weight. My experience is different. If I were to eat that many calories a day, I would probably start to regain weight. I currently eat an average of 1800 calories a day and my weight loss has slowed to about 1/2 to 1 pound a week. My goal is to get down to 145 pounds.

What are the recommended calories based on? I've used other calculations (from my PE textbook for example) and have come up with recommendations much less than 2,682-2,925.

Thanks!

Sally Squires: Congratulation, Chantilly. Sounds like you've really made some great progress. And yes, it does sound like that calorie count is a bit high. A rough way to estimate: take your weight. Multiple by 10. That will give you a baseline for calories. (For you, that would be 1,490). Then add about 20-24 percnet more if you're sedentary; 40-60% more if you are fairly active and 60-80 % more if you're very active.

Fairfax, VA: This is a good web site for low fat, low calorie recipes:

Mayo Clinic Virtual Cookbook

Sally Squires: Thanks!

Boston, Mass.: Sally, we have formed a diet/nutrition group on the job. Some of our members have done the "D"iet thing and are now attempting to maintain, others are looking for a slower approach to weight loss by cutting calories more gradually and introducing light exercise. The members who used the first approach have lost the weight, and the others sometimes feel they are just plodding along. Those plodding along don't get a lot of "atta girls" because their weight loss is so slow people don't always notice it. The "D"iet members get a lot of verbal support. Which approach works for the majority and which has the best long term results?

Sally Squires: Boston: This sounds like a great idea. You're developing your own support group, which can prove very helpful. (See our first anniversary column for more info.) If you want to lose weight, you have to pay attention to calories in and calories out. Having said that, research shows that for long-term weight maintenance, the low-fat approach, coupled with about 150 minutes a week of activity and monitoring weight in some fashion is what works. People who slowly change their habits also seem to be able to maintain them longer. Hope that helps. And do let us know how you do.

Washington, D.C.: Sally,
You said you were at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic last night? What types of food do they have there? Trying to 'plan' ahead.
Thanks! Love the chat.

Sally Squires: A lot of great choices this year: Indian, Mediterranean and American. Good choices.

Ithaca, N.Y.: Not a question but a comment. About five weeks ago my husband and I (both in our 50s) starting a modified version of the "protein power" diet. We didn't count carbohydrate grams, we just cut out all bread, bagels, rice, potatoes, bananas, sugar (except a bit in my coffee), etc. Eggs for breakfast, and for lunch and dinner, meat (or fish or chicken) plus salad and vegetable, fruit. Snacks: nuts, cheese, fruit. A glass or two of wine at dinner.

My husband has lost 14 pounds (a lot the first week, slow but steady after), his blood pressure dropped (no longer needs medication), and his strength and endurance increased very very significantly. Before, he spent three months going religiously to the gym and eating carefully: not an ounce lost, and no gain in strength. Atkins may be extreme, but there really is something to high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets, for some people, at least! For my husband, it has been a whole new lease on life. For me, it's less dramatic, but I'm not overweight except a few pounds around the middle. (I have lost 1/2 inch on my waist and a pound or two.)

It's not a hard diet, because you don't have to be hungry or keep track of anything.
(Three or four times in the past five weeks I have treated myself to a small serving of cake or ice cream. I'm not a fanatic.)

We started this as skeptics but have become convinced. Please don't keep knocking it without more knowledge -- and don't assume that the only alternative to the low-fat, high-complex carbohyrate diet is Atkins.

Sally Squires: I'm not anti-anything. Just for changing to healthier habits. Watch for a lot more on this topic in a future Health section.

Washington, D.C.: Hope I'm not too late! I'm just catching up with chat and saw the person asking about pesto. On a recent episode of "Sara's Secrets," Sara Moulton made a version of pesto using chicken broth in place of much (or maybe even all?) of the olive oil. I can't remember her exact measurements, but I am thinking of doing some experimentation to try to get it right.

Sally Squires: I'll post this and hope that we can pick up this thread next week.

Sally Squires: Thanks for a great chat everybody. From the lively submissions--and the questons and comments that I didn't get to today--I can tell not everybody is on vacation!

I'll answer the questions I didn't get to today, off line and post them at the end of next week's chat. The winners today--and believe me it was a hard choice--are Franconia, Metro, Damascus and the what-to-do-with-peppers poster. Thanks everybody. Look for the Lean Plate CLub newsletter next week. Until then, cheers and don't diet, keep eating smart!

washingtonpost.com: Winners, be sure to e-mail Sally at squiress@washpost.com with your address so she can forward you your prizes!

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