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Tuesday, March 18, 2003; 1 p.m. ET

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

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

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

Sign up for the free Lean Plate Club e-mail newsletter.

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: Hey Everybody: Looks like spring may be here. Finally! And that means lots of reasons to get outside and move!

Okay, one of the topics up for discussion today is this: fish, lean meat or poultry (without the skin, of course). Which one of these do you reach for?

In honor of the great weather we've got a number of freebies to give away today:

Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook (Human Kinetics; $18.95)

Ultimate Body: 10 Perfect Workouts for Women by Liz Neporent, M.A. (Ballantine; $14.95)

The Art of Serenity by T. Byram Karasu, MD (Simon and Schuster; $24)


Combat Fat!: The Complete Plan for Permanent Weight Loss by Andrew Flach ACE (Hatherleigh Press; $15.95)

For those new to the Lean Plate Club, here's how it works: we're looking for great tips about healthy eating; a new healthy food; a way that you've found to fit in exercise no matter how busy your schedule, or another inspiring example of healthy habit changes. Tell us that, and one of these volumes could be yours. Winners are announced at the end of the chat. And our offering does not endorse any weight loss regimen or exercise program.

The Lean Plate Club electronic newsletter went out this morning. If you want to subscribe, log onto www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/email/front.htm (Yes, it's free.)

If you have trouble subscribing or are not receiving your newsletter, please send me a message at leanplateclub@washpost.com and please put trouble subscribing in the subject line.

Now onto the chat!

Falls Church, Va.: I was confused by your answer to the woman who previously lost 25 pounds and has gained 8 pounds back. She mentioned eliminating carbohydrates from her diet. You made some good suggestions about snacks (which included carbohydrates) but you didn't address the main issue which was the role of a balanced diet, including carbohydrates, in weight management. Am I off base here? Isn't it better to include a moderate amount of whole grain carbo's in your daily menus? I've been successful with this, using the "eat nothing white" as a general rule of thumb. This is taken from some of the more extreme diets like Atkins, but I just use it as a guideline to avoid potatoes, white pasta (substitute whole grain), white rice and white bread. Is there some truth to this?

Sally Squires: Hi Falls Church: There certainly is a movement to eliminate or at least minimize processed carbs, which include that white pasta, white rice and white flour products. Yes indeed, there's a lot of scientific evidence to support the shift to whole grain foods. In fact, the Dietary Guideline recommend that where possible. But does that mean you should never eat any white flour products or any white rice? Never seems like a long time. And it's also important to note that there are more than a billion people in China who eat white rice and do just fine. So comes back to this: what works best for you? You are the best judge.

Boyds: Sally:
As far as the protein choices you offer in your column, I prefer all three of the proteins you listed but in variety. We probably don't eat as much beef as in years past. And, we do eat vegetarian meals at least twice a week.

I have a comment and question about balancing my diet. I have recently been diagnosed with mild hypertension, caught early by my physician. I'm probably the anomaly out there, not overweight, don't smoke, low stress job, exercise (just have bad genes I guess). So it was hard to read all the literature about losing weight and starting an exercise program. But I have followed your column and this chat for the excellent resources and tips for healthy eating and lifestyle.
I wanted to see if I could control this by carefully applying the DASH diet (on NIH/NHLBI website for those interested). I have learned so much more now about what it means to follow a balance in my diet especially since DASH works through the combination of calcium (from low fat dairy), potassium, magnesium and really watching the salt play in this working. And the biggest key is that get the most benefits not by popping vitamins/supplements, but rather by eating whole foods and especially increasing the veg/fruits and grains in the diet.

I have no problem with most of the food groups EXCEPT when it comes to getting enough grains without adding too many calories (yes that means carbs, but the right kinds). I have read your recent LPC columns on this as well as a recent one, about grains, by Jane Brody in the NYTimes and got good tips. But it just feels like when I am trying to get 6 servings of grains, I'm stuffed. Any more suggestions or resources? Are there some that are less calorie (bread is my biggest worry).

So, far the diet (I've been on it four weeks now) has reduced the blood pressure a little bit but even if I do go on meds (which looks inevitable)I have adopted this as the best way to eat to ward off long term effects of this and to hopefully not have it worsen.

Thanks for your help! And remind folks out there to look at the sodium content of processed foods, it's outrageous!

Sally Squires: Hey Boyds: Sorry about the mild hypertension, but it sounds like you're taking all the right steps. Yes, sodium content like added sugars and trans fats can easily creep in when you're not noticing. And yes, the DASH diet is really an interesting--and according to scientific research--an effective plan. (BY the way, other LPCers might want to check it out too because it's just a good overall way to eat, even if your blood pressure is not high.)

As for those grains: you don't have to eat six every day. If you're full on less, stick with that.

Washington, D.C.: What are good ways to increase protein intake if you are strict vegetarian (no fish) or vegan?

Sally Squires: Hey DC: Think Beans, beans, beans! Tofu and other soy products can also help you get enough protein. And nuts are anothe good source, of course, you'll be getting more fat than those beans. As a vegan, dairy will be out for you too. But for those who are ovo-lacto vegetarians, nonfat dairy is a good source of protein as are eggs, particularly the egg whites.

Arlington, Va.: Sally, were you ever overweight or an unhealthy eater yourself? Can you remember what the turning point was that made you change? I'm kind of in a tough place right now -- I want to change, I think I know the best ways to eat and exercise, etc. But. You know what I mean?

Sally Squires: Hi Arlington: We are all works in progress, me included I have plenty of room for improvement in many areas--not just food and exercise related. In fact, that's what makes my job so interesting. I get to constantly talk to the experts about a wide range of topics. And by the way, even some of the leading weight loss experts and exercise physiologists are personally challenged by these very same questions. One who often talks about this is Steve Blair, CEO of the Cooper Institute.

The other thing I have learned over the years from reporting and personal experience is that we all have different phases of our life. What works well for you now, might not in five years. So whether you're at a healthy weight now, or working to get there, you're going to constantly need to adjust to your life circumstances.

One book that I think is quite helpful is Changing for Good by James Prochaska, John Norcross and Carolo DiClemente. Whether you're trying to lose weight, exercise more or give up smoking, it's got a lot of good tips about making those changes. Let us know how you do. And remember studies suggest it can take any where from 7 to 11 attempts to really change successfully. So you've got a lot of company out there.

Glyndon, Md.: I love squid. A very special treat is squid with chili sauce and country ham.

What do you know about and think about Stephan Gullo and his approach to food control?

Sally Squires: Hey Glyndon: Squid is a wonderful food. There used to be a restaurant called Petittos in the District that made squid pasta in its own ink. It was awesome. I sometimes buy squid (calamari) at the fish market, lightly bread it and broil it instead of frying. One word of caution for those cholesterol counters, however, squid has a bit more than the average fish.I don't know much about Stephen Gullo other than a brief visit to his web site. So don't feel like I can comment.

Alexandria, Va.: I am a lapsed exerciser. For me, I found the only way I could be consistent with exercise is to get up earlier in the a.m. and do it then. Spring, summer, fall -- no problem. Winter -- yuch. Fortunately we're now rounding into spring again. The very BEST way for me to maintain motivation was to have a specific event to enter. A couple years ago, I entered a half-mile "marathon" swim in my home town in Michigan, and won for best time for women fifty and over. It helped a lot that I was also the ONLY woman aged 50 and over.

Walkers, runners, bikers, could all use that idea, of picking an event a few months off and train for it accordingly. I did feel really proud of my medal, even with the lack of same-age competition.

(P.S. If I'm in the running, would love the "10 Perfect Workouts for Women" book.)

Sally Squires: Hi Alexandria: Well, you're not alone in being a lapsed exerciser. And yes, spring is going to help a lot of us get more active. Plus some psychiatrists think that a number of people may suffer from undiagnosed seasonal affective disorder, meaning that they feel more down in the winter than in the spring and summer.

You might be interested in next week's Health section where we're going to run the first of our fitness makeovers.

Hyattsville, Md.: Hi Sally. I took your advice and bought plain yogurt and added frozen berries (very good by the way). But I was really surprised when I read the label and saw 17 grams of sugar per 8 ounce serving. I read the ingredient list and there was no added sugar or any of it's aliases. So, is that typical? I confess, my fiance did the shopping this week so I did not have a chance to compare brands, but I wouldn't think that would make a huge difference. That just seems like an awful lot of sugar.

Sally Squires: Hi Hyattsville: The good news is that the sugar in plain yogurt and milk is naturally occuring lactose. The even better news is that doesn't count towards the added sugars total (unless you buy the fruited or blended yogurts which do have added sugar.)

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

I've been a tuna salad sandwich addict for years, but have recently been concerned with the mercury situation (I eat a LOT of tuna!). So this week I swapped canned salmon for the tuna and cannot believe how delicious it is. Not only am I avoiding mercury, I'm also getting some omega 3s. This is a change I'm going to keep and I'd encourage others to give it a try. Nutritionally speaking, salmon has to be one of the best foods out there, isn't it?

(P.S. I'm a big Nancy Clarke fan... hint, hint!)

Sally Squires: Hey Capitol Hill: And you if like that, you might want to expand your repertoire even farther and try sardines (they now come in a lot of different sauces), anchovies with capers, mackeral...you get the idea. The list goes on and on. Bon Appetit!

Gaithersburg, Md.: Dear Sally
I was wondering if anyone has some information about protein bars and shakes and if the are helpful in losing weight and increase muscle mass? Thanks for a great column and I love your new logo.

Sally Squires: Thanks Gaithersburg! And what did folks think about being on page 3? Did you do what I did and turn to page 2 and wonder where the column was?

As for those protein bars and shakes: they're a little like buying a stationary bike or other piece of exercise equipment. By themselves, they're not going to do anything for you. It all depends on how you use them. So yes, they can certainly fit into a healthy diet. But just eating them will not help you lose weight--or build muscle mass. Weight training might be a better approach (and by the way, don't forget simply doing a few push ups, one of the all time best exercises for keeping your upper arm strength.)

Arlington, Va.: Here's a snack I enjoy when I get cravings for salty, crunchy carbs: air-popped corn lightly sprayed with butter flavored vegetable oil, sprinkled with just a tiny bit of salt. Two cups of this will keep me happy for the rest of the evening!

Sally Squires: There you go, Arlington. Sounds delicious and very satisfying. Last night I saw a commercial for microwave popcorn that now comes in single snack sizes instead of those huge bags. That may be another option for some. Orville Reddenbacher was the brand that offered it, although I don't know what the fat content is. If you pop your own, you can control that.

Lean Protein: Hey Sally,

I am a huge fan of fish -- especially tuna steak and salmon. But, I never cook it at home out of fear that the whole place will stink like old fish. Plus, my husband isn't a big fish fan, so I only get it when I go to restaurants.

But, as an alternative, and to still get great protein, I always use beans. One of my favorite new dishes is sauteeing some garlic and onion in olive oil, adding some hot chili pepper flakes (or fresh red chilies), adding a can of white beans that have been rinsed and drained, and then finishing it off with spinach or kale, letting it wilt for about 5 minutes. FABULOUS, HEALTHY, AND FAST!

Sally Squires: Yum! You are making me hungry. Sounds really good. Has anybody tried pink beans? They're also quite good and often overlooked. Adzuki are another great variety. And I always keep a couple of cans of black beans on hand. Thanks for the recipe!

Kansas City, Kan.: Hey Sally, I have a question about this whole concept of maintenance. Once you reach your goal weight by making a calorie deficit, to maintain that weight you add back in calories? Wouldn't that mean the weight would start to come back on? It seems like the line between adding and subtracting the weight is so small at that point you'd have to be a devout food measurer and calorie counter to get it right. Am I just over-analyzing this? I'm definitely not at this point yet but it's nice to pretend one day I'll need to know this.

And one little tip I've learned that helps me with those chocolate cravings, odd as it sounds, are prunes. I find that two of those tasty bite sized prunes kills the urge and actually makes me feel better than eating the chocolate because there's no guilt. It's not calorie free but full of healthy stuff. Have to be careful not to over indulge though.

Sally Squires: Thanks Kansas! Have you also noticed that prunes are now being marketed as dried plums? A clever little change that may in fact make more people try them. I use dates in a similar way.

As for maintenance: A lot of experts advise once you reach your goal weight adding back about 100 calories a day for a week or two and watching the bathroom scale very carefully. Long term successful maintainers also keep tabs (more loosely than when dieting) on what they eat and stick with the habits (especially exercise) that got them to their goal. Breakfast is also an important element for many people.

Timonium, Md.: I'm a dieting vegetarian (I've lost 16 pounds but have about 30 more to go) and I have no problem with fruits and veggies, but find it difficult to get enough protein daily. So here's a yummy tofu dish that even my meat-eating boyfriend likes. It feeds two.

Press a 12 oz. container of firm or extra firm tofu to get rid of moisture. Cut into small cubes.
Mix about 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce, honey, and balsamic vinagrette (I usually use a little less honey and a little more BV, but go with your taste buds). Sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes to taste (I use about 1T).
Marinate tofu and let sit in fridge for half hour.
Heat sesame oil in large skillet and brown tofu, between 6-8 minutes. If you have extra marinade, don't pour it in the skillet until after the tofu is brown, or it won't cook properly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds after you take it off the heat and serve over rice. Don't forget to add a salad and fruit to round it out.

Sally Squires: This sounds great Timonium. Thanks! Have you ever tried making it with a peanut sauce? It reminds me a dish that I sometimes see in Thai restaurants.

Fairfax, Va.: Re: squid and cholesterol. What about shrimp? I love them -- they are so delicious and yet low in calories, too. But I used to hear a lot that they too are bad from a cholesterol point of view. More recently though I thought that they were back in favour as the cholesterol was a "good" kind. What's the latest advice?

Sally Squires: Hey Fairfax: You're right, it too has a little more cholesterol than other seafood.But as I seem to recall, this cholesterol is not considered as worrisome as other types. Sounds to me like we should address this in more depth in an upcoming Lean Plate Club column or newsletter.

Bryans Road: Sally -

I think the reason so many people don't eat "good" foods like grains, beans and fresh veggies is that they feel it takes too long to get meals ready. I use a new pressure cooker (not your grandma's jiggle top) and can cook a meal from scratch in about 15 minutes! I'd also recommend a great cookbook by Lorna Sass that is for vegetarian meals. Cooking healthy can be FUN as well as delicious. Try new grains too like Kasha and Quinoa. Be adventurous.

Sally Squires: Hey Bryans Road: Pressure cookers are a great idea. Very fast. Your suggestion makes me think that we should also do a column on healthy fast food. There's a lot that can be done quickly if you have the right stuff on hand. Even pasta--and we tend to use whole wheat--takes only a couple of minutes to cook. Brown some ground chicken, add to tomato sauce, fix a quick tossed salad, voila, a meal! In about 15 to 20 minutes.

I'm eager to try Lorna Sass. Deborah Madison is also good. And don't forget Vegetarian Times.

Alexandria, Va.: I'm been into soy milk recently (seems to agree with me more than regular milk). Yes, I should read the label, but I'm lazy, so I'll ask: How do soy/cow's milk stack up nutrition/fat/calorie-wise? I normally drink skim milk, so that's the comparison I'm looking for.

Sally Squires: The USDA website says that soy milk has about 5 grams of fat per serving--which will about 5 grams more than that skim milk. You may be able to buy lower fat varities. But unless the soy milk is also fortified with calcium, you won't be getting that advantage of milk. Also, soy milk can be a good option, but it is possible to overdo soy products. If you happen to be taking drugs like tamoxifen, that may not be a good thing.

Clifton, Va: I REALLY hate to exercise! Would so much rather read a good book. However, in January, decided it was time to get serious so joined two co-workers in the great'gym-join'. We found a gym - not a fancy one - very close to work. We make a mad dash over at lunch and put in about 30 minutes. This may not seem like a lot but we are all novices. We each had different goals in mind. My goals are - improve cardio, improve strength, and last lose weight. I was so pleased to find that after only a few weeks of this new regime my blood pressure has made a significant decrease. That absolutely MADE my day and has given me the added incentive to continue!

Sally Squires: Way to go Clifton! And you illustrate very well how finding a place to workout either at home or close to work can really pay off. Plus you've got that great reinforcement from your co-workers. Very awesome indeed. Thanks!

Ariz.: Sally, do split peas fall in the "bean" category? One of my favorite foods is vegan split pea soup -- I make it Indian style by sauteeing onions, garlic, and tomatoes, add salt, chili peppers, and curry powder, and then putting in the split peas and let it simmer. When almost done, I throw in half a bunch of chopped cilantro (really perks up the flavor and gets some dark green into my veggie palette for the day). You can even add a cinnamon stick when it is boiling Very satisfying.

Sally Squires: They certainly fall into the bean, legume and pulse category. And they are very fast cooking which makes them a great choice. Sounds like a great recipe. Thanks!

Fish, definately fish!: Hi, Sally. I've been reaching for fish recently. Even at a steakhouse in Chicago, I got seared ahi with ponzu sauce and wasabi-mashed potatoes and a nice riesling, even though I'm generally a Zinfandel girl (which calls for a nice medium-rare steak -- red Zinfandel and Asian flavors do not mix).

Fish even brightens up leftovers. One night, we roasted veggies (mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, onions, eggplant, tomatoes) and served them on toasted whole-grain sourdough with a little goat cheese and mixed greens. We had tons of veggies and bread left over, so the next day we cooked some salmon with dill and lemon, and made open-faced salmon sandwiches, with a small amount of brie melted on top. (A little cheese won't kill us!)

Plus, with all of the craziness going on these days, my husband and I seek humor in our food. There's a fish dish for ever alert color -- any sushi wrapped in green nori; bluegill (OK so I've never eaten bluegill but what are the chances we'll see a blue level in our lifetime?); yellow tail; orange roughy; and bright red ahi.

Sally Squires: Okay, I think this is an overwelming vote for fish. And you get the prize for most innovative way to match food and terrorist alerts!

Chicago, Ill.: Mu husband and I recntly traveled to Japan where we learned about a great and easy tofu recipe. Cut extra firm tofu into small pieces. Top with cut up fresh ginger, minced garlic from a jar, Tamari sauce and chopped green onions. Let marinade for a few hours. It's delicious! Enjoy it cold as an appetizer.

Sally Squires: Yum. Sounds really good. Thanks, Chicago.

Falls Church, Va.: At my house, we reach for lean meat most frequently. This is due to my husband's purported dislike of large chunks of chicken; he only likes chicken cut up, as in curries and stir fries.

However, we may have made a step forward last night; I made a sauteed chicken breast dish, and following a technique I saw on a cooking show, I lightly floured the chicken before sauteing (in 1 teaspoon of olive oil for 4 servings). I sauteed until golden, then finished the chicken in the oven. The result of these two changes to the standard chicken sautee protocol was a much more moist, nicely textured chicken breast than you get by grilling or sauteeing. Husband agreed, and ok'd chicken done this way for the future.

Hopefully this technique is useful to other people who are suffering chicken breast issues.

Sally Squires: Thanks Falls Church! Sounds really good. Perhaps we should put you up for future negotiating teams both domestic and foreign.

Alexandria, Va.: I'm in a big-time slump. I was on a break from exercising for about six weeks because of an injury (which has not responded to treatment or rest: I have stumped the medical profession, unfortunately). I'm easing myself back into working out, but my previous commitment is just not there. I know I just need to bite the bullet, exercise consistently, and it will return, but it's been made even harder by the fact that I have this pain to deal with from my injury (exercising doesn't make it worse, however).

Sally Squires: My condolenscens, Alexandria. It can be really hard to get started again, particularly when you're coming back from an injury. Could you swim? That might be one way to not put too much pressure on what ails you. (Of course, you'll want to check with your doctor.) Alternatively, you might get a pal to make a weekly commitment (or more) to walk, dance, bike, whatever. This might also be a good time to just check out exercise videos from the library or the video store. Maybe seeing some other folks move, will help motivate you. Finally, how about treating yourself to a session with a personal trainer? It will only set you back about $35 to $50--maybe just the thing for a jump start.

Gaithersburg, Md.: Fish! I eat it several times a week. I don't really get a chance to cook much, with our hectic schedule, but here's how I get my fish in:

-- Tins of sardines are good, provide extra calcium and some good fat, if you get the olive oil kind. Mix them with tapenade and some chopped nuts for a different type of salad, and eat with crackers. I keep them on hand for a quick lunch or dinner.

-- The various Korean salad bars around the city oftentimes have baked salmon, or other fish. I had some salmon today for lunch, along with some baked turkey.

-- Fish is easy to nuke. My favorite, fast way of fixing salmon is to pour a little orange juice over it, add some teriyaki sauce and maybe cayenne pepper and garlic, and nuke at 50 percent until done. The sauce is super, and is great over rice.

Sally Squires: Hey Gaithersburg: These are great ideas. And you illustrate how this can be done very effectively. Thanks!

Bethesda, Md.: Sally,

Because I was diagnosed with osteopenia last year, I have started strength training along with going for daily walks and am hoping my next bone scan shows gains in bone density.

I have also been trying to get more Calcium every day. I take 600 mg supplements twice a day & also eat lots of fresh fruit & veggies. I take one supplement in the AM with my Apple or orange & English muffin, then about an hour or two later, I eat about 8 oz nonfat yogurt. I've heard that your body can only absorb a certain amount of calcium at one time. Is it bad to take the calcium so close to the time I eat dairy? Should I take the supplement at a different time? How much can the body absorb at one time? Should I be taking more than 1,200 mg per day?

Thanks for your help!

Sally Squires: Hi Bethesda: There may indeed be limits to how much calcium you can absorb at any one time. But a couple of hours should give you some time to absorb the tablet before you have the yogurt. And other factors can interfere too--fiber for example, may reduce how much calcium you absorb. But before you get down to counting milligrams, figure out when you're more likely to take calcium on a regular basis. Consistency is quite important. Another approach is to add a glass of skim milk or a glass of calcium fortified juice to every meal to hedge your bets.

Washington, D.C.: Sally,
My stomach's upset about the whole Iraq thing. What foods or drinks (not alcoholic!) can calm me down?

Sally Squires: Hey DC: There are a lot of nervous people right now. But instead of turning to food or drink, why not take a long walk, do some deep breathing and also meditate, pray or do whatever quiet thinking calms you and fits with your own personal beliefs. A cup of hot tea is another good approach, plus it has a lot of healthy antioxidants and since stress can mean that you need a few more vitamins, you might think about either taking a daily multivitamin or boosting your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Bethesda, Md.: Hi Sally
Your column has made a big difference in my life lately.I enjoy excellent health, even though I am not seriously overweight, I still carry excess weight compared to pre children times. I have recently hit 40 and all of a sudden I am scared that the weight will keep piling up unless I do something about it. I have followed your advice in eating vegetables and fruit and totally cutting off cookies and candy. The past week I even quit fruit yoghurt and granola bar for fear of the fats and sugar. For snack I eat fruit and most surprisingly I haven't missed the sweet stuff at all. Seeing chocolate not a twinge of craving. I have been drinking copious amounts of water and I really feel great. I am terrifically energized compared to the previous days. My gripe is this: I haven't seen any significant weight reduction ; maybe a pound or two. This has been pretty discouraging. I started this routine since the past two weeks. My only other physical activity excepting house work etc. is yoga which I practice on an average for 20 minutes every day.
What is your advice? When can I see any weight really come off. I want to see how far the change in diet effects the weight loss before I start walking every afternoon. Thanks.

Sally Squires: Hey Bethesda: You're at a great point to make some significant changes. But first, don't expect anything overnight (although that's a tendency that many of us share.) Sit down and write a weight history. Think back to college or before. What has your weight been through the years? My hunch is that you didn't put on weight overnight. It won't come off that way either. And you may want to see what effect eating changes alone have, but odds are you will feel better--and see faster improvement--if you get moving now with those walks. You can gradually increase the distance. Start simple with just two minutes--or more if you desire. And let us know how you do. Finally, expect at best about a half pound to two pound weight loss per week. That's a safe level, according to experts.

Sally Squires: We're out of time. Hope that many of you can go out and take one of those two minute walks and enjoy this great day. There were so many wonderful suggestions and recipes that it's very hard to choose winners, but they are:
the LPCer linked fish to the alert codes; Clifton, Lean Protein and Bryans Road.

Until next week, don't diet, eat smart--and keep moving! The Make the Move Challenge wraps up next week. More information is available on the website and no, it's not too late to join.

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