tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29695386594252528732024-03-20T02:54:27.248-07:00uhealthMedicine.Fitness.NutritionMelissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-82967559872241139782011-05-27T08:16:00.000-07:002011-05-27T08:16:41.005-07:00Pros and Cons of BBQ'ing<style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeg4bxUETMcCqBQQz5KCgFGcn-HJ4peSRbB1l_TYmFC2pfPwmEED5PU9Oqonf2RgRztcmeD3QCFh8dPb6_OC3mYDwxriTqN1AIEWEMErGLQzVV5bO254qgj5xpGIMP29IJ5HGIHCERDI/s1600/tumblr_lkdofmtL6v1qflpc1o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeg4bxUETMcCqBQQz5KCgFGcn-HJ4peSRbB1l_TYmFC2pfPwmEED5PU9Oqonf2RgRztcmeD3QCFh8dPb6_OC3mYDwxriTqN1AIEWEMErGLQzVV5bO254qgj5xpGIMP29IJ5HGIHCERDI/s320/tumblr_lkdofmtL6v1qflpc1o1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Had my first bbq’ed meal over the weekend. It was delicious and so simple and healthy. Boneless skinless chicken breasts done on the bbq with no added fat – just a tbsp or so of Diana Bbq Sauce, placed atop a salad of spinach, crumbled blue cheese, sautéed mushrooms, hearts of palm, and sliced pear, and then drizzled with some balsamic vinegar. Although the meal ended with a slice of chocolate cake (or two), it was still very healthy overall. Or was it? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">The chicken had some burnt bbq sauce on it (or was it caramelized) and this got me thinking about the pros/cons of grilling and the purported link between cancer and grilling. Here’s the scoop:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Grilling Pros:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm 0.1pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Tastes delicious</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm 0.1pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Flavorful so reduces need for heavy, salt and sugar laden sauces; often spices and rubs are enough to add flavor</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm 0.1pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Low fat because fat isn’t needed to cook and because fat drips away rather than accumulates in the pan</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm 0.1pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Easy, quick, and low mess</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm 0.1pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Men like to do it </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><b><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Grilling Cons:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Two types of cancer-promoting chemicals can form during the grilling process:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, are in the smoke that interacts with the meat on the grill when dripping fat causes flames to flare.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">- Heterocyclic amines, or HAs, are produced when meat is exposed to high heat or prolonged cooking. HAs are created inside the meat so they can’t be scraped away or trimmed off. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">There is some association between exposure to HAs and PAHs and risk for colon and stomach cancers. HAs have also been linked to pancreatic cancer. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Because the Pros are too great (especially the last one), here are some tips to minimize the Cons so we can all continue to enjoy our summer bbq’ing:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"><br />
</div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">To protect the food from PAHs, cover the grill with foil (make tiny perforations to allow fat to drip through) before grilling </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Try not to burn or char food by cooking it slowly</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Turn the food often to prevent burning.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Choose lean cuts to prevent fat from dripping and causing flares.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">When buying a new grill, consider a gas-powered one so you can more easily adjust the flame.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Using acid-based and anti-oxidant rich marinades such as those made with vinegar, citrus juices, or red wine may decrease HA formation in steak by more than 80 percent</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Scrape off any burned parts of meats before eating to remove PAHs </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">Try starting the cooking process inside, in the microwave for instance, and then finish it on the grill — just long enough to get the grilled taste.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.1pt; margin-top: 0.1pt;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;">The longer meat cooks, the more time HAs have to form, so avoid eating meat too well done.</span></li>
</ul>Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-31028160973823209832011-04-16T11:08:00.000-07:002011-04-16T11:08:49.118-07:00Easy Spring Cleanse 1 week Diet: Do it!Sometimes we just need to simplify our lives.. and our menus to lose weight! Do this for one week and I guarantee you will lose weight and feel recharged and renewed. Send me your before and after weights and any questions. Have fun! Your pants are going to feel so good soon.<br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spring Cleanse</b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><i>Eat ONLY the foods listed below: (sensible portions)</i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>vegetables - all</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>fruit - all</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>sprouted whole grain bread (Ezekiel 4:9) OR whole wheat matzo (if you're starting over Passover)</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>quinoa</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>sweet potato</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>eggs or egg whites</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>nuts</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>avocado</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>butter</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>olive oil</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>fish</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;">- seafood </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>chicken</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>steak</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>bacon (max 2 strips per day)</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>beans and legumes</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>tofu</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>shirataki noodles (House Foods brand, buy at Whole Foods, Longos, or T&T grocery)</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>vinegars</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>spices, ketchup (sparingly), mustard</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>clear broth soup</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Drinks: water, soda water, unsweetened almond milk (Blue Diamond Almond Breeze brand unsweetened chocolate or vanilla), tea, coffee (max 1 cup per day), red wine (max 4 glasses per week)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Optional:</b> Use calorie tracker like Mynetdiary.com to plug in portions of foods to make sure calories fall in good range for you. To find out how many calories you should be eating per day, go to <a href="http://www.bmrcalculator.org/">http://www.bmrcalculator.org/</a>. It will have you plug in your age, sex, weight, and height and it will calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). You will then scroll down the page and it will tell you how many calories you burn in a day based on your activity level (be honest). Once you have this number, subtract 500, and this is how many calories you can eat in a day to lose 1 lb of fat per week, or subtract 1000 to lose 2 lbs of fat per week.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Example: A 35 y.o female that weighs 140 lbs and is 5”4, who does 3 spin classes per week and works at a desk job (i.e. moderately active), will burn between 2042 – 2161 calories per day (depending on which formula chart you use). To lose 1 lb of fat per week, she would need to eat approximately 1600 calories per day. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">** Don’t be surprised if you lose more than 1 – 2 lbs of fat per week though because you will also be shedding water and glycogen weight.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Can't think of what to eat? Here are some breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas to get you started:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Breakfast:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Ezekiel bread 1 piece toasted with butter and tomato slices</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Ezekiel bread 1 piece toasted, smoked salmon, cucumber, tomato slices</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Egg white omelet with mushrooms, onions, Ezekiel bread</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Egg white omelet with vegetables and 2 strips bacon</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>2 hard boiled eggs, 1 slice Ezekiel bread toasted with butter</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Handful almonds and apple</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Apple and 2 hard boiled eggs</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Grapefruit, 1 slice toast with butter</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Lunch:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Mixed green salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, with grilled chicken breast, grilled salmon, or grilled shrimp, 1 slice Ezekiel bread</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Tuna and salmon sashimi, edamame beans, miso soup (or rolls without rice, i.e. wrapped in cucumber)</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Canned tuna packed in water, drain, place in sandwich with Ezekiel bread, tomato and avocado slices </div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Egg white omelet, 1 slice Ezekiel toast, side salad or tomato slices</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Bean salad – chickpeas and lentils mixed with olive oil, 1 sliced chicken breast</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Apple, sliced chicken breast, carrots and celery</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Steak sandwich – 2 slices Ezekiel bread, 1 piece lean steak, tomato slices, lettuce</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Freshii restaurant type salad using mix of following ingredients: greens, cut up veggies, plain protein, i.e. not mixed with mayonnaise – chicken, bacon, tuna, etc.; nuts; raisins *dressing should be either vinegar only or vinegar mixed with small amount olive oil </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Dinner:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>same as lunch options, or</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>protein (i.e. grilled or steamed or bbq’ed chicken breast, steak, fish, seafood, or tofu), with steamed or grilled vegetables, with either sweet potato, quinoa, or shirataki noodles</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Snacks:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span><span>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>nuts, fruit, cut up veggies, hard boiled eggs, glass almond milk</div> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Good luck. Send this to as many people as you know and have a contest. Spring challenge. Email me for support/motivation. Do it! </div>Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-43978113112684235622011-04-12T09:07:00.000-07:002011-04-12T18:48:14.265-07:00Potato Chips and Heroin: Science Reveals Similarity<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Potato chips and heroine have a lot more in common than one may think. Whereas expressions like sugar addict, chocolate fix and overeaters anonymous suggest a similarity between food and drugs, a recent study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry actually confirmed that the brain chemistry between food addicts and drug addicts are exactly the same when it comes to cravings and urges.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorNio71UwhR4qjP3vspQtTNrqR11JgNAfWXolQshuVkrb_dz-6p9Hx8uNx0vNwPQzFacZkcQoKtFwYdLR74wTa2CoKt0et90b-xpvTSbm50Eg7X2I9dE1Rj6E5b09rDmr7rwbc8-xHG0/s1600/accumbens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhorNio71UwhR4qjP3vspQtTNrqR11JgNAfWXolQshuVkrb_dz-6p9Hx8uNx0vNwPQzFacZkcQoKtFwYdLR74wTa2CoKt0et90b-xpvTSbm50Eg7X2I9dE1Rj6E5b09rDmr7rwbc8-xHG0/s320/accumbens.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Researchers analyzed the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans of women who constantly ate uncontrollably, i.e often binged, eating past the point of hunger saturation. The brains of these women, when shown pictures of a chocolate milk shake made with Häagen-Dazs ice cream, revealed increased activity in the same regions of the brain that fire when people who are dependent on drugs or alcohol experience cravings. Not surprisingly, when women who weren’t addicted to food were presented with the same milk shake picture, they showed a much lower activity in the same regions.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now here comes the interesting part. Five seconds after which the women were presented with the photo, they were also given the Häagen-Dazs ice cream milkshake to taste. Over the top delicious, right? Wrong. Once the women actually tasted the milk shakes, those who scored high on the food-addiction scale showed dramatically less activity in the “reward circuitry” of their brains than the other women. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This phenomenon of fantasizing about the “fix” and then being underwhelmed with the high is what leads to problematic eating and drug use behaviors. It explains the AA expression, “one is too many, a thousand isn’t enough,” and the drug expression, “chasing the first high.” The idea of the binge is better than the actual binge and hence the addict doesn’t feel satisfied with just one bite, one hit, or one drink and continues to chase the feeling by consuming more and more. Regret and ill consequences ensue. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So what is the addict to do? The key is to break the circuitry. In order to diminish the behavior, one needs to treat the fantasy and the high of anticipation. In essence, once needs to learn to stop dreaming of how wonderful the indulgence is going to be because in reality, it’s not. Quite the opposite, in fact. The more the addict practices actively quieting the voice in the head and not giving in, the softer it will become and the less strong the neural firing will be. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many food addicts feel that they’re up against an impossible task since they can’t quit food all together as smokers, alcoholics and drug users can with their respective drugs. And it’s true – it’s much harder to become a controlled user than abstinent. This being said, most food addicts binge on certain foods and not others. I recommend becoming abstinent to these trigger foods, which are typically carbohydrates – bread, salty snacks like crackers, chips, pretzels, etc., and quick releasing sugar treats like ice cream, pop, and candy. This still leaves lots of food to enjoy. Yes, it’s too bad that these foods can’t be enjoyed, and yes it’s too bad that a recovering alcoholic can’t enjoy a glass of wine, but such is life. Acceptance and being grateful for the things you do have and can enjoy in life are key.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My recommendation: Take some time and really think about your binge foods. What’s calling your name? Write these foods down and quit - cold turkey. The hardest part is making up your mind. Once you’ve decided to quit, stop thinking and compromising and scheming and dreaming; shut your brain off as soon as it starts to fantasize: turn the channel if a tantalizing food commercial is on, avoid events and functions that might serve up your trigger foods for the first little while, don't stop at the drive through or convenience store or walk the grocery aisle with junk foods..and don’t give in. Practice. Within a few months, you’ll be well on the road to recovery; although hard days will be inevitable, in general, it will just keep getting easier and easier the longer you persist. </div>Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-65093148105244670662011-03-26T18:49:00.000-07:002011-03-26T18:49:53.366-07:00If you're watching your carbs, try this<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Nutty Chicken Slaw:</b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsQ1BVBizJ43crR6cdAY1zTQ3fxBSeI9dKiRwSYMECsShrSCIM6uhC26jJt2NB2WDegpPg8b4OSWZWTK1_6Q7RxTXDgErO-_sgBYp_N5ZsoxjhACkXdfCONl-vd6v8arV9g05IsoR1LY/s1600/IMG00757-20110326-1943-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsQ1BVBizJ43crR6cdAY1zTQ3fxBSeI9dKiRwSYMECsShrSCIM6uhC26jJt2NB2WDegpPg8b4OSWZWTK1_6Q7RxTXDgErO-_sgBYp_N5ZsoxjhACkXdfCONl-vd6v8arV9g05IsoR1LY/s320/IMG00757-20110326-1943-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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This is so easy to put together, literally 5 minutes, and it's tasty, filling, and low in carbs. Although it has only 350 calories, the fat, fiber, and protein content make it quite satisfying for a light meal.<br />
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Step 1. Get your sliced chicken of choice. Ideally you have fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the fridge - if you do, take one breast, cook it, and cut it in to slices. But if you don't, or if you're pressed for time, you can buy precooked chicken breasts, fresh or frozen, that are pretty darn good. I recently discovered Pinty's Chicken Breast Strips. These are so easy. You take the desired amount out of the box, place them on a plate topped with paper towel, and microwave for 3 minutes. Done! And they're delicious. I bought them at Food Basics. Check out the website; this is a great product to help you get protein in to your diet when pressed for time: http://www.pintys.com/corporate/foodservice/fullycooked.htm<br />
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Lillydale also makes good precooked, grilled chicken breast strips (but be forewarned, they're quite salty).. they can be found on tables in the deli section of your grocery store. <br />
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Step 2. Put the oven on broil. Spray a piece of tinfoil with cooking spray. Spread two tbsp of slivered almonds on the foil and place in the oven to toast *(watch closely because these can burn quickly). Also, measure them. If you just spread slivered almonds, as I did below, on tin foil and toast, you'll be surprised how many calories you may end up consuming. For instance, take a guess how many calories are in the picture below:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZCuHUUmuX8LjI-1TaIdHoZn1IZSI7QN4vmRjt0sWH86I51Ssr9hjdebrdTGl3fvDocw9Pqzk-l8DznqwzrtY3sFFkP0yDqjOCpYN-yBqLY91gvQFDfULICBuv0kyYphLyDValUMqCag/s1600/IMG00754-20110326-1940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZCuHUUmuX8LjI-1TaIdHoZn1IZSI7QN4vmRjt0sWH86I51Ssr9hjdebrdTGl3fvDocw9Pqzk-l8DznqwzrtY3sFFkP0yDqjOCpYN-yBqLY91gvQFDfULICBuv0kyYphLyDValUMqCag/s320/IMG00754-20110326-1940.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
210!!! That may be more than you bargained for -- considering McDonald's Small French Fries have only 20 more calories at 230. Anyhow, the picture above is 1/4 cup of slivered almonds. I'd recommended you only use 1/8 of a cup, i.e. 2 tbsp, for a total of about 100 calories. Nuts are good for you and taste great, but they pack a lot of calories and fat so be mindful of portions.<br />
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Step 3. Grab your Broccoli Slaw. This stuff is great. You find it where the bagged lettuce sits in the grocery store. The stem of the broccoli is shredded and it's bagged, mixed with shredded carrots and cabbage. <br />
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Step 4. Take a few handfuls of broccoli slaw and place in a bowl (calories are negligible so don't worry too much about portion). Top with 2 tbsp of toasted slivered almonds and 1 chicken breast or about 8-10 strips of chicken. Top with a low calorie dressing of your choice. I chose Simply Natural Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette that I had picked up at Whole Foods - 2 tbsps have 60 calories.<br />
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Voila! A crunchy, delicious salad for about 350 calories. Enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTj9zEi3XRaPwFkDLIZpkdpJ1le40P4cRKE5xnwGkFwRJPs-K-mts3v9VXACN_yv1oqv1DylRlPaUibetrhLZrRfeq3ZkCYI6OM4vs8k6N2nNB1ONRKyDUKDxTa0oykX8FId2xZDRrno/s1600/IMG00755-20110326-1942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTj9zEi3XRaPwFkDLIZpkdpJ1le40P4cRKE5xnwGkFwRJPs-K-mts3v9VXACN_yv1oqv1DylRlPaUibetrhLZrRfeq3ZkCYI6OM4vs8k6N2nNB1ONRKyDUKDxTa0oykX8FId2xZDRrno/s640/IMG00755-20110326-1942.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-45922008624039395712011-03-15T20:23:00.000-07:002011-03-15T20:23:14.210-07:00I love a good bagelThis is my favorite bagel..<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3Eh_AbCjHCg3hOtAwpQCNK4GLNezh2LKQ71Oo5xSAbB6_tYkVSDzxMnly26pBJC9uCkJLy3uK6el57WaoIKKyubvCXlR-9Fyeg8s7rONqosN98Rs6CEjAgYRbg2xUWpN7-M8XKB1RVw/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-03-15+at+10.36.42+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3Eh_AbCjHCg3hOtAwpQCNK4GLNezh2LKQ71Oo5xSAbB6_tYkVSDzxMnly26pBJC9uCkJLy3uK6el57WaoIKKyubvCXlR-9Fyeg8s7rONqosN98Rs6CEjAgYRbg2xUWpN7-M8XKB1RVw/s320/Screen+shot+2011-03-15+at+10.36.42+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>Bagel World Poppy Seed Bagel.. Delicious. The most delicious. But.. serious calories. My guess - 350 for one bagel. If you try to pull out the inside dough which many people do.. maybe you're down to 300 calories.<br />
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300 calories isn't crazy.. but it's a bit more than you'd want to eat when watching your waistline.. especially once you add the rest of the meal on your plate, whether it be the omelet or scoop of tuna or Greek salad..<br />
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Now I'm not suggesting you forgo any toppings or sides when indulging in your bagel, definitely not. Most bagels lack significant protein or fat and are essentially all carbs so this would be a very unbalanced snack or meal, and you'd be craving more carbs in an hour. You'd almost be better off having a Snickers Bar - 280 calories and at least it has some protein and fat.! I'm not suggesting that either though.. Here's the point:<br />
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A big, warm, freshly baked bagel is a treat, much like a Snickers bar is a treat; and while you can enjoy it on occasion, if you eat it too often, the pounds will pack on.<br />
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Here are some great substitutes that you can indulge in more regularly:<br />
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1. PC Blue Menu - PC Thins Multigrain Bagels: These are fabulous. They seem small in the bag but they're dense so they're filling and and take time to eat. They're great toasted. One bagel has 160 calories; 2 grams fat; 6 grams protein; 4 grams fiber; and 29 grams carbs.<br />
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2. Dempsters Bodywise 100% Multi Grain Bagel: For a low calorie bagel, this is excellent. Perfect on the side of an egg white omelet or toasted with 1 tbsp of almond butter or with some low fat cream cheese, lox, and tomato slices. One bagel has only 140 calories; 1.5 grams fat; 5 grams protein; 5 grams fiber; and 26 grams carbohydrates.<br />
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3. Weight Watchers brand bagel: This also is pretty good for a low cal bagel, but I like the other two slightly better. This bagel has 150 calories and 9 grams of fiber!<br />
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Oh and if you're tempted to try one of the low carb bagels like Baker's Deluxe.. beware that serious stomach cramps can follow. My suggestion is to go with the three I mentioned over the low carb option. Enjoy!Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-80018315104850112352011-02-27T15:06:00.000-08:002011-02-27T15:15:06.562-08:00Vitamin D - should you add it to your diet?Everyone seems to be obsessed with Vitamin D lately.. It's the new wonder vitamin that's touted to reduce breast, colon, and prostate cancer risk, help the immune system, promote bone health, and even help protect against diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Everyone seems to be taking it or at least wondering whether they should start. So I thought I'd put together a few facts to help you decide.<br />
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- Most natural vitamin D comes from the reaction of the sun on our skin. If you stay indoors a lot - i.e. car to desk job to car to house - and/or wear sunscreen when outdoors, then you are probably not getting much Vitamin D from the sun.<br />
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- Vitamin D is found naturally in very few foods. The main source is the flesh of fatty fish like cooked salmon, tuna, and mackeral as well as fish liver oils (i.e. cod liver oil). If you don't eat fish very often. them you're likely not getting much naturally from your diet.<br />
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- Some foods are fortified with Vitamin D - mainly milk. Some yogurt and margarine is also fortified. If you don't drink much milk, you're likely not getting much from your diet. One cup of milk has abut 100 IU Vitamin D.<br />
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*note: I checked my fridge and cupboards.. I have only two things that can contain Vit D: 1) Clif Builder's Bar - 1 bar has .00068 mg which seems like very little; 2) PC blue menu Celeb non hydrogenated, calorie reduced margarine. 2 tsp has 30% of recommended daily intake. I eat 2 tsp only once per week probably. So clearly, I'm not getting much from my diet.<br />
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- Certain groups of individuals are predisposed to deficiency and therefore more likely to need supplementation. These include: the elderly and people with dark colored skin (their skin doesn't make usable vit D from the sun as readily); obese (subcutaneous fat holds onto vit D and doesn't release it as readily into the circulation); people who have had gastric bypass and those that have fat malabsorption conditions; and breast fed babies (especially if mom has low vitamin D and baby isn't exposed to much sunlight).<br />
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- Tanning beds do supply UV radiation that triggers skin to make vitamin D.. but tanning beds also predispose to skin cancer so regular use is not recommended.<br />
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- Exposure to sunlight through glass will not result in vitamin D synthesis so sitting in a sunny office or driving all day won't boost Vitamin D.<br />
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If you have decided you are not getting enough Vit D and want to supplement, remember that too much of a good thing can be dangerous, so DON'T OVERDO IT. As I say in The Rebel Diet, "the dose makes the poison and the dose makes the cure." Unlike the water soluble vitamins B and C, vit D is fat soluble so we won't simply urinate out the extra - we'll store it in our fat and this can lead to overdose.Vitamin D toxicity is associated with weight loss (hey..not bad), but also heart disease, increased rates of cancer and increased falls and fractures in the elderly.<br />
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So how much supplementation is recommended? The RDI (recommended daily intake) for Vitamin D for adults is 400-800 IU/day. If you haven't been getting much sun and don't eat many food sources of Vit D, then you can get this through a supplement. If you feel you have a deficient level because of a lack of sunlight and food sources, then supplement with 1000 IU - 4000 IU (maximum) for a few weeks to get your levels up to snuff, but then aim for 1000 IU daily; this should do the trick and keep you in a good range. *Of note, prolonged sun exposure wil not lead to vitamin D toxicity because our skin regulates it and won't overproduce the vitamin D.<br />
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Here's the recommended UPPER LIMIT intake for Vitamin D so do not go above this:<br />
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Me personally, I take 1-2 vitamin D drops (1000 - 2000 IU) per day in the winter months (when I remember). And I only remember sometimes. And I get at least 10 minutes per day outside with walking to and from the subway (although only my face is exposed and my moisturizer is SPF 15). Sigh.. Too bad my almond milk isn't fortified.. <br />
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If you are going to get your blood level tested, ask your doc to test 25 (OH) D and aim for a level between 50 - 75 nmol/L. Even though blood test reference ranges say that 25-75 nmol/L is insufficient and that 75-250 is sufficient, studies have shown that having blood levels consistently above 75 nmol/L has been associated with increases in all cause mortality, pancreatic cancer and cardiovascular events.<br />
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My recommendation - 1000-2000 IU daily when you're getting very little sun will keep you in a good, safe range (it's difficult to get blood levels above 75 nmol/L at this dose) wherein you'll reap the health benefits but avoid the health risks.Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-79519952195311544852011-01-30T21:41:00.000-08:002011-01-30T21:41:33.178-08:00What 400 calories looks like..I'll admit it. I chose clothes shopping over grocery shopping today. So when I got home ravenous from a long day of shopping, I was stuck with two options - frozen food or delivery. It was close.. sushi was calling my name - practically dialing my number - ordering me!!, BUT, I resisted and went with the freezer fare instead. It was delicious. Here's what I had:<br />
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PC Blue Menu Crunchy Chicken Breast<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IvV6_fLjcU6m804xQb1lFOugWGzz_akpZkrVvkmdpGC2z4c1yucutCoCXd2Ckvv-0_YTR00tHHfxKggJA8L9rhkkdGmwCexvKZXESfOdTjSDxCE-mV7vdiF4Kuoe8yx_L3fDMXZdKMk/s1600/IMG00710-20110130-2146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IvV6_fLjcU6m804xQb1lFOugWGzz_akpZkrVvkmdpGC2z4c1yucutCoCXd2Ckvv-0_YTR00tHHfxKggJA8L9rhkkdGmwCexvKZXESfOdTjSDxCE-mV7vdiF4Kuoe8yx_L3fDMXZdKMk/s320/IMG00710-20110130-2146.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I love these. They're great. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Done. They're crunchy and delicious. They're great dipped in Ketchup or PC Blue Menu low calorie Plum Sauce.<br />
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One chicken breast has 170 calories and only 3 g grams of fat.<br />
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McCain Sweet Potato Fries<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCkkTiuz6a_39MiDJEm5TlsZ8efjUY7s2ET28auTiZCqIZlKmnHPpBmrVNwdUdbZHH3H_reRERwLBdc8zV6ow-5feCUTFLvnnSkIeuN22kaDO0XOi6QGAJezyb-sAwy_ZnIK_DypI2Yk/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-30+at+11.04.59+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCkkTiuz6a_39MiDJEm5TlsZ8efjUY7s2ET28auTiZCqIZlKmnHPpBmrVNwdUdbZHH3H_reRERwLBdc8zV6ow-5feCUTFLvnnSkIeuN22kaDO0XOi6QGAJezyb-sAwy_ZnIK_DypI2Yk/s400/Screen+shot+2011-01-30+at+11.04.59+PM.png" width="339" /></a></div><br />
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</a></div> I really love these. Crispy, flavourful. Here's the nutrition:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SNOt9WooYd13EnzQ7CrwiJj5_88eF-oTfyh8NfYbnEfvxjzLxUTCJYu1hhDEroLqMzluKGahyphenhyphenpapNC7YoRXg4MdLtWrZfY_eMvN8_Vy0QJ2MAVn5qlkDAI-JXnHoaA7I-WR4Fx2pLzk/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-30+at+11.05.13+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SNOt9WooYd13EnzQ7CrwiJj5_88eF-oTfyh8NfYbnEfvxjzLxUTCJYu1hhDEroLqMzluKGahyphenhyphenpapNC7YoRXg4MdLtWrZfY_eMvN8_Vy0QJ2MAVn5qlkDAI-JXnHoaA7I-WR4Fx2pLzk/s400/Screen+shot+2011-01-30+at+11.05.13+PM.png" width="212" /></a></div><br />
Not bad! 85 grams for 150 calories with 4 grams of fiber. To give you an idea of what 85 grams looks like, a bag of small McDonald's French Fries is 71 grams. So.. picture dumping a bag of small fries on your plate. It's not a huge portion but good enough to hit the spot.<br />
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Baby zucchini<br />
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Well I did manage to find one fresh thing in my fridge. Mini zucchini. I simply chopped off the ends, sliced them in half lengthwise and popped them in the microwave for 1.5 minutes to steam. I then added some salt. Done. Phew.. at least I included some green with my makeshift meal.<br />
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So, all said and done, here's what a lazy Sunday night dinner looked like for a total of 400 calories:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzwUSzehNSx2uFCqp4ugMJadsHuqiZnH4yN9BcHpFI63BvuvRjiJcXnIxCAxAgK6c7q4QZ1zFp95sEMs-hpIZviRU4VkHMy_pLDkes0HsWuISa2hcMc1UYXKv_pesUJxjpzAgYTZMTKI/s1600/IMG00715-20110130-2204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUzwUSzehNSx2uFCqp4ugMJadsHuqiZnH4yN9BcHpFI63BvuvRjiJcXnIxCAxAgK6c7q4QZ1zFp95sEMs-hpIZviRU4VkHMy_pLDkes0HsWuISa2hcMc1UYXKv_pesUJxjpzAgYTZMTKI/s400/IMG00715-20110130-2204.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Alright so this isn't the best picture and it certainly doesn't do justice to how tasty the meal actually was (I should have laid it on a bed of greens and cut open the chicken and hired a food stylist..next time). But, I have included it anyways because it reminds us what 400 calories really looks like. Not that much. So, here's the takeaway:<br />
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The next time your plate is overflowing with a large piece of meat, chicken or fish covered in sauce (mine was the size of my hand and had no sauce), fried potatoes or rice covering half your plate (my baked fries took up only 1/4 of the plate), and sauteed vegetables covered in butter or oil (mine were steamed and had only a sprinkle of salt), don't kid yourself. Your meal probably has double the calories; 800. The truth hurts baby.<br />
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Now, for comparison's sake, had I ordered sushi, here's what I could have had for 400 calories:<br />
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<b>Option 1: </b>Spicy Tuna Maki Roll (with a few tempura bits in it) + 1 miso soup = approx 400 calories<br />
<b>Option 2:</b> 3 pieces of tuna (30 calories/piece) and 3 pieces salmon sashimi (50 calories/piece) + 1 single person order edamame (150 calories) = approx 400 calories<br />
<b>Option 3: </b>1 Spicy Tuna Roll wrapped in cucumber *no rice (150 calories), 1 order salmon sashimi (150 calories), 1 miso soup and 1 wakame salad (100 calories) = 400 calories<br />
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Why did I choose 400 as the magic number? It just happened based on my meal. But -- if you have a 300 calorie breakfast, 400 calorie lunch, and 400 calorie dinner, it leaves room for two 200 calorie snacks for you to arrive at 1500 calorie/day, which in my experience, is the typical daily allotment for adults to lose weight comfortably yet see the results they crave.<br />
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Bon appetit! (Eat slowly. It helps.) Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-26857914401241662862011-01-12T20:28:00.000-08:002011-01-12T20:28:59.267-08:00Tea Time!After a meal, if you crave something sweet, soothing, comforting, and warm.. that smells delicious and takes time to enjoy and savor.. and has virtually no calories.. TRY DAVID's TEA!!<br />
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This is a new discovery for me. I was offered a cup last night after dinner at a friend's. It was divine. Why haven't I heard of this?? After loving the experience of sipping my dessert tea, I began my research. **if you're trying to lose weight, this is a must. It will totally help with tendencies to snack on sweets after meals.<br />
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The first shop opened in Montreal in 2008. Since then, an online store has been launched as well as 40 or so stores across Canada. <br />
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The teas come in a variety of unique and exotic flavors (Forever Nuts, Read my Lips, Baked Apple, and Chocolate Chili Chai are top sellers). They're loose teas, which would have scared me away in the past, but my friend showed me how easy these were to contend with when you use the right accessories -- "the perfect tea mug," for example. They sell tea accessories, such as the mug, online or at the store and this mug is a must. It has the infuser that fits right inside and a lid that fits perfectly on top. And it's all dishwasher safe. This mug takes the intimidation factor right out of loose tea infusion confusion.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OXsg60MiYQ7GejBsJqbbIknEe-Fq2u4tKIyty0am9r2lV2scn6jZd2TRvpP_k4dH_4gRdhTeZzPRq3UTjKmw-mzvESk6f_93tTQmwYO_YKwhkyBKP3Tj1BLUkKHK5GkTgd-NXIsHtVE/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-12+at+11.11.29+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OXsg60MiYQ7GejBsJqbbIknEe-Fq2u4tKIyty0am9r2lV2scn6jZd2TRvpP_k4dH_4gRdhTeZzPRq3UTjKmw-mzvESk6f_93tTQmwYO_YKwhkyBKP3Tj1BLUkKHK5GkTgd-NXIsHtVE/s320/Screen+shot+2011-01-12+at+11.11.29+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Anyhow, if you're looking for a new treat to get you through the long winter, try David's Tea. Thumbs up bigtime.<br />
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http://www.davidstea.com/Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-71461496117547082672011-01-07T18:02:00.000-08:002011-01-07T18:02:28.377-08:00Add flavour minus the calories! Lots of suggestions!!Hi everyone!<br />
Happy belated New Year! Hope 2011 is off to a fantastic start. Mine is - except for this nasty, unrelenting cold/flu virus that I can't seem to shake. I'm calling it the Energizer Bug.. it just keeps going and going and going.. headache, congestion, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, cough, muscle aches and pains, oh my!.. and no of course I'm not mad; I'm not one to point fingers (but just saying... I saw dozens of walk-in clinic patients before the holidays and take the subway daily and nothing.. until a certain someone sneezed on me (you know who you are grrr).. Anyhow, the point of this immune failure admission is as follows:<br />
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I think it's helped me better empathize with patients and readers who have abandoned healthy eating or hit roadblocks claiming that 'diet' food just doesn't taste like anything. <br />
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I haven't been able to taste food for a few days now. And it has totally taken the pleasure out of eating! Why would anybody want this? It's not worth it. I get it. Better to be overweight than not taste and enjoy your food. If switching from high fat, high sugar, high salt foods to healthier options really results in this relative apparent lack of taste, akin to how I'm feeling now with this flu, then woah, no wonder people often give up so quickly. Here's the thing..<br />
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It's temporary. Just like taste buds and smell come back once the cold passes, the taste of food comes back once your palate adjusts to the new diet. Our taste receptors are desensitized after years of overpowering them with processed foods loaded with salt, fat and sugar. When we remove the high solute load, things can taste a little bland while our taste bud sensitivity is adjusting. Don't give up. Recognize that this is just a temporary adjustment period. Remember how you felt the first time you tried beer or wine or a martini or a cup of coffee -- gross!! Pungent. Buy hey, my guess is you just may have stuck with it. Well let's give the good stuff a chance just like we did the bast stuff.<br />
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To help you through this adjustment period, I've suggested some flavor enhancers below that you can use while incorporating these new suggested foods and beverages into your healthy lifestyle. Before long, you won't even need them.<br />
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<b>Egg Whites</b>: Yes it's worth it. Yes it saves major calories. A whole egg typically has about 100 calories - 20 from the white, 80 from the yolk. The white is the protein. The yolk is the fat. DITCH the yolk and reap major calorie saving benefits!! Try some of following to help you adjust:<br />
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1. Add two tbsp of real bacon bits to your egg white omelet while it's cooking (60 calories)<br />
2. Add two tbsp of parmesan cheese like PC Blue Menu 100% grated parmesan cheese (50 calories)<br />
3. Herbs (chopped parsley, chives, basil, sage, and thyme all work well (0 calories)<br />
4. Add two tbsp crumbled light feta cheese (80 calories)<br />
5. Add two tbsp Ketchup (30 calories)<br />
6. Add 1 yolk (80 calories)<br />
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*** careful not to add all of them.. the calories will add up faster than your cell phone minutes..<br />
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<b>Water: </b>Yes it's important. Yes it helps you feel full and yes it's been proven to hasten weight loss. DRINK it! If you have trouble getting it down, try the following:<br />
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1. Boil it, squeeze a lemon in and sip it<br />
2. Drink it at room temperature (easier to digest and drink high volume than cold water)<br />
3. Drink it carbonated.. Buy cans of soda water (it's amazing how you can start craving this and feeling like it's actually a treat) or flavored Perrier (lemon, lime, or my favorite - Grapefruit)<br />
4. Buy naturally flavored calorie free (and artificial sweetener free - **these can trigger sugar cravings) varieties: Metromint (peppermint, spearmint, orange, chocolate, cherry.. YUM!) is my favorite brand; Hint water is also good<br />
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<b>Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Unsweetened Almond Milk:</b> Yes it's delicious. Yes it's an absolute staple for me. It can actually quench thirst and hunger and it's the perfect magic drink to tide you over when you're feeling hungry but not ready for your meal yet. If you're not yet ready to just enjoy a cup as a treat on its own, try the following:<br />
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1. Stir in 1 tsp of instant coffee grinds (decaf or regular). Stir for a few minutes as the grinds take some time to dissolve in the cold beverage. You can add ice if you like and blend for an iced coffee treat. Top with Gay Lea Real Whip Cream Light (4 tbsp, i.e. shake the canister and spray a big dollop = 30 calories). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3YMN9vZ9fPHqkj0k5Dt8nz9_l-rKqJ5MAwBWMjHeiEQVhb-5_wroskEcO65B87MSOc-vtj97YqVqtJP3QPZlR0vrRU0KH-jKQpSBcNmeMWe2vQzFUgKw8V1pcxnXdt0leMUiVm1_ZxY/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+8.26.09+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3YMN9vZ9fPHqkj0k5Dt8nz9_l-rKqJ5MAwBWMjHeiEQVhb-5_wroskEcO65B87MSOc-vtj97YqVqtJP3QPZlR0vrRU0KH-jKQpSBcNmeMWe2vQzFUgKw8V1pcxnXdt0leMUiVm1_ZxY/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-01-07+at+8.26.09+PM.png" /></a></div><br />
2. Add 1 scoop protein powder and 1/2 cup frozen berries and blend. Delish.<br />
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<b>Rabbit Food: </b>Men seem to call vegetables this. I guess they think those hot chicks they're gawking at are rabbits then. CUZ veggies are what those chicks are eating to keep svelte!! (FYI.. why are women called chicks? Cuz they/we're cute? Cuz breasts, thighs, legs are delicious? Food for wasted thought). Anyhow, to make veggies more palatable, try the following:<br />
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1. Steam and then put in blender in batches with chicken stock, garlic salt, and pepper. Excellent with broccoli, mushrooms, cauliflower.. (adds negligible calories)<br />
2. Add some delicious, exotic ingredients to add taste and punch to your salad. No one likes just bare lettuce sitting on a plate. Yuck. Experiment. When you add extra ingredients with flavor, you can skip the high fat dressing. Just some salt, pepper, and low calorie dressing mixed with balsamic or flavored vinegar can work magic and save you heaps of calories. Remember.. just because olive oil is healthy, a tbsp will set you back 14 g of fat and 120 calories. If you add 3 tbsp of oily dressing, you may as well have just had a Big Mac on your salad. Watch the dressing. Try these ingredients:<br />
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1. Hearts of Palm, canned, so good (negligible calories)<br />
2. Corn niblets (1/4 cup = 70 calories)<br />
3. 1 bag Sensible Foods apple chips (they come in other fruits as well) = 80 calories<br />
4. 1/4 medium avocado (70 calories)<br />
5. 2 tbsp cranraisins (50 calories)<br />
6. Add cucumber slices, shredded carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms to your heart's content (negligible calories)<br />
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** watch out for cheese, nuts, and seeds -- they can add MAJOR calories that just ain't worth it for a salad! If you're going to use them, measure portion size and be forewarned. <br />
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Enjoy!Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-22665308361765939392010-12-28T18:29:00.000-08:002010-12-28T18:29:00.223-08:00Buyer beware… Health Claim or Advertising Strategy<style>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Choice is a wonderful thing. Too much of it though can be gosh darn confusing. Case in point - have you ever found yourself sitting at a restaurant reading through an encyclopedic menu, confused, and just wishing there was a little hint or claim beside the best dishes, saying, “Pick me! I’ll make your taste buds happy.” Of course you have. We all have. Well, marketers know this – and this is why health claims on food and supplement labels are so prevalent.<span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As we consumers have become more and more aware of the relationship between diet and health, there has been an increasing demand for health-enhancing foods and supplements in the marketplace, i.e. foods that help lower cholesterol, promote heart health, help prevent osteoporosis, or promote bowel health and regularity to name a few. It’s trendy for food to be healthy. But can we trust that it really is just because it suggests an association on the box or package?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A health claim is any representation in labeling or advertising that states, suggests, or implies that a relationship exists between consumption of a food or ingredient in the food, and a person's health. In other words, if a cereal has fiber the package may state something like ‘eating fiber can help with regularity and lower cholesterol.” The trouble is, people don’t pay enough attention to the dose. And dose is everything. Let’s consider an analogy to make this point. Imagine that you purchased a bottle of wine and the bottle said, ‘drinking alcohol can lead to liver cancer.’ You would probably think that the claim didn’t apply to you since you were only going to have a glass or two. Yet, when it comes to health benefits and food, we’re all too eager to eat them up! And this can fool us into thinking we’re being healthier than we are. Perhaps this is why despite all of the supposed healthy foods on the shelves, obesity and obesity related illnesses are on the rise.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Health claims on natural health products such as supplements and vitamins can be similarly challenging. Again, dose is extremely important. Many products out there purport health benefits associated with the vitamin or nutrient but do not contain sufficient concentrations of those vitamins or nutrients to do any good whatsoever. It’s therefore much more important to choose quality brands with good reputations for supplying sufficient doses of quality ingredients than simply believing a catchy label.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Bottom line: Be an informed consumer and spend a few extra minutes reading the fine print, ingredients, and doses. It’s worth it to spend a few extra dollars on a quality product that does what it’s supposed to, than a few less on a placebo with a fancy label.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-53736954789110666592010-12-22T19:44:00.000-08:002010-12-22T19:44:21.705-08:00Blah blah blah..then blog!So I'm not going to lie. This past week I've been blah. Blah, blah, blah. Couldn't even blog blah. Christmas songs even sound blah, blah. So-blah! But then a few things happened to cheer me up:<br />
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1. I read this article in the Globe called Schmeck the Halls: How Jewish Songwriters Created Christmas. It was interesting. Talked about how most Christmas songs have been written by Jewish songwriters (couldn't they/we have done a better job with Dreidel-Dreidel??). Anyhow, it linked to Sarah Silverman's satirical song: Give the Jew Girl Toys. And I have to admit, it made me laugh. Check it out:<br />
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gRGMOhslq0<br />
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At :57 she says.. So-yah!. Okay fine, it may be Oh-yah! but close enough (to the point of this blog as you'll see below). And now... this leads me to the real smile on my face... drum roll...<br />
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I was then introduced to the product "So-Yah!" Anyone who has read my books knows I love Shirataki noodles. I love adding them to microwavable healthy dinners to expand the portion size - fills you up, pleases your stomach and your eyes, without adding calories. For the past year I've been wondering.. why don't they use these in microwavable dinners and soups and prepared foods.. Well, now they do.<br />
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House Foods, the maker of the brand of Tofu Shirataki noodles I love, has now come out with So-Yah! a super low calorie microwavable dinner that uses Shirataki noodles.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-TrIj70xo7KiUGKbCO9-UM97Nj1Ns6tKUrpKchR8oMq0eH1Xiz3nOBfTQ-V7LbrtiroyEoDrdeBazPCGpn5CLsRdl9wgFHhZxGAL6pI8edSPtFZ7QLyzhpZAAXbqBOYyn2Mdsps_Y_E/s1600/IMG00645-20101220-1409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-TrIj70xo7KiUGKbCO9-UM97Nj1Ns6tKUrpKchR8oMq0eH1Xiz3nOBfTQ-V7LbrtiroyEoDrdeBazPCGpn5CLsRdl9wgFHhZxGAL6pI8edSPtFZ7QLyzhpZAAXbqBOYyn2Mdsps_Y_E/s400/IMG00645-20101220-1409.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzZdBnZ3p3gl4NH5__WFxicxEAiXqeijMFQ2ds1zZK6N_0VAo3SOngjrNbYJXBAstexyVHKLKRVp31U9SpWZ2FsLE_eONRJKa06DZnO8tQC-ExlH4ICcVSsWSyhELkYl5IIJ6n9eTOaY/s1600/IMG00644-20101220-1408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzZdBnZ3p3gl4NH5__WFxicxEAiXqeijMFQ2ds1zZK6N_0VAo3SOngjrNbYJXBAstexyVHKLKRVp31U9SpWZ2FsLE_eONRJKa06DZnO8tQC-ExlH4ICcVSsWSyhELkYl5IIJ6n9eTOaY/s400/IMG00644-20101220-1408.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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This meal has only 150 calories - 3 grams protein, 4 grams fat, and 24 grams carbs. So, to make it a little more substantial for a meal, pair it up with a protein like a breast of chicken, or a piece of fish, or toss some precooked frozen shrimp in a pan and add the cooked dinner on top. You can find this prepared food at T&T supermarkets in stores across Canada.<br />
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(Dreidel dreidel dreidel I made it out of clay.. and when it's dry and ready, that dreidel I should play... Nope. Not radio material).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-TrIj70xo7KiUGKbCO9-UM97Nj1Ns6tKUrpKchR8oMq0eH1Xiz3nOBfTQ-V7LbrtiroyEoDrdeBazPCGpn5CLsRdl9wgFHhZxGAL6pI8edSPtFZ7QLyzhpZAAXbqBOYyn2Mdsps_Y_E/s1600/IMG00645-20101220-1409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-14693772424171468032010-12-13T14:31:00.000-08:002010-12-13T14:31:34.175-08:00Why weight loss is called a cleanseWe store energy reserves on our body mainly as 1) fat under the skin..jiggle jiggle; and 2) glycogen (a type of carbohydrate) in the muscles and liver.<br />
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Fat is hydrophobic..meaning it doesn't like water (remember from science class.. oil and water don't mix). Fat is therefore stored as dehydrated globules and often appears cottage cheese like under the skin. Glycogen though is hydrophilic..meaning it loves water. What this means is that when we store glycogen, we store water along with it. Specifically, when we store 1 gram glycogen, we store 3 or even 4 grams water alongside it. Here are a bunch of cool reasons why this is important...<br />
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1) When we lose weight initially, we first lose our glycogen stores. Remember, carbs are the body's preferred fuel source so we must rid our glycogen stores before shedding our fat stores. So this is why people can lose up to 10 lbs in the first week of a diet. And it's also why the first week is called a detox and cleanse. When we lose 1 part glycogen from our muscles and liver, we lose 3 parts water as well. This water is released in to the body. The body is hydrated and cleansed. The kidneys then rid the body of this excess water filtering out toxins along with it.<br />
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2) It explains why men tend to lose more weight quickly on diets. They have more muscle and therefore more glycogen and water stored to lose.<br />
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3) It helps us understand why overeating can puff us up. You've been doing great on your diet and then all of a sudden, you go to a few xmas parties..have lots of high carb desserts..and the following week you're up 5 lbs and bloated like crazy! This is glycogen and water weight. The good news is you can reverse it quickly by eating clean the following week and exercising. Speaking of exercise..<br />
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4) A very cool study was referenced in the Globe and Mail last week (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/alex-hutchinson/rethink-how-you-rehydrate-when-exercising/article1815800/). It basically explained that the age old theory that the amount of weight lost post exercise directly reflected the amount of water lost from the body, may be false. In fact, the body does a great job hydrating itself naturally during exercise. How? Because glycogen is burned as a fuel. And remember, when we burn up 1 part glycogen, we release 3 to 4 parts water into the body. The body is one heck of smart machine. It helps hydrate itself!<br />
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5) It reminds us that we have carbs stored in our body. Carbs have 4 calories per gram. Let's say our body needs 2000 calories to function, and we only feed it 1500 calories, the balance of those 500 calories has to come from somewhere.. and it does.. from our carb stores, our glycogen! If we want to lose weight, we need to create this caloric deficit in the body so that our bodies are forced to use up the glycogen so we can then burn the fat.Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-45633482534306709722010-12-07T19:00:00.000-08:002010-12-07T19:00:31.847-08:00Mini Cukes.. great for hand to mouth addictsDo you ever come home from work famished and want to put something in your mouth instantaneously.. you know dinner is soon but you just need something NOW?<br />
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Have you ever been bored at night and you're not hungry but find yourself just opening the fridge and closing it.. and opening it.. and closing it.. out of habit?<br />
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Do you ever prepare dinner and find yourself having difficulty not munching on something while you cook?<br />
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Have you ever just wanted something.. regardless of what it is.. just something needs to go from your hand to your mouth NOW?<br />
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Have you ever wanted something to tide you over until your next meal or snack but didn't want it to be calorie costly?<br />
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Do you like to crunch?<br />
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If you answered yes to any of the above, I highly recommend you keep mini cucumbers in your fridge at all times. They are the perfect solution to all of the above siutations. Just grab one and eat it whole like a pickle. Have one, have two, have three... mini cucumbers are basically crunchy water. Eat up. YUM!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsLi_Bd-GkPyosoFx8uyNCbXE6BVMcCfIYMIVJzhkwhNhM-61yI_pzRR8oag5rfTV00v2cREEkAS7X8tU7_CSdi2x8gfXVpta0AXJ8qjYXU5abhQLyDnFBvbc1mnxJwUVTv1FhyphenhyphenLZmlM/s1600/mini+cukes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsLi_Bd-GkPyosoFx8uyNCbXE6BVMcCfIYMIVJzhkwhNhM-61yI_pzRR8oag5rfTV00v2cREEkAS7X8tU7_CSdi2x8gfXVpta0AXJ8qjYXU5abhQLyDnFBvbc1mnxJwUVTv1FhyphenhyphenLZmlM/s400/mini+cukes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-74705516956741002372010-12-03T07:34:00.000-08:002010-12-03T07:34:05.255-08:00Eat pizza, lose weight.I found you! Hurray! Yesterday, I made a trip down to Th Big Carrot on the Danforth to check out the merchandise. And boy am I glad I did. I was reunited with A.C LaRocco. My long lost bestie. We found each other. "A.C, I've missed you!!!" Okay obviously it isn't A.C the person I'm referring to..better.. A.C the super-awesome, healthy pizza!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimc68CQxHh8tau7yrxRZXc0BvqC1sOo-p-NWnqk4a5wD-_HimienQWb9usnkM_XshccGt2oR3VShYxLHyUanzoHnbtCb2zg4h-aqfkUua_J5DGFzFX8GudAU4VXzI_6pdjE-uT3ABJtso/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimc68CQxHh8tau7yrxRZXc0BvqC1sOo-p-NWnqk4a5wD-_HimienQWb9usnkM_XshccGt2oR3VShYxLHyUanzoHnbtCb2zg4h-aqfkUua_J5DGFzFX8GudAU4VXzI_6pdjE-uT3ABJtso/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div><br />
A.C. LaRocco Pizza is hands down my favorite frozen pizza and the only one in fact that I recommend for healthy eating when watching your waistline. Why? Well duh.. because you can eat the whole thing and feel good about it. Most frozen pizzas have upwards of 1000 calories - way too many for one meal. And moreover, we all know it's virtually impossible to only have a little quarter - it ain't gonna happen. Enter A.C LaRocco into your life.<br />
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The bruschetta style pizza has 340 calories for the whole thing, and the ratio of carbs, protein, and fat is actually quite good. If you're following U Weight Loss meal plans where you need specific ratios of protein, carbs, and fat, you'll need to up the protein a bit. Opt for a piece of grilled fish or chicken breast on the side of half the pizza.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FOIhX0BiooQozUZjyK0lQuQYg7DjlUcjN8rtVa3tJzYgTB_u7Fk7C4FgGpd446-HFVVW2wEvFLVO2TuGW_UMIn_iuawFeLG1aYAzhP75rSweMuX-1fOG8eDCueMPqlN9mlRR9FCN6Hc/s1600/pizza+and+fish.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FOIhX0BiooQozUZjyK0lQuQYg7DjlUcjN8rtVa3tJzYgTB_u7Fk7C4FgGpd446-HFVVW2wEvFLVO2TuGW_UMIn_iuawFeLG1aYAzhP75rSweMuX-1fOG8eDCueMPqlN9mlRR9FCN6Hc/s640/pizza+and+fish.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
As you can see above, this meal has 306 calories, 11 grams of fat, 21 grams of carbs, and 28 grams of protein. <br />
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Or have the whole pizza with 4 slices Canadian Bacon, like Maple Leaf brand. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZq_yVt0WqklvUfvxjMZWxtgz1pfzM0nQ_6e79gLoZ2ntF-WztPAlPd97F7nHTOqSp98yzGMDc814SWSUUSxOtwPGozKzmyXXjUFyDIZ0WaehF4J06_mdbk74AwJ2M6GGLrh5tbq2488/s1600/pizza+with+cdn+bacon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZq_yVt0WqklvUfvxjMZWxtgz1pfzM0nQ_6e79gLoZ2ntF-WztPAlPd97F7nHTOqSp98yzGMDc814SWSUUSxOtwPGozKzmyXXjUFyDIZ0WaehF4J06_mdbk74AwJ2M6GGLrh5tbq2488/s640/pizza+with+cdn+bacon.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
This meal has 420 calories, 18 grams of fat, 40 grams of carbs, and 33 grams of protein.<br />
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So how does A.C LaRocco do it? How does it keep the count so low for their ultra thin crust pizzas? They use sprouted whole wheat berries and whole wheat flour. And, they use part skim cheese. <br />
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This pizza is hard to find. Like I said, I haven't seen if for a while. But if you go to their website, there's a store locator. I think it can be found at Noah's, Big Carrot, and Whole Foods (sometimes) in Ontario. And.. you have to be sure to buy the Ultra Thin crusted ones (the Bruschetta style pizza and the Old World Veggie.<br />
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**Even if you never try this pizza, I still recommend you use the logic. In other words, it's often helpful to think of worst case scenarios.. i.e. what if I eat the whole pizza/whole box/whole bag, how many calories is it? People have trouble stopping midway and this is why 100 calorie snack sizes portioned items are such good sellers. You get to eat the whole thing. If they sold them as 200 calorie snack sized packages and told you to eat half.. yah right! Always hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Hope you eat half, but plan for eating the whole thing. With A.C LaRocco pizza, even if you hope to eat half but end up eating the whole thing, it's not that bad.. and won't derail your efforts; whereas with other frozen pizzas, you'll be set back hundreds of calories for the 'oops, the rest just fell in my mouth' mistake.Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-72254774432214820222010-11-30T20:20:00.000-08:002010-11-30T20:20:09.099-08:00Mynetdiary.. A great free site to help with weight lossMy new favorite site: mynetdiary.com. It's also an app for IPAD and IPHONE. And it rocks. Here's why:<br />
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1. Depending on your weight loss goal, it estimates how many calories you should be eating daily calculated based on your height, weight, and activity level.<br />
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2. It then provides you with an easy online food diary whereby you enter the foods you eat and it tracks your calories, fat, carbs, and protein levels.<br />
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3. The diary is super easy to use because almost any food you can think of is already loaded into the database. For the ones that aren't, you can enter them yourself (I've entered most of my favorite foods into the database).<br />
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4. Ummm. It's free. You go to www.mynetdiary.com and sign up, entering a username and password. Done. <br />
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Here's how it looks in pictures:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxuE8ndlY8czlQdrxJcCh30a3if1xoSTL2_H_g7ZT44lZqMX3hXeyKxKnNYuSipYadxOzrSQ8okK9TxNumkRzPHNIGb7vWcU16cP2KEDzxySOT89bLDy1f20eex3Ncshvo76oZOr7rIY/s1600/example.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxuE8ndlY8czlQdrxJcCh30a3if1xoSTL2_H_g7ZT44lZqMX3hXeyKxKnNYuSipYadxOzrSQ8okK9TxNumkRzPHNIGb7vWcU16cP2KEDzxySOT89bLDy1f20eex3Ncshvo76oZOr7rIY/s400/example.png" width="361" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Here's an example. For a 140 lb woman, lightly active, who is 5"4 who wants to lose 20 lbs by Mar 1 (4 months from now), she'd have to eat 1331 calories per day, which would result in 1.5 lbs loss per week. Remeber, it's your goal. If you want to lose a pound of week, set it up as such. If you want to lose 2 lbs, per week, go ahead. I don't recommend more than 2 lbs per week though.. slow and steady wins the race to a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.<br />
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Next, you hit food and your food diary appears:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixk7VqXDCeoKKK6VISBkqOyK84QXGM1GkV1cl9ewGIR3f9TXpntSZfmqkZzleehVF_F0qXuPivHXpg-nLDcsac4S2HBCwZnN38XyWyFvj9VWLwuNMuIoO03rmz8xeB0jnJsD5xGfjJa-4/s1600/new+food.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixk7VqXDCeoKKK6VISBkqOyK84QXGM1GkV1cl9ewGIR3f9TXpntSZfmqkZzleehVF_F0qXuPivHXpg-nLDcsac4S2HBCwZnN38XyWyFvj9VWLwuNMuIoO03rmz8xeB0jnJsD5xGfjJa-4/s320/new+food.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnB1tHygk8B6piXq1oHn-agcA9rHoqlHWKzc49dJbp2epHmO9Qo7dVa84kuBXgDCwnr0UmO9t00im3HlEXUmF4KIdJnC1QCSAGgMNChIaos_qsrXNyl2F6XY4BU5VGr_UjRbRKKZszds/s1600/food+diary.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnB1tHygk8B6piXq1oHn-agcA9rHoqlHWKzc49dJbp2epHmO9Qo7dVa84kuBXgDCwnr0UmO9t00im3HlEXUmF4KIdJnC1QCSAGgMNChIaos_qsrXNyl2F6XY4BU5VGr_UjRbRKKZszds/s640/food+diary.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Now's the fun part. Start typing the food you ate and you'll see that it's probably there. It can be frustrating in the beginning to find the food that best matches, but you'll get the hang of it quickly. The database is huge. Almost all foods can be found. And the ones that aren't there, you can enter into the database yourself. I'll show you how in a minute. First, let's enter one of my fave breakfasts when I'm in a rush (I also have this as a bedtime snack sometimes **I'll often have egg white poppers on the side to up the protein content ** see my first blog entry for recipe):<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgqvEA4S-MofT0noGJeGz3MK3A4SgLjlclbmbz34PY3OEUSwK2xPRhurw53mJEcYPnLvBEk5xr5G07Eh7pIDf0FXoJGFcuTmyX7alep4wTuhXLic4TKBabrmaJyIAKErulE0R-QBKo2c/s1600/breakfast.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgqvEA4S-MofT0noGJeGz3MK3A4SgLjlclbmbz34PY3OEUSwK2xPRhurw53mJEcYPnLvBEk5xr5G07Eh7pIDf0FXoJGFcuTmyX7alep4wTuhXLic4TKBabrmaJyIAKErulE0R-QBKo2c/s640/breakfast.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
As you can see, I've entered Nature's Path Kamut Puffs cereal (1 cup) which has 50 calories; 3 tbsp blueberries which has 15 calories; and 1/2 cup Blue Diamond Almond Breeze unsweetened vanilla almond milk which has 20 calories. So, this meal has a total of 85 calories (pretty good hey.. considering most cereals have double that before you even add the milk..)<br />
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Let's say, you can't find the food you ate. No prob. You just enter it yourself. You click new food and then you enter the nutritional info for the food and voila, it's in the site for everyone to benefit from. As you'll see, I've added a lot of my favorite foods recommended in The Rebel Diet so they should be easy to find.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCoUJjZaluVYqdV3vr-QS9BdVh3TC5SE7UNg-NvcEMPohobXrxUWLk7h0OY1jkYWImBm_79d56XSsJtwM-4frcGAiyw-LwuwflL2sug2DxGjUsRVosdDSAKRQQNGrxWWG6rTW51Viz8SI/s1600/enter+new+food.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCoUJjZaluVYqdV3vr-QS9BdVh3TC5SE7UNg-NvcEMPohobXrxUWLk7h0OY1jkYWImBm_79d56XSsJtwM-4frcGAiyw-LwuwflL2sug2DxGjUsRVosdDSAKRQQNGrxWWG6rTW51Viz8SI/s400/enter+new+food.png" width="382" /></a></div><br />
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This is a really helpful and user-friendly program/app. It can really help you keep track of what you're eating and may help reveal certain problems in your diet (i.e. too many unaccounted for calories or too little protein or too many carbs, for example). You may realize that you're eating nutritiously but consuming way more calories than you think; or maybe your ratio is all off and you're eating way too little protein and this is throwing off your hormonal balance. I'd recommend you play with the program and experiment. You have nothing to lose. Well... maybe a few pounds. Ha ha ha.<br />
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Have fun!<br />
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p.s. Thank you to one of my patients who introduced me to this program. Very cool.Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-6365070166327909102010-11-27T18:45:00.000-08:002010-11-27T18:45:42.029-08:00Eclectic eating..Alright, so in this post I'm going to suggest Kraft Dinner. Yes, good ol' KD. But.. I'm going to mix it with some other ingredients to design an overall healthy, delicious meal. No longer is the art of mixing and matching high end with low just for fashion and design. I mean it's not fair. If the best stylists and interior designers can do the 'H&M with Lanvin' thing with praise, so to can the best diet foodies. A few mass produced items won't ruin a look, nor a palate, nor a healthy body and trim waistline. <br />
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K, so here are a few of my fave things to do with KD:<br />
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KD with Shirataki:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtxED9z1rL4r1-3mNNa447nq1KMiriITktaNJ8LBfCz8i7OSKZodmvWeJkVm0bwS4tswG9lL2AMwiiP8pZMMPtEwKh6hAhTCe9JHl6lwhqPmfoRhuUH1eMU3e5cvd3k7DuwOhfTokHdw/s1600/KD+with+Shiritaki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtxED9z1rL4r1-3mNNa447nq1KMiriITktaNJ8LBfCz8i7OSKZodmvWeJkVm0bwS4tswG9lL2AMwiiP8pZMMPtEwKh6hAhTCe9JHl6lwhqPmfoRhuUH1eMU3e5cvd3k7DuwOhfTokHdw/s320/KD+with+Shiritaki.jpg" width="240" /></a> Here are the two ingredients I start with. One microwavable KD Original (I like the microwavable because it's portion controlled and so easy to grab on the go). One bag House Foods Tofu Shiritaki Noodles (I buy at Whole Foods or Longos/Grocery Gateway or www.lowcarbgrocery.com).<br />
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* If anybody has read my last book, The Rebel Diet, you know I LUV shirataki noodles. They're awesome. A whole bag of House Foods Tofu Shirataki noodles has only 40 calories and is basically carb free, consisting of protein, water, and fiber. It keeps you full for virtually no calories and it can take the place of pasta in any recipe*<br />
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I make the KD according to instructions. Remove lid, put cheese packet to the side, add water to fill line, nuke for 3.5 minutes.<br />
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While this is in the microwave, I make shirataki. I cut open the bag, dump the noodles into a strainer and rinse with warm water. Done. Then I pat them dry and cut them because they're really long. <br />
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</a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil34WE8oSzaZiqw2YCKvbcVbLENmvOIgKC2IOkVt9V1JIRgBOaMD79_2DOA_QgiIoX21PkQHfTsFPh3WGyTavY2OZmfcT_6W5KjND5anp7GAbx3vyFbz_haDSEjoe7vto8hcnbGUtD_0Q/s1600/wash+shiritaki.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil34WE8oSzaZiqw2YCKvbcVbLENmvOIgKC2IOkVt9V1JIRgBOaMD79_2DOA_QgiIoX21PkQHfTsFPh3WGyTavY2OZmfcT_6W5KjND5anp7GAbx3vyFbz_haDSEjoe7vto8hcnbGUtD_0Q/s320/wash+shiritaki.JPG" width="320" /></a> <br />
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This is how you rinse the noodles. You should rinse them for a minute or so tossing so that by the end the noodles basically taste and smell like nothing so that they'll take on the taste of any dish you put them with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_QkjlDllNN67-EGpk71AYoWONKSM8M6YyWfo8UAck1rVTggMttft7a0TlQWSDn2Hn37b02SgapehSYFZKXYeN5JZdCtVw6JhgyzvP2uqrsZb4-siGx_81-KO-j3UAhi0_laitMVXW7E/s1600/voila.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
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When the KD is ready and the noodles are washed, you simply add the cheese packet (I only use half) to the KD and then mix the two sets of noodles together...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rdLQaHQuJ2YM7k6RHr2v48p59A28xCZtO9lqrqJVq6JABXc9ROGPmzm6UCFX8kXo-i1IMazYxoOw-5CzKdMeglJ2s5CqASIFJ0xnBiNwi2b2tr0Z3InNSOohdeahZ6WlMTXmCoFTEtg/s1600/shir+and+KD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_rdLQaHQuJ2YM7k6RHr2v48p59A28xCZtO9lqrqJVq6JABXc9ROGPmzm6UCFX8kXo-i1IMazYxoOw-5CzKdMeglJ2s5CqASIFJ0xnBiNwi2b2tr0Z3InNSOohdeahZ6WlMTXmCoFTEtg/s320/shir+and+KD.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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And Voila!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_QkjlDllNN67-EGpk71AYoWONKSM8M6YyWfo8UAck1rVTggMttft7a0TlQWSDn2Hn37b02SgapehSYFZKXYeN5JZdCtVw6JhgyzvP2uqrsZb4-siGx_81-KO-j3UAhi0_laitMVXW7E/s1600/voila.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_QkjlDllNN67-EGpk71AYoWONKSM8M6YyWfo8UAck1rVTggMttft7a0TlQWSDn2Hn37b02SgapehSYFZKXYeN5JZdCtVw6JhgyzvP2uqrsZb4-siGx_81-KO-j3UAhi0_laitMVXW7E/s320/voila.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This bowl of pasta is quite big so it's filling, yet it has only 260 calories! To up the protein content, mix in half can of tuna (total now is 320 calories). It's delicious. Or enjoy a piece of fish or chicken on the side.<br />
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When I'm in a rush, I let KD be the the H&M of my Whole Foods world.<br />
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In my books, I often suggest a lot of fresh and high quality food products. But I'm no snob. I think it's important to learn how to make cheaper, easier foods work for your health and diet as well. I'd way rather someone grab this on the go than a fast food burger and fries citing no time to cook as the excuse.. (although burger and fries sounds good too.. future post.. healthy twist but of course..) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_QkjlDllNN67-EGpk71AYoWONKSM8M6YyWfo8UAck1rVTggMttft7a0TlQWSDn2Hn37b02SgapehSYFZKXYeN5JZdCtVw6JhgyzvP2uqrsZb4-siGx_81-KO-j3UAhi0_laitMVXW7E/s1600/voila.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">I</a></div>Melissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2969538659425252873.post-70501223917831716222010-11-26T19:47:00.000-08:002010-11-26T20:26:11.213-08:00Kickstart Breakfast - Cheesy Egg Muffins and Toast.. Delish!There's no doubt that egg whites are a super food when it comes to weight loss. Ask any bodybuilder trying to lean out to virtually no body fat before a show.. egg whites are a diet staple. They're basically a combo of protein and water, which means they fill you up and keep you full for hours for very few calories. Further, the high protein content keeps your metabolism nice and revved. FYI: Typically in an egg, the yolk has the fat (about 60 calories worth) and the whites have the protein (about 20 calories). <br />
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When trying to lose weight, protein is essential and I see so many clients who are eating few calories yet not losing weight and often it's because the ratio of protein is simply too low. Adding egg whites to the diet is often a simple fix that can really help. But.. who wants to constantly be cooking omelets or harboiling eggs.. no one.. too much effort. So here's a simple solution. Make Egg Muffins in the microwave.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdvRtO1o0827WOqPRu2TPm-EPJU91DFXgFotdC8ord3PKYoM4Nl8k5XNlZcLFc3q9TBOLJOUtDPbuNodOVd7AKTui7xR1kfPjjsShm1MQ1zf5pB6U_yFEsBEovpuLcSXexbC-F-KqeCo/s1600/egg+in+tray.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdvRtO1o0827WOqPRu2TPm-EPJU91DFXgFotdC8ord3PKYoM4Nl8k5XNlZcLFc3q9TBOLJOUtDPbuNodOVd7AKTui7xR1kfPjjsShm1MQ1zf5pB6U_yFEsBEovpuLcSXexbC-F-KqeCo/s320/egg+in+tray.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> * This muffin tray is awesome. I bought it fom Loblaws.. silicone.. so it's floppy and goes in microwave and then I just throw it in the dishwasher to clean.<br />
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* Spray muffin pan with Pam cooking spray. Pour 1/3 cup liquid egg whites into each. Add 1 tbsp shredded Part Skim mozza/cheddar cheese into each. Add salt, pepper, spices to taste.<br />
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* Put in microwave for 5 minutes. Done!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_H-KjkM0p7rHQscaCDILvrYHVp2u3Q0t5H72JhKqJE2-EfOqPuuEd8eUyrZJj9aw9q5u3aQkYnUFxaMXSNPzNm7orYF4ZKuvYB_mG6oFLLMAs3KhyphenhyphenJrwZIdPP9SuubQe2CGXn2KNXf4/s1600/egg+on+spinach.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_H-KjkM0p7rHQscaCDILvrYHVp2u3Q0t5H72JhKqJE2-EfOqPuuEd8eUyrZJj9aw9q5u3aQkYnUFxaMXSNPzNm7orYF4ZKuvYB_mG6oFLLMAs3KhyphenhyphenJrwZIdPP9SuubQe2CGXn2KNXf4/s320/egg+on+spinach.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Here's how cheesy egg white muffins come out. Delicious! I put two of these on a bed of spinach and voila.. a high protein, low calorie snack. I keep them in the fridge and grab one on the go. They're great to pack for work.<br />
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Kickstart Breakfast Idea (280 calories; approximately 40% protein, 30% fat, and 30% carbs):<br />
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Have 2 of these cheesy egg white muffins with 2 slices of low calorie Weight Watchers Wheat bread (or any thin sliced lower calorie bread) toasted and topped with 2 tsp of any lower calorie butter or non hydrogenated margarine (some of my faves are light Becel or PC Celeb or Gay Lea Light Spreadables). Enjoy with a tbsp of ketchup.<br />
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This is a great and easy breakfast or lunch on the go that will keep you full and satisfied and it's cheap and easy so no excuses!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCPe2w_8_yBuMFNpoL4lXstEH-Ydc3qrWzd9Xo8p5zAFgkBzsEgtS6KC59y96Osw1Q7CUKpRzuWs3DxBrb2rCjItiIQ0VoEXWJGzNYUI86uVZRivbcZ9UUD7xGpvIIsk_LU0Ap7vBQLY/s1600/ingredients.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCPe2w_8_yBuMFNpoL4lXstEH-Ydc3qrWzd9Xo8p5zAFgkBzsEgtS6KC59y96Osw1Q7CUKpRzuWs3DxBrb2rCjItiIQ0VoEXWJGzNYUI86uVZRivbcZ9UUD7xGpvIIsk_LU0Ap7vBQLY/s320/ingredients.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Ingredients Recap:<br />
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- Liquid Egg Whites<br />
- Park Skim shredded cheese<br />
- Cooking spray<br />
- salt, pepper<br />
- Ketchup<br />
- Thin sliced bread like Weight Watchers<br />
- Reduced calorie margerine or butterMelissa Hershberg, MDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17645111074299404185noreply@blogger.com0