The Holiday Eating Season ….Tips to Prevent Weight Gain

Here we go...Halloween, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, New Year’s…let’s face it…the season of eating is upon us.  Research shows that weight gained during the holiday season is often not lost and accumulates through the years and may be a major contributor to obesity later in life. 

According to researchers at NIH, the biggest factors that influence weight gain are level of hunger and level of activity. Participants in a study at NIH who reported being less active and more hungry had the greatest holiday weight gain.  So, the two most important tips to prevent holiday weight gain are: 

    1.   Control your hunger and

    2.   Stay physically active

To control hunger, eat within the first hour after you wake up and try not to go longer than 3-5 hours without eating. This is challenging with busy schedules, but planning ahead makes all the difference. Include lean protein-rich foods, whole grains, and fruit and veggies with meals and snacks. 

Plan to exercise most days of the week. Don’t let cold weather keep you from getting outside. Research shows that fresh air and exercise may help prevent and treat the winter blues as well as the more serious seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a clinical depression brought on by short days.  And remember we “fall back” next weekend as daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 3, at 2 a.m.

Exercise is a great way to control holiday stress while burning calories, both of which will help to prevent weight gain. A gym membership may be the healthiest gift you could ask for this year and the benefits would last all year long.  Or how about treating yourself to one or more sessions with a personal trainer who can tailor a workout just for you?

Also, other tips include:

·       Use small plates which can actually help you eat less.

·       Remember to enjoy rich holiday treats in moderation and realize that the first few bites are the most satisfying and learn to stop with a few bites. Savor each bite and you will be satisfied with less. 

·       Stay hydrated.  Drink plenty of water and try sparkling water or club soda with a slice of lemon, lime or orange for holiday parties.

Western Maryland Health System has some programs that will help you stay on track, too:

Weight Management Support Group meets from 5-6 pm on Tuesdays, November 12^th, November 26^th and December 10^th in Auditorium Room 3.  Topics include Healthy Holiday Eating and A Plan of Attack for the Holidays.  Call Carey Moffatt, Certified Health and Wellness Coach at 240-964-8418 for more information.

Demo and Dine meets Wednesday November 20^th from 5-6:30 at WMHS and features Chef Pete Lippold will prepare a delicious meal for you to enjoy while Registered Dietitian Brenda Ridgway provides nutrition information and healthy recipes. Contact Brenda Ridgway, RD, LDN at 240-964-8912 to register.  Registration is required and space limited to 20.

Change to Win is a nutrition and weight management program taught by Theresa Stahl, RD, LDN and a team of registered dietitians. The next Change to Win session starts January 7^th or 8^th and runs for 10 weeks. To register or for more information, call Theresa Stahl, RD, LDN at 240-964-8416 or email Theresa at tstahl@wmhs.com. With careful planning, you can prevent the usual holiday and winter weight gain. I’d love to hear your tips and what works well for you.  

Theresa Stahl, RD, LDN – Outpatient Community Dietitian 

An Apple a Day

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away

Apple in the morning – doctor’s warning

Roast apple at night – starves the doctor outright

Eat an apple going to bed – knock the doctor on the head

Three each day, seven days a week – ruddy apple, ruddy cheek”

This poem by an unknown writer highlights the health benefits of eating apples.  Apple season is here and now’s the time to enjoy juicy, delicious, nutritious, and very portable apples. Grabbing an apple on the go redefines the term “fast food.”

Apples are low in calories and high in fiber, especially soluble fiber, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels.  As the poem reveals, apples can be eaten raw or cooked.  Apple juice and apple cider are widely popular and mulled cider is a fall treat! 

Apples belong to the rose family and while there are 2,500 varieties grown in the U.S., 8 varieties account for about 80% of the apples produced in the U.S.  Apples can be grown almost anywhere in the U.S. but most are grown in the northern states. Buy local varieties, if possible, for maximum flavor.  They are plentiful at the Farmers Markets now. 

What are your favorite varieties and what’s your favorite way to eat apples?

Change to Win – Lose Weight and Feel Great!

The next Change to Win sessions will be starting September 3 and 4. This 10-week nutrition and weight loss program is all about creating healthy habits, not restrictions.  Taught by a team of registered dietitians, and using a non-diet approach, Change to Win focuses on building nutrition skills to help you lose weight and keep it off.   

The program examines habits of people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least a year, who are part of the National Weight Control Registry. Over 10,000 people strong, this group of successful weight loss losers provides much insight into habits that work. There are no special foods to buy and no magic pills, instead, this program teaches you practical skills to last a lifetime.

And this approach yields great results.  The last Change to Win group of 29 participants, lost a collective 390 pounds!  And not only did they lose weight, but many reported positive health changes including:

·         Lower blood pressure

·         Lower blood sugars

·         Lower Hemoglobin A1C levels

·         Lower total and LDL cholesterol levels 

·         Decreases in waist circumference

·         Less knee and joint pain

·         Improved energy

·         Improved physical exercise skills

·         Improved mood

All this and the cost cannot be beat!  Participants pay $10 for the program materials and $50 for the class.  Since we know that money is a great incentive, participants can earn the whole $50 back by attending 8 of the 10 sessions and losing 10 pounds in 10 weeks or having a BMI within the healthy range. If one loses 5 pounds in the 10 weeks, $25 is earned back. 

Topics covered in each 30 minute session also include nutrition basics, label reading, grocery shopping, heart healthy habits, fiber, portion control, nutrient dense verses calorie dense foods, dining out tips, and food safety.

To register, call Theresa Stahl, RD, LDN at 240-964-8416 or email Theresa at tstahl@wmhs.com.

Exciting News – Smart Moves: A Youth Wellness Program is Coming!

Have you heard that baby boomers may outlive their children due to the rising obesity rates?  This startling research was reported by the University of Michigan in 2010 and it showed that the younger generation may live shorter lives and be in poorer health in comparison to their parents. What a wake-up call!

I am excited to report that help is on the way for our community’s children and youth between the ages of 8-12 years old.  Smart Moves: A Youth Wellness Program is being sponsored in collaboration with numerous community partners, including the Western Maryland Health System, that are part of the Make Healthy Choices Easy Committee.

Smart Moves is an evidence-based, non-diet, family approach to weight management for children ages 8-12 years old.  It is a fun, 12 week program that includes three parts:

1.    nutrition education
2.    behavior modification

3.    exercise 

We are looking for participants to attend our first screening on August 12 who will then participate in our first program which begins September 9.  If you are interested, please call 240-964-8424 or 240-964-8626.

- Theresa Stahl, RD, LDN

Watermelon Cooler

With summer in full swing, the hot, humid days often leave us feeling parched.  Cool off with this refreshing watermelon cooler that is healthy, low calorie and thirst-quenching.  The recipe is adapted from the Davita website, www.davita.com, which is a great resource for dietitian-approved recipes for people with kidney disease.  But this recipe is a treat for anyone looking to beat the summer heat.  Enjoy! 

Watermelon Summer Cooler

1 cup crushed ice

1 cup seedless watermelon cubes

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

fresh mint leaves to taste (optional)

1 tablespoon sugar or sugar substitute (optional)

Blend all ingredients in blender.  Pour into 2 cups and garnish with fresh lime wedge. 

Each ¾ cup serving contains only 50 calories and counts as 1 carbohydrate serving for people with diabetes and one low potassium fruit for people with kidney disease.  If non-caloric sugar substitute is used the calories are cut in half and each serving counts as ½ of a carbohydrate or fruit serving.

Hope everyone has a happy 4^th of July! Please share your favorite healthy summer drinks. 

-Theresa Stahl, RD, LDN

Healthy and Refreshing Frozen Treats

Sunny days inspire cool treats. But if you’re not careful, your cool treats could contribute to unwanted weight gain. One large cookie dough blizzard provides a whopping 1340 calories and 54 grams of fat! Here are some healthier options to help you cool down:

Try this immune- boosting c-breeze – named for its excellent vitamin C content.  It’s easy to prepare and each refreshing serving delivers 230 percent of the RDA for vitamin C, along with 80 percent of the RDA for vitamin A.  This recipe is taken from the book, “Super Smoothies,” by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford.  They recommend using a food processor to make this recipe instead of a blender, because in a processor the tiny seeds of the kiwi remain whole. If they are blended, the seeds give the drink an unpleasant bitter taste.

Combine the following ingredients in a food processor. 

     1 cup diced kiwi (about 3), chilled

     1 cup orange sherbet

     1-¾ cups diced cantaloupe, chilled

     Process until smooth.  Makes 2 servings (250 calories each).

For a quick, refreshing fruit smoothie, blend the following in a blender:

2 cups frozen fruit (such as banana and strawberries)

1 cup skim milk or soy milk

1 cup of low-fat, low-sugar yogurt.

Blend and serve. Makes 2 servings (210 calories each)

Many frozen fruit desserts are on the market, too, including popsicles made from fruit.  Freeze grapes for a simple, refreshing and sweet treat. 

For a refreshing homemade frozen pop, try these watermelon pomegranate pops by the Meal Makeover Mom, Registered Dietitian Liz Weiss:

1-½ cups cubed seedless watermelon

1/2 cup pomegranate blueberry juice

Combine the watermelon and juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into four 3-ounce popsicle molds and freeze until firm, about 3 hours. To remove the pops from the molds, run under warm water to loosen. If you don’t have popsicle molds, divide the liquid between four paper cups. Cover each cup with foil, insert one craft stick through the center of each foil, and

freeze.  4 servings. (30 calories each)

What are your favorite healthy cool treats?

by Theresa Stahl, RD, LDN

Spring Signals the Start of the Local Growing Season.

Our Maryland mountains are coming alive. Trees are flowering and flowers are blooming – all announcing the birth of another sensational season!

Some seasonal delights include:

Strawberries – members of the rose family, strawberries are high in vitamin C, folate, potassium and fiber. According to David Grotto, RD, LDN, eight strawberries contain more vitamin C than an orange! They contain cancer-and heart disease-fighting phytonutrients, including flavonoids and quercetin.

Onions – members of the allium family, along with leeks, garlic and shallots.  While all onions are low in calories, young green onions contain vitamins A and C, folic acid, potassium and fiber.  Onions contain important phytochemicals, including organosulfur compounds that may fight against cancer, lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure.  They also contain quercetin, a flavonoid that helps fight cancer and heart disease. 

Asparagus - a member of the lily family, has been referred to as the aristocrat of vegetables. Asparagus, low in calories and fat, is a good source of folic acid, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. 

Eating fresh locally grown produce helps YOU:

• Save money – fresh, seasonal foods are less expensive
• Save energy – less gas used to move the food
• Support local growers – buying at local farmers markets
• Be healthy – fresh, seasonal foods are more flavorful, encouraging increased intake of fresh fruits and veggies, which increases your intake of healthy vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that fight disease and promote health

Consider planting your own garden this year. Gardening is a great form of exercise with healthy dividends. But even if you don’t plant your own, you can still enjoy the flavors of fresh, local produce.

To find farmers’ markets in your area, visit: http://apps.ams.usda.gov/FarmersMarkets/.

And here’s a neat map to find out what’s in season in your area:

http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/seasonalingredientmap

Will you be planting a garden this year? 

Theresa Stahl, RD/LDN