Feeling Fit and Fabulous from Head to Toe

If you have been reading our blog over the last nine weeks, you are now ready to slip into your Little Black Dress and kick off 2011 with a healthier attitude. My guess is your LBD fits better than it ever did, thanks to your diligence and willpower. Congratulations, Cinderella! You are almost ready to dance the night away on New Year’s Eve – here is my final piece of advice:

Tip #9: Relax and Rejuvenate

To feel fit and fabulous in whatever you are wearing, you must have a relaxed attitude. Is there anything more beautiful than sparkling eyes from a good night’s sleep? Rest and rejuvenation is a must for any pre-party plans. When I counseled overweight clients as a private dietitian, I always asked about sleep habits. Lack of rest and unhealthy eating and drinking habits go hand in hand. Before any party, put your feet up and rest for at least one hour. Not only will you feel energized, but you will feel more in control making wise food choices once you’re at the party. Why not create your own spa and soak in a hot tub with bath salts? You deserve it!

Your first New Year’s resolution should always be to improve your health. Our nine LBD tips can be the foundation for better health, wellness and a happier you! Now go put on that LBD and celebrate in style.

Happy New Year!

Mary Martin Nordness, MA, RD, LD, CHES

Don’t Count Calories…..Make Calories Count!

Tip #8: Did you see First Lady Michelle Obama in her LBD at the Christmas in Washington Concert? Can you believe it came from a NYC thrift store?! This next tip, Don’t Count Calories, may sound just as crazy. However, both adults and children are overweight, undernourished and missing out on important nutrients because they are not choosing nutrient-rich foods first.  In order to improve public health, we need to do more than simply count calories; we need to make each calorie count.

We hear daily that Americans are overweight. How  can that be when statistics show we are not eating enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low- fat dairy?   Obesity rates would decline if Americans would reach for low- fat milk instead of soda or eat an apple instead of chips. Making healthier decisions is what it takes to look fit and fabulous in your little black dress.   An easy way to do this is make sure you are getting the recommended number of servings from each of the five food groups. This guide shows the number of servings you need from each group and the vital nutrients they provide.

Record your progress with this weekly food group tracker to help make sure you are getting the recommended servings from each of the food groups.  I’m off to the thrift shop to see what I can find.  Hopefully I can find one that makes my arms look as toned as Michelle’s! Good luck fitting into your LBD. You are almost there!

Betsy Dietsch, RD, LD

Want to Fit into Your LBD? Stop and Enjoy the Season

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Silver Bells”. To me the words and music epitomize the hustle and bustle experienced during December. This time of year can be magical or manic, the choice is ours.  To experience a joyous holiday, everyone needs to stop and take time to enjoy the season.  Family traditions, limited time, heightened emotions and tempting food exposure can make fitting into your little black dress impossible by New Year’s Eve.  The solution is simple. Slow down and enjoy everything  from the people you meet to the sounds of the season to the food on your plate.

Tip #7: Slow Down – Taste and See!

To lower your weight, you must change your habits from eating habits to exercise patterns and the way you think about food. One habit that seems to be the hardest to grasp is to eat slowly, and I find myself rushing though a meal to get back to my “to do” list. Experts say it should take at least 20 minutes to eat a meal and ten minutes for snacks giving you time to feel more satisfied with smaller food quantities. Be sure to savor each bite and chew slowly.  Eating is a myriad of pleasures which should involve your senses… aroma, flavor and texture.

This savory appetizer explodes with the delightful tastes and smells of Gouda cheese, Vidalia onions and tomato. Why not bring it to your next holiday party?

Mary Martin Nordness, MA, RD, LD, CHES

Winning Holiday Swaps

Tip 4: Staying healthy during the holidays may get easier with a few winning swaps. Substitute in healthier foods for those at your holiday table or seasonal baking. Stock up on nutrient rich foods like low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, lean meat and whole grains so you can easily swap in healthy substitutions. Follow these four easy tips to get you get going and fit into that LBD by New Year’s Eve:

1.   Fruit can do it! Save calories and fat by switching from oil or margarine to fruit puree (i.e. applesauce, prunes) as a fat replacement in baking. Substitute fruit purees in cakes, brownies, cookies, quick breads or muffins mixes. Up to 1/3 of the fat in a recipe may be replaced with good results.

2.   Turkey Takes it! Swap dark turkey meat for light meat. By substituting white meat without the skin you save 65 calories for a 3.5 oz serving. Remember, small changes add up.

3.   Dairy Does it! Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream in casseroles, or replace heavy cream with fat-free milk in mashed potatoes. Reduced fat cheese also works as a lower calorie replacement in casseroles. Three servings of dairy everyday helps boost protein as well as essential vitamins and minerals.

4.   Fiber Boost it! Swap in fiber rich foods like whole grain crackers, whole wheat breads and whole wheat flours in holiday recipes. Enjoying foods high in fiber can help you feel full and promote heart health.

Best of luck with your season of winning swaps. Happy Holidays!

Tracy Noerper, MS, RD, LDN, SNS

Fashionable Food

Tip 3: When searching for the perfect little black dress (LBD), I select a style that is timeless, one I can wear again and again. I scan the entire clothing label looking at the type of material, care instructions and how it’s sewn, so I can assess how well the garment will hold up over time.  Are you taking this same care when selecting food? The types of food you choose to nourish your body are certainly more important than the clothes you wear! When planning what to eat, think about quality – nutrient quality.

The label is the first place I look before deciding whether or not to add the food to my cart.  To make food label reading a cinch, keep the “5-20 rule” in mind. For nutrients you want to limit, like saturated fat and sodium, look for foods that contain 5% or less of the daily value for those nutrients. [HINT: The % Daily Values are in the right hand column). For vitamins and minerals that you want to get more of, like calcium and fiber, look for percentages of 20% or higher.  Take milk for example. Each serving,  whether it is regular, low-fat or fat-free, contains 30% (300mg) of the daily value for calcium.

Attending a festive holiday party? Even without a label, you can still select quality foods. Fill half your plate with brightly colored fruits and vegetables and choose a few cubes of natural cheese with whole grain crackers. Round out your plate with shrimp cocktail, sliced turkey or lean roast beef.  Remember, cocktails are empty calories! You can still celebrate with a lower calorie wine spritzer or club soda with a twist of lime or lemon.

Paying attention to food labels and selecting foods with the best nutrient quality will ensure that your trim waistline will last longer than just one season.

Betsy Dietsch, RD, LD

What are the Most Important LBD Accessories?

Tip 2:  One of the most important Little Black Dress (LBD) accessories this holiday season could be a pen and paper.   Research shows that individuals who keep a food diary six days a week lose twice as much weight as those who keep food records one day a week or less.  Food diaries are an important tool in weight loss and maintenance because they force accountability, a vital ingredient behind any successful lifestyle change. Additionally, food records help build awareness of eating patterns which is especially important during the holiday eating frenzy. In fact, the latest issue of Good Housekeeping sites research from Texas A&M International University which reports Americans scarf down an extra 619 calories per day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day!  Those extra daily calories over five weeks could derail any efforts to looking fit and fabulous in your LBD by New Year’s Eve.   So, start a food dairy today! Follow these tips to become aware of what you eat:

1.      Use the diary that works for you:  Your diary doesn’t have to be fancy in order to be successful. I use a spiral bound notebook so I can carry it with me and jot down what I eat throughout the day.  Some people prefer to create a food diary in a Word document on the computer or use an online tool.  What matters most is that you are recording what you eat.

2.      Write as you go:  Don’t count on your memory by the end of the day, but record your food and drink as you consume it throughout the day.

3.      Liquid calories count:  Don’t forget to write down any caloric beverages you drink throughout the day.

4.      Be specific:  Pay attention to portion sizes and be as specific as you can in recording what you ate.

5.      Review your entries:  At the end of each week, review what you ate.   This helps you notice food trends, keep track of how you are doing and set goals for the next week.

Laura Buxenbaum, MPH, RD, LDN

Countdown to the Little Black Dress

The end of October marks the official countdown to the holiday season.  Soon your mailbox will be filled with invitations for receptions, neighborhood parties and family gatherings.  As your excitement builds, reality hits – what will I wear?  Now is the time to assess your wardrobe and see if you can still zip your little black dress.

Every fashionable woman should own a “go to”, “perfect for any occasion”, “always in style” little black dress (LBD). This LBD is so perfect that it would never, ever be tossed into the trash by the What Not To Wear crew.   Maybe you rock the glamorous chic look of Liz Hurley or Audrey Hepburn, but thanks to football fare and leftover Halloween candy, your reflection reveals your LBD does not fit like it did last year. No need to worry. Over the next nine weeks, our dietitian bloggers will offer healthy eating tips and tasty party recipes to help you slip into style by New Year’s Eve.

Tip 1: When it comes to lifestyle habits, small changes equal big results. For example, to lose one pound safely per week, consume 250 less calories each day and burn 250 more calories through daily exercise.  Simply add a 40 minute brisk walk into your daily regimen and remove sodas and chips from your eating plan. Day by day, small changes yield big results on the scale.  Need extra help? Call a local registered dietitian for a personalized eating plan.

Mary Martin Nordness, MA, RD, LD, CHES