May 2004

Those of us in the northeast suffered from a long cold winter, followed by a rainy April. It is no doubt that the weather impacted our mood and our approach towards diet and fitness. In my private practice, I saw a dramatic improvement in both eating and exercise habits as the weather started to become "spring-like". So let May's beautiful weather refresh your commitment to healthy living.

In this month's newsletter we will uncover hidden calories that may be lurking in your favorite cocktails and highlight a new study that once again demonstrates the importance of exercise in warding off disease. We'll illustrate how mindless "noshing" can be dangerous to your waistline and spotlight two new food products to try at your supermarket.

May Nutrition Tips: Fresh Tips to Stay Fit!

Drink it up?: It's official...the low-carb craze has now hit our cocktail glasses. In an effort to cash in on the popularity of trendy low-carb diets, the liquor industry has begun pitching "low-carb" and "diet-friendly" drinks. And, as you would guess--looks can be deceiving. As the warm weather lures you to happy hour, don't let your waistline suffer.

Consumer advocacy groups recently launched a campaign to urge liquor companies to put more nutrition information on their packaging. They say that the current labels are often too difficult to decipher. They are also urging the government to standardize the guidelines for labeling alcohol. Currently, the government has widely varied rules for different alcoholic products-- low-carb and light beer must list calorie content, for example, but wine, spirits, and regular beers do not have to. Therefore, it is very easy to get duped by your favorite drink. Take a look below at some of the higher carb and higher calories drinks:

  • Margarita- 331 calories, 0g fat, 34g carbs
  • White Russian- 426 calories, 17g fat, 26g carbs
  • Mudslide- 566 calories, 10g fat, 45g carbs
  • Long Island iced tea- 230 calories, 0g fat, 25g carbs
  • Beer- 148 calories, 0g fat, 13.3 carbs
Here are a few better alternatives:
  • Bloody Mary - 120 calories, 0g fat, 5g carbs
  • "Light" beer- 100 calories, 0g fat, 4.8 carbs
  • Vodka with diet soda or club soda - 100 calories, 0g fat, 0g carbs
  • White wine spritzer - 70 calories, 0g fat, 3g carbs
  • "Diet" Long Island iced tea- 130 calories, 0g fat, 0g carbs
In the News: A new study published in April's Cancer Research has revealed that overweight women can reduce unhealthy estrogen levels, and perhaps reduce their risk of breast cancer, by reducing fat through exercise. Researchers have discovered that fat cells were the main source of estrogen in postmenopausal women and studies had shown that sedentary women and those with high estrogen levels had higher rates of breast cancer. Participants in the study were randomly assigned to either 'stretching' or 'rigorous' exercise regimes. After three months, the levels of three different kinds of estrogen had fallen in all the 'rigorous' exercising women; no change occurred in the 'stretching' group. And, at the end of a year, the level of estrogen had fallen even further among the women who had managed to lose 2 percent of their body fat or more. So, bottom-line, as the study's lead researcher concludes, "The beauty of exercise is that it lowers excessively high estrogen levels while promoting heart and bone health." What more could you ask for-- get out there and get moving!

The Danger that "Adds" Up: The day in the life of most Americans can be a busy one! Between work, chores, kids, and a social life, many people are on the go from morning to night. This busy lifestyle can lead to mindless noshing-- grabbing a bite here and there to satisfy us until the next meal. Have you ever considered how those extra bites add up? Let's take a peak into the life of one busy woman, Leah. As you will notice, Leah is very health conscious, and chooses great meals, but she is not as conscious about her nibbling as she needs to be!

Leah's Day
Morning at home
Leah enters the kitchen to make lunch for her 2 kids. As she finishes the last of the pb&j sandwiches, she takes a spoonful of peanut butter. Leah then sits down to have an egg white omelet, and as she leaves the table, she grabs whats left of her daughter's bagel.

At work
At work, its business as usual. Over the course of the work day, Leah has a Hershey's kiss off her colleague's desk, and grabs half of a chocolate chip cookie, leftover from another department's party. While at lunch with clients, Leah orders the grilled chicken salad with dressing on the side, the healthiest item on the menu. But, as she pitches her latest idea to the clients, she snacks on a small French bread roll to calm her jitters. As Leah heads back to the office, she picks up a roll of butterscotch candy to quell her sweet tooth, and sucks on 2 butterscotches through the afternoon.

Evening
Leah needs a pick-me-up to get through the rest of her evening, so she stops into a local Starbucks for a large coffee with skim milk and Equal. As she's waiting to pay, she scoops up a sample of crumb cake on the counter, and then she's off.

At dinner, Leah and her husband share a green salad with oil and vinegar dressing. Leah then orders a broiled fish entrée with steamed veggies on the side. Leah passes on dessert, but playfully eyes her husband's cheesecake. Soon, she finds herself having a few bites of his slice. As the check is placed on the table, the waiter graciously leaves a plate of almond biscotti. Leah picks one up and has a few bites.

Summary
So how did Leah fare? Seemed harmless, a bite here and there does not really add up to much right? Guess again. Here is really what Leah's nibbles mean in the big picture:

  • taste of peanut butter off the knife =95 calories
  • bagel remnant = 80 calories
  • Hershey's kiss = 25 calories
  • half of an Au Bon Pain chocolate chip cookie = 133 calories
  • small French bread roll = 120 calories
  • 2 werthers original butterscotch candies = 40 calories
  • 1 bite of Starbuck's crumb cake = 60 calories
  • few bites of cheesecake = 130 calories
  • almond biscotti = 65 calories
  • Nibble Total = 748 calories
So Leah ended up with 750 calories in nibbles! Some of them were warranted, and some could have been avoided. Keep in mind that 100 extra calories per day equals a 10-pound weight gain over the course of a year. So be sure to keep your nibbles in check.

Recommended Products

Soy Vay Marinade: This is, hands down, my favorite marinade. On nights when I am not in the mood to cook, I throw some chicken or fish into a zip-lock bag with some soy vay, and voila, I have a delicious dinner! Check out their products at http://www.soyvay.com/. They are low in calories, and can be found at most supermarkets.

Coach Farms low-fat herbed goat cheese: You would not believe that this is a low-fat cheese. And while I don't usually endorse low-fat products, this one has nothing but redeeming qualities. At only 46 calories per ounce, it contains half the calories of most cheese. It is tasty crumbled on a salad, stuffed into cherry tomatoes, or on a spoon! Find at more at http://www.coachfarm.com.

May's Recipe: Asian chicken salad with roasted almonds and apples

Ingredients:
8-10 ounces of boneless skinless chicken breast
1/3 cup soy vay marinade or teriyaki
4 cups of shredded romaine (leaving head in tact, rinse leaves, and cut crosswise into thin strips)
1/2 ounce roasted almonds, chopped
1/2 granny smith apple chopped OR 1/2 cup canned mandarin oranges in light syrup
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
8 grape tomatoes, halved
2-3 tbsp Reduced sodium soy sauce
2-3 tbsp ranch dressing (Paul Newman's is a personal favorite, can use reduced fat if desired)

Place chicken breasts in a zip-lock baggie with soy vay marinade. Allow to marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes, and up to 12 hours. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray, or coat pan with a bit of olive oil. Add chicken breasts, and cook for about 4 minutes per side, until they are cooked through. Remove chicken breasts from pan and allow to cool on a cutting board. As chicken is cooling, add the lettuce, apple, pepper, and tomatoes to a large salad bowl and toss. When chicken is cool enough, dice it into 1/2 inch pieces. Top the salad with the warm chicken and the chopped almonds. To make the dressing mix the soy sauce with the ranch dressing in a small bowl. Then dress salad and enjoy!

Nutrition information per serving (makes 2 servings; can easily be doubled)
393 calories
41 grams of protein
21 grams of carbohydrate
5.5 grams of fiber
18 grams of fat

I hope that you are enjoying the spring and taking advantage of the beautiful weather. As always, please feel free to contanct me with any questions.

Healthy Regards!
Sara