Fall 2005

Autumn has arrived! With back to school events, busier work nights, and a variety of holidays coming up, let's spend some time thinking about the months ahead - getting ourselves in a healthy state of mind and body! It's always a good time to reflect on that "healthier you." If you've fallen off-track, let this welcome change in seasons get you reacquainted with your health.

In this fall issue of the Sara Ryba Nutrition Newsletter, you'll discover an abundance of fall food facts and findings. We'll share some nutrition tips to help you quench your appetite while weekend window shopping or cheering on your favorite teams. And we'll highlight a surprising new way to look at weight loss and exercise. Finally, we'll share delicious recipes for your football Sunday makeover.

Fall Tips: Nutrition News

Drinking Up the Calories, Wisely?
Do you love smoothies or those tasty coffee drinks at your favorite coffeehouse, but hate all the calories they pack in? Good news! Many of your favorite companies are now offering healthier options at the counter. For instance, at Jamba Juice, there is a new line of "Enlightened Smoothies" made with nonfat milk, whey protein, natural flavorings, and Splenda - containing 1/3 fewer calories than their "unenlightened" counterparts. One of the top choices includes the Strawberry Nirvana, chock full of fresh strawberries, bananas, and healthy doses of vitamins C and B. And it's actually creamier than the higher-cal version - the Strawberry Surf Rider. Just one word of caution; this blended beverage may be lower in calories, but it's still not super low cal, so proceed with caution!! Check out the comparisons below:

What makes Jamba Juice drinks so dangerous is how healthy they sound. A beverage full of strawberries, peaches, and yogurt can't be bad for your diet, right? Wrong - VERY wrong. Sure Jamba Juice's Strawberry Surf Rider Smoothie contains a lot of vitamin C, but it also contains 320 calories and 69g of sugar. Not exactly a light snack. And that's for the smallest size. The Original Size has 490 calories, and the Power Size has 630. Now onto your local coffeehouse...

Drink Up:
Starbucks offers up a good amount of both good and bad at each of their prolific chains. For instance, you can easily sip of one of these java gems without guilt:

Pass Up:
But you might want to think twice before you sip one of these not-so-diet-friendly drinks:

Extra, Extra!
You'd be surprised just how much damage a little whipped cream or a couple of pumps of syrup can do. Skip these little extras to keep your drink from turning into a liquid disaster:

Not So Scary Halloween Treats
Halloween is a month away - but shelves at your local stores are overflowing with bags and bags of chocolate and candy. And, most of them aren't quite so "diet-friendly!" But, do you ever feel like breaking down and indulging in a little kid-friendly candy? There's hope for those of us looking to satisfy our sweet tooth cravings this fall. Why not bring yourself back to your younger years? Not only do you get to take a trip down memory lane, we'll also help you make your Halloween not so frightening - in terms of calories that is!

Razzles
First it's a candy, then it's a gum. As the song used to say, Razzles are a "whole candy store in a package." These fun, fat free discs have 6 calories each - one whole pack of 22 adds up to just 132 calories.

Smarties
What's more fun that unwrapping and chomping on a colorful roll of Smarties? Four full rolls of these sweet treats add up to just 100 calories - 25 calories for an entire roll, and no fat at all! Why not take them to the movies (as a snack, not a date)!

Pop Rocks
Pop Rocks are a taste explosion - literally. They crackle and pop at only 34 calories for one whole pack. They make sugar free ones now, too, containing just 17 calories a pack!

Fun Dip
Fun Dip might be a weird concept - after you lick a stick, you dip it into flavored sugar, and then repeat. After all that you only consume about 50 calories (and no fat) per serving and it'll remind you what it was like to be 7 again. Go for it!

Tootsie Roll & Blow Pops
These chocolate-filled favorites have just 60 calories and no fat. Oh and by the way, depending on the strength of your tongue muscles, it takes between 144-320 licks to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop! The best thing about Blow Pops is how long they last! For just 60 calories and no fat, you can have 30-45 minutes of retro candy bliss! Blow Pops come in tons of flavors, from Sour Apple to Cherry and from Blue Razz Berry to Kiwi Berry. And when you're done with the candy outside, you still have the chewy bubble gum center to keep your mouth happy. What are you waiting for?

Pez
Who can forget Pez dispensers? These uniquely flavored nuggets that pop out of the necks of America's most beloved characters are a candy classic. And, an entire roll of Pez has just 35 calories, 9 carbs and absolutely no fat at all. Plus, if you're a sugar-avoider, there is now Sugar Free Pez - with 30 calories per roll.

Are you Ready for Some Football?
Some people don't know anything about football. Some people don't even like to watch it. But for scores of others though, three days of every week in the fall and part of winter represent College Football Saturday, NFL games on Sunday and yes, "Monday Night Football." While we're not asking you to sacrifice your hunger for the love of the game - we are asking you to think twice before you celebrate every touchdown with a bucket of wings or chips and dip. Here are some easy ideas to help you enjoy the big game while watching your waistline! Are you ready for some nutrition?!?

Ok, so a bucket of 6 KFC hot and spicy wings will set you back about 450 kcal! Add that to a side of potato wedges and a biscuit - and you're nearly topping 1000kcal and 50 grams of fat! So, are you ready for a Monday Night Makeover? Try these appetizers, snacks, and sides out for size!

Balancing Mind and Body
Many people turn to yoga to obtain its well-documented state of mental and spiritual relaxation. And, still many more have started the practice of yoga for the physical benefits - such as improved flexibility and muscle tone. Recently, a new study in a summer issue of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, has confirmed that the ancient mental practice also offers a unique physical benefit, especially for middle-age men and women.

This new study reveals that normal weight adults who practiced yoga regularly gained an average of 3 pounds less between the ages of 45 and 55 than those who didn't practice yoga. Meanwhile, overweight adults who practiced yoga lost an average of 5 pounds, and those who didn't gained about 14 pounds during the same time period.

Researchers say men and women between the ages of 45 and 55 typically gain about a pound per year, as their energy needs decline, without a similar decrease in the number of calories they consume. They say it's the first study to look at the effects of yoga on weight loss and suggest that overweight people may have the most to gain from regular yoga practice.

Interestingly, researchers believe yoga's effect on weight loss and maintenance may have more to do with body awareness than the actual calories burned during the average session. According to lead researcher, Alan Kristal, DrPH, "During a very vigorous yoga practice you can burn enough calories to lose weight, but most people don't practice that kind of yoga. From my experience, I think it has to do with the way that yoga makes you more aware of your body. So when you've eaten enough food, you're sensitive to the feeling of being full, and this makes it much easier to stop eating before you've eaten too much."

Fall Recipes: Sunday Makeover

Buffalo Chicken Tenders
My husband is from Buffalo, NY, and spends many Sundays watching football eating chicken wings. It took some time, but I finally found a healthier substitute for fried chicken wings. I can't say these quite measure up to the original wings found in Western NY, but they are might tasty and go well with Sunday football!

Ingredients:
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
1 cup of Franks Red Hot Sauce
2 tbsp butter
Celery and carrots sticks
Low-cal blue cheese dressing (my personal favorite is Marie's)

Directions:
Clean the chicken tenderloins and cut into uniform pieces - about 3-4 inches long and ½ inch wide. Add the chicken and the Red-hot sauce to a non-reactive bowl and allow to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add ½ of the chicken tenders and cook for about 4 minutes on each side - until cooked through. Remove chicken to a large serving plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat the same process with the other half-pound of chicken and serve with blue cheese dressing and carrots and celery.

Nutrition Information (for 6 appetizer portions, with 2 tbsp blue cheese dressing)
216 calories
24 grams protein
2.5 grams carb
1 gram fiber
11 grams fat

Nachos Done Right
Who doesn't love a plate of warm cheesy nachos?? Try this healthier version - the baked chips and reduced fat cheese make them somewhat "good for you," and the taste is not noticeably different.

Ingredients:
4 ounces baked tortilla chips (about 50 chips)
4 ounces reduced fat Monterey jack cheese
1/3 cup salsa (my personal favorite is the Desert Pepper Trading Company)
¼ cup sliced black olives
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Pile the chips on a large, microwave safe plate. Top with salsa, making sure that you get the chips that are underneath. Then add the grated cheese, again making sure that you get the chips down below. And finally top with black olives and parmesan cheese.

Place plate in microwave and heat for about 25-45 seconds (depending on the strength of your oven).

Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Information (makes 4 servings, about 12 chips each)
225 calories
13 grams protein
26 grams carb
2.5 grams fiber
8.5 grams fat

Hope your autumn days are full of good food and good health. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions.

Healthy Regards!
Sara
http://www.sararybanutrition.com/

If you have any comments about our newsletters or ideas for future newsletter topics, please contact Melissa Buczek at melissa@sararybanutrition.com.