Posts Tagged ‘diet’

Fat Chance

January 19, 2012

Celebrity chef Paula Deen has recently announced that she has type II diabetes, a condition that is related to obesity and a lack of physical activity in 95% of the cases diagnosed.

Ms. Deen is known and loved for her style of home cooking and comfort foods that are high in calories and fat.  Butter, cream and sugar are key ingredients in her signature dishes.

With recipes like Fried Mac ‘n Cheese, Fisher Nutter Bacon Cheese Ball and Deep Fried Cheesecake, it seems that it was just a matter of time before her eating habits affected her health.

What is most surprising, is that Ms. Deen was diagnosed over 2 years ago, and kept doling out creations like her Lady’s Brunch Burger; an egg, bacon and a hamburger patty sitting between 2 glazed donuts, without batting an eyelash over what the consequences of eating like that might be.

This week, she came out of the proverbial pantry about her condition, when she announced a deal to endorse a diabetes drug.

She has claimed that diabetes will not influence the way she cooks in the future. Seriously?

Here is a woman who should be using her notoriety to show people how to eat more healthfully, rather than endorsing a drug to treat a disease she is perpetuating among her fans.

We are not saying that Ms. Deen caused her own condition, or that she is single handedly causing a diabetic epidemic. We are stating that diet and exercise play a major role in the cause and treatment of many cases of type II diabetes and Ms. Deen has an opportunity to embrace a healthier lifestyle and show others how to do the same. How about a cooking show where she does healthy makeovers of her own fat bombs?

Wouldn’t it be great if instead of hearing her say, “ Add a stick—a buttah,” she told us to “ Add a dollop of fat free yogurt” instead?

photo: The Guardian

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How Angels Stay Fit

November 10, 2011

Face it, we’d all like to look like a Victoria’s Secret model, wouldn’t we?

In the days leading up to the taping of the televised Victoria’s Secret fashion show, model Adriana Lima came clean on what it really takes to look like that.

According to the Daily Telegraph, in the weeks leading up to the show she drinks a gallon of water per day. She also exists on only specially made protein shakes created by her nutritionist for 9 days straight.

For the last 2 days, she limits her water intake to a normal amount, and for the 12 hours preceding the show, she stops drinking entirely! “ No liquids at all so you dry out…you can lose up to 8 pounds just from that,” she says.

She also works out with a trainer twice a day, every day.

Lima jumps rope, boxes and lifts weights at a high intensity, to burn fat and build muscle.

It takes commitment and dedication to be a super model, and a diet and exercise plan that is unrealistic, let alone unhealthy for most people.

What is Lima’s big indulgence post-show? Forget the congratulatory glass of champagne. This girl wants a big piece of chocolate cake!

The Victoria’s Secret fashion show airs November 29, on CBS.

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Salad Daze

January 12, 2011

 

We made it through the holidays, and “eating season” is officially over. For many of us, it’s “out with the bad and in with the good” habits time.

Many of us will opt out of what we know will be a fattening meal choice, and select what we think will be more virtuous; a salad!

Inspired by David Zincenko’s “Eat This, Not That” blog post, I researched some salads at popular chain restaurants, with shocking results.

Cosi’s Signature Salad, features red grapes, pears, pistachio nuts, dried cranberries, Gorgonzola cheese, and sherry shallot vinaigrette. It comes with warm baked- on- the premises flatbread.

It also features 825 calories, and 67% of your daily fat intake.

Opt for the lighter version, which has a low fat dressing and ½ the cheese and is only 371 calories. Leave the flatbread at the counter to avoid temptation and another 214 calories.

California Pizza Kitchen has some of the highest calorie items around. How could a seemingly benign Field Greens Salad pack 998 calories? And that is without the addition of Gorgonzola cheese, shrimp, or salmon! There must be something in the dressing, because the greens and pears don’t add up. The candied walnuts are a bit of a clue, but you would need quite a few to get that number. Not the best choice, since it lacks protein, other than the sugar coated nuts.

Look into a half portion of the Classic Caesar with Shrimp for 372 calories, or the half order of Chinese Chicken Salad, for 376 calories.

Going to a made to order salad bar? Avoid the fat traps and make a healthy, filling and delicious salad.

Pile on the greens and any vegetables that are not grilled, marinated or otherwise swimming in oil. That includes tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, roasted beets, asparagus, green beans and many others. Avocado is a great source of healthy fat; but beware that each one contains over 300 calories. A cup of lettuce is only 8 calories!

Add some protein. Egg whites at 17 calories each are a great choice, as is plain chicken breast (100 calories), or steamed shrimp (5 each). Anything breaded or drenched in oil is to be avoided. Beans, such as chickpeas, kidney or cannellini beans are also great sources of protein for about 100 calories per ½ cup.  The addition of protein will help you feel full longer, keep your blood sugar in check, and help you build muscle if you are working out.

Nuts are high in protein and very good for you, but also pack about 170 calories per handful.  Eat them judiciously.

Go easy on the cheese. The sprinkling of blue cheese adds about 119 calories to the equation. Bacon bits are a huge fat and calorie trap at about 145 calories per serving, and sugar packed items such as dried fruit and candied nuts are also bad choices, adding 100 and 260 calories respectively. A crouton is only about 6 calories each, but really, who eats one crouton?

If the dressing is thick and creamy, pass it by.

Opt for a little vinaigrette, or a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. Start making your own dressing, with only one tablespoon of olive oil, to 2 or 3 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice. A little Dijon mustard adds zing. Olive oil packs about 120 calories per tablespoon, so use it sparingly.

Remember, that the freshest, best quality ingredients need very little to enhance their flavor. Step away from the box, and enjoy more produce and non-processed foods. Your waistline (and your digestive system) will thank you for it.

photo: Glasshouse Images

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Calculated Success

January 3, 2011

The end of the year often signals the start of a diet and fitness plan. I absolutely dread going to the gym tomorrow, which will be swarming with the New Year’s resolution people, anxious to get in shape. They don’t know how to use the equipment, clog up classes and locker rooms, and generally lack the basics in gym etiquette. Thankfully, most are gone by the end of the month, having failed to achieve success.

One problem is that they lack realistic goals, leading to frustration when the weight doesn’t just fall off. Knowing how much you really need to eat and exercise is key to getting off on the right foot.

An easy way to calculate just how much food you need is to take your ideal weight and multiply it by 10. That means if you want to weigh 140 pounds, you should eat 1400 calories per day. If you are working out, add back ½ of what you burn. Therefore, if you burn off 300 calories at the gym, add back 150 of them, making your daily intake 1550 calories.
It is important to note that it is considered unsafe to drop below 1200 calories per day, regardless of your current weight.

Next, be aware that it takes 3500 calories to make or break a pound. If you eliminate 500 calories per day through dietary changes and /or exercise, you will lose 1 pound per week.  Yes, I know they lose 15 pounds per week on The Biggest Loser, but that is a reality show, not reality.

Good luck embarking on your new healthy regimen. And by the way, if you see me at Equinox, please wipe off the equipment after you use it, throw your towel in the bin and let me work in if you are resting between sets. Thanks.

photo: glasshouse images

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Pure Food Diet Challenge

July 15, 2009

Picture 1
What if you challenged yourself to eat only pure foods prepared in the simplest possible way?
In a world where everything has been processed, blended and mutated to create something else, it is refreshing to eat in the way nature intended. The idea is to eat only what can be eaten in it’s purist and most singular form; fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, meat, eggs, and nuts.
Milk, but not cheese or yoghurt. Simple grains, but no pasta, bread or baked goods. It’s all right to cook your food, just keep in its most singular form.
It’s not to say that there aren’t many healthful foods that require some modification to create them. But, in going back to eating food in its purist possible form, you are able to taste the rich flavors of green market tomatoes, ripe sweet fruit, and fresh aromatic herbs.
Try it … just this week, and see how wonderful you feel. See how your body reacts to whole, fresh foods. You might find the results surprising!
Take the challenge, and let us know what you think.

photo: Spencer Jones/ Glasshouse Images

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