With Memorial Day weekend quickly approaching, I thought it pertinent to offer some advice on how to eat well at the endless array of BBQs destined to mark your calendar during the upcoming summer months. These gatherings are a great way to get together with friends and family, enjoy the weather, relax and just enjoy life in general. You will typically be faced with a smorgasbord of food options, so trust that you can still get your fill and also feel good about what you are eating. Here are a few tips for you to take to your next gathering.

On the grill: Lean meats are always the better option. So if you are bringing a meat, choose chicken breast, turkey breast or fish. For a healthier option bring  a package of veggie burgers, portobello mushrooms or soy hot dogs. However,  if you aren’t bringing a healthy protein choice, let’s be honest, these are often not options at your typical gathering. More likely it will be hamburgers and traditional hot dogs. Remember you don’t have to try everything just because it is there. Select what you really like, enjoy it and aim to just have one serving. You can make a meal from grilled vegetables and salad.

Condiments: Watch how much mayonnaise, creamy dressings and cheese you consume.  Bulk up your burger or sandwich with as much lettuce, onions, tomatoes, pickles, mustard and ketchup as you desire.

Sides: Go larger on the salsas and fresh vegetable options; go smaller with the mayonnaise-based sides, such as macaroni salad and dips. Limit the amount of chips you consume because these are empty calories that won’t fill you up. Opt for crackers, pretzels or even baked chips and aim for one handful.

Desserts: Limit to one small portion if it’s a decadent dessert..  If there is fresh fruit, that’s– hands-down– the better choice!

What to bring: vinegar-based coleslaw, bean salsa dip, hummus, fresh vegetable tray, a tomato, cucumber and onion salad,  salad with fresh nuts and berries with your favorite vinaigrette or fresh fruit salad (this is my personal favorite!). While these are healthier options, if it tastes good, people will eat it.

Above all else, enjoy your time, focus on your friends and family and don’t let the food become your reason for attending. Cheers!

Learning how to cook is a powerful skill that everyone should master.  Not only will you be able to feed yourself healthy meals, but you can also entertain your friends plus keep your family fueled and well-nourished!   Taking the time to learn how to cook has such a great payback!  I’ve compiled ten of my favorite reasons for getting on the cooking bandwagon.  If you have other ideas for why cooking is such an essential skill, please send them on to me.  Love to hear your thoughts.

As always,

Lisa

1. Health: You can eat healthier. You buy the ingredients, so you know what is going on your plate! You can prepare more nutritious foods and avoid pre-packaged, processed items.

2. Quality: You can control what is going into your food. You can limit the amount and type of fat as well as salt and sugar that goes into your meal.

3. Cost: You will save money!  The average lunch meal in a restaurant is $10.00 (not including tax and tip).  You can make a delicious lunch or dinner meal for $2.50 or less!

4. Taste: Home-cooked meals taste better!  Learning to cook can help you achieve delicious flavors by learning what works and what doesn’t work in the kitchen.   You can take a handful of simple ingredients and–voila!–turn them into delicious meals.

5. Social: You can have guests over and serve them your tasty creations.   It’s a great way to entertain friends and showcase your talents!  Plus you can also entertain at home without “breaking the bank!”

 6. Weight management: Cooking at home will help you manage your weight. You can eat less calories because you will know exactly how much you are eating.  You won’t have to “guesstimate” like you do when you eat in a restaurant.

 7. Culture: You can broaden your horizons by cooking various ethnic dishes. Experiencing different cuisines can give the feeling of traveling to exotic places.  When you experience different tastes from other regions of the world, you are also learning about other cultures through food. Cooking is a learning experience!

8. Convenience: When we cook for ourselves we can make our meals more convenient by preparing additional foods in advance. For example, you can make a large salad or roasted vegetables so you have leftovers for a couple days or make a soup or chili and freeze it for an easy dinner. Thus you won’t have to rely on unhealthy take-out and fast food when time is tight.

9. Independence- Learning to cook can give you a great sense of freedom and independence. Knowing you are able to cook is a wonderful skill to have.  And you will have the personal satisfaction of knowing that you are can care for yourself by preparing nourishing meals.

10. Life Enrichment-Learning how to cook  can not only be relaxing, but can also enrich your life.  Getting involved in cooking can become a  hobby or passion that adds so much to your life. Taking cooking classes, developing recipes you try out on family or friends or traveling to exotic places to experience local cuisine can bring much pleasure along with adventure. Many people have taken their love of food and cooking and turned it onto their dream job.

(Adapted from “The Teen Eating Manifesto: The Ten Essential Steps to Losing Weight, Looking Great and Getting Healthy” by Lisa Stollman, MA, RD, CDE, CDN (Nirvana Press May 2012) www.teeneatingmanifesto.com

Okay, I have to fess up!  From the time I was a teen until my late twenties, I had issues with my diet and weight.  Every Monday I’d try to start the week off right by watching what I ate and restricting my calories.  And come the weekend “all hell would break loose!”  If I got up late on Saturday and Sunday, I’d skip breakfast, and sometimes lunch, and indulge in sweets and whatever else I craved.  If I went out for dinner, the portions were large, but I always saved room for that sinful dessert!  Although my weight was never out of control, the way I dealt with my eating surely was!  And what was I lacking?  A good meal routine.  My weekly breakfast was skimpy and so was lunch.  Dinner was usually my largest meal because I was SO hungry!!  What I practice now, at this time in my life, is what I share with my clients: having a healthy meal routine, with an emphasis on plant foods, helps keep you feeling energized, as well as satisfied.  And the meal routine is for everyday of the week, not just the weekdays!  If you eat at similar times each day, with a similar intake of food, you should find it easier to manage your weight, plus feel well-nourished with a good energy level.

A meal routine may look like this:

8:00 AM Breakfast

12:30 PM  Lunch

4:00 PM Snack

7:00 PM Dinner

10:00 PM Snack (optional)

Eating every three to five hours should keep you from getting too hungry and overeating.  If you don’t have a meal routine and feel your diet needs help, this is a great place to start a new journey!  For further nutrition advice and meal planning, make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian.  It could change your life!!

Think about it.  How often do you go to the grocery store, rack up a tab of $150.00 and come home not having the important ingredients you need to make the vegetable soup, let alone prepare tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s lunch.  Yes, it’s aggravating to say the least, but it happens often.  To better prepare yourself so you come home from the store and have everything you need, make a list.  Go through your pantry and refrigerator and write down what you are low on.  If you are planning to make that “delicious-sounding” mushroom and cauliflower casserole from Cooking Light, add on the ingredients you don’t have on hand to the list. Not only will you save time and your pantry will be well-stocked with what you truly need, but you will also save money! Going to the store with a well-planned list will stop you from making frivolous purchases and buying products you may never use. If you don’t know where to start with you shopping list, here’s my healthy go-to list that you may find helpful.  It’s based on what I find to be some of the healthiest foods in the grocery store.  Good luck and happy shopping!

 Healthy Shopping List List

These foods are some of the best in the grocery store.  Try to include them as part of your daily diet.  Eating well can help prevent disease and enhance the quality of your life.  Foods with fiber are strongly encouraged as they not only help prevent disease, but also help in weight management by keeping you full.

Cereals–should have at least 3 grams dietary fiber per serving.  Good brands = Kashi Heart to Heart, Kashi Autumn Harvest, Barbara’s Cinnamon Puffins, Barbara’s Shredded Spoonfuls and Cheerios.   Limit serving to 1 cup.

Breads—whole grains are best.  Look for the word “whole” in the beginning of the ingredient list.  Whole grain breads should have at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving.  To save on calories, try the lite whole grain breads.

Starches/Grains—These complex carbohydrates include beans, sweet and white potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, barley, whole wheat couscous, amaranth, buckwheat (or kasha) and whole grain pasta.

Soups– “Health Valley” and “Amy’s”– great-tasting vegetarian soups; low in sodium/ high in fiber, broth-based vegetable and bean soups are the healthiest choices.  These soups are great as part of a meal or for a snack.

Best margarines— Tub margarines are best.  Should contain 0 trans fats.  Good brands = Take Control, Benecol and Olivio.

Best oils/fat— Monounsaturated and omega-3 fats.  Mono = olive oil, olives, canola oil, nuts, nut butters and avocados.  Omega-3 = fish oils, nuts  and ground flax seed.

Heart-healthy fish– wild salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, sardines, bluefish—aim for 6 oz. per week.  Fatty fish contain omega-3 fats.

Milk— fortified soymilk and almond milk and organic skim milk,

Yogurt–good brands = Phage, Chobani, Stonyfield, Horizon, Colombo and Dannon.  These yogurts contain live cultures.  The healthiest is nonfat plain.  Add your own fresh fruit.

Cheese—low fat is best (3 grams fat per ounce). Use whole fat cheese (9 grams fat/ounce) in moderation (limit to 2 ounces per day).

Proteins—include more vegetarian proteins in your diet such as tofu, beans and nuts/ nut butters.  Limit red meat (beef, lamb, pork and veal) to three times per week (3 ounces cooked per meal) or less.   Eat more veggie burgers, beans, fish and chicken instead.

Fruits—have at least 2 servings per day.   Fresh whole fruit is best.  Limit or avoid juice as it doesn’t contain any fiber and is concentrated in sugar.

Vegetables—aim for a minimum of 3 cups or more per day.  Fresh or frozen is best.

Snacks—limit to 200 calories per snack.  Good choices=Kashi TLC granola bars (140 calories each), KIND bars, 100 calorie bags of popcorn, fresh fruit and 1 ounce protein such as low fat cheese or 10 nuts or 6 to 8 oz. nonfat yogurt plus 1 fruit.

Healthy sweeteners— Stevia is a healthy herbal sweetener. Use sugar, fruit juice and honey in moderation.  1 packet sugar has 16 calories and 4 grams carbohydrate.

Best beverage—water, seltzer, coffee, green and white tea.  Drink at least 8 cups daily to stay hydrated.  Use 1 packet of Stevia or sugar if you want your

beverage sweetened.

(c) Stollman, Lisa “The Teen Eating Manifesto: The Ten Essential Steps to Losing Weight, Looking Great and Getting Healthy” Nirvana Press April 2012).

It’s only March and it feels like summer in New York!  Birds are singing, buds are blooming and beach weather is right around the corner.  Which also means bathing suit season!  If you’ve been contemplating losing weight and getting in shape for summer, there is no better time than right now.  Over the next weeks I will help you make small changes that can help you whittle down the pounds and keep it off for good.  Yes, it is definitely doable, but it does take some work from you.   Eating well and exercising regularly are the foundations of a healthy lifestyle.  But the key is consistency if you want to make positive changes a reality for the long-term.  So let’s start with the first change: having a meal routine. Having a meal routine will help you keep you body well-fueled and keep hunger at bay.  What does having a meal routine involve? It basically means getting up each morning and eating breakfast.  Approximately five hours later you eat lunch, followed my a mid-afternoon snack about three or four hours later.  And then ending with dinner. Maintaining a daily meal routine is crucial for losing weight.  Surely you know people who skip breakfast only to be ravenous later in the day and succumb to overeating. Perhaps you’ve also left the house on empty.  Skipping breakfast lowers your metabolism and doesn’t help you lose weight.  In fact, research shows that people who skip breakfast tend to be heavy.  You can use an app on your phone such as LoseIt or MyFitnessPal to keep a tally on your intake.  Whatever works for you, just do it.  You can also keep a log of your calories with either of these apps.  The Calorie King app is also terrific for looking up not only calories, but the nutritional profiles of individual foods. Getting on track with a meal routine is a great place to start  if you want to improve your health and buy that new bikini!!

March is one of my favorite months.  Not only does my anniversary occur (just toasted to 26 years!), but the whole entire month is National Nutrition Month!  It’s the major time of the year for Registered Dietitians to get the word out  that smart eating matters!  Eating well helps you to live well.  March is not only the gateway to the spring season, but so much more.  Use this month to improve your health for life.  What changes can you make to improve your plate?  According to the new MyPlate icon (www.myplate.gov), half of your plate should be vegetables and/or fruit.  The other half should be divided between lean protein (25%) and a whole grain, such as brown rice, or a starchy vegetable, like a baked potato (25%).  Eating more plant foods is a key message to help “shape up your plate.”  Try to incorporate more produce into your daily meals. Research has shown that eating more plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, bean and nuts offers a multitude of benefits, including healthy weight management, lower risk for diabetes, heart disease and several types of cancer.  In case you didn’t know, only plant foods contain fiber. You can’t go wrong with plants. You will feel better and your waistline will thank you.

The key to getting more plant foods and fiber into your diet is to emphasize more foods in their natural form:
1. Choose whole grain cereals and breads instead of refined white breads and cereals. Whole grains are rich in fiber, whereas the fiber is removed from white bread during processing.
2. Check the labels on food products. When you look at the ingredient list, the first word should be “whole” (for example, “whole wheat”). Also check the Nutrition Facts label for the number of grams under “Dietary Fiber.” At least two grams per serving in a grain-based food, like breads or crackers, is a good sign.
3. Go for raw veggies, which are full of fiber and nutrients but low in calories. Make sure you fill up on vegetables at lunch and dinner. At least one half of your plate should be vegetables. Check out www.myplate.gov for more info on choosing a healthy plate.
4. Choose whole fruit (fresh, frozen or dried) instead of canned fruits and juices. Fresh, frozen and dried fruits contain more fiber than canned fruit because they’re not peeled.
Limit dried fruit to one serving per day. Dried fruit also contains fiber, but the fluid has been taken out so you can eat a lot more before you feel full. So you must watch the amount you eat carefully: One ounce dried (about ¼ cup) equals one fruit serving.
Avoid fruit juice. Juices don’t contain any fiber.

Here are my fave apps for making healthy eating and weight management a “win-win” situation. From figuring out what is on your plate to working out in your office (close the door if you have co-workers lurking around!) or at home, these apps have it all!

Weight Loss App

LoseIt (free) iPhone or www.loseit.com  Free for apple products this simple and fun app helps you get going and stay on track.  This app has a daily calorie intake budget, allows you to set goals and add new food and exercise to the program.

MyFitnessPal (free) compatible with iPhone and Android  www.myfitnesspal.com  Has the largest food database of all apps along with a vast exercise list. This fast and easy diet app is free for both the Iphone and Android. It has a large food database with millions of different foods, brands and restaurants. Also documents your food and water intake and exercise. In addition, there is a free barcode scanner to evaluate food products and progress charts to help encourage users.

80 Bites ($0.99) iPhone   Like a pedometer for your mouth. Helps improve you’re   eating behavior.  Slows down your eating by counting your bites!    Become aware of what you eat and your pace.

Exercise Apps

Nike Training Club (free) iPhone

Get lean and in shape with the free app for the iPhone. This is your own personal trainer 24/7. There are over 60 custom workouts, over 90 multi-directional drills for strength, cardio, and core training as well as special regiments from professional athletes. You can chose workouts that fit your body and criteria and the app has audio guidance to keep you on track and working hard.

Track Your Steps: iSteps  ($0.99) iPhone   Works like a pedometer! Counts your steps, distance, average speed and calories burned.  I steps: Track your Steps

This pedometer app for apple products is only 99 cents. Counts your steps, distance, average speed and calories burned. You can wear it around your waist or carry it in your hand. Great and easy way to get healthy and promote exercise so press start and get moving!

Couch-to-5K ($0.99) helps you train to become a new runner.  Spend just 20 to 30 minutes three times per week for nine weeks and you’ll be running over three miles at a clip!  Provides you with support so you can meet your goals.

Recipe Apps

SparkRecipes: HealthyRecipe- (free) for Apple products.  Eat healthy and save money!  It simplifies cooking like a chef with over 190,000 recipes to search from.  Browse the search engine by course, ethnicity, prep time and more.  Nutrition facts for each dish.  Includes cooking videos to improve your kitchen skills.

Good Food  (BBC Worldwide) ($0.99) 175 healthy recipes with nutrition info to keep you eating well throughout the year.  Recipes for meals, snacks and desserts.  Includes videos to help you improve your cooking skills.

Cooking Light–Quick   Menu Maker ($3.99) iPhone and iPad  Create your own menu along with a nutrition calculator that works as you create it. Over 300 entrees, sides, and desserts. Allows you to save and share your favorite menus and recipes via email, Facebook and twitter.

Nutrition info Apps

CalorieKing (free) iPhone  Contains over 70,000 foods and menus for 260 restaurants and fast food chains.  Can easily compare foods for nutrition info.  Will help you stay on track with healthy eating and meeting your weight loss goals.  Highly recommend!!

FastFood Calories  ($0.99) iPhone  Includes nutrition info from over 100 fast food and chain restaurants.  With this app you can make smarter choices when dining out.

CalorieCounter (free for Apple products)  Will count your daily calorie intake.  Contains barcode scanner which can add food to you intake.  Large food database.

Grocery Shopping Apps

Fooducate  (free for Apple products) Become more knowledgeable about what you are purchasing in the grocery store. Scan the barcodes and choose the healthiest groceries in the stores.   Large database of different foods.  Compare products and receive healthier alternatives.  This app is like a personal dietitian in your pocket!

ShopWell  (Free) for iPhone  Input you health goals and this app will help you make the right choices in the grocery store.  Eat more healthy foods and steer clear of the foods you should avoid. Scan a food’s barcode and see if it is right for you based on your goals.

Motivational Apps

App Resolutions ($0.99) for iPhone.  Unique for making resolutions at New Years and throughout the year.  Select from a list or create your custom res.  Features a “Tip of the Day” to motivate you to meet your weight and exercise goals.

MyLilCoach for iPhone and MyLilCoach2 for iPhone4 ($1.99)  It’s a reminder, pedometer and coach all rolled up in one app!  Helps you follow a healthy lifestyle: eat mindfully, drink water, exercise and reduce stress.  MyLilCoach will remind you throughout the day, even when the app is closed. A terrific multi-purpose app!

Track Your Entire Life: The Carrot (free) www.thecarrot.com  In addition to tracking your food and exercise , this app follows your weight, sleep, mood, etc.  Not only does it help track food and exercise but you can also track your sleep habits, mood, weight, and more! Calculates your daily calorie intake as well as  calories you burn from different types of workouts. Great motivational app.

  Resolutions may come and go.  But now with zillions of apps to help you stay on track with your  good intentions, you will have less excuses to slack off!  Here’s a list of some of the best apps to help you stay focused on improving your health.  Whether its to log your calories and exercise, find the best food choices in the grocery store or to simply send you messages that it’s time to have some water or exercise, I believe you will find these apps very beneficial.  To your health!

Weight Loss Apps

1. LoseIt (free) iPhone or www.loseit.com  Free for apple products this simple and fun app helps you get going and stay on track.  This app has a daily calorie intake budget, allows you to set goals and add new food and exercise to the program.

2. MyFitnessPal (free) compatible with iPhone and Android  www.myfitnesspal.com  Has the largest food database of all apps along with a vast exercise list. This fast and easy diet app is free for both the Iphone and Android. It has a large food database with millions of different foods, brands and restaurants. Also documents your food and water intake and exercise. In addition, there is a free barcode scanner to evaluate food products and progress charts to help encourage users.

Learn to Eat Slower

3. 80 Bites ($0.99) iPhone   Like a pedometer for your mouth. Helps improve you’re  eating behavior.  Slows down your eating by counting your bites!    Become aware of what you eat and your pace. You may find that you fill up faster and, thus, eat less!

 Exercise Apps

1. Nike Training Club (free) iPhone  Get lean and in shape with the free app for the iPhone. This is your own personal trainer 24/7. There are over 60 custom workouts, over 90 multi-directional drills for strength, cardio, and core training as well as special regiments from professional athletes. You can chose workouts that fit your body and criteria and the app has audio guidance to keep you on track and working hard.

2. Track Your Steps: iSteps  ($0.99) iPhone   Works like a pedometer! Counts your steps, distance, average speed and calories burned.  I steps: Track your Steps  This pedometer app for apple products is only 99 cents. Counts your steps, distance, average speed and calories burned. You can wear it around your waist or carry it in your hand. Great and easy way to get healthy and promote exercise so press start and get moving!

3. Couch-to-5K ($0.99) helps you train to become a new runner.  Spend just 20 to 30 minutes three times per week for nine weeks and you’ll be running over three miles at a clip!  Provides you with support so you can meet your goals.

Recipe Apps

1. SparkRecipes: HealthyRecipe- (free) for Apple products.  Eat healthy and save money!  It simplifies cooking like a chef with over 190,000 recipes to search from.  Browse the search engine by course, ethnicity, prep time and more.  Nutrition facts for each dish.  Includes cooking videos to improve your kitchen skills.

2. Good Food  (BBC Worldwide) ($0.99) 175 healthy recipes with nutrition info to keep you eating well throughout the year.  Recipes for meals, snacks and desserts.  Includes videos to help you improve your cooking skills.

3. Cooking Light–Quick andHealthy Menu Maker ($3.99) iPhone and iPad  Create your own menu along with a nutrition calculator that works as you create it. Over 300 entrees, sides, and desserts. Allows you to save and share your favorite menus and recipes via email, Facebook and twitter.

Nutrition info Apps

1. CalorieKing (free) iPhone  Contains over 70,000 foods and menus for 260 restaurants and fast food chains.  Can easily compare foods for nutrition info.  Will help you stay on track with healthy eating and meeting your weight loss goals.  Highly recommend!!

2. FastFood Calories  ($0.99) iPhone  Includes nutrition info from over 100 fast food and chain restaurants.  With this app you can make smarter choices when dining out.

3. CalorieCounter (free for Apple products)  Will count your daily calorie intake.  Contains barcode scanner which can add food to you intake.  Large food database.

Grocery Shopping Apps

1. Fooducate  (free for Apple products) Become more knowledgeable about what you are purchasing in the grocery store. Scan the barcodes and choose the healthiest groceries in the stores.   Large database of different foods.  Compare products and receive healthier alternatives.  This app is like a personal dietitian in your pocket!

2. ShopWell  (Free) for iPhone  Input you health goals and this app will help you make the right choices in the grocery store.  Eat more healthy foods and steer clear of the foods you should avoid. Scan a food’s barcode and see if it is right for you based on your goals.

Motivational Apps

1. App Resolutions ($0.99) for iPhone.  Unique for making resolutions at New Years and throughout the year.  Select from a list or create your custom res.  Features a “Tip of the Day” to motivate you to meet your weight and exercise goals.

2. MyLilCoach for iPhone and MyLilCoach2 for iPhone4 ($1.99)  It’s a reminder, pedometer and coach all rolled up in one app!  Helps you follow a healthy lifestyle:eat mindfully, drink water, exercise and reduce stress.  MyLilCoach will remind you throughout the day, even when the app is closed.

3. Track Your Entire Life: The Carrot (free) www.thecarrot.com  In addition to tracking your food and exercise , this app follows your weight, sleep, mood, etc.  Not only does it help you track food and exercise but you can also track your  sleep habits, mood, weight, and more! Calculates your daily calorie intake as well as  calories you burn from different types of workouts. Great motivational app.