Halfpounder’s Blog

Hi Everyone,

I am the world’s worst procrastinator. I have had a lot going on in my life, but who doesn’t, and I would not be justified in making excuses for not writing. Please forgive me and move on.

At this writing I am excited to report that I have been maintaining my weight loss for the past 8 or 9 months and have fluctuated about 10-15 pounds up and down depending on the holiday. I think you know what I mean. Thanksgiving and Christmas… let’s be honest, who loses, or keeps weight off over the holidays? That’s probably why the gyms and health clubs are so packed after New Year’s. People have put on a few pounds and combine that with New Year’s resolutions and you find plenty of people sweating off the extra weight.

Another reason to claim being back on track is good weather. Let’s face it: I like being outdoors when the skies are blue, the air is fresh, and the sun is shining in my face. I like to walk outdoors and I especially like riding my bike outdoors. Putting 60-90 minutes on the canyon bike trail is a lot easier than getting to the gym and sitting on a stationary bike.

So I’m back !!! I’m starting to see the weight go down again (I took off two pounds this week) and the enthusiasm of being back on track will make it easier to write and tell you about it.

This past week I read an article about things you can do to curb your appetite. I hope there is something here that inspires and helps you.

Take care. I will write again very soon.

Your friend in the weight loss struggle,
Kirk

7 Tips for Controlling Your Hunger

Cap your appetite triggers without duct tape.
By Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., from You: On a Diet

If you have difficulty controlling your hunger, it’s time to use the natural hormones that trigger your body’s on and off appetite switches. Here are some quick tips for satisfying your hunger.

Get over sticker shock

You should read food labels as actively as you read the stock ticker or the horoscopes. Don’t eat foods that have any of the following listed as one of the first five ingredients:
• Simple sugars
• Enriched, bleached, or refined flour (this means it’s stripped of its nutrients)
• HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup)

Putting these into your body is like dunking your cell phone in a glass of water. It’ll cause your system to short out your hormones and send your body confusing messages about eating.

Today’s yearly per capita consumption of sugar is 150 pounds, compared to 7.5 pounds consumed on average in the year 1700. That’s 20 times as much! When typical slightly overweight people eat sugar, they on average store 5 percent as ready energy to use later, metabolize 60 percent, and store a whopping 35 percent as fat that can be converted to energy later. Any guess as to where 50 percent of the sugar we consume comes from? HFCS in fat-free foods like salad dressings and regular soft drinks.

Choose unsaturated over saturated
Meals high in saturated fat (that’s one of the aging fats) produce lower levels of leptin than low-fat meals with the exact same calories. That indicates you can increase your satiety and decrease hunger levels by avoiding saturated fats found in such sources as high-fat meats (like sausage), baked goods, and whole-milk dairy products.

Don’t confuse thirst with hunger
The reason some people eat is because their satiety centers are begging for attention. But sometimes, those appetite centers want things to quench thirst, not to fill the stomach. Thirst could be caused by hormones in the gut, or it could be a chemical response to eating; eating food increases the thickness of your blood, and your body senses the need to dilute it.

A great way to counteract your hormonal reaction to food is to make sure that your response to thirst activation doesn’t contain unnecessary, empty calories—like the ones in soft drinks or alcohol. Your thirst center doesn’t care whether it’s getting zero-calorie water or a mega-calorie frap. You-reka! When you feel hungry, drink a glass or two of water first, to see if that’s really what your body wants.

Avoid the alcohol binge
For weight loss, avoid drinking excessive alcohol—not solely because of its calories, but also because of the calories it inspires you to consume later. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, so you end up feeling like you can eat anything and everything you see. Limiting yourself to one alcoholic drink a day has a protective effect on your arteries but could still cost you pounds, because it inhibits leptin.

Watch your carbs
Eating a super-high-carb diet increases the brain chemical NPY (neuropeptide Y), which makes you hungry, so you should ensure that less than 50 percent of your diet comes from carbohydrates. Make sure that most of your carbs are complex, such as whole grains and vegetables.

Keep—va va va voom—satisfied!
In any waist management plan, you can stay satisfied. Not in the form of a dripping double cheeseburger but in the form of safe, healthy, monogamous sex. Sex and hunger are regulated through NPY. Some have observed that having healthy sex could help you control your food intake; by satisfying one appetite center, you seem to satisfy the other.

Manage your hormonal surges
There will be times when you can’t always control your hormone levels; when ghrelin outslugs your leptin, and you feel hungrier than a lion on a bug-only diet. Develop a list of emergency foods to satisfy you when cravings get the best of you—things like V8 juice, a handful of nuts, pieces of fruit, cut-up vegetables, or even a little guacamole.

Buy the book “You: On a Diet”

About the authors
Michael F. Roizen, M.D., is a New York Times best-selling author and co-founder and originator of the very popular RealAge.com Web site. He is chief wellness officer and chair of the Wellness Institute of the Cleveland Clinic and the chief medical consultant for The Dr. Oz Show.

Mehment C. Oz, M.D. is also a New York Times best-selling author and host of The Dr. Oz Show. He is professor and vice-chairman of surgery at New York Presbyterian Columbia University and the medical director of the Integrated Medicine Center and the director of the Heart Institute. They are the co-authors of You: On A Diet: The Owner’s Manual for Waist Management. (Copyright © 2006 by Michael F. Roizen, M.D., and Oz Works LLC, f/s/o Mehmet C. Oz, M.D.)

22 March 2010 – MSN Health & Fitness – 7 Tips for Controlling Your Hunger

http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100251113&imageindex=8

It’s been a few days since I’ve updated the blog. Sorry about that. No excuse other than being a bit lazy…

I’m happy to report that the scale and I are once again on friendly terms. I weighed in last week and showed a four pound loss and maintained the loss with today’s weigh in. I haven’t been good about journaling my food, but I have really kicked up the exercise during the last two weeks. My knee is feeling great—much improved than before the arthroscopic procedure. I’ve been meeting with my personal trainer once a week and I have been riding my bicycle every day.

This morning Linda and I took the bikes 12 miles from home to the lake and this afternoon we made another 10 mile ride from South Fork, up Provo Canyon, back home. My boys offered to go collect our stranded van. Both rides were very nice. The morning ride took us past freshly cut hay fields and it reminded me of a smell from my childhood when there were more farms and less homes in the area. The ride this afternoon was pleasant, but crowded with many people out enjoying the sunshine. We had to slow down and ride carefully in several places, especially near Bridal Veil Falls where families with little ones were splashing and enjoying themselves.

So exercise is helping me get back on track with my diet. But I’ve really struggled this week with cravings. I’ve wanted bread and sweets and have felt like I must have them or die. They have been very strong cravings that I couldn’t lose by simply filling up on something else. I gave in and tried two new recipes: one for New Orleans-style beignets (French fritters coated with powdered sugar) and a sweet bread roll recipe. They were both fabulous… and I’m impressed I could maintain my weight given that I was totally out of control with the bread and sugar this week.

How do you deal with cravings? If you have any great ideas please respond to this post and let me know. My will power is usually strong enough to avoid the impulses, but this week I have given in to just go for it. I have felt like it has been better to have what I’m craving and then move forward. I’m not really happy with this concession to weakness, but I really found it a challenge this week. My son made chocolate chip cookies at our home last night and left two dozen on the counter. They were stored in a zip-lock bag and stared me down this morning. I won. I’ve sure wanted to dip into them all day. We had two of our grandchildren come over this afternoon and Grandpa has been pushing cookies and milk. They are now all eaten and gone and I didn’t give in to them. (how pathetic…)

Where has all my will power gone? Bread, margarine, fried foods, ice cream, sugar, cookies… these have not been problems for me since April of last year! Why now? Why am I struggling with the cravings this week? I don’t have the answer. Hopefully I can come out of this phase a little stronger and not put any weight back on. In the meantime, I will make sure to have my pantry filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. Bananas, apples, cantaloupe, watermelon, and corn on the cob will save me this weekend.

When Weight Watchers introduced the Momentum plan last January, one of the new key concepts was learning how to control hunger by listening to how you feel. The goal is to avoid becoming too hungry and at the other extreme eating into oblivion. The benefits are many, but basically by eating smaller portions more frequently you keep your metabolism fired up and consume less overall calories. It has been working quite well for me. I work really hard to eat something every three hours or so—usually a piece of fruit—and I rarely feel “screaming gotta eat right now” hunger and have only occasionally eaten to the bloated feeling.

I read recently another reference to the hunger/fullness scale. It is from the Duke Diet and Fitness Center and is very similar to the Weight Watchers material. What I like most about the Duke material is the description of how your stomach speaks to you. I hope this information is helpful for you. I feel strongly it is a key to successful long-term weight management.

I promise to be better about posting. I hope you are doing well and finding success in your health management goals.

Take care,
Kirk

Hunger/Fullness Scale

Are you actually hungry? Use this scale to measure your hunger and to better manage the way you eat.

From the Duke Diet & Fitness Center

The Hunger/Fullness Scale was developed by Barbara Craighead, PhD, to help people gauge their hunger to determine whether they need to eat or not. The next time you feel hungry or finish a meal, take a moment to rate your feeling of hunger or fullness on the scale

1 – Very Hungry
2 – Moderately Hungry
3 – Mildly Hungry
4 – Neutral
5 – Mildly Full
6 – Very Full
7 – Much Too Full
(The desirable zone is 2.5 to 5.5)

Here’s a little more about what the numbers mean:
1: Very hungry; starving; desperate. Your stomach is “screaming.”?
2: Moderately hungry; ready to eat. Your stomach is “talking.”?
3: Mildly hungry; beginning hunger. Your stomach is “whispering.”?
4: Neutral. You feel no sensations of hunger or fullness.
5: Mildly full. You feel satisfied.
6: Very full. Your stomach is beginning to feel a bit distended.
7: Much too full. Your stomach feels stuffed.

This is a subjective scale — it isn’t objective in the way that counting calories is. For that reason, it can be more difficult to use. However, continued focus and practice will help you become more sensitive to your body’s signals of hunger and fullness. Here are some tips:
• We recommend staying between 2.5 and 5.5.
• Never allow yourself to get down to 1. Have healthy snacks planned in advance and eat one if you fall below 2.5 on the scale. It typically takes three to four hours for the stomach to empty, so you should try not to go too much longer than that without eating.
• Stop eating at 5.5. Eat slowly — it takes 20 minutes for your brain to know your stomach is full.

The really important question to ask yourself before you eat anything is “Am I really hungry?” Tune in to the physical sensations you’re experiencing. Rate your hunger on the Hunger/Fullness Scale. If you aren’t really hungry, what else may be going on? You may be eating in response to emotions or stress.

From the renowned Duke Diet & Fitness Center at Duke University comesThe Duke Diet (published April 2007) and The Duke Diet & Fitness Online Weight-Loss Program. The book and its companion online program pay special attention to the behavioral and emotional aspects of lifestyle change, teaching strategies for breaking unhealthy habits, curbing cravings, reducing stress, and much more.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/emotional-eating-feature/hunger-fullness-scale.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthDietandNutrition_20090715

Good Morning,

I’ve had a strange week. Still working on my knee rehab. The actual surgical site has not been too painful—the painful part is all the muscles above and below the knee cap. The Physical Therapist tells me it is probably because I’m overcompensating the muscles to protect the knee. (I don’t know if overcompensating is the best word. I’m trying to describe walking differently to avoid irritating the surgical area. Like walking more stiff-legged to avoid bending the knee, if that makes sense.)

I had therapy Monday, Wednesday and Friday last week for about two hours each session. This includes a 15-minute heat wrap on the knee at the beginning and a 15-minute cold wrap at the end. The remaining 90 minutes consists of recumbent and upright exercise bikes and several stretch and strengthening routines. I can walk quite normally into these sessions, but at the end I’m hobbling back to the car. They really work me out—we’re trying to convince my knee to have full range of motion again (and it isn’t being very cooperative.) I’m not saying my progress is slow—just that all the hard work doesn’t come without a price.

On Wednesday evening I was watching a little television and relaxing in my favorite Lazy-boy Recliner when a vicious cramp hit my upper left inner thigh. I scrambled out of the chair screeching with pain only to have my upper right inner thigh decide to join in the fun. (I guess I pushed it a little bit too hard on the recumbent stationary bike earlier in the day.) Anyway, here I am standing in my living room nearly passing out from the searing pain while my family helplessly stands by trying first of all to figure out what in the world is going on and then how to help me. Here’s dad clutching both inner thighs, crying, tears streaming down my face, and hyperventilating.

I knew I couldn’t get down on the floor to stretch it out—if I got down on the floor there would be no way I could get back up. Finally I managed to get myself into a steaming hot shower, ripping clothes off from the living room all the way into the bathroom, then stood under the water rubbing out the sore muscles and praying for relief. My wife grabbed me a couple of Doan’s pills, the only thing I could think of close to a muscle relaxant, and patiently waited on me until the episode subsided. It was by far the worst “charlie horses” I have had in a long time. On Friday I backed off the routines in physical therapy and didn’t push it so much. I’m very anxious to get back in shape, but I don’t dare undo the repairs that have been made or put myself through more pain because I’m not being careful. I learned a very painful lesson.

I wimped out on going to Weight Watchers this week. I told everyone last week that we would be gone on vacation, but we pushed back our departure date a couple of days to take care of my daughter’s summer school things before we leave. I could have made the weigh-in and meeting, but I also knew I was up 3 or 4 pounds. This knee stuff is really kicking me in the butt. I can’t be as active and because I have been fretting about things I have made more poor food choices. (I was snitching bites of ice cream from my daughter’s bowl of Toasted Almond Fudge ice cream on Thursday. That is so not me… I have been so good and so strict to avoid these things in the last year.) So I need to recommit. I need to hop back up on the horse and stay the course.

So in a spirit of renewal, I offer an article I read today about making better food choices when you are short of time. This is something weighing heavily on my mind today because we are leaving for vacation and I always have trouble with food choices on road trips. Additionally, it is a struggle to make the best choices when you are out of your comfort zone: the kitchen in a time-share condo, or when your choices are limited to eating out more frequently. I hope most of you can relate to these concerns. Traveling can be a problem when you are trying to be nutritionally responsible.

I’m going to pack my “72-Minute Kit” before we hit the road tomorrow (see my blog post April 20, 2009) and work hard to plan meals and snacks in advance. Jillian Michaels has some great ideas in the following article. I hope you find it helpful too when you are busy, or having too much fun, and can’t make or take the time to cook.

My family is on the way to the beach…. I hope you are having a fun summer too,
Kirk

SUNDAY: ASK JILLIAN, June 7, 2009
By Jillian Michaels, Losing It with Jillian Michaels, Online

No Time to Cook?
Q: I don’t have time to cook — can you suggest some quick and easy breakfast, lunch, and dinner options that don’t involve cooking?
A: These suggestions depend a bit on what type of oxidizer you are, but here you go:

Breakfast: Snack-sized containers of low-fat Greek or low-fat plain yogurt (varieties with no high-fructose corn syrup!), a Health Valley Granola Bar, Arrowhead Mills Instant Oatmeal, fruit, dry whole-grain toast, or high-fiber cereal with skim milk. Each of these ideas will take less than three minutes of your time.

Lunch: Ideally, you would take some time the night before or on the weekends to prepare healthy foods to pack and carry, but if that just isn’t realistic for you, try the following options. Buy prepared salads at your supermarket. I like to get chicken Caesar, tuna niçoise, and seafood salads at Trader Joe’s to have on hand when I need to run out the door. Another thought is a sandwich — make sure the bread is whole grain and the meat is organic and not processed (look for fresh, low-sodium deli meat). Avoid high-fat condiments like mayo; choose mustard (it’s naturally low in fat) instead.

Snacks: Try nuts, fruit, low-fat cheeses, whole-grain crackers like Kashi, low-fat yogurt, and hard-boiled eggs. You could even buy a Kashi, Luna, or Clif bar to eat on the run.

Dinner: This entails a similar effort as lunch, in that you need to buy precooked foods at the deli counter in the supermarket — but always ask for organic meat (you might have a better chance of getting this at a market like Whole Foods). Buying food like this is a bit more expensive because convenience doesn’t come cheap, but it’s quick, easy, and healthy. If I’m in a hurry, I like to pick up grilled chicken breasts, salmon or halibut fillets, or turkey breasts, all precooked — I toss a portion in a plastic container and run out the door with it. You can even buy veggie side dishes — grilled vegetables, for example — brown rice with shrimp, and so on.

At the end of the day, your choices are going to come down to what is more feasible for you. I’ve given you many options, involving varying amounts of money and time, but I urge you to find the time to plan your meals for the week and cook healthy on the weekends. This way you will know EXACTLY what is in your food — salt, fat, calories, and so forth.

Jillian’s Tip of the Day:

Are Frozen Meals Acceptable?
Frozen entrées are a quick and calorie-controlled option, but the downside is that they’re usually processed — meaning they’re FULL of salt and preservatives. If you absolutely can’t cook a meal and want frozen meal options, there are a couple brands that do pass the health test for me — if you choose an entrée from Amy’s or Kashi, you know you’re in good shape. Both brands are much lower in sodium than others.

A childhood birthday gift I really enjoyed was an oil painting-by-the-numbers kit. A picture was outlined and areas were marked with numbers corresponding to paints included in the box. All I had to do was find the right numbered paint and fill in all the areas in the picture with that number. When I finished, I had a nice painting and it really didn’t require an artistic eye. I just followed the numbers and it turned out just like it promised on the packaging. Not bad for an eight year old without any artistic training.

Wouldn’t it be great if everything was so easy? Living by-the-numbers. Raising our children by-the-numbers. Staying healthy by-the-numbers. Fortunately life requires much more than following a pre-marked plan. We learn by experience and build successes on the back of failures. We live in a world where we can make choices good or bad that directly affect our progress. And I think it is this ability to choose that helps make life so interesting.

Ultimately we have the ability to choose good health over poor health. We can choose careful nutrition and ample exercise over an overweight, couch-potato-slothful life. Sooner or later I think everyone will come to this crossroad. Behind us will be the invincible 20-something-year-old and we will face head-on the aches and pains of aging.

I read a couple of interesting articles today about food colors. We hear all the time about not eating too much red meat, avoiding white flour, white rice, and white pasta, and how beneficial green leafy vegetables are for us. Healthy eating can almost be planned like one would color coordinate clothing and accessories. After reading these articles you may agree that a colorful plate of food is usually more healthy than colorless alternatives. I also found it very interesting what Jillian Michaels wrote about nutritional value changes when foods are cooked.

I hope this blog helps all of us remember the importance of planning our meals. As these articles suggest, knowing what types (colors) of foods to eat and how to properly prepare them makes a big difference toward optimal nutrition.

I hope you are having a nice weekend and that you enjoy Memorial Day with your loved ones. Take care,
Kirk

Green Leafy Vegetables – Nutritional Powerhouses
by Laura Dolson, About.com

Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.

Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important than we once thought (the current minimum may not be optimal), and many people do not get enough of it.

Vitamin K:
• Regulates blood clotting
• Helps protect bones from osteoporosis
• May help prevent and possibly even reduce atherosclerosis by reducing calcium in arterial plaques
• May be a key regulator of inflammation, and may help protect us from inflammatory diseases including arthitis
• May help prevent diabetes
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, so make sure to put dressing on your salad, or cook your greens with oil.

Almost Carb-Free
Greens have very little carbohydrate in them, and the carbs that are there are packed in layers of fiber, which make them very slow to digest. That is why, in general, greens have very little impact on blood glucose. In some systems greens are even treated as a “freebie” carb-wise (meaning the carbohydrate doesn’t have to be counted at all).

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbsuperfoods/a/greensnutrition.htm

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT
by Jillian Michaels
Losing It with Jillian Michaels, Saturday, May 23, 2009

What Colors Are on Your Plate?
Pick a color, any color. If you want to improve your health one serving at a time, choose vegetables and fruits of varying colors. Vibrant-colored fruits and veggies give you a range of phytonutrients, each with its own health-promoting strengths. Colorful plant foods happen to be incredible sources of soluble and insoluble fiber — both of which are essential for hormone balance and impossible to get from animal products.
Everyone knows that green veggies are great for you, but you don’t always have to think green — explore your options. The UCLA Center for Human Nutrition has developed a system for grouping fruits and vegetables by color for easier selection. I’ve adapted this system into four categories, and I recommend aiming for one fruit or vegetable from each color group (including the greens!) every day.

Orange: Carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, and mangoes are high in beta-carotene, which may help cells communicate with one another a bit more frequently, therefore increasing the body’s ability to avoid cancer. Beta-carotene also plays an important role in the production of progesterone, which contributes to a smooth pregnancy.

Yellow: Research suggests that the vitamin C in citrus foods can be a stress-buster. A German study tested this theory by subjecting people to a high-stress situation (they had to do math problem in front of a bunch of other people — I’d say that’s stressful!). Half of those studied were given 1,000 mg of vitamin C and half were not. The people who did not get the vitamin C had elevated levels of cortisol and high blood pressure — surefire signs of stress. Those who’d taken vitamin C felt less stressed. (However, why supplement? Get the real thing and eat your vitamin C!) Foods in the Yellow group include oranges, tangerines (I know that sounds odd, but nutritionally oranges and tangerines are “yellow”), yellow grapefruit, lemons, peaches, and nectarines.

Purple: Berries are powerhouse foods that can help you lose weight and keep your blood sugar low, so definitely include them in your diet. Look out for other purple fruits and vegetables too, including plums, prunes, grapes, and eggplant, which all boast numerous vitamins and minerals.

Red: Red fruits and veggies contain the phytochemical lycopene, a powerful cancer-fighting antioxidant. Studies showed that men with high blood levels of lycopene had the lowest risk of developing prostate cancer. Tomatoes are one of the richest sources of lycopene. Plus, one cup of tomatoes gives you almost 60 percent of your daily value of vitamin C and almost 8 percent of your daily fiber needs. You can get the health benefits from organic pasta sauce, tomato paste, and ketchup — just make sure there’s no high-fructose corn syrup in the products you buy!

To Cook or Not to Cook?
The powerful lycopene and antioxidant activity of tomatoes is concentrated by 50 percent if they are cooked for 1 minute, and by 150 percent if they are cooked for 30 minutes. However, some colorful veggies lose their potency with cooking. Data from the University of California at Davis revealed that when cooked, fresh spinach loses 64 percent of its vitamin C, while canned peas and carrots lose 85 to 95 percent. Eat a combination of raw and cooked vegetables to cover all bases.

It was fun to read this article and nod my head as I moved down the numbered items. I’ve been doing most of these things during the past year and have been successful.

Take a minute and read through the list. These things work. I hope you discover some good ideas about how to make healthier choices as you read the article.

Have a good week,
Kirk

10 Steps to Speed Weight Loss
Making simple changes that either cut out or burn off extra calories will add up to weight loss over the course of a year.
By Madeline Vann, MPH
Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH
If you’re struggling with weight loss, then you already know it’s the little things that add up — the “little bit more” at the dinner buffet, the “little bit too tight” feeling of your clothes. But what if you also knew about the little things you could do every day to increase your weight- loss success? Here they are.
10 Steps to Speed Weight Loss
1. Switch up your snacks. “First of all, watch mindless snacking,” says Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at the Houston Northwest Medical Center in Houston, Texas. “[Those calories] really add up.” Instead of grazing on the baked goodies in the break room, have a plan for healthy snacks that combines a little bit of fat, protein, and crunch, such as apple slices smeared with peanut butter. If you are counting calories, doing the math may help: a pound is the equivalent of 3,500 calories, so if you can cut 100 calories out of your day, you will lose a pound in just over a month.
2. Cut out high-calorie condiments and sugars. “Instead of getting a coffee with sugar, try Splenda,” says Banes. Likewise, try mustard on your burger or sandwich instead of mayonnaise, and order your salad dressing on the side so that you can control the amount you eat.
3. Hoof it. “Exercise is key,” says Banes. People who manage at least 150 minutes of activity a week are more successful with weight loss. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or park a bit farther from your destination so you have to walk. This will add extra exercise — and burn more calories.
4. Anticipate temptation. If you know you can’t resist freshly baked brownies, don’t keep a mix in your pantry. Also, if you are going somewhere with friends and family and know you’ll have a hard time controlling yourself, make a decision before you get there about what you will eat — and stick to it.
5. Try the veggie-loaded plate method. Banes recommends using your plate to guide your food selection and portion sizes. One half of the plate should be vegetables. The other side can be split between protein and starchy carbohydrates. If you decide to get a second plate, says Banes, it had better be all vegetables. People who eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day are more successful with weight loss.
6. Skip the fast food. A study of 1,713 adults who have been successful with weight loss demonstrated that people who eat at fast-food restaurants less than twice a week have greater success with their weight loss. “If you do eat fast foods, don’t supersize it,” says Banes, and try to opt for a salad, small portions, or “get baked, not fried.”
7. Limit the calories you drink. While most people understand sugary sodas add calories, Banes sees a misconception when it comes to sweet tea and juices. Sweetened tea is no less calorie-dense than soda, and you’d be better off eating the fruit than drinking the juice, advises Banes.
8. Be accountable. Whether you have a diet buddy you check in with, a support group, or a food diary, keeping track of your daily food choices takes only a few minutes, but can double your weight-loss success.
9. Order smaller portions. Data suggests that people who order smaller portions or share a plate at restaurants are more successful with weight loss. Banes recommends ordering the lunch portion, an appetizer, or a children’s meal — or put up to half your meal into a doggy bag before you begin eating.
10. Acknowledge your success. People who believe they can succeed with weight loss actually do lose weight more successfully. How do you gain this confidence? Take a moment to pat yourself on the back when you make healthy choices and achieve your short-term goals.
These small changes, all of which can easily be made, will quickly add up to more pounds lost over time.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/steps-to-speed-up-weight-loss.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthDietandNutrition_20090506

I’ve been thinking the last few days about high-fructose corn syrup. Mostly I’ve wondered about the link between increased consumption and obesity.

I remember a statistics class I took in college that taught me an important lesson. The teacher was helping us understand the danger of using statistical evidence to prove a cause. He showed us charts indicating the surge of ice cream sales on the beach in the summer time. He then showed us a chart indicating increased shark attacks during the same period at the beach. He then announced, based on his evidence, that increased ice cream consumption caused the rise in shark attacks.

It was funny at the time, but the principle has stayed with me for many years: statistics can be used to validate just about any position. Does the use of statistics guarantee accurate analysis of a problem? Absolutely not. In my shark and ice cream example it could also be argued that shark attacks increase as temperatures rise and more people go to the beach. (Incidentally, I would also put forward the idea that increased temperatures account for more ice cream sales.) The point being many factors contribute to increased shark attacks on summer beaches. Consuming more ice cream is not the cause.

Is High-fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) the villain of American obesity? Not completely. Many factors contribute to that problem. I think it’s fair to say that an increased use of the sweetener in our American diet is unhealthy. But I also know that an increased pattern of eating more fast food is a big contributor to obesity. If we compare only the evening meal of today versus the evening meal of 1951 there would be a startling contrast. In the early 1950’s fast food was a novelty. Pizza delivery? Unheard of. Today, many families don’t take the time to prepare home cooked meals every night. As a result, American children are exposed to more processed foods. It isn’t nuclear science to realize that basic home-cooked meat, potatoes, and vegetables are more nutritious than what arrives at your door in a box.

My point is this: if you care about nutrition, take the time to make better nutritional choices. My assertion is that fast food will not contribute much to an improved diet and health.

The articles and comments I’ve posted about HFCS have merit. As Americans we consume more processed food than is healthy. We consume more sugar, by far, than any other nation on the planet. As a result, we Americans have a high incidence of obesity. But my point is this: just because you sip cold Coca-Cola on the beach in the summertime, it doesn’t explain why there are more shark attacks. Drinking cokes doesn’t cause shark bites.

Be more nutritionally minded. Read labels. Take time to prepare wholesome food: spend less money on pizza delivery and fast food drive-thrus. Its what’s important for health’s sake.

Below is an article published at Time Magazine Online that gives more insight into the HFCS debate. I found it helpful, I hope you do too.

Take care,
Kirk

Is High-Fructose Corn Syrup Really Good for You?
By Lisa McLaughlin, Wednesday, Sep. 17, 2008
Time Magazine Online Article

Shopping last week in her local New York City grocery store, Elise Mackin, 32, filled her cart with items she knows to be good for her family — whole grains, fruits and veggies — and shied away from products that contained less wholesome ingredients. “Trans fats are out,” she said, “and anything with high-fructose corn syrup.”

The evils of trans fats are well known, but what’s wrong with high-fructose corn syrup? “It’s bad for you,” said Mackin, an office manager, emphatically, “really unhealthy.” But when a reporter pressed her for further explanation, she floundered. “It’s — well, I’m not sure, but I know it’s not good,” she finally said.
“You sound just like those commercials,” laughed her husband Doug.

Those commercials are two spots that are at the center of an 18-month campaign, launched this month by the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) in an effort to give high-fructose corn syrup — public enemy no. 1 to many healthy-eating advocates — an image makeover. In one ad, a mother pours a glass of bright red punch; in another, a woman offers her boyfriend a cherry-colored Popsicle. Both are confronted about the health effects of high-fructose corn syrup, but each has this ready response: High-fructose corn syrup is made from corn, has no artificial ingredients, has the same calories as sugar and is okay to eat in moderation.

That’s certainly contrary to the popular public perception. In our post–Fast Food Nation world, high-fructose corn syrup is reviled for contributing to everything from the obesity epidemic to rising rates of childhood diabetes. So, which side is correct: Is it the devil’s candy or a perfectly natural wonder?

The answer is somewhere in between, but high-fructose corn syrup is finding defenders from unusual corners. The American Medical Association recently announced at its annual policy-making meeting in Chicago that high-fructose corn syrup does not contribute more to obesity than sugar or other caloric sweeteners. Even Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, has to agree. He criticized early versions of the CRA’s ad campaign for its claims that high-fructose corn syrup is a “natural” product. “High-fructose corn syrup starts out as cornstarch, which is chemically or enzymatically degraded to glucose and some short polymers of glucose. Another enzyme is then used to convert varying fractions of glucose into fructose,” says Jacobson. “High-fructose corn syrup just doesn’t exist in nature.” But he admits that the sweetener gets a bum rap. “The special harmfulness of high-fructose corn syrup has become one of those urban myths that sounds right, but is basically wrong. Nutritionally, high-fructose corn syrup and sucrose may be identical.”

Even the scientists who first floated the idea of a link between high-fructose corn syrup and rising American obesity rates aren’t so sure. Barry Popkin, a nutrition professor at the University of North Carolina, and Dr. George Bray of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge published a widely read and quoted paper in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2004 noting that the rise in high-fructose corn syrup consumption paralleled the rise in obesity rates in the U.S. and hypothesized that the way fructose is metabolized could be uniquely fattening. But the authors say they were just putting forth a theory. It was meant to inspire further study, not be a definitive declaration.

Nutritionist, author and food-policy doyenne Marion Nestle has blogged and written extensively about the issue and says in response to the commercials, “Lots of people think high-fructose corn syrup is the new trans fat. It isn’t. … Biochemically, it is about the same as table sugar (both have about the same amount of fructose and calories) but it is in everything and Americans eat a lot of it — nearly 60 lbs. per capita in 2006, just a bit less than pounds of table sugar. High-fructose corn syrup is not a poison, but eating less of any kind of sugar is a good idea these days and anything that promotes eating more is not.”

And therein lies the problem. The commercials claim that just like sugar, high-fructose corn syrup isn’t unhealthy when consumed in moderation. But it’s hard to know exactly how much of it we’re actually consuming because it shows up in so many unexpected foods. “It was in my children’s vitamins!” said Elise Mackin. Because high-fructose corn syrup extends the shelf life of foods, and farm subsidies make it cheaper than sugar, it’s added to a staggering range of items, including fruity yogurts, cereals, crackers, ketchup and bread — and in most foods marketed to children. So, unless you’re making a concerted effort to avoid it, it’s pretty difficult to consume high-fructose corn syrup in moderation. “We did a consumers survey,” says Doug Radi of Boulder, Colo., based Rudi’s Organic Breads, “and less than 25% of them realized that high-fructose corn syrup is commonly used in bread.”

Rudi’s launched its own advertising campaign over the summer, encouraging Colorado consumers to read ingredients and nutrition labels before purchasing staple foods like bread. The company’s aim is to get people to choose Rudi’s, since its breads are free of high-fructose corn syrup. “Bread is one of those food items that has a halo of health — water, flour, yeast and salt. All natural,” says Radi, “but today there are often 15 unpronounceable, unnecessary ingredients.”
But where does that leave the average consumer? “I hate those commercials,” says Doug Mackin, “but they do make you think. I’m still not convinced. And I prefer to eat all-natural products, but I’m a little less likely to freak out if my kid drinks fruit punch at a party.”

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1841910,00.html

Hi Everyone, 

I’ve been home from the Yosemite trip for two weeks now and I am not back on track.  For the second week in a row I gained at the scale.  Last week it was almost 6 pounds and this week was a little over 3 pounds: 9.2 pounds gained since my weigh-in at the Rocklin, California meeting.  I suppose I could be all upset, but I’m not really.  I’ve lost about 160 pounds in the last year and fluctuations now and then are going to be okay.

Linda thinks maybe I’ve gained a little muscle…  the jury is still out on that one.  I won’t know for sure until I do a fat percentage test on Tuesday with Melanie.  In the meantime, I’m going to roll up my sleeves and work hard to get back to the basics: Journal, be careful with my points, work hard to keep the metabolism in gear, exercise, drink lots of water, and get my sleep.  I know what to do.  I’ve proved that it works—I just need to be more diligent.

I joined Jillian Michael’s Online last week.  I’m not following her diet, but I am recording my exercise and I enjoy reading her posts.  Today she discusses the “Most Evil Sweetener.”  Hope you enjoy it too.

Have a good weekend,

Kirk

Dump the Most Evil Sweetener of All

By Jillian Michaels, Losing it with Jillian Michaels, May 2, 2009

In the late seventies, less than 15 percent of Americans were obese. Thirty years later, 32 percent of us are obese. What happened between then and now? First, the idea became popular that fat was evil and “low fat” diets were best.

Whenever possible, fat was removed from processed foods and replaced with sugars and other carbs. At the same time, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) got really cheap and became food manufacturers’ go-to sweetener.

Since the days of the low-fat diet craze, we’ve learned not only that fat doesn’t make you fat but that refined carbohydrates like sugar and HFCS do. Oops! A lot of damage has been done, but we can work with our hormones to teach our bodies to react to food the way they did before we overwhelmed our insulin response systems.

A good place to start is to get rid of HFCS. This evil sweetener is incredibly damaging to your metabolism, and it’s everywhere. Researchers at Tufts University report that Americans consume more calories from soda and other sweet drinks (which invariably contain tons of HFCS) than from any other source.

You may have seen a commercial run by the Corn Refiners Association that tries to convince you that people who think HFCS is bad for you are paranoid; it suggests that most people can’t even say why HFCS is bad for you. Well, here’s your answer (tell your friends!): HFCS boosts your fat-storing hormones and makes you fat. Glucose (what table sugar is turned into in your body) is metabolized by all your cells, but fructose (the “F” in HFCS) must be metabolized in the liver. Because of this, HFCS somehow tricks the body into not releasing insulin and leptin, two essential hormones that are usually released after you eat. Without insulin, your body can’t use those HFCS calories for energy, and without leptin, your body doesn’t know it’s full. Plus, unlike table sugar, HFCS doesn’t stop levels of ghrelin, your hunger hormone, from rising. If you eat or drink HFCS, you’ll actually continue to consume more calories, even 24 hours later, than you would had you just eaten plain table sugar. HFCS also increases triglycerides (a type of blood lipid), which prevent leptin from signaling the brain to stop eating.

I have zero tolerance for HFCS. For me, it’s a code word for poison, so toss it!

Yesterday in Weight Watchers we talked about how to stay on a diet and still go out to dinner. This can be a big challenge. In the past, Weight Watcher members (who record points in their food journal based on weighing and measuring food) have found it hard to go out to eat and stay on plan.

In January of 2009 the Momentum Plan was introduced and a new technique was introduced to help with the frustration of resolving choices at a restaurant and keeping track in a food journal. The technique is known as SetPOINTS® Values. Here is an excerpt from the Weight Watcher’s Momentum Plan Book Five: Surviving Dining Out
“What are SetPoints Values? As you know, Points values are usually based on portion sizes. But with certain foods we’ve established a SetPoints value that doesn’t change based on the portion size. The SetPoints value is usually higher than the Points value for a standard portion… That’s because you’re trading in higher “cost” for more flexibility. By using a high SetPoints value, you can take comfort in knowing that you aren’t underestimating the number of Points values you’ve eaten.” p.16

Let me give you an easy example of how it works. Suppose you go to a restaurant and order grilled chicken breast as an entrée. (Remember to be careful with menu or waiter descriptions that include, battered, breaded, creamed, crispy, or fried.) You order grilled chicken making every attempt to get lean, skinless chicken prepared nutritionally healthy. Normally the Weight Watcher’s plan would suggest taking 3 points for a 3 oz. chicken breast without skin and bone. The SetPoint value for grilled boneless, skinless chicken is 5 points. The beauty of using the SetPoint value is you don’t have to carry a scale or measuring cup with you to the restaurant. As long as you eat a reasonable portion of boneless, skinless grilled chicken (a 3 oz. piece of meat is about the size of a deck of playing cards) you only count 5 points. It makes food journaling much easier and helps make eating out less stressful.

After you’ve been on the Momentum Program awhile, you can look at a plate of food and journal quite accurately. For example steamed vegetables are zero points for a half-cup portion, pasta is 4 points for a one-cup portion, and red marinara sauce is 3 points for a half-cup portion. Along with a reasonable portion of grilled chicken, this plate would equal about 12 points. Not bad for eating out.

When reading a menu and asking advice from a waiter, beware of foods that mention au gratin, scalloped, hollandaise, parmigiana, or scampi in their description. Look for foods that are baked, boiled, broiled, grilled, poached, roasted, or steamed, as they will be healthier choices.

We live in a technological age that offers anyone working hard for good nutrition a tremendous advantage: most well-known restaurants have web-sites offering nutritional information. Additionally, there are many web-sites offering extensive nutritional information about food and food choices whether they be prepared in your own home kitchen or at a favorite restaurant. A great site I have used is www.nutritiondata.com. Simply browse to the site and enter in a food or restaurant name and you should find the nutritional information you are looking for. Don’t forget to browse directly to a restaurants web-page, or in many cases you can find printed nutritional information at the restaurant, for the information you need to make healthier choices.

Let me summarize some key points from my Weight Watcher’s Meeting yesterday:
• Plan Ahead. Know what to expect before you even get to the restaurant. Use online menus and nutritional information to help you plan better food choices.
• Order smaller portions. There is a tendency in many restaurants to serve quantities much bigger than what you require. If necessary, anticipate this and have a take-home container brought to the table with your order. Divide out what is a reasonable portion and put the rest in your container and set it aside to take home with you.
• Avoid appetizers, bread baskets, chips, and dessert. Would you make these choices if you were preparing a meal at home? You will get plenty to eat with a main course (okay, a side salad would be nice too.)
• Order smart. Don’t worry about other people who may be at sitting at the table with you. Believe me, they aren’t as concerned about your healthy food choices as you are. Take care of yourself and your nutritional health.

I read this article about Jillian Michaels (of TV’s Biggest Loser) and found it very helpful. It follows the same guidelines I’ve been learning about in Weight Watchers. I hope these ideas are helpful for you as you work to be healthy and make better nutritional choices.

I hope you are having a great weekend,
Kirk

Eating Out with Jillian Michaels  
By Sarah E. White for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News

Rachael Ray’s show on Tuesday was full of tips for people looking to eat and live healthier and save money in the process. First she talked to Jillian Michaels, one of the trainers on “The Biggest Loser,” who is also helping Rachael get in shape for summer.

Michaels was also on the show to promote her new book, Master Your Metabolism, which got her and Ray talking about the benefits of whole grains over refined white pasta and rice. She says whole grains are complex carbohydrates that break down more slowly in the body, and they lack the chemicals such as bleaching agents that are used to make white rice and pasta white.

Ray then offered Michaels a challenge of showing the audience how she eats at restaurants. They chose The Smith, a place known for its burgers and fried green beans.

“I really don’t have a problem eating out simply because I do it so often,” she said, noting that there’s not a menu out there that can break her.
Her healthy tips include planning ahead and asking lots of questions about how things are prepared. Easy changes like having dressing on the side can save you big, or just ask for balsamic vinegar instead of dressing — it’s tasty and calorie free.

She says to choose steamed or grilled side dishes and entrees rather than those that are fried in oil to cut down on the fat. She ended up ordering salmon with steamed spinach and roasted asparagus. When other diners commented on the plainness of her dish, she says that green vegetables are like culinary freebies — you can eat as many of them as you want.

She also said that people looking to lose weight or eat healthier should really think about their choices before they order, deciding if they’ll regret a choice later or if it will keep them from meeting their goals.
Michaels didn’t regret her meal and even found room for a couple of indulgences: a bite of macaroni and cheese and a bite of dessert.

http://calorielab.com/news/2009/04/22/jillian-michaels-biggest-loser-cheap-dinners/

Hi,  I just had a couple of minutes and wanted to share this great article about pasta.  While following Weight Watchers this past year, I have used whole wheat pasta exclusively.  This article rates four brands by best overall, highest fiber, tastiest, and organic pick.

I hope this information is helpful for you as you continue to make wise nutritional choices.

Have a GREAT weekend,

Kirk

The Healthiest Carb You’re Not Eating
Whole-grain pasta is now tastier and better for you than ever. Here are four boxes worth buying.
By Marge Perry, Prevention Magazine

I first heard about the importance of eating whole grains at an otherwise forgettable scientific conference nearly a decade ago. I was so blown away by the accumulating evidence of their protective effect against chronic disease that I made a beeline for the grocery store when I got home and purchased a box of the one brand of whole grain pasta I could find.

Now, I love pasta (and truth be told, all manners of starch). But the gummy, leaden mess that came out of this box had no right to carry such a noble name. Every bite began with paste and ended with grit. I dumped the whole pot and bemoaned my inevitable future of refined flour-induced ill health.

But a funny thing happened over the 10 years that followed: Food manufacturers started catching on to the benefits of whole grains. Dietitians have long known that they retain all the disease-fighting, health-promoting powerhouse nutrients (folate, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, selenium, lignans, and phenolic compounds) that refining strips away. They also pack more fiber than do refined grains, and large studies have repeatedly shown how consuming enough fiber can help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. If that doesn’t wow you, try this: Eating whole grains may even help you avoid weight gain. Sold!

Now that cereal, snack food, and tons of other product labels scream “Whole grains!” in all caps, I decided to take another look at the pasta aisle. My, how things have changed. I counted 11 different choices, and the Whole Grains Council, a trade group, tells me that sales of whole grain pasta increased 26 percent last year alone.

What I noticed first were the ingredient lists. I expected whole wheat but—lentils? Chickpeas? Flaxseed? Today’s choices run the gamut between pure 100 percent whole wheat, which contains no refined flour, and grain blends, which don’t always have as much fiber but make up for it with more pleasant textures and less assertive flavors. The latest blends combine various grain flours with seeds, legumes, and other ingredients to improve the texture while preserving nutrition. Some offer nutrients you aren’t likely to find in traditional pasta, such as omega-3 fatty acids (thanks to flax). I tested the whole lot. The four listed here passed muster with my husband (one picky chef), my kids (two even pickier teens), and myself (the pickiest of all). Buon appetito.

The Standout: Barilla Plus
• A multigrain blend made with oat, spelt, barley, lentil and chickpea flours.
• Contains flaxseed for added omega-3s.
• Each serving satisfies nearly one-fifth of your daily value for protein.
• Taste and texture is most like refined-flour pasta.
200 cal, 10 g pro, 38 g carb, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 4 g fiber, 25 mg sodium*

Highest fiber: De Cecco Whole Wheat
• 10 percent whole wheat.
• High in fiber, low in calories.
• Fairly assertive wheat flavor that marries well with rich sauces.
180 cal, 8 g pro, 35 g carb, 1.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, <5 mg chol, 7 g fiber, 0 mg sodium*

Tasty Blend: Ronzoni Healthy Harvest
• Wheat flour blend with additional wheat bran and fiber.
• Slightly chewier and nuttier in flavor than Barilla Plus.
• Best served with robust sauces, such as marinara.
180 cal, 6 g pro, 42 g carb, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 6 g fiber, 0 mg sodium*

Organic Pick: 365 Organic Everyday Value Whole Wheat
• 100 percent organic whole wheat flour; a heartier flavor than most blended brands.
• Firm texture; nutty, slightly sweet taste; great with spicy sauces.
• Available only at Whole Foods Markets.
210 cal, 7 g pro, 42 g carb, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 5 g fiber, 0 g sodium*
*Nutrition info is per 2-ounce serving.

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/diabetes/meal-planning/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100220032&GT1=31047

We’ve talked about some of these foods before, but I wanted to take a minute and share an interesting article about Filling Foods. On a workout day, when I get home from the gym, I am usually famished—the rumbling stomach thing. I still have to make dinner and know that sitting down to eat is about an hour away. When I feel this way—hungry and impatient—I’ve been grabbing filling foods to satisfy the hunger. Usually I will grab an ounce of dry roasted lightly salted peanuts. Chew them slowly and drink lots of water—just the trick.

In this article they introduced a new item: Guinoa. I have never heard about it and so included a link for you to read and learn more about it too. Sounds good. I’m going to look for it at the market this weekend.

Tomorrow is weigh-in day for me… keep a “light” thought on my behalf,
Kirk

5 Belly-Filling Foods
By: Alison Granell
Men’s Health Online, April 3, 2009

Silence a growling stomach with these satisfying options, courtesy of Men’s Health nutrition advisor Jonny Bowden, Ph.D. Each offers a hunger-fighting dose of protein, along with fiber or fat, to help keep you full for hours after you’ve eaten.
• Almonds: Along with 6 grams of protein, a handful (1 ounce) of almonds contains almost 9 grams of healthy mono-unsaturated fat.
• Oatmeal: You can thank the 4 grams of fiber in a 1-cup serving for this breakfast staple’s stick-to-your-ribs quality.
• Salmon: A 3.5-ounce serving contains 22 grams of protein and is a top source of omega-3 fats.
• Quinoa: Quinoa cooks up like any grain, but it contains the same type of muscle-building protein found in eggs and meat. For 10 ways to prepare quinoa, see more info below
• Black Beans: All legumes provide a ton of nutrients, but black beans lead the pack with equal amounts of protein and fiber—15 grams in a cup. They’re a great addition to almost any salad.

http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/nutritious_filling_foods/index.php

Quinoa

The Top-Secret Superfood
Packed with protein, loaded with fiber, and older than Peru, quinoa is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet
By: Matt Goulding

Francisco Pizarro might have known a thing or two about New World conquest, but he would have made a lousy nutritionist. After toppling the Incan empire in 1532, the Spanish conquistador filled his ships with potatoes and corn–destining them to become major players in the European diet–while leaving a third crop to wither. Turns out, the fields Pizarro neglected to harvest were filled with the world’s most nutritious grain: quinoa [pronounced KEEN-wah].

“Quinoa is a true wonder food,” says Daniel Fairbanks, Ph.D., a professor of plant and animal science at Brigham Young University. “It has about twice the protein of regular cereal grains, fewer carbohydrates, and even a dose of healthy fats.” Plus, it’s considered a “complete” protein, which means that, like meat, eggs, and dairy, it packs all of the essential amino acids your body needs to build muscle.

Unfortunately, not much has changed in the almost 500 years since Pizarro pillaged the Incas. More than ever, nutritionally inferior foods, such as corn, potatoes, rice, and wheat–especially the refined versions–fill our plates, while quinoa gathers dust on grocery-store shelves. And that’s a shame, because besides being great for you, quinoa is the rare culinary triple threat: delicious, easy to prepare, and ultraver-satile. Ready to harness the full power of this superfood? Here’s everything you need to know to make it a staple at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The User’s Guide to Quinoa
Quinoa has an addictive nutty flavor, cooks up quicker than rice, and can be used to make pilafs, risottos, salads, soups, and even desserts. The downside: Few men know where to find it, let alone how to prepare it. Typically, you can locate quinoa in the rice aisle or the health-food section of your grocery store. You can also stock up at edenfoods.com.

As for preparation, the simplest way is to cook quinoa like pasta: Fill a large pot or saucepan with water, and bring it to a boil. Add just about any amount of quinoa, turn the heat to low, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the water and allow the quinoa to cool.

Cook up a big batch and store it in Tupperware in your refrigerator, and you’ll have a ready-to-eat side dish–like rice or pasta–that goes with just about any meal. (To warm, microwave it for 60 seconds.) Or you can be far more creative. For instance, quinoa can be used to…

Power up your breakfast: Combine a cup of cooked quinoa with 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, and microwave for 60 seconds. This makes a great alternative to oatmeal.

Redefine dessert: In a blender, puree two very ripe bananas with 2 cups whole milk. Combine the mix with 2 cups cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup raisins, a tablespoon of sugar, and a teaspoon of cinnamon, and simmer for 10 minutes. If you’re celebrating, add a glug of dark rum at the last second. Creamy and sweet, it’s a healthier version of rice pudding.

Even better, use the recipes and variations that follow and you can turn this simple grain into more than a dozen dishes.

Quinoa as a Salad
1 cup uncooked quinoa
8 asparagus spears
2 oz crumbled goat cheese or feta
1/4 cup green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
4 Tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 Tbsp olive oil + a drizzle for the asparagus
1 Tbsp balsamic or red-wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Boil the quinoa according to the instructions on the previous page.

3. While the quinoa cooks, prep the asparagus. Remove the woody ends by gently bending each spear until it breaks–it’ll naturally snap off at the right place. Lay the spears on a cookie sheet or baking pan and drizzle with the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes.

4. Chop the asparagus into bite-size pieces and add to the quinoa, along with the cheese, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, oil, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings; great with grilled pork tenderloin or roast chicken.

Per serving: 238 calories, 9 grams (g) protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 4.5 g fiber, 290 mg sodium

Change It Up

Try mixing the cooked quinoa with any of the following combos:

A sliced avocado, the segments of one grapefruit, a handful of chopped green onions, and the juice of half a lime. Goes great with grilled fish.

Half a cup of dried cranberries, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese, and 1 Tbsp each balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Two cups of baby spinach or arugula, 8 oz grilled chicken, and ¼ cup roasted red peppers.

…as a Stuffing
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
6 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp cumin
Handful chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
2 red bell peppers

1. Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the previous page.

2. While the quinoa simmers, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, and add the onion, garlic, and tomato. Cook the mixture until the tomato is soft and the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp, black beans, and cumin, and cook for another

3 minutes, until the shrimp is just pink and firm. Add the cooked quinoa and cilantro, stir to blend, and turn off the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

4. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds. Stuff each with half of the mixture, place them in a baking pan, and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.

Makes 2 servings

Per serving: 375 calories, 28 g protein, 52 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 10 g fiber, 291 mg sodium

Change It Up

Replace the shrimp, cumin, and cilantro with two links of chicken sausage and a 6 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts.

Replace the shrimp with 8 oz lean ground beef or ground turkey.

Go Greek: Trade the shrimp, cilantro, cumin, and black beans for lean ground beef, a cup of frozen spinach, and 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese.

…as a Risotto
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked quinoa
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
2 oz prosciutto, cut in thin strips
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for grating

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan or saucepan over medium heat, and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent and the garlic is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the quinoa and cook for another 3 minutes. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock, using a wooden spoon to occasionally stir the grains. When the liquid is mostly absorbed (about 10 minutes), add the remaining chicken stock. Continue cooking and stirring until the quinoa is tender (but not mushy) and most of the liquid has evaporated; the risotto should be moist, not soupy. At the last minute, add the peas and prosciutto. Stir until warmed through.

3. Remove from the heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Before serving, grate a bit of Parmesan over each portion.

Makes 4 servings as a side dish, or 2 as a main course

Per serving: 252 calories, 15 g protein, 34 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat (1 g saturated), 3 g fiber, 372 mg sodium

Change It Up

Replace the peas and prosciutto with a cup of shredded rotisserie chicken (or leftover grilled chicken), a cup of cherry tomatoes, and a handful of chopped fresh basil.

Add 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms to the pan with the onion and garlic. Before adding the stock, add 1/2 cup of red wine to the pan. Peas and prosciutto are optional.

Replace the peas and prosciutto with 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree. Stir in a handful of chopped fresh sage a few seconds before you remove the pan from the heat. Goes great with pork tenderloin.

From the Field to Flour
–Heather Loeb

When you eat quinoa, you can see that you’re truly eating a “whole” grain. (Quinoa is really a seed, but it acts more like a grain.) But did you ever wonder how far removed a piece of bread is from a kernel of wheat? Here’s an insider’s look, courtesy of Kendall McFall, a flour-milling instructor at Kansas State University.

Step 1. A combine harvests the wheat and removes the whole-grain kernels from the stalks. The kernels are then transported to the mill.

Step 2. At the mill, corrugated rollers break open the kernel and scrape the carb-loaded endosperm away from the bran–the high-fiber outer husk–and the vitamin-rich germ.

Step 3. After the rollers pulverize all parts of the grain kernel, they’re fed through sifters, which separate the larger bran and germ particles from the endosperm.

Step 4. The bran and germ are routed into different machines for further processing while rollers smooth the remaining endosperm fragments into a fine powder, or flour.

For Refined Flour

Step 5A. The endosperm flour is enriched–as mandated by federal law–with thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, and iron. The flour may also be bleached at this point.

For Whole-Wheat Flour

Step 5B. The powdered endosperm, bran, and germ particles are combined in the same proportion as was present in the whole kernel to create whole-wheat flour. It is not enriched.

Step 6. The flour is packaged and ready to be made into bread.

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