It’s not like I’m eating chocolate cake (or is it)

 Tuesday morning, my first client walks into the office. This is someone who manages to exercise and cook despite a demanding job etc. She’s not a slouch by any means. She hands over her food journal with the “not my best” disclaimer. She gets on the scale (we don’t talk numbers at Foodtrainers) and I see she’s down a little. I communicate this and she says, “I don’t get it, it’s not like I’m eating chocolate cake.” And I can confirm there was no chocolate cake on her food log but there were bread crusts and dessert bites and extra cocktails. Which eventually add up to chocolate cake even though we view them differently.

Oddly, a couple sessions later a client describes summery treats and like my other client says “but I’m not downing chocolate cake or anything.” What’s with these chocolate cake references? I’m not sure how this sweet became the posterfood for overindulging but I’ll tell you how that chocolate cake thinking can screw you up. 

We don’t lose weight for what we do not eat. I do not eat bagels or pie or chocolate cake (except mint chocolate cake from Babycakes bakery on my birthday but that’s different) and my weight is stable because cake isn’t really one of my variables. Patting myself on the back for avoiding something that’s not on my radar takes me away from thinking about cheese, chocolate or chips. Those are the foods I have the potential to overdo. For each of us, our body is used to certain baseline behaviors and anything above that usually has us gaining weight. We have to improve upon our “normal” to lose.Going into this weekend think about what trips you up. It’s a great time for #TIDEI (tweet it don’t eat it) @Foodtrainers or give yourself budgets for drinks and treats. Whether it is chocolate cake or cheese try to pick 1 indulgence and keep it to that. 

Happy 4th.

Can you "cheat clean"?

I love reader questions.  This was a question that accompanied the photo above.

Lauren- this just appeared in my news feed.  When it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.  Can you "cheat clean?"

Where to start... yes, it might be possible to “cheat clean” if this refers to having some delicious and seemingly indulgent food without it leaving messy traces on your body. These traces could be temporary and take the form of bloat or perhaps they linger on our thighs or around the middle. Hu Kitchen’s amazing dark chocolate almond butter bar, Nibmor spiced hot chocolate and Bare Burger come to mind if I were to think of “clean cheats” but I don’t like this terminology at all.

In life or in food cheating and getting away with it doesn’t sound right. I may be a bitch but I’m not a cheat. Fibbing, lying or “fudging” aren’t in my repertoire. I much prefer the word treat to cheat. And of course there are foods and drinks that are treat-worthy. In The Little Book of Thin I explain Treat Training. Cheating leads to guilt, with treats the guilt is gone because you plan for these foods. You’re busy, I’m busy food and diet guilt is a waste of your time.

 And now for the ad in question. Is this cheating cleaning (there has to be a way to insert a drumroll sound)? You can look for yourself  but I spy sucralose (aka splenda) in these snack bars. If nuts, fruits and vegetables are “clean” foods, in this weird cleanliness analogy, splenda and all its fake sugar pals are dirty. This company may feel “low carb” and “gluten free” make it clean but I’m deeper than that. You’re not clean if you’re artificial deep down, not in my book.

We have a twitter chat tonight at 8pm #wellnesschat where I’ll discuss how to have your (holiday) cake and wellness too. Come join.

What do you think of “cheat clean”? Have you tried these bars? Do you like bars? And worthy treats, what are your favorites this time of year?

And in case you thought the cheating ad was bad, this is definitely worse. 

And no reader, it wasn’t your PMS that made you think so. "Surprise him with a new body" a topic for another rant or just gross.

When it comes to vices, is smoking a little ok?

I’ve established that I’m not a Gwyneth hater; I know some of you are and you’ll have more ammunition as this post continues. I like G’s recipes, I like Goop and I didn’t think I had that much more to say about Ms. Paltrow but I was wrong.Yesterday, The Today Show asked Carolyn for her professional opinion on an article Gwyneth wrote for the Telegraph. In this article Gwyneth admits to 1 cigarette a week.

I often have a glass of red wine in the evening and smoke a cigarette on a Saturday. I love those moments because they are just the right amount of naughty. That balance keeps you vibrant. You have to live your life, after all.

Whether it chocolate or French fries or margaritas or pizza treats happen for all of us.. Ideally, for my clients, these treats are planned and contained. Gwyneth isn’t advocating chain smoking or binge drinking but she did just put out a book that included a detox regime? Can you advocate making everything from scratch, juicing and ditching gluten while having an occasional cigarette? Can the same person who pushes detox also endorse “tox”? You lost me at cigarettes and vibrancy.

What bothers me most is that Gwyneth wasn’t embarrassed about her smoking but made a case for it. I used to be silly or more than silly about the sun and some clients were surprised to hear that. Others were pleased that I admitted it, have since changed my habits, and suggested ways to stay safe from sun and the cancer it can give us. Now what if I had said "I think baking in the sun once a week is fine go for it." Gwyneth pulled the old “I don’t like to deny myself anything” and “it’s the right about of naughty”. Is this someone who lost her father to cancer? One sweet a week is one thing, a drink here or there (can actually be healthy) but smoking as part of a balanced life? Nope, call me a party pooper but it’s not naughty it’s nasty.

I don’t believe in promoting the unhealthy while encouraging others to be healthy. I didn’t like it with Michelle Obama and I don’t here with Gwyneth either. And relax, it’s not about being perfect it’s about being consistent. We don't have to go out of our way to publicly do or endorse unhealthy things to appear "normal", not too rigid or sadly maybe cool.

I will have you know some admired the smoky Gwyneth, I read an article that found the smoking “endearing”.  And see I found using food to make herself and her family healthy far more endearing. It makes me wonder if Gwyneth’s regime, for her, is really about health or just about as she said having “a 20 year old stripper’s butt”.

Do you think smoking a little each week is the same things as drinking or eating treat food or, is it worse? Would you buy Gwyneth’s clean eating books if, in the intro let’s say, she mentioned her naughty cigarette? Are there some things we should deny ourselves of?

 Join me in Sun Valley Septemer 19^th-22^nd for the Harvest Festival

I’ll be speaking on a great panel on food trends but it’ll be a weekend full of food, tastings and talks in a beautiful location.

The official blurb:

The weekend offers attendees an opportunity to learn culinary secrets from the country’s top chefs, taste agricultural wonders from Idaho and the Northwest and learn from nationally-recognized food and health experts. Adventurous foodies will have the opportunity to enjoy hiking, biking, and all that the beautiful fall weather offers.

 I’m really looking forward to it, tweet us if you’re planning to be there, it’s known as “foodie heaven”

And trust me, smoking will not be a trend this year or any year.

What Not To Say To Someone Who Has Lost Weight

So you're NEVER going to have cake again?

As nutrition clients make progress with their eating and weight loss inevitably people start to notice. At times, these clients come in delighted with the changes in their bodies and the feedback they are getting. Occasionally, remarks by others can sting or leave them puzzled.

A classic careless comment is “you look soooooo much better”. The subtext here is you really looked like crap before. This type of statement results in people feeling “I must’ve looked worse than I thought.” There’s no need to feel poorly when you’re making positive changes.

Motivation: Nasty

If you want to know which friend is not really your friend, lose some weight. When you really start to look fit and feel fantastic the “friend” who utters, “you better not lose any more weight” is completely jealous, cannot be happy for you and secretly hopes you’ll gain it back. These faux friends can also say things like “how are you going to keep the weight off?”

Motivation: Jealous

And just because someone has lost weight doesn’t make their food choices open for evaluation. If someone is having success, chances are they have some system they are using to assure sound selections. “Are you allowed to have that” never leads to the person saying, “oh you’re right I am going to throw it out.”  Instead, it makes them feel scrutinized and sometimes guilt-ridden. Well-meaning mothers voice their opinions in this manner. It’s far better to ask about food choices when someone isn’t eating their meal. As annoying as food policing is, enticing is just as bad. “Don’t be so rigid, just have a little” (insert treat food of choice) insinuates that the person is overly rigid. The last time I checked, skipping cake or pizza isn’t all that rigid.

Motivation: Controlling

Finally, there are the amount observations. You know, “I didn’t realize you had than much weight to lose.” Or, you’ve lost a lot of weight, how much 30, 40 pounds?”

Motivation: Clueless or Insensitive

As tempting as it is to match thoughtless comments with a snide comeback, there’s another option. There’s a chance, with some of these examples, that the person making the remark has no idea it’s hurtful. If you can say “asking if I’m allowed to eat that makes me uncomfortable when I’m trying to enjoy a meal.” Or, “when you tell me I look better it seems to suggest I didn’t look well before” you then have the opportunity to explain yourself. This may prevent the person from saying such things in the future.

If you have a friend, coworker or family member who’s losing weight and want to encourage them “you look great” always works.

What’s the most upsetting thing anyone has said to you about your weight? Any classic “what not to say” comments I omitted? Do you think the motivation is jealousy, malice or ignorance here?
PS Did you see Xbox's childhood obesity commercial during the Super Bowl, that made me almost as excited as the Giant's exciting WIN!

There's No Such Thing as Weight Maintenance

There’s a big misconception when it comes it weight loss. Actually, there are so many but I’m fixated on one today. Many clients, during their sessions say things like “when I’m on maintenance I’ll eat pizza” or “I’m going to keep exercising until I get to my goal weight.” The clients who make these statements are committed to their food plans and sessions; they just see their work as finite. To me, a commitment to wellness shouldn’t be seen any differently from a marriage. Can you imagine, unless you happen to be George Clooney, entering a long-term relationship saying I will love you until 2014? I hope not.

There was an article in the New York Times Magazine written by Tara Parker Pope, right around New Years. It was on the “most emailed” list for days so it was well circulated. The feedback I received was that people found the article, entitled “The Fat Trap” thoroughly depressing. Ms. Pope talks about hormonal and metabolic changes that occur with weight loss making weight loss more difficult the further you go. Also in the article is a profile of woman who goes to great lengths to maintain her results. We’re told that she weighs and measure her food, works out over an hour almost every day and keeps a food journal. I understand why some could be disheartened, it sounds like a lot of work. And yet, maintaining your weight is a lot of work (though weighing and measuring isn’t something I endorse).

The term lifestyle gets tossed around but many still view food modifications as means to an end (or a smaller end). However, there’s no graduation day or finish line with weight or health. There’s only a potential U-turn if you’re not careful. As for postponing treats or certain foods until you’re “done” that’s dieting 101. Learning to treat yourself and go back is one of the most important weight loss skills.  Few plan to live their lives without pizza (or other treat) so we may as well learn to have it, perhaps with a side salad, and not feel we’re off to the unhealthy races. Sure, the amount of exercise or food that works may be slightly different when your goal is to maintain your weight than to lose more weight but you still need to budget. II advise my clients that it’s better not to use the word “maintenance” at all, which seems to connote this food Shangri-La, and focus on doing that hard work every day.  After a while, it’s not as hard.

Do you think the word "maintenance" is a trap? I have my suspicions but where do you suspect this thinking originated? Did you read "The Fat Trap"? 

Ignore Candy Calories this Halloween

This is a repost BUT when I last posted it I think only 3 people (myself included) read this blog. It sums up how I feel about Halloween and leaves me a little more time to get ready for the Halloween with my ghostbuster and stay puff marshmallow man. Is it in poor taste that I have an Amy Winehouse wig to wear?

Yesterday, I found myself clicking on a list for a Halloween candy calorie counter. I’ve also read numerous Halloween-focused blog posts and advised concerned clients providing them with a strategy for tonight. It no longer surprises me that a day meant to be child-centric takes up a lot of mind time for weight conscious adults because of the candy situation. Other holidays have their accompanying sweets there’s chocolate on Valentine’s Day and pie on Thanksgiving. Yet on Halloween candy, loaded with childhood memories and perhaps mentally off limits, trumps the others in terms of temptation and trouble. To soothe a potentially scary situation a few of my trick or treat tips:

1. Ignore candy calories.

We can all do the math and in fact, for a few publications, I have done more than my share of candy math. There are charts listing the higher calorie candies which includes many of the chocolately ones (Reese’s, Almond Joy, Mounds, Take 5) and the lower calorie (candy corn, 3 Musketeers, Peppermint Patty) but as I mention above I feel you should ignore them. Here’s the deal, it doesn’t matter to me that I can have 35 (35.2 to be exact) candy corn for 3 mini Mounds. I don’t like candy corn and would never forego a chance for an adorable and delicious Mounds. I don’t think we should pick our treat based on a chart. If you’re like me, at one time or another you’ve tasted them all (actually I have never had a Take 5) and know your favorites. Go with them and you may not have to eat 35. Another deterrent is to look at the ingredient list. The mouth-watering Mounds has rather inhibiting ingredients.

2. Children will not care about candy after 48 hours.

It happens every year. It’s mid November and I’m in my office. Without fail a few sessions will start like this “I was doing laundry and I spotted the kids’ candy, I had hid it from the kids.” Or, “it was late at night; I went into the kitchen and decided to have 1 piece of the Halloween candy.” Let’s just say the latter example doesn’t end with 1. I suggest letting your kids enjoy, within reason, their stash on Halloween. After that, present them with a small container and let them put 5 of their favorite candies in there to save. Do what you will with the rest but it needs to leave the house. You can donate it and send it overseas to soldiers (although lately according to reports not sure they need the extra calories), you can, as a client of mine does, put it out for the “candy witch” to take. Candy Witch takes the candy, brings it to children without candy and like the tooth fairy leaves some coins in return. I have no issues tossing candy. If that sounds wasteful I would argue that eating nutritionally void treats isn’t helping anyone.

3. Better Options Exist

I have to admit, I’m not anti sugar. Kids and adults have sugar, even the ones who say or whose parents say they “eat no sugar.” Everything from yogurt to oatmeal can have sugar in it. An article in the New York Times today states “candy provides only 6 percent of the added sugar in the American diet, while sweet drinks and juice supply 46 percent.” Having noted that sugar is prevalent there are better and worse ways to sweeten things. I am wearier of the dyes and high fructose corn syrup than I am of sugar. My kids selected Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks and Surf Sweets Sour Worms  to give out. Are these healthy? Appetizing? Absolutely not. They are free of high fructose corn syrup and use natural colorings. I also don’t happen to have any sort of a gummy habit so they’re also “safe” in that respect.

What’s your favorite Halloween candy? Most memorable Halloween costume?  Any trick or treat tips to add? And where are you on "sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't" (Almond Joy or Mounds)?
For the record, my favorite costume was ironically an M & M (I was green and my friend was brown). Our mothers made them. My least favorite was also homemade, it was the American flag. My mother made it out of tissue paper which of course tore and ruined my Halloween. My husband's homemade costume choice in college was "a pair of tighty whities" he made it out of a sheet with a sharpie. Creative, right?

A Second Slice of Pie (for Charity)

Wednesday, I was about to get on a call with a writer for Oxygen Magazine about, of all things, whether or not to eat before exercise. As I sat at my desk reviewing my notes, I received an email from a client. She forwarded something she received from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s marathon and triathlon fundraising group Team in Training (TNT). Many years ago I ran a marathon with TNT and even conducted sports nutrition lectures for a few them. While I have not worked with them in many years, I have the utmost respect for what they do both for research and the individuals they train. Many participants are first timers who complete in half marathons, full marathons and even Ironman races. 

While I do think TNT is great, that was a little bit of fluff, here is what the email said and it’s not pretty. I'll paraphrase but you can read the whole thing here.

Subject: You’ll earn an extra slice of pie

Though not a pie person, they pulled me in. The email starts with “the holidays are nearly upon us”.  Thanksgiving is over a month away so I’d have to disagree there.  They go on to say, “while everyone else is feeling guilty about that second slice of pie, we say, “Go for it!”  TNT coaches will get you in great shape “training to do something extraordinary while you’re making the difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families.”  And then there’s the list of “exciting events” you can sign up for.

Translation: If you sign up and agree to raise money for one of the races below you can stuff your face this holiday season and end up like one of the overweight people in the accompanying photo. They are smiling because they have a massive sugar high and have not yet crashed. The have medals around their necks are for not only having the suggested second piece of pie but the whole friggin’ pie (a Runner’s World approved food).  Didn’t you hear when you run a marathon you can eat whatever you want? Yep, it’s true and when you run one for charity you can double that.

Give me a break, this is a recruitment letter. Some PR team penning it felt they could bank on the promise of eating food, sans guilt, getting people to sign up. My issues with this strategy are numerous. They are playing off of many people’s holiday anxiety. A month ahead of time they are telling us to blow it. “Go ahead…indulge.” They do not mention treating yourself to a piece of pie or your favorite food they want to have two. They tell you that despite indulging your coaches will get you in great shape. And the kicker? They throw cancer in there. As my client said, “this is bait and switch in the name of charity.”

If you run a marathon or raise money for charity do it because you want to get in fantastic shape or because it’s a cause you really believe in. You can’t eat whatever you want when training for a marathon or any other time. Guilt or no guilt indulging without restraint leads to weight gain.  And if you really want to “earn” or burn off two pieces of pie, plan on running 9 miles.

Do you find exercise makes you eat more or less? What do you think of Team in Training’s strategy with this email? If you think it’s sneaky, tell them. In their words “Go for it!”

Do you talk skinny and order fat?

The drive thru, can't really be good, can it?

Yesterday, I taped a segment for CBS (I am providing the link even though I look line a senior citizen). There are times I’m asked to do something in media and I pass either because of scheduling or if I feel it’s not in my area of expertise. Other times, the subject of a piece isn’t necessarily exciting but I agree to participate. My clients in PR remind me it’s good for the “brand” (which seems to be the business word of the moment). And then there are times a story is right in my nutrition strike zone.  Yesterday was a “strike zone” subject for me. The segment was based on an article entitled “Customers think about healthy food but order the opposite” The concept was that Americans say they want healthier menu items but continue to “double down” and order the artery cloggers.

One of the people points raised was that some people view eating out as a treat. “If I wanted to eat healthy I’s stay home” said one person interviewed clearly with no Foodtraining under her belt. While I understand (and help clients plan for) birthday dinners and special events, not every meal out can be “special”. The National Restaurant Association reported  “an average of one of five meals consumed by Americans-4.2 per week- is prepared in a commercial setting.” That figure sounds a little low to me but we still cannot have four treat meals a week and expect to maintain our weight. Most treat foods or temptations aren’t going anywhere. My suggestion is to keep treats to once a week.

The reporter then presented me with this scenario “sometimes you plan to have the salad but it comes time to order and the burger or the fries just sound so much better.” First, the restaurant is well aware of how scents and visuals can sway purchasing. Impulse decisions have derailed many determined salad scoffers. From fast food to fine dining all menus are available online.  Study before selecting. As I said on camera, you want to make your food decisions before you’re actually ordering.

In the original article, someone else said “I wouldn’t go to a fast food place if I wanted something healthy.” This was a good point. For one thing, fast food “heathly” items can sometimes seem like an afterthought. The brown lettuce or the icky packet of dressing isn’t all that appealing. Then the establishments say, “we tried healthy menus and they don’t sell.” Wendy’s is mentioned later in the article as one of the first to try to “go healthy” in the 80s “with a short-lived effort to sell tomato halves filled with cottage cheese and pineapple chunks on lettuce leaves.” The thought of eating that nauseates me.  The food has to taste good and I have to think if the R and D went into the healthy menu selections that goes into the fries, offerings would be different. I think Starbucks has done a great job with healthful items. They have their plain oatmeal and also an egg and spinach wrap. I’d have to check this but I believe they are both good sellers. As hokey as it sounds it’s important to order the healthy items. Restaurants listen to sales to drive decisions. You can vote for fresh food or you can vote for French fries.  What’s it going to be?

Do you order “skinny” or “fat” when you’re out to eat? Why do you think only 23% of Americans order healthier items? What do you think can change this?
Congratulations to Gina, Lisa, Kristin and Julie, the winners of our Tata Harper and Odacite' giveaway.

Does Taste Matter?

When a client comes in reporting that they veered from their nutrition plan, my first question is generally “was it worth it?” You see, to me there’s a difference between a treat and a cheat. Treats are worth it. The best pizza Chicago has to offer, your grandmother’s famous holiday dessert, the Bi-rite ice cream I had on my birthday are all treats. Treats are savored and special. I wish I could take credit for this concept but it’s not mine. While I have no recollection of my mother dieting when I was growing up (ironic maybe when you think of my profession) she certainly had a rule system. When she tasted something ordinary she would often remark “that’s not worth it” and she’d immediately put her fork down. This was a woman who loved wine and cheese and bread so none of this was restrictive.  I’ve always liked this mentality as it shifts the focus of food from calories and food groups back to taste.

Sadly, much of our eating is governed by factors other than taste and sometimes taste doesn’t even come into play. The LA Times reported on a recent study conducted on moviegoers. Participants were given either fresh or week-old stale popcorn. Results showed people consumed the same amount of popcorn they usually do at movies regardless of freshness (or taste). Those who weren’t regular popcorn eaters were somewhat less likely to consume the stale stuff.  In a meeting room, people did eat less of the stale popcorn than they did in the dark theatre.

While I’d like to think most of us don’t regularly eat stale food, habits can be very powerful. How many times have you gone to lunch at 12:30 simply because you always do? I’ve talked about dessert and it’s very common to have a sweet after dinner purely out of habit. Habits also come into play with portions. Oftentimes we finish what’s on our plate or what we cook without regard for when we’re sated or if it really tastes good.

I’m asking you to jettison those old tendencies and take a page out of Elli’s playbook (funny I feel no need to respect my mother’s privacy). Embrace your inner food snob and to pay attention to how your food tastes. Ask yourself if its worth it and if not stop. You can use #TIDEI (tweet it don’t eat it) @Foodtrainers and we’ll give you a virtual gold star. Another thing we should glean from the study is that only things that are “worth it” should be done in the dark. When it comes to eating, the brighter the lights the better.

When do you find yourself eating sub par food? When you commit a cooking flop do you eat it anyway? Any treats you want to report?

*If you’re now craving freshly popped popcorn, tune in Friday for some Pop Secrets.

Psychology of the Candy Bowl

unrealistic that the hand appears to be taking a singular candy

For years. I have seen entries like this on client’s food journals “2 mini Reese's” or “4 Starbursts”.  I know full well the source of this candy and it’s not the vending machine or a well-planned treat. “Tell me about the candy” I usually say. Clients then describe that person in the office with the candy bowl. Don’t we all know that person?  Please correct me, if I am making assumptions, but I believe this person is generally female, her desk is in full view of others, she is outgoing and you know what? She doesn’t really eat the candy.

This candy bowl received some press recently. In April the Wall Street Journal ran a piece entitled “The Battle of the Office Candy Jar.” Brian Wasink, author of Mindless Eating, was quoted saying "even for a person with the greatest resolve, every time they look at a candy dish they say, 'Do I want that Hershey's Kiss, or don't I?' At the 24th time, maybe I'm kind of hungry, and I just got this terrible email, and my boss is complaining—and gradually my resolve is worn down." It seems that the converse of “out of sight out of mind” or “in sight on your mind” is true with food. Research, yes research, has shown a transparent container or bowl and candy “within reach” further increase candy consumption.

From my vantage point, the candy bowl owner has always been a bit of a foe. My motivated clients set off for work with their crudité and food journal in tow. Sure, we’re all responsible for what ultimately goes in our mouths but the candy bowl doesn’t help. I’ve viewed  the candy bowl person as a saboteur right up there with the “friend” who brings a pie to your house knowing full well you’re trying to lose weight or mothers or MIL’s who ask you to “try a little” of weight gain food A or B.

Last week, I met with a client I hadn’t seen in some time. We exchanged pleasantries and  it wasn’t three minutes before the candy bowl came up. The twist is that my lovely client had become the candy lady. She explained that having the candy (did I mention the client cooks every night and only uses organic produce?) in her words “helped foster a sense of community at work.” Her superior actually asked her to remove the bowl as children were coming in to eat the candy (her office is in a school). My client didn’t budge. And to bust my earlier theory she did eat the candy. We joked; I asked her if a fruit bowl would build community, perhaps a healthier community? She said they did have bananas and oranges but kept the candy there too.

I advise clients to enforce a no candy bowl eating policy (and I'm here to help just #TIDEI or tweet it don't eat it). It's not that a couple pieces of candy will ruin any food plan. It's that the couple of pieces and a couple more add up (to what estimates suggest is over five pounds a year) and are rarely satisfying. A well planned treat, of your choice, in a social setting is much more strategic. And I'm still hopeful the communal fruit bowl (or nut bowl) takes off. If you try it, please let me know how it goes.

There’s more to that little bowl than meets the eye and we all have candy bowl memories. My grandmother had a bowl of those coffee candies (black and white wrapper) whose name I can’t recall. And my dad was a Werther’s guy. There’s something inviting about that bowl and, as I’ve learned, the candy bowl owner is fully aware of that. 
Have you been in an office with a candy bowl woman? Or is the candy person ever male? What do you think is the psychology of the candy bowl? And can you help remind me what those coffee candies are (not nips)?

Don't Let Weekend Eating Weigh You Down

When you think about variables that affect our weight, what comes to mind? Portion size? Exercise? Hydration? What about day of the week? At Foodtrainers, my clients keep food journals. Items considered a treat are circled. It’s not uncommon to see weekdays that are “circle free” and weekends that look like Spirograph creations (who remembers Spirograph?) with abundant circles signifying ample indulgences.

Sure enough, research supports this day of the week concept. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Public Policy and Marketing reported “participants devoured as much as 400 calories more on weekends, a 20-percent increase.” Unlike holidays, weekends happen all the time and if you’re someone living on salads Monday through Friday who subsists on  sweets or Sauvignon Blanc come Saturday, we need to talk.

There are a few reasons why weekend eating is tricky:

We are less scheduled. During the week, the alarm is set and whether you’re at work or in school there are places you need to be at certain times.  While workplaces have there own food booby traps, they’re conducive to structure.  If you’re someone who brings meals or snacks to work you have to think about this before your day starts. You’re also likely to eat lunch when others are eating.

Weekends are another story. There’s much more winging it on the weekends. Instead of defined meals, more time around the house often leads to grazing or what I like to call pupu platter eating. Pupu platter eating isn’t pretty. I suggest a “walk through” on weekend mornings. Take a minute to think about where you’re going to be and what you will eat. Think in terms of distinct meals and snacks. Even if your day starts later I’d suggest 3 meals. This is better than two meals and ten snacks.

We are more social. Maybe you’ll have a birthday or work dinner during the week but there’s less going on. Weekends bring time with friends and family, weddings and even travel. In food terms this means increased temptation to eat more and drink more. When I point this out clients often say “should I turn down some invitations while I’m trying to lose weight?” Absolutely not (unless your mother in law is a food pusher) there’s no joy in being on house arrest but slender. Try budgeting. Look at the weekend ahead and level with yourself. How many drinks will you have Saturday night? Will there be dessert in the picture? And what about those workouts, can you fit those in around your plans? Friday is a good day to make a mental outline for yourself…unless you want more to be “circling” a lot.

Once you have one treat, may as well have another. I’ve written before about the “I’ve already blown it” syndrome when it comes to food. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the weekends. Treats happen and can and should happen even while losing weight. One treat is fine, waiting until Monday to refocus is risky. Weight loss isn’t about being “good” it’s about regrouping. Have a treat? Make the next meal on track. Regroup, regroup, regroup.

Think about this as we head into the weekend and the long weekend for Memorial Day. Nobody’s saying not to relax on the weekend but you can relax without relaxing your food (too much).

Do you eat differently on the weekends? Why do you think this is the case? Does it work for you?

Workout Reward

It seems rather intuitive that cranking up your exercise helps you lose weight.  After all, if you’re burning more calories and eating the same way that would be the case. The problem that exists, that I refer to as “marathon syndrome” is that for some people feel they deserve a reward for their exercise efforts and that reward is often edible. When I look at food journals, for clients training for a marathon, the day of their long run is usually when I see the pancakes or cookies. And in case you’re tempted to explain this based on appetite, the same workout rewards have been observed with lighter workouts.

The May issue of the Nutrition Action Healthletter, interviews one of my nutrition heroes Dr Brian Wansink. Wansink wrote the book “Mindless Eating” and this interview focused on cues that affect our eating. My post on the connection between color and appetite was an example of one of these cues. Regarding exercise, Wansink summarized an experiment conducted with participants on a retreat. Before dinner, the group was divided in two. One group was told they were headed on a scenic walk around a lake. The other group was told they were going on an exercise walk. Both walks were easy and paced similarly. When they returned and had dinner the “exercise” group ate more. They also estimated they had burned more calories.

Another study, with postmenopausal women, divided participants up in groups and prescribed varying amounts of weight loss. Women doing the most exercise did not lose the most weight. There was more food compensation in this group than the low or medium exercise group.  An association was seen between increased exercise and increased “rewards”.

In some cases it’s not even the exercise but thinking about exercise that can trigger reward behavior On her blog Herbal Water, Dr Ayala discussed a recent study in the journal Appetite.  Participants read a passage about a 30-minute fun walk or a 30-minute exercise walk (not unlike the Wansink experiment). After reading, those who had read the passage and answered questions were presented with snacks and candy. They were allowed to scoop as much as they wanted into bags to take home. Those who had read about exercise scooped 52 percent more. 

If you’re exercising to release stress or for your health, this sense of entitlement may not be a problem. However, if you’re interested in losing weight because Memorial Day is about three weeks away that’s another story. I work with clients on their self-talk. If we can see fitness, leanness or slimming down as the “prize” sometimes we can skip the post-workout pancakes. Another tool is to pre-plan food on more intense workout days to avoid impulsive decisions.  It also should be pointed out that there’s nothing wrong with having a treat as long as it isn’t presented as a workout reward. Love handles aren’t that rewarding.

Do you find yourself feeling exercise entitled? Do you eat differently on workout days? Why do you think there’s this “I ran so therefore I eat” connection? 
Speaking of rewards (ha) the winner of our Sweet Riot giveaway is EA The Spicy RD.

Gleeful Glutton or Meager Eater?

(This is from a post I wrote for my favorite site Blisstree)

Yesterday I was reading a blog that referred to the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas as “The Eating Season.” I hadn’t heard this specific phrase before, but in my line of work, I certainly can’t escape talk of festive foods and highly caloric holiday treats during this time of year. Clients are fearful that they’ll indulge and backslide, and the media is full of strategies and tips (some coming from yours truly) to allegedly improve habits and quell this fear. I say “allegedly,” because I often feel like all this treat-talk and holiday help may be doing more harm than good.

 I would argue that there are multiple “eating seasons.” This month we’re thinking latkes, Christmas cookies, and chocolate Santas, but pretty soon it’s chocolates for Valentine’s Day, macaroons for Passover, candy on Easter, and — before you know it — time for some hot dogs and at least a few margaritas. So there’s actually no one time of year to fear, no Christmas conspiracy, just some holiday foods and parties to navigate just as you do other food-centric celebrations, so take a deep breath.

Pick your Pleasure

When I suggest navigating seasonal selections, I’m met with questions like the one Blisstree’s Christine Egan posited: “Can we discipline ourselves to not succumb to all those holiday food triggers, without feeling like we’re totally depriving ourselves of any and all holiday fun?”

My answer? If this season being an edible minefield is the first eating exaggeration, then the idea that budgeting has to be boring is the second. As adults, most of us are adept at impulse control. If not, I would’ve slept until 10 a.m. this morning (not 5 a.m.), skipped my workout, and grabbed a corn muffin on my way to work in my PJs (if I went to work at all). While my reality couldn’t be more different, I don’t feel deprived. And sure, there are always plenty of holiday food triggers, but availability doesn’t necessarily need to lead to indulgence. If that were true, I would’ve had cheese 20 times on my way to the office in addition to the corn muffin. So pick your pleasure.

I am someone who can live without a latke so with Hanukkah celebrations this past week I was fine to forego lotsa latkes. On Christmas Eve, on the other hand, I would gladly skip dinner or presents or Santa versus eschewing my brother-in-law’s homemade egg nog (spiked, of course). What are the holiday foods and beverages you think you cannot live without? I’ll grant you those, but you need to know the foods (other than fruitcake) that you can pass up. But this isn’t black-and-white situation; you don’t need to join the gleeful gluttons or the meager eaters.

Where there’s celebratory there should be Spartan

Finally, I'd like you to think of December 22 or December 28. These days aren't Hanukkah or Christman or Kwanzaa. You're not likely to attend a holiday party or gathering every single day. There are many days during the "eating season" that are "regular" December days. Keep these days slightly Spartan. Skip the sweets and the carbs and work out for an hour. If you implement a couple of these days per week, you'll balance out that egg nog and won't get mistaken for Santa Claus (okay, maybe make that a 90 minute workout).

What are your favorite holiday foods? What is your method for monitoring them?

Pinkberry: Pinkalicious or Pink-a-lie?

This post removed due to demands from Pinkberry's legal team. Updated Pinkberry post written on 8/18/10