Has Barbara Streisand gained the "Trump 20"?

Impossible to find an inelegant photo of Streisand eating, I tried.

 “Donald Trump made me gain weight.” This was tweeted by Babs (and I read it in the Post so it must be true). She also mentioned pancakes after the morning news and more pancakes when Trump accused Obama of tapping his phones. I know Foodtrainers is smack in the center of Democity but what the Post referred to as “POTUS belly” we’ve started calling the Trump 20 (most of our clients haven’t hit 20 pounds but we still have 1411 days left according to this killer calendar). Typically, people are affected by stressors and emotions in their lives and these vary from person to person. Not since 9/11 have I seen much of my client base experiencing this widespread malaise.

One client, who I hadn’t seen in some time emailed, “So I've just been dealing with PTSD (Post Trump Stress Disorder) with bread and chocolate. This does not help the resistance!” No, it doesn’t. An yes, all Foodtrainees are this smart and funny. Especially when things feel shitting we don’t need another reason to be unhappy. So, I have an idea. Let’s have a look at Trump’s favorite foods:

Chips-specifically Lays, fried and processed like…

Diet Coke-fake and bad for you

Angus beef- always grain fed not grass fed, in other words not what the cows should be eating

Cookies-he likes Oreos- note, there’s black and white in the cookie but no sign of Mexicans.

Maybe, the Resistance Diet is shunning Trump’s foods. No chips (pita chips are chips), soda, non grass fed beef or cookies. Carolyn says our sales of Natural Calm are way up, I suggest double dosing. Cheers!

And I realize there could be a blog reader or two who voted for Donald, I still love you. Just think, you have one fewer reason to gain weight. 

Are you thinking about food at the expense of other things

You can be successful in every area of your life and fucked up with food. Oftentimes, you can’t even take in that success if “food stuff” is casting a pall. I recently watched an interview Oprah did with songwriter/composer Carole Bayer Sager (pictured above with the "That's What Friends Are For" crew). Carole described the semi-spiritual way she approaches writing. She spoke of her desire is to help people feel less alone via her songs. There’s a universality to her lyrics that always made her seem like someone who got it. But you can “get it” and not internalize it. 

As the interview moved along Oprah, as Oprah tends to do, delved into Carole’s personal history. In her words, she was a cubby child born to a narcissistic mother. Carole shared a memory where her mother said “fatty, walk behind me”. As we know, those comments sting and stick. I watched his (almost 70 year old?) accomplished, beautiful woman say she had never solved her relationship with food. That chatter over what to eat when to eat and whether she’s eating correctly lingered. That residue of being the “fatty” accompanied her to the Oscars and the songwriters’ hall of fame.

The next day, a story about figure skater Gracie Gold circulated. The first bits I read were that Gracie Gold attributed recent, poor performances to weight gain. Now, Gold is an athlete and her body plays an important role in her results. But when I looked at her performance video I saw a slender, graceful woman. Nobody knows if a couple of pounds on a small frame affected her balance or skills. I don’t know the details about her weight history. What I do know is that one of the top skaters in the world was giving a press conference about her weight.

There are no easy answers here. The more body and weight issues are discussed openly, the more they can be addressed. Many of these issues are traceable to a comment or a crisis (Gold also mentioned she had been depressed) and I can assure you most people have them. New clients often talk about “food noise”. My reply and feeling is that having a system for our nutrition can displace some emotion, can quiet things. But I’ve learned that body image and weight issues do not necessarily fade with age. Like our mental state, there’s a range . We don’t expect to 100% happy and I don’t think we can expect to 100% at peace with our food or bodies either.

Election Eating? We've got you covered.

Something happened during last week’s debate and I’m not talking about Trump losing his s#!t or the Hillary shimmy. No, the something I’m referring to happened to those of us watching.

The hullabaloo disguised as a debate left viewers unsettled and fearful. I felt as if I had witnessed an accident and posted “I need lavender and chamomile and kava and natural calm...and Xanax”  I wasn’t kidding. I couldn’t sleep with the thought that there are people who support “that”. At this point, it’s not being partisan, it’s being human.

The WSJ called it “political anxiety disorder". Sure enough, when there’s anxiety there’s eating, as my clients the next day attested to. Even Carolyn mentioned a half pint of Halo top disappearing as she tried to calm her “Donalds". We coined these election-induced munchies “debate weight” at the office.  With the VP debate tonight, we have a solution:

Election Survival Kit

It contains: healthy, almond cookies, delicious (grain free!) rosemary crackers, crack-like coffee-almond butter (better than that crackpot candidate), a "soufflé" protein muffin and tasty nuts…because this is all nuts. It all comes wrapped in blue tissue paper. Send one to a friend or family member or our vote..send one to yourself.

Have you had any “election eating” or anxiety? I’d love to hear.

Five tips to avoid gaining weight on your summer vacation

Summer seafood is a great option, my son made these!

Recently, I did a segment for CBS on summer eating. Specifically, the topic was how to avoid weight gain on your summer vacation. I’ll spare you the scary stats on “beach bulk”. Around the same time, I read an article in Cooking Light on this same subject. Their advice was something to the effect of don’t worry about your weight too much, when you’re awa,y as that’ll make you binge. Let’s just say I suggest you think about weight a little and not to worry you’ll still have fun.

A little consciousness will lead to confidence.

What to do:

Delay your Play- away for a week? Don’t lobster roll day one, you’ll end up doing it daily.

Tis the season for overfruiting

Overfruiting is a thing…particularly in the summer. My mother asked me this past weekend, “Is pineapple fattening?” My response? Any fruit can cause you to gain weight if you eat too much. I usually say keep fruit to once per day. On vacation, stick to two fruits a day max.

Don’t let your activity fool you.

At the end of the day what you eat is 75% or more of what you weigh. You can bike and hike and still get heavier. By all means, swim, bike and hike while away, just don’t use these leisurely activities as a license to ice cream.

Ditch the Day Drinking

Sumer and, in particular, summer vacations can be boozy. Save the rose’ or tequila for after sundown…ok sundown is late in summer, 5pm?

Dinner Rule: 2 of 4, No More

 Bread

 Booze

 Dinner carbs

 Dessert

These are the four areas than can get you into trouble.

Pick 1 or 2 per meal away but not all 4

Keep these 5 tips in mind- share them with your family and friends and you’ll sail through summer vacations unscathed.

Check food labels for an ingredient that can harm health and weight

There are certain ingredients many of you could identify as unhealthy. Artificial sweeteners, trans fats, BPAs and GMOs are likely on your radar.  However, a study in Nature raised health and weight concerns for a group of ingredients you may not even know about. Do emulsifiers ring a bell? I’ll be totally honest, I had to think back to Food Science classes…mayo is an emulsification. Without nerding out emulsifications are mixtures where one substance is suspended in another.

In mayo, the egg emulsify or combine things.

But egg yolks are natural emulsifiers, this recent study (and a couple prior) honed in on chemical emulsifiers. These additives are used in many products for texture and to extend shelf life.

I talk a lot about probiotics; kombucha, kefir, miso and apple cider vinegar are Foodtrainers’ staples.  Having more good bacteria can improve our mood, immunity and weight. But what if something prevalent in healthy food is harming gut bacteria? Yup, that’s what these chemical emulsifiers do and the net effect they have on out gut results in impaired satiety signals. When you are less satisfied you eat more. We do not need any assistance in the “eat more” department.

So what are these emulsifiers called? There are a ton of chemical emulsifiers- many have the word “gum” in the name.  The two emulsifiers tested in this study were

polysorbate 80  and carboxymethylcellulose. You will sometimes see polysorbate 80 called “tween 80” and the other one is abbreviated CMC or listed as cellulose gum.

Look for “tween” in ice cream, puddings, vitamins, chewing gum and condiments

Cellulose gum in used in  lowfat cookies, and jelly. What’s really sneaky is cellulose is listed as a fiber but this is not a good fiber.

In the study, these emulsifiers were given to rats with a compromised GI system and previously healthy rats. The rats with preexisting GI issues developed full blown colits and the “normal” rats gained weight. Some studies test amounts that far exceed what is typically consumed…not this time. These effects were seen with commonly consumed quantities. I’d like to take a moment to say…FDA seriously? You’ve deemed these safe? Let’s reexamine your testing methods.

In all fairness, only two emulsifiers (or gums) were tested. It is unclear if all emulsifiers have the same issues associated with them. The only emulsifier on my radar, prior to reading this, was carrageenan. Carrageenan has received a ton of bad PR. It has has been a concern as it has GI side effects (upsets your stomach) and because it’s a possible carcinogen. Perhaps the GI side effects occur because carrageenan acts like Tween and Cellulose gum messing with our good bacteria?

A lot of the coverage of this study talked about the prevalence of chemical emulsifiers in processed foods. If you aren’t big on processed foods don’t be relieved as these thickeners are also used in dairy free and gluten free foods. And we all blame sugar for increasing obesity rates following the fat free phase/ 90s…however, chemical emulsifiers are found in most “fat free” foods too. I examined the labels in our fridge and found two items with gums in them. Our gluten free bread had xanthan gum and organic cream cheese had “organic” locust bean gum. I reached out to the bread company and the owner told me she wasn’t concerned as the bread was one of the only sources of gums in her diet. I’m not sure I agree and urged her to look at the study.

What should you do? Look at the ingredients on packages in your pantry and fridge. If you see cellulose gum OR tween 80…I’d certainly toss those. I’d also encourage you to contact companies using these ingredients. Carageenan has been pulled from many products as a result of customer concern. Further studies need to test other gums so that we can assess their safety. One more vote against ingredients we cannot pronounce.

Have emulsifiers been on your radar? Any products you consume that have gums in them? Will you avoid them going forward?

Lady Gaga's Weight Gain, More to it Than Lasagna

Photo via Radar Online

Lady Gaga has gained some weight. In a recent radio interview she estimated it was about 25 pounds. She didn’t have to comment on it but she did. She said her parents recently opened a restaurant and her father wants her to eat there. Gaga went on to say she loves pizza and pasta and every time she goes there she gains 5 pounds (what a plug for “Joanne Trattoria” which happens to be on the Upper West Side).  She has no issue with her fuller figure saying “I really don’t feel bad about it, not even for a second”. Sounds good right? She loves to eat, supports her parent’s business and isn’t bothered by putting on a few, or twenty-something, pounds.

Is this the same person who tweeted about doing back-to-back spin classes with hashtag #popsingersdonteat? In the radio segment she mentioned that she  constantly has to be on such a strict diet  and she’s trying to find some sort of balance. Let’s be clear, this isn’t the case of a celebrity gaining 3 pounds and media blowing it out of proportion. This weight gain seems to have happened in a couple of months (for the record Joanne’s has been opened for over a year), so it’s been quick, and strikes me as sad coming from the “born this way” singer whose lyrics advise us “just love yourself and you’re set.”

Gaga has been open about her love for booze and recently lit a joint on stage at a show in Amsterdam. She also has a history of bulimia. At a conference in California she opened up about this “I threw up all the time in high school. I wanted to be a skinny little ballerina but I was a voluptuous little Italian girl whose dad had meatballs on the table every night. I used to come home and say, ‘Dad, why do you always give us this food? I need to be thin.” So this struggle is not new.

Lady Gaga has started an anti-bullying foundation and my guess is that she wants to put a brave face forward about this. So although when I asked a friend about the food at Joanne’s and she said, “it’s not Foodtrainers-friendly” I wouldn’t chalk all of this up to calamari. I am a lady gaga fan, it’s ironic to think that someone who seemed the epitome of marching to the beat of her own drum (or piano) is a little beaten down by expectations when it comes to weight.

When celebrities open up about their weight does it invite more commentary? Do you buy Gaga's explanation about her father's restaurant? Do you think it strange that both as a child and adult she blames her dad for her weight?

Birth Control or Weight Control?

What in this purse may affect your weight? 

Many clients come to see me for the first time when their doctors inform them their cholesterol or blood sugar is elevated. They want to improve their diet in order to avoid going on medication. I totally get this; after all why take something pharmacological if you don’t have to? Every medication can have side effects. What I don’t understand is why millions of young (and not that young) women take birth control pills without a second thought. Whether it’s a pill, injection, patch or “ring”  we should think clearly about this before taking something hormonal every day for years and years.

Then there’s the question of weight gain and certain birth control methods. Many doctors will tell you that the Pill and weight gain is a myth. Katherine O’Connell MD, of Columbia University was quoted saying, “women seem to learn early to blame a lot of side effects on their birth control. But, when women were given placebo (fake) birth control pills in recent studies, they reported the same physical complaints – including weight gain – as women who were popping the real hormone-rich Pill” Many studies echo these conclusions.  There trouble with this research is that it’s hard to determine causal relationships when many women in their 20’s (college aged) and 30’s (childbearing, aging) gain weight anyway.

Doctors also emphasize that the pills of today are innocuous compared to the early versions of birth control. The older generation of pills contained significantly more estrogen and physicians admit these were capable of causing weight gain. I have an issue with this threshold reasoning. You see it often with food ingredient research “at these levels there is no cause for concern.” Concern is concern and my thought is that today’s pills range in their hormone content and who’s to say what dose produces what effects in certain people. The reason studies may not tease out obvious trends is that everyone’s system reacts differently.  A Mayo Clinic piece mentions that estrogen can make adipose cells larger but not more numerous. Larger fat cells = weight gain.

If there’s one form of birth control that clearly produces weight gain it’s Depo Provera a progesterone-only shot (Depo-Provera contains a synthetic form of progesterone called progestin). This was touted for its convenience since it’s needed once every three months and almost foolproof when it comes to pregnancy. However, would you trade convenience for going up a couple of clothing sizes? In a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in March 2009, 700 women were allowed to choose among various contraceptive methods and then were followed for three years to measure their gain in weight and body fat. Those who chose the Depo shot gained an average of 11 pounds over three years. An interesting theory is that the progestin only birth control (Mirena IUD is progestin only as well as are “mini pills”) may decrease insulin sensitivity which would increase the likelihood of fat storage.

In my work with clients, many women have symptoms when starting a pill that often dissipate at about the 3-month mark. For others, you can tell a pill does not agree with them,  hormonal symptoms do not resolve and their weight continues to rise or not drop despite eating well and exercising. A WebMD article I read stated, “weight gain is an uncommon and temporary side effect to the pill, if you happen to be one of those few women who put on pounds, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may suggest a different type of birth control pill. Why? Because all pills are not the same.” While there are many reasons and motivations to take the pill, there is another option and that’s no pill at all.
Do you take the Pill? Ever had a pill that didn't agree with you? Any concerns about the safely of birth control pills or side effects?

Is Weight Gain Inevitable With Age?

Clients often as me, and I guess they’re entitled, if I’ve ever been heavy. This question makes me uncomfortable and I’ll often mention the fact that I’m a runner or that like many women I had to loose weight after my pregnancies. The truth is that, as an adult, my weight has been fairly stable. While many sane habits contribute to this, there’s also an element of fear. You see, for almost 15 years I’ve been counseling perimenopausal and menopausal women. I’ve witnessed their frustration when it comes to weight loss and so in anticipation of what may be many years away for me, I’m doing what I can now.

I was reminded of this when I had lunch on Friday with my beautiful literary agent (the book concept is strong but the feedback is I need to be funnier and include more anecdotes, ok ok). Over our avocado salads, she joked about “the forty thing” being true. I noted I haven’t hit “the forty thing” but that even your 30’s are different than your 20’s in terms of metabolism. As we commiserated, we both acknowledged that our “good” mode now needed more stringency. I said “it used to be I could just remove the extras and my weight would drop those couple of pounds before a vacation or event.” To which she added, “now it has to be a total cleanse.”

Most people operate with a weight range. The have their ideal weight, then a range above this where they are “fine” and an upper limit. As years go by, the “upper limit” number can become the good number. This is the weight creep that’s insidious but real.  Our muscle cells drive our metabolism. Age and a decrease in estrogen, testosterone and other hormones contribute to the loss of muscle cells. Muscle cells are where calories are burned. So if you eat the same amount over the years and less is burned or it’s burned less efficiently…you see where this is headed. Another proposed mechanism is that our bodies are more likely to be in an inflammatory state as we age even in the absence of a threat (virus, bacteria). This inflammation can damage cells in joints and muscles or wherever the inflammation occurred. And sorry guys, this applies to you as well.

Before you throw your hands in the air and prepare for the inevitable pudge, know that you are not powerless. One tool is exercise as a way to preserve and deposit muscle.  The good news is that exercise can help prevent age-related weight gain. The bad news? You have to do more with each decade. A study of male runners gave the suggestion that “runners who average 10 miles per week at age 30 should increase their weekly running distance to 24 miles by age 40 if they plan to still fit into the tuxedo they bought a decade earlier." Yes, I realize that 24 is more than double 10, it’s a good thing I’m marathon training.  I also advise my younger clients that they don’t want to exercise excessively in their 20’s as they will need to increase it as they age.

Another tool is anti-inflammatory foods. Chia seed, wild fish, hemp protein, ginger and turmeric are some of my favorites. Incorporate these in your daily diet. As for that diet, if you feel as though you’re doing what you used to do and not getting results, there’s a reason. You need to “do” things differently. The weight loss plan that worked in college will not work at 35. If this concept is a little scary, welcome to my world.
Have you noticed it's harder to lose or maintain your weight with age? Do you do things differently? 
Do you find this depressing?

Beating PMS Eating (Sorry Guys)

New female clients often ask “how much weight should I expect to lose?” My conservative estimate is one to two pounds a week or three to six pounds a month. Huh (I can see them thinking), "shouldn’t that be four to eight pounds if you’re losing one to two a week"? Yes, but one week is PMS so we can’t count on that one. If you’re female, chances are to some degree you’re familiar with at least a few of the 150 (yes that’s right) possible PMS symptoms. And if you’re male, though not from first hand experience, you’re probably familiar with some of those symptoms as well.  I’ve talked bloating before but today I’m more interested in the effect PMS can have on appetite and eating and what can be done about this.

First, a biology lesson. The last part of the menstrual cycle is called the luteal phase. It is in this phase that the ovaries decrease estrogen production  and start pumping up progesterone production. These two hormones affect various brain chemicals called neurotransmitters and this is what likely leads to mood alternation and PMS symptoms.  Appetite is lowest before ovulation (mid cycle) and highest in this luteal phase. Oftentimes, women reporting appetite changes also experience mood effects. Both symptoms seem tied to serotonin. We don’t all necessarily increase consumption of the same types of foods but low serotonin activity increases vulnerability to overconsumption as serotonin curbs appetite. One study found that caloric intake increased 20% and another showed a 1000-calorie increase in the four days leading up to menstruation. To add insult to overeating, the muscles in the bowels can relax and be less effective moving food through which explains why many women are constipated before menstruation. Lovely.

This can start to seem like a losing hormonal battle but I don’t think that’s the case.  First, just knowing that the menstrual munchies aren’t all in your head should be somewhat comforting. Second, if you know hurricane PMS is headed your way you can start to take precautions such as having the right foods in the house and perhaps taking certain supplements.

A lot of the dietary advice for PMS has to do with fluid retention. While dandelion greens, asparagus, apple cider vinegar are all “delicious debloaters” they don’t address PMS cravings and appetite surges. A few foods that show promise are pineapple, full fat dairy products and sweet potatoes. My PMS eating tips are as follows:

• Consider Carbs (right ones at right time)- in one study a carbohydrate-based supplement worked as well as medication in reducing PMS symptoms.  Protein actually hampers serotonin production. Meals should be veggie heavy and snacks mainly carbohydrates. Eat two small carbohydrate-based snacks per day such as popcorn, a small sweet potato, a cup of bean soup,  oatmeal, Glow cookies or Purely Elizabeth granola or Food Should Taste Good Chips. For chocolate cravings try The Real Bar.
• Exercise, no excuses- I have clients who say “I was feeling so poorly I skipped my workout”. Bad idea. Exercise five out of seven days the week leading up to your period preferably outside. Exposure to sunlight increases serotonin production.
• Friendly Fats- chia seed, walnuts, hemp and small servings of fish have positive mood effects for PMS. They are also natural anti-inflammatories and important for good bowel function.
• Do Dairy- Siggis yogurt and cheddar cheese (naturally lactose free). Calcium and vitamin-D rich foods decrease PMS symptoms.
• Don't Keep it Simple- simple carbohydrates in sugary snacks and white flour can actually increase water retention, irritability, appetite and other PMS symptoms.
• Ditch the Drinks- if there’s one time a month to skip the drinks it’s 3-4 days pre period.

When it comes to supplements there are many suggested but only a few that are well researched. If you experiment I would give supplements two full cycles to see a difference:

Vitex- also known as Chastetree Berry has some research behind it. It is known to balance hormone levels and improve menstrual irregularities.

Evening Primrose Oil- a source of GLA, an anti inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid. In several studies it was found to be helpful.

Rhodiola- helpful for mood, research behind it extremely safe.

B6 or B-complex with 50mg of B6.

Magnesium- a recent study showed those who took magnesium supplements had improvement in their PMS symptoms.

Probiotics- more for PMS-related bloat than appetite or weight gain.

PMS doesn’t have to weight you down. The next time hurricane PMS hits hopefully it will be downgraded and leave minimal damage.

Do you feel like a different person when you have PMS? What do you generally do to ameliorate symptoms? Are any males reading this post? So curious.