Does Size Matter?

It may come as a surprise but, like many of you, I watch the Biggest Loser. There’s a lot I like about the show. I like watching someone take the reins of their life; I like witnessing their transformation. I like knowing contestants learn about what got them heavy in the first place. NBC has announced that this season the contestants will be bigger than ever, that is they will weigh more. And though I consider myself a fan of the show, I have to take issue with this.

There have been some great stories on the show. I wept while I watched Abby, a contestant on this past season. Abby had lost her whole family in a car accident. Her weight was a visual representation of her grief and loss and her feeling lost. As a mother, it’s also heart wrenching to listen to contestants describe loveless childhoods. Whether overweight or not, many of us can identify with these struggles. But are we more captivated by these stories if these contestants are larger? Or is this where the line is crossed into making a spectacle of vulnerable people? Should a 500 plus pound person run a mile or workout hours a day?

I know full well, from taking about weight and life all these years with clients that one’s problem’s or issues aren’t proportional to the pounds they need to lose. Pain and also progress are size blind. And then I need to remind myself this is TV and reality TV and the audience is made up of people who love the American Idol try outs and the jilted bachelorettes. I just don’t think being 500 pounds is a laughing matter.

Do you like The Biggest Loser? Would you be more likely to tune in with larger contestants? I’m curious to hear.

Fast Food Slaytons

Our family travels to Vermont (from NYC) almost every winter weekend. Interstates can present a huge challenge for healthy eating. Since the ride is only 3.5 hours, on a good day, I generally come armed in order to avoid stopping for food. This past Friday, we picked the kids up from school. I had apples and bananas, carrots and celery, almonds and some popcorn. It’s a little cruel but I’ve found that when trapped in a car and hunger sets in even crudite becomes a hot commodity. We arrived in Vermont for dinner and everything worked out as planned.

Yesterday was a little different. We skied in the morning, had a nice lunch afterward, packed the car and headed home. The problem is that it was snowing fairly heavily. As we entered Massachusetts the snow turned to sleet and a little further south torrential rain. After watching James and the Giant Peach and taking a long post-ski nap the kids were hungry. It was 7pm and we were over an hour from home. The arsenal of healthy snacks was exhausted, as was my husband aka the driver. “There’s a _____ in New Haven, we should try it” says tired husband (and no, he didn't actually say "blank") . “Do you know what I do for a living?” I ask. “This is pretty good actually, let’s try it. Without outing the restaurant, let's just say even President Obama is known to be a fan. Anyway, you know where this is going.

I was elected to go into _____ and pick up our dinner. I decided it was a challenge. I have had a McDonald’s salad, a Wendy’s baked potato and felt fairly confident I could navigate any menu. That is, until I saw this menu. The menu is a very simple: burgers, hot dogs and fries. There are no attempts at health, no salads, and no apple dippers. I decided it was one meal and choices were limited. I did a silent anti-e coli prayer and placed the order. I ordered the little burgers for the kids, I ordered “a burger all the way” for my husband, as he requested. I ordered fries, a weakness of mine, and the person taking the order said “just one order of fries with 3 burgers?” I said yes, that would be fine.

I was handed a receipt; we were number 38. I was directed to another counter to wait for our order. I generally love an open kitchen, love to see the behind the scenes details, that is until last night. As I took my place at the counter I saw an employee hoisting a bottle the size of Clorox bleach, a large handled plastic bottle. She removed the cap and proceeded to pour gallons of something into an opening. I looked closer and the jug was oil. I could’ve turned away but of course didn’t. One station over from the oil was the grill. I looked at the grill which had at least a half inch of…oil on it. The burgers were almost floating like mini sting rays on the surface. I couldn’t believe others were watching this undeterred. Didn’t Elie Wiesel say one of the worst things you can do is witness something terrible and do nothing? In my defense, I am doing something now (I am blogging about it).

After about five minutes (_____ prides itself on being made to order), number 38 was called. I was handed one brown bag with the burgers. I was passed another brown bag, about half the size of a grocery brown bag. The server said “these are your fries.” Polka dots started to make their way through the bag (with I kid you not 5+ cups of fries). These were oil polka dots of course.

I got in the car and started handing things out. The boys opened their little burgers and my husband his “all the way” burger with a diet coke as per his request. After all, why not have a little cancer with your heart disease? I took a handful of fries, some pathetic celery stalks still in the snack bag, my water bottle and decided this probably wouldn’t kill me. Because I am here typing, you know I did live but that doesn’t mean I didn’t suffer. My 7 year old started the chorus, after his burger he had the burps. Husband then remarked “I always get this sharp pain in my stomach after eating this food”. My little one then said “excuse me” which only follows one bodily function. And me? I felt like Morgan Spurlock in Supersize Me…only I hadn’t had anything supersized. I had a headache, my stomach was doing flips- it wasn’t pleasant.

But how did it taste? Was it good? Here’s the deal, despite doing what I do for a living I can admit, however bad for you, when something tastes good. I even have a list of bad-for-you foods I like and wish was healthy. The boys, they liked their burgers and also liked what they knew was a break from our routine. My husband admitted “it’s really not the burger I would have if I had to choose.” As for me, the fries were undercooked, very salty and, sad to say, not worth it. That’s the part I most regret. My advice to clients, my mothers’ advice to me has always been “don’t eat it if it’s not delicious”. Next time, I will bring snacks and a meal for all. And if _____, who has America’s attention, wants to make a nod in the healthy direction, I’d be happy to help.

What do you arm yourself or your family with when you travel? How do you feel after you eat fast food?

Baby it's Cold Outside

OK so maybe it's not freezing today but it's not as though those feet or fireplace belong to my family, just go with it.  Think winter and cold and what are the first 3 foods you think of? Mashed potatoes, chili and hot cocoa were the top 3 answers in my informal winter food survey. Wintry foods tend to be cheesy, meaty, creamy or chocolaty. There is some scientific backing for these cravings due to less sunlight on cold, winter days. However, I find a lot of these cravings have more to do with associations and memories. When you were little and came in from playing in the snow, what do you eat? Chances are you still crave some version of the soup or hot chocolate or macaroni and cheese that was served to you at 6, even though you’re now thirty-six.

The good news is that you can enjoy these foods and the memories associated with them, with a few simple tweaks (tweaks to the foods, the memories we’ll leave as is):
Meaty cravings
Meatloaf tops the list of winter comfort foods. The problem with meatloaf and other meaty foods is…well the meat of course. Most meat used is beef and even 85% lean cuts are still 15% saturated fat.
• Use leaner meat. I suggest 92 or 96% lean (beef, chicken, turkey or pork). When you can, choose grass-fed beef and free range poultry. You may, in meatloaf or meatballs, have to compensate with more liquid in your recipe to add moisture
• The breadcrumbs used in meatloaf to hold it together are not particularly nutritious. Try using whole wheat bread crumbs or, my favorite, oats instead.
• Eggs in meatloaf are used to bind the ingredients. You will not sacrifice taste switching to egg whites and you will cut the fat which is already high enough.

Creamy or Carby Cravings
Is there a person out there who doesn’t desire mashed potatoes or French onion soup when the mercury drops? OK there may be a few but not me! I haven’t met a creamy, mushy food I don’t like. For clients who come in craving mashed potatoes and pasta here are my 3 standbys:
• Mashed Cauliflower- cauliflower is very low in calories and becomes very creamy in soups when mashed. Mashed cauliflower is a great mashed potato stand in. I love a Whole Foods Market recipe that doesn’t use any dairy. You blend the cooked cauliflower with olive oil instead. This dish passes the husband-who-likes-the-real-thing test.
• Spaghetti Squash- the only drawback to spaghetti squash is that baking and making it takes a little time. You can cheat and microwave it, if you are a microwaver. The benefit is, once cooked, you can add tomato sauce, pesto, parmesan cheese or any other pasta type sauce. It’s delicious and low in calories (sans sauce).
• Sweet potatoes also have to be on the healthy winter carb list. You can mash them, roast them and fries out of them.

Chocolaty Cravings
Hot chocolate, smores, chocolate pudding are also on the cold-weather craving list. The problem with most hot chocolate and puddings are that they are often made from pre-fab mixes and the quality is poor andfat content is high.
• Use unsweetened good-quality cocoa powder and sweeten yourself with agave nectar or organic cane sugar
• Use low fat organic milk or rice milk for creaminess
• Extras- try peppermint extract, cayenne, cinnamon or ginger to give your hot chocolate a little zip.

These recipes are perfect after a long winter walk, skiing, skating or snowshoeing hint hint. What are your favorite winter foods or recipes?

Reality Bites

I am fairly certain what I’m about to say will offend some of you. Consider yourself warned but also know what when we are offended it’s usually because some part of what we heard is true or at least hits close to home. So here it goes. There is so much in my arena, the arena of food and nutrition, focused on holiday eating: what to eat at holiday parties, how to avoid gaining weight over the holidays, the average person gaining 5 pounds over the holidays, surely you’ve heard much of this. And I have delivered my share of quotes on holiday eating, I’ll admit it. I then had a friend say something that struck a cord, something that knocked “have a glass of water for every glass of wine” on its head; she said “people get fat over the holidays because they expect to get fat.”You know what? She may be right.

After all, why is it that people who would never eat a pig in a blanket at any other time of year feel its ok over the holidays? Why, if you are always a Sauvignon Blanc girl is egg nog suddenly on your radar? And don’t explain this away with “these foods are only here only one time of year”. First, we live in a world where you can get strawberries in January; we can in fact get most foods all year round. And second, at holiday parties we tend to see these special treat foods again and again, so we see them multiple times this month alone.

The other argument for holiday eating is that we partake in certain foods to avoid offending our host or hostess. Again I have to cry foul because any host or hostess isn’t perched on your shoulder watching you all night. And even if you are right next to the host, did a friendship ever end because someone declined a mini quiche? My 5 year olds school has a policy in classrooms that encourages them to take a “polite bite” of foods offered. After that, they aren’t compelled to eat any further. Kindergarteners don’t eat the foods they aren’t truly interested in and adults shouldn’t either.

So, what I am saying is that our rules shouldn’t change because there is Holiday music playing. You can enjoy your favorite holiday food (that is food singular) and savor it but be selective. If you are someone who is focused on healthy eating, keep it that way. The season is festive; your eating doesn’t need to be.

Where do you fall in all of this? Do you plan to “get fat” over the holidays?

Vegetable of the Week

This year, for Thanksgiving, I was put in charge of sides. I made Brussels sprouts hash, I made string beans and I made something new… When I arrived at my sister’s house I left my new creation on the counter as we finished preparing other parts of the meal. “What are these” my brother in law asked as he tasted my new creation and “yum, these are good” remarked my niece Sam. The next day, my new creation received the ultimate vegetable vote when my sister wrote in an email “oh and I need the _________recipe, those were a hit.” So what was my well-received new creation? It was roasted parsnips with parsely and while I cooked it, I can’t take credit for creating it- Bon Appetit did.


Recently, we blogged about cauliflower. Whereas most people know about cauliflower, I am not sure everyone knows what a parsnip is or could identify them. Parsnips look like whitish carrots. They have a unique flavor (good unique) and get fairly sweet when cooked. In fact, parsnips been cultivated for over 2000 years and were used as a sweetener for jellies and cakes before sugar was on the scene. Parsnips are a winter vegetable and will only get better later in winter as sweetness increases with frost.

• When purchasing parsnips look for firm parsnips that aren’t too large

•To prepare trim both ends and peel (like a carrot)

• Use parsnips raw grated in salads, roasted or in soups

• I asked Market Melissa and she told me parsnips (per cup) have 100 cals, 6-7g fiber and are a good source C, folate and potassium.

Roasted Parsnips with Parsley (4 servings)

2 pounds parsnips peeled and cut into ½ inch thick slices (don’t slice too thinly will burn)
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1tbs butter (optional, I have made with and without…)
2 tsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 450. Toss first 3 ingredients in a bowl and spread on a rimmed baking sheet, if using butter dot with butter. Roast 20 minutes and turn parsnips with tongs. Roast another 15 min or until browned but soft. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with parsely.

How do you like to prepare parsnips? We would love to hear.

Fit to Graduate?

Have you heard of Lincoln University? Perhaps you haven’t. Have you heard of the college denying diplomas to a portion of their senior class because they are obese? If you haven’t you will soon. To fill you in, Lincoln University, in Pennsylvania, implemented a fitness class as part of their graduation requirements. Many colleges have requirements for P.E. and health, there is nothing new or newsworthy there. What makes this different though is that Lincoln University’s “Fitness for Life” class is mandatory only for students with a BMI (body mass index) >30, only those who are obese. More than 20 of the obese students refused to take the class and will not graduate because of this.

I am a little torn on this one. On one hand, I commend L.U. for understanding the import of health and fitness. L.U. is a historically black college and there is a higher obesity rate among African-Americans and a host of potential health problems faced once obese. If college prepares you for life beyond college, it seems health education is a reasonable component. On the other hand, requiring running for the rotund seems to be a misstep. For one thing, the selection criteria is problematic because BMI doesn’t necessarily coincide with fitness. If the class is to achieve fitness proficiency, perhaps a measure of fitness should be used to decide who is in need of it. Students could be asked run or walk for a certain distance and those unable would then be enrolled in the class. However, if the purpose of a class is to improve one’s health every single student should be taking it. The skinny doughnut eater and the chain smoker undoubtedly could also use some help.

If we delve deeper into this, this “Fitness for Life” class ,which consists of water aerobics, Tai Bo and dance a few hours a week, it isn’t necessarily going to lay the groundwork for lifelong changes. I would propose a seminar. All students would be required to attend the seminar. These students, after all, are adults, they should hear the statistics about their weight and health and, let’s be honest, how their weight can impact interviews and prospective employers. Nutrition and fitness information can be presented in a user-friendly manner. I would even volunteer to teach the seminar and to be available, on an ongoing basis, to follow up.

Lincoln University is justified in viewing health as part of the future success equation. As the chair of Lincoln’s Department of Health and Physical Education said “we, as educators, must tell students when we believe, in our hearts, when certain factors, certain behaviors, attitudes whatever are going to hinder that student from achieving and maximizing their live goals.” Hopefully once the uproar dies down there can be further discussion over just how Lincoln and other schools can do this.

Empathy for Elin

I know infidelity isn’t a natural match for a nutrition blog. But hey, it’s my blog and I think there’s something interesting to write about, please bear with me. Like many of you, we had more than a passing conversation about Tiger Woods and his “alleged” affair this weekend. We did our share of detective work trying to figure out what happened or didn’t happen. Beyond the gossip, there was big part of me who was really sad for Elin (Tiger Woods’ wife), sad for her experiencing what many women fear so much.

I was still thinking about all of this when we returned home Sunday and watched HBO’s special on the Rock and Roll hall of Fame Concert. During the concert we watched Fergie, in her thigh high boots, give Mick Jagger (who she performed with) a run for his money with her moves, her talent and her presence. And I realized she too has a husband who had an “alleged” affair recently, hmn. Here were two beautiful and sexy women, two women many women would love to look like and two women who may very well be heartbroken right now. Yes, as an adult I know infidelity (and all of this unconfirmed) isn’t prevented by beauty or talent but that doesn’t stop me from thinking about it.

Then my mind went back to my clients, as it often does. I thought about clients who postpone dating until they lose weight. I thought about many people’s expectation that with weight loss comes happiness. From counseling all these years I know weight loss isn’t a prescription for success in relationships or happiness. Yet, while we know thinness or good looks aren’t guarantees for happiness, many of us, in various ways, strive for them. We all do judge books (and people) by their covers to some extent.

So where does this leave us? Should we toss our trainers or forego food journals? Not from what I have seen. As clients work on their fitness or their weight, some gain confidence, others see health benefits or mood benefits providing incentive and a reward for their efforts. I, for one, am not divorcing my flat iron or relinquishing my morning run any time soon. But as we continue in our pursuit of pretty, we have to remind ourselves of its limitations. We should spend much more time enriching our minds, spending time with those we love and working on our golf swing….because you never know when your cheating husband's SUV is going to be in your way.