4 Rules to "Get Your Plate in Shape"

Submitted by Lori Granich, RD, Clinical Dietitian at the Midwest Bariatric Institute

The American Dietetic Association has dedicated this spring as the season to "Get Your Plate in Shape." This theme ties in well with the recent change in the food guide pyramid. The food guide pyramid has been replaced with "My Plate," which gives people a visual representation of how their plate should look.

The rules are:

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories and high in nutrients and fiber. If you have trouble with portion control, fruits and vegetables go a long way and fill you up! Fresh, frozen, and canned all count! If you buy canned fruits, try to find ones labeled "in their own juice" and look for the words "reduced sodium" or "no-salt-added" on your canned vegetables.

Make at least half your grains whole. Whole-grain breads, pasta, rice, and cereals are an easy, delicious way to include more fiber in your diet. Make sure that the label states the product is "100% whole-grain."

Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Taking the fat out of dairy products does not affect the calcium or other essential nutrients. It simply reduces the calories and saturated (bad) fat that is linked to heart disease. If you are unable to tolerate lactose, there are many other options such as soy milks and yogurts.

Vary your protein choices. Lean meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, nuts and beans are great sources of protein. Try low-fat cuts of meat such as sirloin or round and buy ground beef that is at least 90% lean. To reduce fat, make sure you are grilling, baking or broiling rather than deep frying. Don't be afraid to try plant proteins, such as beans, peas and soy, to add variety to your diet.

Please visit www.choosemyplate.gov for additional tips and resources.

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Source: http://www.eatright.org/nnm

4 Easy Ways to Lighten Up Your Holiday Recipes

Submitted by Lori Granich, RD, Clinical Dietitian at the Midwest Bariatric Institute

We all have our favorite holiday foods. This year, with a few substitutions, we can still enjoy our favorite treats without the post-holiday guilt.

Go half! - Replacing half of an ingredient will decrease calories and fat without sacrificing taste. For example, you can replace half the whole milk or cream with nonfat milk. You can also use low fat cheese in the same way. Use half oil/half low sodium broth for stir fries or replace half the butter in baked goods with fruit puree.

Spice it up! - Adding fat is not the only way to add flavor. Use your herbs and spices to add flavor without all the calories. Add basil to tomatoes and pasta; use rosemary on poultry, meats, roasted potatoes and stuffing; and use dill with rice, fish, eggs, cucumbers, green beans and potatoes.

Cook it Right - Always choose to grill, broil, bake or roast instead of deep frying. Cooking sprays are also low calorie and can be substituted instead of butter and oil.

Bake Better - Use whole wheat flour and oats in cookies, muffins or bread recipes. To avoid changing your product too much, use the “half” method mentioned above. For example, replace ½ of the white flour with whole wheat flour. The fiber will help you feel fuller longer.

A few changes here and there will make a big difference. Look at how these holiday favorites size up:

• Pecan Pie (1/8 pie) (470 calories) vs. Pumpkin Pie w/ 2 tbsp whipped topping (260 calories)
• Roasted extra-lean ham (150 calories) vs. Turkey wing with skin (185 calories)
• Egg Nog (350 calories) vs. Apple Cider (125 calories)
• Dinner Roll (170 calories) vs. Green Bean Casserole (1/2 cup) 80 calories
• Dinner A. Roasted turkey back without skin (3 oz), Homemade mashed potatoes (1/2 cup), 1 slice pumpkin pie topped with whipped topping (2 Tbsp), Thin homemade gravy (1/4 cup), Green bean casserole. Total: 536 calories, 27 grams fat vs. Dinner B: Roasted ham with fat trimmed (3 oz), Homemade mashed sweet potatoes (1/2 cup), 1 slice reduced-calorie pumpkin pie with reduced fat ice cream (1/2 cup), Cranberry sauce (1/4 cup), Dinner roll. Total: 945 calories, 26.5 grams fat.

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Sources: ARAMARK. Calorie Information obtained from SparkPeople.com

7 Tips to Get Kids to Eat Healthier

Submitted by Lori Granich, RD, Clinical Dietitian at the Midwest Bariatric Institute

With school almost back in session, it is important for us to focus on nutrition for our children. From picky eaters to food allergies, there are numerous obstacles that get in the way of healthy eating. Here are some tips to help you avoid common mistakes and teach your kids healthy eating habits.

• Be patient. Young children are not always willing to try new foods. Keep introducing the new food as it may take several offerings before the child wants to eat it.
• Be a good role model. Eat with your child and let them help in preparation. If they help with the meal, they are more likely to want to eat it. Some activities your children can participate in are: wiping and setting the table, scoop or mash potatoes, peel fruits, help measure dry ingredients, and folding napkins.
• Do not force your child to eat or offer food as bribes or rewards. When foods are used to reward kids, they may start using food to cope with stress or other emotions. Offer praise and attention instead of food treats.
• Keep mealtime positive. Family meal time is a good time to teach appropriate dining behaviors that kids can use at restaurants like passing items, not talking with your mouth full and staying seated. You can remind them not to break rules, but keep tension down and save discipline for another time.
• Focus on each other and not the food. Let children take responsibility in plating their food. Allow children to eat until they are full. Try not to force the “one last bite” or clean plate method.
• Have family meals. Studies show that children who eat away from the table are less likely to choose nutritious foods and are more likely to do poorly in school.
• Don’t forget to plan snacks. Snacks are an important part of a child’s diet. Plan for your child to have two snacks a day. Make them healthful by including two food groups. An example would be low fat milk and chunks of banana.

There are also various school nutrition programs that are available. For more information, check out a great resource at http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/

Healthy Grocery Shopping

A key step for losing weight, keeping the weight off, and staying healthy is learning how to buy the right foods at the store.

Smart shopping
Avoid buying foods in bulk and shopping in warehouse-type stores if you can. Getting a good deal can lead to overeating. If you do buy large amounts of a food, divide it into smaller portion sizes and store what you will not use right away.

Know how to read food labels
Learn how to read the Nutrition Facts labels on food packages.

Know what the serving size is and the amount of calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates per serving.

Learn how to tell the difference between foods that are truly organic. Two words on labels that can be misleading are "natural" and "pure." See also: Reading food labels

Plan ahead
Before you buy food for the week, think about your schedule:

• When and where you will be eating over the next week?
• How much time will you have to cook?

Then, plan your meals before you shop. This can keep you from buying whatever foods look good to you, whether or not they are healthy.

Make a shopping list. Remember to take it with you, and promise yourself you will not buy things that are not on it.

Never go food shopping when you are hungry. You will make better choices if you shop after you have had a healthy meal or snack.

Be sure to check out our Weight Loss Health Guide for more information, resources, health and behavior assessments and other tools to help you learn more about how to lose and keep off excess weight.