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| Monday, February 07, 2011 |
| Pet Weight Loss Programs – the Untapped Frontier. Really? |
I think I may now have really seen everything. Coming to a pet store near you, prepackaged weight loss programs for your pet. Yes, you too can pay twice as much money for half as much food!
Am I the only one who finds this just a bit, well, ridiculous? OK, not to be insensitive to the blight of the overweight pet, but seriously, does every living thing in the household need to be on some prepackaged weight program? How hard is it to measure out your dog’s food? It’s not like he’s making nachos when you’re not home.
What’s next, weight loss camps where you send your dog to learn to be fit? Lipo for Lassie?
Who knows how well this will sell. But I find it sad that pet food companies think we’re incapable of measuring and restricting our pets’ food on our own. What will be even worse is if they are right and it does sell well.
However the biggest tragedy is that we’re passing on obesity. Not just to our human families, but even to our pets.
What do you think?
- Renee
If you like this article, you might also enjoy...
Sensei Talks: For The Dog Lovers
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posted by My Sensei @ Monday, February 07, 2011   |
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| Friday, February 04, 2011 |
| Surviving the Super Bowl Spread! |
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us once again. It is traditionally a day of football, food and drinks! Super Bowl Spreads get more elaborate every year. The usual Super Bowl spread usually includes very few healthy, low calorie or low fat foods. Many people just forget about their healthy diets and New Year’s Resolutions on Super Bowl Sunday, but you don’t have to. There are simple changes you can make to your Super Bowl spread to make it healthy and low calorie while keeping if fun and tasty.
Appetizers
Everyone loves appetizers. From chicken wings to crab dip, appetizers are often the favorite part of the party. However, it is easy to come up with some lower calorie, lower fat appetizers that your guests will still love. Chicken wings may be a staple at your Super Bowl party, but there are options that are just as tasty and much healthier. The average chicken wing contains approximately 100 calories. Just 10 wings provide 1000 calories! This year change it up a little and try serving boneless chicken tenders. You can bake them and use any number of low calorie, low fat sauces. Try honey mustard or BBQ sauce. By using lighter sauces and baking your chicken tenders, you will save a ton of calories and fat.
Another easy way to cut calories and fat from your appetizers is to change up your chips and dip. Regular chips and dip are loaded with fat and calories. A few handfuls of chips and dip can add up to about 800 calories. You can go for low fat or baked chips and a low fat dip like salsa or you could try one of my favorites. Last year I made mini tacos for a Super Bowl party. Everyone loved them and I had none left over. They are very easy to make. Just cook some diced chicken in a pan with olive oil and taco flavoring for about 15 minutes. Drain off any liquid and scoop into small taco shells. Put our shredded lettuce, onion, peppers, low fat shredded cheese and salsa so everyone can make their own favorite taco. Just have one or two and you will end up saving fat and calories by not continuing to dip your hand into the chips
Drinks
Beer is a probably the most popular drink at Super Bowl parties. A regular beer contains about 145 calories. That means that 6 beers during a 5 hour party would add up to 870 calories. The easiest thing to do is to serve and drink light beer. A light beer has between 90 and 110 calories. That calorie savings can add up. Try having a small glass of water between light beers to cut down your overall intake of alcohol. If you don’t like beer, try a skinny glass of wine. You can make your wine skinny but making just a few simple changes. Start with just 2 oz of white wine. Add 2 ounces of sugar free/low calorie lemon lime soda and sugar free/low calorie lemonade. For a non alcoholic beverage, try some flavored waters. There are many to choose from at the supermarket or you can make your own by adding lemons, limes or even cherries. Since it is the Super Bowl, you could always try some Gatorade too. There are many low sugar/low calorie Gatorade flavors to choose from.
Main Course
The main course is usually served at halftime. Super Bowl mainstays include: chili and pizza. These foods are easy to makeover. You can easily make these lower in calories and fat. Make your chili with ground turkey or chicken meat. This will save you a good amount of calories and fat. You can still use your beans, sauce, cayenne pepper and spices which are all low in fat. Serve your chili with low fat chips or saltines for a low fat side. Pizza is a great meal for the adults and kids at your party. If the kids aren’t interested in the game, let them help make the pizza. You can use a pre-made pizza crust or even serve toasted English Muffins and let the kids add sauce and toppings. You can use a regular pizza sauce topped with low fat shredded cheese. Next let everyone choose some healthy toppings for the pizza. Put out onions, peppers, pineapples or whatever you like but avoid the sausage, pepperoni and bacon. If your guests are supplying part of your main course, let them know that low calorie/low fat foods are welcome. They may be relieved to know that it is ok to bring something healthy.
Dessert
Dessert is my favorite part of the meal. Stay away from the football shaped cakes and cookies. Try something simple like a frozen yogurt sundae bar. Portion out the frozen yogurt and then let your guests add healthy toppings like fruits, nuts and even a little low sugar chocolate syrup. Last year I served angel food cake slices topped with strawberries and cherries. Everyone seemed to enjoy that and it was a delicious but light ending to the meal.
Super Bowl Sunday is only a couple days away. Start planning the healthy changes or additions to your party this year. Many of your guests may be pleasantly surprised by your healthy alternatives.
- Jennifer
If you like this article, you might also enjoy…
Sensei Talks: The Super Bowl Spread
Sensei Talks: Fueling for the Super Bowl
Labels: healthy tips, Jennifer, Super Bowl
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| posted by My Sensei @ Friday, February 04, 2011 |
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| Monday, January 31, 2011 |
| 2010 Dietary Guidelines released by USDA and HHS |
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were just released this morning. Yes, we realize that it’s already 2011, but creating these types of recommendations, and reviewing all the current research takes A LOT of time.
I’m in the process of reading the 100+ page document, but I’ll give you some of the highlights.
A major goal of the recommendations is to get control of our growing obesity epidemic. If you think about it, most of the recommendations are common sense…the kind of things my mother and grandmother already knew. Unfortunately we younger generations have either forgotten, or choose to ignore, this common sense.
So what are the USDA and HHS recommending we do? Well, it reads like what every dietitian I know has been preaching all along: - Balancing calories and activity… and get more active!
- Eating healthier foods (veggies, fruit, whole grains, low and fat free dairy, seafood)
- Eating less bad stuff (sodium, saturated & trans fats, refined grains, added sugars)
- Enjoy food, but eat less and watch your portion sizes
- Fill ½ your plate with vegetables and fruit… colorful ones in particular
- Switch to fat free or low fat milk
- Choose foods with lower sodium (read labels on foods like soups & frozen meals)
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks
Common sense, right? As French philosopher Voltaire once wrote, “Common sense is not so common.” The current state of our nation’s health and weight has shown that to be true.
These recommendations will help fuel and guide many programs that will hopefully educate/re-educate everyone about what to do and how to do it. I’m excited to see what will happen.
Now I have a big document to read, I’ll let you know what else I find as I work my way through it.
- Renee
Labels: Breaking News, Renee, USDA
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| posted by My Sensei @ Monday, January 31, 2011 |
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| Friday, January 28, 2011 |
| Step Away From the Computer! |
For all those hard working people out there, sometimes your only break from the hustle and bustle of the work day is happy hour lunch time. 30-60 minutes of solitude away from your desk and out in the world. If you are like me and many others, you spend this time in front of the computer, multitasking, catching up on work or reading current events. Yes, I am guilty of this crime and recently found out my punishment – extra pounds!
A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers concluded that dining in front of the computer screen or TV distracts us from eating and allows us to pay more attention to what’s on the screen than to what is being put in our mouth. This leaves you feeling less full thus prone to consuming much more than you normally would. Who knew multitasking could be bad for your waistline?
To avoid packing on the extra pounds, check out these tips for escaping your office or cubical for a short break while you eat:
- Take your brown bag to the lunchroom or kitchen in your office and enjoy some time away from your desk.
- Take advantage of outside seating or benches (weather permitting of course!) in your work area and enjoy some fresh air.
- Grab some co-workers and head to a local park for a picnic
- Walk to a local eatery to get some lunch then take the long way back.
Just remember to try and take some time away from the computer and your desk. Even if you have to catch up on work, take a 15-20 minute break to get up and walk around. We all know work can throw you some curve balls, so enjoy that hour the best you can and with the least amount of calories!
Do you have any tips to add?
-Amanda
If you like this article, you might also enjoy…
Sensei Talks: Can you be tricked into thinking you're full?
Sensei Talks: Brown bags are cool again!
Labels: Amanda, healthy tips
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| posted by My Sensei @ Friday, January 28, 2011 |
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