The best way to build muscle mass is to participate in a progressive resistance training program.  Muscles need the right stimulation in order to grow, and you need to support that training with an appropriate nutrition plan.  The most important nutrition factor to build muscle mass is to ensure that you are taking in enough energy.  It is often recommended that athletes consume approximately 500-1,000 calories per day beyond their daily energy expenditure when trying to build muscle mass. 

The following are some easy ways to increase your calorie intake without adding too much volume to your diet:

• Increase the number of times you eat throughout the day.  Try to eat every 2-3 hours.
• Include drinks that provide calories and nutrients.  Some examples include fruit juices, milk, milk shakes and fruit smoothies. 
• Include healthy fats such as nuts, peanut butter, olive/canola oil and avocados.
• Add calories to your food without adding a lot of volume by including syrup, honey, sugar, jam and jelly. 
• Choose hearty breads such as bagels, pancakes, waffles, thick crusted pizza, and hoagie rolls.
• Include calorie dense foods such as dried fruit, granola and trial mixes.
• Use milk instead of water when making hot cereals, cream soups and hot chocolate.
• Add powdered milk to your milk or yogurt to add extra calories/protein.
• Nutrition supplements can provide a convenient way to increase your calories if you are having difficulty meeting your needs with diet alone.  Some good choices include sports bars, sports drinks and liquid meal replacements (Carnations Instant Breakfast, Ensure, Boost, etc.)

February has brought a lot of snow to much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions this year.  Instead of letting snow stop you from exercising, use it as part of your work out.  The following are some great winter workouts: 

*Calorie burned estimates based on a 150 pound person.

So, embrace the season, dress warm (see “How to Dress for Winter Workouts”), get moving and have fun doing it!

When trying to lose weight, it is very common to have some weeks where the weight seems to come off quickly and some weeks where you feel like you’ve done everything right, but it doesn’t show up on the scale.  If you have one or two weeks where the scale doesn’t show the work you’ve done, stay calm.  Sometimes our body seems to need to adjust to a new weight before you continue to lose.  However, if several weeks pass and the scale doesn’t budge then you may have hit a plateau.  When this happens, try the following tips:

1.)    Keep food journals.  Writing everything down can help maintain awareness of what you are consuming to ensure you are at an appropriate calorie level.

2.)    Measure food for a few days.  Just naturally, portions tend to grow over time.  What you thought was a cup of cereal, may end up being closer to 1 ½ cups.  These gradual increases in portions can really add up over time.

3.)    Adjust calorie levels.  When we lose weight, our calorie needs decrease.  This is because it doesn’t require as much energy to do your daily activities at 150 pounds as it does when you weigh 175 pounds.  So you may need to make some slight modifications to your calorie goals.  Try cutting back 50-100 calories a day and see if that makes the difference.

4.)    Make sure you are eating enough.  If we don’t eat enough calories, we can end up slowing down our metabolism.  This makes continued weight loss more difficult.  For women, I usually recommend staying at or above 1,200 calories to keep the metabolism running efficiently.  Men will want to stay above 1,600 calories per day.  If you are active, you will need more calories than this.

5.)    Mix up your workout routine.  Our muscles adapt quickly to exercise and become very efficient.  Try a different exercise routine or even doing your exercises in a different order.  (For example, if you usually do cardio and then strength training, try lifting weights first instead.  If you lift weights, do your typical workout in reverse order.)

6.)    Start strength training, if your not doing it already.  Lifting weights strengthens muscles, which ends up increasing your metabolism.  FYI- Increasing muscle mass is the ONLY way to increase metabolism.

7.)    Move more.  Try to walk or move more throughout the day or add an extra work out each week.

8.)    Try eating more frequently.  If you eat three meals a day, try breaking up your eating into 5 or 6 small meals a day.  We burn calories by digesting food.  Therefore, eating regularly throughout the day helps to keep the metabolism up.  Remember that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

9.)    Drink more water.  Aim for around 8 8-oz glasses a day.

10.) Include low-fat dairy products.  Studies have found that the calcium, a nutrient found in dairy, plays an important role in metabolism.

11.) Get some sleep.  Getting too little sleep can promote the storage of fat in the abdominal region and make weight loss more difficult.  Aim for a minimum of 7 hours.  For most people, 8 hours is even more ideal.

Today, I’m following up with last week’s post to provide a list of some of the better options at fast food restaurants.  See the chart below for some meal ideas that are about 550 calories or less (The Do’s Column).  Also listed are some meals to watch out for that are loaded with fat and calories (The Don’ts Column).  

Breakfast Sample Menus

 Lunch and Dinner: Sample Menus

Move over Jared, it looks like Christine has taken the spotlight away from the Subway and has put it on Taco Bell.  With the heavy advertising done by Taco Bell over the past two weeks, I’ve already started to get several questions about the “Drive-Thru-Diet”. 

For those who have not seen the commercials yet…Christine, the spokesperson for “The Drive-Thru-Diet”, lost 54 pounds over the course of two years by switching her fast food choices to the Fresco items on the Drive-Thru Diet menu at Taco bell.  If you read her story, you will also find that she consumed 1,250 calories per day.  This was a reduction of about 500 calories per day compared to what she was eating before.

So what made her lose the weight?

a.)    The Taco Bell Menu items

b.)    The reduction in the number of calories she consumed daily

 If you answered B, you are correct!  Weight loss comes down to calories consumed versus calories burned, and it does not matter where those calories come from.  By creating a calorie deficit of about 500 calories a day, you expect to lose about 1 pound per week.  This is exactly what Christine did.

 The 7 Fresco items on Taco Bell’s Drive-Thru Diet menu are lower in calories than many fast food items.  All of them have less than 350 calories and <8 grams of fat.  Therefore, they can be some of the better choices if you are going to be eating fast food.    

However, would I recommend eating these items regularly to lose weight?  No, I wouldn’t.  While they may be better choices than many items on a fast food menu, they are not great.  Many of the items are very high in sodium.  For example, the Fresco Burrito Supreme has a whooping 1,410 mg of Sodium, which is over half of the recommended level for the entire day!  The Chicken soft taco and Steak soft taco only has 2 grams of fiber.  When meals are low in fiber they often leave people feeling hungry shortly after eating and can make it difficult to meet the recommended 25-30 grams per day.  Not to mention, all of the vitamins and minerals that are lacking. 

If you are short on time, frozen entrees would often be a better choice.  They are still processed and high in sodium, but the sodium is often less than what you would find in fast foods (~500-600 mg).  Many of them also include a serving of vegetables.  Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Kashi and Smart Ones are some of the better options that are calorie controlled.  Have yogurt or a piece of fruit along with it to add some nutrition value.

Bottom line, if you need to stop at a fast food restaurant.  The items on the Drive-Thru-Diet at Taco bell are going to be some of the better choices.  All fast food restaurants now offer some healthy options.  Reading the nutrition facts before ordering can help to make better choices.  Click here for some tips on making good choices when eating at fast food restaurants.  Check back next week for more fast food menu items that are less than 500 calories.

With all of the social gatherings around the holiday, there is often an increase in alcohol consumption.  These extra drinks can add a lot of unwanted calories and can make weight management more difficult.  However, there are some simple strategies that can help keep your calories in check.

First, know the calorie content of the various types of drinks.  The following is a breakdown of the typical calorie levels of alcoholic beverages:

If you’re going to have a drink, think about the following tips:

• Start the party with a calorie free beverage before reaching for the alcohol.  Sometimes just having a beverage in your hand can make people feel more comfortable.  By starting off with diet soda, water or club soda you can save some calories and can often make better food choices because alcohol acts as an appetite stimulant and lowers inhibitions. 
• Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.  Often when we have a drink in our hand we will finish it.  By switching between alcoholic and calorie-free beverages you will be cutting the calories in half!
• Try diluting your drink to cut the calories in half.  Turn your glass of wine into a wine spritzer by mixing it with sparkling water.  If you’re going to have a mixed drink, mix it with club soda or a diet soda.
• Beware of sugary drinks.  The combination of sugar and alcohol makes mixed drinks very high in calories.  They can range from 200-500 calories!  A glass of wine or a light beer would be a much better choice with around 100 calories.    
• Moderation is the key.  No matter what beverage you choose, just try to limit the quantity.  You will keep your calories under control and you’ll feel better the next day so you can keep up with your exercise program:)

In June, I wrote about which fruits and vegetables were in season over the summer.  However, now that summer is over many people feel that the produce is not as “fresh” or as flavorful.  The good news is that there are still many fruits and vegetables that are “in season” during the fall and winter months.  The following is a list of some of the more common fruits and vegetables in season now:

Fruits:

Vegetables:

For more information about seasonality of fruits and vegetables please visit the following websites:

• http://www.pickyourown.org//Directions4farmers.htm
• http://www.fieldtoplate.com/guide.php
• www.cuesa.org

Potassium has many important functions in the body.  It helps regulate blood pressure and is important for a healthy heart and blood vessels.  Potassium also helps maintain the water balance in the body, aids in muscle contractions, proper nervous system functioning and it helps us to digest protein and carbohydrate in the diet.

It can be fairly easy to meet your potassium requirements with the diet if you are including fruits and vegetables.  It is estimated that the minimum requirement for potassium is 2,000 mg per day for a healthy individual.  However, some individuals need more potassium because of medications, absorption problems or losses due to heavy sweating.  People with kidney disease or ulcers may need to limit potassium consumption.

Individuals who take thiazide diuretics, long-term steroid therapy, insulin or laxatives are at risk of a potassium deficiency.  Deficiencies can also be caused by high sodium diets, chronic diarrhea or vomiting, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, kidney disease or heart disease.  Athletes with heavy sweat losses who do not replace potassium can also run the risk of low potassium levels as well. 

A severe potassium deficiency can cause the following symptoms:

• Fatigue, drowsiness and confusion
• Muscle weakness and/or cramps
• Low blood pressure
• Loss of appetite and/or intense thirst
• Heart arrhythmias

The best way to prevent a potassium deficiency is to eat potassium rich foods.  Some people may need potassium supplements to meet their needs, but this is something that should be discussed with a doctor because high doses of potassium in supplement form can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  Extremely high doses (>18,000 mg) can even lead to heart attacks.  However, a healthy person cannot get toxic levels of potassium from food.

Good sources of potassium in the diet are: 

• Fresh fruits, dried fruits and fruit juices
  • Bananas, cantaloupe, oranges, strawberries and watermelon
  • Dried Fruits like raisins, prunes and apricots
  • Orange, grapefruit and prune juices
• Vegetables
  • Beets, potatoes, lima beans, green peas, spinach and tomatoes
• Meats
  • Fish, ham, beef and turkey
• Nuts/Legumes
  • Beans, Pistachios and peanuts

When it comes to portion control, there are few foods that are more confusing than pasta.  Some questions I get frequently are: What is a serving?  Is a serving based on dry or cooked pasta?  How do I know how I measure uncooked pasta, so I get the appropriate amount of cooked pasta?  Today, I will try to answer these questions.

So, what is a serving of pasta? According to the Food Guide Pyramid and the Diabetic Exchange System, a serving of pasta is ½ cup of cooked pasta (this is equivalent to about 2 ounces of cooked pasta).  This would provide approximately 80-100 calories and 15-20 grams of carbohydrate.

How do I measure pasta? Pasta can be measured before or after cooking.  A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that pasta doubles in size and weight when it is cooked.  Here are some guidelines to follow when measuring pasta.

• Cooked pasta can be measured by using a measuring cup or a food scale.
  • 1 serving = ½ cup or 2 ounces of cooked pasta

If you would prefer to measure the pasta before you cook so you are not making too much food, the following tips can be helpful:

• The most accurate way to measure uncooked past is to use a food scale.
  • 1 ounce uncooked pasta = 1 serving
• If you are making strand pasta (spaghetti, angel hair, etc.), they do make tools to measure pasta.  Typically on a pasta measure, there are several holes that are different diameters.  This allows cooks to know that they are making 1-4 servings by filling the holes.  Pasta measures are inexpensive and can be a great way to achieve portion control when making strand pasta!   Take a look at my store to see what a pasta measure looks like.
• Measuring out pasta shapes can be a bit trickier for those who are not using a pasta scale.  Shapes vary in size, so they do differ slightly, but a good rule of thumb is:
  • Approximately ¼ cup of dry pasta shapes = 1 serving for elbow macaroni, shells, rotini, cavatelli, wheels, penne or ziti.

In summary, a good generalization to measure pasta measures is as follows:

1 Serving cooked pasta = 2 ounces or ½ cup

1 Serving uncooked pasta = 1 ounce or ¼ cup

Yes, I know that your thinking…a half-cup of pasta might not be enough to satisfy a hearty appetite.  Remember, the average person needs 6-11 servings from the Grain food group per day.  So, feel free to have more than a half-cup of pasta at a meal, just be sure to count it as more than one serving.  Also, try adding extra vegetables to the sauce, have a side salad or a small chicken breast along with the pasta.  This will help you to fill up while keeping your pasta portions in check.

Do you feel overwhelmed when it comes to menu planning?  Are you bored with the same old meals?  Eating healthy doesn’t have to limit you to plain chicken breasts and steamed broccoli day after day.  Adding variety keeps things interesting, and can help you to stick with a healthy eating plan long term.  Many people struggle to come up with new ideas for balanced meals, and it can often be a struggle to determine the nutritional value (i.e. calories, fat, carbs) of home prepared meals.

If you feel that meal planning is a struggle, MealsForYou.com could be a great website to check out.  On this website, you can do an “advanced search” for recipes which allows you to choose recipes that include or exclude foods (which is great for those with food allergies) or choose recipes that are high or low in certain nutrients.  For example, you could pick a chicken recipe that is low in calories and high in fiber.  Perhaps you are looking for a meal that is high in calcium that does not include dairy products.  The possibilities are endless!

If you are looking for help with planning a whole meal, then you can click on the “meals” tab at the top of the page.  They have several categories such as kid’s meals, international meals, meals by ingredients, etc.  I would recommend looking under the “Healthy Meals”.  If you are trying to control calories, their “weight loss” meals are all less than 500 calories.  One great thing about this website is that it gives you the nutrition facts (calories, fat, protein, carbs, etc.)  for each menu item and for the entire meal.

If you would like to know the dietary exchanges (how many servings it provides from each food group), you can click on “Tips & Guides” page and use the ”Dietary Exchange Table”.  One other great feature is that it creates a printable shopping list.  For any recipes that you put into your shopping list, it divides them into groups based on grocery store layout and includes the amount you need. 

I think MealsForYou.com makes meal planning as easy as possible…I hope you do too!