Week Four Chat Transcript
kristina_spellman: Hey everyone! Thanks for logging on. How did this week go for you?
lircox: Still trying to increase the steps per day; if it's not rain, it's humidity....
kristina_spellman: I hear ya Lircox! What have been some of your strategies for getting more steps when you can?
kristina_spellman: Did anyone try making any snack packs this week?
lircox: Getting off the train one stop earlier than usual; walking tothe last car on for the commuter rail which is also farther from where I park, so more steps both ways
kristina_spellman: Lircox, those are all great ideas. Keep it up. Eventually you will notice this will evolve into your new routine.
lircox: Like those Cabot cheese packets with fruit
kristina_spellman: Okay. Great, it looks like you thought about combining a protein with a fruit for your snack which we have discussed on previous chats. Great job! How about anyone else?
kristina_spellman: Anyone out there try label reading at the grocery store this week?
kristina_spellman: How about anything that was a bit difficult this week. Did anyone have any issues that they are looking to get some feedback from the group on?
lircox: Amazing how much sodium in things...
laceyD: it's in everything
kristina_spellman: What types of foods did you notice this on Lircox?
Boo: What would you recommend for a low sodium packaged snack?
lircox: anything packaged - thus a good reason to eat more fresh foods
kristina_spellman: Boo-fruits can be quite portable and they are low in sodium as well. Low-fat yogurts, hard-boiled eggs, whole wheat crackers like Kashi are great too.
kristina_spellman: You can even pack whole grain dry cereal as an on the go snack. Mix in some raisins and 1 oz of nuts as well
Boo: Thank you Kristina
kristina_spellman: Lircox-you are right on that too!
kristina_spellman: EAting less than 2300 mg of sodium a day is your goal
kristina_spellman: When you look at the label you will see on the right hand side something called the %DV. This is the %daily value.
kristina_spellman: 20% is considered high. This may help you as you compare foods.
kristina_spellman: You want things like the fat, sodium, sugar, cholesterol to be low % DV's, but you want things like fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A to be on the higher end.
Boo: I work full time and I travel an hour each way to work. Any suggestions for healthy on the go meals?
kristina_spellman: Boo-Do you get a chance to prepare your lunch the night before?
Boo: Sometimes because I get home late.
lircox: I have a long commute time as well and I find I need to prepare things the night before so I can just grab my lunch int he morning quickly. If I don't do that, then I tend to graze all days with whatever snacks I keep in my desk and that's not great whether they are healthy snacks or not.
kristina_spellman: Okay. Are you looking for foods that you can take with you on the run between meals or actual meals?
Boo: actual meals
kristina_spellman: Lircox-exactly right. That is why I was wondering about Boo's prep the night before as well.Thanks for adding that suggestion! Yes, preparing your lunch and snacks the night before helps so much. Boo-is there a way to make time to do that even 3 days a week?
Boo: yes
laceyD: you may have touched on this in past chats, but how many calories should your dinner contain? it's usually my biggest meal of the day
kristina_spellman: Boo-what might you need to do to help you get your meals prepared the night before? Would you be the type of person to bring in one big bag of your weekly snacks on Monday or would you be more apt to do it day to day?
lircox: I also find that making a big fruit salad and a big garden salad on the weekend helps me to just put it in a bowl the night before and I add a yogurt and also do the hardboiled egg thing on the weekend. It heps to keep the prep time at night to a minimum
bidmc_moderator: Hi DBG, is everything going okay with logging on? Anything I can help you out with?
laceyD: i know but i'm so busy throughout the day and dinner is a time i look forward to with my family...i usually cook a meal - lke chicken with a veg and rice (brown) or something
kristina_spellman: LaceD-of course! that sounds like a perfect scenerio, the family meal is so essential.
kristina_spellman: The meal you describe also sounds balanced as well laceyD
kristina_spellman: The goal at your dinner meal LaceyD is to go slowly and be mindful of your fullness. Being more mindful during meals helps us to take in fewer calories without sacrificing flavor & enjoyment!
laceyD: great! that's astaple. i try to make a sauce too, but usually add chicken broth or a low fat herb sauce or something...any suggestions on good low cal sauces for meals?
kristina_spellman: I tend to love using lemon as a way to add flavor.
kristina_spellman: I love using balsamic vinegar as well.
laceyD: i crockpot too with low fat cream of mush or cream of chicken...not basd...but would love to spice it up!
kristina_spellman: Adding spices is one of the best way to boost flavor without fat! I tend to try to make some spice mixtures and put those in little jars so that way I don't have to reach for 6 spices every meal! They are already put together.
kristina_spellman: Many of my clients also like to make meals on Sunday and then freeze them for the weeks ahead.
laceyD: good tip!
kristina_spellman: Has anyone tried that before?
lircox: it works well...
laceyD: i made 2 meals with leftover chicken and froze one. we've been eating the other the past 2 nights- super easy
kristina_spellman: You can get meats like chicken breast or even a pork loin. Prepare it with a marinade, put it in a big freezer bag, date it and it is ready to go during the week.
kristina_spellman: You can even have chopped bags of veggies ready to go for adding to soups, sauces, etc. It saves time chopping during the week.
kristina_spellman: Just another label reading tip. We have talked about whole grains before. Try to pick breads and cereals that have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving listed on the label.
kristina_spellman: This will help you get to your goal of 25-30 grams per day. Remember to drink extra water!
dhemming: For days when I am unprepared for lunch, I keep a jar of peanut butter, a package of rice cakes, and some raisins in my desk. Two cakes for lunch, one for a snack.
kristina_spellman: dhemming-good idea to keep foods like that for busy days!
lircox: I keep a jar of peanut butter at my desk as well and it's great with an apple.
dhemming: I also keep a can or two of healthy-type soups as well.
kristina_spellman: It is better to get something in that skip. When you skip what tends to happen?
kristina_spellman: I know I keep little canned fruits and almonds as well.
laceyD: you starve and eat too much of something bad because its the first thing you get your hands on!
dhemming: Same here
kristina_spellman: Very true lacey. We call that disinhibition. It is a lack of control around food. It happens to the best of us when we let ourselves get too hungry.
kristina_spellman: All of the planning ahead strategies you have been mentioning help to prevent that.
kristina_spellman: Many times people find they are always trying to catch up to their hunger because they are trying to restrict themselves all the time.
kristina_spellman: The key is to feel satisfied and the balanced plate we have talked about should help with that as well.
kristina_spellman: What about writing out a shopping list? Do you tend to do that?
kristina_spellman: I really have noticed for me the shopping list is so critical. I spend less and it helps me to get the week started on the right track.
lircox: I agree. spend less, eat better with a list
laceyD: i always do and seldom have snacks in the house that are bad.,..mainly because my husband eats them all in one sitting!
laceyD: and i don't want to be tempted.
kristina_spellman: Out of sight, out of mind!
laceyD: popcorn is my one indulgence- the 100 cal packs are quick and easy
kristina_spellman: This out of sight out of mind goes for meals as well. You will notice if you tend to keep the serving dishes on the table you may be more apt to pick at them
laceyD: and i love sugar free jello with sugarfree cool whip too
laceyD: good tip about the serving dishes!
kristina_spellman: If you serve then put the food away you are much less likely to go back into the fridge for round two. Same goes for if you are at a party. If you stand near the food you will end up eating more at the event.
kristina_spellman: There is some great research devoted to mindless eating.
kristina_spellman: We tend to eat more food when it is on bigger dishes. One fun study actually had a soup bowl that would keep refilling on the subjects. They didn't even notice, they just kept eating and eating. It was the endless bowl.
dhemming: That must have been pretty funny!
kristina_spellman: They ate much more than they normally would have simply because the food was there.
kristina_spellman: There have been other studies done on the candy dish as well!
kristina_spellman: You can reverse the out of sight out of mind by thinking "what foods do I need to keep IN SIGHT".
dhemming: Yes, if I don't have it in the house, I don
dhemming: sorry - don't eat it.
laceyD: my problem seems to lie in the things that are "healthy" that I love but aren't the best "healthy"...Like avacados: good fat right? but I want to eat the entire thing! maybe 2!
kristina_spellman: Lacey-Yes, avocados do provide healthy fats. You are right, though moderation with these foods is the key.
laceyD: and I enjoy chicken, pork, turkey, but i want sauces and starches with them!
laceyD: it's tough
kristina_spellman: When you go to eat those foods that you tend to overeat, it is good that you know in advance that they are difficult foods for you.
laceyD: yes true
laceyD: true- and with the weather we've been having- an after dinner walk is very enjoyable
kristina_spellman: The food choices you mention (sauces, starches) are still really great choices! It sounds like moderation and eating a little bit less vs overindulging on those foods might be what you are looking to achieve.
laceyD: plus my dog would like it i'm sure
kristina_spellman: Yes the dog would love it!! Good for you too!
kristina_spellman: Many times for most of us it is really about raising our awareness about the choices we make around food and movement.
kristina_spellman: There is no way to be on a "perfect" diet or exercise regimen. Just being able to make positive choices each day will impact your health in a big way.
laceyD: Thank you Kristina! You are very encouraging and helpful!
kristina_spellman: Planning ahead for your day is critical as well. Remember, if you make a plan instead of falling into situations where you have to make spontaneous food choices, you will be that more more able to do what fits with your healthy living plan.
kristina_spellman: Anybody want to share their goal for this week?
kristina_spellman: This week I am going to add a fruit as my after dinner snack. I am going to try to do this 5 out of 7 days this week. To get things started I am going to go to the store today and get fresh fruits taht are on sale!
kristina_spellman: Anyone else???
lircox: Since fruit and veggies are so fresh right now, adding additional servings to each meal at least 5 out of the 7 days
dhemming: Thanks Kristina!
lircox: Thanks. Have a great week everyone.
