Getting Ready for Labor Day

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It has been a crazy day!

Here is the latest Get Fit email from Dr. Jacobs.

For most people, Labor Day signals the ending of the summer season. This includes the grill or the barbecue pit. Traditional barbecue and picnic foods are a labor of love and many find the selections delicious. In many cases, the foods most associated with summer eating range is caloric value, and even though a grilled chicken and corn on the cob may be on the menu, so are many high fat, high sugar selections. Many people are surprised to find out basic picnic food can present a large number of hidden calories. A single portion of macaroni salad may have up to 50 g of fat and a single serving of barbecued ribs (2 ribs) equals 320 calories, 16 g sugar and 20 g of fat. The addition of other foods to round out an ideal barbecue will contribute to a high calorie event.

Food Item| Single serving reference values

Hamburger| 10 g fat, 254 calories, 378 mg sodium

Cheeseburger w/condiments| 26 g fat, 482 calories, 640 mg

Hot dogs| 16 g fat, 180 calories, 620 mg sodium

Ribs| 21 g fat, 320 calories, 790 mg sodium

Coleslaw| 16 g fat, 206 calories

Potato salad| 21 g fat, 1323 mg sodium

Macaroni salad| 26g fat, 760 g sodium, 349 calories

Barbecue sauce| 10 g sugar, 50 calories, 330 mg sodium

Baked beans| 19 g sugar, 570 g sodium, 190 calories

Apple pie| 20 g fat, 33 g sugar, 390 calories

Pecan pie| 22 g fat, 30 g sugar 541 calories

Corn bread| 6 g, 13 g, 200 calories

Soda| 30-40 g sugar, 12 calories per ounce

Domestic Beer| 200 calories each

Consider a basic meal of a cheeseburger, side of potato salad and baked beans and a slice of apple pie and a conservative net would equal 1,312 calories, over 3000 mg of salt and 67 g of fat. If you side with two hot dogs (who eats one?), a side of macaroni salad, some chips and slice of pecan pie you’ve reached 1,450 calories and 2,650 mg of sodium. Consider these numbers as conservative; most people each multiple servings and also consume additional calories from sodas, alcohols and other side dishes.

It is not surprising to see a single picnic meal reach over two thousand calories. So what is a person to do – skip barbecues? Rather than go extreme, make a couple of conservative changes and the day and waist line can be saved. For instance, using Fat-free hot dogs at 50 calories, 0 g fat, 490 mg sodium cuts the calories to a third and reduces the sodium. Swapping out hamburgers for chicken, soy burgers or buying extra lean meats will save calories and reduce saturated fat. Using a spice mixture like “Suddenly Pasta” and some olive oil cuts the fat and calories in half on the pasta salad. Condiments hide a lot of calories, fat and sugar. Use reduced calorie mayonnaise and low sugar barbecue sauce instead. Slice avocado for hamburgers or grill onions as healthier toppings. For beverages, brew up unsweetened ice tea and offer calorie free options like Crystal Light. Rather than serving calorie-rich desserts serve fruits like watermelon and cut strawberries; even topping it with lite Cool Whip only adds 25 calories.

In addition to making some smart food choices, be sure to center your Labor Day and other picnics around activities. Touch football, playing catch or horse shoes or Bacchi all expend calories and remove people from the temptation of boredom and proximity eating. Lastly, do not forget about sunscreen. Be sure the SPF is adequate for the environment; even though many people have been cooped up for months and the temptation for a quick tan beckons, excess sun exposure raises risks for skin cancer.

Recipe Review: Dusty Grapes

Have I mentioned that it is really hot here in Texas? Well it is. This past Sunday evening I attended Bible study. Our leader brought frozen grapes for us to share. However, they were not just regular frozen grapes! They had strawberry banana sugar-free jell-o powder sprinkled all over them. They were so good!

This week I hunted down a recipe and made these for our recipe review, because I thought that we could all use a nice cold treat. I did not follow this exact recipe, because I improvised a little. Enjoy!

Ingredients. Feel free to use any kind of Jell-O you want!

First I took the grapes off of the vine. Please note that I started with fresh, not frozen grapes.

Next, I washed the grapes and drained them really well.

Then I put the washed grapes into a large Ziploc bag.

Next, I added the dry Jell-O powder to the Ziploc bag.

I tried to sprinkle the powder over as many grapes as possible.

Close your Ziploc bag

and shake it until the powder has been evenly spread over all the grapes.

After that I let out all the air in the bag before putting it in the freezer.

Put the grapes in the freezer

until they are completed frozen.

Once they are frozen that's it, you're done! Feel free to take them our and enjoy them whenever you like!

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Dusty Grapes
Source: Big Red Kitchen

Ingredients
3 cups grapes
1 small box Jell-O Sugar-Free Gelatin Dessert (any flavor), dry powder

Instructions
Place frozen grapes in a quart sized zip top bag, add Jell-O powder, zip bag and shake well. Be sure that your frozen grapes are right from the freezer because any condensation will cause clumping. I place a small amount in ramekins as treats for the kiddies (well all right I confess, me too!) and quickly return leftovers to the freezer.

Serves: 6; PointsPlus+: 2

Just a note when you are counting your pointsplus+: Technically grapes are zero pointsplus+ and technically Jell-O is zero pointsplus+. However, when I put these into Weight Watchers recipe builder it calculated the nutritional facts for both of these ingredients and it came out to be 2 pointsplus+ per serving. Either way it is a pretty healthy and refreshing snack option.

Healthy Eating Without the Hassle

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Here is the latest Get Fit email from Dr. Jacobs.

The latest nutritional science points toward a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, paired with healthy sources of protein and fats. A largely plant-based diet with protein from fish, skinless poultry, nuts, legumes, and small amounts of lean meats opens the door to good health.

Equally important is to choose foods in forms that are as close as possible to the way they came from nature. A cherry, for example, is a better choice than a cherry fruit bar. Whole-grain bread trumps white bread.

While it may seem like a lot of extra effort to eat more healthfully, it doesn’t have to be. You only need to keep in mind three simple steps: eat more plant-based foods, fewer animal-based foods, and only as much food as your body needs. Here are some ways to do this:

Focus on unprocessed or minimally processed foods.
By doing so, you’ll naturally consume foods that have the amounts and combinations of fiber and nutrients that nature intended. Many factory-made foods, in contrast, are stripped of natural fiber and nutrients and filled with ingredients made to stimulate appetite and keep you eating more. Processed meats, in particular, are linked with heart disease and cancer. Unprocessed foods have no added sugar, fat, or salt. Most also have more fiber.

Be adventurous.
To get a broader range of disease-fighting nutrients, think beyond whole-grain pasta and broccoli. Try new grains, vegetables, and fruits. Bulgur and quinoa are good grain alternatives. Novel kinds of beans, fruits, and vegetables abound. You can experiment with new recipes that rely less on meat and make use of different ingredients and herbs and spices for flavor sources.

Mix it up.
A good rule of thumb for each day is to try to get three servings of fruit, three to four servings of vegetables, some lean protein, some whole grains, healthy oils, some nonfat or low-fat dairy, and a serving of nuts or legumes. At each meal, look at your plate: about one-half should be fruits and vegetables, one-quarter lean proteins (fish, poultry, beans, or tofu), and one-quarter whole grains.

Drink enough liquids.
Because many foods contain water, most people get sufficient liquid each day without making a special effort. But it can be helpful throughout the day to drink water or another no-calorie liquid as an alternative to snacking or to wash down meals. Plus, as you increase your fiber content with whole-grain foods, water helps ferry it smoothly through your digestive tract and protects you from constipation. Drinking 4 to 6 cups of water a day is a reasonable and healthful goal.

Keep protein portions small.
For proteins like meat and chicken, 3 ounces for lunch and slightly more for dinner is a good goal. Keep in mind that 4 ounces of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

Aim for at least two servings of fish each week.
However, avoid large, predatory deep ocean fish (such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and blue fin tuna) because of their higher mercury content.

Plan ahead.
If you snack, plan ahead for healthy snacks to minimize the risk of impulsively eating unhealthy foods. Stay away from sugary drinks and their empty calories.

Snack Smart

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Here is the meeting summary from August 6, 2011.

I know that the summer can be so hectic, but make time for yourself and for the meetings. Now more than ever you need that support and motivation.

This week in the meeting room we talked about Snacking Smart. We discovered that people already know what times of the day that they are going to get cravings.

For example:
*mid-morning craving around 10 am after breakfast and before lunch
*mid-work day lull sometime between 1 and 5 pm
*on your way home from work when all the restaurants smell so good
*after supper and before bedtime
*late night cravings
*long car trips

Now if we already know that we are going to be hungry during these times, the best thing that we can do is plan and prepare for these snacks. Instead of fighting the hunger, (and being oober cranky at work) your best bet is to budget snacks into your daily points plus allowance.

Power foods offer us amazing nutrition, are the lowest in pointsplus+ values, and they give you the longest lasting feeling of satisfaction. Because of all these benefits power foods really can be a wonderful option for your snacking.

When we don’t plan for our snacks, we usually do not have healthy options around, so we end up spending a lot more unwanted pointsplus+ on a less satisfying food because it was all we could find.

Always have a stash of food where you have the most amount of snack cravings.
Keep something at work (desk drawer, break-room, locker, etc.)
Keep something in your purse/bag.
Have something in your car (*don’t recommend chocolate this time of year)
Have something by your bed at night. (keeps the kids out of your treats and keeps you from getting up and browsing to the kitchen)

Fat, protein and fiber are the best 3 ingredients when trying to snack smart. Fat and protein will provide the longest-lasting energy, while slow-to-digest fiber will keep you feeling fuller longer. You should also include some carbohydrates, which are a source of rapid energy.

Try some of these tasty snack options:
• Low-fat vanilla yogurt topped with chopped fresh fruit and a spoonful of chopped peanuts.
• Whole grain crackers and low-fat cheese.
• Instant oatmeal mixed with a small amount of dried fruit bits and slivered almonds.
• Peanut butter and jelly on light whole wheat bread.
• Apple slices and peanut butter.
• Veggie straws with hummus.
• Half a turkey sandwich with low-fat mayonnaise.
• A small handful of nuts and raisins.
• A low-fat granola bar.
• A cup of bean soup.

In this heat try some cold options! Try freezing your fresh fruit and eat them as a tasty treat later to help cool you down. Try blueberries, grapes, and even bananas.
When freezing bananas be sure to take the peel off first.
a) You can cut a banana in half and then stick a Popsicle stick in each half to make a tasty treat
b) Slice up the banana and place it in a Ziploc bag and put it in the freezer. This makes a great on the go snack and almost tastes like eating a banana ice cream.

Staying on Track

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Happy Monday!! How was your weekend!? My weekend was great. Originally, I thought that I would be spending a lot of time by myself, but to my surprise Jon was home on Saturday. I love him!!

I also switched my weigh in day to Saturday! I was down a little from what I weighed in at on Tuesday which was nice. I even managed to stay within my daily pointsplus+ target on Saturday! Yesterday, we much more challenging and I went over my daily pointsplus+, but that is why I have a weekly pointsplus+ allowance that I can tap into.

This morning, I am forgiving myself for going over yesterday and moving on. It is not going to help me to continue to dwell on what already happened. I am getting right back on track and know that I can do a good job on plan this week.

Speaking of staying on track, the text below was a radio broadcast that I heard last week. This segment was done by Lysa TerKeurst, whom I adore! Please take a moment and be encouraged by what Lysa has to say.

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Staying On Track
Radio Hostess: Lysa TerKeurst
Contributing Writer: Lysa TerKeurst

When friends ask how I’ve managed to eat healthy for the past few years, I say it’s one good choice after another! Hi, I’m Lysa TerKeurst with Proverbs 31 Ministries.

It’s not easy, I have to think ahead about the realities of the food choices I make every day.

If I were struggling with my finances, I would need to think about the price before I decide to buy something. The same is true with my food choices. I can’t eat, eat, eat and just pretend the calories won’t add up. I need to remember that I have the power to make sure the next thing I put in my mouth is healthy.

We were meant to consume food. Food was never meant to consume us. And, we can ask God to help us make the right food choices, to know when enough is enough, and to listen to that still, small voice inside that says, “stop.”

With God’s help we can make one wise choice after the other! For more ideas, visit proverbs31.org.

Fun Without Food

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Here is the meeting summary from July 30, 2011.

This week in the meeting room we talked about some ways that we can have fun without food!

Imagine that you're an event planner, and you're planning three big parties: a wedding, a family reunion and a child's birthday. Now imagine that you have to plan all of these events without food. Is it possible to have a good time without eating? You bet!

Creativity is key
Brainstorming can help you solve many weight-loss problems. So think about how to make these parties a hit without using food as the focus. Displaying old photos and videos of the bride and groom at the wedding is a fun way to get all of the guests involved. Staging a family-themed scavenger hunt will make all of your family members work together as a team (and enjoy themselves along the way). And to keep everyone entertained at a children's party, just think games, games and more games!

I know it's not very likely that you'll ever attend a party or celebration that is completely without food. But now that you've had a chance to brainstorm non-food activities that would make a party enjoyable, you can expand these ideas the next time you're planning a get-together, so that food isn't the most important part of the event.

In addition to keeping food and fun two separate entities, establishing your Winning Outcomes for a certain celebration is a great way to keep your focus on weight loss, not on the food buffet. Winning Outcomes, a powerful resource from Weight Watchers Tools for Living, will help you to figure out exactly what you want from weight loss. Once you decide that reaching your weight-loss goals is more important than overindulging at a party, you can really begin to work toward reaching those goals.

Fun without food

I now know that I can

Have fun everywhere

If I make a good plan.

Go hiking go biking

A new attitude.

Is all that I need

To have fun without food.

- Susan

Try to remember to focus on your goals rather than on food at your next celebration!!

Recipe Review: Sweet Barbacoa Pork

I am a HUGE fan of Gina's Weight Watchers recipes. Gina's website is called, www.skinnytaste.com. She has awesome recipe ideas that are Weight Watchers friendly. I eat a lot of her recipes throughout the month. I am happy to say that several of these recipes have become staples in our home!

I am so excited to do a recipe review for this recipe!!

Marinade ingredients

Mix ingredients together and let sit for a few hours or overnight. I let mine sit overnight.

Ingredients for the sauce "step 2".

I used more than 8 oz of Coke Zero, I used about 12 oz.

Add tomato sauce

Add 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce

Add the rest of your spices

and brown sugar

Stir together. I made this sauce the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

I work all day and would not be able to follow the recipe instructions that Gina gives below. So, before work, I added the sauce to the marinade.

I let everything cook together for about 13 hours on low, while I was at work and Weight Watchers.

When I got home, Jon shred the pork for me.

I measured out 3 oz of pork just for me!

The pork turned out so great! We made tacos the first night. However, we have a lot of leftovers. For the next few nights we will have pork sandwiches and pork over rice with black beans.

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Slow Cooked Sweet Barbacoa Pork
Source: Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes

Ingredients
Marinade:
2.5 lbs pork loin roast, all fat trimmed
salt and pepper
garlic powder
6 oz Coke zero
1/4 cup brown sugar (unpacked)
1/4 cup water

Step 2
8 oz Coke zero
6 oz can sliced green chilies
8 oz tomato sauce
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp chipotle chili powder (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

Instructions
Season pork with salt, pepper and garlic powder and place in the crock pot. Add 6 oz of coke and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Marinate refrigerated for a few hours or overnight turning meat at least once while marinating.

Remove crock from refrigerator, add water, and cook on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily). Remove pork from crock pot and discard any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork with two forks.

Step two: In the crock pot, combine 8 oz coke, green chilies, tomato sauce, chipotle chile, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder and remaining brown sugar.

Put shredded pork back in the crock pot and combine with sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook on high 1-1/2 hours more.

Servings: about 10 • Serving Size: 3 oz • Old Points: 4.5 pts • Points+: 5 pts • Calories: 202.5 • Fat: 6.3 g • Protein: 26.2 g • Carb: 11.5 g • Fiber: 0.6 g