Double your weight loss!

Yesterday, I had no sooner posted about journaling for health, when an email from eDiets arrived that was just too enticing: Double your weight loss.

And how do you do that: By writing down everything you eat. There seems to be a theme going on here. Yesterday, it was all about the American Heart Association’s Better U program, which encourages journaling to get healthier.

Now, there is a recently released study – what eDiets terms the largest and longest-running weight-loss trial – that proves the secret to doubling your weight loss is journaling.

eDiets quoted the study’s lead author Jack Hollis, PhD: “The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost. Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories.”

When you write everything you down, it forces you to see where your calories are coming from. It gets you thinking about what you eat, and that leads to accountability. But you have to be honest: Every piece of candy or cookie that passes your lips gets noted.

I’ve never liked journaling. But I started religiously journaling on August 1, and I have to admit it has made me make better food choices. I am my worst critic, so if I have to admit I ate a piece of cheesecake – even if I admit it to myself – it hurts. I would rather pass it up than have to write it down.

OK – I admit it’s a tad weird, but it’s the way my mind works.

“Journaling your food intake isn’t just about what you eat but also how much you eat,” Registered Dietitian Nicole Bengtson told eDiets. “You may not realize that the bag of chips you just ate had two servings in it, meaning what you thought was 140 calories was actually 280 calories.”

And one more tip: Don’t wait to the end of the day to journal your foods because you will forget. As soon as a food is consumed, add it to your list. If possible, write the time of day and your mood, which can help you ID when and why you lose control.

Can it really be this easy?

Heart heath

Journaling is one of those things we can do that will definitely help us reach out goals. What do I get every week at Weight Watchers? A journal, to write down every morsel that passes my lips.

Now there's a new way to track, but this time it's all about heart health. The American Heart Association's Better U -- www.goredforwomen.org/BetterU/index.aspx -- is a 12-week online program geared to making women change their bodies from the inside out. Each week the focus is on heart health, and making small changes that will get you healthier -- and maybe even drop a few pounds.

Of course I joined. But what I love about this journal is that not only do you pick your goal for the week, you identify the barriers you see that could keep you from reaching your goal AND come up with a plan for conquering the barriers.

I knew that Saturday night was going to be a hard night for me. Homemade pizza and lots of wine was on the menu at a friend's house. Writing down a plan to meeting the challenge meant I was in control. I brought a bottle of seltzer with me, finished it before I had my first glass of wine, and paid more attention to the conversation than the food. And guess what: I didn't overeat, not did I drink too much wine.

Ultimately, through Better U, all women will learn their personal risk of heart disease and stroke, while hopefully incorporating small changes to help them live stronger and longer. Better U asks you to set aside 30 to 60 minutes a week -- mere minutes each day -- to log on to the Web site and concentrate on heart health. I don't know about you, but I think my health is worth a whole lot more than 10 minutes a day.

Spread the word. It just might help someone you love live a longer, healthier life. And that someone could be you.

I'm going half full!

The older I get, the less patience I have with toxic people. And no, I am not Pollyanna; I complain like everyone else. But I am making an effort to complain less, or at least when I start to complain, try to stop myself.

Toxic people zap my energy with their need. We all know the type: It's always about them, and if you try to interject a thought, it is quickly dismissed and the topic returns back to their issues and problems. I am not talking about people in need -- those who are sick or ailing. I'm talking about the ego-centrics among us.

This past year, the one thing I have learned about eating healthy and exercising is that I have to look out for No. 1. If I fail, and start to put myself second (which toxic people love you to do), I find myself making poor food choices.

I do some freelancing, and last week's assignment was to have an at-home meal with a chef. I chose Sarah and Bernard Bouissou, both chefs, and owners of two restaurants in Ridgefield, CT, Bernard's and Sarah's Wine Bar. Their night off is really a busman's holiday, a chance for them to reconnect with themselves, their four daughters, extended family, and friends. As I sat at the large outdoor table that night, feasting on glorious food while taking in the sounds of animated French and English conversation, one thing kept popping into my head: These people really know how to live life. There was no tension, no arugments, no one-upsmanship. People talked. People listened. It was obvious that they cared about each other.

I have friends and family just like this. And I know, that if I truly want to reach my goal weight, these are the people I want around me. Instead of a glass half-empty life, mine is going to be half-full. Always.

Water -- yet again

I am always amazed by the amount of money spent doing studies -- and many of these studies are done over and over and over again. The latest to catch my eye was reported Tuesday on the CBS Early Show by Dr. Jennifer Ashton, which found that those older than 55 who drank two 8-ounce glasses of water before each meal lost 30 percent more weight than the group who did not drink the water.

Duh! Love Harry Smith, who commented that he thinks he's heard this before. Not missing a beat, Dr. Ashton agreed, but added: "everything that is old is new again." Come on! Was it that slow a news day? If it's not new, why report it? Guess the promo before the spot and on the web site -- newest tool to lose weight -- kept some viewers glued to the tube and dieters logging on the web site. I obviously fell for it myself.

I do drink this much water before every meal. Most days, I drink more than that. And I don't drink during meals -- except for wine -- because I read once that drinking water when you eat slows digestion -- or something like that. I kind of forget the reason.

But when I watch a segment like this one by Dr. Ashton, I can't help but get a bit angry. People are unemployed in this country, have no insurance, are losing their houses, and someone funded this story. And then I think what a silly nation we've become. Is this news? Certainly not. But do we crave these sort of stories? Absolutely.

And why? Because we eat and drink too much. This is not rocket science.

And now I am angry at myself for talking about this topic. But I must admit it feels good to expel it from my mind. Now I can move on....

If it floats, toss it out!

The egg recall because of Salmonella poisoning is massive -- more than half a billion eggs affected -- and scary, especially with the FDA telling us to avoid mopping up your runny yolks with your toast.

Scrambled, omelets or frittatas are in the future for me.

Is there any doubt that when it comes to our food, it's buyer beware. And when it comes to eggs, we all need to be more vigilant about learning where our eggs come from, and to make sure we are eating the freshest eggs available. I only buy organic eggs from chickens not fed antibiotics -- and so far so good. But I do admit that sometimes I keep my eggs in the fridge past the expiration date.

Today, I offer a tip I learned from my mom, who always tested our eggs for freshness before she cooked them. This won't help the Salmonella issue, but at least you'll know the eggs are still prime.

Place an egg in the bottom of a glass. (We always used a large Pyrex measuring cup.) What mom called lazy eggs -- those reclining on their sides on the bottom of the glass -- are fine. If they point up but are still anchored on the bottom of the glass, eat them immediately. They are what mom called seniors, sweet but on the verge of extinction. If the egg floats, out it goes.

I did some research, first because I wanted to know if mom was right, and second, I'm curious about why old eggs float. Mom, of course, was correct. Egg shells are very porous, and as they age, the shells absorb air, forcing moisture out, which dries out the egg. Not as bad as Salmonella, but dry eggs are not very appetizing.

And one more tip, this one from my new fave book, "Diet Myths That Keep Us Fat" by Nancy L. Snyderman, MD. She cites a study in the International Journal of Obesity that reported eating two eggs for breakfast as part of a reduced-calorie diet can help you lose weight. The study found that those who ate this breakfast had more energy than those who eat a bagel containing an equal amount of calories. In addition, cholesterol levels were not adversely impacted. Dr. Snyderman says it's OK to eat eggs several times a week, as long as you limit cholesterol from other sources -- and skip the frying.

Blasts from my past

Since I’ve been eating healthier, I’ve been cooking more. I’ve also been scouring my recipe files looking for some old favorites to resurrect.
The first recipe was one my mom cooked every now and then, because my dad and I favored her brown lentil soup with kielbasa. This was the soup she made for herself, a lunch treat that over the years I came to love. I found it in her files, long forgotten, but as soon as I saw the name, it brought back memories of my mom and me, devouring our big bowls of soup with some crusty French bread.
The second recipe has been my favorite was to cook chicken – or turkey – since I stopped stuffing the bird about a decade ago. I love how the citrus and onions flavor the poultry, adding a freshness and moistness I find lacking in far too many birds. And yes, it has butter in the recipe, an ingredient I favor over any of the chemicals spreads most of America devours. I also used to use all butter, but now half the amount with extra-virgin olive oil. Everything in moderation.
And the third recipe is from Dr. Andrew Weil, and makes a terrific lunch -- although be sure to have a toothbrush handy. It is pretty garlicky! It would also be wonderful served as a side to the lentil soup.

COCONUT RED LENTIL SOUP
1 cup yellow split peas
1 cup red split lentils (masoor dal)
7 cups water
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 Tblsp. fresh peeled and minced ginger
2 Tblsp. curry powder
2 Tblsp. coconut or olive oil
8 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 14-oz. can coconut milk
2 tsp. fine grain sea salt
1 small handful cilantro, chopped
Place peas and lentils in a large strainer and rinse well.
Place in large soup pot, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot and 1 quarter of the ginger. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the split peas are soft.
In a small dry skillet or saucepan over low heat, toast the curry powder until you begin to smell its fragrance. Be warned: the curry will burn easily if not watched carefully.Set aside.
Place oil in a pan over medium heat, add half the scallions, the rest of the ginger, and raisins. Saute for two minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the tomato paste and saute for another minute.
Add the toasted curry powder to the tomato paste mixture, mix well, and then add this to the simmering soup along with the coconut milk and salt. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until it reaches the consistency you want. If you want it thick, cook a bit more; thinner, add a bit more water, a little at a time.
Sprinkle the soup with cilantro and remaining scallions just before serving. Makes 6 servings.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH ORANGE, LEMON AND GINGER
1 roasting chicken, about 4-6 pounds
1 orange
1 lemon
1 large sweet onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 Tblsp. finely chopped parsley
1 Tblsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 Tblsp. softened butter
1 Tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tblsp. honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Rinse and dry the chicken; remove the giblets.
Grate the orange and lemon rinds into a bowl.
Halve the fruit and squeeze the orange to extract the juice; add more if necessary to make the 1/2 cup. Squeeze the lemon to make the 2 tablespoons of juice. Mix the orange and lemon juices together and set aside.
Place the fruit inside the cavity of the chicken.
To the bowl of citrus peels, add the onion, celery, parsley, ginger, butter, olive oil and honey. Mix the ingredients until well blended. Rub onto all sides of the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the chicken breast side down on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Roast another 15 minutes. Pour the reserved juices over the chicken and roast another 15 minutes. Turn chicken breast side up. Continue to roast, basting occasionally, for another 45-60 minutes or until fully cooked (a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 160 degrees. Remove the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with the pan juices. Makes 6 servings.

TURKISH SPINACH SALAD
1 lb. fresh spinach, washed, stems removed
2 fresh tomatoes, sliced
6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
5 Tblsp. plain nonfat yogurt
2 Tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and black pepper to taste
Dry the spinach, tear it into large pieces, and combine it with the tomatoes and scallions in a bowl.
Combine the yogurt, olive oil, minced garlic, and thyme, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Add the yogurt mixture to the vegetables and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 118 calories; 8g total fat (1g sat); 1mg cholesterol; 10g carbohydrate; 5g protein; 4g fiber; 150mg sodium

Those "calling" foods

This past weekend, I faced three instances in which foods were calling my name -- very loudly in fact -- and I ignored all three calls.

The first challenge came Saturday night, when we were eating at an adorable French restaurant, Cafe Lola, in Fairfield. My favorite French comfort foods were all there -- including escargot. The menu read: "Sizzling snails in garlic butter with parsley and a splash of Pernod." Oh how tempting it sounded, and I had made up my mind that it was worth the extra calories. But at the last moment, when the waitress took my order, instead of saying escargot I said salad.

My immediate thought: "Where did that come from?" I honestly had -- and still have -- no idea. But something inside me must have been nudging my brain to realize that right now, snails dripping in butter might derail even my best intentions.

Round two came Sunday morning, when I got my after-walk Starbucks. There was a new offering in the pastry case: cheese danish. I haven't had a cheese danish in decades, because honestly, I really cannot eat just one. And Starbucks' version had a big glob of cheese right in the middle of the danish. Oh how that danish was screaming my name. But I took a good look at it, and mentally told it that although I know how amazing it would taste, it belonged in the danish case not in -- or eventually on -- my stomach. I had oatmeal instead.

And then there was the Sunday afternoon movie, and although all I could smell as I entered the theater was popcorn, I ignored the snack bar, heading right for my seat.

Three big challenges, all met because I faced them head-on. I would say that's progress.