Eat Out Eat Well

weight management strategies

Late Night – Open Freezer Door – Spoon In Hand Scenario

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So who hasn’t found themselves standing in the frozen fog shoving around frozen containers of frozen leftovers from last Thanksgiving looking for the container of Haagen-Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s or whatever brand you’ve got lurking in there.

If you’re a goner and there’s no stopping the oncoming ice cream assault, here’s a way to modify it – somewhat!

The Size Of the Container

The size of the container – or plate – or bowl – can often determine how much you ultimately eat.  If you stand there with spoon in hand and just attack the container, in the blink of an eye it’s possible to polish off an entire pint or the better portion of a quart.

If there’s no turning back from the ice cream, at least try to make a deal with yourself and scoop some into a bowl – and make it a smaller dessert bowl not a monster size cereal or soup bowl. Then you’ve practiced portion control and had your ice cream, too.  You actually might not hate yourself so much in the morning.

Does Impulsive Mean Overweight And Neurotic Mean Yo-Yo?

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Are You Impulsive — Or Neurotic?

If you’re impulsive it seems that you are more likely to be overweight. If you’re highly neurotic and less conscientious, it’s more likely that you’ll see your weight go up and down.

At least that’s what was found in a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology — based on data accumulated over 50 years from close to 2,000 people. The researchers studied these generally healthy and highly educated people to attempt to determine how their personalities might affect their weight and body mass index.

Your Food Choices

So what does that mean for your food choices?

Think of it this way.  If you are an impulsive person and prone to giving into temptation — as many impulsive people are — standing in front of a delicious bakery window and peering in may not be the best idea for you.  It’s going to be darn hard not to succumb to temptation and turn around and walk away.  And, if you do walk in, what are the chances that you can just order coffee without getting that delicious cinnamon-pecan sticky bun to go along with it?

So maybe do yourself a favor and plan your route so you don’t pass the bakery.  By doing so you cut down on the opportunities for those impulsive food purchases that you might regret later.

Risky, Antagonistic, Cynical, Competitive, Aggressive

And by the way, according to the study people who are risk takers — or who are antagonistic, cynical, competitive, and aggressive — also gained more weight.

And If You’re Conscientious . . .

Lucky you if you’re conscientious because you were found (in the study) to typically be thinner.

Another Big Reason To Up Your Daily (Soluble) Fiber

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Fat is fat.  Right??? Wrong!!!  It turns out that even though most of us hate the way it looks, the fat right under the skin, called subcutaneous fat, isn’t as dangerous as the fat deep in the belly, called visceral fat, that surrounds your organs.

A study, published in the journal Obesity, of 1,114 African Americans and Hispanic Americans — population groups disproportionally at higher risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes and for accumulating visceral fat — identified some simple ways to zero in on and reduce visceral fat. They are:

  • eat more vegetables high in soluble fiber
  • eat more fruit and beans
  • make sure you engage in moderate activity.

Why Is Visceral Fat So Dangerous?

According to the study’s lead researcher, “a higher rate of visceral fat is associated with high blood pressure, diabetes and fatty liver disease.” The results of the study showed there can be a big health impact from making the few simple changes listed above.

The researchers found that visceral fat was reduced by 3.7% over five years for every 10 gram increase in soluble fiber the subjects ate per day. Over the same time period, an increase in moderate physical activity resulted in a 7.4% decrease in the rate of visceral fat accumulation. Interestingly, the increased intake of soluble fiber was associated with a decreased accumulated visceral fat but not with decreased subcutaneous fat.

What You Can Do

You can get 10 grams of soluble fiber from eating two small apples, one cup of green peas, and half a cup of pinto beans.  Moderate activity as defined in the study is exercising vigorously for 30 minutes, two to four times a week.

Although the evidence shows that eating more soluble fiber and increasing exercise reduces visceral or belly fat, researchers still don’t know why. That’s why a study like this is so important – it gives specific information on how dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber, can affect abdominal fat deposits and weight.

Road Trip? Why Not Roadmap Your Miles And Your Meals?

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Planning a road trip?  You know that you’re going to have to stop for a snack or a meal along the way.  Do you leave your food choices to chance?

I drive a lot.  I have three long road trips coming up in the next month. I know that I’m going to stop for a snack or meal —  either because I need gas; I’m bored, stiff, and tired; I’m hungry – or any combination of the above; and, quite frankly, because I love rest stops and truck stops.

The lure of a rest stop can be hard to pass up when you’ve been sitting in the car for hours on end. You walk in and you’re assaulted by an array of vending machines, candy racks, fast food, donuts, coffee, and every bottled drink under the sun. You’re a captive consumer (there’s probably no other place around that you know of to stop other than the roadside rest stop, truck stop, or gas station) – and, you crave something to:

  • Keep you energized and awake
  • Ease the boredom
  • Reward you for endless hours of driving (especially of you have complaining or fighting kids with you)
  • Bring back memories of summer road trip food you had when you were a kid (as a parent I can admit that you often give in and buy all kinds of stuff for your kids because they’re driving you crazy)

The Trap And The Danger

An endless stream of high carb, high fat, high calorie, and processed food is just begging you to plunk down your money so you can immediately indulge (watch how many people start eating the food they’ve bought before they even pay) or to take with you (in case there’s a pending famine).

The real danger – aside from the damage to your waistline – is that the high carb processed foods spike then crash your blood sugar — which ends up making you really tired and cranky.  Drowsy drivers are most definitely not safe drivers.

Cranky drivers make life miserable for everyone in the car – not a great tone to set if you’re going on vacation.

Some Ideas

  • It may take away some of the road trip spontaneity, but when you pack up your car pack some food, too.  Fill a cooler with water, fruit, yogurt, sandwiches, whatever you think you will eat and that will keep you alert and energized (aim for some complex carbs and protein).  Why not throw in some portion sized bags of nuts and popcorn, too?  Planning ahead means you’re not at the mercy of the vending machines and racks and racks of candy, chips, and baked goods.
  • Use an app or your GPS to find nearby restaurants as you drive through various communities. A little searching can help you find places with healthier options than you might find at a rest stop. This can be really helpful for anyone with allergies or special dietary requirements.
  • If you haven’t done either of the above and just want to play it by ear – or pit stop – at least have your own mental list of some good, better, and best choices of food to buy.  The danger is that the candy, chips, fries, and donuts call your name the minute you walk in the door.  If you know that you’re going to head straight for the nuts, or popcorn, or even a burger, that’s great, as long as the giant chocolate chip cookie and the bargain 32 ounce soda for 99 cents doesn’t grab you first. Try to decide what you’re going to buy (hopefully, a good choice) before you go in – and then stick to your decision.

Enjoy your road trips.

How Obesity Threatens Our Future

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Since 2006, Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have released an annual report on obesity.  This year’s report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2011 (available as a PDF download), unveils some downright alarming statistics.

Some Major Findings:

Adult Obesity Rates and Trends (2008-2010)

  •  Adult obesity rates rose in 16 states over the past year. No state had a decrease.
  •  Obesity rates exceed 25% in more than two-thirds of states (38 states).
  •  Mississippi had the highest rate of obesity at 34.4%; Colorado the lowest at 19.8% — the only state with a rate below 20%.
  •  Obesity and obesity-related diseases (like diabetes and hypertension) remain the highest in the South. Nine of the 10 states with the highest rates of diabetes and physical inactivity are in the South as well the 10 states with the highest rates of hypertension. Northeastern and Western states have the lowest rates of obesity.
  •  In the past year adult diabetes rates increased in 11 states and Washington, D.C.; more than 10% of adults in eight states now have type 2 diabetes.
  •  Obesity increased for men in nine states and for women in ten states, and decreased for women in one state (Nevada).
  •  People who didn’t graduate from high school have the highest rates of obesity (32.8%). High school graduates who didn’t go to college or technical school have the second highest obesity rate (30.4%).  People who went to college/technical school had an obesity rate of 29.6%; graduates from college/technical school had the lowest obesity rate, 21.5%.
  •  Households with an income less than $15,000 have a 33.8% obesity rate; households with an income above $50,000 have a 24.6% obesity rate.

Changes in Adult Obesity, Overweight, Diabetes, and Hypertension Over Time

  • Twenty years ago no state had an obesity rate above 15%.
  •  Twenty years ago the state with the highest combined obesity and overweight rate was 49%; now the lowest rate is 54.8%; 44 states are above 60%.
  •  Twenty years ago, 37 states had hypertension rates over 20%; now every state is over 20%; nine are over 30%.
  •  Over the past 15 years seven states have doubled their obesity rates; 10 states nearly doubled theirs with increases of at least 90%; 22 more states saw their  obesity rates increase by at least 80%.
  •  Since 1995 obesity rates have grown the fastest in Oklahoma, Alabama, and Tennessee and the slowest in Washington, D.C., Colorado, and Connecticut.
  •  Ten years ago there weren’t any states with an obesity rate above 24%; now 43 states have higher obesity rates than the state that was the highest in 2000.

Top Recommendations

“The report includes recommendations for policies to help leverage change quickly and efficiently, by providing individuals and families with the resources and opportunities to make healthier choices in their daily lives. For instance, the report calls for the strategic implementation of the ACA, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, and other federal and state policy changes to help prevent and control obesity in America.”

Please take notice.  To see more recommendations and to read the full report click here.