Beat Diabetes with Better Nutrition

6 Ways to Control Evening Eating and Lose Weight

Does your day start in a race with the clock to get out the door?

Do you skip breakfast because you don't have time?  

Do you skip lunch some days because there is just too much work to be done?

Are you so hungry by the time you get home in the evening that you feel like you could eat everything in sight? 

Do you eat almost continuously from the time you get in the house after work until you go to bed? 

 If you are like most Americans that work during the daylight hours, you can probably relate to this unhealthy routine.  I have to admit that I often catch myself in the same situation.

STOP!  This eating pattern on a regular basis is in a sense abusing our bodies and puts us on the fast track toward weight gain and Type 2 diabetes.  

So how do we turn it around?

Celebrate Healthy Weight Week by Getting a New Perspective

Have you made plans for a weight loss in 2009?If you find yourself getting off and on the diet roller coaster check out Top Ten Reasons Not to Diet

What is your eating attitude?  To get a healthy perspective check out this handout on Normal Eating.

For women, weight control and dissatisfaction with our body can consume too much of our waking hours. We start the negative self-talk going on in our head that brings us down and soon we feel defeated.

On the other hand, we all have a weight range that we feel good about and I know when I gain extra weight I feel sluggish, my back starts to hurt, my clothes don't fit and I start to worry about my blood sugars getting high.

Where do we find the balance between a healthy body we can feel good about and not becoming a chronic dieter?

I think each of us needs to build our own healthy lifestyle based on our health beliefs, our health goals and the foods and resources that are available to us. My goal is to live a long life, healthy enough to stay active and enjoy life as long as possible. I know my highest risk is probably for diabetes so I use that as my motivation to try and eat healthy and exercise.

If your goal is to develop your own healthier lifestyle and you need support and positive guidance please feel free to check out my programs and email me if you would like more information about my $39 special I am running through May.  

A Soup Good for Your Heart, Diabetes and Weight Loss Plan

Split Pea Soup is one of my favorite soups but it is also an excellent source of fiber and low in calories.

This recipe makes about 6 cups.

2  3/4 cups water and 1  14-oz can low sodium chicken broth

1  1/2 cup dry split peas, rinsed and drained

1 lb meaty ham bone

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

Black Pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup each of chopped carrot, celery, and onion

In a 3-4 quart slow cooker combine split peas, ham bone, marjoram, pepper, bay leaf, carrots, celery and onion. Pour water and chicken broth over all. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Remove bay leaf. Remove ham bone, cut off any meat left on bone and stir into soup.

A 1  1/2 cup serving provides 320 calories, only 4 grams fat, about 700 mg sodium, 49 grams carb, 20 grams fiber, and 25 grams protein. You also get 36% of your daily vitamin A and 21% of your daily iron.

If you have diabetes and are counting carbs you can subtract the 20 grams of fiber to end up with only 29 grams carb per serving.  The fiber is what also helps lower cholesterol and prevent blood sugar spikes.

Enjoy!

Why are Soups Great for Your Weight?

Remember the Cabbage Soup Diet? There's really nothing magic about cabbage soup for weight control except that it's low calorie. There are many other kinds of soup that can help you lose weight as well.

Winter is an ideal time for some homemade soup, especially here in Minnesota. You get warmth, weight control and a healthy dose of nutrition! Here are some quick reminders of why soups can be great for your weight .  . .

• Soup has a high water content which helps fill you up without high calories.
• Soups with vegetables and beans are packed with nutrients.
• The balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates provide energy along with hunger control.
• Soups are easy to make and require very little equipment.
• Soups seem to taste even better as leftovers and most freeze well for up to a month.

There are some better tasting canned soups on the market now but nothing beats homemade. Most importantly you can control the amount of sodium you add when making your own.

My biggest weakness is that I love bread with my soup. But if you are trying to slim down try to keep the bread or crackers to one serving.

Come back to my blog tomorrow. I'll be sharing with you one of my favorite soup recipes!

  

3 Breakfast Ideas for a Woman's Weight Loss Plan

Here are my 3 favorite breakfast ideas portion controlled for weight loss and balanced for hunger control.

1. Whole grain cereal, low fat milk, fruit or juice: About 400 calories

1 cup whole grain (5 or more grams fiber per serving) cereal or cooked oatmeal = about 200 calories.

1 cup skim or 1% milk = about 100 calories.

1/2 banana, 1 cup berries, or 4 oz 100% fruit juice will be about 60 calories.

2. Eggs, toast, and fruit or juice: 335 calories

Two eggs poached or hard boiled provide about 150 calories.

1 slice whole grain toast = about 80 calories.

1 teaspoon butter or soft tub margarine provides about 45 calories.

1/2 cup fruit juice or 1 cup fresh fruit = about 60 calories.

3. Yogurt with Granola or Grape Nuts, and Fresh Fruit:  about 350 calories.

6 oz yogurt will provide 100-150 calories depending on what kind you like.

1/4 cup granola ranges 100-150 calories or 1/4 cup grape nuts cereal is 100 calories

1 serving fresh fruit adds about 60 calories.

All three of these breakfast options provide whole grain carbohydrates for energy and protein to help curb hunger. Plus you get necessary nutrients for wellness.

No time for these? Then grab a granola bar, yogurt, smoothie, or anything similar that fits into a 300-400 calorie range. This calorie level will work for the average woman trying to lose weight.

Jump Start Weight Loss Quick Tip: Focus on 2 Food Types

To keep our weight loss motivation going we need to see results quickly, right? Well, you don't need a complicated plan to get things started. Eating less carbs does work to get results quickly because our body holds more water when we eat more carbs.

But an even smarter approach is to focus on just 2 types of carbs - starches and sweets. Fruits and milk are also carb foods but you still need the nutrients from fruit and milk or yogurt, so keep those in your diet.

Focus on cutting your intake of starches and sweets by about 25% to avoid being too hungry. You can do a couple days each week of reducing these portions by 50% if you feel it's not too restrictive.  For example, if you have been eating 2 scoops potatoes, have 1 scoop. Instead of a plate full of pasta, use a smaller plate or fill your plate only half full.

Don't forget about beverages. If you are drinking juices or regular soda these carbs will add up quickly.

If you crave sweets, plan a controlled portion into your day and choose something you won't be able to overeat. Save the overindulging for special occasions. 

Using simple strategies like this you should notice some changes. You will not always see the number on the scale change but often can feel your waistline start to shrink! 

Getting Back on Track to Prevent Diabetes in 2009

How did you survive the holiday season? 

Me?  . . . .   Not so great.  I definitely am feeling the need to hit the treadmill and get back on my Prevent Diabetes lifestyle. I have been slacking on checking blood sugars, have not exercised for 6 weeks, and have not been controlling portions well at all.

Well, now that I have confessed that you might be thinking . . . dietitians are supposed to eat perfectly aren't they?  Well, yes we know what to do but just like anyone else we don't always apply our knowledge. Plus I am in the over 40 group now and realizing I need to work a little harder to keep weight under control. 

My mission for 2009 is to help many others prevent diabetes by sharing my experiences and knowledge about how food, nutrition and fitness work to delay or reverse type 2 diabetes. I have prediabetes now but have prevented diabetes for 15 years and hope to avoid type 2 diabetes for many more years. 

So . . . time to get back on track for 2009!

I would love to hear your comments and questions about diabetes prevention. Take a minute now to leave a comment or email me at karen@dietmn.com