A cost effective and delicious way to take advantage of summer's fresh berries is to buy in bulk and freeze them.  I found a deal on a huge case of blueberries.  I kept some for eating and some for freezing.  And my favorite thing to do with frozen berries is whipping them up into delicious fruit smoothies. 

Blend together your favorite yogurt (I steer clear of fat-free varieties to avoid artifical sweeteners.  Plus the bit of fat in the yogurt provides a creamier texture and helps ignite those hormones which tell your body that you are satisfied!), a bit of milk, and some frozen berries.  For an added kick you can sprinkle cinnamon or ginger in as well.  And that's it!  In a matter of minutes you have a a delicious and refreshing snack.  Enjoy!

Warning: this blog post could be taken for another “rant” I need to get off of my chest….

The other day, a client began a conversation with me as follows:
Client: I’ve just been feeling so bad about my body. And I read in an article in People magazine that Melissa John Hart eats a 1200 calorie diet. I feel so depressed and hopeless because I know that I cannot possibly follow a 1200 calorie diet.”

Marci: I would imagine that did make you feel pretty bad. Not only is 1200 calories way too low for your needs, but trying to follow it would really set you up for a desire to overeat. Under-eating naturally leads to overeating. It’s human nature.

What I didn’t share with my client is the mounds of research that shows how body dissatisfaction actually increases after viewing TV and magazines which contain depictions of rail thin models and actresses. In fact, it can happenafter just 15 minutes of viewing time! And on the flip side, research has shown that body satisfaction increases when shown depictions of overweight women.
 
It is a sad fact that not only are we obsessed with an illusion of “the ideal body” but our self-esteem and self-worth are determined by how we measure up (bigger or smaller) to those images around us. The game of constant comparison is exhausting, deflating, and can never be won.

So here’s my challenge to you: go on a media diet. Put down the mindless magazines (i.e. People, Cosmo, Shape, etc.) and turn off the frivolous TV shows! Use your mind and energy to a greater end. Choose to view media with messages which feed your soul and expand your mind, rather than sources which diminish your feelings of self worth. If you decide to take on my challenge, I’d love to hear how it goes.

With all of the confusing headlines and shifting recommendations about eating, it’s no wonder many people feel uncertain about their diet. However, there is a large body of research that suggests one of the very best things you can do for your family is eat together! I found a relevant article on the Children’s Data Bank website which cites the current benefits of simply eating together on a regular basis. Family meals and parental presence at meals is associated with:

• A more nutritious diet with higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products
• A decreased risk of developing disordered eating habits in adolescence (especially girls)
• Teens that are less likely to get into fights, think about suicide, smoke, drink, use drugs, delayed initiation of sexual activity, and better academic performance

If you’d like to read a more in depth article which cites the current research, click on this link. There is also a great article from the Multi-Service Eating Disorder Association (MEDA) about the benefits of family meal time. Feel free to share it with your family and friends.

I had the opportunity to go see Food, Inc. last night.  If you care at all about the food you feed yourself and/or your family please go see it!  It's essentially "Fast Food Nation" and "Omnivore's Dilemma" rolled into a well-research, eye-opening, and entertaining 90 minute film which traces our food supply from farm to plate.  In short, the American food system is extremely disfunctional.  It wreaks havoc on our environment, local economies, and heavily subsidizes the food that is making America sick.  While it's discouraging to see how far off the mark we are, the film ends with a host of simple ways we can start changing the system.  You are voting with every dollar you spend on food.  So starting spending wisely!  Buy less processed food, buy fewer animal products, eat more local produce and buy it locally if you can, join a CSA, buy organic if you can afford it, support organizations which promote sustainable living.  I'd encourage all of you to see the film, read through the website, and take a look at what you can do support a healthier food system here in America.  There is power in the almighty dollar!

Here's a link to the website which is a fantastic resource to learn about the issues, watch the film's trailer, sign petitions which support a healthy food system, and gather resources from reading lists and blogs.  I highly recommend it.

Here's a link to movie reviews

Here's the movie trailer

I was recently handed a free sample of a new product called Fruit2day.  According to the sales rep, it's 2 servings of fruit in a bottle for just 110 calories.  Here's what I have to say about the benefits listed on their website:

1.) Easy, on the go way to drink your fruit.
Fruit, by nature is great for eating on the go.  Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, nectarines, and pears are a few pieces of transportable fruit that come to mind.  This product has to be kept refrigerated which pretty much makes it less convenient and easy to consume...

2.) Reap the benefits of 2 servings of fruit in a drink.
Hardly.  Just check out the ingredient list.  There are small chunks of whole fruit which are added to an "all natural fruit puree."  This is what I call glorified fruit juice which inherently lacks the benefits offered by whole fruit (i.e. the satiating and nutritional benefits of fiber, phytochemicals, and many antioxidants lost in processing). 

3.) Tastes delicious.
The flavor did taste good but the chunks made it totally awkward to drink.  If you don't mind chunks of fruit fowing into your mouth while trying to swallow juice at the same time, you might like it.

4.) Endorsed by a Dietitian.
Well, many people endorse products for money...

One thing the company didn't list was price.  I called a couple of grocery stores in the area that were listed on their website as carriers.  Unfortunately they didn't have it in so I don't know the cost.  But most grocery store fruit is less than 50 cents a serving.  I doubt a processed and packaged fruit drink can be that!

Don't be fooled with fancy advertising.  Stick with real, whole, non-processed food as much as possible and you'll be better off.

We are all looking for easy ways to eat well on the go. Hence, the creation of THE BAR. Yes, if you walk the aisles of any convenience store or supermarket you just may be overwhelmed by the sheer number of them! In fact, as a dietitian, one of the most common questions I get asked is "what (if any) bars do you recommend?" My response is always the same- Larabars!

The reason I love Larabars is simple: They are made out of nutritious, whole food ingredients that I can pronounce. Plus their calorie content and distribution of fat/carbohydrate/protein will actually keep you full for a couple of hours...rather than leaving you hungry and pekish one hour later like most granola bars do. I take issue with the fact that we rely so heavily on processed, packaged food ingredients in our diets but realize we are all pretty darn busy. So Larabars combine the convience factor with nutritious ingredients rather than manufactured "stuff".

Let's compare the Larabar with one of the most popular protein bars on the market, the Luna Bar. The Luna Bar website states that "We are proud of the ingredients we use. Everything is 100% natural, as organic as possible, and contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Use this ingredient glossary to find out more about what’s in our food." Yes, you'd certainly need an ingredient glossary to interpret what the heck they are feeding you!

Here's the ingredient list for their Caramel Nut Brownie Bar: LunaPro ® (Cocoa Soy Rice Crisp [Soy Protein Isolate, Organic Rice Flour, Alkalized Cocoa], Organic Toasted Oats, Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Flaxmeal), Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Caramel (Organic Tapioca Syrup, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Inulin, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Soy Protein Concentrate, Organic Tapioca Maltodextrin, Water, Salt, Natural Flavors, Organic Soy Lecithin), Organic Coating (Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Cocoa, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Walnuts, Inulin (Chicory Extract), Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Unsweetened Chocolate, Organic Cocoa, Organic Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Organic Chocolate Flavor, Sea Salt.

Now let's check out the ingredient list for the Cinammon Roll Larabar (my personal favorite): Dates, Walnuts, Almonds, Raisins, Cashews, Cinnamon.  Plus they are gluten, dairy, and soy-free.  A great option for food allergies.

So the next time you are searching for an alternative to all of the processed bars and snacks, check out some "real food options."  They may be just as convient and even tastier...your body will thank you for it. :)

For those of you living in the Cambridge and are interested in eating good food while supporting a good cause, check out Taste of Cambridge.  Celebrate the diverse restaurant scene in Cambridge in good conscience.  All proceeds are donated to two charities: Youth on Fire and Club Passim's Culture For Kids/Music Speaks.  A huge vendor lists includes a few of my very favorite restaurants in Cambridge: Garden at the Cellar, Ole', Small Plates, and Veggie Planet (and many more fabulous restaurants).

Event Details
Location: The Charles Hotel
Date: Thursday, June 25th
Time: 5:30-8:00

As a registered dietitian/nutritionist who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, a recent New York Times article caught my attention.  The title? "Bingeing on Celebrity Weight Battles."  While Ms. Oprah Winfrey seems to have ignited the public's interest of her own weight struggles back in the 80's, the need for celebrity self-disclosure on everything weight related seems to be on a expeditious rise. 

Quite frankly I'm annoyed and concerned about how this feeds our nation's (and my clients') very disordered view of body shape and size, diet, and exercise.  Celebrities bounce from one extreme to another, while many Americans drink it in with increased fascination and a belief that they ought to model such behavior.  So I've been thinking of the pros and cons of celebrities posting their weight loss stats, strategies, caloric intake, and exercise routines. 

While I haven't come up with many pros, I have developed a strong list of cons:

1.) Leads to unrealistic expectations in terms of appearance, which feeds disordered eating and exercise behaviors
2.) Increases the likelihood of depression associated with body dissatisfaction
3.) Sets forth a model of comparison based on unhealthy behaviors. "If Melissa Joan Hart eats 1400 calories, I should too."
4.) Feeds cycles of weight loss and and weight gain as a result of following a diet/exercise regimen that cannot be maintained long-term
5.) Suggests that your value as a person is extrinsic (i.e. weight) rather than intrinsic

My list of pros:
1.) Great examples of how overly restrictive diets and eating patterns don't work....Can you seriously eat pre-packaged Jenny Craig for the rest of your life?  I think not.
2.) Proves that having a personal chef, personal trainer, and nutritionist at your beckon call cannot fix it all!  Good nutrition and a health body image are an inside job!

Please feel free to add to my lists!  I'd love to hear your feedback.

I live in Cambridge, where a lot of people have already bought into the world of organics and buying food locally.  But as a nutritionist, I still get a lot of questions about whether or not it's worth it to buy organic.  So I thought it'd be fun to share with you a great video from Cooking Light, one of very favorite magazines and websites.  The video echoes many of my thoughts and feelings about going organic.  Enjoy!

Editor's Guide to Organics from Cooking Light

In an attempt to save money, more and more people are cooking at home. And while this may be cheaper, are you certain that your food is more nutritious? Brian Wansink, author of “Mindless Eating” suggests that the nutrition gatekeeper of your house (the person who buys and prepares most of the food) influences more than 70% of the foods you eat. Wanksink queried 770 family cooks and was able to classify them into 5 distinct types. Take the quiz and determine what type of nutrition gatekeeper you make.

1) When I prepare a meal, I typically:
a) Rely on classic dishes my family has always enjoyed.
b) Follow a recipe step-by-step.
c) Substitute more healthful ingredients.
d) Go all out and try to impress my guests.
e) Rarely use recipes and like to experiment.

2) Some of my favorite ingredients are:
a) Lots of bread, starches and red meat.
b) Beef and chicken.
c) Fish and vegetables.
d) A trendy ingredient I saw on the Food Network.
e) Vegetables, spices and unusual ingredients.

3) In my free time I like to:
a) Visit with friends and family.
b) Organize the house.
c) Exercise or take a fitness class.
d) Be spontaneous and seek adventure.
e) Take part in creative or artistic pursuits.

4) My favorite things to cook are:
a) Home-baked goodies.
b) Casseroles.
c) Foods with fresh ingredients and herbs.
d) Anything that lets me fire up the grill.
e) Ethnic foods and wok dishes.
 
5) Other people describe me as:
a) Really friendly.
b) Diligent and methodical.
c) Health conscious.
d) Intense.
e) Curious.

There may be overlap in the answers you give, but is there one letter that you picked most often? Here’s what your answers say about your cooking style:

a) Giving: Friendly, well-liked and enthusiastic, giving cooks seldom experiment, love baking and like to serve tried-and-true family favorites, although that sometimes means serving less healthful foods.
b) Methodical: Talented cooks who rely heavily on recipes. The methodical cook has refined tastes and manners. Their creations always look exactly like the picture in the cookbook.
c) Healthy: Optimistic, book-loving, nature enthusiasts, healthy cooks experiment with fish, fresh produce and herbs. Health comes first, even if it means sometimes sacrificing taste.
d) Competitive: The Iron Chef of the neighborhood, competitive cooks have dominant personalities and are intense perfectionists who love to impress their guests.
e) Innovative: Creative and trend-setting, innovative cooks seldom use recipes and like to experiment with ingredients, cuisine styles and cooking methods.