Today I'm appearing on the Money Matters Network Radio Program at 2:00.  You can tune in live here or listen at WBNW AM 1120 Boston.

I will be mentioning a handout: Nutritious Eating on a Budget. Click here to access the handout.  And to those of you who tuned in and listened- thank you!

Feel free to call in and ask me an easy question. :) 888-205-2263.

Watch CBS News Videos Online
I thought this news clip was really interesting.  Another testament to the value of eating whole, non-processed, real food!

I'm not like a lot of dietitians. I work predominantly with people who struggle with disordered, compulsive, or emotional eating. So my job is to help my clients feel less obsessed and connected to food on an emotional level, so they can get to living a healthy full life that isn't centered around food 24/7.  And part of that work is helping my clients be at peace with any and all foods.  

So I was entertained by an article written by Jenna Bell-Wilson PhD, RD.  She asked thousands of dietitians which foods they indulge in.  A lot of people assume that because dietitians know a lot about nutrition and because our professional lives center around healthy living- we eat super healthy, all the time.  I can assure you, this is simply not so! (Just ask any of my friends and/or family members.)

Jenna took these responses and crafted a clever article about what kinds of "cheat foods" dietitians love to eat, even though they don't offer much in terms of nutritional value.  And she also discusses the importance of incorporating these foods into your diet (in moderation of course!) just for the sake of their yumminess!

This got me thinking about my own favorite indulgences and I had a hard time narrowing the list.  Here are a few of my favorites, in no particular order: cupcakes, Mint Oreos, Hot Tamales.  Here's to celebrating a diet that is full of whole grains, fruits, veggies, and a consistent sprinkling of the not-so-healthy indulgences as well.  Now that is a diet I can live with!

The purpose of the "Product No Case" blog postings are to share with you foods disguised as "healthy" but might not be. And the highly marketed Dannon Light & Fit Yogurt is another great example.

I know what you're thinking, it's fat-free yogurt, it must be healthy!  Well, I'm not saying that it's devoid of any nutritional benefits.  It contains 15% of your daily calcium and vitamin D needs which isn't bad for bone health.

The problem is that this is a marketing ploy for weight loss.  But if you are snacking on Light & Fit Yogurt, with the hopes of looking like Heidi Klum, you may find yourself more frustrated than physically satisfied.  Let me explain.

The yogurt contains 80 calories, with the majority of those calories coming from carbohydrate.  That means you'll likely be satisfied for about 30 minutes since simple carbohydrates are metabolized very quickly. I've met with many people who are trying to lose weight but feel hungry constantly!  When I ask about their snacking habits, they list things like fat-free yogurt and fruit (both simple carbs that do not have the satiating power of protein and fat).

A nutritious snack that keeps you satisifed for longer needs to contain more than just carbohydrates.  So balancing out that yogurt with a handful of nuts is a great way to add healthy fats, protein, and fiber.

Also, low calorie yogurts often contain artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose.  While the FDA has declared them as safe, they can actually cause a fair amount of stomach upset (think gas and gurgling).  Additionally, artificial sweeteners tend to exacerbate sweet cravings because they are so much sweeter than real sugar.  So my recommendation is to avoid them.

DISCLAIMER: I am not opposed to eating things that are non-nutritious but tasty. I would be the last to turn down a homemade chocolate chip cookie! My purpose is to help you see through the marketing ploy of food companies and understand how to feed your body based on sound nutrition. The goal is to fill our diets with nutritious foods and enjoy the yummy but not particularly healthy foods in moderation. My hope is to give you a little clarity with these "No Case" postings.

Sorry for my delay in blog posts!  Not only have I been busy at work, but I had the misfortune of acquiring some sort of terrible stomach virus.  Fortunately, I felt well enough to speak at the WECAN event at Harvard this afternoon on the topic of "Becoming Your Own Nutrition Expert."  

One of the attendees was curious to know about natural, nutrition based remedies.  And I had a great recommendation based on my recent stomach upset.   It is the perfect "natural" antidote to a queezy stomach.  It's called a Ginger Steamer from Crema Cafe' in Harvard Square. They use a ginger broth and add fresh lime juice and honey.  Not only is it delicious, but totally warm and soothing. If you are on the verge of getting sick, have a bit of an upset tummy, or just want a feel good kind of drink- I highly recommend it!

Here's some reliable information from WebMD on ginger as an anti-nausea remedy.

The purpose of the "Product No Case" blog postings are to share with you foods disguised as "healthy" but are truly not.  And General Mills Fiber One 90 Calorie Bars are a shining example.  They are packed full of fiber (a rather popular marketing ploy these days) in an attempt to look healthy.  Here's what's wrong with this picture.

Last night I was teaching my "Nutrition Tools" class in Harvard Square.  And one question that all of the participants wanted to know about was healthy snacking options.  Here are some of the suggestions I provided.



1.) A snack should contribute to the nutritional profile of your day.  So, a snack should look like a balanced "mini-meal" that adds vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, etc.
2.) Aim for whole, minimally procesed foods most of the time.
3.) Try to include 2-3 food groups.
4.) Balance your snacks with complex carbohydrates (think whole grains, veggies, beans, fruits) with protein and/or fat.

Here are some of the snack suggestions we came up with during class:
* A few Ak-Mak crackers with a bit of hummus and turkey
* A few Ak-Mak crackers with a bit of peanut or almond butter
* A pear with an ounce of cheese
* An ounce of nuts and greek yogurt
* Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit
* Veggies, hummus, and a few whole grain crackers

Combining food groups and carbs/fats/proteins helps to increase satiety, decrease cravings, improve nutrition content of your diet, and stabilize your blood sugars and hormone levels.  If you've been snacking on fruit and wonder why you're hungry 30 minutes later or if you grab a handful of crackers (then another, then another) it's because you are eating solely carbohydrates.  They are great for quick fuel, but not so great for sustained energy and satiety.

Give this way of snacking a try and let me know what you think!

Hope this helps.  I'd love to hear your favorite snacking solutions.

In case you didn't know, it's National Nutrition Month.  A time to celebrate delicious and nutritious eating all month long!  The American Dietetic Association has provided a Good Nutrition Reading List that you may find helpful.  I'm currently reading "The Rules of Normal Eating" and am lovin' it!

I have been working with a client who has made tremendous strides with her eating habits and her relationship with food. She is currently 37 years old and describes herself as a long time emotional eater and “on again/off again” dieter. She grew up with a father who equates food with love and has had trouble adjusting her diet now that she is no longer an athlete in training. When we began our work together she felt no forward progress with her diet, despite her recent successes with a new exercise regimen.

I asked her to share with me and with you what she feels are her biggest successes. She title’s her thoughts “3 Lessons Learned.”

3 Lessons Learned

I began meeting with Marci in September of 2009 and feel that I have made tremendous success and progress. Below are the three most important lessons I have learned.

1. Find someone who you click with to discuss your nutrition issues. Finding Marci has been the biggest key to my success. Prior to working with her, I had tried both group counseling and the online program with Weight Watchers. In the group sessions, I didn’t connect with the team leader and I felt very excluded from the group. In fact, it left me feeling resistant and frustrated. I also struggled doing online nutrition programs since they were so sterile and generic. After trying to follow the prescribed program during the week I felt starved and usually overate on the weekend. I ended up gaining weight, which left me feeling like a failure.

2. Be gentle with yourself. Every day brings its unique challenges. A process or regimen that works on Monday, might not work on Friday. So don’t beat yourself up! Keep with it and think of each meal is a new start to your day. I was quite familiar with the start of a Monday morning diet. If I felt I messed up on my nutrition plan I used to say “I’ll start again on Monday.” Well, if I got off to a bad start at the beginning of the week, the following Monday was a long way off. Now, I think of each meal as a fresh start. If I overeat on carbohydrates in the morning, I focus on veggies and protein at lunch to balance it out. I’ve learned that by eating more balanced meals, my cravings for sweets have diminished. But I’m happy to respond to a craving if my body is asking for it.

3. Divorce yourself from “good” and “bad” foods. For years I defined pizza, soda, macaroni and cheese, desserts, and everything that I wanted and craved as “bad” foods that I tried to expel from my diet. I did my best to live off salads and 100 calorie soups because they were “good.” It didn’t work. I vacillated between feeling virtuous (yet miserable) while filling up on “good foods” and like a failure when I caved and binged on the foods I had been depriving myself. This kind of eating led to a constant loss and gain of the same 10 lbs.

I can confidently say that through my work with Marci I have learned to ditch the cycles restriction and overeating. I feel less pre-occupied with food, more trusting of my body, and more confident in my ability to take care of myself. I’m feeling better and grateful that I’m adopting a healthier way of eating that will last a lifetime, rather than a work week.