WELLNESS TEAM

Grab a partner to encourage you in weight loss. Weigh Pledge to lose 10 lbs. in 12 weeks. Start date is 1/21/02.

Getting Started Keep a food diary. Write down each thing you eat. Stock up on healthy foods that are low in fat and calories. Read Labels Purchase a calorie- counting book such as The Complete Book of Food Counts by Corinne T. Netzer (about $7.50) at the bookstore. Determine you BMR.

Basal Metabolic Rate BMR=661 + (4.38 x your wt. In lbs.) +(4.38 x your height in inches)-(4.7 x your age)= your BMR. If you are a 40 year old woman who is 5’4” and 165 lbs, your BMR is 1,476 calories x 1.3 for light activity=1,919 calories burned per day.

Reduce Your Portion Size A serving of meat should be size of deck of cards. A serving of cheese on your salad is approximately the size of four dice.

Set Realistic Goals Exercise regularly Lasting weight control is a process that takes “skillpower” not willpower. By identifying your eating habits, using sensible guidelines, and thinking positively, you can tackle your weight and win!!!

Answer: a, b, or c. Each snack shown is about 500 calories. In order to lose one pound per week, you need to create weekly caloric deficit of 3,500 calories, or 500 fewer calories per day (500 x 7 days = pound of weight loss per week. This means that by cutting any one of these snacks - or 500 other unnecessary calories - each day, you’ll be able to meet your weight loss goal.

Answer: b or c. All three of these options come in at around 200 calories, but that doesn’t mean each one will leave you feeling equally full. Do me a favor: get out the peanut butter and measure two tablespoons (190 calories). Shocking, isn’t it? Can you limit your sandwich spread to that portion? Probably not-in fact, most peanut butter sandwiches are made with double that amount. Note to all moms out there: Choices b and c are the healthy way to go. Pack your kids (and yourself) a vegetable-and-cheese or turkey sandwich for lunch, and you’ll fill up faster on fewer calories.

Answer: c. Did you know that many deli bagels are almost 500 calories before any topping is added? A small frozen bagel is half the size and less than half the calories (about 180), meaning you could add cream cheese (100 calories for two tablespoons) and still have a lighter breakfast than if you ate a plain deli bagel. And for the record, bagels with add-ins like raisins and chocolate chips can have even higher calorie counts.

Answer b. An average egg contains 75 calories; 60 of those come from the yolk. For just 15 calories each, egg whites can be used in place of whole eggs in omelets. One word of caution: If you order an egg white omelet in a restaurant, ask the kitchen to use a nonstick spray rather than butter, or you’ll double the calories in the meal.

Answer: c. Water, coffee, and even soda are from a caloric ping of view, better options than juice, which is about 15 calories an ounce. Water is your best choice - it’s the beverage your body needs most, and the one that many people don’t get enough of. If you must have juice, use lots of ice or dilute it with water. And if you are really serious about losing weight, measure the juice first, so you’ll know how many calories you’re drinking.

Answer: a. Despite all you’ve heard about olive oil being the kind of fat that’s heart friendly (which is true), when it comes to cutting calories, butter wins the battle. (One tablespoon is 100 calories versus 120 calories per tablespoon of oil. The bottom line is: Both pack a lot of calories into a small serving size, so serious dieters should purchase and oil sprayer that provides maximum food coverage with a minimal amount of fat.

Answer c. A small size slice of cheese pizza has about 250 calories, 50 fewer than the 300 calorie cheeseburger and 400 fewer than the 650-calorie Caesar salad. Surprised about the salad? The good news: You can buy low-calorie bottled dressing in most grocery stores or, better yet, make it yourself from the recipe on my Web site,

Answer: b. We’ve all been told that fish is less caloric than red meat, and that’s true. But at 100 calories per tablespoon, mayonnaise turns this tuna salad into a diet disaster (750 calories versus 480 for option b.) Still, a six ounce can of tuna in water has only 200 calories, making it a great choice if you mis it with a little low-calorie mayonnaise, lemon, or Dijon mustard or simply place it on top of a dinner salad.

Answer: a. At salad bars, it’s usually the dressing that gets you into trouble. For instance, two cups of cooked pasta have 400 calories. But add vinaigrette- with its three tablespoons of oil - and you’re getting another 360 calories. Vinegar on the other hand, is virtually calorie free.

Answer: a,c,b. One ounce of granola has about 125 calories, which doesn’t sound like a lot until you consider that the average bowl easily holds four ounces. With the addition of milk-even the low-fat kind-your breakfast could easily top 500 calories. Breakfast c, on the other hand weighs in around 360 calories, and b, the slimmest pick of all, is a mere 300 calories.

Good Housekeeping February 2002 \ Fitness & Diet Jim Karas “20 Questions That Can Change Your Weight.”

BONUS QUESTION: You’re traveling and you stop at McDonalds for breakfast. Which has less calories? A) plain butter biscuit or B) Egg McMuffin?

Answer: b. Go for the Egg McMuffin, even good for a filling breakfast during the week at 290 calories. Check McDonald’s web site for a list of their foods lower in calories. Most major fast food restaurants have nutritional information on their web sites. BONUS QUESTION: You’re traveling and you stop at McDonalds for breakfast. Which has less calories? A) plain butter biscuit or B) Egg McMuffin?