Dining out can be a great way to connect with friends, celebrate a special occasion, or provide a quick solution to an unfortunate dinner disaster. However, dining out can quickly go from a celebration to a gut busting, wish you’d worn your stretchy pants evening in no time. So to help you make smart dining decisions at your favorite restaurant (and not feel like you’ve overdone it), here are a few helpful hints.

 Pizzeria:

            Beware of:

• Meat only pizzas – Also known as heart attack in a box! These are heavy on the calories and loaded with saturated (bad) fat.
• Deep dish or stuffed crust pizzas.

 Choose instead:

• Thin crust pizza.
• Ask for mozzarella cheese (naturally lower in fat) or request “light on the cheese.”  
• And as always….The more veggies the better!

 Salad Bar:

Beware of:

• Bacon bits, extra cheese, croutons and crackers.
• Iceberg lettuce – while low in calories, this pale colored lettuce is nearly non-existent in healthy nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
• Cold salads (pasta, potato, tuna, etc.) – The versions found on a typical salad bar use full fat mayonnaise. 
• Full fat creamy salad dressings.

 Choose instead:

• Beans – A couple scoops of beans makes a great salad topper full of protein and fiber.
• Dark greens like spinach, endive, or romaine – As a general rule, the darker the greens, the better they are for your health!
• Go for the rainbow! – The more color from fruits and veggies the better!
• Reduced-fat creamy dressing or vinaigrettes.

 Chinese:

Beware of:

• Meat only entrées with lots of sauce (like orange chicken).
• Fried eggs rolls or fried wontons.
• Fried rice – Not to be confused for brown rice, fried rice is merely white rice in disguise (456 calories in a cup and a whole lot of sodium!).

 Choose instead:

• Entrées that include vegetables (like beef and broccoli).
• Steamed egg rolls or steamed dumplings.  
• Brown rice or steamed white rice (375 calories in a cup).  

 Italian:

Beware of:

• Cheese stuffed shells.
• Cream based soups.
• Sauces: Butter or cream sauces such as alfredo and even pink sauce (combination of marinara and cream sauce).

 Choose instead:

• Minestrone soup – Veggies anyone?!
• Whole wheat pasta (if it’s available).  
• Sauces: Primavera (vegetables), marsala (wine, mushrooms, beef stock), marinara (tomatoes, onions, garlic), or clam sauce.

 Mexican:

            Beware of:

• Guacamole – With nearly 400 calories in 1 cup (mainly coming from heart healthy unsaturated fats, but fats non the less), order a small side of guac along with your entrée instead of as an appetizer by itself.
• The bottomless chip basket! – Save some room for your entrée and request only 1 basket of chips to be brought to the table.
• Flautas, chimichangas, or burritos – Typically made with white flour tortillas and topped with cream or cheese sauce.
• Carnitas – In other words, fried beef or pork.

 Choose instead:

• Salsa! – With only 70 calories in 1 cup, this is a much healthier option. Consider cutting back on sauce and topping your food with salsa instead.
• Enchiladas with veracruz or other tomato-based sauce.
• Grilled fajitas (preferably chicken or shrimp) with corn tortillas.
• Taco salad (without the fried shell!).

 For more great tips for healthy dining out, see my previous LOOP Blog, The Do’s and Don’ts of Dining Out.

Hot Off the Shelves: New and Tasty Health Foods

There are many options at the grocery store when it comes to “healthy” packaged foods that claim to benefit you in some way (whether it being by added vitamins or being lower in fat). Here are some great new food items that do have true health benefits. Also, some tips when looking for other healthy packaged foods to purchase.

Bell Plantation PB2®What is it? PB2 is a powdered peanut butter. Sounds a little strange, but trust me! It’s delicious. All you have to do is mix 1 tbsp. water for every 2 tbsp. PB2. What’s the benefit? For 2 tbsp. of PB2, you get only 45 calories and 0.5g fat. And the protein? PB2 still has 5g per serving! This product tastes just as good as regular peanut butter, but without the extra calories and fat.

Nabisco belVita Biscuits®What is it? These are whole grain biscuits that could be great as a quick breakfast or tasty snack. They are perfectly portioned into 4 biscuits per individual package. What’s the benefit? Packed with 19g whole grain, 3g fiber, and heart healthy fats, these crunchy biscuits will start your morning off right. Not to mention, they are full of flavor.

MorningStar Farms® CrumblesWhat is it? Perfect for meatless meals, this alternative protein can be used in chili, lasagna, tacos or any other recipe using ground beef. One package is equivalent to 1 lb. uncooked ground beef. What’s the benefit? Has half the calories and fat per serving when compared to even 90% lean ground beef. Another benefit: 0g saturated fat, but still packed with protein. And don’t worry. Nobody will even notice it isn’t the real thing!

Flatout® Flatbreads What is it? Versatile flatbreads that can be used for individual pizzas, wraps, or pinwheels. What’s the benefit? The “Light” flatbreads are only 90 calories, 9g fiber, and 100% whole grain. These are a fun and healthy switch-up from regular bread that will keep you satisfied!

Tips:

When choosing a product with a health claim, ask yourself the following before purchasing:

1. 1. Should I be eating this product to begin with?

          If it claims to be loaded with vitamins, minerals, or fiber, but it’s a chocolate chip cookie,             chances are its still considered “junk food”.

1. 2. How much sugar is in this product?

          When looking at grains (granola/protein bars, crackers, cereals), if the sugar content is        more than half the total carbohydrate content, then it probably has too much added sugar.

1. 3. Does this product contain trans fat?

          Trans fat should be avoided at all costs! Food manufacturers are still sneaking it into         products. So, how do you win the battle against trans fat? Don’t purchase anything with      the words “hydrogenated” or “hydrogenation” in the ingredients list.

In today’s restaurant world where salads are upwards of 1000 calories (Chili’s® Quesadilla Explosion Salad: 1300 calories) and menu items are described as “as big as your head”, it can be easy to get overwhelmed if you are trying to eat healthy. To add to the dilemma, it seems that restaurants have added extra fat and calories into everything! 

To help you sort through all of the confusion, here are a few do’s and don’ts for navigating the restaurant world. 

 Do: 

• Ask for sauces and dressings on the side. With almost 100 calories in a ¼ cup of barbecue sauce and 145 calories in just 2 tablespoons of regular ranch dressing, calories add up fast! In fact, it would take over 10 minutes of cycling at LOOP to burn the calories in just that little bit of dressing. So make sure to ask for these items “on the side”, which will give you control over how much is used.

Here’s a tip: Try dabbing bites of salad lightly in a dish of dressing or drizzling just enough sauce on your sandwich to get that extra flavor without going overboard. If the sauce doesn’t appeal to you, skip it completely! 

• Look for code words. Menu descriptions can give clues as to how foods are prepared, so pay close attention to these. Words to look out for include fried, battered, buttered, breaded, cheesy, creamy, au gratin, or “in gravy” (ask for this one on the side). Choose instead items described as grilled, baked, broiled, steamed or poached.

• Research. Most restaurants provide online nutrition information on their websites. I recommend taking a peek at this information before going out so you’ll be prepared. This will help you avoid those seeming healthy entrees that add sneaky, gut busting calories.

• Keep it simple. The fancier the name, the more calories it is likely to add. For example, a Subway Turkey Breast 6” sandwich has 110 calories compared to a Subway 6” Turkey Bacon Avocado at 420 calories.

Don’t:  

• Be a member of the Clean Plate Club. I know your parents probably taught you to clean your plate before you got up from the dinner table, right? Well when it comes to restaurants and their ever growing portion sizes, its actually better not to eat everything you’re served. Now I’m not asking you to waste food, but rather get a to-go box and take a portion of it home. This way you can relive your night out the next day with leftovers!

• Be fooled by beverages. While having a drink with the girls is a great way to relax after a long week, keep in mind that your favorite cocktails come with a complimentary splash of calories. Take a nice refreshing margarita for instance. Only 12 oz. can have over 500 calories! Same advice goes for sodas, sweet teas and lemonades as well. These are what we call “empty calories” because they provide little to no nutritional value for the calories they provide.

• Be afraid to make requests. Most restaurants will be open to making substitutions or providing details about ingredients in a menu item. Asking for foods “dry”, meaning without added cooking fats, is a great way to cut easy calories.

Be on the lookout for Part 2 for more dining out tips and advice! 

Keeping it Simple: Top 5 Tips for Living a Healthy Lifestyle

You wake up one day and decide, “Today is the day that I will begin living a healthy lifestyle.” Easier said than done, right? Well, by following these 5 simple tips, your routine will soon change into the lifestyle that you’ve been dreaming about every morning.

 Tip #1

Focus on a Consistent Meal Pattern

Having a regular meal pattern is important to keep yourself and your hunger on track. When you skip a meal, your body will go into “fasting mode”, which may lead to cravings and overeating later. Be sure to eat 3 meals around the same time every day. If you feel hungry in between meals, incorporate a healthy snack into your meal plan. Remember: snacks should be less than 200 calories. This will keep you energized and satisfied throughout the day.

 Tip #2

Portion Control

Eating healthy food is wonderful, but making conscious choices about the amount of food you are eating (whether “healthy” or “unhealthy”) is also very important!

Here are some ideas of how to keep your portions under control:

• Start by figuring out how big your portions are now. Measure how much the bowls, glasses, cups, and plates you usually use hold. Pour your orange juice into your regular glass. Then, pour it into a measuring cup. How many cups of orange juice do you drink each day? Try this with your breakfast cereal, too!
• An easy way to decrease portions is using smaller plates, bowls, and glasses. One cup of food looks like a lot more when eaten on a smaller plate.

Tip #3

Don’t Eat Too Much of the Same Thing

Keep in mind that variety in your diet is key to a healthy lifestyle. What you can try to think of when preparing your meals is color. Think of your plate resembling a rainbow, getting as much color as you can. You are more likely to get all of the nutrients your body needs when you eat from all the food groups.

Tip #4

Eat Plenty of Nutrient-Dense Foods

Foods included in this category are fantastic to incorporate into your diet. Reasons why? These foods are high in important nutrients and low in calories. You can eat them in larger amounts and feel fuller without the extra calories. Here’s the list: fruits and vegetables, starchy vegetables (potatoes, peas, and corn), lean meats and vegetarian protein (try a veggie burger!), whole grains (oatmeal and popcorn included!), beans and legumes, and low-fat dairy products (low-fat yogurt, milk, and cheeses).

Tip #5

Physical Activity

Finding your balance between food and physical activity can optimize weight loss and your overall health. Shoot for doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (equivalent to just a few LOOP cycling classes!) each week.

You may have clicked over with hopes of seeing my creamy, dreamy, ice creamy treat. You may have thought as the page loaded, “How nice of Molly to enjoy a treat, she could use one after all.” Sorry to disappoint. There is no picture of the sundaes that I ate.

Now, I’m not saying that the Sundaes were not had. They were all had. They were eaten in haste, no time for picture. Let’s get real.

Moderation is a difficult concept for someone like me who will go “balls-to-the-walls” for the things that they care about most. If I take a short run ride, I may finish an hour later. If you give me the lead in a play, I’ll spend hours perfecting the character to my satisfaction. If I’ve got a good idea to write this post about mindful eating on LOOP’s blog, I’ll stay up until 12:30, 1, 2 to get it done. Offer me a sundae on Sunday? Make it chocolaty with salted almond…Better make two more, I’m almost finished with this one.

When I learn about food and how it effects the body I feel as though I have an advantage. I can learn about nutrition all that I want, but there comes a time when little LOOP cycling girls like me crave carbs… and fat… and carbs. Then everything that she’s learned about blood sugar levels and triglycerides go out the window. I’ve been known, I’ll have you know, to make ice cream sundaes for breakfast and/or lunch and/or dinner. Sundaes on Sunday are not uncommon meals for someone whos body thinks that they’re constantly being chased by a mountain lion. (Like the old days.) These persons have killer primitive Fight or Flight/Feast or Famine survival instincts that kick in at a moment’s notice! “Mountain lion. (Pant, pant) Out of sight. (Pant, pant) Must. Eat. While. Can.” When your body craves these things (and I mean really “I’d-give-up-my-first-born-son” craves these things) it may be a sign. Don’t try to ignore it and go eat a salad instead because you’ll just raid the freezer later. After don’t try to cancel it out with a salad either. It’s over. The damage is done. It’s a sunk cost. Stewing greens in your gut will only make matters worse.

Let’s get real again. Balancing the notion “food as fuel” and “food as pleasure” is a slippery slope. Telling a foodie to “eat to live not live to eat” is like slapping their wrist. That is why mindful eating can be so difficult, it’s an art really. Yet, Sundaes on Sunday happen indefinitely. They’re a part of life and not worth beating yourself up over. It may be easier to think of them as fuel for a LOOP ride. Just pretend each little nut morsel that was frantically cracked inside a Poptart wrapper with the side of a butcher knife and added to your sundae will help you to outrun the mountain lion. It is also important to know that sweets-in-moderation and intuitive eating are just as important as healthful eating.

There are many advantages to mindful eating. It’s a learned discipline that I’m working on this this holiday season. (That, and moderation.) If you too are trying your hand at eating mindfully it’d be cool if you’d comment below, share this post, or copy/paste the Sundaes on Sunday image link somewhere that you and others can become aware and reminded (like Facebook )

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time blogging for LOOP over the past 4 months. In honor of my last blog, I thought I leave you with some tips for the road! Eat well and prosper…and always enjoy the ride!

Tip #1
Are you training for an endurance event? If so, be sure that you are planning and practicing your “event eating.” If you are training for more than 90 minutes you should be refueling your body during exercise. You need between 120-240 calories of carbs every hour to spare muscle glycogen stores and maximize your endurance capacity. Try snacks like pretzels, candy, and carbohydrate gels to provide lasting energy.

Tip #2
Bananas are a great fruit when it comes to fitness. They are easily transported in your gym bag or purse, they are available year round, and they are a good source of potassium, fiber, and vitamins C and B6 to keep your immune system healthy and your electrolytes in check after a tough workout. Try slicing and freezing bananas for a cool, grab-and-go summer treat. Pair with peanut butter for a balanced snack.

Tip #3
Slow down and savor your food! Eating your meals and snacks too quickly can block the release of hormones that tell you when your body is satisfied. Having your meals in a more relaxed atmosphere where you can focus on your food will help you to avoid overeating and may help to prevent weight gain. Not sure how to slow down? Avoid distraction during meals, put your fork down between bites, and chew your food well.

Tip #4
Are you eating spinach? If not, why? It’s packed with fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and folate. It can be eaten raw or cooked and incorporated into your favorite foods. Spinach can fit in every meal: add it to your eggs at breakfast, eat a spinach and spring greens salad at lunch, and chop it up to add into your favorite family casserole, enchiladas, or lasagna for dinner. Start eating this versatile veggie today!

TIP #5
Ever walk into a grocery store and feel a bit lost? Grocery shopping starts at home. Plan your weekly meals ahead, prepare your grocery list and then hit the aisles. Avoid going to the grocery store hungry and stay on task while shopping. It’s easy to be distracted by end cap deals, but if it’s not on your list, you probably don’t need it. These simple tips will help you save time and money.

Often times when people hear the word “vegetarian” we think of someone who has very rigid views of food, someone who eats tofu daily and turns his nose up at the mere thought of bacon. To be vegetarian is often considered trendy or even abnormal, but have you ever stopped and really looked at the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle? Vegetarians often have a lower body weight and body mass index (BMI). A vegetarian diet is typically lower in overall calorie intake, helping with weight maintenance. The lack of meat consumption decreases saturated fat intake, reducing the risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, and abnormal lipid levels. Vegetarians are also at less risk for cancer resulting from their high intake of antioxidants, which fight against the formation of cancerous growths within the body.

Are you thinking these benefits sound pretty nice? That’s because they are! You TOO can take advantage of the benefits of a vegetarian diet by focusing your meals and snacks around plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. No, you don’t have to give up meat, but simply commit to eating it less often by adopting a part-time vegetarian or “flexitarian” lifestyle. Try going one day each week without meat or eating “meat-free” one meal each day. Focus on non-meat protein sources such as beans, soy, dairy products, eggs, nuts and nut butters, and quinoa (a whole grain with high protein content). When you do choose meats, choose lean cuts and focus on fish, such as salmon, to decrease your saturated fat intake and improve your consumption of heart healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acid.

What might a meat-free day look like? Here’s an example:

Breakfast Scrambled eggs with salsa, whole grain toast with fruit preserves, skim milk & grapes
Lunch Romaine salad with chickpeas, feta cheese, walnuts, tomatoes, & Italian dressing
Snack Greek yogurt & granola
Dinner Whole grain pasta with garlic-marinara sauce & sautéed green peppers, onions, & tomatoes
Snack Apple slices with peanut butter

Consider a part-time vegetarian lifestyle. It’s a simple change that can really make a difference in your life!