chocolite goodness

Anyone who knows me knows that I love chocolate. To me, a life without chocolate is not worth living (ok that’s a bit dramatic but partly true). So I’m always on the lookout for tasty lower calorie/sugar chocolate options as sometimes you need 2 pieces and at 70 calories plus per piece that adds up quickly. So I’m happy to introduce you to Chocolite products. At 30 calories each (2 per package) for flavors like chocolate crispy caramel and chocolate pecan cluster, this is a great option to satisfy that post meal sweet tooth guilt-free. Check them out at http://www.chocolitebars.com/ and let me know what you think!

metabolism boosters

Here are a few ways to boost your metabolism to burn 25-50 more calories per day. This may not seem like much but it really adds up over time.
-chili peppers: They can boost calorie burning, so add tabasco sauce or chili peppers to recipes like chili or soups.
-cold water: Your body burns calories heating it up (you can burn up to 100 calories for 2 liters water); and being dehydrated slows metabolism.
-green tea: Three cups per day increases fat loss, and total calories burned per day.
-coffee is ok: Caffeine does increase metabolism slightly and can really improve workouts, helping you work harder and burn more calories (just don’t add tons of sugar and milk – this will cancel out any calorie burning increase).
-build muscle: Each pound of muscle burns an extra 35-50 calories per day. So hit those weights at home or at the gym at least 2 times per week, and make sure you eat plenty of lean protein.
-interval train: You can burn up to 1.5 times the calories in the same amount of time by alternating high intensity spurts (1 min) and lower intensity recovery periods (1-2 min), during a 20-30 minute workout.

super salmon salad

I’m always inventing quick and easy and tasty things to eat. Here is my latest favorite -

1 bag fresh spinach (dark green leafy veggies are the best)
1 can starkist pink salmon
1-2 tbsp. gorgonzola cheese (a little goes a long way)

My dressing:
1 heaping tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup balsalmic vinegar

Mix dressing and put all 3 in a large tupperware container and shake so that its mixed well and each bite has lots of flavor. Enjoy, I know I do!!

great breakfast product

I always give my patients ideas on products that I love, so I thought why not share them with readers too! My new favorite breakfast product is Thomas’ Light English Muffin. At 100 calories and a whopping 8 grams of fiber, it only counts as one slice of bread in the exchange system I use and tastes terrific. Top with an egg or slice of melted lowfat cheese and you are good to go!

about my book

I get lots of emails asking me about the approach that I take towards weight loss in my new book, The No Time to Lose Diet. So, I thought I would include a brief summary here. First of all, my approach encompasses all aspects of weight loss; nutrition, behavior and exercise. Without addressing all three, long term success is difficult. From a nutrition standpoint, my approach is based on low-fat, protein based meals and snacks every four hours or so. With regards to carbohydrates, I developed a carbohydrate calculator formula to help you figure out the right amount of carbohydrates for you. Using these principles, I outline time-efficient strategies for cooking, eating out, exercising and more. In addition, I use inspiring stories of real life patients that have succeeded. You will probably be able to identify with at least one of the patients in the book! For more information read this review at www.3fatchicks.com. They did a really nice job describing my approach.

post-thanksgiving diet

Day 1:

Breakfast = 1 cup Fage 0% greek yogurt or plain non-fat yogurt + 1/2 cup fiber one cereal
Snack = 100 calorie almond pack, 1 small apple
Lunch = Large chicken salad with dressing on side or use rice vinegar for dressing (2 cups romaine lettuce, 3-4 ounces chicken, 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, 2 tbsp goat cheese)
Snack = Dr. Melina Protein bar
Dinner = 5 ounces fish (season and pan friend with pam), 2 cups veggies (steamed, microwaved with minimal water) topped with 1-2 tbsp. fresh grated parmesan
Dessert = cocoa via chocolate almond crisp bar
Walk 30 minutes. Do arm and stomach exercises for 5-10 minutes

Day 2:

Breakfast – egg white omelette (4 egg whites, 1/2 cup spinach, top with 2 tbsp. parmesan) 1/2 grapefruit
Snack – 1 cup plain non-fat yogurt (add cinnamon and splenda for taste if you like)
Lunch – 2 turkey/hummus roll ups: 2 low carb tortillas (50 cals each), 3 ounces turkey (1-2 ounces per roll up), 1 tbsp hummus per roll up, 1 leaf romaine (optional), 7-14 baby carrots
Snack – Dr. Melina protein bar (this is the most filling afternoon snack but if you prefer not to have bars, you can have string cheese and fruit here)
Dinner – Easy Chicken & Vegetable soup: Take a can of Progresso light soup (I love the southwest style), add 3-4 ounces precooked chicken and heat in microwave. 1/2 cup sugar free/fat free pudding for dessert.

Walk 30 minutes. Do leg and stomach exercise 5-10 minutes.

If you really overdid it last week, repeat for 2 more days.

water and weight loss

You know you should drink more water but does it really make a difference? In short, yes. In an abstract present at last month’s obesity meeting in Phoenix, researchers compared 2 groups; one was instructed to drink 2 cups of water before each meal and the other was not. After 6 months, the water drinkers lost double the amount of weight and tended to lose weight more quickly, which can be psychologically encouraging, especially in the early stages of a diet. So hit the water cooler before heading to lunch and dinner and you’ll be dropping pounds in no time.