NoBellyPrize.com

by Patti Regehr

There is a great deal of debate over what’s best for you — a diet that is high in carbohydrates and low in fat or one that is rich in fat yet low in carbs. I’ll leave it to another day to discuss the merits of these two opposing views and, instead, focus on something that most dieticians, diet doctors and even diet faddists can agree on. Fiber is good for you.

Just how good is still debatable but it’s hard to find a health expert who wouldn’t agree that most of us should have more fiber in our diet. Even the two leading yet opposing diet gurus –Dr. Dean Ornish who advocates a diet high in whole grains and the late Dr. Robert Atkins, who prescribed a diet high in animal fat and protein, agreed on the need for more fiber in our diets.

Fiber, which my mom used to call “roughage” is the non-digestible material found in plants including fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains and seeds. Because it is not digested, its nutrients are not absorbed into the blood stream and therefore don’t provide the body with any calories. It’s also completely devoid of carbohydrates and fat, though, the mere fact that a food has fiber doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good for you and it’s certainly not proof that the food will help you loose weight. Virginia peanuts, for example, contain a generous 2.4 grams of fiber per ounce. While peanuts can be a healthy part of your diet, it’s also important to point out that an ounce of raw peanuts has 13 grams of fat and 160 calories. Eat too many peanuts and you’ll gain weight, regardless of how much fiber you may be getting.

Most experts agree that you should get between 20 and 30 grams of fiber a day and the USDA, which is pretty conservative when it comes to health claims, acknowledges that fiber may lower the risk of both heart disease and some types of cancer. Most Americans get about half as much fiber as they should.

And, as your mother probably already told you, it can also improve your “regularity” which is a euphemistic way of saying that it helps you avoid constipation.

It isn’t clear how much of the benefit from a fiber rich diet comes from the fiber itself or the fact that fiber tends to displace fat and simple carbohydrates. Though it’s possible to eat a diet that is high in fat, sugar and fiber, people who eat a lot of fiber rich foods are more likely to also eat less fat and sugar. This correlation was born out in a recent study published in the Lancet (www.lancet.com) that people who ate a more fiber rich diet were also more likely to exercise more, smoke less and consume less alcohol and red meat. Still, the study found that those who eat the most fiber had a 27% lower risk of adenomas which are benign precursors to colon cancer.

There are actually two types of fiber. Soluble fiber, which is found in oats, barley, rye, dried beans, carrots, apples, black eyes peas, pinto beans, brown rice and oranges, has been shown to help lower cholesterol and blood sugar. Insoluble fiber (or roughage) helps keep bowels regular and prevents constipation. Insoluble fiber, which doesn’t dissolve in water and therefore helps add “bulk” to our stool, resulting in better regularity, can be found in cereals, wheat bran and the stalks and peels of fruits and vegetables, strawberries, bananas, pears, green beans, broccoli, and peppers. Many vegetable and fruit sources contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.

There is some controversy over whether fiber supplements are a good idea. Many nutritionists argue that most people don’t need to take supplements as long as they eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Still, product like Metamucil can provide a significant amount of fiber.

To add fiber to your diet (and reduce your intake of simple

carbohydrates) chose whole foods over processed foods. Whole wheat bread is better than white bread, brown rice is better than while rice. Whole fruits are better than juice.

Distilled alcohol and wine, I’m afraid to say, doesn’t have any fiber although beer has .7 gram per 12 ounces and you’ll get 1.4 grams from a Bloody Mary from six ounces of tomato juice and a large stalk of celery. And, contrary to what some people in Silicon Valley may believe, chewing on fiber optic cables will not improve your vision.

by Larry Magid

Most people put weight on during the holidays but I have a better idea. If you’re overweight, why not use the next 12 weeks to lose a few pounds and then try to keep your weight stable during the holiday season.  We’ll later worry about turkey, stuffing, latkes and Christmas but for now, let’s concentrate and what we can do to be in shape when the holidays do arrive.

Wouldn’t it be nice to sit down at the Thanksgiving table feeling a bit better than you do right now? Even if you do stuff yourself on November 27^th, it won’t be a big deal if you approach the holiday dinner a few pounds lighter.

The good news is that 12 weeks is enough time to make a difference. Most people can lose a pound a week without jeopardizing their health or having to go on a radical diet.

A pound equals 3,500 calories which means – to lose a pound between now and next week– you need to consume 3,500 fewer calories, burn 3,500 more calories or some combination of the two.

That’s only 500 calories a day and it’s not all that hard.  If you’re a beer drinker, you can save 148 calories by consuming one less 12 ounce beer. If you eat a typical desert such as a piece of pie and some ice cream, you might be able to cut 400 to 600 calories a day just by switching to something lighter like a piece of fruit or sugar free Jello Pudding with Cool Whip.

Do you think you’re “eating healthy” because you drink orange juice instead of sugary soda?  Orange juice is a good source of nutrients but don’t fool yourself into thinking it’s low in calories. A 12 ounce glass of Minute Maid Orange Juice has 177 calories – 31 more than an equal amount of Coca Cola Classic. Drink a 4 ounce glass or stick to water.

If you go out to restaurants you can save an enormous number of calories by cutting down on portions.  Ask for a doggie bag when you start your meal or – if you’re going out with someone else – split a meal. It can be just as satisfying, half the price and half the calories.  Ask the waiter to have the chef divide the meal. My wife and I split an incredibly opulent meal at a great restaurant when we were on vacation.  Even though the restaurant added a $10 split charge (often they’ll do it for free) it still wound up costing us only $90 instead of the $160 if we each had a whole meal. It was just as tasty, we spent just as much time dining, we had just as good a time together and we saved hundreds of calories.

Whether eating at home or at a restaurant, don’t pile up too much food on your plate but stick with serving sizes as suggested by the American Dietetic Association:

* Meat (3 ounces cooked, about the size of a deck of cards

* Fruit: about the size of a baseball

* Cheese (one ounce, about the size of four dice)

* Baked potato (small, the size of a computer mouse)

* Peanut butter (two tablespoons, the size of a golf ball)

I know it sounds compulsive, but try weighing and measuring your food for a week and looking up the calories for each portion.  You might be surprised. You’ll find calorie counters in the calculator section of www.nobellyprize.com

At meals fill your plate with the amount of food you think you should eat and don’t go back for more.  If you’re hungry, wait 20 minutes until your brain catches up with your stomach.  Eat slowly.  If you eat too fast your food will be gone very soon which is a big problem if you’re eating with people who eat at a regular pace. They’ll still be eating and you’ll be tempted to pile more food on your plate so while they’re finishing their (normal sized) meal.  I know this from experience. Even though I’ve lost and kept off a lot of weight, I still eat too fast and it remains my biggest dietary problem.

Another tip is to write down everything you eat, including portion size. Just keeping a journal is usually enough to make you conscious of what you’re eating. Avoid eating when standing or in front of the TV and don’t eat when you’re nervous, frustrated, depressed or angry.  Go for a walk instead.  .

Of course, being more physically active can also help you shed that 3,500 calories a week but don’t fool yourself. It takes a lot of exercise to burn off that many calories.  A nice 20 minute stroll after dinner is definitely better than sitting on the coach eating chips but – for a 150 pound person – a 17 minute per mile walk burns off only 96 calories. It’s a good start, but it won’t make up for an extra serving of ice cream.  If you make that a brisk walk (say a mile in 13 minutes) you increase your burn to 120 calories (the heavier you are, the more calories you burn – go to www.nobellyprize.com for fitness calculators).

In general, try to be more active. As I’ve said in past columns, take the stairs instead the elevator. Don’t drive around looking for the closest parking space, park far and walk briskly to the store – you not only burn more calories you’ll probably save time. Riding a bike instead of driving is not only good for you and the air but the time you save not having to park might make up for the slower speed of the bicycle.

Even if you take my advice, you can still pretend your Santa on December 25th. Only you’ll need some padding this time.