ChooseMyPlate - The new US food icon

This morning was a new revolution for dietitians in the US.

Yes, it was time that the US food pyramid had a makeover. The new ChooseMyPlate is in town.

Yes, I did manage to find the plate in other colours - I like this pink one! You can check out the graphics section of the website here.

Here's an excerpt from the ChooseMyPlate website with the key nutrition messages that go with the plate.

	Balancing Calories
	●	Enjoy your food, but eat less.
	●	Avoid oversized portions.
	Foods to Increase
	●	Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
	●	Make at least half your grains whole grains.
	●	Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
	Foods to Reduce
	●	Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
	●	Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Interestingly, Australia already uses the plate as the national food selection guide and has since 1998. Here's what Australia uses at the moment (although Australia is currently revising their food guide as we speak.. to be released later this year).

I guess I have a couple of quick thoughts on the new US food icon that I would like to share with you.

1. I think the simplicity of the plate makes it easy to read and understand, even for a child as First Lady Michelle Obama said.

2. Although there are no pictures, the colours make each food group easy to distinguish and there is no bias as to specifically what foods should be eaten. Thus the plate is compatible for diets across cultures.

3. I agree with Marion Nestle that the word protein is a nutrient, not a food, and when all other words on the plate are food words (Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Dairy), why not use food words to describe the group which primarily contains the nutrient, protein.

4. I think what may be confusing for people is the fact that MyPlate is not just a representation of the proportions that foods on a plate should be, but it is also a representation of the portions of the food groups that you should have each day. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on what you see when you look at the MyPlate. Share your thoughts with me on Facebook or write a comment below.

5. Should fruits and vegetables be included together as a message to form half of the plate? I know here in Australia we generally eat enough fruit but it's the 5 serves of vegetables that we struggle to eat every day. I've always liked the concept of filling half your plate with vegetables, and I'm worried that by combining the fruit and vegetables that people may get the wrong idea and cut back on their vegetable consumption and increase the not-so-ideal fruit containing foods such as large quantities of fruit juices, fruit bars etc.

6. We need to remember why the USDA has launced this plate in the first place. It is about trying to guide consumers to eat a healthy diet and reduce the rates of overweight and obesity. Yes there may be elements in the guide that are missing, such as good fats and physical activity, and although this plate is not the single answer to the obesity epidemic, it sure is a step in the right direction. (Sometimes I think that if we make things too complex, people will not mesh with the idea at all and place it in the too hard basket!)

The MyPlate website has plenty of additional resources and information, so make sure you check it out. And if you're into Twitter, use the hash tags #foodicon and #myplate in a search which will bring up lots of interesting discussion from people all around the world!

Hopefully it won't be too long before I will be able to share with you the news of Australia's new food selection guide. What would you want that to look like?

Keep the pressure down – top tips on diet & blood pressure

Hi guys,

This week I have a special treat for you. Instead of posting on here, I've written a guest post for the lovely Emma Stirling (Accredited Practising Dietitian) on her blog, The scoop on nutrition.

So without further ado, here's the link... Find out what you can do to keep your blood pressure down (and what can happen if you don't!)

Keep the pressure down - top tips on diet & blood pressure with guest expert Jemma O'Hanlon APD

 

Enjoy,

Positive eating

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of hosting my aunties and mother down here in Melbourne for a weekend of shopping, wining and dining. It was a fantastic weekend and one that I won't forget anytime soon.

Aunty Lynette, Aunty Helen and Mum

Mum and I

One of the highlights of the weekend was the winery trip. We went out to the Yarra Valley on the Saturday and visited a number of wineries, including Rochford, Chandon, Yering Station, and we also managed to pop in to Yarra Valley Dairy to grab some beautiful local cheese.

Now what inspired this post was our lunch at Rochford Winery. A beautiful restaurant and amazing food, it got me thinking about having a positive relationship with food.

Yarra Valley Venison Sausage Cassoulet - Local venison sausage served on a bed of cannellini beans & autumn root vegetables served with a rich Rochford cabernet sauce

Seared Chicken Breast - Local chicken breast served with Chorizo & a smoked Spanish paprika spiced orzo pasta with Rochford fortified cabernet sauce

Roasted Pumpkin & Sage Risotto - Risotto simmered in Rochford sauvignon blanc with roasted pumpkin puree, spinach & aged parmesan

Seard Escallop of Tasmanian Salmon - Pan fried Tasmanian Salmon glazed with late picked chardonnay, sweet & sour peppers & chickpea salad

You see, after our delicious mains, we ordered dessert, and as my mother ate her dessert, she kept on saying to herself, "oh this is bad, how bad is this.." over and over again.

This was the devil itself, the one that was 'very bad'

Being the blunt daughter that I occasionally can be, I stopped her in her tracks and told her to be quiet and eat her dessert, enjoy it and stop feeling guilty!

Yes that's right, the dietitian approved the dessert! Why?

The grass is always greener...

If you are a regular reader of my blog (and if not I would encourage you to subcribe by clicking here), you will know that I encourage healthy eating at all times. But what I also say is that 'extra foods', those foods that are high in saturated fat and high in sugar, can still be eaten, just not every day. These foods should be kept to special occasions, or around once a fortnight.

Now this is the key. The key is to have these foods in small amounts every once and a while, so that you don't feel like you are depriving yourself of anything. As Dr George Blair-West notes, deprivation will only lead to the craving of that food. Often the grass is always greener on the other side. And as humans we tend to want what we can't have. But if we have a little bit of grass (those high calorie foods) once in a while, in small portions, then we will be less likely to crave them or want to eat them every day.

Creating a positive relationship 

So back to our lunch, sitting at Rochford Winery, eating our dessert, I said to Mum, "How often would you eat something like this?" (even though I knew that it was once in a blue moon that Mum would indulge in such a treat). I was right. So my response was that she needed to stop that negative self talk, stop saying how bad she was, and instead enjoy every moment of that luxurious mud cake and savour every mouthful.

Aunty Helen enjoying her Creme Brulee

So the moral of the story is, eat a healthy diet, and every so often, treat yourself to something you wouldn't have every day. Savour it, enjoy it, and throw away those negative feelings. We need to start creating a positive relationship with food.

Thank you to Rochford Wines for an amazing day in the beautiful Yarra Valley. It should be noted that no money or gifts changed hands to create this blog! 

8 week challenge starts today! Who's with me?

Today I am starting my very own 8 week challenge to kick start my fight against winter weight gain. So.... who's with me?

The first thing you need to do is write down some goals (yes get out a pen and paper and write them down. You need to see them visibly every day to keep you on track. Stick them up on your fridge along with a photo of yourself when you have felt the best about yourself - it helps to have a visual to look at every day of what you want to achieve.)

My major goal is: 

To reduce centimetres around my waist, thighs and butt and prevent the dreaded winter weight gain that seems to have been a trend for me in the past

What will your goal(s) be? Post these below. Remember goals need to be SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.

The next step is to come up with some strategies as to how you are going to achieve your goals.

My strategies are:

1. To keep a food and exercise diary (writing down what you eat helps you to not only realise how much you are eating over the day, will stop you from making poor decisions as you have to write it down, and will help you to identify patterns in your diet, and any particular times of the day or week when you are likely to be at your weakeast, and the triggers behind this).

2. To go to the gym (or exercise) at least 5 days per week

3. To eat a healthy, low GI, higher protein diet and to eat vegetables at lunch and dinner

4. To keep treats to once a week 

5. To measure my success by measuring myself weekly and tracking any loss in centimeters

Finally I'm announcing this to you so that I have someone to answer to. Make sure you have a support network in place to help keep you motivated. It could be your husband, your wife, your boyfriend or your personal trainer.

Last by not least, wish me luck!! I hope you will also share with me your goals and strategies. Let's get fit together!

Beware of the Easter Bunny

Easter is literally on our doorstep, which means chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. 

For some of us this is a very dangerous time. You’ve set some goals at the start of the year as part of your new years resolution, and you’ve just started feeling good about getting into a routine. And then Easter comes along and it’s like walking into Temptation on The Biggest Loser. Chocolate finds you wherever you go. In the supermarkets, in the office, even at the gym. Friends give you chocolate as gifts, but you really wish they hadn’t as you know where that chocolate’s headed… yep, straight to your thighs. 

I'll be the first one to admit that as a chocolate lover, this is VERY dangerous territory for me. In fact, last night my Easter eggs caught me at a weak moment and I ended up indulging in much more chocolate than I should have, to the point where I physically could not eat any more as I felt so sick. Ring some bells?

Bad dietitian you might say, very bad. But let’s be honest, regardless of my profession, I’m still human, and I know how easy it is to get sucked into the Easter chocolate fest. So here’s my survival guide on getting through Easter without putting on weight (possibly this time it’s do as I say, not as I do..)

1. Out of sight, out of mind

One important strategy I must share with you is the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ philosophy. If you buy Easter eggs and place them in a bowl on your kitchen bench, then all I can say is best of luck to you, and fat chance those eggs will stay there for long. 

Sitting Easter eggs out on your kitchen bench right under your nose is like dangling a diamond ring in front of a woman. It’s just too much of a temptation not to go there. My recommendation is that if you don’t want to be tempted by Easter eggs, don’t put yourself in a position to be tempted. 

Place your eggs at the back of your cupboard or somewhere where they cannot be easily seen. Yes you know where they are, there's no kidding yourself there. But by placing them in a hidden location, you won't see them when you wake up, you won't see them when you get home starving, and you won’t be tempted to nibble on one while you're cooking tea.

So what’s the point in buying them in the first place, you ask? Well it’s not that I’m saying not to buying them, but by storing them ‘off limits’ it means that when you do happen to feel like one, you’ll be more likely to be in control of your behaviour and more likely to savour and enjoy the chocolate, rather than just wolfing it down like a labrador because you’re either starving or bored.

2. Do you really need it?

I think often we get sucked into the Easter craze, so much so that it seems un-normal not to overindulge in chocolate over the Easter period. And if I was to say, like I have to my family and friends in past years, "I'm not eating any chocolate this year", I would get hit with looks you'd never hope the wind would change on.

Have a think about why you eat chocolate at Easter. Is it because you want to fit in with everyone else, and not feel as though you are missing out on something? Is it because every time you walk into the supermarket you are bombarded by chocolate Easter eggs and you give in to temptation? Is it because it's a norm in your family, and maybe your husband would murder you if you took away chocolate from his Easter? Or is it simply a great excuse to eat chocolate and not feel guilty, because, it’s Easter and that’s just what you do, right?

A great book by Dr Rick Kausman called If not dieting, then what? explores some of these relationships we have with food. One of his empowerment cards (available for purchase on his website) says "I can have it if I want it, but do I really feel like it?" 

Think about the meaning of this sentence. Next time you reach for an Easter egg, think to yourself, do I really feel like it? Do I really need it? If the answer is yes, enjoy it and let that moment last. If the answer is no, put it back in the cupboard and distract yourself by doing something else. 

 

3. Good things come in small packages

Portion size is critical when it comes to chocolate. Let's do a comparison:

• A mini egg (the small eggs that you buy in bags of about 20) will set you back around 150kJ and 2g fat. 
• A hollow small egg (the ones you by in the cartons of 12) has 450kJ and 6.5g fat.
• A bigger egg (the ones you buy on their own, about 15cm tall) has 2840kJ and 36g fat.
• And a tall bunny (about 30cm tall) has 3300kJ and 43g fat.

Then there’s my brother's favourite - the huge dinosaur egg. This one contains a whopping 15470 kJ and 208g fat. Yep, that works out to be about 178% of someone’s total daily calories and 3 times the recommended fat intake.

So what’s the moral of the story? Choose your portions wisely. Bigger eggs mean more calories, more fat, and more chance that you’ll gain weight. The other thing to remember is that when eggs are portion controlled, you don’t eat as much. I personally find (yes from chocolate eating experience) that once you break into one of those big eggs or bunnies, it’s very hard to stop. There’s always an edge that needs breaking off. And of course it’s absolutely essential that you need make it level all the way around. Until you accidentally break a bit off that forms another jagged edge.. (get the picture?)

 

  
4. The old 'antioxidant' theory... don't be fooled

I could not keep count of the number of times I have heard people justify drinking red wine or eating dark chocolate by saying that it's got antioxidants so that makes it ok. 

Now don’t get me wrong, if every Australian drank wine in moderation (ie. 1 glass a day) and only ate 1 square of chocolate a day then us dietitians would be very happy chappies. Unfortunately many of us eat and drink much more than this and we know that this can result in health problems. 

So is chocolate good for us? It’s true that chocolate has health properties. Studies have shown that chocolate can reduce blood pressure, increase insulin sensitivity, and act as a  protective mechanism against cardiovascular disease. The antioxidants in chocolate are called flavonoids. And the darker the chocolate, the more flavonoids there are, which is why if you are going to eat chocolate the darker you go the better. Darker chocolate tends to be more bitter and stronger in flavour than other chocolate, but this is a good thing as chances are you won’t eat as much. 

But when it comes to the antioxidant excuse, chocolate and red wine don’t come through as the winners. Fruit and vegetables take trophies, and we all need to eat more of these. You can read more on antioxidants here. 

In terms of chocolate consumption for health, eating small amounts of dark chocolate has been shown to have health benefits, but as chocolate is high in fat and high in calories, if you can’t stop at one or two squares, it may be best not to have it at all. 

5. Don’t eat chocolate for breakfast

This might seem like a pretty self explanatory concept, but I know there are some of you that will wake up on Easter Sunday and tuck into your giant Easter egg first thing in the morning. I know this because believe it or not, I used to do it as a child myself! (Bad dietitian once again). 

So I remember how disgusting it made me feel and how by doing this it also ruined my eating habits for the rest of day. I used to justify it by thinking that it was ok because it was just a substitution for another meal. But I now know that it doesn’t work that way. Substituting a meal for chocolate doesn’t work because chocolate doesn’t have the protein or fibre in it to keep you feeling full until your next meal and you will end up eating a lot more calories in the long run than if you had stuck to your normal eating habits with a few treats on the side. Studies have shown that people that eat a nutritious breakfast are more likely to eat well throughout the rest of the day. So don’t change your habits just because it’s Easter. Your stomach will also thank you for it!

6. Stay active, but don't think by exercising you can eat whatever you want

Seeing as we've just discussed the kilojoule and fat content of Easter eggs, I think it's fitting to remind you that this is a time that you need to stay active. In case you haven't noticed, the days are getting shorter and the sun is coming up much later. Winter is fast approaching, and when you combine that with Easter it's no wonder that the kilos will start creeping on.

Those of you that do group fitness classes or have a personal trainer will know that trainers love to talk in calories. They’ll be talking Easter eggs in your classes and telling you how many eggs you’re burning off as you pump iron in BODYPUMP or cycle away in RPM. But be very very careful. Don't get into the mindset that so long as you’re exercising it's ok to eat as much chocolate as you like. I won’t even delve into how much exercise it takes to burn off an Easter egg as chances are if I tell you it will make you cry. What you need to know is that it takes a lot of exercise to burn off a few little Easter eggs, and although it’s great that you’re exercising, you’ll still be likely to gain weight if you overindulge. 

Summing up

All in all I hope this post has given you some food for thought. Easter is only a few days away so make sure you have a plan and set some boundaries for yourself. Remember there is plenty more to Easter than chocolate, so enjoy the non-food related activities that Easter brings and take the focus away from food. Go get yourself a massage, catch up on sleep, get some sunshine, absorb yourself in that book that you’ve been desperate to read or just enjoy spending time with friends and family. Think of your holidays as a way to rejuvenate your mind and your body, and don’t forget to maintain that healthy lifestyle that you’ve worked so hard on.

Happy Easter 

 

Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Screen time & eating, a bad combination

Have you ever been driving your car whilst talking on the phone (with hands free of course)? And when you hang up from your friend you realise that you can't actually remember the trip home? Scary isn't it.

Well the same principles apply when you eat whilst watching tv, or working on your computer. Because you are distracted, you may not realise how much you have eaten and studies have shown that people that eat whilst watching the screen will eat more later on.

I really enjoyed an e-newsletter article from Sue Radd (APD) on this topic, so much so that I have copied and pasted it below for you to read. Just make sure it's not while you're eating.

The Perils of Snacking in front of the TV

by Sue Radd from Sue Radd's Nutrition and Wellbeing Clinic

Do you enjoy eating popcorn at the movies?  What about ice cream, cheese and crackers or a packet of chips while you’re watching the tele?  Does chocolate hit the spot during your favourite TV show?  If your answer is yes to any of these questions, you may be sabotaging your own weight loss attempts. 

We all know that snacking on calorie dense, nutrient poor foods is a bad idea for weight loss.  But is there a difference if you eat snacks in front of the TV?  Apparently so!  New research published in Applied Cognitive Psychology shows if you snack in front of the screen, you are more likely to eat a greater amount at your next meal - without knowing it! 

In this Australian study, healthy female university students of normal weight were split into two groups.  Both groups were given the same amount of snacks to eat, however one group was allowed to eat the snacks in front of the television, while the other group was not.  Interestingly, the group that ate in front of the TV ended up consuming more food later on, despite not snacking any less beforehand.

Why does it matter if you eat in front of the TV?  First, have you noticed how easy it is to just keep eating…and eating, when your attention is being occupied elsewhere?  Before you know it, that king size block of chocolate is gone!   Even if you control your portions (as was done in this study), do you really get to enjoy your food when you are focused on something else?  Can you recall every mouthful and what it tasted like?  Did it get sweeter or saltier as you went along, signaling to your body that maybe you’ve had enough?

This study shows that people who eat in front of the TV have less recollection of actually eating, let alone how much they ate!  As a result, they’re actually more likely to overeat later in the day. 

Whether it’s TV, the movies or even your work computer screen, being absent minded when eating could get you into trouble.  Remember the time you went to the movies and had a big bag of popcorn… then afterwards squeezed in a three course meal?!

Our advice:  Make a conscious decision not to eat in front of the television (or your computer) – regardless of how healthy that snack may be!  Turn off the tele at meal times, eat slowly and enjoy your food with your family or friends.  For good health, limit TV viewing time to 2 hours per day and separate it from your snacks and meals! 

Sue Radd www.sueradd.com

Why you need to eat carbs

Ok so my last couple of blogs have been a little bit longer than I would have liked so let's make this a short one. I promise I'll be quick.

I'm going to tell you 5 reasons why you need to eat carbs, and why low carb diets don't work.

1. Carbs make you happy

Who has seen the movie Bruno? Ok although I don't condone anything that went on in that movie (although it did make me laugh, and cringe, a lot) there is a scene where Bruno talks about committing 'carbicide' ie. he binges on carbs. Then when he ends up in an intimate situation with his gay friend, he blames it on the carbs, saying he had his 'carb goggles' on. Hilarious.

So what's my point? My point is that carbs do make you happy. It's scientifically proven that when you eat carbs, neurotransmitters are released which give you a warm feeling inside, ie. you feel happy!

Ever tried starving yourself of carbs? Chances are you may have felt down, depressed or moody, this is likely because you weren't getting that wonderful natural high from eating carbs. You also might have just been starving which is why you were moody.

2. Carbs are an essential source of fuel for the body. 

Carbs fuel your body like petrol does to a car. Carbs are the most important fuel source your body can get and carbs provide energy to the brain and muscles to function effectively. It's that simple.

3. Carbs keep you feeling fuller for longer

Ever had a salad for lunch and wondered why you're hungry an hour later? 

Chances are that salad may have contained plenty of healthy vegetables but no carbs.

What foods contain carbs?

• Breads, Cereals, Rice, Pasta & Noodles
• Fruit
• Starchy vegetables such as potato, sweet potato and corn
• Legumes 
• Milk, yoghurt and milk alternatives

So now think about that salad you ate and how you could increase the carb content. Maybe you could add some potato, sweet potato, corn, chickpeas, lentils or rice? Or maybe you just might have it with a slice of multigrain bread on the side?

The point is, if you don't consume some carbs at each meal, you will feel very hungry soon after, and you'll be inclined to snack on higher sugar, higher fat foods such as lollies, cakes or biscuits.  

This salad contains chickpeas which are a great way to 'carb up' a salad.
Find out what else I added here.

4. Carbs contain fibre

Fibre is essential for so many reasons. Other than keeping you regular, it has a role in reducing cholesterol and reducing your risk of certain cancers. Fibre like low GI foods also helps keep you fuller for longer. So it's for this reason we recommend having brown or multigrain bread over white bread, choosing brown rice over long grain white rice, and choosing wholemeal pasta over regular pasta. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also a fantastic source of fibre. The skins have a special type of fibre called insoluble fibre which has very special health properties, so make sure you eat the skin (when it's edible to do so). My favourite is roasted pumpkin with the skin on. Yumm. 

5. Carbs contain essential vitamins and minerals

Other than fibre, carbs contain a range of vitamins and minerals which are essential for the body every day. Some of these include your B vitamins, folate and iron. Starving yourself of carbs means you won't be getting the fibre or vitamins and minerals to get you through the day. Deficiencies in these can be dangerous, especially for groups that have higher micronutrient requirements, such as pregnant women.

Why do low carb diets not work?

Check out my post on Detox Diets. The same principles apply.

Recently I spotted some more misinformation on The Biggest Loser. The Commando prescribed a highly restrictive, low carb diet to his black team. Let's just say that his team weren't too impressed, in fact they thought the diet was more suited to a rabbit. Just like my Marsha. 

Yes, this is the love of my life, my bunny, Marsha :)

What are the best carbs to go for?

As you may be aware, some carbs are better choices than others. 

Low GI, high fibre and minimally processed carbs are your best bet. Foods such as multigrain bread, wholemeal pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables are some examples of these.

When Bruno committed carbicide, he pigged out on the complete opposite. He ate high fat, high sugar, highly processed foods such as cakes, pies, pastries and desserts. Although these contain carbs, these are not recommended to be eaten as part of a healthy diet and should be kept for special occasions only and eaten in small amounts (no bingeing!). And as Bruno found out, carbicide is a bad idea. Watch the movie to find out what happened the next morning...








Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net