Read New Blogs by Dr. Dorene

Hi Friends,

I just added several new blogs that I think you would find of interest. To learn more about these blogs, go to http://lunchboxseminars.blogspot.com.

Each blog will have its own focus, which should be useful in keeping things in focus. Do check out the blogs from time to time as they will be updated regularly.

In addition, send me your questions and comments. I would love to hear from you and provide feedback in response to your questions. Ultimately, my goal is to use the website, www.lunchboxseminars.com as a forum where you can share information and get feedback from the moderator as well as from site visitors.

I know that many people find forums extremely useful in helping them to feel empowered, inspired, motivated and able to take action. Ultimately, it is the action that you take that will make the difference in whether you reach your goal or not.

Find out what's happening at the newest blogs by visiting http://lunchboxseminars.blogspot.com. Then click on the blogs you want to read. And there's much more to come.

Power Up for Success!!!

Your RD, Dr. Dorene

National Diabetes Month November 2011

In announcing November 2011 as National Diabetes Month, President Barack Obama urges all Americans to learn more about the disease and how we can manage, treat, and prevent it.

Diabetes can have a devastating impact on the health and well-being of those who are affected, and remains a major public health threat.

What is especially alarming is the increase in Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes among America's children. According to the Presidential Proclamation, the increase in Type 2 diabetes among our Nation’s children is linked to the rise in childhood obesity.

First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Initiative is designed to help children and families develop healthy habits for a healthier tomorrow.

Let us come together to increase awareness and reverse the growing incidence of diabetes in America.

More...

What is a Low-Calorie Diet?

A low-calorie diet allows you to eat fewer calories by eliminating foods that are high in calories. Low calorie diets are usually used for weight loss.

Eating foods that are high in nutritional value is important when you are on a low-calorie diet. This will help you to get the nutrients you need for good health while using your excess body fat for energy.

A low-calorie diet usually consists of foods that are high in fiber, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and peas. At the same time, foods that are high in sugar and foods made from white flour, trans fats or saturated fats must be reduced significantly or avoided as much as possible.

You can expect to lose about one or two pounds a week on a sensible low-calorie diet. That would mean consuming about 500 calories less than you burn. For example, if you are maintaining your weight with 2000 calories, a diet that provides 1500 calories should allow you to lose one pound a week. This estimate is based on the theory that you have to burn an excess of 3500 calories in order to lose one pound.

Increasing your level of physical activity will enhance the effectiveness of your low-calorie diet by boosting your metabolism.  As a result, you may be able to lose weight at a reasonable rate without starving yourself.

Keep in mind that very low-calorie diets can put you at risk for nutritional deficiencies. As a nutritionist, I don’t recommend this extreme approach. However, if you are determined to go this route, talk to your healthcare provider and a registered dietitian to get a clear idea of the risks involved. Comprehensive medical supervision is essential for anyone determined to go on this type of diet. 

You would most likely need to take nutritional supplements to make up for the low nutrient intake that usually results from a very low-calorie diet. That's about 600 to 800 calories per day. Clearly, at this level, you would not be able to get all of the vitamins, minerals and other compounds that your body needs to function properly.

A safe goal to aim for on a low-calorie diet is between 1400 and 1800 calories per day. If you are very active, you might even be able to eat a little more and still lose weight.

Please note that information provided on this site is for education and informational purposes only. Always talk to your personal healthcare professional before making making any major changes to your diet or before  taking large amounts of supplements.

How to Help Children Develop Healthy Eating Habits

There are many ways that you can help your child to develop healthy eating habits. Even if your child is a picky eater, you can help him to develop healthy eating habits.

Here are 5 simple suggestions:

• Set a good example. If you want your child to eat broccoli, let him see you eat them.

• Offer vegetables often. They should be offered with lunch and dinner, and whenever possible at breakfast or as a snack. Don't think about French fries as vegetables in this case. 

• Use colorful vegetables to brighten meals and raise your child's curiosity.

• Introduce vegetables early. Between 4 and 6 months is a good time to start. This will give the child a chance to get familiar with the taste of vegetables before he becomes too familiar with foods that have a more sweet taste.

• Don't withhold other food or punish your child if he refuses to eat his vegetables. Wait a few days or even weeks before introducing the same vegetable, then try again. Continue to do this until you find a variety of vegetables that the child will eat.

• Prepare vegetables in a variety of ways - soups, salads, steamed, grilled, juiced or whatever until you find ways that he is most likely to eat them.

Encourage children who are old enough to take part in the planning, shopping, preparing and serving of vegetables. Then, chances are your child won't look at vegetables as some kind of weird food. Instead, he will see it as a normal part of his daily diet.

4 Reasons Why You Should Eat a Good Breakfast

You might be skipping breakfast because you are in a hurry or you think that it is a way to lose weight. . But skipping breakfast is not the solution. In fact, there are some pretty good reasons why you should eat a good breakfast everyday. 

Here are 4 good reasons:

1. The first reason is that after a long night of fasting, during sleep, your body would have used up the fuel and a good bit of the nutrients that you consumed during the day. A good breakfast will replenish the nutrient levels in your cells to give you the energy and mental clarity you need for optimum performance.
2. Breakfast can provide one-fifth to one-third of your daily nutritional needs. Going without a good breakfast increases the chance that you might consume a lot of empty calories during the day without a matching allowance of vitamins, minerals and other important dietary substances.
3. Breakfast is an opportunity to get milk or other dairy products, including cheese and yogurt, which can help to meet your calcium needs. Keep in mind that calcium is needed to build strong bones. Skipping breakfast may make it harder to get the calcium you need during the rest of the day and put you are risk for osteoporosis.
4. Breakfast will keep you from getting ravenously hungry in the middle of the morning and stuffing yourself with high-calorie junk food.

How to Avoid Unhealthy Weight Gain This Holiday Season

It is important to set a limit on how calories if you are trying to lose weight. That means cutting back or cutting out foods that are high in fats and sugar.

You don’t have to count calories, although it is a good idea to do so. This will allow you to learn where most of the calories in your diet are coming from. Having this knowledge will allow you to make better choices at home and when dining out.

If you don’t know how many calories are in the foods you eat, you are likely to overeat and become frustrated when you don’t lose weight. On the other hand, if you know that you have consumed excess calories, you can avoid gaining too much weight by taking immediate steps to burn the excess calories. That means getting up and getting exercising more. Better yet, just don't overeat.

As you know, the holidays can be rather stressful and stress itself can lead to weight gain. Two common causes of weight gain during stress are increased production of cortisol, the stress hormone, and depression, which could lead to overeating.

With the holidays upon us, you need to have a plan to counteract the challenges that the holidays bring. Stress, depression, office parties, and an abundance of food, drink and sweets at this time can really make it difficult to control your weight. But if you have a plan, you can beat the odds.

 A good place to start is by creating a plan. You can find lots of useful articles on this blog as well as at www.dailydietguide.com, and at www.eatright.org. The U.S. Department of Agriculture website and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also provide practical information for diet planning and weight loss. In addition, a registered dietitian can help you devise a diet and weight loss or weight management program that is just right for you. 

Don't wait until you've started packing on the pounds this holiday season. Get started on a healthy weight management program now.