Take the challenge and try nutritionist Joy Bauer’s weight-loss plan

Real-life weight loss secrets from celebrity natural-foods chef Bethenny Frankel

1. Pack your own snack
Pack an indulgent but figure-friendly snack in your lunch bag and you’ll find it easier to resist whatever sweets are up for grabs. Try some Greek yogurt with granola and chocolate chips sprinkled on top, or peanut butter and honey drizzled over a piece of whole-wheat toast. You easily can satisfy your sweet tooth without going up a jeans size.

2. Invest your calories wisely
Dieting is like balancing your checkbook—you need to hold yourself accountable for the calories you spend. One bite of a cupcake isn’t going to kill you, but eating a whole one every day will make the numbers on the scale soar. Pack a snack three days a week, but let yourself indulge a little on the other two. By planning ahead, you can cut back on your midmorning snack to keep yourself within your targeted calorie range.

3. Don’t graze
On the days you choose a high-cal office treat, be vigilant about just how much you’re shoveling into your mouth. A sliver of cake will seem pretty measly portioned out on a big paper plate. And studies show that you’re much more likely to go overboard and load up on seconds—or thirds—if your brain doesn’t think you’re getting enough.

Researchers at Cornell University invited faculty, staff, and students from the nutrition school to an ice cream social to test how plate size can influence your diet. Guests were randomly given different sizes bowls and were told to serve themselves. Unsurprisingly, those with the bigger bowls ate about 30% more than the others. Even nutrition experts are prone to slip up when their minds think they aren’t getting enough!

Keep a saucer-size plate or small ramekin at your desk and you’ll trick yourself into thinking you’re eating more than you really are. And never, ever eat directly from the office candy bowl. Pick out a handful of jelly beans and put them straight into your ramekin.

4. Sip something warm
If your cubicle mate’s chocolate chip cookies never fail to trigger an overeating impulse, it’s best not to take a bite. Fill your belly with a warm, low-calorie beverage instead.

I find most teas boring, but some of the more decadent flavors—think vanilla caramel or gingerbread—can fill you up with zero calories. When I get the urge to splurge, I head to Starbucks for a tall soy Misto with some sugar-free caramel syrup. It costs me only 70 calories and, more importantly, it tastes like a really rich treat.

5. Choose the weightier option
If the calorie content is relatively the same, always choose the treat that weighs more. I reach for pretzels and cheese instead of potato chips because even if the portion sizes are similar, I’ll end up feeling much fuller with the heavier snack.

By Tracey Minkin
Link to Health Magazine

If losing weight is at the top of your resolution list, you’re not alone: An estimated 80 million Americans go on diets every year, spending more than $30 billion annually on programs and products. That’s a lot of money, a lot of advice, and a lot of emotional investment.

So, which diets really work—and work safely? To find the weight-loss programs with that golden balance of nutrition, calorie control, motivation, and activity, Health harnessed a panel of experts to put more than 60 well-known diets to the test and narrow them down to the top 10. (Compare the pros and cons of more than 40 popular diets here!) Here’s our list of winners:

The Structure House Weight Loss Plan 
Publisher: Fireside          
                              

Don’t recognize this plan? That’s because for more than 30 years its author, Gerard J. Musante, PhD, has been working quietly and very successfully running the actual Structure House, a Durham, N.C.–based residential treatment center for obese adults. That’s a lot of time spent with patients and a lot of attention paid to the broad factors that affect weight loss—particularly the relationship people have with food.

But can an excellent residential program transfer to an effective at-home plan? The answer, according to our experts, is a resounding “yes,” which is how this below-the-radar plan grabbed highest honors from its better-known rivals.

With top-shelf scores on every aspect of healthy weight-loss, Structure House won an “outstanding!” from obesity expert Tim Church, MD, on its exercise component (often a weak spot in diet programs). And several panelists raved about the plan’s motivational components. “It focuses on the ‘why’ behind overeating,” says registered dietitian Maureen Callahan, “and helps dieters learn to put their lives in balance.” Health’s senior food and nutrition editor, Frances Largeman-Roth, agrees: “This book takes a holistic approach to weight loss, asking you to fill your life with things other than food—outdoor activities and time with friends and family, for instance. Plus, the recipes, such as Balsamic Dijon Chicken and Classic Pesto, won high marks for tastiness, another factor in long-term weight-loss success.

The Step Diet 
Workman Publishing

We all know that walking 10,000 steps a day can really make a huge difference healthwise. But now we also know that the diet inspired by this fundamental, healthy approach to movement and activity is a big winner. And it even comes with a pedometer, a device that studies have shown can be a huge motivator for staying active and losing weight.

Our panelists agree that establishing a lifestyle regimen that combines intentional walking with spur-of-the-moment step-building (parking farther away, taking the stairs) is a healthy, all-ages, all-levels-of-fitness diet prescription. “This is more about calories burned than calories cut,” Health’s Frances Largeman-Roth says.

The nutritional approach of the Step Diet, devised by weight-control experts from the University of Colorado, is profoundly simple: Cut food intake to 75 percent of what you currently eat. “This plan is for people who like things simple,” nutrition expert Christine Palumbo says. “Simply cut back on what you normally eat.” With suggestions (not hard-core regimens) for making healthy meals and a food diary for building mindfulness, this plan can work well for dieters who like to have daily control and choices.

Our panelists also noted that the cut in calories combined with the steady increase in activity can lead to a safe, healthy rate of weight loss and a naturally active lifestyle. “This is a doable, concrete approach to adding daily physical activity and losing pounds,” dietitian and fitness expert Samantha Heller says.

Weight Watchers

It’s a classic for a reason. It works.

And over the years, this gold-standard weight-loss program that harnesses the power of group support to help motivate dieters has kept up with science, not to mention changing lifestyles. For this aspect, Weight Watchers earned the highest motivational marks (including several perfect scores) from our panel of experts, who also lauded the plan’s overall healthy weight-loss pace and exercise component.

Most noteworthy: Weight Watchers, while maintaining its meetings-based system, has added an online version for those dieters who, in the words of panelist Largeman-Roth, “aren’t into group hugs.”

What’s more, dieters following the program have flexibility. In late December the company launched its newest program, Momentum, which is designed to allow consumers to control their hunger and tailor Weight Watchers to fit their lifestyle. Momentum combines elements from previous food plans like Weight Watchers’ famous points-based Flex Plan and the Core Plan. The Flex plan is packed with major education on making wise and healthy food choices and gets kudos for providing both motivation and a simple framework for success. The Core Plan focuses dieters on eating nutritious, satisfying foods—without counting calories.

The Weight Watchers program offers strategies that will work for every dieter. And the support specifically for men was a real bonus, as was the ability to get tasty, already-prepared (and points counted) meals at your local grocery store.

The EatingWell Diet
The Countryman Press

This new entry into the field in 2007 has built beautifully on the latest understanding of the broad approach necessary for effective weight loss. Author Jean Harvey-Berino, PhD, RD, developed the fundamentals of the EatingWell Diet at the University of Vermont, where she chairs the department of nutrition and food science. The focus on behavioral changes—including finding and facing eating triggers, eating and shopping mindfully, and cultivating regular, joyful exercise habits—combined with a 28-day mix-and-match menus gained the highest overall rankings on calorie-intake and weight-loss-rate criteria from our panelists.

“Hallelujah,” says registered dietitian Maureen Callahan. “Here’s a diet plan that tells the truth about weight loss. Dieters lose about 21 pounds in six months, or about a pound a week. This kind of steady weight loss is the real thing, the kind that stays off.” Another nifty extra: a Diet Food Diary that includes a calorie-count chart.

The Volumetrics Eating Plan
Harper Collins

Nutritionist Barbara Rolls, PhD, has tapped into a fundamental human quality: We like to feel full. This may sound obvious, but it’s based, in fact, on extensive work Rolls has done as director of the Laboratory for the Study of Human Ingestive Behavior at Pennsylvania State University. Rolls says you’ll eat better and lose weight if you focus on the energy density of foods. And her Volumetrics plan explains how low-density foods like fruits and vegetables, as well as soups and stews, fill you up without overloading you with calories.

This diet scored highest for its safe weight-loss-rate and nutritional components because it’s “based on sound nutrition principles and overall healthy food choices,” judge Samantha Heller says. And our panelists found the plan’s 150-plus recipes appealing. Another plus, judge Christine Palumbo says, is Volumetric’s creative approach of showing photos of low- and high-density foods side by side—a simple way to help dieters visualize good choices.

Though exercise plays a secondary role in the Volumetrics plan, it is required. And a guide for logging 30 to 60 minutes of daily activity provides motivation. But Health’s Frances Largeman-Roth wondered if some dieters would need more exercise challenges and support.

The Best Life Diet
Simon & Schuster

Bob Greene is forever linked with superstar (and dieter) Oprah Winfrey. And his high-profile guide, which offers a sane, healthy approach to overall lifestyle changes, earned consistently high marks from our experts. Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, who looked at the motivational elements of each diet, was impressed by the realistic goals embraced by the Best Life plan, as well as the weekly menus and recipes offered on its Web site (which also features message-board support groups, a good source of dieting motivation).

Best Life has three phases that each dieter is encouraged to embark upon at his or her own pace, a strategy that leads to slimming, nutritional eating and increased physical activity. Dietitian Christine Palumbo gave this staged approach a perfect 10: “For people who like to ease into lifestyle changes in order to get used to them oh-so-gradually,” she says, “this is a good bet.”

Greene doesn’t advocate keeping strict track of calories, which may make the Best Life more challenging for rule-loving dieters, yet panelists applauded his holistic approach to healthy eating. “He’s emphasizing healthy foods in reasonable portions,” nutrition expert Maureen Callahan says.

“Dieters shouldn’t feel deprived on this plan,” Health’s Frances Largeman-Roth says. “However, the fact that this diet doesn’t have ‘magic’ foods or promise rapid results may make it less attractive to dieters looking for a silver bullet.” And that may be its best recommendation of all.

The Solution 
Collins

“This program excels at helping people figure out why they’re overeating,” Callahan says, “and that’s what’s going to keep the weight off.” Squarely facing the emotional and behavioral underpinnings of overeating, dietitian Laurel Mellin’s method is based on The Shapedown Program, a successful weight-management plan she created for overweight children and adolescents in the late 1970s. Mellin views obesity not so much in terms of diet and exercise but as another expression of the interaction of mind, body, and lifestyle. And The Solution, designed for dieters of all ages, targets five root causes of weight problems: unbalanced eating, low energy, body shame, setting ineffective limits, and weak self-nurturing skills.

The food aspects of this program center on four “light” lists—grains, proteins, milk foods, and fruit and vegetables. And Mellin’s guidelines and food suggestions got high marks on healthy balance from our panelists. Largeman-Roth liked the variety of the plan, as well as its overall moderation. And Palumbo awarded it a hat-trick of perfect 10s in all nutritional aspects.

You: On a Diet
Free Press

“No wonder Dr. Oz is Oprah’s favorite doctor!” Palumbo raves, hailing the friendly diet book that is the centerpiece of the “You” docs Mehmet C. Oz and Michael F. Roizen’s mini-empire of healthy lifestyle guides and products (including a very interactive Web site). This diet, Palumbo adds, “teaches and motivates about weight (and waist) loss with a sense of good humor and fun.”

Indeed, the book offers a lot of education amidst the menu plans, which include recipes for Stuffed Whole Wheat Pizza, Grilled Peanut Shrimp with Sesame Snow Peas, and Sweet Beet and Gorgonzola Salad. Panelist Samantha Heller praised its easy-to-understand nutrition information, while Dr. Rajapaksa gave points for its good explanations of how the body works. The weight-loss trajectory centers on cutting about 500 calories per day, and panelists liked the easy calculations that help readers figure out their own calorie needs.

Palumbo also credited the plan with adding to the healthy (but not terribly exciting) 30 minutes of daily walking some equally valuable recommendations of stretching, metabolism boosting, muscle building, and strength training. Added benefit: Illustrations show how to do the exercises sans a trip to the gym.

The Sonoma Diet
Meredith Books

There’s an undercurrent of celebration in this best-selling diet that continues to inspire with delicious recipes using staples of Mediterranean eating: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, fish, and nuts.

Dietitian and PhD Connie Guttersen’s plan opens with a strident 10-day jump-start phase called “Wave One,” designed to purge habits of eating sugar and highly processed foods, which judges Maureen Callahan and Samantha Heller caution may be a little too calorie-restrictive for some beginning dieters. But subsequent phases—active weight loss and maintenance—garnered high marks from our panel. Exercise is encouraged but not actively prescribed, a missed opportunity in the minds of several judges.

Overall, our panelists loved the creative recipes and menus. And they applauded the plate-and-bowl approach to portion control, a hallmark of long-term, sustainable eating habits. “This diet teaches you to eat slowly and savor your meals,” judge Palumbo says.

The Spectrum 
Ballantine

Famous in the 1990s for advocating a program to combat heart disease, Dean Ornish, MD, has been criticized for prescribing nutritional edicts that are just too hard to sustain. The Spectrum, Ornish’s newest diet, both broadens and softens his program by moving along four separate paths to health—nutrition, exercise, stress management, and personal relationships.

Our panelists liked the plan’s holistic approach, particularly rewarding its counsel on reducing stress and giving it high marks for including a meditation DVD with the book. And our nutrition judges were glad to see that Ornish has tempered his tough stance on fats to a more sustainable level, but one panelist feels he’s still too strict. “There’s no reason not to eat nuts, seeds, and avocados; use maple syrup and honey; or have a glass of wine, periodically,” panelist Heller says. She notes, though, that Ornish’s whole-body approach, which includes a vegetarian lifestyle, stress management, and exercise, is on target in terms of health, disease prevention, and reaching a healthy weight.

Judge Palumbo awarded Ornish’s plan some of her highest scores. “This ‘diet’ plan addresses the lifestyle diseases of the 21st century,” she says, “such as diabetes, certain cancers, and cardiovascular disease. This book is ideal for people who are looking for an intelligent, thoughtful, science-based weight-loss program.”

Cracker meal gives the coating more crunch; look for it on the baking aisle of your supermarket. If you can’t find cracker meal, make your own by pulsing 10 saltine crackers in a food processor until they’re finely ground. Or place them in a zip-top plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine   

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 3/4 cup slaw)

Ingredients

• COLESLAW:
• 4  cups  packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw
• 3  tablespoons  fat-free mayonnaise
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  celery seeds
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  cider vinegar
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt

• CHICKEN:
• 1  cup low-fat buttermilk
• 4  (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
• 1/3  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/3  cup  cracker meal
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons  butter

Struggling to Lose Weight
I’ve tried every diet pill with no success. What should I do?
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness 

Link on MSNBC

Q. I’m struggling with my weight. I’m 5′1″ and about to hit 170 pounds. I’ve tried every diet pill under the sun, but none seem to work. I have two jobs and a four year old, and my weight is taking an emotional and physical toll on me. What do I do? Where do I begin?

A: As a starting point in managing your weight, first get a thorough check-up with your doctor to rule out any medical reasons for your weight gain. But, if you’re like so many people in the U.S., eating too much of the wrong foods and not moving enough may be playing the biggest roles.

Obviously with your time-consuming and, no doubt, exhausting schedule, you may not feel as if you have the time to exercise much (if at all), or like you can spend the time it takes to cook healthful meals. But the tough-love truth is this: Eating the most nutritious food you can and getting some exercise in nearly every day are the two ingredients that are necessary for long-term weight management.

No matter what weight-loss approach you try, unless you improve the way you eat and how physically active you are, your weight will never be under control. That’s why the seemingly quick-fix approach of using diet pills doesn’t work. Even if they produced short-term weight loss, it’s likely that you would have gained the weight back (and maybe more), unless you addressed the root of the problem—the daily habits that have helped you to become overweight.

When you’re feeling down in the dumps about the shape you’re in, it’s easy to want to try anything that might give immediate, noticeable results. And often, when you’re in this mindset, you can commit to the deprivation or discipline needed to induce some changes—for a short time anyway. But, unless you modify your usual habits, once you revert back to your regular routine, any weight you lost will be regained and you won’t be doing what it takes to prevent more weight gain.

Avoid a future of poor eating and exercise habits

Steer yourself away from the need to see fast weight loss. Instead, think long-term and view your body shape from another perspective: Rather than focusing on weight loss, commit to doing what it takes to improve your health for years to come.

If you keep your current habits, here’s what may be in your future: Chances are, one year from now, you will have gained and weigh more than you do now. In five years, you will likely have gained even more. Not only that, if you haven’t actively been trying to make yourself healthier through better nutrition and increased activity, you’ll have increased your risks for many diseases and maybe even started to show the signs of metabolic distress, such as poor glycemic control, hypertension, and high cholesterol. You may also have become physically weaker and lost stamina. If you don’t feel like exercising and eating better now, you surely won’t then.

Even worse, your child may be following in your footsteps. Research suggests that children with one or two overweight parents are likely to become overweight too, not only because of the genetic influence, but because of the lifestyle habits they learn. If your child sees you sitting in front of the TV with a fast-food meal rather than diving into a veggie plate and scrumptious salad after a vigorous walk in the neighborhood, your child will grow up almost certainly replicating your behaviors. So as well as making positive lifestyle changes for yourself, remind yourself that you are doing so for your child.

In the book Lean Mommy (Center Street Books, 2007) that I co-wrote with StrollerStrides founder Lisa Druxman, M.A., we encourage moms to become fit role models. If you snack on edamame or carrots instead of chips and candy, your child will learn to do so too. If you (with a smile on your face) take the stairs instead of the elevator, and make an effort to be active and work up a sweat, your child will learn that exercise is a treat, not a chore, and something to fit into everyday life.
Fitting healthy habits into your life

So changing your perspective is the first step. Then thinking long-term with a health focus is your next. Still, that doesn’t change your overwhelmed, overworked schedule. You may need to strategize: Figure out how you can be more active every day. Can you turn the time you spend with your child into exercise time, too? Can you get a jogging stroller and walk around the neighborhood together? Can you both ride bikes, or can you ride your own bike while pulling your child in a bike trailer? Can you take fitness classes at a local Y or health club with child care? Can you workout with a fitness video in your living room and get your child to join in? Can you team up with a mom friend who also is trying to commit to a get-fit routine where you either all do something together, or you trade off baby-sitting in exchange for each of you getting an hour to go off and exercise? Brainstorm your options, focusing on trying to get in as much cardio per day as you can, and start scheduling in some activity every day.

Next, address your eating habits. Rather than thinking about dieting, try to eat more nutritiously. Make sure you have low-cal snacks around: fruits, vegetables. Then look at your normal meals and figure out how to make them better. Can you add some frozen vegetables to what you normally eat? Can you substitute canned beans (any kind) for fried or fast-foods? Can you keep canned, frozen or fresh soup on hand to eat when you need something easy and fast? Go to a used bookstore or check out used books online for low-cost healthful-eating cookbooks. These moves will also likely help you save money in the long run by improving your health and that of your 4-year-old.

Think long term, but take baby steps

Commit to being more active and eating better for the next three months. Chances are you’ll lose some weight, although don’t fret if not, because subtle lifestyle changes may take longer than the typical drastic diet to show big changes. Even if you don’t lose much weight in the first few months, you will have become stronger and improved your energy and your health. 

Then commit to the next three months, and stay on the lookout for ways to further improve your eating and exercise habits. Keep re-committing yourself every three months. In one year, if you have not gained weight, you’ll be on top of your weight problem. If you’ve lost, then you’re on a positive trend, and if you keep it up, not only will you get healthier each year, you’ll get leaner, too. And your child will have a fit, healthy mom!

Prep 20 mins
Cook time 1 hr 50 min

Serves 12

4 dried Anaheim peppers, seeded

2 cups boiling water

2 large onions, cut up

5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

2 lb. bottom round roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

3 (15 oz) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 red bell peppers, diced

1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree’s F. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Anaheim peppers and toast, turning occasionally (about 4 mins). Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let the peppers stand until softened, 15 minutes, then drain.

2. Tear the peppers; put the pieces in a food processor. Add the onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt; puree. Mix the puree, beef and canned tomatoes in a large Dutch oven. Cover tightly and bake until the beef is fork-tender, 1 1/2 -2 hours. Stir in the beans, bell peppers, and black pepper. Bake until the bell peppers are tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Let the chili cool. Transfer to 2 (7 cup) freezer containers. cover and freeze up to 3 months. To serve, microwave each container, covered, on Medium until thawed (8 mins). Cover and microwave on High for about 3-5, mins until hot, stirring once halfway. Top with lettuce, tomatoe, and/or red onion.

Per Serving (1 cup chili with about 1/2 cup lettuce, 1/4 cup tomatoe, and 2 tbs of onion)

271 cals, 4 g fat, 1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat, 56 mg chol, 439 mg sod, 29 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 31 g protein, and 83 mg calcium. POINTS VALUE: 5

Featured in WW Magazine 1/09

This product has been featured in Weight Watchers Magazine, Shape Magazine, Health Magazine, and Oxygen Magazine.  You can read the specific articles by clicking on the links. With only 90 calories, 5 grams of soluble fiber, and less then 1 gram of fat… this is a prefered drink by many of the divas. Certain grocery stores and Costco’s do carry this product, or you can buy the product online at Amazon below.

1. Add 1/2 cup of chunky applesauce

2. 1 Tbs of dried cranberries

3. 1/2 diced apple and a sprinkle of cinnamon

4. 1 Tbs of peanut butter

5. 1 sliced banana and 1 Tbs of almonds

WW Magazine 1/09

We’re giving away $10 in Baskin-Robbins gift certificates to the first 30 bloggers who post about the launch of BRight Choices and BRight Choices Day, and send us a link to their post. More info below. Enjoy! 

To kick-off the season of making New Year’s resolutions, Baskin-Robbins®, America’s favorite neighborhood ice cream shop, is ringing in the New Year with the introduction of BRight Choices treats. BRight Choices are better-for-you light ice cream options including fat free, dairy free, no sugar added and light ice cream offerings. BRight Choices flavors have all the great taste and quality customers expect from Baskin-Robbins but with less guilt. It’s a great option for moms looking for a healthier option while out with their kids. 

To celebrate the launch of BRight Choices, Baskin-Robbins is celebrating the bright choices customers make each day with BRight Choices Day on Jan. 15, 2009. On BRight Choices Day, participating Baskin-Robbins shops nationwide will offer a free BRight Choices scoop to any customer with proof of a gym membership. BRight Choices flavors are indicated by a pink star decal. 

Be sure to share the deal with your readers! In addition, we’ll send $10 in Baskin-Robbins gift certificates to the first 30 bloggers who post about the launch of BRight Choices and BRight Choices Day, and send us a link to their post. 

We are interested in hearing your thoughts about Baskin-Robbins BRight Choices and what kind of BRight Choices you will be making in the New Year. Contact dsullivan@schneiderpr.com on behalf of Baskin-Robbins and check out our Twitter handle @BaskinRobbins.

Makes 2 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups 8th Continent vanilla soymilk
1 bag (10 ounces) Cascadian Farm frozen organic unsweetened strawberries, partially thawed
1 medium banana, cut into chunks
1/3 cup calcium-enriched orange juice
Honey, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. In blender or food processor, place soymilk, strawberries, banana and orange juice. Cover; blend on high speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Sweeten to taste with honey. 
2. Pour into 2 glasses. Serve immediately. 

NOTES
Add 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal topped with 1 tablespoon unsalted nuts for a complete breakfast. 

Link to Recipe at Bob Greene’s Website