March 2, 2011

Pound for Pound Tip #8 – Get Moving

Author: Maria Ali

We just wanted to update you on the progress of Second Harvest’s Biggest Loser Team! We are a little more than halfway there. Below is our updated chart:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Woo-hoo!! We have one individual that has lost almost 10% of their original body weight!

How is your Team doing? How are you doing with the challenge? Was your goal to lose 5% of your original body weight? Maybe it was 10%? Whatever the case, keep on moving along. DO NOT GIVE UP!! There are No Quitters at the food bank!

Here’s our Tip for this Week: Get Moving!
Written by Kristina LaRue, Nutrition Intern at Second Harvest Food Bank

Get Moving!

You may have decided to skip that slice of chocolate cake, but are you having a hard time fitting the exercise piece into your weight loss regime? … The competition is getting stiff! It’s time to kick it up a notch and feel the burn!

Exercise influences weight loss in a major way. Everyone has to eat, but everyone doesn’t choose to exercise. Exercise can give your body the extra push that’s needed to shed those lingering pounds. Best of all, it doesn’t always mean sweating bullets on the stair stepper.

Here are some fun “non-exercise” activities:

• Fix up the house — clean, paint, rearrange the furniture or plant a garden.
• Instead of watching TV, go outside. Take a stroll around the block or play Frisbee with the kids.
• Take your bike to the grocery store or to work. (You might just save some gas money, too!)
• On the weekend, go hiking, swimming, rollerblading, or take your dog to the park and play fetch.
• Raining? Find a good workout video. Look on the computer, flip through the TV channels, or get one at the store.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or park farther away from your destination and walk.
• Volunteer in the community. Keep yourself active.
• Do it yourself. Instead of asking others to get something for you, get up and get it!

Do you want to know how to burn more calories while sleeping? Include strength training into your weight loss plan. The more muscle you have the more calories you will burn.

Happy weight loss!
Maria Ali, RD, LD/N
Nutrition Manager

 

For every pound you pledge to lose through May 31, 2011, the Pound For Pound Challenge will donate 11¢ to Feeding America® — enough to secure one pound of groceries on behalf of local food banks. It’s not too late to sign up for the Pound for Pound Challenge: http://www.pfpchallenge.com/fl

February 14, 2011

Biggest Loser Week #5 Tip: 50 Easy Ways to Cut 100 Calories

Author: Maria Ali

Hello Biggest Losers!

Everyone is doing fantastic, but I have heard some of you say you want to step it up. If you want to lose 1 pound a week, you need to cut 500 calories a day, but you must do this without skipping meals. Below are some tips to slash down the calories. Maybe you have already adopted these habits? …If you haven’t, give them a try!

*Remember, the BEST combination to cut calories is to eat better AND exercise.*

 

50 Easy Ways to Cut 100 Calories
By Emily Vale, SparkPeople Contributor

Beverages

1. Split a 20 oz. bottle of regular soda with a friend. Save 120 calories!

2. Drink 1 cup of diet soda instead of 1 cup of regular soda. Save 97 calories!

 3. Swap a 12-oz. glass of whole milk for skim milk. Save 96 calories!

4. Drink two 12-oz. light beers this weekend instead of two regular beers. Save 100 calories!

5. Instead of 1 cup of prepared lemonade, try 1 cup of a sugar free variety. Save 103 calories!

6. Eat a medium orange instead of drinking 12 oz. of fresh orange juice. Save 106 calories!

7. Prepare your coffee with 4 oz. of fat-free half and half instead of regular half and half. Save 88 calories!

8. Enjoy 5 oz. of chocolate milk instead of 5 oz. of a chocolate milkshake Save 110 calories!

Breakfast

9. Spread your whole grain waffles with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup instead of 1 tablespoon of margarine or butter. Save 110 calories!

10. Top your whole grain bagel with 1.5 oz of fat-free cream cheese in lieu of regular. Save 108 calories!

11. Try 1 oz. of maple turkey bacon instead of maple (pork) bacon. Save 118 calories!

12. Ditch the glazed donut and eat a bagel instead. Save 93 calories!

13. Eat 3/4 cup oatmeal instead of a 1-1/2 cups of oatmeal. Save 97 calories!

14. Substitute 3 oz. of turkey sausage for a serving of pork sausage. Save 120 calories!

15. Grab a small bagel instead of a medium bagel. Save 99 calories!

Snacks and Sides

16. Dip 1 cup celery into your favorite salsa or hummus instead of 1 oz. of tortilla chips. Save 125 calories!

17. Eat an entire medium apple instead of a small (5 oz.) candy apple. Save 118 calories!

18. Snack on 1 oz. of baked potato chips instead of regular chips. Save 90 calories!

19. Better yet, eat 2 oz. pretzels instead of the same size portion of potato chips. Save 94 calories!

20. Bake 2 oz of oven fries in lieu of 2 oz. of fast food fries. Save 88 calories!

21. Forgo a 6-oz portion of potato chips and nosh on 6 oz. of tortilla chips instead. Save 96 calories!

22. Say no to 1 oz of deep-fried onion rings and instead enjoy 1 oz. of grilled onions with your meal. Save 92 calories!

23. Try 1.5 oz. of fresh grapes instead of 1.5 oz. of raisins. Save 98 calories!

24. Enjoy a healthy 8-oz. baked potato instead of 8 oz. of French fries. Save 104 calories!

25. Choose 3 oz. of mozzarella cheese for your sandwich instead of Swiss cheese. Save 108 calories!

26. Swap 1 cup of canned pineapple in heavy syrup for crushed pineapple in water. Save 119 calories!

Lunch and Dinner

27. Cut a 6 oz. steak in half and take the other portion home for another meal. Save 111 calories!

28. Order a skinless chicken breast instead of chicken with skin. Save 102 calories!

29. Substitute a fat-free beef hot dog for a regular beef hot dog. Save 104 calories!

30. Build a sandwich with1.5 oz. of deli turkey breast instead of an equivalent of hard salami. Save 119 calories!

31. Instead of 6 oz. of crispy fried chicken with skin, eat 6 oz. baked chicken with skin. Save 102 calories!

32. Choose a slice of thin crust pizza over thick crust pizza. Save 106 calories!

33. Add vegetable toppings to your pizza order and say no to pepperoni. Save 100 calories!

34. Forget broccoli cheddar soup. A 7-oz portion of vegetable soup is better. Save 119 calories!

35. Enjoy 12 oz of steamed rice (choose brown rice when possible) as an alternative to fried rice. Save 96 calories!

36. Unwrap your 13-inch tortilla wrap and make a sandwich on a 3-oz. whole grain bagel instead. Save 96 calories!

37. Eat only half of your hamburger or sandwich bun. Save 100 calories!

Condiments and Sauces

38. Dip your salad in a side of ranch dressing (2 tsp.) instead of pouring 2 Tbsp of dressing on the salad. Save 97 calories!

39. Skip the 5 oz. of Alfredo sauce and eat a whopping 7 oz. of marinara sauce. Save 129 calories!

40. Add flavor to vegetables with 3 oz. of hot sauce—not 1 oz of bleu cheese dressing. Save 117 calories!

41. Top your salad with 1.5 oz. reduced-fat Italian dressing instead of regular. Save 96 calories!

42. Try either cheese or croutons on your salad—not both Save 72-116 calories!

43. Instead of 3 oz. of regular sour cream, use a fat-free variety. Save 120 calories!

44. Use 2 Tbsp reduced-fat light mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise. Save 102 calories!

Sweets and Desserts

45. Serve ice cream in a dish instead of a waffle cone. Save 121 calories!

46. Try a healthier peanut granola bar instead of a peanut candy bar. Save 94 calories!

47. Finish dinner with 1 cup of low-fat frozen yogurt instead of regular ice cream. Save 121 calories!

48. Substitute 5 oz. of apple pie, with 5 oz. of baked apple crisp. Save 85 calories!

49. Instead of 4 oz. of regular chocolate pudding, enjoy a sugar-free portion. Save 92 calories!

50. Leave that 1/2 cup of strawberry ice cream in the freezer. Enjoy 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries topped with 2 Tbsp of fat-free whipped cream as an alternative. Save 102 calories!

Cutting 100 calories here and there is an easy way to form healthier eating habits without feeling deprived or hungry. With just a few of these tricks up your sleeve, you’ll be on your way to reaching your goals in no time!

Source: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1183

Maria Ali, RD, LD/N
Nutrition Manager

January 24, 2011

Pound for Pound Tip #2: Eat More, Weigh Less?

Author: Maria Ali

Have you tried to lose weight by cutting down the amount of food you eat? Do you still feel hungry and not satisfied after eating? Or have you avoided trying to lose weight because you’re afraid of feeling hungry all the time? If so, you are not alone. Many people throw in the towel on weight loss because they feel deprived and hungry when they eat less. There is another way! The key is to eat foods that will fill you up without eating a large amount of calories.
 
Research shows that people get full by the amount of food they eat, not the number of calories they take in. You can cut calories in your favorite foods by lowering the amount of fat and or increasing the amount of fiber-rich ingredients, such as vegetables or fruit.

Let’s take macaroni and cheese as an example. The original recipe uses whole milk, butter, and full-fat cheese. This recipe has about 540 calories in one serving (1 cup).
 
Here’s how to remake this recipe with fewer calories and less fat:
• Use 2 cups non-fat milk instead of 2 cups whole milk.
• Use 8 ounces light cream cheese instead of 21⁄4 cups full-fat cheddar cheese.
• Use 1 tablespoon butter instead of 2 or use 2 tablespoons of soft trans-fat free margarine.
• Add about 2 cups of fresh spinach and 1 cup diced tomatoes (or any other veggie you like).

Your redesigned mac and cheese now has 315 calories in one serving (1 cup). You can eat the same amount of mac and cheese with 225 fewer calories.

What foods will fill me up?
To be able to cut calories without eating less and feeling hungry, you need to replace some higher calorie foods with foods that are lower in calories and fat and will fill you up. In general, this means foods with lots of water and fiber in them. The lists below will help you make smart food choices that are part of a healthy eating plan.

These foods will fill you up with less calories. Choose them more often…
Fruits and Vegetables (prepared without added fat)
Spinach, broccoli, tomato, carrots, watermelon, berries, apples
Low-fat and fat-free milk products
Low- or fat-free milk, low or fat-free yogurt,
low- or fat-free cottage cheese
Broth-based soup
Vegetable-based soups, soups with chicken or beef broth, tomato soups (without cream)
Whole grains
Brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat
pastas, popcorn
Lean meat, poultry and fish
Grilled salmon, chicken breast without skin,
ground beef (lean or extra lean)
Legumes (beans and peas)
Black, red kidney and pinto beans (without added fat), green peas, black-eyed peas

These foods can pack more calories into each bite. Choose them less often…
Fried foods
Eggs fried in butter, fried vegetables, French fries
Full-fat milk products
Full-fat cheese, full-fat ice cream,
whole and 2% milk
Dry snack foods
Crackers or pretzels, cookies, chips, dried fruits
Higher-fat and higher-sugar foods
Croissants, margarine, shortening and butter,
doughnuts, candy bars, cakes and pastries
Fatty cuts of meat
Bacon, brisket, ground beef (regular)

Source:  http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/energy_density.html

Maria Ali, RD, LD/N
Nutrition Manager

January 13, 2011

Are You Up For The Challenge?

Author: Sasha Hausman

We sure hope so! Because the Pound for Pound Challenge is BACK for a 3rd year!

Are you new to the Pound for Pound Challenge? NBC’s The Biggest Loser will partner with General Mills and Subway to encourage Americans to lose weight through the Pound For Pound Challenge. Built around the incredible success of The Biggest Loser, the program allows anyone to shed pounds along with the show’s contestants by pledging their weight-loss goals at www.pfpchallenge.com. For every pound pledged, the Pound For Pound Challenge will donate 11 cents to a food bank in your community!

So, let’s make Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida the #1 food bank in America! Already we are first in Florida. So go ahead and think about your goal, pledge the pounds, and let your friends and family know!

Remember- for us to get the credit, one must type in a Central Florida zip code. We have until May 2011 to meet our goals. Did you already meet your goals last challenge?? You can still help! New this year, you can pledge to maintain your current healthy weight. That pledge will count as a 5 lb pledge to your local food bank.

Like many of you, employees of Second Harvest Food Bank are resolving to get healthier in 2011. To kick start that goal, we have started our very own Biggest Loser challenge among our staff. We know that living healthy, feeling energized, and increasing our knowledge of wellness, helps us to serve our community more effectively. For some, losing weight is a step towards that direction.

Over the next 12 weeks, participating employees will be encouraged and coached along towards their weight loss efforts.  Ultimately, we know that everyone that takes on the challenge is a winner, but the title of “Biggest Loser” will be given to the person who loses the largest percentage of bodyweight. Is this something you are interested in doing in your company? Let us know!

Meet the Second Harvest Food Bank Pound for Pound Challenge Team!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check back for weekly updates and tips for success. Please share your favorite recipes, work out tips, and success stories. It is always better to have the support of friends, families, co-workers, and neighbors!

Don’t forget to pledge your pounds!

What a great way to not only help ourselves, but also our neighbors in need. Together we are creating healthier lifestyles and fighting for a hunger free Central Florida!!

If you have any questions about the Pound for Pound Challenge, please contact Sheyanne Cohron at scohron@foodbankcentralflorida.org or 407-843-5009 x28.

Good luck everyone!

Sasha Hausman
Development Manager

May 4, 2010

Pietopia

Author: Sasha Hausman

I had the great pleasure of attending the Great American Pie Festival April 24th and 25th in Celebration. Which basically meant good bye Pound for Pound Challenge, hello delicious pie!

Apple, pecan, key lime, cherry, French silk, you name it … I tasted it! So you might be asking, “So what does this have to do with Second Harvest?” Well the folks at the Pie Council and Village Inn care so much about Second Harvest Food Bank’s Kids Café program, that they dedicate some fun activities to raise funds for our afterschool program.

There were buckets spread out throughout the festival for pie lovers to drop donations into. There was a great booth set up where kids can give a dollar to participate in a “Pie Walk” similar to a cake walk, where they could win a free Village Inn Pie!

Finally, the Pièce de résistance…the 4 ft in diameter pie! Have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your life???

It was a chocolate cookie crust with a chocolate ganache and cream cheese filling…with fantastic local grown strawberries, raspberries, and wild blueberries in a glaze with fresh whipped cream on top!

Each piece of this pie was sold for a donation to Second Harvest. It was a hit! All of these great fundraisers brought in over $500!

In food bank math, we are able to provide up to $4,500 in buying power to feed our neighbors in need. We are so happy and thankful to have such a great partnership with the Pie Council and Village Inn!

Check out this great video to see the other yummy things that went on during the weekend!

Are you interested in coming out to the Pie Festival next year? Keep checking our events page every so often so you don’t miss out on the fun!

In the mean time, take a look at our other events coming up…we’d love to see you there!

Until next time!

Sasha Hausman
Events Specialist