January 31, 2011

Pound for Pound Challenge Tip #3: Why Is It Important to Eat Better and Move More at Work?

Author: Maria Ali

Team Second Harvest Food Bank made it to their 2nd weigh-in! So far the largest weight change was 4%. We also had a Brown Bag Lunch Lesson: “How Much Sugar is in There?”

Here are some of the highlights:  
1. Read food labels to check for grams of sugar per serving.
2. Check the ingredient list to see the source of sugar. Is it added or naturally occurring in that food? Or both? The goal is to decrease added sugars in your diet.
3. Pay attention to your portion and serving size. We may not be able to control exactly what’s in our food, but we can control how much of it we eat.
4. Eat 2 fruits servings a day.
5. 4 grams of sugar is the equivalent of eating 1 teaspoon of sugar.
6. Sugar that is not burned off, gets stored as fat!

Tip 3: Why Is It Important to Eat Better and Move More at Work?
Most of us spend a lot of time at work, so if we want to eat better and move more in general, we need to figure out how to do it at work.
 
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables. Eat Less Food High In Fat and Sugar
• Bring your lunch to work instead of eating out- it will be healthier and you’ll save money.
• Put extra lettuce, tomato and other veggies on sandwiches. If you’re eating out, ask for those extra veggies.
• Pack a zip lock bag of cut up fruits or vegetables such as carrot, celery or cucumber sticks, or snack on raisins or other dried fruit instead of candy or potato chips.
• If your worksite has a vending machine, chose healthy options such as non-fat yogurt; milk and cereal, string cheese sticks, fruit and vegetables or baked veggie chips or 100 calorie snack packs, instead of potato chips.
• If you worksite has a cafeteria, check the menu board or the menu for healthy options such as grilled lean meats, rice and beans, vegetable soups, non-fat milk, fruit and or vegetables, vegetable salads with low or non-fat dressings.
• When you do eat out, limit how often you eat fast food, or try healthier options such as salads with grilled fish, chicken, tofu, grilled kabobs or tabouli and hummus in a pita pocket Try asking for substitutes of a salad or carrot sticks instead of french fries.
• Eat a piece of fruit instead of a sugary dessert. Try berries, peaches, melons and oranges.
• Bring fresh fruit and vegetable dishes to office parties and potlucks.
• Swap healthy recipes with your coworkers.

Find Ways to Be More Active
• Go for a walk during breaks or at lunch.
• Start a walking club with your coworkers.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk or ride your bike to work if possible.
• If you drive, park further away from the entrance.
• If you take the bus, get off and walk the last few blocks.

Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health

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 17, 2011

Pound for Pound Challenge – Week #1 Tip

Author: Maria Ali

What is your goal? How will you get there?

A new year – 2011. Congratulations on your decision to invest in your health! There is no better time than now to start taking control of your health, more specifically your weight. To do that effectively, you need to be able to answer 2 questions:

(1)   What is your goal?
(2)   How do you plan to meet that goal?

Take some time and really think about this. The 2^nd question probably takes a little more thought. Note that everyone’s plan will not be the same. It may share some of the same components, but because every person has a different lifestyle, the tips shared over the next 12 weeks will be lived out differently. I encourage you to take the tips and make them your own. Find a way to fit them into your personal lifestyle and have them work for you.

Ingredients to “Homemade” Weight Loss = Diet + Exercise

Now I know some of you “don’t have time” to exercise or “don’t have the discipline” to eat right most of the time. However, in order to lose weight you’re going to have to choose to do at least ONE of these really well.

Week 1 Tip: Track what you eat and drink. Track your exercise.
People who keep a food journal are more successful at managing their weight. Consider tracking your food and physical activity online. Check out http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov/ . It’s absolutely free!

Even if you decide not to track your intake and exercise continuously, I recommend doing it for at least 3 days to really see where you are. This site will help give you an analysis of your eating and activity habits and make it easier for you to target in on your answer to question #2.

Let’s Go!

Maria Ali, RD, LD/N
Nutrition Manager

p.s. Don’t forget to let your friends know about The Pound for Pound Challenge!

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