MyNetDiary Blog

Fast Food Breakfast – Limiting the Damage

I just stumbled upon WebMD’s “Slide Show:  Best and Worst Fast-Food Breakfast.”  Their list got me thinking – some breakfasts are better left uneaten.  I know that folks are busy and sometimes run out the door hungry and empty handed yet want something hot to eat.  Given that scenario, it is good to be aware of healthier choices from fast-food places.

Keep in mind the daily sodium limit range of 1500 mg – 2300 mg.  If you take the midpoint and divide by three, you have an idea of what each meal’s limit could be (e.g. about 650 mg).  Also consider the American Heart Association’s recommendation to avoid trans fat, and to limit saturated fat to less than 7% of total calories (e.g. ≤ 9 grams for a 1200 calories intake;  ≤ 12 grams for 1500 kcal; ≤ 14 grams for 1800 calories; ≤ 16 grams for 2000 calories).  MyNetDiary users, your default limit for saturated fat is set this way.  

Pretty Good

The better selections are menu items that contain less than 7% total calories from saturated fat (< 0.8 grams/100 kcal), less than 650 mg of sodium, at least 7 grams of protein, and at least 3 grams of fiber.  

Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal with Dried & Nuts (no brown sugar):  340 kcal, 1.5g saturated fat, 51g total carbs (20g sugar, 6g fiber), 7g protein, and 115mg sodium.   7g protein is a bit low for big appetites.  Pair with a tall (12oz) nonfat milk latte without added sugar to get another 10 grams of protein.  If you want to go lower in carbs, then skip the dried fruit to bring the total carbs down to 27g.

McDonald’s Fruit & Maple Oatmeal (no brown sugar):  260 kcal; 2g saturated fat, 48g total carbs (18g sugar, 5g fiber), 5g protein, and 115mg sodium.  Pair with a small (12oz) nonfat milk latte to get another 9 grams of protein.  McDonald’s does not give the breakdown without the fruit and I suspect that there is more added sugar vs. fruit-based sugar in this breakfast.

Not So Bad

These selections come closest to meeting the “good” goals described above.   However, they are all still quite high in sodium.  

Starbucks has a hot breakfast sandwich assortment that stacks up pretty well for minimizing the damage while providing a satisfying meal.  My favorite picks in this category are:  Chicken Sausage Breakfast Wrap, Turkey Bacon & White Cheddar Classic Breakfast Sandwich, and Spinach & Feta Breakfast Wrap.

Other sandwiches in this class are higher in sodium and lower in fiber, but these sandwiches are not as bad as they can get: McDonald’s Classic Egg McMuffin, Jack in the Box Breakfast Jack, Dunkin’ Donuts Egg and Cheese, and Subway Egg White Breakfast Sandwiches.

Taco Bell FirstMeals:  I cannot find nutrition information posted on the company’s website for these new breakfast items.  I will not recommend any menu item unless I see nutrition information published on the company’s website.  Taco Bell, my apologies if it is there and I missed it.

For those of you at-home breakfast eaters, you might find my post on lower sugar breakfast choices helpful: “Ditch the Sugar Bombs!”  

Have questions or comments about this post?  Please feel free to comment on MyNetDiary’s Forum or Facebook page.  I would love to hear from you!

Best,
Kathy Isacks, MPS, RD
Consulting Dietitian for MyNetDiary

Disclaimer: Please note that we cannot provide personalized advice and that the information provided does not constitute medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, please visit a medical professional.

Losing Weight, Exercise May Improve Mobility for Those with Diabetes

A new study from Wake Forest University researchers, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, says that the sooner people can get their weight down and start exercising the better their mobility can be, with those who are overweight and have diabetes.  

The study says that even a one percent drop in body weight cuts the risk of mobility problems by more than seven percent, and the same increase in fitness level lowered mobility risks by one to two percent.

The researchers say there has yet been a really large study of this nature, so the news is important to get to doctors treating diabetic patients.

As there are an estimated 26 million Americans who have diabetes, most of them with Type 2, this could be another reason diet and exercise play important roles in battling this disease. Additionally, the American Diabetes Association warns that another 79 million Americans are at risk for developing the condition.

Those with diabetes are twice as likely to have mobility problems as non-diabetics the same age.

This new study involved more than 5,000 volunteers, ages 45 to 74, and all overweight or obese. They all reported on their health and mobility for over four years. The non-intervention group saw an increase in the number of people who had severe mobility problems over the course of the study (15 percent up to 19 percent), as they did not diet or exercise. The intervention group saw a decrease in the number of people with severe mobility problems, from 13 percent down to 12 percent.

The take-home message from the study, according to the researchers, is that those with diabetes don’t need to lose drastic amounts of weight to improve mobility, but they do need to lose some weight and exercise for at least three hours a week to avoid having their mobility worsen.

If you have diabetes, see how MyNetDiary can help you track and fight the disease. 

Tips & Tricks for Using MyNetDiary’s Huge Food Database

I often get asked questions about MyNetDiary’s food database so I thought that I would summarize a few important tips in a blog post.

Food Item Sources

MyNetDiary has over 440,000 food items – these include items entered and quality-assured by the Support team as well as those entered by members.

If a person enters a custom food, the name will appear to the owner as they entered it, but to other members, “user contributed” will be added to the food item’s name. Since “user contributed” items are entered by members, their accuracy is not guaranteed. If you don’t want to see these food items in your search, unclick the box, “Find custom foods contributed by others” in your Account tab on web or in Settings in apps.

If you select a “user contributed” item, check the nutrition label for accuracy before using. If you see a mistake, simply choose to edit the item and correct the bad value. This will take you less time than entering the same item as a new item. But if you choose to enter a new item, take a few seconds to check your own entries for accuracy.

If you want to share foods with friends and family members, the easiest way is to simply go into My Community Profile on the web, and then click the box “Let everyone find my custom foods and activities.” Be sure your food item name is clearly described.

If you only want to share your custom entered foods with “friends,” then allow them access to your foods by updating your settings in My Community Profile. To “friend’ someone, click their nickname link, scroll to the bottom of their profile page, and then change your attitude from “neutral” to “friendly.” To copy foods from a friend, go to their profile page, find their “Custom Foods” and then click the copy link on the far right. Once you do that, you will be able to see their food item in a search along with “copied from (friend’s name)” in the title.

Fast & Smart Searching

I hope everyone who uses MyNetDiary takes advantage of the super fast search capabilities. You only need three characters per word to start bringing up food selections. If the word is very common or has a lot of hits, then filter your search by adding another three characters of another word in the food name. For instance, if I want to bring up generic roasted chicken breast, then I might search it as “chi bre roa” for chicken breast roasted. If I am trying to find Eden Foods Toasted Sesame Oil, then I would try “Ede Toa Ses” for my first search.

As you use MyNetDiary, you’ll discover that once you enter a food item in a meal, future searches will bring up that item to the top of the search list. I often use the “favorites” function to help me find foods I have recently entered for that meal or snack. If I am on the web, I might use the “same” link to simply load yesterday’s meal or snack into today’s meal or snack.

If there are a couple of food items with very similar names and I keep picking and loading the wrong one, I will sometimes edit the name to include my three initials. This allows me to find the desired food item quickly.

Finding Generic Items

If you are convinced that MyNetDiary does not contain a generic food item, then I recommend visiting the USDA nutrient database and try searching for your food item there. You will learn how generic items are named, as well as see all the weights, volumes, and serving sizes. Don’t worry about copying this info into MyNetDiary – all of those items are already in the database. Now you simply know how to search for the item using the correct terms.

Another trick is to use generic food items instead of brand foods for basic foods if you are tracking nutrients not typically found on the food label (e.g. potassium and magnesium). Or, if you want to use the brand item, you can copy and edit to include the expanded nutrient content from the generic item, or simply edit the item if it is a “user contributed” item.

Tracking Water

If you want to track total water intake, then enter water (e.g. “municipal water”) as a food item in your daily food record. Clicking the cute water glasses is a helpful tickler, but it doesn’t get transferred to the daily food record. As well, select to include “water” as a nutrient to track in Plan tab on web (or in My Plan in apps). If you can’t find water to track and you want to track it, then consider increasing your subscription plan.

System-Entered Food Errors

If you notice that a system-entered food item (does not have “user contributed” in its name and you know that you did not enter it) has incorrect nutrition information based upon the food label you have in your hand, then let Support know about the discrepancy. If you have the iPhone app, then use your camera to take a photo of the correct nutrition label so that Support can update or correct the food item’s nutrition information.

System-entered food items are quality assured but if the manufacturer or restaurant changes the nutrient information or package serving size, MyNetDiary’s information can get outdated. If you do not have the iPhone or iPod with camera, you can send Support a link to the manufacturer’s online nutrition information for correction. Post your request on the “Food and Activity Database Requests” thread (you can use the search box on the web forum). If you don’t want to take the time to send Support a note, then simply copy and edit the food item, depending upon your subscription level.

Have other tips and tricks that you would like to share with other members? Please post them on MyNetDiary’s Forum or Facebook page. I would love to hear from you!

Best,
Kathy Isacks, MPS, RD
Consulting Dietitian for MyNetDiary

Disclaimer: Please note that we cannot provide personalized advice and that the information provided does not constitute medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, please visit a medical professional.

Time to Stop ‘Treating’ Yourself?

As Easter nears, yet another food-laden holiday, perhaps it’s time to stop and give thought to how we “treat” or “reward” ourselves with food. Think back on all those suckers we got at the doctor’s office, the big birthday cake that comes each year, or the ice cream cone we got after a game or recital.

Some studies have shown that the pattern of “food as reward” is more prevalent in obese and overweight individuals, so perhaps it’s time we do something about it. But how?

One thing we can all do is practice control. Too often we’re unsuccessful if we try to quit things “cold turkey,” and we end up overindulging because we’ve been deprived of something. Instead, we can cut down the size and frequency of our rewards. Moreover, you can use your MyNetDiary calorie tracker to budget the size of your reward treat based on your calorie intake that day. 

We can also start new habits, so instead of mindlessly hitting up that vending machine at the end of a long work day you make it a habit to walk once around the building before you head to the car. Or instead of looking for that midday dessert after lunch you take up a short physical activity with your co-workers. 

But perhaps one of the easiest things to do is to choose new rewards. Instead of a sweet treat, take the money you would have spent on that and save it for something useful - maybe a new yoga or workout DVD, a new pair of sneakers, or a heart-rate monitor. Choose something that will only help you toward your goal, not hinder it. 

We can also choose healthier treats. If you can’t let go of ice cream, get a kid-size portion, or one that’s low-fat. Perhaps you open up your favorite flavor of Greek yogurt instead of ordering a commercial (sugar-loaded) fruit smoothie. You have the power to choose better rewards for yourself, which is something you can be thankful for. 

Tell us, what other good substitutions have you made in place of those “treats”? Share them with us in the MyNetDiary Community Forum or on our Facebook page. 

How to Break a Bad Food Habit

Last week, I listened to National Public Radio’s “Fresh Air” program, “Habits: How They Form and How to Break Them.” To my delight, Charles Duhigg, New York Times business writer and author of “The Power of Habit,” was talking about how he finally broke his long standing “cookie habit.” He asked psychologists how he should break his habit and then applied their recommendations. Lo and behold, he broke his cookie habit and lost 12 lbs!

What is a Habit?

In order for a habit to form, it needs three elements: a cue, a routine, and a reward. Once we learn that a behavior has a positive outcome, we seek a cue for the behavior and then remember the sequence as a memory chunk. This “auto-pilot” mode or “habit loop” allows us to perform behaviors with very little conscious attention so that we are free to pay more attention to other things.    

To break a habit, we need to be able to identify all three parts of the “habit loop” and figure out what we can change. Let’s use Duhigg’s cookie habit as an example.

Cue – this is the trigger that sets the routine or behavior in motion. Duhigg said that figured out that he always went to the cafeteria at about 3:15 PM in the afternoon. That is, time was the cue.

Routine – this is the auto-pilot behavior that gets set into motion after the cue is registered. Duhigg said that the time cue set off a series of behaviors:  go to the cafeteria, buy a cookie, and then eat it while socializing with his colleagues.

Reward – this is why we do the behavior – we get something out of it. Duhigg said that he assumed that the reward was likely the cookie itself but he was not sure.

Challenge the Habit

Once Duhigg identified all three parts of his cookie habit, he tried changing parts to see if he could break the habit.  He decided to consciously tweak the routine to see if he still got the same reward. That is, he mindfully changed his routine in response to the cue and then paid attention to how he felt after performing the new routine. He changed only one thing in his routine – what type of item he purchased.  He swapped his cookie for a candy bar, an apple, and just water. And he was surprised to discover that he didn’t miss the cookie or even crave the cookie when he performed any of the three swap outs.  Instead, he discovered that he was actually seeking the reward of socializing with his colleagues during the afternoon and it didn’t matter what he purchased and consumed while he was doing that. This discovery allowed him to break the habit of eating a cookie every afternoon at 3:15 PM while socializing with colleagues. Instead, he allowed the 3:15 PM time cue to trigger the behavior that was essential to getting the reward – simply going to the cafeteria so that he could get his reward- socializing with colleagues.  

Cues.  Although Duhigg didn’t change his time cue, he did mention that environments or situations that alter typical cues are also good for breaking bad habits. For instance, going on vacation is an effective cue changer and therefore, has the potential for successful habit breaking. Other cue changers could be changing jobs, moving, rearranging where you store food in your kitchen, and buying different types of foods.

Take your habit off auto-pilot.  Pay attention to what makes your habit “tick.” Keep a journal. If you use MyNetDiary, use the “Daily Notes” to identify cues and rewards related to food behaviors you wish to change as well as those you wish to do more often.  

When you feel powerless in the face of your habits, try not to despair. Sometimes, all it takes is a bit of patience, confidence, and perseverance to figure out how to solve the problem.  

Have questions or comments about this post?  Please feel free to comment on MyNetDiary’s Forum or Facebook page. I would love to hear from you!

Best,
Kathy Isacks, MPS, RD
Consulting Dietitian for MyNetDiary

More Resources

Prochaska JO, Norcross, JC, Diclemente, CC.  Changing for Good:  A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward.  NY, NY:  William Morrow Paperbacks; 1995.

Disclaimer: Please note that we cannot provide personalized advice and that the information provided does not constitute medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, please visit a medical professional.

Do No Harm!  MyNetDiary Supports Healthful Eating Behaviors

After reading Tumblr’s updated Community Guidelines, I was intrigued (and relieved) that they highlighted that Tumblr is not for the “promotion and glorification of self-harm.” This opens a timely door to discussion about eating disorders, which are forms of self-harm. I do want to address eating disorders and what this means to MyNetDiary users.

What is an Eating Disorder?

Sometimes people know that their relationship with food and weight is not healthy, but they don’t necessarily identify themselves as having an eating disorder.  The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) describes eating disorders generally as those that “include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues.” NEDA describes three commonly recognized types of eating disorders:

Anorexia Nervosa:  self-starvation and excessive weight loss

Bulimia Nervosa:  secretive cycle of binge eating followed by purging (vomiting, laxatives, or over-exercising) to rid the body of food and calories.

Binge Eating Disorder (“Compulsive Overeating”):  uncontrolled, impulsive or continuous eating (in a short period of time) beyond the point of feeling comfortably full, but without purging.

Two eating disorders, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, are also classified as mental health disorders in the American Psychiatric Association’s “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV.”  In their fifth edition (to be published in 2013), Binge Eating Disorder and other disorder types will added to the “Feeding and Eating Disorders” category.

Eating Disorder Screener

The Eating Disorder Center of Denver has an online public screener that you might want to take a moment to complete if you feel that you might have or be at risk for an eating disorder.  Although a screener cannot diagnose an eating disorder, it can heighten self-awareness and possibly be an important cue to seek professional help.

MND Terms of Use

Just as a reminder, each and every one of us agreed to MyNetDiary’s “Terms of Use” before we started using the site.  MyNetDiary specifically states that “if you suffer from anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or other related eating disorders, you are not permitted to use this site.”  This statement exists to protect you.  Our overriding concern is your safety.

The take home message is that eating disorders are harmful, potentially life-threatening disorders and care should be taken to reduce your risk of developing, reigniting, or exacerbating an existing eating disorder.  If you suspect that you currently have, have had, or are at high risk for developing an eating disorder, please discontinue use of MyNetDiary immediately and seek care from a qualified eating disorders health professional (your physician can be a great resource for a referral).  Explore the resources below if you would like more information about eating disorders.

Our aim here at MyNetDiary is to increase health through safe and effective weight control practices using calories and nutrient tracking.

Have questions or comments about this post?  Please feel free to comment on MyNetDiary’s Forum or Facebook page.  I would love to hear from you!

Best,
Kathy Isacks, MPS, RD
Consulting Dietitian for MyNetDiary

More Resources

Eating Disorder Clinic of Denver. Useful Resources. I have included this private treatment facility in the resource list because I was impressed with the amount of useful information available to the public as well as their description of treatment.  I was also very impressed by a talk their Director of Clinical Service, Therese Ida, MS, RD, gave at the Colorado Dietetic Association on the topic of Binge Eating Disorder.

National Eating Disorders Association. Basic Terms & Information. This website includes tons of resources and information sheets you can print – for consumers, parents, coaches, and health professionals.  This site is a gold mine of information!

Disclaimer: Please note that we cannot provide personalized advice and that the information provided does not constitute medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, please visit a medical professional.

Nutrition Facts Labels Now Required on Meats

Back in 1993 the USDA made nutritional labels on meat completely voluntary. Last week, however, the USDA made them mandatory. The new rule affects all ground meat and ground poultry, as well as 40 of the most popular cuts found in the U.S. Meat cuts like New York strips, chicken breasts, pork chops, and lamb kabobs will all have nutritional facts on them or prominently posted nearby.

The information included on these nutritional labels will include total calories, calories from fat, levels of saturated fat, protein, cholesterol, sodium and iron. Another change is that in addition to the lean content of meat (i.e. “85% lean”), labels will also show the fat percentage (i.e. “15% fat”).

The hope is that this will help people comparison shop among different cuts and types of meat. In the United States, the average person consumes over 224 pounds of meat, poultry and fish every year (about .6 pounds per day). While this figure is lower than it has been over the last four years, it still represents a nearly daily intake of meat, so having nutritional labels present should help educate consumers about their purchases.

So what is good, lean meat anyway? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, lean meat and poultry contains less than 10 grams of total fat and less than 4.5 grams of saturated fat in a three-ounce portion. Extra lean meat contains 5 grams of total fat and less than 2 grams of saturated fat. The best sources and cuts of lean meats are skinless chicken breast and cuts of beef or pork that contain the words “round” or “loin,” such as top round, bottom round, tenderloin, sirloin, or top loin.

So what are your thoughts about nutritional labels now being required on meats? Will it help, or do you already just check out potential cuts via MyNetDiary? We would like to hear from you on our Facebook page and in our Community Forum. 

Eating Tips from Former ‘The Biggest Loser’ Nutritionist Include Food Journaling

From an interview with Fitness Magazine, Cheryl Forberg, Registered Dietitian, James Beard award-winning chef and creator of The Biggest Loser meal plan, said her tip for anyone wanting to lose weight is to work within your calories budget and plan your meals accordingly.

Excerpted from the interview, Forberg said she was surprised and shocked at the state of the contestants’ health in the first season. Even in the first season there was a large applicant pool, but by Season Five over 220,000 people applied to get on the show. Through the years, Forberg realized that she was hearing the same mistakes being made time and again from the applicants.

These mistakes, or oversights, included believing that skipping meals would lead to weight loss; too many were drinking too many calories, or eating too much processed food and not eating enough fruits and vegetables. And almost everyone had little to no water consumption.

The biggest mistake Forberg saw was that people were prioritizing too many other things in their lives (family, work, hobbies) when they should be making themselves and their health the priority. They needed to “get their head in the game and get healthy,” said Forberg.

To do that, Forberg suggests to all the contestants (and anyone who wants to lose weight) to learn their calories budget and literally break it down in the right number of calories per meal. For example, in a 1,200 calorie budget, Forberg suggests devoting 300 calories to three meals and 150 calories to each of two snacks. If you do this, after a few weeks you’ll learn what a 300-calorie meal looks like, especially when you go out to eat.

Forberg also suggests that planning is key to success, and we should plan our meals right when we’re getting hungry (or before) and not wait until our stomachs are growling.

What are your thoughts? Has keeping track of your calories helped you judge better meals and snacks? Share with us on the MyNetDiary Facebook page or in our Community Forum. We’d love to hear from you!

Maximize Your Movements, Minimize Your Time

Working out can be about more than just burning calories; it can be a way we live and practice efficiency. Ideally, our workouts should allow us to burn the most calories and see the biggest gains in the least amount of time. And the best way to do this is to institute a multi-muscle group exercise regimen that increases your heart rate, boosts energy and burns fat. Below are some exercises you can consider adding to your routine to increase efficiency and save time.

Squats with Jumps – To get your heart rate up and put some burn in your lower body, squats that incorporate jumps are just the ticket. Jump straight up and down, not forward. Aim for completing 60-90 seconds of these, depending on ability and fitness level.

Burpees – The one we love to hate. Burpees are intense. Start in a squat position with your hands on the floor. In an explosive movement, jump your feet back so you’re in a push-up position; now jump back into a squat position. Aim for completing 60-90 seconds of these, depending on ability and fitness level.

Plyo-Jacks – It’s like jumping jacks, but with the intensity cranked up to 10. You jump your feet out, then squat; jump your feet back in and squat. Repeat for 60-90 seconds, depending on ability and fitness level.

Climbers – A great core exercise, climbers get right to the heart of heart rate and intensity. Start in a push-up position, jump one knee up to your chest; now jump that knee back and bring the other to the chest, all while remaining in a push-up position. Alternate feet for 60-90 seconds, depending on ability and fitness level.

Leap Frog – It may look silly, but it works. Start in a squatting position with your hands on the floor in front of you. Now jump up as high as you can, and as you jump tap your heels together and raise your hands above your head. Land with bent knees and repeat. Complete 10-20 jumps and rest.

For an active recovery, turn out some Push-ups with Sideplanks for about 30 seconds. Do a push-up and when you are fully extended, raise one arm up and get into a side plank position. Come down into a push-up and repeat with the other side.

After your active recovery, rest for two minutes and repeat the circuit two more times.

If you try this routine, let us know how it goes on the MyNetDiary Facebook page and in our Community Forum. We’d love to hear from you. 

Don’t Make a ‘Bee-Line’ for a Slim Waistline

In a presentation by Dr. Kevin Hall, a researcher with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Vancouver, Canada, it was posited that losing weight could be twice as hard as previously thought. Dr. Hall suggests that there is no direct line between calorie-reduction and weight loss and a body’s metabolism factors greatly into how fast weight comes off when dieting. 

At the base of his report is that a body’s metabolism rate slows when one is dieting, so a better image for picturing weight loss is a downward curve that plateaus as one nears one’s goal; this is in place of a straight line toward a weight goal. 

Dr. Hall continues by stating that simply cutting 500 calories from one’s diet every day will not lead to losing a pound a week for everyone, as it doesn’t fully factor in different people’s varying metabolism rates.

Dr. Hall, along with his colleagues, developed a mathematical model that takes into account a person’s age, height, weight and physical activity level to better predict how much weight that person might lose on a diet and exercise plan. Currently, according to Dr. Hall, the model is intended only for use by physicians and researchers scientists. 

His new “rule” suggests a person would need to cut 10 calories per day from their diet for every pound they want to lose over a three-year period, so cutting 100 calories per day would lead to a 10-pound weight loss over three years. Half of this weight loss would occur over the first year. To lose more weight after the three-year period, you’d have to cut more calories, according to Dr. Hall.

The key to this study, however, is that there is no clinical trial backing up these stats. Currently, it is just a mathematical model that has been validated by comparing it to some actual changes in people, so we’ll have to follow this as it progresses. The NIH, however, is currently recruiting participants for a clinical trial comparing the effects of reducing fats and carbohydrates in obese adults. 

So what image best helps you when visualizing your weight loss goal? Tell us on the MyNetDiary Facebook page or in our Community Forum.