How Protein helps your weight loss

Our bodies need protein to build strong bones, muscles, skin, and cells. Because we can't store protein in our bodies the way we can store carbohydrates, we need to make sure we eat enough protein every day. But is all protein created equal?

Alexa Schmitt, RD, a clinical nutritionist at Massachusetts General Hospital, says that what makes a protein "good" or "bad" is its saturated fat content. Proteins that are high in saturated fats can raise your cholesterol level, which in turn puts you at higher risk for heart disease. Most adults need to eat 40 to 65 grams of protein each day. And though most Americans already eat more protein than they need, we don't necessarily eat enough of the "good" protein. So how can we make smart choices about which sources of protein to choose?

Good Sources of Protein 
Here are a variety of protein choices you probably encounter every day:

• Meats. Schmitt says that salami, steak, and chicken with skin are meats that are high in protein but also high in saturated fat. A six-ounce steak, for instance, has almost all the protein you need for one day, but that same steak has nearly 75 percent of your daily saturated fat intake. Does this mean you have to give up your Italian sub sandwiches or Philly cheesesteaks? Not necessarily. Schmitt recommends moderation: "Try to eat these meats only once or twice a week," she says.
• Lean meats. Luckily, there are also leaner choices for die-hard meat eaters. Chicken, turkey, fish, and beef that is 95 percent lean are still high in protein but have less fat, especially the saturated fats that can lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
• Soy. Schmitt says that soy proteins are rich in protein and low in saturated fats. She recommends edamame (baby soybeans) and vegetarian meat alternatives such as soy nuggets and veggie burgers. Look for these in the refrigerator case at your local supermarket. Edamame is usually served lightly boiled and salted, often as a part of Japanese and Chinese cuisine. If you don't have an Asian specialty market near you, check the freezer section of conventional supermarkets, which sometimes carry edamame.
• Beans, legumes, and nuts. All varieties of beans are good sources of protein and low in saturated fats, Schmitt says. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, taste delicious on salads or in hummus, a low-fat dip. Spicy vegetarian chili recipes can be a flavorful alternative to traditional chili. Legumes such as dried peas and lentils can also be used in chili and stews. And nuts, when eaten in moderation, are another good source of protein that is not high in fat.
• Dairy. Dairy products are often overlooked as sources of protein, but they are certainly worth mentioning, says Schmitt. Some dairy products are higher in saturated fat than others. She recommends the low-fat versions of cottage cheese, Greek-style yogurt, and ricotta cheese, not only because of their value as a protein source but because they also make an easy and convenient snack.

In addition to choosing good sources of protein, it can also be useful to plan your meals ahead of time. Advance planning can help you identify the foods that you tend to eat too much of, allowing you to make better substitutions beforehand.

Things to Remember 
When choosing protein sources, remember that while you might get the same amount of protein from high- and low-fat options, you run the risk of increasing your blood pressure and cholesterol levels by choosing sources with a higher fat content. Consider leaner cuts of meats and getting more of your daily protein from plant sources to protect your heart.

For more information on how healthy protein can help your diet success, visit www.changingsizes.com.

Holiday weight gain - how to avoid the extra pounds!

Changing Sizes Holiday Quick Facts:

350: The average number of calories in an eight-ounce serving of eggnog.

• 27: Grams of fat in a typical slice of homemade pecan pie.
  
• 340: Calories per one-cup serving of stuffing.
  
• 60: The average number of minutes a 150-pound person would need to spend walking briskly to burn off that cup of eggnog.
  
  

As the holidays approach, many of us get that sinking feeling, wondering "Will I be able to stick to my weight loss plan in the face of so much temptation?" First, the good news: Government surveys report that the average weight gain between Thanksgiving and New Year's is just over one pound (although overweight individuals tend to gain up to five pounds).

Now, the bad news: Whatever weight you gain over the holidays is likely to stick with you. According to the National Institutes of Health, most Americans never lose the weight they gained during the winter festivities. The pounds add up year after year, making holiday weight gain a contributing factor in the obesity epidemic.

Holiday meals require a great deal of planning, so put forth that extra effort to make the meal a healthy one. The average Thanksgiving dinner has more than 2,000 calories - but you can preserve the merriment while cutting the fat and calories by substituting new, healthier holiday foods for the traditional favorites. Try replacing rich gravies with turkey broth, or serve salsa and low-calorie dips in place of creamy dips and dressings. In addition to sticking to a plan over the holidays, there are additional steps you can take to preserve your health and fitness throughout the winter months:

• Stay focused on what really matters. Rather than celebrating food, celebrate good company and the camaraderie of family and friends, or plan a few enjoyable activities other than eating.
• Take a few minutes each day to relax and re-energize. Although the holidays are a time of joy and giving, they also can be a source of stress (which, for many of us, leads to overeating). Practice saying no to any low-priority engagements, and take 15 minutes each day to take a walk, stretch, read, or engage in an activity you enjoy.
  Beware of emotional eating. The holidays bring out different emotions in all of us. But studies show that feelings, both good and bad, are the primary culprit in what drives us to overeat.
• Keep moving. A vacation from work or school doesn't mean a vacation from exercise. Schedule at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity in your day.
  Don't skip meals. Continue to eat your normal meals on celebration day, rather than reserving your hunger for a one-meal binge.

When holiday season rolls around, we feel entitled to overindulge, as if customs and traditions - even unhealthy ones - dictate our diets. We all look forward to times of celebration to gather with family and friends and yes, enjoy good food. But this year, in the midst of all the bustle and gift-giving, try splurging on the true gifts of the season rather than the temporary delights.

Visit our Members Area for more Holiday tips and recipes to make sure you stay on track though the holiday season!

Keeping a food diary can double a person's weight loss!

Keeping a food diary, like the one we provide to our Members here at ChangingSizes.com.com, can double a person's weight loss according to a study from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research. The findings, from one of the largest and longest running weight loss maintenance trials ever conducted, was published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National
Institutes of Health, the study is one of the few studies to recruit a large
percentage of African Americans as study participants (44 percent). African
Americans have a higher risk of conditions that are aggravated by being
overweight, including diabetes and heart disease. In this study, the majority of
African American participants lost at least nine pounds of weight, which is
higher than in previous studies.

"The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost," said
lead author Jack Hollis Ph.D., a researcher at Kaiser Permanente's Center for
Health Research in Portland, Ore. "Those who kept daily food records lost twice
as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of
writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories."
In addition to keeping food diaries and turning them in at weekly support group
meetings, participants were asked to follow a heart-healthy DASH (a Dietary
Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low-fat
or non-fat dairy, attend weekly group sessions and exercise at moderate
intensity levels for at least 30 minutes a day. After six months, the average
weight loss among the nearly 1,700 participants was approximately 13 pounds.
More than two-thirds of the participants (69 percent) lost at least nine pounds,
enough to reduce their health risks and qualify for the second phase of the
study, which lasted 30 months and tested strategies for maintaining the weight
loss.

"More than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. If we all
lost just nine pounds, like the majority of people in this study did, our nation
would see vast decreases in hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart
disease and stroke," said study co-author Victor Stevens, Ph.D., a Kaiser
Permanente researcher. For example, in an earlier study Stevens found that
losing as little as five pounds can reduce the risk of developing high blood
pressure by 20 percent. The Kaiser Permanente Care Management Institute's
Weight Management Initiative has recommended food journaling as a strategy for
losing weight since 2002. The Weight Management Initiative unites clinicians,
researchers, insurers, and policymakers to identify practical, effective,
non-surgical approaches for the prevention and treatment of overweight and
obesity.

"Keeping a food diary or weight loss journal doesn't have to be a
formal thing. Just the act of scribbling down what you eat on a Post-It note,
sending yourself e-mails tallying each meal, or sending yourself a text message
will suffice. It's the process of reflecting on what you eat that helps us
become aware of our habits, and hopefully change our behavior," says Keith
Bachman, MD, a Weight Management Initiative member. "Every day I hear patients
say they can't lose weight. This study shows that most people can lose weight if
they have the right tools and support. And food journaling in conjunction with a
weight management program or class is the ideal combination of tools and
support."

The study, coordinated by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health
Research in Portland, also was conducted at Duke University Medical Center,
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and Johns Hopkins University. In addition
to Hollis and Stevens, the Kaiser Permanente research team included William M.
Vollmer, Ph.D.; Cristina M. Gullion, Ph.D.; Kristine Funk, M.S.; and Daniel
Laferriere, MR. Other study co-authors included Phillip J. Brantley, Ph.D. and
Catherine M. Champagne, Ph.D. at Pennington; Jamy D. Ard, MD, at the University
of Alabama at Birmingham; Thomas P. Erlinger, MD, MPH, at the University of
Texas; Lawrence J. Appel, M.D., and Arlene Dalcin at Johns Hopkins; Pao-Hwa Lin,
Ph.D., and Laura P. Svetkey, MD, at Duke University; Carmen Samuel-Hodge, Ph.D.
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Catherine M. Loria,
Ph.D., at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and National Institutes
of Health.

Changing Sizes online program can provide tools like the weight loss diary, exercise journal, calorie counter database, and most importantly, one-on-one personal weight loss counseling to help insure you have the tools and support to not only have success with your initial weight loss, but REALLY learn how to change your lifestyle and keep it off!