NEW PRODUCT

When it comes to your meals, what do you do to make them special? I’ll bet if I asked you what you ate for lunch two days ago, chances are pretty good that you can’t remember.  Maybe you worked through lunch and ate at your desk, or picked at some leftovers from the refrigerator.  Or you were so caught up in your favorite television show, that you scarcely noticed what was on your plate.  On the other hand, if I asked you to recall a special meal you’ve had lately – not even a holiday or birthday meal, just what you’d call a ‘nice meal’ – you can probably recall that meal in great detail.  And it’s likely that it was more than just the food that made that meal memorable.  It’s the little things, too, that make meals more special – and, more satisfying.

 So, aside from the food, what makes a meal memorable?  Maybe it was your dining companions. Maybe, instead of shoveling it down, you lingered and talked over a meal.  Maybe it was the way the food was presented on the plate, or the shiny silverware, or the slice of lemon in your ice water.  Or it could have been the cool jazz playing, or the candlelight, the crisp linens or the sprig of fresh green basil nestled next to the grilled fish.

 All our senses are involved when we eat.  When a plate of food is appealing to the eye, has a wonderful aroma, and a variety of flavors and textures, we take note.  And we usually rate those meals as not only more pleasant – but more satisfying, too.

 If your eating has become routine – and your meals look the same, day after day  – that could spell trouble.  In an attempt to get more satisfied, you may find yourself eating more, but enjoying it less.

 So why not try making meals little more special?

It doesn’t take much.  Turn off the television and listen to some music.  Throw a tablecloth on the table, grab a cloth napkin and maybe light a candle or two.   Having leftovers?  Try putting them on a plate – rather than eating them out of a plastic container. 

And try a little accessorizing.  A ripe red strawberry on top of a protein shake would brighten anyone’s day; a shower of fresh chopped parsley on top of your grilled chicken or fish takes it from drab to delightful.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

It’s amazing how just a handful of small changes to everyday habits can add up to big rewards.  I’ve mentioned before that when someone tells me they’re ready for a major diet and lifestyle overhaul, I usually tell them to proceed with caution. There are a couple of reasons for this. For one thing, when you try to make too many changes at once, you run the risk of …if you’ll excuse the pun… biting off more than you can chew. And, I think that once you’re successful at making a change – no matter how small – it gives you the confidence to keep going, and to keep chipping away at new challenges.  On top of that, just a handful of small changes to your everyday habits can add up to bigger reward than you might think. 

 Here’s a way to look at it.  Think of the changes you’re going to make in your lifestyle as an investment.  You could rely on an aggressive strategy that might give you quick rewards – but there’s also a high risk that it won’t.  On the other hand, you could ‘diversify’ – and use blend of strategies that are more likely to give you the results you’re after, even though it may take a little longer.  So when you’re investing in your health for the long term, slow and steady usually wins the race.

When you take a closer look at the foods you routinely eat – and your everyday exercise patterns -  it’s amazing how a little fine tuning can add up to big rewards. Here are some recent changes I worked out with a patient of mine – enough to lead to the loss of 60 pounds in a year:

• Add 20 extra minutes to daily exercise – could be an additional 20 minutes of brisk walking in the morning, or a second walk later in the day.  The extra 100 calories burned per day could equal 10 pounds less at the end of a year.
• If your usual breakfast five days a week is a coffee drink and a bagel with cream cheese.  A switch to a protein shake will shave off about 250 calories a day – enough to drop more than 18 pounds in a year.
• A healthy habit of eating salad about 7 times a week is a bit counterproductive if the greens are drenched in dressing.  Reduce salad dressing from three tablespoons to one will lead to savings of more than 1000 calories a week – and the loss of about 16 pounds in a year.
• About three times a week, instead of having a candy bar as an afternoon pick-me-up, have a small protein bar and a cup of tea instead. You could be cutting as much as 600 a week – enough to shed nearly 9 pounds in a year.
• Sandwiches are eaten 5 times a week on average and always include a slice of cheese.  Lose the cheese and replace with veggies, and save 500 calories a week.  Another 7 pounds could be lost in a year with this one change.
• Dessert is eaten six times a week – usually cookies or ice cream, to the tune of about 200 calories.  Swap for a piece of fruit, and cut enough calories to lose another 10 pounds in a year.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

By Luigi Gratton, M.D., M.P.H.

Eating a balanced diet means that you're taking in a variety of healthy foods at reasonable intervals throughout the day - it doesn't mean that you "balance" healthy foods eaten during the day with junk foods like pizza and ice cream at night.

But for many people, when the sun goes down, so does their willpower. While they can maintain their sensible eating habits during the day, evening often signals the start of an unending food fest until bedtime.

Strange as it may seem, one of the best solutions to controlling your appetite after dark is to eat more often during the daylight hours. Heavy evening snackers often lack a regular eating pattern – one that includes sensible meals combined with healthy and nutritious snacks.

Putting the Myth to Rest
You've probably been told that eating late at night is detrimental. But while your calorie needs are lowest during the night, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that the calories ingested at night are stored more efficiently than those eaten at other times.

Eating foods later in the day rather than earlier is not what leads to weight gain – what matters is your daily caloric intake as a whole. No matter when you eat, if you take in more than you need, your body stores any extra calories as fat. Curbing evening snacking habits leads to weight loss simply because fewer calories are being taken in over the course of the day.

Feeding Frenzy
We do tend to eat most of calories late in the day - Americans eat more calories during dinner than at any other meal. And if you tack on the calories eaten after dinner, it really adds up.

There are several reasons these unhealthy patterns are so commonplace. Some people don't eat enough during the day which can cause blood sugar levels to drop. This can make people overly hungry and result in overconsumption at night.

Many people are too busy to plan meals – they may dash out the door in the morning with little more than a cup of coffee, and then try to power through the day without taking time to eat properly. It's no wonder that by the time they get home at night, they're literally out of gas.

Others are simply eating as an emotional escape from stress or to beat boredom. We tend to mindlessly reach for junk food during sedentary activities such as watching television or using the computer – and we then associate these high calorie foods with relaxation and keep the habit going.

Meal Planning and Suitable Snacks
Putting in the right fuel – and at the regular intervals during the day – is one of the best defenses against nighttime nibbling. Breakfast and lunch meals should provide plenty of protein to keep your mind sharp and hunger at bay as well as some healthy carbs like fruits, veggies and whole grains to maintain blood sugar. A protein shake with fruit is a great way to start the day – otherwise, try an egg white omelet with fruit, a dish of plain nonfat yogurt with fruit, or a quick bowl of oatmeal with some protein powder stirred in.

A protein shake also makes a quick and satisfying lunch, especially when you're too busy to stop and prepare a meal. Other good choices? Try a salad with some grilled chicken or fish, or a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with some fruit for dessert.

When energy starts to slide in the afternoon, one tactic that works is to have a substantial snack – almost a "second lunch" – between lunch and dinner. A protein shake or bar, a half sandwich, some soy nuts, or a dish of cottage cheese and fruit are all appropriate choices.

By putting more nutritional emphasis on your daytime meals and snacks, it's likely you won't be nearly as hungry at night, so your dinner meal can be lighter and smaller.

The next time you feel like "midnight munching," think about the benefits of a healthy, protein-powered snack earlier in the day. The nutritional difference will be like night and day.

Dr. Gratton also serves as vice-president of medical affairs at Herbalife.