EXCELLENT pdf on Food Plans and Recipes!

http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/MiscPubs/FoodPlansRecipeBook.pdf

Good recipe sites for health and weight loss

Healthy Recipes from the Mayo Clinic

American Heart Association Recipes

American Council of Exercise Recipes

Healthy Recipes

Cooking the Heart Healthy Way

American Institute for Cancer Research Recipes

Recipe and Meal Planner Guide

Diabetic Recipes

Searchable by category (low fat, low cholesterol, etc)

Healthy Lifestyle Balance on Vacation

Prepare for old friends or relatives you haven’t seen in a while.
Decide how and when you will want to be assertive with them about eating and activity. Consider talking with them in advance.

Plan for pleasures after your vacation.
Coming back from a vacation is often a let-down. Try to get back to regular activities gradually and plan some extra pleasures to offset post-vacation blues. Consider allowing an easy day at home before getting back to work full-steam.

Healthy Lifestyle Balance on Vacation

Have reasonable expectations for vacation.


a. Keep track of your eating and activity as much as possible.


b. Weigh yourself often, but remember that scales differ.


c. Plan to maintain your weight; don’t expect weight loss. Figure fat and calorie goals for maintenance.


d. Let go a little. For example, eat something special. Choose the best and leave the rest. That is, when you decide to eat a special high fat food, choose quality, not quantity. Choose the best thing available, take a small portion, eat slowly, and enjoy every mouthful.


e. Get extra activity. If you slip with eating a little, this will often compensate.

~

Healthy Lifestyle Balance on Vacation

Some of us vacation alone but most of have some arranging to do with family and friends. Have a family talk well before the vacation to discuss such issues as:

a. What did we like about our last vacation? What were the problems? Make a specific plan for what you will do on this vacation, including pleasures other than food and drink.

b. Discuss how you will handle food and eating out. How often will we eat out? What types of restaurants will we choose? Are there low-fat/calorie options for you? Can we split entrees or desserts? If eating in (e.g., if renting a beach house), will we have tempting high-fat/calorie foods like cookies, candy and cake in the house? If so, can they be stored out of sight and separate from other foods? Can family members agree to eat these foods only when eating out?

c. Can we find a fun way to all be physically active this vacation? Examples: bike riding, mountain climbing, hiking, walking on the beach, bird watching, golfing (walking the course), etc.

d. Get the family to agree not to nag you about what you eat or your activity plan.

e. Talk about positive ways your family can help (for example, praising you when you are sticking to your low fat food plan, going on walks with you, helping you out so that you don’t get too tired or stressed).
~

Healthy Lifestyle Balance on Vacation

Plan pleasures other than food and drink.

a. Plan the kind of vacation you want. One way to think about this is to ask yourself, What about your daily routine do you want to escape from? (For example, if your routine is a hectic, crammed schedule, it’s vital that you not repeat this pattern on your vacation. If you do a lot of driving on the job, you might not want to spend your vacation driving.) What kinds of pleasures and freedom do you want to escape to? (What do you like to do most? Go to a faraway, scenic spot? Or stay at home and enjoy some free time? Make lots of time for a favorite hobby or sport? Spend time with old friends?)

b. Think about what you like to do for physical activity. Can you find a way to make that part of your vacation?

c. Be prepared to be assertive with others about what you want to do on vacation if you are going on vacation with family or friends. Negotiate a compromise if necessary.
~

Healthy Eating on a Budget

• Sign up for your grocer’s bonus/discount card for additional savings.
• Try store brands. The most costly brands are typically placed at eye level. Store brands that may be cheaper and are just as good are often placed higher or lower on the shelf.
  
• Comparison shop for healthier brands. Read the Nutrition Facts Label. Learn how to find serving sizes and the per serving amounts of calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, sugars, protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. For more information on the Nutrition Facts Label go to: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

• 
  Use the unit price and the Nutrition Facts Label to compare similar foods. The unit price tells you the cost per ounce, pound, or pint, so you’ll know which brand and size are best to buy. Look for it on the shelf sticker below the product. Then, read the Nutrition Facts Label to be sure that you are getting the healthiest option at the lowest cost. Click on these Food Label resources from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): http://www.csfan.fda.gov/~ear/hwm/labelman.html and http://www.csfan.fda.gov/~acrobat/nutractds.pdf.
• 
  No matter what the form – fresh, frozen, canned, dried, juice – all varieties of fruits and vegetables count toward your daily recommendation. Choose fruits without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces. Although 100% fruit or vegetable juice counts towards your daily recommendation, the majority of the total daily amount of fruit and vegetables should come from whole fruits and vegetables to help you get enough fiber. Click on http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/ for more information.
  
• Buy in-season fruits and vegetables. Use local farmer’s markets when possible – the foods are fresher and usually cost the same, if not less, because you are buying direct from the farmer.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

With tough times, comes all sorts of information on saving money. Over the next few days, I'll give some tips on saving money, while at the same time eating healthy.

Let's start:

1. Make a plan and stick to it. With a little planning, you can get most of your groceries for the week in one trip, which will save a lot of time. And, the fewer trips to the store, the less likely you will be to buy unnecessary items. There are a variety of website to help you plan meals, like: http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/MealPlanner/en_intro.htm.
2. Review store ads and clip coupons for healthier items such as skinless chicken breasts, lean cuts of meat or ground beef, fruit (fresh, frozen, or canned in its own juice), vegetables (fresh, frozen without added fat, or canned without added sodium), whole grain breads and cereals, and low fat or fat free milk and milk products.
3. Check your cupboards and refrigerator for items that you can use and then plan to use them, instead of making another shopping trip.

~ Myths about Dieting and Food ~

Myth: “Going vegetarian” means you are sure to lose weight and be healthier.

Fact: Research shows that people who follow a vegetarian eating plan, on average, eat fewer calories and less fat than nonvegetarians. They also tend to have lower body weights relative to their heights than nonvegetarians. Choosing a vegetarian eating plan with a low fat content may be helpful for weight loss. But vegetarians—like nonvegetarians—can make food choices that contribute to weight gain, like eating large amounts of high-fat, high-calorie foods or foods with little or no nutritional value.

Vegetarian diets should be as carefully planned as nonvegetarian diets to make sure they are balanced. Nutrients that nonvegetarians normally get from animal products, but that are not always found in a vegetarian eating plan, are iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, zinc, and protein.

Tip: Choose a vegetarian eating plan that is low in fat and that provides all of the nutrients your body needs.

Food and beverage sources of nutrients that may be lacking in a vegetarian diet are listed below.

• Iron: cashews, spinach, lentils, garbanzo beans, fortified bread or cereal.
• Calcium: dairy products, fortified soy-based beverages, tofu made with calcium sulfate, collard greens, kale, broccoli
• Vitamin D: fortified foods and beverages including milk, soy-based beverages, or cereal
• Vitamin B12: eggs, dairy products, fortified cereal or soy-based beverages, tempeh, miso (tempeh and miso are foods made from soybeans)
• Zinc: whole grains (especially the germ and bran of the grain), nuts, tofu, leafy vegetables (spinach, cabbage, lettuce)
• Protein: eggs, dairy products, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh, soy-based burgers

~ Myths about Dieting and Food ~

Myth: Dairy products are fattening and unhealthy.

Fact: Low-fat and fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese are just as nutritious as whole-milk dairy products, but they are lower in fat and calories. Dairy products have many nutrients your body needs. They offer protein to build muscles and help organs work properly, and calcium to strengthen bones. Most milk and some yogurt are fortified with vitamin D to help your body use calcium.

Tip: The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming 3 cups per day of fat-free/low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

If you cannot digest lactose (the sugar found in dairy products), choose low-lactose or lactose-free dairy products, or other foods and beverages that offer calcium and vitamin D (listed below).

• Calcium: soy-based beverage or tofu made with calcium sulfate; canned salmon; dark leafy greens like collards or kale
• Vitamin D: soy-based beverage or cereal (getting some sunlight on your skin also gives you a small amount of vitamin D)

For more information on these guidelines, visit http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

~ Myths about Dieting and Food ~

Myth: Eating red meat is bad for your health and makes it harder to lose weight.

Fact: Eating lean meat in small amounts can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan. Red meat, pork, chicken, and fish contain some cholesterol and saturated fat (the least healthy kind of fat). They also contain healthy nutrients like protein, iron, and zinc.

Tip: Choose cuts of meat that are lower in fat and trim all visible fat. Lower fat meats include pork tenderloin and beef round steak, tenderloin, sirloin tip, flank steak, and extra lean ground beef. Also, pay attention to portion size. Three ounces of meat or poultry is the size of a deck of cards.

~ Myths about Dieting and Food ~

Myth: Nuts are fattening and you should not eat them if you want to lose weight.

Fact: In small amounts, nuts can be part of a healthy weight-loss program. Nuts are high in calories and fat. However, most nuts contain healthy fats that do not clog arteries. Nuts are also good sources of protein, dietary fiber, and minerals including magnesium and copper.

Tip: Enjoy small portions of nuts. One-half ounce of mixed nuts has about 84 calories.

~ Myths about Dieting and Food ~

Myth : Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain.

Fact: It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat.

Tip: If you want to have a snack before bedtime, think first about how many calories you have eaten that day. And try to avoid snacking in front of the TV at night—it may be easier to overeat when you are distracted by the television.

~ Myths about Dieting and Food ~

Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.

Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites.

Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods.

For more information about healthy eating, read the Weight-control Information Network brochure Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across Your Lifespan: Tips for Adults.

~ Myths about Dieting and Food ~

Myth: “I can lose weight while eating whatever I want.”

Fact: To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you eat. It is possible to eat any kind of food you want and lose weight. You need to limit the number of calories you eat every day and/or increase your daily physical activity. Portion control is the key. Try eating smaller amounts of food and choosing foods that are low in calories.

Tip: When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods—as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat.

Irrational Beliefs and Challenges #13 of 13

Irrational Belief #13: Because I’ve fallen back from my food plan many times, it’s hopeless, and I’ll never be able to keep eating properly.

Challenges:

• Because I’ve fallen back from my food plan many times, I find it difficult to keep eating properly. But that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless or impossible.
• It is quite common that people fail many times at a goal before they find their way to succeed.
• I am as human as the next person.
• I’ll keep trying!

Behavior: Keep a log of incidents of falling back from your food plan, then note how you challenged your irrational belief, and how you successfully managed your food plan following the incident. Identify other situations where you failed multiple times but then eventually succeeded.

Irrational Beliefs and Challenges #12 of 13

Irrational Belief #12: Eating poorly and stupidly makes me a rotten, stupid person.

Challenges:

• Eating poorly and stupidly makes me a person who is now behaving poorly around eating and who can change and eat better in the future.
• My value as a human being is not dependent on my eating behavior.
• My intelligence has nothing to do with my eating.
• People at every IQ level can behave badly around food AND people at every level can behave appropriately around food....regardless of my IQ, I have a choice how I behave.
  

Behavior: Keep a log of incidents of eating poorly and stupidly, then note how you challenged your irrational belief and how you successfully managed your food plan following the incident.

Irrational Beliefs and Challenges #11 of 13

Irrational Belief #11: People make me angry and drive me to overeating.

Challenges:

• People sometimes act poorly but I can choose to tell myself that I cannot control how they act, but can only control how I react.
• I can choose not to make myself angry at them and overeat.
• My anger and my overeating are unrelated. I can control my anger and control my eating.
• I can find other healthy things to do with my anger than eat.
• I can take care of myself and my healthy by remaining calm.

Behavior: Keep a log of incidents of anger caused by others, then note how you challenged your irrational belief and how you successfully managed your food plan following the incident.

Irrational Beliefs and Challenges #10 of 13

Irrational Belief #10: I am poor at managing my food.

Challenges:

• At times I eat well and can manage food better now and in the future.
• I lacked skills in managing, but I am able to learn and do better each day.
• Because I was poor at managing in the past does not mean I cannot be good at it with time, effort, and patience with myself.
  

Behavior: Develop written guidelines for each meal to follow your food plan. Avoid impulse shopping. Prepare shopping lists and shop when not hungry.