A Dietitian's View: November 2006 Archives

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November 30, 2006

The ADA responds: Beverages with Benefits?

A growing number of “functional beverages��? — juice, tea, soft drinks and flavored water enhanced with herbs, phytonutrients and other ingredients — are being marketed with promises to improve your memory, put you in a better mood, relieve stress, give you energy and fight fat.

Do these drinks deliver on their claims?

In reality, most functional beverages have not been found to offer special health benefits for most healthy people. Among the issues: Claims aren’t proven; the amount of the added ingredient is neither standardized nor identified on the label; and their safety isn’t known.

Functional drinks also won’t overcome dysfunctional eating or living. Your best approach to health and feeling energetic remains healthful eating, regular physical activity and getting enough sleep.

Posted by Lisa at 7:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 29, 2006

Weight Loss In a Bottle?

Beverage makers have created what they say are calorie-burning alternatives to sugary soft drinks that feature green tea and caffeine. Celsius and Enviga promise that this combination will boost metabolism and burn calories.

Though scientists still aren't sure just how the antioxidant found in green tea — epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG works, some suggest it triggers greater production of a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine, elevating metabolism. Caffeine also raises the metabolic rate, and early research suggests combining EGCG with caffeine is the key to a measurable increase. The concept is intriguing — but far from proven.

Caffeine, of course, plays a role in the drinks' effect on metabolism. Celsius contains 200 milligrams of caffeine and Enviga 100. A Coke or Pepsi contain approximately 35 milligrams of caffeine; a 5-ounce cup of coffee has about 100 milligrams.
Enviga, sweetened with aspartame, comes in three flavors — green tea, berry and peach — and sells for about $1.29 to $1.49 a can.
Celsius, which sells for roughly $1.99 is sweetened with sucralose, or Splenda, it too is available in a variety of flavors.

These drinks are marketed towards consumers who normally down several 150-calorie sugary sodas a day. Of course, simply exercising and replacing regular sodas with low- or no-calorie drinks could obviously help Americans shed excess pounds. But that’s too much work – everyone wants a quick fix that doesn’t involve any effort on their part.

Posted by Lisa at 5:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 26, 2006

Fruit of the Month: More pears...and a few apples

Beurre Bosc Pears & Pink Lady Apples were the fruit that arrived at my door this month. The pears took awhile to ripen, but I sliced into them this morning and made this pear crisp. Very tasty and an easy way to get more fruit in your day. I cut the sugars and butter in half and didn't add the salt or the walnuts. I also added a little bit of wheat germ.

Harvest Pear Crisp

From Cooking Light
Cinnamon-spiced pears bake under a crunchy streusel topping in this easy dessert. Assemble the dish ahead of time, and put it in the oven when guests arrive. Or bake it earlier in the day and serve it at room temperature. Serve with low-fat vanilla ice cream.

6 cups Anjou or Bartlett pears, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 3 pounds)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup regular oats
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine pears and lemon juice in a 2-quart baking dish; toss gently to coat. Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pear mixture; toss well to coat.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined. Add chilled butter; pulse 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add oats and walnuts; pulse 2 times. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over pear mixture.

Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until pears are tender and topping is golden brown. Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack; serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 8 servings

CALORIES 285 (24% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 3g,mono 1.8g,poly 2.2g); PROTEIN 2.4g; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 42mg; SODIUM 197mg; FIBER 5.1g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.5g

Posted by Lisa at 11:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 25, 2006

Try Something New: Turkey!

Turn your turkey leftovers into a little more than the same-old turkey sandwich. Try something from the south with this Cajun classic Jambalaya.

Want someting light? Go Asian with this turkey salad.

Or maybe give your turkey a Mexican twist with these soft tacos.

Turkey Jambalaya

From Cooking Light
Andouille sausage adds a kick to this colorful post-Thanksgiving twist on the Cajun classic from Louisiana. Rice and shredded turkey absorb a flavorful mixture of tomatoes and spices until they're bursting with flavor.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups shredded cooked turkey
6 ounces andouille sausage, chopped
2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in bell peppers and next 5 ingredients (bell peppers through black pepper); sauté 1 minute. Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add turkey and sausage; cover and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 249 (27% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 2.4g,mono 3.4g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 17.3g; CHOLESTEROL 42mg; CALCIUM 37mg; SODIUM 523mg; FIBER 2.7g; IRON 2.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 27.4g

Asian Turkey Salad

From Cooking Light
This fresh, bright salad takes Thanksgiving leftovers on a trip East. And after the big day, you'll welcome its lightness.

Dressing:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 serrano chile

Salad:
4 cups thinly sliced napa (Chinese) cabbage
3 cups shredded cooked turkey
1 cup red bell pepper strips (about 1 small pepper)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

To prepare the salad dressing, place the first 11 ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.

To prepare the salad, combine the cabbage and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, and pour the dressing over the salad, tossing to coat.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)

CALORIES 250 (30% from fat); FAT 8.3g (sat 2.2g,mono 2.3g,poly 2.6g); PROTEIN 33.2g; CHOLESTEROL 80mg; CALCIUM 80mg; SODIUM 592mg; FIBER 3.4g; IRON 2.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.3g

Spicy Turkey Soft Tacos

From Cooking Light

Mole:
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Remaining ingredients:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups shredded cooked turkey
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
1/2 cup bottled salsa
4 lime wedges

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare the mole, drain chipotles in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce. Remove 1 chile; chop to measure 1 1/2 teaspoons. Reserve remaining adobo sauce and chiles for another use.

Place the onion and garlic in a small, shallow baking dish; bake at 400° for 15 minutes.

While onion and garlic roast, combine reserved adobo sauce, chile, broth, and next 8 ingredients (broth through black pepper) in a blender; add onion and garlic. Process until smooth.

To prepare the remaining ingredients, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey; sauté 12 minutes or until browned. Add mole; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.

Heat tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/4 cup turkey mixture onto each tortilla, and roll up. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons avocado and 2 tablespoons salsa. Serve with lime wedges.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos and 1 lime wedge)

CALORIES 318 (29% from fat); FAT 10.1g (sat 2.1g,mono 3.8g,poly 2.7g); PROTEIN 25g; CHOLESTEROL 54mg; CALCIUM 129mg; SODIUM 532mg; FIBER 3.5g; IRON 2.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.7g

Posted by Lisa at 9:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 22, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving!

Does everyone have a plan for their holiday meal? Remember, it's all about portion sizes. Nothing is off limits. There's just no need to go back for a fully loaded plate or that third helping of potatoes. Have a little of what you like and be satisfied. Thanksgiving is the 4th Thursday in November. It's a day to remember why we're thankful. It's not a day to stuff ourselves to sleep.

“Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.��?

- Erma Bombeck

Posted by Lisa at 1:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 20, 2006

What I Recommend

Eating Well. Where Good Taste Meets Good Health.

This is a cooking magazine, website and also a series of books. You'll find healthy, quick and easy to make recipes for any age. A great gift for yourself or anyone trying to live healthy.

Posted by Lisa at 7:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 17, 2006

Red Wine Ingredient Increases Endurance, Study Shows

This morning, as part of my daily routine, I’m reading the daily news briefs sent out by the American Dietetic Association and I spot this article: Red Wine Ingredient Increases Endurance, Study Shows. This sounds interesting – no more running, all I need to do is drink red wine? Sounds a little too good to be true (red flag #1). Turns out one researcher has found that “a drug already shown to reverse the effects of obesity in mice and make them live longer has now been shown to increase their endurance as well.��? Mice running on a treadmill run to exhaustion after 1 km. Give mice some resveratrol, a minor component found in red wine, and they can run for 2 km before exhaustion! They have a reduced heart rate and more mitochondria (energy producing cells) in their muscles (which means they can use more fat as energy), just like trained athletes do.

Resveratrol appears to affect a group of enzymes called sirtuins that help keep your body healthy in youth and protect you from disease. Although red wine does contain resveratrol, “its presence there is minuscule compared with the doses used in the experiments.��? “No one can drink enough red wine to obtain such doses.��? Lastly – this is only one study (red flag #2). For me, lots more research is needed before red wine replaces running shoes on my annual Christmas wish list.
So, looks like the best advice is still – if you don’t currently drink wine, it is not recommended you start with hopes of preventing disease, keeping you young or improving fitness. Some people should not drink alcohol (if you have liver disease, abuse problems, are taking certain medications or if you have high triglycerides). If you do drink alcohol – do so in moderation (the dietitian’s favorite word) – this means one drink a day for women, 2 drinks a day for men. One drink is 5 oz of wine, 12 oz of beer or 1 ½ oz liquor. Be responsible…don’t drink and drive…you know the drill.

Posted by Lisa at 10:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 16, 2006

Not a Quick Fix

Successful weight loss is 50% attitude. You didn't gain weight overnight, and you're not going to lose it overnight either, so be patient and positive. A huge problem that people have is unrealistic expectations. They start off enthusiastically and then stop when they don't see major results. Losing a half pound to a pound a week is ideal. If you don't think that's a lot, put it into perspective: one pound of fat equals four sticks of butter. That's a significant loss. Remember, consistency is what brings you results.

Posted by Lisa at 8:07 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 15, 2006

Comfort Foods: Homemade Soup

This is one of the best vegetable soups I've ever had (My mom's beef vegetable soup is up there too) and...it has beans in it! Beans are a great source of protein, low in fat and high in fiber. I did make a few changes to the recipe: I didn't have any potatoes, didn't add the pasta and drained and rinsed the beans to lower the sodium a bit more.

Chunky Vegetable Soup

Yielding 12 cups, this soup goes a long way. With our freezing instructions, you can reheat it for future meals.

Vegetable cooking spray
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 cups water
1 tablespoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound small carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen large lima beans
1/2 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Coat a large Dutch oven with cooking spray; add oil, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add water and next 9 ingredients (water through lima beans); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add orzo; cook, uncovered, over medium heat an additional 10 minutes. Ladle soup into individual bowls, and sprinkle with cheese.
Note: Refrigerate remaining soup in an airtight container for up to one week, or freeze it for up to three months.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups soup and 1 tablespoon cheese)

CALORIES 224(12% from fat); FAT 2.9g (sat 1g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 10.6g; CHOLESTEROL 4mg; CALCIUM 127mg; SODIUM 574mg; FIBER 5.2g; IRON 3.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.4g

Posted by Lisa at 6:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 12, 2006

Carbs Are Great.

I've been craving bread lately. I'm not sure if it's because of the holidays coming up or because I've been running more. Last week I made this banana bread, which is a Cooking Light recipe (big surprise). I made a few alterations to it - I used 3 Tbsp margarine, 2 egg whites and 1 egg and I didn't add the cloves (a little too strong for my tastes). It turned out very yummy - very moist (I think b/c of the yogurt) and very banana-y. One of the best banana bread's I've had.

Banana Bread

1/2 cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (6-ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt
3/4 cup ripe mashed bananas (about 1 1/2 bananas)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. Add flour mixture and yogurt alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in bananas and vanilla. Pour batter into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 204(31% from fat); FAT 7.1g (sat 4.1g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 4.3g; CHOLESTEROL 58mg; CALCIUM 41mg; SODIUM 428mg; FIBER 1.2g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 31g

Today I made this pumpkin bread - I guess I am starting to get into the holiday spirit. After reading the Cooking Light reviews on it, I decided to double the spices since it seemed to be the concensus that it was a bit bland by itself. I again used half egg whites, half whole eggs, 1/4 cup oil and substituted ground ginger for the cloves. It turned out really good - not sure I like the raisins, but the bread is delicious!

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

This recipe makes two generous loaves. Freeze one, or give it as a gift. The bread is also delicious toasted and topped with Baked Apples.

3 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1/2 cup dried currants or raisins
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine canola oil, eggs, and pumpkin in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in currants.

Spoon batter into 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool loaves completely.

Yield: 2 loaves, 16 servings per loaf (serving size: 1 slice)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 150(31% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 0.5g,mono 3g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 2g; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 18mg; SODIUM 170mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 0.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 24.4g

Posted by Lisa at 8:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 11, 2006

Fresh Salsa

I mixed up a batch of homemade salsa today in an attempt to use up some of my jalapeno peppers - 5 down, only 25 more to go! I even had ripe garden-fresh tomatoes to add in! Salsa is super eay to make and is a great snack with tortilla chips (preferrably baked). Just mix together diced tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, garlic, jalapeno peppers, a little lime juice, ground pepper and cilantro and you're pretty much done. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a up to a few days. Did I mention that 1/2 cup of salsa serves as a vegetable serving?!

Posted by Lisa at 5:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 9, 2006

Shine A Light On Mushrooms

They are very low in calories, a source of B vitamins, good for your body's antioxidant system, available in more than 3,000 varieties in North America alone and taste great: These are just some of the reasons to love mushrooms.

In addition, researchers are trying to determine if exposure to sunlight increases the vitamin D content in mushrooms, which may make them useful in boosting the body's immune system response and disease resistance. In some tests, a standard-size serving of white button mushrooms exposed to sunlight for five minutes post-harvest contained 869 percent of a person's daily value for vitamin D.

From chanterelles to shiitakes, mushrooms have woody, fruity, earthy and sweet flavors to suit any taste. If you are looking for alternatives to ground meat in recipes, try diced creminis or buttons, while steak fans can try grilled portabellas.

Posted by Lisa at 8:00 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 7, 2006

Eat Whole Grains Every Day

Here are some tips to boost your intake of whole grains:

At breakfast, you can:

* Have whole-grain cereal with low-fat or nonfat milk and fresh fruit.

* Top low-fat or nonfat yogurt with a crunchy whole-grain cereal, and round that out with fresh fruit or juice.

* Top a toasted whole-wheat or other whole-grain bread, English muffin or pita with egg or egg whites, low-fat cheese or trans fat-free margarine.

At lunch, you can:

* Use whole-grain breads to make sandwiches.

* Make a whole-wheat pasta salad with vegetables and beans.

* Have a cup of barley soup.

At dinner, you can:

* Use brown rice to stuff cabbage, baked red or green peppers or tomatoes.

* Use whole-wheat macaroni to make macaroni and cheese.

* Try using an unsweetened, whole-grain, ready-to-eat cereal as breading for baked chicken, fish or eggplant parmesan.

Posted by Lisa at 12:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 5, 2006

Chicken Ragout

I saw Mario Batali make a mushroom hodgepodge on the Food Network one morning as I was running on the treadmill…and it looked soooo good! I’ve wanted to make at least something similar ever since. Mushrooms are one of my most favorite ingredients – I’ll eat them is just about anything. This morning we made scrambled eggs (mostly whites) with Canadian bacon strips and mushrooms, topped with a sprinkling of low fat mozzarella cheese – very tasty. Tonight I got my mushroom fix with this Chicken Ragout which included:

1 Tbsp of olive oil
2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ inch pieces
¼ medium onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, minced
1 carrot, peeled and minced
½ large clove of garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
½ cup Marsala wine
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
14 oz can diced tomatoes, no salt added
½ cup chicken broth
½ Tbsp tomato paste
Ground cloves

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken. Stir and cook until chicken is cooked. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and bay leaf, and continue to cook until the onion is softened. Stir in the wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until half of the liquid has evaporated (about 15 minutes).
Transfer this mixture to a medium saucepan. Mix in the mushrooms, tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste and cloves. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes.
Serve as a stew with a salad and French bread.

We added artichokes hearts and aspargus to the Ragout and served it with a toasted whole wheat pita. The cloves were a little strong, but overall, this stew-like meal was quite hearty and delicious!

Posted by Lisa at 7:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Go For It!

It's been about a month and a half since I started running again and I've gotten into a good routine. Routine was what I wanted back in my marathon-training days. Settling into a nice pace was the only way to ensure finishing. Friday, I realized that at this time in my life, that wasn't exactly a good thing. I've been running the same intervals with the same incline for probably the past month and it's gotten very comfortable.

At first, I gradually increased my speed and interval length as I eased back in -to reduce risk of injury, of course. But it has been 1 1/2 months and Friday I decided that if I was going to make time for running 4 days a week - I better make the most of it. So I went for it! Twenty-five percent of American adults are completely inactive. I'm certainly on the other end of this spectrum...but that doesn't mean that it should be easy. If you're one of the few who make time for exercise, make sure you're not being too easy on yourself. Find a way to challange yourself. Sometimes you just gotta go for it!

Posted by Lisa at 9:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 2, 2006

Will Travel Well

Don’t let business travel and client meetings sabotage your healthy lifestyle. If you’re a frequent flyer, follow these tips to help keep you on track when you’re away from your normal routine.

PREBREAKFAST: Food at breakfast meetings is rarely healthy. Eat your oatmeal at your hotel, then stick to coffee and fruit at the meeting.

CARRY SUSTENANCE: Undereating is one of the biggest risks for overeating. Tuck a piece of fruit and a yogurt from the hotel breakfast bar into your briefcase to tide you over so you don’t dive for the bread basket at lunch or succumb to junk food.

JUST SAY NO: Politely decline dessert, bread, foods that just don’t appeal. Don’t make a big deal of it or even explain. Nobody cares about your dietary needs, and that’s gauche.

SAVE THE SPLURGES: Wouldn’t you rather enjoy indulgences in the company of loved ones than with Joe from accounting? If you splurge every time you travel and your travel is business, you’re going to get in trouble. Differentiate between business and vacation travel.

STOP MEANS STOP: When you’ve eaten your fill, have the waiter take your plate so you’re not tempted to keep nibbling.

CALL HOME: Instead of wolfing comfort food when you’re lonely, call home, take a walk, go to the gym. Find other ways to treat yourself.

KEEP MOVING: Not only does business travel often mean more food, it usually means less exercise. Wear a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day, even if it means hiking around airport terminals. Start your day on the treadmill at the hotel gym to fit in at least half those steps.