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It may seem like only yesterday that you were in the kitchen slaving away over Thanksgiving dinner, but the days of feasting are upon us again.  Cooking for the holidays can be tricky when you are trying to stay healthy.  This is especially true when your guests may not  make  eating healthy a priority and when they expect to be treated to the great flavors of their traditional holiday favorites.  Fortunately you can make everyone happy, including yourself, with these healthy holiday recipes that are deceptively tasty.

It wouldn’t be the holidays without a spread of delicious appetizers to stave off hunger pangs as guests wait for the main course.  You can keep it simple with shrimp and cocktail sauce or whole-wheat crackers with a low fat cheese.  If you want to whip something up in the kitchen then check out this Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Most holiday meals aren’t complete without some mouthwatering side dishes.  Mashed potatoes, a holiday classic, is often packed with calories and fat, but this dish doesn’t have to be taboo for the health conscious.  This recipe from The Eating Well Diet is one of my favorite sides for the holiday.

*  2 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into chunks

* 2 cloves garlic, peeled

* 2 teaspoons butter

* ¼ cup nonfat buttermilk

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs

* Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water.  Add the garlic.  Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender.  Drain then add butter and buttermilk and mash with potato masher to desired consistency.  Stir in fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper.

The main dish for your holiday dinner can be a healthy protein-packed dish if you avoid fatty meats and heavy sauces.  Pork makes  a delicious yet healthy entrée especially when paired with a sweet fruit to give it some extra flavor.  This Pear Stuffed Pork Loin recipe from Taste of Home certainly fits that description with its sweet stuffing and glaze.

It wouldn’t be a holiday meal if it wasn’t finished off with homemade cookies.  These delectable cookies, appropriately named “Lusciously Nutty Holiday Logs” from eatingwell.com, are a great way to complete your holiday meal.

With a little pre-planning, you can satisfy the most finicky guest and take pleasure in knowing that your holiday meal was a healthy one.  Happy Holidays.

As you look at your calendar of social engagements for the next few weeks you may notice an abundance of holiday parties cluttering your weekends.  Celebrating with friends at festive gatherings, schmoozing with colleagues at the annual holiday party, or attending a neighborhood holiday gift swap can be so much fun.  These events can also be a major source of stress for those who are watching their waistlines.  Don’t let the daunting task of eating healthy at these holiday parties spoil the fun this year.  Check out these tips to help you survive the holiday season without packing on the pounds.

1. Don’t come hungry!  Arriving to a party hungry is a surefire way to guarantee you will overindulge in rich holiday spreads.  Don’t skip meals during the day thinking that you are saving calories. Research shows that people who skip meals end up eating as much, if not more, than those who eat regularly. Have a snack or light meal before attending the party so that your focus can be on socializing instead of quenching those hunger pangs.

2. Bring a healthy dish to share.  The best way to ensure that there is something healthy to eat at a holiday party is to bring something you whipped up yourself.  That way you will have at least one fallback dish to enjoy. Plus your healthy contribution to the buffet table will be greatly appreciated by all.

3. Easy on the alcohol.  Though that eggnog may be a tempting traditional holiday treat, it is also packed full of empty calories.  Try to limit your alcoholic drinks especially those made with sugary mixers.  Drink lots of water to quench your thirst without the extra calories.

4. Fill up on the veggies.  Most parties will undoubtedly have the staple veggie platter and dip.  Dig in guilt free, but skip the dip if you can or limit it as much as possible.

5. Chat it up!  Though at times it may seem that holiday parties are more about eating than socializing, don’t be afraid to do the mingle before scoping out the food.  Catching up with friends and family is what these parties are supposed to be about after all.  Chatting it up with friends or colleagues is the perfect way to distract yourself from the food and have a great time.

6.  Nothing should be off limits.  Depriving yourself entirely is a recipe for disaster.  If you have a favorite dish you desperately want then allow yourself a small portion to satisfy your craving.  Just don’t go overboard.

Have any other holiday tricks that help you stay on target with your goals this time of year? We’d love to hear about them. Share your comments here.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Vtrim!

Thoughts of the holidays invoke visions of relaxing family time, tables filled with good food and drink, and quiet evenings by the fireside.  Unfortunately for most of us, this tranquil image is far from reality.  The holidays tend to be some of the busiest days of the year and between shopping, cooking, and traveling there is little time for anything else.  This often means exercise gets thrown to the wayside. But don’t let the craziness of the holidays be an excuse to shirk on your fitness routine.

One of the best ways to fit fitness into the holidays is to take full advantage of the numerous errands you will undoubtedly be running.  To start with, park as far from the entrance to the mall or store as possible. Before you start shopping, walk around the perimeter of the mall once or twice. Those extra steps might not seem like much, but they will add up and you can enjoy a little window shopping at the same time.  Another great way to take advantage of those shopping outings is to carry your own bags back to the car.  It can be tempting to dump everything in a cart, but carrying bags can be a great way to tone your arms, especially if you sneak in a few bicep curls.

Because the holidays truly are supposed to be about spending time with the family, get your entire family involved in being active.  Go out for a family walk or bike ride if the weather is nice enough.  One of my favorite activities is to go for a walk at night with the family to take in the neighbors’ Christmas lights and decorations.  This way you can get in that quality family time and squeeze in some fitness activity at the same time.

Having relatives over for the holidays tends to push us into cleaning overdrive.  Though this may seem like a mundane task, try turning it into a mini workout.  Play some holiday music to dance around to as you clean.  You might be surprised at the sweat you can work up if you clean with a vengeance.

Do you have any favorite holiday activities that allow you to stay fit through the holidays? We’d love to hear them!

November 2009 brought Vermont a new honor: the healthiest state in the nation. The 20^th Annual America’s Health Rankings released last month declared Vermont the healthiest state based on 22 health-related factors. The two largest risk factors for our nation’s health today? Obesity and smoking.

The United Health Foundation releases the health rankings each year based on state rates for factors such as percentage of children in poverty, availability of health care and physicians, mental and physical health scores, health insurance rates, air pollution, infectious disease rates, and more. Vermont was ranked 4^th in 2008 and jumped to 1^st this year. The study results showed that Vermont ranks higher for health determinants than for health outcomes, indicating that overall healthiness should remain high over time.

In this year’s report, the Foundation noted that while smoking has been our nation’s biggest health challenge in the past two decades, obesity is poised to become our next big health issue. The Foundation states on their website, “Obesity is growing faster than any previous public health issue our nation has faced. Today, more than one in four Americans are considered obese (31 percent). If current trends continue, 103 million American adults – or 43 percent of the population – will be considered obese by 2018, making obesity the nation`s next health battle.”

We at Vtrim are happy to see Vermont at the top of the new health rankings as it resonates with everything we’ve been researching and sharing for almost two decades now ourselves: healthy habits make for a healthier quality of life. Want to learn more about lowering your health risks and establishing a better lifestyle through smarter health behaviors? Check out our class listings for 2010 and find out more about Vtrim…a program grown out of the nation’s healthiest state!

For more information on the 20th Annual America’s Health Rankings, visit http://www.americashealthrankings.org/

The Thanksgiving practice of giving thanks is a longstanding and much cherished holiday tradition.  Most proclaim their thanks for family members, friends, and of course the delicious Thanksgiving feast before them.  On top of the usual list this year, why not give thanks for your health, too?

For most of us, our health is something we take for granted. In fact, good health is a product of your hard work.  You spent the last year eating right and exercising regularly.  Was it worth it?  Of course it was.  If you think about it, it is your good health that allows you to spend quality time with your loved ones and gives you more energy to enjoy your favorite activities.   There is no better time than Thanksgiving to acknowledge how important your health is and how fortunate you are to be in good health.

We at Vtrim wish you all a very healthy and happy Thanksgiving. May you enjoy quality time with those you love and the blessings of better health.

For many weight managers, the mere thought of Thanksgiving causes hearts to race and induces a cold sweat.  This traditional American feast practically requires that you gorge yourself on rich foods until a “turkey coma” finally lulls you off to sleep.  Fortunately, Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a dreaded holiday for the health conscious.  Here are some tips to eating healthy this Thanksgiving:

1)    Go easy on the gravy:  Turkey is a great lean meat, but can be a diet disaster as soon as you pick up that gravy boat and bury your turkey underneath the rich sauce.  If you can’t go without altogether, try lightening up your gravy.  Simply use a gravy strainer when making the gravy to separate the fat from the turkey drippings to cut down the calories.

2)    Lighten up with light meat:  Although it may be tempting to claim that coveted drumstick, try to stick with the light meat.  Dark meat is higher in fat and calories.

3)    Water not wine: Try to avoid those liquid calories by limiting yourself to no more than one glass of wine.  Drinking water will also help you fill up faster.

4)    Load up on the veggies:  Vegetable side dishes are a great way to fill up on healthier fare, but don’t be fooled by Grandma’s famous green bean casserole.  Just because there is a vegetable in the name of the dish doesn’t make it healthy.  Try to avoid vegetable dishes with rich creamy sauces or those covered in cheese.  Serve up a starter salad with a light dressing or serve up some seasoned roasted vegetables.  If this doesn’t appeal to you, just find a lighter version of your favorite recipes.  Check out this lighter version of Green Bean Casserole from eatingwell.com.

5)    Sweet is sometimes better: Instead of mashed russet potatoes, go for sweet mashed potatoes.  Sweet potatoes are lighter than classic russet potatoes and you won’t need the heavy cream and butter that is usually  added to give this side dish flavor because sweet potatoes, as their implies, are already  sweet.

6)    Seconds and thirds are not a requirement:  Although Thanksgiving is traditionally a feast, this doesn’t mean you have to go back for round two or three.  Fill your plate the first time with reasonable portions then eat slowly to give yourself time to realize you are getting full.  If you just can’t give up your favorite rich dish, just take a small amount.  I promise it will taste the same regardless of whether it’s your first or tenth bite.

7)    Enjoy dessert, the lighter way: It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without your classic dessert of pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream or apple pie a la mode.  Just because you are having a healthy Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you have to ditch dessert.  Check out this great pumpkin pie recipe from Hungry Girl.  Also try to satisfy your sweet tooth without topping your dessert with whipped cream or ice cream.

Don’t make Thanksgiving an excuse to blow your diet.  With a little pre-planning and self-control, Thanksgiving can be all that it should be; a wonderful time to enjoy the company of family and friends.

This week we’re featuring a guest blog post by one of our Vtrim facilitators, Hope Warshaw. Hope is a diabetes educator with vast experience in diabetes counseling. Hope recaps for us the results of a 10-year study just published in the Lancet journal. You can read the beginning of Hope’s review of this new research below. Or check out Hope’s complete blog post here!

http://tinyurl.com/ylpn3nc

The first report of the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcome Study (DPPOS) came out October 29th, 2009 online in The Lancet, a well known medical journal. DPPOS is part two of the ongoing Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) conducted in the U.S. as a National Institutes of Health multi-site study. The DPP and DPPOS results are similar to findings from trials conducted internationally over the past two decades in Finland, China and elsewhere.

About the DPP: The DPP was a three year study concluded early in 2001 due to the success of the intensive lifestyle change group. Nearly 3,000 people who had pre-diabetes were randomly divided into these three study groups:
1)    Intensive lifestyle intervention – people went through a 16 week lifestyle program with a behavioral counselor. This program focused on decreasing calories and fat grams to decrease weight by a goal of 7 percent and increasing physical activity to a goal of 150 minutes per week. After the initial program people were followed closely and continued to work with their counselor throughout the study.
2)    Metformin – people were put on the diabetes medication metformin, which improves insulin sensitivity. They received some, but minimal, lifestyle education and counseling.
3)    Placebo – people received some, but minimal, lifestyle education and counseling.

DPP results: At the end of the DPP, people in the intensive lifestyle group (#1) decreased their incidence of progressing from pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes by 58% and the metformin group (#2) reduced their incidence by 31%, compared to the placebo group (#3).  People in the lifestyle group lost the most weight, an average of 15 pounds.
The study showed that people who lost at least 7 percent of their initial weight (average of 15 pounds) decreased their incidence of type 2 by 90 percent and losing about two pounds resulted in a 16 percent lower progression to type 2.  Weight loss was the best predictor of a reduction in type 2. Increasing physical activity played a supporting role.

Onto the DPPOS: About 88 percent of the people in the DPP continued in the for another 6 years in the DPPOS study group. About one-third of the people were from each of the above noted study groups (#1 – 3). All of the people in the DPPOS were offered quarterly group-based lifestyle intervention. People on metformin during the DPP continued on it during DPPOS.

At the end of the DPPOS (10 years after the start of the DPP) people in the lifestyle group regained some weight but on average were 4.4 pounds below their starting weight (keep in mind the average adult today gains two pounds per year). The metformin group, did a better job at maintaining the weight they lost in the DPP, an average of 5.5 pounds, in spite of the fact that their weight loss during the DPP was less than the lifestyle group (about 15 pounds). Unfortunately, but as is often the case, less than twenty percent of people across all groups took advantage of attending the group-based lifestyle intervention programs.

By the end of the DPPOS the original lifestyle group (#1) continued to reduce their chance of progressing from pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes by 34 percent and the original metformin group (#2) reduced progression to type 2 by 18 percent, compared to the placebo DPP group.

Very exciting news blog readers!

Vtrim’s corporate program was highlighted in an October issue of the BLR OSHA Compliance Advisor. It’s a stamp of approval for our weight management program, and we’re delighted that HR professionals across the country learned about our homegrown, Vermont-based program.

I had the opportunity to personally speak with the writer at BLR OSHA Compliance Advisor about why Vtrim makes sense for companies and their employees. She asked me what makes Vtrim different from other programs. My answer:

• Vtrim replicates what you’d expect from a research-based weight loss program. Our clinical roots have proven results. As the writer highlighted: “More than 80 percent of participants lose at least 5 percent of their body weight.” That’s an amazing number!
• Vtrim’s focus in less on food and more on how people relate to food. It’s an approach that targets behavior change, encouraging people to change their unhealthy eating and exercise habits for the better.

Vtrim has worked with a number of Vermont companies, including Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Green Mountain Power and Seventh Generation. Props to them for seeing the value in employee health and wellness.

The BLR OSHA Compliance Advisor showcases our work with Green Mountain Coffee. Why does Green Mountain Coffee love Vtrim? Their HR lead for health and wellness Betsy Stanford gives the inside scoop:

• It’s systematic: “A lot of programs out there tell you to eat this and not eat something else. Vtrim focuses on goals for fat, calories and exercise, encouraging people to get up and start moving with an eye to long-term longevity.”
• It’s virtual: “We’ve grown so fast that people don’t have the time to leave their desks.”

We’re proud of our partnership with business. When weight loss helps companies trim waistlines and health costs, it’s a win-win for everyone involved.

Read the story online here

Have you participated in our Vtrim Corporate Program? Share your experience here. How did it change your workplace eating habits?  Are you exercising during your lunch hour?  We’d love to hear from you.

–Beth

Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, is another one of our terrific Vtrim facilitators. We took time recently to help you get to know Hope. She’s got an amazing resume of work experience and is highly skilled in assisting others in behavior change. Hope will be facilitating a Vtrim class beginning mid-November, a terrific opportunity for participants to benefit from her expertise. We hope you enjoy a little more insight about Hope!

Hope, tell us more about your background:

I am a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and author of several books about managing diabetes and healthy restaurant eating. Interestingly my undergraduate degree is from University of Vermont. I’m pleased to be participating as a facilitator in a program developed at and conducted by my alma mater! From Vermont I went south to Atlanta for graduate school at Emory University. I’ve been working in the health field for 30 years.

What do you enjoy about facilitating Vtrim weight management groups?

I enjoy the ability to combine the use of a well researched lifestyle change/weight loss program along with a novel online technology platform to help people come together virtually to accomplish the goals of permanent weight loss/control and learning to live a healthier lifestyle. It’s clear from the research that people will be most successful long term with weight control if they work to lose a small amount of weight over time by slowly changing their lifestyle and by staying engaged and active long term.

What is one of the most common hurdles you see people face in changing behaviors and what are 1-2 things you find helpful for overcoming that hurdle?

It is easier to change behaviors when life is going along smoothly. It gets more complex when people hit hurdles along the road, but we know, such is life. Having a game plan for healthy eating and being active is even more important when you hit those hurdles. I think pre-planning is one big key – always be thinking ahead of yourself, particularly related to food choices and availability.

What is one of your personal goals for the future?

I would love to help prevent as many people (particularly young people) from becoming overweight as possible. It’s clear to me that the most effective way to curb our obesity and type 2 diabetes twin epidemics is help people prevent weight gain in the first place.

If you had to create a list of your 5 favorite foods, what would you put on it and why?

My favorite food list runs the gamut from a salad combining fresh vegetables, from mushrooms, tomatoes and red peppers, to Ben and Jerry’s Butter Pecan ice cream. I practice what I preach…balance, moderation and very definitely portion control.

What food do you ALWAYS have on hand?

Raw vegetables, frozen vegetables, fresh and canned fruit, dairy foods, whole grain bread…and much more. Having the proper foods on hand – a well stocked household – is part of pre-planning and an integral part of setting yourself up for being successful at healthy eating and weight control.

What is your favorite form of exercise?

Walking at least 4 mornings a week (weekdays) and a couple of trips to the gym per week to do weights and more aerobic activity. It’s a must psychologically and physically. Morning activity is the way to go for me. It charges my battery and gets me off to a great start. I’m 4’10” and not getting any younger so controlling my weight becomes harder and harder. I’ve been regularly exercising for about 35 years and it’s more critical now than ever before.

If you had a day to do whatever you wanted, how would you spend it?

Being active: skiing, mountain climbing, walking on the beach…Then again I could handle curling up with a great book as well.

If you are interested in signing up for Hope’s Vtrim class, visit http://www.uvm.edu/vtrim/register/

The falling leaves, shorter days, and cooler weather are all reminders that winter is quickly approaching. With the prospect of winter looming around the corner, it’s easy to get bummed out about all those physical activities you never got around to when the weather was nicer.  Instead of writing these things off as something you will get to next year, why not get in one last walk in the outdoors before a blanket of snow covers the ground?  Fall is truly the perfect time to get out and enjoy the scenery with one last walk to remember.

What better way to enjoy the fall foliage than a leisurely hike or stroll through the park?  Take in the vibrant colors of fall with friends or family.  Try locating a nature trail near your home or a large park that provides plenty of space to explore.  Bring along a camera to take some artsy shots or simply enjoy the sights. In fact, the photo for this week’s blog was a quick snapshot with my camera phone on my own recent “walk to remember.” The colors were breathtaking and the leaves along the sidewalk were like my own version of a rose-petal blanket to walk through. And to add to the memory, I took my walk onto a side path that I hadn’t explored before, only to find myself in the middle of an old holly tree farm! The holly berries were just starting to come out in bright reds, signaling even more to me the changing of the seasons I was caught between!

If you don’t have time to take a walk at the end of the day, utilize your lunch break and get outside for 10 or 15 minutes.  It may not seem like much, but it will be worth it to stretch your legs and enjoy the weather. You will be glad you did once the weather takes a turn for the worse.  If you are feeling tired or lethargic after a long day, you will be pleasantly surprised how much a quick walk can energize you.  Between the brisk fall air and boosting your heart rate, you will literally get a pep in your step.

Fall walks, with their stunning beauty and perfect temperature, can’t be beat.  And consider this.  Getting into the habit now will make it that much easier to stay physically active during the long winter months. So get out now and take that walk to remember.