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Recently a friend shared with me the receipt that printed out when she stopped at a local fast food burger place for lunch. Listed next to the price of each item on the receipt was the calorie, fat, fiber and carb information of that item. It even listed out how many calories she saved by opting to leave the mayo off the burger!

We’ve seen a lot of trends lately with more nutrition labeling and making calorie/fat information a part of menus for certain chain restaurants. And consumers seem to be paying a bit more attention to that information, especially when it is posted in a conspicuous place. But this is the first time I had seen the information showing up right on the register receipt…sort of showing the “health cost” of each item ordered.

One of the challenges of sharing nutrition info in the restaurant setting is that not everyone knows about calories or understands just how many calories they should be getting. If you see that your burger and fries you ordered has 700 calories, does that mean much to you? Only if you understand that a normal daily intake for an individual is about 2,000 calories, not 20,000! So I did think it was helpful that this nutrition receipt included a baseline reference of % daily value (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). Of course, if you are eating a 1500 calorie diet (or another level) your % daily value results will vary from this reference point.

So, my question to all of you today is what do you think of this type of calorie-counting receipt? Would you find this information helpful or annoying? Would you pay much attention to it or leave the receipt on the tray to soak up the grease from the fries? How likely are you to notice nutrition info presented to you in this format? Let us know what you think!

Do you need a kick start to get your summer fitness plan in gear?

Have you always wondered how to optimize your heart rate for the most efficient workout?

Are you dying to try “Sunset Yoga by Campfire”?

If so, then you should check out Women’s Fitness Weekend at Camp Abnaki in North Hero, Vermont.  A retreat designed for women who want to start taking better care of themselves, have more fun and enjoy life to its fullest, Women’s Fitness Weekend is your opportunity to take some time for YOU!

Envision yourself at a majestic lake setting where women are gathered to find friendship and camaraderie. You’ll find days filled with invigorating exercise classes like Body Pump, boot camp, Zumba, and kayaking mixed with workshops on stress management, Brainwalk-Breakthrough, mindfulness, and more. Add to this an evening ending with gentle and relaxing yoga by a warm, hypnotizing bonfire, and retiring to bed with your mind and body both feeling fulfilled. What could make you feel better?!?

Vtrim® and the Greater Burlington YMCA are teaming up to offer this weekend fitness getaway at Camp Abnaki on Lake Champlain Friday, June 11-Sunday June 13, 2010.

At Women’s Fitness Weekend you can expect…

·         New Group Fitness Activities

·         Sunset Yoga by Campfire

·         Informative classes that will help you get the most out of your workout

·         A beautiful Lake Champlain Setting

·         An opportunity to get away and jumpstart your summer fitness goals

To learn more about the program, the instructors, and the facilities at Camp Abnaki, visit us at http://www.uvm.edu/vtrim/fitness/

To register for Women’s Fitness Weekend, go to:

http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=852461

For further questions or to register by phone, contact Andrea Ziga, Vtrim Program Planner, at 802.656.1425 or email her at andrea.ziga@uvm.edu.

We hope you’ll join our Vtrim retreat this summer at Camp Abnaki!

Let’s be honest… between work, family commitments, and other activities, making home-cooked meals can sometimes fall by the wayside.  I know I have spent many nights picking through my refrigerator and pantry hoping that something healthy and ready-made will miraculously appear, only to end up disappointed.  Sure, Chinese takeout or delivery pizza can save you in a pinch, but these certainly aren’t the best options when you are trying to eat healthy.  The key to avoiding the pitfall of resorting to quick and unhealthy fare is planning ahead when it comes to your meals.  Not only does menu planning improve your diet, but it also saves time and money.  Here are some tips for easy and effective meal planning:

• Plan in advance: Instead of wandering the aisles of the grocery stores aimlessly, make a list before you head to the store.  Take the time over the weekend to decide what you would like for dinner for the week and jot down all the ingredients you will need.

• Start small: Although your family would undoubtedly appreciate a gourmet meal every night, planning and executing daily feasts is a bit too ambitious.  Browse through cookbooks or recipes online to find meals that are pleasing to the eye, nutritious and easy to prepare.  This will give you a better idea of what’s realistic time-wise and you can adjust your meal planning accordingly.  One-pot meals or dishes that have several food groups in one item are a great option for more convenient, less extravagant meals.

• Manage your time: Don’t limit your appointment book to penciling in meetings, social engagements, and kids’ sporting events.  Jot down what meals you are planning on preparing each night.  Save the meals that require more prep time for days when you have more free time to ensure that your busy schedule doesn’t interfere with your meal planning.

• Cook ahead of time: If your schedule doesn’t permit you to cook something from scratch every evening, don’t be deterred and resort to hitting the speed dial button for the local pizza place.  If you know you have a busy week then prepare a couple of meals over the weekend and freeze some for later in the week. Our last blog post was all about make-ahead meals, a great way to do some advanced meal planning.

• Learn to love leftovers: All your hard work on a special meal doesn’t have to be enjoyed for one night only.  Leftovers can be refrigerated and eaten later in the week or used to create an entirely new meal.  You can even double the recipe if you are feeding a large family to make sure that there will be leftovers.

• Be flexible: Cooking should be an enjoyable activity.  Don’t get so caught up in the planning to the point it becomes a rigid routine or a burden.

Advance planning can take the stress out of mealtime and make it easier to stick to a healthy diet.  So grab a cookbook and start thinking about this week’s menu.

For many people who are trying to lose weight, snacking often feels off limits or even taboo. Just hearing the word snack often conjures up images of greasy chips or popcorn smothered in butter, which is probably why so many dieters swear off snacking altogether.  Contrary to popular belief, however, snacks don’t need to be high in fat and calories.  Snack smart with these suggestions:

Check the nutrition facts: Sure, that label on the back of your favorite snack may seem overwhelming, but it can be a great way to determine how healthy your snack is.  Just stick with the basic facts needed for weight management: the serving size, number of calories per serving, and how many servings there are in a bag.  Servings are often much smaller than we are accustomed to, so what looks like a small number of calories at first glance may add up very quickly after a couple of handfuls.

Watch those portions: Snacks that come prepackaged in 100-calorie bags are a simple new way to keep tabs on how many calories you are consuming.  But if your favorite snack food doesn’t offer this, don’t be afraid to create your own portion-controlled bags.  Snack-size storage bags are a great option for portioning out your own snacks and allow you the flexibility of creating pre-measured snacks from the foods you enjoy rather than spending the money on whatever the latest 100-cal pack trend is.

Traditional isn’t always better: As I mentioned before, the idea of snacking can lead many to salivate over the thought of pretzels, chips, and fatty dips.  Instead of restricting yourself to these classic snack foods, branch out and try something less conventional.  Whether it’s a small portion of last night’s leftovers, a few raw nuts, or a small salad, these work as snacks, too.

Don’t overdo it: Snacking can be a great way to stave off hunger between meals, which can prevent overindulging when you do sit down for a real meal.  It’s important to remember that calories are calories, whether eaten in small amounts or at mealtime, so try to avoid the pitfall of turning a snack into a mini-meal.  A reasonable goal for a snack is to consume between 100-200 calories, depending on what your daily total calorie goal is.

You can’t go wrong with fruits and vegetables: Whether it’s an apple, grapes, carrot sticks or celery, fruits and vegetables are a great way to fill up without weighing you down.  If plain old raw vegetables don’t excite your taste buds, try them with some hummus or low fat dip to give them some more flavor.  As for the fruit, pair it up with a small amount of peanut butter or cheese to satisfy your sweet and salty cravings.

Snacking can be extremely beneficial, but it requires some thought.  Get creative and snack right.

Our March inperson classes on the UVM campus are just around the corner. And to get you all excited, we interviewed our inperson facilitator Sally Ross Nolan for you all to get to know her better and learn what she loves about Vtrim. We think you’ll all love Sally’s down to earth personality and way of telling it like it is!

Facilitator Name: Sally Ross Nolan

Education/background: M.S. from St. Michael’s College in VT.  I worked for years in several counseling/education positions at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.  My day job for the past 11 years or so is at The Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit at UVM doing research studies.  I’ve been a Vtrim facilitator since 2006.

Years experience in health area: 30ish years (where’d the time go?!)

Favorite form of exercise: snow shoeing in the winter, tennis in warm weather

Favorite meal or snack: tamari almonds

My top 5 favorite foods: Chocolate-need you ask?, Tofu-there’s so much you can do with it and it can be put together quickly,  my mother’s chicken salad- pure comfort food,  turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving (and don’t tell, but I use white bread this one time).

What do you enjoy about facilitating Vtrim weight management groups? It’s a privilege for me to witness people taking hold of their life and making positive changes.  And it’s fun-we laugh a lot!

If you had a day to do whatever you wanted, how would you spend it? Working with a documentary film crew

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? Negative self talk can keep people stuck..  It takes awareness and then conscious practice to change an attiude/belief AND it can be done.  Replace negative thoughts with a positive ones.  And if you’re not there yet-”fake it till you make it”.

One thing you would love to do in the future/personal goal for the future: Spend more time doing photography

Any favorite tip you love to share about behavior change: Just keep learning from each challenge and keep getting “back on the horse”.

Interested in one of Sally’s classes? She’ll be teaching on Tuesdays beginning later this month. Check out our schedule at http://www.uvm.edu/vtrim/register/

January is officially Family Fit Lifestyle Month and even though January is nearly over, you can still take part.  But winter workouts are often a challenge for people. Being based at the University of Vermont, where snow and ice abound this time of year,  Vtrim understands the challenges of exercising in the cold winter months. But we encourage you to brave the snow and cold and get active outside.  And  what better way to get fit than with the entire family?  Here are five of our favorite active winter activities that can be enjoyed by both you and the kids.

Photo source: http://www.everydayhealth.com

1) Downhill skiing and snowboarding:  Hitting the slopes is a great way to get fit with the family.  Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned expert, skiing and snowboarding are a major workout (don’t forget your helmets).  If you haven’t been before, try taking a lesson with the entire family or stick to the easy trails while you get a feel for it.  If money is a factor then try to find a family rental package and family ski pass.

2) Sledding:  This activity doesn’t just have to be fun for the kids.  Sledding is a rush for all ages and trekking back up the hill will definitely get you to work up a sweat despite the cold.

3) Snowshoeing: Feet upon feet of fresh snow is no reason not to get outside and participate in an active family outing.  Snowshoeing is a fun way to take in nature while getting a great workout in at the same time.  Just like skis, snowshoes can be rented and come in small sizes so the kids can enjoy this activity too.  Unlike downhill skiing, this is an activity that you can enjoy just about anywhere there is snow.

4) Cross-country skiing:  If downhill just isn’t for you, cross-country skiing could be the perfect fit for you and your family.  Save some money on a ski pass by skiing in a local park or even a golf course.  This activity is a bit easier to pick up than downhill skiing and, just like snowshoeing, it is a great way to take in the sights.

5) Ice skating: Whether it’s on a frozen pond or at your local skating rink, this activity is fun for the entire family.  Skating can be a challenge if it’s your first time, and again, helmets are a good idea.  Also, many public skating rinks have milk crates or other devices to help you keep your balance until you get the hang of it.

Remember, you don’t have to limit yourself to these five activities.  The important thing is to get outside during the winter and participate in any activity that keeps you fit and that the whole family can enjoy. Have some ideas of your own for family fitness in the winter? We’d love to hear your favorites, too!

photo source: http://exercise.about.com website

For many of us, having to go to a gym to exercise is an all too easy excuse to skip a workout.  Don’t get me wrong; gyms can be a great way to get fit.  For some people, however, gyms serve more as a deterrent than a means.  Regardless of the reasoning, you needn’t be discouraged and give up on working out altogether.  Working out at home can be just as effective as going to the gym.  In fact, research has shown that having home-based exercise plans and equipment, along with dividing your workouts into short increments several times a day, can add up to greater long-term commitment to exercise and weight management. The most important thing to remember when it comes to working out at home though is to choose something that works best for you.  The following are some of my favorite home-based workout ideas.

1.  Cardio Equipment: When entering a gym, you will undoubtedly observe numerous pieces of equipment intended for aerobic exercise.  These machines range from treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers, and others too numerous to name.  Though it is a bit of an investment, purchasing a piece of equipment like this for your home can seriously pay off in the long run in terms of your health…if you use it.  I personally recommend a treadmill or elliptical machine.  Using a treadmill allows you to walk for a less intense workout or turn up the speed and incline for an intense cardio workout.  An elliptical is a good alternative to the treadmill because it allows you to get a good cardio workout without putting as much stress on your joints.

2.  Free weights, medicine balls, and balance balls: This can be a great way to strengthen and tone and requires very little space.  Start out with a small assortment of varying weights and add to your collection as you discover more exercises or increase your resistance. A balance ball works your core and when combined with free weights you can get in a total body workout. An added bonus…many of the workout balls come with instructional DVDs or charts to help you get started.

3.  Exercise DVDs: In any video store you will find an entire library of exercise DVDs offering an easy way to try countless numbers of workouts at home right in front of you own TV.  Exercise DVDs are great because they allow you to do different kinds of workouts at home with each exercise demonstrated to ensure you do it correctly.  But it can be quite overwhelming picking out which type of exercise is right for you; pilates, kickboxing, abs, dance, yoga, and just about every workout under the sun.  When selecting a DVD choose a type of exercise that appeals to you, one appropriate for your level of fitness, and try to avoid videos that promise a “quick fix.” Not sure you want to invest in a DVD you might not like? Try a video/DVD rental program or your local library to try out some workouts at little or no cost.

4.  Wii Fit: This Nintendo game has received a lot of press and is being promoted as the ultimate at-home exercise device.  Not only does the Wii calculate your BMI, but it provides a number of workouts that can appeal to the entire family.  By utilizing a “balance board” the Wii Fit can offer instruction for different exercises, track your weight, and act as a personal workout mentor.  The Wii now has more fitness options that are also a great option for getting in shape. But like the treadmill and other aerobic exercise machines, the Wii Fit only works if you put it to use.

5.  Dance Dance Revolution:  This was the go-to workout video game before games like Wii Fit hit the market and is still a fun way to work out.  Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) requires a large dance mat.  Then you step on directional arrows in time with the corresponding onscreen arrows.  Upbeat songs make it a fun workout and the game even tracks how many calories you’ve burned for each song. The DDR workout plan has even been put to use in research studies aimed at helping adolescents get in shape and manage their weight in a fun way. Don’t have a DDR game? Crank up the music at home and dance to your heart’s content…we won’t tell.

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.

Just recently the European Society of Cardiology stated that obesity is not just an important risk factor in heart disease, but more specifically for heart failure. At the 2009 Heart Failure Congress, researchers explained that obesity is at least as great a risk factor for heart failure as it is for heart attack or stroke, and that obesity doubles the risk for heart failure. Researchers confirmed a similar risk for diabetes and found that when the two risk factors are present together (obesity and diabetes), treatment becomes very difficult.

Weight loss will not only help lower BMI and risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure, it also helps to lower risk of developing diabetes or better manage diabetes in those diagnosed with the disease. Healthy habits and behaviors, as taught in Vtrim, all work together to help improve health risk factors and improve quality of life through less disease risk.

Red meat has often had a bad rap in the nutrition world, with fingers pointed at its higher content of fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. But a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine may back up that thinking. The results of this newly published study suggests that a high consumption of red meat and processed meats may actually be associated with greater risk of mortality.

The study of over 500,000 people looked at intake levels of red meat and processed meats with all other factors being held constant. The results showed that, with all other things being equal, men and women who consumed the most meat were likely to die earlier. The increased risk of mortality was a modest risk of about 20-40%, and was tied to the biggest health risks of heart disease and cancer.

Does this mean you need to swear off all red and processed meats entirely? No. Healthy behaviors are about being able to sustain your habits for a long term, not just a temporary change. So look at your current dietary intake of meat. Is there room to cut out a hamburger or steak here or there? Can you slim down the portion size a bit? When you have meat, can you choose leaner cuts of meat (look for the terms “round” or “loin” in the name to indicate less fat) or fewer processed meats? You don’t need to go “cold turkey” on meat, though choosing more fish and poultry like chicken and turkey is a great way to get some protein in with your meals without as much fat. Another important point–the people in the study with the lower mortality rates were those who also consumed more fruits and veggies.

To put it simply, the same goals you have for managing your weight–smaller portions, monitoring frequency of higher fat/calorie foods, more fruits and veggies, more whole foods and fewer processed foods with added fat/sugar–will also help cut risks for diseases like heart disease and cancer.