Dieting on a Budget

When reading labels, it is important to be aware of what each label really means. This is especially true for dieters looking for reduced calories and fat.

Calorie Reduced: This food has at least 25% less calories than the regular version.

Low Calorie: There are no more than 15 calories per serving.

Low Fat: There are no more than 3 grams of fat per serving. This does not always mean low calories.

Reduced Fat: This food has at least 25% less fat than the regular version.

Low Cholesterol: There are no more than 2 mg of cholesterol per serving. This food might still have a high total fat content.

Low in saturated fat: This food has 2 grams or less of saturated and trans fats combined per serving.

Sugar Free: This food is low in carbohydrates and calories.

Unsweetened or No Sugar Added: No sugar was added, but sugar may be found naturally in the food.

Source of fibre: There are 2 grams or more of fibre per serving.

Sodium free: There are less than 5 mg of sodium per serving.

Source: Health Canada

Dieting on a Budget

Eating at the appropriate times throughout the day will help us maximize fat burning and keep hunger at bay.

In her book, The Hormone Diet, Dr. Natasha Turner provides a number of easy-to-implement suggestions that can help us stabilize blood sugar balance and boost the hormones that burn fat and control appetite.

• Eat every 4 to 5 hours. It doesn't matter whether you eat 3 meals and a snack or 4 smaller meals.
  

• Eat within 1 hour of rising and never within the 3-hour period before bedtime.

• Stick to eggs or why protein smoothies for breakfast and you will eat less throughout the day. Eat your starchy carbs at lunch, dinner or after your workouts.

• Try cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. If you can manage it, try doing a 30-minute cardio workout first thing in the morning before breakfast. This could help kick-start your metabolism.
  

• Always eat within 45 minutes of finishing your workout.

• Never do your weight training on an empty stomach. You will need energy from your foods to perform optimally.

• Eat the protein on your plate first to help speed the signal to the brain that you are full.

• If you have alcohol or wine, do so after your meal to enhance the hormones involved in appetite control and digestion.
  

Dieting on a Budget

Research has shown that diets that are higher in protein can help increase metabolism and lead to weight loss. These are safe for most people, but anyone with kidney disease should be careful with increased protein intake.

The following substitutions will add protein to your diet without adding extra fat and calories. Note: The number of grams of protein are indicated in brackets.

• Instead of 1 slice bacon (3 g), eat 1 egg (6 g).

• Instead of 1 glass of orange juice (1.5 g), drink 1 glass low-fat milk (8 g).

• Instead of 2 chicken wings (9 g), eat 3.5 ounces of chicken breast (21 g).

• Instead of 1 hamburger patty (22g), eat 4 ounces lean steak (35 g).

• Instead of 2 tbsp cream cheese(2 g), eat 2 tbsp peanut butter (8 g).
  

Dieting on a Budget

Make the following substitutions and convert high-fat, high-calorie dishes into healthy ones.

• Instead of a creamy potato salad, choose a bean salad with low-fat vinaigrette. You will save 30 calories and 4 grams of fat for every 1/4-cup serving.

• Instead of potato chips, choose baked tortilla chips. You will save 80 calories and 10 grams of fat per 15 chips.

• Instead of cheddar cheese, choose mozzarella. You will save 30% of the calories and fat per 45 gram serving.

• Instead of regular salad dressing, choose low-calorie dressing. You will save 50 calories and up to 10 grams of fat per 1-tbsp serving.

• Instead of devilled eggs made with regular mayonnaise, choose devilled eggs made with low-fat mayonnaise. You will save 30 calories and 2 grams of fat per appetizer.
  

Dieting on a Budget

It is possible to transform traditional high-fat, high-calorie favourites into healthy dishes. Consider the following substitutions:

• Instead of mashed potatoes made with butter and cream, choose mashed potatoes made with low-fat sour cream and 1% milk. You will save 100 calories and 12 grams of fat per 1/2-cup serving.

• Instead of roasted, salted mixed nuts, choose trail mix with dried fruits and unsalted nuts. You will save 50 calories and 9 grams of fat per 1/4-cup serving.

• Instead of a white roll slathered with 1 tbsp of butter, choose a small, whole wheat dinner roll with no butter. You will save 200 calories and 13 grams of fat.
  

• Instead of a pecan pie slice, choose a slice of angle food cake topped with strawberries and low-fat whipped cream. You will save more than 300 calories and 19 grams of fat.

• Instead of a flavoured latte topped with whipped cream, choose a skim milk mocha beverage. You will save at least 150 calories and 17 grams of fat.

• Instead of a martini, daiquiri, or other mixed drink, choose a vodka with diet soda. You will save nearly 400 calories per standard-size drink.
  

Dieting on a Budget

It is important to have a well-stocked kitchen that has the following low-fat, low-calorie staples:

• Fresh garlic
• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• Canned beans
• Fat-free chicken broth--can be used to make a quick vegetable soup or low-calorie mashed potatoes
  
• Water-packed tuna
• Grated low-fat cheese
• Instant grain dishes--couscous or tabbouleh
• Zesty spices--chili powder, red pepper flakes, and curry blends
• Canned mandarin oranges--can be added to salads or simple desserts when fresh fruit is out of season
  
• Package of pitas or tortillas--can be used as vegetable wraps or cut into wedges and baked to make low-fat chips
  

Dieting on a Budget

The best laid plans often go awry, especially in late afternoon. I am often tempted to pick up a Kit Kat bar or sink my teeth into a soft muffin, bagel, or bun.

In a recent article, Dr. Oz provided a few strategies for those of us who have the urge to munch.

• Take one piece of chewy, whole-grain bread and dip it in olive oil. Olive oil contains a monounsaturated fat that helps control appetite.

• Add a little red pepper to your morning or noontime omelette. This will help decrease what you eat later in the day.

• Chew sugarless gum. You will have fewer hunger pangs and fewer cravings for sweets.

• If you are tired and hungry, have a nap. People who are sleep deprived have increased appetites and tend to snack more.

Dieting on a Budget

As the temperature falls, many of us start to crave more carbohydrates. Breads, pasta dishes, and desserts are tempting fare on cold, blustery days. But, over-indulgence can result in unwanted pounds. So, it makes sense to be carb smart:

Consider the following tips:

• Look for the phrase "whole grain" on ingredient lists. Whole grains will help improve blood glucose and cholesterol readings.

• Stretch out servings of starchy foods like pasta and rice by adding plenty of low-calorie vegetables to the mix. For example, adding a cup of sauteed mushrooms and peppers to a cup of pasta will double the portion without adding too many calories.

• When baking items like muffins, increase the recipe yield. Make 15 smaller muffins instead of the 12 called for in the recipe. Be sure to adjust baking times.

• Substitute whole grain bread crumbs for regular ones.

• Use whole wheat flour for part of the all-purpose flour called for in cookies and muffins.
  

Dieting on a Budget

According to the experts, no more than 30% of our calories should be coming from fat. And that should be good fat, like the type in olive oil and fish containing omega-3 fatty acids.

Consider the following fat-busting tactics:

• Spread your fat throughout the day.
  

• Use wine, herbs and spices, broth or juices (lemon, orange or tomato) to cook vegetables.

• Switch from high-fat meats such as ribs and sausages to leaner cuts like skinless chicken, turkey breast, or fish.

• Use more egg whites and less yolks. Two scrambled eggs have a fat content of 5 grams compared to two scrambled whites which have less than 1 gram.

• Be careful at the salad bar. Use a regular spoon instead of a large ladle when pouring salad dressing.

Dieting on a Budget

Many of us are looking for the "quick fix" that will help us achieve an overnight transformation in lifestyle and body shape. That is a recipe for disaster.

It makes more sense to make small changes that can be maintained on a daily basis.

• The healthiest amount of weight to lose is no more than 1 pound a week. This can be accomplished by easting 500-600 fewer calories each day.

• Do not weigh yourself every day. Do it once a week or every two weeks to encourage long-term positive thinking.

• Remember the 80-20 rule. As long as you keep to your diet and exercise program 80% of the time, you can forgive yourself the 20% of times that you lapse.

• Consider cancelling the gym membership and finding more lifestyle-friendly ways to exercise: biking, gardening, walking, yoga.

• Avoid eating anything that your great grandmother would not recognize as food--pop tarts, breakfast bars, yogurt in tubes. This is an easy way to avoid processed food.

Dieting on a Budget

Those of us who are addicted to sugar find it difficult to simply throw out the sugar and do without. The following alternatives to white sugar have fewer calories, a lower glycemic index, and additional nutrients.

Brown Sugar Although the nutritional value is the same, the browner the sugar the more flavour it has and so the less you will need. When you are baking, if you swap white for brown, you will save 15 grams of carbs in every 1/4 cup you use.

Honey Honey is sweeter than sugar, has fewer calories, and contains vitamins and minerals that keep your cells healthy. In particular, darker honey has a higher antioxidant content. Honey also enhances the growth of "good" bacteria in the gut. Many hay fever sufferers report that local honey is very helpful during the pollen season.

Stevia This herb has enormous sweetening power. The liquid form is the most convenient choice for cooking--it measures easily and stores in the fridge. Keep in mind that 1/8 of a teaspoon of liquid stevia is equivalent to 1/2 cup of sugar. It works well in everything from pancakes to puddings.

Splenda The primary ingredient in Splenda is sucralose, a sugar substitute processed from real sugar. Sucralose is calories free, does not affect blood sugar levels, and maintains its sweetness across a broad range of temperatures. Splenda measures cup for cup like sugar in recipes.

A Low Glycemic Diet

After hearing about Nia Vardalos' successful weight loss, I decided to learn more about low glycemic diets.

This diet has Canadian roots! Over 20 years, Dr. David Jenkins, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto developed the glycemic index. This index measures the speed at which carbohydrates break down in our digestive system and turn into glucose, the body's main source of energy.

A food that is digested and absorbed quickly has a high GI value. For example, a fast-food lunch of double cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke gives a short-term high, but we start feeling tired, sluggish, and hungry by mid-afternoon.

Low GI foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pasta, beans and low-fat dairy products take longer to digest, deliver a steady supply of sugar to our bloodstream and leave us feeling fuller for a longer time. As a result, we consume less food and fewer calories, without going hungry.

In his book, The G.I. Clinic, Rick Gallop provides an easy-to-follow colour coded system. He has done all the calculations and measurements and sorted food according to the colours of the traffic light.

Red-Light Foods are to be avoided. With GI values greater than 70, they make it impossible to lose weight.

Yellow-Light Foods are mid-range GI foods that should be treated with caution. They should be avoided if you are trying to lose weight. If you have reached your ideal weight, you can occasionally indulge. They have GI values between 55 and 70.

Green-Light Foods are low GI, low in fat and lower in calories. With GI values less than 55, these are the foods that will allow you to lose weight.

Dieting on a Budget

I like to hear about successful weight loss stories, but I often shake my head when I learn that costly meal plans and/or intense exercise regimens are involved.

It was refreshing to read about Nia Vardalos' weight loss story. Nia gained international acclaim when her movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" became a hit. Since that time, she has has faced a number of personal and health challenges. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and her doctor informed her that she also had issues with blood sugar. He insisted that she lose weight.

Over the course of a year, Nia lost 40 pounds and got healthier following a sensible regimen.

• Stay away from diet foods, they are filled with salt and sugar.
  

• Eliminate all artificial sweeteners. Nia has her morning coffee with half and half and a teaspoon sugar.

• Do not use margarine; use small amounts of butter instead.
  

• Cut out diet sodas and all soft drinks.

• Keep a daily journal and log all your food intake.

• Eat low-glycemic foods and healthy snacks.

• Walk each day. Nia's main exercise was taking her dog Manny for long walks.

Source: Interview with Mary Shomon

Dieting on a Budget

The average person eats three meals and two snacks a day. That probably hasn't changed in decades.

What has changed is the size of those snacks. It is not uncommon to see people grabbing 400-calorie muffins and Danish on their way to work in the morning. It is not surprising that they are hungry and zapped of energy shortly afterwards.

The right kind of snack will keep energy stable throughout the day, stave off hunger, and help with weight reduction. In her book, Go Green Get Lean, Kate Geagan suggests that we stick to real food and keep it roughly to what fits in the palm of your hand.

Geagan provides these additional tips:

• Make it last. Pack a snack that takes a bit longer to eat, so your brain has some time to catch up. Spreading peanut butter on apple wedges or spreading hummus on a pita are two good examples

• Go big. If you are a person who like to eat volume, then choose foods that deliver large volume with fewer calories. Consider a cup of cubed watermelon or cantaloupe, a fresh salad load with veggies, or air-popped popcorn.

• Never eat directly out of a carton, container or package. You will not be able to keep track of your portions.

• Include protein in your snack. French researchers found that a high-protein snack kept study participants fuller nearly 40 minutes longer than those whose snack was high carb.
  

• Be prepared. If you pack a healthy snack, you will not be tempted by the vending machine and you will save money.

Dieting on a Budget

I find it helpful to observe the habits of my "naturally" thin friends.

• They will not hesitate to order a kid-sized portion or ask the waitress to hold the fries.

• Instead of a salad, they will order a clear soup as an appetizer. They feel full faster and eat less.

• For dessert, they will order chocolate sorbet, fruit, or simply a cup of coffee or tea.

• When ordering pizza, they ask for half the cheese.
  

• They love to take the stairs whenever possible. One of them informed me that taking the stairs for two minutes each day, five days a week, will burn as many calories as a 20-minute walk.

• When they have snacks, they are very careful with their portions. They usually have small zip bags containing healthy trail mixes or they buy single-serving portions.

Dieting on a Budget

Size matters.

There is a difference between portions and servings. A portion refers to the amount of food you eat at a given time. i.e. a plate of pasta or a bowl of ice cream. On the other hand, a serving is a specific amount of food with a defined nutrient range. Servings are usually expressed in terms of cups, teaspoons, or grams.

A portion of food on your plate can contain several servings. In her book, Go Green Get Lean, Kate Geagan, compared pasta servings in Italy to those in North America. In Italy, diners get about 2 cups of pasta in total (roughly 4 servings) while North Americans will have 5 to 8 cups of pasta (10 to 16 servings) at one time.

We need to retrain our eyes as to how much food is appropriate--we seem to have lost this skill.

Consider the following guidelines:

• A medium piece of fruit is the size of a woman's fist.

• Three ounces of meat, poultry or fish are the size of a deck of cards.

• Half a cup of pasta is the size of a computer mouse

• One ounce of cheese is the size of four dice.

• One tablespoon of peanut butter is the size of a postage stamp.

Dieting on a Budget

Most diet plans tend to focus on everything we need to give up. Instead, we should focus on what we need to add to our diets:

Getting more breakfast: Starting the day with a healthy combination of whole grains, lean protein, and fruits and vegetables will result in fewer calories being consumed later in the day. Consider the following meals:

• Egg white omelet made with vegetables.
• Whole grain cereal topped with fresh fruit and nuts.
• Parfaits made with low-fat yogurt, granola and fresh berries.

Getting more spice: In a study published by the International Journal of Obesity, people who had food seasoned with red pepper felt fuller and ate less than those who didn't. Consider adding chili powder or red pepper flakes to soups, stews, meat, and chili.

Getting more sleep: Medical researchers claim that lack of sleep boosts hunger and appetite.

Dieting on a Budget

The following foods stimulate the metabolism and burn more calories:

Green Tea: Experts believe that the catechins contained in green tea help burn belly fat. We should aim for three 8-ounce cups a day.

Cinnamon: Adding 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of this spice to hot cereal, marinades, smoothies, or yogurt will help blood sugar get into cells to be used for energy. As a result, less is stored as fat.

Chili Peppers: These wonder foods are packed with capsaicin, a compound which increases body temperature and metabolism. They are found in high quantities in hot salsa and many Thai and Indian curry dishes.

Yogurt: Both low-fat and regular yogurts contain probiotics. According to researchers, these "friendly" bacteria help reduce the amount of fat our bodies absorb.

Dieting on a Budget

I thought I was being very health conscious because I did not eat french fries. Instead, I would order baked or mashed potatoes. I was very surprised to learn that neither option is a good one.

According to Harvard University professor, Meir Stampfer, "Potatoes raise blood sugar as fast as sugar does. A potato may be a complex carbohydrate, but your body treats it like sugar...Eating mashed potatoes is not that from from getting an intravenous load of glucose."

In a research study that tracked more than 84,000 women for 20 years, the Harvard researchers discovered that women who ate one serving of potatoes a day (mashed or baked) had an 18% higher risk of diabetes than those who ate potatoes once every two weeks or so.

This does not meet we should never eat potatoes, but we need to consider alternative vegetables.

Consider the following recipe for roasted vegetables:

Ingredients

4 cups of any cut-up vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, onion, squash, asparagus, etc)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp soy sauce
5-6 garlic cloves, chopped
Black pepper

Procedure

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Coat the vegetables with the remaining ingredients.
• Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Roast for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Dieting on a Budget

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, small lifestyle changes can make a difference. Consider the following no-cost and low-cost suggestions:

• Mix and match strategies from different diet books. Make sure that the plan works for your lifestyle.

• Maintain ongoing contact with your doctor, nutritionist, or supportive friends. Why not form a Biggest Loser Group and meet weekly for motivation and support.

• Get more breakfast. Start your day with a healthy combination of whole grains, lean protein, fruits, and vegetables.
  

• Get more sleep. Research has shown that lack of sleep boosts hunger and appetite. Aim for 7 to 8 hours a night.
  

• Limit television watching to 10 hours or less per week.

• Keep track of your weight loss using charts or graphs.

• Take a 30-minute walk each day.