Holiday Festivities

by | Jul 6, 2014 | Diet, Eating Out, Exercise, Family, Holidays, Motivation

This 4th of July holiday weekend was a great time to spend with family/friends, and enjoy life.  Things get hectic enough, and sometimes you just need to unwind and relax, spend time with those around you, and have it be OK to indulge in some great food!

Hauck family reunion web

Saturday was the 4th annual Hauck ribfest!  Great food, great company.  There was an assortment of ribs to try, and not a bad one in the lot!  Serious competiton, with judging and everything.

Hauck ribfest judges

Here the judges go through all of the entries.  There were 10 entries this year, with the winner going to Jeff Hauck.  Sarah tried it this year as well.  The food was incredible!  This is what holidays are all about.  You can work on your food intake, and exercise, all of the other days.  It is OK to indulge and enjoy the good foods that life has to offer as well.  It would be a different story if we did this everyday!

Hauck family reunion sign web

Hopefully your holiday was a great one.  Remember, have fun and enjoy what life has to offer.  You can get back on track following these times.  Keep moving everybody!

Dr. Dan

Consecutive Exercise Day #:  2473

The Scoop on Eggs

by | Apr 9, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Eating Out, Food, Weight Management, Wellness/Health

eggs

 

 

 

 

Thanks to our viewer Jill for this requested topic! If you have any nutrition or activity topics you’d like us to discuss on here, please contact us! We’re always open to ideas! -Kelsey

These days eggs have been mis-perceived as a forbidden food, why is this? Eggs contain cholesterol, a type of fat made naturally in the body or found in animal produced foods, used by the body to keep us healthy. There are two types of cholesterol: “good” and “bad.” Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as “bad” cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as “good” cholesterol. Too much of one type, or not enough of another can put you at risk for coronary heart disease, heart attack, or stroke. Depending on the size of the egg, one yolk contains about 185-215mg of cholesterol; the whites of the egg do not contain cholesterol. Today’s research shows that one egg yolk a day is fine for most healthy people, as long as their total cholesterol intake is 300 milligrams a day or less. For people at risk or diagnosed with heart disease, consuming less than 200 mg per day of cholesterol may be of further help to decrease significant health risks. The American Heart Association suggests for people with heart disease to consume no more than 2-3 eggs a week, substituting egg whites or cholesterol-free eggs as they choose.

Other benefits of eggs include: one large egg has just 70 calories; it is a good source of protein and vitamins A and D, B complex vitamins, and phosphorus. Eggs also supply lutein and zeaxanthin, which can help promote good eyesight.

Written by Shelby Johnson, USD Dietetic Intern

 

Fast Food Fish Comparison

by | Mar 20, 2014 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Eating Out, Food, Weight Management

shrimp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year during Lent, I posted a comparison chart for fish selections at fast food restaurants. Since we’re now in the middle of Lent, I thought it was worthy of re-posting.  Many of you are eating more fish right now than you ever do due to the Lenten season. All of the fish sandwiches you get at fast food restaurants are breaded and fried, but how to do know what’s better than others? I did a little research for you to help you make better choices. When you look at the chart below, please take note of the calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat (the only place that has trans fat is Culvers), sodium (recommended to stay below 2400mg/day), and cholesterol (recommended to stay below 300mg/day). The carbohydrates are coming from the bun and a little from the breading and can easily be dropped by taking off half of your bun. Other important things to note is that holding the tarter sauce can save you about 100 calories and 5-10g of fat. Another healthy choice would be to get a side salad, instead of fries with the sandwich. The best choices are the McDonalds Filet of Fish, no tarter sauce or Taco John’s Fish Taco, no sauce. Even better than eating out, would be to make your fish at home like my picture of grilled shrimp above. Choose healthy cooking methods such as baking, broiling, or grilling…try to avoid frying and incorporate some great vegetables with your fish for a well-balanced meal!

-Kelsey

Nutrient Comparison

References: restaurant’s websites, calorieking.com, and myfitnesspal.com.

Nutrition Facts
Food Item Calories Total Fat Sat. Fat Trans Fat Cholesterol Sodium Total Carbs Fiber Sugar Protein
McDonalds Filet of Fish 380 18g 3.5g 0 40mg 610mg 39g 2g 5g 16g
*McDonalds Filet of Fish-No Tarter 290 9g 2g 0 30mg 530mg 38g 1g 5g 15g
Burger King Fish Sandwich 590 31g 5g 0 45mg 1480mg 57g 3g 8g 21g
Burger King Fish Sandwich-No Tarter 410 12g 2g 0 30mg 1240mg 53g 3g 6g 21g
*Taco Johns Fish Taco 280 14g 4.5g 0 35mg 1160mg 29g 2g 3g 10g
Arby’s Fish Sandwich 570 25g 4g 0 45mg 1010mg 64g 2g 9g 21g
Arby’s Fish Sandwich-No Tarter 450 15g 2.5g 0 35mg 730mg 59g 2g 6g 21g
Culvers Cod Filet 663 40g 7g 1g 76mg 979mg 47g 1g 5g 31g
Culvers Cod Filet-No Tarter
553 27g 5g 1g 58mg 877mg 46g 1g 5g 31g
Culvers 3 piece Cod Dinner 1929 132g 22g 2g 196mg 2444mg 108g 8g 18g 75g
Culvers 3 piece Cod Dinner-No Tarter 1553 96g 16g 2g 148mg 2172mg 106g 8g 18g 75g

 

Salmon

Fast Food Fish Comparison

by | Mar 6, 2013 | Cooking Tips, Diet, Eating Out, Etc., Food, Weight Management

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last night’s STRIVE 2 Survive sparked a hot topic about fish options. Many of you are eating more fish right now than you ever do due to the Lenten season. Jeff, with County Fair had some excellent choices of frozen fish that we reviewed and discussed, but it also brought up the topic of fast food fish choices. All of these fish sandwiches are breaded and fried, but how to do know what’s better than others? I did a little research for you to help you make better choices. When you look at the chart below, please take note of the calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat (the only place that has trans fat is Culvers), sodium (recommended to stay below 2400mg/day), and cholesterol (recommended to stay below 300mg/day). The carbohydrates are coming from the bun and a little from the breading and can easily be dropped by taking off half of your bun. Other important things to note is that holding the tarter sauce can save you about 100 calories and 5-10g of fat. Another healthy choice would be to get a side salad, instead of fries with the sandwich. And even better would be to make your fish at home like my picture of grilled shrimp above. We’ll discuss cooking methods tomorrow, so stay tuned!

-Kelsey

 

Nutrient Comparison

References: restaurant’s websites, calorieking.com, and myfitnesspal.com.

Nutrition Facts
Food Item Calories Total Fat Sat. Fat Trans Fat Cholesterol Sodium Total Carbs Fiber Sugar Protein
McDonalds Filet of Fish 380 18g 3.5g 0 40mg 610mg 39g 2g 5g 16g
*McDonalds Filet of Fish-No Tarter 290 9g 2g 0 30mg 530mg 38g 1g 5g 15g
*McDonalds Fish Bites (snack size) 280 13g 2g 0 25mg 420mg 21g 1g 0 11g
McDonalds Fish Bites (shareable size) 740 39g 5g 0 70mg 1260mg 63g 4g 1g 33g
Burger King Fish Sandwich 590 31g 5g 0 45mg 1480mg 57g 3g 8g 21g
Burger King Fish Sandwich-No Tarter 410 12g 2g 0 30mg 1240mg 53g 3g 6g 21g
*Taco Johns Fish Taco 280 14g 4.5g 0 35mg 1160mg 29g 2g 3g 10g
Arby’s Fish Sandwich 570 25g 4g 0 45mg 1010mg 64g 2g 9g 21g
Arby’s Fish Sandwich-No Tarter 450 15g 2.5g 0 35mg 730mg 59g 2g 6g 21g
Culvers Cod Filet 663 40g 7g 1g 76mg 979mg 47g 1g 5g 31g
Culvers Cod Filet-No Tarter
553 27g 5g 1g 58mg 877mg 46g 1g 5g 31g
Culvers 3 piece Cod Dinner 1929 132g 22g 2g 196mg 2444mg 108g 8g 18g 75g
Culvers 3 piece Cod Dinner-No Tarter 1553 96g 16g 2g 148mg 2172mg 106g 8g 18g 75g

Eat Smart when Dining Out

by | Oct 30, 2012 | Diet, Eating Out, Food, Weight Management

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite activities we do in our STRIVE lectures is the label reading activity with nutrition information from restaurants. I find it’s hard to make a good choice if we don’t know what good choices are at those particular restaurants…thus taking the time to read and research the options will ensure a healthy choice is made.  You can find the nutrition information online for most chain restaurants and alot of them are posting the calories right next to the choices as a result of new labeling laws. I also like using the Calorie King app on my phone to help me make good choices.

If you do not have the option to look at the nutrition facts, here are some tips to help you make healthy and smart choices when eating out:

  • Watch your portions: choose a half portion, share your meal, or pack half or 2/3 of your meal to go before you start eating.
  • Add to your meal: add more veggies and lean meats if you have the option.
  • Eat consistently: eat balanced throughout the day, even though you know you’re going out to eat later. Skipping meals and snacks to save up calories for your night out, will only result in you over-eating and making poor choices because you are so hungry! Have a snack an hour or two before you go to stave off hunger.
  • Read wisely: choose dishes that are grilled, broiled, steamed, baked, or roasted. Stay away from dishes that are fried, breaded, crispy, crunchy, or creamy as they typically have more calories, fat, and sodium.
  • Ask for help: it’s ok to ask for substitutions or ways to make your meal healthier.

Eating out it part of our social life, so it’s important to be mindful and smart about your choices to ensure you stay on track with your goals!

-Kelsey

The Art of Sharing

by | Jul 13, 2011 | Eating Out

Have you ever tried sharing a meal when eating out? Sharing is an excellent way to practice portion control while also saving some money. Recently my family went out to eat and by the end of the meal I think all 5 of us at the table had shared something off of our plate! Often times, either my husband or I will order the actual meal and then other one will get something smaller such as a side salad and then we share. If you don’t have any ‘share-bears’ in your family or friends, try packaging half of your meal in a to-go box and save it for another meal later on or the next day. This can even be done before you start eating to not tempt you to eat the whole plate full.  Next time you’re out…give these strategies a try!

-Kelsey