Hoppin' John, a Southern New Year Tradition

Hoppin' John is a Southern dish often eaten on New Year's Day for good luck. Corn bread is a traditional accompaniment. Below you will find 2 versions, feel free to experiment and let us know which you prefer. Take a few minutes while you are on-line and look up the fun stories about Hoppin’ John, a true American tradition. Happy New Year.

Hoppin' John with Mustard Greens

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
2/3 cup finely chopped ham
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups cooked black-eyed peas (can use canned or frozen, rinsed and drained)*
*Read the labels to know how much to buy to get your 4 cups
4 cups chopped trimmed mustard greens (you can find frozen* mustard greens or substitute spinach for *Frozen 10 oz packages yields 1 cup well drained

Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk; set aside.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 6 minutes. Add rice, ham, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in water mixture; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add peas and greens; cover and cook 5 minutes. Stir rice mixture; cover and cook an additional 5 minutes or until greens and rice are tender.

CALORIES 389 (16% from fat); FAT 7g (sat 1.4g,mono 4.1g,poly 1g); IRON 5.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 14mg; CALCIUM 109mg; CARBOHYDRATE 63.6g; SODIUM 502mg; PROTEIN 18.2g; FIBER 11g
Adapted from: Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2007

Variations on a theme

Skinny Hoppin’ John

Yield: 4 servings

2 15 oz cans black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 14 oz or 15 ½ oz can can diced tomatoes, drained, for added zip, use tomato with chiles
2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely diced
½ cup white onion, finely chopped
1 serrano chile*, finely chopped
*Serrano chiles have a heat scale of 3 with 1 being mild and 5 blowing your head off, so if you like mild, use mild canned green chiles, a 4 oz can
½ tsp salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp lime juice, more or less to taste
2 cups wild pecan rice or brown rice, cooked and served hot**

In a large pot, add drained peas, tomatoes, scallions, celery, onion, chile and ½ tsp salt. Simmer 25 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Mix in lime juice and season to taste with pepper.
Serve over rice.
May be served as a side dish without rice**

CALORIES 287, FAT 2g (less than 1 gram saturated fat); CARBOHYDRATE 57g; SODIUM 532mg; PROTEIN 14g; FIBER 8g

Making New Year Resolutions Work for You

Why oh why does the media impose those New Year Resolutions on us? This time of year you can’t pick up a magazine or see a morning news show without hearing about resolutions. With a little planning resolutions do work for people and it is really another way of saying you set a goal for yourself. Goals are good, right? Of course right. I personally think we should do them throughout the year, as we need to make changes in our life. One shouldn’t have to wait around for January 1.

To help you make those resolutions, aka goals, here are some tips to help you succeed. By virtue of you reading this, you have already taken steps to setting goals through your participation in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), so start with patting yourself on the back and saying “good job”, or better yet, get up, go to a mirror, smile at yourself and say “good job”, then come back here and finish reading.

Commit your resolution and plan to writing in a notebook or journal. You may already be keeping a food and physical activity journal, if you are, start a fresh page and mark it 2010 Goals.

“Fast Facts About New Year's Resolutions
· 63% of people say they are keeping their resolutions after two months
· 67% of people make three or more resolutions
· Top four resolutions:
1. Increase exercise
2. Be more conscientious about work or school
3. Develop better eating habits
4. Stop smoking, drinking, or using drugs (including caffeine)

· People make more resolutions to start a new habit than to break an old one.”

Source: Schwarz, Joel. How to keep up with those New Year's resolutions, researchers find commitment is the secret of success. University of Washington. 23 December 1997. December 20 2007.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao-Tzu
(Chinese philosopher, 604 BC - 531 BC)

Think "Year Round," Not Just New Year's

~Goals are accomplished with tiny steps that occur throughout the year.
~New Year's resolutions should be nothing more than a place to start.
~Develop a ritual or habit for revisiting your plan.
~Don’t expect sweeping changes in the first day. How old are you? Well it took you that long to get where you are today.
~Don’t expect things to radically change overnight.

FACTS:
It takes 7 to 10 tries to finally quit smoking. 1-866-485-QUIT (7848) for the Montana Quitline
A realistic goal for weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds per week

Put some thought into those changes you would like to implement. If you are still thinking on January 2, that’s quite all right. Take some time NOW to think about the coming year and what you would like to do as far as goal setting. Have a strong initial commitment to make a change. By spending some quality time with your thoughts you can be realistic in your expectations.

If your goals are health related, talk to your:
◦Physician ◦health coach ◦DPP Lifestyle Coach
about what is and is not realistic in your plans.

Remain Flexible

My favorite quote “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” John Lennon

~Expect that your plans can and will change.
~Life has a funny way of throwing unexpected things at us, and flexibility is required to accomplish anything.
~You may need to modify your goal(s).
~Recognize and acknowledge your partial successes at every step along the way.
~It’s all about baby steps and if you get halfway there and have to change mid-stream, well, you reached it mid-way which is more than if you didn’t start at all.

Several years ago, I was at a meeting and the motivational speaker was a man who set out to climb Mt. Everest NOT ONCE but TWICE and each time there was an obstacle that prevented him from reaching the peak. The first time was a life threatening illness and the second was a life threatening blizzard, he was so close each time, too. He evaluated the situations and realized his life was not worth the risk and now he is making big money talking about it. The moral is, he tried.

“If you never try, you'll never know what you are capable of.” John Barrow

According to Miller & Marlatt (1998) the following is recommended to be successful with your own resolutions:

~Have coping strategies to deal with problems that will come up.
~Keep track of your progress. The more monitoring you do and feedback you get, the better you will do.

Ingredients for setting yourself up for resolution failure include:

~Not thinking about making resolutions until the last minute.
~Reacting on New Year’s Eve and making your resolutions based on what’s bothering you or is on your mind at that time.
~Framing your resolutions as absolutes by saying, “I will never do X again.”

My second favorite quote: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Friedrich Nietzsche

With that in mind, be persistent, it will pay off and you will be stronger and healthier.
Happy New Year

Chicken Green Chili with White Beans

It is frigid cold and snowing as I write this week's blog and recipe. The Chicken Chili recipe sounds perfect for this kind of weather. I hope you enjoy it.


Chicken Green Chili with White Beans
Yield: 6 servings

1 7 oz can green chiles, (to taste mild, medium or hot, can also use more chiles if you wish)
1 tablespoon peanut oil (can use canola oil* for a healthier alternative)
3 chicken leg quarters, skinned (about 1 3/4 pounds) can use chicken breasts*
**If time is an issue, you can spend a little more money and buy boneless, skinless chicken parts**
1 3/4 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water, divided
1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream or non- fat yogurt*
6 lime slices

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 6 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Return chicken to pan. Add broth, 1 1/2 cups water, and cumin; bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken; cool slightly. Remove chicken from bones; cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones. Add chicken to pan; stir in chopped chiles and beans.
Combine 1/2 cup water and flour, stirring with a whisk. Stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook 15 minutes. Stir in salt. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream. Serve with lime slices. Can serve with a warm flour tortilla (you can find them made without lard) and a side salad.
CALORIES 248 (20% from fat); FAT 5.6g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.9g,poly 1.4g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 87mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.1g; SODIUM 903mg; PROTEIN 19.1g; FIBER 4.8g
• These numbers will vary slightly if you use any of the asterisked* substitutions

Adapted from Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2004

Weight Loss, Family Support and You

Your doctor recommended you make lifestyle changes which means eating healthier and moving more. You are ready to make these changes. Your family is not. You want their support but they are not forthcoming, what can you do? Here are some tips for you.

GETTING SUPPORT

Make a list. Sit down with your family, read your list OUT LOUD to them, it will be easier for you to remember everything that was on your mind and may prompt some discussion. Explain why your doctor recommended you to a weight loss program, this way they won’t be scared.

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. BE SPECIFIC

Some examples:
• Please eat your dessert or favorite high calorie treats in another room.
• You can keep your favorite treats in the house, please put them in cabinets I don't use
• I am carefully watching what I do and do not eat. I am aware of when I slip and I don’t need you to point it out.
• I am more likely to keep to my walking routine if you join me once in a while. It is something we can do together.

GET YOUR FAMILY INVOLVED, YOU WILL ALL BENEFIT

It takes 3 weeks to change a habit. Start with small changes, baby steps.
• Learn the art of ingredient substitution. Ask your program dietitian for help with substituting ingredients when cooking, chances are, if they are subtle, your family won’t even notice.
• Buy baked chips, not fried. Cut down portion of chips and add some baby carrots.
Switch from whole milk to skim milk. For those who really do not like skim milk, 1% milk is a good option.
• Incorporate fun and healthful activities for the family – walks-you can make it into a scavenger hunt or use it as time together to have a conversation, ride bikes, put on some music and dance. There are home video games the family can enjoy and they do get you off the couch and moving, why, you may even have a laugh or two.
• Review “portion distortion” with your family, make a game of it.
• Talk to your family about eating until they are full, not stuffed. Some of us grew up with the “clean plate club” or “the children in (fill in the blank) are starving so eat all your food”.

FEARS-THEIRS, NOT YOURS

Sometimes your family or friends may feel threatened by the changes they see in you. You know in your heart you are feeling better and looking better for the health of it. Some scenarios that could arise are:

• A spouse or friend may be thinking you are changing everything in your life including replacing them.
• Jealousy-you are spending more time working out than with friends or family
• A friend may miss his/her “partner in crime” eating pal.
• Your weight loss makes your spouse/friend’s weight more noticeable.

They might:
• Belittle your efforts.
• Encourage you to eat fattening foods.
• Undermine your efforts by saying you will gain the weight back.
• Try to keep you from doing your regular physical activity.

You might:
• Need to distance yourself from this person until you feel stronger and have been successful with your program.
• Keep a journal and record instances when your efforts are undermined. Review it for ways you can better handle the situation.
• Work on positive self-talk, it does help. You will gain more confidence when you feel empowered to take control.
• Ask for help from outside your home.

CONFIDENTIAL TO YOU:

Recognize that you can succeed on your own, you really don’t need to rely on anyone else and you have the power to do this yourself.

DESPITE YOUR EFFORTS YOU'RE STILL NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT YOU WANT?

• Look outside your family and regular circle of friends. Do you have a co-worker who is losing weight? There are weight loss support chat rooms available on-line. If you belong to a gym, there might be a buddy there. Do you belong to a card club, quilting group, taking a class, church or synagogue? There is probably more than one of you in the room trying to lose weight.
• Once you get hooked up outside your family, you will see you still belong to a community and find your support through them.
• Ask your lifestyle coach if there are support services available through the program facility.
• You might be eligible for counseling through Employee Assistance Program (EAP), ask Human Resources at work if you don’t know.
• If your employer offers a wellness program, there may be benefits like health coaching available to you.

REAL STORIES FROM DPP SITES:

• “O” told the group that her husband was always complaining that they never ordered pizza anymore. She now reports that she decided to answer by saying he could order pizza if he wanted, but she wasn’t going to choose to eat it (or she might choose to have just one piece). Once he saw that her choices didn’t necessarily compel him to the same choices he seemed to “lighten up”—both verbally and in actuality. He has lost some weight and has amazed his doctors by the improvement in his lipids—though he claims he isn’t doing anything.

• Some of the other supportive spouses have had even more dramatic improvement in their weight and labs despite not being in the program. There have been several reports of children of participants who can read food labels and make independent healthy decisions.

Do you have a story about your participation in the Diabetes Prevention Program that you would like to share? (it can be an anonymous article) Have an idea for an article? Please contact: Diane Arave, darave2@mt.gov or call 406-444-0593

Hints for the Holidazed

While researching information for this week’s blog I noticed something. The information from multiple sources was similar. Wording varied but the message was the same. So, rather than re-invent the wheel, I am sharing what I learned with you.

While you may be thinking you don’t need or want to read an article about holiday stress, please note—one of the BIG side effects of holiday stress is, STRESS EATING. Take a few minutes and you may learn a tidbit that helps you, even if you aren’t stress eating!

Laugh, often, find things to smile about.

BE REALISTIC
Reality bites. One of the fastest routes to holiday depression is unrealistic expectations. Be honest with yourself and your family about what you can and cannot do this holiday season. Chances are there will be others offering a sigh of relief.

STICK TO A BUDGET
Know your spending limits. I’ve heard more and more families putting all the names of family members in a jar and each person picks a name and is responsible for a gift for just that one person. It saves so much time, money and stress of shopping for a large family. Set dollar limits for gifts. It will be less stressful to set limits now than to spend the next 6 months trying to pay off the huge debt.

Parents and grandparents: it’s OK to tell your child/grandchild that a toy/computer game etc is too expensive and that even Santa Claus has limits. Guaranteed, talking with family and friends, their most cherished memories will be of moments, not of gifts received. Ask someone in July what they got for Christmas and they will have to think about it, but they will remember laughing so hard they cried when the dog lifted his leg on the Christmas tree.

PLAN AHEAD
Make a list and stick to it. Lists are wonderful and a great way to stay organized. A gift list, a grocery list, holiday card list, a “to do” list, a guest list. Scratch off each item as you accomplish them. You will feel triumphant.

LEARN TO SAY NO
It is OK to say NO. People will still love you. If you have trouble saying NO, try this-stand in front of the mirror and look yourself in the eye and practice saying NO. It is tough, but once you can do it in the mirror it will become easier.

TAKE A TIME OUT - FOR YOU
Make time for yourself-even if it is 15 minutes locked in the bathroom. I had 30 minutes that seemed so small and insignificant at the time but I keep thinking of it with fond memories! It was a week or so before Christmas, it was snowing, I had an appointment after work and some errands to run. The errands didn’t take too long and I had about 30 minutes before my appointment. I went to the local café, got a cup of hot coffee and a muffin and sat down. I usually bring my book with me or a grab a newspaper but this time I didn’t, I sat quietly. It was late in the afternoon, the café was quiet. It was the best muffin and cup of coffee and so peaceful and relaxing.

Give yourself permission to not accept every holiday party invitation if you prefer to stay home.

Stick to your healthy habits, now more than ever—exercise and watch the high fat foods and sweets, they are “high stress” foods.

Limit your alcohol intake

Seek help if you need it, professional counseling or the ear of a good friend, that’s what they are there for

Acknowledge your feelings, they are yours and they are valid.

DELEGATE
Let everyone in the family take an active role in helping and for Pete’s sake, if it isn’t up to your standards, let it go, the intentions are good and it is saving you time. It could be a funny memory in years to come.

Realize nothing is perfect and that it’s OK. Perfection is seldom obtainable.

BACK TO YOU
If the noise and commotion on the holiday starts getting to you, excuse yourself and take a walk. There may be a family member or friend who flees with you. It’s a great excuse to walk off the meal and clear your head and have a quiet conversation. I was at a family function a couple of years ago, a huge catered affair, noisy and crowded. I found a room away from the crowd and had a wonderful opportunity to get re-acquainted with a cousin who I hadn’t seen in years. We now keep in touch by phone and e-mail and I cherish our new found friendship.

If you are alone in a new place, recently divorced, there was a death of a loved one – reach out to someone else, volunteer-go to a nursing home, a VA hospital, homeless shelter, animal shelter - you will be surprised at how rewarding the gift of giving can be and so very much appreciated.

Let go of the past. Nothing stays the same. It’s OK to start new traditions.

And remember this, there are only 24 hours in a day and the holiday will go by and the next day gives you a fresh start.

Recipe for Relaxation
Serves 1, 0 calories

Take a minute to think of how your body feels. Is there anywhere you are tense? Does your stomach feel tight? Do your shoulders feel tense? Are your eyes or forehead wrinkled up? What about your legs and your hips?

Now take a second, sit up straight but comfortably in your chair, and relax. Practice belly breathing by concentrating on making your belly (below your rib cage, above your hips) rise and fall with each breath.

Close your eyes and concentrate only on your breathing for about 30-60 seconds.

Really, try it.

Now, take a minute to think of how your body feels. Did you notice a difference?

There is physiology involved with breathing this way that does all kinds of good things like lower blood pressure, increase nutrient uptake, improve memory and more. Try it any time; the more, the better.

Vegetable Paella

Vegetable Paella
Serves 6

(Preparation 30 minutes, start to finish – 55 minutes)

1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 ¾ cups water
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 2” pieces (if you cannot find asparagus try carrots or celery)
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 tsp olive or canola oil
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (appx 1 cup)
2 small zucchini, chopped (1 ¼ cups)
1 medium onion chopped (1/2 cup)
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp saffron threads OR ¼ tsp ground turmeric
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped (2 cups)
Two 15-16 ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
10 ounce box frozen sweet peas, thawed and drained

Cook rice as directed on package, set aside and keep warm.
In 2 quart saucepan, heat 1 inch water to boiling, add asparagus and broccoli; return to boiling. Boil about 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.
In 10” skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, broccoli, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, salt and saffron or turmeric; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is crisp-tender.

Stir in rice, tomatoes, chickpeas and sweet peas, heat through. Serve

Nutrition information per serving:
460 calories
7 g total fat
1 g saturated fat
0 mg cholesterol
720 mg sodium
81 g carbohydrates
19 g dietary fibers
20 g protein

Grocery Shopping for a Healthier You

Before you leave to go shopping…
· Make a list at home and stick to it. This keeps you from buying impulse items.
· I keep a running list before I go shopping, this way I am writing things down as I think of them or run out of them, instead of trying to remember it all on Saturday morning after working all week.
· Plan your meals ahead of time.
· Don’t shop on an empty stomach. Go after you have eaten a good meal.
· Try to shop when you are in a calm, stable mood. Hunger and stress will make you yield to temptation.
· Going after work? Bring a small snack – something that will give you energy and make you feel full – a handful of nuts, a hardboiled egg, and a cheese stick. Bring a bottle of water.
· Dress in an outfit that makes you feel good about yourself. When you feel good about yourself you will be in the mindset of making healthy choices and good food decisions.
· Are you a coupon clipper? Clip coupons for healthy items. Leave the rest.

Try to shopping without the kids. Ha ha you say, won’t happen
· Exercise your parental authority, say no to their unhealthy choices.
· Let the kids take an active role in shopping. Take them to the fruit and vegetable section and allow them to pick out anything they want. There is an array of colors, shapes and sizes that can make this a positive experience for all.

Did you know?
· Food manufacturers pay supermarkets big money for placing certain products on certain shelves? It is no coincidence that sugary cereals are at kid’s eye level and the healthier cereals are on top or bottom shelves.
· That wonderful cinnamon smell wafting from the bakery lures you to buying baked goods? Hold your nose and keep walking.
· If you can't find the fresh produce you need, or you need to store your fruits and vegetables for a longer time, choose frozen fruits and vegetables rather than canned foods which are usually high in sodium.
· Shop the perimeter of the store. For the most part, the foods around the edge of the store are the healthiest foods. These are things like vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, cheese, eggs, and dairy products. These foods are rich in nutrients, don’t contain lots of preservatives and have not been refined. You will get the most nutritional value for your money.
· You can ask the supermarket manager when the fresh produce, fish, meats get delivered and try to arrange your shopping around selecting the freshest items. The water misting of fruits and vegetables makes things look pretty but they get mushy faster.
· By resisting foods at the grocery store you have to resist it once, buy it, take it home, you are resisting it hourly. Keep it out of the house, if you must have that treat, buy the small size.

Once you are ready to go to the checkout counter, beware the “impulse” items, those strategically placed candy bars staring you in the face while you are waiting in line. Pick up a magazine instead! Drive your kids crazy by talking to the stranger in line behind you. You have made it this far through your shopping trip, be strong, you will feel better about yourself.

Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup

Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup
Serves 10, can be frozen

This hearty dish is easy to prepare. Serve with a salad and a slice of whole grain bread*
*1 oz slice of bread or 1 6” tortilla or 4-6 crackers = approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates
MAKE SURE TO READ THE PACKAGING LABEL

· 3 15 ½ oz cans black beans, rinsed, drained and pureed
· 1 cup canned tomatoes, drained, pureed
· 1 ¼ cups chopped onion, can use less to taste
· ½ cup minced shallot, can leave out if you can’t find any
· 4 garlic cloves, minced, can use less to taste
· 1 TBS ground cumin, this is a strong spice, you can use much less if you like, even down to ¼ - ½ tsp
· ½ tsp ground black pepper
· 2 TBS olive oil
· 4 cups fat-free beef broth, can use chicken or vegetable broth to make it vegetarian
· 1 16 oz can pumpkin puree
· ¼ pound cooked lean ham, diced, or can use any of the following:
· Chicken, turkey sausage, chicken-apple sausage or diced tofu for a full vegetarian meal
· 3 TBS sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar
In a 6 quart kettle, cook the onion, shallot, garlic, cumin and pepper in oil over moderate heat. Stir in beans, tomatoes, broth and pumpkin until combined. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the ham (or your choice) and vinegar and heat through.

NUTRITION FACTS:
Per serving: 166 calories; 3 g fat; 13 g protein; 26 g carbohydrate; 9 g fiber **

Maintain, Don’t Gain this Holiday Season

Avoiding the Holiday Food Pitfalls

You’ve been working hard at watching your calories-recording fat intake, carbohydrates. You’ve been so good about moving your body more. Now it is THAT time of year and you fear losing your momentum. Here are some ideas to help you maintain the progress you made during the year.

· Don't arrive at a party starving; you're likely to overeat. Instead, before you leave home eat a piece of fruit, a small salad or a lean protein snack. Eating a healthful snack will prevent you from overindulging on cookies and egg nog.

· At the appetizer table, fill your plate three-quarters full with fresh vegetables and fruit. Reserve the remaining quarter for anything you want, so you don't feel deprived. A small taste will satisfy your craving and not throw you off course, remember moderation.

· Drink plenty of water; it helps reduce your appetite. Try to avoid alcoholic beverages, they are empty calories. If you must drink soda, try switching to diet. There are 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12 oz can of soda. Better yet, try sparkling water with a lemon or lime slice.

· When socializing, stay more than an arm’s length away from the food tables or if you must, if it is everywhere, then stand near the healthier snacks, the veggie tray, fruit platters or something you don’t like, avoid the temptation.

· If you are planning a party or there will be a company party, talk to the party planners about healthy meetings. It’s OK to tell them you are watching your food intake and request that some low-calorie, healthy foods are provided, and it is also OK to bring your own.

· “Taste is the number one reason why we make the choice to eat one food rather than another. So, here is the key to healthy holiday eating. Stop imagining that you have to give up your favorite holidays treats, like those once-a-year cookies made by a special relative. As soon as you even imagine being deprived, you want to eat more. Instead, plan to enjoy one or two cookies rather than a whole plate. To get the most flavor and pleasure from any food, slow down and savor every bite.” www.eatrightmontana.org November 2008



Winter Activity

Montana winters can be forbidding. What to do to keep your physical activity log showing 150 weekly minutes?

· Put on some music and dance

· Use the stairs at work

· Park the car a little farther away from the door you will be entering.

· Walk your dog; if your dog is overweight you are not getting enough exercise. It’s good for both of you. Make it a family activity. It’s a great de-stressor too.

· Weather too cold or icy to walk outside for a walking break at work? Walk around your office building. Use the stairs and walk thru the halls, be considerate of others who are at their desks working.

· If you live near a shopping mall, walk the mall. Some malls even have walking clubs; check with management to see if your mall has a walking group.

· There are free on-line physical activity programs such as America on the Move. Get your family or co-workers involved. http://aom3.americaonthemove.org/

· Did you know that laughter is a great form of physical activity and a great stress reliever? It can soothe aches and pains too and who doesn’t feel good after a good, hearty laugh?

Some final thoughts….

Don't quit if you slipped from your routine. Be kind to yourself, after all, you are human. Pick up where you would have left off and move on, without beating yourself up emotionally. We are our own worst enemy. So what if you had an ice cream cone? Moderation and good sense are key. Call a friend if you need to “confess” and then scrape your shoe and move on.

A Healthy Community Starts With You!

Here's something I found at the Trailhead to Health Summit in Billings I thought would be neat to share with you:

Change Yourself

• Set an example!!! Quit smoking, achieve a healthy weight, or take a walk 3 times a week. Be a leader with your actions
• Track your efforts and share your succes with as many people possible
• Use public transportation or bike to work
• Recycle
• Shop at farmers' markets
• Have regular health screenings
• Volunteer

Change Your Workplace

• Begin or expand a worksite health promotion program
• Remind employees to wash their hands with a sign or provide hand sanitizer
• Provide ample fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria
• Begin or exand an Employee Assistance Program, to help employees cope with stresses that may impact their work
• Provide free pedometers and sponsor physical activity challenges
• Encourage employee fitness breaks, as simple as a walk around the building
• Encourage employees to take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Offer blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes screenings at the workplace
• Provide child care assistance for employees
• Offer discount gym memberships
• Include health tips in organization newsletters

Engage Your Neighbors

• Establish community gardens on your campus of in your neighborhood
• Encourage carpooling
• Organize local stream and park clean-ups
• Lead and promote group walks in your neighborhood
• Increase availability of affordable fruits and vegetables in underserved neighborhood meetings

Advocate For Policies

• Bike lande development
• LEED (Leadership in Engery and Environmental Design) guidelines for new buildings
• Reimbursement for treating nicotine addiciton
• Reduce portion sizes in cafeteria meals
• Daily physical education in the schools for students in grades K-12
• Design developments that promote walking and biking in city planning
• Healthy food and beverage choices in public vending machines
• Safe routes to and from schools for every child

Adapted from the Alliance for the Healthiest Nation

Personal Sustainablity Project (PSP)

I recently heard about the Personal Sustainability Project (PSP) and want to share it will all of you blog readers. The PSP looks at ways you can improve your own health while also making impacts on the world around and saving money (something that is becoming increasingly important). Most examples have taken place at work sites and the description below explains it from the work site point of view. However, it is something you could start with your family, friends or any social group.

Here is a description of the PSP:

The goals of the PSPs surround healthier eating and lifestyle habits, replacing inefficient lighting and home appliances with better ones, using environmentally-friendly and non-toxic home cleaning products, and getting involved in projects in one's community. The basis of PSP involves establishing self-initiated plans, so employees have numerous options and ideas from which to choose and create their own pledges towards improving their personal sustainability. This might include cutting out fast food, stretching or exercising several days a week, quitting smoking, and incorporating organic food into their diets. Some employers have created incentives, such as a reduced price on healthier meal options, should employees continue dining inside the store. The money saving incentive also carries over to pledging to become more energy efficient at home, turning off the television, and taking preventative health measures through fitness programs, all of which promise a little more savings in the bank.

Try to use the PSP when discussing ways to be more healthy as a family or how you can all work together to save money and help the environment.

This weekend, try walking to the grocery store instead of taking your car and you will be on the way to a more healthy and more sustainable future.

Another video tip

Sorry, but I have got to take the easy way out this week. Here is another video tip from Dr. Josh Klapow.

Video Tip

There is a new link in the links portion of the blog that I would like to introduce: Healthy Habits with Dr. Josh Klapow. On this site you can find a ton of resources that can assist with healthy behavior change. There are tips to help you continue healthy habits, tools that you can use, links to other valuable information and video clips designed to help individuals eliminate barriers to becoming healthy. Click on the picture below to view one of the many clips you can find on the site:

Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week

Broccoli Salad with Avocado

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound broccoli

1 ripe avocado

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon grainy prepared mustard

Cooking Instructions:

Trim and wash the broccoli and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Steam or boil the broccoli in a large pot until it is just crunchy-tender and bright green, then drain it well, and cool. Peel and pit the avocado, then cut it into small cubes. Fold the avocado into the broccoli. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard together in a small bowl, until well mixed. Toss the broccoli and avocado with the dressing.

Nutrient Information:

Per serving

Calories 177

Fat 15 g

Saturated fat 2 g(76% of calories from fat)

Protein 4.6 g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Fiber 4.8 g

This recipe and others can be found here

Eat Right Montana

The February 2009 issue of Eat Right Montana provides some economical strategies to assist you with eating healthy, staying active and reducing waste. Click on the picture below to view the publication.

Recipe of the Week

Chicken Enchiladas
Serves 4Ingredients:
4 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (skinless, white meat)
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup sweet corn
1 cup medium or hot salsa
1 cup plain low fat yogurt
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded Jack cheese

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to instructions on package. Combine shredded chicken with black beans and sweet corn. Mix salsa, yogurt and sour cream and spoon half the salsa mixture into the chicken, beans and corn. Blend well. Divide chicken mixture among the tortillas. Carefully roll tortillas and place them seam down in the baking dish. Spoon remaining salsa mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Nutrition Information (per serving):

Calories 368

Calories from Fat 78

Total Fat 8.6g (sat 5g)

Cholesterol 75mg

Sodium 883mg

Carbohydrate 39.7g

Fiber 3.7g

Protein 32.8g

This recipe was found here

Super Bowl Weekend

As many of you know, this weekend is the Super Bowl. One of the most watched sporting events world wide, which basically translates to: "during this 4 hour time period more people will be sitting on their couch enjoying finger foods and washing them down with their favorite beverage than any other time of the year."


The game will feature the Pittsburgh Steelers VS Arizona Cardinals


It seems as though many of the "professional" analysts are predicting a close game, and with about a 50/50 split when it comes to picking the winner. What I also noticed was many are predicting a high scoring game, which should make for some exciting football.

To make the game more interesting try to do some physical activity after each point scored. A simple activity that will work is jumping jacks.

• Field goal: 3 minutes
• Touchdown: 6 minutes
• Extra point: 1 minute
• 2 pt conversion: 2 minutes
• Safety: 2 minutes

So each time points are put up on the board, rally your fellow viewers to get on their feet and burn off some chicken wings. If you don't want to miss Larry Fitzgerald's touchdown celebration you could wait until half time to take care of your activity, although that may be a large jumping jack deficit to make up.

My prediction is: Cardinals 28- Steelers 24. If my prediction rings true, that will be 52 minutes of jumping jacks and around 500 calories burned.

Feel free to post comments including your predictions, or alternatives to sitting down and watching the game. Enjoy the Game!

Back From Vacation

I apologize to those of you, who I hope check the blog regularly, for the lack of posting but I was on vacation for a week, and busy the week before with training. My excuse is, I was here:

Enjoying this:

For a week away from work and the Internet. But I am back and have two posts ready. The first one is a challenge.

The challenge is the 1 mile solution, and here are the details:

28% of all trips in the USA are within 1 mile of home. The vast majority of these trips are made by car. We should encourage people (who are able) to replace one car trip per week within a mile from home with walking or cycling. One trip becomes two, then three, then more. The benefits for the environment, the pocketbook, and our personal and community well being would be huge.

For more information you can click here

It would be great if those of you who chose to work on the 1-mile solution could share your achievements by leaving comments on this blog.

Recipe of the Week

Cocoa-Banana Frozen Dessert
Serves 6

Ingredients:
4 very ripe bananas
2 tablespoons pure unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Cooking instructions:
1. Peel the bananas and place in a blender or food processor along with the cocoa powder.
2. Add the vanilla extract and the maple syrup.
3. Blend till very smooth. Pour into individual custard cups or small bowls and freeze until just frozen.

Nutrition Information:
Per serving
Calories: 118.1
Protein: 1.4 grams
Fat: 0.7
Carbohydrate: 30.0 grams
Fiber: 3.0 grams
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg

This recipe and others can be found here

Recipe of the Week

This weeks recipes are designed to provide alternatives to Fritos and Chili Cheese Dip while you partake in a weekend of football.

Deli-Style Turkey Rollups
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup arugula or baby spinach leaves (not packed)
4 slices all natural nitrate-free deli peppered turkey breast
4 slices of havarti cheese or Rustico with Black Peppercorns cheese

Cooking Instructions:
Lay 1/4 cup baby spinach or arugula on each slice of turkey. Top each with a piece of cheese. Roll up and cut in half before serving.

Nutrition Information:
Per serving (1 roll/43g-wt.):
130 calories (90 from fat),
10g total fat,
7g saturated fat,
7g protein,
1g total carbohydrate (0g dietary fiber, 0g sugar),
30mg cholesterol,
240mg sodium

This Recipe can be found at Whole Foods

Simply Delicious Hummus
Serves 5

Ingredients:
2 large garlic cloves
1 1/2 cups (cooked) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander Cayenne, to taste
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Lemon wedges and a selection of olives, to garnish

Cooking Instructions:
Process garlic in food processor. Add garbanzos, tahini, water, lemon juice, soy sauce, cumin, coriander and a pinch of cayenne (you may add more later to increase the heat), and process till it becomes creamy, dense and smooth. Refrigerate. Before serving, let hummus warm to room temperature. Mix in the parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and olives.

Nutrition Information: Per Serving (103g-wt.):
130 calories (35 from fat)
4g total fat
0.5g saturated fat
5g protein
19g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 0g sugar)
0mg cholesterol
260mg sodium

This recipe can also be found at Whole Foods


Apple Cranberry Crisp
Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:
3 to 4 medium to large crisp red apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup apple juice
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 cups granola

Cooking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine apples and cranberries and pour into an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together apple juice, flour and pumpkin pie spice. Pour over the fruit. Sprinkle granola evenly over the fruit and lightly press down. Bake until hot and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

Nutrition Information: Per serving (about 3oz/90g-wt.):
100 calories (20 from fat)
2.5g total fat
0g saturated fat
0mg cholesterol
10mg sodium
19g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 10g sugar)
2g protein

This recipe is also at Whole Foods

New Years Resolutions

On the first of the year many people establish a resolution to improve themselves that is meant to be carried out for the next 365 days. However, most people end up abandoning these resolutions by the time Valentine's Day rolls around and are quickly immersed in old habits. Hopefully all of the participants in the prevention program set a September 7th resolution, or whatever date your class may have started to lead a healthy lifestyle not only for the next year but for your lifetime. Being equipped with the proper tools provided by the lifestyle coaches should assist you during moments of weakness, low motivation, cold weather, burnout and also with in home and restaurant menu choices as well as innovative ways to be physically active.

Here is a look at the Top 10 New Years resolutions from The Goals Guy.

1. Lose Weight and Get in Better Physical Shape
2. Stick to a Budget
3. Debt Reduction
4. Enjoy More Quality Time with Family & Friends
5. Find My Soul Mate
6. Quit Smoking
7. Find a Better Job
8. Learn Something New
9. Volunteer and Help Others
10. Get Organized

For a more extensive look at these goals click on the link above. Each resolution is accompanied by a description with different strategies to help you accomplish it.

I usually don't make New Years Resolutions, but this year I decided to join the masses and see if I can stick to it. This is what I intend to do: Stop feeding my dog human food. The more I think about it it kind of seems like a cop out resolution because I am not required to do much more than eat a bit more instead of giving it to the dog.

It would be great if readers of this post could add comments regarding their own New Years Resolutions. Happy New Year!