Lose Weight
Lose Weight – Learn research based strategies to lose weight and keep it off – permanently!
Lose Weight with Chromium Picolinate?
A study was published this month in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, indicating a link between chromium picolinate supplementation, increased satiety, and reduced appetite.
This was a study of 42 overweight adult women that were divided into two groups. One group received 1,000 mg of chromium picolinate daily and the second group received a placebo. The women that received chromium picolinate reduced their calorie intake, but did not report an increase in hunger. Women receiving the placebo did not reduce their calorie intake and reported increased hunger between 4-4 1/2 hours after lunch. This suggests that chromium picolinate may reduce physical hunger during times of caloric restriction. However, neither group lost a significant amount of weight during the 8 week study. The group receiving chromium picolinate lost about 1 pound, while the placebo group gained about 1 pound.
Chromium picolinate has been touted as a weight loss aid in the past, but it has never been approved by the FDA for weight loss. I’m sure many nutrition and weight loss products are going to use this recent research to amp up their marketing efforts to get you to buy!
Chromium is a trace mineral that occurs naturally in small amounts in foods, such as yeast, egg yolks, lean meat, cheese, and whole grain products. Chromium is known to play a role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and enhances blood glucose control. An adequate intake of chromium for men and women is ~25-35 micrograms/day, with the RDA being set at 50-200 micrograms/day. So, 1000 mg (which was used in this study) is a substantial increase.
It will be interesting to see if future research continues to support this latest study findings.
To receive regular heart health and weight loss tips from dietitian Lisa Nelson, subscribe to The Heart of Health ezine and grab the special report “Stop Wasting Money – Take Control of Your Health” today!
Lose weight with a food journal.
Are you struggling to lose weight? Start keeping track of what you eat, when you eat, and how you feel before and after eating. You may be surprised by what triggers you to eat and how fast those little snacks add up.
A new study of 1700 overweight adults resulted in twice the weight loss for those who kept food records versus those who did not.
Receive quick “take action” tips when you subscribe to The Heart of Health ezine.
Wear a pedometer for heart health and weight loss!
Wearing a pedometer is a simple way to track your activity.
First, wear a pedometer everyday for a week and write your daily steps on a calendar. By the weeks end, you’ll have a idea of how much you move each day.
Next, find ways to increase your steps, such as an extra walk, taking the stairs versus the elevator, parking further from the store, etc.
Make your final goal 10,000 steps (~5 miles) each day!
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
The Heart of Health
A Heart Friendly Starbucks?
I may have some good news for Starbucks lovers.
Normally, the high sugar, high fat, high calorie beverage and menu items offered by Starbucks were reasons to steer clear if you struggle to lower triglycerides, lower cholesterol, or shed extra pounds.
Starbucks is typically not the best place to grab a quick breakfast with a Frappuccinno, while scanning the daily paper.
Simply selecting a Grande Frappuccino and Cranberry Orange Muffin would start your day with a whopping 850 calories and 30 grams of fat!
In the past Starbucks has not embraced the idea of offering more nutritious items. They did remove trans fats and started offering nonfat milk this past year, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.
The good news is Starbucks has decided to revamp their breakfast menu to offer six heart friendly breakfast options. The goal was a menu with fewer calories, more protein, more fiber, and more fruit.
New menu selections include:
Apple bran muffin – 330 calories, 8 grams of fat, 7 grams fiber
Baked berry stella – 280 calories, 9 grams of fat, 6 grams fiber
Power Protein plate with peanut butter – 330 calories, 16 grams fat, 5 grams fiber
Chewy fruit and nut bar – 250 calories, 10 grams fat, 4 grams fiber
Perfect oatmeal – 140 calories, 2.5 grams fat, 4 grams fiber
These new options provide reduced calories and fat grams, while boosting dietary fiber content. All good moves if you are looking to be heart friendly.
You still need to use your head when choosing a beverage. Starbucks is not removing its’ high calorie, fat, and sugar beverage options. One of the best choices is a simple Caffe Americano (15 calories, 0 grams fat).
So, if you enjoy the Starbucks ambiance, you’ll now be able to enjoy a heart healthy breakfast, too. Hopefully, the taste of the new menu items lives up to the flavor of their coffee!
To receive regular heart health and weight loss tips from dietitian Lisa Nelson, subscribe to The Heart of Health ezine.
Start "slimming down" your recipes to cut calories and lose weight!
Here are a few simple substitutions:
Replace whole eggs with egg substitutes or egg whites.
Replace butter, oil, and margarine in sweet baked goods with fruit puree or applesauce.
Replace ground beef with ground turkey.
Substitute plain, low-fat yogurt in place of sour cream.
Instead of pastry dough, go with a graham cracker crust.
With a couple substitutions you can enjoy the foods you love without sacrificing your waist!
Receive regular heart health and weight loss tips when you subscribe to The Heart of Health.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
Use the "talk test" to monitor fitness.
Have you been working out regularly, but not seeing the results you want? Are you working hard enough?
A quick and simple way to check your workout intensity is the “talk test”.
If you can talk with no trouble, pick up the pace.
If you can talk, but need to take a breath every 4-5 words, you’re right on track.
If you’re gasping for breath after every word, slow down!
Check yourself the next time you workout. . .you may need to find a higher gear!
All the best,
Lisa Nelson, RD, LN
P.S. Don’t forget to get your subscription to The Heart of Health!
