That's Fit

Recipe Rehab: July 4 Barbecue

Jessica Brim — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 07:00:00 EST

Fourth of July makes us think of outdoor barbecues and fireworks - usually complete with a high-calorie, high fat meal. This simple menu takes some holiday favorites and lightens them up enough that you can enjoy yourself and not break your diet at the same time. Add some watermelon and s Cheeseburgers 3/4 pound lean ground beef3/4 pound lean ground turkey1/4 cup barbecue sauce - preferably low sodium6 multi-grain buns, split & toasted6 red leaf lettuce leaves6 tomato slices -- 1/2 inch thick6 slices low-fat cheddar cheese Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Mix together beef, turkey and barbecue sauce and form into six 1/4 pound patties. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and grill for approximately 7-8 minutes on each side, for medium to medium well burgers. Just before the burgers are done, top with a slice of cheese. Place the lettuce and tomato on top of one half of the buns and place the burger on top. Cover with the other half of the bun. Serve with condiments such as pickles and ketchup, if desired. Rehab Rundown Lean ground turkey was substituted for half the beef, and lean ground beef was substituted for the regular ground beef, cutting fat and calories Barbecue sauce was added to keep the burgers moist without adding significant calories Serving size - an important fact to remember - was cut down to 1/4 pound. Multigrain rolls were used instead of white rolls, adding fiber Low-fat cheese was used instead of regular. Guilt-Free Potato Salad1 1/2 pounds red skinned potatoes potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces1 ounce bacon -- cooked, fat drained and crumbled3 egg whites, boiled and coarsely chopped1 small onion, chopped1/2 cup celery, chopped2 dill pickles, chopped1 cup fat-free plain yogurt1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise1 tablespoon Dijon mustard1 tablespoon white wine vinegarsalt to tastefresh ground pepper to taste In large saucepan, place potatoes in enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients while potatoes are still warm and gently mix together. Refrigerate 1-2 hours to allow flavors to blend. Rehab Rundown Bacon was reduced from 2 to 1 ounce Egg whites were used in place of whole eggs Fat-free yogurt was substituted for sour cream, still giving a tangy flavor without the fat Low-fat mayonnaise was substituted for mayonnaise and the amount was reduced by half Easy Strawberry Shortcake 1 storebought angel food cake2 quarts strawberries1 tablespoon granulated sugar24 tablespoons fat free whipped topping Slice strawberries and sprinkle sugar on top. Let sit for at least fifteen minutes. Cut cake in 12 slices. Set a slice of cake on a plate, top with 1/12 of the strawberry mixture and two tablespoons of whipped topping. Serve immediately. Rehab Rundown Sugar in the strawberry topping was reduced to 1 tablespoon. Since strawberries are still in season, their natural sweetness will come through Fat free whipped topping was substituted for whipped cream. Rehab Reveal For the total meal - one serving of each recipe: Original Adapted Calories 1663 (approx 70% from fat) 864 (approx 30% from fat) Fat 113g 35g Saturated Fat 29g 16g Protein 64g 43g Carbohydrate 103g 84g Fiber 4g 5g

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Recipe Rehab: Blueberry Muffins

Jessica Brim — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:00:00 EST

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Recipe Rehab: Pancakes

Jessica Brim — Fri, 25 May 2007 07:00:00 EST

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Recipe Rehab: Nachos

Jessica Brim — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:00:00 EST

Even healthy nachos might not seem too good for you - but one look at the calorie-comparison below, and you'll understand just how much better for you they are! NACHOS 16 ounces baked unsalted tortilla chips3/4 pound lean ground beef1 onion -- diced1 4-oz can sliced green chiles1 1/2 cups lowfat cheddar cheese1 1/2 cups lowfat monterey jack cheese2 cans black beans FRESH SALSA2 cups tomatoes -- seeded and chopped1 jalapeno -- seeded and chopped1/2 cup onion -- chopped3 tablespoons cilantro -- chopped TOPPINGS1 cup pitted black olives -- chopped1 avocado -- chopped1/2 cup light sour cream Saute the beef and onions until evenly browned and cooked through. Drain. Spread the tortillas chips evenly on a cookie and cover with the beef mixture, chiles, both cheeses and beans. Place in a 350 degree oven and back for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted. While the nachos are cooking, mix together the salsa ingredients. Remove nachos from oven and top with the salsa and the remaining toppings. Serve hot. Recipe Rundown Baked chips were used instead of traditional tortilla chips The beef topping was cut in half Low fat cheese was used in place of regular cheese Fresh salsa was used instead of traditional jarred salsa Avocado was substituted for guacomole Light sour cream was substituted for regular sour cream Recipe Reveal Based on 1/8 serving Original Adapted Calories 1419 (58% from fat) 526 (34% from fat) Fat 92g 20g Saturated Fat 30g 6g Protein 45g 28g Carbohydrate 108g 59g Fiber 13 8g Sodium 2300mg 602mg

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Recipe Rehab: Salad Nicoise

Jessica Brim — Fri, 11 May 2007 07:00:00 EST

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Recipe Rehab: Potato Salad

Jessica Brim — Fri, 04 May 2007 07:00:00 EST

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Recipe Rehab: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Jessica Brim — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 07:00:00 EST

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Recipe Rehab: Granola

Jessica Brim — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 07:07:00 EST

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Recipe Rehab: Asparagus Omelet

Jessica Brim — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 07:29:00 EST

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Recipe Rehab: Eggplant Parmesan

Jessica Brim — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 07:00:00 EST

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Banana Bread Recipe Rehab

Jessica Brim — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 07:00:00 EST

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Recipe Rehab: Chili with a healthy kick

Jessica Brim — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 06:00:00 EST

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Recipe Rehab: Pizza on a diet, Part II

Jessica Brim — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 06:00:00 EST

Our weekly feature, Recipe Rehab, takes a recipe -- sometimes basic, sometimes decadent and sometimes just plain unhealthy -- and turns it into a scrumptious and healthy dish, pumped up with nutrition. Sometimes all it takes is a few alterations to prepare a dish that would make even your nutritionist proud.Last week, we featured a sausage and cheese pizza. If you're a vegetarian, that doesn't work for you, but don't think just because you're eating vegetables, that pizza is necessarily good for you. Many of them feature vegetables fried in oil and high fat cheeses. Even most salad pizzas, like today's recipe, have high fat dressings, cheeses and meats like prosciutto, which are high in both fat and sodium. The point of eating salad is for it to be good for you, and taste good too. This recipe is vegetarian, but you can modify it by adding lean grilled meat if you like. Remember, if you don't have time to make the crust, you can buy whole wheat pizza dough at places like Trader Joes or Whole Foods.Healthy Salad PizzaFor dough:1 package yeast1 teaspoon sugar1 cup very warm water (125ºto 130ºF)1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour3/4 teaspoon saltno-stick cooking sprayFor topping:1/2 cup part skim milk mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup Romano cheese3 cups mixed baby greens, preferably red leaf, tatsoi, spinach and other dark leafy greens1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes6 fresh basil leaves, torn1 whole peeled cucumber (1 medium) -- sliced1 whole green pepper -- sliced1/2 cup sliced red onion1 cup fat-free Italian salad dressingIn large bowl, combine first four ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface of the water. Add salt and slowly stir in the flour until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Return to the bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about two hours. Divide into two balls and let rise until doubled in size againPreheat the over to 450 degrees.Spray two 12 inch pizza pans with cooking spray. Roll out a ball onto each pan until it reaches the edges. Alternatively, make one ball with all the dough and roll it out to cover a large cookie sheet. Divide the cheeses in half and sprinkle both over the two pizzas. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust has browned and the cheese is melted.While the pizza is baking, mix together the dressing, basil and mixed greens. When the pizza is done, divide the greens between the two baked crusts and cover with the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.Rehab Rundown Half the flour in the dough was replaced with whole wheat flour, adding B-vitamins and fiber The olive oil and salt in the crust were reduced by half, cutting down on fat and sodium Fat free dressing was substituted for the standard italian dressing, reducing the fat and calories without sacrificing any flavor Part skim mozzarella cheese cuts down on the fat and the total amount was reduced, to cut down on the calories Mixed dark leafy greens were substituted for iceberg lettuce, adding vitamins and fiber Rehab RevealBased on 1/12 recipe Original Adapted Calories 282 (48% from fat) 181 (19% from fat) Fat 15g 4g Saturated Fat 4g 2g Protein 7g 13g Carbohydrate 31g 7g Fiber 2g 4g Sodium 390mg 390mg

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Eat more to lose weight?

Jessica Brim — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:00:00 EST

This concept contradicts what a lot of people think - that you have to eat less to lose weight. But this diet concept is part of the popular Three Hour Diet, which Tyra Banks publicized last year, and it's also one of the steps in the 30 Day Jumpstart going on right now at AOL.I always thought it sounded too good to be true, until I tried it. Like this article explains, it's not only how often you eat, but what you eat during those meals. So you can't just eat pizza every few hours and expect to lose weight. Instead, you eat small, frequent meals of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. The idea is to stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels, which helps to prevent cravings and massive swings in your blood sugar. And you know what - it works! Sure, it was hard for the first few weeks to give up french fries and cookies, but after that, I wasn't hungry and I wasn't craving sugar and I stopped wanting things like cookies. I lost fifteen pounds, and the healthy habits I learned help keep it off today.

What should I eat for breakfast?

Jessica Brim — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 07:27:00 EST

Last week, Martha talked about how important it is to eat breakfast and now that tip is top of the list of metabolism boosters at AOL's 30 Day Jumpstart. It's probably one of the easiest things you can do, but many people don't do it, or can't figure out what to get. Obviously a Danish from your morning meeting is out.Your breakfast should be at least 300 calories. That's about the same as a Starbucks Venti skim latte but that doesn't make it a good breakfast choice either. Ideally, you want to eat something with a good balance of complex carbohydrates and protein, which will keep your energy levels up for the rest of the day. Some good choices: Two eggs with a cup of melon Two packets of instant oatmeal or A cup of oatmeal cooked with skim milk An egg white omelet and whole wheat toast 2 tablespoons of peanut butter on whole grain bread or apple One bagel is 300 calories all by itself, so if you really want one, take it easy with that low fat cream cheese!

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Study links gene to Alzheimers

Jessica Brim — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 17:57:00 EST

The NY Times reports that Dr. Richard Mayeux of Columbia University has found a common genetic marker in Alzheimer's patients after studying patients from the Dominican Republic living in Manhattan. His study, which was done with several other doctors, was released today by Nature Genetics. Dr. Mayeux was initially able to find the gene because the Dominican Republic is made up of a single population that was isolated for a long period of time, which makes mutated genes easier to detect. He then enlisted the help of other doctors to screen other populations for the same gene,Does this mean that a cure for Alzheimer's is on the way? Not yet, but every new discovery is another step towards determining what makes it happen and how we can prevent it.

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Recipe Rehab: Pizza on a Diet, Part I

Jessica Brim — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 06:00:00 EST

Our weekly feature, Recipe Rehab, takes a recipe -- sometimes basic, sometimes decadent and sometimes just plain unhealthy -- and turns it into a scrumptious and healthy dish, pumped up with nutrition. Sometimes all it takes is a few alterations to prepare a dish that would make even your nutritionist proud.It's New Years, which means most of us have made some sort of resolution to get fit and eat a healthier diet. This is always a good plan, but it's hard to stick with when it's cold outside and most of us are staying in, watching football and the upcoming awards ceremonies. For many people, that means pizza, which is a big diet no-no. But with this recipe, you can have your pizza and your diet too, especially if you pair it with a healthy salad, and it's fun to make as a family or with friends. If you don't have time to make the crust, you can buy whole wheat pizza dough at places like Trader Joes or Whole Foods.Don't like sausage? Wait for next week, when we'll feature a pizza recipe for vegetarians.Sausage and Cheese PizzaFor dough:1 package yeast1 teaspoon sugar1 cup very warm water (125ºto 130ºF)1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour3/4 teaspoon saltno-stick cooking sprayFor topping:1/2 cup part skim milk mozzarella cheese1/4 cup romano cheese1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatoes1 whole peeled cucumber (1 medium) -- sliced 1 whole green pepper -- sliced 1/2 cup sliced red onion 3 cups romaine lettuce leaves 1 cup fat-free Italian salad dressingIn large bowl, combine first four ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface of the water. Add salt and slowly stir in the flour until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Return to the bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, about two hours. Divide into two balls and let rise until doubled in size againPreheat the over to 450 degrees.Spray two 12 inch pizza pans with cooking spray. Roll out a ball onto each pan until it reaches the edges. Alternatively, make one ball with all the dough and roll it out to cover a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle with both cheeses and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted.Divide the sauce between the two crusts and spread until it evenly covers the crust. Top each pizza with half the sausage and then half the cheese. Sprinkle with oregano and fennel, additional garlic and crushed red pepper if desired. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Serve hot.Rehab Rundown Half the flour in the dough was replaced with whole wheat flour, adding B-vitamins and fiber The olive oil and salt in the crust were reduced by half, cutting down on fat and sodium Turkey sausage was used instead of traditional pork sausage and the amount was reduced, cutting down fat and calories while sacrificing none of the flavor Low sodium tomato sauce cuts down on salt, while still providing lots of flavor and antioxidants Part skim mozzarella cheese cuts down on the fat and the total amount was reduced, to cut down on the calories Extra garlic, fennel and hot pepper add flavor without additional calories Rehab RevealBased on 1/12 of recipe Original Adapted Calories 324 (34% from fat) 231 (28% from fat) Fat 12g 7g Saturated Fat 6g 3g Protein 19g 13g Carbohydrate 34g 28g Fiber 2g 3g Sodium 1027mg 621mg

Continue reading Recipe Rehab: Pizza on a Diet, Part I

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What's a better cardio workout?

Jessica Brim — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:05:00 EST

A That's Fit commenter recently posed the question: Which is better - walking on treadmill 4.8 miles per hour for 35 minutes or exercising on a stepper (stair climber) for 25 minutes at a brisk pace? As a certified personal trainer, I can tell you that the answer is "neither." Surprised? This question highlights the simple truth that no one piece of cardiovascular training at the gym is going to provide a better workout. It's what you do while you're on them that makes a difference, not the type of machine. Using a treadmill, stepper or a StairMaster (these are actually two different kinds of equipment ) are all good ways to increase your cardiovascular health and burn body fat. In this case, 4.8 miles per hour is fast enough to be a light jog for most people and a very high intensity workout. It's also done for 35 minutes, so the person doing this workout will probably burn more calories and give their heart more of a challenge than if they only worked out for 25 minutes. But the question also says the person on the stepper is working at a "brisk pace" and it's hard to know how difficult that is. If the intensity, or how hard that workout is, is higher than it is when jogging on the treadmill, then that person will be getting just as much of a workout in a shorter period of time.How can you figure this out by yourself? You can use Rate of Perceived Exertion, a simple scale used by fitness professionals all over the country.

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