Prime Time - Jane Fonda [146]
Eat mindfully. Focus on what you are eating, and don’t read or watch TV while you eat.
Avoid empty calories, like those from sodas, candy, alcohol, and cakes.
Get in the habit of reading food labels before you buy.
Don’t diet! Studies have shown that the majority of people who go on diets gained back more weight afterward than they had lost.
Instead, try to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. If you have food addictions (bingeing, anorexia, bulimia), you may not be able to recognize when you are full—you eat to satisfy other needs. To help you identify those other needs, read Women, Food and God, by Geneen Roth.
HOW TO READ THE NUTRITION FACTS PANEL ON FOOD LABELS
1. How many calories per serving are shown? Bear in mind that you want to keep your total caloric intake to between 1,500 and 2,200 calories a day. That means your meals will be about 400 to 800 calories each. If you are on the small side, I recommend closer to 1,500 to 2,000 calories, with meals of 400 to 700 calories each, depending on your schedule, your snacks, and your preferences.
2. How much saturated fat is shown? It should be minimal, so that you’re not eating more than 10 to 20 grams per day. It will be higher in foods that contain fat (even healthy foods will have some), and may be zero in foods like fruits and vegetables.
3. Is trans fat listed? If so, perhaps this is a food you should forgo. Aim for zero trans fat in your diet.
4. Subtract the saturated (bad) fat and the trans (truly dangerous) fat from the total fat content on the label, and you have the amount of polyunsaturated or monounsaturated (good) fat.
5. How much fiber is shown? Remember, you are aiming for at least 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily. Fiber is highest in plant foods, such as whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
6. How much sugar is shown? The list of ingredients might include corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, glucose, or invert sugar, but it’s all sugar, and there should be as little as possible per serving—certainly no more than 7 grams per serving. Your daily allotment of sugar should be less than 30 grams.
7. Sodium content should be as low as possible to keep your total daily sodium intake below 2,300 milligrams. If you have high blood pressure, limit your sodium to 1,700 milligrams per day.
8. Always check the list of ingredients. Ingredients are listed in order of predominance. Do you like what you see?
Calcium
Calcium experts recommend three to four servings of high-calcium milk products per day, each containing about 300 milligrams of calcium per serving. About 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of yogurt, or 1½ ounces of hard cheese are the best examples.
In addition, check with your doctor about supplementing with 500 milligrams per day, taken between meals and as calcium citrate.
THE HIGH-DAIRY CALCIUM GUIDE
FOOD AMOUNT CALORIES CALCIUM (IN GRAMS)
Buttermilk 8 oz. 91 264
Nonfat milk 8 oz. 86 301
Alpine Lace reduced-fat cheddar cheese 1.5 oz. 105 300
Brie cheese 1.5 oz. 142 78
Cheddar cheese 1.5 oz. 171 307
2% cottage cheese 1 cup 203 155
Hard Parmesan 1 oz. 111 336
Plain, nonfat yogurt 1 cup 127 451
Low-fat fruit yogurt 1 cup 225 313
OTHER TIPS:
• Check the Nutrition Facts Panel on your food label. A good source of calcium contains at least 30 percent of your daily requirement. Also, check the calories and saturated fat: How many calories or saturated fat grams does it take to get more calcium from the food? For people watching their health or weight, the more nutrient-dense, calorie-poor, and lower in saturated fat, the better.
• If you’re lactose intolerant, talk with your doctor: Some people do well on lactose-reduced products, and some are able to tolerate the relatively small amount of lactose in certain yogurts and cheeses.
APPENDIX V
Guide to Mindful Meditation
Someone once said, “Meditation is like riding a bike: You can’t and you can’t and then you can.”
What you will read here is excerpted (with a few minor additions) from Elizabeth Lesser’s wonderful book Broken Open: How Difficult