Summer is here and it’s time for outdoor parties and BBQs. While lots of fun and a summer tradition, these parties can often be a challenge for those who are trying to make healthier eating choices. Here are a few tips to keep your healthful eating on track and still enjoy your summer parties:

1. It is always recommend that people have something to eat before attending social gatherings where there may be enticing foods. Many of these foods may be the kinds of choices that you would not normally include in your own healthy meal plan, which may makes them seem even more tempting. You don’t want to arrive at the party hungry, as your first instinct may be to head straight for the buffet table. Have a substantial snack 1-2 hours before the party, focusing on high fiber foods such as a small bowl of oatmeal and skim milk, an apple with peanut butter, or low fat yogurt with nuts and fruit. That way you have already taken the focus off the food before arriving and will be able to make better choices once you are there.
2. Always make it a point to sit down when eating, if possible. Eating while standing up, especially around the buffet table, can lead to greater intake and larger portions than if you were to eat sitting down. Try to find an area to comfortably enjoy your meal, rather than walking around and continually grazing.
3. If possible, bring a healthful side dish that that fits into your meal plan. It’s okay to let your host know that you are making healthy changes to your eating habits (it may even encourage them to offer more healthy dishes themselves!). Most times, those hosting a party would be delighted to have others contribute by bringing their own dish. Make a whole grain pasta salad or hummus dip with veggies (see recipe below for a great summer side dish).
4. Plan ahead of time how many alcoholic beverages you are going to have, if any, and stick to that goal. Alcohol contributes empty calories that can add up quickly. Also, choose low calorie mixers, such as seltzer water and diet beverages. Stick with water instead of sodas and fruit drinks, which can also add more unnecessary calories.
5. Make one plate and don’t feel like you have to try everything. Remember the plate model and portion sizes – aim for 50% of your plate to be fresh or cooked vegetables or fruits – this does not mean potato salad or coleslaw drenched in mayo. Opt for raw vegetables with a little bit of low fat dip, salads, or vegetables from the grill such as: corn, zucchini, or Portobello mushrooms. The other 25% of your plate should be a lean protein and the rest preferably should be a whole grain.
6. Focus on friends rather than food. Talking and catching up with friends (away from the buffet table) is a great way to enjoy the party, leaving the focus away from the food.
7. Make this one of your exercise days to offset the extra calories you may be eating. If there are any type of games at the party, join in – even something as simple as playing horseshoes can burn some extra calories.
8. Opt for fruit for dessert – or pick one dessert to sample and have a small piece of it. It will be much more satisfying than trying to sample a small bite of every single dessert there.
9. Go in with a game plan and try to stick to it as best as possible. You may hit all your goals or you may miss a few, but if you don’t manage to do everything you wanted to do, don’t be disappointed in yourself and then give up on your healthy eating plan. Make notes of what your had trouble with and look them over before the next party. You will be more likely to overcome them in the future than if you punish yourself for not doing everything you expected.

Super Simple Hummus Dip

Ingredients

• 2 cans chick peas, drained and rinsed
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• Paprika

Directions

1. Combine chick peas through red pepper flakes in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Stir in parsley and spoon into serving dish. Sprinkle with a little paprika to garnish. Serve with raw veggies for dipping, such as carrots, celery, and bell peppers.

In recent years “organic” foods have made their way into our lives, and even chain supermarkets. And most Americans purchase organic foods at least occasionally. However, the nutritional content of these foods may not vary greatly from conventionally produced foods.  In addition, consumers typically consume larger portions of these foods merely because they are labeled “organic.” Research on the nutritional differences between conventional and organic products is ongoing at this time. However, so far, few differences have been identified and were not across all products.
Organic foods are produced under the USDA’s National Organic Program regulations. These regulations include specifications about how the foods are produced and the process practices required for a food to be certified organic, however these regulations do not claim nutritional or food safety benefits for organic products.  This continues to be an ongoing debate among nutrition experts. However, the term “organic” comes with what experts are calling a “halo effect.” The “halo effect” is how we as consumers perceive the nutritional content of a certain food, and extrapolate the same nutrition content to other foods with the same label.

This “halo effect” results in consumers perceiving an organic food to be more nutritious, and letting their guard down when it comes to being careful about counting calories – ultimately leading them to overeat or feel entitled to indulge.  Research shows that consumers are more likely to claim that “organic” labeled products taste better, are lower in calories, lower in fat and higher in fiber. In most studies, no organic products were present, but merely labeled as “organic” to test consumer’s perception.

There are still benefits to our population for eating and purchasing organic foods such as reduced nutrition pollution, improved soil organic matter, lower energy use, reduced pesticide residues in food and water and enhanced biodiversity. Some organic foods may contain more phytochemicals such as antioxidants compared to conventionally grown products. Organic food purchases can often integrate small to medium sized farms into high-value food markets. Overall facilitation of organic foods can be considered creating a healthful, sustainable food system.

So what can you, as a consumer, do to buy/use the best products on the market?

1. Read the Nutrition Label – The Nutrition Facts panel was designed for the consumer to make better nutrition-related decisions. This is the best way to differentiate between organic, local and conventional food items.  Become familiar with nutrition and ingredient labeling as a means of choosing healthy products that will help in meeting your daily Food Guide Pyramid needs.
2. Reduce Your Calorie Intake – In order to make sure you are not experiencing the “halo effect” with organic food – first guess the caloric value of a food, and then double it. You’ll end up being more accurate on calorie intake and you might even eat less.

Though the actual work of weight loss is largely an individual effort, having a solid team behind you can mean the difference between success and setbacks. Our Weight Management program has assembled all of the professionals needed to comprehensively address the complexities of obesity and weight loss. The Weight Management team at RWWC includes a physician, a psychologist, personal trainers, and registered dieticians and was designed with your health and long term success in mind. Because we are all under one roof, we are able to work closely together to design the most effective weight loss plan for you based on your lifestyle, goals, and underlying medical conditions.

Having a physician as part of the weight loss team is something that is lacking in most commercial weight loss programs and gives our patients an advantage. From the very beginning of your weight loss journey, I will evaluate you for underlying medical conditions that may make weight loss more difficult, such as obstructive sleep apnea and underactive thyroid. I can also identify medications, including over-the-counter preparations, which may be increasing your appetite or otherwise impeding your success.

Through a comprehensive social history, family history, and blood tests I will be able to assess your risk for developing weight-related diseases and fully evaluate your cardiovascular risk, ordering stress tests or other further heart evaluations if needed. This information is communicated to the rest of the team to allow our personal trainers to better design a safe fitness program for you and to alert our dieticians to any areas that may need particular focus, such as cholesterol or salt intake.

In our Weight Management program you will work closely with all of our professionals. Frequent visits to the center will help us quickly identify problems, fluidly make corrections to your plan, and proactively address the inevitable plateaus.

Weekly Weight Management meetings are held with the team members to discuss your progress and revise your goals. A summary e-mail will be sent to you with reminders of what to work on for the next week along with words of encouragement.

The reasons for weight gain are multiple, complex, and individual. Our multifaceted team allows us to get to the root of your weight gain and devise a truly personalized plan to help you realize your goals for a healthier you!