Archive for May, 2010

When was the last time that you made a new dip?  How about trying a lima bean or cucumber dip?

First is great for fiber, is a Lima Bean Dip (like hummus).

1lb frozen lima beans
1Tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
minced garlic to taste

Cook beans until tender. Drain. Reserve 1/4 cup liquid. Process beans and rest of ingredients, including reserved
liquid, in blender until smooth.

Great with raw vegetables, crackers, and rice cakes.

Cucumber Crudite Dip – good alternative to sour cream and onion dip

1 large seedless cucumber, peeled
1tsp salt
8 ounces light cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp light sour cream
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried dill
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Combine cucumber and salt in food processor and process until cucumber is pureed; strain mixture through fine strainer
to remove liquid. Place cream cheese, sour cream, thyme, dill, zest, and pepper in small bowl and stir until smooth. Add puree
cucumber and stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with raw vegetables or veggie chips or on a sandwich or veggie burger.

Check out this inspiring testimonial written by one of our successful clients! With the help of RD Cameron Currie, James was able to manage his diabetes and get on the path to a healthy lifestyle.

“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” Arthur Ashe

Every August for the past twenty years I have had my physical.  Each time I had to start off on the scale, listen to the metal weight clack across the scale bar all the way to the end with the scale not budging, knowing that another year the nurse would put on my report “not weighable”, 350+.  I hated it.  This August  the weight was the same, but the visit was different.  I spent 30 minutes in my Doctor’s office discussing the dangers of type 2 diabetes. I left scared.

That was how this journey began.  I’m not sure why this was so much different than all the others, but it was. After filling the prescription for another medicine, I went to the Laurel Fit club and joined.  I also took money out of my savings and hired a trainer for 3 months twice a week.  I knew I had to exercise, but was afraid to start on my own. I needed someone to kick my butt.  There is something about investing money from savings that makes you dedicate yourself. Along with the trainer I went to 4 water aerobic classes a week faithfully.  I actually enjoyed it a lot, especially as I felt myself getting stronger and able to do more things.

The second thing I did that day was call and make an appointment with Cameron in Rebecca Bitzer’s office. Part of my Doctor’s prescription was to refer me to the nutritionist. I had been to nutritionists before, but the difference here was that Cameron listened.  She didn’t have a set plan that she wanted to force upon me, but listened to my needs before we developed my plan together.  I wasn’t there for another diet plan, I needed her to help me change my life and she was willing to help me succeed.  It was refreshing.

I began the journey 360 lbs, with bad blood sugar, high blood pressure and unable to walk a block without my back screaming from pain.  I faithfully counted carbs, stopped eating out, only cooked meals that I could find nutritional information about, journaled everything I ate, and exercised 4 – 6 days a week. I knew that weight was coming off but I wasn’t weighing. At my 7 month Doctor’s visit I had lost 80 lbs, and my pressure was much lower and my blood sugar levels were lower than my Doctors.  As angry as she was with me in August that is how excited she was at my check up.

It was at about this time I started moving more into gravitational exercise, walking on the treadmill and track and cutting back a few days in the water, keeping up my weight lifting  routine. In February my wife and I celebrated 30 years of marriage by going to the beach.  Every morning we walked for almost 2 miles on the beach. From one block in August to two miles, that was so cool.

My last visit to the doctor had me weighing in at 250 lbs. I have gone from a 58 sport coat to a 50 and 56 waist to a 42.  A few weeks ago I walked in a 5K race for Cancer, and I walk 3.5 miles 4 days a week on our school track.  I get around my school building so much easier people are noticing.

Exercise, journaling everything I eat, seeing my nutritionist, hiring a trainer, water aerobics, constant support from my wife, co-workers, and friends have been a huge part of why this time the journey has been successful.  But I thank God that I have had another chance.

My journey isn’t over by all means.  I’m not sure what my final weight will be.  Like I said that wasn’t the main reason for this. I do know that I have learned how to eat, and have learned to love exercise and moving again.  I looked in the mirror at prom time to look at the rented tux and I teared up. Realizing the man in the mirror was a different man.

“I can’t speak for others whom I don’t know. All I know is that we all have our own journey. My journey will be different from yours.”

Please join us for our Eating Disorder Support Group in our Columbia office with Registered Dietitian Bobbi Boteler.

All Eating Disorder/Disordered Eating sufferers welcome: Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating, and Emotional Eating.

The first group will meet Thursday, May 27th from 6:30-7:30 and continue to meet every week after that. Family members are welcome!

The group will be located at:

9881 Broken Land Parkway-Suite 105, Columbia, MD 21046.

Directions are on our website or feel free to call 240-285-8061 if lost.

Topics include:

• Relapse Prevention
• What is Normal Eating?
• Media’s Influence on ED
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tools
• Meal Process Session- Dinner with Group

Group free is $25 per session or discount $80 per month if paid up front. Family members are free! There is a maximum of 10 spots which will fill up fast so please reserve your spot today!

Please contact bobbi@rbitzer.com to reserve!

We are very passionate about helping our clients recover and we look forward to working with you.

Please read the following success stories for inspiration: Carrie and Lauren or visit our Eating Disorder Page which is still in progress.

I’m home in NJ this week and one of my favorite things to do when I’m home is help my mom in the kitchen. We recently got this new product to try, Actifry, and my mom was excited to help me put it to the test for our readers! Have you heard of the new Tefal product, ActiFry? “With just 1 spoonful of oil, you can cook 1 kg of real crispy chips with only 3% fat!” You can use whatever oil you prefer depending on your taste and diet and end up with genuine, homemade chips. This product can also fry vegetables and strips of meat. It is basically a big non stick pan with a rotating silicon stirrer. Once you put the food and small amount of oil in, hot air blows around the oil and cooks the food while the spatula keeps everything cooking evenly for about 30 minutes, depending on what you are making. You can buy this product at numerous locations including Wal-Mart, Target, and Costco and it includes a recipe book and measuring spoon. It costs $300 but is so worth the price of your health if you do a lot of frying. It’s great for diabetics too!

Here is a what the product looks like. The machine comes with two parts and a measuring spoon that is all dishwasher safe.

My mom and I decided to make fries. After peeling, washing, and cutting the potatoes, we put them into the ActiFry and poured the oil over.

Can you believe only one tablespoon of oil was able to “fry” all of these potatoes?!

We covered the lid, set the timer for 40 minutes and waited! The finished product looked great and we were excited to dig in.

My whole family agreed the healthy fries tasted delicious. They were crispy and tasted fresh, they didn’t have that oily taste that you would get from a fast food place. For the small amount of oil we used these potatoes were amazing and I am excited to try more products soon.

The Actifry was also very easy to clean and there wasn’t a greasy residue on the product either (which my mom loved).

• I am a stickler at dinner.  Ask my kids, there are rules and they are to be followed:
• No one dare to eat even a crumb until the Mother/Hostess is seated.
• Napkin in lap.
• No talking or sipping with food in mouth.
• Platters are taken and passed even if you do not care for any.
• Pleases and thank-yous abound.
• Everyone engages in conversation.
• Lips are firmly sealed while chewing.
• One hand in lap.
• NO boarding arm reach.  (your tongue is longer than your arm!)
• When someone “under-age” is finished, they must ask, “May I please be excused”.

It is hard knock life around here.  These are some of the things we do, day in and day out as favors to our children.  So when they leave home they can dine confidently and I can breathe a sigh of relief.  Mine are grown and gone, but fortunately they come back, full of life and love and eventually, with children of their own.

I am learning things are entirely different with grandchildren.  For one thing, I am a lot older and no longer have the stamina to insist.  Secondly, I can leave all “that” to their parents, and just go for the fun.  Bend the rules, even at the dinner table.

So here we have Lily, not at her own place set with the tiny fork that was her father’s, but sharing Elizabeth’s seat, and diving into Elizabeth’s plate.  I had been informed that Lily thinks fish is yucky.  So I bent the rules and fixed her plate with brochelli, corn and turkey instead of yummy red snapper.  Lo and behold!!!  “I love this chicken,” says Lily, chowing down on Elizabeth’s snapper!  No way were we going to do anything but let her continue.  We fixed another plate for Elizabeth and they continued to share the chair and giggle.  Lily can really put away the broccoli, and prefers lemon to butter on her corn.  Really she like squeezing the lemon.  Strawberries, blueberries and watermelon tickled her fancy, but “eeuw, I do not like bread”.   So, she didn’t say, “No I do not care for any bread, thank you.”  So, she got up from the table before we were done and wanted to watch a Disney movie.    So, she made it through a meal without a napkin.   So what?

And when she said to me, “Grandma, how many bites more do I have to eat?”  I asked her to show me with her finger on her belly how full she was.  Her finger landed at about 2 inched above her belly button.  I told her, no more bites at all, if you are full and your tummy is telling you to stop now, we will listen to it, because it is you who knows when to stop eating.

Finally when it was movie time she never gave popcorn a thought.  She wanted an orange.  “Peeled and sliced, not cut up.”  I believe if left to their own devices with healthy options, children will eat healthily.  Perhaps not all in one day, but on an average.  That said,  I watched an inordinate amount of rainbow sugar being stirred into someones teensy teacup this morning.  You gotta love a woman who knows her mind.

Danielle came to our office about 3 months ago seeking help to control her Type II Diabetes. She had just started seeing a personal trainer to get help with her exercise and wanted to see a nutritionist to further help her with her meals to help manage her diabetes.

With the help of our Registered Dietitian, Annie Thorp, Danielle managed to loose 10 pounds in the first two months and keep her blood sugar under control. Her success was attributed to keeping a food log, counting carbohydrates, and paying more attention to things she ate. She really enjoyed working with Annie because she didn’t discourage her from eating out or eliminating all the food she likes. Annie said if you completely cut out everything you may end up binging so they worked together to come up with a plan that worked for her. Now instead of eating a whole box of chocolate, Danielle has learned to enjoy one piece when she has a craving. Danielle really enjoyed how Annie understood it was her body and she wasn’t going to force her to do things she didn’t want to do. Danielle said she would recommend anyone in her position to see a Registered Dietitian, since it helps to have someone to talk to and seek another person’s educated opinion.

Since Danielle has been seeing a nutritionist she said she feels better and healthier in her everyday life. She now has the confidence to try new things, such as the zumba class she just signed up for. She has also been receiving more compliments which has motivated her to keep up with this plan. Danielle said she is satisfied and comfortable with her body as long as she is healthy and can enjoy her life.

Everyone knows we are supposed to “eat healthy” but does everyone know exactly what this means? “Nutrition at Your Fingertips” clarifies the confusing and sometimes overwhelming task of eating healthy, especially in our busy lifestyle.

The author, Elisa Zied, hopes that after reading the book, “people will feel empowered to make better food, fitness, and lifestyle choices to maximize their overall health”. Its just the right information given to you in a very straight-forward way.

The book begins with a discussion of the various mineral and nutrient functions in the body. It also provides the sources and daily recommendations in a very straight-forward manner. After this foundation is laid out, the author discusses weight management and estimating your daily calorie needs. This book is definitely for anyone who loves food and cares about their health.

One of the most useful parts of this book is the chapter on healthy food shopping. It explains how to read food labels, understanding claims, and there is even a section on dietary supplements.

This book is a great resource to have on hand to refer to when you are confused about your caloric or vitamin/mineral intake. You may not read this book from cover to cover but rather reference it when you are concerned about your intake or have a question about nutrient sources. It will most likely be able to answer any question you have about nutrition.

One of our Registered Dietitians, Annie Thorp wanted to share this great recipe for an Oatmeal Makeover. This family favorite is a great way to enjoy this cholesterol-lowering whole grain breakfast food in a totally new way! Try your favorite toppings and let us know what delicious combinations you come up with.

Baked Oatmeal

2 cups oats (quick or old-fashioned)

1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/4 cup canola oil

1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg whites/Egg Beaters)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup skim or 1% milk

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Once mixed, spread into a greased 9×9 baking pan. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Bake in pre-heated oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Makes approximately 9-12 servings.

Serving Suggestions:

v     Top with 1/4 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup fat-free flavored yogurt to get a dose of protein, omega 3 fatty-acids, and calcium!

v     Serve with an 8 oz. glass of skim or 1% milk and 1/2 cup of your favorite fresh fruit

Never have time to cook dinner? I found 20 quick dinner fixes starting with only 6 main ingredients! Keep these on hand to jumpstart a quick and simple dinner after a long day.

1. Frozen Butternut Squash

• Toss with whole wheat pasta, turkey sausage, and parmesan cheese.
• Add to risotto.
• Mash with aged cheddar for a great alternative to mashed potatoes.

Mashed butternut squash is one of my favorites. Mixing a little cheddar in sounds delicious!

2. Herbed cream cheese

• Spread on salmon, top with artichoke hearts and bake.
• Toss with whole wheat pasta, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and basil.
• For a quick appetizer, spread on a pear half, drizzle with honey and broil.

3. Italian dressing

• Toss with cold rice, garbanzo beans and chopped red peppers for a rice salad.
• Use as a marinade to spice up chicken breasts.
• Toss with couscous, shredded rotisserie chicken, green onions, and fresh spinach.

I love marinating chicken breasts in the fridge before I leave for the day. When I come home I just put them on the stove and they taste great. It really makes a difference when you marinate the chicken.

…read more on 20 Quick Dinner Fixes

I got up early Sunday morning to drive from Annapolis to Philadelphia to spend Mother’s Day with my daughter and her fiance. I was excited to have a new outfit to wear and a necklace I had created out of a strand of “pearls” and some old Laurel Racetrack Jockey charms I had found in a junk shop.  It was a pleasure to get dressed.  I slipped on some new bought for self Mother’s Day lingerie, a new short straight khaki skirt and a white blouse.  I threaded a bright scarf though the belt loops of the skirt, skipped anything remotely resembling pantyhose or a slip.  Next came the jingly necklace, and finally, what got dubbed later in the day as, my Prom shoes.    And off I went knowing there would be a lot of love and a beautiful brunch waiting for me.

The daughter, who I so want to be a healthy role model for was elated to see me.  She loved my outfit and at one point I saw her gently jabbing her intended with her elbow and pointing to me feet.  My daughter has not seen me in high heels for 20 years except briefly at her brother’s wedding last spring.  She has never seen me in such a short straight skirt nor carrying myself with such confident pride.

Overweight people do not slip into anything.  They pull, they tug, they re-adjust, and then they hope no one will notice anyway.  I lived that life, and I will never live it again.  Over many years  I gained, I lost, I gained, I lost.  In the end, the greatest loss was myself.  My pride, my femininity, my joy, my confidence, my wit, and almost my passion.  For sure, I believed even my passion was gone, but Rebecca recognized it the first time we met.  Over the past two years she has patiently unearthed me, and guided me in the tiniest baby steps to know that each and every facet of my being is worthy of love and recognition.  We are not quite done, I can not repair so many years of damage in just two years, so I know there is even more goodness to come, not the least of which will be shoe shopping!  Having been at one of my highest weights during high school I never went to a prom.  You can not imagine the giddy feeling I got, while clipping along in my blue shoes being called “Prom Queen”.