Archive for December, 2010

In honor of keeping the holiday spirit alive,  we are hosting a give-a-way with the generous people from Food Should Taste Good. This company believe good food only comes from real ingredients and they have created a healthy line of natural snacks that can be enjoyed guilt free. All of the chip varieties are free of cholesterol, preservatives and trans fat, and do not use genetically modified ingredients (GMOs).  They are also certified Kosher and Gluten Free, lower in sodium, and are a good source of dietary fiber.  The chips are available in ten varieties: Multigrain, Sweet Potato, Olive, Jalapeño, The Works!, Chocolate, Lime, Yellow Corn, Blue Corn and Cheddar. The chips are crunchy, salty, and a great way to satisfy your snack cravings. To win the give-a-way please leave a comment telling us which flavor you think you would like best. The deadline will close January 18th, 2011 in time for your snacks to arrive for your Superbowl party! The winner will receive a a sample box of five different flavors of chips. Thanks again to Food Should Taste Good for sponsoring this give-a-way and providing us with a healthy, delicious snack we can feel good about eating. For more information about this company, store locators, nutrition information, and to receive a $1 off coupon, please visit their website.

As a Dietetic Intern, I am always looking for new, fun ways to help clients lose weight. I’ve learned that engaging clients and making lessons interactive is key to success. “The Solution to the Diet Revolution” is just what the title reads, a solution to the antiquated ways of promoting weight loss and it was just the tool I was looking for! Written by Georgia Kostas, This is a common-sense approach that actually helps you succeed. It is clearly organized into sections you may need help with, fast food, snacks, eating out or in, fitting in exercise, portions, slowing down your eating, and much more. It allows you to plan ahead, review your progress, and enjoy your success. Figures entice the book with easy-to-follow steps, diagrams, and plans making healthy eating interesting, as opposed to reading chapter after chapter of text. My favorite section is titled “Be Food Savy” and it is filled with tips on how to choose foods, read labels efficiently, cut out calories in small ways, grocery shopping tips, and much more! This book keeps your motivated and gets you excited about tackling your weight. Filling out the plans and graphs allows you to see just how great you are doing and will keep you coming back for more.

One of the great products featured at the American Dietetic Association’s annual meeting this past year was Meal Measure, a portion control product for your plate. With this helpful tool, you can easily manage your daily intake using your own plate. There are different section labeled as vegetable/fruit, starch, and protein, following the USDA My Pyramid serving sizes.

As you can see, you can put the meal measure on one of your plate’s and serve you meal accordingly. This is much easier than measuring out everything you eat and there is no need to purchase new plates. This would definitely make a great gift for the holidays! 

The American Dietetic Association Evidence Analysis Library continuously researches the most relevant nutrition topics and organizes them into an accessible, online library.

I came across a topic of particular interest to our clients that asks the research question:

“In adults, how effective (in terms of client adherence and weight loss and maintenance) are meal replacements (liquid meals, meal bars, frozen prepackaged meals)?”

Basically, the study was comparing a meal replacement diet to a low-calorie food diet to see which produced the best weight loss results.

The result summary reads as follows:

“Several studies comparing isocaloric diets have shown an equivalent or greater weight loss efficacy with structured meal replacement plans, compared to reduced calorie diet treatments. One or two daily vitamin- and mineral-fortified meal replacements, supplemented with self-selected meals and snacks, may be a successful weight loss and weight maintenance strategy for overweight and obese adults who have difficulty with self-selection of food and portion control.”

As Registered Dietitians, we are avid promoters for a diet of wholesome, real foods to maintain a healthy lifestyle and weight. However, there are times when a quick weight loss program can help people who may have trouble choosing these healthy foods or those who struggle with portion sizes. Fortunately, we have just the solution that backs this study!

Our Take Shape for Life Weight Loss Program is a quick and healthy way to lose weight. Developed by Johns Hopkins Hospital, these medifast meals have all your vitamins and minerals and has been proven as an effective way to lose weight. The program is a no-brainer, the meals taste great, you can easily eat them at work or on the go, going out to eat fits into this plan, and you get a FREE health coach when you sign up! For more information, read some successful client blogs from people who have tried this program:

• Paul
• Linda
• Charlie K
• Traci
• Charlie W

If you’re struggling to lose weight on your own, this is the program for you.

The best gift of all is the gift of health and wellness!
At Rebecca Bitzer and Associates, we want to thank each and every one of you for your business, friendship and trustover the years.  We are very blessed to have the opportunity to reach out and help so many individuals. Remember to take the time to care for yourself this holiday season. Take advantage of our holiday deals we have put together to make your life less stressful.

To help you with your Budget and Shopping needs:

FREE Take Shape for Life Support Sessions
Every other Saturday, Registered Dietitian Kathy Kendall and a group of motivated individuals meet together to discuss strategies to help maintain and/or lose weight. Now is the time to come and learn tips focused specifically on holiday eating. There is power in numbers, and talking to people with the same goals as you will help keep you on track this season.  Call our office for more information!

Weight Loss and Diabetes Solutions Class
Want to lose weight and manage your diabetes while still having fun? Find out how during our Tuesday evening (6-7pm) weight loss and diabetes education classes. The cost is normally $50/month but if you sign up before January 1st our holiday special is $99 for 3 months! Call our office to sign up!

Discounted Self Pay Packages
During the next 3 months we are offering a discounted 3 visit package for $260 including an initial hour long visit and two half hour follow-up visits with Registered Dietitian experts. If you sign up for a package or get a friend/family member to sign up before January 1st you can receive a free RMR! Meeting one on one with an RD is extremely beneficial as we can tailor a plan specifically to your needs and activities throughout this festive season. Take the initiative to get support before the craziness begins. Call our office to sign up for a Holiday Self Pay Package today!

Electronic Food Log Evaluations
This is a NEW service we are adding to further help you stay on track. Email admin@rbitzer.com with the subject Food Log Evaluation to receive electronic copies of food journals that can be filled out and emailed back to us for evaluation. Food entries are analyzed using Diet Analysis+ software which generates a detailed report regarding your daily intake based on your personal specifications. This report can be emailed back to you with helpful suggestions on how to improve your intake, tips for cooking at home, and even a personalized grocery list! A 3-day diet analysis and unlimited email support is on special for $60 and everything can be done from home!

Meallogger
We are excited to announce the launch of Meallogger services at RBA! This program is a visual food journal:  send pictures of your meals or snacks to your personal online account via a smart phone or upload them from a computer.  A Registered Dietitian will regularly review your food journal and provide individualized coaching to help you improve your diet or meet your nutrition goals.  Pricing: two-week “wake up” service for $59 or one-month-get healthy now for $99/month. Email admin@rbitzer.com with Meallogger in the subject line to learn more.

Healthy Gift Ideas
All books in stock at RBA office are 25% off! We have a variety of cookbooks and other health books that make great gifts.

Do you have a family history of dementia?  Do you worry that your mental function may decline as you get older?  While we can’t change our family history, it might surprise you to know that there are factors in our life that we can change to keep our brains as healthy as we can, for as long as we can.

One way to keep our brains healthy is to exercise our minds and our bodies.  Board games, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, reading, and learning new skills or hobbies are all help to keep our minds sharp.  Exercising our bodies increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and encourages new cells to form.  People who exercise at least two times each week during middle age have a significantly decreased risk of dementia development than those who did no physical activity.  If you already exercise, keep it up!  If you don’t, get started after receiving clearance from your physician.

Another way to keep our brains healthy is by eating a healthy diet rich in a few key nutrients – vitamin B12, E, and omega-3’s, among others.  These nutrients have all been proven to have a positive effect on brain health and to slow the process of mental decline.

Vitamin B12helps to protect the sheath around the nerve fibers of the brain; low levels of vitamin B12 have been found in people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.  Not only that, but a deficiency of vitamin B12 can actually mimic the symptoms of dementia, like forgetfulness and confusion.  Because vitamin B12 is found mostly in animal products (meat, milk and eggs), vegetarians may be at risk for deficiency; older adults may be at risk too, because they may lose their ability to absorb B12 as they age.  Your levels of B12 can easily be checked by your doctor to find out if you are deficient.

Vitamin E is needed for normal nerve development, and it also acts as an antioxidant.  Antioxidants are good molecules in our bodies that neutralize free radicals; free radicals can destroy healthy cells in the body, including brain cells.  Vitamin E, and other antioxidants like polyphenols (found in fruits and vegetables, wine and chocolate) block the free radicals so they can’t damage our cells.  Vitamin E-rich foods: oils (soybean, corn, safflower, etc), wheat germ, whole grains, nuts, olives and egg yolks.

Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in preserving the neurons in our brains.  People with the highest levels of DHA (a type of omega-3) are 47% less likely to develop any type of dementia (and 39% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease) than those with the lowest levels.  Omega-3-rich foods: flaxseed, walnuts, and oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel and tuna.

There are many other nutrients that play important roles in protecting our brains.  We encourage you to enjoy these nutrient dense brain foods and you may want to consider supplementation.  If so, please feel free to ask your nutritionist or you may order our Nutrametrix products (there are a wide variety of supplements and the Omega 3 is very high quality) from our website at www.rbitzer.com, click on Products, then Nutrametrix.  If you have questions about eating healthy or would like more information about nutrition counseling, please call our office at 301-474-2499 to make an appointment.  Until then, here’s to your health!