ObesityHelp

In loving memory of my Mom JC Colter...I miss you!

20 Snacks That Have 100 Calories Or Less

When that snack attack comes on, you want to be sure to stay on track by limiting your calorie intake.  Here are 20 snacks that have 100 calories or less to satisfy your hunger pangs.

1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal=75 calories

1/2 cup of Fage Greek yogurt=85 calories

1 large egg=75 calories

1 cup of blueberries=85 calories

1 medium apple=70 calories

1 medium Kiwi=45 calories

1 cup of fresh pineapple=75 calories

25 pistachios=100 calories

14 almonds=100 calories

20 baby carrots=100 calories

2 cups of cooked Kale=72 calories

1 cup of raw broccoli florets=100 calories

1 medium tomato=25 calories

1 ounce of string cheese=70 calories

4 ounces of low-fat cottage cheese=90 calories

1 1/2 ounces of skinless chicken breast=70 calories

1 1/2 ounces of fresh Atlantic salmon=78 calories

1/3 cup of cooked quinoa=85 calories

1 Skinny Cow Mini Fudge Pop (Low-fat)=50 calories

10 Kalamata olives=90 calories

Original article located here.

Thanksgiving Traditions:  Pass The Turkey Butt!

by Tammy J Colter, Editor-In-Chief/OH Magazine

My family has a funny and hopefully not so unique Thanksgiving tradition.  I mean, no one wants to think their family is the only one that plays "pass the turkey butt" right?  What?  Your family doesn't do this?  Okay, well here is how this little tradition works in my family:  Dad confiscates the butt of the turkey and some how every year he gets inspired to quietly drop it on the plate of an unsuspecting family member while diverting their attention to the opposite direction.  "What the heck is that on your shirt?"  He will ask. "Darn it, I dropped my fork.  Insert name here, can you grab me another one from the drawer?"

I don't know what it is, but some how, everyone in my family develops turkey butt prank amnesia every year and we fall for the promised joke each time!  We get sucked in and whoever gets the turkey butt is entitled to prank another family member with that same butt until its made its way around the dinner table.  That is almost grounds for becoming a vegetarian!

Of course, passing the turkey butt is just one family tradition that stands out in my mind.  We are a little more normal than I have let on so far!  We celebrate the holiday with all of the traditional fixings and a few family recipes that have been the gold standard in our holiday celebrations for years.  We replay old holiday movies, some of us watch a little football, and we share family memories.

But I have been wondering...what other family traditions are out there?  I have asked friends to share some of their traditions and have done a little research of my own.  Here are a few Thanksgiving traditions you may like:

1.  The grateful/thankful tree.  This is a fun idea that you can do in a couple of ways.  You can make your own tree with fall colored craft paper, cut out leaves and have each guest write on the leaf what they are thankful for and attach the leaves to the tree.  Some families incorporate this tradition by putting up their Christmas tree Thanksgiving day and have the guests decorate the tree with leaves filled with their favorite memories or thankful moments.

2.  Tablecloth memories.   Making memories that last is priceless!  After your meal is finished, bring out a light colored tablecloth and a package of fabric pens.  Ask your guests and family members to take turns sharing a message or memory on the tablecloth.  This is a tradition that can be cherished year after year as more memories are added and shared over and over again.

3.  Scrapbook memories.  Keep a scrapbook out during your celebration and invite your families and friends to write three things that they love about Thanksgiving or three things they love about their family and friends.   Each guest can come and record their thoughts through out the day.  Another take on this tradition:  Have photos from celebrations the years before and leave room for your guests to make comments near the photos.

4.  Guess who?  After the Thanksgiving food fest, have a little more fun by asking everyone to write down on a piece of paper something they are thankful for or a favorite memory.  Put the folded slips of paper in a basket, toss the messages, have each guest select a message and read it aloud.  Once the message is read, you can all try to guess who wrote the message.

5.  Message in a crescent roll.   This is one tradition that kids of all ages will surely remember for years to come.  Simply purchase a couple of packages of crescent roll dough at your local market.  Lay the triangles of dough out and place a slip of paper with an inspiring message on it and loosely roll the message up in the dough and bake as directed.  This makes for some great dinner table conversation!

What are some of your family Thanksgiving traditions?

Dear OH Readers,

Weight-loss success. How do we continue to lose weight, maintain a healthy weight, and keep the unwanted pounds off? According to a recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the number one tool for weight-loss success is the practice of tracking your daily food and beverage intake. Participants in the study who kept food journals consistently lost about 6 pounds more than those who did not. There is something to be said about accountability!

As a member of ObesityHelp.com, you have all the tools you need to track your daily calorie intake. The OH team has made the calorie counting and tracking easy for you by creating the OH Health Tracker located on the toolbar of your member profile. Here are a few tips to help you better track and analyze your daily nutrition:

• Honestly record everything you eat
• Accurately measure your portions
• Read labels
• Log details such as how the food was prepared, including the addition of any toppings or condiments
• Consistently track your calories

If you are not yet a member of our online community, we would love for you to join us. Membership is free and you will have access to all the tools, resources, and support you need in your quest to reach your weight-loss goals. Be sure to check out our OH Blog located on our homepage for daily tips, articles, and updates!

All my best,

Editor-In-Chief
OH Magazine
Tammy J. Colter

  

Dear OH Readers,

I am a self-confessed world-class klutz! Without even trying, I have found creative ways to partially knock myself out by walking into walls, furniture, and even an innocent bystander or two. Heck, I have been known to injure myself while sleeping! Although I have come to embrace my inner klutz self, I have to wonder: Am I clumsy for a reason? Am I gravity-challenged and magnetically attracted to the ground due to a lack of mindfulness or unhealthy sleeping patterns?

As one of the clumsiest people in the free world, learning to be more mindful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle is another challenge that resonates with me. To quote from Sharon Salzberg’s Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation, “Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it.” Simply put, we all need to have a focused awareness of the present moment. Here are a few tips on how you can be more mindful each day:

1. Be mindful to practice portion control.
2. Remember to incorporate quality over quantity in choosing the foods you eat.
3. Be mindful of your feelings and emotional eating habits.
4. Be mindful not to over-indulge.
5. Remember to find time to exercise daily.  (Walk your favorite canine companion – pet obesity is on the rise!)

And last, but not least, wherever you are on your weight loss journey, be mindful to celebrate your successes no matter how big or small! Have a great spring!

•Note to self: Buy Band-Aids and Neosporin!

•Note to OH Readers: Don’t miss the ObesityHelp Drug Discount Card Program on page 45! Not an ObesityHelp.com member? Sign up for your free membership today!

All my best,

Tammy J. Colter

Editor-In-Chief

Dear OH Readers,

Happy New Year, new you! Have you set your goals for 2012 yet? I have learned that I do better with a short list of realistic goals. Once I accomplish that set of goals, I set new ones. I must admit that I have been procrastinating a little on one of my personal goals, so I guess I will have to make “do not procrastinate” one of my goals!

As we all look forward to what 2012 holds for us, we have so much to celebrate. As of the writing of this editorial, the OH community has accomplished the following:

(See insert)

Now that’s something to celebrate! You can help us track the combined OH community progress by using the Health Tracker located on your OH profile or on the main website under TOOLS. Not an OH member? Join us on ObesityHelp.com and sign up for your free profile.

Speaking of celebrations, at our New York event, it was announced that OH member Jennifer Birch was the lucky winner of a free surgery (See page 20 for Jennifer’s story!) Jennifer is also this issues cover girl and we all look forward to following her WLS journey. We will soon be announcing a second surgery grant winner from our New Orleans event. Stay tuned!

Wherever you may be on your weight loss journey, take time to celebrate your milestones and goals reached, no matter how big or small. May you make great things happen for yourself in 2012. You deserve it!