Can You Eat The Skin of a Kiwi?

Hi Laurie,
I was wondering if you can eat the skin on kiwi fruit and if so how many calories are in the skin?
I read online that eating the skin as well as the flesh is really good for you, but I've never seen anyone do it!
Thanks, Lisa T.

Photo courtesy of California KiwiFruit 

Hi Lisa,
Well, I've never seen anyone do it, either, and what's more, I've never even thought about it!
But you are correct: The skin is entirely edible and actually contains nutrients, including fiber.
Because there is so much fiber in the skin, the caloric content is pretty negligible.

The numbers I have found are 42 calories in a kiwi fruit and 50 calories if you eat the entire fruit including the skin. There is also over 200 mg of potassium in a kiwi fruit and over 6 grams of fiber if you eat the skin along with the fruit.

Even without the skin, 1 kiwi fruit supplies 100% of the daily value of vitamin C along with 2 grams of fiber.
Quite the healthy and tasty little package.

For more information on Kiwis, visit the California Kiwi page at http://www.kiwifruit.org/


You learn something new every day :)
Laurie

Is there a safe way to jump-start my diet?

Hi Laurie,
In the past, once I lose 10 or so pounds, I feel much more motivated. I was wondering if there is a way to drop a lot of pounds in the first week or two of the diet, but not gain it right back when I start my actual diet.
Thanks! Carla K.

No Carla, unfortunately not! The quick, large amounts lost are mostly due to water weight. So if you stopped drinking fluids you'd lose weight fast--then end up in the hospital!

Instead of the "diet to lose weight" mindset, it would be helpful to have a different mindset... "I've decided to eat healthy for life". How does that sound?

The fact is, when people go on a diet to lose weight, they go OFF the diet once they reach their goal. Then the weight comes back on.

What if you found a healthy way to eat, lost weight slowly, and it never came back on?!
Wouldn't that be worth the slow loss for the first few weeks??

Try some of the websites or apps that help you track your calories in, calories burned, and your weekly weight (FitDay, SparkPeople, LoseIt). Sometimes looking at a graph every once in a while demonstrates how far you've come, even when you don't feel it. You might also try other techniques to demonstrate to your subconscious how much you've lost: Like filling a gallon jug with water (or picking up a gallon of milk in the store) and feeling how heavy it is. This weighs 8 pounds. If you lose 8 pounds it would be like carrying this heavy jug around all day and then putting it down all at once! Except in real life it just happens more slowly.

It might help you to keep a food diary or some other type of journal or blog. Be sure to document your successes each day. Find small, positive goals such as eating 2 vegetable servings or 2 pieces of fruit, drinking 6 glasses of water a day or going for a 2-mile walk.
In this way you can experience success that will keep you motivated, even if it isn't in the form of a number on the scale!

Good Luck, and keep me posted.
Laurie

Does Alli Work for Weight Loss?

Hi,
I've been overweight for most of my adult life, I'm 44 now, and I've tried every diet you can think of. The weight always comes back by the end of a year, and I'm at the end of my rope, thinking I'll never be able to weigh a normal amount. I'm way too nervous to ever try weight loss surgery, but I'm ready to think about some of the prescription weight loss pills. I know even some of the ones prescribed can be dangerous, but I haven't heard anything terrible about Alli. What is your opinion on this weight loss drug?
Melanie C.

Hi Melanie,
Alli is a diet aide sold over the counter that is approved in prescription strength as the pill "orlistat".
Unlike many diet pills, which are appetite suppressants, this pill works by preventing some of the fat you eat from being absorbed. If you don't absorb fat into your system, you won't get the calories it provides. Over time you can lose weight through this method of reducing your caloric intake. And if you maintain a relatively low-fat diet (50-60 grams per day) there's a good chance you can keep the weight off.

If you visit the Alli website you'll see they have a lot of support to offer. They provide tips for a healthier lifestyle and tools to help you plan proper meals. They give you access to chat boards and answer your questions. There are quizzes and articles and skills to help you change your eating habits for good.

The weight loss plan itself? Alli is, alas, not the magic pill that dieters are still waiting for. They factually inform you that, "For every 2 pounds you lose, Alli can help you lose a third pound". This means YOU have to change how you're eating now and be able to lose weight by eating less in order for Alli to help.

"Success" is described as losing 5-10% of your body weight. For a 300-pound person, losing 30 pounds is equal to 10% of their body weight. Most people who weigh 300 pounds probably have a goal weight quite a bit lower than 270 pounds.

The facts are, Alli blocks the absorption of 25% of the dietary fat you eat. In order to be on the Alli program, the suggested fat intake is less than 50 grams of fat per day. Fifty grams is the amount of fat that can be found in half a Domino's pepperoni pizza, or a Burger King Breakfast Biscuit with sausage, egg and cheese, OR a Mc Donald's Quarter Pounder with cheese and a medium order of fries. Again, the 50-gram fat recommendation is for the entire day. So a typical 300-pound person is going to have to drastically change their lifestyle to drop their fat intake probably to one-quarter of what they are used to.

An example of 10 grams of fat would be found in less than 1 Tablespoon of butter or oil, about 1 cup of whole milk, or a small hamburger---just check some of the food labels on candy bars or chips you have in your pantry. You'll need to skip almost every fat-containing junk food (chips, donuts, cookies, biscuits, milkshakes, candy bars, ice cream) to leave way for healthy foods that contain fat, such as an egg, a chicken breast, avocado, nuts, and fatty fish. If you can adopt the habit of limiting fat in your diet, you can lose weight with or without Alli.

Here's the kicker: If you eat additional fat and take Alli, the medication blocks the absorption of 25% of the fat you eat, and guess where the fat goes? It comes straight out the other end of your digestive tract. That's going to be the equivalent of a tablespoon of oil dribbling out each day, with nowhere else for it to go.

In fact, this side effect is one of the factors that keeps Alli users on track: They quickly find out what will happen when they over-eat fatty foods, so they avoid these foods and keep their fat intake low.
In reality, Alli is only going to keep 250 calories from fat out of your system when you stick to the 50-gram daily intake; this is just enough to lose 1/2 pound each week. But lowering your fat intake from 100 grams to 50 grams (even without the aid of a diet pill) will reduce your calorie intake by at least 450 calories--enough to lose nearly a pound each week. I say "at least" because the foods we eat that contain fat usually contain calories from carbohydrates, too, like donuts and cake and candy bars and ice cream.

The bottom line: If you are used to eating large amounts of fat on a daily basis, try reducing the fat in your diet. You can lose weight by doing this alone. If Alli helps as a gentle reminder to avoid extra fatty foods, then it may be the diet pill you've been looking for after all.

Should I Take B12 Shots?

Hi Laurie,
I'm a 58-year old man in good health. I don't take any medications, I eat relatively healthy, and stay active. Recently I've been getting tired easily and I wonder if B12 shots would help. I've heard people say they give you energy, but is this just another myth of a vitamin magically making you feel better? Do B12 shots really help?
Thanks, Jim S.

Hi Jim,
Good question, since vitamin B12 shots actually do help some individuals--those who can no longer absorb vitamin B12 when taken orally.

Vitamin B12 has a complicated absorption process. The acid normally present in the stomach is necessary for absorption of this vitamin, as is a healthy portion of the small intestine. So if a person has certain intestinal diseases or specific surgical procedures, they may not be able to absorb B12 from food, and they require monthly B12 shots to prevent a deficiency. 
Reduced stomach acid can occur from a long regimen of antacids, required by some people with GERD, reflux, or peptic ulcer disease. People with this set of circumstances may also require B12 shots. Normally, as people age they also produce less stomach acid. You may be approaching the age where there just isn't enough acid present to do a good job of absorbing B12.

If someone has a diet poor in Vitamin B12, such as a vegan (B12 is found only in animal products and vegans are vegetarians who consume no flesh, eggs, or dairy products), they could simply take a pill containing vitamin B12, so they would not require the vitamin in injectable form.

The first step to take is to see your doctor and describe your symptoms. There are different kinds of anemia (iron-deficient anemia is the most common) and other conditions that can cause fatigue (thyroid imbalance and other hormone level changes). Vitamin B12 will only help correct a B12 deficiency. If you are deficient in B12, aside from taking injections your physician may perform a series of diagnostic tests to find out why. These begin with a simple blood test, so it can be easy to determine whether B12 is involved or not.

Either way, a noticeable change in your usual physical condition warrants a check-up to rule out anything that might be serious, and to fix any number of conditions that can be easily treated to get you back to your usual active life.

Is "Eating for your Blood Type" a Good Diet?

I've been looking for some good diet advice so I can eat better and lose weight. There are so many different types of diets it's overwhelming. I'm wondering if there is any science to back them up. What is your opinion about "Eating for Your Blood Type"? Is this really science-based? This one in particular sounds a little flaky to me.
Thank You, Robert B.

Hi Robert,
There are a whole lot of diets out there that make no sense at all, and this is one of them. Following is a post from my blog "Balanced Diet, Balanced Life" which is a parody this diet deserves:

Undoubtedly you’ve heard of the popular book, “The Blood Type Diet”. In fact, blood types are identified in case you need to receive blood one day to prevent you from having a serious reaction. Period.
There is absolutely no significance of your blood type as it relateds to your diet, your food tolerances, allergies, or reactions to food! The fact that someone wrote a book called “Eating for Your Blood Type” is akin to writing a book called, “Eating for your Eye Color”. So, I will tell you now how to best eat for your eye color to help you lose weight:

There are groups of people who have blue eyes, others who have brown eyes and some who have green. If both of your parents have blue eyes, so will you--just as if both of your parents have type O blood, you will. Therefore, these characteristics can be seen among others in your family—just go ahead and ask them!

Okay, so first of all, any of you who have blue eyes, listen up! You have light colored eyes and you really like snacks; especially those high in carbohydrates. Am I right? You enjoy having a donut or coffee cake late in the morning. It acts as a real pick-me-up to keep you going until lunch time, and of course, donuts taste so good to you (because your eyes are blue!) You love having some chips or cookies in the afternoon from the vending machine. You just get a craving for something sweet or salty a couple of hours after lunch, and that little munchable treat satisfies you until dinner time. Finally, you often crave something to snack on in the evening while you are watching television. How do I know this? Your eyes are blue! Mine are too. I like to snack.
How can we lose weight? Here’s how: find a lower calorie substitute for the snacks you are presently consuming. There are fantastic 100 calorie snack bags so you can have a hostess mini-cake package late morning, some wheat thins or cheese nips in the afternoon, and a skinny cow ice cream bar in the evening. Yes, even though you have blue eyes and you like to snack, you can still lose weight --just get your snacking under control.

Now for those of you with brown eyes: you like sweets, especially chocolate. And you like peanut butter. Of course you do; I know that because your eyes are brown. I have friends with brown eyes—they like chocolate and peanut butter. So, you like to eat peanut M & M’s, snickers candy bars, chocolate ice cream with nuts in it, and other treats that have a lot of calories. This makes you gain weight. You gain weight when you eat chocolate and peanut butter because your eyes are brown! And because these are very high calorie foods. What can you do about it?

First of all, realize that liking chocolate or peanut butter is not really a physiological craving. You do not need chocolate. You just like it because it tastes good. You need to know that if you can wait until the craving passes and not wolf down a king-sized Snickers bar or double Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, you will be okay. For every 300 calories you can pass up (check the labels on those candy bars), you’ll lose three more pounds by the end of the month. This could be nine pounds a month if you’re indulging three times a day!

If you still want the taste (of course you do!) then learn to control the portions. Again, many of the 100 calorie snack bags are foods you would enjoy; chocolate covered pretzels, nutter-butter cookie crisps, and chocolate chip cookies. There are lower calorie brands of ice cream and you need to measure out a ½ cup portion when you eat it, instead of scooping ice cream into the bowl until it’s full (yes, I know that’s what you do, because your eyes are brown).

And, finally, we get to the smaller percentage of the population—those with pretty, green eyes. Unfortunately, you are predisposed to a taste for foods that have fat in them! This is unfortunate because fats have twice the calories of carbohydrates. You like donuts, potato chips, cakes, and pie. Cookies, brownies, and ice cream are also sources of fat, as well as sour cream, butter, and salad dressing. You have green eyes, so I know you are not someone who likes a dry baked potato or an undressed salad. You usually order French fries or a milkshake when you go out for fast food.

What can you do to get that weight off? Start limiting your portions of these foods. Write down everything you eat for a week. See how many times each day, on average, you indulge in one of these high fat foods. Now make the decision to reduce this to only one time a day, at most. If you have a donut, you do not also get a milkshake later that day; if you get fried fish you do not also have French fries; if you have pie after lunch you do not also get ice cream after dinner. You have green eyes: you need to find other ways to treat yourself during the day besides eating these high-fat foods!

To everyone with colored eyes, best of luck with your weight loss efforts! I’m confident you will be able to lose weight after you choose lower calorie snacks, reduce your portion sizes, decrease the calories consumed from treats, and find other ways to de-stress besides eating high-calorie foods.

I must add here, that this is a spoof, just in case someone believes these tips are true. The good news is these tips actually will work for you no matter what your eye color!

Have I gone too far? Let me know!!

I don't have time for breakfast

Hi,
I have a problem eating breakfast in the morning due to lack of time. I know it's a healthy start to the day and gives you lots of nutrients and all that, but even a bowl of cereal takes a good 10 minutes to pour, eat, and clean up. What's faster than that, besides driving through the fast food window and getting something unhealthy?
Justin R.

Hi Justin,
That has to be the number one reason people say they don't eat breakfast... they just don't have time. Who wants to get out of bed 10 minutes earlier just to scarf down a bowl of cereal?!
My answer is to make something you can eat in the car--probably how those great fast-food sandwiches became so popular. But if you have 10 minutes to sit in the drive-through lane, you'd have time to eat at home.

I like to pop some toast in the toaster oven while I'm grabbing my coffee and going to dry my hair. By the time I'm ready to leave, the toast is ready and still warm. I take a piece of cheese, slap it between the toast (and it might be an English Muffin or bagel for variety), and it's melted into a nice, hot breakfast sandwich before I'm backed out of the driveway.
I've also made French Toast on the weekends and saved some slices to toast-and-take on weekdays. Just pop the French Toast in the toaster and it's warm and ready to eat on your drive to work.

Having a breakfast with egg or cheese in it will provide some protein. This not only contributes to your daily protein intake, but helps your breakfast stay with you a bit longer. Plain carbohydrates or sweets (like grabbing a banana or pop-tart) may find you hungry within 2 hours and that can get annoying when you're at work and can't find a healthy snack to grab.

There are other quick breakfasts that you can take on your drive to work. Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink was made specifically for this purpose. It has added protein, vitamins and minerals to give you that nutritious start to your day.

String cheese is another snack that's easy to eat while you're driving, and you can just pre-bag a few whole grain crackers ahead of time to grab-n-go.

Some of the 'energy' or 'protein' bars are okay for breakfast too. They are definitely great for on-the-go, but compare the food labels to plain old candy bars, like a snickers, and you might not see much difference other than added vitamins (read: Take a vitamin pill and eat an Almond Joy... not so healthy).  Try to look for one with whole grain and less sugar, with protein added for staying power.
If you aren't concerned with your calorie intake (happy with your weight) you can choose one that has 300-350 calories. Otherwise, try to keep it under 200 calories and add a piece of fruit to keep you full for longer (fruit is a natural source of water and fiber, both of which help you feel more full for the short term).

Don't limit yourself to 'breakfast' foods either. If you're game for a pbj or turkey sandwich in the early am, go ahead and have a less traditional breakfast.

For more breakfast tips, order my e-book "Choosing The Best Breakfast" which covers most scenarios, including breakfast making you more hungry mid-morning, and not being hungry enough to eat early in the day. 

Why Do I Stay Fat?

For a change, today, I'm going to answer a question I haven't been specifically asked... but one many people ask themselves: Why Do I Stay Fat? 
I've had the pleasure of attending webinars by  Bill O'Hanlon, a professional mental health counselor, who has presented some ideas I find applicable for my weight-loss clients. He treats patients with depression and shows them how they continue to keep themselves depressed by their actions: they isolate themselves, stay in bed, avoid exercise, ruminate, and basically perpetuate their depression by keeping themselves in it. While the advice for people suffering from depression includes getting some exercise, fresh air, and human contact, he uses a "reverse psychology" technique, asking them, "Teach me how to be depressed. You are so good at being depressed and knowing how to stay there--if I wanted to learn to be depressed, what would you tell me to do?". The patients can realize their predicament as they explain how to stay depressed, telling Bill to 'stay inside, don't answer your phone so you won't even speak to people who reach out to you, remain in your bed clothes for most of the day and don't brush your hair or do anything to improve your appearance'. The light bulb goes off over their head as they see how they've been feeding their depression, and see that if they do the opposite they may help themselves out of their situation.

He asks his patients who are overweight the same thing: Teach me how to be fat. 
So let me ask you: You're an expert--you've been overweight for a long time now--if you wanted to explain to me how a person could stay heavy and not lose weight, what would you tell them?

Chances are, your list might look like this:
- "Take every opportunity to eat! Even if you aren't hungry, if someone has cookies or candy out, take advantage and eat it.
- When there is food left, finish it. Even if you've had enough for dinner--even when you feel stuffed!--be sure to have the rest of the food so it won't go to waste.
- Use high-calorie foods and cooking methods: Never bake or broil, but fry most of your food. And add butter or oil to everything you can.... potatoes, salad, bread, and even vegetables which are naturally low-calorie.
- Before bed time when you're relaxing, don't let this time go by without something to eat! You shouldn't have any down time when it comes to ingesting calories. A nice bowl of ice cream or a piece of cake will help you settle down to sleep.
- Never plan ahead when it comes to meals or snacks. If you bring your lunch to work it might be something portion-controlled or healthy. Wait until it's time to eat and then grab whatever is fast--it will usually be something from a fast-food restaurant and these are normally high-fat and high-calorie selections. They also don't have anything to choose from for side dishes except french fries or onion rings, so you'll be sure to get an extra 400-calorie item.
- Never cook your own meals at home! You can control your cooking methods and portion sizes when you do that. Eat all your meals in restaurants where they add lots of fat (read, calories!) to make the food taste extra rich and creamy. Always include a beverage like soda or sweet tea that has extra sugar-laden calories, and be sure to order dessert and not to split anything with anyone! Eat it all yourself and clean your plate!

The other side of the equation is exercise, of course. 
- Don't burn calories if you want to stay overweight! Never set foot in a gym. As a matter of fact, it helps not to even own a pair of comfortable shoes so you won't be tempted to walk very much.
- Use elevators and escalators instead of stairs, even when going down. Park as close as you can to your destination. Some stores have those riding carts so you don't even have to walk and push a shopping cart!
- And forget about doing anything remotely active: Don't ride a bike, play frisbee with your dog or catch with your kids; never pick up a tennis racket or go to a bowling alley.
- Automate everything you can: Riding mowers, snow blowers, leaf blowers, heck--pay the neighbor kid to rake leaves so you don't have any more activity than just sitting if you can help it!

You know, the list goes on. How do you stay fat? Keep doing things that increase your calorie intake and reduce any actions that result in burning calories. Make a list and post some of your ideas here to share!

When you realize what you're doing that's keeping you overweight, you'll be able to target some changes to make to get the weight loss results you've been looking for!