Were You More Naughty than Nice this Holiday Season?

The holidays are coming to a close. Oops. There may have been more parties than you thought. Even if you were trying to be careful, the goodies were glorious. And the food gifts! Wow. Trying each type of chocolate seemed like a good idea at the time.

If your clothes feel a little tighter and uncomfortable, don’t wait til January to take action. My number one tip is to get moving. Make every effort to go to the gym or get outside to walk or shovel snow. Set a goal to get 30-60 minutes of physical activity a day. No excuses. Physical activity is the best way to burn calories. 1-2 extra pounds every holiday season adds up over the years. Lose the extra weight ASAP.

Most likely, there may be some more holiday calories consumed in the next week or two, but increasing the physical activity will reduce the damage. Get back on track to your usual eating habits ASAP. Start the new year feeling and looking great.

The new District Attorney in Town

Imagine my surprise and delight bumping into Jackie Lacey, the newly elected Los Angeles District Attorney. She is the first woman to be elected District Attorney of Los Angeles. You go girl. Congratulations!
I am happy for her success and wish her all the best.

Get Ready to be a Loser

Coming soon: 30 videos for 30 days of The Food Is My Friend Diet. Make losing weight easy in 2013.

Enjoy The Food Is My Friend Diet like a vitamin. Read one chapter a day for 30 days to lose weight and get more energy. Learn for yourself how to eat smart to live long and healthy.

Check out the picture of these two turkeys from Arkansas.

Do they look relieved or what? Looks like they are chatting about the cool fall temperatures and how happy they are for dodging the Thanksgiving dinner table bullet.

Here Come the Holidays

Ready or not. The holidays are here. Do you want to gain weight, lose weight or maintain?

If you want to gain weight, go for it. Enjoy whatever you want. However.... Most people are watching their weight and prefer not to gain weight. It's too hard to lose!

Go into the holidays with a plan. Eat what you want but watch the portions. Weigh yourself once or twice a week. It's shocking to not pay attention to your weight and then all of a sudden be four or five pounds heavier.

My best tips are to make physical activity a priority, watch the amount of goodies, and focus on fruits and vegetables. Not only will fruits and vegetables fill you up, they are also healthy for you.  If this is your idea of a day's worth of fruits and vegetables, try a little harder.

Check out Day 22 Rethinking Special Occasions from The Food Is My Friend Diet to get you through the holiday season with ease.

Veterans Deserve Our Support

November 11^th is Veterans Day. Let’s take the time to remember the brave men and women who have served our country and honor those who serve us now.

Did you know that the largest population of homeless veterans live in Los Angeles? Just in Los Angeles there are over 8,000 veterans living on the streets. They don’t deserve to be hungry, homeless, without a job, or in need of services.

For thirty years New Directions, Inc. has provided transitional housing and comprehensive services for homeless veterans in Los Angeles County. At its annual fundraising dinner gala, I had the opportunity to meet Master of Ceremonies, Joe Mantegna. Besides being a talented actor and currently starring in the role of David Rossi in Criminal Minds, Joe Mantegna is a longtime military supporter. We salute your compassion and dedication.

Thank you veterans for your service and sacrifice to our great country. Be sure to watch the November 14^th episode of Criminal Minds.

Trying to Lose Weight with a Monkey on Your Back?

Sometimes losing weight can seem like a losing battle. However, once you set your mind to do something, no feat is impossible. Break down your situation into steps.

            What’s your motivation? (My stomach hangs over my pants)

       What are your triggers? (Eat chocolate while watching tv in the evening)

Solution: Get rid of the chocolate.

New Problem: Will eat anything.

Brain storm real issue: Why am I eating? (Oh. I am eating because I am lonely)

New Solution: Keep a journal and let it out. Keep no feeling inside. Talk to a friend. Arrange to get out of the house three times a week. (Walk at the mall after dinner).

Come up with a plan and write a solution for every problem. Life is a process. Every success is a step forward. Don’t let losing weight seem like a burden weighing you down. Pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. And keep starting over until you reach your goals. You are awesome. Losing weight is empowering.

Still Have Olympic Fever?

Were you inspired by the Summer Olympics to be more active? Now that the Olympics are behind us, are you still motivated?

The holidays are right around the corner. With the extra parties come extra goodies. There may be tasty treats too hard to resist. This season set a goal to not gain weight. You will be a lot happier in January. If you are going to eat a little more, make sure that you are a little more active. Find an activity that is fun. Try something that you have always wanted to try but haven’t. Go for it!

Dr Robert Post Improves the Health of Americans

Meet Dr. Robert Post, Deputy Director of the USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Dr. Post was a speaker at our annual convention (FNCE) in Philadelphia. He talked about the USDA’s campaign to “Make Half Your Grains Whole Grains” running September through December of this year. Oatmeal anyone?

Dr. Post has the important responsibility of managing national nutrition policy and promotion programs, including the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate. I am happy to say that The Food Is My Friend Diet uses these guidelines for its basic eating plan. Balance, Moderation, and Variety is the way to go.

Best-Selling Author Dr. Earl Mindell Shares Advice

Dr. Earl Mindell and I compared books at the latest meeting of the Book Publicists of Southern California. It was an honor to meet such an accomplished author.  Dr. Mindell is a worldwide best-selling author with over 50 books. Since 1976, The Vitamin Bible has sold 11 million copies and has been translated into 34 languages. Very impressive!

Have you ever had your vitamin D checked? Many people don't go out in the sun anymore to prevent skin cancer. Some of my clients, including me, had low levels. Vitamin D is important for bone health, as well as many other conditions. Follow the RDA for your age and take a supplement, if needed.

Working Out with Olympian Lashinda Demus

Working out with Olympian Lashinda Demus on a beach in Santa Monica was a wonderful experience, besides being great fun. A world record holder in the 400 meter hurdles gave me expert advice on how to run faster! It was awesome.

It got me to thinking. Where do you go for nutrition advice? The best place to get nutrition/weight loss advice is from a registered dietitian. We are the experts in the field of nutrition.

Do you have trouble losing weight? Think like an Olympic athelete. With a goal and hard work, you can achieve whatever you want to do.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to have met Lashinda and will always treasure the memory. Her focus and determination is an inspiration. All the best to Lashinda as she heads off to London to compete in the 2012 Olympics.

Run like the wind Lashinda and bring home the gold!

1 cookie. 1 portion?

This cookie may be the right size for the Cookie Monster, but it may not be appropriate for someone trying to lose weight. Believe it or not. This cookie is 390 calories.

When you are trying to lose weight, it's really important to read the label to check the number of calories and serving size. Otherwise, you might be eating more calories than you think and feel frustrated when you can't lose weight.

Even though this is only one cookie, the Serving Size is 2-3 cookies. A great book that tells you everything you want to know about decoding food labels is Read It Before You Eat It by Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA,RD, CDN.

Have you ever been surprised by a food label?

Anita Reinsma is losing weight with The Food Is My Friend Diet

Meet Anita Reinsma. She is the author of STOP Waiting for Prince Charming! He's Already Married to Bob. Since Anita wants to lose weight and eat something besides one saltine a day, she chose to follow The Food Is My Friend Diet. So far, so good. Anita likes the style of writing and the information. She will be videotaping her progress and sharing her experiences with the world.

If you eat a double helping of Fritos as your main course, you are not alone. There may be some underlying emotional issues that prevent you from making healthier choices. The Food Is My Friend Diet has all the answers. Join Anita and get on board with her new lifestyle. Learn how to lose weight without suffering or feeling deprived.

Whether you want to lose weight for health reasons or to flirt your face off, achieve your diet, fitness, and health goals with The Food Is My Friend Diet.

Good luck Anita. You go girl!

Burbank Sherpa Ruth Frechman takes Nepal girls for a hike

Who needs to climb Mount Everest when you have Wildwood Canyon in Burbank? On a recent hike I brought two sisters from Nepal with me. As their guide and “Sherpa”, I gave Pujah and Sharchana a tour of the hot spots in Burbank and concluded with my favorite hike in Burbank. Little did I know, I would be the one who gained knowledge.

For sixteen years the girls lived in a Nepalese refugee camp. Survival was day by day. Danger was everywhere, ranging from cobras to wild elephants to disease. Their living conditions were far from a 5-star hotel. They lived in a hut with bamboo walls. The wind and rain would frequently blow off the thatched roof, drenching them. Food was scarce and cooked over a wood burning fire in their hut. Breakfast was tea and rice. Lunch and dinner was a curry dish made with rice and lentils. They drank water and occasionally added yogurt to it. Sources of protein were few and far between. They ate catfish around three times a month; chicken once a month; and red meat once a year. They grew some vegetables and ate bananas, mangoes, and papayas. By the way, their favorite foods in the US are Chow Mein and cheese pizza.

Our time together was way too short, but I am grateful for having met them. After our hike I dropped the girls off at hotel in downtown LA where the girls received awards from the Peace and Justice Committee of the California Teachers Association for their social activism. In the four years that the girls have been in California with their family, they learned English, went to school, and had jobs. Both of them are going to college next year. It was inspiring to hear their stories, and I wish them all the best for a successful and happy future.

Meeting Michael Chiarello at his restaurant Bottega in Napa Valley

What a wonderful surprise running into award-winning, celebrity chef, Michael Chiarello, in front of his popular restaurant, Bottega, in Napa Valley last week. He is very gracious, and it was a pleasure to meet him.
Napa valley in Northern California is a mecca for fine wine and fabulous food. However, no one had to tell me. I found out for myself. While I was there, I learned about grapeseed oil. It has a high smoke point and a nice flavor. And it takes A LOT of grape seeds to make a bottle of oil.