Time to Lose Weight
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Catch Healthy Habits in the New Year
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You’ve made yet another New Year’s resolution to lose those holiday pounds, but do you really have a strategy to do so? If you really want to stick to your plan this year, maybe it’s time to think like a grade schooler and catch some healthy habits.
For example, can you learn to love a snack of celery instead of soda and cookies? Maybe so, if you try it topped with low-fat cream cheese and raisins, a treat known to kids as Ants on a Log. Cubes of cheese and cut-up fruit speared on toothpicks become Dynamite Sticks. Graham crackers, low-fat cottage cheese, raisins and a touch of cinnamon combine to create Cracker Delight.
“Breaking old habits, such as automatically reaching for the same sweet snack foods, is tough,” admitted Marcia Kerz, president of The OASIS Institute, a national education organization. “Most of us are reluctant to change, especially if it means giving up the things we love to eat. So the key to keeping your New Year’s resolution is to make healthy foods fun by combining different tastes and giving snacks unusual names. We’ve shown that it works for both kids and adults all over the country.”
CATCH Healthy Habits is sponsored by the OASIS Institute, which partners with local schools, youth clubs and other organizations to bring the program to area children. Locally, CATCH Healthy Habits is operated by the Senior Services of Albany and funded by a grant from the Empire BlueCross Foundation.
The program pairs adult volunteer ages 50 and older with children in kindergarten through the fifth grade to encourage healthier eating and physical activity. Weekly one-hour sessions include active games, healthy snacks and education about food choices that will help anyone reach their goals.
“CATCH Healthy Habits focuses on learning the differences among WHOA, SLOW and GO foods,” said Kerz. WHOA foods are those that contain a lot of salt, unhealthy fats or added sugars and should be avoided. SLOW foods are somewhat healthier and may include lower fat milks, white bread and rice, pancakes, and fruits canned in light syrup. Best of all are GO foods that contain very little salt, unhealthy fats or added sugars—sometimes none at all. Examples of GO foods include fruits and vegetables, foods made with whole grains, broiled fish, baked chicken and lean meats.
“If each of us asked ourselves whether we are looking at a Whoa, Slow or Go food before we take a bite, odds are we’ll be more selective in what we eat,” said Ethel Graber, VP and GM, Empire BlueCross. “That’s the first step to a healthier lifestyle.
“Nearly one in three children in this country are overweight or obese, and obesity rates for older adults have doubled in the last 30 years,” she added. “A decline in physical activity and unhealthy eating styles are the principal causes. Through programs like CATCH Healthy Habits, we hope to teach people of all ages that they can improve their food choices and still enjoy what they are eating.”
EXAMPLES OF WHOA, SLOW AND GO FOODS
Food Groups
|
Examples of WHOA Foods
|
Examples of Slow Foods
|
Examples of Go Foods
|
Vegetables
|
 | Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables made with solid fats |
| Fried battered vegetables |
| Fried potatoes, fried French fries, fried hash browns |
|
| Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables made with vegetable oils |
| Vegetables with salt and/or sugar added |
| Baked French fries and hash browns |
| 100% vegetable juice |
|
| Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables with no salt, sugar, or fat added, or with a small amount of salt* added |
| 100% low-sodium vegetable juice |
|
| Fruits & Fruit Juices |
|
| Fruits canned in heavy syrup |
| Fruit roll-ups |
|
| Fruits canned in light syrup |
| Fruits with sugar and/or salt added |
| Sherbet, sorbet |
| Frozen fruit juice bars and smoothies with added sugar |
| Dried fruit with added sugar |
|
| Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits with no sugar or salt added, or with a small amount of salt* added |
| 100% fruit juice |
| Frozen 100% fruit juice bars and smoothies |
| Dried fruit (such as raisins, figs, dates, apricots, plums) |
|
Grains
|
| Croissants |
| Biscuits |
| Sweet rolls |
| Doughnuts |
| Muffins, waffles, pancakes, and French toast made with solid fats |
| Fried rice |
| High-sugar cereals made with refined grains |
| Granola made with solid fats |
| Potato chips, cheese puffs, corn chips |
| Cookies |
| Cakes |
| Popcorn made with solid fats and flavored popcorn |
|
| White bread, buns, rolls, |
| bagels, tortillas, pita |
| bread |
| Cornbread |
| Muffins, waffles, pancakes, and French toast made with vegetable oils |
| Pasta made with refined flour |
| White rice |
| Low-sugar cereals made with refined grains |
| Granola made with vegetable oils |
| Instant oatmeal |
| Low-fat crackers made with refined grains |
| Tortilla chips |
| Baked potato chips |
| Pretzels |
| Animal crackers made with refined flour |
| Vanilla wafers |
| Cereal/fruit bars |
| Popcorn made with vegetable oils and/or salt |
|
| Whole-grain bread, buns, rolls, bagels, tortillas, and pita bread |
| Pasta made with whole-grain |
| Brown rice |
| Wild rice |
| Whole-grain, low-sugar cereals (such as toasted oats, shredded wheat, oatmeal, muesli) |
| Low-fat whole-grain crackers |
| Baked tortilla chips |
| Whole-grain animal crackers |
| Graham crackers |
| Air-popped popcorn with no salt added |
|
Dairy
|
| Whole milk Flavored 2% (reduced-fat) milk |
| Milkshakes |
| Whole-milk yogurt |
| Processed cheese |
| Cream cheese |
| Cheese sauce |
| Cottage cheese (whole-milk) |
| Sour cream |
| Ice cream |
| Pudding made with 2% or whole milk |
| Cheesecake |
| Frozen yogurt |
| Gelato |
|
| Flavored fat-free or 1% milk |
| Fat-free/low-fat yogurt |
| Natural cheeses (Colby, cheddar, Swiss) |
| Cottage cheese (2% or reduced-fat) |
| Low-fat cheese sauce |
| Low-fat cream cheese |
| String cheese |
| Low-fat sour cream |
| Non-fat or low-fat frozen yogurt |
| Low-fat ice cream |
| Pudding made with skim or 1% milk |
|
Fat-free (skim/nonfat) milk
1% (low-fat) milk
Non-fat dry milk
Fat-free or low-fat plain or 100% fruit juice-sweetened yogurt
Part-skim natural cheese
Low-fat (1%) cottage cheese
|
Meat, Beans & Eggs
|
| Beans, peas, and lentils made with solid fats |
| Baked beans, canned |
| Pork and beans, canned |
| Peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, and pistachios with added salt, sugar, and/or fat |
| Peanut butter and other nut butters with added salt, sugar, and/or fat |
| Eggs fried in solid fats |
| Fried fish, shellfish, and fish sticks |
| Fried chicken |
| Fried chicken nuggets |
| Regular ground beef |
| Regular hamburgers |
| Ribs |
| Bacon |
| Ham hock |
| Pork skins |
| Hot dogs |
| Pepperoni |
| Sausage |
| Beef jerky |
| Bologna |
| Salami |
| Chorizo |
| Pastrami |
|
| Beans, peas, and lentils with vegetable oils |
| Refried beans |
| Hummus |
| Falafel |
| Peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios with no added salt, sugar, or fat |
| Natural peanut butter |
| Eggs fried in vegetable oil |
| Baked breaded fish, shellfish, fish sticks |
| Tuna canned in oil |
| Chicken and turkey with skin (baked, grilled, or broiled) |
| Breaded baked chicken and turkey |
| Baked chicken nuggets |
| Ground chicken and turkey |
| Lean ground beef |
| Regular cuts of beef (brisket, T-bone, chuck roast) |
| Lean ham |
| Canadian bacon |
| Regular cuts of pork (pork roast, ham) |
| “Veggie” burger |
| Luncheon meats (chicken, turkey, ham) |
| Low-fat hot dogs |
|
| Beans (such as pinto, black, red, garbanzo), peas (such as black-eyed, split, purple hull), and lentils – with no salt or fat added, or with a small amount of salt* added |
| Pumpkin and sunflower seeds with no added salt, sugar, or fat |
| Whole eggs |
| Egg whites |
| Egg Substitute |
| Fish and shellfish – baked, grilled or |
| broiled |
| Tuna canned in water |
| Chicken and turkey |
| without skin |
| Lean cuts of beef |
| Extra-lean ground beef |
| Ground beef that has been drained and rinsed |
| Lean cuts of pork (pork chops or tenderloin – |
| without fat) |
|
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