Well, Fall is officially here and cooler weather (thank heavens) followed. With cooler weather and more darker days, many reach for a cup of coffee to give us a little perk and warm up.  While coffee, black, does not include any calories or fat, most of us do not drink our cup of Joe without a little non-dairy creamer to give it that smooth, sweet taste.  Just be careful: those sneaky devils have hidden calories, sugar, saturated fat, and trans fat that can add up fast! 

Here are 2 things to be wary of when buying creamers:

• Portion size: The serving size listed on non-dairy creamers is 1 teaspoon and that serving only has 10 calories.  So, initially you might think that creamers are not contributing too many extra calories.  But how many teaspoons of creamer do you use in your coffee?  Not many people use only one teaspoon.  On average people use 1-2 tablespoons (3-6 teaspoons!), which turns the 10 calories/serving into 30-60 calories for a cup of coffee.   
• Partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats): If a food has less then 0.5 grams of fat per serving, food companies are allowed to round that number down to zero.  But if the serving size is small like in creamers and you use a lot of servings, that number can start to matter. Even 0.1 grams of trans fats multiplied by six, three times a day becomes 1.8 grams/day. If the amount was 0.4 grams that would become 7.2 grams/day! 

So when you reach for that cup of coffee, make sure to measure your creamer... you may be pleasantly surprised what a difference it can make!

If you have some topics you would love to see posted or a testimonial about your success you would like to share, just email us at peakmarketing@peaknutritionandweightloss.com and we would love to hear them! 

by Theresa Schroeder, MPH, RD, LDN

10 Easy Tips to Burn Calories at Work

When you're loading your plate up for the first (and second, and possibly third) time, keep in mind that less is more - whether that means smaller servings or vegetables with fewer unhealthy "add-ins" (think fat, salt, and sugar).

Check out the table below for a side-by-side comparison of some of Thanksgiving's most common vegetable side dishes (recipes from Betty Crocker, French's, Betty Crocker, and Libby's, respectively); and remember, there are several ways to modify all four of these dishes to make them each a little healthier.

Bear in mind, these numbers are reflective of one serving of each of these dishes (one half cup of candied yams, one half cup of green casserole, one half cup of mashed potatoes with two tablespoons of gravy, and a one-eighth sized slice of pumpkin pie).

If you're in charge of a dish this year, one of the biggest modifications you can make to create a healthier option is to cook with low-fat/fat free milk or milk products (like light whipping cream for the mashed potatoes and skim evaporated milk for the pumpkin pie). Additionally, using fresh or frozen (as opposed to canned) vegetables will decrease the sodium content of your dish dramatically - and including healthy add-ins (like orange juice in the candied yams) can actually boosts the amount of vitamins and/or minerals your dish offers per serving. Finally, as yummy as deep-dish is, using a smaller pie crust will [obviously] decrease the guilt of a second slice of pie.

If you aren't in control of your side dish options this year, skip the mashed potatoes, take [guilt-free] seconds of the yams (which offer the best bang-for-your-buck), and have a happy, happy Thanksgiving!!

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. "

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