Confessions of a Nutritionist

This happens often to me: I'm in a restaurant with a group of friends and we are ready to place our orders. Inevitably someone looks at me and says "even though YOU'RE here I'm STILL going to order the French fries." They say it as if to excuse themselves from a nasty little secret they've been hiding. They also say it as though I'm judging them, as if-because I'm a nutritionist -- I've never had a French fry in my life or that I look with horror upon those who are weak enough to succumb to a plate of crispy fingerlike trans fats.

The other scenario in my life is when I'm at lunch with other nutritionists. We order food from a menu as if it's a duel-a showdown at sunset. We sit across from each other, we eye the menu, then eye each other, then order. When the food comes, we avoid the croutons (not even one), the grains the salt, the bread, the sweetened drinks, the seasonings. It's a battle to the finish as to who can have the healthiest albeit most boring meal. I sometimes wonder how many of us in this profession have meals like that and then afterwards, in a safe room at home, quickly devour a snickers bar.

It's true that, as a nutritionist I really do try to practice what I preach. But, like everyone else, I love indulgences like ice cream, fries and lattes. So I thought it might be time to come clean, in a sense, and "fess" up to some of my own weaknesses. But I also thought I'd offer some ways that I use to stay on healthy and on track:

I love warm bread at restaurants. I rarely turn it away. What I do: I enjoy it. Period. Then, the next day, I start all over with my routine. I usually have a protein shake in the morning, which is healthy, full of good protein plus vitamins and other nutrients. This puts me in the right frame of mind for the rest of the day.

My kids are bad eaters. I have a 6 year old and a 5 year old and they are about as picky as you can get: hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and Spaghettios are their favorites (I cringe at the last one). No vegetables except carrots and corn. What I do: I sneak in nutrition every chance I get: I grind up fresh flax seeds and subversively mix them into a jelly sandwich; I add extra powdered probiotics (that's the good bacteria that you find in yogurt) into yogurts and yogurt shakes; I serve berries or fruits with every meal. I buy brands, like Applegate Farms -- found at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's--that do not contain nitrites. I avoid high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils as best I can. But most of all, I talk to them: about healthy food and about how bad foods make you sick (sometimes I admit I threaten them with "you don't want to go to the doctor and maybe get a shot or something do you?).And they listen.

I don't like the gym. While I know the importance of resistance training (builds muscle to burn calories and lowers stress hormones, among other bonuses) I have very little motivation to head to the gym. Most of the time it's because I find it boring and am subjected to Sportscenter. What I do: I play. Tennis, that is. Finding a sport that you like that works all muscle groups is a great way to avoid the gym blahs. Find a class, like jazzercise, for instance, which incorporates dancing, aerobic activity and weight training. Have fun with exercise. If you do, you'll be more likely to stay with it and look forward to it, instead of dreading it. Some other strategies: I also park far away in the grocery store parking lot, and walk briskly. I take the stairs instead of the elevator. I look for ways to add more "steps" to my day so that I am burning calories and potentially increasing my heart rate or working muscles. I still pick up my kids (I imagine they'll have an issue with it when I'm still attempting to pick them up they are 15 years old).

When I'm on vacation, I'm off duty. This means that anything goes and I do not police myself. Vacations are meant to be enjoyed. What I do: I remember that I'm on vacation and I want to feel good on vacation. Sugar makes me cranky and tired; fries make my stomach hurt and make me sluggish, alcohol drags me down. So I keep in mind that I will feel better and enjoy my vacation more if I limit my indulgences. I also try to increase activity to burn off any additional calories.

I don't have a turn off switch when it comes to pizza. Dairy is one of those foods that is extremely addicting, and many of my clients admit to having a full fledged relationship with cheese. Cows actually make casomorphines in their livers , which is a morphine - like substance that makes us happy. When we don't get that morphine-like hit, we get depressed. No wonder cheese is considered a comfort food. What I do: I order a salad along with my pizza and make sure to eat the salad first. When I'm finally ready for the pizza palooza, I usually eat only 2 slices because I'm already half full.

I have a sweet tooth. Sugar is a socially acceptable addiction and, unlike an addiction such as alcohol, we tend to publicly reward ourselves regularly with sweets, using sugar as a best friend, a comfort, a mouthpiece when we can't express ourselves and a replacement for love. But sugar is downright insidious, and creeps into our lives just the way alcohol might. Having a sweet tooth means having to have a constant check on how much and when. What I do: limit sweets to the weekends, and to one place and one moment in time. If I'm going to have a brownie, I have one, in the kitchen (no wandering around the house and mindlessly indulging), and I sit down and eat it. Roaming around the house with a chocolate chip cookie may be a signal that I'm less hungry for food and more hungry for company, or a better mood. So I try to pay attention to my mood at the moment I'm reaching for the sugar.

So there you have it: some of my own strategies and philosophies for managing food and activity in the 21st century. I'd love to hear yours. Drop me a note at smnutriton@rcn.com. And remember, if you're out enjoying yourself at dinner and someone is eyeing YOU, wondering what you'll eat next, throw caution to the wind and eat the croutons.