Do you struggle with gaining weight?

This post is sponsored by Potatoes USA-Philippines. All opinions are mine and values for nutrition information are based from the USDA Food Data Central and product’s nutrition facts panel.

While my contents are mostly about obesity and how to lose weight, I read your comments and I understand that there are also some of you who struggle with gaining weight.

If you want to gain weight or at least prevent further weight loss, here are my tips on how to increase the calorie content of your meals / snacks:

  • Instead of plain rice, go for Egg Fried Rice.
  • Instead of eating plain bread, add cheese, sandwich spreads, nut butter, olive oil or butter.
  • Instead of eating plain boiled potato, kamote or saba, go for potato/camote fries or banana cue.
  • Snack on dried fruits such as raisins, prunes, and dried mangoes.
  • Add dried fruits and nuts to yogurts, oatmeal or champorado.
  • Drink nutritious high-calorie smoothies

Snacking in between meals is a good way of increasing your daily calorie intake. If you are always on the go and don’t have time to sit down for a snack, high-calorie smoothies can definitely help.

Here is a smoothie recipe I thought you’d want to try:

Potato Apple Cinnamon Smoothie

  • 3 tbsp dehydrated potato granules
  • ½ cup sweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 dash cinnamon powder
  • Ice cubes
  1. Combine everything in a blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.

This smoothie contains body-building protein and energy-giving carbohydrates. A diet with adequate carbohydrates spares protein from being used as your energy source thereby allowing your body to use protein for muscle building.

Hence, it’s important that your smoothie contain enough protein as well as carbohydrates if your goal is to gain weight. Also, a little bit of fat from milk can help you further increase your total calorie intake needed for healthy weight gain.

One last tip:

Resistance training can definitely help you build those muscles and curves. This smoothie is rich in potassium and contains 75% of your daily vitamin C needs. This means that this drink is perfect as pre- or post-workout fueling as well.

Let’s drink up and bulk up. Enjoy!

Each serving contains:

  • 349 Calories
  • 74 grams Carbohydrates
  • 11.5 grams Protein
  • 3.5 grams Fiber
  • 454 mg Potassium
  • 52.6 mg Vitamin C
  • 9 grams Fat (10% of total calories)
  • 114.3 mg Sodium
  • 27 mg Cholesterol
  • 31.5 grams Sugar

For more potato recipes, visit www.potatogoodness.ph.

#potatonutrition #USPotatoPower #potatoesusaphl #potatopower

Debunking Myths About Carbs and Weight Gain

This post is sponsored by Potatoes USA-Philippines. All opinions are mine.

Myth 1: You gain weight when you eat carbs

Fact 1:

When you exercise and eat adequate carbohydrates, you may experience weight gain due to glycogen being stored (along with water) into your muscles, liver, and brain [1].

Glycogen is not bad – it serves as stored fuel that your body can use when needed such as
during endurance exercises.

Fact 2:

Energy intake that exceeds energy expenditure (energy surplus) is the main driver of weight gain [2].

Carbohydrates, along with protein and fat, are energy-giving nutrients, aka “macros” (short for macronutrients).

It is the total energy or calorie surplus that causes weight gain, not just carbohydrate intake. Therefore, any excess in calories, be it from carbohydrates, protein, or fat, or a combination of the three, can cause weight gain.

Therefore, when you gain weight:

  1. You may be gaining glycogen and not necessarily fat.
  2. It may not be just because of carbohydrates alone but because of your energy or calorie intake from protein and fat as well.

Studies show that people who eat adequate good-quality carbohydrates tend to be in better shape [3] than those who are on low-carbohydrate diets [4].

Good quality carbohydrates contain other important nutrients and fiber, such as:

  • Whole grain cereals – brown/red rice, rolled oats, corn
  • Vegetables and fruits
  • Root crops and tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, ube, and gabi.

1 medium-size potato (148 grams) provides about 110 calories and contains about 26 grams of complex carbohydrates with 2 grams of fiber. It also contains essential nutrients such as potassium and vitamin C, plus 3 grams of protein. On its own, it contains zero fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

This shows that not all carbohydrates are equal. When you are trying to manage your weight, go for carbohydrates-rich foods that are both nutritious and satisfying.

Remember,

  • You don’t need to give up carbs to lose weight
  • You need adequate carbs especially if you are physically active
  • Eating high-fiber carbohydrate-rich foods can help you lose weight and keep the weight off.

References:

[1] Murray & Rosenbloom (2018). Fundamentals of glycogen metabolism for coaches and athletes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6019055/

[2] Romieu et al (2017). Energy balance and obesity: what are the main drivers? https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10552-017-0869-z

[3] Dam & Seidell (2007). Carbohydrate intake and obesity. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17992188/

[4] Merchant et al (2009). Carbohydrate Intake and Overweight and Obesity among Healthy Adults. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3093919/

*For potato recipes, visit www.potatogoodness.ph.

#potatonutrition #USPotatoPower #potatoesusaphl #potatopower

Top 5 reasons why people gain weight

Top 5 reasons why people gain weight (based on my experience in nutrition counseling):

  1. Work
  2. Got married / Had kids
  3. Pandemic
  4. Stress
  5. Low budget for “healthy foods”

This shows that the reasons behind unwanted weight/fat gain may NOT be entirely under our control. There are major life events and unavoidable situations that affect our food intake and physical activities. 

Yet, we often look at CARBS as the main reason for our weight gain. Because of this mindset, we

  • avoid rice, breads, pasta and potatoes
  • stop eating fruits
  • blame ourselves for our lack of control.

While it is good that we recognize the negative health consequences of obesity and strive to stay within healthy weight, avoiding one food group altogether may deprive us of key nutrients we need to stay healthy. Depriving ourselves can make our food habits unstable, leading to more food cravings and weight gain.

How about we re-frame our mindset about food and look at our weight from a more caring perspective?

For example, my clients often tell me “Potatoes are carbs and therefore I should stop eating them”. What we do is we shift the mindset into something more positive:

“Potatoes contain carbs along with fiber, vitamin C, potassium and protein. I can eat these whenever I want, together with other nutritious foods in moderation. This way, I can keep myself in good health, whether I gain weight or not.”

This is what BALANCE is about:

Accept that life is tough and we need to stay in shape so we can face life’s challenges.

At the same time, we need delicious foods so we can experience the beauty of life.

Also, it’s already February! So, let’s celebrate Love Month with more self-love, ok? ?

This post is sponsored by Potatoes USA-Philippines. All opinions are mine.

For potato recipes, visit www.potatogoodness.ph.

#potatonutrition #USPotatoPower #potatoesusaphl #potatopower

How to Get BACK in Shape After the Holidays Part 2

Want to improve your SHAPE, i.e., lose body fat and retain muscle mass?

Diet + Resistance exercise is the best strategy compared to diet alone or Diet + Endurance exercise, according to a meta-analysis of 66 studies! [1]

Last week we talked about getting back to a healthier diet after the holidays through nutrition, now let me share with you my handy set of exercise tips to help you get back in SHAPE:

S – Spice it up

  • If you are getting bored of your exercise routine, spice things up a little by incorporating something new. For example, you can try listening to music (or a new playlist if you already do) or do your exercise in a different (bit still safe) place with a different view. What’s important is you don’t let boredom stop you from achieving consistency.

H – Hindrances won’t stop you

  • Hindrances won’t be hindrances if you are able to anticipate them. For example, if you plan on taking a jog outside, have a plan B in mind in case it’s going to rain. Your dog chewed your running shoe? (Happened to me once!) Then do yoga or pilates instead. There, no more excuses. 

A – Ask the right people

  • Yes, the answer to your sports and exercise nutrition-related question is just a few clicks away from the internet, but keep in mind that not all information you get are correct, safe and right for you. Dietitians are specialists in food in relation to health. They are legally regulated healthcare professionals so you can trust that you are getting sound nutrition advice based on latest scientific evidence when you ask a dietitian. And oh, some of us do exercise, too!

P – Progress

  • 5000 steps today? Set your mind to doing 6000 steps next week. Danced for 30 minutes? Next time try doing core exercises after your dance. Woke up at 8am today? Tomorrow try waking up 5 minutes earlier and a 5-minute yoga. Keep challenging yourself. Remember, progress is progress no matter how small.

E – Enjoy

  • No matter how effective your regimen is, if it doesn’t “spark joy” or worse, it makes you feel miserable, then you might have to look for another strategy. For example, high intensity exercises can be fun for some but if it makes you feel like throwing up or doesn’t make you look forward to your next exercise session, then it may not be for you. If you don’t enjoy it, there’s a good chance you will not be able to stick to it long enough to make it a habit.

Speaking of joy, one thing that sparks joy for us exercisers is the post-workout snack! So, to help you look forward to every workout, here is a post-workout smoothie that contains the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and potassium to help you maximize recovery after a tiring resistance training session:

Potato Protein Smoothie

Wait, wait, wait. Potato in a post-exercise smoothie? Why though?

  • Most of us think that we only need protein in the form of protein powders/supplements post workout. But, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and American College of Sports Medicine, a post-workout snack that contains both carbohydrates and protein can help you build more muscle mass compared to just having protein in your recovery snack [2]. So, let’s get back to my smoothie recipe, shall we? ?

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon dehydrated potato granules
  • ½ piece frozen banana (add ice cubes if you forgot to freeze your banana)
  • ½ scoop or 15 grams protein powder (chocolate flavor)
  • 1 cup soy milk

Combine everything in a blender. Blend until smooth. Done!

Each serving contains:

  • 285 Calories
  • 41 grams Carbohydrates
  • 21 grams Protein
  • 2.3 grams Fiber
  • 454 mg Potassium
  • 25.3 mg Vitamin C
  • 7.6 grams Fat (11% of total calories)
  • 270 mg Sodium
  • 2.5 mg Cholesterol
  • 12.8 grams Sugar

Have fun getting in shape and enjoy your post-workout treat!

This post is sponsored by Potatoes USA-Philippines. All opinions are mine. References are cited below and values for nutrition information are based from the Philippine Food Composition Tables, USDA Food Data Central and product’s nutrition facts panel.

Reference:

[1] Clark JE (2015). Diet, exercise or diet with exercise: comparing the effectiveness of treatment options for weight-loss and changes in fitness for adults (18–65 years old) who are overfat, or obese; systematic review and meta-analysis. J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2015; 14: 31. doi: 10.1186/s40200-015-0154-1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4429709/

[2] D. T. Thomas, K. A. Erdman and L. M. Burke, “Nutrition and Athletic Performance,” Medicine and science in sports and exercise, pp. 543-568, 2016. 

For potato recipes, visit www.potatogoodness.ph.

#potatonutrition #USPotatoPower #potatoesusaphl #potatopower

How to Get BACK in Shape After the Holidays Part 1

How to get B-A-C-K in shape after the holidays:

B – Begin with specific goals

  • Start by setting goals that you want to achieve in terms of your health or health behaviors. For example: “By the end of 2022, I will be cooking my own meals at least once a day during weekdays”. I prefer being specific with my goals because I realized that writing down “I will try to be healthy this year” just doesn’t work.

A – Take Action

  • Even if you have written the smartest goal, if you don’t take action, nothing will happen. So, as soon as you have visualized what you want to achieve, take the necessary action and commit to it. For example, if your goal is to eat better, plan your meals now and search for healthy recipes online, go to the grocery tomorrow and cook a healthy dinner. Write down your goals and strategies now AND take them into action as soon as you can.

C – Be Consistent

  • Similar to a quote by James Clear, getting in shape is not a once-in-a-lifetime transformation but rather a product of daily habits. So, taking action once is not enough. Cooking your meals for one day is not enough. Consistency is king as it helps you build habits, be it daily, thrice a week, weekly or monthly – as long as you do it on a strategically regular basis. For example, cook one meal a day for 4 days every week. Once a strategy becomes a habit, it will take less resistance for you to do it. Motivated or not, keep going.

K – Keep it simple

  • Speaking of resistance, one of the reasons why we stop doing what we started is because we later on realize that our strategies are too difficult, restrictive, expensive or time-consuming. So, as you start, keep your actions simple. For example, if your goal is to cook more often, then search for easy recipes that include minimal, affordable and available ingredients. This way, you’d feel that the benefits of a healthy habit outweigh the cost – time, money, effort – of doing it.

Speaking of affordable and available ingredients, I have been writing and talking a lot about potatoes because:

  1. Some of my posts are sponsored by Potatoes-USA-Philippines (shoutout and thank you @potatoesusaph) and
  2. My advocacy has always been about making good nutrition accessible to Filipinos and this makes potatoes fit into what I am passionate about. Potatoes are:

Affordable – their price hasn’t increased significantly during the pandemic

Available – they are always available in local markets, supermarkets, groceries and online, and

All-around – they can be boiled, fried, roasted, or baked. They can be made crunchy, soft or chunky.

They can be bought fresh, frozen, or dehydrated. They fit well into basic Pinoy dishes or American/Western dishes if you’re feeling extra.

So, to help you start 2022 towards the right direction,

Begin with setting specific goals, Act on them, be Consistent and Keep things simple.

Incorporate simple and nutritious ingredients such as potatoes in your meal preps as part of a healthy diet.

Remember, a healthy diet means:

Balanced – having the right mix of carbs, protein, fats, vitamins and minerals plus fiber

Moderation – because too much of a good thing can still be bad

Variety – aside from potatoes, don’t forget to include other nutritious starches, fruits, vegetables, protein foods and healthy fats and oils.

Let’s bring sexy (and strong) BACK this 2022.

Stay tuned for Part 2 ?

This post is sponsored by Potatoes USA Philippines. All opinions are mine.

For potato recipes, visit www.potatogoodness.ph.

#potatonutrition #USPotatoPower #potatoesusaphl #potatopower

Potato Recipe for Christmas Left-Overs

Creamy Holiday Potato Soup

You might already be looking forward to the holidays – the festive foods shared with the people we love.

But, after the festivities, here goes the inevitable Noche Buena leftovers that sometimes stay in the fridge for days. By then, we are too tired to cook another elaborate dish or umay na with Christmas foods.

Potatoes USA-Philippines sent me potato goodies to try and when I saw the dehydrated potato flakes, I had a lightbulb recipe moment – why not cook something that utilizes the leftovers and warm me up for these chilly days? And so, I came up with:

Creamy Holiday Potato Soup – a quick and easy potato soup that utilizes holiday food leftovers and a perfect post-celebration comfort food.

I have always been wanting to cook creamy potato soup, but I get discouraged by the extra step of blending the potatoes. With this recipe using dehydrated potatoes, it’s so surprisingly easy to make – no extra equipment needed, and I was done in about 20 minutes! 

Cheers!

Creamy Holiday Potato Soup

No of servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups dehydrated potato flakes
  • 2 slices Christmas ham, diced
  • 1 cup Queso de bola, grated
  • 1 cup Evaporated milk
  • ½ pc White onion, minced
  • 1 cube Chicken broth
  • 1 tsp Black pepper, ground 3 cups water

Preparation:

  1. Sauté diced ham and onion.
  2. Add water and boil. Add milk.
  3. Add potato flakes, cheese and ground pepper.
  4. Mix well for 3-5 minutes until thick, stirring constantly.
  5. Serve topped with ham bits and scallions. Enjoy while hot!

Each serving contains:

  • 224 Calories
  • 32.3 grams Carbohydrates
  • 9.6 grams Protein
  • 1.5 grams Fiber
  • 532 mg Potassium
  • 28.1 mg Vitamin C
  • 9.6 grams Fat (17% of total calories)
  • 575 mg Sodium
  • 28.2 mg Cholesterol
  • 1.3 grams Sugar

Kain po!

This post is sponsored by Potatoes USA-Philippines. All opinions are mine and values for nutrition information are based from the USDA Food Data Central.

#Potatonutrition

#USPotatoPower

#Potatoesusaph

Potato Fries Maki

I know we already enjoy potato fries as is and there are a million other ways to enjoy them, but one boring afternoon I thought of a more refreshing way of enjoying my fries. My love for Japanese food kicked in and Potato Fries Maki is born!

Potato Fries Maki by Grace Banal, RND

In my practice as a dietitian, the people I talk to often associate “fries” with an unhealthy diet because these are often deep fried in hydrogenated fats and sprinkled with lots of salt. But this doesn’t always have to be the case.

For example, this potato fries recipe I came up with has so much flavor in it but is not fried and no salt was added. The distinct potato flavor and crunch goes so well with the freshness and sweetness of mangoes and cucumber, the umami of crab sticks and seaweed and the creaminess of just a bit of Japanese mayo. Imagine enjoying fries together with fruit and vegetable as snack – best of both worlds, right? ?

As a dietitian who create healthy meal plans for clients, potato fries are often requested and I always happily oblige. With a pinch of careful meal planning, a sprinkle of nutritious food ideas and a dash of creativity, potato fries can definitely belong to a nutritious diet.

Potato Fries Maki

Ingredients:

300 grams frozen shoestring potato fries

2 pcs crab sticks

1/3 pc cucumber

1/2 pc ripe mango

3 Tbsp Japanese mayonnaise

18 pcs nori sheets

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 475F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Arrange frozen fries in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. No need to add salt.
  3. Bake for about 30 minutes or until crispy and golden brown (time varies depending on oven). Turn product halfway through baking time.
  4. While the fries are in the oven, cut cucumber, crab sticks, and mango into thin sticks or julienne strips. I prefer to pull thin strings of the crab sticks lengthways with my fingers (you can slice them into strips using a knife).
  5. Once the fries are baked and crispy, place about 3-4 pcs fries on top of the nori sheets and add the crab sticks, cucumber and mango on top.
  6. Top with Japanese mayo and wrap with the nori sheet.
  7. Optional: Sprinkle with sesame seeds or shrimp roe on top
  8. Serve and enjoy.
Potato Fries Maki by Grace Banal, RND

Each serving contains:

            18 grams Carbohydrates

            2.2 grams Protein

            1.7 grams Fiber

            257.6 mg Potassium

            12.8 mg Vitamin C

            9 grams Fat (23% of total calories)

74 mg Sodium

            4.7 mg Cholesterol

            2.7 g Sugar

Kain po!

This post is sponsored by Potatoes USA Philippines. All opinions are mine and values for nutrition information are based from the USDA Food Data Central.

#Potatonutrition

#USPotatoPower

#Potatoesusaph

Walang Time?

Pinoys spend an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes each day daw on SOCIAL MEDIA.

Wait. Akala ko WALA tayong TIME mag-exercise? Walang time Magluto?

Chismis time:

Early this year nagpa-survey ako and I asked a total of 126 respondents

“What makes it difficult for you to start/achieve your health goals?”

Atin-atin lang ito ha:

The second most popular answer is LACK OF TIME to prepare healthy foods. First is Lack of motivation/discipline.

Also, I often hear from my nutrition coaching clients that they are “too busy yet” to start or maintain a regular exercise routine.

I can relate to this kaya naisip ko, baka nga BUSY talaga tayo gawa ng madaming trabaho, studies and OTHER IMPORTANT matters.

But when I came across this statistics that Filipino adults spend, on the average, more than 4 hours EACH DAY on social media, naloka ako.

That was more than enough time to exercise and cook healthy foods combined.

Hindi pa kasama ang TV / Netflix / games dito ha.

Naisip ko baka OA lang ito at HINDI AKO GANITO (kalma lang Grace).

So, bilang defensive pero kritikal mag-isip, I tracked my own social media use using an app. Alam nyo anong nadiskubre ko?

Atin-atin lang ulit ito ha:

I was spending MORE THAN 3 FREAKIN HOURS on my phone. Wait what?

Akala ko “I’m too busy” kaya hindi na ako nakakapagwork-out nang madalas ngayon. Akala ko wala akong time.

(Insert Carlo Aquino: Akala mo lang wala, pero meron meron meron!)

Ramdam ko yung sampal ni Ate V!

Kaya ayun, natauhan ako at pinagde-delete ko ang mga social media apps sa phone ko (yes, kahit na may FB page ako, I can post naman sa laptop like I’m doing now).

True enough, after that I was able to DO MORE with LESS SOCIAL MEDIA.

Nakakapagbasa ako ng libro na dati wala akong time.

Nakakapaglaro more with my junakis na dati I’m too busy with work.

Nakakapagreply na sa mga nagmemessage sa akin lol na dati I kennat.

At higit sa lahat, I now have TIME na maglakad-lakad (exercise) at magmuni-muni (meditation) na dati akala ko “I don’t have time for that sh*t”.

I now have more time to do things that really matter.

Deym.

So…

Kung lagi mong sinasabi sa sarili mo na kaya ka hindi nakakapag-exercise or hindi nakakapagprepare ng healthy food ay DAHIL WALA KANG TIME…

Is that your final answer?

Baka kailangan mo lang tanungin ulit ang sarili mo bhie.

Reference:

https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/05/13/business/columnists-business/shifts-in-digital-marketing/872777

Should we eat potato with its skin on, or is it better peeled?

Whenever possible, I eat potatoes with the skin on. I prefer it this way because half of the fiber content of a potato is in its skin. This also eliminates the peeling step making food preparation faster. (I just make sure the skin is thoroughly cleaned, though). Also, the skin adds variety in texture to the dish, making it more interesting and satisfying.

Not all of the nutrients in potatoes are in the skin, though. Most of the potassium and vitamin C of the potato are contained in the flesh.

So don’t worry if you enjoy yours without the skin.

Clients always ask me for easy breakfast ideas, and I often include potatoes because they’re easy to prepare and give that energy boost in the morning. Here’s a sample menu:

Scrambled Eggs with Tomato

Seasoned Wedge Cut Fries from @potatoesusaphl

Hot chocolate / Tea / Coffee

A piece of fruit

Imagine you have potatoes baking in the oven while you are cooking the scrambled eggs. In just a few minutes you have a sumptuous and nutritious breakfast. Now you’re ready to start a great day.

Yup, potatoes – with or without skin – fit in a nutritious diet.

No time for breakfast? Say no more. ?

Additional reading:

This post is sponsored by Potatoes USA Philippines. All opinions are mine and references are indicated above.

For more potato recipes, visit www.potatogoodness.ph.

#potatonutrition #USPotatoPower #potatoesusaphl #potatopower

Where do potatoes fit in the Pinggang Pinoy?

When it comes to eating healthy, one handy-dandy guide that we Filipinos can refer to is the Pinggang Pinoy. In this dietary guide, the plate is divided into 3 sections:

Carbohydrate-rich GO foods

Examples are rice, potatoes, kamote, saging na saba, noodles, pasta, breads

Protein-rich GROW foods

Examples are fish, chicken, beef, pork, eggs, beans, nuts

Fiber, vitamin, mineral and antioxidant-rich GLOW foods

Examples are vegetables and fruits

Since potatoes are in the same classification or section as rice, we can definitely have meals where we replace rice with potatoes.

For example, you can have Potatoes (GO) together with Roast Chicken (GROW) and Steamed/Roasted vegetables and Fresh Fruits (GLOW).

This is beneficial if you are looking into adding more variety to your diet in terms of flavor, texture and nutrients.

This is because potatoes with skin contain the following nutrients per 148-gram serving:

  • 110 Kcalories
  • 26 grams carbohydrates with 2 grams fiber
  • 3 grams Protein
  • 27 mg Vitamin C
  • 620 mg Potassium
  • 0.2 mg Vitamin B6 With zero fat, zero cholesterol and zero sodium

Therefore, potatoes fit in a nutritious diet.

For Filipinos, carbohydrate-rich GO foods don’t always have to be rice. There are a wide variety of carbohydrate-rich foods to choose from. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new combinations of GO, GROW and GLOW foods. This way, we can be more confident that we are getting all the nutrients we need in adequate amounts.

So, the next time you sit down for a meal, think of the Pinggang Pinoy guide and compare it with what’s on your plate.

Are your GO foods nutritious?

Are your GROW foods low in sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol?

Do you have enough GLOW foods?

If your answer is yes, yes, yes – then what else can I say – bon appetit and kain po!

Disclaimer

This post is sponsored by Potatoes USA – Philippines. All opinions stated above are my own.