“1 year ban on new fast food restaurants in Southern L.A.”

If passed, it would affect about half a million people living in an area that supporters say already has about 400 fast-food eateries and few grocery stores.

 

 

QUICK STATS:

·         Within the Southern LA area there are 400 fast food establishments and little grocery stores

·         30% of children in Southern LA are obese but ONLY 21% in the rest of LA

·         Diabetes in these areas in on the rise, with 11.1% of kids in Sothern LA suffering from diabetes, but ONLY 8.1% on the rest of the country

·         Many fast food restaurants lack fiber in their menu options, making people who consume meals feel hungry shortly after and put them at risk for CVD and DM.

 

WAYS TO SAVE AT THE GROCERY STORE:

·         Buy seasonally–options tend to be cheaper and just as nutritious

·         Prepackaged chips and snack foods can be as much as 4 times as much per oz than buying the bag. Make your own portions-Portion off in zip lock bags

1 oz of Bag of Goldfish vs. 1 oz of prepackaged goldfish costs 4 TIMES as much

·         Powdered milk is a great option, it’s cheaper and keeps longer

·         Cut back on Meats and cut back on both cost and calories. Be a vegetarian 2 nights a week incorporating other protein sources such as cheese, eggs, beans, peanut butter etc. This leads to less expensive menu options.

·         Oatmeal and other dry cereals tend to be more cost efficient options than cold cereals which can be much higher in both price and calories

·         Bagged apples/oranges provide you with fruit throughout the week, without the excess cost

·       Frozen Fruits and Vegetables are just as nutritious and cheaper! You can store them too!

MEAL IDEAS: FASTFOOD VS. HOMEMADE - SAVE ALL-AROUND!

Here are some healthy alternatives that are not only cheaper and less calories but also pack a fiber punch!

Breakfast

Fast Food Option: Sausage McMuffin with Egg with Hash Brown, Large Coffee w/ cream and sugar and a small OJ—

Nutrition Information: 650 calories and 30 g of fat

 Price $7.50 ((NY PRICE w/tax))

Versus

Homemade Breakfast Sandwhich

Ingredients

Thomas’ Light Multigrain English Muffin-$0.65

1 Egg-2.79/12-$0.21

1 slice Kraft Free American Cheese-$0.33

Canadian Bacon-$0.35

1 Orange-$0.50

Brewed Coffee-$0.25

Total Cost: $2.00

Total Nutrient Value: 248 calories, 8 grams of fiber, 7 grams of fat

SAVINGS: $5.50, 400 calories, 23 g of fat and 8 MORE g of fiber

Lunch/Dinner

Fast Food Option: Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese Meal (includes med. Fries, and med. Coke)—

Nutrition Information-1100 calories, 45 g of fat

Price $7.50 ((NY PRICE w/tax))

Versus

Homemade Cheeseburger

3 oz lean sirloin-$1.24

1 Whole wheat bun-$0.41

1 slice Kraft Free American Cheese-$0.33

1 Potato-$0.60

1 can of Diet Coke-$1.19

Cost: $3.77

Total Nutrient Value: 275 calories, 9 g of fat, 3 g of fiber

SAVINGS: $4.00, 825 calories, 36 g of fat PLUS 3 g of fiber

 

FAMILY MEAL

KID: Kid’s Meal: Hamburger, small fries, small coke- w/toy

Nutrition Information: 590 calories, 20g of fat

Price: about $4.00 ((NY PRICE w/tax))

MOM: Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken Ranch dressing and a large diet coke – Nutrition Information: 550 Calories, 35g fat

Price about $9.00 ((NY PRICE w/tax))

DAD: Big Mac, Large Fries w/ ketchup, Large Coke

Nutrition Information: 1390 calories, 54 g fat

Price about $8.00  ((NY PRICE w/tax))

FAMILY NIGHT OUT at McDonald’s totals $21

Versus

Chicken with Rice and Beans, Family Dinner Night

1 lb Chicken Cutlets-$4.99

2 cups brown rice, dry (4 cups cooked)-$1.35

3 cans of kidney beans-$3.57 (1.19×3)

2 cup cooked Broccoli-$1.99/bunch

Cost per Family-$12.00

Nutrient Information-370 calories, 7 g of fat, 9 g of fiber

 

Desert

Strawberries and Cream

1 cup Strawberries-3.49/package

Kool Whipe Lite, 2.49/tub

Cost per Family-$4.50

TOTAL COST PLUS DESERT IS $16.50

Nutrient Information: 60 calories, 1.5 g fat, 3 grams of fiber

TOTAL DINNER CALORIES: 430 calories, 8 g of fat, 12 g of fiber

 

SAVINGS: $3.50, 960 calories, 46 g of fat and PLUS 12 g fiber   

Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD is a nutritionist and the creator of The F-Factor Diet™, an innovative nutritional program she has used for more than ten years to provide hundreds of her clients with all the tools they need to achieve easy weight loss and maintenance, improved health and well-being.  For more information log onto www.FFactorDiet.com.

First, I have a confession: I used to never care about what I ate. Not only that, I also loved take-out foods—mostly because of my crazy work schedule. And oh, I wasn’t the most athletic guy. In fact, I didn’t start exercising until I was in my thirties, when suddenly I realized that I had to do something to keep my body healthy.

Does this sound familiar? Honestly, it seems like we’ve all got some pounds we could shed—and we’re in big company (yes, pun intended). But seriously, this is no joking matter: the statistics about obesity in this country are far from funny. Can you believe that by 2010, three-quarters of the U.S. population will be overweight? And if that didn’t shock you, check this out: statistics show that 80% of our kids are suffering from weight-related afflictions, like arthritis? The consequences of extra weight are devastating. So here’s my question: how did we get here?

FAST FOOD: Just walk through a supermarket or down Main Street will explain part of the weight gain: our diets. Fast-food meals are usually brimming with artery-clogging, heart-attack-causing amounts of calories, fat, and sodium. And while most fast-food chains have added healthy or light items to their menus over the past couple of years, you need to check out the whole package and ask yourself these questions: Is it fresh? Does the dressing have a ton of sugar and chemicals in it? Am I really getting the nutrition I need? The answers are probably no, yes, and no.

MONEY: The other excuse I often hear for falling into poor eating habits is the one that includes the bottom line: money. Wee, my friend, I’d be the first to tell you that eating healthy ain’t always cheap. I don’t have to tell you that budgets are much tighter than waistlines: trying to justify buying healthier choices, versus what your pocketbook allows, can be real tough.

TIME: In addition to money, the other commodity many of us are short on is time. I know how it is: you’ve got a big 20 minutes (or less!) for lunch. Sure, you try to make your lunch from time to time. But it’s not easy—and there’s a place on the corner that offers you a super quick and cheap lunch.

STRESS: The fact of the matter is that because people are so busy running around like maniacs, they’re not eating as they should. Especially moms! Having one or more kids to care for, getting them off to school in the morning, getting involved in their after-school activities and sports, not to mention their own work, and being part of the sandwich generation (caring for elderly parents as well) all adds up to crazy schedules, unhealthy eating, and in many cases a seeking of foods that immediately satisfy (chips, brownies, candy, cookies, soda, ice cream) but don’t promise benefits in return.

LACK OF EXERCISE OR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: It’s a logical equation really. Ask anyone who’s not sleeping what they want to do and I guarantee that working out is going to be at the bottom of the list. The thing about exercise is that it needs to be done, but it has to be something that fits your schedule. If you can swing getting up early to go to yoga or take a jog before work, do it! If a lunch hour workout is what you can fit in, then you should! (Just don’t skip lunch!) This doesn’t mean that it will be easy, but it will help and you will see and feel the results physically and mentally—almost immediately.

HORMONES: Ask any woman and you’ll hear the same thing: appetites grow and fade depending on the time of month. Most women I know feel incredibly peckish that week before their period, and snacking often leads to the avalanche effect…

SNACKING—THE WRONG WAY: Most of us parents know that we’ve got to have the snacks on hand, right? Any trip, whether it’s a walk to the park or a drive to the supermarket, requires keeping a few treats nearby—for the kids, that is. Here’s the problem: we grown-ups like to snack, too!

LACK OF SLEEP: Sleep deprivation can also affect appetites—not to mention everything else. It’s true; the less we sleep, the weaker we are in terms of being able to fend off not only increased emotional sensitivity, but crazy cravings for comfort foods. Also, did you know that sleep patterns can be disturbed by many things that you consume—including food additives and caffeine?

Oklahoma City is overweight! Recently, OKC was listed as one of America’s Fattest Cities by Men’s Fitness Magazine, click here to read the article. But Mayor Mick Cornett doesn’t like this dubious distinction, and has challenged his city to lose a million pounds.