Greek Yogurt: Energizing, Healthy and It Tastes Good, Too!

Cara Stewart, RD, LDN, member of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, explains the health benefits of Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt is all the rage lately – and for good reason. Although it has been a part of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern diets for centuries, Greek yogurt has only recently gained popularity in the U.S.

Strained of most of its whey content (the liquid portion of yogurt), Greek yogurt has a thicker and creamier texture than regular yogurt. It is also higher in protein, which is why Greek yogurt is a mainstay of many people’s diets before and after bariatric surgery. Ounce for ounce, it contains up to twice as much protein as regular yogurt.

As with any packaged food, it is important to read the food label. Beware of the fat and sugar content in some varieties. Full-fat versions can contain up to 20 grams of fat per serving while fruit-flavored versions may contain significant amounts of added sugar.

Stick to the nonfat, plain varieties with no added sugar. Non-added sugar listed on the label is from lactose, a natural milk sugar. Add fresh or frozen fruit or a no-calorie sweetener like Splenda^® to give Greek yogurt a healthy and flavorful boost without adding excess sugar or fat. Greek yogurt can also be a delicious ingredient in other recipes, including fruit smoothies.

See below for comparisons between regular and Greek yogurts.








- Cara Stewart, RD, LDN

Get Moving! Tips for Exercising – Safely!

Sarah Krebs, DPT, and Pamela Welsh, PTA, members of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, provide tips for starting an exercise program.

Are you interested in starting an exercise program? Congratulations! Making the decision to start exercising is half the battle. Avoiding injury and staying committed – that’s the other half.

Exercise is an important part of your weight-loss program. But before you jump right in, make sure to take the proper steps to ensure your safety and long-term exercise success. Taking precautions maximizes the efficacy of your workouts while helping you stay healthy and well, which means you can stay on track to your fitness goals.

Follow these tips to expedite your journey to tip-top shape:

1. Clear your workout with your doctor before starting resistive training.
2. Wear proper footwear (i.e. rubber sole sneakers).
3. Set realistic goals.
4. Start slowly.
5. Maintain proper form. Remember to seek quality, not quantity.
6. Warm up and cool down before and after every workout.
7. Stretch after every workout.
8. Focus on breathing techniques. Exhale on exertion and inhale on relaxation.
9. Monitor your heart rate and stay within target heart rate zone.

- Sarah Krebs, DPT, and Pamela Welsh, PTA

Provençal Cooking Minus the Cost of Airfare: Eggplant, Zucchini and Tomato Tian

Dreaming of a summer getaway to the South of France? Fantasizing about leisurely dinners in the warm, Mediterranean air? Keep dreaming, but in the meantime, try this Provençal recipe for eggplant, zucchini and tomato tian. Tian [TYAHN ] is a French word used throughout Provençe that refers both to a shallow cooking vessel and the food that is cooked in it.

The recipe gives you a taste of delicious Provençal cooking while taking advantage of summer’s bounty of ripe, nutritious and colorful vegetables. An 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish works well for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Japanese eggplant, cut diagonally into ¼-inch thick slices
• 1 pound zucchini, cut diagonally into ¼-inch thick slices
• Cooking spray
• 1 pound large beefsteak tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼-inch thick slices
• 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ¼ teaspoon salt, divided
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 4 ounces French bread baguette
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Arrange eggplant and zucchini in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat vegetables with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Arrange half of eggplant in a single layer in an 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with half of zucchini and half of tomato. Drizzle 2 ¼ teaspoons olive oil evenly over vegetables. Sprinkle vegetables evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
3. Place bread in a food processor; process until coarse crumbs measure 2 cups. Add cheese and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) to processor; process until combined. Sprinkle 1 ½ cups breadcrumb mixture evenly over tomato. Repeat layers with remaining eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, oil, salt, pepper and breadcrumb mixture. Pour broth over top. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until vegetables are tender and topping is browned.
4. Bon appetit!
   

Nutritional Information:

• Amount per serving
• Calories: 191
• Fat: 8.1 g
• Saturated fat: 3 g
• Monounsaturated fat: 3.7 g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1 g
• Protein: 10 g
• Carbohydrate: 22.3 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 12 mg
• Iron: 1.6 mg
• Sodium: 459 mg
• Calcium: 178 mg

This recipe makes 6 servings. Serving size is approximately 1 cup.

The recipe is courtesy of Joanne Weir, Cooking Light (June 2010).

Check Your Heart Rate During Exercise: How to measure it and why it’s important

Sarah Krebs, DPT, and Pamela Welsh, PTA, members of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery team, explain how to monitor and optimize your heart rate during exercise.

Exercise is an important part of your weight-loss program. It is important to measure your heart rate before starting an exercise program to assess your initial fitness level and to continue monitoring as you progress through the program.

There are three simple steps to monitor heart rate:

1. Find your pulse by placing your pointer and middle finger on your neck or wrist.
2. Gently press to feel your pulse.
3. Count the number of pulses that you feel in ten seconds and multiply that figure by six. This number tells you how many times your heart beats per minute.
   

When exercising, monitor your heart rate throughout the workout to ensure that it remains within your target heart rate zone. Health care professionals have determined that a healthy, safe and effective target heart rate zone during physical exertion is 45 to 85 percent of your heart rate maximum. The heart rate maximum is the fastest your heart can safely beat during exertion.

Follow these steps to calculate your target heart rate zone:

1. Determine your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. (Example: If you are 45 years old, your heart rate maximum is 220 minus 45, or 175 beats per minute.)
2. Multiply your heart rate maximum by 0.45 to determine the lower end of your target heart rate zone. (Example: 175 x 0.45 = 78.75 beats per minute)
3. Multiple your heart rate maximum by 0.85 to determine the higher end of your target heart rate zone. (Example: 175 x 0.85 = 148.75 beats per minute)
   

The range between the minimum and maximum constitutes your target heart rate zone. If you are beginning an exercise program, or just seeking light activity, aim for a heart rate on the lower end. If you are more physically fit or seeking strenuous activity, aim for the higher end.

Using the example above, the target heart rate zone for someone 45 years old is 78.75 to 148.75

Please talk to your health care team before beginning an exercise routine for help determining your target heart rate zone and designing an appropriate, effective and safe fitness program. It is often helpful to monitor your heart rate before and after everyday activities prior to meeting with your health care team to provide insight into your current fitness level. Keep in mind that as your fitness improves, your heart rate slows down as a result of your heart’s increased efficiency. Lowering your heart rate is an important step in the journey to better heart health.

- Sarah Krebs, DPT and Pamela Welsh, PTA