Losing weight with soul - includes recipes - Special Section on Health and Fitness

Ebony, July, 1993

LOSING weight seems to be an unattainable goal for most of us, but there's no mystery to shedding those unwanted pounds. You simply need to eat fewer calories and increase your physical activity. We tend to think of dieting as sacrificing all the tasty dishes we love and having to eat bland foods. But most African-Americans like highly seasoned food, food that has flavor and soul. And we want foods that are familiar and give us some comfort as well.

You can lose weight and have most of the foods you love just by using a different method of preparation. For example, greens are great for you because they are a good source of vitamin A and calcium. Just don't load them with fat. Fat is the culprit in most diets because fat has, by weight, about twice as many calories (9 calories per gram) as carbohydrates or protein. Chicken, catfish, sweet potatoes, okra, corn and dried beans are nutritional and can be prepared without the fat, and you can easily season greens without the fat.

If you decide to eliminate the fat, there are ways to add flavor to food without it. Try seasoning your dishes with garlic, onions, green pepper, hot peppers, herbs and spices, flavored vinegars and fresh fruit juices or rind.

Losing and keeping weight off will require some will power. So be sure to keep serving sizes as close to suggested serving amounts as possible. You will have to learn portion control, which is important to weight loss. When you cook a pot of greens, you can't eat half the pot and still lose weight. Use measuring cups and spoons to help you stay within the serving-size range. You might want to try serving your meals on a luncheon-size plate instead of a regular dinner plate. This will make the amount appear larger.

And always eat slowly. This gives your brain enough time to let your stomach know you are full. Never eat while you are standing, driving, watching television or lying around. Always sit at the table, and make each meal an occasion. This will help you to avoid between-meal snacking. Try to keep a detailed record of what you eat, so that you will always know the number of calories you consume daily.

A consistent weight loss of two pounds per week is a good sign that you are losing excess body fat and not vital lean body mass. For safe, effective and permanent weight loss, the American Dietetic Association recommends the following calorie-intake guidelines for healthy individuals. For women: 10 calories per pound of present body weight per day. For example, a woman weighing 150 pounds should consume 1500 calories a day for safe and effective weight loss. For men: 12 calories per pound of present body weight per day. For example, a man weighing 200 pounds should consume 2,400 calories a day for safe and effective weight loss.

Remember that you will reach a plateau, a point where you may not lose your desired two pounds in a given week. Don't be discouraged, experts say, because this is a common and natural occurrence.

Make changes gradually. Don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight.

The following are some tasty and soulful low-calorie recipes to help you lose unwanted pounds.

MIXED GREENS

1 pound smoked turkey parts 1-1/2 quarts water 1 or 2 hot pepper pods or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 large cloves garlic, minced 4 pounds fresh mixture of greens (collard, turnip, mustard or kale) 1 to 3 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, optional Salt to taste 1 medium onion, thickly sliced

Place turkey parts in Dutch oven or large saucepan; add water, pepper pods and garlic. Bring to boil; cover and reduce heat to low and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, break off stems of greens. Wash leaves thoroughly. Slice leaves into bite-size pieces by rolling several leaves together and slicing into 1/4-inch strips. Add greens, sugar, vegetable oil and salt. Cook for about 45 to 55 minutes or until tender. Place sliced onion on top of greens and cook 5 minutes longer. Yields 8 servings (about 160 calories per serving)

ORANGE YAMS

1-1/2 pounds yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes 2/3 cup orange juice (juice from about 3 oranges) 1 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 2 tablespoons reduced-calorie margarine 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Dash salt

Place yams in 2-quart saucepan. Add orange juice, water, sugar, margarine, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 25 minutes or until yams are done. If necessary, increase heat and cook until desired sauce consistency.

Yields 6 servings (about 185 calories per serving)

CHICKEN AND SQUASH STIR-FRY

1 pound skinned and boned chicken breast, trimmed 4 cups sliced zucchini 2 cups sliced yellow summer squash Vegetable cooking spray 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil 2 large red or green bell peppers, seeded and cut into cubes 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed Dash crushed red pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese