Diet Club: Dieting gadgets

Oakland Tribune, Sep 26, 2008 by Joan Morris

Everyone who knows me knows that I am the consummate gadget gal. I've got every kitchen, gardening and scrapbooking gadget known to humankind. And if I don't, I have it on my Christmas wish list.

Dieting is no exception. When I first started my move to a more healthful life, I turned to Richard Simmons' "Deal-a-Meal" program. The diet itself is a basic low-calorie, low-fat plan, but what sets it apart is the gadget gimmick.

The original plan had a wallet and a set of cards. Each card represented one of the seven dieting food groups (protein, vegetable, dairy, starch, fruit, fat and "extras"). As you went through your day, you moved the cards from one side of the wallet to the other when you ate one of the groups. When the left side of the wallet was empty, you had eaten all of your calories for the day.

I wore out that wallet and replaced it with a newer version that has a thick, plastic case with windows you open and close instead of cards.

That obviously is not a plan that works for everyone, but it was - - and is -- perfect for me, probably because it involves a gadget.

There are plenty of gadgets out there for the dieter. Measuring cups and food scales are essential; journals are great, too. I wrote recently about Marie Karner's "Bio-Diary for Women" (FitMinder Publishing, $17.95), which I'm loving. I've also found a great new food storage system from Fit & Fresh.

The company, based in Rhode Island, is marketing a line of products that makes preparing and packing meals a breeze. The Smart Portion Prep Center is a cutting board that includes a 2-cup measuring cup and a food scale that snap underneath the board when not in use. So when you're chopping a cup of veggies, you can just slide them over to the measuring cup to see how much you've got.

My favorites, though, are the Smart Portion Chill Containers. They have removable ice packs to keep your food cold, and the containers have measurements on them.

The Lunch Chiller is designed to hold a sandwich and a side dish, and I'm currently eying the Salad Pod, which keeps your salad cool and has a container in the lid that holds up to 2 tablespoons of dressing. When you're ready for your salad, you just squeeze the dressing out.

Having all these gadgets can make dieting -- dare we say it? -- fun. And if that helps us stay on the path, then bring them on.

What's your favorite diet gadget? Send me an e-mail and I'll list as many as I can in the next column.

Reach Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.