Gretchen Ferraro

It's been a while

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Ferraro) — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:06:00 +0000

In addition to working on a series of nutrition articles for the relaunch of the web site for a packaged goods company, we are developing a new fitness journal to help people participating in a corporate wellness program track goals and progress. As with any fitness/transformation program, being able to track your daily, weekly and monthly progress (while reviewing your goals on a regular basis) is key to success, and this journal will be a valuable tool.

And, of course, I continue to update my readers on the latest research in healthy eating.

Are "old school" journalistic principles obsolete?

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Ferraro) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:10:00 +0000

I may be "old school" when it comes to journalism, but I was also brought up in the not-so-far-away era before blogging, Facebook and Twitter. You had to jump through a lot more hoops to get anything published. As editors, we went through multiple rounds of edits before any word ever saw the light of day. Everything was fact-checked. The saying goes that if your grandma says she loves you, check it out. Writers had to submit extensive lists of sources, interview notes and research to back up every article. From there the in-house editorial staff double-checked each of these sources, research studies and notes. We kept files for every fact-checked article, detailing every change. I remember once being reprimanded for letting an article go to print that stated that a tablespoon of peanut butter had 100 calories. Apparently we were five calories off, according to some sources. But, if you think about it, the calorie count of peanut butter can be pretty subjective depending on brand, crunchy, creamy, all-natural or processed. The bottom line? Check every fact, preferably from multiple sources. And if the writer doesn't indicate whether he or she was referring to crunchy or creamy peanut butter, you better find out. And don't think we were done once an article was fact checked. From there, it went through at least six rounds of rigorous copy editing. Commas were agonized over, every period and proper noun was discussed. Finally, an article might be ready to send to the printer. But wait... the printer would send proofs back, and we'd have one more opportunity to ensure that every i was dotted and that every calorie was accounted for. Only then would an article be fit for print. As I moved through the editorial ranks, my days of copy editing and fact-checking were fewer and farther between, but, as another saying goes, once a copy editor, always a copy editor. Ask my husband, who always worries I will whip out my red pen and "edit" whatever sentiment he has written for me on birthday and Valentine's Day cards. I do admit I find a certain perverse pleasure in catching errors in books and magazines. It's a helpful reminder that everyone is human, and it makes me feel a lot better about the typo I once had in my "Letter from the Editor" one issue.

So, where am I going with this journalistic trip through memory lane? Now anything can be published with the click of a mouse. Don't get me wrong. I am all for status updates, tweets and blogging (obviously). Everyone should have their own personal soapbox from which they can share their deepest or most superficial thoughts and observations. But here we enter a grey (or gray) area. With everyone writing or wanting to write (and willing to do so for free), does the value of superior writing and an emphasis on "old school" journalistic principles decrease? Who is doing the fact-checking and copy editing now?

Five foods for a flat stomach

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Ferraro) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:39:00 +0000

Fat may be a four letter word to many of us, unless you're talking about MUFA. Also known as monounsaturated fat, a diet rich in MUFAs is linked to a reduction in bad (LDL) cholesterol and helps boost levels of good (HDL) cholesterol in your body. Recent research shows this healthy fat may also help you lose weight, specifically around your middle. If you're ready to trim your tummy, try incorporating the following five foods into your meals and snacks each day.

1) Almonds: A serving size is 2 tablespoons. Sprinkled slivered almonds on your oatmeal, add them to your salad or try a handful when the afternoon munchies attack.

2) Peanut butter: Spread it on toast (whole-wheat, of course); use it as a dip for apple slices or snack on a spoonful (2 tablespoons) straight out of the jar. No double dipping!

3) Olive oil: Make a quick salad dressing by using 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, a pinch of minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

4) Dark chocolate: Yes, I said chocolate. Limit your consumption to 1/2 cup each day, and make sure it's dark or semi-sweet chocolate. Mix semi-sweet chocolate chips with almonds, and you have a portable salty-sweet snack.

5) Avocado: Add slices to your salad, sandwich or omelet or try some guacamole (about a 1/2 cup), but watch the chips! To make quick and healthy guacamole, mash one avocado with the juice of one lime. Stir in 1 teaspoon bottled, minced garlic; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 1 to 2 diced jalapenos. Enjoy!

84 Recipes for Health

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Ferraro) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:36:00 +0000

One of the biggest challenges to sticking with any health/wellness program is nutrition. Even if you know exactly what you should be eating, the daunting task of planning, shopping for, prepping and cooking multiple healthy meals each day may seem impossible. It's enough to send you to the nearest drive-thru with the excuse that one of those burgers (without the bun, of course) is considered acceptable fare on at least a few diets... if you can resist the super-value fries and sugar-laden soft drink that accompany the burger. Which brings me to my latest project, which involved developing 84 healthy, balanced recipes for employees participating in a company wellness program. Each recipe incorporated balanced portions of carbohydrates and lean protein, it had to be relatively simple to prepare, and, most important, it had to taste good! It was a grueling and rewarding project that required a lot of creativity. We really wanted to help people understand that eating healthy can be easy and taste delicious. The assumption is that "healthy" is a bad word when it comes to taste. It immediately conjures up images of dry and bland chicken breasts, a tiny pile of steamed vegetables and, if you're lucky, a few grains of brown rice. There is nothing farther from the truth. Our recipes include dishes like shrimp scampi and stir fries, meat loaf and steak, french fries (well, they are baked) and hamburgers, burritos and tacos, chili and spaghetti, gyros and quiche... the list goes on, and it's quite delicious. We hope these recipes will help people learn to love good food, as well as give them the tools they need to invent their own meals by experimenting with various spices, types of meats, fish, vegetables, starches, grains and more.

In the midst of creating these recipes, we came up with a long-time favorite that we had forgotten about until we cooked it again the other night. And here it is...

Turkey/Cottage Cheese/Brown Rice Burrito

Yes, the name might throw you off, but try it... you'll love it. The cottage cheese is like a high-protein (and much healthier version) of sour cream.

(Serves ~4)

1 pound ground turkey

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 cup salsa

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup fat-free cottage cheese

4 whole-wheat tortillas

1 tomato, diced

4 tablespoons shredded, low-fat cheese

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray, heat to medium high and cook the ground turkey until no longer pink. Add the cumin, chili powder and salsa as the turkey cooks. To make your burritos, spoon an equal portion of ground turkey on each tortilla. Top with equal portions of brown rice, cottage cheese, tomato and cheese. Feel free to add more salsa. Roll your tortilla, eat and enjoy! You can also try the burrito "bowl" option by skipping the tortilla and using a bowl instead. Leftovers? This dish tastes great for lunch the next day as well.

Don't Be A Quitter: Five Fail-Proof Tips for Winning at Weight Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Ferraro) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:57:00 +0000

/DontBeAQuitterBlog1.doc