Nancy Dell: Eat More Early, Lose more weight; AHA Salty Six

1. Does it really matter when I eat my calories as long as I keep them lower to lose weight?          

You have heard the expression eat like a King at breakfast, a Prince at lunch and a Pauper at dinner.  Now a Harvard study published in the International Journal of Obesity supports that saying and shows just how much more weight you can lose if you follow those guidelines. 

Researchers studied 400 men and women in a 20-week weight loss program.

They all ate a similar number of calories but those who had their main meal before 3 p.m. lost about 25 percent more weight than those who ate it later.  Experts think that when you eat too close to bedtime or just sit at night, you do not burn off the calories.  In addition, people who ate a bigger evening meal often skipped breakfast and were at greater risk for developing diabetes.

2. I am going crazy reading labels for sodium.  Please just tell me the most common sources of sodium. 

Experts recommend we limit sodium to between 1500 and 2000 milligrams a day depending on your age and health. Too much sodium can be bad for your heart so the American Heart Association has dubbed the major sources of sodium the "Salty Six".  Surprisingly these include:

The Salty Six              Sodium ( mg)

Bread (1 slice)                 230

Prepared Poultry (3oz)    700

Pizza (1 slice)                 760

Soup (1 cup)                    900

Deli Meats (3 oz)            900

Sandwich (1)                1500

Breads and rolls with 230 milligrams or more per slice.  Because we eat it often, the sodium adds up. Poultry makes the list because often Americans eat it fried or with added sauce. Pizza weighs in at 760 milligrams a slice.  Most soups and deli meats have more than 900 milligrams a serving.  

Sandwiches with bread, cheese, deli meats, and condiments often fill up with 1500 milligrams of sodium.  So if you are going crazy reading all the labels, simplify things by looking for the lowest sodium versions of these 6 foods.