Dr. Oz Challenge Update
Tuesday, 16 Mar 2010, 6:02 PM EDT
Reported by DR. SAPNA PARIKH
MYFOXNY.COM - Back in January, teachers at the academy one middle school in Jersey City agreed to take the Dr. Oz challenge. They each got a copy of Dr. Mehmet Oz's book new book, "You on a Diet," and have been following it ever since.
In February, I brought along Joel Harper, Dr. Oz's personal trainer, to give them a jumpstart.
We've been checking in every week as the teachers work to get more exercise and change their diets.
Now, Dr. Josephine Connelly, a nutritionist, is helping out as well. Dr. Connelly gives quick and easy tips for anyone to pack a healthy and satisfying lunch.
She says herbal tea can be another good choice. It's filling, low in calories, and high in anti-oxidants.
Another key to healthy eating is having the right foods around to choose from.
"You want to have a well-stocked kitchen, so making lunch is easy. Making lunch shouldn't take more than five minutes," Dr. Connelly says. "You always have to make sure you have nuts, you have fruits, healthy crackers. You want to keep an organic low-sodium chicken broth to cook your brown rice in. You always want to have onions and garlic - extra virgin olive oil, lemons, limes."
Along with asking questions, the teachers taste-tested some healthy snacks that are easy to eat on-the-go, such as whole-grain crackers and all-natural peanut butter. Some spicy hummus was another big hit.
"The hummus had a little spice," one says. "We're learning from Dr. Oz that spice is supposed to help with weight loss -- that's an added benefit -- and it's a great snack."