So, you think you know?

After I’ve been on a diet for a while I start to become complacent about certain things like calorie counts and portion controls.  The food scale begins to get dusty on top of the fridge and accurate portion sizes become “guesstimates”.  Then I have the nerve to wonder why that pesky little indicator on the scale starts to travel in the wrong direction again.

The same thing happens in my TOPS group.  We can always tell when members are getting complacent because our “overall gains” for the week start to outweigh (pun fully intended) our “overall loss”.

This week I decided to throw a couple of quizzes out to the group.  I find quizzes are a fun way to refresh some the information we need to make good choices.  Especially fun when there are prizes involved!!

Sorry, I can’t give out any prizes here but if you want to take the quizzes for your fun and enlightenment, let’s go …

All answers will be given following each quiz

QUIZ ONE:  CALORIES

(from www.3fatchicks.com)

1.  To start your morning off right, which breakfast has the least amount of calories?

1. Two scrambled eggs with cheese
2. A glazed donut
3. One cup of granola cereal

2.  Which of these delicious appetizers boasts the lower amount of calories per serving?

1. Shrimp cocktail
2. Chicken lettuce wraps
3. 12 chips with salsa

3.  Those four fun-size Snickers you just grabbed from the receptionists candy jar cost you how many calories?

1. 120 calories
2. 324 calories
3. 500 calories

4.  You ordered the chicken.  Now which side dish should you choose if you want to continue with your low calorie dinner theme?

1. One bowl of broccoli soup
2. Half a cup of rice pilaf
3. Two slices of garlic bread

5.  Which movie-theatre treat should you nosh on to avoid calorie-overload?

1. A medium-size buttered popcorn
2. One salted pretzel
3. A 5-ounce pack of red licorice

6.  Which alcoholic beverage packs the highest amount of calories at happy hour?

1. White Russian
2. Budweiser
3. Glass of red wine

7.  To avoid turning your snack into a mini-dinner calorie-wise, which should you choose?

1. Half a cup of cottage cheese
2. Two stalks of celery with peanut butter
3. A handful of tortilla chips

8.  Which Chinese food favorite will set you back the most calories?

1. Orange Chicken
2. Broccoli Beef
3. Vegetable Chow Mein

9.  While in a fast food drive thru, which item should you choose if you want to spare yourself some major calories?

1. McDonald’s Quarter Pounder™ with cheese
2. Taco Bell taco salad
3. McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets™

10.  To finish off your meal, which tasty dessert has the least amount of calories?

a.       A slice of apple pie

b.      One serving of chocolate pudding

c.       Two Rice Krispies™ treats

ANSWERS:

Question 1

Two scrambled eggs with cheese = 300 calories

A glazed donut = 380 calories

One cup of granola cereal = 400 calories (and don’t forget about the milk)

Question 2

Shrimp cocktail = 1 serving is 125 calories

Chicken lettuce wraps = 4 wraps equals 630 calories

12 chips with salsa = 270 calories

Question 3

Four fun-size Snickers = 324 calories (81 calories each)

Question 4

One bowl of Cream of broccoli soup = 570 calories

Half a cup of rice pilaf = 155 calories

Two slices of garlic bread = 300 calories

Question 5

A medium-size buttered popcorn – 1000 calories

A salted pretzel = 370 calories

A 5-ounce package of red licorice = 560 calories

Question 6

White Russian = 4.5 ounces is 404 calories

Budweiser = 12-ounces equals 145 calories

Glass of red wine = 6 ounces equals 170 calories

Question 7

Half a cup of cottage cheese = 100 calories

Two stalks of celery with peanut butter = 220 calories

A handful of tortilla chips = (12 chips) equals 260 calories

Question 8

Orange Chicken = 1 dish equals 480 calories

Broccoli Beef = 1 dish equals 150 calories

Vegetable Chow Mein = 1 dish equals 260 calories

Question 9

McDonalds Quarter Pounder™ with cheese = 510 calories

Taco Bell’s taco salad = 870 calories

McDonald’s six piece McNuggets™ = 260 calories (without the high calorie dipping sauces)

Question 10

A slice of apple pit = 450 calories or more

One serving of chocolate pudding = 160 calories

Two homemade Rice Krispies™ treats = 140 calories

QUIZ TWO:  GOOD TO KNOW INFO

(from www.aarp.org/health)

1.  Which typed of diet has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease?

1. Atkins Diet
2. South Beach Diet
3. Paleo Diet
4. Mediterranean Diet

2.  Which of these best describes the Mediterranean Diet?

1. Very low carbohydrates (no rice, pasta or bread), high protein and fat from meat, eggs and other sources
2. Plenty of fish, vegetables, fruit and dairy, whole grains, olive oil and other healthy fats, moderate wine consumption
3. Restricted carbohydrates, including fruits; encourages healthy fats, vegetable and low fat proteins
4. Includes meats, vegetable, fruits, roots and nuts, excludes grains, legumes, dairy products and potatoes

3.  What happens to the body when you eat doughnuts?

1. A rapid spike in blood sugar
2. A burst of energy, followed by a sluggish feeling
3. A release of insulin, which causes the blood sugar to plummet
4. All of the above

4.  Which of the following is considered a “healthy” fat by nutritionists?

1. Saturated fat, which is solid at room temperature and comes from animal sources
2. Trans fat, found in processed packaged foods
3. Monounstaurated fat, found in plant based foods and oils
4. Partially hydrogenated fat, chemically altered by adding a hydrogen atom to an unsaturated fat

5.  Why is fatty fish an important part of a healthy diet?

1. It has omega-3 fatty acids that are important for brain health
2. It lowers your risk of certain cancers
3. It is low in calories and high in protein
4. All of the above

6.  Which of these eating habits is not linked with losing weight and keeping it off?

1. Chewing gum
2. Snacking often
3. Eating out
4. Drinking water

7.  What drink may lower risk of an early death?

1. Diet sodas
2. Coffee
3. Prune Juice
4. Water

8.  Which of the following can be a diet buster?

1. Consuming low-fat dairy
2. Sleeping at least seven hours a night
3. Choosing food labeled “fat-free”
4. Meditating a few minutes each day

9.  Eat this not that.  Which of the following food switches make the most sense for health and weight loss?

1. Steel-cut oats instead of instant oats with sugar
2. Unbuttered popcorn instead of potato chips
3. A small piece of dark chocolate instead of a milk chocolate candy bar
4. All of the above

ANSWERS:

1. (d) The Mediterranean Diet
2. (b) Plenty of fish, vegetables, fruit and dairy, whole grains, olive oil and other healthy fats, moderate wine consumption
3. (d) All of the Above
4. (c) Monounsaturated fat, found in plant based foods and oils
5. (d) All of the above
6. (c) Eating Out
7. (b) Coffee  * This answer was a puzzler to me because I assumed it would be water.  The explanation given was “older adults who drink two or three cups of coffee per day (regular OR decaf) have a 10% lower risk of premature death then those who drink no coffee at all.
8. (c) Choosing food labeled “fat-free”
9. (d) All of the above