- With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
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Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Katherine Zeratsky and Jennifer Nelson
Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.D.
Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning."Nutrition is one way people have direct control over the quality of their lives," she says. "I hope to translate the science of nutrition into ways that people can select and prepare great-tasting foods that help maintain health and treat disease."
A St. Paul, Minn., native, she has been with Mayo Clinic since 1978, and is director of clinical dietetics and an associate professor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
She leads clinical nutrition efforts for a staff of more than 60 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees nutrition services, staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the "Mayo Clinic Diet" and the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." She has been a contributing author to and reviewer of many other Mayo Clinic books, including "Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for EveryBody," "The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and "The Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook." She contributes to the strategic direction of the Food & Nutrition Center, which includes creating recipes and menus, reviewing nutrition content of various articles, and providing expert answers to nutrition questions.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She's active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Nutrition-wise blog
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May 11, 2011
Can technology help you lose weight?
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Are you trying to lose weight? Nearly 70 percent of Americans put themselves in that group. Yet only 9 percent can accurately estimate the number of calories they need each day based on their age, height, weight and activity level. Most people don't even monitor their daily calories, saying it's too difficult or takes too much time.
But calorie tracking doesn't have to be so difficult. Technology can help. Many online tools and mobile applications (apps) are available to help you figure out your daily calorie needs. You just have to provide your height, weight and age information. Some tools will also ask about your goals — do you want to lose weight or maintain your present weight — and your activity level.
What about the other half of the equation? Do you know how many calories you're burning each day? Technology can help there too. Numerous websites and apps provide estimates of calories burned during daily activities, such as mowing the lawn, and all varieties of exercise.
So what are you waiting for? Take advantage of technology to give your weight-loss efforts a boost. If you already use weight-loss apps or tools, what advice and tips can you offer?
15 comments posted
August 28, 2012 9:24 a.m.
So I think these calorie tracking apps make losing weight too much of a chore. I think it'd be more helpful if you could replace calories in a fun way. With that in mind, I made a fun app that let's you replace high-calorie and low nutrient chips with virtual chips. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/crunchip/id519
797086?mt=8 . Give it a try and let me know what you think! - Alexander
March 28, 2012 2:08 a.m.
Tools are necessary, such as for recording daily diet and exercise. But before this, I think that if you are ready to lose weight, then evaluate your method first, evaluate it in effect, speed, healthy, sustainability
- Austin
January 12, 2012 8:25 a.m.
The school nutrition policy was subsequently overturned by the National Government, which according to the lead author Gabrielle Jenkin suggests a strengthening of industry’s influence on our national nutrition policy. She says: “allowing schools to profit from the sale of unhealthy foods to their students is personally concerning to me as a parent, and should send alarm bells to other parents”. I agree! Ways to lose weight
- ways to lose weight
September 30, 2011 5:26 a.m.
Sparkpeople.com is a great free website that also offers free apps for tracking calories and exercise, as well as diet plans, workouts, and lots of advice and user forums/chatboards. I never thought I would be in to tracking my calories (not too crazy about numbers), but it's been a great help to me. There's a tool for analyzing your recipes that's truly indispensible.
- Lenore
September 16, 2011 11:42 a.m.
I highly recommend My Fitness Pal! It's a calorie and exercise tracker. There's a free app on the iPhone and you can also use it online at www.myfitnesspal.com. It doesn't work miracles, you obviously need to eat well and exercise but it's really great for keeping track of what you're eating and your progress! I've lost 24lbs since I started using it!
- Natasha
September 6, 2011 9:33 a.m.
I dont not beleive technology helps you lose weight.it might lose it temporarly,but it will come back.you need a high matabilsim to stay skiny.
- Eric
August 25, 2011 1:34 p.m.
I recommend www.411fit.com It is a free program for individuals to use. You track you food intake, hydration and exercise and get "graded" for how well you did. Then you can also ask why did you get this grade and it offers suggestions for improvement.
- Susan
July 31, 2011 1:22 p.m.
Hi my name is Marvellus, I am a comic who has dealt with over weight problems for years and I came across your site which I loved the information. I am into fitness, health, and well-being. Thanks lets support each other in getting healthy
- Marvellus
June 15, 2011 6:07 p.m.
I use and recommend Livestrong.com 's Calorie Tracker at http://www.livestrong.com/mobile-apps/ You tell the system your height/weight/goal and it tells you how much you can eat each day to lose that goal per week. It shows you calories from many food items at popular restaurants. I had struggled for years to lose weight until I got this app. It also shows you how many calories you've burned from many exercises and tracks it. Even lists activities such as snow blowing or walking a big dog on a leash. It also tracks your weight loss and charts it. I LOVE THIS APP!
- JuLayne
June 3, 2011 6:25 a.m.
Of course it does. In fact markets for that technologies are now getting wider and bigger.
- tips on getting pregnant
June 2, 2011 3:31 p.m.
More information is also available if you click on the resource tab at the top of the page.
- Peter
June 2, 2011 3:27 p.m.
this is a free site with helpful information http://caloriecount.about.com/ From NIH http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/
obesity/lose_wt/index.htm - Peter
May 27, 2011 3:03 p.m.
i have physical restictions due to a neck injury and surgery. i used to run 4 miles every day, and attend a gym every other day. i went from a fit size 8 to a very unfit size 14 in a year's time. i eat very healthy, but am restricted with what i can do physically. how do i get back to my size 8? what can i do that won't hurt my neck, besides walking that is? what do you recommend?
- Tammy
May 19, 2011 4:19 p.m.
I agree what are the names of these wonderful apps and tools to help v2
- molly
May 18, 2011 9:00 p.m.
Why have you not posted the names of any of these apps
- Carolyn
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15 comments posted