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Friday, September 30, 2011

Shorter Days Lead To Indoor Workouts

You know fall is here when the weather begins to turn cooler and the days become shorter and shorter. I am not sure that I like it when I leave work in the evenings and it is almost dark outside. So with this occurrence right around the corner I began to think of ways to stay active and get some exercise while being indoors.

Well the obvious first choice would be to join a gym. There are many gym memberships available for individuals and families. I have done this three or four times in the past but my biggest problem was that the most convenient times for me to go and utilize the equipment also happened to be everyone else's best time, so I found myself going less and less.
So if you are flexible in when you can go, then this would be a great option.

Another place that you could go and walk would be a nearby mall. I am not a mall shopper but I know that when I go to the mall I often see people who utilize the mall as their "gym" of sorts. Some times they even carry small weights and wear a pedometer to measure how many steps that they have walked. This is a great option for those who are on a budget and don't want to pay for a gym membership. Bur it also requires discipline because if you do more window shopping than walking you have defeated your purpose in the first place.

An outdoor place that is free to walk is a local park. The only draw back would be the weather and if there were no lights to walk in the evening. Most community parks have a track that you can walk and sufficient lighting for you to put in a few laps in the evening. This can be a great choice during the fall season as you can possibly watch the rec league football or soccer teams preparing for their next game.

There is another way to workout that I have never tried but it seems simple enough and that is working out on steps or stairs. If your home has a flight of steps inside or outside you could do intervals on those steps. Say for instance you have a flight of stairs going up to your bedrooms. You could go and and down those steps ten times, then rest a couple of minutes and then do it again. If ten times is too much in the beginning, try five, or three. You will burn calories, your will build muscle and you will tone what you have. This is another easy and free way to exercise and never leave your house.

Let's say you don't have steps but you liked the above idea. You could purchase an exercise "step" and step on and off 100 times, then rest, and repeat. If you can't do 100 steps to start try 50 steps. The point here is to get your heart rate up and to burn some calories.

I hope these ideas have helped you consider easy ways to move more, and burn some of those calories in the cooler months ahead. With the winter months fast approaching none of us need to get in the hibernation mode. Let's get up and get moving!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Confession Is Our Road To Healing

"Confession is our road to healing" is a line from an older song that I used to listen to by a contemporary Christian group called dC Talk. The title of the song is "Between you and me" and during a recent interview they stated that the song came about because the members of the group were discussing forgiveness, and not going to bed angry with their respective spouses and this line "Confession is our way to healing" was made.


Today on my drive into work I heard this interview and this song. There were several "nuggets" to take away from the lyrics but this line just kept coming back to me. So I believe that I would like to make a few confessions of my own, to help bring about healing while on my journey to a new me.


Confessions are often looked at as something negative, but if they can bring about healing then I am willing to do that. So what do I need to confess? I would like to start by saying I confess that there are days that I do not stop at my 1400 calories. I know that this is a shocker for many of you, but let me try to explain. There are times that it is nearly impossible to "know" what the actual calorie count of something is, even using my favorite calorie counting tool of all time, www.myfitmesspal.com. Some food items are just not easily found so I have to make my best guess. And you guessed it, this is often not so easy.


Confession number two. When using myfitmesspal.com to look up the calorie count of an item, if there are multiple entries for the same or similar item, you guessed it, I always select the one that has the fewest calories. Now I know some of you are thinking, "what's wrong with that?". And the answer is "Nothing, except in the long run it can undermine my efforts to reach my 100 pounds of weight loss in one year goal."



Life Fitness Club Series EllipticalConfession number three. I talk a lot about exercising but I am the worlds worst at actually doing it. On my journey to a new me I have found it easiest to eat the 1400 calories per day than to walk twenty minutes per day. Confessing this now, and seeing the words written is so embarrassing to me. I have begun, rather slowly, incorporating exercise into my daily program. Sunday I worked out twenty five minutes on my elliptical and I thought I was going to die. (and so did my husband). He kept asking me if I was alright. Well yes, I was alright but more than a little winded to say the least. But if this is what it takes to see the scale start moving down again, I am willing to accommodate.


Confession number four. Mexican food is not my friend! I have found that if there is one food that really under mines my efforts more than anything else, it is Mexican food! I don't know what it is about it that is so appealing to me. I tend to eat the chicken vs. the beef so that is a good choice. I never order cheese dip, although I often want to. My husband likes to order a combo number four at our favorite Mexican restaurant. It comes with two tacos, an enchilada and a beef & cheese tostada. He gives me the enchilada and he eats the rest. So the problem is not in what I am ordering. What I find as my biggest down fall than the actual food is the chips and salsa. Just like Chilis Bar & Grill that has bottomless bowls of chips and salsa so do the Mexican restaurants that we frequent.  It is the mindless over-eating of the chips which are made of corn, that keep me from dropping more weight.  I think the reason we tend to go eat Mexican once and sometimes twice per week is out of sheer convenience.  Well now that I have put it out there so to speak, I think it will help me to be more aware of what I am doing.



Confession is not always easy but it does help me to get things off my chest and off my mind.  I have a long way to go and don't need to sabotage myself along the way.  So what about you?:  What should you be confessing?  Even if it is just to yourself, confess the reasons to why you aren't doing something to help you become the most fit and healthy you that you can be.  I feel much better now, I think I will get on that elliptical trainer and work off some of those chips and salsa that I had for dinner tonight. 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

If It's Too Big, Give It Away!

Have you ever lost weight and had a closet full of clothes that simply did not fit any more? Well since losing 84.4 pounds since December 11,2010 I am this person, and since I have determined that on my journey to a new me that I am never going to go back to my old ways I felt like it was time to purge my closets.

Some people talk about Spring cleaning, but this was quite a bit more than that. I had tried taking some of my clothes to a consignment shop back in the spring and after 90 days, and 35 items they gave me one top back that wwas unsold and a check for $28.95. That's all that I received for my share of the goods sold. I began to wonder what to do with all my big clothes, and I decided to ask one of my friends if she would be interested in coming to my house and taking some of my clothes that did not fit ay more, and she said yes she would love to.

When she arrived with one of her girlfriends I asked them to join me in my walk in closet and I preceded to empty out almost 90% of my closet for her to enjoy. To say that she was a little overwhelmed is a huge understatement. She was very excited and just could not believe that I had done this. I told her that it was an honor to give my perfectly nice clothes to someone that I knew would wear them and enjoy them for herself,

So with a nearly empty closet, I wondered what to do. Should I go to the mall and begin buying an assortment of things to refill my empty closet or what? I believe that I am learning something very important while on my journey to a new me and that is less is more. Earlier this summer I went out an purchased several pairs of shorts and capris and now they are all way too big. This is a good problem to have but it is also very costly. I think the best plan of action for me will be to only buy what I must have and make do until I get down to my one year goal of 100 pounds.

It has been two weeks since I got to the 84.4 pounds lost mark and it is very frustrating with the scale just sitting there on the same mark, but I refuse to lose heart. I will keep doing what I know to do. I will eat my allotted 1400 calories per day and I have begun to walk or work out on the elliptical several days per week. I will keep you posted on my progress and I hope to hit 90 pounds by my sons birthday on Oct 7th!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Fall Into Good Habits

The weather is turning cooler and crisper as the first day of fall arrives and with it comes shorter days and more reasons than ever to fall into good habits. This is the time of the year that my husband flips between football games and baseball games on TV as one season is just starting and another sport is coming to a close. I love both sports but if I could only pick one then it would have to be football. There is something exciting about watching it and cheering for our teams.

So how can I fall into good habits? What does that mean exactly? The first thing is to stay on track. Don't look for excuses to eat more than my 1400 calories. With the holidays coming up I need to be proactive now with how I can divert the temptation that always comes with those sweet desserts and "second helpings" of my mom's delicious turkey & dressing.

I am currently looking for ways to "burn" calories that will allow me to enjoy a small taste here or there and not feel deprived when the pumpkin pie apinging dumplings are being offered. I like walking with my friend at the local park because it is easy to set a pace of 3 mph or more and before you know it we have walked 2 or 2-1/2 miles and have enjoyed catching up with each other. But I know as the days shorten and the weather turns from cool to cold I will not want to make that brisk walk outside any more. So I am thinking now about other ways to get exercise indoors without joining a gym. I will keep you posted to my ideas and who knows maybe I will begin to utilize that elliptical equipment that is parked in my dining room! But until then, here's to falling into good habits this fall!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Learn To Leave Some Food On Your Plate

When I was a young girl I was always told to "clean my plate."  This was something that most parents believed to be the only way to may sure their children received the necessary nutrients to grow into healthy adults.  But something back fired for me, and instead of learning to eat to be healthy, I learned to over eat and grew to be an obese young adult.  The pattern continued into adulthood and now I am an  obese grandmother.  Today I read an article in the health section of WWW.MSN.COM and it gives some good advice when it comes to encouraging our children to clean their plate.

Leave Some Food on the Plate

In an attempt to make sure they don’t miss out on any nutrients, many parents ask kids to clean their plates, making them more likely to overeat later in life, says Sarah Krieger, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetics Association and director of the Fit 4 All Kids program at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL. If your kids say they’re not hungry, wrap up their plates, says Krieger, but make them stay at the table until the rest of the family finishes (to avoid a situation in which they choose playtime over full tummy). And if they’re hungry later, warm up the plate of food instead of offering a snack.

I think this is a great idea.  Why didn't someone think of this when I was growing up?  It could have possibly been a valuable key to unlock my over eating and unhealthy lifestyle.  I hope that everyone reading this blog post will consider making this the new norm. We have to teach our children to wait for true hunger signs before eating everything in sight.  This is a valuable lesson in helping to control the obesity in children that is running rampant in America.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

5-Minute 400-Calorie Meals

When people hear me say that I am only eating 1400 calories per day since begining my journey to a new me on December 11, 2010 they often ask me what I am eating to only consume 1400 calories per day.  I honestly eat "normal" food but I just don't eat more than my daily calorie allowance of 1400.  Tonight while reading health, and weight loss articles on http://www.msn.com/ I found an interesting entry for 5-minute 400-calorie meals.  Check out some of these ideas and see if you can do a few of these to help you cut your calorie intake.  Who knows you may find something that you enjoy on this list.

5-Minute 400-Calorie Meals
Fast, finger-licking picks for every meal of the day!

Losing weight doesn't have to mean hours in the kitchen cooking healthy meals. These quick dishes rely on few ingredients, packaged foods, and simple instructions — leaving you no excuse to ditch your weight loss goal.
The secret to slimming down? It's easy. Just eat four, 400-calorie meals each day.
See all 10 delicious meals now!

Egg & Cheese Breakfast Bowl
Total calories: 380
This breakfast bowl combines egg whites, cheese, potatoes, and turkey sausage into a hearty and protein-packed morning meal.

 
  1. Microwave a Jimmy Dean D-Lights Breakfast Bowl (230)
  2. Pair with one slice whole wheat toast (70)
  3. Wash it down with 6 oz orange juice (80)

Egg & Cheese Breakfast Bowl
Total calories: 380

This breakfast bowl combines egg whites, cheese, potatoes, and turkey sausage into a hearty and protein-packed morning meal.

 
  1. Microwave a Jimmy Dean D-Lights Breakfast Bowl (230)
  2. Pair with one slice whole wheat toast (70)
  3. Wash it down with 6 oz orange juice (80)

Peanut Butter Soy Smoothie
Total calories: 390

Take a break from same-old cereal and milk. A sweet smoothie infused with creamy peanut butter packs in fiber, protein, and a serving of fruit.

  1. To make the smoothie, blend 1 cup vanilla soy milk (100), 1 Tbsp peanut butter (90), 1/2 banana (50), 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 6 ice cubes
  2. Pair it with a toasted whole wheat English muffin (130) with 2 tsp all-fruit jam (20)

Blueberry Nut Oatmeal
Total calories: 390
We combine two of the healthiest foods — brain-boosting blueberries and heart-healthy oatmeal — to make your morning start right.

  1. Cook 1/2 cup dry Quick 1-Minute Quaker Oats (150)
  2. Top with 1 cup frozen organic blueberries (80), 2 Tbsp cashews (100), and 1 Tbsp honey (60)

Superfast Chef Salad
Total calories: 408 – 428
Creamy ranch dressing and shredded cheese make this healthy salad taste rich and satisfying.
  1. To make the salad, mix 2 cups salad greens (20) with 2 oz water-packed drained canned tuna (80) or salmon (60) and 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas (70). Top with 2 Tbsp reduced-fat shredded cheese (50) and 2 Tbsp fat-free ranch dressing (40)
  2. Pair it with a small dinner roll (78)
  3. After the meal, enjoy a Hunt's Fat-Free Snack Pack Chocolate Pudding (90)

 Barbecue Chicken Pita
Total calories: 405

Make use of leftover chicken in this tasty sandwich that sneaks in whole grains and veggies.

 Stir together 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce (50) and 1/2 cup chopped precooked chicken (120); microwave for 30 seconds or until hot
  1. Cut a whole wheat pita (170) in half and stuff each with chicken mixture
  2. Top with 1 cup chopped lettuce (10), 2 Tbsp diced cucumber (5), and 1 Tbsp fat-free ranch dressing (10)
  3. Pair with 10 baby carrots (40)

Total calories: 390
Vegetarian Chili


Chili is an easy, low-cost way to add fiber and protein to your lunch. Get your serving of greens by pairing with a crunchy, refreshing salad.

 Heat 1 cup Hormel Vegetarian Chili with Beans (190)
  1. Pair with a large salad made with 2 cups lettuce (20), 1 tomato (20), salad dressing spray (10). Add two 1/2-oz slices Alpine Lace Swiss Cheese (90), cut into thin strips
  2. Eat with one 6" corn tortilla (60)

Confetti Pesto Pasta

 
Pasta cravings? No problem! Lighten your typical Italian feast by sticking to a 1 cup serving of pasta and loading it with lots of veggies and lean protein.

 
  1. Combine 1 pint cherry tomatoes (50), 1 1/2 cups cooked green beans (66), 1 1/2 cups diced chicken breast (346), 1/4 cup pesto sauce (230), and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
  2. Add 4 cups cooked linguine (800)
  3. Garnish with 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan (83)


Tofu and Veggie Stirfry
Total calories: 385

 Make your own, healthier version of Chinese takeout even faster than the delivery guy can show up at the door!
  1. Sauté in a wok or skillet 1 1/2 cups Cascadian Farm Chinese-Style Stirfry Blend (40)
  2. Add 1/2 cup extra-firm tofu (100)
  3. Stir into the stirfry 1 Tbsp peanut butter (90) and 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce (5)
  4. Pair with 2/3 cup Minute Brown Rice (150)

Vanilla Macademia Parfait 
Total calories: 370 
For an afternoon snack that will keep you full 'til dinner, try a sweet, nutty yogurt parfait
Spoon into a bowl 1 container Stonyfield Farm Fat-Free Vanilla Yogurt (130)
  1. Top with 1 cup Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs cereal (70)
  2. Add 2 Tbsp macademia nuts (120) and 1 Tbsp maple syrup (50)


Sinless S'mores
Total calories: 410 

For an after-dinner dessert, enjoy two chocolaty s'mores — without major calorie overdose!

 Place 2 marshmallows (45) and 2 chocolate kisses (50) on a graham cracker square (30) and top with another graham cracker square (30); repeat to make the second one (155)
  1. Heat in the microwave until soft and chocolate melts
  2. Enjoy with 1 cup fat-free milk (100) .   

Labor Day Has Come And Gone



Labor Day has come and gone and with it my next goal to be achieved on my journey to a new me. As most of you know I have a one year goal to lose 100 pounds and in order to make this huge number "do able" I have broken it down into smaller goals. My latest goal was set after July 4th and it was to lose 85 pounds by Labor Day.


We were at the lake during the Labor Day holiday and did not return home until late Tuesday evening so my first day to see if I had accomplished the latest goal was Wednesday morning. I knew that I had done a great job keeping track of my calories and even resisted the yellow cake with chocolate icing that I had made for everyone to enjoy during the holiday weekend.  I will be honest it was tempting but I was good! So stepping onto Mr. Scale on Wednesday morning was exciting.  But what I saw was not so exciting.

The report was not what I thought it would be or what I felt that I had worked so hard to achieve. I was down 82 pounds. A heaviness fell in my chest as I stepped off the scale and with it all the disappointment set in. All those old feelings of "why do I try so hard?" "Why can't I just get this weight off once and for all?" "why was I born this way?" and finally "why didn't I enjoy a nice big fat piece of thar chocolate cake with a nice cold glass of milk?"

I can't explain it but there was a since of failure that had come over me and while getting ready for work I felt a dark cloud hanging over my head.  You may think that this is a little over-kill but this is how I felt.  There was not one day that I did not feel that I had done my very best to stay on track.  My 1400 calories per day have served me well for over 8 months now and I would like to continue to lose weight by enjoying 1400 calories per day.  Someone told me a few weeks ago that if I hit a plateau that I may have to decrease my calorie intake to 1200 or maybe even 1000.  Well I am sorry, but I disagree.  I do not want to take such a drastic measure that I feel like I am on a diet, and therefore do my best to get off of it as soon as possible!

So what to do?  Where do I go from here?  Which way to I go?  How can I jump start my metabolism into moving back down the scale?  I thought about it all day and I found myself texting my friend to see if she would be interested in going to the park and walking around the track.  Well said Yes!  So last night we walked 2 miles in 38 minutes.  That is a better pace than I normally do.  Then tonight we walked 2 1/2 miles in 42 minutes.  So the time is improving little by little.  Who knows I may end up jogging or running before this is over with.

So why did I begin to exercise now?  Why did I get back on the "I need to exercise wagon, again"?  Well to be honest, I don't see myself reducing my calorie intake to 1200 or 1000 calories per day because I would not be satisfied.  But I can burn 300 or so calories per day which would give me the equivalent of eating 1100 calories per day instead of 1400.  This is the direction that I am going to take.  I will keep you posted as to how often that I am able to walk.  I hope to be down 85 pounds in the next week so that I can start working toward my next goal of 90 pounds by my son's birthday, October 7th.  Stay tuned and hopefully I will have some good news in the days ahead!

50 Ways To Lose 10 Pounds

I admit it now that I have begun my journey to a new me,  I love to read and research weight loss, health and fitness.  There are so many success stories out there to encourage and inspire us.  In a world that is becoming more and more overweight to the point of obesity there are some people out there doing something about it.  Like myself, once you get sick and tired of being sick and tired of being overweight, no obese, you don't ever want to turn back.  Check out the latest article that I found on http://www.msn.com/ Health & Weight loss section.  Great ideas that may be worth a try!

50 Ways To Lose 10 Pounds
Want to drop a dress size? Try one of these easy moves to pare off pounds painlessly
By Joy Manning
How to Lose Weight
Losing weight, unfortunately, isn’t a one-size-fits-all proposition. What helps one person shed pounds may backfire on another. Because we’re all so different, from our food preferences to our body chemistry, the only successful way to reach and maintain a healthy weight is to find what works for you. We’ve read the studies, the books, the reports, and the theories. We’ve been talking to experts and trying to keep ourselves trim for years. There probably are a million ways to gain 10 pounds, but here are 50 ways to lose them. 

1. Water yourself. A recent study proved that dieters who guzzled plenty of H2O lost more weight than those who didn’t.

2. Halve at it. Divide your normal portion by two and save the rest for later. You are likely to feel full on less food than you think.

3. Go meatless. In general, vegetarians have lower body weights than their meat-eating peers. Follow their lead…at least until you drop a few pounds

4. Go vegan. Vegetarianism not helping you lose? Take it to the next level by swearing off eggs and dairy too. Cheese can be a diet killer.

5. Get fresh. Eliminate all packaged foods and eat only fresh ingredients you’ve prepared. No bags, boxes, cans, or cartons allowed.

6. Diet 2 days a week. If you can’t stick to a program all the time, try slashing your calories to 650 a day just 2 days a week and eating normally the other days. A recent study suggests this offers protection from breast cancer as well as assistance with weight loss.

7. Not so sweet. Everyone knows sugar isn’t healthy, but when you start reading labels, you find it in unexpected places, like pasta sauce and frozen entrees. Cutting the sugar out of your diet will mean healthier meals overall.

8. Cut the flour. The short-term elimination of floury foods like white bread and pastries can efficiently kick-start your weight loss plan.

9. Be virgin. Alcoholic beverages are some of the emptiest calories out there. Replace them with water, and the weight comes off.

10. Walk 2 minutes out of every 30. Short walking breaks add up to weight loss
11. Fidget more. Studies show that fidgety types burn significantly more calories than their stationary peers.

12. Sleep it off. Recent studies have shown that those who don’t get enough shut-eye eat more and reach for more fattening grub than people who get plenty of rest.
13. Get it on. Thirty minutes of sex burns at least 60 calories for a 150-pound woman. 

14. Eat at home. Meals eaten away from home have 134 more calories, on average.

15. Start a blog. The weight loss blog is practically a literary genre. Start one, and you aren’t just losing for yourself. Your public needs you.

16. Tweet your weight. Some call it the #humiliation diet, but many credit the accountability for their weight loss success. Use the hashtag #tweetyourweight.

17. Find a buddy. You know you are more likely to show up at the gym if someone is waiting there for you.

18. Lose to win. Bring a taste of The Biggest Loser to your own gym, work, family, or circle of friends for extra motivation.

19. Veg out. Fill two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, which are less calorie dense and more nutritious than any other type of food.

20. Go nuts! A recent study found that dieters who snacked on shelled pistachios shed more pounds than those who ate other snacks, even though they contained the same amount of calories.

21.  Grapefruit diet. A recent study showed that eating one grapefruit daily helped 58 percent of subjects to lose weight.

22. Pay cash. Shoppers who pay with plastic are more vulnerable to impulse buys, which tend to be the fattening snacks you know you shouldn’t have anyway.

23. Don’t be smelly. Scented cosmetics make us crave the foods they remind us of, which ultimately makes us eat more, according to recent reports.

24. Remind yourself to eat better. One study found that people chose better-for-them foods when they were prompted to “consider the healthiness” before digging in.

25. Learn to knit. Doing something—anything—with your hands can distract you from your cravings.

26. Train for a race. Many people find that having an athletic goal motivates them to exercise regularly in a way that nothing else can.

27. Join a sports league. Fitness can be fun, and if it is, you’re more likely to stick with it. Pickup softball, anyone? 

28. Quit sugary drinks. Some supersize sodas have 500-plus calories, and juice isn’t much better. Drink water instead.

29. Swear off dessert. Cut a slew of calories by ordering a skim cappuccino instead so you have something to do while your dining companions devour a cheesecake.  

30. Join a program. US News recently rated Weight Watchers the best choice for weight loss.

31. Work standing up. Standing burns at least 30-percent more calories than sitting on your backside all day

32. Get a treadmill desk. Studies suggest you can burn an additional 800 calories during your workday—if you continually walk at a very slow pace.
33. Swap your supper for soup. Soup’s high water content makes it a low-calorie and filling option. Just steer clear of the creamy kinds.

34. Stop dieting.
Yo-yo dieters don’t tend to get thinner—they get fatter. Instead, make a serious lifestyle change.

35. Quit snacking.
The real reason the French don’t get fat is because it’s a cultural faux pas to eat between meals.

36. Go gluten free.
It isn’t a miracle diet, but it can be a useful short-term experiment that often leads to weight loss and ultimately a less bread-heavy diet.

37. Spice it up!
Cayenne pepper really can rev your metabolism, according to recent research.

38. Abandon your car. Walk or bike to work for a slimming—not fattening—commute.

39. Eat breakfast.
Those who enjoy a morning meal have been shown over and over to be slimmer than breakfast skippers.

40. Drink more milk.
Low-fat dairy consumption seems to speed weight loss—scientists credit the calcium.

41. Eat more yogurt.
A recent report revealed the foods most identified with maintaining a healthy weight, and yogurt ranked among the best.

42. Drop the potato chips.
At the top of the list for foods that make you add pounds?  Potato chips.

43. Take a two-wheeled tour.
A long weekend bike ride around your hometown will help you see the sights in a new light, all while you torch a ton of calories.

44. Make it interesting.
Go to Stickk.com to sign a contract with yourself to lose weight. If you don’t shed the pounds, your money will be donated to a charity…that you hate.

45. Weigh in daily.
For some, the scale is a bummer and a distraction. Others like the daily feedback and accountability. Try it, and see if you lose weight.

46. Meditate.
It’s no secret that stress-eating can sabotage the best diet intentions. A short daily meditation can help you keep binge-inducing anxieties in check.

47. Chill out.
Drinking eight or more glasses of ice water a day may help your body burn fat, according to research.

48. Express yourself.
A creative outlet is likely to boost your self-esteem and take your mind off food. You can’t eat and decoupage at the same time.

49. Brush and floss.
Who wants to ruin their minty-fresh breath with a snack?

50. Fantasy binge. Before you dig in, visualize yourself eating a treat. Science suggests that those who do this mental exercise will eat less of what they first imagined.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Did You Know That Something In Your Kitchen Cabinets Has Health Benefits

Did you know that there is something in your kitchen cabinets that has extreme health benefits that you probably are not aware of?  It is hidden in your spice cabinet to be exact.  It is a spice that everyone enjoys and it is used to season oatmeal, cookies, french toast, and other delicious foods.  The mystery  spice is something so common that you can buy it at any grocery store or super market.  You will be suprised at how much health benefits that can be achieved by consuming this simple spice.   Check out the health benefits of Cinnamon.   Information obtained from MSN - Fitbie By Jonny Bowden, Ph.D menshealth 

Cinnamon

This old-world spice usually reaches most men's stomachs only when it's mixed with sugar and stuck to a roll.

Why it's healthy: Cinnamon helps control your blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease. In fact, USDA researchers found that people with type-2 diabetes who consumed 1 g of cinnamon a day for 6 weeks (about 1/4 teaspoon each day) significantly reduced not only their blood sugar but also their triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Credit the spice's active ingredients, methylhydroxychalcone polymers, which increase your cells' ability to metabolize sugar by up to 20 times.

How to eat it: You don't need the fancy oils and extracts sold at vitamin stores; just sprinkle the stuff that's in your spice rack (or in the shaker at Starbucks) into your coffee or on your oatmeal.

 

Friday, September 2, 2011

Add "Color" To Your Plate To Lose Weight



It's time to mix it up.  It's time to shake things up a bit.  It is time to add color to every meal.  I have found on my journey to a new me that you need to eat red, yellow, orange, green, or purple food. It is time to pack your meals with fruits and vegetables. They're low-calorie and loaded with vitamins and minerals your body needs to function, keep your immune system up, and maintain strong bones and muscles. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in fiber, which is key for slimming down. Tufts University researchers have found that people who eat high-fiber diets are less hungry and lose more weight than people who eat less fiber. "It takes longer to process fiber,"  "so you're full longer."

Many people have good intentions and buy a bunch of fresh produce, but then they forget to use it, and find it later rotting in the bottom of their fridge.  While fresh is great, it's not the only way to work in fruits and vegetables. Don't forget our super markets offer frozen, canned, dried, jarred as well as fresh produce.  All of these are great choices.  It is recommended that you should fill at least one-third of your plate with vegetables. Use these ideas to color every meal, and you'll be on the path toward good health and weight loss.

Breakfast
Add a sliced banana or a half cup of sliced strawberries  to cereal.
Add frozen, defrosted berries to yogurt.
Have a glass of tomato juice.
Add jarred salsa to scrambled eggs.
Top a waffle with canned peaches in water or light syrup.

Lunch
Put extra vegetables like cucumber or shredded carrots on sandwiches.
Use hummus or refried beans as a spread, instead of mayo or mustard.
Have raw vegetables in place of chips or pretzels.
Blend frozen fruit with seltzer for a peppy drink.

Dinner
Grill vegetable kebabs as well as lean meat.
Add dried apricots or golden raisins to rice pilaf.
Roast vegetables on the weekend and add to salads all week.
Add frozen vegetables or canned white beans to spaghetti sauce

One tip that my husband is good about sharing is that he cooks enough chicken breast for at least three meals at one time.  The first evening we might enjoy grilled chicken, baked potatoes, and salad.  The second night he slices all of the left over chicken and adds fajita seasoning and we have chicken fajitas.  The third night he cubes the remainging chicken that was seasoned with fajita seasoning and adds his homemade BBQ sauce and reheats the meat.  We have then dined on chicken prepared three ways and it really cuts the amount of time that is spent cooking in the kitchen!

Try it you may find that it works well for you and your family.  I will post most of our cooking to be healthy strategies in a later post.  Until then, remember to add more "color" to your plate and you to will lose weight!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

How Many Servings Are You Really Eating?


How many of us like to eat cereal for breakfast?  This is one of the easiest ways to get fuel in your body to start your day.  Cereals come in all types and varieties.  Every cereal box has the all important nutritional guide label posted on the outside of the box to give us the complete story behind what you are eating.

Well I would like to say that it is not always what type of cereal that you should be worried about (sugar variety vs. shredded wheat with no sugar) but the amount of cereal that you consume at one meal.  Let's do a little exercise to see just how much cereal you really are getting per serving.  Please follow these steps completely and do not read ahead.


1.  Get out a cereal bowl.  Your favorite cereal bowl.  The one that you always eat your cereal from and fill it as you normally would with your favorite brand.

2.  Now read the label on that box of cereal to find out the serving size and the calories per serving.

3.  Look at what's in your bowl. Is it more than a serving? Less? Chances are it's more than you think.

4.  Now the fun part begins.  Pour the cereal from your favorite cereal bowl into a measuring cup to find out.  (Please note the "actual serving size" as noted on your cereal box.  Some cereal servings are 3/4 of a cup  and not a one cup serving)

5.  What you will find is that "We measure with our eyes."  And our eyes are terrible judges of portions size.  

 
Case in point: A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found people serve themselves up to 53% more ice cream when simply given a larger scooper and bowl. And since research shows people eat about 92% of whatever is in front of them, it pays to know what an appropriate serving should look like. The only way to know that is to measure what your eating.




Make It Work
While it may seem like a hassle at first, measuring out food can quickly become part of your daily routine. And after a few weeks of practice, you'll begin to train your eyes and brain to recognize what a serving should look like without having to actually measure. But first, you
need the right tools to get started.

Keep equipment handy. Leave a set of measuring cups and spoons on your kitchen counter so you remember to use them. 
  
Think convenience. Put a collapsible measuring cup in your favorite breakfast cereal so it's easy to measure during your morning rush.

Snack smart. Read the label on snack foods, and divide cookies, crackers, pretzels, and chips into individual servings. Store each in an airtight bag or container.

Make your mark. Read the label on block cheese to find out how many servings are in the package, then score the cheese appropriately.  I always do this with my small tub of fat free cream cheese and it feels like a huge serving when spread onto my bagel thin.

These are just a few ideas that I have found have helped me on my journey to a new me.  Try a few of them and see if it can help you lose a few pounds too!

Obesity To Worsen, Weigh Heavily On Healthcare Costs



This article is so true!  I have written several blog post regarding obestiy in America and this just verifies everything that I have been expressing.  This article was posted on Yahoo Health on Friday 8/26/2011.  Please read this and share it with your family and friends.  Obesity is quickly becoming the #1 killer in America and we need to work hard to put a stop to it in our families.


Obesity to worsen, weigh heavily on healthcare costs

Obesity is most widespread in Britain and the United States among the world's leading economies and if present trends continue, about half of both men and women in the United States will be obese by 2030, health experts warned on Friday.

Obesity is fast replacing tobacco as the single most important preventable cause of chronic non-communicable diseases, and will add an extra 7.8 million cases of diabetes, 6.8 million cases of heart disease and stroke, and 539,000 cases of cancer in the United States by 2030.

Some 32 percent of men and 35 percent of women are now obese in the United States, according to a research team led by Claire Wang at the Mailman School of Public Health in Columbia University in New York. They published their findings in a special series of four papers on obesity in The Lancet.
In Britain, obesity rates will balloon to between 41-48 percent for men and 35-43 percent for women by 2030 from what is now 26 percent for both sexes, they warned.

"An extra 668,000 cases of diabetes, 461,000 of heart disease and 130,000 cancer cases would result," they wrote.  Due to overeating and insufficient exercise, obesity is now a growing problem everywhere and experts are warning about its ripple effects on health and healthcare spending.
Obesity raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, various cancers, hypertension, high cholesterol, among others.  Because of obesity, the United States can expect to spend an extra 2.6 percent on its overall healthcare bill, or $66 billion per year, while Britain's bill will grow by 2 percent, or 2 billion per year, Wang and colleagues warned.

OBESITY BOMB TICKING EVERYWHERE ELSE TOO
In Japan and China, 1 in 20 women is obese, compared with 1 in 10 in the Netherlands, 1 in 4 in Australia and 7 in 10 in Tonga, according to another paper led by Boyd Swinburn and Gary Sacks of the WHO Collaborating Center for Obesity Prevention at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia.
Worldwide, around 1.5 billion adults are overweight and a further 0.5 billion are obese, with 170 million children classified as overweight or obese. Obesity takes up between 2 to 6 percent of healthcare costs in many countries.

"Increased supply of cheap, tasty, energy-dense food, improved food distribution and marketing, and the strong economic forces driving consumption and growth are the key drivers of the obesity epidemic," Swinburn and Sacks wrote.

The health experts urged governments to lead the fight in reversing the obesity epidemic.
"These include taxes on unhealthy food and drink (such as sugar sweetened beverages) and restrictions on food and beverage TV advertising to children," wrote a team led by Steven Gortmaker at the Harvard School of Public Health, which published the fourth paper in the series.

Six Ways To Beat Mindless Munching

Today while reading the Health section of the Yahoo website I ran across an article from July from Women's Health.  It had some very interesting tips on how to beat mindless munching.  Before I started my journey to a new me I was the World's Biggest Mindless Muncher.  Check out this article and see if you can get your mind in gear and stop all the mindless munching that you are doing.

6 Ways to Beat Mindless Munching


You know the usual suspects: your co-worker’s candy dish, that bowl of salty-nutty whatever-it-is deliciousness they put out during happy hour—or the bag of crunchy puffs whose label reads “natural.” Who hasn’t blindly nibbled their way through what seemed like a simple snack and realized they’d just consumed hundreds of extra calories? Good news: there’s hope for the mindless munchers among us. Here’s how to quell your non-stop noshing once and for all.

Banish hunger
"Skipping meals sets you up for intense cravings," says Susan Kraus, R.D., a nutritionist at Hackensack University Medical Center. Eating regular meals of complex carbs—not refined ones like white bread and pasta—with protein and a small amount of healthy fat will keep your blood sugar steady, and you feeling satisfied. When you do snack between meals, make smart choices. Foods with staying power: low-fat yogurt and granola or half a whole-wheat English muffin spread with natural peanut butter.


Identify triggers
Keep a food log for a week, recording your moods, what stresses you out, and how hungry you feel before eating. Once you've identified the things that drive you to raid your candy stash, you can react productively instead of eating half a pound of chocolate.

Wait it out
You're most susceptible to your brain's demands during the 20 minutes after a stressful episode—the amount of time it takes for serotonin to bounce back and stress hormones to fall. If you can resist a temptation for just that long, the urge will probably fade.



Drink something
The hypothalamus, your brain's control center for mood- and food-related signals, detects thirst as well as hunger. Gulp a glass of water or hot tea (make it decaf—caffeine can trigger the release of stress chemicals) and see if the craving passes.

Blow it off
If you absolutely need an oral fix, reach for sugar-free gum. Researchers in Australia measured the levels of cortisol in the saliva of study subjects and found that on average, gum chewers had 16 percent less of the stress hormone than non-chewers and responded better to stressful situations.



See the lighter side
Studies show that laughter cuts stress, releases feel-good endorphins, and burns calories—an hour of yukking it up can torch about as many as a half-hour of lifting weights.

What The CDC Has To Say About Being Overweight & Obesity

 Like I have shared before in my blog, I love to read and do research on being overweight and obesity.  My interest has been due to the fact that all of my adult life I have been in this shape myself.  During my journey to a new me I am learning more and more about myself and why I am the way that I am.  My thinking towards food, activity and my overall health have completely changed since starting on my journey to a new me on December 11, 2010.  Here is some thoughtful information that I found on the CDC website regarding being overweight and obesity.

Overweight and Obesity

Causes and Consequences

Is there a quick answer to the question, "what contributes to overweight and obesity?"
Overall there are a variety of factors that play a role in obesity. This makes it a complex health issue to address. This section will address how behavior, environment, and genetic factors may have an effect in causing people to be overweight and obese.
When it comes to maintaining a healthy weight for a lifetime, the bottom line is – calories count! Weight management is all about balance – balancing the number of calories you consume with the number of calories your body uses or "burns off."
  • A calorie is defined as a unit of energy supplied by food. A calorie is a calorie regardless of its source. Whether you're eating carbohydrates, fats, sugars, or proteins, all of them contain calories.
  • Caloric balance is like a scale. To remain in balance and maintain your body weight, the calories consumed (from foods) must be balanced by the calories used (in normal body functions, daily activities, and exercise).
Caloric balance is like a scale. Calories in = food and beverages. Calories out = body functions and physical activity.
If you are…Your caloric balance status is ….
Maintaining your weight"in balance." You are eating roughly the same number of calories that your body is using. Your weight will remain stable.
Gaining weight"in caloric excess." You are eating more calories than your body is using. You will store these extra calories as fat and you'll gain weight.
Losing weight"in caloric deficit." You are eating fewer calories than you are using. Your body is pulling from its fat storage cells for energy, so your weight is decreasing.
Genetics and the environment may increase the risk of personal weight gain. However, the choices a person makes in eating and physical activity also contributes to overweight and obesity.
For more, see Healthy Weight – Balancing Calories.

Environment

People may make decisions based on their environment or community. For example, a person may choose not to walk to the store or to work because of a lack of sidewalks. Communities, homes, and workplaces can all influence people's health decisions. Because of this influence, it is important to create environments in these locations that make it easier to engage in physical activity and to eat a healthy diet. The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity 2001 identified action steps for several locations that may help prevent and decrease obesity and overweight. The following table provides some examples of these steps.
LocationSteps to Help Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity
Home
  • Reduce time spent watching television and in other sedentary behaviors
  • Build physical activity into regular routines
Schools
  • Ensure that the school breakfast and lunch programs meet nutrition standards
  • Provide food options that are low in fat, calories, and added sugars
  • Provide all children, from prekindergarten through grade 12, with quality daily physical education
Work
  • Create more opportunities for physical activity at work sites
Community
  • Promote healthier choices including at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, and reasonable portion sizes
    Encourage the food industry to provide reasonable food and beverage portion sizes
    Encourage food outlets to increase the availability of low-calorie, nutritious food items
    Create opportunities for physical activity in communities

Genetics

How do genes affect obesity?
Science shows that genetics plays a role in obesity. Genes can directly cause obesity in disorders such as Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome.

However genes do not always predict future health. Genes and behavior may both be needed for a person to be overweight. In some cases multiple genes may increase one's susceptibility for obesity and require outside factors; such as abundant food supply or little physical activity.

For more information on the genetics and obesity visit Obesity and Genetics: A Public Health Perspective.

Other Factors

Diseases and Drugs
Some illnesses may lead to obesity or weight gain. These may include Cushing's disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Drugs such as steroids and some antidepressants may also cause weight gain.

A doctor is the best source to tell you whether illnesses, medications, or psychological factors are contributing to weight gain or making weight loss hard.

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/causes/index.html

I do not believe anyone knows all the answers when it comes to being overweight or obese, but the CDC has done tremendous research to try to give a good over view of what could be some of the most common reasons.  With this information so readily available to most of America via the web, I wonder why more people are not doing something about it?   Aren't you?

Making Meal Plans For A Holiday Weekend

I don't know about you but I love family get togethers and time spent with my family! This weekend marks the last of the summer holiday weekends with Labor Day on Monday. I have always wondered why this holiday was called "Labor Day" when we don't labor at all but enjoy a day off from our labor. Oh well who knows? But I am happy to have the day off from work!

This weekend we have plans to enjoy time with my family at the lake and with the planning comes the thoughts of food and meals. Just because I am watching what I am eating does not mean that everyone else who will be there will be to, so there has to be thoughts about what we will eat. I spoke to my parents and we have come up with a meal plan that should be satisfying for everyone.

So here is the question, how can we have meals that are nutritional, delicious and still please everyone? Well it is not always easy on my journey to a new me to find the perfect mixture of  foods that are both healthy and taste good. Who wants to have a mini vacation and feel like they are eating lettuce three meals a day? Not Me!

Saturday evening we will crank up the grill and smoker and cook up some BBQ chicken and pork. A few vegetables, baked potato and cut up melon should be yummy and put a smile on everyone's face. Sunday my dad will make his "almost world famous pot roast " with potatoes and carrots cooked in with the meat. For sides we will have homemade mashed potatoes, gravy (but not for me)  vegetables and a toss salad. Monday we will have another cook-out on the grill for tasty hamburgers and hot dogs, baked beans, coleslaw and a variety of fruit.

With all this talk of food it is making me hungry! Now you may be wondering how I will eat any of the items above and still continue on my journey to a new me? Very easily, I will eat the foods that I love, and remember to count my calories for all the food that I do consume.  It is easy to do with my iphone and my app for http://www.myfitnesspal.com/  With this app I am able to journal everything that I put into my mouth.  My goal of 85 pounds is just around the corner, and I hope that when my Labor Day mini-vacation is over that Mr. Scale will have some very nice to report to me about my efforts.  I will keep you posted as the weekend approaches but until then start thinking about your Labor Day weekend now?  How will you spend it?  What will you do for activity?  And most importantly what kind of food choices will you be making?  You have a few more days to think about your meals, so don't be caught without a plan. 
Happy Labor Day everyone!

My grandson, CJ, and my grandaughter, Leah,
love to spend time at the lake & in the water.