Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 6

Fat – the last major change to healthier eating.
First off, your body NEEDS fat to function properly.

But just like a lot of the other foods, we have to focus on the ‘better for you’ fats.

The basic consumption rule is:

More foods that are high in MONO and POLY UNSATURATED FATS aka “essential” fatty acids (like fish, nuts and healthy oils). These are essential for healthy hair, skin and joints, for lowery the risk of heart disease and other critical processes of the body.

Reduce the amount of SATURATED FATS (found in pork, red meat and dairy products).

Avoid foods that contain TRANS FATS including fried and breaded foods.

The Breakdown:

SATURATED FATS – found in animal fats are found to be linked to hypertension, heart disease, strokes, various forms of cancer and obesity.

The goal is to find protein sources that have far less of this than beef, pork, lamb or duck. The healthier alternatives, although ALL animal sources of protein contain saturated fat, would be turkey or chicken breast meat, and even buffalo meat. So, try some substitutes and modifications like using turkey sausage or taking the skin off the chicken to help trim the fat. Try to limit the grams to 10 or less.

TRANS FATS – maybe the worst thing that ever happened to our food supply. Why would they take healthy fats, alter their chemical structure through “hydrogenation”, and use it in our foods? Just to extend the shelf life! Well, they can run, but they can’t hide! Trans Fats by any other name (Hydrogenated oils, Partially hydrogenated oils, Fractionated oils, Vegetable shortening & Lard) are still Trans Fats! Once again, READ THE LABEL! It may say 0 Trans Fat, but if one of the ingredients above is listed above, try to avoid it.

Another rule of thumb: If it’s fried or breaded, it’s likely high in calories and contains Trans Fatty Acids. I know we said that we weren’t going to worry too much about calories, but eating TOO MUCH FAT, even from the good sources can sabotage your weight loss goals. 1 gram ea. Of protein or carbs = 4 calories, while 1 gram of fat = 9 calories. Try to limit the intake of added fat per meal to: 1 TBSP – mayonnaise, oil and high-fat dressing and sauces or 1 oz. cheese.

The healthier alternatives for cooking would be grape seed oil, safflower oil, avocado oil and macadamia oil.

For the table, try: Earth Balance or Smart Balance brands of butter.


And that’s the ‘skinny’ on fat!

Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 5

This may be the simplest day yet, and you may already be doing this, but - DRINK MORE WATER!

It could mean up to 5 lbs. of fat loss in 1 month!

Water helps to naturally suppress hunger, prevent water retention and bloating (oh, how we all love that feeling!), help muscle tissue work more efficiently to burn calories, rid your body of toxins, prevent and relieve constipation (another favorite, eh?), and increase the efficiency of your metabolism.

I know I already mentioned how amazing our bodies are, but when you consider how all the organs function and work together to keep us going, you couldn't possibly believe in anything other than God as our Creator!

Let's start with the kidneys, which need adequate water to function well. If they don't get sufficient amounts, then some of the workload gets dumped on the liver. The liver is one of the key organs for metabolizing fat. If the liver has to start doing the work of the kidneys, it's not going to be able to work as hard at burning the fat. So stop making your organs have to multitask - they weren't built for that!

If you are not already doing this, then try to work toward a goal of 12 8oz. glasses a day. (Yes, other beverages like coffee, iced tea, diet soda and other calorie-free beverages count, but none of them is as good as plain old water!). I personally am a big coffee drinker, so I have to make myself drink water in between. (I know, I know, but it's my only vice and I'm still working on it, O.K.?!)  Besides, coffee acts more as a diuretic, and can actually dehydrate you.

I know we've already talked about the affects of sugar, so PLEASE try to stay away from regular soda!  If you need a little incentive, how about 1 12oz. can = 10 tsp. of granulated sugar!  AND, 1 single can of regular soda per day can make you gain 15 pounds of body weight per year!

Soda, "energy" drinks and sports drinks are basically sugar and water. And fruit juices (unless 100% juice and used as your carb) should be avoided too.

So..............be kind to your liver - drink water. Journal your water consumption along with your meals and snacks (you are still doing that - right?). If you choose an occasional substitute that must be sweet, select beverages sweetened with Splenda rather than Aspartame.

Oh, and one last thing (no, two): If you exercise during the day, then add one 8oz. glass of water for every 20 minutes of exercise.

And finally, don't get on the scale. (That's right - resist the urge!) You are more than likely burning fat and losing inches, but your body weight can fluctuate 1 to 4 lbs. daily.  Be patient - you know you feel better! And besides, this is a "lifestyle", not a diet. You will be pleasantly surprised in a few weeks if you are making these changes and sticking with them! God bless!

Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 4

O.K., I warned you we were going to make some adjustments! But be honest, up until now there have not been any really hard changes - have there?  All right, then! We're just going to take another step toward a healthier lifestyle.

It's time to start eating more healthy breads and sweets.  We don't want to cut them out completely, just make some changes that make it possible to continue eating them in a way that will cause your body to lose rather than gain weight. Are you with me?  Good!

Since we want to focus on the foods that accelerate fat burning and avoid those that slow things down, it will be necessary to start reading labels. In order to really get the metabolism going, we will do our best to avoid foods and beverages that have refined sugars (aka The Dirty Dozen), as well as white, enriched and bleached flours listed among the first four ingredients  on the nutrition label (not counting those in parentheses). Nutrition labels list ingredients in order by amount. So if a product lists sugar or "high fructose corn syrup " as the first ingredient, then it has more sugar in it than anything else! We want to start looking for foods made with 100% whole grains and sweetened with no-calorie or less refined sweeteners.

Enemy #1 of fat loss is processed and refined carbohydrates - sugar and white flour are at the top of the list. Sugar, whether it is straight from the sugar bowl, or in the form of candy, soda, or baked goods may have started out in a 'whole' or 'natural' form, but has been refined to the point that all of its fiber and nutrition was stripped away and what is left goes straight to the bloodsteam and spikes your insulin level putting your body into fat storing mode. Unbelievable, I know!  So here is a list of things we want to watch out for:

THE DIRTY DOZEN
1. Sugar (sucrose)
2. High Fructose Corn Syrup
3. Brown Sugar
4. Dextrose
5. Maltose
6. Corn Syrup
7. Malt Syrup
8. Maple Syrup
9. Maltitol (Sugar Alcohol)
10. Matitol Syrup (Sugar Alcohol)
11. Modified Corn Starch
12. Corn Starch

Yea, I know! What's left? There are so many more choices out there now with low or no calorie alternatives like Splenda, Stevia or Neotame. And for baking, there are a lot more healthy substitutes like evaporated cane juice, whole fruit and fruit juices, raw or organic agave nectar, xylitol, brown rice syrup and Sucanat.

Now for the BREAD! The ingredients to watch out for are 'bleached, enriched or white flour'.  Foods and bread made with 100% whole wheat flour and cereals made with whole grains are healthy, high in fiber, and aid in weight loss as well as the prevention of many diseases.
DON'T  LET THE LABEL FOOL YOU! Just because it says 100% Whole Wheat on the front, doesn't mean it is healthy! Remember to check the first four ingredients. If it lists 'enriched flour' and/or 'corn syrup' there, than it probably has no whole grains and is LOADED with sugar!

Label reading may take a little getting used to, but you will soon become an expert "Label Detective", and will benefit in the long run. (Did I say "long run"? - Oh, we'll talk about that later! LOL!)

Before we wrap this up, I want to put out a little Disclaimer/Promo here:  The basic information I am sharing with you here comes from Nutrition expert Robert Ferguson's "Food Lovers Fat Loss System", and I would highly recommend his weight loss regimin to anyone.  What I have been sharing here is just a small part of what his program offers.  All I am really looking to do is pass along some of the valuable health tips I have learned with a few friends.

Health, Nutrition & Weighloss - Week 1, Day 3

Time to talk about the importance of breakfast and portion sizes.  Unless you want to be a Sumo Wrestler, who purposely skips breakfast to prevent their metabolism from getting into gear, than you will need to get in the habit of eating as soon as you get up.

Breakfast really is the MOST important meal! It's called Break - "fast" for a reason. If you just woke up from 8 hrs. of sleep, then your body has been in a fasting mode.  Your metabolism has slowed down, and it needs a 'jump start'. It's O.K. if you are not a 'breakfast person'. A simple snack will do. Just EAT something!

I also want to reiterate that you MUST eat every 2 1/2 - 3 hours to prevent the 'hunger monster' from sabotaging your health and weightloss. If you let yourself get too hungry, you're almost guaranteed to overeat. Once you have stoked the furnace with breakfast, you need to keep it going.

Here are a few suggestions: A bowl of cereal like Kashi Heart to Heart or Trader Joe's Raisin Bran Clusters with low fat milk and berries on top; French toast made with wheat bread and sugar free syrup and a cup of berries on the side; a low fat blueberry muffin; or an egg sandwich with canadian bacon and low fat american cheese on a whole wheat english muffin.

PORTION SIZE.  It may be hard to keep this brief, but here are the basics:
Meats, poultry and fish - the general rule is 3-5 oz. for women and 4-6 oz. for men. That's about the size of the palm of your hand (less if it is a 'fatty' meat like ground beef, ham, hot dogs, ribs, salmon,etc.).  Eggs: 1 whole w/ 2 egg whites for women and 2 whole w/ 2 egg whites for men. (Eggbeaters/whites: 3-4 oz. women & 5-6 oz. men). Protein powder: 1 scoop.
"Limited carbs" - Bread = 2 slices, 1 english muffin, 1 bagel, 1 flour tortilla, 2 corn tortillas, 2 halves pita;  Pasta = 1 c. for women, 1 1/4 c. for men (or the size of your fist); Potatoes = 1 c. for women, 1 1/4 c. for men; Rice & other grains = 1/2 c. for women and 2/3 c. for men (1/2 fist); Cakes, sweets & chocolate = 1/2 palm (look at the palm of your hand and cut it in half diagonally)

     Just in case you are asking: "Can I REALLY have chocolate cake with my grilled chicken breast and asparagus?" The answer is 'YES'!  Just remember portion size and decide if that will be enough to keep you satisfied until your snack 3 hrs. later.

Additional "Limited carbs": Melons (2 fists); high sugar fruits (cherries, grapes, passion fruit, pineapple, plantains & quince) 1 fist; Med. round fruits (apple, banana, mango, orange, peach, pear) = 1 med. women & 1 lg. men; Sm. round fruits (nectarines, plums, tangerines, kiwi) 2 med. for women & 3 med. for men; Dried fruits = 1/2 fist; Winter squash & onions 1 c. for women & 1 1/4 c. men (1 fist); Corn 1/2 c. women & 2/3 c. men (1/2 fist); Hot cereal 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men; Carb rich dairy (lowfat ice cream, lowfat or skim milk, lowfat yogurt) = 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men.

"Go for it Carbs" - Veggies (cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, cukes, mushrooms [button, crimini, white], radishes & sprouts) and Leafy greens (Bok Choi, cabbage, endive, lettuce radicchio, spinach & watercress) EAT ALL YOU WANT;

Tomatoes, squash & other veggies (artichokes, asparagus, bell peppers, brocolli, brussel sprouts, carrots, eggplant, green beans, leeks, mushrooms [portobello, shitake], okra rutabaga turnips) 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men (1 fist)

Berries & low sugar fruits (apricots, all berries, grapefruit, lemons, limes) 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men (1 fist);

Beans, peas & lentils 1/2 c. women & 2/3 c. men

Cooked greens (beet tops, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mustard greens, swiss chard, turnip greens) 1 c. women & 1 1/4 c. men.

There!  I think that is enough for you to 'absorb' for today! :)

Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 2

Write it down!  Yes, get a notebook or a journal or anything 'stationary' that you can write on. (Ha, I just realized where that word came from!)
It has been documented that if you keep a record of everything you eat and drink, you could lose 64% more weight than those who don't.  Note the start time of your meal or snack and use as much detail about what and how much.

Now, let's talk about how these fantastic bodies process food (aka 'our Metabolism'):Our bodies will do one of two things with whatever we eat or drink. It will either burn it for energy or store it for later as body fat. That's it! In order to lose weight, we obviously want to do more burning than storing.

The best way to do that is to understand how to combine foods so they send less sugar into you bloodstream. This leads us to talking about carbohydrates. NO WAIT! I am NOT going to tell you that ALL carbs are bad! None of your favorite foods have to be off limits if you understand how to use them.

O.K., here's a little science lesson: ''Carbs" (whether they are from a baked potato, bread, pasta, a piece of chocolate cake - "yummy"! :P, or a piece of fruit) get converted to Glucose (sugar) which sends the message to your body to release insulin - a fat storing hormone. This really is amazing, because if our bodies didn't do that, it could damage our arteries - "Thank you, God for insulin!"

The good news: There is a way to eat these carbs where you can not only keep your body happy, but your taste buds too!  We can 'optimize' our glycemic levels by keeping our insulin levels low throughout the day, thus preventing our bodies from going into the 'fat storing mode'.

Now, let's define the two kinds of carbs. We'll simply call them 'limited carbs' and 'go for it carbs'! How's that?!  I already gave you a sample of the 'limited carbs' above, so here are some of the 'go for it carbs':
Leafy greens, high fiber veggies, berries & grapefruit, beans, peas & legumes. I will give you more on this later, but for now, let's talk about portion sizes and combination of these foods.
Of course, we need protein too, so we have to add a few of those here: Lean meats, poultry, fish/seafood, eggs, cottage cheese, protein powder and soy (yuck! Did I say soy? - O.K., to each his own!)

So, what's the formula? Common sense for starters! If you are looking at your plate, which is mounded with spagetti, meat sauce AND 8 meatballs, doused in parmesan with a big hunk of garlic bread on the side - well, we have to talk!  Just to keep this short, look at your plate and imagine it divided into 3 sections.  You have a protein, a 'limited carb' and a 'go for it carb'.  There you go!  Yes, it will mean deciding between the noodle and the bread, but personally, I don't usually put my spagetti sauce on bread!  You REALLY want a piece of garlic toast? SAVE IT FOR YOUR SNACK (you might want to go light on the butter while you're at it!)

REMEMBER - snacking is IMPORTANT (I knew you would like that!), because it keeps your metabolism (your fat burning machine) going!

O.K., we'll talk more tomorrow - it's time for me to get away from this computer!

One last thing that might help you get started.

Here are some SNACK IDEAS (We are not going worry too much about calories for now, but here is a good guideline - Women 100-200 cal., Men 100-300 cal.):
1 small bag of chips
1 slice of bread/toast with peanut butter
1/2 turkey sandwich (o.k., the garlic toast if you really  must have it!)
cheese and crackers
fruit
a chicken leg
leftovers from a meal (snack size portion please!)
Protein bar

Health, Nutrition & Weight Loss - Week 1, Day 1

One of life's mysteries is how a two-pound box of candy can make a woman gain five pounds!

A lot of people have been noticing that I have lost a few pounds and look a little thinner, and have asked me what I've been doing. I can start by saying, "I AM NOT DIETING - I"M EATING!"  That' right! No more dieting for me!

I have FINALLY found "balance"! And have decided to share what I have learned here with those who are interested.

Our bodies are amazing! They are MACHINES! No, they are more marvelous than that! We are 'fearfully and WONDERFULLY made"! And, we have to take care of these machines if we want to keep them running efficiently for the rest of our lives no matter how long that is.

I'm going to "promise" you, that if you make even SOME of these life changes that I am going to share here, you will notice the difference; but more than that, you will be amazed at how you can just 'tweek' and 'adjust' a few habits, and your body will thank you!

Here goes: Step 1 (Week 1, day 1) - EAT!
(I'm going to give you a minute to 'digest' that statement! LOL!)
That's right - I said EAT!  EAT when you get up; EAT throughout the day; and EAT in the evening! You may have already heard this ("eat smaller meals, but eat more often"), but it works!

Here's the 'skinny'. (Oh, I crack myself up!).  Our bodies NEED fuel just like your car needs gas.  Plain and simple, when you don't eat, or when you skip meals, your body goes into starvation mode and begins to hoard everything you digest if you let it go too long without food. You need to "train" your body to trust that it's not going to starve.

So, here is your assignment. Starting tomorrow, eat every 2 1/2 to 3 hrs. Try to eat within the first 1/2 hr. after getting up (yes, you can!), and continue until bedtime. That's right - the "No eating after 7:00pm" is a myth. If you are still going until midnight, your body still needs fuel! (Yes, common sense has to come into play here, but we'll talk more about that later!)

Here is a sample: 6am breakfast, 9am snack, 12pm lunch, 3pm snack, 6pm dinner, 9pm snack.

Not rocket science (well, maybe it is!), just the basics. Yes, there is more to it than that, but we're talking about changing some 'life-long' habits for some people. You don't do this overnight. You do it ONE STEP AT A TIME! We all know we didn't get this way overnight, and if we want LASTING results, we have to make it a lifestyle.

That's it for now! God bless!