This is a remarkable story from my friend, Rosanna...thought I'd share with my blogging friends! Thanks, Rosanna, for sharing!
I've always had headaches -- even as a child. At age 15, they became migraines and escalated
in severity and duration after I was involved in a car accident at age 19. From that point on my
migraines began lasting 24-72 hours and would hit every 3-5 weeks. At times, I got two or three migraines in a one-month period.
I went to every doctor; our family physician, eye doctors, OB/GYN, Neurologist, Osteopath,
& Massotherapist. It was first blamed on menstruation, PMS and heredity. Then, all the doctors
cancelled that theory and began blaming my car accident injuries, which I had years after the
migraines began. I was given all types of medication; Valium, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, prescription and non- prescription pain medications and Morphine at the hospital. Nothing worked! That's why in 1977 I stopped taking any and all medications. I gave drug lectures at the high schools as part of my job with the Police Department, and I knew what harm these drugs could do to your body. Yet, all the doctors wanted me on them. My physicians and specialists didn't know what else to do except advise me of a pain clinic in Michigan that would teach me to "live with the pain". I felt I HAD learned to live with it because I'd managed to live "around" my migraines and lead a normal life throughout it all.
In the meantime, over the years I truly did everything to rid myself of this pain and agony. I went to many doctors and specialists, had physical therapy and even took Yoga classes and Biofeedback for breathing and relaxation techniques. I can't tell you how much money my parents and I spent over the years.
When I got a migraine, I'd know 6-8 hours in advance. I was never able to prevent it. It would
begin as a headache across the eyes and forehead, then travel to my temple area and top of my
head. Once the pain reached the base of my neck, there was no stopping it! I was forced to lie
down, immediately, in a totally darkened room with no noises or movement. You cannot walk,
let alone drive a car during one of these migraines.
A phone ringing would kill me with pain! I'd have nausea and dry heaves, along with vomiting if I merely lifted my head off the pillow. My pain was severe and debilitating! It never subsided in intensity, but remained the same level throughout the duration. Some migraine sufferers say theirs subsides in cycles. One never lasted less than 24 hrs. for me and usually lasted 72 hrs.
My two pregnancies gave my husband Dan, and me, an idea that my migraines might be an
imbalance in my system with some hope for the future. During both pregnancies, and while
nursing our daughters, I never got a migraine. We couldn't believe it! Relatives and close friends
were amazed. And we felt we had hit on something important.
So, we ran back to my OB/GYN who delivered our girls, my OB/ GYN who treated my
migraines since I was 16 yrs. old, and my family physician. And to our amazement, they merely
agreed this meant it was hormone related and they could treat me with a medication used for
endometriosis. But, neither one recommended it because it could cause sterility and we wanted
more children. Each one made this diagnosis sitting behind a desk.
My cousin was helped with Shaklee Supplements for Epstein Bar Syndrome (also known as
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and she pressured me constantly to try them. As a favor, we went to
a nutrition talk at her home - reluctantly. But, it proved my saving grace. Many things said during the nutrition sounded like questions we'd brought to the attention of my physicians.
It all made sense, but I didn't immediately run to get Shaklee because it sounded too simple of a
solution, after years of tests, therapy, medications and doctors. I believed they helped my cousin, but felt migraines were a world apart from what she had. Two weeks after that nutrition, I experienced a 72 hr. migraine and my husband set up an appointment to discuss a supplement
program.
Dan was extremely supportive of me when I began the program. He even began taking the
supplements so we would have a buddy system. After all, we'd get our money back in 30 days if
we didn't feel better. Plus, they were just foods -- not drugs. About 7-8 days after I started the
program, I got a migraine. It lasted two and one-half hours and I'm still waiting for it to return. I
had a few in the first two months which felt as if they were on their way, but I was able to get rid of that dull, mild, headache feeling by taking extra supplements. With time, it got easier and
easier to "ward off" the migraine before it hit.
All I have done differently is take Shaklee Food Supplements. It's wonderful and I can't find
words to describe the joy and relief I feel each passing day. I feel like a walking miracle!
I began by taking the following supplements and followed Dr. Klinkhammer's Health and
Harmony Program.
I've altered my initial program accordingly over the years.
I want everyone to know there may be hope for them. This is NOT a cure, and I'm not saying
you will rid all migraines in 90 days. It's taken longer for some. But, you deserve to know if it
will work for you. If you get the same results I've gotten, you will be thankful for the rest of your
life!
Love, Rosanna Montecalvo
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Monday, October 5, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Girls Just Wanna Eat!
I thought this was an interesting article from Women's Health Magazine! I hope you find it interesting!
Never Have a Pig-Out Again
A bad day can send even the healthiest eater on a chocolate cake bender. Knowing how emotions and appetite are connected can help you curb your impulse to overeat.
By Karen Asp
You sail through Super Bowl parties every year without dipping a single chip and survive the annual Girl Scout cookie blitz. So why does one lousy fight with your boyfriend land you elbow-deep in a tub of mac 'n cheese? Maybe because a dieter's worst enemy isn't temptation; it's a really foul mood.
"Emotional eating is the number-one reason most diets fail," says Linda Spangle, R.N., M.A., a Denver-based weight-loss coach and the author of 100 Days of Weight Loss. Spangle estimates that up to 75 percent of her clients overeat because of how they feel. "They have a bad day and self-medicate with food," she says.
Researchers at the Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in Providence, Rhode Island, agree. In a 2007 study, they found that internal emotional triggers pose a larger obstacle to weight loss than external ones (e.g., eating more because dinner is served buffet-style).
Now there's physiological evidence to back up what you've always instinctively known: Women really are more prone to day-from-hell food fixes than men. In a study published earlier this year, researchers at the Brookhaven National Laboratory had normal-weight male and female volunteers fast for nearly 20 hours, then tempted them with their favorite foods. The volunteers were instructed to resist the food while imaging equipment took photos of their brain activity. The resulting scans showed that while all the volunteers could consciously suppress their hunger somewhat, the brain areas that regulate emotions and the motivation to eat were more active in the women than in the men.
So if we're able to will our hunger pangs into submission, why don't we? For one thing, because our emotional attachment to that box of doughnuts, unlike the one we have to Clive Owen, isn't all in our head—our emotions can in fact trigger physical hunger. "There's definitely a physical component to emotional eating," says Susan Kraus, R.D., a nutritionist at Hackensack University Medical Center. "The mood- and appetite-regulating chemicals in your brain like to stay in balance. So when you experience unpleasant emotions that throw off that balance, your brain will try to compensate."
When you have an evil day, your brain's production of serotonin (a neurotransmitter that keeps you from feeling anxious and depressed) can drop. Studies link low levels of serotonin in women to irritability and increased appetite. Further, research has shown that the things that cause low serotonin—including exhaustion, stress, PMS, and lack of sleep and sex—hit women harder than men because women start out with about 25 percent less of the chemical, according to Robert Posner, M.D., coauthor of Stress Eater Diet.
To maintain its proper levels, your brain issues an order for carbohydrates, which contain the amino acid tryptophan, a building block of serotonin. That's why, after spending an hour in traffic on the way home from work, you want to scarf a slice of pizza, not grilled chicken and steamed broccoli. When you do, your body pumps out more serotonin, which takes the edge off almost instantly—until your body finishes processing the carbs. Then comes the dreaded rebound, when your blood sugar plummets and you end up craving another slice.
Are you really hungry? Probably not, though it sure feels that way. In fact, the most common time to binge is after a meal, says Mary Boggiano, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who has studied overeating in rats. "Hunger is actually the least reported reason for overeating," she says. Low serotonin can also impair your ability to tell when you're full, making you more likely to eat when you don't really need to as well as more prone to overeating.
What's more, if you do tend to eat for comfort, being low on serotonin will probably make it harder for you to resist the foods you love. That's because dwindling levels have been linked to an increased sensitivity to reward. Translation: "Emotional eaters eat not only to reduce stress but also because it feels so much better than what they're going through," Boggiano says. Add brain chemistry to the emotional associations formed throughout life—like getting a lollipop every time you scraped your knee—and it's no wonder you feel helpless to resist that carton of Rocky Road. "
It takes time, but you can change the way you react," says Linda Hlivka, a clinical nutritionist and Posner's co-author on Stress Eater Diet. And that doesn't mean you can never treat yourself. "If you decide you want to relax with a few cookies and can stop at three, that's probably not emotional eating," Hlivka says. "When it becomes your go-to stress-reduction strategy—like, 10 times a day—it's a problem."
Never Have a Pig-Out Again
A bad day can send even the healthiest eater on a chocolate cake bender. Knowing how emotions and appetite are connected can help you curb your impulse to overeat.
By Karen Asp
You sail through Super Bowl parties every year without dipping a single chip and survive the annual Girl Scout cookie blitz. So why does one lousy fight with your boyfriend land you elbow-deep in a tub of mac 'n cheese? Maybe because a dieter's worst enemy isn't temptation; it's a really foul mood.
"Emotional eating is the number-one reason most diets fail," says Linda Spangle, R.N., M.A., a Denver-based weight-loss coach and the author of 100 Days of Weight Loss. Spangle estimates that up to 75 percent of her clients overeat because of how they feel. "They have a bad day and self-medicate with food," she says.
Researchers at the Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in Providence, Rhode Island, agree. In a 2007 study, they found that internal emotional triggers pose a larger obstacle to weight loss than external ones (e.g., eating more because dinner is served buffet-style).
Now there's physiological evidence to back up what you've always instinctively known: Women really are more prone to day-from-hell food fixes than men. In a study published earlier this year, researchers at the Brookhaven National Laboratory had normal-weight male and female volunteers fast for nearly 20 hours, then tempted them with their favorite foods. The volunteers were instructed to resist the food while imaging equipment took photos of their brain activity. The resulting scans showed that while all the volunteers could consciously suppress their hunger somewhat, the brain areas that regulate emotions and the motivation to eat were more active in the women than in the men.
So if we're able to will our hunger pangs into submission, why don't we? For one thing, because our emotional attachment to that box of doughnuts, unlike the one we have to Clive Owen, isn't all in our head—our emotions can in fact trigger physical hunger. "There's definitely a physical component to emotional eating," says Susan Kraus, R.D., a nutritionist at Hackensack University Medical Center. "The mood- and appetite-regulating chemicals in your brain like to stay in balance. So when you experience unpleasant emotions that throw off that balance, your brain will try to compensate."
When you have an evil day, your brain's production of serotonin (a neurotransmitter that keeps you from feeling anxious and depressed) can drop. Studies link low levels of serotonin in women to irritability and increased appetite. Further, research has shown that the things that cause low serotonin—including exhaustion, stress, PMS, and lack of sleep and sex—hit women harder than men because women start out with about 25 percent less of the chemical, according to Robert Posner, M.D., coauthor of Stress Eater Diet.
To maintain its proper levels, your brain issues an order for carbohydrates, which contain the amino acid tryptophan, a building block of serotonin. That's why, after spending an hour in traffic on the way home from work, you want to scarf a slice of pizza, not grilled chicken and steamed broccoli. When you do, your body pumps out more serotonin, which takes the edge off almost instantly—until your body finishes processing the carbs. Then comes the dreaded rebound, when your blood sugar plummets and you end up craving another slice.
Are you really hungry? Probably not, though it sure feels that way. In fact, the most common time to binge is after a meal, says Mary Boggiano, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who has studied overeating in rats. "Hunger is actually the least reported reason for overeating," she says. Low serotonin can also impair your ability to tell when you're full, making you more likely to eat when you don't really need to as well as more prone to overeating.
What's more, if you do tend to eat for comfort, being low on serotonin will probably make it harder for you to resist the foods you love. That's because dwindling levels have been linked to an increased sensitivity to reward. Translation: "Emotional eaters eat not only to reduce stress but also because it feels so much better than what they're going through," Boggiano says. Add brain chemistry to the emotional associations formed throughout life—like getting a lollipop every time you scraped your knee—and it's no wonder you feel helpless to resist that carton of Rocky Road. "
It takes time, but you can change the way you react," says Linda Hlivka, a clinical nutritionist and Posner's co-author on Stress Eater Diet. And that doesn't mean you can never treat yourself. "If you decide you want to relax with a few cookies and can stop at three, that's probably not emotional eating," Hlivka says. "When it becomes your go-to stress-reduction strategy—like, 10 times a day—it's a problem."
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Just For Laughs...
This article is for everyone who knows that swimsuit season is coming and is dreading it like the plague....I love you ALL!! 
Gone, Baby, Gone by Vicki Glembocki
I remember so clearly the last time I saw it. It was hanging on the back of the door in a hotel bathroom. I thought to myself, "You'd better take that down or you're going to forget it." I didn't take it down--although I didn't remember that until months later, when I was packing up to go to a water park and opened the bottom drawer of my dresser, where it should have been. It wasn't there. It wasn't in any drawer. I started to panic. It wasn't in the laundry basket, either. Or my suitcase. Or the Goodwill bag. Or the pantry. Or the dishwasher. Or the glove compartment. It was gone. The best bathing suit I ever owned was gone.
We had found each other two years before. I was shopping at Target in mid-February, which is when the cruel people who run Target put bathing suits on display. It's also the time of year when I praise the inventor of sweatpants, since if it hadn't been for him I'd have no way to conceal the layer of whale fat that seems to form around my hips every winter. So there I was in Target, wearing sweatpants, hunting for hard taco shells and an economy box of Tampax, passing the swimsuits. And passing them again. And again. "Avert your eyes, Vicki!" I told myself, knowing how susceptible I am to the potential of finding a suit that might make me look skinnier than the one I currently own, how the very possibility tends to lure me into the Vortex of Pain that is the fitting room, where I'll have no choice but to disrobe. In front of a mirror. Under those nasty fluorescent lights. In February. But then I saw it: a tankini, all festive and flirty, with turquoise and white swirls. I snagged one in every size, weaved my cart to the fitting rooms, and handed the suits to the employee manning the Vortex of Pain and Pasty Skin, who looked at me as if to say "Are you crazy? It's February!" But I pushed onward, closing the door behind me so I could plot my strategy from within:
1. Face away from the mirror whilst disrobing.
2. Remove socks.
3. Start with the largest suit, because if it fits, you are done. And if it turns out you need to go down in size, you may be able to stop therapy.
4. Promise yourself that you will not look at your thighs.
5. Put on a little more lipstick so you at least look less dead.
6. Turn around.
7. Do NOT look at your thighs.
8. STOP looking at your thighs!
Once I stopped looking at my thighs, I realized that God did in fact exist. The bottom didn't dig into my hips and give me a muffin top. The halter made my boobs look bigger. The square of fabric that hung down in the front covered the area formerly known as my abs. And the best part: It was on sale. "Oh, glory be!" I thought, followed by an immediate reprimand: "You made this a bigger deal than you needed to, Vicki. You're so beyond all that immature body-loathing crap."Which is why I felt so relieved when I called the hotel to report the missing suit and the man at the front desk got back on the line after checking the Lost and Found box."I found it," he said."You did?!" I screamed as if he'd said Brad Pitt was knocking at my door. "I love you! No--really!" As soon as the package arrived, I opened it like there was something alive inside that needed to be set free. I pulled out the bathing suit: a lime-and-beige one-piece that would have been too small for Calista Flockhart after a colon cleansing. I grabbed the phone and called back the hotel immediately. I spoke to the manager. The valet. The woman who came in to water the plants. No suit. I e-mailed the manager. No suit. As I began to e-mail her again, I realized what a liar I was. All that cocky talk about how I'd evolved into a woman who embraced the fitting room? That power came from within--that is, from within a new bathing suit that didn't make me look like a rhino and protected me from having to get naked in Target for a long, long time. I pleaded with the manager, believing my sheer desperation could somehow make the suit materialize. I reminded her about the unbelievably horrible process of finding and purchasing a new suit, about stepping into the Vortex of Pain and Pasty Skin and Puckered Thigh Cellulite."Gasp," the manager wrote back. "I cannot imagine having to do that again!"
---------------------
I hope this article gave you all a little laugh and didn't just make you sick to your stomach!!
Bobbie e-mailed me today and said that she is going to face "D-day" tomorrow and weigh-in! Are you all ready to get back on the "horse"? Only a few more weeks of challenge left! Let's give it all we've got until swimsuit season is upon us!!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Who Wants a Smooooothie?
You all know how I LOVE smoothies. Of course, I prefer my Cinch or Soy Protein smoothies, but this sounds delicious and healthy, too! I'll let you know when I make one!
Diana Dyer, registered dietitian and 3-time cancer survivor,created these cancer-fighting shake recipes to provide beneficial phytochemicals. The shakes are all easy to prepare, consume and digest. These shakes are tried and true and are just a sampling of helpful information that is part of her book A Dietitian's Cancer Story.
8 oz (1 cup) calcium fortified soy milk
8 oz (1 cup) vanilla low-fat yogurt
6-8 baby carrots or one large carrot
1/2 cup fresh fruit (mango is nice)
3/4 cup frozen fruit (raspberries make a pretty shake)
1 TBSP wheat germ
1 TBSP wheat bran
1 TBSP whole flax seeds or ground flax meal 2 1/2 oz tofu (cut a 1 lb block or tofu into 6 pieces)
Makes 3 1/2 cups.
If anyone decides to make it this week, let me know!
Diana Dyer, registered dietitian and 3-time cancer survivor,created these cancer-fighting shake recipes to provide beneficial phytochemicals. The shakes are all easy to prepare, consume and digest. These shakes are tried and true and are just a sampling of helpful information that is part of her book A Dietitian's Cancer Story.
8 oz (1 cup) calcium fortified soy milk
8 oz (1 cup) vanilla low-fat yogurt
6-8 baby carrots or one large carrot
1/2 cup fresh fruit (mango is nice)
3/4 cup frozen fruit (raspberries make a pretty shake)
1 TBSP wheat germ
1 TBSP wheat bran
1 TBSP whole flax seeds or ground flax meal 2 1/2 oz tofu (cut a 1 lb block or tofu into 6 pieces)
Makes 3 1/2 cups.
If anyone decides to make it this week, let me know!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Watch Out for....Baby Shampoo??
Does baby shampoo need to contain cancer-causing chemicals?No – but it often does. Product tests released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in March 2009 found two known carcinogens, 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde, in dozens of bath products for babies and kids, including Sesame Street character brands and even the iconic "pure and gentle" Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo.
This report followed up on test results released in February 2007, which found the chemical 1,4-dioxane in 18 popular baby soaps, bubble baths and shampoos. None of the products tested in either round listed 1,4-dioxane or formaldehyde on the label.Both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are known animal carcinogens and probable human carcinogens, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Formaldehyde can also cause skin rashes in sensitive children.
As with many chemicals of concern used in cosmetics, the companies that make these products argue that it's "just a little bit" of 1,4-dioxane in the baby shampoo. Unfortunately, the same baby may be exposed to 1,4-dioxane from the bubble bath, the shampoo, the body wash and many other sources in the same day. Why do products contain these nasty chemicals? 1,4-dioxane is a byproduct of a petrochemical process called ethyoxylation, which involves using ethylene oxide (a known breast carcinogen) to process other chemicals in order to make them less harsh. For example, sodium laurel sulfate – notoriously harsh on the skin – is often converted to the gentler chemical sodium laureth sulfate by processing it with ethylene oxide (the "eth" denotes ethoxylation), which can result in 1,4-dioxane contamination. Sodium laureth sulfate is just one common example. More than 56 cosmetic ingredients are associated with the contaminant 1,4-dioxane.
Formaldehyde contaminates personal care products when common preservatives release formaldehyde over time in the container. Common ingredients likely to contaminate products with formaldehyde include quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea.
The good news is that many companies in the natural products industry are quitting the ethoxylation habit. New standards such as the Whole Foods Premium Body Care Seal do not allow ethoxylation, and many companies have been quietly reformulating to replace chemicals such as sodium laureth sulfate that are associated with 1,4-dioxane.
Status Update
Testing by author David Steinman released in March 2009 found lower levels of 1,4-dioxane than previously found in an array of products – proof that it's possible to make products without this contaminant. An August 2008 lawsuit filed by the California Attorney General's office against several companies for making products with toxic levels of 1,4-dioxane.
What You Can Do
Avoid using products that list ingredients that may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, including sodium myreth sulfate, PEG compounds and chemicals that include the clauses "xynol," "ceteareth" and "oleth." Similarly, avoid products that contain formaldehye-releasing preservatives, including quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea. To search for products without these marker chemicals, use the advanced search in EWG's Skin Deep database and check the "Contamination concerns" box.In the long run, however, we need laws that protect us from nasty contaminants.
Write to your elected officials and ask them to clean up cosmetics.
More Information
Report: "No More Toxic Tub"Skin Deep: Products that may contain 1,4-dioxane Science: 1,4-dioxane
FAQs: 1,4-dioxane in personal care products
Press release: Cancer-causing chemical found in children's bath products (Feb. 7, 2007)
Friday, April 3, 2009
Eat!
Get Fab Abs: Eating Guidelines...from the Abs Diet (womenshealthmag.com)
To get the number on the scale to go down, you have to chow down. (And work out -- but more on that here.) Between 10 and 30 percent of the calories you use each day get burned by the simple act of digesting your food. Now that's pretty cool -- satisfying your food cravings actually fries calories! But not all foods are created equal. Your body uses more calories to digest protein (about 25 burned for every 100 consumed) than it does to digest fats and carbohydrates (10 to 15 burned for every 100 consumed).
That's why the Abs Diet concentrates on adding lean, healthy proteins. Eat more of them, in a sensible way, and you'll torch more calories. Protein is also the nutrient that builds muscle -- and the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you'll burn throughout the day. When you lift and lower weights, you create microscopic tears in your muscles. To mend the tears, your body parachutes in new protein to assess the damage and repair the muscle. Proteins fortify the original cell structure by building new muscle fibers.This wonder child of the nutrition world also makes you feel fuller faster. But the good news doesn't stop there. Following an eating plan that emphasizes lean proteins will accelerate weight loss from your midsection first. The Abs Diet plan is simple: Just stick to the six guidelines below and follow the Abs Diet Quickstart Workout. You can burn a serious hunk of fat -- from your belly first -- in just a few weeks.Let the belly flattening begin!
1. Guideline - Eat six times a day.
Key concept: "energy balance"--that is, how many calories you're burning versus how many you're taking in. Researchers at Georgia State University found that if you keep your hourly surplus or deficit within 300 to 500 calories at all times, you will best be able to lose fat and add lean muscle mass. If you eat only three squares a day, you're creating energy imbalances: Between meals, you're burning more calories than you're taking in; at mealtimes, you're consuming more than you're burning. So alternate larger meals with smaller snacks and eat every 2 to 3 hours. It will keep you full and satisfied, which reduces the likelihood of a diet-destroying binge.
2. Guideline - Make these 12 Powerfoods your diet staples.
3. Guideline - Drink smoothies on a regular basis.
Smoothies--blended mixtures of milk, low-fat yogurt, whey protein powder, ice, and other good stuff from the Powerfoods list -- can act as meal substitutes and potent snacks. They require little time; berries, flavored whey powder, or peanut butter will satisfy your sweet tooth; and their thickness takes up space in your stomach. So get a blender and whip up an 8-ounce smoothie for breakfast or have one before or after your workout.
4. Guideline - Stop counting.
By eating the 12 Powerfoods and their many relatives, the foods themselves will, in a way, count your calories for you. They'll keep you healthy and satisfied. Plus, the most energy-efficient foods are almost like bouncers at a nightclub: They're not going to let any of the riffraff in without your approval. That said, it's always wise -- especially in the beginning, when you're most vulnerable and adjusting to a new way of eating -- to focus on portion control by limiting the servings of some foods, particularly the ones with fat (like peanut butter) and carbohydrates (like rice or bread). A good rule: Stick to one or two servings per food group and confine the total contents of each meal to the diameter of your plate.
5. Guideline - Know what to drink -- and what not to.There are many ways that alcohol can get you into trouble. It doesn't make you feel full or decrease the amount of food you consume. In fact, alcohol encourages your body to burn up to 36 percent less fat and makes you store more of the fat you eat. And it can inhibit your body's production of hormones that help burn fat and build muscle. If you can't pass up your pinot, limit yourself to two or three alcoholic drinks a week. Water may not be as exciting as 'Weiser, but drinking about eight glasses of the clear stuff a day has a lot of benefits. It helps keep you satiated (often what we interpret as hunger is ?really thirst). It flushes the waste products your body makes when it breaks down fat for energy or when it processes protein. And it transports nutrients to your muscles to keep your metabolism clicking. Otherwise, the best drinks you can have are low-fat milk and green tea (or, if you must, two glasses of diet soda a day).
6. Guideline - For one meal a week, forget the first five guidelines.
We would never advocate cheating on your spouse or your taxes. But we want you to cheat on this diet. Take one meal during the week and forget everything about good carbohydrates and good fats. Have half a pizza, a Kit Kat, Alfredo sauce, or whatever it is you miss the most. Think of this cheat meal as the carrot at the end of a good week of eating. Enjoy the gluttony -- and please, don't take "carrot" literally.
To get the number on the scale to go down, you have to chow down. (And work out -- but more on that here.) Between 10 and 30 percent of the calories you use each day get burned by the simple act of digesting your food. Now that's pretty cool -- satisfying your food cravings actually fries calories! But not all foods are created equal. Your body uses more calories to digest protein (about 25 burned for every 100 consumed) than it does to digest fats and carbohydrates (10 to 15 burned for every 100 consumed).
That's why the Abs Diet concentrates on adding lean, healthy proteins. Eat more of them, in a sensible way, and you'll torch more calories. Protein is also the nutrient that builds muscle -- and the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the more calories you'll burn throughout the day. When you lift and lower weights, you create microscopic tears in your muscles. To mend the tears, your body parachutes in new protein to assess the damage and repair the muscle. Proteins fortify the original cell structure by building new muscle fibers.This wonder child of the nutrition world also makes you feel fuller faster. But the good news doesn't stop there. Following an eating plan that emphasizes lean proteins will accelerate weight loss from your midsection first. The Abs Diet plan is simple: Just stick to the six guidelines below and follow the Abs Diet Quickstart Workout. You can burn a serious hunk of fat -- from your belly first -- in just a few weeks.Let the belly flattening begin!
1. Guideline - Eat six times a day.
Key concept: "energy balance"--that is, how many calories you're burning versus how many you're taking in. Researchers at Georgia State University found that if you keep your hourly surplus or deficit within 300 to 500 calories at all times, you will best be able to lose fat and add lean muscle mass. If you eat only three squares a day, you're creating energy imbalances: Between meals, you're burning more calories than you're taking in; at mealtimes, you're consuming more than you're burning. So alternate larger meals with smaller snacks and eat every 2 to 3 hours. It will keep you full and satisfied, which reduces the likelihood of a diet-destroying binge.
2. Guideline - Make these 12 Powerfoods your diet staples.
3. Guideline - Drink smoothies on a regular basis.
Smoothies--blended mixtures of milk, low-fat yogurt, whey protein powder, ice, and other good stuff from the Powerfoods list -- can act as meal substitutes and potent snacks. They require little time; berries, flavored whey powder, or peanut butter will satisfy your sweet tooth; and their thickness takes up space in your stomach. So get a blender and whip up an 8-ounce smoothie for breakfast or have one before or after your workout.
4. Guideline - Stop counting.
By eating the 12 Powerfoods and their many relatives, the foods themselves will, in a way, count your calories for you. They'll keep you healthy and satisfied. Plus, the most energy-efficient foods are almost like bouncers at a nightclub: They're not going to let any of the riffraff in without your approval. That said, it's always wise -- especially in the beginning, when you're most vulnerable and adjusting to a new way of eating -- to focus on portion control by limiting the servings of some foods, particularly the ones with fat (like peanut butter) and carbohydrates (like rice or bread). A good rule: Stick to one or two servings per food group and confine the total contents of each meal to the diameter of your plate.
5. Guideline - Know what to drink -- and what not to.There are many ways that alcohol can get you into trouble. It doesn't make you feel full or decrease the amount of food you consume. In fact, alcohol encourages your body to burn up to 36 percent less fat and makes you store more of the fat you eat. And it can inhibit your body's production of hormones that help burn fat and build muscle. If you can't pass up your pinot, limit yourself to two or three alcoholic drinks a week. Water may not be as exciting as 'Weiser, but drinking about eight glasses of the clear stuff a day has a lot of benefits. It helps keep you satiated (often what we interpret as hunger is ?really thirst). It flushes the waste products your body makes when it breaks down fat for energy or when it processes protein. And it transports nutrients to your muscles to keep your metabolism clicking. Otherwise, the best drinks you can have are low-fat milk and green tea (or, if you must, two glasses of diet soda a day).
6. Guideline - For one meal a week, forget the first five guidelines.
We would never advocate cheating on your spouse or your taxes. But we want you to cheat on this diet. Take one meal during the week and forget everything about good carbohydrates and good fats. Have half a pizza, a Kit Kat, Alfredo sauce, or whatever it is you miss the most. Think of this cheat meal as the carrot at the end of a good week of eating. Enjoy the gluttony -- and please, don't take "carrot" literally.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Sleep In Tomorrow!
Ladies, don't feel so bad when you choose to sleep in rather than get up and sweat...
Exercise protects against cancer—but only if you get enough shut-eye. In a study of nearly 6,000 women, those who did moderate exercise (like walking) for one hour daily and slept less than seven hours a night had a 47 percent greater chance of developing cancer than exercisers who snoozed seven hours or more. Being active improves immune function, which helps prevent cancer, but skimping on z's reduces immunity, says author James McClain, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute. Info found on Womenshealthmag.com
Exercise protects against cancer—but only if you get enough shut-eye. In a study of nearly 6,000 women, those who did moderate exercise (like walking) for one hour daily and slept less than seven hours a night had a 47 percent greater chance of developing cancer than exercisers who snoozed seven hours or more. Being active improves immune function, which helps prevent cancer, but skimping on z's reduces immunity, says author James McClain, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute. Info found on Womenshealthmag.comMonday, March 30, 2009
Motivation for Runners
Here is a great article from Womensrunningmag.com...it isn't just for runners!! #10 is my favorite!
Unwanted weight gain can happen to even the most health-savvy women. A perfect storm of stress, eating on the go, pregnancy and age-related metabolic slowdown can gradually pile on extra pounds.
After years of self-described “insane workaholic behavior,” Columbia University associate professor Jenny Davidson experienced a gradual but significant weight gain. “The next thing I knew, I was 50 pounds overweight,” says Davidson. To lose weight, she skipped the fad diets and instead focused on exercise and a healthy eating plan.
Her reward: She lost 80 pounds and is now an avid runner and triathlete.
Want to do something similar?
You can with these 10 simple strategies.
Rule 1: Know your caloric needs.
To stay healthy and run well while losing weight, you must determine how many calories you need. On aver- age, a 150-pound, 5-foot-7-inch moderately active woman in her early 30s should consume about 2,100 calories per day. To lose weight, you must reduce your total caloric intake, whether by eating less or burning calories through exercise.
Research shows you’re more likely to keep the fat off if you lose it gradually, says Monique Ryan, author of Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes. It’s best to cut no more than 200 to 300 calories per day. According to sports nutritionist Suzanne Girard Eberle, if you maintain a diet too low in calories, you may be at risk for developing the Female athlete Triad, which causes menstrual irregularity and poor bone health, among other problems.
Rule 2: Set a realistic goal.
Many women fall into the trap of setting a stereotypical goal weight, regardless of their body type. The truth is, every body is different, and your ideal weight for optimal health, energy and performance may not be what society says it should be (read: skinny). Consult your physician to set a healthy goal before starting a weight loss plan.
It may also be helpful to have a professional measure your body composition, or muscle-to-fat ratio, which can be a better indicator of what you need to lose.
Rule 3: Stay fueled.
Even while losing weight, you need to replenish your energy stores—and to do it right. Active women need to maintain a balanced diet of 50 to 60 percent carbohydrates, 20 to 30 percent protein and 20 to 30 percent healthy fats. Don’t rely on diet- or fat-free processed foods, which are often low in nutrients and high in chemicals.
Eat a breakfast of high protein, healthy-fat foods like eggs, oatmeal and low-fat yogurt. Snack on nuts, fruits or vegetables to avoid depriving yourself.
While protein bars and sports drinks are great during and after long training runs, you don’t need the extra calories for runs less than 60 minutes long.KEEP IN MIND
Rule 4: Hit the weight room.
Although resistance training alone doesn’t burn a lot of calories, Virginia Tech obesity and exercise researcher Janet Rankin, Ph.D., says it does offer benefits to those trying to lose weight, from increasing bone density to reducing injuries. Research also indicates that developing more muscle mass increases your resting metabolism.
Rule 5: Go Long.
However many miles your longest run is now, extend it once a week. According to the National Runners Health Study, which includes more than 120,000 runners, women who ran the greatest amount of weekly mileage were the leanest.
There’s no question, the more miles you run, the more calories you burn,” says Mindy Solkin, a running coach and founder of The Running center in New York City. You burn roughly 100 calories per mile when running (depending on your weight), so if you go for a five-mile run, you’ll burn 500 calories.
Rule 6: Team up.
A running coach and a personal trainer helped Davidson meet her goals. For other women, a support team may include a nutritionist or running partner.
Check out peertrainer.com for an online weight-loss and exercise-support group.
Nan Howard’s 53-pound weight loss journey began in 2007 at a weight loss support group meeting where other members encouraged her to walk for exercise. The North Carolina working mom slowly turned her walk into a run, and she began participating in local 5ks. Now she’s encouraging other women in the group to start running.
Rule 7: Increase intensity.
A study conducted in 2006 at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, found that interval training—bursts of speed within an aerobic workout—burns fat and improves fitness more quickly than constant, moderately intense exercise.
Researcher Jason Talanian recommends mixing interval training into your routine once or twice a week.
Rule 8: Crunch all the numbers.
Harvard weight loss expert Dr. George Blackburn asserts in his new book, Break Through Your Set Point, that people who weigh themselves daily are significantly more successful at keeping off excess weight. But also measure and record your changing body mass index (18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal), body fat percentage (aim for 14 to 24 percent), cholesterol levels (less than 200 total is desirable), blood pressure (at or below 120/80), clothing size and training distances and times.
If after making positive changes you’re still having trouble losing weight, ask your primary care physician to crunch another number, your TSH level. Hypothyroidism can cause weight gain.
Rule 9: Keep a Food diary.
Solkin tells people to keep a daily log of what they eat. When you see how that soda or bag of chips adds to your total, it might be easier to eliminate. In a recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health, participants doubled their weight loss when they kept a food log.
To track your habits, use myfooddiary.com.
Rule 10: Train for something bigger than weight loss.
There’s no better motivation to maintain an exercise schedule and eat right than a race date. For Howard, the recent shift from seeing herself as “someone who runs” to being “a runner” has been a revelation.
Unwanted weight gain can happen to even the most health-savvy women. A perfect storm of stress, eating on the go, pregnancy and age-related metabolic slowdown can gradually pile on extra pounds.
After years of self-described “insane workaholic behavior,” Columbia University associate professor Jenny Davidson experienced a gradual but significant weight gain. “The next thing I knew, I was 50 pounds overweight,” says Davidson. To lose weight, she skipped the fad diets and instead focused on exercise and a healthy eating plan.
Her reward: She lost 80 pounds and is now an avid runner and triathlete.
Want to do something similar?
You can with these 10 simple strategies.
Rule 1: Know your caloric needs.
To stay healthy and run well while losing weight, you must determine how many calories you need. On aver- age, a 150-pound, 5-foot-7-inch moderately active woman in her early 30s should consume about 2,100 calories per day. To lose weight, you must reduce your total caloric intake, whether by eating less or burning calories through exercise.
Research shows you’re more likely to keep the fat off if you lose it gradually, says Monique Ryan, author of Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes. It’s best to cut no more than 200 to 300 calories per day. According to sports nutritionist Suzanne Girard Eberle, if you maintain a diet too low in calories, you may be at risk for developing the Female athlete Triad, which causes menstrual irregularity and poor bone health, among other problems.
Rule 2: Set a realistic goal.
Many women fall into the trap of setting a stereotypical goal weight, regardless of their body type. The truth is, every body is different, and your ideal weight for optimal health, energy and performance may not be what society says it should be (read: skinny). Consult your physician to set a healthy goal before starting a weight loss plan.
It may also be helpful to have a professional measure your body composition, or muscle-to-fat ratio, which can be a better indicator of what you need to lose.
Rule 3: Stay fueled.
Even while losing weight, you need to replenish your energy stores—and to do it right. Active women need to maintain a balanced diet of 50 to 60 percent carbohydrates, 20 to 30 percent protein and 20 to 30 percent healthy fats. Don’t rely on diet- or fat-free processed foods, which are often low in nutrients and high in chemicals.
Eat a breakfast of high protein, healthy-fat foods like eggs, oatmeal and low-fat yogurt. Snack on nuts, fruits or vegetables to avoid depriving yourself.
While protein bars and sports drinks are great during and after long training runs, you don’t need the extra calories for runs less than 60 minutes long.KEEP IN MIND
Rule 4: Hit the weight room.
Although resistance training alone doesn’t burn a lot of calories, Virginia Tech obesity and exercise researcher Janet Rankin, Ph.D., says it does offer benefits to those trying to lose weight, from increasing bone density to reducing injuries. Research also indicates that developing more muscle mass increases your resting metabolism.
Rule 5: Go Long.
However many miles your longest run is now, extend it once a week. According to the National Runners Health Study, which includes more than 120,000 runners, women who ran the greatest amount of weekly mileage were the leanest.
There’s no question, the more miles you run, the more calories you burn,” says Mindy Solkin, a running coach and founder of The Running center in New York City. You burn roughly 100 calories per mile when running (depending on your weight), so if you go for a five-mile run, you’ll burn 500 calories.
Rule 6: Team up.
A running coach and a personal trainer helped Davidson meet her goals. For other women, a support team may include a nutritionist or running partner.
Check out peertrainer.com for an online weight-loss and exercise-support group.
Nan Howard’s 53-pound weight loss journey began in 2007 at a weight loss support group meeting where other members encouraged her to walk for exercise. The North Carolina working mom slowly turned her walk into a run, and she began participating in local 5ks. Now she’s encouraging other women in the group to start running.
Rule 7: Increase intensity.
A study conducted in 2006 at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, found that interval training—bursts of speed within an aerobic workout—burns fat and improves fitness more quickly than constant, moderately intense exercise.
Researcher Jason Talanian recommends mixing interval training into your routine once or twice a week.
Rule 8: Crunch all the numbers.
Harvard weight loss expert Dr. George Blackburn asserts in his new book, Break Through Your Set Point, that people who weigh themselves daily are significantly more successful at keeping off excess weight. But also measure and record your changing body mass index (18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal), body fat percentage (aim for 14 to 24 percent), cholesterol levels (less than 200 total is desirable), blood pressure (at or below 120/80), clothing size and training distances and times.
If after making positive changes you’re still having trouble losing weight, ask your primary care physician to crunch another number, your TSH level. Hypothyroidism can cause weight gain.
Rule 9: Keep a Food diary.
Solkin tells people to keep a daily log of what they eat. When you see how that soda or bag of chips adds to your total, it might be easier to eliminate. In a recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health, participants doubled their weight loss when they kept a food log.
To track your habits, use myfooddiary.com.
Rule 10: Train for something bigger than weight loss.
There’s no better motivation to maintain an exercise schedule and eat right than a race date. For Howard, the recent shift from seeing herself as “someone who runs” to being “a runner” has been a revelation.
Which of these rules have you tried and seen that they really work?
Whether we've been following them or not,
it's good to be reminded of what we should be doing!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
What Are We Putting On Our Skin?
Recently, the Environmental Working Group Conducted a sweeping analysis of more than 23,000 cosmetic and personal care products. On of their most amazing findings was that 1 of every 30 products sold in the U.S. fails to meet one or more of the standards set by the industry itself or by the government.
Here are some other conclusions:
Here are some other conclusions:
- Nearly 400 products sold in the U.S. contain chemicals that are prohibited for use in cosmetics in other countries.
- More than 400 products contain ingredients thatthe cosmetic industry's own safety panels have found unsafe when used as directed on product labels.
- An astonishing 98% of all products conain one or more ingredients never publicly assessed for safety.
- More than 1,300 products contain ingredients about which the industry-sponsored Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel said there is insufficient data to determine whether they are safe in cosmetics.
And then there are the dozens of chemical ingredients in the personal- care products that the government and the industry say are safe, but for which there are troubling, though not definitive, study results. Parabens are a good example. Parabens are synthetic preservatives and they're in all sorts of lotions and potions. Industry and the government say they're safe. However, researchers examining the effects of these chemicals in lab animals and in marine life say they suspect parabens are hormone disruptors. Most companies disagree, but some have decided to err on the side of caution.
How can you find what's really in the products you use?
The Environmental Working Group, an organization with solid scientific credentials, maintains a massive database on the ingredients and hazards associated with the vast majority of personal care products sold in this country. It is called Skin Deep and it's easy to check the products you use everyday. Just go to cosmeticdatabase.com.
-info taken from Green Goes With Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet
Friday, March 27, 2009
Detoxing is All the Rage...
If you've googled anything health-related recently, looked at health magazines, or watched infomercials, you know a little bit about Detox Diets. And, many of these diets can be very tempting to try because they guarantee immediate results. But, before you even think about detoxing, you need to read this (from Men's Health):Detox diets require you to complete a 3- to 21-day fast during which you consume only juice, water, and other fluids. By doing this, proponents of the diet claim, you cleanse your GI tract of chemicals and toxins, such as sugar, nicotine, and alcohol, that are stored in the intestines and colon. That theory is false.
"There is no scientifically proven reason to put yourself on a detox diet," says Christine M. Palumbo, R.D., an adjunct faculty member at Benedictine University in Naperville, Illinois, as these so-called toxins do not accumulate in our GI tracts. "Mother Nature provides her own detoxification methods, and they work very well." Good old-fashioned fiber rids your body of whatever waste you do accumulate, without any of the vitamin deficiency that can accompany a detox diet.
By all means, stay away from one-shot detoxes, like herbal laxatives and colonics. "Both can be downright dan-gerous," says Palumbo. "Colonics can lead to an infection or perforation of the bowel, while herbal laxatives can cause severe dehydration or a dependency on them for normal bowel functioning." We sincerely hope you don't need any more deterrence than that.
So, instead of detoxing your system, stick to your healthy eating and exercise plan to keep your metabolism going strong.
Here are a few tips to help you get in detox shape:
Eliminate all of those “triggers,” like caffeine, alcohol, soda and refined sugars. It might seem like a contradiction, – seeing as how all of these things give you an energy boost – but the truth is all of these triggers, like coffee or your favorite candy bar, only give you a temporary energy spike. When you eliminate them from their diet, you will experience a type of “withdrawal,” leaving you with headaches and mood swings. Hang in there, when the symptoms subside, you’ll feel glorious.
Take away red meat and poultry. And if you can swing it, even fish, choosing beans, raw and unsalted nuts, legumes, nut butters, and leafy greens to get your nutrients instead. If not, pick a wild, unfarmed fish, like salmon or halibut to get your fishy fix.
Honey I love you. If you need a dash of sweetness in your life, pick a little honey, maple syrup or brown rice syrup to fix your sweet tooth instead of choosing a refined or artificial sweetener.
Take away processed foods made with white flour. You know all that brown, icky stuff manufacturers pull away from foods like flour? Yeah, that’s actually the part that makes a whole grain, well, “whole.” Choose foods made with whole grain flour instead.
Eliminate packaged foods. Choosing fresh foods over canned or packaged foods means you are consuming whole, unprocessed food items – the best kind you can get.
Remove eggs and all dairy. Your body will thank you. Replace milk with almond or rice milk or Non-GMO soy protein – and replace scrambled eggs with a bowl of whole grain oatmeal or cereal. You’ll stay full until lunchtime.
Here are some great detoxing foods:
Dandelion Greens are an excellent liver tonic. They are high in vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and several minerals. Chlorophyll, a major constituent of dandelion greens and all green leafy foods, is a powerful blood purifier.
Ginger increases circulation, thereby promoting the excretion of toxins via the skin, bowels, and kidneys. It possesses antibacterial and antiparasitic properties and helps to combat inflammation.
Apples purify the bloodstream and increase lymphatic action. Pectin, a soft, gelling fibre contained in apples, supports the colon’s peristaltic movement, promoting the excretion of toxic waste. The apple’s high vitamin C content further aids detoxification.
Lemons aid digestion by increasing saliva flow and stimulating liver function. They dissolve and bind uric acid and other toxins in the body and promote their excretion. They purify and alkalize the blood and have laxative and diuretic properties.
Grapes stimulate the liver and promote bowel and kidney function. They have a cleansing effect on all tissues and glands and speed up metabolic function. Purple grapes are high in resveratrol, a powerful disease-fighting antioxidant.
Artichokes stimulate the liver–the body’s major organ of detoxification. By increasing bile production, they help to metabolize fats. Artichoke extract, available in natural food stores, offers a convenient way of enjoying the artichoke’s cleansing benefits.
Beets purify the blood, cleanse the liver, and stimulate lymphatic activity. They aid digestion and help to flush out uric acid from the body. Fresh or lactic-acid fermented beet juice is an effective detoxifying agent and elixir.
Parsley has a powerful cleansing effect on the blood-stream. It stimulates the bowels and supports the lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen. Parsley is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and detoxifying chlorophyll.
Grapefruit has a cooling and purifying effect on the body. It cleanses the liver and gallbladder and dissolves catarrhal accumulations in body tissues. A Scripps Clinic study released in January 2004 determined that the frequent consumption of grapefruit before meals promotes weight loss.
Yogurt promotes detoxification of the intestinal tract by promoting the recolonization of beneficial lactic-acid bacteria in the gut, thus ensuring proper assimilation of foods and nutrient synthesis.
Here's to a great week!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Abs Diet Menu for Women
Here are three perfect weeks of Abs Diet Eating for Women (They call it a "Diet", but the whole premise of the book is that it isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle!). Obviously, you can pick and choose what you'd like to eat, but there are some great ideas here! Happy Eating!
If you're like a lot of people, you spend more time in the bathroom, in the car, or on the couch than you do in the kitchen. You simply don't have time to cook. So what you're going to see here in the weekly menu option #1, and in weekly menu option #2, and especially in weekly menu option #3, takes all that into account—that you don't have the time to prepare lots of meals. If you can operate a blender and a frying pan, you can handle these dishes. Most of these recipes are ones you can make quickly—some in less than 5 minutes. We also know that you're not going to make every meal, so we've included sample combinations of foods that make properly balanced meals, utilizing the Powerfoods. For the dinners, serving sizes are larger than one, so you can also use the leftovers for lunch. And if you've got a family to cook for, it's easy to double or even triple the recipes.
A Perfect Week of Abs Diet Eating Option # 1
Monday 1,443 calories
Breakfast: Change Your Tuna
Snack #1: 8 ounces Belly-Busting Berry smoothie, 1 apple
Lunch: Crunch Time, 1 stick string cheese
Snack #2: Cucumber Tubes
Dinner: Gone Fishing
Snack #3: Low-fat ice cream sandwich
Tuesday 1,568 calories
Breakfast: Mint Condition
Snack #1: 8 ounces Show Me the Honey smoothie
Lunch: Roll of a Lifetime, 1 cup berries
Snack #2: 1 stick string cheese, 5 to 7 whole-wheat crackers, such as Triscuits
Dinner: Terra Ricotta
Snack #3: Yogi Pops
Wednesday 1,407 calories
Breakfast: Mo' Feta, Mo' Betta
Snack #1: 8 ounces Extreme Chocolate smoothie
Lunch: Popeye and Olive Oil
Snack #2: 1⁄2 PB Power Apples
Dinner: Colonel Mustard
Snack #3: Low-fat ice cream sandwich
Thursday 1,510 calories
Breakfast: Waffles Rancheros, 1 pear
Snack #1: 8 ounces Pumpkin You Up! Smoothie
Lunch: Reuben Reduced
Snack #2: 1 stick string cheese, 5 to 7 whole-wheat crackers, such as Triscuits Dinner: The Orange and Gold
Snack #3: Yogi Pops
Friday 1,490 calories
Breakfast: Breakfast: with Barbie
Snack #1: 8 ounces Coco Poof smoothie
Lunch: The Melon Banquet
Snack #2: Cucumber Tubes
Dinner: Chicken Little Italy
Snack #3: 1 carton low-fat yogurt with fruit
Saturday 1,424 calories
Breakfast: Corn to Be Wild, 1 orange
Snack #1: 8 ounces Belly-Busting Berry smoothie
Lunch: The Two Chicks
Dinner: Shrimp to Nuts
Snack #3: Yogi Pops
Sunday 1,294 calories plus cheat meal
Breakfast: The 'Bama Bowl, 1⁄2 cup orange juice
Snack #1: 4 ounces Lemon Drips and Drops smoothie
Lunch: Pimp My Shrimp
Snack: 4 to 8 ounces Lemon Drips and Drops smoothie, 1 cup melon
Dinner: Cheat meal
A Perfect Week of Abs Diet Eating: Option # 2
Monday: 1,457 calories
Breakfast: One glass (8 ounces) Abs Diet Ultimate Power Smoothie; make extra for later
Snack #1: 1 teaspoon peanut butter, raw vegetables (as much as you want)
Lunch: Turkey or roast beef sandwich on whole-grain bread, 1 cup 1 percent or fat-free milk, 1 apple
Snack #2: 1 ounce almonds, 11⁄2 cups berries
Dinner: Italian Chowin'
Snack #3: 4 ounces Abs Diet Ultimate Power Smoothie
Tuesday: 1,472 calories
Snack #1: 1 teaspoon peanut butter, 1 bowl oatmeal or high-fiber cereal
Snack #2: 3 slices deli turkey, 1 large orangeDinner: Brazilian Chicken
Snack #3: 1 ounce almonds, 4 ounces cantaloupe
Wednesday: 1,578 calories
Snack #1: 1 ounce raisins
Lunch: Guac and Roll
Snack #2: 1 stick string cheese, raw vegetables (as much as you want)
Dinner: Chile-Peppered Steak
Thursday: 1,564 calories
Breakfast: 1 slice whole-grain bread with 1 teaspoon peanut butter, 1⁄2 cup All-Bran cereal with 1 cup 1 percent or fat-free milk, 1 cup berries
Snack #1: 8 ounces low-fat yogurt, 1 can low-sodium V8 juice
Lunch: Guilt-Free BLT
Snack #2: 3 slices lean deli roast beef, 1 large orange
Dinner: Easy Cheesy
Snack #3: 1 teaspoon peanut butter, 1⁄2 cup low-fat ice cream
Friday: 1,584 calories
Snack #1: 1 ounce almonds, 4 ounces cantaloupe
Lunch: Hot Tuna
Snack #2: 3 slices lean deli roast beef, 1 large orange
Dinner: Chili Con Turkey
Snack #3: 4 ounces Banana Split Smoothie
Saturday: 1,071 calories plus cheat meal
Snack #1: 1 cup high-fiber cereal, 1 cup low-fat yogurt
Lunch: Leftover Chili Con Turkey
Snack #2: 1 teaspoon peanut butter, 1 or 2 slices whole-grain bread
Dinner: Cheat meal! Have whatever you've been craving this week: wine and cheese, burgers, fillet of whatever--anything you can dream of.
Snack #3: 4 ounces Halle Berries Smoothie
Sunday: 1,579 calories
Breakfast: The I-Haven't-Had-My-Coffee-Yet Sandwich
Snack #1: 1 teaspoon peanut butter, 1 can low-sodium V8 juice
Brunch (relax--it's Sunday): 2 scrambled eggs, 2 slices whole-grain toast, 1 banana, 1 cup 1 percent or fat-free milk
Snack #2: 2 slices lean deli roast beef, 1 slice fat-free cheese
Dinner: BBQ King
Snack #3: 1 ounce almonds, 1⁄2 cup low-fat ice cream
A Perfect Week of Abs Diet Eating: Option # 3
Monday: 1,592 calories
Breakfast: 3-egg-white omelet with chopped vegetables, 1 whole-wheat English muffin with 2 teaspoons soft margarine
Snack #1: Raw mixed vegetables, 1⁄4 cup hummus
Lunch: 3 ounces sliced turkey breast in a whole-wheat tortilla with mixed greens, tomato, and 2 or 3 slices of avocado; 1 cup mixed green salad with 2 teaspoons olive oil and vinegar
Snack #2: 1 cup berries mixed with 2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt
Dinner: Asian chicken salad: 2 cups mixed greens, red onions, and tomato wedges; 3 ounces cooked chicken breast, sliced; 1⁄2 cup mandarin orange sections; and 1 ounce cashews tossed with 1 tablespoon olive oil and vinegar; 4 whole-grain crackers
Snack #3: 1 piece fruit, 1 cup fat-free plain or artificially sweetened yogurt
Tuesday: 1,597 calories
Breakfast: 1 cup whole-grain cereal with 2 tablespoons raisins and 1 cup fat-free or 1 percent milk, 1 banana
Snack #1: 1 container fat-free plain yogurt mixed with 2 tablespoons dried fruit and 2 teaspoons honey
Lunch: 1 cup broth-based or tomato soup; 2 ounces sliced lean roast beef with lettuce, tomato, and mustard on 2 slices of whole-wheat bread
Snack #2: 1 stick string cheese, 2 whole-wheat crackers
Dinner: 1 cup cooked white or brown rice, 3 ounces grilled shrimp in gumbo sauce, mixed green salad with 2 teaspoons olive oil and vinegar
Snack #3: 1 large whole-wheat pretzel
Wednesday: 1,427 calories
Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal with 2 tablespoons mixed dried fruit and nuts and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1⁄4 cup fat-free plain yogurt, 1 cup orange or grapefruit juice
Snack #1: 1⁄4 cup microwave air-popped popcorn (100 calories' worth; see package)
Lunch: Tuna salad: 3 ounces grilled or canned tuna, 5 small red potatoes, 1⁄2 cup string beans, and 5 to 8 olives on a bed of salad greens tossed with 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
Snack #2: 1 large rectangular graham cracker with 1 teaspoon nut butter, 1 piece fruit
Dinner: 1 vegetarian burger with lettuce, tomato, and red onion on a soft wheat roll; side salad of mixed greens and vegetables and 2 teaspoons olive oil and vinegar dressing
Snack #3: 1⁄2 cup fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt
Thursday: 1,564 calories
Breakfast: 3⁄4 cup muesli with 1 cup fat-free milk, 1 orange or 1⁄2 grapefruit
Snack #1: 1 ounce low-fat cheese, 2 whole-wheat crackers
Lunch: Tossed salad: mixed salad greens, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, diced carrots, tomato, 1⁄2 cup chickpeas, 1⁄2 cup string beans, and 1 ounce grated hard cheese tossed with 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar; 1 small whole-wheat roll
Snack #2: 1 cup fortified soy milk, 2 Whole Grain Fig Newton cookies
Dinner: Spaghetti marinara: 1 cup cooked whole-grain pasta topped with 1⁄2 cup marinara sauce and 1 tablespoon grated Romano cheese, side salad with olive oil and vinegar or light dressing
Snack #3: 2 kiwifruits
Friday: 1,115 calories plus cheat meal
Breakfast: 1 cup hot oatmeal with 1⁄4 cup fat-free plain yogurt and 2 tablespoons raisins
Snack #1: 1 energy bar like a PowerBar Pria or a Luna bar
Lunch: 2 ounces whole-wheat pita, 2 ounces chicken or turkey breast, 1 tablespoon cranberry sauce with chopped mixed greens
Snack #2: 1 container fat-free fruit-flavored yogurt with banana
Dinner: Cheat meal
Snack #3: 1 low-fat or fat-free brownie, 1 cup fat-free milk
Saturday: 1,557 calories
Breakfast: 2 eggs and 1 egg white, scrambled; 2 slices whole-wheat toast with 2 teaspoons soft margarine and 1 tablespoon jam; 1⁄2 cup mixed fruit and 1⁄2 cup fat-free yogurt
Snack #1: 1⁄2 whole-wheat pita with 1 tablespoon hummus
Lunch: 1 cup chicken noodle soup, 4 whole-wheat crackers, mixed green salad with 1 tablespoon grated hard cheese and 5 sliced olives tossed with 2 teaspoons olive oil and vinegar
Snack #2: 11⁄2 cups watermelon chunks
Dinner: 4 ounces broiled lean steak, 1⁄2 cup mashed potatoes (made with soft margarine), 1 cup steamed broccoli with 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
Snack #3: 1 piece fresh fruit with 1⁄2 cup sorbet
Sunday: 1,448 calories
Breakfast: 2 whole-wheat frozen toaster waffles topped with 1 tablespoon nut butter and 1⁄2 medium banana, sliced; 1 cup fat-free milk
Snack #1: 8 ounces low-fat yogurt
Lunch: 1 medium baked potato topped with sautéed mixed vegetables (e.g., mushrooms, onions, broccoli) in 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 ounce grated hard cheese
Snack #2: 10 almonds or cashews
Dinner: Turkey or chicken burger: 4 ounces grilled or broiled chicken or turkey (white meat only) with onions, tomatoes, and lettuce on whole-wheat roll; mixed greens tossed with 2 teaspoons olive oil and vinegar
Snack #3: 1 4-ounce fat-free pudding
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Follow the Rules
Almost every problem you face in your life can be solved by identifying 6 or 7 rules or steps. I made this discovery when I was trying to get out of debt; I noticed all the financial books were saying the same things 6 or 7 things; avoid debt, be frugal, be generous, be a saver, and keep a budget. One day a light bulb went off in my head... I wonder if the same principle is true for weight loss? I started studying and discovered that all the books were pretty much saying the same things. So I wrote down my 7 rules for a healthy lifestyle and I lost 55 pounds by just following the rules. Here are the 7 weight loss rules that I try to follow every day of my life:
1) Drink lots of water (90oz.)
2) Eat a healthy
3) Eat often (five times)
4) Eat less (one portion)
5) Rigorous Exercise
6) Stop eating after 7pm (my hardest one)
7) Go to Bed (getting out of the kitchen is my only relief plus I get my rest)
In closing let me make sure that you understand something very important; there is a big difference between the words simple and easy. The rules are simple but doing them is not easy. I still have to fight a daily battle to keep my body in check. Let me encourage you to spend some time discovering your own 6 or 7 simple rules that you can incorporate into your lifestyle.
Your partner in the battle,
Pastor Joel (Heather's Proud Papa)
1) Drink lots of water (90oz.)
2) Eat a healthy
3) Eat often (five times)
4) Eat less (one portion)
5) Rigorous Exercise
6) Stop eating after 7pm (my hardest one)
7) Go to Bed (getting out of the kitchen is my only relief plus I get my rest)
In closing let me make sure that you understand something very important; there is a big difference between the words simple and easy. The rules are simple but doing them is not easy. I still have to fight a daily battle to keep my body in check. Let me encourage you to spend some time discovering your own 6 or 7 simple rules that you can incorporate into your lifestyle.
Your partner in the battle,
Pastor Joel (Heather's Proud Papa)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Become Aware of Your Environment...
For our first healthy home day, I just wanted to take some time to alert you to some of the hazardous chemicals lurking in your home. You can choose to do what you want with this information, but I want you to be aware of what you are using and the effects that it may have on your health, your family, and your environment. I will spend more time on this in later weeks, but this will give you a basic overview, which will be helpful in choosing household and personal care products
Did you know?
Did you know?There were 81,000 CHEMICALS REGISTERED WITH THE EPA IN THE LAST 30 YEARS,
and fewer than 20% have been tested for toxicity!
FACT: 90% of all poison exposures occur at home
FACT: 218,316 reported poison exposures in 2005 were from household cleaning products
FACT: 90% of our time is spent indoors. EPA reports that air pollution is up to five times higher inside than outside
FACT: Indoor pollutants come from all sorts of chemicals we use to make our lives easier every day—paints, carpets, furniture, household cleaners, personal care, among others
Sodium Hydroxide
Causes 75% of all caustic injury to the esophagus of kids under 5 years old
Can cause burns in tissues
Can cause chronic skin irritation
Can cause irritation to the respiratory tract
Can cause liver & kidney damage
Found in:
Cascade Rinse Formula
409 Degreaser
Chlorox Clean Up Spray with Bleach
Soft Scrub Liquid Gel
Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Comet Cleanser with Bleach
Drano Max clog Remover
Easy Off Oven Cleaner
Palmolive Gel-Lemon Scent
Woolite Dark Fabric Wash
Chlorox Bleach Pen
Tide Ultra Liquid
Bug B Gon Insect Killer
Personal Care Products:
Colgate, Crest, Ultra Bright, Aquafresh Toothpaste
Crest Whitening Strips
Johnson Baby Lotion and Baby Wash
Old Spice Deodorant
Olay Total Effects Moisturizing Vitamin Complex
Jerkins Skin Firming Moisturizing
Neutrogena Moisture for Sensitive Skin
Dove Ultra Moisturizing Body WashOil of Olay ProVital Night Cream
Lye- Potassium Hydroxide
Harmful if swallowed or inhaled
Can cause severe eye and skin burns
Can cause severe respiratory & digestive burns
Repeated skin contact may cause dermatitis (Eczema)
Found in:
Cascade Liquid Dishwasher
Arnica Pain Relief
Olay Hydrating Skin Care
Pantene Hair Spray and Hair Care Products
Murphy’s Oil Soap
Nitrile Latex Free Gloves
Lysol Spray Cleaner
Virboc Pet Shampoo
Hydrochloric Acid
Severe damage to skin and eyes
Throat irritation even when exposed briefly and at low levels
Linked to reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (Sounds like asthma to me)
Products found in:
Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Lime-a-way Bowl Cleaner
Sparkle Emulsion Bowl Cleaner
Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator
Monoethanolamine (MEA)
Linked to Asthma
Found in:
Tide Liquid Laundry
Tide Free Ultra Liquid
Dreft Liquid Laundry
Cheer Liquid Laundry
Ivory Snow Liquid Laundry
409 Spray Degreaser
Easy Off Oven Cleaner
Mr. Muscle Oven & Grill Cleaner
Spic & Span Disinfecting Spray
Stainless Steel Magic Cleaner
Damp Rid Mold & Mildew Control
Sulfamic Acid
Toxic to lungs and mucous membranes
Direct skin contact is corrosive
Causes skin irritation
Inhalation causes irritation to GastroIntestinal Tract
Found in:
Loreal Hair Color Products
Jet Dry Rinse Agent for the Dishwasher
Cameo Copper Cleaner
Lime-Away Tub and Toilet Cleaner
Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Tablets- Citrus Scent
Dip-It Automatic Coffee Maker Cleaner
Butyl Cellosolve
· Linked to reproductive harm
· Can cause irritation and tissue damage from inhalation
· Exposure for 15 min. while cleaning shower, could inhale 3x the acute exposure limit
· Exposure through the skin
Found in:
Windex original
Spot Shot Carpet Cleaner
Simple Green cleaner/degreaser
Glass Plus
Fantastik lemon scent cleaner
409 Wipes
409 All purpose cleaner
Fantastik Oven Cleaner
Orange Glo Spot Remover
Pledge Electronics
If you're curious about what you have lurking in your home:
Step One: Go to The National Institute of Health Household Products Database and find out what you have in your home
Step Two: Enter names of chemicals and see which brands contain them
Step Three: Look up Toxicity Information or Health Information for the chemical
Next Week...Safe, Powerful, Green, Smart Products for your home and your wallet!
Friday, March 13, 2009
My Eating and Exercise Journal...
Tawnya has asked that I blog about my daily routine! I wanted to add this disclaimer because I want you to know that my menu needs a lot of improvement! I am learning how to be healthy!
MOST of the time, my morning routine looks like this: Exercise, Shower, Read my Bible...the time that my morning routine starts varies from day to day, but this is my routine.
Monday-6:00 am- Ran 4 miles outside with Erin
10:00 am- (I ate late the night before, so I wasn't hungry until 10am...probably should've eaten sooner!)
Two pieces of Schwebel's 100% Whole Wheat Bread w/ butter- 250 Calories
Chai tea w/ Milk and Raw Sugar- 50 calories
12:00 pm- Soy Protein Slushie- 200 calories
Soy Protein, 1 cup milk, ice; mix in blender!
Peanut Butter on two slices bread- 300 calories
3:00 pm- 1 cup frozen grapes- 100 calories
Pretzels- 100 calories
6:00 pm- Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry w/ brown rice- 500 calories
10:00 pm- I know, I shouldn't eat this late, but we just got back from swimming and I was hungry!
Fiber One Granola Bar- 140 calories
Should have stopped there, but....
2 pieces of toast- 200 calories
Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie- 50 calories
Total calories for the day: 1800 calories
Water: 10 glasses
Tuesday- No Exercise!
8:00- Soy Protein Slushie-Cafe Latte Flavor- 200 calories
Chai Tea w/ milk, raw sugar- 50 c.
10:00 am- Fiber One Bar, Oats & Chocolate- 150 calories (at work)
12:00- Peanut Butter on Bread, pretzels, grapes- 500 c.
3:00- 1 c. grapes, Soy Protein Slushie- 300 calories
6:00- Stuffed Shells w/ salad & homemade Italian dressing- 400 calories
8:00- Bag of Popcorn - 250 calories
1850 calories
Water: 8 glasses
Wednesday- Ran the stairs, jumped rope, jumping jacks for 30 min.
8:00- Cinch Cafe Latte Slushie- 200 c.
10:00- Chai Tea/ pretzels- 200 c.
12:00- Peanut Butter Sandwich- 400 c. (I put extra peanut butter on)
1 cup yogurt w/ flax seed- 200 c.
3:00- Soy Protein Slushie-200 c.
6:00- BLT Sandwich- 400 c.
9:00- 5 cups popcorn (shared the rest with Isaiah)- 75 c.
Chai Tea-75 c.-more milk changed the calories
1750 calories
Water: 5 glasses
I am able to have more calories because I am still nursing Moriah. When I stop, I will only be able to eat about 1500 calories, as long as I keep exercising. Some days I eat up to 2500 calories because I am really hungry (like last Saturday after Erin and I ran 7 miles), other days I am not nearly as hungry, but don't ever eat under 1200 calories!
As you can see, I need to eat more fruit and veggies and protein. I need to go grocery shopping! I get stuck in a rut for breakfast and lunch. There are things that I love to eat and don't like to veer too much! In the summer, those things change. I can't eat enough fruit in the summer, but in the winter, it is a little harder to get motivated to buy fruit!
Next week I am going to post the Abs Diet for Women Weekly menu. It is really great!
Friday, March 6, 2009
HealthyMahma's Fast Food Choices...
Anyone who knows me well knows that it is so hard for me to pass up a soft serve ice cream cone from Chick-Fil-A or McDonald's, but there are other fast food items that I eat too. When we visit these fast food chains, here's what I order (including the nutrition information)...
Wendy's
Nutrition Information
Chilli w/ onions
Baked Potato w/ ketchup (I know, it sounds gross...it totally grosses Nate out, too!)
Jr. Frosty
650 calories
Chick-Fil- A
Nutrition Information
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Ice cream Cone
450 calories
Arby's
Nutrition Information
Small Order of Potato Cakes
Regular Roast Beef Sandwich
500 calories
600 calories if I put Horsey Sauce and Arby's Sauce on it...oh, I love to dip it!
Taco Bell
Nutrition Information
Anything Fresco style eliminates the cheese and sour cream and makes the meal so much healthier!
(2) Fresco Style Hard Taco
Fresco Style Tostada
500 calories
Boston Market- We order from the $5 menu
Nutrition Info
Half Chicken Boston Carver
Boston New Potatoes
500 Calories
Wendy's
Nutrition Information
Chilli w/ onions
Baked Potato w/ ketchup (I know, it sounds gross...it totally grosses Nate out, too!)
Jr. Frosty
650 calories
Chick-Fil- A
Nutrition Information
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Ice cream Cone
450 calories
Arby's
Nutrition Information
Small Order of Potato Cakes
Regular Roast Beef Sandwich
500 calories
600 calories if I put Horsey Sauce and Arby's Sauce on it...oh, I love to dip it!
Taco Bell
Nutrition Information
Anything Fresco style eliminates the cheese and sour cream and makes the meal so much healthier!
(2) Fresco Style Hard Taco
Fresco Style Tostada
500 calories
Boston Market- We order from the $5 menu
Nutrition Info
Half Chicken Boston Carver
Boston New Potatoes
500 Calories
I am praying for blessings today for each one of you! Not just weight and health related, but in everything! You are each so special to me and I really want God to bless you today. Thank you for your encouraging words with the blog and for your desire to be healthy for yourself and for your families.
God is going to bless that desire!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Making Healthy Fast Food Choices...continued
Make a Sweet Drink Healthy
Dunkin' Donuts Large Tropical Fruit Smoothie
720 calories
142 g sugars
Dunkin' makes it clear that even real fruit—especially if it's been mixed with high-fructose corn syrup—can be unhealthy. This sickeningly sweet concoction has an ingredient list straight out of a chemistry lab and more sugar than seven Haagen-Dazs vanilla-and-almond ice-cream bars. Any medium (24 oz) fruit smoothie will pack at least 100 grams of sugar. Opt for flavored iced tea instead, and get your smoothie fix elsewhere—check out the Eat This, Not That! Ultimate Smoothie Selector for suggestions. This one swap saves 585 calories and 113.5 grams of sugar. Healthy cutbacks like this each day can help you lose over a pound a week!
Not That!
Dunkin' Donuts Smoothie
Drink This, Instead!
Flavored iced tea
And while you're minding your liquid intake, also be sure to avoid any drinks on our list of the 20 Unhealthiest Drinks in America. (Making the right drink choices is another way to lose loads of weight in record time.)
Make a Coffee Drink Healthy
Starbucks 2% Caffe Latte (Grande)with whipped cream
260 calories
14 g fat (4.5 saturated)
In the hierarchy of espresso drinks, lattes sit squarely at the bottom. That's because they're more milk than java and possibly huge pumps of sugary syrup thanks to eager-to-please baristas. A macchiato gives the same caffeine kick for a tiny fraction of the caloric cost by swapping out the excess steamed milk for a thick crown of frothed milk. It's a simple but meaningful switch for caffeine junkies looking for a healthier fix. Other quick ways to improve any morning brew: Ask for sugar-free syrups, nonfat milk, and always refuse the whipped cream. Make these swaps and save 70 calories and 14 grams of fat each and every time.
Not That!
Lattes
Whole milk
Sugar
Whipped cream
Eat This, Instead!
Macchiatos
Sugar-free syrups
Nonfat milk
Need more help navigating the nutritional pitfalls of the supermarket? Avoid these 13 worst "healthy" foods. Sign up for the FREE twice-weekly Eat This, Not That! e-newsletter, with all the latest tips, tricks, recipes, and industry secrets.
Here are some great sites to read more on making healthy choices....
DWLZ.com- click on the restaurant and find all of the nutritional info that you need!
Your homework...do some research and tell me what surprised you about the information you read. What is the unhealthiest option you choose at the fast food restaurants?
Ultimately, we need to avoid fast food as much as possible! But, for the days when we don't have time to cook, I hope this information helps you make an informed decision and not sabatoge your weight loss efforts!!
Coming tomorrow...healthymahma's favorite fast food picks! Let me know what your favorites are!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Forget Motivation
Dad called and asked that I add the pitcure of him and Moriah, but I like this pic of he and my mom! Thanks, Dad, for your post! I hope it encourages all of you!!!
I struggled for 10 years to lose weight! My pattern became very predictable; I would get disgusted with myself, get motivated to lose, drop a few pounds, return to my old habits and gain it all back (and then some).
I thought my problem was a lack of motivation. In February of 2007 I was at an all time of high of nearly 240 pounds and I decided it was time to try again. Here is what I did:
1) I developed a reasonable/healthy plan that I could do for the rest of my life!
2) I found an accountability partner in my wife!
3) I created a journal that I record and review my weekly successes and failures!
4) I continued to read and learn about health!
An interesting thing happened as I worked my plan; The more I did what I said I would do my motivation flourished. Motivation came later, it grew as a result of doing the right things. I was learning an important life lesson; Motivation is the by-product of doing what is right.
Exercise is a classic example of this principle. Just prior to going for a run I will always think to myself... don't do it! After I run I always think to myself... I love this! My greatest motivation to run always comes after I run; never before!
Here's your lesson: Stop allowing a lack of motivation to be your excuse! Develop your plan and stick with it whether you feel like it or not. Stop looking for motivation and do your plan... motivation will find you!
Your friend,
Pastor Joel
------------
I struggled for 10 years to lose weight! My pattern became very predictable; I would get disgusted with myself, get motivated to lose, drop a few pounds, return to my old habits and gain it all back (and then some).
I thought my problem was a lack of motivation. In February of 2007 I was at an all time of high of nearly 240 pounds and I decided it was time to try again. Here is what I did:
1) I developed a reasonable/healthy plan that I could do for the rest of my life!
2) I found an accountability partner in my wife!
3) I created a journal that I record and review my weekly successes and failures!
4) I continued to read and learn about health!
An interesting thing happened as I worked my plan; The more I did what I said I would do my motivation flourished. Motivation came later, it grew as a result of doing the right things. I was learning an important life lesson; Motivation is the by-product of doing what is right.
Exercise is a classic example of this principle. Just prior to going for a run I will always think to myself... don't do it! After I run I always think to myself... I love this! My greatest motivation to run always comes after I run; never before!
Here's your lesson: Stop allowing a lack of motivation to be your excuse! Develop your plan and stick with it whether you feel like it or not. Stop looking for motivation and do your plan... motivation will find you!
Your friend,
Pastor Joel
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Making Healthy Fast Food Choices
Fast food is unavoidable in some situations. As much as we try and avoid it, there are days when avoiding fast food is nearly impossible. Luckily, there ARE some healthier choices available to us. This information comes from the book, Eat This, Not That! by David Zinczenko, author of The Abs Diet (Thanks, Tawnya, for the article!) .
I do feel like I need to ad a disclaimer: Healthymahma is not advocating going out to fast food restaurants. But, I understand the society we all live in. At some point, each one of us is going to eat fast food, but if we're well-educated, we will make the healthier decision!
Restaurant food doesn't have to be bad for us. Oh sure, much of the time it is: The monstrous portion sizes you're served are often spiked with added sugars and dangerous fats, and with misleading names that suggest that you might even be getting something healthy and nutritious. Fat chance. And the scariest part is that today the average diner in this country underestimates his or her caloric intake by up to 93 percent when eating out—meaning you're probably eating twice as much as you think! The good news is that you can adopt an Eat This, Not That! mantra—helping yourself to a lot of delicious food while still losing 10, 20, 30 pounds or more within a few months. You just need to watch out for the food traps, and make smarter choices like those shown here:
Make a Burger Healthy
Burger King Whopper
I do feel like I need to ad a disclaimer: Healthymahma is not advocating going out to fast food restaurants. But, I understand the society we all live in. At some point, each one of us is going to eat fast food, but if we're well-educated, we will make the healthier decision!
Restaurant food doesn't have to be bad for us. Oh sure, much of the time it is: The monstrous portion sizes you're served are often spiked with added sugars and dangerous fats, and with misleading names that suggest that you might even be getting something healthy and nutritious. Fat chance. And the scariest part is that today the average diner in this country underestimates his or her caloric intake by up to 93 percent when eating out—meaning you're probably eating twice as much as you think! The good news is that you can adopt an Eat This, Not That! mantra—helping yourself to a lot of delicious food while still losing 10, 20, 30 pounds or more within a few months. You just need to watch out for the food traps, and make smarter choices like those shown here:Make a Burger Healthy
Burger King Whopper
680 calories
40 g fat (11 g saturated fat, 1.5 g trans fasts)
1020 mg sodium
A hamburger smothered in the wrong sauce can instantly sabotage your meal—and your weight-loss goals. At 160 calories a schmear, BK's mayo is the worst in the fast food world. Replace it with barbecue sauce to instantly save 17 grams of fat. Ketchup and mustard are also better picks than mayo and secret sauces—no matter how "special" they may be. Make these swaps and save 160 calories and 17 grams of fat. A simple swap like this, made every day, will help you lose nearly 20 pounds in one year.
Not This!
Mayo and Secret Sauce
Eat This, Instead!
Ketchup, Barbecue Sauce, or Mustard
Make Pizza Healthy
Pizza Hut Two Slices Supreme Pan Pizza (12')
Pizza Hut Two Slices Supreme Pan Pizza (12')
620 calories
32 g fat (12 g saturated fat)
1,440 mg sodium
The caloric-blow of pizza depends on two things: crust and toppings. Want to be thin? Always opt for thin crust. As for what to put on your pie, nix the pepperoni. Heavy on sodium and fat, just four little discs can add 108 calories to your Pizza Hut slice. Pick toppings like spinach, ham, and pineapple not only to cut calories and fat content in half, but also for hefty doses of vitamins and minerals that help ward off cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Make these switches and save 260 calories and 20 grams of fat. With these swaps, you can lose more than 25 pounds in a year.
Not This!
Deep dish pizza
Pepperoni
Eat This, Instead!
Thin crust
Spinach, ham, pineapple
Make a Salad Healthy
Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
800 calories
60 g fat (12 g saturated)
1,745 mg sodium
With 60 grams of fat, this is officially the worst salad from any fast-food chain. The dressing alone is loaded with a whopping 42.5 grams of junk that's potentially on the way to your trunk, and it's a good example how the wrong dressing can turn a pile of fresh produce into a green monster. Ask for "light" or "fat-free" dressing to save this salad. And remember, heavy toppings such as crumbled cheese, greasy bacon, and pan-browned beef make the one-time rabbit food look more like pig slop. Vegetables and lean protein are the easiest way to guarantee your salad lives up to its reputation as a health food. Make the smart choice and save 425 calories and 42.5 grams of fat. Such a change every day will help you lose nearly a pound a week--again, without dieting.
Not That!
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Cheese, bacon, pan-browned beef toppings
Eat This, Instead!
Light or fat-free dressing
Vegetable and lean protein toppings
Make a Sandwich Healthy
Make a Sandwich Healthy
Panera Sierra Turkey
840 calories
40 g fat
Turkey's supposed to be good for you, but not when it's slathered with a thick layer of chipotle mayo. To top it off, Panera slides the cold cuts between two oily slices of Asiago Cheese Foccacia bread (6 grams of fat per slice). When it comes to sandwiches, meats are rarely the problem: turkey, roast beef, and ham are all lean cuts. But bad breads and sauces can ruin otherwise healthy meals. Nix the mayo and choose whole-grain bread, instead. Make these swaps and save 300 calories and 30 grams of fat. One a day and you lose almost 20 pounds in one year! For more healthy lunch secrets, check out this indispensable list of delicious fast food meals under 500 calories.
Not That!
Chipotle Mayo
Foccacia bread
Eat This, Instead!
Whole-grain bread
Make a Burrito Healthy
Chipotle Steak Burrito
1,033 calories
40 g fat
Chipotle uses fresh ingredients, but unless the chain downsizes its football-size burritos, it will still give you a linebacker's gut. If you refuse to give up your favorite lunchtime meal, have a backup plan: Split it with a friend or save half for dinner. Or lose the rice and tortilla and order a Chicken Burrito Bowl (complete with lettuce, black beans, green tomatillo salsa, and sour cream). Make these swaps and save a whopping 570 calories and 94 grams of carbohydrates. If you cut this many calories from your daily intake, you can lose a pound a week without even trying!
Not That!
½ the burrito
Rice and tortilla
Eat This, Instead!
Just ½ the burrito or
Chicken Burrito Bowl with lettuce, black beans, green tomatillo salsa and sour cream
Make a Breakfast Sandwich Healthy
Starbucks Classic Sausage, Egg, and Aged Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich
Starbucks Classic Sausage, Egg, and Aged Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich
460 calories
25 g fat
When it comes to meat, bacon tops sausage, and ham trumps them both. Replace the sausage with ham and you could save up to 500 calories a week. Starbucks has a ham version of this sandwich that weighs in at just 380 calories. Slash even more calories from your A.M. meal by opting for an English muffin, which, nutritionally speaking, will always beat out bagels, croissants, and biscuits. Also be sure to avoid anything on this list of the 8 worst breakfasts in America. Make these swaps and save 270 calories and 12 grams of fat.
Not That!
Sausage
Bagels, croissants, or biscuits
Eat This, Instead!
Ham
English muffin
Make Tuna Salad Healthy
Quiznos Regular Tuna Melt
Quiznos Regular Tuna Melt
1,270 calories
101 g fat (18 g saturated fat)
1,445 mg sodium
Tuna melt with mayo and cheese is a classic deli disaster. But Quiznos has really outdone itself with this one, making it the worst sandwich in America. As a rule of thumb, when you're on the go, avoid all "melts." They almost always involve a Swiss-mozzarella-mayo combo that cranks up the fat content. Make these swaps and save 805 calories and 84.5 grams of fat!
Not That!
Any kind of "melt" sub or sammie
Eat This, Instead!
Any non-"melt" sammie
Make a Chicken Dinner Healthy
KFC Original Recipe chicken meal
KFC Original Recipe chicken meal
460 calories
32 g fat
There's no secret recipe at KFC, just a fryer full of bubbling oil and a breaded, grease-infused two-piece combo that adds 160 calories and 15 grams of fat. Improve any chicken meal by simply ordering it skinless. It can save up to 200 calories and 17 grams of fat. Make these kinds of swaps every day and save about 20 pounds over the course of a year.
Not That!
Regular chicken meal with skin
Eat This, Instead!
Skinless chicken meals
To be continued for next week...all of those sugary sweet drinks...
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