Monthly Archives: January 2013

10 Rules So You Can Lose About 10 pounds a Month.

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If you look at my blogs, especially the ones that I wrote in Sept, 2012 , you will read a lot about the rules in what to do in order to lose weight. I lost 40 pounds in 4 months with these basic rules.  But, some people are new and need to know the rules and some people might have forgotten or need a refresher.  So…..

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To recap what some of the rules are:

1. You have to eat 6 small protein based meals a day, about 4 hours apart.  Basically, 3 meals a day, 3 snacks a day, but all protein-based.  Meats are about 4-6 ounces per serving.

2. It is easy to find low carbs proteins in eggs, all types of meat, protein bars, protein shakes, nuts, seeds, cheese, low carb dairy treats, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt.

3. You should only have between 50g and 100g carbohydrates a day.  So, as far as measurements go, look at labels.  If something is more than 15g of carbs per serving, then that might be too much.  You need to average out about 10g of carbs per serving and if you are eating something that is more than that, then you need to take it away from something else during the day. Do not do less than 50g of carbs a day.

4.  Buy a carbohydrate guide or use the internet and look online to see what amount of carbohydrates are in certain things. After while you will just remember things like that there is only 1 g of carbs in an egg.

5.  Take Potassium Gluconate 19g mg twice a day or  99mg, two orally twice a day.

6.  Fruit, twice a day.  About half a cup on most fruits, 1/2 a banana (high in carbs), a medium orange, etc.

7.  Vegetables, twice a day.  About a cup on most vegetables, except for items like carrots (starches).  Avoid starchy veggies like potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes.

8.  A cup of lettuce each time, twice a day.  And low-carb salad dressing.

9.  80 ounces of water or sugar-free drinks a day.

10.  Get in some form of exercise at least 3 times per week.

New AMA Medical Study: Low Carb Diet Increases Metabolism and Helps Burn an Extra 300 Calories a Day!

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http://inspiyr.com/low-carb-diet-linked-to-increased-metabolism/1/?utm_source=incite

An article just came out (see the link) about a study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study was done with participants in a weight loss study over a 12 week period. Three groups: the low-fat group, low-glycemic index group and the low-carbohydrate group.

You can read the study for yourself, but basically your body metabolism burns faster on certain diets. The slowest metabolism was the low-fat group. However, the next group was the low-glycemic group, which does still involve still eating whole grains. That group burned about an extra 200 calories a day over the low-fat group. However, the winner–the low-carb group, burned 300 more calories a day over the low-fat group, merely because of the type of foods consumed and less whole grains and starchy vegetables.

So, if you are trying to lose weight and not following a low-carb diet, you are throwing away the opportunity to burn an extra free 300 calories a day with no physical labor involved. 300 calories is equivalent to a vigorous one hour exercise class.

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HIGH PROTEIN SNACKS

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When we diet, we often forget about “protein!”  Skipping high protein foods may lead to overeating, and is often one of the biggest causes of excess weight gain.  Also, if you exercise, protein is essential for the growth and repair of muscle and organs, especially after a hard workout.

When planning your healthy meals, keep in mind that 10 to 35 percent of your daily food intake should be lean protein. For women, that’s 46 grams of protein a day; for men, 56 grams of protein.  If you make the right choices throughout the day, you can easily hit your protein targets. To get started, try these high-protein choices for healthy snacking and watch choices and portion size to keep carbohydrates down.

10 High Protein Snacks List, which I eat due to carb counting to stay skinny:

1.  Greek Yogurt (depends on brand–can be over 13g or protein per container.  Regular yogurt is usually half of that)

2.  Eggs (6 grams per egg)

3.  Nuts (usually about 6 to 8 grams per ounce or 1/4 cup, but depends on the choices.  Almonds and peanuts are high)

4.  Turkey (about 4  grams of protein per slice)

5.  Cottage Cheese (1/2 cup is 15 grams of protein) and string cheese (about 7 grams of protein per package, depends on brand)

6. Nut butter (2 tablespoons 7 or 8 grams of protein)

7.  Protein shakes (varies, some can be over 30g per can)

8.  High protein and low carb protein bars (varies)

9.  Pumpkin seeds (8g of protein per 1/4 cup or an ounce) and Sunflower seeds (6 grams for same amount)

10.  Tofu (2.3 grams per ounce)

(I did not put lentils or beans on here due to the carb content)

high-protein-food-list

Can a Plate Help You Lose Weight or Stay Skinny?

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You can gain weight eating healthy foods!  Why is that?  Because if you look at our mothers or grandmothers, their average calorific content a day was about 1800 calories a day on average.  Today, woman are eating about 2200 calories a day.  Since the 1950s, portion sizes have increased for women and men.

plate sizes

Portion size is key to staying slim.

Six things you can do to eat the right portion size.

1.  Don’t use the regular sized meal plates.  If you use a smaller one or use older ones from an antique store, you will fill your plates and subconsciously think that it is a lot because your (smaller) plate is full.

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2.  Use a plate that doesn’t match the color of your food.  You are more likely to eat less asparagus (for example) on a white plate vs. a green plate.

3.  Don’t go to buffets.  Very dangerous and filling up those large plates again and again is going to make you gain weight.

plates

4.  When you fill your plate, the right way to do it for your diet, your body and your health and nutrients is to fill half of the plate up with vegetables, then the other half is divided into two parts–one part starchy vegetable and one part meat.  And you can foresake the starchy vegetable because most of us get enough carbs in other foods, so just get more vegetables.

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5.  Don’t fill your plate with pasta or rice.  If you must have those things (hopefully, not often), use the whole-wheat version (not white) and put it in the quarter where your starchy vegetable would go.  But, a whole plate of pasta is not the right portion size and this is why you are having weight issues.

6.  Eat slowly and chew well.  Give your body time to get the signal to your brain that you are full.

Try these ideas and see how well it works for you!

Jamba Juice. Can you stay skinny?

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Jamba Juice smoothies are made with sherbert, fruit, etc.–so there is a lot of sugar in them.  Some have more than others.  Here is a better one, and even a better one has a LOT of sugar.  You can order a Fit N Fruitful version http://www.jambajuice.com/menu-and-nutrition/menu/smoothies/fit-n-fruitful , which has this nutrition info for its Berry Blend Smoothie.

Calories 290
Total Fat 4.5g 7%
Saturated Fat .5g 3%
Trans Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 25mg 8%
Sodium 65mg 3%
Total Carbohydrates 52g 17%
Dietary Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 37g
Protein 11g

That is a good amount of protein.  This has 52g of carbs and 6g of fiber.  So, that is 46g net carbs.  It is 37g of sugar.  That is like eating 9 sugar cubes.  Yes, it is better food, but it is still  fattening and too much sugar.  You are better off eating a piece of fruit and getting a 12g net carbs for an orange.  And this is the smaller cup at 16 ounces, not their regular cup.

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They have a new Make It Light option that you could request, where supposedly it is 1/3 lighter in everything.  So, even if that is true.  It would still be about 32g of carbs in a drink.  Now, if you are only allowed between 50g and 100g of carbs a day to stay thin, then your options for the rest of the day are small.

Again, if you had an orange and two low-fat string cheese sticks–you are looking at 14g net carbs vs. the 32g of net carbs for the Jamba Juice.  There are other options too for protein and carbs, but keep in mind that Jamba Juice should not be part of your diet unless you factor in the carbs for the day and you are exercising heavily.

That is my opinion.  I haven’t had Jamba Juice in over a year and I could have a few sips, but I would rather eat an In and Out protein style cheeseburger for 11g of carbs  and 18g of protein (there are chicken burger options out there too).  There are 7g of sugar in it or about 1 1/2 sugar cubes vs. the 9 sugar cubes or possibly 6 with the lighter option.

Seriously, which one will leave you feeling more full and satisfied?  Which one will leave you with a sugar high and a huge crash and a desire to pig out later?  (I hope you answered the burger for the first question and the juice for the second one)

It is all about knowing what is in what you are eating if you want to stay thin.  Healthy juice sounds good, but it can be fattening.  Just sayin….

 

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Can Vegans and Vegetarians Stay Skinny?

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It is easy to do a low-carb diet if you eat meat, but not so much if you are a vegetarian, and especially a vegan (no milk or eggs)–especially if you want to stay skinny.

So, if you want to be a non-meat eater, there are things you can eat that are high in protein and you NEED protein to maintain energy and keep your metabolism balanced–and still stay skinny.

You can eat certain berries, vegetables leafs that contain protein.  It  is your job to research online about how much protein you are getting.  I meet so many non-meat eaters who just eat whatever and never consider what they are eating and if it is enough to satisfy their body’s requirements.  You have to do some extra work if you decide to eat no dairy, eggs or meat.

proteinplants

Keep in mind that you can eat beans and nuts too, but they are higher in carbs, so be careful and keep a check on how many carbs you are getting in a day.  You can’t just eat Beans and Nuts and lose weight.  You will have to eat a lot of grasses, lettuce, kale, etc.  And avocado is great, but high in carbs, so monitor yourself.

Spinach, for example, varies on the variety and if it is fresh or canned.  Some can be 1g of protein per cup and some can be 7g of protein.  Being a vegetarian requires homework!

Pasta has little protein, so don’t think you can be a vegan and eat pasta all day and stay thin.  It ain’t gonna happen!  You have to eat a lot of low carb vegetables and you can have fruit, but not a lot!  And watch Jamba Juice type smoothies.  LOADED in carbs.  Fruit, sherbet, milk–carbs!  You want fruit, eat one!  It is better for you, lighter in carbs and takes longer and lets you get satiated so you don’t eat a lot.  Have you ever eaten an apple and thought, “I want another!”  No!  But, you could drink 6 apples in a smoothie, no problem!!

So, be careful non-meat eaters!

EAT PIZZA, LOSE WEIGHT

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Pizza!

Yes, it is delish and you don’t want to miss out on eating it on a diet.  There are ways to eat pizza and stay skinny.  You have two choices:

1.  Exercise like crazy before and after you eat it.

2.  Be careful about your choices, where you buy it and how much you eat.

I exercise, but I will not exercise like a madwoman over pizza…so I am careful.

First thing you have to know, is WHAT ARE YOU EATING?

A slice of Costco Pizza is one of the worst.  70g of carbs.  Domino’s Thin Crust Cheese Only Pizza from a medium pizza is one of the best at 15g of carbs.

So, where you get your pizza from is important.  If you go to a ma and pa neighborhood pizza joint and eat pizza, you might not know what the contents are in that slice.

Remember, wheat is involved, so you have to be careful.  This should be a treat, not a regular food choice.

Second thing is that you find places you want to go to and ask for info on their nutritional content if you can’t find it or get it easily. I found a place nearby called Pizza Rev.  They have gluten-free pizza (which is getting more popular). I contacted the company because they don’t have their nutritional content available yet.  The company said that their gluten-free standard personal cheese pizza is 40g of carbs.  So, if I eat half of that and some salad, I am doing great.  So, I have been there now 4 times and I haven’t gained weight, in fact, I worked it in with my 50 to 100g of carbs a day and I actually went down a few ounces.  I only add certain veggies and meats, which are low in carbs.

Here is a site where they give a lot of the carb and calorie content:  http://www.calorieking.com/calories-in-pizza.html  So do your HW before you eat.  Losing weight and staying skinny is about not being lazy about food choices.

Here is an example of something that could fool someone.  California Pizza Kitchen.  The thin-crust Margherita pizza.  You would expect it to be low (not gluten-free).  The entire little pizza is 1038 calories, 98g of carbs.  Even if you only ate half–that is 519 calories and 48g of carbs all in one go.  You will not lose weight, you might even gain that day depending on what you eat the rest of the day.

Subway has a 6 inch pizza (who knew?).  It is 680 calories and 96g of carbs in that little pizza.    But, here, for the kids at Olive Garden, the Kid’s Pizza.  Should be light and not that bad, right?  No– it is 420 calories and 64g of whopping carbs for the kiddies.  No wonder why America is getting so large.  ONE slice at Chuck E Cheese is 169 calories and 24g of carbs.  That isn’t bad, but what kid only eats ONE slice?  How lean is a Lean Pocket pizza?  41g of carbs for the whole pizza sandwich.

So, you can eat out, but be careful where and what you eat.

And if you eat at home, you can make your own.  It isn’t hard and fairly easy. I have a recipe that I have used to make a pizza with Cauliflower crust.  It is really good.  http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/08/the-astonishing-cauliflower-pizza-crust-you-have-to-taste-it-to-believe-it.html

Here is one that is easier pizza crust and I want to try and will follow up on it soon.  http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/thinandcrispy_pizza.html

Below was my caulfilower-based home-made Margherita pizza and salad that I shared with my husband.  Less than 5g of carbs per half of that 9 inch pizza.  Totally delish and low carb.  The base was delish and didn’t miss the pizza crust.  But, if you have to have pizza crust–go online and type in low carb pizza crust and up pop a lot of sites that sell them online.  Even try Amazon.com–they sell everything.

pizzanight

Sleepiness related to Weight Problems

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If you find yourself hungry all day (and not because you skipped breakfast or have recently amped up your gym routine) it might be because  you haven’t gotten enough sleep!

person-sleeps-after-eating

Research presented at the 2010 meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior linked little shuteye with higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, the same one that triggers hunger, HuffPost reported.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/sleep-hunger-deprivation-_n_1659954.html

The study basically says that if you stay up longer, you are more likely to eat more unhealthy foods and you are more tired the next day, leading to less physical activity.  And when you are tired, you are more likely to be so tired, that you make poorer choices.

So, try going to bed earlier, especially if you are one of those people who get the late-night munchies.

Does Gluten-Free Mean You Will Lose Weight?

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Celiac sufferers and those with non-Celiac gluten sensitivity (and I believe I am gluten sensitive) need to avoid the wheat protein for their health.

You have to look at labels and pick wisely, because many gluten-free items still have a lot of carbs.  So, if that blueberry muffin is now only 25g of carbs vs. 50g of the regular muffin, you are still eating 25g of carbs!  If there is little to no protein or fiber to balance that out, you are still eating a dessert!  If you want to only eat 50 to 100g of carbs a day to lose weight and you have that 25g of carb muffin–well, you do the math on what you have left for the rest of the day.

I found a place that serves gluten-free pizza crust for a one-sized pizza.  I called the company and found out the lowest carb item on the menu was this particular pizza that was gluten-free and it was 42g of carbs for the whole pizza.  Well, I split that pizza with my husband and had salad with it instead of eating the whole pizza.  I ended up with 25g of carbs for this meal and balanced it out the rest of the day with low-carb foods like eggs, meat, veggies and low-fat cheeses.  Therefore, I did not gain and I actually lost weight.

If you already have a healthy diet, gluten-free diets will not aid weight loss. For those who subsist mostly on pasta, pizza and other gluten-filled foods, a change to gluten-free lean proteins and veggies will obviously lead to weight loss — though it won’t be the lack of gluten that’s shedding the pounds. 
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So, please be aware that gluten-free does not mean carb-free!

A Reality Housewife and her Transformation

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If anyone watched the Housewives of Orange County, they have seen a transformation of Tamra Barney.  She has always had a great body, but it is better than ever.  Ever since her divorce and getting involved with her fiance, Eddie, she has been working out a lot and changed her food habits.  She is a mean, lean, fighting machine.  She says that she has only lost 5 pounds, but she has toned and put muscle on.  She looks fantastic and she her body is better than most 20-year-olds and she is over 40.  Everything that she recommends, I have recommended.  She talks about the importance of a cardio workout for 40 minutes, three days a week, toning throughout the week, drinking enough water, not eating processed foods (even I have a protein bar here and there), not skipping breakfast, eating the right kind of snacks, and the importance of a good diet.  She has some recommendations and it is in her blog, which I am putting up here.  Take a look at it.

So sorry about the news, but if you want to be looking MAHVELOUS, you have to work out and you have to eat right.  You have to find the time to prep for yourself.

http://www.tamra-barney.com/fit-at-40/

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