Tag Archives: carbs

Processed Foods Can Cause Weight Problems

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processed-foods-supermarket

I have put food items on my blog that are “processed foods.”  But, when losing weight and you are NEW to changing your lifestyle, it is very hard at first to give up everything.  I do believe in making the changes and not worrying too much about processed foods until you hit a point where your sugar cravings have disappeared and you are used to eating smaller portions of proteins six times a day, with two small servings of fruit and four small servings of veggies.

So, let’s assume you are used to your new eating plan.  What are processed foods and how are they bad?

Processed food has a bad reputation as a diet saboteur. It’s blamed for our nation’s obesity epidemic, high blood pressure and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. But processed food is more than boxed macaroni and cheese, potato chips and fast food. Whole-wheat bread, homemade soup or a chopped apple are also processed foods.

goodfood

Different types of processed foods:

Minimally processed foods :

  • bagged lettuce, spinach, etc, cut vegetables and roasted nuts — are often simply pre-prepped for convenience.

Moderately processed food, processed at their peak to lock in nutritional quality and freshness:

  • canned beans, tomatoes, frozen fruit and vegetables, and canned tuna.

More than moderately processed foods with ingredients added for flavor and texture:

  • sweeteners, spices, oils, colors and preservatives) include jarred pasta sauce, salad dressing, yogurt and cake mixes.
  • Ready-to-eat foods, like crackers, granola, and deli meat, are more heavily processed.

The most heavily processed foods:

  • frozen or pre-made meals like frozen pizza and microwave dinners.

worst procssed foods

 

Some processed foods are ok:

Processed food can be beneficial to your diet.

  • Milk and juices are sometimes fortified with calcium and vitamin D, and breakfast cereal may have added fiber. Canned fruit (packed in water or its own juice) is a good option when fresh fruit is not available.
  • Some minimally processed food like pre-cut vegetables are quality convenience foods for busy people. Bagged vegetables and salads are helping people eat more vegetables.  They’re more expensive, but if your choice is between paying less and chopping it when you know you’re not going to do that, and paying a little more for the bagged vegetable you know you’re going to eat, the [bagged vegetable] is a better choice.

You need to read the ingredients list and review the nutrition facts panel.

Look for Hidden Sugar, Sodium and Fat

Eating processed food in moderation is fine, but consumers should be on the lookout for hidden sugar, sodium and fat.

Sugar:

Sugar isn’t just hidden in processed sweets. It’s added to bread,pasta sauces and cereal. The number of carbohydrates on the nutrition label also includes naturally occurring sugars which may be a significant amount in foods like yogurt and fruit. Instead, review a product’s ingredients list and look for added sugars among the first two or three ingredients such as sugar, maltose, brown sugar, corn syrup, cane sugar, honey and fruit juice concentrate.

Sodium:
Most canned vegetables, soups and sauces have added sodium. We need some sodium, but we often consume much more than the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommended 2,300 mg a day (1,500 mg a day for those over 51 years of age, or African-Americans, diabetics and those with hypertension or chronic kidney disease). High sodium intake is linked to hypertension, or high blood pressure.

Three quarters of our sodium intake comes from processed foods.  Only 20 or 25 percent of it comes from salting our food.

Canned vegetables, soups and beans can be packed with nutrients, so don’t cross them off your shopping list entirely. Instead, look for reduced or low sodium on labels. Also, always rinse canned beans and vegetables and reduce sodium content by about 40 percent.

Fat:

Some fat in your diet is good for you.  It isn’t the fat that is the problem in weight gain….it is SUGAR and CARBOHYDRATES.  Your body needs fat.  It doesn’t need sugar or carbs.  But, your brain and body can get addicted to sugar and carbs.

realfood

SO HOW TO DEAL WITH GETTING AWAY FROM PROCESSED FOODS:

Tossing everything in your pantry out all at once is a good way to waste money, but gradually replacing processed foods with fresh alternatives helps curb cravings and hunger. Highly processed foods are low in nutrients, causing the body to seek more food to find the nutrients it needs, which leads to a vicious cycle of overeating.

  • You don’t have to empty the pantry all at once, but slowly start making swaps like fresh fruit and yogurt for protein bars (which can contain as much sugar as a candy bar) or hummus and fresh veggies instead of nutritionally devoid pretzels.
  • Eat fresh food.  Fresh meat, salads, fruits and vegetables.
  • Learn to Cook!  It isn’t that hard.  Find time. Your iPAD games or Playstation is not more important than your health.  You can prepare foods and have leftovers for days.  Some things take little time to cook.

    http://blog.fooducate.com/2013/11/17/9-tips-for-healthy-and-affordable-grocery-shopping/

     

groceries

 

  • Learn about Genetically Modified Food and how it is ruining your body and keeping us overweight and sick.  Start to read labels on whether the items you are purchasing are organic, grain fed or not.

Genetically modified food is a huge problem for people and has been, since it was introduced 30 years ago.  Notice the obesity rate has increased since they started messing with how they grow or raise our food?!  There are also more stomach and colon issues because our intestinal balances are completely being messed up. GMOis a whole other Oprah and perfect for another blog day.  If you want to read more, Foodbabe.com and Fooducate.com!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_28747.cfm

 

I Figured Out Why I Have Been 7 Pounds Away From Goal!

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Portions!!

Look, I had blood tests and they came out good.  Because of eating according to the rules, I have low sugar levels (no diabetes risk), by cholesterol levels are fantastic.  I get more than enough iron and since I take a mineral supplement daily, all is well!

I eat really well.  I eat six protein based meals, every 3-4 hours.  I have four small portions of veggies a day, two small portions of fruits per day (and I stick to lower carb fruits like berries and citrus) and two measured out salad portions a day (about a cup of lettuce).  I am very good about this.

I avoid grains, sugar desserts, rice and even most beans.

I count carbs (between 50g and 100g per day).

I exercise about 10 hours per week.

I lost all of my weight and then after having to go on steroids for itching last January, I put a few pounds back on and I keep fluctuating between being 7-9 pounds more than I want to be (goal).  I look thin, but I want the cushion of not being at the far end of acceptable.

So, I was looking at ready-made portions at Lindora today.  I realized that my protein portions have creeped up over time.  I have been mostly eyeballing my protein and I haven’t been measuring every meal as much as I used to do it.

So, crash course for me and you on portion control: 

Meat is about 4 ounces.  3 ounces for beef.  Last night I ate a lean burger (without a bun, as usual).  But, it was TOO much burger.  It was 1/3 a pound.  That is about 5 1/2 ounces.  I should have eaten half of it and brought the other half home.  I am going to be more cognizant of this.  What happens when you do a diet long enough (a way of life), is that your eyes get big and you forget how small the portion has to be in order to stay thin.  This happens, especially if you eat out.  The portions are outrageous.  I could have had half of the beef and half of the egg in the salad and just eaten the other half today.

meat

I have to eat less, more often!  6 times a day, 4 ounces, broken up!

Meat1-300x240

You have to remember this!

portions_v4

Meat1-300x240  meat_serving

I am not fat like I was, but I don’t want to go back to fat either.  I am nipping this in the bud before it is too late.  I am sharing this with everyone because this is reality–this happens when you work on maintenance after a diet.

I have seen people who are hungry and overeat and don’t realize that they are eating the portion for two to three LARGER people.  Ordering a POUND burger AND fries–outrageous.  A 50-year-old man, not that active and not that tall–eating that much–it is just asking for medical problems.

Ordering a burger and a bag of fries, just for one person (especially an inactive female) –is fat waiting to happen. These people are all eating about 75g of carbs or more in one sitting.  But, I have to be aware that even if I eat meat, veggies and salad–if I overdo portion size, I might be having too many calories and messing up my own weight loss ability.

So, wish me luck on getting back to portion measuring and control.

Your Diet Could Be Causing Your Depression

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Research was done that shows us that carbohydrates can cause inflammation (besides your waistline)–causing depression!!!

http://www.medicaldaily.com/pasta-and-depression-grains-and-other-carbs-could-be-affecting-your-mood-261266

Results indicated that women who ate red meat and refined grains such as bread, pasta, and chips were at a 29 to 41 percent increased risk of being diagnosed with or receiving treatment for depression.  Prolonged use can cause damage to parts of the body and the brain.

The good news is that there are certain foods which boost mood and control inflammation: Olive oil, coffee, wine, fish, and certain vegetables.

So, for those of you who have been fighting to get off of refined flour products and bad carbs, does this information help you want to do it?

If you choose to do it, follow the rules:

https://skinny-rules.com/?s=rules&submit=Search

 

 

A fruit by any other name would smell as sweet, but it could still put weight on you!

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You could do 6 protein snacks every 3-4 hours (4 ounces of meat or cup, 2 ounces of low-fat cheese, 4 ounces of low-fat cottage cheese or 1/2 cup yogurt or an egg) and you could eat two small servings of veggies a day (leaving out potatoes and other root veggies and avoiding rice), but still have trouble losing weight.

fruit-1

Fruit could be an issue.

Some people have fruit as a snack.  Fruit without a protein is not good for a diet.  You should have to servings of fruit a day….but have it with a protein snack.

Have some fruit with some peanut or almond butter, your salad and meat, cheese, nuts, protein bar or shake, in your low-carb Greek Yogurt or cottage cheese.

And you need to pick your fruit wisely, because some fruits are more fattening than others:

Examples:

a whole apple is 25g of carbs vs. an orange at 11g of carbs.

1 cup of strawberries is 13g of carbs vs. 1 cup of blueberries at 20g of carbs.

A medium banana is 27g of carbs vs. 1 cup of papaya at 14g of carbs.

Here is a list to go by:  Net carbs = the Total Carbs- Fiber

Popular Types of Fruit

 Net Carbs(g) Sugar(g) Fiber(g)
Total Carbs(g)

Fruit with Seeds (1 medium piece)
 Apples 15.76 14.34 3.3 19.06
 Grapes 0.41 0.39 – 0.41
 Pears 20.56 16.27 5.1 25.66

Citrus Fruit (1 medium piece)
 Grapefruit 17.88 17.87 2.8 20.68
 Lemons 3.81 1.45 1.6 5.41
 Limes 5.16 1.13 1.9 7.06
 Oranges 12.29 12.25 3.1 15.39
 Tangerines 9.71 8.89 1.5 11.21

Stone Fruit (1 medium piece)
 Apricots 3.19 3.23 0.7 3.89
 Cherries 0.99 0.87 0.1 1.09
 Nectarines 12.05 10.73 2.3 14.35
 Peaches 7.85 8.22 1.5 9.35
 Plums 6.64 6.55 0.9 7.54

Tropical Fruit (1 medium piece)
 Bananas 23.85 14.43 3.1 26.95
 Chinese Gooseberries (Kiwi) 8.84 6.83 2.3 11.14
 Coconut 2.85 2.80 4.0 6.85
 Guavas 4.88 4.91 3.0 7.88
 Litchis 1.49 1.46 0.1 1.59
 Mangos 31.49 30.64 3.7 35.19
 Papayas 24.32 17.94 5.5 29.82
 Pineapples 9.41 7.78 1.2 10.61

Berries (1 cup serving)
 Blackberries 6.24 7.03 7.6 13.84
 Blueberries 17.51 14.44 3.5 21.01
 Cranberries 8.32 4.44 5.1 13.42
 Raspberries 6.69 5.44 8.0 14.69
 Strawberries 8.67 7.08 3.0 11.67

Melon (1 wedge serving)
 Cantaloupe Melon 5.03 5.42 0.6 5.63
 Honeydew Melon 10.36 10.15 1.0 11.36
 Watermelon 20.49 17.73 1.1 21.59

Can Popcorners Help With Your Diet?

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popcorners collage

A new trend of snack.  Popcorners.  All kinds of flavors.  Advertised on their website as, “- a sensible snacking solution that is all natural, gluten-free, and non-gmo.”

Great, but natural in the food market could mean just about anything.  Gluten-free is great and so is non-genetically modified.

However, how is it for losing weight or keeping weight off?

The nutritional content says that it ranges from about 20-23g of carbs per bag small one ounce bag.

If you want to lose weight, you have to keep your carbs between 50g and 100g a day.  The closer to 50g, the better.

If you are eating almost half of your daily allowance in a bag of popcorn (similar to the carb content of a bag of chips), then what the heck can you eat the rest of the day to keep your carb count down?

You will NOT lose weight on chips, pretzels (double the amount of chips), or Popcorners.  In fact, I personally stay away from anything that is made from corn, potatoes or rice.  Major carbs and starchy, shoots your glucose way up and helps to continue to sugar roller-coaster and cravings.  It is just crappy so-called “food.”

shittyfood

One of my clients has stopped sugary carbs for a few weeks now and he no longer craves any of these things.  He used to crave shakes, chips and french fries and it went away with time (withdrawal).

Snacks should be protein-based.  Low-carb protein bars or shakes, meat, low-fat cheese, eggs, measured out nuts, low-fat chocolate pudding, low-carb Greek yogurt, fruit, etc.

Why not make an omelette with veggies and some low-fat cheese?  I do that and it is really good.  Get some good turkey bacon or sausage.  Stop eating processed foods from a bag.  If it can live in your closet for an undetermined amount of time, it is probably NOT good for you.  Even protein bars go bad after a while.

Eat better food.  Garbage in, garbage out.

Even Burger King Has Entered the Diet Low-Carb Ring

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The news has been out for a few weeks now. Burger King now has new lower fat, lower calorie fries.

friesskinny

In light of the rising rates of obesity worldwide, Burger King’s “Satisfries” can be munched on for 20 percent less calories than normal fries, and 40 percent less fat. In addition, the snack contains 30 percent fewer carbohydrates than competitor McDonald’s french fries.

Burger King’s Chief Marketing Officer, Eric Hirschhorn, told the Huffington Post:

“You live in Manhattan and might be having a kale smoothie on your way to work this morning. But a lot of people don’t even know what kale is, and if they do, they don’t want to eat it. You have to give people what they want.”

If you want to order the Satisfry, you will need to pay 20 – 30 cents more. Children can have the substitution for free.

Despite claims that the Satisfries are better, here are the nutritional counts:

Satisfries:
Calories. 340. Protein. 4g. Carbohydrates. 51g. Sugar. 0g. Fat. 14g.

51g of carbs in a bag of fries is good? If I can only have between 50 and 100g of carbs a day to lose weight, then a bag of fries is pretty much IT for the day! But, the protein is only 4g and I need 6 protein meals throughout the day, so this is NOT a diet food.

Rule of thumb. Want to lose weight? Avoid root vegetables. They are loaded with carbs and sugar.

AND LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT.  LOWER FAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT!  SOMETIMES IT IS WORSE!

If you are stuck going to Burger King–

Here are some of my recommendations for Burger King Low-Carb dinner choices that are lowest in carbs. Please note….no bun, hardly any carbs. The Low-Carb Whopper has 3g of carbs and the Low-Carb Jr Whopper has 1g of carbs (because there is NO bun!)

Low-Carb Breakfast Choices

Breakfast Bowl: Serving Size: 1 bowl, Calories: 540, Fat: 42g, Carbs: 17g, Protein: 24g

Breakfast Muffin Sausage Egg Cheese W/o Bread:
Serving Size: 1sandwich, Calories: 270, Fat: 22g, Carbs: 2g, Protein: 15g

Breakfast Sausage Burrito – No Tortilla:
Serving Size: 1 Burrito, Calories: 170, Fat: 14g, Carbs: 2g, Protein: 10g

Breakfast Bowl (Eggs and Sausage Only) –
Serving Size: 1 bowl, Calories: 270, Fat: 21g, Carbs: 3g, Protein: 13

Breakfast Muffin Sandwich Without English Muffin
Serving Size: 1 sandwich, Calories: 268, Fat: 25.9g, Carbs: 0g, Protein: 15g

Breakfast Muffin Sandwich: Sausage, Egg and Cheese – No Muffin
Serving Size: 1 sandwich, Calories: 270, Fat: 22g, Carbs: 2g, Protein: 15g

Breakfast Bacon: Serving Size: 1 Serving, Calories: 40, Fat: 3g, Carbs: 0g, Protein: 3g

Breakfast Muffin-bacon Egg & Cheese
Serving Size: 1 Muffin Sandwich (131g), Calories: 250, Fat: 11g, Carbs: 22g, Protein: 14g

Breakfast Muffin Without Muffin
Serving Size: 1 sandwich, Calories: 290, Fat: 25g, Carbs: 2g, Protein: 12

Breakfast Ham
Serving Size: 1 Serving, Calories: 35, Fat: 1g, Carbs: 0g, Protein: 6g

fries

Buyer beware, stay away from the fries, shakes and buns. Then, you could be eating low carb. Always look at nutritional information.

Diet Jealousy

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boob-jealousy

You’ve given up most of those high-calorie foods you used to love. Exercised every day–even when you didn’t feel like it.  And finally, it’s all paying off–you’re edging toward your weight loss goal — and looking pretty great!

At the same time, you’ve encountered what seems like a surprising lack of enthusiasm or irritating remarks from some of your family and friends — maybe even your partner — about your new look.

As unusual as this may seem, experts say it’s actually quite common to receive some unexpected reactions when you dramatically change your appearance.

“Human beings are hard-wired to resist change, so it’s not uncommon to encounter some resistance whenever change occurs,

When we accomplish a goal — particularly something as difficult as losing weight– it may serve to remind friends and family of their own failed attempts.  That, too, can spark a bad reaction.

MY OWN EXPERIENCE OF JEALOUS NEGATIVE REACTIONS:

I work harded hard at my weight loss and maintenance is a daily routine.  If I lose sight of it, I would gain it back.  So, I have found ways to eat that I enjoy and I embrace my new way of life.  The old way didn’t make me happy.  I left restaurants feeling bloated and stuffed.  I felt bad trying on clothes and I didn’t like how I looked in my clothes.  I spent times not wanting to go out to social occasions because I didn’t want to be the fat lady at the party.
I worked hard to lose the weight.  I learned the rules, learned how to look at carbs and learned what foods had proteins, fiber and carbs.  I work them daily into my diet.  This took time and effort.  It was not an overnight success.  It wasn’t like after a week of hard work, that I suddenly lost the weight.  I also had to kick my exercise up a notch to burn off calories.  I work out more now than I ever have and I do it because it makes me feel strong and it helps me stay skinny.
Sometimes, I will run into someone who remembers me being fat.  They knew I was on a diet and saw me losing and they even asked me how I did it.  I freely shared the information, but some thought that there was no way they could do it and they gave up before they even tried to do it.  This is an issue in that some people grow resentfu that you could do it and they didn’t have it in them to try.
So, then, in some ways, my weight loss becomes a symbol of their inability to accomplish their goals, so they may begin to act resentful — or even act mean to me — even if it is not intentional.  And if their goes involved weight loss, then the resentment can be twice as strong.

If it is a friend who is resentful, you may find that they are suddenly excluding you from activities,.  Some friends or family can even say mean things, taunt you about your new body or even your new clothes.  And some people who are servers at restaurants or work in exercise studios–or even are members of the same gym you belong to, can treat you in a resentful mean way.

TODAY’S JEALOUS NEGATIVE REACTION:

I went to Western Bagel today for and had a post-Pilates Perfect 10 Egg a la Bagel (Egg, cheese, meat and a 10g net carb bagel).  My special treat for breakfast.  I used to have these all of the time, but I now only allow myself something this large once a week and after a hard workout.  I need energy for the morning because I have clients coming in for the next four hours straight.  This woman, asked me tons of questions about how I was losing at the time I was losing weight.  But, then I lost it, and following that for the next 18 months, she always asks me, “So, you are still on that diet???”  I remember her saying she wanted to lose weight when I was slowly losing, but after seeing me keep it off for two years now, she is pissed off seeing me thin.  It was great when I was fat and trying to lose, but being thin and keeping it seems to be pissing her off.

I find myself wanting to tell her to shut up already.  I want to go in and just order my f’ing bagel.  I now find myself hating going there because she might be there and sure enough, she was there.  She asked me again today about, “So, you are STILL on your diet?”  I answered (for the fourth time now), “I am not on a diet, this is my lifestyle and how I eat and how I want to look.”  She then made a face at me like she was in horror!  And she said as she grabbed her two belly folds, “Well, I like how I look and I feel good, so I am ok.”  It was then apparent to me that it was an issue about her, not me.  She doesn’t give a crap about me.  She is a lady at the bagel shop.  She doesn’t even know my name.  There is no happiness or concern for me.  She is feeling resentful and frustrated with herself.  So, I said, “I had reflux, I lost the weight, and it is gone now.  I can’t have a belly or I get sick.  I am happy this way and I want to stay this way.”  So, that was my end of story comment and she nodded.

Will she bring it up again if I go back?  I think she might!  However, I have to remember this is about her. not me.   I will be prepared in the future and say, “I think we shouldn’t discuss my diet anymore.  It is what it is.  I am happy and healthy and that is all that matters”  Because I am sick of it and she should be too.  What can I do?  I will not put on weight for her to feel happier with her issues.  I am very happy with my body and my work.  My husband compliments me and I know that the people who really care about me and don’t have issues say I look good.  My clothes fit well and that was the goal!

HOW TO COUNTERACT JEALOUS NEGATIVITY:

I just have to remember  how I  would feel in a similar situation, or maybe how I felt when others lost weight and you couldn’t,  If I put myself in their place, then I can see that the resentment is all about them and not about me.  I am just a mirror of what they did not commmit themselves to do.

If you ever find yourself being one of the resentful ones, you have to ask yourself what is holding you back.  Anyone can lose weight.  You have to follow the rules.  Stop saying you can cheat once a week and eat a whole slice of cake.  Stop baking cakes in your house, because you will be tempted to eat more than a small piece.  If you have to cheat, there are alternative ways to bake items using almond flour, unsweetened cocoa, coconut oil, Truvia, Stevia, etc.  You can make these things.  Google recipes.  Don’t be lazy.

You can also buy a small piece of something bad to have once a week.  However, I have seen some people on diets recommend to people to have these cheats in the house and it is a terrible idea.  It sets you up for temptation.  And the people who recommend these things are usually still overweight.  I am at goal, I stay at goal.  I think I know what it takes.  And if you don’t follow these rules, then don’t get mad at me when I come up to you and order an Egg a la Bagel!  It is not my fault that you put a batch of brownies in your house and they are calling your name!

What Kind of Carb-Eating Dieter Are You??

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I had a conversation today with a lady who wants to eat well and keep her weight down, and she thinks you have to eat all carbs in the morning.  I realized how many people really have no idea what is good for a diet or not.

Myth:  You have to eat toast or some kind of grain at breakfast because you need carbs for energy.

Here is the deal.  You need protein!  You get little protein in bread.  Eggs, meat, dairy, nuts, yogurt–they have protein.  Bread is low on the list.  Also,  I told her that I had some fruit with my eggs in the morning and she seemed to not realize that fruit has carbs.  So, to have fruit and bread–I know my body.  It does need so many carbs at once.  Her philosophy, have carbs earlier in the day and little to none later.

Is she right?  Yes and no.

Why?  It depends on your body.  Everyone is different.  Here are some rule of thumbs on carbs throughout the day.   Everyone has a different body type and there is no set rule of thumb for everyone.  Which of these five Carber-types are you?  Are you a late night carber, morning carber, day faster and later one meal carber, few carbs per meal carber or a post-workout carber?

carb eater

1.  THE LATE NIGHT CARBER:

  • Questions: Workout at night? Have diffulty sleeping? Crave starch, salt and/or sweets in the evening? Find yourself ravenously hungry in the morning?

Answer:  If so, save your entire days carb intake for the evening.  If you notice you sleep better and your hunger, energy, and cravings are better controlled the next day AND the end of the week shows improvement in body composition, you have moved one step closer to your metaboloic needs.

2.  THE MORNING CARBER:

  • Questions:  Workout in the morning before eating? Crave coffee and pastries for breakfast? Notice low energy all day if you don’t have morning carbs? Find yourself insatiably hungry at night?

Answer:  Then eat all your carbs in the morning, and skip them the rest of the day.

3.  THE DAY FASTER, LATER ONE-MEAL CARBER:

  • Questions:  Don’t feel hungry for most of the day until after lunch? Have high energy despite not eating? Tend to hold onto your muscle mass?  Get sick and tired of worrying about preparing meals for the day and stressing about what to eat? Are able to go the whole day without food and still eat sensibly at night?

Answer:  Then, consider fasting the entire day and eating only one big meal (including the carbs) in the evening.

4.  THE FEW CARBS PER MEAL CARBER:

  • Questions:  Feel low energy when you don’t eat? Get a foggy head and can’t think clearly unless you have carbs? Are you insulin resistant and tend to “feel hypoglycemic”? Overweight or obese? New to the fat loss lifestyle? Then you will likely be better off eating small frequent meals with each meal containing small amount of carbs (5 to 10 bites).  (THIS IS ME)

Answer:  These meals should also be accompanied with a good portion of protein.

5.  THE POST-WORKOUT CARBER:

  • Questions:  Have difficulty gaining muscle? Train intensely with weights? Having difficulty recovering from exercise? Are an athlete with performance goals?

Answer:  Then eat carbs post-workout as well. 30 to 50g whey protein and a large banana may give you just the right insulin kick at just the right time to take your fat burning and muscle-building game to the next level.

 

So, figure out what kind of carber you are and work with it.  Take your diet to a whole new level, based on your body’s needs!

Misleading Labels and Food Trends Can Make You Fat

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The claim of ‘Fat-Free’ is actually the truth in products such as Mike and Ike and Good & Plenty candies, where you’ll find the claim: “fat-free.” They’re not lying—these empty-calorie junk foods are almost 100 percent sugar and processed carbs. But the makers of such junk, calorific “food” don’t tell you that their product is loaded with sugar and are digested rapidly, sending your blood sugar soaring; as soon as it drops again, you’ll crave more “fat-free” empty calories. In fact, skimmed milk has additives that aren’t even healthy and it has carbs, which will add weight on you, if you don’t count your carbs daily and keep them at a minimum.

skimmed milk story

There are many products that claim to be fat-free, but that means little in the weight loss realm.

If you want to lose weight or maintain weight, you have to carefully read labels and consider sugar and carb content. If you have a product that has little to no fat, but is high in carbs, your weight loss will be taking a huge hit. You do want to aim at low-fat products, like low-fat cheese, but you MUST look at carb content and also look at how what is showing on the label and notice the portion size of your food product.

Misleading Labels

For example, let’s say that you are looking at a jar of peanut butter, and the label says “8g of carbs.” Sounds good, but 8g of carbs per what? Usually that covers 2 tablespoons. To says so at the top of the label.

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Here is an example label, let’s say it is for cereal in a small box. Oh, the box is only “22g of carbs?” No!! Look again. It says per “cup” and there are TWO servings in the box. So, if you eat the whole thing, then it is 44g of carbs.

I see misleading labels like this all of the time. I see it on sugary drinks- even energy drinks. The bottle might say, “12g of carbs,” but two servings might be in one bottle…so double those carbs if you drink the whole thing. I am pretty wise to this trick, but every now and then a small item, which shows two portions and then the numbers gets me because the product was so small, I forgot to notice the portion size. They tricked me I to thinking the product was low on sugar and carbs.

Remember, I have between 50 and 100g of carbs per day to maintain my weight and the closer to 50g, the more I will lose. Some people can easily go over 100g, but you have to weigh daily and when you see the numbers going up, adjust accordingly on your carb intake and/or increase exercise output.

Read carefully or you won’t lose weight and you will wonder why!