10 FOODS AND DRINKS TO AVOID IF YOU ARE ON A DIET, DESPITE THEIR SO-CALLED HEALTHINESS

Posted on April 26, 2015 by therapysoup

Today’s blog subject is dedicated to one of my friends in Pilates class. She brought up a subject that is important to discuss in my blog because it comes up all of the time when people ask me how I keep the weight off.

Eating healthy doesn’t mean eating large amounts of sugar and carbs! I do eat very well. Salads twice a day. Four servings of veggies a day (small ones), 2 small fruits a day, 6 protein-based foods per day, water, etc. But, keep in mind that I want to keep my carbs between 50g to 100g per day. Also keep in mind that it takes about 4g of sugar/carbs per 1 sugar cube.

We get conned into eating and drinking things based on their nutritional qualities, but in fact, they are LOADED in “unhealthy” amounts of sugar and carbs. Trust me, I know. I gained over 40 pounds at one time just eating “healthy foods”, without knowing the secrets behind their fat-causing carbs!

If you want to lose weight, you want to eat six protein-based “small” meals per day. Here are 10 items to stay away from, but I mention how to do it with low-carb or replacements for them. I am letting you in on my found-out secrets!

10 FOODS AND DRINKS TO AVOID IF YOU ARE ON A DIET, DESPITE THEIR SO-CALLED HEALTHINESS

1. SMOOTHIES or JUICE:

If you have a smoothie, it has to be more vegetables than fruits (fruits have a lot of sugar and carbs) and the size you drink has to be small. Depending on what you put in your smoothie, perhaps about 4-6 ounces is enough. Are your smoothies bigger than that and has a combination of high carb/sugar fruits in them? A few berries, citrus–that is ok….but loaded in apple, banana–you are looking at a lot of carbs. Some of the smoothies at a regular juice place, like Jamba Juice, have 67g of carbs (This is over 20 sugar cubes–would you eat 20 sugar cubes?) in a basic 16 ounce smoothie. If you are only supposed to have between 50-100g of carbs per day to stay thin, that is a lot for one drink. There goes the rest of the carbs for the day! Instead, I personally recommend eating real veggies and two small fruits a day. Smoothies are really for people who can’t stand eating veggies and it is the only way to get it into your diet. Don’t drink orange juice–eat an orange.

2. ACAI BOWLS/ MUFFINS/CEREAL:

Loaded up with granola (NOT A HEALTH FOOD–way too much sugar. Use plain nuts instead). I never eat granola. A lot of people see it as a health food. NOT! It has 38g of carbs in just half of a cup! An Acai Bowl has about 125g of carbs between the granola and the banana, etc. These are not diet foods. WATCH OUT FOR NUTS: 20g or so in carbs per cup. Limit them or measure and bag them in advance when used for a snack. My snacks usually consist of a few nuts and cheese (little to no carbs in cheese). Western Bagel has a low carb bagel called the Perfect Ten, that is usually a special breakfast item for me out of my usual eggs.

Stay away from cereal. Mostly carbs, sugar and chemicals. Try oatmeal instead, but keep it to a small serving because it is high in carbs. Read the labels.

Also, muffins have grains. Grains are higher in carbs. I don’t care if it is a bran muffin or a blueberry muffin–it is still a muffin. It wiIll add to a muffin top, if you know what I mean.

3. DRIED FRUIT:

Has a lot of sugar and carbs. Instead, eat fruit. 2 small amounts of fruit per day. If you eat a banana, one serving is HALF of a large banana.

4. RICE:

High carb, little nutritional quality–even the brown stuff. Quinoa is better, but it is also high carb, so limit it to a few spoons worth in a serving. A cup of Quinoa is over 100g of carbs. As high as rice. Also, rice has arsenic in it. Yuck! ALSO RICE CAKES ARE HIGH IN CARBS TOO!

5. WRAPS:

Bread products of all kinds are high in carbs. I don’t eat sandwiches either. A slice of bread can be around 30g of carbs. Some of the lower carb breads like Ezekiel, is about 10g EACH slice. But, a medium sized wrap is about 22g of carbs. I eat salads with meat and other proteins on them or a sandwich or burger that is wrapped in lettuce and not a bun or wrap. Watch out for tortillas too, unless they are the specific low-carb ones, which you can see at any store, even Trader Joes. A regular tortilla can be over 30g of carbs, but a low carb one can be about 5g net carbs, once you factor in the fiber.

Watch out for JUICE. It is just liquid sugar.

6. PROTEIN DRINKS/SPORTS DRINKS?PROTEIN BARS

All laden with high carbs. Only get ones that are low carb. Less than 20g of carbs is best. Or you can factor in fiber. Look at the total carbs and subtract the fiber and you have net carbs.

7. VEGGIE BURGERS/FROZEN FOODS:

Very high in carbs if you pick the wrong one. Buyer beware. Some of them are only 10g of carbs. So choose wisely and look at the nutritional labels.

Most of the low-cal frozen foods are high carb and will put weight on you. Just look at the labels. They are also loaded in sodium (as is canned soup) and are not good for your heart.

8. YOGURT/FROZEN YOGURT:

Some of them are so high in sugar and carbs, it should be illegal. You could be looking at 20-30g of carbs per cup. Greek yogurt has better options and if you choose the ones that are unflavored, there are hardly any carbs. There are a few products like Danon Lite and Fit Greek Yogurt flavored, with only about 10g or less of carbs per cup.

Frozen yogurt is laden in sugar, carbs and a lot of really nasty chemicals. There is nothing “yogurty” about it. You are better off having a no-sugar added scoop of Dreyers or Breyers ice cream. Breyers Carbsmart ice cream bars are delish and low in carbs. I get them at Ralphs, Smart and Final, and Wal-Mart.

9. BEANS:

Yes, they are good for you–in small amounts. A tablespoon is about 8g of carbs. A cup of them is about 120g of carbs. So, your burrito with the high carb shell, high carb beans and high carb rice will easily top you over 100g of carbs for your one very healthy organic Chipotle burrito. I always do a salad version, limit the beans, no rice.

10. AGAVE!

Syrup

One of the more popular “natural” sweeteners is Agave nectar, also called agave syrup.You will find this sweetener in all sorts of “health foods,” often with attractive claims on the packaging.

The problem with Agave is that it is no better than sugar. In fact, it is much, much worse…

One of the main problems with sugar is that it has excessive amounts of fructose, which can cause severe metabolic problems when consumed in excess.

Whereas sugar is about 50% fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup about 55%, Agave contains even more… up to 70-90%.

Try Stevia or just use natural sugar, in moderation, because sugar is not good for losing weight. And if you are putting fruit in your smoothie (and I don’t recommend smoothies and I don’t do them anymore), then you have enough fructose sugar from the fruit, so why add more? Stop being a sugar junkie!

Life is Short: Don’t Wait, Lose Weight!

Posted on January 22, 2015 by therapysoup

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to make excuses for your not losing weight or keeping it off? Days come, days go and you are still waiting for the magic right moment. Or you gained a few and you are waiting to work those few off.

I certainly have had my own excuses. Here is the deal. If you want to lose weight, you have to get your butt in gear and stop the excuses. Ask yourself what you are doing to stop yourself from losing and find a way around it.

Examples:

1. “I just can’t do it.” (But, yes you can!)

2. “My body is holding onto fat and won’t lose weight.” (Go see your doctor and find out if there is a problem, not just assume it!”

3. “I don’t have time right now.” (Cut something out that you don’t have to do to find the time.)

4. “I am too stressed.” (Exercise will help your stress, and you will lose weight, so that is just an excuse because there will always be a reason to wait!)

10 Things You Can and Should Do to Lose Weight:

(Rules that skinny people follow)

1. Figure out what protein snacks you need to bring with you during the day so that you are eating small protein foods every 3-4 hours. If you let your body go without food for too long, then it goes into starvation mode and holds onto the weight longer. I bring small individual bags of nuts or low-carb protein bars.

2. Eat a breakfast every morning. In a hurry, I grab a hard-boiled egg that I buy pre-done from Costco or Trader Joes. Not in a hurry, I make some eggs with cheese in the AM. Doesn’t take long and it is filling.

3. Bring non sugary fluids with you and fill up on fluids all day long.

4. Prepare earlier the night before or on weekends to have breakfast, lunch and dinner foods and bring them with you for lunch or to work or after if you don’t have the money to eat out somewhere where you CHOOSE healthy proteins, salads and vegetables for a meal–and it has to be the right proportion of food (4 ounces of meat), handful of veggies. You can also have two small servings of fruit per day, but keep in mind that some fruits are higher in carbs (bananas) and some are lower in carbs (berries/citrus’).

5. Eat 6 small proteins per day. Eat two small servings of fruits per day and 4 small servings of vegetables per day.

6. Avoid sugar and high carbs and keep carbs down (between 50 to 100g of carbs per day).

7. Read labels of things before you eat them.

8. Exercise! Get in at least 30 minutes, 3 times per week and more if you can do it.

9. If stressed, don’t eat food, go for a walk, have a drink with no sugar/carbs. Or talk to someone.

10. Put yourself first for half an hour per day. Learn to cut down on something each day to get in the exercise. I have put off folding laundry to get in some time on the elliptical. The laundry can wait, but not your weight!

No more excuses: MOTIVATE and start now. Anytime is a great time to start!

Thanksgiving Does Not Have to Ruin Your Diet or Have You Gain Weight

Posted on November 21, 2014 by therapysoup

This is a re-post of my talk about Thanksgiving meals.

I have talked to many people about Thanksgiving food. I am not sure how it came to be that a holiday designed to give thanks and spend time with relatives–has now somehow turned into a carbolicious food fest.

A few years ago, I went to my husband’s cousin’s house for Thanksgiving. I had a tough time finding something decent to eat. The turkey was ok, but there was no salad. There were green beans, but they were smothered in horrible bad GMO Velveeta cheese and not some kind of low-fat bovine growth hormone-free cheese. And there were those horrible processed onion things were on top. There was white bread in unhealthy fattening stuffing, cranberry sauce (sugar fest), white GMO dinner rolls, margarine (where is the organic butter?) and nasty box-made mashed potatoes. No wonder people get fat. Then, there is pie! One small slice of pumpkin pie alone is 300 calories. I think the average amount of calories eaten at Thanksgiving dinner tops 1500, easy.

AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE SUPER-SIZED PORTIONS THAT PEOPLE SERVE THEMSELVES, AND MORE THAN ONE!

Here is what most of the portions looked like at the cousin’s house (throw in a non-nutritious dinner roll):

Next is the proper size of a “Traditional Thanksgiving Meal–made in a more healthy way–and the right measured out portions. At least if you eat this, you will not gain a lot of weight. (4 ounces of protein and keep in mind, only 50-100g of carbs per day. More on the veggies, less on the stuffing and potatoes. In this picture–turkey, a touch of stuffing with mushrooms, just a splash of cranberries (not the canned stuff), and a serving of veggies. Perfect!

It takes 30 minutes of running fast for 3 miles to burn 300 calories, and about an hour to do fast walking to lose 300 calories. You would have to walk for 5 hours to burn off that dinner. It could take many days of exercise to burn off that meal.

What I had for Thanksgiving:

For breakfast, I had a Western Bagel Perfect 10 low carb bagel with egg and cheese on it.

I made turkey meatballs and sauce with spaghetti squash for lunch.

For dinner, my husband and I had the sliced turkey breast that we bought the day before. We had a little gravy and had some great grilled asparagus and baby broccoli, with a great salad with cheese. A nice normal sized portion too.

And my snacks in between were nuts and a protein bar.

For after-dinner dessert, I had low carb ice cream.

I was full, satisfied and happy. I didn’t gain a pound. I will do something similar for Christmas.

If I am stuck at a person’s house again:

I will either eat before I get there and just have some turkey.

I also could ask the host in advance if there are going to be vegetables and salad, and if not, I will bring my own.

**I have NO qualms or embarrassment that I have to eat a certain way. If you are embarrassed, you can just say it is for “doctor’s orders for more greens.”**

You should never have to gain weight or make yourself sick with wheat products, gluten or excessive carbs to make others feel comfortable.

If someone gets their panties in a twist over it, they either do NOT give a damn about you and your quest to be skinny, of they feel guilty because they wish THEY could go on a proper diet and they are either too stubborn, too carb-addicted or afraid to rock the boat in their relationships.

Any way you look at it, YOU have to take care of YOU! There is a good chance that you gained weight because you have trouble saying NO! Learn healthy boundaries for your own happiness and stop worrying about others.

There are always food saboteurs out there. Like the man in my Pilates class, who is thin and brings the class (who are there to get in shape) brownies or chocolate cake. I think he gets some sick, twisted enjoyment out of watching them eat his stuff. He never knows what to do with me, because, I always tell him, “No thank you. I don’t eat sugar anymore.” And the fact that he still asks me, shows how manipulative he is!

What if the problem is your cravings cause the problem with eating fattening things?

Yes, it is hard to get over cravings, but it is possible. I did it! Takes a few weeks, but you have to stick to it and find healthy alternatives (I write about that all of the time in my blog, just do a search).

If someone is having onion rings, I sometimes will allow myself to eat ONE, then I am done. Fried food with breaded batter=unhealthy and fattening.

You have to learn this and get over what McDonalds got you addicted to eating. Those carbs are killing America-and you and me. We have to take charge of our bodies, our mouths and our lives. Eating potato starch, pie sugars, fatty cheese, white breaded stuffing carbs and sugars–even once or twice a year is not showing respect for your body. Even ONE cheat is do-able, but it is nothing but bad food city all the way through on this crazy holiday food fest.

Stressed Spelled Backwards is Desserts!

Posted on October 11, 2014 by therapysoup

Sorry, I have been remiss in my blog writing. Life has a way of getting in the way of things you love to do. I have had another “diagnosis” of another medical issue (not related to weight) and I have been a bit bummed out. And what happens when you are stressed or sad? Cravings. Luckily, they haven’t been too bad and I have stuck to the usual nuts and cheese snacks…but still now and then you need something tasty.

So, I found some GREAT low-carb ice cream bars. They have anywhere from 11g to 13g of carbs per bar and they are delicious.

Carb Smart has a line of ice cream and ice cream bars of all different types.

Here is my favorite Carb Smart bar and I found them at my local grocery store, Fresh and Easy and Smart and Final. They are also at Wal-Mart (and they do melt if they not in the refrigerator).

I also discovered that another brand makes low-carb ice cream bars and sandwiches: Bluebunny.com. They have a WHOLE line of low-carb products!

They have a locator: http://www.bluebunny.com/About/Locator.aspx

So, you can have ice cream, it is “measured out” through being in a bar and you can’t overdo it. And it has chocolate bits on it–and some have nuts! And it is low-carb! You can’t beat it!

Sugar Does Not Reduce Stress: There are Better Ways to De-Stress

Posted on September 14, 2014 by therapysoup

I have a friend in my Sunday Pilates class. She is pretty awesome. She works hard, works out like crazy and has lost a ton of weight. She is in excellent shape, but she desperately wants to lose a bit more weight. Yet, she is under a lot of anxiety and stress and tends to run to sugar for her comfort. I am writing this article in her honor!

Things that are BAD for anxiety:

Going to sugar and carbs is a way for many people to deal with their anxiety. However, it actually is counter-productive. It is actually the worst choice for anxiety. Sweets (including sugar, honey and corn syrup) makes us temporarily feel better.,Here’s why: Sugar is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. The absorption causes an initial high or surge of energy. But that surge wears off as the body increases its insulin production to remove the sugar from your bloodstream. The result: You’re left feeling tired and low. It also makes you continue in a vicious cycle of SUGAR and STRESS!

Going to coffee isn’t going to help. Instead, drink water because if you drink coffee, you are actually dehydrating. Some people drink coffee and other beverages that contain caffeine (tea, cola, and hot chocolate) to help boost their energy levels. The problem is that caffeine has been shown to inhibit levels of serotonin in the brain, and, when serotonin levels are suppressed, you can become depressed and feel irritable. Even mild dehydration can cause depression. Caffeine also can keep you awake, leading to stress and anxiety. Remember that you need to sleep well to be in a positive mood.

Going to alcohol is not good either. Some people drink alcohol because it seems like a good way to ease anxiety and stress. Unfortunately, the good mood is only temporary. In the long run, alcohol is a depressant. Like caffeine, alcohol is a diuretic, and it’s important to stay hydrated for a number of reasons, including mood. If you do drink, drink in moderation.

Processed foods, such as hot dogs, sausage, pie, cookies, and cakes cause anxiety or other mental health issues?There have been studies, people who mainly ate fried food, processed meat, high-fat dairy products, and sweetened deserts had a 58 percent higher risk of depression than those who ate “whole” foods such as fish and vegetables. So skip the processed foods and have fresh foods!

Here are foods that are GOOD for anxiety:

1. Foods with L-tryptophan. Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin (a neurotransmitter, which helps you feel calm). Foods with it include:

turkey, chicken, bananas, milk, oats, cheese, soy, nuts, peanut butter, and sesame seeds. You can also take it by pill form in 5 HTTP, available in health food stores.

2. Foods with Vitamin B. Vitamin B (including thiamin or Vitamin B1, helps with mood. A deficiency in B Vitamins (such as folic acid and B12) can trigger depression in some people. You can also take it in pill form in a good B Complex formula. Foods with Vitamin B include:

beef, pork, chicken, leafy greens, legumes, oranges and other citrus fruits, rice, nuts and eggs.

3. Foods with carbohydrates will increase the production of serotonin in the brain. However, you want to watch how many you get in order to not gain weight (50g to 100g a day to lose weight is recommended). The rights carbs to choose:

Whole grains (whole wheat bread, brown rice, etc) and not processed choices like sugar, candy, white bread or white rice.

Whole grains take longer for the body to break down, and release sugar into the bloodstream slowly. Processed carbs may give you an initial surge of energy, but that can be followed by an insulin rush, which rapidly drops blood sugar levels, ultimately leaving you feeling lethargic.

4. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), help improve mood and reduce risk of heart disease. Foods with Omega 3s are found in:

salmon, tuna, lake trout, herring, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines.

Walnuts, chia seeds, flax-seed and basil.

5. Greek Yogurt and Other High-Protein Foods: Proteins helps stimulate the production of the brain chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine, which, like serotonin, are neurotransmitters and carry impulses between nerve cells. Higher levels of norepinephrine and dopamine have been shown to improve mood, alertness, mental energy, and reaction time. Good sources of protein include:

Greek yogurt, fish, meats, cheese, eggs, nuts, beans, soy, and lentils.

And don’t forget that eating fresh fruits and vegetables, taking some “me” time, getting enough sleep, exercising and getting in foods with natural spices to reduce cravings (like cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cloves, or cardamom.) will all help reduce anxiety.

Another trick is taking 200 mg of L-Theanine to reduce anxiety. It really works! http://altmedicine.about.com/od/greentea/a/Theanine.htm It is available at any health food store and it is amazing.

Follow these tips and you will feel better and lose weight too.

Getting Started In Exercise To Lose Weight Doesn’t Have to be so Hard!

Posted on August 18, 2014 by therapysoup

If you want to lose weight, besides following the rules on the diet, you also have to exercise. In the past, I gave up exercise throughout some jobs or even through college because I was “too busy.” Busy was true, but also an excuse. By NOT exercising, I got into a bad habit cycle.

Working too much and picking wrong food LEADS to exhaustion

Exhaustion LEADS to NOT exercising.

NOT exercising LEADS to weight gain

Weight Gain leads to illness.

Illness LEADS to not feeling good enough to exercise

And continued NO exercise leads to depression and more poor food choices and perhaps more illness.

Ya, exercise bores you, but not if you find something you like. I actually like the things I do now. What is worse? Feeling like and looking like crap?

FEELING TOO CRAPPY TO EXERCISE!

Look guys. I have Hypothyroidism and Fibromyalgia. At one time, I let all of that happen to me and I fell apart and got fat too. I had to SLOWLY start moving and changing my diet and moving eventually led me to major changes. It took awhile, but ever heard of the story of the Tortoise and the Hare?

No matter how slow you are, you will eventually get to the finish line and there is no race here, so stop worrying about your speed!

The moral of all this! Don’t stop exercising and if you don’t exercise, then start now. Even if you can find 15 minutes in a break to walk or take stairs, you have to do it every day.

If you are already overweight, ill, exhausted or out of shape, then you have to START to exercise. Don’t be afraid! Take baby steps and build up your ability.

Here is a Harvard chart, which shows how many calories can be burned throughout each type of exercise: http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Calories-burned-in-30-minutes-of-leisure-and-routine-activities.htm

Some ideas for starting exercise for those completely out of shape:

1. Find something you LIKE to do. Get an exercise DVD, Zumba, Pilates, Dance, Yoga or anything that interests you. Do it at home.

2. Find a friend to join you either at home, at a gym or on a walk or hike. This walk can start off small and you can work your time and intensity up. Even if you can do 15 minutes to start out, that is a feat! Always stretch first to risk soreness and injury. Drink plenty of water before and after whatever you do.

3. Reward your movement with some new workout clothes or shoes.

4. Get some great new tunes and an Mp3 player to listen to while you move.

5. Walk your dog! Walk your neighbor’s dog! He or she will lose some weight too.

6. I personally do really well if I go over my email and Facebook on my IPAD, while I am on the elliptical. Kills two birds with one stone!!

7. Attend picked out classes at a local gym or small exercise studio of classes you might enjoy and put it in your calendar to attend every week like it is a set work time! I have yoga and Pilates classes weekly and I never miss them unless I am sick. I have it down as part of my schedule. And no matter how busy I am, Tues at 6:45, Wed at 5:30, Friday at 5:30 and Sunday at 10am are booked out and I HAVE to go. It makes me feel obliged and bad if I missed out on it. I consider them as MY JOB. You don’t miss your job!

8. You have to take baby steps, but you continue to take bigger steps, but the goal is CONSISTENCY. You know you can be consistent if you want to do it. The question is…do you want to lose weight and be toned looking? Then, you HAVE to exercise.

And remember: There was a study. Sitting kills, not just obesity! http://time.com/8773/now-theres-another-reason-sitting-will-kill-you/

SO GET UP AND MOVE!

Eat Breakfast, Lose Weight, NO Excuses!

Posted on July 15, 2014 by therapysoup

So, I try to eat breakfast out with my husband on Sunday. It is a nice treat. However, I don’t like eating out and getting fattened up. So, when we go out, I make appropriate choices. I usually get an omelette, and substitute fruit and tomatoes for toast and potatoes. I limit the fruit and the omelette and bring home half of it. The portions are really big. Now, I have a meal for tomorrow too. Eating appropriately helps you look better and save money too!

Basically, if you want to lose weight or even maintain your weight, you must have breakfast.

Research has shown that people who skip breakfast may not be as successful with weight management as those people who eat breakfast regularly. Why? Eating breakfast may help you reduce snacking and avoid overeating.

Eating breakfast is like filling up a gas tank. When you wake up in the morning, your body is low on fuel, like a car running on empty.

A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that breakfast eaters fall prey to impulse snacking less often than non-breakfast eaters.

Don’t fall prey to stupid excuses not to eat breakfast.

Excuse 1: “I don’t have time”:

NOT EATING BREAKFAST EXCUSES

Excuse: I don’t have time to make myself breakfast. The only things available to me at work are doughnuts and cookies from the vending machine.
When time is of the essence, have things that are easy to throw in your car or prepare the night before.

Try a hard-boiled egg,
string cheese and a piece of fruit.
And for those real crunch times, high-fiber, high protein and low carb protein bars.

Excuse: I just can’t eat before 1:00 p.m.
You don’t have to eat the second you are up, but it is a wise idea to eat within several hours of waking up. Try the string cheese or the hard-boiled egg. After a few days, your body might naturally look forward to this a.m. fuel-up and you can try more substantial meals.

Excuse: I’d like to eat breakfast but I’m afraid it will set my hunger into overdrive.
Many people experience less erratic eating patterns (like mid-afternoon and after-dinner munchies) when they eat several small snacks and meals throughout the day.

And on Sunday, you do not have to pig out and eat the pancakes, toast and so forth because you gave yourself the excuse that it is the weekend. It should be exciting enough to go out and be served and get a nice protein-based meal and coffee. The reason you gained weight is because you gave yourself eating excuses. Excuses=No Progress!

And don’t let people sabotage your efforts, even when they give you a hard time and make you feel bad about eating well. This is your body, not theirs. Tell them to eat their food and leave you alone.

you might have a weight problem because of too much yeast in your gut

Posted on May 19, 2014 by therapysoup

YES, your weight problem could be a sign of yeast overgrowth. You are wondering, “What are you talking about, Skinny-Rules?” Well, when your intestinal flora is out of whack, due to any of the following:

antibiotic use

eating too much sugar

taking steroids

use of birth control pills and/or pregnancy (too much estrogen)

then you are more likely to have yeast (candida) overgrowth in your intestinal tract. Sometimes you see you are sick with it by looking at your tongue or your poop. White stuff on either is a sign!

I had unexplained canker sores as a baby and all throughout my life, gooey itchy skin eruptions, deep pits in my nails, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome, gas, bloating, stomach pain, and the white tongue. I took many over the counter medications for the issues, but never was given anything to stop it or address the problem. No doctor understood yeast as an issue for the body and never helped me. Even today, most M.D.s do not seem to understand anything not related to pharmaceuticals. It was non-traditional medicine and doctors who helped me.

I have a friend who has been having problems. I have been telling her for ages that her weight loss problem and health have been compromised by yeast overgrowth and I could see some on her tongue. I think she didn’t really believe it until she had a colonic the other day and the person administering it (a colonosist?) told her that a clump of yeast passed out of her! Yuck. Could this be you?

CANDIDA OVERGROWTH CAN BE A WEIGHT LOSS BARRIER:

Candida overgrowth can be a significant barrier to weight loss. Candida is a naturally occurring yeast in the intestinal tract, and is necessary for healthy digestion. However, when Candida overgrowth occurs, it can create problems, intestinally (bloat, gas, pain) and fatigue, headaches, brain fog and so on.

Yeast feeds or grows off sugar – it actually LOVES sugar. Therefore, a person who has yeast overgrowth is going to crave sugars and carbs, therefore YOU will be craving sugar and carbs.

Part of the dilemma is that the sugar/ carb phenomenon is a catch-22. Yeast feeds off sugar, so a diet high in sugars and carbs will perpetuate Candida overgrowth; and yet Candida overgrowth will set of cravings for more sugars and carbs. This leads to a vicious circle or cycle.

Yeast will crave not only sugar, and alcohol (breaks down to sugar). I know many individuals who crave wine or beer – not because they have a drinking problem – but because they have a yeast overgrowth and they’re predisposed to that because of it. High yeast foods like bread, vinegar and mushrooms can trigger it too. (You have to give these things and sugar up during a cleaning of Candida in the body).

Candida detox treatment (such as Candigone, available at vitamin stores) can often help curb cravings for sugars, carbs and alcohol, and these are three things that will be very helpful in maintaining a healthy weight. Also, treating yeast overgrowth can help reduce intestinal bloating which makes one more feel bigger, even if it’s not true body fat. Addressing yeast overgrowth will also boost energy levels making exercise something more appealing to do.

Candida overgrowth also compromises proper absorption of nutrients. It is associated with “leaky gut”, which means the gap between the intestinal cells widens. (I discovered I had leaky gut through a stool test, done by a homeopathic nurse.) I found out that I had this many years ago and I treated it and stopped eating sugar and many processed carbs. Leaky gut leads to nutrients not being well absorbed, as well as larger-than-normal food molecules escaping into the blood stream triggering immune reactions and inflammation. Hence: Illnesses like hypothyroidism and other autoimmune disorders. Then, weight problems become even more of a problem.

Addressing Candida overgrowth can be done through diet, although even the most rigid anti-Candida diets are rarely enough to eradicate the problem. The more balanced option is moderate dietary modifications, coupled with anti-fungal remedies, which can range from herbal medicines all the way through to prescription medicines, such as Diflucon. Many people find that once yeast overgrowth is addressed, cravings for sugars and carbs are reduced and weight loss is much easier.

Want to Lose Weight? Eat Breakfast!

Posted on May 8, 2014 by therapysoup

If we skip breakfast, we’ll make unhealthy choices at lunch. People who skip breakfast eat more during the day. Your breakfast can set off a cycle of cravings and blood sugar spikes that dooms for weight control. Better to start the day with stable blood sugar and ultimately fewer calories with breakfast.

I, personally, never leave the house without first having my coffee and eggs, or omelette or hard-boiled egg with either some bacon or turkey sausage. Otherwise, it makes me cranky and want to scarf my next meal and ruin my diet.

Breakfast Calories: What to Eat

You may have to find your perfect breakfast food through a trial and error process. It’s fine if you prefer a small turkey sandwich or a hard-boiled egg to traditional breakfast foods.

Consider whole grains. Whole grains are a good choice because they keep you feeling full, according to a dietary study that compared feelings of satisfaction between people who ate a hot whole-grain cereal for breakfast and those who ate refined wheat bread. Those who ate the whole-grain breakfast reported feeling less hungry over the following eight hours than the comparison group. I have discovered a delicious bread and I only have a slice once or twice a week. It is organic and healthy, with high fiber and protein. It is Dave’s Killer Bread. I buy the 60-calorie per slice version. It is low net carb. A slice is not bad, but when you start having sandwiches with more than one slice, you don’t realize how many carbs are in a sandwich and you are sabotaging your diet. Plus, we can get most of our fiber and nutrients from proteins, vegetables, nuts and seeds and fruits. We don’t need whole grains to be healthy. Plus, gluten does nothing as a nutrient and it causes inflammation in people’s guts and or brains. So, I prefer to stay away from it and gluten-free breads are not that good. However, I have had gluten-free pizza (half of a small with some salad) and it is delicious.

The issue with whole grains and oatmeal is that it has a lot of carbs. You have to read the label and determine how much to serve yourself to keep yourself in the realm of 50 to 100 grams of carbs per day, to lose weight. Less than a cup of oatmeal or having a slice of whole grain bread, only three times a week is an option.

Opt for eggs. A study of people between the ages of 25 and 60 who were trying to lose weight found that those who ate two eggs for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight than those who ate bagels, and they also reported having higher energy levels throughout the day. Ask your doctor about egg-white alternatives.

Avoid high-sugar choices. Eating doughnuts, breakfast pastries, and sugary cereals may begin that cycle of cravings and blood sugar lows that can undermine your efforts. And there are too many carbs in them to be considered a good choice for weight control.

First thing in the AM

When you first wake up in the morning, if you are not a breakfast person, but you can eat two hours later, that’s fine. Have a little yogurt, a little bit of peanut butter on some gluten-free bread (look at carbs), or a low-carb protein bar. Your choices don’t have to be traditional fattening breakfast foods, like cereal or pancakes. Please don’t eat Toaster Strudels, Pop Tarts or Frozen Waffles. Too many carbs, nothing nutritional about them and full of sodium and other chemicals. Stay away from these type of processed foods.

But, remember to eat or you are going to be too hungry and ruin your diet at lunch or dinner, not to mention slowing your metabolism down because your body goes into starvation mode. And you can’t operate well without food in the morning. Try running a car on gas fumes! It doesn’t work for long. Even your kids will have attention or memory issues at school without a decent nutritious (that doesn’t mean sugar) breakfast.

Planning

Once you find the breakfast options that suit your diet and your taste buds, plan ahead so that these foods are on hand when you want them — and you can get and keep a healthy habit that will last a lifetime. Stop running out of the house without food. If you are a last-minute person in the morning, then plan the night before with nuts, seeds, cheese, peanut butter on that one slice of Dave’s Killer Bread or Ezekiel bread– and protein bars as options to take with you in the car.

EAT LOW-CARB NUTRITIOUS FOOD FOR BREAKFAST!

Killer Bread On A Diet

Posted on April 24, 2014 by therapysoup

Found this bread at Smart and Final. It is ORGANIC, safe to eat (unlike the yoga mat in Sara Lee bread), and so healthy. The delivery had to deliver it cold to keep it from spoiling because of the lack of preservatives in it.

It is low in carbs, has fiber and protein, and it is delish! I have given up on wheat, but once in a while, I will have something with wheat in it. Bread has anywhere from 15 to 30g of fiber a slice, but not this one! 12g of carbs per slice, minus 3g of fiber is 9g of net carbs. And it is healthy and SO good!

To locate a store that carries it, use this locator: http://www.daveskillerbread.com/locator/

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