Tag Archives: health

Eating Too Much or Too Little Food Can Mess Up Your Waistline and Brain

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If you are not eating a balanced diet, it can affect your brain, as well as your waistline.

brainfood
1. No Breakfast

People who do not eat breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level.  This not only messes up your metabolism, but this leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating

It fat deposits, and it causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

 

3. High Sugar Consumption

Too much sugar will put on fat and interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

What About Processed Foods?

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I have discussed carbs, but some of you (and I) are concerned about processed foods and their safety. Processed foods are not really good for us. In fact, I read today that they can really affect our auto immune systems.

What are processed foods?

Processed foods have been altered from their natural state, either for safety reasons or for convenience. The methods used include canning, freezing, refrigeration, dehydration and aseptic processing.

Some of these foods are not bad for your health at all. For example, milk would be considered a processed food because it’s pasteurized to kill bacteria and homogenized to keep fats from separating, so most of us are happy to consume the healthy processed milk we find in our grocery stores.

Freezing vegetables preserves most vitamins and minerals and makes them convenient to store, cook and eat all year around. Fruit and vegetable juice is also an example of a healthy processed food and fortified with supplements. Oatmeal, unbreaded frozen fish fillets, canned salmon, frozen berries and 100-percent whole grain bread are also examples of processed foods that are good for you, except now there is a concern that the wheat is modified and not good for us.

Sure, there are a lot of processed foods that aren’t good for you. Many of these bad ones are made with trans-fats, saturated fats, and large amounts of sodium and sugar. These processed foods should be avoided, or at least eaten sparingly.

Processed foods that may be bad for your diet:

  • Canned foods (including soup) with large amounts of sodium or fat.
  • Pasta meals made with refined white flour instead of whole grains.
  • Packaged high-calorie snack foods such as chips and candies.
  • Frozen fish sticks and frozen dinners that are high in sodium.
  • Packaged cakes and cookies.
  • Boxed meal mixes that are high in fat and sodium.
  • Sugary breakfast cereals.
  • Processed meats. *

* Some studies suggest that eating processed meats may increase your risk of colorectal, kidney and stomach cancer. Processed meats include hot dogs, bologna, sausage, ham and other packaged lunch meats. These meats are frequently high in calories, saturated fats and sodium.

Breakfast cereal can be good for you if it’s made with 100-percent whole grain and fortified with additional nutrients, but many breakfast cereals are low in fiber and contain too much sugar, and again the wheat can lead to problems and weight issues.

Be sure to look for products that are made with more whole grains, less sodium and have fewer calories. They should also be low in saturated fat and free of trans-fats (be sure to read the label, sometimes foods that claim to be trans-fat free still contain partially hydrogenated oils). Make sure you pay attention to serving size, too, and balance out the processed foods with more fresh foods. If you choose a convenient meal in a skillet, add a garden salad, fresh vegetables, and some whole grain bread to make the meal healthier. You can also the nutritional value of ramen noodles by adding fresh vegetables.

Do I Do My Chores or Do I Exercise?

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I was faced with a tough decision yesterday.  I had a ton of chores to do and I am under stress to do them.  Do I give up my nightly exercise to do it?  What is one night?

Well, I decided to exercise because I had spent years neglecting myself, which is how I gained weight in the first place.  There will always be something to do, so why neglect myself any more?  I want to stay skinny and you can’t if you let yourself fall back on old bad habits.

You have to prioritize yourself.  You can have a nice car and a nice house.  You can have a nice Chanel bag….but what difference does it make if you look like crap?  Your body and the shape it is in says a lot about a person.  It says a lot about your sense of self-control, a sense of self-love and self-respect.  It is the FIRST thing that people notice about you.  They might never see your car or your house, but they will see YOU.  And how good does a nice expensive outfit look on a flabby person?  Not so good.  I can wear nice selections from Target in my skinny-toned body and they look better than some expensive outfit on a bigger, sloppy, untoned body.

There is weight prejudice out there.  People look at you and make assumptions based on your body.  I used to get asked if I was pregnant all of the time because the wheat products gave me girth and belly fat.  (I gave wheat up!)

If you spend a few extra minutes a day working on your body, it will pay off in dividends.  You will look better, feel better (mentally and physically), be healthier, your shopping for clothes will be easier and more fun, your partner might be happier with your look, you won’t get teased about your weight,  it is easier to get hired (there are studies about this), and you might get more appreciative (and sometimes jealous) looks from others.

And for you selfless types out there….remember this….on the planes, when the oxygen masks are released, what do they tell parents to do?  They say to put on the mask and breathe FIRST and THEN let your child breathe because if you pass out first, your kid has no one to help them.  If you get sick from being out of shape and large, who will be there for your family, friends or children if you fail?  You have to take care of yourself FIRST to be there for the family.  We have a friend who just died because he was so busy caring for his family and work and forgot to take care of himself.  He died at the age of 56 from a heart attack and left behind a widow and a 13-year-old girl.  I don’t want that to happen to me or anyone else.

So, I chose the exercise.  I felt better afterwards and my stress level lowered.  Exercise is great for stress.  It is a vicious cycle, you have stress and don’t feel like exercising, but if you exercised, you would feel less stress.  So, just do it and get that ball rolling.  And after you exercise, if you have time leftover, then do some chores.  You will do them feeling less guilty that you neglected yourself and you will have more energy too, believe it or not.

http://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/managing-anxiety/exercise-stress-and-anxiety
Exercise relieves stress

Weight Problems in Your Youth is Linked to Heart Problems Later in Life

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/elements4health/mTrh/~3/Bwab0i3_9fE/weight-problems-in-youth-linked-to-heart-problems-later-in-life.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email

An article came out on research showing that weight problems in your youth is linked to heart problems later in life.

Another solid reason to lose weight, get in shape.  Take care of yourself to live and take care of yourself to teach your children to live.  Whatever you do, you are role-modeling for your children.  Do you want them to die young or suffer from health complications?

I saw this picture on Facebook and this is what is wrong in America right now.  It was meant to be a joke, but this picture is real.

beepbeepIs this your or your child’s future scooter?

Today: A Story on How Ignoring Your Body Ruins People’s Lives

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I moved to my house in the late nineties and one of the nicest men lived near us.  He is a USC social worker grad and then became a lawyer.  Had a child  with his really nice wife in their forties, after years of trying for a child.
Their cocker spaniels were the joy of their life before the girl was born…and even then, they love dogs.
Then, the mother decided to be stay at home and the second income was cut.  When the girl turned of school-age, they decided to sell and move to a district with a better known school system, despite the nearby schools being ribbon schools.  They incurred debt, with a house twice the size of the first one.
He bust his balls working.  To save money, he didn’t hire an assistant, but he should have.  He therefore, had no time for the gym, no time to eat right.  He was overweight and out of shape. Probably no time for doctors either.
His wife would call him to come home, but he was working late for money fears.  New cars, bigger house, kid medical problems, not hiring help.  Had to start working for a firm and not himself and got medical coverage there.
My husband was worried about him.
I am sad to say he died last night.  He was only 56.  The little girl will go to her prom and someday her wedding with no father there.  Truly sad.  Truly a nice man.
Please consider putting your health first.  Above STUFF, above work.  Life is truly short and if you don’t eat right or exercise, it truly will be short.
Saying a little prayer for the Marks family….

Look at the SKIN of SKINNY!

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There are foods that are not only bad for your waistline, but also for your SKIN!  The first three are not that bad for weight loss, but 4 through 7 are really bad!

skin

1.  Salt.   It will leave you puffy around the eyes and keep water retention and a bloated look.  It also is terrible for hypertension.  Try to cut down on salt.

2.  Shellfish.    Shrimp, crab, lobster — and also certain leafy greens like seaweed and spinach — are naturally high in iodine, and a diet with too much of this element can lead to acne.   Ok, this one is not high in carbs and you can maintain weight loss, but you could get acne.

3.  Milk.  There is a correlation with Milk and acne and rosacea, specifically skimmed milk.  Now, milk is a protein and you must have it in small quantities over the day.  Not bad on carbs, but it can cause skin issues.

4.  High Glycemic Foods (starches like white breads, pastas and cakes, and even corn syrup) are best avoided for good skin and for weight loss.  Foods that are considered high glycemic can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar.  You also may find yourself breaking out after eating something like French fries, it may be due to the starchy insides of the fries.

5.  Sugar.  If starchy foods that break down quickly into sugar are an issue, it’s no surprise that straight sugar can be problematic for the skin in much the same way.  High blood sugar can , weaken the skin by affecting tissues like collagen,  and leave you more vulnerable to lines and wrinkles.  It also causes a surge of carbs in your diet.

6.  Alcohol.  Not only does it trigger rosacea, but Alcohol is a diuretic, which means the more you drink, the more dehydrated you become. It saps the natural moisture from your skin as well, which can make those wrinkles and fine lines look worse.  Plus, alcohol has carbs and is terrible for weight loss.  You also don’t burn fat when your body is busy burning off the alcohol.

 

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.

jamba

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….

 

inandout

Be Your Own Weight Loss Boss: 5 Steps to Set Up Your Own Success

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Weight Loss Boss is a book  by David Kirchhoff, President and CEO of Weight Watchers, It is about  the struggle of losing weight and maintaining it by the head of one of the most successful weight loss brands in the world.

Kirchhoff’s advice and tips are realistic and practical for everyone, and his rules pave the way for a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

boss

Here are 5 steps he talks about that you can use to set yourself up for your own success:

1. Willpower is overrated

When you rely on willpower alone you set yourself up to fail. Routine and habits will win out over willpower and this is why diets don’t work. They rely on short-term changes that no one can keep up!  I talk about this all of the time in my blog.  You have to prepare yourself.  At least once a week, you have to go shopping and buy all you need for the week to stay on track.  You need to have some ideas about the foods you need.  Most of it is protein choices, fruits and vegetables.  You also have to know what days and times you can exercise.  If you plan your everyday routine around exercise, nutritional meals, and reaching realistic goals, you set yourself up for success.

2. Create Good Habits

A good habit doesn’t require willpower or discipline. By definition, a habit comes automaticly and you don’t have to think about it. With a bad habit, you probably don’t think about it until you suffer the repercussions. Kirchhoff outlines the Formula for Behavioral Change created by B.J Fogg, a professor at Stanford. If there’s a habit you’re trying to shed, you need to be motivated to lose it. You need a reward (not food!) to make it worthwhile; you need the steps to get rid of it in the simplest way possible.. Finally, you need a new habit starter trigger. This can be anything from a personal trainer, exercise buddy, or  friend–who will remind you, or use your Google calendar or IPhone alarm clock to remind you and get you going.  It takes 4-6 weeks to internalize that trigger mechanism and establish a habit, and now is the best time to start!  So start and keep it going until it sticks.  Wallah-a new habit!

buffet

3. Managing your Environment

Kirchhoff says, “Out of sight, out of mouth” and don’t bring it in to your house or your office. Make the better alternatives for yourself easily accessible, and learn to predict what David calls “hot states” and “cold states.” Hot states are when you’re tossed into a situation where temptation is all around you, like a buffet at a busy conference that is filled with foods out of your normal routine that will kill your calorie budget and make you feel horrible afterwards. The best way to deal with these situations is with a plan when you are in a cold state, before temptations present themselves. Most of the time you can predict your “hot states” – our brains can get us in trouble with cravings, but they can also help us behave. The longer you’ve been practicing your routine, the less you’ll be prone to give in to a hot state situation.  I actually HATE buffets.  They are triggers for gluttony.

diet_buddy_logo1

4. Build a Support Network

We tend to think that we’re the only ones who are having a hard time, and everyone else eats well and exercises without any effort. Wrong! Opening up about your experience helps to hold you accountable for your actions. Before writing Weight Loss Boss, Kirchhoff started a blog called “Man Meets Scale” to share his struggles and triumphs with weight maintenance. He found that men and women opened up, and found encouragement to keep going and keep sharing. The more people who know about your goals and struggles, the more people are able to help and support you in your journey.  This is why I discussed my weight loss work and accomplishments on my Facebook and started a blog.  Some people NEED to go to meetings.  I started to enjoy going to Lindora for weigh ins and their positive encouragement.  I love the encouragement I get from my online support too.  And I have a couple of friends who work out with me or discuss working out with me and it is very motivating for all of us.  I also LOVE going to my yoga and Pilates classes because I have bonded with people there and we are all in it together!

5. It’s about Food & Exercise

It’s one thing to lose the weight, but how do you keep it off for the rest of your life? He talks a lot about maintenance: I am in the middle of that right now. THe key to maintaining weight loss is  continuously setting new goals and being accountable are the keys to maintaining weight loss. It’s a sobering truth that if you struggle with weight, you will always struggle with weight, but that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to live a life without enjoying food!   This is why I constantly look up new recipes, do them and write about them.  The best thing you can do for your relationship with food is to love food that loves you back. Stay away from the “bad girlfriends of food,” as Kirchhoff  calls them. They’re the ones that give you a quick thrill and make you feel like crap afterwards, leave you wanting more and are TERRIBLE for you in the long run. “Settle down” with great food, and you’ll be in a happy and satisfying commitment for life.  Make great food taste good and have fun with it.  Experiment.  I am learning to cook this year for the first time in my life and it is kind of fun and not as bad as I thought it would be.

All proceeds of “Weight Loss Boss” the book go to benefit Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign, a nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America. You can check out “Weight Loss Boss” on Amazon and where books are sold. For more information visit www.ManMeetsScale.com

 

Diet Motivation DAY!!

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I have had a couple of people talk to me about not wanting to be nagged about their diet or their spouse has told me that the reason that they don’t stick to healthy eating is because of a lack of “DISCIPLINE.”

What is discipline? Discipline means behaving according to what you have decided is best, regardless of how lazy you might be feeling. You have to have self-knowledge. You need to decide what behavior best reflects your goals and values. This process requires introspection and self-analysis, and is most effective when you have written your goal down. I highly recommend taking the time to write out your goals, dreams and ambitions. Even better, write out a personal mission statement. Dr. Covey has a site where you can do it on his site:

http://www.franklincovey.com/msb/

As you begin to build self-discipline, there will times where you will be undisciplined – such as avoiding the gym, eating a piece of cake or candy, etc. Developing self-discipline takes time, and the key here is to start to be aware of your undisciplined behavior. In time, this awareness will come earlier, and if you catch yourself being undisciplined before you are in the middle of the act, you will have the opportunity to make a decision that is in better alignment with your goals and values.

(Try not to make your food boring to help with your motivation. Look over my older blogs where I make suggestions for food choices that taste great and you will look forward to having. You don’t just have to eat boiled eggs and steamed veggies! I eat great things every day and I am happy. I don’t need a bunch of crap to be happy. I just got my shipment of Miracle Noodle Angel Hair pasta today. I have my low carb pasta. So, I am happy!)

Print a motivational saying and hang it up in plain site so you will remember/

Some good examples are: