Tag Archives: sugar

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!

21 Day Challenge!

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All over Facebook is a 21 Day Challenge.  I have done this 21 Day Challenge for the most part now since Sept 8, 2011.  Here is the challenge:

21 Day Challenge!!!
NO CHIPS
NO SODA
NO DIET SODA
NO CHOCOLATE
NO CANDY
NO WHITE BREAD
NO COOKIES OR BISCUITS
NO FAST FOOD
NO CAKES/PASTRIES/MUFFINS

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How I have done this challenge, but my way!

–I have done fast food, but I make choices that involve salad and not-so-fast-foodish.

— I only have chocolate in protein bars or low-carb items.  Best low-carb chocolate bars in my opinion, Power Crunch (Trader Joes, Smart and Final and Vitacost.com) and Nature Valley Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate bars (Target and Costco).  And this one is delish!  http://www.vitacost.com/bionutritional-research-group-choklat-crunch-protein-crisp-bars

–I never have had regular soda, but I admit to diet soda and even though it is bad for ending cravings, I still have a couple a day.  You still have to drink water.

— I never do candy or anything made with wheat products, unless they are special low-carb ones that I have purchased through Lindora.com or some low carb outlet, and even then, that is rare.  I usually have low-carb frozen yogurt or fruit with whipped cream or low-fat Greek Yogurt.

–I never have potatoes, rice or beans.  Just too full of carbs and starches and puts me on a sugar rollercoaster.

SugarRollerCoaster

The good part of this challenge is to get you to get over craving sugar or things that turn to sugar. It is basically, a sugar detox.  But, if you eat sugars and cheat, then you are NOT detoxing.

The bad part of this challenge is that it offers no assistance in dealing with those torturous cravings.  Even on a medically supervised weight loss program, like the one I did (Lindora), they offered me appetite suppressants.  But, after one day of that and feeling jittery, I researched and found my own way to get over it.  There are plenty of books that explain it, like Dr. Mark Hyman, whose book and information is on the blog before this (August 23. 2013).  However, how to get over cravings in a nutshell:

1.) Balance blood sugar.

When blood sugar is low, you’ll eat anything. To better balance blood sugar, eat a small meal or snack that includes healthy protein, like seeds or nuts (measured out because they are high in carbs) , low-fat Greek Yogurt, two tablespoons of almond or peanut butter, or eat any meat, a protein bar or drink (check on the ones that are lowest in carbs) and cheese, every 3 to 4 hours.

2.) Eliminate liquid calories and artificial sweeteners.

Sodas are full of chemicals and high fructose corn syrup. Processed fruit juices are awash in sugar. Try sticking with water and green tea. Green tea contains plant chemicals that are good for your health. And, last but not least, don’t succumb to the diet-drink trap. The artificial sweeteners in diet drinks fool the body into thinking it is ingesting sugar, which creates the same insulin spike as regular sugar.  I have to admit, I use artificial sweetener in my coffee and soda and I still lost weight, but this can spike cravings….just sayin’.  Reason why I also take fiber to feel full.

3.) Eat a high-quality protein at breakfast.

Ideally, you’re eating quality protein at every meal, but, if you need to prioritize one meal, choose breakfast. Studies show that waking up to a healthy protein, such as eggs, nuts, seeds, nut butters or a protein shake help people lose weight, reduce cravings and burn calories.

4.  Increase fiber.  Helps you feel full and keeps you from overeating.

5.  NO wine or beer.  If you MUST have a drink, stick with a vodka mixed drink and keep it to a minimum.  Wine and beer have sugar and alcohol takes so much energy in your body to be processed, then your body doesn’t have the energy to also burn fat, so you won’t lose much weight if you drink.  Remember that.

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And as in any addiction, if you fall off the wagon, then get back on!  Never give up.

Sonic Juice Carb Boom

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So, today, I mentioned to a friend that her not having a Sonic Fast Food joint in her neighborhood is maybe a blessing in disguise.  She was lamenting that there is one where she visits, and she likes to one near her home so she can go there for their fruit slush.  I looked it up online.  It is shocking!  As many people believe it to be true, she thinks that “juice” is a better choice to the fast food.  But, as I discussed in yesterday’s blog, it isn’t.

 

sonic

Look at the comparisons:

Sonic Cheeseburger with mayo:  8g of sugar, 35g of protein, 44g of carbs.  Now, I know that if I don ‘t eat the bun, I will lower the sugar content and the carbs.  The carbs without the bun–about 12g. 

Sonic MEDIUM Strawberry “Fresh Fruit” Slush:  76g of sugar,  1g of protein, 82g of carbs.  The only good thing is has going for it is less sodium and calories than the burger.

Sonic LARGE Strawberry “Fresh Fruit” Slush:  120g of sugar, 1g of protein, 128g of carbs.

 

If you want to gain weight, you have to eat more than 100g of carbs a day.  Unless you exercised hardcore for a few hours, I wouldn’t recommend this much sugar and carbs.

The sugar content of 120g of sugar is equivalent to 30 sugar cubes.  Would you eat 30 sugar cubes? (There are about 28 cubes in this picture.)

cubes

 

 

SOLUTION:

Choice A:  Eat the burger without the bun.

Choice B:  Go to the store and get some fruit and water.

Choice C:  Get a SMALL slush and only drink about half of the small and split it with a friend or spill half of  it out.  Half of a small is about 22g of carbs, about 20g of sugar or 5 sugar cubes.  Not great, but better if you see it as a treat and your fruit for the day, but don’t make a habit of it.  It isn’t really your fruit because the fiber and nutrients are in the pulp and that is not here.  This is really just pure sugar.

 

Sugar Makes You Fat and Does Other Bad Things To Your Body Too

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Excessive sugar in the diet is not the best idea when it comes to healthy living.  Many people are consuming sugar in higher than moderate amounts.  Worldwide, people we are consuming about 500 excess calories a day, just from sugar–which in turn, can cause you to gain a pound a week.

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Sugar Also Can Do Damage in Other Ways:

1. Sugar can damage your heart
A 2013 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association displayed strong evidence that sugar can actually affect the pumping mechanism of your heart and could increase the risk for heart failure. The findings specifically pinpointed a molecule from sugar (as well as from starch) called glucose metabolite glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) that was responsible for the changes in the muscle protein of the heart. These changes could eventually lead to heart failure. Approximately half of the people that are diagnosed with heart failure die within five years.

2. Sugar specifically promotes belly fat
Adolescent obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years and childhood obesity rates have doubled. . One factor that seems to inflict obese children is fat accumulation in the trunk area of the body. Why? One cause may be the increase in fructose-laden beverages– — setting the stage for a big belly and even bigger future risk for heart disease and diabetes.

sugar-deserves-a-societal-intervention

3. Sugar is the true silent killer
Move over salt and hypertension, you’ve got competition. Sugar, as it turns out, is just as much of a silent killer.  A 2008 study found that excess fructose consumption was linked to an increase in a condition called leptin resistance. Leptin is a hormone that tells you when you’ve had enough food. The problem is, we often ignore the signal our brain sends to us. For some people though, leptin simply does not want to work, leaving the person with no signal whatsoever that the body has enough food to function. This in turn can lead to over consumption of food and consequently, obesity. And this is a silent killer because it all happens without symptoms or warning bells. If you’ve gained weight in the past year and can’t quite figure out why, perhaps you should look at how much fructose you’re feeding your body.

4. Sugar may be linked to cancer production and may effect cancer survival 
In the world of nutrition, it’s hard to talk about sugar without talking about insulin. That’s because insulin is sugar’s little chaperone to the cells, and when too much of it is consumed, or our insulin does not work (probably because we’re eating too much sugar) and the body revolts. One connection that has been well documented in the literature is the link betweeninsulin resistance and cancer . A 2013 study found that sugars in the intestine triggered the formation of a hormone called GIP (controlled by a protein called β-catenin that is completely dependant on sugar levels), that in turn, increases insulin released by the pancreas. Researchers found that β-catenin may in fact affect the cells susceptibility to cancer formation.

5. Your sugar “addiction” may be genetic
If you’ve ever said, “I’m completely addicted to sugar,” you may actually be correct. A recent study of 579 individuals showed that those who had genetic changes in a hormone called ghrelin consumed more sugar (and alcohol) than those that had no gene variation. Ghrelin is a hormone that tells the brain you’re hungry. Researchers think that the genetic components that effect your ghrelin release may have a lot to do with whether or not you seek to enhance a neurological reward system through your sweet tooth. Findings with this study were similar to study conducted in 2012 as well.

6. Sugar and alcohol have similar toxic liver effects on the body
A 2012 paper in the journal Nature, brought forth the idea that limitations and warnings should be placed on sugar similar to warnings we see on alcohol. The authors showed evidence that fructose and glucose in excess can have a toxic effect on the liver as the metabolism of ethanol — the alcohol contained in alcoholic beverages had similarities to the metabolic pathways that fructose took. Further, sugar increased the risk for several of the same chronic conditions that alcohol was responsible for. Finally, if you think that your slim stature keeps you immune from fructose causing liver damage, think again. A 2013study found that liver damage could occur even without excess calories or weight gain.

7. Sugar may sap your brain power
Sugar may have accelerated the aging process. A 2009 study found a positive relationship between glucose consumption and the aging of our cells.  Aging of the cells consequently can be the cause of something as simple as wrinkles to something as dire as chronic disease. But there is other alarming evidence that sugar may affect the aging of your brain as well.  A 2012 study found that excess sugar consumption was linked to deficiencies in memory and overall cognitive health.

8. Sugar hides in many everyday “non-sugar” foods
While many of my patients strive to avoid the “normal” sugary culprits (candy, cookies, cake, etc.), they often are duped when they discover some of their favorite foods also contain lots of sugar. Examples include tomato sauce, fat-free dressing, tonic water, marinates, crackers and even bread.

9. An overload of sugar (specifically in beverages) may shorten your life
A 2013 study estimated that 180,000 deaths worldwide may be attributed to sweetened beverage consumption. The United States alone accounted for 25,000 deaths in 2010. The authors summarize that deaths occurred due to the association with sugar-sweetened beverages and chronic disease risk such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

10. Sugar is making us fat
The lack of other nutrients in sugar actually makes it much easier to eat gobs of it with no physical effects to warn us of the danger that lurks. Sugar will give you the calories, but not the feeling that you’ve had enough. That’s why you can have an entire king-size bag of licorice (with its sky high glycemic index) at the movies and come out afterwards ready to go for dinner.

Answer:  You have to cut down on the sugary snacks, beverages and foods (Honey Nut Cheerios) and you need to start eating more foods that focus on  better nutrients.  Foods rich in fiber, fat and protein  all have been associated with increased fullness.

Eat meat, fish, cheese, low-fat Greek Yogurt, vegetables, salad, and in moderation–beans, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and fruits.

Sugar Cravings

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Getting off of grains, most fruits and sugar products is very hard.  As you do it, your body and  MIND have been trained to look for the “hit” at the pleasure point in your brain.  In a way, you conditioned or brainwashed your brain to want and need the sugar, but over time,  you can get over it.  You allowed the foods that you were conditioned to eat do this to you and you have no idea that this was happening.  You were conned into buying and eating those foods, without realizing how they would have control over you like an addict has no control over their need for their drug of choice.  So, fight back.

How to get through the cravings.  

  • Drink lots of sugar-free fluids.
  • Get enough lean protein and fiber.   There have been studies.  The people who eat more protein report feeling less hungry.  When I am hungry, I get a protein bar, protein drink, some meat or a piece of cheese and it satisfies the cravings.  The second thing that fills me up is fiber.  That is in vegetables, but also in protein bars and protein drinks.  A lot of people will eat cereal to fill them up and that has fiber, but it also is mostly carbs and not only will you gain weight or not lose any weight, but you will be hungry again very soon after and go through a sugar rollercoaster.
  • Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables.  The more fruit and vegetables that are in the diet, the greater the weight loss and you are less likely to say that you feel hungry on any given day. Have you ever tried to eat a lot of vegetables?  You get full fast, right?  It is the fiber!

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Studies have show that changing your habits to focus on protein, water and fiber-rich foods helps maintain weight loss for many years.  I try to stay away from sugar.  If it is natural and in my fruit, etc.–that is fine, but if you have a sugar product, your brain will want more.  It is a lot of work fighting the pleasure center of your brain.  Consider alternative products without a lot of sugar, corn-syrup, etc.

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Honey, You Might Be Killing the Kids!

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I know someone who came to my office this weekend with his son. This man wants to lose weight and he wants his children to lose weight too. He says he is watching what they eat, and they were late to my office that morning and came in with “breakfast drinks.” What were they drinking that was “good” for them, as he put it?

Nestle Strawberry flavored milk (30g of sugar) and Naked Juice (38g of carbs). There are approximately 4g of sugar per sugar cube. So, I pulled out my sugar cube box and I showed him 7.5 sugar cubes and asked him if he would give them to his son. Of course, he declined, but I told him he was with the chocolate milk–as that is how many sugar cubes are in his drink. And there were about 9 in Dad’s drink.

But, milk and juice is healthy!? Not so much. A balanced amount of milk as a protein, each day, is good for you. However, flavored milk AKA SUGAR milk is not good for you. And, the juice is overkill. FRUIT is good, the pulp and the fiber is needed and NOT in that juice. So, in his juice is 1/2 a banana, 1/3 of a mango and 21/2 apples. If you had to eat that many pieces of fruit in one sitting, you could not really do it. So, EAT fruit, don’t drink it. It is less fiber and too much sugar. Plus, both the milk and the juice were in huge containers and they were both trying to drink the whole thing. They should have just had a little bit of it.

So, what should dad have fed himself and his kid for breakfast? Sure, they were in a hurry that day and they wanted something easy and quick. So, what could Dad have done instead?

Parents need to educate themselves. No wonder there is a problem with a large amount of childhood obesity, and more adults are obese now than ever in the history of the United States. So, here are some ideas!

Quick Low-Sugar Breakfast Ideas:

1. Hard-boiled eggs (pre-made) or just scramble some eggs–quickly.
2. Microwaveable STEEL cut oatmeal (there is some at Trader Joes and at Costco) and put some blueberries in it.
3. A low-carb protein bar.
4. Low-fat string cheese or mini baby bells.
5. Worse case scenario–fast food place, just order scrambled eggs and bacon.
6. Turkey or chicken slices with low-fat cheese or microwaveable turkey bacon or sausage
7. A low-carb protein drink.
8. Put ONE piece of fruit in a blender with some ice and some veggies (there are recipes online) and make a small smoothie.
9. A glass of low-fat milk, low-carb Greek yogurt.
10. Low-carb pancake mix and syrup.

(yes, some of that is processed meat, and nothing is perfect, but it won’t add to your waistline like sugar drinks will.)

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What Is Causing Your Cravings?

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Today, I was in my Pilates class and I was listening to a woman explain that she follows Weight Watchers, but there are sweets in her house (two teenage boys) and she winds up following her plan for a few days and then succumbs to the sweets because of the cravings.

One issue that is a whole other Oprah, I will discuss in another blog soon — that I think it is a mistake to have sweets around for teens with the excuse that they are teens.  There are so many delicious HEALTHY options for teens and kids that it is just a poor excuse because they are growing fast and need calories to burn, that you can give them EMPTY calories in the shape of cookies and cake.  But, that will be for another day.

Today’s issue is what is causing MOMMY (or Daddy’s) cravings? Two things!

1.  You are addicted to sugar and you have to get off and allow yourself to get through withdrawal (like crack addiction).

2.  You might have Leaky Gut Syndrome.  You might ask, “What the heck is that?”  It is a real medical condition that not all doctors know about or talk about, but good ones do.  Your doctor might scoff, but then you will need another doctor.  Dr. Andrew Weil knows about it and writes about it.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA361058/what-is-leaky-gut.html

I had this condition and it caused me to be very ill and gain a lot of weight.  It also caused my sugar cravings.  In a nutshell…

Leaky Gut Low

” leaky gut syndrome (also called increased intestinal permeability), is the result of damage to the intestinal lining, making it less able to protect the internal environment as well as to filter needed nutrients and other biological substances. As a consequence, some bacteria and their toxins, incompletely digested proteins and fats, and waste not normally absorbed may “leak” out of the intestines into the blood stream. This triggers an autoimmune reaction, which can lead to gastrointestinal problems such as abdominal bloating, excessive gas and cramps, fatigue, food sensitivities, joint pain, skin rashes, and autoimmunity. The cause of this syndrome may be chronic inflammation, food sensitivity, damage from taking large amounts of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), cytotoxic drugs and radiation or certain antibiotics, excessive alcohol consumption, or compromised immunity.”

(If you have migraines, gut issues, yeast infections, nail issues, bowel issues, skin issues–it could be caused by Leaky Gut Syndrome!)

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How do you heal this condition?

1.  avoid alcoholm NSAIDS, any foods that you’re allergic to.

2.  Make sure you’re eating plenty of fiber.

3.  Take Culturelle or another probiotic supplement containing Lactobacillus GG.

4.   Eat an anti-inflammatory diet, including essential fatty acids like fish oil and GLA. In addition, you might try supplementing with glutamine, an amino acid that helps maintain intestinal metabolism and function and seems to benefit patients who have had intestinal injury from chemotherapy and radiation.

5.  Cut sugar out of your diet as much as possible and follow a MEVY diet (Meat, eggs, vegetables and yogurt) if you can’t follow the anti-inflammatory diet.  If you eat fruit, stick with fruit that has low sugar like berries or citrus.  A side benefit is that you will lose weight.  You will have sugar cravings for about a week, find something to keep your mouth happy like gum, lots of flavored water or coffee.  Try to avoid milk for awhile–lots of sugar.  Use non dairy creamer if you need light coffee.  Sweeteners can be an issue, and if you like the taste of Stevia at all, use that.  I couldn’t give up my Splenda–so getting the Leaky Gut Syndrome cleared up for me took many months.

 

 

My Advice to Someone Stuck in Non Weight Loss

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 Someone I know called me wanting to know how to lose the weight, that the Lindora plan (low carb plan was not working for her).  Here is what I wrote to her:

 

You have to be disciplined. I never eat wheat products anymore, except for exceptions that I will name in a few paragraphs.

This is not a diet, it is a lifestyle of being healthy and eating the right way.  The wrong way got us fat.  We have to retrain our brains.  Sugar is highly addictive and we are addicts.  We have to get through it by recognizing i.

not on a diet

I NEVER do rice or cereal or oatmeal. Never any potatoes. Not worth it. No yams or sweet potatoes either, I gain from it.  Too many carbs, not worth it. And definitely no pasta. If I eat Italian– meat. veggies and salad only. There are delish recipes for cauliflower based pizzas and zucchini slices instead of pasta noodle lasagna on the Internet. I have experimented and love both. The pizza is delish. You could go out for pizza that is regular once in a while, but you can only eat half of a small and it has to be gluten-free with lite cheese–but only here and there.

No booze. Bad for a diet. When you lost weight, a mixed cocktail once in a while, but it is what you do for skinniness. The body does not burn fat when you have alcohol in you.  I do not drink.

I have turned down onion rings, fries, fresh brownies, canolis and you can have a bite once in a while, but I don’t recommend cheating because it is a slippery slope. No chips either. Every tortilla chip, only ONE chip is a gram of carbs. Not worth it. I would rather have a protein bar than eat only 9 chips and eat the same amount of carbs, but way less protein. If it isn’t high in protein, I don’t bother.

Coffee, kills the need to eat.  Water, etc. multi vit’s and potassium.

Example of what I do:

Eat about every 3-4 hours!
Breakfast.
I have either a hard-boiled egg or over-well egg with feta for breakfast. I sometimes add a chicken sausage. No carbs. If you go out, you have an egg or two, no toast. I ask for grilled tomatoes and grapefruit or a small cup of fruit. Once or twice a week, I will eat the Lindora oatmeal or pancakes because they are low-carb. You have to use lite syrup and start looking at labels on everything!  Regular syrup is 50 g of carbs for two tablespoons, yet sugar-free  Maple Grove Farms and Cary’s ..from Ralph’s. and other stores (you would have to look at labels) has about 10 to 12g per quarter cup. See the huge difference?

Before lunch.

Protein snack. Protein bar. Best one around is at Target and  Costco. Nature Valley Protein Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate bar or at Power Crunch bars at Smart and Final and Trader Joes and even online at vitacost.com   These are only about 9g net carb per bar and about 10g protein. More protein, less carb. Vitacost has Power Crunch bars that are made with Belgium chocolate too. Very low carb and decadent tasting.  Kind makes some decent bars, but I prefer the others I mentioned.

Lunch

Always a salad with added chicken, turkey or any lean protein, even at a burger joint near me,  the Counter,I have their smallest 1/3 lb burger in a salad bowl. No carbs in the burger and you watch what you put in the bowl. No fries. Ever. I go to a salad cafe a lot and I told them I wanted a cup of lettuce and two small veggies. So usually half a cup of tomatoes and 1/4 cup carrots. Carrots are the only root vegetable I touch (carbs) and rule of thumb, half of the amount of regular veggies.

Snack a few hours later after lunch

Any of the proteins, Protein bar, Dannon Greek Lite and Fit at 8g of carbs per cup and I put a cup of cut up strawberries in it. Eggs, low-fat cheese slices or baby bells or string cheese, a small bag of measured out nuts, a protein shake or hot chocolate  by Lindora. Maybe the oatmeal, chicken sausage or low-fat hot dog. Maybe turkey burger. maybe low-fat chocolate pudding. Maybe an In and Out burger wrapped in lettuce, protein style (Carl’s does this too on their $6 burger). I always have protein snacks at work. Keep extra bag of sunflower seeds in my purse for emergencies. Can’t go for 6 hours without a protein hit. Bad for the metabolism.  Lite string cheese or a couple of Lite Baby Bells are good too.

Dinner:

Same at lunch. I can even have split baby back and tri tip combo with john , with a small side salad. Tasty.  Also, Lindora has a low-carb pasta they sell and it is delish. You can get their stuff at Lindora.com and don’t even have to be a member. I use only a little sauce, just like the cauliflower-based pizza.  I make a good turkey meatloaf too and I have that on my blog.

I have rules and recipes on my blog, skinny-rules.com and If you scrolled back to September of last year and look at all of my posts, every rule and all recipes are on there over time.

A few hours after dinner

A protein that is like a dessert. Again any Lindora chocolate product, protein bar, and then I get every day if I can, a carbolite that is only 2g of carbs per ounce. Regular frozen yogurt is between 6g of carbs and  more per ounce.  I eat Carbolite, which has protein, low carb….lost weight with it.  But, some markets like Ralph’s have Smart Carb ice cream, and that is low too.

I research every day. I write my blog a few times a week. I research, read labels, google ingredients on nutrition counter sites and work to learn the carb count and try to keep carbs at about 59 to 70g a day. I research and write about it on the blog.  I cook and put it on the blog.

Wheat products I will do: Western Bagel’s perfect 10 bagel is only 10g net carbs. I never gain on that bagel. I eat it with lite cream cheese or an egg on it.  Also, I make a great turkey or chicken burritos and I put the recipe on my blog.  I use a low-carb tortilla from Costco or Trader Joes at less than 7g of carbs per burrito, BUT a regular burrito shell is about 40g.  The less than 7g  of carb shell tastes good, so why have a regular shell? Also, all of this is brown wheat as fiber. Fiber fills you up. A regular white dough bagel will not fill you up. This is how Gwyneth Paltrow feeds her kids. Low carb only. They are thin.

I go out to eat and i get fish or meat, I get veggies and salad, no rice or potatoes.

Netrition.com and carbessentials.net have things you can buy.  There are some stores in some neighborhoods that are sugar-free or low carb stores.  Look them up on the internet.

If you are not losing weight, then it sounds like you are not following the rules, reading labels, and picking the right food eat. You are likely not prepping for your meals and snacks throughout the day. Even fast food places like Chick Fil A and Jack in the Box and Trader Joes and other markets have salads with just chicken in them. I eat those at times. Even at restaurants, I have ordered a side of eggs with grilled tomatoes and fruit or brisket sandwich, took the bread off, ate half of the meat with mustard and had salad with it. Tasty, but you have to consider portion control.

Please read my blog from front to back and if you still have questions, then let me know. But, I could meet you, tell you all of this and you still won’t lose if you aren’t diligent like I have been. I went to Lindora, followed the rules and I look up info every week and I won’t eat it if I don’t know the carb count.

Don’t let friends or family sabotage you. Anyone trying to get me to eat out of my plan is no friend and I chew them out and refuse to eat with them if they don’t stop.

I like being thin way more than i like food,  and once you give up potatoes and all of those things that convert to sugar, and you get over withdrawal, you won’t want it anymore. I only crave my chocolate and Carbolite. I also crave protein now, not carbs. This takes a few weeks. Drink coffee. Oh, Americanos are ok, no lattes or frappes . Too much sugar and carbs. I carried non-dairy creamer with me wherever I went. No milk in it. I use half and half, from time to time, but only a little.

Prepping and carrying stuff with you or having it at work, home and restaurants is key.

I do elliptical for an hour about 4 times a week and use my iPad at the same time. Makes the time fly. I do yoga 2 times a week and Pilates mat 3 times a week and 1 day a week, reformer. It takes time to build up this kind of routine, but it is easy as you see the weight fall off. I make exercise part of my day schedule and I only miss for illness and special events.  If someone wants to go out for happy hour or dinner, they will have to go after my class or not at all. I will not cancel my one hour class for something so easily remedied.

Put yourself first. More important than shopping, clothes or coffee clotches. What is the point of expensive clothing, if you don’t like how you look in them. When thin, you can wear a burlap sack and look good. That is what keeps me motivated, that and feeling healthy.

AND TAKE YOUR VITAMINS and MINERALS.  Getting B shots from your doctor can help lots too!  Drink  your non-sugary fluids.  You are less likely to just eat mindlessly if you drink liquids and fill up with them.
Read the blog.  I put a lot of work into it to share my success with others.

healthyeating

HIDDEN SUGAR IN FOOD! 11 Items You Don’t Even Think About

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There are things that you might eat that have sugar in them and you might not be aware of that fact when you are eating them.  Hidden sugar, hidden carbs.

The 11 Items That Have Hidden Sugar:

1.  SUGAR:  The natural fructose sugar found in fruits and vegetables and lactose sugar in milk and dairy is part of a healthful diet. The problem lies with processed foods packed with high amounts of sugar (namely sucrose and high fructose corn syrup).  It is not just in candy, soda and cake.  There are a lot of things that use it in the ingredients.  Look at labels before you buy.

2.  GRANOLA BARS:  These contain a lot of added sugar. Instead of a prepackaged granola bar, you could create your own trail mix with a handful of nuts, dry oatmeal or muesli, dried fruit with natural sugar, such as cranberries, and even a few bits of dark chocolate. This will almost guarantee the nutrients and energy you need, while you control the added sugar.  however, that could be higher in carbs and not necessarily good for weight loss.  I prefer Power Crunch bars, Nature Valley Protein Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter bars or some other LOW carb protein bar.

3.  CEREAL:  You need to really look closely at cereals. Some so-called healthy and granola-based cereals have as many as 13 grams of sugar per serving, while other cereals have as few as 6 or even 2 grams.  Most cereal is high in carbs and I wouldn’t even go near it on a diet and to stay skinny–I don’t do cereal.  I have eggs, bacon, sausage, Lindora oatmeal, low-carb protein bars, etc. for breakfast.

4.  BARBEQUE SAUCE:  The ingredients can include one or more of the “natural sugars,” such as honey, molasses, and brown sugar. Bottled brands can have as many as 11 grams of added sugar per serving.. Every time you slather on barbecue sauce, you are adding sugar to your meat, a naturally sugar-free protein. Seasoning meat before cooking with a tasty blend of spices, called a rub, is a better option for a low-sugar diet.

5.  KETCHUP:  The label shows it is made up of tomatoes and sugar.  Other words that are sugar-type ingredients are corn starch, sorghum, glucose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, galactose, maltose, and concentrated juices, like concentrated grape or apple juice.  I usually stick with mustard or just a dash of ketchup.

6.  TOMATO SOUP/SAUCE:  Like ketchup, tomato sauce and tomato soup may also be foods with sugar added. When cooking these from scratch at home, you might use caramelized onions or carrots, or Splenda  for a little sweetness to counter the acidity in tomatoes and forgo the sugar.  Not all tomato products contain a lot of added sugar, so get in the habit of checking out the label.  Tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes, and salsa are better choices.

7.  JUICE:  Juice is a concentrated source of sugar and is not very filling or appetite-satisfying.  Even if the label says it’s 100 percent natural and contains only natural sugars, you still may be looking at a hefty serving of sugar per portion. For example, a 10-ounce bottle of pure apple juice could have as many as 32 grams of sugar. Instead of a glass of juice, choose fresh fruit — while it still contains sugar, it also has fiber as well.  Even juicing at home (which is still better) is way too much sugar.  EAT your fruit.  Juicing is a lot of carbs!  It can ruin your daily carb count.

8.  LEMONADE:  Lemons are a wonderful source of antioxidants and vitamin C.  Instead of lemonade, you can add a squeeze of lemon to water improve taste and it is good for you. But when turned into lemonade, the benefits of lemons may be outweighed by the amount of the added sugar needed to sweeten the beverage, as many as 25 grams per serving. If you really want lemonade, make it fresh at home and control the sugars you use or stick with Splenda to avoid sugar and carbs.

9:  SWEET TEA:  Same as lemonade, you can make it with Splenda instead to save on the sugar.   The reality is that sweet tea often contains just as much sugar and just as little nutrition as soda. Both black and green teas can be good for you because of their antioxidants — just go for the unsweetened variety.

10:  ENERGY DRINKS:  Same as Sweet Tea.  Supposedly good for you, but some of them have 20 or 30 carbs due to the added sugar.  Some are ZERO carbs and sugar.  Read labels!

11.  FLAVORED YOGURT:  Yogurt is so good for your digestive tract that it’s hard to think of it as a food with sugar or that the 6 to 7 teaspoons of added sugar in one serving of flavored yogurt could be an issue. But just try to imagine yourself layering that amount of sugar onto plain yogurt. A better option is to go Greek: Drizzle a little honey onto plain, Thick style Greek or simply rely on the natural sweetness of berries or other fresh fruit that you add yourself to liven it up.  Also some of the Greek Yogurts have less sugar than others.  Dannon Lite and Fit has 8g carbs, Choboni has 20g of carbs.  Both taste the same.  Again, read labels.hiddensugar

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.