Thursday, August 31, 2006

night snacking

You can curb late-night munching. If your biggest weakness is nighttime snacking, having a bowl of breakfast cereal for dessert might actually help you prevent it. A recent study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that self-described late-night nibblers who ate a serving of ready-to-eat cereal with low-fat milk 90 minutes after dinner consumed about 400 fewer calories each day. The researchers believe that as a more "structured snack," cereal prevented participants' usual high-caloriebinges. F.

note: Stay away from liquid calorie drinks (they don't register in your head), they are calorie dense.

When you have nothing left but love, then for the first time you become aware that love is enough.

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

fortitude

No more hiding behind information for now, back to the diet mind. After three months I will be returning to my weekly weigh-ins, next week. I missed them and needed the support that always gave me that extra shove towards my goal of losing weight and getting healthier. It kept me accountable. I will be patient and incorporate the behavior modification I used last year to lose that sixty pounds. No more fretting over a simple pound or two gain which can be a water fluctuation.

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take our eyes off the goal.

Believing you are unworthy is the single greatest barrier to your success in achieving not only weight loss but anything worthwhile.

Caring about yourself and doing good things for yourself is not only your right, it is your responsibility.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

article

New Warning on Omega-3s
by Dean Ornish, MD

You've heard that omega-3 fatty acids have many health benefits -- and for most people, they do. They're found in fatty, cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines and albacore tuna), canola, soybean, falaxseed and walnut oils, as well as dark green leafy vegetables like kale and collard greens. You can also get omega-3s from fish-oil capsules (buy the ones with the pollutants removed).

Studies have shown that daily consumption of omega-3s may dramatically reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death. They may reduce triglycerides, lower blood pressure an decrease inflammation. They can help prevent excessive blood clots from forming which, in turn may decrease the risk of a heart attack. They may also reduce depression and help prevent dementia. However, I've recently learned that omega-3s are a double-edge sword. The pioneering research of Alexander Leaf, MD, at Harvard Medical School has found that in some cases omega-3s could be fatal.

One of the reasons omega-3s may decrease the dicidence of sudden cardiac death is that they stop those cardiac cells that are the most unstable from functioning. But in people who have angina (chest pain or tightness due to heart disease) or congestive heart failure because their hearts are not receiving enough blood flow, removing those cells from functioning can reduce the heart's ability to pump blood so much that it may increase the risk of sudden cardiac death.

My advice: Avoid omega-3s if you have recurrent angina, congestive heart failure or evidence that your heart isn't receiving enough blood flow when you exercise. If you have heart disease or have had a heart attack but don't have angina or congestive heart failure, omega-3s are beneficial, I take 3 grams of fish oil every day. R.D.


It seems to me, myself, I also read somewhere long ago to be careful of oil capsules, that they not be rancid!

Monday, August 28, 2006

fatty acids

Vitamins and minerals come from all of the good-for-you foods listed in the new food pyramid (which includes being active), however, when unable to take in enough of servings listed sometimes supplements may be necessary. Never make a decision about your health without talking to your doctor about it. They always ask you what meds you are on or are you taking anything. People with diabetes should not take fish oil supplements because of the high fat content, but they should consume essential fatty acids necessary for good health. One job it does is the rebuilding and the producing of cells. Essential fatty acids are found in fish oils, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, grape seed oil, and primrose oil.

Fish oil is a good source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. Four ounces of salmon contains up to 3,600 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids, while 4 ounces of cod (a low-fat fish) contains only 300 milligrams.

WATCH THE MERCURY ALSO:

High Mercury Fish,
Tuna steaks
Canned albacore tuna
Swordfish
Tilefish
King mackerel
Shark
Wild salmon

Low Mercury Fish,
Shrimp
Pollack
Catfish
Salmon (high omega-3)


When you look for the good in others, you discover the best in yourself.

I just read an article by Dean Ornish MD on omega-3s. Please follow up with my entry here tomorrow. Thank you.

ALERT! VISITOR, PLEASE READ ANONYMOUS COMMENT HERE, VERY IMPORTANT.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

vitamin E

Here's the other study I spoke about yesterday. Go figure?

We need vitamin E for healthy skin and to boost immunity. But taking too much of the vitamin may be dangerous, says doctors at Johns Hopkins. Researchers, led by epidermiologist Edgar R. Miller III, reviewed 19 studies and found that the risk of death increased by 5% when people took more than 400 IU of vitamin E daily.

Many Americans take 400 to 800 IU of E every day to prevent or treat heart disease, Alzhiemer's and other conditions. E is safe in low doses, so your best bet may be a multivitamin, which typically contains 30 to 60 IU of E. Most of us get another 10 to 15 IU from foods such as nuts, seeds, wheat gem and green leafy vegetables. R.D.


Vitamin E:
(cautions)
If you are taking an anticoagulant medication (blood thinner), do not take more that 1,200 international units of vitamin E daily. If you suffer from diabetes, rheumatic heart disease, or an overactive thyroid, do not take more than the recommended dose. If you have high blood pressure, start with a small amount, such as 200 international units daily, and increase slowly to the desired amount.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

conflicting studies

We all know that vitamins are good for us and trust that studies that are conducted are valid and come from a reputable sources. Why then do they conflict with each other at times, and also update with a change that makes me wonder whom do I trust? Here is a study confirming that vitamin E is okay to take. Would you educated scientists please get the dosage correct? I will post tomorrow on the other study.

Don't believe a recent study that found that vitamin E users die earlier that non-E takers. The study is badly flawed! So says Dr. Susan Lark, an expert on supplements, after analyzing the scientific data from Johns Hopkins University. "I was angry and disappointed that such a study was released to the public, causing unnecessary fear and concern," she said. Lark said the study should be discounted because it tracked patients suffering form chronic diseases, which could have been the cause of early deaths, and it flies in the face of 70 years of studies that support E. She continues to recommend taking 600 to 1,600 IU of natural vitamin E per day. E.


Vitamin E:
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that prevents the oxidation of lipids. Since cell membranes are composed of lipids, it effectively prevents the cells' protective coatings from becoming rancid as a result of the assault of free radicals. Vitamin E also improves oxygen utilization, enhances immune response, plays a role in the prevention of cataracts caused by free radical damage, and may reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. New evidence suggests that zinc is needed to maintain normal blood concentrations of vitamin E. Selenium enhances vitamin E uptake. These two nutrients should be taken together.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

facts

While running do you worry that you are doing it correctly to achieve the most benefits? Your natural gait is best.

To find your healthiest running style, just forget about it, says running expert John Mercer, PhD, of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In contrast, consciously changing your stride stresses muscles and joints, raising the risk of injury. To find your best stride, Mercer suggests running on a variety of surfaces. "With your focus on changing terrains, there's no time to overthink how you should be running," he says. P.


Fusion--Whether Nuclear or Jazz--means combining different elements to create a new burst of energy. In the same way, exercise fusion blends two or three exercise methods - like yoga, Pilates and strength training - into a single class or regimen, providing a more interesting and invigorating workout.

The basic concept of exercise fusion has been known for a long time as "cross-training." Still, some people have trouble grasping what exercise fusion means since "fusion " is a catchall term that can be applied to virtually any combination of exercise.

The Aquatic & Fitness Center in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., promotes fusion classes that "intergrate Pilates core strengthening and Eastern yoga postures for both stretching and relaxing." At Life Time Fitness in Canton, Mich., fusion exercise means mixing salsa and hip-hop dance. Some gyms blend in activities such as ballet, boxing, cycling, swimming, tai chi and weight training. Some gyms even offer such fusion classes as Cardio Striptease, Disco Yoga and Cycle Karaoke- yes, that's singing while you cycle.

The beauty of fitness now is there are so many ways to work out for different personalities, body types and needs," says Mare Petras, a certified personal trainer in Sarasota, Fla.. "Fusion is a way for someone to get a little bit of everything in one workout."

James D. Chlovechok, MD, medical director of the Ohio Sports Medicine Institute in Cambridge, Ohio, says to be careful that the activities in the "little-bit-of-everything" category don't jar weak joints. If you have arthritis in your ankle or knees, for instance, go for low-impact exercise rather than hip-hop fusion. Before a fusion class, tell the instructor of any physical limitations and ask if he or she will work with you on alternative moves. Even something benign-sounding like yoga can range from soothing stretches to "power poses" that can tax some joints.

"The main thing is to listen to your body," Petras says. "And that also means finding a type of fusion that provides a full range of motion and is fun for you to do." Y.S.F.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

tips

We all know the rules for losing weight but adding a little tip can boost your efforts. Nothing more boring than the same old program and routine each week and salad, salad, salad. Try something different you've never tried before, it may work.

>At home eat dinner off of a salad plate. No seconds.

>Skip the salad with two tablespoons full-fat ranch. Have a clear soup instead, save twice the calories, you'll feel fuller, and you'll eat less.

>Cravings sneak up when you're tired, focus on the fatigue, take a power nap.

>Eat three apples or pears a day to lose weight, they're filled with fiber and water, so your stomach will want less.

>Eat Orient and have the egg roll insides and leave the shell.

>On the phone, stand up and pace around.

>Fill a craving, brush your teeth or gargle with minty fresh mouthwash. When you have a fresh, clean mouth, you don't want to mess it up.

>While cooking, chew a stick of fresh gum to keep yourself from testing everything with a taste here and there before dinner.

>Keep emergency snacks in snack baggies available when on the go so as not to let yourself get too hungry, if no time for a meal on the go, or even when you go food shopping because everything looks good in the market. Try unsalted popcorn or pretzels low-salt, frozen grapes, carrots or sliced fruit, low-fat string cheese, or plain mini rice cakes. Keep it at a one serving portion in each baggie. One baggie a craving.

>If the smell of good food drives you crazy use a bottle of peppermint extract like smelling salts and the urge to taste is interrupted. Buttered popcorn throws me for a spin, minty popcorn doesn't.

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

postmenopausal

Excess weight not breast size, is a risk factor, particularly in
postmenopausal women-- and not just for getting breast cancer,
but for dying of it. Thirty to 50 percent of all cancer deaths
among postmenopausal women in America may be attributed
to being overweight, according to the American Cancer Society.

Estrogen is stored in fat tissue, so heavier women produce more
of the female hormone which can spur developing cancers. And
breast tumors are harder to detect in obese women, cancer is
often found at later stages.

The risk of dying of breast cancer is also associated with height,
which may be related to growth factors early in life. Women who
are 5 feet tall or shorter are at less risk of death from the disease
than those who are taller. Breast size has nothing to do with risk,
but height and weight do.

Monday, August 21, 2006

reminder

I have 30 places I frequently read all listed on my blog posted
06-19-06 BLOG READS. I saw Maria's entry, I just have to
repeat. It is so pertinent for me to remember if I want to be
on any kind of diet. Her site is alittlejoyfortoday.

>one decision
>one small action
>one step out of the comfort zone

Don't forget the newest listing of neaorgwellness, plenty of links.

(Iportion, I did eat only a bite of wedding cake, it wasn't as hard
as I thought it was going to be.)

(Chana, I still can't get a comment to post on your blog site, I won't
give up, hang in there, you know what follows!)

To anyone else who has left a comment on my site and did not
receive a return v&c. Sometimes my computer works and most
of the time it doesn't. It takes almost an hour just to post on my
blog. I will be paying for someone to come and check it out when
I have a chance and the money. I know I probably need a newer
model. I think it is foolish to be wasting the money for a server
monthly, when I can make a quick posting on someone else's
computer. I started this blog at the center where I was exercising
last year. I haven't had the chance to return to my wellness room
since the 29th of March this year. I really miss the exercise! I
guess that is why my weight fluctuates up and down so much.

Oh, I have a horror story to tell. I also miss my weigh-ins at
my support group. I was there the first Tuesday in June only.
Here's the kicker.....I assumed I was only a pound or two up
from my last weigh-in, back and forth on my scale now. Do
tell it is a digital scale. Because I use it around four or five
times a day, I wore down the battery and was not aware of it.
I used a scale at my daughters house the other day and almost
fell off of it with being blown over by the dial that was going in
the wrong direction! 15 pounds, did you hear me 15 pounds in
four months I'm a large bundle of nerves right now! My daughter
assured me it was incorrect. She has it set five pounds ahead.
That doesn't make me feel any lighter! I will go back to my
10 year old scale that has to be set 28 pounds ahead and then
I do the math.

I'm all about psychology, it works for me. I would rather step on
the scale just before I eat, it helps me eat a little less if I see a
gain. My scale hours, when I get up, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and
before I hit the sack. No wonder they crumble under my pressure.
I have a significant loss and still need to continue for a couple more
years.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The only sense that is common in the
long run, is the sense of change...and we all instinctively avoid it.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

stretch like this

*Follow a program that is specific to your activities and needs.
*Stretch regularly, at least three times a week.
*Warm up before stretching.
*Stretch only to the point where you feel tension in the belly of
the muscle, not pain in the joint.
*Hold each stretch for 15 to 60 seconds.
*Do each stretch 2 to 4 times.
*Stay relaxed.
*Breathe throughout the stretch.
*Progress in a slow, controlled manner.
*Don't bounce.

Saturday, August 19, 2006

stretching

Stretching is so easy and has many benefits. It can be done almost
anywhere at any time. It is easy and gentle, a pleasurable motion
that increases your body's range. It can be done at any age and a
little bit at a time. (Next I will post on how to stretch properly if
you want to feel younger with these advantages.) Here are some
improvements that will occur if you do it regularly and properly:

*Boost mood
*Stand taller
*Get more energy
*Reduce stiffness
*Drive away stress
*Improve circulation
*Relax mind and body
*Sharpen mental focus
*Maximize strength gains
*Perform daily tasks easily
*Ease into an exercise program
*Prevent soreness after exercise
*Relieve back, joint, and muscle pain
*Increase flexability and range of motion
*Enhance body awareness and coordination

Friday, August 18, 2006

clean arteries

An old-fashioned remedy may help fight one of the newest identified risk factors for stroke and heart attack. In a group of high-risk cardiac patients, researchers found that those taking a garlic supplement for 1 year had a 12% reduction in levels of homocysteine, a chemical that irritates blood vessel linings, leading to plaque buildup. And although both groups were taking powerful cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, artery blockages grew 66% more slowly in the garlic takers.

"This was a small study, but we were pleasantly surprised by our positive results," says Matthew Budoff, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harbor-UCLA Research and education institute. The study used supplements of 1,200-mg garlic extract per day. Garlic adds to statin's protection.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

PMS

If your spouse or partner has memorized your menstrual cycle out
of self-defense, it's time to try these three nutrients. Andrea
Rapkin, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA School
of Medicine, reports that they can help vanquish the symptoms of
PMS.

With calcium, a study of 500 PMS-prone women, taking 1,200-mg
supplements daily eased mood swings, depression, irritability, and
bloating by 50%.

Magnesium, taking 200 mg per day helped relieve water retention and
mood swings in women in several British studies.

With vitamin B6, numerous studies show that B6 alleviates PMS-
related depression, especially when combined with magnesium. To
avoid serious side effects, take no more than 50 to 100 mg daily.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

d-i-e-t

*D- this time I will be Determined to change my attitude
about what I eat, how much I eat, when I eat, and how it is fixed.

*I- this time I will keep it Interesting food-wise and dance to music
for exercise. I will not be impatient for results.

*E- this time I will have higher expectations for my self weekly. I
can do whatever I put my mind to. Small goals are doable.

*T- this time I will be Tenacious about my commitments and not
take breaks every time a good excuse comes up. (This Sunday
is a wedding.)

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

eating out choices

* Look for a place that offers menus with nutrition information.

* Avoid places that lure you in with dessert carts or all-you-can-eat or buffet-only specials. Look for places that offer a variety of foods.

* If you're stuck withy fast food, skip the hot dog and pizza joints and look for places that offer fruit, yogurt, soup, sushi, and sandwiches or wraps. Look for fast-food restaurants that offer healthy options like salads and yogurt.

* Watch out for words like jumbo, giant, deluxe, biggie-sized or super-sized. Larger portions mean more calories. They also mean more fat, cholesterol and salt. Order a regular or junior-sized sandwich instead.

* Go for the salad bar, but watch out for high-fat toppings like dressings, bacon bits, cheeses, and croutons. Even too much low-calorie dressing can add up. Check the calories on the packet. Also limit salad bar items that are dressed with a lot of mayo, such as potato or macaroni salad. Fill your salad with things like carrots, peppers, onion, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and etc. Bon apetite!

Monday, August 14, 2006

antioxidant

"Pom Wonderful Pomegranate Juice" is loaded with antioxidants, and doctors at the Preventive Medecine Research Institute, in Sausalito, California, have found it to be the closest thing to a miracle in a bottle. It is great tasting and reverses heart disease.

Their study was presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology in March. Heart disease patients on cholesterol-lowering drugs were randomly assigned to drink eight ounces of Pom a day for three months, or a placebo beverage.

The Pom drinkers had improved blood flow to the heart; heart disease worsened for those who drank the placebo.

Statins can help many, but they may not always be enough. There is no substitute for diet and exercise, says researcher Dr. Dean Ornish.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

tips

* You can walk 10,000 steps to justify your 500 calorie bagel
with cream cheese, or try this: low-fat spreadable cheese like
Laughing Cow Light on an English muffin. Saves 300 calories.

* The more you eat protein earlier on, the less you eat as the
day wears on, research has shown. So after your cereal, add a
hard-boiled egg or a part-skim mozzarella cheese stick to keep
you feeling full--and away from that pre-lunch brownie. Saves
200 calories or more.

* Instead of pouring that 1/3 cup of half-and-half (which is a
whopping 105 calories) into your mug, replace it with the same
amount of 2% milk. Saves 60 calories.

* You don't have to give up the real deal of butter--instead of a
tablespoon of stick butter, use a tablespoon of whipped and cut
half the calories. Saves 30 calories.

* Pick up an angel food cake for dessert. It's packed with air and
has fewer than half the calories of, say pound cake. Saves 70 calories.

* Use one mini whole-wheat pita instead of the usual two slices of
white or refined wheat bread for your sandwich. Saves 70 calories.

* Instead of a candy bar, try a sugar-free, reduced-calorie Jell-O
chocolate pudding snack with a squirt of nonfat whipped cream
topping. Eat it with a baby spoon to savor it longer. Saves 185 calories.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

tagged

I've been tagged by iportion and she was tagged by Candy. I
don't even know three bloggers to tag. I'm working on it though.

Name 5 weird things about yourself:

1. Music, the louder the better, and I can never get enough.

2. I talk to animals, at home it's a bird and large fish.

3. Love to hand shred all papers.

4. I forget where I put my chewed gum down.

5. I can tweeze the hair off of my legs.

I have tagged:
1. Chubby Toes
2.Lily T
3. Blogging Texas Mommy

food for brain

Your body does need more than just nutrition to survive and
stay well. Don't forget to feed your spirit. Water and sleep is a
must. Exercise, mobility, nurtured, and a feeling that one is
a part of unified humanity, all contribute to living in wellness
both body and mind.

Like every other system in the body, the brain needs good food.
It uses 20 to 25 percent of the total energy a person consumes, and
the better you feed the brain, the better is works. According to the
New Jersey Medical College, these are the top 10 best foods for our
brain.

The first five are: low-fat milk or yogurt, eggs, lean meats such as
flank steak, chicken and other poultry, spinach and other leafy greens.

The last five are: whole-wheat bread, oranges, black beans and other
legumes, enriched brown rice, and salmon.

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.

Friday, August 11, 2006

pretend one worked

I must say it wasn't hard to play the game for the 24
hour period of one day but I could feel it getting harder
as the opportunities kept coming on strong. Plus it was a
very long busy day which always presses my binge button.

1. I was checking out at the pharmacy and talking down to the
candy bars that insisted I needed to have breakfast.

2. I closed my eyes at lunch time when the salty Chex Mix said
are you going to miss another meal and kept getting in my way.
Instead I ate some sliced roast beef by itself, with a glass of Chi-tea.

3. I went up and down stairways around five or six times without
any reason at all.

4. I skipped the cold soda and opt for refills of my water glass.

5. At dinner I said no to a second helping of meat and pasta which
was tantalizing.

6. My pudding pushing daughter, which doesn't take no for an
answer, concerning dessert, let it rest.

7. During the video, the dreaded buttered popcorn reared its
head more than once. This was one time I wished I didn't have
a nose.

8. Then there was me alone and the TV, late at night, and
feeling hungry. Here's what was in my path: Reeses Peanut-
butter cup, Hershey's soft caramel Treasures, Pringles Ranch
Chips, two kinds of ice cream and caramel sauce and cherries.
I do not go to find those things behind any doors. They get in my
eyes and are a hand-length away.

9. Knowing I have to feed the need before my compulsion steps up,
I ate a slice of roast beef lunch meat. (Mistake.) I woke up my
taste buds that were rallying around like a commercial! To shut
them up I stuffed down two bananas thinking it would be way too
filling in 20 minutes.

10. I began to be obsessive about the clock and watch for the day's
end of 12:01 am. The Triptophan in the bananas put me in la la
land and all of the temptations were asleep.

11. I woke up to shut off the TV and to make a tinkle. I though I'd
do a little stretching before I retired. Hey it's 1:56 am, I had a
good pretend-a-diet day.

RED ALERT, RED ALERT! It's been over three hours since my
mouth has opened wide. My sugar-low reminder alarm went off,
and so did I! I went straight (which wasn't far) to the ice cream
with the caramel sauce and cherry. I thought I should at least
skip the bowl and use a cup instead.

No boos please! I did do the whole day as I said I would. I think
I may try that again some time but go to bed early. Maybe it
will turn into a whole week. All it takes is practice! Sorry for
the long post but two people asked to hear about it.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

make believe

If I am not going to follow my own advice I should at least try
to save face and fake it. Maybe if I role play I can get into the
swing of things. Make believe is done by all at some time in their
life. It sounds a little immature but it felt so real to pretend. As
an adult, who doesn't pretend to be happy, satisfied, impressed,
welcoming, in-love, and at work busy in front of others? Who do
you know that is 100% themselves all of the time in front of people
or alone and not afraid to show their other side? I put it at rest.

I can pretend to be on a diet, maybe it will sink in and spur me on to
act it out. After all, you would not pretend to be something you didn't
like to be. I feel a little pert, I haven't played a game of make believe
in a long time. I'll have to start tomorrow, and set up my props. If
something is available that is not good for a diet, I will have to reply,
I can't eat that right now, I'm pretending to be on a diet! This will be
a one day experiment. Wish me luck! No, I have not gone off the
deep end.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

control a craving

I have done this many times and it works. Destroy the item of
temptation that causes you to binge or feel bad about after it is
over with. I bought a half of a gallon of ice cream and the other
was free. I finished off the first one within 24 hours. The second
one I watered it down into the sink.

Destroy temptation. If you've succumbed to a craving and bought
a box of cookies or some other trigger food and start to feel bad
while eating it, destroy it. "Don't just throw it away; run water
over it, ruin it. You'll feel a sense of accomplishment that you've
licked your binge." says Caroline Apovian, MD, director, Nutrition
and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center. Don't
think about the money you're wasting. If the cookies don't go into
the garbage, they're going straight to your hips. R.D.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

change is good

Most people want to change the world to improve their lives.
What a wasted effort. If they would only improve themselves,
they would be better off and so would the world.

I'm all for change especially in a diet. If it's not working then
use another approach. If it works in the beginning and a loss
does not occur in a long time then raise the bar and increase
the amount of exercise and its intensity. Try to cut back on
the amount of calories but keep it at a level needed to function
in peak condition according to your statistics. Look at the fat
saturation in your foods, use very little sugar and simple carbs.
Try a journal to see if you can pin point what is slowing down
you reaching your goal. This is assuming that you know a goal
is the key to success. Make a commitment weekly about what
you want to do for that week towards improving your behavior.
Give yourself motivational talks about why you want to do this
and what you will get out of it when it happens. Read read read
you can never know too much about healthy eating and a healthy
body. Don't forget the mind and spirit also need nourishment.

Okay physician, heal thyself.

Monday, August 07, 2006

excess skin

Every time I get determined to step up my game for losing weight I
see something on TV that grosses me out. Last week it was another
one of those bodies entrapped by their own loose skin. It was some
eighty pounds of unwanted skin, worse looking than fat, dimpling,
hanging, folding, overlapping, jiggling, and taking up space in clothes
that could be a smaller size if not in the way!

Is that something to look forward to if once obese? The elasticity
and gravity pull on your skin all has to do with age and losing over
about 150 pounds. Show me some positive results (skin) that
doesn't need corrected after the weight loss. The loss should be
followed by maintenance not surgery.

At the store I picked up a full length mirror. Low and behold I
found the spots where I lost most of my sixty pounds and I'm
not happy about it! It is my inner thighs and there is some skin
to be reckoned with? My focus is changing now. I find myself
looking for the spots where I lost fat and how it has changed
my appearance in that particular spot. I am finding deflated
fat cells making the skin take on wrinkles in odd places like
below my wrists and around my clavicle. Okay the neck area
but that is expected. As a matter of fact I have done neck
exercises for a very long time to try and keep that double
chin toned down. I don't know maybe this is my complaining
day in place of (PMS) which I never really had symptoms of.

Thought: When it comes to giving love, the opportunities are
unlimited, and we are all gifted.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

retro-fad

Remember those silly-looking vibrating-belt machines that
pledged to giggle you thin? Maybe they weren't such a joke.
"Whole body vibration" is winning fans at the gym, including
big names like Lance Armstrong and Gwen Stefani.

Sleeker than the old units, new ones from Power Plate and
Orthometrix work on the same principle: Involuntary muscle
contractions may boost strength, blood flow, and flexibility. To
date, there's little science behind it. Is it just us, or does this fad
seem a bit shaky?

Friday, August 04, 2006

misc.

FACT: Food with a low percentage of fat can still have a high
percentage of calories derived from fat.

JOKE: My waist, I realized one day in a dressing room has
completely disappeared beneath my rib cage, which now rest
directly on my hips. I'm exhibiting continental drift in reverse.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Character is doing what's right, when
nobody's looking.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

diet-break

I call it a break because I am not doing the usual things I have
done in the past that give me results. There are a lot of (excuses)
but I call them reasons, why now is not a good time to set myself
up for defeat. I arrived home last night at 9:30 pm and ate my
dinner at 10:00 pm just before bed, a real no-no.

I did pass up, even though I was very hungry, the opportunity
to get any junky sweets. I looked at them. I took home two
one dollar meat and cheese burritos since nothing was fixed
to eat when I got home. At lunch I had a bag of popcorn with
light butter and I only ate half instead of the whole bag which
is easy for me to do.

Don't anyone tell me at least I am trying to do something good.
You don't know the whole truth. I have finished off a medium
jar of peanutbutter in one week with tablespoons. I thought it
would curb my sweet tooth in a pinch. I forgot I need to stay
away from my trigger foods. I find it is a trigger food if I can
easily devour it.

I had to throw a lot of fruits and vegetables away this past week
because I was not home long enough to eat them all up. And
that is not the first time. I dislike throwing food away which
stems from my childhood. I think that is why I clean my plate.

On a lighter note: have a good day and remember to fall back on
a good attitude.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

diet-epitaph

Someone sent me a joke yesterday in my email on a
tombstone. I don't want this to be my last words but I
thought these sentences would wrap things up as a dieter.

I won't be gaining weight anymore.

I feel light as a feather.

Now I can get rid of all of my fat clothes.

I finally found something that looks good on me and I can get
into a small. (Those would be wings.)

There is no three letter word up here... f a t.

No need for the scale.

I'm never hungry.

We're all the same size.

I feel good, look good, and act good.

I finally fit in!