Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sickness - yuck
There comes a time when no matter how careful you are - you get sick. Unfortunately if this happens when you are working on losing weight then it can have opposite consequences. Last Sunday I fell prey to a nasty stomach virus that has been going around the area and despite my job, I actually owe it to my husband. He manages to get more sickness than I do. Thankfully so far Sky has been spared. This virus caused me to become dehydrated and lose my appetite. This week has been a yoyo week for me weight wise and again I don't think I will be seeing the 150s on that scale Saturday. I have become discouraged but I'm not giving up on my journey. I have finished one round of drops without the results I was hoping for but I am giving the second round a go before moving on. I have talked with a specialist and it may be that I need to do some adjusting with my calories because of my job or just might not work because of the crazy hours and interrupted meals. We will see. I now have a deadline - a family wedding at the end of September!!!!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Week Two - results
Well, today's weigh in and measurements aren't as exciting and rewarding as last weeks. It has actually been a very tough week, with very little weight loss and on some days actual weight gain!!!! Going back to work has certainly given some challenges. I am still trying to figure out how to overcome these and will hopefully make more progress this week. As a big fan of the show the Biggest Loser, I have kept reminding myself that the first week is always the easiest and the second always the hardest - as your body fights the weight loss. Anyways, the results for week two....
Upper L Arm - 13" - 12.5" - 0.5"
Upper R Arm - 12.5" - 12.5" - 0"
Chest under arms - 34.5" - 33" - 1.5"
Chest biggest part - 37.5" - 37.5" - 0"
Waist (bellybutton) - 33" - 31.5" - 1.5"
Waist (biggest) - 38" - 36" - 2"
Hips - 45" - 44" - 1"
L Thigh - 28.5" - 28" - 0.5"
R Thigh - 28.25" - 28" - 0.25"
L Calf - 15.25" - 14" - 1.25"
R Calf - 14.5" - 14" - 0.5"
L ankle - 9" - 9" - 0"
R ankle - 9" - 9" - 0"
Weight - 167.6lbs - 164lbs - 3.6lbs
Total weight loss 3.6lbs, total number of inches - 9". In two weeks I have lost 12lbs and 24". I really can't complain but I was hoping to be back into the 150s by this weigh in and am not so happy with only 3.6lbs. However, in a normal week that is still good results. I am very pleased with the inches lost and that encouragement is going to keep me going through this week. I'm not going to set my sights so high this week and again I'm only going to hope to be in the high 150s by next weigh in. I'd like to have been smaller for Lake Patrol next weekend but I still get to go out and get new shorts for it! Better check my bathing suit too!
FYI - Laurens Co. EMS - where I work - covers part of Lake Greenwood. Every fourth of July weekend we have Lake Patrol. Lake Patrol involves two boats - located a different parts of the lake that have a medic and emt and a driver. We first respond to emergencies on the lake and to the houses that are accessible by the lake. The uniform for this event is swimwear, shorts and t shirt. In our "down time" we are able to enjoy being on the lake, swim etc - such a hard shift!!! However, it means being in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt in front of people I work with!!!!!
Upper L Arm - 13" - 12.5" - 0.5"
Upper R Arm - 12.5" - 12.5" - 0"
Chest under arms - 34.5" - 33" - 1.5"
Chest biggest part - 37.5" - 37.5" - 0"
Waist (bellybutton) - 33" - 31.5" - 1.5"
Waist (biggest) - 38" - 36" - 2"
Hips - 45" - 44" - 1"
L Thigh - 28.5" - 28" - 0.5"
R Thigh - 28.25" - 28" - 0.25"
L Calf - 15.25" - 14" - 1.25"
R Calf - 14.5" - 14" - 0.5"
L ankle - 9" - 9" - 0"
R ankle - 9" - 9" - 0"
Weight - 167.6lbs - 164lbs - 3.6lbs
Total weight loss 3.6lbs, total number of inches - 9". In two weeks I have lost 12lbs and 24". I really can't complain but I was hoping to be back into the 150s by this weigh in and am not so happy with only 3.6lbs. However, in a normal week that is still good results. I am very pleased with the inches lost and that encouragement is going to keep me going through this week. I'm not going to set my sights so high this week and again I'm only going to hope to be in the high 150s by next weigh in. I'd like to have been smaller for Lake Patrol next weekend but I still get to go out and get new shorts for it! Better check my bathing suit too!
FYI - Laurens Co. EMS - where I work - covers part of Lake Greenwood. Every fourth of July weekend we have Lake Patrol. Lake Patrol involves two boats - located a different parts of the lake that have a medic and emt and a driver. We first respond to emergencies on the lake and to the houses that are accessible by the lake. The uniform for this event is swimwear, shorts and t shirt. In our "down time" we are able to enjoy being on the lake, swim etc - such a hard shift!!! However, it means being in swimwear, shorts and t-shirt in front of people I work with!!!!!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
How many calories are you really consuming?
When trying to lose weight, calories always come into play in one form or another. They have to after all weight loss = more calories being used than being consumed. Eating healthy is always a good place to start when it comes to losing weight, the right kind of calories make a big difference. Did you know that a 30 year old, 150lb female, 5'5" needs 1464.5 calories a day to maintain the 150lbs. That might not sound too bad and fairly easy to keep to, but in an average day - how much "healthy" calories are you really consuming.
Have you stopped and looked at the label of foods you are eating - I mean really looked? Do you know how many calories are in the fruit you are eating - and if so have you paid attention to the size of the fruit or the ounces/pounds etc.
An apple - something simple don't really think about. Did you know that an apple has as much as 110 calories? Is it a big deal that an apple has that many calories? Next to the serving size you can see the size. Apples come in all shapes and sizes - when calculating your calories this needs to be taken into consideration. This is an easy label - 1 serving is 1 apple. Check out the next...
The above is for a cup of pasta. This is straight pasta (obviously different types will have different amounts) without any sauce. 1 cup of pasta - 180 calories. Have you actually measured how much pasta you are putting on your plate? 1 cup of pasta really isn't that much. So, two cups? 360 calories. For the above female that is 25% of her total calories for the day! This is just a small insight in how food labels can be your best friend when used right but your enemy if used wrong.
So many people (myself included), have looked at food labels and said to themselves, oh it's only 70 calories. Yup it's 70 calories for approx. 15 M&Ms but the whole bag? 261 calories. The label gives the calories in an X amount - make sure the X amount is what you are calculating.
I was going to do a whole thing on reading food labels but decided that just giving a link to a website that has done all the explaining is easier and more informative than I could do. So, for more information on food labels and how to read them go here
http://www.acaloriecounter.com/food-labels.php for US residents.
For British labels,
http://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/prevention/healthy-eating/food-labels.aspx and/or http://www.britishnutrition.org.uk/home.asp?siteId=43§ionId=432&subSectionId=323&parentSection=299&which=1
Oh and btw to work out how many calories you need to consume to maintain a specific weight follow one of these formulas:
Women: 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Men: 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
Have you stopped and looked at the label of foods you are eating - I mean really looked? Do you know how many calories are in the fruit you are eating - and if so have you paid attention to the size of the fruit or the ounces/pounds etc.
Nutrition Facts |
An apple - something simple don't really think about. Did you know that an apple has as much as 110 calories? Is it a big deal that an apple has that many calories? Next to the serving size you can see the size. Apples come in all shapes and sizes - when calculating your calories this needs to be taken into consideration. This is an easy label - 1 serving is 1 apple. Check out the next...
|
The above is for a cup of pasta. This is straight pasta (obviously different types will have different amounts) without any sauce. 1 cup of pasta - 180 calories. Have you actually measured how much pasta you are putting on your plate? 1 cup of pasta really isn't that much. So, two cups? 360 calories. For the above female that is 25% of her total calories for the day! This is just a small insight in how food labels can be your best friend when used right but your enemy if used wrong.
So many people (myself included), have looked at food labels and said to themselves, oh it's only 70 calories. Yup it's 70 calories for approx. 15 M&Ms but the whole bag? 261 calories. The label gives the calories in an X amount - make sure the X amount is what you are calculating.
I was going to do a whole thing on reading food labels but decided that just giving a link to a website that has done all the explaining is easier and more informative than I could do. So, for more information on food labels and how to read them go here
http://www.acaloriecounter.com/food-labels.php for US residents.
For British labels,
http://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/prevention/healthy-eating/food-labels.aspx and/or http://www.britishnutrition.org.uk/home.asp?siteId=43§ionId=432&subSectionId=323&parentSection=299&which=1
Oh and btw to work out how many calories you need to consume to maintain a specific weight follow one of these formulas:
Women: 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
Men: 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
Monday, June 20, 2011
URGH - WORK!
Well after good results for first part of the week - I've come across a problem. Unfortunately, I forgot to take the scales to work so I was unable to weigh in Sat and Sun am. This am when I weighed in, I had only lost 1.6lbs. I'm pleased that it was a loss and not a gain but not pleased that when I was averaging 2lbs a day to only lose 1.6lbs in 3 days. I think I may have to figure out a few more calories to my diet on the days that I work. Challenging times ahead. Still hoping to get into the 150s by Friday. Work also played a challenge as far as my water intake - hopefully this played a role too because it's easier to fix.
This week is a busy work week so it'll be interesting to see how the rest of the week goes. Today, it's time to focus on keeping up with my water and eating well.
On the plus side, we went to a mexican restaurant yesterday at work and I wasn't even tempted with one tortilla chip and dip!!! I'm excited about that! Btw - I just sat and drank my water while my partner and trainee ate! :)
This week is a busy work week so it'll be interesting to see how the rest of the week goes. Today, it's time to focus on keeping up with my water and eating well.
On the plus side, we went to a mexican restaurant yesterday at work and I wasn't even tempted with one tortilla chip and dip!!! I'm excited about that! Btw - I just sat and drank my water while my partner and trainee ate! :)
Friday, June 17, 2011
Results - week 1
Ok - well it hasn't exactly been a week but this is as close as I can get considering I go to work tonight.
The first measurements and weight were done last Saturday am. These are the results as far as Friday goes - so technically it has been 6 days total with 4 days strict.
The embarrassment/success so far....
The first measurements and weight were done last Saturday am. These are the results as far as Friday goes - so technically it has been 6 days total with 4 days strict.
The embarrassment/success so far....
- Upper Left Arm 13 1/2" - 13" total loss of 1/2"
- Upper Right Arm 13" - 12 1/2" total loss of 1/2"
- Chest (under arms) 35 1/2" - 34 1/2" total loss of 1"
- Chest (Biggest Part) 39 1/2" - 37 1/2" total loss of 2"
- Waist (across bellybutton) 37" - 33" total loss of 4"
- Waist (biggest part) 41" - 38" total loss of 3"
- Hips 46 1/4" - 45" total loss of 1 1/4"
- Left Thigh 29 1/2" - 28 1/2" total loss of 1"
- Right Thigh 29" - 28 1/4" total loss of 3/4"
- Left Calf 16" - 15 1/4" total loss of 3/4"
- Right Calf 15" - 14 1/2" total loss of 1/2"
- Left Ankle 9" - 9" no loss
- Right Ankle 9" - 9" no loss
WEIGHT
173.6lbs - put on 3lbs during the loading days making it 176.6lbs on Monday am. Weight this am - 167.6lbs. Total weight lost since starting 6lbs - total weight loss 9lbs since putting on the 3lbs.
Total # of inches lost so far - 15 1/4"
I am pleased with the results but horrified I let my weight and measurements get this bad. So, here's to week two!!!!!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
That clear liquidy wet stuff!
WATER!!!! Everyone knows what water is and most if not all people who have attempted weight loss know they need to cut out the sodas and other drinks and drink more water. I know that I have read over and over about drinking water but still have not consumed enough. Most recently I feel like a hypocrite. In the hot climate we are experiencing right now - mostly 90s to mid 100s with 100% or close to it humidity - a frequent 911 call comes down to dehydration in one form or another. My main advice to these people - drink more water! I will often ask them how much they weigh and then divide it in half and that's how many ounces of water you need to drink daily. That is if the temperature is around 70 degrees. I will tell them how much better they will feel and that it is important for every caffeinated beverage they drink twice that in water, since caffeine will dehydrate. After explaining all this to my patients, I will go to the ambulance and drink sodas, some gatarade (diluted with water) and sometimes straight water. Do I get the necessary ounces? NO. Do I feel sick for it? When I've been out in the heat - yes, I feel physically sick. Being a hypocrite - definitely makes me feel sick. So, why is water so good for you and why do you have to drink so much to get the full benefits. Does water really help with being healthy and losing weight? The truth is "if you eat right and exercise at the intensity, frequency and duration proper for you, but still can't get rid of a little paunch here and there, you're probably just not drinking enough water."
Over half of the human body is made up of water - or should be - and that's a lot of water! Your body needs water to survive and if you aren't giving it water or enough water, your body does what it needs to, to survive. Survival mode = body is made up of over 50% water + body not getting enough water on a daily basis = water retention! Yes, your body in order to survive will hold onto water like it is a very precious commodity. How does this effect you? Well, let's take a little side street right here and jump to a topic that may not seem, but actually is, related - metabolism. What is a definition of metabolism - there are a few out there but the best one is actually pretty vague: "The process by which a substance is handled in the body" (webster). So, with that definition there is a lot of metabolizing going on but the one most people - including me - is concerned about is metabolizing fat and the subsequent weight loss. This type of metabolizing actually takes place in the liver - when the liver converts stored fat to energy. The liver has other jobs like filtering out the bad stuff in the blood and is the back up system for the kidneys. If the kidneys can't do their job then the liver does it. Simple enough but how do I know if my kidney's are doing their job and if they aren't how can I tell them to? And can't the liver do all of it - if that's how it was designed. The best way to picture this, is a secretary. A secretary's job - amongst other things - is to set up appointments and manage the paperwork for the boss. Let's say the secretary is very efficient at the job and is never behind, everything is perfect. Well, the company decides to give the secretary another boss - so now instead of doing the paperwork and appointments for one boss, the secretary's load is doubled as there are now two bosses. Obviously, doubled workload, same amount of time = back log/overload. The secretary who was very efficient is now behind and loaded down. It's the same with your liver. The Liver is very good at it's job but when it has to pick up the kidney's slack then it gets bogged down and behind. One of the results - not as much fat is being converted into energy and is, therefore, being stored! Yuck - stored fat! Every dieters worst nightmare. So, we come back to a previous question - how do I know if my kidneys are working to their full potential and if they are relying on my liver to back them up - what can I do about it? Simply put - water. The kidneys need plenty of water to function and if they don't get it they lean on the liver to back them up.
Drinking more water is a lot easier said than done. I know I have tried and failed multiple times in my water intake habits. Running to the bathroom frequently is not always easy (when you are busy at work) and at times embarrassing - "but you just went to the bathroom", "yes, and I have to go again." It also seems like a waste of time - the more I drink the more I pee - so why bother. The truth is that the water you drink, is not the water you pee out 15 - 30 mins later. The water your body is getting rid of is actually old, stored water that has a lot of nasty impurities in it. The first few days to a week are the worst for flushing. Once your body gets used to having enough water for it's needs, it will assume that the supply will continue to meet the demand. With this being the case, your body will get rid of all excess water - including the water that it stored in your butt, thighs, waist, ankles - even flabby arms. When your body gets rid of all this excess water you will be surprised at how great you look and feel. You'll also get the added benefits of a healthy, glowing complexion - that comes with drinking adequate water - flushing away the impurities and hydrating the cells. Just think of your skin as a sponge. If the sponge is dry, it is coarse looking, flabby and dull. When you soak the sponge or "fill" it up with water, it has a fresh, glowing appeal. It is a "perfect figure for a sponge"!
So, with all that being said - water is key to being healthy and losing weight. How much water? That depends on how much you weigh but you can not overdose on water!!!! As a rule of thumb, divide your weight in pounds and drink that many ounces - for example... If you weigh 200lbs then you need 100oz of water. Then if it is hot outside add another 24oz and if you exercise add another 8oz for every 30 mins of exercise. This should give you a good starting point. You should be able to tell if you are having enough after the first week or two. Now, I've heard a lot of people tell me that all they drink is water. That's good - healthy even. The amount can be surprising though. I challenge you for one day to take a note of how much water you really are drinking - don't try and up it or do anything just document. Then try and improve on that if you need to. I went out and bought a US gallon cooler - 128oz. Every morning I fill it up and by the time I have dinner, it is empty. If it's not then I know I haven't drank enough water today. I stop at dinner for the obvious reason - I need a good night's sleep!!! This may not work for you but something will, whether it is just giving yourself a sticker every time you get another glass of water. Just remember to keep a track of it - or you will be surprised how quickly your day will go and you haven't had your water intake. The biggest mistake then is to drink it all in one go - your body can't utilize it all that fast.
A couple of extra points when it comes to water and weight loss. Water gives you a feeling of fullness - so drink at least 8oz about 30 mins before a meal and you won't eat as much. Also, don't drink anything with your meal! Water and fluids in general actually slow down metabolism - so you will eat more and won't burn as much!
Have fun and enjoy your water!!
Some info obtained from http://timeforfitness.com/?p=352
Over half of the human body is made up of water - or should be - and that's a lot of water! Your body needs water to survive and if you aren't giving it water or enough water, your body does what it needs to, to survive. Survival mode = body is made up of over 50% water + body not getting enough water on a daily basis = water retention! Yes, your body in order to survive will hold onto water like it is a very precious commodity. How does this effect you? Well, let's take a little side street right here and jump to a topic that may not seem, but actually is, related - metabolism. What is a definition of metabolism - there are a few out there but the best one is actually pretty vague: "The process by which a substance is handled in the body" (webster). So, with that definition there is a lot of metabolizing going on but the one most people - including me - is concerned about is metabolizing fat and the subsequent weight loss. This type of metabolizing actually takes place in the liver - when the liver converts stored fat to energy. The liver has other jobs like filtering out the bad stuff in the blood and is the back up system for the kidneys. If the kidneys can't do their job then the liver does it. Simple enough but how do I know if my kidney's are doing their job and if they aren't how can I tell them to? And can't the liver do all of it - if that's how it was designed. The best way to picture this, is a secretary. A secretary's job - amongst other things - is to set up appointments and manage the paperwork for the boss. Let's say the secretary is very efficient at the job and is never behind, everything is perfect. Well, the company decides to give the secretary another boss - so now instead of doing the paperwork and appointments for one boss, the secretary's load is doubled as there are now two bosses. Obviously, doubled workload, same amount of time = back log/overload. The secretary who was very efficient is now behind and loaded down. It's the same with your liver. The Liver is very good at it's job but when it has to pick up the kidney's slack then it gets bogged down and behind. One of the results - not as much fat is being converted into energy and is, therefore, being stored! Yuck - stored fat! Every dieters worst nightmare. So, we come back to a previous question - how do I know if my kidneys are working to their full potential and if they are relying on my liver to back them up - what can I do about it? Simply put - water. The kidneys need plenty of water to function and if they don't get it they lean on the liver to back them up.
Drinking more water is a lot easier said than done. I know I have tried and failed multiple times in my water intake habits. Running to the bathroom frequently is not always easy (when you are busy at work) and at times embarrassing - "but you just went to the bathroom", "yes, and I have to go again." It also seems like a waste of time - the more I drink the more I pee - so why bother. The truth is that the water you drink, is not the water you pee out 15 - 30 mins later. The water your body is getting rid of is actually old, stored water that has a lot of nasty impurities in it. The first few days to a week are the worst for flushing. Once your body gets used to having enough water for it's needs, it will assume that the supply will continue to meet the demand. With this being the case, your body will get rid of all excess water - including the water that it stored in your butt, thighs, waist, ankles - even flabby arms. When your body gets rid of all this excess water you will be surprised at how great you look and feel. You'll also get the added benefits of a healthy, glowing complexion - that comes with drinking adequate water - flushing away the impurities and hydrating the cells. Just think of your skin as a sponge. If the sponge is dry, it is coarse looking, flabby and dull. When you soak the sponge or "fill" it up with water, it has a fresh, glowing appeal. It is a "perfect figure for a sponge"!
So, with all that being said - water is key to being healthy and losing weight. How much water? That depends on how much you weigh but you can not overdose on water!!!! As a rule of thumb, divide your weight in pounds and drink that many ounces - for example... If you weigh 200lbs then you need 100oz of water. Then if it is hot outside add another 24oz and if you exercise add another 8oz for every 30 mins of exercise. This should give you a good starting point. You should be able to tell if you are having enough after the first week or two. Now, I've heard a lot of people tell me that all they drink is water. That's good - healthy even. The amount can be surprising though. I challenge you for one day to take a note of how much water you really are drinking - don't try and up it or do anything just document. Then try and improve on that if you need to. I went out and bought a US gallon cooler - 128oz. Every morning I fill it up and by the time I have dinner, it is empty. If it's not then I know I haven't drank enough water today. I stop at dinner for the obvious reason - I need a good night's sleep!!! This may not work for you but something will, whether it is just giving yourself a sticker every time you get another glass of water. Just remember to keep a track of it - or you will be surprised how quickly your day will go and you haven't had your water intake. The biggest mistake then is to drink it all in one go - your body can't utilize it all that fast.
A couple of extra points when it comes to water and weight loss. Water gives you a feeling of fullness - so drink at least 8oz about 30 mins before a meal and you won't eat as much. Also, don't drink anything with your meal! Water and fluids in general actually slow down metabolism - so you will eat more and won't burn as much!
Have fun and enjoy your water!!
Some info obtained from http://timeforfitness.com/?p=352
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Sweet ol' Sugar
It's generally common knowledge that if you want to stay or be healthy that you need to limit your sugar intake. On the surface it would seem pretty easy to eliminate or greatly reduce sugar from your diet. However, take a closer look and it may not be as easy as you first thought.
Soda - obviously has sugar or a sugar variation (high fructose corn syrup) in it. Are you aware of just how much though? On a nutrition label sugar is measured in grams - 4gms = 1 tsp. So, looking at a label you can roughly estimate how much sugar you really are consuming. For example... 1 can of soda has approx. 40gms of sugar - that is 10tsp. A 64oz fountain drink that is often consumed at restaurants - whether in one go or with free refills is the same as 53tsp of sugar or nearly 2 cups!!!! My guess is that you like me would look at someone rather funny if they poured 2 cups of sugar into their drink.
Okay, so soda is obvious and with some discipline easy enough to stay away from. What about spaghetti sauce, tomato ketchup, bread, reduced fat items or low fat items. Manufacturers take out the fat but replace it with sugar - still ultimately making you fat!
Sugar and its corn sweetener counterparts are great calorie delivery systems, as they pack a huge caloric punch, without causing much satiety, or feeling of fullness. Because of this, sugar and it's counter parts are often put in foods as empty calories, sweeten the taste and leave you feeling hungry quicker so that you eat more. The more you eat the more you have to buy and the more the food industry profits.
While reading the ingredients on some simple items in my kitchen, I came to the sad realization that I had not completely cut sugar out of my diet as I had thought. Some spices - yes spices - have sugar in them. I went through over half of the spices in my spice draw only to realize that hidden ingredient that was not helping me with my weightloss goals! This is what prompted me to research more about hidden sugar and counterparts. Don't forget molasses, honey, sorghum, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, lactose, dextrose, sucrose, galactose, maltose, or concentrated juices are all types/forms of sugar.
The next time you have time to go through your kitchen cabinets or when you next go shopping remember to check the ingredients for sugar and it's counter parts. You can find sugar in anything - 10 "healthy foods" that contain sugar - oatmeal, salad dressings, protein bars, granola, milk, tomato sauce, iced tea and dried fruit, ketchup and sports drinks.
Soda - obviously has sugar or a sugar variation (high fructose corn syrup) in it. Are you aware of just how much though? On a nutrition label sugar is measured in grams - 4gms = 1 tsp. So, looking at a label you can roughly estimate how much sugar you really are consuming. For example... 1 can of soda has approx. 40gms of sugar - that is 10tsp. A 64oz fountain drink that is often consumed at restaurants - whether in one go or with free refills is the same as 53tsp of sugar or nearly 2 cups!!!! My guess is that you like me would look at someone rather funny if they poured 2 cups of sugar into their drink.
Okay, so soda is obvious and with some discipline easy enough to stay away from. What about spaghetti sauce, tomato ketchup, bread, reduced fat items or low fat items. Manufacturers take out the fat but replace it with sugar - still ultimately making you fat!
Sugar and its corn sweetener counterparts are great calorie delivery systems, as they pack a huge caloric punch, without causing much satiety, or feeling of fullness. Because of this, sugar and it's counter parts are often put in foods as empty calories, sweeten the taste and leave you feeling hungry quicker so that you eat more. The more you eat the more you have to buy and the more the food industry profits.
While reading the ingredients on some simple items in my kitchen, I came to the sad realization that I had not completely cut sugar out of my diet as I had thought. Some spices - yes spices - have sugar in them. I went through over half of the spices in my spice draw only to realize that hidden ingredient that was not helping me with my weightloss goals! This is what prompted me to research more about hidden sugar and counterparts. Don't forget molasses, honey, sorghum, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, lactose, dextrose, sucrose, galactose, maltose, or concentrated juices are all types/forms of sugar.
The next time you have time to go through your kitchen cabinets or when you next go shopping remember to check the ingredients for sugar and it's counter parts. You can find sugar in anything - 10 "healthy foods" that contain sugar - oatmeal, salad dressings, protein bars, granola, milk, tomato sauce, iced tea and dried fruit, ketchup and sports drinks.
Binging with permission
It's every dieters dream to have the "permission" of the diet to eat what they want, when they want and as much as they want. The first two days of the 180 diet, you have "permission" in fact orders to binge. You must eat high calorie, high fat food - ice cream, pizza, chocolate - anything you can think of that is high in fat and calories. Day 1 - weigh in, take pictures and measurements - YUCH. Eat - whatever I want! This seemed easier than it ended up being. The drops have to be taken 15 mins before you eat and 20 mins either side of coffee. I needed coffee to get up in the am - so I waited until I got to work to take the drops. Unfortunately, our tones drop and we had to run a call. When we got back it was now around 930. I took the drops and was waiting my 15 mins when we got another call. Before we went back to the station, we stopped for breakfast, however, it was now 1130 - more lunchtime than breakfast. Binging wasn't starting out well. I decided to eat a couple of hot dogs and fries with a soda. Wasn't able to finish the fries - however hard I tried. Around 230pm, I took the drops again to have lunch - pizza and salad - this actually worked well. I had some chocolate snacks to eat in between time and some potato chips. Dinner drops were taken around 730pm - since I had a late breakfast, lunch and now dinner. Unfortunately, our tones dropped and we were headed out again at 740pm. We were able to stop by subway for a 6" sub, cookies and soda. I was going to get an icecream too but didn't have the appetite. Day 2 was supposed to weigh in but since I was at work - this didn't happen. I did manage to have my drops and breakfast - 2 corndogs, chocolate milk and a couple of cookies - at a reasonable time. Late morning we had a call that unfortunately took us 4 hours to complete - this took us to 2pm. I was able to take the drops and eat 15 mins after at about 2.30pm. Chicken pasta alfredo, garlic bread and pizza huts chocolate dippers - yummy! Thoroughly enjoyed the lunch. Chocolate snacks throughout the afternoon with a veggie sub with extra cheese for dinner. Didn't have the icecream then either - like planned. I guess I can go without it. Weighing in on day 3 wasn't encouraging - in the two days I had put on 3lbs - YUCK!!! However, now it was time to get down to serious business with the rest of the protocol.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Setting Sail with dynamite
I have attempted multiple times to eat right along with the exercise but have become discouraged and disheartened way too easily. It's an all or nothing. I feel like I need to do something to get to my desired weight and then I will be able to keep my weight there with the healthy eating and exercise. A discovery I have made with my research about fat deposits, I think will help.
"Abnormal fat deposits are the locked away sources of energy. Also known as localized fats, they get stored in different body parts such as buttocks, knees, chin, abdomen and flabby arms. These fatty tissues can grow as a permanent part of the body causing obesity as they do not contribute in metabolism.
Abnormal fat metabolism is a distant thing as medical studies say that these rigid fatty tissues remain intact during metabolism. The fat distribution plays a very important role in overall body weight. Many diet programs fails to convert abnormal fat into calories as they can only burn the structural and normal fat. Hence, our body does not respond in losing the localized fat away, no matter how less they consume and workout."
The structural and normal fat are healthy and necessary for daily life. Therefore, when the person has finished "dieting" they often put the weight back on because they lost the wrong type of "fat weight".
This sounds very disheartening - after all if no matter how hard I try I can't get my body to use the abnormal fat, then what hope is there that I will lose the weight and keep it off?
hCG is short for human chorionic gonadotropin also known as the pregnancy hormone - the hormone tested for to tell a woman she is pregnant. "hCG is responsible for making the abnormal fat reserves of the body available to be burned as fuel". This occurs naturally in pregnancy to help nourish the baby, especially if Mum doesn't eat right or can't eat right because of vomiting!
Other things I have found is the hypothalamus is currently my enemy and I need to retrain it. The hypothalamus is the control center of all autonomic regulatory activities of the body. It has been said that the hypothalamus is the brain of the brain. When the hypothalamus is not working properly, food becomes increasingly more important, but increasingly more unfulfilling. We end up never satisfied with the foods which we have eaten, gradually eating more and more to try to compensate for whatever is lacking. The hypothalamus is also responsible for governing metabolism - speeding it up or slowing it down. It is the hypothalamus' job to make the body salivate for an apple, rather than a piece of chocolate cake. If the hypothalamus is working normally, then a person will be more inclined to crave a nutritionally well-balanced diet. Food that is void of nutrition will not have the same pull or crave-producing impact.
The catch to retraining my hypothalamus is a hormone called leptin. "Leptin is like a messenger between the hypothalamus and the fat stores. When your body gets to the point where it has stored enough fat, leptin runs to the hypothalamus to tell it to stop collecting the fat." Essentially translated into telling you, you're full and stop eating. However, when the hypothalamus is not working properly it doesn't understand the msg from leptin and keeps telling you to eat and stores more and more fat. Leptin is produced by abnormal fat - so the more fat stored the more leptin there is and the more leptin the more you eat, 'causing more fat and the vicious cycle continues. So, to get my hypothalamus retrained, I have to lower the amount of Leptin in my body and that is caused by the abnormal fat. So, bottom line until I get rid of the abnormal fat stored in my body, it is going to be a losing uphill battle.
So, how can I get rid of this fat? As I mentioned earlier the hormone hCG breaks down the fat and makes it available for use. There are several hCG diets out there but I decided to use the dynamite 180. A lot of the quotes are from there. You can visit it here to get more info.
http://healthyhabitwyo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/180-protocol-newest-version4.pdf
Bottom line I have 108,000 calories of unused energy that I am about to tap into!
"Abnormal fat deposits are the locked away sources of energy. Also known as localized fats, they get stored in different body parts such as buttocks, knees, chin, abdomen and flabby arms. These fatty tissues can grow as a permanent part of the body causing obesity as they do not contribute in metabolism.
Abnormal fat metabolism is a distant thing as medical studies say that these rigid fatty tissues remain intact during metabolism. The fat distribution plays a very important role in overall body weight. Many diet programs fails to convert abnormal fat into calories as they can only burn the structural and normal fat. Hence, our body does not respond in losing the localized fat away, no matter how less they consume and workout."
The structural and normal fat are healthy and necessary for daily life. Therefore, when the person has finished "dieting" they often put the weight back on because they lost the wrong type of "fat weight".
This sounds very disheartening - after all if no matter how hard I try I can't get my body to use the abnormal fat, then what hope is there that I will lose the weight and keep it off?
hCG is short for human chorionic gonadotropin also known as the pregnancy hormone - the hormone tested for to tell a woman she is pregnant. "hCG is responsible for making the abnormal fat reserves of the body available to be burned as fuel". This occurs naturally in pregnancy to help nourish the baby, especially if Mum doesn't eat right or can't eat right because of vomiting!
Other things I have found is the hypothalamus is currently my enemy and I need to retrain it. The hypothalamus is the control center of all autonomic regulatory activities of the body. It has been said that the hypothalamus is the brain of the brain. When the hypothalamus is not working properly, food becomes increasingly more important, but increasingly more unfulfilling. We end up never satisfied with the foods which we have eaten, gradually eating more and more to try to compensate for whatever is lacking. The hypothalamus is also responsible for governing metabolism - speeding it up or slowing it down. It is the hypothalamus' job to make the body salivate for an apple, rather than a piece of chocolate cake. If the hypothalamus is working normally, then a person will be more inclined to crave a nutritionally well-balanced diet. Food that is void of nutrition will not have the same pull or crave-producing impact.
The catch to retraining my hypothalamus is a hormone called leptin. "Leptin is like a messenger between the hypothalamus and the fat stores. When your body gets to the point where it has stored enough fat, leptin runs to the hypothalamus to tell it to stop collecting the fat." Essentially translated into telling you, you're full and stop eating. However, when the hypothalamus is not working properly it doesn't understand the msg from leptin and keeps telling you to eat and stores more and more fat. Leptin is produced by abnormal fat - so the more fat stored the more leptin there is and the more leptin the more you eat, 'causing more fat and the vicious cycle continues. So, to get my hypothalamus retrained, I have to lower the amount of Leptin in my body and that is caused by the abnormal fat. So, bottom line until I get rid of the abnormal fat stored in my body, it is going to be a losing uphill battle.
So, how can I get rid of this fat? As I mentioned earlier the hormone hCG breaks down the fat and makes it available for use. There are several hCG diets out there but I decided to use the dynamite 180. A lot of the quotes are from there. You can visit it here to get more info.
http://healthyhabitwyo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/180-protocol-newest-version4.pdf
Bottom line I have 108,000 calories of unused energy that I am about to tap into!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
choosing to exercise
I love to exercise, but unfortunately I rarely have time and opportunity when I don't have Skyler. Since this is going to be a consistent problem, I have had to come up with solutions. Skyler is too active and gets bored too easily to stay in a stroller long enough for a good walk or run. As of right now, he is too light of a sleeper and inconsistent napper to exercise while he takes his nap. Getting up before him - not an option - if he isn't up first, he will wake up if we make too much noise. The conclusions that I have come up with is cycling, exercising before picking him up from daycare (as possible) and my wonderful husband has agreed to help me by letting me go to the track after putting Skyler to bed. So far, I haven't made it to the gym before picking Skyler up from daycare but one time. I haven't made it to the track because of either work issues or health issues. We have done some family cycling, but haven't figured out how to fit my bike in the car rather than the truck yet though - and I don't have access to the truck during the week. Becoming and staying healthy is a challenge in the modern world - if it wasn't there wouldn't be so many exercise books, videos etc. There wouldn't be so many diets and detox regimes. Finding something that I enjoy and works with my schedule is hard but when I get it - I'll be headed down the right path - and it's exciting!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Diet and Exercising
You can eat healthy all you want but as a female there is only so much you can do. Diet and exercise go hand in hand. It's a cliche I know but it is the truth. Energy in and energy out is simple math. You are not going to lose weight or tone up if you put more energy in than you give out. There are two extremes - eat less and not worry about exercising or eat what you want and exercise more. Neither work effectively. If you eat too little, your metabolism slows down and you lose muscle not fat, and you can not exercise enough to burn the calories you put in if you don't pay attention. For example, 30 mins of moderate exercise burns approx. 230 calories - the same as one hersheys chocolate bar with almonds. Another comparison - considered healthy - 1 cup of lentils cooked with salt is 230 calories.
So, diet and exercise - the two together. How do you successfully juggle both? Is there a way to be a full-time wife, mother of a toddler and work outside the home? Right now I really don't know. Well, I do - there is a way. I just don't know what it is.
So, diet and exercise - the two together. How do you successfully juggle both? Is there a way to be a full-time wife, mother of a toddler and work outside the home? Right now I really don't know. Well, I do - there is a way. I just don't know what it is.
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