Sometimes "in a pinch" we settle for something that would not be our first choice, especially if we are somewhere that our first choice is not available.
Here's how to count a few of them.
Skim Milk............ 1 C = 1 Milk Exch.
1% Milk ............. 1 C = 1 Milk + 15 OC
2% Milk ............ 1 C = 1 Milk + 1/2 Fat
whole Milk . . . . . . 1 C = 1 Milk + 1 Fat
Fast Food Fr. Fries.....sm. order = 3 breads, 2 fats
Hot Dog @ Ball Game . . . .1 = 1-1/2 Bread, 1 Prot., 1-1/2 Fats
Filet-0-Fish Sandw. . . . . 1 = 3 Breads, 1 Prot., 3 Fats
Nachos w/the works . . . . 1 order.... FORGET IT!!!!
Friday, April 24, 2009
In A Pinch Exchanges for Your Not So Healthy Choices
Counting Exchanges for Casseroles
Here is a little help:
When creating a casserole at home, you are aware of how many exchanges of each item you put into it, and by simpy dividing those exchanges by the number of servings you get the exchanges provided per serving.
If you are dining out at a restaurant, or at the home of a friend, it can be a bit more confusing. Here's the rule of thumb for some of these items:
Tuna Noodle Casserole . . . . . . 1 Cup = 2 Starch & 2 Proteins
Lasagna ........................ 1 Cup = 2 Starch & 2 Proteins
Pot Pie (Individual - 7 ounces . . 2 Starches, 1 Protein, 4 Fats
Chow Mein (w/o noodles or rice)...2 Cups = 1 Starch, 2 Proteins, 1 Veg.
Spaghetti w/Meatballs . . . . . 1 Cup = 2 Starches & 2 Proteins
Chili with beans . . . . . . . . 1 Cup = 2 Starch & 2 Proteins
Pizza (cheese-thin crust) . . . 1/4 of 10 inch = 2 Starch, 1 Protein, 1 Fat
Macaroni & cheese . . . . . . . 1 Cup = 2 Starches & 2 Proteins
Split Pea Soup (made w/water) . . . 1 Cup = 1-1/2 Starch & 1/2 Protein
Tomato soup (made w/water) . . . . 1 Cup = 1 Starch
Bean Soup . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Cup = 1 Starch, 1/2 Protein
Hope this helps.
:)
Maestro
Menu Planning Tips
Yeah use her books, my goal is to use one new recipe a week. You may also
want to go through the beginning of her book and note the staples she
keeps on hand. I would write down the ones that look most like what I
would use. For me I use magnetic note pads for the pantry and fridge.
BUT, you could even maybe make something up on the PC that you just check
mark the items as you need them.
Also one more thing I did not mention earlier....... but now I realize
something. A lot of people here must be perfectionist, and SHE's (side
tracked Home Executives). I know I am/was one. For some of us, making a
menu may be harder then it sounds or looks.
Please remember baby steps, don't go whole hog. This is kind of my own
testimony. For years, I had tried menu plans, and menu planning. (you
know I'm sure every diet you have ever went on, always starts out at
least the first week of giving you a menu plan.) Oh my goodness if I made
it through a whole week on a menu plan like that it was a miracle. Then I
heard, over and over again planning ahead is the best policy. I've heard
this with every thing from, my church, and Bible reading, to diet gurus
and how to lose weight. I would always TRY, I would make up shopping
list, and stick to them at the store, I would get home with EVERY thing I
would need for the menu. The next day I would wake up and.........I don't
want to eat that. (even if I was the one who invented the menu, with
things I LOVED!). So I wouldn't eat what was on the menu, even if it
meant going to get other food. And all the good food I had bought would
rot. I was even bad at this as a child, my parents would yell at me,
about wasting the grapes, I had ASKED for!
For about one year and 3 months on Richards plan, I decided meal planning
would just not work for me. Cause I knew no matter how desperately I
wanted to follow a plan my mind had a block and wouldn't let me. So
that's when keeping healthy staples on hand came in to play GREATLY! I
would just keep every thing to whip up a healthy meal in no time in the
pantry/freezer, about 20 minutes before the meal I would go in there and
whip something up. Flying by the seat of my pants. It worked for me and
wasn't too bad. The only thing was, I did find myself saying I was too
tired, or didn't feel like thinking of something new to make, so I would
make the same ole, same ole every day. Mainly JoAnna Lund Sloppy Joe's
lol. I really can't tell you how many times I made those things. And
personally I never got bored of them. In fact, I could still be eating
them today and really not be bored of them. The thing was my weight loss
came to a screeching halt. I went to Hoot camp in LA with Richard
Simmons, I lost 3 pounds over the weekend! 3 pounds in 3 days!!! Sure we
did a lot of exercising but not that much! (3 hours a day, I was doing 2
hours a day at home, so surely one more hour didn't make a 3 pound
difference!). I decided it must of been the different foods I was eating
out there. I wasn't having the same thing day after day, breakfast, lunch
and dinner. I was having something different each meal, each day. So I
decided I needed to do the same at home.
The problem....... I remembered how bad I was at meal planning! Any way,
long story short, I figured out I had a control problem, even if it was
ME who was going to be the one in control! A planned menu was too much
control to give something! For me personally. I had to keep letting
myself know it was ok for ME to be in control of what I ate! It was hard,
but I didn't jump into it all at once! Cause it would have back fired.
First, I would surround myself with all my books and newsletters of
JoAnnas and write down a bunch of recipes I would "like" to give a try.
Then I would each day look at the list-pick out what sounded like I would
like to try that day, and admittedly just go to the store randomly as I
needed something for the next recipe I had chose. (I had always been a
every two week shopper cause that's when my husband gets paid) but for
this transition time, I was going a few times a week! For one or two
items. It was best to send hubby cause he don't get side tracked at the
store coming home with 100 dollars of stuff when sent for 5 dollars
worth!
I gradually worked my way up to where I am now.
This is what I do now. See a few months ago, I was reading all my back
issues of JoAnna Lund Newsletters, and one person said she puts all her
issues together by month. (I was putting them together by year) in
folders. So each month she goes to that months folder and her and her
daughter would pick out recipes from that month's issues (current and
past issues). Well, I immediately rearranged my folders, and now have 12
folders, one for each month, and my newsletters go back to 1999, with a
few 92's and 98's dispursed through out.
Now what I do, is at least one month ahead of time, I go through the next
months newsletters, I write down each recipe I would like to try, and the
extra ingredients not my staples on the side. Till I have a months (or
even more's worth, it's ok if it's more! Use them next year, so you don't
have to go back through ALL the issues again, just the new one!). THEN, I
have a day planner (fly lady calls it a control journal). I bought extra
filler paper for the calendar part. I put one piece of filler paper in
each month of the calendar. Then, I write down ALL those recipes I wanted
to try, (in date, and page #-of the newsletter). I also pick one
other book a month, and pick out two recipes from it to try. This month,
I picked the kids book. Any way...... After I transfer all that to the
filler paper. Then, I look at the calendar, and fill it in with a menu,
based on what I have written on the filler paper. The filler paper has
the extra foods that aren't staples in my home, written out to the side
like this.
January
1999 pg. 4 Snow Balls-dried cranberries
The above I just made up. But, let's pretend, it also calls for flour,
and splenda, and margarine. I don't write any of those down cause those
are all staples I always have.
In my calendar part, I only write the name of the recipe, nothing else
cause there's not enough room. Then, as I make the items on the filler
paper, I erase them. I don't erase things from the calendar, only the
filler paper. This way..... I probably will not get through all the
recipes I wrote down this year, but that leaves more room for the next
issue from next year, and shows me what I have left for next year in
January at the end of the month that I will try. Also don't erase them
till you actually make them. Things come up, and you don't always make
every thing you planned exactly. IE sometimes hubby says let's go out.
I'm not a fuddy duddy who would say I'm on a diet, no I won't go out with
you. I'm flexiable enough that things may get pushed to the side that
week, that's ok, I can make them the next day! If I already have the
ingredients bought no big deal. I'm going out with my husband!
Oh yeah I do every thing in pencil!
Another tip, I still don't plan to the TEE! I plan two new recipes a
week, and write them down on Sundays square in the calendar, that don't
really mean I make them on Sunday, just the first time I can that week!
(for instance yesterday was the first day I could make my planned recipes
this week-we were out and about Sunday and Monday, and I was eating left
overs from the freezer, and eating at Whole Foods Deli!) Then I fill in
the rest of the week, still by looking at the filler paper list, and
picking things, as I go. I will say the Sundays food, is usually the
things I have to buy extra stuff for, I fill in the rest of the week,
with recipes that all the ingredients are staples.
Some day I hope to get to where I can let go of enough control to fill in
every day! But, for now, just one day a week is kind of sorta planned!
Later I will get to the point, where two days a week are, and so on. baby
steps. This is life changing things I am doing not a quick fix! And
that's what I have to keep telling myself, and give my self the patience
I would any one else who I loved and deserved it!
Heather
Healthy Exchanges (Diabetic) Pantry Items
She has a list of staples in all her books. And once a year in the March
Newsletter she relays her staples.
For me, my staples I just noticed what I like the most and use the most
of, and wrote that down as my staples, and keep it in my head kind of.
Like I said my opinion is, go through recipes that you will be using and
note what is not perishable or can easily be frozen, and what pops up over
and over again in all the recipes, those will become your staples.
For me.....
Sugar Free puddings and Jellos of all kinds are definitely a huge staple
for me.
Carnation Dry Milk Powder
Low fat ground turkey-I use it all the time, in place of beef. (don't get
the 99 percent fat free though, it's nasty, I get the 93 percent fat
free!). I can make any thing from breakfast sausage, to lasagna to tacos
to meatloaf with ground turkey and the right spices/herbs/seasonings!
Canned veggies, like green beans, carrots, peas, and corn.
Canned Tomatoes of all kinds, diced, whole, paste, sauce, and juice. (I
get the no salt added of all my canned foods!)
Canned beans of all kinds-Navy, pinto, red kidney, garbanzo, etc etc.
Canned Healthy Request Soups-Chicken Noodle, Cream of Celery, Cream of
Chicken, Cream of Mushroom, and Tomato.
Canned Broth, I prefer Swansons or Tyson, Chicken and Beef, 99 perfect
fat free. And low sodium. I make my own broth.
Frozen veggies, like brocoli, onion, peppers, cauliflower, okra, spinach
and zuchinni.
Laughing Cow Lite Cheese, Fat Free Chedder/Swiss/America Slices (I don't
like fat free shredded cheeses!). These last forever in the fridge!
2% shredded cheeses of Chedder, and Swiss. And also reduced fat Parmesan.
(can be kept in the freezer for a long time! And defrost fastly! I just
sit it out and with in a hour it will be defrosted. Or put it in the
fridge the night before.)
Also Walden Farms Pancake Syrup-zero calories and GREAT! Walden Farms
Petso-10 calories, and will make any italian food burst with flavor! For
only 10 calories! And I like Walden Farms Raspberry Vinigrette, and Bacon
Ranch dressings as well.
I like David Rio Chia Tea-sugar free Orca Spice, only 42 calories a cup
and delish, same with sugar free fireside coffees (taste like hot cocoa
no coffee flavor what so ever!). And Miss Meriegn (sp) sugar free Dulce
Leche Cookies (13 for 35 calories!) These are good for snacks when you
just have to have something sweet.
I keep ice cream in the freezer all the time! My favs are Weight
Watchers, and Skinny Cow. No Pudge is lower in calories, but I think they
are just so-so in flavor. All have fiber added though.
I like light breads of all kinds, weight watchers and the store brands
lite English muffins freeze very well. I don't care for frozen sliced
bread though, once defrosted taste too dry to me.
And of course Polanders Sugar free, with splenda, 10 calorie jams and
jellies! I like strawberry, orange marmalade, and Apricot the best. I
have not tried the grape yet. The blackberry and the Raspberry just
didn't have the right texture in my opinion.
Keebler and Nabisco Pie Crust, and also Pillsburry pie crust. For graham,
and short bread pie crust I prefer Keebler, for chocolate I like
Nabisco's Oreo, over Keeblers Chocolate. I like the taste better, I like
the color better, I like the texture better, and I like that it don't
fall apart as bad.
Of course Flour, Corn Meal, Reduced Fat Bisquick, baking soda, and
powder, corn starch, spices and herbs-especially garlic, and Worcestshire
sauce. I really like JoAnnas Sausage seasoning as well. (although we have
a closet full of spices/herbs and seasonings, and use them daily. I like
sea salt, and pepper medley (fresh ground pepper mixed of all kinds of
peppercorns) by McCormick the best!
I like Parkay Spray butter for toast, and to spritz on veggies over the I
can't believe it's not butter, it sprays much much more evenly and don't
have to spray and spray to see something come out!
For when she calls for light Margarine, I personally prefer Brummel and
Brown, it's only 45 calories a TB, and that's just one fat window,
usually that is divvied up between 6 to 8 servings so not even a whole
fat window, it's practically free when divided up into that many servings.
Plus it's trans fat free and won't clog the arteries, and taste very rich
and creamy cause it's made with yogurt, and don't melt into a puddle of
water! With oil sitting on top!
Water
That's off the top of my head. I know there is more things though. But,
with the above, I can make almost anything.
Heather
Bulk Cooking Tips For Healthy Eating
Bulk Cooking Tips
On Sundays, I prepare as much food as possible for the upcoming
week, including breakfast & lunches for work.
Breakfast is usually white chocolate or vanilla pudding yogurt and
fresh fruit. Or I'll package up a bowl of milk and make hot cereal
at work and add unsweetened applesauce to it. Or I'll have the milk
with one of my prepackaged cold cereal packets already at work and
add a banana.
Lunch includes a big chopped veggie salad (celery, carrots,
broccoli, radishes, cabbage, etc.) or a big regular salad and an
entree. Cowboy beans over barley, dinner leftovers, chili over
brown rice, etc. I also bring fruit for an afternoon snack, so I'm
not ravenous when I get home and may grab anything just to quell the
munchies.
I package most meals up on Sunday in individual containers. The
entrees are packaged up during the week if I'm using dinner
leftovers. For instance, tonight's dinner will be Wednesday's
lunch - Grilled chicken thighs, green beans, and a chopped salad.
Other things I cook on Sundays - as many side dishes as possible.
I'll cook brown rice, barley, couscous or other grains, sauteed or
roasted veggies, make up some sliced pickled beets (add several "no
salt added" cans to a container and add some s & p and vinegar), a
cold salsa or bean mixture, a big fruit salad, etc. The
possibilities are endless. I'm a big fan of beans so I cook a lot
of them.
I'll also prepare a soup, maybe a spaghetti sauce, grill up some
chicken or pork tenderloin for a multitude of uses during the week
(if I'm not planning to use right away, I'll cut it up and freeze
it). I'll also take meat or fish out of the freezer to defrost for
Monday and Tuesday night's dinner.
I make up two 32 oz containers of yogurt pudding - one is usually
chocolate for dessert during the week. The other is for breakfast
with fruit or my husband will have fruit and yogurt with his lunch.
It makes the week so much easier if you plan ahead! It also stops
temptations when you just don't know what you want or don't feel
like cooking, and end up making bad choices.
Baking Pan Substitutions
Yes, I know this doesn't technically fall under weight loss help but since we have to eat and eating is a big part of our weight loss efforts, I thought I'd put this here as well as on the recipe blog.
washingtonpost.com
Baking Pan Substitutions
Sunday, November 21, 2004; Page R02
In a perfect world, we would all have the particular size pan or pie
plate or baking dish that all recipes require.
It's not a perfect world. The following advice for pan swapping is
from "In the Sweet Kitchen," by Regan Daley (Artisan, 2001): An
acceptable alternative to any pan has an identical volume and falls
within half an inch of the original depth. The baking time may have to
be decreased for shallower pans or extended for deeper ones. To find
the volume of a given pan, fill it with water, then pour the water
into a measuring cup.
Pan dimensions are in inches.
8 x 1 1/2 pie plate 4 cups
8 x 1 1/2 round cake pan 4 cups
8 x 4 x 2 1/2 loaf pan 4 cups
9 x 1 1/4 pie plate 4 cups
9 1/2 x 1 1/2 round fluted ceramic tart pan 4 cups
11 3/4 x 7 1/2 x 3/4 jelly roll 4 cups
9 x 1 1/2 pie plate 5 cups
11 x 7 x 2 baking pan 6 cuos
8 x 1 1/2 round cake pan 4 cups
8 x 2 round cake pan 6 cups
9 x 1 1/2 round cake pan 6 cups
8 x 8 x 1 1/2 square cake pan 6 cups
8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 loaf pan 6 cups
9 1/2 x 2 deep dish pie plate 7 cups
11 x 2 oval ceramic dish 7 cups
9 x 2 round cake pan 8 cups
9 1/4 x 2 3/4 wide tube pan 8 cups
9 1/2 x 3 narrow tube pan 8 cups
8 x 8 x 2 square cake pan 8 cups
9 x 9 x 1 1/2 square cake pan 8 cups
9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan 8 cups
9 x 9 x 2 square cake pan 10 cups
9 x 3 springform pan 10 cups
9 1/2 x 2 1/2 springform pan 10 cups
11 3/4 x 7 1/2 x 1 3/4 baking dish 10 cups
15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 jelly roll 10 cups
9 x 3 springform pan 11 cups
10 x 2 round cake pan 11 cups
10 x 3 1/2 Bundt pan 12 cups
10 x 2 1/2 springform pan 12 cups
9 x 13 x 2 rectangular pan 12 cups
17 1/4 x 11 1/2 x 1 jelly roll 13 cups
Sources: "In the Sweet Kitchen" by Regan Daley (Artisan, 2001); "The
Food Lover's Companion" by Sharon Tyler Herbst (Barron's, 1995).
© 2004 The Washington Post Company
15 Ways to Break A Plateau
15 Tips For Breaking Through A Plateau
Thanks to Elizabeth Hoyt, WW leader in Manhattan Beach, CA who wrote
the following.
You're exercising, eating well, and steadily losing pounds. Then all of
a sudden... BAM! The scale seems stuck, week after week. Yes, the
dreaded plateau. Don't think you're the only person this happens to
(although most people DO believe this only happens to them) - nearly
everyone
trying to lose weight experiences a phase when the scale won't budge
and
there's still 5, 10, 15 pounds to go. So, when this happens, you've got
a choice to make. You can either call your diet a success, or keep
plugging away. If you've lost quite a bit of weight - even though you
still
have that last 10 pounds to go - and you're sleeping better, feeling
good about yourself, have lots more energy, feeling good about how you
look, then maybe you've already achieved your goal. But, if you REALLY
have some more pounds to go, here are ten strategies you can use - try
one or any combination - to melt the last 10 pounds.
1. JOURNAL, JOURNAL, JOURNAL
This is one of the most powerful tools to help you stay on track or get
back on track. Your journal can help you see where you are perhaps
going over or under on your number of points for the day, or aren't
getting
in the Guidelines for Healthy Living requirements. Use your journal as
a detective tool: Had a good week? Look over it at the end of the week
and try and see what you think contributed to that success. Had a not
so good week? Again, look over your journal to see what may have
contributed to you playing a little looser with the program. Look at
last
week's journal for clues too, sometimes it takes a full week before the
effects of a blown week show up. Using the journal on a consistent
basis
is the best way to make sure that you're really eating the amount of
food that you think you're eating, which can be two different things
sometimes.
2. Eating By the Numbers (Or are you getting in too many carbs?
Protein? Not enough fat?)
Look at your food choices, are you really getting a wide variety of
foods in? Remember, your body needs nutrients from lots of different
sources and if you're eating the same things all the time or too much
of one
type of food, you're probably not getting the proper nutrition your
body needs. How is your protein to carb ratio? Look at the Eating by
the
Numbers chart on page 5 of your Part 1 booklet for suggested guidelines
of how to most nutritiously spend your points during the day. There are
suggested ranges for someone under and over 200 pounds.
There's a helpful Excel spreadsheet on Rea's homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/reamia/ that is called something like 123
Journal Food Groups that she's got set up for 28-35 points per day, but
all
you've got to do is input your points range and the suggested
guidelines from the Eating by the Numbers chart for the various food
groups.
This can help too if you're one of those WW selection plan people who
just
don't like the Points system. You can use this to follow the points,
but use it for the selections of the various food groups so that you
keep
a healthy balance in your points.
Take a look at your food choices as sometimes we have the attitude that
as long as our points balance at the end of the day we're okay, but if
we keep in mind the Guidelines for Healthy Living on page 3 of the Part
1 booklet (with further details explained about the guidelines on pages
54-57), we'll see that we still are asked to do a few steps to ensure
we're spending our points in a way that keeps our bodies healthy. Your
points might balance if all you ate was 3 hot fudge sundaes a day, but
it wouldn't be giving your body the nutrition it needs. Beware of those
empty points.
3. Weigh and measure portions
Too many times our portions have gotten bigger without us realizing it,
using measuring cups and spoons and weighing out our portions can give
us a better idea if our portions have suddenly grown bigger than we're
counting. Remember, portion size does matter.
4. Read labels carefully
Are you counting your points right for the product that you're eating?
I remind everyone of my jumbo dinner frank story where the serving size
was half a frank! Who eats half a frank? I was counting 4 points when I
should have been counting 8 points. If you're eating a bigger serving
size than the one listed on the label you're probably eating more
points
than you calculated.
5. Remember, zero multiplied is not zero (okay, not when it comes to
food points)
If you're eating one serving of fat free sugar free gelatin for 10
calories, okay, that's zero points, but if you're now eating 4 servings
plus 2 tbsp of fat free whipped topping, you've got yourself one point!
Beware of those hidden extras where we multiply portions, and beware of
BLT's: Bites, Licks, and Tastes that never seem to get counted on any
journal. These add up. Also, remember that if a food like high fiber
cereal or bread, comes out to zero points according to the
PointsFinder,
you have to count one point! Trying to rationalize eating a whole box
of
cereal and saying that you consumed NO points is falling in that diet
mentality where certain foods don't count.
6. Too many refined carbs?
Are you eating too many sources of simple and refined carbohydrates,
the stuff that's heavily processed and no longer looks like its natural
food source. Think of it as the difference between whole grain bread
and
processed white bread, brown rice vs. white rice, popcorn cakes vs.
corn on the cob. Try to include more of the natural sources of
carbohydrates in your diet stuff like beans, yams, potatoes, brown
rice, and whole
wheat anything rather than so many crackers, pretzels, and chips (even
low fat chips). This is not to say you can't have any refined carbs,
just try to limit the amount of them if you're having trouble losing
weight.
7. Not enough fat?
Okay, this sounds counterintuitive, but according to the Eating by the
Numbers chart and for good nutrition you should be actively adding in
about 2-3 points of fat per day. This is stuff like vegetable oils,
margarine, butter, regular or reduced fat (not fat free) salad
dressing,
avocados, regular or reduced fat (not fat free) mayonnaise, olives, and
peanut or soy butter. I have personally met a number of people now who
weren't losing and when I suggested they start actively adding in 2-3
points of fat per day they started losing again. Our bodies need enough
fat in order to properly function. You think there's enough fat in my
food already, right? Not when you're limiting your number of points in
order to lose weight. We are often making much lower fat choices than
we
normally would have, and as a consequence our consumption of fat falls
far below the recommended guidelines according to lots of nutrition
experts of 30% of your total calories in fat per day. If you are
limiting
your fat intake to only the fat that's naturally in food and even then
you're probably taking the skin off the chicken and drinking skim or 1%
milk, then you might only be getting around 10% of your calories in fat
per day, not enough for your body. So, the reason our bodies need
enough fat in our diets each day as opposed to just feeding off of our
body's fat stores is because fat contains an essential fatty acid:
linoleic
acid, that our body can't produce on its own. That fat is needed for
proper metabolic and digestive function. Fat provides essential
nutrients
our bodies need, it transports fat soluble vitamins that our bodies
need, it is needed for proper digestion and metabolic function, it
helps
us keep fuller longer, keeps our hair and skin nice, and is crucial for
proper gallbladder function. If you're on a super low fat diet you can
develop gallstones that are no fun and super painful.
8. Drink half your body weight in water each day
According to Barbara Levine, R.D., Ph.D., the Director of the Nutrition
Information Center at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center and
reported in the June 1999 issue of Weight Watchers magazine, she says
that overweight people need more water than the typical 8 cups a day
rule. "Overweight people tend to need more water, because fat cells
hold
more water than other fat cells in the body. To determine the number of
ounces of water you need per day, divide your weight by two. For
example, a person who weighs 140 pounds should consume 70 ounces, or
about 9
cups. Of course, this is an estimate. The best way to gauge whether you
are getting enough water is to monitor the color of your urine. If
you're drinking enough, it should be the color of pale straw. If it is
a
deeper yellow, you're not getting enough fluids" (page 16, June 1999).
Lots of times we misinterpret thirst for hunger, try water first, wait
20
minutes, real hunger will not go away.
9. Make sure you're getting five servings of fruits and vegetables per
day
Eating the zero point veggies can often help us to fill up so that
we're not eating the other higher points foods instead. If you're
hungry,
try non-starchy veggies first. Lots of members make the Garden
Vegetable
Soup recipe in the Part 1 booklet and eat a bowl of that before dinner
to fill up a bit so that you can get full on the smaller portions
you'll be serving yourself. Try a glass of V8 juice before a meal
during the
summer when soup sounds too hot. Variety is good here too, try a new
fruit or veggie each month to expand your repertoire.
10. Increase the frequency or intensity of your physical activity
Are you exercising? If not, know that you'll be much more successful at
losing the weight and keeping it off if you are also physically active.
Find something that you enjoy doing and just do it! Start with a five
minute walk out of your door, look at your watch after five minutes
start heading back, just like that you've done 10 minutes! Next week
start
adding in a couple of extra minutes, try walking for 7 minutes out of
your door, and 7 minutes back, you've now done 14 minutes. Keep adding
until you're up to at least 10 minutes out and 10 minutes back.
If you're already active, are you exercising at enough intensity? If
you can easily carry on a conversation while exercising (you should be
able to speak, but it should take a bit of effort) you're not
challenging
your body enough. Your body becomes really efficient at adjusting to
the amount of physical activity you're doing, so you regularly have to
adjust either the intensity of your workouts or the frequency in order
to
continue to reap the maximum benefit from physical activity.
Try strength training in order to build lean muscle tissue. As we get
older we lose lean muscle tissue, which depresses your metabolism; in
addition severely restrictive diets where we eat too few calories can
cause us to lose weight but lots of it is lean muscle, which also
depresses our metabolism. If we build muscle tissue this can help us to
reverse
that process and to make us trimmer and stronger.
11. Move the furniture around
Do you always have your biggest meal at dinner? Try eating your biggest
meal for lunch or even for breakfast, with smaller meals for the
remaining meals. If you regularly eat most of your points at one meal
your
body converts the rest of the food into stored energy...fat...so that
if
you balance your points out throughout the day better you can actually
give your metabolism a boost by keeping it revving throughout the day
instead of only one spike at dinner. Food actually helps to boost our
metabolism, that's why it's important never to skip meals. There's a
saying that you could help to lose weight by eating breakfast like a
king,
lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. This gives us the
majority of our points early in the day when our bodies can use them
because
we're active instead of right before bed if we eat them at dinner.
12. Try varying your number of points
Do you always eat at a certain number of points per day? Your body gets
very efficient at predicting its intake and adjusts itself accordingly.
Keep it guessing. Try mixing up the number of points you have...low one
day, middle the next, back to low, then high end of your points.
Special note: If you're very active never eat at the low end of your
points, your body may think it's starving, always eat middle to high
end
of your points and take those extra food points you earn with the
PointsBooster (you'll get one after you reach your 10% goal) if you
need
them...let your hunger be your guide. Remember, you can trade exercise
points for food points once you have earned more than 2 points of
activity
in one day, trade them for food on a one-to-one basis.
13. Take your measurements and look for other non-scale signs of
progress
Often even when the scale isn't moving, we're still improving our
health and our bodies, which will show up in other ways other than the
scale. Have your measurements gone down? How are your clothes fitting?
Can
you climb a flight of stairs without being winded? Has your cholesterol
gone down? Can you walk now for 20 minutes when before you were huffing
and puffing at 5 minutes? How do you feel? Have you reached your 10%
goal? Hold that keychain in your hands as a measure of your success.
14. Are you on an attitude plateau?
Are you just tired of feeling like you're going to be doing this
forever? Does that translate into that right now your desire to lose
weight
is equal to your desire for freedom from counting and having to think
about points and healthy food choices? If so, then that mental attitude
might be the culprit in that you're following a more relaxed adherence
to the program but you think you're still doing it to the letter.
Remind
yourself of why you started this process, look at how far you've come.
Is your goal still the same? Is it that you're scared of success, are
okay with how you look right now, have you become complacent? Ask
yourself these kind of questions honestly. If you're tired of the
weight loss
routine or have become complacent, try spicing up your food plan by
trying more interesting meals and snacks, adding new foods, trying new
recipes or new restaurants. Set new goals, setting a new goal can
continue
to challenge yourself. Pretend like it's your first week on program all
over again, try to recapture that enthusiasm that you had in the
beginning! You can do it as long as you don't give up!
15. Consider maintenance
A plateau that lasts a long time can be the practice to show you that
you can maintain your weight. Sustaining weight loss is a challenge in
itself. Consider doing the maintenance process so as to take a break
from weight loss. Taking a break from weight loss and focusing on
keeping
the weight off can be the best thing to do, especially if a vacation or
stressful situation is what is keeping you from continuing on your
weight loss journey. It's better to gain some ground, then hold it,
then go
back and gain more ground than to give up because then you lose all of
the ground you've gained (lost!).
Low Calorie Candy Treats
Candyland
by Richard Simmons
"Let me call you sweetheart,
"I'm in love with you … !"
Sure, I could sing that song to you, but this time I was crooning to a candy bar! I may be middle-aged, but I believe you never outgrow your love of candy! But do I have to tell you what sugary treats can do to your weight? I didn't think so.
Still, it is Valentine's Day month, after all, and I think we're entitled to give in to our candy craving a teeny bit! I won't lie to you - candy isn't the most nutritious food you can eat. But we all need a tiny splurge once in a while to help us stick to our food plan! As song as we don't go overboard, it's perfectly fine to indulge, in small amounts, every now and then.
Like with every other food, though, some candy will "cost" you more, fat- and calories-wise, than others. Here are my handy charts to help you make the best choices:
25-Calorie Treats
1 chocolate Hershey's Kiss
4 gumdrops
1 lollipop
6 jellybeans
1 piece Bazooka bubble-gum
2 Life Savers
5 Gummi Bears
1 large marshmallow
Other Not-So-Bad-For-You Candy
Candy -----------------Amount---------Fat Grams---------Calories
Strawberry Twizzlers - 1 oz---------1-----------------100
Candy corn--------------1 oz---------0.6---------------100
Butterscotch candy-----1 oz---------1------------------110
Crystallized ginger------1 oz---------0-----------------95
Tootsie Rolls------------1.4oz--------4-----------------160
And don't forget about these other sweet treats …
Freeze some grapes or a peeled banana. Voilà ! You've got an instant low-cal ice pop!
Fat-free hot cocoa can be as little as 25 calories a cup, with no fat.
1/4 cup of raisins has about 100 calories and practically no fat.
10 dried-apricot halves contain no fat and only about 85 calories.
1 caramel-flavored rice cake has 50 calories and no fat.
Low Calorie Snacks
Almost No Calories (Freebie window)
Celery sticks
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Green peppers
Mushrooms
Cauliflower
Broccoli
25-30 Calories (Extra window)
1 medium carrot
1/2 cup watermelon
1 small tomato
1/4 cantaloupe
1 cup popcorn
1 small tangerine
12 pretzel sticks
35-40 Calories
1 medium peach
1 medium nectarine
1/2 grapefruit
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 small banana
3 saltine crackers
50-60 Calories (One fruit window)
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 cup strawberries
4 small shrimp
1 small apple
1 small orange
15 grapes
12 cherries
FoodMover or Diabetic Exchanges 101
WELCOME TO FOODMOVER 101!
Today on the ship, we have our FoodMover 101 Class. Here are some
interesting facts about using the FoodMover for you!
*Your FoodMover comes with my FoodMover Instructional Booklet, Food
Exchange
Meal Plan Booklet, Restaurant and International Food Exchange Booklet,
FoodMover calorie cards, and my FoodMover cookbook!
*The FoodMover has windows that represent the 6 different food groups,
extras, water, exercise, vitamins, and daily motivators. There is a
slot in
the end to insert the calorie card for your calorie level.
*The 6 different food groups represented on the FoodMover are these:
Dairy
Fat
Fruit
Vegetable
Protein
Starch.
*Each of the FoodMover windows represents 1 serving from a food group.
Here
are some examples of 1 serving from a food group:
1 small apple = 1 fruit window
1 ounce of chicken = 1 protein window (a 3-ounce breast would be 3
protein
windows)
1 cup (8 ounces) nonfat milk = 1 dairy window
½ of a 2-ounce bagel = 1 starch window
1 teaspoon of margarine = 1 fat window
1 cup raw broccoli = 1 vegetable window
½ cup cooked carrots = 1 vegetable window
½ cup (4 ounces) tomato juice = 1 vegetable window
1 8-ounce glass of water = 1 water window.
HOW TO START!
1. Blast Off week is where you begin. Insert your Blast Off card (1000
calories) into the slot at the end of the FoodMover. Close the windows
that
do not have an icon in them. (Always push the window closed till you
hear a
little “click”. This will keep your windows from opening after you
close
them.)
*Blast Off week will help your body get ready for the healthy foods you
will
be eating.
*Read your Instructional Booklet. It contains a menu plan for Blast Off
week.
*USE THIS CARD FOR ONLY ONE WEEK!
*Plan your meals, and be sure to measure your portions.
*Be sure to eat 3 healthy meals and 2 snacks every day.
2. Make sure you read ALL of your Instructional Booklet and your Food
Exchange and Meal Plan Booklet! They are your guides to a healthier
lifestyle.
3. After Blast Off week, remove your Blast Off card and insert the
calorie
card that is right for you as indicated in your Instructional Booklet.
4. The FoodMover teaches portions and helps you be accountable as you
eat
your meals and close your windows. When they are all closed, you are
done
eating for the day.
5. Be sure to eat all the food on your plan. Eating too little food
will NOT
make you lose more weight. Your body needs to be fed in order to work
at its
peak performance.
6. You can do this, and you will feel healthier and better each day!
THERE’S MORE IN A WINDOW THAN MEETS THE THIGH…I MEAN EYE!
Don’t think that each window contains only nutrients from the main food
group it represents. Here is a nutritional breakdown of one average
serving
in each food group.
Starches
*Low-fat Starches have about 80 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrate, 3
grams
of protein, and trace amounts of fat. Close 1 starch window.
*High-fat Starches have about 120 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrate, 3
grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat. Close 1 starch window and 1 fat
window.
*Very High-fat Starches have about 144 calories, 15 grams of
carbohydrate, 3
grams of protein, and 8 grams of fat. Close 1 starch window and 2 fat
windows.
Fruits
*Fruits have about 60 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrate, 0 grams of
protein, and 0 grams of fat. Close 1 fruit window.
Protein
*Lean Proteins have about 55 calories, 0 grams of carbohydrate, 7 grams
of
protein, and 3 grams of fat. Close 1 protein window.
*Medium-fat Proteins have about 75 calories, 0 grams of carbohydrate, 7
grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat. Close 1 protein window.
*High-fat Proteins have about 100 calories, 0 grams of carbohydrate, 7
grams
of protein, and 8 grams of fat. Close 1 protein window and 1 fat
window.
*Very High-fat Proteins have about 136 calories, 0 grams of
carbohydrate, 7
grams of protein, and 12 grams of fat. Close 1 protein and 2 fat
windows.
Fats
*Fats (both saturated and unsaturated) have about 45 calories, 0 grams
of
carbohydrate, 0 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat. Close 1 fat
window.
Vegetables
*Bonus Vegetables have 10 or less calories, less than 2 grams of
carbohydrate, 0 or trace grams of protein, and 0 grams of fat. Close no
windows.
*Limited Vegetables have about 25 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrate, 2
grams
of protein, and 0 grams of fat. Close 1 vegetable window.
Dairy
*Non-fat and Low-fat Dairy portions have about 90 calories, 12 grams of
carbohydrate, 8 grams of protein, and trace amounts of fat. Close 1
dairy
window.
*High-fat Diary portions have about 120 calories, 12 grams of
carbohydrate,
8 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat. Close 1 dairy and 1 fat window.
*Very High-fat Dairy portions have about 150 calories, 12 grams of
carbohydrate, 8 grams of protein, and 8 grams of fat. Close 1 dairy and
2
fat windows.
Extras
*Extras have 30 calories or less. The amount of carbohydrate, protein,
and
fat varies. Close 1 extra window.
Bonuses
*Bonuses have 10 calories or less. They are unlimited, but they may add
up
quickly, so use in specified amounts. Close no windows.
YOUR HOMEWORK:
1. List at least 3 other exchanges in each of the 6 food groups, plus 3
bonuses and 3 extras that you like to use.
2. Which foods in each group do you rely on most often?
3. Are there any foods in any of the food groups that you don't eat
very
often that you could use more often to add variety to your meals?
Plateau Busting Food Mover Style
For my next plateau,
I think I will go up a calorie card for a week then back down to my
normal one.
Cause once we get to goal we will have to go up any way. cause any flucation in your regular routine will give your body
a little jolt, and say hey what's going on. You may not lose the actual
week you do it, but once you go back down to your regular card I think
you will. I will try it and see! lol :) I will probably give it a go,
next year, 2 weeks before the new year, to see if I can get a little bit
more off before ringing in the new year.
Getting the Most Bang For Your Exchanges
For those of you who crave volume.....
Utilize the proteins that give you double the amount.
Example: 4 ounces of Chicken would cost you 4 Protein Exch.
You can get 8 ounces of Fish (Seafood) for those same 4 Protein Exch.
Tonight my 10 ounces (raw weight) of scallops, haddock & shrimp, baked
with a
few crumbs on it will cook down to 8 ounces and cost me only 4 Protein
Exchanges,
and about 10 opt. cals. for the crumbs.
Foodmover 1400 Calorie Card Tips
Look for good snacks and foods that equal fewer calories but
score big on fullness and satisfaction.
I have found that regular (not instant) oatmeal, Light OAT breads,
whole grain pasta and Joseph's Light Oat pita breads
(60 cals. per Lg. round) and light Microwave popcorn work well for that.
Salt Slashing Tips and Products
Because reducing sodium intake is important to both maintaining healthy blood pressure and preventing bloating, here are some tips from the Hungry Girl Newsletter for lowering salt intake.
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
18 Time Saving Cooking Tips
Since half of the challenge of eating healthy is preparation, I thought I'd share
these tips here.
18 Time-Saving Cooking Tips
Article By: Leslie Fink, MS, RD
Short on time? Try these kitchen shortcuts.
A colleague of mine doesn't understand why anyone would buy
bottled, minced garlic when it takes less than 30 seconds to
peel and mince a fresh clove. But she gets home from work by
4 p.m. and has no children. I walk in the door around 7:15 p.m.,
and I've got kidsthree of them all under the age of six.
And every second counts.
So I love time-saving foods like frozen chopped onions, sliced
pepper strips and already peeled and cubed butternut squash.
They're like having my own personal sous chef at my beck and call.
Getting Food on the Table Fast
There are so many great ways to save cooking time without
compromising flavor and texture.
Bev Bennett, author of 30 Minute Meals for Dummies,
gives this advice:
Soups and Stews
"Think about the flavor profile of the recipe," Bennett says.
Canned tomatoes come in so many flavorsItalian, Mexican,
southwestern which cuts back on your need to add lots of seasonings.
Frozen vegetable mixes often come with seasoning packets like
Japanese or Chinese, among others.
If you do use frozen veggies in a soup or stew, consider cutting
back on the recipe's liquid just a little bit since the vegetables
thaw and add some extra water. Or just increase your seasonings a
touch.
Buy frozen chopped vegetables if you plan on pureeing the soup since
it won't matter if your broccoli was a big mush in the first place.
And definitely use frozen veggies in slow cooker recipes since you're
expecting your ingredients to be nice and tender. Plus, you'll save
time since your food cooks without you even having to be home.
Look for pourable broth in cartons. There's no need for a can-opener,
and you'll always have some handy in the fridge.
Baked Meals (Lasagna, Frittatas, Casseroles)
Use uncooked regular noodles in lasagna; just make sure they are
completely covered by sauce when baking; there's no need to boil
them first.
You're expecting vegetables to be soft in these kinds of recipes
so buying already diced or chopped frozen vegetables makes a lot
of sense. Frozen chopped onions and peppers are two of Bennett's
favorites.
Consider low-fat chicken sausages. They're typically precooked so
you just need to slice and toss them in for instant flavor. If
you're using vegetables that take a long time to cook or require
a lot of prep work, such as diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water-
packed roasted peppers and corn kernels, buy them bottled or canned.
Stir-Fries
Rely on low-fat bottled sauces and dried rubs to flavor meat and
vegetables in seconds.
Skip frozen vegetables, which tend to go mushy. Instead, purchase
precut vegetables found in the produce section of your supermarket;
fresh stir-fry kits are popping up all over the place, too.
Save time with already-peeled shrimp (skip frozen, which tend to be
watery) and chicken breast slices that are already pounded nice and
thin for quick cooking.
Serve with quick-cooking or instant rice.
Baking Mixes
They're almost foolproof these days and are amazing time-savers.
Use baking mixes as is or add a "homemade twist" by adding a
fresh ingredient such as chopped walnuts or dried cranberries.
You can also do a complete flavor makeover with just one ingredient:
Try adding some fresh orange or lemon zest, or a dash of almond
or vanilla extract.
Forget separating eggs. When a recipe calls for just whites,
buy some pourable liquid egg whites instead.
Smoothies
Use frozen fruit instead of fresh: There's minimal prep work, less
cleanup and no need for ice. Plus, frozen fruit is often more
nutritious than fresh fruit since nutrients are locked in soon
after picking when the fruit's frozen. "You'll have the equivalent
of a very healthy fruit soft-serve," Bennett says.
http://www.weightwa tchers.com/ util/art/ index_art. aspx?
tabnum= 3&art_id= 40821&sc= 3029
Art of the Compliment
hrough the Looking Glass: The Gift of a Compliment
written by Kathryn Martyn
How do you see yourself? I read so many e-mails from people who say
they've lost a lot of weight, and yet, they still feel ... worried,
anxious, afraid. They see themselves as the same heavier person, and
don't believe they can keep the lost pounds off. The problem becomes
not one of staying with a new life plan of better eating and more
body movement but one of racing to get back to the "old me." It's
the comfort level of seeing yourself in a new and improved way that
causes much of the earlier gains to be lost.
Gather up a selection of old magazines and start going through them,
looking for people who have similar body styles as yours but smaller.
We're going to find role models in the real world that resemble how
we'd like to start to see ourselves, and then we're going to cut out
our heads and paste them onto new bodies - giving ourselves a visual
help to see ourselves the way others see us. We tend to be our own
worst critics. No one is ever going to pay as much attention to you
as you do yourself. The rest of the world is too busy thinking of
themselves, worrying we're looking at them.
If you some part of yourself you don't like and focus on it to the
exclusion of all else, you'll keep yourself stuck. A beautiful lady
with short stubby fingers doesn't know how lovely she is because she
only sees her "sausage" fingers. "If my hands look so fat and ugly,
how could the rest of me be any different?" When her husband tells
her, "You look nice tonight," she's thinking, "But what about my
hands? You must think they're horrible. I know they're ugly, so
I'm ugly. You're only trying to make me feel better, so thanks
a lot but it won't work."
When someone compliments you they are giving you a gift and by
refusing their compliment ("My hair? Oh, my gosh, it looks awful
today") you are, in effect, refusing their gift. If someone gives
you a lovely box at Christmas do you say, "Oh, no. There must be
a mistake. You don't like me. Here take it back. I don't want it."
Probably not. You probably say, "Oh, wow! Thanks. That's really
sweet of you."
Yet, when someone comments on something we're wearing we try to
discount it saying, "This old rag? I've had it for years."
"You really look beautiful tonight," he says to which you reply,
"Well I feel just awful. I'm bloated and tired. Look at these bags
under my eyes. And my weight? I've never been so heavy. I wish we
didn't have to go to this party," and now he's wishing he would
have kept his mouth shut.
Learn to accept compliments graciously and you'll start to
appreciate yourself more.
Practice accepting a complement:
Lesson 1: Say thank you.
"You look nice today."
Smile. Pause. "Thank you." Smile. (Think: It's a gift, be
gracious.)
That's it. Don't add anything. Don't try to minimize what they
said, don't brush it off. They are giving you a gift. Accept it
graciously. "Thank you." It's not so difficult to say. Try it.
"Thank you." Smile. Practice. It's the smile that relieves any
tension or embarrassment, so practice smiling in response to
compliments until it becomes your natural response.
Find a mirror, hand held or full length, it doesn't matter. Look
deeply into your eyes and say these words like you really mean
it, "You look nice today." Pause and listen to what's running
through your head then let those thoughts go. Speak it out loud,
if you are alone, "Thank you." Then smile--show some teeth,
really smile. Smiling feels great. Practice smiling for a few
minutes.
What feels best? Smiling first, or after? While you're practicing
notice what you do with your body when you either smile or say,
"Thank you." Do you draw in a deep breath? Do you pull your
shoulders up near your ears in an effort to hide? Do you turn your
head to the side and lean it toward your shoulder?
It's okay, whatever you might do in reaction, just notice it. Most
of those movements are related to feeling unworthy of the
attention, but you are worthy simply by virtue of one having
given you the compliment in the first place. If someone deems
you worthy, you are worthy. Relax those shoulders. Breath. Think
of a compliment as a nicely wrapped box, and learn to accept it
with appreciation for the giver.
By practicing first then the next time someone gives you a compliment
you can truly accept it and give them a nice smile and thank you in
return. Watch their face and you'll see they're happy their gift was
well received, and you'll feel better too. Try it.
Yours in good eating,
Kathryn Martyn, M.NLP
Freakishly Good Frozen Foods
SOURCE: Hungry Girl
Looking for a creamy way to cool off? Check out some of HG's fave
chilly ice
cream novelties... And keep an eye out for MORE of our Freakishly Good
Frozen Finds -- coming your way soon.
Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom Supremes, Raspberry Cheesecake
(150 calories, 10g fat, 55mg sodium, 15g carbs, 2g fiber, 2g sugars, 2g
protein = 3 Points)
OK, we don't even love cheesecake. Or raspberries, for that matter. Or
even dark chocolate. But still, we can safely say that this is one of
the BEST
tasting ice cream bars EVER. No sugar added reduced fat cheesecake ice
cream is infused with cheesecake pieces and a raspberry swirl, then
dipped
in smooth dark chocolate. These things are so decadent and delicious,
your
head just may explode when you eat one. With 10g of fat, though, this
bar
should be eaten only every once in a while when cheesecake cravings are
too strong to ignore.
Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom, White Chocolate Almond Lites
(100 calories, 7g fat, 30mg sodium, 10g carbs, 2g fiber, 2g sugars, 2g
protein = 2 Points)
White chocolate lovers, rejoice! The guilt-free ice cream world has NOT
forgotten you. These slim but satisfying bars are made of light vanilla
ice
cream dipped in white chocolate and diced almonds. Brilliant! These
treats
are extremely unique (not to mention delicious).
Weight Watchers GIANT Cookies ‘n Cream Bars
(140 calories, 5g fat, 95mg sodium, 25g carbs, 4g fiber, 14g sugars, 3g
protein = 2 Points)
Featuring low fat cookies & cream ice cream covered in cookie bits,
these
large and in charge pops certainly live up to their name. These
cookie-licious
treats will kick cravings for oreos, ice cream sundaes, chocolate and
more.
WE HEART YOU, WEIGHT WATCHERS GIANT COOKIES 'n CREAM BAR!
There, it's out of our systems.
Skinny Cow Ice Cream Cones
(150 calories, 2.5-3g fat, 85-95mg sodium, 28-29g carbs, 2g fiber, 19g
sugars, 4g protein = 3 Points)
Leave it to our friend the svelte heifer to come up with yet another
smashingly sensational sweet treat for the diet-conscious. These crispy
cones
are lined with chocolate, then topped with either chocolate or vanilla
ice
cream. The chocolate cones are drizzled with chocolate syrup (for a
triple
chocolate punch!), and the vanilla is topped with gooey caramel. Yum!
Blue Bunny Health Smart Fudge & Vanilla Fudge Bars
(50-60 calories, 0g fat, 45-50mg sodium, 13-14g carbs, 4-5g fiber, 3-4g
sugars, 3g protein = 0.5 Points)
This box o' chilly goodness comes complete with 3 yummy fudge bars and
3
swirly-rific pinwheel type chocolate/vanilla combo bars. Our faves are
the
swirly ones, of course, but we're fans of both. Amazingly, these pops
pack in
4-5g of fiber each, and contain no fat, no added sugar and just 50-60
calories. HG Heads Up! Look out for other flavors as well --including
Strawberry Creme & Orange Creme. Weeeee! (And we know this is our
THIRD Blue Bunny item on the list. We can't help it...we LOVE BB!)
Healthy Choice Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Sandwiches
(140 calories, 3g fat, 120mg sodium, 27g carbs, 0g fiber, 17g sugars,
2g
protein = 3 Points)
Unlike any ice cream sandwich we've ever had before, it's hard to
believe
this vanilla ice creamy, caramel infused, cookie snuggled dreamboat of
a
treat contains just 140 calories. That's crazy! In a good way. This
one's a
must-taste for vanilla-lovers. Pssst...we hear there are die-hard ice
cream
fans that REFUSE to believe this sandwich is guilt-free in any way.
--
Fitness Facts You Should Know
Fitness Facts You Should Know
Fitness Fact 1. Studies have suggested that walking at a brisk pace
for three or more hours a week can reduce your risk for coronary heart
disease by 65 percent.
Fitness Fact 2. About 25 percent of American adults — and an even
greater percentage of women — are sedentary. After age 44, upwards of 30
percent of women are sedentary, and by age 65, the proportion increases
to almost 35 percent. By the time they reach age 75, about 50 percent
of all women are sedentary.
Fitness Fact 3. Only about 22 percent of American adults engage in
regular, sustained physical activity for at least 30 minutes five times a
week, and only 15 percent exercise both regularly and vigorously.
Fitness Fact 4. No matter how poor your current level of fitness, you
can start an exercise routine and become fitter and healthier. Even
90-year-old women who use walkers have been shown in studies to benefit
from light weight training.
Fitness Fact 5. Simply adding movement into your daily routine can
increase your level of fitness. For example, if you park in the last row
of the parking lot and walk briskly five minutes each way between your
office and your car, walk up and down the stairs at your office during
your 10-minute afternoon coffee break, and walk the dog for 10 minutes
when you get home, you've racked up 30 minutes of exercise for the day.
Fitness Fact 6. Women with heart disease or arthritis actually
experience improved daily function from involvement in various modes of
physical activity.
Fitness Fact 7. Fitness consists of four components: your body's
ability to use oxygen as a source of energy, which translates into
cardiovascular fitness; muscular strength and endurance; flexibility; and body
composition.
Fitness Fact 8. To address all the components of fitness, an exercise
program needs to include aerobic exercise, which is continuous
repetitive movement of large muscle groups that raises your heart rate; weight
lifting or strength training; and flexibility exercises or stretching.
Fitness Fact 9. Walking at a brisk pace (a 15-minute mile or 4 mph)
burns almost as many calories as jogging for the same distance. The
benefit of jogging is that it takes less time to cover the same distance
and it benefits the bones; however, it may be too strenuous for some.
Fitness Fact 10. It takes about 12 weeks after starting an exercise
program to see measurable changes in your body. However, before 12
weeks, you will notice an increase in your strength and endurance.
Copyright 2003 National Women's Health Resource Center, Inc.
Exercising When You Hate It
http://diet. ivillage. com/issues
Can you make time for something you don't like?
by Catherine Censor
If they ever have a telethon for type A personalities, my sister Rachel
would be the poster child. An investment banker, she flies to dozens of
meetings a week. She eats what she can scrounge from vending machines, her
shoulders are hunched forward as if bent over an imaginary desk and her skin
looks like it hasn't seen outdoor light in about a decade.
When she's not worrying about her two young kids, the mortgage on her
apartment or the future of her embattled firm, she worries that she ought to
be doing something to reduce her stress, correct her posture and strengthen
her body. That something, she fears, is yoga.
"The breathing, the relaxation, the excruciating poses," she sighs. "I know
it's exactly what I need." There's just one problem. She hates yoga.
"It makes me want to crawl out of my skin," she complains. "My mind races
when I'm supposed to be relaxing, and I get anxious thinking about all the
time I'm wasting holding downward dog. But if I hate it, does that mean I
really need it?"
This is a question I've heard before. We all have something we dread doing.
Sometimes, it's a whole category of thing (anything competitive, anything
cardiovascular, anything "mind-body," etc.). Sometimes, it's a specific
exercise (push-ups, lunges or those horrible squat-thrusts they made you do
in gym class). I get asked repeatedly, "If I hate it, does that mean I
really need to be doing it?"
The answer, I've decided, is yes... maybe. Obviously, my sister needs to
learn to value time spent nourishing her body and spirit. And clearly, yoga
would be an ideal way to accomplish her goals. But yoga is hardly the only
solution to her problems. She could, for example, assemble a program of
strength training and cardio that would do the same thing. She could try
Pilates or dance or mountain climbing. There's always another way.
The important question to ask here is, "Is there something to be gained by
pushing through the hate?" While there are always alternatives, sometimes
there's no substitute for sucking it up and doing it anyway. Ask yourself
what it is that you truly hate about it. Chances are, what you hate is not
the activity or exercise, but the potential for failure. When you just don't
want to do something, it may well be because you fear, deep down, that you
aren't very good at it. Being human, we go through life protecting our
weaknesses. We favor our good hand when we write, we show off our "best
features" in clothes, and further our knowledge in subjects we've already
mastered. Little wonder, then, that when it comes to physical activity, we
embrace what we know we can do and shy away from anything that might expose
an ugly fissure of weakness.
Of course, hiding weakness is not the same thing as eliminating it. So
avoiding an encounter with your awkward, fumbling, struggling self is
ultimately futile. You'll stay comfortable, but you'll stay stuck. It's far
better to expose your weakness and get stronger. Do the lunges. The worst
that can happen is that your legs will be sore the next day. Take the tennis
clinic. You'll swing and miss a lot, but if you keep trying, you'll improve.
And Rachel, get your butt to a yoga studio. When you get really good, you
can shame me into stretching.
Chair Workout Routine
Often, someone mentions that they are unable to do much exercise due to
bad backs, knees, hips, etc so here you go: You can do something-chair
exercises!
Chair Exercises
by Michael Roussell
We have received many requests
for exercises that are suitable for someone who is confined to a
wheelchair or has limited mobility. While many weight lifting movements are
completed in the standing or lying position, we recognize that for some
people these positions are uncomfortable or impossible. This does not
mean that you should give up on resistance training and fitness. There are
many exercises that can be done sitting and performed in a manner to
elevate your heart rate and improve your cardiovascular fitness.
This month, we put two seated movements together in what is known as
a “superset” to work both the triceps (the back of your arms) and the
shoulders. To complete this exercise, all you need is a chair and one
soup can that you can grip firmly in your hand. To start with, select a
can with a weight that allows you to complete the superset at least
once. As you grow stronger, you can increase the weight. If you have a
dumbbell, it can be used in place of the soup can.
The first movement in the sequence is an overhead triceps extension.
Place the can in your left hand and, without moving your shoulders,
extend your arm straight above your head. This is the starting position.
Keep the part of your arm from the elbow to the shoulder still and bend
your arm at the elbow and lower the can behind your head. This is the
midpoint of the movement. Pause for one second and reverse the movement,
straightening out your arm again. Repeat this movement seven more times
for a total of eight reps.
The second movement is a shoulder press. You will start the movement
with the can (or dumbbell) in your left hand, with your arm folded next
to your body so that the hand with the can is resting on your left
shoulder. Now press your arm straight up above your head, pausing at the
top for one second. Lower the weight back down to your shoulder - that is
one rep. Repeat this movement seven more times.
Now start over with the can in your right hand. Complete the superset
of eight reps of each movement with your right arm.
What makes this a “superset”? A superset is two movements done back
to back with little to no rest in between. The chart below outlines how
the workout should progress.
Left Arm Overhead Triceps Extension x 8 reps Little to No
Rest Shoulder Press x 8 reps Little to No Rest Switch Arms
Right Arm Overhead Triceps Extension x 8 reps Little to No Rest
Shoulder Press x 8 reps Little to No Rest Rest 90-120 seconds and
repeat 2 more times
You will notice that I specify “Little to No Rest” between movements.
You should tailor your rest periods to your own personal fitness level.
Starting out, you may need to take longer rest periods but as you
develop a higher level of fitness, you can shorten the rest time. The key is
to push yourself to work hard but, at the same time, listen to your
body.
Make Time For Exercise Now to Gain Time Later
This was posted on a WW board some time ago:
I really identified with the making now time to have time (life) later.
I really identified with the making now time to have time (life) later.
as for exercise ambition.... let me tell you the truth. i have none. i
HATE exercise with a passion. it not only hurts (muscles get tired) and
wet (i sweat up a storm) and tiring (of course) but it also takes time
away from other things i could/should/would be doing. I always have
something ELSE to do. Additionally, it takes TIME to get the clothes and
shoes on. It takes TIME to shower afterwards. it takes TIME .. time ...
time.
well, one thought i'm trying to instill in my brain is that by spending
time NOW i am gaining time LATER (hope of living longer)...
and, it is hard for me to jusitfy sitting at the computer reading all
sorts of boards and websites and email lists about weightloss and
healthy lifestyle when i've only moved from bed, to the kitchen to the couch
to the computer, etc. So guilt wins out and off i got to throw on the
workout clothes and start spending TIME.
Finding the Right Size Stability Ball
SparkPeople Experts Answer Your Fitness Questions
Question: My physiotherapist has suggested that I buy an inflatable
fitball.
How do I know what size is right for me?
Expert Answer
Fitballs (aka Swiss balls, stability balls, physioballs, etc.) are
some of the best exercise tools around. You can do so many
different exercises with them. Possibly the most important
thing it does is develop your core and stabilizer muscles,
which help in so many areas of your life.
Balls come in different sizes, depending on your height.
Balls are typically 55-75 cm inflated. Someone 5'2-5'7
would use a 55 cm ball, 5'7-6'2 a 65 cm ball and 6'2 and
over, a 75 cm ball. If you have an opportunity to try one
that is fully inflated, you should be able to sit on it
with your knees at a right angle, feet flat on the floor.
Exercise Extra: Sitting or lying on a stability ball helps
strengthen your core- no matter which muscle groups you're working.
Exercise Reverses Unhealthy Effects of Inactivity
HealthNewsDigest.com 6/5/2006
(HealthNewsDigest.com).. DURHAM,
N.C. --
Many of the detrimental effects of physical inactivity can be
reversed, and in some cases improved, by a similar period of moderate
exercise, Duke University Medical Center researchers have found in a new
analysis of data from the first randomized clinical trial to evaluate the
effects of exercise in sedentary overweight men and women.
Just as important, the trial participants who exhibited the greatest
decline in physical status during inactivity benefited the most from
exercise training, according to the researchers.
These findings linking the ability of exercise training to reverse
the negative effects of inactivity can be attributed to the exercise
alone, because the participants did not alter their diets during the trial,
the researchers said.
"Continuing to lead an inactive lifestyle leads to a gradual decline
in many important markers for cardiovascular health," said Jennifer
Robbins, an exercise physiologist at Duke, who presented the results of
the study June 2, 2006, at the annual meeting of the American College of
Sports Medicine in Denver.
"The good news is that a small amount of physical activity can make a
big difference in reducing the risks for developing such conditions as
heart disease, stroke or diabetes," she said. "Our findings demonstrate
that while the cost of choosing a sedentary lifestyle can be high,
switching to an active way of life can be beneficial at any time."
The current study stemmed from a recently completed trial known as
STRRIDE (Studies of a Targeted Risk Reduction Intervention through
Defined Exercise). The trial, funded by a $4.3 million grant from the
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, investigated the effects of
exercise on sedentary overweight adults at risk for developing
heart disease, diabetes, or both.
The STRRIDE trial, in which the intervention ran for six months,
randomly assigned 334 participants into three different exercise
groups and one control group.
"At the end of the trial, we were surprised to see that many markers
of cardiovascular health declined in participants in the control group,
who did not exercise," Robbins said. "Our Duke group decided to see if
these negative effects could be reversed after the participants spent
the same amount of time in an exercise program."
Of the 61 STRRIDE participants randomly assigned to the control group
53 agreed to the take part in the new study, which ran an additional
six months. The researchers measured 17 biological factors known to
increase cardiovascular risk, including waist size, physical fitness,
visceral fat levels, body mass index, cholesterol levels, insulin
sensitivity and indicators of metabolic syndrome, a precursor of diabetes.
"In the new analysis, we found that waist size, time to exhaustion,
visceral fat and metabolic syndrome scores deteriorated significantly
during the six-month period of inactivity during the original STRRIDE
trial," Robbins said. "However, after six months of exercise training in
the study, 13 of the 17 variables had either reverted to original
baseline levels or even improved."
According to Robbins, only a moderate amount of exercise is needed to
counteract the detrimental effects of inactivity in these individuals.
The STRRIDE trial measured three levels of physical activity: the
equivalents of 12 miles of walking per week, 12 miles of jogging per
week or 20 miles of jogging per week. Participants worked out on
treadmills, elliptical trainers or cycle ergometers in a supervised
setting.
"When looking at the group as a whole, we found it wasn't the
participants with the highest intensity of exercise who accounted for the
combined beneficial effects," Robbins said. "That should be reassuring for
people to know they don't have to do a high-intensity workout to get
these benefits of exercise."
A previous analysis by the Duke group of the same STRRIDE
participants, reported in 2005, found another unhealthy effect of physical
inactivity: inactive participants gained an average of 2 pounds in
six months.
"At that rate, it can be assumed that this group of inactive people
would gain 20 pounds in five years," Robbins said. "This means this
population of sedentary people needed to exercise just to maintain their
current weight. However, our earlier studies have shown that people who
exercise can derive many of the cardiovascular risk benefits even in the
absence of weight loss."
The STRRIDE trial was led by Duke cardiologist William Kraus, M.D.
The Duke team is currently enrolling patients in STRRIDE II, in which the
team will study the effects of weight training, aerobic training, and
aerobic and weight training combined on cardiovascular health.
Joining Robbins in the current study were Cris Slentz, Brian Duscha,
Johanna Johnson and Lori Aiken of Duke, and Joseph Houmard and Jennifer
McCartney of East Carolina University.
All Copyright Subsisting under The Copyright Act
1968 (Commonwealth) Resides in US.
Chair Exercises
Amy Goldwater, B.S., is a physical fitness expert and educator. Amy
is currently a lecturer in Health and Physical Education in the
School of Education at Marquette University and a Wellness and
Fitness instructor at the Milwaukee Area Technical College. Amy holds
several national bodybuilding titles
Have you heard the one about the person who said, "When I feel the
urge to exercise, I just sitdown until the feeling passes"? Well, you
don't have to be standing to exercise. No matter what your fitness
level, you can get the exercise you need to help burn calories, tone
your body, and strengthen your muscles without getting out of your
chair.
If you like to dance, you can simply turn on some music and create
your own dance routine. Begin by tapping your toes to the music. You
can swing your legs, rotate your ankles, bend your toes, bend your
knees, move your legs up and down, or do the cha-cha. You can raise
your arms straight up or out, bend your arms at your elbows, circle
your arms, twirl your arms around, rotate your wrists, bend at the
waist while reaching for the floor, and much more.
To work the specific muscle groups you can add light weights (or use
soup cans or jugs of water as weights). Work up to 12 to 15
repetitions.
Start with shoulder shrugs. Sit in a chair with your back straight
and feet flat on the floor. Raise your shoulders up toward your ears,
roll your shoulders backwards, then return to starting position.
Chair fly strokes work the chest, shoulders, and upper back. Extend
arms out to the side at shoulder height, palms facing forward. Bring
arms forward until hands touch in front of the body, then return to
starting position.
Arm curls work the biceps. Extend arms down at side with palms facing
forward. Bring palms to shoulders, then return to starting position.
Triceps extensions work the back of the arms. With the arm raised and
elbow bent and pointed toward ceiling, extend hand toward ceiling
until arm is fully extended. Return to starting position and repeat
with other arm.
Single leg raises work the thigh and hip flexor muscles. With leg
extended in front of body and heel resting on the floor, lift
extended leg to approximately hip level. Return to starting position.
Repeat with other leg.
Heel raises target the calf. While sitting with both feet flat on the
floor, raise heels off the floor and return to starting position.
Ready? Set? Sit and get fit!
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