simple and healthy eating habits to prevent weight gain

Once you’ve GOT the weight OFF, how do you KEEP it OFF?

1. What to eat - No magic food causes weight loss and no food is inherently fattening. Eat a variety of foods from meats, dairy products, grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and small amount of fat daily. Vegetables and fruits are a great source of vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates in fruits, milk and grains will give you quick energy for the first 2 hours while protein in milk and meats will keep you satisfied for 4 hours. The fat in meats and milk as well as fat added to foods will keep you satisfied for up to 6 hours.
2. Where to eat - Eliminate eating in the car, bus, train, walking, standing or on the phone. Make time to eat meals and snacks by sitting down at a table.
3. When to eat - Eat breakfast and two other meals each day. People who eat breakfast are less likely to snack in the evening. Eat at least every 4 to 6 hours (preferably every 4) when awake rather than waiting until your stomach starts growling.
4. How much to eat - Calories count. Choose smaller portion sizes. Forget those super sizes as they are expensive to your waistline.
5. Grocery shopping - If you don't buy it or make it, food has a hard time finding its way into your mouth! Shop from a grocery list and after a meal when you are not hungry to limit impulse buying.
6. Eating out - In restaurants, if you aren't sure how a food is prepared - ask. When your food is served, divide off what you are going to eat and take the rest home for lunch the next day. Just because food is presented to you at a buffet and just because it is included in the price of a meal doesn't mean you have to eat or sample everything.
7. Record your eating – JOURNALING – I love it! Keep a written record of what you eat and drink. You may even want to record when and where you eat to see what triggers your eating habbits. Do you eat when you are tired, bored or upset?
8. Weigh in - Weigh yourself daily (same time and under the same conditions) and record it. It helps keep track of your weight so that when your weight varies by more than 5 pounds you can make small eating and activity changes before 5 pounds turns into 10 or more.
9. Pay attention & slow down - Don't get distracted by multitasking while eating. Activities like watching TV or reading takes your focus off how much you are eating and your sense of fullness. Stop when you sense that you are full no matter how much food is left on your plate. Eat slower and drink water with eat meal. It about 20 minutes for a message to get from your stomach to your brain that you are full so meals should take at least 20 minutes and preferably longer. Chew each mouthful thoroughly. If you fall off the wagon, don't beat yourself up. Get immediately back on rather than waiting for the next day or New Years.
10. Get moving - Take a look at your daily schedule and figure out how you can walk, bike or run more. Get 30 - 60 minutes of exercise each day and wear a pedometer to keep track. Aim for 10,000 steps a day.
11. Drink water - Drink enough water so that your urine is colorless and odorless during the day. People who drink a sufficient amount of water are more likely lose weight and keep it off.

GREAT new breakfast idea: Smucker's Sugar Free Preserves 0 points!

Now you can have all the taste you want, without the sugar - and with 80% fewer calories than regular preserves. That's because Smucker's Sugar Free preserves are sweetened with only NutraSweet.®

GREAT new breakfast idea: Pepperidge Farm English Muffins 2 points!

Toast them up warm and delicious with a crispy crust and tender center. Add your favorite topping and Pepperidge Farm English Muffins are the perfect way to start your morning. Enjoy their 100% Whole Wheat English Muffins - only 2 points!

changes you can make to help you lose weight

1. Set realistic goals. You didn't put on the extra weight overnight so it is unrealistic to expect to take it off over night and it’s not healthy to take it off too quick either. Set a goal that you can reach in one month that is 4 to 8 pounds less than you weigh now.
2. Spread your calories around. Divide your caloric intake by the number of meals (at least three) so that you eat about the same amount of calories at each meal. Ideally, meals should not be more than 500 calories each. Use the remaining calories for snacks between meals. Make sure you eat at least 1200 calories each day or you will begin to lose muscle tone.
3. Diet foods are not required. Eat regular foods rather than the "sugar free", "lite" or "fat free" versions (except soda beverages and milk) because the calories in these "diet" foods still count towards your total calories each day and you may find that diet foods are not as satisfying or filling so you may actually eat more of them. Drink fat free or skim milk so you can add some fat at meals. If you only drink 1% milk, then cut added fat in half at meals. If you drink 2% (low fat) milk, then don't add any fat to food at meals. Eat the basic food groups at meals - lean meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Then add one or two servings of grains or starches to each meal to reach your calorie goal. Include 8 ounces of milk and one serving of grains, fruits and vegetables at each meal to provide carbohydrate fuel for your brain and muscles. You need at least 100 grams of carbohydrate each day.
4. Drastic changes are not recommended. The plan you follow to lose weight should be built somewhat on the way you eat now but modified by these ten changes. A weight loss plan should be a plan you can follow for a lifetime by making small, simple changes in the portion sizes you eat once you reach your goal weight so that you can maintain a healthy weight.
5. Portion control. Control meal portions to a piece of lean meat as big as the back of your hand from your knuckles to where your wrist bends and as thick as your little finger or about the size of a deck of cards. Other foods like grains, vegetables and fruits can be portioned to 2 heaping serving tablespoons or approximately ½ cup each per meal. Measure how many ounces are in your beverage glass or mug so that you pour 4 or 8 ounces portions.
6. Cook it yourself. Bake, broil or steam food rather than frying. Consider cooking from scratch more often so you know what is in the food you eat.
7. Some fat is OK. Limit added fat to 1 teaspoon (margarine or mayonnaise or oil) or 1 tablespoon of salad dressing per meal if this doesn't exceed your calorie goal. You can choose to put margarine on your potato or salad dressing on your salad, but not both. TIP: To limit salad dressing and make it go farther, serve your salad dressing on the side of your salad and then dip your fork in the dressing before spearing your salad for each mouthful.
8. Sugar is not necessarily an evil. You just can't afford the calories. Sugar only contains carbohydrate so use an artificial sweetener in beverages or drink sugar free soda in reasonable amounts.

3aday.org

Remember the piece I wrote a couple of days ago about eating yogurt 3 times a day and losing more weight? Well, evidentally, it's NOT just yogurt (although the yogurt people would like you to think so). It can be any dairy product! There is a whole website dedicated to the concept with medical studies, recipes, helpful hints and much, much more. Check it out at www.3aday.org and see what you think.

low-calorie dairy snack ideas from 3aday.org

There's ALL KINDS of helpful info there, a lot for kids but a lot for you and me too. Check it out!

thinking about skip a meal to lose weight faster?

Did you know that eating causes hormonal effects in your body and that eating balanced meals attributes to a hormonal balance? If you don't eat, that hormonal balance becomes unbalanced AND your metabolism, or "fat-burning" energy drops!

Many people even experience mood swings, irritability, and loss of mental clarity when they don’t eat. Boy, I could claim the “loss of mental clarity” thing quite often and I don’t even skip meals!

Keep your metabolism up by eating ever 4 hours, or more often. Your metabolism can be thought of as your "fat-burning" mode. When your metabolism is up (such as when you exercise), your body is using more energy. If your goal is to lose weight, then you want to keep your metabolism up as much as possible. When you don't eat, your body compensates by lowering your metabolism.

Don't allow your balance and metabolism to be thrown off by skipping a meal or waiting too long between meals. Skipping meals causes overeating later. Sumo wrestlers (you know, those LARGE Japanese wrestlers) eat once a day. Why? Because that's the most effective way to cause your body to store fat. So don't eat like a sumo wrestler unless you want to look like a sumo wrestler!

Hey, it can be tough out there - I KNOW! It's a busy world, we live busy lives, and you've got things to do. So, here are a few tips for eating regularly.

1. Plan ahead. If you plan out your day, you will recognize those times when it may difficult to stop to eat. Take food with you if you will be unable to stop to eat.
2. Eat a good breakfast. When you sleep, you are basically fasting for 6-8 hours. End that fast by eating a good balanced meal right away.
3. Have an evening snack. Contrary to popular belief, a snack right before bed does not turn to fat. Instead, it provides the hormonal balance for your body through your sleep hours.

what's your Body Mass Index?

Do you know if you're in a healthy weight range? BMIs of 25 to 30 are generally considered overweight and over 30 is generally considered obese. To learn more, go to: http://www.weightwatchers.com/health/asm/calc_bmi.aspx and insert your height and weight and let them do the calculating for you.

old friends...

I saw an old friend today (@ Starbucks - where else?) let's call her "Monica." Monica has lost (177) a hundred and seventy-seven pounds. WoW! What an inspiration! Makes my little 30 pounds look quite insignificant at best. She's struggling with the last 20 pounds or so. I hope I was an encouragement to her, she certainly was an encouragement to me. Monica - YOU GO GIRL! You're looking fine!

week seven

Many of the ladies in our group were bemoaning the fact that this wasn't going to be a good week because it's Easter, and all the chocolate bunnies, candy, etc. But I don't think it will be that big of a deal for me. I'm not really a "candy" kind of person. Now, if someone shows up at church Sunday morning with a dozen Krispy Kream donuts...well, then we might just have us a little problem folks.

Seriously, the family is all coming for Easter dinner on Sunday and I've already worked out what I am going to eat - I've planned ahead. I think that is REALLY the key to this whole thing, planning and preparation. I mean, if I go to work with a plan as far as what I am going to have for lunch I am far more apt to have a good nutritious lunch. But, if I don't have a plan, who knows what I might end up eating.

My thought for the week. Have a plan and STICK TO IT!

Well, you would think that someone who works with numbers all day could count to 24 without messing it up! However, yesterday, somehow, I misfigured and ate 26 points instead of the normal 24. As far as I know it is the only time in 7 weeks that I have gone over the allotted points. I was looking back over my journal last night (as I do most evenings) and I realized that I had counted a cup of milk that I had for breakfast as 1 point when actually it should have been 2. Then, when I was re-adding everything, I realized that I had made yet another mistake and actually, I was off by 2 points, not just one. I didn't beat myself up too bad...

You know that whole part last week about the low-impact exercise? Well, I'm back to the high-impact (somewhat). Yes, I am training for another road race. It is only a 5K (that's a little over 3 miles) and I have until April 23 to prepare, but I have to work up to these things. So, I'm working on it.

Yoplait, can it help you lose more weight around the mid section? 

interesting article

Eat Yogurt, Burn Fat
Eating calcium-rich fat-free yogurt as part of a reduced calorie diet may boost our bodies’ fat-burning mechanism, leading to faster weight loss and a reduction in STOMACH FAT.

Excess abdominal fat is thought to increase our risk of developing heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. In a 12-week study of 34 obese adults, researchers from the University of Tennessee studied the effect of adding yogurt to a reduced-calorie diet. The group that consumed 1,100mg of calcium a day, which included three servings of fat-free yogurt, lost 22% more weight, 61% more body fat and 81% more stomach fat than those who followed the low calorie diet without the yogurt.

The study, supported by General Mills, makers of Yoplait yogurt, appears in April’s International Journal of Obesity.

One good way to eat yogurt, apart from straight from the pot, is to make a refreshing smoothie. Try a Banana Mango Smoothie or a Berry Smoothie or make up your own.

sample menu -- what I ate today

BREAKFAST
1/2 c Grapenut cereal - 3 points
1/2 c fat free milk - 1 point
3/4 c strawberries - .5 point

Starbucks :~) grande decaf non-fat latte - 3 points

SNACK
10 baby carrots - 0 point


LUNCH
1 whole wheat pita - 2 points
3 oz sliced turkey - 3 points
salad greens - 0 point
mustard - 0 point
15 fat free Pringles - 1 point
Klondike slim bear bar - 2 points

SNACK
1 cup grapes - 1 point
1 bite size Snickers - 1 point

DINNER
chicken - 2 point (wasn't a whole piece)
steam veggies - 0 point
1/2 cup fat free sugar free pudding - 1 point
1/4 cup fat free sugar free Cool Whip - 1 point
3/4 cup strawberries - .5 point
8 reduced fat Nilla Wafers - 2 points

What would you do for a Klondike bar?

Slim-a-Bear No Sugar Added/Reduced Fat Vanilla Bars
40% less fat! Reduced fat vanilla ice cream in a sugar free chocolate coating. 2 POINTS!

remember...

• 5 a day - 5 fruits and vegetables a day and not all fruit either, that's too much sugar (even if it is natural).
• 1/2 your weight in ounces of water - if you weigh 120 lb. that's 60 oz. of water a day that you should be drinking.

another great site

www.hungry-girl.com

Weight Watchers Cheese Soup

1 lb. Frozen cauliflower
8 oz light Velveeta
2 cans fat free chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 pkg frozen carrots

place all in crock pot for 2 hours
puree or mash
1 point per cup

I have tried this one too. Very, very good. I might consider doubling the cauliflower, it wouldn't add any more points, but it would make the consistency thicker. You might add a bit of broccoli as well.

Weight Watchers Mexican Soup

Mexican Bean Soup
1 can fat free refried beans
2 cans black beans
2 16 oz. cans tomatoes
2 cans fat free chicken broth
1 8 oz can corn
1 medium onion diced
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 Weight Watchers Santa Fe w/rice meal

place all in crock pot for 2 hours
2 points per cup

I've tried this and it is VERY good. Very filling, a little spicy. However, I would watch the sodium, may make you retain a bit of fluids.

seventh meeting

Well, this was a down week - no, I didn't gain, but I only lost .6 lb. Consistently, I have had a good week of weight loss followed by a slow week of weight loss, and this was the slow week. I think next week should be better. If I follow the trend, probably a 1-2 lb. weight loss next week. All together, the group lost 10.5 lbs. this week with all reporting except 1. I think we have lost that one. She has a lot on her plate (of life) right now and I think this is just not a good time for her.

Following the meeting six of us went out to dinner at Applesbee's and then there showed up another group of Weight Watcher with seven in their group, and I saw at least another lady and her husband there that also attend the same meetings that we do. The dinner was a lot of fun. We will try to do it again towards the end of our ten weeks.

By the way, that's 12 lbs. total for me so far :~) and 83.1 for the group!

fat, what is it?

There is a lot being said today about fats in our diets, good fats, bad fats, who can keep it straight? Maybe this concise description will help.

1. Saturated fats: These are the biggest dietary cause of high LDL levels ("bad cholesterol"). When looking at a food label, pay very close attention to the % of saturated fat and avoid or limit any foods that are high (for example, over 20% saturated fat). Saturated fats are found in animal products such as butter, cheese, whole milk, ice cream, cream, and fatty meats. They are also found in some vegetable oils -- coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils. (Note: most other vegetable oils contain unsaturated fat and are healthy.)
2. Unsaturated fats: Fats that help to lower blood cholesterol if used in place of saturated fats. However, unsaturated fats have a lot of calories, so you still need to limit them. There are two types: mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated. Most (but not all!) liquid vegetable oils are unsaturated. (The exceptions include coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils.)
3. Mono-unsaturated fats: Fats that help to lower blood cholesterol if used in place of saturated fats. However, mono-unsaturated fats have a lot of calories, so you still need to limit them. Examples include olive and canola oils.
4. Polyunsaturated fats: Fats that help to lower blood cholesterol if used in place of saturated fats. However, polyunsaturated fats have a lot of calories, so you still need to limit them. Examples include safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils.
5. Trans fatty acids: These fats form when vegetable oil hardens (a process called hydrogenation) and can raise LDL levels. They can also lower HDL levels ("good cholesterol"). Trans-fatty acids are found in fried foods, commercial baked goods (donuts, cookies, crackers), processed foods, and margarines.
6. Hydrogenated: refers to oils that have become hardened (such as hard butter and margarine). Foods made with hydrogenated oils should be avoided because they contain high levels of trans fatty acids, which are linked to heart disease. (Look at the ingredients in the food label.) The terms "hydrogenated" and "saturated" are related; an oil becomes saturated when hydrogen is added (i.e., becomes hydrogenated).
7. Partially hydrogenated: Refers to oils that have become partially hardened. Foods made with partially hydrogenated oils should be avoided because they contain high levels of trans fatty acids, which are linked to heart disease. (Look at the ingredients in the food label.)

quotes from a chef

Quotes from Chef Jeff Tunks, executive chef at three popular Washington, D.C. area restaurants, who has lost over 100 lbs. lbs. on a self-styled diet and exercise program.

“In the restaurant business, I’m surrounded by temptation, but I can also choose from five different kinds of fresh fish and throw it on top of a salad for dinner…I watch my portions, eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid processed foods.”

He goes on to say that the only thing he has given up entirely is fried foods. On the subject of carbs he writes, “…if you go two days eating red meat, then go tow days eating grilled fish and broccoli. It’s about picking your battles.”

a 2 point lunch

Today, for lunch I had 2 multi-grain veggie tortillas w/salsa. 1 point each. Filled me up! I had a mixture of salad greens, sliced squash, cucumber, carrot, radish, bell pepper, and sprouts in each tortilla + the salsa. It was great! You should try it sometime.

www.calorieking.com

For a database of calorie and nutritional information for more that 40 thousand foods, including name brands and chain-restaurant items go to www.CalorieKing.com.

cereal dieting

The three major cereal companies (Post, Kellogg's, and General Mills) are getting into dieting. Not that I want to go on a cereal diet any time soon but they are offering dieters of all kinds some interesting tools like online food journaling, calorie, BMI (Body Mass Index), and calorie burn calculators, menu planners, fitness planners, message boards, inspirational emails, recipes, tips, etc. Go to:

• www.posthealthyclassics.com
• www.specialk.com
• www.brandnewyou.com

and check out the possibilities.

article

I received a magazine in the mail a few weeks ago called Your diet from the publishers of People magazine. I'm not sure why I received it but it has some interesting articles in it. Here is an excerpt from one on Managing Your Metabolism How to eat more and weigh less (that last part is what caught my attention).

"The less you eat, the more weight you lose, right? Not always. The truth is, our metabolism - the rate at which our bodies use calories - increases after we eat and nose-dives when we don't."

And one on The Value of Exercise: "You can readily boost your metabolism by adding muscle and losing fat...One pound of fat burns about two calories per day, whereas one pound of muscle burns as many as 50 calories per day."

week six

I don't know of any real challenges that lie in the wake this week but I'm sure there will be some. I found a new 1 point (end of the day, you have one point left) snack. A bite size Snickers. Great for the end of the day when (you guessed it) I have one point left :~) And that's something that my husband enjoys too!

upping the anti

Every week I try to do more in the line of exercise - something different, something new, MORE. A couple of things I am doing is:

1. Raising the incline on the treadmill every Wednesday morning.
2. Adding a new exercise to my routine every Friday morning.

Now, I know I can't continue to "up the anti" every week for the rest of my life but as long as I can, I will.

By the way, can I just say that I a REALLY in to low-impact. At my age, I can't afford some set back due to an injury. However, that's not to say that when it gets down to that last 5 or 10 lbs. I won't go high-impact to get those off, but as for now, low-impact is working just fine for me. I plan to just WALK it off :~)

sixth meeting

Well, the group lost 16 lb. total this week with 1 unaccounted for! That's GREAT!!! That makes our total for the 5 weeks 72.6! I personally lost 2.2 lb. pushing my grand total to 11.4 lb. -- AND, I lost my second 5 lbs. Now I am only 5.6 lb. from my first 10% goal! I get a special key ring when I reach that goal. Woowhoo...

They would not let me weigh in on all three scales this week like I wanted to. They assured me that they calibrate the scales each week and that they are all the same. I'm not sure I am convinced :~( and I'm not sure why they wouldn't let me get on and prove it to myself.

I guess since I lost 2.2 lbs. this week that my theory of using my exercise points works! I will continue to use the 2 extra exercise points each day as long as I continue to lose.

No food taste as good as it feels to be thin.

Don't "find" the time to exercise, MAKE it!

week five

I am going to try something this week to see if it makes a difference in my weight lose. A friend, who has been exercising a lot and actually ended up gaining last week, got me to thinking. I'm not using my exercise points. On the Weight Watchers FLEXPoints plan you get points to add to the daily points you have to use for food based on the amount of exercise you do. I get 2 extra points per day for the exercise I do. I have not, in the past, used these additional points but this week I am going to and see if it makes a difference. They put a lot of stress on the fact that if you don't eat enough your metabolism will slow down. Maybe my friend (we'll call her Elizabeth) is not actually eating enough to compensate for the exercise she is doing? We'll see if this makes a difference on Thursday.

an inspiring story

washingtonpost.com
The Governor Is A Happy Loser
By Sally SquiresTuesday, August 10, 2004; Page HE01

Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is a successful loser

In the past 18 months, he has whittled 110 pounds from his 5-foot-11 frame, going from 280 pounds (and a body mass index of 39 , which put him roundly in the ranks of the obese) to a trim 170 pounds and a healthy body mass index of 24.

These days, Huckabee finds himself talking as much about his healthy new habits as about his public policies. Earlier this year, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson invited him to address the Steps to a Healthier U.S. Summit in Baltimore. In June, he was a keynote speaker at a Time/ABC News obesity summit in Williamsburg.

Huckabee, who is also writing a book for TimeWarner about his personal health successes, didn't plan on being an icon in the war against obesity. He simply wanted to get healthy after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2002. The condition, which afflicts an estimated 14 million Americans, is closely tied to being overweight or obese, and it significantly increases the risk of heart disease, kidney problems and eye ailments.

Huckabee's doctor handed him two oral medications and delivered a sobering message. "The doctor told me, the way you are living, your stress levels, the kind of job that you do and your health situation, you may have 10 years left, and that is being optimistic," Huckabee said. "Frankly, I was facing the fact that I was in the last decade of my life."

It was a turning point for Huckabee, then just 48, and one of the youngest governors in the nation. Huckabee, a Republican, has served in state office since 1993, when he won a special election for lieutenant governor. He became governor in 1996, when Gov. Jim Guy Tucker, a Democrat, resigned.

Huckabee doesn't pretend to have all the answers to weight loss. He's quick to note that the path he took involved commitment and hard work. In his weightier days, he recalls being offended by "buff gym rats" preaching their messages about getting fit. So he is cautious about offering a blueprint for success. "I try not to go around saying, 'Well, you ought to do this because I did it,' " he said.

Even so, Huckabee -- he says he was a chronic overeater who hated to exercise -- sees in his story a few nuggets for others. "To be able to see my whole attitude change so radically gives me hope that other people can make adjustments and change, too," he said. "I am just one beggar telling other beggars where to find bread."

Here are some of the lessons he learned:
Find the big picture. "This is a process," Huckabee said. "There will never come a day where you can say, 'Wow! I can wipe my brow, call it quits and go back to my ways because I have done this thing.' That is critical to know. Everybody wants a quick fix and something that doesn't require any change or any effort."

Small goals. Worried that he wouldn't succeed, Huckabee set the bar low. "My original thought was, 'Gee, I need to lose 30 or 40 pounds,' " he said. "And I needed to lose more, but I didn't think that I could set myself up for a big failure. I just said if I could lose 40 pounds, I'd be in better health. I'd be better off. I just wanted to get healthier."

No dieting. Huckabee said he tried nearly every weight-loss plan. They all worked -- briefly. "I would have periods that I would call temporary success," he said. "What I really had to learn is that there is a difference between going on a diet and changing a lifestyle. Going on a diet is typically going to result in failure, for two reasons. First, because the person is focused on losing weight rather than getting healthy. And when the weight-loss program has been completed, a person feels that the process is over. Well, the process is not over. The process is a lifestyle, not a program. . . . This thing will not work on autopilot. You can't just sit in the front seat on the passenger side. You've got to be willing to drive."

Go slow. Huckabee's doctor first advised against any physical activity. The reason? His weight was likely to damage his knees. So Huckabee dropped a few pounds, then started walking. "My first exercise routine was probably six minutes a day," he said. Even that was an accomplishment. "Walking a city block just about had me winded," Huckabee said. He gradually worked up to walking a mile and a half a day. "Then one day, I was walking and I thought, 'This is kind of slow. Let's pick up the pace.' And I was running. It just developed, you know, it wasn't a planned thing. Every step became its own reward."

Find a daily routine. Always an early riser, Huckabee still gets up at 4:30 a.m. These days, however, he spends the time working out instead of just working. First stop is the track that circles the governor's mansion in Little Rock. Huckabee walks a mile, runs three, then walks half a mile to cool down. (In bad weather he uses a treadmill indoors.) Then he spends 30 minutes on a recumbent stationary bike while reading the daily newspapers. "I love the recumbent bike because you can do something else while you're on it," said Huckabee. "I can be very efficient."

Biggest Changes. No food or drink with highly processed sugar or white flour. "I have pretty much just eliminated it," he said. "And I find that not only do I not need it, but I don't want it." He consumes plenty of fruit and vegetables. "A year ago, I'd just as soon eat lawn clippings as eat asparagus, and now I love it. I find that my whole appetite has changed, and I can eat asparagus or some other type of fruit or vegetable and enjoy it so much." Other food staples include poultry without the skin, lean meat and the occasional steak and pork ribs. "I am certainly more careful about portions than I used to be," he said. And he's cut out salad dressing. "I'd never tasted a salad, I'd just tasted the dressing," he notes. "Now, if I do anything I'll put salsa on it, which is great."

Make the Time. "People say, 'How do you find the time to work out?' I say, 'There is no such thing as finding time, you make time.' For 48 years, I never found the time. But I have the same 168 hours in the week that everyone else does. And I have as busy a life . . . virtually as busy as anyone. So, do I have time to do it? Not if I find it, but I do if I make it."

Be a Road Warrior. When he travels, Huckabee packs a small cooler with smoked turkey, strawberries, apples, bottled water and diet soda so he won't be tempted by higher-calorie foods. "It's easier for me to say, 'No' than 'not much,' " he said.
Know Your Weakest Time. "The biggest battle for me is late at night," Huckabee said. "Everyone else has gone to bed and I am catching up on the end of the day's work and [eating] is kind of a stress reliever. I don't drink alcohol, but I can always eat. Nobody minds. What I find is that I just have to be very careful. An apple is better than a bag of chips. I think the amazing thing is [my] changing appetite. . . . I actually crave the apple more than I do a candy bar. And that is something that I thought I would never experience." Weight Loss Is an Effect, Not a Goal. Gradually but steadily, Huckabee's habits improved. When he'd lost 70 pounds, he stopped trying to lose weight. The remaining 35 pounds of loss just happened as his healthy habits continued.

Exercise Cravings. "If for some reason I don't exercise, I feel absolutely robbed," he said. "It is like I didn't get to eat that day. That's just incredible. The thing about that is that it's almost like I don't recognize myself saying that."

Life-changing benefit. At his last annual physical, tests showed that Huckabee's diabetes has been reversed. Blood levels of hemoglobin A1C, a substance used to monitor the health status of people with diabetes, are now in the healthy range. Huckabee hasn't taken any medication to lower his blood sugar for more than a year. "The doctor said, 'You are now as if you never had diabetes. You will have no long-term effects.' Now I am entering the first half of the rest of my adult life, as opposed to looking at the last 10 years of it winding down."

sodium

By the way, one of the ladies that didn't lose this week spoke with the Weight Watchers instructor because she really felt like she was sticking to the plan and all that. The instructor asked her what she had been eating. It turns out that her husband was out of town and she had been eating Weight Watchers meals for lunch and dinner each day. Consequently, the instructor informed her that is was the sodium in the meals that was making her retain fluid and that's way she was not seeing the results she desired. The instructor went on to say that Weight Watchers only recommends you eat 2 of those meals a week - interesting.

fifth meeting

All but one were accounted for last night with a total lose of 7.4 lb. for the week and 56.6 lb. for the past five weeks. I personally accounted for the .8 of last week's lose. Not a real good week for the gals but we will keep plugging away at it. Personally, I have set a 1 year goal to lose 30 lb. I think that is reasonable and attainable. As long as we are loosing and not gaining we are headed in the right direction!

One thing, I expected to lose between 2 and 3 lb. last night (according to my home digital scales). I left the meeting encouraged for the most part but a little disappointed deep down inside at the .8 lb. lose. I got to thinking… They have 3 scales there that you can weigh in on and I know they are not always in the same place because this is actually a church auditorium that we meet in and they have to set all this stuff up each week for the meeting. So, there is really no way to know if I am weighing in on the same set of scaled every week and I wonder if they are all the same. So next week I plan to be a little annoying and ask to be weighed on all three to see if they agree. If they do not (which I suspect) I will ask the ladies in charge if they can mark each scale with a different color dot (or something to that effect) so that we can be sure we are weighing in on the same scales each week and getting accurate results.

Does that make sense to you?

By the way, I am almost 1/3 of the way to my goal of 30 lb., 9.2 lb. total lose so far :~)

exercise

OK, I am not an exercise fanatic, by far, but I do know it is important!

I walk 3 miles a day and do some sit-ups also. I'm certainly not some super athlete, I'm not even what you would consider "athletic" but I did run a 5K race last fall, and that was rewarding.

Exercise for me is a stress buster. It gets me going in the morning and makes me more determined to eat well during the day. I believe it is good for the body, the mind, and the soul.

I try to park further away when I shop and at work -- this can be good for your car as well. I try to use the steps instead of an elevator or escalator when possible.

Everybody can fit a little exercise into their day if they make it a priority. So, get up off that office chair and MOVE! It's good for you :~)

temptation in the workroom

Today, my biggest temptation was waiting for me (lurking) in the workroom.

A bakery cake will lots and lots (gobs) of decorative icing. A bunch of roses made out of icing sat calling me from the corner piece :~0

I was good. I actually MIGHT have given in if there had been a way for me to calculate the points. I told myself that if I really, really had to have it, I would go to Target, they have these tiny, little, cute birthday cakes (individual) and I think they have all the nutrition facts on there, and I would get one of those.

Not today though, but maybe for a celebration when I reach my goal.

See, temptation's not ALL that bad - you can beat it!

journaling your way to a thin, new you!

A big part of the Weight Watcher's FLEX Points plan is journaling. If you are not dedicated about keeping your journal, it's probably not going to work well for you. It may work, but it will work a whole lot better if you journal!

If you don't want to journal, try the CORE plan where you can eat as much as you want (w/i reason) of only a select list of foods. I like the FLEX plan because I can literally eat anything I want.

I have a friend who refuses to journal properly. She writes things down, but just on scraps of paper. It's unlikely that she is going to be able to look back at last week when she had ... and see how many points it was, because that scrap of paper is who knows where. So, she's got to re-figure the points for just about everything she eats.

I am a dedicated journaler -- hence the blog...

I keep up with how much I eat (the points), how much I exercise, my weight, how much water I drink, fruits/vegetable I consume, how many servings of milk I have per day, etc., etc., etc. And it's all in a nice, neat, weekly journal system that Weight Watchers give you for FREE (one of the few things you get from them for free) called the "QuickTrak System." Now, they have some you can buy that are spiral bound, etc. but I like these free one basically because they are small, they fit well in my purse, and, best of all, they're FREE!

TIP: I don't always write what I "ate", usually, I write what I am going to eat. That way, I can plan my day and know I am going to get exactly 22 (or whatever) points.

If you are struggling with your weight, let me encourage you to journal your way to a thin, new you! And don't be embarrassed about measuring your portions, carrying your lunch to work or even a bottle of your favorite dressing to a restaurant.

no more migraines?

I haven't been doing the caffeine thing for over a year now. And although I am a Starbucks lover I didn't get headaches like somepeople do when they go off the caffeine. But I was sill getting migraines once a month -- I'll let you guess when...However, since being on the Weight Watchers program for a month now, I am now off sugar too, for the most part, except the natural stuff in fruit, etc. Anyway, this month, during that "time" I had no migraines. Curious.... I wonder if it might have been the sugar all along?

Many of you have asked for some before and after shots. Well, here they are. This is me before Weight Watchers... 

...and here I am now. I know...the color. I had a few gray hairs so I thought this was the perfect time to take care of that too. 

see you there on March 24

As of August 01, 2003: Applebee's Partners with Weight Watchers The battle of the bulge just got weaker and strategic partnering just got stronger. Applebee's and Weight Watchers are teaming up to offer low-calorie menu items. The American Medical Association reports 75 percent of adults watch what they eat. Other casual dining restaurants like O'Charley's, Chili's and TGI Friday's will undoubtedly take notice of the new partnership.

what's on the menu?

You may wonder what one eats on the Weight Watchers FLEX PLAN. I myself wondered some 4 weeks ago. To satisfy your curiosity, let me just share with you what I ate today, March 4, 2005.

Breakfast: 1/2 c Fiber 1, 1/2 c FF (fat free) milk, 3/4 c strawberries
Mid morning snack: 10 baby carrots
Lunch: Weight Watchers meal, Dannon light yogurt (lime)
Mid afternoon snack: apple
ANOTHER Mid afternoon snack: 22 FF Pringles (not the norm)
Dinner: Weight Watchers pizza, salad, dressing

Note: Fiber 1 is the lowest point cereal I have found, and I like it. It is only 1 point and 1/2 IS 1 serving. The 1/2 c FF milk is 1 point. Curiously enough, someone at the Weight Watchers meeting last night pointed out that 1% milk and FF milk have the same point value so I'm going to check into it and see if there is any advantage to the 1% as opposed to the FF.

I try (and Weight Watchers encourages you) to get in 5 servings a day of fruits and/or vegetables. Not all fruit though - that would be too much sugar. So, thus the strawberries in my cereal. Some days I do banana, some days I drink OJ instead but the banana and OJ are both 2 points and the strawberries are 1 1/2 c for only 1 point! On the days that I do strawberries, I usually try to have 3/4 c on my morning cereal and the other 3/4 c at night with some FF Cool Whip (1 point) except today, I only had 3/4 of strawberries left. 5 servings of fruits and/or vegetables goes a long way to curb the hunger. I try to do a fruit in the mid afternoon, this gives me a sugar boost.

Another thing that curbs the hunger is the water. Weight Watchers encourages you to drink 64 oz of water a day. This was no problem -- I drink a lot of water any how. I actually invested in a HUGE Weight Watchers insulated mug that holds 32 oz. So, I fill it up twice every day. Actually, I usually end up filling it up more than twice. However, I try not to drink any after dinner so that I don't have to get up during the night. Fortunately, at work, the ladies room is just across the hall :~) I read this week that most Americans are dehydrated and that if you don't get 1/2 your body weight in oz. of water each day, you will be dehydrated and that too will slow your metabolism. What I mean by 1/2 your body weight in oz. of water is lets say you weigh 150, you should get 75 oz. of water a day. Now, that SOUNDS a little much to me but who am I?

I normally don't have 2 Weight Watchers meals on the same day. It was just a freak thing that it happened that way today. Actually, I usually don't have one at all.

I eat a lot of chicken -- I like it grilled. Sometimes I have it left over the next day, cold and sliced over a salad.

Oh, the carrots are FREE, no points. I love FREE stuff! The salad is free too.

I found a WONDERFUL FF Raspberry Vinaigrette at Target, it's actually their generic brand and I like it a lot -- it's 1 point.

Apples are 2 points, the yogurt is 2 points and the 22 FF Pringles are 1.5 points - they're not all that bad.

I get to have 22 points a day and some days I find myself at the end of the day LOOKING for things to eat to fill my 22 points. They told us at Weight Watchers that we HAD to eat all of our points. They say if you don't, your metabolism will slow down. So I get those points in. The points are associated with your weight, the more you weigh, the more points you get. I am actually looking forward to the day when I drop down into the 20 point category.

I know this has nothing to do with, "what's on the menu" but I walk 3 miles a day on the treadmill and I think that too helps with the metabolism, it boosts my energy, gets me going in the morning and I know ALL the news because I see an hour of it, over and over and over again :~)

smart ones

Our local grocery store had the Weight Watchers Smart Ones (TV dinners) and the such 50% off a couple of weeks ago. My mother filled up her stand alone freezer. She gave me some of the spoils of victory as well, other wise I would not have tried them. I found them to be surprisingly quite delicious.

They used to be called merely Weight Watchers meals but I guess to cut into a share of the ever growing diet marked, Weight Watchers renamed their line of frozen delicacies, "Smart Ones". This catches the eyes of people not currently taking part in the Weight Watchers plan per say but dieters none the less.

The meal, etc. sit in your grocery store's freezer sections near the other like named products, Health Choice, Lean cuisine, etc.

Try them for yourself. I think you will agree with me, "TV dinners" have come a long, long way in our generation!

The bonus on these items is that if you are participating in the Weight Watchers points plan, "FLEX PLAN", your points are already calculated for you and printed in LARGE print on the front of the box (unlike the heating instructions).

week four

I think this week is going to be a good one! Just this morning I weighed in (at home), I do this religiously, every morning, and record my weight in my points journal... Anyway, as I was saying, I weighed this morning and I was FOUR (4) pounds lighter than yesterday morning! I told you I thought yesterday was a FAT day (poofie). Anyway...

I think the girls and I are going to get together for dinner one night after our Weight Watchers meeting. Applebee's it will be, more than likely, since they have that WONDERFUL Weight Watchers menu.

fourth meeting

Well, tonight all were accounted for. The group total lost 14.8 lb. for a total of 49.2. I personally lost 1.2. I feel like I probably lost more last week but this is the "poochie" time of the month, so... Anyway, I'm happy with 1.2. As one member of our group looks at it -- AT LEAST you didn't GAIN 1.2! Plus, if I lose 1.2 every week this year -- well, it really adds up.