Kiss that Sweet Tooth Goodbye!

How many times has a piece of chocolate cake ruined your diet?  Or a sudden craving for cookie dough ice cream?  Chocolate?  Candy?  Pastries?  Soda?  Most people realize that these things are not good for us, but still we eat them.  When was the last time you went to the movies and didn't get a popcorn and soda, or a big bag of Twizzlers? How often have you taken "just a little" of a birthday cake, only to go back for "just a little more?"  

The problem with sugary foods is not necessarily the calories in them.  Which is not to say they are low in calories, but rather that like any high calorie food, you can budget them into your diet if you are disciplined.  The real problem with sugary foods is that they are addicting.  I don't mean that metaphorically.  There is a real, true addictive quality to sugar that once there is some in your body, your brain craves more.  This is all due to your blood sugar levels and how your body creates and processes insulin.  While it is true that some people do this better than others, this is not and should not be a concern only for diabetics.  We would all do ourselves a lot of good to pay much closer attention to the sugar in our diets.  

Sugar is what gives us belly fat and belly fat is the worst kind of fat for your health.  It can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.  It can also lead to high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  

Most of of are getting way more sugar than we even realize.  It's in everything we eat.  Even if you aren't eating lots of candy and ice cream every day I bet you are eating some of these things:  fruit juice, bread, ketchup, BBQ sauce, cereal, tomato sauce, low-fat foods of all kinds, and many, many others that we don't think of as necessarily sugary foods.  

So, what can we do about it?  For one thing, start reading the labels when you go shopping.  You'll be stunned by the amount of sugar that gets hidden in the foods you are eating.  You'll also be amazed by the number of different names sugar has.  Here are some of the most common:

• barley malt
• beet sugar
• brown sugar
• cane-juice crystals
• cane sugar
• caramel
• carob syrup
• corn syrup
• corn syrup solids
• date sugar
• dextran
• dextrose
• diatase
• diastatic malt
• ethyl maltol
• fructose
• fruit juice
• fruit juice concentrate
• glucose
• glucose solids
• high-fructose corn syrup
• honey
• invert sugar
• lactose
• malt syrup
• maltodextrin
• maltose
• mannitol
• molasses
• raw sugar
• refiner's syrup
• sorbitol
• sorghum syrup
• sucrose
• turbinado sugar
• xylitol      

Now, I'm not saying that you should never eat any food with any of these ingredients.  Some of these sugars (i.e. honey) are more natural than others (i.e. high fructose corn syrup) and might even contain some health benefits.  The idea is to start to really learn about how much sugar there is in your diet and what you can do to cut that amount down.  If any of these sugars are listed in the top 3 ingredients in a food, you might want to reconsider.  If they are lower down on the list but there are many different types, you may want to reconsider.  Be especially careful with low-fat and diet foods- they often add sugar in place of the fat in order to keep the flavor.

Reading the labels can seem time consuming at first and it might be frustrating when you realize how many of the foods you eat are high in sugar.  Be persistent.  Over time you'll find good replacements and know which brands are better than others without having to read the labels.  You don't even have to spend more money than you are now to get something a little better for you.  I don't think everyone should have to shop in the health-food section of your grocery store and pay 3 times the price for things.  What I'm talking about can be as simple as changing from your regular tomato sauce to the "no sugar added" variety.  With a little persistence, you'll kick the sugar habit in no time!

Weighing in: Week 3

This morning's weight: 172.2- a loss of 4.6 pounds in the past 4 weeks.  Yay, I'm on track and doing well!

I've really been doing great with planning my meals ahead of time and reducing the amount of times I find myself just eating on a whim.  I think this has made the biggest difference so far.  I've also been pretty good about getting in lots of extra fruits and veggies.  Exercising regularly has been an on and off thing, mostly due to the constant rain this week, but I do find myself more active in general- spending less time in front of the TV and more time actually getting stuff done.

Check back tomorrow for my new goal.  It's a really good one and very important for everyone.

Take a Hike

This is my favorite time of year.  The air is brisk and energizing, the smell of autumn is in the air and the beauty of the changing leaves never fails to take my breath away!  I can almost hear the mountains beckoning me.  I've been hiking more in the last two weeks than I did in all of August and September.  The weather is perfect- not too hot, not too cold.  Plus, it's great exercise.  You burn about as many calories as from jogging and it never feels like much work.  So, pack a light backpack with some water and a granola bar and maybe an extra layer and get out there and hike!  You'll thank me for it.

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

This recipe is taken from a book simple titled Vegetarian which I bought off the Bargain Books shelf at Borders for $3.99 several years ago.  It was an incredible investment, as I've not made a recipe from it that I haven't loved.  This is one of my all time favorite soup recipes and that's saying a lot, because soup is one of my favorite foods.  This is satisfying and filling all on it's own, no need to cook anything else to go with it.  It's perfect for this time of year, everything is in season.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 carrots, cut into thick rounds
1 large parsnip, cubed
1 small, yellow turnip, cubed
2 leeks, thickly sliced
1 onion, quartered
3 bay leaves
4 thyme sprigs
3 rosemary sprigs
5 cups vegetable stock (I always find that I need more than this.)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Put the olive oil into a large bowl.  Add the prepared vegetables and toss until coated in the oil.

2.  Spread out the vegetables in a single layer on one large or two small baking sheets.  Tuck the bay leaves and thyme and rosemary sprigs among the vegetables.

3.  Roast for 50 minutes until tender, turning the vegetables occasionally to make sure they brown evenly all over.  Remove from the oven, discard the herbs and transfer to a large saucepan.

4.  Pour the stock into the pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, season to taste, then simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender (or use a hand blender) and process for a few minutes until thick and smooth.

5.  Return soup to the pan to heat through.  Season and serve.

The recipe also suggests serving with a swirl of sour cream, but I never do.  Why add extra calories to an already great tasting meal?

The book also offers this note:
This nutritious soup is paced with health-giving vegetables.  Butternut squash is particularly high in beta carotene and potassium, which is essential for the functioning of the cells, nerves, and muscles.  Carrots also contain a high level of beta carotene and are effective detoxifiers.

Frittatas

Frittatas are similar to omelets and are quick and easy to make.  Don't worry that it's too big if you are cooking only for yourself.  They are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner and keep well in the fridge.  You can eat it hot or cold. Substitute egg white or Egg Beaters if you are concerned about cholesterol.  

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

2 ears of corn

1 small onion, chopped

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed or minced

2 red bell peppers, diced

12 eggs

splash of milk

olive oil

Directions

1.  Boil the sweet potato in a pot of water until just slightly soft, 3-5 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Dry and set aside.  In the meantime, use a sharp knife to cut the kernels from the corn cobs.  Preheat the broiler on your oven.

2.  In an extra large skillet over a medium heat, add just enough oil to over the bottom of the pan.  Add onions and cook until soft.  Add garlic and cook for one minute more.  Add sweet potato, corn, red peppers and cook until just warm.  Spread ingredients evenly over the skillet.  

3.  Whisk together eggs and milk.  The more you beat them, the fluffier your frittata will be.  Season to suit your tastes with salt and pepper.

4.  Pour egg mixture over the vegetables in the pan.  Cook over medium heat until the bottom of the eggs have set and just start to pull away from the edges of the pan.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil until the top sets.  

5.  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Slide the frittata out of the skillet and cut into wedges.  Tastes great with crusty whole-grain bread.

Slacking Off

Loyal Reader, you may have noticed some slacking off on my part over the last week.  It is due in part to being ill and in part to being very, very busy.  I have been continuing with my previous 3 weeks' goals: sticking to a planned eating schedule, exercising at least 3 times a week and trying to eat 1/2 fruits and veggies at every meal. As of yesterday, my weight was 173.8, which is a loss of .8 lbs from my last weigh in.  I am not setting a new goal for this week, but will continue with the three I just mentioned until next week.  I will, as promised last week, post some great recipes for you right now!

Seasonal Food

Have you ever visited your local farmer's market?  I shop for about 90% of my produce at the one near my house.  There are tons of benefits to it.  For one thing, you can get things a lot cheaper than you would at the supermarket.  I bought a quart of apples last week for $4.  It would have been $2 per pound had I got the same ones at the grocery store- probably $6-7 for the same amount.

Not only is the food cheaper, it's also fresher because it's all local and hasn't been sprayed with preservatives like the produce at the supermarket.  It won't always be organic, but it will have less chemicals than at the market.  If there is a down side to this at all, it's that the food will go bad a little faster than the stuff you buy at the store- but that's just all the more reason to eat your fruits and veggies!

Lastly, supporting small local farmers is great for the local economy and the environment!  Not a health tip per se but knowing you are doing something good for yourself and others goes along with living a more positive lifestyle.

Pumpkins, apples and sweet potatoes are all in season right now and there are lots of great things you can do with them besides making pie.  I'll put up a few recipes later in the week for you, for now, grab your self an apple- it will keep the doctor away!

Week 3: More Fruits and Veggies

My goal for each meal I eat to contain 50% fruits and/or veggies.  This may be a LOT for some of you.  I know that there are many people out there who will go a week or more without touching a fruit or veggie.  If 50% is totally unreasonable for you at this point, start with 25%.  Anyone should be able to do that.  

Let's take a look at why eating more fruits and vegetables is great for your diet and great for your health and then I'll give you some suggestions on how to get more into your diet. 

Everyone knows that fruits and veggies are good for you but here are some reasons why.  Most are:

• High in vitamins and nutrients
• High in antioxidants (which means they prevent cancer)
• High in fiber
• Low in fat
• Low on the Glycemic Index

Fruits and veggies are great diet foods because they fill you up and take a long time to digest, meaning you'll stay full longer.  This is mainly due to their high fiber content and low GI.  Foods with a low GI go into your bloodstream at a slower rate, reducing the amount of insulin your body produces and thereby reducing hunger cravings.  You can eat as much as you want of most fruits and vegetables without any problems, though for dieting purposes, there are a few you will want to eat in moderation.  

Fruits and Veggies to Eat in Moderation

• white potatoes- no matter how they are cooked.  If you insist on eating potatoes, boil them until just soft or broil them.
• tropical fruits- the warmer the climate a fruit grows in, the more sugar it has.  
• avocados- they are very high in fat, though it is a very good type of fat.  Consider replacing fat you'd normally use with avocados- eg, sliced on a sandwich instead of your mayo
• most root vegetables tend to have a higher GI- one notable exception is the sweet potato

How to Get More Fruits and Veggies into Your Diet

You really don't need to change your diet all that much.  You can add greens to many of the foods you already eat.  Try some of these suggestions:

Breakfast:

• Try a Breakfast Smoothie
• Add berries to your breakfast cereal, yogurt or granola
• Eat your bagel with slices of avocado and tomato instead of cream cheese or butter
• Add your favorite veggies to a breakfast omelet, try skipping th cheese while your at it

Lunch and Dinner

• Load up your sandwich with salad greens, tomatoes, red onions
• Choose vegetable soup instead of a meat or cream based soup
• Choose a side salad when you go out to eat rather than a potato.  Be careful not to load up on cheese, bacon or creamy dressings.
• Try pureeing vegetables and adding them to your tomato sauce.  
• Add mixed vegetables to your ziti or lasagna- peppers, onions, mushrooms and fresh tomatoes all taste great with pasta.
• Get (or better yet, make) a veggie pizza rather than pepperoni or extra cheese
• Make a veggie stir-fry.  This is a quick and easy meal and you can use just about any of your favorites.  

When you plan your meals this week, think about how you can get some more veggies into them and always keep some fruit on hand for snacks.  You can do it!

Weighing in: Week 2

I was very nervous about weighing in this morning.  After the cheesecake on Sunday and the binge eating on Wednesday, I was pretty certain I'd gained 5 pounds this week.  To top it off, my goal of simply going for a walk for 20 minutes three times this week fell totally flat due to a bad cold and rainy weather.

This morning's weight was 174.6 pounds, which is a .2 pound loss from last week.  Certainly nothing to brag about, but it is reassuring that after a seemingly "bad" week, I more or less stayed the same weight and didn't go up at all.  I did go for one walk during the week.  I also made a point of strictly sticking to my eating schedule the  next 2 days after my binge.

I know I could have done better but I think that being sick is a pretty good reason to take it easy.  I did make up for the walking this afternoon with a 2 hour walk around the lake near my house.

Some good news for this week is that it's getting a lot easier to plan my meals ahead of time.  I'm not perfect with it yet, but each day I find myself more aware of my schedule.

Check back tomorrow for next week's goal.

Getting Back On

Just a quick post to say I followed my eating schedule today, despite feeling sick.  I slipped up yesterday, but have no intention of falling back into bad eating habits because of one bad day.

Walk, Don't Run

I am not a runner.  I used to try to force myself out the door in the morning to run because it was good exercise. Some times, I was really happy that I did.  The endorphins would rush and afterwards I'd feel my legs all tight and toned and be really happy that I got out there and did it.  Other times, I'd feel a twinging pain in my knees or hips and have to stop.

While aerobic exercise isn't necessarily bad for you, a lot of new research is showing that is isn't necessarily the best for you either.  Running with damage your joints over time if you do it long enough.  And joint health is very important for long-term health goals.  Another interesting fact- cultures around the world who live the longest do not regularly engage in aerobic activities.  Rather, they take part in regular, moderate activities, such as gardening/farming, hiking/walking, etc.

Exercise is very important and you need to make some time for it in your life.  But I know there are a lot of people out there who cringe at the idea of going for a run or taking an aerobics class and the good news is: you don't have to do those things to live a healthy, active lifestyle.  But, you do have to do something.  My goal for you, reader, is to figure out what it is you enjoy and will stick to.  Perhaps it's taking your dog Scooter for a walk when you get up in the morning or riding your bike around the neighborhood when you get home from work or going for a hike on the weekends.  Whatever it is, make a commitment to yourself to do it at least 3 times a week and stick to it!