Day 79/368:Wednesday - I was on the TV today

Today is Social Media Day and I went to a gathering held in Sacramento at the News 10 station.  It was a lot of fun meeting various people and touring the studio.  This news station is doing wonderful things involving the community. 

Turns out I ended up being caught on TV too: HERE and on a slide show HERE. (I'm the lady in purple in the first slide) I know they say you gain 10 pounds on TV, but I think that isn't the case, I think it's MORE.

I didn't like the way I looked.  In my mind, I really thought I looked different.  Not slim, but definitely slimmer than what I saw. Needless to say, the sight motivates me to do better.*  A lot better.

*Not starting tonight. (I didn't feel good hoping on my horrible head ache and then I got dizzy and heart was beating weird.  I think I may be a little dehydrated?) Which gets me thinking about water.

You need to drink enough, at least 8-8oz glasses per day.  (More in hot weather) Your body doesn't work right when you don't.  Drink. Your. Water. 

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer: 10 min @ level 10

Do Not Let Dumping Syndrome Ruin Your Summer Celebration

By Kaye Bailey

Summer is a time to celebrate warm weather, sunshine, good friends and good times - often with food and drink. But for people with weight loss surgery celebrations bring the potential for a dietary crisis called dumping syndrome that has the potential to ruin a day of good old fashioned summer time fun.

Gastric Dumping Syndrome, or rapid gastric emptying, is a condition where

The Gorge at George - Lilith Fair this weekend

My company gave away some tickets to the Lilith Fair for this weekend at the Gorge, WA amphitheater. I've only been there once before, about 15 years ago to see Carly Simon (free tickets from my company then too).

It's a super fun place for a concert. It's going to be 79 degrees, and I'm so excited. I really had no idea what the Lilith Fair was all about, just that Sheryl Crow was going to be there, and I love her.

I won the tickets, and told my husband we were going to see Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLaughlin, Colbie Caillat and several other female artists.

When my girlfriend at work asked me who was going with me, I said Jack of course. She giggled, and asked me if I knew what the Lilith Fair was all about. I told her of course, it a lot of female musicians singing at the Gorge. She said yes, but mostly women attended, mostly lesbians. That doesn't bother me, they're just women.

I was pretty sure this wouldn't bother my husband either, but I asked him about it last night. He said he could care less if it was mostly women, straight or not. What was the big deal and why did I think he'd care? He just wanted to see Sheryl Crow, because, well, you know, she's a really good singer (translation...yes she sings great but she's also hot).

It's a three-hour drive from our house, and we're staying in nearby Ephrata, WA overnight. It should be fun , and I'll have tons of pictures to post when I get home. Now I can't wait for the weekend!

Then in a another ten days I'll be Alaska bound to visit family! Things are looking up!

Plus, I have vacation starting July 15. Woohoo!

Day 78/365:Tuesday

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer: 15 min. @ level 15
Push-ups: 25
Crunches: 50

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Five Healthy Foods to Improve Nutrition After WLS

By Kaye Bailey

Patients who lose weight with bariatric surgery generally set their sights on living a healthier life using weight loss surgery as a tool for weight loss and healthy weight management. Many patients are concerned they may suffer nutritional deficiencies as a result of the malabsorptive surgery such as gastric bypass because the surgery restricts the absorption of nutrients from

Day 77/365:Monday-Genetically Modified Salmon??

I saw this today and it disturbed me a bit.  For years we have seen Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) on the shelves in the market.

Personally, I avoid eating them.  I like to eat food that is unprocessed and unadulterated.  What is more adulterated than GMO foods??  There is a reason food grows the way it does, please don't mess with it.

All I have seen in grocery stores is GMO food that comes from the plant kingdom. Today though, it was brought to my attention that the FDA is seriously considering the acceptance of GMO salmon.  Salmon??  That is an animal!  

Does this freak anyone else out?  The food coloring they add to farm raised salmon is bad enough, but to go and mess with genes so that they can create a salmon that is twice as big?  I think I'll pass.

Here is the article that was seen in the New York Times. 

(Thanks to @papoe2010 for bringing it to my attention)

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What I did today:

Elliptical Trainer: 15 min. @ level 15

Hello and goodbye Portland, Oregon

I was in Portland today, all day. Well, not actually Portland the city, more like Portland our offices near the airport. I was working with another developer to help get her to speed on a project I'm working on. Super sweet lady, with a EE Masters (Electrical Engineering). In other words, much smarter than me, and really nice.

It's always sort of awkward trying to teach someone something when I know they're light years more intelligent than me. It all worked out, and I have no doubt she'll quickly figure it out.

This really messed up my day since I didn't have time to get the gym this morning. I had to catch an early flight and working out before the flight wasn't possible. I was so drained afterwards that going to the gym wasn't really an option either.

I also didn't take a lunch and only had a twenty minute break, which meant I couldn't leave the office. I bought a tuna fish sandwich out of the lunchroom vending machine. It had an expiration date of today. It was disgusting with dried up tuna salad . I'd rather starve than eat it so it went right into the trash.

My coworker had some whole grain Goldfish graham crackers that she shared with me (delicious, taste like little cookies), which had 8 grams of sugar per serving. Along with a V-8 juice, that was my lunch. Not the healthiest thing I've ever eaten but it was better than nothing.

I'm just glad today is over and back to my regular schedule tomorrow. The whole airport experience and traveling, even a short distance, just exhausts me. Early to bed and tomorrow the gym and healthy eating.

What is Steve's weight loss experience?

Hello and good day. My name is Steve Peirce and I want to share with you my weight loss experience. I tried fitness, strongly recommended way to

lose weight

, but it didn't help me lose weight.

Then I went to a hospital (but not about my weight) and the specialist there told me that I should do anything to become a slim person. I wanted some more information and he explained to me very well how Proactol works? I was extremely happy about this product and immediately I began using it. Two months after that, the result was just amazing. There is nothing in common between the people [Steve Peirce before and Steve Peirce now].

I am a new person, everything in my life changed... Now I have the opportunity to play with my children, to help my wife when I am not at work and go out with friends. Don't you want to be just like me, mate? I hope this article changed the way you think and you are going to do anything to change your life. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about the product, you can read more information about it here.

Day 76/365:Sunday - Fish Tacos

Many of you may wonder what I'm doing posting all these traditionally "non diet" foods on here.  Well, it's because I lost 40 pounds by not dieting!!  Yes! I eat regular foods, just in smaller portions and I exercise daily.

Some of those BIG weight loss programs where you buy their expensive weekly food, it's just regular foods in smaller portions.  Save some money and do it yourself!

Now, I don't just eat any food.  I try to avoid chemicals whenever possible.   I don't eat "fat-free" or "sugar-free" either, because they are a substandard food product typically full of chemicals.

The more chemicals that your body is busy metabolizing, the less time it has to take care of you.  Your body is an AMAZING machine, and if taken care of, it will do whatever you need it to do.

The trick to a healthy diet is single portions of real, healthy, unadulterated food.  Food in it's most untouched state is best. 

When buying something that is processed, like a corn tortilla, look at the ingredients and choose a kind that has the least amount of gunk.  If you are blessed to have a natural store near you, I know you can find some that have been made with basic ingredients, as if you made them from scratch. (Which I have tried making before, but have been unsuccessful in using them as taco shells because they end up too thick and crumbly.)

I LOVE a good fish taco!!  Here is a recipe that we like to eat.  If you want to eat them all the time, I would recommend un-fried fish.  But for a special treat now and then (which is how we do it), a little fried fish in a single portion is just good for the soul.

Also, we like to pile the shredded cabbage up high because raw cabbage is SO GOOD for you!! (I wish I had a photo to show you.  I'll have to post the next time we eat them.)

FISH TACOS

Corn/flour tortillas
Cabbage, shredded
Green Onion, chopped
Fish (I buy the Pub Style fish at Costco)


Sauce:
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/2 c. mayo
1 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dill weed
salt & garlic powder to taste
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What I did today:
50 crunches
25 push-ups

Yummy breakfast

I don't post for an entire week, then I post twice in one day. I may even post three times today because I want to do Kyle's Two Thumbs Up post today, or maybe tonight. I love his idea.

About my breakfast, this was absolutely delicious and low point. Since I ate at 11 a.m. I considered it sort of a brunch meal. It's 5.5 Points for a huge serving of yumminess.

Open-faced breakfast sandwich

1 egg
4 thin slices of Canadian bacon (only 1 Point - Costco brand), chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3- 4 cups fresh spinach
2 wedges of light Laughing Cow cheese
Hot sauce, to taste
1 Sandwich Thin (I use Franz, more fiber, less calories, less weird ingredients and they taste better than Oroweat thins)

Spray a little Pam in a skillet, add veggies (except spinach) and Canadian bacon. I added a little water so it wouldn't burn. Cook until the veggies are soft. Add the spinach and maybe a little more water, cover with lid. Steam for a few more minutes until spinach is soft, then mix all ingredients.

You should have some liquid in the pan from the water you added and the spinach. Add the Laughing Cow cheese and a dash of hot sauce (I used Frank's hot sauce, used about 1 teaspoon). Mash the cheese and thoroughly mix in. I use a rubber spatula to squish the cheese. Let it cook until nice and bubbly.

Once the sauce has thickened (it only took a couple minutes) pour over an open faced sandwich thin. Cook the egg in the skillet. I just did an over easy egg with some Pam. Place the egg on top of your open faced sandwich. Enjoy.

This was super delicious, with lots of veggies, and it made a huge serving. You get a lot of protein, 24 grams, so it really has staying power. I love my protein.

I know the light Laughing Cow Cheese and the sandwich thins probably weren't in my grandmother's cupboards, so I consider it a little cheat to my "try to eat clean foods" policy. Totally worth it!

Mookie, where are you?

I wrote this at 4 a.m. today, but then I fell asleep sitting up and finally went to bed without hitting publish.

It's almost 4 a.m and I've been up since 1 a.m., after all of two hours of sleep. Yes sir, still sleeping the sleep of the damned, waking up in the middle of the night unable to fall back to sleep.

To add a little drama to my morning I thought our new, ten-week old kitten, Mookie, had escaped. I had the back slider door open for a split second, and I wasn't paying attention. Sometimes I forget we have a tiny kitten that has to be watched like a hawk or she tries to escape. She's so little and curious about everything.

One second she was playing and he next second she disappeared. I was horrified to think she got out when I had the door open, and she was out walking the streets. After searching for 20 minutes, inside and outside the house, I decided to wake my husband to help me hunt for her. By this time I was in tears. I just knew we'd never see her again.

We looked for her for about an hour, searching our yard with flashlights, and walked up and down the street shining the flashlights under every bush and into every yard.. I was crying and saying it was all my fault, devastated I'd killed our Mookie by subjecting her to the horrors of the night , raccoons, coyotes, and dogs just waiting to attack a tiny, defenseless kitten.

Finally, at 3 a.m. we both came back inside the house. I sat down on the couch and said I couldn't believe this had happened. My husband kept questioning me if I'd search everywhere in the house, and I said "of course!".

Then I noticed some movement under the dining table, on one of the chairs. It was Mookie! She'd never even left the house and was asleep the entire time I was calling her name. Going up and down our street like an idiot, calling "Mookie, Mookie! Here kittty kitty."

I've never been so happy so see a tiny bundle of fur in my life. Thank God she's okay. I mean literally, thank you God. I think this means I have to go to church this week. :)

A little about my week..

Women's support group
After giving a speech at Toastmasters last week where I divulged some personal things about myself, a therapist in the group insisted I join her Summer 2010 over 40 women's support group. I sort of blew her off and said I'd think about it. Then she emailed me and called me. She talked me into attending just one meeting to see if I liked it.

I had no idea what to expect but I loved it. It's just some women, so far only three others and the therapist, and we sit around and talk about stuff. The therapist has us do self-evaluations and then we discuss what we write about ourselves.

One question she asked was to rate our self, the value we would place on our self, on a scale of one to ten, with ten being perfect. I rated myself a seven. When asked why I rated myself so low, I said I rate myself how I thought other people would rate me, then I had to explain who I thought would rate me so low. It was a real eye opener that I place so much value on what others think of me. I need to get over caring so much about what other people.

It's only seven meetings, on Monday nights for an hour and a half. At the next meeting there will be four more women attending, for a group of seven plus our therapist. I'm actually looking forward to the meeting (although I do have some homework). I felt an odd connection to everyone at the first meeting, which was totally unexpected.

The food, the exercise, and "why aren't I losing more weight?"
I'm not gaining weight, so that's a good thing. I'm just maintaining around 162. I'd really like to lose 23 additional pounds. I'm just not wanting it bad enough to starve myself to get there. I also don't want to exercise any harder or more often than I do now.

I work out about an hour and twenty minutes, five to six times a week, at a pretty high intensity. That's enough, any more would be insanity. Been there, done that, and I'm not doing it again.

I eat very healthy foods, but I'm eating too much. I'm still completely avoiding sugar and eating as little processed food as possible. I'm trying to follow the rule that if it wasn't in my grandmother's cupboards, then I shouldn't eat it.

I've decided not to beat myself up about not getting to my goal weight. Even if I maintain my current weight for a while, that will be okay. All my clothes fit, and I feel healthy. That's really all that's important. I'm still planning on getting to goal, but I guess I'll take my own sweet time getting there.

Day 75/365: Saturday - Garden Dinner

I LOVE GROWING A GARDEN!!  Last night I decided to be creative and make a dish out of all the veggies I picked that day.

Now mind you, the garden is just now starting to produce, so it was certainly slim pickings.  But I had a handful of beets and a couple of zucchini, enough for a dish.

First, I heated some olive oil in my fry pan.  Just as the oil heated up, I crushed some garlic into it to flavor the oil.

I sliced the beets (unpeeled) up the same size as the zucchini and threw the beets in first.  I have always boiled my beets, skinned and then sliced them, so this was something new for me.

After few minutes I tossed in the zucchini and cooked both until tender.

For the last couple of minutes of cooking, I put in the beet greens and cooked until they wilted before taking it off the heat.

I added salt, pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar for flavoring.

It was very yummy and I will be making it again this summer.
_______________________________
What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer: 20 min. @ level 10

Dinning room as weight loss strategy

Dining room is a room where all family members often meet and be the warmest place in the house. But it might also be the source of your unwanted weight. The size of your plate, the wattage of your lamp and the paint colors of room wall has a direct effect on what or how much you eat.

We make a habit of filling our plates and finishing what’s on it. So try to find a smaller plate, 2 inches is good (most of the existing plate sized 12 inches). And we will serve our self 22% fewer calories per meal, which can mean about 2 pound weight loss in a month.

Brighter is better in the dining room, while dim lights lower inhibitions of all kinds. Let plenty of light into our dining area by switching to higher-wattage light bulbs. Because we tend to eat more in darkened rooms and bright light can improves our mood.

Colors affect our minds and our physiologies. Studies show that being in a room that is predominantly red or orange stimulates appetite, while blue is a well known appetite suppressant. Very little blue food found in nature aside from blueberries and some plums. Also, humans are geared to avoid foods that are poisonous and blue coloring in food is often a sign of spoilage or poison. It simply causes a slight psychological change that makes people feel less hungry.

Day 74/368:Friday - Popcorn

I LOVE popcorn!  It makes a wonderful snack and I have often had it as a meal as well.  It's all natural and full of fiber.  It's just made of awesome!

My favorite way to make popcorn is with this little kitchen device:

 

 It's the Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper by West Bend.  

All you need is oil, popcorn and salt, nothing more.  No chemicals: artificial flavoring or color that you find in the microwaveable product and I think it tastes better anyway.  There is just something about the added flavor that the oil brings which also gives the salt something to stick to.  I don't add butter and I honestly don't miss it either. It's that good.


How I make it:
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup popcorn
Dash of salt

If it's any indication how great a kitchen tool this is, every one of my friends who has ever eaten popcorn with us, has bought and loved their popper too!

For a special treat, if you like kettle corn, I've got a little kitchen secret for you.  Add a tablespoon or so of maple syrup just as the popcorn starts to pop, and you will not want to share the batch.  Promise.

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What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer: 15 min @ level 15

Day 73/368:Thursday

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer: 15 min @ level 15

Day 72/365:Wednesday

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer: 15 min @ level 15

Modifiable Risk Factors that Explain 90% of Stroke Risk! ‘Interstroke Study’

A modifiable risk factor is a health risk which is in your control. Age, gender and genetics are non-modifiable factors as we cannot change them. A modifiable risk factor however, can be eliminated with the correct lifestyle.

A recent study of 6,000 people from 22 countries called 'Interstroke' evaluated risk factors of stroke. The study showed that 10 risk factors are associated with 90% of the incidence of stroke and that most of these can be changed by lifestyle.

A stroke can be devastating resulting in death or a lifetime of physical impairment. The good news from this study is that many strokes can be predicted and the resultant burden of the disease reduced by following certain measures. Of the modifiable risk factors, blood pressure (hypertension) control was identified as the most important.

Five modifiable risk factors of hypertension, current smoking, abdominal obesity, diet and physical activity accounted for 80% of stroke.

When additional risk factors such as having Type 2 Diabetes, a high alcohol intake, psychosocial issues, abnormal apoliproprotein ratios and cardiac causes (such atrial fibrillation or flutter, previous myocardial infarction or valve disease) are taken into account these 10 risk factors account for 90% of the risk of stroke (1).

The following are key strategies for significantly reducing the risk of stroke:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Limit your salt, processed and takeaway food intake
  
• Eat a balanced diet of vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry, meat, nuts and seeds, low fat dairy and whole grain carbohydrates
  
• Limit alcohol intake. Aim for no more than 2 standard drinks per day
  
• Go to your GP for a check up regularly
  
• Monitor your cholesterol levels
  
• Quit smoking
  
• Measure your waist regularly
  
• Exercise daily - aim for at least 30 minutes
  
• Get treatment for depression or stress

Unlike cardiac disease where there can be a lifetime of medication in order to reduce risk factors, the above strategies are all about leading a healthy lifestyle and that is free.

(1) O'Donnell. M. J, Xavier. D, Liu L, et al. Risk factors for ischemic and intracerebal haemorrhagic stroke in 22 countries (The Interstroke Study): Lancet 2010; DOI: 10.1016/S01140-6736(10)60834-3. Available at: http://www.thelancet.com/

Interview with Jimmy Moore

About two months ago, I did an interview with Jimmy Moore of the Livin' la Vida Low Carb internet empire. I hardly remember what we talked about, but I think it went well. I enjoyed Jimmy's pleasant and open-minded attitude. Head over to Jimmy's website and listen to the interview here.

I do recall making at least one mistake. When discussing heart attacks,I said "atrial fibrillation" when I meant "ventricular fibrillation".

Day 71/365:Tuesday-Fudge

We had special company today and so we made fudge.  I have never made fudge before and it was fun.  My right arm even got a workout.  Really!  I had to stop several times for it to unstiffen there was so much work involved.

Now, I am an avid lover of chocolate.  Anyone who knows me well, knows this.  But when it comes to fudge, it's not a super temptation for me.  I will pick other things first before choosing fudge.

Apparently, I have never had freshly made fudge.  This tasted like nothing I have ever had before.  It was hard to stop at one piece.  Should have worked out for an hour to make up how much I consumed.  

Note to self: Don't make homemade fudge until you can control yourself better.

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer-15 minutes @ level 15

Healthy BBQ Ideas

A lot of traditional BBQ and picnic fair can be unhealthy, but you can make it to become healthy. Traditional BBQ usually contains a lot of fat, sodium and sugar. Fried foods and fatty meats may good in taste, but can add too much saturated fat in your diet if you eat them in large amounts. This often happens in the backyard BBQ party and picnic

I think we can all agree that no is complete without throwing some burgers on the grill. Use tuna burger instead of the classic beef burger. Tuna is low in fat and packed with protein. I also want to include a chicken dish on my menu, which are lower in saturated fat.

Grilled Salmon and Red Pepper Horseradish Sauce with stuffed baked potato is a good idea that I wanted to try. Did you know that a 5-ounce potato has no fat, only 100 calories? One potato can provides 45 percent of your daily value of vitamin C. There are also many studies showing potatoes are one of the most filling foods out there, and that they’ll keep you fuller longer than other carbs.
But stay away from the mayo for toppings and use non-fat plain yogurt mixed with flavorful fresh herbs.

Combine them with seasonal fruits and veggies like tomatoes, pineapple, peppers, squash and onions.

And last, do not drink alcohol. A little red wine might be a good idea, because it is a particularly rich source of antioxidants. But NOT to start drinking if you do not already drink alcohol.

Enjoy some time outside in the fresh air with your family and friends.

In Search of Traditional Asian Diets

It's been difficult for me to find good information on Asian diets prior to modernization. Traditional Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese diets are sometimes portrayed as consisting mostly of white rice, with vegetables and a bit of meat and soy, but I find that implausible. Rice doesn't grow everywhere, in part because it requires a tremendous amount of water. Removing all the bran was prohibitively labor-intensive before the introduction of modern machine milling. One hundred years ago, bran was partially removed by beating or grinding in a mortar and pestle, as it still is in parts of rural Asia today. Only the wealthy could afford true white rice.

Given the difficulty of growing rice in most places, and hand milling it, the modern widespread consumption of white rice in Asia must be a 20th century phenomenon, originating in the last 20-100 years depending on location. Therefore, white rice consumption does not predate the emergence of the "diseases of civilization" in Asia.

In the book Western Diseases: Their Emergence and Prevention, there are several accounts of traditional Asian diets I find interesting.

Taiwan in 1980

The staple constituent of the diet is polished white rice. Formerly in the poorer areas along the sea coast the staple diet was sweet potato, with small amounts of white rice added. Formerly in the mountains sweet potato, millet and taro were the staple foods. During the last 15 years, with the general economic development of the whole island, white polished rice has largely replaced other foods. There is almost universal disinclination to eat brown (unpolished) rice, because white rice is more palatable, it bears kudos, cooking is easier and quicker, and it can be stored for a much longer period.

Traditionally, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure were rare, but the prevalence is now increasing rapidly. Stroke is common. Diabetes was rare but is increasing gradually.

Mainland China

China is a diverse country, and the food culture varies by region.

Snapper (1965)… quoted an analysis by Guy and Yeh of Peiping (Peking) diets in 1938. There was a whole cereal/legume/vegetable diet for poorer people and a milled-cereal/meat/vegetable diet for the richer people.

Symptoms of vitamin A, C and D deficiency were common in the poor, although coronary heart disease and high blood pressure were rare. Diabetes occurred at a higher rate than in most traditionally-living populations.

Japan

On the Japanese island of Okinawa, the traditional staple is the sweet potato, with a smaller amount of rice eaten as well. Seafood, vegetables, pork and soy are also on the menu. In Akira Kurosawa’s movie Seven Samurai, set in 16th century mainland Japan, peasants ate home-processed millet and barley, while the wealthy ate white rice. Although a movie may not be the best source of information, I assume it has some basis in fact.

White Rice: a Traditional Asian Staple?

It depends on your perspective. How far back do you have to go before you can call a food traditional? Many peoples' grandparents ate white rice, but I doubt their great great grandparents ate it frequently. White rice may have been a staple for the wealthy for hundreds of years in some places. But for most of Asia, in the last few thousand years, it was probably a rare treat. The diet most likely resembled that of many non-industrial Africans: an assortment of traditionally prepared grains, root vegetables, legumes, vegetables and a little meat.

Please add any additional information you may have about traditional Asian diets to the comments section.

What Your Bariatric Surgeon Forgot to Tell You That Will Cause Weight Gain

By Kaye Bailey

This year nearly 250,000 Americans will undergo a bariatric weight loss surgery procedure that will alter the digestive system so significantly it will cause them to lose a dramatic amount of weight rather quickly as they engage in battle against obesity, the leading cause of preventable death in this country. Down the road a startling number of these same people will begin to

Day 70/365: Monday

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer: 15 min @ level 15

I Lose It - A New Weight Loss iPhone App

If you have an iPhone or iTouch, check out this new version of the virtual weight loss model. It's only 99 cents in the store - Virtual Weight Loss App

Day 69/365: Sunday

What I did today:
50 Crunches

Day 68/365:Saturday - Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Started a new book to read while I work out.  I follow Jackson on Twitter and there has been a lot of excitement about her book that just came out earlier this month.



I was planning on purchasing her book in the near future, but when I won a signed book plate from her, I rushed out to get it so I could attach the plate to the inside cover. (Did I mention that the cover is awesome?)

Sisters Red is an modernization of Red Riding Hood fairytale.  She has two more companion books coming soon at her website.

Anyway, I've read through the first couple of chapters today and I can tell this is going to be hard to keep only for workout reading because it's good and you aren't going to want to put it down. I just might have to extend my workout time so I can read longer...


What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer: 15 min @ level 15

Fresh WLS Reading for Lasting Success

Online Peer-to-Peer Connections Key in Weight Loss Surgery Success
Weight loss surgery is no different from other diet programs: it comes with rules. But perhaps the most important factor in long-term success with weight loss surgery is the empowerment that comes from peer-to-peer support. People who surround themselves with a positive support network are more likely to lose weight and sustain

Happy Monday?

It's not really a happy Monday. I'm not even sure there is such a thing as a happy Monday, maybe if I was on vacation, then it would be a happy Monday (vacation next month, and I can hardly wait!).

I just checked my work calendar for today and I have five meetings scheduled back to back, starting at 9 a.m. It makes me want to cry. Actually, it makes me want to get back under the covers and pretend I didn't look at my calendar for today. Maybe I could pretend it's really Sunday.

I'm getting ready to head out to the gym. No bike ride this morning because although it's 5 a.m. and today is the longest day of the year, the sky is barely light. Even without checking the weather forecast I know that means a heavy cloud cover. Okay, I just checked weather.com and yes, it shows black clouds and 51 degrees as the current temperature, with a high of 63 degrees today. Seriously, 63 degrees? It's the first day of summer. What the heck?

I'm not getting on the scale this morning (I weigh every day, in case your wondering). I overate last night. Not a binge, just too much good food at dinner. I made an awesome spaghetti sauce with ground turkey, onions, Portabella mushrooms, lots of garlic, and some Cabernet Sauvignon wine. I also ate about two pounds of the best Bing cherries of the season. Okay, maybe it did qualify as sort of a binge. However, I ate in front of my husband, and ate slowly and consciously, so in my book, that isn't really a binge.

I've also discovered I love a glass (or two) of Cabernet Sauvignon wine (Barefoot, it's cheap and delicious) which is what led to my stuffing my face last night. Since I put the spaghetti sauce over spaghetti squash it probably wasn't too bad, but I ate without weighing or measuring anything, and I didn't count Points.

I had two really good workouts Saturday and Sunday, but sans bike. Stupid rain kept me off my bike.

Today I'm back on the straight and narrow. Counting Points, drinking water instead of wine, eating regular portions instead of construction-worker sized meals. Happy Monday? Not so much. :)

Best Weight Loss Pills

Psychologists have spend hours and days looking for the next best weight loss pills . Other people looking for laptop charger so I guess we hone our own interests. Today we will talk about psychology and weight loss:

Psychologists tell us that any behavior patterns are repeated regularly, requiring little or no reason and is learned rather than innate. So if we talk about eating habits due to various factors, and family customs are very, very important, as the selection and preparation of food, how to consume, schedules, etc..

The eating habits of families are handed down from father to son and are influenced by various factors such as: the geographical location, climate, vegetation, availability of the region, customs, procurement capacity, the shape of selection and preparation and how to consume them (schedules, company, moods, etc.. etc.).

Foods provide us with energy and nutrients needed to grow healthy and strong and able to perform daily activities. No person survive without food, and lack of any of them causes various health problems.

It is not enough food for the sole purpose of satisfying hunger, the body requires nutrients needed to perform all activities in accordance with our daily requirements, which differ for the development of each person, depending on age, health status, their work and so on.

Thus, we must understand that our body requires a number of nutrients, and therefore it is important that our diet should be balanced so as not to suffer the consequences that may be very serious for our body.

The lack of nutrients in the body, causing malnutrition, Malnutrition Energy generated by the lack of clarity in the mind, stress, lack of energy, the much feared obesity and others. etc. and this occurs at any age!. The same thing happens to a little one, when an adult and not be said of the 3rd. Age.

And we can tell from the excesses? Of course they are bad, especially when these relate to excess flour, fats, sugars, etc.. or to
Eating little or too much food and so unbalanced, occasioned consequences can be very serious: one with missing some nutrients in the body, there is malnutrition, which is very serious and frequent in children from all social spheres, and secondly if eat excessive amounts can develop tremendous! obesity!. Therefore, the feeding of children should be:

Complete, including the three main food of the day: breakfast, lunch and dinner with foods from the three groups:
- Cereals and tubers that provide the energy to pursue physical activities, mental, intellectual and social day.
- Legumes and animal foods that provide protein for growth and repair body tissues.
- Water, to help all body processes are properly carried out and because she is part of our body significantly.
- We know that the Air Vital to life, then, learn to breathe, and exercise is essential for life. All foods contain nutrients, but it is important to know what each contains, for combining at every meal and avoid missing any of them.

Natural foods obviously have a larger amount and quality of its nutrients, so junk food, should not take the consumer first, but to facilitate the work of those preparing the meal.

Till next time...

Biking with bunnies is the perfect workout

I removed the BP oil spill widget from my blog. I'm still sadden by the whole thing, but it was taking forever to load my blog page. The combination of the video widget and my own pictures was too much. If you still want to look at it, here's the link to the widget. Today BP is dumping 15 gallons a second into the gulf, and that's by moderate estimates.

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I finally found my perfect workout last week. In a perfect world I'd do it every day. Unfortunately, it doesn't feel quite so perfect when it rains, and it's raining a lot lately.

Three times last week I biked to the gym in the early morning, did a strength training routine for 50 minutes, then biked home. The round-trip on the bike takes about 40 minutes. Total burned calories according to my heart rate monitor was almost 600 calories.

The best part of the workout is the bike ride, but since I love lifting weights, I don't mind the gym visit. I take great delight in walking past all the boring cardio equipment and getting right into my weight routine.

Unfortunately, today isn't bike riding weather. It's only 52 degrees at 12:30 p.m. and the skies are dark, with rain in the forecast. I'll have to get my cardio workout on an elliptical or some other boring piece of equipment.

My weight is still the same. I just can't seem to lose anything. To be really honest, I'm not trying that hard. I wanted to make 150 by my 55th birthday on August 7, but it's probably not going to happen. Maybe I can make 155. That's the maximum healthy weight for my height, 5' 6, according to Weight Watchers. I know that's really too high so I'm still debating on a healthy weight for me.

A few pictures from the week:

I saw at least 15 - 20 bunnies every day, but capturing a picture is a tricky task. They are fast!

Scotch Broom, a noxious weed in King County, Washington. Even though it's a weed and it's everywhere, it's really pretty. Lots of people are allergic to it, but fortunately, it doesn't bother me.

The trail at about 6 a.m. Dark and gloomy looking, but really pretty.

Wild roses

Me, freezing to death. It was about 50 degrees, but the wind was blowing. The next day I wore gloves with fingers on them. It was so dark because of the cloud cover that the flash went off.

Day 67/365

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer 15 min. @ level 15

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Day 66/365 Dancing

So I did something a little differently today in regards to exercise.  The family and I danced to fun dance mixes in the privacy of our living room.

It was more fun than I would have expected dancing around and having fun. Even our little toddler was in there grooving as well.

We were all sweaty by the time we were finished and I think this might be something we will be doing a bit more of.

What I did today:
Dancing: 30 minutes

Day 65/365 Dang Knee

Oops!  I just noticed I missed a day of blogging and got off on my numbering.  This should make up for the day missed.

In college, I had knee surgery after a hurdling accident.  I had a full recovery with the added perk of being a walking barometer. Yep, I can tell when it's a certain temperature outside because my knee acts funny.  Not a big deal, just an added quirk.

Anyway, I have noticed the "good" knee is starting to ache a little funny recently.  I didn't do anything to it but I think I might be doing too much resisitance on the elliptical?

It would probably be better to do 30 minutes at a lower resistance of 10, but lately I am lucky to get on at all.  So the 15 minutes at a higher resistance works out nicely...except for the recent glitch.

I might have to find something different to do for a few days and give it a rest.  We'll see.

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer 15 min @ level 15

Low Micronutrient Intake may Contribute to Obesity

Lower Micronutrient Status in the Obese

Investigators have noted repeatedly that obese people have a lower blood concentration of a number of nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, several B vitamins, zinc and iron (1). Although there is evidence that some of these may influence fat mass in animals, the evidence for a cause-and-effect relationship in humans is generally slim. There is quite a bit of indirect evidence that vitamin D status influences the risk of obesity (2), although a large, well-controlled study found that high-dose vitamin D3 supplementation does not cause fat loss in overweight and obese volunteers over the course of a year (3). It may still have a preventive effect, or require a longer timescale, but that remains to be determined.

Hot off the Presses

A new study in the journal Obesity, by Y. Li and colleagues, showed that compared to a placebo, a low-dose multivitamin caused obese volunteers to lose 7 lb (3.2 kg) of fat mass in 6 months, mostly from the abdominal region (4). The supplement also reduced LDL by 27%, increased HDL by a whopping 40% and increased resting energy expenditure. Here's what the supplement contained:

Vitamin A(containing natural mixed b-carotene) 5000 IU
Vitamin D 400 IU
Vitamin E 30 IU
Thiamin 1.5 mg
Riboflavin 1.7 mg
Vitamin B6 2 mg
Vitamin C 60 mg
Vitamin B12 6 mcg
Vitamin K1 25 mcg
Biotin 30 mcg
Folic acid 400 mcg
Nicotinamide 20 mg
Pantothenic acid 10 mg
Calcium 162 mg
Phosphorus 125 mg
Chlorine 36.3 mg
Magnesium 100 mg
Iron 18 mg
Copper 2 mg
Zinc 15 mg
Manganese 2.5 mg
Iodine 150 mcg
Chromium 25 mcg
Molybdenum 25 mcg
Selenium 25 mcg
Nickel 5 mcg
Stannum 10 mcg
Silicon 10 mcg
Vanadium 10 mcg

Although the result needs to be repeated, if we take it at face value, it has some important implications:

• The nutrient density of a diet may influence obesity risk, as I speculated in my recent audio interview and related posts (5, 6, 7, 8, 9).
• Many nutrients act together to create health, and multiple insufficiencies may contribute to disease. This may be why single nutrient supplementation trials usually don't find much.
• Another possibility is that obesity can result from a number of different nutrient insufficiencies, and the cause is different in different people. This study may have seen a large effect because it corrected many different insufficiencies.
  
• This result, once again, kills the simplistic notion that body fat is determined exclusively by voluntary food consumption and exercise behaviors (sometimes called the "calories in, calories out" idea, or "gluttony and sloth"). In this case, a multivitamin was able to increase resting energy expenditure and cause fat loss without any voluntary changes in food intake or exercise, suggesting metabolic effects and a possible downward shift of the body fat "setpoint" due to improved nutrient status.
  

Practical Implications

Does this mean we should all take multivitamins to stay or become thin? No. There is no multivitamin that can match the completeness and balance of a nutrient-dense, whole food, omnivorous diet. Beef liver, leafy greens and sunlight are nature's vitamin pills. Avoiding refined foods instantly doubles the micronutrient content of the typical diet. Properly preparing whole grains by soaking and fermentation is equivalent to taking a multi-mineral along with conventionally prepared grains, as absorption of key minerals is increased by 50-300% (10). Or you can eat root vegetables instead of grains, and enjoy their naturally high mineral availability. Or both.

Day 64/365

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer 15 min. @ level 15

Day 63/365

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer 15 min. @ level 15

Online Peer-to-Peer Connections Key in Weight Loss Surgery Success

By Kaye Bailey

About 250,000 morbidly obese adult Americans will undergo Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) this year to have their intestines cut and rearranged in a drastic attempt to lose weight and put their obesity in remission. In addition to surgical intervention they will agree to follow a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, engage in daily physical activity, avoid snacking on empty calorie

The Reality of Food Cravings

New Layout

I thought I'd spruce the place up a bit! Let me know what you think in the comments.

Weight loss : Lessons from success stories of other people

Another success story that can give us lessons that obesity can be defeated. Consider the following story that I got from the June 2010 issue of Prevention magazine.

At age of 30, I became the principal of an elementary school and went back to graduate school -all while raising my three children. I was too busy to cook, so we ate out for every meal. When I was stressed, I grabbed any sweet I could find. Soon the scale edged upward. I enrolled in diet and exercise programs, but nothing stuck. Instead of slimming down, I gained 70 pounds in 6 ½ years.

Wow, I believe this to be a nightmare for her and it makes sense if then this change makes her think that she needs to act quickly to resolve this problem before it gets worse. We have to realize that the food is usually served by some restaurants, especially fast food restaurants, usually a high-calorie foods. So moderate exercise only will not help you lose weight.

On January 1, 2007, my mother, aunt, and I were sitting around talking about how fat and tired we all were, and I couldn't stand it anymore. I said: "We can beat this. Let's start ag roup. We'll meet one a week, weigh in, and talk about what we've done to be healthy."

We started convening every Sunday at my mother's house. It was like our own private Weight Watchers meeting. We'd each get on the scale, then discuss strategies to help us meet our goals: write in a journal to track food intake, increase our fiber by adding beans to our salads, or snack on fruit instead of chocolate to satisfy a sweet tooth. It was such great motivation. We screamed and gave each other high fives when we met our exercise or weight loss goals for the week.

She has done the right thing. She was successful in realizing the simple programs/tips that will be given by all nutritionists. Simple yet powerful, especially if done continually until it becomes a healthy new lifestyle.

Motivation is the most often thing that make the persons who are trying to lose weight to stop or give up. But she made it through by forming a group whose members have the same ultimate goal. By forming a group, each member can give and receive a spirit that will make them excited again. Forming a group is the best way to maintain motivation. Try it and I'm sure you'll make it too

I lost 40 pounds the first 6 month; by the time I returned to school in the fall, I'd shed 55 pounds-my students didn't even recognize me! I've maintained my weight for more than 2 years, and people stop me all the time to ask how I did it. My answer: I'm still doing it. Losing weight and staying healthy is a life long journey.

Finally, happy ending. As she said: “Losing weight and staying healthy is a life long journey.” All the benefits from this struggle can only be found if you can keep it. In other words make it your new lifestyle.

Hot Off the Press!

Apples and Exercise Promote Body Fat Loss After Weight Loss Surgery
For some exercise enthusiasts carbo-loading is key to supplying the body with adequate energy for extreme workout sessions. But for the rest of us the simple apple may be the best carbo-loading secret around when it comes to supplying the body with energy before a workout. Read More

Three Keys to Lasting Weight Loss Surgery

Day 62/365 Update on Progress

It's been a year since I took photos.  For those who have been following me, you know that I had hoped I would have had an "after" shot by now.  Please know that I am not complaining because maintenance is a wonderful thing, especially when I have spent most of my life, gaining.

In talking about maintenance, I wanted to show proof that I really was maintaining my loss, not just hiding behind a blog.  (For a better side-by-side comparison, look to the side----> )

I WILL have an "after" photo before the end of the year!!

What I did today:
50 crunches

So here are my "Maintenance" photos:

Do the stuff that makes you happy

Recent studies have proven that the older we get, the happier we become. This article came out in the New York Times a few weeks ago, but it's just one of many similar articles.

There are a lot of theories on why older people are happier, but the one that makes the most sense to me is because older people have figured out what makes them happy. Instead of doing the stuff they don't like, they do the things they enjoy.

Therefore, I'm done with bootcamp class. I paid for a month, but it was deeply discounted to $39. I only went twice, and I hated every minute of it. I liked the group class atmosphere. I hated everything else about it. Especially the frantic pace and the exercises. I hated the music, and most of all I hated how I almost couldn't walk for two days after the class. I don't think it's good for a person to exercise so hard that they can barely get out of a chair.

I'm 54. I don't want to waste time doing things I hate. I don't exactly love to exercise, but I don't hate it. I enjoy weight lifting, and never dread doing it. Cardio really isn't my thing, but I know it's a necessary evil and I do it six days a week. Great music helps a lot, as well as variety. I try to do a different machine every day at the gym. Or better yet, a bike ride or a brisk walk outside, both are preferred activities over the gym.

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in the Pacific Northwest. Sun shining, 72 degrees. Perfect bike riding weather. I rode from our house to the mall, then the mall to the gym for strength training for 45 minutes, then back home. I stopped a few times to take pictures and talk to a lady walking her yellow labs (I love yellow labs). It was the best two and half hours of my entire week. It made me very happy.

The swimming and the bootcamp class didn't work for me. There are still other things I can try. Next is an aerobic/strength training class at my gym. The only problem is that it's at 5:30 p.m. I'm really not much of an evening exercise person, but I'm going to try it a couple days this week. The last time I went to this class I was very overweight and although I liked the instructor and the music, I wasn't physically able to keep up. Hopefully I'll do better now.

A few pictures from yesterday...

Rhododendron in the gym parking lot

A view from my bike trail, Mt. Rainier in all her glory.

Me and the bike on the BPA trail in Federal Way, WA

Eating until I feel full
Last week I tried the Weight Watchers Filling Foods technique and not tracking every Point, I only tracked my weekly 35 Points. I tried eating until I felt "satisfied". It came as no big surprise to me that it didn't work. I gained 3.4 pounds this week. It's just a problem I have when left to my own devices, I will eat too much. It's who I am and a problem I have to deal with.

This week I'm counting Points again. It's another necessary evil, but I know it'll make for a much better weight loss week.

Chili Pepper may fights Fat

Scientists are reporting new evidence that capsaicin, the stuff that gives chili peppers their kick, may cause weight loss and fight fat buildup by triggering certain beneficial protein changes in the body. Their study, which could lead to new treatments for obesity, appears in ACS' monthly Journal of Proteome Research.

Jong Won Yun and colleagues point out that obesity is a major public health threat worldwide, linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and other health problems. Laboratory studies have hinted that capsaicin may help fight obesity by decreasing calorie intake, shrinking fat tissue, and lowering fat levels in the blood. Nobody, however, knows exactly how capsaicin might trigger such beneficial effects.

In an effort to find out, the scientists fed high-fat diets with or without capsaicin to lab rats used to study obesity. The capsaicin-treated rats lost 8 percent of their body weight and showed changes in levels of at least 20 key proteins found in fat. The altered proteins work to break down fats. "These changes provide valuable new molecular insights into the mechanism of the antiobesity effects of capsaicin," the scientists say.

Source : ScienceDaily

Day 61/365 Cooking with your children

My sister-in-law introduced me to a website that she likes to use often with her children.  It's called Cooking With My Kid  It has wonderful recipes to do with your kids.  Today we made Soft Pretzels and they turned out tasty.  I substituted half the white flour for whole wheat pastry flour and they were filling!

Cooking together with your children makes an excellent opportunity to talk to your kids about nutrition.  How it's important to take care of your body while having fun doing it is a lesson they will remember for a lifetime.

My kids love to help me and I look forward to several years of happy times in the kitchen with four excellent chefs to replace me!

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer 15 min. @ level 15
55 push-ups

Day 60/365 Project Finished (Phase One)

Today, Friday, I finished the first part of my project that took me a month and a half to complete!! (I will soon share, I promise!)  :o)

For those who know me personally, you know when I get focused on something, I get focused and pretty much OCD all over it until it's done.  It's a very productive method, but I haven't figured out how to balance it yet with everything else in life.

I have kept up with my regular exercise, but I haven't been doing the most with the blog as I should be.  As I catch up with everything else in life, I will get caught up with this blog too by posting more interesting things.  The biggest of which is some progress pictures!!!  Or just progress posts!  Maybe just some sort of progress besides maintenance...basically, just something more than what I have been giving.  :o)

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer 15 min. @ level 15

Day 59/365

What I did today:
Elliptical Trainer 15 min. @ level 15

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