Good Morning..We have had alot of sun this week….what a wonderful difference. My TV has had a glitch…amazing how much time is freed up. Plus, I notice that my thoughts are calmer…interesting forced experiment. How are you?

Are you able to do much in the water? I went from intense basketball until my mid-40′s, running into my mid 50′s and I now swim 7 days a week. The lack out pounding in the water really helps.

Good morning. I can’t even front…it was an insane week. But I am taking some time this weekend to calm down some. This is a busy time of year for me.

Before I had my bout with MRSA, I was able to do water aerobics. I want to try that again. I just want to be careful because they are not sure where I picked up that infection. I can’t go through that again.

Wow, that is intense and best to be cautious. We are big in the “south beach” thing here, not so much the confusing glycemic index as concentrating on whole grains and really limiting the refinde junnk.

Googling swimming and MRSA doesn’t exaclty make me want to go jump in at the Y. . . but I’m going to!

I’m not familiar with the south beach diet.

I think I am just going to take my chances. Just be careful and watch any open cuts or bruises you have. Thats how they said the infection entered my body.

Oh boy, Saturday morning. Hiya DeVeria and all.
We were going to have Beef Stroganoff last night. The egg noodles were boiled. The green salad was ready. I browned the strips of meat and the sour cream was on the counter. Then, I called a friend and we got chatting. I was wandering around the living room, which is what I do when I’m on the phone, when I heard the skillet hit the floor. 10 points for the first person who guesses what that was. Yep. The two pups had Eaten All The Meat. My husband gave them a 2 hour time out, outside. Way to kick off the weekend.

It’s a three phased thang. The theory behind it has been questioned but the core is getting off sugar and processed food. They label good carbs and bad carbs based on the “glycemic” index and maintain that if you get the bad stuff out of your system you can lose weight. John’s Hopkins did a white paper that I can never find that questioned the science behind the claims but also said that if it led to more healthy eating it was good. They have a ton of South Beach Cookbooks and other diets have latched on to the index.

beef strangenough!

Hi there…what a mess. Did you go out to dinner?;))

Wow…are you serious! LOL Oh my…

When I want to lose weight I cut out the bread as much as I can. This can be hard because I love baking bread and eating it warm right out of the oven. To get back to my tips: if I eat a burger is sans bun but I smother it with sauteed veggies, mushrooms etc.

Tee Hee. My husband offered to take us out to dinner, but I wanted to watch the Haitian Concert Fundraiser, so we just put spaghetti sauce on the noodles and made do with that. Honestly, I was worried that puppy boy might puke or something, but he seems okay. I was also just glad that I had bought the meat on sale. *g*

I’ll have to research it. I remember when I first had my gastric bypass it was so hard getting in all that protein. There are a lot of other options now, but I used to have to eat mostly meat.

From Johns Hopkins

The Best Weight Loss Plan

The best way to lose weight—and to keep it off—is not to look for a “quick fix” but to make lifestyle changes that involve reducing the total number of calories you eat while increasing your level of physical activity. Remember, it is excess calories, not excess carbohydrates, that make you fat.

So eat a variety of foods to ensure that you get all the essential nutrients that your body needs. By choosing foods that are higher in carbohydrates and fiber and lower in fat, you can also improve blood glucose control and decrease your risk of CHD and kidney damage.

Now that is one thing I have a hard time. Even after my surgery…I love bread! Sometimes I would just let that be my carb because I would rather have that than anything else.

That is something, there. I missed the concert…I had an engagement at church. I’m hoping they will replay it at some point so I can tivo it. Of course I didn’t think about that last night.

This might sound weird, but I reverse my meals. I make breakfast the biggest meal, for lunch, perhaps a small sandwich and a very small dinner. Except for last night, of course.
There’s a saying that goes something like this. Eat like a king in the morning, a prince in the middle of the day and a pauper for supper.

I’m trying to get there. I have to do something. I can tell my blood glucose level is all out of whack. That is something all of us need to know. No quick fix…but a change of lifestyle. I think I’m ready.

Normally my biggest meal is lunch and maybe just a bowl of cereal or something for dinner…unless I have to cook for “the man”. I have to do better with breakfast…I miss that all together.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/21/haiti-telethon-livestream_n_431936.html

Try not to miss breakfast…for lots of reasons. And I did the South beach for only a few weeks. But their breakfast plan certainly makes life easier….and I think Dr. Oz has good breakfast plans. I just need something that makes me not have to make a decision.

thanks!

Hey, did you get a recent email from me? Thanks

I need something quick and easy. My day normally starts out with a bang and once those emails and phone calls start…its on until mid-day.

Hi Bev. Did you check into Curves further? One of the other staff told me about the free month with a years membership. Our manager and owner don’t keep us up to date on the specials, which is typical of the mis or noncommunication that goes on all the time. Then, we get a screaming rant of an email saying we’re not doing enough to increase the membership roster and if we don’t turn it around we’ll all be out of our jobs. Sheesh, I say.

D’oh. I did get your email and responded. Maybe that got stuck in my draft file. That happens sometimes. I’ll go check it.

Nope. Not there. Try the free week and see how well you like it before you join. Also, you can ask them if they have a 3 month or 6 month plan. A year is a big commitment.

Sugar, fat, salt work on the pleasure chemicals in the brain just the way addictive drugs do. Here’s the book. And Kessler was here for a book salon.

Good morning all.

It doesn’t get easier than oatmeal and fruit.

DeVeria:

Rashad will be running around soon and I have to be able to catch him.

Kids can be a real motivator. In 1988 I was blessed with a baby daughter (she was an “accident”) and as a result I was able to turn my life around. With Rashad to motivate you I’m sure you will be successful in improving your health.

Thanks….the one time I stopped in, I was told something like if I tried the machines, I had to sign up. Pretty confusing.

Hi Hi. Today is the first day in six that it is not raining, so I think we’ll be taking the dogs out for a nice, long walk. Also, I think I better shampoo the carpets. Potty training hasn’t gone well this week.

I think Dr Oz really likes oatmeal and you can cook it the night before…

Mornin’ Ms DeVeria
From my limited perspective, water related exercise is good but often it’s hard to beat taking walks. A lot of walking during the lunch hour. Or a nice long walk prior to supper.

I’m with you on bread. Warm from the oven — I can eat half a loaf in no time. The local vegetable market carries good bread from an Italian bakery which is what I usually have on hand. I’ve started slicing it up and freezing it just to keep it at a little distance.

I may find a movie..Im way behind of anything current. Any recommendations?

That doesn’t sound right to me, but as I said in the undelivered email, they are franchises and may all have different ways of doing business. We let gals work out for a week free. They just have to fill out a health form first.

The nurse practitioner suggested fresh fruit. In the beginning I couldn’t eat a lot of that. She suggested apples…filling and a lot of fiber.

Death At A Funeral on dvd. If you like British humor.

Good. I can ask more questions….just need to get moving.

I do eat a fair amount of carbs, but it’s fruit and whole grains, no refined flour. I couldn’t give up bread, but as I say, wholegrain only, and the bread I buy has nothing but flour, water, salt and yeast in it. No red meat, just chicken and fish. My Mom lives with me and does the cooking, and it’s pretty much based on Weight Watchers which she followed for years. Oh, and I also walk nearly every day–2.5 to 3 miles depending on my time constraints.

Fresh fruit is grrrrreat on oatmeal. Pretty much any one them. Maybe not melons. But, on the side works.

Why cats R me. There is no way I would put up with potty training or walking dogs. My Cahnstance is a perfect lady about using the litter box.

It’s also good to walk after meals for a couple of reason.s

Lucky you. But, you do the dishes, right? Ha. As Woody Allen once said, my mother puts the food through the deflavorizer.

Yes, I had him New Years and decided then something had to change. He is going to be a handful when he starts running around and I want to be able to enjoy him.

I need to get on that treadmill in the garage!

What a good kitty girl.
I’m still calling the dog Buddy, but I’m thinking his real name might be Prince of Chocolate. Or, Puddles. Ha.

Wow…now if I was as disciplined as you are, I would have no issues.

You got it–I do the cleaning up, although if she does something with a lot of preparation she will clean up as she goes along.

It’s a little easier when you have someone else doing the cooking. Also, I’m older and single, so I maybe have fewer demands than someone with a family.

Sugar, fat, salt …

My three main food groups! I don’t buy candy because I’d eat it all almost immediately. Lately I’ve found I can be quite satisfied scooping brown sugar between walnut halves with a dash of salt. At least it’s not as easy.

How ’bout (chocolate) Pudding?

Isn’t life a bitch sometimes? We have to be brilliant, gorgeous AND disciplined. Oh, for goodness sake.

Love it. Sugar free, though, right?

One of the blessings of getting older…as in Who cares?;)

I prefer a thin slice of cholesterol sauted in butter with plenty of salt. The book is one of the best I read last year.

I started cooking as an activity about a year and a half ago. I found that anything good I make for myself reduces my overeating versus the manufactured product. For example, I made some ginger snap cookies last Sunday. Gave a bunch away to Sunday guests, and still have a few in my cookie jar. If I had store bought ones, I would have wolved them down in 2 days. The better the food tastes, the less you need to be satisfied.

Or, someone gives you a makeover.

I am going to have to modify my cooking for “the man”. He needs to go on a diet right with me. I only cook a few times a week at most though.

LOL, Thanks.

Tell me about it…lol

What book? I missed something.

Actually, I would disagree. I’ve had treadmills and using them becomes a chore. Plus watching TV while using doesn’t do all that much to help the BP.

But a nice walk through the neighborhood or the local downtown every day is quite relaxing and stimulating both. When I worked in New Haven, one of my co-workers and I would go out most every day (unless it was pouring rain) and walk different directions each day. Of course, it does help to have something like the New Haven green to walk around each day (and admire the architecture or the various views, etc

My Mom made cookies as gifts for people over the holidays, and someone kept asking her where she got her recipe, said there was something different about her cookies and they were really good. We had only wholewheat flour in the house, so Mom had used that for the cookies!

I’ve said this before, Portions. The weight watcher trick of using a small plate works well. Eating slowly and enjoying every bite and, pushing away the plate when you’re full. It’s the nonconscious eating that can be dangerous. But, you are right about making your own delish things.

I have really found that to be true. When I cook, I don’t eat as much. But if I go get it from the store…I eat it all…and get mad if I have to share!

morning, seems I slept in – after getting up and two to do a post for seminal.FDL, which will go up later. Sorry I missed quality time here, but thought I’d pass on how I got healthy tastes. I have two hyperactive children. Cooking responsibly for them just inclined me to appreciate the good things like hot and sour soup which I just had. It’s not my usual breakfast, but I had the leftover bowlfull.

Pudding is on my list of things to cook. I don’t do a lot of sweets; I prefer fats & salts. So desserts on my cooking list are there for quite awhile before they get made. But when I do make it, you can be sure it’ll have real sugar in it. But see my 60. If it’s really good, I’ll eat less of it at each serving. I made a pumpkin flan a couple of weeks ago. Massive recipe, and couldn’t be frozen. I gave half away to my hunter friend and it still took me a week to eat the rest.

I would’t mind finding a track or the mall. I tried walking in my neighborhood this fall…way too many hills.

My 31.

Thanks…I did see the Salon. It was helpful

Sleeping in is good. I’m going to take a nap later on this morning..late night last night and a very long one today. It’s a good thing though…my family is coming.

Morning DeVeria,

Last week eCAHN asked about Christie and you were going to send her an email. Did you ever hear from her? I often think of her and wonder how she is – well I hope.

I find keeping my own hours, whenever they occur, makes me feel even a bit glib about my Own life. or something.

Thanks for the reminder. I hadn’t got my brain in gear yet to ask again.

Sleeping is one of life’s great healers. The other one is ice. Works miracles for contact injuries.

I’ve been wondering all week. I miss having her around.

Good morning, pups! Late to the party this morning — slept in a bit.

DeVeria, I swear by the South Beach diet. I am not seriously overweight, but the pounds had crept up, and last summer I did the South Beach diet for a few weeks and lost 16 lbs and a dress size, and my blood pressure dropped enough for my MD to cut my BP med dosage in half!

For anyone considering it who is not familiar with the diet, I would recommend carefully reading the introductory chapters of the book, not just skipping — as I did a few years ago — to the diet. His nutritional advice is well worth understanding.

And I also racked up 1,035 miles on my bicycle between April and November. Can’t wait to get out again, but cannot ride in the snow! *g*

I would love love love to hear what Christy has to say about the SCOTUS decision this week.
And, the Prop 8 trial.

G’morning. I emailed her and she and the family were trying to get over that flu. But she’s coming along better now. I told her she had to stop by and say hello real soon.

Oh yes!

Glen Greenwald had some interesting thoughts in Salon that I read this morning.

Morning De !
I’ve found that running helps me keep the weight down. And there is an added benefit, a sense of calm that comes with running. I find that the days I run nothing bothers me , I have plenty of energy and can attack problems head on without getting all stressed out.
Of course running isn’t for everyone ,water aerobics , bicycling or any other cardio exercises will have the same benefit if done vigorously enough

Thanks for that.

RE Christy: Saw her on Facebook just this past week. She said “Lupus sucks. And this evening, I just needed to say that.” But then went on to say that she had made a huge amount of meat loaf, so she’s still cooking!

Well, I’m gonna try for some healing today! I believe that. Sometimes when I’m going through, I’ll just lie down and let it go for a while and always when I get up, its not as critical as before.

Thanks. Will check that out.

Really?! Wow…now I know I’m going to check it out.

I have done the South Beach Diet and also the Sonoma Diet. Both are quite sensible. Dr Diana Scheinbein also has a terrific program. She has written several books explaining it.

I do want to get a stationary bike and try that out. I think it will help my legs. I’m going to start slowly first and hopefully as time goes on, I’ll be able to do more.

Mornin’, DeVeria, pups

A good breakfast. Ha. Howse about a Belgian waffle and veggie sausage patties? Real Maple syrple. Tea. Glass of milk. No calories there, no siree.

In real life it’s a bowl of 10-grain hot cereal topped with a bit of maple syrple, whole milk and a banana. Tea or coffee depending on mood.

Bright House installer coming later this afternoon. No more crappy Verizon DSL.

Thinking at my age, walking is probably less injury prone, and that’s what I like when the weather allows.

Welcome! I just dropped Verizon, am happy to say. They have now even been isolating me from paying my bill for two months, for some reason.

Take your time getting started , lots of folks try too hard at first and end up hurt, and once they get hurt they quickly lose interest . It took me a long time to get into the running , with my bad back I had to build my self up to it. Once I get my self there though , I can run for an hour and barely get tired

Confession time. Making my coffee just now, I realized we are out of creamer and milk, so I used a big spoonful of ice cream. That’s a venal sin, not a mortal one, right? Please.
(Oooooh, I think I just discovered the topic for my diary tomorrow. Confession Time. What do you people think about that?

G’morning. I guess I really need to start doing the breakfast thing…

Good for you! I’m not a runner. At all. But, put on some good music and I can dance, dance, dance.

unfortunately we don’t have that many choices here, it’s either Verizon or Charter the local cable company , and both suck !

My only thing is right now I can’t walk that far. But I was very active with the water aerobics, so I think that will be my best bet right now to start with.

Last year I biked 1245 miles. Haven’t been on it yet this year; snow & aftermath grit on the road. Today is cold, but beautiful & sunny. Think I’ll reset the odometer & go out for a ride.

I just told someone the other day that once I get fit, I wanted to join a dance class. I would love to dance!

That omelet sure does look good ! I love ‘shrooms.

sounds good…I haven’t ridden a bike around in over 25 years probably, so I’m a little fearful of that.

Wish I had one right now. I’m getting hungry!

Dance is a great way to stay fit and have fun too

Not a sin at all, another substitute is yogurt. But all are better than artificial creamers with their flavorings that defeat the reason for drinking coffee at all, the taste, and are horrible plastic.

Confession Time

I won’t show up for that!

Okay, you. You don’t have to go to a class. You listen to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0y2dDlFmLg
and I dare you not to get up and start the boogie.

Fat free half and half is my creamer of choice.

A confession in itself. *g*

That’s great…

Wow, that cereal sounds good. Is it just in the usual “cereal” place?

As I mentioned the other day, Bright House won’t be perfect but they will be reasonable reliable

I don’t like Bright House but their service is reliable and is my only other choice. Had cable teebee with them for years but dumped that about 5 years ago. Teebee, imo, is nothing but a waste of time. The “news” isn’t and the “entertainment” is for 10 year olds. I grew up with Playhouse 90, Hallmark Hall of Fame, etc. Boobs, gunfire and car crashes just don’t do it for me. Believe it or not I have never watched a reality show on my toob. When everything went digital in June? I went teebee-less. Works great for tapes and dvd’s, though.

I like!!!

My internist even approves of South Beach — except he’s lukewarm about the introductory 2 weeks, which eliminates (temporarily) fruit and most starches. You eat a LOT of salad the first two weeks, and you eat protein and veggies. But I figure doing anything for only two weeks can’t hurt unless you have something like diabetes, which I don’t, and you get quite a lift from losing a lot right away. After the first two weeks you reintroduce whole grains and fruit, and stay on that until you’ve lost what you want. I only loosely followed the diet after the first two weeks, but choosing the proper foods became a habit that stuck. And the first two weeks don’t work unless you cut out alcohol — no glass of wine in the evening — but that’s allowed after the first two weeks, too.

Shrooms go well with almost everything.

Honey Girl, Motown is the bestest music ever.

Im getting there…really have missed Moyers’ the last 2 weeks.

1- Smaller, more frequent meals
2- zero sodas, even diet
3- dilute healthy juices with clean water – but don’t increase volume consumed
4- if coffee with cream — switch to lattes (home made) with skim
5- don’t eat later in evening, but don’t skip meals
6- avoid sugar and sweets very frequently, but reward yourself ONCE in a while
7- avoid salting any food – look for low sodium everything

Using above, below, and better food choices, I lost 16 pounds in less than a year, and am maintaining (but was not really too overweight in the first place.

And remember, exercising will NEVER outrun eating excess calories. The more you vigorously exercise, the more calories your body demands you intake.

Learn about body set-points, and figure out how much to eat less before your body starts downwardly ratcheting your metabolism. This is the action- the body’s automatic modulation of food intake to metabolism rate- that defeats almost all diets.

I hadn’t ridden a bike either until I got one after my knee replacement 5 years ago. My ortho doc gave me the “your knee is a mechanical part and it will wear out” lecture, so although I can walk as much as I want, he doesn’t recommend walking for exercise. The bicycle is wonderful, and over the past couple of years South Bend has put in some bike paths so I have a 13.5 mile route I can ride several times a week and I love it.

Oh, now that’s not ‘creamer’ to my mind, it’s almost untreated natural cow product.

I’m glad that works for you guys! I love cooking and like to spend Sunday making enough of something to freeze quite a few portions. I’m undisciplined, and I like me that way. The best way for me to regulate what I eat is to serve up a reasonable portion and not make it easy to go for more.

Bob’s Red Mill, at your favourite natural foods store. Delicious. I cut the amounts in the directions in half cuz it serves 2 but doesn’t say so. I’m certainly full after 1 bowl and the tigers wouldn’t eat the other.

I don’t need a TV either about the only thing I watch is the Simpsons, and I do that on line now

I’m just lazy speaking. Two syllables instead of five.

Moyers is online so I can watch whenever I want to, or at least I could until my DSL went wiggy.

There are just no other Moyers’. I do watch CSpan a lot, tho, since it gives me front seats at the congress, sometimes a mixed curse.

Thanks…I’ve done the steel cut oats for awhile; I keep the extra portions in the fridge, then microwave. Has worked for me. I like the sound of yours.

Did you see that they added “d’oh” to the dictionary?

I have had trouble getting that going…will have to try again.

Heh. I use heavy cream for my coffee. Can’t stand fat-free or low fat anything.

I lost 50 pounds last year. I doubled my amount of aerobic exercise to 1 hour (pulse rate carefully monitored to be between 130 – 140), drank 12 oz. of water before anything touched my lips, ate dinner at breakfast, a half a banana at 10:00, a normal lunch (soup or salad, 1 small piece of bread), the other half of a banana at 5:00 and broth at 8:00. I put things I wanted that were too fatty on a list: on the 24th of each month I’d have one thing from the list. I miss wine. That weight was/is stubborn.

That routine worked 58 year old me- I still have 30 pounds more to go, so I’m ramping up the exercise again to two hours. I’m so tired after exercising that I have to do it right before bedtime or nothing would ever get done. So I do my eliptical glider in front of the Tivo and fall into bed.

It was hard to do protein in the morning, so I ended up doing alot of chicken tenders with lemon olive oil -in my sleepy (I don’t DO mornings) state it seems sweet. Obviously, my protein intake is no where near what a person with a bypass needs – maybe the south beach diet probably would work for you. My body didn’t like the chloresteral – but every body is different.

They’ve become part of our culture . Ironic that they would be on Fox !

Don’t make me say it.

Takes about 10+ minutes once the water boils but ya gotta stay on top of it stirring or ya end up with a real glob o’ mess.

Say what?

We’ll see. I have an upper endoscopy scheduled in two weeks so I’m going to be careful about starting anything until after that.

I can’t. It would be mean.

And rinse the pan right away. That stuff dries in the pan ya need a jackhammer to get it out. Same for the bowl.

Just go black…makes life so easy.

Great points!

Now that the sun is coming up, I can see the destruction in the side yard from when the pups had their 2 hour time out last night. Oh, bother, as Pooh would say.

Where do you get the tenders? Do your own?

50 lbs…that’s great! That’s what I told the doctor I wanted to lose this year. There is hope…

I used to drink my coffee black with a tspn of turbonado sugar or honey but I like it so strong a tbspn of cream takes the edge off. I use organic beans. Can’t stand the regular ground coffee ya get in the grocery store. I make tea stronger than that crap.

Learned to like strong coffee in the Navy. Ships make coffee that will make hair grow on the bottom of yer feet.

Well folks, it’s almost 10 AM, time to get my ass in gear !

De good luck to you and any one else that is starting an exercise regime. Getting regular vigorous exercise is probably one of the best things you can do to maintain your physical and mental well being.

A good day to all !!

Now that might not be a bad idea. I have more time on the weekends.

Thanks…have a good one!

Grind your own…what a guy. Ive seen that done, but never tried it.

I think I better start my day….Angela will want to be fed….

Thanks for a great start.

PS, I do not do my usual Sunday tomorrow b/c a big race will keep traffic from moving…feels like a long weekend. Delicious.

Gotta get off my butt and get the computer room cleaned up before the cable person gets here. You know, the old clean the house before the housecleaner shows up routine. Daft.

Next time ya see me I should be on be on Bright House. With my luck my machine will implode or some shit.

Be good to yourselves, and all other living things.

Namaste

Ta ta to Billy and Bev.
I think I’ll go to the store and find the hot wheat cereal I use to enjoy. Hugs to all of you swell pups.

DeVeria, beans and rice are good everyday meals. I always have red beans and rice on hand in the freezer, and also love Cuban style black beans and rice. The Cuban style is easy to add other beans and veggies to. I’m fortunate in that I can pretty much eat what I want. You’d be a better judge of what you might change in a recipe to make it healthier. The site, http://www.gumbopages.com/recipe-page.html, has some great recipes. There’s a Stuffed Eggplant Soup recipe there that I love, which works perfectly well without the heavy cream. Although, it could simply be that I love any soup with sausage in it.

Best coffee evah!!!

Without bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.
Be well, and it’s always fun to find stuff you forgot about when you clean. Leastways, that’s what happens when I clean.

If yer talkin’ about Wheatina it’s still out there and other than the 7- or 10- grain cereals is the only hot cereal worth bothering with.

That sounds right.
Man, oh, man. Are we dragging our feet, or what?

Mushrooms? I just looked at the photo and though that was sliced sausage. Mushrooms are good too.

You must eat breakfast. It tastes horrible, but the the best thing you can eat is plain oatmeal. I am telling you there is no better way to kick start your metabolism and keep it running on high all day. Eat a salad for one meal. Purchase a salad dressing carafe and make you own dressings using only olive oil and vinegar. Good seasonings makes salad dressing packets that can add some flavor. If you can handle it flip the amounts of vinegar and oil so it is 3 parts vinegar to 1 part oil.

If you are on a plateau, try not to eat meat for a while. It will help shake up your metabolism. Substitute an Omega 3 supplement pill for animal fat.

Do different excercises. Switching up a routine can help get you off a plateau.

Fiber, fiber, fiber.

Eat vegetables, not fruit. Eating lots of fruit really nails you with excess sugar in the long run. Too many people on diets feel they can eat as much fruit as they want. It’s sweet for a reason and too much of anything leads to excess calories.

Try to not eat anything past 8 PM. If you are used to snacking at night going to bed hungry will do wonders for getting off a plateau. Most body builders I know NEVER eat anything past 8 PM.

Lastly, and I’ll probably get nailed for this…..If you are stuck focus on reducing calories first ( Sugar, Fat) and worry about salt last. You can’t do it forever, but allowing yourself to indulge in salty foods that are extremely low on calories and therefore sugar and fat (canned soups, pickles, ect, ect) can help with cravings and can get your daily caloric intake to a level that will speed up weight loss. This doesn’t mean go crazy on salt, but you can use it as a crutch for a short time to get off a plateau.

Enjoy

I was thinking about venturing to the store myself…

I have had to acquire a taste for red beans and rice in my old age. I used to not eat any kind of beans besides string beans and baked beans.

So did I!

Thanks for leading a nice thread this morning, De. See ya next weekend. Please do consider eating breakfast this week. We love you.

Interesting spin on a few things. Because of the way they rerouted my intestines, I have to be careful with certain diets. Some things I just can’t eat too much of or I will get physically sick.

If you show up later this is the model coffee mill I have. Thirty+ years old and still grindin’. Half the price 30 years ago, too.

I’m gonna try. I love you pups too!

I wouldn’t buy ground coffee unless It was to be used within a couple days of opening it. The staple coffee here is the regular 8 o’clock beans. I make drip coffee, but let a up and a half of hot water steep in the grounds before letting it run through. I guess that would make the process more like a French press, which I’ve never tried.

Try the Cuban black beans and rice. A Cuban friend regularly adds garbanzo beans, cut green beans, corn and more.

I see the neighbor kids out ice rink. I’m going to go lace up and try to not crack my skull.

DeVeria,
You might want to read up on Arachidonic Acid(AA) if you are doing a lot of protein. It has a negative effect on arthritis if you are sensitive to it. I’m insulin sensitive and lactose intolerate and have been struggling with the right diet. I realized a few months ago that I’m sensitive to AA. Once I dropped eggs yolks and minimize red meat and added four to six Enteric Fish Oil gel capsules, the difference is huge. Skin issues and blood pressure have all dropped. Breakfast consists of three egg whites, a bit of tofu and muenster cheese with smoke paprika. I would rather have two eggs and bacon, but my body has made it very clear that is a bad idea for me. I have my annual exam next week and am waiting to see if my CRP test has dropped. I believe it has based on my skin and breathing effort when walked up hills.

Good luck to you. The right diet isn’t a one time thing, but a long journey.

DeVeria,
While everyone has had very helpful responses here, you may have an underlying issue with insulin resistance.

Please take a look at a post I did, and feel free to email me for a serious discussions. I have spent the last year and a half working to get people to talk with their doctors about insulin resistance because most doctors ignore it.

I started the Paleolithic, or Caveman, diet last Feb and lost 110lbs in 11 months. This was after 25 years of trying a million other diets. Couldn’t believe how easy it was. All about the shopping. Drop the sugar and the grains. Anything you want from the produce dept (except white potatoes) and any meat/poultry/fish/eggs. I even cheat with some dairy and some oats. Google it and then go clean out your cupboards.

Cheers!

It appears the link didn’t appear. It shows in the comment box but not on the page. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Well, I’m just going to leave it in text. It’s an extremely important topic that most doctors are ignorant about, so please take the the to read it.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/vsgswith150ormoretogo/discussion/3889176/Please-get-fasting-insulin-level-tested-For-hunger-PCOS/

LOL, so if I don’t try to put it in a link, it works!

Hi from a “lurker”!

Another vote for South Beach – with two big hints:

1) Definitely read the intro.
2) Too much ricotta cheese can make your plumbing back up. :-(

I did that one of the times I was injured to drop down to coxswain weight (little person who steers the boat) and it worked. With a bunch of running.

Two exercise hints –

1) Two shorter workouts per day are better than one longer one. So perhaps you do a walk in the morning, and then a set of 30-second sprints in the evening. Getting your heartrate up is key.

2) At this risk of sound like a Nintendo rep (which I am NOT) – get the Wii sports/outdoor/dance games if you are homebound. I’m a pretty serious masters-age athlete and am injured right now. Hopping around on the exercise mat trying to pop gopher-balloons may not be as hardcore as what I usually do, but it’s fun :-)

Happy weekend, all!

Agree on your exercise hint #1! I started 4-minute Tabata a couple months ago. (Google it.) Extremely effective for boosting my RMR and burning calories for then next 24 to 36 hours. Usually ready to quit at 2 minutes, but somehow make it to 4. How bad can 4 minutes of exercise be? Try it.

Excellent! Once I am allowed to train as I wish (sometime in May, likely) I want to start up doing crossfit (and rowing…) This sounds like a good way to start getting there while one-armed.

Thanks!

I don’t know if you will see this, but Hemp hearts/seeds/etc…. Very close to a perfect food and has protein too… :)

Hmm…bad joints you say. Maybe try MSM. It is dietary sulfer and is good for connective tissue.

Drinking your water with a couple of dashes of real lemon juice is amazing for taking away any want for sweet sugary stuffs. Try it for a couple of days, you won’t even think about sweet and you don’t even notice.. :)

LOL!!! using chop sticks with the smaller plates is a great way to reduce overeating… :)

Another Lurker’s recipes

Shrimp Marinara
Mince 2-3 stalks celery, 1 small onion, and 3-6 cloves garlic. Saute in 2 tsp olive oil until onion is transparent. Add 4 cups diced canned tomato, 1 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp chili flakes and 1/4 tsp fennel seed (optional). Simmer 10-15 minutes. Turn up heat and bring to a boil. Add 3/4 lb peeled and deveined raw shrimp. Cook until just opaque. Delicious as is, for your family serve over brown rice.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Select large chicken breasts, remove tenderloins and reserve for another purpose. Cut a pocket in each (Hold the breast by covering with hand flat and parallel to cutting board, use paring knife to pierce thickest part and then make fan shaped opening inside the meat.) Stuff with a mixture of reduced-fat cream cheese, minced freah herbs (parsley, cilantro, basil, tarragon), grated mild cheese (optional, good use for odds and ends) and seasoning. Close with a skewer or toothpicks. Saute in minimal amount of oil until browned on both sides. Add chicken broth, cover, and simmer until done. Time will vary according to the thickness of the meat but 15-20 minutes is usual. Allow to rest for a few minutes while reducing broth (watch for stage where bubbles begin to mount and cover the bottom of the pan). Slice and serve drizzled with pan juices.

I have read that maintaining very high protein intake can cause significant kidney damage. Is this incorrect?

I find that worrying about what I eat has never worked. How I eat and what I do is what matters. Now, I’m not very good at weight loss, but I’ve dropped something like 50 pounds in the last three years (slow slow slow). I’ve been stuck around 14% body fat for six months though, so my advice should probably come with a disclaimer.

What has always worked for me is a lot of low impact exercise and eating almost exclusively food where the component parts are still identifiable (no crackers, packaged energy bars, anything like that). I eat a lot of beans, mostly tepary, prepare a good bit of meat, lots of vegetables, and start most mornings with a large bowl of steel-cut oats with fruit and maple syrup. The last six months I’m afraid I’ve fallen off the diet though.

I use a French Press. Have a 1-cupper and a 3-cupper. I add a dash of cardamom and cinnamon to the grounds before adding the water. Careful with the cardamom. I get it in bulk at the natural food store and it’s the only thing I can smell all the way home. Potent spice.

I had to lose about 25lbs to get my blood pressure down after a mild stroke. Here’s how I did it over the course of two years:

1. Eliminate desserts. No cake, no pie, no ice cream, no candy, no chocolate mousse, no baked Alaska, no flambe anything.
2. Eliminate pasta and noodles. Pasta only once a month, same for noodle casseroles.
3. Eliminate bread. Bread is deadly because it contains a lot of calories by itself and it is just too easy to make a sandwich or toast or whatever and the additional butter, jelly, is deadly.
4. Smaller portions. Be conscious of not just what you’re eating but also how much of it you are consuming.
5. Count calories. Learn how many calories are in what foods and adjust.
6. Get some exercise. I started walking several miles ecery day, weather permitting. Low impact for old joints and it’s actually pretty pleasant, especially with company.
7. Weigh yourself every day or two and keep a record. This keeps the self-delusion to a minimum. I keep a chart of my blood pressure readings and weight together on the computer.

It’s hard giving up the high-calorie stuff, especially bread and pasta, but in order to lose weight it’s necessary to reduce one’s caloric intake to somewhere around 1000-1500 (a little less for females). Once the weight is lost, some things can be added back to the diet, but it’s still necessary to watch portion size, count calories, exercise, and keep a record of one’s weight.

Good luck with losing the weight. It’s difficult, but not impossible, and the rewards are worth it.

How ab giving americans some food to eat? Give them the food that will not deform them and cause early and painful death?
Of cousre demanding the right to be informed and getting it wld do wonders for at least some americans.

Poison amers eat now is over-sugared,-salted, and -fatted with wrong fats.
Tnx!

I’ll try that. I’ve got the ingredients for peanut brittle, but have held off making it because I was afraid I’d eat it all in a couple days. I’ll make sure I have a lemon on hand and give it a go. Hmm. I like my apple pie with tart apples and I usually use a bit less sugar than my recipe calls for. If I use sweet apples I’ll add lemon juice. I wonder if I’m satisfied with less pie at sitting with the lemon juice added? *G*

And lemon, like vinegar, inhibits the breakdown of starches into sugars, so the carbs you do eat won’t spike your blood sugar and insulin leading to rebound hunger.

I’ll try that, too. I bought cardamom pods about 15 years ago while on an Indian food kick — wonder if I still have them?

That’s interesting!

DeVeria, if you pass by again; I know it can be overwhelming when everybody has different ideas about how to lose weight. If you analyze most of what has been suggested here, you’ll see a theme – cut out/back on refined carbs, which means everything from sugar to white rice to sweet corn (or corn meal).
Truly, cooking for yourself makes a big difference, because any prepared food you can buy is full of sugars (check the labels, anything ending in -ase, -ose, is a sugar), especially high-fructose corn syrup. Never, never buy anyuthing with High-fructose corn syrup; it kicks start cravings.

South Beach is a low-carb diet, a descendant of but less extreme than, Atkins. “Flat Belly Diet” is a “relative” of South Beach.
Both have “jump-start” periods – from 4 days to 2 wks of pretty narrow range of foods.
My fave thing about Flat Belly is their 4 day jump-start gives you menus and recipes, based on a small group of foods (so you don’t have to buy a lot of expensive foods like some diets). And the recipes are simple, easy to do.
Both are published by Rodale; pick up a Prevention magazine and you will find some recipes that fit both.
And yes, ma’am, you must eat breakfast. It really is important.
The very best thing about the low-carb diets is that in a short time, the cravings for sweets will go away.
Also, the South Beach and Flat Belly, and similar diets, are not extreme; the meals and recipes are well-balanced nutritionally, so they’re good for you forever.
See how passionate we all are? You hit a nerve here, as you know. By a certain age, we’ve all been there.

Oh, I forgot – beans and rice are not good for losing weight or keeping it off. Trust me, my husband is Mexican-American; he had to give up that beans and rice diet life to lose weight. Both are high carb. Low carb is the only thing that works for him; lost tons of weight, keeps it off, and lowers his blood pressure dramatically without medicine.

Once you’ve reached your goal, you can have beans and rice from time to time, but not often. It’s a pity because they’re great low-cost food, but it’s not going to work for keeping off weight.

I get the chicken tenders in the poultry section of my local Safeway. I believe that they are a section of a chicken breast, which would be cheaper to buy, but much bigger than the tenders. I don’t do the whole chicken breast because I try to keep my portion of protein down to 3 oz. per day.