Friday, March 11, 2011
Back on track!
Picking up where I left off. On track to lose at least 25 more ibs this month with 21 days left. If I make it, that will be 35 for the month. Impossible, maybe but you have to set your goals high.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The 15 rules of the Paleo diet
Here is a diet I couldn't or wouldn't do. I'm cool with fruits and nuts, but all that meat especially red forget about it!
The Paleo diet should be high in fat, moderate to high in animal protein and low to moderate in carbohydrate. Calorie counting is not encouraged, neither is portion control.
Eat unlimited amounts of saturated fats like coconut oil and butter. Duck fat, tallow, lard and just about any animal fat are also great, but only if they come from healthy and well-treated animals (see rule 6). Olive oil and avocado oil are also good fats to use in salads and to drizzle over food, but not for cooking.
Eat generous amounts of animal protein. This includes red meat, poultry, pork, eggs, organs (liver, kidney, bone marrow …), wild caught fish and shellfish. Don’t be scared to eat the fatty cuts if they come from a well-treated animal and all meals with proteins should contain fat as well. Learn to cook with bones in the form of stocks and broths.
Eat generous amounts of fresh or frozen vegetables either cooked or raw and served with generous amounts of fat.
Eat low to moderate amounts of fruits and nuts. Try to eat mostly fruits low in sugar and high in antioxidants like berries as well as nuts high in omega-3 or low in omega-6 like macadamia nuts and almonds. Consider cutting off fruits and nuts altogether if you have an autoimmune disease, digestive problem or are trying to lose weight faster.
Preferably choose pasture-raised and grass-fed meat coming from a local, environmentally conscious farm. If not possible, choose lean cuts of meat and supplement your fat with coconut oil, butter or clarified butter. Also preferably choose organic, local and/or seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Cut out all cereal grains and legumes from your diet. This includes, but is not limited to, wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, soy, peanuts, kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans and black eyed peas.
Cut out all vegetable, hydrogenated and partly-hydrogenated oils including, but not limited to, margarines, soybean oil, corn oil, crisco, peanut oil, canola oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil. Olive oil and avocado oil are fine, but don’t cook with them, use them in salad dressings and to drizzle over prepared food.
Eliminate sugar, soft drinks, all packaged products and juices (including fruit juices). As a rule of thumb, if it’s in a box, don’t eat it. At the grocery store, visit only the meat, fish and produce sections.
Eliminate dairy products other then butter and maybe heavy cream. You don’t need dairy, but if you can’t live without, read this article and consider raw, full-fat and/or fermented dairy.
Eat when you’re hungry and don’t stress if you skip a meal or even two. You don’t have to eat three square meals a day, do what feels most natural.
Eliminate to most sources of external stress in your life as possible and sleep the most you can. Try to wakeup without an alarm and to go to bed when it’s dark.
Don’t over-exercise and keep your training sessions short and intense and do them only a few times per week. Take some extra time off if you feel tired. Consider short and intense sessions of sprinting instead of very long cardio sessions.
Consider supplementing with probiotics, vitamin D and a high quality fish oil. You probably don’t need multivitamins or other supplements.
Play in the sun, have fun, laugh, smile, relax, discover, travel, learn and enjoy life like a daring adventure!
The Paleo diet should be high in fat, moderate to high in animal protein and low to moderate in carbohydrate. Calorie counting is not encouraged, neither is portion control.
Eat unlimited amounts of saturated fats like coconut oil and butter. Duck fat, tallow, lard and just about any animal fat are also great, but only if they come from healthy and well-treated animals (see rule 6). Olive oil and avocado oil are also good fats to use in salads and to drizzle over food, but not for cooking.
Eat generous amounts of animal protein. This includes red meat, poultry, pork, eggs, organs (liver, kidney, bone marrow …), wild caught fish and shellfish. Don’t be scared to eat the fatty cuts if they come from a well-treated animal and all meals with proteins should contain fat as well. Learn to cook with bones in the form of stocks and broths.
Eat generous amounts of fresh or frozen vegetables either cooked or raw and served with generous amounts of fat.
Eat low to moderate amounts of fruits and nuts. Try to eat mostly fruits low in sugar and high in antioxidants like berries as well as nuts high in omega-3 or low in omega-6 like macadamia nuts and almonds. Consider cutting off fruits and nuts altogether if you have an autoimmune disease, digestive problem or are trying to lose weight faster.
Preferably choose pasture-raised and grass-fed meat coming from a local, environmentally conscious farm. If not possible, choose lean cuts of meat and supplement your fat with coconut oil, butter or clarified butter. Also preferably choose organic, local and/or seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Cut out all cereal grains and legumes from your diet. This includes, but is not limited to, wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, soy, peanuts, kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans and black eyed peas.
Cut out all vegetable, hydrogenated and partly-hydrogenated oils including, but not limited to, margarines, soybean oil, corn oil, crisco, peanut oil, canola oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil. Olive oil and avocado oil are fine, but don’t cook with them, use them in salad dressings and to drizzle over prepared food.
Eliminate sugar, soft drinks, all packaged products and juices (including fruit juices). As a rule of thumb, if it’s in a box, don’t eat it. At the grocery store, visit only the meat, fish and produce sections.
Eliminate dairy products other then butter and maybe heavy cream. You don’t need dairy, but if you can’t live without, read this article and consider raw, full-fat and/or fermented dairy.
Eat when you’re hungry and don’t stress if you skip a meal or even two. You don’t have to eat three square meals a day, do what feels most natural.
Eliminate to most sources of external stress in your life as possible and sleep the most you can. Try to wakeup without an alarm and to go to bed when it’s dark.
Don’t over-exercise and keep your training sessions short and intense and do them only a few times per week. Take some extra time off if you feel tired. Consider short and intense sessions of sprinting instead of very long cardio sessions.
Consider supplementing with probiotics, vitamin D and a high quality fish oil. You probably don’t need multivitamins or other supplements.
Play in the sun, have fun, laugh, smile, relax, discover, travel, learn and enjoy life like a daring adventure!
The Daniel Fast and Your Health
The purpose of the spiritual fasting is to consecrate (set aside) a specific period of time to draw closer to God to hear from Him. A powerful side benefit of the Daniel Fast is the improvement in health that most people experience.
The Daniel Fast is a plant-based eating plan with the only beverage being water. When the bodies that God designed and created are fed the good quality foods He created especially for it improvements in health result. The high fiber in the fruit, vegetables and whole grains cleanses the body and improves digestion. It's not uncommon for cholesterol levels to drop, for blood sugar levels to balance, for weight to be lost and for a general feeling of well-being to be experienced.
Anytime you make a significant change in your diet or exercise, consult your health professional. Also, if you have special health needs consider adjusting the eating plan to meet those requirements while maintaining the other restrictions for the fast.
The Daniel Fast is a plant-based eating plan with the only beverage being water. When the bodies that God designed and created are fed the good quality foods He created especially for it improvements in health result. The high fiber in the fruit, vegetables and whole grains cleanses the body and improves digestion. It's not uncommon for cholesterol levels to drop, for blood sugar levels to balance, for weight to be lost and for a general feeling of well-being to be experienced.
Anytime you make a significant change in your diet or exercise, consult your health professional. Also, if you have special health needs consider adjusting the eating plan to meet those requirements while maintaining the other restrictions for the fast.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Took a break today.
Needed something bad! So I had MCDONALDS! Of course now all nutrional information is on the cartons. This makes a person who is really watching their weight even more guilty. I'm killing the fries and see they are only 500 CALORIES!
Like I said it was a break, tomorrow back on it.
Like I said it was a break, tomorrow back on it.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Eating Less by Controlling Your Portion Size
Trying to lose weight without reducing your portion sizes is not likely to happen. We have grown larger just as our portion sizes have grown. The more food offered the more we eat. We have super-sized ourselves to the point of being unhealthy, and uncomfortable in our own skins. We need to let go the idea that bigger is better.
Restaurant portions have grown to ridiculous sizes. More and bigger took the place of proper nutrition.
The first step that you must take is to get in touch with what a healthy portion size looks like. Caution: they are probably smaller than you expect.
Basic Guidelines:
1 cup = baseball
½ cup= light bulb
1 oz or 2 Tablespoons = golf ball
1 Tablespoons = poker chip
3 oz chicken or meat = deck of cards
Don't confuse a serving size with a portion. A serving of pasta is one-half cup; a woman who is not very active should eat six servings of grains daily. But a restaurant serving of pasta and bread might equal eight to ten servings. This is far more than needed for an entire day.
Adults daily food consumption according to the USDA food pyramid:
Fats, Oils, & Sweets Use sparingly; 5-7 teaspoons oil
Discretionary calories (sugars, fats, alcohol) range from 195-360 daily depending on total calorie level.
Milk, Yogurt, & Cheese 3 cups
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs, & Nuts 5-6 1/2 ounces
Vegetables 2 1/2 to 3 cups
Fruits 1 1/2 to 2 Cups
Grains 5-8 ounces
Using the food pyramid as a guide for the total amount of food to be consumed daily and the basic guidelines you will be able to "eyeball" the right amount of each food you eat daily.
Use a smaller plate, it will seem like you have more food.
Do not take second helpings.
Load your plate up with vegetables first; there will be less room for higher calorie foods.
When eating out, take the smallest size available, order off of the kid's menu if possible. If this isn't possible ask for a take out container and put one-half of your dinner in it at the start of the meal. Take the saved food home for another meal.
You will soon get comfortable with the smaller portions and you will see the results of your efforts as the number on the scale gets smaller. Small lifestyle changes make big differences. Add some exercise and it will regulate your appetite. Taking a walk instead of eating when anxious or bored is a fantastic alternative.
Restaurant portions have grown to ridiculous sizes. More and bigger took the place of proper nutrition.
The first step that you must take is to get in touch with what a healthy portion size looks like. Caution: they are probably smaller than you expect.
Basic Guidelines:
1 cup = baseball
½ cup= light bulb
1 oz or 2 Tablespoons = golf ball
1 Tablespoons = poker chip
3 oz chicken or meat = deck of cards
Don't confuse a serving size with a portion. A serving of pasta is one-half cup; a woman who is not very active should eat six servings of grains daily. But a restaurant serving of pasta and bread might equal eight to ten servings. This is far more than needed for an entire day.
Adults daily food consumption according to the USDA food pyramid:
Fats, Oils, & Sweets Use sparingly; 5-7 teaspoons oil
Discretionary calories (sugars, fats, alcohol) range from 195-360 daily depending on total calorie level.
Milk, Yogurt, & Cheese 3 cups
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs, & Nuts 5-6 1/2 ounces
Vegetables 2 1/2 to 3 cups
Fruits 1 1/2 to 2 Cups
Grains 5-8 ounces
Using the food pyramid as a guide for the total amount of food to be consumed daily and the basic guidelines you will be able to "eyeball" the right amount of each food you eat daily.
Use a smaller plate, it will seem like you have more food.
Do not take second helpings.
Load your plate up with vegetables first; there will be less room for higher calorie foods.
When eating out, take the smallest size available, order off of the kid's menu if possible. If this isn't possible ask for a take out container and put one-half of your dinner in it at the start of the meal. Take the saved food home for another meal.
You will soon get comfortable with the smaller portions and you will see the results of your efforts as the number on the scale gets smaller. Small lifestyle changes make big differences. Add some exercise and it will regulate your appetite. Taking a walk instead of eating when anxious or bored is a fantastic alternative.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Lose 1 ib a Day!
Does Fasting Help You Lose Weight?
When you fast, your body is forced to dip into energy stores to get the fuel it needs to keep going, so you will lose weight. The big question is how long you will keep that weight off. Because food was often scarce for our ancestors, our bodies have been genetically programmed to combat the effects of fasting. When you eat less food, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Then, when you go back to your usual diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy, meaning that you will probably gain back the weight you lost and possibly even put on more weight when eating the same calories you did before the fast.
As you fast, your body will adjust by reducing your appetite, so you will initially feel less hungry. But once you have stopped fasting, your appetite hormones will kick back into gear and you may actually feel hungrier and be more likely to binge.
Research has shown that fasting on alternate days can help people lose weight, but not for long. In one study, people who followed an alternate-day fasting diet shed weight, even when they ate all they wanted on the non-fasting days. However, they could not maintain the weight loss over time.
When you fast, your body is forced to dip into energy stores to get the fuel it needs to keep going, so you will lose weight. The big question is how long you will keep that weight off. Because food was often scarce for our ancestors, our bodies have been genetically programmed to combat the effects of fasting. When you eat less food, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Then, when you go back to your usual diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy, meaning that you will probably gain back the weight you lost and possibly even put on more weight when eating the same calories you did before the fast.
As you fast, your body will adjust by reducing your appetite, so you will initially feel less hungry. But once you have stopped fasting, your appetite hormones will kick back into gear and you may actually feel hungrier and be more likely to binge.
Research has shown that fasting on alternate days can help people lose weight, but not for long. In one study, people who followed an alternate-day fasting diet shed weight, even when they ate all they wanted on the non-fasting days. However, they could not maintain the weight loss over time.
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