So this past weekend I watched the movie "Food Inc" (http://www.foodincmovie.com/) is about where food comes from and I can tell you A) you should watch this movie and B) you will probably not look at food the same way ever again.
One of the topics discussed throughout the movie was Genetically modified food/organisms (GMOs). We've been hearing about this type of thing for years but to be honest I have never given much thought to it, until I started eating clean and actually looking into and caring where my food comes from...so I thought that this would be a good topic and hopefully one that makes you think about what you're eating.
What the heck is a GMO?
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) — also known as genetically engineered organisms — are living things whose genetic makeup (their DNA structure) has been changed by the addition of genes from another living thing. This tampering is done primarily to make plants and animals more useful in food production.
Crops can be genetically modified so that they resist insects, herbicides, and disease or so that they contain extra nutrients or even vaccines. Animals can be genetically modified to produce lower-fat meat, resist certain diseases, or create less waste.
GM crops are common in the United States, and no labeling is required; in fact, it’s believed that upwards of 70 percent of foods in U.S. supermarkets contain some element of genetic engineering. It’s highly likely that you’re eating GM ingredients in your food without even realizing it. Some of the foods and ingredients currently subject to genetic manipulation include:
Soybeans: Soy is one of the main sources of genetically modified ingredients in food and can be found in everything from chocolate to potato chips, margarine to mayonnaise, and biscuits to bread.
Canola: Canola oil comes from certain types of canola plants. GM canola may be used for oils in making potato chips and animal feed.
Corn: GM corn is used as cattle feed (which is weird because cows should eat grass) but also is used in all sorts of packaged food, such as breakfast cereal, bread, corn chips, and gravy mixes.
Milk: Cows are injected with a genetically engineered growth hormone to increase milk production.
Pros and Cons of GMOs
PROS
Crops
> Enhanced taste and quality
> Reduced maturation time
> Increased nutrients, yields, and stress tolerance
> Improved resistance to disease, pests, and herbicides
> New products and growing techniques
Animals
> Increased resistance, productivity, hardiness, and feed efficiency
> Better yields of meat, eggs, and milk
> Improved animal health and diagnostic methods
Environment
> "Friendly" bioherbicides and bioinsecticides
> Conservation of soil, water, and energy
> Bioprocessing for forestry products
> Better natural waste management
> More efficient processing
Society
> Increased food security for growing populations
Cons / Controversies
Safety
> Potential human health impacts, including allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance markers, unknown effects
> Potential environmental impacts, including: unintended transfer of transgenes through cross-pollination, unknown effects on other organisms (e.g., soil microbes), and loss of flora and fauna biodiversity
> Access and Intellectual Property
> Domination of world food production by a few companies
> Increasing dependence on industrialized nations by developing countries
Ethics
> Violation of natural organisms' intrinsic values
> Tampering with nature by mixing genes among species
> Objections to consuming animal genes in plants and vice versa
> Stresses on animals. Example of this would be fast maturing chickens which cannot handle the amount of weight and quick development. In some cases leading to heart failure, breathing problems and in some cases mobility problems.
Labeling
> Not mandatory in some countries
> Mixing GM crops with non-GM products confounds labeling attempts
Society
> New advances may be skewed to interests of rich countries
So how do I know what am I eating?
The best way to find out whether your food choices contain genetically engineered ingredients is to choose local options so that you can talk to the producers and find out from them exactly what went into the food. If you can’t do that, then try talking to the managers or owners of local grocery stores — they may not be able to tell you about production methods, but the fact that you asked them may help to convince them that they should pay more attention to this issue.
*GMOs for dummies, Copyright © 2009 & Trademark by Wiley Publishing, Inc.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Water-drink it up!
Well, I trust you all survived the holidays...some of you may be a few pounds lighter and some may be a few pounds heavier. The good news is, if your scale did go up unless you were eating WAY more (remember 3500 calories = 1 pound of fat) than you normally do some of it can be attributed to water retention...because you probably consumed far less water than you should have been consuming.
There is a vital connection between drinking water and fat loss. A sufficient supply of water keeps fat away. Incredible as it may seem, water is possibly the most important factor in losing weight and keeping it off.
Why water is important
Other than the obvious, to avoid dehydration here is why water is so important.
1. It is believed that when we metabolize or burn 16 ounces/454g of fat, our body generates 22 ounces/624g of water, which - surprisingly - must be flushed out by drinking water. By drinking too little water, the body feels threatened and enters a self-protection mode and will hang on to every molecule of water in the body resulting in fluid retention and no weight loss on the scale.
2. Water can help suppress the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. By drinking water and correcting fluid retention more fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize fat at an accelerated speed. Not to mention most people confuse being thirsty with actual hunger which can easily happen if you have not had enough water during the day.
3. The kidneys cannot function properly without enough water. If the kidneys do not work to capacity, some of their load is dumped on the liver, resulting in less fat being metabolized.
4. Water helps wash out by-products of metabolism, prevents an accumulation of body and drug/chemically induced toxins, it helps in maintaining all normal body functions such as temperature control, electrolyte balance and the prevention of constipation. Ample water is also important in preventing sagging skin during fat loss. An overweight person needs more water than a thin person, because they have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism, drinking water is essential to weight loss and maintaining good health during the stress of dieting.
6. People normally receive a large portion of their water needs through their food, which can be 70 - 90%. While "dieting" the food intake is reduced and thus the person is not getting their normal water supply, let alone the extra water needed to flush out the metabolic by-products. This results in a hidden hunger in "dieters" as the body is craving food for it's water content, but the person also ends up with calories contained in the food.
7. Water is essential to keep skin healthy. If the body can't get rid of the by-products of metabolized fat via kidney excretion, the skin is called upon to excrete these by-products. Your skins elasticity is also greatly influenced by you water intake.
*******
I drink a minimum of 3 litres of water a day, on top of that I usually have 2 green teas. If you hate the taste of water, try adding lemon, strawberries or cucumber to it.
Pop does NOT count as water! in some cases your pop is adding 150-200 or more empty calories. Coffee doesn't count either although there are some people who would argue this. Coffee is a natural diurectic. Diuretics, increase the dehydration process...which defeats the purpose.
So, drink up!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
What's with the Whey?
Sorry, I've been M.I.A for a bit...it's been crazy! Writing my book, studying for my Personal Trainer exam, keeping my workouts consistent.
BUT, that's no excuse for not writing a new post! As I've mentioned before I have a lot of people ask me a lot of questions about what I eat and how I can possibly eat so much during the day. Funny thing is, on most days I struggle to eat enough especially enough protien. To avoid that problem I drink a lot of WHEY protein drinks, I throw it into homeade protein bars and so on...so now I have people asking "what's with the whey?"
I found this awesome little article on livestrong.com...I've added in some of my own thoughts but for the most part it does the trick of explaining the Whey situation.
What is Whey?
Whey protein is derived from milk and is usually sold in powder form. There are a number of ways that whey protein can help you lose or maintain weight. If you are using whey protein powder for weight loss, look for a brand with concentrated protein in each serving and fewer carbohydrates and calories.
What does it do you ask?
Your body burns more calories to digest protein than it does other types of food. Increasing your amount of protein will help you use more calories which in turn helps you burn fat.
Muscle up!
When you are losing weight, you want to lose fat, not muscle. Muscle tissue is important because it keeps you strong and burns more calories than other types of tissues in your body. For every pound of muscle you add your body burns approx 50 calories...by doing nothing. To preserve your muscle mass, you need plenty of protein in your diet. Whey protein powder is a convenient, low-calorie way to get the protein your body needs.
Avoid the sugar spikes
When you eat protein, glucose is absorbed more slowly into your bloodstream. Your blood sugar levels will be more stable, and tend to be lower. When your blood sugar levels are stable, your body produces less insulin, stores less new fat and burns more fat from your existing body stores. Whey protein powder can be used for snacks to help keep your blood sugar levels stable.
Stay satisfied longer
Because it takes longer to digest, protein helps you feel full longer. Whey protein contains glycomacropeptide, which promotes the release of the appetite-suppressing hormone CCK in your body. This also will help you feel full and make it easier to eat less, sticking to your healthy eating plan.
Immune Support
Whey protein promotes the formation of glutathione in your body. Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps support your immune system. When you exercise aggressively or are under stress, supporting your immune system is important. Using whey protein powder can help you maintain your health and improve or maintain your weight.
Lactose Intolerance
If you are lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant or vegetarian, you may prefer whey protein isolate. Whey protein isolate has less lactose than whey protein powder--less than 1 percent to be exact.
How much protein?
Your body needs between .4 and .9 grams of protein per pound of body weight every day depending on the amount of exercise you do every day. If you have a medical condition or are under a doctor's care, talk with him/her about the amount of protein you should have every day or consult with a dietician or sports nutrition specialist.
BUT, that's no excuse for not writing a new post! As I've mentioned before I have a lot of people ask me a lot of questions about what I eat and how I can possibly eat so much during the day. Funny thing is, on most days I struggle to eat enough especially enough protien. To avoid that problem I drink a lot of WHEY protein drinks, I throw it into homeade protein bars and so on...so now I have people asking "what's with the whey?"
I found this awesome little article on livestrong.com...I've added in some of my own thoughts but for the most part it does the trick of explaining the Whey situation.
What is Whey?
Whey protein is derived from milk and is usually sold in powder form. There are a number of ways that whey protein can help you lose or maintain weight. If you are using whey protein powder for weight loss, look for a brand with concentrated protein in each serving and fewer carbohydrates and calories.
What does it do you ask?
Your body burns more calories to digest protein than it does other types of food. Increasing your amount of protein will help you use more calories which in turn helps you burn fat.
Muscle up!
When you are losing weight, you want to lose fat, not muscle. Muscle tissue is important because it keeps you strong and burns more calories than other types of tissues in your body. For every pound of muscle you add your body burns approx 50 calories...by doing nothing. To preserve your muscle mass, you need plenty of protein in your diet. Whey protein powder is a convenient, low-calorie way to get the protein your body needs.
Avoid the sugar spikes
When you eat protein, glucose is absorbed more slowly into your bloodstream. Your blood sugar levels will be more stable, and tend to be lower. When your blood sugar levels are stable, your body produces less insulin, stores less new fat and burns more fat from your existing body stores. Whey protein powder can be used for snacks to help keep your blood sugar levels stable.
Stay satisfied longer
Because it takes longer to digest, protein helps you feel full longer. Whey protein contains glycomacropeptide, which promotes the release of the appetite-suppressing hormone CCK in your body. This also will help you feel full and make it easier to eat less, sticking to your healthy eating plan.
Immune Support
Whey protein promotes the formation of glutathione in your body. Glutathione is an antioxidant that helps support your immune system. When you exercise aggressively or are under stress, supporting your immune system is important. Using whey protein powder can help you maintain your health and improve or maintain your weight.
Lactose Intolerance
If you are lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant or vegetarian, you may prefer whey protein isolate. Whey protein isolate has less lactose than whey protein powder--less than 1 percent to be exact.
How much protein?
Your body needs between .4 and .9 grams of protein per pound of body weight every day depending on the amount of exercise you do every day. If you have a medical condition or are under a doctor's care, talk with him/her about the amount of protein you should have every day or consult with a dietician or sports nutrition specialist.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Benefits of circuit training
What the heck is circuit training?
Basically, circuit training is a high-energy aerobic/anaerobic workout that's combined with weights and/or weight machines. You don't have to do circuit training routines in a gym...as a matter of fact I do a little workout outdoors which I like to call Bootycamp Brenda Style! It's become so popular in fact that I have several people who do this workout with me twice a week. It's fun, it's challenging and it's over before you know it...but the next day you're reminded that you did it by the way your muscles are aching, a good ache of course!
When we're outside we do a combination of walking lunges, squats, push-ups, jumps, ballerina style leg lifts and some running to get our heart rates up.
You get the same benefits of circuit training by performing circuit training exercises outside, at home, a gym or almost anywhere you can think of!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Step out of your fat suit
People always ask me what it's like to look at my "fat" picture...ok they call it my "before" and I call it my "fat". I tell them it's like I'm looking at myself but I'm wearing a fat suit...kind of like that episode of friends where Monica has on a fat suit. Honestly, looking at myself that size feels a bit like I've stepped into the twilight zone....and not the one with the hot vampire.
For some people, stepping out of their fat suit can be scary and weird, myself included. As odd as it sounds carrying around extra weight can sometimes make you feel safe. People don't typically have the same expectations of you when you're bigger.
When you start to lose the weight you will realize people are watching you and they are typically talking about you, "oh she lost the weight before but it all came back and then some". There are people out there who actually want you to fail, they want you to fall of the wagon, gain the weight back and say..."oh but you have such a pretty face, maybe you're just meant to be big".
When you decide to change your lifestyle it may freak some people out. You need to ask yourself if the people in your life support your efforts to lose weight or to get healthy in general or do they make you feel like they'll leave you if are attractive, fit, and happy?
If your family and or friends shame or guilt you for improving yourself, you could be more likely to sabotage your own weight loss successes. It is for that reason that you need to surround yourself with people who will support you and encourage you to be your best self!
And to all of those other people who want to see you fail and try to sabotage you...well you know they can do ;o)
For some people, stepping out of their fat suit can be scary and weird, myself included. As odd as it sounds carrying around extra weight can sometimes make you feel safe. People don't typically have the same expectations of you when you're bigger.
When you start to lose the weight you will realize people are watching you and they are typically talking about you, "oh she lost the weight before but it all came back and then some". There are people out there who actually want you to fail, they want you to fall of the wagon, gain the weight back and say..."oh but you have such a pretty face, maybe you're just meant to be big".
When you decide to change your lifestyle it may freak some people out. You need to ask yourself if the people in your life support your efforts to lose weight or to get healthy in general or do they make you feel like they'll leave you if are attractive, fit, and happy?
If your family and or friends shame or guilt you for improving yourself, you could be more likely to sabotage your own weight loss successes. It is for that reason that you need to surround yourself with people who will support you and encourage you to be your best self!
And to all of those other people who want to see you fail and try to sabotage you...well you know they can do ;o)
Monday, September 21, 2009
The proof is in the fat pants...
So, a little while ago I posted the most recent photo I had of myself...people were happy but said "but we can't see your whole body". Which was fine by me because as I said before I'm still not crazy about looking at pictures of myself. But, a friend of mine convinced me I should take a new photo which I'm not going to call "after" because I'm still not where I want to be.
So thanks to Brad Scott who shot these for me and thanks to my good friend Jason who Art Directed them for me, he always knows how to get me to laugh.
I've decided to call this shot "before and now". Something to ponder while looking at this side-by-side comparison is that I thought that red sweater shirt made me look thinner or at least helped to hide how large I had truly gotten...mmmhmm.
If you think that's crazy, scroll down and check out my fat pants! I LOVED those pants, they were my favourite black pants. When I feel frustrated or hit a wall I put them on and wear them around the house. Incidentally, I fit in one leg of them now. I have a photo of that too but I'm making a weird face.
(I'll post the shot where I have not cropped off my arm but I don't have it here right now...and well, i was just so excited to post these and it is after all called "The proof is in the fat pants" so I had to show the "actual" fat pants!)
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Being fat is easy...
I had a strange day today which is kind of where the inspiration for this post is coming from.
I went to the pet store to but some treats for my dog Bosley. As I stood in line to buy these very expensive, all-natural, gluten and wheat free treats for my dog I noticed the woman in front of me was buying the exact same treats. She must have noticed the same thing because she turned to me, laughed and said "I think my dog eats better than me—ha." As I stood there looking at this woman who by the way was a very large woman I realized she was right, her dog obviously does eat better than her...which is kind of frightening if you think about it.
When I was in school I clearly remember there being 1 overweight kid, her name was Jeannie and she was morbidly obese. Look around now and it's odd to find the normal sized kids. I'm sorry but your 12 year old should not have a muffin top, and neither should your toddler but we see it all the time.
"no, my child is just pleasantly plump". Let me assure you, "plump" is never pleasant at any age so stop kidding yourself and wake up!
We have become a society of convenience and it's going to kill us if we don't do something about it. Being fat is so much easier than being healthy, I can tell you from personal experience that in the past I would have been far happier to sit on my ass and eat chips and deep-fried goodness all day long. Things have obviously changed but changing my lifestyle took a long time, I have to continually grow and educate myself and I have to work hard every single day to stay on track. You don't seriously think that I don't crave those chips and deep-fried goodness anymore?! Of course I do, but because I live a balanced lifestyle I know that I can have them every once in awhile...well except the deep-fried goodness, it kind of makes me feel sick...so it's not so good anymore.
I went to the pet store to but some treats for my dog Bosley. As I stood in line to buy these very expensive, all-natural, gluten and wheat free treats for my dog I noticed the woman in front of me was buying the exact same treats. She must have noticed the same thing because she turned to me, laughed and said "I think my dog eats better than me—ha." As I stood there looking at this woman who by the way was a very large woman I realized she was right, her dog obviously does eat better than her...which is kind of frightening if you think about it.
When I was in school I clearly remember there being 1 overweight kid, her name was Jeannie and she was morbidly obese. Look around now and it's odd to find the normal sized kids. I'm sorry but your 12 year old should not have a muffin top, and neither should your toddler but we see it all the time.
"no, my child is just pleasantly plump". Let me assure you, "plump" is never pleasant at any age so stop kidding yourself and wake up!
We have become a society of convenience and it's going to kill us if we don't do something about it. Being fat is so much easier than being healthy, I can tell you from personal experience that in the past I would have been far happier to sit on my ass and eat chips and deep-fried goodness all day long. Things have obviously changed but changing my lifestyle took a long time, I have to continually grow and educate myself and I have to work hard every single day to stay on track. You don't seriously think that I don't crave those chips and deep-fried goodness anymore?! Of course I do, but because I live a balanced lifestyle I know that I can have them every once in awhile...well except the deep-fried goodness, it kind of makes me feel sick...so it's not so good anymore.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Photos, because you asked.
So people keep asking for photos of me and to be honest I don't have a lot of them, I'm not particularily fond of photos even now...but I happen to have had one taken with one of my idols the other day and I actually really like it.
Me at 314lbs...and me 100lbs lighter with Tosca Reno, author of the eat clean diet, body-builder and a person who has been a huge inspiration to me. Can you believe she is 50!!! and can you believe I'm standing with one of my freaking idols!!! (I'm the one on the left...just in case you didn't know)
I look at the before photo and I don't even feel like that was me...I can't remember being that person on the outside, but on the inside she's still alive and well. No one ever tells you that losing the weight is only half the battle then you need to deal with all of the unexpected emotional stuff that comes up...but that's a blog for another day.
Me at 314lbs...and me 100lbs lighter with Tosca Reno, author of the eat clean diet, body-builder and a person who has been a huge inspiration to me. Can you believe she is 50!!! and can you believe I'm standing with one of my freaking idols!!! (I'm the one on the left...just in case you didn't know)
I look at the before photo and I don't even feel like that was me...I can't remember being that person on the outside, but on the inside she's still alive and well. No one ever tells you that losing the weight is only half the battle then you need to deal with all of the unexpected emotional stuff that comes up...but that's a blog for another day.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Resistance is good!
I’ve been talking a lot about food on this blog and although that’s 80 percent of healthy living you also have to put in some work if you want to see results.
I’m not talking about going for a 10 minute walk around the block…although that’s a great start for someone who’s not doing anything. I’m talking about resistance training!
“But I don’t want to bulk up”
Here’s the thing…it’s REALLY hard for a women to bulk up without specifically setting out to do that and bulking up has a lot to do with your diet not just lifting weights. Some women think that “strength training” is just for men and that’s just not the case.
There are so many benefits of strength/resistance training…other than the obvious nice looking body, here are just some of the benefits:
Increased Bone Mineral Density
Increased Strength
Reduced Body fat (People — for every pound of muscle you add your body burns an extra 50 calories at rest!!!)
Improved mobility for seniors
Improved Heart Condition…your heart is a muscle you know!
You don’t need to go to a gym to do resistance training, one of the best tools you can use is your own body weight! Do some push-ups, squats, lunges and don’t forget about crunches for those fab abs! And no, I don’t like doing lunges either but they work!
I also like my exercise bands or tubing as some people call it. They are in-expensive and can be used anywhere including outside. They are also great for travel as they fit nicely inside your luggage, which means no excuses....sorry.
I’m not talking about going for a 10 minute walk around the block…although that’s a great start for someone who’s not doing anything. I’m talking about resistance training!
“But I don’t want to bulk up”
Here’s the thing…it’s REALLY hard for a women to bulk up without specifically setting out to do that and bulking up has a lot to do with your diet not just lifting weights. Some women think that “strength training” is just for men and that’s just not the case.
There are so many benefits of strength/resistance training…other than the obvious nice looking body, here are just some of the benefits:
Increased Bone Mineral Density
Increased Strength
Reduced Body fat (People — for every pound of muscle you add your body burns an extra 50 calories at rest!!!)
Improved mobility for seniors
Improved Heart Condition…your heart is a muscle you know!
You don’t need to go to a gym to do resistance training, one of the best tools you can use is your own body weight! Do some push-ups, squats, lunges and don’t forget about crunches for those fab abs! And no, I don’t like doing lunges either but they work!
I also like my exercise bands or tubing as some people call it. They are in-expensive and can be used anywhere including outside. They are also great for travel as they fit nicely inside your luggage, which means no excuses....sorry.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Healthy food vs. Healthy food imposter
I've had some requestes for more try this not that type items so here you go!
Question: Which grocery item has as many grams of sugar as a Kit Kat bar?
A. Yogurt: Yoplait 99% Fat Free Cherry Orchard (1 yogurt cup)
B. Dried Fruit: Ocean Spray Craisins (1/3 cup)
C. Cereal: Quaker Natural Low Fat Granola with Raisins (1 cup)
D. Pastry: Hostess Twinkie (1 Twinkie)
The answer: A, B, and C—but not D. The Yoplait, Ocean Spray, and Quaker products all contain at least 27 grams of sugar. Having said that, the Twinkie’s not much better (it has 19 grams of sugar).
The moral of this story, just because it says low fat doesn't mean that it is good for you!
Did you know that Quaker Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal (mmmmm yummy!) has more sugar than a bowl of Fruit Loops!
Green tea is healthy for you...yes. But some of those "green tea beverages",
not so much...
A study of 14 different bottled green teas was done to test their levels of disease-fighting catechins. While real Green Tea with Honey topped the charts with an impressive 215 milligrams of total catechins, some products weren't even in the game. For instance, Republic of Tea Pomegranate Green Tea had only 8 milligrams, and Ito En Teas' Tea Lemongrass Green had just 28 milligrams, despite implying on its label that the product is packed with antioxidants.
Salads are not always your friend.
Think you're making a healthy choice by ordering a salad at your favourite fast food joint while you family and freinds munch a way on a burger?!
The Burger King TENDERGRILL BLT Salad has 23 grams of fat and 10 of those are saturated! A simple burger on the otherhand has only 12 grams of fat, 4.5 of those being saturated.
The Mediterranean Salad with warm crispy chicken from McDonald's has 210 calories and the same amount of fat as a burger (8 grams) BUT it has 990 mg of sodium, 480 more than a burger!
Having worked in the advertising and marketing industry for over 15 years, I can tell you that I've seen a lot of things done to a lot of products that now make me wonder how food companies and vitamin companies a like are allowed to make some of the claims that they do. Things that make me go hmmm.
Question: Which grocery item has as many grams of sugar as a Kit Kat bar?
A. Yogurt: Yoplait 99% Fat Free Cherry Orchard (1 yogurt cup)
B. Dried Fruit: Ocean Spray Craisins (1/3 cup)
C. Cereal: Quaker Natural Low Fat Granola with Raisins (1 cup)
D. Pastry: Hostess Twinkie (1 Twinkie)
The answer: A, B, and C—but not D. The Yoplait, Ocean Spray, and Quaker products all contain at least 27 grams of sugar. Having said that, the Twinkie’s not much better (it has 19 grams of sugar).
The moral of this story, just because it says low fat doesn't mean that it is good for you!
Did you know that Quaker Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal (mmmmm yummy!) has more sugar than a bowl of Fruit Loops!
Green tea is healthy for you...yes. But some of those "green tea beverages",
not so much...
A study of 14 different bottled green teas was done to test their levels of disease-fighting catechins. While real Green Tea with Honey topped the charts with an impressive 215 milligrams of total catechins, some products weren't even in the game. For instance, Republic of Tea Pomegranate Green Tea had only 8 milligrams, and Ito En Teas' Tea Lemongrass Green had just 28 milligrams, despite implying on its label that the product is packed with antioxidants.
Salads are not always your friend.
Think you're making a healthy choice by ordering a salad at your favourite fast food joint while you family and freinds munch a way on a burger?!
The Burger King TENDERGRILL BLT Salad has 23 grams of fat and 10 of those are saturated! A simple burger on the otherhand has only 12 grams of fat, 4.5 of those being saturated.
The Mediterranean Salad with warm crispy chicken from McDonald's has 210 calories and the same amount of fat as a burger (8 grams) BUT it has 990 mg of sodium, 480 more than a burger!
Having worked in the advertising and marketing industry for over 15 years, I can tell you that I've seen a lot of things done to a lot of products that now make me wonder how food companies and vitamin companies a like are allowed to make some of the claims that they do. Things that make me go hmmm.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Foods to "Dye" for...
Ever since I’ve cleaned up my eating I’ve continued to become more aware of the things that are in the foods that I eat. Lately I’ve been hearing a lot about food dyes and how they can be harmful to our health especially in children. So I decided to write a little bit about it since it was something I had never even really thought about. I mean really, if it’s bad for us how can they be allowed to feed it to us…”Soylent Green” ring a bell anyone?
Synthetic food dyes are used to enhance the colour of products and are commonly found in many packaged and processed foods in Canada, particularly in candy and sugary cereals geared toward children.
Critics and health care professionals alike are now saying that the synthetic colourings pose a health risk and should be phased out by the federal government. This debate has intensified ever since the medical journal The Lancet published a study in the fall of 2008 that uncovered a link between additives and hyperactivity in children. Researchers found that children with no history of serious behavioural problems showed signs of hyperactivity after drinking fruit juice that contained various levels of additives over a period of several weeks.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a U.S.-based advocacy group that has a branch in Canada, is petitioning the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to phase out eight artificial food dyes that it says pose a serious health risk to children.
Why do they use these chemicals if they are so bad?
The purpose of these chemicals is often to mask the absence of real food, and to increase the appeal of a product that has little nutritional value.
Where are these dyes being used?
Nearly all of the dyes singled out as dangerous are permitted for use in Canada. The food dyes are added to a wide range of products, including concentrated fruit juice, ketchup, cheddar cheese and liqueurs and sometimes even salmon!
Identifying the dyes in your food.
Canadian consumers are at a disadvantage when it comes to knowing whether food contains potentially harmful dyes. That's because companies are not required to list which dyes they use in their products - they can simply say the product contains "colours."
“Any food company can add them [artificial dyes] if they want and essentially conceal the identity of that dye and Canadians suffer the consequences of it, particularly children," Bill Jeffery, national co-ordinator of the Canadian arm of the public interest group.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says that while food companies are free to disclose which “colours” they use, they are not obligated to release those details to consumers.
Have you ever looked at those cheese doodles before you ate them or what about that radio-active green juice you’re about to drink? I’m pretty sure the food we eat was never meant to look like that…we may not be able to see the colours used in our ingredients yet but you can pretty much tell just by looking at most of the foods containing them.
You’ll be happy to know that studies such as the Lancet Study have prompted Health Canada to review its regulations on food additives and they have begun working on labelling requirements that will require that any “colour” used in food must be declared in the ingredient list…when this will actually happen is the next question.
In case you are wondering...
Here are eight of the most widely used synthetic dyes…yellow 5, or tartrazine; red 40, also known as allura red; blue 1, or brilliant blue; blue 2, or indigotine; green 3, or fast green; red 3, or erythrosine; yellow 6, or sunset yellow; and orange B…fast fact for ya — all of those dyes except for Orange B are currently permitted for use in Canada.
Most of these can be found in items such as bottled soft drinks, bakery products, cereals, candy, confections and dry drink powders. Some of your favourite snacks are probably among the foods containing them such as: Smarties, Froot Loops, Cheetos, Doritos and Reese's Pieces, which either list "colour" or "colours" in their ingredient lists, but don't disclose whether they use synthetic dyes or which ones they use. The list on a package of Skittles indicates the product's colours include tartrazine, which by the way is derived from coal tar.
Red 40 also known as allura red and Yellow 5 can even be found in products such as Pillsbury Cresent Rolls, Pillsbury Supreme Frosting, piecrust, quick bread & coffee cake mix, why? To create a more “golden” look.
Take the time to do a google search for foods containing those colourings and you’ll be surprised what you find!
What’s the solution?
Try not to eat processed food, eat foods that are natural and don't come out of a box. Also look for foods that use natural colourings such as Beet powder or Paprika just to name a couple.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
What the heck are micro and macro nutrients?
Macro and Micronutrients are a class of minerals that are vital for the healthy functioning of the human body. Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals and derive their name from the fact that they are needed in relatively small amounts in comparison to the Macronutrients which are carbohydrates, fats and oils, proteins, amino acids and water. Macronutrients supply the energy that our bodies need.
Although we only need micronutrients in small amounts, if those small quantities are absent from our diets our bodies can suffer.
For example:
iron deficiency (which is one of the most common deficiencies especially common with vegetarians > Anemia, brittle nails, confusion, constipation, depression, dizziness, fatigue, headaches...
Essential fatty acid deficiency (Also very common since a lot of people tend to be afraid of fat) > Diarrhea, dry skin and hair, hair loss, immune impairment, infertility, poor wound healing, premenstrual syndrome, acne, eczema, gall stones, liver degeneration
So how do we avoid being deficient in micro/macronutrients?
Do what your mamma told you and eat a varied and balanced diet. Eat leafy green veggies, red meat, and whole grains to get iron. Fruits and green veggies for Vitamins C, A and B1. Whole grains (brown rice for example) also for B1, milk and milk products for Calcium. Fish, poultry nuts and cereals for B3.
Some foods (don’t ask me which ones) can be genetically modified to contain nutrients that they wouldn’t naturally have…while this is an interesting fact it’s best to try and eat foods that didn’t need to be genetically modified to include those nutrients, food that are natural.
Although we only need micronutrients in small amounts, if those small quantities are absent from our diets our bodies can suffer.
For example:
iron deficiency (which is one of the most common deficiencies especially common with vegetarians > Anemia, brittle nails, confusion, constipation, depression, dizziness, fatigue, headaches...
Essential fatty acid deficiency (Also very common since a lot of people tend to be afraid of fat) > Diarrhea, dry skin and hair, hair loss, immune impairment, infertility, poor wound healing, premenstrual syndrome, acne, eczema, gall stones, liver degeneration
Zinc > Acne, amnesia, apathy, brittle nails, delayed sexual maturity, depression, diarrhea, eczema, fatigue, growth impairment, hair loss, high cholesterol levels, immune impairment, impotence, irritability, lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of sense of taste, low stomach acid, male infertility, memory impairment, night blindness, paranoia, white spots on nails, wound healing impairment
So how do we avoid being deficient in micro/macronutrients?
Do what your mamma told you and eat a varied and balanced diet. Eat leafy green veggies, red meat, and whole grains to get iron. Fruits and green veggies for Vitamins C, A and B1. Whole grains (brown rice for example) also for B1, milk and milk products for Calcium. Fish, poultry nuts and cereals for B3.
Some foods (don’t ask me which ones) can be genetically modified to contain nutrients that they wouldn’t naturally have…while this is an interesting fact it’s best to try and eat foods that didn’t need to be genetically modified to include those nutrients, food that are natural.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Answers to your questions
I have been getting some really great questions from people so I thought I would save them up and then answer a bunch of them all at once, so here it goes...
What made you finally decide to lose weight the right way?
Well, I was tired. Tired of having aching joints all of the time, tired of not sleeping well, tired of not being able to do things I had once been able to do easily, tired of having panic attacks when I thought we might be sitting in a booth at a restaurant or when I had to squeeze myself into a seat on an airplane, tired of dreading the next time I had to go shopping for clothes because what if this was the day that nothing was going to fit? Most of all I was tired of making excuses about why I couldn't lose the weight.
Do you ever slip up and have bad days or fall off the wagon?
UM, YES! Of course I do, I'm not perfect and I can tell you sometimes you just need to do that, like a few weeks ago I just needed to have a junk food binge so I ate an entire large bag of chips myself...and an drumstick ice cream cone. Having said that, once you've cleaned up your eating and you have been eating well for awhile...when you eat something your body doesn't like or thinks is crappy food it will tell you pretty fast.
I also treat myself to things like a couple of cookies with a tea a couple times a week, but I know that I exercise enough that I can do that. The important thing to know is that when you "fall off the wagon" you just need to get back on right away the next day instead of feeling sorry for yourself and eating more bad food.
Have you had any set backs?
Funny you should ask...I recently dislocated my ankle and have not been able to do any running or high impact activities for about 2 weeks now. This has really thrown my normal routine out of whack and it is taking a LOT to not get frustrated and or de-railed. I've had to work hard to create a new routine that keeps me active even though at the moment I am only half as active as I normally would be. I also have to pay close attention to what I am eating, because I've suddenly started craving junk food.
Email me at mailto:gettheskinny@i-desygn.com%20Sucesssuccess stories of your own or questions, whatever I love hearing from you!
What made you finally decide to lose weight the right way?
Well, I was tired. Tired of having aching joints all of the time, tired of not sleeping well, tired of not being able to do things I had once been able to do easily, tired of having panic attacks when I thought we might be sitting in a booth at a restaurant or when I had to squeeze myself into a seat on an airplane, tired of dreading the next time I had to go shopping for clothes because what if this was the day that nothing was going to fit? Most of all I was tired of making excuses about why I couldn't lose the weight.
Do you ever slip up and have bad days or fall off the wagon?
UM, YES! Of course I do, I'm not perfect and I can tell you sometimes you just need to do that, like a few weeks ago I just needed to have a junk food binge so I ate an entire large bag of chips myself...and an drumstick ice cream cone. Having said that, once you've cleaned up your eating and you have been eating well for awhile...when you eat something your body doesn't like or thinks is crappy food it will tell you pretty fast.
I also treat myself to things like a couple of cookies with a tea a couple times a week, but I know that I exercise enough that I can do that. The important thing to know is that when you "fall off the wagon" you just need to get back on right away the next day instead of feeling sorry for yourself and eating more bad food.
Have you had any set backs?
Funny you should ask...I recently dislocated my ankle and have not been able to do any running or high impact activities for about 2 weeks now. This has really thrown my normal routine out of whack and it is taking a LOT to not get frustrated and or de-railed. I've had to work hard to create a new routine that keeps me active even though at the moment I am only half as active as I normally would be. I also have to pay close attention to what I am eating, because I've suddenly started craving junk food.
Email me at mailto:gettheskinny@i-desygn.com%20Sucesssuccess stories of your own or questions, whatever I love hearing from you!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
White bread is not your friend!
I have a lot of people ask me if I have cut out flour from what I eat and my answer to that is, no but I have pretty much eliminated all white flour from my diet. With the exception of the occasional donut...yes I eat one every once in awhile!
Think back to when you were a kid and your art teacher made you build little paper mache sculptures, do you remember what the glue was made of? That's right, white flour and water the same thing white bread is pretty much made of. When I started to think of it that way it made it a lot easier for me chose whole grains.
What are whole grains?
Making room for whole grains...with all that white flour you're probably bloated
Whole grains freaked me out at first, the texture is weird and they felt heavy to me. I started by using 1/2 white pasta and 1/2 whole grain pasta soon I found that I actually enoyed the whole grain pasta better. I also really enjoy brown rice noodles, they can be a bit tricky to cook at first but once you get used to the cooking they are soooo worth it!
Still not sure how to fit more whole grain goodness into your life, here are some things you may want to consider:
Think back to when you were a kid and your art teacher made you build little paper mache sculptures, do you remember what the glue was made of? That's right, white flour and water the same thing white bread is pretty much made of. When I started to think of it that way it made it a lot easier for me chose whole grains.
What are whole grains?
The bran is protective covering of the grain and provides fibre, B vitamins, and minerals.
The germ nourishes the seed and is the source of new growth in the plant. It provides mostly vitamins, including B vitamins and vitamin E, minerals and healthy fats.
The endosperm is the inner seed and supplies energy from carbohydrate and protein, and also provides small amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Whole grains contain health promoting phytonutrients such as antioxidants, lignins, and plant sterols. Whole grains include whole grain bread (whole wheat bread in Canada can have about 70% of the wheat's germ removed), whole oats/oatmeal, whole-grain corn, brown and wild rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, bulgur, triticale, buckwheat, millet, popcorn and quinoa.
Here are some whole grain facts for you:- People who eat more whole grains tend to have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, diabetes, cancer and digestive disorders.
- Soluble fibre such as that found in whole oats and oatmeal helps reduce blood cholesterol and control blood sugar levels.
- Eating insoluble fibre such as that found in wheat bran helps keep your digestive system healthy and prevent constipation.
- Eating plenty of whole grains may also help you manage your weight by helping you to feel full longer.
- Check the ingredient list on food labels for bread, rolls, bagels, tortillas, cereals, pasta, rice and crackers. To make sure whole grains are the main ingredient, they should appear first on the ingredient list. Look for "whole grain whole wheat flour", whole rye, whole oat or oatmeal, whole corn, whole barley, etc. Don't be fooled by multigrain products, which may include a variety of different grains but may not include whole grains. Also, some foods claiming to be made with "whole grain" may be mostly refined grain with just a little whole grain.
- Look for higher fibre whole grains. Foods labelled "whole grain" are not always high in fibre. Check the Nutrition Facts table on package labels to find the amount of fibre per serving and choose the higher fibre products. To be considered a "source" of fibre a food has to provide at least 2 grams of fibre in the serving size stated on the Nutrition Facts table. A "high fibre" food must contain 4 grams of fibre or more per serving.
Making room for whole grains...with all that white flour you're probably bloated
Whole grains freaked me out at first, the texture is weird and they felt heavy to me. I started by using 1/2 white pasta and 1/2 whole grain pasta soon I found that I actually enoyed the whole grain pasta better. I also really enjoy brown rice noodles, they can be a bit tricky to cook at first but once you get used to the cooking they are soooo worth it!Still not sure how to fit more whole grain goodness into your life, here are some things you may want to consider:
- Have oatmeal or other whole grain cereals for breakfast (not the kind with 15 grams of sugar!)
- Choose whole grain bread including rolls, bagels, tortillas and pita bread for sandwiches or wraps.
- Try whole grain pasta instead of regular pasta — once you get over the texture the nutty flavour is delicious!
- Use whole grain couscous, bulgur, barley, brown rice or quinoa in salads.
- Add barley, brown rice or whole wheat pasta to soups.
- Try brown rice instead of white rice or (mix them half and half)
- Substitute whole wheat, brown rice flour or triticale flour for white flour in baking.
- Use millet or bulgur in tabbouleh.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Hold the sugar — you're sweet enough!
I used to be concerned with 2 things when I was eating, how many calories and how much fat was in the food that I was about to eat. When I hit a 2 month plateau 6 months ago I realized I had to take a good hard look at what I had been eating and what I found shocked me. I had been consuming huge amounts of sugar...sugar that I was not adding to my food but it was hidden in the ingredients!
Did you know that the average North American eats over 450 extra calories just from added sugar! So you're probably wondering what the big deal is? Sugar is a refined carbohydrate that causes your blood sugar levels to spike and it tells your body to store fat, not to mention too much of the white stuff can put people at increased risk to develop diabetes.
Before I go on, take this into consideration: 4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon
To help you avoid those sneaky sugars that hide in your food you're going to have to start reading labels on those "healthy" foods you've been eating. You also need to understand the difference between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars.
Added sugars are found in many processed foods, especially those that are high in fat and calories. However, sometimes you may find them in surprising places, like breakfast cereals and yogurt. This is why it’s important to read food labels. You can spot added sugars by looking for ingredients that end in “ose” as well as ingredients like liquid invert sugar, molasses, honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup.
Choose foods most often that have naturally occurring sugar, such as what’s in fruits, vegetables and milk. This is because the sugar is also packaged with lots of other vitamins and minerals. Choosing these foods that are naturally sweetened by Mother Nature will help you to better maintain your weight and reduce your risk of chronic disease.
When it comes to sugar on a food label, what should you be looking for?
There are a lot of claims about sugar out there, let's break them down:
Sugar-free or Sugarless: Each reference amount (a standard serving decided by the manufacturer) contains less than 0.5 grams of sugar or less than 5 calories
No added sugars: The product contains no added sugars such as honey, molasses, concentrated fruit juice, glucose, fructose, etc...
Reduced or lower in sugar: Compared to a similar product of the same portion size the food contains at least 25% and 5 grams less sugar
Unsweetened: The food contains no added sugars or sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose.
Fact > some claims such as "light in sugar", "low carb", or source of complex carbohydrates are no longer allowed to appear on food packaging.
*Canadian Diabetes Association
*Dietitians ofCanada
* Canadian Sugar Institute
Did you know that the average North American eats over 450 extra calories just from added sugar! So you're probably wondering what the big deal is? Sugar is a refined carbohydrate that causes your blood sugar levels to spike and it tells your body to store fat, not to mention too much of the white stuff can put people at increased risk to develop diabetes.
Before I go on, take this into consideration: 4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon
To help you avoid those sneaky sugars that hide in your food you're going to have to start reading labels on those "healthy" foods you've been eating. You also need to understand the difference between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars.
Added sugars are found in many processed foods, especially those that are high in fat and calories. However, sometimes you may find them in surprising places, like breakfast cereals and yogurt. This is why it’s important to read food labels. You can spot added sugars by looking for ingredients that end in “ose” as well as ingredients like liquid invert sugar, molasses, honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup.
Choose foods most often that have naturally occurring sugar, such as what’s in fruits, vegetables and milk. This is because the sugar is also packaged with lots of other vitamins and minerals. Choosing these foods that are naturally sweetened by Mother Nature will help you to better maintain your weight and reduce your risk of chronic disease.
When it comes to sugar on a food label, what should you be looking for?
“Sugars” is one of the core nutrients listed on the Nutrition Facts table. It is listed under carbohydrates. There is no % Daily Value for sugars because there is no target recommendation for how much sugar a healthy adult should eat in a day. Keep in mind that the Nutrition Facts table lists total sugars, which includes both added and naturally occurring sugars
You will also want to look at the ingredient list when looking for sources of sugar. Here are some words to look for. When you see these ingredients it means that the food has added sugars.
- Sucrose, sugar, liquid sugar, invert sugar
- Words that end in “ose” such as glucose, fructose and dextrose
- Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, dextrin
- Honey, molasses, maple syrup
- Concentrated fruit juice
- For most recipes, you can reduce the sugar called for by ¼ to 1/3 the amount. So if the recipe asks for 1 cup of sugar, you can try using 2/3 to ¾ of a cup. Reducing the amount of sugar in a recipe may also change the texture of the final product. Experiment with your recipe until you get the desired level of sweetness and texture.
- When you reduce some of the sugar, add a touch of cinnamon, vanilla or almond extract to give a sense of sweet flavour.
- You can substitute sugar with the artificial sweetener sucralose. 1 cup of white sugar is equal to 1 cup of sucralose. Sucralose is stable under high heat, which is why it is a good baking and sugar substitute.
There are a lot of claims about sugar out there, let's break them down:
Sugar-free or Sugarless: Each reference amount (a standard serving decided by the manufacturer) contains less than 0.5 grams of sugar or less than 5 calories
No added sugars: The product contains no added sugars such as honey, molasses, concentrated fruit juice, glucose, fructose, etc...
Reduced or lower in sugar: Compared to a similar product of the same portion size the food contains at least 25% and 5 grams less sugar
Unsweetened: The food contains no added sugars or sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose.
Fact > some claims such as "light in sugar", "low carb", or source of complex carbohydrates are no longer allowed to appear on food packaging.
*Canadian Diabetes Association
*Dietitians of
* Canadian Sugar Institute
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Eat clean!
If you would have asked me a year ago what clean eating was I probably would have said it was when you licked your plate clean. And up until about 6 months ago I would have told you that I ate well, at least I thought I did. I chose low fat and no fat foods, drank iced tea instead of pop, ate rice crackers for snacks because they were low in calories...and so on, because that's healthy—right?!
Fact, "lite" foods often contain almost as many calories as the original versions because they usually add more sugar to make them taste better. Just because it's low fat or "Lite" doesn't mean you can eat twice as much but that's usually what happens. These foods can also be less satisfying which in the end leaves you wanting more. Personally I'd rather have a little bit of "the real thing" and be satisfied which is why I only eat things now that have a purpose.
Food plays an important role in our lives, if you are trying to lose weight or just get healthy. Even if you don’t exercise, you could still lose weight by simply changing some of your eating habits. And if you've been exercising and you find yourself hitting a plateau you should take a good hard look at what you're putting in your mouth and calling food.
My basic clean eating guidlines:
Start by making small changes, cut out the pop and the juice which is loaded with sugar. Instead of white pasta switch to whole grain or brown rice pasta. Get rid of the Enriched "Wonder Bread" and swap in some whole grains.
If you try to clean up your eating in one step, chances are you will get frustrated and fall of the wagon. Make small changes and you'll have sustainable results!
Fact, "lite" foods often contain almost as many calories as the original versions because they usually add more sugar to make them taste better. Just because it's low fat or "Lite" doesn't mean you can eat twice as much but that's usually what happens. These foods can also be less satisfying which in the end leaves you wanting more. Personally I'd rather have a little bit of "the real thing" and be satisfied which is why I only eat things now that have a purpose.
Food plays an important role in our lives, if you are trying to lose weight or just get healthy. Even if you don’t exercise, you could still lose weight by simply changing some of your eating habits. And if you've been exercising and you find yourself hitting a plateau you should take a good hard look at what you're putting in your mouth and calling food.
Some of the most popular diet plans tell us we should cut out entire food groups or eat things like rice cakes and crackers because they'll make us feel full with little calories...the best one I ever heard was "if you're hungry just drink carbonated water, the bubbles will make you feel full", that water by the way, is FULL of aspartame which is a whole other topic of it's own.
So what's clean eating?
Clean eating is about eating food in it's most natural state or as close to possible. Clean Eating is not a diet, it's a lifestyle.
I no longer eat food just to feel full, I eat because I want my body to function better and I make sure that the stuff I'm putting into my body serves a purpose. In other words, I've given up munching away and drinking up empty calories. Think of your body like a car, if you fill it up with crappy fuel it's not going to run very well.
- Overly processed, refined foods
- Refined flour and sugar
- Saturated and trans fats
- Anything fried
- Sugary pop and juices
- Alcohol
My basic clean eating guidlines:
- If it has more than 5 grams of sugar (refined) — I don't eat it.
- If it's processed, comes in a box or you can boil it right in the bag it's packaged in—I don't eat it!
- If I can't pronounce the ingredients — I think twice about eating it.
- If it's made with white flour or "enriched" flour — I don't eat it.
- If it leaves a grease mark on the paper it was sitting on — I for sure don't eat it
- Just because it says “low fat” or “made with Turkey” doesn’t mean it’s the best choice.
- Margarine freaks me out — I prefer butter. (Scientists invented margarine, butter comes from cows, cows are natural)
- I rarely drink alcohol anymore. (Alcohol inhibits fat burning)
- If it's after 8:00 pm—I don't usually eat it. (I try not to eat anything at least 2 hours before I go to bed)
- I LOVE movie popcorn, chips and homemade cookies, so I eat them once in awhile!
Start by making small changes, cut out the pop and the juice which is loaded with sugar. Instead of white pasta switch to whole grain or brown rice pasta. Get rid of the Enriched "Wonder Bread" and swap in some whole grains.
If you try to clean up your eating in one step, chances are you will get frustrated and fall of the wagon. Make small changes and you'll have sustainable results!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
How's that diet working out for ya?
First thing is first, I'm not on a diet!
I have literally changed the way I live and if you've got 5lbs or 100lbs to lose I'm telling you right now you need to quit looking for a quick fix if you want this to be a sustainable change.
When we gain weight we tend to make excuses…it’s an eating disorder, I have a thyroid problem, my metabolism is slow, it's genetic, I don't have time to exercise and so on, and so on. I’m not trying to make light of these situations, in fact I myself have a thyroid problem which has made it more difficult to lose weight, but the cold hard truth is that the majority of people are just plain lazy and that's what makes us FAT!
Does your weight go up and down and up and down and up and down? If you're sitting there shaking your head then you fall under the yo-yo dieting category (been there, done that). Your body is reacting to your dieting as though it were going through a famine by reducing your energy expenditure. The second you start to eat "normally" your body will start to store fat because it thinks you were previously starving. In most cases every hard earned pound lost returns and then some.
If you're serious about making a change the first thing you need to do is stop dieting. Then you need to realize everything you need to succeed is right there for you. Packaging on labels is a great place to start, do you actually know what you've been eating? Probably not.
No need to go to extremes and hunt down every gram of carbs or fat but I challenge you the next time you go grocery shopping to stop and take a moment and actually read the ingredients in those "healthy" granola bars you've been eating.
Stick around and I'll tell you how clean eating has literally changed my life!
I have literally changed the way I live and if you've got 5lbs or 100lbs to lose I'm telling you right now you need to quit looking for a quick fix if you want this to be a sustainable change.
When we gain weight we tend to make excuses…it’s an eating disorder, I have a thyroid problem, my metabolism is slow, it's genetic, I don't have time to exercise and so on, and so on. I’m not trying to make light of these situations, in fact I myself have a thyroid problem which has made it more difficult to lose weight, but the cold hard truth is that the majority of people are just plain lazy and that's what makes us FAT!
Does your weight go up and down and up and down and up and down? If you're sitting there shaking your head then you fall under the yo-yo dieting category (been there, done that). Your body is reacting to your dieting as though it were going through a famine by reducing your energy expenditure. The second you start to eat "normally" your body will start to store fat because it thinks you were previously starving. In most cases every hard earned pound lost returns and then some.
If you're serious about making a change the first thing you need to do is stop dieting. Then you need to realize everything you need to succeed is right there for you. Packaging on labels is a great place to start, do you actually know what you've been eating? Probably not.
No need to go to extremes and hunt down every gram of carbs or fat but I challenge you the next time you go grocery shopping to stop and take a moment and actually read the ingredients in those "healthy" granola bars you've been eating.
Stick around and I'll tell you how clean eating has literally changed my life!
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