Cholesterol: The Good, the Bad, and the Whole Picture

This article is from Denise Austin's website. I take no credit, just being the messenger. Can't preach to you about "surrounding yourself with information" unless I'm willing to help in the process! I have added a few commentaries in blue.

"All this talk about cholesterol, lipids, and "good" and "bad" can be so confusing! Cholesterol and fat were things that we thought were always unhealthy, but research has shown that there are different types, some that increase the risk of heart disease and some that are actually protective! To check your risk of heart disease, your doctor may order a lipid profile test. This checks the levels of at least four lipid — fat — components in your blood:

Total cholesterol: This is the total amount of cholesterol floating in your bloodstream, some of which may offer protection against heart disease, and some of which may increase your risk. Your total cholesterol level should be less than 200 mg/dl (milligrams per deciliter).

LDL cholesterol: LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, usually labeled "bad," tends to adhere to the inside of blood vessel walls, building up blockages that can cause a heart attack. You want your LDL level to be low — ideally, less than 100 mg/dl, according to the American Heart Association. Between 100 and 129 is considered "near optimal," 130 to 159 is considered "borderline high," 160 to 189 is considered "high," and 190 and above is considered "very high." (at HealthQuest they teach us to remember L is for Lousy and it should Low)

HDL cholesterol: This type of cholesterol is the one many people think of as "good" cholesterol. Instead of sticking to the lining of blood vessels, HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, cholesterol (the so-called good cholesterol) is brought to the liver to be removed from the body — so it reduces your risk of heart disease. You want your HDL level to be high — at least 60 mg/dl or higher. A low HDL level (less than 40 mg/dl for men; less than 50 mg/dl for women) increases the risk of heart disease. (from HealthQuest H is for Healthy and it should be High)

Triglycerides: These fats are also included in a lipid profile. Although it's not clear whether high triglyceride levels are a risk factor for heart disease by themselves, they usually go hand in hand with other risk factors, such as high total cholesterol or low HDL. If you are obese, inactive, drink a lot of alcohol, or follow a diet very high in carbohydrates, you may have high triglycerides. Your triglyceride level should be less than 150 mg/dl. (for this, I got nothin')

This is a very important part of your overall health picture. If you haven't had your cholesterol tested lately, give it some thought. I was able to bring mine down last year - without any medication - through some simple changes. As a diabetic, I'm already at greater risk for heart disease so my numbers actually have to be better than those listed here. It doesn't take very long to have the test done and it could play a big part in how you focus your efforts to improve your health.

America's Worst Supermarket Foods

I copied this article from MSN. I take no credit. It was just too good and informative not to share. And it gives a shout-out to my Skinny Cows.

There may be no place on the planet more daunting than the American supermarket. By David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, Men's Health

From the produce section to the frozen-food aisle, the modern-day market is loaded with 50,000 food choices, all vying for your hard-earned money. That's why we created the Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide, the brand-new follow-up to our national bestselling nutrition books that will help you cut through marketing mysteries and food-label lies in order to make the smart choices that lead to fast and permanent weight loss for you and your loved ones.
And there's no better way to start slimming down in 2009 than by eliminating the most egregious offenders in the supermarket from your shopping cart. Some are conspicuous calorie bombs, others are junk food masquerading as healthy food, but all 20 of these foods have one thing in common: They'll undermine your efforts to lose weight and feel great. So study up on the list of the Worst Supermarket Foods (and while you're at it, don't forget the 20 Worst Restaurant Foods in America), and resolve to master your market in 2009.
20. WORST CRUNCHY SNACK
Gardetto's Special Request Roasted Garlic Rye Chips (1/2 cup, 30 g)
160 calories
10 g fat (2 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
40 mg sodium
Gardetto extracts the worst part of its Original snack mix and tries to serve it as a gourmet snack—a sneaky move that might have serious repercussions for even casual munchers. Each single serving exceeds the amount of trans fat deemed safe to consume daily by the American Heart Association.
Fat equivalent: 3 strips of bacon
Eat This Instead: Snyder's of Hanover Sourdough Nibblers (16 pieces, 30 g)
120 calories
0 g fat
200 mg sodium
19. WORST COOKIE
Pillsbury Big Deluxe Classics White Chunk Macadamia Nut (dough; 1 cookie, 38 g)
180 calories
10 g fat (3 g saturated, 2 g trans)
13 g sugars
Stick to Nestlé Toll House when it comes to big-brand cookie dough; the people of Pillsbury have a penchant for scattering trans fats across your market's refrigerated section. This cookie has one load of dangerous oils mixed into the flour and another blended with sugar and interspersed throughout the dough as "white confectionery chunks."
Fat equivalent: 5 "fun" size 3 Musketeers bars
Eat This Instead:
Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (1 1/2-inch ball, 28 g)
130 calories
6 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
11 g sugars
18. WORST YOGURT
Stonyfield Farm Whole Milk Chocolate Underground (6 oz.)
220 calories
5 g fat (3 g saturated)
36 g sugars
Stonyfield is notorious for being a little too generous with the sugar, but the nearly 3 tablespoons in their Chocolate Underground is bad even by their supersweet standards. Not even Ben & Jerry's makes a flavor of ice cream with this much sugar. (Check out the rest of America's Most-Sugar Packed Foods.)
Sugar equivalent: 4 Cherry Popsicles
Eat This Instead:
Breyers Cookies n'Cream YoCrunch Lowfat with Oreo Pieces (6 oz.)
120 calories
2.5 g fat (1 g saturated)
11 g sugars
17. WORST CANDY
Twix (1 package, 2 oz.)
280 calories
27 g sugars
14 g fat (11 g saturated)
Twix takes the already-dubious candy-bar reputation and drags it through a murky pool of saturated fat. With more than half the USDA's daily consumption recommendation for these dangerous fats in each package, this is one hazardous after-lunch snack.
Saturated fat equivalent: 11 strips of bacon
Eat This Instead:
100 Grand (1 package)
190 calories
22 g sugars
8 g fat (5 g saturated)
16. WORST CONDIMENT
Eggo Original Syrup (1/4 c)
240 calories
40 g sugars
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but not when this sugar slick hits the table. Excluding water, the first three ingredients are all different forms of sugar. If you want real syrup, make sure it's 100 percent maple.
Sugar equivalent: Two Häagen-Dazs Vanilla & Almond ice cream bars
Eat This Instead:
Smucker's Sugar Free Breakfast Syrup (1/4 c)
20 calories
0 g sugars
15. WORST ICE CREAM
Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Peanut Butter (1/2 c)
360 calories
24 g sugars
24 g fat (11 g saturated)
Häagen-Dazs makes great-tasting ice cream with an impressively short ingredient list, but that doesn't make up for the fact that their pints are consistently the fattiest in the freezer.
Fat equivalent: 1 McDonald's Double Cheeseburger
Eat This Instead:
Edy's Slow Churned Peanut Butter Cup (1/2 c)
130 calories
13 g sugars
6 g fat (3 g saturated)
14. WORST DRINK
AriZona Kiwi Strawberry (23.5 oz. can)
353 calories, 0 g fat
82 g sugars
It claims to be blended juice, but only 5 percent of this can is any sort of real-fruit derivative. The remaining 95 percent is a blend of water and high-fructose corn syrup. (Believe it or not, this pales in comparison to some of the other Unhealthiest Drinks in America.)
Sugar equivalent: 4 Original Fudgsicle Bars
Drink This Instead:
Tropicana Lime Raspberry Fruit Squeeze (15.2 oz. bottle)
35 calories, 0 g fat
7 g sugars
13. WORST "HEALTHY" PANTRY ITEM
Pop-Tarts Whole Grain Brown Sugar Cinnamon (2 pastries)
400 calories
14 g fat (4 g saturated)
5 g fiber, 28 g sugars
Whole grain ain't the whole truth. There's also a glut of vegetable oil and seven types of sugar stuffed inside.
Sugar equivalent: 1 Snickers bar
Eat This Instead:
Sun-Maid Raisin English Muffins with Cinnamon (1 muffin)
170 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
2 g fiber, 13 g sugars
12. WORST FROZEN "HEALTHY" ENTRÉE
Healthy Choice Complete Selections Sweet & Sour Chicken (340 g)
430 calories
9 g fat (1 g saturated)
600 mg sodium
29 g sugars
Since when has fried chicken been healthy? Certainly not when it's cloaked in sugar.
Sugar equivalent: 2 scoops Breyers Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream
Eat This Instead:
Kashi Southwest Style Chicken (283 g)
240 calories
5 g fat (0 g saturated)
680 mg sodium
11. WORST CEREAL
Quaker 100% Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisins (1 c)
420 calories
12 g fat (7 g saturated)
6 g fiber, 30 g sugars
Granola, for all its good reputation, is usually weighed down by a deluge of added sugars. In fact, for the same amount of sugar, you could have a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles more than twice the size—and you'd get more fiber and save about 60 calories in fat.
Calorie equivalent: 8 chicken wings
Eat This Instead:
Kashi GOLEAN (1 c)
140 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
10 g fiber/6 g sugars
10. WORST PACKAGED PASTA
Pasta Roni Fettuccine Alfredo (1 c prepared with 2 percent milk and margarine)
450 calories
25 g fat (7 g saturated, 3.5 g trans)
1,140 mg sodium
Once again Alfredo proves itself to be the biggest belt-busting option on the shelf.
This side has a meal's worth of calories, and if you try to turn it into a meal in itself, expect to top 1,000 calories.
Sodium equivalent: 4 medium orders of McDonald's French fries
Eat This Instead:
Pasta Roni Nature's Way Olive Oil & Italian Herb (1 c prepared with water and olive oil)
250 calories
8 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
800 mg sodium
9. WORST BAKED GOOD
Otis Spunkmeyer Banana Nut Muffins (1 muffin, 114 g)
460 calories
22 g fat (3 g saturated)
2 g fiber, 32 g sugars
Despite popular belief, muffins are very rarely healthy. Case in point: The first ingredient in this muffin is sugar. The result is metabolic mayhem: Blood sugar climbs, pancreas goes into overdrive, and the body begins storing sugar as fat. Shortly after, you'll feel sluggish and crave more sugar.
Sugar equivalent: 3 1/2 Rice Krispies Treats
Eat This Instead:
Vitalicious Apple Berry Muffin (1 muffin)
100 calories
0 g fat
5 g fiber, 10 g sugars
8. WORST FROZEN TREAT
Toll House Ice Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich (1 sandwich)
520 calories
23 g fat (9 g saturated)
44 g sugars
Do you really want more than a quarter of your day’s calories to come from an ice-cream novelty? If you're going to take in this much fat and calories in one sitting, it better be dinner.
Calorie equivalent: Two slices of hand-tossed pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut
Eat This Instead:
Skinny Cow Low Fat Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich (1 sandwich)
140 calories
2 g fat (1 g saturated)
15 g sugars
7. WORST INDIVIDUAL SNACK
Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie (1 pie)
520 calories
45 g sugars
24 g fat (14 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
Skip past the enriched flour and water on the ingredient list and here's what you get: animal shortening, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, butter, chocolate liqueur, and so on. Any one of these ingredients alone might prompt you to raise an eyebrow, but taken together they should invoke a gag reflex and a sprint for something far healthier.
Saturated fat equivalent: 2 McDonald's Quarter Pounders
Eat This Instead:
Chocolatey Drizzle Rice Krispies Treat
100 calories
8 g sugars
3 g fat (1 g saturated)
6. WORST PACKAGED LUNCH
Oscar Mayer Maxed Out Turkey & Cheddar Cracker Combo Lunchables (1 package)
680 calories
61 g sugars
22 g fat (9 g saturated, 1 g trans)
1,440 mg sodium
Here's your first clue that this meal has issues: The ingredient list—in its squinty small type—is a full 4 inches long. It includes just about every form of fat and sugar you can imagine. Your child deserves better.
Calorie equivalent: 15 Chicken McNuggets
Eat This Instead:
Oscar Mayer Deli Creations Fajita Beef & Salsa Flatbread (145 g)
280 calories
9 g fat (4 g saturated)
890 mg sodium
5. WORST STIR-FRY
Bertolli Grilled Chicken Alfredo & Fettuccine Complete Skillet Meal for Two (1/2 package, 340 g)
710 calories
1,370 mg sodium
42 g fat (22 g saturated)
A dinner for two should get your blood flowing, not stuff your arteries with more than the entire day's saturated fat.
Saturated fat equivalent: 22 strips of bacon
Eat This Instead:
Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals for Two Grilled Chicken in Roasted Garlic Sauce (1/2 bag, 340 g)
340 calories
880 mg sodium
13 g fat (5 g saturated)
4. WORST FROZEN BREAKFAST
Jimmy Dean Pancake and Sausage Links Breakfast Bowls
710 calories
890 mg sodium
31 g fat (11 g saturated)
As if the calories, fat, and refined carbohydrates weren't bad enough, Jimmy D tops the whole thing with two Hershey's bars' worth of sugar.
Calorie equivalent: 6 bowls of Froot Loops
Eat This Instead:
Jimmy Dean D-lights Breakfast Bowls Turkey Sausage (198 g)
230 calories
730 mg sodium
7 g fat (3 g saturated)
3. WORST FROZEN PIZZA
DiGiorno for One Garlic Bread Crust Supreme Pizza
850 calories
1,450 mg sodium
44 g fat (15 g saturated, 3.5 g trans)
The bloated crust and the greasy toppings will saddle you with 60 percent of your day's sodium, 75 percent of your day's saturated fat, and nearly twice the amount of trans fats you should take in daily.
Calorie equivalent: 6 slices Domino's Thin'N Crispy Cheese Pizza
Eat This Instead:
South Beach Diet Deluxe Pizza
340 calories
660 mg sodium
11 g fat (4 g saturated)
2. WORST FROZEN ENTRÉE
Hungry-Man Classic Fried Chicken
1,020 calories
1,570 mg sodium
57 g fat (12 g saturated)
They should rename the company Hungry-Men, because there's no way a single man needs more than a pound of fatty fried chicken, oily potatoes, and a brownie.
Calorie equivalent: 5 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts
Eat This Instead:
Banquet Select Chicken Parmesan
350 calories
870 mg sodium
15 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
1. WORST PACKAGED FOOD IN AMERICA
Marie Callender's Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie
1,060 calories
1,440 mg sodium
64 g fat (24 g saturated)
Marie Callender's perpetrates the ultimate sleight of hand here: The nutrition information says this medium-size entrée has two servings, but honestly, when have you ever split a potpie? Lard-strewn pastry tops and cream-based fillings are the lowest common denominators of the nutritionally nefarious potpie, and this one, with an ingredient list that reads like an O-Chem final, beats out dozens of horrendous iterations to earn this special place on our list.
Sodium equivalent: 8 small bags of potato chips
Fat equivalent: 23 strips of bacon
Calorie equivalent: 7 Taco Bell Fresco Beef Tacos
Eat This Instead:
Marie Callender's Oven Baked Chicken (369 g)
320 calories
990 mg sodium
12 g fat (3 g saturated)

Tip for Today #7 Addendum

Ok, I was too tired last night. I didn't put the most important part of what I wanted to say.

I said that your mind was the most important tool. And that's true. If your brain doesn't buy into the process then you are only going through the motions. "I eat on a small plate because Deanne said to." "I drink a cup of water every other time because BB said to." Doesn't work like that.

I have a friend that found themselves in a rehabilitation program for substance abuse. (I know I'm using the wrong tense for a single person but I'm trying to generalize and not reveal any identity). That person left after the first 30 days, which is all that had been agreed to. We all knew it was not long enough. It didn't take long for that person to fall back into the same habits and start using again - albeit on the sly since they were professing to be all better. Another friend made the observation - the body may be dried out, but the mind wasn't.

That is the point.

Engage your most powerful tool. Use your mind. Do more than just go through the motions. Make them mean something.

Health Quest 2009

We got started again this past Monday. I stepped on the scales - the official Weight Watchers scales which are a little heavier than my Wii - 44.4 pounds lighter than almost exactly two years before. My count is actually higher but I had more clothes on at Health Quest and so one. I'm sticking with my closer to 50 pound decrease.

We'll be weighing in each Monday night until April. Let's see how I can do!

I checked the scales and am finally dropping a few pounds - but, the best part is my clothes fit so much better (that's how I knew it was a good time to weigh-in)!! So the weight-loss has me pumped - swimming harder and longer!! And I FEEL so much better.

Tip for Today #7

Think First

Your mind is the most important tool in your personal toolbox. Use it wisely.

I've said before that I'm not really big on keeping a food diary - only a log - but that doesn't mean that I'm not tuned in to the emotions that can accompany eating. Your mind can tell you that you're grabbing that piece of chocolate or pint of ice cream for all the wrong reasons. Your mind can tell you that you're only eating out of boredom. Or it can steer your towards that piece of fruit rather than a piece of fruit pie.

Your mind also can get totally pumped up after a workout. Its a proven fact that exercise releases endorphins and you feel better and think more clearly. That's one of the reasons that I try to work out in the mornings. It gets my brain up and ready for the day.

Your brain helps you make intelligent choices. So while we are working out our physical selves, our mental selves are actually running the show. That's not to say that you shouldn't have that piece of chocolate or whatever but eat it "intelligently" - thoughtfully, aware and in control.

Tip for Today #6

Surround Yourself

This tip is a multi-tasker.

First, surround yourself with "the good stuff". Not to overstate the obvious, but if you can identifiy your weaknesses then you can rid your environment of the stuff that tempts you. A chocolate milkshake is a whole lot harder to get if you have to get dressed and drive down to the Dairy Queen as opposed to just opening the freezer. Exercise can be made a habit if you leave your walking shoes in sight.

There are lots of good food alternatives out there. Personally, I love ice cream. I, thanks to my husband, have discovered the Skinny Cow line of ice cream products. Most are all under 100 calories and satisfy my need. Several snack lines make 100 calories packs. Throw some grapes in a bowl instead of chips. Some motion and sensation of eating one item at a time. Much better for you. Repackage your snacks into single serving sizes, or buy individual bags of chips instead of family size bags. Keep some bananas on the counter so you can easily grab a piece of fruit. Make this journey a little easier on yourself wherever possible.

I know what some of you are thinking - I have kids and they need their snacks. True. But shouldn't they be learning good habits and making good choices also? Don't you want to be a good role model? Hasn't it been proven that we're raising a generation of overweight children? Let them take some control over their health as well.

Secondly, surround yourself with information. Know your ideal weight. Know what your blood pressure and cholesterol counts are, and what they should be. Know what a serving size is. Know how many calories walking a mile and a half in 30 minutes is going burn. Know what motivates you.

Thirdly, surround yourself with supportive people. Believe it or not, some people won't respond well to your changes. For different reasons - insecurity, jealousy, pettiness. Don't let them get into your head. You are making the right changes for yourself and no one can take that away.

Thought for Today

From my daily calendar of quotes (author not listed):

Mark well the three most important words in your vocabulary: persistence, persistence, persistence!

Tip for Today #5

Forgive Yourself

Guess what. This trip ain't easy. You will have slip ups. You will hit plateaus and get discouraged. You will blame yourself when the scales don't move. I give you permission to forgive yourself. That means you don't get to give up just because you had a bad day.

Truth time - I broke a couple of rules today. I let my discipline sleep late and I stayed in bed and drank coffee with my husband when I am normally up exercising. I only got in 10 of my 30 minutes today (that was the 10 it took for the coffee to perk). Then I ate 3, yes 3, pieces of chocolate today. A great deal of it was a reaction to spending 104 minutes on the phone with computer support, causing me to be one hour and forty-five minutes late for lunch. I grabbed a mini-Crunch bar almost without thinking. I said almost. I was fully aware of what I was doing. Now, for clarification purposes the only chocolate we keep around are the mini sizes. About one bite is all you get, two max so when I say I had three pieces of chocolate its not like I ate a whole candy bar or Ding Dong or anything. But I knew I was doing it and I didn't care.

Slip ups won't kill you and they'll only derail your progress if you let them. Now, tomorrow I will have to wake my discipline back up at the usual time (its busy season, Saturday is just another work day) and get back on the program. My Wii may not tell me I've lost any weight in the morning. So be it. As Scarlett would say "Tomorrow is another day!"

But, unlike Scarlett, who fiddle-dee-deed her way through everything and never really got to "tomorrow" (as I've said before, it was always "today" in Scarlett's world), I will get back to doing what I know is best for me. I will walk to work and have cereal for breakfast and try not to overindulge in anything for a few days. But I also won't beat myself up or try to starve myself for penance.

Everything in moderation - even guilt.

Tip for Today #4

TRACK IT

This is by far-and-away every one's least favorite thing to do. It is also one of the more important aspects to taking control of your health. How do you know what all you need to change if you don't have a clear handle on what you're doing?

A lot of the experts recommend a food diary - how you felt when you ate, what might have triggered overeating and so on. I've always kept just a food log. What did I eat and how many calories did I consume. For me, it was an easy way to spot what foods were not really contributing and could be eliminated. It also made it easier to establish some routine meals and assist with planning (that's a whole other day!).

Since I was at first incredulous with what the scales said I weighed, my logging the food and calories was a way to prove that there had to be something wrong with me. I couldn't possibly be eating that much! But there it was - in black and white and on paper. And I once I started on my weight loss journey it became an very important tool. I learned that for my activity level (when I started) I could determine my day's needed calories by taking my ideal weight times 10. Basically, that put me around 1,250 calories a day. I needed to see where I could start cutting. I was eating less than 2,000 a day, but I was eating more than I needed.

How to do it is an individual choice. I tried Excel spreadsheets - looked nice but not convenient during the day or when I was traveling. I carried around a separate Day Timer - convenient, but cumbersome and I had to always look up stuff in a separate calorie book. Now I have a program on my BlackBerry. It has a built in food and exercise database to help with the input and I always have it with me (Billy thinks I'm addicted!). But it helps me see that if I've eaten too many calories then I have to up the exercise. My 1,250 calorie a day goal is a net number: food in minus the exercise.

I realize that no one wants to count calories. With the nutrition labels on all foods now it is a relatively simple process. And, like everything else, it became a habit. I give myself a bit of a break on the weekends from logging everything, but I also get a lot more exercise on the weekends.

I look at it this way. You wouldn't start off on a road trip to an unknown destination without a map would you? To make changes that will stick you need to be able to see not only where you're going, but where you've been.

Today's Feel Good

A person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated! Start by appreciating yourself!
(borrowed from Denise Austin's site this morning)

I'm trying a tip I read to get in my water for the day - every other beverage you drink should be a glass of water. So my day goes like this - water, juice, water, coffee, water, hot tea, water, etc. I think I'm at least getting close to the ounces of water I should have - but I'm not having to count. Tired of counting!! "Points", calories, glasses of water, servings of fruit, etc.

REMEMBER - UNLESS YOU'RE RUNNING AROUND WITH YOUR CLOTHES ON INSIDE OUT, NO ONE WILL KNOW WHAT SIZE THEY ARE. DON'T LET THE NUMBER ON THE LABEL RULE YOUR LIFE. ALL SIZES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL.

Thought for the Day

Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you can't eat it or play with it, just pee on it and walk away.

(Of course, we would never resort to eating under stress, now would we? Stress eating is NEVER the answer! Go take a walk, punch a pillow or buy a punching bag but NEVER resort to trying to eat your problems away. It only creates new ones!)

ALWAYS BE THE BEST YOU YOU CAN BE!! NOBODY CAN DO IT BETTER!

PERSONAL BEST!

I hit 4,022 steps on the Wii Free Step this morning. The Wii goal for 30 minutes is 2,400 steps which I hit with 12 minutes left on the clock. I am pumped up this morning!

Tip for Today #3

SIZE MATTERS



I read an article a while back where a man purchased a home built in the 1930s or 40s and there had been no updates since. He had a fit when he couldn't get his plates in the kitchen cabinets. He couldn't believe that someone would build a house with cabinets too small. Then it hit him. The standard dinner plate during that time was 9 inches. Now it is 12. The house wasn't too small; the plates were too big. And we do everything we can to fill them up. We super size because it "saves money" and "All You Can Eat" just seems like a challenge we can't back down from.


I use a salad plate for my meals. It serves a couple of purposes. First, instant portion control. The smaller plate won't hold as much. Second, it is visual. You can put standard servings on this size plate - 4 oz of meat, two 1/2 cup servings of vegetables - and it will look full. So you mind thinks you're getting plenty to eat. If you put that same food on a standard dinner plate, your brain is convinced you're starving yourself. And it will "make" you fill the plate up and then eat it all out of guilt. All those starving kids in Africa you know.


Serving sizes take some getting used to. First, you have to read the labels on the food. I have about 6 different cereals in the cabinet and all of them have a different serving size. Then, and this is key, take the time for a while to actually measure the portions out. Get the scales or measuring cups out and get started. Yes, it is a pain at first but then you get to where you can visually recognize the right size. Eyeball it.

We don't actually need as much as we eat. Now, try convincing your stomach of that after a couple of days of cutting back. It WILL need time to adjust. But it will. And pretty soon that small plate will be all you can eat.

The Three Ds

DEDICATION

DETERMINATION

DISCIPLINE

Tip for Today #2

BABY STEPS

The greatest of all journeys begins with but the smallest of steps.

I'm not sure who said it, or if I quoted it correctly. I'm sure someone said something similar. But it is a very profound statement. The first step is the smallest and the most important. In the case of taking charge of your health, that first step is a commitment. A commitment to change. You don't get to just wake up on January 1 and say "I'm going to lose 50 pounds this year". Sorry. Doesn't work that way.

You have to start with a plan. It has to be reasonable and workable. Decide where you need to focus your initial energies and set goals. Changes are much easier to make when you pick one to start with and then add others.

If you already get a lot of exercise then maybe food choices needs to be your starting point. If you haven't gotten off the couch for anything other than a trip to the kitchen then adding exercise might be your baby step. The object is to develop new habits and habits take time to form and it is much easier if you just concentrate on one thing at a time.

Once the plan is formulated then the goal setting starts. Goals should be both short and long term. Usually the long term goal is to keep off the weight you lose or maintain the healthy lifestyle or keep your blood pressure/cholesterol under control, whatever you need it to be. The short term goals will be many. They really need to be realizable in order to be effective. I will walk 30 minutes four days this week. I will package my snacks in small containers rather than eating mindlessly from the bag. I will record my calorie intake for the next three weeks on a daily basis. I will ___________. You fill in the blank.

Success comes from a sense of accomplishment. When you sit back at the end of the week and see that you did what you said you were going to it makes it easier to add the next goal. You don't want to set yourself up to fail by putting more on yourself than can be done. You are only human, you know.

Changes take time to become habits. Have patience.

Hi Guys!! This is great - I like knowing others are on this journey with me. I've exercised and dieted since my early 30's - to stay the size I wanted to be. As I moved closer to my 50's - it became about health - what a motivator!! When I'm "into it" - I do really good. My problem is loosing motivation. Hoping ya'll can help - because I HAVE TO exercise and eat right for the rest of my life!! It's no longer an option or about the mirror!!

Tip for Today #1

GET MOVING

Exercise is probably the single most important change you can make. As my sister says "If you exercise you can eat what you want." She's about a size 2 and exercises more than most, but she's right.

The hard part is doing it when you don't feel like it. I slept very poorly last night and stayed in bed way past when I should have so when I got downstairs to excercise I only had about 10 mintues of my designated time left. Being a CPA I'm very structured and have routines so I really couldn't mess with that whole timeframe thing. And I was so tired from tossing and turning. But I did the 10 minutes anyway on my Wii. Free stepped 1,300 steps in 10 minutes.

Now I'm one-third of the way to today's 30 minutes. That should always be your goal - 30 minutes a day. And no, you can't stockpile them. Playing tennis once a week for an hour and half doesn't earn you two free days. You might not want to do something as strenuous the next day and you do earn a "break" if you want but aim for doing something every day.

What is "something". Anything that gets you moving. Parking at the end of the parking lot (I know it sounds trite, but it counts). Ride bikes with your kids. Take a walk after dinner with the family (teaching good habits to the kids is a bonus in this). Set aside your 30 minutes and schedule it if that works better and find your activity. If your house has 2 stories don't accumulate a lot of stuff and carry it all up at once but instead take everything up separately. Stairs are wonderful exercise! Walk your errands or walk to work if you can.

The point is there are lots of ways to get moving in this world. Find the ones that fit best into your day and then work to incorporate them. Once you get them incorporated don't give yourself a pass to skip them. You may have to break your 30 minutes down into pieces like I have today, but push yourself to meet that 30 minute daily goal. Exercise makes you feel better, think more clearly, and gets the rest of your body working.

Now have a great day!

My Story

I have another blog, Random Thoughts, and in one post I related my story of how I took charge of my life and my health and now, two years later, I'm about 50 pounds lighter. Others have seen that as an inspiration and, thus, this blog was started.

I am not a health professional in any sense, just an average CPA. I don't profess to be an expert. I made the right kind of lifestyle changes - you know, the ones the doctors are always telling you about - and the they will work for everyone. Its just a matter of taking charge.

Its also a process, and a slow one. I won't repeat that you didn't gain the weight overnight so you can't lose it overnight. Oops, too late. This has been a two year journey for me and I'm still not finished yet. And even when that number on the scale hits what you want, the journey is ongoing to keep it there. That's why these are lifestyle changes. It should, hopefully, make that phase of the journey easier.

You won't find any stories of magic pills. I don't endorse any program over another. That's not to say they don't have value and are successful, but not for me. I'm sharing how I did it, and others will participate as well, and that is the purpose of this blog.

Now. Having disclaimed any responsibility for anyone else choices, let's get started.

Welcome!

Welcome to Losing It - a blog designed to support each other as we all try to improve our health and lifestyles. This blog is intended to inspire, coach and uplift. Ask questions, post your own stories. Be supportive of one another.

The primary focus will be on losing weight but if other needs arise, we can address them. We want to share food tips, exercise tips and just general positive messages to help people changing their lifestyles for the better.