WSJ - Why we eat junk food when we're stressed...

This article explains why we sometimes feel we have no willpower and it's proven that in times of stress or anxiety that we turn to certain kinds of foods. I've broken this cycle by getting the bad stuff out of my system so I no longer have these urges. I also know that I would be right back in the same situation if I turned to these foods when I'm anxious or stressed. WSJ - Why Do We Eat Junk Food When We're Stressed Out or Anxious?  

Shakeology vs Isagenix

A friend on Facebook just started the Shakeology® program including the workout and is very sore but happy with her progress so far!!

I am not going to debate if Isagenix® is better. They are both low-glycemic, high quality whey

protein (not soy) shakes. They have many of the same excellent ingredients sourced from around the globe.

 
The bottom line is that a high quality shake (not Slim Fast or most others you find at the supermarket or GNC) is the healthiest meal of the day. That's Shakeology's tagline!  Kudos to the copy-writer on that one.

If more people understood that "food" should be stuff that's good for our bodies, they wouldn't say "oh you're just having a shake for lunch" when they are having a Subway sandwich. Nothing against the Subway sandwich (there are some healthier choices) but either of these shakes blows that away... blows anything away. 

I am happy there's another company It's the same as it's always been... the more nutritious food you can eat for a moderate number of calories plus exercise = healthier body. Add a nutritional cleanse and you're golden :)

Cupcake or Heroin? There's no difference.

This Washington Post article just popped up on one of the news sites today... a new study just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition implies that:

"... the quick spike and subsequent crash in blood sugar that comes after eating highly processed carbs activates reward and addiction centers in the brain."“Refined carbohydrates seem to be able to provoke food cravings many hours after consumption, at least in susceptible people.” I am obviously a "susceptible" person and like other types of addicts, I can't have any of this substance. Just like an alcoholic can't have a drink in moderation, I can't have sugar in moderation. I have finally come to terms with that after gaining a lot of weight back. But the benefits of good health far outweigh the taste.I continue to pass up many chances to eat bread, muffins, cupcakes, etc., on a daily basis. It isn't hard to do once it's out of my system. I just can't even fathom eating sugar again...

But the government says we should eat grains

My very intelligent daughter told me I must eat some grains because they are in the USDA food pyramid - now a food "plate." While it's inconvenient to give up grains (how do you make a sandwich?), I know I'm not losing valuable nutrition or anything good by giving them up.

Dr Mercola recently had a great post entitled :

How Turning the Food Pyramid on Its Head Can Help You “Slim Down Without Trying” link

I asked my daughter to read it so she could understand why I made this choice. I didn't watch the Peter Jennings video but the summary article is excellent!

So as I think about if and when I will let wheat/grains back in my diet, I was excited to find some "no wheat" healthy recipes on this blog. I am going to test this one and report back.  

60 Minutes - Is Sugar Toxic?

Tonight CBS 60 Minutes aired "Is Sugar Toxic?"  Anyone reading this blog already knows the answer to that :). Of course there wasn't anything new to me in that report (including that sugar fuels the growth of certain cancer cells) but it makes me understand again why it's been so hard for me to reach my goal.

The reason why I have not reached my goal yet is because each time I was within 10 lbs I broke my sugar fast and ate a small bite of something. The reason why I sabotaged myself is another issue.

Anyway, here is a link to the 60 Minutes segment 

Why is everyone on a diet?

If you saw the documentary FOOD MATTERS you'll want to see their new movie HUNGRY FOR CHANGE. 

Find out why diet soda makes you fatter... what substance we eat everyday is as addictive as drugs (if you've been reading this blog you know what that is)... what your fat is holding on to... what parsley and cilantro can do...

Last day (March 31st) to watch this free: http://www.hungryforchange.tv/online-premiere

Did you know that Total Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal does not contain ANY blueberries OR pomegranates. It does contain is blue dye! 

Learn more about the "foods" you are eating in this movie.

ONLY 8 more pounds to go!

It is slow going but I am able to go down one size in pants so I am continuing to lose inches! Carbs continue to be - and always will be - my downfall. Tonight I broke my excellent streak of healthy eating and overate carbs. Once they are in my system I am addicted. Many people also experience the urge to eat foods with a combination of Fat + Sugar (cookies, cakes, candies) or Fat + Salt (chips, french fries) or Fat + Salt + Sugar (many restaurant foods).

"Foods high in fat, salt and sugar alter the brain's chemistry in ways that compel people to overeat."

Find out more from this best selling book written by former commissioner of the FDA, Davie Kessler. 

Flip This Switch to Lose Weight!

My journey to  lose 100lbs is still ongoing and along the way I continue to read everything on the topic of nutrition, health/wellness and losing weight.

This is something I've seen before and when it popped again today in my RealAge email, I thought it was worth sharing...

Talk about an easy way to lose weight . . . a new study suggests that you could avoid packing on extra pounds just by flicking a switch.

The switch in question? Your bedroom light or that alarm clock that's too bright. A new animal study suggests that being exposed to even just a little bit of light at night might make you fat.

 

In the study, some mice were kept in darkness during the night while others were kept in dim lighting. And even though the mice in dim lighting weren't fed any extra, by the end of 8 weeks they had gained 50 percent more body mass than the mice who were kept in darkness. The light-exposed mice also started showing signs of prediabetes. Researchers think the extra light at night may have altered the mice's levels of melatonin -- a hormone known to influence metabolism.

If you want to find out more reasons why a dark bedroom is best for your health and wellness - go to www.drmercola.com and search on the topic - there are some very interesting studies!

Jenny Craig number 1 diet plan on Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports published ratings of "popular diet plans."  Isagenix wasn't reviewed because it really isn't a "diet" and it's not sold in stores. When you meet as many Isagenix users as I have you find that weight loss is way down on the list of health benefits that people enjoy. 

Jenny Craig "Breakfast" - 190 calories

Here is what you can eat for breakfast on Jenny Craig (photo taken from their website under the breakfast category). You can just imagine the list of ingredients. There is no comparison to the nutrition your body gets from an IsaLean shake. If this is what you want to feed your body every morning for the rest of your life then Isagenix is not for you. 

Jenny Craig has support so that is probably one of the reasons why it is successful - people can choose the level of support they want with Isagenix (one-on-one with the person who enrolled them or part of a FaceBook group of 1,500 or other groups who have weekly conference calls). 


But what is your goal? My #1 goal is to live a long and healthy life and #2 to be at a healthy weight but not at the expense of health.

Addicted to Food - Oprah Winfrey Network

I watched the first episode of Addicted to Food on the new OWN (saw it online), I think it's on Tuesday nights.

When you've found the answer to healthy living and weight management (hallelujah - Isagenix) but you still find yourself sabotaging yourself with bad foods (not at "celebrations" but by yourself) - you have to realize that a lot of food addictions (or problems) are rooted in your emotions. This is a lot of what this show addresses. I am going to watch it.

Chips are worse than candy bars - say it isn't so!!

Since I quit sugar over two years ago I fell back on potato chips - the relatively "healthy" ones (in moderation) as my junk food.  Well, as the saying goes, you can't eat just one and I think those innocent handfuls of chips have been largely responsible for my weight-loss plateau :(

Well, it seems the party is over when it comes to chips... this week I learned two things:

1. I read an article from Dr Mercola there is no such thing as a healthy chip - ALL chips are bad (not because of the calories) but because when carbohydrate-rich foods like potatoes are cooked at high temperatures (including the "healthier" baked chips),  acrylamide -- a tasteless, invisible chemical byproduct -- is formed. Animal studies have shown that exposure to acrylamide increases the risk of several types of cancer, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer considers acrylamide a "probable human carcinogen."

2. The genius nutritionist Jim Rhoades (who I met through Isagenix) said tonight when counseling a diabetic person that "chips are worse than candy bars" in terms of their affect on blood sugar. While I never had any blood sugar issues (even at my highest weight), he explained that chips are converted even more quickly into sugar, which affects insulin (too much and those chips get stored as fat) and that is not something I want to do to my body.

Am I saying I will never have another chip? No. But I need to change my thinking about them for myself and my family. I already know it's one of the reasons that I've plateaued.

Good News - maintaining... Bad News - struggling to lose more

So I've haven't had much trouble maintaining the 90lbs I've lost but can't seem to lose more. I have good days then not so good days.

One thing I DO know, I feel fantastic on days when I eat lots of Isagenix plus raw, natural, live foods and feel like crap inside when I have processed, dead foods.  It further illustrates to me that eating clean is the way to go to feel my best.

I am having feelings of wanting to give up meat, I really don't enjoy it that much. It is SO crystal clear what my body is happy with and I have to listen to that! 

Thanks to my friend Dawna, she and I are calling each other every day (multiple times) to keep each other on track (we've both had problems with food addictions). Tomorrow we are doing a one-day cleanse.

Going to Bed Earlier - the Biggest Struggle that I've Got to Overcome to Lose Weight!

Craving carbs, feeling hungry later in the evening, stubborn fat loss??  

These are all things I experience when I don't get enough sleep or get to sleep too late.

These are all signs of lack of sleep and one of my major problems - I go to bed too late all to frequently!  I KNOW this is bad for me but can't seem to stop doing it... staying up until 1am+ then having to get up at 7:30 - giving me less than 8 hrs I need to lose weight. 

This video explains it all and I had to watch it just to reconfirm what I already know.  On days when I go to bed really late I wake up and am craving carbs and am hungrier all day.

I've also seen A LOT of info about the importance of getting sleep between 10 pm and 2 am -- it is said that sleeping between these four hours is MUCH more restful and beneficial for our health (and weight loss) than, for instance, getting more hours after 1am or 2am. 

Last night I went to bed at 11:30 but I need to aim for 11pm or earlier. I think that 11pm is about the earliest I can do right now (I've always been a "late night" person). I am committing to getting to bed by 11pm and will report back on how I feel and if this helps me break this plateau I'm on.

Is a shake real food???

Lots of people don't view a "shake" as "real food."  I was probably one of those people, thinking that you have to chew something for it to be FOOD.  Of course this isn't true, when you consider that the best "food" on the planet is mother's breast milk and it's liquid. It sustains newborns for many months - helping them to grow strong and healthy.

What do you eat for breakfast? Many people believe that eating a bowl of this TOTAL Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal with some skim milk is an ideal breakfast food.  Although it claims "100% nutrition" it doesn't have nearly the nutrition of one IsaLean shake and doesn't contain any fruit!

While the cereal contains no actual blueberries or pomegranates, it does contain eight different sweeteners: Sugar, Corn Syrup, Barley Malt Extract, Brown Sugar Syrup, Malt Syrup, Sucralose, Molasses and Honey. The blueberry-like appearance of small bits in the cereal are accomplished through the use of artificial colors like Red #40 and Blue #2, combined with various oil sand sweeteners such as soybean oil and sugar.

The IsaLean shake on the other hand has ALL 90 essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids PLUS live enzymes to transport all that nutrition. Don't forget the whey protein (from New Zealand - better than organic standards here) plus the balance of healthy fats and carbs. I also add a scoop of Isagenix Greens and a scoop of Isagenix Fruits to my shake (delicious!) so I am getting MANY servings of leafy greens and the best anti-oxidant fruits on top of it. No wonder I feel so good after I drink it!

Weight Watchers practically invented accountability... but Isagenix has personalized it

I had a few more thoughts on Weight Watchers - in my last post I talked about why it didn't work for me and why it really wasn't a sound nutrition-based weight loss plan.

Today I started thinking about what I believe to be the BEST thing that WW has done over the years that has proven successful:

She doesn't look like anyone I ever saw at a WW meeting.

Accountability - WW invented the concept of people going to weekly meetings to weigh in. While it embarrasses some people (thankfully I always had non-judgmental WW counselors), it works to keep people on track! WW also made a point of applauding those who got results and supporting those who needed extra encouragement. The meetings, more than the points, I feel is what has made WW the most popular weight loss plan.  I also did the WW plan online as others do but that also has it's own built-in accountability.

It's probably no coincidence that one of the reasons people love Isagenix is because there is so much accountability and support. It is purposely NOT sold at retail because people do best when they are helped by someone who wants them to succeed (like WW). Personally I was accountable to Dr J (my "coach") then I got tremendous support from his parents, Dale and others I met when I went to some local meetings. I was applauded at meetings for losing weight (who doesn't like that) then of course I won 2nd place in the IsaBody Challenge. Right now I find a lot of support and encouragement from Isagenix people all across the country... I am friends with many on FaceBook, belong to the FB IsaBody Accountability Group and enjoy Jean Faber's Call for Hope each Wed. 9:30pm 218-862-1300 Access Code 98421. Jean has lost over 200lbs and came in 1st in the IsaBody Challenge for women age 50+. 

There is a lot of personal accountability and support within the Isagenix community IF you choose it. There are people who've suffered personal loss and tragedies that led to weight gain, others who are athletes trying to perfect their bodies, others who are emotional eaters like me - there are many tribes of Isagenix people out there who connect and support each other.

Weight Watchers Changes Point System

I have been on the Weight Watchers system many times in my past and it did work temporarily but all the fat free WW muffins, desserts and fat free cool whip just kept me addicted to sweets. And now I know that all the chemicals and preservatives in all that processed food were not doing my body any good.  Plus, in my opinion as a professional dieter, I have seen that cleansing is the missing link in the weight loss mystery!

Anyone who has been on WW (and who hasn't) knows that things like almonds and olive oil (extremely healthy) are not encouraged because the points are too high (due to the fat). The world of WW is basically lots of artificial sweeteners and with high points for fats like nuts and olive oil.

So news that they have updated their point system to address this was encouraging. An article in today's NYT talks about the changes, they are "based on scientific findings about how the body processes different foods," in other words, processed, fake foods are not as good and therefore are higher in points.

On the old point system, they would consider a large apple (2 points) = to an Oreo(R) pak (2 points).  Under the new point system the apple is 0 points and the cookies are 3 points.

No wonder a lot of people embraced the WW program (including me) - we could eat lots of sugar free pudding with fat free whipped cream, cookies and muffins and think we were in diet heaven.Yes, we lost weight but did it teach us to eat healthy food?  It sure tasted good but had little or NO NUTRITIONAL value.

WW now acknowledges that the type of food you eat will affect energy and feelings of hunger and fullness.  

I have to admit when I was on WW that I thought eating their muffins, cakes, frozen dinners and snacks was too good to be true, I think they have addressed some of this now with the point changes although they still produce lots of processed foods.

Can You Eat Just One Chip or One Cookie??

Most of us know what it feels like to fall under the spell of food - when one cookie turns into ten or a handful of chips leads to an empty bag.  It's hard to understand why we can't seem to stop eating - even when we know better. When we want so badly to say "no," why do we continue to reach for food?

We wonder why we have no willpower and blame ourselves for having no self control and being undisciplined.  The End of Overeating by David Kessler (former Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration who also served as the Dean of the medical schools at Yale and the University of California) explains why.

Before you think to yourself that this is another way for people to avoid personal responsibility, let me tell you that this book is well documented and explains how certain foods actually override our conscious will and drive us to continue to consume them. This is a biological phenomenon that mimics alcohol or tobacco addiction. Most people are addicted to sugar, fat, and salt or any combination of two. 

It also explains why, even after months and years later we can have food relapses. Careful monitoring of the consumption of sugar/fat/salty foods is a life-long commitment.  It's no wonder that there aren't people complaining that they are compulsively eating string beans.

When I gave up sugar two years ago another (junk) food took its place - chips. You don't think of them as having sugar, but the simple sugars in the potato covered with fat and topped with salt are a deadly chemical combination that triggers an insatiable desire to consume all of the potato chips. The same thing happens with tortilla chips or bread. You can't even tell when you are satiated, because the combination of the fat, sugar, and salt overrides the ability for the body to create satiety signals to get you to stop eating. Soooo true - for me anyway, after eating chip I don't have a feeling of fullness or being satiated that I do when I have my shake.

This book opened my eyes to the powerful effect certain foods can have on my brain and that I need to be forever mindful when consuming them. What I have now that I didn't have then was a complete source of nutrition that satisfies my body and gives my willpower a fighting chance.

Question: Are You Still Taking "Those Shakes??"

Someone recently asked me this question. They knew that part of my weight loss involved shakes. And YES, I am and will thankfully be taking "those shakes" F O R E V E R!

Why will I take them forever? A very good question...

1. If you never exercised, then started working out 3-5x per week and then lost weight... what would happen if you stopped exercising all together? If you ate horrible food, then switched to more healthy food and then lost weight... what would happen if you went back to junk food?

Exactly - whatever healthy habits you employ to lose weight and get healthy HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED if you want to maintain your results!  So that's why a cabbage soup, no carb, starvation or cookie "diet" or some other extreme will have little chance of long term success.

 2. The IsaLean Shakes are not just a nutrition-packed meal replacement at 245 calories, they are the most complete food on the planet with all 90 nutrients (60 organic minerals, vitamins,  and amino acids) our bodies need for healthy cells.  So regardless of weight loss, once I understood the amazing ingredients in those shakes I knew that they would be as important to my health as brushing my teeth each day. If I had to go to the health food store and buy all the ingredients for this shake (the exact ingredients aren't even for sale but let's say they were) - I would be spending maybe 10x more than the $2.60 I spend now per shake. 

FACT: We all seem to be striving to be thin but being thin doesn't = being healthy - I know lots of thin people who are sick (anemic, tired, aches, pains, low energy and other chronic conditions). While they are "thin," they are not healthy - including that fact that EVERYONE has an overload of toxic chemicals that our body cannot cleanse out (visit the Center for Disease Control web site to see the latest report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals -- 212 chemicals were measured in blood and urine samples, only a fraction of the thousands of different toxins we are exposed to).

So dieting does not = health.  

Dependence on prescription drugs does not = health (nothing is "cured," only symptoms are lessened).  

I believe that super nutrition + cleansing toxins is the key to getting our bodies to be in balance so they can right what is wrong... so yes, me and several hundred thousand others are still happily taking those shakes!

 

Pharmer's Market on Most of Americans' Plates

Haven't posted in a while - but busy... just joined Planet Fitness with some friends (for $10/month you can't beat it).

WATCH THIS FUNNY BILL MAHER CLIP ON WHY PEOPLE ARE SICK!

A friend recently posted this to her facebook page and it is really funny but true as only Bill can tell it!!    I don't agree with everything Bill Maher says but this time he is soooo RIGHT!   It is hard to talk to some people about good nutrition -- many people will take any drug their Dr recommends (along with the horrible side effects which cause symptoms that require more drugs) without even checking out what they are putting into their body.  

There are enough people out there who get it.  I would guess that anyone reading this does get it. :-)   For those that put their health into the hands of big pharma, watch this then take a look at the Natural News site as well, one of my favorites!

I always thought I was fat because I didn't have willpower, now I know that it is the sugar/salt/fatty foods that take away our willpower because they are addictive. Put good nutrition in your body and you'll find your willpower again.  If you've ever had a piece of cake calling you from the kitchen then you know what I mean.

Jackie Warner Thintervention Shake

Today I rode my bike to walk on the track -  I used to love bike riding and it's a great work-out before I start my walking.  It was a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky. Then I walked the track with friends.  Very motivating way to start the day. UNLIKE some of the shows on TV where overweight people get screamed at to the point of puking.



Jackie Warner Thintervention - Mon Night on Bravo TV

 So, although I love Jackie Warner (her energy, spirit and dedication), I was not anxious to watch her new show on Bravo TV because it was the boot camp style of the Biggest Loser. But last night I gave it a try and actually liked it. Why? 1) The people are living at home (like in real life) as they are losing weight. 2) She doesn't scream at them but does push them. 3) She gives nutrition counseling AND emotional counseling.

And on the second show she showed them how to make a healthy shake. She started with a low glycemic protein powder, added branch chain amino acids, flax seed oil and antioxidants in form of spinach and berries.  YEAH, all that stuff and MORE is ALREADY IN THE SHAKES I HAVE BEEN TAKING that have reshaped by body!!   She would love these shakes -- the whey protein is superior (from New Zealand), all the BCAA, healthly fats and much more are in there.  I'd have to buy 60+ different items at the health food store (who has the time or money for that)! She recommends that people add berries and spinach to their shake - the Fruits and Greens I take are ORGANIC with not just one but MANY, MANY servings in one little scoop of powder.

Jackie's TIP: anything with more than 5grams of sugar per serving has to be thrown out of your kitchen - our brains are addicted to sugar. Right on Jackie!