"FATTY" Foods You CAN Eat

Hello again, well I stayed the same this week and I'm fine with that as I am now noticing that my clothes are starting to fit much better so I think I have lost a few inches instead

Below is an article by Mike Geary on foods that you should be having on a Healthy Eating Plan, see what you think......

7 "FATTY" Foods That Can Help You to Get a Flat Stomach (some of these will surprise you!)

These 7 shocking Fatty (but healthy) super-foods can actually help you to burn body fat faster!
by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
At this point, the anti-fat propaganda has died and almost everybody understands by now that eating fat doesn't necessarily make you fat. In fact, it's absolutely imperative to get enough healthy fats in your diet to keep your hormones balanced, blood sugar under control, and prevent cravings. Here are 7 examples of "fatty" foods that can actually HELP you to get lean...

1. Super Dark Chocolate (at least 72% cacao content or higher) - It might not be a secret anymore, but yes, dark chocolate (NOT milk chocolate) can be a very healthy food, even though it is technically calorie dense.
However, I would contend that dark chocolate can actually HELP you to burn off more body fat if you're the type of person that has a sweet tooth and likes to eat a lot of desserts. In this case, just 1 or 2 small squares of dark chocolate can many times satisfy your sweet tooth for only 30 or 40 calories as opposed to 500 calories for a piece of chocolate cake or a piece of pie.
Also some brands of dark chocolate that are in the mid 70's in % cacao content or higher, can have a fairly high ratio of fiber content (I've seen some brands have 5 grams of fiber out of 15 grams of total carbs per serving), and relatively low sugar content compared to the amount of healthy fats. In fact, that's one of the "tricks" I use to select a good quality chocolate... I look for more total fat than total carbs (or about the same number of grams of each).
The importance of that fact is that it means many dark chocolates will not greatly affect your blood sugar and will have a fairly blunted blood sugar response compared to other "sweets".
In addition, dark chocolate is also very rich in healthful antioxidants, including a powerful compound called theobromine which has been shown to help lower blood pressure and have other health benefits. The fat content in a good dark chocolate should come solely from the natural healthy fats occuring in cocoa butter and not from any other added fats. Any chocolates with added fats or other additives will generally not be as healthy.
The reason I say to choose dark chocolates with at least 72% cacao content is that the higher the % of cacao, the lower the % of sugar. However, this does mean that any chocolate over 80% cacao content will generally start to get a more bitter taste and have very little sweetness. If you like this type of taste, then the higher % cocao, the better. Otherwise, a good 75% dark chocolate is in my opinion an almost perfect combination of lightly sweet with a rich chocolate taste. Just remember to keep those daily quantities of chocolate small as it is calorie dense!
You can also reap the benefits of the antioxidants and fiber without all of the calories by using organic unsweetened cocoa powder in your smoothies or other recipes.
2. Coconut milk, coconut flour, and coconut oil -- Coconut milk and oil are great sources of a super healthy type of saturated fat called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), including a component called lauric acid, which is a powerful nutrient for your immune system, and is lacking in most western diets. In addition, MCTs are readily used for energy by the body and less likely to be stored as bodyfat compared to other types of fats.
Along with coconut milk and coconut oil as healthy fat choices, we've also got coconut flour as a healthier flour option for baking. Coconut flour is an extremely high fiber flour alternative (almost ALL of the carbs in this flour are fiber and not starch!). Coconut flour is also VERY high in protein compared to most flours and is also gluten free!
Just beware that if you're going to use coconut flour for baking, it absolutely NEEDS to be mixed with other flours as it sucks up moisture like crazy... I've made delicious baked goods by mixing coconut flour with almond flour and quinoa flour in equal parts, and adding slightly more liquid ingredients than the recipe calls for.
3. Grass-fed (pasture-raised) butter -- yes, delicious smooth and rich BUTTER (real butter, not deadly margarine!)... It's delicious, contains loads of healthy nutritional factors, and does NOT have to be avoided in order to get lean. In fact, I eat a couple pats of grass-fed butter daily and maintain single digit bodyfat most times of the year.
There's a lot of confusion about this topic... in fact, I just saw a TV show today that was talking about unhealthy foods and one of the first things they showed was butter. It just shows that the majority of the population has zero idea that butter (grass-fed only!) can actually be a healthy part of your diet.
In fact, there's even ample evidence that REAL butter can even help you to lose body fat for a couple of main reasons:
a. Grass-fed butter is known to have high levels of a healthy fat called CLA, which has been shown to have anti-cancer properties, and also has been shown to help burn abdominal fat and build lean muscle.
b. Grass-fed butter also has an ideal balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids (unlike conventional grain-fed butter) which helps fight inflammation in your body, and can help balance hormones.
c. The healthy fats in grass-fed butter also contain MCTs, which help to boost your immune system and are readily burned by the body for energy. The healthy fats in grass-fed butter also help to satisfy your appetite and control blood sugar levels, both of which help you to stay lean!
If you have a hard time finding a grass-fed butter at your grocery store, Kerrygold Irish butter is one of my favorites, and even though the label doesn't clearly state "grass-fed", the cows are 100% grass-fed on lush green pastures in Ireland. It's one of the richest butters in color that I've seen, which indicates high levels of carotenoids.
4. Whole Eggs, including the yolk (not just egg whites) -- Most people know that eggs are one of the highest quality sources of protein. However, most people don't know that the egg yolks are the healthiest part of the egg... that's where almost all of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (such as lutein) are found in eggs.
In fact, the egg yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg. In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids. Also, the protein of whole eggs is more bio-available than egg whites alone due to a more balanced amino acid profile that the yolks help to build.
Just make sure to choose free-range organic eggs instead of normal grocery store eggs. Similar to the grass-fed beef scenerio, the nutrient content of the eggs and the balance between healthy omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids (in excess) is controlled by the diet of the hens.
Chickens that are allowed to roam free outside and eat a more natural diet will give you healthier, more nutrient-rich eggs with a healthier fat balance compared with your typical grocery store eggs (that came from chickens fed nothing but soy and corn and crowded inside "egg factories" all day long).
 5. Grass-fed beef or bison (NOT the typical grocery store beef!) -- I know most people think that red meat is unhealthy for you, but that's because they do not understand how the health of the animal affects how healthy the meat is for consumption. Keep this in mind -- "an unhealthy animal provides unhealthy meat, but a healthy animal provides healthy meat".
Typical beef or bison that you see at the grocery store is raised on grains, mainly corn (and to some extent, soybeans). Soy and corn are NOT the natural diet of cattle or bison, and therefore changes the chemical balance of fats and other nutrients in the beef or bison. Grain-fed beef and bison is typically WAY too high in omega-6 fats and WAY too low in omega-3 fats. In addition, the practice of feeding cattle corn and soy as the main portion of their diet upsets their digestive system and makes them sick... and it also increases the amount of dangerous e-coli in the meat. This is not the case with grass-fed meat.
On the other hand, grass-fed beef from cattle and buffalo (or bison) that were raised on the type of natural foods that they were meant to eat in nature (grass and other forage), have much higher levels of healthy omega-3 fats and lower levels of inflammatory omega-6 fats (that most people already eat way too much of) compared to grain fed beef or bison.
Grass fed meats also typically contain up to 3 times the Vitamin E as in grain fed meats.
In addition, grass-fed meat from healthy cattle or bison also contain a special healthy fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in MUCH higher levels than grain-fed meat. CLA has been proven in scientific studies in recent years to help in burning fat and building lean muscle (which can help you lose weight!). These benefits are on top of the fact that grass-fed meats are some of the highest quality proteins that you can possibly eat... and this also aids in burning fat and building lean muscle.
Grass-fed meats are a little harder to find, but just ask your butcher or find a specialty grocery store and they usually have cuts available.
6. Avocados -- Even though avocados are typically thought of as a "fatty food", they are chock full of healthy fats! Not only is this fruit (yes, surprisingly, avocados are actually a fruit) super-high in monounsaturated fat, but also chock full of vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, and antioxidants.
Also, in my opinion, guacamole (mashed avocados with garlic, onion, tomato, pepper, etc) is one of the most delicious food toppings ever created, and you can be happy to know that it's also one of the healthiest toppings you can use on your foods. Try sliced avocados or guacamole on sandwiches, burgers, eggs or omelets, on salads or with fish, or as a delicious side to just about any meal.
The quality dose of healthy fats, fiber, and micronutrients that you get from avocados helps your body to maintain proper levels of hormones that help with fat loss and muscle building. Also, since avocados are an extremely satiating food, eating them helps to reduce your appetite in the hours after your meal. Say goodbye to junk food cravings and bring on that fat burning! I personally eat anywhere from a half to a full avocado DAILY and it only helps to keep me lean.
7. Nuts: Walnuts, Almonds, Pistachios, Pecans, Brazil Nuts, Macadamias, etc -- Yes, this is yet another "fatty food" that can actually help you burn belly fat! Although nuts are generally between 75-90% fat in terms of a ratio of fat calories to total calories, this is another type of food that is all healthy fats, along with high levels of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Nuts are also a good source of fiber and protein, which of course, you know helps to control blood sugar and can aid in fat loss.
Nuts also help to maintain good levels of fat burning hormones in your body (adequate healthy fat intake is vitally important to hormone balance) as well as helping to control appetite and cravings so that you essentially eat less calories overall, even though you're consuming a high-fat food. My favorite healthy nuts are pecans, pistachios, almonds, macadamias, and walnuts, and by eating them in variety, you help to broaden the types of vitamins and minerals and also the balance of polyunsaturated to monounsaturated fats you obtain.
Try to find raw nuts instead of roasted nuts if you can, as it helps to maintain the quality and nutritional content of the healthy fats that you will eat.
Also, try to broaden your horizons beyond the typical peanut butter that most people eat, and try almond butter, cashew butter, pecan butter, or macadamia butter to add variety to your diet.
One of the little "tricks" that I've used with clients when trying to cut down body fat is to have them eat a handful of nuts such as almonds or pecans about 20 minutes before lunch and dinner. This ends up being a perfect time to control your appetite before lunch or dinner and helps you to eat less overall calories on that meal.
I hope you enjoyed this look at some of the healthiest "fatty" fat-burning foods you can possibly eat. I could list a ton more, but wanted to give you a few of my favorites for now. Enjoy!

For further information on Healthy "FATTY" Foods please
CLICK HERE

Alison

Weightloss - It's Like Learning to Ride a Bike

Another 2 pound weight loss this morning, why oh why did I not find this eating plan earlier?  It's so easy to follow and as I am proving - it really does work!!

Have you ever tried to lose weight on a particular diet and failed?

If you answered yes to that question, all it means is that you are approaching weightloss in an unhelpful way.

Weightloss is not a pass or fail situation. Indeed it’s this attitude that leads so many people to giving up on their dreams of losing weight.

How many times have you heard people say -

"I tried to lose weight on that diet, but couldn't stick to it"

"I didn't have the willpower to stay on that diet, so I gave up"

Why do people talk like this? It's part of the "diet" culture. The way that most diets are promoted is by treating dieting like an exam. You either lose weight or you don't. If you succeed, well done - If you fail, sorry, bad luck.
And people who don't stick perfectly to the diet are "cheating".

But just like we wouldn't brush our teeth once and think that our teeth were clean for the rest of our lives, we shouldn't view losing weight as a one-off event that we either pass or fail.

Managing your weight is a process. It's something you need to learn, much like a child learns to ride a bike. When a child learns to ride a bike we don't tell them they've failed when they've fallen off. We encourage them to get up and try again. It would be a rare child indeed that started riding a bike the first time they tried it. Similarly, if you want to change the way you manage your weight, you are going to make a few mistakes before you get it right.

Therefore it isn't failure when you make a mistake on a diet; it is a necessary part of the process of discovering how to manage your weight successfully.

And part of this process includes being flexible with your approach. Not all methods work for all people. We are all different hence the approach that is most flexible for you is the one most likely to succeed. So you should be willing to try different strategies.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket and then give up when it doesn't work out.   If this happens - something doesn't work as well as it should then try something else. There really is no other way of finding a way to manage weight successfully.

Don't let a few setbacks put you off. You are learning a new way of doing things. You need to keep trying different things until you discover what works. And just like the child learning to ride a bike, the only way you can fail is by giving up.

For further information and help with the correct eating plan for you


Click Here

by Alison Cormack

Is Bread Making You Fat?

Hi, well another 2lbs weight loss this morning so I'm very pleased.  That's a total of 12lbs now in a matter of weeks and I'm beginning to change my shape so onwards and upwards for me

Below is an article from Isabel on Grains and Bread which may help if you are struggling with your Weight Loss

 Grains

For several million years, humans survived on a diet of animals and plants. As hunter gatherers, they ate whatever they could find. With the introduction of new farming practices 10,000 years ago, humans began eating sugar and starch (in the form of grains and potatoes).

Although 10,000 years sounds like a long time, it’s really only a fraction of a second in evolutionary terms and the human body and digestive system have not evolved to process and digest high amounts of carbohydrates from starch and sugar rich diets. Genetically speaking, humans still have the bodies of cavemen.

Carbohydrates

Most Americans eat far too many carbohydrates—in the form of bread, cereal, pasta, corn (a grain, not a vegetable), rice, potatoes, and processed cakes and snacks—with severe consequences to their health.  Making matters worse, most of these carbohydrates are consumed in the form of processed foods. After 130 years of consuming highly processed grains in the form of breads, pastries, and cereals, chronic diseases such as heart disease, elevated cholesterol, and obesity are rampant among most industrialized nations.

I do not suggest that everyone should follow a low-carbohydrate diet; everyone needs a certain amount of carbohydrates. What most people haven’t realized is that the body’s storage capacity for carbohydrates is quite limited, and any excess is stored as fat. Therefore, it is important to remember that vegetables and fruits also contain carbohydrates.

Any meal or snack high in carbohydrates generates a rapid rise in blood glucose (sugar). To compensate for this increase, the pancreas secretes insulin into the bloodstream, which lowers the glucose. Insulin, though, is essentially a hormone that stores excess carbohydrate calories (as fat in the thighs, abdomen, and buttocks) in case of famine. Even worse, high insulin levels suppress two other important hormones: glucagon and human growth hormone, which regulate the burning of fat and promote muscle development, respectively. So, the insulin from excess carbohydrates promotes fat, and then inhibits the body’s ability to lose that fat.

The goal to successful weight loss is to first find the right quantity of carbohydrates that provide enough fuel and energy for the day (but not so many that we end up storing most of it as fat), then consume the right kind of carbohydrates to feel good and satiated after a meal.

Bread

Probably the most consumed and most popular of all carbohydrates among Americans is bread. Americans consume far too much bread, and the negative effects of its consumption are manifest in poor health and excess weight. Americans also consume the wrong kinds of bread.

The only bread allowed on the Diet Solution Program is Food for Life brand’s Ezekiel organic sprouted whole grain products. The process of sprouting changes a grain’s composition in numerous ways to make it more beneficial as a food. It increases the content of vitamins dramatically.

The whole wheat bread that the American public has been led to believe is healthy contains processed wheat, which is deficient in nutrients. Hence the extremely high prevalence among Americans of digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and constipation.

Chronic constipation can lead to many potentially dangerous health disorders and also can make losing weight quite difficult. Simply replacing bread with sprouted grain bread can radically improve your digestion and your ability to lose weight.

Note that if you are intolerant of gluten or wheat, then you also will be intolerant of Ezekiel organic sprouted whole grain bread. Even though sprouted grains are healthy foods for most people, the Ezekiel ingredients include wheat and other grains that contain gluten.

Gluten Intolerance

Many people cannot digest gluten—a protein found in wheat and some other grains that forms the structure of bread dough and suffer from mild to severe gluten intolerance. Possible symptoms of gluten intolerance include

abdominal pain and cramping

bloating and flatulence

bone and joint pain

chronic diarrhoea

emotional disturbances such as anxiety and depression

fatigue (especially after eating gluten containing foods)

infertility

painful skin rash

weight gain or the inability to lose weight

If you suspect that you may be intolerant to gluten, I encourage you to eliminate gluten from your diet for at least 4–6 weeks to determine whether your symptoms are alleviated.

If you feel relief  after following a gluten-free diet for 4–6 weeks, then you may be able to maintain a healthy weight more easily without gluten. Because most individuals who are intolerant to gluten also are intolerant to dairy, lactose, or both, I encourage you to also eliminate dairy and dairy containing products while you’re on a gluten free diet.

Eliminating Grains

Many health experts recommend that people who suffer from chronic disease (e.g., diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease), have struggled with obesity their whole lives, or are genetically predisposed to obesity or chronic disease completely eliminate grains from their diet.

by Isabel De Los Rios

If this post was of interest to you and you

would like to find out more then please 

Click Here

 

 

Are You Sweet Enough?

Hi, I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since I last Blogged, well I have now lost 10 lbs in weight and counting, my next weigh in is on Sunday and unlike some people trying to lose weight, I can't wait as I am hoping to be in to the next stone, I'll keep you posted.  Here is an article on Sugar that I think is a must for everybody as it is for our Good Health, see what you think

Sugar
It’s said that for every American who eats only 5 pounds of sugar each year, another eats 295 pounds. This statistic is hard to deny, because about 60% of the U.S. population is now overweight or obese.

Part of my professional responsibility to you is to not downplay the serious damage that sugar can do to your body. I am passionate about communicating the harmful effects of sugar because I have seen clients and loved ones suffer from severe complications of type 2 diabetes, the onset of which was caused directly by their consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates. Processed sugar (which is in cakes, cookies, processed cereals, and many other foods) can literally be considered a poison, which is anything that directly causes harm and can lead to a diseased state when you ingest it.

For starters, daily sugar consumption produces a continuous acidic condition in the body. The body combats an acidic condition by taking minerals from body tissues to buffer against the acidic environment and rectify the imbalance.

For example, the body may absorb calcium from bones and teeth to protect the blood. As a result, bones weaken (resulting in osteoporosis) and teeth decay (resulting in cavities). Excess sugar eventually affects every organ in the body.

Sugar has been proven to be the cause of several diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

When the liver has stored all the sugar that it can, the excess is returned to the blood in the form of fatty acids. These fatty acids are then stored as fat in the most inactive areas of the body: belly, buttocks, breasts, and thighs.

When these areas become completely filled with fat, fatty acids are then distributed among active organs (heart, liver, and kidneys), increasing the risk of developing diabetes and disease in these organs.

It is well known and well documented that cancer cells can survive only in an acidic environment and will die in an alkaline (non-acidic) environment.

Sugar keeps the body in an acidic state, and tumors are enormous sugar absorbers.

Sugar consumption causes a hormonal roller coaster of alternating high levels of insulin and blood sugar. These hormonal shifts can dramatically affect your attitude and your ability to concentrate during the day. Also, if you replace nutrient-dense foods with processed sugar, the chances of acquiring one of the following diseases or side-effects skyrockets :

・ atherosclerosis

・ attention deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

・ behavior problems

・ cancer

・ chronic fatigue syndrome

・ colon cancer

・ coronary heart disease

・ food intolerance

・ kidney disease

・ liver disease

・ malnutrition

・ osteoporosis

・ overgrowth of yeast, especially Candida albicans

・ tooth decay

・ violent tendencies

Even if you don’t consume candy or sweets outright, once you begin to read the labels of most snacks, cereals, and drinks you consume, you will notice that it doesn’t take much to consume approximately 80 grams of sugar—the equivalent of 20 teaspoons—in a day!

When reading labels, don’t be thrown off by strange words like sucrose, maltose, dextrose, glucose, and the like; any word ending in -ose is a sugar. Quite often, one product will contain five or six different types of sugar. When you add up all its many forms, sugar is frequently the greatest source of total calories.

How about fruit? Fruit contains sugar, but solely in the form of fructose, whereas processed sugar (sucrose) is made up of both glucose and fructose. By itself, fructose breaks down more slowly in the body; sugar and insulin levels remain relatively constant. In contrast, sucrose is processed extremely quickly, causing a "spike" in insulin levels—rather like a power surge followed by a rapid return to baseline levels—that is stressful for the body.

Fructose puts a lot less stress on the body than sucrose, and most fruits have a low GI.

The biggest mistake people make is falling for the marketing hype from juice manufacturers. They want you to think their "fresh juice" is actually good for you. If you read the package, you’ll see that many such products are made "from concentrate," which could easily be translated to mean "from syrup"

by Isabel De Los Rios

To find out more on Sugar and Sweeteners and how you can avoid those harmful substances
Click Here

Alison
 

I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT & FAST

Hi

 Well I have just had another 'Weigh In' and guess what another 2lbs off - that's half a stone (7lbs) in 3 weeks,  Yipee!!!!!!!!  I'm definitely staying with this Eating Plan, it's so easy.  If you are struggling or just looking for a bit of Nutrition Knowledge then please read the following Article and have a look at the the Video

I Need to Lose Weight and Fast: Which Diet Plan Should I Use?

If I had a dollar for every time someone came up to me and said,  "I need to lose weight and fast" I’d be stretched out on the sandy beaches of Hawaii without a care in the world. Low carb, high protein, liquid and cabbage soup – with all the diet plans on the market, how on earth do you choose

Most of these diets are just a bunch of hype; so personally, I wouldn’t touch any of them with a 50-foot stick. Sorry to break it to you (I always gotta be the bad guy), there are no shortcuts to weight loss. The most effective way to lose those stubborn pounds is by using a common sense approach that favors nutritious eating over dieting.

The Lure of the Fad Diet

When people want to lose weight, they want to do it quick, fast and in a hurry. Fad diet marketers take advantage of this desperation and use the promise of lightning speed results to reel you in.

Quick does not always equal better. In fact, when it comes to permanent weight loss, slow and steady always wins out in the end. Here are two of the main reasons faddy-type diets don’t work:

• They don’t deliver long-term results. Most fad diets require you to drastically reduce your caloric intake. This causes your metabolism to respond by slowing down. Once you revert back to your regular eating habits, you’ll gain the weight back just as fast as you lost it.

• They mangle your health. Fad diet plans deprive you of some of the key nutrients you need for good health. This can result in malnutrition, zapped energy, damaged organs, hair loss, and loss of lean muscle tissue. Sounds like a fun way to drop a few, huh.

4 Simple Rules of Eating to Lose Weight

Losing weight is certainly not the easiest thing to do, but if you remember these four simple rules, you’ll never have to hop on the fad diet bandwagon. You can lose weight gradually (remember slow and steady) and keep it off for good.

1. Stay away from processed foods. These foods are full of high fructose corn syrup, salt and chemical additives that can cause weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and cancer. Yep. This includes those frozen diet meals that some weight loss programs encourage you to buy.
2. Leave the sugar alone. Sugar is riddled with calories. If you use it to sweeten foods and beverages everyday, you can easily rack up too many calories and hinder your weight loss efforts.
3. Eat enough food. If you’re hungry all the time, you are probably not eating enough food to fuel your body. If you don’t eat enough, your body will hold on to stored fat instead of burning it off. This is not what you want to happen when you’re trying to lose weight.
4. Stay hydrated. Water is important when you’re trying to slim down because it helps to metabolize fat and eliminate toxins and stored fat in the body. So drink up!

Where Does Exercise Fit In?

When you follow a healthy eating plan, you’ll likely lose weight, even if you don’t workout. However, unless you add exercise into the mix, your metabolism will eventually slow down and you won’t see the results you want.

Your exercise routine should consist of both cardio and weight training. Relax ladies. Training with weights won’t turn you into the Terminator; it will simply help you build muscle mass and sculpt a lean, fierce frame.

Getting in the habit of working out several days week can be tough, especially if you already have a lot on your plate. Choose exercises you enjoy. This way, you’re more likely to stick with a program.

I know what it’s like to want to lose weight fast. I’ve been there and I feel your pain. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to permanent weight loss (believe me, I’ve looked). The best way to achieve long-term weight loss without jeopardizing your health is with proper nutrition and exercise.

Making the decision to lose weight is the first step to looking good and feeling even better. Watch this video to get advice on the age-old dilemma of, “I need to lose weight and fast.”

Watch the Video Here

by Isobel De Los Rios

Thanks
Alison

The Truth About Cholesterol

Hi

Well what can I say, it's going really well!!  Another 2 pounds this week following Isobel's
Diet Solution Program - if you haven't had a look at it yet then you are missing out
I am on week 2 (so that's 5 pounds weightloss in two weeks)
My food intake this week has included 5 Chocolate Brownies and 3 Chocolate Fudge so I'm very happy:)



I am going to let you in on something shocking. Cholesterol is not the major culprit in heart disease. I know this may be hard to believe after all we have heard about the dangers of high cholesterol from our doctors, and the media. But the truth is, it is not the cholesterol levels themselves or the cholesterol containing foods that are the culprits in heart disease, it is those foods and any other thing that causes inflammation in your body that is the major cause of heart disease (as well as diabetes and high blood pressure).

What is cholesterol and why do we need it?
Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used to form cell membranes. Cholesterol also aids in the manufacture of bile (which helps digest fats), and is also important for the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E and K. It is the major precursor for the synthesis of vitamin D and of the various steroid hormones (which include cortisol and aldosterone in the adrenal glands, and the sex hormones progesterone, the various estrogens, testosterone, and derivatives ).

How could something so good be so bad?

Click Here to Continue

Are you Drinking Too Much?

I thought I would give you an update on my Weightloss.  I started the Diet Solutions Program last Monday and I found  it incredibly easy to follow and I couldn't believe how much I could eat !!

I weighed myself yesterday morning and Wow, I've lost 3 pounds, I wish someone had told me about this before

Have a look and see what you think - CLICK HERE

Also, an interesting article on Water

Water

If ever there were a magic potion for weight loss, water would be it. Every good nutritional program insists that you drink a minimum of 8–10 glasses of water per day. Most people don’t drink the recommended amount because they don’t fully understand how important water is in maintaining good health and losing weight.

Our bodies are composed of approximately 75% water. Any variation from the natural balance causes serious disruptions in many metabolic processes that are crucial to weight loss.

• Water helps the body metabolize stored fat.

The kidneys cannot function properly without enough water. When they are not working at full capacity, the liver must take over some of the load. The liver’s function is crucial to weight loss and if the liver has to do some of the kidneys’ work, it cannot adequately do its job (metabolizing fat). As a result, the liver metabolizes less fat, more fat is stored in the body, and weight loss becomes slow or stagnates.

• Water is crucial in ridding the body of waste.

During weight loss, the body has a lot of waste to eliminate: excess fat and stored toxins. Adequate water consumption helps the body flush out these wastes.

• Water is a natural diuretic.

Many people retain fluid and become dependent on synthetic diuretics to lose excess water weight. Surprisingly, drinking enough water is actually the best treatment for water retention. When it doesn’t get enough water, the body perceives a threat to its survival and begins to hold on to every drop of water that it can. If you give your body the amount of water that it needs, it will quickly release any retained water.

• Water is a natural laxative.

When the body does not get enough water, it takes it from other internal sources. If the colon becomes dry, stool becomes dry and difficult to pass, resulting in constipation—possibly with gas, bloating, and painful elimination. If the body receives sufficient amounts of water, the colon will be rehydrated and proper bowel function restored. To experience significant weight loss and optimal health, it is crucial to drink a sufficient amount of water every day. By “sufficient,” I mean that you should drink half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water each day: (body weight, in pounds/2). For example, a 200-pound person should drink 100 ounces of water.

In addition to this baseline recommendation, I suggest that you add 8 ounces of water for every 8 ounces of caffeinated beverage consumed and another 8 ounces if you have exercised. Also, drink water at room temperature. Cold water will sit in your stomach until it has warmed to body temperature; only then will it move to the small intestine for absorption. Many people mistake thirst for hunger because both sensations tell the brain that the body is in need of energy. So, a person who is dehydrated may misinterpret this feeling and end up overeating. Several studies have been done in which people were told to drink water at the first sign or feeling of hunger. In most cases, the hunger quickly passed, and subjects lost 35–40 pounds in less than a year. If you do not drink the recommended amounts of water for your weight and experience hunger pangs during the day, then chances are your body is thirsty. Because water is a natural appetite suppressant, drink 8 ounces of water at the first sign of hunger and 15 minutes before the start of every meal.

Although drinking the appropriate quantity of water is essential, it is equally important to drink high-quality water. Unfortunately, no matter where you live, tap water is contaminated with heavy metals, chlorine, and waterborne toxins. I highly recommend that you filter the drinking water in your home. If you buy bottled water, some of the best brands are Evian, Volvic, and Fiji. Glass containers are best to keep stored water fresh and pure. Plastic containers can leach plastic by-products into the water, affecting taste and purity, especially if exposed to direct sunlight, so always keep bottled water in a dark, cool area. Never purchase water in smoky plastic containers, which leak estrogenic chemicals (which can disrupt hormone levels) and phthalates (which have been linked to asthma and allergies) into the water.

Is Fat Making You Fat?

Hi

With the amount of obesity and overweight people nowadays - isn't it time we knew our Fats?
Some interesting points with this post
Fats
Because fat is so important for so many bodily functions, you must consume an adequate amount of fat each day. Unfortunately, our society has developed a fear of fat. In turn, many companies have produced fat-free or low-fat products that contain high amounts of sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, both of which increase hunger and cravings for sugary foods.

Because fats are an essential part of any meal plan, it is important to recognize them as good or bad. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to tell the difference.

Fats to Avoid
All fats are not created equal. The most detrimental fats are hydrogenated ones called trans-fatty acids (also called TFAs or "trans fats")—most commonly listed as hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils on food labels—and should be avoided in your diet.

Hydrogenation is a chemical hardening method commonly used to create fats that are shelf-stable and have a higher melting point than their source material.

To hydrogenate a liquid vegetable oil, the oil is first washed, bleached, and deodorized and then heated to a high temperature along with a metal catalyst (nickel, zinc, or copper). Next, hydrogen gas is bubbled through the mixture. Partial hydrogenation results in a product that is semisolid at room temperature (like margarine or a salad dressing oil that doesn’t separate), and full hydrogenation results in a product that is solid at room temperature (like Crisco shortening). Regardless of the ultimate result, hydrogenation completely alters the liquid oil’s molecular structure so that it no longer resembles a natural fat; in fact, it becomes an unhealthy trans fat. Because the body does not recognize the transformed molecule as a natural fat, it cannot process it and treats it as a toxin.

The molecular structure of a trans-fatty acid is closer to that of plastic than to that of a normal fatty acid (Chek 2004, 72). Still, many processed foods—even some considered to be healthy are laden with trans fats. Food manufacturers use hydrogenated oils because they have a long shelf life and are cheaper to use than the real thing, but research has shown that these fats are detrimental to your health.

Trans fats can raise levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs, commonly known as "bad cholesterol") and lead to clogged arteries, elevated cholesterol levels, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer (Mercola with Droege 2003). The body has no use for trans fats and stores them in fat cells and arteries. Consuming trans fats actually causes fat cravings; these cravings continue until the body receives the essential fatty acids (EFAs)—the good fats that it needs.


===> Watch Video Here

Good Fats
Good fats are derived from healthy food sources. Adequate amounts of the ideal fats for your metabolism type naturally occurring in your food, used in cooking, or taken as supplements・will fulfill your daily nutritional needs and keep you from getting hungry.

Essential Fatty Acids

The human body cannot survive without some fats specifically, EFAs. EFAs are necessary for the healthy function of every bodily process, including

brain and nervous system activity,

regulation of hormones,

function of organs and the immune system,

cell function, and

digestion.

Our bodies need EFAs but cannot make them on their own; therefore, we must get them from the foods we eat. The two kinds of EFAs are omega-3 and omega-6. Foods that are high in omega-6 fats are grains, commercially raised meats, oils used in processed foods, and many commonly used cooking oils, including corn, safflower, and sunflower. Omega-3 fats are found in leafy green vegetables, oily fish (like salmon), walnuts, organic eggs, and naturally raised meats.

The ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats is between 1:2 and 1:4. Unfortunately, because the typical American diet is abundant in grains and cooked oils and lacking in vegetables and healthy fish, the average omega-6 intake is high and omega-3 intake low. This ratio has been calculated in some people to be as high as 1:50! Clearly, we must make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of omega-6s and increase the amount of omega-3s that we consume to bring that ratio back toward its ideal. Omega-3 fats are vital for the development and maintenance of the adult brain and nervous system. In The Omega Diet, Artemis Simopoulos and Jo Robinson describe a study in which mice fed a diet low in omega-3 fats (i.e., the most common American diet—lots of carbohydrates; packaged, processed, and fast foods; minimal fruits, vegetables, and whole foods) led to a decreased mental performance compared with mice fed a diet with adequate omega-3s (Simopoulos and Robinson 1998, 87).The same authors state that many behavioral and mood disorders are associated with a lack of omega-3 or an imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 fats in the diet. Their list of recognized disorders (Simopoulos and Robinson 1998, 16) includes but is not limited to

asthma

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

cancer

depression (even among children)

diabetes

heart attack

insulin resistance

obesity

stroke

While I normally like to keep supplements to a minimum and focus more on nutrients from fresh foods, fish oil supplementation may be vital if you do not consume fresh fish on a regular basis. Also, the health of our oceans and thus of the fish that live in them is not as good as it used to be. Elevated mercury levels are increasingly found in most fresh fish sold for human consumption. Incorporate one serving of fresh fish (especially wild salmon) every week or two, but avoid fishes that often have elevated levels of mercury, such as tuna, shark, and swordfish.

Whatever your choices, consume at least two or three servings of omega-3 fats daily.

 

by Isabel De Los Rios

Alison

Is a Silent Killer Creeping Up On You?

Well I am pleased as I weighed myself this morning and have lost 2 lbs so watching the calories certainly works.  However, as I said earlier this week I have been studying a new way of eating and I am going to start it tomorrow so watch this space and I'll let you know the results

I have just been reading through this New Plan and I came across an article on Salt which I found very interesting, see what you think...........

Salt

Many people follow a low-salt diet because they have been led to believe that salt and

sodium are bad and unhealthy. Well, this belief may only be partially true. Salt is important in the

body for several functions.

Chemically, culinary salt is NaCl—sodium chloride, made up of equal amounts sodium

(Na) and chloride (Cl). “Sodium is an essential nutrient that the body cannot manufacture, yet is

required for life itself. Chloride is vital for optimum health, it preserves the acid–base balance in

the body, aids potassium absorption, supplies the essence of digestive stomach acid, and enhances

the ability of the blood to carry carbon dioxide from respiring tissues to the lungs” (Regenerative

Nutrition n.d.). But the only way to receive all of the life-sustaining benefits of salt is to

consume the right kind of salt: unrefined sea salt, not processed table salt.

Salt has such a bad reputation because 99% of the world’s salt research has been done

on commercial table salt—the only salt that most Americans know. Some of the best scientific

research on the healthy properties of unrefined sea salt are written in French, German, and

Portuguese; unfortunately, few American doctors have read them. So instead of suggesting that

patients use unrefined sea salt, American doctors suggest avoiding salt altogether, which can be

dangerous. In many parts of France, when a person visits a physician about a heart problem or

high blood pressure, the first question asked may be, “What kind of salt do you use?”

Some doctors believe that a low-salt diet can cause high blood pressure. A salt-free diet

can damage heart valves and negatively affect the contractibility of the heart muscles. Biochemically,

cells starve without salt.

In brief, salt

aids in balancing blood sugar levels

•

is needed for the absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract

•

is a strong natural antihistamine

•

can help prevent muscle cramps

•

is needed to make bones strong

•

regulates and normalizes blood pressure

•

increases energy levels

•

helps regulate the metabolism

•

helps maintain proper electrolyte balance

•

supports the immune system

The refined white table salt typically found at the grocery store is different from unrefined

sea salt, so its effects on the body are not the same. The body cannot assimilate isolated synthetic

sodium chloride (from typical refined salt), which contains none of the valuable minerals

and trace elements of unrefined sea salt, so the system recognizes it as a poison. Refined table

salt often contains anti-caking agents, some of which are aluminum based. (Aluminum is linked

with heavy metal toxicity and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease.) One such example is sodium

silicoaluminate, which is thought to be associated with kidney problems and mineral malabsorption.

Sodium acetate, a preservative, may cause elevated blood pressure, kidney disturbances, and water

retention (Chek 2004, 78).

I recommend that you replace refined table salt with Celtic sea salt, which can be found at most

food stores.  

It is extremely healthy and has the exact opposite effect of refined salt. It provides sodium chloride

in a form that that the body needs to function. It offers the perfect balance of minerals, nutrients,

and sodium chloride that the body needs for optimum health. Your body can recognize and

absorb these essential nutrients efficiently. Ninety trace elements found in the Earth’s crust give

unrefined Celtic sea salt its vital grayish color, and its slight moistness keeps the salt and minerals

in a form that the body can assimilate (Regenerative Nutrition n.d.).

Even heart patients and people with high blood pressure can use Celtic sea salt (but they

will receive its benefits only if they eliminate all forms of processed salt, sodium, and table salt

from their diets). The heart is fed by a saline solution from the blood and lymph and requires

proper amounts of sodium and potassium to function. Without salt in the diet, the heart cannot

contract normally, and the valves may be damaged (Regenerative Nutrition n.d.). If you don’t salt

your food, add a pinch of sea salt to each liter bottle of water you drink to maintain electrolyte

and energy levels.

Clearly, salt is important to optimum health. Simply eating salty food is not the answer;

using Celtic sea salt is. As with other dietary recommendations, moderation is always essential.

by Isabel De Los Rios

For Further Nutrition Tips
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Welcome to Days 5 & 6

Day 5

Breakfast                           2 x Eggs   Cals 192
                                          Black Pudding   Cals 74
                                          Mushrooms   8 Cals
                                          Sausage   86 Cals
                                          Toast  with Butter  38 Cals

Snack                                Time Out   85 Cals

Lunch                                2 x Bread with Butter   350 Cals
                                          2 x Ham   38 Cals
                                          2 x  Low Fat Cheese  144 Cals

Snack                                Chocolate Krispie Biscuit   156 Cals

Snack                                2 x Non Alcoholic Beers    Cals 150

Evening Meal                   2 x Toast with Butter  350 Cals
                                          4 x Cold Meat  76 Cals
                                          Chocolate Krispie Biscuit  156 Cals

Total  1903 Cals


Day 6

Breakfast                           Sausage Sandwich & Salad   450 Cals
                   
Lunch                                2 x Bread with Butter   350 Cals

Evening Meal                   Curry & Rice  695 Cals
                                          Bread  & Butter   175 Cals
                                          Custard   150 Cals

Snack                                2 x Non Alcoholic Beers   Cals 150

Total  1970 Cals

Starting New Regime on Monday 2 July
Click here toView it

Welcome to Day 4

Breakfast     2 x Weetabix   134 Cals
                      1 Small Banana   75 Cals
                      150 ml Semi Skimmed Milk   75 Cals
                      Green Tea   0 Cals

Lunch        Chicken with Vegetables   Cals 191
                     Homemade Soup   150 Cals
                     Muller Rice Original   196 Cals

Afternoon Snack     2 x Satumas   50 Cals
                                  Green Tea   0 Cals
           
Evening Meal     Chicken Breast stuffed with Garlic, Low Fat Cheese and Tomato Puree
                            Mixed Spicy Chilli Beans   462 Cals
                            (I am going to make this meal 500 Cals as I added a little Cream for Flavour)
                            Muller Rice Vanilla   211 Cals

2 x Non Alcoholic Beers   Cals 150


Total 1732

Interesting Food Facts - Click Here