It is recommended and it is possible to get all your nutritional needs from the foods you eat daily, but it does take some intricate planning and a perfect day to get them all in every day. So, if you’re like me, taking supplements is just a little insurance that my body doesn’t suffer from my poor planning. Your doctor may also advise you to take a particular supplement such as folic acid if you are of child bearing age. On the other hand, too much of a supplement can be toxic. An example would be vitamin A which can cause liver damage or nervous system disorders. So, always talk with your doctor about the supplements you need and in the correct amounts for your situation. Remember, also, to include your list of supplements with your prescription list when seeing your doctor since they can interact with one another and cause adverse effects. You might also try over the counter supplements for other conditions like high cholesterol or allergies which may be more cost effective for you.
Some diet gurus believe that stress will slow down your metabolism when dieting and suggest that a dieter take an anti-stress formula vitamin and mineral compound. Chromium also is believed to help prevent sweet cravings and fatigue. A capsule dosage of 100 micrograms, three times a day before meals should help alleviate those nasty hunger pangs.  I have taken this when limiting my sugar intake and it really does help my cravings.

Do some research of your own and talk with your doctor. If you plan ahead and eat healthy you may feel you don’t really need supplements at all. But it’s nice to know there’s help in the wings for us Type A personalities who never have time to do it all!

Food Labels-What Do They Really Mean?

If you’re counting calories, carbs, sugars, or just restricting daily intake of some other ingredient, it’s important to understand how to read food labels. Pretty simple, really. Just take a quick look at the information you’ll find on the label that the government requires.

1. The Serving Size on the food label is listed in both the metric and common measurements.
2. Servings Per Container will be a shock because most of us have become used to the “more is better” mentality here in America.
3. Listed next will be Calories and Calories from Fat (Try to keep total saturated fat intake no more than 10% of total calories per day).
4. Cholesterol will be listed in mg. Guidelines suggest not more than 300 mg daily.
5. Sodium, also measured in mg with guidelines for adults 1,500 mg daily or less.
6. Total Carbohydrates in grams. There are15 grams in 1 exchange, 1 starch, 1 fruit, or 1 milk serving.
7. Notice fiber and sugar are a subgroup of total carbohydrates.
8. Daily caloric levels are listed based on the needs for an average woman at 2,000 and for an average man at 2,500.

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New Dietary Guidelines in 2010

The current Dietary Guidelines have existed since 1980 with minor revisions every five years. A major revision will be due in 2010 and the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services are now assembling a committee of experts to establish the new guidelines. They will focus on the following:

• Prevention of Chronic Diseases
• Epidemiology
• Nutrition Biochemistry & Physiology
• Obesity
• Food Safety and Technology
• Update 2005 Dietary Guidelines

The goal of the committee will be to give the public expert sound advice on what make up a healthy, balanced diet. At the same time, they’ll give manufacturers guidance so their products are healthier and we are more educated as consumers .

My hubby recently used the 3-Day Chemical Diet successfully! He lost 20 pounds in about 6 weeks and his cholesterol went down 54 points! He did exercise, walking on a treadmill about two times a week and played golf three times a week. His doctor was very pleased and he felt fit and healthy. His golf improved remarkably….he played some of the best rounds of his life, wining the local club championship this year!

So, about the diet: This 3-Day Chemical Diet has been around for a long time and supposedly works by a chemical breakdown. Do not vary or substitute any of the foods. Salt and pepper may be used but no other seasoning and NO SUGAR. Measure your foods accurately and eat all that you’re suppose to so you won’t get hungry between meals. This diet is to be used three days at a time. After three days you may eat your usual food in moderate amounts. Please don’t overeat. After four days, start back on the 3-day diet. The original diet says you can lost up to 40 pounds in a month, but I think that’s a little far fetched and also a bit unhealthy, so I hesitate to make any predictions. It is a healthy diet, rich in protein, low fat, low glycemic index foods, omega-3 fatty acids, high fiber and all the other good for you veggies, so it’s got a lot going for it!

Drink only clear water between meals!! No diet sodas or hyped-up flavored waters! GOOD LUCK!

THREE DAY CHEMICAL DIET

First Day Breakfast

½ grapefruit/juice

1 slice toast

1 Tbsp. peanut butter

Black coffee or tea

First Day Lunch

½ C tuna or chicken (plain)

1 slice toast or 1 inch slice cheese

Black coffee or tea

First Day Dinner

Small broiled steak

1 C each green beans and carrots

1 small apple

1 C low-fat vanilla ice cream

Second Day Breakfast

½  banana

1 hard boiled egg

1 slice toast

Black coffee or tea

Second Day Lunch

1 C cottage cheese or ½ C tuna

5 saltine crackers

Black coffee or tea

Second Day Dinner

2 all beef franks

½ C carrots

1 C broccoli or cabbage

½ banana

½ C low-fat vanilla ice cream

Third Day Breakfast

5 saltine crackers

1 slice cheddar cheese

1 small apple

Black coffee or tea

Third Day Lunch

½ cup tuna

1 hard boiled egg

1 slice toast

Black coffee or tea

Third Day Dinner

1 C Chicken or turkey

1 C beets or carrots

1 C cauliflower or greens

1 C cantaloupe/banana

½ C low-fat vanilla ice cream

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MEDITERRANEAN DIET

The Mediterranean Diet has been studied since WWII as the “go to diet” for doctors all over the world as the most healthy way of eating, losing weight, and staying that way. It is recommended as THE way to protect against heart disease, diabetes and cancer. There are several factors that keep this diet from being called a “fad” in medical circles. 1. The fresh foods used instead of supplements. 2. Food combinations for maximum benefit 3. Avoid processed flour/sugars. 4. Exercise

Americans are notorious for opting to pop a pill rather than seek out the fresh veggies, wash and prepare them, gather our family around the table and eat a nutritious meal. Even if we don’t take a pill, manufacturers enhance our foods with ingredient that nature never meant them to have in the first place. Then we avoid eating the food that would easily give us the required ingredient naturally. For example, we put iron in our cereal, but we could eat liver which is packed with iron.

Some researchers believe that not only are the natural forms of a nutrient better for us, but also the combination of how those nutrients are used may have the greatest positive effect on our health. Take tofu for instance. It’s healthy enough..full of pure protein. But tofu used in a stir fry with sesame oil creates a chemical reaction that allows our bodies to use all that “good for you protein” much more effectively.

Our Western diet historically has been filled with processed flours, corn, animal fat, sugars, and red meat for obvious reasons. If you’ve studied the history of our nation or just look at some cook books from your grandmother’s kitchen, our ancestors cooked and ate what was available. It’s no wonder our population is obese, we eat just like our ancestors and don’t do any of the hard daily labor they were required to do just to survive.

The same holds true for the Mediterraneans. Historically, they ate what was available and have passed down their recipes and their love for hearty whole grains, fruits and vegetables. And they are an active people; walking is a way of life for them; it is social as well as athletic.

The Center for Health Statistics reports that only 3 out of 10 adults in America exercise 30 minutes a day 5 times a week. So, even if you give the Mediterranean Diet a try, remember, exercise has to be a big part of crossing that ocean!

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CARB ROTATION DIET - TRICK YOUR METABOLISM

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Jayson Hunter, a Registered Dietitian has studied, researched diligently and worked with people who desperately need to lose weight, for over ten years. He promotes quick weight loss, 15 pounds in 30 days, and a way to keep it off, if you follow his guidelines. One secret he discovered is, if we decrease our caloric intake, the body will adjust itself to burn FEWER calories per day. We all know this as our “plateau” and that’s when we usually give up. This is why it is impossible to lose weight on a low calorie diet.

He reveals several other little known facts in his book, Dramatic Dress Size Reduction Diet, which explains how to “trick” your body by doing a Carbohydrate Rotation Diet. This is the most comprehensive Diet Program available that’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before. It’s not like ANY of the fat loss gimmicks you see flooding your television and magazine stands. It’s carefully calculated and timed meals that stimulate and prime your body for fat loss…It doesn’t use magic pills or dangerous fat-burners.

The reason you’ve failed before is that you’ve eaten the wrong foods at the wrong times, and it’s triggered a hormonal response that forces your body to store fat. In his book, Jayson reveals the secret to correcting this hormonal imbalance. He also explains how to keep the weight off once you’ve lost. He promises 15 pounds in 30 days eating regular foods, no starving, no gadgets, no counting calories, etc, guaranteed, or your money back!

He says, “Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.” Scrutinize the program closely. Examine it. Test it for up to 8 weeks. Use the program to the max to lose up to 15 pounds just before your next big event. If you’re not thrilled with your results, ….. and I’ll send you a prompt and courteous, no hassles, no questions asked, 100% refund.”

It’s not often that you get a meal for free, but on Thursday, May 15, 2008, at participating McDonald’s restaurants, between 7 AM and 10:30 AM you can receive a free Southern Style Chicken Biscuit with the purchase of a medium or large drink. Before you get all excited, though, let’s take a look at what this bit of charity from McDonald’s might do to your daily dietary budget. For starters, the words “southern” and “biscuit” might be our first warning!

From their website, the nutritional values for the 5.5 oz breakfast biscuit are: 480 calories, 220 calories from fat, 24 g. fat, 37 % fat, 9G sat fat, 35mg cholesterol, 1,310mg sodium, 47 g carbs, 3g fiber, 4g sugar, 8g protein.

The smaller biscuit, the 5 oz size, is only 60 calories less and there’s very little difference in the other numbers.

The USDA Dieatary Guidelines recommend that we consume less than 2,300 mg (approximately 1 tsp of salt) of sodium per day, so that’s over half in just one meal. And if you’re on a calorie restricted diet, you won’t have much left for the rest of the day, so plan to eat a lot of fiber and drink a lot of water.

I have nothing against McDonald’s and I applaud their marketing strategy in giving away a meal to get us hooked. I think we all have to think about even this seemingly harmless fork in the road and be responsible in making a healthy decision for ourselves. This could be the one thing that makes or breaks our healthy eating habits. So, if you plan to stop by and pick up a free biscuit, drop it off to a friend who can afford the extra calories and feel good about your random act of kindness! Your friend will appreciate it and your waistline will, too!

The most important diet ingredients are:

1. Goals
2. Rewards
3. Encouragement
4. Diet Buddy
   

Setting goals has been talked about so much, but if you haven’t set a goal, how do you know where you’ve been or where you’re going? Even if you don’t really write it down, you kind of know where you want to be when you finish. Right? For now, let’s stick with a short term goal of “I want to lose 5 pounds in 5 weeks. Is that a goal you think is OK for you? Maybe it’s only 3 pounds or 2. Just keep it simple and doable.

Rewards. It’s important that every goal you reach is rewarded, no matter how small. Take a long snooze in your favorite PJ’s, hang a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the bathroom door and soak in that great smelling bubble bath or take the kids on a bike ride if that fills the bill; just do something nice for yourself. Write down what your reward will be for each goal you reach. Weight Watchers use to give out colored paperclips as a visual reminder of each pound lost. As the chain grew longer, it became quite impressive! Simple, but effective.

Encouragement. Be brave about letting other people know what you’re doing and how well you’re doing. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Taking a step to just talk about eating right, losing some weight, and letting others know about it will give you a feeling of taking control of your life. It will give you a sense of power. People will stop taking advantage of you; they will actually start respecting you. You’ll see a positive difference in all areas of your life. Try it for a while and post a comment if it works for you. I just bet it will. You will have the confidence and the courage to move forward in your quest to conquer the next meal. And, isn’t it all about just getting through the next meal? It is for me. Just make it through one more meal, and then the next. Just one more, and then one more.

Diet Buddy. If you haven’t found a diet buddy, I encourage you to look around for someone that you can trust. It’s a real boost to have someone to call on when chocolate calls your name or when you think you just can’t do this anymore; someone who really understands how disgusting we feel sometimes and how depressing it can be.

And, you’ll need that person to help celebrate your successes! Because you will be successful!! Don’t forget to celebrate your diet Buddy’s success, too! Before you know it you’ll be celebrating together so often you’ll both be smiling much more than you could ever imagine!

Remember, it’s not about being thin…although that will be a nice result.  This is all about being mentally and physically healthy, feeling better, and living a longer, happier life.

When a truck in Illinois, hauling about 20,000 pounds of Oreos, crashed Monday (May 19, 2008) on I-80 just east of Morris, the trailer was ripped opened and the Oreos were thrown across the eastbound lanes of the highway. What I wouldn’t give to have been there! I’d help clean up that mess!

As I read the short piece in the paper, my mouth began to water and the familiar memory of milk and cookies passed through my brain signaling a need to race out the door in search of double-filled Oreos and a gallon of whole milk.

Then I remembered…the diet, the calories, the fat, etc. So, I resisted the urge, closed my eyes, drifted back into childhood memories of cooking healthy dishes in the kitchen with my mother; then baking those seven layer chocolate cakes with creamy chocolate icing between each layer………and we’d have Oreos with milk…….uh oh!

BMI stands for Body Mass Index (BMI). Health professionals use it to determine total body fat based on height and weight. Using the chart below, find your height then follow across the line to your current weight. Next, follow that number vertically to the top to determine your BMI.

A BMI of 25 - 34 is considered overweight; a BMI of 35 - 39 is considered obese; a BMI of 40 or above is considered morbidly obese.

The BMI chart is only one of the tools used by surgeons and insurance companies to determine if you comply with their criteria for bariatric surgery. It is also a good tool for your healthcare provider to see how you as a patient rate with the standard population within your height and weight group. Just keep in mind that your BMI is only one of the tools used to help you in your daily health plan, so talk with your doctor about how you can use this information in your own weight loss plan.

BMI	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35
Height
58″	100	105	110	115	119	124	129	134	138	143	148	153	158	162	167
59″	104	109	114	119	124	128	133	138	143	148	153	158	163	168	173
60″	107	112	118	123	128	133	138	143	148	153	158	163	168	174	179
61″	111	116	122	127	132	137	143	148	153	158	164	169	174	180	185
62″	115	120	126	131	136	142	147	153	158	164	169	175	180	186	191
63″	118	124	130	135	141	146	152	158	163	169	175	180	186	191	197
64″	122	128	134	140	145	151	157	163	169	174	180	186	192	197	204
65″	126	132	138	144	150	156	162	168	174	180	186	192	198	204	210
66″	130	136	142	148	155	161	167	173	179	186	192	198	204	210	216
67″	134	140	146	153	159	166	172	178	185	191	198	204	211	217	223
68″	138	144	151	158	164	171	177	184	190	197	203	210	216	223	230
69″	142	149	155	162	169	176	182	189	196	203	209	216	223	230	236
70″	146	153	160	167	174	181	188	195	202	209	216	222	229	236	243
71″	150	157	165	172	179	186	193	200	208	215	222	229	236	243