Alpha 150

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Seven Thoughts To Help You Lose Weight


(Oprah.com) -- You know those suggestive little voices that whisper in your ear ... and suddenly you're knee-deep in ice cream? Change the sabotaging, discipline-destroying thoughts, and you can change your life -- or at least your weight.
You're out to lunch and you've ordered the grilled cheese. Don't say, "I ordered the grilled cheese, so why not get the fries, too?" Instead, think this to yourself: "One treat at a time. I'm indulging in grilled cheese, so I'll trade the fries for a salad."
University of Toledo psychology professor Janet Polivy calls it the "what the hell" effect and says it causes people to devour so much food that they feel they'll never get back on track.
To prevent this scenario from playing over and over, Polivy says, you have to redefine your idea of healthy eating. Allow yourself the occasional treat, as long as it's accompanied by smarter food choices like fresh fruit and vegetables. Oprah.com: Check out some smarter food choices
If there is a treat nearby, don't fall into the "I'll have just one" trap. Instead, say to yourself: "If I can't stop at one or two cookies, I shouldn't have any at all." It's okay to eat your favorite foods, provided you're the type who can stop after a small amount.
"One cookie could turn into 1,000 calories or more if you proceed to eat the whole bag," warns Stephen Gullo, PhD, president of the Institute for Health and Weight Sciences. He suggests that you take a step back and honestly assess how you've reacted to your favorite foods in the past. You may discover that chocolate chip cookies trigger uncontrollable cravings but one square of dark chocolate appeases your sweet tooth quite nicely.
Even if a loved one as close as your husband comments on your weight, say to yourself: "I want to get in shape for myself, not him."
Whether or not you need to shed a few pounds, acting in response to someone else's hurtful remarks will breed self-doubt and lower your self-esteem, says Marlene Schwartz, PhD, co-director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders in New Haven, Connecticut.
To reset your weight loss goals so they revolve solely around you, sit down and figure out how you could benefit from changing your lifestyle. (Writing your thoughts out on paper might help.) If you identify areas that need improvement, talk to your spouse about how he can play a part: Plan low-fat weekly menus together in lieu of eating out, or take walks after dinner instead of watching TV.
Alternatively, if you're exercising, eating right, and feeling pretty healthy the way you are, Schwartz says, "tell him that this is his problem, not yours."
In the dead of winter, it can be hard to stay motivated. Don't put getting in shape off until summer. Instead, think this to yourself: "By eating more now, I'm creating a lot of extra work for myself when spring rolls around."
A study by scientists at the National Institutes of Health tracked 195 people through the holidays and found an average weight gain of about a pound. By the following year, most had gained another half pound, and the researchers predicted that the trend would only continue.
To prevent this outward creep, Gullo says, keep thoughts of summer in your house all year long by hanging a bikini or skimpy sundress on the back of the bathroom door, and visualize yourself wearing it every time you head for the leftovers. He also proposes committing to a regular exercise program in the fall, "before the winter blahs set in."
If being overweight is a prevalent trait in your family, say to yourself: "I can't change my DNA, but I can change my fate."
"Genetics helps determine your natural weight range, but you have some control over where you fall within that range," says Edward Abramson, PhD, an expert on obesity, dieting, and weight disorders and the author of Body Intelligence. Rather than aiming for a size 2, aim for health: If being overweight is a family trait, diabetes, heart disease, and other obesity-related illnesses could be, too, Schwartz says.
Walk to the grocery store, choose the stairs over the escalator, and take good care of the body you were born with. "It's important to distinguish between body size and body health," she says. "Research shows that people who are overweight and physically fit can live longer than people who are ideal weight and not physically fit." Oprah.com: Find out more about body health
So you've had a fantastic workout. Does that mean it's time to reward yourself with a bacon double cheeseburger? Not exactly. If you're tempted, say to yourself: "After busting my butt at the gym, my body deserves the VIP treatment."
"Most people overestimate the number of calories they've burned," says Brian Wansink, PhD, a professor of marketing, applied economics, and nutritional science at Cornell University and author of Marketing Nutrition.
To burn off a bacon double cheeseburger, the average 140-pound woman has to jog at a rate of five miles per hour for more than 60 minutes. Recast your concept of reward: Instead of seeking food, take a luxurious bubble bath, rent a guilty-pleasure movie, buy a new pair of shoes, or lose yourself in a good novel.
We've all experienced that mid-afternoon energy slump. Instead of reaching for a candy bar, remind yourself that you need food that will help you go the distance. Candy and other sweets have little nutritional value, and they destabilize blood sugar, causing you to have more cravings later on, Gullo says.
To head off a snack attack, he suggests, "reprogram yourself to seek out a mini-meal 30 minutes before you usually hit a slump." By eating before you're famished, you should be able to resist the sweet stuff and choose foods with enough protein, fat, and complex carbs to keep you sated and energized until dinner. Some of Gullo's top picks: bran crackers with low-fat cheese, a hard-boiled egg, or a cup of low-fat yogurt.

A Great Low Calorie Start To Your Day






Low Calorie Cinnamon Toast






1 slice Nature's Own Light (40 calories a slice) bread either white, wheat, or honey wheat



I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray



Splenda, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ginger To Taste






take the bread spray on the butter spray to cover bread, then sprinkle on splenda to cover, then cinnamon then going over cinnamon lightly with nutmeg and ginger (do not put as much nutmeg and ginger on toast as cinnamon and splenda!






Toast until litely browned






Can be served with Fifty50 jellies --- these jellies are found in the diabetic aisle at the store



They are around 5 to 10 calories a tablespoon.... my favorite is blackberry!






So one piece of toast with jelly 45 - 50 calories



Without jelly 40 calories






Add an apple 80 calories, or a banana 100 calories...






Tracye's cup o coffee






One coffee single bag of decaf steeped for 5 minutes in boiling water



remove bag



add one teaspoon (10 calories) non fat non diary creamer (powder)



add 10 teaspoons of splenda






One Caffe au lait for 10 calories can't be beat!



Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Yummy Afternoon Treat


Well you all know that I eat an apple a day .... I eat one in the afternoons for an afternoon snack... well I was thinking how do I jazz it up with out adding calories and this is the solution I can up with....


in a microwave bowl or large coffee mug add:


1 medium apple (80 calories) cored and sliced (leave the skin on .... lots of good stuff in the skin)

layer the apple putting

4 squirts of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter (0 calories)

pinch of ground cinnimon, cloves, and ginger (0 calories -- I hope can't really get a straight answer on spices and calories)

cover spices with splenda (0 calories)

repeat layers ending with spices and splenda

Cover loosely

Microwave on High 3 minutes.....


One serving ---- 80 calories


OH my my my like apple struddel without the struddel ....

I want to play with this recipe some by adding sugar free maple pancake syrup to this recipe and leave out the splenda (the syrup we have has 15 calories in a serving) also you could add a packet of instant oatmeal (plain is 100 calories per packet) or you could add both 115 + 80 = 195 for an doctored up version of this snack .... adding the oatmeal is good for your cholesterol .....


Did you know that an apple contains more vitamin C than an orange so eating an apple a day will help to keep the doctor away!


I hope you will enjoy it!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Do The Impossible..... EVERYDAY


"The impossible we do every day,
Miracles takes a bit longer"

4404th CSG/PERSCO Dhahran AB, Saudi Arabia

When I go to the YMCA to walk on the treds; I pick up a thought for the day that is in a fish bowl on the counter... You can not pick and chose a thought because they are all folded up and placed in a fish bowl... you get what you draw out... I got this one yesterday! I thought it was an awesome one and wanted to share it with you all!

Monday, July 09, 2007

Nutrition and Nutrition and Nutrition....


Foods that pack a nutritional punch
Eating well is one of the keys to living a healthy life, and some foods can be the go-to sources for particular nutrients. Use this chart to remind you of foods with the highest content in a variety of nutrients, or print a version to keep handy.
Sources: USDA, National Institutes of HealthCalcium
Calcium is key to strong bones and teeth, as well as proper nerve and muscle function, and while milk is instantly considered as a source of calcium, there are many other foods that can help you get the calcium you need:
Milk, other dairy products
Cornmeal
Wheat flour
Collards
Rhubarb
Sardines
Spinach
Soybeans
Turnip greens
Salmon, canned with bone
KaleVitamin C
Vitamin C helps your body repair itself, fight off diseases and infections and even has shown some indications of fighting off cancer. Here are some of the foods that pack the highest Vitamin C punch:
Oranges/orange juice
Peppers (sweet and chili)
Grapefruit juice
Papayas
Strawberries
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Peas
Kiwi fruit
Sweet potatoFiber
Fiber keeps digestion on track and has been shown to help prevent heart attacks, intestinal problems and several types of cancer.
Barley
Bulgur
Beans
Peas
Wheat flour, whole-grain
Oat bran
Dates
Tomato products
Raspberries
Cornmeal
ArtichokesAnti-oxidants
Anti-oxidants are chemicals that may help prevent a host of ailments including cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's.
Beans
Blueberries
Cranberries
Artichokes
Blackberries
Prunes
Russet potatoes
Pecans
Apples
CinnamonFolic acid
Folic acid promotes cell division and growth, red cell development and helps prevent some birth defects and can help reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
Turkey/chicken giblets
Lentils
Cowpeas/Black eyed peas
Orange Juice
Beans (specifically kidney, pinto, navy)
Chickpeas
Okra
Spinach
Asparagus
Beef liverIron
Iron helps carry oxygen through our bodies. If you don't get enough you can become anemic, which will make you feel tired, and weak.
Mollusks, clams
Turkey or chicken giblets
Enriched whole wheat flour
Enriched rice
Soybeans
Tomato products
Spinach
Liver
Beef
Jerusalem-artichokes Raw
Baking chocolate, unsweetened squares