A Better Weight Control Tool-L.G.I.

Finding a way to maintain your weight by using the Glycemic Index chart could be the answer for some people. This Index is based on the Glucose level in your body. When the levels are up and down that can cause Binge eating. Causing one to eat more food than they need and then causing the body to store fat.
Now what we want to do is eat some foods that are Low Glycemic in nature. These are foods that will keep the glucose level on a even line longer. Making it easier to feel full and making it to the next meal time.
What are some of these foods. There is a list of the Glycemic Index number of the food items. The numbers that are below 55 are considered the Low index ones. These will level your glucose and stop those cravings between meals. For example one could eat cereals based on oats and bran, bread with wholegrain and sourdough, eat some noodles, pasta and use Basmati rice. Vegetable are good also, like cooked Carrots, sweet potato, Yams, and most all other veggies other than root one like white and russett pototes, which are high on the G-Index.
Milk is low on the list so a glass of milk can help in the weight lost process. Even whole milk is low in the number about 27. In fruits you can have cherries, grapefruit, apricots, apple , pears plums, peaches, oranges, grapes and bananas. All are below the 55 number.
Just trying to incorporate some of these will help in the process of losing weight. If you have a food that you would like to know how it rates on this Index try visiting here and type the foods name in and check it out.

New Weight Scales

Time for a new scale. The old scales just refused to give a weight at times. We would step on it and it would just remain blank. Oh I liked it, that meant I was losing weight right? Whatever number you thought up would be good. Another Problem we had with it was, It weighed us 5 pounds heavier when it did give a number. That drove everyone mad as a Hatter. It made me feel great. I always knew I could deduct the 5 pounds or maybe more,if I had clothes on, from the number. Well to say the least I never really knew my true weight in the buff.
With My daughter having to lose the weight and her working with a nutritionist, it was time for a newer scale. More updated and a better motivator, one that will give more information on our body and can be set to each of us.
So off to the store we went. Oh boy so many types to choose from. There were ones that measure water composition, how do they do that? Another gives you all the facts... Your BMI, Calories and Weight. The one thing that drives me crazy is all these choices. I am never good at too many choices. Therefore we looked and then Walked the Mall. Thought about which one would suit our family's need.

This was our choice:
Health Station Sport Scale by Homedics.

Now this scale has four individual settings. Each one ask for your height, age, gender and athletic status. By inputting this information, it will be able to give a BMI and a suggestive Caloric intake to maintain that weight. If you are working to get to a desired caloric intake, this is a great choice. Even if you want to get to a desired weight with a healthier BMI. It will help one maintain that weight. Just knowing how many calories to consume can stop the Yo-Yo effect of loosing weight.
I have already lost 5 lbs using this scale, you know the five the other scale added. But seriously I have really lost 5 real pounds since using the scale. It was a great choice for the family and hopefully we are on our way to a fitter person. Oh what a new motivator scale can do.

Answer to friday's Question

Yes, everyone was right! One should weight Weekly. The Calorie intake varies from day to day. At the end of the week one will loose about 1.5 lbs. Now with that said a better way is to step on the scales every two weeks. I know when we are trying to loose the weight we want to step on more. However, the real measurement is your clothes. One will notice that those pants feel better or your arm fell great not to tight in that shirt.
What is the desired method of loosing weight and inches? Take the weight goal you have, let's say 140 lbs, multiply that by ten. That will give you 1400, this is the amount of calories you should consume in one day.
The next thing to do is Log the calories you intake each day. If you are not eating that many calories in a day, you will need to get there. This is the key, one must eat the caloric amount to get the body out of the starvation mode. This will take about a week or two. At that time the brain will reprogram itself and stop storing fat, for that raining day it thinks you will have (no food). Our body is programed that way to get us through famines.
So the reprogramming of the mind and our changing in the thoughts of dieting will help one to succeed in our weight lose. Now one must continue to eat their caloric amount forever. Once you are doing that, when you get to your desired weight, and you will, you will be able to maintain it.
Next weeks Friday question will be on exercising.

Sleepless in Maryland...

Some time I have these sleepless nights. this is one one those nights! Yesterday I started not feeling well.Think Hubby gave me his cold. I am drinking antioxidants and sucking zinc. Hope that will do the trick and shorten the time.
Yesterday I started the EA Sports 30 day challenge, boy I didn't know how it worked. I made it through the first day routine, not too bad. Each day I will be given a different routine that way I will not get bored, so they say. My trainer is female although I think at some point I would like the male, I wonder if I can change that?
Now I need to find a good food plan. I am a member of Sparks People, they have a menu plan. I think I will try a low carb for a while. At least til I can get on the downward spiral. I really do not like to do those types of diet plans, because they tend to always end up in failure. Learning how to eat within the caloric level is the best way to maintain your weight, in my eyes. I was raised on good wholesome food and would like to continue that way. Although as one ages the body tends to change the way it processes food. I am hoping by working out with the EA sports and controlling my caloric intake I will slim down. We'll see how it works.

Changing Diet.

I have been hearing that soups can help one drop some weight. Okay, I am going to try it. went to the commissary and purchase some healthier soups. Checked the sodium, protein and carbs in them. Picked ones that are within the healthier margins. The plan is to replace one meal with soup for two weeks. Then I will post how I did. Changing my diet might help in losing those few pounds I would like to see off. I do not want to share the soup product I will be using yet. When the Two weeks are up I will share that with you. As well as why I chose that companies product.

Holiday Baggage

Oh that holiday baggage we pack and carry. This holiday season I packed an extra 5 pound in my bag. I believe that is the average amount one picks up during the holidays. Now with the New Year is here and we need to unpack it. My feeling is it will take about two week to get it off. Yes of course one can lose 10 pound in a couple of days. However that is mostly water weight and really doesn't count. I need to loose that fat weight.


So off to the Wii I will go...Then down with the Pilates.Finally out to the treadmill.

With all the friends working on the Wii, I should have lots of support. I might even add some new mimi's to my circle. I heard one can add some cartoon characters, roadrunner might push me along. Do you Wii, Pilates,or treadmill? Let me know, so I can follow your blog.

It's Resolution Time -What Will It Be?

Have you made any Resolutions for the New Year? Many people look forward to the New Year by make a promise to themselves. I for one tend not to do this. Every time I made one I had a hard time achieving it. However for this New Year of 2010,I will Make one and put it in writing on this blog. Being very careful with how I word it so to be able to achieve it in the coming year.
For about 5 years I have been on a yo yo pattern with my weight program. This next year I will try to be on that downward slope to a healthier weight for me.
Now it is you turn. Will you put yours in writing? If you wish not to blog it, you can put it here on my blog. Using MckLinky for all to see or my comments for more privacy.

Our Sweet Tooth- Our Weakness

Why is it that we have such a Sweet tooth? I got to thinking while on vacation, How come those desserts sound so good, Cotton Candy at the fairs are a must, Candy Factory's are such fun and samples are every where. We went to a Old time Fourth of July Party and don't you know there was cotton candy for only 2 dollars.

Then we visited Patsy's chocolate factory in Colorado. The history was they started out making flavored Popcorn and Cotton Candy then moved to taffy (the kind that does not stick to the teeth), later came the chocolates. It was a small factory they gave tours,so we went on it. The owners fed us Freshly made Flavored popcorn, Taffy( which we watch him make and had it right off the machine), Then came the freshly made chocolates. I will say it was very good!! White water rafting wasn't any exception cookies were awaiting us after all that hard work. On every tour we took there was sweets. Cookies, candies and if that weren't enough there was the mountain ice cream.
It seemed that every where we went people where handing out Sweets.
Even at the Bubba Gumps store they were handed out samples of Mama Gump Kitchen Gourmet Chocolate, you know from the movie " Forrest Gump". Forrest Pinned the phrase "Life a like a box of chocolate, you never know what you're gonna get."I tried not to buy a box.


After each dinner there was that question " Did you save room for dessert?" We ate at this one place called "Pine Country Restaurant", on route 66, they were known for their Pies. Oh not just a couple pies but a list so long it had it own Menu. When the pies came to you it was not skimpy I believed 3 people could of enjoyed one piece and been satisfied! We ended up taking the pie pieces back to nurse on them for two more days!
So here we are five pound heavier than when a started on the trip. I am sure it was all the sweets!! Why are we so weak when it comes to the sweets?

Vacation Weight?

Staying fit on vacation is very hard. I tried to eat the right foods; fish, veggies, fruit and stay away from fast foods, potato chip, fries, baked goods, breads. Balancing the sweets and starches have been a challenge. Tomorrow is weigh-in day and I am a little worried, I think I did gain some weight even though I was careful. So tomorrow will tell. I will be at home with my own scales.
Had a lot of fun on the GoWestMyFriend trip. Tried new things and did a lot of walking. One thing that is hard is the family hinders me, Hubby can not walk due to his back and legs, Daughter is a teen and for some reason thinks like her father, Not wanting to walk. On the other hand I could Just Walk forever!! Even with my bad leg nerve! Anyway I will have to start back on the exercise routine and eating healthier. How do you weather on vacations?

Wednesday Weigh in

Thought I did well this week. Well the scale did not think so... My dad's scale told me I was doing well....loosing weight,looking good. Got back Home..My scales called my Dads' a Liar! I think my scale are going to Scale Hell! I am Sending it there!! Today I will go out to purchase a Heavenly Scale. One that will Support my Journey and not give me Conflicting Numbers. One moment it tell me congratulation and the next step on it say " OPS Made a mistake you weigh 4 lbs more...And it was just 2 second apart from the glorious.. rejoicing Number!! Say good Bye to the Scale from Hell...

Depression versus Weight control

I have really gone off the track. It is not that I have been gaining weight as much as I have not been in control of my habits. I have the backwards sliding syndrome. You know the one, childhood comfort foods. Or a better description, Preteen eating. When you could eat anything and it would not effect you!! It has been a Struggle to continue to loose weight. The plateau is not my problem! I have been really missing Mom. So, my depression is the real problem. I just do not feel like cooking, eating or shopping for food. Therefore when I need to eat, whatever I have in the house get eaten. And there is a lot of Chocolate!!! Okay hear comes the justification. Chocolate helps lower your blood pressure. Chocolate is good for the Memory , a new study showed ... dark chocolate has been associated in boosting the memory skills. The antioxidants in dark chocolate are good for health, keeps you from getting sick. The more antioxidants the better,right? So,the problem lies in... if that's the only thing in the house then I am in trouble!!!

The mourning period is different for everyone, I just get an overwhelming feeling of loneliness. Mom and I were a "loose the weight" team, I no longer have that. We went on Adkins together and lost over 40 pounds each. Then mom got cancer and Adkins went out the window. Comfort food came back into our lives. Dealing with the Chemo and Pain caused the food choices to be more child like. So, I gain weight, Mom lost weight. After the first chemo go round I just wanted to get back to loosing the weight. I tried the Southbeach plan. Something in the food, probably the Soy or Splenda, caused a reaction to my skin. I looked like I was being beat up. My eyes were in trouble. One year going to the eye doctors and being put on Steroids. Only to be a temporary fix. I stopped all the soy and Splenda products. Went back to raw sugars and heath food items. One year later my eyes and skin are finally better. Now this is the largest problem. Every Diet, Protein, low calorie or Diet control drinks have Soy or Splenda(sucralose)in them. Some have Maltitol Syrup in them which does havoc in my bowels. All the Programs, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutrasystem and others have the products I listed.Therefore I have to make every thing from scratch.

Back to the cause, My depression is interfering with my weight control.I get so down that I can't even finish shopping. I will leave the cart and come home with nothing. Anything can trigger that feeling!! I really hope I will be able to shop tomorrow. My Cupboards are getting bare and the refrigerator is looking empty.