I've been thinking a lot about how it is important to lose just a pound or two a week when dieting, because losing slowly is the best way to keep the weight off and can create some life long habits that make it easier to maintain your target weight and to feel better for the rest of your life. Good nutritional habits are not something that ever came naturally to me - so I've had to spend a lot of years just convincing myself how important it is. I agree with others here, donuts and all the things we eat occasionally are fine - it's the things we eat every day that are so important.I looked for a sight to give me some ideas for this post, and this is the first one that came up (and it's exactly what I was looking for).
Easy Tips to Lose One Pound a Week: "You must burn 3500 calories to lose a pound. That sounds like a lot of calories. But if you break it down in seven days - one week - that is only 500 less calories each day. If you add exercise you can cut your calorie intake by 300 calories and burn off 200 calories. Cutting out 500 calories (or less) per day from your diet can be as simple as trading in your regular soda for diet soda, downsizing each meal by one-fourth, or cutting out unnecessary foods such as candy bars or alcoholic beverages. One candy bar can have 260 calories in it! If you eliminate that every day you are half-way there."
While you are decreasing your calorie intake, make sure you are including a variety of foods to maintain the nutrients your body needs to function properly. Choose foods from all five food groups, limiting high fat or high sugar foods. A balanced diet should include:
* One source of lean meat or protein rich food
* One serving of complex carbohydrates
* Two-three servings of vegetables and fruit at each meal
* One serving each of dairy and whole grains
Eat five smaller meals and healthy snacks each day instead of the traditional three, you are less likely to overeat this way and will maintain your energy level. And don't feel you have to completely cut out fats. A little fat is important to help your muscles burn energy. If you eat no fat at all, your fat reserves will be slow in giving up what is stored in your body. That result is slower weight loss."
So, how do you find ways to cut out calories without starving? Here are some tips: http://www.weight-loss-diet-help.com/tips/easy-tips.html
..... this site goes on to talk about exercise, calories and everything else regarding weight control and good health - and it's simplified and organized, with lots of links to go to also. An excellent source of information on making small changes easy.
73 comments:
Jan, I saw your comment on the last post, and I'm the same way. Whenever I don't get on the scale for a long time, I always know I'm going to be in trouble when I finally do. I usually don't get on it when I've made a decision that I want to eat whatever I want for a while (lots of sweets), and don't weigh because I just don't want to know (fighting reality?).
I think what you did is perfect, by getting rid of all the junk food - that's the 'only' thing that works for me. And your idea of not being on a diet, but just eating healthy is perfect - I always do that for a while before I commit to any weight loss. One step at a time is less overwhelming.
I believe it's best to just lose about a pound a week, because then we've changed our habits (at least for the time being), and it stays off. It doesn't really matter how long it takes to lose weight, because after you lose just a few pounds, you start feeling so much better - so the reward is built in. (I think most rewards are built in on everything we do, no matter what it is.)
Cause and effect - that's what makes the world go 'round.
Also Jan, I agree with all the stuff you said about schools. And all children are individuals, and different things work for different ones.
One of the things I like about private schools, is that, for me, they're easier to interact with and will work with you because you're paying them money (cause and effect again?). It's a fact of life. I have great respect for public school teachers, but I am sure they're over worked and under payed (especially here in Texas). It's an overwhelming job and responsibility, and I don't know how they do it.
The effects from that oil spill just keep getting more depressing. It's difficult to even think about it.
I'm going to get Emma her breakfast, then go back and make sure I didn't miss any comments from last night.
Chloe,
Perfect post.! As a matter of fact this is exactly what I do. I go up and down about 5lbs, and when I want to go down, I just cut my calorie intake to about 1,500 cals....no diet, hate that word, and I still eat whatever I want...but in smaller portions...love a cup of hobo coffee and a cpl of cookies, or half of a muffin (from cost-co--great)and keep up with my exercise routine...
When we get older, it is better to eat less, so the body doesn't have to work as hard to process the foods that we eat....actually we don't eat any of the foods that we put in our mouths...the billions of bacteria that makes up our body does that for us.....
I love this description of what the human body is. I forgot from where...but at one time the first animal (us) were sponges in the oceans....we are like them...tubes that put food in one opening, and out the other..and all this is done for creating (evolution) other tubes........that is why this oil spill to me is so depressing. I hope that this new mutation is going to be a slow one.....just thoughts, and nothing to back them up with......
Chloe, a great post - and I love the beach picture. Your post will help me with my resolve to eat healthier. Each time I sign onto the blog it will remind me :)) Thanks a bunch. I put in about 4 hours of hard labor yesterday moving stuff from my office to home plus my 2 mile walk and 40 minute swim. I got on the scales this morning and bingo - I was 3 lbs lighter. Now I know I did not lose that much weight - probably some fluid loss - but nothing breeds success like success (I don't know if those are the right words).
A nutrition expert on one of the morning shows was talking about weight loss and she said that it is important not to cut calories too much - women need 1200/day and men 2000/day (approximately). If one takes in less than that, the body thinks starvation has set in and automatically metabolism slows down. With resetting of the metabolism a person begins to break down muscle tissue.
Jan, I beilve that is right..but only after a period of time, does the body start to feed on itself...actually I think that fasting is a good thing once a year or every two years....if healthy like you are...great stamina that U have gal...wanna dance later...coreen turned me down :(( but 2000 cals sound great to me.....can eat a lot of the right things on this...
I find that just eating what ever U want..but in small portions will do this for me..
should be whatever I want...but if U want too...thats cool too.!
Solar, would love to dance. I agree, if one eats small portions and gets plenty of exercise (as I bet you do with your work) then you can eat almost anything you want. John believes in fasting. I don't ususally fast - except before a colonoscopy. But I do better if I eat 5 small meals a day.
Chloe,
Had to bring this over from tm...I teased the hell out of Pogo today, and made it up with this..told him that i was making lunch, but it a very healthy inexpensive meal that people can have very easily...and goes a long long way:
Pogo,
Those carnitas were excellent.! tomorrow or the next time, im making lunch...went back and got a to-go box of the leftover carnitas....going to make something that will make u forget what ever is going on all around us.....don;t wear shoes..it's a Mexican Hill-a-billy meal....
On second tough; better wear shoes; no need for both of us to mess up the aroma's huh? O and Xr, same with U-U will love this almost as the Ninos Pizza, but very healthy. In thinking about it, im talking too much....so I better spill the beans no? spill the beans, hahahaaaa:
I take three large cups of Pinto Beans ,(washed) three cups of water for each cup of Pintos, add some red seasoning salt, just a little, they are pretty bland without it, and let them boil (Jack U and Sea will like this also) until they get soft, them I smash them just a little, and add a little bit more water if some of it evaporated a little...then go and get my special mixture of veggies that I have in a large can of Jalapeno peppers that contain a few of the peppers still, but have the ingredients still in it: carrot, Vinegar, and spices.
I have added to these small cut up sweet grape tomatoes, red cabbage, and red onions, and cilantro. Cut up the left over carnitas that are always around and add them to it.....heat up about six corn torttilas .....un hook the phone....and enjoy...mmmmm
I have added to these small cut up sweet grape tomatoes, red cabbage, and red onions, and cilantro. Cut up the left over carnitas that are always around and add them to it..
Forgot,: these ingredients have added to the jucies in the can for days, soaking it all in:
Chloe, nice work, the tips for cutting calories
are not so difficult (but the finding the energy to regularly/daily do those 30 minutes of exercise continues to elude me....
and the body mass index calculator on that site is handy, but though it may say 'normal' doesn't account for where those pounds rest on my body!...
In order to lose 5 pounds, the food intake
w/o the consistent exercise routine doesn't seem to work for me....& try as hard as I can,
for some reason, I just don't stay motivated to
exercise daily....
Jan! It's taken me 2 weeks to lose what you lost in 1 day. I must be doing something wrong. It's gotta be because I don't exercise - but I'm not going to give up.
Coreen, I have a lot of trouble getting myself to stick to an exercise program too. I start, but then I don't stick with it.
Solar, Thanks for bringing over that recipe. Sounds like it's got a little of everything in it - all the healthy stuff.
You've managed to create a lot of good habits Solar. I can learn from you.
After you mentioned that BMI calculator Coreen, I went back and did mine. I'm fine on the calculator, but could use some improvement in the mirror (I'm working on that right now).
That calculator has an awfully wide range, and I guess that men and women use the same one, but it seems like they should have separate ones. Men have a lot more muscle, which weighs more.
Great post Chloe and right you are that our bodies are very efficient machines. They don't want to part with their pounds. If you severely restrict caloric intake, you drop your metobolism. Need to sneak it off slowly and increase activity.
An aerobic activity early in the day can increase calorie burn throughout the day.
To calculate you ideal body weight, an easy formula you can use is... for women, give yourself 100 pounds for 1st 5 feet and 5 lbs per inch for every inch over 5 feet. This is for medium frame people. Large frame, use your wrist diameter to determine, you can add 10-15 percent, small frame, subtract 10-15 percent.
For men, start with 105 pounds for first 5 feet and 6 pounds per inch after. Same adjustment with frame size.
Then for basic calorie need multiple your ideal body wt times 10. Someone who is 5 feet tall, medium frame would have 100 lbs as ideal body weight. Basic caloric need 100 x 10=1000 calories.
Activity will increase calorie burn:
Light= 200 calories per hour
Moderate= between 200-300 per hour
Strenuous= 350 per hour
To maintain weight calorie needs equal basic plus activity burn. To lose about 1 lb per week, like Chloe said, subtract 500 calories a day.
I used the about formula to calculate my diet prescription for my patients with diabetes. It's a simple one. I didn't look at the calculator you linked Chloe. It's probably similar.
My patients always swear they are suppose to weight a whole lot more.
Kinda depressing, isn't it?
Looks like if we want to eat at all, we had better hit that treadmil or swimming pool.
When I look at all those serving of food we are suppose to have everyday, I feel certain that if I got them all in I would need a bigger truck. To haul me.
Chloe, don't feel bad. I've read that it's pretty much impossible to lose much weight, from fat, very fast. If someone sees rapid weight loss it's usually water weight and that will be replaced next time you hydrate. I actually have a 3 or so lb shift in weight from morning to evening every day.
One of my inmates told me today that in Revelations there is some warning about the sea turning red. Hmmmmmm. Any Bible scholars here? Solar, you are more comfortable with the Old Testiment, aren't you?
"An aerobic activity early in the day can increase calorie burn throughout the day."
Carol, I didn't know that.
This is the hardest my body has ever worked to 'not' let go of pounds. I used to cut back, and they'd drop off. I always say that you have to be hungry in order to lose weight, and I have not been as hungry this time, even though I'm eating less. So I think it has to be a sluggish metabolism. I'll start trying to do something in the mornings to get it going - I'm just not sure what yet.
Those numbers you gave us are depressing. I'm only 5'3", and so I can't eat all that much to even just maintain. I used to be a lot more hyper (and therefore more active), so I burned a lot more calories. I have to be more thoughtful than ever about what I eat now, just to stay the same.
... like I said, depressing.
I Googled it and yep, he was right. Is it time for me to retire? I can probably make a year or so.
... I'm going to have to rethink what I eat.
Carol, don't listen that dooms day stuff.
Yep, it makes me realize that little bag of M&M peanuts ain't so innocent.
Don't rule out positive thinking either. Keep looking in the mirror and saying, I'm getting thinner.
And Solar is right, muscle weighs more than fat so if you bulk up with a little of that, it may look like a weight gain but you still look better. Muscle also burns more calories.
I heard the other day that BP may have a 75 million dollar limit of liabitity, some dumb law passed after the Exxon spill. If that is the case then I can understand why they don't want to spend money on protecting anything from further damage. Is this true and can that be changed if it is true???
There are two experts on Ratigan that are giving some scary probabilities on that leak.
Yes Carol current law has a cap, passed in 1990 as a result of Exxon Valdez....there are
proposals to raise the cap but not sure of the
status....
What was the sea turning red about? Is it believed that the gulf oil disaster is a Bible prophecy coming true?
Unfortunately there are just no good outcomes
for this oil spill...
As far as your body weight calculations...I'm
in trouble....& I'm only trying to get rid of
some of that waistline fat that I think you mentioned about pinching more than an inch....
to me the key would be exercise, wish I had more discipline....
The best way to get into an exercise routine for anyone here, i would say, is to do it first thing in the am...this is when you are at t he point of having the most energy since you have just rested/slept all night...
this am when I got up I toasted two slices of 12 grain bread, put a lot of crunchy peanut butter on it with a raspberry jam, and a few raisins on it...
took a glass of water, and had my two pills for my back, one for the joints (everyday)chonondrin or something like that, and a multi vitamin....took that with a full glass of water, and waited 20 min...this gets the full effect of all the pills down to my toenails....then I ate half of my sandwich....did my exercises and then ate the other half with a cup of coffee, I eat some fruit or something light during the day...about 4-5 I start my dinner....finish up with some kind of sweets and coffee,...nothing until the next day...or popcorn, an apple or something else.
getting up and doing some sort of exercise in the am is the best cos u are on ( your mind) the hunt.!! actually this is when we should eat our main meal...will give us all the energy that we need for the day.! another good source of energy in the am for working out t hat i get, is from sweet potatoes ....i put one large one in the micro...and then cut it up skin and all, put it in very little butter, honey, and cimmaminnnn,cinnnaminn...with a nice cold glass of milk....the sweet potatoe is the only food on earth that has this type of energy....get it, get it now, and start doing the exercises.....on the weekend I will treat myself to whatever I want.....a little during the week so It doesn't seemed forced...
Do U want me to give u (u as in anyone) an exercise routine...without even getting out of bed, doing this everyday for a while will get an habit started
Chloe, I didn't see your comment earlier. They sneak in. Yes, that is why weight loss is soooooo difficult.
Chasing little Em will qualify for strenuous activity. I have a book on exercise physiology somewhere at my house. It is a wealth of info. It listed how many pounds of weight loss that the increase in calorie burn from early day exercise will yield over a year. It was significant.
A nutrition plan that has been very successful for many is that high pro, low carb diet. It's hard to keep those carbs down to the level they need to be for that diet to work but it works. You need to almost stay in ketosis. Probably less than 100 grams of carb a day. This is best for the meat lovers. Just meat and veggies, no bread.
When U wake up, don't get up unless u have to, then get back in bed...put your head about 6-8 inches from the wall, lie on your back, then reach with both hand behind your head and push against the wall with some force..should count to 20 at first and the build up...I count to 250 and push very hard in intervals....then get back on your back...raise both knees to your chest and hold it there for a count of 30-50,
Then roll over on your side and reach with the opposite hand over your head and push against the wall for a 20 count just like you did with both hands...then the other side...this will give u an excellent stretch, and the blood going for a few sit ups, no not sit up, but crunches..with your feet on the floor reach with your hands until u feel the shoulder blades of-off the floor, then back down...10 to start with...after doing this for a cpl of weeks, u are read for a little more...during the day take a walk.....
Solar, I can't move like that in the morning. I wake up easy and gently. If I did that, they would have to send an ambulance for me. Three compression fracture of the thoracic vertebrae ended that kind of activity. My exercise is pretty much limited to using my legs. And I can do the pool stuff.
AI finale tonight. We are all pulling for Crystal B???? I bet Ivy's watching.
Did ya'll see this on TM? Craig posted this.
"We're doin great on Trail Mix self-pics for our anniversary video, but just a couple days left before the deadline. Anyone inclined to be included send your pics now to cqtrailmix@verizon.net.
This is our 5th anniversary video, don't want anyone left out. We were a social network before it was cool, don't mis out."
Dang, and I thought Joe Cocker was dead.
He almost looked dead.
Ripped off again. I can't believe it. I haven't heard of anyone who went with that choice.
Just glad I didn't invest much in that show!
I guess this one is still is not as bad as the chicken catcher winning America's Got Talent. Wonder what he has done? Has anyone heard from him are is he back at the chicken ranch?
I don't want you guys to think that I didn't think the winner was good. I just don't think the winner was the best but evidently the winner was the most popular.
I saw a, at least, 5 foot long snake outside today. I was up on the deck and it was down where I throw the duck food. I leaned over and tried to scare it off with a fishing pole. I did move it along but it went down under this cement block. It could still be lurking and I have to go out in the dark to put the Magster out. I didn't mention it earlier because I didn't want to scare Coreen.
We do all need to pray that the top filling of that well stops the leaks.
Just finished watching Idol. I am so disappointed. I like Lee but I think Crystal is the best. Oh well! Thats how it goes.
Earlier in the show (Idol) Ryan said there was only 2% difference in the votes between the 2 contestants. It was a good show tonight. It was fun seeing a lot of the past AI winners.
Carol, we will pray that the top filling of the well stops the leak.
I don't the the best talent wins the AI. Last year, I thought Adam Lambert was the best talent and actually I think he is doing better than Chris Allen.
should be "I don't think the best talent wins AI." I don't care if my grammar stinks -I just want to be understood. Hey that could be the theme of a song.
Be careful Carol. I have heard that putting out moth balls on your property will keep snakes away. Yikes - that is scary. I would be a little hesitant to take Magster out for a walk in the dark.
Joe Cocker looked like he has lived a pretty hard life. Gosh, he has been around for a long time.
I don't think that hi protein lo carb diet is that healthy. You guys are so good at pulling up links to support what you are saying - I don't have one for what I am going to say - so you will just have to trust me. In one study,using an experimental design, they compared several different kinds of diets and as long as the calorie expenditure was higher than the calories taken in - they all worked well but the hi protein-low carb diet was the most successful over the short term. They are not so sure of the long-term effects.
Solar, I cannot do the exercises you are talking about. I think I would die. I can barely get my body out of bed in the morning and it takes a while to straighten up. After I have my 3-4 cups of tea while sitting up, I am ready to go- usually right to the bathroom.
Jan they are not really exercises...if you can reach behind your back and touch the wall...that's it..push gently and that's it..it will get one in the right frame of mind to do exercises...I just made thos simple moves into a regular work out by applying a lot of pressure....but try it one time for the other pinks....just reach behind your head, and touch the wall for a few seconds...
Jan, even though it seems like it's a more successful, quick weight loss, I really thought that the hi pro, low carb diet would be dangerous but I've seen the opposite. I told ya'll about one of the Wardens whose been on it. His weight, Bp, blood sugar and cholesteral are all down. I would have thought that the lipids would be bad. It seems it would be hard on the kidneys. I certainly haven't done any significant research nor have I read any so I just can't say for sure. Of course, it might kill ya of something else years down the road. Maybe someone can do a little Google on it, hint, hint Chloe. It's been around for a while now so someone ought to have some longer term studies on the long term effects. Jan, do you ever hear from Corkie's daughter?
That diet Jan, would pretty much limit any fruit one could consume, too many carbs. Fruit is pretty much nothing but sugar, plus vitamins and minerals.
I'm glad we have our James Carville down here screaming and shouting. We do need someone with a mouth on him/her setting fires under some asses.
We need to come up with a name for the current era we are now in. Maybe the "Great Awakening". I think most everyone is now awake and aware of how very screwed we have all been. We have been screwed every which way we can be screwed, except loose.
The Repubs have been screaming less government for years now. Well, they did it, they did succeed. We have absolutely no government even though we've been paying thru the ass for it.
Just read a poll where more people thought Crystal was the better performer. My informal research came up with the same results.
Carol, yes, the studies are showing that in the short term the low carb diet is the most effective in all the ways shown - like you said. It is the long term that I wonder about.
Studies also show that it is that fruits also have important antioxidents.
I never hear from Corky's daughter since they left here. I think I will try and contact her.
Carol, I had more emotion invested in AI and it was hard to see Crystal lose the final title although I think she will have a great career.
Like you said it is a popularity contest. One of the things I have noticed over the past few seasons is that the finalists are the ones who look more mainstream - Neither Adam nor Crystal look mainstream - they both come across looking different. Yet, AI used Adam as a mentor for the contestants.
Like Mary said a couple of months ago, a woman has not won AI in a long time.
Solar, I will read your exercises more carefully and give a try.
Jan, I think strickly vegetarian is probably also effective and I would guess more healthy because of the vitamins and minerals. Have you ever seen a fat vegetarian? I haven't. Seems it's the extremes that work.
I like James Carville. He is a real LA asset. It is hard to believe that he and Mary Matelin are married. They are truly an odd couple. I like her despite her views.
I agree about vegetarians. Interesting thing -I know 2 vegetarians who at one time had eating disorders as teenagers- both had bulemia.
Never really was an American Idol fan...sorry
you all saw your fav not win...saw this the other day before the finals & maybe it explains the failure of a woman to win most of the time...the premise is the voter demographic
is dominated by....40+ soccer moms & their tween offspring....
Why Crystal Bowersox won't win American Idol
Coreen, thanks for posting this link about AI. It is interesting to watch those who really make it in the big time in the long term. I thought the women were the strongest in the early part of the season. When Lilly Scott who was an amazing singer left so early I should have realized this was going to be a strange season.
Like Carol with DWTS, I may change my viewing habits in the fall - or maybe not. I want to see how the show does without Simon Cowell. I do believe he recognizes talent more than any other judge and he was so honest and candid about his opinions. Some of it was hurtful to the aspirants but some needed a wake-up call - and its show-biz folks.
Solar, I see you have been catching
some flack at TM. I can't say I have
paid close attention but there is a tendency for people there
to misread and misinterpret others and
then jump on them. I've
been the victim of it if y'all can
remember. Sorry buddy.
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