Book: Get Real. A Personal Guide to Real-life Weight Management

I picked up a book from the loan library at work and sat and read it during my lunch one day last week. I found it quite interesting.  It looks like a good book for most of us.  It has sections about stress and how it affects our weight and methods of relaxation; body image; exercising for fitness; and a sensible diet.  It was an easy-to-read book about being REAL about ourselves.  I really liked the book and would suggest it to anyone.  It is ISBN 1-887781-00-5.

As we're on the topic... I am losing weight pound by pound.  Not 5 or 10 at a time, of course.  It's very slowly, but I'm finding that my clothes are starting to fit better.  I am 5-10 pounds less than I was.  Good news, but some days I find it frustrating.  I wish it was coming off more quickly, but then I have to tell myself that I am making progress!!!  I am happy about it... it's great!!  So, I am getting somewhere slowly.  I remind myself that slowly is better.  It's safer and hopefully more permanent!  I think some of the weight loss is due to cutting out grains quite a bit.  Remember... grains are turned to sugar, and when we eat lots of it, it becomes fat.  I rarely eat bread now.  I eat oatmeal every morning and miss it when I don't.  (I feel better when I have my morning bowl of oatmeal!!)  The rest of the grains, I'm trying to avoid or at least have a very small amount.  It isn't always convenient to eat exactly what I feel I should.  But, as the cravings are minimal, I can usually make good choices!  Let me tell you... that IS an improvement!!  Cutting out sugar has greatly reduced my cravings.  I don't feel like I am on this crazy food roller-coaster where I have to have something, then feel sick because I ate it!!  So... I'm liking these benefits that come from keeping the sugar "locked-up!"   Good luck all of you trying to eat healthier!!  You CAN do it!!  

A White Bread World

Finding a Less-Harmful Bread

(exerpt from the New England Healthy Advisory, May 17 - link on the right)
      Today, we are going to begin another five-part series, looking at five food swaps you can make to take an unhealthy food choice and improve it, perhaps even turning it into a healthy choice. We’re going to start by looking at bread and learn why enriched flours are nutrient poor and how we can make better bread choices. To understand why most bread today wreaks havoc in our systems, we need to learn more about how wheat is turned into the flour that becomes our bread.
      We know that consuming too much white sugar can be hazardous to our health, but many people are unaware that white flour reacts the same way in the body. It doesn’t taste sweet, but it does break down into glucose and create the same problems with blood sugar spikes that can lead to metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes. In addition, white flour is devoid of any real nutritional value, so the calories we consume are empty and stored as fat.  

A White Bread World
      Whole wheat contains many nutrients including vitamins (vitamin E, vitamin B6 and niacin) and minerals (selenium, magnesium and phosphorus), as well as fiber, protein and antioxidants. It’s made up of...   see more in link to the right "New England Health Advisory" under "May 17."  

Blood Test Results

Blood Test Results:  My triglyceride count dropped 117 points!!  It went from 307 to 190.  150 is the highest of the normal range.  So, another month and I should be in it!!  Wow!  I didn't expect such good news!! :)  My doctor said that she wants me to stay on the diet and will recheck my blood in 6 months.  Most of the other parts of my cholesterol dropped a little also.  I'm happy because 1. All my hard work paid off!!  2. I don't have to go on Tricor!  3. My family has started eating healthier 4. I haven't found it to be too difficult and I feel good!  Okay, there is a lazy part of me that say "Oh, bummer I can't eat just anything."  But, for me the pros far outweight the cons, and I'm going to stay on it and be healthier!  I LIKE feeling good!  All for now as life is hectic!

Blood test results on Monday...

I was able to get in this morning to a lab to have my fasting blood test done!  They said I should get the results on Monday.  I will be looking forward to them!!  This afternoon we went to a wedding.  I had done my one month (plus) almost white-free and had my blood test done, so I decided I would have some wedding cake!!  It... was... delicious!!  Mmmmm!!  A smallish piece of coconut cake and chocolate cake.  Wow!  OK, so I was paying attention to how I felt.  That was pretty revealing!  I felt sick right away, and it wasn't because of the cake... it was because of my reaction to white flour & white sugar.  Just kind of a blah feeling in my stomach.  Then, on the way home I was falling asleep.  I was tired anyway, so I can't say for sure that it was a definitive result from the sugar today, but I do know that I used feel really tired after a very high amount of sugar. I also felt grouchy for a few hours afterwards.  Very interesting.  I don't think I used to have that much of a reaction, but I've had very little in the past month.  It was a treat, for sure, but I found the reactions quite interesting!!  I will write as soon as I can when I get the results!

Whiteless Sour Cream Coffee Cake

My daughter adapted this recipe from the March 2010 Cooking Light magazine.  Yum!!  I hope that any of your who are trying to eat "whiteless" has support.  Even if you don't have support at home, you do here, so feel free to comment or send me a message.  I am feeling very thankful as the daughter I just moved out of the dorm at college is home and loves to cook!  Not only that, but she is being so sweet by cooking "whiteless."  She likes eating healthy, so supports me in this way!  I really haven't suffered.  It's not as bad as it sounds!  You just get used to less sugar and don't crave it!  Cravings are the worst, aren't they?  That's what makes us go after the things we shouldn't have.  And, when I'm craving something I don't have much will-power.  So... I'm glad that I have very little craving!!  It makes all the difference for staying on the diet!!  Enjoy this recipe and take care of yourselves - all!!   Ciao!!   (See comment below!) 

Whiteless Sour Cream Coffee Cake

(adapted from 3/10 Cooking Light Magazine)

3/4 C old-fashioned rolled oats, divided

cooking spray

1-1/4 C whole-wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder (BP)

1/2 tsp. baking soda (BS)

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C packed brown sugar, divided

1/3 C butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (8-oz) carton light sour cream

2 tbsp. finely chopped pecans (or walnuts), toasted

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350o.

2. Spread oats in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for 6 min. or until oats are barely fragrant and light brown.

3. Coat a 9 in. springform pan with cooking spray; set aside.

4. Reserve 1/4 C oats; set aside.  Place remaining oats in a food processor (or blender), process 4 seconds or until finely ground. Combine processed oats, flour, BP, BS and salt. Stir with a whisk.   

5. Place 3/4 C brown sugar and and 1/3 C butter in a large bowl.  Beat with mixer at med. speed for 3 min. or until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each.  Beat in vanilla.  Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with the sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mix. (Batter will be slightly bumpy because of the oats.) Spoon batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.  

6. Combine remaining oats and brown sugar, nuts and cinnamon in a bowl.  Cut in 2 tbsp butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until well blended.  Sprinkle on top of batter evenly with nut mixture.  Bake at 350 for 38 min. or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, top is golden, and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan.  Cool cake in pan for 10 min. Remove from pan.  Yield: 10 servings.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Hello everyone!!  Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there!  I hope you had a wonderful day!  I had a nice, relaxing day with Trent's family... and ate virtually whiteless with accommodations to the dinner thanks to Trent's aunt and to my daughter!  That was so nice!  My daughter made the Cream Cheese Pie that is posted on this blog!  It's fabulous!  It's as good or better than any I've ever tasted!  We made one pie with an almond crust (as the recipe states) and one with a graham cracker crust!  I think the almond crust made it better than any I've ever had, as I think anything made with almonds is incredibly awesome!!  For dinner I had: ribs without bbq sauce (I could/should have made some for myself but didn't get it done - busy day yesterday!), basmati brown rice, green beans, caesar salad (I checked the dressing and there was only a tiny amount of sugar and pros would override the cons of eating it!), fresh fruit and cream cheese pie with fresh strawberries!  I also had coffee for the first time in a month, using nonfat milk and my own agave chocolate syrup (posted on this blog).  All is going well with the diet.  I look forward to the time that I can get my blood test done and find out the results!  I work M-F for the next month, so I'm not sure when I can get in for a fasting blood test.  I will let you know when that happens.  I hope you all have a good week, and if you're trying to cut down on white sugar & flour, keep up the good work!! 

Agave & HFCS info.

This link is really interesting!  The more I read of the link between refined sugars and triglycerides, the more I understand why my Dr. wanted me to go on this diet.  My triglycerides were high a month ago.  As soon as I can get into my doctor's office for a fasting blood test, I will know how much it helped my triglyceride level.  I am anxious to find out!  It will probably be a week after this Friday.  I work M-Th and I need to go in fasting, so Friday is the day, but not this coming Friday, as I will be out-of-town.  Wish me luck!!