Oh my gosh, this has been a bad, bad week for the salt.
I like to have stuff at work, so I don't have to go out to eat and be tempted by the Jack in the Box Grilled Sourdough with Curly Fries (ouch, ouch, ouch!).
But I've been trying to pay close attention to my salt intake, since I bloat up like a pig.
Dang! Do they put salt in everything? I can hardly buy a can of dang soup without it having a bunch of salt in it!
According to the USDA guidelines, I shouldn't eat more than 2,400mg of sodium (salt) a day. Oh my gosh, if I ate that much sodium, I wouldn't be able to bend my fingers, I'd be so bloated!
I'm trying to limit my (known) sodium intake to half that amount.
It's hard!
I feel for people who have high blood pressure and other conditions. I'm just trying to keep the sodium down to avoid bloat. The poor folks who have serious health conditions, oh my, how do they manage??
So, anyway, the goal is to keep the daily sodium count down.
Sigh. I'm doing the best I can...
Link:
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/NutritionInsights/insight3.pdf#xml=http://65.216.150.153/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=sodium++limit&pr=MyPyramid&prox=&sufs=2&order=r&mode=&opts=&cq=&sr=&id=4592b6e24
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Exercising With My Daugher
Oh dear. That was NOT a good thing.
She wanted me to work out with her. '
Naturally, it was at a time that I needed to fix something to eat for her little brother (she wasn't hungry).
But I said, "OK, but I may not be able to do all the video." (Because of my knees, I've been healed, but if I push too hard, they remind me that I'm not as young as I used to be...)
So we start off with the Biggest Loser video.
"Mom, you're not doing that right."
"Mom, straighten your leg."
Mom this and Mom that. Blah, blah, blah.
I can never do anything right, Miss Control Issues was nattering at me until I stopped doing the exercises and went into the kitchen.
Of course, my dear child got upset with me.
My point of view is, if you aren't enjoying it, then don't do it. Exercise is a chore sometimes, yes, but we have enough stress in our lives, we don't need someone constantly nattering at us about whether or not we have an arm perfectly straight or we're bouncing up and down on our heels instead of doing jumping jacks.
If any well-meaning family members are reading this, trust me, nagging and nattering DO NOT HELP.
In my case, I always have something better to do than to listen to it. I will leave the room, I may leave the house, rather than be nagged.
If I wanted to be nagged, I'd still be married...
She wanted me to work out with her. '
Naturally, it was at a time that I needed to fix something to eat for her little brother (she wasn't hungry).
But I said, "OK, but I may not be able to do all the video." (Because of my knees, I've been healed, but if I push too hard, they remind me that I'm not as young as I used to be...)
So we start off with the Biggest Loser video.
"Mom, you're not doing that right."
"Mom, straighten your leg."
Mom this and Mom that. Blah, blah, blah.
I can never do anything right, Miss Control Issues was nattering at me until I stopped doing the exercises and went into the kitchen.
Of course, my dear child got upset with me.
My point of view is, if you aren't enjoying it, then don't do it. Exercise is a chore sometimes, yes, but we have enough stress in our lives, we don't need someone constantly nattering at us about whether or not we have an arm perfectly straight or we're bouncing up and down on our heels instead of doing jumping jacks.
If any well-meaning family members are reading this, trust me, nagging and nattering DO NOT HELP.
In my case, I always have something better to do than to listen to it. I will leave the room, I may leave the house, rather than be nagged.
If I wanted to be nagged, I'd still be married...
Saturday, August 23, 2008
My Super Easy Tomato Soup
This is SO easy!
My Super Easy Tomato Soup
1 can condensed Tomato Soup (low sodium if you can find it)
1 can Diced Tomatoes with juice (do not drain)
Mix together in a microwave safe bowl or saucepan. Add dried onion and/or garlic powder to taste. Add a tiny bit of water if it's too thick for your taste.
Nuke until bubbling, or bring to a boil on the stove top, simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Stir, serve, eat. Great with crackers or a small sandwich or salad.
You can keep the ingredients on the shelf at work. Easy to store, easy to fix for a hearty lunch at work.
Assuming you eat the whole thing, less than 300 calories for about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of soup.
NOTE: Using Mexican style tomatoes is a yummy variation for those who are craving Mexican food but don't dare brave the fat and calories at the local Mexican restaurant!
My Super Easy Tomato Soup
1 can condensed Tomato Soup (low sodium if you can find it)
1 can Diced Tomatoes with juice (do not drain)
Mix together in a microwave safe bowl or saucepan. Add dried onion and/or garlic powder to taste. Add a tiny bit of water if it's too thick for your taste.
Nuke until bubbling, or bring to a boil on the stove top, simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Stir, serve, eat. Great with crackers or a small sandwich or salad.
You can keep the ingredients on the shelf at work. Easy to store, easy to fix for a hearty lunch at work.
Assuming you eat the whole thing, less than 300 calories for about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of soup.
NOTE: Using Mexican style tomatoes is a yummy variation for those who are craving Mexican food but don't dare brave the fat and calories at the local Mexican restaurant!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Eat Like A King
Back in the day, I had an acquaintance that lost a lot of weight.
How did she do it?
Her personal plan was very simple.
Breakfast: Eat like a King.
Lunch: Eat like a Queen.
Dinner: Eat like a Pauper.
In other words, she had a big, hearty breakfast, a small lunch, and a tiny dinner.
I find this kind of amusing, because just recently there's been some interesting studies about dieting. People who ate a hearty breakfast with protein and carbs tended to eat a smaller lunch and dinner, and lost, on the average, 40 pounds and KEPT IT OFF!
Hello?
I think that girl was onto something. I know it worked for her...
How did she do it?
Her personal plan was very simple.
Breakfast: Eat like a King.
Lunch: Eat like a Queen.
Dinner: Eat like a Pauper.
In other words, she had a big, hearty breakfast, a small lunch, and a tiny dinner.
I find this kind of amusing, because just recently there's been some interesting studies about dieting. People who ate a hearty breakfast with protein and carbs tended to eat a smaller lunch and dinner, and lost, on the average, 40 pounds and KEPT IT OFF!
Hello?
I think that girl was onto something. I know it worked for her...
Make Your Own Plan
I was listening to the TV while I was working at the computer this morning and heard the latest NutriSystem ad.
Look, you don't need that stuff (and it's nasty, no wonder people lose weight on it).
If you need to have pre-made meals, instead of using an expensive plan like NutriSystem or Jenny Craig, go right to your local grocery store and look to see what's on special in the frozen meal section. Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, etc can be bought for less than $2 per meal when they're on sale.
I know, they're a little short on the amount of food. Yes, I have another idea for you.
The trick is that you also get some packages of frozen vegetables that match the veggies in the frozen dinners. So you nuke up that Alfredo Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli (250 calories) and in a separate bowl, you also nuke up at least a cup or two of frozen broccoli (35-70). When everything is hot, mix it all together.
Voila! Twice as much food for another 30 to 50 calories!
AND, if you're really hungry, add a simple salad to your meal. Lettuce, tomato, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, or a LIGHT sprinkle of cheese (feta, blue, shredded cheddar or jack) plus a light dressing will add between 50 and 300 calories to your meal, depending on what you add to the salad.
AND, you can even add a couple of cups of basic vegetable soup for about 100 calories.
So for the 300 or so in the frozen dinner plus veggies, plus another 100 or for a simple salad, plus 100 for the soup, you've made a full meal for about 500 calories.
So, here's a simple plan for you:
Breakfast @ 250 to 350 calories
2 Hard boiled or scrambled eggs (200) plus toast (120)
or Cereal with milk (250-300)
or Yogurt mixed with fruit and granola (300)
Lunch @ 300 calories
Plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and granola (300)
or Small Subway sandwich, 6 grams of fat or less (300ish)
or Salad with tomatoes, hard boiled egg, veggies and light dressing (200 to 200 calories)
or No-fat cottage cheese with fruit or vegetables
Dinner @ 600 calories
Frozen dinner with extra veggies (300ish)
Salad (200)
Soup (100)
Snacks
100 calorie packs (100)
or
Microwave popcorn (average 40 per cup)
or
1 serving of your favorite cookies (150)
or
Fresh fruits (100-200)
or
Fresh carrots (50)
If you're following a lower calorie plan you should try to eat around 1200 to 1500 calories a day. If you're starting at a maintenance level, shoot for 1800 calories per day.
No matter what your personal eating plan is, be SURE to have protein, fruits and/or vegetables, dairy, and a starch every day. The nutrition pyramid can be seen here: http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html.
And don't forget, water and exercise are your friends.
Basic Vegetable Soup
1 can mixed vegetables
1 can carrots or green beans or other favorite vegetable
1 can beans of any kind (white, pinto, kidney, black)
1 can tomatoes (any style)
1 can low sodium broth (any kind)
Spices: dried onions, garlic, pepper to taste
Heat to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Eat.
Look, you don't need that stuff (and it's nasty, no wonder people lose weight on it).
If you need to have pre-made meals, instead of using an expensive plan like NutriSystem or Jenny Craig, go right to your local grocery store and look to see what's on special in the frozen meal section. Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, etc can be bought for less than $2 per meal when they're on sale.
I know, they're a little short on the amount of food. Yes, I have another idea for you.
The trick is that you also get some packages of frozen vegetables that match the veggies in the frozen dinners. So you nuke up that Alfredo Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli (250 calories) and in a separate bowl, you also nuke up at least a cup or two of frozen broccoli (35-70). When everything is hot, mix it all together.
Voila! Twice as much food for another 30 to 50 calories!
AND, if you're really hungry, add a simple salad to your meal. Lettuce, tomato, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, or a LIGHT sprinkle of cheese (feta, blue, shredded cheddar or jack) plus a light dressing will add between 50 and 300 calories to your meal, depending on what you add to the salad.
AND, you can even add a couple of cups of basic vegetable soup for about 100 calories.
So for the 300 or so in the frozen dinner plus veggies, plus another 100 or for a simple salad, plus 100 for the soup, you've made a full meal for about 500 calories.
So, here's a simple plan for you:
Breakfast @ 250 to 350 calories
2 Hard boiled or scrambled eggs (200) plus toast (120)
or Cereal with milk (250-300)
or Yogurt mixed with fruit and granola (300)
Lunch @ 300 calories
Plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt mixed with fresh fruit and granola (300)
or Small Subway sandwich, 6 grams of fat or less (300ish)
or Salad with tomatoes, hard boiled egg, veggies and light dressing (200 to 200 calories)
or No-fat cottage cheese with fruit or vegetables
Dinner @ 600 calories
Frozen dinner with extra veggies (300ish)
Salad (200)
Soup (100)
Snacks
100 calorie packs (100)
or
Microwave popcorn (average 40 per cup)
or
1 serving of your favorite cookies (150)
or
Fresh fruits (100-200)
or
Fresh carrots (50)
If you're following a lower calorie plan you should try to eat around 1200 to 1500 calories a day. If you're starting at a maintenance level, shoot for 1800 calories per day.
No matter what your personal eating plan is, be SURE to have protein, fruits and/or vegetables, dairy, and a starch every day. The nutrition pyramid can be seen here: http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html.
And don't forget, water and exercise are your friends.
Basic Vegetable Soup
1 can mixed vegetables
1 can carrots or green beans or other favorite vegetable
1 can beans of any kind (white, pinto, kidney, black)
1 can tomatoes (any style)
1 can low sodium broth (any kind)
Spices: dried onions, garlic, pepper to taste
Heat to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes. Eat.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Drive-Thru Woes
Oh, woe is me! I just found our copy of 2006 Edition Calorie Fat & Carbohydrate Counter.
Oh, man, the drive-thru woes!
I LOVE Jack in the Box. The commercials are so dang funny!
But the food, oh my goodness!
For example, the Sourdough Jack meal. Burger @ 715 calories + curly fries @ 400 + diet soda = a whopping OH NO at 1115 calories.
OK, if all I was going to eat that day, plus maybe a few cups of coffee with fake sugar and sugar free creamer, and some vegetable soup for dinner, maybe I could do this. But the fat grams alone are 51 + 22. 73 grams of fat for one meal.
I don't think so.
Now I do love the McDonald's Bacon Ranch Salad with low fat vinaigrette. With the grilled chicken, that's only 250 calories + dressing at 40 calories. A light lemonade adds a few more calories, but for about 300 calories, only 9 grams of fat, that's a much better choice.
Be aware though. the Wendy's salad, very similar and even tastier, is 330 calories with NO croutons or dressing. Add those, and your salad grows to 680 calories with 46 grams of fat. On a healthy eating plan, you have to be very, very careful about where you order your salad. And what you eat the rest of that day...
Staying out of the drive-thru is a good thing. But sometimes we have to go there and we CAN make better choices and avoid the drive-thru woes.
Put a copy of your calorie counter in the glove box and before you "drive-thru", make a plan. Trust me, your scales (and you) will be happier for it!
If you want to order a book, hey, do me a favor and use my Amazon search box over to the side. Just put in the name of the book or the author you're searching for. I'll get a nickel or so for your purchase of Calorie Fat & Carbohydrate Counter or any other book you order through that link. (It doesn't count if you bookmark and go back later, I only get credit if you use my link. THANKS!!)
Oh, man, the drive-thru woes!
I LOVE Jack in the Box. The commercials are so dang funny!
But the food, oh my goodness!
For example, the Sourdough Jack meal. Burger @ 715 calories + curly fries @ 400 + diet soda = a whopping OH NO at 1115 calories.
OK, if all I was going to eat that day, plus maybe a few cups of coffee with fake sugar and sugar free creamer, and some vegetable soup for dinner, maybe I could do this. But the fat grams alone are 51 + 22. 73 grams of fat for one meal.
I don't think so.
Now I do love the McDonald's Bacon Ranch Salad with low fat vinaigrette. With the grilled chicken, that's only 250 calories + dressing at 40 calories. A light lemonade adds a few more calories, but for about 300 calories, only 9 grams of fat, that's a much better choice.
Be aware though. the Wendy's salad, very similar and even tastier, is 330 calories with NO croutons or dressing. Add those, and your salad grows to 680 calories with 46 grams of fat. On a healthy eating plan, you have to be very, very careful about where you order your salad. And what you eat the rest of that day...
Staying out of the drive-thru is a good thing. But sometimes we have to go there and we CAN make better choices and avoid the drive-thru woes.
Put a copy of your calorie counter in the glove box and before you "drive-thru", make a plan. Trust me, your scales (and you) will be happier for it!
If you want to order a book, hey, do me a favor and use my Amazon search box over to the side. Just put in the name of the book or the author you're searching for. I'll get a nickel or so for your purchase of Calorie Fat & Carbohydrate Counter or any other book you order through that link. (It doesn't count if you bookmark and go back later, I only get credit if you use my link. THANKS!!)
Sunday, August 3, 2008
AOL Has Tips On Diet And Health
I am perusing the hints on AOL this morning and I thought I should share the link with my friends who are battling their own inner donkeys.
There are reasons why you and I may need to lose a few pounds, and some of them are related to hormones and our personal body chemistry.
Now, this might take a minute to load, there are a lot of pictures, so give it a little time. http://www.aolhealth.com/diet/basics/avoid-binge-eating?icid=100214839x1207098120x1200367224
I liked this tip: "If you need starches, yams and white potatoes (with skin) are 7 times more filling than a croissant. Sorry, French fries don't count."
Back when I worked for the graphics firm in San Francisco, I ate a baked potato for lunch every day. My weight was easily maintained at my prime party size. Now, I have to admit, I did use fake butter powder on my potatoes, it was easier to transport a bag of potatoes and a bottle of Molly McButter on the vanpool van. People thought I was crazy. LOL, science has proved me right!
Of course, I have to admit that I was also down at the club every Friday and Saturday night, jamming to the hip hop beat. I'm sure I burned a boatload of calories, since I didn't drink alcohol. Water or an orange juice or a Shirley Temple, that was it for me!!
(Unless some clown insisted on buying me a drink. I mean, like he wouldn't take "No thank you" for an answer. Then I'd call the waitress over and tell her "Bring me an orange juice, but charge him for a screwdriver." LOL!)
I think I'll go get a bag of potatoes or sweet potatoes today.
Remember, a low carb diet may work for you, but my body needs carbs too. We are all different, so a one size fits all eating plan may not work for you.
I know it doesn't work for me...
There are reasons why you and I may need to lose a few pounds, and some of them are related to hormones and our personal body chemistry.
Now, this might take a minute to load, there are a lot of pictures, so give it a little time. http://www.aolhealth.com/diet/basics/avoid-binge-eating?icid=100214839x1207098120x1200367224
I liked this tip: "If you need starches, yams and white potatoes (with skin) are 7 times more filling than a croissant. Sorry, French fries don't count."
Back when I worked for the graphics firm in San Francisco, I ate a baked potato for lunch every day. My weight was easily maintained at my prime party size. Now, I have to admit, I did use fake butter powder on my potatoes, it was easier to transport a bag of potatoes and a bottle of Molly McButter on the vanpool van. People thought I was crazy. LOL, science has proved me right!
Of course, I have to admit that I was also down at the club every Friday and Saturday night, jamming to the hip hop beat. I'm sure I burned a boatload of calories, since I didn't drink alcohol. Water or an orange juice or a Shirley Temple, that was it for me!!
(Unless some clown insisted on buying me a drink. I mean, like he wouldn't take "No thank you" for an answer. Then I'd call the waitress over and tell her "Bring me an orange juice, but charge him for a screwdriver." LOL!)
I think I'll go get a bag of potatoes or sweet potatoes today.
Remember, a low carb diet may work for you, but my body needs carbs too. We are all different, so a one size fits all eating plan may not work for you.
I know it doesn't work for me...
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Get Out Of The Drive-Thru!
Yes, the drive-thru at the local fast food joint, or Starbucks, or even the ATM at the bank is bad for you.
You're tempted to overeat, you get some sugary latte or frappachino, you take out too much money, you don't get your behind off the seat and walk!
Even that tiny action of getting out of the car and walking into the place is better for you than sitting.
We all sit too much. Driving, commuting, sitting at the computer all day.
Get up and move!
And get out of that drive-thru!
You're tempted to overeat, you get some sugary latte or frappachino, you take out too much money, you don't get your behind off the seat and walk!
Even that tiny action of getting out of the car and walking into the place is better for you than sitting.
We all sit too much. Driving, commuting, sitting at the computer all day.
Get up and move!
And get out of that drive-thru!
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