Health and Fitness, August 2010

[blessedw2]

(((harmony)))

[Harmony]

Well I got my allergies under control. I did a no-no the other day on our trip. It was so hot and I was struggling to stay awake while driving, so I turned the cold air-contidioning to hit me in the face a bit more than usual. If I am out in a windy day my allergies flair. Evidently the ac caused it to flair also. A couple creams and meds and it is easing.

Today at the restaurant and theater I was the only one who didn't eat non-stop. I had an omelet with spinach and mushrooms (and cheese & a sauce, yeah I know) while the others all had pancakes, etc. And they brought candy and bars and bought popcorn in the theater. I refused it all. And I am still so stuffed I will have just a light supper.

Last eve. we did another bike ride.

Still having problems being sleepy all the time. There are lots of reasons for that. I have to work on it.

I'm still curious about what Indiana said about discovering something from a remark I made. Still wondering what that's all about.

[Nancy]

I walked today went to a yard sale and saw a doe and fawn on my walk it was fun!
I mowed around noon also.

[lucylee]

I'm sleepy all the time, too, Harmony. It might have something to do with the way I eat, but I have been trying to do better. I think it has a LOT to do with the schedule dh keeps. I've been following his example of watching Fox News till the wee hours... I am going to be in for a real shock when that alarm goes off at 6:00 a.m. next week. I know I should be adjusting NOW so it won't be so hard when the time comes... but that is just easier said than done.

[Indiana]

Harmony one thing I wanted to say was I know you have a sluggish metabolism but are you eating enough calories to help rev up your metabolism. You know your body the best.

Harmony I think you may want to do like lucylee and Okay are doing – just count starches. It that is what you want to control or fat or both. Forget the calories.

1,000 calories isn’t very many. I found the best way is to go to the calories to maintain the weight I want to be at. The only reason I do calories along with the exchanges is on short days I can shore up the calories by switching dairy for a starch or more fruit. 1,000 calories is just too low and you shouldn’t be hungry all the time. It will also make you tired.

Make a list – a long list of what you can go to for satisfaction. When I started I used lean cuisine to fall back on until I was comfortable counting exchanges. After about 2 weeks I dropped those like a hot potato. Too much sodium. Now I keep single serving sizes of foods in my freezer – chicken noodle soup, chili, etc. All are healthy. I also keep a list of go to foods like fruit, cereal, and veggies. Crackers, cheese, thinly sliced lunch meat are on it too. Plus my special trick if I just don’t know what I want. I have tiny condiment dishes – ¼ cup and I put a tablespoon of peanut butter in it. I will take a spoon and get about a smidgen – about 1/16 of a teaspoon and put it in my mouth. I will just let it melt. It gives me calories and satisfaction. I don’t take another smidgen until the taste is gone. Sugar free popsicles is another good one.

Find or create some healthy comfort foods. For me it is beef vegetable soup, chili, chicken soup, salerno butter cookies, graham crackers, etc. There are so many things you make that with just a little tweaking can be comfort foods.

Because you are restricted in, what you can eat plus what sounds good to you a long list may help. It is fantastic that you are into a size 10.

You are eating healthy you are not dieting. I know you say you are dieting and it may mean something else to you but to me it means short term, something not good, something I don’t want to do. I don’t diet. I am on a long term eating plan for the rest of my life and I have enough go to foods that it is fine for me. I don’t eat anything I don’t like. I limit sodium, soda, vitamin K, increase potassium and manganese, low sugar and low fat. I am very content and I eat anything I want now in moderation.

I agree you have to get your head around eating healthy.

You may be on a plateau and you may be on it for a while. Your body needs to catch up.

All the above is just my opinion. I am not an expert. I lost 180 pounds and I have kept it off for 11 years and I haven’t felt deprived.

[Indiana]

An interesting article about movie theater popcorn.

http://www.cspinet.org/nah/12_09/cover.pdf

Wow!!!

[Indiana]

Harmony I thought of sugar free jello.

I really enjoy this one or just jello with no sugar/fruit juice canned fruit.

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=113&start=0

Low sodium V8 is another one I know you have restrictions on what you can eat.

Sugar free pudding and animal crackers.

How about a smoothie?

OK i'm done.

Anyone else with ideas?

[Indiana]

I read my responses to eating healthy about which I'm very passionate. My responses are too intense and too preachy and too know it all and too much of everything.

I'm going to go back to a semi-laid back attitude. So you can all rest now and do what you are doing so well.

[Nancy]

Glad I'm feeling healthy enough these days to do the following
I've pruned the apple tree
and rose bush
picked up and delivered apples twice
pruned the suckers off the maple tree
in the front yard and
off the 2 plums in the back yard
counting this yard work for my ex. today it may not be very areobic
but needed to be done and I'm happy with my progress!

[Indiana]

Harmony you are a wise lady to pass on the popcorn. It is unbelievable. I knew it was high but it is sky high.

Movie theaters are a notorious place for mindless eating because we are watching the movie and don't realize how many times our hands have gone in the popcorn or candy box. Another place for mindless eating is in front of TV. Either a meal or snacking. Dh and I never ate in front of TV. We tried it a few times and found it hard to talk about our days or something of interest. But it has been interesting to see it over and over again in articles about eating in front of TV. I tried it a few times and realized that I didn't notice my trigger that I was full. It was just mindless eating.

I'm careful with snacks and dessert in front of TV at night. I'll eat about 1/4 of it and then stop for a little while to see if I'm done. It works for me.