Hi out there - another beautiful Sunday morning. The summer is half gone! Where did it go? As I look back on my blogs for the past few weeks, each Sunday they come from somewhere else -that's right - I havent caught my breath. There's so much to do and it seems that there is never enough time. Everything's a choice. Saying "yes" to something is saying "no" to something else. And so it is with food, too. We are a sum total of the choices and decisions we have made thus far. WHERE YOU ARE IS WHERE YOU GOT YOU! If you dont like where you've landed, make a different choice. Not happy in your apartment, your job? Make a change (yes, it's easier said than done, but it starts with a decision). Not happy with your weight? Muscle tone? Appearance?
Make a change. In fact, make a FEW changes - Food, Exercise and Water.
So,as I've told you, I've not been home on the weekends, and BOY! the opportunities to "pig out" abound. It's so easy to buy in to what other people say - "it's the weekend,come on" My answer to myself: I can negate on the weekend all the work I put in during the week. "You're always dieting" My answer to myself" No I'm not, I am eating in a way that always makes me feel good, healthy and proud. "Look what I made especially for you" My answer to myself: I appreciate what they did, but I know that they want me to be happy so I will ask for somethng else "especially for me" - some herbal tea perhaps and I will have something else while I watch them eat what they think they made especially for me. I know that it will not go to waste (or waist)
I also used some tips for going out to eat with other people: I order my meal first so I am not tempted by other people's orders. I never eat anything that I didnt order (like a nibble from someone else's plate). I check out the meal to see if I should take 1/2 home because it is too big (usually the answer is yes) and ask to have it wrapped up before I start. I ask for salad while everyone is eating bread.
If everyone is ordering dessert, I get fruit so I deont have to watche everyone else eat. Results have been that Iam the only one walking out of there feeling good - not overstuffed and sick. What a feeling - I hope you have it too!!

Good morning (again) - I dont know what happened, but my whole blog got "eaten up" by the computer and failed to post - so here goes (again!)
For those of you who love the heat (and there are some of you out there) I'm sure you're happy these days. For the rest of us, I hope you are finding ways to keep cool (and keep your cool - this weather can make anyone cranky). Do you know that the more food and the "heavier" your food is, the hotter you'll feel? So, lighten up - concentrate on cool fresh fruit and veggies, and yogurt. Even those foods that are traditionally eaten hot, can be great eaten cold - chicken, grilled vegetables and potatoes! Let us know which "summer foods" you are enjoying (and depending on).
I don't know about you, but sitting around the pool makes me remember all the BLT's (bites, licks and tastes). It's hard resist comparing, isn't it? And dont you observe that women who look a certain way eat in a certain way too? Those women remember that you WEAR what you EAT! And they remember it all the time! Let's take a tip, huh?
As for sweeteners, that controversy has been around forever. Are they safe? Are they healthy? What about during pregnancy, nursing? For kids? Studies have shown 1) they are safe and 2)they are not safe. It depends on who is doing (and paying for) the studies. I'll bet the poweful sugar lobby is behind some of those nasty rumors. BUT remember, though sweeteners are less caloric, the first ingredient is "dextrose" which is sugar. These products were never intended for DIETETICS. They were made for DIABETICS. So the body cant tell the difference and pours out the same amount of insulin and leaves us in sugar craving. Optinosh, yes stevia is on the program and yes it is kosher (check the label to see if yu use that particular hechsher). It SEEMS TO BE the one with the least problems. Be aware, though, that when a product is "herbal" it simply means that the FDA did not test it and there is no data. All of these things are individual choice.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend - keep cool!!

Good morning everyone! Forthose who just LOVE the heat (and there are some of you out there) I'm sure you're happy these days.

Happy Sunday morning to everyone. I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather (I hope it's just as glorious where you are as it is here), and that your summer schedules are a bit more relaxed than during the winter months. I am so grateful that mine is. It allows me to do some of those little things I dont have time for, or rush through. One of those things is browsing the bookstores (Barnes and Nobles in particular). I love to read and can't pass a bookstore or a library without going inside (and usually dont leave without a book). I am interested in many sections, but first, I gravitate toward "Diet and Health". Guess what? They all say the same thing!! Most of our food for the day shoud be natural, unprocessed. In short, it should look like what it loooked like in its original form - a baked potato, not french fries or potato kugel, fresh fruit rather than smoothies). I find this advice pretty simple (not easy!) in the summer when the fruits are beautiful and tasty and the veggies colorful and sweet! Save the slow-cooking for the colder months and eat your food fresh and cold (even chicken can be batch-cooked and eaten straight from the fridge). Every book talks about exercise - a cool refreshing swim sounds so appealing, no? And SO IMPORTANT - is drinking drinking drinking WATER!! During the summer we lose so much to perspiration, respiration and elimination. It has to be replaced and NOT BY SODA! Every function of our bodies need water (even the fat-burning process). Dehydration can lead to headaches, kidney stones, fainting and a host of other problems. Not thirsty? How come we dont wait to get hungry to eat but we feel we need to be thirsty to drink? By the time your body signals thirst, you are on your way to being dehydrated. So, remember to drink - it's easier during this hot weather, but important all year long.
By the way, there are some great novels in the bookstores, too. Grab a great read and relax!

Hi everyone! I was away for the weekend so I am writing later than usual. I hope you all had a great Fourth of July...and now summer has officially begun. Of course I went to the requisite "4th of July barbecue" and of course I was astounded by the amount of food. What did not surprise me was how tempting it all was - no matter how long I am on this journey of self-discovery, of weight loss (and gains), no matter how "aware" I am, no matter how much I know about emotional eating and can discern what is physical hunger and what is not, the food will always call to me. Whether I answer or not is my CHOICE, and believe me, sometimes that decision is not easy or simple. So many factors go into making those choices, not the least of which is "am I sleep deprived?" Yes, Optinosh, sleep is definitely a missing link in weight control. First of all, when you are tired, all bets are off. You are more hungry (or what feels like hungry), you dont have the "strength" to fight cravings. Also, when you are asleep, your body is producting LEPTIN, which aids in the fat-burning process. While we are awake, we are producting GHRELIN, an fat-burning inhibitor. So...go to sleep! I find that if I wake up 1 hour earlier in the morning, I can accomplish much more than dragging myself through the late-night hours trying to do more than I am able to at that time.
Another thing I find invaluable to weight loss effort is SUPPORT! It is so important for me to have someone to talk to that understands these food issues, someone who doesnt say to me "just eat less" or "push yourself away from the table". I understand "roll yoursself away from the table". I have to have someone supporting me who "gets it". That's why I so appreciate all of your comments and I am SO EXCITED about our new START FRESH FORUM, vehicle for discussing anything and everything having to do with our weight-loss, healthier lifestyle efforts. I look forward to joining you all there!
Lovestoeat, thank you for remembering my friend. He is doing well, back to work but definitely changing some things. He is walking every morning, giving up some work hours, eating many more vegetables, fruits and whole grains and starting to drink water. Amazing what can happen when you feel pushed against the wall...but do we have to wait so long?
As always, I thank all of you for your appreciation of the efforts of startfresh.com - we're here to help.