Nutritional Advice
By Sherrie Adams
West Loop Curves
I was beginning to think everyone who wanted to lose weight needed a PhD from Harvard to understand weight loss. Trying to understand the intricacies of the human body and how we process food can make your head spin. Who do I listen to? What program do I follow? And most importantly, what the heck should I eat? There is too much information out there!
There are so many, doctors, personal trainers, fitness experts, nutritionists, dietitians, recommendations, studies, seminars, books, shows, and articles about what to eat and what not to eat. There's the high protein/low carb philosophy, (The Atkins diet) The Zone and The South Beach Diet, good carbs/bad carbs, high fiber, and the Glycemic Index. Then there’s trans fat, saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, hydrogenated oils, processed food and organic food. We are told to watch our fat grams, watch our sugar, watch our salt, count our points, count our calories, and measure our food. And then there's Weight Watchers, Nutri System, LA Weight Loss, Jenny Craig and Seattle Sutton. All of these probably work and have their merits, but getting through it all and making sense of it for ourselves and our busy lives is the challenge! Over the years, it have been totally confusing and overwhelming for me - and frustrating!
I've been waiting for someone to come out with a little book that combines all the best information from all the diets (kind of like a CD that has all the greatest hits from a particular era.) I don’t think ther's a greatest hits of diets, though - yet. Since I don’t have time to search the globe for a nutritional pocket book I decided to write my own! I dislike books on weight loss because I find that they could have trimmed the fat (pun intended) and said all of the important information in about 50 pages, but instead made it a 500 page epic while regurgitating the same information over and over in order to charge me $17.95. So I've taken what I feel is the best of the best from many diet books, plus a little bit of what I've learned on my own and condensed it all into a simple packet. Hope you find it helpful!
ORGANIC FOOD
Go natural. Do not use imitation anything! Try to eat organic as much as possible. However, there's a small catch:
the newest USDA rules for organic certification have become more and more lenient, due to congressional lobbying
pressure from large food conglomerates. These new rules are meant to confuse and mislead the consumer. The big
food companies want to make money, not improve the quality of your health and life. They are seen as 'riding the
wave' of the curent large market push towards organic; since profit margins for organic foods are low and costs are
high, they simply got Congress to change the actual rules of what constitutes organic! Then they can add certain
non-organic ingredients and preservatives and still get the USDA organic stamp. Sneaky, ain't it?
Trustworthy organic brands are usually smaller companies like Auntie Ann’s, Organic Valley, Stonyfield Farm, Brown Cow, Health Valley, Applegate Farms, and Morning Star. If you find "organic" labeled foods at BIG outlet stores like Sam’s or Costco it is probably NOT truly 100% organic. If it is Keebler or Kraft and it says it’s organic it is probably sub-par to the true organic companies. And organic or not, do NOT eat anything NON fat - go for the LOW fat instead. Non-fat products have so much sugar and preservatives and laboratory made ingredients to make them taste good that they tend to be as unhealthy as full fat!
SUBSTITUTE
Substitution rule: when a baking or cooking recipe calls for butter, use Land-O-Lakes Whipped Butter. It's a yellow tub with red writing. It doesn’t contain harmful preservatives or fillers like all the margarines and butter imposters! It has half the fat and calories of other brands of real butter, but they do not advertise it this way for some reason! It's a little secret of mine.
Use hummus, low fat refried beans, apple sauce, ketchup, salsa, etc. as a condiment on sandwiches or as a topping on various foods! Use low fat sour cream if a recipe calls for heavy whipping cream! Use a quarter of Land-O-Lakes butter and the rest plain low fat yogurt when a recipe calls for all butter.
Use whole wheat pasta (don’t worry, it tastes great, just try it!) and use brown rice instead of white. Use whole grain wheat bread instead of white - it must say 100% WHOLE grain. When you do these substitutions you really cut out huge amounts of fat and calories and the taste is hardly compromised at all!
EATING OUT
A typical restaurant owner wants to make money, not keep you healthy and fit! Portions these days are WAY too big!
The more they serve you, the more they can charge. Don’t be fooled! Order side orders, split meals with people,
and make special requests. Can you broil the chicken? Can you put the low-fat salad dressing on the side?
Restaurateurs also make money with repeat business. How will they get you to come back? By making their food as
yummy as possible. The fattier and generally unhealthy the food is, the better it tastes. We all love great
tasting food - but buyer beware! Even a restaurant's version of low fat is not really low fat. It is just not as
high in fat as the rest of the stuff on the menu!
EAT LIGHT AND BE LIGHT...EAT HEAVY AND BE HEAVY
The first time you take 8 bites of a wonderfully delicious meal - and leave the rest on your plate for another
meal - will be a challenge. It's not fun to stop doing something that is pleasurable. Once you get used to eating
less, and I mean severely cutting back and eating way less food, you will feel great! For your next lunch
try a ½ of a turkey sandwich (no mayo), a low-fat yogurt and a water instead of a full sandwich with chips and a
large coke. By the 5th day of doing this with all of your meals, you’ll feel full after eating much, much less -
and you'll feel better!
After you take your first bite of food, it takes 30 minutes for your brain to send a signal to tell you that you're full and to stop eating! That means that you have to determine when you’ve had enough food on your own. Thais also means that when you eat fast, you eat more in a smaller amount of time. Think about how much food we can wolf down in 20 minutes - no wonder we keep eating and gaining weight! Eat slower and eat smaller. Sometimes, when I am carrying my plate of food from the kitchen to my table, I realize how heavy the actual food on the plate is and I think, "Wow, is all of that weight really going in my body at once?" Your body’s digestive system works better when it has less food to process! Eat light and be light...eat heavy and be heavy.
MAKE FOOD AT HOME
Pick a day and prepare 5-10 foods/meals and snack bags. Chop up veggies and put them in portion sized bags.
Make healthy foods and put them in Tupperware or baggies. Freeze them if you can’t eat them right away. When
you leave for the day, just grab your bag and you won't be tempted to eat out. Fill up on nuts; they send a
quicker signal to your brain telling it that you're full! Take control of what you eat. It will actually be a
cathartic experience to nurture yourself and what you put in your body. It is your body and your life!
Make it count!
THE LITTLE THINGS
The cream in your coffee, the sugar in your tea, the double latte, the soda, the mayo on your chicken sandwich,
the jolly ranchers, the cough drops, the salad dressing, the muffin you had for breakfast yesterday...the little
things that we so conveniently discount as "no big deal" are actually a very big deal when you add them all
up. Just two jolly ranchers contain 26 grams of carbs! You might as well have a piece of bread or a cup of pasta
instead. Three tablespoons of regular ranch salad dressing is all the fat you should have for the entire day...33
grams of fat! You could have had a small hamburger and really indulge and treat yourself. Two tablespoons of
mayo is...24 grams of fat! Shocking fact: a typical Starbucks drink contains 500-800 calories and 18-45 grams of
fat!
CHOCAHOLICS
I recommend buying a bag of baking chocolate chips and allowing 3-5 a day. Savor the moment...and move on.
Tastefully Simple fudge brownies are incredibly chocolaty, chewy, and delicious - and can be made low fat! A
Starbucks ready-made bottled Frappuccino is only 2 grams of fat and 180 calories. Get a chocolate fix and a
caffeine buzz. When you treat yourself, treat yourself smartly!
DRINKS
Milk has trace minerals that help us lose weight around the waist! Drink 10 oz. a day of only skim or 1%. Drink
tons of water. Sometimes our bodies mistake thirst for hunger; if your stomach is growling, try drinking a
bottle of water in the next 30 minutes and see if that satiates it. Besides, we should all drink more water
everyday anyway! When you feel it’s enough, drink even more. Most of us are NOT fully hydrated even when we think
we are! You should be going to the bathroom every 1-2 hours in a 10 hour day. That’s 5-10 times a day. Stock up
on toilet paper! Limit your intake of soda and alcohol, juice, and flavored drinks.
FIBER
New research shows that a high-fiber diet can keep you from gaining weight even more than a low-fat diet! 30
grams of fiber are recommended per day to keep weight under control. Research also shows that just 12 extra grams of
fiber prevents you from gaining an average of 8 pounds over several years. Fiber contains bulk as opposed to
calories, so we consume few calories by consuming high-fiber foods. It helps us feel full because it slows the
digestive process.
There are 2 types of fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes by reducing total blood cholesterol and regulating blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of colon cancer, preventing biventricular disease, and treating constipation. We should incorporate both soluble and insoluble fibers in our diets.
Good sources of soluble fiber include: oats, barley, legumes (dried beans and peas) and some vegetables and fruits. Good sources of insoluble fiber include: whole grain products (breads, cereals, rice, pasta) nuts, seeds and some vegetables. Introduce these slowly - they can upset your stomach and cause bloating.
Good Sources of Fiber:
The skins of many fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts, wheat, and whole grains.
Grapes, prunes, apple skins, pear skins, berries, celery, beets, carrots, brussel sprouts, turnips, cabbage,
cauliflower, broccoli, rhubarb, red chard, asparagus, corn, pop corn, kidney beans, potato skins, and bran.
• 1 cup black beans - 19 grams
• 8 oz. baked beans - 16 grams
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas - 12 grams
• 1/2 cup green peas - 9 grams
• 1 cup most cereals - 8 grams
• Med. cooked yam - 6. 8 grams
• 1/2 cup raw red lentils - 6.4 grams
• 2 slices whole wheat bread - 6 grams
• 1 cup whole wheat macaroni - 5.7 grams
• 1/2 cup red raspberries - 4.6 grams
• Med. apple - 4 grams
• 1/2 cup raw broccoli - 4 grams
• 1/2 cup cooked carrots - 3.4 grams
THE GLYCEMIC INDEX
The glycemic index measures how fast a food is likely to raise your blood sugar. When blood sugar rises, the
hormone insulin is released from the pancreas, triggering a serotonin response. The more insulin released, the
more serotonin is released - but more serotonin is not better. Just the right dose produces a good mood, which
helps when you are feeling stressed. If you overdose on carbs, a tidal wave of insulin and a subsequent serotonin
rush is released, and your brain becomes super foggy and sleepy.
The glycemic index is about foods high in carbohydrates. When you eat more than 100 grams of carbohydrate-containing foods or beverages, you'll begin to over-produce serotonin, inducing a drug-like state: sleepiness, fuzziness, and tiredness. Some doctors believe that the insulin surge caused by high-glycemic foods will guarantee that your body fat stays firmly "locked" in place regardless of how few calories or fat grams that foods contain. Some doctors believe only exercise and eating a low glycemic diet will help burn the fat!
High-glycemic-index foods have been associated with many health concerns, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. A low-glycemic-index diet has been shown in most studies to reduce insulin resistance, help control appetite, improve weight loss results, enhance blood sugar control in diabetics, lower blood levels of total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and raise blood levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol.
| Low index foods: less than 50 | Intermediate index foods: 50-70 | High index foods: over 70 |
| Artichoke <15 Asparagus <15 Avocado < 15 Broccoli <15 Cauliflower <15 Celery <15 Cucumber <15 Eggplant <15 Green beans <15 Lettuce, all varieties <15 Low-fat yogurt <15 Peanuts <15 Peppers, all varieties <15 Snow peas <15 Spinach <15 Young summer squash <15 Zucchini <15 Tomatoes 15 Cherries 22 Peas, dried 22 Plum 24 Grapefruit 25 Pearled barley 25 Peach 28 Canned peaches, natural juice 30 Dried apricots 31 Soy milk 30 Baby lima beans, frozen 32 Fat-free milk 32 Fettuccine 32 M&M's Chocolate Candies, Peanut 32 Low-fat yogurt, sugar sweetened 33 Apple 36 Pear 36 Whole wheat spaghetti 37 Tomato soup 38 Carrots, cooked 39 Mars Snickers Bar 40 Apple juice 41 Spaghetti 41 All-Bran 42 Canned chickpeas 42 Custard 43 Grapes 43 Orange 43 Canned lentil soup 44 Canned pinto beans 45 Macaroni 45 Pineapple juice 46 Banana bread 47 Long-grain rice 47 Parboiled rice 47 Bulgur 48 Canned baked beans 48 Grapefruit juice 48 Green peas 48 Oat bran bread 48 Chocolate bar, 1.5 oz 49 Old-fashioned oatmeal 49 Cheese tortellini 50 Low-fat ice cream 50 |
Canned kidney beans 52 Kiwifruit 52 Orange juice, not from concentrate 52 Banana 53 Potato chips 54 Pound cake 54 Special K 54 Sweet potato 54 Brown Rice 55 Canned fruit cocktail 55 Linguine 55 Oatmeal cookies 55 Popcorn 55 Sweet corn 55 Muesli 56 White rice 56 Orange juice from frozen concentrate 57 Pita bread 57 Canned peaches, heavy syrup 58 Mini shredded wheats 58 Bran Chex 58 Blueberry muffin 59 Bran muffin 60 Cheese pizza 60 Hamburger bun 61 Ice cream 61 Kudos -Whole Grain (chocolate chip) 61 Beets 64 Canned apricots, light syrup 64 Canned black bean soup 64 Macaroni and cheese 64 Raisins 64 Couscous 65 Quick-cooking oatmeal 65 Rye crisp bread 65 Table sugar (sucrose) 65 Canned green pea soup 66 Instant oatmeal 66 Pineapple 66 Angel food cake 67 Grape-Nuts 67 Stoned Wheat Thins 67 American rye bread 68 Taco shells 68 Whole wheat bread 69 Life Savers 70 Melba toast 70 White bread 70 |
Golden Grahams 71 Bagel 72 Corn chips 72 Watermelon 72 Honey 73 Kaiser roll 73 Mashed potatoes 73 Bread stuffing mix 74 Cheerios 74 Cream of Wheat, instant 74 Graham crackers 74 Puffed wheat 74 Doughnuts 75 French fries 76 Frozen waffles 76 Total cereal 76 Vanilla wafers 77 Grape-Nuts Flakes 80 Jelly beans 80 Pretzels 81 Rice cakes 82 Rice Krispies 82 Corn Chex 83 Mashed potatoes, instant 83 Cornflakes 84 Baked potato 85 Rice Chex 89 Rice, instant 91 French bread 95 Parsnips 97 Dates 103 Tofu frozen dessert 115 |
SLEEP
You should not eat anything 3-5 hours before you turn in for the night. This is just a good habit to get into and
actually feels good when practiced. You wake up light and hungry which prepares you for a healthy breakfast.
They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing, and that’s why you should try to get your 8 hours of sleep every
night. Studies show that women who do not get between 7-9 hours of sleep per night are more likely to be obese.
Women getting six hours of sleep per night were 27% more likely to become obese than those getting 7-9
hours. Women who get 4 hours or less of sleep per night were 67% more likely to become obese than people who
slept for 7-9 hours. So be sure to get your 8 hours a night!
STRESS, CORTISOL AND BAD THINGS
Cortisol is a hormone that is released when you are feeling stressed out. It is normal for cortisol levels to
rise during stressful situations and then decline as the stress passes. There is a problem when the levels don’t
decline quickly enough, and when we produce an excess amount. Both of theses things occur as we age. I hate to
sound trite, but, basically: bad things age our bodies in every way. So be happy and pleasant as often as possible!
I know that is easier said than done at times. Everything is up to you! Thinking positive is only taking you half
way there!
You should think positive in a positive way. Sounds easy right? We all think we do this but sometimes we don’t; for instance, wanting to be healthy and fit is a positive desire and goal, right? Instead of saying "I wish my stomach wasn’t so big" or "I just want to lose my stomach" or "I am so frustrated that I gained weight," say "I am working toward making my stomach smaller and healthier" or "I am working toward a healthier better me!" Instead of saying "I wish I wasn’t sick" all the time, try saying "I want to be healthy and vibrant!" Instead of saying "I want to be out of debt," say "I am going to attract wealth and prosperity." I know it sounds hokey but I believe it to be true!
Don’t be so demanding and hard on yourself; be easy on yourself and the people you care about. If you "cheat" and get off your nutritional program or any regimen you implement, don’t worry about it and don’t throw the whole day away and start to pig out, either! Be moderate, enjoy life, listen to music and embrace change! Try not to worry about things; worrying solves nothing and positive thinking and change solves everything!
PRIORITIES
On a scale of 1 to 10...does your food have to be a 10 in taste ALL the time? Would it be OK if it was a
7 or an 8 sometimes? Wouldn’t you rather have your health be a 10 and food be a 7, instead of your food a 10
and your health/strength/energy and overall quality of life a 7? Think about it. We live in a society that
bombards us with all the wrong things; gigantic portions, preservatives, high fat, high calories, hormone
injected, genetically engineered, processed food. It is the ultimate challenge to overcome what is around you
and do the right thing.
Food can still taste great; you just have to put a little effort into it. Make healthy eating, working out, and creating your own reality a priority. You wouldn’t allow your dog or children to be taken care of by someone you haven’t researched, right? Why should you let your body be fed by people, brands or companies that you don’t know anything about? This is your life and your body: shouldn’t it be in the hands you trust?
I hope you have gained some insight from these ideas. Start small and work your way up! A gradual change will more likely stick than if you implement all these changes at once. That's why starvation diets or quitting smoking cold turkey are so difficult. Baby steps! Before you know it, you'll have a whole new you with more energy, health, and happiness than you ever imagined!
Feel free to email me your comments or questions!
Sherrie Adams, West Loop Curves
info @ westloopcurves.com
