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TOPIC: It's A New Day! to be Fit and Trim

11 Jun 2008 12:34 #19766

Oh goodie, a subject right up my alley :D I've been on a 20+ year quest to improve health (was very sick due to chemicals being a hairdresser). I'm an AVID reader/studier. My hesitance at "suggesting" anything to anyone is that I might become seen as negative or health police. I look at it this way....information is power. That being said, information changes as new insights come along.
Nutrasweet (aspartame): google it...they've known it is poison for years....many syptoms of MS, fibro, Parkinsons, etc., related to such...along with brain tumors, etc. It turns to formaldehyde in your body. Yech.
Splenda is made by adding the chlorine molecule to sugar - the same way they make pesticdes!!! Mandy, no wonder your son reacts! Even if one doesn't have immediate reactions, the poison/toxins build up in your body. I believe it prudent to avoid all toxins that we can. Of course there are some inevitable ones via the environment. Don't give up in fear or frustration; become knowlegable and make changes - even baby steps - one at a time. It was a looong journey for me, and I almost gave up many times. There were no wonderful Whole Foods-type places when I began. Now, I enjoy shopping and experimenting with new, fun ingredients.
As for sugar replacements, Mandy....that IS difficult. Xylitol is good for many people, but sugar alcohols CAN be problematic (GAS) for many. LOL. I didn't have success cooking with it. As suggested, just begin reducing the amount of sugar. I've used date sugar as a partial replacement in some recipies......brown rice syrup is another one. I just made some awesome "bars" with brown rice syrup, some sugar, etc., peanut butter, different nuts (toasted), millet/rice cereal (organic, of course :D ), choc chips, oatmeal. YUMMY and lots of protein. Stay away from most commercial cereals. As the old addage goes...you're better off eating the box. :? The preservative BHT is in the majority of them!
Also, avoid the plastic containers. Cooling bottled water was mentioned somewhere else - this has been shown to release the BPA's, which are toxic. Xenoestrogens are another fascinating subject.....toxins that act as estrogen in our bodies. Many of us have an overdose.
I'd love to share whatever I know. I don't claim to be a doctor, but as we know, experience, time and research are the best teachers. I have an MD brother.....we have been known to have some pretty interesting "discussions" :lol: Doctors are not trained in nutrition - it is not mandatory in most states. Many will tell you that their education comes from drug reps. Hmmm
Anyway, take all of my information in a positive and loving light, please. I care about all beings 8)
Jan in Spokane, where we had SNOW yesterday.....really!
Last Edit: by fiberwoman.
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11 Jun 2008 11:27 #19761

Mandy - Watch out for foods that say 'no sugar added' it usually means that substiture sweetners ARE added. Splenda is the only substiture sweetner I can handle. The others give me a terrible tummy ache. Fruit juices are mostly sugar, use whole fruit instead. Applesauce is supposed to be a good sweetner in cakes, etc. I have discovered that soy milk has less callories, carbs and fat than 2% milk. I thought I would never use it but DH uses it because of a lactose intolerance. I am finally using it when I need milk in other foods.

Sandy - losing one (!) pound a week is great!! And I think it is even better to do it on your own then on a diet plan. My Doctors have said to never loose more than that. It is not good for your health and your body thinks you are starving and makes it even harder to loose weight.

At the present time I am not loosing, just staying the same. I am happy though, I am not gaining and my diabetes is under good control. I know that I need to exercise more and that it would probably help. I have back issues so getting good excercise can be difficult. Maybe when this crazy Oregon weather gets normal I will be able to do some walking. Treadmills don't work for me.
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11 Jun 2008 10:40 #19755

  • kfstitcher
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Hey Mandy, A while ago I saw a naturopathic Dr. or practitioner whatever he would be called and of course he wanted me to eat healthier which meant nothing I was eating. Anyway he suggested Xylitol instead of sugar. I get it at Whole Foods grocery store. He said they use it in a lot of gum and candies in Europe because it is not only not bad for you but also it good for your teeth. I really don't like the taste of artificial sweeteners and this I don't mind. I don't know about baking or cooking it would probably be too expensive if it even worked but for your husband's tea I think it may work for him too.
Karen
Lyndhurst, Ohio USA - East Side Suburb of Cleveland, Ohio
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11 Jun 2008 10:24 #19753

mandysilk wrote:
I have been lurking on this thread since it started, and I am impressed by the work you all have done. I just have a question really. I am trying to make healthier choices for myself and my family but I have a rather unique problem here. My dh RJ is allergic to pretty much all artificial sweetners. Saccrin (Sweet n' Low) and Nutrasweet both give him horrific migrane headaches, and Splenda causes his blood pressure and heart rate to skyrocket - he gets very flushed in the face and dizzy. I had wondered whether it was all in his head, but ruled that out when I tried a teaspoon of each in his tea without telling him and he had the reactions anyway. This weekend he got the worst headache, and eventually we traced it down when I saw him take a sip of the kid's flavored water pouch - he never realized it had nutrasweet in it and had been taking the first sip of each pouch he opened to prevent spilling :lol: Anyway my question is how do I reduce my family's sugar intake without resorting to artificial sweetners and diet drinks??
Whew! that's a tough one, alright. I remember my MIL used to cut the sugar on most of her recipes, and no one seemed to mind. I think if you did that gradually, it might not be so noticeable. I have a DD who is hypoglycemic, and I found I could leave out sugar in a few things, like pancakes (I made them from scratch), and the rest of the family didn't notice. Particularly when they piled on the sweetened berries or syrup, lol! Another thought is to try using honey in your diet; it has some real health benefits, according to what I've read, and it's sweeter than sugar so you wouldn't use as much. My family enjoyed honey on their breakfast cereal for years and actually preferred it to sugar. We didn't buy the pre-sweetened stuff. I guess if you do it gradually, they might be satisfied with the natural sweetness found in fruits, as well. Of course, dealing with DH can be a lot different than with kids!
Last Edit: by linmcquilter.
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11 Jun 2008 09:14 #19747

I have been lurking on this thread since it started, and I am impressed by the work you all have done. I just have a question really. I am trying to make healthier choices for myself and my family but I have a rather unique problem here. My dh RJ is allergic to pretty much all artificial sweetners. Saccrin (Sweet n' Low) and Nutrasweet both give him horrific migrane headaches, and Splenda causes his blood pressure and heart rate to skyrocket - he gets very flushed in the face and dizzy. I had wondered whether it was all in his head, but ruled that out when I tried a teaspoon of each in his tea without telling him and he had the reactions anyway. This weekend he got the worst headache, and eventually we traced it down when I saw him take a sip of the kid's flavored water pouch - he never realized it had nutrasweet in it and had been taking the first sip of each pouch he opened to prevent spilling :lol:

Anyway my question is how do I reduce my family's sugar intake without resorting to artificial sweetners and diet drinks??
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11 Jun 2008 08:07 #19743

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Way to go Eileen. It has really help me. I was writing down calories at first but I'm just writing food now.

Doesn’t Valarie Bertinelli look great on the Jenny Craig ads on television? I remember her from One Day at a Time. I saw her last year on a Hallmark movie before she lost weight and the difference since then is amazing. I think the ad says she has lost 40 pounds so I was curious how long it took her. I looked at her blog which is on the Jenny Craig website and it took her 38 weeks to lose 40 pounds (which was her goal). At week 12 she had lost 22 pounds which compares to the 21 pounds I had lost at week 12. I am very pleased that my own life style changes have worked as well as Valarie’s Jenny Craig Plan.

I wonder how difficult it is to go from a diet plan that provides your food to trying to maintain it on your own. Without being in charge of food planning, buying, preparation, portion control, etc. during the loss process have you changed your life style enough so you can maintain what your have lost? That is why I am trying to do it on my own with support from you all.
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11 Jun 2008 07:30 #19740

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I'm starting over. I'm writing down everything I eat and drink. When Mike and Keri ride their bikes, I'm going to walk.
eileenkny

from the beautiful Hudson Valley of NY
Gammill Classic Plus w/IQ
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10 Jun 2008 12:13 #19693

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Sandy,
Have you looked at the South Beach cereal bars? They're great! Mike eats the Kashi bars, but he doesn't have any health problems. He just likes them.
eileenkny

from the beautiful Hudson Valley of NY
Gammill Classic Plus w/IQ
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10 Jun 2008 11:14 #19688

The dietitian reminded me to read labels; she wanted me on a low-carb diet, higher in fiber and some protein. I Just need to be reasonable about th protein, so I don't particularly measure it out - just picture a deck of cards (or 1 egg). She recommended 2-3 "carbs" (30-35 carbs, for counting) for meals and 1 carb (of 10-15 total carbs) for a snack. I look for labels to read around 6-8 grams of sugar. Small meals through out the day, basically. It's hard to keep to that because I like to drink milk with a meal, and 1/2 glass (skim) is a carb in itself! So if I have a sandwich with regular bread, with 1/2 c. milk, that's basically all the carbs for that meal. No fruit, cheese, careful on the mayo - so I often will have just 1/2 sandwich. Mashed potatoes and rice turn to sugar quickly, so I have to have small portions, balanced with lots of fiber and protein. It's been really hard, with all our travels and staying with family. So I think that's why I gained some weight back. But at least my diabetes is under control with just diet. It's great to have support and understanding here; great thread, Sandy! If I get real brave, I should probably post weight loss and exercise, like you do. I know exercise is a big bug-a-boo for me. About the only thing I will do is walking, and I have a million excuses not to do it. (for one, no treadmill)
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10 Jun 2008 11:04 #19686

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I'll have to check out the Kashi protein bars. I guess I lumped them in with the breakfast bars that had so much sugar and calories.
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10 Jun 2008 10:42 #19683

My DH was laid up for several months after his foot surgery (it didn't heal well due to his osteoporosis), and I did all the shopping. I only bought stuff with no sugar added. He lost 12 pounds, and was very pleased. He was a bit grumpy that I wouldn't buy his usual sugar-laden stuff, but now has stayed with it, and is doing the shopping again. He likes having his clothes fit more loosely, LOL. I've had the very great pleasure of giving away size 3X clothes, then 2X clothes, most of the 1X ones are gone now, and I can wear a L in tops and a M in bottoms. I've never been able to buy outfits--my top has always been a size larger than my bottom.

Pat in Rockport, TX
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10 Jun 2008 10:42 #19682

Linda that is good with by pass I can't have sugar or soda I do not miss it they have alot of sugar free things now and my youngest would eat that first Happy Thanks for all of you that support us with weight prombles
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10 Jun 2008 09:55 #19680

Hi everybody, I have to add my 2 cents worth. Same story, seems I've been struggling with this issue since I was 12 yrs old, and have tried many, if not all, of the diets out there, one way or another. Last summer I did manage to lose 30 lbs; I thought it was because I was eating better and gardening (more exercise); also, my appetite had dropped. However, it turned out to be a malignant kidney tumor! (Not a recommended weight loss plan). Now I've regained half of that. I have mild diabetes and arthritis, but knees seem to be good yet. Anyway, my one tip (I got from the dietitian who is helping me with the diabetes) was to greatly increase my fiber intake, as my cholesterol was somewhat high and triglycerides were high. So now I seldom eat white bread, eat a very high fiber cereal most days for breakfast, switched to Smart Balance spread instead of butter, and my favorite snack is a high fiber protein bar by Kashi. They taste great and really add a lot of fiber without added sugar! I don't eat a lot of fruit, either, because of the sugar content. But when I do, I choose the whole fruit over juice. My favorite beverage is coffee; when I need something sweet or chocolate, I look for the sugar-free products, particularly sugar-free hot chocolate. I'm happy to report the diabetes II is under control.
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10 Jun 2008 06:55 #19670

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It is hard work and it doesn't get any easier. I was so happy Sunday morning when I put on a smaller size pair of jeans and they felt good. I did not have to lay on the bed to zip them. That is the second size I have gone down but this morning when I put them on they didn't close quite so easy.

My worst time of day for wanting to snack is from the time I get home from work until we eat dinner. I get of work at 2:30 and on the days I don't go to the nursing home I am home by 3 p.m. Those two hours are very difficult. My husband always has ice cream and donuts on hand and they don't tempt me but yesterday he brought home a slice of someone's birthday cake and I halfed it with him. I like the little rice cakes, especially the carmel and B-Q. I keep fruit but it's not my first choice for a snack. Right now I have a dish of watermelon and cataloupe on hand in the refrigerator.

I did do my 30 minutes on the treadmill and upped the speed and did 1.4 miles to try to burn off the cake.

Sandy
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