by OneMoreBite | Aug 30, 2004 | Drugs & Herbs
Researchers indicated 39 percent of test subjects lost more than 10 percent of their body weight during the one-year study compared to 12 percent of patients on placebo. This is significant as the lead researcher in the study, Luc Van Gaal, associate professor of endrocrinology at University Hospital in Antwerp said, “A 5 to 10 percent reduction of weight leads to a reduction of risk factors by 25 percent to 30 percent.”
Patients were also put on a low calorie diet, so how much effect the pill had is impossible to know, which is the bottom line for any weight loss pill, potion or powder: You still must make a change in your eating habits. No pill can do it all. Despite that disclaimer, the world awaits the first truly useful diet pill and perhaps rimonabant, to be sold under the name Acomplia, will be the one.
While you’re waiting for that magical pill, why not try these 3 easy tips to pulverize your cravings by BodyBuilding.com.
by OneMoreBite | Aug 26, 2004 | Diet Plans
Stop right there for a moment and think about this: In this and similar studies where the effects of eating certain foods are tested, subjects are reporting their own results and compliance. In other words no one is monitoring study participants to see whether they are really eating what they have been asked to eat, or whether they are getting the exercise they have been asked to get. Some may be exercising much MORE than was reported for instance, which would certainly affect results.
The findings at the end of 12 weeks were that the placebo group lost on average just under half a pound. Again, note that this group received no grapefruit, and was asked not to diet but to get 30 minutes of exercise three times a week and they STILL LOST some weight! The group receiving the extract lost 2.4 pounds, the grapefruit juice group lost 3.3 pounds, and the fresh grapefruit group lost 3.5 pounds.
Once again, if the group receiving the grapefruit juice lost 3.3 pounds compared to the group who ate the grapefruit whole at just .2 pounds more, that seems close enough to state that grapefruit is helpful but the extra time and effort to eat the whole fruit isn’t worth it, yet, the study goes on to state additional health benefits derived from eating the whole fruit.
Once again, elaborate studies are required to try and prove what makes good common sense: Eat the foods the earth provides in as close to its natural form as possible and you’ll be the healthiest. Fruits, vegetables, grains in their denatured form (freshly ground wheat as opposed to white flour stripped of all nutrients for instance).
I’m not a health food freak, but I do promote eating more fruit. It’s naturally sweet and delicious (helping with those sugar cravings). Unless you are diabetic or have some other reason to monitor your intake of natural sugars, eating fruit before meals definitely helps in the weight loss game.
“Eat fruit before any meal and you will lose weight,” said Julie Upton, an American Dietetic Association spokeswoman. “The fiber fills you up, and fruit has fewer calories than other foods.” One half a grapefruit has just 60 calories, no fat, and six grams of fiber.
Don’t like naked grapefruit? Sprinkle on Splenda if you must, but eat your grapefruit! Slowly you can wean yourself from the habit of sweetening grapefruit, just use less and less sweetener until one day you say, “My, oh my, it tastes quite delicious just as it is!”
P.S. Certain medications SHOULD NOT be taken at the same time as grapefruit. Be sure to check on any meds you take. A good place to check your meds is DrugDigest.com. Go to “Drug Interactions” use the drop down box to find the drug or drugs you want to check, and make sure the box “Check food interactions” is also checked. For instance the drug Lotrel, prescribed for high blood pressure, DrugDigest.com states, “Do not significantly increase grapefruit juice intake while taking this drug, or avoid grapefruit juice if possible,” so if taking Lotrel, skip the grapefruit idea. It’s important to always check any medications you take to be sure you don’t reduce their effectiveness by other things you regularly consume.
by OneMoreBite | Aug 12, 2004 | Food News
Remember in 1905 a good appetite was necessary if you wanted a longer lifespan. Scrawny folks just had a harder time warding off illness.
The USDA figures show that the steady growth of high-fructose corn syrup, which ballooned from zero consumption in 1966 to 62.6 pounds per person in 2001 also corresponds to the rapid rise in obesity. It is believed that this high consumption of corn syrup is undermining appetite control, the very thing Karo used in it’s advertising. Also from 1965 to 1996 soft-drink consumption increased 287% in boys and 224% in girls, and corn syrup is the primary sweetener used in soft drinks.
Small wonder corn syrup is now being largly blamed for the rampant obesity. Guess they were right about that “making you eat,” thing.
In the interest of fairness, check out the High Fructose Corn Syrup Facts website where they refute this. I wouldn’t have believed it either, but hey, it was a selling point in 1905!
by OneMoreBite | Aug 4, 2004 | EFT Weight Loss
Make special note of the word “may” in their conclusion as it basically renders their conclusion moot. You could just as easily say, may, or may not. Nevertheless, the American Egg Board’s Egg Nutrition Center is going crazy over this study because journalists will no doubt start writing about the findings with blazing headlines, “Eat Eggs, More Likely to Die.”
As the book, How to Lie with Statistics points out, you can make study results appear to support just about any conclusion. Let the buyer beware.
The problem with any study is there is never enough control to know what other factors come into play. In the study cited, there was no dietary information taken other than how many eggs participants ate per week.
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 80, No. 1, 58-63, July 2004
by OneMoreBite | Aug 1, 2004 | Weight Loss Tips
Keeping a food dairy will help you determine if anything you’re eating could be causing symptoms such as hives, water retention, weight gain, or the more serious breathing difficulties. Keep a log, noting how you feel before you eat, what you eat, and then half an hour later again note how you feel. If you notice any odd behaviors such as excessive sleepiness, difficulty breathing, or odd cravings make a note of that as well.
After a week or more, review your notes and see if there are any commonalities. For instance if you notice that every time you eat shellfish you suffer some difficulties breathing, that is a red flag for sensitivity if not outright allergy. Allergic reactions tend to be much more severe, even life threatening, so do not hesitate to ask you doctor if you notice anything unusual, but having already done a week long study of what you eat and how you feel will help your doctor enormously in determine what, if any, food sensitivities you may have.
I’ve done this myself as I was suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness and I began to wonder if it could be due to something I was eating. After taking careful notes for a couple weeks I was able to determine that it was not what I was eating – the results were totally inconsistent. Sometimes I’d be tired after eating, and other times I would not be tired, so actually the food diary helped me to determine I did not have any food sensitivity.
I use the Food & Exercise Diary, but you can simply write what you eat in a small notebook – as long as you take notes, it is helpful. This can also help you pinpoint any particular eating triggers, so pay careful attention to what you write about how you feel before you decide to eat too 😉
by OneMoreBite | Jul 21, 2004 | EFT Weight Loss
It makes perfectly good sense that you wouldn’t want to give up something you enjoy, even if you think/know it would be better if you did. I had to quit smoking about 10 years ago and I say “had” because I didn’t want to. My son was in about second grade and in school they were pushing the kids to go home and tell your parents that smoking is bad, etc. So he did, and I just could not stand it, having my 8-year old know better than I, so I stopped. But I liked smoking–don’t know why, but I did. I still don’t hate the smell 😉
That time quitting was no big deal, because I only smoked outdoors, and never in front of my son, so it was only a few smokes a day. Many years prior to that I had the opportunity to quit when I smoked regularly – up to two packs a day, and had for years. That time an incident occurred that suddenly snapped my decision and that was that.
I did it by the one day at a time approach. Every morning I’d make a decision, yes or no, and I’d say, “Today I will not smoke. If I want to tomorrow, that’s fine, but today, just for today, I will not smoke. I can make it one little day. No matter what comes up, I will make it through this day.”
That’s the general idea anyway. The point is, when you are ready, you’ll be able to do it.
EFT Ideas
Meanwhile, I’d use EFT and tap on the fact that you don’t want to quit. So what, right? Use the EFT, and I’ll bet you end up uncovering lots of “good” reasons, that perhaps dealing with will help in the long run?
“Even though I just don’t want to quit smoking, I deeply and completely accept myself anyway, so there!”
“Even though no one can make me quit if I don’t want to, I deeply and completely accept myself.”
“Even though I’m not ready to quit smoking, …”
“Even though I like smoking, thank you very much …”
“Even though I’m afraid I’ll gain weight if I quit smoking, I deeply and completely love and accept myself from this day forward.”
This happens so often with people wanting to lose weight. I think because there are so many underlying issues that when one thinks in terms of the big picture, i.e. quitting smoking, losing weight, that the real issues are still hidden. Tapping instead on the very idea that you hold at that moment, such as not wanting to stop, is, in my way of thinking, a good idea. Try it, and let us know what you think and how it feels to you?
by OneMoreBite | Jul 19, 2004 | Diet Plans
Er, okay, but what about all the news releases about how the low carb diet works better than the low fat approach? What about that? When will any of this make any sense? It seems to be coming to a head with the low carb diet on one side, and the American Diet too high in meat proponents on the other, and may the best diet, er man, win.
The trouble is, no “diet” will work unless it’s a lifestyle change. The pervasive mentality that “I’m on a diet” is not conducive to long-term weight loss. You must change your mind first, and then the weight loss will folllow. Simply switch from overeating bread to overeating meat is not the answer. Susan Finn, former president of the American Council on Nutrition and Exercise says, “We need to cut down on portion size and get active.” She is not alone.
As a member of the National Registry of Weight Loss I know what’s worked for me (low fat, higher complex carbs), but that doesn’t discount what works for someone else. Many of those listed with the registry (having lost 30 or more pounds and kept it off for at least a year) have had success with different eating plans. The overwhelming majority do exercise regularly so find an activity you like and get moving.
Remember, we are all unique. Pay attention to the headlines, but always keep an open mind. Today’s miracle is tomorrow’s forbidden fruit.
by OneMoreBite | Jul 13, 2004 | Food News
How to Make Pork Rinds
Take the trimmings from any regular pork, put them in a pan in the oven at a low temp (about 150-200 F) and cook them a few hours till they stop popping and sizzling (that should be entertaining too!). Once the music stops that means all the fat has been rendered out and you have pork cracklings, which according to the poster, “Are mighty tasty in themselves!” I can’t say I’ve ever actually eaten Pork Rinds. 😉
Do it Yourself Lard
Strain and save the fat from cooked bacon in a jar in the fridge. That is pure lard: rendered pork fat. Use this in place of oil for sauteing, and when cooking things like fried eggs.
Do it Yourself Suet
Substitute beef trimmings and you get suet (rather than lard), which you can use if your kosher. Remember how tasty the original McDonald’s french fries were? They used beef suet for their oil which vegetarians went crazy about and eventually McDonalds was forced to switch to vegetable oil.
The same thing can be done with chicken skins, too. “Mmmmm crispy chicken skins!”
It all sounds sorta gross to me, but I don’t go in for eating pig skin eater. People that do, love it.
by OneMoreBite | Jul 7, 2004 | Food Safety
How about a bit of Extra Grease with that?
The FDA’s Talk Paper released August 1, 2003 states: “Manufacturers will not (emphasis added) be required to display the 1996 label statement on products containing olestra. However, FDA will require manufacturers to continue adding Vitamins A, D, E, and K to such products. Consumers will now see an asterisk after each of these added fat-soluble vitamins listed in the ingredient statement of products containing olestra. The asterisk will reference the statement, “Dietarily insignificant.” Plain English translation: Look on the label for a teensy mark after Vitamins A, D, E & K. If the asterisk is there, so probably is Olestra.
Now, the FDA has decided to allow the use of Olean® in microwave popcorn. Yipee! Fun for all the family. It wouldn’t be a problem if you stuck to the suggested serving size but who does that? Most people eat the whole bag, even though it says it serves 20 (okay, I’m exagerating. It serves 12). So now folks showing up at their doctors with vague and unspecified intestional symptoms are likely to be treated with any number of tests and medications when a simple, “Avoid eating Olean” would have sufficed. Also, it’s not funny to offer snacks to unsuspecting neighborhood teenagers and watch them one by one get a funny look on their face saying, “I think I need to go home now.”
by OneMoreBite | Jul 7, 2004 | EFT Weight Loss
When I studied herbology it was considered that for every year you’d had a problem, then expecting one month of herb therapy was reasonable, or for every month, one week. So if one has had a weight problem for 10 years, then expecting anything less than a concentrated effort for 10 months is folly.
I think the best way to use EFT for weight loss issues is by using it on our day-to-day struggles, fears, doubts, and any anxiousness over “how long is this going to take.” I know when I decide to start adding healthier habits, I’m checking after an hour or two to see if I can tell a difference. We all want it right now.
My other problem is with weight alone – how much we weigh has nothing whatsoever to do with how we look. People get too fixated on the scale. If I let the scale bother me I’d be a basket case right now because I put on about 7 pounds since last Sept. At first I did the usual, “I’m not doing anything different. I’m eating the same. What’s going on?” routine, and then I realized the truth.
When I moved into a new house last September my exercise routine suddenly stopped entirely. I had been riding my bike 50 minutes six days a week, and doing weight training four days a week. My office was upstairs and I went up and down the stairs probably 20 times a day.
Now everything was turned upside down. My office is on the main level, so I’m no longer going up and down the stairs every day. I didn’t get back into the routine of riding my bike until just a few weeks ago (consistently), and I didn’t get started back to consistent weight training until a few weeks ago either. Yes, I’m eating about the same, but my energy needs had changed drastically. So, in nine months time I put on seven pounds (that included the holiday season). Normally I don’t gain weight over the holidays but this year I did because the added food plus decreased activity was all it took.
So, if I’d been fixated on the scale, I may have just thrown my hands up in despair over the weight gain! Oh, my God, this is horrible and now I feel awful so I’m going to eat something to make myself feel better. I’ll start a diet on Monday.” We’ve all been there. In my case even though some of my pants no longer are comfortable to wear, I just scratched my head, and thought it was strange, but went about my life. It didn’t make me “feel awful” it just was and I accepted it.
Now, I’m back into a steady routine of movement, and the weight is coming back off and now I’m satisfied with that progress. It may take a couple more months, it could take six, I don’t care – I know what I’m doing is what will make the difference, and if my weight suddenly changes despite the exercise and despite eating well, then I’ll look at the medications I’m taking, or my stress levels, or whatever else might be going on.
Use EFT every single day on whatever is going on in your life, and it will become easier and easier to become healthier every day. It takes time to regain health – give yourself that time.
“Even though I wish I could lose this weight faster, I deeply and completely accept myself and I accept that it takes time.”
“Even though I don’t want to wait to see a result, I deeply and completely accept that I’m in a hurry and I want it now.”
Remember too that exercise doesn’t have to mean sports and it doesn’t have to mean horrible boring movements you do in front of the TV. It can mean baking bread (kneading dough is a wonderful exercise), hanging laundry out to dry (I know most people don’t think of that as fun, but hey, movement feels good), washing the car (again, yuck, I know, but wait – don’t you feel invigorated after you do “chores?” I know I do. Turn every chance to move into your “idea” of exercise. Holding that grocery sack out in front of you and lift it a few times as you walk toward the house. It’s all good.
An experimental diet pill, rimonabant, by Sanofi-Aventis SA, the world’s third biggest drugmaker is showing remarkable promise in clinical trials. Called an “Anti-craving” pill, it’s soon to be tested for its effect on smokers as well.
