STUCK IN A RUT? HIT A PLATEAU? WHAT TO DO? IT'S UP TO YOU!!

It seems that losing weight can be a struggle. We eat the right things, we begin walking or exercising, we’re drinking tons of water, decaf coffee & tea and suck down quarts of Sassy Water, right? And what happens? We get stuck with no downward numbers on the ‘stupid’ scale. So what gives? Are we cheating too much? Are we eating too much and not getting enough exercise? Or are our bodies resistant to the change?


I found information that might help. This is from the site called Mark’s Daily Apple at http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ There are many suggestions, so you may each find some way to help aide you in ‘jump starting’ your weight loss again. One of the topics we discussed was an intermittent fasting. There are many ways to do these.
One suggestion (brought to us by Dorris) is to do a 24 hour fast. You begin at 3 pm on the first day and end at 3 pm on the second day. Drink plenty of water to keep hydrated, consume no solids and as your tummy begins to grumble with the ‘feed me’ sounds, pray and thank God for your hunger pains. Each time you feel hungry, it is your reminder to pray. I actually tried to find a reference for this but couldn’t find the exact reference that Dorris spoke of. Personally, I have a book written by Jentezen Franklin http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/fasting In this writing are the biblical references for fasting and supportive Bible verses for encouragement and references.

Here is another link for 24 hour fasting: http://www.ehow.com/how_5046856_conduct-hour-fast-health-longevity.html

You may follow the first link for Mark’s Daily Apple to find other suggestions. I prepared handouts for the Break Through Your Weight Loss Plateau and for the book The Primal Blueprint: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-book/the-primal-blueprint I hope these links will provide helpful information for each of you.

OTHER QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:

1. Where can we find the Ezekiel Bread sandwich buns? They can be found at the Drug Emporium in Waco.

2. Is high fructose corn syrup different from fructose? Answers can be found here: http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2008/08/20/4274/the-dangers-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup and here http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/sugars.htm

3. Irregular heartbeat and exercise? Problem, concerns and information: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003081.htm

4. Does body lotion add or absorb fat to your body? Answer yes. Links: http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Lotion-Making-You-Fat?&id=3716754 which led me to other sites for natural/chemical free/homemade products for healthy body care: http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Lotion-Making-You-Fat?&id=3716754 Is your lotion making you fat? There are numerous links for chemical free products and ways to make your own. Basically, in these articles it tells us that our skin (our largest organ) is being poisoned by the chemicals in our lotions, shampoos and fragrances.

Finally, we want to Welcome Clydia D. to our meeting this week. She currently participated in Weight Watchers program but decided to come and ‘check us out’ and to find a little support from our group. Welcome, Clydia!

As a reminder to our friends reading this article~~immediately following our weigh-in, we have Wednesday Family Night Supper and Bible Study at the church. All are welcome to come to join in dinner and stay for prayer and fellowship. We are always happy to welcome and greet newcomers to all of the programs we have at Canyon Creek Church of Christ. http://www.c4oftemple.com/

OKAY, that’s it for this week’s updates. Stay strong, stay healthy and continue to continue. Ask you other friends to join us. Having friends who are supportive makes healthy eating easier.

Let your head be more than a funnel to your stomach.
~~German Proverb





 
~~Cynthia.

Massage Therapy for Tendinitis : Ice Massages for Plantar Fasciitis

Massage Therapy for Tendinitis : Tissue Massages for Plantar Fasciitis

Massage Therapy for Tendinitis : About Plantar Fasciitis

ALL ABOUT YOUR FEET

Meeting of 04-21-2010
This week our conversations were about FEET and EATS.
I brought instructional information about taking care of yourself while walking. The first handout is Feel Great on Your Feet by http://www.walkitoff.com/thrive/feel-great-your-feet/090925594?page=8 it gives pointers about before you begin your walking, what to do while you are walking and information after your walk. There are MANY beneficial tips and I’m certain that each person could take away valuable insights to help make the walking experience better. As I’m reviewing my notes I found one tip that is important for me, as this past week my right foot has been ‘killing’ me!

Here’s the tip: Roll your feel over a tennis ball. Do this for 2 – 3 minutes as you sit at your desk or in front of the television. If your feet feel especially cramped, the recommendation is to fill a tennis ball container with ice, put it in the freezer and then roll your feet over it after your walk. The cold helps control any swelling you may have and numbs the nerves so your feet don’t ache as much.

This tip might also be helpful as this past week I have been experiencing plantar fasciitis. It has been quite painful and I have been using Aleve and Hot & Icy product. I will include a separate blog about this foot problem. There was a series of three videos on You Tube that I found beneficial in relieving the pain in my foot.

The second handout is about the different ways you can lace your walking shoes. There are 6 different ways for the differences in our feet: Slipping heel, pain on top of feet, toe pain, narrow foot, high arch and narrow heel with wide forefoot. This article is also from the Walk It Off site.

Mary brought us an article about the Top 10 Low-Carb Lunches. This handout is available for each member of the group. Please feel free to pick up each of these handouts the next time you attend Slim for Him.

Things we tried as healthy foods this week was the Spinach Feta Hummus that I wrote about a couple of weeks back. Dorris and I both made it—and both recipes were different in taste and consistency. Mine turned out more spicy (more red pepper flakes) and Dorris’ was less spicy. I think had we combined our two, it would have been just perfect. Dorris felt hers was too bland and I thought mine was two spicy, but had we combined it---just right?

Dorris tried a new recipe and says, “It was good!” It is a Betty Crocker recipe of Mandarin Chicken http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes or try this link: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/mandarin-chicken-salad You can scroll enter the recipe title in the search bar to locate the recipe, as well as finding many other good recipes. Many of the recipes are figure friendly and low in calories, so ENJOY!

One more recipe was from the book entitled 1 Mix 100 Muffins by Susanna Tee. Wheat Germ, Banana & Pumpkin Seed Muffins. They are heart healthy and the wheat germ does wonderful things for your digestion and ‘daily sit’, if you know what I mean! Warm them in the microwave for about 5 seconds and a little taste of butter (a small indulgence) to really bring out the yumminess of the muffin. 1 Mix, 100 Muffins

BURN FAT? IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE?

Go ahead.........Eat an Egg.

This week at Slim for Him, we talked about an article called Eat This, Burn Fat! From the Prevention Magazine publication Walk it Off. Note: You can find it now at most check out counters in your local grocery store. Thanks Dorris for the magazine!

The highlights of this article are that there are 15 foods that aide in burning fat. They are:

• Low-fat milk

• Low-fat yogurt

• Swiss cheese

• Oats

• Barley

• Green tea

• Eggs

• Walnuts

• Almonds

• Salmon

• Apples

• Pears

• Sweet peppers

• Flaxseed

• Vinegar

Other up-and-coming fat fighters:

• Blueberries

• Grapefruit

You can read more about the benefits of these foods and how they can aide in you goal of weight loss.

This edition of the magazine has many good articles to read. We made copies of some of our favorite recipes, but if you go to the link you will find MUCH more, including more recipes, tips for better eating, exercise facts, a log-in for those that want to follow the online pages AND subscription information for Prevention publications. On the home page you can sign up to participate in the Walk it Off program. Here’s the link: http://www.walkitoff.com/ Check it out.

You might enjoy checking out this page for the Best You Magazine: http://byh.ktvmedia.com/

Another topic of discussion was brought to us by Mary N. She ordered a collection of guided weight loss tapes aka hypnosis. Think and Lose is the title of this DVD class.

Here’s the bio and the link for further information>>

Nationally Certified Clinical Hypnotist, Donald J. Mannarino, M.A. perfected his incredibly powerful and successful skills as a clinical hypnotist for several major health organizations such as The American Heart Association (1978-1986), as well as for numerous hospitals and corporations for over 30 years. In private practice since 1978, Don sees many clients for Weight Loss, Smoking Cessation, Insomnia, Stress, Pain, ADHD, Sports Enhancement, Drug & Alcohol Addiction, as well as many other diverse applications of clinical hypnosis. http://www.donmannarino.com/

Mary brought up the question of, “what is lavash?” Well, I looked that up. It is a Middle East type of flatbread. You can find in now in most markets, but you can make your own. I’ve found a page that I really liked for the recipe. It seems easy and not very expensive to make. This is the page-- http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2008/11/lavash-crackers-again-with-roasted-bell.html

Finally, we want to welcome Linda R. to our group. She has been dieting (on her own) for a little while and even before joining out ‘little group’ she has lost 12 pounds!!! Congratulations on your weight loss success.

My parting thought this week …WHAT DO YOU EAT FOR BREAKFAST?

If everyone would come prepared to tell us what you eat, when you eat it and is it satisfying to eat? Does it hold the hunger bunnies away until your next 400 calorie meal?

And don’t forget…bring any topics or questions you have to group. I’ll do my best to research and find answers or links for everyone.

BURN THE FAT LADIES—AND REMEMBER TO BELLI LAFF!

Mirth is God's medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it. ~Henry Ward Beecher

Discover the Health Benefits of Eating Prunes: The Wrinkly Fruit That's Remarkably Healthy

Discover the Health Benefits of Eating Prunes: The Wrinkly Fruit That's Remarkably Healthy

Dorris enjoys eating prunes every evening before bedtime. While searching for information of the benefits of eating them--other than just tasting good--I found that there are MANY BENEFITS especially good for our mature women (those past menopause). Read the article and you many follow the numerous links for more information to healthy eating (and eliminating). Keep smiling! and eat your prunes.......funny, my mom used to tell me that. ~~C.

WALK--DON'T RUN!

Once again our group was VERY small this week. Where are all of our participants? This week there were only two of the regulars—Dorris and myself. Dorris was happy to have lost weight and I was happy that I only gained a few ounces. Although my jeans are fitting much better, the scale went the wrong way. It went up!! Sheesh!!

I think we need better participation, better encouragement between member in our group AND we need to be setting attainable goals. Eating healthier foods and preparing healthier menus is the primary goal of our group. The side benefit is that we will lose weight and get flat bellies! Wouldn’t that be nice? I think so.

Why the title? Walk—Don’t Run

Well…one of the easiest ways to burn calories, relax and enjoy the beautiful Texas weather is to walk. (there is no need to run or jog) There are many benefits to walking and I found an essay by John McDevitt entitled Walking for Inspiration. The opening line says, “Walking for inspiration is like dancing slowly with yourself. Your mind gliding effortlessly from thought to thought as you move to the rhythm of your footsteps.”

I like that first line. How many times is your mind cluttered with worries and cares, yet when you walk—and for me, I listen to inspirational music on my Zune—you find that your mind clears, you relax and you are prepared again for the rest of your day. It has a calming effect and it’s really good for your body. The entire writing by John was copied as a handout for each of you. You may pick up a copy at the next meeting.

Along with that handout, I prepared a Walking Journal page. It is an easy way for each person to track the date, time of day, weather and either miles, steps or amount of time walking. This too is a handout.

Another handout was from Medicinenet.com and it is the Top 10 reasons to walk. Should want to go directly to the site, this is the address: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=81245

NEWS! We have another new participant. Welcome to Trudy S.! We are happy to have you join our group. Note: We have a tracking sheet which includes your name, beginning date, beginning weight and measurements. If you haven’t started a tracking sheet, please see one of us to fill it out and get going.

Some of the topics we talked about Wednesday afternoon:

What is gout and how does it affect us? Are there diets that help with this arthritic condition? Here is information regarding the topic: http://www.medicinenet.com/gout/article.htm and http://arthritis.about.com/cs/goutdiet/a/goutpurines.htm

When we start our day eating carbs, why are we hungry all day long? Go to: http://www.ehow.com/how_5027964_stop-feeling-hungry-time.html

We also talked about gluten free eating: http://www.ehow.com/how_5027964_stop-feeling-hungry-time.html and http://www.bobsredmill.com/

This question was presented by Trudy: “can wheat germ be gluten free” Answer: No. Please see the gluten free eating sites for further information.

I’ve been reading two new books. The first is written by Jorge Cruise and is entitled The Belly Fat Cure. ISBN 978-1-4019-2781-9 Check it out. The second book is by Kelly Rudnicki called The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book. ISBN 978-1-57284-102-4 You can find them in your local library—oh! That would be the Temple Library for me and that would mean you have to wait until I return it before you can take it out for yourself.

Finally, we have a money jar or ‘kitty’ started for those of us that have gained weight. In other words, if you gain weight back at weigh-in, you have to put money in as a penalty. We talked about this and here is a guideline I thought might be workable for us, but you ladies can give us your input. We want to make it enough to hurt a little, but not so much as to hurt a lot. The goal is to make us aware of where we are at while dieting. Here is the guide: .1 to 16 ounces (1 pound) = $1.00, 1 pound – 2 pounds=$2.00, etc. We haven’t decided what we would do with this money, but the hope is that the ‘kitty’ stays small. If it stays small, it means we are losing weight and winning the battle of the belli!!!!!

That’s all for this week.
Wishing you all a healthy and active week.
~~C.

Other references for you to look at:

http://www.mapmywalk.com/ , http://walking.about.com/ , http://www.thewalkingsite.com/faq.html ,

http://www.medicinenet.com/walking/article.htm and http://www.startwalkingnow.org/


Love yourself--walk!!!

WINNING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE??

Okay friends, it seems that right now everyone is NOT on board with this weight loss program. Our group was VERY small this week. Hullo!!! It was Dorris, Mary and ME. For those of us that are part of this group, we need everyone’s participation. Also, you can invite your friends that seem to be struggling with unhealthy eating habits and continual weight gain. WE ARE NOT A SCARY GROUP OF SIZE 2 LADIES! We are regular sized and figurely woman (yes, this means generous curves and all) who are attempting to be a healthier version of ourselves. Additionally, this group is NOT just for the ladies. If any of the men out there want to join, we would be happy to have them join in.

Now, this week we tried the recipe for the Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. It was especially tasty and the chips that I found were purchased at Marshall’s and are made from lentil and adzuki beans. The manufacturer of these chips is The Mediterranean Snack Food Company with the web link: http://www.mediterraneansnackfoods.com/ these, too, are figure friendly. If you check out their site it has links to their other products and good recipes.

For our next weigh-in, I hope to make the other recipe handout—Spinach and Feta Cheese Hummus. Here’s hoping for another ‘winner’.

By preparing and sharing some of the recipes, we are able to taste-test-together. Isn’t it always more funner to eat together???

ASPARAGUS!! What a wonderful vegetable! I love it, but what was interesting is that Kathy Ybarra gave Dorris a handout about the cancer benefits of eating it. Although, it was an interesting article, I did research it a little further and the handout is actually part of a health urban legend. There is no substantiation to this printed handout. Now—I’m not saying it shouldn’t be eaten, but it does put a huge responsibility on this sweet spring veggie! I am providing another link that gives the benefits of this succulent cousin to the lilies. Here is the link: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=12

GARLIC—OH MY! Another veggie that is in the same family as asparagus. Personally, I don’t like to chop and dice my own garlic, so I was investigating the type crushed garlic I find at both Wal-Mart and HEB. The brand I have currently in my kitchen is from: http://www.christopherranch.com/ and the conversion between crushed and clove is: 1 clove of fresh garlic = 1 tsp. crushed in the jar. This should make your cooking a little simpler.

BRAS (this article is just for the ‘girls’).
As our weight fluctuates, does it seem your bra just doesn’t fit correctly? Maybe, it’s time for a bra fitting. Or…if you’re too shy to have it done in one of the better department stores with the help of the intimate apparel clerks, you can figure it out for yourself. Here are two pages for you to look at: http://www.lindasonline.com/bra-school http://www.wikihow.com/Measure-Your-Bra-Size
Hope this helps your ‘girls’ feel happy and content with their daily covering.


Well, that’s all for this week. Have a Warm, Wonderful and Happy Easter. Go ahead~~splurge~~ eat some Peeps!! and remember Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

~~C.

P.S. DON’T FORGET TO WALK AND EXERCISE! IT BURNS CALORIES AND MAKES YOUR BODY HAPPEEEEE!