One of my favorite food quotes: "Nobody gets fat off peas and carrots"

True :).  Another favorite quote - you are what you eat..... A favorite statistic....is that 60% of weight loss is about nutrition!  So hence all my ramblings about food.

We are on this journey for not just weight loss but a healthier lifestyle.  Let THAT (a healthier lifestyle) be our primary focus and the weight loss will become as a result of that!

I have read and really have discovered the reason we eat is not for the reason it was 'intended' that being out of necessity.  There are many reasons why we eat.  Become concious of that.  When you go to the fridge or cupboard, stop and think about why you are there?  When I did my detox diet of all liquid and pureed vegetables, I truly missed that chewing portion of eating..........I could not believe the intensity for which I was craving chewing something!  But, it made me really come face to face with why I was eating...........the fact that I went 21 days with just drinking and slurping my food - and didn't really get hungry was probably one of the biggest shockers for me.  And the fact that on day 21 I wasn't ready to devour anything in sight.......I honestly felt I could go longer.  This detox diet I did is not for everyone and I'm not sure I could do it again...........but it was a REAL eye opener for me.  A lot of what we do is habit.  BE STRONGER THAN THAT HABIT!  This is about overcoming the lack of willpower that has brought you to where you are now.  You have to work at this....this is not going to be easy or come quickly.   Self Discipline and control.

So back to food.....what we are putting in our bodies is going to nourish and fuel us.  You put junk in, you feel like junk.  You put nutritionally rich food - you are going to get energy and good nutrition from this.  Pretty simple....and something we all know.  But how do we incorporate this into everyday?

Here are the current recommend daily allowances

http://www.mypyramid.gov/guidelines/PolicyDoc.pdf

So make a goal of increasing those fruits and vegetables primarily...........these will fill you up and give you the nutrients first and for most you need.  Our diets are lacking this food group more than any other food group.....so make that a big goal for you.  Try new fruits and veggies you have not tried before.   The best option - fresh - bought from the produce aisle......second choice - frozen and last option - canned.  You are going to enjoy the taste of the fresh SO much more - the texture, the freshness, etc.  This will take more time to cook and prepare but this will be SO worth it!  Play with seasonings and different ways of cooking these items......you will be surprised how much more you will enjoy cooking and food!!

Another important tip to remember.........about any food that is 'convienent' or fast is probably not a good or the best option.  That is where reading the labels (next blog entry) is really important and also meal planning.  Anticipate what you are going to need to buy by having some meal ideas ahead of time.

Here is some good info:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/fy/fy52200.pdf

There are many, many good websites for recipes, cooking and meal planning........check out the resources box and here are some more:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/healthy-eating/index.html

http://www.mealsmatter.org/

http://www.healthy-eating-made-easy.com/healthy-meal-planning.html

http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm

4 Simple Shopping Rules

• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, where fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and fish are usually located. Avoid the center aisles where junk foods lurk.
• Choose "real" foods, such as 100% fruit juice or 100% whole-grain items with as little processing and as few additives as possible. If you want more salt or sugar, add it yourself.
• Stay clear of foods with cartoons on the label that are targeted to children. If you don't want your kids eating junk foods, don't have them in the house.
• Avoiding foods that contain more than five ingredients, artificial ingredients, or ingredients you can't pronounce.

Well, what comes after peeing all the time with all the water you need to drink......#2 of course!!

Ok, here comes my rant about fiber and pooping! Tish - be warned.........this won't be graphic, but I'll be typing the word poop quite a bit!  I learned a lot about digestive health and the necessity of stooling after reading my 21 pounds in 21 days.  The analogy that really got me to really get this was, your intestines are like a garbage can.......it needs to be emptied often otherwise it and what is in it will rot!  Ew, right?  So, we don't need to go into the specifics about who poops and how often......we all know how regular or irregular we are.  I am going to bet we aren't 'emptying' like we should.  But the most important thing in relation to this is, are you eating enough fiber??? 

Do you realize the typical American diet contains about 10gms of fiber a day?  Did you know your body needs 20-35gms a day!  And, no - these does not mean run right out and buy the FiberCon or Fiber Choice you see on the shelf......just like everything else, there is not a magic pill that will do this for you!  The answer is - EAT FOOD that gives you these things.....gives you the vitamins that you may or may not be taking daily, the supplements that are promised to give you the easy fix.  KEEP IT SIMPLE.  You have all the things your body needs in the food we can buy!!!

There is no better way to get the energy, vitamins and requirements your body needs by just eating the right food!  And that means FRUITS AND VEGETABLES!!! 

Make it a goal during this weight loss competition to start paying attention to how much fiber your food has.  Pick the option that has more fiber.......and typically this means foods that might not always have a label - fruits and veggies!

And, much like the water bit - your body is going to have a hard time adjusting at first.  You are probably going to feel real bloated and gassy adding that much fiber to your diet.......it is an adjustment period.  Your body has been used to not having that much 'roughage'.......give it some time.

Also eating high fiber foods give you that 'full' feeling longer and faster.......that also helps with weight loss.  I'm not saying poop yourself to lose weight but if you can 'clean' your gut the more nourishing foods you eat are going to give you better nutrition and help in your digestion - that is going to give you the energy you need and not neccessarily in the form of diet soda or coffee!  Eat these foods designed to nourish and energize you - you will see a difference!!!

Weight Loss and Changes toward a healthy lifestyle does not come over night!  But persisitence is key!  It's not easy and without pain - you have to overcome these challenges.......it is very much a mental thing and you need to talk yourself into a lot of things you are not going to want to do.  The best way to break a bad habit is to drop it.  ~Leo Aikman

EXCELLENT article on how the colon works and different types of fiber and benefits:

http://www.gicare.com/diets/high-fiber-diets.aspx

http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/fiber-health.php

Now onto more info about high fiber foods:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fiber-foods/NU00582

http://commonsensehealth.com/Diet-and-Nutrition/High_Fiber_Food_Chart.shtml


The big thing I want you to notice here...........the food listed....they are REAL food!  They aren't packaged, processed or highly advertised or a gimmick!  Keep it simple and keep it real!!!  There will be more info about that!

The first step to a healthier you - water

Here is a good place to start......commit to drinking water. You know the drill 8-10 glasses.  I know we've heard it a thousand times......and believe me, I know how hard it can be.  I have always found, when you first start this healthy choice it seems like SUCH a chore....It doesn't taste like anything and it doesn't caffeinate me.......so what's the point? :)  But I have found that the more you drink...the more you pee (DUH!?!...at the beginning that is) but this will all equalize out after a short period of time and you will begin to quench this water and you will not be peeing quite so much.  Our bodies have been retaining so much water due to the food we eat, including the large amounts of sodium in a typical diet......we need to flush it out and balance.  So, it will be terrible to begin with......but then your body adjusts and you really will only be wanting to drink water. 

http://www.inch-aweigh.com/water.html

http://www.caloriesperhour.com/tutorial_water.php

But I've also included this article that explains why it needs to be water, not anything but.......especially not these sugary drinks..this include sports drinks, vitamin waters, seltzer waters, energy drinks,etc.

http://www.guppyweightloss.com/the-importance-of-water-replacing-those-sugary-sodas-with-water#

All these sugary drinks have things in them you do not need! This also leads me to bring up 'sugar free' drinks......most contain aspartame, splenda or other artificial sweeteners that make your sense of taste satisfied but your body is not always fooled by the sugar substitute.  These sugar free beverages are NOT a better choice or an alternative to water, no matter what the label says!

There are many many articles on the web that talk about this......and it is such a struggle because you want the reduced calories so you can enjoy these things.......but if the alternative isn't actually helping you, then why do it?

Here are just some of the links I've found....but do your own search and see what you can find and learn about this!  Do not let the ads, labels and food industry fool you.......they are out to make money and will make you think that you are doing the right thing.......educate yourself!

http://www.womentowomen.com/healthyweight/splenda.aspx

http://www.thedietsolutionprogram.com/content/2010/05/how-artificial-sweeteners-are-making-you-fat/

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/why-you-may-want-to-ditch-artificial-sweeteners-and-3-smart-ways-to-stop-sweet-cravings-2048619

First Posting for the Competition

Sounds like we have a fair number of folks interested in the Biggest Loser competition.  So far these are the people I hear that will be actually competing: Tish and Steve Krause, Mandy & Dennis Reckward, Bobbie Broadwater, Travis Scanlan, Tasa, Scott and Megan Deden.
We would love to get more involved so be sure to pass it on to anyone I may have missed originally or if anyone is considering - please talk them into it.  We are going to offer so much great information and encouragement to each other - I'm looking forward to it.

It sounds like many people would like to start the competion April 1st.  Just checking to see if Friday April 1st would be a day that everyone could swing by my house to do the first 'weigh in'.  Anytime during that day that you are avilable, stop by my house and we will do all the weigh ins on my Wii Fit and all the information will be confidential and I will be the only one to keep track of weights.

To go over rules again - for those competing - we charge $50 and put it in a 'pot'.  At the end of the 3 month competition, we will give the Top 3 Biggest Losers the pot.  The person losing the highest percentage of body weight will get 50% of the pot, the 2nd highest 30% and third will get 20%. 

Below I have listed a number or websites that I have personally found helpful in finding out information on exercise, nutrition, calorie counting and cooking.  Please start browsing through those if you haven't seen them already.  Also, if you have some that you would like to share, let me know, I will get them posted!

I plan on writing a blog entry time to time of some of the great inspirational and motivating info that I have discovered along the way.  I personally learned some extremely important information about our food industry, the way we digest food, and have found the balancing of carbs and counting of calories have been keys to success in the journey I have taken so far.  I have really lost my motivation and am very excited to start this competition to get serious about this again!

So, comment to this blog to let me know if and when you might be able to weigh in on April 1st!