Here is the latest email from Dr. Jacobs.
The following is an article from Kim Komando:
Are you eating right?
Along with exercise, a good diet is the best thing you can do for your health. It will help you maintain your ideal bodyweight. And it will help you avoid diseases.
We're constantly bombarded with new diets. And we may hear conflicting information about the risks or benefits of certain foods.
So, when you're looking for diet information, visit a reliable source. The American Dietetic Association is one such source you should check.
At its site, you can learn about nutritional needs and maintaining a healthy weight. You'll learn to spot fad diets and how to talk to your kids about weight.
There's also food safety advice. Or, read up on the role nutrition plays in preventing specific diseases. This is one site you should bookmark!
www.eatright.org
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Emotional vs. Physical Hunger
Here is a summary of my Weight Watchers meeting on January 26, 2010.
We eat when we are hungry. We eat when we are happy. We eat when we are sad. We eat when we are bored.
This week’s topic was to try to learn and be able to identify the differences between physical hunger and emotional hunger.
The Eight Traits of Emotional Hunger
Emotional and physical hunger can feel identical, unless you’ve learned to identify their distinguishing characteristics. The next time you feel voraciously hungry, look for these signals that your appetite may be based on emotions rather than true physical need. This awareness may head off an emotional overeating episode.
Source: Virtue, Doreen. Constant Craving A-Z. (Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 1999).
Emotional Hunger
1. Is sudden. One minute you’re not thinking about food, the next minute you’re starving. Your hunger goes from 0-60 within a short period of time.
2. Is for a specific food. Your cravings are for one specific type of food, such as chocolate, pasta, or a cheeseburger. With emotional eating, you feel you need to eat that particular food. No substitute will do!
3. Is "above the neck." An emotionally based craving begins in the mouth and mind. Your mouth wants to taste that pizza or chocolate doughnut. Your mind whirls with thoughts about your desired food.
4. Is urgent. Emotional hunger urges you to eat NOW to instantly ease emotional pain with food.
5. Is paired with an upsetting emotion. Your boss yelled at you. Your child is in trouble at school. Your spouse is in a bad mood. Emotional hunger occurs in conjunction with an upsetting situation.
6. Involves automatic or absent-minded eating. Emotional eating can feel as if someone else’s hand is scooping up the ice cream and putting it into your mouth ("automatic eating"). You may not notice that you’ve eaten a bag of cookies (absent-minded eating).
7. Does not notice or stop eating, in response to fullness. Emotional overeating stems from a desire to cover up painful feelings. The person stuffs herself to deaden her troubling emotions and will eat second and third helpings, even though her stomach may hurt from over-fullness.
8. Feels guilty about eating. The paradox of emotional over eating is that the person eats to feel better and ends up berating herself for eating cookies, cakes, or cheeseburgers. She promises atonements to herself ("I'll start my diet tomorrow.")
Physical Hunger
1. Is gradual. Your stomach rumbles. One hour later, it growls. Physical hunger gives you steadily progressive clues that it’s time to eat.
2. Is open to different foods. With physical hunger, you may have food preferences, but they are flexible. You are open to alternative choices.
3. Is based in the stomach. Physical hunger is recognizable by stomach sensations. You feel gnawing, rumbling, emptiness, and even pain in your stomach with physical hunger.
4. Is patient. Physical hunger would prefer that you ate soon, but doesn’t command you to eat at that instant.
5. Occurs out of physical need. Physical hunger occurs because it has been four or five hours since your last meal. You may experience light-headedness or low energy if overly hungry.
6. Involves deliberate choices and awareness of the eating. With physical hunger, you are aware of the food on your fork, in your mouth, and in your stomach. You consciously choose whether to eat half your sandwich or the whole thing.
7. Stops when full. Physical hunger stems from a desire to fuel and nourish the body. As soon as that intention is fulfilled, the person stops eating.
8. Realizes eating is necessary. When the intent behind eating is based in physical hunger, there¹s no guilt or shame. The person realizes that eating, like breathing oxygen, is a necessary behavior.
Once you have determined which kind of hunger it is you have to set a plan. If you are physically hungry you need to eat. Try to prevent just grabbing anything by planning ahead. Make yourself a secret stash in your car, desk, purse etc. That way you know exactly how many points you are using. You never know when hunger will strike!
If it’s emotional hunger what are you going to do? Come up with a plan to help distract your mind from your emotions. One technique is to always keep your hands busy. Get moving and distract yourself from your thoughts!
We eat when we are hungry. We eat when we are happy. We eat when we are sad. We eat when we are bored.
This week’s topic was to try to learn and be able to identify the differences between physical hunger and emotional hunger.
The Eight Traits of Emotional Hunger
Emotional and physical hunger can feel identical, unless you’ve learned to identify their distinguishing characteristics. The next time you feel voraciously hungry, look for these signals that your appetite may be based on emotions rather than true physical need. This awareness may head off an emotional overeating episode.
Source: Virtue, Doreen. Constant Craving A-Z. (Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 1999).
Emotional Hunger
1. Is sudden. One minute you’re not thinking about food, the next minute you’re starving. Your hunger goes from 0-60 within a short period of time.
2. Is for a specific food. Your cravings are for one specific type of food, such as chocolate, pasta, or a cheeseburger. With emotional eating, you feel you need to eat that particular food. No substitute will do!
3. Is "above the neck." An emotionally based craving begins in the mouth and mind. Your mouth wants to taste that pizza or chocolate doughnut. Your mind whirls with thoughts about your desired food.
4. Is urgent. Emotional hunger urges you to eat NOW to instantly ease emotional pain with food.
5. Is paired with an upsetting emotion. Your boss yelled at you. Your child is in trouble at school. Your spouse is in a bad mood. Emotional hunger occurs in conjunction with an upsetting situation.
6. Involves automatic or absent-minded eating. Emotional eating can feel as if someone else’s hand is scooping up the ice cream and putting it into your mouth ("automatic eating"). You may not notice that you’ve eaten a bag of cookies (absent-minded eating).
7. Does not notice or stop eating, in response to fullness. Emotional overeating stems from a desire to cover up painful feelings. The person stuffs herself to deaden her troubling emotions and will eat second and third helpings, even though her stomach may hurt from over-fullness.
8. Feels guilty about eating. The paradox of emotional over eating is that the person eats to feel better and ends up berating herself for eating cookies, cakes, or cheeseburgers. She promises atonements to herself ("I'll start my diet tomorrow.")
Physical Hunger
1. Is gradual. Your stomach rumbles. One hour later, it growls. Physical hunger gives you steadily progressive clues that it’s time to eat.
2. Is open to different foods. With physical hunger, you may have food preferences, but they are flexible. You are open to alternative choices.
3. Is based in the stomach. Physical hunger is recognizable by stomach sensations. You feel gnawing, rumbling, emptiness, and even pain in your stomach with physical hunger.
4. Is patient. Physical hunger would prefer that you ate soon, but doesn’t command you to eat at that instant.
5. Occurs out of physical need. Physical hunger occurs because it has been four or five hours since your last meal. You may experience light-headedness or low energy if overly hungry.
6. Involves deliberate choices and awareness of the eating. With physical hunger, you are aware of the food on your fork, in your mouth, and in your stomach. You consciously choose whether to eat half your sandwich or the whole thing.
7. Stops when full. Physical hunger stems from a desire to fuel and nourish the body. As soon as that intention is fulfilled, the person stops eating.
8. Realizes eating is necessary. When the intent behind eating is based in physical hunger, there¹s no guilt or shame. The person realizes that eating, like breathing oxygen, is a necessary behavior.
Once you have determined which kind of hunger it is you have to set a plan. If you are physically hungry you need to eat. Try to prevent just grabbing anything by planning ahead. Make yourself a secret stash in your car, desk, purse etc. That way you know exactly how many points you are using. You never know when hunger will strike!
If it’s emotional hunger what are you going to do? Come up with a plan to help distract your mind from your emotions. One technique is to always keep your hands busy. Get moving and distract yourself from your thoughts!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Corn Dog Casserole
Corn Dog Casserole
Source: wilberfamily
Ingredients
1 cup finely minced celery
1/4 c diced sweet onion
14 oz Oscar Mayer turkey dogs (used ff beef dogs)
14 oz Hormel turkey chili, no beans
1 8.5 oz Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg white
1/2 c. skim milk
1/4 c. water
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 oz shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
Instructions
Spray skillet with butter flavor cooking spray. Sauté celery and onion for 5 minutes. Slice hot dogs into thin discs and add to skillet. Cook over med-hi heat for 5-7 minutes. Add turkey chili and heat through. Spray 11x7 pan with cooking spray. Pour skillet contents into pan. Top with cheese. Combine muffin mix, egg white, milk, water, and pepper; pour over hot dog mixture. Bake uncovered 400* for 25 minutes.
Yield: 6 servings= 349 Calories; 11g Fat (27.5% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 58mg Cholesterol; 1523mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch) ; 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat.
Source: wilberfamily
Ingredients
1 cup finely minced celery
1/4 c diced sweet onion
14 oz Oscar Mayer turkey dogs (used ff beef dogs)
14 oz Hormel turkey chili, no beans
1 8.5 oz Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg white
1/2 c. skim milk
1/4 c. water
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 oz shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
Instructions
Spray skillet with butter flavor cooking spray. Sauté celery and onion for 5 minutes. Slice hot dogs into thin discs and add to skillet. Cook over med-hi heat for 5-7 minutes. Add turkey chili and heat through. Spray 11x7 pan with cooking spray. Pour skillet contents into pan. Top with cheese. Combine muffin mix, egg white, milk, water, and pepper; pour over hot dog mixture. Bake uncovered 400* for 25 minutes.
Yield: 6 servings= 349 Calories; 11g Fat (27.5% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 58mg Cholesterol; 1523mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch) ; 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Commit to be Fit
Here is a summary of my Weight Watchers meeting on January 19, 2010.
We all know that exercise is extremely beneficial to our health. Combined with eating healthy,
Exercise :
1. can help burn excess calories
2. is a key skill to weigh maintenance
3. can improve health, energy levels, and mental focus
4. and can give you a feeling of accomplishment.
We can all come up with at least one reason not to exercise but this week really try to focus on getting in a minimum of 10 minutes of activity day. That is your weekly challenge. So come up with the best strategy to suit you. I have included some of the tips listed in the meeting:
1. Stock up on motivating DVDs or videos: You can bring aerobics, toning, yoga, tai chi, kickboxing, belly dancing and all your favorite workouts to you with a solid library of workout videos and DVDs.The library, Hastings, and many other places have such videos available to rent.
2. Try winter cleaning: Nobody ever said you could only perform a major house cleaning in the spring. Vacuum a little faster, scrub a little harder and stretch a little farther for a clean house and a toned you. Put on some dancing music and start shaking your bon bon!
3. Join a group: Look for a mall-walking posse, or join a gym. Having an activity support system might be just the motivation you need. Find a workout buddy that will not only challenge you but encourage you.
4. Move during commercials: We all hate when the commercials come on and interrupt our favorite shows. This week focus on doing some activity during those few minutes. Walk in place, do some situps or pushups maybe even some jumping jacks. Just find a way to move.
5. Parking: Parking farther away is an easy way to get in exercise. Maybe try taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking to a friend’s desk at work instead of phoning or emailing.
Keep in mind that the many benefits of exercise are far better and much longer-lasting than an extra 30 minutes in bed or in front of the television. I have included this email address for some other ideas about getting in a workout while at home http://www.essortment.com/family/homeexerciseto_sxqz.htm
Also for some great tips on how to get exercise into your everyday life go to www.squeezeitin.com These exercises have been seen on Dr. Oz and Good Morning America! At the top of the page you can click on exercises and vuala! Easy things to do during your everyday activities.
We all know that exercise is extremely beneficial to our health. Combined with eating healthy,
Exercise :
1. can help burn excess calories
2. is a key skill to weigh maintenance
3. can improve health, energy levels, and mental focus
4. and can give you a feeling of accomplishment.
We can all come up with at least one reason not to exercise but this week really try to focus on getting in a minimum of 10 minutes of activity day. That is your weekly challenge. So come up with the best strategy to suit you. I have included some of the tips listed in the meeting:
1. Stock up on motivating DVDs or videos: You can bring aerobics, toning, yoga, tai chi, kickboxing, belly dancing and all your favorite workouts to you with a solid library of workout videos and DVDs.The library, Hastings, and many other places have such videos available to rent.
2. Try winter cleaning: Nobody ever said you could only perform a major house cleaning in the spring. Vacuum a little faster, scrub a little harder and stretch a little farther for a clean house and a toned you. Put on some dancing music and start shaking your bon bon!
3. Join a group: Look for a mall-walking posse, or join a gym. Having an activity support system might be just the motivation you need. Find a workout buddy that will not only challenge you but encourage you.
4. Move during commercials: We all hate when the commercials come on and interrupt our favorite shows. This week focus on doing some activity during those few minutes. Walk in place, do some situps or pushups maybe even some jumping jacks. Just find a way to move.
5. Parking: Parking farther away is an easy way to get in exercise. Maybe try taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking to a friend’s desk at work instead of phoning or emailing.
Keep in mind that the many benefits of exercise are far better and much longer-lasting than an extra 30 minutes in bed or in front of the television. I have included this email address for some other ideas about getting in a workout while at home http://www.essortment.com/family/homeexerciseto_sxqz.htm
Also for some great tips on how to get exercise into your everyday life go to www.squeezeitin.com These exercises have been seen on Dr. Oz and Good Morning America! At the top of the page you can click on exercises and vuala! Easy things to do during your everyday activities.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Green Diamonds
Here is a summary of my Weight Watchers meeting on January 12, 2010.
Remember that those lovely green diamond foods are usually the lowest in points, pack the most nutrition, and keep you satisfied for the longest amount of time. I can’t find a downfall with them. I sure don’t like being hungry. Remember that most of the filling foods can also count towards your good healthy guidelines. Ha 2 birds one stone.
Super-Satisfying Temptation Tamers
Other mealtime tricks for pumping up the volume in your food to maximize your satisfaction on fewer calories:
• Start meals with a first course of broth-based soup, vegetable juice or a salad with reduced fat or low-fat dressing. Make sure that first course isn't more than 100 calories. Otherwise, you could end up eating too many calories at that particular meal.
• Eat more vegetables, such as leafy greens, lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, summer squash and onions. In fact, stash them in stews, soups, pasta sauces, pizza and meat loaf. They're high-volume, high-satisfaction, low-calorie superstars because they're loaded with water and fiber.
• Limit very dry foods, such as pretzels, crackers and chips. Dry foods lack water and thus are low in volume. These dry foods pack a lot of calories into a small portion and are easy to overeat. Plus with foods like this….it seems like 10 minutes later you are hungry for something else.
• Choose foods you enjoy, personal satisfaction is the key to long term weight loss. You are more likely to stick with this program if you spend your points on the foods you enjoy. When you deprive yourself of the foods you want you are sabotaging your success and eventually you will give in to those foods and binge. Take advantage of your 35 points. They are your friends, learn to love them!
Remember that those lovely green diamond foods are usually the lowest in points, pack the most nutrition, and keep you satisfied for the longest amount of time. I can’t find a downfall with them. I sure don’t like being hungry. Remember that most of the filling foods can also count towards your good healthy guidelines. Ha 2 birds one stone.
Super-Satisfying Temptation Tamers
Other mealtime tricks for pumping up the volume in your food to maximize your satisfaction on fewer calories:
• Start meals with a first course of broth-based soup, vegetable juice or a salad with reduced fat or low-fat dressing. Make sure that first course isn't more than 100 calories. Otherwise, you could end up eating too many calories at that particular meal.
• Eat more vegetables, such as leafy greens, lettuce, tomatoes, green beans, summer squash and onions. In fact, stash them in stews, soups, pasta sauces, pizza and meat loaf. They're high-volume, high-satisfaction, low-calorie superstars because they're loaded with water and fiber.
• Limit very dry foods, such as pretzels, crackers and chips. Dry foods lack water and thus are low in volume. These dry foods pack a lot of calories into a small portion and are easy to overeat. Plus with foods like this….it seems like 10 minutes later you are hungry for something else.
• Choose foods you enjoy, personal satisfaction is the key to long term weight loss. You are more likely to stick with this program if you spend your points on the foods you enjoy. When you deprive yourself of the foods you want you are sabotaging your success and eventually you will give in to those foods and binge. Take advantage of your 35 points. They are your friends, learn to love them!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Staying on Track
Here is a summary of my Weight Watchers meeting on January 5, 2010.
Here is a shocking fact for you. Did you know that the average person tends to underestimate their daily calorie intake by 500-100 calories a day!!
Studies have shown that people who keep a food diary/journal/tracker of the foods they consume tend to lose 3 times as much weight as those that don’t. Soooo in conclusion we all know how beneficial tracking our points can be but…. That doesn’t mean that it is going to be easy. I have heard hundreds of reasons why we don’t track.
Here are a few of the common tracking pitfalls:
*no time/too busy
*underestimating the points values of restaurant foods
*overestimating your daily activity
*not adhering to portion sizes
*eating mindlessly…these are those BLT’s bites licks and tastes that we tend to “forget” about
*not knowing where to find points values/ not willing to look up points values
Tracking can not only help you lose weight, but it can also help you manage your portions. It can help you learn about what you eat and when you’ve been eating them. It can help determine exactly what time in the day you are getting hungry and help you determine what you can do to prevent that hunger. Tracking is also a good way to keep you focused and consistent with your goals.
So we have already discussed what doesn’t work…now lets focus on what does work:
*tracking both the good and bad…..tracking means tracking everything
*planning ahead- use your pocket guides, food companions, websites, and e-tools to figure out the points values of foods before you eat them.
If you are dining out check out www.dwlz.com before you go to help narrow down your point friendly options.
*don’t let small setbacks throw you off! Nobody is perfect and everybody slips off the tracks a little on this program. The most important thing is to get right back on the very next meal! Don’t give yourself a whole other day…because that’s giving yourself permission to overeat.
*weigh and measure your foods pull out those measuring cups and really be accurate remember if you are going to double serving sizes, you need to double nutrition facts and then recalculate the points values.
*don’t be caught without your pounts slider/calculator keep it someplace handy so that you will always have it when you need it!
1. Remember this week’s challenge is to focus on tracking what you eat. I am looking forward to punching your challenge cards next week with my high-speed star hole punch.
2. Also every time you pick up a fork imagine that pencil on the end and think “Pick up your pencil before your utensil!”
3. All of our baked snacks and 2 point bars are on sale for 1.00 off making them 3.50 until the end of the month. Take advantage of those savings. This sale does include the new almond sensation bars you all sampled this week yummmmm!
4. Last thing- Brookshire’s is having a buy one get one for a penny sale on all of the weight watchers ice creams so if you love them as much as I do you would be smart to check that out!
Here is a shocking fact for you. Did you know that the average person tends to underestimate their daily calorie intake by 500-100 calories a day!!
Studies have shown that people who keep a food diary/journal/tracker of the foods they consume tend to lose 3 times as much weight as those that don’t. Soooo in conclusion we all know how beneficial tracking our points can be but…. That doesn’t mean that it is going to be easy. I have heard hundreds of reasons why we don’t track.
Here are a few of the common tracking pitfalls:
*no time/too busy
*underestimating the points values of restaurant foods
*overestimating your daily activity
*not adhering to portion sizes
*eating mindlessly…these are those BLT’s bites licks and tastes that we tend to “forget” about
*not knowing where to find points values/ not willing to look up points values
Tracking can not only help you lose weight, but it can also help you manage your portions. It can help you learn about what you eat and when you’ve been eating them. It can help determine exactly what time in the day you are getting hungry and help you determine what you can do to prevent that hunger. Tracking is also a good way to keep you focused and consistent with your goals.
So we have already discussed what doesn’t work…now lets focus on what does work:
*tracking both the good and bad…..tracking means tracking everything
*planning ahead- use your pocket guides, food companions, websites, and e-tools to figure out the points values of foods before you eat them.
If you are dining out check out www.dwlz.com before you go to help narrow down your point friendly options.
*don’t let small setbacks throw you off! Nobody is perfect and everybody slips off the tracks a little on this program. The most important thing is to get right back on the very next meal! Don’t give yourself a whole other day…because that’s giving yourself permission to overeat.
*weigh and measure your foods pull out those measuring cups and really be accurate remember if you are going to double serving sizes, you need to double nutrition facts and then recalculate the points values.
*don’t be caught without your pounts slider/calculator keep it someplace handy so that you will always have it when you need it!
1. Remember this week’s challenge is to focus on tracking what you eat. I am looking forward to punching your challenge cards next week with my high-speed star hole punch.
2. Also every time you pick up a fork imagine that pencil on the end and think “Pick up your pencil before your utensil!”
3. All of our baked snacks and 2 point bars are on sale for 1.00 off making them 3.50 until the end of the month. Take advantage of those savings. This sale does include the new almond sensation bars you all sampled this week yummmmm!
4. Last thing- Brookshire’s is having a buy one get one for a penny sale on all of the weight watchers ice creams so if you love them as much as I do you would be smart to check that out!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Let's Get Started
Here is the latest email from Dr. Jacobs.
Happy New Year! I hope you have started your year off well! Here is a tip from Kim Komando on nutrition to get you going:
Eat better
If you’re like millions of Americans, you’ve resolved to lose weight in 2010. Or, maybe your weight isn’t a concern, but you still want to eat better.
In that case, you’ll want to follow the food pyramid set forth by the Department of Agriculture. It will help you achieve a healthy, balanced diet.
But the food pyramid can be difficult to follow. You may need help deciding what category a food falls into. You may also need help with portion sizes.
MyFood-a-pedia can help. It will show you nutritional information on the foods you eat.
It will show you what category a food falls into. It will also help you with portion sizes and food pyramid recommendations.
You can also compare two foods. It really will help you make better choices about the food you eat!
Check it out: http://myfoodapedia.gov/
Happy New Year! I hope you have started your year off well! Here is a tip from Kim Komando on nutrition to get you going:
Eat better
If you’re like millions of Americans, you’ve resolved to lose weight in 2010. Or, maybe your weight isn’t a concern, but you still want to eat better.
In that case, you’ll want to follow the food pyramid set forth by the Department of Agriculture. It will help you achieve a healthy, balanced diet.
But the food pyramid can be difficult to follow. You may need help deciding what category a food falls into. You may also need help with portion sizes.
MyFood-a-pedia can help. It will show you nutritional information on the foods you eat.
It will show you what category a food falls into. It will also help you with portion sizes and food pyramid recommendations.
You can also compare two foods. It really will help you make better choices about the food you eat!
Check it out: http://myfoodapedia.gov/
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