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As people who are trying to live healthy lives and lose weight in a rational manner (notice I did not use the word DIET here!) We are constantly bombarded with new ideas, concepts, studies, and gimmicks for weight loss... Larger people are always targeted - because the sales people know that WE are desperate to lose weight, many of us would go to any extreme to lose weight. We are sitting ducks for people waiting to take advantage of us.

Our number one defense against these outrageous claims is our own common sense, though most of the time we WANT to believe these things so very much that we ignore what we know is true. It's time to debunk the diet myths - and rediscover what we knew all along - that eating RIGHT is the key to losing weight... Take a look at the list and see how many things you've been tricked into believing!

• Brown bread is a good source of fiber...

Don't count on that one! The label says it all, don't buy anything without checking the facts AND the label! You'll see lots of 'brownish' breads on the shelves of your local grocery store, but they get their gorgeous brown color from caramel coloring agents and their fiber content is ridiculously low! What do you look for when you are reading the label? First - just how many grams of fiber ARE in each slice? Anything over the normal 0 to 1 grams is doing good, but don't stop there... Look at the ingredients, is whole wheat flour the first ingredient? If it is, you've got a good bread in your hand - see anything that says 'enriched' or just flour and they are selling you a nice loaf of pretty colored bread, no better for you then the loaf of white sitting right next to it.

• Carbohydrates go straight to your stomach, hips, and thighs...

It's amazing how many people believe this one... Calories are calories - if you get too many - you get fat. You don't get fat thighs, you don't get fat tummies - you get fat ALL OVER! *lol* While genetics dictate where you will gain the most - it has nothing to do with what you have ingested - it has everything to do with getting too many CALORIES and the same thing is going to happen if you eat too much fat, or too much protein, or too much sugar... It all comes down to the calories and nothing else.

• Protein is the best food for energy...

Sorry, but those much-maligned carbohydrates win this battle hands down! Carbohydrates are the most readily available source of glucose that your body has. Glucose is used as fuel to power your brain, muscles, and nervous system. In fact, your body generally burns fat and protein for energy only when its store of carbohydrates are low... In essence your body starts eating itself - not only the fat, but organ and muscle tissue also. That is why it's so dangerous to be on a low carb diet for any length of time. So, if you are going to work out, or heading out for a run - be sure to include a meal rich in carbohydrates before hand. Give yourself the energy to exercise to your full potential. ;-)

There is research to suggest that you should make sure you get enough protein at each meal though... In general, people who have not ingested enough protein as part of their meal tend to get hungry quicker then those who HAVE had enough protein. When people start watching what they are eating, they most often rush to cut fat from their diet, and protein gets chucked out the window with it... that leaves a diet heavy in carbohydrates, and because the body burns carbohydrates it tends to make you want to eat more often. Just another reason why a balanced diet is the most important, and best thing you can do for your body.

• Snacking makes you gain weight...

Actually, snacking can help you lose weight if you do it in a healthy fashion! That's right, instead of starving through your coffee break - if you snack on a piece of fruit or another wholesome high fiber pick - you could end up eating LESS at lunch or dinner because you won't be starving when you sit down to your meal! Doctors all agree, several small meals through the day is much better for us then three regular (or large) meals each day! So have a snack and don't feel guilty about it!

• If you are craving it, you must need it...

In all truth, when your body craves something - the link to what you are craving may not be all that obvious... For example, women who don't get enough calcium are more likely to crave salty foods rather then calcium rich foods! People who have a low iron problem can crave tomatoes or lettuce, and if protein is lacking - pineapple can become the binge of choice! Another reason to get that balanced diet - if you are eating what your body needs those binges and cravings start to subside. It won't make those 'emotional' cravings go away, those comfort cravings have nothing to do with food and food will never 'fill' them up... But if your craving is truly deficiency related - then balanced nutrition is certainly going to make it easier to deal with!

Emotional cravings are harder to deal with because they can't be filled with food - but that doesn't stop us from trying... Your daily trip to the vending machine may be your subconscious way to deal with stress. Cutting yourself off from certain foods and making them bad - is hard to maintain because restrictive eating leads to overindulging. It's only is it natural to want what you can't have. Try to fill the hunger by taking a walk, drinking a glass of water, or even taking a nap. Make yourself take a few minutes or hours before you give into that temptation, and when or if you DO give in - just have a PORTION of what you are craving. Instead of a whole package of cookies - have one. Let yourself have that comfort if you really must, but limit it - and maybe there will come a time when you can completely cut out your need for that certain food.

• One truth to live by - for a more healthful diet - eat in COLOR!

Sample every hue of fruit and vegetable to get a broad array of phytochemicals, the naturally occurring compound in plants that have been linked to lowering your risk of cancer and heart disease. Your goal - should you choose to accept it - eat five to nine brilliant-colored servings per day!

Stop thinking white meat only! The dark meat of poultry is richer in iron and lean red meats pack even MORE iron! (Iron is the one thing that most people are lacking enough of!) Coral-colored salmon contains heart healthy fats, and yellow colored egg yolks have antioxidants found in no other animal protein. You should be targeting two to three servings of healthy, good for you, protein rich foods - and color here is another contributing factor. Vegetarians can look to colorful dried beans and lentils (which are also rich in fiber) along with brown nuts to find minerals and beneficial fats!

Grains need to be Technicolor too! Reach for brown rice instead of white, whole grain breads and pastas are great sources of nutrition, fiber, and antioxidants! Your goal - around six servings per day!

• Try to remember, too much of a good thing is NOT a good thing...

It's important not to go overboard on any one food type. In order to feel satisfied, your best bet is to strive for a 'mixed meal' which contains carbohydrates, at least two ounces of protein, and even some good for you fats. Looks for things with low glycemic index's which have little or no effect on blood and which are slower to digest to help you feel full longer. Make sure you get plenty to drink (some people DO get confused and THINK they are hungry when their body is actually craving moisture!)

How many calories do you REALLY need?

We all know that the best way to tell if we are eating the correct amount of calories is by the fit of our clothes, by the losses we see when we step on the scale, and by how we are doing physically... But if you would like to estimate the number of calories you need at our age, all it takes is a little math... (Sorry to leave you guys out, but this calculation is for women - I'll see if I can find a formula for you for next weeks newsletter!)

Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2, then multiply that number by 21.6. Finally, multiply that number by 1.3 (for sedentary people) or 1.5 (for lightly active people) or 1.7 (for moderately active people) or 1.9 (for very active people) to get the total number of calories. This will provide a rough estimate of the number of calories that you need to maintain your current weight. Individual needs can vary significantly. In most cases, cutting 500 calories per day will allow you to lose about a pound a week safely.

Your calculation is going to look something like this...

200 divided by 2.2 = 91 (number rounded UP)

90 times 21.6 = 1944

1944 times 1.3 = 2527

times 1.5 = 2916

times 1.7 = 3304

times 1.9 = 3693

Oh No! Flabby arms have you down? How about some simple exercises that may help firm that flab - it won't go away but you sure can make a difference in how much is there!

• One arm row with tricep extension... (tones back, shoulders and triceps)

Grasp a dumbbell in your right hand. (Use a small weight if you are just starting and work up - I suggest a two or three pound dumbbell to start with - then moving up to a five pound when the weight no longer feels like it's offering any resistance.) Place your left knee and a palm on a chair and bend forward until your back is almost parallel to the chair. Extend right arm straight down toward the floor with palm facing the chair. Squeeze shoulder blades and lift weight to chest level. Keeping right arm close to torso, straighten elbow and extend arm back. Hold for one second. Return to squeezing your shoulder blades and then go back to the start. Do 12 to 15 repetitions of this, switching arms and repeating.

• Upright row and lateral raise... (tones upper chest and shoulders)

Stand with feet hip-width apart, abs contracted, buttocks tucked under. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing thighs. Keeping shoulders relaxed, lift weights to chest level until elbows for a wide "V." Lower elbows to shoulder level and extend arms to sides, palms facing down. Keeping elbows soft, lift weights 1 - 2 inches above shoulders. Start again... Do 12 to 15 repetitions of this.

• Bicep curl and shoulder press... (tones biceps and shoulders)

Stand with feet hip-width apart, abs pulled in and buttocks tucked under. Hold weights at sides with palms forward. Slowly curl weights to shoulders, keeping arms close to your sides. Rotate palms outward and raise arms over head. Make sure to keep arms in line with ears and shoulders relaxed. Return to start position. Do 12 to 15 repetitions of this.

This weeks road test was more of an experiment then an actual road test... As you all know I am really into low fat, not just 30% low fat - like the American Dietetic Association recommends, but low, low fat - 10% and under, like several books including Susan Powter's FOOD and Dr. Dean Ornish's Eat More, Weigh Less have suggested. I've heard that increasing your fat intake could help you feel 'fuller' and make you more satisfied - so on a whim, I gave it a try...

After almost a year on this very low fat diet - it was hard to increase my fat intake without going to the extreme and eating things like french fries and fat laden cakes (my poison of choice. *lol*) It meant re-thinking how I ordered my meals, rethinking how I prepared my meals and what I prepared at home, and generally took MORE thought then I thought it would! ;-)

You may be wondering what sparked my sudden interest in this... Well, I went out for my birthday dinner at The Outback Steak House, and instead of getting my regular 'Grillers' dinner, I decided to live it up and have the Alice Springs Chicken, which is a grilled chicken breast covered in mushrooms, cheese, and honey Dijon sauce, served with french fries. Of course how can you go there without having the Blooming Onion? And dipping it in the sauce... I noticed that I got a whole lot fuller a whole lot faster - absolutely NO room for dessert, and I hadn't even finished my meal! Strange for me, who can down the Griller dinner, the rice that comes with it, the salad, a slice or two of that warm brown bread, and STILL want dessert! It sparked my interest in trying to see what differences I saw in the 10% diet and the 30% diet. I started with small things - instead of having the waitress leave the grated cheddar cheese and guacamole off of my chicken fajita salad, I just left off the sour cream. Instead of taking the chicken skin off the chicken breast BEFORE I cooked it, I left it on and removed it after it was cooked. Small things like that, and a few additions of what I would not have allowed myself in the past, like lite ice cream sandwiches with 2 grams of fat in the, low fat cheeses at home instead of non-fat, and 1% milk instead of skim. It's harder then it would seem for a gal who only used non-fat things for so long!

My totally unscientific results? I actually did feel more satisfied eating this way! I found that I got to experience more flavors (or at least I seemed to), on the whole - satisfied with less. My mood improved (they tell me that limiting my fat so severely could cause depression) and it was fairly easy to still keep my calories under 2000 per day. Now there are some things I won't compromise on... My non-fat cream cheese - why in the world would I use up 70 calories per serving for LOW fat when I can get a serving of non fat for 30 calories? I don't mind 'spending' an extra 10 or 15 calories per cup of milk to go from skim to 1%, but when you jump from 30 to 70? I don't think so... *lol*

My take on this whole thing? If you are going from not watching at all to low fat - strive for 30% because that IS low fat and it's _do-able!_ If you are already going low fat, or super low fat like I was, if you can fit a bit of fat - GOOD fat - into your diet without going overboard with calories - then you may see a difference in how much it takes to 'fill' you up and to feel satisfied. I'm NOT telling everyone to go out there and eat fat - please don't think that, what I am saying is that perhaps a bit of good fat can make a good difference in your plan. Don't splurge that fat on frivolous things like french fries and cakes and cookies, make those fat grams count for you... Olive oil, avocados, walnuts, salmon, things that have those good for you fats in them is what you should allow yourself in moderation. Because what it all boils down to, is not the weight loss itself, but the healthy body that looks good and feels even better. Not only thin, but strong, and nourished and ready to take on the world - that's what our goal should be!

Howdy, everyone!

I hope that everyone has had a great summer! It is really hot here, and although I prefer hot weather over cold I can feel a toss up coming on! Well, the last two weeks have been good. I have recently experienced a very odd eating behavior in myself: a need to have peanut butter. I found a great recipe in one of my mother's magazine right before the fourth of July, coincidentally it was for a "silk peanut butter pie". Now being me, I do not cook, I can bake the best cake you will ever try, sadly though I can not say the same for my culinary skills. Back to the pie story, so there I was reading this fabulous recipe and thought to myself "Hey! I can give this a very low-fat whirl." Just as Texas is hot and dry did I make that wonderful pie, and it was so very yummy. That was the beginning of my peanut butter fascination. I have been craving peanut butter left and right, the odd part is that I really don't care for it. This made me go back over my eating habits for the past month, it must be linked to a lack of something my body needs that I am not getting in my daily food ration. I do eat meat, so I knew it couldn't be protein. Believe it or not it was that I was not getting enough green vegetables. Over the last 4 days I have upped my veggie intake and the peanut butter fixation is over! I am still losing a pound to two pounds a week, so that is making me happy. I notice that I feel better and better each week. Due to the very hot weather and the monster mosquitoes I have at my home I have not walked in the evenings as I should be doing, thankfully my sister gave me some Skin-So-Soft and I am ready to start my walking again. Before I forget, I did go to the movies and had a big bag of Twizzlers all to myself... and I paid for it later on that day. I felt really yucky after that and have made a pact with myself that I can not be trusted with Twizzlers ever again. That is all for this week, I am going to walk two miles everyday this week and will let you know what results I achieve! Wishing all of you a fabulous week!

P.S. Here is the recipe for the peanut butter pie- LOW FAT!

You will need:

1 box of Dream Whip

1 small carton of fat free milk, or fat free half & half if you can find it (your pie will be really fluffy if you use the half & half!)

1-8 ounce package fat free cream cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat peanut butter

Granulated sugar

Vanilla extract

1 Oreo pie crust shell

In a large mixing bowl beat 2 packets of dream whip with 1/2 cup of cold milk(or half & half) add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and beat until fluffy. Put Dream Whip in a small bowl to the side. In the mixing bowl blend 1 cup of sugar and cream cheese together until smooth. Next, add 1/2 cup of reduced fat peanut butter, mix until smooth. Gently fold in dream whip, incorporating evenly throughout the mixture. Fill Oreo piecrust and refrigerate for 6 hours before serving. To be fancy, you can add chocolate syrup drizzled over each slice when serving (that is fat free, too!)

Makes 12 servings

Hope you enjoy! Julie 

Non-stick cooking spray

1/2 cup chopped shallots

2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated

1 tsp. dried basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

9-inch square baked polenta (recipe below)

1/3 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Heat the oil in a heavy, medium skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the shallots until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add the zucchini and basil and cook about 8 minutes, until the squash is bright green and the squash's liquid has evaporated.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Assemble the pizzette by placing the square of polenta on a cutting board. Cut it vertically into sixteen 21/4 inch squares. Then, cut each square in half horizontally, making 32 squares. Arrange the squares in one layer on baking sheets, leaving a half-inch between squares. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons grated mozzarella over each square. Cover with 1 tablespoon of the zucchini. Bake until the polenta and topping are heated through and the cheese is melted, 6-8 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 32 Servings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup polenta (not instant), or stone ground yellow cornmeal

4 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a medium cast-iron or other heavy, oven-proof skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. With a wooden spoon, mix in the polenta, stirring until it is coated with oil and hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, if necessary, to avoid browning. Turn off the heat. Stand back and carefully whisk in the boiling water: The mixture will spatter. When the polenta is smoothly blended, mix in the salt. Place the polenta in the oven, uncovered. Bake 45 minutes, until it is thick and slightly grainy but tender to the bite. Meanwhile, coat a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick spray or oil. Pour the hot polenta into the pan, scraping as much as you can from the skillet. Smooth the polenta with a moistened rubber spatula to make an even layer. Set aside to cool. Place the skillet in the sink and fill with cold water to soak. This releases the coating of polenta stuck to the pan.

(This site is chosen by me - not because I get royalties or any special privileges by recommending it to you - but because I genuinely feel this is a _good_ site for helping us along the way to fitness and a healthy weight.)

While you are there look for quick tips, recipes, answers about exercise and even skin care! This is a rocking place, so be sure and check it out - there seems to be something for everyone here!

 DISCLAIMER: The opinions and statements in Slim Pickin's Weekly are not intended as medical advice. Its intent is solely for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. If you are interested in pursuing or trying any of the dietary changes, or following up any of the advice in this newsletter then it is suggested that you contact a health professional before doing so..

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