Carbs Cause Obesity?

I got a comment, from a reader who wished to remain anonymous, in response to my post about a Vegan Lifstyle The reader claimed

"Excessive carbs, in the form of grains and/or legumes, are the cause, and not the cure, for obesity."

Sorry, but this is not accurate.

Of course eating too much food of any kind, even healthy foods like whole grains and legumes can cause us to be overweight. So can eating too much meat or even fruits and vegetables. However, eating complex carbohydrates (such as whole grains and legumes) does not cause obesity and they are an important part of a food plan that is geared for our optimum health and energy. Carbs have gotten a bad rap. They are an important source of fuel for our bodies and our brain.

Obesity is generally caused from excessive SIMPLE carbs, like found in white flour, sugar, processed foods.

Is it possible to become obese eating only healthy foods...sure...but you have to work at it because the healthier foods have fiber and bulk which makes you feel more full! If you stuffed yourself every day like it was Thanksgiving and sat around all day without moving your body, even if you only ate wonderfully healthy foods you would definitely have a weight issue.

Being healthy isn't about eliminating foods, it is about gaining control over your eating which is largely a mindset issue. It is also about getting our brain chemistry and hormones in balance, which when we make healthy food choices naturally follows.

I don't advocate saying you can NEVER have sugar, but by controlling our sugar intake (along with that of other simple carbs) and making conscious choices in our eating, we will actually reduce our cravings for these foods that taste good but have little or no nutritional value.

Happy Valentines Day Gifts: Sweet or Sour

Since Valentines Day is about love we tend to shower our loved ones with sweet gifts--often literally filled with sugar and other things that maybe aren't in our best interests. So a sweet gift can easily turn sour--if it is received in the wrong way.

I'm not one to say you can't have sugar ever...and I for one have no intention of giving up chocolate entirely. In fact, I don't believe in having a list of "forbidden foods" because I know how that just makes us psychologically just want it even more.

However, buying sweets simply because it is Valentines Day is less about a conscious, love-filled gift and more about a marketing ploy.

What does Valentines Day really mean to you? Is it about feeling loved by a significant other or by family members? Will you feel loved if you receive a card? a phone call? a nice dinner out? a box of chocolates? a dozen roses? a diamond necklace?

Let your loved one know how you will feel special on this special day--and other ones, too. Unless you let people know what YOU want then you will be subject to what they THINK you want...and those thoughts are generally influenced by marketing efforts from companies who are selling things that they want you to believe will make you happy.

Don't expect people to be able to read your mind--as much as they love you and no matter how long they have been in your life. If you are trying to lose weight and having chocolates around will make it harder for you to make healthy choices so you'd rather not have them in the house--let your voice be heard. On the other hand, if NOT receiving chocolates will make you feel deprived then your loved ones deserve to know that, too!

This is about asking for the kind of support that works for YOU, because each of us operates just a little bit differently based on our biology and more importantly based on our upbringing--all the messages we got growing up.

It can be hard for others to know what we want when we have declared we are intending to lose weight. Will they be accused of trying to sabotage our efforts if they buy us candy? Will they be accused not loving us if they do?

Instead of leaving them guessing and risking buying us a gift that was intending to be loving but leaves us with a sour feeling, figure out what you would like and ask for what you want. This is an excellent exercising for us to express our desires. It is something that most of us are not really good at. Sometimes we aren't good at asking for it because we don't think we are worth it...we are so good at putting others first that it is hard for us to accept that we can be first. Sometimes it is hard for us to ask because we've bought into the idea that "they should just know what I want" even though that is often a moving target! We might not even be aware of what we want--so how the heck can we expect someone else to figure it out???

If you really love chocolate but know that more than one piece sets you off on a binge...then maybe you request a piece of really, really special chocolate from a fancy store rather than a box of ho-hum chocolates from Wal-green's. For me, a really good piece of chocolate allows me to savor it and appreciate it and make a conscious choice about eating it, whereas a big box of chocolate tends to send off physical and mental cravings and before I know it I have eaten way more than I intended.

Or if you aren't a chocoholic like me and can keep it in the house, then be sure to specify what you like so that when you do choose to indulge you get the absolute best satisfaction. In other words, if you love the dark chocolate caramels then you don't want a box filled with milk chocolate creams! You might eat them, but you won't have that same satisfaction, so eat what you really love. You'll actually end up consuming less!

If you don't want chocolates around then think of other gifts that you'd prefer. They don't have to be expensive gifts like jewelry or short-lived ones like flowers (although those are nice, too!) Sometimes the best gifts are inexpensive like a homemade card or a poem. Always the sweetest gifts are the ones that are thought-full: a great book for a reader, a journal for a writer, a photo in a nice frame for the desk at work, a compilation of favorite songs for your ipod for relaxation or working out to...or having the car cleaned, serviced and tires rotated for the busy commuter!

The bottom line is we must learn to love ourselves enough to know that we deserve our health and happiness--and gifts that we really want. So we must love ourselves enough to learn to express our needs.

I Want Cookies!

I'm finding myself wanting Christmas cookies...even during my meditation I had images of Gingerbread men dancing in my head! And yule logs and Danish sugar cookies and chocolate...lots of chocolate!

I recognize that a lot of this is because I did not go "home" for Christmas...even though these days we rarely have much in the way of treats at the holidays, either here or there, the holidays evoke memories of times when Christmas cookies were plentiful in our house. And maybe because that was about the ONLY time of year that treats were plentiful (my mom was always watching my weight even if I wasn't!)

Thoughts of baking started peculating this morning...do I really want to bake or just to eat cookies? Not sure, but I suspect that since I actually looked at my old recipes and wasn't 100% inspired that if I go to the store and buy myself a couple of treats that will be enough to satisfy the urge. I think it is really an emotional thing more than anything else.

So, I'm taking my "no forbidden foods" motto to heart and I'm going to the store! I've eaten a nice snack so I'm not starving. Then, if nothing screams out at me and I still want cookies I will come back home and do a little baking--and I know I have neighbors who will help me eat any extras!

Happy Holidays!

Thank God I'm Not Dieting

This is absolutely the worst time of year to try to diet. The sights and smells of food are everywhere, and the association of food with good times and family are so deeply entwined during the holidays that start this week and wend through December that it seems if you diet you are eschewing family not fat.

So what is a person to do? After all, studies show that the average American gains 5 pounds between roughly Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Do you give in and decide 5 pounds isn't so bad, I can get rid of that in the new year? Or do you manically cut calories wherever possible in the faint hope that you will be thankful to be "below average" for once in your life?

How about neither of those options?

Look, in the "old days" if I only gained 5 pounds over the holidays I would have been ecstatic! Geez...I was known to gain 20 pounds in a weekend--and it all seemed to land on my hips, overnight, just by looking at food much less eating it.

So how do we avoid packing on pounds without missing out on the holidays?

First make sure you don't label foods as off-limits or put them on some list titled "Forbidden Foods"...that is a path to disaster, if not now it will come back to bite you in your thighs later. By making favorite holiday treats taboo you just want them more...the little kid inside of you feels deprived and so you, at some point, when you least expect it, go off the deep end into the binge pool.

Instead, make sure you have lots and lots of healthier choices that you love as well. Make it easy to snack on those and to have flavorful, healthy choices available during meals. For example, I love grilled asparagus...so I splurge and got this vegetable I normally associate with springtime and will have it with my turkey. Notice I said, that you love! This isn't about having healthy choices that feel like punishment...if you hate brussel sprouts this is not the time to try a new recipe with them in it just because it is "healthy"!

Take what you like but leave the rest. If you are like me, there are some Thanksgiving traditions that you can do without. If you are the cook you might actually get away with not serving them...but if your least favorite is the apple of your honey's (or parents' or kids') eye then, guess what...you know you are going to have it around. Just because it is on the table doesn't mean it has to end up on your plate!

I might be brought up on charges of treason, but I really am not a big stuffing fan. People have told me I "have to" try their recipe...that if only I find the right recipe I will be a convert. I finally figured out that it is okay that I just don't like it...I don't "hate" stuffing, but I'd rather have my calories in the form of more mashed potatoes or pie...but that's just me.

Remember, this is not the last time you will have this meal, or this dish! In our age of convenience we do not have to relegate eating turkey and pumpkin pie to only Thanksgiving. When you reach for the cranberry relish or the sweet potato casserole or other treat, take a couple bites knowing that even if the unthinkable happens and there is no more that day, you can always get more!

Make it about people, not food. Connect with the people at the table more than the food on your plate. Holidays are about stories, about family, about friends. Yes, we share good food, but make the food the garnish while the "main course" is the conversation. And if you are talking and listening and obviously having a good time, chances are good no one will notice if you skip the seconds--including you!

This Thanksgiving, I am grateful that I have given up dieting. It didn't ever work for me...so why stress about it? Instead I focusing on what is really important. I'm going to savor the food I do eat and be grateful for its abundance; I will have some healthy food and some pie and ice cream too; I will eat comfortably knowing that there will always be more where that came from; and I will really connect with my loved ones this holiday season. That's a lot to be thankful for.

Simple Tip to Stop Emotional Eating and Achieve Weight Loss Success

I'm alone this week...and will confess to feeling a bit lonely and that I have fallen prey to the comfort food syndrome!

This isn't bad if it just happens once in a while, but I want to be sure I don't make a habit of it or I will 1. be angry with myself (which isn't helpful) and/or 2. gain weight back which will just make me angry with myself...did I mention that isn't helpful?

One thing that I found that IS helpful is to look at a picture of myself as I used to be.

That's me back in 2006.

The point of this looking back is definitely not to beat myself up...it is to remind myself of just how far I have come and that I definitely do NOT want to go back to being that person.

And it is the BE-ing that is important...sure it is about the weight, but not the most important part. The most important part is how unhealthy I was, how much pain I was in and what I could not DO because of the behaviors I engaged in.

So I took out a picture from one of my heaviest periods (even more than the one I just posted here) and I put it on the frig so that it is front and center should I reach for a choice that is less-than-healthy. I don't make the food off-limits, but this really helps make the choice a conscious one...and I found that it really helped me to make healthy choices.

If looking at the "old" you isn't enough to keep you on track, take that picture in to the nearest mirror and compare it to the you of today.

Since you can't join me at the mirror, here's a picture to help drive home the point! I sure don't want to having to get into those pants the old fashioned way again ;-)

If you haven't yet achieved your weight loss success and therefore don't have before and after pictures (or before and during pictures...that works just as well!) then look at pictures of how you want to be.

Take pictures from magazines or ads that capture the person you want to be...how it will feel when you have achieved that weight loss success! This can be your own health vision board...one that will definitely help you to reach your goal!

Favorite Foods for True Weight Loss Success

Last week I gave my Chiropractor a copy of my book, Refuse to Diet: Weight Loss Success Starts with Your Mind...Not Your Mouth. He was very excited to get a copy and see what I've been up to. Yesterday when I went back to see him he told me that someone else had already borrowed it from him!

That was a really cool feeling, to know someone was so excited about my book that they asked to borrow his copy...and that he [reluctantly] agreed (she is a very important person in his life, after all!)

He had read a large part of the book and was asking me if I really still have my favorite treat (for those of you who are new to following this blog, that would be ice cream, the richer the better.) I said definitely. I also enjoy pizza, beer, wine and lots of other goodies. I just don't eat them as often or in as large of quantities. And the truth is I don't crave them like I used to!

A huge part of the "magic" is that I no longer put foods that I love on a list of forbidden foods. That didn't work for me. That doesn't mean I have gallons of ice cream on deck (although I have upon occasion.) I prefer to give myself permission to eat whatever I want, give myself smaller portions and then go back for more if I really want it.

See, the next part of the "magic" is making it all a conscious choice.

I couldn't do either parts of the magic when I was dieting, or when I was trying to lose weight because it was what my doctor told me to do, or my mother wanted me to do, or even because I would get a better health insurance rate.

I had to totally decide that I deserved to be healthy...which is a completely different mindset than wanting to lose weight or look good. With this mindset I can enjoy my favorite foods and not stress about what I am eating.

Am I stick skinny? Could I be a model? Hell no...but then that has never been my goal. I am a healthy weight for my body. I can go hiking like I never could before. I enjoy food like never before. I feel better about my body than ever. In my book, that is true weight loss success!

Avoid These Holiday Weight Loss Success Mistakes

Treats are everywhere this time of year and that can make it hard to lose weight. Even if you have the best intentions. There are 3 common mistakes that people frequently make during the holidays:

1. Deprivation

By being too restrictive we can actually sabotage our weight loss success. By not believing in forbidden foods and giving ourselves permission to enjoy the special treats of the season we will not only be merrier, but we will actually eat less!

2. Drinking

While I don't believe in forbidden foods (or drinks) be careful with the booze. It relaxes us...and we tend to eat more--LOTS more! So mix in some sparkling water with or between the alcohol and you will reduce the calories you drink and eat.

3. Flagellation

When we fall short of perfection at keeping to our resolution to eat healthily, the tendency is to chastise, criticize or otherwise beat the drum of our "failure." Be gentle, this is the season of forgiveness--and that, like charity, begins at home.

Have a very happy holiday season--enjoy this time thoroughly and start the New Year in good health!

Reducing Sugar is Part of the Answer to Weight Loss Success

Sugar is one ingredient that can sabotage our weight loss success efforts. Not the only one, of course, but definitely a contributing factor.

That doesn't mean that you have to eliminate all sugar...most of us can handle some sugar--and trying to eliminate it is tough because sugar is found in so many of our packaged foods--and it can feel like deprivation...and I firmly believe that no foods should be totally off limits. My slogan is "no forbidden foods" because I believe that by forbidding them they have a stronger psychological appeal. But where you can, reduce the simple sugars in your foods and go for natural sugar, in fruit, for example--not because you are on a diet...because it is better for your health.

By the way, artificial sweeteners are not better...in fact, can be worse. Studies indicate that artificial sweeteners like aspartame will actually INCREASE your hunger levels and cravings for sweets!

You will be amazed at how sweet fruit (and even some vegetables) taste when you reduce the amount of processed sugars and artificial sweeteners from your daily diet. Your taste buds and brain really do adjust.

You can help your kids out by weaning then from high-sugar foods like breakfast cereal now. Cereal manufacturers have been facing criticism from health advocates for quite a while and over the last couple years many have reduced the sugar content in their cereals aimed at kids.

The levels may be lower, but they are still really high. For example the General Mills cereal Cocoa Puffs currently has a whopping 11 grams or sugar per serving! General Mills has made a big announcement that it will again be reducing the sugar in their cereals...with a goal of the grams being single digits. To do that for Cocoa Puffs, they will have to reduce the sugar levels by 18 percent to reach 9 grams per serving. Read the labels of the foods you eat and you can make healthier choices. A single serving of Cheerios for example has only 1 gm of sugar...so you can add your own sugar (1 teaspoon of sugar is a little over 4 grams of sugar) and come out ahead. Better yet, add fruit!

This will sound like a great thing, and no doubt they marketers will spin it really well...but that is still a lot of "added sugar." Added sugar is basically the processed stuff, whether it is white sugar, corn syrup or other sweeteners...as opposed to naturally occurring sugar in fruits and veggies. Experts disagree on exactly how much added sugar should be set as a maximum, but most seem to set the range at 20-40 grams a day. So even at the high end of that, one bowl of the reduced sugar cereal is giving your child 1/4 of the maximum recommended amount a day!

Reducing sugar (real and artificial) intake helps reduce your sugar cravings, and helps keep your blood sugar levels more stable...which gives you better energy and more even moods throughout the day. Ironic since most of us grab sugar because we are feeling sluggish...but it is actually the sugar we ate earlier in the day that is largely responsible for our sluggishness!

Keep in mind that the body does not need processed sugar at all to function, survive or thrive. It is truly empty calories that your body converts to fat unless you use it all up...

So a great health and weight loss tip is to reduce your added sugar intake.

Do You Know Where Your Children's Candy Is?

Have you staked claim to your children's Halloween candy score? Are you doing it "for their own good?"

Did you buy only candy you hate so you won't eat it? Or did you buy your favorites and secretly hope no one comes to the door to take it away?

Did you buy an extra bag..."just in case"...and did you already eat it?

Heck, did you buy your "Halloween" candy back in September and have to replenish the supply two or three times already.

I've been there, done that...well, except for the kids...I don't have kids so I couldn't even use them as an excuse for having candy on hand!

This year is different. I won't be in town for Halloween, so I didn't buy any candy for trick-or-treaters. Let's face it...we don't really have many in our neighborhood...maybe 3 last year...so what's the point.

However, I did buy candy for me. Not because it is Halloween...because I wanted some. I bought a really good dark chocolate coated treat. And I let myself eat it all.

You know what? I still have some left!

By giving myself permission to 1) buy it, 2) buy something I really like and 3) to actually eat it, all the "naughtiness" is gone! So I had a couple bites and really enjoyed it and put the rest away.

Will I eat the rest...oh, I'm sure I will...but the point isn't that I don't or won't eat chocolate...it is that I CAN and still be healthy.

This change in mindset has been the key to my weight loss success. I have declared that no food is off-limits, thereby taking away the power of the food to suck me down the sugar abyss. It no longer calls my name. Oh, I hear a whisper now and then, but like any "normal, thin person" (words I NEVER thought I would be able to say in reference to myself) I can enjoy some of my favorites now and then...without being a slave to it! Hurray!

You can choose to continue raiding your kid's stash...you can mete out their treats while you secretly eat your favorites...and you can feel bad about all that...or you can decide, like I did that you are going to give yourself permission to enjoy whatever foods you want...

Nope, this isn't a trick. The real treat is that you CAN have weight loss success...and enjoy your favorite foods--and still look your kids' in the eye!

Weight Loss Success Tip: Stretch It Out

"Stretch It Out" is a great over all mantra for weight loss success. It can be applied to lots of different circumstances.

Muscles--stretch it out...okay, them out, but you get the idea. Stretching is really important. It is what enables us to remain flexible...or regain flexibility that we have lost. Gentle stretching works your muscles and lubricates your joints--and just plain feels good!

Meals--stretch it out...okay, again, them...instead of racing through our meals, we will have better digestion and feel more satisfied if we stretch the meal out over a longer period of time. Rather than cramming food down in 5 minutes, try to take 10. Then go for 15. This is an area I am still working on, but slowing down does help.

Food intake--stretch it out (finally an "it"!) over more mini meals. Dieters often think they are "saving calories" by skipping meals. Truth is, most people eat more if they skip meals. On the other hand, if you eat 4-6 mini-meals instead of the normal 3 meals, you can actually take in more calories and still lose weight! That's a nice bonus!

Pleasure--stretch it out--definitely! The more pleasure we experience in our lives...the more joy we have...the better we feel physically. When we feel better we enjoy life more...and when we are enjoying life we are less apt to try to fill the void with empty calories!

Treats--stretch it out--when you want to have a treat, because after all, there are no forbidden foods, take your time. Savor the flavors and textures. Let it melt on your tongue. The more thoroughly we enjoy these treats, the more satisfying they are and the smaller quantities we feel we "need"...enjoy them and don't beat yourself up about it!

Whether you are talking about food or muscles, "stretch it out" is a good phrase to remember. Take your time, enjoy life, and stretch it out...for your health and weight loss success!

Coffee: Love it or Leave it

I really, really, really like coffee. I mean, I love my coffee. I guess you could say I feel pretty strongly about coffee...

I had my first sips of coffee when I was just 2 years old. Drinking the drops left by adults visiting my parents made this laid-back kid just a bit (!) more hyper.

I didn't start a coffee habit at two, but I do believe the groundwork was probably laid back then.

My first espresso machine was purchased in the 1970s while I was in college. At one point I was literally quite addicted to coffee. I could have...no, it is more accurate to say I had to have...two large espressos (no little demi-tasse for me) before I went to sleep. Then in the morning two more to chase away the headache from lack of caffeine during the night.

I no longer drink such vast amounts of coffee. I have one cup...still, a very large one, not a "regular" mug...pretty much every morning. Occasionally I will have a second. As much as I love the flavor and the experience I know that my body doesn't react well if I have more than that so I resist the temptation to grab a third or fourth.

What has changed about my coffee habit is my consciousness--my mindset about coffee. I used to drink coffee all day long like it was water and as a fuel. Completely unconscious about the quantity I was consuming. It was a zero calorie drink...that was the excuse when I first started.

Of course that went out the window when I started adding milk to my coffee after a trip to Europe where I was exposed to cafe au lait, lattes and cappucinos.

The truth was I liked the flavor and I really liked the energy boost I got from the caffeine. I am still less than hyper and the jolt helped me feel more alive, more productive, more like everyone else in my family!

These days I savor my coffee much more. I don't just have coffee while I'm at my desk working. I enjoy the coffee in the morning. I may be reading...or watching a video...usually some positive affirmations or positive thinking...my personal development time. It is not so much about caffeine...I drink a blend that is very low in caffeine...I enjoy the taste, the feel of the coffee in my mouth and the smell as it reaches my nose just before the liquid touches my tongue.

Ahh.

I know that coffee may not be "the best thing" for me to drink, but my philosophy is that there are no forbidden foods. I know that if I deprive myself then I will tend to go overboard and binge down the road. So I choose to have these treats.

Coffee for me is a treat and a ritual...and a very conscious decision.

You may not like coffee...but there is probably something that you have been told you "shouldn't" have (even if you just told yourself that) but that you get a lot of pleasure out of.

Instead of making that off-limits, consider making it a very special part of your day. Or maybe it is a special once a week treat. Make it a celebration and savor every moment of it. Enjoy the tastes, the smells, the texture...as well as the experience. What steps do you take to prepare it? Incorporate those steps into the enjoyment process. visualize yourself enjoying the experience and allow yourself to anticipate it.

By elevating some simple pleasures in this way we give ourselves a more complete experience. We allow all of our senses to experience the event as well as the food or beverage. This enables us to be more fully satisfied with less than we would if just grabbed it by rote.

Bottom line, my suggestion is to love what you are drinking or eating. Savor it. Celebrate it. Or leave it alone!

Health Food Doesn't Mean Green Light

Just because it is sold in a "health food store", or is sold as a healthy food, doesn't mean that you should eat it all the time.

Generally speaking, I try to eat as few processed and packaged foods as possible. I find that my body deals with them better. Packaged foods have stuff in them we just don't need...sometimes even the ones sold in health food stores.

It may not be that the ingredients are not healthy, but we might be better off eating only small quantities of them.

I found that it used to be really easy for me to get in the habit of eating something because it came from the health food store, or all the ingredients were natural...and I would eat it like it had zero calories!

When buying ANY packaged or processed foods it is a good idea to read the labels. Even though I don't believe in forbidden foods, I believe just as much in conscious eating. That means you have to know what you are eating!

If you read the labels on some of the "protein" bars that are available they are closer to a candy bar than not! Some of them have such a high sugar content that it can be enough to trigger a carbohydrate craving in me!

So if you are going for health, be aware or what you are eating. You can eat whatever you want...I just want to eat healthy...and realistically.

Summer BBQs and Picnic Challenges Begin

To all my fellow Americans--I hope you had a glorious Memorial Day weekend and spent it with family, friends. For those of you outside the USA, Memorial Day is a day for us to remember our countrymen and women who have died to let us be free.

In addition to remembering these heroes, Memorial Day weekend is traditionally the beginning of summer and we tend to have barbecues and picnics.

Wondering how you all did with this first (of many to come) celebration.

Here we had rain--downpours actually--for most of the weekend so my grilling plans had to be put on hold! Oh well!

I enjoyed some popcorn and a movie...one of my favorite treats! I am so pleased with the way my mind is happy with less quantity than it used to demand...and how my cravings are gone.

Whether you are grilling or picnic-ing, remember to keep your mind focused on your successes and the possibility for a healthy life. Enjoy the people you are with. Have a small bite of everything you want...and then if you still want more, go ahead...just be conscious about your choices.

Being conscious about what you are putting in your mouth is one step--but don't beat yourself up if you eat more than you "should"...that is why starting with your mindset and loving yourself is even more important than what (or how much) you put in your mouth!

You are perfect--just the way you are! And you are getting better and healthier every single day!

Eating Chocolate as Part of Weight Loss

Yes, chocolate can have a place in your weight loss plan.

First, as you have heard me say repeatedly, I do not believe any foods should be off-limits completely. That is just no fun! Not only that, it can lead to feeling deprived which then tends to prompt us to binge.

We don't want to be in that cycle. We want to be in a healthy cycle where we feel good about ourselves and the progress we are making towards achieving our ideal health goals.

So incorporating some of your favorite foods, in small portions can actually help you lose weight in the long run!

Now--don't let that lead you to believe you can just eat bon-bons all day long! Nor does it mean that we should eat large quantities of the "healthy chocolate" that you see advertised.

It is important that we change our thinking--not just what we eat. I have done that before and it has always backfired! If you swap eating a dozen chocolate chip cookies for a bag of low-cal cookies you are not really changing the thought process or the behavior! I contend that even if what you swap for is carrot sticks you are still not changing the thinking. Because if you still stuff yourself, at some point you will decide the carrot sticks just aren't cutting it and look out baby--then a super-binge is on the way!

When we change our thinking about food and our bodies and begin to really love ourselves we want to truly take care of these wonderful bodies we have. One of the ways we take care of them is to fuel them properly rather than stuffing them with food because something is "eating us" emotionally! Instead we learn other ways to deal with issues and no longer feel the need to self-medicate with food.

But fueling properly doesn't mean you never get to have a treat...and chocolate is a great treat AND can actually have some health benefits.

Be sure to eat dark chocolate for maximum heart benefits. And take small pieces--you only need 1/4 oz to achieve the benefits--that means a standard size chocolate bar will pretty much last you a week.

Bob Greene's Best Life Plan Highlights--Foods to Eat and Eliminate

Bob Greene's Best Life program continues with tips on what to eat--and what to avoid.

Of course it is critical to eat a healthy breakfast. I wrote about this, too, including some of the science about WHY it is important.

Bob agrees that we should make small changes in our diet. Specifically he says cut only 100-200 calories per day out. This is to keep your body from thinking it is going into a famine.

Then Bob continues with a list of 6 foods to cut out for the first month or two of your program. The foods are:

1. alcohol
2. soda pop (because of the sugar and empty calories and the havoc it creates in your body)
3. trans fats
4. fried foods
5. white bread (refined carbs)
6. high fat milk & yogurt

While I believe there are no "forbidden foods" because by saying a food is off limits entirely it tends to make us want it more (supply and demand?) I can support what Bob is saying here.

However, if going off completely for 1 month will cause you to binge once the month is over, try for a week! Then when you have success, try for 2 weeks and so on.

It is the small changes that matter. One of Bob's points was making a commitment to yourself and keeping that commitment. Better to make a shorter commitment and keep it than to set a longer commitment and break it!

Remember--both Bob and Laurie say Put Yourself First...or as Oprah says, Put Yourself Back on the List!

Sugar Side Effects

If you have, like me, had a bit more sugar in the past few days than you have been having for a while, you may have also noticed some of the side effects from consuming sugar.

I find that refined carbohydrates have a tendency to cause me to bloat and they also affect my moods. After the sugar "high" there is a dip...some call it "the sugar blues".

There are 2 times that are the most dangerous for me...when I eat (or drink) sugar and it starts to hit my bloodstream (the high) and when it has run through and left me depleted. During the high, I feel great, so powerful, strong and happy, so I might be less conscious about my food choices. During the low I want those feelings back.

This is the real roller coaster that causes so many of us to have issues with our weight. So how do we overcome it?

Some people will tell you that you must not ever have a single bite of the confectionary world...I don't think that is very realistic for most of us. You know I talk about there being no forbidden foods. That is especially true at the holidays!

The best way I have found to control the tendency to overeat from the high is to allocate a finite portion before I have a single bite. Whether it is a slice or pie or cake, cookies or fudge, put your serving on a plate, then put the rest away. If you are somewhere that you can't put it away (like at a friend's house or a buffet) then move your body as far away from the sugary stuff as possible.

After you have enjoyed the treat...brush your teeth! If you are away from the house, try a breath strip or mouthwash spray. This takes the sweet taste away from your mouth so you are not constantly reminded of it. It also subconsciously makes you want to eat less...brushing your teeth is generally a signal that you are done eating.

Check in tomorrow for my thoughts on handling the sugar blues.

Ellie Krieger: Enjoying Favorite Foods at the Holidays

Ellie Krieger is a dietitian as well as star of the Food Network. She recently shared some of her tips on enjoying the holidays with neither guilt nor packing on extra pounds!

Ellie agrees with me that there are no forbidden foods and that taking small servings of favorites is an important part of enjoying the holidays. Some of her favorites--her grandmother's butter cookies (yes, made with real butter), potato latkes and mashed potatoes with gravy!

My strategy is to enjoy these specialties in small amounts. SO if I want butter cookies, I'm not going to have a dozen. I'm going to sit down with two cookies and a cup of coffee or a homemade skinny latte and savor them.

Whether your favorite treat is butter cookies, gingerbread men or chocolate covered cherries, take this tip from Ellie and really savor them. Remember you CAN have one or two and that thought alone helps get rid of some of the stress (and you'll recall, stress can make us eat more...so it kind of defeats the purpose if you worry about it, right?)

And Happy Healthy Holidays everyone!

Are Eggs Bad for Me?

Eggs got a bad wrap when I was in school. Blamed for high cholesterol levels in people because they have a lot of cholesterol in them...

Turns out there is no correlation between eating eggs and having an increased risk at heart attack.

Remember my "rule"-- there are NO forbidden foods! So eat your eggs--they have a lot of good nutrients and are high in protein. Calorie for calorie they are a great food for anyone wanting to drop some pounds.

You can read more about eggs and other foods in Barry Glassner's book The Gospel of Food.

Cookies, the Good the Bad and the Ugly

Well, maybe there aren't any ugly cookies, but I couldn't resist!

Why am I talking about cookies, when this blog is about achieving health (and weight) goals? Well, if you remember I have said with my program I have no forbidden foods. That includes cookies.

One of my wonderful neighbors came by the house today selling cookie dough as a fundraiser for his grandson's pre-school. The child was sick and therefore could not assist Grandpa, but will be helping with the delivery of the buckets. Hmmmm. Since each bucket weighs in at 3 pounds I'm not sure just how much help the little guy will be, but at least he will be present!

My neighbor said, "I know you are on a diet, so if you don't want any that's okay". It was really sweet that he wanted me to know that he was aware that I've lost a lot of weight and that I should not feel obligated to participate. I did have to tell him that I refuse to diet! People just don't seem to understand that--how is it possible to lose weight without dieting? Well, I'm proof that it is possible!

Know what else? I was glad that he didn't assume and make the decision for me! Since most people think if you are losing weight you never eat treats, he could easily have made that assumption!

We did buy one bucket. I figure it will last us about a year!

I know that I won't go crazy...because I have evidence to prove that now. So this is the first time I have ever bought one of these food fund-raisers and not had a level of fear associated with the purchase!

Sometimes a freshly baked cookie is just what the doctor ordered (well, maybe not Dr. Linda!)

We'll chat another time about some really healthy cookies that I make that are part of the Mars Venus Wellness Solution. They are so rich and chocolately...my mother said

They taste so sinful I cannot get it into my head they are legal.

Oh, if only all of life's problems were so simple!

Do I Have to Avoid Alcohol to Lose Weight?

Alcohol is not all bad. Like most things should be used in moderation...especially if you want to drop some fat.

Alcohol is a sugar and the fat you get from it will be stored around your abdomen. That's where the phrase "beer belly" came from! There is also evidence that indicates that if you are already overweight, drinking alcohol will make it easier for you to gain additional weight.

I don't know if that is because of the alcohol itself or because when we drink our inhibitions drop and we become more relaxed and it is easy to eat more.

What about the health benefits to drinking wine or even beer? You've heard that having a glass of wine or beer may reduce your chance of getting heart disease. If you don't have wine, how else can you get those benefits?

The best way is to eat foods that have those same compounds--blueberries, apples, onions, grapefruit, black tea, peanuts and 100% red grape juice (no added sugar, of course) all will do you as well as the glass of wine. These other foods provide you with other vitamins and nutritional components that wine or beer won't, so you are ahead of the game! You can cut your risk of heart disease even more by including fish, garlic, nuts and a little dark chocolate in your diet.

I haven't given up alcohol entirely. I enjoy a glass of wine or a beer upon occasion, but it isn't very often these days. Certainly not often enough to gain any heart health benefit in the sense we've been talking about. In the bigger picture though, because I have lost so much fat, my heart health is much better, and my risk for heart disease is much lower.

Bottom line, I suggest you limit alcohol because it is mostly empty calories. But remember, I don't believe in forbidden foods--that goes for drinks, too! When you do chose to imbibe, make it really count! Drink your favorite beverage and really savor it. Sip it. Enjoy the social environment. Enjoy the flavor of the drink.