I am beginning to notice the faults in Weight Watchers new programming. They seem to be clutching at straws. I don't think the points plus works for a lot more people than they figured so now they are seeking alternatives like "simply filling" or adjusting your tracker like not starting your Tracker day when you wake up... or adjusting your target. What a bunch of hogwash. It really just amounts to FOOD IN... FOOD OUT... PLUS EXERCISE. So once you know when you have eaten too much or the wrong foods then you have to adjust. It really isn't rocket science.
I finally received my keychain yesterday for reaching one of my goals: losing 10% of my body weight.
However, once you know how to eat smart, there isn't much Weight Watchers can do for you other than weigh in and perhaps motivate you or give you a new idea during the meeting.
So what is the difference between Motivation and Determination?
MOTIVATION:
When we start something new most of us are motivated. After a while, your motivation is gone and you just don't feel like doing the right thing.
DETERMINATION:
When motivation fails you, determination can save you . Some days, you just don't want to make good choices but you do it anyway... sort of like doing the dishes or unpacking the groceries. When you see the results of weight loss or a clean kitchen... you do it anyway... Every once in a while your motivation may return.
I don't want you to leave this blog half empty so I am including an recipe.
GREEK VINAIGRETTE SALAD DRESSING
(note: now that I found you can buy fresh herbs in squeezable tubes in the produce section, I don't use and waste the mounds of fresh ones I used to)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 med. raw shallot minced
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. EVOO
1 tbsp. Fresh chopped dill (in a tube if you have it)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. Fresh chopped parsley (in a tube if you have it)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Wisk it all together. Use 4 tsp. per serving.. Serves 8... 1 point
And just so you are not bored to tears but what some new uses for aluminum foil, try this:
1. Sharpen scissors by cutting through a few folded layers of foil
2. Scrub glass baking dishes and grill grates clean with a crumpled-up ball of foil
I hope some of today's advice works.
Sunday 25 March 2012
Monday 19 March 2012
SNACKING
I am wondering what the world would be like without snacking. It is promoted everywhere even at Weight Watchers. Half the supermarket is geared to snacks even if you shop the perimeter. Think of the bakery department or the deli department. Even the fruit and vegetable department have pre-packaged snacks with caramel sauce for the cut up apples or even cups filled with dried fruit and trail mix are readily available. And why you may ask? Because we demand it. We are in a society that says not to go hungry and we shouldn't go longer than 3 or 4 hours without food.
Prevention Magazine came out with half a dozen bad eating habits to break and guess what? I confess to most of them. So here are the 6 bad snacking habits.
1. You're good all day but pig out at night
2. You stuff your face before dinner
3. You can't stop eating in the car.
4. You work at home
5. You graze at the office
6. Your kids' snack habits are contagious
I bet you can relate to a few of these. I wonder what would happen to us weight-wise if we stopped snacking. My guess is we could save at least 600 calories. Even if you are watching it, they tell you to keep snacking to 150-200 calories at a time and that is if we are being good. Do that between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner, late night snack and there it is ... 600 calories. But you can stop by Second Cup and have a muffin and there is 300-600 calories alone. Or you can have a granola bar and that could be over 300 calories. The same for large cookies. Even healthy snacks add up.
I used to have a rule not to eat after dinner. I know I do it now quite regularly. I often snack before dinner because I am hungry and can't wait. There is no question I have crappy snacks ...(supposed to be low in calories) in my glove compartment of the car. And depending on the day, I could probably fit into the no-nos of the rest of the bad snacking. I have heard my friends say that snacking is their problem too.
So what if we made a conscious decision to cut snacks down to 2 fruits a day between meals and coffee.. or water and nothing else? I am going to try it.
Prevention Magazine came out with half a dozen bad eating habits to break and guess what? I confess to most of them. So here are the 6 bad snacking habits.
1. You're good all day but pig out at night
2. You stuff your face before dinner
3. You can't stop eating in the car.
4. You work at home
5. You graze at the office
6. Your kids' snack habits are contagious
I bet you can relate to a few of these. I wonder what would happen to us weight-wise if we stopped snacking. My guess is we could save at least 600 calories. Even if you are watching it, they tell you to keep snacking to 150-200 calories at a time and that is if we are being good. Do that between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner, late night snack and there it is ... 600 calories. But you can stop by Second Cup and have a muffin and there is 300-600 calories alone. Or you can have a granola bar and that could be over 300 calories. The same for large cookies. Even healthy snacks add up.
I used to have a rule not to eat after dinner. I know I do it now quite regularly. I often snack before dinner because I am hungry and can't wait. There is no question I have crappy snacks ...(supposed to be low in calories) in my glove compartment of the car. And depending on the day, I could probably fit into the no-nos of the rest of the bad snacking. I have heard my friends say that snacking is their problem too.
So what if we made a conscious decision to cut snacks down to 2 fruits a day between meals and coffee.. or water and nothing else? I am going to try it.
Thursday 15 March 2012
WORTH SWITCHING SUPERMARKETS
Where have I been since 2005 when Loblaws started introducing Blue Menu items? Maybe because they have improved the look and made it easier to spot the nutrition attributes of the products. I have tried a few before but never consciously went back to buy the healthier lifestyle products that Loblaws now carried. Now they have developed over 400 great tasting products offering more of what nutritionists urge us to eat and less of what they tell us to limit.
Each product focuses on one or more attributes like omega-3, fibre, fat, and sodium as well as calories, probiotics and more. I always thought I rarely used packaged products but obviously I do even when shopping the perimeter of the store. So now that I am aware I will try some more of the PC Blue Menu alternatives rather than reaching for the usual choices. Now the products are easy to understand by including plus (+) and minus (-) symbols on the package so you can see what the products contains more of, or less of, right away.
The Blue Menu panel includes a dietitian, doctor, a chef and two moms and they give you some healthy tips in the free Insiders Report that you get at Loblaws. Today I tried Blue Menu thin multigrain bagels. I was looking for something like this after I had bought a similar product in Florida. The little arrows on the front say (+) high fibre and (-) low sodium and they taste pretty good. They are 160 calories a bagel which is pretty low for a bagel.
I also bought PC Blue Menu Artichoke and Asiago Dip. The Blue Menu one is 50% less fat than the regular PC Artichoke and Asiago dip. I think it will be a good veggies dip and they suggest you use in in deli sandwiches instead of mayo or on tossed into pasta salad instead of dressing. They also made the Blue Menu version of Baba Ghanouj, Spinach and Traditional Tzatziki dips.
Every once in a while we all feel like a sandwich instead of a salad so the idea is how do we build a better sandwich? Today in the deli department they had the Blue Menu Oven Roasted Chicken Breast with Flax Oil on sale. They tout this product as having 40% less sodium than PC Oven Roasted Chicken Breast. They also say it has more Omega -3. So my sandwich today was on a Multigrain Bagel thin. I put in paper thin slices of chicken breast. I moistened it with honey mustard and piled it with fresh baby arugula. It was delicious. Unless they told me, I wouldn't have felt I was getting less sodium.
I haven't bought ice cream for a while now but I thought I would take a crack at frozen Blue Menu Greek Yogurt Smoothie Bars. The little arrows say (+) probiotic and (-) low fat. They are 100 calories. I haven't as yet tasted it but each bar has 1 million active probiotic cultures to help promote a healthy gut flora. I will let you know how good it is.
Well, that's a start. It is nice to see healthier choices within reach in a grocery store. It cuts the guilt of eating out.... or at least gives it more balance.
Each product focuses on one or more attributes like omega-3, fibre, fat, and sodium as well as calories, probiotics and more. I always thought I rarely used packaged products but obviously I do even when shopping the perimeter of the store. So now that I am aware I will try some more of the PC Blue Menu alternatives rather than reaching for the usual choices. Now the products are easy to understand by including plus (+) and minus (-) symbols on the package so you can see what the products contains more of, or less of, right away.
The Blue Menu panel includes a dietitian, doctor, a chef and two moms and they give you some healthy tips in the free Insiders Report that you get at Loblaws. Today I tried Blue Menu thin multigrain bagels. I was looking for something like this after I had bought a similar product in Florida. The little arrows on the front say (+) high fibre and (-) low sodium and they taste pretty good. They are 160 calories a bagel which is pretty low for a bagel.
I also bought PC Blue Menu Artichoke and Asiago Dip. The Blue Menu one is 50% less fat than the regular PC Artichoke and Asiago dip. I think it will be a good veggies dip and they suggest you use in in deli sandwiches instead of mayo or on tossed into pasta salad instead of dressing. They also made the Blue Menu version of Baba Ghanouj, Spinach and Traditional Tzatziki dips.
Every once in a while we all feel like a sandwich instead of a salad so the idea is how do we build a better sandwich? Today in the deli department they had the Blue Menu Oven Roasted Chicken Breast with Flax Oil on sale. They tout this product as having 40% less sodium than PC Oven Roasted Chicken Breast. They also say it has more Omega -3. So my sandwich today was on a Multigrain Bagel thin. I put in paper thin slices of chicken breast. I moistened it with honey mustard and piled it with fresh baby arugula. It was delicious. Unless they told me, I wouldn't have felt I was getting less sodium.
I haven't bought ice cream for a while now but I thought I would take a crack at frozen Blue Menu Greek Yogurt Smoothie Bars. The little arrows say (+) probiotic and (-) low fat. They are 100 calories. I haven't as yet tasted it but each bar has 1 million active probiotic cultures to help promote a healthy gut flora. I will let you know how good it is.
Well, that's a start. It is nice to see healthier choices within reach in a grocery store. It cuts the guilt of eating out.... or at least gives it more balance.
Wednesday 14 March 2012
SEASONED SABOTAGE
Last night I had a delicious meal at a very old restaurant that probably hasn't changed its menu for the last 30 years. It was a throwback to the old steakhouses of the late last century that I used to enjoy so much. I decided before I went what I wanted to eat and went with the sole amandine which came with all the "fixins" so to speak, like the tray of olives, cottage cheese and pickles to start along side the garlic bread. You only needed to have a main course because that came with a salad or soup, and a potato or rice dish. I went with the salad and really enjoyed the baked potato with a little butter, sour cream and bacon. So I was surprised this morning that I actually lost weight.
So when something like that happens, I have to analyze and study the reasons why. I had even had a glass of wine and a bite of garlic bread. Then I thought about it. The biggest thing I had was the loaded baked potato. I had opted for putting on my own oil and vinegar for the salad. The fish wasn't floating in butter but was very simply done whole like it used to be and deboned at the table.
The side vegetables of carrots and broccoli were steamed. After filling myself up, I felt no need for dessert.
This was the way I used to eat many years ago before gourmet chefs seasoned and decorated food like a work of art. Don't get me wrong, I am a foodie but the reality is 30 years ago we went for a much simpler fare. Food today is often piled up in the centre of the plate with veggies at the bottom that have had a little miracle infused in it... probably fat and seasonings. Last night I got to pick and choose my additives or seasonings for the salad and potato and gladly the rest was barely seasoned.
Food seasonings is a topic rarely discussed. It is more about what we should and shouldn't eat and portion control and when you list what you ate, you are never asked to outline the seasonings but I think they make a difference. There is so much emphasis being placed on what foods to eat. At one time or the other, we have all indulged in some type of food that has been loaded with seasonings to make it taste great. The question now remains, are these seasonings good or bad for you?
I am led to believe that not all seasonings are the same. I think there are seasonings that make you crave more but I have no studies to prove that. Sometimes I really need sugar after I finish a meal for example. Why is that? Is there something in the meal that says I need it? Maybe it is a balance between salt and sugar. Maybe when you have too much salt you crave sugar but I don't know this for sure.
I know that not all seasonings are the same. I think some of the combined ones like Montreal Steak spice are high in sodium while others are not. I also know that foods that are high in sodium cause you to retain excess water and therefore more weight. It is not that sodium is bad for you, but rather the amount we consume on a daily basis that is. Studies have shown that we should not consume more than 2,000 mg's of sodium if we are trying to lose weight and stay healthy although I don't usually check that out on a box of crackers or something similar. Maybe I should. I know that sugar is often used in conjunction with salt and together they pair well to enhance flavour. That is probably why you can't eat just one potato chip.
And just a short note in favour of sodium. Sodium allows the body to transport water more efficiently, so if you are in the desert or hot sun you may need some salt. Water is needed to keep our bodies properly hydrated and from overheating. In addition, sodium helps our bodies to deliver nutrients more efficiently which is important to achieving any fitness goal. So I don't believe in nixing sodium but realize there are some serious side effects of too much like high blood pressure and excess water retention and bloating.
I would rather use the salt shaker after the fact than have cooked food loaded in it and of course, natural foods are best in apposed to canned or packaged.
I wish I had some more answers though on seasonings. I think there is a vast topic that hasn't been properly explored. We are told salt and sugar (in excess) are bad for you and garlic, onions, cinnamon and leaf spices like oregano are good for you but there isn't much on seasonings sabotaging your diet. I think there is something to it, though. Why do we crave more and more of certain foods after we have had the first taste of it?
So when something like that happens, I have to analyze and study the reasons why. I had even had a glass of wine and a bite of garlic bread. Then I thought about it. The biggest thing I had was the loaded baked potato. I had opted for putting on my own oil and vinegar for the salad. The fish wasn't floating in butter but was very simply done whole like it used to be and deboned at the table.
The side vegetables of carrots and broccoli were steamed. After filling myself up, I felt no need for dessert.
This was the way I used to eat many years ago before gourmet chefs seasoned and decorated food like a work of art. Don't get me wrong, I am a foodie but the reality is 30 years ago we went for a much simpler fare. Food today is often piled up in the centre of the plate with veggies at the bottom that have had a little miracle infused in it... probably fat and seasonings. Last night I got to pick and choose my additives or seasonings for the salad and potato and gladly the rest was barely seasoned.
Food seasonings is a topic rarely discussed. It is more about what we should and shouldn't eat and portion control and when you list what you ate, you are never asked to outline the seasonings but I think they make a difference. There is so much emphasis being placed on what foods to eat. At one time or the other, we have all indulged in some type of food that has been loaded with seasonings to make it taste great. The question now remains, are these seasonings good or bad for you?
I am led to believe that not all seasonings are the same. I think there are seasonings that make you crave more but I have no studies to prove that. Sometimes I really need sugar after I finish a meal for example. Why is that? Is there something in the meal that says I need it? Maybe it is a balance between salt and sugar. Maybe when you have too much salt you crave sugar but I don't know this for sure.
I know that not all seasonings are the same. I think some of the combined ones like Montreal Steak spice are high in sodium while others are not. I also know that foods that are high in sodium cause you to retain excess water and therefore more weight. It is not that sodium is bad for you, but rather the amount we consume on a daily basis that is. Studies have shown that we should not consume more than 2,000 mg's of sodium if we are trying to lose weight and stay healthy although I don't usually check that out on a box of crackers or something similar. Maybe I should. I know that sugar is often used in conjunction with salt and together they pair well to enhance flavour. That is probably why you can't eat just one potato chip.
And just a short note in favour of sodium. Sodium allows the body to transport water more efficiently, so if you are in the desert or hot sun you may need some salt. Water is needed to keep our bodies properly hydrated and from overheating. In addition, sodium helps our bodies to deliver nutrients more efficiently which is important to achieving any fitness goal. So I don't believe in nixing sodium but realize there are some serious side effects of too much like high blood pressure and excess water retention and bloating.
I would rather use the salt shaker after the fact than have cooked food loaded in it and of course, natural foods are best in apposed to canned or packaged.
I wish I had some more answers though on seasonings. I think there is a vast topic that hasn't been properly explored. We are told salt and sugar (in excess) are bad for you and garlic, onions, cinnamon and leaf spices like oregano are good for you but there isn't much on seasonings sabotaging your diet. I think there is something to it, though. Why do we crave more and more of certain foods after we have had the first taste of it?
Sunday 11 March 2012
A HEALTHY VISIT TO SECOND CUP
As I had mentioned in an earlier blog today, the biggest topic of conversation these days is about the virtues of Stevia and how bad coffee is for you. I have talked my head off about Stevia and now back to coffee. How did we get those two confused? I believe the reverse to be true. I may be addicted to coffee but it isn't in the same category health-wise as cigarettes or alcohol. And where would we be without our Second Cup, Starbuck's, Tim Hortons and now even McDonald's? 63% of Canadians drink coffee daily and 81% drink it occasionally. Coffee got its bad rap from older studies but that was when people smoked as a constant companion to coffee and that wasn't taken into consideration.
Now you know how people are weight obsessed these days, well coffee by itself has very few calories and I believe most people are aware of that or there wouldn't be lineups at the numerous coffee establishments all hours of the day. It's the sugar syrups, milks and creams that cancel out coffee's potential benefits. Of course, coffee places have become more than just that. They sell a variety of tasty morsels to go with your coffee like muffins and cookies. (yum). You get comfy seats, you can hold your meetings there and they have wi-fi. In some places you can't find a seat while people sit there with their laptops. That's a bummer. So we buy our coffee then and take it in the car with us.
Coffee has come up clean in recent studies on heart disease. As a matter of fact coffee drinkers appear to have a slightly lower risk of heart attacks or strokes than non-coffee drinkers. Say coffee and you automatically think of caffeine. Caffeine, which occurs naturally in coffee and in food such as chocolate, is a stimulant that speeds up your nervous system. It postpones fatigue and elevates the mood, which is why studies suggest people who regularly consume coffee have less depression than those who don't.
But it is the antioxidants in coffee, not caffeine, which has people really enthused. There is lots of data now that found that women who consumed 4 cups of coffee per day had a 20% reduction in risk for basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. Another study found a decrease in certain breast cancers in women who drank 5 cups or more a day. There are lots of positive studies out there which says coffee lowers risk on Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and gallstones. Who would have thunk it?
... and lab testing found that coffee has "much more antioxidants than most vegetables and fruits".
So what is coffee's dark side because there is one to almost everything. Well, pregnant women are advised to drink decaf due to chances of miscarriage with caffeine although I must admit I drank coffee through 3 pregancies and they are all here today to talk about it. Of course, if you drink too much it can make you jittery and too restless to sleep. Didn't we all know that? But here is a sobering fact I am not sure I believe: Coffee won't help you sober up.
But try going without your java fix and see what happens. Of course, it is an addiction like smoking and so what????? Go without your regular coffee and you'll feel headachy, tired and edgy. Withdrawal symptoms are easily remedied by a visit to the Second Cup or in my case, when I finish this blog I am heading straight to the kitchen to perk me up with my coffee fix.
Now you know how people are weight obsessed these days, well coffee by itself has very few calories and I believe most people are aware of that or there wouldn't be lineups at the numerous coffee establishments all hours of the day. It's the sugar syrups, milks and creams that cancel out coffee's potential benefits. Of course, coffee places have become more than just that. They sell a variety of tasty morsels to go with your coffee like muffins and cookies. (yum). You get comfy seats, you can hold your meetings there and they have wi-fi. In some places you can't find a seat while people sit there with their laptops. That's a bummer. So we buy our coffee then and take it in the car with us.
Coffee has come up clean in recent studies on heart disease. As a matter of fact coffee drinkers appear to have a slightly lower risk of heart attacks or strokes than non-coffee drinkers. Say coffee and you automatically think of caffeine. Caffeine, which occurs naturally in coffee and in food such as chocolate, is a stimulant that speeds up your nervous system. It postpones fatigue and elevates the mood, which is why studies suggest people who regularly consume coffee have less depression than those who don't.
But it is the antioxidants in coffee, not caffeine, which has people really enthused. There is lots of data now that found that women who consumed 4 cups of coffee per day had a 20% reduction in risk for basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. Another study found a decrease in certain breast cancers in women who drank 5 cups or more a day. There are lots of positive studies out there which says coffee lowers risk on Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and gallstones. Who would have thunk it?
... and lab testing found that coffee has "much more antioxidants than most vegetables and fruits".
So what is coffee's dark side because there is one to almost everything. Well, pregnant women are advised to drink decaf due to chances of miscarriage with caffeine although I must admit I drank coffee through 3 pregancies and they are all here today to talk about it. Of course, if you drink too much it can make you jittery and too restless to sleep. Didn't we all know that? But here is a sobering fact I am not sure I believe: Coffee won't help you sober up.
But try going without your java fix and see what happens. Of course, it is an addiction like smoking and so what????? Go without your regular coffee and you'll feel headachy, tired and edgy. Withdrawal symptoms are easily remedied by a visit to the Second Cup or in my case, when I finish this blog I am heading straight to the kitchen to perk me up with my coffee fix.
THE FASHION OF STEVIA
I have lived long enough to see more than clothes go in and out of fashion. In the last couple of weeks, I have been in meetings and when the group was finished and the chit-chat began it was about the evil effects of coffee and the wonderful natural herb sweetener, Stevia. Every new sweetener on the block arrives with glowing results. I remember the arrival of Sucaryl and Saccharin, Sweet & Low and a bunch of other sweeteners. But I am told by those that who tout the benefits of Stevia and carry little packages of it in their purses that it is all-natural with a 0 glycemic index and 0 calories. Excuse me, but sugar is natural. It has 16 calories a spoon and it only has one ingredient in it... SUGAR. Granted Sucaryl, Saccharin and the like were all chemical compounds. Hey, but I read the package on the side of one of my guests Stevia compound.... and I say compound. Yes, it starts with a natural product, Stevia.
All the Health Food stores sell it, the Naturalpaths just love it but The FDA's position on it is somewhat ambiguous. In the 90's the FDA blocked the importation and sale of Stevia in the USA. Finally, several years later the FDA revised its import alert to allow Stevia and its extracts to be imported as a food supplement but not as a sweetener. Yet, it defines Stevia as an unapproved food additive, not affirmed as "generally recognized as safe" in the United States. It has been used in various food products, including Japanese sugar-free versions of Wrigley's gums, Beatrice Foods yogurts and even diet Coke. It has also been used in Japanese style pickles, dried seafoods, fish, meat products, vegetables and seafoods boiled down with soy sauce, confectioneries and a host of other products. Now that I have researched this, I will really watch what I am consuming.
I am not surprised now why some of the diet or imported foods taste so sweet, Stevia has up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar. Why is it creating the buzz? In this weight obsessed world where obesity has caused diabetes, heart problems and the like, Stevia is a sexy product. People are looking for low-carb, low-sugar food alternatives. Because Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a new sweetener to people on carb controlled diets.
Stevia has been grown on an experimental basis in Ontario since 1987 for the purpose of determining the feasibility of growing the crop commercially. In May, 2008, Coca Cola and Cargill announced the availability of Truvia, a consumer brand stevia sweetened containing erythriol and rebian which the FDA permited as a food additive in December, 2008. Shortly afterwards, PepsiCo and Pure Circle announced PureVia, their brand of Stevia-based sweetener. Sooooooo should I rest my case that the pop companies have Stevia-based sweeteners? Since the FDA permitted Truvia and PurVia, both Coca Cola and PepsiCo have introduced products that contain their new sweeteners.
In its purest form, I don't think you can eat a Stevia leaf. It is about 30 to 45 times the sweetness of sugar. I think it needs to be highly processed, something we all try and avoid if we are food savvy. Meanwhile, back at the bar, nothing is nicer to chew on than a piece of raw sugar cane that you have used to stir your mojito. In my world, I believe they will one day find that Stevia isn't so sexy after all. There are still unresolved questions about whether metabolic processes can produce a mutagen from Stevia in animals.
My belief is we have screwed around with so many foods that we have developed allergies and illnesses never as rampant as today. I will stick to my sugar, thanks. I don't put it in coffee but boy, do I like a good brownie, blondie or creme caramel. I am not prepared to give it all up for the fashion of Stevia. However, I know that portion control is the key. Maybe I will just add to that thought and say homemade is best. You never know what is in the combined products. For the last 20 years or so I have been shopping the perimeter of the grocery store where there is fresh fruit and vegetables, bakery, dairy, fresh meat and fish and avoiding the canned and processed foods for the most part.
All the Health Food stores sell it, the Naturalpaths just love it but The FDA's position on it is somewhat ambiguous. In the 90's the FDA blocked the importation and sale of Stevia in the USA. Finally, several years later the FDA revised its import alert to allow Stevia and its extracts to be imported as a food supplement but not as a sweetener. Yet, it defines Stevia as an unapproved food additive, not affirmed as "generally recognized as safe" in the United States. It has been used in various food products, including Japanese sugar-free versions of Wrigley's gums, Beatrice Foods yogurts and even diet Coke. It has also been used in Japanese style pickles, dried seafoods, fish, meat products, vegetables and seafoods boiled down with soy sauce, confectioneries and a host of other products. Now that I have researched this, I will really watch what I am consuming.
I am not surprised now why some of the diet or imported foods taste so sweet, Stevia has up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar. Why is it creating the buzz? In this weight obsessed world where obesity has caused diabetes, heart problems and the like, Stevia is a sexy product. People are looking for low-carb, low-sugar food alternatives. Because Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a new sweetener to people on carb controlled diets.
Stevia has been grown on an experimental basis in Ontario since 1987 for the purpose of determining the feasibility of growing the crop commercially. In May, 2008, Coca Cola and Cargill announced the availability of Truvia, a consumer brand stevia sweetened containing erythriol and rebian which the FDA permited as a food additive in December, 2008. Shortly afterwards, PepsiCo and Pure Circle announced PureVia, their brand of Stevia-based sweetener. Sooooooo should I rest my case that the pop companies have Stevia-based sweeteners? Since the FDA permitted Truvia and PurVia, both Coca Cola and PepsiCo have introduced products that contain their new sweeteners.
In its purest form, I don't think you can eat a Stevia leaf. It is about 30 to 45 times the sweetness of sugar. I think it needs to be highly processed, something we all try and avoid if we are food savvy. Meanwhile, back at the bar, nothing is nicer to chew on than a piece of raw sugar cane that you have used to stir your mojito. In my world, I believe they will one day find that Stevia isn't so sexy after all. There are still unresolved questions about whether metabolic processes can produce a mutagen from Stevia in animals.
My belief is we have screwed around with so many foods that we have developed allergies and illnesses never as rampant as today. I will stick to my sugar, thanks. I don't put it in coffee but boy, do I like a good brownie, blondie or creme caramel. I am not prepared to give it all up for the fashion of Stevia. However, I know that portion control is the key. Maybe I will just add to that thought and say homemade is best. You never know what is in the combined products. For the last 20 years or so I have been shopping the perimeter of the grocery store where there is fresh fruit and vegetables, bakery, dairy, fresh meat and fish and avoiding the canned and processed foods for the most part.
Sunday 4 March 2012
MOVE IT! MOVE IT! MOVE IT!
As lame is it must sound, I can't get the theme from Madagascar (the movie) out of my head. I checked back in at Weight Watchers yesterday after being away a month. I was out of town for 3 of the weeks and one of them, the location I went to had been pre-empted by another event. Even if I think I don't gain anything from the lectures and interaction, I probably do... a day later! The leader, Andrene started off with playing the song Move it! Move it! Move it! from Madagascar, a great segue to exercise.
I put in a few hours a week at the gym or when I am away, in the pool doing water aerobics and was thinking I was pulling my weight, so to speak. Yesterday's lecture inspired me to pay more attention to the little things like the extra walking from the car to a restaurant or mall from my parking space. Standing is better than sitting, pace while I am on the phone, etc.
It is not that I found exercise painful, unpleasant or daunting. I just put in my few hours in the gym in the morning a couple times a week and thought I didn't have any more time for any more. The concept is if you have time for watching TV or shopping, you have time to move more.
I am generally swamped with technology and as many people have done, I have swapped it for physical activity. We do little communication in person these days. It is either by email or phone. So I think we have to work harder to break it up and add more physical activity throughout the day, even if it is a 10 minute walk.
We all know the health reasons for exercise but the other things we probably forget is that after we have exercised throughout the day, even in little spurts, we sleep better and we have more energy. That is the most common complaint I hear from my friends. They often lack energy during the day and can't sleep at night. .... and of course: It helps you lose weight and keep it off.
If you need a pre-workout boost, have some coffee. It's good for you. It's near impossible to nibble while you are walking carrying a heavy purse in one hand and parcels from shopping in the other. It is a thought you can extend to running or using weights or even carrying a baby. No wonder these young mothers lose weight. I am now so motivated, I am going to turn up the music and get my ass in gear. Time to move it, move it, move it.
I put in a few hours a week at the gym or when I am away, in the pool doing water aerobics and was thinking I was pulling my weight, so to speak. Yesterday's lecture inspired me to pay more attention to the little things like the extra walking from the car to a restaurant or mall from my parking space. Standing is better than sitting, pace while I am on the phone, etc.
It is not that I found exercise painful, unpleasant or daunting. I just put in my few hours in the gym in the morning a couple times a week and thought I didn't have any more time for any more. The concept is if you have time for watching TV or shopping, you have time to move more.
I am generally swamped with technology and as many people have done, I have swapped it for physical activity. We do little communication in person these days. It is either by email or phone. So I think we have to work harder to break it up and add more physical activity throughout the day, even if it is a 10 minute walk.
We all know the health reasons for exercise but the other things we probably forget is that after we have exercised throughout the day, even in little spurts, we sleep better and we have more energy. That is the most common complaint I hear from my friends. They often lack energy during the day and can't sleep at night. .... and of course: It helps you lose weight and keep it off.
If you need a pre-workout boost, have some coffee. It's good for you. It's near impossible to nibble while you are walking carrying a heavy purse in one hand and parcels from shopping in the other. It is a thought you can extend to running or using weights or even carrying a baby. No wonder these young mothers lose weight. I am now so motivated, I am going to turn up the music and get my ass in gear. Time to move it, move it, move it.
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