UPDATES AND TOPIC FOR 10-21-13

 

 

 

 

WE ARE ENCOURAGING YOU TO HELP SHOW THE MESSAGE OF THE WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE TO YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, CO-WORKERS ETC BY INVITING THEM IN TO CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT YOU DURING OUR POTLUCK CELEBRATION.  LET US HELP PAINT A VISION OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING AND LEARNING AND WHAT WE OFFER!  HAVING A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS TO SUCCESS SO START INVITING!  WE ARE ASKING THAT ALL OF YOU BRING IN A HEALTHY DISH TO SHARE ON THE 28TH!

 

 

 

Heidi Abner Bannister

MONDAY

Class went well last night, considering that the instructors were half asleep! Lol. We had 5 challengers losing this week, with a total of 13.2 pounds! Biggest loser was Eric, who lost 5 pounds and our very own Marilyn who lost 3.8(even in Vegas!) We talked a lot about poop!! Learned why it's important to have a healthy digestive system and ways to improve digestive health. We high-lighted a few products that can help. Aloe, Active Fiber Complex and 21 Day Cleanse.

 

TUESDAY

Congratulations to Angel Rupp who was the biggest loser with losing 4.2 POUNDS!  Woot Woot...way to go girl :)

She said that she had great results because of dialing in her calories and protein and TRACKING IT!  She also knows that 20% of the formula is exercise so she did that too :)  

Best Picks and Skips at the Salad Bar
Salad bars can be diet salvation or junk-food minefields. Here's how to get from one end to the other without detonating an explosion of bad fats, sodium, sugar, and refined carbs.
1. Go dark on greens: Build a vitamin -- and fiber-packed --foundation by starting with roughly 1 cup of spinach and romaine leaves (for more than half of your daily vitamin A and all of your K, plus some C, folate, two potent vision protectors, and more). Skip'em: Lighter greens tend to offer less nutritionally. Iceberg lettuce, for instance, delivers only about 7% of the A you need, some K and not much else.
2. Go bright on veggies: Next, add about 1 cup of the most colorful crudités - broccoli, carrots, cherry tomatoes, green and red peppers, beets, like that. Ounce for ounce, vibrant veggies give you more fiber, minerals, vitamins, and disease-fighting antioxidants than their paler companions, like celery and cucumbers. Skip'em: Anything coated in mayo or an indefinable dressing, including carrot and raisin mixes, cole slaw, and potato salad.
3. Choose lean proteins: Aim for about ½ cup of these. Chickpeas and kidney beans are nifty sources of fat-free protein (6 grams each). Sliced hard-boiled eggs (8 grams) are another smart choice; just limit the yolk to limit the fat. Skip'em: Chicken, tuna, or crab salads - they're usually made with high-fat mayo; three-bean salad, which typically is afloat in a sea of oil; and cottage cheese, which is high in aging (read artery-clogging) saturated fat.
4. Sprinkle on extra flavor and crunch: Like cheese? Add 1 tablespoon of Parmesan (22 calories) to punch up the flavor, or 1 tablespoon of walnuts or sunflower seeds for some healthy crunch. Both have good-for-your-heart fats, which help your body absorb the nutrients in all those veggies. Skip'em: Cheddar cubes - you'll quickly eat more than you need; croutons - they may look harmless but at 100 calories per ¼ cup, they're usually high-cal booby traps of refined carbs, sodium, and trans fats. Ditto for crunchy Asian noodles.
5. Dress for success: Now swirl on about 1 tablespoon of heart-healthy olive oil, a splash of vinegar, a grating of pepper, and toss, toss, toss. Ask any chef. It's the secret to a perfect salad - thorough tossing ensures that all the flavors and textures are evenly distributed and lets you use minimal dressing to maximum effect. Skip'em: Walk right past those vats of ready-made salad dressings. Even the low-fat or fat-free versions are usually loaded with salt, sugar, and additives. And just 2 tablespoons of regular blue cheese or ranch have about 160 fat-packed calories
Ready? Dig in. Yum. Mission accomplished!
PS: Prefer a fruit salad? Easy. Go for whatever's fresh - melons, berries, pineapple, kiwi - and top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds for a dollop of good fats and crunchy flavor. Then buy a small container of low- or no-fat yogurt/cottage cheese for creamy protein minus the sat fat in dairy foods. Skip'em: Syrupy canned peaches, apricots, pears, etc. They have far more calories and fewer nutrients than fresh fruit.

3) Which Taco Bell item is a smarter choice?
Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme
Taco Bell Zesty Chicken Border Bowl

4) Which item is the lowest-calorie dessert at the golden arches?
McDonald's Apple Dippers
McDonald's Kiddie Cone

5) Which south-of-the-border meal won’t tip the scale?
2 Baja Fresh Original Charbroiled
2Taco Bell Chicken Ranchero Tacos

6) Which fish sandwich is lower in calories?
Burger King Big Fish sandwich
McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich

7) Which roast beef sandwich is the most diet-friendly?
Arby's Big Montana Roast Beef Sandwich
Hardee's Big Roast Beef sandwich

8) Can you pick the lower-fat sub?
Quiznos Turkey Ranch & Swiss sub (Regular size)
Subway Chicken & Bacon Ranch (6-inch)
Class 4 Week 7

1) Which drive-thru taco salad contains fewer calories?
Taco Bell's Fiesta Taco Salad
Wendy's Southwest Taco Salad

2) Which burger is lower in fat?
Wendy's Jr. Hamburger
Hardee's Slammer
Class 4 Week 7

9) Which grilled chicken sandwich makes a better choice?
Chick-fil-A Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich (with lettuce, pickle & tomato)
McDonald's Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich (no mayo)

10) Which veggie sandwich is as low-fat as it sounds?
Subway 6-inch Veggie Delight Sub (with American cheese)
Panera (or St. Louis) Bread Garden Veggie Sandwich

11) Which potato product weighs in with fewer calories?
Wendy's Baked Potato with bacon & cheese
Burger King medium French Fries

12) Which has fewer calories--the burger or burrito?
McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese
Chipotle Chicken Burrito (tortilla, rice, chicken, tomato salsa, lettuce, and cheese)



The Hunt for Hidden Sugar
How Much of the Sweet Stuff is Hiding Your Foods?
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian
Ready for a little experiment? Grab that jar of sugar, a measuring spoon, a plate and a can of regular soda. Then, dump one teaspoon of sugar onto the plate. Repeat this nine more times. Do you know what you have, besides a mess? The amount of sugar in one 12-ounce can of soda! Just look at that mound! Now locate the sugar listing on the soda's nutrition label—40 grams. Four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon. Do the math. That innocent can of pop contains 10 teaspoons of sugar and 160 empty calories. Even if you don’t drink regular soda, the typical American now eats the equivalent of about 31 teaspoons (124 grams) of added sugar every day. That sugar alone adds up almost 500 extra calories—about 25% of the average person's caloric intake. WOW! Less is More So how much should you limit your sugar intake? Several health organizations suggest that added sugar should be limited to no more than 10 percent of your total calories. This does not include naturally occurring sugars found in fruits (fructose) and dairy products (lactose). The chart below lists the maximum recommended daily sugar intake based on various calorie levels. Maximum Sugar Intake
Daily Calorie Intake
Grams
Teaspoons
1200
30
7.5
1500
37
9
1800
45
11
2100
52
13
2400
60
15
2700
67
17
Deciphering Labels It can be confusing to try to find out how much added sugar a food contains. The sugar listing on a Nutrition Facts label lumps all sugars together, including naturally-occurring milk and fruit sugars, which can be deceiving. This explains why, according to the label, one cup of milk has 11 grams of sugar even though it doesn't contain any sugar “added” to it. To determine how much sugar has been added to a food product, follow these two tips:
•
Read the ingredients list. Learn to identify terms that mean added sugars, including sugar, white sugar, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup, dextrin, honey, invert sugar, maple syrup, raw sugar, beet sugar, cane sugar, corn sweeteners, evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup, malt, molasses, and turbinado sugar.
•
Refer to the chart below for approximate amounts of hidden sugar in foods. Class 4 Week 8
Hidden Sugars in Foods
Food
Serving Size
Added Sugar
Cakes and Cookies
Angel food cake
4 oz piece
7 tsp
Banana Cake
4 oz piece
2 tsp
Brownie, no icing
1 oz piece
4 tsp
Cheesecake
4 oz piece
2 tsp
Chocolate cake, iced
4 oz piece
10 tsp
Chocolate chip cookie
1 cookie
2 tsp
Coffee cake
4 oz piece
5 tsp
Cupcake, iced
4 oz piece
6 tsp
Fig Newtons
1 cookie
5 tsp
Gingersnaps
1 cookie
3 tsp
Glazed doughnut
1 doughnut
6 tsp
Oatmeal cookie
1 cookie
2 tsp
Candies
Chocolate candy bar
1 bar
7 tsp
Chocolate mint
1 piece
2 tsp
Diet Danger: High Fructose Corn Syrup
The Effects of Corn Syrup Aren't So Sweet
-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian Class 4 Week 8
Trying to save money, food companies introduced High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) into the food market in the 1970s. Sweetening manufactured foods this way is profitable, because it is less expensive and much sweeter than sugar, yet easy to transport because of its liquid state. Today HFCS is found in a variety of foods from soda pop to ketchup, fruit drinks to salad dressings, cereals, breads, flavored yogurt, and sauces. What is Fructose? Fructose, a monosaccharide, is sometimes called “fruit sugar” because it is naturally found in fruits. Fructose is also found in honey, and is a component of table sugar (sucrose), which is a disaccharide composed of fructose and glucose. When we eat most carbohydrate foods, the blood sugar level increases and insulin is secreted to transport the sugar into the body’s cells. Besides helping to transport blood sugar, insulin also triggers the release of a hormone called leptin. Leptin helps control hunger by signaling the brain that the body is full and therefore to stop eating. The interesting fact about fructose is that it is metabolized in a totally different way than other carbohydrates. It does not stimulate or require insulin for transportation to the cells. Since there is no need for insulin release, there is also no secretion of leptin. Therefore the feeling of satiety is altered—you continue to eat and possible overeat.
Class 4 Week 8
Is Fructose the Enemy? Fructose should not be eliminated from your diet. It is primarily found in fruits, which provide a wealth of nutritional benefits to the body. Fructose found in fruits is fine! However, are we setting up our bodies for damage by constantly feeding it foods that have been filled with sucrose (fructose and glucose) and heavily loaded with HFCS, which is approximately one-half fructose? What the Research Says… A few studies have demonstrated that participants who consumed soda sweetened with HFCS did not reduce their total caloric intake to compensate for excess calories consumed as HFCS (compared to subjects who drank artificially sweetened soda). The data suggests that HFCS does not provide the body with a sense of fullness. This may cause an increase in excess calorie intake, leading to weight gain. A recent study conducted by the University of Cincinnati provided additional information. Mice freely consumed either water, fructose-sweetened water, or soft drinks. The researchers found increased body fat in the mice that drank the fructose-sweetened water and soft drinks—even though these animals decreased the amount of calories they ate from solid foods. The Smart Action! Whenever possible, avoid food products that contain HFCS and refined table sugar. This is not a magical cure for weight loss, but the preliminary research indicates that it may play a role. These foods often have little—if any—nutritional value.
•
Take inventory of your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry. Start reading the fool labels. If HFCS is one of the main ingredients (which are listed in descending order on the food label), scratch it off your grocery list—permanently.
•
Try to limit foods that have “sugar” as one of the first ingredients.
•
Start shopping around the perimeter of your grocery store; this is where you will find the foods in their natural, unprocessed state.
•
Fill your grocery cart with low fat dairy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, cereals and breads.
Although food manufacturers may lose out on your business, your body will thank you!

INVITE INVITE INVITE for PAYOUT NIGHT!

Can you believe that our weight loss challenge will be ending in a few short weeks?  We know that one of the biggest elements of success is support and accountability!  We think that family and friends are a very important part of our health journeys and on top of that, we are challenging all of you to carry on the mission of nutrition to those you love.  All of you have just gotten started in this 8 weeks but with what you know, we are asking that you pass on and continue to pass on your new knowledge to those you care about!  HELP US CHANGE MORE LIVES!

****START INVITING NOW to THE CELEBRATION AND PAYOUT NIGHT****

* BRING YOUR FAVORITE HEALTHY DISH
* BRING YOUR FAMILY
* INVITE FRIENDS SO THEY CAN HEAR FROM THE WLC     TEAM AND...CELEBRATE IN YOUR SUCCESS!

Congrats, Updates and Info for 10-14-13

There were 5 challengers who lost weight this week, losing a total of 18 pounds!! Our biggest loser for the week was Eric S, who lost 10.4 pounds this week!!! Second place went to Michelle P, losing 2.2 pounds and third place was Kassie, who lost 2 pounds!! 

                 CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!!!!                  

 

Health Tip: Finding Fiber in Your Diet
Foods that are fiber-rich
(HealthDay News) -- Fiber should be an important part of every diet. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, dietary fiber can help prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, and even some types of cancer.
The academy offers this list of fiber-rich foods:
•
Fruits like apples, oranges, berries, prunes, figs and pears.
•
Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, peas, carrots and beans.
•
Whole grains like bran muffins, oatmeal, brown rice, popcorn, whole wheat bread and multigrain cereals.
•
Added wheat bran to foods like applesauce, oatmeal, and cooked cereals.
•
Class 4 Week 5
What can fiber do for you? There are many health benefits to bulking up on fiber:
•
Aids in Weight Loss - Fiber-rich foods may help your body stay trim. They take longer to chew, which may slow down your eating time so you eat less food. Fiber helps you feel full and slows the emptying of your stomach. In other words, fiber helps you to fill up before you reach the point of overeating. Fiber itself cannot be fattening because it isn’t digested and has ZERO calories!
•
Reduces Risk of Heart Disease - Studies have shown that people who consume a high fiber diet are less likely to develop heart disease. Certain types of fiber may help lower LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff). Fiber also helps bile acids pass through as waste. Therefore the body absorbs less dietary cholesterol.
•
Lowers High Blood Pressure - Fiber-rich foods are also a good source of potassium and magnesium. These two minerals are needed to help regulate blood pressure.
•
Manages Diabetes - Water-soluble fiber also helps to regulate blood sugar by delaying the emptying time of the stomach. This slows the sugar absorption after meals and reduces the amount of insulin needed.
•
Prevents Cancer - Eating a high fiber diet throughout one’s life may help prevent certain cancers, such as colon and rectal cancers. Fiber absorbs excess bile acids that are associated with cancer. It also speeds up the time it takes for waste to pass through the digestive system, which decreases the amount of time that harmful substances remain in contact with the intestinal wall. Fiber also forms a bulkier stool, which helps to dilute the concentration of harmful substances.
•
Reduces Constipation, Hemorrhoids, and Diverticulosis - Fiber absorbs water, softening and bulking the stool. This helps it pass through the digestive system more quickly and easily. As a result, fiber prevents constipation. There is less straining with bowel movements so hemorrhoids are less likely to form. Fiber is also a standard therapy for the treatment of diverticular disease. This painful disease occurs when the tiny sacs in the intestinal wall become weak and infected. A high fiber diet helps to keep these sacs from becoming inflamed.
Class 4 Week 5
Grams of Fiber
Grams of Fiber
Fruit
Grains & Pasta
Raspberries, 1/2c
5
( 1 cup cooked )
Apple, 1
4
Bulgar
8
Blueberries, 1c
4
Barley
6
Prunes, dried, 3
3
Whole Wheat Spaghetti
6
Banana, 1
3
Brown Rice
4
Pear, 1
3
Couscous
2
Orange, 1
3
Macaroni
2
Strawberries, 1c
3
Spaghetti
2
Grapes, 1c
2
Apricots, dried, 1/4c
2
Peach, 1
2
Cereal
Pineapple, 1c
2
Fiber One, 1/2c
14
Plums, 2
2
All Bran, 1/3c
14
Cantaloupe, 1c
1
Kashi, 3/4c
8
Watermelon, 1c
1
Raisin Bran, 1c
8
Grapefruit, 1/2
1
Shredded Wheat, 1c
6
Apple Juice, 1c
0
Wheat Chex, 1c
5
Orange Juice, 1c
0
Bran Flakes, 3/4c
5
Grape Nuts, 1/2c
5
Vegetables
Oats, 1c
4
(1/2 cup cooked)
Cheerios, 1c
3
Potato with skin, 1
4
Wheaties, 1c
3
Green Peas
4
Granola, 2/3c
3
Brussel Sprouts
3
Corn Flakes, 1c
1
Carrots
3
Special K, 1c
0
Broccoli
2
Rice Krispies, 1c
0
Cabbage
2
Cauliflower
2
Other Grains
Corn
2
( 1 slice )
Carrot, 1 med
2
Pupernickel bread
4
Green beans
2
Whole wheat bread
4
Spinach
2
Triscuits, 7
4
Asparagus
1
Celery, 1 stalk
1
Green pepper, 1/2
1
Beans
Lettuce, 1c
1
Lentils, 1/2c
7
Tomato, 1/2
1
Pinto beans, 1/2c
7
Lentil soup, 1c
7
Kidney beans, 1/2c
7
Ham / bean soup, 1c
6
Class 4 Week 5

Tasty ways to add fiber to your diet:
•
Try a high-fiber grain instead of rice. Bulgur, barley, and brown rice are great high-fiber substitutions.
•
Add beans to your favorite stir-fry, dips, quesadillas, burritos, and tacos.
•
Eat some type of fresh or dried fruit with every meal.
•
Start your meal with a large spinach salad, sprinkled with nuts, seeds or dried fruit.
•
Choose fruit instead of juice.
•
Make a pot of vegetable soup.
•
Add extra veggies and/or beans, peas, and lentils to soups, casseroles, and stews.
•
Try Middle Eastern cuisine, such as tabbouleh or falafel.
•
Keep nuts, trail mixes, and cereal mixes available for snacks.
•
Buy whole wheat pasta, breads, crackers, and cereals.
•
Top casseroles with wheat germ or bran.
•
Eat the skins of fruits and vegetables when possible.
•
Start your morning with a whole grain, high fiber cereal.
•
Ask for lunchtime sandwiches to be prepared with whole grain bread and topped with veggies.
Wellness Coaching on Constipation
What is a normal bowel movement?
Frequency: 1 – 3 times per day. Stools should pass painlessly and easily with little or no effort. Color: Brown or Golden Brown like Peanut Butter. Size: Sausage-like
So abnormal bowels would be anything not above. Or watery stools more than 3 times per day. Color can differ based on foods you eat. If you only release pellet size, or hard round stool – that would be abnormal.
Abnormal is usually sign that you are eating a daily menu plentiful with proteins as meat, cheese, dairy – but that you are not getting the fruits and veggies and whole grains into your day, or enough essential fats (the omega 3 fatty acids – the good ones)
Other factors can be lack of exercise, and chronic dehydration. So how can you correct lack of exercise – get up and take a walk even. Vaccuum, take the laundry up and down the stairs. Do some stretches or some jumping jacks – Just get moving for 20 minutes.
As for chronic dehydration it isn’t enough to just drink liquids. Some liquids reverse hydration, such as caffeine containing drinks – coffees and teas and sodas. If you drink only these beverages all day – you are not hydrating your body. Teas are also rich in tannins, and tannins bind stool and can hold back bowel movements.
What is the solution?
So you need 64 oz of pure water each day. You need at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day… Fruit at Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Snack. Veggie at Lunch and Dinner. 2-3 Servings of healthy fats – butter, olive oil. Put 1 TBS of mayo on sandwich.
You need 22 grams of healthy fats per day. (omit or limit trans fats)
Don’t like to eat veggies? Be creative and put them into casseroles where their flavor and texture is blended. Have Tuna Casserole with Peas and Onions, or Tuna Salad Sandwich on Whole Wheat (mix in Celery, Onions, Pickles into your Tuna with a little mayo) Serve on bed of lettuce on a small croissant. Broccoli and Cauliflower are great in pasta and rice casseroles served with Chicken or Turkey. Spaghetti can have green peppers, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes all hiding in the spaghetti sauce. Stir fry some red peppers, green peppers, onions, pea pods add a few spices with some Chicken serve over parboiled rice (Uncle Ben’s offers converted parboiled rice, healthier solution)
If you are constipated eat the Double High Five! Five Fruits and Five Vegetables!
These fruits and veggies are for the toughest of cases ----
Fruits: apples, avocado, grapes, mangos, papayas, pineapple, prunes, and oranges.
Veggies: Dandelion and Endive (leafy greens), watercress, rhubarb, rutabaga, turnips
Also almonds, walnuts, dates, persimmons

 Class 4 Week 6
Keep the good bacteria plentiful in your colon as well with daily use of Herbalife Florafiber. Lacking the foods above? try adding in Active Fiber powder to a drink daily.

 

HOMEWORK:  Don't forget your food label too !

Facts on Fast Food

Hey, gang......saw this and just wanted to share!

PORTION DISTORTION GUIDE handout for 10-7-13

Class 4 Week 4
The Portion Distortion Guide
A List of Serving Sizes
-- By Nicole Nichols, Fitness Instructor & Health Educator
Selecting the right foods also means choosing portions that are proper serving sizes. The terms "portion" and "serving" are often used interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing. A "portion" is the amount of food you choose to eat for meals or snacks (like a plateful of pasta or a handful of raisins). In comparison a "serving" is the amount of food that experts recommend you eat (like 1 cup of milk or 1 ounce of bread). Servings are listed on a food's nutrition facts label too. When choosing your portion, try to make it as close as possible to these recommended serving sizes.
Grains: Aim for 6-11 servings each day. Choose whole grains whenever possible.
Examples
One serving equals
That's about the size of
Bread
1 ounce (1 small slice, 1/2 bagel, 1/2 bun)     Index card
Cooked Grains
1/2 cup cooked oats, rice, pasta     Billiard ball
Dry cereal
1/2 cup flakes, puffed rice, shredded wheat      Billiard ball
Fruits and Vegetables: Aim 5-9 total servings each day. Choose fresh fruits and veggies whenever possible.
Examples
One serving equals
That's about the size of
Raw fruit
1/2 cup raw, canned, frozen fruit   Billiard ball
Dried fruit
1/4 cup raisins, prunes, apricots   An egg
Juice
6 oz 100% fruit or vegetable juice   Hockey puck
Raw vegetables
1 cup leafy greens, baby carrots   Baseball
Cooked vegetables 1/2 cup cooked broccoli, potatoes   Billiard ball
Meat and Beans: Aim for 2-3 servings each day. Choose lean meats and plant proteins whenever possible.
Examples
One serving equals
That's about the size of
Meat & Tofu
2-3 oz cooked beef, poultry, fish, tofu   Deck of cards
Beans
1/2 cup cooked beans, split peas, legumes   Billiard ball
Nuts & Seeds
2 Tbsp nuts, seeds, or nut butters    Ping pong ball
Dairy: Aim for 2-3 servings of calcium-rich foods each day. Choose low- or non-fat products whenever possible.
Examples
One serving equals
That's about the size of
Cheese
1 ounce or 1 thin slice of cheese  A pair of dice
Milk
1 cup milk, yogurt, soy milk  Baseball
Fats & Oils: Eat fats and oils sparingly and in small portions. Choose heart-healthy fats whenever possible.
Examples
One serving equals
That's about the size of
Fat & Oil
1 tsp butter, margarine, oil   One die

Class 4 Week 4

Control the Crazy Portions
Staring into the Bottomless Plate
-- By Zach Van Hart, Staff Writer
Question: Is it possible to eat meals consisting entirely of healthy foods, such as carrots, fish, apples and whole wheat bread, and continue to gain weight? Answer: Yes, because you can still eat too much, even if everything is good for you. Portions have grown by leaps and bounds over the last couple of decades. Not surprisingly, our weight has followed right along with it. A huge part of the problem is that people tend to eat what’s in front of them, whether they’re hungry or not. To fight this problem, it’s important to find reasons to cut down on what you put on your plate in the first place. Portion size is a major contributor to weight problems, whether you eat out or at home. Restaurants serve huge plates of food, consisting of several servings per person, making it easy to go way past the recommended amount per meal. It does not stop when you eat at home. It’s been estimated that portion sizes in the past 20 years have increased in restaurants and at home by as much as 50%. Today, the average person eats 200 more calories each day than in the 1970s. Many store bought cookies are now more than 7 times bigger than the recommended serving size. Did you know that a typical dinner plate holds three servings of spaghetti, not just one? When you fill up your entire plate with food, you’re likely eating more than you bargained for.
On the bright side, portion size is something you can change, without getting rid of your favorite foods. All it takes is a few simple habits to control how much you eat during a sitting. Here are a few tips you can use when dining in or out:
•
Order an appetizer as an entree (main dish). Remember to stay away from fried foods though.
•
Split an entree with another person.
•
Order from the lunch menu at dinnertime.
•
Leftovers are okay. Feel free to wrap up half your meal to go
•
Order smaller sizes such as a half-order of pasta or a "petite" cut of meat. Even so, portions may still be hefty. It's not unusual for a "smaller" portion of meat to be an 8-ounce serving.
In fast-food restaurants avoid "extra value" or "super size" meals, unless you split it with a friend. A regular small hamburger is usually equivalent to one serving of meat and two servings of grain.
AT HOME
•
Set the table with smaller plates. Since you can’t fit as many servings on your plate, filling the whole plate is no big deal. Smaller dishes also make the food look bigger, which has a proven effect on your level of hunger.
•
Skip seconds and get out the Tupperware.
•
Divide up single serving portions ahead of time, in sealable bags or containers.
•
Read the packaging! Follow the recommended serving size and eat only one.
•
Eat foods that curb hunger: oranges, apples, oatmeal, fish, brown rice, and whole wheat pasta.
`How to Read a Nutrition Facts Label
Solving the Ninth Mystery of the World
-- By Laura Bofinger, Staff Writer
What do you look for when you’re checking out the nutrition facts on that macaroni and cheese box? Whether you’re one to zoom in on total calories or total carbs, you might be missing the real picture. Nutrition facts should be a part of your decision in what to eat or even what to buy. But interpreting the facts requires a bit of know-how, so make sure you aren’t misleading yourself. Understand the Power of "Serving Size" The most important rule is to know your serving size and the number of servings in the package or can. If the label says "one cup" per serving size and "two servings per container," that means there are two cups in the whole package. If you know you’ll eat the whole package by yourself, you are going to consume two cups (1 cup x 2 servings/container = 2 cups). That means that you must double all the nutrition facts measurements to know your total intake of each nutrient – the good and the bad. Using the mac and cheese example, eating the whole package means you will have consumed 500 calories, 220 of which are from fat. You will have consumed 24 grams of fat, of which 6 grams are saturated fat.
Class 4 Week 4
bad number?
The only time you can avoid doing the math is when you eat the exact serving size that is listed. Always compare the listed serving size to how much food you think you’ll eat and compute calories from there. Crack the Code in "Percent Daily Value" Confused by what all those percents really mean? The percents refer to "percent daily value" and they’re a bit trickier to interpret. The FDA bases these percents on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. Looking at cholesterol on the mac and cheese label, the FDA says that you are getting 30 milligrams per serving, or 10% of the recommended amount of cholesterol for a person eating about 2,000 calories per day. (Remember, you’re getting 20% if you eat the whole package.) So how do you know if 10% is a good or For ease of explanation, let’s break this down into a guide that will help us look at a percent and immediately know if it is high or low for one food source. The magic numbers are 5 and 20%. Anything listed in the percent daily value column that is 5% or less is a low number for nutrients. This is a good range for things that you want to limit (fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium), but too low for things you want to eat plenty of (fiber, calcium, and vitamins). Anything listed as 20% or more is high. This is a bad range for things that you want to limit (fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium), but a good range for things you want to eat plenty of (fiber, calcium, and vitamins).
Class 4 Week 4
Look at "Total Fat" on the mac and cheese label. The 18% daily value is close to the high point, but if you ate the whole package, you actually ate 36% of the recommended daily amount of fat (well above our benchmark of 20%). That amount, coming from just one source of food in a day, contributes a lot of fat to your daily diet. It would leave you 64% (100% - 36% = 64%) of your fat allowance for all other meals, drinks, and snacks you would eat that day. If your daily goal is well below 2,000 calories for your weight loss plan, then use the percents as a frame of reference (realizing you need to be below the percents shown, per serving). Or, you may find it simpler to keep track of grams and milligrams instead of the percents. The Nutrition Facts footnote gives a scale in grams and milligrams for recommended amounts of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, and fiber based on 2,000- and 2,500- calorie diets. (This footnote does not appear on small packages where there is no room for it.) The percent daily value also offers a great way to watch your diet without completely giving up your favorite foods. For example, if you ate one serving of macaroni and cheese but ensured you had a low fat intake for all other foods you ate that day, you made a successful trade off. When you really want a food that is high in fat, always balance it
Quick Interpretation Guide
•
Start at the top with Serving Size and Servings Per Container. Adjust all measurements below this point according to the serving size you will eat.
•
Look at the number of calories per serving (including how many calories are from fat).
•
Limit these nutrients: total fat (including saturated and trans fat), cholesterol, and sodium.
•
Get plenty of these nutrients: fiber, vitamins, calcium, and iron
•
Use the % Daily Value to determine what is a high or low number for your daily diet. 5% or less is low; 20% or more is high.
Don’t just use the nutrition facts to track the nutrients you want to cut back on. Use it to track the nutrients you want to increase (like fiber, calcium and vitamins)! Whether you’re a stickler for tracking every fat gram and calorie per day or someone who just wants a rough estimate of her daily nutrient intake, the nutrition facts label is a handy tool. Learn how to use it for foods you eat frequently and anything new that you are tempted to incorporate into your regular meal plan. with healthy low-fat foods in the same day.

WLC INFORMATION for September 30th

  BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR SUCCESS THIS LAST WEEK!  OUR BIGGEST LOSERS ON MONDAY NIGHT LOST 7 LBS AND 4.8 LBS RESPECTIVELY AND OUR ENTIRE CLASS LOST 25....IN 1 WEEK!  Keep up the incredible work!  What great to hear is how consistency with the basics and applying the new learning, incredible results can happen!

CONGRATULATIONS to our WLC team for running another great class!  Our review game was certainly a HIT!  Kudos to Team #2 for totally smashing Team #1..you guys really know your stuff :)  And, to everyone that won extra tickets for bringing in your water log...keep that habit up!

INFORMATION FOR NEXT WEEK:  Exercise and Raising Your Metabolism! 

HERE ARE THE VIDEOS PLAYED IN CLASS!  REWATCH AND LEARN MORE ABOUT HEART HEALTH FROM OUR VERY OWN DR. LOU IGNARRO (NOBEL PRIZE LAUREATE) and OMEGA 3'S FROM OUR DR. LUIGI!

Dr. Lou Ignarro Heart Health Video 
Dr. Luigi Omega 3 Video 


 

FAQs about Exercise
My hands and/or feet swell during exercise. Is this normal?
Probably. It is normal for your feet to swell a little bit during exercise—enough to make a difference of about one shoe size, but some people may experience even more swelling than that. Others also experience noticeable hand swelling while running or walking. When this swelling is "normal" (not the result of a medical condition), it will usually disappear fairly soon after the exercise stops, and won’t involve other symptoms. If you experience swelling in your extremities, along with symptoms like pain, redness, and shortness of breath, and/or the swelling doesn't go away within a couple of hours after you stop exercising, you should check with your doctor to see if something else is going on. There are many possible explanations for this exercise-induced swelling, and in most cases, several factors probably contribute to it. Here are a few tips for minimizing the problem:
•
Shop for your exercise shoes late in the afternoon or soon after a bout of exercise, when you’re feet will be closer to the size they swell to. If that’s not feasible, get them about half a size larger than your normal shoes.
• Take off tight jewelry like rings, watches, and bracelets during exercise.
• When walking or running, keep your elbows bent and your forearms parallel to the ground; don’t keep hands clenched in fists, and stretch your fingers every few minutes.
• During exercise, rest your hands on top of your head every now and then (when feasible) to elevate them above the level of your heart.
• If your exercise session is going to be longer than an hour, and you’ll be sweating pretty heavily, make sure your daily intake of water and salt is balanced. Consider using a sports drink that provides electrolytes for hydration during your long exercise sessions.
I have chronic fatigue syndrome, which makes exercise difficult. Any suggestions?
It's important for people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) to work in conjunction with their health care providers to start a healthy, reasonable exercise program. Physical activity should be gentle and should be increased slowly over time (in terms of frequency, intensity and duration). Some good examples include yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, walking, stretching, light strength training, and water exercise. Let your doctor or physiotherapist be your guide when starting a fitness program. Here are some general suggestions:
Gradually work up to three workouts per week.
Pace yourself and listen to your body. Your tolerance to exercise will change often and day-to-day. Stop exercising before you feel exhausted.
Aerobic (cardio) exercise may or may not be for you. For some people with CFS, it worsens symptoms.
Exercise will be trial and error. Try to learn from your experiences. For example, if walking for 15 minutes worsens your symptoms, try walking for five minutes and see how that goes. It may be helpful to record your exercises and how you feel in a journal. Remember to only start an exercise program after your doctor says it's okay. Hopefully he or she can also help monitor your symptoms and offer suggestions.
Class 4 Week 9
I have asthma. Can I still exercise?
Yes, exercise in general is beneficial to asthma. Asthmatics can safely exercise, especially when their asthma is well-controlled, but you should work closely with your doctor to develop a fitness plan that works for you, and time your treatments (using the inhaler, etc.) in the best way to reduce attacks during and/or after exercise. Regular exercise is important for your weight loss and fitness level, but staying consistent with it will also reduce the number and severity of your asthma attacks, as well as boosting your immune system. Work with you physician of course, but try to keep your exercise intensity low initially, especially if you have a cold. When asthma symptoms occur, you should reduce your intensity level, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to stop completely. Using your inhaler before your workout will help reduce the possibility of attacks during exercise. Take extra time to both warm up and cool down. Depending on where you work out, consider wearing a face mask (will work great at home, but might make you self-conscious in the gym). This keeps your inhaled air warm and moist, helping to reduce asthmatic responses during exercise. Because warm and moist air is beneficial to asthmatics, try to avoid exercising in cold, dry environments.
I just started exercising to lose weight, but I've gained weight. Why did this happen?
It's true that many people either gain a little weight or don't see any change on the scale for as long as 4-6 weeks after making a significant change in their level of exercise. This is often explained as "gaining muscle while losing fat" but that isn't quite accurate. This extra weight is usually water. When you start doing more exercise, your body begins storing more fuel in your muscle cells, where it can be used easily and quickly to fuel your workouts. The process of converting glucose (carbohydrates) into fuel that your muscles actually store and use (glycogen) requires three molecules of water for every molecule of glucose. As your muscles are building up glycogen stores, your body has to retain extra water for this purpose. That's what causes most of the initial weight gain or lack of weight loss. This is a good thing—not something to worry about. However, despite what the scale says, you are actually losing fat during this time. The extra water retention will stop once your body has adjusted to its new activity level. At that point, the scale should start moving down. You'll end up with less fat, and muscles that can handle a larger amount of work.
Class 4 Week 9
Does exercising on an empty stomach (such as first thing in the morning) burn more fat?
Although everyone is different, I would not advise anyone to exercise on an empty stomach, whether in the morning or anytime of the day. In the morning, your body has gone 8+ hours since eating or drinking anything. Your blood sugar levels are lower at this point, and your body doesn't have adequate fuel to workout optimally. Usually, experts recommend eating something—even if it's just a small snack—within 2 hours before working out. When your body doesn’t have proper fuel in it, many problems can result, the lesser being that your workout performance suffers, and the greater being something like passing out during exercise. However, like I said—every body is different. Some people can workout on an empty stomach with no problems, while others would end up very sick and feel the negative effects of it. When I workout in the morning, I always eat (and drink) something first thing after I wake up. Usually by the time I start my workout it doesn't hurt my stomach to exercise with a bit of food on it. Also, I think there might have been a bit of confusion here about metabolic rates in the morning. Eating breakfast in the morning has a positive effect on your metabolism, but exercising on an empty stomach does not. Some people say that it will burn fat stores, but overall, the number of calories your burn during a workout (regardless of where they come from) is much more important. Plus, fat burns in the carbohydrate flame. This means that exercising without eating (such as after "fasting" during sleep) your body does not burn fat efficiently, or sometimes at all.
How do I know how many calories I burn doing Pilates? Does it count as cardio or strength training?
Your Pilates workout is a great way to improve general fitness, and will definitely burn some extra calories—but not as many as traditional aerobic exercise. And it won't provide the same cardiovascular conditioning benefits as aerobics, even if it does elevate your heart rate quite a bit. Aerobic exercise has heart-healthy effects because of the unique way it forces the cardiovascular system to provide extra oxygen and blood flow to the muscles. So, we encourage people NOT to replace traditional aerobic exercise (running, walking, biking, etc.) with other things that serve different purposes. Better to do both, if possible. The cardio tracker can't accurately estimate calories burned for things like Pilates and weight training because it's almost impossible to estimate how many calories a given person would be burning due to the many individual variables involved. Since any stock formula is bound to be significantly off for the majority of people who use it, and since overestimating calories burned is just as unhelpful as underestimating calories eaten, we recommend that people just consider the calories burned by these kinds of activity as "extra" calories they are banking for those days when things don't quite go as planned.
Class 4 Week 9
Is it okay to exercise when you have a cold?
Great question! When you are sick, you need to pay careful attention to what your body is telling you. If the cold is primarily in your head, it's okay to exercise, just at a lower intensity (provided you feel okay and have enough energy). Once you are feeling 100% again, then you can slowly increase your activity back to your pre-illness level. If your feeling sluggish or the workout isn't going well, don't push it. When you push too much, the sickness can end up hanging around longer. If your cold is below the neck (in your chest), try to refrain from activity until it clears up. The best thing you can do for your body when it's trying to fight a bug is to give it rest.
What exercises can I do at home? My budget is really tight and I cannot afford to join a gym.
Here are some resistance training exercises that you can do using just your own body weight: 1. Pushups- standard, on knees, feet propped up on a chair, leaning on a wall, upper body propped up on a couch, etc. There are even more variations by changing body placement and hand-width. 2. Crunches- feet on floor, lets bent in air, legs straight in air, bicycle crunch, full sit-ups, oblique crunches, plank. 3. Lunges- walking lunges, stationary lunges, side lunges, reverse or front lunges. 4. Squats- feet together, feet shoulder-width, feet wide, back on wall (holding wall sit), holding extra weight (dumbbells, water jugs, etc), one-legged squats (advanced!) 5. Bridges- lie on your back, legs bent, feet on floor. Lift hips toward ceiling, squeezing glutes the whole time. Challenge yourself by keeping one leg up in the air. 6. Cardio- climbing your stairs, running/walking/jogging outside, hiking, jumping rope (or just jumping period), kickboxing routines, fitness videos, biking, etc. As you can see, there are SO many options you can choose from, even with the smallest amount of resources. All of the exercise demos in the Fitness Resource Center are exercises you can do at home. Investing a little money in a good resistance band, Swiss ball, and/or pair of hand weights will allow you to do a wide variety of exercises from home.
Class 4 Week 9
How do I figure out my target heart rate? How long do I need to work out after reaching it?
There is a basic formula that applies to the average population (and is actually pretty accurate). Let's use a 20-year-old as an easy-to-calculate example: The formula: 220-age= MAX heart rate (220-20=200 MHR) 60%-80% of this max: 200 x .6 = 120 beats per min, 200 x .8 = 160 beats per min. Therefore the TARGET HEART RATE range for a 20-year old, working at 60-80% (up to 85% for very fit people) of his/her max heart rate is 120-160 beats/min. To calculate your heart rate: Find your pulse (on the neck or wrist) and count the number of beats for 6 seconds. Multiply that number by 10 and compare to your recommended range. Using this method will prevent you from stopping exercise for more than a few seconds. You can take your pulse after you've been exercising for at least 5 minutes. For example, suppose you take your pulse and count 13 in 6 seconds. Multiply by 10 to get 130 beats/min. Now you know you’re in the right range. If you notice you are lower than the minimum, increase your speed/incline/intensity and try to count again. If you notice you are very high, decrease your intensity in some way. * If you have high blood pressure, you should not be working out in this THR range. As far as time goes, try to sustain this intensity (not including your 5 minute warm-up or cool down) for AT LEAST 20 minutes (minimum recommendations for health and weight loss), and up to 45 or even 60 minutes. Of course, you will not start an exercise program with that much endurance, but you'll slowly build up. Aim for reaching this time/intensity 3-5 days a week, and you're all set!
How often should I walk? Should I focus on miles or minutes?
The "FITT" Principles will help you design a safe and effective cardio (aerobic) exercise program, whether you walk for exercise or do something else. Frequency: Number of Days Per Week Aim for a minimum of 3 days a week, and gradually work your way up to 5 or 6 days a week. The more the better--especially when it comes to weight loss. But don't forget the importance of rest and recovery. Give yourself at least 1-2 days off each week. Intensity: How Hard To Exercise You can use your target heart rate range or the "Talk Test" to make sure you're working out in a
Class 4 Week 9
good range (not too easy, not too hard). If you can comfortably answer a question during exercise, while still feeling like you’re exerting yourself, you’re in a good calorie-burning range. This range is ideal for the general health benefits that come with exercise, and for weight loss. Time: How Long For Each Cardio Session The recommended time for most people ranges from a minimum of 20 minutes (for simple general health), all the way up to about 60 minutes. Of course, it’s smart to work your way up gradually. The further you go over 20 minutes, the more fat you are burning, so that can be a good motivator. Type: Activities That Count Any activity can count as cardio/aerobic exercise as long as it meets the 3 requirements above--you can sustain a target heart rate intensity for at least 20-60 minutes, and do it several times a week. Walking, of course, meets those requirements. Things to keep in mind: 1. Time can be cumulative: You don't have to do 60 minutes all at once. You can do several 5-10 minute mini-workouts each day and add them up. 2. If you can't reach your target heart rate with walking, then add intensity by increasing speed or incline.

 LOOKING FOR A HOME WORKOUT SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY WORKS?  LOOK NO FURTHER!  ASK YOUR COACH ABOUT HOW TO GET ONE!  THIS SET IS CREATED BY THE LEADING STRENGTH COACH IN THE USA AND THE FITNESS INSTRUCTOR IS AN OLYMPIC ATHLETE!  FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, IT TOTALLY ROCKS!  The best part is anyone can do this.  Start from Phase 1 and work your way up!  THIS IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM P90X OR THAT INSANITY PROGRAM!


RAISING METABOLISM

Kick Your Metabolism Into High Gear!
The Do's and Don'ts of Efficient Fat-Burning
-- By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior Expert
If you’re reading this, chances are pretty good that you don’t have a metabolism that lets you eat as much as you want without ever gaining an ounce. Maybe (like me) you’re even at the other extreme, where it seems like all you have to do is smell the foods you love to start packing on the pounds. Does this mean you’re doomed to a lifetime of munching on carrot sticks with fat-free dressing, while watching your hollow-legged friends enjoy their pasta Alfredo and chocolate cheesecake? Not at all. There are lots of things you can do to turn your body into an efficient fat-burning machine, and they don't include depriving yourself of foods you love, resorting to unhealthy gimmicks, or taking expensive “fat-melting” supplements that fail to deliver what they promise. All you have to do is avoid a few common mistakes, and include some simple ways to boost your daily calorie burn. Metabolism DON'TS
•
Don’t reduce your calorie intake too low. The fact that you gain weight easily is proof that your body likes to shift into fat-storage mode at the drop of a hat, and going too low on calories is one of the easiest ways to trigger that reaction (often referred to as starvation mode). Don’t fall for the mistaken idea that the less you eat, the more you’ll lose—that’s just not how your body works. Staying within your recommended calorie range will keep your internal furnace stoked so that you have more capacity to burn stored fat.
• Don’t skip meals. Going too long between meals affects your body chemistry in ways that can make weight loss more difficult. Most people can manage their hunger and avoid cravings and overeating by spreading out their calories into four to five small, well-balanced meals or snacks during the day. Try not to go more than four to five hours without eating something.
•
Don’t short yourself on shut eye. More research is showing that chronic sleep deprivation plays a significant role in weight gain. Your body needs plenty of “downtime” for the internal housekeeping that keeps your metabolism in good working order. The occasional late night won’t hurt you, but consistently sleeping just one hour less than you need may slow down your weight loss considerably.
Metabolism DO'S
•
Build muscle! This is the most important action you can take to maintain a high metabolic rate while trying to lose weight. Strength training prevents you from losing a lot of muscle along with the fat you lose when dieting. If you don’t strength train regularly, up to 30% of the weight you lose could be muscle tissue. Considering that a pound of muscle burns about 3 times more calories per day than a pound of fat even when you’re sitting still (and up to 15-20 times more calories per minute when you're physically active), you can see the problems this can cause. If you lose 20 pounds of weight (and 30% of that weight loss is muscle—seven pounds), you’ll be slowing your metabolism and your fat burning capacity down by a significant amount. A simple strength training program twice a week can limit your muscle loss to almost zero, and keep your metabolism running high.
• Stay as active as possible. The more you use your muscles, the more calories you will burn. Moderate exercise like walking can burn three to six times more calories per minute than sitting still, and high intensity exercise like interval training can burn more than 12 times as much. Likewise, the more you vary your daily activity and exercise, the more you keep your body on its fat-burning toes.
• Don’t just sit there. If you’re watching TV or sitting at your desk, get up frequently to do a few exercises. Keep those resistance bands and dumbbells nearby at all times—you can fit a complete strength training workout into the commercial breaks of a one-hour TV show. Ditch your chair and sit on a stability ball (or a stationary bike) instead—even fidgeting can help! Class 4 Week 3
•
Exercise in the morning or in frequent bouts. Both strength and cardio exercises boost metabolism by increasing your calorie burn even AFTER your session is done. You can get the most out of this perk by starting your day with a workout or by incorporating multiple exercise sessions into your day. Longer or intense workouts have a greater "after burn” but even a 15-minute walk will make a difference.
•
Try interval training. The harder you work, the more calories you will burn both during and after exercise—plus your fitness level will really improve. Studies show that exercising as intensely as you can, for at least 10 minutes per day, produces the best results. Interval training is an effective way to increase the intensity and duration of your workouts without running yourself into the ground or risking injury.
•
Include mental exercises. One of the most important (but least recognized) factors in keeping your metabolic fires well stoked is managing stress effectively. Chronic stress disrupts the hormones that regulate everything from appetite to fat storage, and can defeat even the best exercise and eating plans. The more effort you put into recognizing and handling stress, the better off you’ll be. Include some time in your schedule every day for relaxation exercises, yoga, journaling, and other stress management activities.
And Most Importantly… Make exercise and healthy eating FUN! Experiment frequently with new exercises and recipes, or anything that keeps you interested and adds some spice to your program. Well, don’t stop there. The more variety you can put in your diet and your exercise routine, the more stimulating it will be. That makes it easy to put your best efforts forward, and get a major metabolic return on your investment.
6 Weight Loss Mistakes to Avoid
Small Changes for Big Results
-- By Jen Mueller, Certified Personal Trainer
Many dieters tend to make similar mistakes when trying to lose weight. But being aware of these mistakes—and making small physical and mental changes—will help you lose the weight and keep it off for good. Here’s how: Slower is Better The first mistake dieters make is having unrealistic weight loss expectations. The WLC program is set up to help you safely lose between half a pound and two pounds per week. Studies show that individuals who rapidly lose weight are more likely to gain it back. So if you’ve lost a few pounds this month—excellent! Don’t discount that because you see someone on T.V. losing 15 pounds in two weeks. Everyone is Different While some people lose a lot of weight in the first few weeks, others might not lose any weight for a few weeks. Although this can be frustrating when you’re doing everything right, it’s not a reason to give up. Sometimes it just takes a little while longer to see the results of your hard work reflected on the scale. Remember, eating right and exercising regularly have positive impacts on your health in many other ways, such as more energy, less stress, better sleep, and reduced risk of many diseases. You’ll receive those benefits—regardless of the number on the scale.
Weight Loss is Rarely Constant from Week to Week Many people lose a lot in the first few weeks, and then their weight loss slows down considerably. It’s totally normal to have weeks when you lose more than expected, and weeks when your weight remains the same despite your consistent efforts. Our bodies are very complicated and don’t always cooperate with the estimates of how much we should expect to lose. People rarely lose a consistent amount of weight each week. Measuring your weight loss on a monthly basis can be a more accurate gauge of how well you are doing.
Class 4 Week 3
Weight Loss is Not Immediate Cutting calories today (through diet and exercise) will not necessarily show up on the scale at the end of the day or even by tomorrow. Your weight can fluctuate from day-to-day for reasons that have nothing to do with your diet and
Class 4 Week 3

Put an EGG on it! Fun breakfast idea!

http://www.livestrong.com/blog/put-an-egg-on-it-2-hearty-and-tasty-breakfast-recipes/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email+&utm_campaign=0918

SNACKING SMART AND TAKING CARE OF YOUR HEART! Info for 9-23-13

 WHAT A GREAT WAY TO KICK OFF OUR CHALLENGE!  We had several new faces last night :) Congratulations to our biggest loser with 5 pounds down in 1 week!  And, to all of our participants who lost at least 1 pound!

TUESDAY WLC ANNOUNCEMENTS:
     I heard the class went really well!  We want to give a congratulations out to Deb Oliver who lost 3.4 pounds.  She said she is eating more food and more protein! 

REMEMBER, that we are on a mission of getting healthy!  So, if you are applying what you are learning on a daily basis, then you too are a WINNER!

WATER CHALLENGE:  for next week, IF you turn in to your weigh in master a log of hitting a target of at least 64 oz of water each day, you get an extra ticket for the prize bucket!  DRINK UP!

GAMES GAMES GAMES NEXT WEEK!  Don't forget to read last week and this week's information to be ready for Hit the Deck next week!


Snacking Healthy
Add Snacks to Subtract Pounds
-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer

While some dieters happily accept when someone suggests a snack, others feel pangs of guilt when a
nibble is merely suggested. However, there is nothing inherently wrong with a bite between meals. In fact,
snacking might be the missing ingredient that will help you reach your weight loss goals. But how can this
make sense, since snacking theoretically adds calories? Snacking doesn’t serve to replace a meal. In fact, youshould spread meals and snacks out by an hour or two, and snacks should total a couple hundred calories or less.
Munching between meals can actually reduce your overall caloric intake by curbing overeating at your next meal. By controlling later binging, snacking can help you stay on track. You can actually use this to your advantage. If you know you are going out to a big dinner with friends later, for example, make sure you have a healthy snack before you head out so you’re less likely to order (and finish) a large entrée.
How You Snack Can Make or Break Your Diet
There is definitely a wrong way and a right way to snack. You should avoid sugary items like candy and soda, and shouldn’t be consuming enough calories to constitute a meal. Instead, steer towards foods that will satisfy you and keep you feeling fuller longer. Fruits and vegetables are always a safe bet because they are low in fat andcalories. (Just be sure to avoid high-calorie dips.) Yogurt, fruit smoothies, even a slice of whole-wheat toast all makegreat snacks during the day. Combining lean protein, some healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates will help you feelfuller longer.

Mini Meals
Many experts are recommending several smaller meals throughout the day instead of the usual three. By eating at regular intervals, your blood sugar levels (and therefore your energy levels) remain stable. So, instead of that midafternoon crash, you’ll be full of vigor through dinnertime! Eating every few hours (especially if you chew on fruits and veggies) can also help add extra nutrition that might be missing from other meals.
Snacking Isn’t Grazing
Mindless eating is often the downfall of many snackers. You may start with only a handful of your favorite crackers, only to finish the entire box, without even thinking about it. Obviously, this example isn’t the healthy snacking that can help you reach your weight loss goals.
To avoid grazing:
• Fill a small plate with your snack, and leave the kitchen. Just walk away. When your plate is empty, snack
time is over.
• Never bring the entire container with you in front of the television or computer. Enjoy your snack without
distraction and you won’t be tempted to reach for more.
• If you stand around the snack table chatting at a party, you may find yourself reaching for food when the
conversation lulls. This can often lead to an unintentional binge because you simply aren’t paying attention
to what you are eating.
• Limit yourself to a single serving.
• Plan out your snacks just like you would a meal. Is one cookie worth the calorie cost, when you could eat a plate of fresh fruit instead?
Practice Moderation
Class 4 Week 2
As with the rest of your diet, moderation is crucial when snacking. Make sure that you are adding every snack to your Nutrition Tracker, along with the larger meals you eat during the day. If you don’t keep track, you might add excess calories and fat to your diet without realizing it.
Don’t sabotage your diet with unhealthy nibbles throughout the day; stick to nourishing foods whenever possible. If you know you have a weakness for junk food, do yourself a favor and don’t purchase these items next time you are at the grocery store. Then you won’t have to fight the temptation of ice cream or potato chips when hunger pangs hit.

Class 4 Week 2
Alcohol & Weight Loss
Can You Have Both?-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer
Alcohol and weight loss are enemies, but an occasional drink can have a place in a healthy lifestyle. In fact, many experts note the health benefits of consuming a single drink per day, including a reduced risk for hypertension and high blood pressure. If, however, you are exceeding one drink daily, you might be sabotaging your weight loss plans.
Alcohol is metabolized differently than other foods and beverages. Under normal conditions, your body gets its energy from the calories in carbohydrates, fats and proteins that need to be slowly digested in the stomach—but not when alcohol is present. When alcohol is consumed, it gets special privileges and needs no digestion. The alcohol molecules diffuse through the stomach wall as soon as they arrive and can reach the brain and liver in minutes. This reaction is slightly slowed when there is also food in your system, but as soon as the mixed contents enter the small intestine, the alcohol grabs first place and is absorbed quickly. The alcohol then arrives at the liver for processing.
The liver places all of its attention on the alcohol. Therefore, the carbohydrates (glucose) and dietary fats are just changed into body fat, waiting to be carried away for permanent fat storage in the body.
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes water loss and dehydration. Along with this water loss you lose
important minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. These minerals are vital to the maintenance of fluid balance, chemical reactions, and muscle contraction and relaxation.
Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and offers NO nutritional value. It only adds empty calories to your diet.
Why not spend your calorie budget on something healthier?
Alcohol affects your body in other negative ways. Drinking might help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn't very deep. Ultimately, as a result, you get less rest. Alcohol can also increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stomach lining to become inflamed. Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease, and heart troubles.
Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which is detrimental to your diet plans. Alcohol actually stimulates your
appetite. While you might be full from a comparable amount of calories from food, several drinks might not fill you up. On top of that, research shows that if you drink before or during a meal, both your inhibitions and willpower are reduced. In this state, you are more likely to overeat—especially greasy or fried foods—which can add to your waistline. To avoid this, wait to order that drink until you're done with your meal. Many foods that accompany drinking (peanuts, pretzels, chips) are salty, which can make you thirsty, encouraging you to drink even more. To avoid over drinking, sip on a glass of water in between each alcoholic beverage.
Skipping a meal to save your calories for drinks later is a bad idea. Many drinkers know they'll be having some alcohol later, whether going to a bar, party, or just kicking back at home. Knowing that drinking entails extra calories, it may be tempting to "bank" some calories by skipping a meal or two. This is a bad move. If you come to the bar hungry, you are even more likely to munch on the snacks, and drinking on an empty stomach enhances the negative effects of alcohol. If you're planning on drinking later, eat a healthy meal first. You'll feel fuller, which will stop you from overdrinking. If you are worried about a looming night out with friends, include an extra 30 minutes of exercise to balance your calories—instead of skipping a meal.
What are more important, calories or carbs? You might think that drinking liquor is more diet-friendly because it has no carbohydrates, while both wine and beer do contain carbs. But dieters need to watch calories, and liquor only has a few calories less than beer or wine. Plus, it is often mixed with other drinks, adding even more empty calories. Hard liquor contains around 100 calories per shot, so adding a mixer increases calories even more. If you are going
to mix liquor with anything, opt for a diet or club soda, instead of fruit juice or regular soda. Sweeter drinks, whether tend to have more sugar, and therefore more calories. In that respect, dry wines usually have fewer
calories than sweet wines.
Class 4 Week 2
The list below breaks down the number of calories in typical alcoholic drinks. Compare some of your favorites to make a good choice next time you decide to indulge in a serving of alcohol.
Drink Serving Size Calories
Red wine 5 oz. 100
White wine 5 oz. 100
Champagne 5 oz. 130
Light beer 12 oz. 105
Regular beer 12 oz. 140
Dark beer 12 oz. 170
Cosmopolitan 3 oz. 165
Martini 3 oz. 205
Long Island iced tea 8 oz. 400
Gin & Tonic 8 oz. 175
Rum & Soda 8 oz. 180
Margarita 8 oz. 200
Whiskey Sour 4 oz. 200
Facts on 100-Calorie Snack Packs
Do Good Things Really Come in Small Packages?
-- By Leanne Beattie, Health & Fitness Writer
Convenience foods and snacking go hand in hand. Unfortunately, many of these convenient snacks also go straight to our waistlines. When "snack packs" appeared on the market just a few years ago, dieters rejoiced! Now, they could easily count calories and enjoy their favorite snacks at the same time. In fact, the 100-calorie snack packs proved to be so popular that sales have skyrocketed to almost $200 million in under three years. But how healthy are these snacks and should we even be eating them at all? Do good things really come in small packages? Let's break down the snack pack facts.
Automatic Portion Control
Some dietitians and behavior experts believe these small 100-calorie packages are ideal for foods that we should only enjoy in limited amounts anyway, such as chips, cookies and chocolate bars. Numerous studies have shown that when a food container is larger, people will eat more. In fact, they're more likely to eat until they reach the bottom of a box or bag, without even realizing how much they’ve eaten until all the food is gone. Therefore, smaller portions sizes will help you eat less, right? Well, new research published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that smaller "snack" packages encouraged participants to eat nearly twice as much, often without hesitation, than people who ate from larger packages. The built-in portion control of snack packages may help some people curb mindlessovereating, but this theory works only when you limit yourself to one package. If you consume more than that, the benefits are lost.
Hunger Satisfaction
While the snack packs are winners for portion control and short-term satisfaction, they typically lack hungercontrolling nutrients (fiber, protein and healthy fats). This means that they won’t control your hunger for long and may lead to further snacking and higher calorie consumption over the course of the day. A handful of nuts or a piece of fruit could stave off the munchies for around the same number of calories while also providing key nutrients like fiber or healthy fats.
And despite the fact that the labels on these snack packs claim "0 grams of trans fats," many still contain
hydrogenated oil—the prime source of trans fats. Legally, manufacturers can label products as trans-fat-free if they contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.
The Price of Convenience
While there are plenty of 100-calorie choices on the market, from chips to cookies and crackers to pudding, you'll pay a higher price for these conveniently packaged snacks. Snack pack manufacturers charge as much as three or four times the price of conventional packaged foods. For example, a box of six 100-calorie packs of chips weighs only 95 total grams but costs around $3.00. That's about the same price as a full-sized bag of chips, which contains three times as much food. More single-use packaging also means more waste from an environmental standpoint. But judging by the explosive growth of the market, many dieters are choosing to pay more in order to avoid temptation. While you could simply divvy up a bag of chips or crackers into smaller portions yourself, many people don’t want to spend the time. If you can’t control your eating when faced with the full-sized version of your favorite snack, but you can eat just one smaller-portioned bag, a 100-calorie snack pack might be worth the extra money and
help you reach your weight loss goals.


Eating for a Healthy Heart
Prevention is Key!
-- By Liz Noelcke, Staff Writer
When it comes to heart disease, prevention is your best bet. High blood pressure and hypertension put undue stress on the heart, blood vessels and other organs. A person can get excellent heart health through a variety of ways, especially through a good diet. Certain foods have been shown to be healthy for the heart. A recent study at Harvard University concluded eating just one serving of a tomato-based product can lower the risk of heart disease by up to 30%. That’s a pretty significant number. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is good, as these foods are rich in anti-oxidants. The key here is fresh, not canned. When you buy canned, you are getting lots of sodium, which is a big factor for high blood pressure. Another way to reduce your sodium intake is using herbs and spices instead of salt. Also, eat the skin from fruits such as apples; it contains fiber. Fiber is a key ingredient for your heart. When consumed with enough frequency, this can help to lower cholesterol. Fish has the proven benefits of omega-3 oil, compared to the sometimes fattiness of red meat. Omega-3 may lower the risk of abnormal heart rhythms and reduce the cohesion of blood cells, which make them less likely to form clots and block arteries. Omega-3 seems to be particularly beneficial to people already at risk for heart disease and those who have experienced a heart attack.
Now for a few surprises. Researchers at the University of California Davis found chocolate contains flavinoids, which are chemicals that thin the blood and help prevent clotting. Cocoa also contains antioxidants that help stave off disease, and it's high in healthy monosaturated fat. As long as it’s in moderation, chocolate is good for your heart. Alcohol, long considered harmful to the liver and brain, can also be a cause of high blood pressure. But a drink a day could keep a heart attack at bay. New research suggests that having a glass of alcohol at least three days a week could lower your risk of heart attack by one-third. Red wine is the best drink to have. It protects the HDL cholesterol, which is the "good" cholesterol. Also, avoiding smoking will help reduce the risk of heart disease. Not only does smoking hurt the lungs, but it also can harden arteries. Remember, your heart is one of the most important organs in your body. Do whatever you can to keep it healthy. Class 2 Week 10
The Mega Benefits of Omega-3's
These Healthy Fats Belong in Everyone's Diet
-- By Liza Barnes, Health Educator
In a college nutrition class I took back in the 90’s, I overheard a classmate boasting to a small group about how she only ate fat-free food. Most of America was still in the clutches of the fat-free craze, and my classmate’s views weren’t at all uncommon. Dietary fat was being blamed for heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and many other impairments of health. But instinctively, I thought that banning fat was a bad idea—I just didn’t have the facts to back up my theory. Now, a decade later, research is proving my hunch—that some types of fat can actually prevent disease and improve health. The key lies in a general understanding of fats, and in knowing which fats to emphasize in your diet. The Fat Family Tree The family of fat is very complex, so to make it less confusing, picture it as a family tree. At the top, there are two different families of fat—saturated fat and unsaturated fat. Saturated fat (butter is one example) is packed with hydrogen atoms, making it solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fat (like olive oil) contains fewer hydrogen atoms, so it is liquid at room temperature. The family of unsaturated fat includes two children: monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. In the polyunsaturated fat family, you'll find omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids, and it is the omega-3 family that has been making headlines in the nutrition world.
3 Types of Omega-3's There are actually three types of fatty acids that are collectively referred to as omega-3's: ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic), and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Besides being hard to pronounce, they are extremely important to your health. Omega-3's are "essential" fatty acids, because they are necessary for health and must be included in your diet (because the human body cannot manufacture them on its own). But what exactly are they used for, and what do they do for human health? Mega Health Benefits Extensive research indicates that omega-3 fats reduce inflammation, helping to prevent inflammatory diseases like heart disease and arthritis. In addition to warding off inflammation, omega-3’s are also essential to the brain, impacting behavior and cognitive function, and are especially necessary during fetal development. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMM), omega-3’s may also:
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Improve artery health by helping to reduce plaque buildup and blood clots in arteries that lead to the brain.
• Improve cholesterol by lowering triglycerides and elevating HDL (good cholesterol) levels. These benefits come primarily from DHA and EPA. Learn more about fats that fight cholesterol.
• Improve joint health by reducing joint tenderness and stiffness associated with arthritis and osteoarthritis.
• Improve bone health by positively impacting the body's calcium levels, reducing the incidence of bone loss.
• Improve mental health by helping to insulate nerve cells in the brain, allowing these nerve cells to better communicate with one another. People who are deficient in omega-3’s may suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and ADHD.
• Improve skin health by helping to alleviate symptoms related to skin disorders like acne and psoriasis.
• Improve bowel health by reducing inflammation of the bowels, helping alleviate symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
• Improve lung health by reducing inflammation in diseases like asthma. To read more on this topic, click here.
• Improve menstrual health by reducing the pain associated with PMS and menstruation.
• Help prevent cancer. Colon, breast, and prostate cancers have all been correlated with low intakes of omega-3's Class 2 Week 10
Sources of Omega-3’s
The three different types of omega-3’s are found in specific types of foods.
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ALA is found in foods of plant origin. The richest source of ALA is flaxseed, but it is also found in hempseed, canola oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seed oil, linseeds, walnuts, and walnut oil. Once ingested, the body converts ALA into EPA and DHA, allowing it to be more readily used by the body. However, this conversion isn't very efficient. That's why experts recommend including EPA and DHA sources in your diet as well. *Note: Flaxseed oil supplements are available in liquid and capsule form, but always consult your health care provider before taking any supplements.
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DHA is found in seafood, algae, and coldwater fish such as salmon, sardines and albacore tuna. *Note: Fish oil supplements and vegetarian DHA supplements (containing algae) are also available in liquid and capsule form, but always consult your health care provider before taking any supplements. Only use fish oil supplements that have been certified to be free of heavy metal contaminants like mercury.
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EPA is found in many of the same foods as DHA, including cold-water fish such as salmon, and sardines, as well as cod liver, herring, mackerel, and halibut. *Note: Fish oil and vegetarian algae supplements are also good sources of EPA, but always consult your health care provider before taking any supplements. Only use fish oil supplements that have been certified to be free of heavy metal contaminants like mercury.
Enriched eggs that contain all three types of omega-3 fatty acids are readily available these days. These eggs are enriched by adding flaxseed or algae to the hens' diets so that they produce eggs that are rich in healthy fats. According to the Flax Council, omega-3-enriched eggs provide almost half of the recommended daily level of ALA and one-quarter of the recommended daily level of EPA and DHA—the same amount that can be found in 3 ounces of fish.
Omega-3's might seem overwhelming at first. But once you understand the types and "mega" health benefits that come with them, you'll be on your way to improving your health. Now that's something to brag about!
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