Losing Weight and Feeling Great

Archive for the ‘Food and Drink’ Category

You know the feeling.  It’s a couple hours until lunch, and your stomach is rumbling.

You’re craving something, just a little pick-me-up to tide you over until your next meal. There’s a vending machine just down the hall, just calling out to you (and not too subtly, either).  Just deposit some change, and you’ll be rewarded with candy or chips.

But gosh darn it, you’re trying to lose weight!   And there’s not one thing in your particular vending machine that’s less than 200 calories.

The Vending Machine Siren Call

It’s oh-so-hard to stick to your diet when empty calorie snacks are so very easy to get.  As you already know, vending machines are one of the worst culprits; practically everywhere, easy to use, and don’t cost a lot. When you’ve got the roaring munchies, the machines are hard to pass up.

It’s Just Change…Or Is It?

You might not think the machines cost much for the instant gratification they bring.  Or do they?

Let’s say you spend $1.00 on a bag of cookies. Doesn’t seem like much; it’s just spare change rolling around in your purse or pocket. But say you buy that $1 bag every day that you’re at work, 5 days a week, you’ll have spent something like $20 by the end of the month. Multiply that by 12 and it’s in the vicinity of $240 a year.

Add a soda for another dollar and now you’re looking at close to $500 a year.  Spare change indeed!

Healthier Additions to the Machines?

Sure, the  food industry claims it’s adding healthier options to vending machine goodies.  But you know what?  You can find much better choices elsewhere.

And here’s the reality;  even if the vending machine does have healthier choices, the chocolate bars and pastries are still staring you in the face, pleading to be selected.

What’s Better for Your Body?

A piece of fruit such as a pear or apple is the ideal snack to give you something sweet — and healthy, to boot! They’re easy to stuff in your purse and eat on the run.  Not to mention you’ll get the vitamins, fiber and nutrients your body needs.

Want something a bit more filling?  Think about bringing whole wheat crackers, string cheese, unsalted nuts, or hardboiled eggs. However, if it’s your sweet tooth calling out more than your tummy, you can try sucking on a sugar-free mint or chewing some sugar-free gum.

If you mostly buy sodas (even if they are diet), try switching over to bottled water. If that’s a little too much like punishment, think about flavored water or green tea.  While water is best, green tea is better than diet soda.

You Can Kick the Vending Machine Habit!

Yes, you can!  Start by bringing healthier alternatives, and maybe your own bottled water or tea.  Not only is it better for you, but it’s easier on your wallet when all is said and done.

So when the vending machine calls out, you’re less likely to hear it.  And your body will thank you for it!

Does Alli work for losing weight? I don’t know about you, but recently I’ve seen a lot of commercials for Alli, the weight loss diet aid. Alli works by reducing the amount of fat (and fat calories) that’s can be absorbed by the intestines. Fewer calories = weight loss.

But does Alli really work — does it really help people lose 50% more weight than a person would normally lose on a weight loss diet? It’s a valid question, given Alli’s side effects, which can be quite embarrassing.

Today, I have Ann Huz, who has put together some information about the question, “Does Alli work for losing weight?”. It’s information you need to know beforehand, if you are considering using Alli.

Does Alli Work for Losing Weight?

Alli is the OTC (over-the-counter) generic name for Orlistat which can also be obtained as a prescription in the form of Xenical.  You may remember some years ago it was the weight loss rage.  It works by means of a fat blocker that prevents your body from absorbing all or most of the fat contained in the foods you eat.  Alli claims in aiding weight loss has FDA backing, the only OTC diet pill approved by the FDA.

But one thing that the advertisements don’t point out well is that you can’t continue to eat fatty foods, or otherwise suffer some very unpleasant side effects.  Alli needs to be used with a low fat diet.

How Much Weight Can You Lose With Alli?

The actual amount of weight lost by using Alli really does vary.  For example, one study revealed that between 36% and 55% of participants experienced a 5% or more decrease in their body mass.  However, it wasn’t clear if that loss was fat (good) or muscle (bad).  Between 16% and 25%  of the participants achieved a 10% or greater decrease in body mass.  Well, so far so good, right?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

When the participants stopped using Alli, they regained an average of almost 1/3 of the weight that they lost.  However, that isn’t exactly news; far too many of us gain back some weight after going off a diet.

Alli Side Effects

The Alli side effects are very much worth noting.  And here’s the basic rule:  if you eat food with high fat content, undigested fat is going to be expelled from your body.  This can lead to loose stools and smelly flatulence.  Not to mention uncontrollable bowel movements!

It’s worth mentioning that these side effects are especially true in the earlier stages, when the body is not yet accustomed to Alli’s effects.  Even the manufacturer asks you to consider wearing dark pants, as well as bring extra clothes to work.  I’m also thinking that Depends wouldn’t be a bad idea in the beginning.  The good news is that the side effects can be minimized by eating meals that are low fat.

Sure, Alli does help to accelerate weight loss.  Still, there are no diet pills that will magically make you lose fat without any effort on your part.  You have to follow a sensible diet in order to lose weight.

Alli diet pills have been documented to work.  But only you can decide if it’s the right supplement for you.

About the Author:
For data on Weight Watchers Point Calculator, Free Weight Watchers Point Calculator, and tons more, see AmazingWeightLossDiet.com

Alli, Weight Loss and You

OK, the FDA even agrees that Alli works.  But as Ann points out, it’s not a magic bullet.  And it’s not for everyone.  If you can’t control your fat intake (and I think the manufacturer says no more than 15 grams at any one meal), you will suffer the consequences.

You folks know that I don’t advocate using diet pills, but not because they don’t work (many in fact do).  I’m just leary of using diet supplements as a crutch for weight loss.  Now if you want to use a supplement that helps you when you are already following a sensible diet, that’s one thing.  That’s the way supplements are supposed to work.

What diet pills don’t do is let you continue to eat the way you normally do and still lose weight.  I don’t care what the commercials say.  As Ann pointed out, there are no magic bullets.  Just supplements that help when you already follow a sensible diet.

So, is Alli right for you?  It’s possible, especially if you already follow a low-fat diet.  Alli will help you lose extra in that case.  But it’s not for someone who doesn’t want to control the amount of fat they eat.

Wouldn’t you agree that cooking light is healthier for us?  Now, would you care to define what light cooking is?  I didn’t think so.  It’s hard, because to some people, it’s using fewer fats and oils.  To others, it’s about cutting calories.  And I guess they kind of do go hand-in-hand.

But don’t you also think that cooking light is also about more natural foods?  More fresh veggies, fewer canned foods?  At least, that’s kind of how I see it.

Today I have Gregory Spence as the guest author.  Greg will tell us something we’d probably all like to know; easy ways to start cooking healthier meals, without tummy rumbles in protest!

Three Easy Ways to Start Cooking Light

Healthier cooking is all about how cooking light can improve your health without producing boring or unattractive food. Today, more emphasis is being put on reducing our calorie intake and eating foods that are better for us. In order to achieve this we need to look at ways to do this that aren’t difficult.

Suggestion 1:  Oils and Fats

To start cooking lighter, why not substitute your regular high calorie or fatty ingredients with their lighter alternatives? There are many alternatives, and you’ll want to try reading labels (it can be an eye-opener). Choose those ingredients that have no trans fats and are lower in calories.

Dressings are particularly high in all the wrong things!  How about try a low fat mayonnaise or fat free ranch dressing in your sandwiches. Avoid using foods coated in oil;p anyone remember how all tuna used to be packed in oil?  it’s not just tuna that’s come a long way — many types of tinned fish are now packed in water rather than oils, and this significantly reduces your calorie intake.

The oil you use for cooking is also an important part of your lighter cooking style. Extra virgin olive oil is ideal but can be expensive.  A cheaper alternative is canola, which has lots of health benefits when compared to vegetable oils.  Still, if you can afford the extra-virgin olive oil for your cooking light, it’s worth it.

Tip 2:  What’s Your Fiber Like?

If you eat a lot of refined white bread then you will not be getting the fiber you need and your fat intake will be high. When choosing bread go for the oat-based alternative or the 100% whole grain variety.

Just because bread is brown does not mean it is healthier for you. Carmel colorings can do that without a drop of whole wheat.  By taking a true whole grain alternative your body will get an increased intake of fiber and lower amounts of fat. 

Idea 3:  Time to Bake

If you are into baking, try using Splenda instead of regular table sugar.  Splenda is a no calorie sweetener; you might also try stevia, which is all-natural.  If you’ve never tried it, unsweetened apple sauce instead of vegetable oil really does taste pretty good in most recipes.

Line your baking pans with no fat cooking spray instead of butter or shortening; better yet, use baker’s parchment paper for your oil-free baking.  That’s really cooking light!

Use semi-sweet or preferably dark chocolate in place of milk chocolate or (even worse) white chocolate.  Dark chocolate has antioxidants good for your body; just don’t over-indulge.

About the Author:
Get more information about cooking light . Learn more about healthy-cooking

Thanks, Greg, for those tips on cooking light.  It’s not always easy these days to get out the fresh veggies and chopping board.  I’ll agree, there are many days where fast food is tempting because I’l so tired.  But fast food is fat food (as I’ve mentioned in several recent posts like this one) so it’s a meal of last resort.

So, guess it’s time to clean out the cabinets again, of some of non-cooking-light foods.  So what will you do?  Are your going to make a more cencerted effort towards cooking light?

Wouldn’t you like 12 diet tips from people who are losing weight?  You know what it’s like; it’s hard to lose weight with all the advertisement, all the fast food drive-though lanes that call to us.  Sure, sticking to your eating plan can be challenging, but here are 12 diet tips to help you out.

I’ve gleaned these from forum postings of people who are in the process of losing weight, so these are up-to-the-minute ideas from people who are kind enough to share what works for them.

12 Diet Tips

Life comes at you fast, but you can always make a U-turn.  Maybe you start a binge or eat something you know you shouldn’t have.  Instead of blowing your diet completely, recognize that one mistake won’t ruin your diet if you do a U-turn and get back on it.

Chew your food slowly and savor each bite.  Don’t just gulp it down and not taste a thing.  Make your meal last longer and you’ll feel full sooner.

Figure out your trigger foods, then stay away from them.  Don’t keep them in the house.  If you have to keep them around because of others in the household, distract yourself when they call to you.  Take a walk, give yourself a manicure, try new makeup or hairstyles — anything to keep you from the food!

Losing weight doesn’t happen in a day, and losing all the weight you need to won’t happen in a week — or maybe month or year.  The key is to be persistent and consistent.

Don’t talk about exercising — just do it!

Portion control tip:  go out an buy a baby food try — the kind that has three dividers.  Put your veggies in the biggest divider, then add protein and a grain.  The size of the plate (plus the dividers) helps keep your portions and proportions without measuring.

Use a food tracker to really see what kinds of foods and what times you eat.  Do it for at least a couple of weeks to discover not only what you really eat, but what effect different foods have on you.  And review your tracker before you eat dinner, to help make better choices.

Get used to reading labels, especially for foods labeled as low fat, fat-free, low carb or diet.  You’d be surprised what they put in those foods that aren’t exactly healthy!

Quit drinking sodas and diet sodas.  Drink water instead.

Get your sleep!  If you aren’t rested you may fall into the habit of using food and caffeine as a pick me up.

Eat small meals throughout the day instead of skipping breakfast and then eating a large lunch and huge dinner.

Learn to throw away leftovers.  You know, don’t be a member of the clean-your-plate-club.  If you’re full, don’t keep eating just because it’s on your plate.  If it’s big enough, wrap it up for another meal.  If it’s a few bites, throw it away.

There we go, ideas to help you lose weight.  They are pretty good, aren’t they?  I think I’ll put a few of these to use myself!

What about you — which ones do you think will help you the most?