Halfpounder’s Blog

I really enjoy reading about nutrition and weight loss on the internet. As you have discovered, I am beginning to have a few favorite places to read. One of these is the info shared from Jillian Michaels (of TV’s Biggest Loser.)

I have immediate family members with diabetes. I haven’t really understood how insulin works, or what the disease is all about. It was interesting to read from Jillian’s article how insulin works in our bodies. I understand better why it is important to eat nutritious foods and avoid processed sugar. I hope you find this article interesting and maybe you too will feel an urgency to make better food choices.

Have a good week,
Kirk

Get a Grip on Insulin’s Ups and Downs
By Jillian Michaels
Losing it with Jillian Michaels, April 28, 2009

One of the endocrine system’s most important hormones is insulin, which plays a critical role in how your body uses food. When you eat, your digestive system breaks food down into glucose, and the glucose circulates in your bloodstream (where it’s often referred to as blood sugar). In response to the rise in glucose after a meal, the pancreas releases surges of insulin, whose job is to clean the glucose from the blood. Insulin directs some of the glucose to the body’s cells, which use it for energy. Some of the glucose is diverted to the liver, where it’s converted into glycogen (stored glucose) for later use by the muscles. Insulin then helps turn any leftover glucose into fatty acids and stores them in fat cells, where they can be tapped later for fuel.

Problems arise when your body starts creating too much insulin, which can happen for several reasons. One of the most common is that you ate too many highly processed, refined carbs, such as white bread or pasta. Such carbs increase blood sugar dramatically, requiring a rush of insulin to clear the blood. If your blood sugar surge is really dramatic (as it would be if you ate those refined carbs on an empty stomach), insulin overreacts and works twice as hard to clean the sugar from the blood. This overefficient removal of sugar means that your blood sugar concentration drops, with the result that you feel hungry again and crave (and probably eat) more carbs. That’s the postsugar “crash and binge” cycle, the root of sugar addiction. In addition, when your muscles are still fueled from your last snack, the insulin converts those extra calories into fat. And as long as large amounts of insulin remain in the bloodstream, your body won’t have a chance to tap into your fat stores for fuel — so you won’t burn any fat, either.
This cycle can eventually lead to insulin resistance, a condition in which your body produces insulin but the cells become insensitive to it — as a result, the insulin can’t do its job to lower the glucose concentration in the blood. Insulin resistance is a precursor of type 2 diabetes and is common among overweight people. Elevated levels of glucose in your blood is a surefire sign of it.

There is hope for preventing the problem. The key is to maintain low levels of insulin by eating whole foods, pairing carbs with protein, and avoiding highly processed carbs. When your insulin-release mechanism works the right way, it helps keep your weight in check. When it’s not working, you’re in trouble. If you can take control of your insulin’s ups and downs, you’ll be primed to lose weight and restore your body’s hormone power!

Yesterday in Weight Watchers we talked about how to stay on a diet and still go out to dinner. This can be a big challenge. In the past, Weight Watcher members (who record points in their food journal based on weighing and measuring food) have found it hard to go out to eat and stay on plan.

In January of 2009 the Momentum Plan was introduced and a new technique was introduced to help with the frustration of resolving choices at a restaurant and keeping track in a food journal. The technique is known as SetPOINTS® Values. Here is an excerpt from the Weight Watcher’s Momentum Plan Book Five: Surviving Dining Out
“What are SetPoints Values? As you know, Points values are usually based on portion sizes. But with certain foods we’ve established a SetPoints value that doesn’t change based on the portion size. The SetPoints value is usually higher than the Points value for a standard portion… That’s because you’re trading in higher “cost” for more flexibility. By using a high SetPoints value, you can take comfort in knowing that you aren’t underestimating the number of Points values you’ve eaten.” p.16

Let me give you an easy example of how it works. Suppose you go to a restaurant and order grilled chicken breast as an entrée. (Remember to be careful with menu or waiter descriptions that include, battered, breaded, creamed, crispy, or fried.) You order grilled chicken making every attempt to get lean, skinless chicken prepared nutritionally healthy. Normally the Weight Watcher’s plan would suggest taking 3 points for a 3 oz. chicken breast without skin and bone. The SetPoint value for grilled boneless, skinless chicken is 5 points. The beauty of using the SetPoint value is you don’t have to carry a scale or measuring cup with you to the restaurant. As long as you eat a reasonable portion of boneless, skinless grilled chicken (a 3 oz. piece of meat is about the size of a deck of playing cards) you only count 5 points. It makes food journaling much easier and helps make eating out less stressful.

After you’ve been on the Momentum Program awhile, you can look at a plate of food and journal quite accurately. For example steamed vegetables are zero points for a half-cup portion, pasta is 4 points for a one-cup portion, and red marinara sauce is 3 points for a half-cup portion. Along with a reasonable portion of grilled chicken, this plate would equal about 12 points. Not bad for eating out.

When reading a menu and asking advice from a waiter, beware of foods that mention au gratin, scalloped, hollandaise, parmigiana, or scampi in their description. Look for foods that are baked, boiled, broiled, grilled, poached, roasted, or steamed, as they will be healthier choices.

We live in a technological age that offers anyone working hard for good nutrition a tremendous advantage: most well-known restaurants have web-sites offering nutritional information. Additionally, there are many web-sites offering extensive nutritional information about food and food choices whether they be prepared in your own home kitchen or at a favorite restaurant. A great site I have used is www.nutritiondata.com. Simply browse to the site and enter in a food or restaurant name and you should find the nutritional information you are looking for. Don’t forget to browse directly to a restaurants web-page, or in many cases you can find printed nutritional information at the restaurant, for the information you need to make healthier choices.

Let me summarize some key points from my Weight Watcher’s Meeting yesterday:
• Plan Ahead. Know what to expect before you even get to the restaurant. Use online menus and nutritional information to help you plan better food choices.
• Order smaller portions. There is a tendency in many restaurants to serve quantities much bigger than what you require. If necessary, anticipate this and have a take-home container brought to the table with your order. Divide out what is a reasonable portion and put the rest in your container and set it aside to take home with you.
• Avoid appetizers, bread baskets, chips, and dessert. Would you make these choices if you were preparing a meal at home? You will get plenty to eat with a main course (okay, a side salad would be nice too.)
• Order smart. Don’t worry about other people who may be at sitting at the table with you. Believe me, they aren’t as concerned about your healthy food choices as you are. Take care of yourself and your nutritional health.

I read this article about Jillian Michaels (of TV’s Biggest Loser) and found it very helpful. It follows the same guidelines I’ve been learning about in Weight Watchers. I hope these ideas are helpful for you as you work to be healthy and make better nutritional choices.

I hope you are having a great weekend,
Kirk

Eating Out with Jillian Michaels  
By Sarah E. White for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News

Rachael Ray’s show on Tuesday was full of tips for people looking to eat and live healthier and save money in the process. First she talked to Jillian Michaels, one of the trainers on “The Biggest Loser,” who is also helping Rachael get in shape for summer.

Michaels was also on the show to promote her new book, Master Your Metabolism, which got her and Ray talking about the benefits of whole grains over refined white pasta and rice. She says whole grains are complex carbohydrates that break down more slowly in the body, and they lack the chemicals such as bleaching agents that are used to make white rice and pasta white.

Ray then offered Michaels a challenge of showing the audience how she eats at restaurants. They chose The Smith, a place known for its burgers and fried green beans.

“I really don’t have a problem eating out simply because I do it so often,” she said, noting that there’s not a menu out there that can break her.
Her healthy tips include planning ahead and asking lots of questions about how things are prepared. Easy changes like having dressing on the side can save you big, or just ask for balsamic vinegar instead of dressing — it’s tasty and calorie free.

She says to choose steamed or grilled side dishes and entrees rather than those that are fried in oil to cut down on the fat. She ended up ordering salmon with steamed spinach and roasted asparagus. When other diners commented on the plainness of her dish, she says that green vegetables are like culinary freebies — you can eat as many of them as you want.

She also said that people looking to lose weight or eat healthier should really think about their choices before they order, deciding if they’ll regret a choice later or if it will keep them from meeting their goals.
Michaels didn’t regret her meal and even found room for a couple of indulgences: a bite of macaroni and cheese and a bite of dessert.

http://calorielab.com/news/2009/04/22/jillian-michaels-biggest-loser-cheap-dinners/

I read the article “Boost Your Metabolism with Mini-Meals” (see below) and realized this idea is one of the most important principles I’ve learned about weight loss. In Weight Watchers the big push for 2009 has been the Momentum Plan. The promotional mascot for the program is called “Hunger.” He’s a little orange guy that represents all the temptations we might have to make poor nutrition choices.

At weekly weigh-in you can buy a magnetized Hunger doll to put on your refrigerator as a reminder to make good choices. Cute. I like the online animation that shows Hunger pulling a cupcake from behind his back to tempt you into an unplanned snack.

I find when I eat smaller meals and snacks 5-6 times during the day I avoid feeling hungry—food becomes less of a focus. Do you ever catch yourself planning your day around the next time you eat? Sometimes I’ve caught myself thinking about what I will be eating for dinner while I’m eating lunch. I want to break this cycle: food is not the center of my existence. Learning how to avoid strong hunger feelings is a key element to staying on a nutrition plan. It’s good to feel hungry, please don’t misunderstand, but the kind of hunger that has you emptying cupboards looking for chocolate is not healthy. It’s compulsive.

This is the problem I faced in my recent road-trip to California. I hadn’t planned in advance how to maintain my regular 2-3 hour healthy snack/mini-meal intervals. As a result, when hunger grew almost unbearable, I stopped the car at the nearest fast food drive-through and lost the battle: I made poor nutrition choices because I was feeling almost panic driven to eat a cheeseburger. I had to have one and it had to be now.

I hate that feeling of being out of control. When I am driven by strong feelings of hunger I seem to forget all the healthy choices available to me. My passion becomes satisfying the beast: I have to eat. In a way I become the orange guy. My hunger takes over and I stop being my healthy self. I’m a selfish person: it really bothers me to give my impulse control over to hunger.

I hope this article gives you something to ponder. We can be more in control. We can put hunger in proper perspective and make good nutritional choices.

Have a great weekend,
Kirk

Boost Your Metabolism With Mini-Meals
Spreading your calories throughout the day may help you stick to your diet and keep off the weight.
By Krisha McCoy, MS
Medically reviewed by Niya Jones, MD, MPH

“This time I am going to stick to my diet,” you tell yourself. You make every effort to follow a healthful eating plan, but in a moment of weakness, hunger strikes and you find yourself indulging in a feeding frenzy.
Is there any way to break this vicious cycle and lose weight for good? It might be time to consider not only looking at what you eat, but also when you eat.

Skip Meals Now, Overeat Later
If you are trying to lose weight, you probably know the importance of keeping an eye on the number of calories you’re consuming. But you may not know that how many calories you eat at each sitting can make a difference in your weight-loss efforts, too.

There is evidence that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer, larger meals during the day tend to weigh more than people who eat a healthy breakfast and four or five smaller meals. This may be because they end up feeling hungrier, which makes it easy to give into temptation. “When you skip meals you will [eventually] overeat,” says Pete McCall, MS, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise.

When you go for hours without eating, your blood sugar levels dip, which can leave you feeling hungry and shaky. A drop in blood sugar can also trigger people to lose their willpower and reach for a calorie-laden treat.

Smaller Meals, More Often
If you eat smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day, your appetite may be better controlled, helping you adhere to your weight-loss plan. By consistently fueling your body with calories — even limited calories — you avoid the feeling of starvation that derails so many diets.

“The idea is that if you have three meals and a couple of snacks throughout the day, you are regulating your blood sugar and maintaining your body chemistry,” notes McCall.
When you are consuming fewer calories every day as part of a weight-loss plan, it’s even more important to eat consistently throughout the day to reassure your body that you are not starving. According to Kimberly Lummus, MS, RD, when you eat too few calories, your body goes into starvation mode and actually holds onto calories, which can sabotage weight loss.

Managing Your Calorie Intake
Switching from two or three large meals to five or six “mini-meals” may help keep both your blood sugar and metabolism steady. McCall recommends restructuring the day’s intake into smaller meals plus more substantial snacks. For someone who plans to eat about 2,000 calories per day, for example, he suggests eating three meals of 500 to 600 calories each and two 100- to 200-calorie snacks.

If eating larger meals is working for you and you’re meeting your weight-loss goals, there is no reason to switch to smaller meals. Spreading your calories out may simply help you better control your appetite and perhaps increase your diet success, especially if you reach a weight-loss plateau.

Remember that the bottom line for weight loss remains the same: “Monitor your caloric consumption,” advises McCall. “Do not over-consume.”

http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/boosting-metabolism-with-mini-meals.aspx?xid=nl_EverydayHealthDietandNutrition_20090424

I was surprised to learn that muscle conditioning can plateau similar to the plateaus experienced in weight loss. My personal trainer, Melanie, explained it to me emphasizing the importance of mixing up regular workout routines. She said the muscle becomes accustomed to repeated exercises: doing the same routines in the same order, sets, and repetitions. In order to build new muscle it is critical to change routines and challenge muscle groups in different ways.

I read the Men’s Health article below that discusses this very thing. It gives some great ideas on how to avoid muscle building plateaus. Melanie has used some of these ideas with me in the past year. We have used circuits with cardio between sets and she is sensitive to introduce different muscle group routines regularly. Yesterday she had me do a modified pushup to help with shoulder strengthening. It was something totally new and was very effective. I felt muscles being used in a different way (and I’m a bit sore in different places this morning.)

I hope this article is helpful for you as you work to move more, tone, and condition your body. Have a great day.

Kirk

CHANGE YOUR MUSCLES CAN BELIEVE IN
Men’s Health Personal Trainer Article, April 21, 2009

You can change your workout, blast through plateaus, and enjoy new strength and muscle gains without learning new exercises or dumping your normal routine completely. Use these tips to tweak your workout to get more from your next trip to the gym.

 1. Flip your sets and reps. If you usually do three sets of eight reps, switch it up: Grab heavier weight and do eight sets of three reps each. You’ll build serious strength to break through plateaus and make your next set of 8 better than ever.

 2. Change speeds. Do you rest between exercises? Try circuit training to pump your heart and burn more fat (or put cardio activity between exercises to really work up a sweat). If you’re doing circuits, try longer rest periods to build deeper strength and carve your six-pack. Lift slow? Try moving faster through your reps to build power.

 3. Turn it all on its head. Do your entire workout in reverse order—you’ll be stronger in your first exercise (usually your last), and you’ll have to work harder during your final exercise, for which you’re usually fresh. If you do forward lunges, turn them around and do reverse lunges—you’ll challenge your legs in a new way. Work in some reverse crunches to build deeper strength in your core. And flip one of your hands when you deadlift or do pull-ups to do more reps and build more muscle than ever before.

I’ve written before about how important it is to increase metabolism to help with weight loss. One of the keys I have found is eating a good breakfast every day. I liked the following article I’m including with this post because it encourages a protein-rich breakfast. Protein for breakfast is a great way to increase your metabolism and feel satisfied throughout a busy morning.

The article also recommends increased activity and improved nutrition. I hope you find today’s Daily Dose helpful. These ideas have been very helpful in my weight-loss journey.

Kirk

See Your Six-Pack By Memorial Day
Men’s Health Daily Dose, April 21, 2009

Memorial Day is less than 5 weeks from today—beaches will open, shirts come off, and your winter workout habits will be writ large, whether you’ve spent the cold snap working your butt off … or sitting on your butt, consuming mountains of foods from this deadly list.

The great news? Even if you’ve slipped, there’s time to strip fat and build muscle and fitness that will show, whether you’re on the beach or leapfrogging a defender for an easy basket. The following strategies have helped the guys on the Belly Off! Challenge lose as many as 35 pounds since the program began 5 weeks ago.

1. Fix your breakfast. If you’re not eating the morning meal, start: You’ll kickstart your metabolism to burn more calories throughout the day, and fuel up so you don’t crash (and binge) by lunch. Add protein to supercharge your results. Try this high protein pancake breakfast alternative:

Gregg Avedon Fuji Apple Whey Protein Pancakes
www.greggavedon.com

The Fuji Apple whey protein adds great taste and has 26 grams (g) of protein and only 3 g carbohydrates per scoop. Butter extract supplies a nice aroma.

3 tsp baking powder (Try Featherweight brand. No sodium or carbs.)
1 c protein (2 scoops Cytosport Evopro Fuji Apple whey)
1 c all-purpose flour
2 whole eggs
1 c cottage cheese (I use Friendship “No Salt Added” 1 percent cottage cheese.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp butter extract (Try McCormick.)
1 c water
1 tsp olive oil (for the pan)

Combine the dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl. Add the eggs, cottage cheese, vanilla and butter extracts, and water, and mix it up. While you let it sit for 10 minutes, spread the olive oil in a nonstick pan. Then take a paper towel and wipe off most of it. Set your heat to medium, and once your pan is hot, mix the batter again and pour about a 6-inch pancake onto the pan. When bubbles form on top, flip it. Makes 8 pancakes

Per serving (two pancakes): 270 calories, 25 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 78 milligrams sodium

2. Up the intensity. Don’t settle for plodding, boring workouts—change your pace to increase your results. Lift faster to build explosive power that will speed your strength gains. Switch slow-going cardio for this fat-blasting alternative, and mix in some sprint work to carve your core.

3. Cut out this color: When it comes to your waist, white’s not right—carbs without color are usually refined, meaning they’ll build your belly instead of blasting it. Stick to colorful stuff: whole grain breads and pastas, fruits and vegetables, and lean red meat. You’ll stay full, melt fat, and down more nutrients than you’ll find in the pale stuff.

Our family just returned from a great week in Northern California. We visited my wife’s brother and his family and my kids even got a good visit with Grandpa who has not been feeling too well lately. The weather was great and it was so nice to see all the flowers and trees. I really liked walking in the neighborhoods and smelling the blooming flowers.

While we were out there we also had a chance to visit Yosemite National Park. What a beautiful place. I’m sure we will return to Yosemite soon.

I have already talked a little about our time there, so today I’d like to talk about the drive from Utah to California and back. Any way you slice it the drive is long and boring. (Sorry Nevada friends… not much to see driving across the desert.) I was glad to have my books on tape loaded onto my iPod. The stories kept me focused and awake and allowed me to make the long drive broken up by pit stops for fuel, bathroom breaks, and junk food.

Food on a road trip is a serious problem for anyone watching nutrition. Fast food is the norm and can destroy most diet plans. I had a real hard time with the food while driving on this trip. I didn’t do enough advance preparation to make sure I had alternative choices available. Instead, I fell into the trap of being hungry and wanting to get something quick while on the road. Then because I had waited until I was becoming almost ravenous, I overate when we finally stopped at a drive-through window.

I know what to do. This isn’t my first road trip since starting Weight Watchers, but it can easily be documented as my worst trip for food choices. Let me share a few problem foods I indulged in:

In-N-Out Burger — Double Double (make it protein)
Taco Bell – Crisp Tacos, Bean Burritos, and Nachos
Arby’s – Regular Roast Beef, Roast Beef and Cheddar, and Popcorn Chicken
Wendy’s – Chicken Nuggets

I avoided the french fries, shakes, and sodas, but the calories (and Points) were high. Some of the items I listed above are not too bad if you eat one. My problem was eating more than one—being so hungry I kept eating even when I knew I had enough.

In my community there has been a push in the last few years to prepare a 72-hour kit for emergency situations. In this kit you are encouraged to put everything you would need for three days should you need to leave your home in a hurry. Food, water, a change of clothes, emergency cash, a toothbrush, and other personal items, are all commonly found in a well-supplied kit.

I propose any serious dieter should also consider carrying a “72-minute Kit.” This kit would contain healthy alternatives of food and drink to get someone through any emergency eating situation.

The kind of emergency eating situation I’m referring to is the challenge you face when you are hungry, you need something RIGHT NOW, and you may be tempted to pull into the nearest fast food dispensary. This scenario can be a big problem when you are away from home and away from your “good choices” resources.

This 72-minute kit should be available any time you walk out the door to run errands, or when driving to work or school. If you don’t need to use it on the drive, the kit comes in handy for snacking in the morning and afternoon when you are away from home. And this kit is an invaluable resource when you find yourself on a road trip (I wish I had remembered mine last week.)

Buy a special little insulated bag if you can find one. Something that will help keep snacks cold for a couple of hours (or more.) Make it small enough that you won’t feel like it is a burden to prepare and take with you.

What goes in a 72-minute kit? You choose. Put things in that are easy to throw together. Here are a few ideas I use:

• Water bottle (can be partially frozen to help keep other items cold)
• Fresh Fruit (apple, bananas, or oranges)
• String Cheese (protein is always a good choice because it curbs hunger)
• Nuts (zip-lock bag of plain almonds or dry roasted lightly salted peanuts)
• Fresh Vegetables (carrot sticks are easy)

Keep the portions small. Only pack what you might use as a snack. I have also used V-8 Tomato Juice, canned Slim Fast Shakes, and pre-mixed whey protein shakes in my kit.

You might also consider keeping a small toothbrush and travel-sized toothpaste in the kit. Brushing your teeth after a snack can help overcome cravings.

Oh, by the way… I made it to a Weight Watcher’s Meeting on Saturday. I attended the meeting in Rocklin, California, and the scale was my friend: I lost 6.6 pounds!

Have a great week. It’s good to be back home.

Kirk

Hi Everyone,

I took the family to Yosemite National Park for Spring Break. This is my first visit to Yosemite and it won’t be my last. What a wonderful destination. Granite features, waterfalls and trees…trees…trees.  The park has always been fascinating to me, through the photography of Ansel Adams, and now with our visit.  I walked through my first Giant Sequoia Grove: awesome!   (think  “I love big trees and I cannot lie…”  a parody sung to the popular “I love big butts.”  by Sir Mix-a-Lot   :) )

We have enjoyed the hiking and biking. Yosemite Valley is criss-crossed with paved bike trails. The air is fresh and clean with pine scent. What a great way to recharge your battery after a cold, gray winter. The wild flowers are in bloom and the spring run-off has the waterfalls full of rushing water. What a great trip. (the only down side is all the driving–first to get out here, and the trip back home I’m not looking forward too, and then all the driving in and out of the park.)

I’ve had a hard time staying on the diet plan. My food choices have been okay, but I’ve gone over point values most days. I used up all my weekly point allowance this week and dipped way into my excercise points. In the past year I have only dipped into the exercise points once or twice. I’ve been trying to get more physical activity to make up for the calories I’ve consumed. I’m just hoping the scale is my friend when I get back to my meeting for weigh in.

The big confession of the week: a child’s-sized portion of toasted almond ice cream from Fenton’s in Vallejo. (about a cup in Fenton’s terms) It was very sweet and very rich. The first ice cream I’ve eaten in a year. It tasted good, but I didn’t really crave it. Fenton’s has been a favorite spot of mine for years. It was fun to indulge. I won’t need another visit now for at least another year.

I read an interesting article about choosing foods by color. I thought you might find it interesting too.

COLOR CODE FOR MORE MUSCLE

Bench all you like: Your muscle gains (and fat losses) are made in the kitchen. Use this color guide to simplify your diet and multiply your gains.

More: Red foods. You know that red meat is packed with protein and boosts testosterone. (Pink works, too: Think salmon for your joints and gut). What you didn’t know: This red vegetable has more protein than most plants, and can help you burn pounds of fat. Red foods like this summer favorite provide beta-carotene, which can boost immunity—meaning a cold won’t keep you out of the gym.

More: Green foods. The iron in broccoli and other green vegetables delivers oxygen to your muscles. And this leafy green can help you blast fat—combine it with ground beef for a belly-melting burger that tastes great.

Less: White foods. Not every pale food is bad for muscle—this poultry product and this lean meat are among the most powerful for stripping fat. But “white” often spells “refined”—refined sugars and flours go straight to your gut, building dangerous belly fat that not only looks bad, but may kill you (here’s why). It’s also the most stubborn fat to get rid of. So ditch the white stuff and try this no-diet solution to burn the belly and get the abs you’ve always wanted.

Men’s Health News, April 14, 2009

Hi Everyone,
Kind of tired today. We loaded the family in the car and headed for sunshine. Next week is Spring Break for us and we are spending some time in Northern California.

We drove through the night and arrived at my in-laws home at 5:00 am. It felt nice to get horizontal and out from under the steering wheel.

The number one thing I hate about long drives: On the road snacking!

For anyone who has had a long drive you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t plan ahead, on the road snacks can be devastating to anyone trying to stay the course of nutritional eating.  I wished I had packed some carrot sticks and fruit, maybe some string cheese, insteead  I munched on dry roasted unsalted peanuts and although it assuaged my hunger, I didn’t stay at all close to the point allowance I had for the day. Every time I stopped to fuel the car I looked for something healthy to eat: not much to choose from other than junk food.

On one of the stops my son talked my wife into buying Reese’s Peanut Butter Bunnies, one of his Easter favorites. They smelled good, but I was able to withstand the temptation to eat one.

This morning (after 4 hours of sleep) I had a good breakfast, went for a 4.5 mile walk, and came back to load up on fresh fruit. I’m feeling much better. After a good night’s rest tonight I should be back on my game.

So the topic today: Counting The Weighs (countingtheweighs.com  - a new blog I highly recommend you visit.) Kate is doing a great job sharing her successes with dieting and working on better nutrition. One of the key tools she suggests is to keep a food journal online. I visited the site and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for such a tool. (For those of you on Weight Watcher’s I still think Weight Watcher’s Online and the Monthly Pass is the only way to go because it is tied so closely to the program.

To visit the Calorie Counter go to: http://www.caloriecount.about.com

From what I noticed when I visited the site, CalorieCount offers just about everything you use as an Online Weight Watcher’s member with one startling difference: it is absolutely free.

So for those of you not attending weekly WW meetings, this site would be a great place for you to track what you are doing to become more healthy. I highly recommend it.

Special thanks to Kate for her blog (I added the link to my Blogroll).

Have a nice Easter Holiday. Enjoy your family, but be careful of all the treats. Find healthy snacks instead (and leave all the goodies for the kids.)

Next week my family is going to visit Yosemite National Park. I’ve never been there before. I will hopefully have some great stories and maybe a picture or two to share.

Bye for now,
Kirk

Hi,  I just had a couple of minutes and wanted to share this great article about pasta.  While following Weight Watchers this past year, I have used whole wheat pasta exclusively.  This article rates four brands by best overall, highest fiber, tastiest, and organic pick.

I hope this information is helpful for you as you continue to make wise nutritional choices.

Have a GREAT weekend,

Kirk

The Healthiest Carb You’re Not Eating
Whole-grain pasta is now tastier and better for you than ever. Here are four boxes worth buying.
By Marge Perry, Prevention Magazine

I first heard about the importance of eating whole grains at an otherwise forgettable scientific conference nearly a decade ago. I was so blown away by the accumulating evidence of their protective effect against chronic disease that I made a beeline for the grocery store when I got home and purchased a box of the one brand of whole grain pasta I could find.

Now, I love pasta (and truth be told, all manners of starch). But the gummy, leaden mess that came out of this box had no right to carry such a noble name. Every bite began with paste and ended with grit. I dumped the whole pot and bemoaned my inevitable future of refined flour-induced ill health.

But a funny thing happened over the 10 years that followed: Food manufacturers started catching on to the benefits of whole grains. Dietitians have long known that they retain all the disease-fighting, health-promoting powerhouse nutrients (folate, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, selenium, lignans, and phenolic compounds) that refining strips away. They also pack more fiber than do refined grains, and large studies have repeatedly shown how consuming enough fiber can help reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. If that doesn’t wow you, try this: Eating whole grains may even help you avoid weight gain. Sold!

Now that cereal, snack food, and tons of other product labels scream “Whole grains!” in all caps, I decided to take another look at the pasta aisle. My, how things have changed. I counted 11 different choices, and the Whole Grains Council, a trade group, tells me that sales of whole grain pasta increased 26 percent last year alone.

What I noticed first were the ingredient lists. I expected whole wheat but—lentils? Chickpeas? Flaxseed? Today’s choices run the gamut between pure 100 percent whole wheat, which contains no refined flour, and grain blends, which don’t always have as much fiber but make up for it with more pleasant textures and less assertive flavors. The latest blends combine various grain flours with seeds, legumes, and other ingredients to improve the texture while preserving nutrition. Some offer nutrients you aren’t likely to find in traditional pasta, such as omega-3 fatty acids (thanks to flax). I tested the whole lot. The four listed here passed muster with my husband (one picky chef), my kids (two even pickier teens), and myself (the pickiest of all). Buon appetito.

The Standout: Barilla Plus
• A multigrain blend made with oat, spelt, barley, lentil and chickpea flours.
• Contains flaxseed for added omega-3s.
• Each serving satisfies nearly one-fifth of your daily value for protein.
• Taste and texture is most like refined-flour pasta.
200 cal, 10 g pro, 38 g carb, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 4 g fiber, 25 mg sodium*

Highest fiber: De Cecco Whole Wheat
• 10 percent whole wheat.
• High in fiber, low in calories.
• Fairly assertive wheat flavor that marries well with rich sauces.
180 cal, 8 g pro, 35 g carb, 1.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, <5 mg chol, 7 g fiber, 0 mg sodium*

Tasty Blend: Ronzoni Healthy Harvest
• Wheat flour blend with additional wheat bran and fiber.
• Slightly chewier and nuttier in flavor than Barilla Plus.
• Best served with robust sauces, such as marinara.
180 cal, 6 g pro, 42 g carb, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 6 g fiber, 0 mg sodium*

Organic Pick: 365 Organic Everyday Value Whole Wheat
• 100 percent organic whole wheat flour; a heartier flavor than most blended brands.
• Firm texture; nutty, slightly sweet taste; great with spicy sauces.
• Available only at Whole Foods Markets.
210 cal, 7 g pro, 42 g carb, 1 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 5 g fiber, 0 g sodium*
*Nutrition info is per 2-ounce serving.

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/diabetes/meal-planning/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100220032&GT1=31047

I have thought a lot over the weekend about the relationship between eating carbohydrates and serotonin production. My wife made a comment to me about people who use medication for depression. She said individuals who use selective reuptake inhibitors, such as Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, and others in this class, may have a distinct advantage when losing weight. Her point being that patients taking the medication do not have to rely so much on the body’s natural ability to produce sufficient serotonin and other brain chemicals for mood stabilization. If a person isn’t battling the effects of depression, they may be more likely to find success when altering their normal nutrition habits to facilitate weight loss. Chocolate may in fact provide a chemical mood enhancement—something much more than a psychological connection as I mentioned in my last blog (namely tryptophan and endorphins).

I’ve really pondered this. The more I study parts of good nutrition, the more I am amazed at how complex the process can be. Although some diet plans may claim rapid weight loss, the long-term effect of such plans can have adverse consequences to one’s health and emotional well-being. Especially in light of how consuming certain foods affect the natural mood chemicals of the brain.

These are some of the ideas I’ve learned about this weekend:
• Carbohydrates are necessary for good nutrition. It seems the best nutritional approach is one that incorporates proteins, carbs, and fats.
• Simple carbs have their place in good nutrition, but an effort should be made to utilize complex carbs more frequently. When choosing simple carbs processed sugars should be avoided as much as possible. Although simple carbs can give a more immediate benefit of energy, they are more short-term in nature than complex carbohydrates. Your body will use the simple carbs faster, but then will crave more when their immediate benefit has depleted.
• Carbs and proteins are best not taken together. Protein can actually block the chemical benefits of carbohydrates on your brain. (Amazing….think about all the ways we fix carbs and protein together in typical combinations.)

I’m not an expert and I have much more to learn, but articles such as the three I offer below may be helpful to you. (They have been very interesting and helpful to me.) I need to commit to regular study of nutrition—if I really want to maintain a healthy body; I better learn how to do it.

Take care,
Kirk

Simple vs. complex carbohydrates
by Lynn Grieger, R.D., C.D.E.

Many people are confused about the differences between simple and complex carbohydrates and many popular diet books seem to only make it more confusing.
Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients in our diets that provide calories. The other two are protein and fat. Carbohydrates provide most of the energy needed in our daily lives, both for normal body functions such as heartbeat, breathing and digestion and for exercise such as cycling, walking and running.
Carbohydrates are considered simple or complex based upon their chemical structure and both types contain four calories per gram. Both are also digested into a blood sugar called glucose, which is then used to fuel our bodies for work or exercise.
In the past few years, simple carbohydrates have become known as the ‘bad’ carbs, while complex carbs seem to be designated as the ‘good’ ones. Although this is based on more hype than science, here are the reasons why:
Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly. Many simple carbohydrates contain refined sugars and few essential vitamins and minerals. Examples include fruits, fruit juice, milk, yoghurt, honey, molasses and sugar.
Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and are usually packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Examples are vegetables, breads, cereals, legumes and pasta.
Most experts recommend that 50 to 60 per cent of the total calories in our diet come from carbohydrates. The bulk of the carbs we consume should be complex and most of the simple ones should come from fruits and milk or yogurt, which also contain vitamins and minerals.
Avoid getting the bulk of your carbs from refined foods high in sugar, since they are usually low in the nutrients we need to maintain health and energy levels.

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/nutrition/carbs/qas/0,,249_156580,00.html

What’s the Difference Between Simple and Complex Carbohydrates?
By Debra Manzella, R.N., About.com

Carbohydrates are divided into two types, simple and complex. The classification is based on the chemical structure and reflects how quickly sugar is digested and absorbed.
Simple carbohydrates are also called simple sugars and are chemically made of one or two sugars. A simple sugar can be just what the name implies, the sugar in your sugar bowl. Things like candy, syrups, and soda pop are also straightforward examples of simple carbs. They are absorbed quickly — just think how fast sugar-based candy melts in your mouth.
Simple carbs also include foods such as fruit and milk. These are better sources of simple carbs because they contain vitamins and fiber, and also important nutrients that your body needs, like calcium.
Complex carbohydrates are also known as starches and are made of three or more linked sugars. Grains such as bread, pasta, oatmeal and rice are complex carbs, as well as some vegetables like broccoli, corn, legumes such as kidney beans and chick peas. They take the longest to digest.

http://diabetes.about.com/od/carbohydratefaq/f/typesofcarbs.htm

Carbs are essential for effective dieting and good mood, Wurtman says
Elizabeth A. Thomson, MIT News Office, February 20, 2004

During the current low-carb/pro-protein diet craze, carbohydrates have been demonized — accused of causing weight gain and blamed as the reason people can’t lose weight. Do they deserve this stigma? Not according to MIT researcher Judith Wurtman.
Wurtman, director of the Program in Women’s Health at the MIT Clinical Research Center, and colleagues have found that when you stop eating carbohydrates, your brain stops regulating serotonin, a chemical that elevates mood and suppresses appetite. And only carbohydrate consumption naturally stimulates production of serotonin.
“When serotonin is made and becomes active in your brain, its effect on your appetite is to make you feel full before your stomach is stuffed and stretched,” said Wurtman. “Serotonin is crucial not only to control your appetite and stop you from overeating; it’s essential to keep your moods regulated.”
Antidepressant medications are designed to make serotonin more active in the brain and extend that activity for longer periods of time to assist in regulating moods. Carbohydrates raise serotonin levels naturally and act like a natural tranquilizer.
Wurtman’s husband, Richard Wurtman, the Cecil H. Green Distinguished Professor at MIT and the director of the Clinical Research Center, along with former graduate student John Fernstrom, discovered that the brain makes serotonin only after a person consumes sweet or starchy carbohydrates. But the kicker is that these carbohydrates must be eaten in combination with very little or no protein, the Wurtmans’ combined research determined.
So a meal like pasta or a snack of graham crackers will allow the brain to make serotonin, but eating chicken and potatoes or snacking on beef jerky will actually prevent serotonin from being made. This can explain why people may still feel hungry even after they have eaten a 20-ounce steak. Their stomachs are full but their brains may not be making enough serotonin to shut off their appetites.
And what do protein dieters (especially women) miss most after the second week? Carbohydrates. Women have much less serotonin in their brains than men, so a serotonin-depleting diet will make women feel irritable.
“There are people we call carbohydrate cravers who need to eat a certain amount of carbohydrates to keep their moods steady,” said, Wurtman, co-founder of Adara, a weight-management company whose programs are based on her research. “Carbohydrate cravers experience a change in their mood, usually in the late afternoon or mid-evening. And with this mood change comes a yearning to eat something sweet or starchy.”
Thus, it’s not just a matter of will power or mind over matter; the brain is in control and sends out signals to eat carbohydrates. According to Wurtman’s clinical studies, if the carbohydrate craver eats protein instead, he or she will become grumpy, irritable or restless. Furthermore, filling up on fatty foods like bacon or cheese makes you tired, lethargic and apathetic. Eating a lot of fat, she said, will make you an emotional zombie.
“When you take away the carbohydrates, it’s like taking away water from someone hiking in the desert,” Wurtman said. “If fat is the only alternative for a no- or low-carb dieter to consume to satiate the cravings, it’s like giving a beer to the parched hiker to relieve the thirst — temporary relief, but ultimately not effective.”

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2004/carbs.html

Excerpt from “Chocolate,” homepage of Chocolate.org

Chocolate also contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. It is the rate-limiting step in the production of the mood-modulating neurotransmitter serotonin. Enhanced serotonin function typically diminishes anxiety. Yet tryptophan can normally be obtained from other sources as well; and only an unusually low-protein, high-carbohydrate meal will significantly increase its rate of intake into the brain.
Like other palatable sweet foods, consumption of chocolate triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s endogenous opiates. Enhanced endorphin-release reduces the chocolate-eater’s sensitivity to pain. Endorphins probably contribute to the warm inner glow induced in susceptible chocoholics. This sensation explains why chocolate gifts are a great way to bring joy to a loved one.

http://www.chocolate.org/