Glycemic Load, Diet, and Health
By: Harvard Women's Health Watch (Monday, 07-10-2002)
Glycemic Load, Diet, and Health The Glycemic Index for 100 Foods
Glycemic Load, Diet, and Health
Until recently, there was little question that the best approach to healthy eating was to follow official guidelines — such as the USDA Food Guide Pyramid — which emphasize carbohydrates as a way to discourage fat consumption. But this view of carbohydrates and fats is too simplistic. It might even contribute to the very conditions that we hope to avoid by eating a good diet in the first place, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
For one, not all fats are bad. In fact, certain fats are heart-healthy. In addition, not all carbohydrates act the same. Some are quickly broken down in the intestine, causing the blood sugar level to rise rapidly. Such carbohydrates have a high glycemic index (GI).
Because rapidly rising blood sugar levels have various adverse effects, we advise eating plenty of fruits and non-starchy vegetables and few high-GI carbohydrates, such as refined grains and starches. We also favor a food pyramid where fruits and nonstarchy vegetables, not refined grains, occupy the bottom tier. The purpose of this advice is to reduce overall glycemic load (GL). GL is a relatively new way to assess the impact of carbohydrate consumption that takes GI into account but gives a fuller picture than does GI alone.
GL Reflects Actual Carbohydrate Burden
A GI value tells you only how rapidly a particular carbohydrate turns into sugar. It doesn’t tell you how much of that carbohydrate is in a serving of a particular food. You would need to know both things to understand a food’s effect on blood sugar. That is where GL comes in. The carbohydrate in a carrot, for example, has a high GI. But there isn’t a lot of it, so a carrot’s glycemic load is relatively low. Calculating GL allows researchers to better relate carbohydrate intake to its health effects.
Researchers at Harvard, including Harvard Women’s Health Watch advisory board member JoAnn E. Manson, M.D., have closely examined the relationships among carbohydrates and heart disease and diabetes in women. The Nurses’ Health Study, for example, found that women with the highest dietary GL have double the risk for heart disease when compared to those with the lowest GL.
Why It’s Not As Simple as GI
The glycemic index originated as a research tool. It assigns a numerical value to a food indicating how much and how rapidly 50 grams of its carbohydrate content will raise blood-sugar levels, compared to 50 grams of a reference food (glucose or white bread). The reference food is given an arbitrary value of 100, and the GI value of a particular food is expressed as a percentage of that value. Many things contribute to the GI of a given food, including its fat and fiber content and how much it’s been processed.
But carbohydrates differ in quantity, as well as in GI ranking, from one kind of food to another. The shortcoming of GI values is evident when you compare foods of different carbohydrate densities. For example, the GI of a baked potato is 121% (assuming white bread is the standard reference food). This has earned the potato, which is largely carbohydrate, a place on the “avoid” list in publications and on Web sites promoting the GI approach to food choices.
The GI of carrots, as noted earlier, is also high: 131%. But this unfavorable GI rating is based on the blood-sugar effect of eating 50 grams of carbohydrate from carrots — the amount contained in a pound and a half of them — which few people would consume in one sitting. A serving of carrots, therefore, just doesn’t have much carbohydrate, so its impact on blood sugar is much less than that of a serving of potato.
Avoiding carrots because of their GI ranking would be a big mistake, particularly given all the vitamins and minerals they contain and the low GL of each serving (see “How to Calculate GL,” below). The GI of potatoes, on the other hand, is not a misleading measure because potatoes are carbohydrate-dense. Their GL is also fairly high.
How to Calculate GL
GL is the amount of carbohydrate in a serving of food multiplied by that food’s GI. Thus, a ˝ cup serving of carrots (which has 8 grams of carbohydrate) has a glycemic load of about 10 (8 * 131%, or 1.31 = 10.48).
As reported recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (March 2001), Nurses’ Health Study researchers — aided by blood samples and a food-frequency questionnaire — used GL measures to assess the impact of carbohydrate consumption on 280 postmenopausal women. They found that high-GL diets (and, by extension, high GI foods and greater total carbohydrate intake), correlated with lower HDL concentrations and higher triglyceride levels, a marker for heart disease. The strongest association was in overweight women, i.e., those whose body mass index (BMI) was over 25. Increased risk started, on average, at a daily GL of 161.
Calculating overall dietary GL is difficult outside a research setting. But knowing a food’s GL can help you make comparisons that can improve the quality of your carbohydrate choices. In general, it’s a good idea to replace processed and refined-grain carbohydrates, such as those found in many snacks and desserts, with fruits and non-starchy vegetables. These foods, as well as whole grains and beans, are rich in nutrients and contain fiber, which slows digestion and moderates blood sugar levels. Also, try substituting, for example, whole grain bread for white bread; wild rice for white rice; and beans or lentils for potatoes.
Dietary GL may not become an everyday calculation, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see labels that exclaim “Low Glycemic Load!” — like “Low Cholesterol!” — beckoning from grocery shelves in the near future.
Selected Resource
Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating (Simon & Schuster, June 2001), by Harvard School of Public Health professor and researcher Walter Willett, M.D.
The glycemic index (GI) shows how much the carbohydrate in any given food boosts blood sugar levels. It is a relative number based on a comparison to a reference item. In effect, it is the blood sugar response to a given food compared with the blood sugar response to a standard food, generally white bread or glucose (sugar).
In the chart below, (please go to link to see chart) we have given you the values for both the glucose and bread GI scales. Sometimes the tests result in a range of values, which we show with a plus-or-minus sign, ±. So, for example, the GI value for a croissant using bread as the reference number is 96±6, meaning test results ranged from 90 to 102.
A word of warning about applying the GI to your diet: It doesn’t say anything about how much carbohydrate a food contains. So, for example, while the carbohydrates contained in carrots may have a relative high GI index, carrots contain relatively few carbohydrates compared with corn chips. Therefore, the net effect of carrots on blood sugar levels is considerably less than corn chips, even though their GI index numbers are similar.
It is confusing. Using these GIs to develop a diet is not easy, which is one reason the American Diabetes Association has been reluctant to embrace the index. Understanding glycemic load (GL) — rather than just the glycemic index — doesn’t completely solve the problem, but it helps.
The glycemic load factors in both the quantity of the carbohydrate in a food as well as the glycemic index. To learn how to determine the glycemic load of a food, see How to Calculate GL, above.
By thinking in terms of glycemic load instead of just the index, you can avoid miscasting fundamentally healthful foods, like carrots, as glycemic villains. Carrots have a high glycemic index of 1.31 because the carbohydrate they contain is metabolized quickly. But there is relatively little carbohydrate to be metabolized. You'd have to eat three pounds of carrots to get as much carbohydrate as you get from just 1 1/2 potatoes. Therefore, carrots have a relatively low glycemic load of 10.
The Glycemic Index for 100 Foods*
SEE LINK
*Source: Foster-Powell K. and Miller JB "International tables of glycemic index," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1995; 62: 871S–893S.
Minding Your Moods with Foods
by Vicki Koenig, MS, RD, CDN
Let's see. I've got a lunch meeting with the CEO at 2pm OR I'm taking my College Boards this afternoon OR I'm presenting at a National conference…. What do I eat to have mental alertness and energy without the typical late afternoon slump? Maybe I need to wind down at night or on the weekend. Is there something I can eat to feel relaxed and help me sleep better at night?
We don't always think that food will impact our mind and mood state, but this theory is gaining credibility. What you eat does indeed affect your energy and moods.
A Bit of Science
It all comes down to amino acids and neurotransmitters in the brain. Sound complicated? Surprisingly, it isn't.
Neurotransmitters
The brain communicates by chemical substances that are passed from one nerve cell to the next nerve cell or synapse. These chemical substances are called neurotransmitters. Certain neurotransmitters excite and some calm. In the 1970's, it was found that three of these chemical neurotransmitters are made in the brain from byproducts of the food we eat. These three are dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin.
Dopamine and norepinephrine are the alertness chemicals. When your brain is producing these, you have a tendency to think and react more quickly, and feel more motivated, attentive and mentally energetic. Ever had an adrenaline rush? Adrenaline is also known as epinephrine, which is in the same family of chemical neurotransmitters.
Serotonin is the calming and relaxing chemical. Lab studies show that when the brain is using serotonin, feelings of stress and tension decrease and the mind can concentrate and focus better. Your mind is not going "a million miles an hour" in all directions. Serotonin also reduces reaction time and, depending on what time of day it is, you can feel sleepy or sluggish.
Amino Acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They're found in animal products (meat, poultry and dairy), legumes (dried beans and peas), grains, nuts and seeds. While protein comes in many combinations of different amino acids, when it comes to moods and foods, tyrosine and tryptophan are the two of primary interest.
Tyrosine is the principal ingredient in dopamine and norepinephrine. When tyrosine (from the food you eat) enters your brain, alertness chemicals are produced.
Tryptophan is used to make serotonin. Whenever tryptophan gets into the brain, more of the calming chemical serotonin will be made.
Eating for Alertness
The Tyrosine/Protein Effect
When your brain is using up dopamine and norepinephrine, it will make more of these neurotransmitters from the protein that you eat. This will make you will feel more alert, motivated and you will have more energy. Eating more protein, whether you eat it alone or accompanied by carbohydrate, always makes more tyrosine available for your brain. If protein is eaten with other foods, it works more effectively if it is low in fat, when the carbohydrate is complex and doesn't raise glucose significantly.
The key to quickly shifting your mind into a more alert and motivated mindset is to have protein with small amounts of fats and carbohydrate. For most people, three to four ounces of protein is enough. The Best sources are lean protein with almost no carbs. Useful protein sources contain some carbohydrate but are low in fat. Protein that is high in fat can't be counted on to increase alertness. In fact the high fat content slows down digestion and usually has an opposite effect!
Best Sources:
Fish, shellfish, poultry (without the skin), very lean beef trimmed of all visible fat
Useful Sources:
Low-fat cottage cheese, nonfat or low-fat yogurt and milk, legumes, lentils, soyfoods
Don't Count On:
Beef, lamb, pork and pork products (bacon, etc.), cold cuts (unless specifically labeled low-fat), organ meats, hard cheeses, whole milk and whole milk yogurt
The Power Lunch Actualized
The best way to eat for alertness during your workday is to have a lunch that contains protein, is low in fat, and has carbohydrate that won't drag you down. Mid-day is when your brain's supply of dopamine and norepinephrine is beginning to wane. When you supply the tyrosine (from eating protein), your brain will be ready to make it into more of the two alertness neurotransmitters (dopamine and norepinephrine).
Tips for a power lunch:
Start with the protein: Eat the protein before the carbohydrate in your lunch.
Good examples are:
Between three and five oz. of lean meat, fish, or poultry or
1 cup low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese
2 ounces of low-fat cheese, like feta, reduced fat mozzarella or ricotta
2 eggs (but limit yolks to no more than 3 to 4 per week).
Don't eat too much, but don't arrive too hungry at an important working lunch.
Keep the foods low in fat. You'll begin to digest the protein easier and keep the mind alert.
Don't load up on bread or a heavy appetizer at the beginning of the meal.
No alcohol: It dulls the mind.
Order foods that don't require a lot of focus to eat them. Keep it simple.
The same concepts work if you're having a working dinner and need to maintain an alert mind through the evening.
Some food ideas for an effective power lunch are:
Caesar salad with grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp. Ask for the salad dressing on the side and use sparingly. Ignore those croutons or wait until the end of your meal to eat a few.
Chicken and broccoli or mixed vegetables at a Chinese restaurant. Limit the rice.
Lightly sautéed fish, tofu or chicken fillet with vegetables. A light rice pilaf or pasta on the side.
Eating to Calm and Relax:
The Tryptophan/Carbohydrate Effect
Even though tryptophan is an amino acid, eating protein will not get more tryptophan into the brain. This is because tryptophan competes for entry into the brain and if there are too many other amino acids around, it won't get in. But when carbohydrate is eaten without protein, the competition is decreased. As the carbohydrate is metabolized, there is a "pool" of amino acids that keeps circulating in the bloodstream and the circulating tryptophan easily passes into the brain where it's made into serotonin. Eating carbohydrate without protein has a calming effect. How calming it is depends on the type of carbohydrate, the amount eaten and the time of day.
Eating carbohydrate that is low on the Glycemic Index will promote the more focused and calming aspect of serotonin release and less of the sleepy, sluggish feeling. What is the Glycemic Index? It describes the rate at which carbohydrate is digested to glucose in the blood. Eating foods that require a strong insulin response: ones that are High-Glycemic, get the most tryptophan into the brain and have the most serotonin produced. You don't need to eat very much of these to have the desired effect, about 1 to 2 ounces is enough (30 grams of carbohydrate). Because fruit provides fructose instead of glucose, it tends to be less effective at stimulating serotonin production. In short, it's ineffective at producing the calm and focused effect of serotonin, even though it's healthy to eat.
High-Glycemic Carbohydrates
Sugar, white bread, rice cakes, wheat crackers, bagel, instant rice, baked potato, rice pasta
Low Glycemic Carbohydrates
Brown rice, buckwheat, wholegrain rye bread, sourdough rye bread, pita bread, sweet potato, most wheat pastas
While both High- and Low-Glycemic carbohydrates have the effect of allowing tryptophan to get into the brain, Low-Glycemic carbohydrates tend to sustain your "blood sugar" without producing a subsequent low. When your glucose gets low, energy levels fall and you can feel tired, irritable, unmotivated and confused. That's taking the relaxing serotonin effect to an extreme. If High-Glycemic carbohydrates are the ones you choose, then remember you don't need much to have the desired calming effect. Too much will overdo it, especially when energy levels are normally lower, like in the later afternoon or evening.
If you need to "punch out" from work:
All you need is about 30 grams of pure carbohydrate. Read the label or figure out what 1 to 1 ˝ oz. is.
Good examples are 5 to 10 pretzels, 1 ˝ to 2 cups of "light" popcorn, 5-10 rice cakes, hard candy, a small amount of chocolate (which comes with its own feel-good endorphins), or plain breakfast cereal without the milk.
Low-fat carbohydrate offers the quickest stress relief. If you choose potato chips, you may have to eat twice the amount to get the desired result. It simply takes longer to be digested and get into your bloodstream.
You should feel results in about 20 minutes. Of course, consciously sitting down and doing this will also help the mind relax. Breathing supports this mind/body experience, but you have actually changed your brain chemicals, so supportive relaxing techniques make it work even more effectively.
The Thanksgiving Mystery
If you have a very heavy and complex meal like Thanksgiving, you're likely to be ready for a nap. Is this because of serotonin production? No. This is because of the energy needed to digest all the food you ate. More blood is in your stomach and intestines, making less blood available to your brain. This is why I have emphasized low fat, easy-to-digest examples to get the most dramatic results.
Understanding Your Diet
So how might you feel if you're on the "High protein/No carbohydrate diet? You might feel a little strung out at times and find it hard to relax since little serotonin is being produced. How might you feel if you're a vegetarian eating very little protein? You might feel a little "spaced out". If you eat a lot of carbohydrate for lunch, you may have a late afternoon slump. Why do nervous or depressed people eat "comfort foods"? These are usually starchy foods like potatoes, pasta and rice. Personal experience tells you that when you eat these foods, that you feel more relaxed and can calm down. This is the effect of the foods you eat on neurotransmitter production.
You can plan your food to support your day by being aware of how it can affect your mind and mood. Once you try this and find that it really works, you can use it to have an edge in business lunches, performances, presentations, exams and interviews. Once you manipulate your own responses, you'll find the results can be significant. Then you can unwind with a bit of carbohydrate at the end of your workday or 30 minutes before you want to fall asleep. Put these concepts into practice and in our often competitive, stressful world, you can shift the balance to your advantage while still taking good care of yourself. What you eat can and does affect your mood and energy level.
References:
Wurtman, Judith: Managing Your Mind and Mood Through Food. Harper and Row, NY 1986.
Somer, Elizabeth: Food and Mood, 2nd Edition. Henry Holt & Co., Inc. 1999
Food and Mood: The quarterly newsletter of the Food and Mood Project. No.1 Autumn 2000.
Carper, Jean: Food-Your Miracle Medicine: How Food Can Prevent and Cure Over 100 Symptoms and Problems. Mass Market Paperback. 1999.
Geary, Amanda: The Food and Mood Workbook. Published by the Food and Mood Project. 1999.
Toni48:
Brand new here. It's actually both my wife and I.
Debelli:
Thanks for all the links and info I can go over.
P.S.
On the complete cutting out and staying away from things like chocolate...I guess I am blessed in the respect that though I love sweets I've never really had a craving for sugars if I cut them out. I can eat grass all day and not have a huge problem with it heheh on the other side of that I could eat cereal with sugar on top every night too. I do really like all the different tastes of foods though and if there is anything that I find hard with this WOE (I am new to it) it is the fact that almost all the foods and condiments and things like that have sugar added. So I can't just whip up some stir fry and throw in some hoison sauce or something similar. I can't pour the Italian dressing on a nice big salad. I have to check the labels of everything and 9 times out of 10 it has sugar added or "illegal" ingredients. I am sure once we start finding all the good brands and foods we will be fine.
Okay, I'm packed, I'm ready and I am soooo excited to finally see that I will soon be on my way to see Debbie and the rest of the gang. Bye until next week when I will give details of the journey.
Wow - I haven't posted for a week and did I have lots of reading to do. I know I just posted a few times last week - thanks to some major teeth problems, I've been sidetracked. I do want to wish all the Florida gals and guys and all those going to Orlando lots of luck! It should be good running weather this weekend - cooler than usual. We will all be waiting here to know how the weekend went!!!!!
Last post...I'm packed too & ready to go. Think I'll just sleep in the car. No, I'll get a couple of hours. Debbie, Lyn, & Trish, will see all of you tomorrow & the rest of you FL gals Fri. Can't wait!
Everyone else, will see you'll on the board next week! Be good, stay on plan & get those lbs off!
My, you all have yakked it up! I disappeared for 3 days and missed 10 pages! Not much time left to post
I'm so sorry I'm going to miss Orlando, but I don't think I'll miss running in that weather, it would be just like here. Yuck!
I'm now only 1 pound above my pre-holiday low. Yipee! You'd think with all that running as well as lifting I wouldn't have gain, but somehow I managed.
I just wanted to welcome all the new folks so WELCOME!
And reiterate a few things Deb mentioned. When I first started this WOE a year and a half ago, I just went cold turkey on the sweet stuff. It was tough for about 4 days, but then it was amazing to find out what food REALLY taste like. I refered to this WOE as my "hunter-gatherer diet"- if the food wasn't around 150 years ago, I didn't eat it. That means nothing in a box, bottle, or can. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Fresh, real food only, and food that you make. That way you know exactly what's in it. Your tongue and brain don't know Spenda from glucose or corn syrup, and they will want it if you keep gining it to yourself. Those Atkins bars and every other "protein" bar are full of empty carbohydrates in the form of glycerin, and the protein does not have a complete amino acid profile, so it's not doing you any good at all. Natural peanut butter was my salvation: 2 tablespoons for dessert taste really good if you stay away from sugar and artificial sweeteners.
OK- on to my next rant. The 7 o'clock thing. I eat 5-6 small meals a day, all with some protein and carbs. Sometimes (like tonite) I'm having a protein shake with fruit or oatmeal just before I go to bed. When you sleep, your body still need nutrients and it will burn muscle before it burns fat. You don't want to lose weight by burning muscle, because then you are actually fatter even tho you weigh less. This doesn't mean eat a steak and sweet potato and salad before bed, but a little cottage cheese and fruit, a bit of chicken and brown rice, whatever, will keep you from burning up muscle and having cravings all day long.
OK -gotta go. To the new folks: I don't usually lecture
mel
175/133/135 originally, now am aiming for 130 by end of January and 125 by May.
Well, had my physical today and their scale said the same as mine so I know it is correct. Two pounds in 2 weeks. Nothing to get excited about. I can't blame TOM because I am done with that. So other than the water component, I don't know why I am not losing. I have been having mostly Kashi and blueberries for breakfast, sometimes with 1 slice of toast, mostly not though. I have my triscuits and string cheese for snack, lunch has been mostly pita pockets with tuna or egg salad, and dinner has been from SB book. Afternoon snack is dried apricots and nuts. After dinner either a cup of SF hot cocoa or frozen cherries. I had a lunch meeting today and they served pizza, I was fasting so I was starved, I took two pieces and ate the cheese and toppings only. Woe is me!
I made some WW tortillas tonight and dh loved them, he is really enjoying this WOE.
Will see how my lab work comes back. And will try not to get to discouraged, my weigh in doesn't happen til Friday, dh and I started weighing on a Friday so we will see what happens. Drank more water today, and will try to do better tomorrow.
Have a great time in Florida, it has been cold and froggy here in beautiful Western Oregon.
This may not be the right place to post here but any recommends on sugar free chocolate syrup. My kids LOVE chocolate milk and I would like to get them drinking something that isn't loaded with sugar.
Mel.. I read your post regarding having a little protein before you go to bed. It makes sense but it doesn't sound like you make a habit of it. I think I need to get used to not "climbing thru the cupboards" at night... maybe when I "trust" myself not to, I'll try that. I am surviving though, I haven't had anything since 7:30p and I'm living to talk about it - although a bite of cottage cheese would be good right now. If you have a chance, would you post a typical day for you as far as food. You've been very successful with this WOE. Thanks
Adams.. I just received the "Sugar Busters for Kids" book in the mail. Amazon had it in the bargain books (hardback) for $4.99.
I haven't had a chance to look at it yet but I'm very interested in what some of there suggestions are for kids. Maybe you could make you own choc. syrup (like in the old days) with cocoa and splenda... That's a rough one because.. kids love there sweets..how about a nice salad instead!
Up early, it's actually before 6am as I start this quick post - still have lots to do!
Cheesecake is made, quiche is prepared and I'll pop that in the oven while we are all getting ready tomorrow morning and put it in an insulated bag/container to keep it warm, as well as make the hummus first thing in the morning. Haven't packed one thing for myself, but do have a pile of stuff that I'm bringing stacked up in the dining room. House seems to be worse off today than yesterday and hoping I can get a few things done so MELF, TRISH & ROSE don't think we are total slobs in this house.
I will try to hop on tonight for a minute to do a quickie if there's time. From this moment on, it's going to be a busy day. Heck, from this moment on it's going to be busy until Monday night!
Wish you could all join us - hopefully, one day!
ADAMS, quick reply to your question about chocolate milk. I make "milkshakes" and use carob powder, which to me, tastes like chocolate. I have recipes that you can use to make a hot carob drink, like hot chocolate or a syrup to use in milk. BTW, thanks for letting us know it's you and your wife. We always just assume our members are women, though we do have one other guy on the board, though he hasn't been on in a while. We love brave souls who won't mind our openess of the stuff we talk on the board - sorry, no holes barred here, man or not Also glad you mentioned it AND the non-cravings, I'd of been wondering about you - having no cravings - geez, not only do men lose weight easier than women, but no cravings? One sex seems to have better luck than another, in some aspects
To everyone else, sorry I can't post individually. Give me a bit of time when I get back and after the gals leave and I'll be back to normal, in more ways than one.
I hope we are all feeling zippy and healthy and ready for another big day. First off, to all you lucky ones who are going to be together this weekend . . . HAVE A WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC, SUPER, FUN, INCREDIBLE, INDESCRIBABLY SWEET WEEKEND. Yes, I know, I should be there. You all were so good to include me in on the emails of organization. It?s just that this month is pretty hectic for me at work and I have a couple of responsibilities that I cannot pass off to someone else. Be sure that I WILL NOT have that happen again next year. You all are going to have so much fun. Wow, what a group! Is this a 3 Fat Chicks record for the largest amount of people getting together? Is Suzanne coming?
Thanks to all for the warm welcome. You all are so sweet. I always know there are plenty of open arms in this group. And I?m sure while I was off eating God knows what, you all got skinny arms to hug with too. Congrats to those of you who stick with your programs and keep on this board.
GRACIOUS---Good luck with the quilt! My quilting supplies are getting dusty. I?m sure you will do great. My only word of advice is to keep measuring after every seam. That?s my downfall. Things just didn?t match up.
DEB---Sorry to hear about your aunt. She sounds like she was one tough lady who wanted to go out on her own terms. What a great way for you to honor her by walking for her on Sunday. YOU GO GIRL!!!!!
SOLSHINE----You are so good to me! I?m sure you are doing well with your eating. How did the training for the WDW end up? Are you ready? How?s that new family member? I guess she must be pretty special if she?s winning awards already. That?s great. Aren?t dogs the greatest? You know how I feel about Miss Maddie!
JACK-K---Hey Girl! How?s my neighbor down there in L?ville? I?ve been meaning to ask this to you: So what do you think of the Cardinals beating the Wildcats? Were you happy about that? I can?t remember who your favorite team is? Anyways, I thought of you on that day and wondered if your family was into college basketball. Hey, are you going to FL for the big get together?
MONET---Sorry to hear about your health problems. Those chest pains must have been scary. You know I battle with my thyroid too. Because mine is almost all gone. I did stop taking the soy because of your suggestion. I?ve opted for putting yogurt in my morning shakes instead. And that gives me the acidopholus that we need. Good luck, hon. Sorry that your plans to meet the gang didn?t work out.
FILLISSE---Perhaps that new scale is defective. Do you think that?s just me being in denial for you? Hang in there. Those holidays are cruel with all those temptations.
TONI---FIVE POUNDS????? That is awesome. Way to go! You must have wanted to do cartwheels after that. You are doing a great job. I?m so happy for you. Thanks for missing me.
MIATA---Hey, glad to meet you!!! I confess that my real nickname should be ?One who starts crafts and never finishes them?. I did quilt for a while and still hope to get back to it, but I got slammed with a project that I couldn?t figure out. My rows didn?t match up, and it was so frustrating!!! So anyway, now I?m into making jewelry. I took a class last weekend and it was so much fun. I learned how to wire wrap beads. So far I have made 2 necklaces and am in the process of making a bracelet. I?ve decided I need more immediate gratification. That?s why quilting is hard for me. You sound like you are really experienced and skilled at it. That?s great. What kind of a machine do you have? Do you like piecing or applique better? Do you have a special technique that you use a lot? I really do love it, I just got psyched out by this one project.
Well, I really need to address more of you, but I have to go finish getting ready for work. Take care. Have a great day!
First of all I want to wish all of the Fla bound girls a wonderful time. It don't know how it could be anything but wonderful. I am so jealous of all of you. Take lots of pics to post. We will be thinking of all of you and especially you Deb as you make the walk for your aunt. We are so proud of you.
Have to share my crazy breakfast with you all. I have said that my cupboards are bare and I can't get to the store until this weekend. I have 2 eggs left so I had 1 today and it wasn't enough so I had a dab of chili left so I heated it up and finished it off. Eggs and chili, now that's different.
I did the 3 mile Walk Away the Pounds last night. I relly liked it. I worked up a good sweat. It is much more aerobic than regular walking outside. Hope to do it 2-3- times a week.
Sugrless, Stay away from the SF candies, etc. Get off sugar completely. That is the only way to get rid of those cravings. I stayed away from all that stuff for 5 months. Then I found I ate way to much of them, so I buy no more. As far as your schedule. If you need a snack on your breaks eat cheese, nuts sf yogurt, fruit. Drinks lots of water. Your schedule isn't much different than mine excpet I get no breaks. I eat lunch at 1 pm so I ususally eat an apple around 11. nothing after lunch until dinner. Your menu looks good to me but I would leave off tht chocolate at least for awhile.
MaeMae, I know what you mean about getting breakfast with little ones, but it really is the most important day of the week and even if you have to get up a little earlier it will be worth it. Breakfast sets my tone for eating for the rest of the day. Try some yogurt or pbj sandwich.
Linworthlady, todayis your day. You can do this. We are here to help and support you. You are worth it. Come on. Good luck
Toni, Hope you had a wonderful anniversary. How many years?
Adams, Welome to our board. As you have already found, it is a graet place for info, support and friendship. Looking forward to getting to know you. You can get a sf coch syrup like Hershey's. Nt sure what else is in it though.
Sweetbeater, It doesn't look like you are eating enough. Your body probably thinks it is starving. You need more veggies. Try to have them at every meal. Also if you are eating brea, at bf, pita pocket at lunch, and triscuits you could be having too many starcy carbs. 2-3 a day. Glad your DH is liking this WOE. It helps when you have someone to support you. Good luck.
Deb, thanks for all the info on the GI & GL. I always learn so much from you. I need to go back and read them more thoroughly when I've had more coffee. May your GA rest in peace.
Quilter, I'm not talking about the ballgame. I am a Wildcat true blue. It just made me sick, plus the fact that almost all of our friends are UL fans. We are a big sports family here and DD attends UK. No I'm not going to Fla with the girls. SUre wish I was. With just taking a cruise and the big wedding coming in 4 months,just couldn't afford it or the time away. Maybe next year. Sure glad you are back. Hope you are here sto stay. WTG on being OP 4 days. Keep up the good work. Funny that you mentioned making jewelry. We are making wine glass charms or markers for favours at the wedding. We are using beads and have 1500 to make. Want to help??
Thank you so much for all your words of encouragement yesterday. It made me cry--happy tears tho. I wasn't in a good place mentally yesterday and all the warmth and kindness you all sent my way made me feel better. You're a GREAT bunch!
I had a slip up yesterday--I was feeling so exhausted, I needed a boost. I grabbed a chocolate bar for a quick fix. I then read all your responses to me and decided to do something good for myself. I went out and got groceries. Not one thing in the cart was illegal! I made myself some salsa and ate it with some triscuits last night. It was soooo good.
I also got myself a mini trampoline! It's only about 8" off the ground and 3' in diameter. Thought it would give me something to do while watching TV! our family joined abut 4 other families last year and we all were on big trampolines and it was so much fun. I also thought my 5 year old would like it and it would give him some exercise.
I think I'll have to start journaling. I'm probably eating too many starchy carbs, not getting enough fruit and definately not drinking enough water.
I really hope that the bunch meeting up for the run/walk at WDW have a wonderful time! DEBELLI I'll be sending good thoughts your way on Sunday that you have a good walk!
Since I am new, I am having a hard time keeping track of everyone. But here is the little advice I have to offer:
Sugarless: My schedule is very similar. I start work at 6:00AM and at first it was hard. I don't know if you are allowed to eat at your desk or not, but here is my eating schedule. Every morning before I go work, I fix my oatmeal with cinnamon and sweet and low and take it to work with me. Just mix with hot water and presto! Breakfast. At my first break, I have a piece of fruit. Or even before my first break if I happen to get hungry again. Lunch, leftovers from the night before. 2nd break, usually either sunflower seeds or soy nuts. And I make dinner around 5:00. This usually consists of broiled meat, a veggie and a huge salad. Believe it or not, when the sugar cravings hit, a piece of cheese does it for me, so alot of the time I will have one around 7:00PM... I try not to eat anything after this though. I have found that now that my body is sugar-free, it upsets my stomach greatly if I have food in it when I go to sleep.
Adams, I am not sure of the ansers to all your questions, All I know is that it works. I would have never believed it, but it does. The only reason I started this WOE is because one of my co-workers did and I saw the results on her. I have read every book you can think of on the subject and I still don't understand the technicalities on it. As far as your taste for the orient, I have found that if I mix a little soy sauce, ginger, garlic, vinegar, and just a tad os sweet and low (or other sweetener) it satisfies my creaving and is a great marinade. It isn't exactly authentic, but it works.
VR- you talked about sugarbusters for kids. I have not read it yet, but my kids are on sugarbusters and don't even know it. They love to help me cook, which gives them pride in what they are eating. They have sweets in the house, they just don't know that they are all handmade by me and have NO sugar in them. This way they don't feel deprived or different from their friiends. I did not realize how much peer pressure our young ones experience today. Even when it comes to candy and sweets. I have heard the neighbor's kid criticize my 7 year old because he declined a popsicle.
OK, I am sorry I cannot address everyone, but like I said, I am having a hard time keeping track. Today I am doing great. Day 7 of after holiday detoxing and I am sure that those holiday pounds will be off in no time. Well, gotta get back to actually working. I will talk to you all later.....
Wow - I haven't posted for a week and did I have lots of reading to do. I know I just posted a few times last week - thanks to some major teeth problems, I've been sidetracked. I do want to wish all the Florida gals and guys and all those going to Orlando lots of luck! It should be good running weather this weekend - cooler than usual. 
We will all be waiting here to know how the weekend went!!!!!
No, I'll get a couple of hours. Debbie, Lyn, & Trish, will see all of you tomorrow & the rest of you FL gals Fri. Can't wait! 
somehow I managed.
Also glad you mentioned it AND the non-cravings, I'd of been wondering about you - having no cravings - geez, not only do men lose weight easier than women, but no cravings? One sex seems to have better luck than another, in some aspects
