Here's my thoughts on the recent study and headlines concerning moods and low-carb diets.
Low-carb diets and moods: what the headlines aren't telling you
Would love to hear your thoughts on this, so please leave your comments here or on examiner.
I know it's only Tuesday, but it feels like it should be Friday. It's already been a long week.
So, just an update.
Weight is staying the same, but had a couple of bad days, so that's really pretty amazing considering I didn't do so well. I'm back on track now and just plugging away each ounce at at time.
I have a couple of reviews I'm ready to do. The new Atkins bake mix and a new bathroom scale from EatSmart. Lots to tell you on these so will hopefully have them up soon. Kids have a thing to go to this afternoon though, so not sure if it will happen today.
I purchased new hosting and domain transfer yesterday for my website - Healthy Low-Carb Living. As soon as that is all up and running, this blog will move there using WordPress. I'll be sure to let you know once it is all working correctly. I'm also working on a new design for all of it, so I'm excited about that.
On the photography front, I finished and sent in another unit. I have 3 more to go and my goal is to have them finished by the new year. This is another reason I'm having to push daily blogging aside a bit. I gotta get this schooling finished pronto.
On a different note, I'm really looking forward to the low-carb cruise in March. I hope many of you are able to go so I can meet you in person. :) It's going to be a great time!
Okay, gotta get them kids ready for their shindig. Lay-tah!
And I am way behind on posting here.
You'll be proud of me though... at least I hope you will. I took several days off to just concentrate on taking care of myself. Yes - I spent time walking on my treadmill, working on menu plans and getting some R&R that was badly needed. I've gotten a second wind and I'm excited about moving forward with some ideas I have. Most of them include this blog and my website.
I am working on getting some things set up, so be looking for some changes to the blog soon.
On the weight loss front - weight is standing still right now. But the good news is that I've passed a set point that I was stuck at. I'm now stuck at a new lower number. :) I expect it to all move soon and I'm happy with the way I'm eating.
Ok, gotta run. Have a full day. Have a great low-carb day and I'll be back later with some cool stuff I've found recently. :)
(I still plan to review the book, but that will have to wait for a bit longer.)Hey gang. I'm working on several things at the moment for this blog that I think you'll enjoy. For now I'll just have to give you an update on some things, at least until I have these other posts ready.
Blogging: I have some product reviews in the works - complete with a few recipes. I can't wait to share some of the yummy stuff I've tried! I'm also in the process of reading Dr. Eades The 6 Week Cure for the Middle Aged Middle. So far it's been a stellar book and I'll be sharing my thoughts on it soon. I'm also going to try out the diet plan they use, so will try to update on that progress when I can.
Photography: For those that are interested, there has been a lot going on with me in this area. I was recently accepted as a participating photographer for Think Pink Photography. I find it a huge privileged to be listed among some of the most amazing photographers in the business. Think Pink is a completely volunteer network of photographers who donate their time and talent to photographing breast cancer patients and survivors. Some of the stories these photos tell are simply awe inspiring. And if non-cancer patients book a session and tell us they found us on Think Pink, we donate a portion of that session to the Eric R. Beverly Family Foundation.
On a similar note, I'm also participating in the one day event called Images for a Cure, in which all session fees for Oct. 11th, 2009 (in my case Oct. 10th) are donated to breast cancer research.
My photography schooling is quickly coming to a close. I should hopefully be finished by Jan. of 2010! :)
Ok, gotta run, but will be back very soon with some great stuff for you!
Hey gang! Here is the latest from my Examiner column. This particular article talks about our closest zoo, but I'd wager the same information applies to most zoos around the nation, sans prices or specific attractions.
Please stop by my column and say hello!
St. Louis Zoo: exercise, fun and low-carb food
Many people have expressed their desire to see my menus. As a general rule I don't post daily menus because, to be honest, I don't have time to update them. I've tried it a few times and I never keep up with it for long. So today I thought I'd compromise just a bit.
I like to plan my meals a week in advance, then do my grocery shopping. It's great for staying on a budget and it really helps you stick to your plan if you already know what you are having. Now I'm not saying I always stick to the menu. Stuff happens. I'm far from perfect, so I goof up now and again. But I think if you try this approach you'll find it a huge help.
So here is my menu plan for this week:
Sunday March 29th
B - Eggs & bacon
L - Baked Chicken w/veggies
D - Salmon and Just Like Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Monday March 30th
B - Hot Flax Cereal
L - chicken Salad & a pickle
D - Gumbo w/cauliflower rice
Tuesday March 31st
B - Mock Danish
L - Broccoli, Ham and Cheese Soup
D - Meatloaf and Salad
Wednesday April 1st
B - Omelets
L - Meat and Cheese roll-ups and salad
D - Chicken Enchiladas
Thursday April 2nd
B - Eggs & sausage
L - Baked Cod and green beans
D - Sloppy Joes and Cole Slaw
Friday April 3rd
B - Mock French Toast
L - Hamburgers and steamed veggies
D - Taco Salad
Snacks for the week may include: deviled eggs, home-made low-carb granola, home-made protein bars, cheese sticks
Obviously my menu items like Sloppy Joes, enchiladas, etc. are all low-carb versions and fit well into my plan.
Hopefully this helps you get an idea of how you can plan your meals, stick to your plan and assure a variety in your diet.
When I first heard about this tasty sounding new product called Grace Island's Baked Cheese Crisps, I'll admit to having high hopes. Having lived through the whole "low-carb craze" era, where every manufacturer and his dog were pushing their products as low-carb. I'll also admit to being skeptical. Many of those products were not truly low-carb, and some of them were down right nasty tasting. (Nasty as in maybe a dog really did come up with the product.)
With these conflicting emotions fighting for precious, but rare, real estate in my brain, I took a bite of the Baby Swiss flavor. I immediately sold all remaining land to Hope and gave Skepticism it's eviction papers.
Hey everyone! I hope you had a fantastic Valentine's Weekend!
Today I thought I'd share some bits and pieces that caught my attention in the news. And then I have a story to tell you about that four letter word so many people use... like.
Let's look at the headlines first:
Britney's cousin Alli Sims assaulted with alcohol by film producer - So what does this have to do with low-carb? I asked myself that too when I saw the headline in my inbox. Turns out the drink he threw on her was a new Australian low-carb beer! Wow... I know you are all in awe of such news. Obviously many media outlets felt this was newsworthy though. I've seen this headline in several places. *SIGH* So glad the important stuff is getting covered.
Low-carb diet burns more excess liver fat than low-cal diet - Does this surprise anyone? Didn't think so. They keep posting these headlines like it's some miraculous new discovery. Low-carbers have known these things for years... but nobody has bothered to listen to us.
Controlling Type 2 Diabetes With Low-Carb Diets - Again, nothing new. But I'm glad to see that the media is finally starting to print the truth, instead of sensationalizing the myths.
After 24 weeks, their glycemic control was determined by a blood test that measured hemoglobin A1C, a standard test used to determine blood sugar control in patients with diabetes. Of those who completed the study, the volunteers in the low-carbohydrate diet group had greater improvements in hemoglobin A1C. Diabetes medications were reduced or eliminated in 95 percent of the low-carbohydrate volunteers, compared to 62 percent in the low-glycemic group. The low-carbohydrate diet also resulted in a greater reduction in weight.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATKINS(tm) NUTRITIONALS PARTICIPATES IN VOLUNTARY PEANUT RECALL
DENVER, CO. (January 31, 2009) - On January 20, Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. (Atkins) announced that none of its products were affected by the widely publicized recall of peanut butter and peanut paste processed at the Blakely, Georgia facility of Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), and linked to an outbreak of Salmonella related complaints and illnesses. On January 28, 2009, PCA unexpectedly expanded its voluntary recall to include all peanuts and peanut products processed at its Georgia facility. Although Atkins products contain no peanut butter or peanut paste sourced from PCA, four Atkins products do contain granulated peanuts, or peanut pieces, sourced from PCA's Georgia facility. As a result of PCA's expanded recall, Atkins has determined to voluntarily recall these four Atkins products out of an abundance of caution because they contain granulated peanuts recalled by PCA. While Atkins has determined to voluntarily participate in this recall, purely as a precautionary measure, out of concern for our consumers and retail customers, we are confident all our products are safe. Atkins requires extensive laboratory testing of all ingredients used in every Atkins product, and our finished products are also rigorously tested. As a result of Atkins' food safety protocols, and the extensive laboratory testing on all Atkins products, no Salmonella contamination has been found in any of the Atkins products subject to this recall, but the Company is taking this step to assure our consumers that food safety is our highest priority.
Only the following products are subject to this voluntary recall:
Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter
Advantage Peanut Fudge Granola
Day Break Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp
Endulge Peanut Caramel Cluster
For Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter bars, only products manufactured after April 2008 are subject to the recall and detailed information pertaining to affected lot numbers is available at www.atkins.com.
No other Atkins products are affected by this recall. Atkins apologizes to consumers and retail customers for the inconvenience resulting from this recall. If consumers find that they have any of these products in their possession, they are asked not to consume the products. Consumers seeking a replacement or refund for recalled products should call Atkins Consumer Hotline number, 1-8.... Atkins intends to update this notice as the situation develops.
People infected with Salmonella can have some or all of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious disease, including headache, joint pain, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
This years Great Start Giveaway has some really fantastic prizes. Today I want to tell you about PureVia from Whole Earth Sweetener Company, which has generously donated 24 boxes to this giveaway! That's right! We will be giving 24 lucky winners a box of PureVia to try for themselves!
Below is a recent review I did of PureVia from my Examiner column.
PureVia Enters the Sweetener Race
Reprint from Examiner.com
Stevia is the hot ticket item in the sweetener world these days. With lots of research to back up its safety, it’s become the go-to substance for sweetening a variety of foods and beverages. Several companies are noticing this trend and trying to give their customers a more natural alternative to sugar. In recent months Cargill has released its stevia based sweetener Truvia. Another new product, NUVA from DWS Inc., has emerged as a real contender in the race to be the perfect sweetener. Now we can officially add PureVia to the list of better sweetener alternatives.
The long awaited PureVia, by Whole Earth Sweetener Company, has arrived. It has the same texture as real sugar and, like the others, a great taste. As of this writing their website does not yet tell us where PureVia can be bought or its approximate price. The sample box I received from the company contains 40 single serving sticks which are said to sweeten up to the equivalent of two teaspoons of sugar. As with most sweeteners, if you use it in a cold beverage, you should mix it thoroughly before you drink. I made the mistake of not mixing it too well and almost choked on a throat full of PureVia lurking at the bottom of my tea glass. (Can you envision my death certificate? “She died from inhaling an artificial sweetener!”) Mix well. Enough said.My glass of tea and a layer of sweetener at the bottom...
* Calories: 0
* Fat: 0
* Sodium: 0
* Total Carbs: 2 g
* Sugars: <1g
* Erythritol: 1 g
* Protein: 0g
Ingredients: Erythritol, Isomaltulose, Reb A (Stevia extract), Contains 1% or less of Cellulose Powder and each Natural Flavor.
Keep in mind that sweeteners are a personal choice, so there isn’t a one-size-makes-everyone-happy.
I, and many others, received an email yesterday from Richard Feinman, PhD asking for help with an issue that will have an impact on us all. We have the opportuinty to share our thoughts on what low-carb guidelines should be recommended if presented to the general public. Read below to get the details:
The question bears on recommendations along the lines of the USDA meeting that is coming up. It arises from a seminar that Eric Westman gave at Downstate. The group at Downstate is not particularly doctrinaire and the talk was well received but Dr. Sheldon Landesman of the School of Public Health raised a good question: "the major focus of diets based on carbohydrate restriction are fundamentally therapeutic. How could the benefits that you presented be utilized in making recommendations to the population at large?" So while 20 g a day might be very beneficial for somebody with diabetes or somebody trying to make a big impact on weight loss, even the maintenance phase of people on low carbohydrate diets may be different than what would be recommended for everybody.
Also whereas the population at large has significant amount of overweight and obesity, a large part of the population is not overweight and even those who are, may not want to lose weight at the moment. The question is quite pressing in that the USDA has convened a panel to make new recommendations for 2010. Many of us are upset that there is no representation of the panel of people who have experience with carbohydrate restriction and some who are on the panel are probably actively antagonistic to such an approach. On the other hand, Brian Wansink the chairman of the committee is aware of the problem and open to suggestions on carbohydrate restriction.
So, the question is: how can the benefits of carbohydrate restriction that you have experienced personally or in your immediate environment be translated into reasonable recommendations that the USDA could put out? In other words, if you actually had your way what kind of recommendations would you like to see the USDA make? Recommendations should be short and to the point.
If you can encourage your readers to send their suggestions to your blog and also copy to Lauri Cagnassola (nmsoci@nmsociety.org) the Metabolism Society will organize them. We will publish the results in the scientific and popular literature and also communicate some of the main points to Brian.
I think they are right to call our bluff on what we would actually do if we had access to policy.
Best Regards,
Richard Feinman, PhD
Metabolism Society
Hey gang! I'm going to try to start doing the whole food photo diary thing today. I don't know that I can keep up with it everyday, but I'll do my best. I'll update this post throughout the day so it's not scattered everywhere.
Breakfast:
As you can see I have two eggs scrambled with real butter and a dash of heavy cream, two slices of bacon (I cut the slices in half when I cook them to fit in the pan), my 1st 32 oz. bottle of water, and my supplements. I'm almost done with the water and will be refilling it soon. I try to drink a minimum of two of these bottles a day.
I'll be back later with lunch.
Have a great day!
Update: The rest of today didn't go too hot. I did well at lunch and with a snack, but we had errands to run and it took a while, which left us away from home past 7 p.m. and we were all starving. That's always a bad thing. And since I'm trying to control the amount of "sweet taste" I get, I didn't have any lc bars with me. What happened? I caved in and had a Subway sandwich. Not good. I'd have been better off to have had franken-bar. So we'll start again tomorrow, hopefully with better results.
Hey gang! I hope you all had a safe and fun New Years! I was so busy I didn't have time to post any New Years wishes, but I know you guys and gals understand.
I'm very optimistic about 2009. I can't say why, or even what I think will be great about this year, but I just have this gut feeling something wonderful is in store. We shall see....
I've mentioned in the past that I was planning to try a sweet-free challenge in conjunction with Scott Olsen's sugar-free challenge. My start date was to be yesterday. I've made some minor changes in my plans though and I want to explain.
I'm a diet soda addict. There. I admitted it. Diet soda is going to be hard for me to give up. Even the couple of weeks leading up to yesterday had me feeling a little unsettled at the thought of not having my daily fix. Some of you may remember I tried to give it up before - only to replace my sodas with eating everything in sight. It was bad. So this time I'm going to try to wean myself off. Starting yesterday, I am slowly replacing my sodas with water. My goal is that by the end of the month I will be drinking much more water than soda and can hopefully give up that last can for good. So my challenge will not be so much sweet-free as less-sweet. Make sense? Maybe by February I'll be ready to go totally sweet-free. (This may sound like a cop out, but I'm being totally honest here. I need to do this slowly...)
I started journaling my food again yesterday. I don't know if I'll get it posted here everyday, but I'll try. As some of you have expressed interest in my doing a photo food journal, I may try to start that soon as well. Anyhoo, here's yesterday:
Breakfast: 1 fried egg, 1 sausage patty, water, supplements
Lunch: (at Ryan's) 1 roasted chicken breast, 1 med sized salad with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds and ranch dressing, 1 cup green beans, 1/4 cup steamed cabbage, water
Dinner: 2 hamburger patties, 1 tbsp lc ketchup, 2 dill pickles
Snack: 1 cup popcorn (shouldn't have had this, but I did, so I'm fessin' up!)
Counts for Jan. 1st 2009:
Calories: 1,750
Carbs: 22 - 7 fiber = 15 net
Fat: 126 g
Protein: 131
Hey everyone. Thought I'd play catch-up here a moment.
Weight-loss: I'm holding steady. I'm really looking forward to January when I'll start my "sweet free" challenge. I think it will help me tremendously. If any of you would like to join I'd be glad to have the company. This isn't about giving up sugar, since I've already done that, it's about giving up the taste of sweet as a whole. No artificial or natural sweet stuff. I think my biggest battle will be giving up my Diet Rite. I will admit I'm totally addicted.
Giveaway coming soon! The 2nd annual Great Start Giveaway is being planned. Don't miss this giveaway where we'll have some awesome prizes just for you! Keep watching the blog for more details soon.
I'm sad. We received the news last night that my grandfather passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. It hurts. A lot. But he's no longer suffering as he was, and that's something to be thankful for. Keep us in your prayers please. This weekend will be a hard one as we say our goodbyes, and there will be lots of traveling involved for my whole family.
Photography: If you are a fan of photography, you'll love flickr. I have an account there myself where I share a lot of my work. To keep my creativity flowing I've joined a group called Project 365. In this group we post one photo a day for a year. It can be any photo of anything, but it has to be taken on that day. Today is day 6 for me and I'm already seeing possibilities and potential shots I'd missed before. It's fun! Feel free to check out my photostream sometime.
Examiner: I'm going to try to get another article or two up today, but I can't promise anything. I have a lot to do to get ready for the funeral, so my day will mostly be filled with that.
Have a great weekend everyone!
I'm so busy I don't have time to think straight, let alone eat right. Why do I love this time of year again???? ;)
I'm struggling a bit, but nothing new there. Life gets crazy and then I do, again nothing new. I'm working frantically to improve my photography skills. I really want to be ready for business within the next 6 months, so I gotta get on the ball. I'm doing little stuff here an there, but I want to be ready for the big time, ya know?
I'm also writing as much as I can for Examiner to help with those bills that refuse to go away. These will eventually stop right? Someone tell me they will stop. At least some of them??? Pretty please.
Homeschooling has been a chore this year. Why does it seem great some days and so hard on others? We are trying to get enough done that we can take a decent Christmas break, but don't know if that will happen.
My food planning has been less the great lately, so that really messes me up. I end up grabbing whatever. Have you ever tasted whatever? It's great, but has a buttload of carbs. Not what I need. So my weight is just steady. No real gains to speak of.
DH bought me a Wii fit. It's great exercise! I used to call it a WHEEEEEEE! Now it's just the wii. Why? Because I'm tired of that little game console weighing me, measuring my BMI and saying in it's cute little voice "That's obese!!" Naw, really? I could do without that part. I'm painfully aware I'm considered obese. I don't need a little white box rubbing it in my face. I catch myself yelling back "Oh yeah! Well you're square! And you are helpless without me!" Um, yeah. It's pathetic, but it makes me feel better. :)
I'm thinking of doing the photo food diary after the holidays. I know, I know, everyone is doing it. But since I love my camera more than life itself, this might be a good way for me to keep track and practice my photography skills.
Ok, off to teach my kids more stuff they think they already know.
I've been way too busy to do much the last several days. On top of the regular stuff, we've dealt with the flu. Not fun, but thankfully only one of us got it (my daughter, no surprise there, she's always the first to get everything). My hubby is dealing with some sinus junk, but otherwise is good. Thanks to my fabulous low-carb diet, my immune system is working well and I was able to avoid the nasty stuff, even though I had to take care of her. (If I could just get her to eat better...)
Anyhoo, my weight is still dropping. A bit slower than it was, but going down nonetheless. I've dropped another 1/2 lb or so since I last updated I think. So now down 8.5 lbs since I started a couple of weeks ago. I'm almost back to my virtual model weight. I saw 179.6 today on the scale. The cool thing is that my clothes are really getting loose. Smaller clothes, here I come!
I've hurt my back somehow, so exercise is out at the moment. I thought I was because of my last exercise session about a week ago. I did a 2 mile walk with a Leslie Sansone DVD. It's been hurting ever since, but, like today, it's really bad and hurts to move much.
OH, and I'm sure by now you've noticed my new avatar. I decided it was time to update, and I wanted something less serious. So there ya go....
OK, that's it for now. I haven't even put anything on Examiner since Friday, so I guess I'd better try to figure that out. Have a great day!
Hey gang. I haz been a bizzy goyal.
I recently put up 3 new articles on Examiner and am working on another as we speak.
I think you'll really like these. The following are a couple of fantastic recipes from my friend Karen Rysavy:
Truly Low Carb Pasghetti - for the kid in all of us
Pumkins, Cranberries and Cookies- - Oh My!
Then I've shared with you an article that is part of "The Best Of" series that Examiner is featuring this month:
Best Low-Carb Recipes for Fall
Enjoy and I'll be back soin with the latest!
     |
Posts
All Comments
