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<p>Yes, on December 30th you can go to the gym at any time and get whatever machine you want. On January 4th, not so much. I just wanted to say, “go home and watch the TCU game on the couch so I can have that machine.”</p>
<p>OK, I read that belly fat pdf posted a while back and now I’m quite convinced I need to reduce sugar. And I absolutely refuse to go back to Splenda and Aspartame. Anyone out there try and like Stevia or Xylitol?<br>
MP…my I would need to develop a great deal of tolerance to deal with a junk food hubbie. Thankfully, my h is fine with me doing all the shopping and cooking…and will eat pretty much anything I put out (lots of healthy stuff lately!). He cleans up. Good arrangement.</p>
<p>Analyst, sounds like you’re doing everything right. If your waist was still thick at your slimmest, sounds likes it’s just your build. It’s an easy one to dress around–it could be much worse! In the office I used to work in I think I was the only women who never had anything lipo suctioned and that was probably the most popular area. </p>
<p>Agree that bananas are killer. Full of sugar, dense with carbs. I avoid them. You can eat so much more of other fruits for the same carb count and get more fiber in the process.</p>
<p>They are now saying that eating a lot of eggs is fine. I do many mornings. My favorite breakfast is poached eggs atop a bed of spinach. It’s rich and filling, lots of fiber, keeps me full.</p>
<p>"Anyone out there try and like Stevia or Xylitol? - Not me, I use honey on almost everything (including salad, plain yougurt, cottage cheese). I go thru gallons of it (I am the only one in family who is using it), I buy only the biggest containers, and … it seems not affect my weight and blood sugar (non-diabetic, but measure very regularly because of history of diabetese in family). By the way both BP and blood sugar depends only on weight (at least in my case) and nothing else.</p>
<p>Somebody mentioned wild salmon. I hate wild one, but consume regular Norvigian smoked salmon (from Costco) on a regular basis.</p>
<p>And in terms enjoying sitting on couch - my H. loves watching TV. I do not mind too much, he exercises about 2 hours/day. The weight depends on balalnce between calories consumed and used. Exercise gives you freedom to eat more. But if you do not like food too much, you can do min. exercise to maintain healthy heart.</p>
<p>Miami, I’m also a honey addict! I even keep a honey bear jar in my desk drawer along with my coffee and tea stash. My favorite dessert is walnuts drizzled with honey. Unfortunately, there have been reports in the local papers that a lot of Chinese honey had been illegaly mislabled as European and smuggled in the US. Significant amounts of antibiotics banned in the US have been found in the Chinese honey. So I avoid “buckets” of honey sold in warehouse stores and try to get my honey from local farms.</p>
<p>This is the belly fat cure article from a magazine I just got. It’s what got me excited about this “lifestyle” change. Enjoy! I am waiting for the book…</p>
<p><a href=“http://jorgecruise.com/storage/jan18_2010.pdf[/url]”>http://jorgecruise.com/storage/jan18_2010.pdf</a></p>
<p>wow so much conflicting info out there.
LAST year (in January of course), I purchased the Flat Belly Diet Book. Some crossover with the above from what I can tell but the author of my book does not think “sugar alcohols” like xylitol are a good idea…can can cause bloating and gas…yikes. The main focus in on eating good fats, reducing portions and controlling stress (Can’t argue with that). I just don’t like eating foods labeled “sugar free” - seems like processed junk to me. But I will stop eating Godiva chocs on the weekends (got lots of it for holiday gifts…should probably throw them out!)</p>
<p>“the author of my book does not think “sugar alcohols” like xylitol are a good idea…can can cause bloating and gas…yikes.”</p>
<p>My H’s doctor thinks the same way. His explanation - these sugars pass unmetabolized to the places in your GI tract where no sugars typically go, and while we, humans, do not absorb these sugars, some nasty bacteria can use them as food, so the bacteria can thrive and multiply in the parts of the GI tract previously unpoulated by such bacteria due to the lack of nutrients. And this can result in bloating and gas…</p>
<p>I accidentally tried Stevia in an Odwalla lemonade. I hated the nasty metallic aftertaste. I took two sips of the drink and threw it out.</p>
<p>I read an article about low-calorie sweeteners. According to the article, lowcal sweeteners are so sweet that even after you swallow a mouthful of the sweetened food, enough of the sweetener remains in your mouth to give the characteristic aftertaste. I’ll stick with sugar, honey and normally sweet things like fruit.</p>
<p>I’m partial to sugar myself.</p>
<p>I am annoyed that I can’t make some of the simple changes that most diets suggest to reduce some easy calories. I already drink my coffee black. My tea unsweetened. I don’t drink soda regular or diet. I don’t put butter on my popcorn. I don’t put sugar in my oatmeal or on my cereal. I don’t even mind plain my yogurt plain with fresh fruit.
I confess to having huge salt cravings certain times of the month. If I would indulge I could down a large mcdonalds order of hot fries or a bag of kettle chips.
One issue is I would much rather have a bagel with butter and cream cheese or a chicken sandwich versus a salad with chicken on top.
I am headed out now to get a fruit smoothie. I know it has lots of sugar but I don’t think I have had one in at least 8 months. Still dealing with the flu so nothing is appealing. I have been really thirsty and it sounds really good.</p>
<p>For those of you looking for a sugar “substitute” - are you talking about substitute for your morning coffee/bowl of oatmeal or substitute for sugar in baking, etc.</p>
<p>Because I don’t see alot of harm in a spoon (or 1/2 spoon) of sugar on my raisin bran or in a cup of tea. I suppose it’s a problem if you’re drinking several cups of coffee a day…it just seems that it’s better to go with a natural sugar (granular) rather than the substitutes.</p>
<p>Again, quality vs. quantity. Tastes good vs. “does this taste good?” And careful moderation.</p>
<p>Once you reduce the quantity and frequency of eating the bad things - sweet or salty or carbs, when you DO allow yourself to have a serving, it tastes SO much better! Really, learn to savor every bite.</p>
<p>Wow, hard to keep up with this one!</p>
<p>hmom5 - regarding the iPod and Nike “system”, check out more details here: [Apple</a> - Nike + iPod](<a href=“http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/]Apple”>iPod touch - Official Apple Support)</p>
<p>You need an iTouch or iPhone, which I know has the Nike receiver built in (don’t know about all iPods but you can get an add on for those) and the Nike chip that Nike would like you to put in their special Nike shoes. Or you buy a cheap little velcro pouch and attach the chip to any shoe you want. A fancy step counter, I guess, that tracks distance, time and allows the info to be downloaded into a Nike program on line with graphs and all kinds of ways to track your workouts. When I sync my iTouch with iTunes, it automatically uploads my new workout info. I’ve become a little “OCD” about the whole thing - but it’s keeping me going in a healthy way.</p>
<p>I eliminated artificial sweeteners 5 plus years ago. I’ll use the real stuff if I want to sweeten something. Pretty much gave up sodas back then too. If I do have one, which is rare, I’ll drink the real thing, no more diet. Water is my drink of choice. Sweet tea when I really want to splurge.</p>
<p>Everyone has to come to terms with what they are (or aren’t) willing to do to achieve good health. I had to take a hard realistic look at my lifestyle last winter and commit to getting physically fit. To look at me, no weight issues. Decent diet. Part of me wishes I could go vegetarian but it’s not going to happen. I like meat. I’ve seriously reduced my comsumption but I will never fully eliminate it. Getting and STAYING physically fit is one of the few things under my control in my efforts to NOT deal with yet another breast cancer. REALLY good motivation.</p>
<p>I recently heard a lady talk about the evils of sugar AND every single darned artificial sweetener. She said what some of you have said - that your body doesn’t recognize the chemicals in artifical sweeteners, so it stores them forever. It was an unsatisfying talk because she really gave us no options…just no sweeteners, which is unrealistic for most of us.</p>
<p>But all this does make me more motivated to cook at home. I’ve heard that lots of restaurant and processed non-dessert food is full of sugar. If I’m going to consume tablespoons of sugar, I want it to be in a great dessert.</p>
<p>Most of you probably read this on another food thread a few months ago, but in case you missed it, here is a list of everything that is in an order of beef quesadillas at Chili’s:</p>
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<p>Is that enough to make you swear off chain restaurants for a while?</p>
<p>I find that one great way to cut down on calories is to pay attention to a “serving” size of meat – about the size of a deck of cards. That’s really tiny, but that’s what I’ve been doing for about a year now. It still provides plenty of protein, but not nearly as many calories as I used to eat.</p>
<p>mp- lol…I saw your original post and tell my friends and family about it when the conversation moves to food…most give me a very annoyed look. Anyway, everyone around her raves about Chipotle Grill and I KNOW they use good stuff from local farms…but the nutrition calculator I found online made me want to gag! Lots of fat…lots of salt, even in mundane things like beans and rice. I cook at home almost all the time now. Good thing is that it saves money too!
I gave up artificial sweeteners about a year ago. I use blue agave…just a tad in oatmeal, kefir/yogurt or tea. So I guess I’ll stick with that or honey. But would love to lose that “belly fat.” I think it’s all about portions though since the food I eat is healthy. Keeping a food diary sounds like a really good idea.</p>
<p>mp- lol…I saw your original post and tell my friends and family about it when the conversation moves to food…most give me a very annoyed look. Anyway, everyone around her raves about Chipotle Grill and I KNOW they use good stuff from local farms…but the nutrition calculator I found online made me want to gag! Lots of fat…lots of salt, even in mundane things like beans and rice. I cook at home almost all the time now. Good thing is that it saves money too!
I gave up artificial sweeteners about a year ago. I use blue agave…just a tad in oatmeal, kefir/yogurt or tea. So I guess I’ll stick with that or honey. But would love to lose that “belly fat.” I think it’s all about portions though since the food I eat is healthy. Keeping a food diary sounds like a really good idea.</p>
<p>And you guys are making fun of me because I eat sardines???</p>
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<p>My kids love Chipotle! And the food SEEMS like it should be so healthy - it looks so nice and fresh. But a loaded burrito from there has all the calories an adult woman needs in an entire day.</p>