<p>DH’s BP went down significantly after he lost weight due to exercise and healthier foods. His blood sugar was always normal, and his other blood test results are always within the ideal range. I think in my hubby’s case exercise also provided some stress relief.</p>
<p>MOfWC - yesterday I did the “fun run 5K” in 26 minutes on my dreadmill (my DDs’ would just roll their eyes and snort - BFD)! Cool! I was not out of breath and felt really good. I think I can go faster outdoors. I’m looking for a flat course to do a real one. The one I ran last year was mostly flat, and it since it was triathlon, it was not a mass start 5K, so I did not have to swerve around folks with toy dogs and baby strollers. There used to be a run at the local outdoor mall to benefit a cancer foundation, and I know for sure - that course is flatter than a pancake! Cool. But I will never be able to run a marathon, so my hat is off to you, MOfWC and my marathoner friend!</p>
<p>I’ve been famished the last two days. Not sure if it correlates to more exerercise and/or my cycle. Hope I don’t start carb loading! Was hoping for a good weigh-in this Friday, will try to be satisfied if I stay the same, as it looks like it’s going to be a tough week :(</p>
<p>Yesterday I ordered an entree salad for lunch but forgot to say dressing on the side. I hated to send it back since it was my fault, not theirs. It was a delicious globby mess - so covered with dressing that I barely recognized the lettuce. Had only a few cups of microwave popcorn at dinner, still gained a half pound. I’ll be more careful in my ordering from now on.</p>
<p>missypie,
“microwave popcorn at dinner, still gained a half pound” - half pound is water retention from salt in popcorn. Hate to say though that popcorn is nothing but junk food of zero nutritional values, but I have it sometime also, then I try not to have any more junk on this day.</p>
<p>I do not believe in calories any more, fruits and veggies seems not to have as much effect as other food despite of tons of calories in some of them. So, if I am watching my consumption after 3 donuts, I stick to several fruits and even nuts and donuts usually have no effect (only on B-day at office). But if popcorn works for you and you are not starving after it, why not? Everybody is different.</p>
<p>Hmmm…i really like popcorn (maybe not for dinner though!)
I just found this online so I feel better about indulging in a small amount of low fat low salt types. Didn’t want to give it up!</p>
<p>Nutrition experts give popcorn high marks for its poppin’ good benefits.</p>
<pre><code>* Popcorn is an excellent source of fiber, which increases the feeling of being full and helps to steady blood sugar levels.
The fiber in popcorn, in conjunction with a low-fat eating plan, may help lower fat and cholesterol.
Popcorn helps aid in weight control as part of a healthy, low-fat, balanced eating plan. Popcorn can be incorporated as a satisfying low-fat snack, reducing your cravings for other high-fat, high-calorie snacks.
</code></pre>
<p>Popcorn has a level of psychological satisfaction for me. Popcorn presents images of treating onesself at a movie (although I’ve heard that that stuff has more calories than three Big Macs); watching Miss America with my family as a kid; taking the time to actually sit down and watch a TV show (rather than multi-tasking.) Sitting down with a bowl of popcorn feels self-indulgent to me … and if I can get that for 60-80 calories, it’s a win win.</p>
<p>toneranger,
I would consume pop-corn only for reasons listed by missypie. If you are looking for nutritional value, I believe you are looking at the wrong food. Surely, few fresh fruits and no-salt nuts will bit pop-corn in nutritional values (and taste much better, but this one is my own subjective opinion which might not be shared by others).</p>
<p>I get lots of nuts and fresh fruits in my diet. And veggies. But sometimes I like something something slightly salty that LASTS…and popcorn fills the bill. I also like sunflower seeds in the shell…getting ready for those Phillies!
For me calories DO count. I need to get back to weigh lifting so I can burn more calories…still waiting for my arm to heal.</p>
<p>You guys enjoy your pop-corn, why deprive yourself? Whatever works and do not be sooo hard on yourself as to eat just a salad and pop-corn for whole day. Sounds like starvation to me! You are lucky if you are not starving after that, or maybe you are so thin already that you need few calories / day. Our brain is trained to maintain our weight, so small person does not need to consume as much as medium or large one. I need to eat, even my salad would have lots of very calorie heavy foods like avocado, feta cheese. some oily dressing, lettuce alone will not do.</p>
The only way I can lose weight is to eat almost nothing. Genuinely almost nothing. I’m a little over half way to my goal. After that will be an experiment in maintenance…how much more than “almost nothing” can I eat and not gain weight?
<p>missypie,
If you believe in calories, there are foods with zero calories that you can eat in any amounts (even according to top commercial diets). Few examples: your favorite lettue, then redishes (my favorites), cucumbers (love them also), celery (hate this one) and many more. You literally can have bags of this type of food, although these bags will still leave you starving.</p>
<p>missypie…I can relate. I have taken out all the nasty stuff from my diet. I eat veggies, fruits, nuts, fish, oatmeal…and yes, the GOOD oils. Reasonable or even small portions. NO junky carbs. Don’t drink any sweetened drinks…just tea, and even THAT is unsweetened. Sometimes indulge in small amounts of dark choc and a glass of wine. Eat out very infrequently. Cook at home. Exercise every day. And still, nothing comes off. Frustrating. I’m starting to think I need to get used to being slightly chunky. My BP and cholesterol numbers are great…but I don’t like how I look in shorts!
End of rant!</p>
<p>My youngest D LOVES iceberg lettuce…and she’s skinny as can be. When she was a gymnast they’d occasionally ask if she was eating enough (I was that skinny at her age - it’s totally metabolism) and she’d say yes and they’d ask what she liked to eat and she’d say “iceberg lettuce.” I kept expecting a visit from Child Protective Services.</p>
<p>Be careful, if you eat next to nothing, your body’s metabolism actually adjusts accordingly and you will actually burn fewer calories than if you ate sensibly. It goes into “energy saver” mode.</p>
<p>Food with 0 calories: I need more of this…please share! Try to post something delicious, if there is something? I don’t like celery, radish, carrots…
-Iceburg lettuce
-Celery; radish;</p>
<p>I thought iceberg lettuce isn’t good for you? Something about too hard to digest?</p>
<p>I don’t buy letttuce anymore, just organic spinach and use that for salad and on sandwiches if we have them. I love salad and could eat it every day, but it is too hard on my digestion. My dr. told me to only have one small salad per week.</p>
<p>“Negative calorie foods” are a myth. All foods that are digested and absorbed have calories (artificial sweeteners are “zero calorie” because they simply pass through our GI tacts without being absorbed). However, plant-derived foods have fewer calories because they are high in fiber and low in fat and starches: arugula, spinach, lettuces, radishes, cabbage, celery, etc. Iceberg lettuce has less nutritional benefits than “green-colored” lettuces or spinach.</p>