Soda; Yes, I’m going to go there.
Soda holds a special place in the hearts of quite a few O'Donnells, but it may be leading to unhealthy weights and possible other health problems in the future. I have attached a blurb from a book called, Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnounin. It’s a no-nonsense guide to eating, written in a “girlfriend to girlfriend” manner. I have almost quoted the section on soda, except that I have removed some of the swear words for Midgie’s sake. It includes many, but not all of the reasons, that you and your kids should not drink soda. There are many more reasons not to drink soda—it is BAD stuff.
In addition, the link below the blurb is a video of a TED winner, Jamie Oliver, who goes around the country teaching people about the importance of teaching kids about food. Obesity and related health problems have become epidemic (literally), because people are not educated about food. In order for children to avoid diet induced health problems (which many health problems are), they need to be educated about healthy eating. Watch the link—it’s helpful for adults, too.
Soda, p.13, Skinny Bitch
Soda is liquid Satan. It is the devil. It is garbage. There is nothing in soda that should be put into your body. For starter’s, soda’s high levels of phosphorus can increase calcium loss from the body, as can sodium and caffeine. You know what that means- bone loss, which may lead to osteoporosis. And the last time we checked, sugar, found in soda by the boatload, does not make you skinny! Now don’t go patting yourself on the back if you drink diet soda. That stuff is even worse. Aspartame (found in Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke) has been blamed for a slew of scary maladies, like arthritis, headaches, birth defects, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s, lupus, MS, and diabetes. When methyl alcohol, a component of aspartame, enters your body, it turns into formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is toxic and cancer causing. Laboratory scientists use formaldehyde as a disinfectant or preservative. They don’t drink it. Perhaps you’re preserving your fat cells with diet soda? The FDA has received more complaints about aspartame than any other ingredient to date. Want more bad news? When aspartame pairs with carbs, it causes your brain to slow down the production of serotonin. A healthy level of serotonin is needed to be happy and well balanced. So drinking diet soda can make you fat, sick and unhappy. Drinking soda may also cause you to not drink the necessary 64 ounces of water a day, which flushes out all the toxins and helps with elimination.
http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html
Winner: Go Midgie, Go Midgie!
1. Midge 97%
2. Mike 97.6%
3. Dan 97.85%
4. Aileen 98.23%
5. Annette 98.4%
6. Mary 99.22%
7. Megan 100%
8. Bill 102%
John ??????
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Winner and Olympics!
Od biggest loser #7
Exercise- The Winter Olympics!
Watch the Winter Olympics and let the amazing athletes inspire you to get physical. The athletes’ dedication to their training is astounding. Their fitness levels and skills together are a testament to the power of the human spirit and body. They are not super-human. Rather, they are people just like us who have made commitments to being the best that they can be. We should all learn from their examples. Get moving, and do your best!
1. Dan 97.4%
2. Mike 98%
3. Annette 98.4%
4. John 99.06%
5. Mary 99.12%
6. Megan 101%
7. Aileen, Midge, Bill ??????????????
Exercise- The Winter Olympics!
Watch the Winter Olympics and let the amazing athletes inspire you to get physical. The athletes’ dedication to their training is astounding. Their fitness levels and skills together are a testament to the power of the human spirit and body. They are not super-human. Rather, they are people just like us who have made commitments to being the best that they can be. We should all learn from their examples. Get moving, and do your best!
1. Dan 97.4%
2. Mike 98%
3. Annette 98.4%
4. John 99.06%
5. Mary 99.12%
6. Megan 101%
7. Aileen, Midge, Bill ??????????????
Monday, February 8, 2010
Winner and Green Up Your Home
Well, all right. Now these numbers are looking better....
1. Midge 97%
2. Aileen 97.61%
3. Annette 97.62%
4. Mike 98%
5. Dan 98.28%
6. John 98.72%
7. Mary 99%
8. Megan 101%
9. Bill ?????
Green Up Your Home
There are synthetic chemicals in our environment which communicate with our hormones in an unhealthy way. We are all exposed to them on a daily basis. If we can eliminate some of these from our homes, we can hopefully have healthier families, and on a more superficial level, we can lose weight.
Things to replace with healthier products:
-cling wrap (the sticky kind) replace with regular saran
-plastic food storage containers replace with pyrex or corningware
-tap water or plastic bottled water replace with filtered tap water
-chemical household cleaners or laundry detergents replace with all natural brands like: method, seventh generation, orange cleaners, or good old fashioned vinegar and water, or hydrogen peroxide and water or baking soda
-flame retardant jammies or stain resistant fabrics replace with untreated fabrics
- any shampoos, soap, shaving cream, cologne, lotion, and make-up which has chemicals in the ingredient list.
Our skin is our largest organ. Why would we slather it or cloth it with potentially dangerous substances?
Chemicals to avoid for various reasons: sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate, parabens, petroleum by-products (mineral oils and PEGS), or artificial colors.
When we “greened up” our products, we weren’t wasteful; we simply used up what we had and replaced with all natural and organic products. Again, it is very easy to find these products. Wal-mart, Target, and Trader Joe’s all carry natural and organic body care products: deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and don’t forget toothpaste. Why brush your teeth 2 or 3 times a day with chemicals that are proven to cause cancer? They also carry very affordable all natural laundry detergent.
1. Midge 97%
2. Aileen 97.61%
3. Annette 97.62%
4. Mike 98%
5. Dan 98.28%
6. John 98.72%
7. Mary 99%
8. Megan 101%
9. Bill ?????
Green Up Your Home
There are synthetic chemicals in our environment which communicate with our hormones in an unhealthy way. We are all exposed to them on a daily basis. If we can eliminate some of these from our homes, we can hopefully have healthier families, and on a more superficial level, we can lose weight.
Things to replace with healthier products:
-cling wrap (the sticky kind) replace with regular saran
-plastic food storage containers replace with pyrex or corningware
-tap water or plastic bottled water replace with filtered tap water
-chemical household cleaners or laundry detergents replace with all natural brands like: method, seventh generation, orange cleaners, or good old fashioned vinegar and water, or hydrogen peroxide and water or baking soda
-flame retardant jammies or stain resistant fabrics replace with untreated fabrics
- any shampoos, soap, shaving cream, cologne, lotion, and make-up which has chemicals in the ingredient list.
Our skin is our largest organ. Why would we slather it or cloth it with potentially dangerous substances?
Chemicals to avoid for various reasons: sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate, parabens, petroleum by-products (mineral oils and PEGS), or artificial colors.
When we “greened up” our products, we weren’t wasteful; we simply used up what we had and replaced with all natural and organic products. Again, it is very easy to find these products. Wal-mart, Target, and Trader Joe’s all carry natural and organic body care products: deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and don’t forget toothpaste. Why brush your teeth 2 or 3 times a day with chemicals that are proven to cause cancer? They also carry very affordable all natural laundry detergent.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Winner and Eat Breakfast
1. Annette 97.5%
2. Bill, Midge, and Mike 98%
3. Dan 98.7%
4. Mary 99%
5. John 99.302%
6. Megan 99.714%
7. Aileen M.I.A
All I have to say is, "Oh, boo!" and maybe this will help....
Diet
Eat Breakfast!
Do not skip breakfast! It is really important to eat breakfast. There was a study done on people who ate breakfast vs. those who didn’t. The people who ate breakfast actually consumed more calories throughout the day, but still lost more weight than those who hadn’t. When you eat in the morning, you get your metabolism going, you balance your blood sugar, and you prevent yourself from making poor snack and lunch choices later. When you eat early and eat often, you’re less hungry later.
Don’t drink coffee instead of eating breakfast! The milk or cream in your coffee doesn’t count as a nutritious breakfast. When you drink coffee in place of food, your belly feels all warm and cozy and full for a short time and then all of a sudden you are starving and you want to scarf anything that’s near you. Your blood sugar crashes and you’re desperate to feel full again, so you are more likely to make a poor choice for lunch. And then you tell yourself, I can eat this lunch because I haven’t had anything to eat all day, right? Wrong!
Wrong, because you are messing with your metabolism. Your body is going to store that not-so-smart lunch, because it’s not sure when it is going to get fed again. If you eat small, healthy snacks and meals throughout the day, you burn your calories as you go along.
Here’s a picture of what really healthy eating looks like:
Wake up: eat a piece of fruit and drink green tea or water (or juice some fruits and veggies )
½ an hour later eat a healthy breakfast item ( One of these: a bowl of oatmeal, a bowl of non-sugary cereal, a granola bar, a piece of whole grain toast with nut butter or fruit spread, etc.)
Couple hours later if you’re hungry, have more fruit. If you say your stomach would hurt with all that fruit, you probably drink too much coffee—it’s very acidic.
Lunch- your pick, but follow these guidelines:
½ to 1 cup whole grains
1 to 2 cups vegetables
4 oz lean protein
Snack: one serving of something like this: whole wheat pretzels, nuts, fruit, vegetables, fruit juice sweetened yogurt, etc.
Dinner- Your pick, same guidelines as lunch.
When you eat like this, dieting is easy. You don’t feel hungry or deprived—you’re eating all day.
*A note about eating out: When your meal is served, you have to eyeball it and decide before you start eating, how much of it is healthy to eat. Portion sizes at restaurants are usually way over 1 serving size—another reason America is overweight. Some people ask for a box immediately and store away that extra food to bring home. If you think you’re going to keep shoveling it in, this may be a good idea. Then, eat the doggy bag as another meal, not as a snack when you get home in the evening.
*When you eat you should be sitting down and relaxed. Don’t eat on the run. After you finish eating, give yourself some time to feel if you are comfortably full. This doesn’t happen immediately—it takes about 5 to 20 minutes depending on your digestion.
Too much Information Section of post:
You may notice that I recommend eating fruit separate from a meal. This is because fruit is very high in natural sugar, and it is rapidly digested when eaten alone. If you combine it with a protein, the sugar from the fruit will rot and ferment the protein in your belly—ewww! If you eat it separately, it will get your bowels-a-moving and, whether you like it or not, elimination is part of weight loss. (Sorry—it’s true)
2. Bill, Midge, and Mike 98%
3. Dan 98.7%
4. Mary 99%
5. John 99.302%
6. Megan 99.714%
7. Aileen M.I.A
All I have to say is, "Oh, boo!" and maybe this will help....
Diet
Eat Breakfast!
Do not skip breakfast! It is really important to eat breakfast. There was a study done on people who ate breakfast vs. those who didn’t. The people who ate breakfast actually consumed more calories throughout the day, but still lost more weight than those who hadn’t. When you eat in the morning, you get your metabolism going, you balance your blood sugar, and you prevent yourself from making poor snack and lunch choices later. When you eat early and eat often, you’re less hungry later.
Don’t drink coffee instead of eating breakfast! The milk or cream in your coffee doesn’t count as a nutritious breakfast. When you drink coffee in place of food, your belly feels all warm and cozy and full for a short time and then all of a sudden you are starving and you want to scarf anything that’s near you. Your blood sugar crashes and you’re desperate to feel full again, so you are more likely to make a poor choice for lunch. And then you tell yourself, I can eat this lunch because I haven’t had anything to eat all day, right? Wrong!
Wrong, because you are messing with your metabolism. Your body is going to store that not-so-smart lunch, because it’s not sure when it is going to get fed again. If you eat small, healthy snacks and meals throughout the day, you burn your calories as you go along.
Here’s a picture of what really healthy eating looks like:
Wake up: eat a piece of fruit and drink green tea or water (or juice some fruits and veggies )
½ an hour later eat a healthy breakfast item ( One of these: a bowl of oatmeal, a bowl of non-sugary cereal, a granola bar, a piece of whole grain toast with nut butter or fruit spread, etc.)
Couple hours later if you’re hungry, have more fruit. If you say your stomach would hurt with all that fruit, you probably drink too much coffee—it’s very acidic.
Lunch- your pick, but follow these guidelines:
½ to 1 cup whole grains
1 to 2 cups vegetables
4 oz lean protein
Snack: one serving of something like this: whole wheat pretzels, nuts, fruit, vegetables, fruit juice sweetened yogurt, etc.
Dinner- Your pick, same guidelines as lunch.
When you eat like this, dieting is easy. You don’t feel hungry or deprived—you’re eating all day.
*A note about eating out: When your meal is served, you have to eyeball it and decide before you start eating, how much of it is healthy to eat. Portion sizes at restaurants are usually way over 1 serving size—another reason America is overweight. Some people ask for a box immediately and store away that extra food to bring home. If you think you’re going to keep shoveling it in, this may be a good idea. Then, eat the doggy bag as another meal, not as a snack when you get home in the evening.
*When you eat you should be sitting down and relaxed. Don’t eat on the run. After you finish eating, give yourself some time to feel if you are comfortably full. This doesn’t happen immediately—it takes about 5 to 20 minutes depending on your digestion.
Too much Information Section of post:
You may notice that I recommend eating fruit separate from a meal. This is because fruit is very high in natural sugar, and it is rapidly digested when eaten alone. If you combine it with a protein, the sugar from the fruit will rot and ferment the protein in your belly—ewww! If you eat it separately, it will get your bowels-a-moving and, whether you like it or not, elimination is part of weight loss. (Sorry—it’s true)
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