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How to Beat Your
Eating Plan Rut!
By Mandy Gibbons
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Are you sick and tired of eating the same old food day in and day out?
Are you at the point where the thought of eating one more meal of grilled chicken, rice
and broccoli makes you want to puke?
Or maybe you've lost your appetite altogether because your eating program makes you feel
like you're connected to a ball and chain
dragging your body to home, work, training and bed.
So what can YOU do about it? LOTS!
If you're in the above situation then you will value and put into action the following
hints to get your eating program back on track.
1. First off, you need to admit that you have a FOOD RUT!
"D-uh" - I hear you say!
Don't laugh because the above symptoms can be caused from stress at work, colds, or other
conditions so it's easy just to pass it off as something that will "come good eventually".
2. Then you need to figure out what part of your eating plan needs work.
a. Are you eating enough?
It's easy when you are training to lose body fat to think that eating less is best! Well this is
wrong and will ruin your training efforts. If your eating plan isn't supporting your training
"calorie-wise" then your body will be battling to survive your everyday activities, let alone your
training regime.
b. Are you stuck in the same eating plan routine? Look, there's nothing wrong with having a regular
eating routine, in fact it's great, BUT if you're absolutely miserable because you can't stand
eating the same meals everyday of the year then you definitely need to make some changes.
c. Are you eating too much of the one food? Are you eating rice for breakfast, lunch and
dinner every day of the week. Or maybe you've
been eating nothing but chicken or turkey for the past 6 months and have to force yourself to
swallow it.
d. Maybe your eating program doesn't suit your training needs.
Maybe you're not eating enough protein, and eating too many starchy carbs, or maybe you need
to "up" your general carbs intake to suit your
training.
e. Do you even have an eating plan?
Are you just playing guessing games each day with your eating and hoping for the best because
you figure if you're training you can eat whatever you want anyway?
f. Are you being honest about following your eating plan?
"YES - I follow my eating plan BUT I don't get any results".
I don't want to tell you how many times I have heard this yet once a person's written down
what they have really eaten for last two weeks it would make anyone put on 2-3 kilos!
3. So now that you've discovered where your eating plan needs to be improved what can you do
about it.......
a. Obviously to start with you need to make sure your eating plan suits your workout. Without this
you are just wasting precious time.
Hire the services of a nutritionist who is experienced with providing eating plans for your
particular training goals. If you have a trainer
pay the extra dollars and ask them to write you out an eating program that suits your training
goals and requirements. If you're going the whole training thing alone and have no idea what you
are doing then stop fooling around and get yourself a trainer (even if it's just once a month to keep
you on track) and an new eating plan.
b. Now you have your eating plan on hand, do your homework on what type of meals you enjoy and how
you can alter them to make them low fat and to suit your meal portion requirements such as protein, carbs,
fat etc.
c. IMPORTANT!!!! Now this next part is VITAL! Get creative.
Spend 1 hour, once every three months, that's all, browsing the net for some recipes that you could
incorporate into your own plan.
Examples:
Chicken - you're thinking "boring"! Why not try some Indian, Thai, Mexican, Italian or
other recipes that offer exciting flavours.
Rice - you immediately think boiled and plain. Why not create low fat risotto, or add low fat
spices and sauces.
Veggies and Salad - steamed :-(
C'mon, surely you're not that short of ideas! Get on the net and look around, you will be
gob smacked at the amount of recipes available.
Egg Whites - poached
Just because you're not using the whole egg doesn't mean an egg white can't be used for fun
recipes. Many of the recipes that you can use whole eggs for can also be created using
egg whites.
Yogurt - tub on it's own
Yogurt can be added to your cereal, in plain powdered protein shakes and pancakes that
you've made with your egg whites.
4. Keep note of the recipes you've found on the net. Bookmark, print the recipes or save them
to a handy place on your computer.
5. Using these recipes and new ideas, create a plan of what you are going to eat for the next
week or so. This way you won't have to think about
it later or end up eating junk because you've arrived home just before dinner with no idea of
what you are going to eat or prepare.
6. Do up your food / shopping list using the ingredients from the above meal plans.
This will ensure you can create enjoyable meals because you will have all of the correct
ingredients on hand.
7. Have a back up plan for a tasty meal or snack.
This can be frozen leftovers from a previous meal that you've made, or purchase a couple
of frozen low fat meals that you can whip out for those days when you just aren't
organized.
Protein shakes, Meal Replacement powders and bars, as long as they suit your eating
plan goals, are fantastic for ensuring you are consuming regular meals and / or to
assist with meal supplementation.
8. Eating Plan Rut Check!
Once every 3-4 months, go through your eating plan to see if it requires altering. It may just be
small changes, but it's worth your while keeping
tabs on it to ensure you're keep on track.
Remember, you can still eat healthy and enjoy your food. Don't just put up with food because
you have to. Only YOU can make your eating
program enjoyable and by taking the time to get involved YOU CAN LOVE YOUR FOOD!
Yours in fun, health and fitness
Mandy :-)
Persons who are of good health, suspect of their health or are aware of any conditions, physical
deficiencies or diseases should always consult a physician before undertaking any eating or exercise
program. Mandy Gibbons,Virtual Fitness Trainer, www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com.au and
www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com disclaims any liability or loss in connection with the above program or
advice given in this article.
This article was written by:
İ Mandy Gibbons 2002
Personal Fitness Trainer & Consultant
mandy@virtualfitnesstrainer.com
http://www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com |
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Make Weight Loss a Priority in Your Life
By Wendy Hearn
How do you keep motivating yourself to lose weight when everything seems fine in your life? Do you feel really
good about yourself? Do you ooze high self-esteem and bags of confidence? Are you someone with a great career, a
wonderful social life and do you share fun with your children? Do you feel great about your body? You have all these
wonderful things in your life and you're not necessarily a stress eater, a comfort eater or eat in response to what's
going on around you. Although many people overeat in these circumstances, there are some people who lead an almost perfect
life and aren't triggered to eat by such things. However, you may still be overweight and want to lose it. It may well
be that it's not life's stresses which are causing you to eat, so where do you go from here?
I would suggest that losing weight hasn't been a priority in your life. It doesn't run your life, it isn't on your mind
all the time and although this is healthy, you may still not have made it the priority it needs to be. When you make
something a priority in your life, it assumes extra significance and becomes one of those 'important' areas of your life. For
whatever reason perhaps your health hasn't been 'important' to you but other areas of your life have been. What happens is
that when many people attach little importance to something in their lives, it comes lower down on the list of things to do.
If 'important' things aren't built into our lives sufficiently, they can eventually become 'urgent'. It's like not paying a
bill when it first comes in and just leaving it until it gets
to the stage of being 'urgent'. It usually causes us more problems to get it sorted out when it gets to that stage.
When your health and weight loss are not a priority and
'important' in your life, this can be okay for a while or even for quite a
long time. However, for most people at some point it will become 'urgent' and can't be ignored. This may be when you
have a heart attack, diabetes is diagnosed or your blood pressure is far too high. These times are, for many people,
a wake-up call and they realise the need to give their health and weight priority.
Avoiding the pain of ill health can motivate some people. They make their health a priority in order to reduce the risks of
illness. They dread the pain associated with illness.
However, this doesn't motivate everyone. If moving away from
potential pain doesn't motivate you, then you may be motivated by moving
towards pleasure. What do we mean by pleasure? We mean
all the plus points, the benefits to you personally of losing weight.
These will vary from one person to another and may include
· Being very active with your grandchildren
· A sense of achievement from running a marathon
· Peace of mind knowing that you're giving your body optimum nutrition.
If you choose to make your weight and health a priority, what do you see yourself gaining in your life?
The picture you need to paint for yourself must excite you. It has to be so inspiring that you can use it again and again
to remind yourself of why you're making your health and weight a priority.
Wendy Hearn
Weight Loss Success Coach
Author of "What's Eating You? - The Top 10
Things That Stop YOU
From Losing Weight" http://www.PositiveWeightLoss.com
Wendy works with people who want to lose weight and have a great
life. She offers individual and group coaching, via the
telephone
or email. Download her FREE ebook now!
http://www.WeightLossCoaching.com
Copyright 2002, Wendy Hearn. All rights reserved |
Many folks know about *The Magic Wall* because its
been passed around the world by those in recpeit of it, and by those reading other writings of mine.
There are also folks , that may not know about my other stuff, and therefore don't know much about *The Magic Wall* &
how it may contribute to our Body Image Intentions.
I'll not go into detail here of about how *The Magic Wall* came about, because that information is written along with the
description of the wall. But what I will go into detail about is how and why it works.....if you work it !
Everything.....Every Thing.....emits and exchanges energy. We are all made of energy, and every thing is made of energy.
What we are teaching ourselves to do these days, is to mold that energy on purpose so that our dreams come true, our
intentions and desires come to us in ease and yes that even includes Weight Loss.
Back in the days before the magic wall, many of us would read in a magazine to put a picture on our refrigerator of someone
who's body we would like to have. Ok, fine and dandy....but that's like telling us to put chocolate chips in cookie batter,
when we don't know what chocolate chips are for, or what difference they make to cookie batter.
There is a mechanics of energy/spirit behind those pictures on our refrigerators, our intended size 9 jeans hanging over our
bedroom doors ( I did that one), and those pictures on our bathroom mirrors.
The Mechanics says this: *If we want to be a size 9 and are not that, then we have to build the energy around us, so that it
begins to feel & become familiar to us. It's about our
feelings. Our feelings are the language of the Universe. Feelings are
actually vibrations.*
What we vibrate is what the Universe /Consciousness/God/ Spirit answers. It's not our words that get answered. Our
words sometimes help us conjure up the feeling vibrations that we want due to our forming an image or symbol in our minds
by using words and phrases. It is then that our feelings come from those images and vice versa.
This is where *The Magic Wall* comes into action. I choose to always remain healthy, vibrant and a size 9. I have a Magic
Wall, that has pictures on it of folks who are attractive in appearance and have no apparent concerns over their body
weight. I see the pictures of these people constantly.
They are staring at me as I write this ! They are also behind me on another wall. I can't help but have the body I choose.
The walls send my cellular structure, and my eyeballs energy to help me change what is familiar to me.
It helps me move from the known experience to the unknown, making it known.
What does that mean? It means that if I want to be a size 9 & am not that,
then I have to do something to change the energy around me, so that it flows to me *Automatically*
Why would I go to the *trouble* to put up a Magic Wall?
Because, the old stuff of willpower, discipline & sacrifice limits our success because it operates from lack energy.
*I can't have*.
And that negates the abundant nature of the Universe, which is why a large % of folks gain their weight back even if they
were able to lose it.
If you had an Aladdin's Lamp, & you knew it worked, would you use it? If you don't know what *The Magic Wall* is and
want me to email it to you, and or if you lost yours, just email me and I'll send it on !
Author/Consultant, Susan James, Writes &
Teaches the
Application of İUser Friendly Physics to Human Potential.
From Dreams Come True To Weight Loss. Author of:
Manifesting 101 & Beyond/ MM4M:Manifesting Millionaires
(ebook/print soon) http://susanjames.org
sjames@rica.net
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Weight Loss: Give Up The Battle With
Chocolate
By: Wendy Hearn |
What are you going to do when faced with the decision whether to eat chocolate eggs this Easter? Do you
eat what you want or do you find yourself battling over whether to eat chocolate or not? I've found that
many people who want to lose weight, battle with themselves, instead of occasionally allowing
themselves something they really enjoy. But the
battle isn't with the chocolate; it's within you. We spend all that time and energy thinking about
chocolate, and often give ourselves a hard time
because we shouldn't eat it. The more we think about something we can't have, the more we want it. So what
happens? When we finally give in and decide to eat some chocolate, we find it hard to eat it only in
moderation. We've built up such a craving for chocolate in our minds that we need a much larger
amount before we feel satisfied.
If you're seeking permanent weight loss, one of the things I encourage you to do is to allow yourself, at
this time of year, to eat some of the things you enjoy, like chocolate. When you give yourself permission to
eat something, you're likely to find not only that you don't crave it so much, but also that when you do eat
it, you don't want quite so much. Whatever you're focusing and dwelling on assumes disproportionate
significance in your mind. Instead of focusing on chocolate and whether you can or can't have it, I
encourage you to think about something which will move you forward with your weight loss.
Chocolate is one of those products which is generally hailed as unhealthy. This isn't necessarily true
because it can be part of a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. Achieving this happy medium whereby
you're able to eat chocolate in reasonable quantities usually involves giving up the battle with yourself.
When you're kinder and more loving to yourself, sometimes allowing yourself the foods you enjoy, you
move away from battling with yourself. What do I mean by "battling with yourself"? I mean the thoughts
which run through your mind, such as, "What's wrong with me for wanting chocolate?" or "I'm never any good
at losing weight and saying no to chocolate" and
"I'm so fat already, what does it matter if I eat any more?"
Mostly, I believe that when we're battling with our weight, it's more of an internal battle with ourselves
than anything else. The process of ending this can take time and effort, but it's worth it in the end. What's the first step for you? The first step will be
different for each of you. You'll each have different things you've battled with. Ask yourself "What can I
do to reduce or stop the struggle?" or "What will it take so I can take this pressure off myself?"
It's focusing on chocolate, and the attention you devote to it, that causes you to eat more. I suggest that
when you find yourself thinking about chocolate, instead of going into battle with yourself, switch your focus
and think of something else. Something which will have a positive impact on your weight loss. What are you
going to focus on this Easter? Chocolate - or spending time with the family, taking walks in the park and
finding other ways of relaxing.
Wendy Hearn
Weight Loss Success Coach
Author of "What's Eating You? - The Top 10
Things That Stop YOU
From Losing Weight" http://www.PositiveWeightLoss.com
Free sample chapters, send a blank email to:
mailto:whateatart@wendyhearn.par32.com
Wendy works with people who want to successfully lose weight.
http://www.WeightLossCoaching.com
Copyright 2002, Wendy Hearn. All rights reserved.
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What is a food additive?
By Bob Guinn |
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In its broadest sense, a food additive is any substance added to food.
The legal definition includes any substance used in the production, processing, treatment, packaging, transportation
or storage of food.
If a substance is added to a food for a specific purpose in that food, it is referred to as a direct additive. For example,
the low-calorie sweetener aspartame, which is used in beverages, puddings, yogurt, chewing gum and other
foods, is considered a direct additive. Many direct
additives are identified on the ingredient label of foods.
Indirect food additives are those that become part of the food in trace amounts due to its packaging, storage or
other handling. For instance, minute amounts of packaging substances may find their way into foods during storage.
In the U.S. food packaging manufacturers must prove to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that all
materials coming in contact with food are safe, before they are permitted for use in such a manner. (Other
countries also have regulations and regulatory agencies which are too numerous to list here.)
Additives perform a variety of useful functions in foods that are often taken for granted. Since most people no
longer live on farms, additives help keep food wholesome and appealing while en route to markets sometimes
thousands of miles away from where it is grown or manufactured.
Additives also improve the nutritional value of certain foods and can make them more appealing by improving
their taste, texture, consistency or color.
Some additives could be eliminated if we were willing to grow our own food, harvest and grind it, spend many
hours cooking and canning, or accept increased risks of food spoilage. But most people today have come to
rely on the many technological, aesthetic and convenience benefits that additives provide in food.
Additives are used in foods for five main reasons:
to maintain product consistency, to improve or maintain nutritional value,
to maintain palatability and wholesomeness, to provide leavening or control acidity/alkalinity,
and to enhance flavor or impart desired color.
Many substances added to food may seem foreign when listed on the ingredient label, but are actually quite familiar.
For example, ascorbic acid is another name for Vitamin C; alphatocopherol is another name for Vitamin E; and
beta-carotene is a source of Vitamin A.
Although there are no easy synonyms for all additives, it is helpful to remember that all food is made up of chemicals.
Carbon, hydrogen and other chemical elements provide the basic building blocks for everything in life.
Bob Guinn is Beaufort County Clemson Extension
home economics and community development agent.
Copyright 2002, Bob Guinn. All rights reserved.
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Olive Oil
by Yael Zisling
From biblical to modern times the people of the land of Israel
have had a long association with the olive tree, its fruit, and
the oil extracted from it. The olive tree has been a symbol of
hope, beauty, peace and fertility. Olive oil was used for medicinal
and cosmetic purposes, as well as illumination. Its oil was used
in the Temple and up until the beginning of the last century olive
oil constituted 20%-30% of the daily caloric intake of the inhabitants
of Israel. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in
olive oil, due in part to its antioxidant nature. Studies have shown
that drinking as little 50 grams of olive oil a day can have a positive
effect on LDL the Obadı cholesterol.
Olive oil is typically more costly than other oils due to the labor of
harvesting methods and the susceptibility of trees to disease.
Primary harvesting methods include:
1) Omilkingı or hand picking, which is considered the best method
but is extremely time consuming and costly.
2) Beating the branches with a stick, this is still the most prevalent
method today among Israeli Arabs, which have a near monopoly
of raw material since they own roughly 90% of the existing olive
orchards in Israel. While this method, is the fastest, it greatly
damages the tree.
3) Shaking the tree by mechanical means (this is the fastest
method but it too damages the tree).
Olive trees are found in the Galilee (where the majority of production
is centered today), Coastal Plain, and the Judean Hills. The trees
favor rocky sites. The olive tree is never without foliage and it
typically takes about five to seven years for it to be commercially
viable. Even when it begins bearing large quantities of fruit, it only
yields a significant amount of fruit every other year.
There are three basic steps to producing olive oil: crushing,
pressing and separating. There is great variety in the types of
installations used to produce oil. The simplest installations were
depressions cut into the bedrock (although portable versions
also existed), where olives were crushed and pressed. Some
also had a small vat for collecting the expressed liquid. Examples
of the simplest installations, such as the Chalcholithic era presses
can be found at Meggido (Armageddon). The more complex
installations used a lever and weights, while others employed
the screw press or direct pressure using screws or wedges.
Some of the differences in the types of installations are the result
of the era, while other differences are regional (there were
differences between southern and northern installations, for
example). Olive oil installations were made of stone, wood, rope
and leather.
According to Fathi Abd El-Hadi, Ph.D., an agriculture adviser
with the Ministry of Agriculture and an internationally certified
olive oil tasting expert, tasting olive oil involves identifying the
positive attributes (fruity, bitter, pungent) as well as the negative
attributes (fusty/musty, winey/vinegary, muddy sediment and
vegetable water).
The grades of oil are; Extra Virgin Olive Oil (only 1% acidity), Virgin
Olive Oil (up to 1- 2% acidity), Ordinary Olive Oil (2-3% acidity), and
Lampant oil (not fit for human consumption) has 3.3% acidity or
higher. In recent years, numerous small Jewish owned olive oil
producers have cropped up, renewing the interest in this age-old
industry. The Olive Harvest festival, kicking off the harvest season,
now in its fourth year, takes place on weekends in November. At
press-time the detailed schedule of the festivalıs events had not yet
been made public, online. Those who canıt attend this yearıs festival
should definitely plan on attending next year.
Information about the Olive Harvest festival is available from the
Western Galilee Tourist Trust.
Printed by permission of GemsinIsrael
Published by Yael (Zisling) Adar
Copyright İ 1999-2002 Yael (Zisling) Adar -
Gems in Israel - www.GemsinIsrael.com |
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