KEY TO FAT LOSS #3

Carbohydrates alone causes spikes in insulin: Which leaves you feeling tired, hungry, weak, and gives your body an easy opportunity to convert that meal to fat. But when you combine a good protein source with carbs, it helps to prevent this adverse affect. You should therefore include a protein source at every meal.

There are 2 types of protein: Complete, and incomplete.

a) Complete proteins are found in animal sources such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. Make sure that your meat is lean, your dairy is low fat, and you limit whole eggs to about 1 a day.

b) Incomplete proteins are from plant sources and it's important that you combine 2 or more of the following together to create a complete protein:

- Lentils, seitan, quinoa, black-eyed peas, combined with pinto, black, kidney, fava beans. Nuts also contain protein but they are high in calories, so go easy with them.

- If you're a vegetarian who eats dairy, low fat cheese, skim milk, and low fat yogurt are good protein options.

- Tofu, soybeans, soy milk, tempeh, and texturized vegetable protein (TVP) are among the best choices for vegans.

Protein Powders: are a good complete protein source that is convenient to use, but not necessary for good results.

KEY TO FAT LOSS #2

Choose natural carbs vs. processed carbs.

If the food came out of the ground or picked from a tree, it's a natural unrefined food, and therefore ideal for fat loss. Examples of natural carbs are fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, yams, brown rice, potatoes, beans, lentils, etc.

There are three types of "Natural Carbs."

a) Simple carbs: fruit and dairy

b) Starchy carbs: potatoes, brown rice, beans, oatmeal, lentils, yams, sweet potatoes.

c) Fibrous carbs: Most vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, salad greens, bell pepper, asparagus, etc.

In general, it's best to choose natural starchy and simple carbs with protein early in the day (meals 1, 2, and 3). Then later in the day, transition to fibrous carbs and protein (meals 3, 4, and 5)

You'll be more successful at fat loss if you limit your intake of processed "man-made" carbs, especially those that are white and refined, such as pasta, white bread, bagels, crackers, white rice, pretzels, chips, and refined sugars.

There are a few exceptions to the rule -- processed foods that are considered "acceptable," including 100% whole grain bread; high-fiber low-sugar cereals, and 100% whole wheat pasta.

Don't forget to drink lots of water. 96 oz. a day plus an additional 8 oz. for every 25 lbs. over your ideal weight.

KEY TO FAT LOSS #1

CALORIC DEFICIT: It's a simple concept. You must burn more calories than you eat in order to lose fat. That doesn't mean you need to spend a lot of time counting calories. If you eat the right foods at the right times, and in the right proportions, the math is automatic.

EAT SLOWLY: One of the tricks I use is to take a bite and put my fork down on the table, fold my hands in my lap, and wait until I've swallowed before picking my fork back up again.

RIGHT FOODS/RIGHT TIMES: It's best to eat your starchy carbs earlier in the day and eat your fibrous carbs for meals 4 & 5. Always combine carbs with protein. This slows the digestion process, allows you to stay full longer and gives you sustained energy.

STOP WHEN FULL: This is the hardest thing for me to do because I grew up during difficult economic times and wasting food goes against everything I was ever taught. I have since realized that stopping does not need to equal waste. Leftovers can be stored and eaten later, and in time, you will learn how much to serve yourself so you don't have leftovers.

Come back tomorrow for Key to Fat Loss #2

SLOW BUT STEADY........STILL

Walked 2 miles yesterday. I'm really just trying to keep busy, and this is certainly the season to do it. I don't dare weigh or measure myself. I'm afraid it will send me into a depression, especially when Deanna is losing so much weight. That already weighs on me. But once Sierra gets here she's going to make sure I get out and walk every day. (yeah!)

I was thinking the other day about how much of our (my) life is occupied working on callings and other gospel related activities. In addition, much of our income is spent on charitable donations and emergency preparation because of gospel principles. The gospel infiltrates every part of our lives (not to mention our pocket books) I'm not complaining mind you. Quite the contrary. It's actually a blessing, because I realized what life would be like without that influence. It would be just what you see in the world today -- a society lost in themselves. I see how our society has become so "ME" oriented because they've turned their backs on God (religion) and turned their focus to themselves. No wonder they are so desperate for cosmetic corrections, selfishness has made them ugly.

So just for today, think about the sunflower always facing the sun, and turn your focus away from the world. You'll be glad you did, and so will we.

THE WISDOM OF AGE

I've said it before. I do better when I don't focus on my weight.

Yesterday I was reading through some old journals and found an entry in 1992 after a Priesthood blessing in which I was told to stop focusing on my weight and concentrate on serving others. At the time I had just been called as extraction director in my ward and I really did enjoy getting lost in that service. I focused less on the fact that I was fat, and subsequently, ate less, and lost small amounts of weight. Unfortunately, I kept forgetting this good counsel and periodically became narcissistic, driving myself crazy with my poor self image.

Now that I've developed 20/20 hindsight, I see the wisdom in this counsel. It goes back to what I said a few weeks ago. Anxiously engaged is the key. Thats not to say that I don't have to exercise and eat right. But balance in all things is better than a three legged stool with one leg longer than the others.

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE!

I've never been able to establish a habit I didn't truly want to establish, no matter how long I've tried. I think if your heart is in it, it only takes one day to establish a good habit because your truly committed to it.

It's lovely to think there's a mathematical system to such nonsense, but the truth is, you have to want to do something in order to make it a consistent effort. And that doesn't mean there won't be days when you fail, it just means you'll keep trying...again...and again...and again...until twenty years have gone by and your still trying. You see, it doesn't matter if you struggle with it every day, you'll either do it because you want to, because you have to, or because the consequences are worse than the battle.

So keep flapping little birdie, there's a tail wind out there somewhere, you just have to find it.

HERE'S THE THING ABOUT FAILURE

My daughter just taught me that failure is not the act of falling down, but the refusal to get back up again.

Lord, love a duck. That girl makes me proud.

SLOW AND STEADY IS ONE THING, BUTT...

Yes, I know I spelled butt with two t's. I figure if its going to make up the bulk of my weight, it might as well get the bulk of the by line.

Yes, I'm still the same weight. I think I might have to do something drastic, like give up bread and potatoes and most definitely sugar. The sugar I can live without, its the bread thats going to kill me. And while I do like potatoes, I really don't eat them often enough to link them to my weight dilemma. Cheese is another matter. Do I need to consider eliminating that little treasure?

It just occurred to me, these foods make up the staples of my diet. I might have to do some pondering. Is life really too short to live in constant denial of its most basic pleasures? Hmm. Food for thought. (oops! pardon my bun, I mean pun)

HALLOWEEN HOOPLA - WHAT A RACKET!

Halloween didn't go as well as I thought it would. I planned on doing well, but the friends we went to visit didn't know of my plans and incidentally prepared a feast for dinner. And that was after taking us to Olive Garden for lunch. I intended to do well at Olive Garden, but the dish I ordered was rich and I doubt it met anyones diet guidelines. Ever had the lasagna fritta? It's an appetizer. I thought by getting an appetizer, my portions would make up for the lack of control I have over the ingredients. But I can attest that now a days, the appetizers are more proportionate to the meal than the actual entrees. I was full before I got half way through. (yes, I ate it all) That was my first mistake. The bread sticks are my second. I had three.

Then for dinner, my friend made a smorgasbord of sloppy joe's, chips (3 different kind), veggies and dip, the biggest red grapes you've ever seen, baked beans, mulled cider (yummy, but a diabetics worst nightmare), an assortment of nuts and candies, jello and cream cheese salad...woof! You would have thought it was thanksgiving with all the food that was there. Then of course there was the halloween candy (I only ate a few small pieces) but then on the way home I nibbled cinnamon orange almonds. Yikes.

I went to step on the scale this morning and just as my foot raised mid-air, the scale ran for it's life. Not a good sign. Perhaps I should give it a week. Hope your halloween went better.