Hi all...well, all who bother to read this...lol! It's Friday and it has been one whole week since I started doing this challenge posed to me by the fabulous morning radio show hosts from The Bert Show. I didn't want to publish any of my findings before going on air to talk to them and since I was on this morning, I can now do it!
On day one, I was told by my weight loss concierge, Daniel, some key terms to research, more specifically what fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are and what they do for your body. We'll start with fats.
Fats:
Fat is actually important in your diet. Fats help protect your cells, heart, and support overall health. In fact, fats are vital to your physical AND mental health. Healthy fats play a big role in your mood, stay on top of your mental game, help fight fatigue, and even control your weight. The types of fat make a difference. There are good fats and bad fats.
Good Fats:
The good fats are Monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and Omega-3 fats. Some examples of foods that have good fats are olive oil (use instead of shortening or butter...it even makes the food taste better to me), avocados, olives, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, etc.), and peanut butter (not with the sugar added and not to excess). Soybean oil, sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, flaxseed, tofu, and fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, etc.) also contain good fats.
Bad fats:
The bad fats are Trans fats and saturated fats. Diets rich in saturated fat and trans fat raise cholesterol, contributing to clogged arteries that block the flow of oxygenated blood to the heart and brain. Some examples of foods with bad fats to avoid are Microwave popcorn (I KNOW...I was shocked too), potato chips (FULL of trans fats), crackers, frozen foods, French fries (I hate it, but it's true), cookies, and margarine sticks (you think you're doing good by avoiding full on butter, but margarine sticks are horrible too). Don't fall for the "fat free" branding on some products either...they actually can contain some trans fats and are also high in sugar, refined carbohydrates (which will be discussed in the next section), and calories. Fat Free does NOT mean healthy!!
All in all, the answer isn't cutting fat out of your diet all together, it's learning to make healthy choices to promote health and diet.
Carbs:
Carbohydrates are your primary energy source. Carbs can be either simple (BAD) or complex (GOOD).
Simple carbs:
These types of carbohydrates are simple to digest, high in sugar, low in fiber, and have little to no value to your body. Refined carbs (see I told you) such as white bread, pizza crust (damn), pretzels (another deceptively unhealthy snack choice), and white pastas are stripped of Vitamin B, fiber, and minerals during the refining process. Also, they have a high glycemic index (people with diabetes need to really read about this) which reeks havoc with blood sugar levels. The glycemic index basically tells you how fast and how high your blood sugar will rise after eating that food as compared with eating pure sugar. Lower glycemic index foods are healthier...even helping you to feel full longer after eating them which lowers the amount of calories you are taking in. If you're curious what the glycemic index of a food you are going to eat is, simply Google it...you will easily find it and it's FREE! I also found a study done by Yale University that bad carbs and sweets cause falls in blood sugar, affecting the part of your brain that controls impulse, thus leading to a loss of self control and a craving for unhealthy, high in calories foods. So, as will power is VERY important when completely changing the way you eat, I'm gonna believe Yale and avoid any chance in losing self control. Ha!
Complex carbs:
Complex carbs take longer to break down in your body. More time to break down = more energy for you! You can find complex carbs in healthy foods such as whole grains, legumes (beans), brown rice, whole wheat pasta and bread, fruits (which are kinda simple because of the natural sugars but are full of fiber so they are good...just not to excess), vegetables, seeds, nuts, and yams. These foods are also usually rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which is GREAT! Legumes are also good for protein (next section) and low in fat. They may even decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes (I see lots of legumes in my future)!
To summarize, keep your carbs unrefined, avoid "white food", eat healthy carbs to feel full for longer, and check the glycemic index, especially if you're diabetic.
Proteins:
Again, there are good ways to get your protein, and not so good ways. From the information I read, you should try to get your protein from as pure a source as possible...from organic, antibiotic and hormone free, grass fed and free range meats. Fish is also a great source and contain the essential Omega-3 fats that were discussed before in the fat category. Daniel, my mentor, explained that while that is good, it can get expensive so what's really important is to make sure the meat is the leanest cut. Now, I also did some research on the sales at certain grocery stores and I found, at least this week, I was able to actually spend less money AND buy these proteins. It does take some store hopping, but hey...I have a budget so there you go. If I can't find organic, free range meat, I will take Daniel's suggestion and go with the leanest cuts available.
There are other ways to get your protein than just from meat. Milk, cheese, yogurt (especially Greek) also are good sources. They also contain vitamin D and valuable calcium to keep your bones and teeth healthy and strong. Choose skim or low-fat to keep calories and bad fat grams down. Eggs are also a good source of protein and they are the least expensive. Soy and beans are too.
So there you have my first homework assignment in its entirety. Other tips I found while doing research on these topics are shop with a list to avoid impulse buys. This helps with healthy eating as well as helping to keep you in budget. Cook your own meals and take control of what goes into your stomach. Don't shop while your hungry. Keeping those oh so tempting foods OUT OF YOUR FRIDGE AND CABINETS!!! If it's not there, you are less likely to eat it. Trust me, will power is one thing we ALL have and need to harness...and again...it's completely FREE!
Is the experiment a success? So far, I say YES! I feel better than I have in a long time, have more energy, am sleeping better at night, and feel more alert. I've also lost 4.6 pounds!!
Tune in next week for the results of my next homework assignment...RMR (have no clue, but I know what I will be doing this weekend...lots of reading)
On a personal note, I moved my oldest son into his college dorm room...UGH! I'm happy for him, sad for me. He is a strong, mature, intelligent young man and I am very proud of him. And yes, I helped carry all of his stuff up four flights of satirs (FREE EXERCISE...no gym needed!! Woot Woot)
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