[Wxchic]

Hey ladies! Ro commented to me in the chat room the other day "you really ARE healthy"...after I told her I was making a big spinach salad for dinner...

I thought I'd share with you some of my BIGGEST and best tips for losing and maintaining your weight. For those of you who may not know this, I spent 10 years on television as an on-air meteorologist. When you are being given thousands of dollars a year for clothing to wear on the air, you learn how to make sure that you ALWAYS fit into them. There is nothing more embarrasing than asking for more money to buy LARGER sized clothes, when everyone is looking at you and scrutinizing you with a fine toothed comb. And I'm not just talking about my bosses, but the PUBLIC, who feel the need to call you if you do something as simple as get your hair cut...

Anyway, I'll try to give them to you one at a time so as not to overwhelm you...

Here is a simple one and one that I love!

ALWAYS carry a toothbrush and toothpaste in your purse. Whenever someone cracks out the dozen donuts, or the office celebrates a birthday with a cake, or you are out to dinner and trying to discourage dessert, go and BRUSH YOUR TEETH! It is an amazing way to discourage further eating. (And your dentist will love you for it too!)

[roxanna]

Interesting tip

[agoodman8]

Great tip! I think I'll go brush my teeth right now

[Wxchic]

Tip #2

You MUST stop drinking pop, soda, whatever you call it. I don't care if it is diet or not. IT IS AWFUL for you.

The average American today drinks over 600 servings of pop a year. It has been proven to reduce the learning capacity of children ESPECIALLY females between the ages of 8 and 16. It also a LARGE factor towards osteoperosis.

Here is a chart of the Product Acid
Low Numbers=BAD
First number is acid number, second is sugar content in teaspoons...this is per 12 oz serving

Pure Water 7.00 (neutral) 0.0
Barq's 4.61 10.7 tsp.
Diet Coke 3.39 0.0
Mountain Dew 3.22 11.0 tsp.
Gatorade 2.95 3.3 tsp
Coke Classic 2.63 9.3 tsp.
Pepsi 2.49 9.8 tsp.
Sprite 3.42 9.0
Diet 7-Up 3.67 0.0
Diet Dr. Pepper 3.41 0.0
Surge 3.02 10.0
Gatorade 2.95 3.3
Hawaiian Fruit Punch 2.82 10.2
Orange Minute Maid 2.80 11.2
Dr. Pepper 2.92 9.5
BATTERY ACID 1.00 (pure acid) 0.0

LOOK HOW CLOSE Dr.PEPPER IS TO PURE ACID!!! AND WE DRINK THAT!!!

Source: Minnesota
Dental Association

* The threshold pH for enamel dissolution is 5.5.

If this is what it does to your TEETH, imagine what it does to your BONES not to mention your system in general...Pop is BAD...stay away from it.

Instead, try canned seltzer water, or bottled seltzer. They have so many flavored kinds these days. Stay away from the presweetened ones or those with the diet sugars. Get used to drinking them plain...they are a great substitute if you feel you need the carbonation. And a can takes care of 1 serving of water. I drank this by the liters when I was at work. At home, it is all we allow here. No pop, no sodas...against the law...

[varanda]

I'm a big one against the soda, too! That stuff takes the oil off concrete. I am also against carbonated anything, even water. I don't think it's naturally occuring, I believe they inject the carbonation in.

I do like champagne, on occasion, but that's not a daily beverage, lol. (hic)

I like plain water from our well, room temperature, so it saturates the system faster.

[Ro]

Well, I don't see coffee on that list of yours, Theresa. LOL

Imagine - drinking water. Who'd a thunk? (Wink)

Okay - what's next. Fire away. Your eager pupils await!

[Wxchic]

I admit that coffee is my vice..I have two 12 oz cups a day, so that is equivalent to 3-8 oz. cups. I think that 2 cups is allowed each day so I'm not that far gone!! Plus, I'm a cream and sugar gal, so that helps a little too...(fat free cream, of course!)

[BubblyKori]

wxchic, on Nov 11 2005, 11:54 AM, said:

Tip #2

Here is a chart of the Product Acid
Low Numbers=BAD
First number is acid number, second is sugar content in teaspoons...this is per 12 oz serving

Pure Water                    7.00 (neutral)  0.0
Dr. Pepper                        2.92        9.5  **Dr. Pepper isn't the worst! I put them in order.
Hawaiian Fruit Punch        2.82      10.2
Orange Minute Maid          2.80      11.2
Coke Classic                    2.63      9.3 tsp.
Pepsi                                2.49      9.8 tsp.
BATTERY ACID                  1.00 (pure acid)    0.0

* The threshold pH for enamel dissolution is 5.5.

My old fireplace had soot and tar on the brick outside of it, so I went to the hardware store to get some sort of cleaner. They told me to buy a squirt bottle and some Coke, ~that Coke was the best thing for cleaning off the soot and tar!!!! WOW!


Thank you for the tips! I'll check often to see what more you can share!!

[ScrappySue]

This is a great idea - thanks for the tips!

I am SO glad coffee is allowed (altho I have just changed to decaf at home - still going to have the caffeine when I am out tho!!).

Totally against fizzy drinks (I have read some pretty disturbing reports about sugar substitutes too); I do have the occasional 'sugar' coke with my Bacardi !!!

[Wxchic]

Tip #3

SOUP! Soup is a WONDERFUL food. It is filling, satisfying, and loaded with nutrients. Unfortunately, many of the processed soups are filled with SODIUM too, so be sure to buy the low sodium kind.

The best thing to do is make your own. Don't be afraid to experiment with ingredients. There is really NOTHING you can't put in a pot of soup. When I had to drop a few pounds fast, I'd go on a "soup" diet. I'd top a bowl of soup with croutons or popcorn, sit down at work, and enjoy! It is especially great this time of year.

Make a few pots, put in it individual containers, freeze and enjoy! WHAT? Your freezer is TOO SMALL for that??? Pshaw!

Buy Quart size ziploc bags...put 1-2 scoops of cooled soup in each. Zip them closed, and freeze them flat. They they are good to go anywhere! Just cut a slit in the bag and heat in the microwave! Good, healthy soup to go ANYTIME!!

[jenn~o]

Lovin' your tips! Keep them coming!

[BubblyKori]

Great soup idea! Thank you!

[ScrappySue]

Starting to cool down here, so soup sounds like a nice idea, wonder how I can get the kids to eat it (just think of the number of veggies I could "hide" in it, they will only eat carrots!).

Thanks Theresa!

[Diane]

These tips are great and just what I need. I've battled a serious weight problem ever since I had my twins and that was 18 yrs ago. It's only now that I feel I want to tackle it head on and get my life back by losing and maintaing my weight.

Fortunately, I've always been a healthy eater but not very active and for me I think that's a big issue - exercise. Although I do eat lots of good nutrious fresh foods, I also have a terrible sweet tooth and am partial to just baked fresh bread and butter! UGH!! So they're the things I'm working on.

I'm also a big fan of lots of water but I've been like that my whole life as I hate milk and as a kid we used to drink just water and sometimes squash (fruit flavoured drink). So I agree with the fizzy drinks. I do enjoy a glass of red wine and sometimes like a good strong black coffee.

I thought the toothpaste advice was brilliant. I've been chewing gum for the same reason but I can see that cleaning your teeth is much better!!

Thanks so much for this, Theresa - it's good advice but also I feel encouraged!! Yay!!

[Ro]

I would have never thought of that bag trick, Theresa. It is great!

[Wxchic]

Hi ladies! Sorry it has been a while, but here is another tip for you.
Tip #4

Dining out...

We all LOVE to do it...and we all eat WAY TOO MUCH...like it was our last meal. I can't stress enough that it is ALL ABOUT PORTION CONTROL. You really CAN eat anything...but just not too much.

Steve and I get to do a date night once a week and we usually hit our favorite restaurant. Since we started dating, we try to eat as sensibly as possible. One way to do this is to get a few appetizers to share. This is a great way to sample the wonderful foods that a restaurant has to offer. Also, don't be afraid to ask a waiter if they can turn an entree order into a smaller appetizer order. Many restaurants will do this!

After we do that, we will SHARE one entree, or one large salad. Then if there is still room, maybe a dessert! It is GREAT because you don't feel overstuffed, you DON'T eat too much, but you DO get to try some GREAT food without over doing it.

I realize that some of you may not have the same tastes as your dear hubby. If that is the case, then when you order an entree, ask for a to-go box to go with it. Immediatly put half in your to-go box before you dig in...Instant Portion Control!

Tomorrow, I'll give you another tip about portions and how to handle them at home!!

[Wxchic]

Here is an article I MUST share with you. For years, this has been my life...and my family especially could never understand how I could eat the foods that I eat and still stay slim. I think this guy has hit on the answer.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051204/ap_on_...ntuitive_eating

Tell me what you think...

[gauchogirl]

Well, I like it. LOL, no really, it is sort of spooky to me because I basically started doing this 1 week ago all on my own. I got out of the shower the other day and heard a voice (my voice) in my head say "I'm not gonna' do this to myself anymore." And today I'm wearing a pair of jeans that were previosuly unwearable just the week before. I am trying to pay attention to what I REALLY want and wether or not I am actually hungry. What this means for me is that I am eating a BIGGER breakfast, an actual meal. And guess what? At lunch I'm not hungry. 3 days this week, I made it to dinner just fine, before realizing "ohmigod I didn't eat lunch!" The other few days I had just a sandwich or a cup of soup. Whatever kind I wanted, but enough to get me not feeling hungry. And then of all things, I craved broccoli salad the other night, so made some for dinner...and that's ALL I ate and it was sooo good. This is huge because I DO NOT eat veggies. FUnny story, I bought a giant pumpkin pie and whip cream at Costco last night. We all had slices and while I was eating mine, I got...well, bored with it. It was good, but I was done, so I PUT IT DOWN. Well tonight, DH and DD cut themselves a slice and I holler out "I want a piece too." Then I see your link and read the article. A minute later, Carsey comes in and hands me a slice of pie. And I have no idea why she brought it to me and so I ask, "what's that for?" She and DH both stare at me and say "you asked for a slice!" I did? Oh, well, I guess I did, but only because YOU WERE HAVING ONE....but you know what...I didn't want it. And I'm not eating it. SO, will continue as I have all week, and reading this article is fuel. thanks, t

[talina]

Very interesting article, and I am lovin' this thread! Theresa, you are awesome! I have recently lost 10 (probably stress related and due to just not eating in general, NOT healthy), but it is nice to fit more comfortably in my jeans!

I love Coke. Drink it all the time. It is my saving grace working nights. I know, gotta stop...but I can't.