Archive for July 13th, 2008

FIBER, The Fabric of Your Life

FIBER, The Fabric of Your Life
Your diet should include about 20 - 30 grams of fiber per day to keep it
operating in tip-top shape. Adequate fiber will also assist you in winning
the Weight Loss Battle as well as fighting off certain diseases such as
colon cancer and diverticulitis.
How?
Think of fiber as a sponge. The more fiber you eat, the bigger your sponge
will be. Nothing sucks up water better than a sponge, and that’s basically
the effect that fiber has on your body. After all, our bodies consist mostly
of water. When the fiber hits your tummy and begins its absorption act, it
creates a feeling of fullness. It’s one of your best defenses when battling
hunger.
And when the sponge moves, it wipes away impurities that can otherwise be
trapped into the body for lengths of time, creating toxic buildups.

Fiber also keeps potty-time, fun time. There’s nothing quite as miserable as
constipation, unless you count a mosquito bite in the groin.
And as mentioned earlier when we were playing with our sponge theory, fiber
also carries the bad karma out of your body, gently sweeping the intestinal
walls, leaving you feeling fresher, more energetic and fit. Sorta sounds
like a breath freshener commercial, doesn’t it? Nonetheless, here are some
very good sources for your daily fiber.

GREAT FIBER SOURCES

FoodServing SizeFiber Grams
Spinach1/2 Cup Boiled2
Boston Brown Bread1 Slice2.1
Carrot1 Average Raw2.3
Kiwi Fruit1 Medium2.6
Acorn Squash1/2 Cup Baked2.9
Corn on the Cob1 Small Roasted Ear2.9
Whole Wheat Bread1 Slice3
Apple With Skin1 Medium3
Orange1 Medium3.1
Pistachio Nuts1 Ounce, Hulled3.1
Sweet Potato1 Small, Baked3.4
Brussel Sprouts1/2 Cup, Boiled3.4
Chestnuts1 Ounce, Hulled3.7
Pumpkin Seeds1 Ounce, Hulled3.9
Strawberries1 Cup, Fresh3.9
Raisins1/2 Cup3.9
Oatmeal1 Cup4
Pine Nuts1 Ounce, Dried4.1
Bulgar Wheat1/2 Cup, Cooked4.1
Artichoke Hearts1/2 Cup, Boiled4.4
Coconut1 Ounce, Flaked4.7
Navy Beans1/2 Cup, Cooked4.9
Guava1 Fresh4.9
Dried Apples10 Dried Rings5.6
Baby Lima Beans1/2 Cup Cooked6.6
Refried Beans1/2 Cup, Canned6.7
Blackberries1 Cup, Fresh7.2
Cowpeas1/2 Cup Cooked8.3
100% Bran1/2 Cup8.4
Kellogg’s All-Bran Buds1/3 Cup13
Baked Beans1/2 Cup, Cooked10
Prunes1 Cup11
Dried Figs3 Medium, Dried10
Pears5 Dried Halves11.5
Pearled Barley1/2 Cup12.3

I always compare my “diet” to a life of Christianity….

I always compare my “diet” to a life of  Christianity….
… this is my take on things:
Have you ever noticed that it seems Satan doesn’t go  after the sinners, he
already has them??  It’s true, he goes after the  “good” people that are trying
to live a life as they should.  That’s why  we’re tempted.  Just my thoughts.
So.  When we’re “dieting” and doing crappy, off  program and barely
exercising, we don’t have many, if any, temptations that  knock us out of the ballpark.

Nope.  It’s when we think we’re doing “good”:   exercising, eating “ok” and
drinking our water that this demon tempts us, sends  thoughts into our minds
and such to send us into a tail-spin.
Well.  I’m out of the grasp of him AGAIN for this  round.  I can tell.  My
mind feels better.  My heart feels  better.  Thank God!  Thanks for all the
support and motivation  and eHugs and prayers  you have all sent my way.
It’s been 3 days of my “new week” of points.  Since  I weigh on Wed, my pts
run Thurs thru Wed.  I am eating 28 pts a day vs the  30 that I “should” be
having and am skipping the WPAs (weekly flex  points).  I’ve only used one of
those and that was on an oatmeal  snack.
* Disclaimer:  I am NOT trying to starve  myself.  I am right on the fence
with being in the 29 pt range and figured  I am ok with that number.  I never
increased them with my last gain(s) to  be back at 30 so have been staying at 29
long enough, I figured I would try  28.  Seems to be working.  I’ll be
curious to see what the scale does  this week as a result of this.  I would never
eat too many less than a  couple below my prescribed level.
but I am trying to stay  away from “snacks and
treats” and the “bad” carbs.  I know this form of  detox has helped immensley
(sp?) in how I am feeling.
I went for a walk this morning:  30 minutes
…  then, I went to take a  walk this evening:  30 minutes I hope so .
I finely come to the conclusion that

“If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun”

It’s time for some cold, hard facts:

* You’re not going to be able to read every book that you want
* You’ll never have time to watch all of your favorite shows.
* The house will never be clean enough.
* There will always be another errand to run.
* The grass will continue to grow.
* Everything you buy will need to be dusted, repaired, maintained or disposed of in some way.
* And you never lose weight if you don’t try.

This is not a critique of any lack of organizational skills on your part, or a reason to give up altogether. Rather, it’s a statement of freedom.

When you know that life will still be waiting for you tomorrow–no matter what–it gives you the freedom to make today count as much as possible. “Someday” is right now. Anytime. And that can be exciting, if you let it.

If we ever hope to reach our biggest goals (especially weight loss goals), we have to.start making some tough choices. We have to start giving ourselves permission to ignore one thing—or several things—for the sake of something more important. What can be more deserving of our time?

Obviously, there are some realities of living that require attention. We need to work, eat, sleep and care for our families. Beyond that, though, everything is optional. The choices are completely yours. If you feel you don’t have time to pursue your healthy lifestyle goals, you can do something about it by making those tough decisions.

It’s difficult to accept this idea. We’ve grown up in a world not used to saying “no” or doing without. By now, we’re used to being pulled in 43 different directions. We’re uncomfortable with the idea that we may just have to let something slide. The trouble is, we get so caught up in trying to do everything that we retreat inside ourselves. We get tunnel vision on the next task and lose sight of other people and what’s important. In a pursuit of happiness, that’s a futile strategy. The only way you can be in two places at once is if your name is Dolly and you’re a cloned sheep.

I come before you today to give you permission to start letting go.

Someone smarter than me once said, “You can have everything. You just can’t have everything right now!” To reach your goals and live the life you want, it takes priorities and patience—the ability to choose between two competing wishes, and the willingness to set one aside for now and wait.

You can build the path that you want to walk on, and decide which steps to take. It’s important to you—to your health, your goals and your family—that you take some time to exercise and plan healthy meals. You should treat it that way and give yourself permission to take that time without feeling guilty. The irony is that by being healthy and taking time from your schedule, you’ll be able to take care of more of that “other” stuff in the long run.

Besides, is anything on your to-do list really more important than your health? When it comes down to it, those choices may not be so tough after all.
I come before you today to give you permission to start letting go.

Someone smarter than me once said, “You can have everything. You just can’t have everything right now!” To reach your goals and live the life you want, it takes priorities and patience—the ability to choose between two competing wishes, and the willingness to set one aside for now and wait.

You can build the path that you want to walk on, and decide which steps to take. It’s important to you—to your health, your goals and your family—that you take some time to exercise and plan healthy meals. You should treat it that way and give yourself permission to take that time without feeling guilty. The irony is that by being healthy and taking time from your schedule, you’ll be able to take care of more of that “other” stuff in the long run.

Besides, is anything on your to-do list really more important than your health? When it comes down to it, those choices may not be so tough after all.