Once Upon a Thigh: Mid-April 2007

Table of Contents

Letter from the Editor

The conference that I attended at the end of March mentioned that weight loss is more successful if a group meets weekly. I can't commit to that, but I can commit to meeting on e-mail twice a month with a newsletter. You are more than welcome to write me an e-mail and I will respond quickly. I am currently working with a mother-daughter team that are in a competition to lose weight. They are doing a great job reporting and said that they are more honest with me than with each other.

I am also working with a young woman preparing for a mission. We talk daily about food choices, etc. She is doing a great job. Congratulations, Cassandra.

So, join the feeling better team. My husband and I have been on a no sugar, no flour program since August. We have fallen off the wagon many times (mostly with the sugar) and he wanted to go back and start on the first 30 days program which is fairly restrictive. I told him that I would do it with him and it is very interesting how I feel without sugar. After even one day, I feel so much better. I am in to day 3 and doing OK. So is he.

I would like to recommend a book: YOU, the Owner's Manual by Michael F. Roizen, MD and Mehamet C. OZ, MD. It is a great basic of how the complete body works and is even enjoyable to read. I especially enjoyed their comments on diet. "Most diets focus on one number: pounds lost. Why? Because so many people are obsessed about being overweight, about fitting into jeans, about impressing the casting director. We are concerned about making you feel better, helping you live younger, and slowing the effects of aging. We feel it's more important to regulate other numbers and feelings in your life-things like your blood pressure, your cholesterol and inflammation numbers and your energy level." That sounds a whole lot more logical to me. So let's join the feel better team.

Last night, Friday, I had the great opportunity of listening to Nina Wilkins play the organ and her 4 daughters play the violin. It was a wonderful experience. This was Nina's 75th birthday celebration. It was a challenge and a dream for which she has worked very hard. Congratulations, Nina. Happy Birthday. It was a good lesson for all of us to continue learning and improving ourselves.

I received an email from one of our group that I would like to include: "I have really seen a difference. I am actually competing in a Triathlon the beginning of June." We are all pulling and pushing for you, Katrina.

How many calories for YOU?

If you are under 250, then you get 1,200 per day.

If you are over 250, then you get 1,600 per day.

I have great recipes for one week. Let me know if you would like a copy.

Heart-Healthy Fats

Saturated fat and trans fats increase your risk of heart disease by raising blood cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, the type that promotes heart disease. Saturated and trans fats in the diet also boost the levels of triglycerides (another type of fat) in your blood. Even worse, trans fat lowers your levels of HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol that helps protect against heart disease. (So if I tell you to exercise more to increase the HDL, maybe it is being decreased by the trans fats). Don't switch back to butter if you've been using margarine. Instead, choose a heart-healthy margarine made with little or no trans fat or saturated fat. (If you use 2TBS or less of margarine or butter daily it really doesn't matter which you use.) The research shows that it's healthier to replace bad fats with good fats (poly-and monounsaturated fats and fish oil) than it is to cut back on all fats in your diet. That's because simply reducing fats across the board lowers your healthy HDL cholesterol as well as the damaging LDL cholesterol. It's like cutting down the whole tree just to get rid of some bad apples. Ideally you want to keep LDL low, under 100 and HDL high, 50 or greater. When you replace unhealthy saturated and trans fats with healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, LDLs drop more than beneficial HDLs.

The good oils found in fish, many vegetable oils, and some nuts and seeds reduce triglycerides, prevent abnormal heart beats, and lower blood pressure. Good job, Omega 3s and Omega 6s.

Monounsaturated fats lower LDLs, so olive oil is helpful.

Good Choices
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Monounsaturated fats
  • Omega 3 and Omega 6 polyunsaturated fats
  • Fish
  • Whole Grains
Risky Choices
  • Fatty meat, butter, and full fat dairy products
  • Fats (partially hydrogenated oils)
  • Salt
  • Dietary Cholesterol
  • Excess intake (more than 65% of calories) of carbohydrates with a high glycemic load
Looking forward to seeing you Wednesday, May 2nd, at our IR meeting at the office at 7 PM. We will have a surprise for everyone attending.

-- Carol

Don't forget to tell a friend about Once Upon a Thigh!