GOAL - REACH 5,000 Kms - Walking and Jogging to Fitness!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Day 60 and keeping up the protein, exercise and spotting Sugar in Food!

More information from myfooddiary.com - a site that is worth its weight in gold! It is inspiring to see other sites that have done a lot of the work for me. Ask and you shall receive! Search and you shall find! Blog and you shall grow! (or shrink, if you want!)

You might know I am partaking in a high protein diet. I take Kaizen, 100% Whey Isolate protein powder, which comes in vanilla ice cream and decadent chocolate flavors. One scoop at 150 calories, provides 35 grams of protein. Protein helps in fat reduction and muscle increase. You can see it is hard to build muscles in my double chin, which is fading into a bona fide turkey neck. So far I have only found this item at Costco. I am sure other places carry it. After looking around, most whey powders have only 25 or 30 grams of protein per scoop. I looked for the most protein per scoop and this is what I got.
What is fun to see is the other changes in my body. I have been losing inches - a lot of them, and now am seeing inches all around that are 10 inches smaller than what I was before. Have to love that!


People continue to comment on my weight loss, every time they see me. 
One fellow said it looked like I had lost 60 pounds! Well, no, not quite. Perhaps 40ish. I am trying to be conservative, after all, it is only 2 months (or 60 days today). Better to aim on the low side. I am not sure of the amount of muscle tissue I have built up (muscles weigh MORE than fat), or if the day I am weighed if I will be retaining water. 
I have also gone through a nasty cold with a fever, hacking cough, congested sinuses and two cold sores. Ach! Several days in bed, unactive, and high calorie (even if it is diet) cough syrup - who wants to waste calories on that stuff? But it did help. Am almost right as rain again.
(This is why I take several photos at each sitting. We can never tell what kind of shape we are going to be in tomorrow!) 

Protein information from www.myfooddiary.com

What is protein?

Proteins are large compounds made by combining smaller amino acids. Proteins in the diet are known as macronutrients, and contribute energy (calories) to the body.  Each gram of protein contains 4 calories.

There are 20 amino acids used to build proteins. Proteins that do not have all 20 amino acids are called incomplete proteins.  Protein sources containing all 20 amino acids are referred to as complete proteins.  Choosing complete protein sources will ensure you are getting all of the amino acids that your body needs.

Some amino acids can be made in the body and are not essential in your diet.  Amino acids that cannot be produced by the body are called essential amino acids, which should be included in your diet.




How is protein used by the body?

Proteins have many different jobs within the body.  As previously mentioned, the body uses proteins for energy.  Protein is also used as an enzyme, which starts reactions within the body, including metabolism, and gene growth & repair. Proteins are also used by the body to carry signals from one part of the body to another and to form structures, including muscles.




How much protein do I need in my diet?

Protein should account for 10-35% of your daily caloric intake.  Many nutrition experts also recommend an intake of 1 gram of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight (0.4 g per pound).
Or if you are stuck in linear measures like me, 
it is 0.14 oz of protein for every 4.85016 pounds. 
(At 0.4 gm per pound,  and if one is 200 pounds, 
one weighs 90.7184 kilos and needs .40 gm of protein per pound
Therefore  90.7184 X .4 =  36.28736 grams per day of protein.

ERGH! What the heck! I think in this case it is easier to measure metrically you need 1 gram of protein for every kilogram of body weight. 
So if you are 91 kilos, you need 91 grams of protein per day. (Never thought metric would be easier!)

Consuming too much protein may be harmful to the body.  High amounts of protein in the diet put stress on the kidneys and liver as they try to dismantle and dispose of the extra protein.




Which foods are good sources of protein?

Sources of protein include meat products (hamburger, fish, chicken), dairy products (cheese, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese), eggs, tofu, lentils, and soymilk.

Eating complete protein (containing all amino acids) will help ensure that you do not become deficient in essential amino acids.  Complete proteins include meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, and soy (a non-animal source).  Nuts, grains, fruits, and vegetables are typically incomplete.  For this reason, it is important for vegetarians to pair non-animal products wisely in order to consume all essential amino acids in their daily diet.
(Hence, it is wise to keep a daily food diary counting calories, proteins, etc.)



What is protein deficiency?

Most Americans (including vegetarians) consume more than enough protein on a daily basis. Therefore, protein deficiency is not a huge concern in the United States.  It can be found in people on restrictive diets and in the elderly population, who are more likely to have poor diets.

In countries with a high rate of malnourished children, protein deficiency is more common.  Without prevention, a protein deficient child can develop a condition known as Kwashiorkor.  The symptoms of this disorder include a protruding stomach, edema, thin hair, overall weight loss, slowed growth, and discolored hair & skin.  Kwashiorkor, if left untreated, can cause stunted growth, mental impairments, and death.

From: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

Terms of Use: The aim of the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Source is to provide timely information on diet and nutrition for clinicians, allied health professionals, and the public. The contents of this Web site are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Web site. The information does not mention brand names, nor does it endorse any particular products.

20 Exercise Tips

Try these ideas for fitting more activity into your day—and for getting more out of your daily activities.
1. Choose activities you like. A lot of different things count as exercise: dancing, walking, gardening, yoga, cycling, playing basketball. To make it easier to get moving, choose whatever gets you moving. Also, choose an activity that fits your self-identity. Do you see yourself wearing attractive clothes and bicycling comfortably to work, or wearing workout gear at the gym?Family Bicycling (family-bicycling-edited.gif)
2. Piece your workout together. You don't need to get all your exercise at one time. Ten minutes morning, noon, and night can give much of the same benefit as 30 minutes all at once.
3. Exercise with a friend. Finding a workout partner can help keep you on track and motivate you to get out the door. Thanks, Dexter!
4. Keep it brisk. When you walk, make it brisk, since this may help control weight better than walking at a leisurely pace. What is brisk enough? Walk as though you are meeting someone for lunch and you are a little late. You can also time your steps for one minute: 120 to 135 steps per minute corresponds to a walking pace of 3 to 4 miles per hour, a good goal for many people. If your steps are not quite that quick, trying picking up the pace for short bursts during your usual walk, on different days of the week. Over time, you’ll stride your way to a faster walking pace.
5. Take lunch on the move. Don't spend your lunch time sitting. Grab a quick meal and hit the gym or take a 20-minute walk.
6. Try a pedometer. Step-counters (pedometers) are cheap and easy to use. Best of all, they help you keep track of how active you are. Build up to 7,000 steps a day—or more.
Pedometer (pedometer.gif)

7. Take the stairs. Use the stairs instead of elevators and escalators whenever possible.
8. Turn off the TV, computer, and smart phone. Cutting back on screen time is a great way to curb your “sit time.” Trade screen time for active time—visit the gym, or even just straighten up around the house.
9. Walk an extra stop. During your bus or subway commute, get off a stop or two earlier and walk the rest of the way.
10. Hunt for the farthest parking space. If you drive to work or to run errands, purposefully park your car a little farther from your office or the store. It may not seem like much, but over weeks and months, these minutes of exercise add up.
11. Make it your own. Consider buying a piece of cardiovascular equipment for your home, such as a treadmill, stationary bicycle, or elliptical machine. Home models can be more reasonable than you think, and you can't beat the convenience. Keep in mind, though, that cheaper models tend to be less sturdy.Tennis Racket and Ball (tennis-and-ball.gif)
12. Make it fun. Try a new sport like tennis or rollerblading. The more that you enjoy exercise, the more likely you are to stick to it.
13. Make it social. Walk with a friend, your spouse, or your family in the morning or evening.
14. Sign up for a class.  Check out the fitness course schedule at your local gym or community center, or the dance or yoga class schedule at a nearby studio. You may find that having the structure of a class helps you learn a new activity and keeps you on track.
15. Turn sit time into fit time. When you get busy, try to combine your cardiovascular exercise with a sedentary activity that you do already. Hop on that piece of home equipment while watching TV, reading, or returning phone calls.
16. Keep an exercise log. Monitoring the amount of activity you get each day will help to make you more accountable.
17. Walk or bike for errands around town. Leave the car at home for trips that are less than a mile or two. Cross something off your to-do list while getting in your physical activity.
18. Ask the experts. Hire a personal trainer for a session or two to help you with your weight training and flexibility training. Then you'll have the confidence to branch out on your own.
To-do List (to-do-list.gif)
19. Plan exercise into your day. Set aside a specific time in your schedule to exercise and put it in your planner.
20. Reward yourself. Set short-term goals—and reward yourself for achieving them. Try targeting a specific event, such as a road race or a walk-for-charity, to participate in—this can help keep you motivated. Choose fitness-focused rewards for reaching your goals, such as new workout gear or a heart rate monitor.

How to Spot Added Sugar on Food Labels

Added SugarSpotting added sugar on the food label requires a bit of detective work. Food and beverage manufacturers must list a product's total amount of sugar per serving on the Nutrition Facts Panel. But they are not required to list how much of that sugar is added sugar. That's why you'll need to scan the ingredients list of a food or drink to find the added sugar. (1)
All ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. (2) So the relative position of sugar in an ingredients list can give you an idea of whether the food contains a lot of sugar or just a smidge. Added sugars go by many different names, yet they are all a source of extra calories. The American Heart Association (AHA) has recommended that Americans drastically cut back on added sugar, to help slow the obesity and heart disease epidemics.(3) The AHA's suggested added sugar threshold is no more than 100 calories per day (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams of sugar) for most women and no more than 150 calories per day (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of sugar) for most men. But remember—your body doesn't need to get any carbohydrate from added sugar. A good rule of thumb is to skip products that have added sugar at or near the top of the list—or have several sources of added sugar sprinkled throughout the list.
Here are a few of the names for added sugar that show up on food labels (list adapted from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (1)):
  • Agave nectar
  • Brown sugar
  • Cane crystals
  • Cane sugar
  • Corn sweetener
  • Corn syrup
  • Crystalline fructose
  • Dextrose
  • Evaporated cane juice
  • Fructose
  • Fruit juice concentrates
  • Glucose
  • High-fructose corn syrup
  • Honey
  • Invert sugar
  • Lactose
  • Maltose
  • Malt syrup
  • Molasses
  • Raw sugar
  • Sucrose
  • Sugar
  • Syrup

References

1. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Chapter 7: Carbohydrates. Accessed on April 5, 2009.
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2008. A Food Labeling Guide: Chapter IV. Ingredient Lists. Accessed April 10, 2009.
3. Johnson RK, Appel LJ, Brands M, et al. Dietary sugars intake and cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2009; 120:1011-20.



Whenever reading or watching a news story on nutrition and health, keep these questions in mind:
1. Is the story simply reporting the results of a single study? Only very rarely would a single study be influential enough for people to change their behaviors based on the results. So it is important to see how that study fits in with other studies on the topic. Some articles provide this background; other times, you may need to do more digging on your own.
2. How large is the study? Large studies often provide more reliable results than small studies.
3. Was the study done in animals or humans? Mice, rats, and monkeys are not people. To best understand how food (or some other factor) affects human health, it must almost always be studied in humans.
4. Did the study look at real disease endpoints, like heart disease or osteoporosis? Chronic diseases, like heart disease and osteoporosis, often take many decades to develop. To get around waiting that long, researchers will sometimes look at markers for these diseases, like narrowing of the arteries or bone density. These markers, though, don't always develop into the disease.
5. How was diet assessed? Some methods of dietary assessment are better than others. Good studies will have evidence that the methods have validity.

Related articles
Supplement Studies: Sorting out the Confusion: How to make sense of the media hype around supplements


1. Mix it up. Most reasonable diets provide enough protein for healthy people. Eating a variety of foods will ensure that you get all of the amino acids you need.
2. Go low on saturated fat. Beans, fish and poultry provide plenty of protein, without much saturated fat. Steer clear of fatty meats and use whole-milk dairy products sparingly. For more information on saturated fat, read "Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the Bad, In with the Good."
3. Limit red meat—and avoid processed meat. Research suggests that people who eat more than 18 ounces a week of red meat have a higher risk of colon cancer. So make red meat—beef, pork, lamb—only an occasional part of your diet, if you eat it at all. And skip the processed stuff—bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats—since that's also been linked to higher cancer risk. Try these healthy protein recipes for nuts and tofu, fish and chicken.
4. Eat soy in moderation. Tofu and other soy foods are an excellent red meat alternative. In some cultures, tofu and soy foods are a protein staple, and we don’t suggest any change. But if you haven't grown up eating lots of soy, there's no reason to go overboard: Two to 4 servings a week is a good target; eating more than that likely won't offer any health benefits and we can’t be sure that there is no harm. And stay away from supplements that contain concentrated soy protein or extracts, such as isoflavones, as we just don't know the long term effects. Read more about soy and health.
5. Balance carbs and protein. Cutting back on highly processed carbohydrates and increasing protein improves levels of blood triglycerides and HDL, and so may reduce your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other form of cardiovascular disease. It may also make you feel full longer, and stave off hunger pangs. For tips on how to choose high quality carbs, check out the Carbohydrates section of The Nutrition Source.

Weight is a tough issue. Most people know how important it is to keep weight in check yet struggle to do so. And it's understandable in today's world where calorie-packed food comes fast and easy. But, the health benefits of staying at a healthy weight are huge and well worth the effort. In addition to lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure, keeping weight in check can also lower the risk of many different cancers, including breast, colon, kidney, pancreas, and esophagus.
Because most people put on a pound or two every year, the first, and easiest, goal should be to stop any more weight gain, which has big health benefits itself. After that, getting weight down to a healthy level should be the next step. Quick weight control tips? Get active, choose smaller portions, and eat more s-l-o-w-l-y.
(I have to chew each bite 30 times!!!)

1. Choose activities you like. Pick activities you enjoy. A lot of different things count as exercise: dancing, walking, gardening, playing basketball. Choose whatever gets you moving.
2. Try a pedometer. Pedometers are cheap and easy to use. Best of all, they help you keep track of how active you are. Build up to 7,000 steps a day—or more.
3. Piece your workout together. You don't need to get all your exercise at one time. Ten minutes morning, noon, and night can give much of the same benefit as 30 minutes all at once.
4. Exercise with a friend. Finding a workout partner can help keep you on track and motivate you to get out the door.
5. Take lunch on the move. Don't spend your lunch time sitting. Grab a quick meal and hit the gym or go for a walk with coworkers.

Read more tips for getting exercise into your day.
















6 comments:

  1. You are sharing really good information and saving me the trouble of looking it all up myself. Thanks, and continued good luck in your weight loss.
    Jane

    ReplyDelete
  2. Andrea, you look wonderful!!!!! Go Girl!
    Nadine

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are looking amazing!!!!!!!!!
    How are you feeling??
    Energy better???
    Are you coming to BGC for Girls Night Out on May 10????
    God bless, my dear!!!!
    Marilyn

    ReplyDelete
  4. Really enjoy following your progress on the blog...keep up the good work because it is sure paying off....♥
    Katharine

    ReplyDelete
  5. Andrea, you look gorgeous! Marsha M.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello gorgeous.....Lynda S.

    ReplyDelete