I Don't Have Time To Be Fat

A year has passed since I have posted and I regret to say that I am now 10 pounds heavier than what I first started at. I don't feel good, my body hurts and I have no one to blame but myself! Enough is enough. It's time to put the sugar and carbs away once and for all. I plan on coming back with a vegance on my battle with fat! I will not let it get me down again. I know its in me to accomplish my goals as I have seen success. I am a fat warrior and will not be defeated. Please join in back on my journey, and who knows I may help you as well. Come along with me and help me defeat fat and create a healthy life style!

Trisodium Phosphate: Do you really know what is in your food?

 Trisodium Phosphate

I checked for myself this is no hoax or lie!!!

Definition of TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE

:  a crystalline compound Na₃PO₄ that is used especially in cleaning compositions

First Known Use of TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE

1923

Why is Trisodium Phosphate in Our Food?

(Originally posted on Mar 25, 2013)

Using the example of Banana Nut Cheerios, let’s just for a minute… forget that there are GMO ingredients in this cereal,  and let’s also forget that it contains A LOT of sugar…check this out:

• Sugar
• Brown Sugar Syrup
• Corn Syrup

…and if that wasn’t enough sugar, it also has

• Dried Corn Syrup

(Yeah…“Heart Healthy Cereal” …wink- wink)

So besides all that sugar, could someone please explain to me why this cereal contains Trisodium Phosphate? And it’s not just limited to this cereal, it is in fact in many other cereals as well as other foods!

Per the Website In R Food, the following speaks about the potential health effects of Trisodium Phosphate:

“The FDA claims that Trisodium phosphate in certain amounts is not a risk in food, but some reports and agencies have deemed it a hazardous substance. The Clean Water Act has taken steps to limit the use of TSP in CLEANING SUPPLIES because it damages the environment. Phosphates are required of the human body, however trisodium phosphate is an inorganic chemical phosphate. There are other organic sources of necessary phosphates that are proven to be safe and beneficial for consumption.

TSP has not been proven to be toxic to humans as a food additive, but has shown to be severely irritating to the gastric mucosa unless part of a buffered solution. Trisodium phosphate may reduce accumulation of lactic acid in muscles. Excess intake of TSP may produce an imbalance of minerals that lead to loss of calcium from bone and a calcification of the kidneys. The daily limit of trisodium phosphate is recommended to be 70mg. TSP consumed as part of a Western JUNK FOOD diet sometimes reaches upwards of 500mg, which leads to an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.”

So the FDA states that Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) is “Not a risk in food”, yet on the website PAN Pesticides Database – Chemicals it clearly states to “Avoid all Contact”!

You may be interested to know that TSP is also found in:

• Processed meat products
• Processed cheeses
• Many canned soups
• Acts as a leavening agent in many commercial cakes and baked goods

As well as:

• TOOTHPASTE
• WHITENING TOOTHPASTE
• Baby TOOTHPASTE
• Mouthwash
• Hair coloring and bleaching agents

When you think of all the health problems in this country, and then you think of what the FDA allows in our food, it certainly isn’t a major leap to wonder if this is on purpose!

What do you think?

Resources

• Trisodium Phosphate in Toothpaste Guide
• PAN Pesticides Database – Chemicals
• Ingredient Information Trisodium Phosphate
• Banana Nut Cheerios

Published By: Angie Lumley Davis

7 Steps to Healthy Low-Carb Living

Here are seven tips for low-carb living that can help you lose weight…and keep the weight off!

1.  Avoid Sugar and Starch. Sugars and starches are also known as carbohydrates and can be measured in “grams.” Try to limit your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams a day by avoiding sugar, bread, fruit, flour, pasta or any other sugary/starchy food that has a lot of carbs. Read the labels!

2.  Eat “Real Foods” That Have No Carbs. When hungry, you can have as much as you want of meats (beef, pork, lamb, veal, sausage, hot dogs), poultry, fish and shellfish, and eggs.

3.  Eat Fat to Lose Fat. Oils and butter have no carbs. You do not have to limit quantities, but you should stop eating when you’re full.

A Word about Veggies: Always remember that fruits and vegetables are healthy but they do contain significant carbohydrates and can slow down ketosis and weight loss. While you are targeting about 20 grams of carbohydrates per day, weigh yourself every day as you add small portions vegetables to your diet. If your weight begins to increase, you may need to reduce the amount of vegetables you are consuming.

4.  Eat Greens Every Day. Enjoy 2 cups of salad greens and 1 cup of non-starchy vegetables (measured uncooked) every day. Veggies can include: artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, jicama, leeks, mushrooms, okra, onions, peppers, pumpkin, shallots, snow peas, sprouts, summer squash, tomatoes, rhubarb, wax beans, zucchini.

5.  Drink Lots of Liquids. In addition to water, drink bouillon as needed to minimize headache or fatigue (unless you have high blood pressure, in which case bouillon is not recommended). You may have up to three servings of coffee, tea or caffeinated diet soda per day (cream and/or artificial sweeteners are allowed).

6.  Increase Activity/Reduce Stress. Inactivity and stress can negatively impact your health and even make it more difficult to lose weight. Stress management techniques may improve your ability to handle dietary temptations, such as sugar cravings. Increasing your activity level helps reduce stress, build muscle, decrease appetite and improve bone density.

7.    Eat When You’re Hungry, Stop When You’re Full. Listen to your body…if you are not hungry you don’t have to eat. A low-carb diet has a natural appetite reduction effect to ease you into smaller portions comfortably. You are not counting calories…you do not have to eat everything on your plate because it’s there!

Published By:

Angela Lumley

Ketosis

I wanted to share a blog on ketosis as, I was unaware what it was until I started going through it.

In biology, ketosis is a state of the organism characterised by elevated levels of ketone bodies in the blood, by the processes of lipolysis and beta-oxidation.

Ketone bodies are formed from excess amount of fat break down. Some of these ketone bodies such as acetoacetate and ß-hydroxybutyrate can also be used for energy.

When glycogen stores are not available in the cells, fat (triacylglycerol) is cleaved to give 3 fatty acid chains and 1 glycerol molecule in a process called lipolysis.

Most of the body is able to utilize fatty acids as an alternative source of energy in a process in which fatty acid chains are cleaved by coenzyme A (CoA) to form acetyl-CoA, which can then be fed into the Krebs cycle.

Acetyl-CoA can only enter the Krebs cycle bound to oxaloacetate. When carbohydrate supplies are inadequate to maintain blood glucose levels, the liver naturally converts oxaloacetate in the liver to glucose via gluconeogenesis for use by the brain and other tissues.

Excess acetyl-CoA in the liver is used to produce ketone bodies, leading to a state of ketosis. During this process, a high concentration of glucagon is present in the serum, which inactivates hexokinase and phosphofructokinase-1 (regulators of glycolysis) indirectly, causing most cells in the body to use fatty acids as their primary energy source.

The brain cannot use fatty acids for energy because the fatty acids cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. However, the ketone bodies produced in the liver can cross the blood-brain barrier. In the brain, these ketone bodies are then incorporated into acetyl-CoA and used in the Krebs cycle.

Excess ketone bodies will slowly decarboxylate into acetone. Acetone is excreted in the breath and urine.

Ketosis should not be confused with ketoacidosis (diabetic ketoacidosis or the less common alcoholic ketoacidosis), which is severe ketosis causing the pH of the blood to drop below 7.2.

Ketoacidosis is a medical condition usually caused by diabetes and accompanied bydehydration, hyperglycemia, ketonuria, and increased levels of glucagon. The high-glucagon, low-insulin serum levels signal the body to produce more glucose via gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, and ketone bodies via ketogenesis. High levels of glucose causes the failure of tubular reabsorption in the kidneys, causing water to leak into the tubules in a process called osmotic diuresis, causing dehydration and further exacerbating the acidosis.

Understanding Ketosis Symptoms

Many dieters develop ketosis symptoms that let them know ketones are present. For many people beginning a low-carb diet, ketosis kicks in after a few days with minimal carbohydrate intake. In fact, most low-carbohydrate plans have an initial phase in which dieters take in extremely low amounts of carbohydrates (usually less than 25 grams per day) in order to kick start ketosis.

You can test for the presence of ketones in the urine using ketosis strips. Many symptoms may also indicate that your body is in ketosis.

Early Stages

Ketosis symptoms change depending how long you've been in the state. In the early stages of ketosis, the symptoms may be a bit unpleasant. However, as your body adapts to the presence of ketones in the bloodstream, symptoms lessen and change. Early ketosis symptoms usually last for several days or up to a week in some people. This typically continues until the body is used to burning fat instead of glucose. After the several days, the levels of ketones in the body will lessen, but that does not mean you are no longer losing weight. It simply means your body has found a balance and is no longer producing excess ketones.

Early stage symptoms include the following:

• Tiredness or fatigue
• Headache
• Feeling thirsty all the time
• Dry mouth
• Ketosis breath, which smells vaguely fruity and not terribly pleasant
• Metallic taste in the mouth, particularly on the back of the tongue near the molars
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Nausea or stomach ache
• Sleep problems
• Cold hands and feet
• Frequent urination

Ongoing States

As your body adapts to ketones, your symptoms may change or abate altogether. If you are using ketosis strips, your urine may still show ketones present, although probably in far lower concentrations. This is nothing to worry about. The amount of ketones in your urine does not correlate to the rate of weight loss.

As your body adapts to ketones, you may notice the following:

• A "buzzed" feeling
• Increased energy
• Normalized urination frequency
• Better sleep
• Euphoria
• Clear thinking

Sometimes low-carb dieters never seem to reach ketosis, or at least never have the urine test strips indicate excess ketones. This could be because exercising has used up the excess ketones or the urine is diluted from drinking a lot of water. This doesn't mean these people aren't burning fat, just that they aren't registering as technically being in ketosis.

Dealing with Ketosis Symptoms

Ketosis is a common part of low-carb dieting, but it isn't always a pleasant one. If you find yourself having trouble getting through this period, there are some things you can try that might ease symptoms:

• Snack regularly. Having a protein-rich snack like a piece of chicken may ease the headache and other symptoms.
• Take vitamins and minerals. Especially with the lack of fruits and vegetables on a low-carb diet, it's vital to take a good vitamin and mineral supplement to keep your body in a healthy balance.
• Try a protein shake. Protein shakes with amino acid supplements can also be helpful for reducing symptoms of ketosis and easing this transition. Many different kinds of amino drinks are available and often are marketed to body builders.
• Drink plenty of water, which will freshen breath and keep you hydrated.

Is Ketosis Dangerous?

Some suggest ketosis is an unhealthy condition. Studies show differently, however. A 1983 study published in Metabolism showed ketosis was well-tolerated. Anotherstudy in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism in 2002 showed ketosis had a positive effect on blood fats and did not increase risk of cardiovascular disease.

Ketosis Is a Signal

The most important thing to remember is that the unpleasant ketosis symptoms are temporary and will pass within a week or so. Try to focus on the fact that this less-than-perfect feeling is just a sign that you are burning fat and well on your way to losing weight.

Published By:

Angela Lumley

Sources:

http://www.news-medical.net/health/Ketosis-What-is-Ketosis.aspx

http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Ketosis_Symptoms

Water: The Body's Most Important Nutrient

Water is your body's most important nutrient, is involved in every bodily function, and makes up 70- 75% of your total body weight. Water helps you to maintain body temperature, metabolize body fat, aids in digestion, lubricates and cushions organs, transports nutrients, and flushes toxins from your body.

Everyone should drink at least 64 ounces per day, and if you exercise or are overweight, even more. Your blood is approximately 90% water and is responsible for transporting nutrients and energy to muscles and for taking waste from tissues.

If you are not getting enough water, your body will react by pulling it from other places, including your blood. This causes the closing of some smaller vessels (capillaries), making your blood thicker, more susceptible to clotting, and harder to pump through your system. This can have serious implications in hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Recent studies have also linked the lack of water to headaches, arthritis, and heartburn.

Have you have ever gotten up in the morning feeling bloated, or tried on a ring or shoe that fit yesterday but is too tight to wear today? Chances are your body is trying to tell you something. If you have a problem with water retention, excess salt may be the cause. Your body will tolerate a certain amount of sodium, however, the more salt you consume, the more fluid you need to dilute it. To overcome this problem, always drink plenty of water.

What if I told you that being dehydrated promotes the increase of body fat? Water contributes to energy storage along with glycogen. Without water, extra amounts of glucose remain in the bloodstream until reaching the liver, the extra glucose is stored as fat. Your body takes water from inside cells in an effort to compensate for a dehydrated state, including fat cells. Less water in your fat cells means less mobilization of fat for energy.

One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into energy. The kidneys are responsible for filtering toxins, wastes, ingested water, and salts out of the bloodstream. If you are dehydrated, the kidneys cannot function properly, and the liver must work overtime to compensate. As a result, it metabolizes less fat. So remember, if you are trying to decrease the amount of fat on your body, drink plenty of water.

Luckily, water is a great natural appetite suppressant. There are three ways we get water into our bodies. We get it from the foods we eat, the fluids we drink, and as a by-product of metabolism. It is always better to drink pure water instead of soda, tea, or coffee. These products actually increase your need for fluids because most contain caffeine, which is a diuretic. Diuretics force out stored water along with certain essential nutrients.

Unbelieveably, although unhealthy, the practice of dehydration is sometimes used in sports. Athletes may dehydrate in order to "make weight", competitive bodybuilders may dehydrate before a contest in order to look leaner and more muscular. This is a dangerous habit, as athletes and exercisers need more water than less active people. Reducing water in the body as little as 5% can result in as much as a 20-30% drop in your physical performance, 10% reduction can make you sick, and 20% can mean death. With water pollution on the rise, it is best to drink filtered or bottled water whenever possible.

Publishe By: Angela Lumley

Source: 

https://www.theragear.ca/article/water.php

The WOOSH

Of Whooshes and Squishy Fat

A few weeks back I answered a question about Not Losing Fat at a 20% Deficit, What Should I Do? and among other things, one comment I made had to do with a water retention that often occurs during fat loss which can mask fat loss and make it appear as if the diet is not working.  I also mentioned specifically that I had written (with a straight-face no less) about whooshes in The Stubborn Fat Solution, along with a related phenomenon which I call squishy fat.

In any case, to expand on that issue, I’m going to excerpt the chapter section from The Stubborn Fat Solution dealing with both phenomena.  With that introduction, I give you (again, with a straight face)…

Of Whooshes and Squishy Fat

Before you freak out and think you’ve entered some weird Internet forum where people talk about stalls and whooshes, please bear with me; there’s actually some physiological rationale to what I’m going to discuss.

Many people have noted that fat loss is often discontinuous, that is it often happens in stops and starts.  So you’ll be dieting and dieting and doing everything correctly with nothing to show for it.  Then, boom, almost overnight, you drop 4 pounds and look leaner.

What’s going on?  Back during my college days, one of my professors threw out the idea that after fat cells had been emptied of stored triglyceride, they would temporarily refill with water (glycerol attracts water, which might be part of the mechanism).  So there would be no immediate change in size, body weight or appearance. Then, after some time frame, the water would get dropped, the fat cells would shrink.  A weird way of looking at it might be that the fat loss suddenly becomes ‘apparent’. That is, the fat was emptied and burned off days or weeks ago but until the water is dropped, nothing appears to have happened.

For nearly 20 years I looked for research to support this, I was never sure if it was based on something from the 50’s or he just pulled it out of thin air as an explanation.  Recently, one paper did suggest that visceral fat can fill up with water after massive weight loss but that’s about it.

Somewhat circumstantially, people using Bio impedance body fat scales (which use hydration to estimate body fat levels) have noted that body fat appears to go up right before a big drop.  This implicates water balance as the issue here.

As well, women, who have more problems with water retention, seem to have bigger issues with stalls and whooshes than men.  Further, some individuals who have done dry carb-loads (high carbohydrate re feeds without drinking a lot of water) have seen them occur; presumably the body pulls water into the muscles and out of other tissues (fat cells).  In lean individuals, appearance is often drastically improved with this approach, it doesn’t do much for those carrying a lot of fat.

I’d note that dry carb-loads suck because you’re so damn thirsty.  Interestingly, even normal re feeds often work in this regards, perhaps the hormonal effect ‘tells’ the body to chill out and release some water.  So not only do re feeds seem to improve stubborn fat mobilization the next day (as discussed above), they may help the body drop some water so that you can see what is happening.

Finally, many have reported whooshes following an evening which included alcohol. A mild diuretic, this would also tend to implicate water balance issues in the whoosh phenomenon.

I’d also note that this isn’t universal, lean dieters often see visual improvements on a day to day basis; a lot seems to depend on whether or not they tend to retain water in general.  Folks who do have problems with water retention tend to have stalls and whooshes, those who don’t show nice consistent visual changes.

On a related topic, I wanted to discuss something else that often happens when people are getting very lean and dealing with stubborn body fat: the fat gets squishy, feeling almost like there are small marbles under the skin.  Yes, very scientific, I know. That’s the best I can do.

As folks get very lean, down to the last pounds of fat, the skin and fat cells that are left will often change appearance and texture.  It will look dimply (as the fat cells which are supporting the skin shrink and the skin isn’t supported) and feel squishy to the touch. This is bad in that it looks really weird, but it’s good because it means that the fat is going away.  I have nothing truly profound to say about this topic, just realizes that it happens and usually indicates good things are happening.

Published By:

Angela Lumley

Source:http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

11 Foods High in Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates can cause problems for the dieter as well as for anyone at risk for diabetes. For some people, carbohydrates can lead to a digestive imbalance which can cause serious problems in many systems in the body. While some carbohydrates create more of a glycemic spike than others or cause more health problems than others, any food with a high carbohydrate content can cause the body to hold onto fat and go into an overproduction of insulin. If you are trying to lose weight, it's best to aim for no more than a net of 80 grams of carbohydrates a day and to try to avoid sudden spikes in blood sugar. Here are 11 foods that are especially high incarbohydrates.

1. High Fructose Corn Syrup

Even though it is made from corn, this is one of the worst ingredients for your health. It is a highly processed food that packs on the pounds because it makes you want more sugar and it is very high in calories. It has also been implicated in problems with the liver.

2. Soda

One can of soda can contain 36 or more grams of carbohydrates. And that's all in empty calories with no fiber or other nutrition so it's an immediate glycemic spike.

3. Jam and Jelly

Even all-fruit jam or jelly is mostly sugar. It's certainly a better choice than jam with added sugar, but should still be used sparingly.

4. Bananas

While high in fiber and potassium, one banana contains 23.9 net carbs. Bananas contain the highest sugar content of any fruit.

5. Apples

Apples are great for you in many ways. But if you are trying to watch your carbohydrate intake, go for a strawberry or some kiwi instead. One apple contains about 21 grams of carbohydrates.

6. Bread

Even whole grain bread has around 20 grams of carbohydrates in one slice. The number is even higher for white bread. Limit your bread intake and try using a large chard leaf or a seaweed wrap instead.

7. Pasta

White flour or seminola pasta is a high-glycemic food. Try quinoa pasta or buckwheat pasta instead and measure out the portion carefully.

8. Fruit Juices

When you drink your fruit instead of eating it, you miss out on the fiber that lowers the glycemic impact of the food. Moreover, people rarely just drink the half cup of fruit juice that equals one whole serving of fruit. A smoothie is usually much more than half a cup and often contains other ingredients with added sugar like frozen yogurt.

9. Desserts

Even a healthy piece of pie with agave instead of sugar can really pack on thecarbohydrates. Make your own desserts using Stevia or whole fruit as a sweetener.

10. Starchy Vegetables

Peas, acorn squash, and corn can contain up to 30 grams of carbohydrates per cup. Choose green leafy vegetables or broccoli instead.

11. Granola and Other Cereals

Cereal can be a healthy way to start the day, but measure out the amount and be aware of the carb content. Granola especially can typically contain added sugar and dried fruits, which can both add up to an even higher carb content.

Published By: 

Angela Lumley

Sources:

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/11-foods-high-in-carbohydrates.html#b