Tag: Weight Loss

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FARMERS MARKETS HELP WEIGHT CONTROL

Farmers Markets Help Control Weight
Farmers Markets Help Weight Control. Summer is the best time to lose weight.

We Hoosiers have been blessed this summer.  Lots of rain, and abundant crops. Which means  farmers markets have a lavish  array of fresh produce.  Vine ripened, red and yellow tomatoes.  Sweet, juicy cantaloupe and watermelon. Fresh picked corn. Peppers.   Some are  even selling colorful bouquets of coxcomb flowers  to decorate your living room and take your mind off food.  Now is the best time of year to try and lose weight.  Farmer’s markets help  weight control by providing us with the best “diet” food on earth.

There are a few unfortunate people who don’t like tomatoes.  I’m not one of them.  I keep a basketful in my kitchen.  When you get the hungries,   slice a tomato, add a little salt, and any  cravings for high calorie snacks disappear.  Here’s the good news:  One small tomato has only 15 calories.   Tomatoes are a source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. They  also provide vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K.

Sweet corn is a great substitute for potatoes.   A baked potato has 161 calories vs. 59 calories for an ear of corn.  Butter will add extra calories to both.   Caution:   Do not overcook corn.   If you do, it will taste tough and starchy.  Boil for no more than 15 minutes.

Some folks are allergic to watermelon, but most aren’t. One problem is that they’re so big, it’s a challenge to consume the whole melon while  still fresh.  But as I mentioned in my blog last month, it can be frozen in chunks  to use in smoothies.  There are only 49 calories in a cup of  watermelon, but it  has a high water content, which  makes you feel full.  And it  has beneficial nutrients like Vitamins A and C.

Zucchini squash isn’t one of my favorite veggies, but it’s colorful and crisp..  When serving dip to guests, substitute zucchini slices for potato chips.  Did you know that 10 potato chips have 100 calories, while 10 zucchini slices have almost none?

Thank heaven for local farmers help with weight control. Fill your tummy with fresh fruits and veggies, and you’re bound to lose a few pounds.

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BREAKING UP WITH MY FITBIT

Were you ever in a good relationship that finally ran its course? That’s what happened between my Fitbit and me. Getting my first Fitbit was quite a thrill.   It made me feel young and hip.  I was proud to wear it out in public, and unashamed that it wasn’t exactly ornamental.   I noticed a lot of other people wearing them, too–not just when exercising, but at theaters and restaurants.  Who would want to be without a Fitbit?

 
It was supposed to help me lose weight.  The idea being that if I would just take more steps,  the extra pounds would simply melt away.  Didn’t happen, because I wasn’t exercising any more than I did when I set my goal for, say, 15 minutes of this or that exercise,  or maybe half hour of walking.  Another problem was that if Fitbit told me I’d walked an extra mile or so, I thought I could have an extra doughnut.  But I learned that 75% of weight loss comes from reduced calories, with exercise only accounting for 25%.  A little extra exercise didn’t justify eating more.
Breaking up with my fitbit was the best decision I've made for a long time.
Breaking up with my Fitbit. At first, I thought it would help me lose weight. But mostly, it made me lose sleep.

 

One good thing:  Fitbit told me how many miles I had walked from point A to point B,  but once I had that information, I didn’t really need the wristband to tell me what I already knew.  And then, a friend pointed out that if all I wanted to know was mileage, I could slip my smart phone in my back pocket and it would tell me the same thing.
 

After about a year, things started going south when I realized Fitbit was ruining my sleep.  It would tell me how many times I was up during the night, and how many times I tossed and turned . The first time I saw those numbers, I was rattled.  Up 5 times? Restless 16 times?    I could only remember getting up once. My goodness, what’s wrong.  No wonder I feel so tired.  I would go to bed at night, fearing the worst.  The more I worried about getting up at night,  the more the numbers increased.  If my Fitbit reported I only got five hours of sleep, I felt more exhausted just seeing that number.

 And then, one day, my Fitbit wore out.  And I decided not to buy a new one. Breaking up with my Fitbit was such a relief.– not having to worry about those numbers anymore.  There are still times, when I wake up and can’t go back to sleep.  Sometimes that takes its toll, and other times I feel just fine.  Mostly, the way I can tell if I got a good night’s rest is the way I feel in the morning.   I don’t want Fitbit telling me I should be tired.
 
So  goodbye, Fitbit. We had a good run, but I don’t need you anymore.

 

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SHOULD YOU ASK SOMEONE TO LOSE WEIGHT?

The media has taken out after poor Meghan Markle again.  This time, they’re saying that she had the nerve to tell her husband to lose weight.  On top of that, they claim she’s started picking out his clothes.  Where do they come up with all this supposedly inside information?  Was a reporter hiding in their bedroom closet?  Maybe someone noticed Prince Harry  had dropped a few pounds , and concocted this story.  But it does present a moral issue:   Should you ask someone to lose weight? Should you help your husband pick out new clothes?

Body shaming is another matter.  It’s harmful to make fun of someone’s size.  My sister struggled with overweight as a young adult, and was often  the target of ridicule. She ended up taking so many diet pills that it affected her mental health for the rest of her life.

Should a wife tell a husband to lose some weight
A caring wife may ask her husband to lose some weight.

On the other hand, what is so terrible about a concerned wife suggesting her husband lose a few pounds?  Seem to me, it’s the caring thing to do.  My husband has bad knees, and must walk with a cane.  When he starts complaining, I’m apt to suggest he take off a few pounds to relieve the pressure on his joints.  Maintaining a normal  weight is also important for heart health.  On top of that, he’s a diabetic.  Is  a wife supposed to ignore it when her husband starts packing on the pounds?

Research has shown that the loss of 10 pounds can lead to a healthier life. Benefits may include:  1) 50% reduction in heart disease.  2) 60% reduction in diabetes risk. 3) 50 % decrease in arthritis.

What’s so mean and terrible about that?

About the clothes issue:  My husband always wants me with him when he buys new clothes.  I can tell him which colors are unflattering,  or when the shoulders of a jacket or sweater are too saggy—things he doesn’t always notice. By the same token, I want his advice on what to wear for special occasions.  Seems to me that’s one good thing about having a loving spouse or partner.

So I’m asking the media: please leave Meghan alone.  It won’t hurt Harry at all to lose some weight.  And it might inspire others to do the same.