5 Weight Loss Myths Holding You Back

Unrealistic weight-loss goals are really tough to live up to. Here are five of the leading myths that lure people into trouble with weight loss, and the truth about them:

• Myth 1: Your ideal weight is what you weighed when you were first married (or graduated college, or before you had children). If your're hoping to get back to what you weighed a year or two ago, fine: There's a chance you really might get close to that weight again. But if we're talking 15 or 20 years ago, you might want to reconsider. Many people put on weight as they get older. And no matter how hard they try, they have a tough time being as active as they might have been in their early twenties. Don't live in the past. Set a weight-loss goal that's appropriate for the way you live now.

• Myth 2: Your ideal weight is the number listed on a standard weight chart. True, height and weight are often related. Taller people weigh more than shorter ones, all things being equal. Many other factors play a role in dertmining what you weigh. For example, your body type: big-boned and solid, small-boned and light, or in between. Your metabolism: whether you naturally burn brightly and move a lot, or take things more slowly. The number of fat cells you have. How much your parents and other relatives weigh. The number listed for someone your height on a standard weight and height chart is just an approximation of what your healthy weight should be. Don't let this one number be the way you determine if you've succeeded or failed.

• Myth 3: Your ideal weight is the lowest weight you've been able to get down to when you've dieted in the past. Okay, so you've lost that much weight. But the fact that you're dieting again says you gained at least some or perhaps all of it back again. If you set a weight-loss goal that's too low for you to maintain, you'll get caught in the trap of yo-yo dieting - - losing weight, gaining it back, and trying to lose it again. The best weight goal is one you can live with.

• Myth 4: The less you weigh, the healthier you'll be. Not true. In fact, many studies show that if your're overweight, even seriously overweight, losing just 5 percent of your current weight is all you have to do to get the bulk of the health benefits: Lose that much and you'll dramatically lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer. In fact, most of the health payoff comes in that first 5 to 10 percent.

• Myth 5: If you don't get down to your dream weight, you'll never be happy. You don't believe that, do you? A number is just a number. And if it's a number that leaves you frustrated and stuck in a endless cycle of losing weight and gaining it back again, it's time to retire it for a more reasonable one.

Excerpt from Yahoo.com

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Congratulations to everyone! With very little effort (your words, not mine!) everyone lost some weight last week! Pat yourself on the back and keep up the good work!
Remeber, if you have a friend who is interested in participating, we are still accepting people into the group until the June 24th weigh-in!

*Next week at weigh-in we plan to have a healthy receipe for you to sample and take home with you if you want!
Til then... keep on THINNING & GRINNING!!

Stay on Track while Vacationing....

Taking your diet and fitness habits on the trip with you is as good an idea as packing your passport and SPF50. So how do you balance the carefree days of vactation with not falling off the wagon? You do just that - balance. Whether at home, the beach or somewhere in between, a healthy lifestyle is all about practicing balance and moderation.

Traveling By Plane

• Stock your carry on. Pack sturdy fruit like apples or a banana, raw almonds, whole grain crackers, celery and carrots and even a piece of quality dark chocolate. You won't feell ravaged on the plane and spend $5 or more on a canister of potato chips or a giant cookie!
• Stick to water. Ask for water or club soda with a twist of lime, but skip the rest of the drinks from the calorie cart.. or uh, beverage cart. Witht he germs on the plane and the change in altitude you will be doing your body three favors in one by sipping on water.
• Watch the seat belt light. When the pilot turns it off, get up. As long as the calorie cart isn't in the way, you can walk up and down the aisle. For longer flights, try to do this once an hour for about 5 minutes at a time.

Traveling By Car

• Have a picnic. You'll save calories, money and even add an extra element of fun to the kick off of your trip by packing sandwich makings in a cooler. Stop at a highway picnic area and enjoy turkey sandwiches on wheat bread, fresh veggies and hummus and a fruit salad.
• Be a tourist. Try to stop every one to two hours to stretch. Small towns that dot the interstate make great pit stops and phot opps.
• Stay hydrated. Each time you stop to refuel the car, refuel yourself. Take reusable water bottle and refill with water in the convenient store.

At Your Destination

• Stay active. Incorporate activities into your agenda that requre you to move. Wheter that be golf, tennis, kayaking, swimming or even a stroll to a tourist hot-spot, doing more than lounding all day will help burn those vacation calories.
• Indulge a little. Don't make every single meal a vacation treat. You'll certainly want to hit local dives and even splurge on at least one dinner, but you don't have to do it three times a day for a week. If you hit a greasy beach joint for lunch, have a lighter dinner. If you order a bottle of wine at dinner, skip dessert.
• Sleep. One of the best things you can do for your body is stay rested. With the hustle and bustle of geeting to your destination, the jam-packed vacation schedule, new time zones and even dietary changes, your vacation can take a toll on your body. Take advantage of your time off and squeeze in a nap and try to get as much quality sleep at night as possible!

*Excert from Yahoo.com / Lean more about staying fit while traveling at DietsInReview.com.

Weight-loss Boosting Tips

I received some information from a personal trainer a while back and wanted to share it with all of you.

1. Eat 6 Times Per day. This will help boost your metablolism so you can burn calories and melt fat all day long; eating often will also help keep your blood sugar stable. Also, make sure your eating with one hour after you get up and every 2.5 to 3 hours after that.
2. Combine Carbohydrates and Protien with EVERY Meal. Every meal you consume should include protein and carbohydrates (list available at weigh-ins). This combination is easiest for your body to break down which provides a number of benefits including: reduced fat storage, enhanced digestion, accelerated metabolism and increased energy level.
3. Combine Fats with Protien and Vegetables. For optimum fat loss, it is best to consume your good fats along with vegetables and protein. Beware that when you consume a combination of fats and carbohydrates it is extremely difficult for your body to break them down which increases fat storage.
4. Appropriate Portion Size. Make sure are consuming the right amount of calories for your body. Do not overfeed yourself. Use the palm of your hand for appropriate portion sizes.
5. Plan Your Meals. Plan your meals and snacks the day before, asthis makes it much easier to stick with your food plan and not cheat.
6. Water Intake. It's extremely important to stay well hydrated if you want to build muscle and melt body fat. A good rule of thumb is to drink about 1 gallon to 1.5 gallons of water per day. You may need to drink more if you also consume caffeinated products or other diuretics.
7. Stay Focused. If you hope to achieve results there is nothing more important than staying focused. Every time you want to cheat on your meal plan or miss a workout consider your goals and how motivated you are to accomplish them... think about how good you will fee after another great workout then, make the Right Choice.

READY FOR A CHALLENGE?

READY FOR A CHALLENGE?

Turn on your television, open the newspaper, or log onto the web, and you are likely to see a story of someone who is either struggling with their weight or just succeeded in revamping their lifestyle to control their weight. So, are YOU ready for a challenge? I know I am!

Here is how it will work:

• The challenge will begin on Friday, June 4, 2010 @ 5:30 pm
• The challenge will end on November 4, 2010 @ 8:00 pm
• The cost will be $20 to join the challenge. You will pay $1.00 at each weigh-in if you gain any weight or remain the same as the previous weigh-in.
• Weigh-in will be held every Thursday between the hours of 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm @ Angie’s House 1446 Upland Drive, YC. You are allowed to miss 1 (one) weigh-in per month without penalty. If you miss more than the allowed per month weigh-in, you will pay $5 for each time you do not make the weigh-in.
• The person who loses the most weight percentage wise (biggest loser style) will win a gift card valued at 20 times the number of participants (eg: $20 x 10 = $200)
• Communicate with other members of the challenge through our personal blog: http://thinningandgrinning.blogspot.com

Does this sound like something you are interested in? If so give me a call so we will know to expect you at the first weigh-in! So here’s to “Thinning & Grinning”!

Contact: Danielle @ 530-315-0408 or danicaligirl74@gmail.com

Top 20 Healthy Snacks: Shape Magazine.com

By Sharon Liao

These healthy snacks satisfy any craving, while still letting you lose weight.

It's 3 p.m. and the vending machine is calling. Don't listen. Instead, get satisfied—without blowing your diet—with one of these satisfying picks we selected with the help of Sally Sampson, the author of the 100-Calorie Snack Cookbook.

HEALTHY SNACKS TO TRY IF YOU'RE CRAVING SWEET
1 HOSTESS 100 CALORIE PACK CUPCAKES Lemon (100 calories, 2.5 g fat)

3/4 CUP MANGO tossed with lime juice and red pepper flakes (86 calories, 0.5 g fat)

1 SHEET (4 SMALL) GRAHAM CRACKERS spread with 1 teaspoon each part-skim ricotta and jam(86 calories, 2 g fat)

1/2 CUP STRAWBERRIES dipped in chocolate (microwave 1 tablespoon chocolate chips in 10-second increments until melted) (93 calories, 4 g fat)

1/2 LARGE PINK GRAPEFRUIT sprinkled with 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar and broiled for about 5 minutes(69 calories, 0 g fat)

HEALTHY SNACKS TO TRY IF YOU'RE CRAVING SALTY
1/2 CUP EDAMAME sprinkled with a pinch of sea salt (95 calories, 4 g fat)

1 LARGE HARD-BOILED EGG, sliced and sprinkled with salt and cumin, celery seed, or nutmeg(80 calories, 6 g fat)

3 OUNCES DELI TURKEY spread with 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard and rolled in 2 romaine lettuce leaves(90 calories, 1 g fat)

1 MEDJOOL DATE, sliced and stuffed with 1 teaspoon blue cheese and 1 pecan half (86 calories, 2 g fat)

1 CUP CAMPBELL'S SELECT HARVEST LIGHT SOUP Roasted Chicken with Italian Herbs (80 calories, 2.5 g fat)


HEALTHY SNACKS TO TRY IF YOU'RE CRAVING CRUNCHY
TORTILLA CHIPS (cut 1 corn tortilla into triangles and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil; bake at 325 for 10 minutes) with 2 tablespoons salsa for dipping(80 calories, 3 g fat)

16 POPCHIPS Parmesan Garlic Potato(96 calories, 3 g fat)

BAKED APPLE CHIPS (thinly slice 1 small apple and toss with 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and sugar; bake at 250 for 1 hour or until crispy) (99 calories, 0 g fat)

1 CUP JICAMA STICKS with 2 tablespoons hummus for dipping(96 calories, 3 g fat)

1 RYE CRISPBREAD topped with 1 tablespoon cream cheese and 1 tomato slice(91 calories, 5 g fat)

HEALTHY SNACKS TO TRY IF YOU'RE CRAVING CREAMY
SMOOTHIE (blend 3/4 cup nonfat milk, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 banana, and 3 ice cubes) (72 calories, 1 g fat)

1/4 CUP CANNED PUMPKIN mixed with 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice(100 calories, 0.5 g fat)

1 JELL-O MOUSSE TEMPTATIONS CUP Dark Chocolate Decadence(60 calories, 3 g fat)

1/2 SMALL WHOLE-WHEAT PITA spread with 2 tablespoons guacamole(77 calories, 4 g fat)

1/2 MEDIUM BAKED POTATO (pierce and microwave for 4 minutes) topped with 1 tablespoon each fat-free sour cream and salsa(81 calories, 0.5 g fat)

Answer to that burning question

Quite a few of you have asked if our weights will be published online... NO they will not be! :)

4 Foods You Need In Your Kitchen

4 Foods You Need In Your Kitchen

Couldn't swing by the grocery store?

No problem! These healthy pantry staples work overtime.

• Peanut Butter "Use this sandwich spread to make a protein-packed pasta sauce," says Leslie Bonci, R.D., the director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Mix together 1/3 cup peanut butter with 3 tablespoons each vinegar and soy sauce; toss with whole-wheat pasa, sugar snap peas, and chicken.
• Canned diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning This versatile veggie can serve as a marinade for chicken, pork, and fish. The tomatoes' acidity will tenderize the protien, while the herbs add flavor. Plus you'll score at least one extra serving of veggies.
• Brown rice Recycle last night's leftovers for a delicious high-fiber breakfast. "Mix 1/2 cup brown rice with a splash of soy or almond milk and a little cinnamon and brown sugar, then heat in a saucepan for a few minutes," says Bonci. Top with sliced bananas and berries.
• Plain yogurt High in calcium and immunity-boosting probiotics, yogurt is always a good-for-you snack. But when mixed with dill, it doubles as a tangy topper for fish, chicken, and baked potatoes!

Excerpt from Shape Magazine: May 2010 issue

A Couple of Changes

Just wanted to let you all know that in thinking it over... to make things fair, we will be changing the most weight lost from poounds to percentage.... Biggest Looser style! It has also been said that perhaps we should allow one missed weigh-in per month and if you miss any more than that, you have to pay a fine of $1.... any thoughts on this???

Are you ready for a challenge?

Turn on your television, open the newspaper, or log onto the web, and you are likely to see a story of someone who is either struggling with their weight or just succeeded in revamping their lifestyle to control their weight. So, are you ready for a challenge? I know I am!
Here is the way it will work:
*The challenge will begin on June 4, 2010 @ 6:30 pm
*The challenge will end on November 4, 2010 @ 6:30 pm
*The cost will be $20.00 initial fee, $1.00 at each weigh-in if you gain
any weight
*You will weigh-in each Thursday between the hours of 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm
*The person who loses the most weight (pounds) will win a gift card valued
at 20 times the number of participants (eg: 20 x 10 = 200)
*Communicate with other members of the challenge through our personal blog:
http://thinningandgrinning.blogspot.com/

Does this sound like something you are interested in? If so give me a call and I will let you know the location of the first weigh-in! So here’s to “Thinning & Grinning”!
Contact: Danielle @ danicaligirl74@gmail.com