Day 5

Since it's Sunday I slept in today. When I finally got up, it was close to 9am.

I made myself a fruit salad out of cantaloupe, honey dew and some other melon that I don't remember the name of. I added some fresh pineapple, blueberries and kiwi, and the salad kept me full till way past lunch.

This afternoon I went hiking for a good hour in the forrest and it was a nice exercise. The weather was nice but it's getting dark so early in the afternoon I walked fast because I was a little afraid of getting lost if i didn't make it out of the forrest before the sun went down.

For dinner I made lamb steak with potatoes au gratin and a green leaf salad.
I had a glass of red wine with my dinner, and a scope of mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert. It tasted wonderful!

I probably should have skipped both the wine and the ice cream, but I didn't eat a lot of ice cream and honestly, why bother going on a diet if there's no lights in the food tunnell, right?

Day 4

I feel so much better. This day has gone by like a dream!

I made myself a fruit salad with 1 apple, 1 banana and a kiwi for breakfast.
Then I went hiking for an hour and I had lunch in the forrest. I had another fruit salad for lunch made of 1/2 honey dew melon, kiwi and a handfull of blueberries. I also brought a banana which I ate at the same time.

For dinner I had soup with meat, carrots and potatoes. I had a waffle for dessert but hey, it is Saturday night and after all, waffles are a human right, right? ;-)

All in all, day 4 has been the easies day so far. I hadn't lost any more weight this morning but I feel less bloated and I haven't been hungry for a minute. My blood sugar have been very stable today. I'm curious to see if it will stay that way because when my blood sugar fall, so does my mood. If this diet changes that, that alone is a good reason to stick with this diet long term!

Day 3

The head ache is gone!
Today has been better. I haven't been hungry all day. I had a banana for breakfast, then I had an apple, and another banana and a sharon fruit for lunch. I made myself a green leaf salad with tomatoes in the afternoon, and after that I ate three clementines.

I went out for pizza for dinner today. Pizza is a Friday staple in this house hold.
Yesterday I ordered fried rice with vegetables from a Chinese restaurants that uses fresh vegetables instead of frozen, for dinner. It filled me up enough so I didn't get hungry for the rest of the night.

I haven't been as good tonight. I've had three sips of Coca cola, 10-15 pringles and a couple of jelly beans. I'm going to find some grapes now so I don't get tempted to eat any more unhealthy sweets tonight.

Also, I had lost another 1/4 pound this morning. Not much to brag about, but as I've said earlier - it's the small steps!

Day 2

Yesterday went okay.
I managed to stay on the raw diet until dinner and ended my day with a sushi dinner.
I got a mild head ache in the afternoon but from what I've read from others who have started on the raw diet, many suffer from headache the first two, three days.

This morning I was a little hungry but a banana filled me up enough before I went to work.
I have had 2 bananas, one apple, one sharon fruit and a couple of almonds.
I haven't been hungry at all today but my mild headache is still here.
Also, this morning I had lost 1/2 pound since yesterday. It's the small things that matters, right? :-)

A new approach to an old problem

Posted by Fio.

The last few weeks - months - have been so busy I've hardly had time to cook, exercise or clean.
Then last night I realized that things won't be changing anytime soon. *IF* I want to loose weight, *I* need to make a change, because it won't happen out of the blue.

I also know that I need a schedule for weight loss. I need to do the same thing EVERY day. Loose diets plans don't work for me.

So I'm going back to what I know works for me: Raw until dinner.
I eat fruit and vegetables until dinner. It's easy for me because I LOVE fruits and vegetables!
I also love dinner. It's my favourite meal of the day.
Also, I think that I can vary my diet more if I include dinner, but half of my dinner will be a green salad. Also, I'm not much of a meat eater so my dinners will mostly be vegetarian.

Since I don't believe in starting tomorrow, I started today. I want to loose 20 pounds and it starts today.

So far, so good. I had one Fiji pear (looks like an apple, tastes like a pear) for breakfast.
Lunch was a banana, an apple and a bag of tasty cherry tomatoes.

I have 10 almonds in my purse that I will snack on for the next two hours.

And best of all, I'm not hungry. Yet! :-)

Aaaaarghhhhh!!!

Four weeks of summer vacation has taken it’s toll.
I’ve been good, exercise wise. I have walked almost every day but alas, that doesn’t help much considering all the fatty dinners and all the wine I have consumed for the last weeks. I’m stuck, weight wise. Stuck, stuck, stuck!
And it’s driving me crazy.

I definitely need to go back to a more healthy life style but honestly, I live pretty healthy. I just need to find a way to consume less calories that I burn. And that is not an easy task.
I have a job that won’t let me go dizzy headed through the day. I need to be razor sharp!
And I am anal about getting enough vitamins, protein, carbs and fat. Yes fat. My body needs fat, and so does everyone elses.

So, long story short: I’m back on track and I’ll keep you updated.

YoYo

Posted by Pasta

The Bad News: After 2 weeks of lying in bed and eating tons of fruit and Indian food in a pouch, I can't believe it, but I've gained 5 of the 6 pounds back.

The Experiment: I gotta question how much of that is "real." When you can't walk, you drink as little liquid as possible, for obvious reasons. I've progressed to lurching now, so I'm going to see how much of it falls off with the return of H20. I'll be back on WW tomorrow too, so I'm curious to see how the scale/timeline goes.

In a few weeks, I'll add some water aerobics to the mix, which should help.

Speaking of water exercise, the New York Times had an interesting article on 41 year-old Olympic swimmer Dara Torres. She's got an amazing body -- the most defined 6-pack abs I've ever seen on a woman. It costs her $100,000 per year to maintain: "Torres’s retinue includes a head coach, a sprint coach, a strength coach, two stretchers, two masseuses, a chiropractor and a nanny..."

What could we look like for $100,000? ....

These Feet Are Made For Swimming

Posted by Pasta, inspired by Fio


I am continually inspired by Fio. It's so much easier to stay on a good path when you have a diet buddy. Despite my sloth, I'm sticking to weight watchers. Luckily a diet rich in fruits and fibrous veggies is good for the post-surgery system. I'm also happy to report that there's a wonderful middle-eastern store in town which has agreed to deliver for me. Hummus is good for the digestion!

I've also brought in a woman to clean and arrange things for me. I watch her exercise. I'm sure it's helpful.

These feet are made for walking...

Posted by Fio.

So, I'm obviously not one of these fancy dressed chicks you'll find in some gyms. My exercise outfit consists of my Nike shoes and old yoga pants, a T-shirt and a fleece jacket. That's it.

I like to walk outdoors. I have tried yoga, boxing, aerobics, pilates, swimming, spinning...you name it. But somehow my schedule makes it hard to be at the gym at a certain time. Nature is always there and to be frank, it's free. With the world economy plumming, it's nice to be able to save money on something.

I still walk 3 miles plus five days a week. Even though I haven't lost a lot of weight, my body feels....more lean.

But I dived into this project with a plan to loose weight, so to be able to do so, I have changed my diet. Again.

This is my "new" eating plan:

Breakfast: Fruit and yogurt sprinkled with chopped nuts.

Lunch: Home made vegetable soup (I bring it to work in a thermos) and a whole grain roll.

Dinner: Something healthy and good made from a lot of vegetables and mainly fish. I am cutting meat out from my diet now. I have wanted to do so for a long time. I really just needed an excuse to do it. My main concern is, am I getting enough calcium in my diet?

I will have to look a little closer into that.

A Little Progress

Posted by Pasta

I'm pleased to say I've lost 5 pounds in 5 weeks.

I started to have a new health problem -- one which can be exacerbated by being overweight. I've never had better, stronger motivation in my life.

I admit, I enjoy being fit because it is easier to move, but aside from that, I never felt my weight stopping me from doing anything or putting my health in jeapordy. Until now.

I'm going in for more surgery this Friday so I'm going to have to put the diet on hold for now, but it really has changed my outlook. Last surgery, I loaded up on chocolate and cheese because I wanted some comfort food. Now I look at that as "dis-comfort" food!

I'm still rooting for you Fio!

Is the cup half empty or half full?

Posted by Fio.

After six weeks of dieting, I'm still only down two pounds!
I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. I don't eat that much, and my love for fruit and vegetables should be giving me extra benefits, but no, no such thing as an extra benefit here.

For a while I was ready to blame it on pollution. I bet polluted air contain twice as many calories ad fresh air!
But then there would be more overweight people out there, don't you think?

I could choose to focus on the negative things here, but I won't.
Instead I will tell you what my 30 hikes and 100 miles in six weeks have taught me:

- I love the outdoors.
- Taking long walks with my dog is the best way to bond with him. We are best friends now.
- I think fresh air cleans my brains. I think so much better when I'm hiking and all the volume polluted air is not around me.
- Hiking makes me sleep better. You couldn't wake me with drum set if you wanted to.
- Hiking makes me appreciate good shoes. I love my hiking boots.
- I have a new appreciation for SPF 50 and sun block.
- I know more about water bottles than I ever imagined anyone would know, so I feel smarter.
- I'm pay more attention to the weather forecast than the news on TV. I know more about what goes on in the stratosphere than in Iraq now.
- The weather looks worse viewed from indoors. There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
After three miles and a hot shower, I feel as good as new!

At a Crossroads

by Pasta

On the plus side, I've lost 2.5 pounds. It may not sound like much, but momentum is everything.

On the motivational side, I'm experiencing health problems (posterior tibial tendon dysfunction PTTD) that can be directly linked to being overweight.

The bad news
I have spinal problems ( a bugling disc and a herniated disc) that are aggravated by exercise. I had a chat with my physical therapist today and truth to tell, even water aerobics aggravates my spinal problems. I love my PT and my water aerobics class. I LOVED losing weight this week, but I don't have any idea on how to lose weight without exercise. Some well-meaning friends of mine suggested yoga. I've taken a year of yoga classes and I loved them, but I am not about to trust anyone with my neck unless their triple-approved.

Back to the bad news--my spinal doc said my options are
1. suck it up and live in anywhere from everyday discomfort to constant agony
2. convince my primary physician to prescribe some unidentified drugs
3. get surgery.

So I'm VERY motivated by my feet, but very discouraged by my neck. I'm certain I'm not the onl one. If you're reading this and can identify -- please comment below!

Sleep and Exercise

by Pasta

I've made it almost an entire week on WeightWatchers and I can't believe it took me this long.

I know the reason though -- I can't stick to a diet unless its friend exercise is along for the ride. They reinforce each other. Exercising feels good (hopefully) and I'm more aware of my body which in turn makes me more conscious of the consequences of what and how much I put in it.

I thought I had grown to need less sleep, but the two days I exercised this week I went to sleep earlier and slept later. Last night I did not exercise and the sleep difference was DRAMATIC. I just couldn't feel tired enough to sleep until about 2:30am.

I enjoy having those extra hours ;-) but I think I'll get back to aquarobics on Monday anyway. I like that "good soreness" feeling you get from using your body.

I held my fort all through a hotel weekend

Posted by Fio.

I'm really proud of myself!
I spent last weekend at a hotel in Denmark, and as most people who have visited Denmark knows, the food there is AWESOME!

I usually have a hard time dieting when I'm gone for a weekend, especially when I stay somewhere where the food is great. This time, I decided to pack my sneakers, my yoga pants and a fleece jacket. It might sound gross to some, but I decided to use the sweather from the day before to walk up a sweat in. As people who have travelled knows, the more you bring, the less space you have for shopping, and I was destined to shop!

I started each day with a glass of apple juice, then I went for a long walk (more than an hour.)
The interesting thing is, I actually got to see more of the place this way. Details I would never have noticed if I wasn't walking on my feet.

After my walk, I showered and went out for lunch.
It felt so good to be able to eat without feeling guilty. I also believe that I watched my portions more this time because of my recent walk. My body felt lighter and when I got back home, I hadn't gained so much as an ounce!

From now on, I'll bring my sneakers wherever I travel, because I love to be able to eat without worrying about my weight, and that is especially important when you are in a place where the food is to die for.

Stop the Presses, Alert the Media. I Actually Exercised!!

by Pasta

I'd been stuck. I couldn't walk because of my ankles. I couldn't ride my bike because of my neck. Finally I found Water Aerobics!!

It was me, lots of grandmothers, some moms-to-be, and a few other out of shape or injured people. I couldn't do everything, but most of the time I could do at least something. It felt so great to be able to move a bit again! It was like being let out of a cage. Then I pushed too far and had to tone it down, but great to be moving!

Then I came home and stepped on the scale.

One pound down! With all the steroids, I count that as huge progress. Break out the carrot sticks, I'm celebrating. :-)

Go Fio!!!!

by Pasta

I'm cheering you on!!

I've been pretty frustrated with the exercise situation. My neck is only comfortable with walking, but my feet aren't up to it. And I find it impossible to lose weight, or even diet without exercising. They just reinforce each other you know? Exercise --moving that weight around--makes me more conscious of just exactly where that second breakfast (or dinner) I want winds up. I'm happy to say I found a 6pm-6:45pm water exercise class that starts this Wednesday and ends right before my next surgery.

I'm not sure if my bathing suit fits and I REALLY don't want to try it on...but it'll be worth it if I can shed some pounds ASAP.

Here's hoping some of Fio's success rubs off on me!

Finally, it happened to me!

Posted by Fio.

I'm down three pounds, and this time I think it's for real!
My clothes fit *a little better* and I have been 3 pounds down every morning for several days in a row now. I'm SO pleased!

I am going away this weekend and I know the food will be good, BUT I packed my sneakers and yoga pants, so I will practice portion control and take a walk every day.

I reaslly, really needed this. Finally, the hard work seems to be paying off! :-)

You convinced me Fio!

Posted by Pasta

The middle way. I bought ice cream, but it's mochi ice cream (looks like this. Bite sized pieces wrapped in a sticky rice shell. They're built for portion control but without the extra packaging.

I had some wine, but less. Then I went out and sat on the front porch and gazed at my crazy lawn exploding with 20 different kinds of flowers. Pinks, oranges, purples, and lots of greens. It was a feast for the eye.

All balanced out by a lean cuisine lunch (butternut ravioli with extra veggies) and a few mini-veggie corn dogs with a veggie bologna sandwich. I splurged and put a little creamy havarti on too.

It felt a lot better than downing too many margaritas with too many tortilla chips.

I may not be doing what I had aimed to, but this blog is definitely helping me NOT go off the deep end.

Thank you!

What would you want one month from now?

Posted by Fio.

Every time I am about to give up on something, I ask myself: How will I feel about this decision in a month?
I don't have a strong self determination and my will power is...hey, what's that again?

But I do have goals and before I break the rules I have set for myself, I try to think about the consequences.

What I'm trying to say is, I totally understand how hard it is to be on a diet.
I, personally, hate it.
Therefore I don't go on diets. I do life styles instead. The life style I have now consists of a lot of fresh air, fruit and vegetables, but I have fitted some wine and honey cake into my diet. It tastes way too good to be omitted from any diet, in my humble opinion.

Basically, I try to picture the person *I* want to be, and then I think about how to get there.

Right now, I want to be the outdoorsy type who eat healthy but I am by no means obsessing about food. I have found that if I have a carrot when I crave chocolate, I often just wanted something to chew on.
Also, I don't snack. I have a piece of fruit in between meals if I get hungry, and that's it.
As the food prices have risen, I drink more water, and that is also healthy for me.
I don't buy chocolate, cakes, sodas or other sweets regularly. If I don't have it at home, I won't be able to eat it, right?

Pasta, you asked me in your previous post what I would do if I were you.
I think I would choose the middle road. I think you will be more depressed about your weight in a month if you drop "dieting" completely, but who says you can't have some wine, chocolate and ice cream? I think that if you eat mostly healthy, you can have both wine and a treat occasionally.
And don't forget, I'm right here beside you, suffering and swearing. You can use me for support (or seek comforty in my failings :-) any time, hun.

Plateaus and Obstacles

by Pasta

I admire your tenacity Fio. You're going to see this through, you're in for the long haul, and really, what do you have to lose? You're establishing healthy eating habits, that can't possibly be a bad thing, right?

I'm at a crossroads...I feel like what I should do is work REALLY hard through the end of June to lose anything I can as soon as possible.

Here's why:
1. Saw the spine doctor today. MRI reveals slipped (aka herniated) discs in my neck. I go in tomorrow for an epidural.
2. Saw the ankle doctor today. MRI reveals more problems in my other ankle so I go in for surgery on June 27th.

The lighter I am before surgery, the easier my recovery will be. I'm lacking motivation though. I aggravated my neck and post-surgery ankle the other day. When I'm in pain, I want a nice glass of wine and some comfort food. Clearly, those will NOT bring me long term comfort.

So the question is...to give up now (which would be stupid but cozy) or tough it out for five more weeks and THEN give up (post-surgery and diet do NOT go together.)

Fio, what do you think?

And where's that butler with my sympathetic martini???

I am beyond pi$$ed!

Posted by Fio.

Please excuse my language, but I'm close to exploding!

For the last three weeks, I have walked over three miles a day, five days a week. I have had a fruit smoothie (150 calories) for breakfast, a home made salad with a vinaigrette dressing or a home made sandwich for lunch, and a healthy dinner with lot's of vegetables in the evening. (And hardly any sauce to go with it.)
I have made sure I have gotten seven hours of sleep a night (- or more). I drink mostly water or unsweetened tea, but I do have a glass of juice a couple of times a week. I've had three glasses of wine in three weeks, and guess what! When I weighed myself this morning, I was ONE POUND MORE than I was three weeks ago!!! Meaning, I weigh more now than before I went on my diet.

I am so mad, I'm close to using all the bad words I can think of.
I feel like giving up, but I made a promise to myself: I am staying on this diet until the end of July!

Pasta, your dishes (below) looks delicious!
My mouth watered when I saw the picture of your berry and banana breakfast, and your soup looks SOOO good! I'm sorry things have been going slow for you too. But I guess things can't get any worse now, right? :-)

Fio, I think you're doing great!

posted by Pasta

You lose weight quickly on a crash diet, but it comes right back. You're doing the real thing...real weightloss is unbearably slow. I always feel like it should come off in a week.

I haven't been losing, in fact, those pesky steroids did make me gain, but I *am* eating better. Better breakfast (berries and bananas), better lunch (veggie dumplings with spinach, yum!), and my community supported agriculture share is starting to come in, so the last pic is of tatsoi sauteed with veggie chicken strips.

Two pounds down in two weeks and four days

Posted by Fio.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry anymore.
I have been so good, I really have! I have walked over three miles a day, five days a week. I have changed my diet to fruits and vegetables, fish and legumes. I get at least seven hours of sleep every night and I drink a lot of water.
Still, I'm only two pounds down.
A friend tried to comfort me today, telling me that I'm probably building muscles and that muscles weigh more than fat. BUT, if that is right, my clothes should feel looser and they don't. It feels exactly like it did two weeks and four days ago.

I hate that my good work is not rewarded. Ithink I deserve a new lip stick to keep my spirits up!

I want Eva Longrias legs!

Posted by Fio.

I was flipping through the April issue of In Style today (I'm not a slow reader, but these magazines come at 400 pages and it takes time to get through them, know what I mean?) and I suddenly saw the title;
"Get Eva's legs!"

Eva Longria Parker, as her name is now after she got married, does lunges (forward lunges, back lunges, side lunges and and transverse lunges - meaning stepping out at a 45-degree angle, three times a week.)
Then - and this is where it becomes interesting - the article says that Longria Parker also hikes, power walks and uses an elliptical.

For those of you who have followed my diet without being on a diet, you know that hiking and power walking is a large part of my plan to become a slim and marvellous version of myself. ;-)

After being on a diet for over two weeks and having only lost two pounds, I have to admit I was not happy with my progress yesterday. But you know what? I will at least come out of this with great looking legs. If I add a few lunges to my daily walk, I will get Eva Longria Parkers legs!

I can live with that!

Is it possible to sleep yourself thin?

Posted by Fio.

I have lost two pounds since I started dieting.
That's all, and I'm terribly disappointed.

I have been SO good! I have eaten lot's of vegetables. I don't eat a lot of fat and meat is almost out of my diet completely. I don't drink soda, not much alcohol and I don't eat a lot of sweets. In addition, I have walked more than three miles a day, five days a week since I started. It doesn't seem to help.

So now I have turned my attention to sleep.
Did you know that researches thinks that too little sleep can cause overweight?

One of the more interesting ideas that has been smoldering and is now gaining momentum is the appreciation of the fact that sleep and sleep disruption do remarkable things to the body -- including possibly influencing our weight," says David Rapoport, MD, associate professor and director of the Sleep Medicine Program at the New York University School of Medicine in New York City.
(Source: http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/lose-weight-while-sleeping )

Scientists have found that sleep deprivation increases levels of a hunger hormone and decreases levels of a hormone that makes you feel full. The effects may lead to overeating and weight gain.
In a recent study, those who regularly slept less than 7.7 hours had a slightly higher body mass index (BMI).

Several epidemiological studies show the same connection, including one out last month from Columbia University in New York that used government data on 6,115 people to compare sleep patterns and obesity.
Researchers found that people who sleep two to four hours a night are 73% more likely to be obese than those who get seven to nine hours. Those who get five or more hours of sleep a night are 50% more likely to be obese than normal sleepers. Those who sleep six hours are 23% more likely to be obese.
And, the researchers reported, those who get 10 or more hours are 11% less likely to be obese.
In a way, the latest findings seem counterintuitive "because most people think that sleeping too much contributes to making people fat, but we found the opposite is true," Emmanuel Mignot says. He is a a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Stanford
(Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-12-06-sleep-weight-gain_x.htm )

So, how much sleep is enough?
This is what one expert says:

Sleep needs vary, but in general most adults need seven to nine hours a night, experts say. There are some people who can do with less, and others who need more. Yet, many people don't know exactly how much sleep they need. Sleep researcher Eve Van Cauter, professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, recommends trying to get a handle on your sleep need by doing this: The next time you're on vacation, sleep as much as you can the first couple of days. That way you can pay off your sleep debt, she says. Then, when your sleep has stabilized, record how much you sleep, plus or minus 15 minutes. That is your sleep need or capacity.

Needless to day, I'm off to Zzzzzzzz!!!

The miracle diet that cures obesity and illness - does it exist?

Posted by Fio.

Once in a blue moon, someone will raise their voice and say something that will make a lot of pieces in the puzzle fall into place. Things will suddenly start making sense.

Daphne Miller has spoken, and her thoughts and knowledge on dieting should be turning heads soon. Miller is a doctor, associate clinical professor at UC San Francisco and a nutritionist. Her message is as genious as it is easy: Go back to basics:

As a doctor with a private family practice in San Francisco, Daphne Miller has seen her share of patients suffering from “Western diseases”: diabetes, depression, heart disease, and breast cancer. Rather than treating or preventing these ailments just with Western medicine, though, Miller—who completed a fellowship in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona after graduating from Harvard Medical School—also uses a nutrition-based approach, prescribing whole foods (local, seasonal, and organic if possible) and advising her patients to avoid most processed foods. Her new book, The Jungle Effect: A Doctor Discovers the Healthiest Diets from Around the World—Why They Work and How to Bring Them Home (HarperCollins), examines the traditional diets in places around the world where rates of Western diseases are minimal, offering a selection of recipes from each region. Gourmet Associate Web Editor Christy Harrison spoke to Miller about
the problems with Americanized ethnic cuisine, the great thing about extra-hot Cheetos, and why al dente penne is less likely to give you diabetes than mushy spaghetti.

Read more here: http://www.gourmet.com/foodpolitics/2008/05/jungleeffect_QA

She also talks about how traditional food has been altered into processed foods full of starch and unhealthy fats:

Take the emblematic Passover food: matzo. Both in Nana's kitchen and in her own mother's kitchen in Eastern Europe, "matzo" stood for unleavened bread. But this is where the similarity ended. Traditional matzo was a handmade, nutty flatbread made from hard wheat. Nana, by contrast, served a packaged, pasty cracker that had no more flavor than air.

Read more about that here: http://www.latimes.com/features/health/medicine/la-oe-miller19apr19,1,4173894.story

Miller took off from California and vent to visit people and places were the Western diseases don't exist, like on Crete, Iceland and Okinawa in Japan.

This is what she found out:
The problem, as Dr. Miller discovered when she travelled to all of these places to see for herself, is that health and longevity are about the only things that these cultures have in common. The robust Tarahumara Indians, for example, eat a diet of 80% carbohydrates (mostly in the form of starchy vegetables like corn and potatoes!), while the indestructable Cretans get almost 50% of their calories from fat. Some long-lived cultures eat almost no meat, while the hale and hearty Icelanders eschew vegetables as "animal feed" and eat large quantities of lamb and fish.

She concludes that traditional diets work chiefly because they are based on the plants and animals that flourish in the local ecosystem, prepared and consumed in a way that has been fine-tuned by generations of trial and error to provide optimal nutrition for those people.

Read more about it here: http://blog.nutritiondata.com/ndblog/2008/04/is-a-varied-die.html

Other experts have also taken to Millers thoughts and find her research very interesting. One of the things Miller is teaching, is that home cooked meals are better for you than restaurant food. It doesn't have to take a lot of time and effort either.

Here is her answer when she is asked about her own priorities:

I don’t mean to sound self-righteous about this, but I don’t have hired help. I’m a doctor, I have two kids, I teach, I manage to exercise most days, and I still manage to cook. It’s just a matter of priorities. It’s a matter of deciding that this is the way you’re going to spend family time and relaxation time—not in front of the TV, not driving somewhere in your car, but actually just in the kitchen for a half hour or 40 minutes, making a meal.

When people really get sick, they have all the time in the world. All of a sudden they go to all these doctor’s appointments and they have to stand in line at a pharmacy to buy their medications. And they have to go for testing and they have to go for follow-up, and they have to spend all the hours being anxious about their disease, losing productive time doing that. And it’s like, just invest a little bit ahead of time. But I know that’s not the politically correct answer.
I mean, people are cooking, but it’s just not part of the popular culture to be proud of yourself as a home cook. I think it’s considered anti-feminist, because the idea is that women are the ones that ultimately are going to be trapped in the kitchen. I have quite a few friends that really feel that for them it’s been a strong political statement to not cook. But I think the onus is on the family, whatever your family structure is. Whoever lives under your roof, you all cook together.

Here is two of her recipes from her new book (that I'm definitely ordering, by the way!)

“Research shows that if you cook at home, you’re healthier,” notes Dr. Miller. When Americans say they’re too busy, she points out that indigenous people manage to cook without our time-saving devices. For an easy meal, she suggests placing fresh dried beans and water (at a one-to-three ratio) in a slow cooker before work. When you get home, season, top with salsa and avocado slices, and serve with corn tortillas.


Horta Omelet

To make this breakfast recipe from the Isle of Crete, Dr. Miller suggests using free-range eggs for better taste. Sprinkle the dish with fresh lemon juice to boost the flavor and help your body absorb nutrients in the greens.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped fresh greens (such as purslane, kale, or Swiss chard), with tough stems removed
2 tablespoons loosely crumbled feta cheese
3 to 4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives
2 lemon wedges
Pinch of salt

Heat olive oil over medium heat, add garlic, and stir until soft. Add greens and stir until soft. Evenly distribute greens on bottom of pan and sprinkle with feta. Pour eggs over the top, and cook until they’re done. Top with olives, salt, and lemon juice.
Serves 2.

(http://www.drweilselfhealing.com/show_document.asp?iDocumentID=548&iBDC=6576&iPageNumber=1)

How to diet on restaurant food

Posted by Fio.

I spent the last three days in a hotel, and as one knows, dieting when you can literally swim in delicious food, is hard.

Thankfully, modern restaurants these days provide a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. I had a yogurt with fresh fruits on the side for breakfast, a fish and seafood buffet for lunch with a strawberry smoothie as dessert, and then I went for soup starters and grilled fish for dinner.
I think I did good. The food was absolutely delicious, and I didn't get hungry between meals as I normally dowhen I stay in hotels.
Since this was a trip through work, I had a set program every day. With a bronchities infection in full bloom at the same time, I dropped exercise. After all, my health is more important to me than dropping these pounds at a steady speed.

I'm sorry you've had a rough week too, Pasta. But look at the up side; it can only go better from here :-) .

When Life Happens

posted by Pasta

Oh Fio, I'm so sorry to hear you had such an awful experience! That must have been terrifying. I'm sending you lots of healing vibes. :-)

I'm going to take this opportunity to say your week and mine are good examples of why people go fof diets. This kind of thing throws off your equilibrium and blood sugar.

My week could be called "adjustments for steroids." I took steroids to control inflammation and they made my stomach so upset I ate constantly to calm it down. To make matters worse, once they really kicked in, I couldn't STOP eating.

My biggest achievement with all this is that I didn't gain weight. That feels like a lot.

After weeks like this Fio, I feel like the best we can do is regroup and start over.

Wishing you health and healing
--Pasta

An interesting 24 hours

Posted by Fio.

I haven't felt really well the last few days, but having a hectic scedule, I crossed my fingers that it would pass.
It didn't.
Yesterday I got trouble breathing. It felt like I was stuck in a 17th century corset, and my lungs were literally whistling. I couldn't finish a sentence without loosing my breath, and by 4pm it was clear that I was only getting worse.

A friend convinced me to go see a doctor, and to make a long story short, I was rushed to hospital because the doctor suspected a blood cloth in my lungs. At that point, I reached an all time low. I didn't call anyone for support because I just couldn't wrap my head around what was happening. It was just too horrible for me to think about the possible consequences of a blood cloth in my lungs. So I pretended not to be scared, crossed my fingers and decided to hope for the best.

I had a series of tests taken at the hospital. They checked my heart rythm, X-rayed my lungs and of course, withdrew so much blood that I almost suspected them to be vampires. But I decided, that sometimes you just have to have faith in other people, and this was definitely one of these times!
At midnight, after six hours in the emergency room, they finally found out that I have a serious broncities infection in my lungs.
I have never been so relieved before in my life!

By the time I got home, I was so tired I went straight for bed. When I finally made it up this morning, I realized I hadn't eaten in 24 hours! As any woman would do, with or without bronchities, I went straight for the bathroom scale. It showed three pounds down!

Ok, I don't recommend this for a diet, but I have to admit, after the stressful hours in the emergency room, I felt that I deserved a pat on my shoulder. I deserved these three pounds. Now let's just hope that they stay where they are supposed to be: Off my body!

That Image is Going to Stick with Me!

Posted by Pasta

Fio, thanks for that "stomach size" image. I think that may dramatically change my outlook.

I have an interesting challenge right now...I share your love of walking, but as you know, I'm unable to use that as a weight loss technique.

Over two years ago, I felt something snap in my ankle and couldn't walk on it for a week. I went to the doctor, got an x-ray, and the verdict was "It's not broken, go home!"

Finally, years later, I found a doctor who believed in the power of the MRI and discovered that a tendon was ruptured and a ligament torn and detached from the bone.

The upshot is, walking for weight-loss isn't going to work for me. I'm looking into getting an exercise bike though!

I think you have to get moving before it really sinks in how much excess weight slows you down.

Tonight's dinner: guacamole and carrot sticks. No fillers, no chips, just what I really want. "It's the good fat!" :-)

I'm one pound down and celebrating

Posted by Fio.

It might not sound like a lot (and to be completely honest, it isn't) BUT it shows me that I'm on the right path.

One thing I have learned is, that if one is to live on regular food throug a diet, portion control is crucial. I have seen various remedies, like the Portion control doctor http://72.237.97.1/shop/index.cfm?vpd=ok&sr=1&dp=6&pid=6&pri=3173&pageset=1&fetchchildren=1&fetchsubs=ok&gdid=6&d1=6&fs=ok&sid=050508388799298

or the EZ weight plate http://www.ezweightplate.com/

that is supposed to help you control the portions. The up side is, they might work at home. The down side is, they cost money and chanses are you won't be bringing them to restaurants, parties or on vacation.

A surgeon once told me that my stomach is the same size as my fist (or rather, it should be the same size as my fist if I haven't over eaten for years so it has stretched out).
If I place my hands together, palm side up and form a bowl, that will give me an idea about how much food will fit in my stomach. The bowl space is equivalent to my fist size, and is easier to use when I want to get an idea about my ideal portion. It gives me a better vision! Also, when I'm in restaurants, I just place my hands together, palms up and form a bowl in my lap, and nobody notices. It's so easy, and it has helped me on numerous times.

My feet are made for walking

Posted by Fio.

I'm an optimist by heart, so therefore I'm dieting without being on a diet. I'm too disorganized to be on a food plan, and my aversion to math keeps me off Weight Watchers.
Therefore, I have put my money on exercise. Not that I'm a sweat machine by any means. I can't jog (due to knees that hurt), I can't swim too often (sensible skin) and I don't like the gym (I just don't!). That pretty much leaves walking, and luckily I love to walk. My plan is to walk 3 miles five times a week.
Walking doesn't demand a lot of equipment. Good shoes is all you need. The rest is probably already in your closet. Walking cleans my brain and makes me believe I could be president. By the time I come home, I have pretty much solved all the problems in the world.
I also get to bond with my dog. My dog loves to take walks with me, and since I usually walk after work and sometimes late in the evening, I feel safe bringing my dog. (He is big and black and looks scary in the dark).

So, to sum it up, so far my diet consists of walking. And eating more vegetables, of course (I love vegetables). Let's call it "The Veggie Walk" diet.
You heard it here first!

Fio, the New You Looks Tasty!

by Pasta

That looks delicious. I woke up craving protein this morning so I had tofu with sauce and chili flakes with peanuts this morning.

For anyone who doesn't already know Fio and I, we should tell you that you're reading a trans-Atlantic diet blog. Fio is is Norway and I'm in Illinois, USA.

I'd also like to post my favorite food blog which Fio turned me on to: http://veganyumyum.com/

I anticipate a "stay at home" vacation this summer and I think a substantial part of that will be given to trying these recipes. I don't bake, but I do cook and I'm looking forward to "knitting with marzipan."

Today is the "new day" I was talking about yesterday

Posted by Fio.

The new me is having fruit salad for breakfast.

As it happens, I love fruit and vegetables, and my "big plan" - if there ever was one - is to incorporate as much fruit and vegetables in my diet as possible. With my frantic schedule, there is no way I'm going to be able to follow a diet. I take pride in eating as many foods as possible, and I think thats good for me in terms of nutrition. But I try to stay on the healthy side and choose the things that are good for me (and las time I checked, dark chokolate *IS* good for me!).

I don't believe in extreme diets. I think that for this to have a long term effect, I need to change my habits rather than jump on a crash diet. Still, this dieting thing is affecting me in some weird ways.

As much as I try to diet in a non-diet fashion, I'm afraid dieting has hit my brain. Last night I was watching Animal Planet on TV. A lion was attacking a zebra, and I found myselt thinking, " how many calories there is in a zebra...."

Cookies Happen

by Pasta

The title really says it all.

I did my weirdo stretches, knee strengthening exercises and a bunch of heel lifts. I'm sure I worked off at least 1/2 of one cookie.

Tomorrow is another day. My mango is ripe so I know what I'll be having for breakfast!

Yin yang dieting

PASTA!!!
I'm so glad to see you on here. I have missed you bunches. It's no fun dieting alone.

I started very good this morning.
I made myself a fruit salad from honeydew melon, grapes, strawberries, pineapple and kiwi fruit for breakfast. ThenI took the dog for a 3 mile walk in the sun.
I had a pita stuffed with vegetables for lunch, with a steaming hot cup of herb tea. It tasted delicious.
Then I went grocery shopping and everything went downhill.

Outside my grocery store, there is this cafe that sells the best yogurt ice. (With powdered chocolate on top....)
I came home, prepared dinner and since I made baked chicken ( it takes an hour in the oven) I had a snack. (a pack of chocolate with caramel). Then I had a glass of Coca cola because I was thirsty.

The chicken, on the other hand, tasted marvellous, and after all, I did walk three miles today.

Let's Talk About Wine

by Pasta

In a recent NPR interview, Morgan Freeman was talking about the difference between an alcoholic and a lush. He said something like "an alcoholic HAS to have it. A lush just really, really likes it."

Hmmmm....

Now that I'm able to move about more easily (I'm recovering from ankle surgery this past December), I'm very happy to be socializing out with friends more often. I *do* enjoy a glass of wine with dinner and maybe a little port with one or two chocolate pastilles afterwards. (I'm certain those pastilles are really a diet aid...they're the perfect portion control!)

My point is I feel the effects of alcohol if I'm out with friends. Considering I'm driving, that's a good thing. When I'm at home, it doesn't register nearly as quickly. So interestingly enough, the more I socialize, the less I drink.

Friends are good for the diet!

The Pasta Shortage is Over

By Pasta

Are you feeling better Fio? Food poisoning sounds awful.

I'm not sure I actually believe in the rice shortage. I've been thinking about rice quite a bit lately because I'd stopped eating it at home. I've recently started again and I can't believe how much faster I get full. Seems obvious, but in the past I'd cut out carbs to save points (I'm on weight watchers when I'm good.) I'm beginning to think I actually eat less if there's some rice involved.

This does not hold true for pasta. I could eat ginormous, endless bowls of pasta. With butter, with red sauce, with pesto....doesn't matter, I just love it. :-)

And wine too. And chocolate. And nuts. See why Fio and I are friends?

Hmm, this doesn't really sound like a diet post....

I have a theory (While waiting for Pasta)

Posted by Fio.

As you might have noticed, this blog is about the dieting divas, whereas only one diva has posted so far.
Now I know why.
I got off to a bumpy start, with weight gain and food poisoning.
My diva buddy Pasta is smart. I bet she has spent the last week getting into her dieting habit so once she starts posting, she'll already be on a roll.
She's probably been eating nothing but salad and fruit all week, whereas I've had wine, more wine and chocolate. I even had ice cream!

But not anymore. Once I get off the sofa and stop feeling sorry for myself after being food poisoned last Wednesday, I will start serious dieting. Trust me. I'll be Miss Lettuce and Fraülein Fruit before you know it. Nothing can stop me now! :-)

Back to square one

Posted by Fio.

I met a friend for lunch yeasterday. We shared a bottle of wine, and we talked and laughed. Then we went shopping, stopped for some more wine before we ended up at this really nice place and had dinner. And more wine.
We had a blast, and I didn't get home until midnight.

I had just walked in the door when it started. I suddenly felt sick, and to make a long story short, I must have been something I ate, because I spent most of the night in a place that most people don't want to be during the night. It was awful! I haven't been this sick in years, or since since I ate that camel burger in Egypt years ago. I thought I was going to die!

But I made it to this morning and when I crawled onto the scale this morning, I was down the one pound I gained a few days ago. In other words, all is not bad, but to be honest, I'd rather have an extra pound than living through another night like this one.

I just don't get it

Posted by Fio.

I weighed myself this morning, and I'm one pound UP!
What the heck is up with that??? I've been good. I've only had ONE piece of chocolate in a week.
I need a new bathroom scale, because this one is ruining my confidence!

Report from a proud dieter

Posted by Fio.

Today I did rather well!
I had a strawberry smoothie for breakfast (150 calories), a pasta salad for lunch (home made and low fat since I used a vinaigrette dressing, not too many calories) and I had a pita bread with salmon, vegetables and rice for dinner (still not that many calories). I even walked three miles after work!
All well so far.
Then I filled out my tax return papers and I celebrated the good work with a glass of wine and a chocolate praline (dark chocolate praline filled with prunes, marzipan and Madeira wine....number of calories unknown but then who's counting? ;-)
So why am I still proud, you might ask?
Because my tax returns happens only once a year, and I think that some things should be celebrated. Having done the paperwork of tax returns definitely calls for a celebration in my book. It's so boring that the only thing that can get me through it is the thought of something good afterwards.
And nothing beats wine and dark chocolate!

I have seen the light

Posted by Fio.

To be honest, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that I need to change my diet. One glance in the mirror will do!

I did a Google search for "diet", and got 160 000 000 hits! So I did a search for "hunger", and got 33 900 000 hits. See the irony?

I started thinking about all this talk about a possible rice shortage. How much rice do we actually eat? In 2007 I probably bought a pound or two of rice, and half of it is still in my pantry. Why? Because I don't eat that much rice. People who eat much rice, are usually thin (- and I don't care what the famous low carb dieters say. Look to Japan and countries where people eat a lot of rice. Do they look fat to you?)

Like most people in this part of the world, I prefer pasta, white bread and - you probably guessed it already - ice cream. It's a diet for disaster. Don't get me wrong, I don't want everyone running to the store and buy the last bag of rice. It's not that I think I need to eat a lot of rice. I just need to eat less refined carbohydrats. I tried whole wheat pasta once but it was horrible. It could have been the cook, but it's not something I care to try again in the near future. So in these times of rice shortage, I was thinking "bulgur". Bulgur is good for you, right?

According to Wikipedia, bulgur contains more nutritients than rice. It's made from durum wheat, and is a key ingredient in many dishes from The Mediterranean, Turkish, Indian and The Middle Eastern kitchen. I love food from these countries, and I'm willing to give it a shot. (Heck, I'm desperate to loose weight. I'll try anything!)

Enough is enough!

Posted by Fio.

Too much food. Too many meals in restaurant, and way too little exercise.
That's me.
I'm 37 years old and I'm at least 30 pounds overweight.
Overweight. I hate that word. I prefer Undertall.
Either way, I need to loose the extra fat. And I'm starting today!

I did good for breakfast. I had a banana and strawberry smoothie. Lunch was good also, with a small salad and one crisp bread with Gouda cheese.
I walked three miles when I came home from work, and I made myself a grilled vegetable pita bread for dinner. At that point I was so proud of myself, I celebrated with ice cream. Mint Chocolate. My favourite.

Let's just say, tomorrow brings a new day with new possibilities. At least I exercised today, and that counts, right?