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Your holiday goals & losing weight & living healthy

strawchicago z5
9 years ago

Jim and I will be regulars in this forum, since we are into organic rose growing. But everyone is welcomed to join in this thread of holiday goals & living healthy".

I'm in zone 5a, walking in the winter is very boring, even with my Sony-headphone. I'm allergic to dogs and cats ... so I have to pry my kid's fingers off her video-games, to go for a walk. What are your goals for the holiday, and your daily aspiration to lose weight & living healthy?

Someone played a prank on the neighbor's Christmas decoration, stringing at least 30 bras across the lawn, I thought it was funny so I took a pic.

This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Sun, Dec 21, 14 at 15:56

Comments (41)

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    One more pic. of the prank on my neighbor's Christmas decoration. I'm glad that I saw that during my morning walk. We are lucky with zero snow & mild weather, so I plan on a 2nd walk for today. When I sleep well, I exercise more.

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    LOL thats funny Straw! Great pics...lol

    I started walking again last week so going to continue walking and eat more healthy. I need to lose 10-20 more pounds... :-/

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: Chicagoland got to be the gloomiest place, I haven't seen the sun in 2 months. It's raining all day !! I stopped by my insurance company to get a discount on my house, plus car insurance. I only drive to grocery store once a week, so I get a big discount. Plus my husband changed work, it's less than 7 min. driving, versus 45 min. of his previous job .. so he gets another yearly discount.

    They don't do that to strangers, only to friendly customers who stop by to chit-chat. I save all my oil-change records, showing mileages of the car. They need proof of annual mileage, before giving the discount. They subtract the mileage reports of 2 recent years, to calculate annual mileage. I asked for a re-evaluation of my house's value, and got a discount on my homeowner's insurance.

    My sister from a small town in CT informed me that her village gives 40% discount on property tax for senior citizens (who turned 65). The disabled also get the same discount. Too bad my town doesn't have such ... lots of people are moving out from my town: too cold, too gloomy, with expensive property and sales tax.

    Below is another funny pic. of my neighbor's house ... that someone prayed a prank. Today all the bras are soaking wet from the rain. They even hung a black bra across the mail-box, which freaked out the old mail-man !!

  • Alana8aSC
    9 years ago

    Love the picture Strawberryhill!! I hope ya'll have a Merry Christmas!

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    LOL Straw....LOL
    Merry Christmas Straw! And Merry Christmas Alana7bSC & to everyone...
    Very cool & funny pics...LOL

    Yes raining, foggy, and gloomy here in the past couple weeks too...

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim and Alana & everyone: Merry Christmas to you all.

    Looks like we are safe going to our Catholic church & shaking hands, as long as we are up in our vitamin D-levels. Found this huge study involving 19,000 adults and link between vitamin D deficiency and catching colds. Nature Made brand vitamin D is cheapest & most recommended on Amazon, has helped me for the past 8 years of zero colds.

    http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20090223/low-vitamin-d-levels-linked-to-colds

    "In this study, published in the Archives & Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) from October 1988 to October 1994.

    The results showed those with the lowest vitamin D levels (less than 10 nanograms per milliliter of blood) were 36% more likely to report having a recent upper respiratory tract infection than those with higher levels (30 ng/mL or higher).

    Researchers say that although vitamin C has been used for the prevention of common colds and other respiratory infections for decades, there is little scientific evidence to support its effectiveness. However, several recent studies have suggested that vitamin D, better known for its role in building strong bones, may also play a critical role in immune system function." WebMD

    Below link is Amazon reviews for Nature Made vitamin D. That's the one I took after I was done with prescribed mega-dose of vitamin D. My neighbor (white male) was also on prescribed D vitamin.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Amazon reviews of Nature Made vitamin D

    This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Thu, Dec 25, 14 at 14:29

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Weighing myself everyday helps ... so glad to lose 1/2 lb. this morning. The weather is fantastic for a daily walk ... much milder winter this year.

    Another weight loss tool is Kefir. I bought it since it helps prevent cold & flu for winter. Had some Kefir, plus brewer's yeast this morning ... wasn't even hungry afterwards. I didn't know that Kefir helps to lose weight, until I read this article. Kefir beats yogurt since Kefir has more protein, 12 strains of beneficial bacteria, plus 25% vitamin D ... yogurt doesn't have any vitamin D. Here's an excerpt from below link:

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leslie-goldman/the-flat-belly-food-you-d_b_250273.html

    "Next to the Yoplait is a bottle of Lifeway Lowfat Pomegranate Kefir, which contains a whopping 10 strains (Lactobacillus Lacti, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium Longum, Bifidobacterium Breve, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Saccharomyces florentinus, Streptococcus Diacetylactis, Leuconostoc Cremoris, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Lactobacillus Case.) (Interestingly, other very popular yogurts that tout their probiotic activity, like Dannon Activia, only contain one strain of live/active cultures, Bifidus Regularis™ -- a strain which Dannon selected and named.

    Some other yogurt versus kefir differences that highlight kefir's nutritional powerhouse status:
    Calories: 100 (6 oz. of Yoplait) versus 160 (8 oz. of Lifeway kefir)
    Fiber: 0g versus 3 grams
    Protein: 5 grams versus 11 grams
    Calcium: 20% Daily Value versus 30%

    Besides its satiety-inducing protein, Men's Health's EIC Zincenko said he named kefir to his list of flat belly foods because its probiotics may speed weight loss. Research from the University of Tennessee has shown that consuming three to four servings of dairy products a day may help men and women shed more pounds."

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Well I gotta weigh myself more... I started only weighing myself every 3-4 weeks as cold weather hit...

    Well got a BIG shock today when I weighed myself!
    I gained 6 pounds in 4 weeks time! :-O

    I really struggle with weight in the winter!

    So gotta take my diet more seriously and exercise way more...

    Thanks for all the info Straw!

    {{gwi:2131480}}

    This post was edited by jim1961 on Fri, Dec 26, 14 at 21:45

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: Prevention Magazine featured a study where it's found that people who weigh themselves daily also keep their weight DOWN the best. I learned the hard way: I was between 100 to 110 when I weighed myself daily for 2 years. Then I neglected, like going for months without weighing myself .. I shot up to 130 lbs !!

    Daily walk/run and checking one's weight are what control us best. My husband weighs himself after his daily run ... I thought it was silly, until I learned the hard way. I see weighing myself in the morning is like a MENTAL cap on my ballooning up.

    Exercising in the morning with sunshine helps to regulate the metabolism ... Sunshine in the morning helps to curb one's appetite. There's a large study that showed people with the most belly fat & high triglycerides are those lowest in vitamin D.

    Vitamin D boost testosterone, the hormone that helps muscle mass. Below info. is from livestrong.com

    "The relationship between vitamin D status and testosterone levels were studied by researchers from the Medical University in Austria. Scientists measured the vitamin D and testosterone levels in men undergoing a coronary angiography. They discovered that men with adequate vitamin D levels, defined as 30mcg/L or more, had higher testosterone levels compared to those with inadequate vitamin D levels, defined as 20 to 29.9mcg/L, according to findings reported in the August 2010 issue of “Clinical Endocrinology.”`

    Scientists from the Medical University of Graz Austria examined the impact of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men with low testosterone. Participants received 3,332 international units of vitamin D or a placebo per day for one year. Researchers observed that the vitamin D group experienced increases in testosterone levels compared to the placebo group, according to research published in the March 2011 issue of the “Hormone and Metabolic Research.”

    Excessive vitamin D from supplementation may cause side effects, including excessive thirst, diarrhea, poor appetite and bone pain. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the safe upper limit for adults is 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily. It may interact with medications such as calcium channel blockers and atorvastatin."

    According to a study published in 2011 in "Biological Trace Element Research," magnesium may play an important role in testosterone production. The study found that supplementation with magnesium was able to increase total free testosterone in both athletes and sedentary individuals, although athletes saw greater increases."

    **** From Straw: Magnesium & vitamin K help with Vitamin D absorption. When I take CALM (magnesium citrate) before bedtime, it decrease stomach acid and help me to sleep better. Magnesium helps to absorb vitamin D, which in turn help to boost testosterone and increase muscle mass.

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Trying to figure out how to get those large powdery mildew spots off of Mister Lincolns canes... That stuff is hard to get off! I sprayed the canes all down in Greencure in November twice but nothing! So then I soaked a old toothbrush in greencure and tried to take off spots but no go!

    Then I figured the cold weather would freeze it off...lol

    Well here it is almost Janurary and the PM spots are still their strong as ever...

    so ????????????????????? lol

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: Mildew is caused by condensation of moisture on canes .. which is caused by changes in temp. I find that stable-temp. is the best prevention of mildew. That's why the past rosarian Karl Bapst, zone 5a, advised to winterize roses in 100% dark, unheated garage.

    My 2 rootings in the dark garage are held at stable temp., with zero mildew. In contrast, Jude the Obscure in the pot was a mildew fest when I moved it in the fall, from a steady morning light to a location next to a tall cherry tree ... where there's a fluctuation of temp: cold morning dew in the morning, and hot evening sun.

    We got sunshine today, and I got my morning 20 min. walk out of the way. I hope to lose 1/2 lb. per week, which would take me 10 months to lose 20 lbs. My husband is an early riser, and he's much skinnier than me .. I'm a night owl.

    The earlier the morning sun, the easier to lose weight. An excerpt from Northwestern University in Chicago that show the most effective sun to lose weight is between 8 to 12 noon:

    "The influence of morning light exposure on body weight was independent of an individual’s physical activity level, caloric intake, sleep timing, age or season. It accounted for about 20 percent of a person’s BMI.

    "Light is the most potent agent to synchronize your internal body clock that regulates circadian rhythms, which in turn also regulate energy balance,” said study senior author Phyllis C. Zee, M.D. “The message is that you should get more bright light between 8 a.m. and noon.” About 20 to 30 minutes of morning light is enough to affect BMI."

    Befriend Your Body Clock ��" Get Morning Light : The finding emphasizes the importance of “circadian health” in which exposure to light and dark is synchronized with your internal body clock. “We focus on how too much light at night is bad; it’s also bad not to get enough light at the appropriate time during the day,” Zee said."

    Here is a link that might be useful: Why morning sun helps to lose weight?

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Those Powdery Mildew spots have been on Mister Lincoln since late August...
    I tried spraying canes down in September with greencure to try & remove the thick spots of PM all over canes. Spots are over the entire length of each cane...
    Then I tried scrubing spots with a toothbrush soaked in Greencure...lol

    I'll try more Greencure in the Spring...
    I thought Greencure killed powdery mildew?

    Thanks for info....

    This post was edited by jim1961 on Sun, Dec 28, 14 at 22:53

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: Thanks for the info. that GreenCure is NOT effective. I find that CHANGING the soil medium by making it alkaline is more effective. I did an experiment this past summer: put out 5 pots with different amount of cracked corn (pH 4, very acidic) ... mixed into the potting soil. Heirloom rose, with 2 cups of cracked corn added HAD THE MOST MILDEW.

    When I moved Heirloom rose into my alkaline clay, mildew disappeared. I induced mildew on Mary Magdalene rose by throwing high nitrogen & ACID fertilizer ... that was the only time that Mary got mildew. Once I scraped off the fertilizer, subsequent years were clean.

    While reading over 500 reviews on various brands of cod-liver-oil, I was surprised to see reports of losing weight. So I tested it, bought Swanson Double-Strength Cod-liver oil. That's the only one with Omega-3 from Norwegian (clean water), plus WITHOUT added chemical vitamin A or D (there's the danger of overdosing in A). In my 3 days of testing cod-liver oil, I notice a DRASTIC decrease in appetite.

    This morning was the ultimate test: I took 2 Swanson cod-liver oil, 1 banana, 1/2 of a small sweet potato for breakfast. Then I went zero food until 4 pm ... since we were on a long-trip to the dentist for routine cleaning ... the dentist is 2 hours round-trip. I'm NOT even hungry as I type this at 4:37 pm. I'm snacking on my remaining 1/2 sweet potato.

    I weighed myself. Lost another 1/2 lb. If I can lose 2 lbs. a month, then I can lose 20 lbs. in 10 months. See below link for Amazon reviews of Swanson Cod-liver oil, it's $8 for a huge bottle. I personally believe that cod-liver oil is superior to fish oil, due to less processing, plus vitamin A & D in cod-liver oil that helps with weight-loss.

    My verdict: Cod-liver oil works even better than Brewer's yeast in stabilization of blood-sugar, and suppression of appetite. Try it yourself, the mild burp-up of fish-oil really took away my appetite ... I felt full, thanks to the Omega-3, vitamin A & D.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Swanson double-strength cod-liver oil

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    I guess I should rephrase about Greencure.
    Greencure has not helped with the PM on the canes.
    But Greencure did work by taking it off of the rose leaves...

    I'm not sure why though...sort of baffling to me...lol

    Thanks for info Straw...

    I'll try and change the soil to be more alkaline in the spring just to see what happens...

    Are you ready for a New Year?

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: I'm very blessed to have you as my holiday-goal-buddy ... I hope others will join this post, since it's NOT limited to just Jim and I. Fox News has an excellent article, see below, which explains why cod-liver-oil (omega-3), and kefir (high protein) works in feeling full & suppressing one's appetitie:

    "A study published in the journal Clinical Science showed that a high protein meal lowers ghrelin levels (hunger)significantly more than meals high in fat and carbohydrates. So focus on a high-protein breakfast, such as casein and whey-free protein shakes, and omelets .... aim to get at least 20 grams of protein at lunch and dinner to keep ghrelin low after each meal.

    To raise your levels of leptin (fullness) and increase your sensitivity to this hormone, eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and boost your intake of foods that contain Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which has been shown to stimulate the production of leptin. Try wild salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Lack of sleep also LOWERS leptin and increases ghrelin, bringing on the urge to eat more, so be sure to get at least seven and a half hours of shuteye.
    To counteract cortisol’s fat-storing effects, cut down on your coffee consumption and steer totally clear of it when you’re feeling stressed. Caffeine taps your adrenal glands to release cortisol, which can be helpful before an interview or big presentation since it sharpens your focus. But when you mix caffeine with stress, your cortisol levels jump higher and stay high for longer.

    One study out of the University of Oklahoma showed that consuming 2 and a half to 3 cups of coffee while under mild stress caused cortisol to jump 25 percent��" and remain high for 3 hours. Another cortisol-lowering tip: Make it a point to surround yourself with positive people who make you laugh!"

    Yesterday Google News had an excellent article on tips to lose weight, such as: drink 1 glass of water before eating ((I brew myself herbal tea), eat 1/2 the amount, snack on only fruits & veggies, and exercise for 20 min outdoor. My zone 5a sucks, it was 10 degree wind-shield factor this morning. My kid and I went out for a walk, at 1/2 block we went home ... our Chicagoland brutal cold wind cut our walk short.

    We will move to a warmer place when hubby retires. Even zone 6a, Michigan, where I grew up, was like heaven compared to Chicagoland, zone 5a, with strong wind.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Fox News: manage 3 hormones to influence weight loss

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I subscribe to "Verse of the Day" ... bible verses sent to my e-mail daily. Today I received a Bible verse that is so befitting for the New Year. I love this verse, it's so uplifting as a reminder for us to forget our old self, and march forward to a new self, the one that God intends us to become:

    "This is what the Lord says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." ��" Isaiah 43:16,18-19

    Here's a bouquet of roses from my garden this past summer to celebrate the New Year:

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Great bible verse Straw!

    Wow! Look at those Roses! Nice Straw!

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    I lost 2 pounds... lol

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: Your weight loss help to motivate me to exercise & eat less. I LOVE TEA, it really helps me to eat less. My water is so alkaline that it tastes blah. 15 minutes from me, their water report registered at pH of 8.9 ... that's higher than baking soda !!

    My favorite now is Green tea for breakfast ... I'm NOT crazy about Stash tea from Brazil, kind of bitter. I really kick myself for NOT ordering green tea from South Carolina plantation ... Amazon didn't have free shipping back then. In 2 days, I'm done with Stash green tea !!

    I like Stash peppermint and Stash Meyer Lemon tea for dinner. Both really help me to eat less. For night time, I drink lemon-balm tea ... it's the MOST DELICIOUS TEA ever .... plus it doesn't upset my tummy like green tea.

    Below is excerpt from Livestrong.com on how teas help to lose weight:

    Green tea, the most widely studied of the beverages, possesses fat-burning properties that are especially helpful in reducing abdominal fat. The most promising study for dieters is one conducted by Kevin Maki, which compared the effects of drinking green and black tea. Green tea containing 30 times as many antioxidants as black tea helped men lose 5.4 lbs. in 12 weeks compared to a 2.9 lb. loss for the black tea drinkers. The men who drank the green tea also lost substantially more belly fat.

    Ginger Tea - Scientific studies also link ginger tea to weight loss. Rats who maintained high fat diets but included ginger extract in their menus lost weight in a study conducted by researchers at Kuwait University and published in 2007 in the "British Journal of Nutrition" and also in a study conducted by L.K. Han and reported in 2008 in the "Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan." The rodents in both studies consumed ginger extract. Ginger tea, if brewed from raw ginger root, would contain the same properties in a less concentrated form.

    Hibiscus Tea - Another animal study found a connection between hibiscus tea and weight loss. Mexican researchers F.J. Alarcon-Aguilar and colleagues from the University Autonoma Metropolitana fed obese rodents hibiscus extract and all of them lost significant weight, according to the report published in the "Journal of Ethnopharmacology."

    **** From Straw: The yummy Stash meyer lemon tea has hibiscus and lemongrass, really help with digestion. I spent 1 hour checking Amazon products with ginger. My conclusion: All the teas are either weak, or stale, and it's MUCH BETTER to buy fresh ginger-root from grocery store, grate it, then make your own tea. Making tea takes extra-time, but it's worth the effort. Tea really calm down my stomach acid, which is the chief cause of hunger-pang and wanting to eat more.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Drink tea to lose weight

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Great info Straw!

    I've been struggling trying to lose weight since mid 2011...
    For whatever reason my weight went from 220 pounds to 254 pounds. Quite a jump!

    I had my weight down to approx 228 pounds right before this winter of 2014.
    But it went back up to approx 236 pounds. :-/
    Now I'm down to 234 pounds...
    Winter is a real struggle for me...

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: 234 sounds good to me. I'm 129 this morning, my goal is 115. Yesterday my kid waited until the last minute to do her homework, at 8 pm. I told her it's better to do THE HARDEST thing 1st, then you have it easy for the rest of the day..

    Same with exercise ... I would rather exercise 1st thing in the morning to get the benefit of morning sun. Exercise at night doesn't work well. Same with losing weight, do the hard thing 1st, so one can enjoy life later: loose clothing.

    A lot of losing weight has to do with making healthy food yummy. Penzeys spice really save me money. I can buy a cheap steak, like round or sirloin, for $15, then put the right Penzeys spice to make it marvelous. Or I can buy filet mignon, for $30, and it taste bloody without any spice.

    We eat lots of chicken. Walmart has the organic, skin-off chicken-thighs really cheap, $6 for 2 packs ... enough to feed 4 people. Penzeys spice has awesome dry rub to marinade chicken in, WITHOUT salt, such as: Tandoori, Morrocean, Mural of Flavor, Greek. The best chicken marinade I did was to sprinkle Mural of Flavor, sauté it, add barbecue sauce, and some fresh lemon juice before serving. Tandoori is out of this world. Ozark is really good for Fried chicken, more flavorful that ordering Kentucky Fried.

    We eat lots of fish ... without Penzeys spice, they would be bland. With Penzeys spice, I use less oil and salt, thus help with weight loss. The best spices for fish are: Florida seasoning, Salmon spice, Penzey forward, Northwood seasoning (there's a coupon on-line for $7 free of this spice, if one place an order). Sunny Spain is the best lemon-pepper, salt-free, that one can get. Their Italian seasonings and Chili collection are also salt-free & fresh.

    The best Penzey spices for steak or hamburger are: Mitchell St., Ruth Ann Muskegon, Chicago steak. For $33, free shipping, I get 10 bottles of spices in cute glass jars (one free jar from the coupon, and one free jar that Penzey throws in, along with 8 that I paid for). These salt-free or very low-salt spices are so flavorful, which enable me to use less grease in cooking.

    Since I don't have roses to sniff for the winter, I sniff Penzeys spices !! Half of the enjoyment of eating is the aroma of food. Enjoying the right food is half the battle of losing weight.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Strawberryhill Pinterest of Penzeys spices

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    I love fish & chicken....
    Thanks for info Straw!

    Lots of exerise today shoveling snow...lol

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: I tried Nature Made magnesium Citrate (in pills) last night .... That worked great. The 1st ingredient Medium Chain Triglycerides really BOOST my body temp., just as another Amazon customer noticed. I had the heat set at 55 degree. My room was 60 degree, but I had to open the window .. I was too warm. I sleep better with magnesium before bed ... but I won't take Nature Made magnesium citrate in the summer, that would be too hot.

    Penzeys spice are cheap: 8 glass bottles, along with coupon for $7 free Northwoods, plus a free bottle they throw in when they pack the $32 order (free shipping). One order of $32 (10 glass bottles) last for the entire year, save time and money since I can buy cheap meat and make it flavorful. Mrs. Dash at stores are absolutely disgusting .. threw lots of them away in the past. Penzeys are gourmet blend of spices, some of them have 10 ingredients, like their famous Chili 9000, can't find anywhere.

    The picture shows my spices which I ordered last year: My favorites: Bavarian for pork roast and Bourquet Garni for bean soup. I used Herbes de Province for Lasagna and roast-chicken. Ruth Ann Seasoning was gone within 1 month since we used it so much for fish & steak. Mural of Flavor (salt-free) was gone within a few months, great to marinade meats. I made tons of rice & beans with Arizona Dreaming. Beans are bland, unless one put spices on top. Sunny Paris (salt-free, dried shallots & lemon) is great on eggs .... shallots is expensive if buy fresh from store.

    These herbs have antioxidant quality to prevent cancer, full of vitamins, plus help me & hubby to keep our blood-pressure down. Penzeys' sister-branch "The Spice House" is only 15 min. away from me, but I prefer ordering on line, weather is too cold (below zero), plus it's fresher when it's mail-ordered. Both of our blood-pressure are low, thanks to Penzeys no-salt, or low-salt spices. We won't order fast-food for the rest of our lives, thanks to their awesome spices.

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim, Sharon, Alana, Damask & everyone else: We have been watching the Biggest Loser on TV for inspiration. I wish I had read what Jillian Michaels said ... she stated that elliptical machine is a waste of time, and uphill stair-climber is most effective in losing weight.

    Too late, we spent big money on an elliptical machine, my husband was mad that it's like a child-play, rather than rigorous training. My kid picked that $$$$$ machine out ... I should had known better not to let a child picking a sport equipment. So I have to use dumbbells while doing my elliptical to make it effective.

    My skeleton-skinny sister taught me a trick to lose weight. She's close to 60 years old, weigh about 90 lbs. She eats lots of whole-wheat pasta. The trick is to eat LOTS of RAW veggies with the spaghetti. I didn't eat much salads until I put Tabasco sauce on my spaghetti ... it's like setting my mouth on fire: have to devour cucumber & lettuce & RAW veggies to quench the fire. Hot pepper also boost the metabolism.

    Losing weight is a life-style, rather than a goal. I lost 20 lbs. before, going under 100 and it was the same lifestyle that Bob Harper of Biggest Loser proposed: Lots of RAW veggies, plus RAW fruits, plus 30 min. of heavy exercise per day. And cut out the sugar & saturated fat like cheese.

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Great info Straw!
    Sadly I gained my 2 pounds back... :(
    I need to really focus and change some things!

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: Salt has a lot to do with weight-gain since it's water-retentive. My hubby is skinny ... I can put zero salt in food, and he doesn't mind. I grew up with salty food, so I use more salt, thus chubbier.

    What helped me is Morton "Lite salt", or potassium salt, it has 50% salt, and 50% potassium .. so it's healthier, and less water-retention and puffiness. When I make soup, I always use Swanson Organic chicken broth, which is much lower in salt. Penzeys' salt-free herbs really help toward less water-retention.

    How I cook reflects how I weigh. I used to have this great bottle that delivers just a tiny amount of oil ... then I stopped using it, and just pour olive oil straight from the bottle .. my food gets greasier, and my weight shot up. I was at my lowest weight when I cooked soup everyday. I cook bean-food from dried beans, since it's cheaper & lower salt than canned beans.

    Some Biggest Loser Winners gain most of their weight back. The 1st winner of Biggest Loser gained 30 lbs., within one week afterwards. Weight is a reflection of one's life-style, rather than a goal. 9 years ago I weighed 97 lb., but that's when I had 5 fruits per day, plus RAW salads for lunch & dinner, no cheese, no sugar, and lots of fiber-cereal.

    Most of the TEMPORARY weight loss, which one gains right back, is water loss. For perpetual weight loss, daily exercise is a must. One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories, so one needs to burn an extra 3,500 calories to lose a pound. The only way fat is gone for good is when it's replaced by muscle. The only way one gains muscle is through exercise. My brother, an M.D., argued with me that the number on the scale means nothing, what matters is how much muscle one has ... how loose one's pants is a better definition of health.

    I really regret buying the elliptical, since it's NOT as effective as a stair-climbing machine. Here's an excerpt from below link: "Dr. Bryant from the American Council on Exercise stated that climbing stairs on a stair treadmill for an hour burns about 660 calories for a 160-pound person, according to Mayo Clinic."

    1 hour of exercise per day helps with belly-fat. My 12-year old daughter had gym last quarter, they were in constant motion for 45 min. (push-up, running, etc...). Her belly was trim. This quarter she doesn't have gym, and I can see her gaining fat around the belly. Below is an excerpt from Prevention magazine:

    "You already know that walking is great for your arms, legs, butt, and heart, but here's a little-known fact: It's also a great way to flatten your belly.

    Women who walked briskly for about an hour a day for 14 weeks shrunk their belly fat by 20%��"without changing their eating habits, reports a Canadian study."

    Here is a link that might be useful: Walking up stairs to lose belly fat

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Great info Straw!
    We have a total Gym which I haven't used in a couple years. I need to start using the Total Gym again...
    We have a treadmill but its not working correctly...

    I take brisk walks when the weather lets me in the winter...

    When Spring and Summer come I become way more active...

    I just got to make some adjustments for winter...

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Jim: I wish I have a gym nearby. If I had tried different equipments at the gym, we WOULD NOT HAD wasted money on a worthless & expensive elliptical machine, which put the stress on my feet, rather than total body work-out. All the research point to stair-climbing & fast-walking as the most effective way to lose-weight.

    Bow-flex is an awesome machine for weight-resistance. My husband bought that 14 years ago ... but I never used it. This month I positioned the Bow-flex right in front of the TV, and used it for 1 hour daily. I felt SO GOOD afterwards. My arms feel strong, plus I don't feel cold in our freezing zone 5a. Working out for 1 hour a day saves money, since I can lower the heat. As we get older, we get more fat, less muscle, thus become colder.

    Muscle definitely burns more calories than fat. This morning was easy to get up, my arms & shoulder don't feel painfully cold like before. Having enough muscle is a MUST for cold-zoners, it helps to keep the body warm.

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I checked on previous winners of Biggest Loser. The ones that kept the weight off are those who embrace it as a life. One person who stood out from the below link:

    http://www.today.com/id/40423712/ns/today-today_entertainment/t/biggest-loser-where-are-they-now/#.VMKkEUbnbL8

    Denise Hill Starting weight: 256 lbs.
    Finale weight: 131 lbs.
    Current weight: 140 lbs.

    Since the show, Deni has been doing a lot of motivational speaking. "I love to talk to people my age who have given up because they think they're too old! No one is ever to old get healthy!" she said. Deni is also working on a project called Sponsor Me Slim. "We help people lose weight, they get sponsors who donate for every pound they lose, and the proceeds are sent to an organization called Nourish the Children. Nourish the Children feeds millions of starving children throughout the world," she explained.

    Weight loss tip: "Use a smaller plate. It really works!" she said."

    Below is a Facebook link to "Sponsor Me Slim". Lots of good motivational to read. Picture is of Denise Hill, previous contestant on Biggest Loser:

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sponsor me slim on Facebook

    This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Fri, Jan 23, 15 at 14:58

  • damask55linen
    9 years ago

    This is a true story guys;
    My Grandmother told me my first words were " Some more of that"
    and my affectionate nickname was piglet.
    I know that confession is revolting for me to write, and for you to read, but now you know I am there with you.
    I wonder how much of my overeating is emotional?
    Breakfast;
    the usual muffin, handful of nuts and green tea.
    Got my morning fiber from the muffin wrapper while hypnotized by more rose photos.
    Lunch;
    What my brain wanted after a one slice of bread sandwich was a cookie, but since there are none, I peeled and wolfed down a blood orange instead. That was a good choice even though there was no other choice.
    A small steak is defrosting. I think if I exercised more this afternoon rearranging my cupboards, I could eat some more of that...

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Damask: I LOVE THAT PICTURE ... My soul jumped for joy when I saw that picture. Thank you so much for posting the picture of Jesus as the good shepherd who takes care for us. If only we care for ourselves like He does !!

    My goal is to read the Bible everyday. I have books of Bible verses by topic. I'm happiest when I'm in touch with the Holy Spirit through the Bible. The Bible means more to me than roses.

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi Damask & Jim & anyone else reading this:

    Damask, your breakfast sounds just like mine: I love my green tea and nuts together. I was 111 lb. when I ate 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds and 3 cups of tea for breakfast. My breakfast recently have been eating my kid's left-over, not the best choice.

    That link "Sponsor me Slim" was slow to load. Lots of inspirational saying from that link, I'll post a few, credit goes to Denise Hill of The Biggest Loser Show, who started the "Sponsor me Slim":

    "With great pain comes great change. If you're not ready to change, then you are not in enough pain."

    "Fitness is 20% exercise and 80% nutrition, you can't outrun your fork."

    "Exercise should be rewarding your body with strength and endorphins, and NOT punishing your body for what you ate."

    "Need motivation to lose weight ... just eat in front of the mirror, NAKED."

    "You are what you eat: Every 35 days, your skin replaces itself. Your liver, about a month. Your body makes these new cells from the food you eat. What you eat literally becomes you."

    "Beautiful things happen in your life when you DISTANCE yourself from all the NEGATIVE things."

    "Someone who is busier than you is running right now."

    "30% gym, 70% diet ...Abs are made in the kitchen, not gym"

    "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sponsor me Slim Facebook page

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm so glad that Damask posted the picture of Jesus in this thread. I'm quite dumb with my old habits ... do things blindly without realizing their impact on my body. Not until I asked Jesus to help me with losing weight, that my mistakes are revealed to me, such as:

    1) Mindless eating in front of the TV. I make myself eat at the kitchen, and be mindful of what's put in my mouth. I eat less as I take time to sip herbal tea & chew on RAW veggies.

    2) Take my magnesium citrate & fish oil at the wrong time: right before bed. Now I take both when I'm most hungry (right before dinner), thus eat less.

    3) Wrong goals for happiness. My goal used to be a sugarly treat, or getting such and such roses. I RE-DEFINE my happiness to be pleasing God & take care of my body .. and things are much easier: easier to exercise, and easier to do the right things.

    Below picture is Jesus drawn by Simon Dewey. I'll share this verse: John 10:9-14 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep ... I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep."

    Just imagine the love that our Heavenly Father has for us: Laying down His life to save us. That makes my laying down my extra treat, or giving up bad food VERY EASILY.

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    9 years ago

    Love those pics! :)

    strawchicago z5 thanked jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Thank you, Jim, for your faith in Christ and your being positive always. The research I did on soy milk paid off. I lose weight easily, 2 lbs. this week. I cut out soy milk, filled with carrageenan (inflammatory to the stomach), plus soy is hypothyroid.

    Houzz has helped tremendously since it's easy to search for info. inside Houzz/Gardenweb: someone else reported dry skin & lip with her hypothyroid. Someone else reported allergic reaction to banana & sesame seed. Someone reported using Eos lip balm (sold at local stores), rather than chapstick. Another person gave the tip of putting apple-cider-vinegar in conditioner & hand-wash to help with dry skin & fizzy hair, due to alkaline-hard-well-water.

    Seaweed in this Organic Rose forum gave me the tip of putting lemons in tap water ... I did that per cup, and it was too sour. This past week I visited a friend, who put lemons, plus the peel in a big pitcher in her refrigerator ... her water tasted WONDERFUL, since the soaking lemon peel overnight released flavor. Lemon is recommended to neutralize the calcium hydroxide (added to tap water) to decrease the risk of kidney stones. What's impressive is my friend is cold-free in many years ... due to the high C from fresh lemons.

    Lemon peel contains even more vitamins, nutrients, and health benefits than the lemon juice. Lemon peels contain about 5 to 10 times more vitamins than lemon juice. http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/health-benefits-and-uses-of-lemon-peel/

    Another thing I did was to CUT OUT MY CHEWING GUM habit completely. Both I and my neighbor gained at least 20 lbs. from the chemicals in the gum ... we both noticed that we become more hungry from chewing gum, due to secretion of saliva, plus the chemicals activated the stomach acid. When I feel the urge to chew gum, I sprinkle some "pumpkin pie" spice on my tongue. Trader's Joe sells that cheap for $2 per big bottle, it's a tasty mix of beneficial spices: cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, clove, and cardamom. Praise God for the above breakthroughs in losing weight.

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I re-post U. of Michigan link on how brewer's yeast help with diabetes:

    http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hn-2816000

    Also another link on how brewer's yeast work to lose weight for reference:

    http://www.naturecity.com/blog/weight-loss/brewers-yeast-extract-may-help-with-weight-loss/

    "At the six week point, the researchers noted that the yeast hydrolysate group already had significant reductions in calorie intake. This reduction was maintained through the end of the study.

    At the conclusion of the study, the researchers noted an average 5.7 lbs reduction in body weight and a 17.3 cm2 reduction in abdominal circumference in the yeast group, compared to 1.8 lbs and 7 cm2 reductions in the control group. Researchers from Jeonju University in South Korea conducted the study. It was published in the January 2014 issue of Nutrition.

    Previous studies have found an association between yeast hydrolysates and increased energy, better immunity, and improved gastrointestinal health."

    **** From Straw: The biggest help with my sleep & losing weight is CUTTING OUT SOY MILK ... I was so sleep-deprived when I used soy milk. I didn't know that soy interferes with the absorption of magnesium (necessary for sleep & help with diabetes). I have 3 older sisters who are diabetic, and they consume soy-milk daily. I already informed them of the inflammatory carrageenan in soy products, plus depletion of magnesium. Carrageenan is in many products, including ice cream, milk-substitutes (almond & soy & coconut), coffee creamer, and cake-mixes. Here's a link of what contains carrageenan:

    http://www.cornucopia.org/shopping-guide-to-avoiding-organic-foods-with-carrageenan/

    Here's a National Institute of Health abstract on the link between carrageenan and diabetes: "This is the first report of the impact of carrageenan on glucose tolerance and indicates that carrageenan impairs glucose tolerance, increases insulin resistance and inhibits insulin signalling in vivo in mouse liver and human HepG2 cells. These effects may result from carrageenan-induced inflammation. The results demonstrate extra-colonic manifestations of ingested carrageenan and suggest that carrageenan in the human diet may contribute to the development of diabetes." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22011715/

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    8 years ago

    Thanks for all the info Straw!

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Hi Jim: It's so hard to avoid those additives. I bought Kraft-olive-oil mayonnaise, and didn't read the fine print: it has Potassium Sorbate, a preservative that caused rash for me, my kid, also my neighbor's kid. The only salad-dressing that doesn't have preservative is the full-fat version. Carrageenan is in toothpaste to make it smooth & creamy. My 2 sisters who has diabetes are really skinny, under 100 lbs, and the 3rd one is normal weight. My Mom is 90 years old, 115 lbs, and has diabetes after she turned 65.

    Another trick to lose weight is to eat 2 hard-boiled eggs per day for breakfast. A friend's boyfriend did that, and lost weight. I buy Christopher's egg with 600mg of Omega-3, it saves money ... I don't have to take fish-oil, since the egg is so high in Omega-3. Husband used to get really antsy if I don't have dinner ready on time, he would eat cookies, but now I have 2 boiled eggs ready for him to snack when he gets out of work .. he doesn't get too hungry before dinner.

    Thank God I'm NOT allergic to nuts .. so we buy lots of RAW nuts from Trader's Joe and roast them myself. Nuts are high in magnesium. We pay $40 for membership at Sam's club just to get giant bags of Walnut for $13 (double-price elsewhere), and big bag of almonds so I can make RAW almond milk ... I feed the solids to my roses ... they love it. It's really easy to make RAW almond milk, many times better than cow-milk. I put 1 cup of RAW almonds in a blender with 3 cups of water. Hit Pulse and grind for 2 min. Then I let it sit for a few hours in the refrigerator, to let the nutrients seep into the water. Then I put in the blender the 2nd time for 2 min. until smoother. Then I use a strainer to save the liquid. The solids I feed to roses ... great stuff: zero salt, high in magnesium & potassium, vitamin E. Below is Francis Blaise rose, fed with almond solids, it's my biggest producer.

  • jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
    8 years ago

    Thanks for the info Straw and that bloom looks awesome Straw! :)

  • strawchicago z5
    Original Author
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Hi Jim: I hope Karen (PA) reads this post, since she gave me a great idea: overnight yeast-raised waffle. I combined her recipe and an ex-boyfriend's healthy-pancake recipe. My ex-BF was really skinny, 40 yr., 6' tall, 145 lb. and he ate that frequently. I call this recipe "Overnight-oatmeal pancake". I made oatmeal pancake many times before, used lots of baking powder to lighten that up. The result? BAD after-taste of bitterness (from too much baking powder). I use Karen's overnight-yeast-raise-idea to make it FLUFFY, without much baking powder.

    Overnight-oatmeal-pancake: The night before: Microwave 1 and 2/3 cup water for 1 min., test with finger .. it should be warm, but NOT hot. Mix water with 1/2 teas. of yeast, 2 Tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teas. salt, 1/4 cup light olive oil. Let it sit while you mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl: 1 cup white-whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup GROUND flax meal, 1 plus 1/2 cup old-fashion-oatmeal, 2 teaspoon cinnamon.

    With an egg-beater, stir wet-yeast-solution with dry ingredients for less than 3 min. Cover and let it sit at room temperature overnight up to 12 hours, less if the weather is warm.

    In the morning wash and microwave for 2 min. a pack of frozen blueberries (12 oz) until berries are soft. Beat 4 eggs until fluffy (3 min.), then blend in the eggs & blueberry & 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnut, plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, plus 1/2 cup of flour to thicken the batter. Use a brush to brush olive oil on THICK FRYING PAN. Pre-heat pan on medium-low heat, and drop dough to make pancakes. About 2 to 3 min. on each side. THICK pan is a must, since flax seed browns easily.

    The secret of good taste is to buy FRESH white-whole-wheat flour ... I got mine from Trader's Joe, and it's much milder & better taste than King Arthur brand. It's because Trader's Joe is a fast-selling place, and stuff there are fresher.