Fine Print

Read the Fine Print on Labels


Ever been told to "read the fine print" before signing a contract? It's a warning to check for loop holes and problematic terms before committing to something, right?

Well, it's a crummy fact of life but many things don't come as advertised. Packaged foods are no exception. Many items that are billed as healthy on the front label, reveal another story when you check out the ingredients on the back.

Don't be fooled by advertising. Avoid bad choices and be on the alert for these common food label traps:

Fat Free: Fat-free foods can be higher in carbs than their regular counterparts and may have almost as many calories. Fat-free cookies are a perfect example. Fat-free is not necessarily a better choice. Read your labels carefully.

Serving Size: If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is. You cannot use half a bottle of butter spray and still think you're getting zero calories and zero grams of fat! It's true that per serving it's just that, but spray your entire bowl of popcorn and you've got way more calories and fat than you intended.

Trans fats: While you're being smart looking at the packaging that says "trans fat-free," check the ingredient list to see if it contains partially hydrogenated oil. You may think your meal is in the clear because of the outside packaging, and while it's technically true if you only eat one-serving, you'd be eating the nasty trans fat too if you're going for more than one serving — something you're supposed to avoid at all costs!

Be cautious and keep yourself informed!

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Rick Rogers has lost 50 pounds.  We played raquetball last night for exercise - great calorie burner.  We are always trying to recruit new players - anyone interested?

Portion Sizes

Make the Portion and Calorie Cut


Americans have completely skewed ideas about portion size. No other country on earth offers portions as enormous as the ones here. Honestly, go anywhere else in the world and order a meal. You'll see the difference.

We're conditioned to believe that more equals better. Just look at the endless marketing of fast food; we're constantly encouraged to eat more in order to take advantage of a "bargain." But what kind of a bargain are you getting if you're eating 100 french fries in one sitting just to save a quarter you wouldn't have spent in the first place? And the reality is that Americans are paying for this illogical thinking with their health and their lives.

Here are a few techniques you can use to keep your portions under control.

If you're at home, use smaller plates. This creates the illusion of eating a bigger serving.

If you're at a restaurant and you know the portions are going to be huge, ask the server to put half your meal in a doggie bag before it even hits the table. This saves you money as well as unnecessary calorie overload.

Share an entrée with your dining partner.

Make a new rule for yourself: Always leave something on your plate. This reminds you that you are in control of the food, not the other way around. A little bit of empowerment can go a long way!

Emotional Eating

Emotional Triggers Behind Eating


You just got into a knockdown-dragout fight with your spouse. Or your kid. Or your mom. Or the guy behind you in the checkout line. Your reaction is to head for the kitchen to soothe yourself with something smooth, fattening, creamy, sugary, salty, or crunchy — pick your poison.

Sound familiar? If so, you're an emotional eater. But you've probably figured that out already. You've probably also figured out that unhealthy overeating leads not only to weight gain but to a destructive pattern of anxiety and self-loathing that's tough to break on your own. Want to break the cycle? I'm here to help.

You've got to start by facing the fact that there will never be a totally stress-free time in your life. There. That's as bad as it gets. Now on to the good news: You can stop emotional eating. The key is to identify the things that make you feel pressured, sad, angry, or anxious. Once you understand your triggers, you can break the cycle and start regaining control of when, why, and how you eat.

The best way to identify your emotional triggers is through self-examination. Face your issues. Bring them out of your subconscious and into your conscious reality. This is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself.

Let Go!

To change the present, you have to let go of your past. Forget about the times when you binged because you were upset, hurt, angry, or depressed. The past does not define you; the present does. Having a crystal clear vision of the future affects your behavior now. Let your daily actions be governed by your game plan for a new you. Keep that game plan in the forefront of your mind by writing about it and letting it become real. There's no deadline. Just commit to the process and take it day by day.

Writing

Write Away!


Don't panic over what I'm about to tell you: You have some writing homework. Now, I'm not sending you back to fifth grade with this one, but I do want you to get comfortable putting your thoughts and emotions on paper. You may be skeptical about this, but journaling on a regular basis will play a key role in helping you meet your weight-loss goals.

Let me explain. Your journal is a place for you to write everything down, to see it in front of you, and to work through your problems and toward your goals. Without a journal, it's too easy to avoid your hang-ups and stay in neutral.

Writing about your goals will also help you think them through: Do you want to be healthy, confident, physically and mentally strong? Are there clothes you want to wear that you can't now? Do you want to see and feel yourself in your ultimate body, living a new life, playing with your kids, going on a date, getting compliments from friends or coworkers? Whatever your ultimate goals, physical and emotional, write them down in as much detail as you can, and refer back to them often. They will help you stay motivated on your journey.

If you have easy access to your computer every day, take advantage of an online Fitness Diary — commit for one week to recording an entry a day in your diary. It's easy — do it when you log in to get your daily workout, or use it to organize your thoughts before you hop on the Boards. And it's a great place to record what's going on with you where food is concerned, too!

Plain Paper?

For those times that your aren't in front of you computer, choose anything from a simple lined notebook or a leather-bound blank diary. Besides writing down how you feel, you can include photos of yourself to chart your progress, pictures of clothes you'd like to wear, new recipes you'd like to try, and more. The sky's the limit! The most important thing is to find a journal that suits you.