Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Tuesday Ten

Well, as I said, I went to the gym yesterday to get myself checked out and to see about joining. I have had one side effect. while I was there, she tried me on several of the machines to give me a rundown on how they work. I told her that I have had some issues with my knees in the past and so she tried to account for that. But last night . . . . OMG . . . did my knees hurt. I was up half the night with pain and swelling in my knees like I haven't had in months.

I am glad that I am joining the other gym, and not curves because if it turns out that the machines on the circuit are too much for my knees, this other gym has a lot of other equipment as well. So either way, I will still be able to go in and work out. I am going to give it another shot (maybe avoiding that one machine). But last night was NOT fun for me.

I thought I would share the Top 10 Things You Can Do to Maintain Your Weight
  1. Take a walk. America is in the midst of an obesity epidemic, which is slated to only get worse over the next decade. An extra 20 minutes of physical activity a day, or an additional 2,000 steps, is all we need to avoid weight gain, according to Dr. James Hill, obesity researcher and co-founder of America on the Move. How do you know how many steps you're taking? Clip a pedometer to your belt and get moving! Everything from walking the dog to grocery shopping counts.
  2. Eat an apple. Apples contain 15 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C. In addition to contributing to overall health, fruits rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant, have recently been linked to a decreased risk of coronary heart disease and cancer. Fit two to three servings (or more) of fruit into your daily diet.
  3. Say no to trans fat. Like saturated fats, trans fats raise total cholesterol and LDL, the "bad" cholesterol levels. Trans fats also lower levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol in the body. Additionally, consumption of trans fats may inhibit the absorption of healthy fats that are necessary for the growth and functioning of vital organs.
  4. Go easy on the booze. This means an average of one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. (A drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.) Drinking more than moderately can increase the risk of such dangers as alcoholism, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, suicide and accidents.
  5. Get a doggie bag. Portion sizes in restaurants and fast-food chains have exploded in recent years, and many of us just can't help but clear our plates. Ask for a to-go container when you order. That way you can pack up half your entrée to enjoy the next day.
  6. Have a yogurt. It's no secret that calcium helps keep bones strong, but there's more reason than ever to eat yogurt for bone health. Some yogurt brands now contain inulin, a naturally occurring, fiber-like carbohydrate that's found in fruits and vegetables. Inulin has been found to increase the activity of live cultures and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the digestive tract. Best of all, it aids in the absorption of calcium.
  7. Take your vitamins. A study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that taking a daily multivitamin reduced the risk of a first heart attack in both men and women. Authors of the study think this effect is due to the B vitamins found in multivitamins, as well as the antioxidant vitamins, C and E, selenium and beta carotene. Vitamin supplements are no substitute for the nutrients you get from food, but they're a good way to cover your bases.
  8. Hold the salt shaker. Excess sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure (hypertension). More than 50 million Americans — or one in four — have high blood pressure and a third of them don't know it. High blood pressure contributes to the risk of heart and kidney disease and stroke. Use fresh herbs to boost the flavor of the foods you cook — you'll get lots of delicious flavor, without the sodium.
  9. Switch to whole grains. Whole grains are richer in nutrients and fiber than refined grains. Whole grains help keep you regular, too. Reach for whole-wheat bread over white and brown rice over white. Popcorn and oatmeal are whole grains, too.
  10. Hit the water cooler. Water is important for all metabolic processes in the body. It also helps with digestion and weight loss and improves the appearance of your skin. Drinking eight to 10 8-ounce glasses of water each day is key, but eating foods with a high-water content (like fruits and vegetables) also will contribute to your water intake.

Some other lists you may be interested in:

Food for Tuesday:

  • 0 points--coffee
  • 1 point--yogurt
  • 1 point--ww bread
  • 1 point--tuna
  • 1 point--low fat margarine
  • 5 points--veggie chili
  • 2 points--banana
  • 2 points--yogurt
  • 2 points--granola bar
  • 2 points-- ff candy
  • 3 points--cookies
  • 20 points total for tuesday

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hay girl... sorry about the knees! You really have to be careful not to over-do it but you are to be commended for all the great efforts.

Thanks for the comments, Iam trying to get my ass together! lol

Love, Molly

Anonymous said...

That sucks about your knees. My mother is actually about to have surgery on one of hers. You'll just have to be careful, and might have to do your leg work the old fashioned way if they keep acting up!
And thanks for the Ten. That's helpful!

Anonymous said...

Hi, thank you for stopping by my blog @ chubbytoes! I am sorry about your knees. I have trouble with mine too, but it would be good to build up the muscle around them to help support them. But it'll kill ya doing it!
Wow, how does it feel to be "under 200" I can only dream so far!
You must be doing weight watcher's wendie plan. Do you like it better than just staying at the same point count daily? I am going back on weight watcher's and just wondered what you thought. I tend to lose 30 or so and stop losing, then I get disgusted and eventually go and rebel...
I'm glad you left a comment, I will go ahead and put you on my blogroll.

Anonymous said...

thanks for leaving a comment. I am doing the Wendi plan, I found that it helped me once I hit a plateau. I lost about 40 lbs and then kinda slowed down, the wendi plan keeps my body guessing so the weight loss picked up again.

Anonymous said...

Awww, poor you! Hope your knees get better soon. Remember to take it slow.
Thanks for sharing those articles.

Anonymous said...

Good for you for checking out the gym. Hope your knees are better. Some great articles too....I scored a perfect 10 on being a stress over eater...(what a surprise! ha!

Anonymous said...

Sorry your knees were hurting!! Ouch!! Did you ice them?

Congrats on getting a gym membership. It's currently my obession which I find odd, since I use to hate them. I think I'm just in the right frame of mind..you know?

Good luck with it!

Anonymous said...

Hi TC, Thanks for the visit and comment on my site. You have a really motivating attitude and the pictures are a big difference. Congratulations on the weight loss. I have bad knees because my weight wore down my miniscus and it's bone on bone now. Bless you.

Anonymous said...

Good for you going to the gym, that will sure speed up your weight loss or for sure your shrinking.. :-) Be careful with your knees, I have never had problems with my knees but my daughter and husband do. They use ibuprophen and icy hot.

My husband put a weight bench in layaway that I hope to use in the near future. Right now I am lifting 1 pound weights with Leslie Sansone. I have to build up slow with my nosebleeds.. :-( But we can do this Cindy!!

hugs,
April

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