Thursday, July 26, 2007

From Weight Loss to Real Fitness: Reflections at the Crossroads

I’ve been traveling, meeting the new grandson, attending my 40th high school class reunion, and taking care of some things that I can’t attend to during the school year. Now I’m back and my blog will change its focus from weight loss to weight maintenance and bodybuilding. I will still concentrate on, and share, my low fat, and low sodium recipes.

Who I am and How I Got Here


I am a 57 year old male and the chair of the computer department at a small rural community college in Arkansas. I live on 60 acres in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains in southwest Arkansas with my wife Sandy, two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Sheets and Jackson, and several cats. When I stepped on the scales at the fitness center January 3, 2007, I was shocked to find that I weighed 10 pounds more than when I had previously thought I was really fat, 210.25 pounds. More importantly, my blood pressure was 181/118 and this was the lowest of three measurements by three different people. I have never been a dieter but this time I set as my goal to see whether I could lower my blood pressure through diet, weight loss, and exercise.


Initially my target weight was 155 because that would have put me at the pre-1998 Body Mass Index (BMI) normal level and, as I work out regularly, I felt the current BMI was inappropriate to measure of my progress. I have since shifted to using body fat as measured by skin-fold testing to set my goals. On that basis, my first goal was 159 pounds and I am now shooting for an 18% body fat percentage which, by the way, may be accompanied by an actual increase in weight but a drop in body fat (muscle weights more than fat). On May 18 my body fat was 22.4% (I weighed 166 pounds), and on June 19 at a weight of 160.3 pounds, my body fat was 20.9%. My weight reached 155 pounds in early July. My blood pressure is now low normal without medication as well.


My Weight Loss Program


I have never trusted fad diets and felt that as I needed a combination of low calorie, low sodium, and low fat to meet my health goals, I would have to come up with my own program. I consulted the Mayo Clinic weight calculators and they recommended 1400 calories per day for me for weight loss. I decided to try to keep my daily sodium intake under 1500 mg and the percentage of daily calories from fat under 20%. In order to keep track of all this, I devised my own spreadsheet using Excel. I used, and continue to use, the USDA nutrient database. I have since discovered that there are a number of good web sites where you can register for free and keep track of these nutrients online. This program fit my head-on style and allowed me to take complete control over my diet and my health.


Now that I have reached my goal, I have increased my calorie limit from 1400 to 1800. I am actively increasing my daily protein intake from an average of about 70 grams per day, to a body builder’s 160 grams per day.


Exercise Program


I enjoy walking, gardening, and yard work but because of the focused nature of my program, I followed a more structured regimen at the Ouachita Rehabilitation and Fitness Center, working out 3-5 days per week. My workout consisted of a 10 minute warm-up on the treadmill followed by two circuits of strength (weight) training and ending back on the treadmill for 20 minutes followed by a 5 minute cool down. I spent a total of 35 minutes on the treadmill and alternated days of strength training focusing on upper body one day and lower body the next. This workout took about an hour and ten minutes.


After being referred to as “small” twice in one week, I decided that I needed to add some significant muscle. I hadn’t been called small since public school days. The real benefit of muscle is that it is more metabolically active than fat and takes more calories to maintain. With the advice of my exercise physiologist, I have changed my strength training from “strength-endurance” to strength. While the cardio (treadmill) portion stays the same, the strength portion involves three sequential sets of decreasing repetitions (12, 10, and 8) and increasing weight at each machine, while allowing recovery time between rep sets. My workout now takes over an hour and a half. When school starts next month, I will probably have to make some modifications.


The most insidious obstacle I face is my own head and my body image. I continue to struggle with the person in the mirror. Until recently I saw myself as still fat and large, and have had to overcome the cognitive dissonance created by my perception and the perceptions of the outside world. I have been called “small” and “the incredible shrinking man” by acquaintances. I wear size 34 belts and slacks rather than the size 40s I wore for decades, and my shirt size has gone from extra large to medium. If I don’t get in synch with this new reality, my subconscious has the power “solve” the dissonance problem by sabotaging my weight loss. Body building is one way that I can still be substantial while at the same time healthy. Stay tuned.


Supplements


To get my protein consumption up to one gram per pound of body weight, I am spacing chocolate whey protein shakes (23 g protein per scoop) mixed with water, as needed throughout the day. This will feed muscle growth. I have also added 5 g of creatine split between pre and post workout along with amino acids (taurine, arginine, and a few others) and dextrose. The creatine helps increase endurance, muscle fiber size, and decrease recovery time. After a workout, the sugar is needed to replace the glycogen stores in the muscle and the spike in insulin helps transport the nutrients (creatine and glucose) to the muscle fibers. I have a significant protein meal after working out as well, and I haven’t noticed any negative effects on my blood sugar from this diet.


Changes


As I have reached my goal, I will no longer be posting my daily recaps. I do have some great recipes coming up including the best diet blue cheese dressing ever.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Hitting Turbulence As I Approach My Weight Loss Goal

Despite the fact that I haven’t gone over my 1400 calorie daily limit and I have increased my working outs from 3-4 to 4-5 days per week, my weight has been bouncing. On June 1, I weighed 162.75, 3.75 pounds from my 159 pound target. Three days later I was down to 161.5, and two days after that, back to 162.75. I traveled last week to a workshop, but while I was on the road, I ate well (grilled salmon, steamed vegetables, boneless skinless chicken breast, fresh fruit instead of cheesecake, egg white omelet). I asked for no oil, and no salt, and I am pretty sure the calorie count was accurate. I even spent an extra 31 minutes on the treadmill at the Hilton. They had individual flat screen televisions in front of each treadmill so I got a little carried away watching the early morning news.


Possible Explanations


I may have taken in more sodium than my 1500 mg daily maximum and I could have temporarily gained some water weight. I may be adding more muscle because of my workouts. It may also be that as I approach my target, unknown forces conspire to impede my forward progress. Whatever the explanation, I am only two pounds from my target weight (pending verification by skinfold testing) and should be there at the end of another week.


Here are my recaps for the last few days. I am leaving out the estimates from the travel days.




Daily Dietary Recap-6/11/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1361.06 68.66 g 230.34 g906.92 mg 15.70 g 10.04%




Daily Dietary Recap-6/10/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1179.93 65.65 g 175.35 g1024.51 mg 14.14 g 10.79%





Daily Dietary Recap-6/9/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1254.9 70.98 g 195.85 g1194.3 mg 14.8 g 10.61%



Daily Dietary Recap-6/8/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1314 69.83 g 238.49 g1059 mg 16.42 g 11.25%

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Two Aromatic Low-sodium, Low-fat Recipes: Garbanzos with Tomato Curry (Garam Masala) Sauce, and Joel’s Warm Honey-Wilted Cole Slaw

I need to catch up on recipes, so I offer here a duo of warm recipes that both have wonderful fragrances. As all my recipes, these are low in sodium and low in fat.


Garbanzos with Tomato Curry (Garam Masala) Sauce


Ingredients


2 C cooked, or salt-free canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 medium sweet onion-diced
2 cloves garlic-peeled and mashed with side of a heavy knife (or pressed)
1 Can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)-no salt added
3 oz. tomato paste- no salt added
½ C water
1 t. good quality garam masala (Indian Curry)
1/2 t. Szechwan seasoning (containing chili peppers, ginger, red pepper, and garlic)
3-4 T apple cider vinegar
Cavender’s Greek seasoning to taste


Cook or warm garbanzos and set aside. In a skillet sprayed with olive oil pan spray, sauté onions and garlic until the onions are translucent. Add Diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and vinegar. Stir the mixture well and heat to a simmer. Simmer until the mixture is heated through and is smooth, about 10 minutes. During the last minute add the garam masala and the Szechwan seasoning. Taste, and add Cavender’s is desired. This recipe makes about 2 and ½ cups and can be served over the garbanzo beans as a side dish, but it is also delicious with a wide range of meats from lamb, and fish to poultry, pork, and beef. It is delicious on Joel’s Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Turkey Meatloaf. Nutrition information per ¼ C tomato curry, and ½ C garbanzo beans: 90.18 calories, 4.23 g protein, 19.97 g carbohydrates, 7.8 g fiber, .69 g fat, 34.71 mg sodium.


Joel’s Warm Wilted Cole Slaw


I love cabbage, and this easy recipe makes a warm and tasty change from cole slaw. In fact, it works alongside the beans and burgers where you would normally find cole slaw, and also fits nicely on the dinner table. Wilting the cabbage in the skillet releases some of the inherent sweetness of this noble crucifer.


Ingredients


16 oz. cole slaw mix (cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots)
½ medium sweet onion (like Vidalia), finely chopped
1 t. dry mustard
1 T honey
¼ C apple cider vinegar
¼ t. ground black pepper
½ t. caraway seed


Spray a large skillet with olive oil pan spray, add the onions and dry mustard, and sauté until the onion is translucent. Set the onion aside and add the slaw mixture to the skillet and stir-fry until the cabbage is wilted, about 3 minutes. Combine the onions with the slaw in a large bowl. Add the honey and apple cider vinegar back to the skillet and stir while the honey dissolves and the mixture becomes foamy. Pour the honey mixture over the warm slaw and stir with the pepper and caraway seeds. Serve immediately while warm. This recipe makes about 4 cups. Nutrition information per a generous 1 cup serving: 56.5 calories, 1.89 g protein, 13.84 g carbohydrates, 3.75 g fiber, 0 g fat, 38.25 mg sodium.


Here is my recap from yesterday.



Daily Dietary Recap-6/4/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1142.16 47.65 g 210.55 g534.71 mg 14.55 g 9.45%

Monday, June 4, 2007

Joel’s Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Turkey Meatloaf


Since I’ve been working on my series on dieting and metabolism, I’ve neglected posting some of my new recipes. This turkey meatloaf has good flavor by itself, and is good with salsa, low-sodium catsup, or mustard. I like to put a slice inside a whole wheat pita with some thinly sliced onions and mustard for lunch. Two slices make a good entrée for dinner accompanied by vegetables, a salad, and either a baked potato or baked sweet potato with non-fat sour cream. I boosted the protein and kept the sodium very low by using soy bread crumbs; if these aren’t available, you can substitute bread crumbs. This recipe makes 12 slices. Each slice contains 68.58 calories, 13.14 g protein, 3.29 g carbohydrates, .78 g fiber, .41 g fat, and 67.17 mg sodium.


Ingredients


19.2 oz. white ground turkey breast (I used Honeysuckle White)
1/3 C soy bread crumbs
3 T egg whites
½ C chopped sweet onion
1 T chili powder
2 T prepared mustard
3 T sodium free catsup
Cavender’s salt free all purpose Greek seasoning-to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the catsup, mix remaining ingredients, and form into a loaf. Place loaf into a shallow pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour, remove foil and spread 2 tablespoons of catsup over the top of the load. Return the loaf to the oven uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.


Here is my recap for the last two days.



Daily Dietary Recap-6/2/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1227.62 83.63 g 204.13 g1150.72 mg 13.55 g 8.79%

Daily Dietary Recap-6/3/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1080.31 57.79 g 215.17 g705.91 mg 13.97 g 10.04%

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Seven More Sample Menus for a 1400 Calorie Diet

Seven More Sample Menus for a 1400 Calorie Diet


About two months, and 14 pounds ago, I published a week’s worth of sample menus for my 1400 calorie, low-sodium, and low-fat diet. I am now 3.35 pounds away from my goal, 159 pounds. When I reach it, I will have lost a total of 51.25 pounds since I started this project January 3, 2007. My blood pressure is consistently low normal without medication and I have made working out at the fitness center a normal part of my life. My sample menus are not carefully prepared and balanced by a dietitian; they are literally what I ate on a given day to meet the requirements of my less than 1400 calorie, less than 20 % of calories from fat, less than 1500 mg of sodium, diet.


Since then, aside from the main page, the page with my sample menus has become the most popular on my blog. I wondered how my diet had changed, I’ve come up with a number of new recipes, and thought some might find an update of more sample menus useful. My low sodium chili, Joel’s chili 3, remains a staple in my weekly menus but I don’t need to serve it over brown rice or pasta as much as I did at first. Eating 4-7 times per day was something I did right, right from the beginning. I have learned that it keeps my metabolism up. Chocolate or strawberry low fat frozen yogurt has become something I eat regularly and something I look forward to as a reward for making smart choices during the day.


A lot of dieters talk about reaching a plateau where they keep doing the same things but their weight loss stops. I have never had that happen on my diet and I attribute that to my 3-4 day a week habit at the fitness center, and the fact that I eat throughout the day.


I am not a trained nutritionist, and my only criteria for selecting these foods for my own diet are those of calorie, sodium, and reduced fat. My personal goals in addition those previously-mentioned are: 78-158 g protein, 30-38 g fiber, and less than 300 mg cholesterol. Your recommended diet may be very different. I only offer these menus to share what I have eaten on given days while staying loyal to my diet.


Monday


Breakfast: ¼ pound extra lean ground beef (96/4) in ½ whole wheat pita with 1 t. mustard (left over from the night before, I was in a hurry)


Snack: 10 white seedless grapes


Lunch: 1 cup Joel’s chili 3,


Snack: 25 white seedless grapes


Dinner: 4 fish tacos, including 4 oz. wild salmon, 4 small corn tortillas heated in dry skillet, 1 thin slice of Swiss cheese (mozzarella or non-fat cheddar is better), lemon juice, and green taco sauce; 2/3 C steamed corn, 9 Brussels sprouts, and a garden salad with 2 C mixed greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, and 3 T Joel’s salad dressing .


Dessert: 1 cup low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt


Snack: 1 small bag 94% fat-free popcorn


Dietary Summary: Calories: 1348.79, Protein: 64.77, Carbohydrates: 216.22 g, Fiber: 35.42 g, Fat: 27.38 g, Percent calories from fat: 18.27%, Saturated fat: 11.17 g, Cholesterol: 166.48 g, Sodium: 1026.42 mg.


Tuesday


Breakfast: 1.5 cup old-fashioned oatmeal with 1 T brown sugar, .5 oz. raisins, 1 T flax seed meal, and 1 t. cinnamon.


Snack: small banana


Lunch: tuna salad, very low sodium tuna, non-fat mayonnaise, onions, pickles relish, in ½ whole wheat pita


Snack: small banana


Dinner: Chicken tenders and tofu in sweet sour stir fry with.25 C pineapple, ¾ C broccoli stir fry, .1 package light firm tofu-baked, 1 T sweet-sour sauce. ½ C brown rice, 2 C grilled summer squash and sweet onions, 1 serving steamed spinach (about 4 C raw).


Dessert: ¾ C low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt


Snack: 1 Ry-Krisp sesame cracker


Dietary Summary: Calories: 1284, Protein: 58.21, Carbohydrates: 230.9 g, Fiber: 34.37 g, Fat: 19.13 g, Percent calories from fat: 12.8%, Saturated fat: 25.62 g, Cholesterol: 122.5 g, Sodium: 589.72 mg.


Wednesday


Breakfast: 4 oz blueberry all-natural yogurt


Snack: small banana


Lunch: 1.5 C Joel’s chili 3


Snack: 4 oz blueberry all-natural yogurt


Dinner: Healthy Choice Lemon Pepper Fish dinner, 9 Brussels sprouts, 3 Ry-Krisp sesame crackers and a garden salad with 2 C mixed greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, sweet onion, and 2 T Vidalia onion fat-free dressing.


Dessert: 1 cup low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt


Snack: ½ whole wheat pita with 1 T low-fat mozzarella cheese


Dietary Summary: Calories: 1345.04, Protein: 54.74, Carbohydrates: 260.88 g, Fiber: 40.74 g, Fat: 18.01 g, Percent calories from fat: 12.05%, Saturated fat: 59 g, Cholesterol: 88.13 g, Sodium: 1319.72 mg.


Thursday


Breakfast: Egg white omelet with .5 C Egg Beaters, steamed spinach, sweet onion, 1 T non-fat cheddar cheese, and 3 T red bell pepper.


Snack: None



Lunch: ¾ C Joel’s Chili 3


Snack: 4 oz strawberry all-natural yogurt


Dinner: 1 serving (4 oz. chicken) stuffed chicken breasts, 1 C baked sweet potato, 2/3 C steamed mixed vegetables, and a garden salad with 2 C mixed greens, 1/3 C grape tomatoes, sweet onion, and 2 T Vidalia onion fat-free dressing


Dessert: 1 cup low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt


Snack: none


Dietary Summary: Calories: 1276.85, Protein: 86.88, Carbohydrates: 195.52 g, Fiber: 29.16 g, Fat: 18.62 g, Percent calories from fat: 13.12%, Saturated fat: 74.19 g, Cholesterol: 119.7 g, Sodium: 1168.62 mg.


Friday


Breakfast: Egg white omelet with 1/3 C egg whites, 3 mushrooms-chopped, sweet onion, 1 T non-fat cheddar cheese, and 3 T red bell pepper.


Snack: 4 oz strawberry all-natural yogurt


Lunch: 1/2 whole wheat pita with ¼ pound extra lean ground beef (96/4) and mustard


Snack: 1 medium orange


Dinner: 1.5 cups no-yolks noodles, 1.5 cups chicken cacciatore, and 1 serving steamed spinach (about 4 C raw).


Dessert: 1.5 C low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt


Snack: 1 medium orange


Dietary Summary: Calories: 1371.3, Protein: 75.7, Carbohydrates: 216.45 g, Fiber: 35.43 g, Fat: 20.64 g, Percent calories from fat: 11%, Saturated fat: 6.22 g, Cholesterol: 183.75 g, Sodium: 729.35 mg.


Saturday


Breakfast: ½ C GoLean Crunch cereal, 1/3 C skim milk, ¼ C wild blueberries.


Snack: None


Lunch: 1 C lima bean, portobello mushroom, barley soup, 1/8 pound extra lean ground beef (96/4) in ½ whole wheat pita


Snack: ¼ cantaloupe


Dinner: 1 serving baked salmon in dill sauce on steamed spinach, with 4 corn tortillas, and 2/3 C steamed corn.


Dessert: 1 C low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt


Snack: ¼ cantaloupe and 1 small bag 94% fat-free popcorn


Dietary Summary: Calories: 1310.17, Protein: 61.15, Carbohydrates: 238.94 g, Fiber: 49.47 g, Fat: 21.55 g, Percent calories from fat: 14.81%, Saturated fat: 6.5 g, Cholesterol: 102.5 g, Sodium: 906.92 mg.


Sunday


Breakfast: Egg white omelet with 1/3 C egg whites, 3 shiitake mushrooms-chopped, sweet onion, 1 T non-fat cheddar cheese, 3 T red bell pepper, and 1 T mild salsa.


Snack: 4 oz strawberry all-natural yogurt


Lunch: 2 Joel’s healthy enchiladas, 1/3 C Joel’s chili 3,


Snack: 3 oz. baby carrots, ¾ C GoLean Crunch


Dinner: 3 oz. roasted skinless boneless chicken breast in ½ whole wheat pita with secret sauce, 1 C steamed corn.


Dessert: 1 cup low-fat chocolate frozen yogurt


Snack: 1 medium orange, 5 Ritz low sodium crackers


Dietary Summary: Calories: 1349.82, Protein: 74.99, Carbohydrates: 216.57 g, Fiber: 28.6 g, Fat: 20.99 g, Percent calories from fat: 13.83%, Saturated fat: 6.58 g, Cholesterol: 135.8 g, Sodium: 1078.01 mg.


As you can see, I eat a lot for someone on a calorie, fat, and sodium restricted diet. But, I lose weight consistently, I have good energy, and I am seldom hungry.


Here is my recap for the last two days.






Daily Dietary Recap-6/1/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1349.68 90.86 g 228.62 g957 mg 11.55 g 7.55%

Daily Dietary Recap-5/31/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1389.53 92.68 g 234.55 g718.14 mg 12.43 g 7.51%

Thursday, May 31, 2007

What Every Dieter Should Know about Metabolism: Thermogenic Foods to Boost Your Metabolism

This is Part 4 and the last in the series, What Every Dieter Should Know about Metabolism. Part 1, Metabolism Basics, can be found here, Part 2, The Role of Muscle, can be found here, and Part 3, Eating Strategies for Increasing our Metabolism, can be found here.


Thermogenic Foods


As I mentioned in Part 3, all foods are thermogenic (metabolism enhancing and calorie-burning) so every time we eat, it turns our metabolism up but, there are some foods that are better at it than others. We should keep in mind that there is no magic bullet or “super fat-burning foods”, and that the differences between the metabolic acceleration of some foods pales in comparison to the effect of physical activity. But as an ongoing strategy it may be wise to include these foods in our regular menu. We may especially want to try it if, and when, we hit a weight-loss plateau. Here is a rundown of the major categories of thermogenic foods with examples of each.


Lean Proteins


The lean proteins are at the top of the thermogenic and metabolism-enhancing foods list; they have the highest thermal effect. Good choices are: chicken breast, turkey breast, the leaner game meats, lean red meat, bison, salmon and other types of fish and seafood, and egg whites.


Herbs and Spices


Spicy foods, especially the ones that contain capsaicin, are especially thermogenic and can raise your metabolic rate for up to three hours after eating. Hot peppers including, the more common cayenne peppers, all contain capsaicin. Other thermogenic herbs and spices are: cinnamon, fennel seed, garlic, ginger, ginseng, guarana, horseradish, kola nut, ma huang, mustard seed, parsley, and turmeric.


Vegetables and Fibrous Foods


Radishes, cabbage, celery asparagus, green beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, salad vegetables Whole grains and beans metabolize more slowly (and require more energy to digest) than highly processed foods. Good examples of these are sweet potatoes, oatmeal, whole grains, beans, brown rice, and even potatoes. Oats have been proven to lower cholesterol. Oatmeal has the added benefit of stabilizing blood sugar due to its slow release of glucose into the blood stream, and that gives you energy for a longer time.


Citrus Fruits


All citrus fruits are especially thermogenic because of their bioflavonoids and vitamin C. Both of these are known to boost the metabolism. The soluble fiber in citrus may also block the absorption of fat and also contribute to a feeling of fullness.


Beverages


Green tea: After water, green tea is the champion of thermogenic beverages. It contains the polyphenol antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is also found in both black tea but green tea contains five times as much. EGCG increases thermogenesis and studies have shown that the EGCG found in one cup of Green tea can increase metabolism by from 4-7.5%. The polyphenols in green tea have been demonstrated to promote scientifically significant antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, probiotic, and anti-microbial properties in addition to its thermogenic properties. I have replaced my jug of black tea in the refrigerator with green tea for iced tea and drink large quantities of it throughout the day. It couldn’t hurt.


Coffee: The caffeine in coffee accelerates the metabolism.


Water: Water is undoubtedly a major stimulus to accelerate the metabolism. According to a 2003 article, Water-Induced Thermogenesis, in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, “Drinking 500 ml of water increased metabolic rate by 30%....within 10 min and reached a maximum after 30–40 min. The total thermogenic response was about 100 kJ [that’s about 24 calories]. About 40% of the thermogenic effect originated from warming the water from 22 to 37 C. In men, lipids[fats]mainly fueled the increase in metabolic rate. In contrast, in women carbohydrates were mainly used as the energy source…thus, drinking 2 liters of water per day would augment energy expenditure by approximately 400 kJ [about 96 calories]. Therefore, the thermogenic effect of water should be considered when estimating energy expenditure, particularly during weight loss programs.” Well, this isn’t a lot compared to 30 minutes on the treadmill or bicycle, but as part of an overall program of weight loss, it could be significant.


Apple Cider Vinegar: Many health claims are made for apple cider vinegar, but it does have a positive effect on the metabolism and it makes a delicious vinaigrette dressing. I have started drinking 1 tablespoon of unpasteurized organic apple cider vinegar in 8 ounces of water with 1 teaspoon of honey a couple of times a day and while I can’t make any health claims for it, it can’t hurt.


Other Thermogenic Foods


Whole grains and beans metabolize more slowly (and require more energy to digest) than highly processed foods. Good examples of these are sweet potatoes, oatmeal, whole grains, beans, brown rice, and even potatoes.


Dieters armed with this information and an understanding of how the metabolism works will be in a much better position to manage their weight loss. With all the choices, it should be pretty easy to incorporate some of the highly thermogenic foods with each meal.


Here is my recap from yesterday.


Daily Dietary Recap-5/30/2007
Calories Protein Carbohydrates SodiumFat % Calories from Fat
1347.18 101.36 g 215.84 g965.4 mg 12.76 g 7.89%