Recommended Book: You on a Diet by Roizen and Oz

I highly recommend one of Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz's books, You on a Diet - The Owner's Manual for Waist Management. It's all the rage, and deservedly so.  The book is packed with lots of easy-to-implement tips* about how to eat in a way that's will help you lose weight.  As the authors say, they want to help you set your body back to its original factory settings.  The incremental changes they recommend are easy to do.  No big dramatic diets, just lots of small adjustments. That and walking 30 minutes a day (which can be broken up throughout the day).  Roizen and Oz really push the walking every day. 

You on a Diet presents fairly detailed explanations of how the body processes what you eat, and it explains the feedback loop that tells you when you're full.  Turns out that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) - found in an incredible number of processed foods - interrupts the satiety signal.  It seems to be true that when you eat processed food, you often don't feel full afterwards.  If it's tasty, I just want to eat more!  While you're at it, check out RealAge, and take the test to see how your body's biological age compares to your chronological age.

This book explains why. Start reading food labels carefully and skip the foods  with lots of sugar, whether it's sucrose, cane sugar, or HFCS.  Some of the worst offenders are low-fat foods and "organic" fruit yogurts and cereals.  Low fat but loaded with sugar.  According to the book, in 1960, Americans ate no HFCS (it hadn't been synthesized yet), and now the average American consumes 63 pounds of it a year. Yuckk!  No wonder so many of us are putting on pounds and so many kids are suffering from ADD.

There's also lots of recommendations about vitamin and other OTC supplements, and what foods are anti-inflammatory (chocolate, beer and red wine, yippee!).  Turns out that many of the anti-inflammatory foods they list are good anti-aging foods as well.  Can't lose here! 

While you're at it, check out RealAge, and take the test to see how your body's "real age" compares your chronological age.

* Sprinkle cinnamon in your coffee in the morning and on your oatmeal, cinnamon slightly suppresses the appetite.  Tabasco has the same efffect.  Drink a glass of water and/or a small serving of protein (several nuts, piece of cheese) 20  mintues before a meal.  You'll kick-start the satiation feedback loop, and eat less at the meal.  Eat more fiber and earlier on the day.  Oatmeal for breakfast has been shown to decrease the appetite for the rest of the day (not the sugary instant oatmeal,of course).  Snacks are encoraged, but make sure they contain protein snacks (ex:nuts, cheese). 

Comments

[Teresa]

I don't eat any HFCS - it's part of my "no additives" diet. Of course I have found that since I've cut out additives, I also don't get hungry in the same way I used to. I get hungry, but I can go without eating and not have it bother me so much... often times, I'm just not hungry though.

I do wish I could drink red wine - have to stick with white though because of the migraines. ;-)

Now I need to check out the book - sounds interesting.

[miss kelly]

Yes, Teresa, I noticed an immediate change in my appetite when I began following the book's practices. My desire to snack more or less all day long has just gone away. The sense of being a bit hungry and feeling full are very distinct now. I don't have that constant desire for sweets. Yippee!

[Cynthia1770]

Hi Miss Kelly,
Yes, HFCS has invaded out food supply. Courtesy of the Corn Refiners Assoc.,
go to www.corn.org/NSFC2006.pdf.
P29-30 list all the foods and products that contain
HFCS. A few surprises:
whole wheat bread, soups,
cough syrups. StopHFCS.com
lists foods that are HFCS-free. They welcome additions and suggestions.

[Teresa]

Cynthia - that's why one must read the labels on everything. It's very tedious and even after 5 years, I will occasionally skip a label and end up with a migraine (there's nothing like pain to keep one in line *grin*).

Also, companies periodically change ingredients without warning - so checks of labels of packaged items are a must at least a few times a year.

I mostly stick to fresh as it's just so much easier.

MK - I'm so glad to hear it's made such a good impact. Amazing isn't it!