It is back to school time and I have seen several times on the news about Safety and brown bagging it...As we change our lifestyle so does our family.  Many of the foodies pack their lunch and their kids lunch (we don't want to give them the junk in school cafeterias) so I felt the need to address the safety issues in brown bagging it...

A standard rule of food safety is to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot until it is time to eat them. Temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees.  An insulated jug (heat it first with boiling water) placed in an insulated lunch box can keep soup, chili  hot until lunch time.

Also consider pantry-safe foods packed in easy-to-open containers, like tuna that can be eaten out of a flip-top can, with or without bread.

Dried fruits and whole fruits like apples, bananas, oranges and grapes can round out the meal and can be kept safely at room temperature. But all fresh fruits, even those that will be peeled, must be washed before they are put in the lunch box.

A thorough washing is especially important for melons. If the skin is contaminated, the knife can transfer bacteria to the flesh, where they can flourish by lunch time.  Ever since cantaloupe was linked to an E. coli outbreak in 2004, I’ve washed all melons, including watermelon, with a soapy sponge and hot water as soon as I get them home from the store. If they are held for days unrefrigerated, I wash them again before cutting them open.

Of course, any surface, utensil or hand that comes into contact with raw meat, poultry, fish or eggs must always be thoroughly cleaned before being used for other foods, including those same foods after they are cooked.

Even perfectly safe food can become contaminated by careless storage, preparation and consumption. Perishable foods should be refrigerated as soon as they come home from the store. If you shop with a vehicle, take along a cooler for refrigerated foods, especially in warm weather.

I know, I know...Eat to lose some how just doesn't compute.  So let's take a look at why it is so important.  A friend was asking me about Weight Watchers and I was explaining the point system, the next question she asked was "Will you lose it faster if you don't eat all your points"?  The answer is NO!  I remember in the beginning of my journey....It was our weekly Saturday morning weigh in, my cousin stepped on the scale and lost 3.2,  I began thinking maybe I can lose more than a pound this week. I was notorious for losing but always less than a pound, but anything with a minus in front is a good week.  I stepped on the scale and gained 1.2!! I was devastated....I didn't eat my points!!

We have all figured our points, but for this blog we have look at calories. After all that is what is all boils down to. To lose one pound, a person must burn 3,500 calories more than are consumed (500 calories per day over the course of a week). For example, reducing calories by 300 per day and increasing daily activity to burn off an additional 200 calories should result in a weight loss of one pound per week.  That is why when we get to maintain our weight our points increase. 

Most health professionals recommend slow weight loss as the safest and most effective approach. A sensible weight-loss program allows you to lose weight gradually -- about one-half to one pound per week. Gradual weight loss promotes long-term loss of body fat, not just water weight that can be quickly regained.

Remember, metabolism is basically the rate at which your body burns calories. So let's go back to my friends question, what happens when we don't eat our points/calories.  Your body will store fat...why? 

Think of the calories in your body as the gas in your car to take a cross-country trip. The car needs a certain amount of gas to get there. To make the trip, you would fill up the tank and refuel it several times along the way. You wouldn’t just fill the tank half way, and you wouldn’t avoid refueling it when the tank became empty. If you did, your car wouldn’t perform well, and you wouldn’t get to your destination. 

Our bodies need adequate fuel too, and our bodies need to be refueled every 3-5 hours to perform well. If we don’t refuel our bodies with adequate calories throughout the day, our body (and all of its systems) will start to shut down.

Bottom Line....Eat your points/calories!!

Feeling deprived will only backfire. Make a plan you can live with by livening up healthy foods with herbs and spices like basil, cilantro, curry and ginger; aromatic veggies like garlic and onions; and condiments like mustard, hot pepper sauce or salsa. Experiment with new nutritious foods: Tantalize your taste buds with two new fruits or vegetables at each meal. Try different cold/hot cereals and breads. Don't declare high-fat favorites "off limits"; savor them in small amounts to maintain a balanced healthy diet. I have found if you really crave something you will eat everything in the house to avoid it and end up eating it anyway.

The best way to achieve that same clarity when you're trying to lose weight is to set some rules. Find yourself snacking on cereal at night? Make an only-for-breakfast rule. If you slip, no cereal in your house for a month! Tend to dive into the breadbasket as soon as the waiter brings it around? Set a one-starchy-carb-per-restaurant-meal rule. If you want the bread, tell yourself before you head out that you'll skip the potato or pasta that comes with your meal. To make the rules official, write them down.

Three rules that get us to success are:  two days before weigh in no red meat (red meat takes 48 hours to digest)  Eat light with easy to digest foods like shrimp or fish. Eat a no meat day, start with eggs for great protein, then have an Italian dish with marinara, morningstar sausage and mushrooms, for example. We then do a "last chance workout" the night before.  We swim,  ride bikes and play the Wii. Just get up and get moving!

For energy, satisfaction, staying power and good health, aim to eat a healthy balance of protein (15-20 percent of your total daily calories), fat (less than 30 percent of your total daily calories) and carbohydrate (50-55 percent of your total daily calories) each day. Rule of thumb: Fill three-quarters of your plate with plant foods, leaving the rest for small amounts of fish, nonfat milk products and nuts or seeds

Whether your just starting your journey or at any stage....there are simple ways to cut calories/points! As you reduce your daily intake some wonder how can I survive on that many calories/points? These tidbits can help you stretch your intake. Here are more great ideas that will cut calories/points from your daily intake, possibly without your even noticing: 


 1. Eating slowly helps you consume only what your body needs to feel satisfied. Eating too quickly, in less than 20 to 30 minutes, leads to overeating and feeling uncomfortably full afterwards. 
 2. Leave Some Food on Your Plate. This is especially important if you grew up in the “clean plate club.” By leaving even a few bites, you can focus more on your internal signals of satisfaction and less on eating food just because it is there. 
 3. Don’t Eat Out of a Bag or Box. When you eat out of a package, you are likely to keep eating until it’s all gone – no matter how many servings the package actually contains. Pour one serving into a small bowl. Also check out the Tidbit section on the website about pre portion your snacks!
 4. Choose Your Glass Wisely. Here’s another place where our eyes play tricks on us. When glasses are short and wide, we tend to fill them with more fluid and to drink more. Use a slender glass for any beverage except water. 
5. Rethink Your Drinks. High-calorie beverages like soft drinks, juice drinks, energy drinks, specialty coffees and alcohol add calories just like solid foods. Whenever possible, replace these drinks with plenty of water. 
6.  Also, items in your refrigerator that make a big difference is dairy, switch to fat free sour cream, 2% cheese only and 1% milk, these simple changes make for a huge calorie/points savings! 7. Downsize Your Dishes. Use smaller plates and bowls to help you eat less. We tend to fill up the dish we’re using and then eat it all. Our brains also think we are getting more when the same amount of food is placed in a smaller dish. Savor Your Meals. 

Give these a try this week and see the BIG difference.

What is considered a Superfood?  After much research on this topic....Foods considered to be super include those high in omega 3, which is good for the heart,  anything high in vitamins. Well that covers many foods doesn't it? Wait there is more.... Garlic contains a compound believed to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, but you would have to eat between seven and 28 cloves of it a day for it to make a real difference. Chili is thought to alleviate pain and inflammation, but again, most people eat only small quantities.

Drum roll please ...the bottom line is!!  "There is no official definition of a superfood," says Anna Denny, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation. "There isn't a league table and I think it's a media- and marketing-led thing. These foods only play a role if you have a balanced, varied diet. If you don't, you can't just eat some berries in the hope of a quick fix."

A superfood list contains what is known as functional foods.  The term was coined in Japan way back in the 80’s to specify foods used to treat different types of diseases. Now it's what is the current “in-thing” among most people.

But don't despair, their is a list of Ultimate Superfood with only 4 foods on that list:

1. Acai - This delicious fruit had been eaten for decades and has higher antioxidant effects than the other similar types of berries like the cranberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.

2. Cod liver oil - Several pharmaceutical companies developed a lot of supplements in capsules containing cod liver oil to prevent heart diseases. Before taking this, it is advisable however to consult first with your doctor especially if you’re pregnant.

3. Sweet potatoes -  They one of the ultimate superfoods on the list that has excellent anti-aging effects.  They have exceedingly higher contents of beta carotene versus other red potatoes.

4. Yoghurt is another one of the highly recommended ultimate superfood as it has been known to contain high amounts of calcium, protein, and potassium.  This food is a healthy way to balance the digestive tracts bacterial environment.

So with no definition... Continue eating Healthy foods and don't worry about the "in thing", Eat healthy foods your taste buds like!!

What triggers a person to want, I mean really want to lose weight? When Will and I decided to take this journey of a lifestyle change seriously you couldn't get me off my soap box about weight watchers. I truly believed in what were set out to accomplish. I was ready, beyond ready!! I believe you have to be mentally ready first....no one can do it for you!! 

With that said...what can get you mentally ready? A trip to the doctor and a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes or heart disease. Parents who cannot participate in family life. A desire to be able to play with your kids. Or negative experiences, such as trying to squeeze into an airline or movie theater seat, buying extra large-sized clothing, or no longer being able to wear your wedding ring. The psychological impact of feeling inferior because of size or any of the stigmas associated with overweight people can be powerful motivators to get down to a healthier weight. Find what motivates you!!! 

When weakness sets in (and it will) remember what those motivators are and get your head back in the game. Every week when you weigh in anything, and I do mean anything with a minus in front is a great week. I remember the first holiday season I was on weight watchers I lost .2 every week from Thanksgiving to the 10th of January. It all added up!! One pound at a time YOU CAN DO IT!!

Coming from a long line of high blood pressure on both sides of my family....sodium is something I watch on processed foods with great attention.  Today we are getting more and more options and I for one am happy to see that....  For example canned vegetables come no salt added.  Another option is with beans buy them dried in the bag - more work yes but, far less sodium!!

Many people eat far more sodium than they need — with processed foods contributing as much as 75 percent of the sodium in the typical American diet. Try to stick to less than 2300 mg per day  — or 1,500 mg if you're age 51 or older.

To reduce the salt in your diet, try these tips:

Eat more fresh foods, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, poultry, fish and unprocessed grains. (Only a small amount of sodium is found naturally in these foods.)
Replace traditional high-sodium foods with low-sodium products or products without added salt.
When eating out, request that salt not be added to your food. Ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side so that you can control the amount you use.
Use herbs and spices — rather than salt — to flavor your food.

When figuring your points you need to understand the food label...the in's and out's can be quite confusing!  Be careful to always check the serving size, that is the most important!!  Will and I still made that mistake one month ago!!  Don't let the got you, get you...We were at Costco and bought 100% fruit snacks for the pantry (a quick grab and go snack) That little bag had 2 1/2 servings...WHAT!!  The little healthy bag became 6 points, needless to say they are still in the pantry.

Once you learn to decode the 8 parts of a food label, you’re well on your way to making healthy food choices. Don't let the marketing on the package lead you astray. The words lite, light, lean, high fiber or even whole grain, that doesn't make it healthy READ THE LABEL.  Even Progressive Soup states the Weight Watchers points on the outside of the can, read the small print it is PER SERVING.

As mentioned in the Ground Beef vs. Ground Turkey blog, I feel one of the biggest got you is ground turkey. Some grind the skin in the ground turkey therefor, the fat content goes as high as 22g of fat. One last mention, even if weight watchers doesn't factor in sodium.  It certainly makes a difference in holding water and making your heart work harder.

Brushing up on the nutritional values of the foods you eat is a great way to help get your diet on the right track