The Skinny on Artificial Sweeteners

So this morning I woke up at 3:45 a.m. with a horrible migraine-headache. I fear the monster is back, and then it occurred to me that this might be just junk-food/Coca-cola withdrawal. I realized this when I had a severe craving for Coca-cola and I thought to myself "NO, NO, NO! I don't drink that stuff anymore. No junk!"

Since I started my diet again I am having to tap into some strong will power. The kind that will drag my butt to the finish line kicking and screaming, but at least I will get there.

I think if you are going to do a diet successfully you can allow for no distractions, cheats or days of indulgence. Some programs recommend having a treat day, which is nice and all, but I find that giving in to one treat day leads to another and then another or you end up calling it a "treat" weekend. Even on my birthday there will be no treats! I will simply have to design my food day around healthy food that appears to be a treat. Possibly more fruit will be involved.

So this is my current no-no list:

• junk food

• fast food

• sweets

• sugar sodas and drinks

• artificial sweeteners that cause headaches

Artificial Sweeteners are just bad. Know that. If you have a sweet tooth like me, try to avoid artificial sweeteners like Acesulfame potassium, Aspartame, Neotame, Saccharin and most definitely Sucralose, because these migraine-headache makers. Novel sweeteners and natural sweeteners are your friend. I like Monks Fruit extract, because it has zero calories and I haven't had any bad side-effects (thus far), http://www.monkfruit.org/. I like to use Skinnygirl Monk Fruit Extract Liquid Sweetener http://www.skinnygirlsweeteners.com/shop/monk-fruit-liquid-sweetener/ to sweeten things. It's expensive, but I feel it's worth it. 

For more information on artificial sweeteners in general and other natural sweeteners like stevia and agave see the mark up here: http://www.mayoclinic.org/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936

Skinny and I are going to be great friends again! I can feel it!

- M.E. Gober

Wheat Wars: The Phantom Wheat Menace™

Photo by lusi at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1148243

Is wheat bread bad for your diet?
Many dietitians, health magazines and doctors will say that it is bad for your diet and that the long-held belief wheat bread is better for you and healthier for your diet is all just a myth.

According to author Dr. William Davis of the book "Wheat Belly" claims that wheat is addictive as crack cocaine:
"There's something in modern wheat called gliadin that was changed by the geneticists to change the properties of this plant, mostly to increase yield," Davis said. "The unintended effect is that it increases appetite ... for junk ... so, people can't help themselves." He added that wheat consumption can lead to feelings of "incessant hunger." CBS News, http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article/262600/57/Author-Wheat-Is-As-Addictive-As-Crack 

Is this a sensational method to sell a book? Possibly. However, this hasn't been the first time I've heard accounts about diets that suggest to lose weight, you need to simply cut out ALL wheat products. Dr. William Davis says on his blog, that to remove wheat from your diet overnight is like removing a splinter:
"Remove wheat, like removing a splinter that makes your finger hot, sore, and open to infection, and the body needs to readjust to this new lifestyle." -- http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/ on January 12, 2013 blog entry entitled Nutritional supplements in the wake of wheat elimination

My original dietitian in 2009 tried to get me to follow a similar method for bowel health. SHAPE magazine author, Jennipher Walter says:
"Don't be fooled by wheat-bread products. If the package doesn't specifically say "100-percent whole wheat,” then it's probably mostly white bread with just a little wheat flour mixed in for marketing. Also: Make sure each slice has at least 2 grams of fiber—another mark of a truly healthy bread." -- http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/50-seemingly-healthy-foods-are-bad-you?page=22, SHAPE Magazine.

Even Dr. Oz is jumping into this fray of the Wheat Wars, with a November 2012 article about Dr. William Davis's book stating:
"Whether it comes in the form of organic, sprouted multigrain bread, a squishy white loaf or a strand of spaghetti, all wheat is bad for you, says cardiologist William Davis, MD, author of the bestselling book Wheat Belly. Davis claims that today’s wheat is both addictive and toxic. By eliminating what he calls “Frankenwheat” from your diet, you’ll dramatically shrink your belly and also ward off or reverse myriad health problems." -- http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/todays-wheat-making-you-gain-weight, DoctorOz.com

 It has been suggested to me that as a migraine sufferer I should eliminate the gluten and all wheat products as well. Well that's a challenge, isn't it. I do have a loaf of millet bread in the fridge for the upcoming week to try … I'll tell you what I think of it, and I will see if I can't eliminate wheat from my diet and see if it makes a difference. In the mean time, the war rages on and here's a funny from Stephen Colbert (warning, it is a little crass, not suitable for all ages):

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Thought for Food - Wheat Addictions
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

Day 06: Dealing With My Head

I think I miss counted and today is actually day 7. However, in light of the new year and not to confuse myself and everyone, I am just going to count this as Day 06, as in Day 06 of the new year. Technicals, who needs them?

Today is a lazy day. I am at Activity Level I: Sedentary. I might motivate myself in about 2-3 hours to jump to Activity Level II or III, and go for a brisk walk. See Chapter 4: Fit As A King for the meaning of these Activity Levels. I've been trying to maintain an Activity Level of II this week, which means working out 3 times. So far, so good.

I had a severe headache last night and this morning. My medication for treating them makes me groggy and tired. I need to pick up my perscription for this medication, and the CVS is across the street, about a mile on foot. So that will be good to walk. Regardless, this is what I was talking about, in regards to the challenges I will face, and what it will take to stay on the path to health and a fabulous dress size. 

By the way ... looking for a quick and easy lunch without the extensive thought process, for only a few extra calories and we're talking about 20-40, choosing a fully packed Lunchables is a wise choice. For only 350 calories, you can enjoy a quick well balanced meal for under $4. Below is what I had yesterday for lunch. It was called the Turkey and Cheddar Sandwich Sub pack. It came with a small turkey and cheddar sub with low fat mayo, apple sauce, oreo cookies, and Kool-aide. Yum! I hope you are doing well on your diets today. Be well. 

Day 04: Falling Down, Doesn't Mean You Can't Get Back Up Again

Wow, is it really only Day 4? I thought I was on Day 5. Guess that is tomorrow. I has been an amazingly weird week ... it was up, down, and all around, but I really did try my best to follow my plan, or at least get myself to start thinking in that direction. I know there will be many challenges. The migraine-headaches for one. Today I had a pretty severe headache. Because of my ordeal last month with the 50 day migraine-headache, my headaches get me a little worried that it might come back. The downside is when I have headaches as severe as a level 5 and up (1-10), all I can focus on is the pain and making it stop. Sometimes this means food. It never means run a mile or two ... unfortunately. It often means rest and sedative activity. Long story short, they always put a crimp in my diet plans. In addition to this, I am a woman and having a monthly reminder that "I LOVE SWEETS!!!" allot, doesn't help either. A woman's menstrual cycle can screw with their appetite, weight, emotional state and will power. It is enough to derail any diet. Unfortunately when I am in the middle of all that madness I can't allow myself to "cheat" as it were on my diet plan, but it does happen. So that is one of the many challenges I personally face, and I am sure millions of other women do too. But tomorrow morning when I rise, I will go for a brisk walk again. I need to measure the distance of my path. As apart of my overall goal of a fabulous dress size, my other goal is getting back to the point of run walking a 45 min. 5k. I am not a fast runner due to my asthma, but that was a personal best. I know I am likely back at 60 mins. We'll see. But whatever I do, the point is to keep trying.

Remember, "always do your best" means that if you fall down, you can always get back up again, dust yourself off and "do you best" at trying again.