Fruits Have a Rightful Place in Your Diet

Eliminating fruit from your diet is not only unnecessary—it’s unwise

By David L. Katz, MD, Senior Medical Advisor, Verywell.com. 

There should be no need for me, a public health physician, to tell you that fruit—real, whole fruit in its native state—is good for you, because there's a good chance your parents already did that long ago. And their parents likely did the same.

Unfortunately, we are so good at propagating pseudo-confusion about diet and health that we have even managed to get nutty about fruit. (Nuts, by the way, are fruit, and they are good for you too—but that can be a topic for another day.) My most respected colleagues and I routinely lament the enormous opportunity cost of needing to re-establish—again and again—what we have long known about nutrition, rather than devoting our energies to learning what we don’t yet know, and perhaps more importantly still, putting what we do know to good use.

The Twisted Tale of Fruit and the Glycemic Index

Public understanding of the health effects of routine fruit consumption has fallen into just such a Groundhog Day quagmire for two reasons. First, beginning in the late 1990s, and extending into the early 2000s, right around the peak of interest in the Atkins’ diet, popular attention to the glycemic index exploded. While the index itself, and the related glycemic load, are very valuable measures in science, their use as a standalone indicator of nutrition quality was very misguided and symptomatic of our perennial inclination to seek out silver bullets and scapegoats. In case you are wondering, this is not just my assessment; the inventor of the glycemic index is a colleague and close friend, and he agrees.

In any event, preoccupation with the glycemic index as the one dietary truth to rule them all precipitated a spate of fad diet books based entirely on the metric, perhaps most famously The GI Diet.

In all such diets, fruit was banished from the diet, at least during the phases of promised rapid weight loss, because of its relatively high glycemic index. The banishment of fruit in the service of weight loss or the prevention of type 2 diabetes was always both silly and wrong, but fad diet authors are expert at making the silly sound scientific—and the books sold like low-glycemic hotcakes. Remember one thing if nothing else, "all calories are not created equal". The calories in ice cream are not the same as the calories in an apple and if you have equal amounts of calories of each, your body will use the calories from the apple but won't use the calories from the ice cream, they will be stored in fat cells. 

Comparing Apples and Oranges

We had only recently recovered from the GI boondoggle when the vilification of fructose captured the public’s imagination, nearly ten years ago. The focus on the harms of excess fructose was born of legitimacy. High-fructose corn syrup had diffused throughout the food supply as an alternative to sucrose (derived from sugar cane or beets) because of its low cost to manufacturers and its capacity, shared with most if not all sweeteners, to stimulate appetite.

There were, however, three problems with a fixation on fructose, and the on-going inclination to blame all dietary ills on sugar is symptomatic of them. The first was hyperbole: While an excess of added sugar (any sugar) is harmful to us, the contention that sugar in general and fructose specifically were “toxic” or “poison,” without consideration of dose, was wrong and misleading. Second, the conflation of high-fructose corn syrup for fructose was equally misleading. Like sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup is a mix of both fructose and glucose; the two sugars are more alike than different in both composition and health effects.

The third problem is our topic today. Long before it was known as a component of high-fructose corn syrup, fructose was known widely as “fruit sugar.” Fructose is, in fact, the principal or even only sugar in most whole fruits.

The problem here is obvious and predictable.  If fructose were toxic, and fruits were delivery vehicles for it, then eating fruit must be bad for us. The scientists impugning fructose didn’t necessarily mean to indict fruit by association, but they did.

But if eating fruit was in any way bad for us, it would be bad for us in the ways that excess sugar (fructose or other) is bad for us, and the ways that high-glycemic processed foods are bad for us, namely increased risk of weight gain, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.

The truth is that routine intake of whole fruit has long been associated with exactly the opposite effects.

Whole fruit has long figured in dietary patterns associated with weight loss and weight control, as well as good health across the life span. Fruit has been shown to protect against diabetes.

The evidence that eating whole fruit not only is innocent of the transgressions of added sugar, but directly defends against them has long been strong. It recently became even stronger, fortified with the results of a multi-year study of roughly a half million Chinese adults, published in PLOS Medicine. Routine intake of fruit among those without diabetes at baseline was associated with a highly significant reduction in the risk of diabetes developing. Routine fruit consumption among those with diabetes was associated with a comparably significant reduction in the risk of complications or premature death.

Consider the Whole Package

There is a lot more to whole fruit than fructose. Along with a wide array of beneficial nutrients, most fruits are concentrated sources of fiber. Fiber is filling, effectively calorie-free, and can even help stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels. Because fruit juice eliminates fiber and pulp, tends not to be filling, and accelerates the delivery of fructose, it does not share the credits of its parent, and intake should generally be limited.

Whole fruit is a mainstay in the best diets for longevity and lifelong vitality. Routine fruit intake defends against obesity and diabetes alike. The truth about fruit is a reminder that scapegoating any given nutrient or property can obscure the health effects of a whole food that is more than the sum of such preoccupations. The active ingredient in blueberries, in other words, is blueberries.

Your parents were right: Fruit really is good for you.  We really ought to accept that once and for all and move on.

You can tweet me with questions at #ray0369

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Tips to Cut Calories and Make a Skinny Margarita

Calories in a Margarita: Tips to Cut Calories and Make a Skinny Margarita By Malia Frey

This post is just in time for the outdoor season that's coming up soon and we always consume more drinks in the hot weather. The "skinny margarita" has become outrageously popular. In the cooler weather "white wine" is the cocktail of choice by most women, but in the summer the "skinny margarita" has taken over as the cocktail of choice and because you can drink a generous amount of this cocktail on a hot afternoon, you can really bust your calories for the day. Whether it's Chardonnay or cocktails, we can blow a diet in the summer just with the extra calories we drink. The following post explains a little more about how you ca cut some of those calories.

If you love summer cocktails then you probably enjoy a margarita now and then. But do you know how many calories are in a margarita? The margarita is one of the most popular festive drinks to serve with spicy food or to enjoy on a hot day. Now that skinny margaritas have hit the scene, dieters enjoy this cool drink as well. But if you're trying to lose weight, there are a few things you need to know about margarita calories before you dive into this drink. How Many Calories in a Margarita? The number of calories in a margarita will depend almost entirely on how it’s made and where you drink it. There are roughly 156 calories in a strawberry-flavored TGI Fridays margarita. Many restaurant-made margaritas will have calorie counts in that same range.

If you make your drink at home, your margarita calories will depend on the ingredients. Many home bartenders use mixers because they make cocktails more simple to prepare. But many of the most popular mixers are full of sugar and calories. Frozen margarita mixers can be especially dangerous for dieters. A single 2-ounce serving of Old Orchard or Bacardi brand margarita mixer has 90 calories. Two ounces is about one quarter cup. Most drinkers will consume a drink that is larger than that. And your margarita calorie count still doesn't include the alcohol. A single serving of tequila provides 65-70 calories. So your homemade margarita will probably total at least 150 calories, but possibly more if you prefer a stiff drink. If you make your own margarita from scratch, you may be able to cut calories by using fresh, low-calorie ingredients. A classic margarita recipe is usually prepared with triple sec, tequila, sour mix and a splash or lemon or lime. It will probably provide between 100-150 calories depending on how you balance the ingredients.

Skinny Margarita Calories

If you want to limit the number of calories in your margarita, you might opt for a skinny margarita. Most skinny margarita recipes include fewer ingredients and provide fewer calories - but not much. Some dieters combine tequila, fresh lime, sugar (or agave nectar) and sparkling water to make a skinny drink. You may be able to save 25-50 calories with this recipe. Be careful if you choose popular “skinny” brands of cocktails to lose weight. The lower calorie count may be confusing. Bethenny Frankel’s Skinnygirl Margaritas contain only 35 calories per serving, but a serving is only 1.5 ounces. That's about the size of a shot glass. Make Your Own Skinny Margarita My suggestion? If you are craving a margarita, make your own. You can use HG's Magical Low-Calorie Margarita Recipe that uses diet lemon-lime soda and sugar-free lemonade powdered drink mix.
The drink provides 115 calories for an 8-ounce serving.

You might also want to check out skinny margarita recipes online. Take a traditional recipe like the Classic Skinny Margarita Recipe at The Cookie Rookie and tailor it to your own taste. You can decrease the amount of alcohol or add more ice to save calories. Or add a bit of sparkling water to make your drink bubbly, lower in calories and lower in alcohol. Or try a fruity Showstopper, made with low-calorie SkinnyGirl vodka. Adjust the ingredients to decrease calories and increase flavor. By making Your own you can use your favorite brand of liquor, probably a better quality than a pre-made drink and a homemade drink will have a fraction of the calories than you might get in a restaurant. Lastly, remember that if you drink just one, then you can enjoy a skinny margarita and stick to your diet. But if you drink more than a tiny single serving, then the calories in your cocktail will probably no longer skinny.

Calories from drinks we consume account for about half of our calories every day. Drinks that come pre-made in a bottle or can are manufactured for the benefit of the company to profit from the drink. You can’t always trust the label and you shouldn’t assume that the ingredients used will do no harm, just because you are saving calories.

If your goal is to lose weight, look on the internet for a real “skinny margarita recipe”. You might be surprised. The real goal to any sustainable weight loss is to lose body fat around the middle.

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.
gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.
There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

I Made Up My Mind, Where Do I Start?

Losing weight isn't as hard as some might think. You want to start by changing the food your eating. This is a common mistake many people make. They think if they just cut back on calories by eating less they'll lose weight. Maybe if you just want to lose 2 or 3 pounds. It's your diet that put on your extra weight and by the way that's extra body fat, not just weight. You can gain healthy weight and that's okay. Pro-athletes will gain healthy weight by adding muscle, but if your gaining fat that's the stuff you want to lose.

Changing your diet and eating healthy will give you more energy to exercise and be more active. The extra activity will help your burn more calories and you'll lose fat. Now the hard part is to get your body to burn the stored fat.

Your body only processes or burn enough to give you the energy you need at that moment. The body works in real time. In other words when your resting your body burns very little calories. It will burn some because your heart is always working and your brain is always working and there is other body functions that have to work constantly. When I sit and type out the post, I'm burning some calories, more than just watching TV, but if I was standing I would burn twice the calories because of the work your muscles have to do just to hold you up. So watching TV burns more than sleeping, but write my post at my desk burns more than watching TV and walking burn even more and running burns even more.

So if a normal person doing normal activity might burn 2000 calories a day, some hours you might burn 50 calories and some hours you might burn 150 calories. For example, a person who works out 5 days a week for one hour a day does a walk and run routine can burn 300 to 350 calories during that workout. All these statistics are to give you an idea of how many calories you might burn.

If you go to the Mall or grocery store and watch people for a long period of time you'll notice people who have a hard time getting around and some moving at a very fast pace. The point I want to make is that someone who spends most of the day either sitting or laying may only be burning a minimal amount of calories like 1000. The person burning 1800 might be the average office worker who could be sitting or lying as much as 16 hours as day, and that's even if they workout. And some people who are very active, working all day on their feet and working out every day and then working around the house after they get home, may be burning 2500 calories a day.

You want to be one of those people who burn more than 2000 calories a day and you can do it. But first, you want to start by eating healthy and building your energy. Next, you want to start walking more. Try to walk in the morning, before work, and then again in the evening after dinner. A good way to begin exercising is to walk more. Now is not that easy to judge the amount you walk because of your speed. So I suggest getting a pedometer. There cheap, just go to a sporting goods store. The average person doing normal things all day walks about 5000 steps a day, but to lose body fat and build strength you want to walk 10,000 steps a day. The pedometer will count for you, just set it to zero in the morning and hook it on your belt. If your short steps after dinner you want to walk before bed and finish the 10,000.

I think changing your diet and sticking to it is the hardest part. You have to start eating 'clean', no processed foods. Which means eating 'fresh' foods. Fruits, vegetables, dairy and grains and some meat. I follow the 'food pyramid'.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Eating the Right Way to Lose Weight

A great post from VeryWell.com explains why diet is the important part of losing weight.

Forget about starving yourself, losing weight is about eating foods that burn more calories and stop eating and drinking the stuff that puts weight on.

Nutrition and weight loss go hand-in-hand. It really comes down to chemistry and math. Consume too many calories (energy), weight is gained. Creating a caloric deficit stimulates weight loss. Sounds fairly simple.

Everyone seems to be on the search for something quick and easy. Very Low-Calorie Diets (VLCDs) are popular but disregard possible health risks. They are also very expensive. Seems like a risky high dollar cost to shed unwanted pounds.

I teach eating “real” quality food to maintain a fit physique and at a cost saving. Want to begin a healthy weight loss journey? Review what you're eating now in order to make healthy changes.

Healthy weight loss is no more than one to three pounds per week.

Time for a Lifestyle Change
Losing weight is a pretty straight forward process. It will require a nutrition lifestyle change together with regular exercise for best overall results. Quality healthy food choices are important.

Are you eating processed foods, dining out, drinking alcohol and soda regularly? Revising these choices will be important for success. Start by keeping a food journal. Write down what you're eating and sub out unhealthy meals for healthier selections.

Studies show people who maintain a consistent food journal have the best weight loss success. The journal allows for accountability. You will be able to repeat personal best weight loss weeks simply reviewing what has been recorded.

The Right Foods and Right Portions
Eating healthy should be enjoyable, taste great and never a burden. Essential nutrients for weight loss include lean proteins, fiber, antioxidants and healthy fats.

Eating correctly portioned meals is essential. A portion size is what can fit in the palm of your hand and simplifies eating healthy. It also reduces the need to continuously count calories.

Normal hunger occurs every two to three hours so many people take advantage of nutrient timing. Eating several small meals per day keeps our metabolism boosted. It also promotes satiety and eliminates urges to binge on guilt laden food.

Keeping the focus on consuming healthy foods will be the success in adopting a healthy lifestyle and reaching your goal weight.

Enjoy a Variety of Healthy Foods
There are a wide variety of healthy foods to satisfy the pickiest eater for weight loss and overall healthy lifestyle.

The following foods will be helpful to start your eat-right journey for successful weight loss.

Best Proteins
Chicken Breast (boneless/skinless) – 3.5oz, 30g
Turkey – 7g protein per ounce
Tuna – 6oz, 40
Salmon – 3.5oz, 27g
Halibut – 4oz, 30g
Trout – 4oz, 28g
Sardines – 4oz, 10g
Eggs (high in EFA) – 1 large, 7g
Milk – 1 cup, 8g (1% or skim, if tolerated)
Cottage Cheese – 1/2 cup, 15g
Almonds 8g, Peanuts 9g, Cashews 5g – 1/4 cup
Peanut Butter – 2tbsp, 8g
Kefir – 14g per cup
Yogurt – 8-12g per cup
Tofu – ½ cup, 10g

Top Antioxidants
Blueberries - at least a fistful a day
All rich colored berries (strawberries/blackberries/raspberries/cranberries/aroniaberries)
Sweet potatoes – at least ½ cup serving daily
Broccoli – eat ½ cup raw or 1 cup cooked daily
Tomatoes – One medium
Acai – look for quality juice
Beans - Eat two 1/2 cup servings a day of cooked or canned beans
Oats (steel-cut is the best) - Eat at least three servings of whole grains per day. A serving equals one cup cooked oatmeal, 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats or 1/4 cup steel-cut oats
Spinach – one cup cooked spinach or leafy green vegetable per day
Dark chocolate - Eat a one-ounce serving daily
Red wine or Concord grape juice 4oz – 1 glass daily
Green and white tea – up to 4 cups daily

Eat Healthy Fats
Extra virgin olive oil
Coconut oil
Wild salmon (fresh, frozen and canned)
Ground flaxseeds
Flaxseed oil
Walnuts
Herring
Sardines
Sablefish
Anchovies
Farmed oysters
More »

Stay Consistent
In order to lose weight being consistent with healthy food intake will be necessary. There is no such thing as perfection and only progress.

Take one day at a time and know there will be slip-ups. If you do get off track, let it go and make a better choice with your next meal. Food guilt only drags us down and prevents moving in a positive direction.

Use the palm as your portion size, selecting healthy foods as listed above. Eating every two to three hours is a great beginning to reaching your goal weight and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Am I Obese? How Do I Know?

Am I Obese? How Experts Define What Obesity Is

By Amanda MacMillan

I encourage you to read this article. It first appeared on VeryWell.com. Did you know that 67% of America adults are overweight and that half of them are obese. So we are talking about 10's of millions of people. More than 50 million. 

Obesity means having far too much body fat. It's about much more than your clothing size or how you look. It can seriously affect your health.

Your whole body feels it, from your joints to your heart, blood pressure, blood sugar, and other systems. The extra fat cells produce inflammation and various hormones, which boosts your odds of chronic medical conditions.

If it seems like those odds are stacked against you, remember that it's possible to beat them. The first step is to know where you stand.

Are You Obese?

You step on the scale and your doctor or nurse notes your weight. They might also measure your waist since it's especially risky to have too much belly fat.

If your doctor says you're overweight, that means "you're slightly over what's considered healthy," says Y. Claire Wang, MD. She's co-director of the Obesity Prevention Initiative at Columbia University.

Obesity is beyond being simply overweight. It's very common -- more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults are obese. If you're one of them, you can work to lose weight. Although it's not easy, dropping some of those extra pounds -- maybe fewer than you think -- starts to turn things around for you.

Surprising Reasons You're Gaining Weight

What Your BMI Says

For adults, experts usually define obesity based on body mass index, or BMI. This formula relates your weight to your height.

For instance, if two people weigh the same amount but one is taller than the other, the taller person will have a lower BMI. To find your body mass index, plug your height and weight into a BMI calculator.

If your BMI is:

• Below 18.5: underweight
• 18.5-24.9: normal
• 25-29.9: overweight
• 30 or higher: obese

If you're obese, your doctor might talk about the categories of obesity:

• Obesity level l: BMI of 30-34.9
• Obesity level ll: BMI of 35-39.9
• Obesity level lll: BMI of 40 or higher, which some also call "morbid" obesity

You can also calculate your weight problem by the size of your waist in relation to your height. Your waist should be half your height. In other words, If you are 70 inches tall your waist should measure 35 inches at the navel. 

This guy is a little bigger than that. Losing weight is really about losing fat. If you lose fat the weight won't come back. If you lose just weight you may still have the fat; that happened to me. I lost 40 pounds before I realized I still had the fat. It took me a long time to figure out what I was doing wrong. After that, I lost another 25 pounds and the fat was gone. My BMI is down to 21 and I have more energy than my kids. Why, you might ask? Because I eat healthier. It's all about the food you eat.

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

Diet Mistakes We All Make

I think we all start out the same way. We are driven to succeed so we stick to the program and it generally works and you lose your first 10 pounds or so and then you stop losing or the losing slows down to a crawl and you get discouraged and quick.

Everything your going through is normal; it happens to everyone, we just don’t talk about it. When you go on a fad diet like the grapefruit diet or the cabbage soup diet all you’re really doing is purging your body of all the pended up food in your system. Most people don’t realize that your digestive system holds about three days worth of food. Everything you ate for the past three days is still in your digestive track being digested; it really does take that long.

When you feel sluggish it’s because your digestive system is backing up because you may have eaten too much or your may have eaten the wrong thing and you slowed down the digestive process so now you have more than three days worth of food in your system.

When you go on a fad diet you’re just cleaning out your system or, in some cases you’re drastically cutting your calories and starving yourself. That will generally lead to malnutrition from the lack of necessary vitamins and minerals. These starvation diets are popular. They try and tell you that all you need to do is cut you calories and exercise. That will only work for a short period of time. And why is that?   It only works for a couple of weeks or maybe about a 10-pound loss because your body will think you are starving and cut your calorie burn by reducing your energy. It slows down the amount of energy it creates for you. That’s one of the reasons that dieters lose the energy to exercise. All this will happen over several weeks, but no matter what fad diet you choose, you will generally only lose about 10 pounds before you start to cheat on the diet or get so weak that you start to binge on whatever food you can find.

Another classic mistake is to cut calories by skipping breakfast. I know it might sound crazy but you can’t skip meals and lose weight, it doesn’t work.  The best way to cut calories is to eat fresh, natural foods that are naturally low in calories. Fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein like poultry and fish, low-fat dairy and snack on nuts and seeds. Don’t eat beef, especially hamburger. When I was dieting to lose weight, I was eating 6 small meals a day and drinking lots of water.  I kept my meals under 300 calories and stopped eating after 6 pm. I’m here as living proof that it works, I was never hungry and I do the same thing today to maintain my weight. You can’t go back to the old way you were eating; if you do the weight will come back and come back fast.

Stop eating fating snacks like chips or everything fried. Don’t eat any pastries, no cake, no muffins, no donuts or bagels and only eat a small amount of whole-grain bread each day. But not snacking at all will only cause you to binge when you get a chance. Nuts, seeds and fruit are good snack food. But nuts and fruit do have calories so only a handful between meals. When I was on the six-meal a day plan, I didn’t have to snack; I was eating every three hours. I’d eat about 300 calories at every meal and that would hold me for 3 more hours.  The trick is not to skip any meals; you have to eat every three hours but only 300 calories.

Don’t drink your calories. This is another classic mistake. We all do this, we got the meal plan down and we are sticking to it and then we think we can reward ourselves with a Latte or something else just as sinful and we blow 300 or more calories on a few minutes of pleasure. Not Good!! Losing weight is a battle and you can’t win the battle if you think it’s o.k. to cheat.

 Next mistake the beginners always make is eating low-fat foods. They think that eating low-fat meals of just low-fat foods or snack won’t hurt weight loss but manufactured food will hurt your weight loss effort. It might be low in fat but they have to put some taste back in the food so they add more sugar or some other sweetener. Low-fat doesn’t mean low-calorie. You can find low-calorie, very nutrius prepared fresh meals in a supermarket. The store by me carries a good selection of small meals, some salads and some sandwiches with salads and some hot meals, all ready to eat. These meals are made fresh every day and great for a dieter.

 Drinking lots of water is essential for a dieter. Your body will retain water if you’re not drink enough. Just like hoarding food calories, your body will retain fluid if it thinks you can’t find water. Your body’s one single most important function is to preserve life. So your body has the power to regulate the amount of energy it provides for you by restricting calorie burn and by retaining fluids to keep your system working until you find more water.

Another mistake is to cut out dairy because of the fat content. Yes, dairy has fat, but it also has calcium and the body needs calcium so you want to eat low-fat plain yogurt or cottage cheese. I’d lay off the milk. If you want milk, I’d buy low-fat Almond milk, it has all the essentials you need.

One more things is don’t go thru the window at the fast food restaurant. Anything you order will put weight on you.  Stick to the food in the supermarket.

I write several blogs on different websites all about losing weight.

BlogOnWeight.Blogspot.com

HowBadDoYouWantToLoseWeight.blogspot.com

IDropped40Pounds.wordpress.com

GettingToAHealthyWeight.blog

I also write e-books. My first book is on Amazon.com, BN.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, scribd.com

My second e-book was self-published on Smashwords.com . Look on my website for the promo code and you get the download for $1.99

 

Why Am I Overweight?

I have written similar posts before about the same subject but now I want to take a different approach. My last post was on another website, that covers the same topic, "losing weight".

It's true that Americans like to "overindulge". We have those people who don't see a problem with their weight, even though they are 20 pounds overweight. Then there are people who have a more serious problem and try and cut calories by skipping meals.

Those people with little to lose (20 pounds or so) are basically living in denial. "Yes, I could take off a few pounds but it's not a big deal, I'll get around to it." These are the ones that are pretty active and generally able to maintain their weight about 20 pounds over and because they don't see themselves getting bigger, they are happy to do nothing. These are the people with "creeping obesity". That 2 pounds a year that you add to your weight and don't even notice it. But after 10 years your 20 pounds heavier and don't know why.

Maybe because you never tried to change your diet. When you had the change and you first saw that your belly was getting bigger you shrugged it off and did nothing. You never tried to change your diet because you didn't see anything wrong.

Other people with a more serious problem are usually heavy from childhood. They grew up heavy for their size and age and because of their diet continued the same lifestyle. These people grew up eating the wrong way from little on.

I was one of those children that grew up heavy. My family owned a farm when I was growing up. My brother and I lived a farm life until I was in 4th grade and then we moved to the suburbs. I bring this up because I might have been heavy but my brother was thin and we ate the same food, same dinner table, ate the same time of the day and ate a very good diet. My diet was dairy, organic fruit, and vegetables, berries, and grapes that were in season. All seasonal home-grown produce and poultry and eggs from our farm. Almost everything we ate was from our farm. It was a very good life, but for some reason I was heavy and my brother was thin. And I stayed heavy until I was in my 20's when I got a construction job as a laborer.

In my 20's I did thin out but in my 30's when I left construction I started to gain weight again. The reason I brought up my story is because there was no obvious reason for the differences between my brother and I except for genes. I conquered my weight problem after a lifetime of bouncing up and down between 170 and 220 pounds. Now I'm 160, I have more strength than I've had in years and I have more energy than I can ever remember. I don't have body fat anymore, not that you can see anyway and I'm happy and healthy.

So maybe genes are a factor, or my it's the food you eat when your small and growing up. There could be many reasons for a weight problem but that doesn't mean that you can't do something about it. It's easy to pick up bad eating habits. Some come from childhood and others just because we don't want to take the time. We get in the habit of doing what's easy. Then we explain it away by blaming our actions on a "lack of time". I didn't take the time to do it the right way and I took a short cut. Maybe that's what bad habits are about. Maybe being overweight is because we are taking the short cuts in life to make more time for the pleasures.

The problem with that is we will pay the price for taking that short cut. We pay the price in different ways. And with our body, taking short cut means that we don't take care of our body. We don't eat the right foods we aren't active enough to keep our body in good working condition. And the price you pay is that your body will start to fail. Body functions will slow down to the point that they quit functioning and you die and early death.

You are responsible for yourself, not your doctor. All a doctor can do is make you more comfortable. They treat the symptoms, very seldom can they stop the problem from reoccurring. I never take painkillers because painkillers will cover up the problem and I want the problem fixed.

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.wordpress.com
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Why Cutting Calories Can Harm Your Health

In our fast paced society, the Very-Low-Calorie Diet (VLCD) is quickly becoming the chosen fad or method of weight loss. It even comes with a guarantee of shedding those unwanted pounds yesterday.

Extreme measures of weight loss may be warranted and prescribed during a medical crisis. This would be understandable. However, applying drastic weight loss methods for the everyday person may not be safe or healthy.

Many very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) are now being covered by insurance plans. This has made it even more appealing for people to sign on the dotted line. Not usually understood is only part of the VLCD program may be covered by insurance. The diet shakes are the largest part of the VLCD and a costly pay-out-of-pocket product.

Be cautious about any diet making unrealistic weight loss claims. Extreme weight loss programs may severely restrict food intake and recommend drinking shakes in lieu of eating. Studies on very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) do show rapid weight loss but not without adverse health risks. According to other research, once the VLCD plan is completed, the weight is gained back plus more. These starvation type diets are very risky and should only be tried with a doctor's supervision. You have to take supplements and your doctor will know what you need.

The human body requires nutrients from lean proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Proper portions of these macronutrients are essential for good health. Individual calorie requirements will differ per person based on overall lifestyle and activity levels. This is where your doctor comes in. He'll know how much to cut your calories.

Personally, I think these diets should be avoided. I always recommend going vegetarian for a couple of weeks. During that time buy some protein powder at the grocery store to supplement your required amount. Get plant protein while going vegetarian and the 3rd week or 4th week eat some seafood and chicken breasts. After one week eating some meat or seafood (about 4 oz. a day), go back to the vegetarian diet for a couple more weeks. While on the vegetarian diet, be careful of dairy. Dairy is high in animal fat and can add body fat. I stick to "plain Greek yogurt", that's my only dairy. You can add fresh fruit like berries. On a mostly vegetarian diet, you don't have to count calories. Just avoid bingeing. I eat small quantities about 5 times a day and I don't add sugar and only very little salt (sea salt). One more thing, don't drink calories except for your protein shakes, don't drink anything with calories.

A sedentary person would require much less in caloric intake compared to a marathon runner for example. Regardless of lifestyle, the human body needs calories from the major food groups to function at optimum levels and to be healthy. Very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) can restrict essential nutrients and place a person at risk for adverse effects and health issues.

Energy needs for a body at rest (Basal Metabolic Rate) remain fairly consistent and responsible for seventy percent of calories burned each day. To calculate your basal metabolic rate, multiply ten calories for each pound of bodyweight for a woman and eleven calories for a man.

A 130lb woman would burn 1300 calories at rest per day. More energy is required for digestion and absorption (thermogenesis) ranging from one to eight hundred additional calories per day. Physical activity calories also offer the largest variable per person demanding even more caloric intake. Don't over-estimate your activity. One hour of heart-pumping exercise will only burn about 300 calories, even if you're experienced at a strenuous workout.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a woman should consume no less than 1200 calories per day and a man no less than 1800 calories. Also indicated extreme caloric restrictions signals the body to conserve calories and significantly reduces our metabolic rate. Very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) allow for consumption of only 500-800 calories per day and places the body into self-starvation.

Very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) require a person to be under the care of a physician due to possible health risks.

Some adverse effects may include fatigue, dizziness, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, and increased overall cholesterol. Research has indicated more serious health effects may include gallstone development.

Very-low-calorie diets(VLCDs) promise rapid weight loss but not a lifestyle of keeping it off. Studies show weight loss with VLCDs is commonly regained once the program is completed. Participants are not learning how to eat healthily or exercise consistently.

The safest way to lose weight is implementing healthy methods. Nutrition and fitness education is important. Learn how to buy and prepare healthy foods and include a regular exercise program. It will be proper nutrition and exercise knowledge allowing life long sustainable weight loss.

Instead of overspending on packaged shakes for a temporary fix, a better investment plan would be to locate a qualified personal trainer and/or certified nutritionist. They will be able to offer substantially more quality education for a lifetime of good health.

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.
There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Some Popular Diets Can Ruin Your Health

I have written about this in post articles, but everyone can not lose weight on the same diet. Everyone is different and we all have medical condition that prevent us from losing weight normally. In other words, your body will control your weight if you eat properly and have a normal amount of physical activity. So when your increasing body fat or gaining weight as an adult, your body is trying to tell you that you have a problem. It's up to you to fix the problem. Your body is merely giving you the warning signs. The following post is from http://WebMD.com and will explain how some well-known diets can cause you more problems than just your weight.

Your friend lost weight on the Paleo diet. Your mom slimmed down on the Military Diet. Your sister is reaching her weight loss goals with the Wheat Belly and 13-day diet. Now it's your turn to get trim. Should you follow in the footsteps of your friends and family? No, not necessarily. Those popular programs could be turn out to be a diet disaster for you.

Why Some Popular Diets Fail

Just because a weight loss plan is popular doesn't mean that it will work for every dieter all the time.

In fact, most diets fail eventually. Up to 80 percent of dieters regain the weight that they lose. Many dieters return to their previous eating habits and the pounds come back. In some cases, they put on more than they lost.

Given this fact, it is essential that you choose an eating plan that fits your personal needs and lifestyle over the long haul. You need to be realistic about your eating habits and about what you can and cannot give up before you invest any time or money into a weight loss program. For example, here are some popular diets and the reasons why they may not work for you.

Popular Diets That May Not Work

The Wheat Belly Diet. Millions of copies of this book have been sold. Dieters swear by the recommendations of author William Davis, M.D. He encourages his followers to eliminate wheat in order to improve overall health and slim down. But is it right for you? If your favorite food is bread, then the answer is no. But maybe you can buy a better bread. White flour is a processed flour that is probably just as bad for your diet as eating pure sugar. Wheat belly is not a pipe dream, it's real and bread and other bakery goods can cause your waistline to grow larger. 

The reason "gluten free diets" are popular is because the diet eliminates wheat products from your diet but unless you are allergic to wheat that's probably not necessary. It's enriched or processed wheat flour that causes weight problems. Read the labels and avoid harmful foods.

The Paleo Diet. This diet also called the caveman diet, is popular among heavy exercisers, especially those who participate in popular CrossFit programs. According to the website, dieters on the Paleo plan eat grass-fed meats, certain types of seafood that contain healthy fats, fresh produce, eggs, nuts, and seeds. Dieters avoid a wide range of foods including anything processed, dairy products, cereal grains, potatoes, and salt. While the foods allowed on the diet are decent healthy foods, some dieters who are constantly on the go may struggle to maintain this fairly restrictive plan. It's not really a bad diet, but it's hard to stick to.

The Military Diet. Dieters who want to lose weight fast often go on The Military Diet. This popular 3-day program (that has no connection to the military) advertises that you can lose 10 pounds in the first week and 30 pounds in the first month as long as you follow the program exactly. But you'll be eating primarily saltines, tuna, hot dogs, and grapefruit. On your four "off" days you need to restrict your intake to 1,200-1,500 calories of lean protein, fruits, and veggies. The plan is simply not reasonable for most people for the long term.

Gluten-Free Diet. People with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease follow a gluten-free diet for better health. But many others are choosing a gluten-free diet for weight loss. Can it work for you if you're trying to lose weight? Probably not, especially if you love the many foods that contain gluten.
Going cold turkey on cereal, bread products, crackers, and other gluten-containing products may not be realistic for people who have made those foods a regular part of their everyday diets. In addition, whole grains, like wheat can be an important part of a healthy diet. Of course, many companies are now making gluten-free varieties of popular snacks and treats. But many of them are full of sugar, starch, and calories – not necessarily healthy replacements for gluten.

Juicing/Smoothies/Liquid Diets. Eliminating whole food altogether sounds like such a simple idea, which is why juicing, smoothies, and other liquid meal replacements are appealing to many dieters. But even though these weight loss plans are simple, there are significant downsides to juicing and so-called "healthy" smoothies aren't good for your diet in some situations. If you are a person who really enjoys food – cooking it, tasting it and eating it, then liquid diets may not be the best solution for you.

Packaged Food Diets. Programs that offer packaged foods like Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem are popular among people who need a convenient eating program. But some of the meals on these programs are high in sodium, making them poor choices for dieters with high blood pressure. Portion sizes also tend to be very small. If you like to eat a lot of food or if you have special health concerns you might want to chat with a registered dietitian or your doctor before investing in one of these plans.

Why Some Popular Diets Work

So why do these diets work for some people? In some cases, the programs align with the dieter's health needs and lifestyle. But in many cases, the plans are just creative ways to restrict calories. Weight loss can only occur if you change your energy balance. For example, a new gluten free dieter might lose 5 pounds because she ate less food overall, not necessarily because she ate less gluten.

In addition, when someone chooses to go on a diet, the simple act of focusing on their daily food intake often causes them to eat less. The success of the program has less to do with the specific program and more to do with a choice to make healthy eating a priority.

If you have made the decision to lose weight, invest some time into researching the best diet for you. That way, you'll only diet once and then enjoy a lifetime with a slimmer, trimmer body. Get it right the first time and save yourself a lifetime of aggravation.

You can tweet me at #ray0369

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.
gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.
There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon

The Dangers Of Processed Foods

This post is a great example of the dangers of processed foods that I preach about constantly.

A Closer Look at Processed Foods

Editor’s note: This post is part of our WebMD Special Report: What’s In Your Food?

By Brenda Goodman
WebMD Health News

Melanie Warner is the author of Pandora’s Lunchbox: How Processed Foods Took Over the American Diet. A former reporter for The New York Times, she spent a year and a half investigating the modern system of food manufacturing in the U.S. to conclude that “much of what we now eat is not so much as cooked as it is engineered into finely-tuned, nutrient-deficient creations of science.”

Warner says she began to wonder what manufacturers were adding to foods after she started what she calls her “food museum”—a collection of products like cookies, crackers, and even guacamole from a grocery store deli that she discovered could sit on the shelf of her pantry or refrigerator for months or years past their expiration dates without spoiling.

Since her book came out in 2013, the FDA has told food manufacturers that trans fats are no longer safe to use in processed foods, and many major companies, including Kraft, General Mills, and Nestle have pledged to get artificial colors and flavors out of their products—a practice called “clean labeling.”

WebMD asked her what she thought of these developments, and whether companies have really committed to making healthier products.

Q: I’m sure you’ve noticed this recent spate of public announcements from Kraft and General Mills and Nestle that they’re going to get artificial ingredients out of their foods. Do you think companies are feeling more consumer pressure to talk more about how they make their food?

A: Companies, I think, are only going as far as people push them, and by people I mean consumers—the people that are eating their products. They’re doing it because they’re being pushed in that direction by consumers.

They get all this input coming from social media and focus groups and all this market data gathering that they usually do. What they’re hearing is that people are concerned about this, and they’re worried about sales. They feel like if they don’t do this there’s going to be an impact on sales, and they’re probably right.

But they aren’t doing it to be better companies. They’re not trying to truly open up the doors. They’re not truly trying to reform their foods to make them healthier. They’re simply reacting to what consumers are telling them. I know that sounds cynical. That’s just my observation of how food companies think and how they operate. Or any consumer-facing company, really.

Q: After telling us so many revealing details about how processed foods are made, you say in your book that food companies aren’t going to fix this. Since they’re making the food to begin with, why shouldn’t they be the ones to reform it?

A: I’ve had this debate and argument with some people in the food movement who think that we need to be putting pressure on companies. We need to look at regulation and force companies to do things. That’s great if it happens, but companies are so good at getting around regulations. They find every loophole they can. And it’s also really hard to get any regulation passed.

So I think it’s really about pushing forward with a new consciousness about food and educating people and opening people’s eyes up. I’ve been really amazed and heartened by how much has happened on that front within the last 10 years. There have been books written, articles, documentaries. People are looking at all this much more with a much greater awareness about what’s healthy for us to eat and caring about our health. Not everyone — there’s still a huge ways to go.

I think that’s where the momentum needs to continue. We need to keep focusing on opening up people’s eyes to what happens inside the food industry. And if they decide ‘Oh, it’s fine. No big deal,’ then let people decide for themselves. But most people when they see what happens inside the food industry, whether it’s on the farms or in factories decide, ‘Oh, that’s kind of gross. I think I’m going to find other options.’

Q: Where is the FDA in all this?

A: I think people have gotten so used to the FDA not doing anything that it’s hard to summon anyone’s outrage about it. They say, ‘Well, the agency doesn’t have a big enough budget to really police our food supply.’ But they’ll never get enough money if people don’t get angry about it and insist on greater regulation.

It is a Herculean job to try either initiate or try to stay on top of the scientific research on so many different food additives. Let me just say that. It is a really big deal. But there’s just clear examples of how the FDA is just not being rigorous at all in ways that it definitely could.

Trans fat is just the most recent and glaring example. We’ve known for at least 10 years, probably more, that trans fats are one of the most harmful things in the food supply and it’s just now that FDA has taken away the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status of partially hydrogenated oils. So, just the fact that they sat on it for that long and didn’t want to press the food industry, and from what I can tell, the reason they didn’t take action was that the food industry said ‘No, wait, it’s not that bad. We’ll just reduce the amount, and we’ll still have half a gram, you need to give us time.’ So they kind of go in line with the schedule that the food industry requests.

There are other examples like BHT, which is the preservative that’s used so that oils don’t go rancid in foods, and you find it in a number of processed foods as well as in packaging. That’s a probable carcinogen, according to the Health and Human Services department, so clearly that could be something that’s banned and not allowed in food. So those are just small examples of where the FDA could take simple action without going through tons of scientific studies. The data is already there.

Six months ago, there was a study that popped up on a couple of emulsifiers that are pretty widely used. Polysorbate 80 was one of them. It’s a whole area where there has been hardly any research done because it’s relatively new, our knowledge of the gut microbiome. We have no idea what all these additives are doing to our gut bacteria. That’s just another example of how there is a need for more research.

I’m not going to be the one screaming, ‘Don’t eat any food additives, they’re all horrible.’ I think in a limited amount, your body can handle (them) and has a system for detoxifying. Because everyone eats some processed food. We’re all exposed to food additives. It’s just a question of quantity. If people are consuming a diet heavy in processed food, then they’re getting an abundance of all these different kinds of food addititves. And I think the FDA needs to be a lot more aware of that, the accumulation of many, many food additives coming into our bodies day after day for people who are eating these diets heavy in processed food.

Q: What do you think is the next trans fat?

A: Certainly the most dangerous things in our food now are sugar and refined grains. They’re in abundance in processed food and their effect on the body in excess is well documented.

Refined grains get turned into glucose in the body very quickly. If you’re eating a whole grain product, like oatmeal, there’s some fiber that helps to slow down the absorption in the body, but if you take out that fiber, there’s nothing to prevent it from being readily converted into glucose and functioning very similar to the way sugar does in terms of rapidly going into the bloodstream and causing these rapid spikes in blood sugar, and your pancreas produces a lot of insulin to compensate, and you have that whole cycle that can lead to metabolic syndrome and diabetes if left unchecked.

Q: Do you think when you take artificial colors and flavors out of a processed food, that makes it a better product? Is clean labeling really going to make our food healthier?

A: That’s a tough one, I think. Some days I think, ‘OK, that’s kinda good. It’s making something less bad.’ It’s good to have those options as a better alternative when you do want the chips, cookies, frozen stuff and cereals. But on the other hand, the concern is that it gives those foods a health halo and confuses people. And then people think, ‘Well I can eat more … or (it’s) a healthy product.’ … I think people have to be sophisticated about it and think ‘Well, there are none of these seemingly horrible additives, but what are the other ingredients in them?’ If there’s a lot of sugar and refined grains, then I think you have to look at those ingredients and make an assessment.

(Some companies) are taking out artificial colors and flavors without really addressing the other stuff. Like BHT and methylcellulose and all these other ingredients and preservatives.

Q: How natural are “natural flavors”?

A: All the natural flavors are still highly processed. Special strawberry flavor doesn’t come from a strawberry. They’re coming from a natural source. It could start with corn, or soybeans, or yeast. It starts with a natural source, but the way you get to it is highly processed, similar to the way you would for an artificial flavoring. The process is very similar. It’s just what you start with that’s different, that makes it natural. People can decide whether that’s better. I don’t necessarily think it’s better.

Q: We looked into problems of adulteration with processed foods like parmesan cheese.  When I asked a cheese expert if he wanted the FDA to do something about it, he said no. He said the agency has to stay focused on preventing foodborne illness caused by contamination with E. coli and Listeria and things like that.  He said these additives aren’t really a health issue. What do you say to that?

A: If you have to choose one or the other, you’re going to go with prevent E. coli and Listeria, obviously. But why do we have to choose?

It’s ironic that the FDA was inspired by Harvey Wiley, MD, who wanted an agency to oversee food, specifically because there was so much adulterated food and no one was overseeing this. That was the original inspiration for the FDA in the first place. So you didn’t have sawdust in your coffee and things like that. Now it’s cellulose in the parmesan cheese. Maybe that’s why all those shakers of parmesan cheese, when you buy them, have no taste. There’s no flavor. You have to put so much on to get a little bit of taste.

I write several blogs and e-books, check out some of my other sites.

gettingtoahealthyweight.blog
idropped40pounds.wordpress.com
howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight.blogspot.com
blogonweight.blogspot.com

If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon