Saturated Fat and Low Cholesterol

Posted on August 6, 2011 by

I must share a secret: I don’t really enjoy going to doctors. They always poke and prod you. I truly hate the whole experience.

Yet, I had my physical during my time off of work this summer and I would say my numbers were pretty good.

Cholesterol 157 (total)
HDL 61
LDL 96
Glucose 77
Blood Pressure 110/80

My “blood Chemistry” such as uric acid, triglycerides, etc. were all in the normal range. My doctor did not tell me those numbers because I got a postcard in the mail with a check off saying they were good. My vitamin d level was low, 31.7. Ideal levels are between 45-55.

I eat two eggs a day, with the yolk. I scramble my eggs in coconut oil. I use butter in my vegetables. I put mayonnaise in my tuna fish. I love some rib eye steak. Pork chops, too. I always eat dark meat chicken with the skin on it. In other words, I eat a lot of saturated fat. And my total cholesterol is 157. Based on what the scientist say, my cholesterol should be sky-high especially with all the saturated fat that I eat.

When the nurse at Duke saw these numbers, man she was more excited than I was. I guess she was not used to seeing numbers like these and immediately asked me what was I doing. I did not tell her I try to follow a low-carb lifestyle, I just told her I stopped eating pizza, Chinese food, fast food, all the usual suspects. Then I proceeded to describe my typical daily food intake and the Duke nurse said, “Oh that sounds like you are following the Dukan Diet.” Maybe it is, maybe it ain’t. Who knows.

So clearly, with regards to myself, saturated fat does not cause high cholesterol. And it sure does not cause high glucose levels. I am beginning to think those high falutin researchers lied about saturated fat and heart disease and weight gain. And then they spread these lies to the doctors and nurses. What a shame, what a shame, what a shame!

Has this all been a sham? Have Americans been avoiding eating fat for absolutely no reason? Have we been torturing ourselves with low-fat diets and end up fat in the process because we eat too many refine carbs?

Yes, folks. We were lied to.

Posted in Cholesterol | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Obesity Continues to Rise in the United States

Posted on July 7, 2011 by

A new report has come out from the Robert Wood Foundation and Trust for America’s Health about the state of obesity in the United States.

Obesity rates have now increased in 16 states and 12 states now have obesity rates over 30 percent. North Carolina, the state where I live, is the 14th most obese state in the union. Mississippi is still number 1.

The poorest among us are the heaviest. 33 percent of Americans earning less than $15,000.00 per year are obese and 24.6 percent of Americans earning $50,000.00 per year are obese.

Black Americans, especially black females, have a serious problem with weight, according to this report. So do Latinos.

So what do the so-called experts suggest in the report to combat the problem? More physical activity in the schools, more healthy school lunches, more grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods, blah, blah, blah, blah ,blah.

I get so tired of these experts telling us this dumb advice. You know why? Because that is not the problem. The problem is all the crappy, junk carbs that Americans are eating. Carbs are cheap, plan and simple. My grandparents knew this, your grandparents or great-grand parents knew this.

I was talking to my neighbor who is 68 years old the other day. She wants to go walking with me and I told her about my weight loss, and of course I get the question, “How did you do it?” I say, I really watch my carbs, stay away from bread and you know what she said to me? “My mother always said bread makes you fat.” I kid you not, those were her exact words.

And I do not need to do a $10 million study to figure this out. Just go to any grocery store and look in an obese person’s grocery cart. I always go to the Super Wal-Mart to do my grocery shopping because it is 2 miles from my house and walking through the store and watching what people buy you can clearly see why so many people, especially African-Americans and Latinos, are obese. Here is a list of what I see in shopper’s shopping carts:

Pizza
Hot Pockets
Tostinos Pizza Rolls
Ramen Noodles (people buy these by the case load)
Chips
Processed Meat such as bologna and hot dogs
Breakfast Cereals
White Bread (you can buy the Wal-Mart brand $1.00)
Soda, Fruit Punch
cookies

These foods are cheap and carb heavy. If you are trying to feed a family and have limited dollars this is what one would gravitate to.

If I was before these so-called experts I would say one thing: It’s the carbs, stupid. Now stop spending all this money on these expensive studies.

Here is a link to the full report. You can click on where you live and find out how your state stands in this obesity crisis.

Posted in junk food, Obesity, Uncategorized, Weight Loss-general | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Four Weight Loss Tools to Help You Shed and Keep the Weight Off

Posted on June 28, 2011 by

Since being on my weight loss journey for 4 years now, I have come to the realization that there are some foods, tricks and supplements that have helped me to keep the weight off. I decided to share with my readers the foods that have assisted me due to the fact that there is so much information out there about nutrition and diet. I got this idea from Dr.Oz after watching one of his shows online about people who lost over 100 pounds or more. He asked each of his guest to list 4 foods, nutrients, exercises, etc. that helped them to shed the pounds and keep them off.

Here are Michelle’s 4 tools that have helped me to keep weight off now for 4 years:

1. Eggs-I can’t say enough about eggs. Eggs are high in protein, approximately 6 to 7 grams per egg and they are very filling. I eat the entire egg because the yolk is high in choline which is good for brain health. Typically, I eat 2 eggs a day, sometimes scrambled, sometimes boiled, depending on my mood.

2. Whey Protein-I use to drink whey protein drinks back in the late nineties, but did not realize this power house food was keeping me slim and retaining my lean muscle. Now I realize how important whey protein really is. One scoop of high quality whey protein has between 18 and 24 grams of protein. It has a high biological value (bv) meaning it will promote lean muscle gain. Since I have been supplementing my diet with whey protein, I have notice my clothes are fitting way better than usual. Also, my appetite is not as strong. I typically drink two whey protein shakes a day, which gives me an extra 50 grams of protein .

3. Green Tea-I do not know how this stuff works, I just know it does.  There is something in green tea that speeds up your metabolism called EGCG and when I take it before exercise, I can keep going forever. I take a green tea supplement daily and drink a cup a day and boy do I feel good. The caffeine in green tea probably helps with keeping my energy elevated as well.

4. Exercise-I find that exercise keeps me lean and elevates my mood. It also cuts my appetite to the point where I do not want to eat at all. I have the will power to stay away from carbs and sugar and all the stuff I know will get me fatter. For example, today, I walked/jogged for 45 minutes around 9:30 am. The only thing I have eaten today is eggs, cottage cheese, orange, whey protein drink and lots of water. I know I need to eat something else, I am just not hungry and it is 3:00 in the afternoon.

4.5 Okay, just one more tip. Weighing myself once a day, first thing in the morning has been tremendously successful for me. Some people think this is excessive, but you know what? IT WORKS! Why does weighing yourself once a day, first thing in the morning work? You catch weight creep! Most people can’t go by how their clothes fit. I can’t. Only really skinny people can do that. If you weigh yourself regularly and the scale goes up a couple of pounds, you can decide was it something you ate, is it your monthly cycle, did you eat too late, etc. So if you can catch it at 2 to 5 pounds, you won’t be shocked and depressed when the scale gets to over 100 pounds overweight. And it is easier to lose 5 pounds than it is to lose 100 pounds. If you do this one trick, you will completely transform your weight loss, I guarantee it.

There you have it. The 4 1/2 tools that have help me to keep the weight off. I hope you find these tips useful.

Posted in Exercise, Weight Loss-general, Whey Protein | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Potato Chips Make You Fat After All-Do Ya Think?

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

In the news: another multi-million dollar study has come out to tell us what our grandparents or great-grandparents told us a gazillion times-JUNK FOOD MAKES US FAT!

I always had issues with weight loss companies or individuals when they say you can eat anything in moderation. You know what? That is a bunch of bull. If you want to lose weight, you can’t eat anything you want. Period. I had to learn that the hard way. Those are lies weight loss companies tell people to make them feel better.

So to all of my family and friends who think they can still eat junk food and snack all of the time and still lose weight, you are lying to yourselves.

It’s all over the news. Health researchers have pinpointed the top foods and behaviors that are linked to insidious weight gain. The number one food is potato chips. Right behind it are potatoes, specifically french fries. Sweetened beverages such as soda pop and fruit juices round out the top three.

What do all of these top foods have in common? They are all highly refined, starchy carbohydrates. Why can’t people admit Dr. Atkins was right?

I am surprised that pizza did not make it in there because Americans chow down a lot of this crappy food. All it is dough, miniscule cheese, and tomato sauce, with some meat. To me, pizza does a lot of damage to a person’s waist line.

Red meat is culprit in weight gain as well. However, I wondered if it is mostly hamburger meat that people are consuming that is causing this. I need to read the study to find out. I seriously doubt people are consuming rib-eye or new york strip steaks everyday. That is too expensive.

Anyway, here is a link to the article if you want to read it for yourself.

 

Posted in junk food | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Exercise: Why I Am More of an Advocate

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

I know it has been a while since I have posted on my blog. I have been quite busy with the ending of school, but now that I am out for my summer vacation, I can get back to writing. My goal is to write one blog post a week.

As far as my weight goes, my weight is stable at 213 pounds. I am staying below 220, but still far from my goal of 180. At one point I reached 209.8 through strict dieting. What I realize though, strict dieting  is not sustainable, at least not for me. I still believe in a low carbohydrate diet, but there are times when my diet will not always be “perfect.” Therefore, I am following my low-carb diet respectfully and rigorously, not rigidly because I know I will slip up from time.

That is why I have changed my opinion on exercise. I have become more of an advocate of it and feel it is important. I wrote a blog post a while back that exercise does not help with weight loss. The reason? Most people rationalize eating a 500 calorie muffin because they jogged 3 miles. Well, the truth be told, the average person burns about 100 calories per mile, so exercise does not excuse us for over indulging. Unfortunately, the human body does not work like check book, our bodies are more like chemistry experiments. Everything we eat reacts chemically in our bodies. That is why some people can eat a whole lot of carbohydrates and others can’t.  Since I have been off from work, I have been exercising on  a daily basis and this is what I have noticed: my appetite totally vanishes when I exercise. As a matter of fact, I have to make myself eat on days that I exercise because I have a lack of desire for food.

Now the question is, why is that? Well I have my opinions as to why, but I would like to know from my readers, what are your opinions on this exercise thing?  Now Gary Taubes, whose book, Good Calories, Bad Calories, changed my life, says that exercise makes us hungry, but I get the opposite effect. So Gary, I do not agree with you on the exercise makes us hungry theory. I believe it truly depends on the individual.

My official stance on exercise is this: exercise is a great way to keep weight off. Exercise keeps insulin levels low, which in turn burns body fat. Exercise decreases appetite in some people. Shoot for 5 hours of exercise a week if you are trying to drop body fat. However, if you want to drop body fat, you must watch what you eat. I am sorry, you can’t eat whatever you want and still lose body fat. If you hear a weight loss plan that says that you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight they are lying to you! You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet.

Posted in Exercise, Gary Taubes, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Are You Getting Enough Protein?

Posted on April 23, 2011 by

About 16 years ago, when I was on a yet another diet, I had a very memorable conversation with my mother. My mother has been deceased now since 1996 so this conversation still has a profound impact on me.

I was telling my mother I was trying to lose weight again and I was doing the diet of the day-low fat. My mother admonished me to eat more protein.

“But wait a minute, Mommy,” I said, “Eating protein is not good for you. You are suppose to eat low-fat.”

“No, eat more protein,” my Mommy said.

I thought that advice was totally incorrect, especially in the 90′s when  Americans were told to eat low-fat, low-fat, low-fat. I figured my mother did not understand and continued with my low-fat ways.

And guess what happen? I continued to struggle with my weight for the next 12 years.

Fast forward to 2008 and those words came back to haunt me. I now know my dear mother was right. Eating more protein is the key to losing weight and keeping it off.

I believe people, especially women, have a love-hate relationship with protein, especially meat. Women are always trying to control their weight, so what do we do? We cut calories and it is the protein calories that we cut the most because they are the most calorically dense and tend to have the most fat (not always, but most of the time.) Most women become vegetarians or vegan in the mistaken belief that this will help control their weight. I was listening to Jimmy Moore’s Livin La Vida Low Carb Podcast with the author Hal Herzog and he stated that a lot of female vegetarians and vegans have eating disorders (again, not all, but quite a few.) I also found a link to Dr. Herzog’s article on the subject if you want to read more about it.

People do not realize how important protein is. As a matter of fact weight loss surgery patients are strictly instructed that they most get in sufficient protein each and everyday. If they do not get in this protein on a daily basis, they will have severe nutritional deficiencies. WLS patients must drink liquid protein supplements in order to get the protein into their bodies because their new pouch can only hold so much food and digesting meat protein is problematic especially since their intestines are rerouted.

Protein is “anti-catabolic” meaning it does not tear down your muscle tissue. See, the problem with going on a typical weight loss diet is that you cut calories. When you cut calories, you cut nutrients. Most people go towards low-calorie foods which are low in nutrition. Because your body is not getting the proper nutrition, you become hungry and blow your diet. Another problem with going on a low-calorie diet is that the body wants to preserve fat tissue over lean muscle tissue, so when you cut your calories your body will burn your lean muscle tissue first. Then your metabolism slows down because muscle tissue is going away. Remember, muscle tissue wants to burn calories, fat tissue wants to store calories. The more lean muscle tissue you have, the faster your metabolism. Eating adequate protein preserves your  muscle tissue and therefore your body will begin to burn its fat stores.

That is why a person who is morbidly obese has a hard time losing weight. Their body is mostly fat tissue. So when a morbidly obese person eats, their calories are pretty much being stored in their fat tissue because they have very little muscle tissue to burn off those calories. That is another reason why obese people are eating more. All of their calories are being diverted to their fat tissue instead of their cells. Then, to make matters worse, they go on a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet to lose weight.  When I was reading about WLS patients diet, I found it interesting that these patients are not told that carbohydrates are critical for survival but protein is. The reason is that the only thing carbohydrates provide the human body with is energy. That is it. Yes, there are a few vitamins, minerals, and some protein in carbohydrates that humans need to function, but the main purpose of carbohydrates is to provide energy to the human body. However, humans need protein and fat in our diets. If we do not have protein and fats in our diet, we die. Our bodies can only store about 400 to 500 grams of carbohydrate (known as glycogen) in our liver and muscle tissue. Once those stores are filled, all the extra carbohydrates we eat are turned into body fat.

So the question is what is adequate protein? There are a lot of formulas out there, but the main one that I have seen is 1 gram of protein per your body weight. Now some people weigh over 300 pounds, so that is a lot of protein you would have to chow down. Therefore use the body weight that you want to weigh. So if you want to drop 100 pounds from your 300, eat 200 grams of protein a day while at the same time eating less carbs.

If eating all of that meat is not appealing to you purchase a high quality whey protein powder. One scoop of whey protein has about 100 calories and at least 20 grams of protein. I have been trying out some whey protein powders and will write about in a later post.

Posted in Gastric Bypass, Low Carb Dieting, Protein, Uncategorized, Weight Loss-general, Whey Protein | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why I Am So Grateful

Posted on April 20, 2011 by

I have not really shared what has been going on with me for the past few months, but I decided to let my readers know what has been transpiring in my life since the month of December, 2010.

This past year, North Carolina received money from the federal government called Race to the Top. This is an initiative started by President Obama and his Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to bring “excellence” to public education. Well, how did this effect me? I made a conscious choice to work at a “low-performing” school where 95% of the students get free and reduced lunch. It is a high minority school with a high population of ESL students. Because of this, we are having a difficult time getting the test scores up.

One of the stipulations of getting Race to the Top money is that a school which is designated “low performing” based on its test results must go through some sort of restructuring. The state can take 4 actions regarding the school: transformation, turnaround, turn the school into a charter school, or close the school down completely.  The model that was chosen for my school was transformation which entailed that the principal had to be replaced. However, central office administration required everyone at my school to reapply for their jobs.

Well it was nerve-racking to say the least. I have built up a career for over 16 years and my career could be destroyed based one person’s decision, the new principal. I was totally stressed out to say the least these past few months. It was very difficult to stay on my diet, and I slipped a few times. However,  I decided to reapply for my job, but I also made the decision to look for other opportunities.

I had my interview on March 31 and yesterday I found out I was rehired. Many of my colleagues were not. I am so grateful because I know it could be me without a job. Many of my co-workers worked at the school for 20 years and devoted so much of themselves into the children.  So knowing that I kept my job is bittersweet because I like win-win, not win-lose.

I am so grateful that I did not let the stress truly get me off my eating plan and gain weight. Old Michelle would have stuffed myself with food and not care.  I did not use this very stressful period in my life to justify eating whatever I wanted and I did not gain weight.  Now that I can exhale, I can focus again on my blog, my fitness and my health until the next crisis shows up.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment