Apple Cider Vinegar...

     (c)

Ok, I am a big dork and I love learning.  I remembered hearing that Fergie used Apple Cider Vinegar to help her lose weight. I thought she drank it, but I guess, from reading on the internet, it says she took 2 tbsp via shot. (a) So, the other day I was looking online for tips and tricks and came across this again.  This was in a different form though.  The person suggested using it when you got sweet cravings to sip a tablespoon.  So today when my hunger hit hard and wasn't being curbed by what I have decided to allow myself to injest, I got a cup and started to sip Apple Cider Vinegar.  As I sipped, I started wondering what was in it and googled it.  I came across another interesting article that listed several benefits to taking 2 tbsp a day.  It appears to be useful for: "acne, allergies, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, flu, gout, heartburn, high cholesterol, and sore throat"(b)


Sources:
(a) http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/679498-apple-cidar-vinegar-to-help-with-weight-loss
(b) http://altmedicine.about.com/od/applecidervinegardiet/a/applecidervineg.htm
(c) http://higeography.com/forums/thread-517.html

10 Min Abs Workout -- At Home Abdominal and Oblique Exercises

Here is a list of the supplements I am currently taking and a little more about them....

*B12 - is a water soluble vitamin that helps in heart health, the metabolism of fats and in mental health.  It is super important for those who are vegetarian or vegan since it is found in meat and eggs. Patrick J. Skerrett, Executive Editor, Harvard Health said, "a severe vitamin B₁₂ deficiency can lead to deep depression, paranoia and delusions, memory loss, incontinence, loss of taste and smell, and more, according to another article in today’s New England Journal.

The human body needs vitamin B₁₂ to make red blood cells, nerves, DNA, and carry out other functions. The average adult should get 2.4 micrograms a day. Like most vitamins, B₁₂ can’t be made by the body . Instead, it must be gotten from food or supplements.

And therein lies the problem: Some people don’t consume enough vitamin B₁₂ to meet their needs, while others can’t absorb enough, no matter how much they take in. As a result, vitamin B₁₂ deficiency is relatively common, especially among older people. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey estimated that 3.2% of adults over age 50 have a seriously low B₁₂ level, and up to 20% may have a borderline deficiency."

I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome almost a year ago and was put on Metformin to help with it.  I bring this up because Metformin is also used for people with Type 2 Diabetes and can cause a B12 deficiency.  Natural News said, "The researchers found that metformin seems to inhibit the intestine's absorption of vitamin B12. Fortunately, calcium supplements appear to reverse this effect.

 

Vitamin B12 is critical for maintaining nerve and red blood cell health. It can be found in animal products, nutritional yeast and fortified breakfast cereals. Symptoms of deficiency include anemia, fatigue, nerve damage and cognitive changes. Because similar symptoms often occur in diabetics and the elderly, deficiency may be hard to detect in such populations. Yet while B12 deficiency can carry severe consequences, it is relatively easy to correct with supplementation

."

 

Learn more:  (Here are a few links to learn more: "Vitamin B12 deficiency can be sneaky, harmful" by Patrick J. Skerrett, Executive Editor, Harvard Health; "Top 5 Benefits of Vitamin B12" from Newsmax; "The Benefits of Vitamin B12" by Cathy Wong, About.com Guide; "Metformin causes vitamin B12 deficiency" by David Gutierrez, staff writer from NaturalNews.com)

*Cinnamon - Web MD says, "Some research has found that a particular type of cinnamon, cassia cinnamon, may lower blood sugar in people with diabetes... Lab studies have found that cinnamon may reduce inflammation, have antioxidant effects, and fight bacteria." I have also heard that it is a natural pain reliever.  Greg Lee from the Two Frogs Healing Center said, "In Chinese Medicine, cinnamon twigs, also called “gui zhi”, are used in herbal formulas to help shield you against pain and fatigue that gets worse with coldness. Cinnamon twig has slightly different properties from cinnamon bark, which is know as “rou gui”, which is what you use in cooking. Fortunately, cinnamon is used to penetrate and relieve pain in the body...Cinnamon bark increases blood circulation which helps deliver more oxygen to your cells." (Here are a few links to learn more: "Cinnamon Health Benefits" from Web MD; "How Cinnamon Helps You to Relieve Pain and Fatigue"  by Greg Lee who is the Co-founder of the Two Frogs Healing Center.)

*Omega-3 Fatty Acids - The Mayo Clinic says, "Fish contain unsaturated fatty acids, which, when substituted for saturated fatty acids such as those in meat, may lower your cholesterol. But the main beneficial nutrient appears to be omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fatty acid that's thought to reduce inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation in the body can damage your blood vessels and lead to heart disease.

Omega-3 fatty acids may decrease triglycerides, lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting, boost immunity and improve arthritis symptoms, and in children may improve learning ability. Eating one to two servings a week of fish, particularly fish that's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, appears to reduce the risk of heart disease, particularly sudden cardiac death." (Here are a few links to learn more: "Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fact Sheet" from Web MD; "From aging to anxiety to arthritis, Dr. Oz explores omega-3 benefits" by Joanne Eglash at Examiner.com; "Omega-3 in fish: How eating fish helps your heart" from the Mayo Clinic, this article also address the concern of toxin build up from fish such as Mercury- like in Tuna.)

*Vitamin C - Web MD said, "benefits of vitamin C may include protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling.

A recent study published in Seminars in Preventive and Alternative Medicine that looked at over 100 studies over 10 years revealed a growing list of benefits of vitamin C.

 

"Vitamin C has received a great deal of attention, and with good reason. Higher blood levels of vitamin C may be the ideal nutrition marker for overall health," says study researcher Mark Moyad, MD, MPH, of the University of Michigan. "The more we study vitamin C, the better our understanding of how diverse it is in protecting our health, from cardiovascular, cancer, stroke, eye health [and] immunity to living longer."

 

"But," Moyad notes, "the ideal dosage may be higher than the recommended dietary allowance."'  (Here is a link to read more: "The Benefits of Vitamin C")

*Fiber - Web MD says, "Soluble fibers bind with fatty acids and slow digestion so blood sugars are released more slowly into the body. These fibers help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and help regulate blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. Insoluble fibers help hydrate and move waste through the intestines and control the pH levels in the intestines. These fibers help prevent constipation and keep you regular."  (Here are a few links to read more: "Fiber 101: Soluble Fiber vs Insoluble Fiber" from Healthcastle.com; "The Benefits of Fiber: For Your Heart, Weight, and Energy" from Web MD)

*Kelp - good source of Iodine, so is super helpful for those who have Hypothyroidism. (Here is a link to a post I already made about this:"Found an Article Linking Hypothyroidism, Yeast, Sea Vegetables and Weightloss" )

*Carnitine- Poliquin™ Editorial Staff said, "Carnitine is an amino acid composite that is made from lysine and methionine. There are a couple of different forms of carnitine, such as acetyl-L-carnitine and L-carnitine tartrate, and we’ll look at which forms you should be taking and when. In this article, unless otherwise stated, “carnitine” will be used to refer to L-carnitine tartrate.

Carnitine is a potent fat burner because it is responsible for the transport of fats into the cells to be used for energy in the body. By raising the level of muscle carnitine, you support the fat burning process, and because your body becomes more efficient at processing fuel, it will increase your energy levels. Elevating carnitine will also improve physical performance by burning more fat, sparing glycogen, clearing muscle lactate, and increasing anabolic hormone response." They say to get the most out of it is to pair it with Omega 3.  (Here are a few links to learn more: "L-CARNITINE" from Web MD; "Top 12 Reasons to Use Carnitine" by By Poliquin™ Editorial Staff)

*Green Tea Extract- Web MD says, "More than a decade's worth of research about green tea's health benefits -- particularly its potential to fight cancer and heart disease -- has been more than intriguing, as have limited studies about green tea's role in lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes and stroke, and staving off dementia." (Here are a few links to learn more: "Green Tea Health Benefits" by Web MD; "Green Tea"by MedlinePlus)

*Multi-Vitamins are a good idea to fill in the gaps of missing nutrients from our diets.  As you may already know, the best way for your body to absorb these nutrients is from food, but if you aren't getting them all a multi-vitamin is a good idea.  One thing I have seen and heard often is to just make sure to read the contents.  There are Daily Reference Intake (DRI) amounts recommended that you follow, but in some cases a person may need more or less of something based on their own body's needs.  (Like with me having Chronic Hypertension, PCOS and Hypothyroidism.) (Here is a link to learn more: "What Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Can and Can't Do"; "Multivitamins: Your Nutritional Backup Plan" by Richard Laliberte; "Dietary Reference Intakes: Estimated Average Requirements" from National Academy of Sciences. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board.)

*Lemon Water - is supposed to help with weightloss, helps add flavor to water, can be used as a diuretic.  Fitday said, "Drinking lemon water is regarded by many professional nutritionists as having real and palpable weight-loss powers. Far from a weight loss myth, but, rather, a weight loss reality, drinking lemon water helps to speed up weight loss. In addition to possessing properties that are favorable to weight loss, drinking lemon water also ensures that some of the toxins in your body are cleaned out, promotes quick bursts of energy and even cleans out some of your internal waste. If you drink lemon water in the morning especially, it will help to activate your body's detoxifying process and also its natural cleansing process. This principle works proportionally, so the more lemon water you drink, the more you ought to speed up weight loss." (Here are a few links for more information: "Weight Loss Myths: Will Drinking Lemon Water Help You Lose Weight?" from FitDay; "Amazing Benefits Of Drinking Lemon Water!!!" by Shawn Cruz in his blog "Cruz Control Lifestyle")


(photos borrowed from:

•  http://sweetsoutherncupcakes.blogspot.com/2010/08/vitamin-b12.html
• http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices-by-category/cinnamon
• http://healthyinsid3.blogspot.com/2013/02/drinking-fish-oil-lowers-risk-of-skin.html
• http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/vitamin_c_source_000275.htm
• http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/000577.htm
• http://www.blackburndistributions.com/healthcare/amino-acids/acetyl-l-carnitine/p-80-113-280/
• http://gamerfitnation.com/2013/04/health-benefits-of-green-tea/
• http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/the-truth-about-multivitamins
• http://cruzcontrollifestyle.blogspot.com/2013/04/amazing-benefits-of-drinking-lemon-water.html)

Boiled Eggs...

My daughter shared this with me:

Thermogenesis: the Science Behind Fat Burning...

What Color Diet are You on Now?

It is astonishing how many "diets" there are and how many "weight loss" solutions there are out there.  Here is a list of a few of the ones I have tried:

1. As a young teenager, I did a low fat diet prescribed by my doctor.  I think we had to keep the grams of fat under 10 a day.  I lost about 20 pounds without excercise, but only did this for a fairly short period of time.
2. When I lost 55 pounds after the birth of my first child I ate the way the dr avsd me to while pregnant.  White meat, white cheese, salad with cottage cheese in lieu of dressing, no breads, pasta, fried foods...
3. After my oldest son (my second child) I lost weight using Metabolite, but this is before Ephedra was taken off the market.  I lost 75 pounds with that.  My doctor, at the time, actually recommended using it as a stimulant and stressed drinking lots of fluids.
4. After my youngest daughter (my third child) I did the Atkins diet and lost 84 pounds.
5. I did Weight Watchers for a short period of time after being diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and before getting pregnant with my youngest and lost about 20 pounds in the short period of time I did it.
6. After my youngest child (my fourth child) I did the South Beach diet and lost 67 pounds.  (Recommended to me by more than one doctor to learn difference between good and bad carbs and as a good choice for a lifestyle change.)
7. HCG with the drops under the tongue.  I lost like 20 pounds.  My nephew lost like 50 doing it.  This one was interesting to me because it is supposed to reset the Hypothalamus.  I had a hard time sticking with it though.
8. Another doctor recommended that I eat several small meals throughout the day to keep metabolism active.

The biggest thing we have to keep in mind is that if we don't want to have the Yo-yo dieting effect, we have to find something that works as a LIFESTYLE change.  I once heard a quote that made me think and it explains how lifestyles are created,

"Our thoughts become our actions, our actions become our habits, our habits become our lifestyle and our lifestyle becomes our destiny."

When I took a nutrition class in college, I learned that carbs are our brain's food, so it isn't recommended to stay completely away from them like in the Atkins diet. Here is a link you can check out that talks lists worst and best diets... I found it particularly interesting because a lot of the mainstream ones are listed: "Paleo Diet Worst, DASH Diet Best in U.S. News & World Report Rankings"

So for me, this time around, I am taking all that I have learned and continue to learn and putting it to use to get healthy.  It not only takes knowledge to get healthy, but also action.  I am eating small meals throughout the day and taking vitamin supplements and will excercise as I feel strong enough to do so. 

(photo is from http://www.peanut-institute.org/eating-well/diets-and-eating-patterns/us-dietary-guidelines.asp )

Found an article linking Hypothyroidism, yeast, sea vegetables and weight loss...

Today was a good day... BUSY... but good.  We accidentally got to my daughter's therapy appointment an hour early, but it ended up being nice cuz she and I looked through magazines there and I found a really cool and useful article.

   (a)

 

It was from the FIRST for Women Magazine about how sea vegetables, (kelp and seaweed) can really assist with weightloss.  It was called "Escape the yeast-thyroid fat trap!" (If you scroll over the title, you can click on the link and read the entire article.)  The big things I got out of it was that sea vegetables help kill yeast (like yeast infections - candida albicans).  It also shows a tie between underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism, which I have and runs in my family) to candida albicans.

   (b)

 

 

Sea vegetables contain Iodine, which a deficiency in, is another known cause for hypothyroidism.  The article suggests people take between 1000-2000 mcg iodine even though the government recommends only 150.  It also mentions how injesting sea vegetables will reduce fat absorption into the body.  I was really happy to run across this article and highly recommend reading the article if you are Hypothyroid.  (Another interesting article I recommend looking at for Hypothyroidism is "Low Thyroid? The Symptoms and the Top Recommended NATURAL Steps to Overcome It" - you can scroll over this title also and click on it's link to the article as well.)



 

(Photo sources:

a - from http://www.rain.org/campinternet/channelhistory/kelp/

b - from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Candida+albicans)

Stopping the Yo-yo...

 

You have heard of Yo-yo dieting...that has been the story of my life, but no more!  My struggle with weight began at puberty.  I remember being little and hearing my parents fight about whose fault it was that I was overweight.  My dad tried to be supportive to help me lose weight and said that he would give me $5 for each pound that I lost, but I just never could buckle down and lose it.  At the age of 11, I took my allowance bought dexa-trim (this was before the stores put the mandates that diet drugs couldn't be bought by people under the age of 18.)... it was a tablet that dissolved in water and was supposed to help people lose weight.  I got the berry flavor and as a result, I still HATE that flavor to this day. 

 

At the age of 14, I battled some with eating disorders where I wouldn't eat, would eat only a little and when my friends mom discovered this and made a big deal about me eating, then I tried using laxatives.  That didn't last long either before my brother-in-law had me come over and showed me a book and what could happen as a result if I continued doing this.  I was never really successful in any weight loss endeavor until I was 17. 

I was in the 11th grade and I saw that my weight was at 161.  I couldn't believe I had gotten that big.  My friend invited me to the prom and I picked out a dress and vow I would wear it.  I ate healthier and excercised more.   I walked a lot and I would wake up and do Abs of Steel 2000 ( I did that a couple times a day).  I remember watching my own versions of "Thinspo" before it became popular.  I watched the making of the 1992 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue and I watched videos of Aerosmith that featured Alicia Silverstone.  I did fit in that dress.  I lost 20 pounds in two weeks and I continued to lose another 20.  This was the first time in my life, I could wear tighter pants and not have any kind of a fat roll appear.  That felt nice.

I was able to keep it off for two years.  During this time, I had a lot of unwanted male attention that peaked when I was sexually assaulted and things haven't been the same since.  My weight began to creep back up from 120 to 160 by the time I got pregnant with my first child.  During that first pregnancy, my weight soared from 160 up to 255.  On the day I found out I was pregnant with my 2nd child I had lost 55 pounds and had gotten down to 200 pounds.  I gained 65 pounds in that pregnancy taking me up to 265 in my pregnancy with him. By the time he was 6 months old, I had lost 70 pounds and was down to 195.  About a year and a half later, I got a really bad kidney infection, almost died and was in the hospital for a few days and I gained about 30 pounds back.  Right after that I found out I was pregnant with my third child and gained another 70 pounds.  I weighed 294 about 6 days after she was born.  I lost 86 pounds (down to 208) and then my best friend died instantly in a car accident.  My weight began to creep back up.  (I remember being discouraged and thinking "What is the purpose.  She was so beautiful alive and when she died, she wasn't nearly as beautiful lying in the casket.")  I went through a divorce and was remarried.

By the time I was officially diagnosed with Chronic Hypertension and Hypothyroidism I was back up to 275.  I lost about 20 pounds being on my Levothyroxine (thyroid hormone) and then found out I was pregnant with my  youngest child.  My highest weight in my pregnancy with him was 308.  I didn't gain nearly as much with him because I did water aerobics and swam a lot during that pregnancy.  The lowest point after his birth was about 240 (which was about a 68 pound weight loss) when my husband got his Immigrant Visa and was able to come and live with us permanently.   I have had tremendously stressful things in my life since then and have not been able to lose weight.  I was diagnosed with Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome about 9 months ago and was put on medication for that as well.

With my health issues, weight loss and exercise will be difficult for me.  I tried to walk about a mile and a half and it killed me how difficult it was for me.  My age and health really became very apparent to me.  Then a week ago Sunday something was said to me that really triggered me to where I am today.  I am going to lose weight.  I might have to do things more drastically than I did in the past.  I do want the yo-yo affects of my weight to quit... but if I don't do something drastic, I will die young.

I am 35  years old.  I am 5 foot 5 inches tall and today I weighed myself and I about cried.  I topped the scales at 302.5 pounds.  That is my highest weight ever except for when I was pregnant with my youngest son, but I am only 3.5 pounds less than I was then (with a baby inside me).

My daughter wants to lose weight and we are going to do it together.  Her health is better than mine so she is able to be more physically active than I can, but there is no turning back... we are going to change our lives.  We haven't figured out all the hows yet for her.  I plan to eat 6 small meals a day.  I want to attempt to have it be drastic to shrink my stomach without surgery.  I want to keep my metabolism stimulated.  We are taking vitamins to ensure that we are getting all our nutrients.  In fact my daughter and I were talking and whatever we do will be healthier than we were when we were just eating a few bowls of ramen a day without vitamins.

So here is to us! If any of you want to go on this journey with us, we welcome you. 

On Mother's day, when I walked outside, there was a family member who started talking about how glad she was that she lost weight as soon as she saw me.  It stung deeper than I wanted to show.  One thing I have found out is how judgemental people can be soley based on outward appearances. I have seen both sides.  I have seen some of the praise associated with looking and performing well and I have seen the other side of the coin.

I have struggled with weight off and on since puberty, but after my first child is when the huge weight battle begun. Never before had I even neared 200 pounds and yet over the last 15 years I have rarely been under it. In fact now, I am closer to the 300 mark than even the 200 mark.

I could go on and tell you why this and that and make excuses for subconscious and conscious reasons.  I plan on journaling through this endeavor and if you are reading it, you may begin to see and understand some of what is really lying beneath the surface of what you thought you knew and understood, but really didn't.

I have four children, two girls, two boys.  Yesterday, I brought two of my four chilren with me to a graduation of a very dear friend. It really made my oldest daughter, who is 14, realize that when she starts highschool she wants it to be a brick and mortar school.   We have done some homeschooling and online schooling for the past few years, but she really wants that "highschool" experience. I completely understand.

My concern lies in her self confidence. She is a beautiful girl who has dealt with some hard things which has brought along with it some depression and weight issues. Some of it compounded by mean kids, and some by adults whose intentions may have been good, but their words very harsh and cutting.

I too understand this battle, as I mentioned before about what happened on Mother's Day to me.  When I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, someone I knew, who was a pastor at the time, pulled me aside and told me how important it was that I lost weight after the baby so that my husband's eyes wouldn't go elsewhere. He went on to tell about his own struggle with pornography for a short period of time. My mother in law was right there as he said that. He was very appologetic to her and his intentions were very good. A young 20 year old girl hearing this, without much of life's experience, took it as a bit of an insult and omen of sorts.

When my oldest daughter was 5. There were some family members who came to visit. The kids were super excited to see them. What happened when they entered the door? Did they come and hug on the kids and tell them how much they loved and missed them and were happy to see them? Nope.  One of them went over and patted on my daughter's stomache and said, "It looks like someone needs to do some situps." That started a whole line of experiences that makes my daughter not want to be around them. That same trip out to visit us, I was confronted about how my daughter and I reminded them of people they knew.  The mother was morbidly obese and how her daughter was following suit because she wanted to be just like momma. He went on to tell me that is what he feared was happening with me and my oldest baby. OUCH. It hurt. Once again, I believe he had good intentions, but them being expressed were very painful to hear.

Teenage years can be hard, so together, she and I are going to embark on a mission to helping her with her self esteem. I believe alot of her fears and anxieties about being in a group and her lower self esteem are directly related to weight issues. If we can remedy that before she goes to school, I think things may be a little better, so she and I are doing this together and our goal is to accomplish a significant and today is the first day... still in the planning stages.... but it has been established that this is our goal for the summer.