Posts by jespes

i weigh myself every morning when i get up. my scale only measures to the nearest kilogram (2.2 lbs) so I don't see movement on it for a bit of water here and there, it only goes down every week or two which is actual weight loss. i find its great. my old scale measured to the nearest 0.2lbs, which was a nightmare cos it changed every day and then 0.4lbs gain would make me feel like a failure!

Original Post by stepaway4me:

Thanks, this helps. Could you (jespes) post the links too?

I am aware of the GI index, but have not used it.

Also, do you have to take any medications to help you?

 I made an appointment with my doctor to be re-tested next week for thyroid and my blood sugar again... Last time they said my thyroid was in a normal range, but things change in a year.

I eat 5 times a day, throughout the day in 150-200 calorie increments. I *try* to eat higher proteins. I do avoid candy like sugars in general because it makes me grouchy.  I believe one of my issue is I need a variety of protein options and at this point, there is only so much I can bring to work. I cannot cook my food here, so it has to be eaten cold. I am so tired of tuna, cold cuts, and peanut butter. Any other suggestions?

 

Thank you all for your help so far. 

http://www.gifoundation.com/ that is one of the best guides for me.

http://www.diabetes.ca/Section_About/glycemic .asp also explains everything very well.

http://www.becomehealthynow.com/article/carbs /8/ that one answers lots of questions and has a nice guide on different food GIs.

the value of the GI system is that if you are in a rush or just dont feel like eating a protein every now and then- you can eat a LOW GI starch on its own and still be fine.

dont be discouraged when weight loss takes longer than average- our bodies respond stronger with insulin than other people's, and insulin says "store this sugar as glycogen/ fat, save it for an energy crisis" and it overrides other mechanisms thich would seek to get your body to use that stored energy. this is why its so important to eat low GI starches, as they release sugar so slowly into your blood that insulin doesnt respond ultra quickly!

some quick protein ideas:

-cottage cheese (great on salads, sandwiches, crackers, even by itself)

-baked beans, lima beans, bean salad mixes. although they might taste nicer reheated, a can can also be eaten cold and you get used to it. the same goes for canned cooked lentils and chickpeas.

-i agree that tuna is ultra boring on its own. these are my 2 favourites with it: mixed into a green salad with some nice fat free dressing (my salad the other day had: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, mung bean sprouts, bean sprouts, fat free feta, 1tsp olive oil, lemon juice, salt, tuna and olives) .. and this is THE most delicious cold tuna recipe ever! :

I take 1 can of tuna in oil, drained, and I mix it with 1 can of tuna in water, undrained. there's something about a little bit of tuna in oil that is a million times nicer than tuna in water. this way you get the taste without all the extra fat. then,  I add a  lot of lemon juice, salt, chilli flakes, pepper and a dash of olive oil. occasionally i add lime juice instead.. its great cold with pasta (like a pasta salad- if you add diced cherry tomatoes) and on crackers

for dinner tonight i made a vegan pasta dish. i ate it almost 4 hours ago and I still feel like i just ate.

i dry-fried an onion and some garlic. then i added 1 grated carrot, a diced green pepper and 250g of sliced mushrooms. cooked for 5 min. then i added a can of mashed baked beans, 1 tbs of tomato paste and some mixed herbs. finally i added a cup of diced broccoli, 1 cup of soy milk and 1/3 of a cup of soy mince (but regular mince would work just as well) .. i sprinkled some nutmeg and salt it. i left it to simmer while i cooked some wholewheat pasta (1/3 of a lb bag of shells)

that served 4 people with large appetites but there was food left over.. when the pasta was done i mixed everything together..  per serving is 13g fibre, about 50g carbohydrates, 20g protein and 3g fat. (roughly 360cals)

i've never felt so full before!! :)

Original Post by strikez:

Original Post by clairelaine:

Original Post by strikez:

If your evening weight and morning weight vary by more than 3 pounds - you are eating too many carbs. 

Nonsense!  Too much sodium will cause water retention, but carbs have no short term effect.  Explanation from the CC+ Library:

If you read Mastering Leptin by Byron Richards he explains the link between excess carbs and large daily weight fluctuations.  Dr Hart makes similar claims in The Insulin-Resistance Diet.  The weight fluctuations are a result of the insulin - leptin cycle.  Weigh yourself before and after you urinate in the morning, if you fluctuate several pounds, I would be very surprised.  Maybe the CC+ Library need more up-to-date information. 

no ways. i eat barely 2-3 servings of carbohydrates a day- hi fibre cereal and the occasional Lima Beans or wholewheat couscous, and my weight fluctuates easily by 5 lbs a day. I drink a lot of water and tea and eat many vegetables.

and lets all remember that Byron Richards has no medical training at all; instead he calls himself a "board certified clinical nutritionist" .. he also claims that "soy mik slows down your metabolism. contradicted here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14977438

and advocates that people take iodine supplements to increase their metabolism. im not even going to bother to link to a site showing how false that is, type it in on google, its a well known fact that iodine supplements can cause sub-clinical hypothyroidism in normal adults and worsen existing hypothyroidism.

and. unsuprisingly, I could find no information on the International Journal of Obesity about a relationship between the insulin-leptin cycle and weight fluctuation.

almost 2.5 months! then I lost 3lbs. and they've stayed off :) .. and I exercise like a beast!but my body is clever ;)

Original Post by 1dessie:

Wow this is very interesting concept, I just got diagnosed with hypothyroid about 2 months ago and wondered how and why me?? I workout 5 days a week I am a runner and thoughts ran thru my head that maybe the hypothyroidism is exercise and diet induced!!  I was only eating about 1400 calories a day and running about 40miles a week--so maybe this could be it, anyone have any insight on this?? Thanks Dessie

hi Dessie, check out my answer to Healthnut, it should explain a lot.

make your own iced tea.

use 4 red tea bags and a litre of boiling water.

add 2 cups of real fruit juice

some mint leaves

and a sprinkle of cinnammon

makes 1.5 litres of tea for roughly 280 cals (depending on which juice you use)

= 56 cals per 300 ml serving

Original Post by bnick1980:

How much fiber should you be taking in a day? 

25g min. 30-40g is even better.

try use hi-fibre bran cereal- one cup gives me 18g fibre, which is a good start.

if your intake is much lower, increase it slowly, and make sure you drink enough water.

i think you need to up your calorie intake slightly, maybe to more than 1132. especially if you are walking far. where in africa are you staying? i have travelled a lot through Africa myself.

maybe try and cut your fat % to under 20 and increase your protein % to 15-20. although i know that might be tough if you dont have access to much in the line of protein sources

Original Post by jenayn:

Fabu dressing with virtually Zippo calories...

big scoop of salsa

big squeeze lemon juice, or vinegar

one teaspoon sour cream, or lite sour cream

or, leave out.

Amazing how good it tastes, and how one does not miss the fat..it flavors the salad really well.

 salsa makes pretty much everything more delicious! i love it on pasta or rice