Hello From Canada

Hi everyone
This is going to be lots of fun.
Love the Ticker idea, Pat. Everyone, I hope you have a good week! Good luck on your weight loss.

NAMES WAITING FOR TICKERS!!!

OK LADIES, I NOTICED THAT 7 OF YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR WEIGHT LOSS BLOG THAT HAVE NOT SENT ME YOUR WEIGHT & GOAL WEIGHT SO I CAN MAKE A TICKER FOR YOU ALSO!!!

COMMON NOW, GET IN THE FUN WITH US!!

JACKIE, WANDA, PATTI, GISELE, JANICE, VICKIE, IRMA

JUST EMAIL ME YOUR INFORMATION & I WILL HAVE A TICKER FOR YOU IN NO TIME :)

I THINK EVERYONE HAS DONE WW IN THERE LIFETIME, AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER. IF YOUR JUST GONNA DO IT ON YOUR OWN & NEED HELP WITH ANY QUESTIONS IM SURE MANY OF US CAN FIND A ANSWER!!!!!

JOIN US GALS!!!!

CANNOT WAIT TILL FRIDAY TO SEE HOW EVERYBODY HAS DONE. IT WILL BE FUN WATCHING THE TICKERS GOING DOWN!!!!!!
HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE WEEK....

OK

WELCOME LINDA & IRMA SINCE THIS POST!!!

Good Morning

Good Morning everyone..
Well I have been playing around with my points. Im actually trying the Core Plan right now. It's not that bad, but you have to count whatever you eat that is not Core :). I figured I'd try it, and I can switch from Core to Flex anytime i want.
There is a lady at WW that lost almost 80lbs & did the Core plan. She found it to be very easy.. But I don't think it is for everyone. You have to like Vegtables & Fruit & meat.. If you like bread, & 100 calorie treats, I don't think Core is for you..

Also my nurse at the radiation Dept suggested this:
Start counting your daily points at supper. She said her friend does that & lost almost 30 lbs sine January. Makes sense... Like she said we eat the most at supper, we use the ,most points.. So if you start counting your points everyday at supper, you'll see that you will use most points at supper & then you'll have less left for breakfast & lunch, but that's ok, cuz we eat less at those meals..
Try it...
Ok have a good day..

WEIGHT WATCHERS

Weight Watchers
Few diet plans have stood the test of time the way Weight Watchers has. Even our own survey of dieters showed that Weight Watchers was the favorite, over South Beach and Atkins. One of the reasons Weight Watchers is so popular is because they don't force a taboo food list. You're wise enough to make your own choices of what to eat. Instead, they promote portion control, which is a common sense way of eating. Foods are assigned point values based on their calorie, fat, and fiber content. You are allowed to eat within a certain point range per day. So, you pick your foods and eat what you want, as long as you don't exceed your allotment of points. It's as easy as it sounds! Another key element of Weight Watchers success is their group meetings. You are provided with your own cheering squad to encourage you to stick to plan and reach your goal.
Flex
There are two versions of the current Weight Watchers program: Flex and Core. The Flex plan is basically what we described above. Foods are assigned point values, and you are given a point range to follow so you don't overeat. You pick and choose your foods accordingly. Your points allotment is based on your weight, and your Weight Watchers leader will help you determine the right number of points for you. You can earn additional points by exercising, since you'll burn more calories and need the extra nutrition.

Core
The other plan you can choose is the Core plan. With this plan, you are not given a daily point range to follow, but are instructed to choose between foods in a list similar to the foods available on the South Beach Diet. In fact, many assume the Core plan was Weight Watchers response to the popularity of South Beach, though they really didn't have anything to worry about. According to our own survey of Weight Watchers members, only one in ten actually prefer the Core plan, and the rest prefer the versatility of the Flex plan.

What will you eat on Core? You can have lots of vegetables, including fresh, canned, or frozen, but not vegetable juice. The same rule applies to fruits - fresh, canned, or frozen, but not fruit juice. You must also make sure there is no added sugar in your fruit or vegetables (such as tomato or spaghetti sauce). Fat will be strictly limited. All dairy must be fat-free, and you can only use fat-free margarine. You can eat whole grains such as whole wheat pasta or brown rice. These must be limited to one serving per day. You can also eat white potatoes, but again they are limited to one per day.

One advantage to choosing the Weight Watchers Core plan over the South Beach Diet is that you actually do get the opportunity to eat non-Core foods, unlike the South Beach Diet. On Core, you are given a weekly allowance of points that you spend on non-Core foods, as long as you stay within the limit. Your Core foods, however, will not have actual limits (other than the grains and potatoes) but you will be advised to eat just until you are satisfied. This is the part many people don't like. If it was so easy to eat just until satisfied, we wouldn't have become overweight in the first place.

Meetings
Weekly support meetings are the key to weight loss success for many members. They are fun, you make new friends, learn new things, bring home new recipes, and keep you motivated to stay on plan another week. You'll be weighed, but no one can see your weight but your leader. Many members have weigh-in rituals, such as removing all jewelry, shoes, and wearing the same clothes every time. Our mother is a Lifetime member and even though she is at goal, she still goes to her meetings and it keeps her on track.

To learn more about Weight Watchers, or to find a local Weight Watchers center, visit the official website at www.weightwatchers.com

FIBER FACTS

FIBER INFORMATION
Dietary Fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet

Dietary fiber offers many health benefits. Here's how to include more in your diet.
*Eat more fiber. You've probably heard it before. But do you know why fiber is so good for your health?

*Dietary fiber — found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes — is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But fiber can provide other health benefits as well, such as lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

*If you need to add more fiber to your diet, don't worry. Increasing the amount you eat each day isn't difficult. Find out how much dietary fiber you need and ways to include more high-fiber foods into your meals and snacks.

What is dietary Fiber?

Dietary fiber — also known as roughage or bulk — includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Fiber is often classified into two categories: those that don't dissolve in water (insoluble fiber) and those that do (soluble fiber).

Insoluble Fiber: This type of fiber increases the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.

Soluble Fiber:This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. You can find generous quantities of soluble fiber in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.

The amount of each type of fiber varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods.

Benefits of bulking up:
Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your body. Therefore, it passes virtually unchanged through your stomach and small intestine and into your colon. Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may also help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool.

A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of specific disorders, such as hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the development of small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease). Fiber — particularly soluble fiber — can also lower blood cholesterol levels and slow the absorption of sugar, which for people with diabetes, can help improve blood sugar levels. A high-fiber diet may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Eating a high-fiber diet may also help with weight loss. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer hungry, so you're less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber diets tend to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.

Evidence that dietary fiber reduces colorectal cancer is mixed — some studies show benefit, some nothing and even some greater risk. If you're concerned about preventing colorectal cancer, adopt or stick with a colon cancer screening regimen. Regular testing for and removal of colon polyps can prevent colon cancer.

Boosting your Fiber intake:
How much fiber do you need each day? The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, which provides science-based advice on matters of medicine and health, gives the following daily recommendations for adults:

Men
38 grams Age 50 & younger
30 grams Age 51 & older
Women
25 grams Age 50 & younger
21 grams Age 51 & older

If you aren't getting enough fiber each day, you may need to boost your intake. Choose whole-grain products, raw or cooked fruits and vegetables, and dried beans and peas. Refined or processed foods — such as fruit juice, white bread and pasta, and non-whole-grain cereals — are lower in fiber content. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which lowers its fiber content. Similarly, removing the skin from fruits and vegetables decreases their fiber content.

So what are your best sources? This list shows the amount of dietary fiber in several types of foods.

Food Item, Fiber Content in Grams:
Split peas, cooked, 1 cup 16.3
Red kidney beans, boiled, 1 cup 13.1
Raspberries, raw, 1 cup 8.0
Whole-wheat spaghetti, 1 cup 6.3
Oat bran muffin, medium 5.2
Broccoli, boiled, 1 cup 5.1
Oatmeal, quick, regular or instant, cooked, 1 cup 4.0
Green beans, cooked, 1 cup 4.0
Brown rice, cooked, 1 cup 3.5
Apple, medium with skin 3.3
Popcorn, air-popped, 2 cups 2.4
Whole-wheat bread, one slice 1.9

Fiber content can vary between brands.Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 2004
Whole foods rather than fiber supplements are generally better. Fiber supplements — such as Metamucil, Citrucel and FiberCon — don't provide the vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients that high-fiber foods do. However, some people may still need a fiber supplement if dietary changes aren't sufficient, or if they have certain medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Check with your doctor if you feel you need to take fiber supplements.

Tips for fitting in Fiber:

Need ideas for high-fiber meals and snacks? Try these suggestions:*Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal — 5 or more grams of fiber per serving. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.

*Add crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to baked products such as meatloaf, breads, muffins, casseroles, cakes and cookies. You can also use bran products as a crunchy topping for casseroles, salads or cooked vegetables.

*Switch to whole-grain breads. These breads list whole wheat, whole-wheat flour or another whole grain as the first ingredient on the label. Look for a brand with at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving.

*Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking bread. Whole-grain flour is heavier than white flour. In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer. When using baking powder, increase it by 1 teaspoon for every 3 cups of whole-grain flour.

*Eat more whole grains and whole-grain products. Experiment with brown rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta and bulgur.

*Take advantage of ready-to-use vegetables. Mix chopped frozen broccoli into prepared spaghetti sauce. Snack on baby carrots.

*Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad. Or make nachos with refried black beans, baked tortilla chips and salsa.

*Eat fruit at every meal. Apples, bananas, oranges, pears and berries are good sources of fiber.

*Make snacks count. Fresh and dried fruit, raw vegetables, and low-fat popcorn and whole-grain crackers are all good choices.

*High-fiber foods are good for your health. But adding too much fiber too quickly can cause intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping. Increase fiber in your diet gradually over a period of a few weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in your digestive system to adjust to the change. Also, drink plenty of water. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky. Without the added water, you could become constipated.

Looking to add more fiber to your diet? Fiber moves quickly and relatively easily through your digestive tract and helps it function properly. A high-fiber diet may also help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes

PROTEIN FACTS:

LOSE WEIGHT WITH PROTEIN

A diet based on an increased intake of high protein foods have been shown in a number of studies to give an added boost to dieters by helping them increase weight loss, increase loss of body fat, and reduce the loss of muscle tissue.

It's recommended that your diet should contain 25 to 35 percent protein for weight loss and between 20 to 25 percent protein for weight maintenance.

In either situation the protein in the food should be high quality.Protein requires more energy to digest than other foods helping you to use more calories and therefore may help with weight loss. Also,protein helps to preserve lean muscle tissue while you lose fat.

If your body doesn't get enough protein and the important essential amino acids on a daily basis it will simple take the protein from existing muscle tissue. Protein foods also help to slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This in turn reduces hunger by reducing insulin levels and making it easier for the body to burn fat.

PROTEIN FACTS:

Protein regardless of the types of high protein foods it comes from contains 4 calories per gram. Next to water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body. Muscles, skin, eyes, individual cells and your immune system are just a few of your body parts comprised primarily of protein.

Protein is the main building block of your body. It's essential that your entire body receives enough protein from food to ensure proper growth and maintenance.

Protein foods also provide you with essential amino acids that your body cannot manufacture itself. And finally, there is NO documented proof that indicates high amounts of protein or higher levels of protein intake in general lead to kidney malfunction in healthy women, no documented proof whatsoever.

BEST HIGH PROTEIN FOODS:

whey (supplement found in health food stores)

chicken breast

turkey breast

salmon

tuna

cottage cheese

swordfish

haddock

lean ground turkeyround

steaksirloin

steaklean

ground beef

orange roughy

eggs

pork

crab

lobster

shrimp

buffalo