The Graceful Skinny

A homeschool mom of one sharing my thoughts, curriculum reviews, organization techniques, and planning ideas with others in the homeschool community.

Cautionary Tales and Reading Between the Lines February 24, 2011

Filed under: FYI,Revalations along the way — The Graceful Skinny @ 3:34 pm
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Caution diet "Weight loss" "Thyroid issues" "medical issues" hernia IBS PCOS "Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome" blog life lifestyle "corn sugar" myths "diet myths and facts"

 

 

So here on my blog I have no problems sharing my view point and all that I have learned. This is especially true when it comes to High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).  But recently I was watching some tv with one of the kids that I nanny and yet another of those stupid “Corn Sugar” adds came on.  Well, this ad and my skeptical annoyance at it raised the curiosity of the teen and she decided to poke around and investigate further.

 

In her poking she found the following website that can be found HERE .

 

At first glance my alarm bells started going off. It is very apparent that this is a commercially produced blog like sight. Yet when we looked for a name to see who runs the site we found that it is run by some official looking agency called The Center for Consumer Freedom. Their website can be found HERE .

 

They raise interesting claims that all of the hype about HFCS is false.  And on the Sweet Scam site under the Myths and Facts Section there are a lot of very broad statements about what is myth and very specific word bending with the counter point facts.

 

Still the sites do bring up the question, who in the end is right and how much of what they say is indeed true?

 

The big key for me is both sites repeated statements of any sweetener is fine moderation.  But the big issue here is, HFCS has found its way into every food imaginable.  It’s in so much that if you don’t do your very best to avoid it you quickly become inundated with this said harmless “Corn Sugar”. To avoid this junk all together you either have to spend a fortune buying expensive high end organics or you starve.  And for someone on my kind of budget high end anything really just isn’t an option for daily life.  You have to fight for moderation.

 

So dear readers, what are your thoughts on sites like these? In your opinion who is indeed the real “sweet scam”?

 

I for one will take the words of caution from my many doctors and my nutritionist as well as the many articles I have found myself, including an article done by Princeton. (If you missed that Blog post, you can find it HERE . The more I look into these new sites the more I see the falsity in them.

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A New Discovery for Those Days When You just really Want a Soda! February 17, 2011

Filed under: Road Blocks — The Graceful Skinny @ 2:48 pm
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Graceful Skinny "Mexican Coke" "High Frutose Corn Syurp" "Corn Sugar" "Cane Sugar" soda "weight loss" diet

One of the first things that I learned when I started on this weight loss journey was to be weary of anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup (a.k.a. Corn Sugar). There are more and more studies that are finding strong addictive tendencies in this evil substance.

Princeton did a study on the substance and the results that they came up with were enough to raise eye brows. You can find the article that talks about this study here:  http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/

It is definitely an article worth your read.

In the study, they found that the rats who were given High Fructose Corn Syrup laced water gained significantly more weight than the rats who were given table sugar.  Not only that but they also found that the rats who had the High Fructose Corn Syrup ended up not just gaining more weight than the table sugar group but that the animals in the High fructose corn Syrup group ended up gaining 48 percent more weight!

When I stumbled across this information I started to try to do my best to avoid it, only to come to the realization that it is found in almost everything we eat.

It’s not practical to think that you can avoid ever eating it again. And the saying is always true, Everything in Moderation.  The problem however, is getting that into moderate amounts of your diet.

So next time you decide to go pick up that soda can or candy bar think twice! Rid yourself of the constant craving for it and you will quickly find that things that are loaded with it are overly sweet.

After only a month I got to the point were most sodas and soft drinks are just revolting to me.  Just try to go a while without the processed foods and then taste them again. They just aren’t as tasty as we thought.

But there will be days when you will miss that soda. And for those days, my husband and I have found a great compromise.

This bottle of coke isn’t any normal coke, and you more than likely are not going to find it on your regular soda aisle.  No folks, this coke is Mexican coke! What makes it better than the normal stuff you ask? Let’s turn the bottle around and take a look.

"Mexican Coke" Coke Graceful Skinny "Weight Loss" diet Soda "Cane Sugar" "Corn Sugar"

The red box believe it or not is the ENTIRE ingredients list.  That’s right there are only 6 ingredients in this bottle.   And let me tell you, there is a huge difference in flavor alone to justify the extra cost.

All of that being said, you should be aware that there is a bit of the “Corn Sugar” that may find its way in here.  I went on to coke’s website and found a Ingredients Glossary. According to their website  Caramel Coloring is defined as:

Caramel Color

Caramel color is made by a process involving the heating of corn or cane sugar and other carbohydrates to achieve the desired color.

http://productnutrition.thecoca-colacompany.com/ingredients

Because they don’t clarify if its indeed Corn Sugar or the better option Cane Sugar you should still take caution and limit the amount you drink it. But if you are just looking for a special treat every now and then, I would have to say that is a great way to go.

So as you go about your day, be weary and warned. Keep your eyes out and pay attention you might just be amazed at just how much of the High Fructose Corn Syrup is making its way into your diet.

 

Weekly Update: Doing Better! February 11, 2011

Filed under: The Weekly Check in — The Graceful Skinny @ 7:28 pm
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Weight loss blog Graceful SKinny diet health

 

So this week my stomach bug has finally started to pass! Thank the Lord above! I have had a pretty good week work out wise. I was able to remember to weigh in 3 out of the 5 days this week. Not perfect, but certainly better then what it has been lately. I even got in 2 separate workouts in.

 

So with all this progress comes some results. However I am a tad frustrated, even though I know I don’t have much reason to be.

 

So what are my results for the week?

 

  • This Week: 0.9 pounds down
  • Total Weight Loss: 29.6 pounds down!

 

 

Its remarkable progress I know, but part of me is disappointed I couldn’t get that last 0.4 pounds off to make this week’s totals a rounded total of 30 pounds.  I guess it just means I have to wait until next week to finally see that number.  I just hope that this new round of Provera I start tomorrow won’t mess me up yet again.

 

I almost feel as if the 30 pound mark is a bit elusive.  It has been dancing just outside my grasp since just before Christmas.  I am getting anxious to surpass that point in my journey.

 

Anyways that is how my week has gone! How have you been my dear readers? Has anybody else ha victories in getting back into the swing of things?

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Weekly Update: Where did my week go? February 5, 2011

Filed under: The Weekly Check in — The Graceful Skinny @ 4:53 pm
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First off I would like to apologize for being a day late for my weekly update. I had full intentions to get up yesterday and do my work out and weigh in and post my blog. Life however had other plans for me.  I ended up having to go back to the doctor’s office to redo some blood work because the lab that it gets sent to spilt my original vial. Once I got home my energy levels crashed and I completely forgot to write my blog post.

I still haven’t been all that active this week. That stomach bug from last week is still hanging around and making me feel off. It has been getting somewhat better though so here is hoping that I can at least stave it off long enough to do some major cleaning.  My husband and I have a goal to get at least the main rooms back into shape. Here is hoping that we can make that happen.

The results for the week:

  • This Week: 0.7 pounds down
  • Total: 28.7 pounds down!

The good news is even though this stomach bug has thrown off my healthy eating patterns I still have seemed to lose some weight this week.  So all in all I call this week a success! Not to shabby for a girl that can’t hold down all her meals.

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Weekly Update: I Got an Award! Oh yeah, and some kind of stomach bug! January 28, 2011

Filed under: Road Blocks,The Weekly Check in — The Graceful Skinny @ 4:44 pm
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So my week has consisted of waves of nausea that come and go hampering much productivity.  I haven’t had a chance to weigh in this week due to said nausea but will try to give it a go tomorrow and post it a day late.  But for now, I have just been a little green around the gills and that has just really set me off my game.

 

I do however want to take a second and thank TheBettyLife for the wonderful acknowledgement and award.  I will try to get a list of blogs to pass the award on to in the coming days.  For now though, I will leave you guys with wishes for a good weekend and the hopes that by next week I will be a little less friendly with Ralf the porcelain king.

 

My dear readers, what is it that you eat when your stomach misbehaves like this? Anybody have some healthy options that are easy to eat for a picky stomach?

 

Weekly Update: Kicking my own butt back into Gear! January 21, 2011

Filed under: Small Victories,The Weekly Check in — The Graceful Skinny @ 7:39 pm
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Weight loss blog Graceful SKinny diet health

 

 

 

I am not sure what has happened to me over the past two weeks but after checking on a few of my regular blogs it would appear that I am certainly not alone. I have been feeling sluggish and lazy. I have been slacking when it comes to weighing in and getting in my exercise.

 

However, thanks to you wonderful readers waiting for my weekly update I was able to put my foot down and kicked my butt back into gear!

 

Over all I would have to say that this week has been quiet the success.  I finally got to meet my new mentor on Tuesday morning.  God is so good. She is the best!

 

To my amazement, sitting down with my new mentor has not only helped me work out my life spiritually in finding ways to get in my quiet times every day, but I have noticed a dramatic increase in my ability to focus and get things done throughout my whole day when I do remember to spend even just a minute or two in the morning in quiet time.

 

So not only have I been getting myself more organized but when I stepped on the scale today I got a pleasant surprise in the form of not only a weight loss but a weight loss great enough that I lost all that I had gained last week and then some. I am so back on track.  Look out 14s I’m not giving up on you yet!

 

So what was my weight like this week?

 

  • This Week: 4.4 pounds DOWN!!!
  • Total Weight Loss: 28 pounds down!

 

That’s right folks! It’s not quite a complete recovery from chaos caused by the change up in meds and Christmas festivities, but I am within a pound of getting there.  My goal for the coming week is to actually get my but to work out for at least 30 minutes at least twice this week.

 

I set out this morning to work out for 30 minutes and ended up working out for almost an hour! If I could only do that more often, I would be great! But as for today, I will revel in my small victories and use this as the much needed boost to push forward and continue to get back on track with my weight loss.

 

As for those who are also struggling to kick themselves into gear, what are you waiting for? Get to it! You can do it! And you will feel a lot better once you kick your butt into actually doing it as well.

 

Have a happy weekend!

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Weekly Update: Snowed In! January 14, 2011

Filed under: Road Blocks,The Weekly Check in — The Graceful Skinny @ 5:03 pm
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Snowed In Weight Loss The Graceful Skinny diets

 

I officially call this week a throw away. From the fact that there has been crazy amounts of snow and Ice EVERYWHERE to the fact that I had to fluctuate a few of my meds to make them last till I could even consider getting out of my apartment, to the Provera and the ensuing period, it shouldn’t come to much surprise that I haven’t had the greatest week weight wise.

 

This week I discovered the only thing more dangerous for a waist line then hormonal cravings would have to be hormonal cravings while snowed in for a week.  We were finally able to get out for a tiny bit yesterday, and let me tell you, I have never been more elated to be going to a drug store!

 

I do want to apologize for not posting much this week, but with the snow my husband has had to work from home the week.  He had to take over the main computer area leaving me with only my broken down old laptop to get internet access.  Without access to my normal work environment I haven’t been able to get much done.

 

I will go ahead and admit, I haven’t made the best decisions food wise but being ADHD and trapped in a two bedroom apartment without much contact to the outside world got me real twitchy real fast. That plus all the other things going on with me has made for almost unavoidable bad cravings.

 

The upside to all of this is that I have gotten a week of rest right when my body needed it. My husband and I got some extra time together and most of the problematic ice should FINALLY start to fully melt away today and tomorrow.  The only thing to make this better would have been to have the Christmas boxes in the apartment with me so that I could have used the stranded time a bit better. But let’s be realistic here. With the way my body treated me this week, I doubt that much of it would have gotten done anyways. Ah well.

 

I’ll get back on track next week. I promise this time!

 

Weekly Uptdate: One Week down 51 more to go! January 7, 2011

Filed under: The Weekly Check in — The Graceful Skinny @ 5:14 pm
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Weight loss blog Graceful SKinny diet health

 

 

Wow is it Friday already? Where did my week go?

 

Alright, so I have a confession to make. I have slacked horribly when it comes to doing my weigh ins and work outs. Today was my first day on the scale all week.  I have been busy and disorganized and drowning of a week of chores that went un-done last week in the name of “My vacation”.

 

The lesson learned here? It is SOOOOO not worth it to ignore the chores for a week.  It allowed a back up to happen of seismic proportions! This then lead to a spiral of not so great food choices. Add in a side of Provera and that’s how my week has gone.

 

All this said, getting organized and conquering the clutter and chaos leaves me with a since of accomplishment and victory.

 

Add in the fact that when I did drag myself onto the scale this morning I was pleasantly surprised to see the results.

 

  • This week: 0.4 pounds down!
  • Total Weight Loss: 27.2 pounds down!

 

 

Not bad for the week that I have had. I really can’t say that I can complain.  Over all I more than likely could have done better but overall it wasn’t a bad week.

 

New Year- New You! January 6, 2011

Filed under: FYI — The Graceful Skinny @ 5:42 pm
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New Year New You Snowman Weight loss diet blog

Congratulations, you have made it to the beginning of yet another year! And if you are like a large portion of the world’s population then you have probably made some sort of New Year’s Resolution about your weight.

I have a theory on why we as a population are always so focused on healthy eating and diets in the New Year.  From Halloween through the end of the year we become surrounded by all manners of unhealthiness. We even have let ourselves get programmed to believe that we must have certain foods for it to be a holiday season.

For about 6-8 weeks we find ourselves justifying all manners of naughtiness in the name of “The Holidays”.  We fill ourselves with crap and trick our minds into thinking that makes us happy and call it a good time.  By the time that New Years Day finally gets hear all of that junk has finally caught up to us and we have packed on more than a few pounds and we now feel like crap.

So why is it that I think there is a spike of interest in diets around this time of year? My personal opinion is that it is a lot of over compensation. However, this desire to lose weight is not necessarily a bad thing.  According to the CDC (source: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html) a large portion of our population is overweight and obese. I think the problem lies with this idea that diets are something to go on.

The problem with that thinking is that if you spend so much time depriving yourself you can only go so long before you end up cheating or going off the diet all together.  It’s like putting a bandage on a cut that needs twenty stitches. Yes that bandage will help in the moment, but it isn’t enough to fix the whole issue.

The true meaning of the word diet has been lost on today’s society.  We all have a diet. Your diet is the food that goes into your mouth on a daily basis. The concept of making small changes that make a big difference has been lost on people.

The reason why people don’t stick to diet plans is because it is not realistic to think that anybody could stick to deprivation and extreme measures for long term. There is a rule, everything in moderation.

When starting any journey it’s always good to remember this: When at the top of a mountain there are only two ways down.  You can chose to turn and use the path that will take you slowly one step at a time, or you can jump off the edge and see how that works out for you. Both ways will get you to the bottom, but that doesn’t guaranty what shape you are going to be when you get there.

So if you really want to make this year a New Year and a new you, don’t go on a diet, CHANGE your diet.  Make small but important changes in your diet that will stick with you.  Make the decision to permanently alter your daily habits in a way that you can stick to. It’s the only way that will actually do you good in the long run.

So if you are one of the many trying to lose weight in this new year, go ahead and push forward with that resolution, just don’t let yourself get burned out in the process.

 

Weekly Update: 10 Things I have learned in 2010 December 31, 2010

Filed under: The Weekly Check in — The Graceful Skinny @ 8:35 pm
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weight loss diet blog lifestyle health medical issues

 

So in honor of the fact that it is New Year’s Eve; instead of reflecting back at just the week that was (I was certainly lazy and spent my week off resting. I did get one great workout in though), I thought I would take the time to instead look back at the year that was and come up with 10 things that I have learned from it.

 

1.       Hashimoto’s is not just some bad anime series and it can wreck havoc on your weight.

2.       It is always better to step on the dog. Trying to avoid the dog will end up just causing you larger and more expensive problems.

3.       Taking medication is like learning to walk a tight rope. You have to find just the right balance or else you will fall off.

4.       If you go to your doctor’s office enough you make friends with the staff there. This, as it turns out, is a good thing.

5.       A lesson that apparently needs constant re-teaching: No matter how you think you have your life planed out, God always has a way to come in and remind you that you don’t have a clue about what is going on.

6.       Drinking water with meals and eating raw fruits and veggies is not a good thing.

7.       It is important to remember to eat veggies at every meal including breakfast.

8.       Forgetting meals leads to bad things.

9.       Eating the right foods in the right portions goes a long way to getting you healthy.

10.   If you stay away from sugar long enough it starts to lose its appeal.

 

 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a weekly update unless I posted up the results, although I very nearly almost didn’t post them.  I’ve been lazy this week. I have forgotten work outs and meals. And for all of my oaths and swearing that this was going to be a good week. I didn’t do a great job.  I munched throughout the week and forgot more than one meal.  Add in the lack of activity and well, I am surprised that the damage isn’t worse.  I didn’t want to post today but I am kicking my butt, because if I allow myself to slip then I might as well give up. I haven’t gone through the B.S.  to get where I am just to give up now. I WILL keep going.  And things will improve.  So as much as I don’t want to, it’s time to face the music:

 

  • This Week: 1.1 pounds Gained
  • Total Weight Loss: 26.7 pounds down

 

 

So there you have it folks! It’s like I said, it hasn’t been the best weeks weight wise, but that is okay because I expected as much. And honestly, these past two weeks have done less damage than I anticipated, so in the end, I count that a victory! So here is to the New Year and all the new things that are to come with it! And I leave you with one last lesson that I have learned this year,

 

If life hands you lemons, laugh. You will enjoy the lemonade a lot better if you do!

 

Happy New Year everybody!

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