Goings on

You can post feeds in new ways, blogger just told me.

Nice day today, though still cold, only slightly above freezing. I haven't been able to garden much, although i did get the corn gluten on yesterday in the snow flurries (argh). I got my little plot at school spring cleaned today, plus a few other things. We had a nice lunch, I worked out, walked Essi, and made a big pot of chile, most of which I froze. This is good. I was very sore today, feet and everywhere else. We had a very nice dinner with our neighbors last night at their house. Good meal and very fine conversation. I did so enjoy the evening. We both did.

Tomorrow, a day of beauty, or at least some pampering,
Sue

Slimming Snacks

A friend sent me this message. Some of these could also be breakfast or lunch (with a salad).

8 Slimming Snacks

By Rachel Crocker

Put those chemical-filled cookie bags back on the shelf where they belong! Stay on the diet straight and narrow with these filling, delicious, fat-loss approved snacks. Bonus: They’re all under 200 calories!


1. Slice one hard-boiled egg. Place pieces on five low-salt whole-grain crackers topped with small tomato slices. Add ground pepper to taste.
2. Dip 10 carrot sticks into two tablespoons of hummus. Go the homemade route and whip up this tasty reader recipe.
3. Make use of your leftovers: Shred two ounces of turkey breast and place on half a toasted whole wheat English muffin. Place two thin slices of avocado and a large sliced strawberry on top.
4. Cut a small apple into eight pieces. Mix together one tablespoon of natural peanut butter and one teaspoon of honey; spread evenly on each slice.
5. Lightly toast one small slice of whole-grain bread. Cover its surface with two ounces of drained water-packed tuna and top with one tablespoon of shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted.
6. Cut one large flaxseed tortilla in half. (Save the other half for your next snack attack.) In a small bowl, mash one-quarter cup of blueberries and sprinkle with cinnamon. Spread one tablespoon of low-fat cream cheese onto one half, then top with the blueberry mixture. Fold and enjoy.
7. Have a quick, colorful salad: Toss three cups of baby spinach, 10 cherry tomatoes and one tablespoon of pine nuts with two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
8. Mix a half-cup of cooked quinoa with one to two tablespoons of chopped, sautéed onion, one-quarter cup of canned lentils (drained and rinsed) and a dash of garlic powder. Add a pinch of chili powder for heat. Warm slightly in the microwave before eating and garnish with tomato slices, lemon and parsley (optional).

Sue

Winter Hangs on

Argh! It's been chilly this week, not what I was hoping for, gardening wise. I cooked a nice dinner for Bob tonight though, and it was a nice day. I'm trying to improve the variety at breakfast and fix some new and different dinners. I have worked out every day. Today was weights. Picked lots of daffodils for inside. Not much sun today and very chilly.

Sleep well and sweet dreams,
Sue

Outside

I have been outside some of the past three days. It feels so good. It is chilly, but sunny. You have to wear some layers and gloves, but passable to be doing some garden beds cleaning up. Also, I've had some good walks with Essi. She loves to go with me.

And another food to add to the inflammation fighting arsenal: flax seeds or ground flax seeds. Very good for you. Sprinkle on everything you can.

Sue

Diet Dangers

We need fewer omega-6 (from corn, safflower, soybean oil used in processed foods, corn-fed meat, farmed salmon) and more omega 3 as in walnuts, wild caught tuna, olive oil. We need to eliminate trans fats used in "convenience foods" as in margarine, vegetable shortening and partially hydrogenated veg. oils and foods that contain them. We need to eat foods with lower glycemic load as in colorful food: brown bread over white, sweet potatoes over white, brown rice and pasta over white, colorful fruits and vegies, more beans, apples, berries. Buy those blueberries. Eat more soluable fiber like in oatmeal, oat bran, lentils, seeds, and strawberries. Magnesium is good in foods like almonds, cashews, and spinach. Choose grass-feed chicken or turkey (free range) as opposed to corn-fed. All this to less inflammation and (for me) feet that hurt less. If your feet hurt less, you can move and exercise more to burn more calories!

Sue

Foods and Inflammation

There are certain foods that increase or encourage inflammation, or the body to react to overuse or injury. It's a normal thing, but something that if you avoid it, means less pain. You can avoid those foods and therefore DECREASE inflammation. Arthritis is inflammation gone permanent, that is the body can no longer go back to "normal." Bad foods are processed food especially meat. I'm making a list and taking these foods off my list.

I made a recipe from Eatingwell magazine tonight. Very good. I'm trying out some new recipes this week I'm off. I wish the weather was going to be better. Argh! Nice to have some time off, though.

Sue

Calories for Sleep

US Today says that when you don't get the 7-9 hours of sleep you need every day, you substitute calories. When they don't get enough sleep people eat more, about 300 calories more per day. That can pack on the extra pounds.

Hip hip horray. I have a week off!
Sue

We're Conditioned

I just started getting a new magazine from the eatingwell website called "Eating Well." There was an interesting article talking about why we have an "obesity epidemic" in this country.

from the End of Overeating by David Kessler: "We eat because we have constant, crippling access to rich, delicious foods packed with fat and sugars, both of which activate our dopamine systems. And those conditioned cues are everywhere - commercials, fast-food restaurants that we pass on our commutes, grocery stores. We took fat, sugar and salt and put it on every corner, made it available 24/7, made it socially acceptable to eat anytime. We're living in a food carnival."

Nora Volkow says "the continual need to say NO to these tempting foods requires the strongest will, and some people's wiring seems to be working against them. Obese people have fewer dopamine receptors... these people not only have to eat more to achieve the same "reward," they also have a harder time stopping themselves from eating once they start." She is showing us what is really at the core of the obesity epidemic.

What is the answer? The answer is to eat well to feel full and satisfied: whole grains, lots of vegies, some healthy fat, some protein. Go to eatingwell.com and follow their menu suggestions. Try to keep stress under control and exercise every day. Small changes for a lifetime.

Sue

Hail

We had pea sized to marble sized hail today. We were in a meeting with our metal roof. It got so loud, we couldn't hear our fearless leader talking. When we came out of the meeting it was piled up.

Garlic power! We had garlic pasta, or as the Italians say, pasta d'alio. Good. Two more days to go until break.

Sue

Question

I've got a question for you all. Does the truth matter? Is it absolute or is it subjective?

I'd like to hear what you think,
Sue

Thunderstorms

We had a couple good ones today complete with lightening. One went by and then the sun came out. I can't wait for the break, a nice week off. I have a lot to do, but I need some time off.

I hope Spring has sprung where you are,
Sue

Lovely Day

Slept in. Nice quiet time with Bob and Essi. Good walk. Time in the yard doing some gardening. A little shopping. Fixed meat loaf. Bill Mahr and a few laughs. A Buckeye basketball win. Pleasant all around.

Happy first day of Spring! Yeah, Spring is here!
Sue

What Do You Enjoy

You have to have some things you truly enjoy. Every day, it's important to enjoy something. What did I enjoy today? My crocuses and snow drops blooming, the birds singing, the sun shining and feeling the sun while I walked Essi, great doggie kisses, shopping at Dorothy Lane Market and Wild Birds Unlimited, sleeping in this morning, a good Bob Evans breakfast with my husband. Pretty good for one day.

Sue

2 Down

I got on the scales this morning and low and behold, I lost 2 lbs, actually 2.2. Wow! How did I do it? New shoes. No processed meat. Yogurt for dessert (some yogurt every day). Smaller lunches and not eating the stuff they serve the kids, not even a bit. I'm so glad it's the weekend. It was one tough week.

Sue

TGIF

I know I've typed that one before, but is it ever. I'm also looking forward to vacation the last week of March. I'm planning lots of gardening, a day of beauty (hair, massage, pedi, and mani), research on the computer, and lots of workouts.

It was a lovely day today, warm and we finally got some sun.

Sue

Green Beginnings

It is so neat to see some bulbs and plants up. I filled up my bird feeders today and saw some green sprouts. Yeah! I was awake since four last night, so I am pretty tired right now. Not too much wisdom tonight.

Sue

Chile and Shoes that Fit

It is great. I has bean, vegies (LOTS of veggies the way I make it), some meat (not much). It's filling and good.

My feet are better. I went to a special shoe store where they actually fit you and measure your feet. They let you try on a half dozen pairs, different makes, until you find the perfect pair. It turns out, I did not have wide enough shoes. I bought a pair of Brooks extra wide 9.5 that my orthotic fits in perfectly. They are WONDERFUL. Plus, I have cut processed food out entirely. It's supposed to be bad for inflamation. My feet are much better.

Sue

Time Change

So why in the world do we have a time change already? It was just starting to get a tiny bit light when I have to get up. Now it's totally dark again. Argh! I wonder who's brilliant idea this was? I love the time change in the summer and spring when it's warm enough to be outside, but not now.

Sue

Store Marketing of Bad for You Stuff

I shared a message on super market shopping. Stuff they do that I don't like:

Arrange the snack foods most conveniently to the entrances.
Put candy holders for Reese, etc in front of the check out lanes.
Put donuts and cakes by the fast checkout lanes.

Their store arrangement is designed to sell you wrong stuff. Ugh,
Sue

Sisu

Sisu is a Finnish word meaning guts or courage. Sometimes you get knocked down and a punch comes out of nowhere to do it. That's what happened yesterday. You get yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again. (Isn't that a song?) You reach down inside to summon the sisu. When you know the truth, nobody should be able to talk you out of it. You just keep the knowledge before you and you don't release control of your happiness to anyone else.

Sue

Healthy Food Shopping

Stay on the outside, the most healthy food is around the outside of the store. Stay away from the processed stuff.
Read the labels about serving sizes. Avoid trans fats, MSG, and high fructose corn syrup. They're insidious and everywhere.
Make sure your cart includes lots of fruit and veggies, especially organic berries and greens.
Choose lower fat meat; include fresh fish if it's shiney and fresh looking, otherwise get frozen.
Choose whole grains. IF it's squishy bread, it's lousy bread.
Make sure you include Kefir, yogurt with probiotics. Get yogurt without the flavorings, and add them later (flavorings kill the good bacteria you want to get
Choose tree nuts over sweet desserts.
Choose beans, lots of beans. Organic is best.
Choose fresh herbs to add flavor and cut back on salt.
Choose red wine over white.

If you don't buy it, you won't have it around to eat. The bad stuff, that is. Treat yourself once in a while, maybe once every couple months with a favorite sweet. Otherwise, don't eat them.

Cheers and TGIF!
Sue

Dr. La Puma' Advice for Losing Weight

Lose weight and keep it off – make small changes
High satiety food, feel satisfied until next meal without snacks
It's about 2 things:
how fast and slow you eat
why you eat

You need healthy proteins at every meal. Lose 15% body muscle every 10 years.

Eat yogurt with high probiotics – help get a smaller stomach, lose weight faster

Any diet can make your thinner, but only food that works like medicine and tastes like food can work twice as hard for you to delight your senses and palette and fill you up.

It's still raining. I'm sick of rain and clouds. We need some sunny dry days for a change.

Sue

5 Down and 0 to Go

And they're all over. After the world's worse dress rehearsals, the shows were ok. The last one was too talky, but went ok. Phew, I'm glad that's over!!!!

Now back to normal. To bed now to get some rest for me and my aching feet.

Sue

SOUL food

Buy SOUL food
Sustainable
Organic
Unprocessed
Local

Also according to Dr. La Puma you can treat the following 3 conditions with food:
arthritis
weight gain
skin problems

For arthritis - patterns of pain and stiffness are predictable
One analgesic food for breakfast – berries
for lunch eat an Anti-inflammatory food – fish, soy, avocado, ginger
for dinner eat an Omega 3 rich fish – fish, walnuts, flax meal
Avoid transfats, starchy and sugary produce sidokinds (don't know how to spell this one), and processed meat for 12 weeks and you should notice improvement.

THIS I gotta try.

One more really really tough day and then they're over. The kids are ready. I'm ready. Let's put on a show, 2 actually... the last two for a while.

Sue

Top 5 Foods in America

sugary soft drinks
hamburgers
cakes/cookies
pizza
potato chips

foods you need to replace them with:
glass red wine daily
fish, fish, and more fish - wild caught Salmon, tuna, or mackerel
tree nuts (replace cupcake with walnuts or pecans)
dark chocolate, 2 oz daily
black tea with citrus peel
avocado
beans every day
broccoli and brussel sprouts often
colorful, organic fruit especially berries

Tomorrow it's rehearsals and my last shows on tuesday. Then they'll be done. Yippee!

Sue

Food As Medicine

We watched a show on PBS (they're begging, so they have good stuff on) with Dr. John La Puma. He spoke about food as medicine. Very interesting. I was curious to hear about what he had to say about arthritis. There are certain foods you can eat that actually work as well as or BETTER than drugs. He had the normal things to say like: stay away from processed food all together, eat organic and local, more vegies, how to get them into breakfast. He spoke of gluten and how there are a lot of people who are allergic to gluten. He offers a test on his website: drjohnlapuma.com I'm going to take it tomorrow. He likes you to have one glass of red wine per day. Many benefits. He wants you to eat tree nuts as substitutes for sweets/desserts. He says it's possible to eat, feel satisfied and full, and not overeat. He wants you to not eat within 3-4 hours of going to bed. You need protein for breakfast. I'm going to check out his website more tomorrow. Yes, colorful fruit is good. It's important to buy organic vegies and fruits with thin skins, because these absorb more chemicals. He wants you to eat chemical free meat to avoid becoming resistent to antibiotics.

More tomorrow,
Sue

Stomach

My stomach is too big. I did not lose this week. I have to do better. I've got two more shows on Tuesday. I haven't to dig in and improve my eating plan. My feet are hurting at an all time high. Yikes. Tomorrow I must workout and also Sunday. It's been raining continuously for about 24 hours and we're supposed to get more tonight and tomorrow. What's with all the rain? We needed it last summer and fall.

Happy weekend,
Sue

3 Down, 2 to Go

And a good time was had by all. As I limp to bed, I'll say good night with a good job done.

Sue

No Pearls Today

No pearls of wisdom today. Tomorrow two dress rehearsals and two shows. Phew! I'll be glad when they are over. Putting on these shows is a LOT of work, tons of details like you wouldn't believe. Parents and staff were still raving today about last night, so this is good. Send me some good thoughts tomorrow.

Sue

One Down, Four to Go

First program done. They did a nice job and it went well. Thursday I have two more and fourth grade is done. Third grade is next Tuesday. My feet somehow made it through. Their songs are running through my head over and over. The parents were very happy. This is good.

Sue