My Weight Loss Secret (9/29/14)

Start Weight: 187lb (June 2014)

Current Weight: 167lb (Sept 2014)

Goal Weight: 140lb

Weight Lost: 20lb!

Many people have asked me the following question:  “What is your weight loss secret?”  My answer boils down to this: blood sugar control.

Many patients newly diagnosed with diabetes have prescriptions for insulin or metformin, which lower blood sugar.  Many of these patients also notice a drop in weight after beginning these prescriptions.  This brings up the important idea that blood sugar control is linked to weight loss.  This idea is backed with a few key facts about the human body and the metabolism of sugar.

The average person has a blood sugar level below 100.  This is a normal blood sugar reading.  That number goes up after we eat, and down when we feel hungry.  The diagnosis of pre-diabetes means that you have a blood sugar level between 100-125 when you are fasting (no food for 12 hours).  A blood sugar level greater than 126 can lead to a diagnosis of diabetes.  These numbers mean that you have more sugar in your blood than your body can use immediately.  What does your body do with this extra sugar?  It stores it as fat.  This is why many type 2 diabetics gain weight.  Their body is resistant to the effects of insulin (the hormone critical to the metabolism and storage of sugar, fat, and protein) so the sugar stays in the blood instead of being used in the cells as fuel.  This means that the cells do not get the fuel needed to survive and are essentially starving, causing cravings for more food and sugar.  Eating causes an increase in sugar within the blood again.  It is a terrible cycle that leads many people to gain weight.

My family is cursed with Diabetes Type 2.  Both grandmothers had it and my dad has it.  This genetically predisposes me to having problems controlling my blood sugar.  Now, I do not check my blood sugar, nor do I have a medical diagnosis of a blood sugar problem.  I know my body and how it reacts to different levels of sugar.

Because of this blood sugar problem I do two things to kick-start my weight loss:  I cut out many added sugars and I take supplements that aid in blood sugar regulation.  Now this doesn’t mean that I refuse a piece of cake if I am at a wedding.  It means that I don’t make sweets a daily habit.  I enjoy sugar in my coffee and tea.  I enjoy the occasional chocolate chip cookie (or three) on a bad day.  I love a glass of wine with dinner.  I make sure that these treats don’t because my entire day, though.

One big thing that I noticed is that if I have a piece of toast in the morning (white bread or wheat) I crave more carbs throughout the day.  So I mainly try to avoid bread as a source of carbs.  Instead I have a lot of rice, barley, and different grains with my meals.  I don’t count carbs or calories, I just notice what my body is telling me.  If I want to eat something, I don’t restrict myself from having it.  It you make a food forbidden it becomes that much more desirable.  As I said above, chocolate chip cookies are my downfall, but I still have one (or three) occasionally.

The rest of my diet is standard food.  I enjoy chicken, beef, pork, and fish.  I have a variety of vegetables prepared a variety of ways.  I love fruit when I can get it fresh.  I still have fried food every other week.  I still eat out at restaurants.  I still eat three meals a day.  I don’t eat replacement meal bars or drink meal replacement shakes.  I also still love the Chinese buffet two miles down the road.  Your diet is up to you.  Find out what foods cause your body to gain weight and start eating less of it.  It could mean one less can of soda a day, or one less meal out a week.  Maybe it’s the same thing as me: bread.  I can’t tell you what causes your body to gain weight.  You will need to find out what works for you.

I also started taking two supplements that are known to help lower and control blood sugar.  I take 1000mg of cinnamon (also includes 100mcg of  chromium) and 500mcg of Chromium Picolinate.  Cinnamon has long been touted as being great for diabetics because of its blood sugar regulation effect that it has.  Chromium is a relatively new important trace metal that’s official roll hasn’t been well defined yet.

Cinnamon has been suggested to diabetics for many years.  The main reason is because it has a mysterious effect on the cells of the body, allowing insulin to work more effectively with the cell.  It also has some ability to lower cholesterol levels in certain patients.  These effects have been studied multiple times with multiple amounts of cinnamon.  Many studies found a mild to moderate lowering of both blood sugar and cholesterol levels.  Some have not.  Cinnamon is not a cure-all, but could aid some people with blood sugar regulation.

Chromium was discovered in the late 1800’s in France as being a mineral found in food.  It wasn’t until the 1950’s that it was found to be important to human life.  It was found in rats to prevent the loss of blood sugar control in relation to age.  Chromium is now seen as being important to the activity of insulin.  Chromium deficiency has been seen in three patients when fed intravenously, which caused diabetes-like symptoms.  Once this deficiency was corrected, the symptoms corrected themselves.  It has also been found to decrease or even reverse glucose intolerance.  The human body absorbs only 0.5-2.5% of chromium that is ingested.  This amount is increased with vitamin C and niacin.  It decreased with diets high in simple sugars, stress, and with age.

Seeing the information above, it seems like scientists may have found a possible root for type 2 diabetes and how to prevent it.  The American diet consists of high amounts of sugar and fat, decreasing the effectiveness of insulin and lowering levels of chromium, which raises blood sugar and lowers levels of chromium even more.  It seems like a vicious cycle that has no end.  With 25% of the population age 65 and older having type 2 diabetes, having a possible solution is monumental.  But PLEASE!  If you have diabetes or are on a blood sugar medication TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING TO TAKE CINNAMON OR CHROMIUM!  If you take cinnamon, chromium, and your medication at the same time, it could cause a life-threatening drop in blood sugar.

Even if cinnamon and chromium do not change the way we treat type 2 diabetes, it has helped me lose weight!  With my diet low in added sugars and my supplements I have successfully lost 20 pounds in three months.  This is without adding any exercise or cutting out any food group completely.  I can get a three month supply of both of these supplements for about $10.  This means that the 20 pounds I have lost cost me $10.  You better believe I am willing to pay $0.50 a pound lost!  I buy my vitamins from Wal-Mart, since it’s right around the corner.  I buy Spring Valley brand vitamins, which aren’t that expensive but still have a quality guarantee.  You don’t have to buy expensive brand supplements.  Just make sure that you buy a brand with a quality guarantee.

Well, that’s my secret.  Blood sugar control by diet and by supplements.  I hope that you find the aspects of your diet that are causing you to gain weight and reduce them.  I hope that my secret helps you to lose weight like I did.  Good luck to you!

~Missy T

The Importance of Water 8/25

Hello All!

Today's post is dedicated to the importance of water in our diets.  Water is literally our blood (83% of it, at least) and we need it to survive.  Without water we would all diet of dehydration.  Water is one of the most important things to have in your diet.  Here are some facts about water.

"You can go weeks without food but only 5-7 days without water.  When the water in your body is reduced by just 1 percent, you become thirsty.  At 5 percent, muscle strength and endurance declines significantly and you become hot and tired.  When the loss reaches 10 percent, delirium and blurred vision occur.  A 20 percent reduction results in death."  These facts are found from the Duke University Chemistry department's website "Cruising Chemistry" found HERE.

With information like that, it makes sense that we all need to stay hydrated.  MedlinePlus from the National Institute of Health goes into more detail with some of the ways your body uses water.  Your body uses water in your blood, sweat, tears, digestion, lubrication of joints, cerebrospinal fluid, and much more.  Your body is two thirds water.  In order to stay healthy, we need to make sure we drink enough water.  (See HERE for MedlinePlus info)

So other than staying healthy, what does water do?  Well, it helps with diets!  That's right; water can help you lose weight.  By drinking enough water each day, you flush your body of many toxins and build-up.  This helps your body start working on what it needs to do: burn fat for energy.  By drinking 60+ oz of water a day, you also help control your calorie intake.  By drinking a lot of water you actually take care of many cravings for salty foods.  Craving salt is one way your body tells you that you are dehydrated.  Drinking water also increases the health of your skin and digestive tract as well.

What other sources of water are there?  Fruits and vegetables like melons, tomatoes, grapes, and squash all have a high water content.  Milk and natural juices also help increase water intake.  What you do NOT want to do is drink your fluids in sugary drinks.  Coffee and tea (sometimes loaded with sugar) have caffeine, which has a diuretic effect.  This makes you pee all the water you just took in right back out.  Soda and sugary sports drinks only increase your calorie count without adding much in return.  The best way to get water in your diet?  WATER.  Add a lemon wedge or make a fruit-infused water if you need a change.

So how much water should you drink?  We've all heard the six to eight 8oz glasses a day.  The best way to do this is to buy a water bottle that has the volume printed on the side.  I have one that is 24oz and I drain that 3-4 times a day.  That's enough water for my body.  You will need to find the right amount for yours.

Just remember: Water is your friend, whether you are dieting or not.  Make sure you give your body adequate amounts of it and you will be healthier and happier for it.  It will take some time if you're used to not drinking much fluid to get used to the new amount.  Give it about a week to settle in to the new water intake.  You will be glad you did.

~Missy T

Weight Loss Plan 8/18/14

Hello All!

I wanted to share my weight loss goals as part of the initial set-up of this blog.  That way if you are interested from Day 1, you can see what I have been doing.

Starting Weight: 185lb (BMI = 27)
Goal Weight: 140-145lb (BMI = 21)

I had been slowly watching the scale tick upwards and feeling my clothing get tighter and tighter.  I had been watching the sizes that I bought get larger and larger.  Finally this past summer I have begun taking steps and making the changes needed to turn my weight and health around.

What I have done:

1. I enrolled in a gym.  I have yet to go more than once, but the first step has been taken.  I have access to a YMCA in my community, so I now have access to classes and gym equipment whenever I want.
2. I bought a water bottle, one that I enjoy using and has 24oz marked on it.  I took my weight (185) and divided it by 2.  I try to drink that much water a day (90oz).  Most of the time I can empty my water bottle 3-4 times a day, so I get close to 75-100oz of water daily.  I enjoy the occasional cup of Southern Sweet Tea, maybe a can of soda once a week.  However, the majority of what I drink is water.
3. I began taking different vitamins.  I take a daily multivitamin, a calcium pill, a B-complex vitamin, a green tea pill (Applied Nutrition - from Amazon), and a cinnamon pill (Nature's Bounty - from Amazon).  The daily, calcium, and the B-complex are good to fill any holes in your diet, but shouldn't replace good quality food.  The green tea pills and the cinnamon pills are the only weight loss supplements I use currently.  The green tea has caffeine which bolsters your metabolism (and I cut out coffee) while the cinnamon pills help even out your blood sugar, preventing hunger spikes throughout the day.
4. I eat three rounded meals a day, and if I get hungry I snack on healthy snacks.  I make 1/3 of my plate vegetables, 1/3 protein, and 1/3 whole grains.  I make sure I keep to smaller portions by eating on smaller plates.  I also take my time while eating.  One of the biggest reasons why many people are overweight is because they eat too fast.  They say it takes your stomach 20 minutes to realize it's full.  It's true!  My snacks are mainly fruit (nature's candy!) and the occasional cookie or treat.
5. I do not deny myself of anything!  If I want a cookie, I can have A cookie.  If I want a milkshake or a bowl of ice cream, I have A small serving.  Denying yourself of a certain food group makes you want it even more.  This is why portion control is so important.  With proper portions, you can have anything you wish!
6. I weigh myself daily, record it, and take the week's average.  There are different beliefs on how often you should weight yourself.  I do it daily, because then I keep myself honest.  If my weight is up, then I know that I need to be extra careful.  I record my weight every day of the week, then at the end of the 7 days, I average my weight for the week.  That averaged number is what I see my true weight as being.  Because my weight fluctuates daily (even hourly), it's important to me to get this average.  My goal for the next week is to have 5/7 days be lower than the previous week's average.  This has led me to be as successful as I have been.  It also prevents me from fasting the day before a weight-check.  I have to be healthy every day, instead of one or two days.

Because of these 6 things I am down to 179lb.  Every 5 pounds I reward myself with something.  These things are mainly things that I have thought "Wow, that is neat".  I just bought a Precious Gem Candle (Precious Gem Candle's Website), which is a soy-wax candle that has a loose gemstone inside.  This means that to celebrate losing 5lb, I get to enjoy the wonderful smell of a vanilla candle as well as have a beautiful loose gemstone to admire.

I'm thinking that when I reach 10lb lost I may get one of the fitness bands to try out.  It is something that would help me continue to lose weight, but they are expensive.  If I decide to go this route I will do a post based upon my research into these different bands and my ultimate decision.

I hope that this post helps you to understand the steps I have taken to begin my journey to better health and a lower weight.

~Missy T

Introduction and Goals

Hello Everyone!

This is the introduction to my new blog Healthy Habits!  This blog is going to be dedicated to life's many healthy habits that people can use in their day to day life to be a healthier person.  This will include guides on different vitamins and minerals, supplements, recipe changes, and even some exercise routines.  I hope to share my experiences with weight loss and hopefully inspire others to take that first step towards a healthier life.

A little bit about me:
I am 22 years old and just finished a college degree.  I will be working part-time and taking part-time classes for the next year before applying to Medical School for the fall of 2015.  I am happily in a relationship with my boyfriend of (almost) three years.

I am 5'9" and 179lb as of today.  That is after a 6lb weight loss over the last 6 weeks.  My goal is to be around 140-145 again, which was my weight when I was very active in high school and early college.

My Goals:
I want this blog to be an active collection of information that can be called upon by anyone looking to be healthier and/or lose weight.  I will be researching different vitamins, minerals, and supplements to give you the facts; then I will be trying them myself to give you a true review.  I will be trying and sharing different foot substitutions and ways to modify recipes to make them healthier.  I will be trying different exercise classes and routines to see what works best for me and share my experiences.  I also want to share with you the different home-remedies for beauty care, like for your hair and nails.

I hope to begin to make these different posts into a video guide as well on YouTube.  We will see if I can get the courage (and knowledge) to do so.  ;)

~Missy T