Archive for January, 2008

I thought I should pass on this interesting article I saw on MSN's website, Health & Fitness section that rates the sugar substitutes, the good, the bad and the so-called unacceptable. Written by Sylvia Geiger, M.S.,R.D., Eatingwell.com

In my opinion this article is not only a review of sugar substitues but a reassuring bit of information that helps to enlighten the public as to their options when it comes to FDA approved sweetners. A quote that appears in the article by Manfred Kroger, Ph.D., professor emeritus of food science at Penn State says it all for me. "The public should feel confident that any approved sweetener is truly safe and has been closely scrutinized." And it's not just me, most food scientists agree with that statement. That's comforting news for those of us who have been subjected to the cancer scares of aspertame - even though most are aware that you would have to consume buckets of this stuff daily to maybe get the big C. The sugar industry does what it can to mis-direct and mis-inform us about other sweetners that challenge their markets but from the looks of all the low fat foods out there that depend on sugar for taste I dont think sugar has much to worry about. But when I see some of the big guns out there like Coke and RC with labels that proclaim "sweetened with Splenda," it does my heart good.

Ms. Geiger goes on to talk about the fact that sales of "diet-friendly" sugar substitutes have gone through the roof, up a factor of 50% from 2000 to 2006 primarily because health experts are now recommending the use of them to their overweight and diabetic patients. A staggerting 66% of Americans are overweight and 20.8 million have diabetes. She mentions that according to a recent survey, seven out of 10 adults say they want to reduce or avoid added sugars. And in order to do this they are forsaking regular sugar for sweeteners that deliver zero or minimal calories. 

For me Splenda is the only choice for sweetning beverages both hot and cold, especially coffee. I am a sweet freak that has to have sweet in his life and Splenda does it for me. I have to use 10 times the amount of sugar to get the same sweetness and that is just unacceptable. Bottom line is it just depends on what you get used to and what you believe the experts like Sylvia Geiger have to say. I started using Splenda when I read about it in Dr. Atkins book, The New Diet Revolution. He recommended those sweetners like sucralose, not because he thought aspertame caused cancer but because it seemed to derail his patients efforts at the Induction phase of his low carb plan. They were not able to lose as much weight as quickly. Bottom line, read the article and decide what is best for you.

If you have been away from low carb for a while or maybe even never bought into it in the first place I have good news! There are thousands of people out there that believe, like I do, that the controlled carbohydrate nutritional approach is the best way to lose weight. There are so many resources for great tasting food products out there that offer more variety, are better tasting and a heck of a lot better for you. Weight loss is about substitution, not about depriving yourself of the things you love like bread, pasta and, Heaven help me, sweets, my personal nemesis. Sugar was a staple in my life until I was able to find things that tasted just as good without it. And when I do need something sweet for my decaf coffee or low carb drink I reach for the Splenda!

The typical American diet is what makes you fat, especially if you buy into the low-fat lifestyle. The only way they can make low-fat food palatable is to add sugar. I am all for cutting out fat when I can but not by adding a ton of sugar to food. The best way to cut out fat on a low carb diet is to watch your portions, have two slices of bacon instead of four, 8 oz of meat instead of 12 or mix low-fat mayo with regular mayo for your salad dressings and dips.

If you don't believe me just take a cruise through your nearest health food store or even grocery store. Look at some of the low-fat products and read the Nutritional Facts on the back of the product label paying particular attention to the carbohydrate content. Prepare yourself for sugar shock because 99% of a products carbs are added sugar. Shoot, even a lousy one-cup serving of low-fat 2% milk has 13 grams of carbs and 12 of those grams are added sugar. If you are trying to watch your carbs this one cup of 2% low-fat milk will derail you. You are better off drinking cream!

I don't know about you but when I tried living the low-fat way all it did for me was make me tired, irritable and caused me to lose sleep. I also wondered why I was hungry all the time and why I couldn't resist eating even more sugar-laced "low-fat" products. Well, if you are a sugar slave like I was you don't need me to tell you that sugar begets sugar, meaning, the more you eat, the more you crave. 

Now I am able to eat sugar-free chocolate and actually enjoy it! Malitol, Sorbitol, Splenda and even Stevia have weaned me away from sugar and now I don't miss it at all. Don't believe it? Just visit Netrition.com, try a few things and you will be surprised. I lost 115 lbs doing this and, more importantly, have been able to keep it off. Stay tuned to this site for more ways to overcome those things that made you fail in the past. I am loving life right now every time I put my clothes on and I want you to feel this way too.

You may remember that low- carb dieting became a fad not too long ago and a bunch of us Americans jumped on the bandwagon, thinking this was another quick fix. In restaurants around the country it became trendy to order a hamburger without the bun or to ask for Splenda for your coffee. You might have tried low -carb yourself with some success but went back to your bad habits after losing a few pounds, possibly ending up with a few extra for good measure. This "fad" fizzled because most of us just don't have the staying power and because the low-fat crowd twisted the solid research behind this plan and convinced us that it was "unhealthy." Bullcarb!

I'm here to tell you that the Low-Carb movement is alive and well and is just as active as ever in trying to convert us Americans (who get fatter every day) to a more nutritional approach to eating and losing weight. I personally believe that a combination of the Atkins Low Carbohydrate Nutritional approach combined with aspects of the South Beach Diet AND a low-fat approach are the way to go. If this sounds like an oxymoron bear with me. I know what you THINK you have heard about fat not being a consideration with either Atkins or The South Beach folks - you know those people who just can't let go of their bad habits and start the Atkins diet with a pound of bacon a day!? This is simply a mis-conception and spin from the low-fat folks who support the sugar industry. Just go into any supposedly health food store and look at the low fat stuff. Its all LOADED with sugar. And to us metabolically challenged, processed sugar is our number one enemy! NO ONE, especially Atkins, advocates eating unlimited quantities of fat-loaded foods. PLEASE, if you are going to do this, READ THE BOOKS first, then get with your doctor and see if this approach is something that is safe for you.

If, like me, you can look back at the many diet plans you tried over the years you may recall how you felt when you found a plan where you actually started losing weight and your clothes started fitting better. There was this feeling of. WOW, I'm actually doing this and it's working. Remember that feeling of re-gaining your self esteem - feeling more in CONTROL? But, then after losing a few pounds and feeling cocky about it you gradually started re-introducing those very things that made you fat - and pretty soon, boom!, back to square one - or worse. This forum is about sustainable weight loss and how to achieve it. I want you to have that feeling of control and I want you to like yourself ALL the time. Don't accept that you are overweight and there is nothing you can do about it. Don't utter those awful words to yourself that kill any chance of a better life "well, I'm fat and that's what I am." Bullcarb!

Got A Few Extra Pounds You Would Like To Get Rid Of?

Many people have that and a few extra on top of that. Anyone who has ever had a problem with their weight, especially the heavier of us, can look back at the many diet plans we tried over the years and how we felt when we found one that actually helped us lose weight. Whether it was low-carb, low-fat, Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig or a host of others, our clothes started fitting better, there was this feeling of. Wow, I'm actually doing this and it' feels good. Remember that feeling of re-gaining your self esteem - feeling more in control? But then after losing a few pounds and feeling cocky about it you gradually started re-introducing those very things that made you fat - and pretty soon, boom!, back to square one - or worse. This forum is about sustainable weight loss and how to achieve it. I want you to have that feeling of control and I want you to like yourself all the time. Don't accept that you are overweight and there is nothing you can do about it. Don't utter those awful words to yourself that kill any chance of a better life "well, I'm fat and that's what I am."

It's an established fact that cruises have a higher percentage of satisfied customers over any other vacation experience and it's no wonder that more people are taking cruise vacations than ever before. And once they get a taste for cruising they will come back again and again. Ask your CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) member travel agent about cruising. They can recommend a cruise vacation from personal experience and will offer their perspective on a particular destination or ship. This is invaluable, especially for first time cruisers. There is no better referral than from those who have been there. You can rely on the agent to fill you in on all the small details that will mean the difference between a good cruise vacation and a memorable one - one that will keep you coming back year after year. 

You will find that today's mega-cruise ships are so grand that they resemble floating resorts, with all the amenities a world-class resort has to offer and much more. After experiencing several cruises you may find that you prefer a smaller ship, some offer unique destinations but are no less equipped than their big sisters. Chances are you will meet new friends who share the same interests as you and you can explore new places together. These ships are so large that it takes some time to orient yourself to where things are but it's an adventure to explore, find quiet and out of the way places, and there is always a friendly crew member to help you if you get turned around. 

The price of your cruise includes your accommodations on board, most activities, parties and entertainment; most meals and snacks; and of course, an exciting voyage to some of the most enchanting and culturally enriching places in the world. Talk to your cruise experts about what is NOT included so that there are no surprises. Shore excursions, alcoholic beverages, some soft drinks and the occasional special show may require additional funds.

Alaskan cruises have surged in popularity in recent years, and demand to see America's last unspoiled frontier continues to grow. If you decide to cruise Alaska you can see snowcapped peaks, mighty glaciers, steep fjords and such wildlife as whales, black bears, brown bears, bald eagles, sea otters and seals. You'll also find historic gold rush towns, Native American art and culture, Russian heritage and plenty of outdoor adventure. Because of this region's popularity and short season, the per-diem prices for Alaskan cruises are among the highest in the cruise industry.

Alaskan cruises are generally divided into two types, Inside Passage cruises and Gulf of Alaska cruises. The Inside Passage has been the traditional way to cruise Alaska, with most ships sailing round-trip from Vancouver or Seattle, through glacier country as far north as Skagway or Juneau. Gulf of Alaska cruises cover more territory as they travel from Vancouver through the Inside Passage and up to Seward/Anchorage (or the reverse). Airfare for a Gulf of Alaska cruise is generally more expensive because Anchorage is so far north.

The Alaskan cruise season lasts from May through September.

Cruises to Alaska are seven to 12 days in length.

You can find the most affordable Alaskan cruise rates in May and September, the off-peak periods.

Nearly half of all passengers add a land tour to their Alaskan cruise. Denali National Park, the Yukon gold rush country and the Canadian Rockies are among options.

Alaska experiences long hours of daylight during summer, lasting up to 23 hours a day in June.

In addition to popular sightseeing tours via train and motorcoach, cruise lines have added more adventurous shore excursions to Alaskan itineraries, such as sea kayaking, mountain hiking and salmon fishing

A Cruise Vacation Is Perfect For Any Occasion

Each year another luxury ship or two leaves dry dock for the first time and to experience a maiden voyage is an experience never to be forgotten. Each new cruise ship to hit the waves proclaims itself as, Bigger! More technologically enhanced, safer, equipped with all the newest state- of- the- art navigation systems and stabilizing designs for your comfort and safety on the high seas. All of the latest amenities, themed attractions and on-board activities of the current crop of new cruise ships, both for adults and children, will astound you!

Cruise With Wolfgang Puck!

Truly there is a cruise now for just about any destination, theme or passenger capacity. From Hawaii to the Caribbean, to the canals of Venice, Italy and Rhine River in Germany. Take an intimate barge cruise through the Lorraine Valley of France or take a scenic fall cruise through the Northeastern United States as the leaves change color. Watch calving glaciers as you cruise the Inside Passage of Alaska or take a cooking cruise with Wolfgang Puck! On a cruise ship your choice of activities is almost unlimited. Why travel by air when you see the world via a cruise ship. No need to unpack or switch accommodations. With friendly, professional staff to serve you a cruise makes the perfect choice for a perfect cruise vacation!