Friday, August 24, 2012

Day 39 - Barb's Sticky Fitness Tip #3

WooHOO, it's FRIDAY, people. YAY!

Time for another fabulous fitness tip from our friend, Barb.

What's it going to be THIS week?


FITNESS TIP #3:  Refrain from High Fructose Corn Syrup Products

Simply by refraining from foods or drinks that contain high fructose corn syrup will help you lose weight! These products tend to make you crave sugar. At the time you're consuming sugary products you may feel energized temporarily, but then you're apt to feel sluggish afterwards. Start reading the ingredients on boxes and labels. You'll be surprised that some of the foods that are being promoted as healthy choices actually contain high fructose corn syrup. If you are craving something sweet, try a piece of fruit. Once you stop consuming sugary products, over time, you'll discover that you no longer crave sweets.

Well, now, this totally makes sense. We all know what sugar can do to us and in regard to our weight loss journey, AND in general, no one wants to feel sluggish and miserable. Barb got me thinking with this tip and so I did a bit of research about High Fructose Corn Syrup; here's what I found:

Many foods we shouldn't be eating, as well and some we do eat while working toward healthy DO contain High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Stuff like soda, muffins and bread, processed foods, candy, and fruit drinks are all laden with the sticky stuff. Added to preserve, beautify, or simply to replace sugar, these foods are not our friends.

But you will also find the sweet alternative in tomato sauce, yogurt, and many cereals.

So how do you know and WHAT should you do?

I recommend trying to eat as cleanly as possible. Protein, veggies, fruits (like Barb says, if you've got a sweet craving, fruit is the way to go), and the like will ensure that you know what you are putting in your mouth and that you AREN'T getting too sticky in the process.

Find natural ways to "spice" up your food and make it taste great, without having to use items containing the dreaded High Fructose Corn Syrup. Even many low-cal salad dressings use higher amounts of the stuff so use caution when choosing how you will dress your salad.

And remember, if you have to go processed, READ your labels. Knowledge is power and we all have the power to OWN this weight loss journey!

I did, through my little learning journey, find a site dedicated to dispelling some of the supposed myths about High Fructose Corn Syrup and I'm sharing that link HERE.

However, I am going with Barb - and my shrinking gut - on this one and will work on cutting out the syrup. As I said, it just makes sense. I don't need ANYthing helping me derail and neither do you!

Till next time!

...where I'll be sharing a bit about three NEW weight loss/walking/get healthy challenges I've been "roped" into...stay tuned!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

August 100 Miles Challenge Update: 

Sandi: 57.65 miles

Anna:  39.5 miles

Kathy: 81.99 miles

Steffie: 58.05 miles 

Bernie: 4.3 miles

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Remember, if you want me to track your miles for August, just shoot me a note and I will add you to the blog. If you are here already and I've got your numbers wrong, just shoot me...no, no, just let me know and I'll change it. I'm good with that. Cheers!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Starting Weight: 306.4
Goal Weight: 150
Today's Weight: 286.8
Total Lost to Date: 19.6

Scale 'n' Toes 8.24.12












~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am a work in progress, always. Sometimes I stumble, but I always get back up. The hard part is knowing which direction to turn. If I go THAT way, I know I will fail. This time, I'm going THIS way. It's a new direction for me and I will NOT fail. Cheers!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~