ATKINS frozen meals!

I am so excited that ATKINS has come out with some NEW MENU ITEMS!  The frozen entrees they offer are delicious and I look forward to eating them!

They are not available in all places so check your local grocery store.  If they don't have them, ask to speak to a manager and request them!  Most times, if the store knows customers want them, they WILL get them!

Fruits & Vegies

Low-Glycemic Fresh Fruit: apple, avocado, banana, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, kiwi  fruit, lemon, lime, mango, orange, peach, pear, plum, raspberries, and  strawberries.

    Avoid these fruits: fresh apricots, cherries, papaya, pineapple, rhubarb, and watermelon.

    Low-Glycemic Dried Fruit: apple, apricots, dates, and prunes.

    Low-Glycemic Fresh Vegetables: alfalfa sprouts, artichokes, arugula, asparagus, bean sprouts, bok  choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chili  peppers, chives, corn, cucumber, eggplant, endive, fennel, garlic, ginger,  green beans, herbs, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, peppers, radishes,  scallions, shallots, snow pea sprouts, spinach, squash, Swiss chard, tomato,  turnip, watercress, and zucchini.

    Avoid these vegetables: Beets, fava beans, parsnips, peas, potatoes, sweet  potatoes, and yams.

Slider Foods Spell Weight Regain For Weight Loss Surgery Patients

By Kaye Bailey

For most people eating sliders is a good thing. Popularized by the American food chain, White Castle, a slider (originally slyder) is a miniature grilled hamburger or cheeseburger on a steamed bun often served with onions and dill pickle and other condiments. They originally sold for a nickel a piece in the 1940s making it affordable to add a side of fries for just pennies. By all accounts this is a good kind of "slider" food.

To the weight loss surgery patient slider foods are the bane of good intentions and ignorance often causing dumping syndrome, weight loss plateaus, and eventually weight gain. Slider foods, to weight loss surgery patients, are soft simple processed carbohydrates of little or no nutritional value that slide right through the surgical stomach pouch without providing nutrition or satiation. The most innocent of slider foods are saltine crackers, often eaten with warm tea or other beverages, to soothe the stomach in illness or while recovering from surgery.

The most commonly consumed slider foods include pretzels, crackers (saltines, graham, Ritz, etc.) filled cracker snacks such as Ritz Bits, popcorn, cheese snacks (Cheetos) or cheese crackers, tortilla chips with salsa, potato chips, sugar-free cookies, cakes, and candy. You will notice these slider foods are often salty and cause dry mouth so they must be ingested with liquid to be palatable. This is how they become slider foods. They are also, most often, void of nutritional value.

For weight loss surgery patients the process of digestion is different than those who have not undergone gastric surgery. When slider foods are consumed they go into the stomach pouch and exit directly into the jejunum where the simple carbohydrate slurry is quickly absorbed and stored by the body. There is little thermic effect in the digestion of simple carbohydrates like there is in the digestion of protein so little metabolic energy is expended. In most cases patients in the phase of weight loss who eat slider foods will experience a weight loss plateau and possibly the setback of weight gain. And sadly, they will begin to believe their surgical stomach pouch is not functioning properly because they never feel fullness or restriction like they experience when eating protein.

The very nature of the surgical gastric pouch is to cause feelings of tightness or restriction when one has eaten enough food. However, when soft simple carbohydrates are eaten this tightness or restriction does not result and one can continue to eat, unmeasured, copious amounts of non- nutritional food without ever feeling uncomfortable.

Many patients turn to slider foods for this very reason. They do not like the discomfort that results when the pouch is full from eating a measured portion of lean animal or dairy protein without liquids. Yet it is this very restriction that is the desired result of the surgery. The discomfort is intended to signal the cessation of eating. Remembering the "Protein First" rule is crucial to weight management with bariatric surgery.

Gastric bypass, gastric banding (lap-band) and gastric sleeve patients are instructed to follow a high protein diet to facilitate healing and promote weight loss. Bariatric centers advise what is commonly known among weight loss surgery patients as the "Four Rules" the most important of which is "Protein First." That means of all nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat and alcohol) the patient is required to eat protein first.

Protein is not always the most comfortable food choice for weight loss surgery patients who feel restriction after eating a very small amount of food. However, for the surgical tool to work correctly a diet rich in protein and low in simple carbohydrate slider foods must be observed. The high protein diet must be followed even after healthy body weight has been achieved in order to maintain a healthy weight and avoid weight regain.

Kaye Bailey 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Kaye Bailey is an internationally recognized writer, speaker and weight loss surgery advocate. She is the author of the highly successful weight loss surgery back to basics plan: 5 Day Pouch Test and the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual. Her follow-up book, Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test, was published in December 2009. It provides guidance for long-term weight and health management with all bariatric surgical procedures. Ms. Bailey is known for her powerful "you can do this" manner and her belief in the power of personal responsibility. She is the founder of LivingAfterWLS, LLC parent company to the LivingAfterWLS.com and 5daypouchtest.com websites. Supporting both websites is the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood, an online compassion-driven community for weight loss surgery, gastric bypass and gastric banding patients.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4317287

http://www.livingafterwls.com/

http://www.5daypouchtest.com/index.html

.

 article found HERE

BLOOD WORK LAB VALUES

Nutritional Lab Values
Throughout the first year,

your surgeon will be taking blood

work to better help her/him assess

your health status. Nutritionally,

we look at the following labs to

evaluate you for potentially

developing deficiencies.

This is common due to the smaller

volume of food that you are

consuming. Lab work is interpretive

and should be discussed with you so

you can understand your health.

 info from Obesity Help dot com

STAGE ONE... LIQUIDS

Stage I Diet (Liquids)
The only liquids you will consume are clear, sugar free liquids. You will usually receive a liquid diet and a protein supplement after surgery. Now it is very common to be afraid to take those first few sips, but remember, the sooner you tolerate your foods the quicker you get to go home. Your tray may vary from hospital to hospital, but it will generally have some water, clear broth, diet jello, and some sugar free juice or decaffeinated tea. The portions may be regular size, but you will be given a small medicine cup to drink out of. Usually, the standard is you can consume about ½ cup (4 ounces) every waking hour. This gradually improves with time. There will be no straws on your tray. Using straws post-operatively can increase gas problems and make you more uncomfortable. We recommend that you try to sip small amounts of your liquids, because your health care team want to see that you are able to tolerate it. Once it is decided by your surgeon that you can advance to the next stage, you will receive Full Liquids. This includes fat free cream soup, pudding, cream of wheat cereal or oatmeal and sugar free plain yogurt (no fruit). Take your time. Be persistent. Follow what your surgeon and nurses advise you to do and you will be discharged home. Many surgeons will send you home once you have tolerated a stage I diet. Other surgeons may keep you on liquids for awhile longer. The stages will be discussed in the next section. The recommendations for progression are individual by surgeon.

from ObesityHelp dot com

Salt...WHY BOTHER?

Avoid salty foods

they aren't good for you

they cause dehydration

they cause grazing and

over-consumption.

 

Why bother?

 

 

To DUMP or Not to DUMP

Assume that certain foods

WILL

make you sick (vomiting or dumping).

Just because it hasn't made you sick

before does not mean it will not

make you sick today.

 

Always assume the worst and

avoid dangerous foods

(sweets, high starch

carbohydrates and dairy)

Myths of ComplexCarbs

4 Myths About

Complex Carbohydrates

and the

Low Carb Truth

HERE

Nutritionists and health reporters often say that we need so-called complex carbohydrates in our diets, that these are the “good carbs”, and are important to our health. (Sugars are “simple carbohydrates” and therefore often referred to as “bad carbs”.) Unfortunately, many of the claims made in the media contain many distortions and conflicting information about complex carbohydrates and the foods which contain them. This means that I get a lot of questions about what they are and how much to eat.

 CONTINUE READING by clicking the HERE above to get to the full article

QUINOA

Ancient Harvest Quinoa Grain and Flour are non - GMO in nature and have not been subjected to irradiation or ethylene oxide (ETO) gas.

 

Please note that the nutritional information below is for our 100% quinoa grain, flour & flakes. Our pastas are not 100% Quinoa Pasta but a delicious blend of organic corn flour and organic quinoa flour.

 

Also note that the statements below are given by consumers and not verified by Quinoa Corporation.

Quinoa is 35 on the *Glycemic Index and about 18 on the Glycemic Load.

 

A good source for people with wheat and gluten related food allergies as well as senior and diabetic diets. *(Taken from the Glycemic Index in the book ‘Eat Yourself Slim’ by Michel Montignac. This statement is not varified by Quinoa Corporation). 

 

Quinoa is an Alkaline food and not acidic. Most people eat too many acid foods which lead to health problems, it is important to eat Alkalizing foods to have a proper balance. 

Submitted by Marcel Ikelaar of the Netherlands 

 

4 more reasons to enjoy the benefits of quinoa:

1. It’s a VEGETARIAN solution, a balanced-amino-acid source of high quality protein.

2. It’s a SENIOR solution, a high-iron food that raises the hematocrit, delivers more oxygen to the brain, fights senility.

3. It’s a DIABETIC solution, a very low-glycemic-index cereal type food.

4. It’s a TASTE SOLUTION, quite delicious. I used it in a purple cabbage & romaine & onion salad, with a stalk of chopped celery & celery leaves, salt & pepper and a pinch of cumin, with ranch dressing. By the way, it MUST be purple cabbage rather than green.

 

Submitted by Angeline Taylor

(These statements are not verified by Quinoa Corporation)

Please note: one serving 1/2 cup cooked quinoa has 12% daily iron requirement

INFO HERE

QUINOA RECIPES HERE  

How Much Protein Is It Safe For Me To Take?

How Much Protein Is It Safe For Me To Take?

 

A study conducted by the International Society of Sports Nutrition reviewed the position stand of protein and exercise for trained individuals. The article outlined seven specific points relating to the intake of protein for healthy, exercising individuals. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein according to U.S. government standards is 0.8 gram per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of ideal body weight for the adult. 

 

This protein RDA is specified to meet the majority of the populations protein needs. Since athletes and trained individuals have a higher demand for nutrients-particularly protein-it was necessary to reevaluate the current needs of this demographic. 

 

MORE INFORMATION HERE

PEANUTS

PEANUTS are like pasta... energy dense! They are not as well absorbed as other carbs, so they elicit a lower insulin response.  People who eat peanuts spontaneously reduce their calorie consumption, they're that satisfying!  If you're trying to lose weight, eating a lot of peanuts is counterproductive though.  But a few, like the amount in the nearly obsolete airline packet, are a really good idea... and a lot of fun!

~1 ounce of peanuts (about 15)
is a little less than 4 g carb

~2 TBSP of chunky peanut butter is between
4 and 6 g carb, depending on the brand

~If you're a glycemic index believer, you'll be glad to know

that 1/2 cup of peanuts is very low on the scale... only 14

~Dry roasted peanuts have about 15% more carbs than oil

roasted peanuts, but they don't contain any trans fats.

EGGS

One egg contains over six grams of protein. It also has several important nutrients. Eggs are nutrient-dense (lots of vitamins, protein and fats), and they're also energy dense, at about 80 calories per egg.

 

Since the recommendation for cholesterol consumption is about 300 mg per day, the large amount of cholesterol in eggs may prevent many people from eating them. The cholesterol in eggs really shouldn't scare you away from eggs completely. Most of the cholesterol in your body is made by your liver and the amount of cholesterol in your diet may not have as big an impact on your blood cholesterol as people once thought. You can eat one egg every day without harming your cholesterol and other blood-fats.

 

That's really good news for dieters because the combination of fats and protein means eggs are very satisfying. Eating one egg as part of a healthy breakfast may help you lose weight by keeping you from getting hungry later in the morning.

 

Eggs contain several important nutrients:

Choline is necessary for healthy cell membranes in all of your body, and will help your body keep homocysteine levels down. Choline is also good for your mental function and memory.

Selenium is a mineral that your body needs for a strong immune system and it is a powerful antioxidant.

B vitamins folate and riboflavin are necessary for your body to convert the foods you eat into energy. Folate also reduces homocysteine levels and is important for prevention of birth defects.

Vitamin A is important for good night vision, general cell growth and for healthy skin.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that works well with vitamin C and selenium to prevent damage to your body from free radicals.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are related to vitamin A and are found in the yellow pigment of the egg yolk. Lutein and zeaxanthin are concentrated in the retina of your eye and will help prevent macular degeneration.

You may have heard that eating eggs will make you fat because 60 percent of the calories in eggs come from fat. However, eating fat doesn’t make you fat and eggs are a calorie-controlled food designed to maximize weight loss, not prevent it. One egg is only about 70 calories, with a great balance of 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat. The protein/fat combination of increases satiety hormones -- the ones that tell your brain you are full. The protein in eggs also causes your body to release the hormone glucagon, which encourages your body to release and use stored carbohydrates and fat.

To prove the point, compare eggs to rice cakes—a timeless “diet” food. Two rice cakes also contain 70 calories, but with no protein or fat. Those calories come from 14 grams of high glycemic, fat-cell stuffing, refined carbohydrates, which makes it a much less desirable choice.

SOURCES:  HERE  and   HERE

A BASIC GENERAL LOW-CARB PLAN

1.  Drink 8-12 eight ounce glasses of water a day.  Seriously!!  If you don't do this, you won't lose as much weight and you won't flush the toxins that are released when you burn your stored fat.  Drink 2 glasses before breakfast and you're well on your way.

2.  Get enough protein at every meal.  This means about 0.5g protein daily for every pound of your ideal weight, somewhere from 60 - 85g unless you're very large or very small.

3.  EAT whole foods... organic and raw if possible.  The more fiber the better.  Read labels carefully and note that you subtract the fiber grams from the total carb amount to get your NET CARB.

4.  AVOID EVERYTHING WHITE!  no white flour, sugar, potatoes, popcorn and rice.  Technically complex carbs, potatoes and rice, act as simple sugars in the body.  Milk is high carb so avoid it, or limit it.  But do eat turnips, cauliflower and giant white radishes.

5.  Eat fruit at breakfast time if necessary and stress low carb fruits:  berries, melon, peaches, kiwi...  Half a banana or a finger sized banana is more than enough because of the natural sugar it holds.

6.  Be prepared...stock up on canned tuna, sardines, celery, eggs, cheese, nuts and green vegetables.  On the road, take low carb protein bars, cheese sticks, jerky or other portable low carb foods.

7.  Choose fats wisely.  Good fats are avocado, olive oil, nut oils, sesame oil, and peanuts.  Bad fats are processed oils, partially hydrogenated fats and margarine. 

8.  Weigh yourself once a week but once a month is better...  unless that is part of your focus on success, but don't let the scale numbers control you!

9.  Have dinner early... PROTEIN and VEGIES.  A little exercise after dinner is a good idea too.

10.  IF YOU FALL OFF THE WAGON, savor what you are eating and jump right back on at the very next meal.  Don't blow a whole day; chances are you may see no ill effect whatsoever if you don't compound the problem by splurging again right away.

**EXCERPT from LIVING LOW-CARB by Fran McCullough

REASONS WE EAT ...

10 Reasons You Eat When You're Not Actually Hungry

And What You Can Do About It!

-- By Erin Whitehead, Health and Fitness Writer

 http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1660

 

We've all done it, and sometimes we don't even realize when it's happening. Maybe you graze when you're bored, or reach your hand into the office candy jar each time you pass by. Perhaps when you're feeling sluggish in the afternoon, you head to the vending machine for a pick-me-up. All of these are opportunities to eat for reasons other than hunger. No matter why food calls your name, one thing rings true: We have all eaten something when we weren't truly hungry. While that's OK from time to time, too much eating without thinking can really hurt your weight management goals. And depending on what you eat, hurt your health, too.

Take a look at these 10 situations that encourage you to eat when you're not hungry, plus tips to cope in a healthier way.

 

To Cope

Emotions are a common eating trigger. Happy? You might eat a treat to celebrate. Sad? You might eat to soothe yourself with comfort food. Angry? You might take it out with a fork instead of the person who really caused it. But if you turn to food for emotional reasons, you won't resolve the underlying issues. It may help to track your eating habits in a journal, noting your emotional state when you headed for that snack. Writing it down may help you make a connection you hadn't seen before, like the fact that you eat when you're lonely or angry. Then you'll know for the future to look for a different outlet, such as calling a friend when you're lonely or turning to that punching bag when you're mad or stressed. If emotional eating is a known problem for you, check out SparkPeople's 10-step guide to overcoming emotional eating.

 

Out of Boredom

Sometimes you're not emotional—you're just bored. For many people, eating seems like a good solution when there's nothing better to do; whether you graze at home on the weekends or entertain yourself with lavish dinners out. But eating can only last for so long—and then you have an afternoon to fill! If you know boredom is a trigger for your emotional eating, have a list of strategies in place to keep yourself busy and entertained when you don't have anything else to do. Catch up with an old friend, write an old-fashioned snail-mail letter, write in your journal or blog, volunteer in your community, take up a new hobby or read a book you've always wanted to read. Better yet, make your boredom-buster an active endeavor, such as trying a new class at the gym, playing an active video game, going for a walk with the dog or flying a kite. Eating won't sound as appealing if you have a fun alternative to occupy your mind and your body!

 

Because Other People Are Eating

When you're out enjoying a dinner with family or friends, it can be easy to eat when you're past the point of fullness—especially if you're enamored in conversation and not paying attention to your satiation level. Perhaps more common, it's easy to indulge when others around you are eating, too. It makes you feel like you fit in, and that it's OK since everyone else is doing it. Research shows that our habits mimic our companions' actions in situations like these. You don't have to swear off happy hour with friends to watch your weight though. When your dining companions devour a second basket of bread or chips, or order dessert, don't automatically follow suit. Check in with your hunger level to see if you really need it or if you'll be more satisfied with the fun conversation. If you have trouble stopping yourself from reaching for more, use some of these dining out tactics to stay in control.

 

Because Food is There

Have a candy jar at the office that calls your name? Do you feel powerless to pass up food at a party, even if you've already eaten? When food is in plain sight, it can be so easy to grab a handful simply because it's there. It looks good. You like it. It's right in front of you. What's the harm? Any food that is nearby, visible and easily accessible is hard for anyone to turn down. If you're unable to nix the trigger food altogether, move the treats out of sight—you'll be less likely to grab a handful. So if you buy a bag of Oreos, put them on a high shelf in a cabinet—not on the counter. Instead of a clear candy jar, try an opaque one or move it to another location. (Alternatively, stock the candy jar with a healthier, more filling treat—like nuts or trail mix.) When you're already full and food is out at a party, stand with your back to the table or in another room. The flipside of this works, too. When you keep lots of other healthy foods in sight, like a bowl of fruit on the table, you're more likely to eat them.

 

Because It's a Special Occasion

If you work in a big office or have a big family, it can seem like every day is someone's birthday, anniversary, or shower. And if those celebrations often involve cake or alcohol, it might seem that every party is a calorie-laden minefield. If you don't want to have a piece of cake every day, don't automatically get in the cake line when it's your bosses' birthday—you can always show your face at the celebration without taking part in the punch bowl. Remember: Celebrations are about the people, not the food. If you do best without temptation, skip the gathering altogether or bring your own low-cal treat. Here's another tactic: New research shows that just imagining yourself eating a treat can decrease your desire to eat the real thing. Passing up cake or celebratory food on occasion just got easier!

 

Because You're Tired

The dreaded afternoon energy lull can drive even the most disciplined of us to food—especially sugary treats. But that sugar rush might be followed by an even worse crash. Instead, take a walk around the office, head outside for some rejuvenating natural light, or drink a cup of coffee or a tall glass of cold water. A change of scenery might be just the ticket to battle the afternoon lull.

Because the Clock Says So

Do you pull out your lunchbox when the clock strikes noon, just because it's time for lunch? Or head to the kitchen at 6 p.m. just because that's your typical dinnertime? Don't just eat when the clock tells you to! When mealtime hits, use it as a cue to check in with your current hunger level. Are you actually hungry? If so, whip up that healthy meal. If not, wait until your body tells you to eat, and ignore the clock.

 

Because It's Free (Or Cheap)

Everyone loves to get a good deal. But don't eat up just because something is free (think free samples at the grocery store) or super cheap (buy-one-get-one-free sodas or all-you-can-eat buffets). Always check in with your body's hunger level before you automatically fill your plate with a freebie.

Because You Can't Say No to Food Pushers

If you're a people pleaser, it can be hard to say no, especially when friends or family offer you scrumptious food. And sometimes people who push food don't take no for an answer. Have excuses lined up in your bag of tricks—and be honest. "I'm not hungry" works well, as does "I'm trying to lose weight." If you end up with a piece of cake (or a whole cake to take home!) despite your protests, remember that you're in control (it's rare that people will try to force feed you). You can always set the fork down or share the cake with neighbors or co-workers, or simply eat just a small portion.

 

Because You Suffer from Clean Plate Syndrome

Most of us have grew up hearing, "There are starving kids who would love to eat that" to get us to clean our plates as kids. And for many of us, the well-meaning notion to prevent kids from wasting food and encourage them to eat their broccoli has stayed with us into adulthood. Do you still feel obligated to clean your plate, even when you're not hungry enough to comfortably finish it all—especially at a restaurant where you're paying a premium for a meal? Fortunately, most of us live with modern amenities like refrigerators and microwaves that make stowing away almost any meal for another time easy. (See, no waste necessary!) To prevent overeating, take stock throughout your meal to gauge how hungry you are; you might find that you don't need those last few bites after all. If that doesn't work, use smaller plates at home to eat less! And lastly, get over your fear of leftovers. I've met countless people who say they simply don't eat them. Why not? Many foods taste better the next day or two, and most things can be refrigerated and eaten without sacrificing flavor or texture.

If you eat for reasons other than being hungry, check in with yourself. Knowing what true hunger feels like can help you recognize when you're eating for other reasons. If you can't avoid the specific triggers that cause you to eat when you're not hungry—and there's no way to avoid them all—knowing these strategies will help!

 

THIS IS A SUPERB ARTICLE given to us from SPARK PEOPLE

be sure to go visit them and get TONS MORE INFORMATION!

PORTIONS CONTROL ON SCHEDULE!

Stay on Schedule

 

Eating regularly throughout the day will help keep your portions at each meal in check. When you're ravenous by mealtime, it's easy to overindulge and disregard proper portion sizes. If you’re not already, get into the habit of planning your meals throughout the day, including small snacks between meals to keep your hunger under control. Then, you'll feel satisfied with a normal portion during your meals and prevent overeating.

PORTION CONTROL visuals #2

1 cup = baseball
1/2 cup = standard light bulb
2 TBSP = golf ball
1 TBSP = poker chip
3 oz meat = deck of cards
3 oz fish = checkbook
1 oz = 2 dice
1.5 oz cheese = 3 dice
1/4 cup = 1 medium sized egg
1/2 cup = 1 billiard ball
6 oz = 1 hockey puck
2 TBSP = 1 ping pong ball
1 tsp = 1 dice

WHAT IS FITNESS?

Physical fitness is the ability of your body to do the work required of it.  Although all body systems contribute to fitness, the muscles are the primary actors.  In order to do their work, muscles need oxygen. They get it from blood, which is oxygenated by the lungs and pumped by the heart.  Fitness depends on healthy lungs and a healthy heart supplying plenty of oxygen to strong muscles.

There are three main components of physical fitness...  ENDURANCE, STRENGTH, and FLEXIBILITY.

ENDURANCE depends on the heart, lungs and blood vessels delivering oxygen rich blood efficiently to all tissues in the body, including the muscles, and carrying away the carbon dioxide and other waste products.  To put it simply, aerobic fitness = endurance.  Aerobic exercise increases your endurance.

STRENGTH: This is the ability of your muscles to exert force to push, pull, or lift an object, including your own body.  To put it simply, muscular fitness = strength + endurance.

FLEXIBILITY: also referred to as range of motion, it is the ability to bend and stretch easily.  Muscles, joints, and the tissues that connect them (ligaments and tendons) all play a major part in how well you can bend and stretch.

SUGAR and it's names

The average American eats more than 30 tsps of sugar a day... that's more than 114 pounds in a year!  Sugar is everywhere and you want to ELMINATE IT as much as possible!  The World Health Organization recommends no more than 12 - 15 tsps a day or 48 - 60 grams.  As a WLS Patient, you want to ELIMINATE it to prevent dumping and weight regain.  It also triggers in most to seek more sugars/carbs/foods...

Check out sugar it its many aliases...

HINT:  anything that ends in "-OSE" is a sugar!

~      beet sugar     ~     brown sugar     ~     corn sweetener     ~     dextrose     ~     evaporated cane juice     ~     fructose     ~     fruit juice concentrate      ~      galactose     ~     glucose     ~     grape sugar     ~     high fructose corn syrup     ~     honey     ~     invert corn syrup      ~      invert sugar     ~      lactose     ~     malt     ~     maltose     ~     malt syrup     ~     maple syrup     ~     molasses     ~     raw sugar     ~     rice syrup     ~     sucrose     ~     sugar     ~     syrup     ~

ALWAYS BUY WILD CAUGHT SALMON

Always buy wild caught salmon... farm raised salmon are fed a diet that raises their omega 6s, not their omega 3s.  Farmed fish have higher levels of PCBs and other organochlorines than wild caught, and their farms create sea lice that kill wild salmon.  (go to www.mgayaq.org for the best choices in seafood in your area)

Eat fish within 2 days of purchase.  If you can't find wild salmon in your area, consider ordering it online -- it's worth the investment and peace of mind.

Used canned salmon, which is almost always wild caught, to sprinkle over salads, fold into a low carb wrap, or add to an omelet.  Or try kippered snacks - smoked herring, quite delicious all by itself - or sardines.

If you are really freaked out about the environmental toxins in fish, you can (and should!~) take a daily fish oil supplement instead.

*information from Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels  

READING YOUR FRUIT LABELS

I work at a grocery store and I honestly thought these numbers were simply for bookkeeping purposes in the stores system.  BUT OH DID I LEARN SOMETHING with this trivia:

The codes on the fruit actually means something!  You'll not only learn where the fruit was grown, you'll also learn how it was grown.  Here's a handy tip to help you decipher them...

NUMBER ON LABEL       WHAT IT MEANS          EXAMPLE
FOUR NUMBERS               It was grown                     4011 - conventionally        
                                                  conventionally                grown yellow banana

FIVE NUMBERS,               It was organically              94011 - organic
beginning with 9                       grown                               banana

FIVE NUMBERS,               It was genetically              84011 - genetically
beginning with 8                       engineered                      engineered banana