Weight Loss Advice

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #5: Pick Cheaper Cuts of Meat

October 5, 2013 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

Hi Ladies, Here is your Weight Loss on a Budget Tip for Day 5 of our Oct Challenge: Pick Cheaper Cuts of Meat!

Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Does cheaper mean that I’m choosing lesser quality meats?”. No. I doesn’t have to mean that. You just have to know what you are looking for in terms of the type of meat and the fat content. You have to buy steak or chicken breast just to get good quality meat. It can be confusing trying to figure out what meats to buy so I’ve got some info for you.

Know the grade of your beef: The grade of the meat notes the amount of fat aka. marbling in the meat. Maturity of the meat (psychological age of the animal) is also a factor in grade. These 2 factors impact flavor and tenderness. What you want to look for is cuts of meat that are reasonably priced and low on fat. Meats that show a lot of fat and look marbled will be what you want to stay away from. The three most common grades of meat are prime, choice and select. You want to choose select when it comes to beef.
Go SkinLess: Removing the skin from turkey and chicken can dramatically reduce calories. Chicken wings and thighs are a great example.
Ground Breast Meat: Instead of whole breasts, consider ground chicken or turkey that is made from breast meat to be sure of the quality. Ground meat can be very versatile, giving you the option to cook it with pasta, make meatloaf, patties, etc.
Consider Lean Pork: If you do eat pork, look for lean cuts like pork tenderloin or roasts. Canadian bacon is a great alternative to traditional sausage and bacon.
Low Sodium Deli Meat – I usually don’t recommend processed food, but from a budget standpoint low-sodium deli meat is an option. Look for brands that promote that they are less processed or more natural. Do your research to find the most natural products in this category and consider buying from the deli counter instead of buying pre-packaged options. Delis are known to discount the “ends” of the meat sections for less than regular price to get rid of it, so ask about that.

List of meats to consider:

Eye round roast
Ground beef (95/5%)
Top round steak
Top round roast
Skinless chicken thighs
Skinless chicken wings
Ground turkey
Ground chicken
Pork tenderloin
Canadian Bacon
Low-sodium deli sliced turkey
Low-sodium deli sliced chicken

Natasha lost 30 pounds by eating clean and exercising

October 3, 2013 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

Natasha wrote to us to share her weight loss journey. This proud mom has released 30 pounds by eating clean, counting calories and exercising. Read all about how she did it:

“Hi! This is my first attempt at losing weight naturally and I’m succeeding. Thus far, I have released 30 pounds by eating clean and exercising. I consume a high protein diet with lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I also track marco-nutrients and count calories. I never eat below 1300 calories a day! I try to consume 1600 to 1750 calories of clean, wholesome foods. When I started eating good, I started losing weight and building muscle. Some of my favorite exercises are HIIT (high intensity interval training), sprinting, sand-bell training and anything strength related. I also joined Black Girls Run and found a jogging partner. In addition, I am active with my daughter at the playground. If I’m not playing with or chasing her, I doing cross training. I’ve got 20 more pounds to go until I reach my goal by my 33rd Birthday in January 2014. It really is a lifestyle and I’m enjoying every moment of MY journey. Best weight loss advice I have is to respect your goal and trust the process and make it your own. Do what you love but just commit to do it. Persistence pays off. Just keep going! Thanks so much for sharing! Xoxo Tasha”

Natasha weight loss story

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #3: Know Your Budget

October 3, 2013 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

Here is today’s tip for our October Challenge! One of the most important factors when it comes to keeping on track with a budget is that you truly KNOW how much money you have to work with for each aspect of life that you need money for.

You can’t spend your gym membership money on Jimmy Choo shoes, and then wonder why your membership card doesn’t work when you are ready to hit the treadmill.

You can’t spend your rent money on diet pills, b12 shots and pre-packaged meals for the next 6 months and be surprised that at the pink slip on your apartment door.

Choose wisely and make those dollars stretch!

Have your budget in mind when you go shopping.
Make a shopping list. There are tons of great apps for this for your cell phone
Be Real…don’t spend what you don’t have.

Your weight loss journey can be financed or not financed as you see fit. You can lose weight eating food from ALDI, Whole Foods, a farmer’s market or Safeway. The clean, unprocessed healthy food you seek comes in a variety of stores, brand names and at various prices.

Look in your local paper and in your mail for info on sales on the healthy foods you’re looking.
Clip coupons for staple foods like frozen veggies, whole wheat pasta, olive oil and beans.
Compare! Make a trip to the grocery chains that you don’t always frequent or check their websites and compare the prices to what you see at the stores you prefer.
Buy in bulk at stores like BJ’s, Cosco and Sam’s Club.

You don’t have to eat organic or take high priced supplements (not that those things are bad) if you can’t afford to. Old fashioned eating right can be done on the cheap. Not having money doesn’t have to be an excuse to be inactive or eat cheaply priced junk food.

Diet pills are just another thing to buy. Most people agree that you can skip them and still lose weight.
Sure, many of us would like to eat all organic, but it can be expensive. If your budget is tight, look for deals and sales on organic foods or buy them in bulk if your store carries them in this way.
Buy organic veggies frozen for less food waste.
Focus on unprocessed, natural foods that are not full of preservatives.
When eating out with friends, stick with veggie sides, lunch portions, healthy appetizers and salads to keep the cost down.

Oh, and please note: I’m not saying that you have access to much of a grocery store at all or that your money is not severely limited. I understand. When you are trying to feed a family or make ends meat, you have to prioritize what your budget is used for. BE REALISTIC, but know that there are a LOT of people who have been where you are and they were able to find a way to get healthy. Make the changes that your budget will allow. Buy the foods you can afford that are the most healthy options. Do what you can to lose weight affordably.

What is Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery?

September 28, 2013 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

gastricsleeve With gastric sleeve weight loss surgery, the stomach is reshaped to create a narrow, tube-like “sleeve,” rather than its original gourd-like shape. This reshaping helps to reduce the size of the stomach and allows you to feel fuller faster. It also changes the amount of food that it is possible for you to eat at any given time because there is little expansion room available to accommodate overeating.

Who is it for?

Gastric sleeve weight loss surgery is no longer considered an investigational or experimental procedure. It is a widely accepted procedure for patients who cannot tolerate other forms of weight loss surgery, such as lap banding, stomach stapling or gastric bypass. Typically, these patients have health conditions that would make the other procedures more dangerous, or are too morbidly obese to tolerate the surgery. Gastric sleeve weight loss surgery is easier to tolerate because it is done laproscopically through small incisions.

Special Considerations

Many doctors will require that a patient enter therapy or a weight management clinic before being considered for the surgery. A common requirement is that the patient takes off 10 to 20-percent of the weight themselves through diet and exercise before the surgery will be scheduled. There are two reasons for these special considerations. The first is that weight loss from the gastric sleeve procedure is much slower than with other procedures, yet the diet is more restrictive. This can cause a great deal of emotional stress. The second consideration is that without being able to maintain the proper diet, the weight will return but not usually before causing complications for you.

The other consideration that is different for all is whether insurance will cover it. Each person is different and not all insurance plans will even consider paying for the procedure.

What to expect with Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery

Gastric sleeve weight loss surgery is an inpatient procedure and takes about an hour to perform. The average stay in the hospital after the surgery is two to three days and it can take about six weeks after that before you are considered fully recovered. While you are recovering you will have to take great care with how you move so as not to strain or herniate yourself in the area that had the surgery. You will also have to play strict attention to what you are eating. Most people follow a very strict liquid diet to keep their nutrition up but avoid putting solid foods into their stomach until it heals. After your stomach has healed, the diet can be very restrictive in amounts and types as well to promote weight loss. Following doctor’s orders is a must!

The Risks of Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery

While the gastric sleeve is considered by doctors to be a safe procedure, no invasive procedure is 100% safe. There are risks involved with gastric sleeve weight loss surgery that can occur during the surgery, and after. The main risks while in surgery include:

Infection
Perforation of stomach or intestines
Adverse reaction to Anesthesia
Bleeding
Cardiac Arrest
Blood Clot
Pulmonary Issues

After you have had the surgery performed there are several other possible risks. Some of them can develop into life threatening conditions.

Surgery related complications post surgery
Liver and Kidney failure
Stroke
Hypertension
Hepatitis
Depression
Social anxiety disorders
Eating disorders

Talk to your doctor about any increased risk they perceive for you. Family history, current support systems and overall health will play a huge role in determining the risk level and deciding what are the best steps to take to keep you safe.

Keeping the Weight Off after Gastric Sleeve Weight Loss Surgery

Unfortunately, many people gain the weight they lost back within the first two years following gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. The problem does not lie in the gastric sleeve being ineffective, but in the aftercare planning for continuing the weight loss. No weight loss surgery is going to change your dietary or wellness habits that contributed to the weight gain in the first place. Unless you commit to a serious program of transforming your relationship with food, exercise habits and self-care habits you can easily gain back everything. One thing that will help is to follow the dietary restrictions you will be discharged with after the gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. Then immediately start to keep a food journal in which you track your diet, lifestyle habits and weight change. By getting in the habit of taking charge of your life, you can get the weight off and keep it off.

5 Reasons You Should Start a Food Journal for Weight Loss

September 28, 2013 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

food journal benefits Many experts and nutritionists encourage people to keep a food journal when they are trying to lose weight. There are so many tools out there like FitBit, My Fitness Pal and the Lose It app to use as mobile or online food journals. Unfortunately, most people understand this to mean keeping obsessive count of calories and using the journal to prove how they lack any self-control in keeping to health eating habits. However, a food journal can be one of the most positive tools for change in your life in terms of your daily diet and other areas like stress eating. You will be surprised to learn how much of your actions and reactions in daily life are food centered or affect your eating. The more you begin to pay attention to the details of your eating habits, the better you will be able to understand your motivations and stressors that affect emotional eating. You will also see the things you need to stop eating. The following are 5 reasons you should start a food journal for weight loss.

Reason # 1 – Keeping Track

A common saying is that weight loss is 70% diet and 30% exercise. A better way at looking at it is wellness is 60% diet, 25% exercise and 15% self-care habits. A self-care habits include things like how much sleep you get and how regular it is, what you do for fun and social activities and things that affect your mental health. All of these things will influence your ability to keep to a healthy eating and exercise plan. In your food journal, track the foods you eat and their calories, but also keep track of your exercises, moods and self-care habits. The goal is to create a food journal for weight loss that also provides you with insight to your whole life.

Reason # 2 – Understanding Habits

Review your food journal every week and look for patterns. If you see that you easily keep to your healthy habits for most of the week, good for you. Most people will find opportunities to change for the good. Chances are you will discover that you are becoming unbalanced in another area of your life or dealing with social or work stresses that cause you too seek relief from through food. It can also be that social events make make it easy to abandon to your diet disciplines. A night out with friends can mean bar food or dinner at a buffet which never makes weight loss easy. Figure out what is surrounding the choice you make to not stick to your diet goals. Habits = What you do daily = lifestyle.

Reason # 3 –Changing the Habit

To make a food journal effective for weight loss, you have to take your understanding about what influences your choices not to follow your diet and work to change your habits. The key to this is to start small. One of the best things to try is the 20 minute rule. Wherever you are, and whoever you are with, the rule is that you get to eat what is on your plate but then you have to wait 20 minutes before having anything else. It takes 20 minutes for the body to register that it is full, so give yourself time. Another good habit to get into is to check out the menu for where you are going to go eat online first. Pick some healthier choices so you have them in mind before you get there. It will be easier to stick to your diet when you are hungry if you have already made a decision about food choices when you are not.

Reason # 4 – Discover What You Don’t Eat

Another good reason to start a food journal for weight loss is it will reveal what you don’t eat. People can overemphasize calorie counting and miss the fact that they are nutritionally deprived. One of the leading culprits of this are the 100 calorie snack packages. They make for easy recording in your journal and can help you maintain your calorie goal, but look at what they contain to see if there is enough nutrition in it. Make it a goal for the next week to add in more calories from the foods that are missing to bring more balance into your diet. Focus on fiber, vitamins and nutrients like protein.

Reason # 5 – Creating Positive Power

The most powerful reason to start a food journal for weight loss is that losing weight is a long and difficult road. While you may see rapid and visible loss in the beginning, as you begin to get down to the fats that are harder to shed, keeping up your motivation can be hard. Use your food journal to create positive reinforcement by showing yourself all the times you make right choices, and how far you have come.

Are Breast Cancer and Being Overweight Linked?

September 19, 2013 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

How is being overweight and breast cancer linked?

If you follow health news then you know that research has shown a link between being overweight and an increased risk breast cancer. The link is only just beginning to be understood by scientists and it is revealing some facts that should have a very positive influence on reducing the instances of breast cancer worldwide and obesity rates. The only way to reduce the risk of breast cancer related to obesity is to lose the weight and keep it off. Losing the weight doesn’t absolutely proof your body against breast cancer, as there can be many other factors that can raise your risk as well. However, it is a factor that you can control (for most people, that is).

Overweight and obese women — defined as having a BMI (body mass index) over 25 — have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to women who maintain a healthy weight, especially after menopause. Being overweight also can increase the risk of the breast cancer coming back (recurrence) in women who have had the disease. – breastcancer.org

Being overweight is not linked to all breast cancers

To understand how weight and breast cancer are linked, it is easiest to begin with how they are not connected together. Scientists have found that the link exists in women after menopause, putting most of the women who are diagnosed with breast cancer that is connected to obesity in the 50s and above. There has been some evidence that being slightly overweight before menopause is not linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, and it may actually help to fight early breast cancer. So why does being overweight go from being something good to something bad?

Hormones, fat cells and breast cancer

Fat cells have a high level of estrogen receptor cells inside them. This means that they can store high levels of the hormone estrogen. Estrogen is needed by the body in varying degrees throughout life for reproduction. Menopause is when a woman’s body changes, the reproductive cycle shuts down and estrogen ceases to be produced in the levels that would be needed to reproduce. Fat cells that have stored excess estrogen keep an abnormally high level in the body. Many instances of breast cancer involve something called “hormone-positive-receptors.” This means the cancer cell needs the estrogen in order to grow. The presence of the estrogen laden fat cell in the body acts as a fuel source. Since the estrogen is not being used by any other system, it is all available for the use of the cancer cells.

The most dangerous areas to be overweight

Not all areas that hold fat will produce the same breast cancer risk. If you are fatty deposits around your thighs and hips, your risk for hormone positive receptor breast cancer is not as high as if the fat is located on your abdomen. While it is still uncertain why this particular type of fat cell locates on the abdominal area, it is known that this abdominal fat cell holds much higher amounts of estrogen than fat cells that will be located in any other area of the body.

How to lose weight and lower your risk

Some women will immediately run out to purchase that latest abdominal exerciser or focus their whole routines on sit-ups and crunches but that is not going to help you lose the weight that is putting you at risk for breast cancer. There is no way to “target” weight loss to a specific area of the body. Fat is lost when the body consumes it as fuel. For most people, it begins with fat in the extremities and then moves inward, ending with the last reserves located in the abdominal area. It is not a linear progression, but the metabolism spreads out its consumption so a little is taken from everything at a time. This is the body’s way of protecting itself from starvation. It is also why it is harder and slower to lose belly fat than fat from your arms and legs.

The best way to lose weight is to do whole body exercises and to change your eating habits. To keep weight off you have to remain physically active and adopt healthy living practices. The number one reason why so many people regain the weight they have worked so hard to lose is that they adopt a temporary fitness routine, but never change the longstanding living habits. When their fitness goals are reached, they return to the way they were living before and regain the weight. To lessen your risk of weight gain related breast cancer, change your lifestyle and change your approach to fitness.

6 Exercise Options for People with Bad Knees

September 12, 2013 by Ajima Jackson 5 Comments

knees People have bad knees for a variety of reasons. It can be from overuse, under use, past injuries, being overweight, having arthritis or many other disorders that affect the joint. The new thinking on joints is that staying in motion is more beneficial to keeping your mobility than avoiding movement. For many people, the benefits of exercising are also recognized as doing much more to help your mood and physical health as well. The golden rule to remember is that if you do any of them and your knees hurt, stop.

As you know, it’s always best to check in with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, especially if you have health issues, chronic knee issues or a recent injury. Check with a certified personal trainer as well, because the way you are doing the exercise may be wrong in terms of bad form or too much intensity for your level of fitness. For some, exercise if not beneficial. You have to know where you stand.

What you are trying to do

The goal to exercising is to raise your heart rate enough to be able to burn calories and to help your body transform fat to muscle. There is a side benefit to achieving this cardio target rate. Exercise stimulates your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system doesn’t have a built in pump like the circulatory system has the heart. It is dependent on the contraction and expansion of your muscles to pump through the body. Moving the lymph is important because it helps to clean toxins and wastes from your body, boosting your immune system. Detoxing and boosting your immune system are important to healing the body and weight loss. Also, the affect that cardio has on your circulation also helps the body heal. Here are some workout options for people with bad knees:

Bicycling

Bicycling has a very low impact on the knees and can elevate your heart rate into target ranges quickly. Many people with bad knees avoid cycling because they think it will strain the knee. The proper way of pedaling (seated) uses the knee joint correctly; its role is as a flexion point for the muscles in the calf and thigh. It is one of the best workout options for people with bad knees. Cycling is something you can choose to do at a gym, in a Spinning class, or on your own with a minimal investment.

Rowing

Rowing is another one that makes the list as a great workout option. Rowing not only raises your heart rate but it is considered a full body exercise. Like bicycling, the knee joint doesn’t have to bear significant weight but is put in motion, which can help bad knees.

Swimming

Swimming is one of the best overall exercises for people with bad knees, or bad anything. Your body is supported by the water so there is less to no load bearing on the joint. Using good form, your swimming style can work out the whole body with little strain. Even if you know how to swim, it can be a good idea to take a few refresher lessons to check your form and get some help building a varied and interesting lap routine.

Circuit Training

Moving from station to station on the weight machines not only will develop muscle mass but also elevates you into the right cardio target range. Many gyms now have a special area set up for this type of training so you can keep moving quickly enough to get the most benefit. You don’t have to use machines which put stress on the knees and you can still get a good workout.

Elliptical

The Elliptical machine can be a good choice in workout options for people with bad knees because it is a full body exercising that emulates running, but is specifically designed as low impact to avoid putting weight on the knee. It is considered to be a low impact exercise, but you can achieve a high cardio rate quickly. Many gyms have them installed in groups in front of TV screens so exercising on them becomes more interesting. To start, go slow in terms of pace.

Pilates, Yoga & Tai Chi

While there are certain moves in each that will prove too much for your knees at first; Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi have much to offer and may be a better way for you to keep a workout schedule. Each involves a great deal of stretching and motion, which is good for maintaining flexibility in your knees. They all can provide a deceptively intense workout as well. Your heart rate can easily reach the maximum range in certain advanced yoga and Pilates classes. Tai Chi is very deceptive. When you see it from a distance it looks slow and easy, but once you learn how to do it properly, you realize why it is considered one of the most difficult martial arts to master. As always, make sure to inform the instructor of your knee issues and your workout goals so they can guide you properly.

What are the Dangers of Gastric Weight Loss Surgery?

September 12, 2013 by Ajima Jackson 2 Comments

Weight loss surgery is not for everyone. We celebrate the stories of black women who have used weight loss surgery as a tool on this site because we believe that it is a viable option for many people and that they are under a doctors care. We also assume that they were aware of all of the risks and potential complications involved with weight reduction surgery. For many, the risks out weight the benefits and they are blessed to have successful surgeries. For others, that is not the case. It is a very personal choice.

Anyone considering weight loss surgery of any kind should seek out ALL information available from their doctors and other medical professionals about the risks, including death. I’m not a medical professional but I’m going to present in this article an overview of information that I’ve gathered to get you started.

There are extreme benefits to surgery. There are also serious risks associated with weight loss surgery, and the dangers are very important to understand. While the serious dangers of weight loss surgery do not necessarily have a high chance of occurring, when they do occur they can be debilitating and life threatening. There are also some risks that are not life threatening, but problematic and they are equally important to know.

I’m going to focus on the 2 most common procedures – The gastric sleeve and gastric bypass?

The two most common types of weight loss surgery are the gastric sleeve and the gastric bypass. With the sleeve (also known as sleeve gastrectomy), a portion of the stomach is removed to reduce its size. This will result in making you feel full faster to encourage weight loss. With gastric bypass surgery, a section of the stomach and sometimes the intestine are reshaped to change how food is processed through the body. Neither is without danger, and both are irreversible procedures, which are the reasons why there is much to consider before going ahead with weight loss surgery.

Potential Life-Threatening Dangers of Weight Loss Surgery

Surgical – The surgical dangers of weight loss surgery are the same for either type of procedure. There is the risk of infection, perforation, blood clots, and having a reaction to the anesthesia to name a few. There are a few rare cases of death occurring during bariatric surgery. There is also a high risk of lung and cardiac problems occurring, mostly due to the nature of the anesthesia.
Pulmonary and Cardiovascular – During and after surgery, there is a risk of lung collapse or the lungs filling with fluid. There is also a risk of a stroke caused by an embolism or blood clot along with blood clots forming elsewhere in the body. You can also experience a cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. The dangers of weight loss surgery also include an elevated risk for a heart attack.
Liver and Kidneys – Weight loss surgery also puts you at risk for kidney and liver failure, plus Hepatitis which can then go on to develop into cirrhosis.

Potential Complications of Weight Loss Surgery

There are several possible complications that can come from having weight loss surgery. While these issues ma not be life threatening when they begin, can create complications that are. Here are some examples:

Depression – Post surgical depression can be common after weight loss surgery.
Anorexia Nervosa/Bulimia – Post surgical patients may develop either of these eating disorders or both together. Without proper treatment, each of the disorders may be fatal.
Hypoglycemia – An erratic processing of insulin and blood sugar can also result as a permanent change to the body’s metabolism.
Reactive Hypoglycemia – If a situation called “dumping” occurs during surgery or directly after, in which food moves too quickly through the system, it is called dumping. This can lead to a condition called reactive hypoglycemia which is similar to hypoglycemia but includes an adrenal disorder as well.
Sleeve leakage, Internal leakage
Nausea
Chronic Pain
Digestive issues associated with the stomach and intestines
Infections
Hernia
Hemorrhage

Are the Dangers of Weight Loss Surgery worth it?

Every procedure comes with a set of worst case scenarios for how things can go wrong. Weight reduction surgery is no exception. That there are risks does not mean that it should be avoided all together. However, there are certain realities about weight loss surgery that should be considered before risking the possible dangers of having it done.

Weight loss surgery is meant for people who are morbidly obese. This means they are in excess of 100 lbs. overweight and their weight is creating life threatening conditions. Anyone who is less than 100lbs overweight is generally discouraged from surgery as there are still other, less invasive and expensive interventions to try. Exceptions are sometimes made for serious health issues, like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Weight loss surgery by itself does not make you a healthy weight. You may lose significant weight with surgery, but not all of the weight. You may lose too much weight and deal with “wasting”. You may lose weight in the beginning but then gain the weight back due to eating habits. It is the start of a long journey to get to a healthy body that you have to commit to.
Some people regain weight they have lost lost within one year of the surgery. They regain the weight because they never examined how they became overweight and made the necessary changes to their life style to keep the weight off. No matter how good the plan is that your receive from your health care provider and surgeon…if you are not ready to follow that plan and change you lifestyle, it’s possible that you can experience weight gain. Proper diet and adequate exercise are the only way to maintain a healthy weight, but you have to deal with emotional and situational issues, as well as your past. Follow doctor’s orders and work to create a lifestyle that keeps you healthy and happy.

If you are considering the dangers of weight loss surgery, talk to your doctor about how real the risks are for you. Make the most informed decision you can.

Why is Junk Food so Addictive? – Sugar, Fat and Salt

September 5, 2013 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

Fries, funnel cakes, cheeseburgers, and candy, why are they so addictive? If you have ever craved these foods you may wonder just that when you try to stop eating it. Some people do not consider junk food as something that you can be addicted to, but the truth is that many people do crave junk food like others crave cigarettes or cocaine. After a while, the habitual eating of sugary, salty, fat filled junk food can be quite addictive. Sugar, fat and salt are the tri-fecta of why it’s so hard to let the “good” stuff go and stop eating junk food all together. There are studies on the subject as well:

“This exciting new study was funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Since drug addiction and obesity are major national problems, researchers set out to see if brain changes that take place in drug addiction were present in the obese. Prior studies have shown that both drug addiction and obesity were associated with a dysfunction in the brain’s reward system. The more you indulge in drugs or sugary-fatty foods, the higher your reward threshold and the more you want. It becomes an vicious cycle of trying to curb a craving that can never be fully satisfied.” – WebMd

Sugar

Sugar can be just like a drug for many people. It’s a concentrated chemical substance that is refined in a similar way that cocaine and other drugs are refined. Like other known drugs, sugar helps to increase the dopamine found in the brain. This is the feel good chemical that hits brain receptors and will make you feel good. Thus, the “sugar high” effect is a real chemical reaction in the body that affects not only the brain but also your blood sugar. Often times, just like regular drugs, to get the next high you will have to eat more sugar as the brain gets used to the same amount of sugar and the high is less. High sugar consumption in a person can mimic the brain’s opiate system. Each human has a natural opiate system that can be triggered with high amounts of sugar or with drugs such as morphine and heroin. This trigger creates pleasure which in turn can lead to addiction and even sugar withdrawals. Limiting the sugar that you eat and switching natural sugars like fruit is highly important to avoid any type of addiction to sugar. Breaking existing addiction to sugar can be hard but it’s possible.

Fat

Fat is something that you wouldn’t think that people would get addicted to when you first hear the word. However, fat in foods can be just as addictive as sugar and salt and can lead to many problems. Fat addiction is much like sugar addiction in the way that the brain reacts to fat. Eating high fat foods over stimulates the brain receptors that are responsible for releasing dopamine. This dopamine release triggers a feeling of goodness or a high such that people want to eat it more. We are talking about saturated fat and trans-fat in things like chips, fried foods, foods with butter added, fast food, prepackaged meals, baked goods (used to keep them moist), microwave popcorn and cheese.

Salt

Salt is important in the human body but over-consumption of salt can lead to many problems. Salt can be highly addictive and anyone who sits down at the table can find themselves reaching for the salt shaker in order to salt their food. It’s very accessible and many just think of it as a harmless seasoning. That is until they get a diagnosis of high blood pressure or hypertension (both very common in the Black community). Salt does the same thing to the dopamine receptors in the brain. There are even studies out there that have shown that salt in a small form can help to cure depression due to this release of feel good chemicals. However, having too much salt can lead to a very bad addiction as well as many health problems. Finding alternatives for flavor is key to letting go of salt. Food can taste very bland to many people without salt so you’ll need to find other herbs and salt-free seasonings to take its place.

Many junk foods have all three ingredients in them, salt, fat and sugar. Combined together this makes for one very addictive class of food that you want to avoid.

By eating junk food you put yourself at risk for many different health problems including obesity, high blood pressure, heart problems, and neurological disorders. If you find yourself addicted to junk foods, do your research and work to get free of the compelling need to eat these foods. Like any other addiction, it will take time for your body to get accustomed to eating a different diet and you have to WANT to change.

Breaking up with an addictive junk food menu can be hard and many people find that they will feel bad for the first few days, much like an addiction to anything else. Switching to healthy foods and steering clear of all the bad foods will help ease this process. It will be well worth it in the end. You will be healthier and have a less risk for common, food-related health problems that affect so many people.

The Basics: What is Paleo?

September 5, 2013 by Ajima Jackson 8 Comments

Paleo is an eating plan where you eat the foods that your body was made to eat through years of evolution. The concept is that you will be eating foods that your “ancestors” secured by hunting and gathering. You can eat foods such as fish, lean meat, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits. On this diet you will not eat foods that are made by modern means of production such as processed foods, as well as grains and dairy. People on the Paleo plan also stay away from legumes (beans and peanuts). The focus is on foods that are specifically made for the human body to burn fat, recognized by the body as food more than as chemicals or toxins and that help you to have optimal energy.

Now…As with ANY diet plan or meal plan YOU have to modify it to make it work for you. There is no One-Size-Fits All Plan!

That’ being said, I do have some issues with this diet, let me say that upfront. The first criticism I have of this diet is that it doesn’t take into account various cultures around the world and access to foods regionally. I think it’s focused on what ancestors of people of Euro-decent would have eaten. The diet recommended may not have been the Paleo era eating of those in Africa, South America, Asia, etc. Availability of things like fish or certain fruits would have affected how much early people would have eating certain things. There are a number of Paleo plans out there, so some have dealt with this issue which is great, but not many.

My second criticism is that as a long term plan, the lack of carbs and the cost of eating this way could be prohibitive for some people. I suggest that you eat any veggie or fruit you want if you are considering this way of eating long term.

Lastly, there are SO many Paleo plans and books. Some say dairy is ok. Some say potatoes are good in moderation. You just have to remember that you are dealing with a theory…and that not everyone agrees with what our ancestors ate and what we should eat. There should be no surprise about that…look at all the diet plans out there!

Ultimately, only you can decide, through trail and error, what works for your body. Trying Paleo could help you figure that out, but it’s not going to answer all the questions and issues you have for you.

That being said, let me breakdown the basics of Paleo. Here are some benefits that you may encounter from eating this way:

Removes most trans-fat and processed sugars from your diet
Healthy fats from fish, nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil
More stable blood sugar
Reduced allergies, especially for those with issues with dairy and wheat products
Weight loss due to cutting out a lot of junk and processed foods
Clearer skin
Less inflammation
Eating more nutrient dense foods

What foods to you avoid on a Paleo Diet?

Grains and Beans

On the Paleo diet you will completely cut out grains and legumes (beans and peanuts). Many studies say that the human body was not made for eating grains and those grains can actually harm the body, but that is still debated. However, one of the main benefits to avoiding grains is that foods that contribute to weight gain, like bread, pasta and baked goods will be avoided as well. Those of you on low-carb plans know the benefits of avoiding grains very well. Also, there is a huge gluten-free movement going on. Many people find themselves allergic to gluten and whole grains which can cause digestive issues and in some cases neurological issues. Some people just feel better in general when they don’t eat grains. In order to follow this diet you will be cutting the majority of grains out of your diet and focusing more on vegetables to replace them.

Processed Foods

Many processed foods can contain nasty chemicals and preservatives that early man wouldn’t have encountered (even our grandparents’ food didn’t have some of these chemicals) Some of these chemicals and additives can be highly addictive to people, such as MSG. The simple carbohydrate content in processed foods is one of the main reasons why obesity and diabetes is running rampant throughout the world. Processed foods can trick the chemistry in the brain and lead to the person craving processed foods all the time. Many are also high in calorie content and fat content (trans-fat and saturated fat). On Paleo, you cut out the majority of the processed foods from your diet, if not all. It may be hard to cut out all the processed foods but over time you will learn not to eat any of those foods and what to replace them with that is Paleo approved. Remember to watch out for processed meats (read the label). Sometimes a first time Paleo dieter may think that it is ok to eat any meat however most processed meat, such as sandwich meat, is highly processed, full of sodium and not good for you.

Sugar

Refined sugar is something that you will need to avoid if you plan on doing a Paleo diet. Concentrated sugar is not naturally meant for the body and can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels affecting various systems of the body. High sugar consumption can lead to diabetes and many other problems, as well as weight gain. You will be cutting out all forms of sugar except for fruit which has all natural sugars. Some people on Paleo do use Raw, unprocessed honey.

Foods to Eat on Paleo

These foods are important to consume and you will find that you are allowed to eat a good bit more than expected on the Paleo diet.

Meats. Any type of unprocessed meat whether it is chicken breast, beef, turkey, bison or some other form. You should seek out the best quality that you can afford and find.
Fish. Fish is also an important staple of Paleo dieting. You can eat whatever type of fish that you want, however organically grown fish are highly recommended.
Vegetables. Any and all vegetables that are grown are a great part of the Paleo diet. You can have as many vegetables as you like. Organic and all natural is preferred.
Fruit. All fruit is recommended under the Paleo diet. Fruits like blueberries that are full of antioxidants are highly recommended to consume.
Nuts
Healthy, Natural Fat/Oils

You can find ideas for menus and recipes online. There are also many books dedicated to the world of Paleo eating.

Paleo for Beginners: Essentials to Get Started

Practical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle

Well Fed: Paleo Recipes for People Who Love to Eat

The Paleo Diet Revised: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat