Where bad habits begin

My kids are skinny. They can eat cookies.
My kids are skinny. They can eat chips.

No, I didn't get drunk, do something dumb and find my long lost family. The words above are words I hear from people all the time.

Well I was skinny too. So mom thought nothing of feeding me and allowing me to eat grape juice and chocolate donuts for breakfast. Mom thought nothing of sugar-laden cereals.

Fast forward, I got fat.

Now it is easy to blame my fatness on being sedentary. It is easy to blame on portion size. It was easy to blame it on schedule.

But what about the habits I picked up as a child. I learned that sugar was okay. I learned that running to the bus stop with something in my hand was okay. I learned to not sit and enjoy my meals. I learned that as long as there are quick, easy, grabby type foods on this planet I do not have to prepare a meal.

I also learned how to get a big stomach and several chins.

So I ask you this today…………..What habits did you learn as a child that you're trying to defeat? Is there a huge step you can take to reverse all those years? Do it.

And how many of you reading this today should have your children taken away from you because you are doing the same things?

How did that get there?

Did you ever notice on Monday morning there are foods in the house that were not there on Friday? You don't remember buying them. You don't remember going out to pick them up. But somehow, things like cakes and cookies and chips miraculously ended up in your home. It’s as if the Diet Devil dropped them off while you slept.

And today, Monday, there are leftovers. And the big decision becomes do you.............

1. throw them out
2. take them to work
3. Tell yourself you'll be okay with leaving them in your home.

What's your answer?

But here is really my question. Is there a food that needs to get out of your reach right now.?

It's Monday. The party is over.

Who do you hang out with?

You might really want to give this some thought:

CLICK THIS BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER

After you read the article come back and answer the the following question:


Please do not read the question until you have clicked on the link.

Please.

Please.


So do we dump people or take people under our wings?

Looking for a nutritious different snack?

TRY THIS:

1 cup canned pumpkin (heated).

Add a splash of milk, 1/2 tsp almond extract and a packet of sugar substitute.

Quite tasty. Quite nutritious. Quite low in calories, points, sugar or whatever else you're counting these days.

14,000 Things That Got You Skinny

Perhaps you've seen that book 14,000 Things to Make You Happy. It's a list.

I think there is a book inside each and every one of you waiting to be written: It is called 14,000 Things That Got You Skinny.

Here is the premise: Each and every day you are confronted with decisions that impact your weight. You have a decision to make. I'll bet you make at least 20 decisions each day that support your efforts. That's 140 in a week. 1,400 in ten weeks. 14,000 in about two years.

So grab a notebook and start writing. The first one to the finish line might get published. Or at least you'll have that figure you desire.

She loves to dance but...................

She loves to dance. Her husband hates to dance. I became her built-in dance partner at the wedding. When the music speed picked up, it was obvious how much she loves to dance.

But as soon as we got back to the table she was fanning herself - this after dancing to only two songs.

I questioned her being so hot and sweaty. To which she and her husband offered me a sarcastic response reminding me of the fact that I exercice regularly.

My response: "And......................................"

I got up to keep dancing. She joined me a few songs later. And what's your take-away from this reader?

The Crab Meat Experiment

So I played with the crabmeat last night.

I dropped about 10 -12 baby carrots and a package of crab meat (I think it was one lb) into the food processor. That was it. I added dill, black sesame seeds and seafood seasoning. I made 2 patties and put them on the grill. They were quite good. They didn't suck!

Then I made about 1o little crab-meat-balls. They're in the fridge right now. I'm thinking of cooking them for breakfast with some eggs. Won't eat them all, but thinking what a great snack they might be to pop into my mouth during the day. Better than all of that processed snack crap we tend to eat

So how about you? Did you try something new yesterday? Will you today? Tomorrow? Some time in this century? Decade?

From the looks of some of you it might be helpful! :)

What works now, worked then

In 1989 I lost over 30 lbs. One of the greatest factors of my weight loss success was my willingness to try new foods. Back then I made a commitment to try one new food every week. All these years later, I can probably say that 45 out of the 52 weeks in a year I meet that commitment.

I've just come back after traveling for two weeks. Let’s just say I'm up a "few" pounds. How does one get inspired?

Well I don't know about you, but I always go back to what worked way back then. Tonight I am going to experiment with lump crab meat and see if I can come up with some sort of a burger.

Stay tuned tomorrow. Same Fat Time. Same Fat Channel. You'll either have a recipe or a cranky hungry boy.

And in the meantime………….what food can you play with tonight?


Hey have you told 2 fat friends about this blog? Have they told two fat friends? And so on. And so on. And so on.

Should you walk better?

So yesterday I asked you a question..............Can you walk better?

Today, I'll take it further. I'll ask....... Should you walk better.

A woman whined to me yesterday. She walks six miles every day and is seeing no results. She walks two miles three times per day. Now I realize that some of you reading this are wondering where in the world she has all this time to take three walks when you have no time to pee, but that is not important here.

Her walks take about forty minutes. That has been consistent.

That could also be the problem. At some point in time it should be taking thirty-five minutes or thirty minutes. Or at some point in time you should be able to cover 2.5 miles or 3 miles in forty minutes.

Bottom line, at some point in time your workout will require less effort; and the results you see will diminish.

So should you walk, bike, hike, blade, kayak, swim or gym better?

What do you think?

Can You Walk Better?

Seems that the exercise of choice for most dieters/overweight people is walking.

So in my never ending battle to get you to improve your health and well-being I have a question for you.....................................

Can you walk better?

Now just in case you're wondering what I am talking about let me use this example:

• I ride a bicycle. I have a computer on my bicycle that tells me how fast I have gone, how far I am riding, how much time I have actually spent pedaling versus stopped, my fastest speed and my average speed. (It has some other features as well.) Often times when I go out riding I try to beat the last rides results. Call it a competition with myself.

Walkers, you have a similar tool. It is called a pedometer. Do you have one? Should you get one? Could a little friendly competition with yourself be beneficial to your rear?

Mint!

When I was in my twenties, back in my guido days, a popular word or phrase used to mean cool, chic, stylish or hot was MINT!

Your car was mint.
Your girlfriend was mint.
(usually in that order)

Having mint possessions was something to strive for.

Well yesterday I had something mint. It was cut up strawberries, watermelon and chopped mint. It was a salad. It was delicious. It was, as my old friend Dave used to say...................MINT!!!

Perhaps if you try this some day, someone will label you MINT! (if they're not doing so already)

HAPPY MONDAY!

How to Avoid Getting Plump

I was invited to a BBQ today. They served Ball Park Franks. I do not eat Ball Park Franks. They plump when you cook them. Did you know that Ball Park Franks plump when you cook them? Did you also know that people who eat too many Ball Park Franks also get plump? Sometimes very plump.

And what about these people at Lay's and the "betcha can't eat just one" idea. You're right. We can't eat just one. Shame on you Lay's corporation for adding to the obesity in this world.

So thank you Ball Park and Lays. I hope you are happy!

Are you 31% less?

Have you lost 31% of your weight?

Did you once weigh 200 pounds and you now check in at 138?

Do you need to lose 31%?

Do you know someone who does.

Well here is an interesting fact..............

The average butt must be getting 31% larger.

How do I know that?

The average toilet seat is now 31% larger.

The other day a friend of mine told me about a new flavor of ice cream at Ben & Jerry's - Cinnamon Bun.

So while walking down the street I felt obligated to walk into a Ben & Jerry's store and check out the description of the flavor. I mean, let's face it.......................their descriptions are enough to add ten pounds around your midsection. (Don't you just hate how the power of suggestion works. Too bad it doesn't happen for lettuce.)

We walked in. We read the description. Sounded good, but I had just left a restaurant feeling a bit stuffed. So we walked out.

Ae we walked out two women were walking into the store. My friend says to them, "We don't really need it."

"Neither do we" was her response. But they went in anyway. We waited to see if they came out empty handed.

But here is my question for you................What foods do you eat that you really don't need?

How about a recipe?

How about a great steak marinade/rub today?

Marinade your favorite steak in a can of beer for a few hours. (pour the beer over the steak; do not try to fit the steak into the beer can.

Mix 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Rub mixture on the steak and toss on the grill. Delicious.

Please eat a responsbile portion!

Just Use Some Common Sense

Had a great conversation with a friend yesterday. She was seriously considering gastric bypass or a lap band procedure. Dieting just does not seem to work for her. Come to think of it, dieting really doesn't work for most people.

After all of the testing, she had to make a decision as to which way to go. She talked the pros and cons of each with her doctor and decided to use common sense instead.

She said, "Rich, if I want to live, there are just some things I need to accept and start doing. I do not need a procedure. "

And so she started using common sense - one common sense idea is actually eating meals. She's been doing it for weeks now and has lost a few pounds.

As we sat and had 4th of July cocktails and snacks, she and I had one drink; we avoided the olives, cheese and tortilla chip; and watch the others get bigger tummies and butts.

I like the common sense diet. And you?

Where can common sense escalate your weight loss efforts?

A beach observation

I just returned from the beach. It was a beautful day at Nauset Light.

There were plenty of bathing beauties. There were plenty of people reading. There were plenty of people eating.

Here were my observations.

• There were 13 people in the nearby vicinity stuffing their face with chips, cookies etc. 11 of those people could have done without. I never once saw them get up and head towards the water.
• The five closest SKINNY people appeared to only have reading material and water with them. No food. None.
• I did not see a piece of fruit anywhere.

What's going to be in your cooler as you head to the beach or lake this year?