Once Upon a Thigh: October 2006

Table of Contents

Notes from the Editor

Looking forward to seeing you at our meeting, Wednesday, Oct. 4th, at 7 PM at the office. We will be discussing Women's Issues, so come with any questions you may have. We will also be ending with a preview of a new way to lose weight. It is very structured, and is super effective. Many of us are addicted to food and this program is all about food addiction. Just in time for the HOLIDAYS to give us all some self control. I was thinking about waiting to introduce it until Jan. 2007, but decided NOW was the time.

Your Longevity IQ

"Your body and brain are designed to last around nine decades and possibly longer. If you come up short, it's most likely because you didn't take proper care of them. Take the following quiz below and see what you come up with.
  1. Handling stress. If you tend to dwell on your problems or internalize stress, subtract 5 years. If you shed stress easily, add 5 years.
  2. Having good genes. If you have at least one family member who lived to be 90 or older, add 10 years. If not, don't add or subtract anything.
  3. Avoiding Tobacco. If you smoke, take off 15 years; if you don't, then don't add anything.
  4. Exercising regularly. Do you exercise 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week? If yes, don't add anything. If no, subtract 5.
  5. Brain boosting. Do you regularly exercise your brain with cognitively challenging tasks (word or math puzzles)? If yes, add 5 years, if no, don't subtract anything.
  6. Eating right. Are you overweight? If yes, subtract 5 years. If no, don't add anything. Overweight is classified as having a waist greater than 41 inches for a man or 36 inches for a woman."
Watch Your Use of Tylenol

Regular use of the maximum daily dose of acetaminophen or Tylenol may have a negative impact on the liver. If you occasionally use Tylenol, no problem; this is referring to daily maximum use.

Around the World in 80 Days

I remember that song, how about you? From London to Suez via Mont Cenis and Brindisi, by rail and steamboats: 7 days. From Suez to Bombay, by steamer 13 days; From Bombay to Calcutta by rail: 3 days; From Calcutta to Hong Kong to Yokohama Japan, by steamer 6 days. From Yokohama to San Francisco, by steamer 22 days; From San Francisco to New York by rail: 7 days; From New York to London by steamer and rail 9 days: Total 80 days. HOWEVER, that was then.

How Fast Are You?

Molasses: 0.0001 mph
Snail: 0.03 mph
Tortoise: 0.13 mph
Bunny: 35 mph
Speeding Bullet: 1,100 mph
Lightning: 100,000 mph
Walking: 4 mph is a good clip

Your Face This Fall

Romance is back in. So for those of us that are older (no age was listed), purples and plums are great colors for the eyes. Remember to use flat colors, no iridescence, as they make the wrinkles appear more prominent. Champagnes and other neutral colors are great also. The lid should be a lighter color and the crease a little bit darker to give definition. There are not many companies that make eye shadow. They make all different grades. Run your finger across your eye shadow, put it on your teeth and run your tongue across it. Is it smooth? The more expensive ones have a better pigment and will last all day. That also includes blushes.

Mascara formulas are not very different. Save your money. The brush is what makes the difference. Max Factor Lash Perfection Mascara was the best buy at $8.00.

Eye and Lip Pencils: you get what you pay for. The more expensive ones are softer and of course better for the eye. Lip liners can be lower cost as the lips aren't as sensitive to wrinkling as eyes. Try Wet 'n Wild Lipliner Pencil in Brandy Wine about $1.00 at the drug store.

Lipstick and Lip Gloss: department stores have creamier lipsticks. Spend more money on your favorite everyday color lipstick. You can save on gloss as you buy it for the shine.

Don't Live in These States

Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia have the highest rates of obesity. 300,000 Americans were surveyed with the following results: 60.5% of Americans are overweight, 23.9% are obese and 3% are extremely obese. The best states for weight loss are Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Vermont. Any similarities between these states? Let me know.

Women whose BMI increased by more than 3.5 (regardless of baseline BMI) had nearly three times the increase in frequent GERD (heart burn) symptoms as did women whose BMI did not change.

Just The Facts

Last month I mentioned that proper nutrition was essential for weight loss. I totally agree with that statement. Exercise is next to add to our "to do list". "The right balance of the proper food fuels your body, feeds your muscles, and makes your body more efficient. The more lean muscle you have, the more fat your burn. It's that simple.

"All foods are made up of three nutrients: Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats. To maintain a healthy diet, each meal should consist of the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats.

"Eat a salad the size of both hands put together. Eat meats and poultry the size and thickness of the center of your palm. Eat a handful of fruits and or vegetables. Eat fish the thickness of the center of your palm, and the width of three of your fingers.

"Drink plenty of water throughout your day: at least 5 - 8 OZ glasses. Water helps the body assimilate protein. It keeps the system flushed and helps to eliminate bloating. Begin to drink water at least one hour before mealtime. And continue throughout the meal. This will help to satisfy the pallet. False cravings can be curbed by drinking water."

Dining Out
  • The challenge to eating is portion control.
  • Order dressings and sauces on the side or order 2 tbs of dressing for your salad.
  • Avoid the temptation of eating table snacks (bread, rolls, chips) by first asking your dining companions if they would like to indulge in the table snacks. If yes, simply slide the snack to their side of the table. If no, just ask your server to remove the snack from the table entirely.
  • Plan ahead - don't go to a restaurant so hungry that you can't resist the table snacks. If you are really hungry, have a small snack and a glass of water before you go to the restaurant.
  • Most meals come with a vegetable and a starch. Skip the starches, order extra vegetables with your meat instead of rice, potatoes or pasta.
  • Restaurants use plenty of fat in their cooking so ask them to go light on all oils to help minimize the amount of fat they use. Stay away from sauces or foods high in fat that include cream or butter. Foods cooked in oil like sautéed, fried or stir fried meals can also be high in fat.
  • Always ask how food is prepared. Most restaurants are happy to accommodate your healthy cooking requests."
    -- Gunnar's Core Secrets.
Have a great holiday season!

Don't forget to tell a friend about Once Upon a Thigh!