WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR FEBRUARY

I really took my reading of the nutritional labels further. Instead of just reading the carbs, fat, sodium etc. on the label, I also began paying attention to what the list of ingredients were in the product. It really opened my eyes.

Reading the labels can be very and :grumble: I was quite shocked to find out that all commercial chocolate has soy lecithin in it. I don't think that's a horrible chemical that will kill you, but I'm sure people made chocolate before soy lecithin ever existed.

But what really shocked me was to find out that a lot of the so-called "good" chocolate is full of fillers and artificial ingredients. For example, Dove chocolate has:

MILK CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER, SKIM MILK, CHOCOLATE, LACTOSE, MILKFAT, SOY LECITHIN, PGPR, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR), PEANUT BUTTER CREME (PEANUT BUTTER (PEANUTS), PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, SUGAR, PARTIALLY DEFATTED PEANUTS, SALT, TBHQ TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS).

But Hershey's chocolate has these ingredients:

Milk Chocolate (Milk Chocolate Contains Sugar, Milk, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Soya Lecithin (An Emulsifier), and Vanillin (An Artificial Flavoring)).

and Lindt chocolate has:

Chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla- a natural flavor

I know which one I want to put into my body! :laugh:

But what really shocked me was to find out that a lot of the so-called "good" chocolate is full of fillers and artificial ingredients. For example, Dove chocolate has:

MILK CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER, SKIM MILK, CHOCOLATE, LACTOSE, MILKFAT, SOY LECITHIN, PGPR, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR), PEANUT BUTTER CREME (PEANUT BUTTER (PEANUTS), PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, SUGAR, PARTIALLY DEFATTED PEANUTS, SALT, TBHQ TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS).

But Hershey's chocolate has these ingredients:

Milk Chocolate (Milk Chocolate Contains Sugar, Milk, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Soya Lecithin (An Emulsifier), and Vanillin (An Artificial Flavoring)).

and Lindt chocolate has:

Chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla- a natural flavor

I know which one I want to put into my body! :laugh:

That's crazy!!

Thanks for researching the chocolate MacMadame! And to think I'm a chocoholic, wow!

Actually, my throat gets this weird constricting, tickle sensation when I eat "cheap" chocolate. I always laughed it off saying that my body is a "chocolate snob". After reading the ingredients (especially in Dove chocolate), I think I'm getting a real good understanding of why my body tries to tell me it doesn't like what I just put into it. I'm ingesting chemicals!! I don't even understand what the heck really makes up a Dove bar.

Okay MacMadame, here's another one: Pancake syrup. I typically go for real blueberry syrup or real maple syrup (being Canadian and all). However, I also have regular table syrup in the cupboard that other people in the family go for.

Here is the list of ingredients in that pancake syrup: corn syrup, glucose-fructose, 15% maple syrup, water, caramel coloring, potassium sorbate and artificial flavors, 4 tbsp of this non food gives us 210 useless calories.

Mmmmmm.....pass that syrup.

It's no wonder we are a continent of over weight people. Everything is loaded with chemically engineered junk that will make us fat and unhealthy.

Debbie

OK, ladies, I really need some help. I bet MacMadame and Debbie will be able to give me some words of wisdom.

Here's my dilemma: I know that I really should be doing some yoga every day to increase my flexibility. Since today is the start of Lent, I've made that my Lenten "to do".

Now, the trick is "to do" it! I seem to be able to find every excuse in the book. Now I don't have a problem exercising first thing in the a.m. Then I usually do some errands.

Please....give me some "words to live by" to encourage me to "just do it". I need that.

Michele

Michele,

I love Yoga, too! I had a problem, though, learning yoga from a DVD. I couldn't seem to get the correct form, probably from trying to do it while also checking the tv screen!

I found some really good audio routines at yogadownload.com. You can try a 20 minute hatha yoga one for free and then get longer ones for a very low price. I started with Gentle Hatha Yoga and soon will be moving on.

My daughter has been using their prenatal yoga routine and really likes it.

I love using yoga as a cooldown after my morning workout.

There are SO many options out there. Good luck with your search!

Almost forgot--they have printouts and videos of the routines so you can see what is involved.

:flowerforyou: Plant lady, it's good to see you post again. Keep on keeping on.

I'm reading a book about developing a normal relationship with food and it talks about every time you do an action, the neural pathways in your brain that control that behavior get stronger. So, every time you make yourself do yoga, your brain will remember and next time it will get easier to make yourself do yoga. Does that help?

That ties in with the common knowledge that it takes about a month to create a new habit.

So Michele, if you dedicate a certain time each day that is "your" time to do yoga (and don't let anything or anyone interfere with that time), you will create a new habit.

Good luck!

Jackie - Great 'Mom' story to start my day off in good spirits! Thanks for sharing.

I have been staying under my daily calories everyday now for a week. After all the advice from this thread I am eating some of my exercise calories (making sure there is not too much of a gap between what I eat and what the allowance is) and I do feel better. Plus there is a little wiggle room for a treat if I'm careful.

Off to work for me. I hope everyone has a great day.

Jeannie

:flowerforyou: Good Morning to All~

Jeannie - thank you for the kind thoughts and encouragement:bigsmile: ...sure do wish I had a brother to go thru this with!

Barbie - sorry to hear that Jake got an infection...but glad to know it was caught in time to get on antibiotics. Thank you for the encouragement with Mom, it is quite the long distant challenge:grumble:

Jackie - so glad to hear that your Mum still has a sense of humor:laugh: , that helps in a difficult situation.

Spoke with Mom last night on my way home from work, she has had a lot of people come to visit her for now...I just hope that come after she has been in the rehab for a month. It always seems like when people first have something happen in their lives people respond right away, it's when the long haul takes place that people seem to fade away. She was telling me that she can really yell:noway: I guess when they make her get up to do her therapy that's when that happens, better them than me

I guess this life style change (aka diet) and bit of exercise are finally starting to show, last night after my work out my husband said he's starting to notice that my neck is a lot thinner:huh: ....wish it was other places that were more noticable:grumble: ...not that I'm not glad for some change...but those jeans in the closet aren't having a hard time getting over my neck:sad: it's those hip and thighs that need to be changing:grumble:

Hope you all have a good Thursday....everyone keep up the good fight :drinker:

Laura

First off, Vicki so sorry to hear about your cousin. Prayers and hugs go out for you and your family.

Morning Ladies and Jake??

I wonder if anyone has had a problem dropping any pounds once you start exercising?? I have been very faithfully going to an exercise class (not easy either) 5 days a week and doing a dvd at home on weekends, for six weeks. I have only slipped on my calorie intake 3 times and only eat 2/3's of my exercise calories and have only lost 3 lbs. I'm not really complaining, because I know I'm doing good things for the inside and I notice myself a bit smaller here and there but the scale number still has a hold on me. I guess I thought the changes would show on the scale quicker. Maybe my body thinks there's no use losing it because I just put it back on anyway:laugh: I will keep eating right and I will keep exercising because oddly enough, I like it. I've read many times how it sometimes takes a little longer for the results.
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Heather

Heather, don't forget muscle weighs more than fat. You are toning and replacing fat with the muscles you are developing. But all that extra muscle burns "hotter" (meaning more calories) than the fat. So, in spite of all the pain and suffering you are turning your body into a lean mean fat burning machine! Keep up the good work!

Haven't finished reading all the posts yet...sorry. But, as I promised myself to get some housework done today (thanks Cindy, guilt is a great motivator) I must get back to it now.

Hope everyone has a great day. Terri