WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JANUARY 2012

I figured out how to change the levels and did a little reading - changed my potassium and sodium levels listed. :happy:

I found this to be a good list, another MFP member posted it awhile back.

Top 20 Superfoods (How many of these to you eat on a regular basis?)

1. Whole Eggs. Cheap & rich source of protein: 7g/egg. The yolk contains most nutrients: half the protein, vitamins A/D/E and cholesterol to naturally increase your testosterone levels. Don't worry about cholesterol in eggs. Dietary cholesterol isn't bound to blood cholesterol. If you have bad cholesterol, lower your body fat rather than throwing the yolk away.

2. Fish Oil. Reduces inflammation (joints/skin), lowers body fat and increases testosterone levels. You need 9000mg EPA/DHA per day. Since you'll probably struggle to get that from eating fatty fish, consider a fish oil supplement.

3. Wild Salmon. One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids that also gets you 20g protein per 100g serving. Farm raised salmon is, however, omega-3 deficient: it's corn/grain fed. Go with wild salmon.

4. Berries. Strong antioxidants that prevent cancer, heart & eye diseases. Any kind works: cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Buy fresh or frozen berries and mix with oatmeal.

5. Yogurt. Contain bacteria that improve your gastrointestinal health. Don't buy frozen yogurt or yogurt with added sugar and fruits at the bottom. Get plain low fat yogurt. Eat it with berries & flax seeds.

6. Flax Seeds. Source of fiber, protein & omega-3. Grind the flax seeds to get the most out of them. Take 1 tbsp with yogurt & berries before going to bed. Stay away from flax oil: it's unstable and contains no fiber.

7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 70% monounsaturated fats that protect against heart diseases and cancer. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to your salads. Buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil: it contains more polyphenols and tastes better.

8. Mixed Nuts. Contain mono- & polyunsaturated fats, proteins, fiber, vitamin E, zinc, potassium, magnesium, etc. Mixed nuts are caloric dense, great if you're a skinny guy who wants to gain weight. Anything works: almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, ... Peanut butter also works as long as you buy natural peanut butter without added salts/sugars.

9. Red Meat. Protein, vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, carnosine and even omega-3 if you eat grass-fed beef. Eat steaks & hamburgers from top round or sirloin.

10. Broccoli. High in cancer-fighting phytochemicals and anti-estrogenic indoles. Broccoli is also high in soluble fiber and low calorie, helping fat loss. Eat other cruciferous vegetables for a change: cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, kale, ...

11. Spinach. One of the most alkaline foods. Spinach prevents muscle & bone loss, but also cancer and heart diseases because of its high nutrient profile.

12. Turkey. If you don't believe saturated fat is good for you, try white turkey. The leanest beef has about 4.5g saturated fat/100g, while white turkey has close to 0g (that why it's so dry). Eat turkey with spinach & quinoa.

13. Quinoa. South American "king of grains". Quinoa is higher in fiber & protein than rice or oats, tastes a lot better and is gluten free. Buy the whiter grain, it's better quality. Eat it post workout with meat & spinach.

14. Oats. Reduce cholesterol, provide you with low-gi carbs for energy, and high in soluble fiber. Try this post workout shake of whey & oats.

15. Tomatoes. High in lycopene, which prevents cancer. The lycopene in tomato paste is 4 times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. Have pizza or pasta with tomato sauce & olive oil post strength training.

16. Oranges. Vitamin C to fight diseases, magnesium to lower blood pressure, anti-oxidant beta-carotenes, etc. Quit drinking processed orange juice which often has added sugars. Eat oranges or make your own orange juice.

17. Apples. Pectin in apples helps weight loss by increasing satiety. Apples are also the strongest antioxidiant after cranberries (eat the peels). Unfortunately apples are one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits. Go organic.

18. Carrots. Their huge vitamin A content improves eye-health, especially night vision. Carrots are also rich in fiber, low calorie and taste good, even raw.

19. Water. Your body holds water if you don't drink enough. Drinking prevents water retention, helps muscle recovery and prevents dehydration from strength training. Get a brita filter and drink 2 cups of water with each meal.

20. Green Tea. Strong antioxidant and natural diuretic. Green tea also speeds up fat loss, prevents cancer and improves blood sugar & circulation. Drink green tea in the morning instead of coffee. Real green tea, not the teabags.

(whoa, sorry, that was LONG list)

Evening Ladies!

WOW...This is a lively site! I logged on for a bit at work today to catch up...but the thread was soooo long I needed to finish at home. Normally, I open the site in 2 windows so I can read in 1 window and respond to posts in the second as I go. Our group has grown so much, I don't think that's happening tonite! Hubby will be sad cause I won't be spending any time w/him.:laugh:

Good eating day so far...kept it light and am trying to kill my need for carbs. I love carbs!:sad:

Welcome to all the Newbies...I enjoyed reading all of the posts...and having a chuckle at a few. It's wonderful having so many more kindred spirits!

Benji...sorry to hear about your pup. Our dog had vestibular syndrome as well. It was scary...she kept falling and was disoriented. We treated Babe with motion sickness pills. It helped for Babe...but her vestibular event took a couple of weeks to go away.

Must log off. My bike is calling me. I have a recumbent bike in the living room. I can ride, watch tv AND visit w/hubby. A win all around.

Everyone enjoy your Wednesday. It looks like everyone is starting off well. It took me a little longer than I wanted to get going with my logging and exercise....but I'll catch up:drinker:

Rita

Suz - why no white potatoes?

Michele

White potatoes are simple carbs.

Except Sweet potatoes have more sugar than regular potatos and as many carbs.

I don't agree that white potatoes are simple carbs. They are very carb-y for a veggie but they are not high in sugar. I think they get a bad rap because the whole "don't eat anything white" mantra is simple and easy to remember. But cauliflower is white and it's not a simple carb and I don't think potatoes are either.

Wow!What an amazing group.takes awhile to read the posts,but that is a good thing.
Thanks,jb2011 for the food list.It`s good to know most of those listed I usually eat.Good post to people getting started this year and wanting healthier selections.
I had a great moment to share.I spent Christmas with my extended family whom most of them I see 2xs a year.I`m the oldest of 10.So when we get together it`s anywhere between 30-50 people.Anyways,my sister told me today,when she came in on Christmas,she didn`t even recognized me.I had lost almost 40 lbs since the last time I saw them.It sure made me feel good.i`ve been on this journey since 2006 and lost a total of 115 lbs so far.About 10 more to go,have to see what the drs idea of goal wt is.
A quote I heard and wanted to share-Winners never quit and Quitters never win.
So welcome all the new members of this group.Let`s make 2012 a year of healthy changes.
HUGS jane

jane, congrats on your awesome weight loss....well done....would love to hear some tips , thanks:flowerforyou:

Barb - Vince uses the recumbant bike indoors for his knee. He had arthroscopic surgery for a torn miniscus in early November. I believe that someone on another forum that I'm on has what I would compare to as a recumbant bike that is used outdoors. I'll ask her about it and get back to you.

jb - I'm glad your first experience with quinoa was a positive one. I've just found that even tho the directions tell you to make it in water, I use broth, just to give it a little more flavor.

Welcome yellowrose! You know something, I took a class in strength training a while ago. Most of the kids in the class were 20-somethings. Yet, for many of the kids *I* was lifting heavier weights than they were!

Mary (mimi) - I know you'll get back to your veggies, you probably really miss them. Oh, do you roast chickpeas? For some reason, whenever I do and then I portion them out into 1/2 cup servings so that I don't overeat, it seems that some of the chickpeas in the bag seem to get a mold on them. Why is that? I've tried using different bags, but I can't figure out why that happens. I tried letting them cool before bagging them, but it STILL happened.

Susan - your weather BETTER warm up. We'll be in FL probably around the middle of Feb, and I want it WARM. We were down there this past July for the last shuttle launch, and one thing that I really miss is having the pool available to me 24/7.

Dee - is there a walking program for the Wii? I have "my personal trainer" and there isn't one. Is it a separate program? I agree, Dewey IS cute as all get out. They probably put stars because of the first four letters.

This must be "clean out t-shirt" days. Vince went thru his t-shirts yesterday, he had quite a few that were put in the box for the Salvation Army

jb-what a wonderful feeling it is to want to wear fitted things rather than big billowey. Why alter your clothes. I say go out and buy new....lol I just recently had a lady take in a pant suit that I had. I got it when we lived in PA, can't find anything like it down here. It's long sleeved, but lightweight. Honestly, it was just too big on me. I do need to shorten this one pair of exercise pants that I have (again!) I already took them up about 2 inches, they should go up another inch now. And the waist is just getting too big. But it still does the job, and to sweat in I'm really not that concerned about how it looks. Now if I was buying these pants to wear out, then there is no way I'd get them. They're too big on the sides and in the crotch (just above it). But it'll do for exercise. Hopefully, they'll wear out pretty soon. But with my luck, they won't.

We aren't going to go to Mexican Train dominoes tonight. We picked Bonnie up at the vet and thought we could put an e-collar on her and go, but she gave us such a hard time getting that collar on her! So we're just going to have to watch that she doesn't chew on the incision. Really, I don't feel like I'm losing that much. For one thing, the food people bring leaves something to be desired! No one ever brings fruit for dessert. It's so crowded and last time I went I got so hot that I don't feel like I'm going to be missing it. I offered to let her host it at my house since my house is much larger than hers, but she hasn't taken me up on the offer.

Robin - hope you feel better soon

Since I have some time, I'm going to make a beer bread to send to Bryan. Actually, in a way it was a blessing in disguise that I didn't go to Mexican Train. See, I'm hosting bunco here this month and the host usually provides the dessert. But the last time I not only had the dessert but also a little appetizer. I was going to take these shrimp tarts with me to Mexican Train, but since I'm not going, I'll just freeze them and be able to serve them at bunco. Now I just have to find a recipe for a dessert.

dee - I agree with the other posters. Mix up your workouts, check how much sodium you are taking in and it could very well be muscle.

Amanda - you SHOULD be proud of no alcohol. That's a tremendous achievment.

No more Christmas goodies, thank goodness!

bea - ever since we got a water filter, I can really taste the difference in unfiltered and filtered water. Unfiltered to me tastes so "yuk"

jane - what an fantastic loss that your sister didn't recognize you! I bet that made you feel good, and I can't blame you one tiny bit.

Here's hoping everyone has a great evening.

Michele

I'm new to this, but I'm 50+ and need to lose a lot. It was a bad 2010 that spilled into 2011, but things are looking better already. I'm on my way. Hope you all find yours, too.

Hello everyone, great to read your posts and get to know you a little.

A big smile :happy: (or maybe a big yawn :yawn: because you're worn out) to all the people who went back to work in public schools today - don't we have the best job in the world? Tell that to the Grade 6's in my class who had to write the science test today! :laugh:

Cucumber slices to flavour my drinking water? Who knew! It tastes great. Tell me more about roasted chick-peas.

MacMadame, I loved you story of the reindeer pops. I would never have the patience to make them, or the will-power not to eat them.

Mary, hang in there with your Dad. I'm sure you've called it right, he's feeling uncomfortable and cross because he can't get around and be as independent as he wants to.

Salad Sistas! count me in, I often eat a huge salad at lunch. I like the list of super-foods too. Michi's ladder is another way to (http://www.focused-on-fitness.com/nutrition/michis-ladder.php) focus on food choices. I don't follow Team Beachbody or any other program like that, but I think the chart has good advice.

Amanda, I think entering your third year without alcohol is really something to celebrate. Go you!

Well, time to finish my last glass of water and curl up with a book. Tomorrow morning will come too soon.

Hasta pronto,

Nancy

Great tater tips. Thanks for posting them. BTW those are glycemic numbers above NOT calories... The lower the number the better.

More food for thought on the root veggie topic. The fresher they are the less starchy they are. So if you can grow your own and eat them the same day they are harvested they are even that much healthier! :happy:

Hubby is working and I just got off the elliptical so its time to hit the sack and start again tomorrow.
Ladies, I raise my glass of water... Here's to healthy choices! :drinker:

Amanda, I’m so proud of all you’ve accomplished. :flowerforyou: You’re one of my heroes. And, good golly Miss Molly, your grands sound adorable! A big congrats on no alcohol for 3 years. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: That’s a wonderful accomplishment.

Jb, thanks for the food list. I appreciate the reminders.

Beth, good luck with your mom. Interactions with parents can be a challenge at any age. :ohwell: I’m grateful (very) to have them still but, particularly with my dad, it can be hard. Our history is not smooth. I’m the oldest – of 5 – and very different from him. But, he’s mellowed out a lot over the years. We usually do pretty well. Just not after surgery! Today was much, much better.

Jane, you’ve done so well. You look great in your pics…so much younger.:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Suzy and MacMadame, Aside from the glycemic index issue, my dietician sister says potatoes – and just about everything else that’s not refined – are fine to eat in moderation. I’m with Suzy though…I tend to eat them with all the “good” stuff – the sour cream, butter, etc. – which are not actually so good at all. :noway: I wish I could learn to like potatoes (or anything) with, say, lemon juice. I've made a lot of changes for the better but that's not one of them.

Michele, I haven’t tried roasting chickpeas. Interesting idea though. I like most things roasted. :happy: On the other hand, I definitely like hummus and have found you can make your own sans all the oil the commercial varieties usually have.

I’m not back on target with eating yet. :grumble: Hanging in there though. Each day is a little better or, at least, not worse, than the day before. I expect to get back on track soon. I’m aiming for a walk tomorrow afternoon. That should help with the munchies that hit around that time.

Best regards to everyone. It’s so good to see so many new faces. I’m reminded of the Girl Scout ditty, Make New Friends, But Keep the Old. One Is Silver but the Other Gold. It’s so true.

Good night all.